Total Drama Heroes
Episode 6: Enter the Generals – Part 1
Following the events of the previous episode, we find that McKlingon, Grub, and the rest of the group are approaching a cliffside situated just above the docks. As soon as they breach the top of the cliff, the former Total Drama competitors are treated to a spectacle that leaves them utterly starstruck.
Just beyond the ridge is a prosperous, massive city complete with a unique 'Art Deco' sort of style to the architecture. The skyline features a variety of skyscrapers, while the city itself contains a plethora of districts, boroughs, parks, and a shipyard used for import-export, all of which is further illuminated by a scenic background containing majestic mountain ranges bathed in sunlight.
"Welcome to Imperios, Capital City of Zalos." McKlingon responds, taking note of everyone's jaws currently hanging slack. "Majestic, isn't it? Always gets everyone on their first viewing." He chuckles at this remark.
"Wow, you really went all out with the superhero aesthetic," Beth commented. "It looks like you combined Metropolis with Wakanda."
"I didn't know you read comic books," Harold said.
"Well sometimes you got to get away from the rural community, so in my spare time, I like to brush up on my comic book knowledge."
"As much as I'd like to continue with the comic book geek parade, we're on a very tight schedule," Grub said. "We need to keep moving."
"You heard the gruff alien," Eva barks out. "Let's move!"
The group, despite still wishing to take in the scenery, begrudgingly follow the order and begin heading towards the city. In the background, we find an individual cloaked in shadows hiding amongst the underbrush. As they're keeping a close watch on our heroes, they receive static noises within their earpiece and answer it.
"Did you observe them like we asked?" the voice on the other end questions.
"Yeah, dude," the individual responds. "It was awesome! They literally decimated the entire Vampirate legion and killed a literal shark made out of iron! It was off the hook!" The individual then realizes something. "Hey, I made it funny! Shark! Hook!" They begin laughing as the voice on the other end begins shushing them.
"Quiet down, do you want them to hear you?!" the voice asks, exasperated. "Okay, now that we know they're legit and competent, keep a close eye on their movements. But don't intervene unless absolutely necessary."
"Copy that." The individual logs off and continues to silently skulk about, maintaining their distance while monitoring our heroes and heroines.
We pan over to the edge of the city where we find that, situated just outside the gates of Imperios, is a bazaar strewn with various stalls, shoppes, and kiosks containing an odd variety of knickknacks and babbles from every corner of the galaxy. As they're approaching the gates, McKlingon looks behind the group and finds that a good portion of them are seriously fighting back fatigue; makes sense, considering the circumstances, and the fact that they haven't had a moment to rest. Feeling sympathetic, he decides to let the group take breather.
"You know, you guys just got off of a battle against literal vampires, so why we take a break and meet at the gates in an hour. Sound good?" Everyone voices their agreements, grateful to get off their feet, exhaling sighs of relief.
"Thank Chris," Bridgette said, "because after a battle like that, I'm in some serious need of some down time."
"No kidding," Courtney responds. "After all that excitement, I wouldn't mind shoving something big and juicy down my throat."
"Phrasing!" Duncan comments. Courtney appears confused as Duncan begins chuckling at his remark. Courtney thinks about it for a moment before realizing the double entendre used in her phrasing, causing her too blush and cover her mouth in embarrassment. Several individuals soon follow Duncan's lead, causing Courtney to give Duncan the stink eye. "Sorry, couldn't resist." He smiles at her, cheekily, before racing off. "Catch me if you can!" he calls out to her.
Courtney, determination covering her features, smirks and jumps into the fray, racing Duncan throughout the stalls and kiosks surrounding them. Everyone then goes off in various directions, wanting to soak in everything the bazaar has to offer.
We weave our way through the extravagant shopping plazas located within the bazaar before coming to Eva's location. As she's wandering about, a disembodied voice calls out to her.
"Rage," it replies in a deep whisper. Upon hearing this strange voice, she begins looking around the bazaar, curious as to the source of said voice. When she finds nothing out of the ordinary… well, as out of the ordinary as you can get on an alien planet, she merely assumes she's just hearing things and continues walking.
However, the voice beckons its call once more, but this time, slightly louder. "Unleash the rage." Confused by the presence of a voice that may or may not be there, she starts to appear a little spooked.
