I found a hint of Duck/Lexi there... great chapter too.

But what is the aspect your dissatisfied with?

Akira: Thanks, as usual. =D Also, hehe, climatic climax. I think I said that things what start heating up after chapter 12, and I guess I pretty much meant it.

Stylediva: Thanks! I aim to wow. =D

Cassidy: I actually like it when Tech is mad too. To me it makes him at least 25% more attractive. I am not sure why I think this.

Techfan: Yeah, and that Duck/Lexi-ness will probably come in later. Also, the aspect I was criticizing was Rev's general neglect on the show (through his own rant). I also made a little bit of a hint of that way back in chapter 7, when Rev was talking to Shannon. I probably should have paralleled those two instances in this chapter more succinctly than I did (I didn't at all), but oh well.

EDIT

Rye: You NINJA POSTED me somehow so now I will respond to you!

Yes, I have always wanted Rev to speak out a little more on the show as well. Precisely why I had him do it here! I don't know, if *I* were him I'd certainly be fed up with getting left behind as much as he does.

And thanks. =D And Shannon's fate will be revealed very soon. Soon as in probably the next chapter.

-- Edited by Dragon Wing at 13:39, 2008-04-13

*GASP* and..... *GASP* AGAIN! *faints*

Cassidy: Yeah, she's a bit excited......

Oh crap I'm out of popcorn!

I'm really enjoying this.

More please!

Thanks again guys! If I do not have Chapter 14 up by Saturday morning, I grant you all permission to nag me in my Whiteboard, should it come to that!

Colours: *hands more popcorn* As always, thanks for reading!

Xtream: Oh, I couldn't just not give Duck a moment of spotlight. =D He has a general reputation on the show for being a screw up, and I wanted to make him NOT a screw up. Oh, but trust me, in the later chapters to come, Duck will get a lot, lot more spotlight than he's gotten thus far. But that's all I'll divulge for now. And thanks for reading! =D

And the rest of LUO... Remember Rye? We started the spamming trend! 8D

YAY! *shines spotlight on Duck*
Duck: *basks in the glow of the spotlight*

I'll read the next few chapters before Saturday so I can be up-to-date with everything. ^__^

We put the SPAM in SPAMTASTIC!

That was also very lame. XD

LOLZ1 i love that one!! XD

At first I misread you as saying "as soon as I push the darn cat off my window". I was like D: but I started giggling anyway. I'm a bad person! =(

Crap, I forgot this was my own fan fic topic.

-- Edited by Dragon Wing at 21:41, 2008-04-16

Alright, Chapter 14 is here! This is a bit of an angry chapter, I'm afraid to say, but it's actually pretty big as far as storyline content goes. Possibly the biggest yet. So here goes!


Chapter 14: Somewhat Damaged

“Sometimes you can’t make it on your own.”


Vincent Cavanagh sat perched atop a cold, metallic stool, eyes transfixed upon the small portable television placed in front of him. Sipping coffee, he smiled positively from ear to ear. Indeed, he was filled with such an immense sense of self-satisfaction, which grew larger with each single frame the television emitted.

“Perfect,” he said, taking another sip. His brother, Danny, was fiddling with something in his workspace, seemingly unfazed, if not a little apathetic, towards the whole matter at hand.

Slowly, to the offside, a few of the captive villains got themselves up from the floor, where they slept each night. One might feel sympathetic towards their rough living conditions, were it not for the qualifier that they were, indeed, super villains.

Mastermind was the first up, and, she being so eager to point out any personality flaws she saw in her ultimate captor, immediately started to chastise Vincent.

“Well, I don’t know if that coffee is laced with amphetamines, Vinny, but you certainly seemed to go ape-crazy over something. Perhaps another product of your pseudo-villainous-prowess?”

“Ah, and good morning to you, sunshine,” Vincent responded curtly. “Why, yes, I am ‘ape crazy’. It’s the Loonatics’ biggest failure yet - bigger than I could have ever possibly imagined.”

“Now, now, Vinny, I know you like to be all, how shall I say it, ‘mystical’ and ‘mysterious’ about your doings, but please, just stop being a total pain and just spit it out!”

“Very well,” Vinny said, flipping off the television. “As I said yesterday, I decided to do a progress check on my plans – a nice little mission for the Loonatics. Nothing too complicated, either. My brother’s teleportation system is simply marvelous, by the way. With it, he can pretty much zap me anywhere I want, and zap me back without a trace of my presence. Anyway, as I said, the idea was pretty simple; I snuck into a genetic engineering laboratory near Greenspoint, and simply released a giant mutant coyote.

