37. The Team Complete
The Witch Doctor opened up the door from the inside and sees Umbriel and an unfamiliar face. She focused more on the meteorite in Umbriel's hands.
"I've got something special….do you know how to perform the remedy now?" Umbriel asked.
"Lucky for you to say," the Witch Doctor responded. "While you were missing, I've done more research about deoxyDNA removal. Where did you find that meteorite, and are you certain that it's the meteor from Pisces Planet? AND who is that?" She was referring to Yin.
"I didn't find it, but my so-called cooperatives did," Umbriel replied. "I returned it after taking a holiday in Pisces Planet. Yin, who is right besides me, comes from that place."
"May I pay a visit with your cooperatives that you speak of?" The Witch Doctor asked.
Umbriel's face turns to a flustered expression and then revokes her previous statement, saying nervously, "Actually, forget that I said that! Cooperatives, what am I talking about?"
"What's the truth then?"
Suddenly, Yang's teleportation brought himself, Prendas, and the other Moon Warriors into view around the cottage in the woods.
"Apparently, my "friends" are aliens, some of them in particular," said Umbriel.
"I'm not surprised that you already realized that I came here with Umbriel," Yin said to Yang, "What should we do now with Pisces Planet being endangered?"
"I don't know. Never come back?" Yang responded. "We're stuck here now and it's just because Makemake turned things into hell."
"Which one of you people found that meteorite first?" The Witch Doctor asked.
"I have!" Spongebob, Squidward, Patrick, and Sandy said simultaneously.
"In fact, I have a much bigger story about this meteorite," Spongebob started explaining. "Patrick, Squidward, Sandy, and I found this in the middle of Bikini Bottom. It was too powerful to touch and so we put it in a handy little sack for the entire next day until a rock collector stole it from us and escaped with it in Pisces Planet. The next thing I supposed that happened was that Umbriel was then hanging onto it until some guy stole it back and used it as a power source to increase the energy of a blackhole before we destroyed it. The power from the inside of the meteorite cooled by the time I released the spirit of Magnus Torrentus and told me some important things. As I can see, now it's here," he concluded, gesturing towards Umbriel and the specific object.
The Witch Doctor took the time to get the information through her mind while listening.
"That's certainly everything I need to know for a crazy story like that," the Witch Doctor said. "Now I have all day until evening to work on a remedy for Umbriel's Moon Powers, so I'll see all of you until the time being."
The Witch Doctor then closed the door shut while the Moon Warriors and others spent the rest of the day waiting around. It was now dark.
"So, you're not going to turn away from us this time?" Titan asked Umbriel.
"Says you, but you're not going to abandon the group members anymore now, right?" Umbriel asked back.
"Also, that woman said she was going to work on a remedy for you. Is that why you needed that meteorite so badly, to get rid of your powers?"
"I'm afraid you've got it all figured out now. And since I know you're going to ask why, don't." Umbriel then starts walking towards the cottage and then states, "I at least need a sneak preview of what the Witch Doctor is creating."
As Umbriel kept knocking on the door, the Witch Doctor didn't rebound. Now shown was Spongebob discussing with Prendas.
"So, how's the weather….miss Prendas?" Spongebob asked.
"I should really start arranging a relationship," Prendas said to herself, then spoke: "The night sky is a beauty, as it was back when I was a legal citizen in Pisces Planet. Now I'm here and I don't know what to do, except sitting here, thinking about what that witch is doing with that meteorite."
"I recall that you betrayed the royals and got sent back to the deep blue, right?" Spongebob asked again.
"After that was done, all I could think of planning on was getting my own Moon Powers artificially, if only if I wasn't lucky," Prendas replied. "As it turns out, I wasn't and you were."
"No need to be so jealous," Spongebob replied. "I have yet to understand the main reason for inheriting these powers among all the others."
Yang looks over to see Spongebob and Prendas in his view, and turns his head around, thinking to himself: Now I recognize that face completely, Prendas is a spitting image of Pandora. Frankly, Pandora can't be alive if she was killed back at the Bermuda Triangle. Yet again, Prendas is probably not the same person, but how could her looks pass up to me as Pandora's then? I'm just going to warn the sponge about her identity, whether or not my theory is correct that the second coming of Pandora has come.
"Spongebob, come over here!" Yang called out.
Spongebob went trotting over to Yang for his attention as Prendas sits alone.
"You seem eager to tell me something….that I should know?" Spongebob said.
"Of course – say, has it ever occurred to you that Prendas is technically Pandora?" Yang questioned.
