|
FV |
| Connections | |
|---|---|
| General Information | |
| Release Date | 4/2/22 |
| Series | Mutant Drake |
| Details | |
| Season | 3 |
| Episode Number | 10 |
| Overall Episode Number | 43 |
| Credits | |
| Written by | Brandon |
| Directed by | Brandon |
| Episode Guide | |
| Previous episode | Memory Lane |
| Next episode | Brandon 10/Mutant Drake: When Worlds Collide |
Family Gathering is the forty-third episode of the series, Mutant Drake.
Plot[]
In the city, the following day, the sky is a light blue with a touch of gray as clouds roll over slightly. The buildings tower over as the view settles on one in particular.
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Inside the main room, the team is seen- assembled for another meeting. Jake stands at the front by the screen while the others are mostly seated.
Jake: So… how’s everyone doing?
Emmett: Physically? Better… but, well-
Danny: Yeah, not being able to stop this Casey guy again is starting to weigh us down.
Emma: I know I was in a similar spot before but it’s clearly much different than what you’re going through, Fionna. I can’t even begin to imagine how you feel.
Fionna glances off to the side.
Fionna: Thanks but I’m fine, really.
She looks back over, seeing the faces of those around her.
Fionna: I should be thanking you all, actually. For helping me with all this. This hasn’t been easy and this chase has gone on for long enough. But I wouldn’t have even had a chance without your help.
Jake: If it’s your problem, it’s ours.
Danny: Yeah, that’s why we banded together in the first place. So we can help each other, help others, right?
Jake nods. Emmett looks off to the side, thoughtfully.
Elias: Yeah, but a fat lot of good that is. We haven’t made any progress since this all started.
Emma looks over at the laying about Elias with a furrowed brow.
Emma: She was able to connect with her family. It wasn’t for nothing.
Elias: Yeah but they ended up attacking us anyway! Some connection that turned out to be!
Emma: Elias!
Fionna: No, he’s not wrong. And… it bothers me that it even got to this point. Even before, Victor was so passive but the moment he’s with Casey, he’s more aggressive. I dunno, something tells me there’s more to it than that. There’s no way someone can change that quickly.
Emmett: Maybe it wasn’t as quick as we thought. They’ve been on their own for a long while now. Just earlier this month, we had people become Mutants suddenly and become outcast from their homes. They turned against this city because others were able to influence them to do so.
Drake: And you think Casey is doing the same thing?
Emmett: He did something. That much is clear. The Society, Reeves, Casey… they’re good at turning others against each other. Either way, his plan isn’t over yet. They all have something up their sleeves.
Drake: And we still don’t know what it is.
Fionna: Even though the device has been fried, I can still sense my other sibling. The last one left.
Jake: Danny, how’s the status on the Jumpjet?
Danny: Well uh- even with my speed, it’s still gonna take some time.
Adam: Yeah, we’ve been at it all night but a crash is a crash. Even with Murphy Industries resources, we still have to find replacements for MCA technology.
Elias: So what does that mean?
Zara: It means… we’re too late.
Fionna: Yeah, Casey already found them.
Title Sequence
The scene continues elsewhere, by the waterfront, where- in the distance- a facility can be seen rigged onto a platform above the water.
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The waves splash around sporadically, as the view draws nearer to the facility. In fact, the water begins to swirl around the facility until watery tendrils form out from the rising tides. The tendrils then release hidden entities onto the platforms. The bubbles surrounding them dissolve, revealing them to be the Ementos siblings that have gone along with Casey. They stand at the edges of the platform while Casey, himself, elevates to the platform’s level- standing on a platform of his own making out of water. He then steps off and steps onto the platform. He turns to look at each of his siblings who look at him with a steady expression. He then nods and they all proceed to walk towards the entrance of the facility. The scene then cuts to the dark interior of the facility where the metallic door is soon pushed in by a tremendous force. Another bang is heard as the metal bends inwards yet again. Then another until the door, itself, comes crashing down. Victor steps forth, out of the shadow, into the newly made doorway. Lyn hovers into view beside him and charges up her palms with electricity before redirecting it into the walls around her. The remaining lighting in the infrastructure then flicks on, giving them some light to see. The remaining siblings enter the facility. Casey closes his eyes and raises his hand out.
Casey: Below.
Lyn points to the right, catching Casey’s attention. And as if on cue, a spark surges through the wall, activating the elevator. It opens with a rigged pinging sound. The scene cuts ahead to the siblings standing beside each other, looking ahead, in the elevator as it descends. On a different floor, some guards can be seen patrolling the area- however upon the indication of the elevator arriving, they grab their weapons and ready them at the elevator. A moment of silence passes with a few creaks of the metal intervening now and then. Once the elevator opens, the guards open fire. Lyn electrifies the incoming bullets which magnizes them to the floor before them. Ciel then ducks her head into her turtleneck and bellows out a mighty gust of wind from beneath her sweater. A gust strong enough to knock the guards off their feet and slam them against the wall with a hard impact. Once she stops using her powers, the wind stops bellowing and the guards drop down the floor. The siblings remain stoic and continue their approach forwards. A door is then seen sliding open as the group enters a more technical looking area. Two figures in hazmat suits turn towards the door, in surprise.
Hazmat Figure: Privet! Vy ne mozhete byt' zdes'! (Hey! You can’t be here!)
Victor marches up to them and tears their hazmat cloaks off, revealing their faces. One of them is a woman with braided yellow-ish brown hair while the other is a man who is mostly bald with white partings.
Hazmat Woman: Chto vy dumayete, chto vy delayete?! (What do you think you’re doing?!)
Casey: English!
Hazmat Man: Okay! Okay! We are scientists, we study radiation. I am Kelly McGonagle, this is Gogol Protov.
Casey: I care not for your names. You are Humans. You are beneath us.
Potov: mutiroval… (Mutated…)
McGonagle: What do you want from us then?!
Casey: Your facility studies radiation?
McGonagle: Yes. We use the source to power cities, machines. And without hazmat equipment, the radiation could kill us all!
Casey: Not before I kill you.
Casey draws water from a nearby tank and uses it to form a bubble around the heads of the scientists.
Casey: Let us into the chamber or your lungs fill with water.
They grasp at their necks and the bubbles, trying to pull it away from their faces, only for their fingers to slip through the water. Casey remains determined and relentless with his grasp around them. McGonagle then starts to reach for one of the panels. Casey catches this as his eyes glance down towards the man’s hand. He then, waiting a few more seconds, releases him. He drops down to his knees and gasps for air.
Casey: Well? We don’t have all day.
McGonagle: Y-Yes. (coughs) I understa-
He turns to look and sees his partner, still in the water bubble. He then looks back to Casey, desperately.
Casey: Like I said, ‘we’ don’t have all day.
He then looks down, shaking slightly, before standing up. He then moves quickly to the panel and hits a series of buttons. Soon, a door to the chamber opens up. Casey smirks then releases the woman. Kelly rushes over to his fallen partner, who does not seem to be breathing. The group of siblings disburse from the room and step into the chamber.
Lyn: What about the radiation?
Ciel nods subtly.
Casey: Relax. The substance that I’ve given you will protect you from the elements. Long enough for us to do what we need to do.
They continue their approach to the chamber- stepping into a large, open area. At the center, appears to be a metallic container with several pipes connected to it. The pipes spread outwards from the cell to the edges of the chamber, even lining the walls as they seem to lead to other places throughout the facility. The container itself is constantly releasing steam. Lyn turns to Casey, who nods. She places her hand against a panel and zaps it, overriding the control. Soon the container shutters as the outer hull slides open like shutters. The siblings stand beside one another, looking ahead as a light blue ambient glow covers them. Before them, stands the real container- a tank filled to the brim with water. In the center of the tank, floats a humanoid looking figure who appears without any clothes with the exception of a black underpants. There’s a grate with three vertical openings on the tank, itself, that covers the place where the man’s face would be. A static sound resonates from within the grate, like a speaker starting up.
Speaker: (breathing sounds) Why are you here?
Casey: You know who I am.
Speaker: (breathing sounds) I do. (breathing sounds) Why are you here?
Casey squints slightly as he tilts his head a nudge.
Casey: I came here to bring us all together. As a family.
Speaker: (breathing sounds) Family…
Casey: That’s right. Now, to get you out of here-
Speaker: I was put in here for a reason. (breathing sounds) I am… (breathing sounds) a criminal.
Casey: Believe me, there won’t be any judgment. Only us.
Speaker: (breathing sounds) If that is the case, (breathing sounds) Then let us escape.
Casey smiles as he raises his hands. He then starts to bend the water within the tank. The water then travels forcefully into the piping, causing the structure built around the containment cell to rattle. While Casey does this, Lyn charges up her abilities and strikes the pane surrounding the tank of water. While the glass does not break, it does- under the immense pressure- start to crack in different sections. Both Casey and Lyn finish their attack at the same instance, stepping back as the machine starts breaking down. Steam then releases from the broken pipes, bathing the containment cell in a hot cloud. The metal starts glowing red hot and the cracks become more evident as the steam piles on. Ciel steps up now, raising her arms and blowing out gusts of wind from the armholes in her sweater. The wind intensifies against the hot metal as it begins to cool down. When she’s finished, she lowers her arms and steps out of the way as Victor pulls his sleeves up, revealing his scaly skin. He raises his arms and charges ahead- striking against the hardened and cracked pane with ground-shaking impact. The cracks start breaking through until, finally, the window collapses into pieces. Victor breaths and looks up as smoke leaves the broken tank. A figure then rises up from within the smoke and leans against the debris to get their footing. The siblings give the figure room to step out of the tank. A muscular and yet lanky man is there with a mask-like device, similar to the grate on the tank, over his mouth. He reaches up and grabs onto it, pulling against it with his remaining strength until his arm flares up with red-orange energy. This seems to have amplified his strength as he soon rips the mask off with relative ease. The man’s energy then diminishes and he breathes for air before looking up at his saviors.
Casey’s Brother: (huff) (huff) So, family, eh? Didn’t think I would see you all again.
Casey: I’ve forgotten that you were old enough to know what we went through. I apologize. I failed you as a brother. But I will make up for that now.
Casey’s Brother: Blame the world, not yourself, brother.
He hunches over in pain and holds his stomach. Casey reaches to help him stand.
Casey’s Brother: So hungry…
Casey: Don’t worry. I’ve prepared something for you.
Lyn steps ahead and rubs her hands together, creating a static in the air around them. She then hooks her fingers downwards, firing multiple jolts of electricity from each finger- them firing into the back of their brother. He yells out before hunching over, his body starts to glow hotter as he gets onto his feet on his own. He looks up, raising his back and becoming less lanker and more muscular. He stretches his newly gained muscles and takes a breath.
Casey’s Brother: That… was good.
He then glances over to a junction box. He walks over to it and punches his fist through it, absorbing the energy from within and becoming more irradiated and muscular.
Casey’s Brother: For years, they have been draining me. Using my body to power their cities all for one crime. Well, maybe a few.
He turns to the observation room and squints, his eyes glowing bright and lacking pupils like Lyn’s. Inside the observation room, McGonagal races for the door- only for the brother to be standing on the other side.
Casey’s Brother: Leaving so soon, Dr. McGonagle?
McGonagle: Luka, please. This is not right.
Luka: No. What’s not right is you locking me up and taking what does not belong to you.
He grabs the scientist by the torn hazmat suit and raises him up from the ground.
McGonagle: I- I understand what you’re saying but I- I am just researcher! I did not put you here! I know your family- they are good people. The Chugunovs have helped me before!
Luka: I am not a Chugunov. And my name is not Luka. I am Luke Ementos. I will not hide myself anymore. And I refuse to be locked up like the criminal you all made me into.
He raises his other hand slowly towards the scientist’s face.
Luke: You took my radiation from me. Now, I will take the radiation from you. I can see it after all. Human beings have radiation inside of them like most things. Not a lot but I’ll still take as much as I can. After all, you have me in there starving. Time to feast.
He grabs the man’s face suddenly and drains the radiation from his skin as he screams in pain. Casey and others watch from outside as a light shines from within the observation room. A thud sound is then heard when the light fades. And soon after, Luke emerges from the observation room- more muscular, more glowing. He cracks his neck and looks to his siblings.
Luke: So, what’s next in this big plan of yours?
Casey: I’ll explain when we get there. There’s something I need to fill you in on, after all.
They start to walk off into view, throwing it into darkness. The scene then fades over to the interior of a rusted and metallic looking vessel underneath the water.
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A watery bubble rises from an open clearing leading to the ocean before dissolving around the Ementos siblings. Casey uses his abilities to form a water platform for them to walk on over to as they leave the pool and step onto the vessel itself. Luke looks around, curiously, while the others settle in.
Luke: So this is where you’ve been staying.
Casey: I’ve migrated. Here and there. But for the moment, for the new me, yes. This is our base of operations.
Luke: Operations, eh? You still haven’t told me this plan of yours.
Casey: All in good time. Yes, the time is almost upon us.
Luke: For a revolution, I take it.
Casey: Yes. But you see the plan has changed a bit over time. I realize what I really need to do.
Luke: What do you mean?
Casey: Before we all gathered together, I was the ruler of a small underwater tribe. A community of fellow Mutants who were outcasted from society. No where else to go but the water. And just like the water, we waited patiently for a great flood to take humanity by storm. And it was stopped. By our sister.
Luke: Fionna…
Casey: Yes. She was not ready for change. For Mutants to take the place of Humanity. I thought that was what the world needed. But then I saw the world. I’ve been to places I never would have imagined going to. And that’s when it came to me. We don’t need Mutants either.
Luke: …What are you saying? We are Mutants. You should be proud of this!
Casey: Of our power? Of course, I am. But our legacy? Our history? It’s too much. It’s unnecessary. Everything is unnecessary. Our sister and her friends, the people who turned their backs on us, the people who hunted us, the people who failed to help us. We don’t need any of them. We only need ourselves.
Luke: No judgment. Only us. Those were your words.
Casey: I haven’t lied, have I?
Luke: No, but you have lost your mind! You tricked me into thinking you were helping us!
Casey: But I am helping us! And only us! For too long has our family been divided. I fought so long to get here, to bring us together. Don’t you want to stay this way? To be a family again? By getting rid of everyone, we don’t have to worry about the world separating us again. About being hunted again. Isn’t that more fulfilling?
Luke: No more running?
Casey: No more running. No more hiding. Just us.
Luke looks around, seeing his brothers and sisters surrounding him- looking at him. And yet, only Casey seems to show any emotion at all. He closes his eyes and shakes his head.
Luke: I want to believe this. I want us to be together, I do. But we are not together. Fionna is not here.
Casey: Not yet. But with your help- we can get her to be here. We can unite the family as a whole.
Luke: That’s not my point. She heard what you had to say. In fact, she stopped you time and time again. And you never once thought about it? About why she did it?
Casey is silent.
Luke: Maybe, it’s because she is right. That this plan of yours is wrong. Believe me, brother, I want nothing more than for everything to be perfect for us again. But that is in the past and the past is long dead. I can only think about the future now and there is no future if the world is gone because of us! Can you not see that?
Casey remains silent. Luke sighs and turns his head.
