Happy New Years everyone! I'm back with one last chapter before the decade ends! The end is coming soon and I have a little bit more info about Julia and Gabriele at the end!
Thank you all for sticking with me for so long and reading my shenanigan of a story; I'm incredibly happy to have inspired a whole bunch of people to write their own takes of AHiT as I too was inspired. Y'all just popped out of the ground like daisy, haha!
(Chapter Twenty Nine: Trouble rides the wind)
The winds grew faster and faster, and the sky grew dark; clouds over head blocked any form of light as lightning clashed with the peaks and thunder boomed through the air. The purple miasma swirled around and those infected by the odd flowers seemed to have lost all control. The goats stomped around agitated by anything that they could see.
The Badge Seller knew something like this would happen, but never this violent- what could have changed? A quick breath escaped him as he turned around; Julia and Gabriele just moments ago had been resting side by side arguing about how she was insulted for being called a magnet for disasters.
For a split moment, he thought everything would be okay, however Julia stood there, limbs convulsing trying to get a hold on herself; but ultimately- her head fell limp and a spark of green energy quickly danced around her body.
"And That's is how you act like Mafia!" The jar sat upon the atomic vacuum cleaner, lesson interrupted by the sack child turning his head towards the nearest window of the mechanical room on the spaceship.
"Mama..?" Kero had an odd feeling, he wasn't quite sure what, but it felt.. strange.
"Hey! Potato child! Are you listening to Mafia boss!" The jar jumped in anger "you will not be able to assert yourself if do not take things seriously!" Kero looked back with a nervous glance "do you not wish to help your mother in future battles!?"
"Uh-, uh! Y-yes I do, mister jar sir!"
"Then, prove it!" The boss yelled again.
The ship alarms went off, there was an intruder on board! The three beings looked at each other, as CC grabbed a frying pan from her end in the kitchen; all four met in the main hub as they saw Mustache Girl grab and break every known Time piece Melody and Julia worked so hard to get back.
"That is her! That's the Mustache brat who stuffed me in this jar!" Mafia boss yelled out "Get her, little potato child! Show her who is the true boss!"
Kero mentally panic as he and Cc approach mid smash, making Mu cock an eyebrow at the two, Cooking cat spoke first,
"N-now, now dear; what do you think you're doing?" There was visual concern and distress. Just.. how many did she break just now-?
"Y-you need to stop!" Kero spoke up "I- I-!"
"I- I-!" Mu mocked "Jezz! You sound like a broken record!" As she smashed another hourglass, a visual ripple in space time could be seen. One could almost say it looked like a glitch. "First the tall Mafia wannabe, and now these bunch of clowns?" She mumbled
"Now, excuse me! That was awfully rude!" Cooking cat yelled, but the child in red didn't care.
"I don't care! I don't care about anyone who communicate so friendly with bad guys!" She smashed another "which makes you all bad people too!" She grit her teeth with a very angry expression in her eyes.
Another glitch, Kero felt it. "You need to stop!" He cried, running up to her the best he could with stumpy legs, but he was roughly pushed down by the girl who was clearly stronger then him.
The impact made kero flinch, the threat of tears came as she looked back to see that the motherly cat had vanished. In front of him, and behind Mu, the Mafia boss with Rumbi attempted retribution for himself and his little pupil; as he yelled charge, and jumped the best he could..
He vanished.
Rumbi stopped mid charge and panicked, running away from the scary girl in red. Kero was left there, speechless as the girl broke one more, and grabbed the rest she could; "These guys were really the ones who protect the ship?" She scoffs
Mustache girl took one last look at the rag child, who was silently crying and not dared budge from his spot. A dissatisfied huff escaped her "Cry baby." But her face seemed to change as she turned out of his view.
He kind of reminded her of herself.
Melody has returned back to the start, as all the other time piece had done; a commotion over head where the badge seller had taken resident before. The child hurried up, and when she arrived she saw the unexplained.
Julia roared, stumbling around like her legs weren't her own. Eyes almost not recognizable, as she shot out something from her hands! Green strands pierced the doctor as he tried to push the badge seller away. His arm was missing!
"Julia!" Melody yelled, attempted to get close as the tall girl snapped her head to the child. The look she gave Melody was terrifying, That wasn't her sister anymore.
"Child, now is not the time! Go- take this and stop the source of this madness!" The badge seller appeared next to her, making her jumped, he handed her Julia's fedora witch contains her time pieces. "Stop the source, and all with be back to normal!"
"Benjamin! I don't know how long I can hold her off! If she keeps going, her body will destroy itself!" Gabriele yelled back, "She not ready to release this much magic energy at once!"
