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This chapter has spoilers for, Kingdom Hearts, Zoids, Fruit Basket, Worm, Dark Souls, Hellsing ultimate, Star wars, Despicable Me, Minions, Soul Eater, Spooky's Jumpscare Mansion and it's DLC, Hades (the Supergiant Games game), Birdy the Mighty, Megaman, SCP Foundation
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Chapter 26: Seasons
Planet Zi
Zane's base
"Thanks for the parts." Bit Cloud, a blonde-haired junk dealer, as he climbed into his armored truck with clocking tech. "And thank you for that juicy information." Zane said with a grin behind his mask. "That thing nearly blasted me. I hope it's the zoid you are looking for." As the truck drove Off, Zane looked at the zoids in his collection. A Storm Sworder FX, a Pteranodon-type Zoid that could travel Mach 4 at top speed. A Gil Vader a large but extremely fast Wyvern-type Zoid that could match the Storm Sworder FX's top speed, despite being much bigger and heavier. A Geno Saurer, a Tyrannosaurus-type Zoid with deadly charged particle cannons. These were rare zoids and kept hidden among the more common zoids, like the Cannon Tortoise, a slow-moving turtle zoid with a cannon on its back.
He jumped into a Guysak, a scorpion zoid that Zane had given an array of upgrades to make it easier to travel across even the rockiest of land. He'd need it to travel where Bit saw 'THAT' Zoid. It had been something He had made and let loose many years ago, Time Travel is useful to talk to lost civilizations. He had used Ancient Zoidian tech to 'recreate' the Death Stinger, or at least his version of it, he made sure to use the original as reference point. He went as far as making an organoid, a smaller zoid that can 'join' with a zoid enhancing it, linked to him as they were with the Ancient Zoidains in the past. Speak of the devil, a beam of light hit the zoid he was in and Zane was berated for daring to leave her behind.
"Sorry Athena, I wanted to reunite with the 'Ultimate X' (a Zoid with an integrated Organoid System) I let loose. Can you imagine how strong and smart he's gotten? There have been wars over the centuries he has been roaming Zi." Zane said, getting growl/roar that meant he was forgiven, this time.
A few hours later
Planet Zi
Near the Ander Sea
"This is the place." Zane said, noting the battle scars (burns, slashes and other marks left by a fight) on the land below them as they walked along the bottom of a rocky shelf. He could smell the plasma burns a Charged Particle weapon left on the rocks, recent too. Athena pointed a pincer below them at a battle happening. A blue and red sea scorpion zoid was just finished driving out zoids and had taken a black judge capsule hostage. Judges, sometimes called Judgemen, were robots with 'flag hands' (one blue and one red) and a face screen that would display the battle mode number that were dropped from space to oversee Zoid battles. As far as Zane knew they were white, so this judge was not working for the Zoid Battle Commission.
"Get back! You do not attack the Dark Judge!" The Dark Judge yelled as the Death Stringer pointed an AZ 35 mm Vulcan Gun at the Dark judge hissing angrily. "Ares! May I have a chat with the Dark Judge?" Zane yelled as the Guysak walked down the cliff, giving gravity the finger, to stand next to the duo. The Death Stinger, known as Ares, hissed a happy greeting and let Zane have a chat with his hostage. "Who do you work for, because I know that legal judges have white shells?" Zane asked, using the communication system to talk without getting out of the zoid. "I work for the Backdraft group!" The Dark Judge yelled after Ares powered up his weapon to 'loosen his tongue'. He spilled all his programing allowed him to share. They were a group that forced illegal Zoid Battles with high stakes I.E. lose and they take everything from you. "I'm going to reprogram you." Zane said. "How does campfire red sound?" The Dark Judge was confused until Zane got out of his Zoid and shoved an arm shrouded in digital energy into the robot's body.
"Hmm, He really doesn't know anything else." Zane mused as he altered the programing, cutting off the connection to the Backdraft Judge Network, which had no sensitive information or connection to servers that would have it. "Can you carry this to my base?" He asked the two scorpion zoids, who work together to pick up the capsule as Zane worked at removing the traps the Backdraft group installed into the Dark Judge.
A few days later
Planet Zi
Zane's base
"You captured a Dark Judge?" The Zoid Battle Commission's chief, an older man with gray hair, full beard and mustache, asked from the monitor in Zane's zoid work room. He was replacing the parts and changing out the shell of the judge and Judge Capsule. "Yeah, the file I sent you is all the information I pulled from their judge network. They made sure to not included current GPS data for more than five minutes. Nor did they have any names other than an incomplete list of the zoids they commonly use." Zane said inserting a new 'personality AI' into the former Dark Judge.
"We will wire you a cash reward for the information you provided. We look forward to seeing you battle." The chief said ending the call. The Judgeman booted up and stretch his arms out with a 'yawn'. "Having a body is so weird." He said 'looking' at his body. "Really? A flat foot and one leg. Hands that can barely hold anything. And a face without, well, a face." He ranted, looking at a reflective surface. "Please don't be a drama queen like your namesake, Zeus." Zane asked. Zeus was a 'true' AI like Samuel that he had created. Zeus had a database on everything about Planet Zi. "It took you forever to get me a body. My siblings got cool bodies. Ares is the legendry beast that lurks int the seas for thousands of years. The last big threat was the Death Sauer roughly a thousand years ago. Anthea is an organoid and has been using zoids to spy over the same period. Most of the zoids you have are ones she 'obtained' since before Zoid battles had 'a set of rules and regulations'." Zeus said. "Just warning you, but Van Flyheight's Blade Liger is still alive and roaming to this day."
Zane smirked. "That Zoid is living proof that there is no 'bad' zoid. It just takes a lot of skill and a sharp mind to grab victory." He said. "That's nice and all, but you left me in the hidden database without a body for a long time." Zeus jabs a hand at Zane. "I demand repayment." Zane laughed and types away at keyboard, bringing up a flyer. "Hearth Cup, battle for glory and prizes. Grand Prize: A Zoid of your choice from a preselected selection and a large cash prize." Zeus read. The runners-up got cash and zoid parts. Zeus paused at the mention of a 'wandering Judge' that would scout teams for the event over a four year period.
"You named me the Talent scout for this event?" Zeus asked. He whooped for joy. Athena, who's body looked like a sunset colored sleek metal raptor like dinosaur zoid about a foot taller than Zane. "Zeus just learned he's the head judge of the new event I thought up working on his body." Zane said, seeing her questioning head tilt. "You better make my pod super protected." Zeus said. "Soon as I finish the satellite, I'll install an E-Shield like Ares has. Don't want it being shot down by a blast like the Death Saurer can fire." Zane said as he was writing lines of programing. "The only time your pod will drop when you believe one of the teams that were battling meet the standards I set for the event." Zeus had a sense of pride as he jumped off the worktable and fell flat. Athena laughed at his 'first step'. "Very funny, sister." Zeus groaned, standing up then discovering he could hover. "This is traveling in style." Zeus said as he moved about smoothly.
A few weeks later
Planet Zi
Blitz Team Base
Command Center
"Blitz Team, I heard of the very interesting Zoid you have." Zane said over a video call. Dr. Steve Toros, a dark-haired man who were a sea green lab coat all the time, leaned forward with an excited grin. "Zane Laskaris owner of so many Zoids you could man an army with zoids to spare. What's the reason for the call?" He asked. "I understand you took a customer of mine under your wing. A Bit Cloud, rough around the edges but has the drive to reach of the stars." Zane said. "Yes, he joined the Blitz Team and pilots the Liger Zero." Dr. Toros said. "I'm coming over to look at your zoids. Expect me in a few days." Zane said ending the call just as the Blitz Team members entered.
"Was that a challenge to battle?" a long brown-haired teen, named Brad, asked. "Even better. The Zane Laskaris is coming here!" Dr. Toros said doing a little dance. "You're kidding, right?" Jamie, a teen with short spike black hair, said. He was the team strategist. Leena, the red haired hotheaded teenaged daughter of Dr. Steve Toros was in a thinking pose. "Where have I heard that name?" Her brown-haired elder brother, Leon, who had a broken arm in a sling, had wide eyes. "the one you bought my Shield Liger and Leena's Dibison from." He asked. "Exactly!" Dr. Toros said, "And he' coming to look at our zoids."
"I wonder if he's got any weapons I could by for Liger." Bit mused. "Maybe an AZ 208 mm Triple-Barreled Shock Cannon. That would work well." Jamie was quick to remind him that they had match with the Fluegel Team tomorrow and he needed a ranged weapon to participate. Bit left in a hurry. "I swear he's clueless at times." Leena said. "Maybe I can get I good deal because Bit I friends with Zane," Dr. Steve Toros said with a dreamy look on his face. "I should ask if he can tune up my Command Wolf. The aiming system is drifting." Brad pointed out.
A few days later
Planet Zi
Blitz Team Base
Leon had left the blitz team to see the world and hone his skills. Bit was out in the warehouse tuning up the jeep they used to make runs into town when he heard a zoid approaching. "A maroon Gustav? (it's a zoid modeled after a woodlouse). Doc! A zoid is coming." Bit yells at Dr. Toros looks up from his inventory sorting. "What kind?" He yelled back. Bit tells him as Leena and Jamie come over. Brad was trying to fix his Command Wolf after the last battle. The zoid rolled up pulling a trailer with crates behind it. "If it isn't the trigger-happy Leena?" Zane said as the cockpit opened. "What's with the paint job?" Bit asked. "This is Moonbay II. Named after Moonbay the Transporter, a war hero from over a thousand years ago." Zane said, leaving out the face the zoid was Moonbay's Gustav. "She's reliable and you'd need a super weapon to punch through her armor." Zane praised the zoid. Dr. Toros smirked. "You made sure that history is not forgotten, the good and the bad." He said as Zane walked past him and took over the repair job on Brad's Command Wolf, telling Brad to take a break.
"Are you going to ask about that 'phantom zoid' that blasted you?" Brad asked Bit. "I told you! A giant scorpion tail came out of the water and fired a Charged particle beam, as a warning shot, near my van when it was cloaked. I paid good money to have it be hard to detect, by any radar system. Infrared, light, the works." Bit said annoyed. "What kind of scorpion zoid has that kind of weaponry?" Leena said. "The energy requirements would be too extreme for any zoid still around today." She said off hand. Jamie and Dr. Toros had a look of fear and respect.
"There is one zoid that meets the requirements. Doc can explain better." Jamie said. "Since the time when the Ancient Zoidains ruled, there has a zoid that has been in more battles than anyone else could dream. Every time it lost a battle it would learn. This Zoid and its terrifying battle record has earned it the title, Ares, the Beast of War. It is a master of land and sea battle." Dr. Toros explained. "a fleet of airborne zoids were blasted out of the sky with its tail mounted Charged Particle Cannon. Do not challenge it if you encounter it. It is a wild zoid that wanderers in hopes of a battle like those that happened in the past."
"Ares? That sounds like a fairy tale they tell to spook kids into being nice." Brad mused. "It is." Dr. Toros said, "the coastal towns and cities have great respect for the zoid and in return it doesn't destroy their zoids when youth challenge it." Zane chuckled to himself as he overheard this. Ares didn't stay at the base and had left by the next morning, with knowledge of Zane's current base. He scuttled off 'saying' something about a test he had to administer. It was nice to get an answer at last. Learning that teaching was just as rewarding was a good sign in Zane's book and something, he hoped Ares would learn at some point. Zane grabbed a tool and started to fix the aiming system of the Command Wolf. He needed to replace few chips that fried from overheating. A common problem that was easily remedied.
"What kind of Zoid does he pilot?" Brad asked. Dr. Toros paused. "I don't recall ever seeing his personal zoid. He has a Guysak, that is made for ease of travel and stealth, among many zoids, a few of them quite rare." Dr. Toros said, drooling a little a he was a zoid fanatic and Zane's collection was expansive. Multiple bases across Planet Zi and all of them hidden in different ways. "He says it's a monster of a zoid built for war." Bit said with a shrug, "Never said anything else about it or than the Battle Commission doesn't let him use it save for 'B-Rank battles and above or extremely problematic situations', their wording not his." Bit said then did an impression of Zane, "When I use my personal Zoid, my foes with be facing a partnership so in sync it's hard to tell where the pilot ends and zoid begins."
"It will be while before you can challenge him, Bit, you too Brad." Jamie said. "We are barely C-Rank and the rank gap gets wider with each one." Leena looked as Zane moved on to her zoid and looked worried as Zane said "You are lucky that I reinforced the gun barrels when I sold it to you! Otherwise you'd melt them with your spray a pray habits!" Leena bowed his direction, "Thank you for your thoughtfulness." She said like a scolded child. "Wow, never heard Zane sound so commanding." Bit said, "That's because you don't almost kill the guns on your zoid!" Zane yelled. "I got you a triple barrel shock cannon for your zoid." Bit gave a thumbs up yelling, "You're the best."
A few weeks later
Planet Zi
Bird Nest Rest (A nondescript Sports Bar)
Zane was sitting in a both enjoy bar food and some adult beverages when he heard heels clicking on the floor and whispers. "So, I hear you have some interesting zoids, Zane Laskaris." A black-haired kid, that looked nine or ten at most, says to Zane. With the kid was a dark blue haired woman in a blue suit dress. Zane finish the loaded potato skin he was eating then asked, "Is there a reason you brought your kid into a bar?" Zane asked the lady. "Sarah is my caretaker, and I asked her to track you down. I'm Vega Obscura." The kid says as they take a seat across from Zane.
"And why is that?" Zane asked. "I was hoping to see some of your zoids, the unusual ones with history." Vega asked with a gleam in his eye. Zane sighed, "Kid, they are hard to control and I don't want you hurt because you try to jump into a zoid that survived the test of time." Zane said as a test. "How about the one that is said to protect a hidden base, you currently own, even after its owner left it behind for 50 plus years before the war a thousand years ago happened." Sarah inquired. "as long as we don't mess with the base it won't attack us, right?" She said this with a smirk.
"Fine, I'll take you to see the white Gordos (Stegosarus Zoid). I don't pilot him, but we have working relationship. He keeps the base safe and I can use it while he keeps it safe until he fossilizes. He's following the last orders he was given, 'protect the base'." Zane said as Sarah ordered food. "The Tiger team is going to lose." Vega commented watching an ongoing Zoid battle on the TV. "If they ever get their bruised ego's out of the way, they could get out of their rut." Zane comments.
"I guess but they need to sharpen their battling skills too." Vega critiqued all the flaws he saw from the TV. Zane whistled impressed. "You know your Zoids and battle better than adults three times your age." Zane said making a crack at a guy whose bets were always wrong as far as Zane had seen of the last few months he been on the planet. Said guy growled and stomped over to 'teach Zane a lesson'. "watch and learn how to fight outside of a zoid." Zane said as he got up to prevent the half-drunk moron from messing with his food or drink. "You have bad luck for most of your bets as far as I can tell. You always seem to bet on the 'bigger and stronger' zoids." Zane lectured.
