Episode 4: Hollywood Heights Part 2: Wake Up Call!
So who's gonna save us now
When the ashes hit the ground
I gave it all
But all you gave was sweet misery
Kei made his way to the hideout where Verrado was imprisoned by his mother. He managed to retrieve the flowers that were in the CEO room as Veronica was suffering an episode of a migraine. She initially blamed him for the wrong sugar with aspartame but he reassured her that it was these "revolting flowers" with excess pollen.
With the flowers in his hands, Verrado snatched them and sniffed at the magic embedded within. From there, she went to grab a bag of dirt that Kei dug up from a nearby garden center and began her limited magic that was left (after Kei removed the cuff).
"Now then, let's begin," Verrado chanted as her hands linked to the dirt while a prickly-like plant grew slowly from its seeds. It was filled with spikes like a cactus but was nothing but roots and stems and a sphere containing more spikes and magic inside.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Verrado warned Kei, "Waking that man up will certainly be problematic to us."
"Then I guess we'll see…if he is as powerful as he claims to be," the blond answered as he squeezed a few drops of liquid into the vial.
Next Afternoon:
Matthew scoffed as he threw his clothes into a second luggage. While he was on his way of wrapping up the business of this apartment and getting a new one further south, the start date was still to be determined. He did not like what happened back at the bar but…
KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK
The man looked up before walking to the door and peaking at the hole. Curious, he opened up and gasped to see Brendon standing here.
"H-how did you…?" Matthew asked.
"Shiloh told me," Brendon said, "I wanted to see you."
"Uh well…I-I am flattered that you're here but what's going on?" the other man looked confused.
"Look, don't let them bastards dictate your life. You're more valuable than that! Everyone at the fitness center needs you," Brendon replied.
"I appreciate your concern, but business is business; I cannot question their ways or else I'll lose the job," Matthew replied as he walked back to finish packing.
"W-wait, why are you doing this so suddenly?! Don't you even have a start date?" Brendon asked.
"I already applied for an apartment that's not too far from the site," Matthew said, "I just…"
The two stared at each other as their hearts were beating fast with their well-muscled bodies. It was as if their instincts were telling them something, but their minds weren't quite there to resonate with. Brendon was already looking into Matthew's eyes deeply as if he was in a trance.
"Look if you're just gonna stand there…" Matthew began.
Brendon wasted no time as he pulled into Matthew's face for a kiss. Nothing happened as they both separated it after a second or two.
"Sorry," Brendon said, "It's just that…"
"Yeah, I get it, everyone wants to do it with me," Matthew replied, "Look…you are hot and attractive, but I don't think this is gonna work out. I'm sorry…"
Brendon's face seemed a bit saddened but knowing that this act wasn't gonna keep him in town, he nodded and was about to head out when a box from the closet fell, leaking out various contents.
"I'll pick it up," he insisted as Matthew shrugged for a moment. However, Brendon noticed a photo…something very odd to him. He took a closer look and couldn't stop staring at it.
"W-what is this?" Brendon asked, showing Matthew the photo.
"I-I don't remember having this photo…." Matthew replied, taking it but upon inspection, his jaw dropped, "W-what in the name of…? S-Since when did I have four girls and these clothes that look like the high-end athletic wear?! And this house…that would be a million dollars here!"
"Not to mention…do I know you…?" Brendon added, "That man there looks like me! It's like as if we once knew each other and…"
Matthew was tempted to rip the photo, but his body wouldn't allow his fingers to make the cut. Instead, he set it down, "Well then…do you want to stay here for the night?"
"I thought you said you were leaving?" Brendon replied.
"I am but…maybe we should…just try?" Matthew shrugged.
"Try what?" Brendon asked.
"Well…the photo here doesn't make sense…and yet…I feel comfortable that you're here," he said, "To be honest, I wanted to ask you back at the bar if you wanted to visit me sometime or go get some coffee together before that wretch showed up."
"I, um," Brendon blushed and rubbed the back of his head, "I do appreciate the offer…and I'm sorry about that earlier."
"The kiss?" Matthew asked, "It's fine…to be honest, I actually enjoyed it. My last kiss was some lady and she just tried to slobber all over me to trouble but thankfully some random bitch hit her, and she got into a fight while I escaped."
"Did you like it…that kiss?" Brendon asked.
"Not really," Matthew blushed, "I think she was drunk that evening and the taste of whatever she drank made me threw up inside my mouth. But yours on the other hand…well…"
Brendon started to chuckle, resting his head on Matthew's shoulder. This time, Matthew embraced it as he could smell the freshness from a men's shampoo in Brendon's hair.
