The Wheel and the Butterfly
A Dan X Pinkie Pie saga
Part 15 Pinkamena Vs. Dan*
Chapter 143 A Bunch of People Vs. Androids
-ooooooo-
The full moon hung high in the almost cloudless sky and cast a pale light over the City of Angels. Not that a great deal of the city really needed it; even very late it was often fairly well-lit. However the metropolitan area was vast, and there were darker places at the edges where only a few scattered light poles shed illumination on the area around them. Some spots had no electronic light to speak off.
It was in one such dimly lit place that a beast quietly crept through the night, the moonlight shimmering off its brown coat. It approached a large warehouse. Though there was some light coming from the windows, the windows themselves had their shades drawn and only a few scattered light poles around the warehouse provided any light beyond what the moon offered. As the beast approached the warehouse, it reached a long arm that ended in lethal looking claws towards a door. It grasped and slowly turned the knob of the door and pushed it open. Slowly, it exited the light of the moon and entered into the fluorescent glow inside.
Sitting in a wooden chair inside, a blond-haired woman looked towards the opening door and screamed.
“Would you calm the shell down?!” Sunset Shimmer cried from her own chair across from the woman. “It’s just Asterisk!”
Helen looked back at Sunset as the red-and-yellow haired woman fixed her with yet another irritated glance. Sunset seemed to be practically made out of misery. Though Helen still wasn’t sure if that was the girl’s default mood or if she simply wasn’t a fan of being stuck in a warehouse with little to do for long periods of time.
“He’s a wolf-man?!” Helen exclaimed.
“Well… Obviously!” Sunset replied. “I mean, this is the first time I’ve seen his wolf-man form, but he’s still wearing his shoes and some ripped up jeans!”
Dan* stopped and took a quick look up at his prisoner, who continued to hang from his shackles with a distant, goofy expression on his face. Satisfied his prey was still stuck, he wandered over to a crate where a small white board and some markers waited for him.
“Wait…” Helen said. “It’s the first time you’ve seen him as a wolf-man and you didn’t even react?”
Sunset shrugged. “I’ve seen a lot of weird stuff this past few weeks. And I kinda already knew he was a wolf-man.”
“How?!”
“He hinted pretty heavily at something like that when we first met.”
“…Oh…”
Dan* held up the whiteboard for the women to see. Both girls squinted at the board. The writing was messy and smudged, but Sunset Shimmer managed to make out ‘Where’s Pullman?’
“He got into position,” Sunset answered. She pointed towards Dan with a thumb. “After he pumped even more drugs into your little friend here.” Sunset sighed. “He’s great fun if you like watching people stare at your hands in wonderment for long stretches of time.”
Dan* nodded as he gave a growl of affirmation. He then lumbered off into a darkened corner of the warehouse.
“Lady…” Dan uttered. “Has anyone told you your hair is like a ketchup and mustard river?”
Sunset’s face contorted in confusion. “I’m not sure how to take that one…”
Helen also stared at Sunset’s hair. “What look were you going for anyway? I mean, he’s on to something with the condiment hair question.”
“Pup you!” Sunset cried. “My hair is awesome!”
“RRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRR!”
“What was that?!” Helen cried as she jumped to her feet. Whatever it was, it was loud enough to shake the entire warehouse.
“Just the dinosaur,” Sunset answered in a bored tone.
Helen turned and raised an eyebrow at Sunset. “We have a dinosaur?”
Sunset nodded. “Yeah, Asterisk did some research on the dinosaur that terrorized L.A. a while back and figured out it ended up in South America… Don’t ask me how the pup he managed to get it back here.”
Helen folded her arms across her chest and glared out at the far wall. “No one tells me anything!”
“Probably because you’re an utterly unimportant finch,” Sunset quipped.
Helen glared at Sunset. “‘Finch’ better not be a replacement word for what I think it is!”
Sunset raised an eyebrow. “What the shell are you even talking about?”
Helen just sighed and shook her head. “Just watch me take out that evil pink-haired girl, then we’ll see who’s useless.”
Sunset rolled her eyes. “Yes, I’m sure that’ll show me a thing or two…”
“It’s Tyra!” Dan said in an oddly chipper voice as his head lolled from side to side. “Hi, Tyra!”
