Author's Note 1: I forgot to add something to the last chapter to better describe the symbols in his cells and the strange thing with wings. The last thing I need is for any one to believe that Cyrus is a religious figure like a demon or a god. That would be really bad.
Part 17.1: Mysteries of the Past
During his sleep, Cyrus was transported once again, to Luther's lab in 4D Space. He looked around and saw the same computer. But that wasn't all. On the large screen, he witnessed the approach of the Executioners flying through space, destroying worlds and stations of various parts of the known galaxy. The young swordsman was speechless. "Welcome back, Mr. Splicer," a familiar voice greeted. He turned back and saw the face of none other, but Luther Lansfield.
"What do you want now?" the shizznit hissed.
"Now, now," Luther said. "I only want to congratulate you on your recent victories. That Vendeeni commander was one thing, but your performance with that creature, a dragonmare, was it? That was a real show."
"Yeah, sure," Cyrus scoffed.
"However, the turnout with that copy of yours, Stratus, had us stunned. We expected at least a tie."
"I see you lost a lot of money on that bet. Tell me something else that's new. So cough it up, son. Why am I here again?"
"To give you a helping hand, my friend. You see, that battle with Biwig caused your data to temporarily rewrite itself. The fluctuation you've undergone was strange, but interesting at the same time."
"Stop sucking eggs and get to the point."
"Very well. Come with me." Cyrus followed Luther to one of his consoles. One of the screens changed to Cyrus' data information. "I see you have learned that your power comes from inside your cellular data and is invoked by the mitochondrion, correct?"
"Yeah."
"I'll have to say, you only scratched the surface, my winged ally. And I say that real loosely." Cyrus scoffed as he knew what a 'wing' was. Luther started typing various buttons. As he did, the screen started to zoom inside Cyrus' body. It went through his skin, past his vessels, into his blood cells and stopped at the mitochondrion. "Prepare yourself," Luther said. He typed in more buttons and the screen went into the mitochondrion where Cyrus saw the double helix of his DNA.
"Okay, why are you showing my DNA?" Cyrus asked. "I already learned about this crap in my 6th grade year."
"You know that there are strange symbols residing in each and every mitochondrion unit in your cells, correct?"
"Yeah..."
"Did you every wonder why? What would cause such a strange phenomenon?" Cyrus was silent. It was clear that he didn't know the answer. "Look closer, Mr. Splicer."
Cyrus focused his vision and saw small specks of dark balls circling with his DNA structure. "What the-?" Cyrus was shocked. "What are those?"
"Those are what you in the Eternal Sphere would call Dark Energy."
"Dark Energy? I can't help but think I've heard that before..." Cyrus said as he scratched his head.
"You should. Dark Energy is the most abundant substance in the Eternal Sphere. It is what's responsible for the acceleration of your universe and its missing mass. In other words, it's what we use as a boundary line, the barrier if you will and the space that allows us to create more worlds, further expanding the game."
"Hold up. So how and why do I have this stuff in my DNA?"
Luther thought of how indeed. "Perhaps it has something to do with your arrival."
"For once, I think you're making sense. That vortex must of had a high concentration of dark energy in it. The substance must have been absorbed in my body. But how am I using these abilities?"
"Over time, it must have assimilated with your own genetic make up."
"So that's why and how I'm able to use these powers."
"Now that we have resolved that mystery, I believe I have more news. It's not what you would call 'good news.'"
"What do you got?"
"The Executioner programs are heading in the same direction your going. I would suggest that now's the time to use the enhancement I gave you."
Cyrus knew what the Creator was referring to and pulled it out. "I still have it."
"Excellent. Also, to get that clone out of the way, I give you this." Luther tosses a small disk to Cyrus. The swordsman catches it and looks at the item. It too was written in 4D, but this one was black.
"What is it?"
"Our analysis shows that the data of the Stratus is different from the rest of the Eternal Sphere, just like with our last anomalies, including yourself. With that disk, you'll be able to defeat the copy on an even playing field."
"I'll keep that in mind. But tell me, why?"
"Simple. I want to keep studying you until the time is right."
"Now I know how Maria feels," Cyrus said in a low tone.
"Time to part ways. So long, for now." Luther pressed a button on the console.
Cyrus blacked out and heard a sound go off. He woke up and found himself back on the Aquaelie. Also in the room was Nel, who stood over his tired body. "Hey Nel, what's up?"
"It's time to go," she said in a low voice. "We're at Moonbase."
"Let's get going." The two traveled to the bridge. Cyrus was listening to "1st of tha Month" by Bone Thugs 'N Harmony to wake himself up. On there way, they met up with a certain Leingod who was still a little drowsy.
"Had a good sleep?" Nel asked.
"Yeah," he said. "Though I could've used a few more minutes."
"Can't we all?" Cyrus replied. "So, are you ready to go along with this?"
"It seems like I have no choice. If I don't uncover my dad's work, the entire universe might be destroyed."
"Well then, let's hurry," Nel said. The two nodded and Nel led them to the bridge. Cyrus still felt the tingly feeling of his atoms being taken apart and put back together once more. The three arrived at the bridge.
"Federation Station #5 is currently under a state of alert," Commodore Wittcomb replied. "The Executioners have begun to attack the surrounding area. You cannot transport directly to Dr. Leingod's research lab. That area is
protected by transport jamming to prevent direct access. You'll have to transport to the nearest location: the Recreational Zone."
"Gee, there's something to wake up to," Cyrus thought to himself.
"Right," Fayt replied.
"Do what you must do. The fate of the galaxy is in your hands."
"Yes, sir."
"Move out!" With that being said, Fayt and his companions rushed to the transporter room and with no time to waste, entered Moonbase.
"We made it. Moonbase…" Sophia said.
"Ah… This is the station in Lunar orbit, Federation Station #5," Cliff replied. "Otherwise known as Moonbase."
"Well when you say it like that, how could it be anything else," Cyrus said.
"This is where my dad and his team had their research lab," Fayt explained. "I've only been here a few times."
"I only came here once when I was really little, myself," Sophia replied. "I transported directly to the Research Zone…"
"I guess this time, we'll have to walk," Cliff said.
"Yeah," Fayt replied. "But it shouldn't be too far."
"So we're gonna be relying on memory?" Cyrus asked.
"Not quite," Maria said. They turned around and saw that she had her Quad Scanner out. "It looks like Dr. Leingod's research zone is to the west from here."
"Alright, Maria," Cyrus applauded.
"Let's go," Fayt said. The group left the room and entered a hallway that connected the transporter room to the rest of the space station.
