Our tale begins in the distant past.
Centuries ago, there had been an ancient civilization that had once been seen through countless galaxies, known as the Dreamscapers. Made up of several races of powerful aliens, they were known by their most common characteristic: an obsession with changing the world. They believed that they could take any world they found and recreate it should they be unsatisfied with it. Their means of doing this is what they call a 'dreamscape': an alternate world that they created from their own thoughts, and later planned to make it a reality. Their method of doing so was going around to many planets in the galaxies, and launching 'crusades' in order to rally aliens' support.
Some Dreamscapers were benign in their crusades, wishing to live amongst the aliens they conquered in peace. Some of them, however, were notoriously evil, and were intent on making many races into their slaves, driving them into despair and humiliation.
As one expected, this became a problem, as many planets refused to let these people transform their world. The Dreamscapers did not take no for an answer, and wars began ravaging the solar system as the Dreamscapers and countless alien races fought each other. Many died, but the Dreamscapers got the worst of it. By the time a century had passed, the once thriving Dreamscapers were all but extinct. Those who survived were deemed to be too dangerous, and were forced into exile. Other bands were either executed or sealed by very powerful clans with otherworldy powers deep inside the bases of mountains.
Evidence of their existence still remains on the planets they had conquered. Most of the Dreamscapers had underground cities buried in mountains, hills and sometimes volcanoes. They're so well hidden, most people can spend a lifetime searching and they can never find anything.
Sometimes, though, that may be for the better, for the Dreamscapers were known to hide many things, including advanced technology, tools and science that could have improved alien life two centuries earlier.
Technology, however, pales in comparison to their plans.
A few years ago, a team of Zulean archaeologists pulled out an ancient database that stated about a coming 'crusade' of sorts in the modern times. This crusade, according to these archaeologists, would be one of revenge, aimed at the few races whose clans dared to seal them away or kill them. The crusade was to be led by the most notorious Dreamscaper known to Zula: a fallen prince named Paragor. Both archaeologists and historians predicted this would happen during the year 2500. As the year came in, and four months went by, the public that had been following the story lost interest, and everybody quickly stopped believing it would happen.
Such is the unbelief of the people. And as fate would have it, this turned out to be their biggest mistake.
June 2500 was the month when the Dreamscapers awoke. The people, completely unprepared, were overwhelmed by the forces that awakened from their slumber, and were slaughtered. The only people available to stop the chaos was an intergalactic police force that had recently gone through tough times, and in the midst of their struggle, they had to stop this threat with their own hands. As they investigated the Dreamscapers, they learned that what they had been taught wasn't even half of the whole story. In order to learn the truth, they uncovered dark secrets about their home planet, secrets that could not only put Zula in danger of being destroyed, but the entire universe as well.
This story that I am going to tell is unlike anything you have ever heard. It is a tale of danger, love, sacrifice, and heroes rising against impossible odds.
This is the story of the Zula Patrol, who are the heroes of this tale. This is the story of the galaxy's number one police force, and how they overcame the dreadful Dreamscape Crusade.
(Many attempt to make their dreams reality. Sometimes, though, what may be the greatest dream for one is a nightmare for everyone else.)
Iheartgod175 presents:
The Zula Patrol: Dreamscape Crusade
Created: January 29, 2014
Published: January 30th, 2014
Rating: T (for violence, tragedy, dark themes, and romance)
Genre: Sci-fi/Adventure/Romance/Drama
Summary: During a trip to newly discovered ruins, Multo and his friend Professor Autofocus make a startling discovery: one that soon causes tragedy for the Zula Patrol. Before the team can overcome their grief, a new threat called the Dreamscapers, led by the mysterious Paragor, appears on Zula the day after Multo's funeral. His plan: to lay waste to Zula to make way for an alternate world, known as a 'Dreamscape', to come to pass. As the team is called to investigate the problem, they soon discover that what they've been told about the Dreamscape isn't even half of the whole story. In order to get to the bottom of the situation, they will have to dredge up dark secrets that should have remained hidden, as well as go through various trials that will test their resolve. Light sci-fi, mainly concerning with alternate universes and technology, and contains Bula/OC and Multo/Zeeter.
Author's Note: For those of you expecting the Thingamabob story, I'm still working on that; however, a sudden brainstorm lead to me coming up with a new story idea. I kind of got back into Zula Patrol, and while reading a few Nanoha fanfics (I highly suggest reading Lyrical Nanoha: Time Destruction, the main inspiration for this story. Even if you aren't a fan of girl-girl relationships, like me, it's an amazing time travel story.), I decided to do a time-travel story for it.
Well, I really shouldn't say a time travel story. It's really about creating another world with technology, but for the most part it's meant to be used for evil purposes. It's going to have light sci-fi and I'm going to have some fantasy elements as well. I'm going to try and update this story as frequently as possible; that way, I don't leave this story in the rust. It's also going to be very, VERY long, possibly my longest story ever. This is also the first ever Zula Patrol fic, so please review!
I must thank my Lord and Savior for giving me the inspiration for this story; with you, I know nothing is impossible. I also thank FlutterChaos, F91 and Moczo for the inspiration and great reads that inspired this story. Now that I have those taken care of, it's time to get to the meat of the matter: the story!
Disclaimer: I own nothing of the little known but endearing science cartoon that is The Zula Patrol; that includes characters and locations. They all belong to Deb Manchester. All I own are the original characters. There will also be some anime references, so of course I don't own those, either. I'm just making this for your enjoyment.