The moron graded a bottle to smash over Zane's head but fell as Zane kicked his legs out from under him. Zane grabbed his arm mid-fall and throw him out of the bar, snagging his wallet, which Zane gave to the bartender to cover what the moron owed. "A perfect throw." The bald bar tender grunts as clapping was heard from everyone. "Is that a normal occurrence?" Sarah asked the waitress who brough her order. "Uncle Zane is the unofficial bouncer of the bar." Sasha, an olive-skinned girl, barely 20 years old, with hair like fire, said as she set down the plates of food. "Normally we have a bouncer, Fred, but he got lost a few months ago. He'll show up at some point." Sarah arched a brow and looked at Sasha then at Zane. "I can see the resemblance but why aren't you more worried about this 'Fred'?" She asked. Sasha laughed and stated, "As long as the Laskaris Clan lives, a 'curse' of chaos will follow them. Getting lost for a while is normal for us. My older brother will come back will a crazy tale to share. Enjoy the food." Sasha returns to the kitchen to grab more orders.
"I swear, bars have all the crazies." Zane said sitting back down. Seeing her questioning look, he said, "I'm not her uncle exactly but my family three to too complicated and I older than her, hence 'Uncle'." Vega was deep in thought. "I see why you frequent this place." Sarah said, internally making plans for how the Backdraft Group would deal with a wild card like him. "I know who you work for and I don't care as long as we don't step on each other's toes." Zane said. "don't go snooping in my stuff and I'll stay out of your plans until the Battle Commission tells me to let the 'beast' out to play." Sarah hid her fear well. "We will ignore the rogue robot you 'took' from us existed." She said relying a message from the leaders of the Backdraft group. "I'm glad we reached an understanding." Zane said as Vega said, "I could use wat you did in a zoid fight. Not exactly play for play but the idea. But the idea of aiming for weakened leg can work." Vega started outlining plans as he ate what Sarah ordered for him. Yes, they were a part of the Backdraft Group but as Zane said, he did not care at this moment.
A few hours Later
Planet Zi
Laskaris Art Museum
"What is this set of painting about?" Vega asked looking at a series of painting depicting crystalline 'worms' being destroyed then reformed and a blue 'sun' sending a flood of rings to the distant planets. "These paintings were uncovered a few weeks ago. It seems to tell of a race of 'crystal worms' that were 'punished' for trying to enact a 'interplanetary genocide' plan by any unknown force of chaos." Zane said. "And the sun scattering rings that look like the one on your fingers." Sarah asked, looking around that the guards at the door of the exhibit hall. Zane had decided to give them a VIP tour of the newest exhibit at a Museum that was named after his clan. A clan Member helped the founder build it.
"I'm getting to that. This ring," he shows them a band of white and blue metal on his right hand, "Is just one of many rings believed to linked to this unknown star. They were sent across the cosmos to allow the star to 'eat' curses." He leads them to a detailed sculpture of a planet with 20 mountains of the same height with a temple topped by a star. Each mountain was spaced the same distance from each other like on a D20 dice. "This is believed to be the planet close to the star." Zane said, then gesturing to a scroll under glass. "That scroll details a how 'cursed objects and placed on an altar. When the light of their sun, the star, passes over it, the object is gone. If the living star is feeling generous, the item is returned, curse free. The scroll is quite old but not as old as the paintings and globe. How it got to Planet Zi is unknown."
"I will be going under the radar for a little bit. As in you will not be able to find me unless I want you to." Zane said. "I've got a place to be and it's off the beaten path." Zane wasn't lying about not knowing how the stuff got the planet. He had found the ring he used 'Mt Doom Protocol' for when it fell as a meteor. He tinkered with it and learning it's secrets. He was still searching for the planet with the temples. You might ask, 'why doesn't he just travel through the portal?' and you'd be told that the portal only lets things being offered through and the star could reject an offering at any time. That's why every piece of information he found was important for this 'side project'.
A few days later
Planet Zi
Volcano base
Zane was in a base that was in a super volcano that was built to impossible to reach. It was the place where Zane built zoids so long ago. The reason he was coming back was because he had five more armor sets for the Liger Zero to make after he sent the first three armors. Some of them had blades like the X armor, Gusoku Myokoh armor, Caesar The King armor, and Miko armor. The Real prize was the Mariner armor set. This was an armor set that was for underwater combat. Bit wouldn't get the armor sets until he proves he's mastered the first three to Zane. Jager was a lightly armored blue armor set that was fast enough to back the sound barrier, by running and twin Ion Boosters on its back. Schneider was an orange armor set that had seven energy blades that were used for close combat. It was better armored than the Jager set but not as armored as the third set. Panzer was a heavy artillery focused army green armor set that had tank level thickness of armor, at the cost of agility, and enough fire power to destroy a shower of space debris that could wreck a city. There was a small issue of overheating with the cockpit being a scorching 300 degrees Fahrenheit after the 'Burning Big Bang' attack is used. It wasn't that hot for Zane, but Bit didn't have that advantage.
Zane stopped working as he had a lightbulb moment. In five minutes, he had a set of dog tags with Bit name on it made. It would grant him a very minor fire resistance, so he wasn't cooked alive by that armor set. He wasn't going to tell Bit want it did, only that it was a gift. He put it into a rocket propelled crate and sent it on a crazy path to that would land at the Blitz team base eventually and be untraceable. Zane smirked wondering how they would react to the countdown to 'detonation' he added. It was just to keep them on their toes. A memory surfaced that made Zane scowl. He had watched a 'god' bind 13 animals to him, cursing one for 'daring to reject his offer of eternal bonds'. What a bunch of rubbish. You can't just bind people to your soul for eternity and have banquets, expecting everyone to jump at the chance. Cats are loners by nature and like their space. If Zane ever got the chance, he'd fix that curse.
Two days later
Planet Zi
Blitz Team Base
Bit peeks over the crate after the timer ran out. "I guess it wasn't a bomb after all." Leena said looking from her cover. "This has to be one of Zane's pranks." Dr. Toros said as the crate opened. He took the note and the small box from it. "Dear Bit. if you are reading this than you found my gift enjoy the tags. -Zane. P.S. Two words 'Glitter Bomb'." As Dr. Toros finished reading the crate exploded into a cloud of glitter. Dr. Toros coughed out glitter as he laughed. "I can't really be angry at him for that prank. He must have been itching to do it for some time after I haggled those Armor sets at the price I got."
"What Armor sets?" Brad asked, interested. "For the Liger Zero. Eight armor sets, three up front and the rest after mastery of the first three are to his standards." Dr. Toros said as Bit put the dog tags around his neck. "When can we expect them to arrive?" Bit asked. Liger Zero roared in anticipation. "A week or two. It's being shipped carefully to avoid raiders taking the crates. In the meantime, I need to think up a way to change out the armor mid battle." Dr. Toros said walking away. "How did you know it was a 'bomb'?" Brad asked. Bit had warned them before the timer had appeared. "It was a feeling. Something about it was not right. Zane says it's likely I have Ancient Zoidain somewhere in my family tree but it's too much of hassle to looked that far back. Even if Zane say he could do it for a 'fair price' and 'a written contract'." Bit said.
"you afraid he'll call upon the Deal Maker?" Brad joked. Leena shivered. "That still creeps me out. Asked my dad to tell me a story when I was three and he thought telling me the tale of the miser and the Deal Maker was a bright idea. Nightmares for days and he got an earful from mom." Leena smiled sadly, remembering her dead mom. "I don't think I heard that one." Jamie said handing a broom to Bit to clean up the mess.
The Fairy tale
A young Miser who inherited his father's wealth walked the streets and overheard some men talking about a deal that made them rich. The Miser's gears turned, and he approached the two men. "I could help but overhear you. What business did you invest in?" He asked. The men shared looks. "Sir, before I tell you, I must warn you of the rules." The middle-class man said, "Never ask for what you aren't willing to pay for. Never disrespect the Deal Maker and his followers. And most importantly, never break the contract." He said gravely. The Miser mentally scoffed. His father had screwed over plenty of people by wording the contract exactly right. Sure, he cheated but the judge, nor the lawyers, ever noticed how he broke the rule set by the contract.
"Who is the Deal Maker and how do I contact him?" The Miser asked with a mask in place. "Head to the library and asked for this book by name." The second man scribbles a title on a scrape of paper and hands it over.
Later that evening
Miser was at home reading the thick book on the Deal Maker. On paper it was straight forward. You summon the Deal Maker, or his underlings and a written agreement is made of the deal you make, signed with a special ink and quill. The problem was the book was vague about the 'cost' of the deal. The Miser scowled. He'd have to draft a deal that would be enticing enough for him not to notice the traps in the wording, just as his father taught him.
A week later
"What request do you believe is worth contacting me?" The Deal Maker said in all his cloaked glory. The Miser used honeyed words, spoken and written, to get a long-term deal. "Very well, I will give you the wealth and power you need to make this town prosperous, but you must spend a bulk of it for that goal, not personal gain." Miser mentally grinned. It would be by his standings that the town would look better, not by fixing the commoners' problems. "I give you fifty years to complete this goal. On the day after this time, I will come and see if you fulfilled you end of the contract." The Deal Maker said as he signed. "Fail the contract's parameters and things will get nasty." The Miser signed, still not believing the warning.
Pause Fairy Tale
"OK. He asked for wealth to 'help the town' fully intending to screw the contract, even after the warnings?" Bit asked, in disbelief. "It's a fairy tale. They have warnings and warnings in them to teach kids lessons." Brad says with a shrug. "The Deal Maker tales tend to fall into three groups. Ones where the contract is obeyed, and the client is reward. Ones where a contract forces someone to have a change in life but they are not a part of the deal in question. And the last is where the client faces grim consequences, likely where this one is headed." He listed. "How old is this collection of tales?" Bit asked.
Jamie looked it up on a terminal. "over a thousand years at least. There's no known author and the scary part is there is places that seem to line up a little too well with some of the tales." Jamie said. "The Miser's fate is fitting but not good for kids." Leena said as she resumed telling the tale
Resume Fairy Tale
In the 50 years, the Miser grew old and much wealthier, but the town wasn't fully benefiting from his wealth as he promised. In fact, he had forgotten the Contract completely as his hair grayed and his skin wrinkled. On the evening of the promised day, the Deal Maker appeared, "You fueled your greed, breaking the terms of the contract again and again." The Deal Maker said in voice calm as the fire under a cooking pot. His eyes were ablaze with anger as he advanced on the Miser who cowered away. "Give me more time, I promise I will make the town better." The Miser begged and pleaded. "Your time is up anyways. So, I don't need to lift a finger to get what is due." The Deal Maker said, "You won't see more than three sunrises." He stated vanishing.
Not two day later the Miser was unlucky enough to captured by bandits who tortured, dismembered and killed him, in that order. They had wanted his wealth, but no one was willing to lift a finger to pay the ransom. A will of his surfaced that bequeathed the sum of his wealth to the town written by someone unknown. The town's people erected a statue of him signing a contract with a warning on the dangers of breaking a contract.
End of Fairy Tale
"What was Doc thinking?" Jamie asked looking a little ill. "In the end, the terms were met, one way or another." Brad said with a grimace. "Did you have to describe in detail the dismembering?" Bit said looking ill as well. "I don't think we needed to know about fingers then toes and so on." He said as Jamie ran to hurl. "Now you understand why I'm not a fan of bandits. Childhood scaring because of Dad's bad choice of 'bedtime story' and bandits being nasty to folks, even today." Leena said.
A few days later
Planet Zi
Unknown location
Fred Laskaris, a muscular man whose stony look made him quite intimidating, showed the much smaller and older red robed man the odd cave he found. "As you can see Elder Chariton, it is another bonfire with a sword in it like we've been finding on other worlds." Fred said making a sweeping gesture are the faithful recreation of the Dark Souls Bonfire. Elder Chariton looked at the walls of the cave and took in the illustrations. Crowds of nameless beings immortalized on the walls. "are they as 'permanent' as the other bonfires we have found?" Elder Chariton asked as he sat on one of the seats by the bonfire.
"These have been popping up for a hundred years or so, across countless worlds. Someone is trying to leave a message. Some are in more detail, but they are much older, hinting at 'time travel' shenanigans being at work." Elder Chariton said with a smile, "this one is much more defined. This rising sun seems to be a title." He points to picture of a dawn on with its light creeping over a landscape. "The message seems to be 'I am still seeking for you' and it's intended for someone important." Elder Chariton said. Fred nodded and indicated the metal statue of a young woman 'tending' the bonfire. "The features of this woman match our clan, but I have never met this woman in my life." He pointed out. Elder Chariton peered at the face of the statue. "The features are ones that are common in the clan but without color, it is hard to pin down who this is." Elder Chariton said, "This woman is of great importance to the one making these places. Maybe even their mother in some sense."
"Remind me again why we aren't telling this information to Hearth leader Zane?" Fred asked. "One, he already knows about it. I informed him soon as you got back. And two, I have no idea where he is. I heard tools being used so he's at his workshop making zoid parts in peace." Elder Chariton said pointedly. "It is not like the maker of the bonfires is around to answer our questions, just like with every other time we find their work. And no, you cannot Fast Travel between them like the Dark Souls games. That was the first thing we tried after discovering the first ten bonfires." Fred held in laughter imagining the expressions on their faces. "I have a feeling he knows who is leaving these behind." Elder Chariton said. "Call it a gut instinct but he smiles every time he hears about these being found." Elder Chariton took out a crystal ball the size of a baseball. It flashed and now had a label on it. "Recorded and ready to be delivered to the Clan." Elder Chariton said, putting it away.
Elsewhere
Hellsing Earth
Near the Hellsing estate
"What is your report?" Alucard's boss, Sir Integra, barked over the phone. "It appears to be a shrine constructed in the hill, like a fairy mound." The vampire, in his stylish red outfit and shades, said as he and Seras Victoria, the other vampire employed by Hellsing, investigated what tripped the security system. "Shall we enter to find out if the maker is inside?" Alucard asked. "Try to be diplomatic. We don't want to make the Fae angry, again." Sir Integra ordered, hinting heavily at a past incident. "From my memory the only Fae that was angry was Puck and the Queen gave you ten years of life because I shot him in the foot." Alucard commented laughing.
"Master, I've got a visual on the target." Seras, the busty blonde vampire in a red Hellsing uniform, said as she looked around the bend of the tunnel. "I do apologize if my work described anyone, but it must be done to finally reach the Great Mother." A voice said just loud enough for the cellphone to hear it all. "Put her on the phone." Sir Integra ordered. Alucard just strolled into the main chamber of the hill handed the phone to The Dawn, who was making the metal statue by the bonfire. "Who is this?" The Dawn asked. "I am Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing of the Hellsing Organization and you are intruding on my land." Sir Integra said.
"My apologies, Sir Integra but I didn't know you owned land outside of the fences. It really doesn't matter for I must finish this work." The Dawn said. "To find the Great Mother." Sir Integra finished for her. "Does this 'bonfire' pose threat in any way?" The Dawn tried to find the right wording. "Maybe but not as you would expect. No harm can be done in this space and it has a peaceful air that makes you take a moment to 'reflect on your journey'. I do not quite understand why I was given this task to Reach the Great Mother, but it is one I am willing to do." The Dawn said as she tried to get the face exactly right.
