-Chapter 240-
Dragon's Day Out, Part 2
Blackness and quiet. That's all that Kat could see and hear. It was something she'd had to deal with nearly every day for the past… however long ago she'd been zapped by Thunderbolt. She hated it, but there wasn't much she could do about it.
"Kat?"
She perked and turned around, seeing a light in the distance. It was bright orange, like a flame. She watched as it grew closer and brighter. Once it was close enough, it began to change shape, spreading outward. It almost looked like…
"Kat!"
Like a…
"Kat!"
Station Square
Kat slowly opened her eyes to find her friends looking over her, all concerned.
"Welcome back to the world of the living," Knuckles greeted.
She rubbed her head with a groan. "Why do I feel all... sticky…?" she asked.
"Milan's boyfriend dropped your ice cream on you," Keith explained.
"Ugh… gross…" Kat winced in disgust, shaking off some melted vanilla and chocolate syrup. "Well, that sure ruined the mood, but at least she's gone now. So that's good." She stretched, groaning slightly, just as they overheard some people talking.
"Did you see that video on JuTube?"
"The one with Sonic?"
"How could I not?"
"I don't think there's anyone who hasn't."
"Yeah, it's freakin' hilarious!"
"If someone touches you in a way or place that makes you uncomfortable, THAT'S no goooood!"
"Pfffft!"
"Wow, phrasing much."
Kat snickered at that.
"I hope Sonic's kicking himself for that one," Knuckles said.
"Well, at least someone's enjoying Breezie's cartoons, right?" Kat remarked.
"Heh, yeah..." Hope rubbed her arm, she and the boys looking uncomfortable.
"I know, it's weird...but it's just too funny!"
"It's embarrassing, is what it is."
"Seriously, Eggman's snatching people up left and right, and Sonic's out making… THIS!"
"Some hero."
That made the group stop.
"Guess that orca broke him more than we thought."
"And then that disaster at Twinkle Park."
"Maybe the Freedom Fighters just aren't cut out for this. I heard that the goon in charge of the attack was a Rikachu. A literal Rikachu! Sonic nearly got killed… by a BOOKEYMON!"
"And not just Sonic, but several other members, and a civilian."
"I thought Mina was one of them."
"She's moral support at best."
"I thought she left because of her music career?"
"If she did, I don't blame her."
"If this is any indication of what the Freedom Fighters are now, we might as well just turn in our applications to Eggmanland now."
"Dude! Don't say that!"
"Come on! You've heard the news! People are getting rounded up and turned into killer cyborgs and the Freedom Fighters are getting their asses handed to them! Even GUN can't stop them!"
The kids all listened to this. Kat curled up slightly.
"Do you think they're right?" she asked.
"They're just scared, Kat," Knuckles said. "We've never faced enemies like this before. And they really trashed us."
"Knuckles is right," Keith agreed. "We just need to find a way to get stronger, so we can beat them. Hopefully then, things will get better."
"Until then, just ignore them," Chris advised.
"Right... works for me." Kat winced, clutching her head. Keith was by her side in an instant.
"Kat! You okay?"
"Yeah. Just... woozy."
"C'mon, let's get you back home..." Knuckles dug into his pocket. "Awww crap, we're out of Warp Rings!"
"Seriously?" Chris questioned.
"Yeah…" Knuckles sighed. "Looks like we'll need to get a plane home.
"There's a shop over by one of the ports," Chris said. "We can rent one there."
With that, they set out.
-X-
Elsewhere, Cinder was running through the city, turning things upside down, sometimes literally, in search of Kaen.
"Kaen?! Kaen, where are you?!" She looked in a trashcan. "Kaen!?" She looked in a mailbox. "Kaen!"
"Ma'am, is everything alright?"
Cinder quickly turned around to see a startled Tom Wachowski.
"Whoa!" he exclaimed. "Easy there, Miss. I just wanted to check up on you."
"Who are you?" Cinder asked.
"Sheriff Tom Wachowski, Station Square Police Department."
The dragon carefully examined the strange human's attire, her eyes catching the shiny badge on his shirt. "That crest...are you a guardsman?"
"Something like that." Tom replied, "What seems to be the problem?"
Cinder headed for him. "Sir, I need your help! My son has gone missing! I took my eyes off him for a moment to ask for directions and now can't find him anywhere!"
"Easy, easy…" Tom soothed. "Ma'am, it's gonna be okay. I'll help you find your child. Can you describe him for me?"
Cinder took a deep breath. "He's a drake of my form with- With red scales. He was wearing a robe with my clan's symbol on it." She pointed to the emblem on her armor.
"Red scales with symbol on robe…" Tom nodded. "I'll put out an OPAL alert and get a search started." he pulled out his com to make the call. "School should be out as well, so I can call in the Freedom Fighters too."
Cinder sighed. "Oh thank you...thank you so much!"
Tom watched as the dragoness breathed heavily. Her claws twitched nervously as she slowly rocked back and forth.
"They'll find him…" she told herself. "Kaen will be fine...he won't...he's won't..."
Cinder began suffering trauma flashbacks, her hand shaking. "It's...going to be...going to be fine..."
"Ma'am, are you okay?" Tom asked in concern.
"He won't… Become metal… Robots… Cage… Not again… Not him..." Cinder started hyperventilating.
"Ma'am? Ma'am, are you alright? Do you need someone to take you to the doctor?"
Cinder's eyes widened in horror, the word "doctor" echoing through her mind
"D-Doctor..." Visions of her capture flooded her psyche. Strange metal men bursting into her den in the middle of the night, mere days after she'd laid. Being trapped in a cold, steel cage, surrounded by blinking lights and machines. And a fat, bald man in a red coat grinning at her as he detailed his plan to change her into his newest, strongest weapon like he did her friend, laughing as he did. "Robotnik..."
"Uh oh..." Tom went pale, taking a step back as Cinder reeled back, unleashing a powerful, frenzied roar accompanied by a stream of flame into the sky.
"ROBOTNIIIIIIIIIIIK!"
-X-
Elsewhere, Kaen was still chasing the cat through the city, people side-stepping him as he ran. Eventually, the chase takes them to another alleyway, the cat stopping to catch their breath.
"Kitty!" Only to resume fleeing when Kaen caught up to them.
Their chase eventually took them to another alley, this one divided by a chain link fence with a hole in the bottom. Seeing a chance to escape the young dragon, the cat ran for the hole and squeezed through.