Sunset shot Dan an irritated glance. “She can’t hear you, she’s outside… probably eating your friends as we speak…”
“Oh…” Dan said frowning slightly. His frown suddenly turned back into a goofy grin. “Well if it’s anything like last time, eating my friends won’t actually hurt them.”
Sunset stared blankly at Dan. “… What?”
Helen shook her head. “Forget it, he’s high as a kite.”
Sunset sighed. “Yeah… Well… at least it’ll be show time soon.”
Helen suddenly looked up at Sunset with an oddly hopeful, if crazed look. “So… about what we talked about earlier…”
Sunset let out an annoyed groan. “I can’t believe how much I hate you!”
Helen’s face lit up. “That’s the spirit!”
“Seriously!” Dan said. “I just want to make a raft out of hotdogs and go rafting in your hair!”
-ooo-
In another part of town, the full moon provided its light to another scene entirely, illuminating a train yard just enough that one could navigate it without crashing headlong into something.
In Becky’s case, this was good as she found herself moving as fast as her legs would carry her against the gravel that shifted under her expensive black loafers. Her shadow was cast long in front of her as she sprinted, almost as if she was trying to catch it. That is, of course, unless one considered the shadows gaining on her. Two shadows which belonged to two androids. With them steadily gaining on Becky, it looked more like she was trying to escape the darkness the androids created.
Why did they have to be robots? Becky wondered to herself. They couldn’t have been something softer like regular humans… Or even vampires. Heck… I bet I have enough silver to even take out a werewolf if I ran into one.
Becky reached the end of the line of train cars and circled around. Her android pursuers did the same. For about the dozenth time, Becky took stock of her weapons. A crossbow with plenty of bolts, a few wooden stakes, and a straight-razor. None of which seemed particularly useful when dealing with an enemy mechanical in nature.
The burning sensation in Becky’s legs verged on becoming unbearable. She continually gasped for air as if there wasn’t enough around her. Still, she continued forward as if her life depended on it. For all she knew, it very well did. She didn’t look back; she could hear the sound of gravel being trodden underfoot grow closer and closer. With one last burst of energy, she attempted to sprint back up to full speed.
“WHA!” Becky cried as she slipped on the gravel.
‘Crrrcchchc..’
She closed her eyes as she fell to the ground shoulder first and slid a few feet. When she stopped sliding she took a couple deep breaths and pushed herself to a kneeling position.
“Well, this one certainly has a lot of energy,” the tan android with the close-cropped beard and ponytail quipped.
Becky looked up to see the androids standing not more than a few yards from her. She swallowed as she continued her labored breathing.
The pale android with a short brown hair and a handlebar mustache nodded. “She’ll make an excellent battery.”
Becky quickly dove an arm into her satchel, ignoring the new pain that shot through her shoulder. She pulled out another crossbow bolt and attempted to frantically load it.
The androids simply paused and watched her.
Becky managed to get the bolt into place, and turned around. She tried to take aim but her hands were shaking and sweat had fallen into her eyes, stinging them and making it difficult to focus.
The tan android smirked. “You only have one more shot. Better make it count.”
‘Hmmmmmmmmmmmm…’
“Oh, we intend to.”
The androids turned as Becky looked past them to see D.H. holding up her E.D.G. The trigger switch had been pressed and the humming from the device slowly grew in volume. Dinky stood to the side of the weapon with her hands on the long tube, helping aim the weapon at the tan android.
‘…MMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!’
The tan android suddenly jumped and Dinky quickly shifted the weapon. Not to follow the tan android, but to fire on the pale android.
‘SCHHHHOOORCH!’
An arc of electricity fired from the antenna and dish in front of the E.D.G., briefly illuminating the train cars and gravel before slamming into the chest of the android. The android’s entire body went into a violent spasm as its chest expanded with a hiss. With a fiery ‘pop’, it collapsed to the ground.
The tan android broke into a sprint towards mother and daughter.
Becky took a shot with her crossbow.
‘Thwip!’
‘Thunk!’
The bolt hit the android’s back, then fell uselessly to the gravel below. Becky scowled at the bolt in frustration, but loaded another anyways.
