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.

31. Together with the Wind

They are finally reunited but even with this happiness a task lurks in the coming days.

This chapter has spoilers for, Ori franchise, Kingdom Hearts, Hotel Transylvania, Ben 10, The Unicorn Chronicles, DC Comics, Daily Life with a Monster Girl, Super Smash Bros, Infinity Train, Castlevania, Type Moon, Tenth Kingdom, Ghostbusters, Dragon Age, God of War, Buzz Lightyear of Star Command, Martian Mystery, Totally Spies, Star Wars

Disclaimer: I only own my stuff

Side story chapter six: Together With the Wind

Hotel Transylvania universe

Earth

On the way the Hotel

"So, what's the deal with the Greek looking helmet that feel like it's 'alive'?" Luxu asked as they set up camp in a forest of spooky trees. "Dr. Fate of the DC universe is the best comparison I can think of at the moment." Electra said. "Dr. Fate is the union of the lord of order, Nabu, and the person wearing the helmet. Nabu is control for the most part but he does take advice from the 'host' at times." She explains. "This helmet will give me power of a Celestialsapien but I have to have the agreement of the personalities for all the actions we make. Along with having a weekly debate night on issues they can't break stalemate on, hence the title 'Voice of Reason'." She said. "And what about the amulet? One of the 'Queen's Five'? You never explained that because of 'too many eyes and ears around' to reveal that secret." Luxu asked.

"That requires me to tell you a tale of the Unicorn Chronicles, an important one, I'll paraphrase it because it's only needed for background. On another earth there were unicorns. They peaceful and long lived. When the first died, the turned the body into grass and flowers with the magic of their horn. Only horn was left behind as it held great magic even after death. A hunter found the horn and lied about how he battle a furious beast and cut the horn off after a bloody battle." She said.

Luxu filled in the blanks. "His lie grew with each retelling, and the unicorns were viewed as the one of greatest things to hunt." Electra nodded. "The horn could heal even the deadliest of wounds but was no longer connected to the unicorn and had a limit to how much magic it had." She continued, "A widowed hunter with a young child named Beloved lived in the wood and didn't put too much stock in tales told at the bar. But when Beloved fell deadly ill, and the healer said only a unicorn horn could heal her. So, he prepared for anything. Even if the unicorns were more murderous than an angered dragon, he would cut the horn of the beast's head at all costs, for Beloved."

Rhea shivered. "A unicorn found Beloved who grew so ill he had to take with him as he hunted and pierced her heart to heal her. The hunter returned and attacked, believing the tales to be true based on what he found. The unicorn's horn broke on her collar bone and the tip healed her, just in time to see her father and the unicorn kill each other." Once again Luxu filled in the gaps, "Beloved vowed to kill the unicorns and drove them into hiding until she died." Electra shook her head. "The horn tip healed her and harmed her over and over, keeping her alive to this day and all her descendants bare the last name Hunter and care out her revenge. But the Unicorns fled to Luster, a world born of a seed. There are hidden gates, but the queen of the unicorns created the Five that open gates to and from Luster at will." She stated.

"That is so screwed up." Luxu said "but it explains everything I need to know. Beloved hates the unicorn, hunting them, and the Unicorns most likely want to give her peace, so the hunt will end." Electra nodded. "Remove the horn and Beloved will be at peace and die. Heard that from Mr. Elives when I worked at his magic shop to get a unicorn horn freely given to make Wallace." Electra revealed. "I know not how he got the horn, but it was freely given, that is a fact." Rhea had a look of awe on her face, she had knowledge of what that meant for magical things and really wanted to meet this shop keep. "Now it's time to meet my debate club members." Electra said putting on the helmet. Instantly she was in that odd blue metal trimmed armor that hade a base color that mimicked the skin of a Celestialsapien.

"anyone home?" Luxu waved a hand in front of the eye holes. "Keep her safe while I get firewood, then you can try to breathe fire." He tells Rhea before leaving the clearing.

Inside of the 'Debate' space

"The Niece has arrived." The male face said. "Yes, the 'long winded' plan worked." The female face said. They were green in a starry void and what stood out was they were speaking in Greek. "Yes, we reincarnated into the Celestialsapien race. And yes, we were twins when we were human." The male face said. "something happened when we were sent to the afterlife." Female face said, "More like Laskaris Law happening." The Male head interrupted. "Indigo, we talked about this. We died of old age a second before the cosmic rebirth happened, linking our universe with the one that the Forge of Creation exists in. Clearly that is the cause." Indigo, the male face snorts, "Clementine, the only reason this could have happened is because of the family 'curse'. We got shoved into one body that has a female body shape. It's as bad as when I was mistaken for a girl because I had 'such gentle features' until I was fifty years old!"

Electra realized who she was talking to. Zane had told her about an aunt and Uncle he didn't really get to contact that much because they lived in Greece. Clementine and Indigo were twins that had differencing mindsets when it came to plans. Clementine planned for years in advance but still flexible enough that it's workable. Indigo, on the other hand, liked short term, a year at most, but still was flexible with his plans. They were quite old by clan standards when Zane 'went missing', so it no surprise that they died not long after.

"Ok Uncle Indigo, Aunt Clementine, what is going on?" Electra asked, not adding the greats to their title because Zane said they'd hit you if you did. "We want to be back with the clan but that stick in the mud Starbeard refused." Indigo stated. "That's why we became as annoying as possible when we learned of his plan you got tangled in." Clementine said smugly. "It took three years of us badgering him, but it worked." Electra laughed, serves him right. "The helmet is the connection between wherever we are as we travel and the wearer, who will be our 'Voice of Reason'." Indigo said also smug. "One of our children was a fan of Dr. Fate, hence why we used a helmet." Clementine metaphorically scratched her chin. "Which one was that?" She asked. "Cosmo, my favorite great grandson!" Indigo yelled annoyed. "Oh. The comic book collector. The fact you insisted on naming the helmet, Helmet of Cosmos, makes a lot more sense now." Clementine said. they started to squabble as twins sometimes do. Electra had her work cut out for her.

The next day

Hotel Transylvania universe

Earth

On the way the Hotel

"OW! What was that for?" Luxu asked after Electra hit him. "You lied to me about how long it's been for Wallace and Velota. It's been over a hundred years since the founding of the hotel!" Electra said hitting him again with a helmet, that she had just taken off. "I did it not to distract you from the mission!" Luxu said, putting his arms up. "I know but it was rude." She said putting the helmet down. "How did the debate go?" Luxu asked casting Cure on himself. "Clementine and Indigo are twins, in both good and bad meanings. They work together and they squabble to the point that anyone that has to deal with them, wishes they didn't have to." Electra said. "They are you're worst enemy and best ally when it comes to planning crazy schemes."

"That's about what I'd expect with your luck." Luxu said as the packed the camp and destroyed any sign they were there. Electra looks to the side and sees a cliff. Making a detour they head closer to the cliff. Leaning over, Electra felt the strong breeze blowing up. She smiles picking up Rhea. "to fly, you need to open your wings and catch the wind. Can you do that?" Electra asked Rhea who looked at her like she was crazy. "This is how I learned to fly." Electra reassured Rhea as she threw the cat dragon off the cliff without much warning. Rhea yowled in fear as she fell.

"Three, two, one" Electra counted down as a blast of air blow upward, carrying Rhea who was flying like it was easy. She was even moving her paws like she was running on air as she flew. "Zane threw you off a cliff to teach you to fly?" Luxu asked, "No, it was Rafiki and it was at a gorge with wind much stronger than this." Electra said, before diving off the cliff and turning into her thunderbird form. As she flew off Luxu grabbed on to one of her legs. "You really are going for the grand entrance." Luxu yelled over the howling wind. Electra let out a call that echoed for miles.

"I noticed you have quite the temper when pushed to the absolute limit. I can't decide if being cooked by lightning or fire is worse." He yells then decides on, "But your mother's wrath is not to be messed with. Nearly ice cubed me more than once over the years." Rhea was riding the storm Electra was making and loving it. They spotted a castle further along the path. It wasn't hard to notice the monsters pointing at them from the windows.

A few minutes later

At the Hotel

Lobby

"I've missed you!" Electra said, hugging Wallace as hard as she could. "It is good to see you are healthy." Wallace said with a smile. "I guess you will be leaving." Dracula said, his cape fluttering behind him. "IT has been an honor being employed at this hotel, but my lady has returned at last." Wallace said nodding his head. "Mavis will be crushed to see you two leave." Dracula said as said daughter flying into the lobby as a bat before turning into human form and hugged Wallace. "I'm so happy for you!" You've been waiting forever for her to come. A shaggy ginger haired human walked in with Voleta following him. "Hey! Voleta took me all about you. The Storm Singer!" He says then presents a book and pen. "Can you sign this? Mavis forgot to grab them."

"Oh, thank you, Johnny." Mavis said pulling him into a long kiss as Electra signed it. "He's your son-in-law?" Electra asked. "Could be worse." Dracula shrugged, "But she's happy with him and that all that matters." Electra handed him the book and pen because the couple had left the lobby. "You do know that in order for them to leave they have to hand in a two-week notice?" Dracula said. "Got a few rooms We can rent?" Electra asked. "two adults and a cat dragon." She lists. "You will need a balcony and fireproofing." Dracula says, going behind the front desk, manned by Zombies, and looked at what rooms are available. "There is one room but it's next to the Werewolf family's room and she has a few hundred pups that are 'chaotic'." Dracula said. Electra smiled and said, "It will take more than a bunch of noisy pups to ruin my week." Luxu asked, "Is there a room that will keep me out of the way of most of the chaos?" Dracula scanned the keys and found a key that was bigger than the others. "The North Tower Suite has the perfect defense against most visitors, a lot of stairs." Dracula stated. "That will be perfect." Luxu said as they get signed in.

An hour later

Hotel Transylvania universe

Earth

The Hotel

Northern Tower Suite

"This is perfect." Luxu said, relaxing in a hammock in a room that was the size of a large jail cell. It had a few large glassless windows that had the perfect view. He could see the pack of werewolf pups, over a hundred strong, from here. The poor father looked defeated as the pack trashed their room and his wife, who was pregnant with another litter, in total bliss not noticing anything. He also saw this world's version of a Mummy, the invisible man, Frankenstein's monster and so many other monsters. He was 'people watching' because he could, not because it was his job. It had become an ingrain hobby. Find a nice place and watch for hours, making note anything noteworthy.

"Would you look at that." He mused as He saw Electra leave her room as the pack got loud enough for him to hear them up here.

Down below

In the Hotel

The Werewolf family suite

"Excuse me, but do you need help with your pups?" Electra asked Wayne Werewolf, who looked unsure if she could handle the task. "There's 204 of them. Are you sure you can handle that many at once?" He asked this as the pups swarmed around him. "Just watch." Electra said. She gets the attention of the pack and says "Do you want to come with me? Your parents need rest." The Pack followed her as she led them away. "They listened to her." Wayne said shocked. "Of course, they did. She's got that presence about her." His wife, Wanda Werewolf said. "She could have ordered them, but that request was all she needed." Wayne looked at the clock, it was about 8 pm. He lays down next to his wife and they fell asleep.

In the halls

"Am I seeing things?" Griffin, whose glasses were the only visible part of him, asked looking out into the garden courtyard. Murray, a mummy who was the royal entertainer for the Pharaohs back in the day, looked outside and stared. "Is she teaching them something?" Murray asked. Dracula passes by them and looks what's going on. "Hunting lessons?" He said watching as Electra had the pups in groups, no bigger than nine, stalking deer dummies that were quick lifelike, but the heartbeat was too controlled for them to be real.

"But how is she getting them to listen to her?" Griffin asked. "Those pups are a menace that Wayne barely controls on the best days." They watch as the pups make sloppy plans that got better with each try. "She's got a presence that makes them want to listen" Erik, the Phantom of the Opera a musician that had come to talk to Dracula about possibly getting a job at, the still unknown date, Mavis and Johnny's wedding. "She has a talent that is rare but not too rare. Those who have this talent and use it, are famous singers, leaders, beings who sway the masses to a cause." Erik said glumly.

"I guess that works." Murray said. "Did she just turn into a swam of fireflies?" Griffin pushed up his glasses. "I guess she's got a version of your beetle trick." Murray laughs. "Nice! I loved that part of the legend Voleta tells all the time."

Three weeks later

Hotel Transylvania universe

Earth

The Hotel

"Thank you for watching the pups. The last three weeks have been the most relaxation I've had in the longest time" Wanye said shaking Electra hand. "I hope this token will be enough payment." He forces her to take a fancy box. "Not sure what is in it but Me and Drac found it when we were much younger. A witch said it's 2000+ years old and still in mint condition and locked tighter than anything she's ever seen, so it's magical." She just takes it from him, wondering why he would hold onto this in one of his suitcases?

A few days later

The Garden

"You have got to be kidding me!" Voleta said as she noticed that Electra was not with them. They had returned to their universe and Luxu had left to tell the Master of masters the project was a total success. They (Electra, Rhea Wallace, and Voleta) had headed for The Garden and Voleta discovered that Electra had gone to her 'place of power' instead of where they ended up. Only she could go there, no matter how much Voleta had tried to enter.

"Can you give us the tour?" Sparksong asked, she was summoned and was sitting on Rhea's head as they both were looking at Voleta with pleading looks. "fine." Voleta huffs, this had to be payback for the painting tipping she did.