"Kitty!" Kaen tried to follow it, only to slam hard into the fence. He watched as it took off, vanishing completely, and teared up. "Kitty..."
-X-
Meanwhile, Knuckles and Team Thorndyke were walking. As they did, Kat occasionally stumbled.
"Alright, we should be getting close." Chris said.
"Seriously, how can we already be out of Warp Rings?" Knuckles demanded. "I had like fifteen!"
"Maybe you didn't have as many as you thought," said Keith. "It happens."
Before they could continue, the group stopped, hearing a child crying.
"What the...?" Chris let out.
"Over there!" Kat said as she ran off.
"Whoa! Kat, wait up!" Keith called out.
Kat followed the sound of the crying, eventually making her way to the alley, where she found Kaen sitting there, sobbing.
"No way…" Kat said, unable to believe her eyes. As she stopped and stared, the others caught up with her, joining her when they saw the source of the noise.
"What the…" Hope said breathlessly
"Is that a…dragon?" Keith said in disbelief.
"By Aurora, it is!" Knuckles exclaimed, "What's a dragon doing all the way out here?"
"That's not just any dragon," Kat explained, "That's Kaen!"
"Wait, Cinder's kid? The egg we protected from Monkey Khan a while back?" Chris asked.
Kat immediately ran over to Kaen, slowing her pace as she grew closer to the dragonling.
"Kaen, didi…(1)" she whispered, carefully wrapping her arms around him, pressing his ear to her chest. "It's alright, don't cry."
Upon hearing the sound of Kat's heartbeat and feeling the warmth from her body, Kaen almost immediately stopped crying. He slowly looked up and saw Kat looking back at him, smiling.
"Aunt Kitty?" the little dragon asked.
"Hey there, didi," Kat greeted.
"AUNT KITTY!"
Kaen practically tackled Kat to the ground, giving her a tight, bone crushing hug as he nuzzled her affectionately. Kat winced in pain, but only for a moment, after which, she returned the hug.
"Wait, Aunt Kitty?"
Kat grimaced as she turned to the others, who were doing their best to keep from laughing at Kat's new nickname… except for Knuckles.
"Oh Aurora, Aunt Kitty!" the Echidna chortled loudly, "That's just cute!"
"Th-That's just…I…" Kat stammered in embarrassment. Her desire to defend herself was quickly replaced with concern when she felt (relatively) little claws tugging at her clothes. She looked down to see Kaen clinging to her nervously, clearly scared of the strange, new people that had arrived.
"Easy, easy, it's okay," Kat explained as she motioned toward the others. "This is my Da-ge, Knuckles, the echidna smiled and gave a thumbs up, and these are my friends, Chris, Keith, and Hope."
The kids smiled and waved as Kat introduced them. When she finished, Kaen slowly peeked out from behind her and looked at them, slowly raising a talon and pointing.
"Keese," he said as he pointed to Keith.
"Keese?" Keith repeated, raising an eyebrow
"He's a little kid, Keith," Chris explained with a snicker, "What did you expect?"
"Karse," Kaen continued, causing Chris to blush as Keith snickered at his cousin's new moniker.
"Oap,"
Hope giggled.
Finally, Kaen turned to Knuckles, "Nnnnnnn…Nnnnnnnn…"
"C'mon, you can do it," the echidna encouraged.
"Nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn… Muckles!"
"Muckles'' jaw dropped as the rest of Team Thorndyke began roaring with laughter. Kaen began laughing as well, though he didn't understand why.
"Muckles the Echidna!" Hope said as she wiped her eye, "Oh, that's good!"
"Sh-Shut up, Oap!" Knuckles defended.
"Okay, as funny as that was, we need to address the Chun-ese elephant in the room," Keith said as he polished his glasses, "Kat, is that really Cinder's child?"
"Yeah, it's him alright."
"But that's impossible!" Chris exclaimed, "The Dragon's Nest mission was like, a year ago! He should still be a little baby, but he looks and sounds like he's three or four."
"Dulcy told me that dragons age really quickly," Kat explained, "They become fully-grown around the time they turn ten. After that, they almost stop aging entirely. It's why Dulcy looks our age when she's really in her early twenties."
"Dulcy's twenty!?" they exclaimed.
"That's not important right now!" Kat reprimanded. "Kaen, what are you doing so far from the Nest? And please for the love of Gaia, tell me you speak Common."
The dragon pup smiled as he hugged Kat again. "Visit! Kaen see Aunt Kitty with Mama!"
"Awwwwww…that's sweet," Kat said, hugging Kaen back, only to freeze when she realized who was missing. "Wait… Kaen, where is Mama?"
"SKREEOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONK!"
"What in the world!?"
"Kat…" Keith said nervously, "I think that was her."
"Aiyah…"
Meanwhile, the Freedom Fighters continued to watch Breezie's Sonic cartoons; all of them looking worse for wear. Some rocked and fidgeted in their seats, desperately trying to stay awake to avoid the media mogul's wrath. Others, like Rotor and Tekno, stared blankly at the screen, drooling. their brains having shut down what seemed like years ago. A few pretended to go to the restroom or go get some more refreshments, never to be seen again. And Sticks, ever open and honest, was attempting to knock herself out again.
"Don't even think about it," Amy whispered as she yoinked her Piko Piko Hammer out of the badget's paws.
"Please Amy, have a heart!" Sticks pleaded.
"Sticks, stop." Tails said, "You're only going to hurt yourself."
"I'm already hurting!"
"Hey! No talking during the viewing!" Breezie shouted, silencing the trio.
"Cartoon and video game characters never really get hurt by guns," Sonic (the cartoon character) said "But real people do. So, never play with a real gun, even if you think it's not loaded. I don't want any of my pals getting hurt by a deadly weapon that's not a toy."
"This message was brought to you by Breeze Media." the narrator said.
"And that's the last cartoon!" Breezie said as she clapped her hands, signaling the lights to come back on, eliciting moans of relief from her captive audience.
"Aaah, finally!"
"Thank Aurora!"
"I can't feel my eyes!"
"Now, we can move on to the print ads!" Breezie said. At that, Jules and Bernie entered the room, carrying stacks of paper.
"There's more!?" Shorty moaned as he pulled his fur.
"Ummmm...Miss Breezie," Nicole gently interjected, trying to be as polite as possible, "With all due respect, do we really need to look at all these ads?"
