Jane sits in silence, steadying herself as Lance takes a sharp turn.
Tim leans against a container and watches her, waiting for something, anything. But even without a reaction, he has to admit, a weight’s been lifted off of his shoulders.
The two of them steady themselves as Lance takes another sharp turn, and Tim sighs, "It's the middle of the afternoon, you’re going to get pulled over, man.”
“Sorry, but time is of the essence.”
Tim rolls his eyes, “Elaborate please.”
“Ray is going to attack the San Onofre Nuclear Plant to absorb its power.”
“The titties?”
“What?”
“Everyone calls it that.” Tim explains. “The two big domes right? Lance that’s more than an hour away.”
“Which is why I haven’t pulled over to let Jane out.”
Jane continues to sit quietly, looking between the two boys as they do their back and forth.
Tim chews on his cheek, “Jane, we need to pull over and drop you off ok? I have to go and—”
“You’re serious?” Jane cuts him off. “Because this is insane Tim, you know that right? This sort of thing isn’t... real. This isn’t some chunibyo shit you’re getting into with him?” She narrows her eyes at Lance.
Tim takes Creature out of his pocket and presents him to Jane, then bounces him on the floor. Jane flinches as he ricochets around, then unfolds on his back.
Jane blinks and looks at Tim, him holding a finger, then transforming into a compsagnathus. He walks in a circle a few times, then turns back.
“What the fuck.” Jane holds her head.
Well, Tim should’ve expected that. He hadn’t considered at all that other people wouldn’t be able to take the world very becoming much, much stranger in stride like he did. Sure Jane indulges in escapism, but she’s always been more grounded than him.
“Sorry, I’m already used to it.”
“You just turned into a dinosaur.”
“Yeah...”
“Tim, you just turned into a dinosaur.”
“Y-yeah.”
Jane sits quiet for another few seconds, then snorts and bursts out laughing.
“What? Are you ok? Did your psyche just break?”
“You, of all people, get dinosaur powers? Pfffhaha, that’s actually insane. Actual comic book shit. It's like if I got powers if I got some other form with a big special attack, or Rowan getting some dumb internet or phone powers.”
“What science facility is trying to make a fucking... Bonkai? Arch was messing with dinosaur genetics and my hyper fixation is paleontology, it isn’t that—”
“It isn’t that crazy? Are you dumb? You got blown up and fought an emu on a field trip.”
“I will liberate Seymour one day.” He shakes his fist.
Jane snorts, covering her mouth as she laughs, "I' m still mad at you though. Stupid, not telling me.”
“I was going to tell you today!” Tim admits, then tilts his head as he hears a helicopter getting closer.
“If you’re bullet proof why the fuck would I worry about you fighting druggies and cartels?”
“It was about more than that, Jane.”
“I could’ve helped you, not fight, but deal with things.” She frowns. “I’m your best friend, I know how to help you Tim, how to... Talk about things like your family, that paleontologist..."
Tim flinches, takes out the earring and holds it up to the sunlight shining in by Jane. She looks at, then scooches over to him. She holds out her hand, Tim tilts his head at her, and then she reaches up and slowly takes it from his hand.
“I’ll keep it safe for you, it's ok.”
“I can’t—”
“Look, now isn’t really the time, but—”
“Jane, down, PK, the suit.”
Tim quickly pinches his wristband and stands above Jane to shield her.
“What is it?”
“That helicopter has an Arch logo, it's following us.”
“Tsk,” PK hops into the passenger seat. “What do you think they want?”
“With how things may escalate today? I think we should find out.” Lance says as he reaches into a hidden compartment on his dashboard and pulls out his black mask now with goggles embedded into them, and slips it on.
He pulls over in a nearby alleyway, Creature stretches and helps him onto a nearby roof, PK jumping up after. They look up to the helicopter, a ladder unraveling from it towards them, and a familiar figure sliding down it to meet them.
“Yo, nice to see you again.” The guardsman says to PK, fully kitted in that high tech armor. “Having fun with the free trial period on your pet?”
“What do you want?” PK’s lenses narrow at him as he picks up Creature and sets him on his shoulders. Meanwhile his other senses hone in around Jane, hiding in the car.
