The Black Needle [ B ] The Fight to Save Her

"Is he okay?" Kane asked.

"I hope so. I hope those poison effects won't last forever." Jerrell put a wash cloth on Stone's forehead. "Poor Stone..."

"We have no time to waste. We have to go back there and rescue Margarita and get a cure for these people." Kane said.

"Right, let's go."

They went into the grass fields and they encountered this beautiful, yet strange figure with green skin, and tree twigs wrapped around her body.

"Who are you?" Jerrell asked.

She laughed. "Dr. Doom told me I would find you here. My name Poison Oaks, and I am here to eliminate this village."

"So, he told you to do so? We won't let you!"

"So, you think you can stop me?" she asked with a twisted smile.

"We won't allow anything to happen to Memok, you hear?" Kane said.

"Very well then, die!" Her arms sprouted into roots and went underground. Suddenly, the roots came to the surface and grabbed Jerrell's leg, and then Kane's.

"What the?"

"She's got me!"

The roots started crawling up their legs and wrapping themselves around their arms.

"You can't fight back!" Oaks said.

She formed this energy ball out of nowhere and it was fully charged. She let it go and it flew into them! Zap! Despite the roots holding them, the force blew them far away and disappeared.

"What's going on?" Zelfire asked as he left the hut.

"You are with Jerrell? Then perish!"

"How are you feeling, my darling?"

Margrit was tied up really tight against this gigantic tree thing with roots that spread in all directions. The only light against the darkness in that room was the small window on the far side to let air in. She coughed and looked really tired.

"My head...it hurts..."

"Yes, of course, it's supposed to hurt."

"What are you going to do?"

He was preparing a needle.

"No, don't do it! I'm warning you!"

"I'm sorry, darling, but it's my job." He injected a needle into her shoulder and she winced.

"What did you put into me?!"

"I just gave you anti-syrum for the Black Needle. It will help you survive longer."

"But why? Why don't you just kill me?"

"Why? Because I want to see my victims suffer! The needle kills a person really fast, and there's no fun in that. I want to see them suffer as long as possible, the longer the better! Ha ha ha ha ha!"

"...You're a psycho! You're insane!" she screamed.

"So what if I am? They all called me that, but none of them ever saw the light of day again. Ha ha ha ha. Magarita...you'd make a beautiful specimen. The anti-syrum will preserve your beauty, make you live longer, and at the same time you will suffer from the Black Needle!"

"Creep!"

"Watch your mouth! As long as you're in here you're my prisoner! I can kill you in an instant!"

"I'd rather you do that! That way I don't have to look at you anymore!"

Mason was still in the mist and he was wandering around aimlessly. It's none of my business, he kept on thinking to himself, it's none of my business. Piper walked into the mist and he didn't look happy.

"What do you want?" Mason asked crudely.

"Are you still just sitting around here doing nothing?!" Piper scolded.

"So what's it to you?"

"Mason, you've changed! You weren't the Mason I knew from earth! The kind and loving friend that I used to know. The friend who'd help anybody in trouble. You'd risk your life for your loved ones, but look at you now. Do you know Jerrell and the others can be in great danger, risking their lives while you sit here like a log?"

"Listen, I'm just sick of this fighting. I've tried so hard to make peace, but no matter what I do, there will always be bloodshed. I've just given up. You're right, I've changed. People change, Piper. It's no big deal."

"No, you listen! I can't believe I'm hearing this from your mouth! Why, if I had your abilities I'd go to Altari immediately. You have all the power, and yet you sit here hopelessly. One thing that I learned from you is to never give up, no matter what happens. And you gave up now..."

"Well, some times certain things won't change no matter what happens."

"And you won't help? Not even if the one you love the most is in danger?" Piper said.

"Huh?"

"Magarita has been captured by Dr. Doom!" Mason's eyes widened and stared at the mist. "That's right. I just received that message from Jerrell. I bet that Dr. Doom is pretty creepy, and who knows what sorts of crazy things he'll do to her? Maybe he's going to kill her. Are you still gonna stay around and do nothing?"

"Magarita...looks like this 'doctor' is a son of a bitch. I won't let her get hurt. I must go save her!"

"Now you're talking some sense! What are you waiting for? We don't have anytime to waste!"

"Don't worry, I'm coming Margrit!"

"Please, just give me the antidote! I'm begging you..." she pleaded to the 'doctor'.

"Yes, I could do that, but that wouldn't be fun. Don't you think?"

"Please!"

Dr. Doom (sympathetically): "Awww, does your pretty little head hurt?"

"Yes, it's excruciating."

"Good, that means the poison is working. Soon you'll feel the pain all over you body. A pain that you could never imagine to exist, not even in your worst nightmares. The pain you're feeling now is only the beginning, and is nothing compared to what you're about to experience!"

"No, stop this!"

"Oh, don't worry, Margarita. Soon it'll be all over. And you can die a peaceful death." He took off his mask. "You should consider yourself lucky. No one has ever seen my face before, except for myself, of course!" He kissed her lips and put his mask back on. "Margarita, I shall never forget you. I will remember you as the most wonderful experiment I've had in my life."

"Where is everybody?" Mason asked as he glanced around the corn field. It was so quiet he could hear the wind blowing against the grass, and even the wind seemed to be crying. He heard a moan from the other field and it sounded like Jerrell. He ran over there and rushed to his aid.

Jerrell: "Mason?"

"Yes, it's me. Where is everybody?"

"We were all blown away. Kane and Zelfire should be around here...Margrit has been held captive...you gotta go save her!"

"Right."

Poison Oak: "Have you come here to help your poor friends? I'd leave this place if I were you. That's the wise thing to do."

"Yeah, but you're not me. And running away is never a wise thing to do." Mason said.

"How dare you mock my words you low-life! My master has ordered me to kill anybody to tries to help Jerrell, and I won't hesitate to kill you."

"You can come and try."

Oaks dug her arms into the ground, making her move. Mason knew what she was going to do and jumped to avoid the roots. He fired an energy blast and hit her badly.

"Ouch, why you! How dare you scar my perfect body?"

"Since when did a half-tree half-woman's body became such a big deal? You might think you're pretty, but come on lady! What has Dr. Doom been feeding you? Magic seeds?"

"Good one, Mason." Jerrell said, and laughed.

"That's enough from you!" Now she was really pissed off. She fired a dozen energy balls at him, but he dodged them all. Then her arm sprouts got Mason by surprise and he was caught. "I got you now!" Mason didn't even struggle. He just stood there calmly and closed his eyes. Oaks was curious about what he was up to, and stopped for a second. He raised his arms into the air and screamed aloud. Energy shot out from his body and destroyed everything that touched him. "No!" she yelled as her arms fell apart. Then with one arm he blasted her and the danger was over. "You won't get away with this! My master will hear about this!" she said, then fled.

Mason let her leave and joined Jerrell. "Do you know where Margrit is?"

"Yes, she's in a castle...southwest of here. Hurry!"

"I got it" he said, then flew off right away.

"Master, I have something important to report!" the injured Oaks said to Dr. Doom.

"Did you take care of those pests?"

"Yes, I was about to, but then this warrior showed up from nowhere and attacked me!"

"That means you failed me."

"My master, forgive me! Give me one more chance, and I will prove myself worthy-"

"Enough! Under me, you get only one chance! When I created you, you were supposed to be invulnerable! And you have been defeated. It's over for you, Poison Oaks. Farewell."

"No!" she pleaded, but the psycho doctor showed no mercy. He threw a needle at her, and it stabbed her breast like a dart. In no time, she melted into a green liquid, and screamed so painfully and it could be heard everywhere.