As the android neared its targets, Dinky reached into her pocket at the front of her purple hoodie and pulled out a simple cylindrical object with a red button on the top. She depressed the button with her thumb.
The android heard another hum as it noticed a metal cone out of the corner of its eye. The cone was set on top of a mishmash of electronics, which in turn were stacked on the links between the two train cars. The android’s vision turned to static and sparks flew from its face. It fell forward towards its targets, throwing its hands up to catch them, or at least itself, as it fell. Its vision cleared just long enough for it to see something black and round quickly place itself between it and the ground. The android suddenly felt something firm collided with its head.
Its systems ceased recovering and started to error once more as a cascade of tremors ran through the android’s body. It hit the ground and twitched with a speed so rapid that it literally began to fall apart.
Soon the android was little more than a pile of broken pieces held inside a lumpy membrane of synthetic flesh.
“You got it, mamma!” Dinky said excitedly.
D.H. rubbed her behind and winced slightly. “Still not sure how I feel about that actually working.”
Becky looked up at her in disbelief. “Don’t tell me you figured out how to use your butt as a weapon!”
Dinky snorted as she stifled a giggle.
D.H. looked up and glared at Becky. “It was a last resort, okay? My E.D.G. wasn’t going to charge in time, so we set up a plan ‘b’!”
Dinky erupted in laughter. “Hahahaha, plan ‘b’!”
“Pfffft…” Becky suddenly joined in the laughter. “Ahahahahaha…!”
D.H.’s face turned crimson. “It’s not funny!”
Dinky controlled her laughter just long enough to respond to her mother. “... Hahahahahehehe… Yes it is! Butt starts with ‘b’! Ahahahahahahaha...!”
“I get it, Dinkums!” D.H. said indignantly.
Becky shook her head. “Hehehehe… Don’t worry about it! The important thing is you two managed to take out all the androids.”
Without warning, a dark-skinned android devoid of any hair leapt from between two train cars and snatched Dinky up into its grasp.
“Momma!” Dinky said in a distressed tone.
D.H. shot a quick glare at Becky as if attempting to say ‘You just had to open you big mouth,’ with her face.
Becky raised her eyebrows and puffed out her lower lip as if attempting to say ‘How was I supposed to know the universe had a vendetta against people who tempt fate?’ with her face.
Dinky clawed, scratched, bit, and tried to wiggle free, but it was to no avail. The android held fast onto her as it glared at D.H.
“Throw away your weapon, or I squeeze this tiny sack of organs,” the android threatened.
“O-okay…” D.H. stuttered as she tossed the E.D.G. without a second thought. “Just don’t hurt her!”
The android turned towards Becky and opened its mouth to speak.
Becky pulled the trigger on her crossbow, and with a ‘thwip!’ the bolt sailed forward and caught the android in the eye.
There was a satisfying sound ‘crunch’ as the androids head jerked backwards. It stood upright, still holding onto Dinky who continued to kick and struggle in the android’s vice-like grip.
“Got it!” Becky exclaimed.
“What the heck?!” D.H. cried. “Are you out of your mind?!”
“WHAT?!” Becky protested. “I got it!”
“He was threatening my daughter!” D.H. exclaimed. “Using her as a human shield even!”
“Yeah, in front of his chest!” Becky said. “Hence why I aimed for his eye!” she said as she pointed at her own eyes with the index and middle finger of her free hand.
“So?!” D.H. exclaimed. “What if you missed and hit Dinky in the face… or the heart even!”
Still attempting to wiggle out of the android’s grip, Dinky scoffed. “Pffft… Whatever… I have two of those!”
D.H. turned and glared at her daughter with one eye, the other staring off into the distance somewhere. “Stay out of this!”
“Look,” Becky said, “every time the bad guy holds someone hostage, you’re supposed to shoot anyways! When the good guys put down their weapons, the bad guy usually just goes back on his word anyhow! That’s why they’re the bad guy!”
D.H. turned to scowl as best she could at Becky. “Hey! When it’s your daughter in the grip of the cybernetic machine bent on world domination, let’s see how you feel.”
Becky opened her mouth to respond, but froze as the android’s head slowly lowered. She quickly dove a hand into her satchel and pulled out another crossbow bolt.