"Yes!" the teal hedgehog snapped, "We are going to be putting these on websites, billboards, and magazine slips, Nicole. I need proper feedback. Jules, Bernie."
"Take one, look it over, then pass it down, kids." Jules said as he and his wife got to work distributing the papers. Upon receiving them, several Freedom Fighters went bug-eyed.
"'Sonic Sez: If you think playing in a clothes dryer is fun, you're all wet'?" Shard read, "Well, they're certainly…informative."
"Though their spelling leaves something to be desired." Nicole chimed in.
"'Sonic Sez: Poison ivy's bad news'." Sonic read before turning to his folks, "Dad, we're supposed to be raising morale and support against Eggman, not helping folks go camping."
"It's called being a good role model, kiddo." Jules said, "Whether you like it or not, kids look up to and wanna be you."
"I guess," Sonic scratched his head, "But I-"
"What in Aurora's name!?" Sally shouted, drawing everyone's attention.
"Sally!" Sonic cried out as he ran over to her.
"I…this…what!?" the princess sputtered, looking somewhere between mortified and stark-raving mad; her hands on the verge of ripping the paper she was holding to shreds.
"Sal, what's wrong? I…Gah!"
Sonic looked down at the paper, his expression suddenly matching that of his partner. Several others joining him to see what the fuss was, and they quickly found out why. The ad depicted Sonic on his knees, proposing to an ecstatic Sally with a Power Ring; "Sonic Sez: Wait until marriage!" hovering above them in big, yellow letters.
"Ha, looks like your folks know about you and Sally." Johnny said awkwardly.
"Course we do, you could see it from space!" Jules said.
"That's why we put her on the poster," Bernie added with a big grin. "With her parents' permission, of course!" she added hastily.
"They what!?" Sally exclaimed.
"What the hell, Mom!?" Sonic shouted, a look of betrayal on his face.
"Don't think I hadn't noticed all the time you two have been spending together, Sonic Maurice Hedgehog!" Bernie snapped, "If I get a call from Max and Alicia about you acting out a Shakesbear In Love montage, you are going to wish you were fighting Akhlut!"
"Bernie!" Jules chided, "Too soon!"
"Oops! Sorry..."
"Oh Aurora…" Sally lamented as she buried her face in her hands.
Sonic sighed. "Never thought I'd be envious of Kat's narco-"
"SKREEOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONK!"
The Hedgehogs and the Freedom Fighters stumbled about as a huge roar ripped through the building, causing everything to shake.
"What in the world was that!?" Breezie asked.
"I don't know!" Sonic exclaimed. Suddenly, the hedgehog's phone went off. "Donut Lord!?" he questioned as he checked the caller ID and put the phone on speaker. "Hello?"
"Sonic! Thank Aurora!" Tom shouted, his voice filled with relief and terror, "We got a crisis over by the south pier! We need your help!"
"Easy there, Tom. What's going on?"
"We're being attacked by a dragon!"
Sonic froze at that. "A what!?"
Before they could continue, an explosion went off in the background, startling everyone.
"A dragon…"
"What's a dragon doing in Station Square!?" Sally asked, only for her own phone to ring. "Hello?"
"Sally!" a frantic Kat cried out.
"Kat!? What are you…?"
"Listen, you guys need to get downtown, now!"
"Kat, slow down! What are you talking about?"
"Cinder is in town! She came here with Kaen to visit, but he wandered off! She's probably having a PTSD attack! I have Kaen with me now, and I'm trying to get to her..." Her voice faltered for a moment as she stopped to catch her breath, "but I'll be honest, I'm not doing so hot. I need you to hold off until we get there!"
"Alright, we're on our way." And with that, Sally hung up. "It's Cinder. Her child's gone missing and she's tearing up the city trying to find him."
"Crap..." Sonic cursed, "Just hang tight, Donut Lord. We're on our way." He hung up. "C'mon guys, let's move!"
Kat and the others raced through the city, desperately trying to get to where Cinder was; a task made harder by Kat's worsening condition.
"C'mon, she has to be close…" Kat said, looking back and forth for any sign of a black dragon. But before she could take another step, a dizzy feeling came over her. She swiveled and stumbled around a bit, then fell to the ground with an 'oomph!' and a loud thud.
"Kat!"
"Aunt Kitty!"
"I-I'm fine, I can make it." Kat assured, but the way she held her head with her hand said otherwise.
"What wrong with Aunt Kitty?" Kaen asked nervously.
Hope reached down to check Kat's temperature. But when she touched her head, she let out a yelp as the redhead's skin burned her hand.
"What in the world?!" she exclaimed.
Keith pulled out a handheld scanner and used it on Kat, and the reading made him break out in a cold sweat.
"The scanner says she's at 110 degrees!"
"I'll be fine…" Kat said weakly.
"Kat, your temperature is way past stable!" Chris warned, "You should be dead right now! We need to get you to a doctor or-"
"A doctor can't stop this." she cut in. "Besides, we need to get Kaen to his mom."
The others watched as Kat slowly rose to her feet, taking deep, heavy, labored breaths the entire time. "I'll be okay, I promise."
-X-
Meanwhile, the area by the southern pier had become a war zone. Cinder was going on a rampage, tearing up the streets and attacking anyone who got too close. Tom and the rest of the police were doing their best to try and contain the damage, but the dragon's ungodly strength, armor-like scales, and powerful flame breath made doing so impossible. Tom and his second-in-command, Wade Whipple were holed up in behind an overturned squad car, desperately trying to call for reinforcements.
"This is Deputy Sheriff Wade Whipple SSPD calling GUN. We have a rampaging dragon in the middle of the city! Requesting back-up! Over!"
"10-4. Dispatching units now," the correspondent replied, "Any word from the Freedom Fighters? Over."
Before either of the men could, Sonic suddenly blazed in, the rest of the Freedom Fighters arriving via Warp Ring.
"You rang?"
Tom and Wade blinked numbly. "They've just arrived. Over."
"Roger. Standby, a unit will be there shortly. Over."
"Copy that. Over and out."
"Sonic, thank Aurora you got here!" Tom said.
"What's the sitch, Donut Lord?"
"Not good. The dragon's gone completely berserk. She's torn up almost half the block and keeps screaming in a Yurashian dialect."
"We got Speed Team running evac and we called in GUN, but she's getting stronger and angrier every minute!" Wade explained, "I don't know how much longer we can hold her!"
