Chapter 4
The sun had just risen over the mountain that held The Soup Can Jim Academy For Young Heros Who Quite Frankly Aren't That Talented But Hey Everyone Deserves A Second Chance And Society Sure As Shit Ain't Going To Give It To Them So Sure Why The Fuck Not I'll Open A Taco Stand, Huh What Do You Mean These Are The Forms To Open A Hero School. The sleepy town of Forgotten Falls had yet to fully awaken from its rest, yet deep within the halls of Soup Can Academy a group of six young heros in trainig were already awake, and had been for a few hours.
"Ok so Cherry Tree park is the center of the plant growth, that means whatever is causing it is in the center." Guy explains as he points to the projected picture coming from his poorly made projector.
"And from what the police have said, there are approximately thirty missing people." Ernis fillis in as he looks over the list of names.
"Including my parents." Briny cut in helpfully.
"So what's the plan, slash and burn?" Hansen asks as he calmly sharpens his claymore, the charred steel reflecting the light of the projector.
"Well yes and no," Guy says before turning back to the image, "the majority of the plant mass is here," he says making a smaller circle with in the overgrown area. "Hansen, Briny and I will cut through the majority of the plants to the heart, while that is happening Gale, Tor, and Ernis you guys can start to cut off the vines around where we will enter, and make sure the flames from Hansen don't go to far." Guy explains.
"Best Friend Guy, why would Briny go with you and not stay with us?" Tor asks, raising his dirt covered hand.
"Because, she is going to make sure that Hansen doesn't fry us, and because her parents may be in the park." Guy explains.
"Ok, then if we don't have anymore questions we can head out!" Briny exclaims happily as she jumps from her seat. The others follow her lead, although not as quickly, and head to Sherwin's office. Knocking on the butler's door the teens are greeted by the well dressed, if not still slightly sleepy, man.
"I take it that you six are ready to go." He asks as he takes a small handkerchief from his pocket to wipe some sleep from his eyes.
"Yes sir!" The six respond in synch.
With a nod Sherwin opens a portal that seems to tear through reality itself, allowing the six to step through. Silently the teens walk through the portal, and when the come out of the portal, not a second later, it looks as if they were on a different world. They stood on the cement sidewalk outside Cherry Tree Park, the grass of the park had grown to reach nearly seven feet tall, trees towered into the sky, and thick vines reached out from the darkened center of the park onto the surrounding land wrapping around cars, lamp posts, and buildings. Hansen is the first to step forward, readying his claymore he holds it ready as flames begin to gently flicker off the metal blade.
"This… is going to be fun!" Hansen says as he begins to cut away at the overgrown grass and thick vines. Briny is close behind him putting out any stray flames caused by Hansen's handy work, and Guy is right behind her investigating the growth of the plants.
"Common Tor, Ernis, let's go investigate the houses." Gale says as he begins to walk towards the nearest vine covered home. Walking carefully the trio approach the house, stepping over the vines snaking through the grass and into the wood of the wall.
"Gale I have a bad feeling about this." Ernis says as he suddenly stops. Swinging his bag from his backpack, and quickly digs through it, pulling out a small steel ball bearing and a lump of strange meat in a plastic bag labeled jaguar. Swallowing them whole, his skin recolors itself to a metallic sheen and his nails elongate into sharp claws. Walking up to the door Ernis gently cuts the vines away from the door and tries to open the door only to find it locked.
"Tor, you got the Tor Door?" Ernis asks as he takes a step away from the door. The boy from the Homeland nods and tosses the small cluster of balls over to Ernis. Placing them on the corner of the door he presses the on button and confidently walks forward, only to walk face first into the still very solid door.
"Sorry best friend I forgot it isn't charged back up. You used it yesterday to be mean to the barf cook." Tor explains as he takes back the Tor Door. Placing a hand on Ernis' chest Tor gently pushes him back and slams his hands either side of the door pulling it off its hinges.
"That works I guess." Gale says as he jumps over Ernis' shoulder into the entryway of a house with two hallways, one leading to the left, and one leading forward, along with a staircase to the left that lead up.
"I will check the front rooms." Tor says as he walks toward what looks like a livingroom type area.
"I'll get the back rooms." Ernis says as he walks to what looks like a kitchen.
"Fine I'll look up stairs." Gals says as he begins to hop up the stairs three steps at a time.
There were two door in the upstairs landing, one was open leading to a office looking room while the other was only slightly ajar. Heading to the office the cat quirk user jumped from the ground to the top of the desk and began to try typing on the keyboard, only to find a thick bouquet of flowers had begun to grow from the computer tower. Shrugging his shoulders he jumped back down and went to the other room. Pushing the door open, Gale whistles at the heavy amount of plant life.
"Ummm… Guys I found something!" Ernis yells from somewhere deeper in the house. Walking back out at a quickened pace Gale jumps down the full flight of stairs and meets up with Tor as they run to where Ernie is. Running into a den like are both Tor and Gale stop to gag as the open the door leading to the room.
