The wood were-dog, the wood lizard and the wood goblin were walking to them.
The fight began.
''I think it would be considerable to have some Joey-shrinking powers for this fight.'' Casey proposed, looking at the giant gargoyle standing behind them.
''Just focus on the small ones, we'll handle the giant later!'' Navarro counseled, ready to fight.
''...I think you have another problem to manage!'' Niles warned, from behind, six possessed adults were walking to them.
The whole team was stuck in a dead end around them. They seemed scared and worried, but they were prepared for any eventuality. Daemona looked at the possessed adults.
''Professor, think you could lend me one of these new portable ultra-sonic waves we invented?'' Daemona asked.
Felix Navarro showed his two arms to Daemona, in each arm, he had three layers of grey circles and a black tip pointing horizontally, all worn thanks to the help of metal bracelets. The investigator took one of them in her right arm and the two ran together into the possessed adults, fist in direction on them.
Buzzing sounds came out of the two gadgets and the adults facing them backed up, clenching their teeth and closing their eyes. They had the advantage, but Navarro saw right to him and far away, Daemona's possessed mom who took Wad in her arms.
''Help, help!'' Wad screamed.
But too late, the bad mom threw him towards Daemona, which Navarro protected by taking her and opened his robotic wings to fly with her, Wad ended on one of the six demonic posessions's face, blinding him, the victim growled.
''Thank you Jinxie!'' Wad said, Jinxie was side to everyone, hesitating about what to do.
''Uuuuuh, no problem?''
Meanwhile, Jericho was facing the wood goblin, he was trying something.
''Time to split!''
He used his telekinesia powers on his opponent, one handed, but he wasn't levitating him, he tried to break up all the wood parts which permitted to form it, but the goblin was fast, he ran towards Jericho and jumped on him. The young boy stopped his powers and ran away. He seemed a little surprised but in reality, he had a plan.
''Oh you want to race I see, first to the lake here!'' Jericho jested while running.
The goblin of wood followed what he wanted to hurt, having no idea of the plan Jericho had. It was faster than him but the smart teenager used some sand by distance in the hope to slow him down. Once Jericho was close to the water, he used his powers to lift some water up and throw it like a wave on the alive material of wood. This last was now all wet and darkened in color, but it was still alive, it looked at itself, not understanding. Jericho, while talking, used his telekinesia powers to take a gadget in the bag Niles was watching.
''Some good friend of mine used his shapeshifting skills to show me that wet and impure wood can conduct electricity very well…let's see if he's right with the thundertank!''
The gadget Jericho was now holding was a futuristic-looking-like gun, it has a big closed lightbulb above, the trigger underneath, a charger on the back, a thunder drawing on the sides and two grey conductors on the front. The goblin was running towards him before he could react but Jericho didn't give it time. Once he pressed the trigger, the lightbulb began to light up instantly and the hole was electrified.
...
While we heard some electricity noises and the atmosphere flickering for a few seconds, Kira, soul collector in hand, was struggling with the lizard of wood, constantly moving and changing skin like a true chameleon to try to make her confused and unable to catch it. But the girl was aware, she only focused on it…
…Plus having telepath skills helped a lot in these situations. It took some time, but she finally used her soul collector to catch successfully her opponent. She was smiling proudfully, but she noticed on the manifying glass of the gadget that a red X appeared, and on the screen, it was written ''full'' .
''…I can't capture anything anymore, wow, watch out folks, that girl is parents with Jinxie!'' Kira talked to herself, rolling her eyes and putting back the soul collector in the bag of gadgets.
As she turned around, she saw really far away that Casey struggled with the were-dog of wood. She closed her eyes and started walking, talking to Casey with the power of her mind.
''Casey'!' Kira's voice echoed in her head. ''I'm going to help you but It will take some time, try to not get further.''
''I'm holding it since like six minutes, he's big like a pony. I've tried the water trick I showed to Jericho but he's smart and trained! Please hurry up!'' Casey's voice panicked in Kira's head, who started to run.
The were-dog was a little violent towards Casey, he opened his mouth, showing his big teeth. The glassy boy shapeshifted into a hard bowling ball at the moment his attacker leaned to him, the were-dog broke his teeth a little on the bowling ball, growling of pain and backing up. It didn't gave up and pushed the ball with its paw, so strong it rolled far away and made Casey let a small shriek out. He shapeshifted back in human form, getting a little dizzy.
''It's confirmed, me and dogs aren't getting along very well.'' Casey shook his head, he didn't got the time to breathe that the were-dog took another run for it.