At that, Sally stepped up. "Deputy-Sheriff, call off your men. Kat's found her child and is en route." She then turned to the others. "Sonic, run out and see if you can find her. The rest will try and hold Cinder off until you get back."
"You sure you'll be alright, Sal?" Sonic asked worriedly.
Sally smiled, determination in her eyes. "We've been through worse. We can handle an angry mother dragon."
Sonic nodded, then rushed off. Once he was gone, Sally activated her Ring-Blades, the rest of the Freedom Fighters activating their own weapons.
"Remember, minimize damage and contain her. Do not hurt her!" She commanded.
"Right!"
The group advanced toward Cinder, who had just just finished emptying another squad car (of both contents and engine parts).
"Cinder!" Sally called out, causing the dragon to turn to her and snarled, her eyes glowing a fiery orange. "Cinder, it's me, Sally. Remember me?" the princess asked.
Cinder narrowed her eyes as the princess slowly approached. Sally made sure to keep her weapons low and not make any sudden movements to make sure she didn't appear threatening, yet was still in a position to defend herself if needed. As she drew closer, Cinder examined the others carefully, taking in all their weapons and armor. At first, she didn't react too much, an occasional snarl or growl, usually accompanied by a puff of smoke and sparks. But when she saw Shortfuse and Shard, her eyes widened.
"Automata!" she shouted as she charged at the group. "Return my child at once, metal abominations!"
"Scatter!"
The Freedom Fighters dived out of the way, just in time to avoid Cinder lunging at them like a wild leopard. The pavement cracked underneath her as she landed; her claws carving out chunks in the pavement. They stared at her a little longer, watching as she walked on all fours, snarling like a rabid beast.
"Sonic," Sally prayed anxiously, "Please, hurry…"
-X-
"Come on, she can't be… that much farther..." Kat gasped while trying to stay awake, a task that was becoming increasingly difficult. Her body was burning up and it was getting harder and harder to focus. She stumbled around a moment, propping herself against a wall to keep from falling over.
"Kat seriously, you can't keep pushing yourself like this!" Hope insisted.
"I said, I'm fine, Hope! I can…ugh!" She groaned, her bandages beginning to smoke. Shit, not now…
"Kat!" Kat and her friends looked to the side and saw Sonic zipping around, "Kat! Where are you?"
"Thank Gaia…" Kat lifted herself from the wall, "Sonic! Over here!"
"Kat!" Sonic turned to see the group and immediately zoomed over, "There you are! You… Whoa!"
Sonic gaped in shock at the sight of Kat's condition. Her skin was red, sunburnt, and glistening with sweat, especially around her face. Her gaze was drifting and unfocused, her head occasionally bobbing as she desperately tried to stay awake. "Kat…y-you're…"
"Ngh… Sonic, this is Kaen, Cinder's son," Kat said, motioning to the little dragon next to her, "Kaen, meet Sonic."
"Uhhh…hey there, little buddy," Sonic said with a wave.
"Hi." the dragonling replied, waving back.
"Kat, what happened?" Sonic asked, "You look-"
"Never mind that!" she interrupted, "Kaen and Cinder are more important than me!"
"But…!"
"There's no time! We have to calm her down before she pulls an Iblis on Station Square!"
Suddenly, Kat broke into a coughing fit, causing her to stumble and fall to her knees.
"Aunt Kitty…"
Sonic looked at his friend and how horrible she looked. He was tempted to just grab her and drop her off at the hospital. He was fast enough, he could…
SKREEOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONK!
But then he remembered the rampaging mother dragon who may or may not speak Common and might not even recognize him.
"Alright, let's go." Sonic grabbed Kaen's hand, then Kat in his other. As soon as he did, he winced in pain. "Kat, you are really hot to the touch."
"Less joking, more running."
"No, I mean I literally just got-"
"NOW, SONIC!"
Sonic tried to protest, but the look of desperation in Kat's eyes stopped any words he had before they could leave his mouth. Reluctantly, he nodded and raced off with them.
-X-
Back at the battle with Cinder, things weren't looking so hot for the Freedom Fighters. The dragoness was proving to be a dangerous, unpredictable opponent, and had already taken down most of them. Rotor and Shortfuse had been thrown into a wall, their suits dented and sparking. Amy and Sticks barely managed to escape being incinerated by Cinder's flame breath and were off being treated for burns by Porker and Tails. The rest were helping get any wounded officers to safety, leaving Johnny, Tekno, and Sally to face the dragon.
"Sally, I don't think we're gonna win this one!" Tekno muttered, using her Graviton Cannon to prop herself up.
"Yeah," Johnny said as he did the same with his staff, "Hell hath no fury like a mother protecting her child."
"Just hang on," Sally ordered, her Ring-Blades flickering on and off, "We just need to survive until Sonic gets here with Kat and the others, then–"
They were interrupted by the sound of crunching metal and saw Cinder lifting the crushed remains of a police car over her head.
"Oh no…"
With a roar, Cinder threw the vehicle at the group. But before it could make contact, a laser blasted it to bits. Cinder barely had time to react before another laser hit her in the chest, knocking her down.
"What the…!?" Johnny let out.
"Hey!"
The heroes turned around to see some familiar faces flying over (with one being carried).
"Shard! Nicole! Cosmo!" Sally cried out as the trio rushed over.
"Sorry we couldn't get here sooner," Nicole explained. "We'd just finished getting the last of the wounded to the safety zone."
"Are you all alright?" Cosmo asked.
"For now," Sally replied, "But my Ring-Blades are running out of power."
"And so are we…" Johnny added, trying to stay up.
"You guys fall back for now," Shard said as he stepped forward, "We'll handle Big Mama!"
"Just be careful," Sally warned, "If she's having a PTSD attack, she might not react well to you, Shard."
"I'll watch my back," Shard promised. "Nicole! Cosmo! Let's slay this dragon!"
"Ummm, Shard?" Nicole said awkwardly.
"Yeah…not the best choice of words."
The trio sprung into action. Shard activated his jet boosters and took off, with Nicole and Cosmo following on foot. Cinder slowly got up, still in a berserk state. She snarled as she put a hand to her chest, breathing heavily from the pain.
"Here she comes! Get ready!" Shard warned.
Cinder looked up and saw the trio racing toward her. The moment she saw Shard, her eyes widened. "Automata!"
Cinder opened her mouth and began shooting a barrage of fireballs.
"Evasive action!" Shard called out, as he took to the skies. Nicole following suit after materializing a pair of digital angel wings, while Cosmo shifted into her Mover Mode and bolted to the side, dodging the explosive attack.
