Ox finds Cobra uninterested in diplomacy, and charges at him.

(WHOO-CHHH)

(WHOP-CHHHHH)

Cracking his whip, Cobra gives Ox several gashes across his arms, which he raised for defense.

(Vs Ox)

Running up to Cobra, Ox caught his next whip crack with his bare hand.

Using his free hand to grab and throw Cobra across the room,

Ox then tugged on the whip to try and pull Cobra back towards himself, however, the Whip-Whap-Fu master had let go of the whip.

Landing on a table he rolled off it, and raced back to Ox, who had to leap up to punch across the face.

(BAM)

Ox shrugged off the attack and went to punch Cobra who slighted around the mighty man.

Grabbing him from behind, Cobra tried to suplex Ox, but the Zodiac after the crown stopped the attack by pushing his arms against the floor before his head got smashed into it.

Reversing the suplex, Ox got back on his feet and leaped back to smash Cobra under his weight.

Cobra: OOOF!?

Ox got back to his feet as Cobra lay on the floor.

Ox: You're too-

(WHOO-CHHH)

Turning around to try and gloat, Ox was met with a whip across the face.

Cobra: No banter! Just fight!

With a swing of his whip, Cobra had Ox choking for air.

Ox: Hgh!

Kicking his knees, Cobra made Ox fall on them, letting him place his feet against Ox's beefy body so he can walk up.

Cobra:... Fine, a little banter.

Cobra: Look at me climb up mount cow!

Ox stands up and glares at Cobra.

Cobra:... My god, are you flexing your neck muscles to have enough room for your windpipe to breathe?

Ox:(nods)

Grabbing Cobra's legs, Ox tosses him throw a closet.

(CRASH)

Ox: Nice try- Huh?

Cobra: Ow... You really like throwing people, huh?

Ox: Where is the mayor?

Climbing out of the small walk-in closet, Cobra looks back confused.

Cobra: Mayor?

Ox: He was tied up in there.

Cobra: And you decided to throw me in with him?

Ox: How did he escape-

(THUMP)

An unconscious Rabbit and Mittens land in between them with a grenade-like device.

Ox/Cobra:!?

(BZZZZZZZZZZZZZT)

An electrical shock burst from the grenade, paralyzing both Cobra and Ox.

Cobra/Ox: G-G-GH-GHHHAAA?!!

Falling to the floor, the two both turned their heads with all their might to see who was attacking them.

???: Hehe... You thought it was the final two? Hah!

???: Wrong! It's the final three!

Ox: Wait... You the mayor are...

Cobra: Mayor....? But you're...

???: Sorry, bra. I told a little lie... I'm not Robin. I'm Rat.

(The First Zodiac: Rat)

(Opening Theme)

Ox: Rat?! You were right under our noses this whole time?!

Cobra: I thought the Doc hired you to help me!

Rat: Oh she did.

Rat: Unlike you all, the Doc and I have stayed in contact. She orchestrated this whole thing for us.

Cobra: What? Why!?

Rat: From what I gathered, she wants to finish her life's work.

Rat: But starting the Zodiac project from scratch would take too long.

Rat: That's why she needs all twelve of us, on the down low.

Rat: But that's enough talk. As King Rat, I demand it.

Ox: You aren't King yet..!

Rat: You can't beat me in your condition. I win.

Cobra: Wanna bet!?

Both Ox and Cobra force themselves to stand.

Rat: Cobra, sit down, bra. Or have you not noticed yet?

He steps aside to reveal a tied-up Jade.

Rat: I knew she'd make good insurance.

Cobra:...

Cobra:(looks down at Mittens)...

Mittens:.....

Cobra:(looks at gear on Rabbit)

Mittens:.....(licks nose)

Ox: I'm still willing to fight!

Rat: You followed the Docs plan to a T. You really think you're still good enough to be King?

Ox: Yes!

Rat:.....(pulls out gun)

(BANG, BANG, BANG)

Shooting his knees and shoulder Rat watches Ox struggle even more to stand.

Rat: What about now?

Ox:(Opens mouth)

Rat: Keep in mind, I have more bullets.

Ox:...(sigh)...

Ox: If I'm forced to choose...

Ox: THEN I CHOSE COBRA!

Rat/Cobra: Huh?

Taking Cobra's whip off his neck, he whips the whip around Cobra, only to swing him like a wrecking ball out of a window.

The whole time, Rat emptied his magazine to try and disable Ox.

(SHATTER)

Cobra: WHAT THE HEEEEEELLLLLLL!?!

Mittens: MEOW!?

Grabbing Cobra's gear from Rabbit with his mouth, Mittens leaped out the window after Cobra.

Rat: Oh what the hell Ox!? The doc needs all of us alive!

Collapsing onto the floor, Ox chuckles.

