Road Trip of the Heart

by ultima-owner

A unforgettable journey of crazy times, at least for the person doing it. It's a SIOC fic so if you don't like those, please don't flame.

30. Defy the Legends

Welcome! As Electra journeys to reach a world on the edges of chaos, the family curse goes out of its way to slow her progress.

This chapter contains spoilers for, Kingdom Hearts, Pokemon, Ori franchise, Ever After High, Hotel Transylvania, The Polar Express, Brave, Danny Phantom, American Dragon: Jake Long, Legend of Zelda, Peter Pan, Tinkerbell, Bloodborne, SCP Foundation, Hazbin Hotel, Helluva Boss, Looney Tunes, Ben 10, The Unicorn Chronicles , My Bride is Mermaid, Aladdin

Side Chapter 5: Defy the Legends

Mysterious Tower

Yen Sid's Chamber

"You seek that world?" The retired Keyblade Master in blue and starry robes and cone hat, asked, as he stroked his gray beard. Electra stood in front of his desk. The Hotel Transylvania book sat on his desk as proof for why she needed to travel. "it cannot be reached by the faint of heart." He warned. "It is closed off by the will of the 'narrators', beings without form and none save the most 'insane' or 'chaotic' can hear. They use it as their little world where they do their namesake with each generation of fairytales." Electra grumbled, "I know that. Lady Mew ranted how 'boring' it was but hinted at a generation rebelling and opening a new path."

Yen Sid nodded at this. "To breach the locks, you must find the key stones to a gate that is hidden." Rei made a comment that Yen Sid didn't like, "It was not my doing, young spirit." His tone was as sharp as a whip. Rei fletched back in fear and shame. His tone softened as he continued, "You must understand it was for good reason. This system was put in place before the Master of masters 'disappeared'. He did it to 'protect the world from interference'. But we both know it was just another experiment to him. One to see how they would react to having a 'Destiny' that seems unchangeable."

"that brings back memories." The black cloaked form of Luxu said, as he pulled himself up onto the crescent moon windowsill. "I couldn't help but notice you talking about the 'project: Mold Breaker'. The Master was insistent that I keep this, just in case." He pulls out a scroll case., extremely worn and smelled old. "I've been carrying this for many body swaps. Wiped my own memory of where or how many keystones I hid but I do remember where the gate is." He said in a lazy drawl. "If you are willing to take along for the ride, I'll let you use this to find your friends." He jumps into the room and opens the book.

"Looks like 50 years have passed for them already. What's a few more years?" He said, "I mean, they are among the founding members of the hotel. Wallace, the silent door man, and Voleta, the one who spread the word about it." He pauses reading a paragraph. "She even spread a legend about you. The Storm Singer, who will come when the time is right." He smirks at her. "They have a lot of faith you will come for them." Rei had some choice words to describe Luxu that made his whistle impressed. "Quite the wicked tongue you've got there. I'll admit I deserve it. Starting wars, destroying lives, and willingly tormented innocent people for my grand plan." Luxu said, summoning his Gazing Eye Keyblade. "But you know why I did it. Like a good student, I followed the Master of maters' orders, even if wild cards made things 'difficult'."

"I still don't trust you." Electra said as she agreed to his terms. He pops the lid of the case and a smell of oiled leather came from it. He fished a tanned hide scroll out. "That's what I used." He gave it a sniff and gagged. "Yep, that's the skin longevity oil he tried to make. Complete failure because it makes you reek for eternity." He explains as they lean away from the bad smelling scroll. "The gate can only be reached after all the key stones are found." He stated, silently reading the scroll. "Oh boy, he layered the spells on this one." He shows them that it was mostly 'blank'. "We need to find each key stone to uncover the next location." He said laughing. "It's time for a road trip."

"Where is the first stone?" Yen Sid asked, "Let me see. 'reach not by tree, but by train tracks. The man in red with an army of green holds it close.' See what I mean?" Luxu said. "I wonder how much coal he'll give me."

A day later

Halloween town

Christmas town

Santa's Workshop

"Enjoy your coal." Santa said, dropping an extremely heavy sack into Luxu's arms toppling him over. "Thank you, Santa." Luxu wheezed out from the floor. "Now, you are looking for that key stone you gave me. The one I gave to the Santa who oversees the Polar Express. On a world that is 'out in the Bonnies' as you called it." Santa asked, just to make sure he had that information right. "That's right. I need to it reach my friends who were eaten by this book." Electra showed him the book. He takes it and flips through the written pages. "I see. Voleta's chaos finally caused her problems. It was going to happen at some point." He goes to the desk and rummages in it.

"Now where did I put that blasted thing?" he grumbles as he pulls out tools, trinkets, Christmas themed office supplies, a snow glob (Electra caught that before it smashed), and a few blank scrolls that had 'Naughty' or 'Nice' at the top of them. "You use a different list each year?" Electra asked. "That's correct. I collaborate with the other Santas to deliver gifts to all the worlds. That's how 'Santa' can watch all the kids of the world at all times." Santa said as he pulled out a clear key then drafted a letter explaining why they needed to travel on the Polar Express. He drafted a second one for the Santa of that world only.

"Give the first one to the conductor and the second to the Santa you will meet at the north pole. You are free to stay until he returns from his yearly trip." He remembers something. With a tap of his nose, he made two golden tickets for the train. "These are your entry onto the train. It will be full of kids so be nice." He said this more at Luxu, who was working his way off the naughty list in the last few years. He inserted the key into a wall and door appeared. "You will appear at time when It is Christmas eve., just wait for the train to come to you." Santa stated. Rei asked a question. "You want a ticket?" Santa asked. Rei nodded. He made one for her and she happily took it. "She didn't need one but how can I tell her no." Santa said with an amusing shrug.

Ten minutes later

Express Earth

Middle of a nowhere

They were standing in a snow field somewhere on earth. "you're thanking me fore that black cloak now, aren't you?" Luxu asked as Electra stood where a cloak like his, she was using it to use his form of travel, gates that cross 'dangerous space' not unlike a Dark Corridor. It was colorless and the only sign one was there was the warping air. "Yes, this takes an edge of extreme temperate but it's black. Why is it totally black?" Electra asked. Luxu shrugs, "Master never told us why." Was his answer. The sound of a train whistle and a thundering a of wheels stopped the conversation as tracks magically appeared.

The train rolled to a stop and the conductor, mustached man with a blue uniform, steps out. "I understand you have a letter for me." He says, then takes the letter, opening it. "You need to see the big man." He said looking at them over his glasses. "Tickets please?" He says putting th letter in his jacket and getting a hole puncher out. Luxu's ticket had the letters 'GEN'. Luxu looked at it and shrugged. Electra's had the letters 'TRU'. When Rei popped in to view with her ticket, the Conductor chuckled. "You don't need a ticket, but I will humor you." He said doing the hole punching. Rei's ticket had the letters 'PET' on it. "On the return trip I punch the reach of the word. I normally do the hole punching later, but you are important passengers." He puts the hole puncher away and lifts the sack of coal like it's a small paper weight. "The Engineer will be happy with this donation of coal for the train."

They just follow him on to the train and take a seat on the currently empty train. They were the first to get on but that soon changed as kids got on at a rapid pace. The train had to use magic to get all over the world.

An hour later

Express Earth

On board the Polar Express

Passenger car near the back

"What's a couple of adults doing on the train?" A ten-year-old know-it-all kid, named Benny, asked, pushing up his glasses. All the kids were in their PJs, so they stood out a lot. "We have to get something that Santa was asked to hold onto many years ago." Luxu 'explained' aka told only the need to know information. "I wasn't aware that adults believed in santa or are you kids standing on each other's shoulders?" Benny asked. "I'm at least in my forties and she is going to be 20 years old on her next birthday." Luxu explained.

"Is that a fairy?" Holly, a dark-skinned girl, around 10-year-old, with short black hair braided, asked pointing out Rei. Electra pulled rei from her hood and Rei waved in greeting. "Meet Rei. She is a Spirit Guardian." Chris, a ten-year-old boy who was unsure of what he believed in, looked at Rei in wonder. "where does she live?" He asked. "A world away from here, kid. Her kind live with their parent then set of to start forests or something." Luxu explained, "Electra was picked to look after this little spirit and has been doing a good job."

An hour later

Express Earth

On board the Polar Express

Passenger car near the back

Chris and Holly had left the car after refreshments, hot chocolate, were served by singing waiters. Things got interesting when the train stopped. "Would Electra come to the engine car. We require her langue skills." Came over the intercom. Electra left the car and climbed on top of the train.

On top of the train

"What's the rush?" A hobo said appearing out of nowhere as she ran along the snow-covered cars. "I need to get to the front." The hobo laughed at her answer. "As King of the North Pole, I salute you." He said making the snow blow away. "Thank you for assistance, Jack Frost." Electra said before dashing away. The Hobo laughed as he vanished in a swirl of snow.

Ten minutes later

In the engine car

"that was eventful." Electra said calmly. "The caribou were a little stubborn, but I find the ride down the mountain and across the lake to be fun." The Conductor, with slight annoyance, stated, "I strongly disagree with that statement. We derailed because of the ice covering the tracks. And we are almost late." He said this like it was the end of the world.

The next day

Express Earth

North Pole

Santa' lodgings

"You need the key stone?" Santa, who was tall but still traditional looking Santa, asked, drinking hot chocolate. Electra handed him the letter. Luxu was contemplating the word on his ticket, 'generosity'. Rei's ticket had the word 'Patience', much to Electra's amusement. Electra's ticket had the word 'Trust' on it. Electra handed over the second letter. Santa read the letter thrice to make sure he was reading it right. "May I see the book? I need to know if it's worth the time to try and find your friends. Not everyone can survive the decades waiting to be found." Electra handed over the book.

"A golem and spirit of chaos." He mused. "They will be alive for sure, but can you reach them? The world you seek is the closest path to reaching them, but the risk is great." Santa asked. "They are waiting for me, as must as Luxu's past makes it hard to trust him, he is the one that holds the smelly map." Electra said. Santa nodded, and set his mug down. He goes to his bed and pulled a manhole cover sized slab of rock and a tiny bag on a string. "You can use this bag to carry the stones." He says as he fits it into the tiny bag with ease.

"Thank you for holding on to it." Luxu said. Santa looked at him and said, "you three need to think about the word on your tickets. It will help you improve yourselves." He walks over to a wall of keys and picked a bone key from it. He inserts the key in a wall and there way home appeared.

A week later

Brave Earth

Scotland

Somewhere in the forest

"You know, I don't think you planed for them to be found." Electra accused. They had gone to the site of the next key stone, but it wasn't there, someone took it not too long ago. "Who would take a slab of rock with a Rune on it?" Luxu fired back as they trudged through the forest, following a 'path' of vague marks in the dirt, the only sign of life that lead to and from the hiding spot. "Clearly someone did. Like a month ago, given how faded the trail is." Electra said as spectral wolves she summoned howled they found something.

"So, what do you call those wolves?" Luxu asked as they changed course. "They are the Eternal Hunters, spirits of the hunt and the idea of a tireless force hunting you." Electra explained as they existed the forest, spotting a castle on the hills. Luxu shivered at the slight of the just visible wolves that left no footprints but had piercing eyes and wicked looking teeth. "Thank you." Electra said giving affectionate scratches to the leader of the pack first then going in order of chain of command. They vanished into the summoning gate with howls. "Someone in the castle found it." Electra said. "let's make a good first impression." Electra walked toward the castle as he tried to finger out what she meant.

Ten minutes later

Brave Earth

Scotland

DunBroch

DunBroch Castle

King Fergus, a red haired big Scottish warrior complete with bear fur cape, broadsword at his hip and a peg leg from his battle with Mor'du, the demon bear, was talking to his wife, Queen Elinor, a strong willed dark haired woman, and their tomboyish daughter, Merida, who long curly red hair and stubborn personality was a gift and a curse for her parents. "We need to send someone to find the triplets. I heard wolves howling in the forest and rode back to warn you." Merida said putting her foot down.

"Relax, they are in their room with Maudie watching them. I checked on them an hour ago." King Fergus said. Queen Elinor looks at him with a dead look. "They are escape artists, honey. Now go send someone to find Harris, Hubert, and Hamish before the wolves do." She ordered as the doors were pushed open, letting in Electra and Luxu. "Sorry for the intrusion but you have something I need." Electra said politely. King Fergus reached for his sword, his instincts warning him they were dangerous. "Spark Bind." Electra said pointing her staff at him. Electrical chains trap him in place, hand on his sword unable to move his limbs. "We can do this encounter, one of two ways. The first way is the polite way, you stop attacking us, and we will do the same. The other is the hard way, and it wouldn't be fun for anyone." Electra said removing her hood to reveal her masked face.

"He chooses the easy way." Queen Elinor says swatting her husband for acting rashly. "my children have escaped again and it's a little stressful right now." She explained as Electra releases the binding spell. "We are looking for a key stone like this one, but the rune is different." Electra pulls out the heavy key stone they had. "I remember them bringing a stone like that home about a month ago, but Mother told them to put it back where they found it." Merida said. "But like any rebellious child, they hid it somewhere." Luxu guessed. "where are this trio of troublemakers right now, and how young are they?"

"8 years old. I'm 16 this year." Merida stated. "We need to find them before the wolves do." Electra chuckled as some of her spectral wolves answered her summons. "Do you remember the scent you followed here? I need you to see if you can find it again. The scent belongs to a trio of escape artist children." The wolves grinned at the challenge before running out the open door. "Are those your wolves?" Merida asked, a little leery about magic after her run in with it two months ago. Changing your mother and siblings into bears will do that to you. "She's got spirits at her command, some that really creepy me out." Luxu said, turns to Electra and adds, "No offence, but giant spiders and centipedes are creepy when they are coming after you."

"Rei, see if you can find the key stone in the castle, I wouldn't put it past them to hide it inside and out of sight." Electra ordered. Rei ran off even as King Fergus wanted to protest, a glare from his wife stopped him. She wanted the Key stone out of the castle asap. "All we can do is wait for the search party to find them." Electra sitting down. "How about a little music? I've been dying to hear you play your creepy harp." Luxu suggested. Everyone was sitting, so she took out her harp. "Is that bone?" Queen Elinor asked. "made of materials willingly given." She starts playing and they were in an illusion of the Garden. "This is my home. A place protected from those with malicious intent."

"It's got everything." Merida said in awe, "is that mountain on fire?" Electra continued playing, zooming in on the Prize Kingdom. "This is The Prize Kingdom, an odd name but the subjects are even weirder." Electra said fondly as heartless and other creatures went about their daily lives. The view panned over to the palace where events of the past played out. A young Electra sparing with her father. On the sidelines Sunshine, who hadn't evolved yet in this memory, shooting flame words cheering her on.

"As first born but not the elder's child of my family, I asked to learn to fight." Electra said as they wince at the sounds of impact as she was kicked or punched away. "Papa didn't argue, only requested that I back out if it gets to be too much." Luxu whistled as she scored a lucky hit. "You were fighter even as a munchkin. Your adopted sister must be proud of you, not being a rug and standing up for what you believe in." The music slowed to a stop and spell was broken. A wolf was sitting, waiting for them. "What news do you bring?" Electra asked the wolf. She stared into its eyes. "I see, they are proving to be mischievous and running off when you find them." Electra smiled and ordered, "Make them come back home. Let them run and hide but make them come back on their own."

Rei returned with urgent call. She had found the key stone in rafters, how the kids got it up there, no idea. It took Electra a few minutes to get it down and in the bag like the first one.