Elsewhere

The Garden

Song Mountain

Inner sanctum

Storm Pool Chamber

Electra entered the mist shrouded chamber and disrobed completely. She slipped into the pool that that was best described as an Olympic sized pool of liquid storm. Attendants, lesser storm spirits that felt indebted to her, helped her by rubbing shampoo into her hair, saying, "Great Mother, you seem stressed." They were almost unseen as they wear wispy as the mist of the chamber. They looked like vague feminine humanoids made of 'solid' mist. "It turns out a pair of relatives got in contact with me after they got reincarnated into one body. All this happened as I was searching for 20 keystones scattered across worlds and universes." She said sighing as the stress melted away.

The pool was her version of a 'sacred purifying pool'. If anyone else tried to touch the 'water', it would not be pleasant. The Attendants threw in special herbs into the pool, which melts and mixed with the 'water' in moments.

"The Tree has grown to maturity since you left for that 'voodoo' related deal." An Attendant said, "Lord Viator of the Storm Knights has picked his son to guard it. We hope this news pleases you." Electra smiled, getting smiles from them. "Sir Arlin will keep the rejuvenating waters safe with his shield. Just as his name means, his Oath will be unbroken." Electra stated. The Storm Spirit, Lord Viator (means traveler), was a giant of knight who rode an equally giant horse with hooves that scorched the ground with thunder and lightning at it ran. His weapon was a lance, so sharp the air is cut as it is thrust. He led an order of knights who were called when there were conflicts in her mini world. Of all the spirits, Electra didn't summon them save for times when their expertise was needed (breaking up fights and ended conflicts with a little bloodshed as possible).

"Please shift form" they requested after washing her. Her thunderbird form, as large as it was, still fit in pool. They cleaned the crystalized storm energy from her feathers. "You must have been very stressed to have a charge like this?" one of the comments as buckets of crystals were filled and set aside. Electra felt much lighter as they worked. It's a trait that each of the family's bird forms had. Zane had crystallized fire. Aqua had ice crystals that never melted. And Electra had storm crystals. More stress leads to more build-up. Normally, she'd do preening task herself, but it slipped her mind. A question lingered on her mind, so she asked it.

"Why did you become my 'priestess' (their wording not hers)?" Electra asked. The Attendants looked at her oddly. "to survive the cycles and to care for you when you are in need of our aid." They answered in some form or another. "Are there other spirits that made choices like that?" Electra asked. "Many of the Storm Knights were powerful warriors and the like that weren't up to snuff and swore an oath to serve as peacekeepers in exchange for not being broken down at the end of the cycle." An older attendant said thoughtfully. "They trade individual glory for being a member of Lord Viator's order. They might become noteworthy enough to be remembered by name, but most don't."

"There are other groups too, but we haven't heard much about them." An Attendant commented. "I wasn't aware of these events." Electra says brows furrowed. How had she missed these things happening as she watched over the mini world. "the choices are made moments before the cycle ends you were always mourning those that were lost, and we could not bring ourselves to tell you until the cycles ended for good." The oldest Attendant said. "The choice comes with a price as you'd expect. Much stricter rules and lifestyle from that point on to name one downside." Electra understood that.

A week after Rei left for her adventure

Monster Earth (World based on Daily Life with a Monster Girl)

Japan

Cultural Exchange Security Squad HQ

Kuroko Smith, a long black-haired Japanese female human that was a Cultural Exchange Coordinator for the Cultural Exchange Security Squad, looked over her black shades at the creature filling out paperwork to be a part of the program. "are there any limitations we should be aware of?" She asked. Rei aid something then frowned as Ms. Smith nodded and says as she makes a note, "does not speak any known language." Rei rolled her eyes and continued to fill out the information in perfectly written Ancient Greek, mainly to spite the clerk she met earlier, but it was a language that Electra had taught her first then modern Greek, then other languages. Rei picked up languages spoken and written easily but she still couldn't speak it. "Make sure to sign all the dotted lines and answer every relevant questions." Ms. Smith said. "You will need to get your passport photo before you leave." She says.

A few days later

Monster Earth

Japan

Kimihito Kurusu's home

Ms. Smith made herself a cup of coffee as Kimihito, an average looking back haired Japanese human male dragged himself in to the kitchen. "Not again!" He cried softly, dreading what new homestay would be added to his already full house. "You have been picked to host, an unusually being. We've never heard of her kind before, but she was able to understand and write in more than one language." Ms. Smith said, dead seriously.

"Darling! Let me help you cook Breakfast!" Miia, a beautiful red haired and scaled Lamia called as he slivered into the kitchen. She sees Ms. Smith and gets annoyed at the possibility of another 'love rival' being added to the household. "Rei Laskaris has a simpler diet than most of your homestays. She only eats fruit, prefers fresh but isn't picky about it." Ms. Smith says, purposefully not describing Rei's appearance too rallied up the fellow homestays, who were all female. "I doubt she's be interested in you." Ms. Smith said looking at the in-progress translation of the paperwork. "She doesn't speak any known language as far as we know. As a result, you will need to read a lot when she 'talks' to you."

A few hours later

Ms. Smith had left, and the homestays came into down to get breakfast. Papi, the ditzy and childless blue haired and feathered harpy. Cerea, the blonde-haired centaur who was on the stricter and more honor bound side personality wise. Mero, a wheelchair-bound (when on land) pink haired and scaled mermaid who was a fan of tragedy. Suu, a humanoid slime that was very intent about learning stuff. And the finally, Rachnera, a pale haired, multi-eyed Arachne with a skull adorned on her black spider-half's back. She was carrying a tube as long and thick as rolled up carpet. "It seems we are getting another homestay." She comments.

"I don't know much because she wrote 99 percent of the paperwork in Ancient Greek out of spite for a now ex-employee of the Cultural Exchange Security Squad." Kimihito said. "Ms. Smith said she was being raciest to a degree she neglected to say before she left the house." They had grow used to Ms. Smith's antics. Rachnera pops the cap off the tube and fishes out a note. "To the home that is reading this, a gift to make my joining you in your home, for an unknown length of time, a little less unexpected. If you don't like it then you are free to sell it for all it's worth. -Rei Laskaris" She read. She smelled the opening of the tube and blinked. "Spider silk? I wonder where they got this much." She commented.

She pulls out a wall tapestry that took up a whole wall when unrolled. It had a silk rope holding it rolled up in three places because of how long it was. "This is silk seems to be stronger than any silk I've heard of." Rachnera comments as her attempts at cutting the knots, instead of untying them, failed. "We don't have space to hang that." Kimihito said. "Ms. Smith planned for that." Miia reminded him. "It's going to be included in renovations that will be happening tomorrow." She tilts her head stating, "even if she never said how big the gift would be or that it was so fancy." Rachnera smirks as she puts it back in the tube and seals it with her webbing. "I think I'll make you wait this it's ready to be put up." She leaves and returns a few minutes later. They were annoyed but what was a day of waiting.

The next day

Monster Earth

Japan

Kimihito Kurusu's home

The house now had a kid sized room added and hallway added just so they'd have a big enough wall to hang the gift. "The name Laskaris is oddly familiar." Cerea said as Kimihito put loops on the hooks that were added by Ms. Smith. Mero looked at her covertly but said nothing. The tapestry unrolled in one clean motion. It told the story of the Laskaris clan (The public version) in the form of a sequence of scenes framed by borders. "A piece of art worth of the halls of a king or queen." Mero said blushing. "capturing the tragic events that led the Laskaris clan to serve Lady Hestia." She sighed as she explained this.

"It's a beautiful piece." Cerea comments, "But how did this 'Rei' get it if the Laskaris clan composed of humans?" They went about their day with Mero telling Suu the story of the Laskaris clan.

Hours later

It was around dinner when Ms. Smith came by, pulling a rolling suitcase with Rei on her shoulder. "meet Rei Laskaris. She will be stay with you." Ms. Smith said, smirking at their confused expressions. "but how, what?" Miia said totally confused. "She is a 'Spirit Guardian', which is, so I am told, 'seed' of a 'Spirit Tree'. She is in the care of the Laskaris clan but requested to head out on a 'solo adventure' for once." Ms. Smith explained as Rei greeted everyone and waved. Suu put one of her tentacles on Rei's head and read her mind, downloading Rei's 'language'. She proved this by talking to Rei in a very animated conversion after Rei jumped to the table to snack on the fruit bowl.

Ms. Smith left a packet of information for Kimihito about Rei and how to keep her wellbeing safe before leaving. "Tell me little spirit, what did you get that gift?" Rachnera requested, a little shocked that Rei didn't have a shred of fear for her spidery appearance. "Her caretaker is friends with spirit spiders." Suu states. "What's a shaman?" Suu asked. "It is being that call upon spirits to aid them." Cerea states. "A good support class but on fragile side." Rei laughed at this. Suu listens to what she was saying before translating. "Electra is a skilled practitioner of Pankration and fought many stronger than human being in close combat." She didn't get the context to the explanation.

"And that is why the Laskaris clan are not one to be put in those little boxes called 'expectations' as you just tried." Mero said with giggle. "You have beautiful voice." Mero said to Rei, "is that why you were named 'little bell'?" Rei nodded, then explained, with Suu translating. "Electra's voice can sway storms to her will." Mero smiled, "She is gifted. But that means she has the misfortune of attacking the 'curse' of her clan more often." Mero sighed. "What I would give to have a curse like that." Rei was quick to shoot down that statement. "She says the curse is not worth the stress it brings with it." Suu stated.

8 months later

Monster Earth

Japan

Kimihito Kurusu's home

Rei made sure to document everything in journals her size. As each was filled it would be replaced with a fresh one. She didn't understand why the homestays were fighting over the homeowner, Suu wasn't as bad as the rest because she was a slime. When the full moon happened, they got crazy then forgot the night's events the next morning. The homestays that were a part of the Exchange program were called, Liminals. This applied to all non-humans and the laws said Liminals are not allowed to harm a human in any way. The other way around was not so strict, and people exploited it. The MON Squad composed of Liminals but lead by Ms. Smith, was called into deal with Liminals who broke the laws.

The Laws were changing slowly, for the better on both sides of the equation. Ms. Smith had pulled a few strings and got Rei a job compiling information about Liminals. Rei blushed as she remembered some of the information she ran into. She didn't understand non-plant breeding, but she learned a lot about it in her studies. Ms. Sith had this look when she saw Rei blushing so hard at some of the NSFW (not safe for work. I'm not going into detail.) files, they had on Liminals. She found it amusing, just like how she left all the paperwork for the Mon Squad to deal with.

"I need your help finding my head." The body of Lala, a blue skinned haired Dullahan, 'said' via a notebook. Lala had the lovely problem of her head getting lost, or in the case of her body, wandering off without her head. Rei sighed and closed the book she was writing in. Ms. Smith found furniture that was the perfect size for Rei. Including a little armchair, desk, and other things to furnish her room. Rei crossed the room and jumped onto her armored shoulder, being careful not to touch the scythe blade Lala had on her back. "My head is gone and Kimihito is busy, but you have permission to travel without a human." Lala's body 'said' after a quick pause to write it on her pad of paper. Lala had the same permission, but people tended to fear her as she was an 'agent of death'.

Rei asked her where she saw her head last. Lala's body shrugged then 'said', "I checked there but my head wasn't but the sight of the hit and run." Rei sighed. That meant the police took her head or some nosey bystander did. She noticed a business card slipped into Lala's armor. It read "Cursed Vault Emporium. Home of oddities cursed or otherwise. Trades only. No cash tranactions." On the back was a message, "Body, please come to my shop for your head, the Police tried to 'arrest' her for trespassing at a scene of a crime." Rei pointed out the note on the card. Lala's body blushed. She didn't notice the card being put there when she searched for her head.

An hour later

Monster Earth

Japan

Cursed Vault Emporium

"Welcome!" The Shopkeeper, who's features were hidden by a robe Rei knew to be of the Children of the Hearth group's, said. "If it isn't the latest non-human sister to the Clan." He said warmly. "I am Arthur Laskaris, expert of 'sellable cursed objects' in the Clan." He gestures to rings on display on a wooden hand in a magically sealed glass case. "These, for example, have the 'curse of humiliating defeat' on the person who steals them from their current owner. Perfectly sellable but still cursed hence why I am the one selling them." He explained, "Is my body here yet?" Lala's head asked in blunt tone from her spot behind the counter.

Her body hugged the shopkeeper when he brought her head to her. Lala's head and Rei were squished against Lala's sizable chest. The hug was quick but embarrassing for Lala's head. "Thank you for bailing me out of trouble, troublesome mortal." Lala's head said. "No problem, it's always interesting to hear from 'agents of death' and their opinion on when I will die." Arthur said this with a just visible amused smile from the darkness of his hood. "You mortals of the Laskaris Clan are always troublesome. You should have died in the car crash you were near today, but you survived because you tripped and broke your wrist." Lala's head said.

"300 years old and still young!" Arthur said. "broken bones are easy to fix but Laskaris Law is here to stay." He laughed as Lala scowled in annoyance. Rei knew the Laskaris Clan gummed up the works a little by at least doubling paperwork Death had to do. This trickled down to even the lowliest of agents of Death making the Laskaris Clan the most well-known, for good and bad reasons, group of mortals ever to exist in the eyes of Death. "Can we please leave?" Lala's head asked. Her body crossed her armed and stamped her foot. "Why would buy anything here?" Lala head said trying not to look at a pocket watch that caught her eye.

Her body pointed at the date on the desk calendar on the counter pointedly, December 29. "You are interested in that pocket watch?" Arthur asked, "It's a good choice. Made by a member of my Clan and doesn't need to be set or fixed because of all the bells and whistles he added to it." He opens the case and took the pillow the watch was sitting out, setting on the counter. "It tells the local time, indestructible, returns to your pocket if ever 'lost', and other features." He said in his best salesman voice. He hands her a booklet that detailed all the features. "Baton mode?" Lala asked. Arthur twists the lid of the watch and it turned into a metal baton. "For self-defense purposes." He twists the baton in special way, returning it to its pocket watch form.