Cyrus was listening to "Nothin' but a G Thang" by Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg. As they walked, they couldn't help but notice the many explosions occurring outside. At the moment, the Federation wasn't holding up well, and the fight only started. "We better hurry!" Cyrus thought to himself. After a few seconds of watching the chaos ensuing outside, they arrived at the Recreational Zone, a large part of the space station that was filled with many shops. It seemed that the Executioners haven't targeted the location, but none the less, the team treaded carefully.
And that's when it happened. Out of nowhere, an object hit the back of Fayt's head, causing the swordsman to fall to his knees. Sophia rushed over to Fayt and helped him up. Nel looked around and rushed over and pulled out her dagger. "Are we under attack?" she said in concern.
"What is that?" Cliff asked.
Maria picked up the object that landed next to Fayt. "It's... a rock?" she said out of disbelief.
"Oh my god!" Cyrus jokingly panicked as Maria put the rock back down. "The rocks are on the attack! What do we do? What do we do?"
"Where'd that come from?" Sophia asked.
"Say your prayers!" a voice behind them said. They turned around and saw a familiar girl standing on a roof of a shop. "You ruined our gig! How are we gonna make any money now? It's payback time! Huh?"
"Peppita?" Fayt and Sophia said in confusion.
"It's the Rossetti!" Cyrus replied.
"Fayt, Cyrus and Sophia?" she said in shock. "What are you doing here?"
"It's a long story."
"Is there anywhere safe to talk?" Sophia asked.
"Follow me." The little Velbaysian leapt off the roof of the building and walked the group to the auditorium. "So tell me, what happened to you guys since the Helre?"
The group looked at Fayt. The swordsman nodded and said, "I think we have some time." Fayt told him everything. From the time they landed on Vanguard III to the time they defeated Biwig. They even told Peppita about the symbological genes that were implanted in Maria and Fayt. Also, Cyrus told her about his own new found powers (though he was sure to leave out the part on how he received them).
The circus performer was amazed at the tale. "Wow, what an amazing story."
"That's why we have to hurry on over to the research area. Peppita, why are you guys here," Fayt replied.
"We came to put on a show—what else? But while we were getting ready, that evacuation announcement came on, and we got shoved in here. I was so mad, I came here to give them a piece of my mind!"
"That's dangerous, you know," Sophia said. "You have no idea how serious this is."
"Yeah, but it's better than doing nothing. I hate the feeling of getting walked all over. It's frustrating, isn't it?"
"Well, yeah," Cliff said.
"You can say that again," Nel replied.
"Well, I do know how it feels," Maria quoted.
"It sucks," Cyrus said.
"That doesn't change the fact that it's dangerous," Fayt explained. "You need to wait here and leave the rest to us. Can you do that, Peppita?"
Peppita thought for a second. "Okay..." she said depressingly.
"I don't really believe that," Cyrus said flatly.
"Well, you guys take care," Peppita said and waved. "And it was nice to see you again."
"Take care of yourself."
The group left the room and were back outside. They trekked westward to the next area of the space station. It, unfortunately, showed some damage caused by the attack. They continued their walk, but stopped as a siren blared. "Intruder alert, intruder alert," the computer warned. "Intruders detected within facility."
"You don't think they're talking about us, do you?" Cliff asked.
"I don't think so," Fayt said as he got into his battle position. The rest of the group also saw the incoming threat and took their fighting stances.
Floating toward them was, what appeared to be, an angel with three pairs of wings on her back. Her eyes were closed and she wore a white and yellow dress. "What is that?" Sophia asked.
"I proclaim the will of the Enforcers," the Proclaimer said. "You are a plague…to be destroyed."
"Well if you want the black plague, then you've found it," Cyrus replied.
"Is…that one of the Executioners?" Maria questioned.
"That's no god," Nel said sternly.
"The Enforcers shall purify this defiled galaxy," the Proclaimer replied. "The Proclaimers shall purge the defilement. Prepare to die, irregularities."
"Not if we have anything to say about it!" Cliff said.
"Fayt, Cliff, you up?" Cyrus asked.
"Let's show 'em what we got!" Fayt said.
Cyrus turned his MP3 Player on to "Influence of Truth Appearance" from Star Ocean: Till the End of Time. The three charged into battle. The three slashed and punched the Executioner, but the attacks seemed to have bounced off. The Proclaimer summoned an insignia on the ground under her and pillars appeared and spun around at high speeds. The trio were thrown back and suffered major damage. They got up and saw that the creature was floating toward them again. Cyrus used Power Up on Fayt and the blue-haired swordsman glided toward the enemy. He used Side Kick, which caused a little damage to the foe, but not enough. Cliff also joined in and used his Electric Fists. The attack showed some damage, but still not enough to take the enemy Executioner out. Cyrus activated Darkness Blade and also rushed after the Proclaimer. It seemed that they had it on the ropes. That was until, the Proclaimer floated up in the air. It was too far out of range for Fayt's Lightning Blast and it would be in the eye of Cyrus' Blazing Tempest Flare, even if he wanted to use it. As they looked at the monster, they saw a large green ball of energy. Instinctively, they knew it was time to spread out. The group barely made it out of range. As the orb dropped, it caused a large wave with another symbol on the ground. They felt the hit and were thrown in different directions. Cyrus got up and saw the Proclaimer going toward Fayt. The young shizznit couldn't believe how powerful this Executioner was. Some of the powerful attacks the team executed weren't even making it break a sweat. Fayt got up and saw the foe towering over him. He stood up, ready to defend himself. "Fayt!" Cyrus called. "Take this!" he said.
Cyrus threw the disk with the Executioner rendering program and the blue-haired swordsman caught it. "What is this?" he called.
"It don't matter, just use it! You need it more than me!" Without further to do, Fayt attached the disk to his sword. As soon as he did, the weapon began to change. The sword blade became transparent and glowed blue. Its grip was a pure white and the guard was gold. Cyrus was stunned at the weapon. As an expert in swords or other armory (thanks to his training with Diogo), even he was in awe when he set his gave upon its form. "That... must be the..."
