Chapter Eleven. Blast from the Past
Ash looked confused at the snow in the scene. He assumed James, Kento, Cye, Josephine and Amaya were all confused as well.
"What's with the snow?" Kento asked.
"I was about to ask that." Ash stated, "and also, why is it daylight all of a sudden?"
"I'm wondering that myself." James stated.
"Did we pass out?" Josephine asked.
"No," Brock answered, "none of you passed out."
"What happened to all my Ashy Slashy stuff?" Ash asked as the group noticed Ash's stuff at the hardware store was not present.
"That is odd." Cye muttered.
"I agree with that." Amaya added.
"This is the past," Brock answered, "Look, I'm showing you a memory. My memory."
"That makes sense." Josephine replied.
"Come on." Brock motioned the group to enter.
-Collision-Course-
James chuckled as Ash hit the door while Brock went through there. He was still alive obviously, while his father wasn't.
Ash glanced annoyed before opening the door, and the group entered the older version of the hardware shop.
"Wow," Ash said as the group looked around their surroundings, seeing things were a lot different in contrast to Ash's store, "talk about "two steps back."
"Things were a lot different during that time." Josephine stated.
"Not exactly." Cye replied, "It is a hardware store after all."
"Minus the adult store part of Ashy Slashy's store." James muttered.
"Haven't you guys seen It's A Wonderful Life?" Brock asked.
"I have." James raised his hand. Kento, Cye, Josephine, and Amaya all looked slightly confused.
"It's where an angel shows a guy his old life," Brock explained, "so he can learn from the past."
"Sounds like a good movie." Amaya replied.
"You should give it a try." Brock told the Ronin group.
"Are you a ghost or an angel?" Ash asked.
"What difference does it make? The point is, I'm trying to show you and your armor friends something. Now just watch, all of you."
The group looked to see another version of Brock whistling Christmas music after putting down a box of Chirstmas stuff on a table.
"Talk about double vision." Cye stated in surprise.
"When was this?" Ash asked.
"Um, 2012." Brock answered.
"Years ago." Kento crossed his arms.
James noticed a mysterious looking man enter the hardware store, looking as if he was searching for someone as he watched the scene from the past.
"He's dressed familiar." James muttered.
"Mr. Williams?" the mysterious man called past Brock.
"Brock Williams. If it's about my mortgage, the check's in the mail."
"No. I'm here..."
"Water?"
"I'm just looking..."
"Electric?"
"I just want to know, is Ashley Joanna Williams your son?"
"Oh hell," Brock groaned, walking towards the mysterious man.
"Thanks for that name by the way," Ash told his father, pulling James from his thoughts.
"So Ashley Joanna is your real first and middle name?" Kento quipped.
"That name gave you thick skin." Brock replied.
"Oy vey." Amaya groaned.
"Yeah," Ash retorted, "thick from all the playground beatings."
"What are you crying about?" Brock asked his son.
"What's he not crying about?" Kento asked in response.
"Thank you." Ash replied.
"It did him good," Brock insisted, "Look at him now."
James only looked on as Josephine, Kento and Cye were babbling on, joining Ash and Brock about the name situation.
"Guys, stop!" James waved his hands, "We need to focus!"
He and the others looked back at the scene between the past Brock and the mysterious man.
"Believe me," the man insisted, "I wouldn't be here if it weren't a matter of life and death. Your son is in grave danger, targeted by an evil that threatens to..."
"An evil?" Brock quipped, "Get lost, ding dong. I'm trying to sell hardware here."
James barely acknowledged the bickering between Ash and his father as he was more focused on the mysterious man's message to the past Brock.
"You need to see this," the man placed a group of mysterious papers on the table, "these pages were torn from a book of evil known as the Necronomicon. Centuries ago, my ancestors fought and died, to keep this away from the forces of darkness."
"That story sounds familiar!" James stated in surprise.
"The guy got the lost pages!" Ash exclaimed.
