New Warriors Vol. 4: Cry Uncle

Battle Cats

My name is Juston Seyfort, and I think I'm about to die, so these are probably my final thoughts about... well, anything.

I admit I'm not the most handsome guy in the world, or the most social. But what I do have is a pretty big brain, which is what helped me rewire a Sentinel and make him my best friend. At least up until he was destroyed beyond repair and I had to use his most important parts to revive my new friend Adam.

But I was able to salvage most of the Sentinel's armor and tech to fashion a suit to wear into battle with the New Warriors. It was around that time that a beautiful humanoid cat princess named Kittania joined the team, and I was immediately drawn to her. But like I said, I'm not the most social person, so it took a while to work up the courage to ask her out.

Our date started off decent enough. I took her to see the sights, we got a little dinner, and we started getting a little bit closer. Not as close as I would have liked, but it was a start. Then we got stranded on Ellis Island overnight. Not the most ideal situation, but we made the best of it. But then everything went to hell, and quickly when what was left of Kittania's race showed up, accusing me of both kidnapping Kittania and causing the near extinction of their people.

Somehow, I don't think I'll be getting a second date...

​ *

The survivors of the planet Riff had made a new home on a smaller distant planet, having all gathered in a newly built stadium that they hoped to one day fill to capacity again.

"How is this possible?" Kittania asked as she was led into the stadium. "And where is Juston?"

"We were on a mission of peace," Lynx, a bulky humanoid cat creature with black and white fur said as he walked beside her. "We returned to find our home annihilated. After weeks of searching, we discovered others who had survived by hiding in underground caverns but had become trapped by cave-ins until we dug them out. But the royal family had been declared dead, including you. It was only when a small child had said that he'd seen you leaving with a group of furless creatures that we began to piece together what had happened. So we came to rescue you."

"I willingly left with them," Kittania told him. "I believed at the time that I was the last of our people, and my new friends agreed to take me in to find a new home."

"Your friends were responsible for the deaths of millions," Lynx said. "Now we are down to a precious few dozen. Do you realize how long it will take to repopulate? Months, possibly a year or two! We do not have the resources to wage war with an entire planet, but we can have our vengeance on your kidnapper."

"I tell, I wasn't--"

"You have obviously been manipulated and brainwashed," Lynx told her as they arrived at their seats. "We will cure you, my princess, but first... the trial."

Kittania stared in horror down into the stadium, where Juston stood at the center, his hands shackled while the humanoid cat creatures booed and tossed various objects at him.

"Let the trial commence!" Lynx shouted.

# # # # #

Elsewhere, outside of time and space, Andy Maguire was floating through a vast white void, having fallen into it via a door that had appeared where Franklin's room was supposed to have been.

"You know, I'm starting to think that something's going on in Franklin's bedroom," Andy said. "And I'm hungry. And I have to pee. And I'm bored. I CAN'T MULTITASK!"

# # # # #

"And that's all that needs to be said," Lynx said as he sat down in his chair.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Juston shouted. "You just said to commence the trial, then sat down!"