A few hours later

Brave Earth

Scotland

DunBroch

DunBroch Castle

She had learned a lot about what had happened with their last encounter with magic as they waited. Three wolves padded in with a child hanging from their jaws. Said Children were dozing off with silly smiles on their faces. "Clearly, they had as much fun as my wolves did chasing them." Lexu looked at the scroll soon as the kids were taken to their rooms. "Stone number three, 'search the dead realm' that's it?" He looks at it annoyed. "Wow, I was being nasty when I wrote that hint. Wait a second, there's more but hidden." He grabs a candle and holds it under the scroll and more letters appeared. "Search the Dead Realm of green and black and find the winds' lost knowledge." He read. "Wow, Sorry about that. I wasn't the politest back then." He said taken aback at how bad was. "You still are like that at times. But you are getting better the last week or so." Electra pointed out.

"This one is a little easier to find but I'll have to call on a favor to pin down where to go." She bowed to the family and then they left the castle.

A few days later

Ghost Dragon Earth (A world based on Danny Phantom and American Dragon: Jake Long)

Central USA

Amity Park

"Ok, this is the right world, but we need a Ghost Portal to get to the 'dead realm of green and black' aka the Ghost Zone." Electra said as they drove into in an electric car that had horrible battery life normally, but Electra remedied that problem. "I've been remembering things relating to the stones we already found. That and the Master of masters mind wiping me." Luxu said. "And I remember being teed off at him force me to jump through so many hoops, hence the clues being the way they are." Electra was coming to an understanding of who Luxu was. A snarky man who put up with the Master of masters' requests and had holes in his memory that he wasn't aware how large they were. "The informant from the Dragon Council said that the only way to reach the Ghost Zone is through a recent, in the last few decades, invention that creates a ghost portal on command. The key stone was magicked into its resting place by you in the past and that was a one-way trip." Electra said.

They pulled up on a house with a large among of tech on top of it. "Here we are, Fenton Works. The closest ghost portal that is the safer of the only two existing stable portals. The rest are naturally and randomly formed with unknown exit points along with inherent dangers I'm not risking" She parked the car and they knocked on the front door. "If you're here for the ghost business, my parents aren't home right now." An auburn-haired teen, looked 16 years old, said as she answered the door. "We need to use the Ghost Portal." Electra said. She looked that them, contemplating if she should let a pair of black cloaked people into the house. "Names and reasons first. I am Jazz." She says. "Luxu." Luxu says, "Electra. And this is Rei." Electra says holding up Rei who was snoring lightly.

"Adorable but I need a reason to let you use family tech." Jazz said cooing at Rei softly. "We need to make trips into the Ghost Zone to search for a magical key stone the size of a manhole cover. And no, it's not a doom's day plot." Luxu explained. Jazz blinked and just let them in. "This is something Danny should hear." She leads them into the living room where there was three kids watching tv, a nerdy glasses wearing teen, 14, named Tucker, a black haired 'goth', 14, called Sam, and Jazz's brother, Danny, a 14 year old black haired kid that felt 'half human' to Electra's senses.

"Danny, there are odd people that want to go spelunking in the Ghost Zone for a magical key stone." Jazz says with a shrug. "What!" The three kids say at once and look at her. "Dude, your cloaks look amazing in a creepy way." Tucker compliments. "I sure it's more for practicality, Tucker. It blocks the view of their faces completely and seems to come with gloves and boots of the same material." Sam commented. "They aren't ghosts, even if the spirit the shorter one is hold wouldn't look out of place as a ghost." Danny said ready to fight at a moment's notice.

"Cool your jets, hotshot." Luxu said, "What we need was set on a one-way trip to the Ghost Zone a long time ago. I wasn't meant to be found but your father invented the man-made Ghost Portal, opening a path that is vastly more reliable than other ghost portals." Danny rolled his eyes "and making it an issue that threatens the world." Electra spoke up, "No it's just easier to get the key stone out now." She looks at Luxu who comments, "The Key stones don't do anything other than opening a locked gate to a place sealed away for an experiment." Sam looked offended. "Yes, I know that is 'unforgivable' or something like that. There's no evil monster waiting there, just a closed world that developed almost without any connections outside its walls." Luxu said pulling his hood off.

"You only have one eye. And the other is yellow." Tucker stated. "Names' Luxu. Lost my eye after someone I antagonized blasted me in face. The yellow eye thing you get when you dabble in Darkness." Electra took off her hood but at the same time slipped her mask on. She didn't need the boys being love stuck at her face. "I'm Electra, and the sleepy head is Rei." Before anything else could be said, a wisp of mist came for Danny's mouth and an imposing ghost in armor, with a broken off horn, an eye patch on, and a flaming crown floating over his green hair, appeared. "Pariah Dark? But you were sealed in the Sarcophagus of Forever Sleep?" Danny said with worry.

"I was awakened by a deal I made long ago. I will be content with a competent if small kingdom if this pans out." He said with flourish as a contract with the Deal Maker was unrolled. "What do you require, Daughter of the Deal Maker?" He asked. She explained what she was looking for and he laughed.

"I had that collection of pages you need before I was dethroned. I knew that Kaze's 'journal' was important, so I put in it in a floating fortress and cast it adrift if I was ever dethroned. I will aid you in tracking it down if you promise to take my prison and lock it away forever. "Deal." Electra says. He leaves to send out his army to find what she needed. "Dude, we met the daughter of the Deal Maker, the most mysterious and dangerous being ever to be in the Ghost Zone history." Tucker said excitedly. "At least The King of all Ghosts is being realistic and settling on being the most powerful neighbor." Sam said looking on the bright side.

An hour later

Ghost Dragon Earth

Central USA

Amity Park

Fenton Works

Basement Laboratory

"This is the Ghost Portal." Danny says, turning on the swirling green portal. 'And she jumps right in." Luxu says watching Electra dash into the portal, in her normal attire. Sam was holding Rei and totally expected this. "She reminds me of relive of mine. Not afraid of dashing into trouble." She stated. "She looks like a shaman with the mask, staff and feather cloak." Tucker comments looking up information on his phone. "Bingo. She's got a world's worth of spirits to call on at any time. I'm kind of glad I'm not her father's enemy anymore." Luxu said with a smirk. "You are an enemy of the Deal Maker?" Tucker asked.

"Former enemy. He still hates me, and for good reason, but we aren't at war with each other. Getting kicked through trees is not fun." Luxu winces remembering a past pain. "why are you helping Electra then?" Danny asked. "I guess you can say that I want to bury the hatchet. I was asked to do things like starting a few wars. Vile acts but the Master of masters' orders were 'absolute'. At least that's how I felt until I got beaten to the brink of death then spared by the 'Deal Maker' as you know him in the second war I made happen. He gave me a few years to really reflect on my life now that I completed my 'Role'." Luxu had a pensive look as he said this.

"Sounds to me, you got sense bashed into you." Sam says, frankly. "That and knowing what having all my bones broken at the same time feels like." Luxu adds. "Thank you for healing magic existing."

Ghost Dragon Earth

Ghost Zone

Electra was floating in a place that was mostly green with black accents here and random stuff floating about, a lot of them purple doors. "Halt!" A ghost with white skin, green eye, and wearing a crisp white suit, ordered. "Sorry, I just arrived and need to search for something." Electra said. "I am Warden Walker. And you need to prove you are a licensed Shaman. I can't have dabblers screwing around." Walker ordered. Confused, Electra asked, "How do I prove that? I've never had a 'shaman license' given to me before." Walker looked at her then sighed, muttering about off-worlders not filling the right paperwork.

"Alright. I am going to take you to where you can get a license test done." He grabs her and teleports them both elsewhere.

Ghost Dragon Earth

Ghost Zone

Observants High Council Tribunal Headquarters

Electra was now in a chamber with a bunch of ghosts that had giant eyeballs for heads. "Gathered Observants, this off-worlder lacks a 'shaman license'. Please straighten that out." Walker says, bowing then teleports out, most likely to return to his prison. "You seek the keystone that was found and hidden by the ghost known as 'Kaze' (Not a cannon character)." The head of the Observants said, not letting her talk. "We will grant you the required license if you track down this ghost." They show her a wanted poster that read 'Wanted, Vortex. Reward $2 million' Electra took the wanted poster then they gave her a card that was her 'temporary Shaman License'.

"Track down a ghost with the power of the weather, who likely doesn't like the being caged." Electra mused. "Sounds like a hunt that will be fruitful." The Observants had one last thing to say, "Seek out Skulker, he will be helpful in give tips to hunt a ghost."

three days later

Ghost Dragon Earth

Ghost Zone

"So, she found him in a day." Skulker, a biker looking hunter ghost with a goatee and mohawk of green flame like hair, said, sitting on a floating rock, watching a something through high tech binoculars, that he made. His Girlfriend, Ember McLain, a female punk rocker ghost with eye liner and flaming blue hair in the ponytail, landed next to him set her guitar on her back and took the binoculars he offered her. "So, whose fighting who?" She asked. "The sparkplug of ghost, Vortex and a promising Shaman with an army of spectral wolves at her command. They aren't ghost but can pull off most of the standard powers of a ghost." Skulker filled her in.

"Well, she's going to be crispy soon." Ember said as a boom of thunder echoed. "and she's unharmed." Skulker comments, "She wasn't lying when she said energy attacks just power her up." They could hear the colorful insults Vortex was spewing from here a good five miles away from the fight. "Someone's woken up on the wrong side of the cloud." Ember said, jotting down ideas for a song. They heard a singing voice as the storm was wretched from Vortex's control and swirled around him forming a cage of clouds. Swords of lightning pierce the cage like that one magic trick.

"And that bounty is ready to be cashed." Skulker said as a member of the Observants appear give her a briefcase and a card, taking Vortex with them as they left. "That was entertaining to watch." Skulker looks at Ember and noticed her hair was blazing as she had an intense burst of emotion. "She as a better voice than me." Ember said annoyed. Trying to plate her, he said, "But she doesn't play rock or metal music. She's more classical and other types of music that use harp or acoustic guitars in them." Ember blinked and looked at him. "Really? I guess I can let it slide. The only rocker that is better than me is the Deal Maker and I'm fine with that." She says as Skulker sighs in relief. He loved her but her moods were 'intense' to simplify it.

"About that." Skulker started, "You are aware the Deal Maker made a deal with Pariah Dark, one that led to the current state of him becoming a more permanent fixture in the zoning layout." Ember rolled her eyes. "Yeah I heard all about it. He's not trying to rule more than his stretch of the Ghost Zone and has his army currently looking for something. What of it?" Skulker points that Electra, who was relaxing on a cloud in the distance. "That's the Deal Maker's daughter. Musical talent runs in the family." He waited for her reaction but when she said nothing, he looked at her. "I'm going to meet her." She final says tossing the tool back to him and flying off. "that might be good or bad." He says to himself.

A few minutes later

Ghost Dragon Earth

Ghost Zone

"I heard you are the daughter of the Deal Maker." Ember said floating near Electra. "Are you angry about that?" Electra asked, she was getting mixed signals from Ember's tone. "Not angry. Just wondering, why you are around here and not wherever the Deal Maker lives." Ember asked. "looking for something that comes in a set of 7, 13, or 20. I'm leaning towards the last one with that person's obsession with that number. 7 lights and 13 darkness to start a war to end all wars of its kind. As far as I can tell, that and the war after did what was intended." Electra said annoyed.

"One of those guys." Ember made a rude noise. "Making extreme long-term plans and never thinking about the morals of their crack pot plans." Ember had an idea. "Think you could help me with a song. Getting a second opinion on the flow is helpful." With that, they go off to Ember's 'zone', a place that each ghost rules.

A day later

Ghost Dragon Earth

Central USA

Amity Park

Fenton Works

"What are you doing here?" Luxu found himself at 'gunpoint' as Danny's parents returned to find him, a stranger, in their house, enjoy a cup of coffee at the breakfast table. The kids had gotten off to school an hour ago. Jack Fenton, a large dark-haired man in an orange jumpsuit with black gloves and boots, had some ghost tech bazooka, that Luxu didn't want to test what it did to him, pointed at the back of Luxu's head. His wife, Maddie, an auburn-haired woman in a blue and black jumpsuit, had a double-bladed beam sword, whose glowing green blades did not look safe, at the ready.

"Look, I understand seeing a stranger in you home is putting you on edge, but I have no ill intentions. I'm waiting for my acquaintance to return from the Ghost Zone with what she was looking for." He explained slowly, setting the cup down carefully. "Oh. You got my portal to stable enough for human to enter." Jack said putting the weapon down. "Sure, there was a minor wiring issue." Luxu lied through his teeth. "I knew there was a problem with the wiring." He said to himself believing the lie completely. Maddie deactivated her weapon and asked Luxu, "Who let you use the portal?" Luxu, going back to his coffee, said, "Your kids. We explained why we needed to use it and they made a judgement call given the time limit we had explained."

Maddie wasn't convinced. "And what do you need from the Ghost Zone?" She said, fingering her weapon. "Finding a lost object, drifting somewhere in the Ghost Zone. No idea where it is but it's there." Luxu said, taking the paper from an adorable green ghost dog with a spiked collar, the tag read 'Cujo' on one side and a logo of the Axion Labs on the other side, and threw the dog a treat. Opening the newspaper, he said, "That's Cujo, Danny's ghost dog pet/ friend. Not sure how it works but he's been visiting him off and on. Totally safe as long as you don't get on his bad side."

The parents look at the ghost dog and then at each other. They'd talk to Danny about this 'pet ghost' when he got home. "How long ago did you acquaintance enter the portal?" Maddie asked. "Four days ago. But with her task, it's going to take a while." Luxu said calmly. "How do you know if she is alive?" Maddie asked. Luxu held up a ruby on a chain that was pulsing steadily like a heartbeat. "She has one that keeps track of my heartbeat. They are a nifty little thing her family whipped up for the mission. They're just prototypes for this that will be much more in-depth detail wise."

A few hours later

Ghost Dragon Earth

Ghost Zone

Ember's 'zone'

"Why do you have a Lovecraft thing helping you?" Ember asked after the robed Spirit of Time had popped in to apologize for stopping a rare ore from reaching this world without consulting her first. IT then left leaving Ember and Desiree, a green skinned dark-haired a genie-like ghost in a blue Arabian dancer outfit, was visiting Ember at the time. "Ember, good news. The planet killing space rock will not be at risk of hitting the Earth if it left Saturn's orbit after all." Skulker said as he stopped by with that good news. "Well duh! Something from the 'Lovecraft Space' took it." Ember yells at her boyfriend.

"That was just a puppet." Desiree said with fear. "Its true body is too vast to fit here." She was shivering with raw terror. "All those things are true. It is a Lovecraftian being that has vested interest in my life." Electra tries to make a size comparison. "Its real hand is a little bigger than the Asian continent. The meat puppet you saw was how he interacts with those outside 'Lovecraft Space' as you called it without the sanity shattering effect his kind is known to cause." Skulker looked at her and said, "You have the worst luck ever. I'm more worried about that thing having a near moon sized rock made totally of Ecto-ranium." It was an ore that caused pain to ghosts, half and whole, and blocked the uses of ghost powers.

"Oh, that's concerning." Electra says as Skulker gives Ember a kiss then leaves. Ghost Skeleton in Greek armor, that was completely green entered and bowed to Electra. "As promised." He said in Ancient Greek, presenting a chest. "The Laskaris Clan thank you and your king for this action." Electra said in the same language. The Ghost Skeleton looks at her with fondness and pride. "It warms my ghostly heart to meet a sister of My Home. May the Gods be merciful of your soul." He says then leaves.