Part I: The Crusade Begins
Chapter 1: The Unfortunate Discovery
All was quiet inside the the base of Mount Zula, as nothing had disturbed the mountain in thousands of years. The only sound that could be heard was water dripping from the stalagmites hanging from the ceiling, and very few creatures scuttled about the cave floor, searching for meals.
All in all, it was peaceful.
But tonight, something stirred.
Voices began wafting from a large, egg-shaped capsule decorated with a large orange and blue phoenix on the center, its wings spread out in a glorious display. Two voices, one robotic and feminine, the other deep and masculine, wafted from the capsule, talked in hushed tones.
"When, Master? When will we carry out the final crusade fulfilled as foretold in the prophecies?"
"Patience, my dear Ignis. The Legion will set out as soon as the seal is opened."
"And all we have to do is sit back and wait for someone to open it?"
"Not just anyone. It has to be someone who carries the crest of the House in their family. Although I doubt that anyone from that abominable place is still alive, it does not hurt to have a little faith, right? They are the ones who sealed us inside this forsaken chamber, preventing us from fulfilling our purpose. But fear not. It will not be long before they all feel my wrath."
"I suppose you are right, Master. But I cannot sit here and wait for much longer. I long for the days of combat again."
"As do I, child. But be still, if only for a moment longer. Our patience shall pay off soon enough."
Multo wiped sweat off of his brow, and shielded his eyes as he looked up at the sky. One of his three eyestalks closed to avoid direct contact with the sun. The sun was high in the sky, signaling that it was still early afternoon-and it was getting sticky. Since it was summertime and it was in the middle of June, he and his good friend Professor Autofocus had decided to start their trip especially early today. Currently, he and the professor were sitting outside, taking a break.
"Whew! It's so hot, I'm almost roasting!" Multo breathed.
His good friend Professor Autofocus, who'd dragged him out in the first place, chuckled at Multo's comment before taking a drink. "I agree; then again, June is my only vacation month, Multo," he explained. "I'll be buried in paperwork all of July and August."
"Well, at least you don't have to deal with this heat!" Multo replied, leaning back against the rock wall.
A month ago, Autofocus had called to tell him that he and a team of archaeologists had been busy doing some excavations in the mountains. Multo was surprised when he heard that the astronomer had discovered some sort of ancient ruin almost fifty feet inside the mountain. He said that it had taken them over a month to get the paperwork done, but they were now ready to start excavating the ruins. Autofocus asked Multo to come along with him, as they had done some archaeology work years ago, but stopped after Multo joined the Zula Patrol. As he hadn't been on an excavation trip in years, Multo happily agreed.
Thankfully, today was also the Zula Patrol's day off, so Multo didn't have to worry about cutting the expedition short. The rest of the Patrollers were at the beach, so that left the scientists free to explore the ruins on their own.
It had been a little over four hours, however, and they hadn't found much of anything, as they'd gotten lost in one of the ruins' large catacombs. One entrance almost led to Multo losing his arm, as the pit was filled with lakes of acid and he'd almost fallen into it.
After that near-death experience, the two scientists decided to take a break. Multo took a long drink from his water bottle.
"Ugh…that was most unsettling," he said after downing most of his water.
"You said it, Multo," Autofocus replied. "I don't think we'll be taking that way again." He then sighed. "Sorry I got your hopes up, old friend. I know you haven't been on an expedition in years…"
"Oh, no need to worry!" Multo said. His tone was cheerful. "It's been fun so far. I'm pretty sure if we keep looking, we might be able to find something in there. There's no point in giving up."
"But-"
"You most certainly didn't give up when you tried to excavate these ruins. Even after they told you no, you fought to the tooth and nail to get that paperwork signed. I believe it'd be a waste of time to your team and yourself, Autofocus, if you decide to quit because of the danger. We should keep going, and find out more about those ruins!"
Autofocus started to say something, but before a sound escaped his lips, the ground started shaking, nearly throwing them both to the ground.
"I-Is this an earthquake?" Autofocus pondered.
A loud crash sounded from above, and both scientists looked up to see several large boulders cascade down the mountain and head directly in their direction. Their faces melted into horrified expressions.
"Oh my stars! W-Where should we go?!" Multo cried.
"Quick, into the cave!" Autofocus shouted. Without another word, the two scientists rushed into the caves, barely dodging the enormous rocks that fell from the mountaintop.
The moment they got in, a cascade of boulders crashed into the mouth of the cave, blocking the entrance. In a matter of seconds, the world went black.
"Galloping Galaxies! We're stuck inside the cave!" he shouted.
"Now what are we going to do?" Autofocus was angry. "We can't call anybody within the tunnel!"
"I'm not sure…" Multo replied, and scratched his chin in thought. "I suppose the only way out is forward."
"Meaning, we have to go through the cave to get out?"
"Yes."
"Alright. But I hope we don't run into any more acid pools." Autofocus shivered.
Pulling out their pocket flashlights, the two navigated their way through the cave, carefully treading through steep inclines and rocky paths. Water dripped from the stalactites and musty, cold air surrounded them.
