Collaborative Fiction: A Little Magic Can Ruin Your Whole Day

Krystal sat down on her workstation stool rather abruptly.

"I was told by the finest geneticist in Dimension S-H-C that this wasn't possible... my chromosome count was incompatible for mating with a pure human...", Krystal muttered, to herself mostly, though Alan had no trouble hearing her.

Alan said, "I not knew you were seeing anyone, Krystal."

"I'm not... I mean I haven't been... I'm married, and he's been in Fae-re all this time.", said Krystal.

"..., I know that Fae pregnancies can be extremely long, but nearly two years since I came here...", her muttering continued.

"I think I need to call home... I might need help to deal with Morganna, and this...", Krystal concluded.

Krystal summoned a fist-sized, perfectly round polished sphere of pure, flawless diamond, and began an intricate incantation...

A Little Magic Can Ruin Your Whole Day...
(Part 21)

Krystal Fae, ID 10962
Crossroads, ID 11004
Catalyst, ID 21306

Crossroads slunk around the lab, winding her way amongst the work tables, benches, stools, and equipment. Always keeping to the shadows, she used the hearing and vision granted to her by being transformed into a cat to the utmost.

“Man, if I only could have this power under my control,“ Allyson wished. “The reflexes and physical abilities of a cat are amazing.  I wonder what it would be like if I were able to transform into a great cat, like a cheetah or a jaguar?  Maybe I’ll ask Krystal if it is possible to get heat power.  If Fae magic did this in the first place, maybe I can get an amulet or something.....”

Starting at every unfamiliar sound (and there were a lot of unfamiliar sounds in a mad scientist’s laboratory!), Allyson would freeze until she could locate and figure out what the sound was.  So far, she had made it halfway across the lab from her cage to the only door she could see.  Only about forty feet more to go and then she would have to figure out how to get out of the lab without being seen.

Suddenly, Allyson heard the sound she dreaded to hear: footsteps approaching the door. “Crap... by the sound of the steps, it sounds like someone in tennis shoes.  I can smell a perfume I haven’t smelt before, so I don’t think it is Morganna.  It’s a pretty expensive perfume though....and I also smell...bubblegum?”

The lab door opened and in stepped a young....woman.  Using the word “lady” just didn’t fit the person who stood there.  From her mismatched tennis shoes to the steak knives being used as hair pins, she radiated a deadly mix of competence, violence, and insanity. She looked around the lab and saw the open cage on the rear wall.  Whirling around, she quickly slammed the lab door shut and leaned her back against it.

“Well, well, well...looks like little kitty came out t’ play!” said a voice that grated like fingernails on a chalkboard. “I was coming in here to feed ya’, but no Fancy Feast for ya’ today, ya’ naughty little kitty!” Reaching to her left, she pulled a menacing look sledgehammer with a cable hanging from it out of a locker.  Plugging in the cable to a power pack she was wearing , the sledgehammer started humming and glowing with a menacing aura.

“Vixen.  It figures.  If she broke Dr. Fulcrum out, there was no way he would leave without his number one henchman,” Allyson groused. “It just can’t be an easy escape, can it?  Oh, no!  Dear me, we have to up the drama factor at every turn!” she added sarcastically.


Allyson stayed hidden under a workbench, trying her best to blend into the shadows while she tried to think of a strategy. She hadn’t personally fought Vixen before, but she had reviewed her file and watched video clips of her last few battles with BADGE before she was sent to Purgatory Prison.  Trying to remember everything about her fighting style and abilities, she started to formulate a plan.

“She’s fast and strong, she has gone toe-to-toe with several heroes known for their fighting ability and has given as good as she got. “Allyson mused. “That hammer is electrified. Getting hit by it will deliver a powerful shock as well as the concussive and blunt force trauma it deals.  She can also discharge a lightning strike from it to hit from a distance. So, priority Number 1: Don’t get hit!”

Trusting in her stealth skills as a cat, Allyson crept slowly towards the door, looking for something to help, while Vixen stalked around the other side of the lab.  Vixen was looking under tables and in all the dark crevices she could find. Allyson found what she was looking for. A computer that Gamer G was playing on...and it was still connected to the internet!  Jumping quietly onto the work table, Allyson used her tiny paws to open a web browser.  Keeping one eye and ear on Vixen, Allyson had to make several attempts before she could open an email client.  Now she could send an email to Catalyst or Krystal or, hell, anyone in Red Guard!  They could be here in moments with Cadaverdog’s teleportation power. Allyson suddenly stopped typing.

“I have no clue where I am!”  Allyson died a little inside when she realized that.  Unfortunately, the moment was enough of a distraction that she lost track of Vixen.  And Vixen had heard the slight sound of the keyboard and took action. She blew the computer station up with a precise lightning strike from her sledge hammer.

The fur on Allyson’s back stood straight up and, a split-second before the computer was reduced to slag, she leapt onto the next work table and then the next one, running for the door across the tables, dodging equipment, chemical beakers, monitors, and unidentifiable things. Also dodging the hammer strikes that began destroying everything behind her as Vixen gave chase.

“Come here, kitty!  Don’t make Mama Vixen turn ya into road kill!”

Tables and chairs and equipment were being destroyed by Vixen in wild abandon.

“Stop ya’ damn cat! Alright that’s it!”