"Nicole, try using those new tricks the doc gave you!" Shard called out.
"Roger!" Nicole held her hands out, causing pink-magenta pixels to gather in her hands. The pixels began to form into a tuning fork-like bident, which she spun around before aiming it at Cinder. "Spear exe, online!"
Nicole fired a laser from her spear, hitting Cinder in the torso and causing bands of pixelated energy to appear around her.
"Target is restrained!"
"Nice job!" Shard called out.
"Okay, since when could Nicole do that!?" Tekno exclaimed.
"Dr. Ellidy and Dr. Bennett added some special combat data to her terminal," Sally explained. "It lets her materialize digital weapons and attacks in the real world the same way she forms her body."
"Okay, that's actually really cool!" Johnny added, grinning ear to ear.
Cinder thrashed and roared as she attempted to break her bonds, the bands beginning to spark and flicker.
"She's breaking free!" Nicole shouted.
"Looks like we'll have to kick things up a notch!" Shard said as he readied his arm cannons.
"Shard!"
"Don't worry, I'll keep it to Level 1!" the Needlemouse reassured her. He began firing at Cinder, bombarding with plasma shots.
"I'll help!" Nicole said as she joined the onslaught with lasers from her spear. Unfortunately, while the barrage was slowing her down, it didn't seem to be inflicting any damage.
"Damn!" Shard cursed, "What do these guys eat!?"
"Right now, I think that's going to be us!" Nicole replied.
Cinder inhaled deeply, unleashing a stream of fire.
"Nicole!" Shard immediately darted in front of the Holo-Lynx and crossed his arms, surrounding himself and her in a spinning orb of red and white energy, protecting them from the blast.
"What in the world?" Nicole exclaimed.
"White Shield Defense Matrix," Shard explained, "Doc Bennett got the idea from observing footage of Metal's Black Shield, and thought it appropriate to give me my own."
"Handy."
Unfortunately, as soon as Nicole said that, the shield flickered and disappeared.
"Uh-oh…"
"Yeah…it's still got some bugs," Shard said sheepishly.
"Not just that." Nicole pointed to Cinder, who was preparing yet another fire attack.
"Uh-oh…" Shard added.
Cinder prepared to unleash her next inferno, only for Cosmo to jump her from behind with a loud screech, digging her claws and fangs into her scaly flesh. Cinder flailed about, desperately trying to get the raptor-Seedrian off of her, but Cosmo refused to let go.
"Well, looks like Cosmo's training is bearing fruit," Nicole said.
"For a literal dainty flower, she's pretty brutal," Shard added nervously.
Cosmo hopped off of Cinder's back, narrowly avoiding being grabbed by her claws. She circled around the dragon, who blasted fireballs at her until she ran out of breath. While she was inhaling, Cosmo lunged at her again, kicking her in the chest with her taloned feet, knocking her over.
"Running Chain exe!" Nicole called out as she raised her hands. Digital chains erupted from the ground, restraining Cinder.
"Alright, we got her!" Shard cheered with a fist pump, Cosmo letting out a victory screech of her own.
"Whew! We did it…" Sally said as she fell to her knees.
"Yeah…" Tekno let out as her and Johnny did the same.
Unfortunately, it looked like their victory was going to be short-lived, as Cinder continued to thrash against the chains.
"You've gotta be kidding me!" Johnny shouted.
"Nicole…" Sally said fearfully.
"I-I'm doing my best to maintain the chains," the Holo-Lynx said through gritted teeth, "But she's making it really difficult!"
Cinder grit her fangs, her eyes burning brighter than the sun, and with a roar louder than she ever unleashed, broke free of the chains, sending the Freedom Fighters flying. Shard crashed into a building, his optics cracked from the impact. Nicole's hard-light body dematerialized as she returned to her terminal, while Cosmo reverted back to her normal form as she hit the ground.
"Dammit, where the hell is Sonic!?" Johnny cried out.
Cinder turned toward him, Sally, and Tekno, rage burning in her gaze. She roared at the trio, determined to stamp them out of existence.
"CINDER!"
Cinder's eyes widened. Quickly, she spun around to see Sonic run in with Kat and Kaen. Sonic set the dragonling down.
"CINDER, STOP!" Kat called out. "WE HAVE KAEN! HE'S RIGHT HERE!"
"Mama!"
Cinder stared in shock at the sight of her son, her eyes beginning to water as the glow faded, her reason returning.
"K-Kaen?" she said numbly.
"Mama! Mama!"
"Kaen!"
Mother and child ran towards each other. As soon as she was close enough, Cinder scooped Kaen into her arms and held him tightly to her chest.
"Kaen! My baby! My precious baby boy!"
The Freedom Fighters and the remaining police officers watched as the two embraced. After a moment, she pulled away, looking her son in the eyes.
"Kaen, you are in so much trouble!" Cinder shouted angrily. "I told you to stay close to me at all times! Do you have any idea how scared I was!?"
"Lady, I'm pretty sure the entire city is well aware of how scared you were," Sonic remarked, looking around.
"What are you…?" Cinder looked up from her son, allowing her to get a good look at the damage she had done. The streets were cracked and broken, with several destroyed squad cars lying about. The police and Freedom Fighters alike were badly injured with claw marks and burns. And while she hadn't turned Station Square into Crisis City, the surrounding area was dotted with more than a few small fires.
"Ohhhhh dear…" Cinder winced in shame and fear. "Elder Glint is going to have my horns for this..."
"I don't suppose that the rumors of dragon treasure hoards are real, are they?" Sonic asked, "Because we're going to need one to repay this mess."
Cinder took a deep, hissing breath. "Yes, I will personally cover the damages from mine."
Sonic and the others blinked at that. "You're kidding."
"What, next you're gonna say that dragons also kidnap princesses and hide them away in tall towers?" Johnny snarked.
"Johnny!" Tekno and Sally reprimanded.
"I'll have you know we've kidnapped our fair share of princes too!" Cinder reprimanded, "And furthermore I...I think I should stop talking now."
"Yeeeeeeah," Sonic added with a wince, "That's..."
"Agh!"
The group turned toward Kat just in time to see her fall to the ground.
"Kat? Kat, what's wrong?!" Sonic asked.
As Sonic and the dragons went to check on her, Knuckles, Hope, Keith, and Chris finally managed to catch up just in time to see what was happening.