A few moments later, they reached something that told them they had hit the jackpot. In front of them were various signs that these ruins had been part of an underground city. A building made of bricks and mortar sat in front, surrounded by pillars and columns. There were ancient Zulean encryptions on the pillars, although time had rendered them illegible. The door of the building had a crest of a flying phoenix, surrounded by swirls of orange blue flames. Its wings were the same color, and it looked utterly majestic in flight.
Autofocus jumped for joy, and Multo broke out into a wide grin. It seemed as though their luck had turned.
"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go and see what's inside!" Autofocus said. The two rushed over to the door, making sure to avoid anything that would possibly activate a booby trap.
When they reached the door, neither professor could contain their excitement. What could be beyond the door? How would they open it? Would the Zulean Institute take what was inside?
"Do you think there's a key to open the door?" Autofocus asked.
"I'm not sure, but most buildings like this had to have had a special key," Multo said, running his hand over the door. "For some reason, this design seems vaguely familiar to me…"
"Really?" Autofocus asked, surprised.
"Mmhmm. In fact, I think I remember hearing something about a phoenix years ago," Multo replied, his eyes slightly narrowed. He didn't know why, but he felt drawn to this design, as if it beckoned him to touch it.
His hand ran over the crest, and it started glowing. The professors stepped back as the phoenix glowed intensely, forcing them to close their eyes. There was a shuffling of rocks and the door in front of them began to slide open very slowly. To their surprise, a bright white light poured through the cracks. Cold air quickly washed over the pair like water.
"Oh my…" Multo gasped as he and Professor Autofocus gazed inside. An egg-shaped capsule about the size of an average Earthling sat in front of them, decorated intricately with the patterns of the ancient Zuleans. Hoping that their luck would follow up twice, they cautiously walked into the room, hoping to get a closer look at it.
And then, the object in front of them hissed open, and the room went from blinding white to an almost blood red. The professors' faces changed from expectant glee to unbridled horror as they got a full view of the being in the room.
A massive swirling red cloud shot through with streaks of black hovered in front of them. Two ominous, glowing orbs of yellow light burned into the professors' very beings. A deep rumble that resembled laughter hit the room.
"Wha…what on Zula?!" Autofocus screamed, scrambling away from the cave. Multo remained rooted to the spot, his mouth agape.
"It appears that today is a most happy day for me. I am afraid I cannot say the same for you two."
Autofocus screamed again, and Multo's eyes widened with fear. His body screamed at him to run, but it was as if his legs were superglued to the floor. His open mouth trembled, as if to speak, but no sound came out of it. He had the feeling that he had just done something horrible, and he wouldn't be able to change it.
C-Could this be...the end? he thought. I never wanted to go out like this! His friends' faces flashed through his mind, going through until they landed on the one person who was dearest to him...
"Zeeter..." he breathed aloud, not caring if the cloud heard it.
The cloud in front of him said, "It is custom of people to think of their loved ones before they are sent to the Dreamscape. But do not worry. They shall soon join you."
Multo awoke from his daze and stared at the cloud, the horror evident on his face. "W-Who o-or what are you?"
"That is none of your concern. What should concern you is that you, a member of the House, have released me from the seal that bound me. Now that it is broken, I shall be free to roam this new world and prepare it for the new reality I have set for it; the dreamscape that I have planned will become real," the cloud said. "And then, I shall have my revenge."
"A...dreamscape?" Multo was baffled. He'd never heard of anything like it.
"Yes, alien. You will not see it until the very end, when your world is under my control. But I have another use for you."
The cloud laughed, a sound that made every hair on Autofocus' body stand on end. The more the cloud talked, the more scared he became.
"Autofocus, RUN!" Multo yelled, his eyes wild as he turned to the astronomer. "Go and warn the others! HURRY!"
Autofocus took off running, but just then the walls of the cave began shaking. Savage chains with drills on the end started shooting out of the walls, and the professor barely missed them as he ran. The light in the room began pouring out in waves, flooding the cave with red. Multo finally started to back out of room, hyperventilating. Every part of his body quaked with fear.
"YOU SHALL NOT ESCAPE!" The volume of the cloud's scream could have caused the cave to collapse on itself.
Multo controlled his panicked breathing long enough to yell a warning."Run, Autofocus! RU-AAAAAAAAAHHH!"
The professor was violently cut off when the cloud stretched out, and waves of red and black light began to surround him. The power that washed over him made him stop screaming for a moment as it seeped into his body, making him feel like he had been dipped into a tub of freezing water. The ominous cloud in front of him laughed, a harsh coughing sound that made every hair on his body stand on end.
"No one escapes from my grasp, pitiful alien. You will come with me whether you like it or not. And soon, you will come to the same conclusion that I have: that the world in front of you is imperfect, and it must be destroyed. It must be destroyed to make way for the new world that I will make in my image. But before this, your planet will feel my wrath."
"You'll never get away with this!" he cried, struggling to move out of the clouds that surrounded him. "I'll never let you take over Zula!"
"Oh, I already have. Say goodbye to your world, Zulean, for it is the last time you will see it."
"NOOOOOOOOO!"
Professor Autofocus had just reached the blocked tunnel entrance when he heard Multo's scream. He turned to see the other professor being forcibly pulled into the door as the voice continued laughing. Multo saw the professor and frantically struggled against the light binding him.
"AUTOFOCUS! HEEELLLPP!" he screamed.
"MULTO!" Autofocus yelled.
"Oh, I almost forgot." The Voice seemed to be somewhat annoyed. "I do have to get rid of you as well, before you can start talking about my plans."
