Fear
"Missile guided Frostbite, huh?" I gestured to Frost as the company of us, Heatstroke, Nightshade, Beacon, Charlie, Merit, and finally Jack slowly climbed the stairs of the daycare we were in. After Frost had thrown that ice-dagger and hit one of the raiders, we were sure that Archie had to be nearby. There was only two of them, and Jack told us Archie was the only one with any kind of power, and pretty basic at that. Surely they didn't stand a chance, but we weren't going to risk anything. "Wait up guys, I'll check this room first." Frost said."Careful in there, we still don't know where they are." I mentioned to Frost as the anthro tiger entered the room slowly, ears twitching, listening for any movement."Clear." Frost said somewhat confidently as the rest of us entered. Jack had been trailing us rather slowly. Frostbite and I just assumed he didn't want to face that jerk Archie again. We had gotten to know Jack pretty well so far. That shy Altered rabbit was always trying to get on our good sides. He'd done a good job of it too. Charlie and Merit seemed to warm up to him quick. Frost imagined him as a brother almost, which I always found slightly strange. I was still suspicious but tried to hide it. He seemed to me to be one of those "innocent looking, stab you in the spine" people. However, he was nice so far, so whatever suspicious thoughts I had were quickly dismissed.By now, everyone had gathered into the upstairs room, which seemed to be an office room. No one was quite sure why there were offices upstairs from a daycare, but there were bigger problems, so we didn't question it."Damn, he's not here." I spoke loud enough for everyone to hear me. "But he has to be!" Jack broke in. "There's no way for him to get out. See? Only one staircase and no windows.""You're right, Jack. Archie! Get out here, we just want to talk, no one needs to get hurt." Frost threatened."The only one that'll get hurt is you." An almost booming voice was heard coming from some unknown location. I tried my best to place it, but it seemed to come from five places at once."Archie, we don't need to do this here, the Corrupted are our biggest problem, not fighting amongst ourselves." I reasoned, or at least attempted to."Corrupted? So that's what you call that filth out there. Cute." I still couldn't place the sound. Archie must've been using whatever power he had to throw his voice."So was it you, or your frosty boyfriend over there that lodged that icy spike into Daniel's leg?" The now booming voice asked. "Boyfriend?! Okay Arch, now you're really gonna get hurt." Frost growled at nothing, simultaneously causing the atmosphere surrounding him to turn to snow. "Hah, so it was you." Archie's voice was more calm now, which only made it harder to track. I knew that there were only five places it could have come from. I prepared a fiery ball of pure dark energy, which I hid as best I could."Wanna see...well, hear a cool trick I learned?" Archie's voice was deeper and more sinister now. This probably wasn't going to end well. After about a minute of silence Frost cried out in pain, along with Beacon, Heatstroke, and Nightshade. All three of the alternates quickly dissipated, probably back into Frost's mind I thought. "Frost!" I called, not affected by anything and couldn't figure out what was wrong."Heh, you see? I told you it was cool, turns out, everyone has their own unbearable sound. Your friend there currently has hundreds of sound units blaring at just the right frequency in his mind. It won't stop unless I want it to, either." The voice boomed."Unless you want it to, huh?" I asked. "Well lets just test that theory." I released the energy I had stored up, causing thick black flames to coat the five areas I had
marked."AHH!! Shit!" I quickly heard from one of the locations. Frost had started to recover slowly, so it seemed the sound stopped. I ran over to the place I heard the scream from, and quickly found the burnt orange fox scrambling to pat out the fires that danced around him. I grabbed Archie and generated a small dark tanto blade, holding it to the fox's throat."Open that mouth of yours again and I'll open that throat of yours for you." I forcefully told Archie. I dragged Archie to the group and held him there, almost as displaying a prize. "So where's this Daniel I heard about then?""He ran. You won't find him." Archie spoke softly trying not to anger the husky holding him hostage. "And this is no way to treat someone!" He complained, being rewarded with a violent shake from my arm."Really?" Came another voice from behind the group. Everyone parted to see Beacon standing behind the group, carrying what looked to be a bear on his shoulder. Beacon put the bear on the floor gently. Frost and I could clearly see that it was another Altered, and had a deep wound on his leg, which Beacon took the liberty to heal. He was unconscious, but shortly woke after Beacon fixed him up. He immediately freaked and back into a wall. I looked over at Frost who was just staring at Archie, as if debating whether or not to do something."So, what do we do now?" Charlie asked awkwardly. The bear, Daniel, if