"The Divine Avenger..." Fayt finished. He turned his attention away from the weapon and returned to the opposing Proclaimer. He kicked up and crossed slashed at the enemy. The Executioner was sent back. The swordsman rushed at the foe and was ready to thrust the blade, but the Proclaimer used its Speed Hack, appearing behind Fayt and assaulted with a cross wave. Fayt turned around and slashed the attacked in half and jabbed at the Proclaimer. Fayt then attacked the Executioner with a swift and powerful Side Kick. Cyrus was itching to join in the fight, but Cliff held the dark swordsman back by his shoulder. Cyrus understood what this meant and the two looked on. Fayt backed up readying his next attack. The Proclaimer saw its opportunity and released Dark Sphere. The ground below the swordsman turned black. The next thing he saw was a large orb popping out of the pool of darkness. Instinctively, Fayt hurried out of the symbological attack's range just before the floor started absorbing itself. As soon as the spell disappeared, the Proclaimer appeared through another Speed Hack. The signs appeared below the monster as it started to summon it's pillars, but Fayt saw it coming and the move was cancelled with his Lightning Blast. The Executioner was weakened. The blue-haired swordsman finished the enemy off with one quick, powerful slash. The monster was thrown back and the battle was over.
"Way to go, Fayt!" Sophia congratulated.
"You did great!" Cliff replied.
"Actually, if Cyrus didn't give me that item, we may have been goners," Fayt said modestly. "Speaking of which, where did you get it anyway?" the swordsman asked curiously.
"Well... uh..."
While Cyrus was trying to think of an answer, the Proclaimer had floated back to its hovering feet behind him. It seemed that it wasn't ready to give up. "I proclaim…the will…of the Enforcers," the executioner said, weakly. "Death and annihilation…to the irregularities…"
Suddenly, the group heard someone shout "Hi-ya" and the monster disappeared. Behind the spot where the enemy vanished, Peppita stood with her cape still in the air. "Ha! What a wimp," she mocked. "Should have known better than to mess with me!"
"Huh?" Sophia couldn't believe who she was seeing. "Peppita?"
"What are you doing here?" Fayt asked anxiously.
"Oh, man," Cyrus moaned.
"I don't believe it," Nel said dryly.
"You told me to wait, but I just couldn't take it," the young acrobat said as she skipped to the group. "I didn't listen to anyone, not even the Circus Master. I had to come." The girl gave a light chuckle.
"Oh, dear," Maria replied.
Cyrus was confused. "Are you sure you're 14 years old?" Cyrus thought to himself. "Cause not even I do that."
"It's no laughing matter," Nel said in a serious tone. "Attacking so suddenly like that… You're reckless beyond all reason."
"Funny to hear you say that," Cliff noted. "So, what do we do?"
"How am I supposed to know?" Fayt asked.
"Come on, come on," Peppita begged. "Take me with you. I'll make myself useful."
"I don't know about that," Maria said.
"But we can't let her go back on her own," Sophia argued.
"She got here alone, so she should be able to get back, too."
"That may be so, but..."
"Well, what should we do?" Nel asked. "Turn her away?"
"Nope," Cyrus responded to the question. "Let's think for a second. This place is crawling with Executioners and whatever, right? If we let her go, there may be a high chance she'll be down and out the next time we see her."
"What!" Peppita shouted. "You think I can't defend myself?" she asked Cyrus, who was a few inches taller.
"It's not that, Rossetti. But going back alone is more riskier than coming here." Cyrus turned to Fayt and asked the swordsman, "What do you think, G?"
Fayt thought about the decision for a second. "As long as you behave, then I guess it's alright."
"Really, Fayt?" Peppita said, ecstatically. "You mean it?"
"There really isn't a choice. You're already here and I figure it would be bad just to send you away by yourself. Besides, since you're here, I guess you could stay with us, a little while."
"Well, that makes sense. I guess." Maria said and walked toward Cliff.
"All right!" Peppita yelped. "Whoo! Cheers, everybody!"
"Just remember, it's only until we leave Moonbase," Fayt said.
"Just try and stay out of trouble, okay?" Sophia said.
"No problem!" the Velbaysian replied. "You can count on me!"
"I'd really like to believe that," Nel said.
"I'm not sure about this," Cliff stated.
"All right!" Peppita said excitedly. "Let's go!"
"Just, defend yourself when the need arises," Cyrus said. "After all, it's no good if one of us can't fight."
"Are you kidding? I'm not only a Fairy Guide, but I'm also a highly skilled fighter."
"I bet you are..."
"So how far are we from your old man's lab?" Cliff asked.
"It shouldn't take us that long," Fayt said. "We'll be there in a few minutes." With that said, they headed to the lab.
Peppita was singing and dancing like a little child, almost like Roger does, which made Cyrus wonder even more about her age. "You know somethin', Maria?" the swordsman asked. "She's starting to scare me..."
"Well, I admit, she is a little eccentric."
"That's one way of sayin' it. Then again, I guess there is a reason for the 'Pep' in Peppita."
Maria looked up. "Today's finally the day... the day we learn about our powers... In some ways, it almost feels too soon."
"Yeah," Cyrus agreed. "You and Fayt will find out why your parents did what they did. But just know this: I don't know them, maybe except for Fayt's parents, but I believe they're good people."
"I'm not saying they're not. But it still wasn't right for them to alter our genes."
"That's true." Cyrus was quiet for a second. "Maria..."
"What's wrong?"
"Nothin'. Just know that no matter the issue is, or whatever you do, you got me- I mean us... watching your back."
Maria's serious look took to a smile. "Thanks, Cyrus."
"Ha! No big. I'm just speakin' the truth." The two looked and smiled at one another, both quiet, with the exception of Cyrus' media player.
The scene was interrupted however when Peppita asked one of the most annoying questions in the known galaxy. "Are we there, yet?"
"No!" the teens said in unison.
"Are we there, yet?"
"No!"
"Are we there, yet?"
"No!"
"Are we-"
"No!" Cyrus shouted
"But I wasn't finished yet..." Peppita whined.
"What's it matter if it's the same freakin' question?" Cyrus asked furiously.
Peppita gave a large smile and a light chuckle. "Because it's fun, silly," she said. "And it also gives me something to do."
"Really now?" Maria exasperated. "Let's catch up to Fayt."
"Good idea," Cyrus replied. The three picked up the pace. During that time, Cyrus was whistling the theme of Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. After a few hours of strolling from one edifice to another, the crew arrived at the elevator which led to the lab below.
"Well, this is it," Sophia said.
"There's no turning back now," said Maria.
"Let's do it," Fayt said, prepared to delve into the unknown. The group walked to the elevator and Cliff pressed the button on the control panel. The device made their descent to the lab below. When they arrived, the group investigated their surroundings. Cyrus, as always, searched the lab for items. He walked back over to the group, who stood in front of the large, main computer. "…No good," the blue-haired swordsman replied. "There's nothing here out of the ordinary."
"Computer, we'd like to browse the database for information on weapons using symbological genetics," Cliff requested to the computer.
