Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

noun: corona

BIOLOGY

–ANATOMY

a part of the body resembling or likened to a crown.

–BOTANY

the cup-shaped or trumpet-shaped outgrowth at the centre of a daffodil or narcissus flower.

noun: virus

MICROBIOLOGY

an infective agent that typically consists of a nucleic acid molecule in a protein coat, is too small to be seen by light microscopy, and is able to multiply only within the living cells of a host.

"the hepatitis B virus"

The Map of the World of Avalon

We thought we knew our worlds—ours, the real one, where a virus changed everything… and theirs, the worlds of colour and imagination, where heroes wear gemstone hearts, stretchy dogs battle candy monsters, and twin kids decode cryptic journals in the woods.

We watched them. We grew up with them. We laughed, cried, and clung to them when reality felt too heavy. But what if those worlds were more than stories? What if they lived on the other side of the screen, connected to us in ways we couldn’t see?

This is the story of Avalon, a world built from every cartoon we ever loved. A place where each show holds its own territory, where fans, creators, and characters coexist under uneasy peace—until the virus came.

But not just a virus.

The Virus.

What began in our world as COVID-19 evolved in theirs into something else entirely—a sentient infection, an invading force that mutates minds and matter. Cities fell. Cartoons we thought were untouchable were silenced. The boundaries between reality and animation were shattered.

This is the story of how fanboys, medics, soldiers, and assistants—ordinary people from our world—were drawn into Avalon. How they saw the coming plague in visions. How their paths crossed with heroes we once thought were fictional. How they changed everything.

Before the war begins, before the world turns upside down, there is one truth you must understand:

This isn’t fan fiction. This is history from another side of the screen.

The 2019–20 coronavirus pandemic is an ongoing pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. The outbreak started in Wuhan, China, in December 2019.

By the start of 2020, the rest of the real world became infected.

As of 22 April 2020, more than 2.61 million cases of COVID-19 have been reported in 185 countries and territories, resulting in more than 182,000 deaths. More than 706,000 people have recovered, although there may be a possibility of relapse or reinfection.

And the numbers are still rising….

Continental Star Constellation

“Cartoon World” is the official term regarding any fictional world on the edge between cartoons and reality, controlled by a system of studios that acknowledge the authority of federal law. At first glance, they appear as geographic worlds colonised by many corporations, businesses and families. In reality, however, they create neural interactive networked worlds that subject the world’s population and illustrate them as projections with official characters based on the known creators who made them, then select and process them into living beings.

The Cartoon World of Avalon was based on what was broadcast on the World Wide Web. Unlike the other Cartoon World of Ethonia, where there were many continents around the world, which represented the boundaries that studios controlled, Avalon was separated into many scattered continents so studios could have a fair share from which to maintain. They had a territory where the verse of a certain show was in its hold.

The shows from each studio, franchise or company had one or two areas each divided amongst them to share their control.

Avalon is a Cartoon World where the shows just remain in harmony rather than fight for the competition of which is better or greater. The world’s geography is organised into ten provinces of land across an open ocean. There’s no ruling class organisation to keep the shows in their place. The society is a democracy, and the security and military projects for all the studios have been brought together under one banner.

All the fans, people, studios and their show-based characters were grouped as part of an alliance called the Animation Studio Treaty Organisation (ASTO). A multi-national political organisation that handles matters related to trade, travel, land claims and all efforts relating to the Western viewer and settler interests in virtually created Cartoon Worlds.

The ASTO military force is represented by the United Defence Force (UDF), which was set up to make sure that none of the shows, fans or studios were in any unfriendly relations or even in close contact with each other and is responsible for continental-wide security. The idea is to have them separate from one another while they maintain their position and live on via the episodes that are broadcast through the Internet. Like any national military organisation belonging to real-world NATO, the UDF military consists of 5 main branches- Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Maritime Coast Guard.

The World of Avalon is a collection of different shows from different studios and is separated into its separate regions. Imagine if a collection of wormholes opened together in space, each heading for a diverse country from separate parallel worlds, melted together and became part of a world of its own. There are two main portions of the Cartoon World. Animated Setting and Virtual Setting.

The Animated Setting Landscape is where a specific cartoon is grounded. The landscape was an area that looked small on the Avalon map or didn’t exist at all, but if an animated character or an illustrated person entered, it would seem much larger than it looked. Both the Animated Settings and Virtual Settings are intermingled with each other. The only thing separating animated areas from the virtual animated landscape was a five-mile open crevasse with a bottomless drop called the ‘Black Stratus’. Anyone unfortunate enough to fall into the Black Stratus would find himself blacked out for a short time before finding himself standing back where he started. Somebody looking from the Virtual side would see a colourful landscape familiar to the show it was made from, positioned on a honeycomb layout made from small accent stones and cobblestone diamonds, made up like an inner crust carrying the animation on its outer strata.

The most critical portion that takes over most of the world is the Virtual Setting. In the Virtual landscape, people from the real world are illustrated as people based on a comic or graphic novel and are tasked with realistic division for each region. Industrial executives or fans who govern and dictate the Cartoon World, the denizens or populations who live in virtual cities and towns, illustrate an organisation of modern-day society, and the United Defence Force military is built as a security firewall designed to protect the continental regions in which the shows are based and the regions themselves.

Most of the Cartoon World’s architecture is roughly the same constitution as a typical Gravity-based planet like the familiar world we live in, with large geographic formations, enormous bodies of water and climatic zones. The virtual landscape of a region varies depending on the climate. The interior of a Virtual geographic region’s ecosystem can be occupied by towering mountain ranges, fresh green country valleys, frozen cold tundra, baking hot coastal plains and vast swaths of desert terrain.

Illustrated persons can arrive from the Real World into the Cartoon World through a closely protected and often covert Interdimensional Doorway for members only. Anyone who had an interest would have to sign a description and would have to be taught the world inside and out.

For a time, the studios and franchises lived in harmony with this style of life. But as the years on The Real World went on, the studios were viewed more than ever. Eventually, the nightmarish thought of COVID-19 was about to come to Avalon in a different way than it was in the Real World.

It was Zero Hour of New Year’s Day of 2020 when the Cartoon World of Avalon was hit by a black meteorite. It emerged from what was believed to be another fictional world, a Viral World, emerged from the sky. The comet hit south of the Hiveland and pieces of its fragments scattered into dust, which spread to fungus, animals and people. This caused the Cartoon World’s infection of the Coronavirus, but in a way that wasn’t anything like what it was in the Real world. The infected transformed into toxic humanoid mutants named ‘Spores’. A viral lifeform destined to infect any atom of living matter.

COVID-19: (deep booming voice) “This is the voice of the Coronavirus. We know that you can hear us, Earthmen. We know of your pathetic attempts to discover our secrets. But you will never succeed. You have only increased our effective methods to spread further. You will never solve the mystery of the Coronavirus.”

By the time the medical service, CHS (Civil Health Service), the DPA (Disease Protection Agency) and military from Avalon’s UDF (United Defence Force) were called in for general mobilisation to contain this threat, all four Hive cities in the Hiveland were infected. Tens of thousands of lives were lost.

By February, the virus threatened to spread further into many countries in the real world on a national scale. New Cases from China were getting positive symptoms, increasing by the hundreds. Causes of the virus allowed it to spread into Avalon as well. The continental regions which belonged to the other studios were getting infected by COVID-19 microspores, creating new Cases in those places as well.

In the seven cartoon shows which were Metaverse constellated for Avalon, the main characters saw their homeland areas, which were described in the shows, being isolated, and lockdowns were happening in the illustrated cities.

And then by the end of February, we all knew… this was not going to stop. This was just the beginning. We needed a weapon to suppress this virus before a vaccine could be tested and used to cleanse it.

A conjoined task force of four CHS ministries and three Agency platoons was sent to contain the virus in Hiveland. Two weeks later, that mission was lost, and three-quarters of the CHS and two platoons who were deployed came home in body bags. An exceptional loss by global standards. Then, the CHS brought the virus to Vannadin’Tella, Lzuria, Pir, New Kalindor and Modaire for research.

These regions had the locations of the medical research facilities known as the Biogenesis Development & Research Facilities (or D&R Facility for short). Confidential business complexes which merge medical science for the Science Division and patient treatment, like a hospital.

It was in those areas that the Science Division brought back a fresh, contained sample of the deadly Coronavirus Pathogen. At the same time when the Coronavirus was officially marked as a pandemic, the cause of this outbreak would escalate from a failed experiment in these research facilities, triggering a cataclysmic quantum event, leading to a massive invasion of the Sentient Force of undead Cases, the infection, monstrous creatures, and advanced soldiers of darkness. All in the source of the contagious Coronavirus.

One of the Biogenesis D&R Facilities, where a Coronavirus sample was brought in for research, was where four of our main heroes were employed. They were working in distinct contracts in the same area, but they would later have something in common that would lead them to be described as “a missing link”.

They had a backstory which provided them with a healthy protection against the virus, and this is where our story begins….

Chapter Text

Ronald Wright "The Fanboy"

Ronald Wright, 25, was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, and is an animation fanboy. In March 2020, he was working as an IT Specialist.

Little was known about the rest of his career. The only piece of information is that, in the real world, he’s a college student studying IT skills and networking, which he started to work on right after resigning from the laundry that he took as a full-time job.

As an internet and television viewer, he had an interest in recent Cartoon Network shows like Steven Universe and Adventure Time. He also shared some interests with two of his closest friends in anime, like My Hero Academia and Pokémon. Just when the virus started becoming active, he was doing one of our usual days, doing college work on a computer in class in an Ethical Hacking course that he had decided to build his grades on.

At the time of early February, when he was also working part-time jobs, he started feeling like he had caught a germ, and he started coughing and spluttering occasionally. This would sound like a warning for almost everyone present during the time of Lockdown, but in the time before, this was nothing to be concerned about. It wasn’t so surprising. He had been susceptible to catching colds and coughs in the past. He didn’t believe that he was contaminated with any such thing as Coronavirus if it had even existed in the UK at the time. The best that could be said at the time, he believed he had caught just another one of those colds he sometimes received from his aunt. A chest infection that hurt his sinuses. That was how most of them started at his age, in their mid-20s. This cough continued for a while, and he carried its effects when he was assigned to work in Avalon as part of a part-time conference.

In the world of Avalon, it was said he decided to work as an IT specialist in the CHS Biogenesis and Development Facility outside the town of Craigbrook, Lzuria.

As he was working in the world of Avalon, his college announced that they were temporarily closed as the rest of the country was locking down. 

Sallie Saito "The Nurse"

Sallie is a 25-year-old CHS medical student from Tokyo, Japan and had dual Japanese/American citizenship to live in Arizona, where she received a PhD in medicine and worked in the Little Clinic in the western part of Phoenix for two years before she migrated over to Atlanta, Georgia, to work in the Emory University Hospital.

In her personal life, she went out with friends, most of whom were Anime fans. They went out to cinemas, Sushi and Beef Bowl restaurants and met together for Manga book clubs. These were similar interests which Ronald Wright almost had. Sometimes she had an interest in American animation shows, similar to what Ronald Wright took most of his private fondness from. There was no issue with adults taking a liking to even cartoon shows. Sallie had learned to have self-esteem during some of her many lessons in life of learning that a majority of which cartoons teach an older audience to help our friends in need and distress, while confronting what is bad and rescuing people in need. In other words, cartoons impart a feeling that makes us want to get up, grab someone, and kick their ass. Now, anyone could tell you that was the spirit for resolving poisonous matters during your slice of life and times of horrid emotion after watching the episodes of animated shows that caught your liking.

Sallie Saito didn’t feel like she was doing anything wrong in her own life. While she was kind-hearted and a dreamer in her free life, she had a strong belief that life’s choices were right for one’s choosing. Nobody else has the honour to choose it for you.

At some point, she was feeling rather feverish for about two weeks before the virus. Sallie Saito had a high body temperature around the forehead, but at the time, she was used to difficulties like this. She assumed that it was a minor sickness that would pass soon.

She was pretty happy living the social life until the lockdown came to parts of the United States; her social life was supposed to be done via social media, and her work experience as a nurse required more of her service to repel the virus. She remained in the real world until she was given an offer for a higher payment to work for the Civic Health Service in the Cartoon World of Avalon, where she was told that she would be given a higher pay salary and more experience in studying medicine.

With that, Sallie Saito accepted the offer and was sent to work as a full-time nurse at the CHS Biogenesis and Development Facility near Craigbrook, Lzuria. 

Karsyn Blaine "The Guard"

Karsyn Blaine is a 29-year-old black Anglo-American Security Guard from Essex, England, who moved to Nashville, Tennessee.

Not much was known about his public persona. What is known, though, is that he was a Corporal who served in the US Army Special Forces of 3rd Group and went on three tours in Afghanistan before he resigned from a Section 8. (Section 8 is employed by the US Armed Forces as one of their categories of discharge from employment in the service when you’re judged mentally unfit.)

Right now, he is seen by his supervisors in his current work as a Private Security Officer as reluctant to talk about his previous duties and feels he has not had much luck running low on money from times when he came in and out of poor jobs before he signed up for the military.

After the military, he then worked in the Private Sector, where he did munition guarding in bases belonging to BAE Systems as they were flown in and out of Afghanistan. He worked on this for four years before he applied for another job working for G4S that required the service of applicants for Security Guards for prisons and holding inmates. He worked on that until he was given a proposition to work for the CHS in the world of Avalon.

His station was to be the CHS Biogenesis and Development Facility near Craigbrook, Lzuria. 

Andrew Stevenson "The Assistant"

A 26-year-old Caucasian Hospital Assistant from Edinburgh, Scotland. He was on the Spectrum just like Ronald, but he was also affected by a physical infirmity, which left him unable to grow any higher than 4 feet. He was an introvert as a young worker, yet he was willing to follow instructions and understand the process. What interested him in doing X-ray work?

According to his CV, little was known about his background.

What is known about him is that he shared the same High School and College classes as Ronald Wright, and they had a background of being friends during that time.

After moving on to college, he went into an employment program stationed at the Western General Hospital, where, after passing it, he became an employee there. He started his work in the Hospital was mainly just organising paperwork in an office, building chairs and medical equipment for patients, and helping patients to their appointments.

Everything else about him, which regarded what other jobs he was involved in after or during that time, or how he was brought to the CHS Biogenesis and Development Facility, still remains a complete mystery. What was explained was that one of the volunteers for the program was there to help with the same work he was brought in with at the Hospital.

Andrew Stevenson, however, had managed to retain himself to explain some details regarding his old work experience and his recollection of his life before the Coronavirus was very hazy. In this case, if you were to ask him, he would tell you that he has a liking for medical care but had a dislike for Science workers, and he would tell you of when he only remembered that he worked in some “harsh jobs”.

Steven Universe Story Arc - (New Kalindor)

In the town of Beach City, Steven Universe spent his last moments in the events after the main series and the movie.

Steven Universe is a cartoon series that revolves around its main title character, Steven Universe, who is a half-human, half-alien hybrid who protects his hometown of Beach City alongside three magical alien guardians named Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl. Together, they were known as the Crystal Gems. Nearly one million people have watched the show and have been praised for its depth in characters and its originality as a Cartoon show.

At the end of the main series finale, Steven Universe managed to persuade the Diamonds, the rulers of the intergalactic Gem empire, to cease their abusive, imperialist ways and to heal the monstrous, corrupted Gems that had been menacing their world of Earth.

After that, Steven and his friends and family, the Crystal Gems, constructed Little Homeworld, a community where humans and Gems could live in harmony. Steven Universe was the half-human, half-Gem hybrid that had the flesh, blood and bones of a human and had the powers of his mother’s Gem.

In his final moments in the series, Steven Universe finally resolved his identity crisis as he was his own person, not just the reincarnation of his mother. By the final episode, he decided to move on with life after realising that every other person and Gem were moving on in their lives. He then went on a road trip that would take him all over the country. For him, it was a great move after spending so much of his life serving others' needs. He’s finally taking some time for himself, where he won’t be alone for too long, but he’ll have time to emotionally breathe. He’s giving himself the space he needs to be on his own.

Steven Universe was on the move for days, and he spent certain periods video chatting to his therapist based on his trauma, then he would talk to the Crystal Gems about how he was doing. On his road trip, he would still be meeting his pet Lion and his girlfriend, Connie, who had been with him on his Gem adventures since the beginning of the series.

His last stop was at the small American-style town of Shefbrook, where he stopped at a motel, where he would spend the night before he would keep moving.

Steven sat back in the dimly lit motel room, his pizza long gone, the last bite sitting heavy in his stomach. The news was still playing softly in the background, updating the world on the ever-growing reach of the Coronavirus. A few months ago, the virus was just a headline, a faraway story, but now it felt closer. He had noticed the changes as he travelled: empty stores, new restrictions, more people worried about something they didn’t quite understand. But for Steven, it seemed like something that didn’t really affect him—not yet.

His eyes flickered to the pizza box, the remnants of his meal forgotten as his mind drifted. He didn’t have a clear memory of when it started—when the worry first began to creep into his mind. It was more of a gradual thing, like a fog rolling in. The world's problems were multiplying, and he wasn’t sure where he fit into it anymore.

Steven Universe: "Things will get better.”

The words are more of a promise than a statement of fact. He leaned back against the pillows, closing his eyes and pulling the blanket higher over his chest. As soon as he fell asleep, however, the restless thoughts began to transform into a vivid vision. The Gem, a glowing pink symbol on his belly, pulsed softly in the silence. It felt like it was trying to tell him something.

Meanwhile, in Beach City, Connie Maheswaran sat in her room, the cool air of Beach City flowing through the window as she absentmindedly stared out at the beach. The ocean waves rolled gently, like they always did, but today, everything felt different. The air felt heavier, the uncertainty creeping in as news reports began to dominate the screen of her phone. The world outside, much like her world inside, was changing. She could feel it in the tension that hummed through the air.

She had been eagerly awaiting her flight to Providence Island to visit her family, planning to finally catch up on some much-needed time with them. She was looking forward to the familiar faces, the warmth of their embrace, and the comfort of being with people who shared her history. But as she scrolled through the updates, the concern in the headlines grew. "Pandemic declared worldwide." "Flight cancellations nationwide." "State of emergency declared.”

A sense of unease gripped Connie as she read the updates one by one. Her phone buzzed, and she saw a message from Steven Universe, who had also been dealing with the swirling uncertainty of the pandemic but was busy on his road trip, keeping himself in touch with his friends and family. She quickly typed a reply to him: “Hey Steven, I’m really starting to feel this whole thing is getting worse. Can’t believe the world is shutting down... What are you doing? Still staying safe?”

After sending the message, Connie turned back to the window. The soft breeze did nothing to ease the tightness in her chest. This trip was supposed to be a break, a moment to reconnect with her family. Now, everything felt uncertain—like the air itself was holding its breath.

A knock at the door pulled her out of her thoughts.

She turned as Garnet stepped in, her expression unreadable but serious.

Connie: “Garnet? What’s going on?”

Garnet took a slow step forward, her voice steady but quieter than usual.

Garnet: “Something’s changed. I’ve seen... pieces of the future. Not everything makes sense yet, but I don’t think this is just a normal outbreak. Something bigger is coming.”

Connie felt her stomach drop.

Connie: “Wait—what do you mean? It’s just a virus... isn’t it?”

Garnet shook her head slightly.

Garnet: “I wish I could say for sure. But the future I saw—it wasn’t just sickness. It was chaos. We need to be ready... together.”

Connie’s mind raced. Her breath caught a little, and just then, Amethyst and Pearl stepped in behind Garnet.

Pearl: “You’re not alone, Connie. Whatever happens, we’ll face it together.”

Amethyst: “Yeah, and come on—you’ve handled wild gem missions, a sword, AND high school. This? We’ve got this.”

Connie gave a small, grateful smile, though her heart still thudded.

Just then, her phone buzzed again. She glanced down. A message from her parents. Flight cancelled.

She stared at it for a second, then looked back at the Gems.

Connie: “It’s official. My flight’s cancelled. I’m stuck here. I’ve been planning this trip for months. What am I supposed to do now?”

Garnet gently placed a hand on her shoulder.

Garnet: “You’re exactly where you need to be. We’re staying too. Whatever’s coming—we’ll face it together. And we’ll make sure you stay connected to your family. You’re not alone in this.”

Adventure Time Story Arc - Land of 'Ooo' (constellated due east from New Kalindor)

Somewhere else in another Cartoon Verse in the Post-Apocalyptic land of ‘Ooo’, Finn the Human and Jake the Dog were living they’re ordinary lives as they normally would in most of their time.

Normally, they would interact with most of the characters that lived in the land. Princess Bubblegum, the sovereign of the Candy Kingdom and a sentient piece of gum, the Ice King, a demented but largely misunderstood ice wizard, Marceline the Vampire Queen, a thousand-year-old vampire and rock music enthusiast; Lumpy Space Princess, a melodramatic and immature princess made out of "irradiated stardust"; BMO, a sentient video game console-shaped robot that lives with Finn and Jake; and Flame Princess, a flame elemental and ruler of the Fire Kingdom.

In the cartoon series Adventure Time, the show follows the adventures of an adventurous boy named Finn and his best friend and adoptive brother named Jake, a dog who has the power to change size and shape at will. They both live in the Land of ‘Ooo’ where they interact with different elemental-based characters, which include Princess Bubblegum, the Ice King, Marceline, BMO (‘Bee-mo’) and many others. The show claimed a positive reception from reviewers and a large popularity from viewers who praised it for having ongoing narratives and space to develop its characters.

Today, as Finn and Jake walked through the deserted land of Ooo, the silence that hung in the air felt unnervingly heavy. The usual hustle and bustle of the Candy Kingdom, the Fire Kingdom, and all the familiar places were gone. The streets, which had once been full of life and laughter, were now eerily empty, as if the entire world had been frozen in time. Not a single soul could be seen, and the air felt unusually still. No candy people, no fire elementals, no strange creatures wandering around—just an overwhelming absence of life.

Finn turned to Jake, his brow furrowing in confusion.

Finn the Human: "Where is everyone, Jake?" (his voice echoing off the empty buildings.) "I don’t like this. It feels... wrong.“

Jake the Dog: (he was stretching his neck to glance around, nodded solemnly.) "Yeah, man. It’s like something’s up. Even BMO’s quiet today.“

Just as they were about to venture further into the unsettling silence, a bright light blinked to life on the horizon—a familiar hologram. It was Princess Bubblegum, her face glowing in the strange light. Finn quickly pulled out his communicator, and Jake’s eyes narrowed.

Jake the Dog: "She’s calling.“

The transmission was grainy, but it was clear enough. Princess Bubblegum’s voice came through first, stern and serious.

Princess Bubblegum: "Finn, Jake, you need to come back to the Candy Kingdom immediately. We’ve sealed ourselves in here, and the situation has gotten worse. We need to stay isolated—at least until we know what's going on.“

Finn the Human: "Princess, what do you mean by 'sealed'?" (worry creeping into his voice.)

He turned to Jake, both of them unsure how to feel about the news.

Princess Bubblegum: (urgent in her voice) "There's no time to explain everything, but there’s been an outbreak. It's spreading, and it’s dangerous. We’re locking ourselves down to protect everyone, and I need you two to return home. Please.“

Before Finn could respond, Marceline’s voice joined in, her usual sarcasm replaced by a rare note of concern.

Marceline: "You heard her, guys. It's a mess out here. We’ll handle things on this side, but we need to keep a low profile.“

Finn the Human: (he stood there for a moment) "An outbreak? But why... why haven’t we seen anything until now?“

Just as the conversation continued, the ground beneath them began to shake ever so slightly, followed by a sudden, jarring distortion in the air. Finn and Jake exchanged a glance. They both felt it—something was about to happen, something big. Suddenly, their vision started to blur, their surroundings twisting as if they were stepping through some kind of veil. Everything they had known, everything that had felt so familiar, began to fade away, replaced by something far more sinister.

Finn the Human: "Jake..." 

Finn called out, but his words were cut off as the blur enveloped them. For a moment, the world stood still, and then the vision took hold, its weight pressing against their minds like an overwhelming storm. 

Gravity Falls Story Arc - west Pir

In early February 2020, Dipper and Mabel Pines were hoping to book their next summer for their family and friends back in what used to be the town of Gravity Falls. It had been a long while since they had last said goodbye to them, four long years before. For now, they are staying back with their family and what was described as Piedmont, California, but what they didn’t know was that in the Cartoon World constellation, their Californian town of Piedmont was formulated in the region west of Pir, Avalon, to give the character inhabitants. Both of them were looking forward to going back to Gravity Falls, but their adventures in their series had been the most dramatic of their lives.

Their adventures in the Cartoon Series were centred around the adventures of Dipper and Mabel as they spent the summer with their great-uncle (or “Grunkle”) Stan, who lived in Gravity Falls. The show was so popular and was praised that it garnered high viewership amongst kids, teenagers, and young adults during its run and was Disney XD's highest-rated show in 2015 and early 2016.

Their times began when Dipper and Mabel’s parents decided they could use some fresh air out of their unsociable home life. They shipped them north to what was formulated as the sleepy town of Gravity Falls, Oregon, to stay in their great uncle Stan’s place, deep in the woods. Their home was a tourist trap called The Mystery Shack. Its address was 618 Gopher Road. While Dipper was doubtful about getting used to his new surroundings at the time, his twin sister Mabel tended to look on the bright side of things.

At first, they both had to work in the Shack, which seemed like the same routine through the summer. What was later discovered, though, was that things in this small town were not always as they seemed. For instance, on many of Dipper and Mabel’s adventures, they realise it holds many secrets, and when Dipper obtains a book which he found in the magical land he was transported to, he and Mabel start finding their everyday life changed completely.

Alongside them in their antics were Soos and Wendy Corduroy, who worked for The Mystery Shack, the latter of whom Dipper had a crush on. That was its first season. Its second season focused on Dipper, Mabel, Soos, and Wendy working on discovering the identity of the author of the journals, while Stan continues to work on operating the mysterious portal beneath the Mystery Shack. Their time came to an end after the gang tried to stop Bill Cipher, a dream demon with infinite power who wanted to take over the world with weirdness. By the end of the series when Bill Cipher was defeated, Stan closed the Shack, naming Soos as the new manager, and all the characters (Stan, Ford, Soos, Wendy, Candy and Grenda) wished goodbye to Dipper and Mabel and the pig, Waddles as they made their way back to Piedmont with the signature of seeing them again next summer.

Now in the post-stage of the series, Dipper and Mabel received an invitation from all of them for a reunion back at Gravity Falls the next summer and presumably in later summers ahead. The timing was insane, though. By this month of spring, they were at their home in ‘California’, the fear of Coronavirus was spreading, and they’d heard news reports that infections were heading even near their home.

The morning air was crisp as the Pines twins sat at the kitchen table, spooning their cereal into their mouths. The television was softly playing in the background as their parents sat, distracted by the news. Dipper's gaze shifted over to the screen as a familiar word caught his attention: Coronavirus. The steady stream of reports detailing the rapid spread of the virus across the globe had only grown louder over the past few weeks. It felt like every day there was more bad news, and the ever-present anxiety seemed to grow with each new update. For the third month in a row, Dipper had heard the same concerns. They had been preparing for this moment for months, and yet it still felt like the world was spinning faster than they could keep up with. The news anchor’s voice was drowned out by his own racing thoughts. He caught a glimpse of the screen—a map of the country with bold red dots spreading closer and closer to their location. He turned away from the TV, trying to shake off the unease that had settled in his stomach.

Dipper Pines: “I just want to go back to Gravity Falls,” (muttering under his breath, half to himself)

Mabel Pines: (glanced up from her cereal and offered Dipper a small, reassuring smile) “We’ll get there, Dipper. We always do.”

Dipper Pines: “I know, but I never thought it would be like this.”

Mabel Pines: (ever the optimist, tried to stay positive)  “At least we have the day off today, right? No school!”

As she cheerfully stuffed another spoonful of cereal in her mouth, Dipper couldn’t shake the nagging feeling in the pit of his stomach. He nodded, but his mind was already swirling with thoughts of what was happening outside. They both stood up to get ready for their usual routine. But as they looked out the window, Dipper was confused. The streets outside were quiet, much quieter than usual. No buses. Nothing. Dipper felt more concerned now.

Dipper Pines: “Uh, Mabel? Where are the buses?”

Mabel Pines: (looked out and frowned slightly) “Weird. I thought they would be here by now.”

They both moved towards the front door and opened it, the cool morning air greeting them with an eerie stillness. Then came the unmistakable sound of sirens—distant, but growing louder. In the distance, military trucks were rolling past their neighbourhood, their tyres grinding over the pavement. Soldiers in full gear marched in formation down the street, their faces obscured by masks. The sight sent a chill down Dipper’s spine.

Dipper Pines: “What’s going on?” (his eyes widened)

Mabel Pines: “They’re probably just taking precautions.”

Mabel still tried to be reassuring, but even her voice wavered slightly. The military presence was unsettling, and neither of them had seen anything like this before. Then, as if on cue, an ambulance sped past with its lights flashing, pulling up to a house just across the street. Dipper could see people being ushered out of a nearby building, all of them wearing masks. Some of them looked unsteady, their movements sluggish as they were led to the waiting ambulances.

Mabel Pines: “What’s happening?”

Mabel clutched onto Waddles a little tighter as he squealed in distress, his small hooves kicking in discomfort at the sight.

Dipper Pines: (his mind racing) “I don’t know, but we need to figure out what’s going on. Maybe it's just—”

Before Dipper could finish his sentence, a strange feeling swept over both him and Mabel. Their surroundings began to blur, as if the world around them was distorting like ripples on the surface of water. Dipper blinked rapidly, trying to clear his vision, but it only grew worse. Mabel reached out for him, her hand brushing against his arm.

Mabel Pines: “What’s happening?” (her voice now tinged in panic)

But Dipper couldn’t answer, his mind reeling as strange images began to flood his thoughts. It felt like a moment stretched into eternity, like their bodies were caught between two worlds. Shadows flickered at the edge of his vision, and Dipper could hear whispers—voices, but not words he could understand. The faint buzzing of his thoughts grew louder until they drowned out everything else. For a moment, all Dipper could see was a flash of red and black—a feeling of deep dread washing over him, filling him with an unshakable sense of doom. The voices were growing louder, their unintelligible words echoing in his mind. He tried to scream, but no sound came out. The vision had him in a tight grip, dragging him deeper and deeper into it. 

My Little Pony Friendship is Magic Story Arc - Equestria (south from Hinamura)

In the land of Equestria (600 miles west out from Hinamura), Princess Twilight Sparkle was proclaimed the new ruler of Equestria following her mentor, Princess Celestia and Luna’s retirement. The series My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic follows Twilight Sparkle, who started as a studious pony who had an assistant dragon named ‘Spike’ and her five best friends, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy. The whole show centred around them going on adventures all across the land of Equestria, to help others and solve problems with their friendships.

The show itself gained popularity among kids and even grown-ups around 18 – 35 years of age. The adult fans were placed under the name ‘Bronies’ who praised the show for having a beautiful art style, and most of them said the writing was quick and witty for a toddler’s show. Mainly due to its smart and sweet side of embracing the Slice of Life and its connection to its world-building and the characters involved in the show, My Little Pony gained popularity at a peak height of 34 million by 2013.

After defeating the Evil 3 villains (Cozy Glow, Lord Tirek and Queen Chrysalis) in the series finale, The Ending of The End, The Mane 6 and all of Twilight’s friends faced all of their challenges and passed all of their tests to become fearless to any real threat that would come as a challenge against the Magic of Friendship. With the series ended, all the ponies of Equestria and all the creatures from the land’s neighbouring kingdoms were settling into their own lives, and it was all turning into almost a happily ever after. Almost.

But now, Equestria was just facing the next big threat that would plague its world, and it's the source of true magic. The COVID-19 Pandemic.

As the days wore on, Twilight Sparkle wandered the quiet halls of her crystal castle, her hoofsteps echoing like soft thunder through the empty corridors. It was a far cry from the vibrant energy that once filled every room—laughter, chatter, magic lessons, impromptu parties. Now, only silence kept her company.

The magic of Equestria felt... different. Duller. Thinner. As if even the enchantments that had always danced through the land were holding their breath. The memory of Princess Cadence’s last visit played on a loop in her mind—her sister-in-law’s soft hoofsteps, the worry behind her usually warm eyes, and the whispered question that had gone unanswered: “How long do we have?”

The Crystal Empire was holding for now. But for how long?

Each new scroll from Canterlot brought a fresh jolt to Twilight’s chest. More cases. New symptoms. Even the mighty alicorns were not immune. Princess Celestia and Luna had taken ill—an unthinkable truth that shook her more than she let on.

She stood by the tall arched window of her library, eyes tracing the ghostly quiet town below. Ponyville, once alive with the hum of community, now sat still beneath the grey morning sky. The marketplace, usually bursting with colour and chaos, was deserted save for a few masked ponies moving in silence, giving each other space.

From her perch, she spotted Pinkie Pie in the square, still trying. The pink pony cartwheeled past the shuttered stalls, throwing confetti into the wind. Twilight smiled—tired, but grateful. Pinkie’s spirit hadn’t changed, even if the world around her had.

Three weeks had passed, but there was no stability—no new normal. Earth Ponies did their best to keep food flowing. Pegasi managed the skies and weather. Unicorns kept communication spells alive, allowing distant friends to share messages and hope. Equestria limped forward—but the borders were sealed, and the air carried more than magic now.

And still, the numbers rose.

Twilight pressed a hoof to her chest, heart sinking. Every time she reread the line—Celestia and Luna: symptomatic—a chill ran down her spine. If even they could fall...

She turned from the window, trying to shake the unease, but the silence felt heavier now. It pressed in around her, a weight that magic couldn’t lift. She’d faced monsters, villains, timelines collapsing—but never this kind of fear. The kind that came with stillness. With waiting.

Then, the world shifted. The air sparked—like static clinging to her fur. Her eyes widened. The castle around her began to blur, the crystalline walls pulsing faintly as if reacting to something unseen. Twilight stumbled back as the window distorted like a rippling mirror. And then, she heard it. A voice—not loud, but deep. Ancient. Inside her head.

COVID-19: "Princess of Magic… your world trembles not by spell or storm, but by something older. And it is only beginning.“

Twilight’s breath caught. Her wings flared instinctively. Whatever this was—it wasn’t a dream. It was a message. A warning. Or a summons.

Pokemon Story Arc - Pokemon Regions (South of Modaire)

In the area of islands in the region of Modaire, where the Pokémon regions were stationed, Humans and Pokémon alike weren’t troubled by the events of COVID-19 for five days. Eventually, after a week and three days, COVID-19 microspores had infected the Pokémon at a science lab near Cerulean City. It was when the virus passed on to trainers going to the City Gym that the Kanto Region would be the first region to fall to the virus.

Many of the main characters, like Misty and Brock, were unfortunate victims of the virus as their Pokémon were, and they fell feverish, unconscious and immobile from the effects. If either of them were to wake up, the virus wouldn’t make them the same.

From that, the other regions in Modaire, like Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, Aloha and Kalos, were all facing lockdown.

For 26 seasons (24 during the Coronavirus Pandemic), the show, which was centred around a world of fictional creatures called Pokémon, followed the adventures of a ten-year-old Pokémon Trainer named Ash Ketchum. His quest to become a “Pokémon Master” was joined by a rotating cast of people. Human characters whom Ash made friends with during his journey and alongside his partner Pokémon, his very first one, and the mascot for the franchise, Pikachu. As he’d travelled across the various Pokémon regions, he also took part in competing in various Pokémon-battling-tournaments known as “Pokémon Leagues”, where Trainers and their Pokémon fight with skill and strategy. Of all the shows featured in the latter in this crossover story, Pokémon was a fad for a time after it first came out, and it caught the world by storm with outstanding popularity. People would recognise the name everywhere.

Ash Ketchum would be making his mark on the pandemic, which took place just three years before his Pokémon Journey came to a close. Before the crisis happened, Ash Ketchum, his close companion Goh and their close Pokémon (Scorbunny and Pikachu) were still in the Galar Region, which was a plane trip away from their home in Kanto, and the virus wasn’t being broadcast on television yet. Today, both of them had come to Galar to watch the match between Champions Leon and Lance, where they got into something called Dynamax and Gigantamax as both champions used them in battle. As a result, Leon had proved victorious, and Ash had to say he was interested in the whole giant Pokémon event that had occurred. After the battle, though, Ash and Goh found themselves in another troubling event. During this, Ash’s Pikachu was able to Gigantamax without one of the wristbands needed for this to occur.

Luckily, Leon was to help the two fix this mess. After that, Ash got a chance to battle Leon himself using his Pikachu and Leon using a Charizard. In the end, the victor was Leon, but either way, Ash had to admit that it was one of the best battles he had ever had. Ash and Goh happily went back to the Pokémon Centre to get Pikachu healed up. On their way there, Goh noticed a crowd of people near one of the electronic shops. At first, Ash and Goh didn’t feel there was a big deal going on. It was probably a tournament, but they didn’t have time to stick around. They proceeded to the Pokémon Centre again, just as the TV started to play a report of a Coronavirus outbreak in Cerulean City.

***

In Mount Silver, a known trainer named ‘Red’ (the Pokémon Trainer based on the original game) was in the middle of training when he got a call from his rival Blue in Viridian City and was informing him about the Coronavirus situation building larger in the Kanto Region. Authorities had blocked off the cities to prevent the spread of the infection. Red decided to head back off the mountain and head to the Cerulean City to find more information, but Blue heavily advised against it. He would only be putting himself and his Pokémon at risk. Blue was very specific about it. After he hung up, Red and his team, including his Pikachu nicknamed ‘Pika’, were both worried by the alarm. Red knew going out would put his team and himself at risk, but he didn’t want to remain isolated from the situation without knowing much about it. It just didn’t make any sense.

Unlike Ash Ketchum, Red made a name for himself as a Pokémon League Champion when he started his time as a Trainer. When he started, he chose a Charmander in honour of his father. On his journey, he caught at least 150 Pokémon from Kanto and raised them, including legendaries. He had been overcome by his rival, Blue, who had a tremendous advantage over him, but then finally beat him after taking on the Elite Four. His presence as a trainer stopped after he captured a Mewtwo before he ventured to capture Mew, the most elusive Pokémon for his Pokédex.

Red finally made up his mind, returned to his team and decided to head down to the Pokémon Centre for more information when he and some of the main characters found themselves encountering a vision in their heads. They were alone in an alien world and then heard a deep voice come into their heads. 

My Hero Academia Story Arc - East of Vannadin'Tella

In the Anime Manga show My Hero Academia, most of the human population has superpowers, known as ‘Quirks’, following a transitional period. At its premiere, Izuku Midoriya (Deku) had dreamt of being a Hero despite being bullied by his childhood friend Katsuki Bakugo for not having a Quirk. Both youths idolised one of the world’s greatest heroes, known by many as the ‘Symbol of Peace’, All Might.

Eventually, All Might revealed his Quirk ‘One for All’ and passed it down to Izuku to succeed him after seeing the youth’s determination in the face of danger. After receiving his Quirk, Izuku registered at the U.A. High School, a high school for training superheroes alongside Bakugo and their classmate friends in Class 1-A.

After four seasons in four years, though (at the end of Season 4), the COVID-19 pandemic was causing complications, showing it on an English Dub, and airing the show had shut down. In the Cartoon World of Avalon, the My Hero Academia Anime Meta Verse was located in the land of Vannadin’tella. Not even the nemesis to the ‘One For All’ users, named ‘All For One’, was facing a problem when their apprentice Tomura Shigaraki caught it from microspores.

Tenya Iida was the new Social Distance Patrol Officer for the students from the U.A.. He was responsible for enforcing six Case rules to protect them from the risk of spreading the infection within them.

1. Don’t get exposed! Always wear a facemask and gloves even when walking outdoors. Tsuyu Asui was stopped by Iida not wearing them.
2. Only leave your home when it’s absolutely necessary! Sato was caught hopping to see a movie at the cinema, which wasn’t necessary.
3. The Forbidden Act. Never hold hands! Tamaki and Jirou were found by Iida during a relationship in a garden.
4. Confinement if sick! Mineta was grabbed and thrown back by a rolling thunder of a Recipro Burst when he was about to sneeze in the cafeteria.
5. Always wash your hands! Mina, Uraraka, and Izuku were all washing their hands in different sinks by the time micro-spores started taking place.

Despite these rules, however, the Virus pandemic put the U.A. High School temporarily closed, and thousands of Quirks were self-isolating to prevent the spread of infection. Soon after, Shota Aizawa and Nezu eventually caught the microspores themselves and were unable to teach.

Even heroes had to stay home.

With the world under lockdown, even those gifted with Quirks were grounded—no patrols, no rescues, no action. For Izuku Midoriya, it felt like a cruel joke. All his life, he had trained, studied, fought tooth and nail to become a hero. And now, just when the world seemed to need heroes most… all he could do was sit at home and wait.

Three weeks passed like wet cement. He tried everything to stay occupied—rewatching Pro Hero battles on TV, chatting with friends over his tablet, tidying the house until it sparkled, binging meme videos deep into the night. But the buzz of purpose was gone. Each day stretched longer than the last, and the silence in his apartment only seemed to amplify the world outside.