“No need to be so hostile Prehistoric Kid.” He chuckles. “You’re not in any danger right now, I only brought a gun and sword to this dinosaur fight, you’d wipe the floor with me if I tried anything.”
“We’re in a hurry so can you get on with it?” PK taps his foot.
“Need help cleaning up your mess.” He says as he takes off his helmet, PK frowning at the huge smirk on the shockingly pretty boy type face.
‘I don’t need your help.” PK crosses his arms.
“Oh? So you can get the plant in the 25 minutes or so before Raymond has it drained?”
Tim doesn’t answer.
“You can’t fly, last I checked, but I guess you could barrel through the city as something bigger.” He says sarcastically while rubbing his chin. “I’m sure your noble cause of knocking out the WMD you let loose is worth all the property damage, and—”
“Just shut up.” PK shoulders him as he walks past and leaps onto the mid section of the ladder, then climbs the rest of the way up.
The rotors of the helicopter slice into PK’s super hearing, he’s never had to be this close to something this loud for a prolonged period of time before. Luckily, at this point adjusting his senses is almost second nature, and it's only a few minutes before he’s acclimatized.
Creature on the other hand doesn’t take kindly to the noise at all, this ear puffing out and closing up like ear muffs.
Still the guard tosses both of the boys ear protection, each equipped with a mic, more useful for communicating with everyone else, Tim supposes, and slips them on.
“We’ll be there in about ten minutes, hope you two are comfortable,” The guard says “Call me Phantom by the way.”
“Why?” PK huffs.
“So serious.” Phantom chuckles. “I like you more when you’re making jokes. Isn’t it obvious? To match with the Phantasmaraptor! I like the name.”
“Shouldn’t it be Phantasm then?”
The noise of his fingers snapping into a gun gesture is completely drowned out by the blades and the muffs.
“Gotcha, that’s even better, Phantasm.”
“I was surprised how blatant you were with collecting us, Phantasm.” Lance addresses him.
“And I’m surprised you came, Mr?”
“Digitizer.”
Phantasm laughs, “I really do love the names.”
Digi looks at the man expectantly for a moment before clearing his throat.
“Sorry, I meant it as a question, why were you so blatant? Why not worry about any witnesses, authorities, etc?”
“You’re not the only one who can delete footage Digitizer.” Phantasm shrugs, “gotta admit though, we need a whole team to keep up with you. As for the rest, we have dozens of contingencies in place in case an anomaly escapes from our freaky little basement. We need too, not like we’re any more keen to have Site 51 breathing down our necks than you two are.”
PK and Digi both glance at each other at that.
“Right, you called them ‘House Burners’ hm, didn’t know the name?”
“So... Area 51?”
“Site, they get so up their own asses about that.” Phantasm chuckles.
“Feel like dropping a revelation on anything else Connors mentioned?"
“Hmmm, naaah! Telling you anymore wouldn’t be any fun.” Phantasm smirks.
“I don’t think I like you guy.”
“Aw! PK! That cuts deep!” He places a hand on his chest dramatically. “Breaking the heart of your first fan! How could you?”
PK bounces his leg as the ten minutes seem to stretch into eternity, Lance placing a hand on his shoulder, before taking out a phone from his pocket and typing on it, then handing it to him.
PK rolls his eyes as Phantasm raises his head to try and sneak a peak before he angles it away and reads.
PK erases the message then types his own.
Lance takes the phone and starts typing almost immediately.
“And I thought I typed fast.” PK comments as he watches his friends fingers go at break neck pace.
Tim gives a thumbs up as he hands the phone back once more, seeing the “titties” of the Nuclear Plant come into view.
“Well,” Phantasm slides his helmet and looks to a second helicopter heading towards their destination. “Let's go get our bad guy partner.”
PK grimaces and stands by Phantasm as he opens the door, watching as the Phatasmasaur hops out of the second helicopter and jets towards the building.
Digi holds onto PK’s back, Creature wrapping around them both, and they jump out of the helicopter, PK transforming into a T’Rex before he hits the ground, letting out an irritated rumble as Phantasm lands on his head and gives it a pat.
Tim feels Digi hop off of him as he charges, glancing at his friend tucking and rolling into the landing as the eight tons of theropod quickly makes his way to the door, shrinking to human and continuing to run through it, unfortunately not tripping up Phantasm who lands gracefully and keeps pace behind him.