"You mean that "book" crap was real?" Brock asked.
"It's no joke." James answered, "That's real and nothing to mess with."
"Hold on," past Brock asked the mysterious man, "who did you say you were with?"
"We call ourselves the Knights of Sumeria." the man answered.
"The who with the huh?"
"I knew it!" James exclaimed.
Ash chuckled, "That's exactly what I said!"
James ignored Ash telling Brock how Kelly was "bonking" one of the knights to watch the conversation in front of him.
"I know how this sounds," the man tried telling past Brock, "but I think a Dark One has taken human form to walk the Earth, searching the Book. If the demon finds it, it's a sign that the end of times are near."
"Dark One?" Kento asked.
"He's talking about Ruby." Ash answered.
"Who?" Brock asked.
"Sasquatch."
"Oh, Ruby."
James looked back at the scene before him.
"These pages," the man continued, "they also hold the secret to destroying this evil, and your son is the key. I have to find him before it's too late."
"Well, you listen up, boy," past Brock told the Knight, "my son babbled on about "evil" just like you. It ruined his life. It ruined my family's life. Now Ashley may have turned and run when he should have stayed and fought, but I'm sure as shit not siccing some nut bag preaching evil mumbo jumbo on him."
"I got to talk to that guy!" Ash exclaimed.
"You can't." James grabbed him.
"He's right, it's a memory." Brock backed up the statement.
"I'm not leaving until you can tell me how to find your son!" the Knight insisted. "The fate of humanity hangs in the balance."
"This isn't going to end well." James groaned.
"Look," past Brock told the Knight, "I'm fetching some supplies from downstairs. You better be gone when I come back, or I'm going to let you have some of Ike and Tina Turner's Greatest Hits."
"Mr. Williams, I'm begging you." the Knight pleaded.
"Yeah? Well, now you can do it in High C!" Brock declared before kicking him below the belt, landing him down to the cellar.
-Collision-Course-
"That was your big secret?" Ash asked his father, annoyed, "Something so vital, the fabric of your life may unravel?"
"Oh boy." James muttered placing his left hand to his head.
"That guy was my only hope," Ash said, "only hope to end this friggin nightmare, Pop, and you killed him! Why is that good?"
"I wanted you...see I was trying to look out for you son," Brock answered, "even though you thought I wasn't."
Ash and the Ronin Group looked unimpressed.
"Damn it," Brock replied, "you were supposed to to get all warm and mushy.
"So the dead guy and the missing pages are still down there?" James asked.
"Wow, okay," Ash stated, "get us out of this memory."
The group looked around to see things have turned into present day and the hardware store turned back to how Ash changed it to be as he used a crowbar to pry the cellar door open.
Ash led the group to the cellar as he turned on the light to see the knight was not in the sight he was at, "Where the hell is he?"
"Don't look at me." Brock answered.
"Time to clean up another mess." Kento retorted.
Ash armed himself with his chainsaw as the Ronin group armed up.
"Scared are we?" Brock asked.
"I've had a little experience with dead bodies in the cellar, Dad." Ash answered before he led the group down the cellar, with James right behind him, followed by Kento and Josephine, and Amaya and Cye.
Ash tried to turn on the switch to the main cellar, but to no luck. He ended up getting a flash light, "Dad, are you coming?"
Ash and the others were startled upon seeing Brock suddenly appear before them.
"Don't do that!" Ash exclaimed.
The group looked around the cellar as they were hearing rattling noises. They continued looking around until they saw the dead corpse of the knight.
"Hello," Ash stated, "God forbid the furnace guy show up."
"No kidding!" Cye exclaimed.
"The bastard ate my Spam." Brock stated, annoyed. "That was my civil stash."
"Really, with the language?" Amaya stated, annoyed as well.
"The guy ate it because somebody locked him in the cellar." James stated calmly.
"Yeah, Dad," Ash retorted, "He was trying to survive."
