-Earth, San Fransokyo Mall, Mallory McMallard-
The Raptor was the big ship in the sky belonging to the Saurian Warlord Dragaunus, we had sunk it into the ocean off the coast less than half a year ago. We thought that would have been enough to make them stop trying to free their sealed evil empire or take over the world, nope, they were just building enough Hunter Drones to become a major problem.
Not only that, they had enough large Hunter Drones to be a real issue… where was Nosedive’s Zamboni when we needed it? Oh right, in storage because we kept making fun of it and Nosedive gets to say I told you so now... also it was still being used as our current rinks ice paver.
Hopefully this was a last ditch effort on their part to return to the glory of ruining entire worlds, because if they could put out this many resources without blinking, then it was something to be concerned about.
If we could permanently make sure that The Raptor stopped working, and destroy whatever Hunter Drone production facility we left intact enough to be repaired the last time we were on it, then we would ruin any chance Dragaunus has of actually succeeding in taking over this planet and returning to conquer what used to be our home of Puckworld.
Sure this planet was a lot warmer than our world, but it was nice place to live… plus we blended in so well that nobody really thought we were aliens. Mostly just eccentric ducks with a lot of hockey themed technology when we did our vigilante stuff.
Having lived here a while, I can honestly see where people were coming from when it seemed like we had an obsession with hockey as a sport… it was actually the main religion on Puckworld. Obsession was kind of understating it, the hockey mask of Drake Ducaine would make anyone on Puckworld a believer in the one true sport of our people. Doesn’t mean I won’t play basketball once in a while with friends outside our team, but it just wasn’t the same as hitting the ice.
I should really be focused on driving, because we were plowing straight through a mass of Hunter Drones and we would have to watch out for Wraith on our way out. Not that missing the back right tire on our six wheeled vehicle was causing too much trouble, I was compensating for it quite well.
I’m kind of being reminded of the time we traveled to the future… where there were Hunter Drones for miles around. Dragaunus had almost directly killed just about every last hero on this planet personally, some we knew about, some we didn’t and some that became heroes after the world ultimately fell. Not only that, but Dragaunus also killed the villains that wouldn’t ultimately bow to his rule and there were a few that were still alive that were barely any better.
That memory was a terrifying reminder of what would have happen if we weren’t around to stop the bastard.
“Sorry to interrupt you’re expository introspection and all the world building backstory stuff going on for the audiences benefit because they likely don’t know about us, but we’ve really got get this plot on the road. Like literally out in the streets.” Ugh, Nosedive never stopped being weird at times, acting like there was a fourth wall to break from those TV shows he watches. “So step on it, you know, before we’re stepped on!”
We slammed through the western exit, sending debris and glass everywhere, I drifted us into the street and hit the brakes hard. This send the Hunter Drone crawling all over the Migrator flying.
The humongous shadow coming from the sky couldn’t be anything other than The Raptor, however the Migrator stalled out when I tried to hit the gas and I groaned. At least our weapons were still working, we were going to have to do a full overhaul on the Migrator after this.
“You’d think all the Saurian’s stuck sealed away, that these guy have been trying to free for an entire season, would be extinct by now… like our fan base.” Great, Nosedive was likely going to do it more frequently now that we had friends to annoy. “No I won’t, I’ve gotten it mostly out of my system!”
Right, going to ignore that he replied to my thoughts…
“Probably better for your sanity Mal.” Nosedive nodded and Grin just shrugged at me with a confused look from the seat next to me. “Also I think the Migrator’s engine is south for the winter.”
“Can you go one week without joking while we’re in mortal peril?” Grin stated flatly.
“Can we go one week without being in mortal peril?” Well Nosedive wasn’t exactly wrong to ask that. Being vigilante super heroes was hard work. Even if we haven’t fought the Saurians in months, we’ve still had a lot of other crime to fight when Hockey season wasn’t at its high points.
-Ocellus-
No doubt about it Nosedive has the Pinkie Pie weirdness to him. Wait… who was the laughter of my six person group of friends?!
I’d be generosity, Smolder is definitively loyalty… Gallus could be generosity, coming from a society of griffons bent on greed that are slowly turning themselves around, or magic… then again I could be magic too. No, not important to get into philosophical thoughts when I’m holding an injured dog and in a vehicle that just stalled out and being shaken by hundreds of shots… personality wise it has to be Silver Stream.
I miss our friends and those peaceful days so badly… also I’m glad to not be laughter, because goodness knows I couldn’t do a good standup routine if I tried! If I lost my left hooves, I’d be all right because I wouldn’t understand the punchline… no concentrate, I might need to move soon and quickly. Dolly was lightweight, but still somewhat cumbersome while I’m in Abigail’s form.