What is this feeling, Matthew thought, I…I never thought…I would be okay with this…it's like my heart tells me that I should know him but…
Before Brendon spoke up, Matthew took the lead into another kiss. This time, it was much longer as they felt their tongues drenched before taking a breath.
"Are you alright?" Matthew asked.
"Y-yeah…I didn't think you'd do it because of earlier but…" Brendon blushed.
"I don't know what it is but…at the bar, I felt something between us, but I cannot put a finger on it. It was like as if we should've been together in the first place, but some cruel fate had wedge us apart…that bitch," he said, "I don't want to take your time away for your photoshoot coming up or your day job too…"
"I have an idea," Brendon answered, "Let me move in to this apartment. I can help out around here and try to contribute to the costs!"
"This apartment isn't exactly cheap but…alright," Matthew replied, "I'll try to break the other deal at the other place."
"You will!?" Brendon gasped in awe.
"We do have a lot to talk about…but we have to be careful that bitch doesn't notice our relationship," Matthew said, "Commuting though is gonna suck but it's worth it."
"So then…what did you mean earlier on what you wanted to try?" Brendon asked.
Matthew blushed, "…I um. Are you…willing to take a risk?"
Now it was his turn to blush a little before answering, "I'm willing to take any risk with you Matthew."
They both kissed again in a deeper passion, feeling their bodies entwined by this uncertainty yet willingly to enter the unknown as they brought themselves to bed and trying this moment of lust. The two men stared into each other's eyes as they began to undress before carrying on.
Sisters of St. Beaumont Academy – The Chapel of Saints
The three students; Iberia, L'aura, and Mesa were in a session of prayers in preparation for their graduation as alumnus Eva walked in.
When the trio were done, they greeted the alumnus with joy.
"I'm glad to see you three are doing well," Eva smiled.
"Yeah, we're counting down the days left here," L'aura added.
"Hey, I do have a question if you're comfortable answering," Mesa commented.
"Oh? Go ahead," she replied.
"…I've been hearing rumors from the Brothers of St. Aeuropa…about a man whose extensive knowledge of healing was brought here for an emergency. Was it all true? Did this man perform such miracles?" Mesa asked.
Eva softly gasped before regaining her composure, "Yes, there was a man whom I have met a few times. He came here because of my fellows was gravely ill and he used the finest herbs and incantations that we don't even use."
"I see," Mesa answered, "But the rumors said that he disappeared one night?"
"He disappeared yes after he had a fallout with one of the priests apparently. They claimed that he was a demon, but the man never violated any code and always remained strict to his work," Eva explained, "I personally think he didn't do anything wrong but I'm sure his past prior to joining this organization may have caught up.
"Anyway, do you want to get some coffee later?"
"Sure!" the girls replied.
The four ladies walked towards the Heartfelt Café on the border of Aeuropa and Hollywood Heights. It was only a few minutes of a walk from their campus. Eva opened the door to let the three girls in before following them.
"Oh, I so want to try the Caramel Latte!" Mesa smiled.
"Save the tropics for me," L'aura insisted.
"Maybe the Freedom Shake?" Iberia muttered to herself.
"Hi, welcome to Heartfelt Café!" the lady at the counter greeted the group. Eva noticed a nametag written as "Alice" on her shirt.
After the three girls placed their order, she added, "I'll pay for their drinks. As for me, I'd like the Palm Beach flavor soda with one of the heart-shaped pastries."
"Alrighty then," Alice tapped on her touchscreen device to set the orders together. The other girls thanked her in this surprise gift. After they exchanged the payments, a moment paused Alice and Eva as they stared at each other for a moment as a loud heartbeat was heard between them.
"D-did you feel that?" Alice asked, curious.
"I…uh…I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pause like that. You reminded me of someone," Eva blushed.
The other girls looked at each other in confusion but they grabbed a table by the window. Eva waited nearby as Alice prepared the drinks individually.
"Are you by yourself today?" Eva asked.
"Since this morning yeah," Alice said, "I'll be switching though sometime this afternoon and go home."
"I see," Eva replied as she admired her skinny jeans and the blue-green stripped-patterned shirt. Alice's dark brown/red hair flowed in a nice ponytail.
"Here you go," Alice smiled as she handed the drinks in a box carton to Eva.
"Thank you…oh, if you're not busy, is it okay if I talk to you after?" she asked.
"We'll see," Alice replied.
Eva walked her way over to the other girls while trying to keep her blush to a minimal. Her heart raced rapidly as if she was supposed to have known this woman before her but her mind yelled at her to maintain herself from crossing the line.
"Hey, are you okay Eva?" Iberia asked.
"Yeah, I just…never felt happier than being with all of you," Eva smiled.