When he finally ran out of toilet paper—and discovered the shelves were still barren—he nearly lost it. The smallest frustrations became unbearable. He found himself pacing, sighing loudly at nothing, yelling into his pillow, clenching his fists at the empty sky.

Izuku Midorya: (muttering bitterly) "Is this what heroes do now? Just wait?“

Then something happened.

As if pulled by invisible threads, his surroundings began to shimmer. The dull light of the room twisted. A sudden chill danced up his spine. The air turned thick—static, alive. And in front of him, where his bedroom wall had been, the world rippled like water. An alien landscape unfolded before his eyes.

Jagged skies. Cracked terrain. Buildings made of digital light. And somewhere beyond, a storm of colour and shadow churned in slow motion. He staggered backwards, heart pounding, the vision burning into his memory like an afterimage on a screen. This wasn’t a dream. It was a call.

Project: Atlas

Three weeks after the Coronavirus meteor impacted Avalon, the United Defence Force (UDF) collaborated with the Animated Studio Security Treaty to create a military COVID response program. This initiative was designed to investigate the emergence of COVID-19 in the Cartoon World of Avalon. Drawing inspiration from the efforts of numerous scientists, medical professionals, and military personnel in the real world, the program aimed to contain the virus effectively. Within Avalon, this effort was formalised under the name “Project Atlas.”

Project Atlas was a collaborative initiative involving military personnel, scientific teams, and health staff from the CHS (Civil Health Services). The primary goals of this project included managing public health during a viral outbreak and conducting research to mitigate the impact of the virus.

1. The CHS played a crucial role by maintaining a steady supply of inhalers for patients and conducting tests on subjects. This effort aimed to contain the virus and ensure the health and safety of the local population.
2. Two different teams within the Science Division have been assigned the responsibility of overseeing operations related to the program. Their main objectives are to identify the origins of the virus and to investigate effective strategies for its elimination.
3. UDF (United Defence Forces) military was responsible for deploying detachments to infected areas with the mission of locating and eliminating COVID spores that posed a threat, while also aiming to rescue as many victims as possible. It was also directed as a Science Division and Disease Control Agency program that aimed to study outside diseases that threaten modern society.

One of the branches of the office housed a Special Forces unit known as the Corona-Inoculation-Force (CIF), which served as the ‘tip of the spear’ in response to Coronavirus case reports emerging on different continents. CIF was organised into six Assault Teams (Squadrons) and two Supply Squadrons.

Each squadron comprised four troops and a headquarters (HQ) section. When the CHS/UDF task force was deployed to Hiveland, they included CIF Team 4, which has since been declared missing in action (MIA).

Apex Actual

Adrian Thorne was a young Petty Officer First Class in CIF Team 1.  He was in the back seat of a Humvee on a road to a UDF military Outpost in the western country at Vannadin’Tella, where his new team were expecting him.

He was assigned to his new station, which was located at a UDF outpost. Before this time, the CIF Team squads, known by the tactical callsign: Apex, had lost one of their team members back in Hiveland. Now, Adrian Thorne was assigned to fill in their fallen soldier’s shoes as much as possible.

During his time on service in the Corona-Inoculation-Force, Adrian Thorne was remarked for being more of a skilled assassin, a capable pilot and ‘more of a hyper-lethal vector than a soldier,’ which were the only details of his personnel dossier that were not heavily redacted. Most of the time, Thorne had the tendency to ‘operate solo’, could move faster on his own during missions. His personal data was also heavily blocked by official censorship. Despite this, however, he did retain some humanity to prove himself an efficient and humanitarian soldier.

As the Humvee, which Thorne was riding in, approached the front gate of the base, he witnessed two V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft land at the heliports in the camp. The Army Humvee pulled over to a stop at the driveway, allowing Thorne to come out of the vehicle and walk over to the building designated for CIF operators.

Team Apex consisted of four team members, of whom Petty Officer Adrian Thorne would do his part alongside.

Heavy Gunner. P.O.1. Marcela Vázquez. (designated on the net as ‘0-4’)

Sharpshooter. W.O.2. Ari Rubens. (‘0-3’)

2nd Team Leader. L.T. Sean Resnick. (‘0-2’)

Team Leader. CPT Gabriel Lennox. (‘Apex 0-1’)

As Officer Thorne exited the vehicle after it stopped at camp, he made his way to the Quonset hut marked where his CIF Team had been based. He took notice of a second operative who sat by a chair and was chambering rounds into the magazine of his sniper rifle. That was Rubens, the Team’s Sharpshooter. Inside, Captain Gabriel Lennox was being contacted by the CIF Brigadier General, Russell Hamlin, callsign: Godfather.

Godfather reported to Lennox that the UDF lost network signal from a Relay Transmitter in Alaghast, Vannadin’tella at 2345hrs. The UDF responded with a Ranger QRF, which Command also lost contact with. After that, the General who was commanding CIF Team 1 Alpha Platoon, callsign: Godfather, requested a CIF Team to report the situation.

Godfather (COM): “The Director’s Office in Project: Atlas and Science Division believe a deployment of a CIF Team is a gross misallocation of valuable resources. I disagree.“

Captain Lennox: “Has anyone claimed responsibility, sir?”

Godfather (COM): “ASTO thinks it may have been a local Anti-Establishment group. Five years ago, A.E. Terror activity caused a similar problem in the World of Ethonia. Hit a relay to disconnect the public broadcast system, then stole ferry ships from the dry-dock. The Science Division has a fear that it might be something different. Something worse. Your objective is the same either way. Avalon has an interconnection with epidemic trauma. I want that relay back online, Captain.”

Captain Lennox:  “Sir. Consider it done.”

Opening the door to the hut, and found most of his team. Marcela Vazquez was doing pull-ups as her hands were holding onto the support beam of the hut. A lavender colored flower was tacked to the side of her uniform. Then the third operative, Sean Resnick, came up having noticed Thorne, who arrived at the door.

Resnick: “Captain.”

The Captain looked over with Vazquez to see Thorne standing by the door as Rubens joined behind him just out of the door.

Vazquez: “So, this is our new member for number-5.”

Rubens: “Resnick, did you read his file?”

Resnick: “Only the parts that weren’t covered in black ink.“

Gabriel Lennox introduced Adrian Thorne to himself as well as the other members of his team, to whom he would spend his current service and where he would do his part in the upcoming pandemic, while their CO allowed them the Team to be at full-strength. He may have been designated as the latest and lowest number of the squad, but Thorne was about to step into some shoes the rest of the squad would rather leave unfilled.  Most of Officer Thorne’s file was censored from viewership, but Captain Lennox had permission to read parts of Thorne’s file that the UDF censors didn’t want him to.

The CHS connected with Project: Atlas thought it might have been because of a presumed COVID-19 case. If they were right, they suspected that an increasing contagion was spreading unchecked by their administration. ASTO still presumed it was a local Anti-Establishment group that had been rioting to make the pandemic stop. Not having had an Inter-Parellel connection to another Cartoon World been affected by their violent attacks, but recently, a riot group in Pir assaulted a relay station and powered down the network link to Disney+ in the real world for a whole day. That couldn’t happen to any of the studios at this time.

Either way, Project: Atlas convinced the ASTO Defence Office to let a team from CIF Team 1 solve the problem.

The mission for Lennox and his team was simple: Power the Alaghast Relay back online and report the situation for Intel. The team geared up, putting on their protective vests and Ops-Core FAST helmets, and made a weapons and ammo count. Lennox equipped his HK416 AR, Resnick and Thorne equipped their standard-issue weapon, the M4 carbine, Rubens with a bolt-action Accuracy International (L96) sniper rifle, and Vazquez equipped an M240 GPMG (General Purpose Machine Gun). Moments later, they boarded two V-22 Osprey helicopters, and the two aircraft took off vertically out above the outpost and out toward a mountain range in the distance. 

***

Yan'Tahr Chin'ech, Vannadin'Tella

The two Ospreys (callsigns Raptor-1 and Raptor-2) were also carrying CIF Team 1’s Apex Team, flying through the mountain terrain of Yan’tahr Chin’ech over Vannadin’tella, along with a Supacat Reconnaissance vehicle that had been loaded inside each Osprey to be used for quicker mobility for the Apex Team. They were dropped. Lt Resnick picked up on that. Communications to CIF HQ were lost as they went further toward their designated area. Not too far away was the distress beacon where the Ranger Fireteam was meant to be, just 1½ miles away from the Relay Outpost.

Lennox: “Alright, Apex Team, listen up. We're looking at a downed relay outpost fifty kilometres from the town of Khotgalan. We're going to introduce ourselves to whoever took it out, and then Resnick will put it back online. You got that?”

Resnick: “Apex 0-2, Roger.”

Rubens: “Apex 0-3, Roger.”

Vázquez: “0-4, entiendo. I’ll mark your tails.”

Thorne: “0-5, solid copy.”

Resnick: “Just clear me a path so I can patch up whatever the damage is, Captain.”

Vazquez: “Sir, why would extremists want to cut off Avalon from the real world?”

Lennox: “If you get your chance, Vazquez. Maybe you can ask them.”

As the two Osprey helicopters flew across the hilly landscape with the relay station in sight, the CIF Team lost radio contact with Command. Any radio channel was cut off in this sector, and wireless sets and backup channels showed nothing but static. They were now in a dead zone. It was unclear what had brought up these communication problems. The Team could maintain contact through a local frequency.

The Ospreys landed on flat ground on the same mountain where the Network Relay was located. Once landing, they offloaded a pair of six-wheel Supacat Mk III reconnaissance vehicles for which the CIF operators needed to use for quick mobility. The operators of Apex Team drove to the Distress Beacon on their Supacats, which was 2 kilometres away from their DZ (Drop Zone).

While Lennox, Resnick, Vazquez, and Thorne took the Supacat to the Beacon, Rubens remained in Raptor-1 to provide overwatch from the Osprey as it maintained an orbiting pattern over the mission area.

The Supacat took the main road before taking a detour on the hillside heading downhill to the Distress beacon. Thorne drove the Supacat down a grass slope toward what looked like a farm, carefully avoiding rocks and boulders and applying the brakes repeatedly. The whole area was clear and quiet, not even Rubens saw any movement from above. Upon reaching the Distress beacon, they found a burning Land Rover Wolf next to a small building and some blood on the ground.

Resnick checked with a closer look at the beacon. He couldn’t find ID numbers or signatures on the beacon, but it was military, so where were the Rangers? Resnick checked around the area with Thorne. The overwatch sharpshooter, Ari Rubens, scanned across the farm and the surrounding area through his sniper scope. They weren’t picking up any explosive residue around. Only a lot of blood on the ground.

The Team pressed forward. They went to investigate the residential houses just opposite the farm. Rubens picked up heat signatures in one of the houses. The Team found five human contacts. Acting with tension, Marcela Vazquez urged them to get on their knees and their hands above their heads. But Thorne stopped her.

None of the five people was an A.E. member or extremist. They were just farmers. Civilian labour workers who had gone into hiding. Thorne asked them about what happened. One of the farmers said they went into hiding after roaring and snarling sounds, followed by screams and gunfire, and something in the fields killed the eldest farmer.

Something?

Rubens (COM): “Captain, be advised. I’m picking up heat signatures in the structures directly south of your position.”

After telling the farmers to get back inside, Apex Team went back into the Supacat to the nearby village that was covered by mysterious black fauna and fungi that were rooted to the ground. Among them were two of the missing Rangers found dead and stuck to the fungus on the wall of a house. It looked like a mess. The team searched the rest of the resident houses when their sensors picked up a few life signs in the area.

Team Apex continued looking around the deserted village and found more trails of the black fauna and fungus that led to another opposite building. Lennox and Thorne remained frosty and kept their fingers on the trigger guards of their rifles as they carefully walked to the entrance of the house, step by step.

The relay station loomed ahead, its walls scarred by small arms fire and streaked with something darker than rust. The air reeked of iron and mildew, thick enough to sting the back of the throat even through their respirators. Shattered radios and splintered furniture were scattered across the porch, as if someone, or something, had fought desperately to barricade the building from within. Apex’s boots crunched on broken glass and loose shell casings as they advanced, every sound magnified in the unnatural stillness. A faint drip echoed from somewhere inside, steady and hollow, like a leaking pipe or a heartbeat that wouldn’t stop. Lennox raised his fist, halting the team, eyes flicking to movement in the shadows. But when Thorne’s flashlight swept the corner, there was nothing. Just claw marks raked deep into the plaster, and blood trailing into the next room.

On their way, they found corpses of what looked like zombies that were killed by the brain and monstrous mutants. There was one type of mutant that looked like a creature the size of a tiger with three huge jaws full of razor-sharp teeth, four legs with pincer tips on all its feet, and a shell on its back. Another corpse of a creature was the size of a red crab. It had a round, smooth, tan-coloured body and four legs, two long, clawed legs on the front and two thick, stubby legs in the back. They had four ‘mouthparts’ on their front that ended with sharp fangs. The zombies had those crab-sized creatures on their faces, their arms and legs were decayed and turned into claws, and the rest of their bodies were covered with fungus that looked like a COVID spore. Two of those mutant corpses were humanoid, with their faces and chests completely skewed and scarred by fungus developed from their infected lungs and brains.

As the Lennox and Thorne slowly progressed to the front door and Resnick and Vazquez headed for the back door, each of them sweeping left then right, they saw blood trails, shattered windows and bullet holes on the walls and windows. The team stacked up on each door. A moment later, they pushed open the doors and…

They found the rest of the dead villagers and one team of the missing Rangers. They were there with a couple of zombies that were still alive inside. The team aimed inside and squeezed their triggers….

CHS Biogenesis and Development Facility

The Facility was a science lab and medical facility that was meant to research and understand COVID-19, and where the monsters that were based on it came from. It used to be a General Hospital, but it was turned into a major medical facility when the pandemic hit Avalon. It was four stories high for the main medical, science and facility staff and six levels down for only authorised personnel.

It was stationed on the west side of the city of Craigbrook, Lzuria, just off the main road leading into town.

One night, on March 25th, it was just a usual day at the office in lockdown. Ronald Wright was working at his desk, working on CHS files, organising hospital requests, and looking at his phone for any personal email updates. Sallie Saito was on the medical floor, caring for patients who needed inhalers and organising hospital beds for more sick patients, until she was called for a work break. This gave her enough time to contact her family via Skype. Karsyn Blaine was at his post monitoring the CCTV camera footage in the security room.

***

Sallie Saito moved quickly across the medical floor, her gloved hands adjusting oxygen flow regulators as she checked the vitals of a coughing patient whose oxygen saturation had dipped below safe thresholds. Another case of acute respiratory distress—likely a cytokine storm in early formation. She noted the signs mechanically—tachypnea, hypoxia, a slight bluish tinge to the lips—but the emotional weight never got lighter.

She helped a nurse distribute nebulisers for patients in need of aerosolised bronchodilators and guided the next wheezing arrival into a cleared bed, the scent of disinfectant sharp in her nose. Behind her surgical mask, her lips pressed into a thin, tight line.

So many cases. So little time. No cure—just mitigation. And still, she moved.

She adjusted IV lines, whispered reassurances to patients through layers of PPE, and kept one eye on the tablet displaying chest X-rays of early ground-glass opacities—a tell-tale sign that the micro-spores were working fast. Sallie passed by a young woman no older than herself, gasping for breath beneath a high-flow nasal cannula. She’d seen this pattern before. The Spore Variant had mutated the viral proteins beyond what their last antiviral cocktails could manage. Her fingers trembled for just a second as she recorded the vital signs. And then someone tapped her shoulder.

CHS Doctor: “Nurse Saito. You’ve been going eight hours straight. Take a break.”

Sallie nodded, but didn’t speak. Because how do you take a break… when the air itself has become the enemy?

***

Ronald Wright sat hunched at his terminal, the glow of the CHS interface casting pale light across his tired face. The medical floor buzzed quietly behind him—distant alarms, the shuffle of med carts, and the low murmur of exhausted staff. On his screen, hospital requisitions blinked one after another—requests for more respirators, additional viral barrier hoods, clearance for triage overflow zones.

He clicked through each one, approving supply transfers and assigning digital clearance codes, but his mind wasn’t fully present. To the right of his desk, his phone buzzed softly.

One unread personal email.

He tapped it open—not from his family. Just another COVID-19 exposure notification from a contact he didn’t even remember meeting. Ronald exhaled slowly through his nose.

No messages from home. No check-ins. Just noise.

He returned his attention to the database—cross-referencing ventilation protocols, flagging immune compromise alerts, sorting through digital forms faster than most—but even he couldn’t ignore the creeping feeling behind his ribs. Every file he touched felt like it belonged to someone already too far gone. And still, he kept going. Because he wasn’t just a fan boy anymore. He was part of the defence line.

***

Karsyn Blaine sat in the dim glow of the security room, eyes locked on the wall of flickering CCTV feeds stacked in front of him. The hum of ageing monitors filled the silence, occasionally broken by the soft static of the radio on his belt. His chair creaked as he shifted forward, elbows on the desk, jaw set.

Each screen displayed a corner of the CHS Biogenesis facility—sterile corridors, loading bays, containment zones, and the quarantine hall where the newest transfers were being observed. Most of the footage was still. Too still.

His fingers drummed lightly against the desk, gloved and steady. The kind of restlessness that didn’t come from boredom—but from instincts honed by three combat tours and a lifetime of watching for the one moment when silence turns violent.

Something wasn’t right tonight.

A nurse passed in front of one camera, slowed, then stopped—as if sensing she was being watched. Then she kept moving. Karsyn narrowed his eyes. Reached for the logbook. No unauthorised movement. No breach. Still…

He'd seen too many quiet hallways turn into warzones.

And this virus wasn’t like anything he'd faced in uniform. It didn’t wear a flag or carry a weapon. It became people. He leaned back just long enough to sip the lukewarm coffee on his desk, then keyed in a command to pull archived footage—something to ease the itch crawling down his spine.

He’d learned long ago: If your gut’s talking, shut up and listen. 

***

Andrew Stevenson tightened the last bolt on the hospital bed frame, his fingers moving with the kind of methodical precision that came from repetition—not passion. As always, his “usual assisting duty” had him piecing together medical equipment in silence while others rushed about the ward, absorbed in triage, charts, and chaos. This was his lane: unseen, unnoticed, useful.

He wiped his hands on a rag, adjusted his name badge, and began walking down the corridor toward his next assignment in nursing support. But halfway there, he stopped.

Something caught his eye.

To his right, through the narrow corridor window, a team of figures in yellow hazmat suits moved in eerie formation. Silent. Coordinated. Out of place. He watched as they approached the elevator at the far end of the facility—the old freight elevator no one ever used—and stepped inside. One of them produced a black security keycard, swiped it, and the doors closed. A small, faded label above the call button briefly lit up:

S-6 – Sub-Level 6.

Andrew blinked. Sub-Level 6?

He’d worked in this building long enough to know the layout, top to bottom. There was no “Sub-Level 6”… or if there was, no one talked about it. He’d never seen people in hazmat suits on any floor, let alone descending into a floor that supposedly didn’t exist.

The logical side of his mind told him to leave it alone. “Probably some executive quarantine wing… CHS is very confidential with their service anyway.” But another part of him—the part that always asked questions he wasn’t supposed to—refused to let it go.

He wandered over to the elevator. Tried the button. Nothing.

The access panel glared at him like a locked vault: Key-Authorised Personnel Only.

Is this for disabled access? VIPs? Emergency use only? The excuses raced through his head, but none of them added up. He placed a hand on the elevator door, the cold steel humming faintly beneath his palm. There was something below them… something CHS didn’t want people like him to see.

That’s when the voice snapped him out of it.

Boss: “Oi, Andrew, what the heck ya doin over there?! The work’s over here!”

Andrew’s face twisted into a groan, equal parts annoyance and resignation. His supervisor—an absolute clod with the subtlety of a foghorn—was already stomping over like Andrew had tried to blow up the building.

Andrew Stevenson (mutters under breath): “One minute of curiosity and it’s a bloody felony…”

He gave the elevator one last look. Then turned back toward the ward, shoulders slumped, returning to the role he’d been boxed into. But as he walked away, he couldn’t shake the feeling in his gut—the cold, sharp certainty that whatever was happening below Sub-Level 6 wasn’t standard protocol. And something—something terrible - was down there. 

***

The three men clad in glistening Hazmat suits made their way to Sub Level Six, navigating through a labyrinth of sterile corridors bustling with scientists and vigilant security personnel. As they approached the main testing chamber, they were met by two other scientists and the imposing figure of Dr. Groves, the head of the Biogenesis and Development Facility. Tension hung in the air as they gathered to oversee a pivotal experiment aimed at developing a new vaccine.

Dr Groves, with an authoritative yet anxious tone, briefed the Hazmat team about the three samples at hand, emphasising that this test would diverge from their standard analysis procedures for Coronavirus. He carefully presented a small glass cylinder containing the purest form of a COVID-19 sample, the clear liquid swirling ominously within. Given the instability of the patient’s condition, this experiment promised to yield invaluable insights for the scientific community. Despite the palpable risks—risks that could potentially jeopardise lives—the scientists radiated an air of unwavering confidence, assuring Dr Groves that everything would proceed without a hitch.

From the safety of an observation window, Dr Groves monitored the unfolding test with cautious curiosity. Inside the Test Chamber loomed an impressive machine—a room-sized contraption known as the ‘Anti-Viral Spectrometer,’ designed to dissect and analyse the most exotic of symptoms found in living matter. The Hazmat team carefully positioned the COVID cylinder a few meters from the Spectrometer before initiating the device. The whirring rotors began to spin, releasing a cascade of electric beams of light that danced across the metal floor like ethereal ribbons.

As the Spectrometer calibrated its beam to a nominal level, the scientists moved into action. One of them deftly manoeuvred the cylinder onto a trolley, rolling it toward the beam with precision. Suddenly, a thunderous crash shattered the silence—‘BAALASSHH!’ The power levels of the Spectrometer spiralled into chaos, the device erupting in a blinding green light as it began to overheat uncontrollably. Panic erupted in the Test Chamber; the Hazmat scientists stumbled, their vision engulfed by the searing rays, while the operators frantically wrestled with the malfunctioning equipment, their lives hanging in the balance.

Just as the beam struck the cylinder once more, a blinding green flash engulfed the room. For Andrew Stevenson, Karsyn Blaine, Sallie Saito, and Ronald Wright, the frantic scene morphed abruptly. They watched in horror as the facility's electronics flickered, as if the very essence of power was being drained from their surroundings. In an instant, the familiar confines of the lab vanished, and they found themselves isolated in a dark, barren alien landscape. The heavy, ominous wheezing sound echoed around them, filling the void with a sense of foreboding that was impossible to ignore.

Ronald opened both eyes and tried to adjust himself to what he was seeing around him. Then, he found himself standing in the midst of a desolate wasteland, and the dim light barely broke through the dense black clouds above. The street was empty—abandoned homes lined with shattered windows, their facades cracked and covered with an unnatural dark flora that twisted and contorted as if the very ground itself was alive, yet utterly dead. The air felt thick, heavy with a sense of decay and despair. The absence of life was more profound than the presence of it. No birds, no animals, no voices of nature. Just the ominous silence that seemed to echo within the minds of those standing there. Ronald Wright then found he wasn’t alone.

Somewhere across the wasteland, Steven Universe’s eyes flickered to the ruined buildings, then to the others—Twilight Sparkle, Finn and Jake, Dipper and Mabel, Ash Ketchum, and Izuku Midoriya. Even the Crystal Gems, who had seen countless worlds, seemed unsettled by this alien nightmare. They were all connected now and crossed over, standing side by side with the real-life persons—Karsyn, Andrew, Ronald, and Sallie, who were once working in the CHS Facility, doing different tasks in the same workplace. But none of them knew where they were, what was going on, who they were, how they had got here, or why they were being drawn together like this.

Dipper glanced over at Mabel, and she did the same, both of them instinctively seeking each other's reassurance. Yet even they knew it wouldn’t be enough. There was something deeply wrong, an unspoken understanding between them all. They were not just in an unfamiliar world. They were in a world ravaged by something far more sinister.

Suddenly, the ground beneath them trembled, sending waves of distortion through the black flora. The temperature dropped, and shadows shifted unnaturally around them. As the wind howled like a wail of despair, they saw it—a dark figure emerging from the shadows. Figures, many of them. From the darkened edges of the street, they began to materialise, moving with unnatural, jerking motions, their forms cloaked in shadows. The creatures crept closer, their eyes glowing with malevolent energy, their forms shifting like liquid darkness.

Twilight stepped forward, her horn glowing, ready for a confrontation. But the moment she did, the voice struck them—deep and resonant, reverberating in their heads, as though it was everywhere at once.

COVID-19: “This is the voice of the Coronavirus. We know that you can hear us, Earthmen. We have suffocated millions of souls and set your world under lockdown, and we have made you pay a heavy price.”

The voice echoed in their minds, its words chilling them to their core. The creatures around them stilled, almost in sync with the voice's rise and fall.

COVID-19: “Our next act of contamination will be to ravage and destroy your cities of solitude. Do you hear Earthmen? We will destroy your cities of solitude!”

The words hung in the air like a declaration of war, as if the world itself was holding its breath, waiting for the inevitable. Dipper's throat went dry, and Ash’s hand instinctively reached for Pikachu’s Pokéball, though he knew it would do little against this unearthly force.

But then, the sky above them shifted. The air thickened even further, and slowly, a massive, grotesque form began to emerge from the black clouds. At first, it seemed like a mirage, an impossibility. But then it grew larger, more real with each passing second. It was a giant, nightmarish figure—a COVID-19 cell, immense and floating in the sky, its spiked surface gleaming with an eerie, sickly glow. The sheer scale of it was overwhelming. It was as if the world itself was now the domain of this monstrous presence. The creatures around them moved restlessly, their gazes locked on the giant cell as if waiting for some order, some command to act.

COVID-19: “This is our gift to your world, our coronation. Prepare yourselves, for you will not survive what comes next.“

The giant cell continued to loom above, casting a shadow over the land. The wind picked up, howling even louder, as if it too was reacting to the terrifying power that had descended upon them.

As they stood there, facing down this unimaginable force, the world around them seemed to darken even further. And though they had faced countless enemies, this was different—this was not just a physical battle. This was the beginning of something far more insidious. They were fighting for the survival of everything they had ever known.

And then the vision stopped within two thunder flashes from the sky, and then everything turned to black. A moment after, everyone in that vision turned to normality. Normal in consciousness, but the whole world around them would turn into anything but normal….

Remember when there was a pandemic...?

Remember when it all began..?

Remember Coronavirus…?

Chapter Text

When the vision faded and everyone staggered back into their own fractured reality, Andrew Stevenson was still at the CHS Facility, back to his “usual assisting duty” — filing records, fetching coffee, answering pointless emails. But something felt wrong. A deep, distant rumble vibrated through the soles of his shoes, subtle at first, then steady, like a growl beneath the concrete. Andrew froze mid-step. Nobody else reacted. The receptionists laughed at some joke. A security guard sipped coffee. Only he felt it.

Andrew Stevenson (muttering): “…That wasn’t the air-conditioning.”

Curiosity — and unease — gnawed at him. He ditched his post, ignoring the voice in his head screaming to stay put, and headed for the elevator tucked away in the restricted wing. The same one he’d passed dozens of times, never daring to enter. This time, he pressed the button.

The descent was slow, the flickering overhead lights ticking in time with his pulse. When the doors opened onto Sub-Level 6, the stench hit him first. Metallic. Acrid. The corridor was smeared with streaks of blood that dragged along the floor and up the walls like grotesque calligraphy. Andrew swallowed hard, his throat dry.

He crept forward, each step echoing too loudly in the sterile hallway. Ahead, the control room door stood ajar. Inside, two chief scientists huddled over smashed consoles, faces pale with terror.

Scientist 1 (frantic, shouting): “I told Groves this would happen! We warned him! He didn’t listen!”

Scientist 2 (slamming a fist on the desk): “Containment protocols were ignored—now look at this mess!”

Andrew took a hesitant step closer—when something skittered across the ceiling. His eyes shot up just as a crab mutant dropped from the vents with a metallic shriek. Another burst through a side door, claws snapping. The scientists barely had time to scream before they were dragged into a frenzy of tearing limbs and splattering blood.

Andrew’s breath caught in his throat. His legs moved before his mind did. He bolted, sprinting back down the corridor, the wet slaps of pursuit echoing behind him.

***

Elsewhere, Sallie Saito was at the triage ward, helping nurses treat COVID-19 patients. She blinked as the vision ebbed away — only to realise every eye in the ward was on her. Her colleagues frowned, whispering, as if she’d been talking nonsense aloud. She shook her head, tried to focus, when a flicker of green light danced across the ward.

BZZT.

Patients convulsed violently as streaks of sickly green electricity rippled across their bodies. Their breathing twisted into wheezes, then guttural hisses. Saito’s stomach knotted. These weren’t the usual fevers, coughs, or loss of smell. This was something new.

Doctor (hesitant, to a nurse): “We need vitals. Check his airway—see what’s—”

The patient sat bolt upright and sank his teeth into the nurse’s throat. A spray of black toxin burst from the wound, soaking her mask and gown. She gagged, clawed at her neck—then her eyes glazed black. With an inhuman snarl, she lunged at her colleagues. Chaos erupted. Nurses screamed, overturned trays clattered, and IV poles toppled.

Saito backed away, heart hammering.

Sallie Saito (whispering to herself): “No, no, no—this isn’t happening—”

When the infected nurse tore into another medic, Saito turned and ran, the sound of snarls chasing her down the hall.

***

Ronald Wright, meanwhile, had been hunched over his workstation when the vision ended. He rubbed his eyes, only to be startled by the shrill alarm blaring from his desktop. A red message pulsed across the monitor:

“POWER FAILURE – SUB-LEVEL 6.”

Ronald Wright (muttering): “Hang on. There is no Sub-Level 6.”

Ronald frowned. He wasn’t informed about anything about a sub-level area in the facility where he worked with ordinary staff. That level was off-limits — executive clearance only. He tapped into the system anyway, fingers flying across the keyboard.

Ronald Wright (muttering): “Come on, come on… You guys aren’t the only ones who know how to hide files.”

A bypass screen blinked green. Access granted. What appeared made his blood run cold.

Live surveillance footage spilt across his monitors: corridors drenched in blood, scientists screaming, alarms flashing. Mutants — some vaguely human, others twisted like crabs or spiders — tore through the level. One camera caught a group of employees trying to barricade a lab door before it shattered inward. The feed drowned in screams and static.

On another feed, Ronald flinched as a crab mutant scuttled straight toward the lens, eyes glistening, mandibles clicking. Then it leapt. The screen went black.

Ronald (stumbling back from his desk): “Oh my God… oh no —what did they do down there?”

The facility had become a slaughterhouse. And Ronald knew the lockdown alarms would start any second. 

Karsyn Blaine blinked hard as the last threads of the vision slipped away, his ears filling instead with the shrill crackle of the facility’s comms. A transmission cut through the static — one of Dr Groves’ assistant managers.

Assistant Manager (over radio): “General mobilisation order. Repeat, all units mobilise! Dr Groves has left the Test Chamber. Security, contain the breach until reinforcements arrive!”

Blaine’s gut sank. Reinforcements weren’t coming soon enough. He seized the nearest intercom and barked into it.

Karsyn Blaine: “Code-3! Evacuation protocol! All personnel to emergency exits—move!”

Klaxons wailed across the Biogenesis Facility, red lights flashing as if the building itself had gone into cardiac arrest.

***

Andrew Stevenson, still gasping from his sprint, reached the elevator doors. His fingers stabbed at the button again and again — nothing. With trembling hands, he pried the doors open, only to find the shaft yawning black and empty. The elevator car was gone, cables snapped, twisted metal dangling uselessly in the dark.

Andrew Stevenson (hoarse): “…No, no, no—”

A guttural roar echoed from down the corridor. Without thinking, he grabbed the side ladder bolted into the shaft and began to climb, arms and legs burning as he scrambled rung after rung toward the faint glow above. Every sound of claws scraping and mutants shrieking pushed him faster.

***

Meanwhile, Blaine was in the thick of it. Alongside armed CHS security teams, he guided terrified employees down choking corridors. His voice boomed from a speaker, sharp and commanding over the chaos.

Karsyn Blaine: “Keep moving! This is a Code-3 evacuation! Remember the drill! Stay together! Follow the markers to the evacuation points! Move!”

At the far end, squads of security poured into stairwells, rifles ready, advancing into the third and fourth floors to stem the breach. They didn’t make it far. A shudder rocked the building as one elevator banged open with a metallic crash. From inside poured a tide of Cases — human forms twisted into ravenous husks, their eyes blackened, jaws dripping with viral sludge. Behind them came the Spores, grotesque mutant offshoots with crab claws, spider legs, and fungal growths pulsing like tumours.

Gunfire erupted. Screams pierced through it. Blaine turned the corner just in time to see the first line of guards collapse beneath the swarm. He didn’t hesitate. He ran.

***

The upper levels fell apart within minutes. Sparks rained from shattered light fixtures. Smoke rolled through broken vents. Alarms warred with the cries of the dying. The horde surged relentlessly, smashing through checkpoints, dragging down staff, and tearing into anyone too slow to escape.

Ronald Wright was the first to burst through the main reception doors, lungs burning, clutching at the stitch in his side. Behind him, Sallie Saito stumbled out of the ward, pale and shaken but alive, shoving past the panicked crowd to break through a checkpoint toward the emergency exits.

Andrew finally hauled himself up from the shaft, bursting through a service hatch — only to find himself staring at the rear guard of the horde surging after him. He bolted, feet pounding across slick tiles, sprinting for daylight.

***

Outside, the scene was no less apocalyptic. Staff and civilians alike flooded out of the exits, a screaming, stumbling sea of bodies. The thunder of rotors cut overhead as a helicopter clawed skyward, its skids overloaded with desperate evacuees clinging for dear life. Below, those left behind wailed and reached up as if grasping for salvation already out of reach.

Then came the blast. A chain of explosions ripped across the fourth floor, shattering windows in a fiery cascade. The shockwave punched through the exodus, knocking people sprawling. The building vomited smoke and fire into the night, the roar of destruction swallowing the last cries of the fallen within.

The Biogenesis Development & Research Facility — once the pride of Craigbrook for both experimental virology and medical treatment — was now a tomb. 

The parking lot was pandemonium. Alarms still blared from the crumbling facility, but outside, the real horror was unfolding. Survivors spilt into the open like a flood of panicked ants, clawing at car doors, screaming for their loved ones, or sprinting blindly into the night.

Ronald Wright slammed into the driver’s seat of his hatchback, hands fumbling with the keys. His breath came ragged, fogging the windshield.

Ronald Wright (muttering): “Come on, come on, start—”

The engine coughed, then roared to life. At that moment, Andrew stumbled out of the smoke-filled entryway and staggered directly into Ronald’s headlights, eyes wild.

Andrew Stevenson (shouting): “Wait! Don’t leave me!”

Ronald stomped the brake, cursed under his breath, and unlocked the passenger door. Andrew threw himself inside, chest heaving.

Ronald Wright (tight): “Buckle up. We’re not dying here.”

He pressed the accelerator, inching the car forward through the mob, swerving desperately to avoid hitting the terrified survivors who pounded on his hood in their frenzy.

***

Sallie Saito wasn’t as lucky. The crowd had turned into a stampede, bodies crashing into one another, shoving, clawing, trampling over anyone who fell. She lost her footing and hit the pavement hard. The weight of a dozen panicked feet stomped down around her.

Sallie Saito (screaming): “Help! Somebody—!”

She curled into herself, arms over her head, just as a new sound cut through the chaos — the guttural shrieks of Cases sprinting from the ruined building. Their blackened eyes locked onto her. A Crab Spore’s claws clicked as it closed the gap.

Two meters. One meter.

Gunfire erupted. Blaine, face slick with sweat, emptied the last rounds of his Glock into the oncoming mutants. Three Cases dropped, twitching, their bodies spilling black ichor across the asphalt.

Karsyn Blaine (yelling): “Get up! MOVE!”

He hauled Saito upright, his grip firm, his eyes flicking constantly to the advancing horde. But they were closing in again — too many this time.

Then the screech of tyres split the night. Ronald’s car burst through, headlights blinding, engine screaming. It ploughed into the nearest Cases, tossing bodies like ragdolls. Ronald leaned out the window, face twisted with urgency.

Ronald Wright: “Get in—NOW!”

Without hesitation, Blaine shoved Saito toward the car and clambered in after her. Andrew twisted around in the passenger seat, shouting at Ronald.

Andrew Stevenson: “Go, go, go!”

The car fishtailed as Ronald floored it, barely missing a wall of evacuees at the lot’s edge. They swung onto the main road, speeding past the burning facility. For a moment, the relief was palpable.

***

But less than five hundred yards down, the escape came to a screeching halt. The road was choked with a traffic jam — cars abandoned, horns blaring, drivers screaming as more survivors tried to force their way through. The night pulsed with red and blue sirens somewhere in the distance, but there was no way forward.

Ronald Wright (slamming the wheel): “Damn it! We’re boxed in!”

Andrew pressed his face to the glass, scanning the jam. Fires burned in the distance, shadows darting between cars. He turned back, voice sharp.

Andrew Stevenson: “We can’t stay in the car. We’ll be sitting ducks.”

As if to punctuate his words, a deafening roar of an engine came from their left. Headlights flared — an articulated lorry barreling down the opposite lane at impossible speed, its horn blaring.

Sallie Saito (screaming): “Look out!”

The truck slammed into the side of the jammed traffic with a CRASH! that sounded like the sky itself had split, cars crumpling under its weight as glass and steel exploded into the night.

Ronald Wright stirred to consciousness with a high-pitched ringing drilling through his ears. His vision blurred, swimming with fractured images of twisted metal and shards of glass. The car lay on its side like a gutted animal, its frame groaning under the weight of the crash. His companions — Saito, Blaine, and Andrew — were already stirring, groaning as they pulled themselves free of the wreckage, blood streaking their foreheads, arms bruised, clothes torn.

Ronald’s pulse hammered in his skull. He braced his boot against the buckled dashboard and kicked. The windshield shattered outward in a spray of glass, giving him just enough space to crawl into the cool night air.

He barely had time to breathe before a Case lunged from the chaos. Its eyes were milk-white, its lips shredded away from its gums, black spittle drooling between gnashing teeth. Ronald fell back against the asphalt, hands clamped desperately on its head to keep the snapping jaws from tearing into his throat. The Case was relentless, wheezing and snarling in his face, its breath rank with decay.

Bang!

The Case’s skull burst open, spraying black ichor across Ronald’s chest. Ronald flinched, blinking through the spatter, and saw Saito standing above him — her hands trembling as she gripped Blaine’s Glock. Her face was pale, but her aim had been true.

Sallie Saito (barking): “Get up!”

Sallie’s voice was sharp but shaking.

One by one, the others scrambled free of the overturned car. Andrew stumbled last, dragging himself through the jagged frame. He cried out, clutching his leg — his knee was swollen, his stride broken. But there was no time to assess.

The world outside was collapsing.

The main street was a living nightmare. Dozens of townsfolk stampeded through the traffic jam, shoving each other in blind terror. Anyone who stumbled was swallowed by the crowd, trampled into the pavement. Police officers shouted themselves hoarse as they tried to form cordons, their whistles shrill against the cacophony, but their lines were collapsing.

And beyond them… worse.

The Cases had multiplied. They came sprinting from side alleys and shattered storefronts, shrieking with animal fury as they crashed into the fleeing mob. Screams turned guttural as fresh victims dropped to the ground, convulsing, only to rise again with the same white eyes and black-veined throats. Above, the shadows of Spores swept across the rooftops — leathery wings, clicking talons, and glowing tendrils unfurling into the night.

Gunfire rattled down the avenue as the UDF Army Reserve fought to contain the surge, rifles cracking in desperate bursts. But even as they dropped Cases by the dozen, more surged forward, the tide unbroken. A Kython Spore swarm spilt from a rooftop, dragging soldiers down in a writhing mass. On the horizon, something even larger thundered into view, flattening lampposts as it came.

Karsyn Blaine (roaring): “Move! Now!”

Blaine grabbed Ronald by the collar and shoved him toward a row of abandoned vehicles.

The group staggered toward a derelict motorhome, its side door half-hanging off. Blaine ripped it open while Ronald and Saito hauled Andrew inside, his leg dragging uselessly behind him. Blaine slid into the driver’s seat, started the engine with a roar, and slammed his foot on the accelerator.

The van screeched down the blood-slick road, weaving past burning cars and scattering panicked civilians. Ronald clutched the seat, his knuckles white, while Saito reloaded the Glock with trembling fingers.

For one fleeting moment, it looked like they might break through.

Then the asphalt cracked.

A monstrous shape heaved itself onto the road ahead — a Griever Spore, its grotesque, tick-swollen body glistening under the streetlights, its rat-like skull gnashing with wet clicks. Dozens of jagged appendages burst outward, spikes and shears grinding against the pavement as it bellowed a sound that rattled the van’s windows.