Luke: I’m willing to help you, brother. But until I hear from Fionna, I can not move forward with this.
Casey: (sigh) I’m sorry to hear that, Luke. I really am.
Casey turns away and starts walking towards an object.
Casey: Hold him.
Luke: What?
Victor then suddenly grabs him from behind, he struggles against him as Victor starts to weigh him down. Ciel and Lyn also grab his arms, adding their own weight to the mix. Luke struggles against them all while Casey reaches inside of a metallic barrel.
Luke: What are you doing?! Let me go!
Casey: You can easily get out if you use your powers.
Luke: And hurt them?! What are you, mad?!
Casey: No, just thinking ahead. That’s all.
He turns back and forms a strange substance in his hands.
Casey: That’s what I’m doing now. Thinking ahead. I need you to work with me.
Luke: A-And I am! I said I would help you! You don’t need to do anything to me!
Casey: I know. I heard you, brother. But even the weak and willing can change their minds. I need someone who will do as I say no matter what and be able to win no matter the costs.
He approaches Luke with the substance until it covers the view, sending the scene back into darkness again. The sounds of Luke’s struggles get louder until they stop very suddenly. The scene then continues by fading back to Helper Headquarters, in the city.
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Inside, Fionna is seen in the laboratory, sitting on a stool- looking off to the side.
Zack: So then, that’s when I discovered the neural network between Nanogenes. Which can be easily accessed using a sub-frequency emitter that I installed into the helmet mechanism. The shrinking, however, was actually an accident produced from combining the white dwarf star alloy from their top-down processes and the chemical deposition process involved in the bottom-up approach. Uh- you alright there?
Fionna: Hm? Oh, sorry- I was just thinking about other things.
Zack: I understand. There’s a lot going on. I mean- apparently this is what the post-apocalypse looks like and I never would’ve imagined it’d be this well off. I thought there’d be destroyed buildings and muertos vivientes.
Fionna gives him a look.
Zack: Ah, um- y’know, zombies.
Fionna: Well, that’s just inside the city. I had to grow outside the barrier. On my own…
Zack: It’s not easy, being alone. The island I was on, there were Mutants there too. I studied them but I mostly hid. I was just a boy, after all. I had no way to cope or fight back. I just had a lab. So I studied. I built. I learned. I’m sure it was the same for you.
Fionna: I did learn a lot, yeah. And I guess I wasn’t truly alone. I had a family. They took me in, treated me like their own. That’s how I learned about what I was, what I could for others.
Zack: A purpose. Yes. That sounds nice to have.
Fionna: Your purpose is science, isn’t it?
Zack: Science is… more a calling. And a rare one too as, well, science isn’t exactly on everyone’s mind right now.
Fionna: They want to get by, survive. Even in the barrier, life moves on.
Zack: Indeed. I’m afraid it moved on without me though. But, maybe not completely. I still have Drake, after all. He brought me here. Must be some reason and logic behind that.
Fionna: Maybe that’s your purpose. Supporting him. Being here. Helping out.
Zack: …Maybe. Well, at least I have something to do besides talking to robots and nanogenes all day. It’s like they say, families stick together.
Fionna: …Yeah. They do say that, don’t they?
Zack: Ah right. I’m sorry. I should’ve realized. That reminds me, you’re waiting for the tracking device.
Fionna: Well, it’s more like a device that makes my tracking stronger, but yes.
Zack: I know the others are busy but I did try my best. Unfortunately, my best mostly works with nanotechnology and other types of related science. Not biology. Heck, I couldn’t even use a first-aid kit properly. That being said, it does work now but the only long-range tracking that can be done with it is probably to find you.
Fionna: So you can find me whenever I wear this. Then it’s not really working, is it?
Zack: No, sorry.
Fionna: You did your best. They all did.
The door slides open and Drake walks in.
Zack: Mi primo. How are things?
Drake: We’re about to make some moves. (turns to her) It’s about your family, Fionna.
Fionna: I’ll be right there…
Drake nods and backs back out into the hallway. Fionna sighs and starts to leave.
Zack: I’ll just keep working on it for you.
Fionna: You really don’t have to. But thank you.
She stops at the door and turns back to him.
Fionna: Hey, just- one more thing. I know Drake doesn’t say much about himself but I can tell, he’s trying. Trying to open up and connect with others. You being here? He needs that, even if he doesn’t say it.
Zack: …Thank you.
She gives a small smile before leaving the room. Zack rubs his forehead and exhales before glancing over at a bag of technology he brought over the island. The scene cuts back over to the main room, where the team is gathered- once again, though with the exception of Danny, Adam and Emma. Drake and Fionna walk in at the same time.
Fionna: What’s going on?
Jake: Hey, uh- we’re talking about what to do next.
Fionna: What do you mean? We don’t… have any leads.
Emmett: Actually, we do. Casey has been targeting your brothers and sisters.
Fionna: Right, he said something about bringing us all together for something.
Emmett: Which means he needs all of his siblings. Together.
Fionna: I already said he has them. All of them. Even though the device you gave me is broken, I can still sense them. Casey is with them all now.
Emmett: Well, not all of them.
Jake: It’s you, Fionna. He still doesn’t have you.
Drake: So he’s going to come for her next.
Jake: Right. I mean, that’s just what we think anyway…
Elias: So we know where’s going next. Now what?
Emmett: We prepare. That’s all we can do.
Zara: Last time he attacked this place, he nearly flooded it.
Drake: And he’s strong. We can’t get caught off guard here. Not again.
Elias: I’ll just hit him with everything I have.
Emmett: And what if that’s not enough?
Drake: It has to be. Our main priority right now is saving Fionna. We can’t let him take her.
Fionna steps back slowly while they continue discussing this before holding the side of her hand as a feeling comes over her.
Casey’s Voice: Fionna… I’m already here… You know how to find me…
Fionna lets go with a gasp as she looks up and sees Drake standing there.
Drake: You okay?
Fionna: Y-Yeah. I’m just… tired, that’s all.
Drake: You should stay here, in the tower where it’s safe.
Fionna: I can handle myself.
Drake: I know. I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t think you could.
Fionna: You’re worried about me.
Drake: …I am. You’re my friend. And… I don’t want to lose… another one.
Fionna: I’ll be fine. I’m going to… go to my room.
Fionna walks off and leaves the main room. Drake remains where he is, looking down, in thought. When the doors to the hallway close, the scene cuts to dark. Before the scene fades over to the familiar shoreline.
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Fionna- now dressed as Ember- walks over to it, her hand slightly raised and her eyes closed. She then stops and opens his eyes.
Casey’s Voice: So, you found me.
Before her is Casey, all by himself.
Ember: It wasn’t too hard. We both have this gift.
Casey: Not that I needed to find you. I was once a guest at your precious tower.
Ember: That was before you tried to flood this city.
Casey: Oh that? That was a while ago. A different me. Things have changed since then, sister of mine. I’ve moved on to bigger things.
Ember: Where are they?
Casey: Safe. Working. I can show you. All you have to do is come with me.
Ember: You said you needed us together for something. And now you’re here for me.
Casey: All I want is for us to be together again. United, as a family.
Fionna: You say stuff like that. And then attack me and the others. You turn us against each other. And now you show up and honestly expect me to just go along with you?!
Ember: No. I expected resistance. I came prepared.
Fionna: With what? Another speech?
Casey: Not exactly.
Casey looks down at his closed hand. He slightly opens it up to reveal the slimy substance within his palm. He then looks back up at the frustrated Ember. Ember turns back to look at her brother.
Ember: You know what your problem is, Casey? You’re too single-minded.
Casey tilts his head, curiously.
Casey: Single-minded?
He then begins to chuckle.
Ember: I’m serious. Your focus is on one thing. I know what it’s like- to run and hide from people trying to take advantage of you and your power.
Casey: I am not those people.
Ember: So you don’t plan on using them? Using our family for your own plan to what? Wipe out every Human?
Casey: No. (looks directly at her) Not anymore. Like I said, I’ve moved on… to bigger things.
Ember: …What could be bigger than that?
Casey: Oh, don’t you know?
Ember: …No. No, you can’t be serious. Mutants? Really, Casey? Our own kind?
Casey: They all have to go, Fionna. Everyone threatens the safety of our brothers and sisters. Humans hate us for being what we are and Mutants will fail us because of who we are. We are Mutants, yes. But before that, we are Ementos. We are elite when it comes to our power level, our capability and adaptability. Without those around us, we can start anew. Just us.
Ember: I can’t accept that. What kind of world is that anyways?!
Casey: A better one. Besides, deny it all you want. I still know the reason you came here.
Ember: Don’t. (she glances away)
Casey: It’s because fighting me is futile. I will always find you. And there are no more siblings to come after for you. Not unless you join me. Only then can we all be united again. You know I’m right.
She remains silent, glancing off to the side while Casey watches her. He then extends his hand out.
Casey: Take my hand, sister. Join us.
Ember: No! I came here to face you. To stop hiding and running!
Casey: When the world becomes ours, you won’t have to hide and run anymore.
Ember reluctantly and slowly starts to approach him, soon reaching her hand out towards his own.
Ember: To get my family back. That’s it. But I won’t- I won’t help you destroy the world!
Casey’s brow furrows as he reaches for Ember, in a mad rush.
Casey: You WILL join US!
But just as he’s about to grab her, the Vigilante drops in- bashing Casey off to the side with the front of his Sonar Scales form. As if everything around her has slowed down to witness this sudden strike, Ember looks surprised at his apparent arrival. Casey then skids across the ground before rumbling over. He then looks up, pushing his coat flap back in a quick fury. Before him, the Vigilante stands vigilant beside his sister, who holds her arm.
Ember: Dra- Vigilante, what- what are you doing here?
Vigilante: …Protecting you. (turning to her) That’s the mission, remember.
Ember looks ahead, mouth agape before looking down softly, biting her lip- as if guilt-ridden.
Casey, off screen: YOU-!
The Vigilante turns back to Casey in a quick rage while Ember looks over, alarmed. Casey hits the ground and pushes himself back onto his feet.
Casey: You shouldn’t have gotten yourself involved, Vigilante! This is between me and HER!
Vigilante: You shouldn’t have come back here in the first place, Casey!
Casey, to Ember: So that’s it then? You betrayed my trust by bringing him here? Our bloodline?!
Ember: I didn’t- I-
Vigilante: You don’t have to explain yourself to him! He’s only trying to use you.
Casey: I want her. We need her. It’s that simple! What right do you have to get in our way?!
Vigilante: Unlike you, I’m actually looking out for her. Because I’m her FRIEND!
He rushes forward, changing his Sonar Scales form into his Stone Slicer form. He slashes at Casey who fires blasts of water from his palms. The blade easily cuts through the liquid as the Vigilante cuts the distance between them. Casey soon pulls water from the ocean behind him and tunnels it towards the Vigilante. The Vigilante quickly shifts the Stone Slicer form over to his Electro-Icer form. He slams his mace arm down before the wave, releasing his own wave of ice that spreads into the water. However, the water continues pushing forward as the freezing process slows down.
Vigilante: Ember, I could use some help!
Ember looks away from her bewildered state and raises her arm, readying to blast a fireball in Casey’s direction. However, she winces as she grabs her arm. The muscles in her arm twitch ever so slightly and the veins can be seen stiffening as well. She lowers her arm and holds it tightly. The Vigilante glances away from Ember to return his attention back to the water pushing towards him. He then grunts and pushes against it even more. Turning his arm slightly, he produces a discharge of electricity through the ice which soon spreads quickly through the water and back to Casey, who is soon shocked and blasted backwards into the ocean. The oncoming wave then drops, splashing onto the ground before the ice barrage as the Vigilante disengages, taking only a second to catch his breath. He then comes out from behind the ice and approaches the shoreline, only seeing bubbles in the water before him. The bubbles soon stop altogether and Casey is gone, without a trace. The Vigilante stops and stands there, watching the water before reverting his form back to his normal hand. He then turns back to Ember and walks towards her.
Vigilante: Are you alright?
Ember, still looking at her arm: I’m… I’m fine.
The Vigilante remains there, standing before her.
Vigilante: Hey. Look at me, Fionna.
She takes a short moment before looking up at him.
Vigilante: …Are you sure?
Ember: Y-Yeah.
Vigilante continues looking at her before exhaling then looking around the area.
Vigilante: We should get back to the tower. Come on.
He then leads her away from the water as the two head back to headquarters. The view, however, pans back over to the water before transitioning to an area beneath the water. Casey’s submarine can be seen not far from the surface. Inside, Casey can be seen emerging from the pool opening as a shadow overcomes him. He looks up, dripping wet. Before him stands his brother, Luke. Luke reaches out for Casey, but only to help him onto his feet.
Luke: You could have just grabbed her. The two of them are no match for you.
Casey: Patience. She’ll come around, soon enough. (looks down at his hand) I made sure of it.
The scene then cuts back to Helper Headquarters, a short time later.
|
Jake, off screen: I can’t believe this, Fionna!
Inside, Fionna can be seen sitting on one of the chairs, glancing down at the floor, head hung slightly, while the rest of the team is gathered in the main room.
Jake: I can’t believe you would just go out there and confront him on your own. That’s dangerous.
Danny: Yeah, that sounds like a stunt that only Drake would pull.
Drake gives Danny a look.
Danny: …What? It’s true, part-timer.
Emmett: That was dangerous and reckless.
Drake: All of that is true but we can’t blame her.
Emma: Right, this is all about her family. Everything she’s feeling, we can’t possibly know.
Zara: I might.
Emma: Without using our powers.
Jake: It just makes us worry, is what I’m trying to say.
Fionna: Sorry. Really, but I just- I had to see him.
Emmett: What for?
Fionna: I just had to. Does there have to be a reason?
Elias: I mean considerin’ he’s our main enemy right now, yeah. Don’t you think so, Drake?
Drake crosses his arms and looks to the side.
Emmett: You followed her out there, right?
Drake: I had to make sure she was safe.
Emmett: You could’ve told us. We’re a team for a reason.
Danny: Maybe he had a good reason.
Drake: I did. It’s just- hard to explain. I just… I felt like that was the right thing to do. Maybe she felt the same way.
Jake sighs and rubs his forehead.
Jake: Look, I understand how important this is for you but running off and getting into trouble isn’t going to help us. Especially since he wants to get his hands on you for some reason.
Emmett: Did you at least learn anything for him?
Fionna: Yes. He doesn’t want to get rid of humans now, but also Mutants.
Danny: What?!
Elias: So, he’s officially lost it then.
Adam: As if it wasn’t bad enough before. Now every person in the world is his target.
Fionna: I tried to stop him but… I felt… No, I feel conflicted. I didn’t see him as a bad person anymore but, just- as my brother.
Emmett: Fionna, he’s hurt a lot of people and he’s planning on hurting a lot more. I usually hope for the better, to hope that the despair before us is not going to be the case. But this man goes against everything that not only this team stands for but that you do.
Drake: It won’t be any different from the Invasion. Attacking both Mutants and regular people. All of our cities, Secret City… all targeted by whatever he has planned.
Fionna looks up at Drake as he says this before looking down again. She then reaches up and holds her head before letting out a breath.
Jake: Hey, are you alright?