Then, amidst the stalls, she notices something out of place… a temple carved from stone. An impressive sight from the exterior, the temple featured steps leading up to giant, reddish, almost rusted-over doors that blocked the entrance. Atop the temple, a symbol of the crescent moon loomed over the doorway. Standing beside the temple doors was a marble statue of an individual with flowing hair cloaked in a chiton and hunting boots, equipped with a bow and quiver, as well as an owl companion resting upon her shoulder. The plaque beneath the statue read, 'Haimerej: Goddess of the Hunt, the Moon, and Music'.
"Whoa," Eva simply replied, thoroughly impressed by the outside appearance of the temple. Curious, she approached the large doors and entered the vicinity.
Upon entering, she noticed the faint scent of sage and other herbs, which she found had been burned on a nearby pedestal, most likely to ceremonially cleanse the area of evil spirits and create an atmosphere conducive to meditation. Within the confines of the temple, she becomes mystified by the large interior, which essentially was one long arch, about eighty-five to one hundred feet tall, built from a thick, sturdy, reddish stone. The floor was a polished black marble with gold streaks running through it, and statues of warriors built from different stones and minerals stood proud and tall along the hall.
"This is… Wow," Eva replies, words failing her by the sheer beauty of this seemingly barren temple. Noticing the pathway that lay before her illuminated by flames, she decided to follow. "Hello? Anyone here asking me to 'Unleash my rage'?" she calls out, mockingly.
As she continued, she found herself in an open courtyard/arena, with a much larger sculpture of Haimerej's owl companion overlooking the area from the far side of the arena. And situated just below the statue is an individual currently in the process of meditation.
The individual was an older gentleman with porcelain skin, a shaved head, and a graying-black beard. The individual is cloaked in a ceremonial, sleeveless orange robe atop a saffron yellow under-robe with a collar, dark brown pants with the bottoms tucked into black boots with crimson red highlights, a crimson red sash draped across the man's body and tied around his waist, gold arm bands, and a beaded necklace with a symbol of Haimerej located in the center. Laying to rest beside him is a simple, wooden staff.
Upon sensing her presence, the individual's eyes bolt open, revealing a piercing crystal blue stare, momentarily startling Eva. "Oh! Um… sorry to disturb you. I was just…" She attempts to leave, but before Eva can explain herself, she's interrupted by the individual, who speaks in a deep, husky voice.
"You seek answers, Eva Volkov," he proclaims. This catches Eva off-guard, further disturbing her.
"H-How do you know who I am?" she asked, feeling uneasy. "And for that matter, who are you?"
"I am Windbreaker Moon," he replies, standing to his feet. "Anyone entering the Temple of Haimerej seeks something. You are no different."
"Okay," Eva says, unsure how to reply but decides to answer, nonetheless. "Since you asked, my allies and I have to fight the Siquorans and…"
"I am not concerned with the scorpion beasts," Windbreaker Moon interrupts her once more, slightly ticking her off. "My interests lie within warriors that are willing to fight to the bitter end, standing strong as they fight, not just for themselves, but for those who cannot fight the battle on their own. You are no warrior. Your mind is clouded with weakness."
Eva appears angered by this statement. "Weak? You'd best choose your next words carefully," she replies, menacingly.
"The answers you seek are earned, not given," he comments, "in the field of combat."
Eva gives him an inquisitive look upon receiving this statement. "No offense, but you look to be on the older side of things." Windbreaker Moon doesn't react to the comment, brushing it off as he undoes his sash, allowing for his robes to fall off his person, revealing an impressively ripped body.
"Come now, strike me, and you will learn what you lack," he replies as he approaches Eva, kicking up his staff in the process. He gets into a fighting stance as he stares her down, his steely gaze not even wavering.
"This feels a little weird," Eva replies, apprehensive, before smiling and getting into battle stance, determined to face her foe. "But fuck it. Let's get ugly, grandpa."
Then, as quick as a flash, we find ourselves twisting and turning through the bazaar until we land on Noah, who's observing mechanical components from a few of the kiosks in the vicinity. Curious, he picks up what appears to be an exhalation valve and turns towards the shopkeeper.
"Excuse me, how much for this?" Noah asked. However, the shopkeeper begins speaking an alien language, which Noah momentarily doesn't understand. "Um, mind repeating that one more time?" The shopkeeper, though slightly annoyed, complies. However, instead of speaking Zalosian, to Noah he's speaking English.
"50 Zalosian dollars," he replies. Noah, thanks to his ability, smiles at this.
"Okay, that's better. Um, how much is that in Canadian dollars?"
