Kathryn spent a week running tests and scans at home in her garage to try and figure out what exactly was going on with the Wampus Cat that was now in the home she shared with Pitch like the feline was a pet. Now solidly into December, snow covered the ground throughout New Arkham. Pitch entered the garage to get an update to see if Kathryn had found anything out yet. “I get I wasn't exactly using the garage before but at a home laboratory wasn't exactly something I had in mind to place here. Tell me you have something.”

  Kathryn looked up from a computer with the Wampus Cat at her side receiving head scratches. “Well she's definitely a hybrid Cryptid. She still seems to possess human level intelligence but she either lost the ability to speak when she was changed or maybe was rendered mute from an injury although I didn't see signs of that. She can write, although her penmanship leaves much to be desired. Can't blame her though since her hand isn't exactly the most nimble thing.”

  Pitch sighed. “Do we have a root emotion figured out or anything?” Kathryn shook her head. “That's hard to pin down and usually some guesswork is done there anyway. She did however tell me a name so we don't have to keep calling her Wampus Cat. Her name is Kasa.” Pitch makes a confused face. “Are you sure that's her name?” Kathryn nodded. “I handed her a pencil and asked her what her name was. I know she understands English because after handing her a pencil and asking if she did she wrote the word: yes.”

  Pitch blinked a few times. “The Wampus Cat is an old legend but who's to say this is the original or that she couldn't have learned to read and write English in that time.” Kathryn continued to scratch Kasa between the ears. “She's actually our age. She's been in this form for about three years. She was visiting her family at a reservation when while walking during a strange storm she found herself lost in a strange fog. Once there she overheard voices but they spoke in a language she didn't understand. When she came out of the fog she was like this.” Pitch out his hand on his chin. “The Otherside maybe? But the only Cryptid with that level of intelligence is the Boogeyman.”

  Kathryn put her hands out. “Also she described it differently then you did. So maybe there's more than one layer of the Otherside. Like… that thing from Egyptian mythology you told me about once in highschool.” Pitch tilted his head. “The Du’at? Could be. After all, Cryptids are born from emotions and beliefs with us finding out that some emotions don't mix well. So it's possible they are together but separate via layers that bleed into other layers. So the layer we have been seeing is the Fear layer but she saw some other layer. With me being tied to that particular Otherside layer because the original origin of my Cryptid side is nyctophobia.”

  Kathryn nodded. “So whatever her root is, it's not fear. Also to think that Boogeyman is the only primal Cryptid of the purest form of an emotion would be silly. If there is an embodiment of Fear, a fear of fears, then there should be something similar for other strong base emotions. Embodiment of rage, of joy, of hope, of sadness. Each as old as human civilization if not older since there's the possibility this isn't the first time humans have formed a civilization since apparently according to ancient Criptid legends there was one before that got destroyed in a cataclysm that resulted in Cryptids being able to cross into our world from the Otherside. Seriously, how can you get a lore drop about Pandora's Box being a real thing and not tell me right away?”

  Pitch shrugged. “I’ve got a lot going on right now.” There was then a moment of silence when Pitch realized something and his eyes widened. “The feywilds!” Kathryn tilted her head. “Excuse me?” Pitch's hands became animated. “Early on we saw in the file that one of the things that made the scientists consider the existence of an Otherworld was the legends of places like the Feywilds. Since different fey would just be Cryptids under a different name like with Yokai. In fact, now that I think about it there are legends around the world from different cultures of a world layered with ours and each one is different.”

  Kathryn sighed. “And this is relevant now because…?” Pitch focused his thoughts. “Because in many of those, including stories of the fey, there are places where the veil is thinner and people walking around slip though. And in some of those the people that step through are sometimes changed from the experience. Just like Kasa here. Though normally that happens if the person is stuck there for a while.” Kathryn looked at Kasa. “Do you have any idea how long you were in the mist? Minutes? Hours? Days?”

  Kasa shook her head then started writing. The words on the paper were jagged and difficult to read. “Time felt off. Seconds, hours. Unsure. Day turned to night by the time I returned. Felt like seconds.” Kathryn nodded. “So it felt like only a little time passed but it was actually hours. Things must have been hard for you before now.” Pitch grabbed a seat to sit next to Kathryn. “Did you ever figure out why she was more drawn to and comfortable with you than with me?”