Blaine’s eyes widened as he slammed the brakes.

Karsyn Blaine (shouting): “Hold on!”

The van skidded sideways, tyres screaming, as the Griever lowered its head and charged. 

Chapter Text

By late March 2020, the world of Avalon had been changed forever. What began as whispers of infection in scattered towns erupted into a nightmare that no spell, science, or superpower could hold back.

COVID-19 Spores were sighted not only in the great capitals, but in the beloved homelands of countless animated worlds. Cities that once belonged to heroes and dreamers now burned under the weight of terror. Nobody could explain how the Meteor Strike and the real-world pandemic intertwined, only that when the virus appeared in one world, the mutants emerged in the other — as if linked by some cruel, cosmic thread.

On the 24th of March, without warning, the plague revealed its true teeth. From the earth, from the sky, from the very air itself, came the first waves of monstrosities. They would later be given names, whispered like curses by the survivors:

Case Zombies — the infected and transformed, positive-test humans whose bodies became vectors for the plague, driven only to spread the infection with ravenous hunger. Their wheezing coughs carried black toxin, and their jagged movements struck panic before they ever reached their prey.

Spore Mutants — born of the virus itself, alien in form and nightmare in design. They appeared in countless varieties, each worse than the last.

Bat-Claw Spores, towering three times the height of a grown man, their twisted, leathery exoskeletons crackled as they tore themselves from beneath the soil. With claws like sickles, they could peel open barricades and pluck soldiers from cover.

Wyvern Spores, vast leviathans of the sky, shaped like grotesque Lovecraftian airships. Their shadow blotted out the sun as their tendrils dragged victims into the air, only to drop them infected. From their cavernous maws, they disgorged swarms of Kython Spores, smaller parasites that rained down like living bombs.

Griever Spores, hulking abominations stitched from nightmare anatomy. With the swollen body of a tick, the gnashing head of a rat, and limbs bristling with spikes, shears, and jagged rods, they could flatten buildings and leave nothing but ruin behind.

These horrors did not creep in gradually. They arrived all at once, overrunning major fan-cities, devouring towns, and carving through defences like parchment. Avalon — the realm of imagination and heroes — was suddenly ground zero for a plague that obeyed no boundaries, neither physical nor fictional.

Alaghast Relay Station

After killing the Cases that had overrun the resident town of Yan-Tahr Chin’ech, Apex Team sprinted back to their Supacat. Lennox made the call to pull out immediately and head for the Alaghast Relay Station. What they had witnessed in Yan-Tahr Chin’ech wasn’t just an outbreak — it was a prelude to something far larger, and it would spread across Vannadin’tella unless command was warned. Their only hope was to get Resnick to work his technical expertise and force the station’s comms back online.

The Supacat growled over the cracked dirt road until the silhouette of the Relay compound emerged from the foggy treeline. The outer gate was chained shut. Resnick set to work, sparks flying as his torch cut through the lock. Above them, Rubens circled low in the Osprey, its rotors chopping the air just ten feet above the compound, keeping a watchful eye on the perimeter.

Once the doors gave way, Vazquez moved in first, her GPMG at the ready. She slid into position behind a chest-high wall, barrel trained on the inner station door. Lennox, Resnick, and Thorne swept the courtyard in practised arcs, Tac lights glinting off spent shell casings and broken crates.

Vazquez: “Courtyard clear.”

Lennox: “Raptor-1, set down,”

Rubens dismounted from the Osprey and fell into line as the team stacked on the main door. Thorne knelt by the control panel, hands deftly setting up an electric bypass. The lock buzzed angrily, then gave way with a metallic click.

The corridor inside swallowed them whole — dark, narrow, and smelling of scorched metal and ozone. Their Tac lights carved thin blades of white through the gloom. Rubens secured the entrance while Lennox led the team in.

The silence was broken only by boots on the concrete floor… until Thorne’s beam caught movement. Three figures huddled against the far wall — Rangers, battered but alive. At their feet lay the torn corpse of a man in a lab coat, his chest cavity split by fungal growths.

Lennox crouched low.

Lennox: “Where’s the rest of your unit?”

UDF Ranger (hoarse): “Split. Ambushed. Those… things came out of nowhere. We couldn’t hold the relay.”

While Thorne examined the corpse, Resnick and Vazquez inspected the console banks that hummed faintly in the control room. Screens were shattered, wires blackened from overheating.

Thorne retrieved a bloodstained ID card from the dead scientist’s pocket.

Thorne (muttering): “Dr Gunter Kaufman.”

Then fished out a small data module hidden in a pouch. He tossed it to Resnick, who immediately hooked it into his rig.

That’s when they heard it — a sharp clatter above them, followed by a rhythmic click-click-click. The sound echoed through the upper levels like bones snapping in the dark. The team froze, weapons snapping upward.

Thorne swept his Tac light across the stairwell. The beam found a young woman, no older than twenty-one, trembling against the wall. Her clothes were torn, eyes wide with terror.

Thorne: “Easy,” (Raising a hand, he gently restrained her, lowering his weapon.) “We’re not here to hurt you—”

Spore Mutant: “SCREECH!”

A crimson blur dropped from the rafters. The thing landed hard, its four arms flexing as its long baton snapped open with a crackle of red energy. Its face was a distorted mask of muscle and fungus, its black eyes locked onto Thorne.

Thorne: “Contact!”

Thorne barely dodged as the weapon thrust toward his chest. Vazquez unleashed a burst from the GPMG, the muzzle flash strobing the corridor. The Spore Warrior recoiled, shrieking, but more followed — three more leaping from above, their claws clanging against metal as they brandished energy rifles and staffs.

Rubens (shouting): “Multiple hostiles!”

Thorne fired down the corridor.

The red warrior slammed Thorne against the wall, baton raised to deliver a killing strike. He threw a desperate punch to its jaw — it didn’t even flinch. Just as the weapon came down, Lennox drove his boot into the creature’s skull, pinning it to the floor, and fired four precise rounds into its chest. The Spore Warrior convulsed, then fell still.

Across the room, two of the Spore Warriors lunged at the surviving Rangers. With terrifying speed, they seized the Corporal by the arms and dragged him, kicking and shouting, through a side door deeper into the station.

Rubens’ voice cut over the radio.

Rubens (ragged with strain): “One just blew past me! Permission to pursue?”

Lennox (barking): “Negative. Stay on task. We secure the station first. 0-4 and 0-5, clear the hole.”

Thorne loaded a fresh magazine into his M4 and then moved into the room where the Spore Warriors had fallen back. Vazquez walked beside him. The two CIF operators shut the door behind them, making it difficult for the remaining Spore Warriors in the room to escape their pursuit. As they advanced through the corridor, they took cover at the corner before entering the sealed, dimly lit room. Thorne tossed a flare to the far side of the room, hoping to lure out the hidden Coronavirus. One of the red Spore Warriors sprang out from behind a crate, growling as it aimed its Energy Pulse Rifle at the pair, while the last one continued its retreat down the nearby corridor.

These specific Spore Warriors had vivid shades of crimson, were more than just a striking sight; they were formidable entities, often referred to as Scouter Spores. Their robust cellular structure endowed them with an impressive resilience, allowing them to withstand greater damage than their predominantly black-hued counterparts among the Spore Mutants. Yet, despite their strengths, they were not impervious to destruction. Team Apex had unearthed crucial intel from CIF Team 4, detailing a harrowing encounter with these Scouter Spores in the eerie depths of Hiveland, documented in their last field report. Engaging one of these menacing foes required the combined firepower of two operators from CIF, a testament to the Scouter Spores' tenacity. Thorne and Vazquez, with focused intent, unleashed a synchronised barrage of weaponry on a second Scouter Spore, their weapons blazing in a desperate attempt to bring it down before cautiously advancing through the dimly lit corridor ahead.

The last Scouter Spore hissed and lunged, staff raised. Vazquez and Thorne pivoted in sync, their combined fire dropping it in a hail of bullets. Smoke and the smell of burned chitin filled the corridor as silence fell again — broken only by the Corporal’s distant scream echoing down the halls.

Thorne: “Apex 0-5, reporting in. Contacts neutralised.”

COVID-19 Attack: Beach City: Steven Universe

The waves of the ocean gently lapped at the shore of Beach City, but the calm of the morning did little to soothe the deep unease that had settled in the hearts of Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl. The vision they had shared still hung heavy in their minds. The strange, overwhelming sight of a world in chaos—human lives disrupted, people infected, and everything they knew spiralling out of control—clung to them like a fog.

Connie approached them with a confused expression, breaking the stillness of the moment. She had seen something was wrong, but didn't understand the full depth of it. Her footsteps echoed in the quiet as she walked towards the group, concern knitting her brows.

Connie: (gently, unsure) “Hey, what’s going on with you guys? You all look... different. Is something wrong?”

None of them had a clear answer. It wasn’t just confusion—it was something deeper, something that transcended understanding. Pearl's eyes flickered nervously, her usual composure shattered by the vision’s terrifying implications.

Pearl: (softly, to herself) “That... that was unlike anything I’ve ever seen. So much pain... so much... loss.”

Amethyst: (bitterly) “I still can’t shake it off. It was like we were watching the world fall apart in real time. Everything was breaking—humanity, nature, everything.”

Garnet remained silent, her sapphire eyes scanning the horizon as if trying to find some clarity. Her role as the anchor for her team was never more challenging than it was right now. Her Future Vision had always been her strength, allowing her to see multiple paths, possibilities, and outcomes. But this-this was something entirely different.

She could see the future... but there were too many paths leading into one chaotic, uncertain future. She was unable to chart the way forward. It was unlike any vision she had ever experienced.

Garnet: (focusing, her voice a steady rumble) “I need to understand this. I need to see where this leads us.”

She closed her eyes, summoning the power of Future Vision. The world around her seemed to slow, the landscape of Beach City blurring as the colours of time and fate twisted and intertwined in her mind. But as she concentrated, beads of sweat began to form on her forehead. Her breathing deepened. She could see it. The Coronavirus Pandemic was inevitable—the world shifting under the weight of it.

And yet, the paths were too many, the outcomes too tangled, like threads woven into a mess of knots.

Garnet: (gritting her teeth, frustrated) “I can’t see it clearly... too many variables... too much change... too many futures converging. I... I can’t keep up.”

For the first time, Garnet felt something she had never allowed herself to feel: doubt. The usual clarity that her Future Vision provided was now clouded, fragmented. There was no one path she could follow to bring peace. Every possible future was tainted by chaos, uncertainty, and fear.

Pearl: (approaching cautiously, her voice filled with worry) “Garnet... what’s happening? What do you see?”

Garnet shook her head, frustration growing. The power that usually kept her steady felt like a heavy weight now, pulling her down.

Garnet: (quietly, her voice tinged with helplessness) “I see... hundreds of thousands of lives, all torn apart by this. This virus—it’s not just an illness. It’s a force of nature that no one can control. Not even the Diamonds.”

Her words hung in the air, heavy with the truth of the realisation. Even the power of the Diamonds—the highest authority in the universe—could not undo what was happening. The virus had already spread beyond anyone’s control. It wasn’t just a threat to humans—it was a threat to everything. The Gems were no exception.

The vision shifted. A Warp Pad flickered in her mind's eye, its usual stable signal now distorted. It was calling them. She saw the path forward, but it wasn’t clear. It was a distorted blend of the future, full of struggle, hardship, and uncertainty. The Gems would be forced to confront this, but they wouldn’t be able to do it alone.

Garnet: (with newfound resolve, eyes narrowing) “There’s a place where the future converges. The Warp Pad. It needs calibration. We need to be ready. Our next step will depend on how we move forward from here.”

Amethyst tilted her head, still processing the weight of what was happening.

Amethyst: (sighing) “It’s like a bad dream. How can we stop this?”

Garnet turned to face her, determination returning to her voice.

Garnet: (steadily) “We don’t stop it. We help those who are struggling to survive it. We have to find a way to fix what’s broken. Starting with the Warp Pad. From there, we’ll have to walk forward together. This isn’t just a fight for Earth or the Gems. It’s a fight for the future of everyone we care about.”

Pearl: (softly, with resolve) “Then we’ll do whatever it takes.”

Garnet: (nodding) “Exactly. The future may be uncertain, but we make our own path.”

The group stood in silence for a moment, the weight of the task ahead pressing down on them. The world had changed, and they were no longer fighting ordinary conflicts they once faced. This was something bigger. But Garnet, despite the uncertainty, still had one thing she could rely on: the power of the present. The path forward was unclear, but together, they would face it, no matter how uncertain the future might be. 

After their harrowing vision of the world in chaos, the Crystal Gems—Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl—realise they cannot remain passive. The Warp Pad pulses faintly, calling them into action. Garnet, ever the leader, insists that they must begin their journey to understand the nature of this pandemic and how they can fight back against the Spore Mutants and the devastating effects of the Coronavirus.

The group arrives at the Warp Pad, a technology that has always been the key to their travels. They’ve used it to teleport to distant places, but this time, it feels different—heavy, almost ominous. There’s a palpable sense of urgency in the air, as if the Warp Pad is their gateway to a solution, but they’re unsure what lies beyond.

As the trio steps through the glowing platform, the world around them distorts. The air shifts. Colours fade, and their surroundings ripple, leading them through a brief moment of disorientation.

Garnet: (focused, looking around as they materialise) “The future is shifting, but we have no choice. We must go forward.”

Amethyst: (gazing around curiously) “Where exactly are we, Garnet? This place... doesn’t look like anything I’ve seen before.”

Pearl: (squinting, cautiously) “I don’t know, but we can’t just stand here. We need answers.”

Garnet: (nodding, determined) “This is a new land. New allies. We will find our way.”

As the Warp Pad flickers one last time, the trio steps into an unfamiliar world. They find themselves standing in a strange and whimsical land. The sky is vibrant, the trees have exaggerated, cartoonish shapes, and everything seems a bit surreal. This is Ooo, the land where Finn the Human and Jake the Dog reside.

COVID-19 Attack: Adventure Time

After their arrival, the Crystal Gems immediately feel the tension in the air, despite the land’s bright colours and cartoonish charm. They soon notice that the streets, once full of life, now feel eerily quiet. Buildings seem abandoned, and the roads are empty—there are signs of chaos, as though something darker has begun to spread. It was clear that the pandemic had reached this world, too.

As they make their way through the streets, they hear a distant, guttural sound—the roar of a Spore Mutant, a reminder of the chaos beginning to brew in the land. But before they can act, a group of Knight Spores suddenly emerges from behind an old candy shop, their cybernetic limbs glinting in the sunlight. They advance toward the Gems with mechanical precision.

Garnet: (grimacing, preparing for battle) “We need to be cautious. These are not ordinary enemies.”

Amethyst: (smirking, cracking her knuckles) “This is gonna be fun! Let’s get them!”

Pearl: (nervously assessing their surroundings) “I’ll protect the civilians! You two handle the Spores!”

But just as the Gems prepare for combat, a high-pitched whistle cuts through the air. Out of nowhere, Finn the Human and Jake the Dog appear, rushing toward the group. Finn is wielding his sword, and Jake is already in his stretched form, ready to defend his friends.

Finn: (calling out as he runs toward the Gems) “Hey! Looks like you guys need some help with those ugly-looking things!”

Jake: (stretching to his full length, blocking a Knight Spore's path) “We’ve got your back! These guys don’t look like your average evil creatures!”

The battle erupts. The Crystal Gems and Finn & Jake work together seamlessly, each bringing their own set of skills and powers to the fight. Finn slashes through the Knight Spore’s cybernetic limbs, while Jake stretches his body to block incoming attacks. Amethyst’s whips lash out, cracking the Spores’ metal bodies, while Garnet’s punches send shockwaves through the ground. After a brief but intense battle, the Knight Spores are defeated. The group stands victorious, albeit winded.

Garnet: (turning to Finn and Jake, nodding in gratitude) “Thank you. You’re strong fighters. We could use your help.”

Finn: (grinning with his sword raised high) “No problem! We’re always up for a good fight! So, who are you guys? You’re not from around here, huh?”

Jake: (stretching his arms and flexing) “Yeah, you’re not exactly your run-of-the-mill adventurers. What brings you to our neck of the woods?”

Pearl: (stepping forward cautiously, still sizing them up) “We’re the Crystal Gems. We come from a faraway place. Something... something dangerous is happening here. We were sent to stop it.”

Amethyst: (crossing her arms, grinning) “And, you know, we could use some help. This whole pandemic thing it's everywhere, even here. We’re trying to understand how it works and stop it before it’s too late.”

Finn: (scratching his head, concerned) “Pandemic, huh? That sounds bad. I’ve seen stuff go down in Ooo before, but this sounds like another level.”

Jake: (nodding, looking serious for once) “Yeah, Ooo’s no stranger to strange stuff, but we haven’t dealt with this kind of thing before. So, what’s the plan?”

Garnet: (glancing at her teammates before looking back at Finn and Jake) “We need to gather more information. We can’t face this threat without understanding how it spreads. The Warp Pad brought us here for a reason. The infection... It’s something new. Something unlike anything we've encountered before.”

Finn: (slamming his fist into his palm, excited to help) “Well, if you need help, count us in. We know this land like the back of our hands.”

Jake: (stretching his arms out wide) “Yep. We’ve got your back, no matter what.”

As the Crystal Gems and Finn and Jake fought their way through the Land of Ooo, they witnessed the sheer scale of the Coronavirus outbreak that had rapidly taken root in this land. The COVID-19 Spore Mutants—ranging from the Crab Spores, Bat-Claw Spores, and Wyvern Spores—have overwhelmed the kingdom, spreading the infection everywhere they can. The Case Zombies are a constant threat, turning the peaceful land into a nightmare.

The Gems, typically used for magic and fighting off enemies, find themselves in uncharted territory. They’re used to fighting villains, but this is different. The infection is not something that can be immediately fought off with weapons or magic. It’s insidious, an unseen enemy that spreads through touch and air. It doesn't matter how powerful they are as Gems—they’re facing a force that can strike even the bravest of them.

Garnet feels the weight of this more than anyone. Her usual confidence is replaced by uncertainty. Amethyst, usually quick with a joke or a sarcastic comment, is quieter than usual, taking in the devastation around them. Pearl feels an overwhelming sense of responsibility; she’s used to protecting the others, but this—this is something new.

Finn and Jake, who have always been ready for adventure, are equally rattled. Jake, normally the fun-loving, laid-back dog, is noticeably on edge. He can feel the tension in the air, and it’s not just the threat of the Spores; it’s the fear that the land they love is changing forever. Finn, the ever-optimistic hero, is determined to protect his friends, but even he can feel the heavy weight of hopelessness in the air.

With their new allies in towing along, the Crystal Gems, Finn, and Jake set out to understand the origin of the Coronavirus Pandemic that’s affecting Ooo and the world beyond. As they move through the land, they come across signs of infected creatures—Spore Mutants—which continue to spread the virus. They discovered that Ooo’s unique energy fields and magic are reacting with the virus, mutating it into something far more dangerous.

Garnet knew that the group couldn’t stop here. They had to push forward and find the source, confront the infection, and make sure the pandemic doesn’t overrun the world. But with Finn, Jake, and the Gems working together, they might have a chance.

One day, while they’re holed up in a building trying to plan their next move, the Spore Mutants breach the perimeter of their hideout. Jake transforms into a large, strong form to protect them, but there are too many of the creatures—more than they’ve ever seen in one place.

As the group fights back, they realise that their usual tactics aren’t working. The Crab Spores are resilient, capable of using their sharp pincers and cybernetic enhancements to deal serious damage. The Bat-Claw Spores are fast, and their agility makes them difficult to hit. The Wyvern Spores, with their airborne abilities, attack from the sky.

In the chaos, the group barely holds their ground, but there was a moment where BMO was almost taken by the Spores. Finn and Jake rushed to defend their sentient friend, and the Crystal Gems use their abilities, but they’re quickly overwhelmed by the sheer numbers. Ooo was on the brink of collapse.

Garnet: (her tone calm but urgent as she looks at her team) “We need to get out of here. Now.”

Amethyst: (breathing heavily, clearly exhausted but still smirking) “Yeah, getting out of here before they turn us into lunch sounds like a plan.”

Pearl: (looking at the increasing wave of Spores, worried) “We can’t just run. We need to find a solution. There has to be something we can do.”

But as the Spores continue their advance, Garnet knows they don’t have much time. There’s only one option left.

Garnet: (with finality) “We have to use the Warp Pad. It’s the only way we can escape and regroup.”

The Crystal Gems and Finn and Jake retreat towards the Warp Pad, hoping that it can get them to safety. BMO, ever the loyal companion, follows behind, their screen flashing in anxiety. The Spores follow closely behind, but the group just manages to activate the Warp Pad in time.

The Warp Pad activated, and the group was enveloped in the familiar yet unsettling energy of teleportation. The world around them warped and distorted. Finn, Jake, and the Gems felt the disorienting sensation of travelling through dimensions, hoping they would find a safe haven. As they stepped through, they found themselves in an unfamiliar setting: a dense woodland forest.

COVID-19 Attack: Gravity Falls

Dipper and Mabel jolted awake in their shared room, hearts still racing. For a long moment, they just stared at each other, wordless. Mabel broke the silence first, hugging Waddles tight.

Mabel: “Okay… was that just the weirdest dream ever, or did we both see… you-know-what?”

Dipper: “It wasn’t a dream. It felt too… real. Like one of those visions from the journals. Only… this wasn’t Gravity Falls weird. This was…”
He hesitated, his voice dropping.

Dipper: “…a virus. The Coronavirus. The same thing they keep talking about on the news.”

The word hung heavy in the air.

Dipper turned to his desk, already scribbling frantically. Papers, colored pens, and tape littered the wall above his bed as he tried to reconstruct the vision — black flora choking a ruined town, crowds of people with hollow eyes, other kids their age standing beside him in that strange telepathic gathering. His pencil scratched faster as he muttered to himself.

Dipper: “It doesn’t add up. If it’s a disease, how did we see it? How did it… Talk to us? Unless—”

He drew connecting arrows, circling words. Telepathy? Shared consciousness? Mass warning? Meanwhile, Mabel sat cross-legged on her bed, watching him with a frown.

Mabel: “Or… maybe you’re just overthinking it? Like, remember when you thought Grunkle Stan was a lizard person? Spoiler alert: he wasn’t.”

Dipper: “This is different, Mabel! This didn’t come from Gravity Falls. This came from outside. And if it can get inside our heads… then it’s already bigger than anything we’ve faced before.”

For three days, their world tilted further off-balance. Mabel’s teachers sent emergency updates about “pandemic schooling.” Dipper’s wall of notes grew into a full conspiracy board. And the whole house felt… quieter. Too quiet.

Then, on the fourth evening—

Rumble.

The floor shook under their feet. Books rattled off shelves. Waddles squealed in alarm.

Mabel: “Earthquake? Please say earthquake.”
Dipper: (grimacing) “Gravity Falls gets weirdness. But this? We don’t get earthquakes this strong.”

Another RUMBLE hit, heavier. The TV flickered, interrupting a breaking-news broadcast about outbreaks sweeping across major cities. Panic. Unconfirmed creature sightings.

Dipper dashed to the window. Outside, military trucks roared down the street. Soldiers hauled barricades into place. The wind carried a faint metallic tang — smoke, maybe blood.

Gunfire cracked in the distance. A police motorcycle screeched by, its officer yelling up at Dipper’s window.

Officer: “Stay inside! Lock your doors!”

Dipper nodded shakily and slammed the window shut.

Seconds later, a maintenance truck barreled out of nowhere, smashing into the officer. Dipper yelped and stumbled back, pale-faced.

Dipper: “Mabel… this isn’t just the virus anymore. It’s here.”

The two huddled together, peering cautiously outside. Through the gaps in the barricades, they saw chaos: people running, screaming, vehicles colliding. And then—creatures.

A crab-like mutant the size of a head leapt onto a fleeing woman, pincers latching to her face. Another—massive, horse-sized, with bladed legs and clawed arms—tore through a car door like paper. The night was filled with shrieks, gunfire, and the guttural snarls of monsters.

Mabel’s voice cracked.

Mabel: “Dipper, what do we do? What if they get in?!”

He tried to sound confident, even as fear gripped him.

Dipper: “We stay inside. That’s what the news said. As long as we’re in here, we’re safe.”

But then came the pounding.

BANG. BANG. BANG.

The front door shook on its hinges. Groans and snarls rose from outside. Claws scraped against the siding. Shadows pressed against the curtains.

Mabel: (clutching Waddles) “They’re here…”

Dipper: “Back away from the door!”

The wood splintered. The lock snapped.

And then, with a horrific crash, the door burst inward — revealing the twisted, choking silhouettes of the infected.

Both twins screamed.

COVID-19 Attack: Shefbrook Town: Steven Universe

Steven Universe woke up with a start, his body drenched in cold sweat. His heart raced, his breath shallow, as if he had just woken from a nightmare. He sat up quickly, disoriented, blinking against the darkness of his motel room. The silence of the night was broken only by the distant sound of a low hum, the air around him heavy with a sense of unease. He fumbled for his phone, desperately trying to steady his trembling hands. 2:16 AM. March 24th, 2020.

His thumb hit the screen, revealing eight missed calls from his dad, Greg, and a breaking news update that immediately caught his attention. "Admittance Spikes at area hospitals!" it read in bold, flashing letters. His pulse quickened as he read the next line: “300% increase due to Coronavirus infection.” His heart sank. He had heard of the infection spreading in far-off places, but it had never felt real, not like this. Steven quickly dialled Greg’s number, his hope building that he could reach his dad and hear that everything was fine. The phone buzzed, but then suddenly cut off with a disheartening message: "The line is offline.“

Panic tightened his chest as his mind raced. He turned on the TV, flipping it to the news channel, and the anchor’s voice broke the silence of the room.

TV Presenter: “…Reports are emerging from Shefbrook that victims afflicted with the infection are showing signs of increased aggression…” (slightly trembling voice.) “Authorities are urging all citizens to stay inside and avoid all contact. A gas leak has been detected in the area.”

Steven froze, staring at the screen. Before the reporter could continue, chaos erupted on the screen—police officers shouting, people screaming, and the sight of a sudden explosion that sent the screen into static. The room seemed to close in around him, the reality of what he was witnessing too much to process. His thoughts spiralled out of control. Was this really happening? Was this the world he was now in?

Suddenly, the floor beneath him trembled as the sound of another explosion rocked the building. Steven’s heart skipped a beat, and then the sound of car alarms and distant sirens filled the air, as if the world itself was falling apart around him. His thoughts were interrupted by the flashing red lights of police cars racing past his window. Without thinking, Steven threw on his clothes, grabbed his phone, and ran out the door, his mind in a whirl of confusion and fear. He barely registered the streets, his eyes catching fleeting glimpses of the chaos unfolding around him. He saw two people running in the opposite direction, panic evident in their movements.

Local: “Why are you still here?! Get the hell out of here! It’s already made this way!”

The words echoed in Steven’s ears, but before he could process them, a voice called out from behind him. Just then, a motel resident named ‘Tommy’ appeared standing near him.

Tommy: “Hey, you heading out?” (His face pale with fear.) “I need a lift. Get me out of here!”

Steven hesitated for only a moment, then nodded. He couldn’t just leave someone behind. They both ran to the car, with the sounds of distant explosions getting louder as they reached the street. Steven slammed the car door shut, and as he started the engine, he saw the roads already clogged with abandoned cars and police barricades blocking every exit.

Steven heard that half the people in Shefbrook Town had lost their minds.

Steven Universe: “Damn it.” (he muttered under his breath.)

He swerved the car down an alternate road, narrowly avoiding an infected patient stumbling toward him. Tommy yelled something, but Steven couldn’t hear it over the roar of his own thoughts. He had to get out, had to find safety. But with every turn, more obstacles appeared. The tension in the air was palpable, and just as they entered an intersection, a high-speed truck barreled through the red light, its wheels screeching. CRASH! The sound of metal grinding against metal filled the air, and in an instant, everything went black.

When Steven regained consciousness, the world seemed far too still. He found himself in the crumpled interior of the car, disoriented and bleeding, but his thoughts quickly snapped back to the chaos unfolding outside. Tommy was already out of the car, dragging Steven with him as they ran, desperate to find shelter. The city streets were a war zone now.

They made it to the highway, the distant sound of soldiers shouting orders faint in the distance. But they weren’t alone. They were being chased—the infected were closing in. The fear rose in Steven’s chest, but he kept moving, kept running. Just as it seemed like there was no escape, a soldier in a gas mask appeared, shooting at the infected to clear a path. But then, the soldier's voice rang out.

UDF Soldier: “Stay back! You two look like you’ve got symptoms!”

Steven’s heart stopped. He tried to protest, tried to explain, but the soldier’s weapon was raised, and the gunfire started. His hands pushed against Tommy as the bullets flew. Then, suddenly, everything went quiet. The soldier collapsed to the ground, and Tommy, still shaking, stood over him with his revolver drawn. Steven’s breath was ragged, but then, as he looked down at his chest, he realised the worst had happened.

Tommy: “You’re hurt.”

Blood soaked through Steven’s clothes, and the pain seared through his body. But as the blood continued to spill from his wound, something miraculous happened. The Gem on his stomach glowed a soft pink, and before Tommy’s astonished eyes, Steven’s wound healed before him, his flesh, tissue, and skin knitting together in an instant. Tommy stood frozen, mouth agape, as Steven, breathing heavily, managed to whisper.

Steven Universe: “I’m… half-Gem. Just… let’s go.”

Tommy didn’t understand it, but he nodded, pushing all his questions aside for the moment. They had to move. But Steven knew one thing for sure now—the world he had once known was no longer the same, and he couldn’t keep running from what was happening around him. It was time to face it head-on.

COVID-19 Attack: Equestria (MLP)

In Equestria, Twilight Sparkle sat in stunned silence as the vision that had overwhelmed her earlier faded. She had come to terms with the shock, her mind reeling from the gravity of what she had just seen. The darkened, post-apocalyptic world had been a terrifying warning. The invasion of the Spore Mutants, the relentless spread of the infection, and the devastating toll on the land all played out in her mind like a cruel omen.

Her breathing slowed, and she wiped the sweat from her brow, trying to centre herself. Her thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of distant cries, the panicked voices of ponies carrying news of an unfolding catastrophe. Twilight’s eyes widened as the message she had feared finally reached her.

Spike: (urgency in his voice from the doorway) “Twilight! It’s happening! Ponyville and Canterlot—there’s something terrible going on. Ponies are getting sick! The guards are scrambling, and I can hear explosions in the distance…”

Twilight quickly rose from her seat, the weight of the moment pressing heavily on her. At first, she had hoped it was just another villain to face, another challenge for them to overcome. But the sense of dread that gripped her heart told her otherwise. Something far worse was at play, something beyond their ability to simply fight back with magic or friendship.

She and Spike rushed outside, the weight of the situation hitting them both as they took to the sky. Their wings beat against the air as they soared over the land, the familiar landscape of Equestria now overshadowed by an overwhelming sense of fear. Twilight’s eyes darted around, scanning the horizon for signs of trouble. What they saw, however, filled her with dread.

Across the rolling hills of Ponyville, they saw the once peaceful town now surrounded by chaos. The familiar sight of Spore Mutants—Crab Spores, Kythons, and zombified Cases—had taken over the streets, wreaking havoc on the defenceless ponies below. But this wasn’t the usual skirmish. The creatures they saw weren’t just the typical threats they had faced before. There were new kinds of Spore Mutants, larger, more terrifying, with mutated limbs, spiked bodies, and a maddening aggression in their eyes. Some were cybernetic in nature, others twisted in forms that seemed to defy the natural laws of magic.

The streets were chaotic, filled with panicked ponies running for their lives, shouting for help as the creatures hunted them down. Canterlot Castle was in a state of emergency, the royal guards frantically trying to hold back the waves of infected. The hospital had become overwhelmed with victims, medical staff scrambling to save as many lives as possible, but it seemed like there was no stopping the infection's spread. Ponies were falling one by one, their cries filled with pain and fear.

Spike: (fearful) “Twilight, we can’t let this continue. We have to help them!”

Twilight nodded grimly, her heart sinking. She couldn’t just sit in Canterlot while her friends were in danger. She couldn’t allow this nightmare to claim Equestria. She and Spike flew as fast as they could, heading toward the Castle of Friendship. But as they neared the town, the full extent of the devastation was clear.

When they arrived, Twilight found her friends waiting for her. Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash stood in the front hall of the Castle, their faces grim and filled with concern. They had all experienced the same vision Twilight had seen. Each one had felt the weight of the warning—each one knew this wasn’t just another villain they could defeat with the power of friendship. This was something far more insidious.

Rainbow Dash: “This is ridiculous! First, it’s just some weird virus. Then it’s these... these Spore Mutants coming out of nowhere. How are we supposed to face this? I mean, we’ve fought villains before, but this... this is different!” (She stops and turns toward Twilight) “Twilight, you’ve been doing research on this, right? Do you even have any idea how we stop this? We’ve got enough problems without worrying about this.”

Applejack: “Rainbow’s right, sugarcube. We’ve always managed to pull through with friendship, but this... this ain’t somethin’ you can just talk your way out of. What happened to all those ponies we know in Ponyville? Granny Smith and Big Mac—are they okay?” (Her voice falters for a moment, but she quickly regains composure) “And what about the farm? The crops? The trees? If this keeps spreadin’, we won’t have anything left to protect. I’m worried, Twilight. We all are.”

Rarity: “Honestly, this is simply horrendous. The idea of being locked away, unable to help, unable to—” (She glances around, the fear in her voice betraying her calm exterior) “—to see my boutique, my customers, the life we’ve built. It’s all slipping away. It’s as if everything we’ve worked for, everything we’ve achieved... none of it matters anymore. What happens to us? What happens to our lives?” She breathes deeply, “I’m not prepared for something like this. We were meant to help, not be caged in... isolated.”

Pinkie Pie: “Yeah, it’s scary, alright! But hey, don’t worry, guys! We’ve always made it through before, right? We have fun together! We’ve laughed through the hard times, and... and we will again, right? Right?” (Her eyes drift nervously to the others, but her smile falters a little, and she puts her hand on her cheek, thinking) “But... the parties, the games, the laughter... What if we can’t throw any more parties? I mean, I can’t just make everyone happy if they’re stuck inside... not seeing friends... not having fun... It just doesn’t feel right, Twilight!”

Fluttershy: “I... I don’t know what to say. I’ve been trying to take care of the animals... and the little creatures in the sanctuary... but even they’re feeling the effects. Some of them are scared, too... Some are even getting sick...” (Her eyes well up, but she wipes them quickly, attempting to hide her vulnerability) “I can’t... I can’t just sit here and not help... and... I miss my friends, my animals, my normal life. What if this goes on forever? What if we can’t get things back to the way they were?”

Twilight Sparkle: “I know, I know... I miss the way things used to be, too. We all do. We’re not just facing a virus; we’re facing something that’s completely out of our control. But we’re together, and we can make it through this. We’ve faced the impossible before—this won’t be any different. Yes, the world is changing. Yes, our lives are changing. But we still have each other.” (She looks at each of her friends, her voice firm, yet full of love and compassion) “We’re going to find a way to stop this... because we have to. For the ones we love. For Equestria.”

Rainbow Dash: “We’ve got to figure out what’s going on. I’ve never seen anything like this. Not even Tirek could do this much damage.”

Rarity: “Twilight, we need a plan. We need to know what’s behind this, how it’s spreading, and how to stop it. This isn’t just a threat to Equestria—it’s a threat to everything.”

Twilight Sparkle: (she nodded) “I don’t think it’s dark magic or another villain like we’re used to facing. I think… I think this is something new. Something that’s beyond our usual understanding.”

Starlight Glimmer, who had joined the group after leaving her duties at the School of Friendship, stood by Twilight’s side.

Starlight Glimmer: “We need to study more about this by capturing one of these creatures. I’ve seen enough of them to know this isn’t natural magic. It’s like nothing I’ve ever felt before. Whatever this is, it’s spreading faster than we can keep up.”

Twilight looked at Starlight, determination flooding her veins.

Twilight Sparkle: “You’re right. We need to learn more, but we also need to keep our distance. We can’t risk getting infected ourselves. Let’s use magic to capture one of them and study it.”

With their plan in motion, Twilight and Starlight used their magic to ensnare one of the Crab Spores, carefully studying it as they kept a safe distance. As their spells captured the creature, they felt an unnerving chill run down their spines. The Spore resisted, its form unnatural, its power pulsing in a way that felt off—too familiar, but alien at the same time.

Starlight Glimmer: “What in Equestria is this thing?”

Twilight Sparkle: “It’s not a product of magic, Starlight. Neither is this done by some villain or a dark sorcerer. It’s something… else. This is created by the disease. A biological threat. The virus is spreading quickly, and I don’t think there’s a way to stop it unless we figure out how it works. If we don’t, our entire magic of friendship is going to be socially distant!”

Everypony gasped at the sound of that. The Magic of Friendship grew from ponies and every other creature interacting with each other in person. To have the virus drive friends apart would place the whole social order in tatters, and Equestria would gradually wilt and fade.

The Mane 6 gathered around the Magic Map, their gazes fixed on the regions lighting up across Equestria. The virus wasn’t just contained to Ponyville. It had spread, leaving devastation in its wake. And even worse, it had reached other kingdoms beyond Equestria. The map revealed that the infection was beginning to spread rapidly throughout the entire world, reaching lands they had never encountered before. These were places Twilight and her friends had never been to before in their series. There was a region of land which was the nearest to Equestria. Hinamura. That way was their best bet.

Her friends nodded in agreement, determination in their eyes. They knew they had to act quickly—time was running out. Equestria, and perhaps the entire world, was on the verge of collapse.

Rainbow Dash: “Then we don’t waste any more time.”

Twilight Sparkle: “Nothing we haven’t dealt with before, girls. It’s time to save Equestria again.”

And so, the journey began. As the night stretched on, the group of friends—united by their bonds of friendship—prepared to face an enemy unlike any they had ever encountered. The Spore Mutants were just the beginning. What lay ahead was far more terrifying. But together, they would face it head-on. For their world, for their future, and for the Magic of Friendship. 

COVID-19 Attack: Pokémon

3 days had passed since Ash and Goh were informed they couldn’t go back to Kanto. Ash felt like something horrible was happening back at his home, and he didn’t know why. He could call it a feeling that had twitched his nerves, and it had been bothering him… especially now after receiving that bad news 5 days ago. What bothered Ash Ketchum was that he was the only one who experienced himself, sorry, forced into a trance when he started to envision himself in a dark dystopia of destruction, among others, alongside him and hearing a demonic voice calling to him in his head like it was a dark, horrid dream that managed to claw into his mind. Then the next morning, he and his friend Goh were supposed to return to Kanto back then, but that wasn’t going to be the case anymore, and as such, they were instructed to stay in Galar for longer to await further instructions from the local authorities.

The news on TV about the virus bothered him. It bothered him further when he and Gou received word from the train station receptionist that no one was allowed near Vermillion City, Pallet Town, or any other city in Kanto, for that matter… which made no sense to Ash at the time of March 2020 and sounded suspicious. I mean, why had nobody said anything about this here or on TV, after all, this isn’t something that happens overnight… right?

While on the busy streets going through the city, Ash was still worried about what this virus was in Kanto and was curious as to what was happening there. He was talking to Gou about his worrying thoughts about Kanto. Gou was optimistic that they’d open their travel business again soon, although a part of Ash still couldn’t help it. Why was this report of a virus bothering him so much… lots of things happen after all, and sure Ash managed to save the world lots of times… except this time it’s different, very different, almost like-.

Gou cut him off from his thoughts. Ash snapped back to reality to see the worried faces of Goh, Scorbunny and Pikachu. He seemed to be acting weird since they had heard they weren’t going back home. While Goh was certain that it was nothing they should worry about, Ash couldn’t help but think about what could have caused the whole ‘No entry to Kanto’ thing to happen in the first place. Pikachu gave him a nuzzle on the cheek to cheer him up. Goh proceeded to ask Ash about the idea of calling Professor Cerise, who lived in Vermillion City, which wasn’t a bad idea. It was worth a shot.

They ran back to the Pokémon Centre before it started raining, but that’s when Ash began experiencing the vision himself. He saw the post-apocalyptic world just like all the other characters saw, followed by the voice in his head. Ash came back to his senses, he found himself standing where he was before and seeing Gou, Pikachu and Scorbunny with worried looks. He wasn’t sure what the vision meant. There was a feeling that whatever the virus was, it might affect him.

Ash and Gou went to the Pokémon Centre and phoned the professor. However, no one seemed to answer as Gou tried four more times, but each time it went straight to unavailable. Now Ash had more reason to suspect that something very bad was about to happen. The travel closure, the vision, now Professor Cerise is not responding. It was making horrible sense. They decided to call Professor Oak, who answered in complete panic.

Ash typed in the number for the lab back in his home in Pallet Town and waited for the dial tone to get through.

A Familiar Voice: “Hello?” 