"The face is always the hardest to make. I only have a vague image of the Great Mother and I am unsure of some of the details. Maybe I will finally learn her name." The Dawn mused. "You never told me your name." Sir Integra stated. "I have a name and some titles, but I don't have a Name, that is why I must find her." The Dawn said. Sera was confused by this statement. "How can you have a name but not have one?" She asked. "And why did I hear a capital letter in that statement?" Alucard laughed, "I wish you luck, Nameless wandering spirit. We will leave you to your work." He takes the phone back and leaves with Sera following him.
"Police Girl (Sera's annoying nickname), a Name is what defines one's existence. That spirit wishes to find the one that will grant her that. If it requires making shrines detailing what must have been the beings that make up her existence, then it is what she will do." Alucard explained. He tilts his head slightly and says, "and she is gone. Time to looked at the finished work." Sir Integra's annoyed growling could be heard over the phone as they reentered bonfire chamber.
The Dawn wasn't there anymore. Alucard started recording the interior for the 'eggheads' to look over. "This face is familiar." Sera said looking at the statue. Alucard looked at it then laughed, refusing to reveal why he was laughing. "You wouldn't understand even if I tried to explain." He said. He felt no need to explain how he handed over a slab of rock with the mark for 'Blood' on it to someone who hadn't been born yet. It had happened before Hellsing 'employed' him but after he became a vampire. An interesting time traveler to say the least.
A few months later
Planet Zi
Blitz Team Base
"Who did this?" Zane asked, looking at the ruined Dibison. His voice sent a chill down everyone's spine. "It was the Backdraft Group's new zoid, the Elephander." Leena who was weeping over her fallen zoid. "I see. They crossed a line." Zane said smiling nastily. "How does a Gun Sniper (a raptor zoid) with lots of guns sound?" Leena hugged him. "you're the best!" Zane got to work and looked at the Dibison's zoid core. "It survived!" Zane said as he extracted the glowing orb that was the heart of a zoid and put in in a special containment unit. "I'll use the old zoid core and build your Gun Sniper from the ground up around it." Leena and Brad looked confused.
"Won't that cost a lot to do?" Jamie asked. "I'm waving bill this time, if you make sure to use the zoid to blast the Blackdraft Group for daring to destroy a zoid build from scratch." Zane says leaving with the zoid core. Leena was in lala land drooling a little at the idea of her new zoid. "I have never seen him wave the fee, ever." Bit said, "That's also the angriest I've seen him." Dr. Toros shivered, "He been angrier but for much more personal reasons." Dr. Toros said. "I was ready to pay a lot of money for a zoid a few years ago. I asked Zane to have a look at the zoid I was eyeing but he ripped that dealer a new one from being a scam artist." Dr. Toros chuckled. "Next thing I know, he built me two zoids for the same price, 'because he could' in his words."
"I've been trading parts with him for years and that doesn't surprise me." Bit said, "He takes pride in the things he makes. I believe he said, 'it's so easy for fire to destroy. I take pride in the ability to use fire to create.' I sort of get what he means." Dr. Toros smirked. "Care to share it with the class?" Brad said jokingly. "He means that breaking stuff can be done as easily as hitting a button or cutting the wrong wire. Even tripping because you aren't looking where you are going can cause havoc." Bit said. "But creating something requires you to go through some much trial and error that you have to want to make something after dealing with some many failures." They clapped politely. "Well said, Bit. Wit like that will help you as Zoid Warrior. Understanding the wisdom of those that are willing to share what they learn is just one step to reaching the highest of heights." Dr. Toros said.
"Leena! I have come for you, My Love!" Harry Champ, a brown-haired silver spoon (born into riches) Zoid Warrior whose jacket had a light pink fur piece on it, proclaimed as he jumped out of the Dark Horn (a Styracosaurus zoid) he had ridden over in with a heart box of chocolates and flowers in hand. with him was two robots, Benjamin, a tall blue robot with extendable arms, and Sebastian, a shorter green robot who had the same kind of limbs. "What happened to your zoid?" Harry said in shock looking at the Dibison. "A very nasty zoid fight. We won but her zoid is unfixable." Bit admitted.
"I will pay for a replacement zoid at once." Harry said but Leena stopped him. "Harry, we have it handled. A Zoid Dealer named Zane Laskaris is getting me a new zoid." Benjamin and Sebastian pipped in, "Dad's helping you?" Benjamin tapped his nonexistent chin stating, "He does have a habit of helping." Sebastian made a sound of agreement, saying, "He did make us for Harry, even if we aren't the best zoid pilots." Brad made an x with his arms saying, "Hold it! I get Zane makes zoids, but how did he make you tin cans?" Benjamin and Sebastian were offended as Benjamin stated, "We are bottom Up AI created by Zane Laskaris. It's not a secret but it seems that no one seems to remember it. We aren't as smart as Zeus, but he was made with information duties in mind." Sebastian, snarked, "And every time we meet him, he lords that fact over us. It is so annoying."
"Bottom Up AI creation is the hardest method, but it results in AI that are alive in every sense save having a flesh and blood body." Dr. Toros explained. "I'm not surprised that Zane made you two. He is always tinkering with some idea that is far from easy." Benjamin and Sebastian shiver, stating "so many explosions." Dr. Toros nodded, "that sounds like him. A pyromaniac to the end." Dr. Toros looked at the bots and asked, "What were you built for? From what I can tell, it was for battling." Benjamin was happy to answer, "We were hired to keep Harry in one piece and presentable at all times. His family 'reputation' is important." Brad scoffed at the answer. "Typical silver spoon family ego. At least Harry has redeeming qualities. "
Benjamin blushed as he got a message and sent one back as Sebastian sighs. "Great, his love is chatign with him. I am so happy that we aren't flesh and blood. It would look bad if it were known he was dating another AI made by Dad." He quickly explained that Zane had been paid to make AI for the Judgeman robots and Benjamin fell head over heels for a female Judgeman, who was currently dating him if she is not biased when judging any fights.
Six months later
Planet Zi
A wasteland
Inside the Hover Cargo cockpit
The snail transport Zoid the Blitz Team came to a stop. "Is this the place?" Brad asked. "The challenge invitation was specific." Dr. Toros said. "An unknown is challenging 'The Wild Eagle' to a one v one dog fight. This the place and the time." He had a goofy grin and he remembered the guaranteed cash even if they lose. For context, the 'Wild Eagle' was a confident personality that surfaced when Jamie was in an aerial zoid and his heart raced enough.
A white judge capsule dropped nearby. "Battlefield set. The Blitz team vs The Hearth Team, Battle Mode 0955 (Not a canon battle mode but it will be used for battles that are aerial only)" The Judgeman stated. Jamie got into his green Raynos, a Pteranodon zoid, and catapulted into the air. "I'm not seeing any zoids?" Bit said scanning the skyline as Dr. Toros was sweating bullets, silent as the grave. "Doc! Snap out of it!" Bit yelled at him as the Judgeman stated, "FIGHT!" a purple and black zoid appear followed by sonic boom that rattled the Hover Cargo. "What the hell is that thing!" Leena said as the dog fight started.
"The Gil Vader, an aerial wyvern zoid that is the fastest zoid to date." Dr. Toros said with a mix of dread and glee. "I never imagine I'd see it in person." They looked at him in shock. "Then who is piloting it?" Brad asked.
Ten minutes later
In the dog fight
"Not bad Wild Eagle. You are surviving at this level." The person says this had a helmet and voice modulator on, hiding his identity. "Surviving? I plan to win." Jimmie said, firing at the Gil Vader as they passed each other. "I had to challenge you after seeing your battle against the Zabats. But You aren't quite ready for the true battle." The masked man said firing and forcing Jamie to make an emergency landing as his combat system froze from the calculated shots over the course of the dogfight. "I am the Lord of the Skies and I await your next venture."
"Battle over! The winner is, The Hearth Team." The Judgeman says. "Until next time." The Judge capsule closed and flies off into space.
A few hours later
Planet Zi
Blitz Team Base
"Who is the Hearth Team and why were you so terrified?" Leena asked. "It's a battle team that has been around since the beginning of Zoid battles being a sport. Normally you can't challenge someone of a lower rank, but this team is allowed to 'test' teams with heavy handy caps to give the weaker team all the advantages they can get." Dr. Toros explained. "Jamie was toyed with out there. I can't believe the ego on him. He was looking down on Jamie as he grounded him." Leena yelled teaming mad. "Not quite." Dr. Toros said, bringing up the data on the dogfight. "he was probing for weaknesses and pointed them out with the 'missed' shots." He slowed down the replay of the battle to prove his point.
"What about the other members of the Hearth Team?" Brad asked, "AI that date back to before the Death saurer was unleashed. Ancient Zoidian AI that surfaced and decided that they wanted to see if humans could really pilot zoids to the fullest." Dr. Toros revealed. "So, the rumors are true." Brad muttered, then in a normal voice he explained, "Before I joined the Blitz Team, I was at a bar, Bird's Nest Rest, and overheard some people complaining about ancient robots who hold the rank of 'EX' in the Zoid Battle Commission's ranking system. Called them 'too smart' to be made by humanity."
"That's sums it up." Dr. Toros said, "They are mysterious and unnamed other than their team name. They've had more than enough time to make their firewalls and protections 'hard to crack'. Not that anyone has found their base." Dr. Toros says. He sees the payment was transferred and opens it. "What? That's five times want they said they would pay us for even trying the challenge." He looked at the nine-figure number in shock. It was only half of what they would have got if they somehow won but it was a big number. "Doc, did we get paid?" Jamie asked as he walked in with an ice pack on his head. "We got 9 figures!" Leena said hugging Jamie. "You impressed them somehow." Leena said. "That's nice but my head is still pounding from the rough landing." Jamie said, sitting down and looking at the fight data. Clearly, he wanted to see where he screwed up.
Later that night
Dream
Despite Zane not being a true 'demi-god', he still got a 'demi-god dreams', dreams that foretold future events but were vague, and this one was just as random. He was in a place he wasn't sure where it was. It looked like a crystal cave. That was little if any light as children of different races stubbled about searching for something as they tried to stay warm. He felt something calling him, deep in this 'ice cave'. A song that resonated with his soul. It didn't take him long to home in on it. It was beyond forest of razor-sharp crystals and rested in a thorny hill. It was a crystal that was different compared to the blue or green one Zane had passed. This one was the color of white-hot flame but that was traces of reds and black to it. It felt like it was waiting for him in this place, in the unreachable depths. Well it was reach able but the number of crystals you'd paint red would likely kill you before the halfway point. "I promise I will find you." Zane told it as the dream started to fade around him.
A few days later
Planet Zi
Hidden base
"The Star Wars universe is that close to this one?" Zane asked as he looked at a graph. "It is a few 'degrees' away from this universe and is connected to this one on a 'deep' level." Samuel stated. "That cave was likely located on the ice planet Ilum. Congratulations! You have been picked by a lightsaber crystal." It took a moment for Zane to realize what that meant. "No need to make knock off versions anymore." Zane said with a whoop. kyber crystals were 'alive' and picked a wielder that connected best with them. You could use any crystal, but not as well as your bonded crystal. 'Degrees' was just a way to describe the 'distance' between universes. Each 'Degree' is a universe, or at least a plane that acted like a universe, layered in convoluted ways and had an inherent danger of trying to reach more 'distinct' universes.
"What universes are in the way and why did it reach out to me now?" Zane asked. Samuel didn't answer the first question but showed him a new graph with energy readings. "A ripple happened when the 'Force' bumped into the closest universe and transferring the call like a Newton's Cradle to you." he explained. "There is a lot of things that are left unsaid because it would take to long to state." Zane nodded, understanding the unsaid parts of the explanation.
A few months later
Planet Zi
Dr. Laon's black Whale King (A giant whale carrier type zoid that flies)
"You lost your prototype zoid, the 'Shadow Fox', and had your storm generator devices were a bust as well." Zane said enjoying a coffee with Dr. Toro's dark haired rivel, who was working with the Backdraft Group for his own goal of 'one upping' Dr. Toros. "That's sums it up well." Dr. Laon said, "What are your thoughts on the Berserk Fury being found in a crate at the bottom of the sea inside of a 'temple' with the names of Team Hearth on the walls, among other tidbits of information?" He asked Zane, who just arched a brow. "I'd say that just proves that whoever made the Ais that make up that team also made the Berserk Fury." Zane says then adds, "And thank you for allowing me to have a look at the zoid. I don't normally help shady groups like yours, but I couldn't let someone half-ass making armor for that monster of a t-rex zoid. Who would be crazy enough to put three charged particle beam weapons on one zoid?"
"Someone who has zero sanity. One of the walls of the 'temple' called this person, 'the Architect' or at least what the closest translation is. Ancient Zoidian has a few issues when it's translated, like most langues that are old as the planet." Dr. Laon said in an offhand manner. "It makes up for the loss of the Elephander when Captain Stigma Stoller turned traitor." Dr. Laon was cut off when Altile, a gray-haired man with white streaks in his hair, video called. He was a high-ranking member of the Backdraft group. "Have you gotten any information from him?" Altile demanded. "Relax. He's cooperating and quite civil." Dr. Laon said.
"I know a lot about the Ancient Zoidians but I can't pull all the information about Organaids out of thin air." Zane said with a shrug. "Even Van Flyheight had limited information and he had one name Zeke with him for decades." Zane admitted. "What we need to know is how it learns." Altile requested. "Oh, that's easy. It's like a bottom up AI, learning as it experiences things. It drinks in every little detail because they were used to store complex memories of the Ancient Zoidian partner in case of 'cryo-sleep', memory lose is a common side effect even with their advanced tech." Zane shared freely. It was going to be shared with the public after the royal cup (a tournament to get into S-Class), which was starting any day now, concluded.
"If you will excuse me, I've got places to be." Zane said finishing his coffee and left the Whale King via a flying zoid out the carrier's mouth ramp. "That worked out better than expected." Dr. Laon said. "Yes, sharing semisecret information, banking on him not telling the Zoid Battle Commission was a risky idea that bore fruit." Altile had to admit. "He doesn't get too involved normally but if you catch his interest, I pity your peace and quiet." Dr. Laon stated. He didn't share that Zane had been the previous owner of the Liger Zero before Dr. Toros bought it. That was just one of many small secrets he's collected on Zane.
A few months later
Planet Zi
Glass Desert
Zane, inside the cockpit of his personal zoid, a customized Gojulas Giga (a Giganatosaurus-type Zoid), watched as fifty zoids from different Zoid teams worked together to try to take him down in an altered version of the event Judge Zeus would be in charge of. The only reason it was altered was because of the chaos the Backdraft Group caused before they were defeated and disband. The Goulas was created to have the 'power of 12 zoids'. Zane's zoid was even stronger and had much more mobile 'pursuit mode', which was the zoid run on all fours instead of walking on two. Between Anthea the Organoid and Zane's ability to interact with computers on a digital level, this monster of a zoid was a monster of the battlefield.
The battle was tense from the start with interesting win conditions. They lose when all their zoids' combat systems freeze, and Zane loses if he is forced to use the Plasma cannon and fails to take out all the zoids. The only reason he'd use that weapon is if they prove to be worth of it. Lasers bullets and slashes were exchanged as the battled continued.
