A/N: Hello again, my fellow readers! I'm back with a new chapter!

Firstly, I just wanted to say thanks for the response on chapter 2; it really encourages me to keep going on this story!

Secondly, I sorta lied when I said that part of the original chapter 1 would show up last chapter; my apologies. But hey, this time, I can promise that a good bit of the original chapter 1 will be present, as well as some parts from the original chapter two. So, there's that at least!

In my last author's note, I explained that this chapter would be longer than chapter 2. And there's a reason for that: there's going to be a lot to unpack here. I'll not spoil anything here, but I promise you that you're in for a ride!

Disclaimer: This story is exactly why I don't own The Zula Patrol.

Chapter 3: Askew

June 26th, 2500

7:43 A.M.

RIOT Force HQ

Relic Research Labs

"This isn't getting us anywhere, Doc."

Silence. Then, a low sigh.

"Doc."

Dr. Atenza snapped to attention, almost hitting her head on the back of her chair. She softly growled a curse as she pushed herself to a sitting position, her eye burning and her muscles aching. The Mount Zula coffee she'd downed earlier had worn off just that fast. "S-Sorry for that, Gage..."

Gage, a lanky, orange-skinned alien who towered over her by four feet, looked down at her with half-lidded eyes. He was faring slightly better, but the bloodshot eyes indicated that he was on his last reserves as well. "Yeah, I think we should call it in and come back later this afternoon," he said quietly. "I've got a headache."

"I promised Captain Firestorm and Captain Ferris that we'd have something for them when they compose their reports for the mayor," Dr. Atenza replied.

"And that's going to be a few hours from now," Gage muttered, more venom in his voice than he intended.

She sighed and rubbed her eye, groaning as her head ached. "Although...it seems that it's getting difficult for me to concentrate."

"Exactly why I said we should come back later," Gage said tiredly.

"But who's going to do the research in our stead?"

"I don't care who it is so long as I can get some sleep," he replied, pushing himself up out of his chair. He looked over at the relics that the research team had recovered: jewelry, weapons, a few keys and stone tablets, written in a language that was unfamiliar to him. "I'd better-"

He paused, and then took another look at the tablet laying on the observation table, squinting at the hieroglyphs. Time had rendered much of the original letters indecipherable, but he still dared to pick it up regardless to get a closer look. The burning in his eyes lessened as he stared at the letters in front of him, his interest piqued. "Doc, this is ancient Zulean," he said softly.

Atenza, who'd started to doze off in her chair, snapped attention. "Hu-wah?" she mumbled.

"These hieroglyphs...it's a different form from the ones we've studied, but this is Zulean," he said.

"Let me see." Atenza rolled her chair over to him and picked up the tablet herself, studying it closely. Her eye widened in shock as she scanned the writing. "Indeed it is!"

"This is incredible! This is proof that another civilization was here, one that learned Zulean!" Gage said. The tiredness was gone from his eyes as he started looking through the other three tablets lying there, as well as the weaponry. "I wonder what these people had to say about our planet..."

"...Nothing good, from the looks of it."

The smile disappeared from Gage's face as he turned to look at Atenza, who was studying the tablet in front of her with rapt attention. Her eye held horror the likes of which he'd never seen before. "Uh, Doc? What's going on?"

"I'm not sure...but I'm not liking the looks of this," Atenza said quietly. Her eye was still studying the tablet.

"Doc, stop giving me the runaround and tell me just what is going on!" Gage shouted, his voice louder than needed. "You know I hate it when you do that!"

Silence answered his shout for a few seconds, and then Atenza spoke: "This is a rough translation, but this is what it says: 'Hear ye, O wretched House of Trudor! Weep and despair, O traitorous House of Phoenix! Your day of reckoning is at hand. For three centuries, you have clashed over the fate of your planet, seeking those you may control. But with the gods as my witness, neither shall reign over Zula. Nay, We shall rise and tear what little power you have out of your hands...'"

"W-We?" Gage started, his tone incredulous. The words were sending chills up his spine, and Atenza's flat tone as she recited it was not helping. "Who's 'We'?"

"The House of Trudor, and the House of Phoenix? What-wait...that can't be!" Atenza nearly threw the tablet aside to get to her desk, forcing Gage to catch it. "These two organizations haven't been active in centuries!"

"Doc, what the heck are you talking about?!" Gage said.

"Read the rest of it, Gage," she said.

"But-"

"NOW!" she barked.

Gulping, he turned and started reading, quickly skimming through the part that Atenza had read earlier. " 'We shall arise and tear what little power you have out of your hands, and render you helpless. The blood of your people will flood the streets, and their cries of anguish shall be heard from systems over. Zula was forged by fire, and through fire it shall be destroyed. And Our perfect world shall rise from the ashes. This is Ungor's declaration.'" He stared at the tablet, feeling ice forming in his veins. "This...what insane fool wrote this?"

Atenza started to answer, but that was when bright blue lights filled her vision. She looked down to see that the tablets on the table and in Gage's hand was glowing. "Gage, be careful!" she shouted.

Gage threw the tablet away from him with a shout, covering his eyes from the brightness. Loud peals of thunder filled their ears, the volume sending them to the ground. After a few seconds, the light died away, leaving them in the room.

"What the heck was that?!" Gage started, only to be interrupted by a horrified gasp from Atenza.

"The artifacts..." she started shakily. Gage got up, staring at the alien as she pointed at the lab table, her eye wide with horror and her skin going whiter than the floor. "T-They're gone..."

Indeed they were. The only thing that indicated they'd been there were the small traces of rust. Even the tablet that Gage had been reading was gone, having vanished in mid air.

"Doc, what do we do?"

"We need to report this to Firestorm and Ferris, NOW!"

Dark Truder's Hideout

Same time

"Hmm..."

Traxie looked up at Truder from her spot at the control deck. The bald villain was watching the screen with intense focus, his dark eyes narrowed. This was the first time he'd said anything in several minutes, so she knew that he was coming up with some scheme or another. "Whatcha thinkin', Trudy?" she asked.