The system begins its search. Unfortunately, the only thing the computer replied was, "'No matching data found.'"
"Damn!" Fayt yelped. "Does the data even exist?"
"Uncle Robert wouldn't lie," Sophia said. "The data must be in here somewhere."
"She's right…" Maria agreed. "Don't give up yet."
"But how?" Cyrus asked. "Right now, it ain't lookin' pretty, homies."
"There is one method we didn't try," Maria replied. The group looked at her confusingly. She looked up at the computer and ordered, "Computer, scan my genetic profile and search the database for any matching data."
The computer scanned her and began another search. "'Scanning…'" In a few minutes, a promising sound was heard. "'One result found.'"
"Bingo!" Cliff acknowledged.
"Display," Maria said.
The monitor showed a picture of the lab with a title on it. "'The Coming Crisis for Humanity'?" Fayt read.
"Sounds like our thing," Cyrus replied.
"Let's check it out," Maria suggested.
"Yeah," Fayt agreed. "Computer, please open application."
The program started, and on the screen were the familiar faces of Maria, Fayt and Sophia's parents in lab coats. "My dad and…Uncle Robert?" Sophia asked confusingly.
"They're pretty young, but I think you're right."
"Mom..." Maria said as she stared at one of the women on the screen.
"That woman on the end?"
"Yes... That's her."
The video changed and showed the terrain of a different world. "'This project was initiated as a result of the exploration of the planet Styx in Galactic Year 752,'" announced the voice of a younger Robert Leingod. The video changed the scene and showed the planet Styx. "'Styx is an unusual planet on which explorers found the Time Gate—a portal that seems to be a sort of time machine. A full-scale study of Styx and the Time Gate was undertaken in 752. The Time Gate is sentient. That was about all we knew about it based on our research up to that point. No one yet knew who had created the Time Gate, or for what purpose. However, all became clear after the study conducted in Galactic Year 752.'"
"Never heard about this before," Cliff said. "Something this big should have been major news."
"Maybe somewhere on this flick, we'll find out why it didn't," replied Cyrus.
The video turned back to the lab. "'After an investigation extending over several weeks, we have discovered that the Time Gate responds to symbological data," Dr. Leingod explained. "And it was recently discovered that when certain, special symbological data are sent into the Time Gate, it is possible to obtain recorded data from the Time Gate itself. However, included in these data was information more horrifying than we could have imagined. We learned of the existence of 4D beings.'"
"A 4D... Being?" Nel asked in uncertainty. "More word that make no sense."
"'Four-dimensional entities… Possessing technology far more advanced than our own—including the ability to travel through time. Furthermore, as we continued our research, we found out that these beings may actually have created our universe."
"C-created?" Sophia stuttered.
"Sounds like a fairy tale to me," Maria said.
"Shh, quiet," Fayt responded.
"You have no idea how real it is," Cyrus thought to himself.
"'The symbological technology that we use today originated with these beings," Fayt's father said. "The Time Gate on the planet Styx was also created by using their advanced symbological technology. We had thought that the Time Gate was a portal for traveling through time, but it appears we were wrong. The Time Gate is in fact a door to 4D space. Time travel was a phenomenon that occurred as a result of the protective measures taken to prevent us from detecting the existence of 4D space. The 4D universe allows free movement through time… And the Time Gate tapped into that potential. This was a most exciting discovery. Not only were we able to unravel the mystery of the Time Gate, we were also able to confirm the existence of a new species. But then something completely unexpected happened. The Time Gate spoke a warning…'"
The video went back to the planet Styx during the expedition where the scientist and Federation subordinates were studying the Time Gate. "'Resign thyselves,'" warned the Time Gate.
"'Doctor, the Time Gate…'" said a surprised subordinate.
"'What in the world…?'" Dr. Leingod said with a loss of words.
"'Science in the Eternal Sphere has advanced too far,'" the Time Gate spoke. "'This cannot be left unchecked.'"
"'The Eternal Sphere?'"
"'The Eternal Sphere is the universe as known to your kind.'"
"'Time Gate, tell us what you mean… Our science has advanced too far?'"
"''Symbological genetics is the science of the Creator, as is the symbology on which it is based. It is a forbidden art. Your kind has foolishly trespassed info a forbidden domain. There is a danger that this forbidden technology will be turned against the Creator. Thus, the time is near when he shall unleash the wrath of his Enforcers upon you all.'"
"'We were terrified by the Time Gate's warning.'" said the added voice of Robert. "The Creator was going to destroy his creations. It appeared that the armageddon prophesied by numerous religions was going to come true. We asked whether we could escape annihilation by abandoning symbological genetics. But the Time gate's reply completely crushed all our hopes.'"
"'It is too late. Even should you abandon your work, another will come to take it up again. Such is the way of your kind. You are contaminated beyond salvation. Your annihilation is inevitable. This is not a warning. This is a sentence. Resign thyselves. Resign thyselves. Resign thyselves.'"
The video turned blank and the voice of Dr. Leingod was heard. "'We returned to Moonbase, stunned. This entity, beyond our understanding, had proclaimed our doom." The scene turned back to him and the other scientists back in the lab. "'At first, we considered reporting this to the top levels of the Federation government, but it was too outrageous—we knew that no one would believe us. Our choice was either to reconcile ourselves to the Creator's wish for our destruction, or to fight to the bitter end. We chose the path of resistance. We would not accept our death sentence. If we are to die, we'll die fighting. Be that as it may, our enemy was the Creator of our universe. How could we face an enemy who possessed absolute power? To fight, we needed a tremendous power of our own. We decided to use symbological genetics in an attempt to create a weapon—a human with powers that could defeat the Creator. This was our project.'" The video viewed small chambers. "'Two children were selected to be the subjects of our experiments… I am sure there is no way we could ever apologize enough to these children, no way we could ever earn their forgiveness. People may label us as monsters. Nevertheless, we feel that this research—and this research alone—has a chance of saving us all. These children are our hope.'"
"That would be us," Fayt said.
"'The computations we ran on the data obtained from the Time Gate indicate that the Creator's power is phenomenal.' 'We gave one child the power to destroy—the Destruction gene. To the other child, we gave the power of change—the Alteration gene. However, we do not expect that the powers of these two children alone are enough to stand up to the 4D Being known as the Creator. 'We believe our survival rests on one thing: we must enter 4D space and defeat the Creator.' 'That is why we have decided to give the next child, Professor Esteed's child, the power to connect space—the Connection gene. She will be able to use this symbological genetic power to create a path through the Time Gate and into 4D space.'"
