Cole MacGrath, a college dropout who got a job as a book corrier...mostly just to anger his parents. He was someone you would never notice, one of those guys delivering packages to others he would never know. But one day, a package found him. Turns out that the package was a bomb, detonating, in his hands and destroying half of the city. Thousands died...five square blocks, smashed into rubble. But at the center...he was there. Alive...but changed. Yet no one could've seen what was coming. 14 days later, his world Empire City was in quarantine, it became living nightmare. Other beings with powers began to show up and it was Cole's job to sort through it all. His job: find out who had given him the package and why? Even his best friend, Zeke Dunbar turned his back on Cole, just to try and obtain powers of his very own. But in the end, Cole found the one responsible. An old man named Kessler. He explained everything, through a vision of the future.
In his world, everything was lost...his people and his own family. All thanks to a monster with infamous power. And it was coming...in Cole's timeline...the Beast was coming. A monster that only Cole could defeat provided if he was strong and ready to face it. Months have gone by and Cole gets a visit...a woman named Lucy Kuo. She somehow knew all about the Beast. In fact, she had come to help hi. Prepare. Explained that a friend of hers named doctor Wolfe had created a Ray Sphere prototype and that it could amplify Cole's powers. All he had to do was go with Kuo to a place called. New Marais. Cole needed those powers. The Beast is coming...and he'll have to be ready.
At the pier of Empire City, Cole stood by the side of the ship, awaiting for a signal that the Beast had arrived. Just then, someone comes up too him. He was wearing his hair swept backwards, and sunglasses with a black frame. He wore a bowling shirt that he used in Empire City, a shoulder holster for his revolver, and a white undershirt with a flaming pair of dice as its design paired with a black meshed shirt on top of it. He wore considerably lengthier shorts than normal, and sneakers. He also had several bandages all over his body, and a tattoo of a woman wearing only her underwear on his right forearm. He also had a small scar on his left cheek. It was Zeke.
Zeke: Man, I tell you, Cole, that Agent Kuo? She doesn't mess around, huh. First boat outta town? Chick's got some connections.
Cole: This is gonna be a short term visit, man. We're just gonna get it, I'm gonna get some new powers, and then we're gonna come right back.
Zeke: Come on, man! You deserve to relax! We're going to New Marais.
Cole: Hey, I need to be back here and ready when it shows up, Zeke.
Trust me, Cole, you will be ready when you're done working with Dr. Wolfe.
A woman explained, walking towards them. She had a formally-kept hair, a black suit and shoes with a white undershirt.
Zeke: Work? Ha! Easy, Kuo. When we get there, we're gonna be about the "Three Bs.
Kuo: Gentlemen, I don't think that you understand the scope of what is going on here.
Surprisingly it didn't take long for the Beast to show his face. There was a massive explosion at the docks of Empire City and it was the right time for Cole to take action. He jumped off the boat and ran to the gates.
Kuo: Uh. MacGrath, we had a deal. This boat is leaving.
Cole: Relax, I got time for this.
He blasted the gates opened and charged to the bridge. He saw the Beast and shot his Megawatt hammers at him.
Cole: Yep! Right here, man!
The Beast threw a giant statue near Cole and destroyed half of the bridge.
Zeke: Cole! Get up, man!
Cole struggled to get back on his feet. Feeling something behind him, he looked at saw the unbelievable. A gigantic humanoid made out of molten lava and rocks, with fire pulsing through his system, and its eyes appearing inflamed.
Cole: The Beast.
With no hesitation, Cole began shooting Megawatt Hammers at it, trying to destroy it.
Cole: Kessler told me about you! I'm not going to let it happen!
The Beast grew tired of it and destroyed the bridge, sending Cole flying. But Cole used his Static Thrusters and began flying in the air, shooting at the Beast. The battle kept going on until Cole eventually blew half of the Beast's face off. He landed back on the ground and summoned an Ionic Storm. The damage was so powerful that it blew off both half of the Beast's face and head off, sinking into the water.
Zeke: Hey, good shot, man! Now get back to the boat. The pier's breaking up!
Cole made a dash back to Zeke and Kuo, managing the return in one peace. He jumped off but was suddenly stuck in mid air. From behind, a giant hand grabbed him. The Beast was still alive and ready for more.
Cole: Come on, come on!