  Kathryn shrugged. “I asked and she said it was my scent. Not just because I was a woman. Apparently I smell a bit like a feline Cryptid so she felt at ease around me as a fellow female feline.” Pitch chuckled. “That's the largest amount of words for “I smell like a cat” I've ever heard.” Pitch’s phone then beeps and he checks it. “Looks like Ishwada has a lead on Vance or something. We've already taken care of the last escaped Cryptid so I guess he must have gotten sloppy after realizing he wasn't getting any more new abilities. I'll see you when I get back.” Pitch kissed Kathryn and gave Kasa a light pat before heading out the door to meet up with Ishwada.

  Pitch arrived to find Ishwada standing next to a containment vehicle for transporting captured Cryptids. The thing shook and made noises with Ishwada slapping at the side with a smile. Pitch looked at the vehicle and then Ishwada. “Did you catch the bastard without me?” Ishwada's grin grows. “Nope, this is bait. You see I never did report the Wampus Cat capture meaning that as far as Vance knows it's still out there. Until now. I've got a rattler engine in the back of this baby to make it look legitimate. Since I suspect he somehow has been listening in, we'll call in a capture and hope Vance comes looking for a meal.” Pitch put his hand on his chin and nodded. “Classic. Simple but hopefully effective. Are we going for capture or-?”

  Ishwada shook his head. “I've got clearance to kill on sight. Vance is too dangerous to risk leaving alive and will only become more dangerous with time.” Pitch nodded and got in the passenger seat. “Alright then, consider me onboard.” Ishwada nodded and got in the driver's seat. “We can come back for your jeep after this fucker’s dead.” Ishwada then radios in a successful capture before starting to drive and waiting for Vance to take the bait. Driving in the middle of the night down back roads of the city where there was no traffic and few people up and about to see or hear anything, especially considering it was a cold winter night.

  The vehicle shook a bit due to the engine in the mack rattling around to make it look like there's something trying to get out making Pitch slightly uncomfortable as he gripped a handle by the door. Eventually there was a loud slam as something impacted the side tipping the vehicle over on its side. Pitch quickly climbed out, taking Ishwada with him. Ishwada held tightly onto his Ohm scatter-shot and his special sword. Pitch pulled out his Watt pistol and aimed it at what looked like a hairless fleshy dog with eyes and mouths all over its body, gills on its neck, venomous webbed claws, and a set of fleshy bat-like wings coming off its back.

  “God damn Vance, you really let yourself go.” The creature let out a laugh before talking in a cacophony of voices. “This is what evolution looks like, picking the best traits from every Cryptid I've eaten.” Ishwada quickly put on his helmet and turned on the air filters. “You are the ugliest thing I've ever seen, and that's saying something considering the body horror abominations I've set eyes on.” Vance chuckled more. “Vanity is a sin I've evolved beyond. I am pure killing power, and I'm not alone in my endeavors. Trap or not, I'll be walking out of here alive and you'll be just another meal. Whatever you've become, it'll be a part of me too.”

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  Pitch laughed. “Hahahaha, oh man. I'm not sure what's funnier; the way you look, or the fact you think you can actually win. Do you even know what I am?” The many mouths on the not exactly canine form smiled. “Not exactly, but I don't need to. If it bleeds, it can die. I've seen you bleed. Besides, I'm not working alone anymore. I've got backup this time so if I'm in a pinch and can't kill you myself, he certainly can.” Vance charged at Pitch but Ishwada was at the ready with the Ohm scatter-shot and hit Vance point blank sending him to the side slightly but not doing much damage despite being practically point blank.

  Vance’s many mouths grin as he snarls lightly. “The rubbery skin of the Mississippi Mudfish is a great electric insulator. None of your usual tricks will work, General.” He then pounces at Ishwada but the snowflake necklace he has on lights up and generates a blast of cold forcing Vance back. Ishwada draws his sword and the ice enters the blade causing a third gem to light up an icy blue. “Do you have blubber like a seal in there too? Because I've got both fire and ice in this special sword made for killing monsters like you.” He then makes a hard downward swing causing a blizzard like blast to hit Vance hard forcing him to take another step back as his body starts to shiver slightly.