"What is this? And why does it feel important?" Ember asked. Desiree traces the character above the lock. "It holds Kaze's 'journal'. A document that holds one of the last secrets of Kaze, the second ghost to find Elsewhereness." She said. It's a ghostly paradise that everyone wants to find but the only ghost rumored to have documented the way was Sojourn, a nomadic ghost who traveled all of the Ghost Zone and may have helped make the Infi-Map. The Infi-Map is a near complete map of the Ghost Zone with time travel, portal creation, teleportation, and Door (short cuts) creation powers.

"Where's the keyhole?" Ember asked looking at the lock that had no sign of a keyhole on it. "Kaze wouldn't let just anyone get this document." Desiree said. The chest was a 3ft by 3 ft by 3ft chest with strange markings all over it. "What was Kaze like?" Electra asked. "He is said to be a ghost as old at the King of Ghosts. What he was like is a little hard to describe because of his refusal to maintain a form other than a form of wind. Drifting across the Ghost Zone not caring about 'boundaries' and the like." Desiree said. "but he vanished just after the middle ages. The chest was given the King of Ghost long before that for unknown reasons and has been debunked as a clue to Elsewhereness."

"I think I know who to ask for help." Ember stated with a smile, looks at Electra and asked, "Do you have anything fancy to where?" She digs out an invitation to a ball that said she could bring friends. "Desiree and my boyfriend got an invite as well." She then explained it was for a party at Princess Dorathea's castle, whose, extremely controlling, older brother ruled until recently, letting her bring the 'kingdom' out of middle ages. This include throwing parties to make the transition better. There had been three over the past 6 months. "This says it's in 8 hours." Electra points out. "That's not a lot of time to prepare." She takes the invite and giggles at the 'theme' of the party, 'Life's moments'. "I've got plenty of interesting 'life moments to talk about." She says.

"More like near death moments, little missy." Jace, the Gate Keeper, said as he appeared, without his weapon. "A powerful but approachable spirit for your STAND." Desiree said, they had talked about random things and the subject of STANDs came up at some point.

eight hours Later

Ghost Dragon Earth

Ghost Zone

Princess Dorathea's Kingdom

"Introducing, Princess Electra Nyx Laskaris of the Prize Kingdom!" The ghost guard said, somehow knowing Electra's full name and title. Everyone turned to her as she entered the great hall, wearing the dress Nyx gave her, getting a lot of looks. "You must be the one who beat that stormy ghost Vortex." A green skinned blonde-haired ghost in a blue dress and a gold and emerald amulet around her neck. "How does he know what he said?" Electra asked. Princess Dorathea shook her head, "He's always been able to do that, even when he was alive." Was her answer as she pulled Electra with strong that her 'frail arms' don't show signs of.

"You never said you were a princess." Danny in his ghost alter ego, Danny Phantom (His hair turns white, eyes turns green and wears a black outfit with white gloves and belt with a stylish 'd' on his chest.), said with goblet of a fruity smelling, but not alcoholic, drink in hand. "It wasn't important. I wasn't planning on telling anyone but that clairvoyant guard dashed that hope." Electra said. "You must tell me who made this dress." Sam, who was wearing a bracelet that let her interact with ghosts and fully enjoy ghostly food and drink without it phasing out of her mortal body. "Lady Nyx, daughter of Chaos was the one to make this, with a tiny bit of help from her attendants of course. She needed someone to make sure I was standing 'exactly right'." Electra said.

"These Fenton Ecto-alizers (not a cannon invention. Its name is a ghost pun and the word 'equalizer'.) so cool." Tucker said coming over with another one of the bracelets like Sam was wearing. "Explain what that bracelet I please." Electra asked. "Dad made it to let the wearer do fisticuffs with ghosts. I wouldn't recommend it if you can't fight a bear in a boxing match." Danny said, getting chuckles and laughs from some of the partygoers. "ok, if the Deal Maker is your father and you are the princess of this Prize Kingdom. That means he's the king of said kingdom." Tucker reasons out. "That's correct. What's your real question?" Electra asked. "you aren't like any princess I've encounter. A rough and tumble but still got the looks to be called a noble." Tucker said. "Don't worry. I won't flirt with you." He added as Princess Dorathea gave him a look with reptilian eyes as her amulet glowed. "I'm a certified Pokemon Professor, researching wise. Papa is the Deal Maker and owns a multi-world ice cream empire. My mother is a warrior who helped save the universe. That that's not touching the rest of my relatives." Electra listed.

"The pokemon world is real?" Princess Dorathea asked, "Tucker told me about it. Is it as beautiful as I imagined to be?" Electra had sneaky smile. "I can show sights I saw if you want." Electra said, taking out her harp.

After the party

Ghost Dragon Earth

Ghost Zone

Princess Dorathea's Kingdom

"Thank you for that performance." Princess Dorathea said as servants were cleaning up. "It's my pleasure. Can you tell me about Kaze and this box?" Electra said, showing her the chest. "Yes, I remember this chest. Kaze showed me a silhouette of it when he visited. I can open it for you." Using the power of the amulet, she changed her hand into the claws of a dragon. Then she traced a talon on the lock, melting it. The chest opened with a whisper. The whisper became a howl as the chest inhaled both princesses then slammed shut.

Somewhere else

"Where are we?" Princess Dorathea asked, voice echoing in a place that looked like an old photograph of the Ghost Zone. "It's a moment in time sealed in a box." Electra said. the wind swirled and formed the echo of Kaze, who was lacking in features. "You who seek the slab, I greet you from beyond the grave." The echo of Kaze said in a whispering voice with a shadow of a playful smirk to it. "It was millennia ago that a slab of stone was dropped before me. Knowing of its importance for the future, I hid it away. Then I gave a box to the King of the Ghosts in return for the right to be a free as the wind." The Echo of Kaze said.

"I always had the gift for seeing 'moments of chaos' yet to come. Instances where the number of possibilities is at their highest. And so many of them were of choices the Laskaris Clan made." The Echo of Kaze smiled. "I happily give you this gift, whichever Laskaris Clan member opens the box, my last will." The Echo of Kaze dispersed, leaving behind a map.

Ghost Dragon Earth

Ghost Zone

Princess Dorathea's Kingdom

The Princess were ejected from the box, which lay open and lifeless, its purpose served. "Can I have the box?" Box Ghost, a blue ghost that looked like a warehouse worker, asked. "Sure." Electra said looking at the map. The Box Ghost thanked her then flew out of the castle, box in his arms. "Ok, if his echo is telling the truth, then this map will be made using his 'future chaos sight'." Electra said, unrolling the map. It had a vague blurry location that was not in the Ghost Zone and dots arranged like sheet music. "I can't but feel I know this location." Princess Dorathea said. "Isn't that near Fenton Works?" Electra asked, "Or more precisely 500 feet above it." She turned the maps and the vague shape was a blurry version of Danny's house. "This whole time it was hidden over Danny's house."

An hour later

Ghost Dragon Earth

Central USA

Amity Park

Fenton Works

Electra was standing on a cloud floating at exact height and began to play the song on the map (Spirited Away Always with me) on her guitar. As he sung and played, the wind carried her performance across the area. Unseen to most, there was a crowd of ghost listening to her. An Echo of Kaze appeared from the map, as the song ended, "For your performance, I have not a rose, but this will do." The Echo said, vanishing. The keystone hung in the air, caressed by the wind.

When Electra landed, Maddie and Jack scanned the keystone. "Only traces of ectoplasm detected." Jack said, pulling out a different scanner. "On the other hand, magical levels are off the charts." Jack accidentally pointed the magical scanner at Electra, promptly overloading it, causing an explosion and blackening his face with soot. "Need to have a higher limit next time." He tells Maddie, who wasn't phased by the outcome. "Got the next clue and you were right." Luxu said, "scale and claw hold the key, Seek the Council and win your prize." He reads.

Electra gives him a look. "Yes, I know. They were told not to give the key stone unless said person jumps through all the hoops, crosses the Ts, dots the Is and all that rot." Luxu said. Cujo, who was in his monster truck sized form, licks Electra and Luxu, covering them in slobber. "We'll miss you too." Luxu says patting Cujo's head. Cujo's tail was whipping up a wind that cleared the dust-off front steps. "I don't think anyone will be breaking into our house now." Jack said, happy that they were letting Danny have a pet. They were still clueless that Danny was Danny Phantom, the ghost superhero, Electra had no idea how they missed that connection.

A month later

Ghost Dragon Earth

New York

Canal Street Electronics Shop

"So, they want us to come this shop after a mouth of paperwork and tests that are only to delay things so the World Dragons (the dragon version of the United Nations.) can come to decision?" Electra said as a thunderstorm raged outside, reflecting her deep annoyance at the sheer ridiculousness of some of the tests they cooked up on the fly after Electra breezed through the ones they had planned. "Something spooked them. They an urgent and for the Council's eyes only scroll just before they gave us that last test you beat. I believe the test was 'Fly with one wing unfolded'." Luxu said and was rewarded with 'light' shock from Electra.

"No magic in the shop!" A gray furred wrinkly talking dog said looking up from his newspaper as he sat in a chair behind the counter. "Are You Fu Dog?" Electra asked. The dog nodded. "This is for you." Electra throws him a scroll. "You need that paperweight?" He said reading the scroll. "Wait, there's no more tests to waste time?" Electra said hoping. "Yeah, some Lovecraftian being told the Dragon Council he was 'bored of the testing' and made of with the Dark Dragon, who should be lost in another dimension for 1,000 years right now." Fu Dog said. "You need to talk to Luong Lao Shi if you want the weird rock." The dog tells them how to get to upstairs.

Five minutes later

They were sitting having tea with Luong Lao Shi, a short chinse man with thinning white hair, mustache, thin beard, thick eyebrows, pointed ears, and wearing a white trimmed blue robe. "I see. The message I got was truth after all." Luong Lao Shi said, after Electra had explained why she was looking for the keystone. He didn't ask why the being interrupted the testing, nor was he expecting an answer to it that would make sense. All that matter was that the Dark Dragon was not coming back again. "What's the deal with the Dark Dragon? Is he a super evil that few survived fighting and was sealed away like Gannon was?" Luxu asked. "to summarize, yes. The Dark Dragon wanted to kill off humanity and recently got trapped in a temple that appears only once ever 1000 years, his own fault."

"May we have the keystone now? It's been a long month and It's stressed me out a lot." Electra said. There was a boom of thunder outside as the rain beat at the windows. "I noticed." Luong Lao Shi commented. Seconds after the next bolt struck, there was a crash on the roof. "I think that one hit something." Luxu said. a few minutes of silence later, a water-logged green tipped black-haired teen, who smelled crispy, stumbled in. "Grandpa, why is there a freak thunderstorm centered over the shop?" He asked. "The center of the cloud is right over this room in fact." He continues to say.

"This is my grandson, Jake Long." Luong Lao Shi said. "likely who was flying foolishly during the storm. Dragons may be powerful, but the fury of a storm like this is much too powerful to risk." The last comment was pointed at Jake. "Got it. Don't fly into thunderstorms that are covering the state of New York." Jake said. "Man, you must be angry for the storm to be that big." Luxu joked, elbowing Electra, who shocked him again but stronger this time. "I deserved that one." Luxu says barely able to move because of a paralyzing spell hidden in the shock.

"An electric shock combined with a paralyzing stun spell. A sweet combo with style!" Jake said. Electra looked at him impressed. "You figure all that out from just seeing the spell being cast?" She asked. "Gramps taught me to pay attention to little details, like now lightning spells can have 'stun spells added to them quite easily if you can cast both spells at once reliably." Jake explained getting a nod of approval from Luong Lao Shi. Rei jumped over to Jake and put out a strand of hair that had ignited as he was explain. "And you are some plant spirit. I'm thinking a tree, but I could be wrong." Jake said giving Rei a high five for the save. "As you can see, Jake has paid attention to my lessons. I sent him to retrieve the 'Keystone' as you called it." Luong Lao Shi said, then turning to Jake, he asked, "did you bring it?"

Jake looked ashamed as he said, "I dropped it, and something grabbed it as it fell. I'm not sure what because of the lightning strike." Electra stood up silent left for the roof. A bird cry, full rage, sounded then her thunderbird form was seen out the window as the storm upgraded to tropical storm 1 (the lowest rank of the Hurricane scale). "Sucks to be the thief." Luxu said. "What was that and why is her rage making the storm worse?" Jake asked. "She is both human and Thunder Bird. Not half and half but 100% of both at the same time. Makes no sense but that's how it is. Her Father is 100% Digital Demon, Human and Fire bird, same deal with him as she is." Luxu explained.

"They are from the Laskaris Clan." Luong Lao Shi said with a sigh. "It's never normal with them." Luong Lao Shi turns to Jake and states, "A Thunderbird is multi-winged legendary creature that makes storms as it flies. When it's not flying, it's mood can affect the weather, like extreme rage starting a hurricane." Jake got it as he added, "And the Laskaris Clan is not to be antagonized in any way." Luong Lao Shi nodded. Electra returned ten minutes later, much calmer. Central Park had to have grass reseeded after dozens of lightning strikes hit in a vague line but the ignorant humans (In terms of if they now about magic existing) had no idea it was a thunderbird trying to fry a thief.

Two Months later

Dead World

"That's Key stone number 14 found. The last ten were easy to find. Well, not easy but it's easier to find them when they are on remote places like this one." Luxu said looking at the map. "You said the Keystone do nothing. The last ten keystones turned blank worlds into the meaning of the symbol on said slab." Electra said. The one they had just found had the runic symbol for 'death' on it. "That's because the worlds they were hidden on decided to mimic that meaning. Take Key Stone number 9 for example. That one could be read as 'war' but the Chimara Ants who are living there now have a worth challenger whenever they want." Luxu said. "The Ant World, as it's now called, is one where limits are tested, and they are rewarded for surviving it's challenges. This world never developed. That's why is all sand, water and rock, and no life. It just doesn't have what it takes to 'come alive'."

"You hid the 'fire' Key Stone on Lucy, aka Earth Prime." Electra accused. "That one was just be throwing it into a portal with no destination. Lucy was the closest planet to the meaning of the keystone. And I didn't write that clue, someone else did." The clue he was talking about was in a different handwriting than anyone they knew. Not the Master of Masters, Not Zane. It was unknown who wrote the clue. "Clue number 15, 'in the land of agelessness, ask the dust givers for answers' I've got a bad feeling about this one." Luxu said. "Neverland here we come!" Electra said

An hour later

Neverland

"Traveling by cloud is so weird." Luxu comments as they float toward the large island. "What's so weird about it?" Electra asked. "I'm sitting on a mini thunderhead and not getting shocked." Luxu said, "It may look white, but I know this fluffy ball can strike me down just like that." He snaps his flingers. "Whoa!" Luxu yells as a cannonball flies past them as get closer to the island. "Looks like Hook is still causing trouble." Electra said as the cloud dodged three more cannonballs fired from a pirate ship sitting in the water below. "Get down here, Peter Pan!" They heard Hook bellow. "That Codfish has set of lungs." The eternal boy in green said as he floated above them.

"Hello Peter." Electra said. "Hello to you too, Electra. Getting old as always." Peter Pan said then looked at Luxu. "Hmmm, you have a familiar cloak. Do you know a Roxas? Tink met him years ago." Peter Pan asked, "Oh, Roxas. I knew him well. We are not on talking terms right now, but I've seen him around. My name is Luxu." Luxu said. As this conversion was going on, they were dodging more cannonballs and ignoring Hook throwing a fit on his ship.