Ash Ketchum: (sighed in relief) “Professor Oak!”

Ash answered as happily as Gou moved closer towards the screen to see the professor looking like a mess.

Professor Oak (panicked): “Ash? Where are you?! Are you alright?!”

Ash Ketchum: (he and Goh both looked confused) “Goh and I are alright. We’re in the Galar region right now…. We were supposed to come back to Kanto about 4 days ago, but the train station reception told us no one was allowed anywhere in Kanto.”

Professor Oak (relieved): “Thank goodness that both of you are alright. It’s better than you aren’t in Kanto.”

Goh: “Why is it a good thing we aren’t in Kanto?”

Goh was becoming just as suspicious about what was going on as Ash was. Professor Oak was reluctant to tell them anything more, but that only served as the last straw for Ash, and he finally snapped.

Ash Ketchum: “Professor Oak! I’m sick and tired of not knowing what’s going back home! First, we get told we aren’t allowed back in Kanto, and then we’re told that no one here knows why and now you, who actually does know what’s happening, won’t tell us a thing! No, I won’t take no for an answer… please, Professor, tell us what’s happening!”

Ash vented his impatience out of his system, and his Pikachu, Goh and Professor Oak looked at him in shock for his outburst, but he couldn’t bring himself to care… all he wanted was answers.

Professor Oak was silent for a while, and Ash was nearly close to giving up hope, when he suddenly heard him talk.

Professor Oak: “I can’t give you everything, cause even I don’t know the full story… but from what I’ve been informed, a contagion of Coronavirus has spread in Cerulean City. And since that happened, it seems as if it’s been at war with another city, everything is destroyed, and there are no reports regarding any survivors yet. Some people who passed by Cerulean before this happened said they heard weird noises along with screaming… and the worst part is that it’s happening in both Pewter and Vermillion City as well. Due to this, Lance and the Elite Four thought it would be better if no one were to come in or out of Kanto… or else it might spread to the other regions.”

Ash flinched when he heard the words “no survivors”. As he and Goh took in the rest of the Professor’s story, they were in total silence.

Goh: (trying to hold back emotions) “Does anyone know how this Coronavirus came into Cerulean in the first place?”

Professor Oak: (shook his head) “Unfortunately, no one has been able to find any evidence about how it all began. That’s why no one outside of Kanto knows about this except that Cerulean City has been destroyed. Pewter and Vermillion, suffering from it as well, is only how it just got more serious. Because of that, no one outside of Kanto is to know of Vermillion or Pewter since that will create even more panic.”

Ash Ketchum: (serious tone) “But what if whatever this Coronavirus is decides to spread outside of Kanto, and then the other regions wouldn’t be prepared to handle it and would only cause more cities and people to fall victim. All because no one wants to share information or cause a panic! People will panic either way.”

Ash couldn’t help but notice that some trainers were looking over at them, confused, but went back to doing whatever they were doing.

Professor Oak: “I know it is frustrating, Ash, but there is nothing we can do. I’m sure that the government and the League will be able to stop it soon enough.”

Ash wasn’t sure whether to believe that this so-called ‘government’ and the League had no idea what to even look for.

Professor Oak: “I wish I could have told you better news, Ash, but now I’ve got to go and help Tracy out with the Pokémon. They’ve started acting uneasy, and that’s making me wonder if that virus will ever reach Pallet Town soon.”

Ash Ketchum: (worried) “Professor… please be careful and take care of my mom.”

The Professor gave Ash a nod, then he turned off the video phone. Ash just sat there in complete silence, Gou also not saying a word.

Gou: “Ash… I’m sorry for blowing off your suspicion when you voiced it before. You were right, something bad is happening and… I don’t know, is there any way out of this?”

Neither Ash nor Gou knew what to say, since neither of them had an answer. For now, Ash could only wish that Brock, Misty, and their families weren’t caught up in that mess and that they were able to get out safely and were in a secure area. Ash looked over at Gou and knew he must have been thinking the same about his parents, Choe and Professor Cerise.

Thinking about what Professor Oak told him. The state that Cerulean City was in reminded Ash about his sudden experience with the vision, which dragged him unexpectedly and for an unknown reason, Ash changed the topic and told Gou about his vision.

COVID-19 Attack: My Hero Academia

The day had begun like any other for Izuku Midoriya. He woke up in his room at U.A. High School, stretching as the morning sun filtered through the blinds. But when he checked his phone, everything changed. There was an alarming spike in reports of "spore-like mutations" across the country. Headlines screamed about the COVID-19 infection spreading faster than expected—infecting both Quirked and non-Quirked citizens alike.

His phone buzzed again with a missed call from All Might. A call he had missed. Deku's heart skipped a beat. Suddenly, the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. He heard faint scurrying sounds behind him. He whipped around, his heart racing. At first, he thought it was just his imagination, but then—‘RHHAAGH!’

A Crab Spore, with sharp fangs and cybernetic limbs, lunged at him from behind the door. The grotesque creature, its body a fusion of man and pestilence, bore down on him with horrifying speed.

Deku: (gritting his teeth, summoning One For All) “Not today!”

He slammed a fist forward, sending the Crab Spore flying against the wall with a burst of power. But as the Crab Spore crumpled, another one appeared from the shadows, its claws reaching for him.

Deku: (panicking but steadying himself) “Two? No, this...this is different.”

With another powerful punch, he obliterated the second Spore, but his mind raced—what was happening? Just as he caught his breath, he heard screaming—not from the infected, but from the citizens outside. Deku ran to the window, his heart pounding in his chest.

Deku: (eyes wide, voice shaking) “No... It’s not just the Coronavirus. The city’s under attack.”

Outside, the streets of Musutafu were in chaos. People screamed as they ran, and Deku saw it: an army of Knight Spores, humanoid rat-like mutants with cybernetic enhancements, charging through the streets, their claws crackling with energy. They were followed by Bat-Claw Spores—savage, cybernetically enhanced warriors wielding pulse rifles.

But the true horror was what followed them: the Behemoth Spore. A massive, decapod-like creature, nearly the size of a building, with ten legs, thick pincers, and massive armoured plating. It wreaked havoc as it stormed through the city, launching energy missiles from its back, tearing apart buildings with its brute force.

Deku’s breath hitched. This wasn’t something they could fight with just their Quirks.

Deku rushed out into the chaos, meeting up with his childhood friend, Kacchan (Katsuki Bakugo), and the rest of Class 1-A, who were already on the front lines, fighting off the Spore Mutants.

Kacchan: (gritting his teeth, ready for battle) “Tch! They just keep coming! Can’t believe we have to deal with this after everything else!”

Deku: (voice shaking but determined) “We can’t stop them with just our Quirks, Kacchan. We need a plan.”

But the reality of the situation was clear—the Behemoth Spore was too strong. It tore through the city with unrelenting force. The city’s defences were practically non-existent, and U.A. High’s students were fighting to hold the line with everything they had left. Even All Might, the Symbol of Peace, was struggling to contain the Behemoth's rampage.

The battle escalated as All Might clashed with the Behemoth Spore. Despite his mighty strength, he was overwhelmed by the sheer size and power of the beast.

All Might: (breathing heavily, trying to regain his strength) “I’m...not...finished yet...!”

But the Behemoth Spore was relentless, its heavy pincers slicing through All Might’s defences. With a swift motion, it knocked All Might to the ground, knocking the wind out of him.

Deku: (frantically trying to get closer to help) “No! All Might!”

The Knight Spores closed in, blocking Deku’s path as he tried to reach his mentor. Deku’s heart raced, his mind fighting the urge to panic. He couldn’t let All Might fall. Not like this. But as he pushed forward, his body was battered with the force of the Spore attacks.

In the chaos, Deku’s mind flashed back to his vision, the one that seemed to foretell this moment—something deep within him screamed for him to protect All Might, to protect his friends and the world.

With all his remaining strength, Deku called upon One For All. He powered up, throwing himself into the fray against the Behemoth and the attacking Spores. He was determined to protect All Might at all costs, despite the pain wracking his body.

Deku: (yelling to All Might, gritting his teeth) “I won’t let you fall! Not while I’m still here!”

With an overwhelming burst of power, Deku charged forward, unleashing a devastating punch against the Behemoth’s massive form, sending it staggering backwards. The battle was far from over, but they had to hold on. As Deku watched helplessly from the sidelines, he could feel the weight of the battle dragging on, his own body tiring. Every time he launched an attack, the Spores seemed to flood in from all sides. Knight Spores, Kython Spores, and now Behemoths—the entire city was falling apart. His own Quirk, One For All, was barely holding up against the sheer numbers. Then, in the chaos, All Might took a heavy hit. The Behemoth’s claws landed a crushing blow, sending him flying back. But it wasn’t just that— the impact was only the beginning of the nightmare.

Without warning, several tentacle-like tendrils shot out from the Behemoth’s very body, slithering through the air like serpents. They were infected tendrils, mutated and infused with the Coronavirus spores that had begun spreading throughout the world. The tendrils curled toward All Might, who was down on the ground, struggling to rise.

Deku: (yelling in panic) “All Might, no!”

In an instant, the tendrils pierced through All Might’s mouth and nose, slipping into his airway with eerie precision. They didn’t just stop at his throat—they continued to wind their way down, embedding themselves deeper, infecting his lungs and airways. The COVID-19 spores within the tendrils spread, pumping their deadly venom into All Might’s body, draining his energy.

All Might’s breath hitched, and his body shook with violent spasms. The mighty hero, whose strength had once been unyielding, was now vulnerable. The tendrils worked quickly, intertwining themselves with All Might’s Quirk—his ability to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders, to be the symbol of hope for the people.

Deku’s heart shattered as he watched his mentor struggle. What was happening? Why was he weakening so quickly? It was clear that the Coronavirus infection wasn’t just affecting the population—it was attacking their very essence, their Quirks. All Might’s might was no longer enough. No one’s Quirk would be.

Suddenly, Deku felt it.

A sharp, painful pull in his chest. The familiar surge of power that he relied on so much—One For All—began to feel distant. His body refused to move the same way. The strength that he had only just learned to control felt like it was being siphoned away, leaving him exhausted. His muscles, which had once felt invincible, now screamed in pain, and his Quirk was significantly weaker.

Deku: (shouting, voice cracking in realisation) “No... No! What have they done?!”

He looked up to see the same thing happening to the rest of Class 1-A and All Might. Their Quirks had been dampened—the full power of their abilities reduced by half, a cruel and methodical attack. All Might’s usual radiant strength was now reduced to mere shimmers of his former glory, the tendrils gripping his very life force. The Behemoth’s cruel roar and the Voice of the Coronavirus echoed as it towered over the weakened hero, sending a chill down Deku’s spine.

Deku: (clenching his fists, eyes wild with determination, despite the weakness) “I won’t let this happen. Not to him. Not to us!”

All Might, bloodied and weakened, tried to stand once again. But the tendrils continued to sap his power. The infection had taken hold.

All Might: (faint, his voice a hollow echo of his former self) “Deku... It’s over for me... Leave me... save everyone else... You are the future now. Promise me, you’ll protect them.”

Deku: (voice trembling, eyes filled with resolve and pain) “No, All Might... You’ve always protected us. I... I’m not leaving you!”

But just as Deku stepped forward, the Behemoth Spore took another swipe, knocking Deku off his feet, sending him sprawling across the ground. The Knight Spores closed in, their weapons drawn, and all the while, the infected tendrils continued to drain All Might of his energy.

Deku: (strained, his body failing under the weight of it all) “I won’t... leave... you!”

The reality hit when All Might was released from the tendrils. He lay on the ground, gasping for air, barely holding onto his composure, and reached out to stop Deku.

All Might: (his voice ragged, knowing their limits) “Deku... you have to leave... now...”

Deku: (shocked, desperation clear in his voice) “What? No!”

With what little power remained in his limbs, Deku surged to his feet. He felt the sting of One For All’s diminished power, but still, he pushed forward. The Behemoth Spore and the Knight Spores were closing in. Deku turned to All Might, his voice steady, but filled with raw emotion. But All Might knew the truth. The battle against the Virus couldn’t be won. The Behemoth Spore was too powerful, and they were running out of time.

All Might: (strained, but firm) “This... this is a fight we can’t win. Get... out of here. Save your strength for what’s to come. You’re the future, Deku. Protect them.”

Deku: (his voice breaking as he sees the truth) “All Might... I can’t leave you here. You’ve always been there for us. I can’t... I can’t leave you!”

But with a final rallying cry from All Might, he urged Deku to retreat, knowing that the future depended on him.

All Might: (defeated but determined) “Go! NOW!”

In the midst of the devastation, Deku’s resolve was tested, but One For All still burned within him. As the fight continued, one thing became clear: this battle was far from over. The infection had taken a foothold, but as long as Deku and his classmates fought, they would not give up.

With heavy hearts, the students of Class 1-A retreated, their bodies exhausted, their spirits battered by the chaos. Deku could hardly look back at the destruction they’d left behind, but he knew that their survival meant they still had a chance to fight.

The students, heroes, and citizens of Musutafu fled, but as they left their home, they knew this fight was far from over. The COVID-19 infection had breached their defences, and the world would never be the same.

With their defeat, the U.A. High School students from Class 1-A were forced to retreat from their home in their own separate ways, with the remaining power in their Quirks that they had left. And Deku realised that this wasn’t just a fight to protect the world. It was about survival. The fight for humanity’s future.

Deku: (thinking to himself as he runs with his classmates) “The world has changed... But we’ll change it back. We have to. For All Might. For everyone.”

It was beginning to look like COVID-19 was about to walk over everything in its path.

Relay Station operational - Alaghast

After Apex secured the remainder of the Alaghast Relay Station and cut down the last of the red COVID-19 Knight Spores that had infested the halls, the team regrouped in the dim, smoke-scorched interior. The building still smelled of burned circuits and spore rot, every breath heavy with dust and decay.

Vazquez and Thorne descended into the station’s maintenance level, their tac-lights flickering against steel bulkheads streaked with ash, until they located the backup fuse box buried deep within the walls. With practised precision, they reset the power junction, coaxing a reluctant hum back into the dead systems.

Meanwhile, Resnick had cracked open a corroded circuit box near the command hub, sparks spitting as he worked a drill into the panel. His voice was tight, focused.

Resnick: “Best case, I can patch us into Avalon’s network for a burst. Worst case? The whole system fries again. The main relays are cooked — overheating wiped out most of the core boards. Even if we rebuild, this station won’t be fully operational for two weeks minimum.”

Lennox gave him a curt nod.

Lennox: “We don’t have two weeks. Just get me a line to Godfather.”

Resnick hunched deeper into the panel, splicing wires with a surgeon’s care, sweat glinting on his brow.

While the others kept the perimeter secure, Thorne guided the young survivor into a quieter corner. She was pale, shaking, her clothes still torn from when Apex first found her hiding upstairs. He crouched down, removing his helmet so she could see his face. His tone softened.

Thorne: “My name’s Adrian Thorne. What’s your name?”

Girl: “…Sacha.”

Thorne: (gently) “That’s a beautiful name. Are you from here, Sacha? Local?”

Sacha: (shaking her head) “I came on a maritime trip. With my father.”

Thorne glanced over his shoulder at the scientist’s corpse lying cold on the floor, a CHS badge still clipped to the bloodstained coat.

Thorne: “Was he… with you?”
Sacha: (voice breaking) “He was my father.”

A heavy silence lingered. Thorne’s jaw tightened, the weight of her words pressing down harder than the battle had.

Thorne: “…I’m sorry.”

Sacha: (bitterly, clutching her arms) “Why would you be? You didn’t stop it. None of you did.”

Her grief cut through the sterile hum of the relays like a blade. Thorne didn’t argue. He simply signalled to Lennox over comms:

Thorne (COM): The girl’s alive, but she needs more than we can give here. Recommend a full psychiatric evaluation.

By the time Thorne escorted Sacha out of the ruined chamber, Resnick finally straightened from his work. The improvised splice sparked, then stabilised, static hissing faintly in their headsets.

Resnick (announcing): “Signal’s patchy, but it’ll hold. You’ve got a narrow window. Talk fast.”

Lennox stepped forward, keyed his comm unit, and prepared to call Godfather — the weight of the situation settling like stone across the entire team. 

On the Project: Atlas Comms Network, Captain Lennox sent out the sitrep to the Brigadier General.

Godfather: “CIF Team Apex, this is Godfather. I’m barely receiving you. What’s your situation? Over.”

Lennox: “Godfather, this is Apex 0-1. There are no extremists. The Coronavirus has spread to Vannadin’Tella. Acknowledge?”

Godfather: “Copy, Apex 0-1. We’ve heard the same report from other CIF Teams in the other provinces. We’re declaring EPIDEMIC Contingency to everyone. Wishing safe fortunes to us all.”

***

Elsewhere, in another unknown and completely secure comm link.)

Unknown: “Project: Atlas command is about to declare the EPIDEMIC Contingency. Satellite confirms the animated shows are being overrun by the Coronavirus.”

X: “I see. They’re still surviving, but they’re up against the Coronavirus. Proceed with Directive Order: 65L-CovCon3.”

Unknown: “Would you like us to retrieve the four specimens?”

X: “Yes, we’ll need them for further testing. But… take your time.”

Unknown: “Roger that.”

X: (sinister chuckle) “You should have played along with the warnings. You had your chance. Now you will die like dogs.”

Chapter Text

The Four Specimens

When Blaine, Wright, Saito, and Stevenson found each other in the chaos, they shared only four things in common: a great unknown enemy, the wrong job, the wrong place, and the worst possible time. But in a desperate situation like COVID-19, survival wasn’t about fairness. It was about doing what you could with what you had — and praying it was enough.

Craigbrook’s streets were a nightmare. A dense fog of Griever Spores began to roll in from the main avenue ahead, the air thick with their toxic stench. The spores pulsed like something alive, twisting together into an impenetrable wall of haze that cut off their escape route. The familiar exit road they’d aimed for was gone, consumed by something alien and suffocating.

Blaine’s instincts snapped into gear.

Karsyn Blaine [barking]: “Back! Side street!”

He was herding the others like raw recruits.

The group sprinted across the fractured streets, hearts pounding, every corner spilling over with panicked citizens. Glass towers reflected the chaos below, their facades fractured with smoke and fire. Sirens screamed in every direction, blending with the rising cries of the infected as Case Zombies spilt out of alleys, hissing and stumbling into the open.

Saito clung to Wright’s arm as they darted past overturned cars and trampled bodies. She was a nurse, used to blood and panic inside hospital walls — but this was different. This was feral. When a Case lurched at her from a doorway, Blaine’s arm shot past her shoulder and dropped it with a clean burst from his sidearm. The sharp crack of gunfire made her flinch more than the corpse falling at her feet.

Karsyn Blaine [snapping]: “Keep moving!”

His tone left no room for hesitation.

Wright and Stevenson, both civilians, tried to help where they could, grabbing fallen debris to shove aside obstacles or hurling bottles and loose bricks to slow down the infected snapping at their heels. It wasn’t elegant, but it bought them seconds. Seconds mattered.

At one point, Stevenson nearly slipped when a Case grabbed at his jacket. He thrashed wildly, landing a desperate elbow into the creature’s temple, and Blaine was there an instant later, finishing the job with a short, brutal strike.

Karsyn Blaine (ordering): “Stay close to me!”

Blaine dragged him forward.

With no other escape, they scrambled up the stairwell of a ten-storey office building, lungs burning, doors slamming behind them. At the rooftop, they collapsed into a rough perimeter, the civilians huddled low while Blaine stood guard, rifle barking in measured bursts. Case Zombies swarmed the stairwell and began spilling onto the roof.

The civilians could do nothing but shove back with whatever they found on the rooftop — steel pipes, broken chair legs, even loose bricks torn from the roof’s edge. Wright swung clumsily, Stevenson shoved with both hands, and Saito’s voice trembled with every cry, but together, under Blaine’s shouted orders, they managed to hold on.

Still, their luck and strength were bleeding away with every second. They were cornered, exhausted, and moments from being torn down when salvation screamed in from above. Helicopters thundered over the rooftop, rotor wash blasting debris across the roof. A gunship’s chain gun ripped through the Cases in a spray of gore, rockets slamming into clusters of Spores with thunderous detonations.

Ronald Wright, dazed and slipping in and out of consciousness from exhaustion and shock, barely registered the storm of noise. One moment, he was bracing against a rooftop vent, a Case lunging toward him; the next, it was gone, shredded by a hail of fire.

The last thing he saw before darkness claimed him was the ghostly silhouette of men in hazmat suits pulling him onto a stretcher. A sharp sting of anaesthetic bit into his arm, and the nightmare slipped away.

The people who successfully rescued Blaine, Wright, Saito, and Andrew were not members of the UDF. They were members of a Chinese science/paramilitary organisation called the Chinese People’s Viral Research Front (PVRF, 聚偏氟乙烯)

Operation: Containment

EPIDEMIC Contingency Protocol

After hearing reports from the other animation studios, UDF Special Forces called findings to command, and seeing satellite imagery of numerous attacks on major cities in the other provinces, ASTO declared immediate action against this threat.

Project: Atlas immediately declared EPIDEMIC Contingency for all studio, business, civilian, scientific and medical personnel.

Following the infection that started in Hiveland, Avalon was certain that the worst-evolved COVID-19 Virus would spread as it would spread across the real world. EPIDEMIC Contingency was an official Animated Studios Treaty Organisation emergency directive that was written to deal with situations where a Coronavirus infection spreads to another region or province and is building Cases to spread.

Classification

Events which may be classified as EPIDEMIC Contingency can include:

•Intercepting COVID symptoms with people in a city in any province. •Discovery of physical evidence of COVID-19 activity. I. Black fungus or fungi rooted to the ground or living matter. II.Abandoned or discarded material or living matter. III.Residue and/or damage consistent with directed energy weapon usage. •Detection of COVID-19 harvesting events and hotspots. •Engagement in combat with COVID-19 Spores and/or Cases

Priority One

All other priorities are secondary.

The ASTO board of directors, including Chairman Iain Sterling, the Head of the ASTO, discussed the best method to sustain the virus, protect the CHS and keep people safe. By the end of their discussion, they detailed a corporate initiative in accordance with EPIDEMIC Contingency for the whole world that was simply called ‘Operation: Containment’.

Due to lots of people being in close contact with one another, followed by coughs, sneezes, fever, shortness of breath, and loss of sense of smell becoming the most common symptoms from the microspores, the number of Cases was increasing rapidly. Some Cases acted like zombies to infect the rest of the indigenous population. Others were being used for harvesting bacteria to keep the virus running. The rest of the people were either deemed positive or negative to survive the microspore virus and found themselves in a historic position of ‘staying home without going out’.

ASTO was hoping to make things better for the rest of the living population that going through a disease pandemic and only surviving with what they had. The best group of scientists, sociologists and medical consultants from CHS decided that the best plan was to keep the remaining inhabitant population inside what they called ‘Isolation Districts’.

The plan was to assemble the population inside closely guarded and regulated town-sized installations with all the essentials they needed. Mainly food, water and health accessories. All while Project: Atlas would provide CHS, scientific research, and military personnel would take charge of the containment. There were 112 Isolation Districts in many places around Avalon.

The CHS would provide medical care for anyone who has or believes they have symptoms from microspores. Anyone suffering from SARS would be given inhalers at a concealed hospital.

The Science Division members would be responsible for understanding COVID-19 activity. How it managed to infect Avalon in the first place, how it’s infecting hosts from the microspores, and how most of it was able to evolve into mutants.

The military UDF was in charge of security at each Isolation District and provided extra provisions if need be. Using their medical equipment to help the CHS take care of the sick if needed. From outside the security boundary, they closely guard each District against any COVID-19 Spore Mutants or uprising Case Zombies that would threaten to spread the virus.

The main goal was to keep people inside the safe zones, protect the CHS medical centres, defeat the virus, and save as many lives as possible, all before further notice to resocialize the healthy citizens. CHS was the backbone of the operation to save lives and maintain clean and healthy hygiene for all mankind.

CHS: “Operation: Containment. Stay at Home, Protect the CHS, Save Lives.”

The Region of Sanctus served as the capital nation for the ASTO organisation and presented unique challenges in governing its indigenous population. This continent is an artificial construct, designed by its creators to function as a floating city. The primary headquarters of ASTO is located in Neo Impetus, situated near the centre of Sanctus. However, the recent pandemic has significantly impacted the region, leading to a decline in business, safety, and tourism within Neo Impetus.

At the Neo Impetus event, key figures in attendance included Chairman Iain Sterling, along with his senior officials and security personnel. During the event, he addressed the CHS and the Science Research Community, discussing critical topics such as the identification of the virus's origin, the development of a vaccine, and strategies for effectively managing the virus in the subsequent phase following Operation: Containment.

Sanctus was also the same headquarters for the People’s Viral Research Front (PVRF), which was a Chinese-led multi-national scientific/paramilitary organisation that Chairman Iain Sterling had hired to provide their research staff, advisors and equipment to understand and contain the Coronavirus to enforce the law in keep the rest of the isolated population restrained within the Districts.

Sanctus is both habitable and haunted. To its refugees, it felt safe — food is regulated, power never falters, patrols are constant. But it is also a place of sterility. Every tree was planted, every river channelled, every mountain designed. Loudspeakers echo health directives across plazas; drones hover between rooftops. Sanctus is a continent where survival is engineered, not grown.

In the real world, China had been infected first, so ASTO would require the assistance of an organisation which could understand how an even worse Coronavirus would infect the world of Avalon.

The CEO in charge of the PVRF was Premier Pace Zhen. He established his HQ in the city of New Metropolis, Sanctus. He and his staff were concealed in a 60-storey building called ‘Lotus Flowers’.

The head of security was Lieutenant Colonel Lloyd Barton.

The PVRF security forces were predominantly equipped with weaponry and equipment sourced from the Chinese Army. In addition to their military hardware, they also recruited private military contractors from various countries around the real world who were given a negotiable contract, as well as local auxiliaries from China. Notably, the organisation adopted a uniform approach to treatment, irrespective of individuals' COVID status. This raises questions about potential violations of government regulations and the implications of their practices.

Deportation through Decontamination

Ash sat at the edge of the cot in the Pokémon Centre dorm room, his cap resting on his knees. The dull hum of the news channel flickered in the background — infection rates, containment operations, graphs and numbers. Goh sat opposite him with Scorbunny in his lap, listening intently but clearly confused. Pikachu sat beside Ash, tail flicking nervously.

Ash: “I know it sounds crazy, Goh, but I swear I saw it — this town… totally wrecked. Buildings were gone, the sky was red, like something out of a nightmare. I was standing in the middle of it, and there was this… sound. Like something calling me.”

Goh (frowning): “Calling you? You mean like… a Legendary Pokémon kind of thing?”

Ash: “That’s the thing. It didn’t feel like one. I’ve had those dreams before — you know, the kind where you just know it’s about a Pokémon. But this… it felt different. Like something was showing me what’s coming.”

Scorbunny (tilting its head): “Scor?”

Goh: “Ash, we’ve seen a lot of weird stuff together, but this sounds… I don’t know. You sure it wasn’t just a dream? Maybe all this virus stuff’s getting to you.”

Ash (rubbing his temples): “Yeah, maybe. But it felt real, Goh. Like I could smell the smoke. Like I was there.”

Pikachu: “Pika…”

Goh looked down, clearly torn between reason and friendship. He’d seen Ash survive disasters, Legendaries, and entire world-ending battles — but something about this felt personal.

Goh: “Even if it was real… what do you think it means?”

Ash (quietly): “I don’t know. But if it’s a warning, then we can’t ignore it. Not with everything that’s happening out there.”

There was a pause. The muffled sound of a helicopter echoed outside the Pokémon Centre. Then, all at once, a blaring evacuation siren cut through the air.

The emergency broadcast replaced the news feed on the TV — red text scrolling across the screen.

[EMERGENCY ANNOUNCEMENT – OPERATION: CONTAINMENT IN EFFECT]

Newscaster (voice on TV): “All citizens are to proceed to public transport terminals immediately. This is a mandatory evacuation. You will be escorted by the City Police Service and UDF Army Reserve. Repeat—this is a mandatory evacuation.”

Scorbunny’s ears twitched. Pikachu pressed closer to Ash’s leg. The tension hit all at once.

Goh: “They’re moving the whole city?”

Ash: “Looks like it. Operation Containment…”

Goh (grabbing his backpack): “We’d better move. Come on, Ash.”

They grabbed their Poké Balls, slinging their bags over their shoulders as the Centre lights dimmed to emergency red.

Ash (to Pikachu): “You ready, buddy?”

Pikachu (determined): “Pika-chu!”

Goh (glancing at Ash): “Hey… about that vision. Maybe you weren’t crazy after all.”

Ash (grimly): “Yeah. Let’s hope it was just a dream.”

The four of them ran through the streets toward the evacuation site.

Police officers directed people toward long queues of buses and trains, their megaphones echoing over the chaos. The sky was grey, the air thick with unease.

They passed through the decontamination station — cold antiseptic mist spraying from overhead nozzles — before being handed masks and directed to a waiting train. Ash turned for one last look at the city behind them, now crawling with soldiers and UDF trucks.

Ash (softly): “We’ll come back… right?”

Goh (hesitant): “If there’s a city to come back to.”

The doors hissed shut. The train began to move — bound for the Isolation District at the Isle of Beagles in Landron City, south Modaire.

Outside, sirens faded behind them, swallowed by the distant wail of the wind. 

A Pursued Cartoon Network

Finn, Jake, Pearl, Amethyst, and Garnet were in the air, desperate to escape the relentless pursuit of six Bat-Claw Spores. The mechanical beasts were agile, cutting through the sky with terrifying precision as they followed the group’s every move. Each pulse of their energy-based weapons lit up the darkened sky, but despite their best efforts, the group managed to break free, just barely.

However, their relief was short-lived. As they soared above the clouds, the weight of the situation began to settle in. They had no clear destination, no map, and no way of knowing where they were headed. The land of Ooo was now a vast and treacherous wasteland, ravaged by the deadly virus, and the Crystal Gems found themselves disoriented by the unfamiliarity of it all. The familiar landmarks of their once vibrant world had disappeared, replaced by devastation and chaos.

Jake the Dog: (concerned) "Where the heck are we, man? Are we even going the right way?”

Finn the Human: “We should be heading to the nearest safe zone.” (his voice lacked conviction) "BMO’s our best shot to guide us now.“

BMO, the trusty robot with an almost eerie level of calm, displayed a digital map on its screen. The map flickered as it zoomed out to reveal the sprawling landscape of a world now overwhelmed by the pandemic. It wasn’t just Ooo that was in danger anymore; it was a global crisis.

BMO: (robotic voice crackling) "Looks like the virus spread everywhere. The land is in chaos, and the quarantine zones are being locked down as we speak. There’s no telling what the next wave will bring.”

Suddenly, the group was jolted out of their grim realisation by the distant roar of an engine. A massive shadow loomed ahead, and the unmistakable shape of a Wyvern Spore appeared in the sky, its glowing eyes fixed on them. Before anyone could react, the creature released a barrage of pulse energy from its weaponry. The blast slammed into Jake, sending him spiralling to the ground with a painful grunt.

Finn the Human: “Jake!” (he panicked as his friend plummeted to the ground.)

Garnet: “Get down, both of you!” (her voice sharp and commanding)

In a split second, she leapt into the fray, her fists charged with energy as she went on the offensive against the Wyvern Spore. Amethyst followed suit, her whip-like weapon crackling with power, while Pearl’s blade shimmered as she dove into action. The Wyvern Spore was formidable. It retaliated with its long, whip-like tentacles, which it lashed out with brutal force. One of its appendages snaked out and snatched Garnet from the air, yanking her off her feet and dragging her toward the gaping maw of the Spore’s underbelly.

Amethyst: “Garnet!”

Pearl: “Hold on!”

Pearl launched herself at the creature with the precision of a trained warrior, aiming to slice through its tentacles.

As the battle raged on, a sudden roar of engines cut through the chaos. Out of nowhere, two F-16 fighter jets streaked across the sky, unleashing a barrage of missiles that struck the Wyvern Spore, distracting it long enough for the Gems to break free.

Garnet: “Get in the forest! Move!” (She kept her voice firm, despite the recent struggle)

The group retreated into the dense trees below, their path illuminated by the occasional flash of fire from the jets. As they made their way deeper into the woods, a UDF Marine Recce Platoon, led by Major Henry "Ray" Gibson, emerged from the underbrush. Their faces were hardened with experience, their weapons at the ready.

Maj. Gibson: “We’ve been ordered to help evacuate the area. Follow us. We’ll get you to the extraction point.” 

The tension in the air was palpable, and the urgency was clear. With the threat of the Wyvern Spore still looming overhead, Finn, Jake, and the Crystal Gems had no time to waste. They moved quickly, staying close to the Marines as they navigated through the thick forest, their senses heightened by the eerie silence that had taken over the land.

The sound of distant clicking grew louder. The Clickers were closing in on them. These new types of Case Zombies were eerily quiet, their movements erratic and unpredictable, but their heightened sense of hearing made them dangerous. If they were startled, they would emit a high-pitched clicking sound that would alert all nearby zombies to their presence.

Pearl: (whispered with her eyes scanning the woods) “We can’t afford to make a noise.”

Finn the Human: (he clenched his sword tighter) “Right. Let’s keep moving.”

They pressed forward, careful to avoid the patrolling Wyvern Spores and the growing number of Clickers that were now prowling the woods. After what felt like an eternity, they reached the riverbank, where the Marines had established a defensive position. The sound of gunfire echoed through the trees as the security team fought off a fresh wave of Spores.

Maj. Gibson: “Stay close! We’ve got company.” (he signalled to the others.)

The Major and his Marines held their ground against the incoming horde of Clicker Cases, laying down controlled, disciplined bursts of rifle fire. Each infected creature that broke through the treeline dropped to the dirt in sprays of dark fluid, their shrieks echoing across the valley. But the rhythm of the firefight changed in an instant. The ground trembled. A low, guttural rumble spread beneath their boots, growing louder with every passing second. Then—the earth exploded.

A monstrous shape erupted from the soil, a wet, tearing sound accompanying the splintering of roots and concrete. Six cybernetic, spider-like legs stabbed outward, hauling up a bulbous, glistening body that dripped black ichor. The creature’s rat-like skull, stretched and deformed, swung toward the squad with unnatural precision. Then came its shriek—a deafening, metallic howl that clawed at their ears and made the Marines flinch.

Finn and the Crystal Gems instinctively jumped into defensive stances, weapons drawn.

Finn the Human (nervously): “Okay… that’s new.”

Garnet (grim): “No. That’s worse.”

The creature was a Griever Spore, a larger and dangerous mutation. 12 feet tall, its arachnid limbs gleamed with metal implants: saw-edged spikes, rods, and shears grafted crudely into its flesh.

The Marines, without order, fired at will at the creature. But the Griever didn’t slow. Its thickened cellular structure soaked up bullets like rain. It surged forward with terrifying speed, pincers snapping—and snatched a Marine clean off his feet, dragging him backwards with a sickening crunch before the others could react.

Jake the Dog (wide-eyed): “Dude—DUDE, it’s picking us off!”

The fight dissolved into chaos. As the Marines slammed new magazines into their rifles, Garnet and Pearl launched forward, striking in tandem. Garnet’s gauntlets smashed into its thorax while Pearl’s spear flashed in quick, precision strikes. Finn dove in beside them, swinging his sword to draw its attention. Amethyst morphed her whip into a hammer and brought it down with a war cry. It wasn’t enough.

The Griever Spore moved like a predator that had learned to counter human tactics. It feinted backwards, then surged forward again—impaling Amethyst through the shoulders with a jagged spike. Her body burst into light as she poofed, leaving her gemstone clattering to the dirt.

Pearl (shouting): “Amethyst!”

Pearl caught the gemstone mid-air before it hit the ground. At the same moment, Finn tripped over a loose rock, sprawling backwards as the Griever loomed over him, its spiked pincer poised to strike.

Before it could land the killing blow—a thunderous impact smashed into the creature’s side, slamming it into a tree. The source of the impact was a 25-foot humanoid robotic suit, which crashed through the forest undergrowth, its heavy footfalls shaking the earth. From its right arm, a tri-barrelled Gatling gun spun up with a furious whine, unleashing a blistering storm of hot lead that tore through the Griever’s carapace. The creature shrieked again, thrashing, but the mech was relentless. With a single colossal punch, the suit sent the monster crashing against the tree again, splintering it. Then, driving its left arm forward, the mech impaled the beast with a bladed dozer ram, hoisting and slamming it down in one brutal motion. The Griever gave one final convulsion before falling still.

The battlefield fell quiet except for the crackle of distant gunfire. A newly built secret weapon had arrived.

The UDF had developed humanoid weapons, sophisticated battle suits capable of fighting back against the Spore Mutant Invasion. The Muscle Symptom Tracer, or MST Program, was born. With MST technology, the frontline had been reinforced in the national lockdown, and the containment operation had resumed.

The elite pilot guided the mech forward and opened comms.

MST Pilot (crackling radio): “Sorry, I was late.”
Maj. Gibson (gruff relief): “Better late than never.”

Finn, Jake, and the Gems regrouped, breathing hard. Finn wiped grime from his cheek, staring up at the towering machine.

Finn (awed): “That… was awesome.”

Jake: “Yeah, remind me to get one of those for Christmas.”

Pearl gently set Amethyst’s gemstone down as light began to pulse through it. Within moments, Amethyst reformed, shaking her head groggily.

Amethyst (smirking): “Did anyone get the number of that freakin’ truck?”

Garnet (firm, steady): “You’re okay. Stay close this time.”

Just as they caught their breath, the MST Pilot received a transmission.

Radio: “MST Unit Three, be advised: friendly unit reporting TIC, grid reference Delta-Six-Six-Four-Three. Fall back to HLZ for redeployment.”

Maj. Gibson switched to comms.

Maj. Gibson: “Lima 1-0 Alpha has encountered hostiles. Lima 2-0 Alpha, what’s your situation?”

UDF Marine (COM): “Nothing here yet. Proceeding to the HLZ.”

Maj. Gibson: “Understood. I’ll see you there.”

The Marines continued to make their way through the woodland and onto the HLZ, where their ride out was reported to be. In the distance, the rumble of helicopter blades grew louder. A UH-1 Huey, piloted by a UDF Air Force pilot named “Hocus,” descended from the sky, clearing the LZ as Spores swarmed in to attack. With precision, the Marines held their ground, taking down the advancing enemies. The helicopter touched down, and the door opened. Hocus, the pilot, leaned out and gave a nod.

Finn, Jake, and the Crystal Gems, along with the Marines, quickly boarded the Huey, their hearts still racing from the battle they had just fought. The helicopter’s singular main rotor made a deafening chopping noise as it lifted off and soared into the sky. The group looked down at the landscape below. The world was in chaos, but for the moment, they were safe. They had made it out. But they knew this was only the beginning of the fight. The virus was spreading, and no one knew what would come next.

What could be known to this, however, was that superiors behind the UDF likely knew more about the virus than the CN characters did, and their concern was in line with their curiosity about the pandemic, which was turning the world towards a regionwide lockdown. 

Unlikely Friendship

After a long, turbulent flight across the vast ocean in a hot air balloon, the Mane 6 finally spotted dry land beneath them. The balloon swayed erratically in the wind, tossing them from side to side, but Rainbow Dash, with her unparalleled flying instincts, steered them towards the only solid ground they’d seen in hours. The wind howled in her ears, but she kept her focus, her wings guiding the balloon with practised ease.

Rainbow Dash: “Hang on, everypony! We’re almost there!”

Rainbow Dash’s mane and tail were whipping in all directions from the wind. Twilight Sparkle, eyes wide with determination, kept her gaze fixed on the horizon.

Twilight Sparkle: “We have to find help. The spread of this virus—it’s not stopping, and we’re running out of options.”

Spike: “I just hope we’re not too late.”

As they neared the coast, Twilight spotted something that caught her eye. Below the drifting clouds, she could just make out the silhouette of high towers. A city.

Twilight Sparkle: “There! We can land there. Somepony must be able to help us.”

Rarity, who had been holding on tightly to the edges of the balloon, couldn’t help but groan. 

Rarity: “Ugh, I could use a good spa right about now. Though I suppose saving Equestria comes first.”

The group braced themselves as the balloon descended toward the capital city of Windmouth, Hinamura. The city appeared eerily still as they neared the landing zone, the streets that should have been bustling with activity completely devoid of life. Buildings were dark, windows shuttered, and the sound of silence pressed against their ears like a heavy weight. It was as though time had frozen.

Once they landed, the Mane 6 disembarked, taking in the haunting scene before them. The streets were littered with abandoned cars, and piles of rubble dotted the landscape. Businesses that should have been open—restaurants, stores, even the spas Rarity had been dreaming of—were completely shut down. The doors of every establishment were sealed tight. It was clear that Hinamura had been hit hard by the virus, but still, there was no sign of the widespread destruction that had taken hold of other regions. It was as if the virus hadn’t yet taken full hold here.

Twilight Sparkle: (voice thick with emotion) "This is... this is worse than I imagined. To think that everypony... is just gone.”