D.H. froze as panic gripped her face like a dog that had no intentions of letting go.
The android tilted its head downward and glared at Becky with its one working eye. It suddenly tossed Dinky towards D.H. With a startled yelp, Dinky collided with her mother and both went tumbling to the gravel below.
Becky quickly took aim and fired as the android closed the distance between them.
‘Thwip!’
‘Crunch!’
Becky gave the android another bolt to match the first. Both eyes were now replaced by a bit of wood with fletching at the end sticking straight out of the android’s eye sockets.
The android sprinted forward regardless.
Becky dove as the blind android came upon her. They found their legs tangling together as they hit the ground. Becky threw her hands in front of her as she collided with the gravel. The android fell face forward and the cross-bow bolts in its eye sockets snapped as they hit the ground.
“Ow, ow, frickin’ ow!” Becky cried as she quickly got into a sitting position and rubbed her now injured shin.
The android stood up, sparks shooting from its eye sockets.
“Oh, come on!” Becky cried. She turned towards D.H. “Go hit it with your butt!”
Dinky giggled as she stood up.
“Excuse me?!” D.H. exclaimed as she rose to her feet.
“That’s how you got the last one!”
“That was a carefully calculated defensive maneuver!” D.H. shot back. “I don’t run around attacking things with my butt all the time!”
Dinky’s giggle turned into full blown laughter as she collapsed on the ground.
“Dinkums!” D.H. said in a chastising tone. “Now is not the time!”
The android’s right shoulder twitched up once, then a second time. It suddenly threw its forearms out to its sides, then collapsed on the ground and began twitching.
The three girls paused and simply watched the android for a bit as it continued to simply spasm on the ground.
“Huh…” Becky muttered. “One of my crossbow bolts must have hit something important when the android fell…”
The girls stood and stared for a moment more before D.H walked over towards Becky and extended her hand.
Becky smiled and took the offered appendage as D.H. helped her up.
“Thanks for saving us both back there,” D.H. said with a smile. She shook her head. “Sorry I gave you such a hard time.”
Becky shrugged. “No worries. I’m just glad everyone’s safe.”
D.H. frowned. “… Assuming my husband’s fine… and Crunchy...”
Becky suddenly put on a frown that mirrored D.H.’s. “And my boyfriend…”
D.H. looked around frantically. One of her eyes settled on the long, cylindrical-shaped weapon she had tossed earlier. She rushed over to it and picked it up. To her chagrin, a rattling sound accompanied the action.
“What do we do?!” D.H. cried as she turned back towards Becky. “My gun’s all smashed up… again!”
Becky frowned. “I guess I can hope any more androids we might run into stand still so I can shoot them in the eyes…”
“I still have my HERF gun!” Dinky said cheerily as she motioned to the mass of electronics heaped on the link between two train cars.
The two women turned, looked at Dinky who gave them a dazzling smile, then looked at her mish-mash of electronics all hooked up to a battery. They sighed.
“It’s better than nothing, I guess…” D.H. said as she shook her head.
Becky smiled. “Hey! We just took out three androids! My boyfriend is a ninja… or ex-ninja… I’m sure this will be a cake-walk for him!”
-ooo-
As the two androids below began to climb up to the top of the train car Ninja Dave was standing on, he silently wished for something more akin to his old ninja jobs. Why couldn’t be a routine theft or assassination? Those were a cake-walk compared to fighting robots.
The Elise android stood just at the edge of the other car and stared at Dave with an eerily cheerful smile on its face.
Dave quickly weighed his options as the dark-skinned android with the close-cropped beard and an olive-skinned android made their way up. I could try to fight them off… But I’m a ninja, so… Dave simply broke into a sprint down the train car away from the trio of androids.
The Elise android suddenly bent down into a crouch then pressed off with all its limbs. It sailed over Ninja Dave’s head and landed in front of him with a responding ‘CLOOONG!’ as the heavy android made contact with the train car.
Dave eye’s widened as the Elise android slowly stood back to her feet and turned. Didn’t think she could jump like that, the other two certainly don’t seem to have the ability to do that… Maybe this one is modeled after the real Elise.