"I'm thinking I need to take a page out of Three-Eyes' book and research this," Truder replied, sitting up and turning off the feed. "Weapons like that don't just disappear into thin air, Traxie. Someone doesn't want these weapons to be used." He scoffed. "And who can blame them? Knowing the Zuleans, they'll try destroying them without even looking into what they're dealing with."

"That's how the Dark Days of Zula started," Traxie said, casually flipping through a magazine. "That attitude cost 'em ten years of war and thousands of Zulean lives. But at least they're bein' a little smarter this time around."

"Keyword being 'a little'. Either way, I'm going to keep a close eye on this case, Traxie. If there is something weird going on, I want to be ahead of everyone else, including the pesky Zula Patrol," Truder answered gruffly. He paused, ruminating over Dr. Atenza's statement before the weapons disappeared. "House of Trudor, eh? I wonder if I have any connection to that..."

8:04 A.M

Zula Patrol Headquarters

The Zulean sun blazing through the blinds finally pulled Bula out of his sleep. Groaning, he blinked the sleep out of his eyes and took a look at the alarm clock behind him...and icy dread settled over him when he realized what time it was.

"Oh shi-" He started to rise, but that was when pressure around his upper chest stopped him. Startled, he looked over his shoulder for the source, and was surprised to see Zeeter there. She was pressed against his back, her arms wrapped firmly around him. The summer heat had forced her into a tank top and shorts, decorated with purple and pink Saturns. And she had no plans of letting go, either; the more he moved, the tighter she held on, until he was sure she'd suffocate him.

"I'll get you, Truder...if it's the last thing I do..." she muttered.

He sighed resignedly, and gently rubbed her forehead. She hasn't done this since we were kids, he thought to himself. Whenever she was extremely stressed, depressed or worried, she would cling to him, not wishing to be alone even for a moment. A frown formed on his face as he realized why she would do this now after so long.

The team had stayed up until midnight going through a few of Multo's things, and found themselves remembering the crazy incidents a few of his inventions had caused. Everyone had been laughing for a while, until the mood turned somber as they remembered the fun and joy he'd brought to the team. That was when Wizzy and Wigg, once again, started to cry, and Zeeter had held them close, trying not to cry herself. The twins looked to Multo like a second father, so naturally, they were crushed. And though Multo and Zeeter bickered and bantered a bit too much, he could tell that there was genuine respect and friendship there.

She's taking Multo's death just as hard as Wizzy and Wigg. His frown deepened when he thought of Multo again. He never even got to tell her how he felt...

A loud vibration followed, and he looked over to see his Zula Phone buzzing next to his alarm clock. He picked it up and saw that it was a number he didn't recognize. However, the 080 code let him know that it was from a Zulean task force. It'd be foolish to ignore it, he thought. He set it on video call, and hit the answer button. "Hello?"

To his surprise, Firestorm's face filled his vision. "Good morning, Captain Bula. I hope everything is well with you and your team." A quizzical look formed on her face, followed by a small, amused smile. "I do hope I wasn't interrupting anything."

"Inter-" And then he remembered. "Oh. W-Well you see, I, uh-"

"Bula, could you please keep it down?" Bula felt as though every part of him was on a live wire as Zeeter woke up, her eyes narrowed as she glared at him. "Some of us aren't early birds like you!"

Firestorm's voice filled the air, and much to Bula's embarrassment, she still sounded amused. "I can call back later, if you want, Captain."

Zeeter's eye shot open as she realized what was going on. "Firestorm?! Oh, geez!" She hurriedly seized the blankets and covered herself up, a blush forming on her face. "Um, sorry about that! Just forget you saw or heard anything!"

Not helping, Zeeter! Bula's face was as red as his hair at this point. "Um...that would probably be a good idea..."

"Alright then. I'll call back in an hour before I have to meet the mayor. There's some important news I need to share with you that might shed some light on this case," Firestorm explained. "I'll see you in a little while."

"T-Thanks." Bula ended the call, and then he buried his face in his hands. "Gods, that was awkward."

"You're telling me!" Zeeter replied, looking just as embarrassed. She let out a small sigh. "S-Sorry about that..."

"No, don't apologize. I kinda caused that by putting it on video call instead of just answering the phone," Bula said. Turning around to face her, he asked, "You doing alright?"

"...What do you think, Bula?" Zeeter muttered, gathering more of his blankets. "Multo died yesterday. Just how in the heck am I alright?"

"You're right, that was stupid of me to ask," Bula said. "But you know that you can tell me anything, right?"

Silence met his question, but he didn't press further. He watched as Zeeter curled herself into a small ball, her antennae drooping, and her lips quivering.

"Y'know, Bula, I know Multo and I didn't always see eye to eye...but I thought of him as my friend," Zeeter replied. She blinked away a few tears. "Yeah, he got on my nerves sometimes, and his cooking is disgusting, but he was always there when we needed help. He had every reason to get ticked off with me about stuff, and yet...he always let it go. He forgave easily and loved everyone easily."

Bula nodded. Some more than others, though, in his case.

"You know, that time when I caused that freak storm on Zula, I really thought he'd be pissed at me for it."

Bula looked at her quizzically. "Why would he be?"

"Well, you remember the time I messed with one of his vehicles back at the Zula Academy?" Zeeter continued.

Bula nodded, wincing. "Oh yeah. I'd never seen him that angry before," he said. Though normally calm even in the most uncontrollable circumstances, Multo's temper was something to behold when it finally got loose. "Thank goodness that was the only time."

"Oh, trust me, I made sure of that. But when I messed with one his machines again for my own gain, he told me not to worry about it. I mean, I literally messed with his invention and almost leveled our headquarters, just to prove to you that I could be a great weather forecaster. And instead of rightfully lecturing me for it, he jumped right in and helped me. I could count on him for helping me with the stuff I didn't know, and to hear me out when I was going through stuff and now he's just gone. And I can't even pay my respects to him because they couldn't find his body..."

Bula frowned. That was the worst part of this incident, knowing that none of them would see Multo one more time. "Sounds like you were holding in a lot."

