Chapter 9: History's Full of Mysteries
HIM disappeared into a cloud of red smoke, leaving the doorway open. Bubbles sighed. She was glad that that was over! She wasn't sure if HIM would have agreed to trading the information for a scale. But he was a wizard, guy, so it was worth a shot. Bubbles was just relieved that the gamble had worked. She took a deep breath, but she felt someone's hand grab her shoulder. Bubbles whirled around to see, Boomer with a hand on her shoulder, and an amazed grin on his face. "Bubbles! Where did you learn to persuade wizards and where did you get a dragon's scale?" Boomer asked, still gripping her shoulder.
"Oh, that. Do you guys seriously want to know about that stuff?" Bubbles said it with a hint of smugness in her tone. Bubbles smiled when she saw all of her friends nodding eagerly. Bubbles rolled her eyes in a playful manner. "Come on guys, it's not a big deal."
Blossom shook her head in disbelief to what she just heard. "Are you kidding me, Bubs? That was amazing! I couldn't have spoken to him like that."
Brick smirked. "Him as in the pronoun him, or him as in the crab wizard HIM."
Blossom rolled her eyes. "Pronoun you goof ball."
Butch shook his head. "But seriously, where did you get the scale?"
"And how were you were you able to have a conversation with that guy? He was sooo creepy!" Buttercup added.
Bubbles shrugged. "I think that a side effect to speaking the languages of creatures provides a bit of immunity to fear," she stated matter-of-factly.
Butch faked a yawn. "Not that this is the most enthralling conversation that the world has known, how about we go into the library and get what we came for?"
Buttercup nodded. "I'll second that." Without an answer, she strode forward into the narrow hallway. The hallway had a stone floor and walls with radish colored tapestries hanging from the ceiling in an elegant manner. Iron baskets were welded to the wall, presumably for torches. As Buttercup took a few hesitant steps forward, her foot hit something hard. Releasing a slight startled squeal, she jumped back at the entrance.
Brick stepped forward. Bending over to where Buttercup had shrieked, he picked up a piece of wood that started as thick, then thinned as it reached the hand hold. He muttered a few words, then it ignited. He turned back towards the small group. "Thanks for finding a torch for us, BC," he thanked her with a sarcastic undertone. Buttercup huffed with crossed arms and a roll of the eyes.
Brick led the others deeper into the library. With every step forward, the chill in the air became colder and the dank musk became more putrid. Bubbles was breathing out of her sleeve, as was Blossom. "Hey, Brick. Why does it stink so bad in here?" Bubbles wondered. She was admiring some of the artwork that hung on the walls.
"That might explain something," Butch muttered. He was pointing at something that was barely illuminated by Brick's firelight. Bubbles crept forward to get a peek. There, at the edge of the darkness was a human skeleton, clad in rags for clothes. It's wrists were shackled to a wall.
Bubbles shrieked out of horror, and ran over to Boomer. She clung onto him and he pulled her into a hug. She whimpered but didn't cry. "What the heck? Why is there a dead guy here?"
"I don't know." Boomer replied.
Blossom linked her right arm with Brick's left. He smiled. Buttercup shrugged while walking forward behind Brick and Blossom. Butch crossed his arms. He had wanted Buttercup to freak and rush to him for protection. They walked a little farther, but didn't encounter anymore skeletons.
Suddenly, Brick came to a halt. He held up the torchlight to reveal a dead end. "I think this is a door," he murmured.
"Well it better be a door." Butch exclaimed. "If we came this way for a dead end, I'll hunt down Agash to his grave and slap him."
"You're so positive! I love your attitude!" Buttercup said to Butch.
Butch nodded his head slightly, with a mild grin. "I try," he assured.
Blossom approached the door. She studied it for a moment before lighting up a bit. There was no visible doorknob, but there seemed to be some kind of writing written above the gigantic doorway. "Bubbles!" She used her wrist to usher Bubbles over to her. She wrapped one arm around Bubbles' neck in a friendly matter and use the other one to indicate the chicken scratch like writing. "Look at this! It's a message written in another language. Maybe it will tell us how to get inside."