Finally, in frustration, Vixen aimed her hammed, not at Allyson, but swung like a Major League batter going for the fences and struck the side of the table in front of her. The force of the blow caused the table to shoot out from under Allyson’s paws as she tried to jump to the next table. The table collided with the tables in front of it and created a pile of broken tables and stools between Allyson and the door.
Allyson was unable to stop her momentum and hit floor on all four paws, but slid straight into the pile of tables and chairs.  Momentarily stunned by the impact, Allyson looked up just in time to see Vixen’s insane smile.

“I’m gonna call ya’ Flat Cat, from now on!” said Vixen as she brought her hammer down on Crossroads.

A Little Magic Can Ruin Your Whole Day...
(Part 22)

Krystal Fae, ID 10962
Crossroads, ID 11004
Catalyst, ID 21306

Catalyst went back to join Leslie with the transformed BADGE houseguests. "I need you to ask for two volunteers, please. Need to go and triangulate the signal from other points."

"You mean you need to take two of the people with you? Why?" Leslie asked.

"The nanobots need to be in contact with their subject or else they shut down and self-destruct. We have the ones I took earlier in a device that can mimic an animals bio-electronic field, but too big to transport." Catalyst explained. "I made contact with them and can hack their code."

Leslie nodded. "OK. I think I understand. Sort of." Her face scrunched in thought. "Why don't you just turn the nanobots off?"

"Then how would we find Crossroads?" Catalyst shrugged. "Need the signal."

"OK. I'll ask." Leslie used her telepathy to listen for the animal's responses. "Catalyst here needs two of you who would be willing to go with him so BADGE can find out who did this to you, rescue Crossroads, and change you all back." She turned to Catalyst and whispered. "This is safe for them, isn't it?"

"Yes. We not go to fight villains. Keep our distance from trouble. Gone for maybe half-an-hour."

"You all heard that, right?" She asked the room. "Who wants to be a pal and help out?"

To their credit, most of the animal/people responded with a resounding YES.

"I'd suggest taking two of the people transformed into dogs. They travel better."

"Thank you," Catalyst said. He inspected the animals and chose two dogs, one terrier and one collie. "Maybe these will help bring luck."

Leslie smiled. "Sure. Go find Crossroads so we can get her out of the well, Timmy."

*****

Traveling to the outer regions of New Orleans once again, Catalyst took Agent Justin with him to secure one point of the triangulation to the east of the city.

"So, what do I need to do again?" Agent Justin asked.

"The collar I placed on the dog's neck will boost the signal to me. All you need to do is remain here and wait for me to signal you with a location." Catalyst smirked and handed Agent Justin some plastic bags. "And pick up poop if needed. We must be good citizens."

Catalyst headed back into the shuttle and took off, leaving Agent Justin with a leashed terrier and a unhappy look on his face.

*****

Minutes later, Catalyst arrived at his destination. Without leaving the shuttle, he activated the high-tech collar on the collie and turned to his laptop. "Where are you Crossroads? Come up, come up, where-ever you are."

Three lines appeared on the display screen, one from each location with active nanobots. The signal from two of the locations were less defined, wavering in a wide spread in comparison to the one from BADGE labs.

Catalyst shook his right hand and turned to the dog. "This won't hurt."

Applying his Catalyst Effect, the device around the collie's neck amplified its signal. A second line on the overlay became bright and narrow. The lines intersected on a map, which Catalyst brought into higher focus.

The map zoomed into a county, then a street, finally switching to a real-time satellite view of what appeared to be an old time plantation house in the bayou area to the southwest. It didn't center on the house though, but instead an area about a thirty yards from the building.

"Eureka! We have winner." Catalyst grinned and rubbed the collie's head. He tapped a few buttons and a video screen opened up to Krystal Fae, Leslie, New Me, and Starmaster in different panels. "I have a location."

"That's great news." Krystal nodded. "I'll meet with the other members of the Star Force and Crossroad's team to get her back. You get those animals back to Leslie and await my signal to send the counter-programming."

"Will do, Krystal." Catalyst engaged the engines and lifted the shuttle into the air. "Happy hunting."

A Little Magic Can Ruin Your Whole Day...
(Part 23)

Krystal Fae, ID 10962
Crossroads, ID 11004
Catalyst, ID 21306

To be safe, Krystal teleported in about 2 miles from the plantation house in case Morganna was present.

As she flew towards the seemingly abandoned structure, she confirmed that Morganna was not present in the immediate area.  

Krystal used her ability to sense electric flow to lead her to a hidden entrance in a small shed near the main structure.

Krystal said to the lead support agent, "Spread out and attempt to capture the escapees...", then she entered the maze-like warren of corridors.

She encountered a few of the frat-boy henchmen, but they were little threat to her, and the agents following her rounded the stunned punks up as quickly as she disabled them.

As she opened a door down one corridor, she sensed a powerful electro-magnetic shockwave which was followed by a cacophonous crashing noise.

Sprinting at near super-sonic speeds through the corridor, she entered the shambled remains of a laboratory area.  

A familiar figure was positioning a hammer, glowing with electrical arcs, to obliterate a familiar feline form.  

“I’m gonna call ya’ Flat Cat, from now on!” said Vixen, as she began her swing.

Krystal made a summoning gesture and a medium-sized round shield appeared between Vixen and her intended target.