  “So it's two on one then?” Five armed Black Eagle soldiers come out from a second Humvee Humvee with Gauss Cannons lead by Anderson. “More like seven on one.” They fire at Vance forcing him back with Anderson running up. “I was nearby and once I heard your call I figured you were up to something like this. It only made sense. You should have arranged for back up from the start.” A second Humvee came from the other direction and also deployed five soldiers. “So I did it for you.” Pitch grumbled slightly. Now he couldn't go all out if things got hairy. “Thanks Anderson, but this one's kinda personal.”

  Anderson scowled. “Yeah well too bad, we're not about to let you two handle this alone and have the General die in us. You, on the other hand, can go ahead and get eaten by that thing for all I care. Things have only gotten messier since you've joined and as far as I'm concerned that thing over there is your fault.” He pointed to the abomination that is Vance who was getting attacked and forced back by Gauss Cannons due to them also having a physical payload. After a while Vance let out a strange and horrific sound. One that made Pitch's skin crawl.

  Anderson put his hands to his helmet. “What in God's name is that noise?” Pitch recognized the howl. “It's the call of the Wendigo.” Five Wendigo came out of the shadows and approached the soldiers. Ishwada issued the order quickly. “Handle the Wendigo first, leave the Chimera to myself, Anderson, and Holden.” The soldiers turned to face the Wendigo, firing their weapons but the Wendigo were two quick. They each pounced on and bit the neck of a soldier with the remaining four each shooting four of the Wendigo mid feed and taking them and their meals out in one shot leaving just the one.

  Anderson not wanting to take any chances left Ishwada and Pitch to fend for himself to take a shot at the last Wendigo who dodged the attack and started coming right at him. There wasn't enough time to charge a second shot for any of the Gauss Cannons and Anderson thought he was done for. Pitch gave Ishwada a nod who launched a wave of fire at Vance using the sword to force the Chimera to keep his distance as Pitch moved at inhuman speed. When the Wendigo went to bite down on Anderson who could only cover and wait for death, its teeth met something else instead.

  Anderson was knocked to the ground but didn't feel his neck get bit, he slowly opened his eyes to find that Pitch pushed him to the ground and put his own arm in the mouth of the monster. His arm was bleeding and if the Wendigo bit down hard enough it would sever the arm. Anderson stammered. “B-but won't you get infected?” The four Black Eagle soldiers moved to help Ishwada keep Vance at a distance with their Gauss Cannons. Pitch growled as he held off the monster. “Don't worry about it. I'm immune to all poisons and diseases. Though I do have to worry about this thing taking my arm off.”

  Anderson slid a bit back and got up. “So you can't like… make bone armor over your skin or something like that?” Pitch knitted his eyebrows. “(I made teeth and my hands and feet are basically full recreations so I can definitely make bone.)” “I uhhh… I've never tried that. I always assumed that I couldn't really change this form. Just recreate and repair it.” Anderson raised his side arm and aimed at the Wendigo's head as the Watt pistol charged up. “You saying “this form” implies you have another. What exactly are you?” Pitch sighed. “Honestly, I'm not sure if I know anymore. I thought I had it figured out but I can do things that even the being closest to me in form can't do.”

  Anderson blew off the head of the monster by shooting it point blank. The body went limp. Pitch turned his attention to Vance. “Time to end this.” Pitch moved in a blur of motion right into the frey and soun kicked the Chimera right in the head sending it realing as the Black Eagle soldiers stopped shooting. Pitch took a martial arts stance bouncing slightly on his feet. “Come on you ugly bastard, it's me you want. One v one me.” He then did a hand taunt motion. Vance grinned with his many mouths. “No, I don't think I will.” He then let out a new sound Pitch didn't recognize. Out from the shadows in the distance came an amorphous blob of black sand floating in the air as a single mass. It spoke with a distorted voice. “Hey there party people. Did you miss me?”

  Pitch and Ishwada both cursed under their breaths. “Fuck, he's teamed up with Abe.” Anderson pointed to the other soldiers. “Switch to Ritter Rifles. Quickly!” The men all scrambled to the Humvee with Anderson who grabbed UV rifles. Ishwada activated the ice gem on his Demon’s Bane. “It's a good thing we learned that extreme cold is effective.” Pitch cracked his knuckles. “Good, that makes this a two for one special.” Ishwada didn't hesitate to use Demon’s Bane to send a blizzard powered sword slash at the two with the fleshy skin on Vance's body collecting a bit of frost and starting to change color.

