Chapter 6: Behind the Glass. (L)

Morning had come, the sun shining brightly over Gaming Force HQ. Jazz had been beaten up since his previous battle with Bolly, trying to get some rest. The final attack almost claimed his life. Whatever was left in the ruins would have been destroyed now. A few scars were on his arms and legs, his fur was stained red with his blood, some of his wounds still bled slowly, but they would heal in a matter of hours.

Norn happily walked down to the kitchen, starting up the grill, grabbing a few cooking tools, as well as some fish and began to cook. The scent seemed to drift down the corridor. At first, it began to smell weird, before it took on a more delicious and appetizing scent. Adding a few herbs and spices, the dish was almost complete...until Norn accidently added some hot-sauce to the dish, totally unaware of it.

She laid the plates on the table. Sugar was already sitting thier, curious at the scent of this dish, but patiently waited until the others came. Dinah angrily stormed in the room, unhappy that she had been woken up by her 'better half'. Kicking her chair, she sat down, looking at the dish. It seemed normal enough. She began to wonder if it was worth getting out of bed...

After waiting for about a quarter of an hour, Norn decided to go find Jazz and Joshua. She found Jazz still unconcious, beaten up badly, but fine. There was no sign of Joshua anywhere. He wasn't in his room...or with the portal...She decided to head to the medical bay. Surprisingly, the door was sealed shut. Giving it a few whacks with her staff, the door slid open, revealing the room. It seemed alright. Everything was in place...except the giant tube that was in the middle of the room.

"Meow? I haven't seen that before..."

Norn cautiously approached the tank, her staff close to her hand. A terminal displayed that someone was in there...and was alive. The signs were above normal. She looked at the tank again before a small alarm began to ring through the entire base. Glancing back at the screen, the signs of life seemed to be dropping, rapidly! She rushed outside the room, hoping to find someone who knew how to use the technology.

"Meow!! Something's wrong in the Medical Bay! Someone's dying! Meow!"

At this, everyone in the kitchen, she and Sugar raced back to the giant tank. Dinah reluctantly followed them. The large tube seemed to be alright, but the life display continued to decline. No way could be seen to open it.

"We've got to open it! Otherwise the subject will die!" Sugar yelled.

"But...won't that kill it? Meow? What will we do?" Norn retorted.

Dinah glared at both of them, before she kicked the tube. Small cracks began to form, liquid slowly leaking out before the glass burst into fragments. The entire contents of the tube were washed over the floor. The odd liquid quickly vanished, before revealing the subject. Joshua. His skin had gone to a very pale white, his eyes were closed. His hair was all wet and shadowed most of his face. His bare chest seemed to pulsate. As if something was trying to get out.

"Joshua! Are you alright?! Speak to me!" Norn yelled.

Nothing. Joshua remained motionless on the white floor. While Sugar and Norn attempted to revive him...Joshua was in the dark again...Dinah changed into her Angel side, placing a hand on Joshua's head.

>Hmmm...My own dimension again...Something important must have brought me here...<

A large screen came to life in front of him, the image seemed to be in a shade of green...

*Flash Back*

>My own...two hands...My body is still my own...I can still breath...I can move...I can't...break free...< Joshua's voice echoed.

The image zoomed out, revealing Joshua in a status capsule. His body was hooked up to many wires, his DNA and body data was being recorded. Every twenty seconds, a large eletrical burst pulsed through Joshua, making sure he was still alive. The computers continued to probe the depths of his mind...unlocking his secrets...what and who he was...He floated there helpless, unable to do anything.

This made him angry. Both then and now. He continued to watch. A scientist examined his body closly. Joshua seemed to only have a set of shorts, while the rest of his body was exposed. The green liquid continued to swirl around, changing colors as other chemicals were added to the mix. His eyes seemed to open, before they opened up widely, the color of his eyes was red. Many of the cables deattached from his body. The capsule began to shake violently.

The scientist called for assistance, about five of them stood before Joshua's now moving body, examining it like it was some sort of monster. Many of them were attempting to reprogram the system, adding more powerful chemicals to slow Joshua's body from moving. Large cracks began to form before Joshua's eyes, his hands punched through the solid glass, sending shards flying everywhere. Tearing off the cords attached to his body, he let out an odd chant, charged at the nearest scientist.