"Prendas is a little crazy, but she seems to be well-mannered and smooth to talk with," Spongebob replied. "I don't know what you're getting at while Prendas is different in her own way and is an ordinary fish."
"Open your eyes and think to yourself if Pandora somehow came back and became Prendas in some way. I'm raising my suspicions."
Yang then walked away from Spongebob and went over to Yin's side, sitting around on the field. A couple hours passed and the Witch Doctor stepped out.
"Are you sure this crazy method is possible?" Titan asked in front of Umbriel.
"The first practice of the removal of deoxyDNA was developed and performed ages ago, Neptune knows," the Witch Doctor answered. "Indeed is it possible."
Umbriel went over to clutch on the Witch Doctor tightly and then said, "Thank you! You sure were big help."
"Now stop hugging me for this one moment," the Witch Doctor said and makes the female Moon Warrior let go by her own force. "I'm getting the supplies."
Minutes later, the Witch Doctor returned to the field, pushing away a dark red cauldron along with the meteorite.
"My backside used to be less undernourished enough to push this thing over here, but no matter," she said. "I shall now demonstrate the first step of this remedy."
She held a gadget and pressed it for the meteorite to defy the gravity from the cauldron. Sparkling particles were also shown moving upward.
"Basically, I'm using a form of sorcery to balance out the gravity from the inside of this cauldron and enhance the power of this meteorite with a batch of "asteroid powder" to follow suit with the anti-gravity effect. To keep the cauldron warming up with power, the dust has a molecule reaction in-between that and the meteorite."
"What do you do to create the anti-gravity, and what asteroid dust?" Sandy asked.
"It's easier that I explain how this remedy functions," the Witch Doctor responded. "Umbriel, come over here and I'll give you the next step to this process."
Umbriel eases over to the cauldron and waits for the next command.
"Now this is the part where another volunteer could be used for this process," the Witch Doctor explained. "How this remedy works is that your powers will be passed onto the inside of another's anatomy."
"So this doesn't kill the radiation and works as an exchange?" Umbriel questioned, feeling baffled.
"Exactly, they don't seem to just merely go away, at least according to my research. Certainly one of you fellows doesn't possess Moon Powers whatsoever."
"Yes!" Prendas exclaimed. She paced and peered closer to the place of the cauldron.
"Alright now, any final words before beginning the process?" The Witch Doctor asked.
"I'd like to know all the reasons for why Umbriel is turning over her powers and abandoning the Moon Warrior code," said Titan.
"Not to mention why Umbriel is exchanging them to someone like Prendas, or Pandora," Yang added. "Pick your poison."
"And I still don't see his point," Spongebob declared, in subject to Yang's statement.
Umbriel was tempted to touch the meteorite without making her last statement while having her heart race.
"You guys want the explanation? Fine, I'll spill the beans!" Umbriel exclaimed, releasing all that stress. "After this is done, I'll no longer and never again be part of this rotten team anyway!"
Everyone except Yang became stunned, even for the Witch Doctor. "Go ahead," she then said.
"About 15 years ago, I was born under the moonlight," Umbriel was explaining. "It was the first day of Pisces for the zodiac moon cycle and I was given the ability of reading auras. I don't know how that came to be, but I'm certain it was the moon's doing. Later in life, my aura reading has made me look like a fool in the outside world, mostly among my peers in school. They thought I was insane for speaking about their distinctiveness. I was otherwise known as a "Moonchild." I haven't heard from my mother since I was 5. I assume she might have died in absentia. I never met my father for no clear reason why. In the meantime, my grandparents were there for me, as well as the only person who looked up to me, as well as one of few who possessed a good aura: Candy. Ever since I had aura reading powers, my grandparents have been researching my abilities and how I can control them. Blessing or a curse, for better or worse, I increasingly wanted a more ordinary life. I changed my personality and my name, ran off into Rock Bottom, also left the school life and got rid of my yellow hair for white and black. It was a way to try and see if I could accept myself as a Moonchild. That didn't benefit, even when I became a Moon Warrior, as my irregularity still felt like a big deal among almost everybody. That's not the worst part, the more intensity I feel with my Moon Warriors rage that I increase of my own aura, the more closer I am to getting myself killed, as my grandparents said. Having two abilities apparently gets in the way of my own life, even though I'm still alive as long as I don't use my powers that aren't my aura reading. Therefore I have a lot of reasons why I'm not made for the honor of being a Moon Warrior. Long story, I know."
"You at least have the guts to tell us all those details. You shouldn't feel so stressed now, right?" Titan asked.
"You should take a look at our auras and tell us whether or not they're good," said Yin.