"Where's Tinkerbell right now? We need to find something the fairies might know about." Electra asked, "She's over at Pixie Hollow. You'd need a shrinking spell to get in there. Most of that place is fairy sized and your friend is large compared to them." Peter Pan says pointing at Rei, who was throwing 'sound bombs' at the pirate ship. "I've got that covered. Master of spatial magic." Luxu said. "See you later." Peter Pan said diving at Hook's ship with a rooster crowing.

Five minutes later

Neverland

As they floated close to the surface of a river, they heard a ticking sound. "Is something watching us?" Luxu asked. Tick Tock the Crocodile surfaced behind them and Electra laughed, kissing his snout. "Hello, Tick Tock. You are as sneaky as ever." Electra said as the croc smiled as friendly as he could. "What's with you and befriending dangerous beings?" Luxu asked, trying to figure out how he was left out of the loop so much. "When Papa brough me here I wandered off and found Tick Tock with his head stuck in a hole. Being a child, I widened the hole and we've been friends since."

"He's as big as a house." Luxu pointed out at sheer size of the croc. "Ok, the hole might have been a cave opening, but it was rimmed by dirt. And Tick Tock wouldn't eat me, he the only human he wants to eat is Hook." Electra listening to what Tick Tock was telling her. "Did all that happened in the last ten years? Thank you for spying for me." Electra tells Tick tock, who disappears underwater, headed out to sea, and likely to where Hook was.

"And what did he tell you?" Luxu asked. "gossip he heard from the fairies. There's a fairy with my laugh named Sparksong. Yes, I know the Never Fairies (The Fairies of Neverland) can have odd names. But this is important information. Never Fairies are born of the 'first laugh of children'. Because of that it is believed that each Never Fairy has the same voice as the child whose laugh birthed them. It's not confirmed but I'll be looking for my 'fairy' twin when I get there." Electra said as they neared an entrance to Pixie Hollow, hidden because it was the 'true heart of Neverland' and needed to be protected. At the top of waterfall in a cave.

"Time to go down to fairy size." Luzu said and did a complex spell that warped their dimensions and made them 'smaller' via twisting space and a little bit of time. It's complex but it's like Dynamaxing in the Pokemon Games but in reverse and longer lasting. "Rei, go into the portal and we will get to Pixie Hollow." Electra said as they sat on Rei's shoulders. Rei commented on how ironic they were being. Normal Rei was the one perching on her shoulder.

Neverland

Pixie Hollow

Winter Woods

"How does Pixie Hollow work?" Luxu asked. "There are four seasonal areas, Spring Valley, Summer Glade, Autumn Forest, Winter Woods, with a tree in the middle. The Pixie Dust Tree is the source of all pixie dust and it's roots reach all four areas." Electra explained as Rei looked at the iced over lake that surrounded where they exited. "The ice is quite thick in Winter Woods, all year long." She assured Rei who tried to get a good footing but flopped and spun across the ice as Luxu and Electra held on tight. The spinning ends as Rei hit a snowbank.

"What brings you to my neck of the woods?" a white-haired Fairy, wearing feather cloak, riding on the back of a snowy owl, who mostly gave the feathers for said cloak, asked with amusement as three head pop out of the snow. "Lord Milori, it is an honor to meet you in person." Electra said with respect. "I'd bow but we are up to our necks in snow." She joked. The snow owl offered a leg and Rei grasped it. The snowy owl pulled them out of the snow and landed again. "What brings non-fairies to Pixie Hollow?" Lord Milori asked "Who cast the 'shrinking' spell?" He had jumped down and Electra saw one of his wings were half gone.

"May I try to heal your wing?" Electra asked out of nowhere. "If you wish, but it cannot be fixed." Lord Milori said as Electra took out a mask that was of glaring honey badger. The air around Electra shifted to an earthiness as an extra presence was to her. Her eyes glowed as she inspected the broken wing. "A difficult and draining task, Great Mother, but doable." A voice that was not Electra's came from her mouth. "Don't move or I will bury you to get you to stay still." The spirit order in a gruff but caring female voice.

"as you wish, healer." Lord Milori said, knowing you don't argue with a healer. "Um, what spirit are you and why isn't Electra the one talking?" Luxu asked. "I am Hazel, the spirit of protection, healing, and other things. Now shut up and let me work or I will puck your other eye out, you pirate." The spirit, Hazel said in an annoyed voice. "please don't antagonize a healer." Lord Milori said, "Even if they have the temperament of a badger I don't recognize." Luxu looked at the mask and commented, "That's a Ratel, aka a Honey Badger. They don't feel fear at all and are the scariest animal the size of a small dog you can encounter in the wild."

He got shoved headfirst into the snow by Hazel for talking. A few minutes later, she finished, and he had two whole wings again. "Don't fly for at least five hours or it won't stay fixed." Hazel said leaving Electra's body. Electra was out cold in the snow from the intensive use of magic. "What is with her and dangerous friends?" Luxu said as he was pulled out of the snow. "Lord Milori! Is she ok?" A white-haired fairy with wings that were exactly like Tinkerbell's (Making her a 'sibling' of Tinkerbell, born from the same laugh as Tinkerbell was.), asked flying over to Electra and checking her over worried. "Periwinkle, she is just out of energy healing my wing." Lord Milori stated, grateful.

"But Fairy wings can't be healed." Periwinkle said, shocked, having flipped Electra over. "She's a Laskaris, they are as stubborn as honey badgers at times." Luxu said, getting the snow out of his ears. "Throw her father into the most dangerous of places, he because the scariest thing to ever step foot there then leaving alive." Rei tries to push him into the snow for that comment. He teleports out of the way. "Hey! I didn't do that! It was someone else. I wasn't even on the same world as Zane when it happened." Luxu defended himself. "Help carry her, I know a place for her to rest." Lord Milori said, mounting the owl again.

Somewhere between Lovecraft Space and the other universe

The Dream

Electra found herself in a place that was 'WRONG' in every sense of the word and then some. The Lovecraftian being of time was polishing something on a table in a room. It sets down what it was working and turned to her. "How odd. You reached this place without being invited." It said then looked at that table, "Or did something guide you here without my permission?" She feels a tugging at her soul, and she followed it to the table. Sitting on the table was a Bident that screamed 'cursed'. It was made blueish black 'bone' and had something more to it that she couldn't detect. "Figures. Craft a weapon like this and it calls it's desired wielder to see it." The Being said with a three eyed eye roll.

The being slipped a bone ring onto her finger and the 'WRONGNESS' 'righted' itself to her senses. There were now shadowy runes spiraling up the weapon. "the ring will let you keep your sanity yet be able to perceive (and in the case of objects, use) the 'truth' things that could be called 'Lovecraftian' in nature." It explained, making sure to reinforce the importance of the ring. It lifted the weapon and its sinister dark blue color whispered to her of what it could do. If she were facing a being of 'without death' it would make death a strong possibility. Against 'lesser beings' it granted 'curse of weakness' that got worse longer she let it fester and more it damages the foe, more times it 'stacks', festering faster.

"It's like that spear." She said taking the weapon that purred in her mind, like that she accepted it with respect/dread for its 'curse'. "Yes, just as Scáthach used the bones of a kami of the sea to create a spear that flips cause and effect, I used my own version of 'runes' to create a weapon, made from the bones of 'rival' of mine, that, in the right hands, could slay gods." It said then whispered the Name that would active the 'death giving' ability. It was just as barely understandable as the being's name. but Electra knew what it meant 'Toxic Bite of Time', for the concept of time is deeply connected to death and weakness. "Don't worry, it doesn't harm the soul that badly. They may be a little beaten and bruised but Death won't give you too much grief." It said, reading her mind. It gently took the weapon from her and set it back on the table. "You can have it when you need it." It whispered as she faded from this 'dream' and returned to the waking world.

Hours since she collapsed

Neverland

Pixie Hollow

Pixie Dust Tree

Healing Bay

Electra shoot up in the bed say was on and hurled into an acorn bucket that was put into view, just in time. "Good the medicine is working to flush out your system." A brown-haired fairy, that had blue nurse's uniform on, said as she patted Electra's back lightly. "I am Clara, a healing talent fairy, and your minder until you are back to full health." Clara said. She destroyed the bucket and its contents with a little magic. "Overworking yourself and infringing on 'that' kind of place as you dreamed." She tuts. "whatever being's personal space you visited was nice enough to keep the mutating to almost zero. You will be seeing things that are hidden, like ghosts but no 'out of place growths' like some victims." She said.

"I already could see ghosts. I've always had that gift." Electra said. "What's your name?" Clara asked. "Electra Nyx Laskaris." Electra said. Clara whirled around in shock. "Oh dear, you have that chaotic family curse and all its hurt/helpfulness. I will need to break out the special cures to fix you up." She floats over to a locked cabinet and pulled out a flask of golden liquid. "A drop with mend the body. Two will heal the mind. And three will heal the soul." She recited as she poured out three tiny droplets on to a spoon and shoved it into Electra mouth. Electra coughed as the golden drops burned all the way down.

"Chaos Healing in liquid form from Chaos itself. I get a flask every hundred years and Chaos is always in some weird new shape when it delivers it." Clara explained. "And I'm only 500 hundred years old, so I only have so much of it to go around." She said, putting the flask away and locking it up. "Yes, Chaos has that hobby. Last time I met 'him' he was an old man." Electra coughed, feeling much better. "My breathe smells like strawberries." She comments. Clara laughed, "The last being I used it on had peanut butter breathe." Electra laughed at this and Clara had a knowing smile. "I know a fairy that would love to me you. Her name is Sparksong, a storm-talent fairy with a version of that family curse you have." Clara said checking Electra's vitals. "Get rest and you will be free to go." Electra followed that advice and had a dream that felt like it was happening somewhere in Pixie Hollow.

Elsewhere in Pixie Hollow

Spring Valley

Tinkers' Nook

Tinkerbell was talking to pair of Tinker-talent fairies, Bobble, a skinny short fairy who's near sightedness forced him to wear extremely thick googles that water drops as lens, and Clank, a large dark haired fairy whose 'help' sometimes made things worse because of his lack of 'common sense' but he was quite a tinker. "Lord Milori's wing was healed. And I have no idea how Electra did it." Tinkerbell said. "Didn't she get carried to the Healing Bay, out cold and low on magic?" Bobble said. "The last time you saw her, she sat on the back of that super croc and was riding it down the river, singing it's song. That's something Sparksong would try."

"Tick Tock isn't mean to everyone, just Hook." A grayish blue haired fairy, who was charging crystals with storm energy, said. "Like you have room to talk, Hook caught you a few years ago and that croc chased him for days unital you here freed. He never did that for Tinkerbell." Fairy Mary, a stout fairy, who was the boss of the tinker fairies, said, taking the charged crystals and placing more to be charged in their place. "I'm the one that keeps him company. I'm sure he's spying on the gossip the passing fairies spread when they are in Neverland, but I don't know who it's for." Sparksong said.

"You aren't even 20 yet. Tinkerbell is over a hundred and knows that Tick Tock has his own agendas." Bobble said as he started repairs a wooden seed launcher. "I need a size five v toothed gear." He said and Clank handed him said gear, happy to help. "There's something about her that 'rings a bell', not you Tink." Sparksong said. Tinkerbell laughed at the pun. "you sound the same Electra, maybe she is the child that 'laughed' you into existence. You know, like that rumor that had been around forever." Tinkerbell said. "Nobody know if it's true are not." Fairy Mary said, "Just like the so called 'Bond tone' that is rumored to be hidden deep in the root tunnels of the Pixie Dust Tree. Those tunnels are dangerous and a straight up maze of darkness deeper you go." She warned.

"But what about the legend?" Tinkerbell asked. "The one that states, 'when the time for the stone key to be found is near, twins of mortal and fairy will descend into the roots. Guided by intangible chains they will find the start of something new'." Tinkerbell recited. Fairy Maty rolled her eyes at the words, "Those were heard on the wind, and who knows if it's true. We have work to do and we only have so many hours in the day."

The next morning

Neverland

Pixie Hollow

Pixie Dust Tree

High in the canopy

"I expected you to come up here." Queen Clarion, a fairy with silky light honey gold hair with golden fairy wings, wearing a gold dress and tiara adorned with flowers, said as she stepped along the limb of the tree. "Sparksong comes here all the time. High places, closer to the sky are where she goes when she needs to think." Queen Clarion continued with a smile as Sparksong flew up to same spot, deep in thought. "OH! Queen Clarion, I didn't see you there." Sparksong said with jolt. "That's alright. I noticed Electra climbing the tree and knew she was headed to your spot, she is your 'twin' after all. Nearly the same age, same voice, and have a connection that cannot be seen nor heard." Queen Clarion said tapping the air between them and they both jumps as they felt something start to 'open' between them.

"You both want to enter the root tunnels and find the stone that bares the rune for 'bonds' on its face. One to sate your thirst to fill a shadow in your heart." Queen Clarion says looking at Sparksong. "The other, is seeking the stone because it is one of a set that is needed to find lost friends." She says looking at Electra. "You use this key to get into the heart of the tunnels, but your physical senses will be useless in finding the path there." Queen Clarion takes a smooth rock shaped like an oversized key. "This had been held by the fairy monarch as long as the tunnels were locked up. "That looks like a keyblade." Sparksong said, "Tinkerbell told me about people using weapons like that."

"Yes, it was done on purpose because the stone was placed by Luxu, long ago, when he wore his original face." Queen Clarion said as Luxu appeared from a pocket of 'folded air'. "Something told me I'd get answers if I followed you Queenie." Luxu said, annoyed. "Why I it that I remember handing over Pixie dust to the Master of masters before he mindwiped me?" His tone was not friendly but not threatening. "You don't remember?" Queen Clarion asked. "Like I said, I got mindwiped. It's filtering back but it's really annoying when you are given few hundred pieces of a 10,000-piece puzzle at a time without box to help piece it together."

"My condolence, I can only imagine it was a gift for protecting the tree from heartless as the records say." Queen Clarion said smiling still. Luxu sighed, "Electra, remind me to punch him next time I run into him. This slightly swiss cheese memory problem he caused is much more annoying than I expected."

3 Hours later

Neverland

Pixie Hollow

Pixie Dust Tree

Root Tunnels

Electra and Sparksong were in total darkness, the earth stone and roots around them made it very claustrophobic. "you'd think there would be spider webs but that's no critter down here." Sparksong said as they traveled. "Can't you feel it. This place is nexus of energy. Any animal would not want to stay in a place like this. Too much energy in air to get any sleep." Electra said as they relied on the odd 'connection' Queen Clarion had 'woke up'. Longer and deeper they traveled, stronger it got and 'clearer' their choices at the many forks int the tunnel became.

Soon they weren't even voicing it. They knew that path to take. "What do you think the 'intangible chains' are?" Sparksong asked. "intangible chains are connections to life that keep the heart from floating aimlessly from the body. No one can be an inland. To try is to have the loneliest existence." Electra said as the tunnel hopped down sharply. The root or something tripped them and tumbled always down, hitting a stone door. "We did it! We reached the heart!" Sparksong aid as the two untangled from each other, laughing at the last stretch they took.

"Together?" Sparksong asked, holding the stone keyblade over the lock. Electra put her hand over Sparksong's hand on the handle and the pushed the keyblade in the lock and turned it. The stone door opened, and they were bathed in a soft light.

Heart of the Root Tunnels

The key stone was in a chamber the size of a small human sized closet and about the keystone hung the nexus of energy with roots entering it and 'caging' it and glowing leylines left the orb to enter the walls. "I know this is abrupt, but could you summon me from time to time, like how Sora did with Tinkerbell." Sparksong said, "I felt like I found that little bit that I was missing all my life." She didn't notice a drop of nexus energy landed on their hands as she grabbed Electra's.