 The hammer, already in motion, met the shield, and a near-deafening shockwave rang from the shield, throwing Vixen against the wall about 10 feet behind her.  

As Vixen lost consciousness, Krystal said, "I'll have to remember to thank Cap for the loan of his shield... Ally, you ok?"

A Little Magic Can Ruin Your Whole Day...
(Part 24)

Krystal Fae, ID 10962
Crossroads, ID 11004
Catalyst, ID 21306

"Ah, ha," Dr. Fulcrum laughed as he entered the laboratory from a storage room. "I found it. Why are you making so much noise out here, Vix--?" His question was left hovering in the air as he spied Krystal Fae standing in the room and his compatriot, Vixen, unconscious against a wall.

He shouted at the red-haired hero. "What have you done to her?" He removed a device from his lab-coat and pressed multiple buttons. He stared at Krystal Fae and his face soured with every stab at the control panel. "Why won't you stop. This shouldn't be happening."

"It's time for you to go back to your cell at Penitentiary Prison, Doctor." Krystal said as she stood between the mad scientist and Crossroad. JKrystal tried to tune into his thoughts, but they were slippery. She could only garner a fading confusion and growing mirth.

"Oh, now I understand." Dr. Fulcrum giggled. "This will work out well. Very well indeed."

"What are you talking about? Where is Morganna?" Krystal used the power of the arctic to create a block of ice to imprison the supervillain.

"Why the cold greeting? You're acting as if you're not happy to see me." He didn't struggle while being encased. "As for Morganna, she's off doing her own thing. None of my business, really. I've paid my debt to her."

Krystal stepped closer. "For her freeing you?"

"Yes," he replied. "She had a very specific request only I could accomplish for her."

The ice around him shattered. He wiped away the stray shards from his clothing. Electricity arced around his body, several bursts connecting with Krystal Fae.

His attack was mostly deflected by her defensive wards and gear, but it did manage to surprise her. The force pushed her back a few feet as she levitated in the air, millimeters over the ground.

"Now, while I served her purpose, I did take some precautions." He said as he focused his electrical powers around his own body. "She is a feisty one, isn't she? And she doesn't like you at all. Fortunately, by preparing for her eventual reversal of good will, I have defenses that are prepared for you as well."

Krystal's skin began to burn. A painful sensation that made her wince, but not cry out. She didn't know how he was doing it, but somehow he had managed to get past her variety of protections. Her connection to several of her magical abilities seemed diminished.

Meanwhile, Crossroads stood up and stealthily moved to Vixen's body. I've got to help Krystal, but how. What can I do as a cat? I might need to find a way to be extra clever here






 

A Little Magic Can Ruin Your Whole Day...
(Part 25)

Krystal Fae, ID 10962
Crossroads, ID 11004
Catalyst, ID 21306

Krystal Fae was in pain.  Not a lot of pain, but it was definitely increasing and heading towards debilitating quickly. She tried bolstering her shields, but something was weakening them faster than she was able to strengthen them.  Turning her mage sight in towards herself and, on a hunch, combining it with a version of microscopic vision, she saw what Dr. Fulcrum had attacked her with.

“As I thought, it’s those damn nanobots!  Or at least some version of them and they seem to be all over me...and multiplying...” Krystal thought. “They don’t act like the ones we found on the transformed.”
Focusing her magic on them, Krystal tried repelling them, then burning them, then freezing them.  But they appeared to be unaffected by anything she tried.  She realized the burning sensation was caused by the direct contact of the nanobots with her skin.

“Cold Iron! This is going south very quickly,” Krystal thought as she felt herself weakening.

Meanwhile Crossroads was sitting on Vixen's chest and concentrating very hard.  She reached out with her Metalkinesis and grabbed Vixen’s Electrohammer.  The hammer rose slowly into the air and oriented itself, pointing its charged head at Dr. Fulcrum.

”Ah, the cat decides to bare its claws! Is the wittle kitty going to hit the bad man with the big glowing hammer?  Please, I made that hammer for Vixen.  You don’t think I can defend against something I actually created?” Dr. Fulcrum touched a button on his wrist watch and the hammer stopped humming and glowing.
“See? Be a good kitty and put the hammer down.”

“Oh, I’ll put the hammer down, all right!” yelled Crossroads, which came out as a series of growls, hisses and meows.

 The hammer shot straight at Dr. Fulcrum. He was momentarily taken aback by the fact that a cat was attacking him with a hammer, but dodged nimbly out of the way.

“You’ll have to do better than that, you mangy thing!” taunted Fulcrum.  The hammer suddenly shot upward and arced overhead, again aiming straight for his head.  Snorting in contempt, Dr. Fulcrum raised one fist over his heads and a glowing blue disc appeared between his head and the hammer. “Really? What self-respecting mad scientist doesn’t have a personal energy shield in his bag of tricks?”

The hammer continued to bear down on Dr. Fulcrum.  The hammer hit his energy shield with a flash of light and a resounding “SKKRRTZZ!” But it wasn’t deflected away.  Instead, it struck the shield and kept trying to push through it.

“Oh, no you don’t, cat!  I’ll just set my shield to disintegrate and remove this little problem.  I can always make Vixen a new one.  One even better than this.” Dr. Fulcrum adjusted a setting on his power glove and the hammer began to glow a bright red where it contacted the shield.  The glow began to spread throughout the head of the hammer. At least until Dr. Fulcrum was interrupted by a loud “CLANG!”