The master of shapeshifting sighed loudly and shapeshited his legs into big springs, he jumped in the air and thanks to the bouncy texture of his lower body, he managed to do pretty high bounces to avoid getting caught.
''If you don't come to your bath, the bath will come to you.''
Casey went in the direction of the vast water, the were-dog of wood was following him like he intended. As soon as his final bounce was above a deep section of the water, he changed his lower body back into normal legs and let himself dive in the water. The made-up monster stopped in front of the lake, but received all the splash and got wet.
At that very moment, Kira arrived and went on its back, it was big enough to ride it. Casey noticed that she wore a set of two collars linked with a retractable metal stick: one on her neck and one in emptyness.
She put the second collar around the were-dog's neck and opened the power, which made the were-dog calm itself down a little. To help herself, Kira also closed her eyes and used her powers on it, getting it calmer and calmer.
''Gooooooood boy, gooooood boy.'' Kira's voice complimented in its head, purple waves were around these two. ''Hey, look at these freaks.'' She pointed at some other possessed adults who backed up. ''They said you're so ugly and bad that your place in the netherrealm chart isn't worth a sprite.''
The were-dog growled and started to walk slowly against them. Casey, who got out of the water, went side to Kira who kept her hands and her telepathic transmission on her mount.
''How did you do that ?'' Casey asked.
''No past conscience or proper soul, I judged it was easier to manipulate with the help of this new gadget!'' Kira explained, leaning her head to her friend.
''…Don't ever stop doing that if you can!'' the boy sighed from relief.
The vast majority of the monsters woods of Baker Beach were neutralized :
The lizard was in the soul collector along with the others captured in Navarro's shop + the zombie of yesterday
Jericho used electricity at such power on the goblin it accidentally burned down and the fire was still there
The were-dog of wood was under Kira's control.
The only two problems left was the half-shark half-monster who got out of the sand and ordered the giant gargoyle of wood to get in action.
Meanwhile, Daemona and Navarro hold it as much as they can against possessed adults. They continued using ultra-sonic waves out of the gadget on their arms to avoid any confrontation, but some, who were starting to became resistant, got pushed away by physical contact.
Brain like brain, mentor like pupil, leader like leader, adult without powers like kid without powers, they were having each other's back since the beginning of this fight, using their knowledge and all the gadgets they could have. A few more out of the bag and they could win this.
But a small earthquake made both of them and the possessed adults fall on the ground, the fight stopped. The giant gargoyle walked. Big steps made the place move, the motion of its wings made big winds. Daemona and Navarro stood up, Casey and Kira, who still was on the controlled were-dog of wood, met with them. The possessed adults backed up and all stopped attacking because they seemed to know they won in advance, smiling. Every hero was looking with despair at the giant monster standing in front of them.
''…Great, we needed it so much.'' Casey quipped.
''And most of the gadgets we have don't work against them.'' Kira added, starting to look in a different direction. ''I don't know how much our sidekicks monsters can hold it…''
Where Kira was looking, Jinxie was holding the glueshoot in direction of a possessed adult but didn't seem to know how this thing worked. Wad tried to hold him by his own by stucking its sticky arms around his legs.
''Can you please hurry up? Ugh, these shoes stink too.'' Wad complained.
''Excuse me if I don't spend my time using these thingumajig curses.'' Jinxie replied, rising angrily its arms.
At that very moment, the glueshoot he was holding, aiming upwards, shot a nlack goop, it was up for some time, but after a few seconds, it started going down.
''uuuuuuh, BRACE YOURSELVES!'' Jinxie ran away and the adult, who finally got out of Wad's grisp, tried to run against him only to get all the black goop that spread on him.
Back to the human's side. Daemona started to think about something. The gargoyle started walking closer.
''...Hmm...what we saw on the TV, thinking it was the burning man festival. How it ends?'' Daemona asked.
''It speaks by its name, on the last day, the statue burns down!'' Casey explained.
''So we have the solution right to our nose...we just need some non-elemental fire!'' Daemona pointed out.
Everyone looked around, until Jericho came to the gang, running and panting.
''I have some!'' Jericho stopped in front of the gang. ''But I have no torch...''
The gang remarked that the fire Jericho made earlier was behind the giant gargoyle of wood. Casey clenched his fists.
''I have an idea, trust me, he will go bananas!''
The kid with glasses took a run right under where the gargoyle's left food was going to land, then he shapeshifted himself into a giant banana peel on which the giant alive statue moved on. His left foot slipped upwards and, confused and slowly struggling with his balance, stepped back a few centimeters.