They squeak in shock as a chain bracelet appeared on both their left wrists. "I think your request is was granted." Electra said. as the bracelets 'faded' out of sight and touch. They 'felt' them but didn't feel them. Electra moved the keystone, so it fell into the keystone pouch.

A week later

Dead World

"Well will not talk about what happened in the SCP universe nor will we talk about what happens when you kill a 'hard to kill reptile' with a Bident made by a that Being." Luxu said, pale as a ghost. Rei looked at them, confused. They had entered a portal after the 'spirit of time' helped them open a backdoor to where Key stone number 16 was. An hour later they jumped out of the 'backdoor' with Luxu scared out of his mind and Electra, drenched in reptile blood with a scary Bident in her hand. "Agreed. We will also not mention letting a Lovecraftian being doing who knows what else at this very moment to the SCPs that it deeds 'too troublesome' to be left alive." As she was talking reptile blood dripped onto the dead world and it was no longer dead.

Greenery burst out of the ground, water formed, insects started appearing, followed by reptiles of land, sea, and air. Other animals appeared too but reptiles were the most prominent as far as he could see. "What rune is it?" Luxu asked. She cleans off the Keystone and it had the rune for 'life' on it. "I'm going to go out on a limb and say that the reptile blood was the 'x factor' this formally dead rock needed to wake up and do it's job." He kicks a rock and gets a disgruntled hiss as it misses a viper. "Sorry!" Luxu says quickly taking out the map and looking for clue number 17 the sooner they got off the, now named, Reptile Oasis, the better.

"only four left and I can't wait to get away for your family curse." Luxu said. "Trust me, you will survive. And side note, I think I can trust you after that trip." Electra said. Luxu shivered. "I did say you'd trust me by the end, didn't I?" Luxu said. "Something along those lines, more than once." She answered as she used a water spell to wash the blood off. The Bident was taken by tentacles back where it was stored when not in use. "Found it." Luxu says then groans. "It's another written by that unknown person. 'Come to the den of fire and brimstone. Look for fire portals. Then ask for the Radio Demon.' Who is the Radio Demon?"

"A friend of the family." Electra said. "Makes Voodoo magic handshake deals and has a voice that sounds like an old radio." Luxu looked at her. "A fan of the Deal Maker?" He asked. "Alastor was the one that helped Papa get the idea of using his time travel to maximize the Contract Magic. Well, that and he gets to see the great disasters breaking the contract can cause." Electra said. "A demon sadist with access to twisted voodoo handshake deals. And he's the one with the keystone. I always wondered what hell is like." Luxu said opening a portal to Vivziepop Earth.

A week later

Vivziepop Earth (Just worrying you, this world is dark yet comical.

Somewhere in America

"So, we are waiting for Immediate Murder Professionals (I.M.P) to open a portal to hell?" Luxu asked as they were hiding in the 'folded air' watching for something. "No idea what they look like, but Papa said they have an ancient text they got by dubious means." Electra said then fell silent as red skinned demons with black and white striped horns and red spade tipped tails, ran to the hell portal the one in the lead pointed to. Luxu just rolled with it as they jumped into the hell portal, still under the 'folded air'.

Vivziepop Earth

Viviepop Hell

Pentagon City

I.M.P. HQ

"great job, Millie." Blitzo (the o is silent), founder of I.M.P. and had no hair, said, complimenting the black-haired female imp. "Sir, the portal didn't close immediately. That means something followed us." Moxxie, the white-haired imp, said looking around for signs of the intruders. "I smell Lovecraftian bone." Loona, a goth clothes wearing anthro wolf Hellhound said sniffing the air and setting her smartphone down and snarled. "You have a sharp nose. I want to say wolf but it not quite right." Luxu said as he, Electra, and Rei, who was hiding in Electra's hair, came out of the 'folded air'. "What the hell? You wanted to come to hell so bad you jumped into a hell portal?" Moxxie said.

"It's more of we needed something that currently in hell." Luxu said, "from what I figure, a demon took it then had someone rewrite the hint on the map. I mean they did it two times out of, so far, 17 things. She has a hunch that it's going to be a set of 20." Luxu gestures to Electra who pulled out one of the Keystones to show them. "I remember seeing something like that!" Blitzo said, "It was at an auction centuries ago. No idea who bought it, but it sold for big bucks." Electra put the keystone away and sighed, "Great, do you remember the rune that was on it." She asked. "No idea. They didn't let anyone see it. It was a closed box auction and the penalty for breaking those rolls was sadistic." Blitzo said cheerfully.

"Demons can't die unless it's Angels doing the killing, right?" Electra asked. Loona smirk as she said, "Totally true." Her smirk widened as Electra punted Blitzo out a window. "Now tell me the truth you demon." Electra said jumping out the window, after setting Rei on Loona's desk. "He shouldn't have lied." Moxxie tutted. "who's this adorable bundle of light? Millie said cooing over Rei. Rei introduced herself. "Rei? What a cute name for a spirit like you. Make sure no one hurts this little darling." Millie threatened Luxu as Moxxie made lovey-dovey faces at her and Loona was watching the fight outside, eating dog treats.

"Electra would fry me if I let anything happen to Rei. Had a lot of words for me when we had to search extreme dangerous places, like an active volcano." Luxu said as Electra called down lightning on the imp she was interrogating. "Doesn't she look familiar?" Millie asked, "I think she was in a painting we got as payment from that hooded Lovecraftian being." Moxxie said. "We were too busy making that hit we did into incident involving drunk smoking in a weapon's storage area." The laugh at the stupidity of some humans. "That being is quite 'charming' when they aren't threatening to destroy your sanity on a whim." Luxu deadpans.

The hour chimes from a clock tower with a timer that was labeled 'Next Cleanse' above the timer and 'Days' under the timer. "Why is that timer on the clock at the heart of the city?" Luxu asked. "10 days to a cleanse event?" He guesses then noticed their fearfully looks. "Does this have to do with her comment about demons only dying to angel." He guessed. "To be more specific the weapons they carry." Moxxie said, "End of the year, Angels do, in their words, 'a little house keeping' and slaughter any demon they find out in the open. So, it's, on average, over half the population they wipe out." Moxxie crunched the numbers to check his math using a 'Cleanse Yearbook' to double check. "Ok, I stand corrected, a little less than 46% of hell are slaughtered on average each year."

"Hell is a lot worse than I guess." Luxu said as Electra got back into the building with Blitzo by the leg. "He only knew that the Radio Demon knows who the last demon to buy the keystone a little over hundred years ago is and the fact it's the rune for 'Light'." Electra said throwing a bottle at Loona. "This shown get rid of any virus, disease, of infestation you are suffering." Electra says this glaring at Blitzo who looked sheepish.

"Thanks." Loona said, chugging it. Electra counts down. "Three, two, one." On one Loona runs to the bathroom and violently hurl. "Purge Potion. Condenses all those issues into the black toxic sludge, then forces your body to expel it three seconds after you drink the full bottle." She explained. "Works for most issues but not zombie related things." Loona came out annoyed but feeling much better. "That was a nasty cure, but it worked." She said, sounding 'happier' than before. "So, how did you meet 'the Tinkerer'? You know, the Lovecraftian being that made that ring on your finger." Loona asked.

"my Papa ran into him after his teacher got his help to make something." Electra ribs Luxu as she hints at the Master of Masters. "The Master of masters does things like all the time." Luxu reaffirms that fact. "I just realized something." Luxu said. "We don't have a place to stay." Electra shows him a flyer. "Happy Hotel? No rent cost. Sounds fair." He reads. "fine with me."

Three hours later

Vivziepop Earth

Viviepop Hell

Pentagon City

The Happy Hotel (Some demons call it the Hazbin Hotel)

"you want to do what?" Vagatha, better known as Vaggie, asked as she pointed a harpoon at Luxu. She had a gray charcoal colored skin, a large flowing mane of white hair and one eye that was replaced by an X. She wore a white goth style clothing and was manager of the hotel. "Stay here until we find what we're longing for. Then we are on our way out of hell and out of your hair." Electra said. Electra tackled out of nowhere by blonde haired 'missile' wearing a red top and black bottom suit. "It's you, Little Sister!" Electra managed not to fall over as Charlie, real name is Charlotte Magne, hugged her. "It's been 16 years and you've grown so much." She babbled in happiness.

"Vaggie, this is Electra Nyx Laskaris. The cutie that I met 16 years ago when daddy wanted me to meet an important mortal clan." Charlie explained. "You haven't changed that much." Electra said. "Sunshine is back at home right now, but Rei is here." Electra reaches into her hair and pulled out a hiding Rei. "She's not going to hurt you." Electra said to Rei who pointed out how Charlie 'greeted' her. "That's because we haven't seen each other for years. And I'm not so easily crushed." Charlie had a pair of demon goats, with red fur, black and red horns, spade tipped tails, bat wings, and wearing fitted black tuxedos, at her side. "These are Razzle and Dazzle they couldn't come when I meet you last." Charlie said hugging the goats.

A few hours later

When they were let into falling apart hotel to sit and talk, Electra decided something. "We need to fix this place up." She said. "it looks ready to fall in on itself." Luxu said as the roof started to leak. Charlie and Vaggie watch her for the next few hours inspecting ever inch of the hotel and writing down everything. "What's so important that it got you visiting hell?" Vaggie asked. "A Keystone with the rune for 'light' on it." Luxu said, sitting on air like it's a chair. "I mean we visited more dangerous worlds to get the other 16 keystones and there's likely three more after this one." He shrugged.

"Good luck tracking that down." Vaggie said with snort, "It's been passing hands like hot potato until it fell off the radar a few decades ago. A lot of demons made a lot of money as it was sold. Helped the money flowing even if the 'cleanse' caused issues." Charlie wilted at the mention of that yearly event and Rei sat in her lap to cheer her up. "If I can help them to redeem themselves then they won't need to be 'cleansed' year after year." Charlie said. "Hey! Did the chick I gave the flyer to come by yet?" Angel Dust, a white and red (mostly white) furred spider demon in drag, asked as he walks in.

"Yeah, she's seeing what needs to be fixed asap." Luxu said, not batting an eye at Angel Dust and his drag attire. "Good. Then Toots will get off my back about passing out those flyers every day." Angel Dust said using one of his extra arms (He has a total of six arms) to pat Rei on the head as he passed. "Got anything to eat?" He asked, opening a fridge and pulling out popsicle. He shrugs and sits, making sure to close the door, and eats it. "The Cleanse is going to be harsh this year. Might even break the hotal." He says get a glare from Vaggie and an interesting look from Luxu. "I was told they don't attack buildings." He asked. Angel Dust laughed. "Yeah, but what about the panicking demons fleeing their death by holy spears? Doors and such get smashed in as the rioting starts. This place is barely standing."

"Even if I have to fight the angels, this Hotel will not fall." Electra said as she came down the stairs with a thick scroll of things she found. "the 'Exterminators' are just unfeeling flesh 'bots' that care only about killing the quote." She said. They aren't robots but the black bodied and horned angels showed no emotion as they slaughtered each year. "I'll pay you fifty bucks if you bring me proof you fought and beat one." Angel Dust said. "Deal." Electra said, despite the horrified look from the other two demons in hearing shot.

Days later

Vivziepop Earth

Viviepop Hell

Pentagon City

Five hours left until the cleanse is over

"You better not lose you crazy chick!" Husk, a demon that looked like a black furred anthro cat with red wings with card suits along the bottom feathers, and a tail the ended with a big red fan like feather, yelled from the ruined bar, caused a bar fight the day before, where he was hiding. His small bowler hat, and face, was spattered with angel blood. He didn't mind because some crazy twelve wing chick came out of nowhere and was keeping the Exterminators from spearing him. There were five corpses of said angels already and reinforcements had arrived. Some demon had been recording with his smart phone but the spear in his head killed him.

Husk grabbed the phone and kept recording the action, this footage was worth a mint, his lucky days. "Husk here, with proof that the insane are to crazy to die. This winged chick is killing the Exterminators, not that many but that's life." Husk said narrating what was going as five more angels fall, dead.

The next day

Vivziepop Earth

Viviepop Hell

Pentagon City

In Charlie's Limo

"What were you thinking?" Vaggie roared, she had just got done berating Angel Duct for getting into a genocidal turf war that morning. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you." Electra said. She took the cash from Angel Dust, making Vaggie even angrier. "She must have a good reason for slaughtering fifty Exterminators before they left as the Cleanse was over." Charlie said hopefully. "He helped he a few days ago so I was returning the favor." They give her a look as she continues to say, "And there this feeling I got. Like Husk will be important later." Charlie looked relived. "Her clan gets those 'gut feelings' all the time. Some call it a 'message from chaos' throwing them a hint." She said. "What happened to the corpse and spears?"

"The one you know as 'the Tinkerer' took them." Electra said fiddling with the bone ring on her finger. The called that being 'the Tinkerer' because of the many things they made and exchanged for favors, goods, and services. "What was with the wings and stuff? It looked like something form a magical girl anime?" Angel Dust asked. "It's a device I use to channel the power of chaos, in a 'safer' manner." Electra said looking at the hell dollars, to make sure they weren't fake. It's hell, so there would be counterfeiters.

An hour later

Vivziepop Earth

Viviepop Hell

Pentagon City

Happy Hotel

When they had gotten back to the hotel, it wasn't long before a visitor to come by. The red pinstriped suit wearing deer demon with radio voice, Alastor the Radio Demon himself! "If it isn't Zane's first-born child!" Alastor said, one-arm hugging Electra. The odd thing of him is that he hated being touched, but he loved invading personal space and touching the person or demon or animal. "After the show you gave me, I could wait to track you down." HE explained. "Then I saw the Princess's fiasco on the picture show." He was talking about how Charlie, daughter of Lucifer Magne (king of hell) making her the Princess of Hell, got in a fight with a news anchor and it was live the whole time.

"How do you know Zane?" Charlie asked. She had 'ordered' him to help her with the hotel as much as he wanted to avoid making a deal with him and it had worked. "Don't you know? Zane is the Deal Maker. Using time travel and other means, he's made quite a power base. Thanks to me of suggesting it to him." He was griming as he said this. "I'll need to cash in a few favors even with the work you put into this place." He tells Electra, letting her go.

"Fixing the plumbing was a hassle and half." Electra said. Out of the unlit fireplace, that was altered by Alastor, came a fireball that left behind a little one-eyed demon. The little demon was Nifty, a red-haired demon in a dress that loved chores and hated filth. She also talked as fast as she worked, rambling but understandable. The next thing Alastor did was warp a corner of the lobby into a bar area and grabbed Husk from winning a game of blackjack. Alastor bribed Husk with booze.

"Wait a second." Husk said pushing past Charlie to get at Electra. "what are you doing here?" He demanded. "I've been staying here while I was searching." Electra said before Alastor decided it was perfect time for a song, using his weird voodoo magic to transform everyone's cloth to that of the 1930s.

A few minutes later

Outside the Hotel

"Who are you?" Electra asked the demon that blasted the front door she had just fixed. In some mechanical war blimp with a laser cannon pointed at them floated before the hotel as a snake demon, with eyes all over his black body wearing a living top hat, answered "I am Sir Pentious and Will blast that pinstriped freak to oblivion." Sir Pentious laughed evilly until a creature called an Egg Bois (one of many that he had as underlings) interrupted him saying, "Boss, there is a something happening down there." Sir Pentious looked where Electra, with all three limiters removed, pointed her 'magical girl' staff at them. "Gather remnants of eternity and foul the breath of storm." She chanted as giant circle appeared in the air along with smaller circles around Sir Pentious's machine.