"Then stop holding back!" The badge seller yelled; Melody never thought she'd ever here him raise his voice. "Go! Space child! The sooner this is over, the better!"
With that, Melody to one last glance at Julia and ran. It was just like her home all over again; there will be a difference this time. She will fix it. Melody will save them.
Taking quick action, Gabriele grabbed his frilly tie with his one hand from his neck and basically ripped it off; the miasma that floated in the air was nothing compared to what he generated. Thankfully it only effects the magically inclined and the dead.
Julia was still unable to be effected mostly, but she knew it was there. It have a dizzying effect enough to try and get close; but as Julia saw the doctor run up to her, she threw up a shield.
What was unexpected was that the badge seller had thrown an attack from his cane; something he never thought he'd do again. Breaking the shield, Gabriele had an opening.
"Apologies, Julia; I promises to make it up to you-" he quickly said, jabbing her in the stomach to stun her and then stab a needle into her neck. Catching her limp body, Gabriele looked towards his old friend, who was sitting down. He huffed out, clearly out of breath from using his magic and being close proximity of Gabriele's miasma.
"Do you desire, Anesthetic old friend? You seem to be in pain.." Gabriele asked, placing Julia's body down carefully.
Melody's first objective was to make her way back to the Windmill, or at least take out the one over there; apparently there were more then just one!
Lightning struck as she made it to the first section of the windy passage, the flowers all bloomed and blocked her way; holding in a deep breath she grappled the small mill. Taking notice of the angry goat, she hopped onto the building; the goat looked at her, eyes glowing red with rage.
Looking away, and up; the child noticed large floating Flora. She saw no other way to her destination, so taking her umbrella, she hook shot her way past the large gap as the winds threatened to pick up. Lightning struck around her, the odd flowers overgrown and taking over anything in sight. Melody charged once she saw a larger flower at the end.
However, as she ran, it seemed like the flower knew; almost like it was sentient! It shoot out seeds that exploded, making Melody dodge which way and that. The flower fought back and she didn't like it.
She threw on her sprint hat, and once she made it to the platform with the houses on it, she noticed the goat in her way; thinking fast without stopping she bolted to the nearest roof; climbing up and completely ignoring the large angry goat. Roof top to roof top, almost like a nimble ninja! Then she finally made it to her destination; the flower sat upon a pedestal like platform, with all her anger she felt towards this evil thing, she let loose and smashed it to it didn't stand anymore.
The first area was free from the purple flower's grasps. The goat that had resided here was out cold, assuming that once the flower died, everything it creates dies as well.
With no time to waist, Melody made her way back and was on her way to the lava area; as much as she wanted to check up on Julia, she remembered what the badge seller had said. The sooner this is over the better.
This area was riddled with spiders and hot lava; Julia actually made it through this place?
Moving ahead, she jumped on a spider, over a platform and was about to jump again but stopped as she witnessed lightning once again strike down; this time taking a part of the walk way with it.
Relying on the spiders and the large floating seed she quickly made it to the other side, which Melody then took to the next area. Without truly knowing it, she had taken the same way as Julia when she was first here, only difference was that the large wooden platform was struck again and destroyed. Hook shoring to the large seed she made her way through. The area seemed to grow darker.
The buildings were even more on fire, Melody believes it was just the lightning that had done this. Climbing up onto the roof she spotted more floating seeds; she was getting closer to the second flower.
Once she stepped foot on the overgrown vines the flower shot up large spiked roots from the ground. It caused a shock wave that knocked her back; Melody knew it wasn't over yet, she she kept running. Dodging the roots the best she could.
Once she made it past the first area, however she'd gotten hit on her way, Melody decided that the best course was to take the roof tops again. The child was in the open for a seed bomb, but at least the could get out of the way of those. Once she approach the second flower, she gave it the same treatment as the first.
She went nuts smashing it down with her umbrella.
The flower was destroyed, and the area was free; same as the last, the goat and anything that was under the flower's control was done.
She hurries to the next.
The last area raged, as if feeling it's two others fall; lightning struck a almost anything. At the ground, a few crows, and almost her. However this will be the last flower, after that it's over!
Reaching the overgrown area this time was a lot shorter, however the overgrown section of The was much longer in it's place. Smaller flowers walled some areas off, making Melody jump over them while holding her breath.
The roots shot up, and the bombs seeds fell; the last flower was giving its all to stop the child from space. The child looked on with determination, and a hidden glint of anger. Dodging roots, getting grazed by the bombs and jumping over another wall of flowers; Melody made it once more to the roof tops, and then finally the last flower.
With a running jump, the child struck down the purple menace, and once it uprooted and died the skies slowly be came clear again. The air clean and all was calm.