“Going somewhere?” the Elise android asked.
“Yes,” Dave replied, “through you.” In a flash of movement, Dave had drawn has weapon and slashed upwards. Sparks flew from the androids face as Dave’s ninjatō sliced upwards through its synthetic skin and over its left eye.
The Elise android simply smiled at Dave with the same empty grin as part of its face slowly peeled away revealing a glowing red eye underneath.
Dave grimaced to himself. For a moment, he hoped his sword would do something more than superficial damage.
He heard the clanking of heavy feet against metal grow louder and louder behind him.
“Excuse me, sir. Could you use some help?”
Ninja Dave looked down towards the ground to see a tall man in a long brown coat looking back up at him. The man was holding what looked to be a long, thick metal pipe in one hand. Next to the man was Crunchy who wore a suit that matched Ninja Dave’s, if one discounted the fact that one of Crunchy’s jacket arms was now missing.
“It couldn’t hurt…” Ninja Dave said as he shifted his position so he could see all three androids as they cornered him near the edge of a train car.
The two male androids paused and looked down at the Doctor and Crunchy.
“No!” the Elise android commanded. “This one first! If he gets away we may not find him again.”
Ninja Dave sighed and shook his head. “This just isn’t my night…” he uttered as the three androids closed in on him.
“Set yourself on fire!” Crunchy suggested.
“WHAT?!” Ninja Dave cried.
The Doctor shot Crunchy a confused look as one eyebrow went up and the other lowered slightly.
“Androids can’t catch you if you’re on fire, brah!”
“That’s ninjas!” Ninja Dave said as he backed away from a swipe from the Elise bot. “Ninjas can’t catch you if you’re on fire! Everyone knows that!”
“Well, I certainly didn’t,” the Doctor muttered to himself. “Guess I should remember that one…”
“Oh right,” Crunchy said. “I guess I got confused since you’re a ninja and all…” He shouted back up at Dave, “Try setting them on fire! It worked for me.”
Dave fought the urge to shoot an annoyed glance at Crunchy, instead settling for using his sword to deflect the arm of the olive-skinned android as it reached out for him. Sparks flew as the sword struck metal. Ninja Dave cried, “I don’t have anything to set them on fire with!”
“Oh… sorry dude,” Crunchy said. He turned towards the Doctor. “Well, I’m out of ideas…”
“I have one…” the Doctor replied. He looked up at Dave as he continued to dodge and block hands. “Put the sword away!” the Doctor shouted.
“WHAT?!” Ninja Dave cried. “That’s almost as bad a suggestion as setting myself on fire!”
“I was just brainstorming, brah!” Crunchy shot back.
“I’M FIGHTING FOR MY LIFE, DUDE!” Ninja Dave said as he deflected another attempt to grab him from the olive-skinned android. “I DON’T HAVE TIME FOR BRAINSTORMING!”
“Trust me!” the Doctor said.
Dave used his sword to deflect one last attempt to grab him from the Elise android then put the sword back into its sheath. “Now what?!” he cried as he continued to dodge and weave as three sets of arms continuously grasped for him.
As well as he was dodging, Ninja Dave knew he couldn’t keep it up forever. He guessed he’d tire long before the androids ran out of power.
“Use this!” The Doctor cried as tossed the pipe up towards Dave.
Despite the web of hands and arms that threatened to ensnare Dave, he dexterously snatched the pipe as it sailed towards him. Holding the pipe as if it were a two-handed sword, Dave deflected the next attempt to grab him hard and caught the dark-skinned android in the right hand. Its fingers crunched and broke under the weight of the heavy pipe.
Dave grinned as the androids paused their attack briefly. This was no longer a battle of attrition in which the androids had unlimited resources. They could now be hurt.
The dark-skinned android lunged for Dave, but Dave ducked low and swung his pipe into the android’s legs. With a ‘crunch’ the android soon found itself toppling past Dave and over the side of the railcar. It threw its arms in front of its face before it smashed against the gravel below.
The Doctor and Crunchy took a few cautious steps up to the fallen android. A few errant sparks shot from its mangled face before the red lights of its eyes went dim.
“Nice work!” The Doctor shouted up. “I don’t think that one is getting back up.”
