Chapter Twenty-Two: Heart of Courage
Once they'd arrived at the half-finished machine, the Master Builders had sat down to figure out the instructions the sky temple had given. Emmet had Sirius' notebook and pen, scribbling out the design as it was described to try to get a better idea of what it was supposed to look like. What he ended up with looked like a gate of some kind, or a portal. The (poorly drawn, admittedly) illustration showed a platform with a number of arches over it, somewhat reminiscent of an atom.
Business was still stewing over the calibrations. "This is really bothering me," he complained. "I know this from somewhere, I'm sure of it, but why can't I think of where I know it from…?"
"Don't sweat it," Benny said as he floated up behind Business, resting his folded arms on the former President's head and peering down at the tablet, much to Business' annoyance. "I'm sure you'll figure it out when we fire the thing up."
"Get off, Benny," Business tried to shoo him away, ducking out from under the astronaut's arms and flapping a hand at him as though he was a particularly annoying fly. "And I'd rather know what we're getting into before we 'fire the thing up'. We don't know what that thing will do to Bad Cop!"
Said cop arched an eyebrow over his aviators. "Well. Nice to know that now you care." Business flinched, even though his tone wasn't at all hostile. He blinked when he felt a hand on his shoulder. "Come on, let's get to work finishing the machine."
"You got it!" Benny cheered. Emmet handed the notepad to Business, letting the former President supervise so he could help with the construction.
Airheart stood back, watching in fascination. "Penny for your thoughts?" Flea asked.
"It just…. Boggles my mind. They're following instructions- and letting Business take the lead. After everything he's done to us, they trust him. They're listening to him. And even Bad Cop is building, what's up with that?"
The robot shrugged. "I dunno, maybe he asked them to teach him?"
"I don't know about that. He seems too sure of himself, like he's done this a hundred times before."
"So does The Special, and he definitely wasn't a Master Builder before Takos Tuesday."
"He also worked in construction before," she reminded him.
"Oh yeah…"
Under their joint efforts, the arches were quick to take shape. Sirius stepped over to the control console, powering it up and typing in the numbers on his tablet. "So," Lucy said, stepping up to Bad Cop's side, "when were you going to tell us?"
"Tell you what?" he asked, carefully casual. She scowled.
"That you're a Master Builder."
He sighed. "You can ream me out for it later, Lucy. Now really isn't the best time- not when these pirates are watching us like vultures. Honestly, I'm kind of surprised you didn't ask me about it back at the desert temple."
"I'm well aware people are able to build without being Master Builders, Emmet's proof enough of that. But what you just did here? That's beyond the ability of any normal builder I've ever seen."
"Lucy. Later."
"I won't forget," she promised, before wandering over to see what Business was up to. "The structure's done, just waiting on you to finish now."
"I'm just about ready myself. Tell everyone to get clear, we don't want any accidents." Lucy nodded and was quick to round everyone up. When she gave him the thumbs up, he started testing the machine. It took him several tries to get any results, but once he got it started, a bright light flashed, nearly blinding everyone.
Bad Cop peered through his fingers, his aviators filtering out a decent amount of the light. Benny glanced over to him, seeing the look of trepidation on his face. "Hey, you sure you're ready for this?"
Bad Cop steeled himself, looking back at Benny with determination. "I've never been more sure in my life."
"You know, something about this feels really familiar," Emmet remarked. He frowned as Bad Cop stepped toward the center of the platform, his brain working hard to place where he'd experienced that energy before, but before he could finally figure it out and shout out a warning, Bad Cop had disappeared.
Everyone shouted in alarm (though Unikitty's was more of a scream) and rushed forward as though they could grab him and bring him back, but then the light shut off once more, and Emmet was yelling at them all to "get back!" "What the heck?!" Lucy demanded as Benny zipped around the platform, fretting.
"I knew I recognized those calibrations!" Business crowed, slamming his fists on the console in vindication.
"Answers, guys!"