A large explosion spun the Migrator around and it made me slightly dizzy as I latched onto the wall.
“Well at least our forward guns are in range now…” Muttered Mallory as she opened fire on the Hunter Drones coming at us slowly chipping away at the armor of the six wheeled vehicle. “Wildwing, Wraith has stalled us out and is in the combat area and that’s about to be followed up by Siege and his large hunter drones. Can you deal with their heavies while we deal with the Saurians?”
“This is Aerowing, we have enough missiles to bring down the large ones, but we’re taking fire from The Raptor. So expect us to be flying evasively and for our support to be delayed.” Wildwing called back. “Duke will be lending you aerial support for as long as Turbowing isn’t shot down. We just need to get Abigail away from them and to safety.”
Some of the Hunter Drone went down to some fire coming from above and I saw the flying vehicle drop something that started hovering and firing on the Hunter Drones assaulting us. The hovering vehicle started to draw fire, but it was evasive enough even with the pilot being exposed. The pilot was a brown feathered alien duck biped… all the Mighty Ducks were actually alien ducks compared to normal biped and animalistic ducks that occur naturally on this planet.
“Can I just state that if they knew about another guy who could create dimensional technology that could destroy the whole world, would it be a good idea to mention him to you in this situation?” I was thinking of what Darkwing had on Taurus Bulba. “You know, to be on the lookout for him?”
“Don’t even say his name yet, they probably have enough ears on us as it is!” Mallory shouted as the top nose portion of the vehicle was taken out and any hope with it that we could just simply drive out of here. “We’re losing the forward guns here and the vehicle has lost all capability for movement… also Siege just charged out.”
“This is almost as bad as the Little Diablo situation.” Kim muttered while checking on something with her suit.
“Nothing was as bad as that KP!” Retorted Ron who was gripping the nearby chair as the vehicle vibrated and tore apart to the point we could see through the holes in the armor.
“Hey, the Lorwardians and the Moonlanders were pretty bad too, got Tanya some cool toys to play with though none of it quite matches up to Puckworld hockey technology standards. The space systems were probably the best, but it still couldn’t get us back to our home planet.” Nosedive nodded with his arms crossed and seemed particularly unimpressed about the Migrator being torn apart around us. “Though it was touch and go for most of those days, the Moonlanders are actually pretty nice local aliens and were just being used… some of them are good friends of mine. We liked the Lorwardians far less because they were quite intentional about taking over the planet and Dragaunus tried to broker a deal with them… thankfully they were natural enemies. If other people hadn’t dealt with the other worldwide problems, we certainly would have if we weren’t busy defending our home turf… speaking of, I hope Buzz Blitzman remembers to feed Baby while we’re out saving the world again.”
I had no idea what they were talking about, but am I understanding right that they’ve all been in similar situations to this mess? I mean I’ve heard of the Moonlanders invading. I even met Penumbra who was a little rough around the edges while living at Scrooge’s mansion, but she was still generally congenial.
“So world ending stuff like this happens often?” For the sake of wanting to know, I would bring this up to Pom later if… when she wakes up. Wait… I have to tack on a sentence. “Wow San Fransokyo is a safe haven in comparison despite almost being wiped out once or twice.”
That was a shot in the dark, hope no one notices to question me, at least the Big Hero Six member wouldn’t and new the importance of keeping a lid on the shape shifter thing. I was Abigail Callaghan at the moment and I was in a dire situation, my panicking and fear were very much real so I was at least selling it.
“Yeah, we didn’t get little diablo’d, but we did fight the moonlanders… they weren’t really particularly aggressive to us.” Fredzilla saved the day. “That and we try for capture more than takedown.”
“Yes this scenario has happened a lot, but when this world is at peace it is quite beautiful.” Grin seemed to continue pushing the kindness angle of the team. “Now if only people could stop threatening that beautiful peace with global scale threats.”
“I’ll be the last out, I need to stay on the weapons.” When Mallory said this she looked at everyone, she turned back and I saw Wraith for the first time. “Pile out and get moving. Do not get caught up in Wraith’s magic and watch out for Siege.”
Wraith was tall, old and scraggily, he was wearing a cloak and wielding a very macabre staff with what looked like a shrunken ducks skull impaled on it. His eyes were solid re and his robe had spikes sticking up from underneath it. He didn’t look like he’d be in a good physical fight… but the magic he was giving off was like he was death incarnate. My brain was screaming at me to get away from him as he hovered forward and joined Siege who was blasting the Migrator with rocket after rocket, the return fire from the vehicle getting weaker with each blast of energy chewing into its armor.