Fionna: I’m fine, just- light headed is all.
Emmett: We won’t get much further like this. We’ll just have to keep an eye out for Casey and hope for the best.
Danny: Right, you should get some rest, Fionna. You look awful. I mean- y’know in a good way.
Fionna, as if on cue, gets up from the seat and starts to head off.
Fionna: Right.
She walks through the opening door before it slides shut behind her. The team watches her leave before looking among themselves.
Danny: She’d usually say something back if I said anything like that.
Emmett: She’s just tired, man. Let’s just give her some time to breathe.
Danny: Yeah, fair enough.
Adam: Well, if that’s all for tonight, how about some late night maintenance?
Danny: Sure but you’re not tired?
Adam: There’s a crazy guy planning to wipe out everyone who can waltz on over here. No, I don’t feel like sleeping right now.
Danny: Fair enough.
The two of them head out of the room, together, while Emmett looks out of the window.
Emmett: I’m starting to think we should patrol the city.
Elias: Right! We find him before he finds us.
Zara: He already knows where we live.
Elias: Yeah but he still has to walk over here or swim… whatever. Plus, I feel like heading out anyway.
Emmett: I’ll go. You two can patrol the tower. Just in case, he finds a way around me.
Elias: What? No way, man… For real?
Zara: Seniority stinks…
Emma: I’m sure it’ll be a good opportunity to understand the layout, you two.
Elias: So what will you be doing?
Emma: Taking Adam’s place and watching over things from here before going to bed.
Zara: You two have been getting to know each other a lot lately, Emma.
Emma: Ah, well- I’m just catching up on duties. Have to make sure everything is shipshape.
Elias, unconvinced: Uh huh…
Emmett watches the three of them talk before Jake walks over.
Jake: City patrol, huh? That’s a lot of space to cover. You sure you can handle it by yourself?
Emmett: Yeah. Besides, the team needs its leader. But I appreciate it.
Emmett flashes a smile before turning to head off. Jake smiles as well but his smile soon disappears as he looks over to the window as well. Drake watches Jake before turning to leave, himself. With the sound of the door shutting behind him, the scene cuts over to the tower in the dead of night. The halls are empty and silent with only some muffled sounds coming from certain rooms/areas of the halls. In one room in particular, Fionna’s room, she can be seen laying in bed- shifting around and wincing every once in a while, as the view zooms in on her. Until it stops on her face, where her eyes shoot wide open. The scene then cuts to the door opening and her stepping out into the hall, standing there for a moment, before turning and walking down the hallway. The scene cuts once more to another room opening up, showing off equipment. A warmth light then flicks on beneath Fionna’s face, illuminating it through the dark as she stares ahead with contrasting cold eyes. Another cut jumps the scene over to a hangar-like area where the Jumpjet is being worked on by both Adam and Danny.
Adam: Gotta say, I never thought I’d be working on an MCA ship before.
Danny: What do you mean, you’ve helped out a few other times.
Adam: Yeah but that was just helping out. This is just- full on maintenance.
Danny: You get used to it. Actually, I find it kind of relaxing. It’s like- I’m back in my element.
Adam: Right, you fixed cars for a living. It’s a bit different from overclocking and hacking. But you’re not wrong. Kind of gives you that peace of mind. Haven’t felt something like that since photography.
Danny: Maybe you should pick it up again.
Adam: Nah. That was a lifetime ago. I want to be able to help the Helpers with my own skills. Something that makes me who I am to myself, not to someone else.
Danny: Hm, yeah I guess so.
Adam: Anyways, the UI should be online again.
Danny: Awesome. I just need to finish some minor repairs then continue working on the exterior shell. But I’ll check out what you’ve got so far.
Adam: Alright! Oh hey, it’s Fionna. Does she need something?
Danny: Hm?
Danny turns around and sees Fionna approaching from the entrance.
Danny: That’s weird, what’s she doing here?
Danny walks over to her.
Danny: Yo! Hope you’re feeling better. (turns back to Adam) We were just working on the Jump-
She raises her hands and blasts a wave of fire at Danny. Despite it hitting the floor before him, he is still knocked back. Adam looks ahead, surprised.
Adam: Hey, what are you doing?!
Fionna turns her attention to Adam and chucks a fireball in his direction, however it only scorches the side of the Jumpjet as he ducks behind it. Danny gets up and holds his legs- noticing his sneakers are scorched through. He looks up, surprised to see Fionna’s flames coming right for him. He raises his arm to cover them but Elias jumps in front of the flames, protecting him.
Elias: AAAHH!
Fionna then ceases the flames and turns to run off. Elias’ scars are glowing bright indicating his powers being in use but he still collapses before Danny.
Danny: Elias? Elias! (turning to Adam) H-Hey, call for backup!
Adam: Uh- y-yeah! Of course!
Adam grabs his tablet and taps against the screen. Elsewhere, in the tower, Emma is reviewing some information on the main screen before Adam appears there.
Adam: Hey, we have a problem! It’s Fionna. I don’t know what happened but she- she-
Emma: Is she hurt? Did Casey come back for her?
Adam: No, she’s the problem! She attacked us and Elias is hurt!
Emma: What?!
The scene cuts over to Zara, who wanders the halls. She stops and turns her head, before reaching for the comms in her ear.
Zara: I see her.
The view pans over to show Fionna on the other side. Her palms light up with fire, illuminating the darkness in the halls around her.
Zara, lowering her hand from her earpiece: You need to stop this, Fionna. You’re not thinking clearly.
Fionna remains silent and starts approaching Zara. Zara readies her own hands and releases a wave of energy that cracks chaotically through the air. Fionna kicks off the wall and uses her flames to spiral around- dodging the energy, before stepping back down on the hallway floor and continuing her pursuit. Zara then grunts, taking a step back and muttering something under her breath.
Zara, extending hand out: Facio Gravis.
Just as Fionna comes closer, an apparent force comes over her- pushing her down towards the floor. She pushes up against it but she is unable to move. She, however, has enough strength to raise her hand and upper body. Once she does, she uses the gravity pushing against her to slam her hand back down, releasing a wave of flames from her palm. Caught off guard, Zara quickly reacts by blasting the floor beneath her with her chaotic energy- which propels her off her feet, just barely dodging the flames. However, the energy whips around- throwing her backwards. She hits the floor hard against her shoulder. After holding her arm, a realization overcomes her and she whips her head around to see Fionna getting up and rushing towards her again. Zara raises her other hand and mutters another phrase under her breath.
Zara: Galleyus Disruptus!
As flames blow out from Fionna’s hands, a gust of wind blows out from Zara’s- pushing not only the flames but Fionna, herself, back through the hallway. Zara then takes a breath, holding her arm before reaching for the comms again.
Zara: I held her off but it looks like she’s getting away.
Elsewhere, in the tower, both Jake and Drake are running down the hall.
Jake: I can’t believe it. Fionna, attacking the others?
Drake: Let’s just get there and figure it out!
Jake: R-Right.
Jake looks off to the side before looking ahead, a bit more determined, as the two of them continue running straight ahead.
Jake, reaching for his comms: Emma, I need you to activate the lockdown.
Emma, over the comms: What?
Jake: Just do it! We can’t let her get away!
Emma, over the comms: O-Okay.
The scene cuts back to Emma in the main room, as she looks down at her tablet. Just as she’s about to activate the lockdown option, the doors slide open. She turns her head and sees Fionna standing in the doorway. Emma, surprised, reaches for the button and activates the lockdown procedure. The metallic doors slowly start to come down around the windows of the room. Fionna runs ahead, tossing small balls of fire at Emma, who jumps behind the couch for cover. Emma soon rises from behind the couch in her mutated form, roaring out. She then grabs the flaming couch and chucks it at Fionna, who clenches her fists tightly so that flames solidify into daggers. She then slashes the couch before her with her flame daggers and the two halves hit the wall behind her. She then raises her arms before her and releases a wave of flames, trapping Monster into a corner.
Jake, unseen: That’s enough, Fionna!
Fionna turns her head, keeping the flames brewing. She sees both Drake and Jake by the door, looking ahead, seriously. She keeps her look on them a moment longer before redirecting her flames towards them. Jake then raises his arm up; his device activates in an instant as his suit forms around him, transforming him into Defender. He then conjures up an energy barrier, blocking the flames. He then pushes ahead, wiping the flames aside and firing an energy beam at Fionna, hitting her square in the chest. She drops down to the ground with Defender, hovering in the air. He then focuses his device on her and encloses her in an energy bubble. Fionna looks around and blasts flames at the bubble around her. However, the bubble remains solid. Drake looks ahead then turns to Jake.
Drake: Let me help you.
Jake: No, I have this. The others, they need help. You should help them out. You and Emma.
Drake: She needs my help too, Ja-!
Jake: I’m telling you, as your leader, to do as I say, Drake! Just go!
Drake remains silent then looks over at Monster, giving her a nod. She huffs, moving over to the other side of the room as she transforms back into Emma. She, along with Drake, leave the room but not before Drake takes one last look at the two of them. When the door closes, Defender lowers down to the ground, keeping his energy focused on the bubble. All while Fionna continues lashing out at the bubble with her flames. It’s even gotten to the point where she’s screaming and yelling as she thrashes about.
Defender: I’m not letting you out. Not until you calm down and tell me why you did it; why you attacked us!
But she continues attacking the bubble, trying to get out. However, the flames within the bubble start diminishing and her muffled yells are becoming more ragged and breathless. Defender looks ahead as Fionna starts to reach for her throat. She’s suffocating.
Defender: Fionna, stop. You’re burning up all your air. You have to stop, Fionna!
And yet, even while choking, she’s still blasting flames from her hands at the bubble trapping her. Defender trembles slightly, even having to hold his own arm steady as he continues keeping the bubble strong around her. His voice starts to crack up as well.
Defender: Fionna, please! You have to stop! Stop fighting me!
But she doesn’t stop, only slowing down. Defender lowers his head, his mouth grimacing and trembling as well. The light coming off of his alien device begins to flicker and the energy coming from it also flickers out as well. With the energy bubble losing its integrity, Fionna catches her breath as she lays against the floor. She then looks up at Defender and raises her hands. He then notices that the bubble has dropped and aims his device at her once again. But he is too late as she already slaps her hands against the ground, releasing a wave of intense heat around her. The light returns to his alien device as a quick barrier forcefully appears from the device, protecting Defender from the heatwave. But there’s still enough force from the blast to knock him back a bit despite the small barrier shielding him. Fionna then turns her attention to the metallic doors and raises her hands. As she approaches the barricaded window, her palms glow bright, burning hot. She then places her hands against the metal and starts to melt through the metal. As Defender recovers, the suit loses power and deactivates, returning back to the alien device. Jake looks at himself, in confused surprise before the sound of something shattering, grabs his attention. He looks ahead and sees Fionna glancing back at him before projecting herself through the air by blasting concentrated flames from her palms. Just as she rockets through the sky, Leviathan launches towards her. But she spirals around, out of the way, and blasts off; faster and more powerful than she’s done before. Leviathan then crashes onto a rooftop and looks ahead, seeing a streak of flaming light soar off. He then turns his attention to the hole in Helpers Headquarters. Back in the main room, Leviathan is now seen jumping through the hole and then rushing over to help Jake.
Leviathan: Jake, are you okay? What happened?
However, Jake is in a state of disbelief.
Jake: What… What have I done?
Leviathan looks down at him for a moment before glancing back at the window. A serious expression on his face. One transition later, and clearly some time had passed by, with the Helpers gathered together in the main room; with the exception of Elias and of course Fionna. The broken window had been covered by a table, right side up. For a good, long moment, the team is silent until Jake decides to speak up, though his tone does sound a bit more hollow.
Jake: Are there um… any damages?
Adam: Yeah, she scorched a lot of the rooms with equipment and MI resources. That’s gonna set us back for a while.
Emmett, still in his Leviathan gear, helmet removed: I can make some calls but yes, it’s going to take some time.
Danny: …We um- mostly fixed the Jumpjet. It does have some scorch marks and… some… parts will have to be replaced but- the hangar wasn’t too badly damaged.
Zack: She also burned the laboratories down. I had to shrink my equipment to nanomolecular size in order to save it from the fire. However, everything else, I don’t know how much of it can be recovered.
Jake: …And uh… (struggling to get the words out) injuries? Was anyone hurt?
Zara: Elias. He got burned. Badly.
Danny: He saved my life… (looks away) This shouldn’t have even happened.
Drake: I agree. But it did… happen.
Emma: Why? Why would she… just do that?
Jake: Did she say anything? A reason why or-?
Adam: Just silent.
Zara: Frighteningly so.
Emmett: Maybe… it’s because she already made up her mind.
Everyone looks over at Emmett, except Drake.
Jake: What do you mean?
Emmett: She snuck out to talk to Casey. She didn’t tell us anything about it. And later, she attacks us and leaves.
Emma: Are you suggesting she planned this?
Emmett: I don’t know, I’m just… that’s just what I think.
Zara: There was something off about her. It was just a feeling but-
Danny: Yeah, I got that feeling too. And I don’t need your powers to feel it. Fionna wouldn’t do something like that. Look, I know she can get a little hot-headed at times but, come on!
Emmett: But do we really know her?
Jake: What?
Emmett: I meant… does she really know herself.
Jake: No, it sounded like you were saying something else.
Drake: Jake-
Emmett: If her brothers and sisters are coming back then maybe she changed her mind about things, about what she stands for-
Jake: And accusing our teammates is that what we stand for, Emmett?
Emmett: And can you blame me?!
He slams his hand down, crushing the chair he’s leaning on. The room goes silent. He takes a breath.
Emmett: Sorry. I’m sorry. But she… she betrayed us. And it hurts me just as much as it hurts you. There’s no explaining it, there’s no… alternative here. It’s what happened and we need to do something about it.
Jake: …She’s our teammate. Our friend.
Emmett: Then why did she attack us?
Danny: Shouldn’t we be figuring that out instead of… I don’t know, turning against each other here? Drake, back me up-
He turns but Drake is no longer there.
Danny: here…
Emmett exhales and looks down, holding his hips firmly. Jake looks ahead at where Drake was while Danny rubs his forehead, downcasted. Mixed expressions are among Adam, Emma and Zara as the room remains in silence. A soft transition shows the city skyline through the night sky as Drake, now donning his Vigilante suit, watches the city with a pained look on his face. He puts on his goggles and jumps to the next rooftop over, before the scene cuts to darkness. The scene then fades over a different shoreline as Fionna lands on the beach there. She looks up to see her other siblings gathered together with Casey in the middle. He smiles and clasps his hands together.
Casey: Welcome to the family, Fionna.
Fionna: I am ready to help where I can.
Casey: Impressive. I still can’t believe that little of the substance was needed to make you see our way. Did you sabotage their operations?
Fionna: I did.
Casey: Detail it.
Fionna: I… I burned their equipment. I injured some of their members. I attacked their ship.
Casey: Yes, that should set them back. All thanks to my efforts, of course.
Fionna: What do you need me for?
Casey: Your power. Your essence. With our gifts combined, we’ll be able to change this little world. And then rid it of all these lesser specimens. And it all starts soon. Come, let us set our ultimate plan into motion.