The pocket watch was bronze with a bird rising from fire on the lid and the back had the maker mark Rei knew from looking at Zane's finished works. The chain looked so fragile but had an air of strength. "The chain is one of Brother Zane's latest attempts at making his version of Gleipnir, one of his side projects. I got the watch a month ago and I'll willing to part with it if you make a good offer." Arthur used the bartering system at this shop because he didn't need cash with how rich he was from his other income sources. Some of the stuff he got from the trades, he sold for big bucks to collectors.

"What would you want?" Lala's head asked, her body was searching her pockets. Her body found an odd metallic gray coin someone she guided to after had given her a few days ago. "Hmm, normal I don't take cash, but this might be something a collector would pay for." He gets a jeweler's eye piece and examined it. "It's not any kind of worked metal, even if it looks like it." Arthur said. "I'll take and when I figure what it is, I'll make sure to tell you my findings." He writes up two receipts, signing both before having Lala do the same. "The watch is all yours." Arthur said, putting the watch into a box and sliding it over with her copy of the receipt and putting his into a draw.

"Now what can I get you, little sister?" He asks Rei. Rei jumps to the floor and looks at the items but none of them seemed to call to her. Arthur's grin seemed to grow as she mossed to the next item. "Can't find anything?" He asked, grinning widely, "That means you must see the special collection." He opens a hidden trapdoor in floor. "Head on down and bring me what catches your eye. Keep in mind I have anti-theft curses in place." he says cheerily.

A few minutes later

Monster Earth

Japan

Cursed Vault Emporium

In the 'Private Collection' rooms

The Private Collection was a set of rooms with items more exotic and more 'magical' than the ones upstairs. Some of them were so cursed Rei could taste the curse energy from the stairs. None of the curses felt deadly to the user, but she had no idea because there were no labels on anything in this dimly lit 'basement'. There were weapons, armor, jewelry, art, and many other things in this set of rooms that was much bigger than should be possible.

An hour later

Rei was sure there was physics being screwed with by now as she had yet to find and end to the rooms and the stairs were stiff a few rooms away in view even after all the turns she took. She was following this feeling to a glowing green gem, the size of a basketball, that had the feel of dimensional energy and was looking at her. As she got close its reptilian pupil followed her. She jumped on the stand and looked at it. It was shaped like it was to be put into a socket. She tried to lift it, and found it was only a little on the heavy side.

A few minutes later

Monster Earth

Japan

Cursed Vault Emporium

"The Eye that bridges Worlds." Arthur states the name of the gem. "If you have all the parts of the gate it goes to, you can open a two-way path between worlds." He explained. "Catch is that it chooses if it wants to do what you ask it to do. The Curse known as 'self-awareness' is what made this item a part of my stock." The gem glared at him, as if pressuring him to make the trade, wanting to go with Rei. "Fine! I'll go easy on her." Arthur said annoyed. "What do you have to trade, little sister?" He watched as Rei placed some oddball stuff she found digging in ground and beaches. "Not interested in this stuff." He declined and she put it back into her storage space. "Got anything nautical?" He asked. Rei pulls an somewhat rusty anchor as tall as Lala, who looked at Rei impressed. It was quite heavy for Rei but that wonders of the bag of holding mechanics.

Arthur looks at the anchor and smiles. "Ah, a cursed anchor from a ship that sunk near the mermaid kingdom that makes it more likely for birds to perch what it is kept. I've been trying to get this from them for past hundred years. How did you do it?" He asked Rei. "She traded a mask of Mist Dragon." Lala's head said, Mero, a mermaid, told me it looked so life like they had to have it." Arthur thought about the shook his head. "of course. They view that kind of dragon a 'holy' being." He pauses. "well not worshipped but they'd listen to a Mist Dragon's requests because of the legends connecting it to sea gods." Once again two receipts are signed, and each took one. "have a good day and watch out for icy roads." He says as they leave. "I wonder if Sister Electra will be using the parts of the gate, she found in Lady Mew's horde of knickknacks, now that she'll have the key to it?" He mused.

Back with Electra

Six months since she returned home

Smash World

Smash Mansion

Gates of Hell Bar

"Not even the keyblade can open it?" Bowser asked. "Papa tried but the lock is 'incomplete' thus the keyblade can't unlock it." Electra explained as she let Rodin look the box, she was given, a once over. "Best way to stop a keyblade is to break up the lock. Make it a 'jigsaw puzzle' of a lock and it's can't do a thing until the lock is back together." Rodin stated getting frustrated with the box. "Who ever made this is a read pain in the ass!" He said give the box back. "I can't make heads or tails of this box. whoever made this, fractured the full-size box across multiple layers of existence. This is just a portion of it." He explained what little he figured out.

"The Tinkerer said something similar." Electra said. "But much wordier that that. They took the box being a mystery as a challenge they would solve." Rodin snorted, "Of course that tentacle faced thing would get off on a something like this box. It was made to be more complex that even being in Lovecraft space being able to decode that easily." Rodin pours her a light drink and said, "How life, other than the fact you got that mad squid crafter watching you with interest."

"It has been trying at times but rewarding. Rhea is just the latest of brings I've taken under my wing." Electra said looking were Rhea was supposed to be. "Um, where did she go?" Electra asked. "We are the only three in the bar and she was right next to you. I know she's a cat with dragon wings, but I never felt her leave. I know every time when someone comes and goes in my bar." Rodin stated. "She's growing horns as of last week." Electra said. "And she's a being of chaos, who was the Jabberwocky before her current state." Rodin's face means the bar. "Must have slipped away at the same time as someone else leaving." Rodin said. "It's a hole, I wasn't aware of until just now, that I will be fixing right now." He slams fist down and Enochian runes mixed with demonic runes flashed across the whole bar and vanished as the changes were done.

"Can never be too sure with security with the mansion's members." Just as he said that, Simon and Richter Belmont walked in and sat down at the bar. "There is a spawn of chaos being a menace." Simon stated as he took the drink Rodin made before he said anything. "It's cat, what do think they do?" Richter, Simon's descendant (makes little logical sense how they are both there but it's Smash), informed him. "A cat doesn't breathe a column of fire at you when you throw holy water at it." Simon retorted. "I'd say a dragon cat would do that with any water thrown at it." Bowser comments.

"Do we know who created the beast?" Richter asked, "someone took the jabberwocky and turned it into a large winged and horned kitten with no memory of being that beast." Rodin said. "She's the spawn's caretaker." He points a thumb at Electra. The vampire hunters look at her. "Who are you and why do you look familiar?" Richter asked. "I am Electra Nyx Laskaris. My titles included, the Storm Singer, Champion of Lady Mew, and to the spirits that aid me, the Great Mother." Rodin whistles at the titles and her middle name. "Zane never said anything about named you after 'Her' of beings. Care to show us some of your spirits?" He asked.

"Meet the children of the 'Walking Sky'." Electra says, summoning her spirit spiders. "Go and search Rhea, please." All but one of the spiders she summoned left the bar and they heard yelling and screaming as the spiders searched the mansion. "I think that made things worse." Simon said as Bayonetta came by to see where the giant spiders came from. She looked at the spider sitting next to Electra and left the bar laughing. "She's going to enjoy this chaos." Rodin explained. "Just yesterday she said she wanted something to break up her boredom. Then you came by a few hours ago." Jace laughing made then look his way. "If you think that is back you should see some of the craziness she's caused." He said requesting a drink. "What? never seen a mace wielding Jackalope Stand?" He asked rhetorically.

"So that's your Stand." Rodin said giving him the drink. "He's Jace and the gate he is the guard of is named My Spirit Will Go On." Electra said savoring her drink. "Don't drink too many. I don't want to find out if you can get me drunk." She told her Stand. "Ah, you are Zane's first born." Simon said as the prince came together. "Just don't call me Princess and I'll be fine." She states. "I get that all the time in the Prize Kingdom." Bowser blinked. "you're a princess? That would make Zane the King and…" He trails off remembering how scary Aqua was. "You make quite the royal family. I pity the dragon that tries to kidnap you."

Electra looks at the date and down her drink. "It's debate day again." She said pulling out the helmet. "What do you mean?" Rodin asked. She quickly explained to them what it was and the headache it was at times. "If I don't move just take me to a room so I'm out of the way." Electra says as she dawns the helmet. Jace was still drinking and unchanged save for a starry blue trimmed scarf around his neck. "Looks nice on me." He comments. "And they're already arguing." He comments, enjoying his drink. Electra voice layered with two others stated, "Motion seconded. Motion carried." Jace found his drink was replaced with pure liquid spice. He fell off the stool rolling around with his mouth on fire.

"He had that coming." Simon said. Richter chuckled, "Worse than having beer frozen as you are about to drink it." (that's a reference to a funny scene in the Netflix Castlevania adaptation) Jace dismissed himself to stop the pain.

Ten minutes later

Smash World

Smash Mansion

The hallways

"Bowser, why are you pulling that statue down the hall?" Zelda asked as Bowser pulled a wheeled cart with Electra's still body strapped down by her feet. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you." Bowser said. "Try me." She said. "OK this is Zane's first-born daughter, Princess Electra. She got a magic helmet that gives her a lot of power, but she has to deal with two arguing personalities to do anything and one a week she acts as the 'Voice of Reason', her wording." Zelda nodded. "Zane's a king now?" Snake said as he popped his head out of the ceiling vent.

"Yeah. Blew my mind too. She told me to take her to a room, so I am not kidnapping a princess like I do with Peach all the time. Electra, in annoyed triple voice said the words, drawing circle that blasted white out cold wind and Bower was trapped block of ice, save for the hand holding the cart rope handle, for calling her a princess. "I'd say she doesn't like being called a princess." Snake commented, closing the vent to go inform everyone of what happened. Bowers had his bonehead moments. Zelda took the rope handle from his unfrozen hand and pulled the cart. "Seems like you found common ground with the other personalities." She comments as they travel the hallways.

"Someone iced Bowser!" Pit said, "I Know, I was there." Zelda said. Pit looks at the 'statue', "There you are, Zelda." Palutena said, pausing to look at the same thing as Pit. "That explains everything." She says amused. "Explains what, Lady Palutena?" Pit asked. "Electra, here is borrowing the power of a powerful race that can warp reality but comes with two personalities prune to stalemating arguments making them stand stock-still for eons. Never expected to get in touch with that race with their leaders' choice to hide themselves away from everything else." A spirit spider crosses their path in the hallways and was dragging Kirby in cocoon. "He should have tried to eat that spider." Pit said. The spider stops looks at Electra then lets Kirby got with annoyed prodding to drive a point before leaving.

A few hours later

Smash World

Smash Mansion

Ganondorf's Room

"A that chaos just to find you." Ganondorf said, pampering Rhea, who was purring loudly. He was quite surprised when thousands of spirit spiders searched the mansion, terrifying some people, even if the spiders were polite enough to knock on closed doors before entering to search. A few unluckily one that tried to fight the spiders were webbed and left alone or dragged away to get reprimanded by the 'Great Mother' as Mewtwo gleamed from the mind of a spider. The spirit spiders were a hive mind but separate at the same time. None of them were ready to leave the hive mind according to Mewtwo but that's what their mother, not the 'Great Mother' was pushing for.

All of it was to find the little bundle of chaos that had stolen his bed when he was out of his room. It was priceless chaos that was refreshing to him. The Umbra Witch's laughing was news enough to say she knew something. He heard a knock on his door and Snake saying "Zane's daughter, Electra, is her and iced Bowser because he called her 'Princess Electra' after she asked him not to at the bar earlier. Please keep that in mind when you talk to her." Snake moved on to inform others of this news and Ganondorf laughed at the irony of Zane being made a king after he said he wasn't planning on that role.

"Does that make you the royal chaos creature of Zane kingdom?" He asked Rhea, who was smugly smiling and still purring away. He'd take it as a yes.

The next day

Smash World

Smash Mansion

Samus' room

"I have never seen these elements before." Samus said as she typed away as the computer. Inside the scanner was the Helmet of Cosmos. "It was created by warping reality and some other steps I've don't have privy to." Electra said. "I wonder if The Tinkerer is making headway after I got Clementine and Indigo to agree to 'unfractured' that box." She mused. The Lovecraftian being had taken the box the instant that she had make the change happen, not letting her even see what the 'whole' box looked like. They had a gleam in their eyes that was best described as a wendigo who just found the aftermath of a total loss battle (Both sides killed each other down to the last man).

"that 'thing' freaked out Ridley." Samus stated, "That is a rare event. Why do you even have a being from Lovecraft Space as a summoning aid?" Electra explained the mini-world and how most the spirits had taken to call her the 'Great Mother'. Samus listened as the computer did its work. "A reasonable event to get something like that interested in a mortal. Give them what they want, in this case 'research related things', and they will 'play nice'." She nodded at the bone ring on Electra's finger. According to Rodin, that a ring like that one was rarely given at such a low price as hers was.

The computer beeped and a map appeared on the scale of thousands of lightyears per a tiny square. "It looks like the connection is much longer than I expected." Samus said, as she zoomed in on the nearest planet the other end of the connection was near. "Galvan Mark II? I better call Azmuth." Samus said opening a video call.

"Why are you calling." The cranky but super smart and tiny Galvan, Azmuth answered. "There is a Celestialsapien nearing your planet and I felt you should know." Samus said. "How do you know Azmuth?" Electra asked. Azmuth looked at her and sideway blinked. "I came to her to gather information about the Metroid DNA among other things. Can't have a complete 'Ark' of DNA and information about each sample race if I'm missing half of them. But that might not have been needed if universes didn't get 'meshed' and create dozens of Earth like planets." He grumbled. "As for the Celestialsapien, I know her. Clementine and Indigo were nice enough to provide the DNA to the 'Ark'. What's your name?"