“Admittedly, I did choose the coyote for a reason. You see, I’ve been watching the Loonatics through their own security cameras. That Tech fellow has them pretty secure from outside intruders, though; it took a hell of a lot for my brother to hack into them, and we could only watch for 10 minutes at a time before the system overrode our intrusion. But, nonetheless, I have noticed what has been going on. That roadrunner has been clinging on to that coyote as if for dear life. He’s practically in love with the fellow. So, oh, I don’t know, I just thought it’d be a little amusing to see how the roadrunner would react to a giant mutant coyote trying to gobble him up. It might have scared him properly straight. Because that creature would be all over him like white on rice, given the coyote’s feral attraction to the roadrunner as a source for food.

“But, alas, the roadrunner did not come. A smart choice on the leader’s part, perhaps. Nevertheless, the whole mission was a complete failure. Normally, capturing a loose, crazy animal would have been a mere flash in the pan for those six - practically routine. But they couldn’t do anything, and the SWAT had to take it all over. I mean, I simply thought they would have had a little more trouble doing it, what with all the havoc that’s going on between them right now, but I never imagine that they’d completely fail this soon! These critters are even more fragile than I thought.

“It did not help them, too, that the coyote and head hare showed up late, seemingly angry with each other. Oh, I observed the whole thing through cameras. I don’t know the whole situation exactly, but I can gander a guess – the head hare won’t let the roadrunner do anything, and the coyote, being such a faithful companion, is angry with that. Maybe the roadrunner’s angry too, I’m not completely sure.

“One thing I do know for sure, though, is that there is little more I need to do now. They are already vulnerable enough, and will probably be made even more vulnerable after this failure. Indeed, the time to strike is soon.”

After Vincent’s lengthy soliloquy, Mastermind applauded derisively. “Goody gosh, Vinny! Finally, I might be out of here soon. I must take this opportunity to congratulate you, though, for building such a secure prison here. I have to admit, I thought I could penetrate it relatively easily, but I’ve been helpless to do anything.”

“Well, thank you for your concession,” Vincent replied, smiling, “but all props go to my brother on that one. To be quite honest, I’m not that good with designing, just planning”.

“Ah yes, your master plan. What was that again Vinny? Placing a bomb in the middle of some restaurant and watching what happens? Very innovative, indeed.”

“I admit,” Vincent said, frowning, “that none of this was as devious as I thought it would be. But surely you do not think that I had a little bit of fun on the side?”

Mastermind was puzzled. “Come again?”

“Ah, well, you see,” Vincent started ominously. “The Duck. Even with the little footage of the Loonatics’ headquarters I’ve seen I’ve noticed he’s been very, very mysterious and secretive. So I’ve been tracking him around, and it turns out, every couple of days or so, he goes into the same mysterious, shabby building every night.”

Mastermind stared curiously. “I’m intrigued,” she said, listening intently.

“Glad to hear it. Well, so I started doing some snooping. Again, much props to my brother’s teleportation system. Well, in this building, I found out some very, very interesting things about this mallard. Things I never knew before, and things he’s currently up to. Things that were very… personal. I almost feel bad. But anyway, I couldn’t resist the urge to mess with this egomaniac a little. Sometime during the week, some of his, ah, ‘research’ may have accidentally gotten a ride through the incinerator”. Vincent smiled deviously.

“If I may ask,” Mastermind interjected, “what is this ‘research’?”

“Oh,” Vincent smiled, “you’ll likely find out soon enough. For now, let’s just wait for tempers to rise more, then our final attack will be initiated. So be prepared, it’s almost time. We’re coming.”


-------


The five Loonatics slowly trudged their ways back to headquarters, and upon arriving, did not speak; at least, not initially. Duck was the first to make some sort of verbal move. He flipped out his cell phone, kept protected in a hidden pocket in his latex suit, and speed-dialed a number, moving furtively towards the window to get some privacy. No one knew who he was calling, nor did they care. They simply sulked on the furniture, contemplating their shortcomings.

Rev, who had evidently previously departed to his room, emerged upon noticing the introduction of new sounds. The roadrunner’s presence finally evoked Ace, resting his head on his fist, elbow to knee, to speak.

“Well, you’ll be happy to know that we didn’t do anything.”