"We saw how much you blushed…do you know this lady?" asked Mesa.
"No way!" Eva gasped, "For heaven's sake this is my first time in this coffee shop!"
Aeuro Clinic - Hollywood Heights Campus
The last day and a half grew worse for Clarion's health as his anemic condition took on a rough turn. Veronica ensured him to the best care team at the Aeuro Clinic and he was admitted in.
"How do you feel Mr. Crescent?" one of the nurses checked in.
Clarion looked at the Blood IV for a moment before answering, "Tired…but slightly better than last night."
Veronica walked into the room despite the nurse's wishes to wait outside for a moment. Clarion smiled to see her as she brushed him across his head. The nurse stepped out for a moment.
"I'm sorry my health worries you mother," he said.
"It's not your fault," Veronica answered, "As a matter of fact, I found something that may finally allow your blood levels rise to normal again."
"Oh?" he grew interested.
"You see, the town's renovation here has enabled my workers to inspect all buildings before being demolished and remodeled. At one of the old sites, one of my inspectors found this," she handed him a crystal-like object.
"I don't get it…it's not medicine?" Clarion grew confused.
"Apparently the crystal itself has some unique minerals that requires a chemical transformation for the reaction to occur," she explained, "Apparently the liquid that it must be mixed in is not found yet, but I have someone who can help me find it."
"You're pushing yourself so much," Clarion replied, "I can wait for more blood."
"Honey, I'm worried that you won't be able to excel in life," she answered, "Don't worry about me. I won't let anything bad happen to you."
Clarion nodded before closing his eyes to sleep. Veronica smiled sadly before leaving the room and taking out her phone to call her other son. As usual, he didn't pick up, but something throbbed in the back of her mind.
Judd's Tavern
Artemis followed Ikuya and Asahi to one of the bars as the early evening people began to fill in slowly. They made their way to towards the countertops.
"Heya gents, I can't do underage," Shiloh said before turning around and recognizing Asahi and Ikuya, Oh…did someone called for your help?"
"Quite the contrary; our new friend here needs your help," Asahi replied.
Shiloh looked at Artemis for a moment or two before asking, "May I ask your name young man?"
"Artemis…Artemis Patterson," he introduced himself.
"Patterson…wait a second…is one of your father's…Joseph?!" the muscular man replied.
"Yes…I am his child," Artemis smiled.
"Well there, it is truly a pleasure to finally meet your acquaintance!" he shook hands with Artemis, "I haven't seen your pops since high school!"
"You knew of Asahi and Ikuya too?" Artemis asked.
"Well…they sort of told me who they were and stuff but had to keep a secret from the ears of publicity here, especially in this loud place," Shiloh chuckled.
"Listen, I need some help in finding out who I am…and what happened to this town. My family was kicked out of here by Veronica and I've been not feeling the same after meeting these two. They say that I am important for their cause," Artemis explained.
"Well, I guess this all has to do with overthrowing Veronica and her business," Shiloh shrugged, "That bitch came over to me the other day trying to buy this place, but I refused. This community was filled with personalities of both rich and the poor coexisting…but now she's been scattering everyone out and replacing it with only the posh."
"Can you help?" Artemis asked.
"Well…I don't know if I can just help you like this out of the blue even though I know of your father. I'll need to talk to him and stuff. But now that I think about it…wasn't there a man here named Ben?" Shiloh replied.
"Yeah but he's not giving Artemis a place yet nor if he ever does," Ikuya said.
"Look, I can't do stuff now at this hour…maybe we can talk more about this tomorrow? I'll be here around 10 AM for prep work and managing," Shiloh answered.
"Very well," Asahi replied, looking a bit slightly disappointed.
As they concluded their conversation, no one noticed a pair of eyes hidden in the crowd who saw them talking. While he didn't hear what they were saying, he knew exactly who the four of them were.
Dammit, the villain thought, they might not be awake but having them reunited will thwart our plans!
Flashback: Dodecadron's arrival to Delta!Earth
The muscled-winged man crashed at a nearby lake within a desert field. He grunted before getting up and brushing off the dust from his body as the dry heat was kicking in.
"Where the hell am I?" he muttered.
He closed his wings while opening his bag to retrieve a cloak that will conceal his monstrosity. A few desert lizards scattered around as the Quail ran in circles nearby. Dodecadron sighed before taking a hike through the area.
After 15 minutes or so, he saw an abandoned building that looked like it was going to crumble into dust. With the wave of his hand, a gust of magic swept through and restored the building. He was surprised that some of his powers remained intact, but his mind was also curious if this realm did had any magic.
"H-how did you do that?" a voice asked.
