Turnabout Fury

Present Day/Near Future: (2028) Phoenix, Maya, and Pearls win yet another trial, as always, and then stop for lunch. A few hours later, they get back to the office to file the paperwork and head home. Phoenix is going over virtually every document on virtually every unsolved case, and is pleasantly surprised by what kind of evil in three-hole-punch form is waiting for him. This much paperwork is becoming very stressful and gives Phoenix a splitting headache. He is already 3 hours past the end of his shift. His head hurts so much that he grabs a cup of coffee. Unfortunately for him, the level of caffeine in his bloodstream has caused the adrenaline rush to worsen with every cup. The level of pain and stress has become unbearable and Phoenix feels like he has a hangover. Instead of going home, he falls asleep at his desk. Maya falls asleep in the office sofa, and Pearls either has to sleep on the floor or in the lobby sofa. A few hours later, Pearls wakes up, and her Magatagma crystal begins humming and flashing. A few minutes later, a portal opens up and Pearls is sent through it. She has no idea where she is. Everything is peaceful and quite for a few moments until gunfire and artillery breaks the silence.

April, 1945:
A U.S. Sherman column is ambushed by German Flak 88 batteries in a remote village in Germany. Everyone is dead or presumed dead by the German attackers. They sent a field scout to check and make sure everyone was dead. Moments later, A war-scarred tank commander, Army Sergeant Donovan "Wardaddy" Collier and his team, save for his bow-gunner Red, survive the ambush. Meanwhile, inside the tank, his driver, Corporal Trini "Gordo" Garcia, Gunner, Sergeant Boyd "Bible" Swan, and Loader, Private First-Class Grady "Coon-ass" Travis are attempting to make field-repairs to the vehicle and get it operational again before the next enemy patrol finishes them. Hours later, the tank makes it back to the camp, and Don's commanding officer is briefed. He gives the remaining team new orders, to rendezvous with reinforcements from Baker Company and push the remaining German forces back to Berlin. Collier is issued a replacement bow gunner, named Private Pv2 Norman Ellison, who had just recently graduated basic training to be a clerk typist, but instead was transferred to the First Platoon. While the rest of the team is performing maintenance on the tank, Collier takes a moment to mourn the Death of Red, before heading out. The column heads to meet Baker company, but the lead tank is ambushed by conscripted Hitler Youth Group forces. Don asked Norman why he hesitated to open fire, and Norman's excuse was "they're just kids". Collier temporarily takes command of the tank platoon and heads to the outpost where Baker Company was stationed. On their way there, they find a straggler who was not among the refugee group.

Boyd: Let me take him, top.
Don: No! Hold your fire.
Grady: What's going on top?
Don: Just a civilian. Come back here! Where are you going?
Pearls: Don't hurt me!
Grady: Let's just leave her here and let her find her own way back.
Don: Not unless the Krauts get to her first. Come with us. You'll be safe.

They finally reach the outpost. Baker company does not have the resources to house refugees. Don takes her with them. Their objective is to destroy several German AT batteries that ambushed one of Baker Company's tank escort convoys. Norman still struggles to follow orders. Baker company takes one German soldier prisoner, and Norman is forced to take a test: To follow orders and place the team and the mission first, or to disobey orders and get everyone killed. He fails the test, but Don still has confidence that Norman will eventually do what's right and learn to follow orders. They reach the village and come under attack. Fury fires a high explosive shell at a platoon of Germans, causing them to burn. Under normal circumstances, the smart thing to do would be to let them burn to death to conserve ammunition, but Norman was determined to gain Don's trust and opened fire on the burning soldiers. Baker Company rescued a group of conscripted children, and executed the man responsible. After liberating the village, Don shows Norman something no one should ever have to see. A group of German officers learned of the invasion and took the coward's way out. They checked a nearby apartment to make sure the area was safe and that there were no stragglers hiding. They find a woman and her cousin, Emma, and have a celebratory dinner as their "last meal" before the war's end. Their celebration is cut short when they are given new orders to defend a strategic Allied checkpoint against substantial odds. As the team prepares to move out, the village is attacked by German bombers, and Emma and her cousin are both killed by shrapnel. As they make their way to the crossroads, they are ambushed by a Tiger tank. Binkowski's tank took a hit. After that, Peterson's tank took a hit, and finally, Davis. Fury suffered several near-misses from the Tiger before it got close enough to hit it from behind. Fury suffered only one direct hit, which knocked out the hydraulics and comms equipment. The Tiger tank was immobilized and crippled, and as the crew bailed out, they were executed. Fury makes its way to the checkpoint, but is hit by a landmine and immobilized. Norman is ordered to scout the ridge in case of an early attack, and as expected, a very large force of German soldiers is dispatched to finish them off. Norman heads back to warn the others, and with the tank only partially repaired, it is forced to fight in its current condition. As they lie in wait for the massive enemy force, they all share stories with each other. Norman is given the nickname "Machine" by his newfound brothers. Pearls is hiding under the tank, hoping not to be endangered by the crew of Fury. as the well-trained, well-equipped, and well-organized German battalion closes within firing range, Collier hopes to hold out as long as possible. They only last about 30 minutes. Gordo is killed by his own grenade. Grady is killed by a Panzerfaust. Boyd is Killed by a sniper, who fires at Don 3 times, wounding him severly. Don does not want Norman's death on his conscience. Norman escapes through the tank's floor hatch and waits. He and Pearls survive the firefight, and wait for help to arrive. The next morning, Norman and Pearls wake up and hear loud footsteps outside the tank. Norman grabs Don's pistol, prepared to defend himself at any cost. As the hatch opens, Norman breathes a sigh of relief. Baker Company has sent reinforcements to finish the remaining German forces and search for survivors. Norman and Pearls are sent back to the camp.

Present Day/Near Future: (2028) Pearls wakes up at about 5:30 A.M. and walks back into the office. Phoenix is still asleep at the desk. Pearls walks over and wakes him up.

Phoenix: ZZZ
Pearls: Mr. Nick? I had a nightmare.
Phoenix: Hm? What? What time is it?
Pearls: It's almost 6 o clock.
Phoenix: Do you need a glass of milk or anything.
Pearls: No thank you. I don't think I can go back to sleep anymore.
Phoenix: Me either. All this coffee and paperwork makes my head hurt. I'll finish it tomorrow.
Pearls: What about Mystic Maya?
Phoenix: Let's leave her be for awhile and go back to sleep.

Phoenix takes Pearls back out to the office lobby and sits down next to her. She lays her head on his lap, and they both go back to sleep. Maya wakes up a couple of hours later and sprays Phoenix with a bottle of ice-cold water.

Maya: Come on Nick! I'm hungry! Let's grab some lunch!
Phoenix: (Hushed) SHH! Pearls had a nightmare last night. You're going to wake her up!
Maya: Nick!
Phoenix: Just go. I'll meet you there.

The End.