"I am Electra Nyx Laskaris." Electra said nodding. "Ah, that clan. Clementine and Indigo told me all about their 'human lives' family. Magic, mana or however you want to call it, is always a pain to deal with. And your clan is drenched in the stuff." He ranted. Someone patched themselves into the call, making it a three way. "Hello Azmuth." Zennith, a female Galvan that had date Azmuth long before he built the omnitrix, said. Azmuth, the greatest mind of his race, was at a loss for words. "You wouldn't believe how I learned about your peaceful intention, the 'omnitrix'." Zennith said.

"I found her on a world when I was searching for a keystone. She what working on making a universal food." Electra said with grimace, "The taste was not high on her list of a required traits." Zennith laughed, a sound that made Azmuth remember better times. "I didn't realize that taste was important to a food product being used. That's what you get working alone for so long." Azmuth, regaining his voice, asked, "I know I should have listened to you but." He couldn't bring himself to finish out of guilt and a little fear. Zennith smiled and said. "You've changed and for the better. Much wiser and crankier than I remember. I am headed over to Galvan Mark II to get your input one my project, we'll talk about 'mending bridges', as Electra said I should try, when I get there." Zennith 'hung up' after saying this.

"Maybe helping Clementine and Indigo figure out how to make that ridiculous headgear was a good idea after all." Azmuth said. "Please tell me you made it safer." Electra said. "Of course, I did! I had to figure out how to balance the mana and cosmic energies or it would have vaporized the head of anyone who tried to wear it. How often do they request 'Debate days'? I suggested one every two weeks ET (earth time) but they wanted bi-weekly ET." He asked, interested, as he noticed the helmet in the scanner. "Once a week ET and so far, I've got them to do three things I proposed that was for my benefit in one day." Electra said sighing. "It took me months to get to that point and mountains of headaches."

"As I'd expect. Clementine and Indigo are the odd ball of the Forge of Creation, or so I've been told. I better go see what she wants before they make a plan to get me to ask quicker." He said ending the call. "You know that you nearly scared Luigi to the actual death with your spider horde?" Samus said, handing the Helmet back to her. "His soul life his body before Pikachu restarted his heart, pulling his soul back from the brink. It's not the first time this has happened, but it's a little worrying for the Mushroom Kingdom."

"hello? Is this on?" A talking cat, that Electra knew as Kate Mulgrowl, said as she appeared on the computer screen. "One-One is it connected?" She asked the ball that was in a mobile robot body. "It should be, though we might have miss dialed and called Lake instead." Sad One said. "But that would be a fun mistake." Glad one comments. "Why are you calling me, Kate." Electra asked. The cat laughed for some reason. When she stopped laughing, she said, "You still think that's my real name? My real name is Samantha. I gave the other name because I didn't trust Zane with my real name, even if it's a nice pun of a name." Rhea phased through the door and plopped herself in center view of the computer. "there was an oddity that requires you and that chaotic kitten before me to come to the Infinity Train at some point." She said, holding up a memory tape that was labeled 'Rhea/Jabberwocky'.

"It seems that someone extracted Rhea's memories threw them away." Glad one said. "But the Train's systems took them and made the tape, making you, Rhea, a future passenger of the Infinite Train. There is no deadline and we will know when you are ready to face the past." Sad One then added, "Even if it's full of untold amounts chaotic carnage and crimes you did as the Jabberwocky before the bearded weirdo failed to deal with the memories he removed properly." Samantha looked at One-One annoyed at Sad One's wording, then back the screen, "As the purpose of the train is to help people face the past they are running from, willing or otherwise, Rhea needs to face her past and 'deal' with the 'stolen memories' in some way." She said. "Walking around with swiss cheese memory is never the answer, even if you are on your second chance life."

Rhea looked conflicted as she paced the room. On one paw she could ignore that calling, that she felt since she woke up in this body, completely. On the other paw she could face the past and shredded that brutes face for forcing this event happening in the first place. You didn't need to be evil when you were aligned with chaos. "As the robot said, you need to come on the train at some point or bugs and glitches might start appearing. The system isn't perfect, and your problem hasn't happened before" Samantha said with a shrug. "When you are ready, the train will find you." She ended the call with that.

Samus looked the pacing dragon cat and wandered what the result would be. Would Rhea remain or would the Jabberwocky return? "Master Hand wants to talk to you alone." She tells Electra. "He's waiting in his office."

Five minutes later

Smash World

Smash Mansion

Master Hand's office

"I wanted to eject you and that chaos spawn the moment the screaming started but my brother stopped me." Master Hand stated. "after asking one of the spiders why they caused that mess, and a blatant bribe of assorted tapestries you've made over the years to hone your craft, I have come to a decision." Master Hand paused for effect then flicked her through his open office door sharply. The blow hurt as much as a serious gut punch from her father when they spared a week ago. She flew down the hall and was caught by Crazy Hand, who had been waiting to catch. "Punishment has been given. Please think twice about unleashing the spirit hordes would do before you do it." Master Hand yelled down the hall as he closed his office door.

"Breathe slowly and evenly." Crazy Hand instructed as Electra's lungs protested from have all the air knocked out of them. "Brother's 'judgement flick' is like Tonberry's Chief Knife attack. But in his case, it's never fatal, because if you die you can realize your mistakes." Crazy Hand explained. "Thanks for catching me." Electra whispered as she recovered her breath. "You're lucky he was bribed. He was going to let you hit the wall. It would have hurt a lot more." Crazy Hand commented, setting her down. Electra leaned on the wall for support. "so, the names on the wall are people that got that flick?" Electra asked, looking at the names and photos all over the hallway walls, Wario and Waigi came up a lot. "This is only some of them. The rest are elsewhere in the Flick Record Hall where the full details of why they got the flick is listed along with their wall indent photo." Crazy Hand said.

A few hours later

Smash World

Dracula's Castle

The halls

Electra was surprised when Death (the Castlevania version) aske told her she was invited to his master's castle for a 'chat' and to come alone. Wallace, who was being a sparring partner for Little Mac at that moment, wished her luck and to be weary. And fast forward to right now, she and Rhea were walking with Count Dracula, enemy of the Belmont clan, in his castle with his minions milling about. "You must be asking yourself, 'How is he alive? Didn't he get killed and reincarnated as a human?' or something along those lines." Dracula said as they walked. "To answer those questions, the fact that Crazy Hand was the one to recruit the Belmonts for 'Smash', is an answer enough." Dracula shuddered. "Whatever he did took us from different parts of the timelines leaves all, save Chaos the Creator, confused."

"I figured as much. Crazy Hand is the one to make all those many worlds into one Super Smash World. More like a galaxy made up of 'copies' of all the source worlds. Do you know what's scary?" Electra asked. Dracula looked at her. "The Tinkerer has no idea was logic Crazy Hand and Master Hand used to keep this world intact." Dracula laughed hard. "And that is why I don't think of it any deeper." He said. "My lord, my I ask for a favor?" an old man with a long white beard and hair, clutching a thick tome and wearing old fashioned clothes, asked Dracula.

"This is my, sometimes loyal, Master Librarian." Dracula said. "He has sold my enemies tools that lead to my defeat and temporary death more than once." The Master Librarian didn't not argue, nor did he look Dracula in eye as this was said. "What is your request?" Dracula asked. "I wish to make a deal with the Laskaris clan. They have books I wish to add to the library, and we have books, that I hope, will have their interest. So, I purpose an exchange of copied books from both sides, if that is fair for you, my lord." The Master Librarian said carefully. "of course, you would want access to their vast library of books." Dracula said evenly, "go ahead with the opening contact." The Master Librarian left to make the 'call'. "He always finds a way out of me killing him for helping the enemy. More useful alive and keeping the Library in order, than dead. He knows every inch of the Library." Dracula stated.

Later

Smash World

Dracula's Castle

A 'dead end' hallway

"I thank you for coming despite the weariness you are feeling." Dracula said holding his hand over the stone cup a female statue, standing at the end of the hallway, was holding, after slicing his palm open. He let his blood fill the cup and pulled Electra close as runes circled them, and they fell down through a sea of blood and monstrous 'fish' that wouldn't look out of place in Lovecraft's books. They looked at her but didn't attack because Dracula was holding on to her.

Somewhere else

Blood Sea Vault

"I keep this place hidden. If anyone else tried to travel, they would face those 'fish' and die." Dracula stated. "That is if they could fight off the madness inducing gaze long enough to make a move." He had smirk as 'blood water' drained off them into a drain on the floor. Electra was thanking the Tinkerer for the bone ring mentally as she took in the new area. It was giant room that had weapons, chests, shelves of objects as far as the eye can see.

"This is place that I won off of a being that was a bit of hoarder. That being's corpse was taken by the Tinkerer, after I had slain them for this place, to make a weapon from its bones." Dracula said. Electra realized just how the Tinkerer got the bones to make the spear. "For a being of Lovecraft Space, I found them lacking in intellect." Dracula stated. She didn't need to know how Dracula killed the thing and he didn't explain as they walked forward. "Whatever name you know the Tinkerer by, is false. The Tinkerer is being with more masks than any other being in existence. They have something that was a 'rival' of sorts who left 'red herrings' like this place guarded by the beast I slain." Dracula explained.

He went on to explain that this game of cat and mouse between the Tinkerer and their rival, who might be dead or worse, had been going on longer than time existed and she was just another piece for the Tinkerer's endgame. "So, each of the 'red herrings' had some tiny piece of the 'true map' to the ultimate prize." Electra said, "And you were used to get to this treasure trove that the Tinkerer organized before giving to you." Dracula nodded. "Do you understand who has invented their time into your life now?" He asked. "Enough to know they finds me to be a valuable piece in their plan. You should have seen how they reacted to this box I found. They took it like a starving lion ripping into a slow antelope." Electra said as they passed a drawing of a broken box on the wall.

They stop at an alter with an indent shaped like a human hand. "I grow tried of being the 'owner' of this place guarded by beasts who cannot be slain, save by beings that were at some point human." Dracula said. "The main beast that you slain had the same 'weakness', right?" Electra asked. "That is correct. Like all the 'red herring', no one from Lovecraft Space can be the one to get past the first layers of protections, forcing the Tinkerer to resort to using pawns then swooping in to get the 'reward'." The place shakes as a bellow or untold rage echoes around them. "The box was another 'red herring' it seems." Dracula said, unfazed. "Place your hand on the indent and brace for pain." He instructed.

When she put her left hand on the alter, a spike shot up through her hand and it feel like her blood was being boiled with raw energy. The spike was gone and there was no wound on her hand. "what was that? and why does it feel like something was engraved into my blood?" Electra asked. "when you wish to come or go from here, pour your blood from your left hand into the stone cup. It is the 'key' and you are the owner. Maybe you will have much better use for this place than I have." He states.

A week later

Blood Sea Vault

"How did you get this place?" Sakura asked as she, Shirou and her birth sister Rin looked at the items the vault held. "Yes, these gems are priceless." Rin said hinting at that she wanted them for her magecraft. "I got it from the Castlevania version of Dracula who got it after slaying an anti-lovecraft beast that was the leader of the freaky 'fish' in blood sea." Electra stated. Rin looked at her then shot Sakura a look that translated to 'why is your family luck so weird'. Sakura smirked and hugged Electra with a look that translated to 'I wouldn't change it for anything'.

Electra stated listing the value of the ores and gems. Before Rin could ask, Sakura explained, "Electra was given Galvanism from Zeus. Knowledge of the riches of the earth from Hades. And the ability to take some aquatic form from Poseidon." She had explained this in Rin's famous teaching pose to mock her. Rin pouted a little but was more interested in Hades' 'gift' to Electra. "How does it work?" She questioned. "If it comes from the earth, I know all about it. It's useful for identifying what ore and gems some of my spirits dig up are." Electra stated. Rin had this smile on her face. Sakura whipped a tail at Rin stating, "No! Bad Rin! No exploiting my little sister and her spirits." She said this like she was scolding a disobedient dog, complete with a wagging finger.

"Would you stop hitting me with your tails!" Rin whined. "I find it fun." Sakura said, smugly. Shirou was thankful they had a bond like that that. Sisters shouldn't be enemies and Sakura scary when she gets angry. He continued to add weapons to his Reality Marble as Sakura and Rin playfully ague. The weapons weren't special by any stretch, but they were strong 'nameless' weapons with various useful effects. "these weapons are of great quality. Would you consider selling them? It's a shame for them collect dust." Shirou said. "How am I to do that? There are thousands of swords at least." Electra pointed out. "Sell them to worlds they wouldn't be out of place.' Shirou stated, "let the weapons choose and you will find homes for all of them eventually."

A few months later

The Ten Kingdom World

The Nine Kingdoms

Troll Kingdom (the Third Kingdom

Electra looked at the forest of beanstalks. "As you can see, they left me with this wasteland of a kingdom." Relish the Troll King said. He had bought a few dozen weapons with enhanced durability enchantments on them from her new stock. "I think I can fix this while you go searching for your shoe thief." Electra said. "And how are you going to do that? Burn down the beanstalks and fertilize the land?" He asked mockingly. He was only humoring her because she sold good weapons for a better price. She pulls out a vial of water that was glowing with magic. "This stuff can resort a desert to the richest land you could ask for." She moves it out of reach as grabs for it. "I need to clear the beanstalks first." She says.

