Welcome one and all, to the last installment in the Earth-Ni Protectors trilogy! Yes indeed, we're reaching the endgame of this tale of heroic exploits, where the Earth-Ni Protectors will face their greatest challenge yet.
If you need a quick catch-up on what's happened in the Marooniverse, check out my latest release, "Musings of Maroon." It'll catch you up to speed on the past two books, as well as "The Mysterious Maroon!"
I've worked long and hard on this fic, and after all that work, I can finally show all of you what I've been writing. So after ninety days of harrowing hiatus, let's dive right in to the beginning of the end!
"MAROON AND THE EARTH-NI PROTECTORS!"
BOOK THREE: RESURGENCE
CHAPTER ONE: COLLISION COURSE
For as long as humanity has existed, it has evolved. Since man first discovered fire, to the countless achievements made during Renaissance, to the moon landing and beyond, people have ushered in progress for the planet. And now, more than two months after Earth became Earth-Ni, the course of humanity, as well as the other beings that now shared their world, was about to change forever...
But where was this monumental moment in history taking place? In the Golden State of California; Specifically, a recently refurbished research facility just outside the Cleaving's range. More than a dozen scientists in lab coats were working in a large room teeming with specialized equipment. There was a myriad of different scales, scopes, counters, and any other measuring device you could name, but none of them compared to the literal centerpiece of the lab.
In the middle of the room was a huge mechanical device shaped like a ring wide enough for a school bus to pass through. A tangled mess of wires was plugged into the gargantuan circlet, which was tightly bolted to the left and right walls for safety reasons. This piece de resistance was hardly a mere tool; It was a gateway to a new era...
"Mr. Burroughs, activate the Gateway Collider!" This command came from a Vietnamese woman in her mid-thirties, with light brown eyes, and black hair in a neat bun; This esteemed lady was Dr. Elisha Tran, a brilliant engineer who helped create such a scientific wonder.
"Yes, Doctor Tran." Spoke Mr. Burroughs, a morose and soft-spoken fellow sporting a mustache. While not a scientist, he was the go-to guy for any loose task that needed completion. Burroughs quickly trotted towards a lever switch and flipped it, causing the machine to let out a deep hum. Two inner rings adorned with strange metal blades began to rotate in opposing directions, until a blue spark of light appeared in the center of the collider.
As the rings continued to rotate, the spark grew and grew, until it formed a rift in reality itself; A glowing blue portal, which expanded by the second. The scientists all gasped and stared in awe, until the high-tech device began to spark and shudder.
"The collider's overloading! Kill the power, NOW!" Dr. Tran urgently exclaimed. Burroughs hurriedly rushed to the switch, and deactivated the machine without hesitation. The mysterious portal then closed just as soon as it opened, and the Gateway Collider whirred to a grinding halt.
"Looks like the machine's got a hiccup." One of the other scientists humorously remarked.
"But this is the longest it's sustained a portal. If we keep up the progress, we're sure to reach our goal." Elisha proudly spoke.
"Right you are, Dr. Tran." A voice suddenly called out. All the scientists looked to the balcony, where their superior watched from above. He was a bearded, slightly overweight, bespectacled man with bronzed skin and neat black hair. He, too, was clothed in a lab coat, as well as dark slacks, a matching vest, and a white undershirt beneath it. This enigmatic fellow was Dr. Alexander Reyes, an enterprising physicist with a quite eventful past...
"Thanks to all our efforts, we're one step closer to a discovery that'll eclipse even the moon landing; The key to the Multiverse!" Reyes' fellow scientists began to applaud, bringing a smile to his face; This was the goal he strived for all his life, and at long last, it was finally happening...
When Echo Creek first merged with the realm of Mewni, there was chaos all over the land. Two worlds with hardly any interaction literally collided, which inevitably led to conflict. But thanks to the efforts of a certain superhero team and their allies, the city adjusted to its drastic changes, and became a haven for the people of both worlds.
On one fair and fine evening in the cleaved city, a bustling crowd of humans, mewmans and monsters were enjoying tasty frozen treats at Future Freeze, an ice cream parlor known for its "futuristic" way of serving ice-cold desserts. However, the good times ended in the worst of ways, when without warning, a parked car was hurled right at the parlor! It was by sheer, miraculous luck that nobody was injured. The shocked and frightened civilians looked to see where the car had come from, and saw a truly terrifying sight.
Standing on the other side of the road were four menacing monsters, who were all notorious criminals. First off was Panthara, a bipedal black leopard monster with razor-sharp claws and flesh-ripping fangs. There was a second monstress as well; Viscosa, a leering menace made entirely of indigo-colored slime. Perched on a parking meter was Manavi, a four-foot-tall male monster resembling a big black bat, with a pointed devil tail and teeth like a vampire. Last was the largest of the four; Lucanus, a hulking humanoid stag beetle clad in chitinous orange armor, along with a pair of mighty pincers on his head. These fiends were the Dreaded Beasts; Devout disciples of the late Seth of Septarsis, and they were hell-bent on exterminating all non-monsters.
The patrons of the parlor screamed and ran, as the murderous monsters charged into the building. On the warpath, the Beasts stopped at the counter, and menacingly stared down the terrified teenage cashier.
"M-m-may I take your order?" The lone clerk shakily asked, as he trembled in fear.
"We're here to take back what's ours." Panthara snarled, as she pointed her wicked claws dangerously close to the cashier's throat.
"B-but our p-pineapple b-berry flavor is h-h-half off." He stammered, when Lucanus raised his mighty arms and brought them down on the service stand, demolishing it. The employee screamed and fell to the floor, where he was helpless against the monstrous marauders. But just when it looked like all was lost, Lucanus was suddenly struck by a red bolt of energy.