Ninja Dave’s grin widened slightly as the olive-skinned robot swiped at him. Dave ducked under the attack and quickly rolled past the android and stood back up in a single movement. He suddenly thrust the pipe backwards into the android’s back, pushing with all his weight.
‘THUNK!’
The olive android lost its footing and fell to the gravel below.
‘Crunch!’
The Elise android looked down at its fallen comrade briefly, then back up at Ninja Dave with the same vacant smile. It suddenly tensed its fingers straight as knives and held them in front of its face. “It’s just you and me. Let’s see how you do against an improved Elise Pearson.”
Dave shook his head and reached into his coat. “Lady, I’ve fought Elise Pearson.” With a flick of his wrist the top of the train car was engulfed in smoke.
The Elise android’s smile finally broke as Ninja Dave disappeared from sight. It heard something land softly behind it, turned…
‘CRUNCH!’
… and saw a complete 360 degree glance of the area around it as a blow sent its head spinning. Then everything went black.
The android toppled to the ground below, its head now dangling limply from its neck.
‘Thump!’
“YES!” The Doctor said triumphantly as he pumped a fist into the air.
“I knew pipes were the answer!” Crunchy exclaimed.
“De-de-de-de-destroy!”
The Doctor and Crunchy jumped slightly as they stared down at the damaged olive-skinned android that slowly crawled towards them. Its limbs were bent and smashed, yet it pulled itself forward with a single minded determination. It looked up at them with eyes that seemed to glow red with anger.
“Uh, Doctor man? You got another pipe handy?”
The Doctor shook his head. “I’m afraid not…”
“What about that buzzing, shiny blue-light thingy of yours, brah?”
“The sonic screwdriver?” The doctor replied. He shook his head. “It’s got a specific set of things it can do. It’s not a bloody weapon or magic wand to get us out of every situation!”
“Didn’t you weld a few doors shut with it earlier? Why don’t you melt its face off, or something?”
Than android flailed it arms out, its hands tensed into claws. “D-d-d-die meat baaaaaaagsssssss….”
Crunchy and the Doctor took a few steps back.
The Doctor pointed down at the android. “I’m not getting near that thing!”
“Well, what then?” Crunchy asked.
The Doctor checked his pockets and pulled out a small matchbook. He regarded the item quizzically. “We can throw lit matches at it…”
Crunchy nodded. “I’d bet it’d hate that!”
‘Thunk!’
‘Crunch!’
The Doctor and Crunchy looked up as Ninja Dave landed on the broken android and thrust the pipe into its spine as hard as he could.
The android made a few wiring sounds at it twitched once more and then ceased moving.
The Doctor smiled. “Or we can wait for the problem to solve itself.”
Ninja Dave smiled as he stood up to his feet. “Thanks for the pipe.” He extended a hand. “Ninja Dave.”
The Doctor chuckled as he took Ninja Dave’s hand and shook it. “The Doctor, and it was nothing. Thank you for defeating those androids.”
“Uh, brahs?” Crunchy said. “I hate to be the constant harsh on our mells, but shouldn’t we find D.H. and your daughter?”
Ninja Dave and the Doctor frowned.
“We’ll need to find my girlfriend, as well,” Dave said.
The Doctor nodded. “We’ll start searching immediately. We’ll have to be careful… There’s still three androids by my count, and—”
“Daddy!”
The men turned as Dinky bounded up to her father, her blue backpack bouncing against her back with each step. D.H. and Becky followed close behind.
The Doctor chuckled to himself. “I’m really enjoying these things solving themselves for a change.” He bent down and opened his arms as his daughter flew into his waiting embrace.
Becky grinned at Ninja Dave as she walked up, quickening her pace. “I got one, dude!”
Ninja Dave smiled back. “That’s awesome!”
Becky’s smile dropped ever so slightly. “Let me guess… You got more than one…”
Ninja Dave chuckled. “I got three… turns out metal pipes are their weakness,” he said as he held up the bent pipe in his hands.
Becky giggled. “Guess I need to figure out how to carry one of those around.”
Dave suddenly dropped the pipe and threw his arms around Becky, taking her into a tight embrace. “I’m glad you’re safe,” he said softly.