"Can't we talk about this!" Sir Pentious, realizing who he pissed off. "weep not, fallen souls, for the time of retribution has arrived. White Lightning version two: Breached path of Destruction!" Electra roared firing the attack into the main circle. Egg Boi #23 was gleeful as the smaller circles fired full size White Lightning at them. "I' going to be fired at with ray gun he yelled there was deafening boom and bright light. "Wonderful show! Let's go back inside so I can cook up a killer Jambalaya." Alastor said as everyone else looked at Electra with shock.

A few hours later

Vivziepop Earth

Viviepop Hell

Pentagon City

Happy Hotel

"You're looking for the Keystone mark with 'light'?" Alastor asked. "I believe it was last in the hands of Franklin, the former co-owner of Rosie's Emporium, he suffered an accident on the day of the Cleanse." Husk scoffed, "He lost that rock when he was gambling a week ago. That Goetic Prince of Hell, Stolas, won it off him because he could. You know how that narcissistic owl demon can be." Electra annoyed but hope bloomed as Husk said something interesting. "I heard he's willing to pay anything to get the Tinkerer to paint a portrait of him." Electra had a plan.

A few days later

Vivziepop Earth

Viviepop Hell

Stolas' estate

The gardens

"He really pulled it off." Octavia, Stolas' daughter said, "He got you to come and sing for me." She had a British accent and had told Electra she wanted to hear an original song, not a cover. While Stolas got his painting yesterday, he had added the stipulation that Electra sings for his daughter, showing he was a dorky type of dad with his daughter. "He has something I need, and his request was more than reasonable." Electra said nodding to Stola's wife who was sitting silently, watching as she drank tea.

Electra fingers glided over the strings of the harp. The two were transfixed as they watched illusions of the world Electra's spirits called home. They witnessed the spirits from the smallest to the most massive just living their lives, praising the Great Mother for what she did for them. When Electra finished, Octavia had questions. "What was that place?" She asked, "How did it come into existence? And who is the 'Great Mother' those creatures were praising?"

"To answer that, you must ask the first spirits, of light and darkness." Electra said summoning the orb forms of said spirits. "You have questions." The avatar of light started. "And we have answers." The spirit of darkness stated. "Play the song of the Beginning, please." They asked Electra who nodded and played said song. "In the beginning, someone threw little bits of everything into a blank space to see if they could create something." The spirit of Darkness said. as everything was black save for a circle of light where a hooded figure looked down from.

"From the chaos proto-spirits were born as a being you call the Tinkerer watched with vested interest. Knowing the Great Mother take too long they took the role of the Spirit of Time and made it much faster in this world." The Spirit of light said as things sped up. Looking down from the circle was Electra at different ages. "When the first cycle ended, I was there." The Record Keeper said as he appeared on his own. "ending the lives of 90% of the beings. The remainder would carry one to the next cycle. The Great Mother, as this world's caretaker, was burdened with the task of choosing who would be spared, each time a cycle would end."

"Those that proved to be greater than any other spirit was given the honor of being summoned by the Great Mother should such aid be needed." Both spirits of Light and Darkness said as the same time. "Thus, concludes the first chapters of the World of Spirits." The Record Keeper said fading from view as the song ended. "Bravo." Stolas said as he walked to Electra. "a performance for the age. Here is the stone as you requested." He hands over the keystone. "It's not often a Laskaris performs for a demon of hell."

A week later

Keyblade Graveyard

"This make number 18." Luxu says pulling a box out of the ground. He opened it and it was the Key stone with the rune for 'choice'. "Ironic I would hide it here but that's life." Luxu checks the map. "clue number 19. It's another one written by that being. 'travel to place where comedy is king. Enjoy life' This one is a head scratched for sure." Luxu says, annoyed at the person you altered the hiding spots of the key stones and the clues without anyone noticing the changes. "Do know what's funny?" Luxu asked, "I remember everything now, including the last two keystones being marked with the runes for 'Chaos' and 'Order'. Not sure what order they will be in with this mysterious being screwing round with the map." He says annoyed.

"On the Brightside, your memory isn't swiss cheese anymore." Electra points out. "Touché." He says. Rei says something interesting. "If you wish to have an adventure on your own then you have my blessing." Electra, summoning her stand. "Who's traveling where?" Jace asked. Rei stepped up to the jackalope and made her request. "IF that's what you want." Jace says as the door swings open. "Adventure awaits, little seed." Jace says, letting Rei going into his gate. "They grow up so fast." Luxu comments as they tell Jace where they needed to go.

An hour later

The Land of Looney Tunes

Farms lands

They fell and landed in a haystack. "Alright. What do you think you're doing on my farm?" Barnyard Dawg, a cartoon Basset hound snarled as he stood on two legs and yanked them out of the haystack. "Wacky portal tech?" Luxu said. "I say! Put them down you dumb mutt." A cartoon rooster taller than the dog slammed a rock on the dog's head and a red lump rose from the dog's head as he fell over, letting them go. "I don't know what's getting to that dog. That's not how you treat guests." The loudmouth rooster blathered on and they learned his name was Foghorn Leghorn and that he talked a lot. They made tracks at the first moment they could, with the help of a tiny chicken hawk chick the size of a golf ball. "

On a train

"That loudmouth is going to be soup." Luxu said. the sound of the train was the only sound as they traveled in a mostly empty car of the train. "This in the land of Toons!" A short bandit looking man said in a heavy western accent. "That loudmouth isn't going to died but it's not going to be fun for him." The toon closes the news paper he was reading to reveal it was Yosemite Sam, a toon Electra knew. He was known for his bushing giant red mustache and a pair of pistols in his gunslinger belt. "What brings you non-toons to our neighborhood." He asked tipping his hat at Electra, see was quite the lady.

"looking for one of these." Electra said showing him a keystone. "It will have the rune for 'Chaos' or 'Order' on it." Yosemite Sam scratches his chin, "Can't say I've seen a slab like this, but, I'm sure it will turn up. Enjoy the ride because this place can have jokes that will make you laugh or being the butt of said joke." He said. Electra turned as she heard something dangerous. "Is there protocol for Taz?" She said, paling. Yosemite Sam looked at her with fear. "the Tasmanian Devil is coming!" He runs out of the train for the hills, leaving a dust cloud that looked like him.

Before Luxu could ask what Taz was, he heard all the other passengers fleeing a mass from the train along with the people manning the train. A mini tornado of started to shred the train, making it swiss cheese. "Taz or the Tasmanian Devil, is a creature that is dangerous because of his ravenous hunger and ability to rip through metal and stone." Electra explained as Taz got closer to their car. "Shouldn't we be running?" Luxu asked as the brown tornado of claws, teeth and, to Luxu's ears, angry words that made no sense, ripped its way into the car. The beast that was Taz had a big mouth full of teeth and was hissing spitting at them.

Instead of being afraid, Electra was nodding in understanding. "I see. You were going for run but you smelled something nice." She said. "IF you tell me if you've seen a slab like this, I'll make something for you." She shows him a Keystone. Taz shakes his head. Electra shrugs and steps outside to set up her cooking set up.

later

The Land of Looney Tunes

Wastelands

"It's almost done." Electra as she was checking the tikka masala. She found all the food she needed to make chicken tikka masala in the ruined kitchen car and that was dish she knew because it was a 'curry'. Taz was sitting and salivating. "You Taz friend now." Taz said in a 'broken English'. "That's sweet of you to say." Electra said as she started to plate the food, Taz getting a serving platter as a plate. Taz ate it in a slower than normal, for him, which was him throwing the food into his mouth in one go, pace. After he finished the 10 pounds of food in three minutes, he hugged Electra then tornadoes away.

"He sure can eat." Luxu comments, eating his food at a polite pace, even if it was so the best food he's had in a long time. "At least he wasn't angry." Electra stated, "He's unstoppable when he's angry. The only one that 'beat' him at his worst was Bugs Bunny, via trickery." Luxu looks around at the wastelands and the destroyed train behind them. "We'll be flying I hope." He asked, "don't feel like flying near where Wile E. Coyote hunts the Road Runner." Electra says. "Please not that this duo is the opposite of real-life versions. The Road Runner is super-fast, and his rival has the worst luck." There was a very distant explosion in the canyons they needed to cross.

"That doesn't sound safe." Luxu comments as dot flies up, arcs and falls to earth. "It's hard to kill toons. And luckily that applies to us while we are on this world." Electra said eating. She'd search the train for useful supplies later. "Any idea who screwed with the map?" Luxu asked. "If I had to guess, a Celestialsapiens is behind it. They are omnipresent beings that live in the origin point of their universe, that was combined with ours by a cosmic event, the Forge of Creation. Some created that universe but, the Contumelia, a race of fifth dimensional beings that actually made their universe, would say otherwise." Electra paused before listing some facts about the star filled space skinned beings, "They can warp reality but both 'personalities' each one of them have must agree to the 'proposal'. This can take 1000s of years."

"That sounds lovely." Luxu said. "Now I can't shoot them for screwing my plan for this trip so badly."

A few days later

The Land of Looney Tunes

Wastelands

"Are we there yet?" Luxu asked out of nowhere as they were walking along a narrow footpath, hugging the cliffside. "You waited this long to start that?" Electra asked as a pebble fell into the ravine and hits the tiny, to them, river below. "Meep meep!" The man sized blue feathered bird known as the Road Runner said as he paused to look at them from across the ravine. He ran, leaving a dust cloud as his rival tried using a rocker propelled net launcher to catch him. The annoyed Wile E. Coyote had a sign that said, 'What are you looking at?' as he glared as the chuckling Luxu.

"Don't mind him, we're just passing through." Electra said. "Crud." Luxu said as the ground gave and he fell with dust 'thump' at the bottom. Wile E. Coyote flipped his sign that know read, 'hurts, don't it?' Electra watches him throw the net laugher into the ravine because it failed to work. He then leaves to cook up a new scheme.

Three hours later

Wile E. Coyote looked at the Keystone then shocks his head. He had not seen anything like that. He holds up a side that said, 'I can get you out of the wastelands quicker than a week.' "That would be helpful." Electra said. Luxu finally catches up to her after his fall. "The bird hasn't seen the keystone." He says as he sees Wile E. Coyote roll out an ACME Super Travel Cannon. Luxu that the user manual from him and read it, "The ACME Super Travel Cannon can be used to travel the skies in style. No more than one person per a shot. Failure to calibrate it before use will result in unplanned landing sites." Wile E. Coyote takes the manual back and starts to read it.

An hour later

The Land of Looney Tunes

A grassy forest

"This was a mistake!" Luxu yelled at Electra ask they flew at crazy speeds. "No this was a looney idea." She fired back. Disaster struck as they noticed their flight path. They hit something unseen and were thrown of course. Luxu landed in a lake and Electra fell down a hole next to a mailbox that read 'Bugs Bunny'.

Ten minutes later

The Land of Looney Tunes

A grassy forest

At the lake

"What's the big idea!" Daffy Duck, a cartoon black duck, yelled at Luxu, who was coughing out water. "Can't a duck swim in peace in the morning without someone dropping in?" Daffy jabs a 'finger' at Luxu repeatedly. "I hit something invisible midair after some Coyote had the bright idea of firing me out of a cannon." Luxu coughed out a very alive fish as he said this (Cartoon law at work.) "Oh. That makes sense. The ACME Super Travel Cannon needs to be calibrated to the millimeter." Daffy explained, helping him up and out of the lake. "We don't get many non-toon visitors." Daffy explained, looked Luxu up and down.

"Have you seen a keystone, that looks like this?" He draws the possible keystones in the mud. "Hmm, that does ring a bell, but I don't remember where I've seen it." Daffy said scrutinizing it. "Finally! Progress after talking to a mouthy rooster, a dog that doesn't like people dropping in, a short gunslinger, a roadrunner, some mouse that is faster than anyone mouse I've met, and that sign talking coyote." Luxu says gratefully. "Well, you've had quite a trip." Daffy commented. "Oh, right! I survived Taz because of Electra's cooking." Luxu remembers to add. Daffy pales a little the does a thinking pose. "That name is familiar. What's this Electra look like?" Luxu just pulls a picture that took at a tourist stop.

"The little firefly! She found her way here, with that weird bug of hers, years ago." Daffy said amused. "How a child who's not even ten finds how to get to this 'world', it's more of a universe with more than one planet to it, unassisted is amazing. Where is she?" Luxu shrugged, 'We got separated when we hit that thing in the sky. I landed first as she kept traveling to the west of here." Daffy took out a map and looked at it, "the only thing of note in that duration is Bugs Bunny's hole and, much farther away, Elmer Fudd's hunting outpost at the edge of the area." Daffy tapped his foot. "Bugs aid he's leaving as of right now, so if she landed there, she'll be with him as they head to his vacation spot." Daffy reasoned.

"and where is this vacation spot?" Luxu asked, "No idea, but I do know who recommended it." Daffy goes to a tree opens in up to reveal a working telephone. He enters a number and holds the receiver to his ear. "Hey Sylvester, where did you say Granny was taking vacation?" He asked. "Really. That that convenient with the date that is coming in a week." Daffy says, "Yes, Electra in in town and likely going to be with Bugs. He does have an extra ticket for the cruise because Granny bought extras. Could you send two my way?" Daffy asked. He listened then hung up the phone, closing the tree. and waiting for something.

Moments later a truck with the words 'Bullet delivery mail service' on the side. "Package for Daffy Duck." The burly mail man said giving Daffy a clipboard and pen. Daffy signs and hands back, getting an envelope. The truck drives away as Daffy looks at contents. "Two tickets and a travel brochure for the cruise." Daffy says handing Luxu his ticket and opens the brochure. "That's where I remember it." Duffy says showing Luxu a picture of a tropical island with the 'Order' Keystone sitting in a temple. "Enjoy a two weeklong cruise, ending at the island of Mystery then returning to port." Luxu read. "I'm starting to think that she was right about cosmic reality warps screwing with me." He said.

"Halt, earthling!" Marvin the Martian says as he existed his invisible spacecraft. "You hit me, and I demand repayment for this slight against me." He said, pointing a ray gun at them. "can't we do this non-violently?" Luxu asked, noticing Daffy sweating bullets. "unless you have large crystal battery, I will have to blast you for making me drop mine." Marvin the Martian said. "A what?" Luxu asked, "A crystal with a nebula of colors in the center of it and very powerful." Marvin the Martian explained. Luxu searched his pockets and found a Power Crystal. "Like this?" He says hoping it was enough.

Marvin the Martian takes the item and looks it over. "It's raw but I can easily process it into what I need. Good day Earthling." Marvin the Martian said as he took the Power Crystal with him as he entered the ship, flying off. "You hit his ship?" Daffy asked. "It was invisible and completely silent," Luxu said. "Well, I need to pack quickly so we can catch a taxi to the port. Bugs always leaves a little early." Daffy says packing a couple suitcases. Luxu guess it was like the mail service, appears conveniently and leaves just as quickly.

The next day

The Land of Looney Tunes

At sea on the S.S. Old Faithful V

"What's the story behind the name of the ship?" Electra asked as she and Bugs were lounging on deck chairs. "This ship somehow returns to port even if it's going to the scrape yard like that last four ships to bear that name did. No one died on them so It's safe." Bugs said, sipping a carrot cocktail. "Just like the geyser that goes of like clockwork." She says nodding. "Sorry about the mess I made when I crash landed in your hole." Electra said. "It's just a crater shaped like you." Bugs waves it off, "I fixed it with ease. You wouldn't believe the number of times I had to fix my house."