Pinkie Pie: (showed a sad frown, her usual cheer gone) “ It’s like we walked into a ghost town. Where did everypony go?”

Before anyone could respond, a low rumble echoed through the ground. It felt like the earth was shaking beneath them, and the distant sound of thudding footsteps sent a chill down their spines. The sound grew louder, and the Mane 6 immediately knew they were in danger.

Twilight Sparkle: “Split up! Get to cover!”

Without hesitation, the group scattered. Twilight, Rarity, Spike, and Pinkie Pie ducked under a large piece of debris—an overturned building’s remains—and huddled together, trying to keep as quiet as possible. Rainbow Dash, Applejack, and Fluttershy sprinted down a side road, leaping into an abandoned dumpster and concealing themselves as best they could.

The massive figure drew closer, its steps heavy and rhythmic. Twilight's heart pounded as the sound grew louder, and her eyes scanned the shadows nervously. What was this new threat? She had no time to wonder as the figure emerged from the mist, casting a long shadow over the city.

The creature was enormous, towering above them like a mechanised titan, like a monster from another planet. It resembled a war machine more than a living being—an Autonomous Sentry Walker, an unmanned ground vehicle the UDF had deployed to combat the Spore Mutants. Its large metal frame gleamed in the dull light, its laser sensors sweeping across the area. The mechanical legs clicked and clanked as it marched past, completely unaware of the Mane 6 hidden just a few meters away.

They held their breath, not daring to move, praying that they wouldn’t be noticed. The Walkers’ sensors scanned the area, its bright laser beams flashing over the debris. But to the group’s relief, the giant creature walked on without even pausing.

Rarity: (voice trembling with anxiety) “Is it gone?”

Twilight Sparkle: “I think we’re clear... but stay low.”

Just as they were about to emerge from their hiding spots, a shot rang out from behind them. The sound was sharp and clear, echoing through the empty streets. The bullet struck the ground near Pinkie Pie’s hooves, sending a shock of terror through the group. Twilight’s heart was racing. Before anyone could react, a loudspeaker crackled to life, its cold, mechanical voice filling the air.

PVRF Soldier: “Stay where you are. You are in violation of quarantine protocols. Do not move!”

The Mane 6’s eyes widened in shock. They had been spotted. From around the corner, two sedans and an armoured truck appeared, followed closely by a group of heavily armed PVRF soldiers clad in dark grey uniforms. Quad-rotor drones buzzed ominously overhead, their cameras trained on the group.

PVRF Soldier: “Get on the ground, now!”

Twilight tried to reason with them, stepping forward with her hooves raised in a peaceful gesture. 

Twilight Sparkle: “Please, we’re not a threat. We’re just trying to—”

But the soldiers weren’t listening. In an instant, they descended on the group, subduing them with ease. Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Twilight were swiftly restrained, their limbs bound with cold, metallic cuffs. The soldiers injected them with a tranquillising agent, and the world around them started to blur.

Twilight Sparkle: “No! Wait! We... need... your... help...”

Twilight’s words grew faint as the sedative took hold. As the world turned to blackness, the last thing Twilight saw was the cold, calculating face of the PVRF soldier standing over her. 

A Strange Crossover

Following their trip from Mt. Silver and the mounting tension in the Kanto Region, Red and his ever-loyal Pikachu arrived at the Pokémon Centre, hoping Nurse Joy could shed some light on the growing crisis. However, what they encountered was unsettling news. As Nurse Joy spoke, her face was pale with worry.

Nurse Joy: “We’ve been hearing reports... from the other Nurse Joys, that the virus is spreading faster than anyone expected. We’ve been instructed to keep the Pokémon indoors, isolated, as much as possible.” (She glanced over to the closed windows, as if trying to avoid the grim reality she was facing.) “The situation is far worse than any of us could have imagined.”

Red: (frowning) “So, what’s happening? Where do we go from here?”

Before Nurse Joy could answer, the entrance door swung open, and Officer Jenny entered with urgency in her steps.

Officer Jenny: (voice in tension) “Red, I just received word about a group of students in North Modaire—near Mt. Silver. They’ve been seen wandering, not adhering to the quarantine. They’re clearly unaware of the danger they’re in.”

Red felt the unease creep up his spine. He and Pikachu exchanged a look, a silent understanding between them. These students, wandering alone and vulnerable, were now prime targets for the virus. If they were in Modaire, they could be in grave danger.

Officer Jenny: “They’ve been spotted by a quad-drone, moving aimlessly through the woods. No sign of any organised effort to protect themselves. I’m afraid that if we don’t intervene quickly, they’ll fall victim to the spores, or worse.”

Red: (nodded with determination flashing in his eyes) “I’ll go find them,” he said, his voice firm. “We can’t let them face this alone. I’ll bring them to safety.”

Before he could leave, Officer Jenny handed him a small device.

Officer Jenny: “It’ll help track their movements. Stay in contact. We need to make sure they’re not walking into a trap.”

With that, Red and Pikachu set off, following the coordinates to North Modaire, unaware of the danger awaiting them in the woods.

***

Meanwhile, in the dense woods near Modaire, Kacchan, Shouto, Grape Juice, and Tsukuyomi trudged along, each step heavy with exhaustion. Their quirk powers had been halved after the earlier battle, and each of them struggled to regain the strength they once had. They knew they had to find refuge soon, or else they would be vulnerable to the spore infection spreading rapidly across the land. But each step through the woods felt like they were walking further into uncertainty.

Kacchan kicked a rock, frustration bubbling up inside him.

Kacchan: “This is useless! We should be out there fighting, not wandering around like idiots!”

Shouto, always the more composed, gave him a warning look.

Shouto: “Yelling won’t help. We need to find shelter and regroup. We can’t afford to waste what little energy we have left.”

Grape Juice, with his usual laid-back demeanour, nervously fiddled with his hands.

Grape Juice: “You guys think we’re the only ones left? I don’t even know what’s going on anymore. What if everyone else is already gone?”

Tsukuyomi, ever the quiet one, had been unusually still, his eyes scanning the surroundings, his mind racing. He could sense the unease in the air, the unmistakable feeling that they weren’t alone.

The sudden sound of a crackling twig underfoot snapped their attention to the path ahead. Without warning, a loud shot rang through the air, striking the ground just in front of them. Their hearts raced, and they immediately dropped into defensive stances, their instincts kicking in. Kacchan scanned the shadows. He was ready to unleash his explosive powers, but before he could react, soldiers clad in dark grey uniforms emerged from the trees, their assault rifles and carbines trained on the group.

PVRF Soldier: (voice cold) “Stay where you are! You’re in violation of the quarantine guidelines!”

Kacchan: (eyes flared with anger) “You really think you can stop me? I’ll blast you to pieces!”

But before he could act, something far stranger and more terrifying than he could have anticipated happened. Without any warning, a net—large, gleaming, and crackling with energy—shot out from the forest, enveloping them in seconds. The energy from the net surged through their bodies, freezing them in place and instantly dampening their quirks.

Kacchan: “What the---?!”

Kacchan grunted, struggling against the force, but it was no use. His quirk couldn’t activate. The energy net was too powerful. The soldiers wasted no time, moving in quickly, their weapons raised.

PVRF Soldier: “We’re taking you into custody for quarantine procedures.”

Out of nowhere, the sound of vehicles revving up broke the tension. Five heavily armoured black trucks appeared from the trees, surrounding the students, their mounted guns gleaming menacingly. PVRF operatives emerged, surrounding them, their faces cold, calculating. Among them stood Lt. Colonel Lloyd Barton, his posture rigid as he stepped forward, exuding authority. He received a report that characters from My Hero Academia were on the run from COVID-19. But since they weren’t isolating, locking down or obeying the rules to keep away from the other provinces due to the risk of spreading the microspore infection, they were breaking the law nonetheless. Lloyd and the PVRF had confirmed they had four of the students.

LT Col. Barton: (his voice sharp and unforgiving.) “You’re all breaking quarantine protocols. You’re lucky we don’t take you straight to the detention centre. Now, tell me where the rest of your group is. Where’s the rest of your team?”

Kacchan: “We’re not telling you anything!”

LT Col. Barton: (lips curled into a sneer.) “You have no choice. You broke the rules. You’ll be taken into custody until further notice.”

Lloyd Barton appeared as a professional, uncompromising mercenary with a central English accent. At first look, he had an appearance with a short goatee beard, was less than five feet tall, and had no hair. He made a brief interrogation, and he didn’t care whether the students were desperate or not. He made it clear that no one should break the lockdown guidelines, no matter the situation (or their lives).

While the Lt Colonel was questioning them on where the other members of the Class, Red and his Pikachu, were stalking. He arrived on the scene just in time to see the students restrained and surrounded by the PVRF. His heart raced in his chest, but he knew he couldn’t let this turn into a deadly confrontation.

Red: “I’m here for them! I’m not leaving without them!”

The PV-Sec contractors eyed him with suspicion, but Red’s determination was clear. Barton narrowed his eyes, considering the situation. Lloyd Barton appeared as a professional, uncompromising mercenary with a central English accent. At first look, he had an appearance with a short goatee beard, was less than five feet tall, and had no hair. He made a brief interrogation, and he didn’t care whether the students were desperate or not. He made it clear that no one should break the lockdown guidelines, no matter the situation (or their lives).

LT Col. Barton: “You’re not in control here, kid. Step back, or we’ll have to take action.”

But before the standoff could escalate, chaos erupted. A massive Hydro Pump shot from the shadows, striking the PVRF officers with such force that they were knocked off their feet. A Gengar materialised from thin air, using its Shadow Punch to smash a PVRF truck into pieces. The sounds of battle escalated as Pikachu unleashed a thunderbolt that created an explosion of light, sending shockwaves through the area and knocking several soldiers off their feet.

The energy net holding the students in place disintegrated, allowing them to regain control of their bodies. Kacchan’s explosive power flared up, Shouto’s icy aura crackled, and Tsukuyomi’s shadow abilities shifted into high gear. With their quirk powers restored, the students stood ready to fight back. Even though they had lost 50% Quirk energy, Kacchan, Shouto, Grape Juice, and Tsukuyomi fought back with such force and great defence that any attempt to fire back was futile for the operators.  But Red, sensing the danger of an all-out battle, shouted over the chaos.

Red: “Stop! We need to get out of here, now!”

Lloyd Barton, having been knocked to the ground by the Hydro Pump, stood up, furious.

LT Col. Barton: “Don’t have any idea what you’re doing?! I’ll make sure you never see the light of day again!”

Just then, a massive roar pierced the air. A Mega Charizard X flew into the scene, landing with a thunderous crash. It was Red’s partner, ready to provide the final support. While this was happening, the CHS had confirmed the students' identity. They were the characters that Project: Atlas were expecting an appointment for. They, Red and his Pokémon were authorised to get a Safe Zone.

Just then, the Lieutenant Colonel’s radio came to life. It was an urgent message from an ASTO Official who was working on the Project, passing on the message from the CHS.

ASTO Official (COM): “Lieutenant Colonel Barton, stand down! We’ve confirmed their identity. Characters are authorised to be brought into our Project, Lieutenant Colonel.”

Lloyd, who was both relieved and annoyed about this, reluctantly obliged to give up on his own orders to apprehend the characters, called off air support and stood his troops down, letting them go.

LT Col Barton: “Let them go!” (his frustration was evident)

As the U.A. students, Red and his Pokémon were leaving the scene, the Colonel signalled a new order to one of his snipers, however. As the characters left the scene for Mount Silver, the PVRF sniper who had a visual on the whole scene fired a tracker round on the back of Katzuki’s Hero Costume. The reason and concern for this remained unknown and rather suspicious for the students and for Red, who brought them in quietly. Whoever was behind this knew exactly what they were doing.

Hiker-class MST (Muscle Symptom Tracer)

A.S.W. (Autonomous Sentry Walker)

Chapter Text

The Pines Twins Rescued

By the end of March 2020, the Disney protagonists from Big Hero 6 and Gravity Falls were finally brought together — though not by choice. Their road to Camp Bracken had already cost them homes, safety, and the illusion that their cities were untouchable.

San Frantokyo had been the first to fall. Hiro, Baymax, and the rest of the team fought desperately to hold out there, barricading streets and setting up temporary shelters, but the city buckled under the weight of Case Zombies and Spore Mutants pouring in after the strange “vision” that had shaken the world. Whole districts vanished in hours. Skyscrapers that once glowed with neon brilliance now burned red against a choking sky. With no way to save what was left, the Big Hero 6 abandoned their city and fled eastward.

Their journey carried them to Piedmont. But the quiet, suburban calm Hiro half-expected was nowhere to be found. The same chaos had reached here: houses overturned, yards clawed through, streets littered with abandoned cars and scattered belongings. As they combed the neighbourhood for survivors, Baymax’s sensors picked up faint life signs inside a collapsing two-story home.

Hiro and Go Go forced the door open — and there they were. Two children, clutching each other in the corner of a living room, torn apart by claw marks and black fungus. Dipper and Mabel Pines. Their wide, terrified eyes fixed on the half-dozen Case Zombies clawing their way closer, while Spore Mutants hissed from the shadows.

The creatures lunged. But before their claws could find the twins, the wall blew inward. Honey Lemon’s chem-balls burst like fireworks, scattering the front rank, and Wasabi carved through the rest with a sweep of his plasma blades. Hiro dove forward in his upgraded armour, slamming a zombie back, while Baymax’s arm expanded into a battering ram that hurled another mutant across the room.

In seconds, the horde was broken. Smoke and glowing embers filled the air. Baymax scanned the children quickly, his tone calm but reassuring.

Baymax: “No major injuries detected. Elevated heart rates… consistent with extreme fear.”

Dipper: (muttering) “Yeah, no kidding,”

Dipper still clung to his sister.

The team pulled the twins free, and together they sprinted into the night, escaping down the main road out of town. They found refuge at an abandoned petrol station six miles out, its flickering neon sign the last ghost of normal life. For six long hours, they huddled inside the dusty shopfront, listening to the distant shrieks of Spores in the woods. Every creak of the rafters sounded like another monster closing in.

Just before dawn, the silence broke. The sharp echo of gunfire rolled through the trees, closer and closer. Dipper tensed, thinking another attack was coming — but it wasn’t. A UDF quick-response team burst through the treeline, armoured and bristling with rifles, their formation disciplined against the chaos.

UDF Soldier (barking): “Survivors! We’ve got survivors here!”

One of the soldiers motioned toward the station.

For the first time in days, Hiro felt a glimmer of relief. The UDF secured the area, herded them onto a waiting support truck, and drove hard out of Piedmont. Behind them, the town burned. Ahead, the soldiers promised safety — at least for now.

Hours later, at a regional air base, a transport plane sat ready with its engines humming. The order came quickly and bluntly: the survivors were to be flown to Camp Bracken, where Project: Atlas authorities would decide what came next.

Together at last, Big Hero 6 and the Pines twins boarded, still shaken but alive. None of them knew it yet, but their worlds — once so separate — were now bound by the same enemy.

The transport’s engines droned like thunder, steady and unrelenting, as the C-17 cut its way through heavy cloud cover. Strapped into canvas seats that lined the fuselage, the survivors sat in uneasy silence. Hiro leaned forward, fiddling absently with the strap of his armour, while Baymax hummed softly as he ran a quiet post-scan on Mabel, who still clutched Waddles in her arms like a lifeline.

Dipper, though pale and jittery, couldn’t help staring at Hiro’s gauntlets and the compact thrusters folded at his back. His curiosity finally won out.

Dipper (tentative): “So… you’re, what, some kind of superhero engineer? Or like… Tony Stark, but younger?”

Hiro glanced up, almost amused despite himself.

Hiro: “Closer to ‘underpaid mechanic with homework.’ But yeah… I build stuff. Stuff that’s supposed to help people. Doesn’t always feel like enough, though.”

Mabel (perking up): “Enough? Dude, you swooped in like—BOOM!—and saved us from zombie spore monsters! That’s plenty.”
(She threw her arms up in an exaggerated explosion gesture, earning a soft beep of affirmation from Baymax.)

Baymax: “Correction: it was a coordinated team effort. Hiro could not have succeeded without his friends.”

Mabel grinned, nudging her brother.

Mabel: “See? Friendship. Science. Armor. You guys are basically the Sparkle Squad 2.0!”

Dipper groaned, hiding his face in his hoodie.

Dipper: “Please don’t call it that…”

Despite the tension of the moment, Hiro chuckled under his breath. For the first time since San Frantokyo, the weight on his shoulders felt a little lighter. 

UDNF Ship Flotilla

The world had never seen a pandemic spread so swiftly, and even with the might of the military and the logistical prowess of the UDF, no one was sure how long it would take before the infection reached the oceanic barriers.

The once serene and bustling ports across Avalon now stood as the backdrop for a desperate race against time. The United Defence Naval Force (UDNF) had pulled together every ship in its arsenal—every boat, every cruiser, every hospital ship and yacht that could carry civilians to safety.

As the last of the ships departed from the harbours, the tension in the air was palpable. In the starting moments of Operation: Containment, the United Defence Naval Force gathered as many ships as they could muster from all the provinces in ports, harbours, and military task forces to evacuate as many non-essential personnel as they could escort. They would be split up into 3 groups of around 50 ships and set sail. The plan was for each group to gather inhabitants from provinces that needed to be deported to Isolation Districts or emergency Safe Zones, and regroup the whole Flotilla of ships in the South-East Sea, where civilians could head to their new homes.

Ahead lay a journey that would go across oceans around the world of Avalon. In all, over 200 ships and boats were sailing in this flotilla. A hastily gathered fleet of warships, supply ships, hospital ships, cruise liners, lifeboats, and yachts. At the heart of each battlegroup was a capital ship, each one. The fleet, divided into three major task forces, began to set sail, each group heading to evacuate the most vulnerable citizens and bring them to safe zones, away from the imminent threat of the COVID-19 infection.

1. First Fleet: At the northwest edge of Avalon, the UDNF flagship, the Mjolnir, a colossal aircraft carrier, led the charge. The Mjolnir was outfitted with everything needed for an operation of this scale—aircraft capable of airlifting large numbers of civilians, medical personnel, and cargo. A swarm of transport planes buzzed around, ready to evacuate citizens from the most infected areas, ferrying them to designated Isolation Districts.
2. Second Fleet: To the northeast, the second fleet gathered. The Vigilant, another massive aircraft carrier, cut through the waters alongside the Logos, a helicopter-based carrier designed to transport civilians and provide air support. The situation was tense; the infected were moving faster than expected, and soon, even these vessels might not be able to stay ahead.
3. Third Fleet: On the southern coast of Avalon, the third fleet gathered at Gamorah—one of the last strongholds of civilisation. The flagship of this task force, the UDS Tigris, was a formidable cruiser, flanked by two Aegis-class ships and three destroyers. The fleet had been stationed here for a long time, but the outbreak was threatening to render their position obsolete. The entire region was on high alert, and with limited resources, the UDF had to make sure every ship, every soldier, was in place.

The Flotilla was important for gathering inhabitants and refugees because the COVID-19 Spore outbreaks always moved faster than whatever speed the CHS could organise a medical staff or a UDF armed force could prepare for an engagement. Safety procedures to prevent any symptoms of the virus from spreading to anyone within a one-meter distance would be limited, though.

In the midst of all this, the reality of the situation had begun to sink in. The Flotilla represented a different hope for the citizens of Avalon, set sail into the unknown, headed toward their designated Safe Zones. But the constant hum of engines and the chaos of preparation couldn't shake the feeling that they were racing against an enemy that had no clear form—an invisible, relentless force that could strike anywhere at any moment.

After a detailed sitrep regarding the status of the ships and their progress, Captain Andrews of the Logos stood by the helm of the vessel, his brow furrowed as he reviewed the current fleet status. There were still over 100 ships making their way across the ocean, each one carrying hundreds, sometimes thousands, of evacuees. The sheer scale of the operation left a heavy weight on the Captain’s shoulders. The fate of so many rested on his decisions, and the clock was ticking.

Suddenly, a transmission from ASTO interrupted the routine.

Thierry Carter: “Captain Andrews, this is Thierry Carter. We have an urgent update. Animated characters are being ferried to your ship by the Huey helicopter you’ve already been informed about. They’ll be boarding soon. It’s critical that they are given immediate priority clearance.”

Captain Andrews paused. He knew about the animated characters—Finn and Jake, the Crystal Gems, and the others. He had heard of their bravery in the face of the virus, their resilience in trying to protect their respective worlds. But he also knew that this would complicate the situation. With a heavy sigh, he acknowledged the transmission.

Captain Andrews: “Understood, Mr Carter. Priority clearance granted. We’ll have the deck ready for their landing.”

***

Above the open sea, the Huey helicopter, piloted by Major Gibson and Hocus, cut through the air with urgency. Inside the helicopter, Finn, Jake, and the Crystal Gems sat in a tense silence. They had just barely escaped the chaos of the forest and the relentless pursuit of the Wyvern Spores, and now they were heading toward a temporary haven in the form of the Logos aircraft carrier. The atmosphere inside the Huey was heavy with uncertainty. BMO, who had stayed close, was quietly monitoring the situation as the helicopter’s rotors whirred.

Jake the Dog: “This is crazy. We barely made it out of the woods, and now we’re headed for a boat in the middle of the sea.”

Finn the Human: (voice tinged with frustration) “I know, but we have to make it. The world’s falling apart, and this might be the only chance we get to make a difference.”

Garnet sat quietly, her arms crossed, her expression unreadable. She had seen many possibilities in her Future Vision, but this... this was something entirely outside the scope of what she had expected. Amethyst was quiet too, though her restlessness was palpable.

Amethyst: “It’s weird. We’re just supposed to be... in hiding, y’know? All this trouble and we’re still trying to figure out how to stop it.”

Pearl: (voice tinged with both hope and anxiety.) “I’m just glad we’re all still alive. But... we need to know how this virus works. How it spreads. And what we can do about it.”

***

After a smooth landing on the Logos, Finn, Jake, and the Crystal Gems were escorted by Thierry Carter, the ASTO representative, through the darkened hallways of the carrier. The ship’s interior was stark and utilitarian, but it carried a sense of familiarity, a place of function over comfort. The hum of machinery and the steady footfalls of soldiers provided an unsettling reminder of the crisis unfolding outside.

Thierry Carter: “Welcome aboard. I know this isn’t the best place for all of you, but it’s as safe as we can get right now. Let’s get you settled in.”

They were shown to their quarters, small but functional, where they were left to settle in and prepare for the next step in their strange journey. The whole time, the weight of what they had just escaped hung heavily in the air.

Thierry Carter and Captain Andrews brought them to an empty briefing room and brought them up to speed on the situation. The virus that almost wiped them out was happening in many other parts of the globe, and they weren’t the only ones clinging to survive the infection. Captain Andrews filled them in on the info regarding Operation: Containment and the EPIDEMIC Contingency that was declared. The Coronavirus had spread across multiple regions, and the process of struggling to keep up with the tide of infected citizens, many were converted into mindless Case Zombies, and Spore Mutants were emerging from the gathered COVID-19 Spores settling in the hotspots.

The group exchanged looks. It was clear that the gravity of the situation was starting to sink in for everyone.

Thierry Carter: “Your home, Ooo, is facing the same fate as the rest of the world. You’ve seen the symptoms yourselves, haven’t you?”

Finn the Human: “Yeah... It’s like nothing we’ve ever seen before. It spreads so fast.”

With the danger they had witnessed now addressed, Mr Carter moved forward with giving them a video message to show them. It was a video file presented by the Director of Project: Atlas.

Elsewhere on the Vigilant, an Osprey carrying Team Apex was landing on the flight deck. The Vigilant group was a good place for a mobile safe zone for the CN Characters, and where CIF Team Apex could contact the main Project: Atlas base of operations of Camp: Bracken in the mainland of the Cloudspire province. 

Camp Bracken, Cloudspire

The UDF Base of Camp Bracken was located in a flat, open valley of Cloudspire. The region of Cloudspire was mostly mountainous, with peaks reaching from 2000m to over 7000m. Near the base were several smaller outposts. The base was home to thousands of scientists, CHS medical personnel, and UDF troops.

Camp Bracken was established as part of Project: Atlas in response to a reported COVID-19 spore threat in Hiveland. This facility serves dual purposes: it acts as a research station dedicated to COVID-19 scientific studies and functions as a command base for monitoring the activities of CIF Teams. The installation is fortified to ensure proper preparedness and response to potential threats.

Over 6’000 UDF Marines and Army troops were housed in a heavily fortified combat base that was built adjacent to an airport. This strategic location is characterised by a large lake to the north, while to the south lies the European-style city of Emberry, which is currently under total lockdown. The base was surrounded by mountains to the east and west, where various outposts were stationed for local operational purposes in the region.

There is a dedicated communications facility, along with an observation point near the airport identified as 'OP Airview.' The remaining structures are equipped with fortified bunkers, various installations, and gun emplacements for enhanced security and defence.

Hours after taking off, the C-17 broke free of the cloud bank. Through narrow portholes, the passengers glimpsed the jagged peaks of Cloudspire, their ridges dusted in white and shadowed by rolling mist. The massive aircraft was flanked tightly by two Eurofighter jets, their wingtips flashing in the sunlight as they kept formation. Below, valleys snaked open with clogged highways: endless streams of cars, families, and military convoys crawling toward safety.

The descent rattled through every rib of the plane until the landing gear hit tarmac with a bone-deep thud. The runway stretched out in controlled chaos — CH-47 Chinooks lifting off with sling-loads of crates, Apache gunships banking over the town’s perimeter, and other C-130s and C-17s lined up nose to tail. Soldiers hustled in squads, armoured vehicles rumbled toward staging areas, and towering over it all were the new military prototypes: hulking exosuits, Muscle Symptom Tracers (MSTs), their steel frames gleaming under floodlights as engineers tuned their servos.

The ramp groaned open. Cold air rushed in, carrying the mingled scents of jet fuel, oil, and disinfectant. UDF personnel in full facemasks motioned the group forward, rifles slung but eyes sharp.

Hiro, Baymax, and the twins followed the line of survivors toward the edge of the airfield. They passed under the looming shadow of an MST, its massive visor glowing faintly as it strode past on piston-driven legs. Mabel craned her neck, awestruck.

Mabel: “That thing looks like Optimus Prime’s nerdy cousin!”

Dipper: “Or the last thing I wanna see chasing me in a nightmare…”

Baymax tilted his head, scanning.

Baymax: “Correction: it is non-sentient. But heavily armed.”

The group was directed toward a temporary CHS Testing Centre set up in white modular tents. Medics in sterile suits handed each of them fresh masks and gloves before ushering them through individual booths. One by one, the Big Hero 6 and the Pines twins were swabbed, scanned, and questioned. Results came back clean: negative.

For now, at least, they were safe. But the muffled sounds of helicopters and distant alarms reminded them that outside the wire, Avalon was anything but.

The airport was fielded with helicopter gunships, helicopter transports, C-130 and C-17 transport planes, and fighter jets, while the town and base were patrolled by Army troops, vehicles and MSTs.

The director of the MSTs developed strategic plans to combat the Coronavirus, demonstrating an open-minded approach to tackling the crisis. He created detailed blueprints for three distinct variants of a potential defence mechanism, categorised as Light, Normal, and Heavy. This reflects his proactive interest in finding innovative solutions to public health challenges.

Troops that were stationed in Camp Bracken could believe that Disney characters were on their side and were positive that they would be alright.

Inside the base hangar were members of the UDF 2nd Battalion, 36th Airborne Regiment, including Major Jamie Poole, 1Lt. Joshua Bristow, 2Lt. Anthony Jenner, Staff Sgt Charles Ramirez, Sgt Terry Martin, SGT Paul Bradshaw, SPC Poe O’Connor, LCPL Percy Campbell, CPL Thomas Williams, and PFC Jared Brinsley. They were members of the Army Charlie Troop, nicknamed ‘Crusader Knight Troop’. As awesome as that name sounded, they didn’t play an important role in the fight against the Coronavirus yet. In this status, they had just been repositioned from the usual duty as a UDF Army peacekeeping force to a fully-stated military force.

SGT Ramirez sat quietly with members of Crimson Platoon, including Gonzalez, Kota, Duffy, and Yames. They discussed their panic over the closure of cinemas, schools, bars, and playgrounds due to social distancing measures aimed at preventing contamination. Currently, those engaged or married couldn't see their families, and Ramirez chose not to call home until his role in the pandemic was over. He advised his men to avoid thinking about their wives.

They were gathered around a briefing room until they rose to stand at attention for their Chief of Security. The hangar fell silent as boots snapped to attention. Soldiers lined in formation — rows of camo, rifles slung, eyes forward — while the steel doors rolled shut behind them. At the far end of the hall, a single figure strode to the podium. His presence filled the space before he even spoke.

Lieutenant General Miles Reinhardt.

Reinhardt was a middle-aged, lifelong military man who had the personality of one of those commanders who was larger than life. He was a member of the US Army who spent possibly more than three tours with Special Forces, and he was fierce and merciless yet caring and related to UDF soldiers who respected him as a General and leader. His uniform was pressed sharp, his chest a map of service ribbons, but it was his voice — gravelly, commanding, unyielding—that carried across the hall like a battle drum.

LT Gen. Reinhardt: “Listen up, soldiers. Out there, we’re not fighting a nation. We’re not fighting a flag. We’re fighting a goddamn virus — a plague that grew legs, claws, and wings. Every living Spore Mutant that crawls, flies, or coughs up symptoms wants to kill you, tear you open, and harvest what’s left. They don’t negotiate. They don’t feel fear. They don’t stop. And if you underestimate them, they will chew you up and spit out your bones with zero warning.”

LT Gen. Reinhardt: “Some of these bastards drop with a single burst. Most don’t. The big ones? You could pour a magazine into their hides and they’ll still keep coming, hacking and wheezing their way right down your throat. That’s why we fight smart, we fight together, and we have to follow the rules.”

He held up three fingers.

LT Gen. Reinhardt: “Rule number one: Keep a face mask within reach at all times. If you lose it, you may as well paint a target on your lungs. Rule number two: Wash your hands. Doesn’t matter if you just throttled a Spore bare-handed or touched a damn doorknob — you wash. Contamination doesn’t give second chances. Rule number three: Obey the guidelines. Every second of every day. Quarantine isn’t a suggestion; it’s survival. Break one rule, and you endanger the man next to you. You endanger the civilians we swore to protect. You endanger all of us.”

Reinhardt’s eyes swept the hall, pinning every soldier as if he were speaking to them alone.

LT Gen. Reinhardt: “You’ve heard me say this before, and I’ll say it again: you want to go home? Do you want to see your families again? Then you do your damn job. You kill every Spore that crosses your sight. You respect the quarantine. And you fight like your life — and the life of everyone breathing in Avalon — depends on it. Because it does.”

He slammed a fist against the podium, the sound cracking through the hangar like a gunshot.

LT Gen. Reinhardt: “This is our war now. And we will not lose.”

The hall erupted in a thunder of boots pounding the floor, voices shouting in unison:

UDF Army Soldiers: “HOOAH!”

LT Gen. Reinhardt: “Everybody know what they’re doing?”

UDF Army Soldiers: “HOOAH!”

There was nothing like an Army School safety brief to put their minds at ease. 

District 20 - Portston City – New Kalindor 

Crossing the highway from Shefbrook Town, Steven Universe had witnessed first-hand the wreckage the pandemic left behind: families splintered, arguments boiling into panic, and lives uprooted by the sudden weight of fear. The world of Avalon wasn’t just sick—it was breaking.

Steven found himself in a triage clinic not long after he had been shot under Tommy’s insistence. He had recovered miraculously, but Tommy still wanted to see him getting checked out. His concern for his health was touching, even though he had only known him just last night. Half an hour later, they were on the move to where the Army Reserve were escorting the population to an area where to could be socially distant from COVID.

The stress gnawed at Steven. He’d tried again and again to call his friends, his family, anyone who could tether him back to something familiar. Each attempt met with silence. His phone was dead to the network, and without access to a hardline in an Isolation District, he was cut off. Alone.

Steven Universe (pressing his phone to his forehead): “Garnet, Pearl… Connie… somebody pick up. Please.”(pause, looking at the “No Signal” screen)

Steven Universe (exhaling shakily): “Great. Just great. Out of all the times for the universe to give me the silent treatment…”

Escorted under watch by the UDF Army Reserve, Steven reached a crowded bus station where evacuees lined up in weary silence. Coaches, marked for different Isolation Districts, waited to take in those deemed vulnerable.

Tommy, the young man who had kept him company on the road, gave Steven’s shoulder a firm clap before stepping toward his assigned bus. He tried to smile, but worry cracked through.

Tommy: “Guess this is it, huh? See you on the other side.”

Steven Universe (forcing a small smile): “Yeah… sure. Take care, Tommy.”

He waved as the crowd swallowed Tommy, the sound of engines and distant announcements swallowing his voice.

Before boarding, each passenger was herded through decontamination. The cold sting of antiseptic mist made Steven shiver, and the sterile voice of the machine grated on his nerves.

Machine: “Maintain distance. Masks on. Compliance is mandatory.”

Steven Universe (under his breath): “Yeah, yeah… welcome to paradise.”

He submitted without protest. He wanted no more trouble. No more titles. No more pressure to be a saviour. Not now. Not again. To the world, he only wanted to be one more face in the crowd—human, anonymous, unremarkable.

Fifteen passengers boarded his coach, each kept apart by mandated spacing, each isolated even as they travelled together. Engines rumbled, and the line of buses crawled forward in convoy, bound for District 20. Steven leaned his head against the cold glass of the window, watching the landscape crawl by.

Steven Universe (quietly): “Feels like we’re all just… drifting. Like nobody’s steering anymore.”

Except District 20 wasn’t in Portston City. Not really. It was stationed inland, at Rivertown—a quieter city six miles west, set on the banks of the Charlie River. Military barricades marked the boundary, soldiers scanning every passenger as they passed into the sanctioned zone.

Steven was granted permission to stay at an apartment complex near the river, a temporary home behind guarded fences. The road into Rivertown should have felt like safety.

To Steven, it only underscored how much had changed.

Steven Universe (softly, almost to himself): “This isn’t home… This isn’t anything.” 

District 101 - Landron City - Modaire

The train journey from the Galar Region to Landron City lasted between four and five hours. Ash and Goh were sent to queue along with the rest of the newly arriving inhabitants that were allocated to the same district up an escalator that overlooked a suburban street in an abandoned area of Landron.

Through the window, Ash and his Pikachu saw a group of soldiers wearing MOPP gear gathering plastic bags full of COVID-19 microspore-contaminated material and even body bags that would be sent on loading trucks to an area where they would all be incinerated.

The new inhabitant's arrival was allocated to a tube train. The sky above the city was patrolled by armoured Humvees, tanks and MSTs on the ground, and in the air, patrol was done by low-flying MQ drones and armed helicopters.

The tube train was operated by the UDF staff who were taking them to the allocated civilians to the Green Zone. One of the 112 Isolation Areas of security, safety and reconstruction against COVID is designated as ‘District 101’.

Landron City was one of the most metropolitan, one of the most visited and populous cities in all of Avalon. Since this recent pandemic, however, its busyness was brought down to the point where the streets became completely under martial law. Most of its population was turned to COVID and became Cases for the infection, others were evacuated from the city to be deported to other Isolation Districts in other areas outside the city.

Landron City was one of the most metropolitan, one of the most visited and populous cities in all of Avalon. Since this recent pandemic, however, its busyness was brought down to the point where the streets became completely under martial law. Most of its population was turned to COVID and became Cases for the infection, others were evacuated from the city to be deported to other Isolation Districts in other areas outside the city. The rest of the city’s population was isolated long enough to be sent to live in the only naturally defended area in the city that would pass as a safe zone for ASTO. District 101 was located on the Isle of Beagles, which was deemed completely safe, while the surrounding area of Landron City was still contaminated with Cases and possible Spores. It was absolutely forbidden for anyone who lived in an Isolation District to cross outside the Isolation and leave the security zone.

Depending on the size of the Isolation District, they would have to be populated with many, around 10’000 to 65’000 civilians, some of whom were already residents. In this case, District 101 was populated with over 15’000 civilians. Each District was closely guarded by barbed wire fences, heavy metal barricades, CCTV camera footage and a significant UDF Army presence. To make sure that every inhabitant was well looked after, District 101 had access to hot and cold running water, 24-hour electricity, a CHS Medical centre, a couple of supermarkets, and even an open café for carry-outs only. The mandatory rule for anybody out of quarantine was to wear a facemask. This included the characters as well. Ash and Goh were given a cheap box of facemasks to use whenever needed.

Situated at the north part of the island, between the two road bridges, the rail bridge, and the dock entrance leading in and out of the Isle of Beagles, was the ASTO-led United Multi-national Defence Division’s Command & Control Centre of Lockdown Management activities (LOCKMAN House), where a property services building was used in a time before the pandemic. This was where CHS medical doctors, Science Research Division members, and UDF commanding officers often made contact with each other and separate Isolation Districts for any updates and analysis regarding COVID restriction, Operation: Containment status in the region, Quarantine status, Infection rates, Patient & Inhabitant ID databases, District Security systems and supply manifests. All of which were controlled from this location. The LOCKMANN House. 

Among those inside District 101 was a sniper from CIF Team 2 named Sergeant Tyson Doyle. He was tasked with special support for the Isolation District. Like everybody, like the medical sentry officer for the Quarantine Institute, Major Jennice Byrne, and the Sergeant’s best friend, Liam Flynn, who worked as a helicopter pilot, Doyle had a part to play in keeping security on overwatch for the District, but he would later have a role to play in the unpredictable events soon to come. Though presently, like everyone else, Doyle shared the knowledge that lockdown had been ordered and that everybody of all age groups and whatever service they did had to follow the EPIDEMIC Contingency procedure.

On the arrival on the way to the Isle of Beagles, Goh and his Scorbunny had watched the sight in front of the tube’s windows with curiosity, but Ash wasn’t paying attention to what was outside. He was thinking about the vision he had had a while back. He had lost contact with the rest of his friends, and the last time he heard from his home in Pallet Town, he was now worried about the lives of Professor Oak and his own mother. So what did the vision that he was the only person to experience have to do with it? Was it what he imagined the end of the world would be like? Was he just so determined to see his friends and family alright that he had an inner experience that something terrible happened to them? Or was someone or something trying to warn him that there was a symptom of a greater evil, one that was still stirring? Ash focused back on attention when his Pikachu tapped him on the side of his head while saying an inquisitive “Pika-pi”, which put Ash’s nerves at ease.

Ash, Goh and their Pokémon exited the Isle of Beagles tube station, and they made their way to the only Pokémon Centre in the District. On the way through the streets, they saw non-essential business areas that looked totally abandoned, pictures of rainbows stuck on residents’ windows, and colored drawn rocks gathered in the centre saying phrases like ‘Protect the CHS’.

Isolation Districts weren’t just a home of salvation for surviving inhabitants; they served as a base for the CHS to support the sick who were trying to deal with symptoms from catching the microspores. The CHS acted as the frontline for a gathered crowd of patients who had symptoms. The ASTO established issues of sanitation and disease. They were placing anyone who had major symptoms of SARS in ventilation systems, but even in the real world, few people understood how the virus worked or if there was any special treatment. 

The Quarantine Institutes

Every Isolation District was given a Quarantine Institute for new inhabitants who entered the District and were reported to have been exposed to Coronavirus levels in the Quarantine Zone. The institutes in question were temporary encampments built around two or three blocks and were about one or three stories high. Depending on how big the District was, the Institute building would guarantee a total number from 99 to 126 to 234 unit rooms that were each 3m by 6m for patients who were directed to quarantine after an acute background report describing the place and time of exposure. The unit rooms were under 24-hour surveillance, but they were modified to give as many accommodations as modern-day apartment rooms, which included washrooms, a store, a clothes cupboard and a single-person bed.

The Quarantine Institute units were primarily used for a 14-day quarantine purpose and not for isolation, which was less restrictive for inhabitants who had to follow the guidelines, but the CHS reported their COVID status as negative. If a patient inside the unit tested positive, the CHS medical staff would take measures to prevent the spread of it by locking down the unit to keep the patient inside and keep him under appropriate care and treatment. Any food or requested supplies for the patient would be posted.

When their 14-day Quarantine period was over and the patient was still positive, they would call an extension on the period. Otherwise, he would be sent out to the less strict treatment of Isolation, giving the patient a place for which to make a home, and the unit would be prepared for decontamination for the next patient to follow.

After these temporary Quarantine sites had served their purpose when the pandemic was over, they would be disassembled for use for other purposes again. 

District Perimeter Skirmishes

But just because the ASTO promised safety inside the Districts didn’t mean they guaranteed it. Each one had to follow the guidelines that their District governor would instruct in an effort to contain even a slight fragment of a microspore. In Isolation Districts where the lockdown was classified as Tier 4, the choices were not good for UDF Army troops assigned to guard them. While a few cities around the world had the virus under control and contained, several Districts, CHS medical facilities and UDF outposts were caught at the quarantine level, where the restriction zone outside the wire was filled with COVID-19 Case Zombies and Spore mutants.