In the hospital
"There it is. The zoid who created the sea of glass sand they are battling on." Dr. Leon told Vega, who was visiting him. Dr. Leon had survived a blast that destroyed his Whale King zoid with severe injuries but not life threatening. "It's even more difficult to control than your Berserk Fury." He told the kid. "what do you mean by that?" Vega asked. "Fury is an Ultimate X." Dr. Leon laughed at this. "it has a Plasma Cannon not a charge particle weapon." He states. "the sheer amount of heat from it charging exposes the pilot to temperatures reaching in the thousand Celsius. Yet the mystery metal alloys the zoid is made of is undamaged even at extremely dangerous heat levels."
"On top of that, the controls are complex enough you'd need two people to battle half as good as Zane is right now." Dr. Leon outlined. "The desert has been like that for the past 600 years." Vega asked, "how could one zoid change the landscape like that?" Dr. Leon smirks, "700 years ago a war broke out and last two months before stopping when a third party ended it in one blast. The Salamander (the name of Zane's personal zoid), piloted by an unknown group, fired the Plasma Cannon at max power at the power plant they were firing over." Dr. Leon stated.
"This building had shields that would have survived your Fury's Charged particle cannons for a minute at most, but the plasma cannon punched through it like wet paper. Next thing anyone knew was a wave of heat frying their zoids and the birth of the Glass Desert with few deaths and millions in zoid repairs." Vega drunk in what Dr. Leon was telling him. "How did Zane get the Zoid?" Vega wanted to know. "No one knows, save for me." Dr. Leon said. Vega leaned in and Dr. Leon whispered, "He's the Architect but that's our little secret." Vega understood completely the implications of this secret. "No one even knows when or where Zane was born." Dr. Leon said at a normal volume as they watch the battle with great interest.
At first the more arrogant zoid pilots were taken out by a sweeping tail strike or a powerful set of teeth Zane's zoid sported. But then it changed from teams of Zoids that had a common goal to a makeshift group with one goal and the willingness to work together for that goal. "That charisma of his is amazing. His speech at the start of the battle has borne the results he wanted." Dr. Leon said with a laugh. Vega gave him a look, so he explained. "Most Zoid teams don't work well with other teams unless there is something to shove the fact that there will be times, like a war, where that are parts of a bigger team. Zane has made himself that foe in light of for easy the Backdraft Group used their rivalry as a tool against them along with the other dirty tricks they employed."
"Don't worry about Sarah. She'll be out of jail in no time. Her crimes are a much shorter list comparted to the heads of that group." Dr. Leon said, getting Vega to cheer up a little. "Aren't you still in trouble?" Vega asked. Dr. Leon moved one of his legs out from under the blanket to show a tracker on his ankle. "Five years with this tracking me everywhere on Planet Zi, still better than jail." He jokes. "and that wraps up the battle." He states as Zane fired the weapon at the Liger Zero and Blade Liger, the only zeros still standing. "Ligers are made of stronger stuff than most zoids." Dr. Leon says. "Looks like I owe you a meal at the Bird Nest Rest."
A few weeks later
Minion Earth
Santa Monica
Gru's house
Felonius Gru, a tall pale skinned bald man in his fifties with a long beaky nose, opened his front door, drinking coffee. "Something is not right. I can feel it." He says, in an eastern European accent, scanning the yard before going back inside and looking in every nock and cranny of the house. Lucy Wilde, Gru's ginger haired wife notices his actions and asked as she worked on breakfast. "Why are you searching the house like there is a bomb?" Gru looked at her before pointing at a bookshelf. "AH HA! I knew something was missing." He was pointing at a gap in the books. "Now to find out what book is missing." He scans the titles. "I know you may have stolen somethings of dangerousness, but I don't think you stole any dangerous book, as far as the AVL (Anti-Villain League) knows." Lucy said flipping a pancake perfectly.
"It is not dangerous in the normal sense. I found a journal at a used bookstore. I bought it fair and square, if you are wondering. It is the contents of it that are questionable with the talk of magic and unicorns and other things like that but it's fifty years old and I got it for a quarter." Gru said, confirming that the copy of the journal was the missing book. "I left a translated copy in this bookshelf but it's missing. I believe one of the Minions grabbed it to show Agnes (one of Gru's adopted daughters), or some other weird idea they get." Gru states as he goes to wake up the girls.
Five minutes later
Margo, the eldest sister at age 12, had dark red hair and wore glasses, that she cleaned as she sat at the kitchen table. Edith, the 9-year-old blonde girl, had more pep in her step as she skipped to breakfast, wearing her pink stripped knit cap as always. Agnes, the 6-year-old girl was not in a happy mood as she searched under the table. "Is something missing?" Lucy asked. "My unicorn is gone!" Agnes said on the verge of tears. Kyle, the blue fuzzy creature that was the pet 'dog' (half dog and half piranha) ran over and comforted her. "I will search this house top to bottom." Gru promised, but asked, "Have you girls seen a book this thick?" He pantomimes the dimensions of the copy of the journal.
"No but it should show up when you search for her unicorn." Margo said. "Sir, the Minions are 'missing'." Dr. Nefario, a 71-year-old 'mad scientist' with little hair and big ears, said as he came up from the hidden underground lab under house. "Why me?" Gru sighed, shoulders slumped in defeat. "Dr. Nefario, please tell me you have an idea where they are." Gru asked. "They left with a book and Agnes' unicorn at two in the morning last night. They haven't come back or called the house, hence why they are 'missing'. I fear they got a crazy idea from whatever book they had." Dr. Nefario stated as he sat down to join breakfast, an uncommon occurrence. One of the one eyed Minions came back after a few minutes.
The Minions were yellow tic-tac shaped creatures that were shorter than a child and came in about forty-eight possible combinations of height and build (short and chubby, medium, tall and thin), hair (tall buzz-cut, short buzz-cut, sprout, combed, spread out, bald), and eyes (one, two). This one was Phil, a short one eyed one wearing jean overalls, black boots and gloves, and had his hair combed (even if that was so little to comb). He walked to the table and gave Gru a letter.
"We are getting a gift for Agnes and needed to borrow her unicorn. -The Minions." Gru read off the letter. "And what is your plan?" Gru asked Phil who shrugged and said, in Minionese, that Bob, Kevin, and Stuart were the ones that knew the plan, everyone else was just helping them pull it off. Gru's head met the table with a thump. In the 40 years they have worked for him, there was a few dozen Minions that were bigger trouble magnets than the rest. Those three were that top of said list.
Elsewhere
Somewhere in the California county side
Kevin, a tall, two-eyed minion with sprout looking hair, was checking that the circle was perfect they only needed a 100 of their number to do the rest of the work so everyone else headed home. Stuart, a one-eyed short Minion with combed hair, was coordinating the 100 chanting group members. Kevin, Stuart, and Bob would work out the deal and the 100 Minions would handle the heavy lifting to bring the martials near the circle. Speaking of Bob, a short and bald minion, who was holding Anges' stuffed unicorn. Kevin nods at Bob, giving a thumbs up for a good job. They were going to contact someone they heard about from when they were working for Dracula. The book reminded Kevin and they had to track down where they left that scroll, hence why they needed everyone to help.
The chanting group made a circle and chanted as the torches' flames took a supernatural quality. In the center of the clearings a flame the size of a car appeared, and a pair of eyes appeared followed by a silhouette of a winged demon inside the flame. It looked at Minions, blinked, then snaps its claws blowing away the flames. "Ok, what do you banana obsessed yellow pills want?" The Deal Maker said, rubbing the bridge of his unseen nose. "Unicorn!" Bob asked showing plush toy.
"You used the direct summoning method and used 100 of your number to overdo to ask for a 'unicorn'?" The Deal Maker asked with a sigh. Kevin quickly explained their reasoning. More he explained more the Deal Maker seemed to be interested. "a little girl, your boss adopted, loves unicorns and you want me to convince a living one to be her 'pet'?" The Deal Maker asked for clarification. "Friend." Stuart corrected. "Right, friend. My mistake." The Deal Maker said as he wrote furiously. "This is going to be tricky, but I think I can work with one you've got on hand." He said. "Read this then sign if you agree to all the terms."
Three Minions look at the contract. The Deal Maker was going to use the stuffed unicorn, and other things, to make a 'flesh and blood' Unicorn. They were never to feed it meat or 'abuse' it. There were other rules that seemed the norm for taking care of an animal. They sign and what they brought as offerings disappeared along with the stuffed unicorn in Bob's arms. "I will meet you at your bosses home later." The Deal Maker stated, disappearing.
hours later
Minion Earth
Santa Monica
Gru's house
It was dinner time when the doorbell rang. Gru looked to see who was at the door and wondered why someone he didn't know was at the door. "What do you want?" He said over the intercom. "I am here to see a 'Kevin, Bob, and Stuart' on matters of a contract they signed." Zane said. Gru opened the door and let him in. "They are in the kitchen." Gru stated. "making an apology cake for my youngest daughter. They lost her unicorn." Zane chuckled. Said Minions looked up at the sound and pointed at Zane excitedly. Zane noticed Agnes looking down. He kneels to her level and asked, "Are you the one who care for this toy so well?" He pulls out the stuffed unicorn, but it looked more life-like. Everyone looks at him then at the unicorn. "What magic juju did you do to it?" Lucy demanded pointing a freeze ray gun at Zane. "Just what those three asked for. It's a 'living' unicorn yet still huggable as a plush. I might have gone a little overboard by giving it a soul, but they paid for premium service and The Deal Maker keeps his word." Zane said setting the unicorn down. The Plush dusted itself off and galloped about the room, neighing.
Agnes was hugging Zane as tight as she could as everyone else was watching the unicorn. "Cool! Can I get something like that?" Edith asked. "No! one living plush is enough!" Gru interjected. "Besides, the Deal Maker's contracts are deadly binding. Break it and bad things happen." Gru warned, remembering the stories he heard from the criminal underground. He knew magic was real, but he didn't get involved in it. "Here are the rules that you need to follow if you wish to follow the contract." Zane says handing over a scroll to Lucy. "sounds fair." Lucy says as she reads the list of rules. Gru peeks over her shoulder at the scroll as Zane stood up. "Why is there a 'no meat' rule?" Gru asks. "Why would a plush toy need to eat?" Agnes was throwing sugar cubs and the unicorn was doing trick jumps catching them in its mouth.
"I have no idea why I write some parts the of contracts. It's likely some test by the Contract Magic I use. It's 'alive' in a sense and can be 'tricky' at times." Zane said with a shrug. "Follow the rules and nothing will go too badly."
A few weeks later
Soul Eater Earth
Death City Nevada, USA
Hook Graveyard
Zane was sitting a tree with a laughing crescent moon grinning down at him from the starry sky. The graveyard got its name for the many hooks hanging off the trees' limbs. Death was one of the Great Old Ones that made up this world and as a result, people flocked to them and making groups that warship them at worst you have live sacrifice type of cults but there was only five such beings, one more annoying than the other four. "Why did that foam handed cartoony masked agent of Order want me here?" Zane asked the open air.
"Oh, it's you. Hello Sir." A 'cartoon style' ghost of a Young girl rose from the ground. She was Spooky, a girl who scared the wrong person on Halloween with firecrackers and got a bullet in the gut, killing her. Her soul was pulled from the afterlife and chained to a mansion on a different world than this one. Creatures of hell were unleashed in the building. She got the idea to make a ghost army to prove ghosts that look like 'adorable' could be scary too. Zane was involved in sealing the hell gate after returning the creatures to it then freeing all the souls.
"Why aren't you with your parents, in the afterlife?" Zane asked looking pointedly at the ghost, who was wearing a red cloak over her ghost blue 'dress'. "Community service, Mr. Reaper." Spooky stated, "I am to assist you in any way I can until I have paid for the numerous of people I 'killed' in that mansion before you blew it up." Zane knew this was another way for the forces of Death to get back at him for the paperwork he generated. "I am to be your 'Weapon' partner while you are working with Lord Death." Spooky whispers into Zane's ear, "Why is he so cartoony looking?" Zane laughed at her question before answering, "Because he was too scary for the students of Death Scythe Meister Academy."
Spooky pouted at this. She still wanted to prove she was scary, and Lord Death was making it harder for her. "Show me your weapon form." Zane asked. In a flash a weaponized farming scythe dropped into his hand. It was a pole with the blade affixed to the top. "You look just like the costume weapon you had but much deadlier." Zane said as he did a few test swings. Spooky appeared as a reflection in the blade. "I do have a second form but it's a little loud." She says as the scythe turned into a minigun. "this will clear a room." Zane said with approval. "Hide, there's something going on." Spooky said as they heard footsteps and voices. Spooky returned to her ghost body and they hide behind a thick branch.
Four students entered the graveyard talking about a zombie. Maka Albarn, a teenage girl with blonde ponytails and her 'Weapon' partner, Soul 'Eater' Evens, a white-haired shark toothed teen who had a scythe weapon form. Black Star, a proud and load mouthed 'assassin' with spiky blue hair, and his weapon partner, Tsubaki Nakatsukasa, a soft spoken black-haired teenage girl with the rare talent (outside of some clans) of more than one weapon form. She had, Smoke bomb, Ninja Sword, Shuriken, Chain Scythe, and Transform Modes. The last one was to make a 'decoy'.
"They argue so much." Spooky comments as the blue skinned zombie Sid, who had been a teacher before his death by a scale replica of the Statue of Liberty spiking him through the head.
"Give it time, they will get better." Zane said as they get their act together and capture Sid with what Black Star called 'Trap-Star', wrapping the target up with Tsubaki's chain scythe mode. After an interesting integration they left for Dr. Franken Stein's, a white-haired man with stitches all over his clothing and body with a giant screw through his head, current residents. "We need to see how this turns out." Zane said.
A few days later
Soul Eater Earth
Death City Nevada, USA
Death Scythe Meister Academy (DWMA)
The Sun was just a weird as the moon. It laughed at the beings its rays touched as it grinned madly. DWMA was a black and red roofed castle that was at the center of the city and was hit by the creepy sun's light. There were to giant candles gutting out with three masks and red spikes out of the eye and nose holes of the middle mask over the main entrance of the school. There were two kinds of classes, EAT and NOT. NOT were non-combatants, both students and teachers, and made up the bulk of the school, 90%. EAT was the 10% that were trained to fight evil.
Zane and Spooky slipped past the students with ease and headed down the hallways.
Less than one hour later
Death Room
The two walked down a path lined with graves and guillotines. The 'room' looked like a sunlit wasteland even if it was inside. "42-42-564, whenever you want to knock on Death's door" Zane said as he breathed then wrote the numbers on the giant mirror standing before them. Lord Death appeared on the surface and waved a cartoony white hand in greeting. "good morning Zane, Spooky. I'm so happy you were able to come when I requested." Lord Death said goofily before getting serious. "Your task is twofold. One, investigate this 'demon sword' rumor. And Two, assist in the detainment or execution of the Kishin (when a weapon or ultimate weapon meister type (weapon and meister in one body) eats too many innocent souls) Asura if he escapes his 'bindings'."
"It will be my pleasure to assist you in silencing his Madness Waves, for good." Zane said griming. "I'm out of the loop, but he sounds 'bad'." Spooky stated. "It's very bad if he gets free." Zane stated, "World ending levels of bad. That is why we may need to step in and put him down with extreme force." Lord Death nodded, "Explained perfectly. That's why I pulled some strings to get you, the best Grimm Reaper currently employed, on standby." He said with high praise. "Report to Class Crescent Moon and introduce yourself to the class. Dr. Stein will there too." Zane nodded and left.