"Dear lord what is that smell?!" Gale exclaims as he begins to wretch. Looking up both teens see two decaying bodies being held in the center of the room by a web of vines. From their open mouths and empty eye sockets more plants grew as the once normal people were now nothing more than macabre planters.
"This is not good friends." Tor says as he coughs.
"No shit it isn't good Tor!" Ernis yells before the color drains from his face. Pulling out the communicator Guy made for them Ernis quickly calls the other team.
"Hansen, Briny, Guy we have a problem. We investigated on of the houses and well… the people here aren't missing… their dead." He says heavily.
"What no that can't be right!" Briny yells over the comms.
"I'm looking at two bodies Briny trust me it it!" Ernis yells before covering his mouth and running from the room.
"I'm… I'm sorry guys… I… I need to know if my parents are ok." Briny replies sadness heavy in her voice.
"It's ok Briny we can look for your parents, just stay with Hansen and Guy." Gale says before rushing from the house to were Briny said she lived.
"It is ok small best friend, we will find them." Tor adds before also following.
Meanwhile, Briny, Hansen, and Guy were deep in the forest that was once Cherry Tree park. The scenery had drastically changed from vine covered suburb to the look of similar to what Guy had read about and seen of rainforests. The trees towered into the sky nearly blocking out the light. The dirt was covered in different plants from all parts of the world, and thick vines ran across the ground, pulsating every so often as if they were drawing in something.
"I wonder why they're moving like that?" Briny absentmindedly asks as she watches a vine bulge like the stomach of a snake.
"Lets find out shall we." Hansen says as he walks up to the nearest vine.
"No Hansen wait!" Guy yells however Hansen fails to listen and slams his claymore down through the vine and into the dirt beneath it.
"Nothing to worry about Guy it's just… what is it?" Hansen asks as a strange greenish brown liquid gushes from the cut vine.
"I'm not sure let me check it out." Guy says as he gets closer. Taking out a glass rod Guy takes a sample of the strange goo. Taking a small sniff he instantly throws the glass rod back into the goo.
"Ok genius whatcha got?' Hansen asks as he absentmindedly pokes the vine with the tip of his sword.
"Judging from the color, what I know about plants, and that horrid fucking smell, it's a mix of chlorophyll and digested human." Guy says as he stands up and wipes his hands on his pants.
"Guys do you thin my parents are-" Briny starts to ask before Hansen cuts her off.
"I'm sure there fine Briny we just need to keep calm." The pyromaniac says causing the blue haired girl to nod as a look of determination crosses her face. Turning back to where all the vine were coming from Briny begins to march forward, her look of determination never faltering.
"How do you know her parents will be fine?" Guy whispers to Hansen so that only he can hear.
"I don't but if they are I'm going to make them wish the plants got to them first." Hansen Growls before continuing forward and slashing at the interfering plants.
Shuttering Guy quickly catches up with his friends as they make their way forward. The path to the center of the park is heavily infested with plant life causing Hansen to have to work overtime on cutting through the vines and covering in the mixture of people and plant. As they continued walking a sudden cracked caused them to stop in their tracks. Taking out his communicator Guy pressed the button to accept the call.
"Guy, Hansen, Briny you guys their?" Ernis asks worriedly.
"Yeah we're here what do you have?" Guy asks as he silently stops Hansen and Briny.
"We made it to Briny's house, and we have some bad news?" Gale says slightly quieter than Ernis. Hearing that Briny starts to tear up, assuming the worst had happened.
"Are they…" Briny trails off as she holds back tear.
"There not here, we checked out the other houses and we can't find anyone." Ernis says after a few seconds of silent.
"Wait, what?" Guy asks as he look to Hansen and looks at the sludge covering him.
"Yeah the only people we found were from the first house." Gale fills in.
"Then what the hell is on me?" Hansen asks as he wipes the sludge from his shirt.
"You want the truth or what?" Gale asks.
"It is poo best friend." Tor yells over the comms causing both Guy and Briny to begin to gag. Hansen, in similar disgust activates hellscape to burn away all the muck covering him.
"Some of the vines broke into the sewers and started to use them for a food source." Gale says
"Ok then… where the hell is everyone then?" Guy asks as he finishes gagging.
"Hey nerd… I found 'em" Hansen says grabbing the attention of his two companions. Looking up both Briny and Guy see a mass of people in pod like plants sleeping, and in the center of the pods a teen is sitting watching them with glee.
"So you finally showed, long time no see Briny." The girl says with a twisted unsettling smile.
"Phoebe?" Briny asks in surprise.
AN
2023 words two thousand and twenty three words. This is long longest chapter to date, so of course I'm leaving it on a cliffhanger. Also as of now I am going to be alternating post between this story and my other story based on the Type Moon DnD campaign run by Logan titled "Isla Does What She Wants." Thank you and Tara.