"That stuff works?" He asked. "for sure. Pint of this stuff turned a sea of lifeless sand into a sea of giant flowers and trees. Powerful stuff but has unpredictability when it comes to what safe plants grow. Got the source of the water from the Fae." She said putting the vial away. Relish the Troll King scratched his chin. "So, if you remove the beans stalks from the equation, I get random fruit bearing trees when you use the water?" He asked. "That's the idea. She said it will revive the land it's used on. Downside is you will get stuck eating whatever grows until you can get crops going." She said as she summoned a 7-foot-tall humanoid creature with seven arms and a sack on his back. Appearance wise, he wore worn clothing and had a gruff looking face.

"What Task does the Great Mother have for I, Lock, the Seven-armed problem solver!" Lock asked leaning down a little to look at her at eye level. "I need this forest of beanstalks chopped down and uprooted." Electra said. Lock laughed and rummaged in his sack. AS he did this, Relish the Troll King asked her "What is that thing?" Electra smiled under her mask and said. "That is Lock, a Spirit of Tools problem solving. He claims his seven arms inspired the tool known as the Seven Tools of the Bandit' but there's no proof to back the claim up." Relish the Troll King watched as Lock pulled out axes and felled beanstalks in a few swings each. After each one was felled it was stacked off to the side.

"I expect an orchard when I get back." He yelled as he left to join the hunting bands that were tracking a thief that stole magic shoes of invisibility "You can come out now." Electra said, as soon as the Troll King and hunting Groups were out of her hearing range. "Youthful Shaman, you aren't going to tell them we are here, are you?" A black-haired half human half wolf named, Wolf, said as he climbed down from one of the deeper beanstalks. With him was a new yorker. She had brown hair and fair skin, wearing clothes that were modern looking.

"What is a new yorker doing in the nine kingdoms?" Electra asked. "And holding addicting magic shoes." Electra snatched the shoes as quick as lightning. "Virginia it's the shoes talking." Wolf said he held the human, who was about 21 years old, back as she demanded the shoes back. The shoes were gold and set with gems. "How did you know I from New York?" She asked when she came to her senses. "There are places that will try to capture your heart with wonders." Electra said. "But Greece will always be a place I am welcomed."

"You're from 'earth'?" Wolf asked. "I'm more of a traveler but yes I'm from a place called 'earth'." Electra said in half truths. "Lock, you can pull out your trump card." Electra said sitting down as the drain multiplied by hundred-fold. There was now a hundred Locks chopping, uprooting, and breaking down the bean stalks at a much faster pace. "Talk about teamwork." Virginia comments. "Just like with bandits, where there is one that is likely to be many more in hiding." Electra said. In ten minutes, the job was done, and the beanstalks were taken away by the Locks who salute Electra as take the lot in one go.

Electra fell backwards, laying on the ground, drained. "The Troll king better be happy I finished the job." She said. "Are you ok?" Virginia asked lifting her up a little. "Just I little drained. Lock's Trump card in extremely draining energy wise. In his Realm he can much more copies but outside that place he relies on my magical reserves and hundred in the max I can do without tapping into something that would be not recommended in a place like this." Wolf nodded stating, "Some magics react badly in certain places among the kingdoms." Virginia got an idea and took the shoes. "I need these to break my father out of jail." She says running off after set Electra back down. Wolf ran after her apologizing to Electra.

She chuckles as a horse, not unlike the ones the Storms Knight rides, picks her up and carries her on his back. She let a note for Relish the Troll King on the statue of the Jack the giant slayer. As the they reached the middle of the former forest, she let three drops of the magic water touch the ground, then continuing to walk to the Snow White Memorial Prison, in the neighboring Fourth Kingdom. The place would be green and growing by the time the Troll King got back. "You are independent and reliable as the sea, Borasco." She says patting the stallion's neck. He and his kind were the result of a collaboration between Electra and Poseidon to create 'cute ponies', she was three at the time. It was an odd interaction between the sea god's divinity and Electra's latent storm mastery that resulted in a wild horse stronger than oxen, swift as the wind and totally uncontrollable.

Borasco snorted as he trotted 'softly', by that I mean he didn't leave lightning scorched hoof marks as they traveled. "You always seem to come that the best times." Electra said sleepily as she held on Borasco's mane and gripped his sides with her legs, riding bareback. Borasco was the Spirit of the wind that carried storms and leader of his kind. The Storm Knights had mounts only because Borasco and his herd allowed it.

A few hours later

The Ten Kingdom World

The Nine Kingdoms

Fourth Kingdom

Snow White Memorial Prison

Warden's office

"Your stock will work be perfect to outfit the guards." The Governor of the prison said, dropping a large sack of gold coins, called 'gold Wendells', on to his desk that Electra stood in front of. "I should warn you that the troll kingdom bought the most basic of magical weapons from me today." Electra said, "The ones You sold us are of much finer quality but thank you for informing us of the sale you made, under duress I hope." She didn't contract him. "Sir, the beanstalk forest has been replaced by a what seem to be a 'fruit salad' forest." A guard said carrying a basket of thirty different freshly harvested fruits. "Damn those blasted Fae! Always screwing around!" the Governor of the prison bellowed at the ceiling. Electra wisely took the sack and left.

A few hours later

The Ten Kingdom World

The Nine Kingdoms

Fourth Kingdom

Somewhere on the river

"You met a shaman and her lumberjack spirit replaced a forest?" Tony, short black-haired handyman from Manhattan New York, said as he manned the rudder of the boat, they 'barrowed' from the prison. "not a lumberjack, a problem solver, there's a difference, Dad." Virginia corrected. "Like you but with seven arms, taller, and had a magic sack of tools." Wolf added, "Don't forget he multiplied himself to get the job done faster." A golden retriever, who was really was the cursed form of Prince Wendell White, hair to the Fourth kingdom's throne.

"Anthony (Tony's real name), Shaman are dangerous." Prince Wendell said, but only Tony and Virginia 'heard' him, because of a wish Tony made. Virginia was thankful that he included her in the wording of the wish instead of just him as he original planned (a change from the cannon events). "They command the elements with the power of allied spirits. Even the Fae are careful to some degree when it comes to them." Tony looked like he didn't believe it. "Tony, if you were there, you would believe it." Wolf said. "Lock was a High Spirit for sure, I could sense it. The air around him was energized by his mere presence. His summoner was a youthful but extremely dangerous on her own. Never smelt storm so strong on someone before." Wolf explained, "She's not as beautiful as you, Virginia." He added but Virginia brushed the complement off.

"We couldn't she want she looked like under the feathered cloak and weird bird mask." She says. "Bird mask?" Prince Wendell asked. "It was mainly blue and had this look of authority to it." She described. "Sounds like the Thunderbird." Tony said. "My mother had a fairy tale book that talked of a thunderbird who ruled over all others. Her feathers of blue, and voice that bent the weather to her will, was some of the signs that you were in the presence of the 'Storm Singer' as she was called. I don't remember the rest of the fairy tale. It's been forever and I had to sell the book to make ends meet."

"You mean the one that collectors hounded you for years? You read that to me all the time before you sold it" Virginia said. "why were they hounding you for it in the first place?" Tony tried to remember. "I think it was because it had real gold on the cover or something." Prince Wendell perked up. "Was the title 'Tales of Wonder and Ruin Volume 59'?" Prince Wendell asked. "Yes, it was written by Voleta Laskaris. Looked to be handbound, with full illuminated pages like the monks used to make for those that couldn't read." Tony said.

"You had one of Voleta's works and was forced to sell it?" Wolf asked. "I got an offer that let me pay off all the back payments that were stacking up. Who knew that a book could be worth half a million?" Virginia was shock. How much back payments did her father have if they were stuck in crappy apartment? "You got a good deal. Her books are made from the finest of materials and no one has ever met Voleta or even know what she looks like. The reason for the value is quality of the book, the limited number of books made, and stories they tell." Wolf had this look of wonder.

"each tale is of an adventure or legend that is connected to this unnamed clan. Some human, and others, not so human but are a part of the clan by marriage or other bonds." Virginia wondered out loud, "How many volumes are there?" Wolf shrugged, "No one knows but more volumes pop up every so often." Virginia looked that water of the and grabbed Wolf's arm. "There is a shark coming." She said point. "This is a river. Why would a shark?" Wolf asked yelping fear as a shark surfaced, stating, "Shoe thief give me the shoes and a token of regret and not tell the Troll King what curse you will receive for your crime."

"Virginia, just give the shark the magic shoes." Tony said, throwing a carving he got from an inmate, Clayface the goblin, at the shark. It proclaimed their group as the ones that saved the kingdoms and it creeped him out. "Your regret is welcomed." The shark said, 'eating' the carving. Wolf Takes the shoes from Virginia's backpack and throws them into the shark's maw. "At the critical moment, you will lose what you find. But threat not, the jaws of the dragon will give back hope." The shark stated disappearing into the water. "I told you taking those shoes was a bad idea!" Wolf said. "Now we're cursed!" He howled mournfully. "It's not a total loss. The second line says there's hope." Tony said.

"But we will lose something we find at the last moment." Virginia said as she berated herself for falling for alure of the shoes. "It's not the worst curse. In fact, it's a nicer one." Prince Wendell said. "Wait a second!" Wolf said, "The shark said that the Troll King wanted you cursed but he's going lie about the severity of the curse. That means he's on our side." Wolf stated. Prince Wendell nodded, "Yes, despite laying a curse, the shark did not want to do as the Troll King wanted. That Shark was likely a spirit employed by the Shaman you met." He reasoned.

"And she cursed us because the Troll King forced her hand." Wolf stated. "Thank you, Youthful Shaman, whose name was never asked for!" He howled to the sky.

A half a day later

The Ten Kingdom World

The Nine Kingdoms

Fourth Kingdom

The Disenchanted Forest also called 'The Huntsman's Woods'

Electra was riding through the woods on Borasco's back. He reared and smashed a trap that was hidden on the path. A man in a hunter's garb came out of the trees with crossbow pointed at her. "What are you doing in my forest?" The Huntsman asked. "I am a traveler passing through. I apology about the trap but my spirit horse doesn't not take kindly to attempts at controlling him." Electra stated. "You are a shaman." The Huntsman stated, "Do you have a way to repay me for the property you damaged?" He asked.

"Would this suffice?" Electra said, offering a hunting knife. "It will clean itself after being sheathed, leaving no dirt on it or the sheath." He takes the sheathed blade. "Be mindful of the traps next time." He states leaving silently.

An hour later

Disenchanted Forest

She stopped by a clearing where a blind man was chopping wood with a magic axe. "A powerful horse you have there, my lady." The Blind Woodsman said. "and you have a useful axe, my good sir." Electra said. "I heard it's song as clear as the birds at first light." The Woodsman laughed. "I can tell you have no desire to own it. I hope you have a fair journey." He says going back to chopping wood.

Hours later

The Ten Kingdom World

The Nine Kingdoms

Fourth Kingdom

Little Lamb Village

It was dark when Electra made into town. She felt bad about placing that 'curse' on them but the Troll King had nasty plans for Virginia and a 'special curse' from a shaman was enough to make his think it won, as long as he got his shoes back. According to her summons, he had locked the shoes up in a place even his kids didn't know about. She looked around and noticed every inn was locked up for the night but there was one place still open, the Tavern. "If you're looking a place to stay, you need to ask the town judge. He' having a pint right now." A man sitting by a well that had an echo of magic to it said. "But you don't have to listen to me. I'm just the Village Idiot." she entered after throwing a few gold coins to the Village Idiot and Borasco walked himself to the place horses were tired up. Standing as polite as can be with a lead made of air connected to the post. The Village Idiot still sitting by an old well laughed at the idea of a horse 'tying' himself up on the hitching post.

Inside the tavern

"I'm looking for a place to stay." She asked as everyone looked at her. An old man with a nasty glare looked at her. "you aren't a witch, are you?" Another man just as old with a voice of authority said sharply. "Wilfred Peep! That is not how you address a Shaman! Do you want to curse the town?" He turns to Electra and says, "I'm the town Judge and Mayor of Little Lamb Village. As an apology you can stay with the Peep family." He elbowed Wilfred sharply as he said this. "That is kind of you. I needed to get as far away from the Troll King after he forced me to lay curse on a thief." Electra said. "Someone stole shoes from him. I bet." A curly haired blonde Shepherdess said. "I am Sally Peep." She greeted. "And you may call me Rose for now. It's not my real name but the Troll King was never told a name in the first place." Electra said amused.

"That's wise of you to plan ahead like. You never can be too sure with the Trolls, even you magical folk." Wilfred said. he looks sneaky as he asks, "The annual Shepherdess festival is coming up in a few days. The winner gets a 'prize baskets' of sorts. It's gotten much bigger than a little basket but the word fits." He explains, "You are looking for something interesting to add to the prize pool." Electra said. Sally nodded and said "Please think about it, Rose. I'm sure you have something lovely." Electra just said she'd think about.

The next morning

The Ten Kingdom World

The Nine Kingdoms

Fourth Kingdom

Little Lamb Village

The Peep Farm

"You're strong for a lady." A male farmhand said as Electra helped them haul hay for the horses. "I won't let a little thing like gender stop me from proving my worth to my family." Electra said. The farmhand got an idea. "You are good with animals, right?" He asked, "We've got a ram that has been acting a lot more aggressively lately. The town doctor tried to see what the issue is but the ram sent him running before he got into the pasture proper."

Sheep pasture

"You are going to check on Old Jim?" Sally asked as she watched over the Peep family sheep herd. Old Jim was glaring at just about everything as he stood off to the side of the pasture. "Something happened a week ago and became nasty to everyone but me." Sally said. "Poor Wilfred has it the worst, he can't be in line of sight of Old Jim or the ram with charge him like a rampaging bull." Electra noticed Old Jim had a different glare for her. One that said, 'You better not screw up, or else.', this had Electra thinking on what she learned. "I think I need to do a little research about the Peep family before I can get a clear answer." Electra said, heading for main house.