''It works, he's going towards the fire, give everything you got everyone.'' Daemona ordered while looking for Wad.
Meanwhile, Niles and Jinxie, who were still trying to handle the demonic possessions, heard Daemona's order, looking at each other.
''So, you're the demon of what already?''
''Why?'' Jinxie asked before being taken by the ghost and thrown like a basket ball. ''I COULD'VE FLY THANK YOU!'' His voice faded away from his ghosty friend.
Not knowing where he was going to land, and not controlling his wings, Jinxie ended in front of the gargoyle, more precisely on his right eye, messing with his view, the giant gargoyle started to hit and miss some steps, moving his head to get Jinxie out.
Navarro and Kira also tried to took the benefit of the situation. The mentor flew in the air and pushed himself on the statue's belly, pushing it with his hands and adding some speed with his robotic wings flapping faster.
Kira, still on the back of the controlled were-dog, made it run behind its left leg and it chomped against it. Next to the two partners, Casey was here too, he changed into a chainsaw and tried to cut the wood, but it was wide and difficult.
Daemona finally found Wad walking on the sand, she took it in her hands and ran towards the statue.
''Wad, less talk more action but I know you will talk anyways: try to make me reach the statue's shoulder!'' Daemona ordered to the goofy sidekick.
''A bit of climbing and I'm not doing the hard work, COMPLETE WHOLE CAKE.'' Wad answered while getting in position.
Without second thoughts, Wad used his body's elasticity to stretch itself like a long rope towards Navarro who was still pushing the statue, hands on his belly.
The flying man seemed aware of the plan because he turned his head straight down and caught Wad with his left hand, giving the gum more swing by throwing him higher with Daemona in the process, the long gum rope ended on the gargoyle's chest before bringing Daemona side to it by shortening itself. The rest of the ascent went by the red-haired leader climbing normally towards the giant's shoulders, helped by Wad's sticky features on her hand.
''Pfew, now we help the gang!'' Daemona pursued, now on the huge nether gargoyle's shoulder. Wad stretched once more to go around his neck, he was also maintened by Monie's hands, and, right now, she pulled as hard as she could, trying to choke the gargoyle or hoping to move it more backwards.
It took some time, but thanks to: Casey's chainsaw form; Daemona and Wad's pull; Navarro's push; Jinxie's annoyance; Jericho's telekinesia's efforts on the giant legs and at the end Kira and the wood weredog's teamwork, the gargoyle finally started to get weaker, as his foot got cutted off and make him lose his balance, everyone, except Daemona, still on the highest spot, backed up.
Despites all efforts, the statue was not falling on his back like they planned, he was just on his knees.
''Still struggling? Time for the big finale!''
Jericho said this. Annoyed, he jumped on the weakness occasion, went side to where the fire was and used his telekinesia powers to move the blazing wood still not ashed by it, it was like he was holding a big fireball.
''LOOK OUT!'' Jericho screamed towards Daemona. He threw the fire towards the gargoyle and finally, being an excellent fire conductor with its wood material, it started burning, spreading all around.
Daemona screamed of panic and took a big run for it, she was followed by Wad getting to normal shape and climbing on her shoulders. The teenager jumped high and far as she could, falling towards the water. Finally, Wad pressed his arms and legs on her and changed into a parachute, slowing her drop. She got safely in the water, only boots wet, and she walked to her gang, cheering together.
''It's been hard, but we did it!'' Daemona cheered.
''Thank you, Phantom Investigators.'' Niles got side to everyone. ''You're the next guardian-angels!''
All this victory was great, but someone was missing. The half-shark half-monster, walking behind the gang, but he wasn't full of anger and disappointement, he laughed, full of pride, he even cheered and clapped with the Phantom Investigators. They all turned to him, Navarro was the most calm of the group, but the others looked at him with contempt.
''Congratulations, congratulations, you did it like it was planned, guardians angels, you said? Indeed, you are truly worthy of your titles.'' The shark cheered with arrogance.
''Stop this!'' Daemona threw.
''Yeah, you're just a funk! You created, you ordered and didn't move an inch.'' Jericho reminded.
''Do you think I sent myself here without judgement?'' The monster revealed, grinning.
Everyone raised an eyebrow, no demonic possessions was attacking them anymore, they all looked at them. Some of them were going to attack, but the boss stopped them, hand rising.
''If I wanted to intervene during this...test...I would have done it! And you're lucky, I have one last problem to manage!''
''This didn't work on all the wood monsters, but on you? No problem!'' Daemona assured, taking the ether-disruptor out of her suit.