When the Beast's hands began to loosen up, Cole summoned another Ionic Storm. But even his body grew weak, Cole screamed, as he was damaging the Beast. He blew up, the Beast released it's grip on Cole and they fell into the water. All Cole could hear was Zeke screaming out his name. The Beast had drained him, broken his powers. To Cole...it felt like the end. Luckily, that wasn't the case. Cole wakes up, he was in a hospital bed. Zeke was beside him. The news was on, the Beast was completely healed from Cole's attacks. And now Cole's precious Empire City...was lost. The ship ran for it, fleeing south to New Marais. It was all too much for Cole to handle. He failed...failed at protecting his home and the people he protected. He lost his family, his friends and even the love of his life...it was too much. With nothing left to live for, he decided to move...leave and find a new home for himself. He changed from his infirmary clothing and found himself new clothing. He put on a plain white T-Shirt, black pants with a stripe on the left pant leg and black parkour shoes. He grabbed his bag and left his room. He meets up with Zeke, explains that he's going to abandon his job and hopefully look for a new home. Zeke offers to go with but Cole decides against it. Zeke explained that wherever Cole went, he wouldn't be too far behind. With arguing anymore, Cole and Zeke abandon the boat and take off, looking for a new home.
Zeke: So, got anyplace in mind you wanna be?
Cole: No but I'll know, when I see it.
They continued there trip. They traveled for at least for five days. It seemed like they would never find a place, they began to grow tired and restless.
Zeke: Hold on, man. I...I gotta rest.
Cole looked back at him and smirked a little.
Cole: You should've known that we'd be walking like this...you should've stayed back on the boat.
Zeke: What? And think about you getting into trouble?
Cole rolled his eyes and began walking up a hill. When he got to the top, he saw a town.
Cole: Good news, Zeke, we won't have to walk anymore.
Zeke caught his breathe and took off, walking up to the hill.
Zeke: Thank the good lord; I could go for something nice and cold.
They finally made it down the hill and into the city.
Zeke: Whew, look at this place...shining brighter than you, man.
Cole: Let's just look around for a place to stay.
Well, well, well, what do we have here?
When Cole and Zeke turned around, they saw an elderly man with pale skin and thin arms and legs. His nose was a bit large and his black eyes are rather small and close-set. He wore spectacles with circular lenses. He seemed to be balding and had short, white hair on the sides and back of his head. He also had bushy eyebrows, a walrus mustache, and a long, floor-length beard, all of which are white. He dressed in a sky blue cloak that stops just above his ankles and had large, hanging sleeves. He wore pointed slippers and a tall, floppy, conical hat, both of which are the same sky blue color as his cloak. His wand was a very long, featureless, brown rod with a small bump on one end.
Two misfits, on a quest, eh?
Cole: Who're you?
Merlin: I am Merlin, a very powerful wizard. And who might you two be?
Cole: Cole MacGrath.
Zeke: Zeke Dunbar is my name.
Merlin: Pleasure to meet you boys...I take it you've come from a world beyond imagination.
Cole: Something like that.
Zeke: And we're pretty worn out.
Merlin: Why don't you come in, you could use a good rest, if I'm mistaken.
Zeke: I'd sure love to take a breather.
Cole didn't say a word but followed in. Inside Merlin's house, there was books scattered everywhere...seemed like the man really loved to read. Cole and Zeke took a seat, as Merlin offered them a cup of tea.
Zeke: Thanks, Merlin.
Merlin: Well, it seems you two have been through hard times, a struggle, if I may call it that.
Cole: You have no idea, we've just been trying to find a place to settle down...start over.
Merlin: Well, you are more than welcome to stay here, as long as you like.
Cole: Thanks, Merlin. Listen, Zeke. I'm gonna take off and get to know this place a little better, I'll be back soon.
Merlin: I take it you two are very close.
Zeke: You know it, we've been though a lot...but we've had some troubles.
Cole began walking around the entrance of the city. There his eyes caught someone...a woman. She had a tall and slender figure, quite thin and a few inches short. She had blue eyes and medium-length blue hair, mostly parted to her left. She wore a black and navy blue, high-collared halter top, a black corset with two pairs of white laces and black shorts. She had two pink straps intersecting over her chest, with a silver badge. On her arms were white bell-sleeves and tan, fingerless gloves. She also wore a small, segmented piece of armor on each of her upper arms. She had black stockings reaching about halfway up her thighs, leaving a small area of bare skin. There were two strips of blue cloth draped over each of her hips, along with a smaller, white strip of cloth tied around her waist and draped in the same manner. Her silver boots were pointed and armored, with a sharp "hook" on the outer side of each.
Excuse me.