If the lockdown was broken, infection rates and cases vulnerable to exposure would increase rapidly, and Spore Mutants would flow through each region, but because the lockdown was still active then every few days, it’s a hard, desperate struggle to survive the virus.

At the start of every skirmish, the UDF would set off Code Red siren alarms, which warned of COVID-19 Spore attacks outside the District’s perimeter. It is said that every civilian inhabitant had to be herded into their safe rooms, while the military would be tasked to fight it off.

These attacks would happen even in Camp: Bracken, where Drones and Cameras with viral sensors would detect a group of Cases and Spores charging at the front entrance or even from all sides. Spore Warriors that were moving out to find hosts for the infection could attack a district by either charging in with Crab Spores, Bat-Claw Spores and Griever Spores in an attempt to overrun the defences or just firing potshots from a distance onto the perimeter defences, which could be pretty accurate.

With so many local hotspots picked up on the Trace Sensors, an attack from the virus could come at any time in any quarter.

While UDF machine gun nests, Humvees and MSTs were working together to hose down as much firepower onto the attacking COVID Spore Mutants as they could throw at them, the mortar teams would use 81mm mortars first to bombard the attacking Spores and for further suppression, but the swarm of Spores can be pretty dense for the District Perimeter Security to hold off alone. They arrange booby traps when Spores get too close, minefields, and set up cover from pulse fire. Energy pulse fire can come too close.

Advanced Spore Warriors, like Knight Spores and flying Spores like Bat-Claw Spores, Gargoyle Spores, and Wyvern Spores, were a high priority for UDF District security to destroy. The UDF believed that flying advanced spores could cut the UDF defence and would contaminate the whole District. Just one of the Wyvern Spores could drop over 50 Knight Spores like troop transports. The UDF know the weak spot is just at an opening gap under its thorax.

In some Districts, the UDF required the use of artillery bombardment from the perimeter defence and air strikes from local airbases to suppress the Cases and Spores, which left the infection to fall silent for the day. The next week, it struggle starts all over again, sometimes heavier and stronger than the last. If there are positive casualties within the District, medics immediately send the patient to a mobile treatment area or get airlifted by CASEVAC to a CHS medical centre. If the Coronavirus infection overwhelmed an Isolation District, UDF would be forced to sanitise and firebomb the district itself and the surrounding area.

Life for isolated inhabitants soon became a tense ordeal. Outside of some districts, there were constant attacks. In District 101, 360 UDF rounds were fired outside the perimeter each week on average. In the most quarantined Isolation District (District 17), 1300 UDF shells hit COVID Spores. There was no real victory against the pandemic this way. There was only one question of how long this Lockdown would carry on for. 

Frontline Council Staff Meeting

Project: Atlas arranged a meeting for officials from UDF, CHS, ASTO, and PVRF based on the details of a debrief on what they’d established in the early stages of Operation: Containment. The meeting where all the officials couldn’t meet on a board for the time being was conducted on a video call created by the software program Artemis. The government’s highly encrypted version of Zoom. The meeting would involve Chairman Ian Sterling, Premier Pace Zhen, Thierry Carter, Lt Gen Mile Reinhardt, General Russell Hamlin (military callsign: Godfather), Apex Team, and the director of Project: Atlas, Dr Vanessa. P. Carroll.

The important matters to talk about were reports based on a detailed account of any progress and engagements with any matters that the ASTO would direct attention to.

General Reinhardt: “Camp Bracken has maintained its defensive posture. We’ve had three skirmishes in the last week, all of them minor. The lines are holding, but we’re constantly adjusting to new threats as the infection spreads.”

Godfather (General Russell Hamlin): “Unfortunately, we lost two Isolation Districts to early outbreaks. We weren’t able to contain the infection in time. It was a matter of bad timing, but that’s all we can say right now.”

Chairman Sterling: (nodded, his expression grim.) “We need to know how this infection is spreading so rapidly. If we don’t find a way to stop it soon, we risk losing even more territory.”

Thierry Carter, the ASTO representative, was next to report. His face was drawn tight with worry, the line of his jaw tense.

Thierry Carter: “The Flotilla is working at full capacity. The ships Vigilant and Mjolnir are leading the evacuation of civilians, and so far, we’ve managed to gather more ships than we anticipated—twice the amount, in fact. We’re now waiting for the Tigris group to be refuelled and ready to move out.”

There was a sharp intake of breath on the other end of the line, especially from Premier Zhen, who immediately leaned in, his voice filled with frustration.

Premier Zhen: “This is absurd. The UDF has no business picking up civilians from foreign provinces, especially not animated characters. You’re risking the spread of the infection by transporting them.”

Dr Carroll interjected immediately, her voice laced with cool reason.

Dr Carroll: “Premier Zhen, these animated characters are merely trying to escape the infection, just as the civilians are. If they’re trying to get to safety, then I see no reason to oppose their evacuation.”

Premier Zhen: “They’re trespassers. They should be quarantined, not given refuge. You’re putting all of us at risk by allowing them to board your ships. We wouldn’t allow risks like this in China.”

Chairman Sterling raised his hand, silencing the rising tension.

Chairman Sterling: “We’ll revisit this issue later, Premier. For now, let’s focus on what’s ahead of us. Dr Carroll, you were asking about the Relay Station in Alaghast. Can we focus on that?”

Dr Carroll: (Nods) “Yes. I need a full debrief from the CIF Team that was deployed to the Alaghast Relay. Dr Gunter Kaufman was one of our lead analysts, and we lost him due to an attack.”

With all the members of the CIF Team Apex that were present, Resnick, Rubens, and Vazquez, the team leader, Gabriel Lennox and the new member, Adrian Thorne, were the first to respond, their voices steady but sharp.

According to Dr Carroll, its data centre was home to one of her COVID analysts, Dr Gunter Kaufman, who had died from what appeared to be a Knight Spore staff through his abdomen. Though she was interested to know more about the COVID-19 Spores, they engaged.

Dr Carroll: “Tell more about the Spore Mutants you encountered.”

Thorne: “We encountered three, all with a deep red hue, virus code D614G. They were agile, quick, and armed with pulse weapons. ‘Scouter Spores’. One got past us and got out alive. The leader, from the looks of it.”

Dr Carroll: “Scouters. Are you sure?”

Thorne: “Their pulse weapon configuration matched. Cell strength, too. We’re very positive on that, ma'am.”

Lennox: “I gave the order not to pursue. Our primary objective was the relay station online. We had to ensure that the communications were back online.”

Dr Carroll: (Her voice rising with frustration) “Primary objective? Guidelines? Is everyone in this meeting a puppet or a human being?”

The tension was thick in the air. Everyone sat in silence for a moment, confused by her comment on the board in general. I mean, what could she be talking about at a time like this? What did she mean by ‘Puppets’?

Lennox: (Uncomfortable) “Doctor?”

Dr Carroll: “There are those in the Science Division, myself included, who believe the Coronavirus causes more outbreaks because of a new COVID-19 mutation which matches to code D614G that is the most dominant. Survivor accounts suggest that the Spore Mutants which match that code are strong, advanced, nimble, and almost always Scouter-class. No doubt, they came to the station for the abundance of finding remote areas to spread and safeguard new contagious hotspots… and you let them get away.”

Lennox: (Growing defensive) “Pursuing viral activity was not a command directive. Even had we known, we had other, more urgent matters to attend to.”

Resnick: (Under his breath) “Like warning the rest of Avalon.” 

Dr Carroll: “Dr Kaufman’s final entry in his laboratory log notes made a reference to ‘a vaccine discovery’. Vaccine. Not a word anyone would use lightly. So let’s hope that the data module that your Lieutenant stole… contains it.”

Dr Carroll was pointing out that Lennox’s squad number two, Sean Resnick, had stolen Kaufman’s data module, which was for members’ eyes only. Classified: Tier 1.

Lennox: “Resnick?”

Dr Carroll: “Before you start asking, I was aware from the moment you attempted to access its contents, as I am with any unauthorised tap.”

As the Apex Team started forwarding the data module to Dr Carroll’s personnel system and the conversation shifted, Premier Zhen suddenly spoke up, his voice colder than before.

Premier Zhen: “We have other plans for vaccine development. My contacts have secured a high-priority package—medical specimens. Our scientists are already working on it in one of your Districts. If you want confirmation that this works, we’ll have it soon enough.”

Dr Carroll: (Sceptical) “Specimens? What kind of specimens? How can you be sure this method is reliable?”

Premier Zhen: “We’re playing the hand we’ve been dealt. These specimens are healthy. We’ve tested them. Our scientists have their protocols.”

Dr Carroll: (Scoffs) “Specimens. And you think this is ethical? This is unethical by every standard of medical practice. I could report you to the brig for violating human rights!”

Premier Zhen: (With a sly smile) “Perhaps you’d like to join me, Dr Carroll. It’s not the worst fate, considering the circumstances.”

Dr Carroll: “…I’m sorry?” (glaring back)

Premier Zhen: “It’s necessary for public safety. Every official is currently under emergency contagion directive, EPIDEMIC Contingency. I'm sure you're familiar with the judgment my government has sentenced to prosecute, especially for civilian interference with an essential regulation.”

Dr Carroll: “Are you threatening me, Premier? Do you suggest our research isn’t valuable?”

The room fell silent. The exchange was tense, with everyone waiting for the next move.

Chairman Sterling: (Finally breaking the silence) “Enough! This bickering is useless. We’ll focus on the research program we have operational. Science is what matters now. In the meantime, ASTO will continue to enforce the global directive EPIDEMC Contingency with Operation: Containment.”

These four specimens were being taken to a PVRF covert laboratory in Osaport, Gamorah, where District 26 was located.

District 26 was the same place where the Tigris group was being held up. The Tigris group couldn’t leave their station at the UDF Naval port in the Gamorah Region because they had to charge their ships with fuel and make ready-to-load inhabitants and tourists that were still in the country. ASTO and CHS would have a rapid response to the situation at Osaport. To evacuate the tourists and see what the COVID-19 vaccine was meant to be.

CIF Team Apex decided to end their call with the ASTO officials and head out for their next assignment. There was still much work to do, and with the Coronavirus Infection massing, CIF would play their part 24/7. The Chairman took a long breath, his voice a calming presence amidst the rising tension.

The meeting ended with an air of discomfort hanging between the officials. There was no easy resolution in sight. The stakes had never been higher. The question remained: would the research be enough to stop the spread of the Coronavirus before it consumed everything?

Thorne: “Madam.”

Dr Carroll: “That… will be all, Thorne.” 

Chapter Text

Limited time of safety

The UDS Tigris Ship Captain stared out into the dimming horizon of the port city of Osaport, his mind racing with possibilities. His fingers hovered over the communication console, and for a moment, he hesitated. The weight of his decision threatened to choke him. The situation was grim, and the urgency of the moment pressed upon him like a suffocating fog. The pandemic was on the move, inching ever closer to Osaport, and District 26, fortified though it was, couldn't hold forever. Even now, the virus was creeping through the walls of isolation zones, spreading like wildfire.

Tigris Captain: (his voice on the comms, his voice strained but firm) “This is the Tigris. "I’m sending out a call for immediate backup. Osaport’s perimeter is vulnerable, and the situation has escalated. I repeat, this is a critical request for support for the Osaport quarantine lockdown.“

The Captain adjusted his seat, his eyes narrowing as the images of the city’s layout filled the monitor. He could see the vulnerable edges of the Gamorah District, its fortified walls standing tall but outdated, crumbling under the weight of an invisible force. Gamorah had been unlucky, caught in the path of the COVID-19 pandemic that swept across the land.

It wasn’t just the virus that worried him, but the political and military implications. Osaport wasn’t infected yet, but the risk of exposure was too high. If the virus breached the city’s defences, it could compromise all of the inhabitants—its citizens, its personnel, and the research teams. The PVRF Research Facility, nestled in the heart of Osaport, had been working on studying COVID-19 spore activity for months, but it had also turned into something far darker. Rumours had surfaced that the facility wasn’t just a hub of scientific study but a covert holding prison for trespassers—those who dared to defy the lockdown guidelines.

The PVRF’s Tianlong Unit had already transferred Four Specimens—Sallie Saito, Ronald Wright, Karsyn Blaine and Andrew Stevenson, who had been captured and brought in under high-security measures, likely to be tested on or used for further bio-weapon research. The Captain couldn’t shake the dread in his gut as he recalled the intelligence reports. Four Specimens... possibly more, and some of them might even be the ones responsible for the new strain of COVID spores wreaking havoc. The cargo of the Tigris was more than just desperate civilians—it was a potential death sentence if they didn’t act quickly.

As the Tigris made its slow journey toward the docking stations, the Captain paced the bridge, surveying the status of the Passenger Yachts and Cruise Liners tethered to the ship. The yachts were meant to be luxury escapes, but now, they were the only hope for evacuating civilians. The lifeboats and gunboats, though essential, were slow-moving and would only be of use if they were properly coordinated.

The city itself was teetering on the edge of disaster. Even though Osaport’s city walls were still standing strong, the tension in the air was palpable. There were tourists still stranded within the city, some of whom had ignored the warnings and refused to evacuate in time. They had foolishly believed that the outbreak wouldn't affect them, clinging to the hope that COVID-19 was just another false alarm. But now, it was too late for them. Only a few had fled in the early stages, and the rest were trapped—locked behind gates, waiting for something to happen, something to change.

The PVRF Security had been efficient in capturing the Mane 6—Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Applejack, and Fluttershy—dragging them into quarantine cells, the eerie silence of the cells broken only by the hum of distant machinery. They had been isolated for their "safety," but for the crew aboard the Tigris, it was clear that the true nature of the PVRF’s motives remained a mystery. They weren't interested in just protecting the populace—they were interested in controlling it.

The Captain's fingers tapped impatiently on the console as he heard the Lockdown Management give him his orders.

Tigris Captain: "Refuel the boats now. We can’t afford to wait any longer. Get the gunboats operational—full speed ahead once we’re clear of the docks. I need full support from the other two Flotilla groups ASAP. We have two hours before the spore infection reaches its peak. Prepare for extraction.“

The Commander's voice was cold but resolute. His crew scrambled to execute his orders. Every decision, every minute, mattered now. He could feel the ticking clock counting down, each second slipping through his fingers like water. He turned his attention back to the transmission screen. A new message blinked on his console – it was from the District LOCKMANN.

LOCKMANN: "We are on standby. But I don’t need to remind you, Captain, that we are not in control of this situation anymore. If the virus crosses into the Perimeter, we’ll lose it all. The situation is bigger than any of us. Be prepared for what comes next. Get your men and civilians ready.“

The Lockdown Management Commanders were equally tense. The Governor of the Region clenched his fists, a slight tremor running through his body. Nobody was entirely convinced about the PVRF intervention here in Avalon as a whole. The PVRF was a behemoth, a corporation in control of both the infection and the cure. They could manipulate the flow of the pandemic, but it was unclear what their true endgame was. Were they just trying to control the population? Or was this all part of a larger experiment that they hadn’t revealed yet?

Governor: “We’ll be ready for evacuating the civilians, whether they’re ready or not.

The Crystal Gems’ Predicament

Aboard the Carrier Logos, the Crystal Gems stood gathered, observing the unfolding crisis through the data feed from ASTO representative Mr Thierry Carter. The strange, horrifying virus spreading across Earth had reached unimaginable proportions, and the world—both human and Gem—was being transformed by its effects.

Garnet stood by the window, her arms crossed, her gaze fixed on the horizon. Her mind was a whirlwind of possibilities, each one more troubling than the last. Using her Future Vision, she had seen countless outcomes, none of which offered clarity. The threads of the future were tangled, blurred by the rapid spread of the virus. It was unlike anything she had ever encountered before. Even with all her power, there was no way to predict what would happen next.

Garnet: (softly, to herself) “Too many possibilities… none of them certain.”

Amethyst, ever the carefree one, stood near Garnet but couldn’t help but feel unsettled. Normally, she'd brush things off and crack jokes, but the threat of this pandemic—the Spore Mutants and their contagious spread—was too much for even her to ignore. She couldn’t wrap her mind around how this was affecting everyone, especially Steven. It was one thing to fight villains and conquer threats, but a virus—something unseen—was far more insidious. Her usual playful demeanour faltered.

Amethyst: (grumbling) “This is messed up. I mean, I know we’ve fought monsters before, but a virus? This thing can infect everything, and we can’t even punch it. Ugh, this is making my head spin.”

Meanwhile, Pearl was beside herself. Her typical pride and precision were clouded with disgust and confusion. She couldn’t fathom how something so small, so microscopic, could wreak such havoc. She had studied Earth’s cultures and history for centuries, but this new threat—this Coronavirus—was unlike anything she had encountered before. It wasn’t a magical foe, nor was it an enemy she could simply fight or understand through her analytical lens. It was something alien. Something she wasn’t prepared for.

Pearl: (exasperated) “I just don’t understand. How could something so small—something microscopic—cause such widespread havoc? It’s completely unfathomable!”

Her voice trailed off, frustration mounting as she paced back and forth, barely able to process the overwhelming situation. As the most diligent and cautious of the Gems, Pearl had always believed knowledge was power. But now, the very knowledge she relied on was falling short. Mr Carter, noticing the mounting tension among the Gems, remained calm. He was used to dealing with officials from different factions, but the weight of what he had to show them was apparent. As he spoke, his voice held the burden of urgency.

Thierry Carter: (solemnly) “I understand that this is unsettling. But we need to focus. The footage I’m about to show you is all we have to go on right now. We’re doing everything we can to contain the virus, but the situation is evolving faster than we can respond.”

With a flick of his hand, a screen blinked to life. The footage displayed Beach City—a place the Crystal Gems had once known as home, now a shadow of its former self. The vibrant streets were eerily quiet. Many of the buildings were abandoned, while others stood half-destroyed. The sky was tinged with an unsettling grey as clouds billowed overhead, and the familiar streets were now filled with roaming COVID-19 Spores.

Thierry Carter: (continuing) “As you can see, the virus has spread rapidly. Most of Beach City’s inhabitants, including your friend Greg Universe, have been infected or are showing signs of the virus. Your people are quarantined, but the Spore Mutants keep pushing further into the city.”

Pearl watched in silence, her expression frozen in shock. The sight of Greg, her mind immediately flashing to him as the protective father figure to Steven, lying unconscious in isolation, was heartbreaking. It was impossible to process. The world she had come to know and care for seemed to be crumbling before her eyes, and all she could do was watch.

Thierry Carter: “I’ve been instructed to give you this video, as part of our ongoing response. The situation’s grim, but we need all the help we can get. And there’s something else we need to address—the Flotilla is on the move.”

The fact that Mr Carter shared with them was that the biggest cities in Avalon were in a worse state than Beach City was, and most of the people and inhabitants were in the same position as they were. Mr Carter had been given recent instructions from the CHS to show the Crystal Gems, Finn and Jake a message from the highest superiors of Project: Atlas, which was a video file.

Afterwards, learning about the content that was posted for them, the Gems couldn’t do anything for Beach City at this point, on the assumption that it could remain on a low infection rate while its inhabitants in the city and Little Homeworld remained quarantined. However, there might be something they might be able to do for the people who are doing whatever it takes to fight off whatever drove them from their homes.

Thierry Carter: “We’ve already mobilised a task force to head to Osaport, Gamorah. We need you to assist in the evacuation. The UDF is holding the line there, but they can’t manage everything on their own. We need your help.”

The Crystal Gems agreed to lend assistance to this operation, which loomed on the other end of Avalon and then went on with the UDF’s mission to help the survivors. Both the Vigilant and the Logos were ordered to assemble a rescue unit to get to the Tigris group and help the inhabitants and any essential personnel to evacuate from Osaport. While this was going on, Thierry Carter took the chance to fly out from the Aircraft Carrier to attend another appointment which required his attention.

A CHS Voluntary Offer

The quiet tension in the air was palpable as Red and his Pokémon led the four U.A. students—Kacchan, Shouto, Grape Juice, and Tsukuyomi—back to the Pokémon Centre near Mt. Silver. The landscape stretched out before them, the rugged terrain of the mountains casting a quiet shadow as the group trudged forward. Their conversation, while calm on the surface, was filled with an undercurrent of anxiety and uncertainty. They were still trying to make sense of what had happened, of who they were to each other now that they had shared an unexpected bond. The air between them seemed charged with unasked questions, but neither of them was willing to break the silence first.

Red, ever the stoic, was the first to speak, his voice calm but heavy with the weight of their shared experience.

Red: (slowly, choosing his words carefully) “I’ve been asked to help. You all... seemed lost, like you needed urgent help. You’re a long way from home, and I just... I couldn’t leave you stranded like that.”

Kacchan: (glancing at Red with a sharp look) “You didn’t have to. We’re not helpless.”

Red: (nodding slightly) “I didn’t think you were. But with soldiers after you, and no idea who to trust... it was the right thing to do. Even if it meant being branded as lawbreakers.”

The words hung in the air, a reminder of the choices they had been forced to make, caught between helping each other and risking everything to stand against an unknown enemy.

The students, still adjusting to their situation, gave a collective sigh of relief. They had been through hell—battling their own inner demons and having their powers weakened —and now, they found themselves in the company of someone who seemed like an unexpected ally.

Shouto: (his voice low, almost thoughtful) “We don’t know who you are, or what you really want from us... but I’m grateful for the help.”

Grape Juice: (glancing over at Kacchan, a little confused) “Yeah... same here. We don’t usually get this kind of help... especially not with... well, everything happening back home.”

Tsukuyomi: (gently) “And what about you, Red? You’re not just helping us out of kindness. There’s something else, isn’t there?”

Red’s gaze softened as he considered their words. He wasn’t one to open up easily, but he felt the weight of the situation too. The world was falling apart, and these students, just like him, were caught in the middle of something they couldn’t fully understand.

Red: (with a heavy sigh) “I don’t know what’s happening either. This whole Coronavirus thing... It’s bigger than anything I’ve dealt with before. It’s not just an infection, it’s like… something else entirely. And when I saw what happened to you, what happened to your powers…” (he trails off, glancing at the four of them) “I had to help. I had to know what was going on, too.”

Kacchan: (gruffly) “Yeah, well, we’re not exactly sitting pretty here. Our Quirks... drained. All Might is out. Our country’s falling apart, and we have no clue who the hell is behind it.”

Red: “I get it.” (He pauses) “And we still don’t know who started this, or what they want.”

The group’s conversation slowed as they approached the Pokémon Centre. It was a welcome sight amidst the chaos, offering a sense of safety and a brief respite from the madness that had overtaken their world.

As they entered, the atmosphere changed. The air was sterile, but the faint sound of activity gave a sense of normalcy. However, they knew they couldn’t stay in this safe haven for long. They were here for answers, just like everyone else.

It didn’t take long for the group to be greeted by Dr Groves. His serious expression softened as he saw them approach, but there was a certain weight to his demeanour. He was here to explain, but Red could tell that Dr Groves didn’t have all the answers either.

Dr Groves: (nodding in greeting) “Red. I’m glad you’re safe. And the rest of you... It’s good to see you made it here.”

Shouto: (crossing his arms) “We’re not here to exchange pleasantries. What’s going on? Why were we attacked by the PVRF? Why is this happening?”

Red: (steadily) “We need to know everything. Why is this outbreak spreading? Why were we caught in the middle of it?”

Dr Groves looked around at the group, his face tense with concern. He didn’t answer immediately, but instead turned toward a large, nearby screen. With a few quick taps, the screen flickered to life, revealing a video file.

Dr Groves: (grimly) “This will answer your questions. But I need you to understand—we are all in this together now. And we need to stick together if we want to survive what’s coming next.”

The video flickered to life, and the team leaned in, waiting for the answers they so desperately needed….

A Routine Schedule

At District 101 at Modaire, things were entirely uneventful for almost three weeks. Most of Ash and Goh’s activities were nearly 70% boredom and 30% anxiety, where they would ponder to themselves, thinking of tense thoughts of what would happen when the isolation operation was over.

Throughout each morning and afternoon, Ash, Goh, Scorbunny and Pikachu would mostly be in the Pokémon Centre Penthouse, where they would wake up for a morning breakfast from Nurse Joy. After lunch, three hours later, they would go downstairs for a walk around the District for health reasons, in the eyes of the authorities. If they needed to buy food to replenish their provisions, they would have permission to do so, but only once a day. If there were an emergency going outside the District where Spore Mutants or Case Zombies would emerge to break into the District Perimeter, the UDF would initiate a warning. A Code Blue was declared when Coronavirus activity was traced out of the District, and the authorities needed the civilians to return indoors as quickly as possible while they held out against a virus attack. A Code Red was when a COVID Case was in the District itself. Quarantine for everybody would be essential, while an extra medical/military containment unit would investigate the COVID signature. If it were contained, all inhabitants of the Districts would be ordered to decontaminate to avoid further contamination. The doctors would take appropriate measures if one tested positive, or they would be swiftly returned to their Quarantine home otherwise.

When the two Trainers were indoors, some of the entertainment would involve playing board games, solving a jigsaw puzzle, surfing the Internet, or even cleaning the Pokémon Centre. They would occasionally contact home using the video phone. In the evening, they would have a light or roast dinner followed by a little cheer with the other inhabitants for the services that were keeping them safe and working in their essential jobs during the pandemic. Then it was time to watch a film of their choosing, and then to bed.

***

District 20 at New Kalindor was uneventful and boring in the concealment of the lockdown as well. Steven Universe was going through a similar routine in his apartment building, except his therapist would contact him weekly. They would check everything with him on how he was feeling and how he was coping with the lockdown, which would depend on how bored and neglected he was by the rest of the world. He missed his plan of going out on his road trip to see the rest of the world around him and sharing quality time with the rest of the Gems, and he wondered if he would make any human friends where he was at right now. After his second week of lockdown, Steven prepared for his next video call with his therapist. Before it was done, he was told that there was another call for him. Officials found a way to contact him and where he was isolating through his social media channel.

Steven Universe sat at his desk, scrolling through his therapy schedule on Zoom. Each session felt like a struggle against the weight of his teenage years, and with the world in chaos due to the pandemic, therapy was his only anchor. A knock at the door interrupted him. He opened his post office box and found a plain but heavy package. Inside was an ASTO-logoed calling card, a phone number (77+ 0747612386), and a metal name tag that read: THIERRY CARTER.

He frowned. Not junk mail. Not a fan letter. Something official.

After finishing his therapy call, Steven sat cross-legged on his bed, phone pressed to his ear as he finally dialled the number. The line clicked, and a man’s steady voice answered before Steven could say hello.

Thierry Carter: “Steven Universe. I was expecting your call.”

Steven stiffened. Expecting?

Steven Universe: (stiffened) “Um… yeah. This is Steven. Who… who exactly are you?”

Thierry Carter: “Thierry Carter. ASTO representative. It’s my job to keep an eye on potential candidates. I know about your… history. The battles you fought, the burden you carry now. I also know how the stress has been eating at you. Especially with the lockdown. You planned to spend the rest of your days on the road, didn’t you? Looking for peace, drifting. But the world doesn’t always let us drift.”

Steven swallowed hard. The way Carter spoke made his skin prickle. He sounded like someone who had been reading his diary.

Steven Universe: “You’ve been… watching me?”

Thierry Carter: (smoothly) “Not watching. Preparing. I represent a program under ASTO dedicated to studying the Coronavirus and eradicating it. CHS handles the medicine; we handle the action. We’ve armed our soldiers with state-of-the-art firepower, designed to suppress spores and burn infection out at the roots. But soldiers can only go so far. What if I told you we’re looking for volunteers — individuals with gifts beyond the ordinary? What if I offered you a place where your powers could mean something again? The world is sick, Steven. We could use you to make it well.”

Steven Universe: (feeling his jaw tighten) “You’re saying there’s nothing your soldiers can’t handle, but then you come to me? To a kid who—” (he stopped, corrected himself) “—to someone who already lost himself once doing exactly what you’re asking. Do you know what it cost me back then? My powers didn’t just… save people. They nearly broke me.”

Steven rubbed his arm, staring at the calling card like it might burn through his skin.

Steven Universe: “I can’t go through another emotional meltdown. I’m not… I’m not a weapon anymore. I’m just trying to live. I already applied for work at the Portston Treatment Centre. Something small. Helping test samples, collect spit and blood vials. It’s not glamorous, but at least it’s stable. At least it won’t destroy me.”

Silence hummed on the line for a beat.

Thierry Carter: (keeping professional) “I understand. Truly. No one’s forcing your hand. But know this — when the world shifts, people like you are never just bystanders. Keep the card, Steven. If your answer changes… if you ever decide that drifting isn’t enough… call me.”

The line went dead. Steven sat frozen, staring at the name tag glinting in his palm. Thierry Carter’s words echoed like a weight pressing down on his chest: people like you are never just bystanders.

Captivity Isolation

Twilight Sparkle stirred as she regained consciousness, the lingering fog of anaesthesia slowly lifting. Her head throbbed, her vision blurred for a moment, and as her senses returned, she realised something wasn’t right. Her hooves were strapped tightly, her mouth gagged, and her heart skipped a beat when she noticed the cold, metallic interior of the horse carrier truck they were in. Panic surged through her, but she fought to stay calm, focusing on her breathing. The motion of the truck and the fact that she couldn’t use her magic made the situation worse.

She wasn’t alone.

Because Pinkie Pie and Applejack were Earth Ponies, they didn’t need any special confinement, but because Twilight and Rarity were unicorns, they had suppression rings around their horns that were meant to suppress the magic within their system, and Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy had their wings tied since they were Pegasus ponies.

Beside her, she could hear Applejack and Pinkie Pie, their voices muffled, though they seemed far less restrained. Twilight felt a pang of concern, knowing that her friends were in just as much danger as she was.

Applejack: “What in tarnation is goin’ on here? We ain’t done nothin’ wrong!”

Pinkie Pie: “Yeah! This is ridiculous! What are we even doing here?! We’re supposed to be helping, not being dragged around like—like—” (she paused, trying to think of a good comparison, but failing) “like... like muffins in a basket!”

Twilight could only offer a weak, muffled grunt in response. Rarity was likewise in a similar predicament, unable to speak as her horn was suppressed by a magic-blocking ring. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, also tethered, couldn’t fly due to their wings being bound tightly.

The truck jostled as it rolled to a stop. Twilight could hear the faint clatter of doors opening, followed by the harsh clomp of boots on the cold concrete beneath them. Before she could gather her bearings, the truck doors swung open, and harsh sunlight briefly blinded her. She was forcefully guided out, the PVRF soldiers barely giving her room to move.

The Mane 6 ponies were offloaded outside the truck and then ushered towards a large vehicle depot to where PVRF operators were taking them. The walls seemed high and imposing. The soldiers did not respond to their protests or questions. Their silence was chilling, a stark reminder of how little control the ponies had over their situation.

Twilight Sparkle: “We need to speak with someone in charge. Please, you don’t understand! We’re here to help, not cause any trouble!”

But there was no response. The soldiers kept pushing them forward, all the while keeping a tight grip on their restraints. Rarity, her mane now frizzy from stress, desperately tried to maintain some level of decorum despite the situation.

Rarity: “This is absolutely unacceptable! Do you realise who we are?! We must be treated with respect!”

But the soldiers remained impassive. They were brought into a prison block, a two-storey building with stark, sterile white walls. Each of them was placed in separate cells, some locked with heavy steel bars, others with high-tech reinforced glass. Twilight Sparkle’s cell was on the second floor, and her eyes flitted to the skylights above. The sun was setting, and the last rays of daylight shone weakly through, casting long shadows on the cold floor. Her mind raced. What had happened? Why were they being treated like criminals? And more importantly, what had become of Equestria and all their friends? Were they all safe?

A muffled argument reached Twilight's ears from outside her cell window. She recognised the voices of PVRF soldiers, but they were arguing with someone else. UDF soldiers—they sounded tense, their words unintelligible at first, but Twilight could feel the underlying hostility. Something was wrong. This wasn’t just a prison for the ponies; it was something worse. There was an air of distrust, of uncertainty, that permeated everything.

Then, from somewhere deep in the prison, she heard a voice echoing down the hallway. The sound of questions. The tone was familiar, though Twilight couldn’t place it. Her curiosity piqued, she strained her ears to listen.

Inmate: (frustrated and bitter): "I work as an assistant in a hospital... or at least I used to," the voice said, thick with frustration. "Now I work at a research facility trying to stop COVID. That’s my current job.“

Doctor: (calm, but probing) "What do you mean, 'used to'? Is this your current job?“

Inmate: (voice was growing more strained) "That’s supposed to be my current job in the real world until this pandemic hit. Now, the latest job was as an assistant in a Research Facility helping to stop COVID. What the heck is going on here? Why am I even in here? I’m just trying to help—!“

Doctor: (calmly) “Do you remember what you did before you became an assistant?”

Inmate: “No. I can only remember myself fighting in some wars. ’ Why the heck would I be under captivity in a situation like this when all I do is try to help you guys?! Like I’m getting a decreasing demotion!”

The frustration in the voice was palpable, and Twilight’s ears pricked. This man—whatever he was—sounded like he had been through far too much. Was he one of the other captured individuals? Were they experimenting on him, too? Before she could process further, a door slammed shut, and the doctor’s voice came over again, his tone more distant now.

Doctor: “Permanent amnesia. Hazy memories. Mimicry of observed behaviours…”

He was documenting something on a clipboard. Twilight couldn’t make out the rest of the conversation, but it sent a cold shiver down her spine.

Inmates. Amnesia. Experiments.

The realisation hit her. They weren’t just being detained. They were being used. Used in ways she couldn’t yet fathom. But one thing was clear: The PVRF, whoever they were, had a plan for her and her friends. A plan she had yet to understand fully. 

Suddenly, a voice broke through her thoughts. It was Rainbow Dash, muffled but distinct from across the hallway.

Rainbow Dash: (speaking to someone in a commanding tone.) “If you're gonna lock us up like this, the least you could do is tell us why! We have a right to know what's going on!”

Twilight clenched her jaw. She had to find a way out—and fast.

The doctor who was doing the interview walked off from the cell block. The inmate inside the concealed, windowless cell was one of the four‘ specimens’ from the Biogenesis Research & Development facility, Andrew Stevenson….

A medical experiment?

Ronald Wright, Sallie Saito, Karsyn Blaine, and Andrew Stevenson awoke in a disorienting haze, the sharp scent of antiseptic and the faint hum of machinery filling their senses. Strapped to cold, metal chairs in a sterile, dimly lit room, they were in no position to fight back. Their bodies felt heavy, their muscles weak from the sedatives. The last thing they remembered was the chaos in Craigbrook City and the overwhelming surge of Spore Mutants and Case Zombies. Now, they were in an unfamiliar, clinical environment—locked away like prisoners.

Ronald blinked groggily, struggling to shake off the fog in his head. His mind felt fragmented, but the sharp, unnerving sensation of being trapped only grew as his vision cleared. His mouth felt dry, his throat parched. He couldn't help but wonder how long they had been unconscious. The PVRF had taken them from the infection zone, but it didn't feel like a rescue—it felt like an experiment. Something was off, and Ronald's gut told him they were far from safe.

Sallie, still disoriented, shifted slightly in her chair. She winced, suddenly feeling a sharp pain in her leg. At first, it was a dull ache, but then it escalated, a burning sensation spreading from her shin. The sedative haze that had clouded her mind cleared for a brief moment, and she realised with a jolt that something was terribly wrong. She had a wound—no, not just a wound. It was a bite.

Panic surged through her. A Case Zombie had bitten her. The real threat now wasn’t the pain—it was the fear of becoming infected. She could feel her heart racing, her breath becoming shallow as the horror of the situation began to sink in. She was already terrified of the virus. She had seen firsthand the devastation it caused, and now she feared for her life.

As the doctors moved toward her, they noticed her increasing distress. One of them, a tall figure with a face obscured by a medical mask, approached her cautiously. 

Doctor: (calm, almost detached tone) “We need to clean the wound, Ms Saito. We’ll need to take a blood sample as well.”

Sallie Saito: (She shook her head, trying to push away the panic) "No! You don't understand, you can't... I can't get infected!“

But her protests were drowned out by the hiss of a sedative being injected into her arm. Her body went limp, the world around her fading into a blur once more.

The Facility that all four of them had brought to was owned by the PVRF in Osaport Island, and the interior was part Bio Lab, part Asylum for COVID research and a prison for fined trespassers. Sallie couldn’t tell why she was being experimented on when research staff were examining her. Why would she be? She was just a nurse who took a job offer to treat Coronavirus. It wasn’t like the ASTO to allow people to experiment with her! Karsyn was strapped to a hospital bed inside a cell when he heard someone talking from the opposite cell.

Meanwhile, Karsyn Blaine was still tethered to his hospital bed in another part of the facility. His mind swirled with confusion. He had heard voices—doctors, researchers—talking about the specimens, but the words made no sense. Why were they here? Why was Andrew being interrogated?

Andrew’s voice echoed across the cell block.

Andrew: (thick, frustrated tone) “I work as an assistant in a hospital... or I used to. Now, I work at a research facility trying to stop COVID. That’s my current job.”

Doctor: “What do you mean, 'used to'? Is this your current job?”

Andrew: “I just told you. The pandemic hit, everything’s changed... We’re all stuck in this mess.”

Karsyn's brow furrowed in confusion. He recognised Andrew’s voice, but why was he being treated like this? They had been taken as prisoners, but the way the doctors were questioning them—it didn’t sit right. Something about this place felt wrong. It didn’t feel like a simple research facility. It felt like a trap.

Ronald, silent until now, clenched his fists. His thoughts were a muddled mess, too overwhelmed by fear to think clearly. Quite frankly, he was acting how any average person would feel if they were in the position he was unfortunate to be in. He didn't know what was going to happen next. He didn’t know why they were here or what the PVRF intended to do with them, but he knew one thing: This wasn’t over.

Meanwhile, Sallie’s blood sample was being analysed in a nearby lab. The doctors were focused on their work, but Sallie could see it all through the small glass window of her sedated state. They placed the sample on a microscopic scanner, and the results blinked across a screen.

A cold, clinical voice from the lab echoed through the sterile space.

Doctor: “The sample shows a mutation. The immunity is unlike any other. It seems to be fighting off the infection... and it’s stronger than expected.”

Sallie’s eyes narrowed. Stronger than expected? What did that mean? Was she really immune?

Meanwhile, back in the control room, the team running the facility’s research had gathered for an urgent video conference. It had been just over 8 hours since they were brought inside the facility. The PVRF research staff had a video meeting with Premier Zhen, who had a hard face with determination to discuss what to do with these Four Specimens via Artemis. Artemis was the encrypted and secure version of Zoom for which officials could maintain contact socially distantly.

Doctor: “Gentlemen. We’re running out of time. This is the Phase 1 stage of the pandemic. One of the specimens is special. The immunity is in a perfect balance between COVID and humans. Normally, as the infection spreads to a case, the transition becomes permanent and less active. But this one has a genetic mutation.”

Premier Zhen: “What of the other Specimens?”

Doctor: “We’ve discovered the other three have an immunity system; that way, they can’t get infected. But that’s not important. What’s important is that we harvest from them what we can right now. Their immunity represents millions, maybe even billions of dollars for the bio-weapons division. They’ll need everything. Tissue, bone marrow, and blood. A full-scale immunity test could mean a lot if it comes clear, and a dissection would strip them down to nothing.”

Premier Zhen: “Alright. I understand. It’s worth a trial. Osaport is in the quarantine zone. I’m giving you and your research staff full authorisation before COVID hits!”

A few minutes after the doctors had everything set in the operating room for the next phase, PVRF soldiers brought the Four Specimens, who were still strapped to their beds, out of the first floor of the cell chamber to the Bio lab in the opposite building.

Arrival at Osaport (District 26)

The morning sky was muted, a dull grey that hinted at the storm approaching. The hum of the CHS-owned plane was the only sound that filled the otherwise quiet atmosphere. Inside, the U.A. students—Kacchan, Shouto, Grape Juice, and Tsukuyomi—were gathered together with Red, sitting tensely as the plane sped towards its destination.

Red glanced around at the group, his mind racing. The mission ahead of them was no easy task, and he couldn’t shake the weight of the responsibility. They had been briefed on their purpose: provide support to the CHS medical staff as they entered District 26, which was right on the edge of the quarantine zone. With the COVID-19 outbreak continuing to spread, the chance of a Spore Mutant attack was high. Red knew that even if they managed to help one person, it would be worth it. But the stakes were higher than ever—if the outbreak hit, the city would be in chaos.

The U.A. students were tense too, but each for their own reasons. Kacchan sat with his arms crossed, his brow furrowed, as his usually brash and confident demeanour gave way to a quiet concern. He wasn’t used to feeling powerless, but with his Quirk reduced to 50% capacity, even his fire wouldn’t burn as bright. He could feel the tension in the air, a different kind of anxiety—the kind that gnawed at you when you didn’t know what would happen next.  

The plane began to descend as they neared Gamorah Aerospace. Red could feel the weight of the restricted area closing in on them. They were about to enter District 26, a district surrounded by quarantine zones, and Osaport, the city within it, was already under high alert. They didn’t have much time.

