Cats:  (in shock) WHAAAAT?

[Indeed, the cylinder-shaped bottoms of the robot's upside-down cone feet prove a perfect match
for the tracks found in the Little Tokyo rubble]

Guido:  [trying to stay in control] You PERSONALLY murdered all those people?  YOU killed
Lucille?

BC:  [sinister grin] Ah, you mean the one with the atomic curlers?  Yes, I had to make sure she
would never interfere in my plans again!  [maniacal laughing]

Guido:  [Ooh-hoo, ANGRY!]

Francine:  Easy, Guido...we've gotta come up with a plan here...

BC:  Now do you see?  That was no random area of the city to be struck.  That entire attack was
meant solely for YOU!  [begins laughing again] My own little game of Cat-and-Mouse, with the
roles reversed!

Jonas:  You EVIL son of a-

BC:  (interrupting) And who might YOU be?  You look like you jumped out of a C. S. Lewis
novel!

Jonas:  (annoyed) My NAME is Jonas Miles.  You'd do well to remember that.

BC:  You certainly don't look like a Samurai Pizza Cat.

Jonas:  I'm not a samurai, and I never SAID I was a cat.

BC:  My, my!  Don't WE have an attitude!

Jonas:  [steps forward] You want a piece of me, pal?  Come on!  Free shot!  Right here!

Hunter:  Sir, this course of action is inadvisable.

Jonas:  I know what I'm doing, Hunter.  If this guy wants some, he can come and get it!

BC:  [sinister grin] My pleasure!

[With blinding speed, the robot lurches forward, and slams its piston arm into Jonas.  The tip
seems to explode on contact, and his body sails through the air, smashing a hole in the wall behind
the Cats.  The force of the blow is so great, the Cats are knocked off their feet]

Francine:  Jonas!

Speedy:  Miles, are you there?

[Nothing but static over the comlink]

Speedy:  (more urgently) Miles, do you read?  Please respond.

[Still static]

BC:  That's what you get when you meddle in my affairs!  Now, after I'm finished with you, my
armies will march into Little Tokyo, take the Palace, and-[before BC can finish, Speedy leaps up
and gives the robot a hard punch to the chest, his fists glowing with energy] OOF!

 Speedy:  You talk too much!

[The robot takes a few steps back, rocked by the impact of Speedy's punch]

Speedy:  You murdering swine!  If it wasn't for that man, none of us may be alive today!  If it's
the last thing I ever do, I'm taking you DOWN!

[Speedy launches into his Cat's Eye Slash sequence.  As he prepares to unleash its awesome
power, the roar of a wildcat is heard in the background.  The energy strikes the robot dead on,
knocking it onto its back, but not destroying it]

Speedy:  What!?  That's insane!  That should have blown you into next year!

BC:  [gets up] You fool!  Surely you don't think I can be defeated so easily!  [A hatch opens on
the claw arm, revealing a small cannon.  It fires a beam at Speedy, who only just barely manages
to dodge]

Polly:  Don't call my husband a fool!  [Kicks the robot in the chest, knocking it back, before going
into her Heartbreaker sequence.  Again, the blast hits full on, knocking the robot down, but oddly,
almost no damage can be seen] What's going on here!?

BC:  [struggling to get up] Your pathetic light show won't stop me this time!  [makes it to his feet
and fires at Polly, knicking her on the right shoulder]
 
Polly:  UNGH!  <That barely hit me...but my arm feels like it's on fire!>

Guido:  (in a baby-ish tone) Aww, poor widdle Cheesy, did da big, bad Pizza Cat hurt youse?
[punches the robot HARD in the chest] (angrily) GOOD!

[The robot staggers back, but keeps its balance]

Guido:  [delivering a combination of devastating punches and kicks] This one's for Jonas!
[WHAM!] This one's for Lucille!  [WHAM!] This one's for Francine!  [WHAM!]