"What?" Sophia said shocked. Everyone turned to her in disbelief.
"'This unborn child is the key to unlocking our enemies' gates.'" Robert said.
"Sophia? You too?" Fayt asked.
"No, it can't be. I..." The brunette was speechless. Fayt quickly embraced her for comfort and scowled at the scientists on the screen.
"'The children's powers will not flower immediately," Robert said. "However, when these three children come together, their different symbological genes will resonate, and it should be possible for them to utilize their powers. Beyond this, they must learn control by applying their powers in combat. I planning to talk to the children directly when the time comes, but if something should happen to me, please, whoever is watching this video, let them know. I apologize for asking this of you, but there is a great deal at stake,'" he asked and bowed. "'What we did was inhumane and forbidden by Federation law. We could never apologize enough to our children, the subjects of these experiments. Did we do the right thing? This is a question I find myself unable to answer. I'm sure we'll find out when the final day of judgment arrives. If the children choose annihilation—not to use their powers—then so be it. These powers belong to the children, and it is up to them to decide how to use them…'" There was a brief silence as the young doctor began to say one last thing. "'Finally, I have something I want to say to our children… I feel horrible for making you bear this heavy burden. I will not ask for your forgiveness. I only ask that you choose your own path. Think, decide, act for yourselves. Even if you choose to fight, even if you choose to accept annihilation. That is all we, your self-indulgent parents, desire from you. We love you.'" The video was turned off and the group was silent.
Everyone is the room was silent. No one could believe what they just heard. "Why us?" Sophia asked.
"I think it had to be us. They believed we could do it…" Fayt said.
"I gotta be honest, I still don't really understand what's going on. But it's obvious our parents left the future in our hands."
"Our genes have determined our destinies," Maria said.
"That might have been true until now, but like my dad said, the choice is in our hands now."
"You're right."
"Time to take it up with the big guy, know what I'm sayin'?" Cyrus said. Fayt nodded.
"We're going?" Cliff asked.
"To the planet Styx!" Fayt replied.
"Alright!" Peppita said excitedly. Cyrus only smiled in response. With nothing further to do, they left the lab and arrived back upstairs.
Author's Note 2: If the Divine Avenger is different than how I described it, I'm sorry. I haven't really obtained the weapon, so I kinda used the sword that was shown on the box.
Part 17.2: One-Winged Angel
As the group walked from the lab, Cyrus stopped in front of the group in silence. "What's wrong, Cyrus?" Peppita asked.
The young swordsman was silent for a moment. Then he turned to his comrades and sighed. "This seems like a good a time as any," he said.
"What do you mean?" Sophia asked.
"I have a confession to make... I'm not really from around here, per say... It's just..."
"Come on, spit it out," Cliff said in a bored tone.
"I'm trying to figure out how to say it, homes!" Cyrus hissed.
"Sca-ree..."
Cyrus closed his eyes and put his hands in his pockets. "I'm a–" Cyrus was cut off as he saw a quick shadow sweep pass him. "Oh crap..." he quickly recovered. "My ghetto senses are tingling."
"You're acting weird, Cyrus," Peppita said.
"No, it's comin' and fast."
Suddenly, a loud cackle was heard. "I think 'IT' has already arrived," a voice said behind Cyrus. The group turned their attention to the source. Standing behind Cyrus was his infamous clone, Stratus. He stood with a smug smile and folded arms. He also had one new distinguishing feature. On the right side of his back, closed up, was a feathered wing, one that was similar to a bird. It was white, however, the lower feathers were covered in blue.
"Is that a Featherfolk?" Sophia asked. "It looks a lot like Cyrus!"
"Not even close," Cliff replied. "That's his clone. But what's with the wing."
"The dark energy in his body must've manifested in him the same way it did me!" Cyrus exclamed.
"Dark energy?" Fayt said in confusion.
"We'll get back to that later."
"Oh my, Cyrus," Stratus said in a casual voice. "It's been so long."
"Really? The last time we met was the other day."
"Ah yes. I remember now! Time does fly when you collect souls. The last battle turned out with me kicking the ass of both you and that wench, Mel was it?" he insulted wryly.
"You better watch it," Nel hissed.
"Who are you?" Peppita asked cautiously.
"Why, I am Stratus M. Slicer. You and that big eyed one are new additions to this bunch I see. But there's no need to take on weaklings."
"What is it you want!" Cliff demanded.
"Of course, so silly of me. I'm here for some unfinished business." He glanced at Maria who responded with wide-eyes. "Though I have been busy for a while, that doesn't mean I forgot my original objective. You see, Lystara sees you as a problem... a pest, if you will. In order to eradicate such an issue, you would call an exterminator, so she called me. But don't worry, fair Traydor. As soon as I'm done destroying you, I shall take your soul, where it will be put to good use in Ms. Catalysta's plans."
"You bastard," Maria growled. "You will never take my soul, or anyone else's."
"Now, now, be nice. Since I'm in a good mood, you're death shall be quick and painless."
Cyrus moved in front of Maria as Stratus walked toward her. "Look you Sephiroth wanna-be, if you want to get to her, you'll have to go through me first."
"Oh, fair hero wishes to be the gallant knight of old? I guess you haven't learned from the last time, my ingrate for an original."
"I'm no one's ingrate, bitch. And no one threatens my homies without messin' with me first."
Stratus chuckled. "I'll admit, you are admirable. However, if you couldn't win before, than what makes you think you'll win now?"
"We'll see."
"And he's not going at it alone," Maria said as she and Nel ran up to each side of Cyrus.
"As long as we're here, you and Lystara will never succeed," Nel said.
Stratus scoffed. "I'll be done with you three soon enough. And you know somethin', this is a lucky day. I'll be collected three for the price of one!" With that said, the clone laughed and spread his light wing.
"We'll see about that, son!" Cyrus said.
"Whatever you guys are thinking of, it won't help you. I am a god! My powers are the gift of the heavens! You cannot defeat me!"
"Whatever," Maria scoffed.
"You know, I'll tell you what," Stratus replied as he began to make his deal. "If you are somehow able to defeat me, I shall transfer my energy back to you, Cyrus and you shall keep the souls of your comrades. However, if I win, I will take, not only your souls, but your powers, as well. Also, your comrades will be destroyed, too."
"Hey!" Peppita shouted. "That's not nice!" As soon as Stratus set his gaze on the Velbaysian, the fairy guide quickly hid behind Fayt. The clone was not looking for lessons in etiquette.
"You will never beat us," Maria said. "As long as we're still here, you have no chance of victory."