Dr. Fulcrum took a step forward as his eyes crossed, then rolled up into his head.  The energy shield dissipated and the remains of the hammer fell to the ground.  Dr. Fulcrum fell face-forward like a pole-axed steer and hit the ground beside the melted hammer. As if gloating, Cap’s shield hung in the air for moment where the back of Dr. Fulcrums head had been and the floated gracefully to the ground.



Limp with exhaustion from trying to control two objects at the same time, Allyson crawled over to Kyrstal, who was deep in concentration.  Suddenly, Krystal began to glow and small colorful explosion raced up and down her body. Trying to look at Krystal was like trying to watch the world’s biggest fireworks display from one inch away. After what seemed like an eternity, but was only thirty seconds, the micro-explosions slowed and eventually fizzled out.

Krystal opened her eyes.  She saw Dr. Fulcrum lying unconscious on the floor next to the melted hammer and Cap’s shield.  She then looked down at Crossroads and smiled crookedly.

“Thank you for taking care of him for me, Ally. His little trick kept me occupied far longer than I had planned.  However, it is one trick I think I will steal from him for my next encounter with Morganna.” Krystal reached down to Allyson and picked her up. Touching the crystal she gave Allyson only a few days ago, she easily broke the spell that had blocked her dimensional powers and her ability to communicate with Krystal telepathically.

Feeling herself unlocked, Allyson purred in joy. A rush of images assaulted Krystal as Allyson tried to relay what she knew of Morganna’s plans with Mecha-Krystal.

“OK, calm down, Ally. I think we can stop Morganna before she causes too much trouble. Let’s gather the troops and get back to HQ.” Allyson heartily agreed and sent Krystal a mental picture.

“Oh!  I didn’t even think about that...that little Pyrotechnics trick did more damage than I thought,” Krystal mused as she surveyed the tatters of her costume.  Good thing it’s just you and me in here. If Wyldfyre or Captain Marvel were, I would never hear the end of it...”

“Hey Krystal,“ a male voice called from the door. Captain Kanos of Red Guard and Wyldfyre of The Star Force entered the lab.  Captain Kanos strode in confidently and Wyldfire was looking back out into the hallway taunting the frat-boy henchmen that tried stop them.  They were unconscious and couldn’t hear him, but that didn’t matter to Wyldfyre.

“Ya’ bunch a pansies!  Ya need to get real jobs and stop pretending to be tough!" Wyldfyre was yelling.



Stepping over the broken tables and furniture, Captain Kanos saw Krystal and immediately took action.

“Look out, Wyldfyre!” Captain Kanos grabbed Wyldfyre by the back collar of his armor and drove him to the ground.

"You ain’t sh--! URK!”

“What the hell! Kanos, you better have a good reason for wanting the ass-whipping I’m about to give you!”

A bolt of green energy passed over the two hero’s heads and spattered against the wall, momentarily silencing Wyldfyre’s indignation.  But only momentarily.

“Dammit, Kanos, why don’t you give a guy some warning? before you tackle them? Where the hell is the punk who shot at us?” Wyldfyre jumped up ready to barbecue anyone he thought was a threat, or just didn’t like a whole lot.

Krystal called over from the corner where Fulcrum and Vixen were now restrained and said. “It’s all right, Wyldfyre. It was one of Dr. Fulcrum’s defenses.  We took him and Vixen out.” Her costume looked completely normal.

“Well, okay.  Are we done here?  I have a hot date tonight and I need to get going!  That the cat?  Cute.  Let’s roll people!  We ain’t got all day!” Wyldfyre jogged back down the hallway, gathering up agents and captured henchmen along the way.

Captain Kanos and Krystal exchanged smiles and Krystal gave him a small nod of thanks.  Kanos gave her a jaunty salute and ran after Wyldfyre, yelling along the way.

“Dammit, Wyldfyre!  Do not drag them by their hair!”

“Why not not, their man-buns make convenient handles!”

Their voices faded as they continued down the hallway.

“Whew!  I would have never heard the end of that,” Krystal said to Ally. “I owe Kanos one. Ready to get back home and finish this?”

“I thought you’d never ask!” Allyson reached for the dimensional barrier and the spot that connected to BADGE HQ. Ally, Krystal, and the two magically bound criminals disappeared.

A Little Magic Can Ruin Your Whole Day...
(Part 26)

Krystal Fae, ID 10962
Crossroads, ID 11004
Catalyst, ID 21306

After picking up Agent Justin and the other dog, Catalyst piloted the shuttle back to BADGE HQ. Part of him wanted to join the group in their rescue of Crossroads, but now that they had her location, the transformed citizens of New Orleans needed to be returned to normal. Once they landed at the base, Catalyst and Agent Justin walked the dogs back to Leslie and the other animals.

"Did you find her?" Agent Leslie asked, her eyes hopeful.

Catalyst nodded as he took the leash from Agent Justin, allowing him to depart. "We can turn them back now. Could you let them know and get them out of their cages? Don't want any of them to get smooshed."

"I hadn't thought of that?" Leslie tilted her head to one side . "Will they come back with clothes on?"

"I don't know?" Catalyst grimaced as he imagined a room of naked people appearing before one another. "Ask them if they had to work their way out of clothing when they became animals?"