He walks towards a structure in the back as the siblings follow him. They also watch as Fionna follows after them. The view then pans upwards, showing that the structure they’re approaching is actually a volcano. The scene then cuts back to the city, where the buildings remain towering over the bustling streets. However, it does focus on one building in particular; a familiar apartment building.
|
Inside, fingers can be seen typing at a laptop. The view pans up, to show Kate, focusing on her work. She appears to be alone in the apartment as she types. A sound is then heard which catches her attention. She stops typing and turns her head to look over to where she heard it. A moment passes and there is no other sound heard. She turns back to the laptop, ready to resume working but then stops. She closes her eyes and sighs before getting up from her chair and walking over to the other side of the room, where the hallway is. The scene cuts ahead to the bedroom where Kate enters. She makes her way over to a curtain covering the balcony entrance and pulls it to the side. And there, the Vigilante can be seen, sitting on the curb with his back against the glass. Kate looks down at him and exhales. She glances away before grinding her teeth. It takes her a second longer before she looks back at him.
Kate: It’s late, Drake.
Vigilante: …Sorry.
Kate: …Do you want to come inside?
Vigilante: I don’t have to, I just… I need to think.
Kate: And you came here.
Vigilante: Yeah. I guess I did.
Kate thinks for a moment before unlocking the door. She opens it and steps outside, sitting beside him. He looks over at her and she does the same.
Kate: So who needs my advice this time? The Vigilante or Drake?
The Vigilante looks ahead for a moment, considerably. He then lowers his head and raises his hands up to remove his hood. He also raises his goggles up onto his forehead before turning back to look at Kate.
Drake: It’s me this time, Kate. And I don’t need advice. I just need…
He stops himself from talking and looks away. His head lowers a bit as he looks at the floor in front of him.
Drake: I just need my friend back.
Drake trembles softly as he keeps his gaze fixated in front of him. A hand appears on his shoulder soon after. He looks over to Kate, who looks at him with a reassuring expression. A moment seems to pass as the two of them talk inside the bedroom with Drake sitting on a chair across from Kate who is seated on the edge of the bed, itself. They both seem to have some thought filled expressions on their faces.
Kate: So, that’s what happened then.
Drake: …Yeah.
Kate: Well, of course, I have my own thoughts on the issue but- (sigh) that’s not what you need to hear right now.
Drake: I just can’t believe that she would take everything that we went through and throw it away. I know what happened was… personal to her but to turn against us like she did. It’s something else altogether.
Kate: Look, if you think she betrayed you then that’s that. There’s no point of tracking down the source if you’re already fixated on one truth. But if you still believe in her then there’s clearly more to the story here. Even if the answer you’re looking for isn’t what you’re actually looking for, at least you still have… the truth. The real truth.
Drake looks at her then glances away.
Drake: I’ve been betrayed before.
Kate looks at him with a drained look in her eyes.
Drake: Owens. He betrayed me, even though he didn’t mean to. All because he was cloned from the Xyrions.
Kate: Oh. Yeah, I recall something like that…
Drake: It hurt but at least there was a reason for it. Maybe there’s a reason behind this too.
Kate: Sounds like you haven’t given up on her.
Drake: Well I can’t do that. (looks over to her this time) Not again.
They look at each other a moment longer before Drake’s comms unit starts receiving a call. He reaches over and activates it.
Drake: Yeah?
Adam, over the comms: Hey, it’s Adam. Look, you might want to come back over to the Headquarters. Your cousin, he found something.
Drake: …Yeah, alright. I’ll be there soon.
Drake deactivates the comms and gets up from the chair.
Drake: I have to go. But, thanks for seeing me.
Kate: We should talk more often. Something tells me you need it.
Drake: Yeah, I agree.
Drake steps out onto the balcony and puts his goggles back on before turning his head slightly to look back at Kate.
Vigilante: You might need it too.
He then turns back ahead and runs off the side of the balcony before jumping off. Kate watches where Drake once was before looking away, in thought. The scene cuts back to Helper Headquarters. Inside, specifically at the laboratory, Zack can be seen working on something while Danny and Emma are also there. Drake soon enters the room.
Drake: What is it? They said you found something.
Zack, looking up with a smile: Ah, Drake! Yeah, I found my technology! I was able to recover it from the nanomolecular scale.
Drake: Oh, that’s… good? But does this connect to Fionna somehow?
Zack: Actually, yes. Earlier on, she came to visit me here. She needed help repairing a device and I was the only one available to do so.
Danny: Right, because Adam and I were fixing the Jumpjet in the hangar.
Zack: Well, either way, I don’t specialize in this kind of technology. I wasn’t quite sure how it originally functioned either.
Emma: That makes sense. You weren’t here when we went through that process.
Zack: Still- even though I got confused a bit, I was able to repair it to some extent. It now works as a tracking device. However, since I was able to recover my technology, that is the one thing I couldn’t find.
Drake: But how does that help us?
Zack: Piénsalo. It’s possible that she might have taken it with her, which means I can track down her current location.
Emma: Doesn’t that require a satellite or something?
Zack: That might have been how it used to work but the world has changed since then so I had to get a little creative with how my technology works. Since I’m able to communicate with Nanogenes of any type, I can ping signals through them allowing myself to essentially trace signals from anywhere in the world.
Danny: That’s… scary. But pretty cool.
Drake: But why would she take it if she knew we could track it?
Zack: I don’t know, I’m just telling you the good news. But from my experience, if something happens, there’s typically an explanation for it.
Drake looks slightly downwards in thought, before looking over at Danny and Emma.
Drake: How long until the Jumpjet is ready to take off again?
Danny: Uh well- we’re still working on it but, I don’t think it should be that much longer.
Emma: Now that we have the signal, you’re thinking of going after her, aren’t you?
Danny: Oh! Well, she did attack us but she’s our friend, right? We can’t just abandon her especially when the fate of the world is at stake.
Drake: Even though she betrayed us, you two still believe in her.
Emma: You didn’t give up on me when I was stuck as a Mutant or when those aliens took me hostage. I might not have known her as much as you all did but you’re the team that helped me do what I’m doing now. That includes all of you. If I judge and turn my back on a single member, then I wouldn’t be doing right by what you did for me.
Danny: Yeah, and I’m not gonna run from this despite- well, y’know everything. Until I know for sure, I still have to believe we can bring her back to our side. ‘Cause even I don’t change my mind that quickly about people I care about.
Drake nods.
Danny: Though it seems like the others might need some more convincing.
Drake: The team just needs their leader. I’ll talk to him.
Drake turns and leaves the remnants of the laboratory room.
Emma: Drake is going to talk some sense to Jake?
Danny: Maybe everything really is topsy-turvy. (scratches head)
Emma glances over at Danny before the scene cuts to Jake’s room, where he is seen seated against the edge of his bed, looking at Ember’s domino mask in his hands. The door soon slides open and Jake turns his head to see Drake, standing in the doorway.
Drake: Jake.
Jake: Drake. I’m sorry that you had to see that earlier. I feel like because of me, the whole team is divided on this.
Drake, stepping inside the room: It’s not your fault, Jake. There was no way that anyone would have expected that to happen.
Jake: But I should've prepared for it, shouldn't I? Isn't that what a leader would have done? I've been doing this for about a year and yet I still feel like I don't know what I'm doing. It feels like just the other day I was a regular ten-year old kid, and now it's like I'm captain of a football team. You're all a bunch of all-stars and me? I don't even have powers of my own aside from this alien device.
Drake: You turned our group into a team, even before I was here.
Jake: Yeah but it's you who brought us all together, Drake. (sigh) I keep thinking back to the invasion in the city. I think about how we acted around each other. After all, we were just a bunch of strangers from different parts of the country. We all had different perspectives and what not. Fionna, she- She might have had the most unique one out of all of us. At least, she was the most different from me. Me? I'm no Mutant. I'm just a human who got exposed to some alien technology. But she's a Mutant who was born with her powers, she worked with others like herself and really understood the world from a certain point of view. One through struggle. I... I didn't understand that struggle at the time; what she was really going through. But I feel like- like the time we spent together, as a team, helped us understand each other better, you know? I was able to see her way of seeing the world and she was able to see mine. That's why I just don't get it, Drake. How she could just... turn her back on us like that? It just feels like she's throwing everything she worked hard to understand away. Either that or... maybe it was all a lie to begin with.
Drake: We're all hurting, Jake. She was a friend to everyone here.
Jake: I know but... I still feel like she hurt me in a more specific way.
Drake: ...What do you mean?
Jake: I liked her as a friend, yes. But- I also... liked her more than that.
Drake's eyes widen slightly, in mild surprise.
Jake: I appreciated her! I mean, not like that but- well, I don't know... ugh...
Jake looks down, holding his hand between his hands. Drake looks at him before nodding and looking forward.
Drake: I understand what you mean.
Jake: (sigh) You're just saying that.
Drake, glancing over: No, I mean it- I understand what you're feeling.
Jake slowly lifts his head and looks at Drake.
Jake: Seriously?
Drake: Yeah... Before we were both on the team, when I looking for Owens and fighting the Xyrions, I met Fionna. One day, we came across each other and she helped me save Mutants from some organization. And at the time, I wasn't sure about how I was feeling. I was confusing our friendship for something else, something more. Maybe those feelings are still there, I don't know, but- she didn't want that to change our friendship. And I felt the same way.
Jake: Whoa. I didn't really you two... had that kind of relationship before.
Drake: Like I said, we're still just friends. Maybe it's the same for you.
Jake: Maybe... When you and the MCA rescued me, I didn't have many people to interact with. I also lost a lot of my past and had a lot of growing up to do. So I might still be confused about who I like... but... I've done a lot of research since then. I've read about it just to make sure but I'm certain now that I know what I like. (he looks over at Drake, awkwardly)
Drake: What do you mean by that?
Jake: Nevermind... (he looks away) We can... talk about it later. But I will say that it doesn't matter anymore. The difference I mean, between being a human and being a Mutant. Fionna is the one that taught me that. She showed me how to be more open-minded and trusting towards others. And more importantly, not to doubt myself... (he glances down, as if defeated)
Drake looks at him for a moment.
Drake: Are you doubting yourself now?
Jake: Am I?
And that's all he mutters for a moment before clenching his hands into fists as they laid on his lap.
Jake: No! No, not anymore. I can't just give up on myself and I can't give up on her. Even if it's just a feeling I have in my heart, she's still my teammate. My friend! And if we don't try something... anything at all, then one of us will definitely have regret for the rest of their lives. Maybe even both of us. And I can't just sit by and let that happen.
Drake gets up and places a hand on Jake's shoulder.
Drake: Then make this group a team again. They need someone to lead them in the right direction.
Jake looks at Drake, considerably.
Jake: Yeah, they do.
But then he glances to the side, slightly downwards.
Jake: They do...
The scene then cuts over to the main room, where Emmett is seated, looking at his phone. Danny looks over at him but seems a bit dejected by the lack of interaction. Zara stands behind the chair while Emma sits besides Danny. Soon the doors open and both Jake and Drake step into the room.
Jake: Okay listen up, everyone. We were taken down but we're not out yet. Fionna is still out there, but we have the means to find her.
Zara: What do you mean?
Jake: She has a tracking device one her. If we use that, we should be able to find her out where she is now.
Zara: Did she not notice that?
Drake: Zack told her ahead of time. There's no way she couldn't have known.
Emmett: Then... why? Why would she take it with her if she knew-
Drake: Maybe... Maybe she wants us to find her.
Emmett: What? Do you think her attacking the tower was some kind of ruse?
Jake: I don't know. But we won't know for sure if we just sit around like this.
Drake: We have to find her, where ever she is, and only then can we get the truth.
Jake: Look, guys, I know it looks like she betrayed us. And I know tensions are high but... we are better than this. The city needs us. 'Every' city needs us. This is about more than just getting our teammate back. It's also about proving Casey wrong. He thinks he can split us up by getting to Fionna, that he can stop us from stopping him. But we're the Helpers. And when people need help, no matter who or what they've done, we don't turn their backs on them.
A short moment passes where the team looks ahead at Jake, either in awe or in thought, before Emma claps her hands together and does a small cheer. Now the attention is on her. She promptly quiets down. Emmett sighs and turns back to Jake, looking a bit exhausted.
Emmett: Let's just say you're right and she wants us to find her, how do we know we're not going right into a trap?
Danny: Or what if she's in danger. Either way, how would we be able to help her if she's under her bro's thumb?
Jake: Then we'll just have to do what we always do. Work together as a team. It's gonna take each of us.
Elias, unseen: And me!
Jake turns around, while the others' attention turns to what's past him. The view then shows Elias, stepping into the main room. Zara takes a step forward while Emma gets up from her seat.
Emma: Elias!
Zara: You should be recovering.
Elias: I'm fine. I heard you're going after Fionna.
Jake: We are. But we have to see if we can help her. Not hurt her.
Drake: Can you get behind that, Elias?
Elias: ...I don't know about that. But... I've come this far. And you've all been leading down the right path. So I guess I'll follow your lead. Just as long as I get a crack at that Casey guy. If Flame Girl isn't on the table then I'll make sure to break Water Boy's teeth in for setting this all up.
He catches his own fist into his hand.
Jake: You've got it.
Jake turns back to the group and looks at them, with a steady glance.
Jake: So, are we ready?
Emmett gets up a moment later and approaches Jake. Everyone watches him as he walks across the room. Once the two of them are inches apart, the contrast in height between the two of them is very clear. Emmett looks down at Jake with a hardened face before extending his hand out.
Emmett: I’m ready.
Jake looks surprised at first but smiles and nods. He then reaches his hand forward, placing it on top of Emmett. Danny races over and puts his hand on top next followed by Emma. Zara reluctantly walks on by and shrugs before putting her hand on top too. Elias looks at them and scratches his forehead.
Elias: Alright, alright. Count me in too.
Elias places his hand on top of Zara’s and now the group looks over at Drake, who looks at them, confused.
Drake: What… What are we doing here?
Emmett: It’s a team building thing.
Jake: Yeah, you put your hand in the pile and-
Drake: Why? Why do you do that?
Jake: That’s just… how it is.
Danny: Put your hand in the pile, man.
Drake: I just don’t… understand what this is for?
Elias: Just put your hand in the pile, Drake!
Zara: You gotta put your hand in.
Emma: You might want to put your hand in the pile, Drake.
Emmett: Come on, Drake.
Danny: Hand. Pile. Now.
Drake: Alright! I’m putting my hand in the pile!
Drake places it on top of the stack and they just stand there, stacking hands, in silence.
Drake: Now what?
Elias: Aren’t we supposed to say something?
Zara: I’ve… never done this before…
Danny: Man, this is disappointing.
Emmett: Well, on the count of three, we usually cheer something like “let’s make it work” or something like that.
Elias: This isn’t your office, man.
Danny: Then to our team! Helping people, right? Even those who lost their way.
Drake: Right. To helping people.
Jake: Alright then. One, two- Three!
All: To Helping People!