The flight crew had been in contact with the CHS medical team and had received a directive from Dr Groves, who was overseeing this operation. Groves’ voice crackled over the tablet, cutting through the tension.

Dr Groves: “Red, when you land, make sure to head straight to the ASTO building. You’ll need to speak to the district governor about bringing the population out of the area before the rising outbreak hits. If a COVID attack hits, we’ll need to act fast.”

Red nodded, although he knew Dr Groves couldn’t see him. He wasn’t nervous—not yet. He had a job to do, and that was what mattered. The rest of the U.A. students would stay with the plane, ready to defend and support the medical team if things went south. They were prepared for the worst, but were hoping for the best.

The plane touched down, and the tension in the cabin seemed to dissipate just slightly as the wheels screeched against the tarmac. They were here. They had made it. But the quietness of the surroundings was unnerving. The city of Osaport stood ahead of them, a distant view of towering structures, some abandoned, others eerily quiet. The silence was ominous—something was off.

Red: “Alright, stay sharp, everyone. We’re here to do what we can. If anything goes wrong, you’re staying close to the medics. Keep your guard up.”

Kacchan: “Like I need to be told that, man. I’ll handle anything that comes our way.”

Shouto: “We’ve got this. Let’s just get to work.”

The U.A. students disembarked with Red, staying alert as they walked toward the ASTO building. The medical team began unloading the supplies they had brought with them, quickly moving with urgency. Red knew their first task was to keep the situation from escalating, but he also knew that there was no guarantee of a clean, easy solution.

***

Three hours earlier, the Crystal Gems—Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl—had found themselves amid a highly strategic operation. They were accompanied by Mr Thierry Carter and a unit of UDF Marines led by Major Ray Gibson. After the long journey from the Vigilant to the Tigris, they were tasked with supporting the Tigris group in its mission to evacuate as many non-essential personnel as possible from Osaport, which was rapidly approaching the epicentre of the ongoing crisis.

The Tigris, a heavily fortified ship positioned in the southeast corner of Avalon, had been rendered partially immobile after the emergency lockdowns had caused its engines to fail. Engineers from the UDF were working around the clock to restore power to the fleet and prepare it for any incoming evacuations. The urgency was palpable. The lifeboats, meant to carry civilians to safety, were fuelled and readied. Electrical systems were being repaired in case of power outages, but the reality of the situation was setting in: the COVID-19 Spore Mutants were pushing forward, and they could not afford any more delays.

While the engineers worked tirelessly on the logistics, Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl did what they knew best: protecting those around them and ensuring that everyone was prepared for what lay ahead. Even as the engineers scrambled, the Crystal Gems couldn’t shake the thought of Steven, their human friend who had always been a source of light in the darkest of times. They thought about how he would have handled this situation as a true protector of both humans and Gems alike.

Garnet: "We need to hurry. Every minute we waste could be the difference between life and death for those still stuck here.“

Amethyst, ever the wildcard, nodded, but her face was serious despite her usual carefree demeanour. She didn’t want to think about what was happening, but the reality of the situation kept pounding at her thoughts.

Amethyst: "Yeah. I’m all for kicking some Spore butt, but we need to keep the people safe. Let’s move, huh?“

Pearl, on the other hand, was quieter, her mind racing with calculations and concerns. She couldn’t shake the frustration and fear building up inside her. This wasn’t just an ordinary mission. This was different. The stakes were higher. If they failed here, Osaport—and possibly more—could be lost forever.

Pearl: "We’ve got to keep them safe. We can't afford to fail. This is about more than just us. It's about everyone.“

The UDF Marines were busy preparing to lead the civilians to safety, using whatever means they had available. Major Gibson, his eyes sharp and alert, barked orders to his unit, ensuring every action was calculated and swift. The Marines were making their way to the docks to secure the civilians, but the threat of a Spore attack still loomed heavily.

The Marines moved quickly, clearing the area and setting up perimeters to protect the civilians. But every time a civilian looked up, the chaos outside the port's perimeter seemed to grow. The Spore Mutants were likely becoming more aggressive. 

Osaport was a southern European-style city on the north side of Gamorah. It was built on an island resort that was approximately 21 miles long and 12 miles wide. The airport was to the north-west of the island, not too far from a cliff facing the sea. The port was in the inner city area facing the island, not too far away, where the Tigris and its escort ships were docked. Out of range of the city.

As usual, the city streets were closely guarded by military units from two UDF battalions (7th Britannia and 9th Hispana) that were deployed for security in the Isolation Districts that were in the quarantine zone. Armed EC135 helicopters were patrolling over the city, guard towers were watching over the streets, and 30-foot high voltage fences and concrete walls were built up The rest of the Gamorah region was heavily infected with Coronavirus. In Osaport, a belief in a COVID-19 outbreak was rife. There were reports from people who said that Cases on the east side of the island and disturbing omens. The food from restaurants was said to have been covered with mutated microspores, and patients were said to have been seen outside the CHS medical centres, dying from symptoms. But the tourists who were evacuating the town figured that they could deal with whatever COVID-19 symptom was out there. That’s why they didn’t situation of lockdown seriously. They didn’t wear face masks, no evacuations were made before, no guidelines were followed, nothing.

It was up to the Crystal Gems to show that the threat of a COVID-19 attack would be official. Because his home in Beach City was attacked and completely occupied by the virus, it was a chance for the Crystal Gems to make the emergency evacuation official for all the tourists. Garnet, Amethyst and Pearl, under the Marines’ escort, would go out in the open to announce to the resident people that they weren’t safe.

Elsewhere, Red and his Pikachu were escorted by CPL Maria Perez, a young female Spanish UDF soldier aged 23 with a beret and a CAR-15 rifle, to get to the CHS medical centre with the medical supplies needed for emergency patients before shipping with the evacuation. To prove he was involved with the CHS, he presented his voluntary card to the CHS official in charge and gave him a laundry list of ventilators that at the time were needed for treating the symptoms of microspores in patients. After Red had his meeting with the CHS, he was about to head back to the CHS plane when his Pikachu spotted a group of the same soldiers that had attacked them earlier, arguing with UDF soldiers in a facility not far away. As the UDF soldiers were making their protest with their issues, Red and his Pikachu ran over to follow what the facility was, and what was inside. 

The tourists in Osaport were stubborn for the CHS and UDF to deal with before the Gems came, but now, after they talked to the people about what their chances of survival would be, they finally took the guidelines seriously. More than half of the tourists decided to evacuate through the port and the airport. Again, inhabitants and tourists went through decontamination before boarding either a plane to the designated Isolation District in another province elsewhere in Avalon, or a lifeboat with the rest of the flotilla. The airport had planes landing from civilian airports to pick up evacuees, and lifeboats were crowding the docks.

The rest were still stubborn, and there was a risk of leaving too many behind, but the supermarkets were running out of food, and all the restaurants and pubs were closed. The UDF was sure this time that sooner or later, they would have to come around and follow the guidelines….

Even so, Garnet could see that even with an early warning, this rescue mission wouldn’t get everyone out of the area. The virus was still an incurable threat that was getting spread as they spoke. An attack could come at any time in any quarter. Major Gibson proceeded to go further into town to make sure they didn’t miss anyone. He went where the CHS medical centre was supposed to be with Garnet’s company. Moments later, Pearl and Amethyst tried the speaker system to attract more attention for the inhabitants to evacuate through decontamination, but as they did so, the speaker kept whining with a high-pitched noise.

At the PVRF station, the operators were taking the Four Specimens out of their cells, and while they were still strapped to their beds, wheeled them to the Bio Lab for dissection. As that was happening, the Mane 6 weren’t taking kindly to the intense situation they were in. Being imprisoned by what looked like a group of villainous humans who had no room for compassion. Twilight’s friends tried to find a way to escape to their cells, each in their own way. Applejack and Rainbow Dash pulled and struggled at their restraints to break free, while Rarity, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie were getting up to the windows to call out for help from any of the townspeople. The only person who heard Pinkie’s overpitched cry out for help was Red’s Pikachu when they were about to enter the facility. Pikachu gave a little nuzzle to Red, letting him know that someone was in danger. Some of the UDF soldiers, including SGT Parker, were curious to know what all of the screaming from the facility was about, and then followed Red inside.

The PVRF doctors were ready in the operating room for the Specimens. The PVRF armed security contractors entered with all four Specimens. But they were caught completely unaware that Karsyn Blaine had smuggled a shiv to use as a knife. The doctors put Ronald and Sallie under a short anaesthetic to make the dissection painless for them. A doctor was about to do the same thing to Karsyn, then suddenly, Karsyn Blaine quickly undid the lock to the strap while both his arms were behind his back and drove the shiv into the doctor’s sternum. He quickly lashed out at the arm of a nurse before she could restrain him, then quickly cut her throat too. As he jumped out of his bed, he held the shiv at another nurse’s throat to hold the other medical staff back. But then he was knocked out by a hidden doctor with a high-pressure water spray to the face. Andrew quietly used a knife to cut the straps when everyone else was distracted with Blaine, and when the medical staff had restrained Karsyn, Andrew began killing two of the doctors. Stevenson kept one of the nurses alive and held the knife at her throat while Blaine took off his restraints and freed Wright and Saito, who were just regaining consciousness. 

Back at the airport, the CHS jet loomed over the quiet tarmac, its shadow stretching long in the fading light. The muffled shriek of a microphone carried faintly from somewhere deeper in Osaport, a constant reminder that the town wasn’t as calm as it seemed.

Inside the terminal, the U.A. students grew restless. Katsuki Bakugo paced near the windows like a caged animal, explosions snapping faintly in his palms every few steps.

Katsuki Bakugo: “Damn it, how long is Red gonna make us wait?” (His voice echoed against the empty walls.) “He better not be screwing around while we’re stuck babysitting this jet.”

Minoru Mineta, wringing his hands, glanced from Bakugo to the door.

Minoru Mineta: “Maybe he, uh, got delayed? Or… or maybe there are girls in there who needed help.” (His eyes were lit up at the thought.) “We can’t just leave them hanging, right?”

Bakugo shot him a sharp glare.

Katsuki Bakugo: “Tch. You just wanna drool over somebody while the rest of us are wasting time.”

Minoru Mineta [puffed up defensively]: “Hey, hey, maybe I could be making connections! A hero’s gotta be approachable, you know—friendly. Charming.”

Katsuki Bakugo: “Friendly?” (he barked out a laugh, all teeth.) “You’re about as friendly as a damn cockroach. If there’s trouble, you’ll just squeal and run.”

Minoru Mineta [paled, shrinking back a step]: “Th-that’s not true! I’ll, uh, hold the line if I have to!”

Katsuki Bakugo [rolled his eyes]: “Yeah, sure. You’ll ‘hold the line’ right behind me, while I blow everything to hell.”

Before Mineta could fire back, Shoto Todoroki spoke up from his post near the jet. His voice was quiet, but his mismatched eyes flicked between them with cool detachment.

Shoto Todoroki: “If you’re both this impatient, then go. Check on him.”

Bakugo smirked, already stomping toward the exit.

Katsuki Bakugo: “Finally. Some sense. Come on, grape-brain—you’re with me.”

Mineta squeaked, but scrambled after him, half tripping over his own feet.

Minoru Mineta: “W-wait, hold up! Don’t call me that!”

As the two disappeared into the streets toward the CHS medical centre, Shoto and Fumikage Tokoyami stayed behind by the jet, watching them go.

Tokoyami folded his arms, Dark Shadow flickering faintly at his side.

Shoto Todoroki: “Those two together… that’s a recipe for chaos.” (He let out a low breath, gaze fixed on the distant rooftops.) “Let’s just hope it doesn’t turn into something worse.”

The air grew still again, heavy with the faint hum of far-off speakers and the unshakable sense that Osaport was holding its breath. 

The Initial Escape

The harsh white lights of the PVRF medical station buzzed overhead, casting sterile shadows over the Mane 6. Each of them was strapped into reinforced restraints, cold steel cuffs biting against their coats. A faint chemical smell hung in the air—disinfectant mixed with the copper tang of fear.

Rarity squirmed, her mane frizzing slightly from the tight straps holding her down. She glanced at the lock binding her forelegs, her keen designer’s eye narrowing on the detail. It was elegant, in a cold industrial way, but every mechanism had a weakness.

Rarity: “Oh, please,” (her voice cutting through the heavy silence.) “Even the cruellest tyrant should understand: if you’re going to shackle a lady, at least don’t use shoddy hardware. Look at this hinge—positively begging to be manipulated.”

Applejack: “Yeah, well, unless you’ve got a key hidin’ in your mane, we’re stuck tighter than a hog in a fence.”

Rarity: “Not necessarily.” (tilting her head, her eyes sparkling with inspiration.) “All I’d need is a fine implement… something slim enough to slip into the tumbler.”

Pinkie Pie gasped loudly, her whole body bouncing in her chair despite the restraints.

Pinkie Pie: “Oh! Like a hair clip? You mean one of those teensy-weensy, super-sparkly clips you always wear when you’re fixing your bangs?!”

Rarity blinked.

Rarity: “Yes, darling, exactly. But tragically, I left mine at home because—well, one hardly accessorises for abduction!”

Pinkie Pie: “Lucky for you…”

Pinkie leaned forward as far as her bonds allowed, then wiggled her cheeks with cartoonish intensity. With a wet phlorp! Sound, a gleaming silver hair clip popped right out of her mouth and bounced twice on the floor.

Pinkie Pie: “Ta-da!”

Everypony froze. Even Rainbow Dash, who’d been thrashing against her straps, stopped to gape.

Twilight Sparkle (flatly): “…Pinkie, why was that in your mouth?”

Pinkie Pie: “Emergency accessories storage, duh!” Pinkie beamed, as if that explained everything.

Rarity let out a dramatic sigh of relief. “You truly are an enigma, Pinkie Pie—but a fabulous one.” She leaned forward, carefully catching the clip with her magic. With the kind of grace she usually reserved for fine needlework, she twisted and angled the clip into the narrow slit of the lock.

The others held their breath. A faint click… click… echoed in the sterile room, followed by the delicate whine of metal shifting. Rarity’s tongue poked out the corner of her mouth as she concentrated, mane bouncing slightly as she adjusted the angle.

Rarity: (triumphant) “There we are,”

With a sharp snap, the cuff sprang open.

Rainbow Dash (grinned): “Ha! Knew you’d pull it off. Now hurry up and get us out of here before the guards come back!”

One by one, Rarity moved along the line, working her improvised tool with dramatic flair, until every shackle clicked open. Applejack flexed her freed hooves with a grin, Fluttershy rubbed at her wrists nervously, and Pinkie Pie was already bouncing on the spot, giggling.

Twilight stepped forward, her horn glowing faintly now that she could channel magic again. She gave Rarity a small, proud smile.

Twilight Sparkle: “Clever work, Rarity. You turned fashion into freedom.”

Rarity flicked her mane and tucked the clip neatly back into her curls.

Rarity: “Darling, style isn’t just about looking good. It’s about knowing your tools—and always being ready to improvise.”

Rainbow Dash ( cracked her hooves against each other with a smirk): “Yeah, yeah. Less fashion talk, more jailbreak! Let’s make some noise!”

The Mane 6, united and free again, readied themselves. Whatever awaited outside those doors, they’d meet it together.

The Mane 6 burst free from the second-floor cell block, galloping through dim corridors and ducking behind corners as searchlights swept across the walls. The metallic clang of boots and muffled shouts echoed behind them—PVRF security guards were everywhere. But somehow, against the odds, they made it outside the prison block.

That was when they ran headlong into trouble.

A dozen armed PVRF guards stood waiting in formation, rifles raised, with a hard-eyed Commanding Officer blocking the path.

And then—another shout. From the opposite end, soldiers of the UDF Britannia Regiment surged into view, flanking Red and his ever-alert Pikachu. Their weapons levelled at the PVRF, demanding answers.

For a moment, everyone froze, two factions locking barrels on each other, the Mane 6 caught in the middle.

Red’s fists clenched at his sides. He had seen enough already—U.A. students restrained like criminals, locked down as if they were the virus itself. Sick or healthy, it hadn’t mattered. To the PVRF, every cartoon character was a threat.

SGT Parker: (voice tight with anger) “This wasn’t the deal! We were here to support medical relief, not guard prisons!”

PVRF Officer (sneered, his tone clipped): “Prisoners, patients—it doesn’t matter. Anyone could spread the infection. Containment is the only solution.”

Red: (voice carried, sharp with outrage) “That’s not containment. That’s punishment. You’re treating people like the virus thinks about them. Like they’re guilty just for existing.”

Red's Pikachu growled, sparks bristling from its cheeks in agreement.

The standoff thickened, soldiers on both sides shifting uneasily, fingers brushing their triggers.

From behind, Twilight Sparkle and her friends stood frozen, taking in every word. Twilight’s eyes darted between the two factions, her mind racing. Their capture, the dark magic she had sensed, and now this argument—it all lined up. Whatever this darkness was, it wasn’t only plaguing Equestria. It had spread into the wider world, too. And what SGT Parker had just said—the word that struck her like a bell tolling across her mind—
Coronavirus.

She had heard it before. In her visions. In her dreams. Many pages back, like a shadow whispering across her destiny.

Before she could speak, the world itself interrupted.

At the main road leading to the medical centre, dogs erupted into barking, their frantic cries echoing across Osaport. Soldiers—including Cpl. Perez looked around nervously, tightening their grip on their weapons. Patients who had been queuing outside the CHS hospital were suddenly gone, as if they had melted into the alleys.

Then a siren wailed, cutting across the town. Its piercing cry silenced even the arguing soldiers, forcing their heads up.

Major Ray’s voice crackled across comms, urgent and strained.

Major Gibson: “All stations, Osaport. Confirm contact—multiple shrieks in the suburbs. Unknowns near the CHS hospital. East side storm front approaching—fast.”

And there it was.

On the horizon, rolling in over the water, came a black storm wall—a writhing, pulsing front of darkness. It bled across the sky like living smoke, swallowing the coastline. The COVID front was coming, and it was coming for Osaport.

Infection

The UDF long-range sensors lit up in red. Hundreds of thermal signatures were pouring out of the black storm rolling in from the east—fast movers, packed tight together. A swarm.

UDF Commanders [barking orders through the radios]: “Seal the east gates! Bring the electric fences online!”

On the ramparts of Osaport, soldiers of the 9th Hispana and 7th Britannia dug in, sweat freezing on their brows as the stormfront howled closer. Civilians were still streaming from the eastern suburbs, screaming, tripping, clutching children—but there was no time. The last gates slammed shut, cutting hundreds off from the city. They pounded their fists, cried out for mercy—then the front hit them. The first to fall. Torn apart in the shrieking dark.

The defence perimeter held—for now. COVID Cases hurled themselves at the fences, bodies crackling against the electric current, piling over each other in grotesque ladders of burning flesh. Soldiers above poured diesel down in sheets, flamethrowers igniting the tide with a roar of fire.

Overhead, the first Bat-Claw Spores dove from the clouds, wings stretched wide, talons flashing. UDF militants answered with controlled bursts from the walls while helicopters swooped in, cannons thundering. One flyer was shredded mid-air, its corpse splattering across a rooftop. The defenders cheered, but already more were circling.

LT Wells (COM): “Reinforcements! Now! We need more guns on the east side!”

At the evacuation points, chaos was no better. Civilians packed the harbour and airstrip, refusing to wait in line for decontamination. Pearl and Amethyst struggled shoulder-to-shoulder with Major Ray’s Marines, trying to push people back. Their shouts were drowned by the panicked roar. Men and women shoved past barricades, clawing for seats on ferries, wading waist-deep into the surf for a lifeboat. Children screamed. A Marine fired a warning shot into the air—nobody listened.

Across town, sirens wailed. Garnet raced toward the CHS Medical Centre, dodging soldiers and evacuees who pushed past her in blind terror. On the way, she nearly collided with Katsuki Bakugo and Minoru Mineta, both rushing in the same direction.

Back inside the PVRF facility, alarms blared as steel shutters clanged shut across the windows—too slowly. A crash of glass, a screech, and COVID-19 Case Zombies poured through, claws slashing. The Four Specimens fought desperately, Andrew hurling himself forward to stab one with a jagged shard of pipe, yanking Saito free from another’s grip. Together, Andrew, Wright, Blaine, and Saito bolted down the corridor, searching for the way out.

At the CHS Medical Centre itself, doctors, nurses, and soldiers froze as a sickening clatter and screech rattled from the back doors and above the ceiling tiles. Then, with a splintering crash, Cases burst through in a snarling tide.

Outside, the battle escalated. The Mane 6, Red, SGT Parker and his men burst into the open as the storm disgorged more Spores into the streets. Red’s hand flashed, throwing Pokéballs. Scyther, Kabutops, and Tauros materialised, slashing into the first wave with blades and horns. Pikachu sparked furiously at his side.

Red: “Come on—now!”

Twilight’s horn glowed, magic wrapping around her friends. With a flash of violet light, the Mane 6 teleported clear of the immediate fight—only to reappear in the middle of a stampeding crowd, pressed against the back of a defence fence that groaned and buckled under the pounding of hundreds of COVID Cases.

On the east walls, UDF gunners poured controlled fire into the swarm. Helicopters hovered low, miniguns cutting swathes through the infected. The fences bent inward, concrete cracked, sparks showered. Everyone knew it couldn’t last.

SGT Parker: (barking) “Back to the plane!”

The Sergeant dragged Red toward the airfield. His Pokémon fell in around him, buying precious seconds with each desperate strike. Twilight and her friends were swept away with the crowd, galloping to stay ahead of the collapsing fence.

At the docks, Pearl and Amethyst fought to hold the line as Major Ray’s comms flared. “Be advised, HVIs confirmed in the city. CIF team en route for extraction. Hold until contact!”

But even as the orders came, the east side collapsed. The fences shattered, the concrete toppled, and the second wave hit. Kython Spores scuttled through the gaps, claws gouging the streets. Griever Spores charged on swollen limbs, tearing civilians apart in the open. Behind them came the horde—hundreds of thousands of infected forms, advancing from the stormfront, devouring everything in their path.

Osaport was burning. And the night was only beginning. 

***

Garnet braced herself. With a flash of light, her gauntlets materialised around her arms. A wall of snarling Case Zombies surged forward, clawing over one another like a tidal wave of rot.

Garnet [mutter]: “Not today.”

Her fists roared off like rockets, blasting through the swarm. The street shook from the shockwave as a hole tore open in the horde. For a heartbeat, there was space. She charged through, shockwave after shockwave hammering the advancing Cases back across the pavement and rooftops.

Behind her, Bakugo and Mineta flanked the CHS doctors, using their Quirks to burn and batter any Cases that broke past Garnet’s line. Bakugo’s explosions ripped through the air, deafening and furious, while Mineta—sweating bullets—planted his sticky balls across the pavement to slow the tide. The trio wasn’t winning. They weren’t meant to. They were buying seconds, minutes at most, so doctors could drag patients toward evacuation. Seconds meant lives.

At the airport, engines screamed. Passenger jets lined the tarmac, packed with evacuees crammed shoulder to shoulder. Shoto and Fumikage watched as the first pallets of medical supplies were loaded aboard. Relief at first—then dread. Where were their classmates? Where was Red?

Back in the streets, the Four Specimens burst from the PVRF facility, weapons stolen from a fallen guard. They plunged into chaos—UDF soldiers firing on the swarm, Cases ripping through alleys, civilians trampled in their flight. As the Specimens fought to break free, a squad of PVRF military contractors spotted them. The order was barked out:

PVRF Contractor (Barking): “There! Take them alive!”

Shots cracked. The chase was on.

***

Meanwhile, the Mane 6 ran shoulder-to-shoulder with civilians and soldiers. Corporal Maria Perez and the remnants of the 9th Hispana staggered beside them, radios blaring.

CPL Perez: “Hawk-5, we need immediate close air support! Marking dust-off for HVIs—repeat, dust-off for HVIs!”

Above, the chop of rotor blades signalled the UDF Eurocopters closing in. Tracer fire streaked downward as miniguns raked through the Cases below, momentarily thinning the tide. 

Throughout the orgy of destruction, thousands were killed. The majority of surviving defenders and inhabitants in the District fled to the only direction where there would be escape.

The Mane 6 fled with the surge of civilians and squads of UDF soldiers, their hooves pounding against the pavement as they rushed into a pedestrian walkway shielded by a heavy steel canopy. The fencing overhead groaned under the weight of desperate feet and shoving shoulders, the din of terror echoing in the narrow passage.

Then—impact. Case Zombies hurled themselves down from rooftops, slamming onto the canopy with bone-cracking force. The metal shuddered, sparking as claws scraped furrows into its surface. Screams erupted as the infected pounded and clawed, the ceiling warping under the relentless assault.

Some broke through. Civilians shrieked as Cases dropped between them like wolves into a flock, tearing and dragging bodies into the stampede. Then came the Bat-Claws—winged, screeching, swooping low. One UDF soldier was slammed onto his back, two of the beasts pinning him down with talons and teeth. His hands trembled, blood pouring from his side, but he still ripped the pin from his grenade.

UDF Soldier: “Get clear!” (he barked—his last words)

The blast tore through the walkway, obliterating the Bat-Claws and blowing a hole in the canopy. But the explosion buckled the supports—the whole structure groaned, then collapsed.

The iron shield toppled inward, a crushing avalanche of twisted steel and concrete. Dozens were flattened instantly beneath it, screams cut short in a single deafening roar of destruction.

The Mane 6 barely made it through. The collapse thundered behind them as they stumbled forward, the edge of the falling steel crashing just inches from their tails. Twilight looked back once—the walkway was nothing but a mangled tomb—and then pushed her friends onward into the shadows of a narrow alley, lungs burning, hearts racing.

***

Red gritted his teeth, throwing another Pokéball. Spearow burst forth, circling overhead as a scout. “Find us a way out!” Red shouted. Sgt. Parker pulled him by the shoulder, dragging him toward the CHS medical centre—where wounded were still trapped.

They reached it just as Shoto’s ice wall and Fumikage’s Dark Shadow smashed back a knot of Cases. For a moment, it looked like they might hold. But then—shadows spread across the ground. Red looked up. Gargoyle Spores were diving from the storm. From the front, Knight Spores advanced with staffs sparking plasma, leading the charge of the infected army.

SGT Parker: “Too late,” (raising his rifle)

Bakugo: “Not yet!”

Bakugo unleashed a blast so fierce it shook the building’s foundations. Red’s Pokémon charged in beside him, cutting a path toward the patients.

Inside, Garnet was being swarmed—Griever Spores hammering at her gauntlets, Bat-Claws swooping to claw at the wounded. Her back hit the wall. Just as one beast lunged for her throat, Pikachu’s Thunderbolt seared across the chamber, frying it mid-leap.

Katsuki followed up with a deafening explosion, clearing the hall long enough for Garnet to launch back into the fray. Together, the U.A. students, Red, and the Gems carved through the monsters, dragging four, five patients at most toward the exit. It wasn’t enough, but it was all they could carry.

Outside, the storm worsened. Red’s Spearow swooped low, trying to guide them—only to be snagged mid-air by a Bat-Claw and carried screaming into the black clouds. Red’s face twisted in rage as he hurled another Pokéball, only to be cut off by another wave spilling into the street.

At the docks, panic became slaughter. Civilians stampeded, crushing one another to climb aboard lifeboats. Helicopters strafed overhead, blasting Bat-Claws, swooping onto the crowd. Soldiers fell, civilians fell, the water itself turning red with blood.

***

Elsewhere, Twilight Sparkle and the Mane 6 were driven into an alley, cut off by a squad of Knight Spores. Plasma bolts shrieked past, cutting down four of Perez’s men in seconds. Twilight raised her horn, firing a concussive beam—but the Century Leader among them blocked it with his staff, shoving the magic back into her. She was hurled into a wall, coughing, vision spinning.

The Knight loomed, staff raised for a killing blow. Twilight tried to rise, but her magic flickered, weak. Her friends cried out, helpless.

Then—boom. Garnet slammed in, pulling Twilight clear at the last instant. Her gauntlet roared point-blank into the Century Leader’s chest, tearing the torso apart in a blast of light and stone. The other Knights faltered just long enough for Marines, Pokémon, and U.A. students to open fire, grenades tearing the rest apart.

Above the rooftops, unseen, a pair of Scouter Spores observed from a distance. Calculating. Waiting.

And still, the massacre raged.

Red’s Scyther, Tauros, Kabutops, and Pikachu fought with everything they had, but one by one they were dragged down—overwhelmed by sheer numbers, pinned by claws and teeth. Worse still, infected Pokémon, already turned into twisted Case Zombies, shambled into the fray, snarling in mockery of their former selves.

The defenders of Osaport fought and bled and died. And yet the tide only rose higher. 

***

The Four Specimens scattered through the burning streets of Osaport, each step dogged by the chaos of collapsing buildings and shrieks of the infected. Somewhere in the maelstrom, they had lost the PVRF operators assigned to hound them—but not all.

Ronald Wright staggered as two armed operators burst from an alley and tackled him to the ground, rifles jabbing at his chest. He braced for the crack of a gunshot.

Instead, there was another sound—two sharp bursts. One operator dropped, clutching a hole in his throat. The second wheeled around just in time for Andrew Stevenson to crash into him, teeth bared. Ronald froze in horror as Andrew bit down savagely, tearing into the man’s jugular in a spray of blood.

The street fell quiet for a moment, save for Andrew’s ragged breathing.

Ronald pulled himself upright, his eyes locking with Andrew’s. What he saw chilled him more than the Spore hordes ever could—something feral lurking just behind Andrew’s gaze. A flicker of hunger. A shadow of infection.

Ronald Wright: (whispering, his chest heaving) “Andy… What the hell did you do before you found us?”

Andrew wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, offering no answer. He only motioned for Ronald to move. Together, they caught up with Sallie and Karsyn, racing until the ground itself drove them upward. Their only refuge—a Burger King rooftop.

But even there, safety proved an illusion. Case Zombies clawed their way up the walls, and shadows of Spores circled in the smoke above. The Four Specimens stood surrounded, backs to one another, bracing for the inevitable end.

Then the sky thundered.

The roar of engines drowned out the shrieks as three Ospreys swept overhead, chain guns unleashing hell into the advancing horde. The rooftop shook under the barrage, Spores and Cases shredded apart in a storm of lead.

A booming voice echoed from a loudspeaker.

Osprey Pilot: “Stand yourselves down! There’s no way out!”

The Specimens exchanged glances. They had no choice. One by one, they sank to their knees, hands raised behind their heads as the downdraft whipped debris around them.

Fast ropes dropped from the bellies of the aircraft, and black-armoured operators slid down with precision. CIF Team 1. Their weapons snapped up as boots hit the rooftop, encircling the Specimens like wolves.

Last down the line came Captain Gabriel Lennox himself, calm, deliberate, a pistol already in hand. He strode forward, eyes narrowing at the haggard four.

Lennox: “We’ve been monitoring you for some time. PVRF’s got a fat bounty on your heads—seems you’re valuable to them alive.”

He paused, chambering a round with a sharp click-clack. His tone dropped, cold and certain.

Lennox: “This isn’t personal. But make no mistake—one of you has to go.”

The muzzle of his pistol swept across the Four Specimens, each of them staring down the barrel as the roar of Ospreys filled the air.

As the survivors regrouped, a Eurocopter swept down toward their position, blades cutting the smoke-choked air. Its skids touched down in a fragile clearing—one last chance at escape. The characters sprinted for it, their hearts pounding with desperation.

But salvation lasted only seconds.

From the storm front, a fresh swarm descended. Bat-Claw Spores latched onto the chopper’s struts, tearing at its frame. Knight Spores encircled it on the ground, pulse rifles flashing beams of searing light skyward. Then Kython Spores hurled their mass against its tail rotor. The helicopter bucked and spun, alarms shrieking as its pilot fought for control—before the Knight Spores turned it into a burning silhouette in the sky.

It spiralled down, colliding with a row of oil tankers. The impact unleashed a chain of thunderous secondary explosions, fireballs ripping across the docks and showering the battlefield in burning debris. The heat licked their backs as the survivors threw themselves into cover.

The collapse was total. COVID-19 Cases and Spores poured into Osaport like a living flood. Inner defences crumpled as though made of cardboard. Wyverns swooped overhead, Gargoyles pounced from rooftops, Behemoths thundered through the wreckage, and the port itself erupted under attack.

Major Ray, his face streaked with ash and desperation, screamed the only order left. “Abandon the city! Get to the last boat!”

Pearl and Amethyst gathered the characters, rallying them through the carnage. Soldiers of the 7th Britannia and 9th Hispana fought in desperate rearguards, giving their lives with bayonets and machine guns to buy seconds of time. MSTs lumbered into the streets, plasma cannons flaring in futile defiance. But the rout was unstoppable—the evacuation devolved into chaos, a slaughter under the collapsing sky.

The animated characters, Sergeant Parker, Corporal Perez, and a handful of UDF stragglers tore through the docks, stumbling into the last lifeboat as bullets, beams, and claws ripped through the crowd around them. Engines roared, and the boat sped away, trailed by a single MST lumbering into the surf to provide cover fire until the waves swallowed it whole.

They had escaped. Barely.

Onboard, silence settled among the survivors. The Crystal Gems, the Mane 6, the four U.A. students, and Red sat huddled together, staring back at the inferno. From their vantage point, they saw Osaport die—the holiday resort turned refugee haven now a graveyard, consumed by flames and infection.

They had saved some. But not nearly enough.

On the shore, the slaughter continued. Case Zombies and Spores tore apart the stragglers. Red’s own Pokémon, now twisted into monstrous infected husks, stood among them—grotesque shadows of what they once were. The chorus of screams, shrieks, and the wet tearing of flesh filled the air until, suddenly, it all stopped.

A terrible stillness fell over Osaport.

Three Scouter Spores advanced onto the ruined docks, flanked by a mass of converted zombies. Then, from within the silence, a voice seeped—not into the air, but directly into their minds. It was deep, hollow, and heavy with malice, echoing like it came from within their very bones.

COVID-19 (deep haunting tone): “This is the voice of the Coronavirus. We will spread. You sparked the shockwave with your reckless gatherings. Your defiance will not go unpunished. Our retaliation will be slow… but nonetheless effective. You will pay in full!”

The survivors shivered in the lifeboat as the echo lingered. No one dared to speak. The battle for Osaport was over—lost—and now they knew for certain: the virus wasn’t just a plague.

It was watching them.

Chapter Text

April 13th 2020

By late morning in District 101, Landron City, the silence was suffocating. The Pokémon Centre penthouse looked out over a skyline of shuttered shops and abandoned streets. Ash and Goh slouched on the couches, their partners—Scorbunny curled at Goh’s feet, Pikachu perched on the armrest—equally restless.

Goh: “Feels like the city’s holding its breath,”

He tossed a Pokéball between his hands more out of boredom than purpose. The phone buzzed, breaking the lull. Nurse Joy’s voice came through, clipped but urgent:

Nurse Joy: “Goh, Ash—bring what you can carry. You’re wanted downstairs.”

Goh shot Ash a glance and stood, tightening his varsity jacket.

Goh: “Sounds important.”

Ash stretched, yawning, but his expression sharpened.

Ash: “Important’s never good these days.”

They rode the elevator down in silence, the weight of unsent letters and unanswered calls pressing on them.

Goh: “Any word from Pallet Town? From Professor Oak? Your mom?”

Ash: (shook his head) “Nothing. Still isolating. Feels like the whole world’s gone quiet.”

Goh exhaled, uneasy. His own family hadn’t written either.

When the doors opened, Nurse Joy was waiting with two UDF officers in UCP fatigues. She gestured briskly toward the boardroom. “They want you inside. Don’t keep them waiting.”

The trainers exchanged a nervous look. Goh brushed his hair down, trying to look presentable, while Ash just squared his shoulders and walked in.

Inside, five soldiers stood at attention beside a massive monitor. On screen was a man whose presence filled the room even through a grainy video feed—the Brigadier General, callsign Godfather.

The trainers froze at the threshold, unsure.

Goh (clearing his throat): “Um… may we help you with something?”

Godfather leaned forward, his eyes sharp, even through the pixels.

Godfather: “You’re already helping. Sit down. This is about saving lives.”

Ash sat stiffly. Goh perched on the edge of his chair, Scorbunny hopping up beside him. Pikachu perched with him.

Godfather: “Nurse Joy says you’re both good with maps. True?”

Goh: (nodded cautiously) “Yes, sir. Good enough.”

Godfather: “Good. Because we’ve picked up a distress call outside the Quarantine Zone.”

The screen flickered to a digital map of Modaire, Safe Zones glowing blue, infected regions bleeding red. Godfather’s cursor traced a circle.

Godfather: “Now, you are here, District 101. District 102 is here, on the East Coast. The distress signal’s beacon was traced here, outside the town of Quebolt. How long will it take you to get there?”

Goh: “I don’t understand, sir.”

Ash: (frowned) “But that’s inside the infected perimeter. Around the Isle of Beagles.”

Godfather: (flatly) “Correct. The infection there is in retreat—for now. UAV recon shows scattered Case Zombies, but the main wave line has pulled back nine miles north. That won’t last. Whoever sent the signal won’t survive if we wait.”

Goh: (leaned forward) “But why us? Don’t you have rescue crews?”

Godfather: (tone hardened) “Rescue crews are treating critical cases. Colonel McCormick’s garrison in District 102 is busy holding back a riot group—the Rippers. By dawn tomorrow, they’ll be in full protest. And the lines of communication are down—sabotaged. So we can’t get to them.  Which leaves… you.”

The general brought up another feed: grainy UAV footage of movement in the infected zone. Wyvern Spores wheeling overhead. Grievers are crawling across wreckage. Knight Spores in formation.

Ash: (fists clenched) “That’s a Tier 4 threat.”

Godfather: “Exactly. And amidst that… a beacon, transmitting in Morse. Not military. Not civil defence. Our thermal scans suggest it’s one of your own kind—an Avalon character. Someone worth saving.”

The trainers traded a glance. This wasn’t just about helping strangers.

Godfather leaned back, voice low and deliberate.

Godfather: “Your mission is simple. Travel across Landron’s Quarantine Zones. Avoid contact where possible in the Hotspots. Find the source of the beacon in Quebolt. Escort them east to District 102’s port before the Rippers lock it down at dawn. Deliver this—” (One of the UDF officers slid a sealed permit across the table.) “—to Colonel McCormick. Without it, he won’t open the gates.”

Goh: (hesitant with heart pounding) “And if we’re late?”

Godfather: “Then extraction is denied. District closed. Survivors abandoned. Deadline: ten-hundred hours, 14th of April.”

Ash and Goh accepted the mission. He was unsure about his family, and he wasn’t busy at all, so this would be the offer of a lifetime. The UDF Lieutenant gave both Goh and Ash supplies to counteract any symptoms. Facemasks, plastic gloves, and a Track & Trace App online. They were instructed to leave for the beacon immediately, and the UDF would escort them along a tram line on the north side of the city. After that, the Trainers and their Pokémon would be on their own. It was unnerving to cross the no-man’s land after the heavy lockdown, but Godfather assured them they would meet little resistance. Ash only had one question.

The silence was heavy. Ash swallowed.

Ash: “Why us? Why not soldiers?”

Godfather’s reply was calm but cutting.

Godfather: “Because you’re Pokémon trainers. You’re used to working beyond walls, beyond homes. You adapt. Right now, that makes you essential.”

Pikachu:  (ears twitched) “Pika…chu.”

Godfather softened slightly, almost a smile.

Godfather: “Good luck, both of you. Avalon needs it.”

Ash: (he rose, face set): “We won’t fail.”

Goh wasn’t so sure—but he nodded anyway. 

On their way to the tram stop, Ash and Goh kept circling back to the same question—was this really the right decision?

Ash frowned as he adjusted his cap.

Ash: “We were told to stay indoors. Strictly. If we leave, we’re breaking the one rule everyone else has to follow.”

Goh: (voice firmer than usual.) “Ash, sitting still won’t save anyone. If there’s someone out there worse off than us, we have to try. This isn’t about breaking rules—it’s about doing the right thing.”

Neither could quite silence their doubts, but neither turned back.

At the tram station, UDF soldiers stood waiting. They handed over an empty railcar on a still-running line that stretched into the north of Landron City. As the trainers boarded, the Lieutenant gave them a final briefing.

UDF Lieutenant: “Past nine stations, you’ll disembark. From there, Quebolt is on foot. If either of you gets clawed, scratched, or shows symptoms, you stop and isolate. Flare goes up, and we send medics before dark. Understand?”

Ash accepted a single red flare, tucking it into his pack. Both trainers exchanged a breathless glance before the tram screeched into motion.

Twenty kilometres later, the car rattled to its ninth stop without resistance. Doors hissed open. Ash, Goh, Pikachu, and Scorbunny stepped out into silence.

The town was dead.

Windows smashed. Cars rusting in crooked lines along the curb. Shops boarded up, doors chained. Paper and plastic skittered across the road in the faint wind. Corpses—civilian and soldier alike—lay rotting in alleys and side streets, evidence of battles already lost.

