ACT I [EXT. / NAMIBIAN WASTELANDS / DAY]
Across the vast wastelands, Umeme, Radi, and Terra are caught in a high speed chase by the same v-shaped dust cloud from earlier. As the creatures from within it begin to further spread out, the dust cloud slowly shifts out of the way, revealing that these creatures are a flock of birds. These birds resemble that of hamerkops, on account of their slender bodies, long bills, and hammer-like crests. However, their plumage consists of a ghostly grey and they appear to be much more vicious, hostile, and -- discounting only one of them -- taller.
Despite the discrepancy in height, these avians are all dead set on hunting down the cheetah, peregrine, and jellyfish. Their high speed pursuit leads into a deep, narrow canyon consisting of numerous pathways. After briefly communicating in a series of cackles and nasal rattles, the hamerkop-like creatures use these pathways to their advantage by splitting up to and blocking each one, eventually forcing the three into a dead end. Or so they thought.
Radi and Terra fly their way out of the dead end, whereas Umeme uses his built-up momentum to run vertically on the rocky surface of the canyon's ledge. The relentless beasts regroup and head upward as well, still on their tail. But as soon as the three make their way up to higher ground, Terra steps in to give them a little surprise. Raising her right leg up high, she focuses most of her psychokinetic energy into her foot, and after doing so, she axe-kicks the ledge with an impact akin to a wrecking ball. This causes said ledge to split into large chunks of boulders, descending towards the ascending hamerkops.
In spite of trying to maneuver away at the last second, the whole flock is caught under the falling rocks -- and is soon given an earth-rumbling burial from below. The three then descend back down to attend their memorial; May they rest in pieces.
Radi: (chuckles in relief) That's one way to turn the tables.
Terra: Let's not get too comfortable. Umeme, you said something about a meteorite turning into a ziggurat, yes?
Umeme: Yeah. It's where that creepy mannequin thing came from, [looks back at the remains] and probably these guys too.
Terra: Well then, I think I should pay it a visit. You two stay put for the time being.
Umeme: But-
Terra surrounds her body in a bubbly aura and flies off full speed towards the ziggurat, all before Umeme could give a response.
Umeme: Stay put? Y'know, I don't think she knows us all too well.
Radi: Can't let her have all the fun. Whoever's inside is gonna regret messing with us.
Both Umeme and Radi are ready to join her, but as soon as Terra's out of range, they are quick to hear something amongst the bouldery rubble. Surprisingly, a surviving hamerkop(the runt of the flock) slips its way out of the cracks and flies aggressively over to the cheetah and peregrine, ready to attack. Anticlimactically, however, Radi easily paralyzes the runt with a lightning bolt, rendering it immobilized yet twitching on the ground.
Umeme: ...
Radi: ... Huh.
Umeme then gets another call from his cell phone.
Umeme: It's Friska. [picks up the call] Hey, what's up?
Friska Maria Harevoros: [transferring something from her phone straight to her central computer] I got your picture -- and it's incredible! Dumb posing aside, it's unlike anything I've ever seen before. (voice-over) Say -- if you're able, think you can pick up a sample on your way back?
Umeme: Uh... sample?
The two speedsters look back at the paralyzed runt, with one of them having an idea in mind.
>> >> >> NOW LOADING...
ACT II [EXT. / NIGERIAN RAINFOREST / CONTINUOUS]
Rushing through the lush Nigerian rainforest in streaks of electricity, Umeme and Radi head full speed straight over to a large, dome-shaped building -- miles away from civilization. The secluded building is an old yet functioning laboratory/research facility, where Friska and her robotic assistant, Doc, are awaiting the meteor sample. But little do they know that the two brought back more than just a mere sample.
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SPECIES: European Hare
AGE: 19
HEIGHT: 5' 0"
OVERALL DESCRIPTION: Friska has a thin yet fairly curved build. She has light-caramel brown fur, with black tips on her long ears and cotton-like tail. Her face has two whiskers on each side, and her hair is cut short with a reddish brown color to it. For attire, the hare sports a white t-shirt with purple sleeves, and dark purple pants. There's also purple lining on her t-shirt that connects to the collar and goes vertically downward to connect to the lower end.
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SPECIES: Robot
AGE: ???
HEIGHT: 4' 8"
OVERALL DESCRIPTION: Doc is a robotic life form bearing the resemblance to an Immobian turtle. His body is entirely mechanical, with a color scheme consisting of emerald green skin, a pale yellow underside, and a caramel brown shell. He also has diamond-shaped eyes with light-blue sclera, and crimson sound receptors.