They all throw their hands up and it soon transitions to them all working together, as a team, to finish the work on the Jumpjet. Emmett carries the hull pieces over to the front of the vessel while Defender lifts materials to the roof. Emma and Adam work on the wiring and circuitry. Zack checks his equipment onboard. Zara and Drake work together to weld the pieces and materials that are being delivered by using their abilities whether it’s Zara’s concentrated chaotic energy or Drake’s Neuro-Web form. While all this occurs, Danny speeds around the vehicle- making repairs in various places almost instantaneously using his super speed. As the scene cuts over to the next moment, the Jumpjet is being activated from the cockpit by Jake and Adam who turn to each other with encouraging smiles. Soon, as seen from the outside, the Jumpjet- itself- can be seen being lifted up on the helipad platform from the hangar. Once the platform stabilizes, the Jumpjet’s engines engage and the ship soon takes off- soaring through the sky over the buildings below, as the sun rises in the distance. The scene soon transitions to the tracking device on Fionna’s chest as the view reels out from her vigilante outfit to show off her current location; the inside of the volcano, which appears to have been hollowed out thoroughly. Around the center, each of the siblings are positioned in a circular shape- looking straight ahead at one another. Casey stands by the entrance and expands his hands out.
Casey: Now, it is the time to begin our operation. To make this world ours and rid it off the mongrel filth. Let our powers… combine.
Victor raises his arms and pounds the ground, causing the place to shake. As dirt and stone fall from the sides of the volcano, Fionna raises her arms and shoots out waves of flames from her hands. Ciel is next, releasing mighty gusts of wind from beneath her sweater also aimed towards the center. Lyn comes after, discharging strong bolts of electricity towards the center. Luke follows up, releases beams of energy from his hands and finally, Casey projects jets of water. All of the elements of their powers interact and start to revolve around each other. Both Fionna and Casey close their eyes as their palms begin to glow bright. The other siblings soon join in, closing their eyes as their palms glow- however not as brightly. Soon the revolving energy expands before shooting upwards towards the sky, lining up smoothly with the opening of the volcano. A beam of light can be seen from the outside before it hits the upper atmosphere. Clouds start to form around this beam of light as they grow heavier and darker. It doesn’t take long for a full on storm to develop around this beam of light as it starts reaching out, expanding towards the surrounding countries. In Japan, lightning strikes at the marketplaces while gusts of wind knock people back. One person flying off into the sky. In London, the streets shake as earthquakes start intensifying. One man looks up in surprise as an irradiated streak of light beams down, microwaving the area around him. Now in Manhattan, water rises quickly around the coast and balls of fire soar across the skyline like meteors. Kate watches the travesty around her from her window with wide eyes. The scene cuts over to the Jumpjet, still enroute. On board, Zack is monitoring the tracking equipment.
Zack: I think we should be closing in on the device’s location now.
Jake: According to the charts, it looks like it’s based on some kind of an island.
Drake, looking out of the window: What is this weather?
Adam, over the comms: That’s actually what I wanted to mention. It’s coming down hard over here in the city. Hurricane like winds, the ground shaking like crazy. And the floods. The floods are back. And it’s worse than before. Honestly, I don’t see any way of stopping it from here. There aren’t any generators causing it this time. And it’s just the two of us here.
Drake clenches his fist and turns away. Jake notices this and refocuses himself.
Jake: Call Blaine Winters. See if he can help out with anything. And Emma, if you can, help where you can too.
Emma, over the comms: Of course, Jake.
Jake: We’ll try to end this as soon as we can from our end.
Adam, over the comms: Okay, we’ll see you when this is all over, chief.
They end the transmission. Jake sighs and hangs his head low a bit.
Zara, unseen: I don’t think my father will be enough.
Jake lifts his head and turns suddenly to the open doorway. Zach is no longer there but rather Zara. Drake turns to look at her, though more unvarying.
Zara: As powerful as he is, I don’t think even he can stop all this.
Jake: I don’t think so either. But at least it can buy us some time. And help those who need it while we’re not there.
Drake: By stopping them here, on this island… we’re saving these cities from this storm.
Zara: Then let’s do it. Let’s save them.
Drake nods at her before looking ahead. The view zooms out quickly until it reaches the island. Casey looks ahead and his brow furrows as he notices the approaching Jumpjet.
Casey: So much for slowing them down… Lyn, dear sister of mine, make sure they don’t reach us.
Lyn steps forward and raises his hands. Thunder erupts from around the Jumpjet as lightning strikes the left side engine. Warning sounds go off from within the cockpit.
Jake: Was that lightning?!
Drake: It’s them, they know we’re here!
Drake puts his goggles on, completing his vigilante outfit. Jake raises his arm while using the other to focus on piloting. His device soon activates, transforming his clothes into his Defender armor.
Defender: Hang on!
He uses the energy from within the alien device to create an energy barrier that blocks another lightning strike. The Jumpjet then swings off course, dodging yet another bolt of lightning. As it drifts through the air, it comes closer to the island.
Defender: I only have time for a swing by! So some of us can go and hold them off!
Vigilante nods and gets up from the co-pilot seat and walks through the doorway from the cockpit to the backroom. The door to the hold soon opens and he soon drops down onto the island below. The view pans up to show the other members of the team, dropping down beside him; Leviathan and Defender.
Voice: Welcome!
The Vigilante looks ahead as well as the others. Before them, Casey stands before the volcano as the light beam continues emitting from within. He has his arms spread open with a smirk on his twisted face.
Casey, continuing: …Drake. Yes. You’re just in time for the end of the world as you know it.
Vigilante: You know I can’t let you do that, Casey.
Casey: I know. In fact, this might surprise you, but I know more about you than you think.
Vigilante: You don’t know anything about me.
Casey: On the contrary, I know everything about you. Because you and I… are the same kind of person.
Vigilante: I don’t know what you’re talking about.
Casey: We both have one focus. One singular drive to complete our one mission in our minds. That we would do anything to make it a reality. To use whatever force we deem necessary. But there is one difference. The only one that matters, anyways. You have your friends to support you. But me?
As he continues speaking, the other members of the family step out from the sides- from behind trees and rocks and step out into the opening, beside their leader and brother.
Casey: I have my family. And family is stronger than anything in this little world.
He looks at each one of his siblings before turning back to look ahead at the group before him.
Casey: Do you really think your little team is enough to stop all of us? I wonder, how does it feel? Knowing that one of your teammates has turned their back on you?
Fionna looks down at them, with cold, steady and dull eyes. The Vigilante looks at her, his mouth showing an uneasy expression.
Defender: Don’t look down on us just because of that! We’re stronger than you think!
The Vigilante looks over at him.
Vigilante: Defender…
Defender: We’re going to stop your plan, Casey. No matter how much you throw at us. And not only that, we’re going to take her back!
Casey grinds his teeth as he leans forward. He then leans back and yells loudly, to the point where his throat strains enough for it sound like a roar. He then turns violently towards his brothers and sisters.
Casey: GET HIM ALREADY! GET THEM AALLL!
Each of the siblings- Fionna, Victor, Ciel, Lyn and Luke- rush ahead at Casey’s command. Defender, Leviathan and the Vigilante ready themselves before charging ahead as well. As the two sides run towards each at the beach, the moment they clash, the battle of the island commences. Luke is the first to strike, firing off a beam from his hands that hits the Vigilante square in the chest, knocking him backwards. Defender covers him by firing energy spikes towards Luke, who is knocked back by them as well. Victor slams his hand against the ground, causing the beach to rise and fall like a wave. Leviathan and the Vigilante are knocked back into the nearby jungle while Defender regains his position by hovering in the air. Casey then shoots down Defender with a jet of water as Fionna and Ciel move forward. Defender looks up from the sand and sees Ciel spreading her arms, releasing a strong gust of wind from beneath her sweater. The wind pushes Defender off from the ground but he uses a barrier to block the draft, dropping down to his feet. In the jungle close by, Lyn flies over- passing the Vigilante as he gets back up. He looks over, seeing Casey dodging Leviathan’s attacks. However, just as the Vigilante races to assist, Lyn grabs him from behind- electrocuting him.
Vigilante: AGHHH!
Defender looks over, still holding his barrier, and sees just a glimpse of the Vigilante in trouble as light emanates from behind the trees.
Defender: Don’t worry- (grunts) I’m coming, Vigilante!
However, Luke flies in and blasts the barrier with a radiated blast- breaking Defender’s concentration and shattering the barrier. Defender flies back from the impact. While the Vigilante struggles against Lyn’s grasp, he activates his Electro-Icer form and whacks her against the head, knocking her away. He catches his breath as Leviathan is blasted into a tree, snapping it in half just from the impact of his body.
Casey, approaching slowly: Like I said, your little team’s efforts will have no effect on my plan.
Velocity, racing over: Then let’s raise our numbers!
He slams into Casey, knocking him out of the jungle.
Leviathan: Hey, you’re here!
Velocity: I came as soon as I could. Landing that thing sure wasn’t easy.
Leviathan: We can work together and create a front assault- give Defender some cover.
Vigilante: You two can handle it. I have my eyes on another target.
Leviathan gives him a look before nodding.
Leviathan: Handle it… if you can.
The two of them then leave the Vigilante in the jungle as he turns his sights towards Fionna. Meanwhile, Fionna and Defender collide as he closes in the distance.
Defender: Come on, Fionna! Talk to me! Why are you doing this?!
But as Fionna opens her mouth, flames spew out. The device immediately draws a barrier between them, blocking him from the oncoming fire.
Defender: T-That’s new!
Casey laughs as he stands up.
Casey: They’re all stronger than what you remember. And it’s thanks to me… and my efforts. The closer we become, the stronger we get. And as our powers combine into one, the storm grows stronger too. It’ll continue to grow until it consumes everything and we are unstoppable.
She flings fireballs in Defender’s direction before being drop kicked by the Vigilante. She glances up and growls as she finds her footing once again. The Vigilante looks ahead at her, stoically.
Vigilante: You have to think straight, Fionna. You’re not being yourself.
She lashes out, charges for him with concentrated flames in each palm- taking on different shapes as she strikes and slashes at him. The Vigilante utilizes his Sonar Scales form to send groupings of scales to block each blow as they brush against the surface. The Vigilante then gets a hit in by bashing her back with a grouping of scales. She holds her chin.
Vigilante: Do you even realize what you’re doing here?!
Fionna, getting up: Quiet!
Vigilante: What Casey is doing, what ‘you’re’ doing… is going to wipe out all of mankind-
She comes at him again but he throws up his scales. She pushes against it using her strength but he pushes back.
Vigilante: And all of Mutantkind too!
She pauses for a brief moment before pressing forward. However, her attacks now are slower and have less impact. The Vigilante continues to block the attacks while looking right at her.
Vigilante: Is that really what you want? To throw away everything that you worked for?!
They both stop, taking a breath. She looks at her with her dull eyes.
Fionna: What… I worked for?
Vigilante: Yes. You saved those Mutants. Do you remember that? The Mutants we saved together, you and I.
She looks ahead before glancing down slightly as flashes of memories overcome her. Images of her and Drake working together in Montana, freeing Mutants together in the Infinite Darkness facility. One conversation between them comes up in her mind.
Drake, flashback: The only thing I'm feeling is wanting you to be safe and alright and by me. And I guess that's no different from how I feel about my friends.
Fionna, flashback: I wouldn't mind just being friends. You understand me, Drake.
The view zooms out from the memory- before flashing brightly with neuronic pulses- then moving away from Fionna’s head as she goes in to hold it tightly, in the present time. The Vigilante watches her for a moment before stepping in closer, slowly.
Vigilante: You do remember, don’t you? And it’s not just Mutants. You’ve helped Humans too. We all did. All of us, together. You came back to help me save people from the invasion.
She holds her head tighter as more memories overcome her. Images of her fighting off the Xyrions, standing between the Vigilante, Leviathan and Speedster. Another conversation plays out after Fionna helps Drake back onto his feet.
Drake, flashback: You came back.
Fionna, flashback: I couldn't leave you in danger. Besides, being here- this might just be where I need to be.
Another neuron pulse before the view zooms away from her head. She is now holding her head with both hands as she leans forward.
Fionna: Argh! My… head…
The Vigilante looks at her with some concern. Now close enough to her, he reaches for her in a comforting manner.
Vigilante: Are you alright?
She snaps out of her daze and whacks him away, with a flaming punch.
Fionna: Shut up!
His goggles hit the sand as he looks up at her, only the hood on his head obscuring his eyes.
Fionna: Stop confusing me! I know what I want! I want to be with my family!
Drake: Because of what happened in Secret City, right?
She stops, dead in her tracks. She looks down at him, her face frozen.
Fionna: What?
Drake: I said it’s because of Secret City, isn’t it? They’re gone… because of the Xyrions. You told me that they were like a family to you. They took you in, looked after you. And you did the same. After hearing you had a brother, and other family elsewhere… you must have wanted to have that feeling back.
As Drake explains, visions of Secret City, of the Mutants she saved and cared for, flash through her mind. The last one, being of Mother, the caretaker of Secret City. She ultimately grabs the sides of her head and screams. Drake gets to his feet, looking ahead at her.
Drake: What’s happening?
Zack: Drake! I think I know what’s going on.
Drake: Zack, you can’t be here!
Zack: I know, I know but I might be able to help you. It’s like what you went through the other day. You’re causing her to remember, it’s creating a neural overload on her mind. Because of her mental activity, her brain is overcharging with information- neurons are sparking and her brain chemicals are out of control.
Drake: What does that mean?
Zack: I don’t know. But it reminds me of the Nanogenes. How you can interrupt their signal and stop them from communicating.
Drake: Stop them from communicating?
He turns his head and sees Casey struggling, looking ahead at them.
Zack: All that brain activity, it must be counteracting whatever effect is on her brain.
Drake: So you did do something to her!
He shouts at Casey, taking Zack’s attention. Casey’s struggling mouth twists into a grin.
Casey: I simply freed her mind. She was held back. By morality. By compassion for others. These don’t belong in our family. These are Human traits. They’re a weakness. A sickness! I cured her for the days to come!
Drake: You poisoned her!
Casey: I did a lot more than that. She and I are one. We’re all connected! To think the same, to act the same. To carry out the same will and make our plan come true! Now… step away from her, and let her finish her good work!
Drake: Never.
Casey cracks his neck, his grin vanishing altogether.
Casey: I said…
He propels himself towards them at surprising speeds, using his jets of water.
Casey: GET AWAY FROM MY SISTER!
As he comes in closer and closer, his pupil shifts to the corner of his eye as something approaches him. But before he can react, an energy spike knocks him off course and he fumbles across the ground before ever reaching them. Drake turns his head and sees Defender, lowering his arm. Casey raises his head from the sand and slams his fist against the ground before getting back up.
Casey: Do you really… really think that can STOP ME?!
He runs towards them, charging ahead again before being blocked by someone’s chest. Apparently, they’re strong enough to knock him back with just that. Casey looks ahead and sees Caliber, looking visibly upset.
Caliber: Not this time, punk. Think you can get away with making her burn my backside?!
Casey: Is that all she did? (brushes himself off and gets back up) I was hoping she did more damage.
Caliber: Oh now you’re gonna get it…
Casey: One question though: I can see you’re back on your feet. Tell me, is your recovery going as smoothly as it seems?
Caliber: Wouldn’t you like to know, weather boy?
Casey: It matters not. Because I’ll be sure to end it quickly for you!