The Dreaded Beasts all turned face to see the stray bolt's source. Standing atop a building on the other side of the street were five masked teenagers in elaborate costumes. The monstrous menaces ferociously growled, while the civilians cheered; The Earth-Ni Protectors had arrived in the nick of time!
"Well, look who got out of their cages!" Spoke Maroon, the caped crusader who led the hero troupe. It was he who struck Lucanus with his wrist-mounted energy blaster; One of his various crime-fighting gadgets.
"If it isn't the petulant Protectors. You're only delaying the inevitable; The Dreaded Beasts will rise again!" Viscosa jeered.
"We beat you once, we can beat you again!" This remark came from Lady Butterfly, the heroic alter-ego of a certain rebel princess. The four monster criminals then charged towards their costumed foes, and the Protectors leapt from the building in return. What happened next was an all-out brawl between good and evil...
In the parlor's parking lot, Maroon clashed with his ferocious feline foe. Panthara snarled and leapt at him with her claws out, but the crimson-clad crusader ducked down and kicked her in the stomach, knocking the panther woman into a dumpster.
"Had enough, kitty-cat?" The helmeted hero retorted, when Panthara leapt at him once more. Maroon snapped his fingers, causing two collapsible metal shields to expand on his utility bracelets. He used these trusty tools to block her repeated scratches, until she broke through his defense and slashed his chest. Luckily, his strong yet lightweight chestplate protected his vital organs.
"Now you've done it!" Quick on the draw, Maroon equipped his wrist-mounted blasters and fired a pair of energy blasts at Panthara, stunning her. To finish her off, he placed his hands on the monster marauder's shoulders, leaned back, and headbutted her full-force!
Meanwhile inside the parlor, Viscosa was dueling against a quite formidable foe; Janna Ordonia, also known as Snatcher. The last time they fought, Janna only relied on cunning tricks and hypnotism; But things changed drastically over the last couple months. After a forced experiment with serum derived from magic's last remnants, the crafty crime-fighter gained mysterious powers linked to dark magic. Thanks to the tutelage of her teacher Eclipsa, the Snatcher was truly a force to be reckoned with...
"Shadow Serpent Snare!" Janna exclaimed. She pointed her skull-tipped Kali sticks towards her gelatinous foe, and out of them flew a sinister-looking snake with glistening black scales. The magical serpent coiled itself around Viscosa, but the wily slime woman easily squeezed out of its grip. She then struck Janna with her fluid fists, knocking her into a table.
Janna repeatedly fired bolts of fiery green magic from her sticks, but the viscous villainess swiftly dodged her attacks. Viscosa was about to deliver a killing blow, when the mage-in-training recalled one of her tutor's favorite spells.
"MIDNIGHT SHRIEK!" Janna shouted, as the emerald eyes on her cheeks began to glow. A dark blast of energy shot out from her sticks, and struck Viscosa, evaporating half of her body mass. Now that the mad monstress was disoriented, it was time to take her down.
"Ouroboros!" The occultist struck Viscosa with another peculiar spell, one that caused the slimy fiend to try and eat her own feet! As Viscosa uncontrollably teethed on her own legs, the plucky Filipina smirked pridefully.
"Never gets old."
Behind the building, both teams' powerhouses were slugging it out. Violet Devil, the flamboyant persona of the Lucitor Kingdom's teenage heir, threw fiery punches at Lucanus, a Shomuto with staggering strength.
"That all you got, rich boy?" Lucanus taunted. "This is how a real monster fights." The brutish beetle-man punched Tom in the face with his chitinous fist, staggering the demon prince. Tom shot a plume of fire from his palms, but the Shomuto's armor was too thick to burn. Lucanus struck his demonic adversary once more, then grabbed him with the huge, jagged pincers atop his head.
Tom used all the strength he could muster to hold Lucanus's powerful pincers open, to avoid a painful vivisection. However, such a herculean task was easier said than done. The Violet Devil began to struggle, and just as his strength was beginning to wane, help arrived.
"LOW SELF-ESTEEM NIGHTMARE DREAM!"
Once Lucanus was struck by the dark incantation, he let Tom go and collapsed to the ground. The Shomuto's vision began to blur, when he saw a shocking figure standing above him; His missing master, the legendary Seth of Septarsis.
"M-Master Seth!"
"How pathetic..." The white-haired saurian snarled. "You lost to mere children, Lucanus! You failed me, your team, and all monsterkind! You're not just unworthy of being my disciple, you're not even worthy of LIFE!"
While the panicked brute recoiled in fear at the imaginary Septarian, Tom swiftly flew towards him, and knocked him unconscious with a powerful punch. He then landed in front of the teammate who saved him; Janna, his cherished girlfriend.
"Babe, that was terrifying! I love it." The demon prince gleefully admitted.
"Thanks. By the way, you owe me one..." Janna coyly retorted.
In the skies above the ice cream parlor, Manavi was fighting against the power couple of the Protectors; Martial Boy and Lady Butterfly! Star flew through the air with her high-tech mechanical wings, and shot at the bat monster with her trusty bow. However, the agile gremlin avoided her arrows, and lunged to bite her with his razor-sharp canines. However, the rebel princess blocked his bite by thrusting her bow into his mouth.
"Let go!"
"Make me, princess." The aerial assailant slobbered. He raised one of his claws to try and scratch the girl's face, when none other than Marco Diaz himself seemingly leapt from the sky, and drop-kicked him. As Manavi took a tumble, Marco landed on the saddle of Nachos, his trusty dragon-cycle.