"I mean, yesterday, you had to tell Professor Precipito that Multo died, his family reacted just as we feared they would, and Wizzy and Wigg are inconsolable! Heck, you're barely holding on and I-"

"You thought you had to be the strong one, right?" Bula asked.

"Well..s-someone has to be," she muttered. "But last night I couldn't take hearing Wizzy and Wigg crying themselves to sleep anymore. Wigg was b-basically saying they have no one else left but each other. That's why I came in here. I didn't want to be alone dealing with all that heavy stuff..."

It's just as I thought. "It's just like you told me yesterday, Zeeter. Holding all that in isn't good for you," he said, scooting over and pulling her into a hug. "I appreciate you looking out for everyone else, but now I think it's time for someone to look after you."

Zeeter nodded, a few tears forming in her eyes. "Thanks, Bula," she said quietly.

They remained that way for a little while, Bula rubbing small circles on her back, and Zeeter just allowing herself to lean on her old friend. He said nothing, allowing her to cry. In his grief, he had left his oldest friend behind to wallow in her own.

I promise you, Zeeter, I won't leave you feeling like this again, he vowed silently.

It took a few more minutes to get Zeeter settled. He gently nudged her. "I don't want to be that guy, but we have to get ready for that conference," he said quietly.

"I know," she replied. "I-I'll pull myself together, Bula. But thanks for being here."

Bula nodded. "Always, Zeeter."

8:35 A.M.

Unsurprisingly, Wizzy and Wigg were waiting for them in the main control room. Well, Wigg was; Wizzy was sitting in her small chair by the wall, looking despondent. Wigg looked slightly better, but Bula could see the tiredness in his eyes. "What took you guys so long?" Wigg asked.

"Overslept," Bula said quickly, pressing a few buttons on the control deck. The two really didn't need to know the embarrassment he and Zeeter had suffered through that morning. "I've gotta call Firestorm and find out what she wanted to share with us before she holds the press conference with Mayor Tiburcio."

"Oh," Wigg replied. He paused, and then said, "Hey, so, um...Iris called. She said that Autofocus woke up this morning."

That stopped him short. "Are you serious?" he asked.

"Yeah. And he's asking for us. H-He really wants to know what happened to Multo."

His mood soured when he thought of the astronomer. Naturally, Multo would be the first thing on his mind; it was the last thing on his mind before he'd fallen unconscious. Bula turned to see Wizzy, who looked close to tears again. His heart went out to the older of the pair. "We'll tell him when we get there."

"That's what I told Iris," Wigg replied. "I just hope that Autofocus doesn't try to call us himself..."

Bula nodded as he entered Firestorm's number into the control pad. "I wouldn't be surprised if he did. He's incredibly stubborn sometimes," he answered.

It only took two rings for her to answer. Dressed immaculately in a white and blue suit, the leader of the Stars Squad was unusually serious compared to when Bula had seen her last. "Good morning, Zula Patrol. I trust that you're doing alright?"

"As good as we can be," Bula said, noticing Wizzy slowly rise from her chair to float next to Wigg. "You said that this was rather serious?"

"Indeed it is. My research team stayed up all night to look for clues from the weapons that Multo's team had uncovered. And what they found was rather horrifying," she said. Her eyes darkened. "Something evil is in these weapons."

If Bula hadn't been wide awake before, he was now, for this news was like dropping a bucket of ice water on his skin. Zeeter stared at her, jaw slack, and Wizzy and Wigg went rigid. Gorga's eyes narrowed, a small snarl escaping his lips.

He was dreading the answer, but he knew that he had to ask. "What did you find, Firestorm?"

"My researchers found a prophecy written in one of the artifacts, a stone tablet. Written in ancient Zulean, it described, among other things, the destruction of Zula," Firestorm replied. "The person who wrote this apparently hated our planet."

"Obviously," Zeeter retorted, rolling her eyes.

"There was apparently more, but my research team only got so far before the weapons disappeared into thin air," Firestorm said. "And before you say anything," she looked at Zeeter as she said this, "I have the footage to prove it."

"Can we see it?" Bula asked.

Firestorm nodded, keying in a few controls on her own keyboard. The Zula Patrol's screen was soon showing camera footage of a laboratory, where two researchers were studying the weapons-one at her desk skimming other papers, while the other was reading the tablet. A few seconds later, bright blue light filled the room, and the scientist holding the tablet threw it away from him. A bright flash filled the screen for a few seconds before dying down. The two researchers were on the ground , hands over their heads, and the weapons and tablets they'd been studying were gone. The only traces that they'd been there were small traces of rust.

Dead silence filled the control room for a long time. Bula's eyes widened, Wizzy and Wigg had gone pale, and Gorga went slack jawed.

Zeeter summed up everyone's feelings with two words: "Holy crap."

"Indeed," Firestorm said quietly, turning off the footage. "Now, my team is still researching the person who wrote this and the two organizations they called out in this prophecy, but if my memory serves my right, this could be a link to the Dark Days of Zula."

Zeeter gulped. "Oh, gods, not those," she muttered. Every Zulean from primary school to college had learned of that dreadful period, with the college courses adding gory details to each lesson. She considered herself to be the tough one, but just hearing the name made her stomach churn. "What two organizations did that thing mention?"

"The House of Trudor, and the House of the Zulean Phoenix," Firestorm said. "My head researcher, Atenza, apparently knows a lot about these two organizations."

"Is it possible to speak to her?" Bula asked.

"Sadly, no. She's recovering from her all-nighter." Firestorm sighed. "I keep telling her that things like that aren't good for her, but she's stubborn."

"Reminds me of Multo, in a way," Bula muttered.

"We have to report this to the mayor in about fifty minutes, but I figured it would be good to touch bases with you first and keep you in the loop," Firestorm said. "Atenza is still knocked out, but I can give you her number so that you can contact her when she recovers."

"Thanks, Firestorm," Bula replied with a nod. "We'll look into this a little bit further, but well, we have some other business to attend to."

"Ah, right. I'd better not keep you then. Do take care of yourselves, team. And once again, you have my condolences," Firestorm said, sympathy in her eyes.