Dodecadron turned to see a young blond man in a green cloak and a pair of gray spectacles. His outfit was a mixture of dress pants and a long orange shirt with black accented marks.
"It was magic," he replied.
"Hm…I see…" the young man answered, "I've been looking for magic in this temple for a while so I can take it for my own needs."
"You don't have magic of your own then?" Dodecadron asked.
"Well…I did but…mother forbade me to cultivate it," he shrugged.
"Then you don't need to steal magic…I can teach you," Dodecadron answered, "Come…let me help you."
"Thanks, I am sorry to pester you for this," the man said, "I ran away from home because I couldn't bear the fact that my mother has completely cut me out from her life. She always favored my brother more. Father on the other hand, looked after me."
"I'm so sorry," Dodecadron answered, "Is that why you came here? To find magic so you can be on your own?"
"Yeah, I wanted to get a fresh start but I ended up living in such trashy places for years, using mundane weapons that this world uses," the man shrugged, "I know that once I have magic I can have my own place completely."
Dodecadron brought the man over towards a pile of rocks. The cloaked figure listened to his instructions and extended his hands to the rock, making it slowly levitate for a moment or two.
"You got this kid, just keep your eyes on it," Dodecadron instructed.
After a struggle, the rock fell.
"Ugh, this is not getting anywhere," the man doubted, "I'm sorry if I am wasting your time!"
"You're not wasting my time," Dodecadron said as he scanned the area for some idea, "You just need the motivation."
"Eh?" the cloaked man asked.
Dodecadron snapped his fingers as a Hugging Cholla cactus exploded and its needle were aimed towards himself. The cloaked man gasped in horror as the needles were about to stab to this man.
"WAIT!" he shouted out as a blast of magic created a force field and upon impact, they turned to dust. The bubble then busted afterwards after it was done.
The man gasped as Dodecadron chuckled happily, "You did it! See?!"
"I…oh my god…I didn't know I could do that, nor it was possible!" the cloaked man cried in joy.
Dodecadron held his hands, "That's because you finally believe in yourself. Anyway, what was your name?"
"I'm Kei…Kei Tsukishima," the blond introduced himself as he unveiled his face from the hood.
Dodecadron's mind throbbed painfully as his heart pulse began to beat rapidly. He fell to his knees at the moment, trying to get his breathing back.
"H-Hey are you alright!?" Kei gasped.
"I'll be alright…I just need a minute," he answered.
Painful memories struck through his mind as he recalled his times as the Dark One and this man before him was one of his wrench men under the guidance of the Black Star. How was it possible that he survived or came back to life…? Unless…?
"Hey, I didn't mean to frightened you," Kei said.
"You're fine…I just felt a bit of a sharp pain coursing through me, that's all," Dodecadron replied.
"That's because I throbbed your memories to recall who this person is," a voice said.
The two turned to see a female entity whom Kei recognized a long time ago, "V-Verrado?!"
"My…an ex-Dark One teaching a young, innocent man whose mother can never love him," she replied.
"Dark One? What are you talking about?!" Kei asked.
"It appears that like your mother…you too have forgotten whom you truly were," Verrado answered, "Don't you remember what you and this man did together?"
"Don't listen to her!" Dodecadron protested, "I can explain! The Dark One…"
"Wait a sec, you were the Dark One like what was spoken in Legends?" Kei asked.
"Oh yes he was and more so…you were a pawn of his and he killed you for failing his dark deeds. How ironic that he's trying to teach you again in hopes that he will ever be redeemed," Verrado teased.
Before Kei could ask, Verrado cast her magic at his head, awakening him to resume his original identity once more from Olympia and the Underworld. Dodecadron stepped back in horror before clenching his fists.
"You see, I couldn't get Kei to remember who he was because he couldn't believe in himself to cultivate his magic…but thanks to you…now he has awaken and return to his true self," Verrado explained.
Kei chuckled darkly as he looked at the bastard before him, "And now you are just as weak without that darkness! I'll be sure to give you pain just as I plan to do with my mother!"
The blond took out the coin and turned to the witch, "I am ready to join!"
"NO!" Dodecadron protested, "If you do this, I'll do whatever it takes to stop you again! Heroes will always break curses! Even my curse…was broken!"
"Well then, I'll just have to find a way to make it unbreakable…and thank you for the final lesson," Kei smirked before he vanished into the darkness with Verrado.
Tsukishima Manor
The remnants of his magic traced the Tsukishima Manor down in a city called Litchfield Park. It was nothing like he seen before with the endless fields, There, he saw a human woman in her early 40s watching a pre-teen girl cleaning the extended porch.