Ox: If he survives, I win. If he doesn't, I win.

Rat: Tch..!

Rat: Guess I'll deliver you two off, and deal with him last.

Free falling down the Babylon Tower, yet again, Cobra uses all his strength to get his whip off himself.

Mittens land on Cobra's side and attaches his holster to his waste for him. The explosive container was attached to the holster.

Cobra: Good kitty...

Cobra:(mind) My body is still sluggish from the shock!

Cobra:(mind) Gotta slow down, one way or another!

With the last of his strength, Cobra swung his whip. When it was straightened out, he stiffened it and stabbed it into the side of the Babylon building, and let the paralyzing effect from the grenade do the rest holding on.

(CHHH-CHH-CHH)

The stiff whip dragged a line through the side of the Babylon Tower, but it was slightly working, but not enough.

Mittens: MEOW!

Cobra: Not without a fight!

As best he could, he got the stiff whip onto the holster.

Cobra: Press the side, fur ball!

Mittens slap the side of the holster, which pulls Cobra and Mittens along the whip, smashing them through the window of a lower floor of Babylon.

(CRASH)

"Project Zodiac..."

"It was a conjoint military project of 6 different countries."

"The point was to take the supernatural power of the monsters in the world, and infused that into humans."

"12000 military personnel was bathed and injected with different mixtures of monster blood, the source of their power."

"Twelve formulas were made, dividing the 12000 into towns of 1000 that would leave the final 12 in their ghost towns until the project was canceled."

"Before the cancellation, we 12 were supposed to fight it out to see would be King, the leader of the group."

"Now... We ended up all together to do what we left undone."

"I just wanted to be alone wolf, the title of King didn't really mean jack to me."

"When the Blind Pig and Horny Dog came for the crown, I still didn't care..."

"Even when that crazy Rooster came swinging, being King was worthless."

"But Goat got me thinking... Horse got me feeling....."

"Tiger and Dragon, and even seeing Monkey had me angry, and wanting the crown out of spite."

"Rabbit fed that desire leaving Ox as nothing but my enemy."

"But with Rat... I'm still pissed off... But now there's a sense of clarity."

"I've made myself the only good option."

"Do or die... Be King or a pawn."

"Time to decide."

(3 Hours remaining....)

(DING-DING-DING)

Mittens: Meow! Meow!

Both Mittens and the coms device rang in Cobra's ear, waking him from his nap of unconsciousness.

Cobra: Ugh... Ow...

Mittens: Meow-

Throwing Mittens across the room, Cobra pulls out his communicator.

Cobra: Go for Cobra.....

Rat:(coms) Hot damn, you really did survive!

Rat:(coms) Good. I'm in the super basement. Ya know the one.

Rat:(coms) Your... Whatever, is here too. Meet me here in twenty.

Cobra: Make it thirty...

Rat:(coms) You know what, bra? You sound like shit. I'll give you an hour before I shoot the terrorist member.

Cobra: How about you shoot her and give me another extra hour?

Rat:(coms)..... Uhhh... Nnnnooo. Since without her, I have no leverage.

Cobra: Fine, I was half joking anyway. I'll be there to kick your ass soon enough!

Tossing the communicator out of the window, Cobra gets up, feeling his cracked bones move.

Cobra: Ughh...

Mittens: Meow, meow!

Cobra: Yeah, yeah.

Grabbing his whip, Cobra wraps it around his most damaged arm, then activates the stiffener to turn it into a brace.

Mittens: Meow, meow...

Cobra: I'll be fine... If Rat needs a gun, he isn't all that tough.

Getting in the elevator, Cobra and Mittens head to the lab deep below the tower.

Cobra was far beyond his limit, and time was running out.

In the underground lobby, Cobra discovered the elevator to the lab was unlocked. Entering he took it all the way down.

(Ding)

The doors open as he hugged the corner.

Rat: What? Did you think I was just going to shoot?

Cobra: Kinda...

Jade: You're here!

Cobra: I brought your cat!

He tosses Mittens from behind the corner, who goes running across the lab.

Rat: Come on out, Bra.

Cobra: I ain't ya Bra!

Rat: Bra is short for Co-Bra.

Cobra: I still prefer Cobra.

Rat: Whatever. Get out so we can finish this.

Cobra: I want to know the whole story behind the Babylon monster. And why the Doc got us Zodiac involved.

Rat:(sigh)... What's there to tell?

Rat: After the Zodiac project got canned, the Doc got me to infiltrate and rise the ranks in Babylon City.

Rat: Project Babylon as they called it was what replaced us. The Doc wanted it gone if it was going to succeed.

Rat: But with the detail of needing an "alfa" the good old Doc came up with a new plan.

Rat: A plan to promote our power and skill. And let us finish what we left undone.