"Oh Dearie! It's so good to see you again!" A toon old lady who everyone called Granny came over and Electra stood up to greet her. "Hello Granny. Thank you for getting the extra tickets." Electra said giving Granny a hug. "You're all grown up." Granny says looking her up and down, then frowns as she spots the scars on her arms. "What happened to you?" Granny asked. "interacting with wildlife of the Pokemon Universe, Granny." Electra said. "Pokemon might be more intelligent on average when compared to animals, but some can be 'grumpy' matter who they are." Granny smiled, "I guess I should expect that from that kind of job. Make sure you stay healthy, dearie." Granny hugged her then walked away.

"Sufferin' succotash! It looks like you fought a zoo." Sylvester, a toon black and white cat with a red nose, said. "given the biodiversity of the spices of pokemon, your underplaying it." Electra said amused. "you aren't given Granny any trouble, are you?" Sylvester whistled innocently. "He's been a bad old Puddy Tat." Tweety, a yellow cartoon canary, said as he flew to her shoulder. "But only when Granny doesn't notice." Tweety added. "Good, Granny doesn't need extra stress." Electra said. the way they were acting was 'off', like they were hiding something. Even Bugs was hiding something since he ran into Daffy on the ship. They left in a hurry leaving Electra to her musings. Electra sits back down and relaxes.

Three days later

The Land of Looney Tunes

At sea on the S.S. Old Faithful V

"Happy Birthday!" the toons, along with Luxu yelled as she entered the private event room. "Is it really that day already?" Electra asked with a huge smile. "Of course, it is. Granny keeps track of everyone's birthday, even the lost little girl you wander into our world." Bugs said. "Taz dropped by with a gift but he was too hungry to stick around." Bugs points to present at looked like it was wrapped by a tornado. "It was a little bit of a rush job, but we can work under pressure." Daffy said pulling cart with a large cake with 20 candles on it.

"we know you'd prefer it with your family but as you said last time we met, 'It's not the place but the feelings behind it that matters.' Or something like that." Sylvester said.

"Who invited the short green roman helmeted alien?" Luxu asked, noticing Marvin the Martian entering with a flower in his hands. "Is this the party for the Earthling named Electra?" He asked. "Yes?" Daffy said confused why he would be here after Electra and Luxu hit his spacecraft days ago. "Hello again." Electra greeted the Martian warmly. "Is that the flower I challenged you to make when I was young?" Marvin the Martian shadowed face beamed with pride as he presented it to her. "Yes, after much trial and error, I have revived the rarest of Mar's plants, along with the rest of them along the way. It took over a decade to do it, but the Feather Point Flower is back on and not going anywhere." Marvin the Martian explained.

The flower looked like a closed bud of glowing feather like petals on a twisting spiral corkscrew stem. "That doesn't look like much." Daffy says lean in on the bud. Said bud of petals ballooned then shot a ball of lightning, frying Daffy. "As you can see, it has a unique defense mechanism. When a lifeform that it doesn't like gets too close, it fires ball lightning to defend itself." Marvin the Martian said looking at a scanner he whipped out to record the event. "What does that plant like?" Daffy asked, coughing out of black smoke, looking extra crispy. "anything electrical. It grows on mountains where thunderstorms are ongoing for centuries." Marvin the Martian explained as the plant seemed to turn to face Electra as she set the pot down and going over to the cake.

The sing the song and she blow out the candles. "Is it just me or is that plant tracking her like a sunflower?" Sylvester asked Tweety. "She does have that feeling of a dangerous storm. Even if she's so nice." Tweety answered. He pulls out a book about birds. "The Storm Singer is said to have a voice that can call, control and banish storms. Her feathers of blue create storms stronger than any other thunderbird. Her rage even when not in thunderbird form will shape the weather." He read. "What do you mean by Thunderbird form?" Sylvester asked taking the book, then reading, "While unconfirmed, it is believed that the Storm Singer can take the form of different beings, notably, human, aquatic, smaller birds, and a swarm of fireflies." They share looks.

"You don't think Electra is a bird, do you?" Sylvester asked, "Maybe, but who's to say that the Storm Singer was born a bird?" Tweety questioned. "Besides, doesn't her hair look like feathers?" Sylvester's eyes widened "You're right. She's legend." He said as Electra daftly cut the cake, chocolate spice cake, with graceful yet quick and precise slices.

Ten minutes later

Electra started to open present after everyone finished their cake, Electra made sure to ship Taz's slice to him via the mail service from earlier. The gifts were nice. A few books, a handmade sweater, trinkets and other things like that. The last two gifts were Taz's and one that was wrapped in galaxy paper with air holes in its sides. Electra translates the note on Taz's present "Hello Friend. Spoiled Dinner told Taz today was birthday. Taz found this pretty thing for friend." The letter was riddled with errors but that was the gist of it. The 'pretty thing' turned out to be an amulet made of gold and crystal. Under the crystal lay a silver hair. "Who told Taz it was my birthday?" Electra asked eyes not leaving the hair in the amulet.

"None of us." Bugs said. "The only thing he would call 'Spoiled Dinner' would be something so old and gnarled it has no flavor." Bugs guessed. "The Celestialsapien gave Taz an item of great importance to give me as a gift. One of the Queen's Five." She set it down like it was a bomb. Then read the note on the last gift that no one was sure where it came from. "To the one that seeks the Key Stones. I, Starbeard, a Celestialsapien from the Forge of Creation, apologize in advance for what I have done. There is a reason for what I have done that you aren't aware of yet. The gift you got from the creature, who found my arm is not eatable as he believed, will be important later. My gift is my attempt at soothing your frayed nerves. A beast of chaos intent on destroying a school where his prison was kept, escape and forced me to step into ensure my desired outcome happened. He, now a she, has no memory of being the Jabberwocky, nor the shape of that beast, but will have memories of how to fight. May she, who you may name, serve as a battle mount and all round good 'cuddle buddy'."

"He did what to the Jabberwocky?" Bugs asked as everyone was staring at her. "I think this Starbeard, a being able to warp reality, took the beast of wonderland and turned it into a cuddly animal that is ridable." Luxu said as Electra opened the air holed present, pulling out a kitten, the size of a mind size cat, with dragon wings, snoring lightly. There was a snickering at how the legendary beast was now a kitten. Riding into battle on a cat that can fly with dragon wings sounded chaotically amazing. The dragon kitten's fur was a nebula of reds. She made a pray to the Greek Titan, Rhea, seeking permission to name the kitten after her. She felt a collar appear in her hand with said name on it, a sign it was ok.

"I name you Rhea. May you be as fierce as a lioness but as caring as a mother." Electra said slipping the collar on the kitten, who was still asleep. "She's sleeping like a bear?" Luxu comments. "Cats do what we want." Sylvester said with crossed arms.

Nine days left of cruise

The Land of Looney Tunes

Island of mystery

"We've got four days before the ship leaves to return to port. It took five days to get here and it will take five days to get back." Luxu said as they look at the map of the island. They would look at the public temple on the hill first. The market that was in the main harbor settlement was more of tourist trap.

Ten minutes later

The Land of Looney Tunes

Island of mystery

The 'public' temple

"Nope, it's a fake." Luxu said in hushed voice. "the whole temple is too new to be the real thing." A toon turtle, who had to be a local, hobbled over and whispered. "The real temple in a few days travel to the north. But that's by my speed so you youngster could get there in a day easily." Electra slipped him some money. "Thank you for the tip." She said gratefully. "No problem. We temple keepers have been waiting for the map holder to come for it after the star man entrusted it to us." The turtle said hobbling away and blending into the crowd with practiced ease.

A day later

The Land of Looney Tunes

Island of mystery

The 'true' Temple

"Before we can part with the Keystone of Order, you must part take in our culture." The Temple Elder said. they were all turtles and were set in the way they were doing. "Ok, what does this require. Dancing, eating odd food, deadly tests?" Luxu asked. "There are no deadly tests, but the first two are for sure part of the day long process." The Temple Elder said. This was a test of patience. The first step was Tai Chi oddly enough. A few hours of that and a breakfast of mealworm and roasted grasshopper dark greens salad. It was odd but tasty, even if the mealworms were alive.

Hours later

"You must paint what you see." The Temple Elder instructed, giving them paints made from natural sources, like berries, a wall sized sections of bark. They had just had lunch that was the same a breakfast but had some berries included. "Try thinking outside the box on this one." Electra said as she stared at the jungle ahead of them. "Right, a test of insightfulness." Luxu guessed. The Temple Elder nodded. They had decided the test to prove worthiness based on how they lived.

A few hours later

"Interesting." The Temple Elder said looking at the paintings. "You seem to focus on the dangers that lurk in the jungle." He was looking at Luxu's painting that had a feeling of being watched by unseen predators. The Temple Leader looked at Electra's painting noticed a difference. There was the being watched feeling but that was life and vibrance to it. "You understand the jungle well. You have connection to nature that your friend lacks." The Temple Elder told her, impressed. "Is there a reason you made us paint?" Luxu asked. "We need to understand the mind of the one who will get the stone. To see how they view this jungle will give insight. You are a watcher looking at possible dangers sometimes missing the peace it offers." He says to Luxu. "You are a girl who has entered the wilderness and learned a deep understanding of it's complexity. I have never seen this in someone under the age of 50 years before now."

Hours later

Dinner was more bug salad and fish, that they had to catch. "Your last test is the most dangerous." The Temple Elder said, "Sleeping under the stars." There was silence that was soon filled by jungle sounds as the turtles of this hidden village when into their homes, that were more predator proof than their armored shells. "They locked us outside for the jungle cats to nibble on." Luxu said. Electra was laying on the ground, cuddling Rhea, who hadn't woken up yet (the transformation from Jabberwocky to baby dragon cat was tiring). "Only the foolish young predators would attack village like this." Electra said.

"And why is that?" Luxu asked laying down. "There is no cover and the houses are placed in a way that makes it hard to sneak around without setting of the noise makers." She points out the alarm chimes hanging off the wooden huts with invisible trip lines crisscrossing the gaps between buildings, set up before the sun set every day. "They are resourceful turtles." Luxu said trying to get some sleep.

The next morning

"As promised, the Keystone of 'order'." The Temple Elder said giving Electra the slab. "You may take your paintings too, if you wish." The Temple Elder handed her a stone that looked like a shell with marking on it. "use this as a reminder of what you learned. You may need it when stress is high." Electra had feeling he was talking about when they met Starbeard face to face at last.

A few days later

The Land of Looney Tunes

At sea on the S.S. Old Faithful V

"How was your jungle adventure?" Bugs asked, "relaxing' Electra said. "Luxu said it was not his cup of tea. Something about insect salad." Bugs smirked. "Who is Luxu? He's got this 'dangerous' vibe about him." Bugs asked worried. "One of Papa's former Archenemies. They aren't friends by any stretch and he's not welcome at the land of Departure, Papa's ice cream factory, or The Garden." Electra said. Bugs had look that said he was confused. "It's not that he's totally evil, just trained to follow the Master of Masters' teaching for a long time. He's actually thinking for himself after Starbeard screwed with where he hidden the keystones." Electra laughed.

"that's one way to give a wake-up call. How many of these keystones have you found?" Bugs asked, changing the subject, sort of. "19 with only one left to track down. And it's going to be interesting to say the least. 'ask the underwater Yakuza' that's all it says." She says. "I'm not even going to ask what that means." Bugs says clinking glasses with her. "You take your alcohol well." Bugs says with an unsaid question. "Two reasons, one, Papa brews alcohol. And two, people put berries in a shelled pokemon called Shuckle and let the berries ferment for medical or recreational alcoholic juices." Electra said. "is the shuckle juice any good?" Bugs asked, "it does its job. It's better for medicine than booze in my opinion." Electra said. (She' not a heavy drinker, only a few every once in while)

five days later

Mermaid Yakuza Earth (World Based on My Bride is a Mermaid)

Japan

Near the Seto Inland Sea

"Look who decided to wake up?" Luxu said as they exit the gate that was her Stand. Rhea yawned and stretched. "She has beautiful golden eyes." A bystander said, somehow not seeing the dragon wings. "We're taking her for a walk on the beach." Electra said putting a leash on Rhea, there was leash laws for this area. "Is your driver going to park your car somewhere?" the bystander points at her Stand, clearly affected by something magical. "Yes, Jace will be heading out now." Electra said dismissing her stand. The bystander's eyes seem to follow something down the empty road then walked off. "Something was affecting her." Luxu said, "Maybe a Siren Spell that acts like the Mist of that one Earth you told me about?" Electra nodded, "Very likely. Sirens are known for tricking people into sensing things that aren't there." Electra said. She looked around and saw runes hidden on the rocks and other surfaces.

"There's a 'out of loop' array set up." Electra said. "It makes it harder to notice as a programed subject until it is told to the person by someone 'in the loop', that's why Jace and gate looked like a car and Rhea's dragon wings were overlooked." Electra said. Luxu nodded at they found a private spot on the beach. Rhea asked a bunch of questions in the guttural fiery tongue of dragons. Luxu had no idea what she was 'roaring' but Electra answered, "You were something else but they were not nice at all. As punishment, you were turned into this as a 'second chance'." Electra then explained the meaning of her new name.

Rhea sat there thinking. She had no memory of who she was before, but Electra was telling the truth. She'd stick around to see if this 'second chance' was worth it. She was part cat, so if she left it was expected, as that is what cat does, whatever they wanted. "Ok, I know this is the world I left the keystone, but I did not write that clue." Luxu said, glaring at Starbeard's handwriting on the map. "It's been many years and very likely the 'underwater Yakuza' found it and took it like it was a prize." Electra said. "In this case it's Starbeard being nice enough to point us in the right direction." She made hand gestures for him not to react to the incoming living things.

Out of nowhere burly men in suits jumped out of the water, tied them up, put black bags, runes blazed to life to Electra's eyes because of the bone ring, over their heads and dragged them into the water. Rhea was left on the beach alone because they seemed to fear her.

Unknown amount of time

Elsewhere

Mermaid Yakuza Earth

Japan

The Seto Inland Sea

Seto Group HQ

The bags and ropes were removed, and they found them in a Japanese style dining room that was quite lavishly furnished with a sea theme to the panel doors and décor. "Why were you using a magical transportation in the open like that?" Gōzaburō Seto, they learned his name later, a burly man with two long scars on his face that cross each other (one from his eye to his chin and another that is cross his nose under both eyes), short black pike hair and a glare that reminded Luxu of Zane during their 'death match', roared. "Do you not now the rules!" He looked ready to skin them alive. Luxu looked at Electra sighed. "May I speak?" Electra asked calm as can be.

Everyone in the room that was with the Yakuza boss gasped in shock. Gōzaburō Seto himself looked ready to explode as he throws a punch at her. "Don't you dare disrespect me in my own home!" He roared, breathe smelling of booze. "Remember, you threw the first punch." Electra said as spiders were summoned and tangled him in silk lines. In under minute he was trapped in a punching moment in a giant web. "Oh dear." Ren Seto, who they learned was his wife later when they learned their names, a beautiful woman with glossy straight back hair, said as she entered the room and found him like that. "I do apologize for my husband, he tends to 'jump the gun'." She says bowing to Electra then inspects the web and spiders. "extraordinarily strong silk. Can it be made into clothing?" She asked as Gōzaburō Seto struggled in the web. "It's typically mixed with what you could can 'fire silk' to give the garment warmth without making it too heavy for the wearer." Electra said. "On its own, I typically make tapestries." Electra explained.