Not long after
Soul Eater Earth
Death City Nevada, USA
DWMA
Class Crescent Moon
"This is Zane Laskaris and his weapon partner, Spooky." Dr. Stein said. "Yes, she is a ghost, making her an odd weapon partner that I have been told never to experiment on." He delivered this in a bored way. "I can take him!" Black Star declared, boasting about his skills. Maka was shivering as she used Soul Perception to look at Zane's soul. "is he setting alarm bells off in your head too?" Soul asked her. "I can't read his soul. It is hidden but it feels at least stronger than Dr. Stein's. Every step is measured and silent unless he wants us to hear it. He's reading everyone." She said feeling unseen eyes watching her.
"Attack me with your best attack. You can even use your weapon partner." Zane said, "Tsubaki let's do it." Black Star said. she reluctantly goes into her Chain Sickle mode and they try 'Trap Star' but Zane snagged Black Star's face and swiftly hogtied him with said chain. "I wasn't ready! I demand a rematch!" Black Star fumed as Tsubaki returned to human form, freeing Black Star. Zane punched but stopped an inch from his face stating, "Dead." The blast of wind slammed Black Star into a wall. "Pride is good, but you need to watch that it doesn't blind you to the foe waits to cut you down." Zane explained to the class. His eye locked on to Maka and he let her see a momentary of his soul. What she saw was bone chilling enough to make her pass off. "Soul, please take to her to the infirmary." Dr. Stein said. He then looks at Zane and asked, "did you have to do that? Your soul is quite the sight and might be too much for her mind to handle."
"She'll be fine. Besides, she asked to see it." Zane said. Death the Kid, a black haired teen in a sharp looking suit with three white line in his hair but only on one side, raised his hand but Zane stated, "No I am not putting feathers on the other side to be symmetrical." Kid instead asked, "What is a Grimm Reaper doing here? Aren't your kind out hunting those that mess with the balance of life and death?" The class was silently watching the exchange. "So, he told you about us, the bounty hunters of death. It is true that we hunt those that don't get the memo, but Lord Death pulled a few strings for me to stick around and impart my wisdom to you youngsters." Zane said.
An hour later
Soul Eater Earth
Death City Nevada, USA
DWMA
Infirmary
Maka awoke with a start. Dr. Medusa, the blonde-haired school nurse turned into her swirly chair. "Oh, you're awake." She said. "His soul is broken yet whole." Maka said out of nowhere. "Are you ok?" Soul asked, feeling her forehead. "It might be nonsense, but She did see HIS soul, for a moment." Dr. Medusa said. "What's so special about this guy?" Soul asked. Dr. Medusa had a sly smile as she said, "He's a Grimm Reaper. Only the most insane or foolish mortals sign those deals with Lord Death. The jobs they do and harsh on the mind and soul, insanity is not uncommon. Zane is a special case. Rumors say he was insane before he did the first job." She said.
"Try not to look at the sun for too long, you'll go blind." She said in a mocking voice. "I saw a world in his soul. I've never seen that with souls, ever." Maka insisted. Dr. Medusa looks at her sharply. Maka described Zane's soul as a fragmented orb with odd flames holding the fragments together like a clay pot with gold sealed cracks. Inside the flames was glances of a landscapes that were too real. "Is that possible? I'm not acing Soul Study Class but that sounds farfetched." Soul asked the nurse. "I have never heard of that phenomenon outside the realm of theory." Dr. Medusa stated, making a mental note to investigate this later.
A month later
Soul Eater Earth
Witch Realm
Witches' Courtroom
Zane and Spooky looked at the assembled witches that looked at them with distrust at best and fear at worst. The Queen of the Witch order was a short one-eyed witch named Maba. She looked at the two intruders to the subspace nation she made for her kind, with an unreadable express. "Can we explain why we are here or do you want to go through with the trial, because we technically 'broke in' to your home." Zane said, inspecting the shackles they slapped on him. "Go ahead." She said from her spot in the judge's stand. "There is rumors of someone trying to make the next Kishin or if that fails, break the first one out of wherever they are hidden." Zane stated, ignoring the mutterings witches of all ages.
"I came here because your souls would be a good ingredient to power up the new kishin or the first Kishin finds it to be a fun idea to wipe you out for giggles." Zane speculated. The First Kishin was nutty as the Joker. "I'm just here because he's my handler." Spooky piped in. "We know who you are but who is this clearly dead girl with you?" Maba asked. "I'm Spooky. Zane's weapon partner and ghostly assistant until an unspecified time. Do you think I can be scary?" Spooky asked. "I'm sure if you try to scare the right person, anyone can be 'scary'. I recommend someone that has a fear of ghost." Maba told her kindly. Maba could tell Spooky already collected 99 evils souls and a witch soul, making her a Death Scythe, a weapon fit for Lord Death to wield no matter the shape it took. "Thank you for the warning." Maba said as the shackles came undone magically.
Two days later
Soul Eater Earth
Death City Nevada, USA
DWMA
Infirmary
"black blood?" Zane asked Maka, who was worriedly looking at Soul, heavily injured from an encounter with the 'Demon Sword' in Italy. "it was in his body and was his Weapon partner." Maka explained. "if only we were stronger." She muttered that last part to herself, but Zane heard it. "Leave the matter of the 'black blood' to the teachers and ask Stein if he can train you two. Things are getting dangerous and you need to understand that there are forces greater than power. May your heart be your guiding key." Zane stated as he left.
A few weeks later
Soul Eater Earth
Death City Nevada, USA
Somewhere in the streets
"You alive?" Lord Death asked the prone form of Zane who was in the remains of a block of buildings. "He's alive, I think." Spooky said as she floated out of the rubble. "We got his arms before the creep escaped." Spooky said with pride. Lord Death pat her head and said, "Well done. That will slow Asura down for a week or two when you take in the sheer amount of damage we dished out." Lord Death said grateful for the help. Zane's muffled voice was heard saying, "I'm still annoyed that that nurse, who was behind this mess, got away as a 'ghost'. Stein sliced her but her soul escaped." Lord Death tills his head with interest. "Really? That escaped my senses in the chaos. I guess I'm not up to date on all the tricks witches have up their sleeves." Lord Death comments. "Give me an hour and I'll be free without doing more damage to the city." Zane states as the rubble shifted minutely repeatedly. "That's good. There are burst pipes and maybe gas line, that could explode if you burned your way out." Lord Death said as he returned to the school to make sure everyone was ok.
An hour later
Blair, a black cat wearing a witch hat, wrickled her nose that the smell of rotten eggs. "I wouldn't get any close, kitty. There's a gas leak and I'd hat to see your soft fur burnt or worse." Spooky said, startling Blair, much to Spooky's joy. Blair looked stiff as a board as she searched for the source of the voice. Spooky's head was poking out of the street as she said, "Down here. You got a name, kitty." Blair tried to calm down and said, "Blair. I'm a Monster Cat, letting me use magic." She pokes a paw that passes through Spooky's face. "And you are dead. Can you explain what happened to this block of the city? It's a few streets away from the cabaret club I work at."
Spooky looked at the cat and figured she much have a human form to work as a Hostess at a club like that. "My Meister got kicked hard into the middle of the block totaling all the buildings. It's a bigger mess than expected but no one was killed or injured in the area." Spooky said as she traded her red cloak for a ghostly construction outfit. She started placing a wooden blockade to cordon off the area. "please keep on that side of the line." Spooky stated.
A few days later
Soul Eater Earth
Death City Nevada, USA
DWMA
Guest rooms
Crona, a pink haired introvert boy in cloth that make it hard to determine his gender, sat on the bed as his weapon partner, Ragnarok, a muscular looking being make of Black Blood with gloved hands, spikes on his body, came out of Crona's body and rubbed his gloved fist painfully into Crona's head. His face had no mouth, a giant white x and white ping pong eyes with an x on each as pupils. "Why did you let that brat bet you?" Ragnarok said annoyed as Crona winced at the pain. "Perhaps he wanted a friend." A light pink cat with darker pink in ears and around the eyes. Her tail swayed like a pendulum clock.
"What do you want, pest?" Ragnarok said, trying to look threatening. The Cat was unaffected but his attempt. "I am called the White Cat. Do not become what you are expected to by others. It will only hurt you more than you already have experienced." She stated, looking at Crona. "The mask has served its purpose now let your true self shine. It will hurt but you will find peace for your soul." Crona had a downtrodden expression as he stammered, "I don't know how to deal with that." The White Cat just said, "Life is hardly ever 'easy to deal with' Seek out the Angry One and the Ghost that follows him. They may give you the insight you lack. Tell them the White Cat say hello and not to worry."
Ragnarok looks at Crona, who blinked, only for the White Cat to disappear in that moment of not being observed. "I guess that pest is right. It's better than listening to the snake hag's rules. Maybe I can stick it to her for melting me into your blood." He was talking about the witch who had been the school nurse, Medusa Gorgon, who also was Crona's 'mother' in name only, even if she gave birth to him. "But if we go against her, she'll put scorpions in my bed again." Crona said fearfully, "Or worse, she put me in that darkness." Crona was in a fetal position at this point, shivering terrified. Dr. Stein came in with a tray of food. "had a nightmare?" He asked. "Hey, Bolt Head, do you know 'The Angry One'." Ragnarok demanded. Dr. Stein looked at Ragnarok with a bored expression as he turned the bolt/screw a few times. "You could try Zane Laskaris. He's got rage for days, as kids say nowadays. Word of advice, he's a strong believer in family is to be treasured and will find a way to kill you if you insult his family." Dr. Stein sets the full tray down and grabs the tray with dirty dishes on it. "He's the cook, you know." Were his parting words.
Ragnarok looked the food and tried to force Crona to sit up and eat. "Come on! The grub is good, and I can't taste it if you don't eat it." He was mentally grinning as he planned to share who had abused Crona the worst. Sure, he'd get the riot act because of his bullying but the snake hag would be in for a much greater hell. Ragnarok laughed evilly as he rubbed his hand together. Crona carefully moved over to the food, wary of being poisoned again (another thing Ragnarok was more than happy to share). "it's spicy." Crona says blinking at the taste. "tastes like a curry spice blend or something. I can't even name all the spices. There's the garlic, a little paprika but those are common spices." Ragnarok commented.
"What kind of sandwich is this." Crona asked, poking said food. "A grilled cheese with some meat in it. Makes this a 'southwestern' tomato soup and sandwich combo, never had that before." Ragnarok mused. "He's nicer than you think." A white haired red horned girl, wearing a white dress and vail that hid the upper half of her face from view, said as she appeared next to Crona. Ragnarok caught the sandwich half as it was dropped and glared at the second intruder. "I don't have a name you would understand, like the White Cat, but you may call me Demon Child." The Demon Child said softly.
"Where are you freaks coming from?" Ragnarok demanded annoyed. "A place that is no more. Unethical and less than sane experiments conducted on entities demonic, dead, and other. Zane came and gave peace to those that needed it while dealing with those that disagreed with his plans. The place exploded and the freed souls returned to the afterlife but there are a few like us that wander the roads with no place in mind." The Demon Child said vaguely but not too vaguely. "And why did that pest not give straight answers?" Ragnarok grumbled. "That is her nature. She gives aid to those that have non-physical issues." The Demon Child said tactfully. "Do you want an apple?" Crona said, offering the apple that was on the tray to her. The Demon Child smiled and took the apple. "Thank you for the gift. In return I offer this advice. If he offers you the chance to be apart of his family, look up Laskaris Law before you give an answer." The Demon Child fades from view with the apple.
A few days later
Soul Eater Earth
Death City Nevada, USA
DWMA
Student Library
"Why is it so hard to find one book?" Ragnarok grumbled as he searched the card catalog. For those that don't know what that is, it's a bunch of draws with flashcards that have the information about a book the library holds. It was before the computer was invented and some places still use it today. "Are you looking for a particular book?" Marie Mjolnir, a kindhearted honey color haired woman with an eye patch with a lightning bolt on it one of her warm honey eyes, asked, startling Crona. Marie prevented the drawer he was looking in from falling out. "Careful. You'll get the riot act if the head librarian catches you making a mess." Marie stated with a grimace.
"We are looking for books relating to Zane Laskaris. Got any ideas where those would be?" Ragnarok asked, having given up on finding it without help. Marie had an odd expression on her face. "You won't find it in this library. That is information strictly reserved for Death Scythes and three-star(the highest rank in EAT class) meisters who have helped a Weapon Partner reach that rank. There is information in books like that that would destroy the world." She said worryingly before gesturing for Crona and Ragnarok to follow her as she pushes the drawers closed and back to how the staff liked it.
An hour later
Soul Eater Earth
Death City Nevada, USA
DWMA
Death's Room
"You want me to let young Crona read those books?" Lord Death asked as he looked at the three. "Yeah. Some creepy intruders want us to talk to Zane, but we need to know about this Laskaris Law first." Ragnarok explained. Lord Death was taken aback and requested more information. Crona explained what had happened but had to repeat it as his voice dropped to mumbling at some points. "What do we do?" Marie asked. "Nothing can be done to stop the Demon Child and the White Cat. They are entities that roam where they want and are not 'evil' in any way that I can tell. As for your request, I will retrieve the required reading, but you or Dr. Stein must be present for them to read the books." He points at Marie sternly. "It for everyone's safety, especially if you need to read 'That' one."
Three days later
Soul Eater Earth
Death City Nevada, USA
DWMA
Teacher's Break Room
"What's with the books?" Dr. Stein asked as he dragged himself to have coffee he needed after much research deep into the night. Crona and Ragnarok were searching through thick tomes that were in a pile that took up a whole table. "Required reading before their meeting with Zane." Marie, who was a Death Scythe Weapon (Hammer) and was Dr. Stein's current partner, explained as she looked up from the book (How to deal with 'cursed' loved ones by Blake Laskaris) she was reading. Dr. Stein turns his Bolt/screw in confusion. He sits down with his coffee and grabs a book. "The Children of the Hearth, Mortal or Gods?" Stein reads the title. "That one is more of an overview of was is 'allowed' for the non-members know." Ragnarok comments. "This one seems to be about the history of Death and the 'Grim Reapers' that have been chosen over the eons."
Crona looks at Ragnarok oddly. "Thought it was about Zane." He comments. Ragnarok laughs, "Oh Zane's in here alright. He's in the top class of Grim Reapers Death has ever made the deal with and it don't hold back with the details. Go back to reading 'The Mechanics and Oddities of the Laskaris Law'. It's thicker than ruler is long." Ragnarok says before diving deeper into the pitch-black book with a pair of silver sickles being the only cover decal. "How long has this been going on?" Dr. Stein asked Marie. "A few days. Most of the books aren't too important so they skipped them." She points to the right-hand stack with a card that said 'to be returned' in front of it. The left-hand piles had a card that said, 'To be read'.
One of the books in that half that caught Dr. Stein's eye. He pushed up his glasses and looked at a book that was chained and triple locked shut. It had no title but had symbols all over it. "Don't touch that one yet. Lord Death said to save it for the very last." Marie said worried, following his gaze. Kid and his Weapon Partners, Patty (the bubbly younger sister) and Elizabeth (the more grounded older sister). Their weapon forms were pistols and identical in appearance.
