MANIA: Stuck Behind The Enemy Line

A Surprising Loss

WARNING: This chapter contains a very serious wildlife moment.

Reader discretion is advised.

----------

~Nabo Ranch~

Although their mission is to locate Gregory, the team still took a chance at having a look around the wilderness, while hanging out with the Sparrow Scouts.

While asking the rangers about Gregory, Lewis and Louise were catching up with each other.

On the other hand, Jeremy, SpongeBob, and Maya chatted with Hilda, Frida, and David.

SpongeBob: Just when we thought the Blue Shell was bad enough, said shell got struck by lightning, making it even more dangerous, and then, boom! Some of us fell off the road and into the ocean.

David: And Jeremy got electrical powers because of that?

SpongeBob: Uh-huh.

David: That sounds like a "1-in-1,000,000" gift.

Maya: So, I decided to confront Kiyotaka about what we've become over time, and in front of our fellow D-Platoon members, I announced my resignation, slamming my Crimson Elite lapel onto his desk, before walking out of the main headquarters.

Frida: That must've taken tons of courage to do such a thing.

Maya: At the time, I was the only one, but I managed to convince a tragic few to consider it.

Frida: Just a few?

Maya: Sadly, yes.

Jeremy: *Observing some black rhinos with Hilda*

Hilda: You know, you and I have a lot in common.

Jeremy: How so?

Hilda: We're both adventure lovers, we both support wildlife around the world, we're both super nice to people...

Jeremy: We both have a strong sense of truth and justice.

Hilda: And we're both super imaginative.

Francine: *Approaches them* Observing the rhinos?

Jeremy: *He and Hilda nod* Mm-hmm.

Francine: You're looking at 50 million years of survival.

Hilda: Now, they're only 3000 left?

Jeremy: 3,142 to be precise.

Francine: Because of the very thing nature gave them to protect themselves.

Lewis: *He and Louise return* I checked with all the rangers. Nobody's seen Gregory.

Jeremy: Well, that doesn't make sense. No one saw him.

Louise: It's like you guys said. This fellow is good at staying hidden.

Ranger: *Exits the building* Yeah, we're on our way. *Turns to Francine* We've got more poachers loose, Miss Willard.

Francine: Oh, no. Let's check it out. *Turns to the others* You'd better stay here.

Jeremy: No way. We're coming along.

Ranger: We can handle it.

Jeremy: Didn't say you couldn't. Just offering help.

Francine: Alright. come on.

*They all leave*

~Clearing~

*They arrive at a clearing, where they see some rangers with a restrained poacher*

Francine: You found him!

Ranger 2: We found one, actually. There were three poachers. This guy was just beyond the trees. *Shows a sack* And he had this in his hand.

Jeremy: *Opens the sack* Oh, god. I was expecting one horn.

Francine: They didn't bother cutting one at a time.

Ranger: Take him to the ranch.

Rangers: Yes, sir. *They do so*

*Bellowing*

*They turn to where it came from*

Francine: Oh, my god. *She and the others head into the clearing*

Upon arriving, they saw something they shouldn't have seen.

A weakened black rhino with no horns... and a big nasty wound.

Everyone: ...

Rhino: *Bellowing in pain*

Jeremy: ... *Notices something on the ground* ... Is that...?

Ranger 3: ... Yes. It's a chainsaw.

Ranger 4: They used a chainsaw just to get away faster. A chainsaw, for god's sake! It never stops, sir. Dammit, it never stops!

Ranger: We know. We all do.

Rhino: *Moaning*

Francine: ... *Examines the rhino* ... *Sigh*

SpongeBob: ... Is it...?

Francine: ... He's an elder. He's already on the brink of death.

Ranger: ... *Approaches the rhino... and aims his rifle at it*

Everyone: *!*

Ranger: ... I'd leave if I were you.

*The team respectfully does so... except for Jeremy*

Rhino: *Bellowing in pain*

Jeremy: ...

Steven: Come on. *Pulls him away*

Ranger: ... It'll be okay. *Prays in Swahili*

*The team walks back to the building*

Jeremy: ...

*Distant gunshot*

Jeremy: *Stops* ... *Takes a deep breath* ... Why did I see that? *Continues on*