From Umbriel's view of Spongebob and co.'s auras, they all seem to be showing a hue of orange. Prendas' was more modest with orange and a light yellow while the Witch Doctor's was shown to be light blue.
"Your auras seem to look powerful when it comes to your powers, except for the Witch Doctor," said Umbriel.
"Here's another thing: do we care about how extraordinary you are?" Spongebob asked. "It's not just Candy who accepts the other half of your abilities that we all now know about. We cared for you all the way through your journey despite some of your antics."
"In fact, we went through a lot of trouble to find you and Titan!" Sandy added.
"I never really cared for anybody in this team," Lee proclaimed, "but I'm not saying you're not exceptional, Umbriel."
"…Wow," Umbriel murmured, "Aside from all these risks I went through, I guess I wasn't living too rough. I should stop caring too much."
"One last thing…." Candy spoke. "I don't think you should do this process. Do you think you can do a favor and let me trade away my Moon Powers instead?"
Those words struck Umbriel into a speechless state.
Umbriel continued and then asked her, "What are you saying? …Don't you enjoy being a Moon Warrior a lot more than I do?"
"What if the ability that you were born with also gets passed over to Prendas?" Candy inquired. "What if the remedy ends up killing you? With double the energy, the higher the risk when the process triples it, since that's what I'm thinking. I know, I'm sorry…I'm just too concerned."
"Come on, what choice have I got?"
"Perhaps you can start realizing who you are now, not just by name. You say you're not Rosemary, and you're not Umbriel. Who do you think you are now?" Candy continued.
"Didn't you want an adventure like this?"
"I can't take the risk of having an adventure as a Moon Warrior. I'm not a coward, but it's too dangerous for me, through my current thoughts. I still want an adventure: an adventure as my regular, old, journalist self with my good pal Umbriel. I will receive Prendas' Fools Powers, but I wouldn't be doing a huge job. Sensing that she wants Moon Powers as badly means that I have to make a generous decision."
"Alright, fine…if I'm going to keep these powers, then I have to be careful not to….kill myself."
"Now let's get this over with!" The Witch Doctor began. "Next step: Candy, Prendas, hold on to the meteorite!"
As instructed, Candy and Prendas lay their hands onto the floating object.
"Great, much better than standing around and just watching that thing float, isn't it?" The Witch Doctor said. "Now focus. Concentrate as much as you can and then press harder."
The two continue with the process and do as so, grabbing the meteorite more tightly.
"Now, if you feel something streaming inside your skin, take the opportunity to let yourself go."
Candy and Prendas then let go of the meteorite when they feel part of their body leaving and entering. As it now appears, Candy's lavender armor was gone and was embossed onto Prendas' body. The meteorite's power that glowed from the inside faded away as well.
"This is just what the doctor ordered!" Prendas said. "Take a good look at the newest Moon Warrior!"
"Your welcome, don't rub it in," said the Witch Doctor, holding the absolutely ordinary space rock. "That will be four-hundred sand-dollars….nah, I kid!"
As the Moon Warriors were still hanging out near the woods, they went over to the hilltop close by. Spongebob saw Yang alone, looking up at the sky, and ran up to acquaintance with him.
"So, we're in good terms and we can work together now along with your partner Yin, correct?" Spongebob asked.
"You and your other teammates should have enough skill to handle the duels between people like Phobos and Deimos," Yang responded. "How much more help do you need?"
"Well….I had this strange vision with Magnus Torrentus involved with it, and that told me who the last two official Moon Warriors are," Spongebob replied. "Could those two be Yin and you, Yang?"
"Oh, you're crazy, you don't know enough about me and Yin, and!-"Yang replied. He stopped in his sentence and gave a sigh. "You know, I can't pretend anymore….you figured out the big mystery now."
Yang's abdomen and other parts of his body split and reveal his black Moon Warrior armor.
"As an expert Moon Warrior, I have the ability to hide my attire through cloaking," said Yang. "I have a story too if you want to hear it."
"The more I know, the better am I to understanding the Pisces Planet ethics, do tell," Spongebob replied.
"For a while, you guys, especially Squidward, see me as an evil fighter," Yang explained. "Really, I go around honoring people who received Moon Powers until they were officially licensed as skilled fighters like other two members of the royal family who receive said powers. Yin and I were the ones. Being fighters before receiving powers wasn't so thrilling back in the planet."
"Yeah, you're not such a bad guy at all."
"I've been practicing combat with Yin for roughly over 9100 years because two members of the royal group are said to be destined to become warriors," Yang continued. "Well, I don't believe in destiny. Being a child, I felt that I was forced to be practicing duel-styled combat for 5 times a week by Kerberos. My father Io was also stern with my practicing and would sometimes punish me for shirking. My definitely former friend Makemake has been pestering me about how he could become a Moon Warrior. Life was rougher when Makemake arranged marriage for Yin and started drafting soldiers for hire into the outside world. Then it was underway for him to cheat his way into the throne."