The child found her way back, with the nomads out of hiding and the goats back to normal.
"I-is it over...?" The nomad taking one last glance around, the took as deep as a breath as it could. "The air is clear again!" It cheered, adding "and the goats seemed to have come back to their senses again." The nomad's eyes smiled as some of the goats stomped with joy "I don't really understand it, but I assume we have you to thank!"
Melody smiled weakly, tired from her skirmish.
"We found this in the cluster of those flowers after the wilted again." The nomad noted, searching for something, once found they held it out "You and your friend were pretty insistent in going after the others, so I guess it belongs to you?"
Melody now smiled fully, taking the hourglass in her hands. Hugging it close to her the nomad added it "thank you for helping us!"
With one last stomp of joy from the goats, Melody mad her way to find Julia and the others. She hoped they were okay.
As she travels up the cliffs to where she had seen everyone last, Melody find no one but the badge seller; Sitting down outside the building with a now open door. She could hear a few people talking within the house, that being a few nomads, the doctor and-
"Julia!" Melody ran in, fedora in hand.
Julia laid down on a bed, tucked in and sore from the jab she had received from Gabriele, in which the child had no knowledge of. "Hey kiddo..!" She winced, who would have though a stuffed doll could hit so hard? His strength was known after she had witnessed Gabriele knock the seemingly invincible statue back in the forest clean out.
This was ridiculous getting hit directly.
"..-I may have.. gone a tad bit over board.." Gabriele held his hat in his hands "not only had the storm triggered my ptsd, but having Julia attack me with.. her magic charm made me snap..-" head fell down in shame "do no harm..? I caused more harm then it seems."
"Hey- Doc, no. It's okay." Julia looked at him "I'm glad you put me down, who knows what could have happened. You even said I tried to target Melody. The kid would have kicked my butt anyways, but thanks.."
"Melody," the child looked to the tall man, question in her eyes "after the storm had ended, I see an odd purple orb floating in the sky, I believe that may be a 'rift' you hunt for."
Melody gasped, ready to get going when all of a sudden Gabriele spoke up again "Julia must remain here and rest however. As much as it pains me to see you go alone."
Melody turned around as she saw Julia half way up the bed with a surprised look. "What?" the older girls questioned.
"I know for a fact I cannot stop you, but you can stop her." Gabriele looked back at the small girl "Either you bring her along and put yourselves in even more danger, or you let her rest and move along."
Julia was left slightly weak from the magic she had used up, actually unaware that she had used magic at all. Would Melody act risk Julia getting more hurt? It's true she came here half percentage from the sleep aftermath..
"...He's right Julia, stay put okay?" Melody softly said, looking a Julia who was shocked; but not surprised as she watched Melody walk out with a wave.
"You heard her, Rest!" Gabriele announced.
"That all I've been doing Is resting!" Julia yelled back at him, ignoring or forgetting the fact that he was a doctor.
"Oh? Well to me, it looks more like sleep deprivation! Why are you such a stubborn child!" Unable to express his frustration through his face, he stomped the ground.
"Because, I never had a choice before!" Julia shouted out.
Gabriele looked on, puzzle by the sudden words, was she talking more about her past?
"I've said this to many times, but I'll damn well say it again! At first I was always happy, doing stuff and not even questioning my parents; As I got older I realized just how- how- Trapped I was! Do this, do that, be more attending! Be a good little child! Never ask questions!" Julia let all her frustrations out that she never even realized until girl had meet MoonJumper.
"I-" Gabriele tried to cut in
"Never once did I ever think for myself; I probably still aren't, but at least I'm doing something! Instead of be some sort of- of.. trophy daughter! Sitting on a god damn shelve collecting dust for some sleazy collector to come get me!" She's getting her reality mixed up, believe that she still owing told what to do by her so called parents, she held her head tightly. Remembering the arguments that have happened over the course of her stay with them.
"Julia.. I-" The Doctor was starting to worry about her mental health as much as she physical, he wondered what she had went through.
"Do you see these scars?!" Julia held out her hands to him a a painful look on her face "I'm glad I have them! it proves I'm flawed, It proves I'm not perfect, and maybe I don't want to be perfect!" She yelled out, then whispered "If being flawless means not having a choice then by god-!"
"I've heard enough." Gabriele rested his hand on her shoulder "Rest. You know it's you're choice. Don't believe you're being a burden here."
Julia was left speechless, but it was enough for her to lay back down and rest for a little. When Melody comes back from the rift, it would be time for her to go home. Better wake up on the right side as say her goodbyes.
Julia was kinda glad the kid wasn't here to witness another one of her out bursts. Saying goodbye was gonna be hard.