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The little hamerkop-like creature awakens and frantically frees itself from inside a burlap sack (which Umeme used to carry it all the way to Friska's lab) only to find itself trapped inside a containment room. With that said, Umeme had just finished telling Friska and Doc about everything that happened previously.
Umeme: So, yeah. That's basically our whole morning in a nutshell. Anything I missed out, Radi?
Radi: (to himself) Why just one small-fry?
Umeme: ... What?
Radi: Oh, my bad. I was just wondering why this Nightmare's so small compared to the others?
Umeme: I don't know, dude, but... wait, "Nightmare"?
Radi: Y'know, like what I said earlier. "Walking nightmare"? I think it's pretty catchy.
Radi and Umeme get startled by the "Nightmare" banging on the confinement glass for a few seconds until finally giving up.
Radi: Geez, critique much? (to Friska and Doc) Hey, what do you guys think? Is "Nightmare" catchy?
Friska: Whatever you wanna call it, Radi, it's certainly unlike anything I've ever seen.
Doc: The features of this organism resemble that of a Scopus umbretta -- A.K.A. hamerkop -- but after multiple computer scannings, we've received an insufficient biosignature.
Doc and Friska are both completely puzzled by the existence of such an entity. Doc resorts to analyzing it personally using his own ocular scanner. He does so -- to its hostility-- from a safe distance. However, before he could complete his scan, the Hamerkop Nightmare flies up and somehow causes all the lights in its confinement space to turn off, rendering the room temporarily dark.
Umeme: The hell just happened?!
Friska: How'd it even do that?!
The lights soon begin to flicker and then turn back on, revealing that the Hamerkop Nightmare has escaped by somehow busting open an air vent cover. And so, as the alarms go off, the Nightmare begins to cause all sorts of havoc throughout different parts of the lab. Friska turns towards the two speedsters, frowning at them both in disapproval.
Umeme: Uhhh...
Radi: (chuckles nervously) Okay, I can see how we're to blame -- (fake coughs) mostly Umeme -- but in my defense, you did ask for a sample.
Friska: I didn't think it'b be a live one!
Doc: Save your complaints for later, Friska. Right now, we must apprehend the creature before it escapes the lab.
Umeme: Don't you worry. We'll make sure it won't get that chance. (to Radi) C'mon dude, let's split up to cover more ground.
Radi: [floats off floor] On it!
While Umeme and Radi split up and speed off to catch and subdue the Hamerkop Nightmare, Friska and Doc assist the two by using the security cameras to track its every move. And right when it reaches one of the lab's passageways...
Doc: [sound receptors begin to glow] Activating interior defense protocol.
Acting like antennas, Doc uses them to emit a beacon that unleashes numerous Soldier Droids from the floor of the passageway. Said droids appear to be slender yet bulky, closely resembling the Π-series destroyer droids from the movie "Phantasy S-Wars". (One of Friska's personal favorites, but that's neither here nor there). As they arise from the floor, each one opens their red, beaming eyes and looks at the Nightmare with a steel-cold glare. From their own data-transmitting point of view, they are given direct orders from Doc to immobilize their present target. As the Hamerkop Nightmare turns and flees, the droids pursue the quick creature by curling into wheel-like structures -- taking off at high speed as they try to shoot it down, using their twin built-in stun blaster cannons.
Friska: [working her magic on the control panel] Sorry not sorry, but this is as far as you go!
As the chase leads on, a lockdown sequence is immediately activated by the hare, in which the passageway is slowly shut by a series of impenetrable doors. As fast as the Nightmare is, it's eventually caught in between a rock and a hard place: a solid shut door and a few Soldier Droids that made it into the same enclosed space as it. The remaining pack of droids now have the Hamerkop Nightmare cornered like a rat, ready to subdue and retrieve it back to Doc. However, the Nightmare begins glowing a purple light from within the crevice of its closed beak. While that's taking place, Umeme and Radi meet back up with each other.
Umeme: Any luck finding it, man?
Radi: (sighs) The exact same question I was about to ask you.
Umeme: Well, hopefully Friska and Doc will have better luck at...
Suddenly, an electric discharge is unleashed, in which multiple purple crackling sparks are shown travelling in different directions throughout most of the lab. In doing so, the sparks destroy all the cameras and even manage to deactivate the lockdown sequence.
Friska: ... No. [tries to reset the sequence] No-no-no! C'mon!
Unfortunately, it has been completely jammed, putting the team at a major disadvantage. Back to the two speedsters, they see that the locked doors open up one by one, slowly revealing that each of the Soldier Droids have been reduced to scrap from the powerful discharge. Umeme and Radi mask their intimidation and stay on their guard for what's to come. The last door opens up, revealing the rest of the droids that were destroyed by the Hamerkop Nightmare, which appears to be emitting electricity from inside its own body.