Leslie looked several of the cats and dogs and telepathically conversed with them. "No. They changed and their clothes disappeared."

"Let's hope they come back when I deactivate the nanobots. Maybe put some curtains up in case?"

"Can you help? That's a lot of curtains." Leslie asked.

"I have to get to lab and activate program. With Krystal out rescuing Crossroads, there is a lot I need to do." Catalyst scratched the collie behind an ear. "Ask Agent Justin. He good guy."

Agent Leslie blushed. "I just became an agent. I wouldn't dream of asking him to help. He is my superior."

"As you wish," Catalyst said as he shrugged. He heard her pulse race when she talked about Agent Justin. "A good agent wouldn't let nerves get in the way of doing their job. He would probably be impressed by your initiative."

"Do you think?" Agent Leslie perked up, standing up straighter and brushing a stray hair away from her face. "OK. I'll do it. You head on back to the lab."

Catalyst gave her a thumbs up and jogged out of the room. He needed to link up with the nanobot's communication network and command them to power down. Before he did that, he wanted to do a search through the code to make sure there were not any defensive triggers that could backfire on him as he tried to gain control of the nanobots. Listening in to them was one thing, but altering their programming would need to be a cautious process.

The hallways were abuzz with activity as usual. When he reached a central corridor, he spotted a small gathering of agents. One of the communication officers, Agent Ripley, stood in the middle of the crowd with her newborn daughter. "Last week. Labor was worse than they tell you, but I'd do it all over again."

With his enhanced audio device, he heard crackling behind the baby's breathing. He paused for a moment, filtering out the surrounding voices to better hear inside the child's chest. "Excuse me, how long has it been since you've seen a doctor with her?"

"Yesterday," Agent Ripley replied. "Why? Hold on, you're Alan Marcus, aren't you? Catalyst, right?"

"Yes," Catalyst nodded. "Did they check her lungs?"

"Why do you ask?" The agent's heartbeat increased. "That's a strange question to ask someone you've just met."

As he opened his mouth to explain, he saw Krystal Fae walk past the group and head to her laboratory from the secure storage section of the headquarters. "Krystal. Krystal? It's good your back already. Can you come here?" He shouted over the group. "Agent Ripley has her new baby here. I think--"

Krystal turned her head and glanced over her shoulder. "That's nice. I'm in a hurry. I'll talk to you all later. Ta!"

She continued walking away.

That's odd. She didn't even say if she found Crossroads. He looked at Agent Ripley and smiled. "My hearing very good with this." He tapped the back of his neck where his prosthetic sat. "You should take your baby to infirmary for a second opinion. I hear crackling in lungs. Not want to worry you, but it a thing you need to know."

A weighty silence fell over the gathered group. Agent Ripley looked ready to argue, but took a deep breath instead. "I learned a long time ago that when you work with heroes like yourself, it's best take your advice. I'll go see them now."

Catalyst stepped out of her way as she marched to the base infirmary. The people surrounding him slipped away quietly. This wasn't the first time his audio-amplifications caused people to react warily around him. Many found his gift invasive and accused him of eavesdropping before.

If he saved the baby from discomfort or illness by saying something, he didn't mind getting the silent treatment from others. He headed down the hallway toward Krystal's lab.

She had made it to the elevator before him, so he had to wait for the next lift. He used his communicator to contact Krystal in the meantime.

"Yes, may I help you?" A voice replied on the other end. It sounded like Krystal but faintly artificial, as if she were speaking through an old-fashioned microphone.

"How did it go? Did you find her?" Catalyst asked.

"Find who?" Krystal replied.

Something is definitely strange here. Catalyst paused for a moment. "On your mission. The rescue operation we've been working on."

"Oh, her." The voice answered. "Yes. Of course I found her. Dropped her off at home before I got her and informed the local police. You know I never fail at anything when I put my incredible mind to it. Now, if there is nothing else, I am a very busy woman. Director Nova needs to speak with me immediately to debrief me. Ta."

The elevator door opened and Catalyst entered, pushing the button for the floor containing Krystal's lab. He analyzed the speech pattern and it raised several red flags. Everything was within acceptable ranges, but at the far end on each. Since when does Krystal say 'Ta' to anyone?"

He swiped a computer panel on the elevator wall, initiating a yellow alert message to go to the lead agents of the base warning them of Krystal's strange behavior and a need to investigate. He set a three-minute timer for the message to be delivered. He'd seen far too many movies where people don't take precautions that could save lives.

Krystal might have been affected by some spell if she encountered Morganna. It could be several other things, and he owed it to Krystal to check it out for himself with her rather than to go off half-cocked.

Moving down the hallway, it took less that a minute to get to her office. He listened at Krystal's door. He couldn't hear perfectly, the sounds muffled by the enhanced steel building materials. He pushed the capabilities of his audio-device with his Catalyst Effect to boost the quality of sound it could interpret. A heartbeat, Krystal's heartbeat came through along with her speaking some arcane words he couldn't understand.

A chill ran down his spine. One heartbeat. It was less than a day ago he heard two within her. Hers, and that of the fetus growing within her. He struck the door switch and rushed into the room as the panels slid apart. "Krystal, are you alright? I don't hear your baby's heartbeat."

An object faded out of existence before Krystal as she raised her head to Catalyst. "Baby. What are you talking about?"