"Kat!" Knuckles cried out as he ran to his sister.
"No… not again…" Kat winced as she clung to her arm. Her bandages smoked as her arm spasmed; the smell of burning flesh filled the air.
"The hell is going on?" Sonic asked.
"Her body temperature's off the charts!" Keith said as he pulled out his scanner, the device beeping and twinkling frantically as the temperature reading kept rising. The beeping continued to crescendo in pitch and speed until it sounded like one, continuous noise. It began to smoke and spark, startling Keith, who threw it away. The scanner continued beeping for a few more seconds, then exploded.
"This is bad," Keith said, "We need to get her to a hospital yesterday!"
"Keith, look!"
Chris pointed at Kat. The red-head started hacking and coughing as her whole body began smoking and spasming. Ash started pouring out her mouth, as her skin turned from red to crimson to obsidian. Glowing cracks began forming all over her body, almost like volcanic fault lines. The air around her began to ripple and distort from the heat she was giving off.
"What the hell…" Keith breathed numbly.
"All of you, stand back!" Cinder ordered as she set Kaen down, raising her clawed hands over her head.
"Hey! What are you doing!?" Knuckles demanded.
"Silence, please!" Cinder barked, "Unless you want Kaitian to combust."
Everyone froze at that, especially Knuckles and Keith. "C-Combust?"
With a shout, Cinder brought down her talons, jabbing Kat in several areas in her body in rapid succession. Her spasms began to settle and the cracks began to fade, but heat didn't die down in the slightest.
"Dear Gaia…" Cinder whispered, "this is worse than I thought."
Thinking quickly, Cinder picked Kat up, the heat not even phasing her.
Keith looked at the dragon in shock. "Wait, what are you…!?"
"Kaitian needs to cool off, now!" Cinder turned to the ocean, then her son. "Kaen, wait here. I'll be right back."
The dragon nodded in affirmation as Cinder flew with Kat toward the ocean. Once they were a good distance away, she dove into the water. The second they took the plunge, Kat's body immediately began giving off steam. Her skin returned to its normal color and the cracks disappeared completely. As she stabilized, Kat began to lose consciousness, but was able to get one last look at the dragoness.
"Cin…der…?"
And with that, her world went black.
Once again, Kat found herself enveloped in blackness and quiet.
"Ugh…this again." she thought to herself, "I really hope I'm not dead."
"Kat…"
Kat perked at the sound of her name. "Hello? Is someone there…?"
"Kat…"
"Yes, that's me. Who are you?"
"Kat!"
Knothole
"Guys, she's coming to!" Chris called out.
Kat slowly opened her eyes and looked around. She was back in Knothole, in the living room from the looks of things. All her friends were looking over, all concerned and worried.
"Kat, you awake?" Keith asked.
"Ugh... yeah," she slowly sat up, "Everything burns though…"
"Yeah... "Chris added, "We know."
Suddenly, Kat felt something cold surrounding her and heard a sloshing sound. She looked down to see what it was, and was shocked to find herself sitting in a tub of ice, most of which had melted into ice water. Apparently, it had begun to spill onto the floor from melting, judging from all the towels lying around her.
"Oh no… Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no… Please tell me I didn't hurt anyone!"
Keith paused at that. "What are you...?"
"Keith, my mind is moving at a million miles a minute right now! Humor me!"
"Uhhh- nobody! Nobody was hurt!"
Kat sagged in relief. "Thank Gaia…"
"Though… you did burn a hole through the couch," Chris replied, pointing to said couch, which was still smoking a little.
"Damn it…" Kat moaned as she sank further into the tub. "I should've known better. Of course this wasn't going to go away on its own. How could I be so stupid?!"
"Kat, what are you talking about?" Knuckles asked, "Your narcolepsy?"
"There was no way that was narcolepsy, Knux," Sonic cut in, "She looked like she was about to explode!"
"Because she was."
Everyone turned to the door to find Cinder stepping inside, Kaen walking beside her. She looked grim and serious, a stark contrast to the raging beast she had been moments ago.
"Cinder…" Kat said, relieved to see the dragon, "You saved me."
"Don't offer your gratitude to me just yet, Wang Kaitian," Cinder snapped, though more out of worry than rage.
"Ooh, full name…"
"Indeed. Honestly, I can't believe you." Cinder massaged her temples, "Dulcinea told me you had a penchant for being wild and reckless, but going with untreated qi deviation for several months?! You are insane!"
"Whoa whoa, hold on a sec!" Knuckles interrupted, "What the hell's qi deviation?"
"It's... when the body's life energy - qi, Chaos, whatever you want to call it - becomes unstable, usually as a result of extreme injury or overexertion." Kat explained, "If left untreated it can cause... combustion of the meridians - the pathways in the body that said energy flows through… And in my case... said combustion is... quite literal."
"Aunt Kitty go boom." Kaen chimed in.
"To paraphrase," Cinder continued, "Kaitian's spiritual energy has been severely disrupted, and it's slowly tearing her body apart. You are lucky I was around when it happened. Otherwise, you'd be dead."
"I know…"
"So...is it over?" Keith asked.
"Far from it." Cinder explained grimly, "I was able to stabilize it, but it's only a temporary fix. If Kaitian is to make a full recovery, she needs to see an expert in these matters." The dragon's expression softened. "Fortunately, I know just such an expert, and I'm sure she would be happy to see you again."
"Yeah…" Kat said, rubbing the back of her worriedly, "Happy…"
"Okay, so where is this expert?" Sonic asked.
"She lives in a monastery high up in the mountains near the Dragon Road," Cinder explained. "I once studied under her when I was younger."
"Perfect!" Sonic cheered, "We'll just warp on over there and pick her when she's done."
"Yes, about that..." Cinder lowered her head sadly. "This isn't as simple as visiting a physician or apothecary. In order for Kaitian to be properly treated, she will have to stay at the monastery for a while."
"How long?" Keith asked, "A few days?"
"Weeks, actually." Cinder replied regretfully, "Possibly longer."
"Weeks?!"
"Qi deviation is a serious condition that takes time and work to heal from." Cinder explained, "And even then, not everyone recovers from it completely or at all."
"No way…" Knuckles uttered in dread.
"I know that isn't what you want to hear, but..."
"Yeah, my sister has been passing out with a fever randomly after almost getting zapped to death by a crazy chinchilla, almost blows up, and now she's gotta go off to some Chun-ese monastery away from the people she loves for Aurora knows how long!" Knuckles shouted, "You're damn right this isn't what we wanted to hear!"