I had to guess, was starting to hyperventilate. I dropped Archie to deal with the anthro bear when Archie began to float, then was slammed into a nearby wall.Ice cuffs appeared on his ankles and wrists, and then one on his throat that slowly moved up, choking the fox."Dude! I'm sorry! Please, let me go!" Archie wailed. He continued to squeal "I'm sorry!" rapidly as the cuff moved further up the wall.Time seemed to slow. I looked at Frost and noticed that his fur began to darken. I knew from what he's told me about his fursona what was happening."Heatstroke, let him go." The cuff stopped moving and Archie breathed deeply.The now grey furred tiger glared at me. "You know that my name is Frostbite.""I also know that Frostbite isn't this volatile normally. I'm not asking, Heatstroke. Let him go." I demanded. The cuff around Archie's neck dissipated, and he gasped for a couple breaths before passing out. The tiger dissipated and reformed into two figures, that of Frostbite and Heatstroke. Then Frost looked at Heatstroke and punched him in the snout. Hard."What the hell was that for?" Heatstroke asked from his spot, crouched on the
ground, rubbing the side of his snout."I hate it when my alternates take control of my body, unauthorized." Frost snapped. This is the angriest I've ever seen him."Frost, what the hell?" I yelled. He just looked at me with a pained look in his eyes and dissipated into water vapour."As usual, uses anger to hide his depression." Nightshade muttered. Everyone looked at him. "What?""How did you know he was depressed?" I asked."You don't live through your parents getting killed in front of you without learning something." Nightshade explained with a grim tone of voice. "Yeah, I think he's depressed. I watched a band of thieves kill my parents in my home dimension. I, too, was depressed.""How'd you handle it?" I pressed."I killed the entire thief organization. Wasn't easy, wasn't hard. My dimension is one that revolves around crime. Everyone successful is a mob boss or something. Anyway, I
killed everyone, stealing their stuff right before their eyes and torturing the leader until he begged for mercy and apologized. I slit his throat. I gained my powers through that. My thieving skills are really something to behold." He held up a dark, black flame. Confused, I tried to summon a flame. Nothing. He smirked."You guessed it, I can pickpocket powers. Only temporarily, however." He gave the flame back by dissipating it. The flame erupted to life in my paw. "Frost killed his own parents, so I don't think he can get the same satisfaction through killing others.""Don't say that so nonchalantly, it's not like it was an easy choice for him." I told Nightshade."I know. I was there." Nightshade challenged back. "Or at least it felt like it. The moment someone's alternate from another dimension enter's their dimension, all their memories combine.""So what do you think Frostbite will do?" Jack asked. Nightshade avoided eye contact."Oh shit..." Beacon muttered. He flashed out in a flash of light, presumably to look for Frost.I looked at the dark furred wolf. "Are you saying that Frostbite-""I'm not saying anything." Nightshade interrupted. "According to his memories, there's nothing more appalling to Frost than
suicide."[INTERMISSION]"Frostbite?" I heard Beacon call from the other side of the room. I didn't move. I had just recently been crying, and I was balled up in a corner of the daycare's lobby. I moved the furniture so no one could find me.[RETURN TO KOYU]"Damnit Frost, we just got a hold of that Archie kid, we don't have time for this!" I yelled just soft enough as to not attract Corrupted. I knew what was happening. Frost never acted this way. Yeah, killing his parents might have been bad, but hell, I did it, and I know Frost, even if he was sad about it he wouldn't show it. No, this must've been Widowwing, Frost's childish personality. Seeing as how all of his other alternates were showing up. The hell am I supposed to reason with Widowwing, I couldn't even get my own 5 year old cousin to watch anything other than Dora. I thought to myself. "Hey Beacon, you think you could pull Widowwing out of Frost's head if we found him?""I could talk to Widowwing's consciousness directly. Frostbite would hear it, and just because Frostbite's acting like this doesn't mean it's Widowwing. Frostbite is naturally like this sometimes, he's just really good at hiding it. Killing his parents must've broken him." Beacon explained."Like in half?" I stupidly asked."No, you imbecile." Beacon blurted. "I was going to see if I could find Frost using Widowwing's faults.""Which are what?" I asked, slightly annoyed that my joke went right over Beacon's head.Beacon explained, "Widowwing is a scaredy cat, or chipmunk, rather, and has all of Frostbite's fears except ten times worse. The only reason Widowwing isn't scared of insects or arachnids anymore is because he controls them."If Widowwing is in this dimension, and is in Frostbite's body, then we should be able to scare them out using an illusion of one of Widowwing's fears. Sadly, we need Abstract for that." Beacon finished.As