"They're weak, really," Brian smiled as he told the lionesses around him, "We were lucky Paul and Trevor managed to distract them, but it was easy. Once we changed, they ran and fled the mighty lion. As said earlier, we have no worries other then these gargoyles. The fight will last ten minutes and we won't take a scratch."
"I wouldn't be THAT cocky if I were you," Fox commented, "Frank and Daryl were both police trained and very good. Frank and his family moved here from Newark, New Jersey and Daryl moved here from the south-side of Chicago. Both of them have experience with violent criminals."
"Why did they move here?" Felicity asked.
"Frank did to protect his family," Bobbi spoke up as she approached, "Daryl was cut when his precinct lost funding due to some bureaucratic screw-up at their city hall. Gill was the only one who had openings for them."
"All the same, they're good," Fox answered, "and I volunteered to help out at one of Glendale's dojos as a "tackling dummy" for basic self defense courses... and well, I've seen a late 20s to late 30s woman with a red ribbon named Nicole who looked like she was better then master at that dojo. If this Nicole with the Smiths is the same Nicole, her lack of size won't matter. Martial arts isn't about brute strength, which is our best advantage."
"Not to mention what Serenity's said about Jensen's intelligence," Bobbi added, "How much of that comes from Jennifer Smith, the story book "Big Bad Wolf", or a wolf's natural intelligence, I don't know, but he's bound to have some tricks up his sleeve."
"But we're lions, better the wolves in every way," Felicity spoke.
"Not necessarily," Bobbi spoke, "I've seen some nature programs, lions are powerful and striking... but most scientists haven't found them particularly intelligent. Wolves have been found to fairly smart for animals, which when you think of it, has to be natural. The domestic dog evolved from wolves. Everything that the dog has that people like, it has from it's evolutionary ancestor... and I'll tell you this, Trooper, the station's canine unit is very smart. Sometimes smarter then his handler, but that's a different issue. This will not be easy."
++++++
"Amy and Zelipe, Master," Fran spoke as she and her sisters lead the two pups along with Pearl and June following behind.
"You wished to see us, Jensen-Sama?" Amy asked.
"Yes," Jensen nodded, "Kaylee has had an idea to enlarge the pack rapidly to give us the numbers to deal with these lions while continue our evacuation plans."
"Amy has an idea about that, Master," Julie spoke.
Jensen turned to the white furred pup.
"We can not just treat humanity as stock for the Pack, Jensen-sama," Amy spoke, "it will only make humanity hate us and side with the lions."
"This wasn't MY idea," Jensen answered, "It was Kaylee's."
"And you would do it for her, I understand, Jensen-sama," Amy bowed, "but what if we do not need to transform unwilling humans."
Jensen looked at her with some confusion.
"There is a gallery of people transformed into works of art, like the pack's statues, Jensen-sama," Amy spoke, "They are not human, but their souls plea to be freed from their prisons..."
"You think you and Zelipe can free them?" Jensen asked.
"And massively enlarge the pack," Amy bowed, "You can test it on the pack's statues, Jensen-sama."
"Very well," Jensen nodded, "Lead the way, as this will have to be done fast."
+++++
Nick would have preferred to continue what Nicole had started, but she told him in a very frustrated voice that the attack had failed and that the Pack was now rapidly preparing to evacuate the manor for the island. Nick didn't like it much either, but wasn't about to complain about the Master's orders, especially as long as Nicole stayed by his side.
As they came out to the main stairway, they found Jensen leading Zelipe and Amy, with Pearl and June following and the triplets bringing up the rear. They were approaching the five statues of nude Japanese women that lined the entryway.
"Who were they?" Zelipe asked.
"Deliverymen who got too fresh," Jensen dismissed it, "I can not even remember whose turn was used to do it... not that it matters now. Are their souls still in there?"
"Yes, Jensen-Sama," Amy nodded, "and they will be happy to be free."
"Begin the test," Jensen commanded.
Amy and Zelipe approached the first two statues, and placed their paws on the legs of one statue.
"You are a big bad wolf," both pups spoke to the statues and silently waited.
Then something suddenly happened. Cracks appeared in the fingers and toes as something appeared to be moving within the statue. Eventually the cracks gave way to clawed fingers as the newest pups powers did appear to work so long as there was a human soul was present, even if trapped. Soon after, two seven foot she wolves fell off of the pedestals the statues had been on. Jensen approached slowly as Zelipe and Amy took a step back.