Casey then quickly throws his hands out, firing a powerful jet of water at Caliber- who takes on the full force. Casey lowers his hands and takes a breath, his eyes widening as he sees that Caliber is still standing. The scars and cracks in his skin, glowing brightly as an indication of his powers being used.
Caliber, grunts: Sorry, but that’s not gonna work this time around.
Casey, frustrated: And why not?!
Caliber: To tell you the truth, I’m still on the verge of recovery. I should be in bed right now. But I couldn’t pass on this mission. So yeah, I’m in a lot of pain right now. And I’m turnin’ that pain into power right now. So I can take plenty of hits… AND I HAVE PLENTY MORE TO GIVE!
He switches the use of his pain from defense to offense as he pushes off from the ground, rushing Casey and delivering a powerful punch to his stomach. Casey is then thrown backwards from the force of impact, groaning as he takes that hit straight on. As Casey lays on the sand, the other siblings stop their current fights to turn their attention to their fallen leader.
Ciel: Casey is down.
Lyn: We must protect him!
They make their way over towards Caliber, who turns and looks surprised as they all come towards him.
Caliber: YOU GOTTA BE KIDDIN’ ME!
But from the sides, Leviathan leaps up and slams Lyn into the ground. Velocity also runs ahead, pushing Ciel onto her back. She struggles to get back up. Luke looks around and starts to charge up when he is blasted in the back by Zara, using her chaotic energy. Victor comes for Leviathan who turns around and locks arms with him, the two using their strength against one another. Defender looks at the fight going down.
Defender: I have to help them.
Fionna starts to struggle to make her way over there.
Fionna: I have to help him… protect him…
Defender looks at Drake.
Drake: Go. I’ll take care of this.
Defender gives Drake a stern look before turning off to help the others. Drake holds her shoulders.
Drake: Fionna. Hey, Fionna. Look at me. Look at me!
She does, with the same dull eyes.
Drake: You need to think this through, Fionna. Not just feel it. Really… just think about what you’re going to do and about who you really need to help. If you do this. If his plan works, not only will there be no more people, no more Mutants, no more cities… but you’ll end up losing us too. And I told you before, I don’t want to lose… another friend, okay?
She doesn’t respond.
Drake: You were there for me when I needed you. Let me be here for you now.
He leans his forehead against hers and closes his eyes, holding the sides of her face.
Drake: Please…
Fionna: What are you talking about…?
A hand then holds his own. Drake opens his eyes suddenly and looks at her. Her eyes are still dull but her head is tilted.
Fionna: You were there for me plenty of times. I remember it… I can see it all…
Drake: Fionna?
Fionna: When we first met, I attacked you… I pushed you away when I found out how different you were from me… but you still came back to save me and my people. The people that looked after me and cared for me… I remember that too… And when they were gone… No, there was something else… Mother, she said, “ Find people you trust and be with them.” …And I chose you. And the team… The Helpers… because… I remember feeling trust and care… for my friends. The same trust and care I felt… for my family?
Fionna holds her head again and drops down to her knees. Drake holds her steady and looks down at her. Her body shakes then stops, dropping down.
Drake: Fionna? Fionna!
There is no response for a moment before Fionna places a hand on his arm. She slowly lifts her head to look up at him.
Fionna: I think… that makes you guys my family too. What was I thinking, throwing all that away?
Drake: I’m just glad you’re back to being yourself again.
Fionna: That’s right. I wasn’t myself… and neither are they. I remember now. Casey was using some kind of substance to get into our minds.
Drake: I don’t know if I can bring them out of it.
Fionna: I might be able to. You used our memories of our connection to bring me back. Maybe I can do the same for them.
Drake, holds her arm to prevent her from going: But you didn’t even know them for that long!
Fionna: Trust me.
Drake looks at her for a moment before letting her go. She smiles then turns to look at her siblings with a determined expression. She propels herself forward with her fire charges, leaving Drake by himself. As Fionna soars towards the battle, she looks ahead.
Fionna, thinking: Drake is right. Even though we’re related by blood, we hardly have anything connecting us. But that’s only now. I know there’s a past in there somewhere. And even if I have to push myself hard to find it, I’ve gotten to know each of them a bit in the little time I’ve had with them again. I have to believe… I have to believe that time is more than enough!
She drops down onto the sand and activates her comms.
Fionna: Guys listen, I have a plan. I’m going to need some help with this-
Velocity, over the comms: Fi-Fionna?!
Caliber, over the comms: Isn’t she with them now?
Fionna: That was different, I was being controlled. Just like they are. I might have an idea on how to break them out of it.
Zara, over the comms: How do we know this is actually her speaking? And not Casey?
Defender, over the comms: Come on, let’s have some faith. She’s a teammate, remember?
Leviathan, over the comms: And a friend. Go on, Fionna, what’s your plan?
Fionna: I need to get in close to each of my brothers and sisters. If I connect my gift to theirs, I might be able to overcome the substance controlling their minds.
Velocity, over the comms: That won’t exactly be easy to do.
Vigilante, over the comms: That’s why we have to do what we can!
Defender, over the comms: Alright, as a team then. Let’s focus on one of them at a time and cover Fionna from the others.
Fionna rushes in with the other Helpers coming in from the sides to provide support.
Fionna: Let’s start with Victor!
Velocity: On it!
Velocity speeds up ahead and spins circles around Victor, causing the sand to pick up and circle around him. He slams the ground, causing Velocity to trip. The sand soon disperses and Fionna places her hands against the ground, releasing heat through it and causing the sand around Victor’s feet to harden into glass. He looks down, surprised, and starts shaking the glass apart.
Fionna: I can’t hold him long!
Leviathan: I got it.
Leviathan leaps forward and strikes Victor, Caliber jumps in from behind, slamming against his back which causes him to fall over onto his knees. The other siblings, such as Lyn and Luke, fire their projectiles in the team’s direction. The Vigilante flies in on his Stealth Wings form and deactivates it in time to roll against the sand. He then forms his Sonar Scales form to block the projectiles from hitting them. Defender provides cover as well from the other side using an energy barrier. Fionna rushes over and places her hands against the weakened Victor’s shoulders. She activates her gift as her palms glow brightly. Victor’s dull eyes glow a bit as well as memories of their encounter flash through his mind when they bumped into each other, as well as when they fought together in the warehouse in Japan. One conversation rings throughout his mind.
Victor, flashback: I know what I’m doing, Fionna! I can’t have him go after you too. You protected me and now I’m protecting you. You’re the strong one in your heart, Fionna. Now let me be the strong one to save you.
Another memory appears from those words, one where Victor as a young child was looking after an infant version of Fionna. He had a big smile on his face as he looked after his little sister. As the neurons flash across the view, Victor’s dull eyes break and return to their regular appearance as he gasps for breath. He coughs and spits out a strange substance and holds his chest with one hand and his head with the other. Fionna opens her eyes and holds him steady.
Fionna: Are you okay, Victor?
Victor: (huff) (huff) Y-Yes. I think so… Fionna, I- I hurt you.
Fionna: That’s okay, that wasn’t you. What matters now is that you’re okay.
Victor: Yeah… you too.
A yell can then be heard, grabbing their attention. Casey gets up and looks over at them, pointing.
Casey: Fionna has turned against us! Finish them off!
Ciel blows fierce gusts of wind towards their direction which keeps them back. Fionna struggles to stay on her feet as the winds lift her from the ground but Victor takes her arm into his hand and holds her steady, to keep her from being blown away.
Victor: I got you!
The glass around his feet starts cracking before shattering to pieces and being blown away by the wind. He struggles to stay on the ground himself now without that anchor especially while holding Fionna. He uses his free hand to scoop into the ground and dig, anchoring himself into the sand. Leviathan and Caliber struggle themselves as they push against the strong winds.
Caliber: We can’t get near her!
Leviathan: You got any forms that can go against this wind?
Vigilante: Not exactly…
Voice: I might!
The Vigilante turns his head to see Victor, bringing Fionna closer to the ground.
Victor: But I need someone to give me some cover!
Zara: Let me handle this!
Zara closes her eyes and raises her hands up, muttering to herself.
Zara: Camouflat Vaporis!
The sand particles blowing around in the wind then start to vaporize around her, creating a mist that starts to spread forward, soon covering Victor and Fionna entirely. Casey looks around, angrily.
Casey: Where are they? Where are they?!
As the other siblings search, Ciel continues to drive the winds forward. However, the ground beneath her starts to rumble. She looks down as the ground collapses. Instead of falling down the hole though, Ciel focuses her wind to cause her to hover above the gap. But with the wind and her focus now directed, she doesn’t notice Velocity running right up and pushing her ahead with his shoulder charge. She falls onto her chest onto the ground with Victor and Fionna emerging from the hole behind her. Before Ciel can get up completely, Fionna holds her but she screams, struggling against her touch. Victor also adds his own touch, as their gifts combine- easing her mind. She calms down as memories flash before her eyes; them meeting on the bridge, Ciel showing them her home and a conversation between the two of them as they confronted Casey before.
Ciel, flashback: Don't throw away who you are to save the family.
Ember, flashback: Ciel?
Ciel, flashback: You can save us by staying true to yourself. I know you can.
Another memory arrives from those words, one where the two of them are seen running through some rolling hills as a light, gentle breeze passes over. They are both incredibly young but happy together. As the neurons flash over once more, Ciel’s eyes return to their full color as she hunches over- coughing up more of that substance similar to what Victor did earlier. Victor is now the one helping her up with Fionna just in awe at what she’s seen.
Victor: Here, let me help you.
Ciel leans on him for support before looking up at Fionna. Her eyes look a bit watery before she smiles softly.
Ciel, weakly: I told you I’d see you again.
Fionna, smiling back: Yeah. Yeah, you did.
As the three of them have their moment, a crackling can be heard rumbling through the air. Soon Lyn takes on her appearance after reforming from electric energy, she then strikes the ground around them with powerful electric bolts.
Ciel: Look out!
Victor slams his arms against the ground, causing sand to rise from the ground. The sand is then blasted by the electricity, partly hardening into glass upon impact.
Victor: I can’t keep this up. It’s going to be difficult trying to reach her as well.
Fionna: No, it won’t. Not if we work together.
Victor: How?
Fionna: My team talked about this before but- if we can channel her energy into the ground, she’ll be more exposed. And you can move the ground, Victor.
Victor: Still, she’s as quick as, well, lightning. There’s no way my slow attacks can keep up with her.
Ciel: Leave it to us.
Victor: Are you sure? You just recovered, Ciel.
Ciel: I can handle this.
Victor gives them an affirming nod and the two of them run off around the sand barrier. Fionna activates her comms as she runs ahead.
Fionna: I’m going to need some air support.
Defender, over the comms: You got it.
Defender flies over and fires some energy spikes towards Lyn’s direction. She zaps out of the way for each of them and blasts back at Defender, who shields himself from the attacks. Beneath them, Ciel takes position. She extends her arms outwards and starts to spin around in a circle, drawing up a gust of wind around her. The more she spins around, the more wind she picks up until it turns into a full on cyclone. Lyn is caught off guard and is caught by the gales of wind surrounding her.
Defender, using the comms: That’s still not enough. We need something to hold her in there!
Victor, looking up at the cyclone: If only we could get some Earth on up in there.
Leviathan: We can!
He lifts up a pair of large rocks and drops them before him.
Leviathan: If we crush up these rocks, we might be able to make some gravel.
Victor: Allow me.
He walks over to it and places his hands against the rocks. They soon vibrate with such intensity that the rocks crumble into pieces.
Caliber: Now how do we get it up there? Chuck it piece by piece?
Velocity speeds on over and runs laps around the pile of gravel they’ve made, the pieces get picked up by the wind he leaves behind and are soon thrown towards the cyclone, now getting picked up by the heavier wind currents that Ciel is producing. Velocity stops running around and takes a breath.
Velocity: That’s how.
They look over at the gravel coated cyclone. Inside, Lyn strikes against the stones but they block off her power. She then looks up and tries to escape the cyclone only for Defender to fly in and knock her back with an energy shield bash. She falls down but Ciel focuses her wind to make sure she doesn’t slam into the ground. She then stops her winds and Lyn drops, hitting the sand at a lesser impact. Fionna comes over and places a hand on her shoulder, followed by Ciel and then Victor. Their gifts work together to overcome the control over her mind as her eyes glow as well. More memories flash over, from her watching Fionna to the two of them working together against Casey. Another conversation soon plays.
Lyn, flashback: I want you to get out of here and get stronger. Then you can stop him and actually save us for a change. All of us. Maybe then, I’ll forgive you.
From those words, unlock another memory from their past. Lyn, though much younger, can be seen trying to look after Fionna and Ciel with the help of a younger Victor as well. Neurons flash, eyes return to normal and Lyn coughs up the substance. Now telltale signs showing that she’s broken free of the substance’s control. Though, despite recovering, Lyn remains hunched over, holding herself up with her biceps. Tears drip from her face into the sand below her. Fionna looks down at her, still keeping her hand on her shoulder.
Fionna: Lyn?
Lyn: I’m sorry. I’m sorry, Fionna. I remember now. Our childhood, the things that we’ve done together. And what I’ve done to you. What I blamed you for… I- I just-
She looks up at Fionna with a tearful look but Fionna only smiles.
Fionna: Hey, you’re supposed to be the one forgiving me, right?
Lyn chuckles, crying and laughing really.
Lyn: Yeah. I forgive you.
Fionna: Me too. We all do.
Ciel hugs Lyn who uneasily wraps her arm around her. Victor looks up, seeing Luke hovering over them.
Victor: We still have Luke coming after us.
Luke looks as though he’s about to charge up another attack. Zara releases some chaotic energy from her hands as it cracks and whips through the air unpredictably. It does wind up hitting Luke square in the chest but as he reels back from the impact, he laughs. He then leans forward, absorbing the energy that Zara puts out. His body grows bigger and more muscular.
Zack, over the comms: You all might want to stay back! My instruments are picking up radiation spikes coming from him!
Velocity: That’s bad, right?
Leviathan: Lethal.
Zara: Sorry, I didn’t know.
Caliber: Don’t blame yourself. Is there any way we can get close to him?
Zack, over the comms: Without being microwaved? Let’s see, perhaps if you have a protective shielding or if you can remove the source of the radiation.
Defender: I have the shielding.
He flies around the now larger Luke and fires an energy beam from his device at him.
Defender: What do we need to do to drain his power?
Zack looks ahead and holds his head tightly, in thought.
Zack: Hrm… I don’t know! I’m not a nuclear physicist! Maybe cool him down? Use some carbon rods to absorb any excess neutrons and control the rate of the nuclear reaction? Basic stuff like that!
Caliber: Man, we don’t have that!
Zack: I do. I brought it with me!
Caliber: Wh-What? Why?!
Zack: Well after the last experiment with dwarf star energy, I decided to keep it around. You never know when another explosion might happen. Even though I doubt the excess energy coming from dwarf star alloy is neutronic but-
Caliber: Nobody cares! Someone get the dang rods already!
Velocity, appearing next to them: Got it!
He holds up the carbon rods as both Zack and Caliber get slightly startled by his sudden appearance.