"Great detective work, Pinkles." Brick complimented.
Blossom rolled her eyes. Now he was coming up with cute pet names. Heehee. Wait. What?
"Okay," Bubbles said, pointing to a supposed word. "This says 'Beware.' But the whole sentence reads~ 'Beware. The room that you are trying to access is protected by certain spells by which that if you were to take anything from the Forgotten Lore besides the information that you have acquired, you will be injected with a poison of a shmake, and you'll die slowly and painfully.'" Bubbles looked up, eyes wide in a series of panic.
Boomer laughed a little, trying to lighten the mood. "Good thing we read the warning, otherwise Butch and Buttercup would be doomed."
"Hey!" Buttercup and Butch exclaimed in unision. Both had crossed arms and mildly angry expressions.
"Unfortunately, I am pretty sure that he is correct." Brick confirmed. No sarcasm was present or any sign of joking, which scared the crap out of Buttercup and Butch.
"How do we get in though, Bubs?" Blossom asked gently.
"Tiet bro lem liot!" Bubbles shouted loudly. A light escaped a crack down the middle of the door, and the great door opened. Bubbles and Blossom's eyes widened. "Wow!" they breathed.
The room was a single enormous room with books filled from the floor to ceiling. There was a staircase that branched off to other levels of the gargantuan building. A second stairway led to the clear dome with telescope that was visible from outside. Tables with books and maps were scattered throughout the room. The floor was covered in a dusty carpet that was redish like the tapestries the hallway.
Boomer stepped into the giant room, with Brick and Blossom slightly in front of him. Bubbles hand clasped in his. Boomer awed at the massive book selections. "So many books filled with history. And we need to learn what?"
"Maybe Agash left us a clue or something." Bubbles said hopefully. She released Boomer's hand, and began to walk around the book store. She rubbed her fingertips over the binders of several books when she saw a ghostlike apparition. Her breathing stopped, then started again in irregular patterns. "Uh..guys!" The ghost seemed to be materializing into a person with orange hair and a red outfit. "Guys!" she squealed louder.
Brick and Boomer came to her rescue with them getting between the ghost and Bubbles. "Who are you?" Boomer demanded, addressing the ghost.
The ghost formed into a woman, about 27, with curly orange hair, and a red dress. Her face held an endless beauty quality. The figure held up a palm. "Be not afraid. I am here to help. I and my partner are the librarians of this world of knowledge."
Brick raised an eyebrow. "Partner?"
The ghost stood still, and a second one materialized beside her. A short older man, he was wearing a purple suit with a tail, and a monocle. He had a little black top hat floating above his balding head, and he had a long, white mustache. He tugged on the ladies dress. "Ms Bellum. Who are these weird kids?"
Ms Bellum pit her hands on her hips. "Mayor," she said in an exasperated way, "these are the teenage Splitzer kids that Agash spoke to us about."
"You knew Agash?" Bubbles asked, interested. They seemed like nice ghosts. Although she never met one before.
Ms Bellum smiled. "Yes. He wanted me to tell you that you should learn the history of Zorin."
"Um…where might we find that?" Boomer asked politely.
Mayor started jumping up and down. "Do you guys have any pickles? I haven't had one at least 900 years."
Ms Bellum face palmed. "Just follow me, young ones." She floated towards a staircase slowly, with the Mayor guy not far behind.
Butch, Buttercup, and Blossom approached the other three quietly. "Umm…who is that?" Blossom asked timidly.
"They are the librarians or whatever." Brick mumbled in response.
"They are showing us where the history books are." Boomer added.
They followed the two ghosts up to the where the glass dome was. More book shelves lined a wall. It was probably the one room in the building that wasn't densely populated with books besides the hallway. Ms Bellum pulled out a dusty book with a brown leather cover and binding. The pages were yellowish white with printing that looked as foreign as zombies in paradise. She smiled. "I hope you find what you are looking for. Mayor, lets go." She floated off and dissipated into the air with the Mayor following. Buttercup rolled her eyes. That Mayor guy sure seemed to lack any brains.