"There you are. Maka was worried when she couldn't find you in the guest wing." Kid said. Crona looked surprised and touched at Maka cared. "Aren't those the highly dangerous books you dad let you read because of you are his heir?" Elizabeth asked, eyeing the books. "Indeed, they are." Kid said, eyes lingering on the chained tome with a complex expression. "Have you reached 'That' book yet?" Kid asked in a voice that had many layers of emotion to it. "Not yet. We've got twenty more books to check before that." Ragnarok guessed eyeballing the stacks. "It is best read with a well-rested mind." Kid said with that same tone. "It's the kind of book that chooses the reader, no matter where they live."
The next day
Soul Eater Earth
Death City Nevada, USA
DWMA
Teacher's Break Room
"how has your reading been?" Maka asked as she and Soul came by. "What's with the weird book?" Soul says as he picks up the chained-up book. "DON'T!" Marie yells, trying to stop him, but it's too late as the book unlocks itself and 'eats' Maka, Soul, Crona, Ragnarok, who tried to resist but managed to take the table with him. The books that had been on the table were catch by Dr. Stein as 'THAT' Book dropped on to a different table and locked itself again. "That is clearly not normal even by magical book standards." He comments, cracking away, deep in thought.
Inside the book
Table of Contents
"Soul what possessed you to think that picking up a book bound in chains and THREE locks was a good idea?" Maka said before giving him a MAKA Chop (She slams a heavy book on targets head). "I didn't plan to grab you two." A voice said as they looked around the blank place that they found themselves in. "No matter. After all, 'No plan survives first contact'." The speaker was massive half serpent and half humanoid female with six arms. Her upper body was beautiful even if it was covered by silk robes. Her glaze was bone chilling for Maka who felt the power the being held with her Soul Perception.
"I wanted to grab to the two Black Blood users, but you seem to have a little of it in your systems." The marilith said, leaning in to get a close look at Maka and Soul. "Need to be more precise with how I invite readers in." She mused. Remembering her manners, she stated, "I am Uroboros, The Serpent of Lore, and you are in my book body. For context, you are in the Table of Contents." Uroboros rose and settled her coils as they took in what she said. "I don't know how to deal with this!" Crona said as he hid behind Maka. "now's not the time to be a coward! Man up, or you'll make me look bad in front of a snake that makes the Snake Hag look like a worm." Ragnarok said as he pulled on Crona's hair to get him to move.
"None of that." Uroboros snapped at Ragnarok, who froze and 'stood' at attention at her voice alone. Uroboros snaps her fingers and the table that was dragged in vanished. "you need to work together if you are to be worth of the Laskaris Clan. 'Family first' is a major rule as you should know by now." She stated. "Not to be rude but what are you?" Soul asked. "I am a Great Old One, a being of unimaginable power that can spread a kind of Madness to lesser beings. My Madness is the Madness of Truth, lies wither away and the truth of matters are brought into focus." Uroboros said with a flourish. "Excalibur was telling the truth?" Soul asked, remembering the annoying white being that was the 'Strongest Weapon Partner'. Uroboros had a look of utter disgust. "His is the Madness of Anger, not that he needs it with his toxic personality." She spit before moving to a different subject. "Lord Death has the Madness of Order currently. The bearer of the Madness of Power is somewhere. Eibon the Sorcerer had the Madness of Knowledge, he's off the radar. And finally, there is your foe, Asura who spreads the Madness of Fear." She listed.
"What kind of Madness does Zane have?" Ragnarok asked. Uroboros started laughing at the question. "He is something else entirely. Something that cannot be swayed by Madness at all, for he is shattered." Uroboros' answer sparked understanding in Maka. "that's why his soul is so 'odd'. How did it happen in the first place?" she said to herself. "I can show you if you want. I can't guarantee it will be a 'fun read'." Uroboros offered. Maka looked at Soul who shrugged, saying, "I'm not letting you go alone, Maka."
Uroboros snaped her fingers and they vanished, traveling deeper into the book. Crona looked even more worried as Uroboros looked at him. "Now then, it's just the three of us." She said with a look of pity. "I'd love to say that your 'mother' wanted to jut use you to unleash Asura but sadly that would be a lie and that won't do." Once again, she snapes her fingers, sending Crona and Ragnarok to see the 'truth' they needed to see. It was what she did. All the 'readers' she chose faced the 'truth' no matter how big or small it was. "just maybe I can do some good for a world again. Too many times did my 'Truths' prove to be too much for Readers, and they turn to Delusion, blinding themselves." Uroboros mused.
She smiled remembering the 'truth' Zane had asked for. Never had anyone on any of the worlds she had appeared in asked to see the 'Truth' of her intentions. He gained nothing from that 'Truth' but at the same time it was as if, dare she say it, he understood her. That was what made his so odd. He made no sense yet seemed to understand so much. She enjoyed studying him and his actions. Every time she traveled to a new world, 'chapters' were added to her book. Lord Chaos will be pleased with the information she's collected.
Later
With Maka
Inside the book
Zane Laskaris Chapter
'Raise of the Mad Rocker'
Maka leaned on Soul as they escaped the memory of that beast heartless known as Dark Hide. "What hell is this and how did Zane survive?" Soul asked as the heartless left to hunt someone else. They heard a battle out of sight starting. "I'd say he was too angry to fail." Maka said as the sounds of a guitar smashing into flesh was heard periodically between the roars and explosions. "Did you find the answer you were looking for?" Soul asked rhetorically. "I don't have all the answers. His soul is fracturing but the 'world' isn't visible in this iteration of his soul. We need to go farther in the timeline." On que the space around them changed as they moved to a later part of the chapter.
'Light in the Darkness'
They were dropped in a space that wasn't the same as the rest of the Realm of Darkness. Sitting in the valley was a grove of flowers and in the sky was a heart shaped moon. "Almost there. the key to our escape is ahead. Then you can have your revenge and aid in mine." They turned to see an unknown voice telling Zane to fill a vial of 'dew' from the flowers. "Any idea what's going on?" Soul asked as Zane left the valley, back to the darkness. Maka was more interested in the valley. "Iris, Snowdrop, Daffodil, Bird of Paradise, Lily, Forget-Me-Not, Magnolia, Peony, Mint, Juniper, Hazel, Purple Hyacinth, White Heather, Sweet Basil, and Alyssum." She lists looked at the plants in the valley.
"It makes sense now!" Maka said, "In the depths of Madness and Darkness, he found light." She points out the meanings of all the plants. "So, this is the 'Lost Hope'?" Soul asked, referring to a fairy tale he heard. "The banished warrior thrown into the planes of suffering where only the strongest dare to survive." Maka recites a part of the fairy tale. "That overgrown mutt fits the 'Hellscape inhabitant' role well." Soul comments as he looked at the weird moon. "The fairy tale was real! Don't you get it?" Maka says grabbing Soul's shoulders. "The hero of the fairy tale was said to gain a soul that was 'broken yet whole' protecting him from harm with the unexpected aid of someone he met in the Darkness. Even if I don't understand how it works, it makes perfect sense to me."
Soul heard something fall from the weird moon. Soul caught it and wondered out loud, "a ribbon?" In his hand was a length of white ribbon. Maka takes it and soaks it in the 'dew' on the flowers. The ribbon turned blue as she showed him it. "When the Warrior reach the place where hope lay, he left with a ribbon of purest blue." She recited. A door appeared at the edge of the valley, waiting for them. Soul smirked his shark grin as he said, "finally, the way out."
Inside of Soul's soul
Black Room
The red skinned being with horns and a black suit on, sat as a gramophone played a Classical/Jazz blend of a melody. His name was Little Ogre, and he was the Black Blood and its madness personified when it came to Soul Evens. "How odd. The Madness has changed." He said, "I guess 'Truth' can make even Madness change." A Sparrow on a perch added its song to the music as it appeared in the place. "I don't remember you being here." Little Ogre said to it. The bird looked at him and chirped smugly. Little Ogre gave it a sour look. "You better not make a mess."
Inside the book
Table of Contents
Maka noticed how Crona was a pasty white and shivering as they returned to the Table of Contents. "What did you show them?" Maka demanded, glaring at Uroboros. "what his 'mother' wanted to make them. It is quite unpleasant, but she is among the worst 'mothers' I've had the displease of observing." Uroboros said. "How bad are we talking here?" Soul asked. They needed to tell Lord Death at once. "Using the power of BREW, Medusa intended to fuse Asura, or at least his power into Crona. They had the opportunity to see what the aftermath looked like." The normally loud Ragnarok was silent with a determined look in his eyes. "One final warning before you leave. 'The spider from 800 years ago still lingers." Uroboros stated as she let them leave.
Moments later
Soul Eater Earth
Death City Nevada, USA
DWMA
Death Room
The book upchucked them at the feet of Lord Death before fading to parts unknown. "Are you alright?" Marie asked as she used a Healing Wavelength on them, her arms glowing a golden light. "Lord Death, something called BREW is key to the Witch Medusa's plans." Maka reports. "And something about a spider from 800 years ago being around?" Soul adds as he stretches. Dr. Stein, and Spirit Albarn, Maka's red hair father, share a look. "I thought we killed her." Spirit comments. "I did say that the lack of her soul was concerning." Dr. Stein retorts. Lord Death coughs into his hand and admits, "Zane told me she was still alive to some degree, but I didn't bring it up incase he tracked her down."
"what is BREW?" Maka asked, "All we know is that it can fuse things together." Crona was the one that answered in a shaken soft voice. "It's a demon tool created by Eibon. It looks like a cube and his greatest creation." Lord Death nods at this description. "That's correct. It should have been destroyed along with the rest Witch Order facility on Lost Island (an island north of Alaska) but if THAT book says otherwise, it must still be there." Lord Death says. "You two are excused from classes for a few days. You will need the rest after your ordeals." He orders this with a no-nonsense voice. "Lord Death, I have a question. Why did you spread that fairy tale about Zane?" Maka demanded. She had seen moments of the hell Zane was put through. It felt so wrong turn his suffering into a mere 'fairy tale'.
"I see. You sought understanding for Zane's unique soul." Lord Death commented as everyone looked at him, only Soul knew of this revelation. They heard swift steps as Kid and his weapon partners entered the room. "It seemed to come at the perfect time to learn another secret you kept from me, Father." Kid's tone expressed his less than perfect trust he had with his father. "First you hide the fact you sealed the Kishin in this city. Then you didn't tell me that you spread Madness. It's not that much of an issue but it's annoying that you never told me of the 'Great Old Ones', you among their numbers." Kid said with a glare. "Just now I learn you turned what should be a legendary tale on par the myths and legends into a 'fairy tale'." Lord Death flinched a little but then Kid dropped the biggest bombshell. "When were you going to tell me that you will die when I fully mature as a Reaper?"
"What Father shares that kind of secret if they wanted their child to enjoy a happy childhood?" Zane asked as he and Spooky appeared from a vail of haze (like a mirage in the desert). "I knew that something was up when Uroboros picks eight readers in the span of a week." Zane had a look of understanding. "The 'Truth' is a door that many beings fear opening because it can strip away the luxury of ignorance. But at the same time, it can be the best thing you ever tried." Zane smiled. "The reason why I let Lord Death make that siris of event into a fairy tale was because not everyone can know about the existence of other worlds. At least not 700 years ago." Zane stated. "Now back to your question about the lines of Sanzu on your head." (the white lines on Kid's hair.
"You were not 'born' like most kids. As you were told years ago." Kid nods. "Father made a splitter of his soul and I was created, looking like a human baby." Kid said getting the reason for Lord Death not telling him. "You got the emotional side of the 'Truth' now. That's the problem with what Uroboros reveals. She doesn't always show the emotional elements. I blame the one that created her. Mystery is the Spice of Life after all." Zane comments. "Medusa abused Crona!" Ragnarok yelled. "Her our birth son tortured mentally and physically. Not the third kind but the first too are bad enough." The room was silent as the heat rose. "Oh boy. You pushed his buttons with that." Spooky said as Zane's face was blank and not in a good way.
"I have a better idea." A pale skinned black-haired person with a red geek attire adored with skulls, said as he melted from shadows. "Zagreus, give me one reason why I shouldn't hunt that filth?" Zane said with a glare. The Greek Underworld god of Rebirth and Hunting just smirked as his red and green eyes twinkled in a cruel way. Zane mouth became a smile that promised pain. "Oh, that sounds even better than my plan. What shall we set as the reward for the group that succeed in this venture?" Zane asked. Zagreus unrolled a scroll to reveal a wanted poster with Medusa Gorgon on it. The reward was listed as 'one boon from Hestia (limitations apply)'.
"They are already post everywhere on this world as of ten seconds ago." Zagreus said, with shiver. "I have never seen Aunt Hestia so angry before. Everyone had a peaceful meeting for once, not a hint of raised voices from even Ares." Lord Death felt dread and relief wash over him. He had no idea how bad this witch was, but if her plans angered the calm goddess Hestia. he had to be more careful about the next few weeks now that Hestia was out of blood. "Two things else to tell you." Zagreus said. "One is that Crona and his Weapon Partner is to report to the location on this scroll to meet with Hestia for their clan invitation ceremony, should they choose to accept it." He looks at the two in question and said, "It's unheard of for her to do it in person so at least meet her before you give your answer." He turns back to Zane. "And two, you are to let the school handle the Kishin Issue. She has faith they can end him for good."
Zane sighed and caught a scroll Zagreus threw at him. "Your quest is on that scroll. It's on the way to what you seek." Zagreus said. Zane grumbled about the gods not wanting him spoiling the show for them. He opened the scroll and looked at the wording. "Seek the two in one and silence the invisible death's song of conquest." He looked below that and noted it was signed by the Fae Queen. "Lady Titania wants me to hunt down an omnicidal force. Sounds worse than Asura by a landslide." Zane says. "If Lady Hestia says you can handle it, I'll do the same." He tells them as he leaves.
A few days later
Megaman NT Warrior Universe
Cyberworld
Undernet
"You have interesting luck." Spooky comments as she looks at the place in the next 'layer' of universes to reach the Star Wars universe. "judging by the flow of data I am sensing, which is quite complex. this is a digital plan in this universe. Making you a 'ghost in the machine'." Zane said with a joke at the end. Zane was in his Daemon (Cloaked Mode) form and was not surprised when a pair of purple Heel Navis, with silver spiked shoulders, approached him. "Hey fresh meat. Welcome to the Undernet." HeelNavi1 said with malicious intent. He summoned the trio of CanDevil viruses (1,2,3 versions), a virus at looks like a horned demons with a mouth that has an abyss of flames in it, they three viruses were going to set up Wax Candles to heal themselves over time but froze as Zane looked at them.
"What are you doing? Attack him!" HeelNavi1 yelled stomping his foot at the disobedient viruses. The CanDevils turn to him and blast him instead when Zane silently ordered with a claw pointed at HeelNavi1. HeelNavi2 was begging on his knees as HeelNavi1 was deleted. "Don't delete me! I swear I didn't know you were a ruler of Viruses!" Spooky looked confused. "Can you tell me more about this 'Undernet'? Daemon here is a good friend of mine." She asked sweetly.