Eight blocks on, the scars of bombardment showed themselves—craters gouged from artillery, trenches hastily dug and abandoned, pipes split open and spilling sewage. The street itself looked more like a battlefield than a neighbourhood.

Five UAV drones buzzed overhead, their engines humming like insects. The trainers pressed on.

Ash slipped while climbing down into a trench and stumbled into a hollow pipe leading deeper into a shattered nine-story block. Past that, fractured gaps bridged into the next ruin. It was the direction the Spores had last been seen.

They advanced cautiously. Goh sent out Sobble and Scyther, their eyes sweeping every shadow.

The stairwell reeked. On the upper floors, the remains of UDF soldiers lay scattered—bodies ripped open, uniforms stained black. Ash’s stomach turned. In the dim hallways with no windows, their flashlights became lifelines.

Then they saw them.

Clicker Spores. Twisted, fungal growths had blinded their eyes, their skulls split by grotesque fruiting bodies. They moved in jerks, sniffing and twitching, ears cocked for sound.

Ash (voice dropped to a whisper): “Quiet. No sudden moves.”

They crept through, breath held.

But at a stuck door, Ash braced his shoulder and shoved hard. The door burst inward with a crash.

A Clicker shrieked and lunged, pinning him to the ground.

Goh: “ASH!”

Scorbunny charged, smashing into the monster with a Quick Attack before searing it with Ember. The creature shrivelled with a final twitch. Pikachu scrambled to Ash, ears flat, checking him anxiously. Ash gave a trembling nod. He wasn’t bitten.

They pressed upward—higher, because the lower floors were choked with debris. On the eighth floor, they hauled each other up a landing. Ahead, another Clicker prowled in the dark. Pikachu crept forward, tail low.

Then Ash’s heart stopped.

Half-buried in the dust were Claymore mines, tripwired across the floor.

Ash: “Pikachu—stop!”

Too late. Pikachu’s paw scraped a loose can. The Clicker turned, shrieked, and charged.

Ash: (sprinted) “No!”

The Clicker’s foot tripped the sensors.

KA-BOOM!

The hallway erupted in fire and dust. The blast hurled Ash across the room, slammed Pikachu into a wall, and shook the entire building on its foundations.

The nine-story block groaned, its steel skeleton screaming. Ash coughed, staggering to his knees.

Ash: “Pikachu!”

He dug frantically through rubble until he uncovered his partner, unconscious but alive. Scooping him into his arms, Ash bolted.

The building began to tip.

Ash: “GOH, MOVE!”

They pounded down a stairwell, scaffolds rattling under their weight, until the way ahead collapsed. No more stairs. No time.

Ash: “Jump!”

Together, they hurled themselves from the side of the tilting structure.

The trainers slid down the slanted wall as the skyscraper toppled, concrete groaning and splitting beneath them. With a final cry, they leapt clear, hitting the street hard as the building collapsed in a choking roar of dust and fire behind them. 

Outer Landron Streets

The building they’d sheltered in had toppled like a giant, its frame groaning before spilling them out with it. Ash and Goh hit hard but survived, scraped and bruised, on the rooftop of a lower block. From there, they scrambled down a stairwell to street level. Pikachu staggered weakly, and Ash immediately gave him a dose of the medicine Nurse Joy had packed.

Goh: (sat against the wall, rubbing his shoulder) “Why us, Ash? If the UDF had something this important, shouldn’t they have picked… I don’t know… soldiers?”

Ash didn’t answer right away. He was still catching his breath, replaying the briefing in his head. All they’d expected from that summons to the Penthouse was some minor errand—helping fix the Pokéball transfer network, maybe hauling food for the Pokémon Centre. Not this. Not marching into the teeth of a Quarantine Zone or worse, a Hotspot Area. But when they looked at each other, both knew there was no thought of turning back.

They made their way across a collapsed street using a narrow wooden plank bridge. On the far side, a cracked stairwell led them back to the main road. Ash fired a flare skyward—the UDF’s signal that they’d broken through the old infection line.

Quebolt lay northwest. All they had to do was keep moving.

Hours bled away under the weight of silence. By late afternoon, they reached the overgrown suburbs, where pavement had given way to long grass and cracked earth. Pools of water filled the streets, turning avenues into shallow ponds. The trainers waded across one, Scorbunny pausing with its ears flicking.

The distant roar of engines split the quiet. Two MQ drones swept overhead, escorted by a single Eurofighter banking into a loop. Goh tilted his head, shading his eyes.

Goh: “Recon run? Or heading home? Wonder what they’ve seen.”

Ash didn’t answer. He was already thinking of a shortcut.

Ash: “Through the back gardens—we’ll shave off time.”

Goh shook his head sharply. “Bad idea. We don’t know what’s inside those houses. Could be more Cases waiting.”

Before they could argue, Pikachu’s ears pricked. Three black shapes cut across the fading light—two Bat-Claws and a lumbering Gargoyle.

Ash: “Cover!”

They ducked under the half-collapsed porch of a house, eyes fixed on the sky. Seconds later, two Eurofighters screamed in from the south. Missiles flared, vapour trails slicing the clouds. One Bat-Claw burst apart mid-air, the Gargoyle broke left, and the surviving Bat-Claw dodged hard, drawing the jets into a vicious chase.

Ash and Goh crept forward to watch as tracer fire stitched the sky. The Gargoyle went down in a fireball. But one Bat-Claw doubled back, latching onto the fuselage of a Eurofighter. Smoke belched from the jet as it rolled into a spiralling descent—straight toward them.

Ash: “Run!”

They tore across the garden as the fighter slammed into the house’s front wall, detonating in a blinding roar. The shockwave blew them off their feet.

Ash scrambled behind a shed with Pikachu just as a secondary explosion ripped through the wreckage.

Ash: “Goh!” he yelled, staggering out. Smoke and debris filled the air.

Pikachu darted ahead and found Scorbunny—shaken but alive. Then a scream froze Ash’s blood.

Goh was on the ground, pinned by a sprinting Case Zombie, claws inches from his face.

Ash: “Pikachu—Thunderbolt!”

Goh: “Scorbunny, Double Kick!”

The Pokémon’s combined strike blasted the Case off its feet, sending it tumbling into the wreckage. It didn’t get back up.

Ash rushed to Goh’s side.

Ash: “Are you hurt?”

Goh’s sleeve was torn. Blood welled from a ragged claw mark across his upper arm.

Ash pulled him against the shed, fumbling for gauze. His hands shook.

Ash: “Stay with me—hold still!”

Before panic could take over, two UDF soldiers rounded the corner, rifles raised. One knelt immediately.

UDF Soldier: “Medic! Over here!”

Within moments, a field medic sprinted in and started dressing the wound, barking orders.

UDF Medic: “Keep a distance until we know if he’s symptomatic. If he spikes a fever, you move away. Understood?”

Ash’s throat tightened, but he nodded. He stayed kneeling beside Goh, holding his friend’s good hand.

Neither of them truly knew what COVID-19 was—not here, not in this world—but they’d seen what infection could do. The thought of Goh turning into one of those things gnawed at Ash.

Ash: (raw but determined voice) “Don’t worry. We’re still heading northwest. We’ll reach Quebolt. We’ll find whoever sent that signal. And we’ll make it out. I promise.”

Goh tried to protest, but Ash’s eyes blazed with the same stubborn fire that had carried him through a thousand battles. Whatever waited in Quebolt, Ash was ready to face it—darkness, infection, or worse.

And they would keep moving until District 102… or die trying. 

Just then, the UDF officer in charge, Captain Moore, approached. His fatigues were streaked with dust, his sidearm drawn but lowered.

Captain Moore: “What in God’s name are you doing out here?”

His tone carried authority, but also the disbelief of a man used to civilians staying behind the wire.

Ash stepped forward before Goh could falter.

Ash: “Sir—we’re here on orders. There’s a distress signal beyond District 102. We were sent to find survivors.”

Moore studied them for a moment, then gave a curt nod.

Captain Moore: “Alright. You’re with us. But your friend—” (he looked to Goh, pale and holding his injured arm) “—he’s not moving another step without treatment. We’ll get a CASEVAC running immediately.”

Within minutes, the UDF had split them up. A medic eased Goh onto a Foxhound medical carrier where May had already been loaded. She gave Ash a worried glance, but Goh forced a smile as he told Ash.

Goh: “I’ll head back with her. You… you keep going,”

Ash clenched his fists, fighting the urge to argue. Pikachu nudged him with a soft “Pika.” He nodded finally.

Ash: “We’ll finish this, Goh. I promise.”

Moore gestured toward the rear of his convoy.

Captain Moore: “You ride with the last Foxhound. We’re reinforcing District 106, but we’ll get you as far as Quebolt.”

Ash and Pikachu climbed into the back of the armoured truck. Around them, soldiers were packed shoulder-to-shoulder, rifles resting on their knees. Despite the weight of the war outside, they talked the way soldiers always did—banter, trading stories of home, ribbing each other to cut the tension. But beneath the jokes was the gnawing question: How much longer could people live like this?

Eventually, one of the soldiers turned to Ash.

UDF Soldier: “Kid, what’s your story? You look too young to be running through Quarantine Zones.”

Ash rubbed the back of his neck.

Ash: “Lockdown’s been rough. But now… we’ve been asked to get to survivors out there. I don’t know why it’s me. But after everything we’ve seen—I just need to find out what this is all building toward.”

Some of the troops exchanged looks, impressed by his resolve. Others just nodded silently, as if seeing in him the same fire they once had.

The convoy rolled for nearly an hour along backcountry roads, the city falling away into overgrown suburbs and abandoned farmland. Then, the radio crackled.

Foxhound Driver: (grimly) “Bridge is down,” the driver announced grimly.

Through the dust-smeared windows, Ash saw the twisted wreckage ahead—concrete sheared off, girders collapsed into the river below. Worse still, debris had piled into a barricade impossible for the Foxhounds to bypass.

Captain Moore: (cursing under his breath) “No way through. We’ll divert six miles south to the next crossing.” (He turned to Ash) “But this is your stop. The beacon you’re after is on the far side of that river. This is as close as we can get you.”

Ash and Pikachu disembarked. The soldiers gave him firm handshakes, one patting Pikachu on the head.

UDF Soldier: “Good luck, kid. Hope you find whoever’s out there.”

Captain Moore paused before climbing back into his vehicle. His voice dropped, steady and deliberate.

Captain Moore: “If you do find them… and if you have to cross back through the riots to reach Colonel McCormick, make sure people see your effort. Witnesses matter. Remember that.”

Ash: (frowned) “I’m not here to prove anything. I’m here to save them.”

Captain Moore (only gave a small, tired smile): “I know. But sometimes, son, those are the same thing.”

The convoy engines roared to life, pulling away toward District 106. Dust rose in their wake, leaving Ash and Pikachu standing alone at the ruined bridge, staring out toward the Hotspot Town of Quebolt. 

Ash entered the hollow shell of an abandoned shopping centre, hoping to use it as a shortcut into Quebolt. The sun was sinking fast, bleeding pink and gold across the sky before vanishing into a low ceiling of cloud. Evening shadows stretched across the empty atrium.

Inside, the silence was heavy. Most of the main passages were blocked—jagged wreckage from a crashed helicopter hung like a broken rib cage in the centre court, and several ceilings had caved in, leaving mounds of debris. Ash picked his way cautiously, peering through darkened shopfronts for any kind of exit.

Pikachu: “Pika!”

Pikachu’s ears twitched. He scampered to the back of a small pharmacy, pointing his paw toward a faint shaft of light glowing around a steel door. Ash hurried to it, tried the handle—locked. He rattled it, shoved it, but the rusted lock wouldn’t budge.

Thinking fast, Ash glanced around the pharmacy. “There’s gotta be a way through,” he muttered. Pikachu nosed through the aisles, claws scraping along the dusty tile. On the counter, Ash found a folded note scrawled in desperate handwriting:

Ash: (quietly reading the note out loud) “I’ve been showing symptoms. Locked myself away in Prince’s Fashion Store… can’t risk infecting the rest. If anyone finds this—don’t open the door.”

Ash’s stomach tightened.

Ash: “Prince’s Fashion Store.” (he repeated quietly.)

If the pharmacist had locked himself in, maybe the key was still on him.

The trainers ducked under a half-shuttered grille and slipped into the boutique. Darkness swallowed them instantly. The store had no windows; every corner was drowned in black, and strands of fungal growth crawled along the floor and walls. Without a fire-type to light the way, Ash could only sweep his UDF-issued flashlight slowly from shelf to shelf.

The silence gnawed at his nerves. Every slumped mannequin looked like it could move. Every fungus-caked body felt ready to twitch. If there are Cases in here… why aren’t they coming out already?

Ash: (whispering) “Stay close, buddy.”

Pikachu clung tighter to his shoulder, ears flicking at every creak.

They crept deeper until they reached the staff room. Ash pushed the door open, the stale smell of mildew and rot forcing its way up his throat. Against the far wall was the pharmacist—his body half-fused into a pulsating mound of black fungus.

Ash swallowed hard, forcing himself forward.

Ash: “Sorry, but I need this.”

His hands trembled as he searched the corpse’s pockets. Cold, rubbery skin gave way until his fingers brushed metal. He pulled it free: a small, tarnished key. Relief hit him like oxygen. Then the pharmacist’s arm slid free of the wall and flopped limply to the floor. Ash and Pikachu both leapt back, hearts hammering. But it was just gravity—the corpse remained lifeless. Ash pocketed the key.

Ash: “We’ve got what we need. Let’s—”

Pikachu froze. His ears shot up. The faint, unmistakable sound of clicking echoed from the storefront. A Clicker was in the shop.

Ash’s pulse spiked. The creature moved blindly, head twitching, claws scraping along the racks. It hadn’t found them yet.

Ash grabbed a glass bottle from a counter and lobbed it across the room. It shattered against a wall, the sound echoing like a gunshot. The Clicker immediately shrieked and stumbled toward the noise.

Ash: (hissed) “Now!”

They bolted. They sprinted back through the pharmacy, Ash fumbling the key into the back door’s lock. The Clicker whipped around, shrieking again, its claws hammering the tiles as it charged. The key stuck; the lock was stiff with rust.

Ash: “Come on, come on!”

Ash twisted furiously. The Clicker was almost on them.

Pikachu: “Pika—CHUUUUU!”

Pikachu unleashed a thunderbolt that lit the corridor white-hot, staggering the beast for a second. Ash shoved the door open just in time. They dove through, Pikachu darting after him—and the ceiling gave way.

With a deafening crack, debris crashed down. The shockwave knocked Ash forward. Dust and concrete slammed into him and Pikachu, and the world went black as they hit the ground unconscious. 

Quebolt

Ash and Pikachu came to with a jolt, the faint drip of water striking their faces. The air was heavy with dust and mildew; the shopping centre was far darker now, its echoing silence broken only by the faint groan of settling beams. Ash rubbed his head, wincing, and helped Pikachu up.

Ash: “Come on, buddy… we’ve gotta keep moving.”

They staggered out of the pharmacy and into the wider concourse. Outside, the muffled thrum of what sounded like helicopter blades mingled with the inhuman shrieks of Spore Mutants. By the time Ash found his way back to the exit, night had fallen fully. The sky was bruised black, lit only by distant fires.

When he and Pikachu emerged from the ruins, the town of Quebolt stretched before them—an inferno. Whole blocks were burning, the flames licking at the dark, sending plumes of smoke into the sky. Wyvern Spores wheeled overhead, their searchlights slicing through the haze, while the guttural cries of Knight Spores echoed from the streets below.

A sudden barrage of energy fire crackled nearby, sizzling through the night air. Ash flinched, dragging Pikachu behind a shattered wall as green lances of plasma scorched the cobblestones. The shrieks were getting closer. He broke from cover, sprinting down a narrow walkway that led to a chapel engulfed in flames, its stained-glass windows glowing red from within. The fire lit up Quebolt like a funeral pyre.

Ash and Pikachu darted through the burning streets, weaving between shadows to shake the pursuing Spores. For a moment, they paused in the lee of the chapel. Through the smoke, Pikachu’s ears twitched—movement.

A figure stumbled into view, shambling through the glow. Human. At first, Ash’s chest lifted with hope.

Ash: “Hey! Over here!”

Maybe someone survived, someone who could point them toward the distress beacon.

But then the figure’s head snapped upward, a guttural growl tearing from its throat. The shamble turned into a sprint, limbs jerking unnaturally, eyes glazed with hunger. A Case Zombie.

Ash: “Pikachu—Thunderbolt!”

Yellow lightning ripped through the dark, bursting the infected apart in a crack of ozone and black spray. The blast lit the chapel walls like daylight—but also announced their position. Within seconds, the heavy boots and shrieking commands of Knight Spores closed in. Energy bolts slashed past Ash and Pikachu as they bolted through the streets, each shot searing into walls and pavement around them.

They ran blindly, hearts pounding, the enemy’s snarls echoing behind them. And then—suddenly—the pursuing Spores jerked violently. Their armoured bodies lifted from the ground, suspended mid-air.

Ash: “What the—?”

Ash gasped, skidding to a stop. A massive arc of golden electricity surged through the Spores, frying their armour in a flash. Pikachu’s eyes widened—this power wasn’t his.

The last Knight Spore screeched before a whip-like cord snapped tight around its waist. With terrifying force, it was yanked sideways into a stone wall, its armour caving in on impact. Sparks showered the street.

Ash barely had time to process it.

Ash: “Move!” 

Ash pulled Pikachu along. They dove down a collapsed basement shaft, the night above still thrumming with alien cries and the sound of something—someone—else moving in the darkness. 

Ash and Pikachu huddled in the shadows of the collapsed basement, lungs still burning from the sprint. The clicking patrol of Knight Spores passed overhead—boots scraping stone, alien voices like static tearing at the air. Just as Ash let himself exhale, a sudden hand clamped over his mouth and nose, dragging him backwards into the darkness.

His heart thudded. He struggled—until he saw them: only a pair of gloves and boots visible in the gloom, the rest of the body utterly invisible. For a terrifying moment, Ash thought it was another mutant, until the hands recoiled, their owner’s voice tumbling out in a flustered panic.

Voice: “Oh my gosh—I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to—touch your face like that!”

Ash blinked, breath quick and hot behind his mask.

Ash: “Who the heck are you?!”

The unseen figure shuffled nervously in the corner, only the gloves wringing against each other betraying her presence.

Toru Hagakure: “Uh… Toru Hagakure! U.A. High School… Class 1-A. Hero course.”

Ash: (whispering and still guarded) “Hero… what?”

She wasn’t infected—at least she didn’t sound like one. And when she spoke, he heard the tremble of someone just as afraid as he was.

Before he could press further, Ash and Pikachu suddenly floated off the ground, lifted by a soft pink aura. A brunette girl in a pink-and-white costume stepped in through the rubble. Her wide eyes scanned the scene, filled with concern.

Toru Hagakure: (quickly) “Uraraka! It’s okay. He’s… he’s human. He came to help.”

The gravity let go, and Ash and Pikachu tumbled back to the floor with a grunt. Ash sat up, frustration burning in his chest.

Ash: “Help? It’s just me. Who even are you people?!”

The brunette—Ochako Uraraka—hesitated, her expression a strange mix of relief and despair.

Ochako Uraraka: “We’re… students. Heroes in training. Or we were. We’ve been stranded here for days.”

Ash glanced between them—the invisible girl, the gravity-wielding brunette. This wasn’t like any Pokémon region or Champion’s League he’d ever known. These weren’t trainers—they were something else entirely. Heroes.

They guided him into a ruined coal cellar, its roof partially collapsed, rain dripping steadily into the gloom. A makeshift fire glowed in a furnace, casting shaky light over a ragged camp. Around it were more figures: a red-haired boy with a jagged scar and shark-like grin (Eijiro Kirishima), a broad-shouldered, six-armed man with pale grey hair falling over his face (Mezo Shoji), and crouched nearby, a short girl in a green bodysuit with wide, amphibious eyes (Tsuyu Asui).

Pikachu: “Pika…”

Pikachu gasped, ears twitching, just as startled as his trainer.

Ash froze, breath catching. Costumes. Powers. Strange quirks of body and ability. They looked nothing like civilians—yet they were slumped like soldiers at the end of their rope. And on a mattress at the edge of the room lay a boy with messy green hair, pale and unresponsive—Izuku Midoriya. Ochako knelt beside him, brushing damp hair from his forehead. Her voice cracked.

Ochako Uraraka: “It’s been two weeks. He hasn’t woken since we got here. We… we couldn’t hold out much longer.”

For a long moment, no one spoke. Only the crackle of the fire and the drip of water.

Ash: (finally swallowed hard) “So you’re the ones who sent the beacon.”

Ochako Uraraka: (nodded) “We were hoping for… anyone. Reinforcements. Our teachers. But—” Her eyes darted to him, uncertain. “It’s just you?”

Ash: “It’s just me and Pikachu. But that’s enough. I’m getting you out of here.”

The students’ faces flickered—hope mixed with disappointment. They were heroes-in-training, yes, but their powers had been crippled ever since All Might fell. Their world had been swallowed by the infection, their strength drained. To them, Ash looked like just a boy in a cap with a mouse on his shoulder. But his voice carried a determination that was hard to doubt.

Ash: “Follow the river northwest. There’s a safe district under UDF control. If we move tonight, we’ll make it.”

A fragile spark lit in the group. For the first time in days, there was direction. A plan.

But Izuku groaned suddenly, a restless sound that filled the cellar. The noise drew a chorus of snarls from outside—Cases nearby, already hunting. 

Ash: (hiss) “Time’s up.”

Shoji lifted Izuku over his shoulders again. The group moved, following Ash through the ruins. They crept through a burned-out school, past broken desks and blackened walls. Every corner was alive with shadows and the guttural moans of the infected.

A Crab Spore lunged from the darkness straight at Ash’s face—only for Pikachu to blast it mid-air with a Thunderbolt, the flare lighting the corridor like lightning.

Pikachu: “Pika-CHUUU!”

The scream of Spores answered immediately.

Ash: “Run!”

They barrelled out into the streets, chased by Knight Spores whose pulse rifles lit the night with streaks of fire. Shoji’s extra arms slammed one to the pavement; Tsuyu’s tongue lashed out, pulling two more into a wall with sickening cracks.

Ash scooped Pikachu into his arms.

Ash: “This way! The river!”

The group pounded downhill, every alley alive with pursuit. At last, the road fell away to the riverbank. With no time to hesitate, they leapt—forty feet into the black water below.

The impact stole the breath from their lungs. Masks ripped away, currents pulled them apart. Pikachu gasped, ears twitching above the surface as he struggled against the rapids. Izuku stirred faintly in Shoji’s grasp, coughing weakly as water rushed into his lungs.

Ash: “Kick! Keep kicking!”

Ash shouted, thrashing toward him. But the river was merciless, rapids dragging them into jagged rocks and splintering debris.

Tsuyu swam like a natural, her frog-like body cutting through the current. She latched her tongue onto Izuku, yanking him back to the bank with a surge of strength, pulling Shoji and Kirishima with her.

Ash wasn’t so lucky. He reached for a rock, just as someone invisible collided with him—Toru, swept into him head-first. The impact dazed them both. Before he could recover, the current seized them.

Pikachu: “Pikaaaa!”

Pikachu cried, fighting against the water, but the roar ahead told the truth. A waterfall.

Ash had only a moment to brace, arms curling protectively around Pikachu, before the torrent swallowed them whole and hurled them over the edge into the churning black below. 

River Bank

For a long, terrifying moment, Ash was nowhere to be seen beneath the falls. The plunge pool roared, white spray swallowing the world. Then—at last—he burst to the surface, hacking, gasping, eyes stung raw by the torrent. His chest heaved like he’d been underwater for hours. No Pikachu. No students. No Toru.

The current spun him violently, dragging him into the widening river. The water slapped his face, cold and merciless, forcing him to turn onto his back just to breathe. Through blurred vision, he caught sight of something dark bobbing alongside him—Izuku’s limp body, drifting like flotsam.

Ash: “No—no, no, no!”

Ash thrashed his numb limbs to keep close. But every stroke felt weaker, every kick pulling him farther off-course.

The current widened into a brutal, thrumming channel, battering him like a drum. Panic clawed at his chest. Which way was downstream? Was he being carried away from the others? It felt like he was being punished by the river itself, swallowed up for daring to try.

Then—salvation. Through his water-stung eyes, he spotted a jagged branch, bark slick and soaked, jutting from the current. Summoning the last of his strength, Ash lunged, fingers scraping—and caught it. His body jolted to a halt as the torrent tore at him. His breath came in ragged sobs, half water, half air.

Slowly, painfully, the river began to smooth. The relentless pounding slackened into a steady pull. Ash floated, clinging to the branch, as his senses sharpened to new sounds: birdsong above, the whisper of wind through untouched trees along the banks. The falls had receded behind him. He had been spat out into a stretch of river that seemed, impossibly, calm. Peaceful.

Cherry blossoms drifted like pale snow across the surface, brushing his face as he paddled toward shore. His limbs were leaden, his hands numb, but with one last effort, he clawed at the muddy bank, dragging himself inch by inch until he collapsed on the grass.

He lay there, soaked and shivering, hat falling from his head as dawn’s first light broke. The sky burned pink and gold, a cruel contrast to the nightmare behind him. For a long moment, he just breathed—each ragged inhale proof that he was still alive.

But the mission… the others. He couldn’t stop here.

Ash pushed himself to his knees, legs trembling beneath him. He tried to stand. His body gave way, dumping him back onto the mud. Frustration and exhaustion fought in his chest. He pressed his hands into the earth, willing his body to rise again.

And then—footsteps. A presence behind him.

Ash whirled, heart pounding—only to see Izuku Midoriya standing there. Somehow, impossibly, he was upright, dripping river water but balanced on his own two feet.

Ash: (rasp) “Are you alright…”

Izuku Midoriya: “I’m fine.I think I’m fine.”

But his eyes told another story. He flexed his hands, testing. Blue sparks snapped weakly between his fingers, racing up his arms in familiar arcs of One For All. Relief flickered in his expression—then soured. The power was there, yes, but gnawed at, strangled, like something was leeching its strength away.

He remembered. Musutafu. The endless tide. All Might’s voice, calling for him. The creatures—hundreds, thousands—pressing in like a living wall. His fists shattering against them, Detroit Smash after Detroit Smash, each blow answered with two more monsters. The hydra-head horde. And then—All Might himself, falling, their Quirks drained, smothered by the infection that burrowed into everything it touched.

Izuku Midoriya: (whisper) “No…” (Izuku clutched his temples as memory and horror blurred. His voice cracked into a desperate cry.) “All Might! I have to save All Might!”

Ash’s breath caught.

Izuku tried to channel his Quirk harder, sparks surging across his body. For a heartbeat, it looked as though the boy might ignite into full power again. But then his muscles seized. A spasm wracked his body, nerves twitching like live wires. The blue energy fizzled out, leaving him gasping as he staggered into a tree, one hand clawing at the bark for balance.

The look in his eyes was worse than defeat—it was betrayal. One For All was still inside him, but sickened, poisoned, dragged down by something unseen. 

Izuku tried to focus, but he couldn’t. Whatever the virus had clawed out of All Might’s Quirk, it had left a wound in him, too. Every time he reached for One For All, the power spasmed through his body like a stroke—painful, stuttering, incomplete. Ochako, Kirishima, Mezo, and Tsuyu could feel it too. Their Quirks still worked, yes, but as if half-starved—50% strength at best before their nerves screamed in protest. The Coronavirus wasn’t just infecting lungs; it was infecting power itself.

Ash stood there, dripping river water, his jacket clinging to his shoulders, watching with wide, unsettled eyes. Pikachu scurried up to him, ears twitching, as if trying to comfort his trainer. Ash’s face, though, was caught between awe and confusion. These kids—costumes, sparks of strange abilities, words about power and “Quirks”—they really were like superheroes. But even superheroes, he was realising, had cracks in their armour. They weren’t invincible. Even heroes had an Achilles’ heel.

Izuku turned at last, green eyes tired but sharp, to the boy who had stumbled into their nightmare. His voice was cautious, almost disbelieving.

Izuku Midoriya: “You’re the one who found us? Who… who are you supposed to be?”

Ash swallowed, straightened a little, and forced some confidence into his voice.

Ash Ketchum: “Um—I’m Ash. Ash Ketchum. I’m… I’m a Pokémon Trainer, from Pallet Town.”

To Izuku, the words sounded like nonsense, like fragments of a dream half-remembered. Still, he nodded politely, trying not to show his bewilderment.

Izuku Midoriya: “…Alright.”

Ash pressed forward, his curiosity brimming past the exhaustion.

Ash Ketchum: “I heard you and your friends… have superpowers? Could you tell me what you mean?”

The students traded uneasy glances. Ochako bit her lip. Mezo’s many eyes blinked at once. Kirishima rubbed the back of his neck. The boy really didn’t know. Not about U.A., not about heroes, not even about Quirks.

Izuku sighed, the weight of explanation heavy on his shoulders, but he tried anyway.

Izuku Midoriya: “Yes. That’s right. I have a Quirk—One For All. It was passed to me by All Might. The Number One Pro Hero. The Symbol of Peace.”

Ash blinked, brow furrowing.

Ash Ketchum: “…The what of Peace?”

The silence that followed was awkward, almost painful. Two worlds clashing, neither with the vocabulary to bridge the gap. For a heartbeat, they were simply strangers—kids from different stories, talking past each other.

But both knew one thing in common. Both had seen it written in blood and fire across their homes. Both could name the same enemy. Coronavirus. It had driven Class 1-A from Musutafu. It had locked Ash out of his own home, Kanto, and pressed him into quarantine until the UDF gave him this mission. Whatever else they didn’t understand about each other, this enemy was the one thing they shared.

And Ash still had a job to do. The memory of Godfather’s words hung heavy: “District 102. Deliver them to McCormick before the deadline.” The sky was already paling; morning was close.

Shaking off the stiffness in his legs, Ash let Mezo and Tsuyu help him up. He steadied himself, still shivering, and urged the group toward the sound of faint sirens far in the distance. Somewhere out there was the District. Somewhere out there was safety.

The path carried them through dripping underbrush until the trees broke into a road. Ahead, a small cluster of people stood with signs and placards. Black jerseys. Sandwich boards painted with slogans: “Equal Treatment Matters.” “Silence is Violence.” A few bore the image of a man’s face, turned into a symbol.

They weren’t soldiers. They weren’t infected. Protesters. Ordinary people, talking in hushed, tense voices about impeachments, shortages of toilet paper, and the “forgotten” promises of their leaders. The weight of real-world grievances hung in the air like smoke.

Ash froze, Pikachu bristling at his heel. The protesters turned, spotting the dripping, exhausted figures stumbling from the woods. Eyes widened. Questions burst forward all at once:
“Are you alright?”
“Where did you come from?”
“Do you need help?”

Their concerns were genuine, but shallow compared to what Ash and the U.A. kids had just survived. Still, their attention was fixed on the strange group before them—children in costumes, a boy with a mouse-like companion sparking faint electricity, all of them soaked to the bone, haunted and hollow-eyed.

Ash was the first to step forward. His voice was still hoarse, but steady. 

The Protest

Ash forced his way closer, Pikachu perched tight on his shoulder. “Are you the Rippers?” he asked.

A stocky young man in a hoodie nodded.

Protester Jase: “Yeah. We’re the Rippers.”

Ash: “Isn’t there supposed to be a protest happening?”

Protester Mark: “We’re about to start. Any minute now.”

Protester Jase: “We riot together. That’s the point.”

Ash: (shook his head, impatient.) “Look, I’m not here for that. I need to get to the docks—past the perimeter. Do you know the way?”

Mark glanced over his shoulder toward the police blockade.

Protester Mark: “That’s not where you want to be. Not tonight. Cops are lined up tight.”

Jase jabbed a thumb up the street.

Protester Jase: “There’s an entry across from the protest. Half a click. But it’ll be ugly.”

That was all Ash needed. He pushed forward. Pikachu’s ears twitched nervously as helicopters thundered above and sirens wailed from the barricades. Ahead, the streets choked with bodies. Ripper protesters clogged the high street, faces hidden behind masks, waving torches and pitchforks. Placards rose above the crowd, slogans painted in thick black strokes: “No Justice, No Police!” Voices surged in unison, chanting, angry and rhythmic. The front ranks were coiled to explode, blood hot, while the back swelled and pressed forward.

To Ash, it was chaos—but to the police, it was just another riot. Loudspeakers barked warnings: disperse, go home, return to quarantine. Officers in heavy visors and shields formed a wall across the street, batons slapping against their polycarbonate shields in a grim, mechanical rhythm.

Ash didn’t have time for this.

Ash: “We’ve got to get through,” (he hissed to Izuku and the U.A. students.) “Safe Zone closes at ten. If we’re not in, we’re cut off.”

Ochako Uraraka: (hesitated) “Shouldn’t we… help break this up? With our Quirks—?”

Ash: “No,” (Ash snapped, firmer than he expected of himself.) “Not now. We don’t have time.”

Izuku stared at him. The boy’s eyes—determined, unflinching, laser-focused—reminded him of someone. A kid without powers, once, facing impossible odds, who still charged forward because no one else would.

The chanting hit a fever pitch. Protest leaders shoved to the front. Police shields rattled.

Crowd: “NO JUSTICE, NO POLICE!”

And then the line broke. Protesters surged, torches bobbing, fists swinging. Tear gas canisters arced overhead with metallic clunks, hissing white clouds into the mob. The air filled with shouting, coughing, fists striking plastic shields. The street turned into a melee.

Ash grabbed Pikachu and ran.

Ash: “Now!”

He sprinted, darting through gaps in the chaos, angling toward the far corner where Jase had said there was a gap. The U.A. students fanned behind him. Mezo barreled through the crush with his extra arms shielding classmates. Eijiro gritted his teeth, hardening his skin as he shoved aside rioters. Ochako and Tsuyu vaulted above the crowd for a heartbeat before dropping back down to cover Ash’s flank.

Izuku faltered, his Quirk spasming—but then he grit his teeth, forced a jolt through his nerves, and burst forward in a flash of speed. He shoved aside two officers, hoisted Ash by the collar like he weighed nothing, and barreled through. Pikachu scrambled across his shoulder, sparking in agitation. For a moment, they had clear ground.

Tear gas stung Ash’s eyes. He coughed, stumbled, but Izuku didn’t stop until they broke free of the crowd. At last, the gate loomed ahead—armoured soldiers in UDF fatigues, rifles raised, floodlights burning.

UDF Sergeant: “Hands up!”

Red dots of lasers swept across their chests.

Ash froze, throwing both hands high, still clutching the appointment slip between his fingers.

Ash: “We’re not rioters!” (he shouted hoarsely) “Check the paper—Colonel McCormick! We have clearance!”

The name cut through the standoff. Soldiers hesitated. Officers muttered. From behind the barricade, a tall figure in camouflage fatigues and orange-tinted shades stepped forward, flanked by escorts. His facemask muffled his voice, but his authority was unmistakable.

Colonel McCormick.

The soldiers parted to let him through. 

Colonel McCormick: “Who the hell are you?”

Ash Ketchum: “My name is Ash Ketchum. I’m a Pokémon Trainer and a registered Quarantine member of District 101. I have permission to enter the Safe Area.”

Colonel McCormick: “You’re too late. This sector’s already sealed. No one goes in or out.”

Ash Ketchum: “Sir, I’m here on essential orders from UDF Command. We carry a permit.”

UDF Lieutenant: “Colonel, should we—”

Colonel McCormick: [cutting him off] “No, Lieutenant. Not while we’re under national lockdown. I’m not risking a breach because some boy claims he has paperwork.”

Ash Ketchum: [taking a step forward, his voice sharper now] “Then read the permit, sir.”

Colonel McCormick: [snaps back] “I’ve heard that line too many times already. Every desperate soul has a letter, a reason, or a plea. I’m not letting untested civilians through—no exceptions. Not when containment is already hanging by a thread.”

Ash Ketchum: [firm, holding the paper out with both hands] “This isn’t just another plea. The CHS gave us direct clearance. We’ve followed every guideline, every step. We were ordered to deliver this to you—to be tested here, by your people. That’s why I’m standing here instead of hiding back home. Please. Read the letter.”

The words landed. For the first time, McCormick’s hard stare faltered. His eyes flicked to the paper, then to Ash—this soaked, mud-streaked boy standing straighter than many grown men under his command. With a curt nod, he motioned. The Lieutenant accepted the permit from Ash, then handed it up the chain.

The air around them seemed to freeze. Police tightened their grip on shields, officers watching, waiting for the Colonel’s judgment. Pikachu bristled on Ash’s shoulder, ears twitching, while the U.A. students held their ground—Quirks at the ready if this turned against them.

McCormick unfolded the permit slowly, scanning its words with the silence of a man weighing more than paper. At last, he exhaled through his mask and looked up.

Colonel McCormick: “Officers.”

Police Officer: “Sir?”

Colonel McCormick: “Stand down.” [then, to his Lieutenant] “Prep the Quarantine Institute. Bring them in for testing.”

Relief crashed over Ash like a wave. His grip on Pikachu loosened, and the students, uncertain but obedient, let their Quirks fade. For the first time in hours, the prospect of safety was real.

As the group was ushered past the barricade, McCormick leaned just close enough for Ash to hear, his voice low and edged with grimness.

Colonel McCormick: “I was hoping today would pass quietly. But hope is fragile in isolation. Remember that, boy. Next week’s orders will be different. The word is ‘Sanitise the District.’ This pandemic won’t end with compassion. Only survival of the fittest. Now—get inside, Ash Ketchum, before I decide this risk wasn’t worth taking.”

Ash nodded, holding the Colonel’s gaze, then turned. He, Pikachu, and the weary U.A. students followed the taped pathways painted onto the cracked concrete—yellow arrows leading toward the Quarantine Institute, toward testing, and toward whatever awaited them inside. 

Ash, Pikachu, and the U.A. students followed the taped arrows toward the Quarantine Institute, their footsteps echoing against the concrete while UDF soldiers kept sharp watch. At the entrance, CHS medical staff in full PPE stood ready, handing out fresh masks and motioning to the sanitiser stations. Everyone scrubbed their hands in silence before stepping into the marked red circles, each one two metres apart, lined neatly like islands of isolation in front of the Institute doors.

One by one, the students were admitted, disappearing into their assigned units where they would be tested, treated, and confined until cleared. The agreement among them was unspoken but unanimous: if even one of them tested positive, they would remain in isolation until they recovered. None wanted to leave another behind.

When it came down to Izuku and Ash, the hall seemed suddenly quieter. Izuku turned, his face pale from exhaustion yet lit with a tentative smile—one born of gratitude, not certainty. Ash met his gaze, sensing the weight behind it: they were strangers from different worlds, but the same determination burned in both of them. Protagonists who refused to give in, no matter how dark the odds.

Izuku Midoriya: “Thank you. Both of you. For being there… when we needed it.”

Ash gave a small, awkward nod, but Pikachu puffed his chest, letting out a soft “Pika…” as if to accept the thanks for both of them.

For all their differences—Pokémon battles and Quirks, Gym Badges and Hero Licenses—what bound them now was something far more human. The pandemic. The lockdowns, the constant fear, the relentless threat of infection. Even heroes could be brought to their knees. And yet… heroes could still be saved.

Izuku vanished behind the Institute doors, leaving Ash and Pikachu last in line. Ash turned to one of the masked medical officials.

Ash Ketchum: “Excuse me… is there any way I can make a phone call?”

CHS Official: “Once you’re cleared and settled in, you’ll be given access to a secure line. Everyone gets one.”

Ash Ketchum: “Alright. Thanks.”

Their unit was plain but functional: white walls, a single bed with a fresh mattress, a microwave, a small fridge, a desk, and a window overlooking the port. A flap on the heavy steel door was the only link to the outside world—meals and supplies passed through like clockwork. Quarantine at its strictest. Ash and Pikachu submitted their first nasal and spit samples, the doctors warning them it would be the same every morning until the 14-day period was over.

Later, after Colonel McCormick’s men restored the damaged comm lines, the CHS allowed Ash a call. He reported his mission success to the LOCKMAN House in District 101, earning a brief word of praise from the base commander before asking the question gnawing at him.

Ash Ketchum: “And my friend, Goh? What about him?”

Base Commander: “He was exposed. Troops at District 106 secured him immediately. He’s quarantined now. Same schedule as you.”

Relief mixed with worry as Ash ended the call. He drifted to the window with Pikachu on his shoulder. The port stretched out before them, rain clouds gathering where the sea met the sky. For the first time in hours, the danger felt far away. The thoughts of infection and fear ebbed, replaced by a small, quiet hope. Together, they searched the horizon—not for threats, but for the faint shimmer of a rainbow.

Ash slipped a photo from his rucksack: Misty, Brock, his mother Delia—all smiling, all together. He stared at it for a long moment, his face softening from fatigue into something more tender: longing, love, and an ache for home.

Ash Ketchum: Please be safe, (he thought, closing his eyes.)

The quiet didn’t last. His phone buzzed with a new message.