A day later

The Ten Kingdom World

The Nine Kingdoms

Fourth Kingdom

Little Lamb Village

The Peep Farm

Records room

"July fifth, little Sally was almost on duty when a wolf was seen in the pastures. I will not let her be killed like my wife." She reads from a journal of Sally's great uncle who had died a few years ago and was the one that had cared for Old Jim and the other animals instead of the town doctor until his death. She turned the pages to the next relevant entry, "September twenty third, I in secret have made a deal with spirits on the night of the fall Equinox. Should little Sally come to grim end, she will be saved. I pray they are kind to her when they save her." The door to the room opened and Barbara Peep, who had the same curly blonde hair as Sally, came in with a lantern. "It's nearly dawn, and you're still holed up reading old sale records and journals." She said.

"I found what I was looking for." Electra said. She didn't say what because her instincts said she shouldn't. "I'm going to help out around the farm until Old Jim is back to his 'happy if grumpy self' as Sally described." Electra said. "Sally adores that old ram. Hundred years old and still as strong as a ram a fraction of his age. It'd break her heart if he died before a cause was found." Barbara Peep said. "Did Old Jim ever attack anyone?" Electra asked. Barbara Peep paused and said, "He once attacked Wilfred after he grabbed Sally's arm too tightly and yelled at her for leaving the gate unlocked."

She seemed to get something. "Is the tension in town causing Old Jim to be overprotective?" Barbara Peep asked. "Add the stress of the upcoming coronation of Prince Wendell and you've got enough stress cause even a cat to be overprotective." Electra said. Barbara Peep smiled at this answer. "Soon as the event is over, Old Jim will be back to normal." She leaves Electra, who knew something else was coming.

A few days later

The Ten Kingdom World

The Nine Kingdoms

Fourth Kingdom

Little Lamb Village

The Courthouse

Electra was at the stand as Wolf was on trial for the 'murder of Sally Peep'. It was the day after the annual town event and Virginia had won. Among the prizes in the prize pool was a magic Travel Mirror, the main reason for her entering the competition, and figurine Electra had carved. "You were with the suspect most of the night. What was his state at the time?" Virginia questioned her. "Extra crisp and out cold as he requested after I stopped him from going near the chicken coop that he was found near, when he was arrested." Electra stated. The Crow on her shoulder laughed as Wolf fidgeted in chains. "Is there any chance he was able to move let alone attack anything by morning?" Virginia pressed.

"No, he was found free of blood, but his clothes were singed from the paralyzing spell I put on him. A spell that lasted for up to an hour after he was arrested." Electra said. "Members of the Jury, my client was unable to move more than his mouth all night and most of the morning." Virginia said to the jury, who were sheep (I know, weird rules for a sheep crazy town.). "I move to have him freed or if that fails, put in a cell to give more time for more evidence to be found." She states. The Judge bangs his gavel. "take him to his cage." After Wolf is taken away, the Judge turns to Virginia, stating, "You have three hours to find more evidence."

"It was Wilford!" Tony said as he ran in, Prince Wendell had a bloody shirt in his jaws. "This is the shirt Wilfred wore to the party yesterday." Tony said, "His family has been damming the wishing well water and Sally unblocked it, so he killed her." Wilfred was put in chains and replaced Wolf in the iron cage in the town square.

An hour later

Outside the courthouse

Barbara Peep was crying on Electra's shoulder. "Poor Sally lost her life too soon!" She wailed. "She's not gone for good." Electra said then explained the deal she uncovered. "Where is she?" Barbara Peep asked. "As you know I was the one to inspect her body this morning. Next to her body I found this crow who insisted that Wilfred was Sally's killer." Electra said as the crow spoke in Sally Peep's voice. "I'm sorry for making you worry." The crow that was Sally Peep was cradled by Barbara Peep "You are alive and beautiful no made what. Let's go home." Barbara Peep thanked Electra. "Thank you Rose. You put Sally's killer to the gallows, like he deserves." Electra watched Virginia's group rushing out of town, most likely flowing the cart they hid the Travel Mirror before the court hearing.

She walked to the Village Idiot and the Wishing Well, that burst to life raining down a spray of magic water. She dropped in a coin and heard a splash. "I am the spirit of the wishing well, what is your request?" the Well said. "Grant me a chance to relax without risk of the Troll King or his cohort bothering me." She requested. "Go to Kissing Town by fooling the fool and the dog and let the place work it's charm." The Well said. "Thank you Wishing Well. I'll make sure to look into that town." Electra said politely. She calls Borasco and jumps on to his back. He needed no command and rode off down the road.

A few hours later

The Ten Kingdom World

The Nine Kingdoms

Fourth Kingdom

Kissing Town

"I'm sorry about the curse, it was the only way to stop you from being made into shoes." Electra said from Borasco's back. Tony looked at his daughter. "You never said you were going be made into shoes." He said. "I had no idea they would do that. They were going to give me the evil queen hot foot special." Virginia said back. They kept their voice down as they entered the love themed town. "The Troll King has done worse for lesser crimes." Wolf said. "so far the curse hasn't struck. By the way, what's with wording?" Electra was confused. "I don't know the wording of the curse. Each curse is tailor made for that victim and depends on all possible future events and how much I want that victim to suffer." She explained.

"And because you were nice, we got 'hope' with the curse." Tony said. "Just like with Pandora's pithos, you'd know it as a 'box', every curse has a way to break it or something 'nice' tacked onto it to make up for screwing the victim over." Electra explained. "They didn't really use 'boxes' in ancient Greece. But they did use large clay jars to hold all sorts of stuff, liquids, powders, chunky solids, you name it." She added before they asked the question, she knew they'd ask. "I'm going to be hitting the casinos and having a nice relaxing time on the town." She tells them parting ways.

"She's a lot nicer than some of the Shaman I've met." Prince Wendell comments. "and a lot more open about her intentions."

Two days later

The Ten Kingdom World

The Nine Kingdoms

Fourth Kingdom

Kissing Town

"SO that's what the Curse did." Electra comments as she watched the Traveling Mirror fall but never touch the ground. It just vanished as it left the tiled roof. "How was your date?" Electra asked Virginia, who was staring. "It was perfect. Thank you for buying all the things for me." Wolf said gratefully. "We could have used the money to buy the mirror from the auction." Virginia tried to reason. "Nope, The Huntsman paid 100 million Gold Wendells. He got that from his boss. At most both my money and yours equals." Electra does the math. "95 million. Likely the curse preventing you from getting the Travel Mirror" Virginia had no answer that was good enough to voice a she fingered a ring box in her pocket.

"Don't lose hope yet, because that Mirror was just a triplet." Electra said cryptically as the curse complied her to say that. Tony Had gotten off the roof wit ha few scoffs and a ripped sleeve. "You mean there's two more of them?" Electra nodded. "The maker knows all his products. Surely a master list exists." Another curse complied comment came from her lips. It was an annoying part of laying curse like this one.

A few days later

The Ten Kingdom World

The Nine Kingdoms

Fourth Kingdom

Somewhere on the dirt roads

Electra felt a spike of pain as someone contacted her via a Magic Mirror without the luxury of it creating a reflective surface on its own, meaning it was an older modal of Communication Mirror. Electra was luckily near pond. "Who are you?" a female voice said as pond 'fractured' and a woman in a castle was shown. "You must be the 'evil queen' that Prison Governor ranted about. The fact you are contacting me means that whatever was protecting me is gone." Electra mused out loud. "that is correct. Who are you?" The Evil Queen demanded. "You may call me Rose, a wandering shaman." Electra said. the Evil Queens eyes narrowed at her fake name. "I had to cleanse an apple orchard and help a few towns that the Troll King invaded." Electra said, "Luckily someone poisoned him and his invading army." Electra nodded at the Evil Queen, thankful for her disposal of the invading trolls.

"Come to Prince Wendall's Castle. Post haste." She ordered. "Or you will find a bolt in your heart." Electra curtsied stating, "As you wish, Your Majesty. May I compliment you on the artful death charm you put on that crossbow?" The Evil Queen let her. "To make sure every bolt hits the heart of a living thing when it stops is are to do. I hope we can take more in person." Electra says as the pond returns to normal. "The Coronation is any day now. I best prepare for my test for the future king of the fourth kingdom." She said.

The evening before the Coronation

The Ten Kingdom World

The Nine Kingdoms

Fourth Kingdom

The Royal Castle

Dining Room

"You used Fae water on the former Beanstalk Forest." The Evil Queen said, cutting into a steak. "That was the only way to stop him from finding Wolf, who was with a shoe thief." Electra, who was unmasked for this meal, said. "He is useful to my plans and the Troll King would have gone off the plan even if you didn't do that. Shame he met his end by that witch." The Evil Queen said. the other dinning members were the dog currently wearing the body of Prince Wendell, ironically named Prince, the Huntsman, and the children of the late Troll King. Burly, a pale skinned male troll and the eldest child. Blabberwort, a bronze skinned female troll and the middle child. And finally, Bluebell, a charcoal skinned troll who was the youngest child and short than his siblings.

"We will rule the third kingdom better than our father did." Blabberwort said. "Fooling the slaves into thinking they aren't slaves is an idea we never thought of." She said to Electra. "That's right. Better productivity from them will make us more powerful." Burly stated. "And more time to make shoes." Bluebell said. all three of them then said, "nice leather shoes." The trolls of this world were obsessed with shoes to the extreme. "I don't know much about making shoes but if it's anything like weaving a tapestry then it must be satisfying to when you see the finished product being admired." Electra said.

"Ah, a weaver of thread. Not as nice as shoes but still a good talent." Blabberwort said, "What thread do you used?" Everyone was interested in her answer. "magic silk from a few sources. It makes the finished product durable and long lasting." Electra said. "Is that why you smell of spider?" Prince asked. "And some smell like a forge." He tries to describe. "You have a good nose, your majesty. Silk of a spirit spider mingled with the silk of a what is best described as a fire breathing moth the size of a small child." Electra said.

"You tamed a Sun Moth? I have never even seen one out of Voleta's fairy tales." The Huntsman asked. "You could say a 'blessing' guided her to me before I was born, and she stayed since." Electra with a fond smile. "You wish to test the prince." The Evil Queen said. "Just a simple question." Electra answered, "And that question is, 'What is your path of Kingship?'. Simple and has no wrong answer, but will the people be happy with his path?" Electra said mysteriously. "I will make sure he thinks hard on his answer." The Evil Queen said. "It is the same question I told him the day before he visited the prison under different guise, a whisper on the wind that wormed it's way into his ear as he slept." Electra said. "Just as the voice wanted me to."

"What voice?" The Evil queen demanded. "A female voice I never heard before with no face to it as I rested in a tree. It was carried on the wind." Electra said. Electra listened to the 'sound' of the Evil Queen. It was broken and twisted from manipulation and mental illness. She hoped that Virginia could bring herself to stop her own mother who is used as a pawn/student by the dead Evil Stepmother of Snow White.

Two days later

The Ten Kingdom World

The Nine Kingdoms

Fourth Kingdom

The Royal Castle

Throne room

Electra watched as Tony, Virginia, Wolf, and Prince, who had got his doggy form back yesterday evening, got medals for saving the kingdoms. Electra had given Prince a new collar that would seal his 'body swap' ability for good. "For helping the nine kingdoms, I give the Shaman known as Rose, this model." King Wendell said putting the medal around Electra's neck. "Thank you for asking me the question that haunted me for this long adventure." He says for only her to hear. "It was one I needed to think about long and hard." Electra smiled, "You are already finding your path, your majesty." She said. "Stay true to the path you choose, and you will find it to be worth it."

Ten minutes later

The Ten Kingdom World

The Nine Kingdoms

Fourth Kingdom

The Royal Castle

Dining Room

Unlike before, the meal was much more welcoming. Servants brings dishes to the guests and no worry of the Evil Queen present. "Go light on the wine." Electra told Virginia just as Wolf told the severs with a bottle, no thanks. On Virginia's finger was a singing pearl ring. "She's right. The pup doesn't need you hitting the bottle too hard." Wolf said. Virginia put a hand on her stomach, confused. "I sure Wolf knows because his senses, but I can sense the budding soul already." Electra said quietly. "I know you will be just mother they need, even if they feel otherwise when they get those pesky teenage years." Electra reassures her. "You will find that someone bought your apartment complex and is doing a 'total overhaul' as we speak." Electra said amused. "It seems that some of my spirits went behind my back and wanted to help you after stealing two of the Traveling Mirrors you needed."

"Your spirits prevented me from getting a bad luck curse and 'stole' the triplet lost in the North Sea?" Tony asked. "Anything else they did in the flip side?" Electra laughed and said, "Apparently you have an evil identical twin brother, save the fact he has a twirlable mustache, who framed you and forced you into leaving the country." Electra is handed a wanted poster by Voleta who came from a portal. It looked just as she described with an insane bounty under the photo make in the style of this world's wanted posters.

"That has to be the stupidest lie I ever heard, who would being that?" Tony said laughing at the photo of his 'twin'. "A little magic and cashing in some favors made it believable enough to fool everyone that mattered." Voleta said with a smirk. "I think you may have heard of me. Voleta Laskaris, at your service." She introduced knowing she would cause the uproar from the room that she just did. "Just for you and your little one, a completely collection of my fairy tales and guarantee to get one as new one come out." She whispered to Virginia and Wolf.