Emergency alarms blare as they make their way through the facility, suddenly switching off as they get deeper in. PK feels his wrist vibrate, and he answers Lance’s call with a tap.
“From what I can tell the staff for this unit have evacuated, and radiation is still at normal levels throughout the facility despite a massive hole in the airlock.”
“Makes sense if Ray is eating the radiation.” PK says. “By the way, what are the chances Creature and I are radiation proof Digi?”
“Don’t worry about the panda.” Phantasm says, “we put him through all sorts of tests, only thing that can really hurt him is extreme cold, and even more extreme heat.”
“As for you, PK, you’re already slightly more radioactive than the average person, and your body seems to have unique interactions with energy types. You also rapidly grow new cells without any sign of genetic errors forming tumors, I am cautiously optimistic you’ll be safe.”
“I... trust you, but I still don’t like how you put that.”
“I will make sure to, slightly, lie next time then.”
“Appreciated.”
“I’ll be busy, but on coms, nuclear sites have in house machine shops, and I intend to put it to use.”
“Roger roger.” PK answers back as he and Phantasm pass by the ripped to shreds airlock door and into the main chamber.
Dents, slashes and craters already litter the battlefield as the Ray and the Phantasmasaur clash, Ray currently holding the dinosaur by the neck while hovering in the air, a diamond shaped rod in his other hand giving a faint blue glow.
Phantasm collects his pet's flames into his sword and chucks it, PK launching himself after it. As he passes he grabs hold of the weapon and swipes it at Ray’s hand, severing it and letting the Phantasmaraptor drop.
Ray’s hand instantly pops back up and balls into a fist as PK lands against the wall, embedding the sword into it using the weapon to perch on it.
“Already gone traitor huh?” Ray asks as an energy beam lances from his hand, PK dodging it, Creature hopping off and grabbing the sword, tossing it back to Phantasm as Tim dives for Ray.
“You killed six people!” PK yells as he collides with Ray.
They tumble through the air, PK snatching the pylon from Ray’s hand, but he grabs PK’s wrist and twists it, forcing him to drop it. Creature stretches up and grabs it from the air, then pulls himself onto Ray’s shoulders. He bops him in the head over and over with the rod, to no effect.
PK repositions onto Ray’s shoulders as well, grabbing Creature and the pylon, then leaps off and swings it into the side of the murderer's head, to similarly little effect. Creature wraps around Ray’s leg and rubber-bands PK up for an uppercut, hitting him square in the chin. His head goes back, but he’s barely phased, and palms PK down into the power core pool.
“I’m only wanted for six.” Ray smiles and merges his arms together, taking on a vague canon shape as he charges a beam.
PK launches Creature out of the pool as the energy hits the water, evaporating it and slamming into him, pinning him to the ground under the continuous stream of fire. Ever since PK got his powers he’s never struggled in regards to sheer strength, even against other anomalies, but this? Ray was drained regularly at Arch, just how strong is he when he’s fully charged?
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Charged? As PK is being pushed further and further into the ground, he notices that’s exactly how he feels, charged. Or more so, caffeinated, like pounding back an energy drink on an empty stomach, but in a good way.
Is this like how his body reacts to electricity? Is he absorbing the nuclear energy? If he is, it’s not as fast, not as passive as with lightning. Can he absorb it faster? Maybe he can extend his senses too—
The beam stops and Ray rockets down and snatches PK by the throat, looks like he’s going to have to multi-task. He punches Ray so hard it carves a tunnel in the hole they’ve already made, all the while honing his senses onto the energy being. Ray drops him, and PK goes to jump out of the hole, but Ray snatches his throat again, and this time squeezes.
For a split second, Tim isn’t worried, but then his trachea collapses, green blood spurting out and splashing across Ray’s grinning face. He panics as he tries to gasp for a breath, but can’t get one down, and kicks with all his might into Ray’s diaphragm.
The psycho laughs, and Tim feels his flesh start to rip as Ray pulls his hand back, until Creature plops down onto his head. He wraps around Ray, and he loosen his grip enough for PK to rip his hand open and escape.
Ray tries to rip the panda off, but his fingers pass through Creature like he’s liquid. He fires a beam from his eyes, and it blows a hole through the animal, but Creature just blinks and nods upwards to PK. Phantasm was right, he really doesn’t need to worry about the panda, speaking of...