"P-Please! L-Let me go! We...Aaaaaaaarrrrggghhhh!!!"

The scientist felt a sharp pain in his chest, Joshua's arm had pierced straight through it. Blood trickled down the white coat, staining it. The excess blood remained on Joshua's arm, boiling furiously. In his clenched hand was a human heart. He looked at it with a amused smile, before throwing it into the face of the now dead scientist. The others grabbed laser rifles, hoping to terminate Joshua. It seemed he had been too dangerous to study...and this was ineventible.

"Shoot to kill! We can still get the data we need from his corpse!" The lead scientist ordered.

A stream of laser fire hurtled across the lab, shattering many vials and beakers, thier contents spilling over the white tiled floor. No matter how hard they tried, they continued to flee. One tripped over, looking behind him in fear, Joshua approached, grabbing him by the throat.

"How...pitiful..." Past Joshua grunted.

With a simple twist, the scientist's neck snapped. His limp body hung in Joshua's hand, before he flung it into a nearby wall. A sickening crunch could be heard, the remainder of his bones being broken. A trail of blood slid down the wall, as he continued his chase. Only three left. He slowly proceeded up the nearby stairs, lasers firing at him, only to bounce off his flesh into the walls. They fell back, startled, before they ran.

"Haaargh!" Past Joshua groaned.

A huge wall of stone jutted through the floor, blocking all escape. One trembled in fear near the stairs, his face going white as Joshua approached. He grabbed his arm, span around before letting him go. His body fell down the long cases of stairs, before it lay in a pathetic heap at the bottom. His eyes burned brightly, his revenge was almost complete...The remaining two scientists ran off into different rooms. The door slammed shut. Locked.

The second-in-command sighed with relief, before he realised his error. Around him were many cages. The last couple of mishaps must have caused them to open. He fell to his knees, shaking with fear as the deformed creatures made thier way towards him. Screams of terror and delight could be heard from the other side. A few moments later, a headless corpse was flung into the door, knocking it down.

The creatures looked at Joshua, seeing his sinister appearance, they backed down in fear, retreating back to thier prisons. He opened the cages and showed them the stairs. Letting out a series of shrieks. (Probably gratitude) The monsters made thier escape. Only one fool remained...

Joshua tore the last door off it's hinges, finding nothing but a dark and empty room. A warm series of blasts hit his chest, only to bounce off. They crashed into the beakers around him, creating a wall of flame. The leader stepped out towards Joshua, his face lit up in a hellish glare.

"So...It's come to this...Hahaha...I suppose we'll see if you are capable of what the legends described...Hah!" The leader laughed

The scientist drew two swords. Their glow seemed to remind Joshua of something...he stared for a few seconds...Those were HIS swords! The fool thought HE could wield them?! Joshua let out a laugh before he thrust his hand forward. The scientist fell back, and the swords returned to Joshua's hands. The fool still fired laser shots, only to have them blocked.

Joshua walked up to the fallen foe.

"Kill...huh? I'll...show you!" Past Joshua yelled!

Joshua twirled his swords, before the wall of flame burned stronger. It blocked most of the present Joshua's view. Only the shadows could be seen. His own swords sliced through the foe's body so many times. Blood was sent everywhere, it sizzled on the flames, before Joshua picked up the lifeless body, stabbed it with his swords, before pulling them apart. Body parts flew everywhere.

"N...No...T..That's me...?!" Joshua gasped.

The image of his past self flashed before his eyes, before he felt the sharp sting of metal cut through his chest. He looked up to see the past him...his swords pierced through his heart. Joshua stumbled back, before he fell into the Dark Abyss behind him. Demonic laughter could be heard as he fell.

"No...NOOOOO!!!" Joshua yelled, sitting upright, startling everyone.

They all stared at him with a strange look, Angel Dinah however had a look of concern. Joshua looked down at his hands...were they covered with blood? Did...Did he kill other people before...? Who were...trying to help him...? Or kill him?

"Joshua! What's wrong? You look pale. Just..."

Joshua shook his head slowly.

"No...No...S-Stay away! You...You can't come near me!" Joshua yelled, stepping away from his friends.

"You just had a bad dream! Relax! We're going to..."

Joshua looked at the shattered pieces of glass on the floor, before running out of the room in fear.