"I'll drain your blood with my fangs, human scum!" Manavi swooped down to strike Marco, but he was ensnared in a specialized net-arrow. As the entangled monster fell to the ground, Star playfully waved to her boyfriend, who blew her a kiss in return. Now, all four of the Dreaded Beasts were defeated; The day was saved!
As the Dreaded Beasts were hauled back to prison in a specially-engineered prison truck, the owner of Future Freeze was commending the Protectors for their heroism—all of them but Janna, who had oddly wandered off.
"I can't thank you folks enough for saving my shop. For now on, the Earth-Ni Protectors eat here free!" The storeowner exclaimed, much to Star's excitement.
"Why would the Dreaded Beasts attack an ice cream parlor, anyways?" Marco wondered.
"Because of this." Janna commented, as she walked out of the store with a shocking sight in her arms. The Protectors all gasped, the manager went white, and Marco looked like he was about to vomit; It was the frozen head of Seth of Septarsis!
"Uhh...care to explain that?" Tom queried.
"Ah, this...this is embarrassing."
"It's Seth's head!" Star exclaimed.
"That's a serious health code violation" added Marco.
"See, our special freezers are the only ones around cold enough to stop him from regenerating. Don't worry, we keep it separate from the ice cream." The storeowner sheepishly clarified.
"Snatcher, put that back where you found it. Before you-know-who thaws out." Maroon ordered. Janna then quickly took the frozen Septarian head back inside, to prevent the monster warlord from ever returning.
"Now who wants free ice cream?"
The next afternoon, a great gathering of students was assembled outside Echo Creek Academy, as today was a special day; The whole school was invited to a facility called the Cleave Center, to witness the greatest invention in human history; At least that's what they were told.
"Greatest invention, huh? I'll be the judge of that." This skeptical remark came from Austin Capers, the fifteen-year-old engineering prodigy behind the metal mask of Maroon. Once the summer came to an end, Austin re-enrolled at ECA to continue his studies.
"Someone's jealous." Janna teased, as she playfully nudged the boy with her elbow. Although she had a tendency to cause trouble, she was Austin's closest friend at school, since she was the only other Protector still enrolled. Star followed in her boyfriend's footsteps and got her GED, so she could focus on helping the innocent more often; Tom, on the other hand, never attended in the first place.
"Well, whatever it is, it won't top last year's field trip. I got to ride a flying manta ray!" cheered Jackie Lynn-Thomas, another friend of Austin's. From what he heard, the inter-dimensional field trip was deeply ingrained into ECA mythos; Austin only wished he could've been there.
The trio of students headed towards one of the big yellow school buses parked outside the academy. Janna was about to enter the vehicle, when she was blocked by a girthy mass of unsightliness; Her teacher Miss Skullnick, who reverted back to her human form after magic's destruction. That didn't mean she was any more attractive, though...
"Oh no you don't, toots! You've got thirteen unserved detentions for cutting class! That means no field trip for you." Skullnick sternly snapped, as she turned Janna away from the bus. Unbeknownst to her, Janna skipped most of those lessons to fight crime; Of course, she couldn't admit that, so the punishment stuck. In fact, Janna now wore a meager amount of makeup, in order to conceal her mystical cheek marks...
"Whatever. I didn't wanna go on that boring trip, anyways." Janna scoffed, and dejectedly walked away with her head hung low. She looked forward to any excuse to get out of class, but sadly, her fate was to rot in detention...or was it?
All of a sudden, the earth began to shake, and a great plume of fire erupted from the ground. From a deep sinkhole rose a hellish-looking carriage, pulled by a skeletal unicorn with a mane of flames. Most people gasped or yelped in surprise, but Janna just smiled; She knew exactly who was inside. The doors of the carriage opened, and there stood a snappily-dressed Tom, sporting his black leather jacket and a pair of three-eyed sunglasses for the occasion.
"The name's Thomas Draconius Lucitor, crown prince of the Underworld. I'm looking for my girlfriend, Janna Ordonia."
"That's me." Janna remarked to the gawking students, some frozen in shock and others green with envy. She giddly trotted to the carriage, and stepped inside to greet her demon boyfriend.
"What's with the surprise visit?"
"Hey, you said I owed you one." Tom playfully retorted, as he closed the carriage door. The demonic vehicle then took off, leaving a trail of flames in its wake.
Austin apprehensively entered the unkempt, odd-smelling bus, and carefully treaded down the aisle. He glanced towards a few familiar faces; Members of the academy's very own Spirit Squad. However, they lacked a certain member; Austin's former love, an unlucky yet endearing cheerleader named Sabrina Backintosh. While the two were briefly in a loving relationship, they eventually had to part ways when her family moved to Parkersburg; The reason why was deeply unfortunate, so much that poor Austin despised himself for it...
The downtrodden boy averted his gaze, and sat in a dry, leathery seat at the very back of the bus. He leaned his head up against the window; The cold glass tingled and chilled his cheek. Moments later, Jackie sat down next to her gloomy friend.
"You're thinking about her again, aren't you?" Jackie inquired, and received an answering nod. So, the kind-hearted skater girl placed her hand on his shoulder to comfort him. "I know how you feel, dude. I've missed Chloe like crazy since she went back to France."
"But you two are still together. Sabrina and I aren't." Austin sighed. "You're one of the nicest, chillest, calmest people I know. I just wanna ask, how do you do it?"
"One day at a time..." Jackie responded, as the bus started to move. This was gonna be a long ride...
After a twenty-minute drive out of the cleaved city, the buses arrived in the parking lot of a large and recently refurbished scientific facility; A sign on the building's entrance read "CLEAVE CENTER." Once the bus doors opened, dozens of students spilled out of the vehicles, and started heading towards the building. While the majority of ECA's attendees were human, a few mewmans and monsters enrolled as well, and the latter group stuck out like sore thumbs.