Umeme: Holy crap...
Radi: Welp, that might explain the lights going out from earlier.
Umeme: Since when did it learn to do that?
Radi: ...? ..!!
Radi quickly remembers -- via flashback -- that he paralyzed the Nightmare with a lightning bolt. Little did the peregrine know that the hamerkop had every intent to get shocked by one of the electro-speedsters (same goes the previous members of the flock chasing them down). The flashback then shows the inside of the avian Nightmare, revealing that within this void-like darkness, it had absorbed some of Radi's true blue electricity. And afterward, said darkness unleashes swarming particles of purple energy that slowly cultivate it into a more sinister, twisted form, thus making it its very own. The flashback ends with Radi realizing that he himself is mainly to blame.
Radi: Uhh, well... I mean -- your guess is as good as mine, dude. Cuz I-
Umeme: Unintentionally gave it some of your electro?
Radi: ... Well it didn't have to be that good.
Umeme and Radi return their focus back to the Nightmare, as it breathes out a streaming barrage of lightning bolts towards them. With blinding speed, they manage to maneuver through the barrage. As the bolts ricochet away, one of them enters a storage room containing a plethora of deactivated robots, creating a chain reaction that essentially destroys all of them. The end of the chain reaction was loud enough for the cheetah's ears to take notice.
Umeme: Dude, did you hear that just n-
Radi: (too focused on the enemy at hand right now) Alright, birdie. Paralyzing you didn't help, so how about I just knock your lights out instead?
Radi rockets towards the Hamerkop Nightmare, ready to unveil a punch to the face; however, it's immediately blocked by one of the lockdown doors that was activated by the Nightmare's electrokinesis. The titanium steel alloy leaves a stinging pain on the peregrine's feathery knuckles, causing him to suck his teeth and wag his hand rapidly to cool down the pain.
Umeme: C'mon! Let's head around him!
Umeme and Radi speed off around the long corridor and see that the Nightmare has busted and escaped into an air vent again. The speedsters head inside the vent as well after their quarry. They see that the vent leads to a large and wide vertical air duct, in which the creature must've gone either upwards and downwards.
Umeme: Okay, Radi. You take up, and I take down.
Radi: [nods head as he collides fist with palm]
The cheetah enters first and heads downward, keeping a steady descent with the help of his claws, which creates a screeching sound that fades away into the depths. The peregrine enters last and flies upwards, receiving some additional push from the force of the air that ventilates upward. As he heads higher and higher, he begins to see a glimmering purple radiance that grows brighter and brighter, lighting up the shadowy surroundings of the vent.
Radi: Ha! Found you, ya' little...
Radi quiets himself to find out that the glowing purple light is not the Nightmare; rather, it's an electric blast created from the creature, descending fast towards its two targets. Radi shouts in surprise and stops at a dime, immediately diving down away from the destructive blast. The peregrine quickly heads towards Umeme.
Umeme: What the... Radi, didn't I say...
Radi: (urgently) Uh yeah, about that -- ya' mind picking up the pace right quick?!
The cheetah takes notice of the dark surroundings being lit up by the radiance of the incoming blast. He -- along with the peregrine -- also takes notice of a circular vent at the end of the duct. In response to the impending danger, Umeme releases his claws from the duct's surfaces in order to create a faster descent. He further speeds up thanks to Radi pushing him downward, and with enough combined momentum, Umeme dropkicks the vent open. As the two quickly make their way out, they enter a dark room consisting of failed inventions and experiments , placed in alphabetical order upon storage shelves. But neither speedster takes notice of this as they hit the deck amidst the incoming blast -- illuminating the dark room with destructive force. Smoke and remnant sparks from the blast envelop the room and slowly fades away, revealing the two speedsters who managed to survive with only a few marks and scratches.
Both: (cough and groan as they slowly get back up)
Umeme: [holding his side] You okay, dude?
Radi: Me? Yeah. That Nightmare? Not for long!
The Nightmare emerges from the vent and flies out of the charred up room.
Radi: Speak of the devil.
The two speedsters charge up their bodies with electricity and blast away towards their quarry, blowing away the remaining smoke in the process. In doing so, it further reveals what were once relics of the past collecting dust, now have been reduced entirely to dust, all except for one failed experiment. That experiment has been unleashed from a decimated cryogenic preserver.