"Oh. Not my fault," Brock replied, "he's the one that took the header."
Ash and James noticed some mysterious writings on the wall.
"Pull the chain, dummy." Brock pointed to some area of the cellar ceiling.
The lights turned on to reveal some mysterious ancient writing of some sorts on the wall.
"Good luck washing that off." Brock stated.
"Well said." Kento nodded in agreement.
Ash recognized the writing right away, "Good old Necronomicon. Same type of writing."
Ash and the Ronin group walked to the area and saw the pages on a stone slab.
"What's this?" James asked, "the pages."
"Maybe this guy was trying to piece something together," Ash answered as he had one of the pages in his hands, "something he found in these pages."
"Possibly so." Cye replied.
"Well," Ash said, "Pablo has this weird writing all over him. Maybe he can decipher it."
"Oh no!" the group was startled upon hearing the scream coming from a woman.
The group looked to see a green energy slowly emerging from the center of this writing on the wall.
"What's this?" Amaya asked.
"What do you see?" Brock added.
They looked to see a young woman screaming in terror.
"Oooh!" Ash exclaimed as did the others.
"Help!" the young woman cried in fear.
"That hottie looks familiar." Ash stated.
"It's coming for me," the young girl stated in fear, "Oh no!"
"That's Brandy's musician friend from school." Ash stated.
"She looks a bit like Harley Quinn." Kento quipped.
"What the hell is happening in there?" Ash asked.
"Oh no!" the girl screamed as it appeared at she was being taken away by something.
Suddenly, a vine grabbed Ash by the arm.
"Ash!" James exclaimed.
Before the group knew it, more vines were binding Ash to the wall.
"Pop, a little help!" Ash shouted.
"I'm coming, son!" Brock walked to his son and tried to help him, only for his arm to go through him, "I'm a ghost, dumbass! I got nothing!"
"Death to the Prophesied One!" an evil, demonic voice shouted.
"Hang on!" James exclaimed as the group prepared for attack, "He has us!"
"Super Wave Smasher!"
"Deep Fathom Sphere!"
Cye and Amaya's attacks weakened the vines a bit. Then Kento, Josephine and James made their moves.
"Iron Rock Crusher!"
"Iron Stone Kinesis!"
"Power Sword Strike!"
The attack was very affective and freed Ash from his bondage.
A second later, James and Kento helped Ash back up to his feet.
"Are you okay?" Kento asked.
"I will be," Ash answered, "thanks."
"That looked like it hurt." Brock stated.
"Did I mention I hate cellars?" Ash asked.
"Now you tell us." Cye answered.
"This is just great," Ash stated, "Evil is harassing my daughter, my father's a ghost, and I got this crazy shit in my cellar!"
"Enough with the language already!" Amaya exclaimed, annoyed.
"It's time to man up, son." Brock told his son.
"You got that right. I'm going to track down this so – called Ms. Prevett, and deal with Ruby once and for all."
"Prevett?" Brock stated, "I used to go bowling with a cutie by that name. She had that place out on Old Mill Road."
"You know," James stated, "if Ruby is using Prevett's name, maybe she's camping out there."
"Uh oh," Brock stated as he was beginning to fade, "I think my time is up. You make sure you tell that Brandy all about me. Just the good stuff, though."
"I will, Pop."
"Son...you're going to be a great father."
"You really mean that?"
"No." Brock chuckled before he faded away.
"What now?" Cye asked.
"I'll send a message to Ryo and the others to meet us at Old Mill Road," James told the group, "it's time for Ruby to get a taste of all the Ronin Warriors and Lady Ronin Guardians in action."
"Almost all the Guardians." Josephine corrected him.
"Right."
-Collision-Course-
Ryo, are you there? Ryo was startled upon hearing James' voice.
Yeah. What's up?
Are you guys done finding the dagger with Kelly and Pablo?
Yeah. It came with a snag though. Pablo was a Deadite and nearly took us out.