"LET HIM GO!" Autofocus yelled. He barely took off for his friend when the cave started shaking uncontrollably, and the force sent him clinging to the wall. The room went from blood red to an almost blinding white once more, but this time, it came with overbearing heat and the crashes of thunder. He got down on the ground and covered his head with his hands as blue and red streaks of lightning flashed everywhere. The last things he heard were Multo's desperate scream, and the Voice's command, as though he were unleashing an attack.
"Thunder Rage!"
The violent explosion that followed could have been seen for miles.
"Now we're merrily on our way…climbing up an inclined plane…"
"Geez, Bula, you're still singing that song!"
Bula turned towards Zeeter with a small smile. "Hey, it's not my fault that we came up with a really catchy tune for remembering inclined planes."
Zeeter shrugged. "You've got me there," she said. "It really helped us learn about that so much easier."
"All thanks to Multo's really great teaching," Wizzy interjected, pausing to shove volleyball at her younger brother, Wigg. Beside them, the Patrol's pet, Gorga, kept score.
"Come to think of it, I wonder how he's doing on the excavation," Bula said. "I didn't know that he used to be an archaeologist."
"I can't wait to hear what kind of stuff he'll bring back from the ruins!" Wigg said. In his excitement, however, the ball sailed past him and crashed into the sand. Gorga raised a hand to Wizzy's side, signaling that she had scored a point. Wigg sighed, "Aww…"
The team laughed, and then Bula decided to call Multo to see when he would meet them at the other side of the mountain. To his surprise, the professor didn't answer after the first ring. The answering machine picked up right away.
"Huh, that's funny. Multo usually answers right off the bat," he noted.
"He could be in the middle of pulling out thousand year old artifacts from the ruins," Zeeter suggested. "When he's busy, he never calls anybody."
"True…although it's been over two hours since we've heard a call from him…"
"Bula, Multo will be perfectly alright," Zeeter said. "Like I said, he's probably busy. Sometimes, it would take me a long time to reach him when he's in work mode."
Bula still looked unsure, but he let out a reluctant sigh. "I guess you're right, Zeeter. It's just…normally if we're all not in contact with each other I get worried because something might've happened to one of us."
"Well, if you're still that worried, maybe we can head home and make sure that they get home safely," Wigg suggested. "I think we've had enough fun at the beach for one day."
"Nah, you're just tired of losing too many times," Wizzy teased.
"Don't remind me," Wigg groaned.
"I like that idea," Bula said, grabbing his towel. "It's certainly a lot better than trying to wait for him to call."
All of a sudden, there was a small rumble that sounded in the distance. About everyone on the beach turned to see part of Mount Zula explode outwards, rocks and smoke rolling down the hills like a tidal wave. Bula stared at the sight, a horrible feeling in his stomach.
"Bula? Are you okay?" Zeeter asked, looking very concerned.
"U-Uh, yeah," he lied, fighting down the bile that was rising in his throat. "I'm fine. Just shocked by that explosion, that's all."
"Whoa, they must've found something really big if they had blow up the base of the mountain with dynamite," Wigg noted.
"Multo never said anything about bringing dynamite," Wizzy said.
"They could have brought it. After all, he used to be an archaeologist," Wigg answered. "They sometimes have to blow up parts of rocks to get to fossils and stuff."
Wizzy sighed. She hated it when her brother brought up a good point. "Alright, I guess you do have a point," she replied.
"I just hope that's the case," Bula murmured.
Zeeter rolled her eyes. "Worrywart," she grumbled under her breath.
With that, the team picked up their towels and beach equipment, ready to head back to the base and wait for their friends.
Professor Autofocus awoke to the smell of fire.
It surrounded him, threatening to swallow him whole and consume him. He looked right and left, and saw an opening right behind him leading towards the forest. Leaping to his feet, he took off running, the roar of flames increasing behind him as he reached the forest. Another explosive burst occurred, and Autofocus turned to see a massive wave of fire consume the area he'd been standing at earlier.
Now that he was away from the flames, it then occurred to him that he'd been protected by several rocks that had covered him from the attack. The force of the blast had managed to blow out the wall of rocks that had blocked the entrance. With an explosion that huge, he was amazed he had survived it. The only thing reminding him of his ordeal were his singed clothes and dirty skin. Behind him, a wave of rocks and ash covered the ground.
Amazement quickly gave way to fear, however, as memories of what had happened before the explosion came in a rush.
He remembered finding the city. He remembered Multo somehow opening the door by running his hands over it.
He remembered the sinister voice that poured out of that room, telling them their world was going to be destroyed.
He remembered Multo's horrible scream, the light that swept him through the door, the room going a blinding white and being filled with electricity. He remembered the voice calling out "Thunder Rage" right before the cave blew up.
And then he remembered that Multo was still inside that cave.
As he stared at the flames licking the outsides of the cave, he couldn't help but cry. His best friend was stuck inside, possibly dead or worse. And there was no way he could make it inside without getting himself killed.
In the distance, he heard sirens from emergency vehicles scream into existence. Somebody must have heard the explosion, saw the smoke, and called for help. But Autofocus felt as though they didn't make the call fast enough.
Time was of the essence. And he didn't have much of it left.
His vision swimming with tears, he pulled out his damaged cell phone and held it into the sky, desperate to get a signal. After a few frantic seconds, a small green bar appeared at the top part of his screen. He fastidiously started pressing buttons, and prayed that he'd be able to get to the Zula Patrol in time.