Austin stood outside the entrance, and looked upon the bastion of brilliance with awe. Inventing was his passion since he was a child; When he grew older, he wanted to work in a place just like this.
However, his focused admiration was broken when Tom's carriage erupted from the ground below. Tom and Janna stepped out of the macabre wagon together, and it sank to the depths from which it came.
"Enjoying the view, huh? Come on, let's get moving." Tom retorted.
"You know, this place looks weirdly familiar." Janna noted, and scratched her chin. She shrugged, then eagerly sauntered towards their destination with her demon love. Austin took a deep breath, and strolled behind them.
For such an upscale facility, the center's lobby wasn't very large. Austin stood amongst a bustling sea of students, aimlessly waiting for something to happen. The teen gadgeteer awkwardly shuffled through the crowd to find one of his friends, perhaps Jackie, Janna or Tom. But as he politely passed in front of a hairy monster teen, a glint of golden hair caught his eye. Looks like an unexpected friend of his was attending as well.
Austin weaved his way through the crowd, and once he was free he saw two of his closest friends sitting together at the edge of the lobby; Star Butterfly and Marco Diaz, the very people who caused the Cleaving.
"Hey, it's Austin!" Star piped, as she happily waved to her friend and teammate.
"Hey, buddy! How's it going?" Marco warmly queried.
"Good. What are you two doing here, I thought you got your GEDs?"
"Oh, I was invited here to see...whatever it is these lab-coat folks wanna show us. Marco's my plus one." Star affectionately squeezed her boyfriend's hand, making him smile and blush.
"Attention, Echo Creek Academy!" A voice suddenly called out. "My name is Mr. Burroughs, and I will be your guide. Follow me, for today you'll witness history change forever."
"I dunno, I've seen history change quite a lot." Star quietly remarked, as Marco took her by the hand and got out of his seat. The trio regrouped with the other students, and followed Burroughs to see what the Cleave Center had to offer...
The students and faculty of the academy were led into a large cylindrical room, with two circular platforms positioned on the upper and lower levels. In the center of the room was a mysterious device covered by a huge white tarp. Camera operators from various news stations had their cameras pointed at the mystery object; Whatever it was, it was going to be BIG. The five Protectors gathered together near the strange machine, and leaned up against the platform railing.
"I wonder what that is." Star curiously remarked.
"I dunno, but they put a lot of work into it." Austin added. Mere moments later, one of the scientists on the upper ring began speaking at a podium.
"Greetings! My name is Dr. Elisha Tran, and welcome to the Cleave Center! Attending today's demonstration are the students of Echo Creek Academy; The children of the future!"
"They say that every year." Miss Skullnick snidely remarked.
"Also with us today are the people working to make this unique town brighter, the Echo Creek Unity Council!"
After the fascistic WattWorks fiasco, Mayor Holt resigned from office out of shame. To take his place, his secretary appointed a governing council, which had representatives for each of the races and cultures residing in Echo Creek.
Duchess Exasperella Lucitor represented the Underworld, while King Pony Head himself spoke for the Cloud Kingdom. A popular public figure for his diverse construction crews, Desmond Jean-Marcelin, Austin's good-hearted uncle, was appointed as humanity's ambassador. As the Butterfly Kingdom's former monster expert, Yvgeny "Buff Frog" Bulgolyubov easily found a new job appearing for all of monsterkind. And last, but certainly not least were the only dual representatives; Moon and Eclipsa Butterfly, the former queens speaking for Echo Creek's mewman populace.
"Hi, mom!" Star cheered, as she waved to her mother. Tom, Austin and Janna also waved to their aunt, uncle and tutor, respectively. The council members reciprocated by waving back to encourage their loved ones.
"More than three months ago, the world was forever changed when parts of planet Earth merged with the dimension Mewni, in a mysterious event known as the Cleaving." As Dr. Tran lectured the audience, a large screen displayed footage of the Cleaving from locations across the globe; England, Chile, Kenya, Australia, the South China Sea, and of course, good old Echo Creek.
"While the spontaneity of the Cleaving caused plenty of chaos and disorder, it wasn't the end of the world; It was the start of a new one. Here at the Cleave Foundation's headquarters, we work to make the world a better place for all its inhabitants. So, to introduce our greatest creation yet is our esteemed founder, Director Alexander Reyes!"
Dr. Tran stepped off the podium, and her place was taken by the foundation's director; A man who was frighteningly familiar to the Protectors, with the exception of Tom. Unlike most of the patrons, they knew all too well of the physicist's past. He worked as a scientist for Cobalt Watch, a heinous human terrorist group. These armed xenophobes made an attempt on Star's life, brainwashed Marco into nearly killing his best friend, and used a high-tech flying warship to invade the Butterfly Kingdom. But worst of all; Their leader was Austin's father...
The teens were all greatly surprised the scientist was standing before them; The last time he was seen was when he came to the Capers household, and gave Austin, Star and Marco the blueprints to his former employer's dreadnought. But most shocked of all was Janna; She knew the facility felt eerily familiar, but couldn't place why until now; It was the former headquarters of Cobalt Watch!
"Thank you, Dr. Tran. For my entire career as a scientist, I had a theory; That there were countless alternate dimensions separate from our own. Everyone thought I was crazy, until the Cleaving proved me right. After that spectacular event, I gathered a team of like-minded scientists from all over the world to usher in a new age of discovery and progress!"
"He left out the part where he worked for Cobalt Watch." Janna muttered, as she crossed her arms and huffed. Star and Marco worriedly look towards Austin; They could tell the scientist's speech brought back some nasty memories.