"Just one question, are you a ghost of a human or a NetNavi?" HeelNavi2 asked her. "I'm a true-blue ghost. Nothing data about me. I'm haunting Daemon here after he blew up the mansion, I was in. Never liked that place." Spooky said. HeelNavi2 was sweating digital buckets as he explained the Undernet was the dark half of the Network created by SciLab. The Undernet was originally just a void, a digital graveyard, but then that changed. Paths and platforms started appearing, along with viruses moving in. The Underking was the current ruler and the HeelNavi handed over a bunch of battle chip data as he fled. "That's was informative." Zane mused as he browsed the battle chip folder. "Look! I found a buddy." Spooky said, hugging a skull faced ghost with a plus on its headband. "This virus is called a 'Spooky3'. Can we keep it?" Spooky pleaded.
Said virus looked at Zane and shrugged. He didn't mind as long as this super virus (That's how Zane feels to the viruses) doesn't delete him. "As long as you take care of him?" Zane said, getting a nod from the virus. "We can't make the jump to the next layer as quickly because Infinity Gems are useless outside of their place of origin." Zane said. "That leaves us with plan B, collecting energy or some device to help us progress with the end goal."
A Week Later
Megaman NT Warrior Universe
Real World
DenTech City, Electopia
SciLabs
Dr. Yuichiro Hikari, a brown-haired man, scanned the data readout on the upper computer monitors, light glinting off his glasses. "The Virus behavior shifted roughly a week ago. Groups of Viruses are 'collecting' data with minimal damage to the systems they attacked." He said trying to understand what changed. Dr. Regal, a dark-haired man with that tech monocle over one eye, looked at the data as well. "I'm not sure but there were rumors of a 'Super Virus' on the message boards. A Heel Navi was the one to post the first encounter but there has been few if any encounters with the entity that is credible."
"What of the rumors about a ghost girl?" Dr. Hikari asked. Dr. Regal was caught flatfooted by this question. "Lan, my son, heard from some classmates of human ghost calling herself 'Spooky' causing mischief in Cyberworld. I was hoping to scan with 'ghost' to see if she's made of data." Dr. Regal was interested. "a ghost in Cyberworld? I will see what I can do." Dr. Hikari had an idea. "We can have Lan and his friends me on the lookout with scanning programs. Their NetNavis are on the net all the time." Dr. Regal thought it over. "that program will be easy to write up. We add it to the PETs (Personal Terminal) as a download. Maybe release it as a tool to combat Viruses. You do have that Virus compendium project."
Dr. Hikari had been collecting data on Viruses to create a program that had information on all of them, but Viruses get better as Firewalls are updated to deal with them. They started to debate on how they would go about this plan.
A few days later
Megaman NT Warrior Universe
Cyberworld
Higsby's computer
"We've almost got it!" Higsby, a Battle Chip collector that was a little nerdy looking, said as his Net Navi, Numberman, a humanoid lime green and yellow body with a head that had flashing panels for a face, calculated the odds of them winning the auction. "There is a 79% chance we will get the set of ten Poltergeist Battle Chips, Higsby." Numberman said as the timer ticked down. In the las second someone else outbid them. "NOO!" Net Op and Navi yell as the Battle Chip was bought by someone with the username 'CuteSpec5'. A minute later they received an email form said user. "I'm willing to trade you a few of the chips. I only need two of them." Numberman stated the odds of this being a trap was 50% but Higsby was already firing back an email requesting a list of battle chips or amount of Zenny (the currency) for said Battle Chips. What he got back was odd. "computer components?" Numberman said as he read the email. "The value of all the parts is equal to the Battle Chips they are offering. The problem is I don't think anyone else could get the parts as fast as we can."
"That must be why they are offering the trade." Higsby says, "They knew a collector like me has connections most don't. I can have there are part ordered and shipped in a week." Numberman's prediction of something fishy going on rose to 89% chance. "Um, Higsby. You may want to have a look at this." Numberman said as he showed panels of information. "CuteSpec5 has been buying rare items and trading them for large assortment of other things. The Data says that they do keep some of things but the bulk of it is traded or sold for a higher price. This is all public information on top of that." Higsby had already completed the order and had the chips to be shipped to his shop with a few days. "Oh. We should contact the government about this." Higsby said sheepishly.
A few days later
Megaman NT Warrior Universe
Cyberworld
Undisclosed location
Zane's hidden base
"Data Reconstruction at 17%" the Mr. Prog, a program with a green limbless robot body and yellow hand ears over its head, stated as it stood next to a tub with a cloud of data forming a Nurse NetNavi. "You're going out of your why to fix this NetNavi you found in the system of that burned out hospital." Spooky said as she watched Zane's Virus army bringing him data as tribute in return their survival. Zane wasn't going to correct them because it was helping his goal. "Something I saw in the memery data reminded me of a girl I met in the 'SCP universe', the one we had to go through to get to this one." Zane said.
"You mean the place that has a Lovecraftain that is like a teen gamer, even as they cause people to start cults with their presence?" Spooky asked. "What even happened to that universe? It's like someone just slaughtered or destroyed a bunch of the 'SCPs' but left most of them alone." Zane looked at her with a look that said she was right but also so very wrong. "The Tinkerer makes that Gamer Lovecraftain look weak in comparison. When they decided to 'trim the fat' off the list of SCP the Foundation knows about, they were removed anything that would ruin their plans. The fact it's beneficial to that universe is a lucky bonus." Spooky remembered the expression the staff that were forced to remember the event had.
"Which one?" She asked. Zane smiled sadly. "SCP-053, refer to as 'The Young Girl', I call her Daisy." Zane started.
Flashback
SCP Universe
Testing room
"Remember, you have ten minutes before you can leave." A Scientist said over the intercom as SCP-053, a black haired three years old girl in a yellow summer dress with daisies on it, was let into the room by armed guards. "You aren't in an orange jumpsuit." The girl said confused. "No, I'm not a D-Class (Convicts who are 'disposable' in the eyes of the Foundation). The Deal Maker pulled a few strings so I could meet you." Zane said with an inviting smile, setting out a snack, fresh cookies and a glass of milk, for the girl. "You don't have a name, do you?" Zane asked.
The girl was guarded and silent. Zane sighed and waited five minutes. Finally, the girl, who was nibbing on a cookie asked, "Could you tell me your name?" Zane smiled and bowed a little, "Zane Laskaris. How does the name Daisy sound?" He asked. The girl was confused. "You need a name. There are daisies on your dress." Zane stated. At the 8-minute mark, Daisy said she liked that name then they started talking about random topics.
Outside of the testing room
"40 minutes have passed with no signs of subject becoming irrational, paranoid, or homicidal." The scientist notes. It was highly irregular for someone to visit this SCP without following protocol, but the O5 Council ordered this test. The Scientist coughed on his coffee as he saw Zane touch the girl's hand. It was even more shocking when none of the previously noted effects of eye contact, exposure for more than ten minutes, and skin to skin contact happened. He was about to abort the test when he got a call from a member of the O5 Council. "Any signs of SCP-053's anomalous effect?" the voice was modulated to him their identity. "No sir. Subject has been in the room for 42 minutes and counting. He has made eye and skin to skin contact with SCP-053. He even named her 'Daisy'." The Scientist stated before being cut off.
"I see. Do not abort this experiment or any future ones like this one." The O5 ordered, "that too much ridding on this for any screw ups." The Scientist requested as much clarification as his rank allowed. "The Deal Maker has promised to aid in the containment of SCP-076 among other SCP in return for some 'terms' to the Contact we worked out. The retrieval of SCP-076's key is too great a prize to pass up." The Scientist was quick to follow the orders now. He had enough clearance to know that key was better off found but he didn't have the rank to know much more about SCP-076.
Flashback end
Megaman NT Warrior Universe
Cyberworld
Undisclosed location
Zane's hidden base
"She cannot die nor age beyond three years old. All it takes is ten minutes of being around her to drive humans homicidal. Eye and skin to skin contact is even faster." Zane stated sadly. "Then how did you last an hour on multiple visits?" Spooky asked. Zane eye smiled and stated, "It's hard to make me lose control of my Wrath after what I've achieved." Zane placed a claw on the tube. "Just you wait, Anetta. I will revive Silk for you." He said as Spooky zipped off to get answers her way.
A few days later
Megaman NT Warrior Universe
Cyberworld
NetCity
Back alleys
ProtoMan, a red and black NetNavi with a long white hair that belonged to Chaud Blaze, scanned the back ally of NetCity a digital city in Cyberworld, with the Long Sword battlechip activated (His hand is a long bladed energy sword.) "Unknown ghost, come out on orders of the Net Battlers (a group of NetOps that are legally allowed to assist the government with crisis involving the Network.)." He ordered. "Any sign of the entity." Chaud, a white-haired kid, said as the scanner program categorized every scrape of data around them. "Looking for little old me?" Spooky asked as she appeared behind ProtoMan. The energy blade passed through her harmlessly. But it bisected a cyber trash can clean as butter.
"That wasn't nice" Spooky commented amused. "She's not data." Chaud said paling as his mind raced. "Well duh. I've been dead for some time." Spooky said. "Then why are you causing havoc?" ProtoMan pressed. "what does one do when you are stuck haunting the one at that free you from the place you were trapped for so long. Rules can be so constricting." Spooky said offhandedly. "And to correct you, I only did minor pranks. It's the speculation of who I was before I died that is causing havoc in Cyberworld and the Real World." NetNavi and NetOp couldn't deny that statement. "She's childish, Chaud. We need to deal with her like you would a child." ProtoMan said, then turning to Spooky and asked, "What will it take for you to come to SciLabs so we can lay this mystery to rest?"
The next Day
Megaman NT Warrior Universe
Real World
DenTech City, Electopia
SciLabs
"You got the ghost to come by helping her prank Lan and his friends?" Dr. Hikrai asked with an amused look as he looked at the photos of the expressions on the group of kids and their NetNavis when Spooky jump-scared them. "That's correct. It was entertaining for me." ProtoMan reported on the video call. Mr. Famous, a brown haired google and fingerless glove wearing man in a lab coat, was studying Spooky with great interest. "Are you sure you can't tell us anything about the afterlife?" He asked. "the Death assigned to me said I am not allowed to say anything other than the fact I am on 'probation' for some deadly mischief I let happen and the whole 'Making a Ghost Army' scheme I had going for a while." Spooky said. everyone was silent and looking at her.
"I had a completely logical reason for that scheme, even if it failed in the end." Spooky said with a huff. "I can safely say that you are quite scary when you reveal things like that." ProtoMan said, before the call ended. "Her existence defies all my instruments." Mr. Famous said grinning widely. "Isn't it wonderful?" Dr. Hikari laughed at the statement. Mr. Famous, not his real name, loved puzzles and this was the biggest one yet. Spooky could come and go from the Cyberworld to the real world with some difficulty (all depended on the strength of the firewalls in place) at her leisure. "While you are trying to use me to solve something, can I look at records of accidents? I've got a puzzle I want to solve because HE refuses to tell me." Spooky pouted and said in a mocking voice. "Mystery is the Spice of Life, Spooky. Try to investigate." They shared looks and nodded before Dr. Hikrai said, "That being isn't wrong and we are more than happy to let you look at the public records while you stay here."
A few weeks later
Megaman NT Warrior Universe
Real World
DenTech City, Electopia
SciLabs
Lan, Dr. Hikrai's brown haired soon to be teen soon, had come to SciLabs to divler his dad's lunch that he forgot, again. Maylu, a red-haired girl his age, and Chisao, a young brown-haired kid who is the younger brother of Dex, one of the Lan's friends who wants to beat him in netbattling, tagged along. With them was Rush, a dog Virus that made holes to move between cyberworld and the real world. He mostly stayed with Maylu. They had witnessed an experiment labeled 'Synchro project'. In a 'Digital Dimension field', called a Dimensional Area, NetOps can use a battle chip to fuse with their NetNavi. The prosses was called cross-fusion and the chip was a Synchro Chip.
"It's too dangerous, Lan." Dr. Hikrai said, shooting down Lan's idea of testing the Synchro chip himself. "Maybe, Maybe not." Spooky said. "Hello again Lan." She waved as Lan leaned away from her a little. "The problem isn't something that can be boiled down to a simple science." Spooky said, changing into a college professor attire. "What do you mean?" Maylu asked. Rush was helping Chisao get something from the vending machine in the hall. "This project is running parallel with the Project Doll that I was a part of." Spooky said, pressing on as her emotions started to surg at the memories of what happened in that place resurfaced.
"If it upsets you, you don't have to explain." Roll, Maylu's pink NetNavi, said from Maylu's PET. Roll had four ribbons on her helmet and used fired hearts as her basic attack. "if the revived soul is not compatible with the chosen vessel, then Rejection may occur." Spooky paraphrased. "What kind of unethical people are you talking about?" Dr. Hikrai said with a look of horror, disgust, and shame that men of science would do such an experiment. "I was dead by then, so I had no say in what the now dead group did in that mansion." Spooky said then smiled, stating, "You should have seen the explosion when HE came and put an end it all. They were long dead, but they left quite a mess behind."
They looked paled at the implications. "Then why bring it up?" Lan asked. "The answer is simple." Spooky said, "A good Cross Fusion very likely requires a strong bond of sorts, forced or natural." Someone came into tell them that viruses were attacking Scilabs and air was getting sucked out. "I'd say you have 15 minutes of air at most." Spooky commented as Maylu and Lan jack their NetNavi's to deal with the viruses. Minutes later, Maylu was out cold and Megaman was fighting a 'Darkloid' named Savageman, a beast-like Net Navi born of data on the Network. Using a Program Advance, putting in battle chips in the right way to make a super attack, Megaman forced a retreat and restored order for a moment.
From the space, spikes tipped Dimensional Generators dropped and trapped the lab, letting viruses materialize and attack. Lan ran to where the Synchro chips were and ran into a vampire Darkloid who was Savageman's Master. The beast of Navi started to slice up the place with his wolverine style claws. Lan uses one of the chips and pulls of a successful Cross Fusion and found out that it boosted attack attacks basic and battle chips. In the chaos, a virus made off with a few of the special chips that the vampire didn't take, leaving a few for the humans to keep.
The next day
Megaman NT Warrior Universe
Cyberworld
Undisclosed location
Zane's hidden base
"Lovely. That vampire used a UFO to make a floating fortress out of NetCity's data." Zane said as he watched the event. On one of the other screens the president of the Net Police, in the real world, was making Lan and Megaman Net Saviors, a special rank for those that have helped save the Net. "that makes three of pairs getting that rank." Zane mused. He didn't plan on taking the Synchro Chips, but it gave him an idea. What if the cross fused pair could enter Cyberworld? He wouldn't be surprised if someone got the same idea already, but that was problem for later.
He had plenty of time and Spooky was having fun buying and selling stuff, He would help her with the 'big project' she wanted to do. HE had no idea what it was because the sheer number of 'red herrings' on the Wishlist. He looked at the list of Battle chips and noted she had bought hundreds of them. All because that HeelNavi had a dozen copies of Sanctuary among the Battle Chips he gave Zane. In no time they had a lot of zenny and resources to get the plan going.