Unfortunately for him, they weren't back at the HQ yet, and all he got was the answering machine. Frustrated, he slammed the phone into the rocks. The back snapped open immediately, the battery popping out and falling to the ground.
Sirens caught his attention, and he turned to see three fire hovercars pull up to the scene, staying back a good ten feet from the roaring inferno. A few seconds later, an ambulance also came into view, and skidded to a stop alongside the trucks. Paramedics and firefighter leaped out, some running towards him, others towards the fire.
"Sir, are you alright?" many of the paramedics were asking.
"No! No, I'm not! You don't need to worry about me! The person you need to be worried about is my friend, Multo. He's a member of the Zula Patrol, and he's been trapped in the deepest part of the cave, where the fire started!" Autofocus yelled. "There was an explosion! He could be trapped in there!"
"Don't worry, sir. The firefighters are going to get to him soon enough," the medics said, infuriatingly calm.
"No! You get to him NOW!" Autofocus said. "Or I'll go in there myself!"
It took more than a few moments for the medics to calm the astronomer down. After they did, they hauled him into the ambulance to make sure that he was okay.
As they pulled him into the flying vehicle, Autofocus' mind ran on the incident that had just occurred in the cave, and whether or not Multo had survived it. The thought of losing his closest friend was the most awful thing that he could ever imagine.
All he could really do was wait and hope.
When Bula started pacing around the base nervously, Zeeter knew something was wrong. Very wrong.
They had just gotten back from the beach three hours before, and there had still been no sign of either Multo or Professor Autofocus, who were supposed to be back by now. Zeeter had managed to convince Bula to wait a little while longer, but now that another hour had passed, she was starting to get just as worried. The kids floated around nervously, and Gorga promptly buried his head into the table, whimpering.
Just when Zeeter thought Bula was going to crack and order a search party, the doorbell rang. She barely got out of the seat before the captain ran towards the door, frantically pulling up a view screen to see who it was. The light green top was all he needed to see.
"Oh, thank goodness. Professor Autofocus is back," he said.
He answered the door to be greeted with a sight he hoped to never see again. The professor looked like he'd been front and center at a demolition site, and smelled like he'd nearly been barbecued. His clothes were singed and reeked of smoke, smudges of ash and some burns covered his skin, and his glasses were broken and looked ready to fall off his face.
The glasses, however, weren't the only things that were broken. The professor's eyes were red and puffy, and tear streaks adorned his face, which was twisted into a look of utter despair and sorrow. The question Bula had been about to ask died on his tongue.
He didn't even need to ask. Something terrible had happened.
It seemed like an eternity as the two Zuleans stared at each other in silence, and then Zeeter appeared. She took one look at Bula and then at the professor. Her eyes widened when she saw him.
"Professor Autofocus, what happened to you? You look like-"
"I know. I look like the pits," the professor said tiredly. "And I feel terrible as well."
"What in the world happened to you?" Bula asked, concerned. "More importantly, where's Multo?"
"Oh, this is all my fault, Bula! I never should have gone into that cave! I should have ran after Multo before he was pulled into that door, at least before the cave exploded! I-"
"Wait a minute! What do you mean, Multo was taken by something?!" Zeeter shouted.
"The cave you were in exploded?!" Bula yelled, his eyes wide with horror.
The look of utter desperation on his face could have stopped traffic. "You see…a small earthquake happened while Multo and I were resting from the excavation, and we ran into the cave for safety as rocks started falling everywhere. When we got in there, we got blocked inside by the boulders. Multo suggested going deeper into the ruins to see if we could find a way out…and that's when we stumbled upon an underground city," he said. A small smile came on his face."Oh, it was beautiful. It had to be at least two thousand years old. There was a building we found, and somehow, Multo managed to open it. That…was when things started to go wrong."
The smile was gone from Autofocus' face.
"What happened?" Bula's tone brooked no argument. "Tell us what happened after that."
"We discovered a capsule inside, and before we barely got inside the room, the capsule opened. Everything went red. A terrifying red and black cloud told us that it was planning on bringing this...this 'Dreamscape' to life on our planet, and it was going to make it real. When Multo asked who it was, it told him that he had released it from the capsule! And then...he said he was going to make this Dreamscape of his a reality, but before he did that all of Zula was going to feel his w-w-wrath! He told Multo that he wouldn't see the Dreamscape, but he had another use for him."
"W-What happened after that?" Bula asked. He was shaking, terrified by what the professor was saying.
Autofocus wobbled to one side, and fell to his knees, his body shaking. When Bula and Zeeter got down on the ground, they saw that he was sobbing. Rivers of water poured from his eyes.
"Multo…h-he…he screamed for me to run, to get you and tell you what happened. I had just reached the cave exit, the one that had been blocked, and the voice told us that we wouldn't escape. He...he even shot chains at me. Multo...Multo just screamed, and told him that he wouldn't get away with what he'd done, but the voice didn't listen. Light…l-l-light wrapped around Multo's body, and…and…pulled him into the door. Before I could do anything, the place swarmed with lightning bolts, and then...t-the cloud yelled, 'Thunder Rage', and the cave exploded. The force of the blast blew up the rocks, set everything on fire and s-sent a-ash down the hilll," Autofocus sobbed. "Someone…someone must have heard the explosion, because paramedics and firefighters were there. I told them to ignore me and get to Multo, but the fire…it was awful! I didn't want to wait so I...I ran here."