Following these revelations and ignoring the girl's treath, the anthropomorphic shark lifted his two hands, some light was getting out of them and the ground was shaking.
''Great, you angered him!'' Jinxie mumbled.
''Is it me or it's getting colder?'' Casey mentionned.
Everyone turned left, a big wave of water was going to drown them. Every children, sidekick ghouls and adult, caught by surprise, ran away. Kira, in panic, got rid of her gadget collar and got down of her were-dog ally to run away. But the wave just cooled down and stopped touching at the lower section of the big fire. Everyone panted, looking at the monster.
''Elemental?'' Casey seeked in panic.
''Whatever I am, I wasn't aiming at you!'' the anthro weird shark smiled, while Kira looked everywhere.
''Where's my mount?'' Kira asked, mentionning the were-dog of wood.
Everyone let a little gasp and turned side to the big pile of fire, it was complete silence in the place because indeed, Kira's new ally was not here anymore.
She understood that the wave was aimed not at them, but at the were-dog of wood.
''You're a monster!'' Kira coldly blamed, turning to the antagonist.
''Hehehehe, you don't say?'' the shark mocked.
''Why...Why all this? What was the point of getting rid of your only creation left?'' Navarro asked with concern.
The shark sneered, mouth closed.
''My thoughts are to build something and burn it afterwards! ...Everything may have a fault, everyone can make mistakes, the mistakes you make only makes you stronger. And in the end...you've been the ones making it!''
The kids growled, Navarro was concerned, Niles was impassive, Jinxie and Wad were afraid.
''You gave me a big favor by showing me what was wrong with my prototypes! Thanks to you, the next time I will have a similar idea, who knows, I may not make the same mistakes...it might end up more different and harder than you think...like it happened with me!'' The shark ranted, while turning around and getting in front of the sea.
''So that's it? Your creations, our daily missions and our struggles are only games to you?'' Daemona shouted with incomprehension.
''If the shoe fits, then wear it.'' The shark just hinted. Before getting in the water and disappearing on the horizon.
Nobody was doing something anymore. Niles thanked the Phantom Investigators one more time and disappeared...
...Jinxie took Wad's hand and teleported away with him, not saying anything...
...The rest of the PIs kids were just looking at the sea, a little upset.
''Don't listen to whatever that thing is!'' Navarro started, all the kids turned to him. ''We may have fallen into is trap, but we can be aware too, look at yourselves, you changed too, you grew up. You've learned more about your environnment and your job as the time passed. And it will still happen, no monster, ghouls, despotic judges or new kind of creatures are going to change that, mis hijos.''
Jericho chuckled, Daemona smiled.
''It's true that we would've ran away one year earlier facing these kind of things, or even in front of...whatever-close-to-elemental this shark was...I'm proud of ourselves.'' Daemona comforted.
Some moaning sounds were heard under calm waves and fire cracklings, the adults on the beach, once possessed, seemed to get their ideas together. We've heard some voices out of them.
''Where am I?''
''AH, THERE'S FIRE!''
''QUICK, WOMEN AND CHILDREN FIRST!''
''Calm down, I'm working at the police, the firemans are coming. ''
''I'm glad our Jeri-deary is still at home! I'm not worried, he's independant.''
Jericho stormed inside his head as soon as he heard the word Jeri-deary.
''My parents are here, I completly forgot this detail!''
''Oh no!'' Casey exclaimed. ''What if our parents see us?''
Daemona laughed with compassion, she answered with an amused voice, looking at her friends.
''Now you understand why I'm getting out in these ''weird'' outfits.'' she jested, showing her green suit while looking at Kira, who just rolled her eyes with a smile.
''I think we might reconsider this meeting.'' Casey shyly laughed.
''Come on, kids, anyways, with all the chaos and panic, nobody will pay attention to you. Let's go home...'' Navarro suggested.
''Says the mentor following the leader's traces.'' Jericho joked.
It was silent afterwards, but there was no awkwardness in the group, all the gang went back home, blending into the mass.
...
They will be prepared...for all the next times there's going to be danger, they're going to face people's fears, and their own, that's why they're here for. They're investigators, and figures people can relate to.
...But as you just saw...sometimes...there's people who don't seem to be ready...they need time so sometimes they hide. But...the more it will pass, the more it will be realised that in some way...no matter the looks of it, they're not that different.
In REALLY BIG COINCIDENCE memory of one of the big founders of the burning man festival. (Learnt about it after I started writing the backdrop idea)
R.I.P Larry Dean Harvey 1948-2018
-The end-