Though he was dreading meeting Autofocus, and dealing with reminders of his mentor's death, Bula offered a small smile. "We will, and thank you."

Zula General Hospital

9:47 A.M.

Autofocus stared up at the ceiling of his hospital room, dull pain aching through his body. The smell of antiseptic and Zulean gardenias wafted in the air, and bits of sunlight reached his eyes, forcing him to blink. He didn't hear any humming or page turning, which meant that Iris had taken his advice and gone on to breakfast. He was grateful for her company, but he only wanted to know one thing and one thing only: the fate of his oldest friend. Iris hadn't said much, but the pain in her eye had said enough.

"I pray that Multo is alright..." he murmured.

A slight knock on the door snapped him out of his thoughts. Iris had come back early. "Come in," he called weakly.

The door slid open with a hiss, and the first to fly through the door were Wizzy and Wigg. "Autofocus! You're awake, you're awake!" The twins echoed, hovering over to nuzzle him on the face.

Autofocus chuckled heartily; despite his predicament, there was no denying that Wizzy and Wigg could bring up his mood. "Wizzy, Wigg! So good to see you!"

"We could say the same about you, Professor," Bula said, stepping into the room. A small bouquet of Zulea fire roses, colored red, gold and white, were in his hands. Zeeter slid in behind him, looking unusually tense. "I'm glad that you're in one piece."

"As am I," Autofocus said. "I may have escaped with my life, but the research team..." The astronomer's eyes clouded over with tears, and shook his head. The grizzly memories of watching his team being skewered in front of him while they were trying to escape had haunted his dreams. "Oh, gods...they were just kids, you know. T-This expedition was supposed to be their big break..."

"I heard the Zulean Academy and the Institute are supposed to be paying for the funerals," Zeeter replied. "The funerals are supposed to be within a few days."

Autofocus nodded, wiping away his tears. He fixed the team with as serious a look as he could manage. "Zula Patrol, I'm not one for small talk. There is one reason I needed you all here. I must know if you were able to find Multo. Is he alright? Iris wouldn't tell me anything when I asked her..."

The silence was akin to that of a funeral home. Autofocus studied the team's reactions-stone-faced at first, then the tears started coming about. Zeeter, in particular, looked rather distraught, while Bula fared slightly better, though his eyes were going as red as his hair. Even Wizzy and Wigg floated away, their faces filled with grief.

Their reactions were enough.

"Y-You mean...he's really gone..."

Bula was the only one who was able to answer at that moment. "W-We're sorry, Autofocus."

A part of him had known this was coming, but it still hit him like a truck. Autofocus buried his face in his hands, the tears already flowing from his eyes. The beings that had taken Multo away had probably killed him, deeming him a threat. He still pictured the older alien's fearful face as he was dragged into that portal. He still remembered Multo's concern for him and the rest of the research team, even over his own safety.

And rather than help him, Autofocus had run away like a coward.

He sobbed earnestly, his cries echoing throughout the room. For the third time that day, Wizzy and Wigg leaned on Gorga as they cried, while the space puppy looked just as distraught. In the corner of the room, Bula held Zeeter as she shook from her tears, while he cried himself.

In their grief, none of them heard the door slide open and quickly close. Iris Bloodshot, having just come from the cafeteria, needed only one look in the room to know her presence wasn't needed. Blinking tears away, she sunk into one of the chairs outside of Autofocus' room, shaking her head.

Poor Multo. Wherever he is now, I hope he's at peace...

10:30 A.M.

Zula Academy Dorms

"Bonnie, you cannot be serious!"

"What choice do I have, Mom?" Bonnie argued back. "There's something crazy going on here, and I'm going to get to the bottom of it."

"But you already paid for your tickets, honey!"

Bonnie looked over at her suitcases, which were leaning against the wall. Last night, she had been in such a hurry to get to her computer she had left her luggage there. "I've already asked for a refund. They'll be sending it in a few days."

"But what about Lamar and the others?"

She bit her lip. "...I'll have to see them in the next few months, Mom. But I can't ignore this."

"So you're going to put your conspiracy theories over your own family? Again?" Her mother's accusatory tone sent stabs through her chest. "After knowing full well what it did the last time? You're fortunate that the others even want to see you at all!"

"Mom, I-" Bonnie took a deep breath, trying to stop the tears from doing into her throat. She hated getting angry, because it meant she'd start crying, and she wasn't about to get over emotional on the phone. Sighing, she said, "Mom, I know what you're thinking. And I know that after what happened with Beck and Ferdi, the rest of the family didn't want to talk to me. But this...this looks like the start of something big. And I'm not going to miss out on this opportunity if it's going to help me catch these people in the act once and for all."

"Bonnie, please, for the gods' sakes, rethink this-!"

"I'm sorry, Mom. But my mind's made up. Don't try to stop me, please."

And then she hung up, though there was no stopping the tears falling down her face.

June 30th, 2500

8:30 A.M.

Zula Patrol Headquarters

I hate this, Bula thought to himself, adjusting his white and gold toga for the third time that day. He looked into the mirror with a sigh. At least it still fit. He hadn't worn this since his grandfather's funeral six years ago. For a while, he'd hoped to never wear it again, or at least, not so soon.

Fate had a way of screwing with him, it seemed.

With a small groan, he ran a hand through his hair and turned away from the mirror, unwilling to look at the haggard reflection that stared back at him. He opened the door, and was surprised to see Wizzy there, wearing a green and gold crown between her antennae. "Wizzy, is there something wrong?"

She shook her head. "Nope. I just wanted to let you know that Multo's family is already here. Alphonse wants to talk to you and Zeeter before we leave, though."

And here I thought things couldn't get worse. Bula nodded, but paused to adjust his toga one more time before heading out to the hallway.

Zeeter was already waiting for him, dressed in a long white and gold dress with a red cape attached to her back by gold pins. Similar to Wizzy, she too had a crown on her head, though her's was red and gold. "So, Wizzy told you, too," she remarked, noting his expression.

"I have to admit, I'd rather deal with Alphonse than Hugh," Bula said.