"Now, without further ado, the wondrous device that will shape history; The Gateway Collider!" Director Reyes exclaimed. Two workers then removed the tarp, revealing the room's shining centerpiece. Everyone gasped in amazement, and Star noticed the familiar look of the blades sticking out from the machine's inner rings.
"Are those...dimensional scissors?" Star wondered.
"Does he know they don't work?" Tom added. One of the lab assistants pulled a lever, and the collider began to whirr. The two inner rings began rotating clockwise and counter-clockwise, and the scissor blades began to glow blue. To everyone's amazement, something happened that they thought was now impossible; A portal was opening.
"I can't believe it..." Austin gasped, overcome with wonder at the mechanical marvel. As the rings rapidly rotated, the blue portal grew larger and larger, until it was as big as the collider itself.
"On this historic day, a new world will be explored. And here with us today is the perfect person to take those bold first steps; The woman who caused the worlds to collide, Princess Star Butterfly!"
Upon hearing Reyes call her name, Star's heart began to race. This was a momentous occasion, and she had just been put on the spot in front of everyone; Her friends, her former classmates, even her mother. Her breaths became erratic and uneven, when Marco held her shaky hand.
"I don't think you should do this, Star. What if he's still evil? What if he wants revenge?" Marco worried.
"But he gave us the plans to that warship. Maybe he's changed?" Star wondered. "I'm giving him a chance, and you're coming with me." Marco sighed deeply, and the couple apprehensively walked towards the portal that awaited them. As they headed to the collider, many of the students clapped and cheered, with one even shouting "STAR BUTTERFLY RULES!"
"Thank you for coming, Miss Butterfly. We're honored to have you here." Director Reyes spoke.
"Thanks...Doc." Star awkwardly responded, while Marco just glared.
"You'll need this." Reyes handed Star a small mechanical device, and she inquisitively manipulated it with her hands. "This camera will feed onto the screen above. That way, we'll see everything you will." The doctor explained. "Now, off you go. We wish you the best of luck!"
Star felt astounded as she stared at the swirling portal; She missed exploring other dimensions, but set her longings aside for the greater good. But at long last, the Multiverse could be explored once more; It was the best of both worlds! Star took her lover by the hand, and the two slowly but surely wandered into the unknown...
Unfortunately, the couple's first steps in this new dimension weren't very pleasant, for there was no land to step on; The portal had opened high in the air! Star fumbled and dropped the camera Reyes gave her, and the two screamed as they began hurtling towards the ground.
However, the ex-princess thought fast and exclaimed "HERO UP!" In an instant, the silver, butterfly-engraved ring on her finger began to glow, and transformed her blue narwhal dress, boots and striped leggings into her superhero outfit. This wondrous device was a Hero Ring; A mix of magic and Earth technology Star created with her Magitech wand, back when it was still intact.
The mewman heroine activated her lightweight mechanical wings, and swooped down to catch Marco in her arms. Once her boyfriend was safe and sound, she gently floated down to the soft ground below.
"You alright, sweetie?" Star asked, to which Marco nodded and smiled. He got to his feet, and the two looked around to get a feel for their surroundings. The dimension they were in looked like a cross between a Dr. Seuss book and the floor of a barber shop; The sky was bright blue with a pinkish tint, and there was one large moon way up in the sky. The yellow ground beneath them felt unlike anything on Earth-Ni; Whatever it was made of, it was soft. But most noticeably, there were huge mounds of hair as far as the eye could see.
"Woah...where are we?" Star wondered.
"Hey, I've been here! This is where-" Marco excitedly explained, when the soft, carpet-like ground suddenly quaked. Out of the hairy earth burst a ferocious-looking serpent with four eyes, and thick orange fur. The giant snake suddenly lunged towards the couple, and wrapped itself around Star. It began to squeeze the life out of the former princess in its soft but deadly grip.
"Marco, help!" Star weakly huffed. She tried to reach for her trusty bow, but the wool-wyrm's grip was too tight!
"HERO UP!" Marco exclaimed; An instant later, he had on his Martial Boy costume, complete with a trusty sword modeled after his version of the Butterfly wand. Marco leapt towards the serpent and stabbed it with his sword, causing it to screech and let go of its would-be prey.
"Thanks, baby." Star exhaled deeply, worn out by the serpent's squeeze. However, the animal was far from finished with its quarry. The giant snake struck at Marco with its fangs, but the agile teen avoided it with a swift backflip. Then, he slashed the top of its head with his elegant blade. Enraged, the wool-wyrm headbutted poor Marco, and pinned him to the ground with its sheer weight.
"Don't worry, I got your back!" Star drew back her bow, and fired an arrow towards her prey; Despite her impressive aim, the arrow didn't hit anything vital, as it was caught in the creature's thick fur. The serpent retaliated by spitting acid towards Lady Butterfly, who narrowly dodged with her jet-powered wings.
Marco tried to squirm his way out from under the wyrm, but alas, he was stuck. The vicious predator opened its jaws in anticipation, and was about to swallow the poor human whole; But suddenly, they both heard a loud, intimidating war cry. Only a second later, the wool-wyrm was decapitated by a sharp and swift slash.
Star and Marco both gasped when they saw their unexpected rescuer; It was a familiar friend of both teens, one they thought they'd never see again once magic was destroyed; Kelly, the combat-loving Woolett from the wooly world of Woolandia! The couple was shocked to see Kelly, and vice versa; This ought to be a hell of a reunion...
Back at the Cleave Center, things had gone troublingly tumultuous once everyone witnessed Star and Marco's sudden fall. The point-of-view camera had broken as a result, causing the corresponding display screen to go black; To the outside world, there was no telling what happened to the Cleave-causing couple. As the crowd discordantly clamored for their safety, the scientists were trying to alleviate their concerns.