Laura gasped at the sight of the creature while Abigail readied her walking stick while her hand remained behind her back with a wand.
"Who are you?" Abigail asked with a stern in her voice.
Deciding to come up with a pseudonym, Dodecadron replied, "I'm Jose."
"And what brings you to this…lovely manor Jose?" she continued.
"Are you the mother of Kei?" he questioned.
"I am…despite my relations to him…he is my biological son," she replied, "You can call me Lady Tsukishima."
"Well then, Lady Tsukishima…I ran into your son earlier who was trying to find magic," he began but Abigail took out her wand to probe to his mind on his encounter to her child. She recoiled a bit on the fact that he was also the husband whom Pandora slaughtered her back on Duniya.
"Well…well…" Abigail hissed, "So I see you married the Dark One despite all of her atrocities."
"Pandora…has evolved thank you very much," he answered sternly, "She's not who you remembered."
"Perhaps not but…that doesn't mean my revenge to those heroes hasn't changed a bit," she replied.
"Your son wants to enact the dark curse," he said, "I don't know why but its clear that he is going up against you. And besides, why are you still thirsty for revenge to those heroes? They may not share the same philosophy as yours but that doesn't mean you can beat a dead horse."
"To tell you the truth, it's not so much of the men whom I want revenge with…it was my friends when your wife cursed us to forget the heroes and they were warped so much into their lusts of men that sickened me," she revealed.
"I'm surprised you even opened up to me like this," he replied.
"That's because I'm going to kill you to ensure that no one else knows about my true feelings, she answered as she readied her wand.
"I propose a trade," he answered.
"You have no authority to do so…" she snapped.
"Well I insist! I give you my wings…in return I want to take this girl here and I will keep your secret," he cut her off, "Either way, if your son succeeds in bringing the curse, you will lose more than what you've had. The magic in my wings can enable you to evade the curse!"
After a stern amount of silence and skepticism, Abigail answered, "Fine. Laura! You are free to leave this place but don't you dare ever come back!"
"What about Akiteru and his health?!" she asked.
"I guess I will have to find someone else to do that now…" Lady Tsukishima answered as she flicked her wand to rip off the wings. Dodecadron yelped in pain but with another spell cast, the neurons were numbed off as the patches of skin healed over the newly developed scars.
Laura checked on Dodecadron as he got up from his knees.
"She's all yours now," Abigail replied, looking at his detached wings, "I assume that you know of Akiteru as Kei probably has spoken…fondly of him."
With that, she took the wings to the house while Dodecadron led Laura out of the manor's land, heading to the road ahead. Where they headed was not yet to say…
1 Year Later: North Glendale, AZ
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
Dodecadron tapped the alarm off from his iPad as he got up and stretched his body and looking himself at the mirror with his shiny orange underwear. He smiled to himself on how well things were going so far. Dodecadron had felt so top in shape and looked more like a human everyday despite missing his wings. Reminding himself to set a good example for Laura, he put on some actual clothes.
As for her, she was already in 8th grade at the Hilcrest Middle School and was fascinated in marine biology. Upon learning that she also loved to swim, he has taken her to intensive training swim lessons from a nearby fitness center.
Upon arriving into the kitchen, he watched Laura watering the plants. He turned up the music as it played in the background while cooking:
Everybody said that you'd better watch out
Man, she's gonna turn you in
And me, you know that I thought that I looked out
Now look at the trouble that I'm in
You know, you'd better –
He turned on the stove to cook up some scrambled eggs as the pot screamed in boiling water. Bacon, eggs, coffee, and hot cocoa were served moments after.
"Hey dad, you forgot something," Laura chuckled.
"Oh, the cinnamon!" he blushed, "Be right there!"
Watch out for charley's girl
Watch out for charley's girl
Watch out for charley's girl
Watch out for charley's girl
He handed her the shaker as she smiled and dusted her whipped cream with it. The past year was rather a slow beginning for them to open, but Laura told him about the incident with Akiteru and Takahiro and Kei's disappearance.
After Dodecadron realized that Kei was her step-brother, he grew unsure whether to tell her what Kei was planning to do. He didn't want to jeopardize her future but not informing her of the encounter may put their lives at risk.
"Papa, are you okay?" she asked.
"Yeah, just uh…work is keeping me busy," he said, "But I'll be home early tonight so I can watch your tournament."
Hours Later: Middle School Swim Tournament
Laura walked out of the lockers with her teammates as she kept some hope that her father made it in time to see her swim the freestyle. Her prodigy into becoming so keen on swimming has even caught the attention of the local news.
She dressed in her one piece swimsuit colored in navy blue with lines of sky blue and white through its contour. Her swim cap was black with a pair of goggles with red-colored lenses.