“I’ll do it, I can survive an explosion better, go with Nosedive.” Grin physically lifted Mallory out of her seat and gently placed her down on her feet and then took her seat. “Move, I’ll get out when I think it’s a good idea to do so!”
-Wraith-
“I’ve got this, I don’t need you or Chameleon to finish them off!” Again, my compatriot Siege was but a brilliant and equally dim buffoon for not seeing the bigger picture of things.
Brilliant in his warlike ways of which I cannot deny he was a master beyond even the highest echelons of Saurians that were once free of being trapped in limbo until Drake Ducaine laid us low, but a buffoon in not trying to look to the future beyond the fight in front of him like a lowborn soldier who knew nothing beyond the fight itself.
I can’t help but think that even if I do capture this Abigail Callaghan, we’d be dooming the Saurians to a finality we would not recover from. The whispers from the dark I hear were saying as much, but we were set in our course.
I was the only Saurian who was thinking ahead at all, we should go quiet and build our numbers… possibly have Chameleon, Siege and Lord Dragaunus find mates… no matter how distasteful it might be to take non Saurian mates and build a force that is unstoppable. It was either that or I shudder to think that Chameleon turn himself into a female for time that is long enough to lay eggs, he would never agree to that and neither would Siege or Lord Dragaunus.
But alas, no one will listen to Wraith when he sees nothing but the ultimate failure.
If doom is to befall us, then so shall I let it occur… I have sworn to serve Lord Dragaunus and I will not betray him no matter how badly this inevitably turns out. I will at least attempt give us a minor permanent victory, be it pyrrhic at best by attempting to finally kill someone among our enemies, but my old bones are ever weary and dark magic required all of my concentration to not be consumed by them like some of our ancients.
I was preparing my magic for the full brunt of my power against them, my personal barrier held up to the onslaught of pucks and energy beams with undeniable prowess. How our ancestors weep at the lack of belief in the ancient might of our race. I will show them all, my wrath and continued existence will prove the ancient might of the Saurians.
The next rocket Siege fired, along with the constant pressure of the heavy hunter drone, almost cracked the vehicle like an egg. The heroes fled out the back like cowering wastrels and were fighting a retreating battle with support from their meager aerial capabilities.
“Come forces, gather and destroy my foes!” I raised my staff and a glow of darkness built up in my hand, I sent it forward and blew apart the tank. Unfortunately I didn’t seemed to have killed the big guy, but I have injured him well enough. I may have failed to keep my concentration, but under such firepower it was either move or die. Lord Dragaunus needed me alive more than he needed me dead whether he knew it or not.
My foes were actually technology and that vehicle was one such piece of technology, the reason why I was so reviled by my compatriots and scoffed at by Lord Dragaunus himself. However there was a place for technology transportation between the stars was hard to do in any other way and conquering people required an army and we only had machines no matter how much I find the idea loathsome.
I will not weep for the fall of the Saurians, I will grin and say I warned them all of what was to come. Yet they would never listen to one as ancient and old as I, I who can see or know things unknown to them.
“I shall secure the girl, you… you can have your fun Siege.” I glowed brightly and quickly levitated forward actually taking a forward position in combat for once. “I shall bring my powers to the fore and show you my wrath!”
I was too old to wield my magical melee weapons in combat anymore, but my magic was still a shining star in the bleakness that was the remaining free Saurians. I did not believe in the cause of conquering and enslaving anymore, but it was our way and traditions, only to be laid low by feathered beings.
My magical barrier weathered shot after shot of those incessant explosive pucks, there forces were in retreat and the one with mystical primal magic lost his power as soon as I came close to him. I was a force to be reckoned with.
“Oh man, Wraith is going all Darth Quacker on… agh…!” I flicked away the joker of the six nuisances with a blast of dark flame and floating after the retreating target, I was ultimately leaving him to Siege. The one carrying the unconscious form of a local creature known as a dog was my quarry.
“Gather and bring down my foes low with fell lightning!” Power erupted from my hand and nearly knocked our feathered foes flying vehicle, but I had struck the pilot with enough raw thundering might that he was shaking before me under the convulsions of the strike.
“Do not let Wraith get any further!” Ah, the female duck, she was felling drone after drone, but she wouldn’t have the capacity to focus on me as she was fighting for her very life. I took pleasure in watching these so called heroes squirm, even if they would ultimately win in the end the Saurians would at least prove that we were a might to be feared and that we would not go out with a whimper.