"Ugh, don't even mention him," Zeeter said, rolling her eyes. "If there's one good thing about this, at least he won't be here."

"You might not want to say that around Magnus, though," Bula whispered, ushering her into the kitchen.

Multo's parents were already seated at the table. Multo's father, Magnus, was where Alphonse got his glaring height and figure from. He shifted in the small dining room chair, grimacing as he tried to get comfortable.

Multo's mother, Matilda, gave him a small, amused smile before letting out a little chuckle. She was shorter than her husband, with a fuller figure and wore magenta glasses. Both were dressed in black and grey robes, and three small crowns of black Zulaberry thorns rested on their eyestalks. The two's personalities were like night and day-Magnus was the silent, strong type, though he had his moments where he could joke around. Matilda was energetic and curious, and somewhat absent minded; between the two, Multo's personality clearly came from her.

The two gave Bula and Zeeter nods of acknowledgement before turning back to their conversation, which was over a series of papers spread across the table. Bula took a casual glance at the letters, and noticed that few of them were decorated with an orange and blue Phoenix on the upper left corners.

Never seen a symbol like that before, he thought.

"They're just taking care of a few official things," Alphonse said, snapping Bula out of his thoughts. He was wearing a white toga under his black robes, as well as the black Zulaberry thorns on his eyestalks. Sitting up from his position against the wall, he continued with, "The Temple of the Zulean Phoenix has worked closely with my family for generations. They're covering the costs for this funeral."

"Well, that was nice of them. That's one less thing they have to worry about," Bula noted.

"Yeah, I guess," Alphonse said. After taking another glance at his parents, he said, "Has there been anything regarding this case?"

"Other than Firestorm telling us about the weapons disappearing, no," Zeeter replied curtly.

"Damn." Alphonse glared down that the ground, unwilling to meet Zeeter's piercing gaze. "Listen, I really am sorry about what happened a few days ago, OK? I wasn't thinking straight."

Zeeter looked from him to Bula, who nodded encouragingly. She sighed. "I'll let it slide, Alphonse, but seriously, don't pull that crap again," she said.

"Loud and clear."

"Did you talk to Hugh?" Bula asked. He knew it was a sensitive question and hadn't wanted to ask, but he knew he had to.

"Yeah. He, uh...took it worse than I did," Alphonse replied. "Took a few guards to contain him, too."

"Why am I not surprised?" Zeeter said.

Bula nudged her, motioning towards Magnus and Matilda, and her mouth clacked shut. Alphonse waved it off. "Don't worry, they know all about it. Honestly, I thought about not telling him, but that wouldn't be right. He's still part of the family, despite his screw ups. And Rache..."

"Oh, gods, I know she's torn up about this," Bula muttered, his face twisting.

"Torn up doesn't begin to describe it. She's destroyed. Multo was always her favorite older brother, even when he did play pranks on her," Alphonse replied. "She's supposed to join us at the Temple, and will be officiating over everything..."

The sound of a chair scraping filled their ears, followed by commanding footsteps. Magnus loomed over Bula and Zeeter, his normally hard eyes shining with tears. "Bula, I wanted to say, on behalf of my family...thank you."

Bula felt his throat tighten. "Y-You're thanking me?"

"Yes, for being there for Multo during one of the hardest times in his life, as well as inspiring him to follow his true passion," Magnus said. "I admit, I was just as worried about him as Alphonse, but...seeing him enjoy working with the Zula Patrol and making a difference in the galaxy truly warmed my heart. So, I must thank you."

Bula nodded, his lip trembling with sobs. Zeeter swiped at her eyes, hastily trying to hide the tears forming.

Matilda joined her husband a few moments later, the rest of the team in tow. Her brown eyes were shining with unshed tears. "Well, shall we get going? We don't want to keep Rachel and the others waiting," she said.

"Indeed," Magnus said, using one arm to pull his wife into a hug. "Come, Zula Patrol. Let's give Multo the send off he deserves."

Temple of the Flaming Phoenix

9:34 A.M.

Bula had to admit, the temple was lavishly decorated, with tall white, orange and blue drapes towering into the ceiling, colossal oil lamps on both sides of the walls, and plush red velvet carpet. Decorating the steps were white gold Zulean gardenias, pink and yellow chrysanthemums, and red and purple carnations, which trailed upwards in a path towards the gold and white coffin. Those flowers what been Multo's favorites, and it only seemed proper that they incorporated them in the service.

Compared to the temple, the mourners gathered wore black. Bula felt rather out of place in his white and gold toga, but he didn't let that bother him. After all, now wasn't the time to fuss over his appearance.

He and the other Patrollers, as well as Multo's immediate family, sat up front close to the altar. Bula held Zeeter close to him, rubbing her shoulders comfortingly as the young woman sobbed quietly. Wizzy and Wigg were next to her, also shedding tears for their lost friend and mentor. Gorga was next to his feet, head bowed low in sorrow.

Iris Bloodshot, Professor Autofocus and Professor Precipito, dressed in black and orange robes, sat in the pew to his right. In the pew behind them were several other professors that Multo had studied under during his time at the Zulean Institute of Science. And behind him were many, many others that Bula didn't even try to name. He supposed that many of them were his classmates throughout the years. Much to his surprise, Queen Marina and her entourage, as well as Mayor Tiburcio and some of his personal staff, had arrived, and thankfully without a gaggle of reporters. The last thing anybody needed was for this event to be televised.

The worst part of all was the casket that sat in front of them. The firefighters hadn't even tried to recover Multo's body, and according to Ferris and his team, there had been no sign of it. The fire and the ensuing blast in the caves had incinerated everything, including the remains of the research team. Ferris had apologized profusely for it, even though the Zula Patrol and Multo's family had told him it wasn't his fault.

What had set them off were the responses from the fire department and any reporters and so-called "experts". Their words had gone from the standard "we're sorry for your loss" and "he would want you to live" lines, to outright calling Autofocus a "neurotic fraud" after the astronomer had told his story. Alphonse had almost sent that reporter to the hospital, and Bula had chosen to remain neutral in the conflict. Though he didn't condone violence by any means, it was the one time that his and Alphonse's mission was the same.

