Scars (Part II of J.H. White's Puss in Boots)

Chapter Fifteen: What If

Puss knew they were in mortal danger. But if Carnage had won the war in this reality, it meant that he was probably dead. And if he was dead, he had an advantage. The problem being that this would mean Kitty was almost certainly dead too, so he would have no luck finding her here and bringing her back to the future.

He was going to bring her back to him, no matter what. But he needed answers now that only finding Scars could provide.

He and O stepped over thousands of dead bodies as they made their way to the fortress lurking in the distance like the shadow of death.

"O," Puss said, "How can we get in there undetected? You were in Carnage's army, no?"

O pondered it for a moment. "It's not going to be easy. Carnage had guards at every possible entrance from top to bottom. Nobody got in or out without her permission."

Puss frowned, but then got an idea. "O, could you pretend you still worked there?"

"I suppose," O responded.

"Excellent," Puss said, "I'll pose as your prisoner."

"But you're dead," O reminded him.

"Hmm," Puss murmured. "Maybe you could smuggle me in somehow. Or I could pose as one of Carnage's guards. I would just need a convincing disguise."

That's when they saw a lone soldier on patrol. Puss hissed, "Get down!" They crouched on the ground, hoping not to be seen.

"Hey, I can steal his armor if you take him out," Puss whispered.

"Copy that," O said in a hushed tone back. He cocked his blaster, making sure to get a precise shot (because he knew he wasn't going to get another), and fired. The soldier's head exploded in a violent splatter of red, and his life was over in an instant.

They rushed over to the body, and Puss pulled off his chest plate and pads. To complete the deception, he took off the soldier's eyepatch and groaned as he exposed the gouged eye underneath.

When he had finished putting all of it on, Puss turned to O. "How do I look?"

"If I didn't know you were disguised, I would terminate you," the robot said with as much humor in his voice as possible for a cybernetic being.

Puss laughed. "Good. Now let's keep going." He removed his hat and handed it to O, saying, "Guard this with your life, amigo."

O nodded, and they continued on their journey until they had finally reached the entrance.

A guard at the door said gruffly, "Password."

Puss gulped. They didn't know the password! They were done for.

Then, O said clearly, "Land mine." Puss breathed a sigh of relief. Gracias, Dios, he thought to himself.

The doors opened, and Puss and O walked in slowly. Any wrong move, and they would both be dead.

Suddenly, Puss saw her. Carnage, seated on her throne. He hoped desperately that she wouldn't recognize him.

"You two," her voice called. Puss flinched. They were screwed. "Come forward." Complying, they walked towards her and bowed so she wouldn't take off their heads.

"Where have you been?" she asked.

Puss was about to speak, but then O did the talking.

"We found an old rebel sympathizer still hiding, my Queen. Blew the idiota's brains out."

She nodded. "Good, and please don't use that kind of language in my throne room again."

O was silent. Carnage stared at them. "Are you two new to the ranks? I don't believe I've seen you around."

"Yes...uh, my Queen," Puss said, trying to shield his real voice with a false lower tone. Carnage studied them more intently.

"Mi amor," she called behind her, "have you seen these two before?" A figure stepped out of the darkness and Puss' mind filled with obscenities.

Scars had emerged from the darkness.