Dodecadron sat up in the bleachers with the school's team logo on it. Laura gasped and waved with a bright smile on her face.
Just as she got on the diving block and the countdown began for the first heat…
BOOM!
Glass windows shattered, some of the swimmers fell off the blocks and into the water in shock. Laura fell off and nearly sprained her ankle on the hard tile. Everyone in the audience panicked in terror as a loud series of screeching noises of the hyenas could be heard. Dodecadron jumped down from the bleachers to reach to Laura.
A group of cloaked figures appeared and hovered over the pool. One of them levitated its way down towards the two before unveiling herself.
"Well…well…so this is where you've ran off," Verrado smirked.
"You…" Dodecadron growled, "What did you do to Kei?!"
"K-Kei…" Laura muttered, "Papa, what's going on?!"
"He didn't tell you the truth darling," Verrado answered, "I've had Kei joined my little family here in preparation to cast the Dark Curse. However, not all of the ingredients have appeared yet in this world."
"What is she talking about?" Laura asked.
"…I taught Kei how to use magic in hopes that he could be free from Lady Tsukishima but it turns out that he only wants to seek revenge," he said, "I came into your life in hope that we could eventually escape the curse."
"And you won't…in fact you two will suffer a fate once the curse is cast," Verrado replied, "Starting with my daughter."
"WHOSE DAUGHTER!?" Dodecadron shouted
But the cloaked figures did not reply but instead cast a series of spells, blasting both Dodecadron and Laura down while casting a temporary sleep spell to the audience.
"Take the man to our base…I'll have Laura's memories be rewritten," she said to Kei and Kaede.
The two grabbed the unconscious man while Verrado shifted her forms to disguise herself while carrying Laura out of the crime scene. From this point, Laura "Otto" was given to her as she would become miserable during the next few years until meeting Anastasia and the other girls. However, her memories of Dodecadron and the fresh year of hope were gone…
Present Day: Judd's Tavern Next Morning
Asahi, Artemis and Ikuya returned to the tavern as Shiloh was wrapping up with his employers on a meeting. He opened the door for the trio and welcomed them in.
"I do apologize about last night gentlemen, it was rather hectic here," Shiloh said.
"Well it didn't help that there was another rumor about the green witch," Asahi muttered.
"The Green Witch?" Artemis asked.
"Supposedly there's a witch in this town that has said to allow this town to be growing. However, we all know that Veronica's company has been the one that brought all the people here," Shiloh explained, "Some think that this town is cursed with the five scrappers being built."
"A curse?" Artemis looked at him.
"We've been investigating that there are five towers that may have been holding dark magic," Ikuya explained.
"Then how do we stop them?" Artemis questioned.
"Simple…we break 'em," Asahi smirked, "We destroy the towers."
"Eh!?" he gasped.
"They're not residential towers, remember?" Ikuya, "They are towers for cellular reception. Veronica's business also includes a communication system for electronics, TV, data, and more. So at least we won't have to face casualties, but we will be in for a long fight ahead."
"And you think destroying these towers will prove something?" Shiloh asked.
"It will definitely slow down whatever our enemy is trying to do to this town," Asahi answered.
The two heroes led Artemis and Shiloh for a outing as they pointed at three of them that rested up at the nearest walls that surrounded the entire Aeuropa City metro. It just happened that those three were facing the side of Hollywood Heights.
"I don't understand why Veronica would create these towers if they're not in the heights," Shiloh muttered.
"I remember reading about this in school," Artemis said, "It was supposed to be completed…by…this year?!"
"Indeed," Ikuya answered, "I'm afraid time is running out if we are going to save this town."
"Okay, you're not being clear about this," Artemis answered, "What could these towers do if the towers are completed?"
Ikuya handed Artemis a photo that showed a family of six people. Confused, he handed it to Shiloh whose eyes widened a little in confusion.
"T-this photo…" he muttered.
"Yes, that photo there…is the reason why we are trying to protect everyone," Ikuya added, "It's also the same reason why we have to find a way to beak the curse safely."
Shiloh grunted, "Okay, none of this makes any sense to me. I'm gonna head back to my bar. Whatever you three decide to do, I'm not involved."
"Here, take this number…it's for Artemis' phone," Asahi handed him a small piece of paper.
Shiloh walked back to his bar and continued to prepare for the usual shift of people. However, he saw a strange shadow lurking at one of the pillars.
"Come out now kid," he called out.
The hooded figure revealed himself as Shiloh stared at him, "You again?!"
"Yep…you guessed me quite well," the man answered.
"I don't even know you, but you sure get me on my nerves," Shiloh replied.