On the contrary, the roadrunner did not look happy, but worried. “So that thing is still on the loose?”

“No, the SWAT team had to come in and fix it all up,” Ace shot back, now rising, “no thanks to you, Doc.”

Rev was slightly surprised at this shot. “Oh so now you’re going to blame this all on me even though I wasn’t even there by your orders?”

“No, it was cause of your resistance to take orders. You made me and your pal Tech late for the action, and the three of them were helpless to do anythin’ by themselves! If you’d just had the respect to just sit out quietly, we would’ve had it easily!”

“Oh,” Rev said, his anger being replaced by guilt. Searing, painful guilt.

“Yeah, ‘oh’,” Ace said, continuing to shoot Rev scornful looks. “What was your grand inspiration for that little speech, anyway? Tech over there?”

“Leave him out of this,” Rev said slightly threateningly, “and no. Frankly I’ve been peeved about how I’m usually neglected around here for the longest time! I mean what do you guys see me as? Only useful as a hyperactive bird that can generate electricity when the power’s out? I mean I know that I probably didn’t pick the best time to bring that up but I had to let it out eventually I knew it since me and Shannon talked about –“

Ace’s shot at Tech had initially gained Rev back some strength in the self-defense department, but all of the sudden he felt guilty and rather depressed once again.

“I’m so sorry, Ace. I really didn’t mean to blow it for everyone. I shouldn’t have questioned your authority like that, it was really immature, and I want to do all I can to make it up-“

Ace cut him off, apparently still extremely peeved. “I’m not sure how well I can take your ‘sorry’s anymore, Rev. You’ve made your true feelings bright and clear. Did ya ever even consider that I also might not have wanted you to go because it was a giant coyote we were facing? Dat thing would have ignored all of us and went straight for you.”

Rev hadn’t made this distinction, being rather accustomed to non-feral coyotes, and now felt even guiltier.

“Dat’s what I thought. Frankly, Rev, you don’t seem to be a team player anymore. You haven’t for weeks. And I don’t know if you should even be on this team anymore.”

Tech, observing from the side, had had enough.

“Just back off, Ace,” Tech said, growling.

Ace turned to Tech. “Ooh, and here comes the boyfriend on the defensive.”

“Hah! Shows how mature you are, making little comments like that. Anyway, you’re just precariously angry right now; you won’t mean any of what you just said later on. That said, I’d like you to apologize to Rev now”.

“Don’t be so sure of that, Doc,” Ace said, “truth is, I’ve been considerin’ it for weeks. He’s just not workin’ out well with us anymore, and his little temper tantrum back there just really pushed it.”

“A ‘temper tantrum’ righteously delivered, I may add. You cannot deny that Rev has been neglected in battle more than any of us. You cannot seriously say he’s not a ‘team player’ if he just wants to help more! Also, you know he’s been through a lot lately. I find it extraordinarily unjust for you to judge his motives as a whole based on a temporary post-traumatic stress condition, and one received from such an overwhelming incident, at that!”

“A condition that can be treated by sending him for help! I swear Tech, you’re a smart guy, but you can be so thick-headed at times.”

“And can you get it through your thick head you’re doing absolutely nothing to help him right now?” Tech glanced over at Rev, who was looking back at him, teary-eyed. Such an expression fired up the coyote all the more. “He was offering you a sincere apology, one, in my opinion, he need not even give, and then you shoot back and tell him he shouldn’t be a part of the team?! Let me just tell you this, Ace, I used to have nothing but gratuitous respect for you, but, within the last couple of days, you’ve drained all of that respect into a mere puddle, that’s quickly evaporating. And let me tell you one more thing; I’d much sooner take orders from Rev than from you.”

The coyote finally stopped his rant, which seemed to hit the hare particularly hard. Lexi and Slam, observing on their feet from the back of the room, were mortified by the entire discord.

Unexpectedly, Ace slammed his fist down on the nearest table.

“Ace!” Lexi shouted, but Ace paid her no mind. He stormed out of the room and into his own room, slamming doors as he went.

Tech followed suit, seeking refuge within his own lab, leaving Lexi, Slam and Rev in the middle of the room.

Rev felt hopelessly exposed under the eyes of Slam and Lexi, and he could think of absolutely nothing to say to them at this moment. As a result, he got up and slowly followed Tech into his laboratory.