Months later

Specter Earth (Ghostbuster World with its own ghost world as shown in the cartoons included)

Human World

New York

City Museum

"What are looking at here?" Ray asked Egon, who had the P.K.E. Meter pointed at a being made of mostly ash but a bit everything else to make a realistic looking scale armored body. "At least a Class 12." Egon said as the P.K.E. Meter exploded in his hands. "Great. So, a demon or god, or both." Peter Venkman said. He readies his Proton Pack and walks right up to the 'knight' even as the other Ghostbusters tell me not to. "Look, buddy. I get that you want to visit the Big Apple, but could you not appear out of nowhere and scare the squishy humans?"

"What do you see in this piece?" the being said with a dry female voice. Peter looked at the exhibit. "It's a creepy painting of Pompeii. I can practically hear the screams as the ash spa was too much for them." He snarked. Winston Zeddemore, the only one of the four Ghostbusters sent on this job not to be a Doctor of some kind, shook his head. "Looks like the black guy won't be the first go." He comments. Peter smelled burning as his hair was ignited. He ran to the water fountain and put his hair out. "Get some tack. Before you open your mouth again." The Being yelled after him. "And wear something at smells nicer! You smell like a dead super skunk."

"Not to be rude, but we just came from trapping a ghost skunk and he was the bait to lure the beast out into the open." Ray said flinching as the female knight looked at him with eyes that glows like hot coals behind her helmet. "He is going to get himself killed." She said flatly. "We know." Egon remarked, "we are working on making sure he doesn't do that to himself." He fixes his glasses. "If it's not too much trouble, why are you here?" He asks. She looks at their brown jumpsuit uniform. "I'm not a ghost." She comments, "Not as you are thinking."

"Are you a God or Demon? Or both?" Peter said as he returned. "I am complicated." She said. "We'll talk more that your HQ." She walks out as people get out of her way. "Should we hurry to what could be our deaths?" Winston asked. "She was cordial enough not to kill Peter." Egon said, looking at a scanner he had used on her. "Interesting. It appears she is a composite being of some kind. I need to use a stronger scanner to get more information." He said.

A few hours later

Specter Earth

Human World

New York

Ghostbuster HQ

"Just to be sure I heard you right," Janine, the secretary who had heard so many weird things on the job, said looking at a notepad. "Your creator, who is a prick, left your world in the hands of a baby, you call the Great Mother. Then forced her to pick who survives the 'World's End Festival' as it became known in later cycles. About 11 earth years ago, the cycles ended for good and you, the 'Revenant of those that were lost to the cycles', was cast out of world by chance. And you are searching for The Great Mother, who would be over 20 years old if my math is right." She looked at the knight.

"You gave the cliff note version, but you are right. I must find the Great Mother gain a 'Name' and take my place among her army of spirits." The knight said, drinking a cup of coffee as the Ghostbusters she had already met, Slimer, their 'pet' slime ball ghost/mascot, and Louis, their accountant/back up ghostbuster, took the hours long explanation they just heard. Egon nodded and said a complicated explanation how the remnants of untold number of spirits could become a 'god' if they fused together. "If enough embers are gathered together, they could equal a statewide forest fire." Louis said, remembering a Smoky the Bear infomercial he heard on the TV a few days ago.

"Same concept more or less." Egon commented, scanning the knight. He was getting readings that were odd to say the least. The knight was made of every element known to man and then some, all bound by some odd force he could not pinpoint. It made this knight one of the oddest 'gods' they had the honor of meeting. The last few times they faced a god, it had been not fun at all. The Player wasn't too bad as he was reasonable enough to give them a chance to beat him, but it still wasn't like with the Knight, who was just passing through.

"Maybe stopping to end the age-old plague known as the Darkspawn in a six-year endeavor wasn't the best choice if I wanted to search for the Great Mother faster." The being asked herself. "I'd say she'll thank you for making that detour. Are you a 'Goddess', 'Elder Being', or 'High Spirit'?" Egon asked. "High Spirit is likely the most likely outcome to what I will be when I gain a 'Name'." The knight said. "Do you have a title we can call you? And what were you doing the other five years?" Ray asked. "The people of Thedas called me 'The Dawn'." She said then looked ashamed as she said, "My first three years of existing like this were spent in another universe in the middle of the Nordic wilderness, being a self-pitying fool before I figured out my goal."

"You just needed time to like your stuff together and someone to talk some sense into you." Peter commented. The Dawn laughed, commenting "Kratos used his fists, not his words." She sets her empty cup down and set a small crystal that looked like a soft glowing star. "Thank you for listening to my tale." She says vanishing as she walked to the door but never reached it before she was gone. There was a pleasant spice scent left behind. "Smells like a homemade spice blend you'd put in a pie." Louis comments. Slimer says something in gibberish. "We'll think about baking a pie." Egon says.

Flashback

Seven years ago

God of War Universe

Midgard

Nordic territory

Forest clearing

The Being, that would later be called 'The Dawn', was sent through trees and rock. An ashen skinned man with red tattoos, a bald head and bushy beard jumped after and pummeled her again and again. "Isn't this a little much?" Atreus, Kratos' son asked as he watched his father expanding the clearing with his blows. In Atreus' hand hung a still alive head. The head of Mimir, who was also this universe's Puck, watched the one-sided beat down before commenting, "It's the wakeup call she needs. She's been moping about for three years, all because she's made up of the remnants of countless spirits that were killed off in what I'm guessing was some twisted experiment."

"What would you call her then?" Atreus asked. "A Revenant with no 'Name'. But she had the power to gain one and matter again. Maybe track down the poor fool forced to make the choice who survived and who would be killed." Mimir said. there was a shift in the air and the fight as Kratos was thrown, breaking a tree. "The Great Mother is not a fool. It is the Creator of my world, who forced her hand." She said heatedly. The Rock around her melted and became a spear that she grabbed. She aimed for Mimir and was about to throw the spear when a modestly clothed and vailed woman of Greek descent grabbed her arm. "That is enough." The woman said softly. The woman looked at Kratos and his angry expression.

"Greetings, Nephew. I must thank you for getting her inner fire to awaken. With that I can do this." The woman slammed blade of divine flame to the heart of the Dawn, who fell to the ground. "May this gift rekindle the hope in your heart." The woman said to The Dawn. "Please take her to your camp. I will answer your questions there." She told Kratos, who grunted and threw The Dawn over his shoulder. "Boy! we're headed home." He barked at his son. He also took Mimir's said and clipped it to his belt.

An hour later

God of War Universe

Midgard

Nordic territory

Kratos' cabin

"Why are you here. Hestia?" Kratos asked, annoyed that one of the remaining Greek gods was visiting him. "You could say that she is a creation of one of 'my' children in another universe. That Hestia is still a virgin goddess, but she did a loophole." The Woman, Hestia, said as she started a fire in the hearth. "How did she do that? you don't break Oaths like yours without bad things happening." Mimir asked. "A Deal, so enticing Eris got in on it, that bound the Laskaris Clan to serve me for all eternity no matter how many generations go by. In return to for a better life, chaos will whisk them away but return them home alive. Thus, this 'curse' they inflicted upon themselves was coined as the Laskaris Law." She explained.

"Very crafty." Mimir said, impressed.

"But what did you do to the Revenant?" Atreus asked. The Dawn was resting on a pile of furs as glowing energy flowed across her armored body. "I gave her a mix of my power, the flames of my hearth and a shard of Hope. It will give her the last push needed to stabilize her existence. It's up to her to find her path back to the 'Great Mother'."

"What of the other power that was in the flame?" Kratos asked. "small portions of power from the other Greek faction members, even the ones that are no longer around. It was squirreled away by Chaos for whatever they had." Hestia said. "No one understands that being." Mimir comments. "They do what they want and have plans that stretch eternity at times. If she's going to get a name, she'll be a 'High Spirit' at least. I'd say that Chaos is going to use her ascension as some divine prank. But that is just what my prankster instincts are telling me."

Flash back end

The hidden paths between worlds

The Dawn walked the strange paths she had found when she crossed to the Great Mother's home universe. Secret passages that were created by unknown means. A strange yet powerful feeling old Fisherman had pointed out a 'shimmer' in a cave in the world she had landed in upon her return to this universe. That was how she first found the secret paths that 'connected' the worlds without connecting them. It was a maze of paths, but she was following a string, that she felt in her heart, would lead her to the Great Mother. She looked at the ball of string that hummed with a light blue glow. The end of it was a Sparrow, made of the string and still connected to it the coiled ball, calling at her to follow it.

"You better not lead me to another detour like last time." The Dawn said sternly. The string bird acted like it didn't hear anything. It was leading her to worlds that had problems. some so small she fixed it with ease, like with the crystal she left with the Ghostbusters. All it did was soothed frayed nerves metaphorically speaking just by being there. Then there were worlds that had a 'cancer' that needed to be dealt with, like the Darkspawn and their source, that took much longer. She couldn't bring herself to hate the little bird. She remembered being told the Great Mother had a sister who took the form of one when she wanted to fly as a bird. She heard from a path words being echoed. "To infinity and Beyond!" Oh Boy. That reminded her of a mountain of red tape she got tangled in after she 'infiltrated' Star command HQ because of that string's directions.

Flashback

Two months ago

Star Command 'world' (It's more of a universe but it's beyond a wormhole that is not safe for travel by any means)

Star Command in orbit of Capital Planet

Holding cell block C

"What Possessed you to sneak your way into this space station." Zeb Nebula, more commonly known as Commander Nebula, bellowed at her as she sat in a cell that had field blocking her exit. The Space Ranger (who wore the same suit as Buzz Lightyear) had a big gray mustache, that was curling in on itself, and big gray eyebrows. He also had a peg gun leg for his left leg. "Where am I? Do you know where I can find the Great Mother?" The Dawn asked. Commander Nebula's anger spiked but he just turned to Buzz, who was stand with him, and ordered, "Deal with this weirdo." Then stomped off.

"Who is this 'Great Mother' you are seeking and how did you get here?" Buzz asked. "I followed the string. I'm going to need it back." The Dawn said. "Can't do that. There is a lot of red tape to deal with before we can return your ball of string." Buzz said, activating his logging device. "The intruder appears to be a female being that is seeking her 'mother'. Her skin is scale armor with no sign being removable. Likely a defense developed to survive harsh environments." He watches her eat and drink what they gave her. "Helmet appears to let things through when she wants to eat or drink." He comments.

"The Great Mother is the one who watched over us after the cold-hearted Creator made the world and left with her in charge with cruel strings in place." The Dawn stated. "Correction. The 'Great Mother' is a local Deity for her world." He listens to her explanation until it came to the topic of the 'World's End Festival' and the fact she was a Revenant of those that were lost to the cycle. "Do you know where this 'creator' is. I have strong words for someone who forced such a system to exist." Buzz asked with a scowl.

"You will not find him. He is only found when he wants to be found." The Dawn said, "Rejoice for the Cycle is over, and the newborn spirits bear no fear being broken down to dust to remake the world stronger than before." Buzz walks away saying into his log, "The 'Great Mother' appears to be a tool for a villain of a creator. I will move for 'The Dawn' to be released on a lighter punishment. Buzz Lightyear of Star Command out."

An hour later

Star Command 'world'

Star Command in orbit of Capital Planet

Commander Nebula's office

"I am not authorizing a manhunt for this 'creator'." Commander Nebula said not looking at Buzz. He was neck deep in rulebooks to figure how to get The Dawn out of his hair. "But if you run into him, feel free to arrest him on sight." Buzz smiled and saluted. "Thank you, sir." Commander Nebula smiled almost evilly as he scanned a bylaw. "Don't thank me yet, Buzz. You are going to be her minder until she can get her 'ball of string' back and continue her search, away from here. Where you go, she goes." He ordered. "Even on missions?" Buzz asked. "Even to Planet Z, fighting Emperor Zurg, she must be with you." Commander Nebula said, filling out the paperwork to make it ironclad. "I will carry out this duty with everything I've got." Buzz said.

Two hours later

Star Command 'world'

Star Command in orbit of Capital Planet

Training Deck

Control Room

"Why the hard look, Buzz?" Booster, a large and wide red skinned alien who had been a janitor before he became a space ranger, asked. "Yeah, and who is the scaly being that is training?" XR, a robot ranger that had tank treads instead of feet and easily put back together, asked. His thin bronze tube like head was floated in his clear dome. "She is known as The Dawn and is going be watched by me at all times." Mira Nova, a red haired blue skinned Tangean Royal, watched as the levels of difficulty was raised. Her kind had phasing and mind reading powers. "What did she do?" She asked, watching The Dawn melt a robot to slag then reshape it into a shield to block lasers. "In her search for the one she calls 'The Great Mother', she infiltrated this space station, without even knowing where she was traveling." Buzz said.

"What?" was the collective response from Team Lightyear (the name of the Space Ranger team they were on with Buzz leading them.) "How did she bypass the defenses?" Booster asked, "We overhauled the whole system after Zurg found a hole to the exploit."

"Magic string." Buzz answered. It guided her in the hidden paths that crisscross the universe with exits to everywhere. Not that it's a viable travel method. It's a maze that is impossible to navigate." As he explained this a spying bug, with tiny Z on its back, self-destructed to hid it had ever been there. "Only 'The Dawn' can use it as far as the LGM (Little Green Men) can tell. And it's got a mind of its own, leading to detours." The Dawn was facing down giant robots that fired glue like capture bubbles, the higher end of difficulty that only the best Space Rangers can handle. She used the metal of the bots she beat to form throwing knives and hitting the joints as she dodged, crimpling their movement.