Bubbles took a seat at the table, carefully opening the dusty cover. Blossom and Buttercup took a seat at her right and left, while Boomer, Brick, and Butch stood right behind. Bubbles skimmed through some of the pages mesmorized. "Holy cow! This book is old!"
"What's it saying Bubbles?" Blossom asked eagerly.
"Yeah. Go ahead and read it," Brick encouraged her.
Bubbles gave a slight nod as her eyes fixed on the foreign scribbles and markings. Her lips mouthed the words as she read silently to herself. Butch slapped his face. What a blonde moment. "We meant out loud so we could hear also," he explained. He sounded annoyed as he dragged his hand down his face.
Bubbles touched the palm of her right hand to her forehead. "Of course you do! Sorry, I just had a blonde moment." She turned back to the front of the book to begin reading again.
Boomer laughed. "You really seemed enchanted by that book," he commented. The others nodded in agreement.
Bubbles gave a slight giggle. "Okay, the title is 'The Era of the Splitzers.'"
"That title sounds promising." Buttercup mumbled. She tried to read the writing but it was indistinctive.
"The history of the continent of Dorton. Author unknown." Bubbles read aloud. Her friends leaned in closer to hear her better. Bubbles used every ounce of strength to refrain from laughing. She felt so loved! "The most remembered parts of history revolve around the wizard Zorin and his race of beings known as Splitzers who were created by Zorin to fight in the battle against Zorin's enemy Gretz."
"Wow," Boomer breathed. "That's a little intense."
"Yep." Buttercup agreed.
Bubbles turned her head, so she was looking at Blossom. "It just goes on to talk about life before the war. It says that there's a section farther in the book that talks about Splitzers and Zorin. Should I skip to that part?"
"That would probably be a good idea. It will save us time." Blossom replied.
Bubbles skimmed through the book before coming to a page covered with more crazy markings. Bubbles focused once again and began reading the excerpt from the page. "Zorin was supposedly the greatest wizard that Dorton has known. Over the course of several thousands of years, Zorin faced several enemies and always won. Blah blah blah." Bubbles squinted down at the paper in the flickering firelight and flipped ahead in the book a few pages. "Zorin's apprentices HIM and Gretz were his favorite company and were often found at his side where ever Zorin was seen. However, Gretz feared that Zorin was favoring his rival HIM and rose up against Zorin and HIM. Gretz used the power that he acquired to create the race of zitcoes. (See section 4 paragraph 2,)"
"What the hell is a zitcoe?" Boomer asked.
Bubbles turned the page, keeping her thumb and fore finger in between the pages where she was reading. "Zitcoes: the race created by Gretz in his rebel against Zorin; race similar to zombies; look like regular people, no blood or internal organs; die when punctured."Bubbles read.
"That's where those things originated from? That was so long ago! Shouldn't they be like, extinct?" Buttercup noted.
"They were an ancient race, and probably preserved or something," Brick commented.
"Anyways, back to the book." Butch muttered.
Blossom leaned back and giggled. "Look at that! Butch, I never thought of you as the type that enjoyed history!"
"I'm not. I just…Agash would have wanted me to at least pay attention. Continue Bubbles."
Bubbles coughed. The dust from the library was beginning to make her eyes itchy and her nose a bit runny. Ignoring her symptoms, Bubbles continued reading. "Zorin knew that the war would be a bloody one, so he hid HIM to protect him from his evil peer. Zorin also created his own race of people to help in his battle against Gretz. Zorin had not wanted to place the lives of mortals in jeapordy."
"That was nice of Zorin," Boomer said. Buttercup and Butch turned toward him and gave him a weird look. "What?" Buttercup rolled her eyes and went back to listening.
"Zorin created the race that he called Splitzers, a being that are distinctive by peculiar eye coloring. The Splitzers were humans given powers to help combat the evil of Gretz's zitcoes. Zorin created close to 10,000 Splitzers." Bubbles read the next part quietly to herself. "This all just describes the war and the final battle between the two wizards before Gretz was killed. Want me to move on?"