PK keeps his senses on Ray, trying to piece together the nuclear puzzle, but he doesn’t need his senses to figure out what’s happened. Once he’s out of the hole, Phantasm and his pet aren’t anywhere to be seen.
“I was expecting a back stab, not abandonment.” Tim grumbles, and then turns as he feels the wind pressure shift, seeing a streak of yellow fly up and splatter against the ceiling, Creature looking like an ink blot an artist splashed on a canvas.
PK transforms into an Allosaurus right as Ray emerges from the hole, and his tail collides with him. It sends him outside, shrapnel shotgunning along with him across the gassy field. Ray rights himself in the air and shatters the sound barrier and collides with PK’s side. A rib snaps and Tim flies off, but Ray grabs him by the tail and slams him around on the floor like a toddler beating a ragdoll.
Creature falls back onto Ray and forces his way into his mouth, giving PK an opportunity to turn the tables and smash Ray into the ground. He lets out a wave of energy that blasts Creature off of him, but PK charges and forces his way through it, biting onto Ray’s arm. Tim feels something pierce the roof of his mouth, and before he can react, Ray pulls his arm through PK’s teeth, scales and bone, his hand now shaped like a mace.
Tim stumbles back, green blood gushing from the hole and slopping onto his toes and the ground. Ray doesn’t give him a chance to recover, his mace hitting PK in the nose, its spikes burying into his muscle and ripping meat out.
Ray makes his other hand match his mace jabs PK with both, until Creature wraps around one, inflating himself to envelop the weapon completely, making the next blow harmless. He still has his other hand though, makes it bigger, Kirby Dots spilling out of it, and swings.
PK tries to counter, but soon finds himself staring at teeth and gums lying across the floor, an inferno beginning to rage in his chest. He might like a good fight, but the thought of him losing so badly against as big of a piece of shit as Ray? That makes him want to lash out, and this time his life sense isn’t telling him not to.
When Ray next goes to strike, Tim transforms into his T.rex, wounds fully healing, and opens his jaws wide. The snap shut around Ray’s arm, and despite its composition, it explodes from the pressure and evaporates into little black particles. Ray floats back in surprise, PK chasing after him and tilting his head to gets his teeth around his abdomen, and then bites him in half.
“How!? Get the fuck away from me!” Ray yells, clenching his teeth and blasting Creature off his hand.
The panda lands on PK’s snout, his fur standing on end as the Tyrannosaurus charges and roars, Ray screaming back and meeting in kind. Creature barely holds on as they meet, the shockwave tearing the reactor room apart.
PK and Ray slide back, and then Tim pivots and swings his tail, but Ray ducks, flies under PK, and fires a beam from his entire torso. The impact nearly makes Tim throw up, it throws him up from his feet, sends him flying up. Ray doesn't stop either, he keeps laying it on, and as PK rises, Ray grabs his tail, digging his fingers into his hide.
The beam grows in intensity, in power, and PK feels his skin tear, his muscles give, as Ray pulls off his tail. White stars fill his vision as he smashes through the ceiling, going higher and higher into the sky, Creature clinging to his head. He nearly passes out from the pain, instinctually reverting to human, healing, yet the sensation lingers in his mind.
For a split second, he considers running, using this flight as a chance to escape, to not feel pieces get ripped off of him again, but then he finally finds what he’s looking for. He feels the nuclear power in Ray, feels as it makes his way into him, and focuses on making it come faster.
He sees Ray rocket up after him, feels the energy getting closer, and even under the threat of losing limb and bone, he can’t help but grin, until Ray’s fist makes contact.
His bones begin to crack and poke out of his flesh as they detonate from the force. His teeth blow out of his gums as they rupture, cracks move up his skull, his right eye can only see green for a moment, black the next, as it ruptures and pops.
Tim loses consciousness, he isn’t sure for how long, but next thing he knows he’s falling, watching as Ray and Creature wrestle in the air. Ray turns his arms into tendrils as he and Creature try to wrap around each other, Creature trying to get to his face again, but Ray is faster and stronger. He gets ahold of Creature, his energy coating him, stretches him out, and fires him into the horizon.