"You're not Krystal Fae!" Catalyst shouted, pulling out his Shrink Ray gun from its holster. "Where is she?"

"Of course, I'm Krystal Fae," she replied. "Ask anyone. Don't I look like Krystal Fae? Sound like Krystal Fae? Smell like Krystal Fae?" She walked around the lab table between the two of them. "Would anyone other than Krystal Fae be able to do this?" She slashed her hand through the air and a ring flew off her finger at Catalyst, expanding into a fog of frigid air.

Catalyst fired at the growing mass, shrinking it down to a-hundredth of its original size. A softball sized block of ice shattered as it hit Catalyst's chest with a thud.

"Curse you," she said. Electricity arced from her outstretched fingertips and surrounded Catalyst. Glass and electronic equipment shattered all around him as he flew back over a table, carried by the impact of her blast.

With this new attack, Catalyst could hear new electronics come to life. Whatever dampened the mechanics of her body before disabled by her jarring blast, they were gone now. He wasn't facing a fae-woman. A fully functional mechanical Krystal Fae was. His chest ached where her blast struck him and there were many cuts from the broken glass on his arms. What wasn't hurt were his powers.

Standing up, he focused his Catalyst Effect on her, dulling her electrical operating systems. She didn't stop moving, but her electrical discharge faded and she slowed in her movements.

"Fiiinnnee. Hhaavve iittt yyooouuur waaayyyy...." He vocal processors generated sound like a dying child's toy. A bright glow from her midsection began to burn away at her clothing and flesh. "Gggooodddbbbyyyee, fflleessshhhliiings."

A Little Magic Can Ruin Your Whole Day...
(Part 27)

Krystal Fae, ID 10962
Crossroads, ID 11004
Catalyst, ID 21306

Allyson and Krystal materialized in her lab as an electrical nimbus glowed around the figure of the faux Krystal Fae.

As Krystal dropped Allyson to a safe position behind the lab table, Catalyst tried to scramble to his feet so that the mechanical simulacrum couldn't attack him directly.

"So... Krystal Fae... you were not supposed to be here yet... incoming message...", said the robotic figure.

The mechanical woman opened her mouth wide, but the voice issuing forth was Morganna's.

"I was hoping to have more time... there were a few artifacts stored nearby I would have liked to have 'borrowed', but this will have to do instead... Krys, dear, initiate the nuclear self destruct option, two-minute countdown... Goodbye Krystal... and Good Riddance!"

A panel opened in the abdomen of the Mech, exposing a spell-stone. In Krystal's own voice, the mech said, "This will keep anyone from teleporting from within a two-mile radius. Countdown commencing..."

"Alan...", said Krystal, "... can you stop that timer, or at least slow it down?"

Alan gulped, then replied, "I not know, but I try..."

"Allyson, can you dimension skip with that damned stone active?"

Ally touched the dimensional barrier and confirmed that she thought she could.

"Get as many as you can out of the blast radius...", said Krystal.

Nearly simultaneously each of the pair asked by the means they were using to communicate, "What about you Krystal, you need to go too, you're not in this alone..."

"I have a plan... but I can't be certain it'll work... now go, Ally."
"Halt that timer if you can Alan, and stand ready to be transported..."

               

The shuttle bay on the space station began to quickly fill with people and animals.  Many were surprised by the suddenness of their relocation.  Leslie felt Crossroads communicating to her the situation that was developing in a flash of visual images. Ally then mentally touched the barrier again and was gone.

An electrical nimbus began growing around the true Krystal, and as she concentrated, purple mystical energy began to interweave through the arcs beginning to form.

Alan looked stricken, "I can't stop it...".

Ally appeared, laid a paw on Catalyst, and skipped them to safety.

"Ok, you metal monstrosity... now it's just you and me...", said Krystal as the combined nimbus reached its peak.

Ally and Alan materialized a few miles from the former HQ building, anxiously turned in that direction and waited for the expected explosion, worried for their friend.

Meanwhile, the audible countdown neared zero, and Krystal discharged every scrap of electrical and mystical energy she had gathered in a single burst.

The robotic form stiffened as it's fake skin was melted in some places, vaporized in others, and every circuit was burned out. The nuclear pellet was transmuted simultaneously to lead by the eldritch energies Krystal had unleashed.

Krystal slumped to the floor, unconscious.

A Little Magic Can Ruin Your Whole Day...
(Part 28)

Krystal Fae, ID 10962
Crossroads, ID 11004
Catalyst, ID 21306

Alan pulled out his BADGE communicator and contacted the BADGE orbital station.

“Control, this Agent Catalyst, ID #21306.  Priority One Flash message for Director Nova.  Need speak him now!”

“This is Nova, go ahead Alan.” Nova’s voice issued from the communicator.

“Director, nuclear event imminent at BADGE HQ, yield unknown! Detonation in less than one minute!  Krystal is on-site, but it not look good!” Catalyst gasped out.

You could hear the anger and worry in Nova’s voice, “Acknowledged!  Unit #23587, activate Nuclear Protection Protocol, maximum level. Energize radiation shields around BADGE HQ and New Amsterdam. Warn Mayor Connelly, the Governor, The President, and the Joint Chiefs!”

In space, alarms started blaring all over the station. Director Nova’s voice now projected from all speakers aboard the station and all BADGE communicators on the station and on Earth.

