Chapter Text
“She’s not goin’ down…YOU ARE!”
Ozzy split his membrane down the middle around Thrax’s arm. It was extremely uncomfortable, borderline painful, but he managed to slip underneath the large, distraught virus. Chain in hand, he fused himself back together as he scampered forward, nearly tripping as his membrane sewed itself back up. Ozzy was elated. He’d done it. He’d got the chain with Frank’s precious DNA. Although his mission wasn’t over- after all, he was thousands of micrometers away from anything that looked remotely like the inside of Frank- a surge of triumph coursed through him. Thoughts of his city, his home, flashed behind his eyes. He could just see the smile on Drix and Leah’s face… the relief they’d feel when he returned, chain in hand. So why… Why did he feel…
“Augh!! No!! No!!”
Ozzy whipped his head around at the panicked cries of Thrax. The virus that just tried to kill him. The virus which brought him to this hellscape outside of Frank- FRANK! His beloved city, which was getting hotter with each passing second.
He heard Thrax cry in frustration. While Ozzy was nearly impaled underneath that virus moments ago, he hadn’t felt his stomach drop like this. Something wasn’t right. He needed to get back, right now. But his feet wouldn’t budge.
Thrax continued to panic, using his entire body’s strength in an attempt to free his claw from the lash, but it was no use.
“Jones!” he shrieked, desperation lacing his cry.
No… why would he call for me? Ozzy must have been hearing things…
CCRRRREEKKKK SNAP!! CCCCCRRRRKKK SNAP!!
Both of them were jolted by the lash, shuddering as it slowly dislodged from Shane's bottom eyelid. Ozzy was running out of time. He looked at Thrax, who had paused at the motion of the lash. Their eyes met. The pit in Ozzy’s stomach became a chasm opening beneath him, swallowing him whole.
“Goddamnit!” Ozzy, cursing under his breath, bolted back to Thrax, who had resumed pointlessly struggling. Ozzy came up right behind the virus and grabbed his left arm. He pulled with all his strength, heels digging into the lash. Thrax pulled away from him, snarling.
“What the fuck are you doing?!” Thrax roared. His expressions were discordant, flitting rapidly between anger and uncertainty.
“What does it look like I’m doing?!” Ozzy exclaimed. The cop reached for the virus’s trapped arm. Thrax swiped at him with his free claw.
“What the fuck man!!” Ozzy barely dodged each swipe with his stretching ability.
“I don’t need your help!” Thrax growled, spit flying from his mouth.
CLANG SNAP CRRREAKKKK
They both yelped as the lash bobbed violently.
“We don’t have time for this shit!” Ozzy looked around, desperate for any means to pry Thrax’s claw from this fucking lash. I always hated falsies, he thought. Panic was rising in his throat. He had nothing on him, no tools, no weapons. Fuck fuck fuck! Dread was consuming him. He held his hands to his face, the idea of having to leave Thrax behind growing more and more real by the second. The worst part was Ozzy didn’t understand why he couldn’t just accept it and get the hell off that god forsaken thing. He looked back down at his hands, and then to Thrax’s… saw the claw embedded deep in the plastic… a fissure forming around it… Ozzy’s expression lifted as an idea came to him. He had to act fast.
Ozzy took a few steps back, then dove into the crevice formed by Thrax’s claw in the lash’s surface, using his uncanny ability to squeeze through the tiniest of spaces. He forced his membrane as far into the crack as he could go, barely able to make it more than a few micrometers under the surface, then drew his cytoplasm into that spot in an attempt to force the gap open. It was incredibly painful; he couldn’t scream, couldn’t even breathe, and then… a small sound emanated from the plastic. He withdrew and gasped for air as his limbs and head reformed. Thrax was staring up at him in complete shock.
“That was disgusting…”
“Will you shut the fuck up and pull that thing out already!”
Thrax grunted as he once again strained at the plastic. He exclaimed as his claw unsheathed itself from the gap, nearly freed- only to catch on the material once more. About a third of his claw remained, refusing to budge as he jerked his entire body frantically.
“Raaaa! Fuck!”
“Oh we don’t got TIME for this!” Ozzy pushed Thrax’s other arm away and took his left wrist into both of his hands, positioning his feet in preparation.
“Sorry Big Daddy.”
Thrax was about to retaliate when Ozzy yanked his wrist violently to the left- twisting it, rather than pulling it perpendicular to the fissure. The virus bleated in pain as an audible snap emanated from his claw. Both the cell and the virus fell backwards with the momentum of his hand’s release. Thrax immediately sprang up, his back to Jones, cradling his hand. His wrist throbbed with pain, but far worse was the rage bubbling up at the sight of his beloved weapon. The very tip was broken off, and a long jagged crack ran down its length.
Thrax still had his back to Ozzy. “... YOU…” he began, his voice low and simmering with anger. He hadn’t realized Ozzy had moved a significant distance away, and was running towards Thrax at full speed.
“Thank me later!” Ozzy shouted, just before he landed a flying roundhouse kick to the back of Thrax’s head. The virus went limp, falling face first into the lash. Ozzy grunted, hauling Thrax onto his back. What the Frank has he been eating? He’s heavy as spit!
SSSSSSNAP!! CLANK!!
Ozzy nearly lost his footing as the lash started to come undone from the last bits of glue holding it to Shane’s lower lid. He clambered upwards as fast as he could, which was not fast enough considering his cargo.
“Daddy!” Shane cried. Ozzy looked down. He realized she had returned to Frank’s side, and massive tears were welling in her eyes. The shadow of a gigantic droplet loomed over the two microbes. Ozzy screamed as both him and Thrax were swallowed by the enormous sphere of liquid. All was quiet as they both fell into Frank’s mouth, where Drix and Leah were waiting.