"Yes," Brick confirmed.
"How about trying to find something about Disoria." Butch suggested.
"This looks promising," Bubbles mumbled under her breath. She squeezed her eyes shut and let out a sneeze. Blossom sneezed afterwards, followed by Boomer. Several 'bless you's were exchanged. Bubbles recovered from the sneezing fit, and continued reading. "Among Zorin's Splitzers, he favored 3 in particular. Disoria was skilled in Earth and Language. Some say that she was given all powers that Zorin created to the ability of Splitzers. True fact on the matter is unknown. (Section 3 paragraph 3)"
"Jump over to that section!" Buttercup commanded, pointing at the filmy book.
Bubbles shook her head, annoyed for being interrupted. "I'm coming to that part anyway! Just let me read."
Brick grinned. "What are the odds that we have probably one of the last people able to read this writing?"
"Pure luck." Boomer said.
"More than luck, I'd say." Butch returned.
"Of course it was Agash that pointed us in this direction." Brick pointed out.
"Can we get back to the history lesson and have this side conversation later?" Buttercup barked, rapping her fingers on the table impatiently.
"Yes. Continue, Great and Powerful Bubbles." Butch said, stressing each word with sarcasm to it.
Bubbles huffed. "The other Splitzers that were of Zorin's favorite were Rita and Diontin. Rita was a Splitzer skilled in Water and Ice. Diontin was skilled in the abilities of Fire and Lightning.( For more on Rita and Diotin see section 3 paragraphs 9 and 10.)" Interesting. Save that for later. "Disoria felt that she would become Zorin's next apprentice and begged him to teach her the magics that wizards and sorceresses used. Zorin didn't want a relapse of heartbreak and distruction that Gretz performed when he rebelled, and refused. Disoria felt outraged but had kept her emotions a secret. She had grown even more jealous of the favoritism that Zorin seemed to be putting on Rita and Diotin and plotted revenge in secret. Disoria consulted HIM, Zorin's old apprentice, in the ways of magic and convinced him to make her his apprentice. After several centuries of training, Disoria felt she was strong enough to overpower Zorin. She pleaded HIM to join her in her revenge but HIM refused. In a fit of vengeance, Disoria tricked HIM into binding his powers to the weakest of spells and imprisoned him elsewhere. Location unknown."
"Wow," Blossom breathed.
"This is some intense stuff. She felt the need to backstab Zorin for not wanting a repeat in history? That is just not a good reason. That's just plain out sick," Brick muttered. He placed a comforting hand on Blossom's shoulder. She tensed briefly, then reached up to touch his hand with hers. She held onto his hand lovingly.
"My thoughts exactly." Bubbles agreed. It was the first time she had commented on what she was reading since she began.
Buttercup gave a slight laugh. "Well, HIM's location isn't so unknown to us anymore."
"That is also very true." Boomer conceded.
"After the confining of HIM, Disoria made her way to her fellow Splitzers in attempt for rebellion. She told of ruling together and how unfair it was that Zorin was to not teach them his knowledge of past millennia. In result, more than half of the Splitzers turned on Zorin becoming fallen Splitzers also known as Spileters. The remaining Splitzers loyal to Zorin immediately went to Rita and Diotin who went to Zorin. Zorin waisted no time in preparing an army against the forces of Disoria."
"Guys, how are we expected to destroy this chick when Zorin failed to do so?" Blossom asked worried. Brick's hold on her hand intensified making Blossom relax.
Butch crossed his arms. He had a smug expression on his face. "How do we know that Zorin failed?" Everyone let out exasperated sighs. "What?"
Buttercup stood up and slapped Butch with the back of her hand across his chest. "Butch, Disoria is still friggin' alive! Zorin has been dead for millennia! Please! Start! Paying! Attention!" Buttercup sat back down, while Butch rubbed his stinging chest.
"Keep going, Bubbles," Brick urged. "It might reveal a weakness of some sort. Or a clue of what to do next."