"Knuckles!" Kat shouted. She sat up and looked at the Echidna, "I get it, you're upset, but don't take it out on Cinder."
"But…!"
"But nothing!" She sunk into the water a bit. "This is my fault. I ignored the signs and let them get worse. If going away for a while is what's going to help me get better, I'm just going to have to do it."
The Freedom Fighters looked at each other worriedly, but couldn't think of a counter argument.
"Can we at least come visit?" Keith asked Cinder.
The dragon shook her head. "I'm afraid not. The monastery is on sacred ground, only a chosen few are allowed to enter. I'm sorry…" Cinder turned to Kat. "As soon as you've fully recovered, gather your belongings and say your goodbyes. Your condition could flare back up any time."
"I understand," Kat said, "Thank you, Cinder."
The Freedom Fighters could only stand there speechless. One of their own members, their friends, was about to go away, possibly forever. What Akhlut and Thunderbolt did to them was nothing compared to this.
Angel Island
It had been several hours since Kat woke up back in Knothole. Once she felt stable and dried off, her and Knuckles took the dragons to Angel Island to explain the situation to Locke and Lara-Le. As expected, they didn't take it well, but ultimately accepted if it meant their adoptive daughter's life would be saved.
While Knuckles did his best to console his mother, Kat was gathering up her things. Some toiletries, a few changes of clothes, some photographs she'd taken with her friends and family, and the Bookachu plush Keith won her back in Twinkle Park.
"Alright, that should be everything" she said as she zipped up her duffel bag.
She took a moment to look around her home. She thought back to the first time she had been there, shortly after she escaped from the Death Egg. How weak, scared, and helpless she felt. How angry she was at Sonic for seemingly leaving her to die. And how relieved and happy she was after meeting Knuckles. This wasn't like then. She wasn't losing another home and family. She knew that in her head; but in heart, it was those dark days all over again.
"You okay?"
Kat spun around to see Knuckles standing in the doorway, a look of sorrow marred his normally tough exterior.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I just…" she let out a sigh, "I'm nervous."
"Kinda figured you'd be a little happy." Knuckles entered the room, "You haven't been back in Yurashia for a while. I know there's a lotta painful memories, but..."
"It's not that." Kat interrupted, "It's…" she rubbed her arm nervously, trying to find a way to say how she felt, "I can't explain it, but I really messed up here. If I had deviated..." she shuddered, "You have no idea the damage I would have caused."
"Right…" Knuckles winced, knowing all too well what his sister's powers were capable of, "But, that's why you're doing this."
"Yeah…" Kat bit her lip, "I'll be honest, I don't know when I'll be back. I...might not even be back at-"
"Yeah no, stopping that right now." Knuckles interjected, "Look, things may look scary now, but you can't just give up and assume the worst." He put his hands on Kat's shoulders, "If you did, you never would've survived the Death Egg, or the Siphon,or… literally everything that's happened since then." He gently squeezed her arms. "You'll come home, better and stronger than ever. You have done the impossible, and I mean that. You can do it again."
Kat took a breath, releasing it and embracing the Echidna. "Right, of course. Thanks, Knux."
"Kathryn…"
Knuckles and Kat turned around to find Lara-Le in the doorway. She was clutching her dress anxiously, trying her best not to cry.
"Mom," Kat let out, her voice shaky.
"Cinder...has arrived," Lara said, "It… I'm afraid it's time for you to leave now."
Kat nodded, then went over and hugged Lara.
"I'll see you soon, Mom." she said, trying to fight back the tears in her eyes, "I promise."
"I know, dear." Lara said, fighting back the waterworks just as much, "I know you will."
The three of them headed outside, where Cinder, Kaen, and Locke were waiting. The elder Guardian turned to them, allowing Kat to get a good look at his face. Anyone who had known Locke for any significant amount of time could tell you that he made it a point to never let others know his emotions, especially sadness and fear. The only time he did was when something truly serious was happening. And right now, he was expressing both of these 'forbidden feelings' at the same time.
"So… You're...actually going." he said, his voice barely wavering.
"Yes." Kat replied.
Locke chuckled mirthlessly. "It's funny. About a year or two ago, I would've been relieved to hear this news...overjoyed even. Now..." Locke sighed as he massaged his temples, not sure how to put his feelings into words. "It's time like this that I wish I was still a close-minded old fool."
"Well, I'm glad you're not," Kat said as she walked over and hugged him, "because I wouldn't miss you if you were."
Locke smiled as he embraced his daughter. The crazy, stubborn girl who had shattered his entire notion of how the world worked. Who helped save his bond with his family. Who saved his people, his son, and himself more times than he could count. And who caused him to shed a single tear for the first time in what felt like an eternity.
They held each other for a little longer, when Kat felt something nudging at her feet and heard a sad, miserable whimper. She looked down and saw Chomps looking up at her, giving her the biggest sad eyes she'd ever seen on an animal.
"Ohhhh, Chomps…" she said as she kneeled down to pet the Mobosaur, "I'm gonna miss you too buddy." She put her arms around him as he buried his snout in her shoulder, "You be good for everyone while I'm gone, okay?"
Chomps let out a cry in affirmation and nodded, then left to join the rest of the family. Kat turned to Cinder.
"Alright, Cinder...I'm ready. Just need to make one last stop."
Knothole
The Freedom Fighters all sat around looking anxious, none more so than Keith. Suddenly, a Warp Ring appeared, Kat and Cinder stepping out of it.
"Hey guys," Kat greeted.
"Kat…" Keith let out.
Kat smiled. "You didn't think I'd be leaving without saying goodbye, did you?"
"N-no, of course not! It's just…" Keith struggled to find the right words, and the strength to say them, but was cut off by a hug from Kat.
"I'll be okay," she assured him. "And I'll come home, I swear."
Keith returned the hug, pulling away to look her in the eyes. "If you die while you're gone, I will find a way to bring back the dead so I can bring you back and kill you myself!"
Kat chuckled as they ended the embrace. "I believe you."
"Have a safe trip, Kat," Sally said.
"We expect a full report when you return," Nicole added, the two hugging her.
"I'll give you all the details," Kat promised.
One by one, the Freedom Fighters said their goodbyes. Hugs were given, words exchanged, until finally, there was only Sonic left.
"So, this is it..." he said.
"Yeah…" Kat nodded.