Both she wolves still looked oriental in their facial structures, other then the obvious muzzles, and their maternal material was the same size it had been when they had been statues. They looked to Jensen and Amy and Zelipe and bowed on their knees.
"Konichiwa, Jensen-sama," a dark red, like a red wine colored she-wolf spoke, "I am Akane, at your service."
"I am Umeko," a she wolf whose fur was the same color as plum blossoms spoke.
"Their names are Japanese," came Isabelle's voice from a nearby doorway, sounding amazed.
"Maybe it's Amy's influence or it's the fact that they were turned into statues of Japanese women," Jensen shrugged.
Amy and Zelipe continued on to the next two, and freed them from their statue prisons and then Amy finished it with the last statue. Leaving the pack with two more equally well proportioned Japanese looking she wolves and one eight foot eleven inch male.
"I am Yamato, Jensen-sama," the red and white furred male spoke, his fur pattern making him look like someone had painted the Japanese naval ensign on him, "your loyal Samurai."
"I am Chiyoye," a raven black she-wolf spoke, which looked like she had two sais tattooed in white on her shoulders, "May all who threaten you feel my wrath and learn the meaning of my name."
"I am Eri, Jensen-sama," the last, a metallic gold she wolf bowed, "I will protect you with my life."
"As shall we all," all of the newly transformed wolves spoke together.
"You five with escort my pack's betas, June, Pearl, Amy, and Zelipe to "the Glendale Art Gallery"," Jensen instructed, "where Amy and Zelipe will free other humans trapped by the Curse of Glendale in the form of statues and other pieces of art."
"At once, Jensen-sama," Yamato bowed.
"Alice!" Jensen called, waiting for the glass wolf to arrive.
"Yes, father?" Alice spoke as she came out of a nearby mirror having just arrived back from carrying some supplies to the island. She glanced at the five new wolves and spoke, "Curiouser and curiouser."
"You know the Glendale Art Gallery?" Jensen questioned.
"Yes, father," Alice nodded.
"These five are to escort the betas, Pearl, June, Amy and Zelipe there," Jensen explained, "to free those imprisoned there."
"At once, Father," Alice nodded, "Come along all."
The triplets, were the first to reach Alice as the new Japanese followed with Pearl, June, Amy, and Zelipe bringing up the rear.
"I'm gonna miss the statues," Hope whispered to Isabelle as they left.
"At least it proves that Amy and Zelipe give us some advantage," Isabelle said back.
+++++
Gill sat down hard in his office, with Serenity following him, still carrying Trevor and Paul following behind him.
"This is getting way out of hand, Serenity," Gill sighed, "this game has stolen Frank and Daryl from me... both of whom were good officers, and were due for promotion... now it's stolen twelve more."
"They'll stay with the police," Serenity sighed.
"But it's doubtful that they'll want to be human again... I mean what is with the people in this town?! Can't they want to be human?" Gill sighed with a depressed voice, "all they've done is continue the curse."
"I want to be human," Trevor spoke weakly.
"So do I," Paul signed for Gill, which he could understand.
"Yeah, and from what I've heard, YOU give the Hardys the wording to lock their forms and allow this all to go in," Gill growled, "Going by the book, cat, you're a hypocrite and as bad as Jensen is."
"There's no need to take your frustration out on Trevor," Serenity spoke, "He's helped a lot."
"Just promise me you can kill this curse, Serenity," Gill sighed, "Just promise me. I'm tired of watching good people join the Gallery, whether they're officers or not. I'm tired of stupid kids like Kyle Perkins pulling stunts like what he did to turn Jennifer Smith in Jensen starting all this madness. I'm tired of people like the Hardy's thinking humanity is worthless and all but throwing it away. I am tired of this curse. Promise me you can end it."
Serenity could only nod as she looked at her old friend, who looked like he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders, and couldn't handle it anymore.
++++++
"I wonder," Penny thought as she entered the gallery, "Will Katie be a lioness like me... or would that true love thing make her a lion for me to love?"
She had entered through a back door with the consent of the manager, as the gallery had just closed for the evening. He thought it strange but barely gave Penny a second glance.
"You can lock up and go," Penny told the man in her best cop voice, "I shouldn't be long. And don't worry, I'd get in trouble at the station if I stole anything."
"I'll wait outside this door, just to make sure, ma'am," the gallery manager said, "I will make sure you aren't a crooked cop."
Penny nodded. As he went out, she continued on her way to the room where people transformed into works of art by the game were. As she turned to enter the room though, she saw several wolves emerge from a mirror in one of the security cameras. They were lead by a trio of well proportioned blond identical she-wolves. Three pups brought up the rear.