“Attention, all personnel! Attention, all personnel! This is not a drill! Repeat: This is NOT a drill! Prepare for Nuclear Disaster response clean-up. Details and assignments to follow. All personnel, prepare for Nuclear Disaster response clean-up! This is not a drill! Repeat: This is NOT a drill!"

Meanwhile, Catalyst was busy using his communicator to hack into the BADGE monitoring station and trying to bring up the cameras and the readings from the radiation sensors installed at BADGE HQ. Allyson watched him closely wondering what he was doing.

“OK, can see radiation levels beginning to rise, detonation imminent,” Catalyst was muttering. “Get out of there, Krystal.....”

“WHAT! Radiation signature just disappeared! Completely!  Detonation not happen!” Catalyst exclaimed.  

Hitting a button, Catalyst reported to Nova, “Director, radiation signature disappeared! Krystal did something!”

“Acknowledged. Find out what happened while I try to calm the politicians down,” Director Nova said. Again every communication device that BADGE owned broadcast the Director’s instructions. “All personnel stand by.  The situation is being assessed.  Repeat, stand by.”

Alan picked up Allyson and said, “We need to get medics if Krys is hurt, and heroes if robot active.”

Allyson meowed quietly and skipped them to the orbital station’s shuttle bay. Catalyst grabbed two medics and the heroes Prysmatica and Chained Angel, who were standing close by, wondering what their league-mate had gotten into this time.

Catalyst addressed the group, “Come with us.  Krystal was fighting robot with nuclear charge. Something happened and charge seems gone. Krystal maybe hurt, robot maybe active. Prepare for anything. Grab medical kit! Crossroads, ready?”

The medics grabbed a med-kit, and EAD (Emergency Automatic Defibrillator), and a gurney from the shuttle bay’s med locker and said they were ready to go, while Chained Angel and Prysmatica gathered around Catalyst and the gurney.

“Now what?” asked Prysmatica.

Crossroads jumped onto the gurney and focused on the dimensional barrier while the two medics looked confused and the two heroes smiled at the cat. Then the cat and five humans (actually, three humans, an Angel of Death, and one being of Light) disappeared from the shuttle bay and reappeared in one of the labs at BADGE HQ.

The odor of burning hair, metal, plastic, and electronics hit them like a hammer and behind it, the faint scent of ozone. Scientist that he was, Catalyst knew that there had been a tremendous discharge of electrical energy. He only hoped it wasn’t directed at Krystal. He paused and listened, filtering out the  sound of the medics moving their equipment around, the quiet sounds that Chained Angel and Prysmatica made in response to that smell,  the sounds of the building’s ventilation system, even the sound of their heartbeats.  

He listened and he heard.

Two heartbeats. One steady and strong, and one fainter and slightly faster, but also steady. Catalyst heaved a sigh of relief. “She’s still alive!”

Allyson leapt down from the gurney and ran towards the last place she saw Krystal.  She felt helpless, unable to offer any real help while still stuck as a cat, but she had to see if there was anything she could do. Rounding the last of the lab tables at a dead run, she skidded to halt at the sight before her.

Coming up behind her, Allyson heard Chained Angel inhale sharply and Prysmatica said, “Damn, what did she do?”

Before them was a smoldering pile of metal and plastics that still had the beautiful face of Krystal Fae.  The floor below and ceiling above, as well as any walls within 10 feet, were scorched black and melted from intense heat.  The lab tables and equipment nearby had fared just as poorly.

Allyson padded forward to sniff at the pile of robot flambe and looked around for Krystal.  Catching sight of her unconscious on the floor off to side, Allyson yelled out, “Over here!” Which, in cat language, sounded like ”YOWL!”.

Catalyst and the medics were already on the way, while the two heroes were looking out for any danger.  The medics ascertained that Krystal was physically fine, except for the fact that she was unconscious and had depleted all her physical and magical energy reserves. Further test indicated low blood sugar and possible anemia, but a full CBC would be needed to make sure.  For now, the medics put her on an IV with a saline drip to replenish her electrolytes.

As the medics got Krystal situated on the gurney, Catalyst was examining the remains of the Mecha-Krystal.  The head was pretty much intact and he was looking forward to examining the artificial brain they gave it. He saw that the nuclear pellet in the robot had been transmuted to what appeared to be lead!

Alan was thinking to himself, “The energy required to transmute one element to another would have been immense!  Even if she just forced the uranium to rapidly decay into a stable lead isotope, she would have had to force the entire mass through five distinct decay stages and shield herself from the radiation released at each stage.....incredible however she did it!”

Allyson walked up to Alan and meowed softly.

“No, it safe. Danger has passed and bomb inert.”

“Meow?”

“You right, I should report this.” Alan pulled out his communicator and gave the all clear to Nova.

All speakers and communicators resounded with the message, “All personnel stand down.  Danger averted. Again, all personnel stand down.”

“Everyone ready to go?” Catalyst asked.

Chained Angel and Prysmatica joined Catalyst and the two medics around Krystal on the gurney.  Crossroads jumped up onto the foot of the gurney by Krystal’s feet, and suddenly everyone was standing in the shuttle bay of the orbital station.

Suddenly, from the nearest speaker, “Catalyst, my office!  Now!”

“Yes, sir!” and Catalyst ran off while the medics ran off to medical with their charge in tow and Chained Angel and Prysmatica followed Catalyst, hoping to find out what the heck was going on. Crossroads lightly leapt down from the gurney as it passed Leslie and started rubbing against her leg.