Sonic let out a humorless chuckle. "Seems like just yesterday you wanted to break every bone in my body."
"Yeah…" Kat looked him in the eye. "Look... this is my fault, not yours. So don't go blaming yourself for a second."
Sonic shook his head. "I'm not, I promise. I just…" he took a deep breath, "You've been a part of this team since… almost the beginning. Things started off crazy, yeah; but now, we can't imagine Knothole without you."
"Hey, don't act like I'm not coming back," Kat insisted. "This is a temporary medical sabbatical. I'll be back before you know it."
Sonic grinned before holding out his fist. "Yeah, you better."
Kat took the accepted fist bump.
"Kaitian…" Cinder cut in urgently, but not unkindly. "We really must get going."
"Right…" Kat nodded. "Well guys, this is it. See you soon."
"Bye-bye!" Kaen said with a wave.
Kat threw a Warp Ring, opening a portal. She took one last look at her friends...her family, then stepped through the portal with Cinder and Kaen.
"So long, Kat." Sonic said quietly.
And with that, the ring vanished into golden dust.
"I...I can't believe she's really gone..." Shard let out.
"She's coming back," Keith assured.
"She's gonna be gone for weeks, Keith!" Porker cried. "Possibly longer!"
"Easy, Pork." Johnny said. "Pull yourself together."
"Johnny's right," Tekno agreed. "Kat wouldn't want us to be sad or worried. She's in good hands."
"Yeah," said Shorty. "This ain't goodbye, just see you later."
"Still…" Porker sighed.
Sonic turned to see Sally looking out the window. "You alright, Sal?"
"I'm…" Sally sighed. "I'll be honest, I'm not sure, Sonic."
"What's wrong?"
"I...don't know. I just...have this weird feeling. A feeling like something big is about to happen. Something bad."
Sonic nodded. "Well, whatever it is, we'll deal with it as it comes."
"Yeah…about that." Hope cut in, grabbing everyone's attention, "Sonic, I know this probably isn't a good time, but we need to talk…"
Great Desert
Meanwhile, back in the desert, the 6-S were hiding behind a rock.
"Is it safe?" Scratch asked. "Are they gone?"
"I-I think so..." Coconuts replied.
"Quick!" Decoe cried. "Let's get moving before they come back!"
The robots were about to run, when suddenly they heard something.
"Get down!" Cubot shouted.
They hit the ground, barely missing a bullet whizzing through where Scratch's head was.
"I...think that was it..." Orbot said, only for several more bullets to begin firing. "No it wasn't, no it wasn't!"
"RUN!" Bocoe screamed.
They all ran for their lives, screaming like schoolgirls.
-X-
Meanwhile, a bit further away, a Mobian bear was watching the robots run through some binoculars.
"Nice shootin', Tex," he said sarcastically, turning to a Mobian lizard. "They got away!"
"What's the big deal?" Tex asked as he put away a handheld minigun. "They're gone, aren't they?"
"The 'big deal', as you so eloquently described it, is that now we have to hunt them down all over again before they rendezvous with their superior," a posh, educated Mobian wolf pointed out.
"And they'll tell his superior," a Mobian roadrunner cut in, gesturing and pacing animatedly. "And he'll tell his. And he'll tell his. And he'll tell Dr. Eggman! Then Eggman will pitch a fit and tell him to tell the other guy to tell the other guy to tell the other guy to tell the other guy to tell the other..."
The wolf slapped him upside the head. "Shut up, Jolt."
"Well, now what do we do?" the bear asked.
"Isn't it obvious, Avery?" the wolf asked. "We stop them."
"Belay that, Shift," The group turned to their leader - a gray rabbit with an eyepatch - sitting on a rock, looking at a newspaper. "Let them go."
"I beg your pardon?" Shift demanded.
"Somethin' wrong, Jack?" Tex asked.
"Yeah," said Jolt. "You're lookin' kinda...what's the word...constipated."
Jack looked up from his paper, glaring. "Yeah… let's go with that."
"What's got yer tail ruffled, Boss?" Avery asked. "The Empire Dodgers (2) lose again?"
"Take a gander at this…" Jack showed them the page he was reading.
"Ooh!" Jolt exclaimed as he clapped his hands. "New Deanie the Meanie (3) strip!"
"Other page, dingus!" Jack snapped.
"Oh," Jolt let out as they looked at the other page, causing him to wince. "Ohhhhh..."
"Yeeeeeeah...that ain't good," Avery said, shaking his head. "That ain't good at all."
"No boys… it ain't good." Jack said as he put the paper down. "In fact, I do declare that it is downright..." He snapped his fingers as he tried to come up with a word. "Downriiiight…"
"Abysmal?" Shift offered.
"Lousy?" Tex suggested.
"Terrible?" asked Avery.
"Bad?" Jolt blurted out.
"Pathetic," Jack concluded. "It's downright pathetic." He gritted his teeth as he crumpled up the paper into a ball. "And I think it's high time somebody did something about it. Know what I mean?"
He gave his men a knowing grin, the others returning it.
"That's what I thought." Jack threw the paper into the air before shooting it with a shotgun, letting the bits of paper fall around him like snow. "Spread the word 'round town, boys." He grinned menacingly. "It's time for the Sand Blasters to make their big debut."
Author's Note:
(1): Chinese title for a little brother
(2): Mobian version of the L.A. Dodgers
(3): Mobian Dennis the Menace
Well, that happened. Cinder is back with her son, and Kat is getting some help with her problem. Next chapter, Sonic and co. butt heads with the Sand Blasters.
Voice cast for this chapter:
* Jack: Jess Harnell (Wakko Warner from Animaniacs, The Plumber from Ratchet & Clank, and Texas from Motorcity)
* Avery: Maurice LaMarche (Big Bob Pattaki from Hey Arnold!, Brain from Pinky and the Brain, and Father from Codename: Kids Next Door)
* Tex: Fred Tatasciore (The Hulk from Avengers Assemble, Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes!, and more; Ripjaws and Cannonbolt from Ben 10; and Bane from the Batman: Arkham series)
* Shift: John Kassir (Monsoon from Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, Buster Bunny [second voice] from Tiny Toon Adventures, the Crypt Keeper from Tales from the Crypt)
* Jolt: Charlie Adler (Buster Bunny [original voice] from Tiny Toon Adventures, Super-Skrull from Marvel vs. Capcom 3, and Cow, Chicken, and the Red Guy from Cow & Chicken)
Please R&R. Until next time!