if on cue, I heard a commotion outside. I checked the window to see Frostbite, or at least I'm pretty sure it's him, standing in the street, crying. I watched with curiosity as he generated a frost knife and held it to his neck. I rushed outside and begged him not to do it. He did it. His rolled down the hill as his body went limp. I then heard snickering coming from the nearby alley."Who's there?" I demanded. The giggling stopped, but I kept looking. I saw a slight distortion in the air and used a burst of speed to suddenly pin the entity to a wall. The distortion gained color and form until a white anthro skunk was standing in front of me with a horrified look in his eyes. He had rainbow skunk stripes and his eyes were kaleidoscope patterns that were swaying around with no rhyme or reason. His zip-up hoodie matched the rest of him, and was covered and rainbow abstract art. I had no doubt as to who this was. "I do believe I've just caught an Abstract." I said with a smile."That you did." Abstract confirmed. "I'm sorry about the illusion, please don't hurt me!""Classic Abstract. Always quick to apologize." I heard Beacon's voice say behind me. "It's actually amazing timing that you chose to come. We need your help."I released my death grip on the skunk and motioned for him to follow. We were about to head to the daycare when the middle of the street erupted into a patch of napalm about two meters in diameter. Another anthro showed up in the flames as they dispersed. It was an Arcanine from the looks of it, and he looked really hyper. Now just who is this joker? I thought. He padded over to us and greeted Beacon."Hey Beacon, how's it going? Is that Abstract? Nice to see you two!" He rapidly spat. I heard a faint rustling sound come from his direction. The sound was vaguely familiar from when Meritt was walking around the daycare."Are you wearing a-" I started."A what?" He cut me off."Nothing." I lied. I already got my answer. I could've sworn I saw the cross pendant around Beacon's neck begin to glow, but I dismissed it. I saw the waistband of the diaper that the Arcanine was obviously wearing. Where have I heard about this guy from? I think Frost told me about his Pokesona, and I'm pretty sure he told me that it was an anthro Arcanine that lived in the same dimension as his intelligent side, Mecha. I don't remember his name though.I was starting to get uncomfortable with the anthropomorphic Pokemon studying me suspiciously, but Beacon cut in. "Arcine. How nice of you to join us. Where's Mecha?"Then I remembered his name. It's Arcine Calline, Frost's Pokemon fursona who got his furry side from a freak virtual reality incident. "I actually don't know where Mecha is. He should be here." Arcine said. He flipped his right hand downwards and a very video game like menu popped up. After managing to read the buttons backwards, I saw that him select a "Friend's List" and selected a "Mecha Cyberness" to call via this HUD."Mecha,
where are you?" Arcine complained when a rabbit anthro's face appeared in a video chat type window."Where are you?" Mecha shot back. "I'm in Frostbite's dimension.""So am I, derp face." Arcine spat. "I'm asking where in Frostbite's dimension.""I don't know." Mecha said."Hmm..." Arcine pondered for a moment before seeming to notice me for the first time. "Hey you.""Huh?" I stupidly replied."Think you could help?" Arcine said, motioning to the screen. I looked and noticed a very popular tower."Simple. Mecha's in France." I concluded, noting to Eiffel Tower in the background."Where's France?" Arcine asked. I sighed, not wanting to explain the geography of the world at the moment."Mecha, just go to that tower in the background." I said, pointing until he saw it. "I'll see if I can find a way to get you over here. Until then, I have business to attend to over here.""Which reminds me," Beacon started, "Who's watching Archie?"My eyes widened. I actually didn't know. "Um..." I started.[ANOTHER INTERMISSION]"Hey, Shady." Archie said. I turned to him."It's Nightshade. What do you want?" I said with no interest showing in my tone.Archie struggled against the cuffs. "Could you let me out of these?""I actually cannot." I answered. "You'll have to wait until Frostbite gets back.""But I have to use the bathroom!" Archie protested."That won't change the fact I can't do anything about it.""Oh come on!""Sorry." I walked over to him and lowered my voice. "But I advise you hold it." I said with a wicked grin.[BACK TO KOYU...AGAIN]"So what do I do until we get me over there?" Mecha asked."You can try recruiting some Altered over there,
