Peter stared at the gun as a flash of explosive flame shot out of the barrel. Leading the charge was the tiny slug of hot metal hurling toward him. Through the space of nanoseconds, Peter could see the bullet vividly cut through the air racing towards him. Feeling the slug press and penetrate him; his vision going blank for a brief moment before he sees himself standing in the kitchen of his home, completely in his were-lion fursona.
Looking confused as he vividly remembers being shot; Peter wonders if he is dead or very close to it.
“You’re not dead yet;” Peter reels around growling to see a strange man in an impeccable suit staring back at him with a nonchalant smile plastered on his face.
“Like I said,” the strange man repeating himself; “you’re not dead yet. But you are unconscious and the paramedics are fighting to keep you alive.”
“Then why am I here,” Peter looking confused; “where am I?”
“You’re in your parent’s kitchen,” the man answering; “I was able to pull the image from your mind and establish this as a more comfortable place for us to have a chat.”
“What,” Peter looking confused and scared.
“This is a dream,” the strange man sighing; “I really need to find a better way to explain this one day.”
“I remember being shot,” Peter refusing to accept things; “and now I’m here at home?”
“Oh joy,” the strange man sighs; “I hope you are not going to be as difficult as Julie Stovall was.”
Changing the dream to back at The Diner parking lot; Peter once again sees himself getting shot; only he is now looking at the event from a different perspective and the event is traveling in slow motion, before stopping all together; the bullet suspended in the air in between the gun and his body.
“You’re still dreaming,” the strange man speaking; “but now perhaps you’ll stop acting as if you are thick as a brick.”
“Who are you,” Peter looking at the man sitting on the hood of his 66 mustang; “and get off that car before you scratch the paint job.”
“I can’t scratch the paint on this car any more than you can dodge that bullet racing towards your body, the strange man responding; “as to whom I am, that isn’t important. Only the message I bring.”
“And what message is that,” Peter looking at the strange man oddly; “Why do you look like my professor from college?”
The strange man cocks an eyebrow at Peter’s last question. Taking the form of a person the dreamer would find more comforting other than his true form the strange man knows this were-lion has a curious mind and one not so easily fooled. Sighing he stands up shifting; taking on a different from right in front of Peter. The strange man shifts into his true form; an ethereal dragon. Misty white and transparent; his draconic muzzle inches from a terrified Peter Talbot.
“Now that you have seen me for what I am,” an unearthly voice booming; “perhaps now you’ll let me say my peace.”
Peter could only nod as the dragon goes back to a more human looking form; back to being the immaculately dressed man with his smile.
“Not many of your kind gets a chance to see my true form,” the man answering; “most weres go mad at seeing us draconic folk.”
“There are more of you,” Peter slowly backing away as the man approaches.
“Not many,” the man sighs; “at least not anymore. And stop recoiling in horror,” the man getting exasperated; “if I wanted to hurt you I would of done so. I only came here to talk to you.”
“Talk about what,” Peter still looking scared.
“About you finding your love,” the draconic man answering; “you have a heavy heart and that is why I’m here. You’re also jealous of your sister,” the man smiling; “why is that?”
“Because she is getting mated by a werewolf,” Peter looking glum; “and any girl that catches my fancy immediately changes once they find out I’m the son of the were-lion king. They don’t care out me,” Peter snarling; “only the status of being the next potential queen as it were.”
“Love does not need to come from the opposite gender,” the draconic man sighing; “have you tried coming out of the closet?”
Peter looked at man standing before him; letting off a vicious roar of anger and rage at what was suggested he could be. The strange man unfazed by the were-lion’s attempt of intimidation stares back at Peter with a cold determined look.
“Your sister started out as a bi-sexual,” the man speaking calmly; “now she has found her love and has no desire to seek companionship with her own gender.”
“I’m not gay,” Peter snarling.
“Your heart says otherwise,” the man sighing; “but if you can’t find the girl of your dreams, than perhaps you should look for the man of your dreams.”
“I’m. Not. GAY,” peter roaring.
“The more you deny it,” the strange man speaking; “the more difficult it will be for you to find happiness. Think on that after the E.M.Ts finishes using the defibrillator on you.”
Before Peter could respond on what the man said; he wakes up to a blinding light and a rapid beeping sound. Feeling a searing pain in his abdomen; Peter roars as he instinctively shifts into his were-lion fursona. Stunning the were-rabbit that tries and fails to restrain him as Peter’s struggling nearly causes the ambulance racing to the hospital to tip over.
“For fuck’s sake Andy sedate him!”
“I just resuscitated him,” the were-rabbit shouting; “anything I give him, might flat line him again!”
“Well calm him down,” the driver panicking; “before he causes us to be wheeled in on stretchers.”
“Peter Talbot,” The paramedic speaking; “can you hear me.”
“I’m not gay,” Peter mumbles; as his adrenaline rush tapers of; “I’m not gay.”
“Listen to me Peter,” the were-rabbit speaking; “you need to stay awake, so I can ask you some questions. Can you do that?”
“I’m not gay,” Peter growls as he grabs the were-rabbit. Peter’s were-lion strength breaking the paramedic’s arm before passing out.
******
Leon was pacing the emergency waiting room upon arriving at the hospital. Having to defur and wait as he waits news on his son; the were-lion king was growling as his nervousness and impatience shows. Regina sitting in a chair as Jean and Nate sat next to her silently waiting for any news.
Arriving at the hospital shortly after the ambulance nearly ran into the E.R. front entrance; the were-rabbit that Peter inadvertently injured managed to resuscitate Peter for a second time before passing out in pain. Peter was wheel in for emergency surgery. Peter in his were-lion fursona complicating things as Tora Tachibana had to have him restrained while struggling to keep the enraged were-lion sedated long enough to remove the bullet in him.
"Scalpel," Tora barking; the doctor having to perform surgery as he struggles to keep the heavily sedated were from healing fast before the bullet can be removed.
"Forceps," Tora demanding the instrument from the nurse; "what's his vitals?"
"Stable at the moment," The anesthetist looking up; "but you better get the bullet out soon, he adrenaline is burning through the sedative as fast as I'm pumping it in him."
"I'm almost done," Tora speaking; "I see the bullet, give me some retraction nurse."
Hearing a metallic clank as doctor Tora Tachibana successfully removes the bullet; the surgical staff sigh in relief as they begin to help stitch up the wound.
"Give Peter something to calm him down," Doctor Tora removing his surgical mask; "but keep him restrained. After what happened to the paramedic that fought to keep him alive; I want no chances of a pissed off were-lion tearing up the hospital." Removing his surgical gown and taking a large sip of coffee; "now to talk to Leon and his family."