"Come with me, we have a job to work out." Ren Seto said leading Electra to a more private meeting room. "Can you get me out of this web, honey?" Gōzaburō Seto asked. "No. you need to cool off." Ren Seto said without losing her pleasant smile. "Don't look at me." Luxu said. "That silk is hard to cut. And the Spiders are giving me warning looks." The burly men look at the spiders and see that yes, the spiders that weren't maintaining the web were aiming at them. "I'm Masa, Gōzaburō Seto's right hand man." A darker skinned man with puffy black hair and dark sunglasses on, said.

"I'm Luxu. Electra went with the lady just now." Luxu said, "That's his wife. The most beautiful and scary mermaid in all the seas." Masa said. "Ah, the one that keeps the fish in the net from making too much of a fool of himself." Luxu said. He guessed because the lady wanted the drunk to think on what he did the insult was part of the punishment she issued. "why did you break the rules?" Masa asked. "What rules? I am bending some rules about other worlds but we're off-worlders." Luxu asked. "That makes sense. I know there are other worlds out there but it's not like we have a way to get there." Masa said, pulling out a rulebook.

"This is the Mermaid Rulebook. It has all the rules and laws we enforce. Like page 5037 section 8, point B 'blatant use of magic around those out of the 'loop' with result in rulebreakers being taken for questioning by the group that rules the nearest sea to when the incident happens'. That's the one you broke. That odd gate and creature were the reason we needed to take you here." Masa said. "Rhea really can't hide her dragon wings so it's going to be difficult." Luxu said. "She seems to have a 'not my problem' field around her that hides those features as needed." Masa stated. "Centered around her collar."

"Lady Rhea wins a point in my book." Luxu said. "The cat's namesake was the one to give the collar." Masa nodded. "I see. What is the nature of the Gate and armed 'jackalope'?" Masa asked, "in fact, what are these spiders?" Luxu pointed to the spiders, saying "those are Spirits and the gate and 'creature' are one of Electra's abilities, but they are not magical as far as I know." Luxu had no idea how to classify Stands. Seeing the spiders nodding, Masa decided to take his word for it, clearing them of any wrongdoing. "By the way, where is Rhea, the cat?" Luxu asked. "Still on the beach. Most mermaids have on this world have a fear of cats." Masa said. Luxu laughed. "You left a creature of chaos alone? Even worse, she a cat. She's not going to sit at that beach waiting like a dog would."

It sunk in that they screwed up. Masa left in a hurry, as one of the few mermaids without a fear of cat, he was the one sent to search for Rhea. "Have you seen an object that looks like this?" Luxu asks showing them a drawing of the last keystone. "That? Not sure where it is now but it was found long ago and fought over until no one had it." Gōzaburō Seto said. He had calmed down enough to answer without bellowing. "How long ago are we talking?" Luxu asked. "300 to 500 years." Gōzaburō Seto said and all his men nod in agreement.

"Who netted you!" Maki, a tiny merfolk assassin with long purple hair and gray eyes, yelled as she entered. She aimed a shell, a pressurized water cannon, at the web but was reeled in and cocooned like bug with her head exposed. The spider then hung her from a line anchor to the ceiling, setting the shell weapon on the low table. "What happened here?" Sun Seto, Gōzaburō Seto's tan haired teen daughter, asked as she surveyed the room. With her was a black-haired human teen. "It looks like something out of a horror movie." He said. "Introduce yourself, son-in-law!" Gōzaburō Seto barked. "Nagasumi Michishio, human, age 14." Nagasumi said quickly. Rhea meowed from her spot in Masa's arms. "I found your dragon cat on the beach." Nagasumi said.

"did something bad happen for this to come about?" Sun Seto asked. "He tried to punch someone that can summon spirits, not limited to these spiders. The tiny one tried to cut him down against the orders of his wife, not that she'd know that as she came with you." Luxu explained, petting Rhea, who jumped into his lap, demanding attention. "She is quite lovely even if she is a cat." Sun Seto said carefully. "are you also afraid of cats?" Luxu asked, "Not afraid, just wary. Cats can evil." Sun Seto said. everyone looked at Rhea who started 'purring' (it was quite loud). The Spiders all stopped turned then freed the two merfolk, leaving not a trace of the webbing as they skitter out of the room in hurry.

Rhea dashes after the spiders. "I guess she wants to know what Electra needs the spiders for." Luxu said. Ren Seto came back hugged her daughter and the son-in-law. She turns to Luxu and said, "Electra will be staying with us for a while, working on a commission. If you want to find out more about the Keystone you are looking for, ask the Edomae group. They were the last one to have seen it 397 years ago." Luxu thanks her. "Where can I find them?" He asked, "President Edomae's daughter, Lunar is having a concert." Ren Seto hands him a Backstage VIP pass. He takes it then opens a 'gate' to the city listed on the pass. "I don't feel like walking across Japan." Luxu says, closing it behind him.

A few days later

After the concert

In Lunar's dressing room

"You have quite the voice talent." Luxu said. Lunar was a mermaid with pink hair and a bit of competitive streak when it came to Sun Seto. "I need to speak to your father about the Keystone of 'Chaos'. I did enjoy the concert, but I've got a mission to finish. I hope you understand." He added. "The Keystone that we (her family) lost in on the Island of the Gnashing Teeth 397 years ago?" Lunar asked. "Looks like I won't need to talk to him after all." Luxu said, his hood hiding his smirk. "He wouldn't tell you if you asked. Not even my voice will make that stone clam open. I have one of the best voices in all the seas of this world." She states, letting that information slip because of her pride. "How about challenging someone that has a legendary voice? She's working on a commission right now, but in a few weeks, after she's finished, she'd be happy to face you in a singing contest at that town near The Seto Inland Sea." Luxu suggested.

Lunar looked like a fire was lit under her as she yelled "I show here who's top singer! Not even Sun Seto will beat me at singing again!" Luxu smiled and left. He greased the wheels and really needed to find this 'stone clam'.

Two weeks later

Mermaid Yakuza Earth

Somewhere in the Pacific Ocean

Island of the Gnashing Teeth (not a cannon place)

Luxu was looking at stone door that looked giant clam set in the side of a mountain, on an island surrounded by craggy rocks 'teeth' evenly spaced. "So, what's the deal with you?" Luxu asked knocking next to the clam door. "Come seekers of untold wealth, offer treasure then sing. If your voice please me, my trove is yours to take." the whole place shook as the deep rumbling voice echoed from below. "I don't have a singing voice, but will you take is as payment for more information?" He presents a thick armband set with gems. A 'mouth' with stone fangs opened near the clam door. Luxu placed the armband in and pulled his hand away quickly. The mouth closed at a slow pace then the voice echoed up again, "sing from the heart and I will think about letting you in." Luxu bowed in thanks and got out of there as the 'teeth' closed around the island, like mouth closing, creating a dome of black rock.

"Man, they weren't kidding about the name of the island." Luxu said sit on air. The Island sunk underwater and moved to the west. "A moving island that will 'eat' you if you stay when it wants to move." He said this and realized what happened. They offered the Keystone and failed the test. Then many years later, they were still trying to get into the motherlode of treasure troves without telling anyone else because of 'pride'.

"Find the island will be annoying." Luxu said. "It has no 'roots' and goes wherever it pleases. If I didn't check, I'd say it was on the back of a turtle." There was only a giant orb of chaos energy that was the 'bottom' of the island. Save for the moving around part, this reminded him of the Cave of Wonders.

A week later

Mermaid Yakuza Earth

Japan

Near the Seto Inland Sea

Back stage at the 'Siren Sing Off' (the name of the contest they were having)

Lunar was floored as Electra sung while playing her guitar. The song was called 'Song of the Sea' (By Nolwenn Leroy. Featured in a 2014 movie of the same name as the song.). "How did I not know about her?" Lunar asked. Sun Seto just smiled, saying, "I guess she's got a chance at the Motherlode with a talent like that." Lunar gave her that. Electra's singing resonated from somewhere deeper and had 'truth' to it. It wasn't trying to fool the listeners or invoke false feelings in them as sirens typically did.

"Maybe we never had a chance at beating her, but I feel that we still 'won' in a way." Sun Seto said. "We pushed ourselves to improve our singing. You for your pride and me because I wanted to show my husband (she's talking about the human that she wed because of Merfolk law) my love for him is genuine." Lunar laughed, "I'll say, he cheered louder for you than me." Lunar thought about it then said, "Do you think I sing better if I let my pride take a backseat?" Sun Seto had to think on that. "Maybe don't have it be the driving force. Have your passion for singing be the backbone and your pride as an element of it."

A few weeks later

Mermaid Yakuza Earth

Somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean

Island of the Gnashing Teeth

"You need to offer a treasure then sing 'from your heart' and the island will 'think about letting you in'." Luxu says as they waited for the island to stop moving and open it's 'mouth dome'. Rhea and Electra were on a cloud and Luxu was sitting on air. "This island is something 'alive'. Don't be greedy and only take what you are allowed to take. or you are screwed." She said this more at Rhea than Luxu. She did not want Rhea to be like Abu in the Cave of Wonders. Rhea just yawned, unfazed "What she means is don't touch forbidden treasure and cause a flood of lava or molten gold." Luxu said making Rhea look alarmed, getting it finally.

When the island decided they waited long enough. It let them reach the clam door and the 'offering mouth' opened. "Before we offer something, I have a question. Why did Chaos the Creator make you?" Electra asked. Moments of silence hung in the air before the voice of the island echoed, "I judge and collect for one that deserve the riches the most. When my task is done, that lucky one will make choice that decided both our fates, theirs and mine." Luxu shivered at the implications of that choice. A final test that could screw you over at the last moment.

Electra put a mask she made into the 'offering mouth' and sung the song of her heart. "That is the most wonderful song I ever heard." Luxu said moved to tears, as she finished her song. "You may enter and take anything and as much as you wish, save my heart." The voice of this land echoed as the clam door opened. They entered as a barrier of fog hid the island from view.

Inside the motherlode

"Wow, that is a lot of treasure and not just from one world." Luxu said. "I see treasure from worlds I know, mean this island has been hopping worlds, collecting treasures. "He picked up a book that he knew quite well. "This book for example. The Master of masters 'misplaced' this book when I was just starting. The fact it's here means he can't 'sing from the heart' and he's a liar with a wounded pride." Luxu chuckles and puts it back. They would collect what they wanted after they got the Keystone of 'chaos'.

They walk by rooms upon rooms of riches in terms of sentiment, wealth, knowledge, symbolism and other factors like that. They found the center had a cart elevator that used gears and spider silk string as the rope. "Instead of search all the floors lets go to the heart and ask the 'brain of this island where the Keystone is." Luxu as they step on to the elevator and pulled the lever to go down.

Many floors down later

The heart of the Motherlode

The bottom floor was small as an office, was a perfect circle, and had two things. One was a head sized gemstone that glowed with shifting colors. And two, a giant ornate curved mirror that covered the whole round wall. "Where is the Keystone?" Electra asked politely. A shadowy shifting thing with white circle for eyes appeared in the mirrored wall. "I will give it to you if you beat the last test. Place your hand on my heart and answer a question honestly. Fail and we both will be destroyed." The voice of the Island said. "You mean the only thing forbidden to take she has to touch?" Luxu asked. "Yes, but she is not taking it, only placing her hand on it." The voice of the island stated as Electra put her hand on the gemstone.

Runes lit up on all over the Voice of the Island and Electra. "Would you welcome me if I wanted to go to your home to stay forever?" The Voice of the Island asked. Luxu blinked at the question. Rhea was scared out of her mind, knowing that the word 'home' didn't mean what Electra lived. The Voice of the Island was talking about her Soul! How does one answer that honestly? Electra was silent for a long time as she mauled over in her mind. "You pass." The Voice of the Island stated. "There is no answer to that question that is totally honest save 'silence'." The runes disappeared. "If you want, I will let you visit my 'home' if you wish?" Electra said, "It'd be cool to see what treaures you collect as you travel but you have to do new way of testing. The one you got is super strict and what about the sentimental treasures you have?" Electra started to tell the Island off for being unfair and explained her idea of fair system if could use if it was going to coming and going from her 'soul place' that her living cloak was connected to.

Luxu was laughed at the dumbfounded look of it's face. Because she had hand still on its heart it knew every word was truthful.

A week later

The Book Gate

They had returned the merfolk's sentimental treasures and had gone to the place where the Keystones were to be placed. It was an empty world with an array of unbreakable stones with runes on them covering the world. "You created a world just to be a world sized array?" Electra asked as they place the keystones in their rightful slots in a circle at the exact 'center' of the surface of the world. "More or less." Luxu says as he points the Gazing Eye Keyblade at the true center of the Array. A beam of light hit it and all the runes blazed to life. a keyhole appeared in the spot he was pointing at and a clicking sound echoed as the seal was undone. The circle of the Keystones became a viewing pool.

"You do not need to go into the world beyond that pool." Starbeard said in his duel voice as he appeared. Starbeard was muscular with horns, a beard, (no mouth) his whole body (save his white eyes) was like the sea of stars, complete with galaxies. He wore metallic blue stipes of arm in places that looked like trimming of armor without said armor being there. In his hand was a staff, of the same odd metal as his 'armor', topped with a floating white orb in between two prongs.

"and why is that?" Electra asked thinking calming thoughts griping the stone shell. "They have already shaken the shackles of 'cookie cutter fate' that enslaved them. That glitter bomb, your father planted, helped. Along with a crystal that carried message they needed to hear, even if I had to plat the words into the mind of a deranged facet of Eris, who is dead and gone. All hail Ivy!" Starbeard said. "You screwed with my clues and hiding places to just so it would be easier for your plans!" Luxu yelled punching Starbeard as hard as he could in the face with a fist charged with all his Spatial energy he could muster. Starbeard flinched back in pain as Luxu was rolling around holding his shatter hand howling in pain.

"That was unexpected painful, like stubbing your toe at best,but I expected you needed to do that after my interference. Motion seconded. Motion carried." Starbeard declared drawing a circle in the air and healed Luxu's hand. "Not the best idea, but worth it. thanks for the heal." Luxu said as he lay there with only the memory of the pain and the knowledge that he just punched space so hard a reality warper like Starbeard, who durability would require another Celestialsapien that is at least just as powerful as him to be defeated, felt pain, even if it was only stubbed toe levels of pain. Rhea meowed a question. "You would not have been redeemed if I did not change you." Starbeard answered. "Your fate would be banishment to parts unknown for all eternity without my 'aid'." Rhea shivered at this information. "You are already improving, and it hasn't been a year yet." Starbeard stated. "Have you tried to breathe fire?" He suggested as the world book glowed and became open to visitors.

"On the topic of why I apologized in my note." Starbeard said, before she could open the world book. "You are now The Voice of Reason for one of the weirdest Celestialsapien I have ever met." He drops a helmet of that odd metal at her feet. "At least once a week you need to put this on and help them with their debates." Starbeard takes her stunned silence as a chance to leave, avoiding an energy blast filled with all her frustration and rage that likely would have strung a little at most.

Author's note: this was a harder to write than I expected and I'm not sure I'm total satisfied but it's not getting any better without a lot more research than I can do with the heatwave hitting the East US coast. High 80s to mid-90s as the base temperature for over a week is not fun. Celestialsapien have two 'dna' personalities that develop as they age and are the reason for them not doing anything for years. As the Voice of Reason, Electra will be the tie breaker as Ben 10 is for his Alien X form. Luxu 'turning over a new leaf' doesn't make him buddy-buddy with Zane. He just realized the Master of masters is a prick and used everyone for his grand plan, even if he might care about them.