Zack: Alright fine, if you’re gonna do this, I have to modify these to deal with the right kind of radiation. In other words, buy me some time!
Caliber, looking at the towering Luke: Yeah, I don’t think we have much of that.
Velocity: You said we needed to cool it down, right?
Zack: Right. But let me guess, you guys can’t do that either, huh?
Vigilante, over the comms: No but I can.
Zack looks over and sees the Vigilante, across the beach, looking up at Luke. He stands besides Leviathan and Zara. He grunts then glances back at Leviathan without turning his head.
Vigilante: I need you to throw me.
Leviathan: What?!
Vigilante: Just do it!
Leviathan: Alright…
He grabs the Vigilante from behind and lifts him up from the ground. He then reels back and throws him with a powerful force. The Vigilante soars through the air and forms his Electro-Icer form. He then slams it right into the center of Luke’s chest and pushes it in deep. Sweat rolls down his face as he remains stuck there. Luke growls and starts reaching for the Vigilante until he activates the Electro-Icer, spreading more ice and cold throughout Luke’s body, essentially freezing the point of entry in his glowing, irradiated body. The Vigilante breaks away the ice and drops down with increasing speed. Defender then swings around and catches him.
Defender: I got you!
He swings around and comes in low, allowing the Vigilante’s legs to slide across the sand before leaving him in the hands of Victor. Defender flies off again and the Vigilante gets back onto his feet.
Victor: You alright?
Vigilante: Yeah. That should help.
Lyn: Yeah, but not by much, bruv.
The Vigilante looks up at where Lyn is looking and sees the ice melting from the immense heat from his body.
Vigilante: He’s too hot to handle!
Fionna: Then let me handle him.
Victor: But the radiation!
Fionna: I can withstand the heat. That should be enough, probably.
Velocity runs over, holding the modified carbon rods.
Velocity: You’ll need these. And hey, be careful. We just got you back after all.
Fionna nods and takes the rods into her hands. She then turns and looks up at Luke who finishes melting through the ice. She then runs up, approaching him. Luke fires radiated beams of energy at her but she moves out of the way. Victor slams the ground, creating a ramp for her out of the earth. She kicks off from it and unleashes her fiery form, growing in size and flaming power. She takes the carbon rods, one in each flaming hand and stabs them into Luke’s shoulders. He yells out as the carbon rods discharge the energy from his body. Fionna continues pushing them in but it’s becoming clear that there’s an effect coming over her as Luke pushes against her. Just as it seems he’s getting the upper hand, he lets out a yell as more carbon rods are launched into his back. Behind him, Victor and Ciel look as though they’ve finished using their own abilities to do so. Lyn hovers in and raises her arms, draining the electricity from the rods as it siphons off the energy inside of Luke. Electricity comes off of Luke’s body as he starts shrinking in size and muscle mass all while yelling out in pain. Fionna drops down to a knee and her fiery form shrinks as well before she returns to her normal appearance. The Vigilante helps her to her feet while they look over to see Luke, dropping down to the ground in his regular size. The carbon rods fall off of his body as the radiation energy emitting from his body diminishes and his regular skin is seen. Victor and Ciel take this opportunity to get a hold of him which he weakly struggles against. Lyn floats down and walks over, taking hold of his arm. Fionna comes over and takes hold of the other. All of their gifts work together in unison to overwrite the control over his mind. He gasps and takes a deep breath as his eyes return to normal. He grabs his stomach and drops down to his knees.
Caliber, coming over: Is he… clear? Is there no more radiation or whatever?
Zack, checking his instruments: I think so. Though, if we still need to be sure then we can-
He then hunches over and practically heaves up that substance, on the sand before him.
Fionna: He’s clear.
Velocity, clearly grossed out: Yeah…
Luke: Where am I? Ugh… my stomach.
Lyn: Your stomach? Not your head?
Luke: I’m hungry. But yes, I feel a headache.
Victor: It’s like you never changed, Luke.
Luke: What are you- Oh, yeah that’s right. You all remember now. Even I… I remember too. I thought I did this whole time but- I now remember the times before the pain. The good times.
He looks up at his smiling brothers and sisters before taking Fionna’s hand. She helps him up along with the help of Victor. They look at each other for a moment longer before turning their attention straight forward. The view pans away to show Casey across from them, looking ahead furiously.
Vigilante: It’s over, Casey. You don’t have control over them anymore.
Luke: And without us, that storm of yours won’t keep up much longer, I bet.
Casey growls, his hands shaking before him.
Casey: Maybe not. But it’s already begun. The storm only needs a sacrifice to continue. And since you all refuse to play your roles, now it seems my turn to play mine.
Casey raises his hands and a shadow overcomes them. The Vigilante turns around and sees a massive tidal wave approaching the beach front. The siblings take the frontlines with Victor moving the ground to create a pit and Ciel blowing the waves back, away from them. Luke takes to the skies and regains his irradiated skin, firing a heat laser from his hands at the water, boiling it before it hits the shore. Lyn turns around and sees Casey flying off, propelling himself with his jets of water, towards the volcano.
Lyn: Casey’s getting away!
Fionna: No, he’s going towards the volcano! He’s going to give himself to the storm!
Vigilante: He said a sacrifice was needed. But that’ll kill him.
Lyn: He’s been inside my head. I know he won’t stop until his plan is completed. I can stop him!
Vigilante: That didn’t exactly work out last time!
Fionna: No, it can’t be either of you. It has to be me.
Vigilante: Fionna!
Fionna: That energy controlling the storm. It’s connected to our gift. Casey’s gift is almost as strong as mine which means if he can take the power of the storm, so can I. Besides, if anyone can reason with him, it’s me.
Vigilante: But that’s still a risk.
Fionna: I wouldn’t have become a vigilante if I didn’t know the risks, Drake. This is bigger than just us, every country is at stake here, remember?
Vigilante: Right…
He looks down, thinking.
Fionna: It’s almost funny.
He looks back at Fionna who is looking ahead at the volcano and the light beaming firing towards the sky.
Fionna: When those memories were floating around inside my mind… I saw something. Something I was too young to understand before but- It was a moment in my life. When it was just the two of us, hiding out from the Hunters. I was the one who asked him to stay with me so we can be together. But he went away to make sure that I was the one saved. And now it’s the other way around. He wants to bring us together… but I have to be the one who saves him.
Defender: Fionna.
Fionna turns to see Defender flying down and dropping beside her.
Defender: If you’re gonna go, then take this-
He hands her the domino mask she wears with her vigilante outfit.
Fionna: I won’t be facing him as Ember.
Defender: I know. But at least she’ll be there with you.
Fionna takes the mask, looking at him.
Fionna: Thanks.
She turns back to the volcano and projects her fire, shooting herself into the air- towards the light source. At the opening of the volcano, within the beam of light, Casey hovers- converting his own power into energy to feed to the beam. The light then starts to open up as Fionna makes her way inside.
Fionna: Casey! Listen to me!
Casey: You’re too late. It’s already begun!
Fionna: You’ll destroy yourself if you keep this up!
Casey: I don’t care! This plan, MY PLAN, needs to work!
Fionna: So we can be together? Is that really your reason?
Casey: With everyone gone, I won’t have to worry about you anymore.
Fionna: And who’s supposed to worry about you?! If you even take a second to think about us, not as your family but as people, then maybe you would see that we care about you too!
Casey: You don’t need me.
Fionna: Don’t tell me what I don’t need! You’re the one who thought bringing us together would make us happy but you didn’t think to ask if we were already happy where we were?
Casey: Under the control of humans? And their rules and societies?! Under the duty of mutants? Who brings you down when they fail to meet your expectations?! I want to make a world free of all of that! Free of worry, free of pain!
Fionna: Because that’s all you feel, right? Because that’s all you think about? Pain, suffering, loss. That’s not what the world is about, Casey. We live in a world where we can’t explore anymore. Where we can’t roam the fields and play.
Casey: It’s a world where the strong survive! Now you see! Now you see what I-
Fionna: I’ve been seeing! I know what world we live in, Casey, because I had to fend for myself when you left me! But I fell for it too. I blamed you, I blamed the world, I blamed myself. But we had the opportunity to see the world, the actual world. Other countries, other cities, other people… to see our family again. But you didn’t see it. You only saw your mission.
Casey: See what?
Fionna: Life. Even when the world ended, even when our family was drawn apart, life continued. We survived. Not because we were strong but because we believed in something, we had something going for us. We moved on.
Casey: Impossible. You can’t move on. You can’t escape the world’s cruelty and failure.
Fionna: No, you can’t. But that doesn’t mean we let it control us. People can change. I know because I have. I used to think humans would wipe us out at any given second but not everyone thinks like a Hunter. Not everyone is as corrupt as Anton Reeves. Some of them can just be friends, maybe even family.
Casey: You’re not going to get to me. I have my mission.
Fionna: I don’t have to get to you. We used our gifts to create this storm. Our minds are connected to our gifts. And right now, we’re in that energy binding us together. So I can see your pain, I know what you’re feeling and I know your actions don’t match your heart.
Casey: Stop it! Get out of my head!
Fionna: You know, all this time, when I was pushing people away to save them from myself, I got that from you. I just didn’t realize it until now. I thought the problem was me but, really, you were just trying to save me. So I don’t blame you for trying this again. But I’m telling you, you don’t have to.
Casey: Of course I do. I can hear it! The mission, the mission must go on!
Fionna: That’s not your voice, Casey. Those are not your thoughts. What do you really want? Think about it.
Casey: I want… What I want…
He grabs his head.
Casey’s Voice, in his mind: The world, Casey! You want the world! You want everyone’s suffering to end, don’t you? So wipe them out! You’re so close! Just finish this!
Casey: NO! I know what I want! I want my family!
Casey’s Voice, in his mind: Your family will be spared. Their powers will be used for the storm. And then they will be-
Casey: I didn’t finish… I want my family… to be happy. I can’t protect them forever. I already failed that… but I don’t have to?
Fionna shakes her head.
Fionna: You don’t. We can protect ourselves now.
Casey: Then what do I do? How do I make the voices go away, Fionna? How do I… How do I make you happy?
Fionna: Just be yourself, Casey. Not this thing with a mission or the leader of some underwater organization. Just… be my brother again.
Casey: Help me. Help me remember how to be.
Casey’s Voice, inside his mind: Don’t do this, Casey! If you do this, if the storm ends, they won’t be safe! THEY WON’T BE SPARED!
Casey: Please, Fionna, help me.
Fionna comes over and places her hands against the sides of his head. They lean their foreheads together and close their eyes. The beam of energy surrounding them then glows brighter. Memories between the two of them circle around them within this beam. Memories of Fionna speaking with Drake for the first time, Fionna catching up with Casey in the tower, their childhood, hiding away from the Hunters. Voices overlap as well, voices from their siblings.
Victor, voice flashback: I have someone that actually cares about me.
Ciel, voice flashback: Ideals are what makes us able to think for ourselves and make our own lives.
Lyn, voice flashback: All I want is my own life!
Luke, voice flashback: I can only think about the future now.
Casey lets out a yell as Fionna holds his head tightly. As the view zooms into his head, darkness overtakes everything until a new memory is seen. A young Casey looks around the void before looking down at his hands, seeing how much smaller they are now. A light then shines ahead of him, grabbing his attention. He looks ahead, the light nearly blinding him as voices grow louder and louder. He lowers his arm and squints. His vision starts off blurry but starts to focus as he sees younger versions of his siblings. They’re sitting around the table- Luke seems to be the older one there, as well as Victor though he’s still younger compared to Casey and Luke. Ciel and Lyn sit next to each other as well. It seems a meal is about to take place. Casey looks as though he’s about to smile when a voice takes his attention almost forcibly away from the dinner table. He looks over at an adult man and woman having a conversation. However, they’re so much taller than he is that their faces can’t be seen.
Woman: Is this really necessary?
Man: They’ll find us if we stay here. We don’t have much time. I got in contact with a friend of mine. He has connections and he doesn’t care if we’re Mutants. He’ll be able to move the kids away from here, maybe out of the country even and keep them safe.
Woman: But you said there were four chances. We have six kids!
Man: I know, I know. Casey can look after Fionna with us. Luke can look after the others. He’s the oldest, he’ll know what to do.
Woman: They’re still just kids. This is a lot for them to handle.
Man: We don’t have much choice. We have to keep them safe. At least until this world becomes better for us.
Casey continues watching them as they talk when a hand grabs his sleeve. He flinches and turns back and looks down. But then he stops. A young Fionna holds his sleeve and looks up at him.
Young Fionna: Are you coming, big bro? You okay, you look sad?
The young Casey smiles and kneels down beside her, running his hand through her hair.
Young Casey: I’m alright. I’m happy because I have you. Let’s go and have some family time, okay? Let’s enjoy it for as long as we can.
Young Fionna: (laughs) Okay!
The two of them walk ahead and join the others at the table. A modern day Casey watches this all transpire from the darkness. A hand appears on his shoulder. He looks down and over to a modern day Fionna standing beside him. He looks ahead, frowning.
Casey: So that’s what family really means.
Fionna: Even though we were about to be separated, you made sure to spend as much time with us all as possible. One last happy memory.
Casey: It’s a shame then. That we forgot about it. That I did. Maybe if I remembered what I was really fighting for, none of this would have happened.
Fionna lowers her hand from his shoulder and looks at him.
Fionna: I don’t blame you, Casey. But this has to end.
Deep Voice: This ends… with the world being ours!
Fionna and Casey turn around and see a dark, twisted version of Casey standing behind them with red, searing eyes.
Casey: You’re me… No, you look like me but your voice… that isn’t my voice!
The entity laughs and raises its hands.
Dark Casey: It doesn’t matter. I was you once… at the beginning of all this. Our goals were aligned, it was like fate. You wanted to unite these power entities together, to rid the world of humanity and bring forth a new era for this backwater planet. I merely pushed your agenda, gave it more… depth and perspective.
Fionna: Who are you?
Dark Casey: You are a speck. A powerful speck but a speck, nonetheless. You have no right to bear my name. It is only coincidentally that this meeting even takes place. But I am grateful. Because now I have the chance to finish this myself. End this Casey, end this world and be united with your family. You know that if you don’t, the consequences of your actions will catch up with you. The world will turn against you all, you’ll have nobody to support you, and when the time comes, you won’t be spared from the true pain and suffering to come.
Casey: That might be true, yeah. I’ve done some bad things. And the world will continue to have those chasing us down, hunting us, turning us against each other. But I refuse to be like them. To wipe out a whole species for my own personal gain? To pit our brothers and sisters and their friends against each other?! You might have been using my words, reading my thoughts, but you don’t know a single thing about being a family!
The dark version of Casey roars out deeply and comes for them both. Fionna then reaches out and Casey takes her hand. The two hold their hands up together and fire a concentrated beam, combining both their powers together; water and fire. The beam hits the dark creature and slowly destroys it. The view pans over, past the beam, transitioning them back into reality where a new kind of energy overtakes the beam surrounding them, energy that they’re putting out together now. With that the atmosphere reseals itself and the clouds start to dissipate around the globe. The storm is no more and the energy beam dies down. Fionna nearly falls down the volcano opening but something stops her. She looks up and sees Casey, still holding her hand. He pulls her up and onto the side.