After all, their words offered no condolences to anyone-not to the Zula Patrol, not Autofocus, not Precipito, and especially Multo's family. Multo died, and now they wouldn't be able to pay their last respect.

The opening service went by really fast. Zeeter nudged him in the arm, and he realized that the leader had called him to the stand. With a small grunt, he got up and walked up the steps to the podium. As was Zulean custom, the closing eulogy went to the deceased's closest friend. Originally, Autofocus had been offered that role, but the astronomer lost his composure the moment he started rehearsing for the speech. It was too much for him, so Bula ended up taking the role.

He pointedly turned away from the empty, open coffin, and cleared his throat before speaking.

"First, let me thank you all for coming. Just looking at all of you shows me just how much Multo meant to everybody. When I first met him, it was back at the Zula Academy, where he was already a professor and I was in s class. Uh, well, to be more accurate, I was taking a remedial class. You all may not know this, but I almost didn't become captain of the Zula Patrol, because I was failing a particular subject," he started. He grinned sheepishly. "Zeeter can give you the details later."

A small series of chuckles filled the room and Bula smiled slightly, glad his humor was landing at least. "When I was in his class, I felt like giving up. Not that he was a bad teacher or anything. Far from it. In fact, he was one of the best professors I've ever had. I just didn't believe that I'd make the Zula Patrol. After all, everyone told me I'd fail.

"But Multo…Multo saw something in me, and he worked with me day after day to pull that something out. He would continually tell me, 'I can see greatness in you, Bula. I know that you can do a lot better than you're doing right now. If you want to become the leader of the Zula Patrol, you need to do everything with an attitude of excellence. Never settle for less.' That helped me get through the Zula Academy, and before long I landed a position as the captain of the patrol. Multo joined Zeeter and I years after we graduated. When I asked him why, he said that he felt he could lend his knowledge to us in the field, and he always wanted to help people in need. Though, I think he just wanted to stick close to his favorite students." Another series of chuckles. "There were times where he inadvertently caused some of our missions, but every time we would have a total blast. And he loved to cook, although let's be honest, he wasn't the best cook...and that's putting it mildly. But his heart was in the right place." This drew out some more laughter, and even got a snort from Zeeter.

Once the laughter died down, Bula continued with, "You know, I think that was the thing that made him stand out: his heart. That was bigger than his quest for knowledge. He loved people and wanted to take care of them, and if he could, he'd give them the world and then a few moons, too. T-That was obvious when he adopted Wizzy and Wigg, for crying out loud, not long after they joined the force. H-He'd drop everything just to answer a question o-or get involved in a project. He was like a-a father to everyone, really..." Memories were starting to flood his mind, and he found his throat getting tight. He needed to hurry along, or he'd break down right then and there.

With a shaky sigh, he finished with, "H-His time here was...unexpectedly cut short, but he died doing something he loved. His legacy will live on. We must keep him alive in our hearts and remember the good times we spent with him, and most importantly, not let grief overcome us," Bula said. He looked directly at Multo's family as he said this. "That is what Multo would have wanted…from all of us."

1:01 P.M.

The Zulean Isles

Outside of Marina's Castle

Bula felt his chest tighten as the casket was lowered into the sea. None of this felt real. Not the sea of mourners around them, not Multo's family mourning over the casket, and certainly not the tombstone with Multo's name etched on it, facing the ocean. Another one of Multo's wishes had been to be sent off to sea, with a marker on the Zulean Isle to remember him by. Dark clouds gathered in the sky, and thunder rolled, but no one was in a hurry to leave. The reality of it was finally sinking in, and even Multo's father and brother were openly weeping as the casket floated farther out. Matilda was on her knees, holding her son's gravestone like a lifeline. Zeeter, Wizzy and Wigg were huddled together, crying, while Bula held Iris close, tears spilling from his eyes. It had taken all it had in him to not break down in the middle of the speech.

He was just starting to think that they would make it through without anyone having a complete meltdown when Professor Precipito fell to the ground, letting out a sound filled with utter hopelessness. Her body shaking with utter grief, restrained anger and sadness poured out of her, stunning the rest of the mob into silence.

Bula started towards the sobbing professor, but Multo's sister Rachel beat him to it. The shorter, light skinned alien knelt before her and took her trembling hands into hers. Precipito looked up at her, her reddening eyes filled with surprise and shame.

"Forgive me," she whimpered, sniffling. "I-I've gone and caused a scene..."

"The man you loved is gone, for crying out loud," Rachel said. "You're not causing a scene at all, Professor. Not at all."

It seemed that the woman's words broke through, for Precipito rested her head on Rachel's shoulders, and wept openly. It wasn't long before similar sobs started to filter through the air, growing louder with each passing second.

Bula closed his eyes, trying to stop the sobs starting to shake his frame. Wherever you are, I hope you're in a better place now, Multo...

The rain began to fall on them, pelting a steady dirge.

Inside Mount Zula

Two hours later...

Multo jolted with a start, and the action caused the wound in his side to flare up. He bit back a scream, as well as the urge to swear, as he struggled to sit up. It wasn't an easy feat, as his arms and legs felt like lead. He gingerly put a hand to his side, hissing as his fingers ran across the deep gashes. He winced as it came back green, and the stinging pain in his upper back told him he'd been cut there as well.

He was amazed that he was still alive, even after the attack he'd suffered. Once he'd been dragged inside, he attempted to fight back, to get back to Autofocus and the others. Unfortunately for him, his kidnapper-Ignis, if he remembered correctly-was much faster than him, and her design wasn't simply for show. The last thing he remembered was cold, sharp steel tearing into his side, and locking eyes with her before he tumbled to the floor, his blood staining her plating.

He looked around the space he was in--he wasn't sure if he could even call it a room. Multicolored fractals of light swirled around him and the stone table he was laying on, and from where he was sitting, there seemed to be no entrance or exit. He averted his eyes for a second, feeling a headache start to form. The sight of the light twisting and flowing, combined with the pain and blood loss, was making his head swim. It was a struggle to even form a coherent thought.