PK tries to wipe the blood from his vision, but finds it coats the inside of his lenses. He rips them off to let them regrow and zooms in on Creature, seeing him crater somewhere miles away, sending out a plume of dirt, rocks and roots. Right as he sees a little yellow paw reach out from the dust, Ray’s hand wraps around his throat, and holds him up in the air.
“Damn, still with me huh? Thought for sure you died.” Ray huffs. “Fine with me, can get more pay back for you turning on me before I cave your skull in.”
“Psycho!” PK says, digging his fingers into Ray’s arm, the energy seeping into his fingertips.
This idiot wants to take his time? Good.
“Awww, look at him try.” Ray cackles. “Go ahead, keep tryin’, keep clawin’, I don’t mind much. It's weird, that you can hurt me at all, normally takes a special somethin’ to do that. But hey, makes the fight funner, more satisfyin’.”
Almost there, PK doesn’t just feel energized anymore, he feels stronger, he just needs to make sure he’s strong enough to finish this.
“That’s what's satisfying to you huh? Killing people?”
“Ha! That bother you?” Ray rolls his eyes and grins, “To tell you the truth kid, yeah, it did for a while, but then it just became business. Now a fight, a good fight? That’s somethin different, special, ain't nothin more fun than a back and forth that ends with the other guys' brains across the ground.”
“You’re a fucking freak.” Tim plays at kicking him in the stomach, holding back.
“Ha! You’re one to talk! We ain't so different, you gotta be fuckin’ crazy to keep tryin’ to fight me after what I did to you.”
Almost there.
“Hey, still can’t fly kid?” Ray says, “How about I toss you down real hard huh? Figure it won’t kill you, but if I aim just right, well, I might just turn you into that meteor that killed the dinosaurs.”
“Can I get a chance to think of a quip or one liner beforehand?” PK smirks.
“Nah.” Ray grins as his arm rises up.
“Shame.” Tim’s fingers rip through Ray’s arm, leaving it in writhing ribbons as he pulls on the energy.
“You know Ray, we do have something in common,” PK says as he rises above him, bright blue energy twisting out of Ray and into him. “We both find a good fight pretty nuclear.”
PK’s fist ignites in his favorite shade of green, his own Kirby Dots flowing out of him into bright flames. They move, collecting into a swirling ball around his fist, and then he brings it down onto Ray’s stupid face.
The shockwave scatters the clouds for miles, and turns Ray into a glowing missile, exploding into the ground. The ground shakes from the impact, and an enormous plume of dirt flies into the air, like a geyser erupting.
PK goes to live through the dirt and follow up, but his attention is pulled into four different directions. The debris, it keeps flying up higher and higher, four enormous builders going in four different directions. If they land, they will kill someone.
“I never get to just enjoy a fight,” PK grumbles as he extends his senses.
He can use his normal tricks to get to each rock, it’ll probably work, probably be fast enough, but Ray is already recovering. The issue with propelling himself with his snaps, kicks, and punches, is that they’re in straight lines. Even with the power boost, if Ray can keep up, or is faster, that he’ll be able to intercept Tim every time he goes to smash the boulders. He needs something better, more variable, he needs to fly.
He becomes his Pteranodon, outstretches his wings, the air catches, and like all the other times, he goes tumbling through the air. He’s going up at least, but control still escapes him as he flaps, tries to straighten out.
There has to be something he’s missing, some trick he hasn’t thought of. What does he know about pterosaur flight, no, less broad, Pteranodon? They were distance fliers, ocean crossers, they wouldn’t have flapped much, instead they would have used updrafts from heat to stay in the air.
That doesn’t help him now, something else then. He has a new sense, if he has to guess, he can detect the Earth’s magnetosphere, a lot of modern birds can do that, it’d make sense their distant cousins can too, but that doesn’t help either. Who cares if he can tell which way North is?
Then it hits him, not anything about his form, but his powers. All of his senses are enhanced, including balance, but he’s never tried to hone that one, why shouldn’t he be able to? He focuses it, extends it, and straightens out.
A few flaps and he’s able to hover, a big one, and he’s able to soar. He climbs in the air at a steady angle, going high and higher, until he bursts through one of the stones, pulverizing it into harmless dust. He turns, and spots one of the builders stating to fall, then locks onto it. He flaps, creating a sonic boom, and tucks in his wings.