[The robot nearly topples over, but somehow manages to stay up]

Guido:  And this one...IS FOR ME!  [goes into his Azure Flame sequence, knocking the robot
down once again.  Real signs of damage are finally beginning to show]

BC:  [with a bloody lip] Then this one's for ME!  [Fires at Guido.  Spent from that last effort,
Guido is unable to dodge, and takes the hit full on.  He collapses to the ground, unmoving]

Polly:  [screams]

Speedy:  (yells) GUIDO!

Francine:  NOOOOOO!!!  [runs over to Guido, and kneels down.  His armor is charred, and his
body prone.  Had she been level-headed enough to check his pulse, she would have seen that he
was alive {But guess what?  She DIDN'T!}] (sobbing) Guido...no...[slowly turns to the Big
Cheese, glowing with hatred] YOU!!!

 BC:  [gets up, laughing] Two down, four to go!

Francine:  (ballistic) AAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!  [Grabs her whip, and begins twirling it around her
head as it crackles with energy] (echoing) EMERALD...TORNADO!  [A large energy funnel
forms, and slams into the robot, causing more damage, and knocking it down once again]

BC:  [groan] Not again...

[Speedy and Polly join Francine by Guido]

Francine:  (sobbing) Guido...please...you're all I have...

Speedy:  [teary-eyed] (consoling) It'll be okay, Francine...somehow...

Polly:  [checks for a pulse] Hey...he's alive!

Speedy and Francine:  HE IS!?

Polly:  [nods] But just barely.  We need to get him out of here!

[Before the robot can get to its feet, GB comes seemingly from out of nowhere and goes into his
Firebird sequence, smashing the robot farther into the ground.  GB then lands near the others]

GB:  [examines Guido, winces] Ouch.  Is it safe to move him?

Speedy:  If we DON'T move him, he might be dead by the time we get out of here.

BC:  [Has gotten up YET AGAIN {Gods!}, and moved into an attack position]
Correction...you'll ALL be dead!  [A chain of some kind extends from the claw arm, and in one
smooth motion, it strikes Speedy, Polly, GB, and Francine in their chests, knocking them down]

Speedy:  <Got caught off guard there!>  Give it up, Seymour!  From the looks of you, I'd say you
can barely stand!

[True enough, the constant assault by the Cats has cracked the robot's frame, cracked the dome
on top, caused several dents, and caused some circuitry to be exposed.  The blaster on the claw
arm has been destroyed.  The thing's seen better days]

BC:  Maybe...[another cannon appears on the piston arm] But I've still got more than enough left
to destroy you!

[Before BC can fire, a scream composed of a mixture of animalistic pain and rage pierces the air.
Everyone turns in shock to the wall behind the Cats, the source of the sound]

All:  HUH!?

BC:  [eyes narrow] Impossible!  He can't be...

[The aforementioned wall suddenly explodes, clouding the scene with dust and smoke.  When it
clears, the battered visage of Jonas Miles can be standing in the rubble.  His cloak has been torn
all over, a patch of cloth is missing from his right arm, his left gauntlet sparks and sputters, and his
hood is ripped, revealing a tuft of brown hair.  His normally yellow eyes glow a crimson red, as do
his clenched fists.  A trickle of blood runs down both of his forearms.  The area around his body
appears distorted, as if next to incredible heat.  {Need coffee.  Keep away. :)}]

Speedy:  <Whoa...he looks JUICED!>  Um...Miles?

Jonas:  (voice is gravelly, as he struggles to keep calm) Speedy, do you remember all that stuff I
said about self-control and focus?

Speedy:  Uh...yes...why?

Jonas:  Well, I am WAAAY beyond control right now, so I'd like you to do something for me.

Speedy:  Yeah...?

Jonas:  [turns to Speedy] (slowly) RUN...LIKE...HELL.

Speedy:  Don't have to tell ME twice!

[Speedy, Polly, GB, and Francine head back toward the Nova at the best speed they can while
supporting Guido, not wanting to injure him further]

BC:  So, you think you can take me alone, you walking night light?  Well, let's see what you've
got!