Initially, it appears as a silver white sphere with neon blue tattoo-like markings. As it rolls away from the preserver, the sphere soon slowly melts into an ooze-like substance. After that, it exhibits no further movement -- remaining stagnant like a puddle of mud. However, that all starts to change when it comes into direct contact with a remnant spark. After a few seconds, its blue markings appear to glow, and what was once lifeless ooze begins being a little less lifeless.
>> >> >> NOW LOADING...
ACT III [INT. / GENERATOR ROOM / CONTINUOUS]
Back to the chase, the Nightmare makes its way into the heart of the lab -- generator room -- and the cheetah and peregrine follow in pursuit. For these two predators, they've just entered a mechanical jungle.
Radi: So much for splitting up.
Umeme: Which is why I have a new plan. Follow my lead.
Starting from the cheetah to peregrine, they shut off their electric streak-like aura while still moving at a swift pace. After doing so, they mask their presence within the shadowy corners of the room's various metallic structures. The Nightmare quickly notices that the crackling sound of electric streaks have faded into pitch silence, and in response the creature stops and turns around to see that its two pursuers are nowhere to be seen. Despite the chase coming to an end, the Nightmare does not let its guard down for even a moment. The avian creature in mid flight looks carefully at surroundings: large slanting pillars, long metallic railings, radiation of blue LED lights mixed with steam spewing from different parts of the room, etc. And in the center of it all, a massive blue energy core that's powering the lab in its entirety.
All these structures, yet no sign of the speedsters , until just suddenly, the Nightmare hears the sound of crackling sparks, accompanied by a yellow flickering light as it turns around to see it. The flickering light is behind the dark corner of one of the large pillars, but instead of being attracted to it, the Nightmare avoids going anywhere near it, knowing crystal clear of where that electricity is being emitted from. In doing so, it's surprised to see another yellow flicker of sparks in a different shadowy spot, and another spot, and another, and etc. The flickering appears to be cornering the Hamerkop Nightmare while moving closer and closer towards it at the same time. The creature catches on to this little trick and refuses to take part in it, doing so by flying upwards out of the cheetah's range. However, as the Nightmare ascends over the darkness of the mechanical jungle that is the generator room, it gets a little surprise from...
Radi: Surprise!!
who launches out of a shadowy corner to give it a swift punch to the face. Said punch packed enough wallop to propel the Nightmare fast and far until it hits a metallic pillar, leaving a slight dent as it falls flat on the floor. After that, Umeme soon emerges from the shadows and regroups with Radi. He jumps from one structure to another until he reaches the peregrine, floating high in the air and looking mighty satisfied.
Radi: Hah! Told him I'd knock him out!
Umeme: You certainly took your sweet time, but better late than never.
Radi: Pfft, you're welcome.
Umeme: Thanks. Now c'mon.
The falcon flies and the non-leopard leaps from structure to structure, both heading over towards their fallen prey. The two soon reach the area where said prey had fallen -- and once they make their descent to the floor, they find the Hamerkop Nightmare completely unconscious.
Umeme: Well, that's one way to catch some Z's. [walks over to the Nightmare] Alright, ya little troublemaker. Time to head back.
Radi: [picking his non visible ear] Y'know -- considering what we just went through, I feel like "troublemaker"s kinda underselling it.
Umeme gets ready to pick the Nightmare up from the floor; however, he's shown surprised at what he sees.
Umeme: (off-screen) Uh... Radi?
Radi: What? Is he coming around? [flicks away his "gold"] Nothing a good donk to the dome can't remedy.
Umeme: I mean... I think it's still knocked out, but...
Umeme reveals to Radi that the unconscious Nightmare is nothing more than an empty body, appearing completely deflated and wrinkled. Not only that, but its eyes have ceased to glow.
Radi: Wait, what?
Radi takes the deflated body from Umeme and gets a closer look, from the absolute nothingness on the inside to the non glowing eyes on the outside.
Radi: Huh... I guess it was like some sort of "balloon bird" or whatever. Static electricity, and whatnot.
Umeme: Huh...
The spotted speedster is still rather puzzled by this sequence of events, until he quickly catches on to another possibility.
Umeme: Unless...
Just suddenly, out of the shadows, a bolt of purple lightning surrounds the unguarded duo in the shape of a halo. Umeme tries to get himself and Radi outta said halo via leap, but it's too late. As the circle quickly closes in and manages to ensnare the falcon by his foot. In an instant, both he and the cheetah (through physical contact) are given a painful shock, as evident by their screams of agony. The bolt trap soon fizzles out into thin air -- freeing the speedsters, but leaving them completely paralyzed from head to toe. Their bodies drop to the floor, and while struggling to regain motor control, something slowly approaches them -- illuminating the shadowy surrounding with a purple radiance.