"Ok." Refinding where she left off, Bubbles continued reading. "Zorin and Disoria's armies went to battle the following evening. The battle left several of Splitzers and Spileters dead. The most memorable of the war was when Disoria were in a final face off in Zorin's own home. Not much was recorded, since most were either fighting, dying, or hiding, but it was said that Zorin used his last ounces of strength to help bind Disoria. In a blinding light, Zorin bound Disoria to the tower that had once been his home, leaving her forever forbidden to leaving until all Splitzers on earth were pronounced dead. The life spans of Splitzers were also shortened. Splitzers had been known to exist for millions of years before death, but Zorin made it so that only 6 new Splitzers could be born a century.( Though his reasons are his own, some hypothesises about his reasoning are listed in section 9 paragraph 4) On of the final things that Zorin did to help protect Dorton was that he made it so that Splitzers couldn't turn to Spileters and Spileters could no longer be reproduced. Therefore, once Disoria kills off all of her minions on missions, none will remain. Rita and Diotin were among the first Splitzers to have children that were also Splitzers through natural processes. What happened to Rita and Diotin are unknown as are their off spring. Disoria has been locked in her tower, trying to dispose of the worlds Splitzers to secure her freedom." Bubbles finished the section. She skimmed over the next few pages but they turned up empty. Uh oh. Bubbles looked straight ahead, a look of panic on her face. "Guys that's the last page they have on Disoria and Zorin and the war."
"WHAT?!" Buttercup exclaimed, rising from her seat. "There isn't anything about a weakness or secret weapon?! We came all this way, to learn that all we have to do is slaughter all of Disoria's minion scum and keep future Splitzers alive?! What kind of crazy is this?!"
"WAIT!" Bubbles exclaimed. Her eyes scanned the parchment intently, hope in her eyes.
"Bubbles, what is it?" Boomer asked, resting an arm on her shoulder.
"It says that there's a book in here that talks of a secret weapon that could help defeat golums and even Disoria herself!"
"What's a golum?" Blossom asked.
"Who cares!? Let's just find that book!" Butch shouted, running up to a book shelf. He stopped, then turned around to see 5 pairs of annoyed eyes locked on him.
"Yeah, it might help if the one who can read this stuff finds the book, you know." Brick said with a devious smirk.
Butch opened and closed his hand in mock. "yeah yeah. That might have been the more smoother approach."
Bubbles rolled her eyes. She pointed to a symbol in the book. "Here guys. Look for a symbol like this on the bind of a book." Everyone spread out looking for the simple on the book, except for Boomer who followed Bubbles. Bubbles flicked her eyes toward him and smiled. "Hey, Boomi"
Boomer grinned, suddenly self conscious about following Bubbles around. "Hey…Bubba um…Wubba?"
Bubbles laughed. "What?"
Boomer grinned. "I'll just stick to Bubs." Bubbles grinned, and took a step back. Averting her eyes, she slipped her hand into Boomer's hand. Boomer hid a 'Boo-Yah!' but smiled like a moron none the less, as they walked around the library. "You know," Boomer started. Bubbles turned to face him, and Boomer turned his eyes toward the floor. "I think its really cool how you can read all of this stuff and…stuff."
Bubbles grinned. "Thanks Boomi." Her grip on his hand tightened on his hand.
"You know, I know we've known each other a long time and I know this isn't the ideal… setting but-"
Bubbles held a finger to his lips and smiled, starry eyed. "I get it." She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him into a passionate kiss. She had wanted to since they first met, but how awkward would that be? Boomer kissed back just as passionately as she kissed him
"Bubbles! Bubbles! Bub-" Buttercup came around the corner holding a book, interrupting Boomer and Bubbles' moment. Boomer and Bubbles stepped a few paces away, cheeks pink with embarrassment. Buttercup had a blank expression on her face. "Oh. Sorry. Was I interrupting something?"
Boomer shook his head as did Bubbles. "Nope. Nothing at all." Boomer said defensivly.
Buttercup grinned. "No need to be shy about your first kiss. But seriously, we have more pressing matters. We found the book with the symbol. Come on, let's go." Buttercup took off down the hallway with Boomer and Bubbles chasing after her hand in hand.