"Or so you say. To bad it will be the last thing you say."
Cyrus, Maria and Nel ran to the platform the clone stood on. Unfortunately, the rest of the group was blocked out by something. "What the-?" Cliff said in surprise. "There's something blocking our way!"
"What?" Fayt replied.
"That's it!" Cyrus yelled as he drew out his bastard sword. "I guess it's only us three!"
"It seems so," Nel said as she took her battle position.
"It's time to kick it, ol' schoo' style!" Cyrus shouted.
"Then let us begin," Stratus said as he pulled out his bastard sword and went into a defensive position.
Cyrus turned his MP3 Player to "Flipside" by Freeway and Peedi Crakk. He then sprouted his bat-like wing and used Power Up on Maria and Nel. Maria used her Power Up on Cyrus and Protection on herself and everyone in the group. Cyrus attacked first and used Nel's long ranged attack. He spun like a horizontal frisbee straight at Stratus, but the attack was stopped as both opponent's swords clashed. Cyrus was still in mid-air when the two made contact. Stratus knocked Cyrus off by creating a powerful gust with one flap of the god-like being's wing. The shizznit slammed to the ground. As Stratus prepared to use his Light Beam in the palm of his hand which was aimed straight for Cyrus' face. Luckily for the "original" gangster, the clone was shot by Maria's Scatter Beam. The copy flinched, and the beam misfired. Stratus turned to Maria and sped to the leader of Quark in a quick glide that was too fast to be seen. She reached her in a matter of seconds and before Maria could even gasp Stratus struck at the shooter with his bastard sword. Nel tried to slash quickly at the clone, but the clone was faster and blocked the attack. The two locked eyes and Stratus gave a smug smile. He kicked Nel in the stomach, causing her to bend over. However, Nel took used this as an advantage and unleashed her Ice Daggers. Stratus fell back and slammed to the ground. Nel tried to finish it off with a quick downward stab, but Stratus spun his legs up in the air, injuring Nel in the process, kicked back up. He took this opportunity to use his Times Up. In a drunk-like fashion, the clone spun the disoriented Crimson Blade. Then he gave a quick jab with a back handed fist to the face. Stratus then brung Nel hard on his knee, causing her to hold her face in pain and stagger back. He finished her off with a strong, open-palmed shove, sending Nel flying backward to a considerable distance. Nel was down and too weak to get up, but she still tried to get back on her two feet. Cyrus and Maria saw the event and their faces were stunned. Stratus slowly stalked the injured Nel like a lion on a gazelle. His blue eyes gave off a terrible gleam and his smile was as smug as ever. Nel looked up, at the clone. Though she, like the rest of her comrades, were in fear, neither one of them showed it. Cyrus quickly got up and began to cast a Healing spell on Nel. However, Stratus saw what his counterpart was planning and quickly charged at him. His used a hard overhand slash, which cancelled out the symbological skill. Stratus slashed once again, but the move was blocked by Cyrus' wing. Cyrus reopened his wing, causing the clone to be pushed back. Stratus recovered quickly and prepared his Ice Needles. In seconds, a flurry of frozen spikes flew at Cyrus in high speeds. The dark colored swordsman spun his blade in the path of the attack, deflecting each small icicle. Maria began to kick at the clone, scoring a few hits and knocking him to the ground. Stratus rose up and brushed himself off of the dusk. He looked up and smirked. Maria looked was shocked as the clone stood unscathed. Then Stratus quickly rushed, ready to give a quick slash. He was about to deliver the blow, that was until Cyrus shoved Maria out of the way. He ended up in the path of the attack and was dealt a powerful blow. By the end of the assault, Cyrus crashed to the ground and rolled on impact. In the process, the swordsman also broke his wing. Nel and Maria hurried to the him. "Cyrus!" Maria called as he shook his body. "Please speak to me!"
Cyrus slowly opened his red eyes at the two women. "Ma-Maria..." he said weakly. "Hey... What's up...?"
"You're going to be okay," she said in a concerned tone. "Hang in there..."
"You guys got to get out of here...!"
"We won't leave you," Nel reassured.
"But-!"
"We promised that we would help you stop Stratus. We won't rest until he's destroyed."
Cyrus was silent. "Please Cyrus, don't go!" Maria said.
"I'm not gone yet..."
"Isn't this a cute picture," Stratus said in a suave tone. "As much as I hate to interrupt, it's time to say good-bye."
"Never!" Nel yelled.
"You're history," Maria shouted as she and Nel rushed at the clone. Stratus stood and smirked. Both women began to attack in quick movements. Unfortunately, nearly every shot they launched, the clone only deflected back at them. With every hit and kick, the clone dodged or blocked and then counterattacked.
Cyrus watched in fear as his comrades were getting taken out by the minute. "This... this can't be happening!" he thought. "Nel... Maria..."
"Use it..." a voice in his head called out. It sounded like Luther's.
"Huh?"
"You have no choice but to use it."
"Luther?"
"If you want to save yourself, then use the disk." Cyrus checked his pocket. Lucky for him, the disk was inside. He pulled it out and started slowly rose to his feet.
Nel and Maria were tired and wet, unable to get up as Stratus already used his Water Cyclone Flash. "Any last words?" Stratus asked, ready to finish them off.
"Noooooo!" Fayt yelled.
Then, everyone had on shocked expressions on their faces. Stratus himself was curious as to what everyone was staring at. He turned around and saw Cyrus. Standing on tired legs, the shizznit started to lift his sword, which was now as heavy as hell. "Give in, Cyrus," Stratus said in a bored tone. "The annihilation of yourself and your comrades is eminent. You can't resist fate."
"Fate is one thing... biyatch!" Cyrus snapped. "But destiny is another... And it ain't over... until the dark one raps, son!" With his last ounce of strength, Cyrus swung his sword and slammed it into the ground. Then he implanted the disk on the center of the guard. In moments, he felt his body was feeling a burning sensation. He was somehow healed and his wing opened wide, as if it weren't broken at all. His eyes turned a darker red and his dark power, emanating from his blade, concealed him as well. The tails of his trench coat had rose and waved backward, as if there was a strong wind. During this time, Cyrus' blade started to change form. The blade was large and wavy; colored in black, but with a red line running in the middle. The hilt became a red diamond. The sides of the guard weren't straight, but formed bat-like wings. As soon as the transformation took place, Cyrus was rejuvenated, though he breathed heavily from the rush. He felt that his power had grown. Yet, the only thing that changed was his blade as he pulled it out of the ground.