Rat: She got Ox to gather the other Zodiacs. She tipped off BEAST for Tiger's appearance.

Rat: And suggested you to the military for your appearance.

Cobra: What's the end game?

Rat: When I became King, I'll either use the Babylon monster to convince the world of the need for the Zodiac...

Rat: Or if the promotion works, kill the Babylon monster and leak the info to transform our terrorist image...

Cobra: Into a heroic one...

Rat: Come on out now. Let's end this.

Jade: He's got a gun!

Cobra: I know! Stay out of this if you don't want to die!

Leaping out from behind the elevator corner, Cobra races towards Rat, having thrown multiple explosives ahead of him.

Being the one who gave him the explosives, Rat knew not to shoot them.

Rat: Tch!

Cobra tackled Rat, who rolled back from the attack and kicked the Snake behind him, towards the tube with the Babylon monster.

Rat: Is that all you got?

Cobra holds out the explosive detonator.

Rat:(points gun) Oh no you don't!

(BANG, BANG, BANG)

Every bullet missed Cobra.

Rat: Hu-Oh damn it!

With Cobra so close and directly behind the Babylon monster's tube, the psychic powers of the monster made Rat miss his shots wildly to avoid getting accidentally hit.

Cobra: Let's go Rat!

Rat: Cobra!

The two engage in hand-to-hand combat, as Jade watches. Mittens in the meantime tries freeing Jade.

As the two remaining Zodiacs exchange blows, it was clear as day that Cobra was sluggish, to say the least.

He kept up with Rat through pure willpower alone but his injuries were catching up on him.

Rat: If you were at full strength, I probably would have to try harder!

Cobra: Espionage is your specialty, isn't it? You wouldn't stand a chance in a one-on-one fight!

Rat: Being King is about results! The way you get it doesn't matter!

Catching Cobra's fist, Rat kicks his knee, before spinning and tossing Cobra back towards the elevator.

Cobra: Ugh!

Rat: I hate to see you fail like this, Bra. Really do. But someone's gotta be King.

Cobra: I know...

(CHK)

Freed from her bonds, Jade rushes over to Cobra.

Jade: Are you okay?

Cobra: Yeah... As fine as an endangered species.

She helps him, up.

Rat: It's over, my Co, Bra!

Rat: You can't win this fight.

Jade: He has a point... You're too injured.

Cobra: So what...?

Pushing Jade away, Cobra walks back towards Rat.

Cobra: Being King is about results? Hmph!

Cobra: One out of twelve points, Rat. There's much more than that.

Rat: What are you on about?

Cobra: I've fought with most of the group. I fought their desire to be King against my desire to win.

Cobra: Somewhat to prove themselves... Some simply want the power...

Cobra: Others it's an instinct to go grab it.

Cobra: And for some, it's about honor.

Cobra: This whole King shit meant Jack to me... Until you became the other option.

Cobra: No pawn is going to be King on my watch!

Cobra: I'm the only animal who was born for the name!

Rat: Just go down!

Blocking the attack, Cobra counters with a shove closer towards the Babylon tube.

(Cobra Theme)

Rat: Rah!

Rat misses his punch.

Rat: What?

(Wham)

Cobra strikes him.

Rat: Ugh! Hugh!

He goes to attack again, but they don't land. Cobras however do

Rat:(grunts)

Rat: What the hell is going on?!

Cobra: You've already submitted to my will, Rat.

Rat: Huh?

Cobra: I'm King. King Cobra.

Rat: Not yet you aren't!

Smacking his arm away, Cobra places his hand on Rat's shoulder, burying his fingers like fangs into his skin.

Cobra: Experiment is over Lab Rat. Here's your cheddar.

Punching him in the neck, Cobra lifts Rat off the ground and throws him into one of the explosives left on the ground.

(BOOOOM)

He is launched into the ceiling with such force, he is knocked unconscious by the time he smacks into the ground.

(THUMP)

Cobra:....(heavy sigh).

Taking off his jacket, which he filled with the explosives he gathered when Rat sent him sliding across the floor, Cobra drops it so the Babylon monster's psychic powers wouldn't try affecting him.

Jade: You did it...

Cobra: Almost... This got a monster to kill.

Jade: To kill?

Cobra: Mind-controlling monster can't be left to live. It's too dangerous.

Jade:.....

With the Zodiac's defeated, Cobra was now the alfa of the group, the King.

Rat had already prepared to open the tube, thus it was a simple press of the button to free the creature.

(Babylon Monster: Infant)

Str: D  Spd: C
Int: SSS   Dur: C

Danger: SSS

Special ability: Mind control

"Hello"

The impish telepath spoke to Cobra, the one she would imprint on.

Cobra: Ugh!

It spoke mentally with Cobra in a way he would understand. Similar to what Mittens does.

"Are you my parent"

Cobra: No. I'm your...Alfa.