"We've lost connection with Star and Marco; We'll send in a rescue team as soon as it's safe." Doctor Reyes explained, although that didn't seem to relieve anyone.
"As soon as it's safe? That's my daughter you sent through that portal!" Moon exclaimed from up in the balcony, while the rest of the council coldly glared at the physicist.
"Let me go in there, I can fly!" Tom clamored, as he raised his hands up.
"I knew you couldn't be trusted!" Janna shouted. The scientists rushed to figure out a way to save their test subjects, as the crowd continued to uproar over the controversial conundrum. But while the commotion continued, Austin began to hear a loud, mechanical noise buzzing over the building; A helicopter was flying not too far above them. Then, he picked up an alarmingly familiar sound; The activation of a rocket.
"LOOK OUT!" The teen engineer shouted. A mere moment later, a rocket-propelled grenade struck the Cleave Center's roof, blowing a huge hole in the building. Miraculously, nobody was killed or even grievously injured; But that didn't change the fact that they were under attack.
As everyone screamed in shock and terror, a grayish-blue helicopter loomed over the building. Miss Skullnick and the ECA students fled the room, as did the Unity Council. However, Austin, Tom and Janna stayed put; Tom was shocked, but Austin and Janna both looked like they'd seen a ghost.
"Who are they?" The demon prince queried, as he pointed to the vehicle hovering overhead. Through the copter's open side-door, six men rappelled down into the facility, on thick, corded ropes. They wore armored vests with long blue shirts beneath them, dark pants with matching combat boots, black gloves, and coal-black helmets with tinted blue visors that concealed their faces.
"Cobalt Watch." Austin sneered, as he balled his fists in rage. He hid behind a nearby doorway, and muttered "Hero up!" under his breath; The Magitech ring on his finger instantly converted his civilian clothes into his specialized combat suit. Janna and Tom followed his lead, and quickly became their heroic alter-egos. Now was the time for Earth-Ni's Protectors to leap into action!
Once the Cobalt Watch troopers landed on the second level of the collider room, their leader set their sights on his target; Director Alexander Reyes of the Cleave Foundation.
"There he is, boys! The traitor to the Watch." The squad's captain scoffed, as he aimed his nine-millimeter pistol at the physicist. Dr. Reyes froze in fright; Looks like his dark past had finally caught up to him...
Just as the trooper was about to fire, he was stunned by an energy blast to the back. The director gasped when he saw yet another old face from his past; The mysterious masked Maroon, who was hovering in the air with his trusty rocket-boots. Maroon landed on the ground behind the trooper, and finished him off with a couple of quick jabs to the ribs and gut. Another watchman tried to shoot the scientist with his assault rifle, but the tech-savvy superhero blocket the shots with his sturdy yet collapsible wrist-mounted shields.
"RUN!" The caped crusader commanded. Reyes didn't hesitate, and took off as fast as he could. The trooper continued shooting at his armored adversary, until he ran out of ammo. Before he could reload, Maroon launched out a whip-cord that bound his legs, yanked him over the railing, and tied the cord to it, hanging his opponent upside-down.
Through the hallway leading to the lobby, the six members of Echo Creek's Unity Council hurriedly raced to escape the building; For all they knew, this attack could be an attempt on their lives.
"Who are gun-toting menaces?" Buff Frog asked through gasping breaths.
"Cobalt Watchmen. I thought I'd never see them again..." Moon answered. Just as the council members were about to reach the door, a pair of armed troopers blocked their path.
"It's the targets! OPEN FIRE!" One of the troopers ordered. The three watchmen aimed their rifles at the politicians, and were about to riddle them with bullets. But their focus was broken by a sudden shout.
"OBSIDIAN EXPLOSION!"
With that incantation, a hunk of black rock with glowing purple crystals hurtled towards the troopers, then exploded in a flash of fuchsia light. The resulting burst blasted the troopers out of the window, and onto the hard pavement of the parking lot. They were then finished off with three precise blasts of dark magic, from who but the Snatcher herself!
"Is everyone okay?" Janna questioned, as she spun her magic fighting sticks around.
"We are now." Desmond answered.
"Thanks to you. I see I've taught you well, my young apprentice." Eclipsa added, causing her eye-cheeked student to smile.
While the Gateway Collider continued to sustain its portal, Tom was fighting off a pair of watchmen armed with high-tech stun batons. He struck one of the men with a fiery demon punch, which launched him up into the ceiling! The heir to the Underworld then grabbed the other by his vest collar, and threw him high up in the air for Maroon to kick. Now, all six of the armed attackers were incapacitated!
"That better be all of them." Janna scoffed, as she stepped into the room. Suddenly, the Cobalt Watch helicopter fired a rocket towards her. Janna leapt out of the way, and shielded herself with a green energy barrier.
"Oh, right. Forgot about that." Tom shrugged, then flew off to take care of the air support...
Back in the wilds of Woolandia, Kelly couldn't believe her eyes. Once magic was destroyed, there was no way off her world. No one could leave, and no one could enter. So how the heck did two friends from two different dimensions end up here?
"...Marco? Star? Is it really you?" The Woolett wondered. Kelly had no clue how they got to her homeworld, but that didn't matter; They were truly a sight for sore eyes. The two teens nodded affirmatively, then Kelly rushed towards the duo and enveloped them in a soft hug.
"I missed you so much!" Kelly exclaimed, as faint tears of joy welled up in her eyes. "You were gone for so long..."