Her attention was directed towards a….duck, walking with a cane. He had thick, half-ring of ruffled feathers going around the back of his head, creating the image of an old, balding man. It appeared that his wealth allowed him to dress in fine, stereotypically "rich" clothing. He wore a blue jacket with a folded-down, red collar, red cuffs, and a yellow button near the neck. He kept the jacket shut with a red belt. A black top hat with a red band near the brim sits on his head, and he wore pince-nez glasses. He also had red spats on his feet. Completing his image as an old, rich man, He walks around with a brown cane with a gold tip.
I'm terribly sorry to bother you, sir.
Ach, what a well-mannered lass ye are. I'd be pleased as punch to help ye, if I can.
I'm looking for a boy who's not from around here. Have you seen him?
A boy...who's not from around the town...could she have be talking about Cole...or Zeke? Cole wasn't sure what was going on, so he listened carefully.
Hmm, I think I know just you're talking about. He scampered off toward yon castle in a right hurry.
Thank you so much.
The duck simply smiled and walked away.
Terra, I hope you're still there.
"Terra..." So the boy she was looking for wasn't Cole or Zeke but somebody named Terra. Something felt strange about this girl so Cole walked over to her.
Cole: Hey, you!
The girl turned around and saw Cole walking towards her.
Cole: Something wrong!
No...well, actually, I'm looking for someone. He's a friend of mine.
Cole: Well, if you want, I can help you out.
Aqua: Thank you, I'd appreciate that. Oh, my name is Aqua.
Cole: I'm Cole, Cole MacGrath. So, let's get going.
They made their way through the town and to the castle.
This girl...she's not normal. But, she is kinda hot...
Just then, they were attacked by strange looking creatures.
Cole: What the...?!
Aqua: Stand back.
Aqua had suddenly pulled out a strange looking sword and charged in, eliminating them all.
I was right about the not normal part...
When the creatures were taken on, they continued to press on. The more they continued on, the more of those monsters they ran into. Due to the Beast draining Cole of his powers, he wasn't strong enough to fight back.
A woman who can fight and look good, while doing it?! Yeah, I'm gonna enjoy being around her.
They made it to the castle, going up the stairs. They eventually came across a little girl being chased by the same monsters that attacked them. She ran to their side, as she held onto Aqua's weapon
Aqua:I can feel the light.
Cole: With this kid here, there's no way we'll be able to defend ourselves.
One of them jumped at them but they were saved by a…a mouse?! His clothes were colored in greyscale, losing all the colors it had, save for black, white, and grey.
Hurry! Ya gotta get that girl to someplace that's safe.
Aqua: Who are you? Why do you have a Keyblade?
I'll tell ya later. Right now, we gotta stop these things!
With that, Aqua grabbed the little girl and took off. As for Cole, he stayed behind to help out.
You're not leaving?
Cole: No I am not, I'm helping out. I may not have a weapon...I maybe weak but I can still fight.
Just as Cole and the mouse were about to charge in, Aqua came back.
Cole: You get the girl someplace safe?
Aqua nodded, and the three of them charged in the fight. Cole began shooting electricity from his hands, stunning the monsters, while Aqua and the mouse attacked. He also threw grenades blowing the enemies back. The three were a great team and eliminated all the monsters. They all regrouped, even the little girl.
Aqua: Thank you. My name is Aqua. I train under Master Eraqus.
Cole: And my name is Cole MacGrath.
Mickey Mouse: And I'm Mickey. I use to be Yen Sid's apprentice. I came back to him for some more training.
Cole: So uh...about this girl, she must be a pretty big deal for those things to come and attack her.
Mickey Mouse: Yep, I think you might be absolutely right. If you ask me she must be someone pretty extraordinary.
Aqua: Yes. I'm quite certain she's someone we're supposed to protect.
Mickey Mouse: Let's join forces.
Out of nowhere, his pockets began to glow.
Mickey Mouse: Oh no, not now!
Cole: What in the...!
Mickey Mouse: I'll be okay. See you real soon!
Cole, Aqua and the little girl just stared at him, as he took off.
Cole: This world just gets weirder and weirder, by the minute.
Here.
Aqua: Are these for me?
I picked you some flowers. Thank you for saving me.
Aqua took the flowers and examined them.
Aqua: Oh, they're lovely. You're so sweet.
She smiled and turned her attention to Cole.
I saw what you did to those monsters.
Cole: Huh?
The way you made those colors come from your hands.
Cole: Oh, well, it was nothing really, just doing what I can.
Aqua: Yes but you still help us, we couldn't have done it without you.
Cole: Well, I guess.
Kairi: My name's Kairi. Nice to meet you!
Cole: Cole MacGrath.
Aqua: Nice to meet you too. I'm Aqua.
Kairi!