The two see that that something takes the appearance of a floating avian entity, with its body being entirely composed of electricity. The speedsters, despite being paralyzed, are completely caught by surprise at what they're witnessing. But after giving a brief glance at the deflated body, they're quick to realize that the Nightmare they've been chasing had essentially mastered its copied electro -- achieving a brand new form by literally shedding its old one in the process. Seeing how they caught on to the current situation, the Nightmare looks up to see a metallic railing platform, standing over the paralyzed pursuers. No longer needing to use its breath, the Nightmare raises its wings wide apart and shoots a bolt of lightning from each one at the platform, turning a large part of it into total wreckage that all rains down upon the speedsters, drowning them in metallic debris until there's nothing but pitch blackness.
...
Many minutes have passed, and the whole scene is still drenched in pitch black, but soon, a few crevices of light begin to appear. Outside the wreckage, Friska and Doc are shown clearing away the pile of debris in order to free Umeme and Radi. Friska struggles lifting a few while Doc does so with relative ease, being an automaton and all. The two geniuses soon hear moaning from within the wreckage, meaning that the cheetah and peregrine are still alive. Friska gasps in response and begins digging through the lighter debris, finding the cheetah's hand that's desperately trying to grasp onto something -- anything. The hare uses both her hands to grab Umeme and pull him out with all out with all her might. After a couple strong tugs, Friska successfully pulls him out of the wreckage. Umeme quickly gasps in some fresh air, only to proceed in coughing out some dust, but after clearing his throat, he opens his eyes to see Friska's worried face.
Umeme: ... Friska?
Holding back her tears, the hare responds only with a firm embrace, relieved to see the cheetah in one piece -- despite a few marks and bruises. Pushing through the pain, Umeme embraces Friska as well, doing so with an equal firmness. Doc then makes his way over to them.
Doc: Umeme, are you alright?
Radi: (off-screen) Uh, I think you mean "Radi and Umeme, are you alright?" I'm alive too, by the way.
The robotic turtle extends his right arm to fish and reel Radi out of the debris, grabbing him by his left leg during so. And throughout that whole endeavor, the peregrine appears to still be holding on to the Nightmare's discarded body.
Radi: (coughs a bit) Thanks, Doc.
Doc: You are welcome.
Umeme: [gets pulled by Friska back up on his feet, shaking off any last bit of paralysis] How long were we out?
Friska: Long enough for that thing to escape. [Doc retracts his right arm] Of all the crazy stuff I've come across, that was probably the most bizarre.
Radi: Yeah, don't forget the most asinine. With a capital ASS!!
Frustrated, Radi crumples up the deflated body into a spherical structure and kicks it as hard as he can into the air; however -- midway, the curled up body suddenly turns into a grey rocky husk. And as soon as it collides with the floor, it shatters into several pieces. The gang of four are all colored surprised by this revelation.
Radi: ... That uhh... That was all me, right?
>> >> >> NOW LOADING...
ACT IIISS [EXT. / NIGERIAN RAINFOREST / A FEW MINUTES EARLIER]
The scene zooms out of the lab and shows the Hamerkop Nightmare fleeing away and into the wilderness. Judging by its devilish demeanor, it's prepared to create more havoc and destruction with its newfound form; however, to its surprise, something latches on to its right leg with a tight grip that refuses to let go. The Nightmare stops to see that it's been grabbed by a long, white tendril-like appendage coming from the lush undergrowth of the rainforest. Agitated, it shocks the tendril with an electric discharge as a means to free itself, and perhaps teach its new victim a lesson.
The Nightmare soon ceases its discharge, leaving traces of purple electricity coursing throughout the tendril; however, instead of letting go, the tendril creates a tighter grip on the leg and begins pulling it down slowly into the undergrowth. The surprised Hamerkop Nightmare starts struggling to break free, all while delivering more electric discharges. It's trying to electrocute whatever's pulling it downward, too frantic to realize that each discharge is actually making it stronger. To the point where its tendril begins yanking the Nightmare until it's caught in the undergrowth.
In doing so, the Nightmare now appears to be stuck like a fly on a spider's web -- said web being a puddle of ooze -- the same one that was kept secured in the room of failed experiments. But after being brought to life by the Nightmare's electricity, it has escaped to attain more "sustenance". And so, the ooze begins to slowly envelope its prey, devouring it whole. No matter how much the Nightmare struggles, all it can muster is a blood curdling screech that echoes throughout the vast rainforest, causing a flock of birds to get spooked and fly away. And as the scene scrolls up, it shows the distant moon, which appears to have a massive X-shaped hole in the center.
END