"What are you trying to say, Professor Autofocus?" Wizzy asked. She and Wigg had come outside to see what the commotion was all about. "Where's Multo?"
"Multo…M-Multo's…" One didn't need to be a rocket scientist to see that this was really tearing Autofocus up. "I'm so sorry, Wizzy, Wigg, everyone…the firefighters…they couldn't find him. They searched everywhere, but c-couldn't find his r-r-remains. H-He's gone."
One could hear a pin drop in the silence that followed this confession. Bula looked ready to explode, Zeeter was struck with shock, and Wizzy and Wigg's faces contorted into tearful expressions.
"T…this is a joke, isn't it?" Wigg asked shakily. "I really hope that you're just joking, Professor Autofocus. Multo's not dead…h-he'll be back in time for dinner and all...he actually p-promised that he'd bring something back for us for dinner-"
"I…I don't want to believe it either, Wigg my boy. But…I-I can't do anything about it! The entire place was an inferno when I got out of there! Everything is burned down! I couldn't do anything to help Multo!" Autofocus wailed, burying his face into the ground. "I-I-I'm a terrible, terrible friend…he's dead because of me! I let him die! Multo's dead!"
"No, Multo's not dead!" Bula was adamant. "You just said that this...this black and red cloud took him into the ruins!"
"I still think that's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard!" Zeeter interjected. "What kind of a cloud talks to you and shoots lightning bolts?"
"I'm telling you, it's true! I-I saw it with my own eyes!" Autofocus protested.
"Even if you don't believe it," Wigg said, "he said that Multo was pulled into a door by the cloud. That's proof that he's still alive!"
"Wigg, the firefighters said that there was no sign of life in that place. They can't open the door. They...they couldn't even break it down! There was too much debris in the way!" Autofocus looked up at the team with a heartbroken expression. "It was awful...so...awful..." At last, the astronomer couldn't hold it in anymore, and began bawling his heart out.
The professor's words seemed to have at last sunk to the other patrollers. The kids were the first to burst into tears. Zeeter's face crumbled into a tearful expression before she broke down right then and there, collapsing into Bula's arms. Her captain held tight against him, holding back tears as the others cried. He had to be the strong one. He had to be there for comfort.
One could take a look at his face and tell that the news had shattered him. He couldn't believe it. He just couldn't believe it. The absent-minded, eccentric but kindhearted professor that he had known for years was suddenly not there anymore. It was unthinkable. Part of him expected Multo to just show up and tell everyone he was alright, like Wigg said. Part of him expected to wake up from this horrible nightmare.
But he knew that would never happen. Multo wasn't one to make everyone worry. If he were alright, he'd have found a way to call everyone as soon as possible. No-if he were alright, he'd be right here with Professor Autofocus and sharing their adventures. No matter how hard he tried to deny it, everything around him was very real. He could feel everyone's sadness, anger and grief surrounding him. On top of that, his own emotions were threatening to spill over; his anger at the cloud for taking his friend away from him, his shock at the tragic news, his guilt for having not acted on his instincts and investigate the cause, and his sadness at losing a dear friend.
The flood of emotions was too great to hold back. Bula drooped his head, held his best friend against him, and let the tears fall.
(Four days later)
The church was a sea of black. Bula felt rather out of place in his white suit, but he didn't let that bother him. He and the other Patrollers, as well as many other mourners, sat up front close to the altar. Bula held Zeeter close to him, rubbing her shoulders comfortingly as the young woman sobbed quietly. This had been the second time today that she'd cried, and it became apparent to Bula then that Multo's death had hit her harder than he'd thought. Although he couldn't really tell from their usual bicker and banter, it was obvious that they were close, even if Zeeter did deny it at times. Wizzy, Wigg and Gorga were next to her, also shedding tears for their lost friend and mentor.
On his right side were Iris Bloodshot, Professor Autofocus and Professor Precipito, all of whom had been close friends of Multo. On his left were several other professors that Multo had studied under during his time at the Zulean Institute of Science. Behind him were many, many others that Bula didn't even try to name. He guessed they were his classmates. They made up half of the mourners.
In the pew across from him, Multo's parents and brother stared at the casket before them through a wall of tears. Well, Multo's parents were anyway. His older brother, Alphonse, was too busy sending Bula a death glare.
The captain didn't need to ponder on why. During the planning of the funeral, Alphonse had blamed Bula for his little brother's death, saying that they should have gone with him on the expedition. Zeeter had gotten involved, and so had Wizzy and Wigg. A heated argument followed, with Autofocus having to break it up and Alphonse threatening to make Bula pay for what had happened.
Alphonse's threat, however, was as empty as the casket that sat in front of them. The firefighters hadn't even tried to recover Multo's body. The fire had incinerated everything, they said. No trace of life could be found in that cave, they said. The door he'd been pulled into was blocked by too much debris, they said. Autofocus must have imagined things, they said. We're so sorry for your loss, they said. He wouldn't want you to be sad, they said.
What they said offered no condolence to the Zula Patrol. A close friend of theirs had just died, his body forever lost, and now they wouldn't be able to see him again to pay their last respect.
The service went by really fast. By the time Bula was called to speak, he almost forgot about it. Originally, Autofocus had been offered that role, as he had been Multo's closest friend. However, the astronomer lost his composure the moment he started rehearsing for the speech. It was too much for him, so Bula ended up taking the role.