As for us, we know where Ruby is hiding. At Old Mill Road.
How do you know that?
That's the location of Brandy's guidance counselor Ms. Prevett.
Of course. We'll meet you there.
Good. See you guys there.
"What happened?" Kelly asked.
"We found Ruby's location and we're going there." Ryo answered, "I assume James wants her to have a taste of what all the Ronin Warriors and Guardians can do."
"A hem!" Rekino cleared her throat, "Almost all the Guardians."
"Right."
"Are you sure about this?" Mia asked.
"Yeah," Ryo nodded, "we'll be fine. I'm certain nothing else will happen."
"Really now?"
Everyone looked to see an African American woman holding a 2 year old boy in her arms.
"Linda?" Kelly glanced at the woman, startled, "Who's the kid?"
"This would be my son, Jason." Linda answered, "What I'd like to know is, who are these people?"
"Miss, these are the Ronin Warriors and the Lady Ronin Guardians," Twyla explained, "they are here to protect Ash Williams from the evil that is coming and from this Ruby person, and I am Twyla. You'll meet my husband in a little bit."
Linda nodded, "So this evil is back?"
"You know about this evil?" Hana asked.
"It killed my ex husband and my daughter a few years ago." Linda nodded as she placed Jason on the arm chair.
"I'm very sorry to hear that." Rekino stated, "Rest assured we're going to put that evil in its place."
"You go and do that." Linda nodded, "Help Ash."
"We will." Ryo replied before glancing at his team, "Let's go and Kelly, I hope Pablo comes to."
"Thank you." Kelly nodded.
With that, Ryo, Rowen, Sage, Rekino and Hana all left the house.
-Collision-Course-
Ruby walked into her home, startled upon hearing strange winds, flames flickering, faint screaming and shrieking.
She looked on to see that the Necronomicon was open, with the pages flickering a bit, "What?"
Ruby walked closer to the book as the screams and shreiks continued as blood was starting to emerge from one of the pages of the Book, "What is this?"
A male face appeared from the blood area on the page and he appeared to be angry.
"You!" the man bellowed in anger, "How could you turn on my brother like that, and the rest of the Dark Ones for that matter?!"
"Oh Damian," Ruby calmly replied, "you know as well as I do why I did so. Plus, Baal was pretty out of his debt. You, on the other hand, seem to be of good help."
"Is that so?" Damian asked.
"Yeah," Ruby answered, "So, what brings you here?"
"The portal of the Netherworld has been established," Damian explained, "It's only a matter of time before the Dark Ones will break free."
"Well, we gotta find it and destroy it before they have a chance to escape," Ruby replied before asking, "Where's Kaya?"
"She didn't stand a chance," Damian answered, "her soul got consumed. I barely managed to escape."
"I see, poor Kaya." Ruby stated sadly.
"The Knights must be responsible for the rift," Damian stated.
"Those numbskulls are still around?" Ruby asked.
"One of them has made contact with the Prophesied One. The Prophecy's begun."
"How can I find this knight?" Ruby asked.
"Where was the Book first unleashed in these times?"
"The cabin."
"Let me help you. Even though you betrayed my brother Baal and the Dark Ones, I can help you which is why I am here. If the Dark Ones learn I've been talking to you, they will swallow my soul, just like they did with poor Kaya," Damian campaigned, "Do this for my brother. Free me, and I will stand with you, even more loyal than my brother ever was."
"Very well," Ruby nodded, "I will free you when I find a suitable host, and once the Prophesied One is killed at the hands of his own offspring, we'll have so much power, the Dark Ones won't be able to stop us."
Author's Note: You see where this is going? This is going to be quite fun! I brought back two familiar faces from Season 2 of Ash vs. Evil Dead being Ash's long time lover, Linda Emery and a mention of the season 2 big bad Baal, which brought us this version of Ruby in the Season 2 finale.
Also, Happy Birthday to Josephine Rei Fuan!