[Seymour fires at Jonas, but he quickly leaps into the air, and fires a blast of his own from his left
fist.  BC dodges, but the blast rocks the entire room, creating a smoldering crater where BC stood
just a moment before.  In the hallway, the Cats nearly fall over as the shockwave reaches the area
where they are.  Alarms blare everywhere as red warning lights flash]

Computer voice:  Attention all personnel!  Evacuate immediately!  This is not a drill!  Repeat, all
personnel, abandon your posts and evacuate immediately!

Speedy:  Come on, we're almost there!  [turns on his comlink] Lou, we're coming back!  You
better be there!

Polly:  Look, Atrick and his crows aren't here!  Did they get out?

GB:  If not, they get to see up close just how big of a BOOM this place is going to make!

[Onboard the deck of the Gemini, the crew can only watch as the fortress shakes violently]

Jackson:  Get the rescue choppers out here immediately!  I don't know what's going on, but I'll
bet we're going to have casualties!

[Back to the fight.  More craters litter the area, evidence of shots fired and missed.  Jonas and BC
face each other from across the room, each one anticipating the other's move]

BC:  <I should have done this sooner!>  [presses a few buttons inside the robot, and it slowly
disappears, cloaking]

Jonas:  <Eh?  I'm surprised that thing's even capable of cloaking, considering all the damage its
taken!>  Hunter?  Hunter, are you there?

Hunter:  Yes, sir.

Jonas:  Are you all right?

Hunter:  Several secondary systems are damaged or inoperable...however, all primary systems are
nominal.

Jonas:  Good.  Switch me to cloak negation view.

[Switch to Jonas' view.  The bright orange outline of Seymour's robot stands out against
everything else]

Jonas:  Lock on target.  Select ordinance:  Disrupter.

Hunter:  Sir, that is lethal ordinance, and is a violation of the "No Killing" directive.

Jonas:  (angrily) Hunter, ask yourself:  Is this a good time to question me?

Hunter:  (silent for a moment) Understood, sir.  Security override accepted.

[Switch to Jonas' view once again, as a targeting crosshair appears.  A message is displayed:
TARGET:  DESIGNATE "SEYMOUR CHEESE".  WEAPON:  DISRUPTER.  LETHAL
ORDINANCE HAS BEEN AUTHORIZED.  DESTROY TARGET.]

Jonas:  [A green beam of energy fires from his right gauntlet, slamming into the robot and
disabling the cloak] GOTCHA!

[Before BC can move, Jonas unsheathes Crusader, plunges it into the robot, cuts it open, and
pulls BC out]
 
Jonas:  (livid) SO, A WALKING NIGHT LIGHT, AM I?  THIS IS FOR ALL THE PEOPLE
YOU KILLED!  [WHAM!] ONE!  [WHAM!] TWO!  [WHAM!] THREE!

[Meanwhile, Speedy and the rest finally reach the Nova, and collapse inside]

Falcone:  What on Earth...?

Catton:  [examining their injuries] What happened to you guys?  [eyes Guido] GAH!

Speedy:  (weakly) Played a game of Cat-and-Mouse...I think we won...

Polly:  Guido's really hurt.  Hand me that first aid kit.

[Back again...]

Jonas:  [WHAM!] EIGHTY-ONE!  [WHAM!] EIGHTY-TWO!  [WHAM!] EIGHTY-THREE!

Hunter:  Um...sir?

Jonas:  What is it, Hunter?  I still have 342 to go!

Hunter:  Sir, your adrenaline rush will end in approximately thirty seconds, and this fortress'
structural integrity is about to give out.

Jonas:  [looks at the Big Cheese, who has been reduced to an unconscious, bloody heap, and lets
him go] All right.  Let's get out of here.  [Raises a fist, and blasts a hole in the side of the fortress,
exposing the outside world.  He walks over, and glances back at BC] See you in Hell, Seymour.
[jumps out, and reaches for the mike clipped to his belt] This is Jonas Miles to all units.  FIRE AT
WILL!

[With that, the mike slowly slides loose from his hand as an unconscious Jonas Miles plummets
toward the Earth.  Given the command, the Imperial Fleet begins pelting the underside of the
fortress with high caliber shells and missiles.  General Catton loads up his "special" shells, and
prepares to fire]

Catton:  Let's see what these babies can do!