"LION!" "WOLVES!"
Penny managed to recover first.
"Until your brainwashing is undone, I'm afraid I'll have to place you all under arrest," Penny spoke as she stepped forward, largely relying on the description given by Brian and Felicity and supported by Gary, that the wolves, despite their numbers stood no chance whatsoever against them.
She began to pull out a small walkie-talkie from her belt which connected her with the station to call for back up to come and carry off the wolves to the station where they could be freed and hopefully press charges against Jensen. The closest blond she wolf however, made one quick swipe at her in a back handed swing. Penny managed to avoid being hit, but quickly found that she wasn't the wolf's objective wasn't her.
"I'm afraid that Gill is not to know of this battle," the she wolf growled.
"Frank? Daryl?" Penny gasped, not sure who it was, but they knew Gill as the police chief so she had to be one of the two abducted officers.
"I am Darla now," Darla told the startled lioness as her sisters flanked her, and the new Japanese wolves began to spread out and encircle Penny, "Forever more. These are my sisters Fran and Julie."
June and Pearl held back with Zelipe, Amy, and Alice.
"We're trying to save you," Penny spoke, "Jensen is a monster that has enslaved you. We'll free you and you'll be free."
"Jensen is our loving mate," the triplets said together in perfect harmony, "and he loves our children. We are very happy, and you seek to rob us of it."
"And Jensen has already freed us," Yamato spoke from his position, now behind Penny, "we are honor bound to serve him."
"Even though he is dishonorable?" Penny tried to argue.
"We have seen no dishonor," Yamato answered, "Now, leave. And you will come to no harm."
"I'm afraid I must place you under arrest," Penny growled, her drive to get Katie and fear that wolves would get her, and lunged forward, landing a punch to Fran's head knocking her back and knocking her out in one singular blow.
Caught by the surprise of the attack, Darla and Julie could do little to help Fran, and Fran didn't have time to duck under the blow. But, Penny's attack left her over extended. Darla grabbed one arm while Julie grabbed the the other. The two she-wolves then pulled back with all their strength to pull Penny's arms behind her. It hurt a little, but she found that despite her strength, she wasn't strong enough to simply throw the two blonds grasping her arms.
She moved to struggle with her legs to try and break free when something sliced through the ligaments behind her knees. That made her drop to her knees as she saw a dark red she wolf and a raven black she wolf roll to place themselves between Penny and the pups, Pearl, and June. She roared with pain as blood came from the wounds, finally managing to throw Darla and Julie off of her arms through sheer adrenaline.
Penny tried to get up, but found her leg muscles weak. She turned slightly, just to catch a metallic gold she wolf's kick with one paw. Off balance, the she wolf was thrown into a recovering Darla. But it bought Penny little help a plum blossom colored she wolf landed a sweeping kick from the other side, taking Penny to the ground.
"I give you one last warning," Yamato spoke as he approached, "Leave, and you will not suffer further harm."
"NOT WITHOUT KATIE!" Penny roared and kicked Yamato in the stomach, sending him skidding back, and knocking the wind out of him.
Penny only received a strong blow on her shoulders from Julie, at just the right point to make her shoulders feel slightly numb. The dark red female then landed a swinging kick on Penny's head, spinning her around and thoroughly disorienting her. As stars danced around her head, Penny realized that Brian, Felicity, and Gary had all seriously underestimated the wolves.
Julie once again took hold of one of Penny's arms and pulled it back, placing one paw on her shoulder to try and insure Penny couldn't struggle. Eri did the same with the other arm, and both of them placed their feet on the inside of Penny's knees, restraining them. Penny then nervously looked forward Chiyoye came forward with Amy and Zelipe came forward.
"Please don't do this," Penny begged.
"They are all trapped in these forms, lion-san," Amy told Penny, "we are here to free them. Make them family."
"They won't be happy," Penny pleaded, "Please. Just leave them alone, they don't want to be enslaved."
"We are happy," Darla spoke as she came to stand beside Eri, "they will be happy, and with family, and grateful to the pups that freed them."
And with that, Darla brought her paws down on Penny's temples, knocking the lioness out. As Penny dropped to the ground unconscious, Chiyoye came forward, claws ready.
"Stand down, Chiyoye," Yamato spoke, "She is beaten. There is no honor in killing a beaten foe."
"Spoilsport," Chiyoye responded.
"Begin freeing them, dears," June and Pearl instructed to their children.