"It's like the Infinite Abyss of Nothingness," Emmet explained, not quite sure if he should be worried or excited for his friend. "Bad Cop's gone to meet The Man Upstairs."
That got everyone to shut up.
"Right you are," chimed in a familiar voice, drawing out another round of startled screams and shouts.
"Ghost!" several of the pirates shrieked.
"Vitruvius!" Lucy cheered, rushing forward to greet him. The other Master Builders were quick to follow, though Business remained lurking behind the control panel, shuffling his feet and rather hoping the spirit didn't notice him there.
"What are you doing here?!" Unikitty asked, bouncing excitedly.
"And what do ye know about this place?" Metalbeard added.
"And would you take that ridiculous sheet off already," Lucy sighed, rolling her eyes. Vitruvius complied, grinning as the sheet was removed. "I mean, really, how do you expect anyone to take you seriously with that silly thing on?"
"How did you expect anyone to take you seriously with all those silly names you chose?" he shot back, and she blushed. "I'm dead, Lucy, gotta have at least a little bit of fun with it." He was smiling, though, which they took as a good sign. "Alright my children, have a seat and I shall tell you a tale. Yes, you too Business, get over here." The former President scrambled to obey, scurrying over and sitting on the ground, pale and trembling. Emmet patted his shoulder in an attempt to comfort him. "I'm not mad at you, so you can stop cowering. Now.
"Once upon a time, there was a grand city of Master Builders called Atlantis. The Atlanteans were a very special race of people, gifted by The Man Upstairs with remarkable talent. No other realm could boast such creativity and advancements. When others tried to come and claim Atlantean magic and technology for themselves, the Atlanteans were able to work together to defend their city. But their position as the greatest power in the world led to pride, which was their eventual downfall. Peoples' egos began to clash, and the harmony in which they previously lived was lost. The magic that depended on that harmony died, and without it, Atlantis sank beneath the sea." He gestured to the device behind him. "This machine was built as a last-ditch effort to save the city, with the intention of meeting The Maker directly and begging for his help. But it wasn't completed on time, and was nearly destroyed in the flood."
"How do you know all of this?" Airheart asked. "It doesn't quite match up with what we translated."
"Because I was there. I am one of the few remaining Sentinels, charged with the safekeeping of my peoples' history and culture, and with guiding young Master Builders back to the path of harmony. The Master Builders of today are descendants of the few that escaped the Cataclysm. They still have their ancestors' talent for building, but the magic remained lost- until you, my friends, rediscovered it."
"What magic?" Emmet asked. "I don't know any magic…"
"The magic I speak of can't be harnessed and used, simply generated when Master Builders create together. I knew when I first met you, Emmet, that you would be the key to restoring the harmony that Atlantis lost. You taught them how to work as a team." The construction worker turned deep scarlet at the praise. Lucy giggled and kissed his cheek.
"Aye, and that's not all he taught us," Metalbeard added. "I was outraged when I learned he weren't a Master Builder yet was chosen to be The Special, but he showed us ye don't have to be a Master Builder to still have an impact on the world. And ye already knew that, didn't ye?"
Vitruvius nodded. "Exactly why I had every faith in him." Emmet continued to squirm.
"Guys, stop…"
"Whatever you're thinking of doing, miss, you better put it out of your head right now," Vitruvius suddenly jumped tracks, as calm as ever as he glanced up at Airheart. She froze, hand halfway to her gun, staring at him. "I can tell you right now, you don't want to get on the bad side of a ghost-wizard. And I would be especially upset if anything happened to these kids."
"How did you…"
"Because I can see everything."
She glowered, but seeing she had no hope of victory yet, she turned on her heel. The ghost would expend his energy soon enough; there would be time later. "Well, come on then! There's still an entire city to explore!" Her crew cheered, eager to get away from the spook, and were quick to follow as she headed back to the heart of the city.
Lucy let out a relieved sigh. "Thank you, Vitruvius. Cary and I both thought she'd try something, but I don't know how well we would have done if you hadn't scared them off."
"It was my pleasure. Now, you all have to tell me what you've been up to in recent months!"