Blossom grinned when she saw Bubbles and Boomer holding hands. She was beginning to wonder when they would get together. Buttercup had whispered to her what she had caught them doing, but as the amazing friend she is, Blossom didn't mention anything. Blossom held the book out to Bubbles. "Buttercup found it."
"Great." She flipped to the front page. "There is an oracle found in the mountains of Sledge. Found in Sledge Rock is an oracle that holds information that could help lead to the downfall of Disoria." She skimmed through the rest of the pages. All were blank. "You have got to be kidding me." She muttered.
"What is it?" Brick asked.
"That's all it says. The rest is blank."
Everyone let out a groan. "Not again!" Blossom moaned. She felt defeated.
Brick kissed the top of her head. "At least we know that we should get to Sledge Rock to meet with the oracle. We'll stay the night tonight."
Butch stomped off in one direction and overturned a table in an angry manner. "How the hell are we going to get to Sledge Rock when we don't know where the hell it is?!"
"Calm down you dumb ass!" Brick hollered at Butch.
"I am CALM!"
"SHUT UP!" Buttercup screamed. Everyone turned to her. "Now that everyone is calm," she shot a look at Butch. "I have an idea."
"Uh oh. Buttercup using her brain? Damn. It really is the end of the world." Butch kidded, rewarding him with a bone crunching punch to the shoulder.
"Clam it Butch. Let her talk." Blossom scolded.
"Anyways, what if we called them ghosts to draw us some maps?" Buttercup suggested. When she saw smiles spread across everyone's faces-including Butch's- she knew that she scored on best idea of the day.
"Great idea, BC," Bubbles complimented.
Buttercup fluttered her eyes. "I try."
"Ms Bellum!" Bubbles called out. A ghost materialized into the center of the room, near the telescope.
"Yes?" she asked when she became a solid image.
Bubbles smiled. "Uh yeah. Hi. We were wondering if you had any maps that show how to get to Sledge Rock?"
Ms Bellum's body wavered when dust passed through her transparent body. "Of course." She floated down the stair case to a cluttered table. The 6 teens followed after her. She moved through several different pieces of parchment. Blossom nodded ad she watched. It seemed to violate the laws of nature for a transparent being to be able to hold solid objects. Of course, who knew about all that wizard stuff right? Ms Bellum stopped, and held out a map to Brick, who accepted it. "I hope you find what you're looking for," she smiled, then disappeared again.
Buttercup crossed her arms and pouted. "This is also perfect," she grumbled.
"What is it now Buttercup?" Boomer asked. "What's got you so grumpy?" Boomer crossed his arms and imitated Buttercup.
"We cant take the map with us when we leave or else we'll die."
"Nuh-uh." Brick said, looking at the map. "We're good." Everyone glared at him weirdly. He chuckled. "I have a photographic memory. And we better get some rest. We have a busy day ahead of us."
okay...i hope you guys really enjoyed the chapter! And if you guys think it's hard to keep up with all of the fake history and names, it's even harder for me to remember cuz I gotta go back to add the correct info for the chapters...if that makes sense rofl
okay here's the deal...i am going on a camping trip for two weeks therefore i wont be able to update for at least two weeks because of internet loss. but i will have WORD so i will probably get at least two chapters done in my absence
also! i am doing oneshots revolving around the PPGs and RRBs and songs and i want to know which ones you want me to do first! the choices are:
1.) Brick and Blossom to Hold My Hand~ Micheal Jackson
2.) Butch and Buttercup to Boyfriend~ Big Time Rush (I dont care what some people think their music is awesome!)
3.) Boomer and Bubbles to You Belong With Me ~ Taylor Swift
and i have a Butch and Buttercup Z story that can be voted for
since i dont know how to set up a pole and i dont plan on figuring it out anytime soon, just leave a review or pm me your votes,
anyways, thanks you guys! And check out my sister BlueFan-Gurl's story Life Being Me thanks! we both appreciate it!3 3