given that they speak english-" I started."I can speak every language. I have supercomputer capabilities." Mecha interrupted."Well fine, Mr. Energizer Bunny. Just do that if you want and try not to die." I press the "end call" button before he could say anything else. "Come on, colorful skunk. We have a furry to scare." I demanded, getting a bit ticked off at all this nonsense. All three of Frost's fursonas lowered their heads in defeat and followed me inside. Once inside, Abstract conjured up an illusion of crawling shadows. These fake shadows crept along the walls, covering the room in darkness. I heard a soft crying come from a corner of the room, and looked to find Frost and Widowwing in the corner."Oh, hey Koyu. I guess you scared Widowwing right out of me." Frost commented. He stood up, picking up Widowwing and giving him to Beacon. "My childish side is such a wimp sometimes." He complained."Oh sh-shut up." Widowwing stuttered. He was a pitch black chipmunk with iridescent turquoise eyes and a blood red black widow mark glowing through the jacket on his back. He had giant insect wings growing out his back and had four arms.Frost sighed. "And you say that while crying." He rolled his eyes."Widowwing? You okay?" A voice said that seemed to come from both nowhere and everywhere at the same time. Everyone jumped at the sound."For the love of all, Gale. Don't do that." Frost warned. Strips of air thickened and swirled, gaining opacity as they turned white. The funneled into an invisible mold in the shape of a feline figure. It gained color and shape and turned into what I could only think was Gale. It was a snow leopard whose spots were currently glowing white, but turned black as the wind stopped."Galestrom Force at your service." The leopard introduced, bowing in a mocking manner.Frost raised an eyebrow. "Kiss up." He remarked. He took Widowwing from Beacon and gave him to Gale. "I'm glad you showed up, since you're the only one who can seem to calm down Widowwing.""Well gee, I'm glad that you're glad to meet me in person." He replied sarcastically."Just go. I have a nuisance to deal with." Frost mumbled. He barged over to the stairs and dissipated. Probably to where Archie was.[WOW I'VE LOST COUNT OF THESE INTERMISSIONS]I reappeared in my invisible form beside Nightshade. "Shade." I hissed.Yes? The wolf projected mentally. He didn't even hint that he heard me.I relayed my plan. You can generate fear, Abstract can make the impossibly appear to be possible, Widowwing can control age. Catch on yet?Not really.Well, my thoughts are that you, me, Abstract, and Widowwing teach this psycho a lesson or two. I explained..Nightshade sighed. He did try to kill us. Why should we let him live?I'm not a murderer, Nightshade.Fine. When do we start? Three hours passed. I saw Archie grow uncomfortable with his growing pressure in...private places. I took the liberty of gaining opacity."Hey you! Frosty! Let me down!" Archie pleaded.I growled. "Well I don't wanna and you don't deserve it." A pair of giant insect wings emerged from my back as Widowwing's consciousness entered my mind. Abstract's joined and a pair of rainbow skunk stripes ran from my nose down my spine. My tail turned to a skunk tail with the stripes of my tiger one still there. Nightshade then dissipated in a cloud of black smoke and reformed in my mind. Rather, his consciousness did. Archie witnessed this and struggled to try to back away. Sadly, the wall had other plans. Abstract. Illusion of exhaustion.Roger. Abstract confirmed.Actually, my name is Frostbite.Oh shut up. I know that. Archie slowly nodded off.Switching to Archie's point of view. Nightshade announced.Let's scare the pee out of him. Widowwing giggled.Nightshade added. That's actually a possibility.Then lets do that. I added. This guy needs to be
taught a lesson, after all. Watching Archie's vision, or what he would see if he were awake, we put up illusionary smoke to get the desired effect. The white fog enveloped everything, leaving nothing but an opaque nothingness for the fox kit, or soon to be kit, to see.The vulpine youth's eyes shot open. "Wh-what is this?" He asked. He got no response.Should I send in a spider? It's one of his fears. Widowwing requested.I smirked. Sure. But don't let them hurt him. We want fear, not injury. A spider the size of a Frisbee emerged from the fog into Archie's field of vision. Archie began to struggle."What the hell is that?!" Archie yelled.You know what to do, Abstract. I prompted. I then talked through the spider. "You better watch your language, kit." The spider was right beside Archie. Archie was squirming, crying, screaming. I almost felt sorry for him. Almost. Widowwing chose now to begin to regress Archie. Archie's approximate age appeared in my field of vision. It went from 18 and slowly decreased at increments of one month per five seconds. Widowwing, speed it up by five years. The age indicator raced to 12 years and 10 months."What's going on?!" Archie exclaimed, dropping from the cuffs because of the decrease in the circumference of his wrists. I also dissipated the cuffs, but still. Archie's voice was also higher, and he was too terrified to move. The spider scuttled away, and the smell of urine entered my nose.Well there goes his bladder. I commented, holding my nose. The age indicator quickly dropped to seven years old. Widow, stop at four and a half years.Got it. The chipmunk responded. The indicator ticked instantly to four years and six months. Archie wasn't even crying anymore, just whimpering. The fog slowly dissipated and I dismissed Nightshade, Widowwing and Abstract. I got up from my spot on the floor and walked over to the fox...