I've got to...focus. Must...find...an exit!

With some effort, he pushed himself off of the table and fell flat on his face. To his relief, and frustration, there was a floor there, but the contact only brought more pain. He pushed himself up, stumbling into a standing position. He slowly started to trudge forward, groaning as he did so.

He only managed ten steps before another voice made its presence known.

"I am amazed that you are able to walk, Zulean."

Multo gasped, and spun around to face his attacker. Ignis towered over him, green patches marring her pink plating. Multo resisted the urge to vomit when he realized it was his blood on her plating. Her optics bore into his, making him feel like a bug in her presence.

Despite his mounting terror, he swallowed and asked, "W-What is this place...?"

"This is the Subspace, a link between the Dreamscapes that my Master has created. I figured that as a member of the accursed House, you should know this. But you are apparently as stupid as you look," Ignis said, glaring down at him. There was no mistaking the disgust now, and Multo shivered, despite his injury. "My Master has some use for you, so I will not terminate you...yet."

Multo stumbled backwards. A link between dreamscapes...he remembered reading something about this in his Multopedia days before, for his research project. And if what she was saying as true, then there should be an exit, right?

But in his condition, there was no way he could get up and run, and his previous attempt at fighting his captor had ended disastrously. Ignis was making no secret that she would murder him at the slightest provocation, so he needed to turn this in his favor. He needed to be practical.

"Ignis, was it?" He could see the hate lessening in her eyes, but just barely. "These dreamscapes...what is their purpose? And why has your Master created so many?"

"Clearly, you have not delved into the prophecies. The dreamscapes created here are visions of what my Master sees for the future of your planet," Ignis said.

"And what does your Master have in mind for my planet?" Multo asked.

The dark glower was back in her eyes. "Revenge."

So Paragor's words weren't for show. Multo's voice sounded unnaturally small in his own ears as he focused his next question through. "R-Revenge? What have the Zuleans done to incur his wrath-"

"You clearly have no idea, Zulean." And then Ignis was over him, arm drawn back in preparation to strike. "Imagine extending friendship to a stranger, and having them not only throw it in your face, but cut off your limbs and shame you for even daring to attempt to stand on equal footing with them. That same stranger would also turn a great ally against you, leaving you alone, for centuries. Your people, with provocation from the accursed House of Phoenix, did this to us."

Multo stumbled back, shock racing through his body. In his study of Zulean history, he didn't remember reading anything like this. "T-True...the Zulean race hasn't been perfect, but-"

"BUT NOTHING!" A human-like shriek cut him short, and caused him to slap his hands over his ears. "You and your people have done nothing but cause us pain and suffering! You have held us back from achieving greatness, from reclaiming what was lost. Your race is not imperfect--it is evil, born from Hel itself! Do not patronize me with half-formed excuses for your race!"

Multo continued to stumble back, fear gripping at his heart. His plan was falling apart fast, and from the looks of things, she was seconds away from cutting him to pieces. Her optics were changing from blue to gold, with red pupils. A definitely bad sign.

He bumped into something solid, and he turned around, eyes widening as he looked at the glowing space behind him. Had that always been there, or had he activated it by touch as he had with Paragor's holding place? His thoughts were quickly interrupted as Ignis appeared, her right arm raised to strike him in the chest.

"There are other members of the House that can serve us. I have no use for indignant fools such as yourself. But I shall take great pleasure in snuffing your life out and casting you into the depths of Hel-you and every member of your traitorous race," she snarled. Her optics changed, turning from blue to a bright gold, and electricity sparked above him, her clawed right arm becoming bright yellow.

Multo stared her down, fighting down the fear in his heart. Any other time, he would be begging for his life, pleading for peace. But the faces of his friends and family flashed through his head, and he knew he couldn't give up so easily. They must be worried out of their minds,or gods forbid, thinking the worst. And with this evil preparing to be unleashed, he needed to get back to them, to warn them.

"I'm sorry," he said quietly, "but you'll have to wait another day for that."

With that, he swiftly touched the space behind him and stepped back. His working theory was proven right as the space promptly evaporated into a gold and white void. He allowed gravity to suck him in, and he shrieked upon seeing Ignis' clawed hand reach for him. Lightning sparked from her claws and singed his scarf, and ozone burned at his nose, but he was too far in for her to seize him. As he rapidly disappeared, he heard her screech angrily.

As the light faded to darkness, he allowed himself a moment to close his eyes. Thank the gods his theory had worked, or he would have ended up in worse shape than he was in now.

I got away from Ignis...now, where am I going?

His question was answered seconds later when he hit the ground. Hard.

A curse slipped through his tongue as he opened his eyes, refocusing on his surroundings. He was now staring up at an amber-colored sky, pillars of smoke billowing into the sky. In the distance, he heard muffled explosions and gunfire. Smoke now filled his nostrils rather than the stench of ozone, and he coughed, pulling himself into a sitting position to get some air. "What on Zu-"

He stopped short as he took in the cityscape--if it could even be called that. Empty husks of buildings, clearly on their last legs, stood erect despite the occasional explosions that lit up the street. Rubble, remains of tanks and debris scattered the streets, which were barely visible from the low hanging smoke clouds.

To his growing terror, he recognized some of these sights. There was Zula General Hospital, the Zula Academy, the remains of the Zulean Museum of Arts...up on the hill were the remains of the Zula Observatory, now little more than a crumbling dome encased in a ball of fire. He shook his head in disbelief, his jaw dropping at the sight.

"My stars...this can't be Zulapolis, can it?" He watched as minor fireballs started appearing in the streets, his heart aching at the sight. "This is horrible...who would do something like this?"

There was a low click, followed by a high-pitched hum.

"You did, bastard."

Multo's eyes widened in fear, and he spun around to see a yellow-green light fly at him. Instinct taking over, he dove to the right, though the shot grazed the wound on his back. White hot pain flashed through him, and he screamed as he tumbled to the ground. The following explosion as the attack connected with the ground sent his ears ringing.