At least the Mighty Ducks had a chance to procreate on this world without looking outside their own people, unless I killed their two females. Alas, that that was not the task bequeathed to me and I could only hope Siege managed a win… for once.
“Know the might of the Ancient Saurians, learn to fear our name, we shall never be forgotten in even your best of nightmares!” If we were to go out, I would do so in a blaze of glory using as much power as I could while still saving some to save myself. If Lord Dragaunus were to die, I could retire to somewhere peaceful… where no one would notice my cruelties enacted on the local populace while I still have strength left in my body. “Blow the winds of misfortune, may the tides of the drowning beasts rise!”
Blasts of wind and water buffeted the defenders out of my way and the target I was chasing tripped and started to cower and back away from me. At least she understood that I would not be stopped, not by the rabbit with the chemicals, not by the paladin who shields himself with powerful blades of energy and not the odd person wearing the suit to resemble a monster… my distaste for the one shall be known now as his costumes appearance was making a mockery of Saurians.
As I got closer the target quickly tossed her creature aside, it was in an effort to save her from me… futile.
I unleashed a blaze of flames towards the tiny insignificant creature, only to feel a strange magic as another one appeared and shoved her clear of the blast radius. That creature may looked similar, but there was something about its nature that rang loudly of something of a memory in my mind… something rather important about the electromagnetic worm that we might have forgotten since the one we captured took the ducks original leader from them. Having recently captured a second electromagnetic worm near this planet, we might be able to get their second leader.
He quickly wrapped his teeth around the female’s scruff and dragged her out of the way of a second blast of flames. Not willing to face me in battle when it came to securing the little unconscious female beast.
“Rise and grab hold of my pray with your claws, so that I may drag her to our den!” The shadows answered my call and entrapped my target and making her bleed as they dug their claws into her flesh. Her struggles and her pains were delightful to the senses. All the other combatants were too busy dealing with Siege to stop me as I raised the target off the ground and brought her to me and entrapped her within my barrier of protection. My powers were quickly waning and my concentration becoming sparse, I still presented a powerful front in lieu of the fact. “I have our prize, but will the price have been worth all this effort? Again, I feel as though we’re making a huge mistake… I will prepare an escape plan for the inevitable failures despite our strengths.”
The ducks flew by in their aerial vehicle and destroy two of our heavy hunter drones with rocket fire and Siege managed one of the luckiest shots I have ever seen in my long, long, terribly dark existence, when he managed to shoot their main flying vehicle out of the air by glancing its tail and causing it to crash.
“Oh what glorious sight that is, a glorious one indeed to have defeated our foes in the field of combat… if temporarily.” I dragged the captured and struggling female with me through the air towards Siege. “As much fun as you are having Siege, we need to make haste and leave while we have the advantage lest they wrest our target from me.”
“Fine, I wanted to have roasted at least one of them alive, but shooting down their ship was a grand victory!” That it was Siege.
-Dormarch-
They got Ocellus, also that guy with the staff was horrifying. He had the actual skull of a duck impaled on his staff. Not only that, he tried to kill Dolly. I watched as Ocellus disappeared with the tall robed lizard in a flash and then looked up at the hovering ship above, they had teleportation technology yet they needed Abigail for her dimensional technology?
At least I can attribute the fact that they needed Abigail was possibly because they didn’t have any scientist that could focus on their exact needs and could only replicate known technology they already have.
The other one, Siege they called him, also disappeared as were all the robots, disappearing one by one…
I closed my eyes and took a deep breathe, then looked down at Dolly who was still breathing.
“Hey, someone come pick up my sister!” After shouting that, I performed a search hunter to throw myself at one of the robots still present and hadn’t disappeared yet.
As soon as I touched it I digitized myself into what passed for its central processing unit, the alien computer was strange and highly unusual. Though the coding language was quite hard to understand, I managed to quickly get enough of an understanding to copy and paste the digital readout of its systems.
I quickly convinced this hunter drones AI that I was... it's targeting program which I just ate.
It believed me, apparently Saurians weren’t big on anti-virus or anti-digital entity software like the Kahn Industries PET still wrapped around my neck… reminding me that I just quite clearly brought a physical device into a digital realm.
The hunter drone soon teleported and I started grabbing visuals from its one eye, the half intelligent AI asked what I was doing.
I reiterated that I was its targeting system so of course I’d have access to its eye... again, I was believed. I sighed with relief when it stopped scrutinizing me.