He cuts through the air in a dive bomb, going so fast that the boulder begins to break apart before PK’s beak even makes contact. Once its barely pebbles, he lets out his wings again and swings around, heading towards the next, until Ray collides with him.
“What the fuck did you do to me!” He shouts as his tattered arm reform, charging a beam, PK grabbing onto it as a human.
“Use you like the battery you are.” PK yells as flames erupt from him again, and he wraps his legs around Ray’s arm and forces the charging beam to blow away the boulder.
One more.
PK swings from Ray’s arm and lands on his shoulder, and turns into a Falcatakely—a crow sized, toucan-like bird from the Cretaceous. He pecks Ray’s head, jumps, and shifts human as Ray tries to smack him off. He walks across Ray’s arm until he’s on the opposite shoulder, collects fire shooting from his calf, and then kicks Ray in the back of the head.
He watches as Ray flies off and blows through the final rock, PK waving to him as he falls to the ground, goading him to follow. Ray bursts towards him, hand outstretched, then PK twists and transforms into his Ankylosaurus, bashing Ray away and into the ground.
“And the day is saved!” PK calls out as he reaches the ground landing with a somersault into a bow.
“You haven’t saved shit!” Ray rockets towards him and PK side steps him, Ray plows through a small hill and blasts the other side. “I still have enough juice to kill you and scorch this whole goddamn city!”
“Duracell.” PK taunts.
“Punk bitch!” Ray shouts as he comes at PK with a Superman punch, PK jumping past him and grabbing at Ray’s leg as he passes, sucking in more energy and causing the leg to pop like a balloon.
Now this is exactly what he needs, finally a good fight. No one left in danger, no questions of morality, no holding back. Just Tim against someone evil that needs to be put away, an evil he can take out all the frustrations of the last few weeks on, that deserves it.
“Damn Ray, you’re just like the Energizer Bunny.” PK says as he ducks another flying punch, then counters with a jab into Ray’s stomach.
He can feel the last remnants of nuclear energy leave the man, feel himself use it up, but judging by how Ray looks, how he’s moving slower and slower, PK doesn’t need it at this point.
“You just keep going,” Ray fires a beam and PK holds it back with a blazing hand, “and going,” Ray staggers forward, totally missing his next punch with PK only stepping back. “And going? Aw shucks, looks like I need a new pack.”
“Fucker, I’ll...” Ray pauses. “I’ll fucking kill you?”
“Yeah sure.” PK comments on his labored breath and shrugs, planting one foot behind him as he collects his energy into hi fist and goes for one, final, big punch.
Ray smiles, a hole opening up on his chest and then closing it around PK’s fist.
“Shit, fuck.” PK tries to pull his fist back, but Ray manages to hold on.
He didn’t catch it at first, but Ray just questioned something, did he do the same trick that Tim used on him? Pick up on his unique energy, did Ray realize he can drain it?
“Think you’re the only fuckin one who can gobble up energy huh?” Ray says as he launches a punch into PK’s face, not doing much damage. “Think you’re so fucking clever huh?” Another punch as PK tries to pull away again, his flames being consumed by Ray, his body boiling over with Dots now.
“Think you’re so fucking funny!” The next punch sends PK into a daze, a shockwave ripping across the landscape. “Well jokes on you! Whatever you turned those nukes into is making me even fucking stronger! Faster.” PK tries to dodge the next fist but it grazes his mouth, ripping his suit and skin and sending green blood splattering onto the rocky hills before his mouth and suit heals over.
“I’m going to be a fucking god by the time I drain you try, and then, just cause you pissed me off, I’m going to sink this whole fucking state into the ocean, you hear me kid! You fucking—”
Ray suddenly stops as his whole form shifts, balloons of energy suddenly swelling up for just an instant.
“What the fuck was that? What are you doing?” Ray lets go of PK’s hand and flies back, his form going haywire again.
“That’s not me.” PK brings his wristband up and calls Lance. “Digi, something's going on with Ray, he—”
Ray’s right side suddenly pops, sending his arm and torso out into cloth like tatters that flow with the wind.