"Aww, it's nice to see you too, Kelly." Star warmly replied. Kelly then sat down on the soft ground, and leaned on the corpse of the wool-wyrm. To be polite, Star and Marco knelt on the ground to join her.
"So, I guess you two stopped Mina and saved the kingdom. I would've come back to help you, but my dimensional scissors stopped working. As a matter of fact, everyone's did." Kelly remarked, as the couple awkwardly looked at each other. Kelly didn't know the full scale of what they did; How would she react when she learned the truth?
"Wait...Star, where are your cheek marks?" Star took a deep sigh, and longingly looked at her fight-loving friend; Poor Kelly was about to hear some shocking late news...
"You DESTROYED magic?"
The idea of destroying a force so deeply ingrained in the Multiverse sounded impossible to Kelly. At first, she didn't believe such a ludicrous idea, until she stopped to think; The last time she was on Mewni, she suffered the agonizing effects of a Solarian sword, until she suddenly teleported back home. Her glowing scar was gone, and all the Wooletts' dimensional scissors stopped working. It was true; Magic was finally gone.
"It was the only way to stop Mina." Star spoke, to justify her most controversial decision.
"You couldn't have tried anything else? I mean, what about the people stuck in their own dimensions? And what about others who used magic? What happened to Hekapoo? She was MADE OF MAGIC!"
"I'm sorry, okay!" Star abruptly cried out, then began to tear up and sniffle. Marco was quick to comfort his conflicted girlfriend, by placing his arm around her and holding her close. "My mom was the one who made those warriors. My family abused magic for countless generations, and I wanted to finally put an end to all the injustice..."
"Oh..." Kelly awkwardly replied; Although she initially disagreed with Star's extreme decision, Kelly couldn't help but feel selfish for lashing out at her like that. "I didn't mean to hurt your feelings, Star. I understand you did that for the greater good."
"Plus, destroying magic saved your life." Marco added.
"I know, you're right. I shouldn't be mad...but I've just felt so lonely! I've been to lots of dimensions, and made lots of friends. But since I can't see any of them; I'm trapped in boring old Woolandia."
"Aww, Kelly..." Star placated her bushy-haired friend with a hug, and Marco apprehensively patted her shoulder. "Well, pretty soon, you'll be able to explore again, without magic! It's the best of both worlds."
"Wait, if magic's gone, then how did you get here? Wait, don't tell me! It's got something to do with that big ol' portal in the sky."
"You guessed it." Marco remarked, when his cell phone started to ring; It was a call from Austin! Marco pressed the "answer" button, and placed the phone to his ear.
"Marco, come in! Where are you?" Austin worriedly asked; The sound of gunshots were faintly audible on the other end.
"Star and I are catching up with an old friend. What's going on back there?"
"We need your help now! Cobalt Watch is BACK!" The teen engineer's urgent plea caused Marco to gasp.
"We'll be right there." Marco hung up, and suddenly stood to his feet. "We need to go, Star. The Cleave Center's under attack!"
"Then let's go!" Star activated her high-tech mechanical wings, and prepared to take off. "Sorry, Kelly, but it's an emergency. Duty calls!" Marco jumped into her arms, and the couple was about to take flight; However, the mewman heroine felt another hand grab her shoulder.
"I'm coming with you."
Meanwhile at the Cleave Center, the battle was heating up. Using his pyrokinetic powers, Tom swiftly flew through the air, dodging a barrage of bullets fired by the Watch's attack helicopter. The demon prince swiftly dove beneath the helicopter, and struck the tail rotor with a fire blast, disabling it. The vehicle then began to smoke as it spun out of control, and started hurtling towards the ground. The Violet Devil acted fast, and tackled the pilot out of the copter before it could crash.
"There, you're safe now." Tom ensured, when the pilot pulled a pistol on him. The crown prince disarmed the pilot, and promptly struck him with an uppercut, knocking him into a dumpster.
"Ungrateful jerk."
Unfortunately, Maroon and Snatcher weren't faring as well as their demonic teammate. In the lower level of the Collider room, the two teens were pinned to their cover by four Cobalt Watch troopers, who had already gotten back up. Their overwhelming gunfire made it tough for the heroes to attack them head-on, so they blindly fired back with their ranged attacks.
"Ugh, what's keeping Tom? It's just a stupid helicopter!" Janna complained.
"I called Star and Marco. Let's hope they get back in time." Austin uttered. One of the soldiers tossed a grenade towards the duo; Austin quickly wrapped his arm around Janna's midsection and activated his rocket boots, bringing them to the safety of the second floor just as the weapon detonated. With no sufficient cover to hide behind, Janna crossed her Kali sticks together to make an emerald-colored energy barrier. However, the magical shield's integrity depleted with every bullet that hit it.
"I can't hold it much longer!" The teenage mage weakly groaned. Just as her barrier was about to break, a trio of heroes leapt out of the Gateway Collider's portal. Their sudden appearance distracted the troopers, who started to attack them instead. Austin peered over to see who had come to save them; Star, Marco and a girl he didn't recognize, with a head of bushy green hair, and a sword as big as her body.
Star and Marco charged towards a pair of troopers together, and took them down together; Star captured one with a special net arrow, while Marco used his martial arts skills to incapacitate the other.
"Get the hairy one!" Two troopers with electrified stun batons charged towards Kelly in opposite directions, unaware what a mess they were getting into. Using her countless years of fighting experience, Kelly easily disarmed the men with her sword, and defeated them with a couple of swift kicks.
"You're dead, freak!" Shouted a watchman on the second level. He aimed his rifle towards the Woolett warrior and prepared to shoot, when he was stunned by another red energy blast; The caped crusader who dealt said blow then landed on the ground in front of Kelly.
"Who are you?" Kelly queried, unfamiliar with the mysterious masked Protector.