[Catton fires, but the recoil from the shells is so powerful, he's blown through the wall of the ship!
Bat Cat quickly swoops out to save the General, but is slowly dragged down by his weight until
Falcone comes to assist him.  The explosion rocks the Nova, even though it is nearly the length of
a football field away]

Meowzma:  WOO-HOO!

Spritz:  Take 'em DOWN!

[Onboard the Gemini...]

Jackson:  Keep firing!  Blow that thing out of the sky!

Crewman:  Admiral, we have debris!

Jackson:  What?

[Several large metal chunks hit the deck of the ship, but none cause any serious damage]

Jackson:  What is that...?

[One particularly odd looking chunk of debris hits the deck at high speed, creating a large dent as
it does so]

Jackson:  Someone check what that was!  NOW!

[Suddenly, a chain of explosions begins ripping the fortress apart.  Bright flashes of light are
accompanied by crashes that would equal that of thunder]

Francine:  The armories must be going off!

[In the next instant, all is white as the fortress completely explodes.  The explosion is so loud,
windows on the ships below shatter.  A rain of fiery debris plunges into the ocean, and in less than
a minute, it is over.  For a moment, all is silent.  Then...]

Speedy:  YES!!!

Polly:  WE DID IT!!!

GB:  ALL RIGHT!!!

[The scene is much the same on the Gemini and other ships, until...]

Crewman:  (over radio) This is the Gemini, we have a man down on deck!  Repeat, this is Gemini,
we have a man down!

[The view turns black.  Slowly, we have the "opening eyes" effect.  The view is blurry, but slowly
coming into focus]

Voice:  Unnh...what hit me?

Polly:  Look, he's waking up!

[The view is clearer now.  It's the interior of a hospital room, with Speedy, Polly, and the Rescue
Team visible]

Jonas:  Wha...where am I?

Speedy:  Take it easy, Jonas.  You're at the hospital.

Jonas:  I'm WHERE!?  [bolts upright] WHAT HAVE THEY DONE TO ME!?

Speedy:  WHOA, HOLD ON!  No one has done anything.  By the time we got here, most of your
wounds had already closed.  Even your cloak was repairing itself.

[Jonas looks much the same as he did when he first appeared at the pizza parlor, but some parts of
his cloak are still torn]

Jonas:  Hunter, you there?

Hunter:  Yes, sir.  All systems nominal.

Jonas:  How long have I been out?

Polly:  Two, maybe three hours.

Jonas:  [tries to get up] Where-UNGH!

Speedy:  Just lie back, Miles.  You may heal fast, but you were more burnt than Guido's
homemade burritos when we found you.

Jonas:  What exactly happened to me?

Catton:  You fell onto the deck of the Gemini from all the way up on that fortress.  You somehow
caught on fire on the way down, and you hit very hard.

Jonas:  What happened to the fortress?

Speedy:  It blew up.  Big time.  Too bad you weren't conscious to see it.

Jonas:  I'll review your helmets' camera footage later.  [looks around] Where is everyone else?

Spritz:  With Guido.  He doesn't heal as fast as you do.

Jonas:  Is he all right?

Meowzma:  He was burned, but the doctors say he'll be fine.  Francine, GB, and Carla are with
him right now.

Jonas:  [nods, chuckles] We did it.  We actually DID IT.

Polly:  [smiles] Yeah, we did, didn't we?

Jonas:  You've proven to me that I didn't waste my time coming here after all.  We went in there
prepared, and we got out alive.  That's proof enough for me.

Speedy:  [smiles] Come on, all.  I think he needs a little more rest.

Jonas:  Say hello to Guido for me.

Bat Cat:  You got it.

