Jerome bolted awake, his ears alert and nose twitching as he heard what sounded like a scream. Without thinking he got up and ran in the direction of the noise, causing Mitch to awake.
"Morning alrea-" Mitch's heart stopped when he saw Jerome, Jordan, and Sqaishey all missing. He crawled over to Tyler and shook him.
"Wha...?" Tyler slowly opened his eyes. "It's still dark out what do yo-"
"They're gone. Everyone. We have to go find them."
Tyler froze and his eyes widened. Before he knew it Mitch had pulled him up and dragged him away into the woods.
Jordan's glasses fell to the ground when he leapt, thus letting the glow light up the field around them and he hissed, a sickening sort of pop and crack came from his jaw when he did, swiping at her face.
Sqaishey screamed as he scratched her arms, keeping her face covered. "Jordan! Please! Stop!" She cried.
Jerry had quickly hopped after the boys when they took off.
Jerome was the first there, and he stood wide eyed at what he saw happening. "Jordan! What the hell are you doing?!"
He looked up, eyes glowing brightly and hissed again, his jaw appearing to be slightly dislocated or broken before he turned back to Sqaishey and swung at her again, making her scream.
Something seemed to take over Jerome and a low growl escaped his throat. Extending his claws the bacca sprinted towards Jordan and tackled him to the ground.
Mitch and Tyler stumbled across the scene, Jerry now resting on Mitch's shoulder. Mitch quickly drew his bow while Tyler hesitantly took out his sword.
Jordan struggled with Jerome on top of him, swinging at him and hissing, his eyes still illuminating the clearing.
Sqaishey slowly sat up, ignoring her bleeding arms and stared at the scene before her in fear.
Jerome tried his best to hold Jordan's arms down. He seemed to change, his fur stood up and his pupils were large. Nothing but deep growls and snarls came from his mouth.
"Are... are you okay?!" Tyler ran over to Sqaishey and knelt beside her.
"My arms hurt but I think I'm okay other than that... just shaken." She answered. "I think Jordan lost control..."
Tyler looked over at the others. "N-no... that can't be."
Mitch walked over to the others. "G-guys... I think something's up with Jerome too..."
Sqaishey looked over again and nodded. "I upset Jordan while he was starting to have a breakdown and he just... snapped."
Jordan hissed loudly at Jerome in agitation as they locked eyes.
"He couldn't have snapped! That's not like Jordan at all..." Tyler exclaimed, looking over at the chaos.
Jerome continued to keep Jordan held down, claws digging into the other's sleeves.
"It's not like him, but it's not impossible." She corrected him.
Jordan snapped at his arm, biting into it in anger.
Jerome roared in pain and pulled his arm away, blood already mixing with his fur.
Jordan quickly teleported, landing on his feet and he gave a loud inhuman screech at them all.
Jerome fell to the ground, dazed and confused.
Tyler quickly pulled Sqaishey up, hiding her behind him.
Jordan saw their movement and teleported towards them a bit erratically like an enderman did and swung at Tyler.
Tyler pushed the others back as he avoided the slashes.
Jordan kept swinging madly at him.
Sqaishey stumbled backward, watching fearfully.
Tyler held out his sword and jabbed at him, making sure not to get too close.
He hissed and teleported backward then tried teleporting around them.
Mitch readied his bow, spinning around and trying to get a good aim. Jerome slowly sat up, his ears twitching.
Jordan lunged at Mitch with a screech, arms out reached, aiming for his throat but was caught off guard by Jerry launching himself at him instead, attaching to his face.
Jordan stumbled backwards, trying to get Jerry off of him but the little slime was too slippery for him to get a hold of. He hissed in anger as he was blinded by Jerry.
Jerry was quick to leap off when Jordan tried to scratch him and hopped away to safety.
Jerome ran up behind Jordan and grabbed him by the waist. All the fur on his body stood up, and he didn't say a word to the others.
Jordan screeched again, struggling in his grasp.
Sqaishey turned to the others. "What do we do?"
"I don't know..." Tyler frowned. "We can't hurt him! That's still Jordan... right...?"
"I... Don't know..." Sqaishey answered softly. "I think so but... He can't control himself..."
Jordan swung his fist at Jerome's face, trying to get free.
Jerome pushed him away and growled even fiercer, something that Mitch hadn't even heard in his lifetime. The bacca brandished his claws and slashed at Jordan.
Jordan teleported out of the way quickly, avoiding the slash and teleported behind him and swung again.
Jerome winced as he was his yet again by Jordan. He looked around, confused as to where the other had gone.