He cleared his throat as he reached the podium. "First, let me thank you all for coming. Just looking at all of you shows me just how much Multo meant to everybody. When I first met him, it was back at the Zula Academy, where he was already a professor and I was in his class. I never told anybody this, but I almost didn't become captain of the Zula Patrol, because I was failing almost everything," he started.
"But Multo…Multo saw something in me, and he worked with me day after day to pull that something out. He would continually tell me, 'I can see greatness in you, Bula. I know that you can do a lot better than you're doing right now. If you want to become the leader of the Zula Patrol, you need to do everything with an attitude of excellence. Never settle for less.' That helped me get through the Zula Academy, and before long I landed a position as the captain of the patrol. Later, Multo ended up joining, saying that he had a tendency to drift from interest to interest, and he said that he could lend his knowledge to the team, and he always wanted to help people in need. There were times where he inadvertently caused some of our missions, but every time we would have a total blast.
"His thirst for knowledge was invaluable to our missions, as many times we couldn't do without his Multopedia. His time here was...unexpectedly cut short, but he died doing something he loved. His legacy will live on. We must keep him alive in our hearts and remember the good times we spent with him, and most importantly, not let grief overcome us," Bula said. He looked directly at Multo's family as he said this. "That is what Multo would have wanted…from all of us."
A few hours later, the Zula Patrol stood outside watched as the casket was lowered to the ground. None of this felt real. Not the sea of mourners around them, not Multo's family mourning over the casket, and certainly not the tombstone with Multo's name etched on it. Rain began to pour on them, as if representing their tears. Bula held Iris close, tears spilling from his eyes. It had taken all it had in him to not break down in the middle of the speech.
He was just starting to think that they would make it through without anyone having a complete meltdown when Professor Precipito fell to the ground, letting out a sound filled with utter hopelessness. Her body shaking with utter grief, she wailed as restrained anger and sadness poured out of her.
With a quick turn of his head towards Zeeter, he let go of Iris and went over towards the sobbing professor. He kneeled next to her and pulled her into a hug. Almost immediately, she stopped wailing, although she couldn't stop trembling.
"Professor Precipito, if you need to cry, by all means cry," he said. "No one's going to judge you for it. I'll be right here if you need me."
"I…I'm sorry, Bula…I tried to be strong. I really did," she sobbed. "But…my Little Sprinkle...he's gone!"
"And you have every right to cry, as he was close to you as well. This is hard for all of us. You don't need to hold it all in," he said.
Precipito rested her head on his shoulders, and wept openly. The other Patrollers, Wizzy, Wigg and Gorga, leaned next to him, crying as well. It wasn't long before similar sobs started to filter through the air.
Bula closed his eyes, trying to stop the sobs starting to shake his frame. Wherever you are, I hope you're in a better place now, Multo...
The next day...
Bula sighed as he found himself sitting in a large board room. With him were Zeeter, Wizzy and Wigg, Professor Autofocus and a broad shouldered red alien who was Multo's attorney. Yesterday after the funeral, they had to settle the business of the distribution of Multo's remaining possessions. After all the chaos he'd gone through at the service, Bula didn't want to deal with anything relating to Multo, as he was afraid that he would break down into tears. It was only because of Professor Autofocus that he was here. The professor was more broken than him, but he had managed to convince Bula to come along, saying that he'd helped make the video and that Multo would've wanted him to hear what he had to see.
Bula looked up as the attorney pushed his glasses back into place and pulled out a remote, the lights dimming as the screen lowered from the ceiling.
"My client left his will in the form of a video," he said. "I shall play it for you now."
There a few seconds of feedback, and then three eyes peered into the camera, seemingly confused. A long orange finger tapped the screen, shaking the video slightly.
"Are you sure this thing is on?"
"Yes, Multo. I have it set on record and everything," Autofocus said off screen.
Bula choked on air as he heard the familiar accented voice and saw the friendly face on screen. Wizzy and Wigg quickly became downcast, and Zeeter pulled them both into hugs.
"If you're watching this, that means that I'm, er uh, currently no longer among the living. Or something to that effect," Multo said. His voice had taken on a very serious note. "I truly hope my parents and brother haven't been making any death threats to anyone because of it."
"Too late for that," Zeeter grumbled.
"Multo, I only have a few more minutes before my camera shuts off!"
"Oh, right! Well, uh...let's get to the point, shall we?" He cleared his throat. "Firstly, the distribution of my assets. I have divided all of my money into thirds. The first half goes to my parents, Vuva, Multi and Alphonse. Please use it as you see fit."
Bula sighed. Multo's immediate family didn't come to the meeting since they were still mourning. It was tough for them, having lost their younger son.
"The second portion goes to the Zulean Institute of Science, and to the Zula Academy. I wish for every young mind to get a good education."
Professor Autofocus bowed his head silently, his mouth working around nervously as tears formed in his eyes.
"And finally, the last portion of my money is to go to my co-workers in the Zula Patrol, who are like a second family to me: Bula, Zeeter, Wizzy, Wigg and Gorga. It'll be up to you all to decide who will replace me on the team, of course, but don't be too hard on them, and certainly don't compare them to me. I'd sure whoever will replace me will do a wonderful job. I just want to make sure you all are taken care of, which is why I've divided the last bits for each of you. It's not much, but please divide it evenly among yourselves, and use it however you like."