“Shit.” PK runs up to him with his hands out. “It must be my energy, let me try and—”
PK stumbles as bullets wreathed in white and black flame bury themselves into his calves, sending him to his knees. Anxiety rises in his stomach as the familiar feeling of being hunted by the Phatasmasaur creeps down his spine. PK looks up to see Phantasm gives him a wave from a helicopter, his raptor trotting towards him, cannon unfolding and firing. It finds purchase and sends PK skidding away, catching himself with his utahraptor form he goes to leap at the other dinosaur, teeth and claws ready to rip and tear.
“Hold on buddy!” Phantasm calls from the chopper. “Got to get back to your friend Digi yeah? Clocks a countin' down!”
God damn it, Tim was too occupied with Ray to even think about what Phantasm was up to. He would’ve preferred a more literal stab in the back to this.
“Be careful Phantasm, my friends mean everything to me.” PK warns.
Phantasm grins, “That’s exactly what I’m counting on. Tick tock Prehistoric Kid, tick tock.”
PK looks at the Phatasmaraptor overpowering the now helpless Ray, then stands up and rolls his healed shoulder.
“Kid! Kid help me!” Ray calls out. “I’m dying here! Exploding! Absorb your shit and I promise I’ll settle down! Please, I fucking promise!”
He’s not going to die, PK would be able to tell, but the desperation in the psychopath's pleas still make his guts twist as he transforms into his Pteranodon and flies back to the Nuclear Plant.
At this point, Tim has Lance’s scent well memorized, and he finds him in minutes. Metal bars were twisted around his limbs, trapping him inside of the machine shop, an explosive on a timer sitting near him.
“How do we deal with that?” Tim asks as he frees his friend, noting that Lance’s mask was no longer on his face.
“It doesn’t matter,” Lance sighs, holding his bruising wrists.
PK raises an eyebrow and looks at the bomb, hearing it click, then detonate in a shower of confetti.
“I hate him.”
“Yes.” Lance walks over to a partially completed gadget at the work bench, picking it up and looking it over. “I’m sorry PK, I didn’t give him any information but—”
“It's ok.” Tim puts a hand on his shoulder. “We’ll just have to be more careful.”
“I’m uncertain that will matter, give me a run down of your fight please. I’d like to know the details.”
Tim does so, Lance picking up items and storing them in containers as he does.
“I’m sorry, I should’ve suspected this, I should’ve stayed behind, I was just a liability.”
PK shakes his head, “Who knows what Phantasm would’ve done if you weren’t here? He could’ve done something more dirty, underhanded, that could’ve led to me getting captured again. Also, you had to come, this is a nuclear facility and I am not prepared for if something went wrong with the reactors. Plus, knowing you were here definitely made me feel better about... everything.”
“Emotional support wasn’t what I was hoping to provide.” Lance grabs a few unfinished items he was working on.
“Believe me, it's just as valuable.”
“For my own sake, I’ll take your word for it. Come, we should scavenge what we can.”
“Yeah, I got you man.” PK says as they go deeper into the wrecked plant.
“Hm, I was expecting an argument.”
“Why? I don’t like drug dealers, murderers, or people who make people pay for electricity. I’m sure the people in charge of the reactor actually suck.”
“Perhaps reductive.”
“Do you want your scrap or not?”
“Scrap may be the wrong word,” Lance says as they find the pylon from earlier. “This is a rare opportunity for us to collect very valuable materials, better prepare for our enemies.”
“Let's not waste it then.”
It isn't long until they gather their supplies and PK flies them to meet up with the van, Lance beginning to drive them both back to El Cajon. Tim fiddles with the pylon, trusting Lance’s word that it's stable, but even still setting it down gently as they approach his house. He spots Jane sitting on the front step, perking up as she spots the van.
“Creature appears fine.” Lance says, watching street cam footage of the Red Panda steal unattended avocados from a stand.
“II figured he would be, but it's nice to confirm it.”
“Indeed.” Lance says.
“I’ll see you tomorrow.” Tim says to Lance, offering a fist bump.
“More than likely, yes.” Lance returns the gesture, though doesn't offer his normal smile.
Tim figures he’s still being hard on himself, he’ll need to cheer him up next time they see each other
“Hey.” Tim says to Jane as he hops out of the van.
“Hey.” The wind picks up a bit and her long, black hair gets in her face, making Tim snort and help her move it behind her ear.
“So, wanna talk?” He asks her.
“Obviously.” She rolls her eyes and they head inside.