He stayed behind him and kept attacking.
Jerome spun around and jumped back, landing on all four paws much like a bear.
Jordan teleported again, trying to stay out of his sight.
Jerome stood confused, but alert.
Mitch looked over at Sqaishey. "Why is Jerome a-acting like that?"
"I don't know! You know more about him then I do!"
"Well what I do know is that he doesn't act like this!"
"How do we stop him?!"
"I'm not sure if we can..."
"What about Jordan?"
"Well we can't attack either of them! We can't even get ahold of Jordan cause he teleports away!" Tyler exclaimed.
"Should we just... leave them be? Or?"
"They could kill each other!" Tyler exclaimed. "They both gotta be under some kinda influence.."
Sqaishey nodded. "They could kill us too..."
"Y-yeah! We have to stop them somehow!" Mitch looked worried.
Sqaishey frowned. "But how?!"
"I don't know!" Tyler said.
Mitch's face lit up slightly. "Sqaishey! Remember when you first found me in that Hunger Games arena?"
"Uh, yeah. I think so?"
"Maybe there's a way we could snap them out of it?"
"Maybe. How would we do that?"
"I was nearly about to die when he snapped out of it...." Mitch trailed off. "All I really did was mention our relationship..."
"Well... You try that with Jerome, I'll see if I can maybe get Jerry to try to snap Jordan out of it?"
"I..." Mitch fell silent. "Anything to get Biggums back." He began to walk away but was stopped by Tyler.
"I don't like this idea.... They seem even more dangerous than Jerome was before...."
"What else do you suggest then, Tyler?" Sqaishey asked him.
Tyler sighed. "I'm not sure, but... We can't let anyone get hurt no matter what."
"I'm not sure we have much of a choice there..."
"Just... We all need to be careful." His grip tightened around his sword. "I think the best approach would be to target one at a time."
Sqaishey hesitated but nodded. "Okay..."
"I say we go for Jerome first... I think I know what to do." Mitch looked back at the others.
Sqaishey nodded. "Lead the way then."
Mitch dropped his bow to the ground and slowly began to advance towards Jerome and Jordan, holding a hand behind him to tell the others to stay behind him.
Sqaishey watched nervously.
Jordan kept lunging at Jerome.
Mitch looked directly at Jordan. "HEY!"
Jordan turned to him and screeched when they locked eyes and lunged at Mitch.
Jerome ran after him on all fours, quickly catching up to Jordan and tugging him back by his jacket.
Jordan cried out and swung at Jerome, trying to get free.
Jerome growled at him and let go, casting a small glance at Mitch.
Jordan hissed in anger and teleported to a tree a few feet away.
Mitch and Jerome stared at each other, but Jerome didn't seem to even bat an eye. The bacca only spun around and stood right in front of the other, blocking him from Jordan.
Jordan hissed at them but stayed back.
Jerome took a stance, his paws spread and claws out. Dark, soulless eyes stared at Jordan, devoid of all the humanity Jerome used to have.
Sqaishey watched anxiously. "What's the plan exactly?"
Jordan shifted, looking for a way to attack.
"Um...? Honestly I'm not sure anymore..." Mitch called back. He reached out to Jerome and touched his arm, feeling the fur in between his fingers. "Biggums...?"
Jerome tensed up and jumped forward, whipping his head around to look at the human. Jerome had gone into a bear-like stance, all four of his limbs touching the ground and his back slightly arched. The whole of his eyes was barely visible, all that could be seen was his pupil.
"Mitch... I'm not so sure about this..."
Tyler held his sword. "Mitch...?"
"Just... trust me..." Mitch whispered, extending and hand in front of him.
Jerome's ears dropped a bit and he slowly crawled toward the others open hand.
Sqaishey shifted, her eyes glancing at Jordan who was watching as well.
Suddenly Jerome's face softened and he nuzzled his nose into Mitch's palm.
Mitch almost flinched, but tried his best not to move. He nervously looked over at the others.
"Well... He's not hostile... that's good... right?"
"I'm uh... I'm not sure." Mitch stayed still as a board, his chest quickly moving up and down with his breaths.
The bacca pulled away and tilted his head to the side, looking confused and even a bit sad.
"Biggums?" Mitch asked.
Jerome didn't answer.
"Should I go get Jerry and see if I can calm Jordan?" Sqaishey asked.
"Yeah..." Tyler said. "You'll wanna hurry though..."
She nodded and quickly moved to go get Jerry.
Tyler followed after her, still keeping a close eye on Mitch.
Mitch was continuing to stare at Jerome, calling out his name but not getting any answer.