"The reason why I am here is because there's something of yours that my mother has been keeping away from. If you let me stay here or let me help you after your shift…perhaps I can help get what you need," he answered.
"I don't take deals for underage minors," Shiloh answered.
With a shrug, he took out his I.D. card, "Now can you stop judging?!"
Shiloh looked at it as the man unveiled himself. With a good observation, he handed the card back, "Fine. We will talk this evening and tell me everything; leave nothing out. But after that, you're out of here!"
When it was finally closing, the drunk folks made their way out of the tavern as crazy as possible. The man thanked his employee for the night as they rallied up for continuous teamwork before being dismissed for the night.
As soon as Shiloh left the bar area to run the restroom and adding the phone number, the man got up and quickly used the ingredients he got earlier to prepare a drink. This had to be done in order to start the next phase of his plan of the Dark Curse.
Shiloh returned to the area as he saw two drinks made on the counter.
"You're not allowed to make drinks," Shiloh called him out.
"I know, that's why I made sure I made this for us only," the man answered.
"Fine. I guess I'll give it a try," Shiloh said, taking a sip, "So then…what is your mother up to?"
"Actually…this is something about what you did earlier," he answered.
"What are you talking about?" the muscular man replied.
"See, I needed you to go out on that little adventure today…with Artemis, Asahi, and Ikuya," the man continued, "Because now's the time you ask yourself…what if Artemis was someone dear to you…the necklace you wear…it came from your separated, loving wife? Because once you ask yourself those questions yoUR LIttlE BrAIN iS AlL WarMed up aNd YoU PuSh IT right OVeR the EdGE!"
"Did you put something in my drink?" Shiloh asked while narrowing his eyes.
He didn't respond as Shiloh's head began to throb softly then violently, prompting him to fall off his seat as his ears rang a loud tinnitus…
Pentadon the Demi-Chiroptera, walked to his master bedroom as Pyitohedral, the Fairy of Fortune, held the first child in her arms. She gave birth to him a few hours ago but was treated with medicine and herbs to not fall sick.
"The child…" Pentadon began.
"It's a boy," Pyitohedral smiled.
The young boy played with his crystals, figuring out how to give them a "limited state" of being. The part-fairy in his blood was curious into performing such feats but his Chiropteran side was more about flying high, exploring beyond and taking risks.
"What you saw…were fragments of your future," Lex explained.
"W-why are they so dark!? Our kingdom...the last judgement..." he asked, "I can't go through a hell like this! NO ONE DESERVES THAT!"
"You can change the path to the destination…but the destination is always the same…" the fairy said, "What you saw…is the end of your story…and everyone's story."
The Dark One gasped as the monster finally exploded into shards of crystal, signalizing the awakening of the Heart of Atlantis at last. The massive light from the attack disappeared as everyone recovered their vision. But something else…that second light from above was still protecting the heart from the likes of himself.
The real Mullerian King was halfway in separating himself from Chaos. He cried out to see his beloved wife once more and tried to reach out. Pandora soared up to rescue him but was repelled back by the darkness, crashing into the ruins.
"GrrrawahhhhhH!" Chaos growled, "WHY CAN'T I ESCAPE FROM THIS!?"
"I SHALL NEVER LET YOU ESCAPE!" he shouted, "THIS IS MY BODY YOU FOUL MONSTER! I WON'T LET YOU TAKE IT ANY MORE! YOUR REIGN ENDS TODAY!"
Chaos hissed while grabbing his host and answered, "ESCAPE?! YOU TRIED TO ESCAPE FROM ME! MUHAHAAHAHA! To be honest, I thought I've digested you long ago and you disappeared forever…you are a stubborn fool. When I'm done with you, I WILL HAVE UNCHECKED POWERS…NOT EVEN ATLANTIS, LAWS OF MAGIC, OR COSMOS CAN DEFEAT ME!"
When the light disappeared, the final person was him unfurling his golden wings to the crowd. He wore his signature outfit of armor and a majestic, crimson cloak while ruling the Mullerians of Chirottori. His forehead had two horns made of gold with mixed designs of fairy and Chiropteran breeds while his own muscular body had some tattoo designs of the two species. His hair was dark like Haruka's with the same blue eyes of the ocean.
"I promise…we will be a family again. I will do whatever it takes to end Chaos once and for all."
He grunted before finishing his bag and kissed her farewell. She followed him to the foyer before they exchanged farewells. From there, he walked towards the Suiei Temple where the Magic Six along with a hologram of witch boy waited.
The father of the Chiropterans and fairies walked through the unknown…
"Hey dad, you forgot something," Laura chuckled.
"Oh, the cinnamon!" he blushed, "Be right there!"