Bula could care less about the money. He just wanted his mentor and friend back. No replacement member could fill that gap.
"And well...I don't have much else to say really...other than to not wallow in grief forever. So, goodbye, everyone, and take care!" Multo smiled and waved at the camera, which unexpectedly blacked out before Autofocus could say anything.
The lights came on in the room, nearly blinding everyone as they had grown accustomed to the darkness. The attorney sighed.
"He really was a nice alien. Gave me some doughnuts the last time we spoke, too," he said.
Autofocus buried his face in his hands and cried. The attorney pulled out a box of tissues and handed the distraught astronomer some. He then looked at the patrollers and offered some tissues. "You look like you need it more than I do," he said, looking at Bula in particular.
It hadn't even occurred to Bula that he was crying until he felt wetness against his cheeks. His vision became blurry as even more tears began to fill his eyes. Shakily, he took the tissue from the attorney with a small "Thank you", and wiped his eyes. The rest of the team also pulled out tissues, with Zeeter and Gorga loudly blowing their noses.
"I'll give you all some time. These things are rough on anybody," the attorney said. "I'll go and fetch the checks for everyone."
With that, he got out of his seat, and after giving another forlorn look at the team, he walked out of the room.
Wizzy flew over to Bula, concerned. "A-Are you okay, Bula?"
"N-No...no, I'm not. But I'll be in a minute," Bula said. "I...I have to pull myself together."
"Bula, don't hold it all in," Zeeter started. "Trust me, it's not worth it."
"But I...I need to be everyone's strength right now," he replied. "I-If I don't-"
"We won't think any less of you, Bula," Wigg said. "Even leaders cry, don't they?"
When Wigg said that, something in Bula broke. A multitude of sobs escaped his throat and shook his frame. Tears flowed from his eyes like a burst dam, pouring down his face as he buried his face into Zeeter's shoulder. He could hear Wizzy, Wigg and Gorga all join him in his anguish, and even Zeeter cried, albeit silently.
She looked up to the ceiling, teary eyes in sorrowful pondering. Multo, you would choose to die now of all times...
Deep inside the cave that had contained the ruins, a rumbling took place. The door, blocked by countless boulders, started to shift. Rocks began to tumble from the pile as the shaking increased in tempo.
Soon, a white light flooded beneath the rocks, and a burst of red and black clouds erupted on the scene. Rocks, debris and ancient headstones flew everywhere, alight with fire. The now blocked door had light pouring out of it like lava from a volcano.
The cloud poured out to form a pillar. In a matter of seconds, it collapsed in on itself to reveal the most peculiar creature the world had ever seen. Its head, colored like sand, resembled a vulture's, with bushy black eyebrows and piercing yellow eyes. A short, curved beak, colored black, gleamed in the limited light. Red robes lined with ancient Zulean designs swayed as it walked, and beneath the robes, there were large, sharp talons. He took one look at the destruction that surrounded him and chuckled darkly.
"Very soon, my dream will be made a reality. But before that can happen," he mused, "I must purge this world of everything that will be a hindrance to my plans. And then, I will carry out my revenge on the one who has sealed me away."
He turned to the door. "Legion, come forth. I want you to make yourselves known to the inhabitants of this world. They will soon come to know what fear is before they die. Besides..." He paused before chuckling again. "Everyone knows that revenge is a dish best served cold... with the blood of the innocent as a topping."
A chorus of metal clangs came from inside the room. Then, a multitude of metal marionettes came out. While they had the same body types, their eyes glowed different shades of green, red and blue, and their body colors and hair were various colors. Each marionette had small, stubby legs, and long arms that nearly touched the ground. At the ends of their arms were long, razor sharp claws. Even though they were machines, he could tell that they were just as bloodthirsty as they had been long before they were sealed away.
"At long last…I have finally been awakened. We can finally begin reaching our destiny!" The leader of the pack, a large, pink marionette with blue eyes and red hair, walked towards the Dreamscaper. "Shall we go now, Master?"
"Yes, Ignis. You may," he said. The machines behind him let out high-pitched shrieks in reply.
With a small smirk on his beak, he pointed towards the cave, and the Legion leapt into action, pouring out of the cave by the hundreds. Once they had left the premises, the creature turned back to the door, and stepped through it.
"My time to fulfill my dreams has come. This world was brought here by fire, and it shall exit that way. And soon, my world shall be formed out of its ashes," he said.
The door soon slid shut, shrouding the cave once more in darkness.
(6/6/14): Changed a couple of things, mainly with the narrative. Also, here are the list of characters for the later half:
Autofocus-Multo's old friend and Zula's most famous astronomer. In the cartoon, he speaks with a German accent. He appeared in the episode "Telescooped!" when he called on Multo to help him find his missing telescope.
Iris Bloodshot-A pink alien with one eye. She's a regular associate of the team, and helps them out on some missions. She also has a habit of calling all the Patrollers 'darling', but she seems to have a bit of a thing for Bula, as she calls him that all the time.
Professor Precipito-Another friend of Multo's, she lives out in the Zulean Mountains, and studies ice. She calls Multo 'little sprinkle' because he likes his donuts with little candy sprinkles. She speaks with a Scottish accent in the cartoon. She appeared in the episode "Ice Station Zula" (which isn't on the internet, dang it).