From the distance it was a small, elderly woman with thick, grey hair tied into a bun. She had blue eyes like Kairi. She wore a sleeveless, purple dress with a white apron over it. She also had a dark cloth tied around her neck and a white ring on her left ring finger.
Kairi: Oh! Grandma!
Aqua: Wait. Kairi, just a minute...
She lightly tapped on Kairi's necklace and a little light shined.
Aqua: I just casted a magic spell on you. One day when you're in trouble, the light within you will lead you to the light of another. Someone to keep you safe.
Kairi: Thanks.
Cole: Your seriously weird, you know that?
Aqua: Is that bad?
Cole: That's the problem...I don't know.
They waved goodbye to Kairi and took off. As they were continuing there quest of Terra, there eyes caught something. It was a flying object!
Aqua: Unversed! It never ends.
Cole: Well, it's our civic duty to go after it and destroy it.
Aqua: Cole! Wait.
They chased the Unversed all the way to the court yard. They saw a broken down gate and followed through it. When they made it to the end, they saw a man, standing there. A tall young man with brown hair that reaches to the base of his neck in the back and is styled into rather messy, vertical spikes and bangs that frame his face. He had blue eyes and slightly tanned skin. Like Aqua, he was wearing two intersecting straps over his chest, though his red ones are rather different, dropping much lower down and almost resembling criss-crossed suspenders. Also unlike Aqua, he did not wear his badge (which is gold as opposed to the others' silver) on these straps. Instead, he had it on his belt. He wore a skintight, black, high-collared shirt, showing that he is rather muscular. His pants bear a distinct feudal Japanese style; his belt is tied like an obi-sash and he wore hakama. His hakama are dark grey near the top, with several loops for his belt and two buttons, both of which are undone. The rest of the pants were tan with a small, lighter stripe of tan on the bottom hem. He wore a plain black wristband on his right arm, while his left arm is significantly more armored. Just like Aqua, he wears armor on one arm, with his bearing similarities to both of his companions. His armor shares the large, ornate crest (colored gold) with Aqua, though his is much longer, reaching all the way to the bottom of his hand. He also wears a black, fingerless glove on his hand and what appears to be a black gauntlet on his forearm, over the segmented armor, which also has small pieces of dark red armor on it. Finally, his armored boots are dark brown and gold.
But on the right side of them, there was a boy running in there direction. He was wearing a jacket that resembles a reminiscent of the Yin and Yang symbol. The collar of the jacket is red and pleated. Underneath this, he had what appeared to be a grey vest with a single button and several white, angular patterns on it. He wore a third layer under this, in the form of a plain, high-necked, black shirt. He also has a chunk of dull green and grey armor on his midsection that appears to be under his vest, and another piece of armor on his left shoulder. His pants were like a balloon outward slightly before closing up about halfway down his legs, similar These pants are colored in shades of grey, black, and white. He also had an ornate, dull green and grey piece of armor on his upper-left arm, along with a black and white checkered wristband. Like Aqua, he also had two criss-crossing straps on his chest, on which he wears a silver emblem. His boots are rather odd when compared to Aqua's and the man's, as they resemble an armored version of normal street shoes in shades of dull green and grey.
Ven?!
Both Aqua and the man shouted, now known as Terra.
Ven: Terra! Aqua!
The three of them stood together, pulling out there weapons.
Cole: So...this is Terra. And who's the other kid?
He then stood ready to fight. The four of them changed in and began attack a giant metal monster divided into arms, legs and a torso. Considering Cole wasn't all that strong, he couldn't handle himself. He was knocked out and slammed against the wall. He struggled to get up but he was too weak. A few minutes later, when he began opening his eyes, the battle was over and the boy Ventus was running off. Cole struggled to get back on his feet. Aqua heard his struggles and rushed towards him.
Aqua: Are you okay?
Cole: Honestly...no. Wait, where's Terra and Ven?
Aqua looked down and didn't say a word.
Cole: Did...something happen?
Aqua: I...
Cole: You know what...I know something that'll cheer you up.
Aqua: Huh?
Cole: Just follow me.
At their destination, Cole and Aqua were chewing on some ice cream.
Cole: What do you think?
Aqua: It's amazing. It tastes amazing.
Cole: Great! Listen, when you're done with it, how about we head to the castle and...
Aqua: I'm sorry, Cole, but I have to continue on quest.
Cole: Oh, right...
Aqua began to walk away, not knowing what to say.
Cole: Wait!
She turned around and quickly grabbed an object, in her hand.
Cole: Just a keepsake...you know, a promise that we'll see each other again.
Aqua looked at the keepsake, blushing at him and began walking off.
THE END!