The entire group was silent. Stratus, however knew that something was going on. He clapped his hands and smiled. "Bravo Cyrus, what a light show," the clone applauded. "I see that your abilities somehow grew. And you have a new sword." He turned back to the tired women who stared back, rage filled their eyes and revenge was on their minds. "I'll take care of you two later. Right now, I shall cleanse existence of this rebel." With that being said, Stratus charged Cyrus in quick speeds. Shockingly however, Cyrus raised his sword in time to block the hit. "I see that your reactions have heightened, too. This should be interesting."
"I'll get you back for what you've put us through, nark!" The battle was face-paced and intense, too fast for the trained eye to see. The two warriors gave used all moves they had. Slashes, hits and kicks were being exchange and blocked, symbological powers were bounced back and forth. After a few minutes, the two stood on opposing sides of the field and began using their attacks, Blazing Tempest Flare and Water Cyclone Flash. As soon as the skills met, the platform was shrouded in steam caused by the two attributes clashing. Cyrus still felt his power growing. Both the original and the cloned swordsmen were weakened, and knew it was time for a coup-de-gras. The two back flipped a couple of feet and tapped into their the powers of light and dark. Like two were shrouded in their attributes like flames on candles. After gathering their energy, the two used Shining Strike and Shadow Slash. They came at one another like high speed bullets and it seemed they had just passed by one another. They only heard a loud clang that broke the sound barrier only seconds after they stopped at the end of their paths. They stood still, as if time itself froze. Everyone watched Cyrus in suspense, hoping the young shizznit was still living. After minutes of gasping, the two gave each other slight chuckles, but they didn't turn around.
"I see now..." Stratus said. "I see why... why your skills grew. Not just by the item... but by your rage and... your passion... It is what fueled you..."
"Yes..." Cyrus said in agreement. "But it wasn't just that... If it weren't for Maria and Nel... or the others... I would never 've gotten... this far..."
"This was... the greatest battle... I have been in... in a while..."
"Same here..."
"You've fought... honorably, Cyrus... I guess... this is farewell..."
"Yes... so long, Stratus..." With that said, the two turned toward each other withdrew their swords. The two crashed to the ground at the same time. Nel and Maria healed themselves and rushed to Cyrus. Fayt and the rest of the gang scurried over as soon as the force field lowered. Cyrus was bruised, scratched and motionless. Maria used the scanner on him, and saw he had serious injury. He was breathing, but only weakly. "It can't be..." Sophia said. "... Cyrus..."
"He was cocky, but strong and independent," Cliff said.
Stratus' body began to glow. "Now what?" Peppita yelped as he saw the event. Everyone else noticed the phenomenon and took battle positions. Something unexpected occurred, however. His form and changed in the form of a light blue orb of energy. It hovered in front of the group and then darted over Cyrus. The orb lowered itself over Cyrus and inserted in the shizznit's chest. As soon as it did, Cyrus began to breathe heavily, trying to catch air.
"Is he...?" Fayt was starting to ask.
"Vital signs are stabilizing, his injuries are healing at a steady rate," Maria read on her scanner.
"Cyrus..."
Cyrus slowly opened his eyes and sat up. "Man, I'm gettin' too old fo' this," Cyrus said in a tired tone as he held his forehead. "Someone get the menthols while I turn on the D-O double Gizzle." He quickly turned his MP3 Player to "The Shizznit" by Snoop Dogg.
"I don't understand what he just said!" Cliff said with a glad, yet skeptic look.
"He's alive!" Peppita exclaimed happily.
"Cyrus..." Nel was at lost of words.
"It's good to see you're back," Maria said.
"Glad to be back," Cyrus replied. "You guys okay?"
"We'll be fine," Fayt said.
"Good. After all, you are the guys to save this universe."
"Right."
"Let's get back to Commodore Wittcomb," Sophia suggested.
"Yeah," Cliff agreed. "The sooner we leave, the better."
"I know of a place where we can get some equipment," Peppita said.
"Alright," Fayt said. "Let's hurry."
The group went back to the Recreational Zone and followed Peppita to the bar near the northwest entrance. Standing behind the desk, stood Private First Class Federation soldier. Peppita walked over and greeted the official. "Hello, Leon," she said.
"Hello Peppita," the man replied. "Good to see you." He took a look at the group that traveled with her. "Do you know these people? Are they your friends?"
"Yeah, that's right. The good looking one is Fayt. The there's... Um, the big one is Cliff, the cute one is Sophia, and the pretty one is Maria. The cool one is Nel and the shady one is Cyrus. Anyway. I have a teeny-weeny favor to ask you, Leon. Can you lend us some things?" she asked in an innocent voice.
"Some things...?" the soldier thought. Then it hit him. "Wait, you can't possibly mean..."
"That's right, the stuff you're storing here."
"You've got to be joking!" shouted a scholar who was guarding the door in front of them. "I can't allow it. The weapons here are our last line of defense. We can't just hand them over to youngsters who don't even know the weapons' potential!"
"Wow," Cyrus whispered to Nel.
"So there are more than one Lasselles in the universe," the spy whispered back.
"I mean, I appreciate what the Rossetti Troupe has done for us, but this is a completely different matter."
"All right, then what are you planning on doing?" Peppita asked. "Are you going to just stay here forever? Unless someone beats those Executioner meanies, nothing's gonna change!"
"We know that. But we have to hang onto these weapons just in case we need them to protect ourselves. If you take them away, what are we supposed to do when they come knocking on our door? You're telling us all to just die!"
"I didn't say that! I mean... You've been lucky so far. So far, right? But there's no guarantee that you'll be able to defend this place forever. If you just hide out here, eventually they'll get you."
"The Federation military will do something. Fighting and other such barbarism should be left to the soldiers, anyway. Isn't that what the military is for, after all? Emergencies like this?"
"That's true. I won't deny it," Leon said.
"Leon!" Peppita shouted.
Leon who was reluctant at first, felt that there was no choice. "All right, Peppita. I'll unlock the storeroom in back. I'll take full responsibility for this, so if you see something you think you can use, just go ahead and take it."
"Yahoo! Thank you!" the Velbaysian danced and cheered.
"What'?" the scholar responded. "What do you think you're doing? Haven't you been listening?"
"Yes, I have," Leon replied. "It's exactly as you said. Fighting is supposed to be the job of soldiers like me. And I have a responsibility to protect everyone. But the way things stand, I don't see any way the situation will turn around for the better. So instead of leaving the weapons lying around, what's wrong with them using them to try and improve things, even if only a little?"
"What if they get themselves killed because of what you're doing? Or even, what if the Executioners attack us here while they've got all the weapons? Are you saying you're going to protect us?"