“Ally! Everything ok? I was really worried about you.  I was glad Alan and Krystal Fae were there to help me.  I felt so lost and useless, but had to take care of all the animals, too!” Leslie said.

“Meow!”

“Great! We did it!  We were able to get all the transformed humans in New Orleans up here and transformed back into humans.  Alan was amazing,” Leslie gushed excitedly, clearly smitten with the cyber neuro-scientist, “he was able to detect and reprogram the nano-bots maintaining the spell and even used them to find the place where they were holding you!”

“Oh! Here...” Leslie extended an electronic scanner towards Allyson. “Alan modified this scanner to emit the deactivation signal for the nano-bots.”

Allyson felt something akin to a wave of static electricity wash over her fur.  She blinked her eyes at the sensation and when she opened them she was looking down at Leslie.  She hadn’t realized she was so much taller than the young research scientist. Allyson was 5’ 10” tall and Leslie had to be about 5’ 1”, a very petite woman, almost pixieish.

“Oh!  Wow!  I can talk again!” Allyson reached out and hugged Leslie tightly, crying softly. “Thank you, thank you! I can’t every repay what you have done for me.  Thank you for helping to save me and for being my friend!”

Leslie hugged and patted the tall, beautiful hero awkwardly, tearing up herself. “No, Ally, thank you for letting me help you and for trusting me!”

The sound of a clearing throat interrupted their session of mutual thanking. They looked up to see an embarrassed security guard standing next to them.  “I’m sorry for interrupting, Crossroads, but do you think you can start ferrying some of us back down to HQ?  We have a lot to get cleaned up from what I hear.”

“Of course, Mr. Stephens,“said Allyson, reading his name from his name tag. “Here, these two portals lead to the HQ parking garage. I’ll keep them open as long as I can.”

Mr. Stephens immediately went into drill sergeant mode and started directing people to the portals in an orderly fashion.  Ably assisted by the other security guards present, they were able to have the entire bay cleared of anyone needing to go dirtside. , With a jaunty salute to the two ladies, Mr. Stephens was the last to step through the portal.  Allyson closed it with a chuckle.

“Well, I need to get home, clean up what those thugs did to my apartment, and get a much needed shower!  Again, I owe you so much, Leslie!  Thank you for being my friend!’ said Allyson. “Let me know when you have a day off and we can go hang out together.  I want to know more about you and treat you to some of the best that New Orleans has to offer.  Halloween is coming up and there is no better place to be than New Orleans for Halloween!”

“That sounds like fun!  I look forward to it!”

With a wave, Allyson skipped home.  Leslie smiled and sighed. Looking around at the empty shuttle bay, she felt very pleased with a job well done.  Then she looked around again.

“Damn.  I forgot to ask for a ride home....”

~fin?~

A Little Magic Can Ruin Your Whole Day...
(Part 29)  Epilog

Krystal Fae, ID 10962
Crossroads, ID 11004
Catalyst, ID 21306

Allyson decided to visit Krystal in the Medical Bay.  

Krystal looked up with a crooked grin.
"Back to normal, I see... no hairballs, I hope.", she quipped.

Ally frowned slightly, then cracked her own little lop-sided grin, as she realized Krystal was kidding her.

"So... Morganna got away, huh?", Allyson commiserated.  

"Yes... but only by fleeing back to Fae-re...
Oberon and his minions are much better equipped to handle her there...", said Krystal.

"So,  what happened to you... why are you in Med Bay? Were you injured?", queried Allyson.  

"Not exactly, my regenerative abilities would have handled that...
I passed out from channeling Mana and Electro-Magnetic Energy in such massive amounts...
though they confirm that that wasn't the entire reason...
I'm... I'm... They confirmed it about an hour or so ago... I'm pregnant...
The ultrasound says it's a girl...", Krystal said.

"Krystal," said Allyson, "... that's wonderful... isn't it?"

"Yes, though it was very much not expected...", said Krystal.

"How would you feel about 'Aunt Ally?'... I never had a sister...", she concluded.

A Little Magic Can Ruin Your Whole Day...
(Part 30)  Epilog

Krystal Fae, ID 10962
Crossroads, ID 11004
Catalyst, ID 21306

Catalyst worked at examining the mess in Krystal's laboratory. The BADGE staff could easily do the clean-up, but he wanted the opportunity to inspect the debris personally. The hunt for Crossroads and subsequent encounter with Mecha-Krystal exposed him to hybrid concepts that went beyond his understanding of the way the universe worked.

As a scientist, he sought to understand the mechanics of how things worked. Magic bent those rules, but so did so many other factors that Morphons brought to power. Psychic powers that could manipulate the way reality could be perceived. Powers that allowed manipulation of elemental forces without cause other than willful bending of natural law.

His mother bound technology with his physicality with his prosthetic device. His work with neural technology in combination with Starmaster's efforts with psionic devices had grown her work. That wasn't the end of what was possible.

If magic and technology could be merged like Morganna and Dr. Fulcrum had done creating their devices, what more could be added to the mix. How many combinations were possible?

He stared into the crate of recovered materials, including Mecha-Krystal's head. A genie had been let out of its bottle, and this time it wasn't the Jinn. Would this be as dangerous?

Only time would tell...