The sliding door bade Rev entrance, and he walked into the lab to see Tech hastily gathering up some supplies to put back into storage. He turned around to see the roadrunner standing in front of the doorway with teary, needful eyes still.

“Ace is just in a bad place right now,” Tech started, “he’s just being really irrational, all of the things he said are ridiculous, and you know it. In a few hours or a few days, I think he’ll come around and see-“

Tech’s words of comfort were broken off by a practically bone-shattering hug from Rev. It was an embrace of utmost gratitude and platonic affection, something Tech was not used to. He was not the touchy type, either; that was a given. But, in spite of any of his earlier habits, Tech slowly returned the huge, and even smiled a little.


-------


Back in the living quarters, Lexi and Slam still stood boggled by what had just happened; a volcanic eruption of anger none of them had ever witnessed between teammates before. Duck stood on the far side of the room, gazing out the window, still talking on his cell phone.

“Wow,” Lexi said to Slam, “rough day, huh?”

“Grrllbbl really bad,” Slam said sadly, letting out a sigh.

“Well, it can’t get any worse, can it?”

Just then, another outburst of sound erupted from the far side of the room; Duck.

“What do you mean, you just ‘lost it’?!” Duck positively screamed into the receiver. “Do you have ANY IDEA how important all of this is to me?! After all the money I’ve spent, where the hell do you get off-“ He paused for a second, presumably listening to a reply, and then continued. “Well, I certainly don’t know what’s going over there either?! All I know is that months of progress is now just flushed down the drain! And it’s not like I have money growing on trees here, I don’t get paid for any of this!” He paused once more. “Well, same to you!” Duck hung up as violently as he could on a cell phone, and stormed back toward the center of the room.

“Duck!” Lexi shouted, surprised, “what was all of that about?”

“None of your business,” Duck grunted curtly, and, like Ace, stormed to his room.

“Holy crap,” Lexi commented, “everyone’s gone crazy today.”

Just then, a buzzer rang, indicating that someone far below wanted entrance to the tower.

“Ugh, what now,” Lexi said bitterly, “a reporter looking for a fresh angle on our screw-up?” Hastily, she moved from her position next to Slam, and went to answer the buzz.

“Hello?”

A female voice replied back over the intercom. “Hey, can you let me up? I just got out, and it’s kind of urgent.”

“I’m sorry, who is this?” Lexi asked.

“Oh, pardon me,” the voice replied, “it’s Shannon.”

SHANNON?!!! SHE'S ALIVE? *faints from confusion*

Alive and, for the most part, unscathed. :3

Yay! Shanon's alive!

*Reads Rye's post*

Oh man!

I do believe it would be the real Cassidy (my fancharacter) who would be REALLY mad with you....... Me... not so much

Interesting...

Ok then.

Whats with the bottum picture in your signature?

Is Tech on drugs or something? *is bricked* 

I_See_Your_True_Colours wrote:

---

*comes back* Is the so? Where is she?

---

Cassidy: Right behind you *zaps Colour's rear end with light blue flames*

I'd run if I were you....

New chapter later tonight. If what I have planned goes how I think it will, it will be relatively short compared to the chapters I've been putting out lately, so I'm compensating for the shortness by posting it sooner than I usually would. Chapter 16 should be up either late Friday night or Saturday night, still.

I also wanted to post one more reply so I could get the next chapter at the top of the 4th page.

Who wants popcorn?

Me:

Spyro: Colours are you ok? 

Oh mah gahd.
WHY THE MOTHER****ING HECK DIDN'T I READ THIS EARLIER?!?!?!?!?
*fumes*
This is great. Really. I don't know why it took me so long to start reading it, but I'm glad I did. The plot is excellent, the story line is intriguing, and the character's reactions to what's going on are perfect.
I'll be checking up on this regularly.

I left my thoughts on FF.net, but... SHANNON IS EVIL. -shifty eyes-

Your girl-friend miraculously returns from the dead after several weeks, only to tell you she just wants to be friends now... ouch.

I think she was set free on purpose. His goal is to emotionally destabilize them, so this might be a part of his plan.

Dragon Wing wrote:

---

Here's a hint:

Look at the times the letter said Shannon could come out.

---

*GASPSEXTREMLYLOUDLY*

I THINK I KNOW!!!!

(warning: do not read this unless you really want to know what I think, I'm afraid of spoiling the surprise)

Spoiler

Shannon's being hypnotized. She really truely does like Rev, as more than a freind. At 4:00, she'll snap out of it.