He struggled to sit up, but seconds later, electricity coursed through his entire body, causing him to thrash and writhe along the ground. Painful white flashes of light danced in his vision, only adding to his agony.

After a full minute, the tazing stopped, and he twitched on the ground, breathing raggedly. It was a struggle to breathe, move or think. Muffled footsteps, and then a metal boot jabbing into his chest to flip him on his back. He let out a pained gasp as the wounds on his back came into contact with the foreign elements.

His attacker stepped into view then, and Multo felt his blood turn to ice. He'd thought he was hearing things when he heard the voice, but there was no mistaking the hatred in those sunken, beady eyes.

"D-Dark...Truder..."

Truder's face contorted into something that was not a smile. "I told you you'd regret not killing me."

Truder drew his fist back and struck him in the face, knocking him out cold.

Paragor's Inner Chambers

Several minutes later...

Paragor stared at the vambrace on his wrist with thinly-veiled amusement. "Foolish Zuleans, thinking they can understand the words of a Custodian," he murmured. "Or handle the powers of one. Such thinking cost them their lives in the past." He looked down at the stone table, glowing with blue and orange runes, which had several stone tablets and keys laying on it. "But no matter. I have more pressing matters to settle."

He stared up at the cosmic space of his chambers, getting lost in the stars and comets that encircled him. Despite having been trapped here for centuries, this sight of the blue and purple starry sky never failed to bring him peace. It was good for calming his mind when he had felt particularly anxious.

Alas, the wonders of the cosmos can wait, he mused as he picked up two of the keys. It was time to start the first phase of his final Crusade, and now that he had what rightfully belonged to him, he could finally awaken his army, the Legion, from their slumber. His beak twisted into a smile as he started towards the entrance. Ignis' sisters would relish in the prospect of combat once more. True, they weren't as calculating as Ignis, or as refined as Ungor, but they made for excellent soldiers, following orders without question and possessing unwavering loyalty that could put a mongrel to shame.

His smile faded slightly. Ungor. That is a name I haven't thought of in years...

He opened the door with a wave of his hand, and Ignis was there, clawed hands clenched into fists. An angry Ignis was not new to him, and he prepared to side step her to head to the Legion's chambers...but that was when he saw her eyes, and smelled the ozone on her claws.

He was already dreading this. Stopping short, he inclined his head towards his second. "Is there a problem, Ignis?"

Ignis turned to face him, her optics starting to turn blue once more. For the first time in centuries, shame appeared alongside that murderous anger. They locked eyes for a second before she averted her gaze, her short red hair obscuring her optics.

"Forgive my intrusion, Master, but I have news regarding the prisoner."

Paragor let out a low sigh. His plans would have to wait yet again, it seemed. "Go on..."

Whew, that was an intense chapter. And it only took me almost a whole year to get this one done, though that can be blamed on work and taking breaks to work on other stuff. But hey, at least I had an outline for this and knew what needed to be written, although I axed a few things here to save for next chapter.

I renamed this chapter from "Ascent" to "Askew". The original was a reference to a Symphogear fic I had read, called "Eclipse the Heavens" by solopy567 (author of the exceedingly awesome "My Sunshine" and its remake, which inspired this story), and it was supposed to allude to Multo's role and those of the Custodians, who are mentioned in this chapter. However, upon reading the chapter over again, I realized that the title didn't make much sense, and decided to rename it. I settled on "Askew" as a title because several things feel off/go wrong for many parties in this chapter...and with how things are progressing now, it's only going to get worse before it gets better.

The Zula Patrol did get their chance to really shine this chapter, as did Multo's family, who now have proper names and roles in the story. I had to include one funny moment to balance out all the darkness here, hence the Bula/Zeeter tease. Hopefully, I can include more of those in the rest of the story proper.

Creating the Zuleans' culture was also kinda fun, even if it was for something as depressing as a funeral. Speaking of which, I'm proud of how the updated version of Multo's "funeral" turned out, since now there's been more build up to the event and you can clearly see that Multo's presence truly had an impact on many Zuleans. And yes, I did allude to Multo/Precipito here, though it's one-sided for now. There'll be more of them down the road, definitely, which is sure to throw certain Zuleans for a loop!

The hardest scene for me was writing Bonnie's argument with her mom--particularly because I knew after writing that scene, I could get to the rest of the story, or the "good stuff". This kind of alludes to one aspect of her character,in that once she finds clues to a mystery, all bets are off: including her time with loved ones, as seen here. Bonnie won't appear again until chapter 5, where she has a larger role alongside the Zula Patrol.

While Bula and the others certainly had their time to shine, I was super stoked to finally, FINALLY include Multo in the story again. Normally, in certain stories, I would kill my favorite characters permanently, but I have some plans for him. That, and Multo's my fave, so you know I'm biased XD From here on out, this will start a concurrent arc involving Multo going through the Dreamscape, while the Zula Patrol and their allies are going into this cold. Will he reunite with his friends and warn them of this unfolding hellscape? One can only hope.

Ignis' role was also interesting to write. In the original story, she does have a past that is linked with Multo's family, but I never got to explore it or how it affected her since the story went all over the place. Here, her deep hatred for Zuleans is brought to the forefront, and it's up to Multo to figure out what brought it out and why this particular piece of history was hidden from the Zulean public.

Oh, and remember how I said Truder was going to have a role in this story? Well, now you know why I was alluding to him so much. Truder's role in this story will mostly be focused on the Dreamscape version, but normal Truder will get his time to shine, too. As for why he attacked Multo and why he's fighting for the sake of Zulapolis, you'll have to wait until Chapter 4.

A lot of stuff--and a few people--were introduced in this chapter, which won't get proper explanations until next time. Chapter 4 will probably be longer than this, though, since we get stuff from the Zula Patrol and Multo and the Dreamscapers.

I'll be taking a break from this story to focus on school and other things (namely Blazin' Trails and probably a few two-shots), and then return to this. But please, let me know what you thought in the comments, what your favorite parts were, and why! Constructive criticisms much appreciated!

God bless,

Iheartgod175