Fionna: You saved me.
Casey: Same here.
They smile at each other before taking a moment to catch their energy. The view then shows a shot of the volcano before transitioning to the beach below, later on, it seems that they’re all talking as a group now.
Vigilante: So you’ll be returning back to your own countries?
Victor: It’s probably for the best.
Ciel: We do have lives over there, after all.
Lyn: Yeah, I have school to finish.
Luke: You better finish it. Maybe I should go to this London place to keep an eye on you.
Ciel: Luke… that wasn’t part of the deal.
Luke: I know, I know. It’s just… ugh… I’m not exactly a model citizen where I come from.
Caliber: Yeah, I mean- I feel like we should be doing something about that.
Zara: We’re vigilantes, aren’t we? The law is out of our hands.
Vigilante: There’s still justice.
Luke: I know. I will turn myself in. But only if they stop milking me like a cow! I am hungry every day!
Zack: Well your body requires a constant state of energy. Not unlike us but just, well, actual physical energy. The only problem is if you give in to that hunger, you could end up poisoning those around you.
Luke: Da. I see. If I want to have a family by my side, I have to keep myself under control. Even if it means starving myself…
Victor: You’re the oldest one here, Luke. I’m sure if anyone can figure it out, it’s you.
Luke: Aww, you guys… you are too much. How is that one day you have nothing, the next, you have a family again?
Fionna: Sometimes it just works out that way. You just have to… keep an open mind.
Leviathan: And what about Casey? You did nearly try to flood an entire city.
Casey: I know. I know I must pay for my actions. I was angry. I wasn’t thinking straight. And then you foiled my plans, I found something… a source of power, I thought. I heard it calling to me. But it only ended up tainting my mind. I thought I had a mission but those weren’t my thoughts. That wasn’t the true me. But even so, that’s no excuse for what I’ve done. If you want to call your containment police, go ahead. I am willingly surrendering myself to you, Helpers.
Defender: Before we do, I think we should hear Fionna’s thoughts of this.
Leviathan: He is a criminal.
Defender: But he’s her brother. And this isn’t exactly a normal situation for us.
Caliber: Since when is anything we do normal?
Fionna: I know there’s a part of you that still wants to help. To be a part of this family again.
Caliber: There is. But I know that’s true. After everything I’ve done, I know I’ll never be a part of this family ever again.
Victor: That’s… That’s true!
Caliber: Huh?
Victor: Like you said, you weren’t thinking straight. You just wanted the best for us! Sure you made me do things I didn’t want to do, hurt our family, made me… very violent… but I know you cared. I think I can forgive you… if you really make things right.
Ciel nods.
Luke: You have a lot of guts pulling stunts like that. But again, I know what it's like to be a prisoner. To be out of control of your actions. To do things you never thought you’d do. I won’t blame you, brother, but you… (sigh) we both have some making up to do. Maybe then, we will get our forgiveness.
Lyn crosses her arms.
Lyn: Yeah, well, it’s not happenin’! I mean, not right away anyways. You’re a real bloke for getting your mind twisted up all like that, y’know? I’m supposed to be looking up to you but here you go making mistake after mistake. That being said, you’re still part of this family. You’re still my brother. I can’t… deny that. But the pain you made me feel, that won’t go away. I need some time.
Casey: The fact that you’re even considering it, giving me another chance, that’s more than enough.
He looks down thoughtfully before turning to the Helpers.
Casey: If I may! I have a suggestion. I still intend to turn myself in but I doubt they’ll let me go, especially not anytime soon. That’s why, I would like a small period of time to be with my family. I want to help them. I want to make up for what I’ve done. And I… I want to see the world this time around. I want to see what humanity has to offer. Maybe if I do… I can finally forgive myself for what I’ve done…
Defender thinks about it before turning to the others.
Leviathan: (sigh) You’re really considering this?
Vigilante: It’ll help. And that’s what we do, right?
Velocity: We help those who need it, no matter who they are.
Leviathan: Well, someone has to keep an eye on him. Sorry, but we can’t take your word on this.
Fionna: And we won’t have to.
Fionna reaches for the device on her chest and removes it. She hands it over to Casey.
Casey: What’s this?
Fionna: A tracking device. It’s modified so it works across countries, I think.
Casey: So that’s how you did it. Clever. With this, I’m sure you’ll be able to know where I am at any time. But like I said, I only want to help my family so that’s where I’ll be. By their side.
Defender: Alright then. We’ll give you a lift, drop you off where you were. But once you’re there, that’s it. I doubt we’ll be able to come back without getting noticed.
Ciel: It’s fine. We’ll have each other.
Victor: If we’re a part, at least we know they’re still out there.
Luke: And that we’re a part of something bigger than just ourselves.
Lyn: That’s what a family is, right? Working together. Helping each other.
Fionna looks over from her to her friends. The Helpers stand together, looking ahead at the Ementos siblings.
Fionna: Yeah. It sure is.
Defender: Alright, let’s head back. We’re done here, guys.
Everyone starts to make their way to the Jumpjet. Casey stops Fionna.
Casey: This is probably going to be the last time we see each other.
Fionna: Most likely, yeah.
Casey: Again, I’m sorry. For everything. I’m glad though, that you were the one who was able to save me. And not just the way I did it. But properly, actually save me.
Fionna: I had to. You’re my brother, after all. Even though I barely knew you before, I just… felt this bond between us. That responsibility. I don’t know if it was guilt or maybe just longing but that was before. When I reached out to you, that was purely me wanting you to be okay.
Casey: And I appreciate that. But I’ve seen your mind too. While I’m happy that you weren’t alone for long as a child, it pains me knowing that you lost the family you grew up with. I know it won’t be long but maybe with the time that I have left, I can start something new. A place where Mutants can grow, live together as a community. A new Secret City, in your honor.
Fionna: I’d… I’d like that. I’d like that very much.
They look at each other before embracing for a hug. Fionna smiles but looks as though she’s about to cry as her eyes water.
Casey: You’re crying.
Fionna: I’m about to… How can you tell?
Casey: I felt water. Running down freely- no longer held back by the tides.
Fionna: That… that’s not how I feel at all.
Casey: I know.
Casey’s grip tightens. The view pans over to show tears running down his face.
Casey: I guess I was wrong about that too.
Fionna holds him in a comforting gesture; a singular tear dropping from her eyes now. Leviathan watches this from the Jumpjet entrance. A stern look on his face before turning away, askance. The scene then transitions back to the city, much later on in the day.
|
Several police officers can be seen working together to help clear the roads of debris. One of them being Officer Wilson.
Officer Wilson: I know it’s tough work but we’ve got more roads to clear, come on!
Voice: Dad!
Wilson turns and sees his daughter, Kate, approaching. He walks over and holds her tight.
Officer Wilson: You alright, Sweetheart?
Kate: I’m fine, I’m fine. I followed the procedures for earthquakes. Though, something tells me we needed more than that.
Officer Wilson: Right. It was pretty bad. That storm thing, whatever it was, hurt a lot of people and we’ve got so much damage out here. Me and the boys in blue have been put to work overtime because apparently those MCA agents think they’re too good to get their hands dirty!
Kate: Dad…
Officer Wilson: Sorry. Lot of pent up aggression today. You sure you’re alright? You haven’t come around to talk to me in a hot minute.
Kate: Yeah, I just… I was worried that’s all.
Officer Wilson: Your old man is made out of tougher stuff, Kate. Anyways, you should probably clear out, it’s not safe out here. We’ll talk when I get home.
Kate: Alright. Be careful.
Officer Wilson: Yeah, you too. (turning to another officer) Alright, we want to move the barricades more towards the sidewalks. People are coming in too close from the sidelines, you hear?
Kate watches her father work for a moment longer before turning her attention to an alleyway. She approaches it with reluctance but steps inside anyways. The Vigilante looks down at her from the fire escape.
Vigilante: You came.
She stops, slightly startled. She turns around and looks up to face him.
Kate: Yeah, I didn’t think you would.
Vigilante: A storm hit the city. I wasn’t there. I thought… maybe… you would want to talk about it, or something.
Kate: You… were right. I mean, that’s how we did things before, right?
Vigilante: Right. Before…
Kate: Sorry. I didn’t come to make things awkward. We’re friends, we shouldn’t- beat around the bush.
Vigilante: I’m not beating anything right now.
Kate: I mean, we shouldn’t keep things from each other. About how we feel.
Vigilante: So how are you feeling then?
Kate: I’ll be honest. I was scared. I had never seen anything like that before. And that’s coming from the girl who witnessed an entire alien and Mutant invasion within a year or two from each other.
Vigilante: Sorry.
Kate: That was connected to you, wasn’t it? Something you were dealing with.
Vigilante: Are you asking as a friend… or as a reporter?
Kate: Friend. I told you I don’t want to get involved in your escapades anymore.
Vigilante: Then yes. And I got her back. My friend.
Kate: I’m glad. Really. I was thinking about it and I realized it’s not as easy for you. In fact, it’s not easy in general. Making true friends that really understand you, who are there for you. Keep them close, Drake.
Vigilante: I always do. (stands up) But we should talk more.
Kate: Why? You miss me?
Vigilante, dropping down from the fire escape: So I can keep you close.
Kate: I have someone now; someone looking after me.
Vigilante: I meant as a friend.
Kate: Alright. Let’s make up for lost time. When can I see you?
Vigilante: The storm affected a lot of places, a lot of countries.
Kate: A lot of countries?
Vigilante: I mean… a lot of the country.
Kate: I’m not even going to ask. But go on.
Vigilante: The others just want to check around, make sure things are okay for their homes. It’s only fair but I might not be here for a while.
Kate: So I’ll see you afterwards then?
Vigilante: …No. No, let’s- let’s do something with the time we have.
Kate: That sounds different for you. Maybe we really do need to catch up.
Vigilante: I just… got that from a friend.
Kate: Maybe ditch the hood and we'll go for a walk?
Vigilante: The hood stays on.
Kate: Then I guess you’re not getting pizza with me.
The Vigilante thinks about this before sighing. He takes the hood off and lowers his goggles.
Drake: Fine. But I won’t keep that up.
Kate: Sure, sure.
The two of them walk down the alleyway together, conversing, as the view raises up to the city skyline.
Credits
The scene continues in the reaches of space. There is nothing else but the distant stars as the view pans towards the right slowly. A deep voice soon resonates, similar to the one in Casey’s mind.
Deep Voice: The mission had failed… again. That world, that planet… is still occupied by lesser life-forms. Though, it wasn’t a complete failure. Now that I have been awakened… Now that the world has been opened to me… it seems that if I want to make sure that this world is ready…
A dark large figure starts to enter the view.
Deep Voice: I shall have to do it myself.
The scene then cuts to darkness.
Elsewhere, at a later point in time, Zach is seen working in the tower’s laboratory. It seems that the place had been cleaned up a bit since the attack. Zack’s equipment is restored and is taking up a lot of the space. However, there are some tags on some of the machinery labeled ‘Move’. He soon gets up from his seat to get some tools. However, the view pans down to the object that he was working on beforehand. What appears to be a robotic head, laying in the seat, similar to the build of Beta and Charlie. The eyes flicker on momentarily, switching from orange to green then to red before deactivating. The scene slowly darkens, somewhat ominously.
When Worlds Collide.
Premiering April 10th.
Noteworthy Events[]
Major Events[]
- Fionna forcefully betrays the Helpers, shattering the trust of the team
- The Ementos family is cured of Advanced Cytoxin exposure and returned to their home countries
- The Helpers save the world from a deadly storm
- Zach continues his work on machinery from Isle Xenon
Character Debuts[]
- Luke Ementos
Minor Events[]
- The Ementos Family unleashed a powerful energy that attracted a mysterious figure to Earth
- Fionna and Casey face and expel the dark entity within him
- Drake and Kate try to rekindle their friendship
- The storm has affected many countries including several states in the United States
Characters[]
- Drake
- The Helpers
- Zack Martinez
- Kate Wilson
- Ryan Wilson
- Kelly McGonagle (First Appearance)
- Gogol Protov (First Appearance)
- Reactor Guards (First Appearance)
- Citizens
Villains[]
- Casey Ementos (formerly)
- Victor Ementos (formerly)
- Ciel Ementos (formerly)
- Lyn Ementos (formerly)
- Luka Chugunov/Luke Ementos (First Appearance) (formerly)
- Dark Casey (First Appearance) (Destroyed)
Forms Used[]
- Sonar Scales (x3)
- Stone Slicer
- Electro-Icer (x3)
- Neuro-Web
- Stealth Wings
Allusions[]
- Luke’s adoptive surname, Chugunov, means cast-iron. A reference to his iron container.
- The male scientist’s name, Kelly McGonagle, is a reference to voice actor Richard McGonagle.
- As Casey and the other Ementos siblings combine their powers for the first time, Casey announces, “let our powers… combine.” A direct reference to Captain Planet and the Planeteers.
- The order they combine their powers in, starts off similarly as well.
- When Casey mockingly asks how Elias’ recovery is, Caliber responds with “Wouldn’t you like to know, weather boy.” A reference to the viral news skit in 2017.
Trivia[]
- This episode was originally going to be called (Family) Reunion.
- However, that is similar to an episode of Brandon 10 so it was changed to something else.
- Some details were changed in this episode to avoid reflecting or relating to current events. However, the script for this episode was written last year and was meant to be aired last year, for clarification. And while the desire to get this story told and also remain true the work(s) this is inspired by is strong, after doing research, the influence behind them felt a bit insensitive at the moment writing this, so the setting and other details in the beginning scene (after the title sequence) were changed.
- As of this episode, the previous episodes in this season will be retconned to being set in March rather than April for a later convenience.
- When Elias gets badly burnt by Fionna, he was initially supposed to protect Adam as he has no special abilities. And while it did technically appear in the final version of the episode, Danny’s feet would have also gotten burned, not allowing him to run for a while.
- Fionna was also meant to grab a tracking device that Zack just had one him before going out to meet Casey, which would have been revealed at the same time as the reveal in the final version, rather than reconfiguring the amplification device into an actual tracking device. However, the purpose and intent remain the same so it’s only a minor detail changed.
- Originally, all of the siblings were supposed to combine their wills to counteract the effects of the storm, which makes sense since it was all of their energies that created it in the first place. However, the Writer believed that it would dampen the emotional impact and that a confrontation between Fionna and her brother would work out better.
- Also, the encounter with Dark Casey was not originally in the script but acted as a tie-in for a leftover story element. It also paralleled the battle between Miss Martian and Simon in Young Justice, though this was not intended.
- Despite this being only the mid-season finale, this episode (especially more towards the end with the battle battles) felt more like a season finale especially with how it was written.
- The Smart Swim and the Fire Fists were planned on being used in this episode by Drake against Casey on the island but those scenes were cut from the episode.
- A part of Casey's final conversation with Fionna was inspired by a scene from Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood.
- Ryan Wilson wasn't planned on making an appearance in this episode. In fact, the episode may have ended on the island with Casey and Fionna's conversation. But the Writer believed that the final scene with Drake, Kate and Ryan would help establish the status quo moving forward.
- This is the first episode of Mutant Drake to have two post-credit scenes.