[Later.  The scene is a grassy hilltop, overlooking Little Tokyo.  All of the Samurai Pizza Cats are
gathered around a small stone tablet in the grass.  The epitaph reads "Lucille Omitsu. {Omitsu is
just her KNT name.  There is no official last name.  Hey, if YOU don't like it, complain to
Saban!} The world will never be graced with her smile again."  Guido has his ribs taped and the
left side of his head bandaged.  Jonas also has his ribs taped, with his right arm in a sling]

Speedy:  Would anyone like to say a few words?

[All are silent]

Speedy:  Yeah...nothing can really describe this, can it?

Guido:  You couldn't put her into words, Speedy.  You'd have to experience her in person to
understand.

Polly:  Goodbye, Lucille...we'll miss you.

[One by one, they all leave, each leaving behind a bundle of flowers.  Jonas is the last to go]

Jonas:  I never knew you...but from what they say about you, then you must have really been
something.  See you around.  [leaves]

[The camera pans over to the side of the hill, where GB and the Cats are seen speaking with
Falcone Bladewing]

GB:  Are you sure you don't want to stay?

Falcone:  [smiling, shakes his head] No, I'm afraid not.  Now that I've seen the true nature of our
"Master", I'll need a little time to myself...maybe do a little soul-searching.

Speedy:  Well...there will always be room for you back at the pizzeria, if you need a job.

Falcone:  [nods] Thank you.  I hope to see you all again, and soon.

GB:  [gives Falcone a friendly hug] Stay well, Falcone.

Falcone:  [laughs] Please...call me Talon!

[With that, Falcone Bladewing strides away, the evening sunlight glinting off his ebon armor]

Speedy:  (curious) Why'd he say to call him "Talon"?

GB:  A nickname we had for him a while back.  He may not handle weapons that well, but he's
absolutely lethal as a hand-to-hand fighter.  His own talons could slice a block of solid stone to
ribbons.  We all thought the name fit pretty well, and it stuck.

[Later, at the parlor]

Speedy:  So Miles, I guess it's off to dimension hopping for you, now that you've done what you
wanted to here?

Jonas:  I'm afraid it's not that simple, Speedy.  There's still work for me to do HERE.

Speedy:  (puzzled) What do you mean?

Jonas:  I've been analyzing some of the equipment we salvaged.  It's ultra-sophisticated, with an
armor the likes of which I've never seen before.  It negates magic, as well as my other powers.  So
did those weapons Seymour used.  He had to get it from SOMEWHERE...[walks off to his room]
and I intend to find out WHERE.

[Later still.  The scene is the interior of the parlor.  Through the windows, stars are visible in the
night sky.  Guido Anchovy sits alone at a table, dimly lit by the single light overhead.  He is
prepared for bed, yet he does not sleep.  His eyes are red, possibly from lack of sleep,
or...otherwise]

Voice:  Guido?

Guido:  [looks up to see Francine standing by the table.  She too is ready for bed, but does not
appear tired.  Her eyes are red also] Oh, hi Francine.  What are you doing up?

Francine:  I...couldn't sleep.  You?

Guido:  Same here.

[Both are silent]

Francine:  Guido?

Guido:  Yes?

Francine:  [hugs Guido tightly, while crying softly] (through tears) I miss Lucille!

Guido:  (same) Yeah...me too.

[Guido and Francine cry in each other's arms, until they cry themselves to sleep]
 

THE END
 

     NOT!  I told you, this was a trilogy, as in "three parts"!  Now, what good is a fanfic
without a reason to read it?  So, here for your enjoyment, the mini-teaser for Endgame:  Part
Two!
 

[Speedy, in the standard victory pose with Polly and Guido]

Speedy:  On the next...

[A crash of thunder, and a shot of Jonas against a dark background]

Jonas:  Pizza Cats.

     I can't say much for this one without giving the plot away, so here goes!  Speedy and
Guido VS.  Polly and Francine, no holds barred!  What the hell!?  Plus, why has all of Little
Tokyo turned against the Pizza Cats?  All this AND the SPC social event of the year!  You'll be
kicking yourself if you miss this one!  Endgame Part Two:  Mirror, Mirror.  BE HERE!

Oh yeah, comments are welcome at jhill5@gateway.net.

See you around!

Jonas Miles