Shiloh opened his eyes and climbed his way back to the counter with his jaw dropped in shock, remembering who he finally was as his enemy sneered at him.
"Welcome back…Dodecadron," Kei hissed softly.
The newly awakened Mullerian King stared at his prey with a low growl, "Tsukishima…"
"Awww, did you miss me?" the human teased.
Dodecadron tried to magically choke as he reached out his hand at Kei but the latter laughed, "Ooooohhhh sorry old man! Land without magic."
His hand shook and trembled at his powerless form while Kei muttered, "Welp, it's enough to wake you up alright."
The cell phone rang as Dodecadron recognized the number, almost wanting to cry, "A-Artemis…"
"I…wouldn't answer that if I were you. Artemis cannot know about this," Kei said.
"Then why the hell did you wake me up!?" Dodecadron asked.
"Your mind is still a bit foggy from your nap. Just give it a minute," Kei replied.
Dodecadron sat for a moment as his facial expression changed from anger to shock and sadness. Kei smiled at this and smirked, "There it is…all coming back. Now…you told me that a hero always breaks the curse. So, I made mines hero-proof. Do you remember what happened that night before I cast the curse and why you can't ever allow it to be broken?"
The muscular man breathed heavily in his emotions as he spilled a silent tear from his face.
"You do remember!" Kei answered, "If the curse is broken, something very bad happens to both Artemis, Laura, Rasputin and all people you love. You should be proud…you know you're a great teacher when the student FINALLY surpasses the master!"
"Well then…what the FUCK do you want, huh?!" he growled, "A gold star?! Or did you only wake me to gloat?!"
"As much fun as that is, no," Kei answered, putting his glass down, "I woke you up because I'll need your help. I'm on the verge on finally giving my mother what true suffering is! I can't let the curse be broken now. The last tower is still not yet completed but with the green witch finally about to break free soon, I'll be able to complete the plan without fail!"
"No…Laura…Artemis…Rasputin…" Dodecadron trembled as he recalled each of the individuals.
"You'll do whatever it takes…to prevent true love's kiss from happening. That shouldn't be too hard for a Chiropteran king, right? After all, you were great at tragedies as the Dark One," Kei reminded him as he got up and left.
Dodecadron griped his fists and felt sick to his stomach. He had to get to Artemis as soon as possible. But as for Rasputin and Laura…he had no idea where to start.
If Artemis has magic, I might be able to find the others, he thought as he turned off the lights of the tavern and heading upstairs to his apartment.
He looked at his necklace and recalled his moments with Pandora. He was surprised that Kei didn't take it. Maybe there was still hope but the trio were right about those towers. They had to be destroyed in order to alleviate parts of the dark curse before breaking it.
However, there was one other person that he remembered as his cursed persona…one who could be a potential ally.
Drury Apartments – Ben's Suite
The Mahotsukai's phone rang as he looked at the phone number. Answering it, he spoke, "Yes? I see. You finally woke up too? Alright. Well…it does appear that you might not be able to do much, but we can do something."
"Good," Dodecadron's voice spoke on the other line, "Because we need to break this curse and stop those witches before they write anymore stories and timelines that do not belong!"
"I agree…especially after what they did to my son…and the creation of that other timeline that should've NEVER existed. The least we can do is to resurrect that team and get them to fight our enemies," Ben stated.
"I'm sorry but the Magic Six have fulfilled their destiny," he answered.
"Perhaps that team did but…not this version of them," Ben said, "You might not know all of it yet but let your memories come back first. For now, I sense that we got some company arriving very soon."
"Alright," Dodecadron's voice answered before hanging up.
Ben walked towards the window at the night skyline, seeing the three towers and the fourth one. The fifth one was still being built but it was a matter of time before things start to get worse. The whole world was going to need some serious heroes if they were going to survive.
~Episode 4 END~
~Episode 5 PV~
Asahi: Well, it looks like there's a power failure that even affected the heights!
Artemis: This Shiloh man is kinda weird, but I'm surprised he's letting me stay at his place.
Ikuya: Well to be honest, he is your true father…
Asahi: Don't tell him that, he's still asleep!
Ben: It appears that we got more company finally arriving to Aeuropa…
Artemis: Who is coming?
Hidashimo Senshi: Next Time, Free!, The Message of the Resurrection, we are the Swimming Guardians of Hidaka and Shimogami Descendants!
Mini-Break Announcement:
I will be taking a mini-break (about 2 weeks) due to upcoming family events as well as writing more chapters to get a head start.
Episode 5 onwards will return to its weekly updates starting November 27th 2019!
Stay tuned for a new Suiei Senshi (Swimming Guardian) awakening!