Becky closed her eyes as she wrapped her arms around Dave. “Ditto…”
D.H. finally made it up to the Doctor and threw her arms around him and her daughter.
“Hello dearest,” the Doctor said warmly. “Did you deliver electronic exploding destruction to the androids?”
D.H. laughed softly. “Hehehe… You know it.”
The Doctor looked at his wife lovingly and moved his face closer to hers. “That’s my dearest heart…” he murmured.
D.H. felt her knees go weak and her face turn warm as her husband slowly inched his lips closer to hers.
“Daddy, daddy! I helped shoot an android!” Dinky said excitedly, expertly sneaking up behind the mood and shoving a knife into its back.
The Doctor frowned. “Oh, really?” he said as his loving gaze directed at his wife suddenly turned stern. “I’d love to hear all about that.”
D.H. broke her embrace and held her hands up defensively. “Hey! I pulled the trigger! Dinkums just helped me aim!”
“Ah, so she was the spotter to your sniper,” the Doctor said dryly.
D.H. furrowed her brow and puffed out her lower lip a bit. “Oh, give me a break! They were attacking Becky, who was distracting them so they wouldn’t go after us! And without Dinky’s help, I had just as good a chance as hitting Becky as one of those things!”
“Wait, what?” Becky replied.
“Nothing!” D.H. answered sweetly.
The Doctor sighed. “Well… I guess you have a point, dear.”
“Dudes and dudettes?” Crunchy interrupted. “I’m just going smooth over these bad vibes we have going by reminding everyone we just took out a bunch of androids.”
“We did!” Dinky said excitedly. “We totally did! We rock!”
The Doctor chuckled. “Well, I suppose there really is no point in souring a well-earned victory.” He turned back to D.H. “Now… where were w—”
The Doctor suddenly found himself cut off as D.H. flung herself at him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. She stood up on her tip toes and placed her moist lips against the Doctor’s. The Doctor quickly got over his initial surprise and returned the kiss as he placed his arms around his wife’s body.
“Ewwww!” Dinky cried as she attempted to once again murder the mood. Much to her annoyance, her parents continued to kiss each other passionately, ignoring her protest.
Dinky shook her head. “I’ll never get adults! Kissing is so gro…” she trailed off as she noticed yet another pair of adults engaged in enthusiastic lip wrestling. Becky and Ninja Dave were also clearly celebrating their victory in each other arms.
Dinky sighed heavily and looked up at Crunchy. “Hey… uh… hippy guy…”
“My name is Crunchy, little dudette,” Crunchy said with a smile.
Dinky smiled back. “Crunchy… Do you think you can walk me back to the van? Mamma and Daddy say I’m not allowed to go walking in the dark alone.”
“Sounds like a plan, little dudette,” Crunchy said. He looked around the train yard. “Er… I don’t remember where it is, though…”
Dinky chuckled. “That’s okay, I do…” She began walking away from the happy couples, Crunchy following right behind.
“I hope we can go back and get our phones…” Crunchy uttered. “I mean… if we got attacked by androids, who knows what’s going on with everyone else…”
-o~Elsewhere in town~o-
The full moon hung over yet another part of town, this part bustling with activity and well-lit with lights from the poles the surrounded the street, headlights, and even lights from the surrounding buildings.
‘THOM!’
This made it a lot easier for the people fleeing their cars and buildings to avoid trampling each other as they fled in complete abject terror.
‘THOM!’
‘Ring, ring, ring…’
All the people save one.
“RRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRR!”
‘Ring, ring, ring…’
Tyra paused as the sound of a small bell rung out amongst the panicked screams of the people the fled from her.
A few dozen yards out, a tall man with broad shoulders stood in the middle of the street as the mass of people ran past him onwards towards safety. The right arm of his jacket fluttered limply next to his side, his right arm in a sling in front of his chest. His left hand clutched a bell that he held high and rung again.
‘Ring, ring, ring…’
Tyra narrowed her eyes as the large man smirked back at her.
“Hello big, heavy, and destructive,” Sarge said as he met the massive Tyrannosaurus’s gaze. “You’re making a mess out of the automotive aisle.”
Tyra let out another roar and charged the man with the bell.