"That's pretty deep," Spongebob commented. "Is there anything else you would add?"
"Kerberos wasn't a bad emperor at all, but he seemed to be blinded by Makemake's outrageous execution for me to understand my suggestion of renovating the work force among us and the other high authorities. Even without being an emperor, Makemake would be threatening me for something like "not killing the Moon Warriors," but it was all part of the code that a Moon Warrior cannot be killed under any unreasonable manner that he didn't understand. It was obvious that he hated the Moon Warriors concept. When Yin and I realized we had deoxyDNA within us, it was important that we mask up our powers so that Makemake wouldn't go down into killing us and commit to seeking out the Moon Warriors, as well as lying to the same "new emperor" of seeking them to kill them in our act."
"I think you said Makemake was from Farside Planet. How did he sneak his way into the royal line?"
"He is, and became part of it, even when he was totally honest about being from a different planet. The fact that he came in peace was a lie that he formed. There's so much that I could say to you, but I'm breaking things down. I'm probably only safe here alongside Yin before we form our plan on defeating Makemake for good. Seeing all those deaths caused by Makemake and putting me at guilt….it was a pain – My father Io, my mother Helene, Yin's parents, everyone else, all gone."
"Oh, I'm sorry that's happened to you."
"Now Makemake is turning the planet into a living hell and he's threatening the citizens to death for his Farside Planet. Honestly, I just don't want to die….especially after what has happened so recently."
"And this is coming from one of the most serious and bravest Moon Warriors I've known. You can't just let some guy bring you long-lasting fear."
"I can go without the pep talk and get over it though. Now we better head back to the summit that holds the Sagittarius moon…as soon as possible, now that you have a couple of warriors with a hand at teleportation."
"Wait, you mean we're going right now!?"
Yang now uses his teleportation technique to send Spongebob, all the other Moon Warriors aside from Candy, and himself all at the Basin Borough summit.
"No need to be such in a hurry," Spongebob said towards Yang.
"It's time that you would now be ready for anything," Yang responded. "I won't pressure you guys the rest of the way."
"It's been like, what, an hour until you guys showed up?" Deimos said, in front of the hilltop with Phobos. "You wouldn't want to mess with us, especially with Makemake around making all the rules."
"For a couple of Pisconarchs, I'm surprised that Makemake still has you two around," said Titan.
"Well, don't get us the wrong idea. We love Moon Warriors. Between us, we're never here to try and kill you warriors," Deimos replied.
"Whose side are you on!?" Yang questioned. "Don't you fear that tyrant in any way?"
"No more time to explain! We're going to have a duel with the same technique we created back when we pummeled your two female warriors," Phobos concluded.
The duel begins with Phobos and Deimos each firing their crossbow arrow attacks, only for their technique to be avoided by the battlers. While Candy was in the sidelines, Prendas gives out the first attack by using Candy's Blazing Beam on Deimos. Prendas quickly dodges the arrow through her reflexes as Umbriel takes the next turn to fire a neutron star attack at Phobos, alongside Sandy tossing Pisces Shuriken at the same target. Yang blocks the arrows coming for him with his Blade-er-rang and that attack successfully strikes the couple. Yin then uses her white blade against Phobos with multiple strikes. Squidward uses his Bungee Sucker Punch against Deimos alongside Yin's side. Once as Phobos managed to hit Yin with one of her arrows, Patrick takes the counterattack with his big bang blast. Deimos also manages to directly damage Spongebob. Spongebob, almost feeling feeble, retaliates with his brightness tornado while the other Moon Warriors block out the incoming attacks from Phobos and Deimos. For the rest of the duel, Phobos and Deimos continue to get creamed by the Moon Warriors through a series of their other signature attacks until they were down and admitted to defeat.
By the fact that Spongebob still has the moon restoration device wrapped around his arm, he points it over to the Sagittarius moon and cleansed the Pisces mist from it from a press of a few buttons and the device's vacuum-like power.
"For sure, Makemake said that he'll remove us in a harmful way and send in "the ultimate Gemini" for the job," Phobos proclaimed, panting from the respective duel, "at least after we fail for the next moon."
"We're not afraid…yet, but we'll come back stronger than ever," Deimos declared and left the battlefield with Phobos through teleportation.
"In subject to Makemake, I better start planning on that divorce," said Yin.
"Good call," Patrick uttered towards her.