"The name's Maroon. And you are?"
"LOOK OUT!" The trooper Austin thought he incapacitated had hurled a grenade, and it was headed right towards them! But before it could land, Janna exclaimed "Levitato!" and redirected the grenade elsewhere. The armament exploded near the Gateway Collider, blowing a chunk of it off; The machine then stopped working, and the portal it created ceased to exist.
"Kellster! Long time, no see." Janna greeted, while Kelly worriedly looked at the empty space where the portal once was; That was her only way back home. "Ooh, sorry about that." The fledgeling mage awkwardly muttered. Merely a moment later, Tom hovered over the hole in the roof just as the fight was over.
"Alright, prepare to—oh, you already beat them all." Tom disappointedly spoke, when his three eyes were caught by a familiar bush of green hair. "Wait, is that Kelly?"
Thanks to the power couple and their alien ally arriving in the nick of time, the Cobalt Watch squadron was down for the count. Now that their armed and dangerous enemies were defeated, Star and Marco celebrated with a victory kiss.
"I knew it." Kelly coyly remarked; Anyone with half a brain knew those two getting together was inevitable. Star then turned towards Kelly with a giddy smile on her face.
"You did so good, Kelly! You kicked those bad guys' butts!"
"Who were they, though? How does Janna have magic powers? And why are you all wearing silly costumes?" The Woolett warrior had a whole bunch of questions, since she was out of the loop for so long.
"We're the Earth-Ni Protectors; A superhero team that defends Echo Creek from the forces of evil." Maroon explained.
"Earth-Ni? What's Earth-Ni?" Once Kelly asked that question, the team knew it was time to give her the surprise of her life...
Star, Marco, and the other Protectors led Kelly outside the Cleave Center, and had the Woolett cover her eyes with her hair so she couldn't peek.
"Can I look now?"
"We're almost there...and, NOW!" Marco exclaimed. Kelly pulled back her hair and opened her eyes, then gasped as she took in the surprise of her life. She was standing in a whole new world; One that held both castles and skyscrapers, medieval villages and roadside strip malls; Humans co-existed with mewmans, monsters, demons and even Pony Heads beneath the starry skies of the cleaved city. It was a breathtaking sight; Looks like miracles really do happen.
"Welcome to Earth-Ni, Kelly." Star warmly told her long-lost friend. "Welcome to our world..."
Alas, not everyone was content with the changes caused by the Cleaving. For example, some disapproving humans ended up leaving Echo Creek, so they wouldn't have to co-exist with the various races of Mewni. But then there were people with no choice but to fight back; Many of these xenophobes joined the recently-revived Cobalt Watch organization, to fight back against those who came to Earth...
In an abandoned cave located in the far reaches of Earth-Ni's wilds, more than fifty Cobalt Watch troopers set up camp. Here, they stored their vans, motorcycles, weapons and other equipment vital for carrying out their crusades.
One of the troopers walked into a small room at the end of the cavernous base, where the local leader watched the news on a large computer screen. Unlike the black and cobalt-blue motif worn by the troopers, their leader sported a suit of white, medieval-esque armor, with gold accents and a billowy yellow cape. Resting on the desk was a white knight helmet with a gold-glowing visor and a vibrant matching plume.
Most shockingly, the leader wasn't what one would usually expect; She was a Caucasian woman in her mid-forties, with brown hair in an inverted bob-cut. Despite her seemingly harmless appearance, this woman had a fearful reputation as the Paladin, an armed extremist with a strong hatred for demons and the occult.
"We've received news about the Cleave Center attack; The mission failed. They didn't get Reyes, or the Unity Council." The trooper admitted.
"I heard. Those incompetent fools! When the Commander hears about this, he'll be-"
"I'll be what, Paladin?" Both Paladin and her subordinate quickly turned to the monitor; It was a surprise video call from who but Commander Cobalt himself, Oberon Capers! This scarred, rugged-looking man was the organization's leader even before the Cleaving, and his very presence filled the room with dread.
"Commander Cobalt! What a surprise."
"I already learned of what happened, and I'm not happy. Those wretched excuses for heroes are the only thing stopping us from liberating this town."
"Tell me about it. I've fought them before; They're sinners, witches and devils protecting the damned." Paladin snarled with acidic vitriol.
"I have a new mission for you. Lure out the heroes, and kill all of them but one."
"Which one? It better not be the demon prince."
"It's their leader, Maroon; I want him brought to me alive." Oberon ordered. "I'll arrive at the stronghold tonight; Don't let me down." The head of the Watch then signed off, leaving Paladin alone with her lackey.
"You heard the Commander. Rally the troops! Today we bring rightful justice upon those sinful deviants..." The self-righteous warrior mandated. As frightening as it was, the sudden attack on the Cleave Center was only the beginning; The worst of the Watch was still yet to come...
Well, we're one chapter into the book of Resurgence, and things are already heating up! As a fun fact, I've planned the return of both Kelly and Dr. Reyes since the very start of the series, and at long last, it's finally arrived! Personally, I think Kelly got the short end of the stick when the series ended, but don't worry; I've got a hell of an arc planned for her.
Now to talk about a controversial part of the premiere...I broke up Sabrina and Austin. Yeah, that really hurt to do, but it's all part of Austin's Book Three arc. Also, don't worry; I've learned from the mistakes made by the show. This won't be a Kellco situation, where they broke up offscreen and never elaborated on why. The reason why Austin and Sabby split up will be shown in a later chapter, and honestly...it's heartbreaking.
Anyways, here's to a new beginning, of new resurgences. The resurgence of dimensional travel, of Kelly, of Cobalt Watch, and so much more...