"Do you have a mission for me?"

Clenching his fist Cobra found himself without the strength to kill the monster.

Cobra:....(heavy sigh)

Cobra: Never use your abilities on humans. Or use them to harm humans. Understood?

"Yes, alfa."

Cobra: From here on out, you're on your own. If I hear you've disobeyed me, I'm coming for your head.

"Understood."

Cobra stumbles away from the Babylon monster, and towards Rat who picked up. Jade quickly stepped in to help support Cobra.

Jade: You did a good thing.

Cobra: I literally couldn't kill it if I tried. I'm only carrying Rat because he's light.

The two with Mittens and Rat entered the elevator, leaving the Babylon monster to its own devices.

Babylon monster:(looks around)

Seeing the jacket Cobra left behind, the Babylon monster put it on despite it being too large.

Cobra took Rat's communicator and contacted Sanders about the defeat of the Zodiac.

Jade guided him through a secret exit out of Babylon before Cobra said his goodbyes to Sanders and ditched the communicator.

Jade: Just a little further, and we'll-

Hylda: King Cobra.

Several armed military soldiers leaped out from behind the tree in the forest outside of Babylon city which Cobra was going through to escape.

The Doc, a blond lady of science, also made her appearance here.

(Mother of Zodiac: Hylda)

Cobra: Doc...

Cobra:(looks at Jade) Stay put...

With Rat in his arms, Cobra got closer to Hylda until every gun was pointed at him.

Dropping Rat on the ground, he took three steps back as a few of the soldiers went to carry Rat away.

Cobra: Where are you taking him?

Hylda: He's going with the others. I'm taking samples from them...

Hylda: Along with everything else I need for the new Zodiac project.

Cobra: New Zodiac project?

Hylda: Yes. Thanks to you, I managed to convince a whole new set of countries to fund a new Zodiac project.

Hylda: With the data from you twelve, I'll have the basis for a much more successful batch.

Cobra: And what will happen to us?

Hylda: I'm not discarding you all if that is what you think.

Hylda: You'll have plenty to do.

Cobra:..... You're going to take me too?

Hylda: No... I don't think I will.

Cobra:?

Hylda: See... I have plenty of data on you. So with the other eleven, you provided me with, I can afford to let you go.

Hylda: Besides... You just became King.

Hylda: Go. Celebrate with the money you earned.

Cobra: Just like that...?

Hylda:(smiles)...

She walks up to King Cobra. Taking out a handkerchief, she cleans up his face with a little spit.

Hylda: The abilities you gained from the project aren't anything special.

Hylda: The person you are, is special. That is something that cannot be duplicated in a lab.

Cobra:... I think I see how you changed.

Cobra: You're the same old Doc, just filled with hope.

Hylda: Let's catch up sometime.

She walks away.

Cobra: Back in the day... You had no hope for the Zodiac project actually succeeding, did you?

Cobra: You knew most if not all would die. Yet you still went through with it!

Cobra: But now you have hope... Hope that it will actually work. Why!?

Cobra: What changed?!

Hylda:(smiles) You twelve not dying as a mass of tumors!

Cobra:!?

She disappears, with the soldiers, leaving nothing but a briefcase filled with cash as Cobra's reward.

Jade: Are you okay?

Cobra: Let's get out of here...

(Meanwhile....)

On a cargo jet about to take off, the eleven defeated Zodiacs were loaded on board.

Horse was simply shoved in and strapped down with sedatives whilst the other ten were in pods, unconscious.

Except for one.

Goat:(opens eyes)

Goat:(looks around)

Goat:(closes eyes)

Goat:(mind) Playing "dead" as they say work. Thanks to Cobra, I've been brought straight to where the magic is happening.

Goat:(mind) Just a little longer...

End of Act 1

(The Second Zodiac: Ox)

Subject 200 of the Ox Zodiac formula.

Height: 210 cm  Weight: 125 kg

Age: 29.            Zodiac: Ox

Stats:   

Strength: S

Speed: C

Durability: A

Intelligence: C

Muscles control: SSS?

Special skills: Military tactician, muscle control, lifting, boxing, heavy artillery usage, driving, opera singing.

Likes: Lifting, Zodiac, grilled cheese sandwiches.

Dislikes: Doing nothing, injustice, swimming, fat, candy.

(The First Zodiac: Rat)

Subject 2 of the Rat Zodiac formula.

Height: 186 cm  Weight: 50 kg

Age: 27.            Zodiac: Rat

Stats:   

Strength: C

Speed: C+

Durability: C-

Intelligence: A+

Acting: SSS?

Special skills: Espionage, Disguises, misdirection, photography, voice mimicry, dancing.

Likes: Hylda, candy bars, shooting, Birds.

Dislikes: Monsters, talking about himself, getting tortured.