Ten minutes later
Somewhere in the Undernet
"You are hard to find, Daemon." The Vampire Darkloid said as he appeared from a swarm of bats. "Can I get a name before you do your requirement speech?" Zane asked as he sorted his battle clip folder. "I am Shademan, leader of a group of Darkloids. Your 'Virus army' has been up to something and I'd hope you'd give me a little insight into why." Shademan asked cordially. "Nice of you to ask instead of trying to find my base. Someone has been trying for the past few days and it's poorly done." Zane comments. "Getting data without being found isn't easy as how you made your base." Zane let his annoyance be noticed in Daemon's voice. "I apologize if it affected you too badly, but it was necessary for my plans." Shademan said, insincerely. "Don't mess with my minions and I won't have to rough up yours." Zane said teleported away.
A month later
Megaman NT Warrior Universe
Real World
Outside of ACDC Town
Spooky's Factory
Main Floor
"Why did you need this machinery?" Zane asked (his human form) as he assembled what seemed to be an assembly line. "This will be Spooky's Haunted Supply Inc. Providing all the scary things you'd need." Spooky said. "I've been trading up stuff for this goal. That and to leave a collection to remind you of me when my 'probation' is over." She says in a bittersweet way. "You're fun to hang out with." Mr. Match, a red-haired man with a pointy beard, entered along the catwalks above the factory floor. "Why do you want me to put the curry you ordered?" He yelled down to them. "The Office down the catwalk all the way and to the right." Zane yelled back.
"Did you bring the parts I bought?" Spooky asked, floating over to where Mr. Match was. "I brought that too, lass." Mr. Match said, holding up a locked padded briefcase. "I still can't believe we went from being a part of Word Three to being business partners with a ghost." He said with an unsure laugh. He, Maddy, Count Zap, and Yahoot had been underlings of Dr. Wily, whose whereabouts are unknown, had tried to rule the world and spread chaos but Lan and Megaman happened. Now they were running a curry restaurant '#2 Curry' on Jyawaii Island with them being one of the locations that CuteSpec5 used to move things about to throw off anyone looking for her. "You wouldn't believe what happened yesterday." Mr. Match said with a grin. "I'm to be crowned Scream Queen of the world?" Spooky asked, jokingly. Mr. Match laughed loudly at that. "I'm back." A red and tan NetNavi with with flame thrower arms and flames coming out of an opening in his head, said as Mr. Match holds up his PET. "The Ghost of Torchman?" Spooky asked then tilted her head in thought, "Can NetNavis come back as ghosts?"
Torchman and Mr. Match sweatdrop at her line thought. "She's odder than you described, Mr. Match." Torchman comments. "She's ghost of a young lass who has been haunting someone that is more of a pyromaniac than I am with much less sanity. That's not even counting this Daemon she has contact with. He's some 'super virus Navi' or something that has put the Network into a state of almost fear. Most aren't even sure he exists." Mr. Match explained. "So that's what they were trying to explain. Wackoman isn't the best at explaining anything straight. Elecman was going on about Zane's 'weaponized Guitar'. And Magicman, well. Ether he's talking in riddles or really flowery aristocratic wording." Torchman said. Spooky giggled to herself. No one had any idea about Zane and Daemon being connected and rumors were not helping the chances of that truth being found out.
"What kind of factory is this, Lass?" Mr. Match asked. Spooky explained her plan, leaving out some details of course. She even gave him a booklet that was a 'preview' of some of the future options the factory would make. "You check all the boxes for evil mastermind when comes to fear." Mr. Match said with a shiver.
A few days later
DenTech City
Arcade
Net Battle CyberArena
"None of that!" Daemon said grabbing the cybersword a green NetNavi was about to use on another, intent on delating him. He could sense the vileness of the Dark Chip on that NetNavi as the owner of said NetNavi in real world was forced to drop his PET as black lightning arched from it. The PET was toast, just like the other people that used the Dark Chip. "I had no hand in this, but I was in the area." He announced to the crowd in the arcade. "I am Daemon. Yes, that Daemon, the 'super virus Navi' the message boards are raving about. I challenge anyone to face me in arenas marked with this symbol."
In the real world
"What?" Maylu asked as Daemon's symbol was shown on the arena dome. Daemon' voice continued, "I've sent an email detailing the rules of these battles to everyone. Be you a newcomer or a seasoned veteran. All NetOps are welcome to try. In fact, I challenge you, Lan Hikari. Jack in Megaman and let us have a show to brighten the mood a little." Lan looked worried. "Go on, Lan. We need to get a read on him. Mr. Famous will be interested in him for sure." Megaman urged. "Alright. Megaman Jack in!" Lan points his PET at the wireless port and Megaman appears on the dome. "Let's not try and lie, Megaman." Daemon stated as the timer to start ticked down to zero. "This is just the prelude. A taste of what we are capable of."
Ture to his word, the match was mostly both sides probing for holes for few minutes but to the kids watching, it was cool. "You may be worth of the rep you have, Lan and Megaman." Daemon said as he stopped the match. "Look for my seal and just maybe you can have a rematch." Daemon disappeared from the arcade system without a trace. "Great. Now we have him to worry about." Lan sighed, logging Megaman out. "I don't think he was lying about anything he said." Megaman said from the PET. "But there is something off about him." Megaman showed file. "I got the scanner program to lock on to him before the fight started. It's still trying to make sense of what it found. I suggest letting SciLabs figure it out."
A week later
SciLabs
"this is the most encrypted data the scanner program has collected." Mr. Famous said. "We're still getting more scans by the day. This 'Daemon' is a bundle of secrets wrapped in enigma." He showed battle clips of Daemon using fire and darkness in his attacks. "The darkness of the Dark Chips and this aura around him are similar." Mr. Famous points out an almost invisible aura around Daemon in some of the clips, "Does that mean that his soul data is be damaged like with those that use Dark Chips?" Lan asked. Mr. Famous shock his head. "I said similar, not the same. Dark Chips seem to use negative energy to corrupt the NetNavi's soul data with each use. This 'Dark Aura' on the other hand is 'angry' energy as far as the scanner can tell." Mr. Famous showed graphs that showed the 'angry energy' and compared it to human emotion brain wave readings.
"Daemon is so angry, it protects him?" Lan asked. Dr. Hikari walked up with book on Greece. "I believe it's more 'Wrath' than anger." He turns to the computer and typed away at the computer. A recording of a statement Daemon made. "I am called the Monk of Wrath. Some call me a Great Demon Lord." The recording ended. "It makes sense. Daemon is a Greek term for a mortal that has become close to being a god but not. Call it enlightenment but not quite the Buddhist kind." Lan looked totally lost. "Think of it like being a master at Net Battling, but it's mastering an emotion/deadly sin in his case." Megaman tried to explain. "Sense when were you an expert on this?" Lan asked. "I'm not. It's just what makes the most sense given what we know about emotions and how they can be used as 'power'."
A few weeks later
Cyberworld
"My, my, my, what do we have here?" Daemon said as he examined the sandy Darkloid Desertman, a being that was a sandy head and a pair of hands as big as his head, who looked under the weather and falling apart, given the trail of cybersand behind him. "Need more data." Desertman moaned in pain. "How about a deal?" Daemon said. "I keep you from deleting from your current foes and in return you will work for me after that clause is activated. Here's a little data to on the house to help you decide with a clear mind." He patches the Darkloid up a little and presents a contract. "No strings?" Desertman asked as he read the terms. "Exactly. In the off chance you get deleted, all your data will come to me and I will up you back together ready to work under me." Daemon said cheerfully. "Like Megaman will ever delete me." Desertman signs and a program is added to his data. "Have a good hunt, Desertman." Daemon said as Desertman left to get more Dark Chips to feed his addiction.
Three days later
Cyberworld
Zane's base
"And like clockwork our sandy new friend is here." Daemon comments as the tube next to Silk's has Desertman's data added to it. "Data restoration: 5%" the Progman next to the tube stated. "I am so happy I scanned his data before the Darkloids started using those chips." Daemon said. "can we talk about the elephant in the room please?" Spooky asked as she popped in from the real world. "How are you in the Real world and Cyberworld at the same time? Was it some rule of this universe that 'split' your forms between the two worlds?" Daemon laughed then used the duo voice when both were talking. "Good guess, Spooky. Daemon and I, Zane, inhabit the same body but this universe has some weird rules that caused us to exist in both cyberworld and the real world. Daemon does the talking in this body and I do the talking in the real world. It makes hiding that we are one being easier." He goes back to just Daemon talking when he hears the Progman assigned to Silk's tube state, "Restoration complete. Final countdown: 36 hours."
"YES! MY restoration program works. It takes forever to restore the data of Navis that I have little information on but Desertman's data will be much quicker." Daemon said with pride. "Now if only I could get headway with reaching our Daemon (Ultra mode) form in this universe." He brought up data on multiple windows and got to work. "Were the Synchro Chips any help?" Spooky asked. "yes, but they can stand up to the power outlet of that form, they'd burn out for sure." Daemon stated. "How about making a Super Synchro Chip?" Spooky asked, "While you are at it, why not making one that can send the Crossfused Hybrid to the Cyberworld safely, like that data you salvaged from the Undernet a while back?"
Daemon paused then worked at triple speed. Spooky smirked as she left. Sometimes all it took was a fresh look to find the solution.
36 hours later
Cyberworld
Zane's Base
"Welcome back to the world of the living, Silk." Daemon said as the tube opened. The light blue nurse blinked and looked around confused. "I'm sure you are full of questions, but you are no longer at the hospitable that burned almost a year ago (I changed the date of the hospital fire)." Daemon said. "And yes, she is safe. Not sure about her mental state but your NetOp, Anetta, is walking and running like most healthy humans do." Silk looked calmer as Daemon continued talking. "Don't be too surprised about viruses coming here." He taps on Desertman's tub, "Him and another Darkloid have a contract with me if they get deleted, they are revived and work for me. Not sure when Videoman kicks the bucket but with his ego, any day now."
A week later
DenTech City
Skyscraper
Lan and Chaud were trying to explain to Anetta, the dark-skinned orange hair in a ponytail NetOp of Silk, that Chaud was not to blame for the event. "Not to butt in but I've been looking for you." Daemon said from the elevator income system. "Daemon, now is not the time for a challenge." Chaud said sharply. "Not you two. Her." Daemon said from the inside of Anetta's pink PET that she still carried with her. "I was doing some data collecting while back when my Virus followers brought me some interesting data from a burnt hospital." Anetta looked extremely angry as she pulled her PET out and glared at the intruder. "Before you say anything, let me finish." Daemon said.
"The data was NetNavi soul data. It was like a puzzle and the hospital was full of the rest of the pieces." Daemon explained. "Are you telling that you put a NetNavi back together from the scraps of data?" Protoman asked. "It's hard work but I had spare time. All you need to do is agree to this contract." Daemon said as a contract was projected. "In return for the NetNavi Silk and a boon, the Digital entity named Daemon requests that any entity working for Daemon be allowed to work on their tasks that do not cause major chaos." Lan read. "He's asking for the Net Police to look the other way as he goes about his plans." Chaud said. "What's a boon?" Lan asked. "It's a favor that be called in anytime." Anetta said as she signed. Chaud and Lan were prompted to sign as witnesses. "As promised. By the way, Dr. Regal is the evil mastermind." Daemon said. The elevator doors slam shut and trap Anetta inside as Ms. Yuri, Dr. Regal's assistant, cursed and ran for the roof. Lan and Chaud chased after her as Daemon transferred Silk to Anetta's PET.
"You're safe in this elevator and with be taken to the ground floor momentarily." Daemon stated as the elevator descended. "There is no malice to what have been doing. Nor do my goals line up worth those of Dr. Wily, Dr. Regal, or other entities that desire world domination." Daemon said. "Then what are your goals?" Anetta asked, defensively. "I need to accumulate enough power to get somewhere else, but Plan A didn't work so I'm on plan b now. Maybe it's plan e by now with all the 'roadblocks' I've had to deal with." Daemon grumbled. "You wouldn't believe what's floating around the net."
Some months Later
Star Wars Universe
The Outer Rim Territories
Tatooine
Great Pit of Carkoon
After much work and dealing with Doctor Regal's plans they had gather the power need to do the jump, leaving behind a legacy that would be important for future endeavors. "Thank you!" Zane yelled as a sandstorm and two three moons in the sky was what greeted them to this universe. "this isn't any of the planets you predicted we'd end up on." Spooky said as they heard a hole to their left hissing and screeching. "But I know where we are." Zane said. "We are near Jabba the Hutt's pet Sarlacc. It's a giant creature, roughly 100 meters long, that acts like an Ant Lion." Zane yelled over the wind that started to die down.
"And what's that?" Spooky asked, pointing at a large creature that was ripping said Sarlacc out of the ground and eating it whole. It was a sandy rock colored wingless dragon with ten legs two horns and a whip like tail. "That would be a Greater krayt dragon, the bigger scarier version of the more common Canyon krayt dragon and their list of prey does include Sarlacc." Zane said in awe as the beast, now finished with its meal, burrowed into the sand pit. "The wonders of nature." Zane said as the sandstorm finally stopped. "Now all we need to do is find out when we are. I mean, we got sent way back in time with some of the jumps. Hence why we didn't lose much time with that delay in the Megaman universe." Zane explained. "So, we could be way off with your vision?" Spooky asked. "More or less. One sure way is to see a junk dealer in Mos Espa." He pulls an MSE-6 series repair droid, a box like Roomba robot, out of the dune near him. "And this Mouse Droid will be the way to loosen his lips and wallet." Zane was smirking as he said this.
Spooky looked at the chucks of metal that the sandstorm unearthed. A Starship must have been put through the ringer because that was dents in the outer metal chunks. A couple Tusken Raiders, also called Sand People, were picking the crash site and they seemed to have a human woman in leather bindings. On one of their crafts. Zane killed that raiders with compressed fireballs to the head. "That was lucky for us and her." Zane said strolling over to look at the woman. The woman had brown hair and eyes, one of them was bruised along with her jaw. "Rise and shine, the raiders are gone." Spooky said as the woman looked at them in a daze. "Looks like a concussion and a little dehydration." Zane mused. "A ghost?" the woman asked, eyes drifted from them to the headless corpses of her captors. "When did they kidnap you? And can I get a name to the 'maiden' I saved?" Zane asked.
"Shmi Skywalker. They broke into my home at least a day ago." The woman said with a dry as sand mouth. "Seeing as you not that dehydrated, three days at most." Zane said as he freed her limbs. The Bantha-II cargo skiff was an open floating barge type vehicle to move things around even in a sandstorm. "This isn't something the raiders normally have." Zane mused. "They likely got it from the Hutt." Shmi offered as she slowly drank the water skin she grabbed from the craft's storage. "Well, it's time to pick the wreck clean, not take there is much to pick." Zane said, dropping the droid onto the skiff. In five minutes, Zane had loaded up anything that could be sold or traded, not much but the parts, while smaller than a human child, was worth quite a bit of currency.
Author's Note: As you can tell, they are in the Clone wars movie Star Wars timeline wise and saved Anikin Skywalker's mom from the raiders that would have killed her. Jabba's pet got snacked on, and the raiders got their hands on a fancy toy from said hutt. The ripples from the sith lord being headshot are showing.