  Abe moved back a bit after being hot with the extreme cold. “What the… my body feels… sluggish. So you've found yet another weakness. No matter, I'll just have to learn to dodge more.” Anderson and the four men start shooting their Ritter Rifles at Abe who starts moving quickly after the first round hit him. With a blur of speed he went straight for the three Humvees and entered them with his sand like body, blowing them up from the inside one by one. Anderson shouting. “That's not something the Umbran has ever done before.” Pitch knew where he learned the weaknesses of vehicles from, but couldn't exactly say anything out loud. Pitch's head jumped from Vance to Abr and back again a few times as he tried to decide what to do.

  “(I can't leave Jiryu alone with Vance, but I'm the only one that stands a chance against Abe. What do I do?)” Pitch patted down his body. A Watt pistol, a bandolier of Edison Bulbs, and a bandolier of sports bottles filled with holy water. He took off the Edition Bulbs and activated them all before tossing them at Vance. Although immune to electricity he'd still be effected by the explosions. As the Bulbs went off he ran in a blur of speed at Abe before grabbing tossing sports bottles at the Black Eagle soldiers who caught them. Pitch two two himself and squeezed them splashing Abe with the water. Abe’s body sizzled and burned but when he tried to move the soldiers also squirted him with holy water.

  Abe made sounds of pain as his body sizzled and burned. Pitch couldn't help but smirk. “These things help calm me down, but since you're pure Cryptid born from a fear it breaks down your body. Even as grains of sand it's kinda hard to dodge water.” Abe let out a low growl and Vance shook off the explosion. Ishwada did his best to send fire and ice slashes at Vance to keep him busy long enough to get back up. Abe let out a roar as a tendril lashed out at high speed cutting two Black Eagle soldiers in half. “I'm done playing games with you Child. You were a curiosity once, but now you're just an inconvenience. I'll consume you one way or another!”

  Vance hearing this runs back from Ishwada and bolts to Pitch at full speed taking out a Black Eagle soldier with his claws before going after Pitch. “No! He's my prey!” Vance goes to bite down on Pitch's neck but Pitch put his arm in the way. When Vance bit down he found his teeth met hard white bone that had covered Pitch's arm like layered armor looking like scales of bone. “Thanks for the idea Anderson. I don't have to worry as much about loosing a limb now.” Vance’s many eyes widened a bit before he snarled and tried to bite down harder. Anderson looked at the one remaining Black Eagle soldier besides himself and Ishwada. “Overload the Ritter, hit the Umbran with everything!”

  They both set their Ritter Rifles to overload and tossed them under Abe with Ishwada running at the group with his hand out. “Wait! If you do that-” His warning was too late as a flash of strange purple light enveloped a small area blinding everyone including Pitch. Pitch felt a slight burning in his skin and internals, but thanks to him having his mask on he was mostly fine. He opened his eyes to see Vance was dazed from the effectual flash bang and Abe had quickly formed his own mask. Anderson's head jumped between Pitch and Abe. “What?!”

  Abe's hand turned into a shadow tendril that quickly stabbed through the helmet of the last Black Eagle grunts before turning back to normal. He grinned an evil sharp toothed grin. “Yeah~ I bet you have a lot of questions for James here. Or should I call you Pitch? I only learned how to make a mask that protects me from UV light because of you, my child. My fellow Umbran. It's too bad you retained your humanity when you were reborn as a Cryptid. We could have been great together.”

  Anderson and Vance were both equally shocked. “Your a Umbran hybrid?!” Pitch grumbled and groaned. “I'll explain everything later Anderson, for now just trust in on your side. If I wanted you dead you wouldn't be here.” Anderson grabbed a Ritter pistol from his side. “Just tell me where to aim this so it still hurts him while he's in a skin suit.” Pitch chuckled. “Go for the eyes Anderson, that much should be obvious.” Anderson cracked his neck as Vance shook off the daze. “Ishwada and I will keep pale and spooky off you long enough to rip that Chimera to shreds. No more holding back, go full monster if you have to. If rather fight with a monster and live then be stubborn and die.”

  Pitch couldn't help but smile. “Good choice Anderson, consider the Chimera to be minced meat.”