Elsewhere at the same time

Star Command 'world'

Planet Z

Zurg's base

"Emperor Zurg, one of the remaining spy bugs found something interesting." A Grub, a short bug like alien, reported as he read data on his computer. Evil Emperor Zurg, a purple and gray with red trim robotic being with a green 'mouth', leaned forward in his throne. "Go on." He ordered. The Grub played what the bug has recorded before self-destructing. "a 'map' to the Webway (Yes I'm borrowing the name from 40K but it perfectly for the paths it refers to in this fic) and it's handheld size." Zurg said. Brain Pod 46, an alien that is a brain with eyes and a few tendrils inside of a robotic body, rolled up with clip board. "Emperor Zurg, we have made a breakthrough in the magical scanner technology front, as you requested." Brain Pod 46 said, praying Zurg wasn't going eye laser him.

"Get on with it." Zurg said. "The latest prototype scanner has been able to detect multiple magical sources individually without them blending together as the last one had." Brain Pod 46 reported, "The Bad news is that we haven't gotten it scaled to a handheld size as you requested. At this moment, it can be mounted on a Space Cruiser." Brain Pod waited for the eye lasers but Zurg just said, "Prepare it for the next time Star Command send out the research transport ships." A Grub answered the unsaid question. "Another Spy bug overheard the next shipment is in five weeks, with the ball of string on the manifest. That is the last of the spy bugs we had in Star Command, Emperor Zurg."

"No matter. They were a failed plan that bore unexpected fruit." Zurg said. "We will will use that time to fine tune the scan as much as possible." Brain Pod 46 stated then fleeing to the labs.

A few weeks later

Star Command 'world'

Star Command in orbit of Capital Planet

Science Bay

The LGMs were short green skinned three eyes elf eared aliens with a single antenna on there head and they all wore blue uniforms. They were 'one-minded' and were brilliant when it came to making stuff. "Please show us the Great Mother, united one." They asked The Dawn. "We will provide all you need." A crate falls up to show crushed cubes from junk yard. "I only seen her vague appearance, but I will try." The Dawn said as she used her numerous minor abilities to shapes elements to make the crushed cubes into a clay-like state. It was the same way she made her weapons on the fly. She remembered a dream and found inspiration.

An hour later

The Statue was for a 12-winged female with a drawn bow, ready to fire an arrow of blackest night. "The face is quite detailed." Buzz said, looked at the expression unbreakable resolve on the statue. He ran the title on the name plate into his translator. "Death's Salvation." He read. "can you explain the reasoning behind this?" He asked her. The Dawn tried to put it into words. "It was an odd dream, yet more than a dream. I was in a void. Then the Great Mother appeared in this form." He indicates the statue, "The arrow was 'DEATH' incarnate, but it and it's aura of death was aimed at a beast I could not describe even if I wanted to. The dream ended the moment she let loose." She looks at the statue with an expression pain. "She was in extreme pain as she fired it. It must have been the only way to slay the beast."

"Sometimes we have to take actions that harm us to save lives." Ty Parsec, a tan skinned dark brown human space ranger, said as he looked at the statue. He was thinner that Buzz. "Your Great Mother has my respect if she did what you implied." He said, "I've got good news and bad news. Good News is you can have your ball of string back, but not yet. The Bad news is that it needs to be sent to an independent lab to be cleared. The only ones that know which lab is the ones in the know. I'm clearly not special enough to have that honor." He says in a grouchy manner. "Even Buzz is out of loop and he's a top ranger." He added with a smirk.

Buzz took the dig with grace and said, "It's to prevent people like Zurg from figuring out which shipment has what. Only the Top Brass are privy to that information." One of the LGM comments, "We are aware of what is on the manifest but not what lab get what. You may read the manifest if you wish." They let her pick up the clipboard that held the manifest. "These don't sound too dangerous." The Dawn comments flipping through the list. "Those are controlled substances that are deemed 'semi-legal' by the Galactic Alliance. The labs are going to be testing if they can be used in ways that might make even Zurg quake in his rocket boots." Ty Parsec said after he took the manifest and read it himself.

"That sounds extremely ill advised." The Dawn pointed out. "That's why it's done on artificial planetoid space stations away from any planet." LX, the robot before XR, stated. He had a red metal head and his current body was a photocopier/fax machine. "LX, former combat unit before I went AWOL for a while." LX said extending a hand to The Dawn. "I see. And are they well protected?" The Dawn asked. "Zurg doesn't dare attack the stations themselves because of the work they do. One wrong laser blast and the area could be space dust at best. Or at least that's what Commander Nebula says." LX comments. "I've been keeping track of your record as a member of Team Lightyear, and it's interesting." LX says.

He prints out document. "Let's see, recapturing the escaped space rodeo animal that they got for its spirited nature. Herding civilians to safety using your own body as shield in the middle of fire fight. And numerous instances of screwing with the laws of reality by making that strange metal." He taps the statue she had made as proof.

16 days later

Star Command 'world'

Star Command in orbit of Capital Planet

Science Bay

"We haven't tracked down Warp Darkmatter or the shipment he stole." An LGM said apologetically to The Dawn. "I have an idea." LX said, recalling his encounters with the rogue Space Ranger in the past. "Offer him a deal. He is a little vain/picky about his appearance. You made an amazing art piece and we may be able to get him to talk if we 'bribe' him." LX outlined his plan. "At most we'll get information from him but it's technically not against the rules as you are not bound by the Star Command Vows or rules." Commander Nebula's voice roared, making almost everyone jump, "You want to do what!" He stomped into the lab with a more annoyed than normal look on his face.

"Um, Sir. I wanted to exploit Warp's ego to get information without tipping Zurg off too badly." LX said shaking. Commander Nebula grinned out of nowhere and said, "Good plan. Come with me and fill me in on all the details." He said this in a way that framed it as an order. LX followed him out.

A week later

Star Command 'world'

Star Command in orbit of Capital Planet

The worked much better than expected. They got the ball of string back but not the shipment of cleaning supplies. Zurg needed it because it to clean him base and he was too cheap to buy it. He also was wasn't too angry about ball of string not working for him. That worried everyone because who knew what plans he had in the works. "Your magic ball of string has been deemed safe to return. Please warn us next time you drop by." Commander Nebula said.

End of flashback

Current time

The Webway

The Dawn what broken out of her memories as the string sparrow stopped at an anomaly in the path she had been following. A portal to an unknown time period hung there in the airless space, flickering between a man in a robe and a lab with a dark-haired woman in a white outfit. Feeling the evil intention from the robed man, The Dawn timed the special metal 'baseball' she threw to enter the portal when he was in view. No one could blame her for assassinating someone that was clearly evil, that and she'd avoid whatever place and time that was.

The Robed man caught the thrown ball with his face, granting an instant death, painting the room as his headless body falls to the ground. The Portal starts to act erratically, and she gets pulled in when the string Sparrow flies into it when the woman is in view. 'This better be a friendly place.' was all The Dawn could think as the portal swallowed her.

A few minutes before

Agent Earth (Martin Mystery and Totally Spies world)

Unknown place

The Center

The Core

"Billy, what can you tell me about this portal?" M.O.M., the dark-haired woman in white, asked as she watched a fluctuating portal. A small green skinned alien riding a hover chair answered. "It appears that the evil creep (the robed man) is just as in the dark as we are. The portal seems to be connected to the Webway." Billy explained as they looked at The Dawn and the string sparrow shaping a metal 'baseball' then going into a pitcher pose. The Portal flickered to the old man showing the aftermath of the pitch. "And he's dead." Billy comments, "The portal is no longer connected on his end." Billy says as guards readied guns because the 'unknown beings' were breaching the portal from the webway.

"You blasted bird! Why did you drag me here?" The Dawn yelled at the string Sparrow who just 'deactivated' itself smugly. "If I didn't need you to find The Great Mother, you'd be put on a shelf." The Dawn stated annoyed, putting the ball away. "Hands in the air and state your intentions." M.O.M. ordered as the guns were aimed to disable The Dawn should she be hostile to The Center. "I have no idea where this is, but if me killing the evil old man made you worried, relax. I only did it because I felt his nasty intentions for the unexpected portal." The Dawn made a gaging sound. "It was so sickly sweet I'd hurl if I could."

"I hope you don't make a habit of killing every evil you come across." M.O.M. said. "Oh no, I've got a strong moral compass. He was as last as that demonic plague I eradicated, ending the trapped lives of thousands to millions of victims used as tools to spread the infection like what The Great Mother called zombies." The Dawn explained. "That sounds awful." Billy said scanning The Dawn. "All known and a lot of unknown elements are detected in her makeup. The scales appear to be dragon scales with no seams, straps or nails visible." He reported as The Dawn waited with her hands up. "It's going to take a while for the system to get full results, if she is willing to step onto the scanner, it'd be faster."

"I am willing to let you scan me, but no experimenting without my consent." The Dawn said with a 'no argument' voice. "That's agreeable." M.O.M. says, puts up a hand, the guards stand down, then ordering Billy to take her to the scanner room.

A few hours later

Agent Earth

Unknown place

The Center

The Core

Director's Office

M.O.M. sat behind her desk reading the report. The being with the title 'The Dawn' was Nameless Divine Spirit composed of countless lesser spirits of too many elemental types to count, hence the makeup report being so long. M.O.M. sighed. "This is worse than the end of the world. At least with that, we can figure out how to prevent it. This is too chaotic to deal with." She says. She gets down to the part of the report detailing list of known powers The Dawn had and it was long. A lot of minor powers and Cantrips (simple tricks) were most of it the many powers.

"She is quite good at making use of her powers despite the lack of powerful skills." M.O.M. stated as she watched video on The Dawn showing off her 'matter shaping' skill. Two of the listed power caught her eye. The first was Hope, but it had to describe other than a note says The Dawn insisted they capitalize it. And the other no name but had an interesting description. "The scale armor is a metaphysical defense that is powered by The Dawn's force of will and what she describes as 'a black sea that birthed this body'." M.O.M. read, then stands up and accessed her personal, and hidden, Legendex (a database of supernatural and mundane information that is much vaster than the one her agents use.) for more information.

It didn't take long for her to find that the 'black sea' was the sea of creation spawned by Tiamat, the primal mother of Mesopotamian Legend, and that was chilling information. This Being was 'adopted' by a creation goddess along with an origin story she was telling Billy at this moment. It was taking a little bit of time for him to transcribe it to the database. She noted that The Dawn could change her appearance, but she never had a need to use that power for the almost eleven years she existed as she currently was. M.O.M. understood that she hasn't had enough time to figure out the whole scope of her powers, but it was odd that she never tried to use that power at all.

A few days later

Agent Earth

Unknown place

The Center

The Core

Director's Office

M.O.M. sat behind desk and what telling three of her agents their next long-term mission. Martin Mystery, a 16-year-old blonde haired hot shot that still got the job done. Diana Lombard, Martin's brown-haired stepsister who was the same age as him but was more book smarts compared to him. And Java, a black-haired caveman that was born 200,000 years ago but time portals spat him out and The Center hired him and helped him blend into the modern age. "You will be watching a being known as 'The Dawn'. She is dangerous if provoked but her temper normal enough if you don't insult her 'mother'." M.O.M. stated looking at Martin as she this.

"Right, be respectful. Got it M.O.M." Martin said, "What can she do?" He asked. M.O.M. brought up a holo-screen with all the known powers and how strong they were. "Is this accurate? Because that is allot of powers for one being to have." Diana said with dread. M.O.M. answer was crisp and to the point. "She is a composite being who is made of spirits that number 'greater than the stars in the sky' those are her words." M.O.M. remembers something, "Do not ask why she came to be that way. She is a type of Revenant and I don't want to see how she reacts to being reminded of bad memories."

"So, she's born of multiple spirits that died somehow. That's harsh." Martin said. "What is Revenant?" Java asked scratching his head in confusion. "It's when a being dies but has a will so strong, they come back in some form, most of the time it's as a ghost." Diana said, "Martin knows more about that kind of thing from his movies and comics. Why isn't a name listed?" She asked as she looked at the profile complete with photos of The Dawn's default appearance.

M.O.M. sighed, "She doesn't have one. She is seeking 'The Great Mother' to gain a 'Name' with a capital n, not lowercase." Martin got it. "She lacks a 'true name' or a name that defines her existence. It's a big deal with supernatural beings to have a Name. Titles are nice and all but having a Name means you are important and remembered." He explained. "I'm betting that this Great Mother granting the Name means that The Dawn will be swearing loyalty and service to her." Billy floated in saying, "that's about right." With him was young girl of Greek descent with ashy red hair and clothes that had faint scale pattern to them. She looked ten at most and had eyes that looked like they were colored with fire.

"She is your distant cousin, 'Dawn Laskaris' who will be staying at the dorms with you." M.O.M. ordered, telling them the cover story. "Your Principal, Mr. Pebbleton, already knows and expects you two to alternate taking her to classes, in hopes she joins Torrington Academy when she is of age." Martin was a little worried and voiced his issue, "Won't the Laskaris Clan be annoyed about someone using their clan name as a cover name?" M.O.M. smirked at Martin's wise question. "It was green lit by their Patron Goddess, Hestia." She shows them a thin scroll with a message in ancient Greek. "Lady Hestia is kind." 'Dawn' said with a voice that was softer than normal (because she was 'younger'). "I hope we get along in the coming days." Martin smiled and asked, "Can you tell us about where you are from later? I'm interested in hearing about The Great Mother, who I am sure is one of the best moms you could ask for." 'Dawn had a radiant smile as she hugged him. "Dial your strength back little please. Little girls aren't that strong." Martin said giving her tips on not breaking cover. 'Dawn' blushed a little. She wasn't sure strong humans were on every world and had hugged him a little too hard.

Author's note: The Dawn has much to learn before she crosses paths with Electra. Yes the creepy robed man she killed is important. See you next time.