"Of course I'll fight. That is my duty. Event though I see no possibility of victory, I will lay down my life to protect everyone here. Let me ask you something, Professor... How many people do you think we have here who can actually use those weapons? Unless a person is trained in the use of those new weapon models, they are as good as useless. If you really want to be next to the latest weaponry so badly, why don't you pick up a weapon and fight by their side?"
The professor huffed at the idea. "...Crazy!" he snapped. "Out of the question!" Knowing he was beaten, the scholar walked away from the door.
"All right then, everyone. Please, take the weapons from the storeroom right over there."
"Thank you," Peppita said.
"Don't mention it. After all, our fate lies with you guys now." The group went next door and began equipping themselves.
Cyrus was polishing his new sword with Maria standing over him. "So, what are you going to call it?" she asked.
"What do you mean?"
"It's only wise to name a new weapon. There aren't many kinds of swords like that."
"You're right..." Cyrus began to think as he polished the black blade. "I think I'll name it... the Abysmal Offender. It's short, shady and has a nice ring to it."
"I guess." Maria was quiet. Cyrus knew what was wrong and stood up. "You want to know what I was going to say earlier, don't you."
"It sounded important."
"Indeed." Cyrus began to think on how he was to say it. "Alright everyone, here's the truth. I'm a 4D Being."
Everyone in the room was silent. "Are you playing around again," Cliff asked.
"If only, G. And I'll tell you how I got here, homies." Cyrus told them everything about how he came into this dimension. He told them about the dimensional rip and his reason for being. He was sure to leave out the parts of this being a game and Luther or what was going to happen next.
"So you're a sophomore in 4D Being from a time and space similar to Earth of 2005?" Sophia replied.
"Yep."
"And you came here accidentally through a dimensional vortex?" Fayt asked.
"Fo' rizzle."
"And you say you're here to stop Lystara Catalysta, the girl we saw before?" Nel asked.
"Damn, straight."
"Do you really think we're supposed to believe that?" Cliff asked.
"To tell you the truth... nope."
"So how come you didn't tell us before?" Maria asked.
"Not tryin' to get heavy or anythin', but how would you act if someone said, 'Hey I'm from a parallel dimension.' Cliff had already gave us the response. Then to top it all off, you're being chased through the galaxy by some space sharks and crash on a midi-evil world full of magic, crazed swordsman, giant lizard and hot babes. No offense," he said to Nel. The Aquarian put her hand on her forehead she could not stop counting how many times she heard words close to "hot babe" or "hot chick."
"You do make a good argument," Fayt said. "But I guess we wouldn't have made it if you didn't come in the first place."
"Nah, of course you would. But the difference is that it would've taken longer."
"It doesn't really matter now. 4D Being or not, you're part of our party. You've been a big help."
"And because of you're aid on our travels, we'll also support you against Catalysta," Nel said.
"Thanks you guys."
"No sweat," Peppita said.
"If we all pitch in, nothing will stand in our way," Sophia said.
"You're right, Sophia," Cyrus said. Everyone in the room was quiet for that moment.
"Well, I think we should go." Cliff said with a shrug, breaking the silence.
"Yeah. I think we're falling behind schedule." The group left the storeroom and began to leave.
The group knew it was time to say good-bye to a certain fairy guide. "...Peppita. We have to say good-bye here," Fayt said.
"Whaaaat? NO! I don't wanna!" she cried.
"Don't throw a tantrum… Okay?" Sophia said as she approached the whimpering young one.
"But everyone else is going! I wanna go, too!"
"Yes, but from there we're going on into 4D space," Fayt said.
"To fight the Creator, right?"
"Yeah, because if we don't, everything will end," Maria quoted.
"Then I wanna fight, too! I don't want everything to end! Everyone's fighting but me! Don't leave me all alone here!"
"But the journey will be perilous and filled with uncertainty," Cyrus said. "There's a chance we'll land in the 4D Space where even I never existed."
"Yeah, well, but everyone's still going anyway."
"That's right," Fayt said.
"Go back to your parents," Maria said sternly. "This is serious. Where we're going is no place for children."
"That's a little harsh…" Sophia replied.
"But it's true. A child that doesn't know what she's getting into will only slow us down."
"She has a good point," Cyrus said.
"Cyrus!" Sophia said in shock.
"Let's think, lack of inexperience equals disaster."
Peppita was silent. "You know, the Circus Master…isn't really my dad. My real dad's a soldier in the Pangalactic Federation. That's what my mom told me, before she died. He's a brave, brave soldier, and he's worked his whole life to protect people. My mom always said I take after him."
"Peppita..." Fayt was at loss of words.
"Miss Maria, if we don't defeat the Creator, everything's gonna end, right?"
"Yes."
"I don't really understand the hard stuff, but… I think I understand what we gotta do. I wanna go. I have to save the Circus Master, and Ursus, and all the rest… I know what I'm getting into, I
don't care if I die trying! Please…take me with you!"
"Hold up, Peppita," Cyrus replied. "I care about your life."
"Huh?"
"Peppita, you just said that you would throw down your own life for the continuation of others, no matter what the issue. Still, I like your determination. I would like it for you to come with us. Fayt, what do you think?"
"I care about your life, too," the blue-haired swordsman replied. "But if your going to come with us, you have to want to live. Do you understand? Never say anything like that again."
"What?" Peppita asked, not believing what she heard.
"You two can't mean..." Maria said.
"We're not going there to die," Fayt spoke. "We're going there to live… Understand?"
Peppita giggled. "... Yes!"
"Now that's the Rossetti we know," Cyrus replied.
Nel knew that this new member, though young and a little reckless, would be a good choice. "What can yah do?" Cliff asked rhetorically.
"But you have to get the Circus Master's permission first," Fayt said.
"You ain't goin' without an okay on this field trip," Cyrus added.
"Huhhh?" was the only response Peppita had.
"Yeah. He must be really worried about you," Sophia said.
"Okay?" Fayt said.
"Well, all right," she agreed. "I'll go ask him." Peppita walked back to the auditorium and talked to Piccolotto. In a few minutes, she walked back with the report. "I'm back! He said I could go! All right, everyone… Let's move out." The group left the station, with their new comrade Peppita and arrived at the Aquaelie via transport room.
Author's Note 3: You know, I'm wondering if Maria's personality in this story is as it should be. Need some feedback. Also, just because Peppita's part of the team, doesn't mean the others won't meet up with them. Also, expect to new faces joining with Cyrus and the gang. Though, they will appear pretty soon...