The shopkeeper takes a moment to ponder this before coming up with the proper monetary ratio. "5 Canadian dollars."
"Perfect," Noah replies, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a Canadian $5 bill. "See you around." The shopkeeper gives him a backhand wave as Noah moves on to the next couple of kiosks, intent on finding all the necessary components to build Bridgette's respirator.
Speak of the devil, Bridgette and Geoff appear and observe Noah haggling another shopkeeper.
"Come on, I said I wanted these two parts. How can you stand there and tell me its 30 Canadian dollars?" Noah asked. The shopkeeper angrily replies to his remark, but as this is from Bridgette and Geoff's perspective, they appear confused due to being unable to understand the guy. However, Noah looks offended by whatever the shopkeeper said to him, but he manages to maintain his composure. "There's no need for that kind of response." Noah digs around in his pocket and pulls out a Canadian $20 bill and a Canadian $5 bill. "25 Canadian dollars, take it or leave it?" The shopkeeper begrudgingly accepts this offer as Noah takes the components. "Much obliged."
As he walks away, he spots Bridgette and Geoff watching him from afar. "Oh, hey guys. Sorry you had to witness that. Some people, am I right?"
"Uh, yeah, sure," Geoff responds, clearly having no idea what that whole ordeal was about. "Um, might I ask why you're haggling shopkeepers?"
"I need components if I'm going to build the respirator Bridgette requires to remain alive," Noah explains. "I have practically most of the items, I just a decent power source and a workstation, and we'll be in business."
Bridgette smiles upon hearing this. "Thank you for doing this, Noah. It really means a lot."
"Yeah," Geoff replies. "I mean, considering how early you were kicked off the show, we never really got the chance to know you. Especially considering that we were on opposite teams."
"True, very true. Plus, I wasn't exactly Mr. Social. But I might as well dive in, headfirst, and learn to cooperate with my fellow competitors. Or rather, former competitors." The trio chuckle at this response. "Well, if you'll excuse me, I think I see a power converter that's a bargain just waiting to happen." He moves on to another stall as Bridgette and Geoff look at him, smiling.
"Noah's really come out of his shell," Geoff responds.
"Yes, he has," Bridgette comments. "Now let's go find a juice bar or something. I'm parched." The two walk off in search of some refreshments to sustain Bridgette for the upcoming journey.
Back with Eva and Windbreaker Moon, they continue to stare each other down, not moving an inch. After a moment, Windbreaker Moon finally speaks.
"Where do you find your strength?" he asks.
"Pardon?" she replies, puzzled. However, he doesn't give her time to come up with a valid response.
Within a split-second interval, he charges forward at the pace of a speeding bullet, nailing her right in the chest with his outstretched palm, causing her to scream out in surprise and pain and sending her flying across the arena. As she lays on the ground, gasping for air due to him hitting her right at her heart region, Windbreaker Moon looks upon her.
"You walk between worlds," he tells her. "Weakness in mind and weakness in conviction. Where does your strength come from?"
Eva, although clearly groaning from a hit such as that one, attempts to brush it off by scoffing and standing to her feet. "Wasn't ready," she claims. "I like to see you try that again after I ra-" She begins to transform into her Powerhouse form, but Windbreaker Moon quickly counters with another strike, this time utilizing his elbow, piercing her chest like a dagger straight to the heart, followed by a sharp roundhouse kick to the stomach.
In slow-motion, Eva face looks riddled with agony as blood protrudes from her mouth. Upon returning to real time, we find her being flown across the arena, skidding along the ground at certain intervals, before crashing into one of the walls. Dust and rubble shoot up from the afflicted area, creating a momentary shroud. Once its cleared, we find Eva has left an indentation within the wall of her likeness, blood pouring out of her mouth and nose. She winces in pain, clearly having not seen that one coming.
We then move on, winding through the streets of the fabled bazaars and the cardamon-cluttered stalls, before landing on Katie & Sadie looking at a stall with a beautiful assortment of diamond encrusted necklaces and bracelets.
"Wow. These are stunning," Katie replies, observing a necklace containing garnet, amethyst, and rose quartz diamonds to go alongside a few pearls strewn about the ensemble.
"Definitely." Sadie agrees. She then spots a bracelet encrusted with sapphires and picks it up to observe it.
At the same time, Katie finds a bracelet covered in dazzling rubies, admiring it. They turn towards each other and speak in unison. "For you." They hand each other their respective jewelry items, momentarily surprising each other when they end up speaking at the same time. However, upon spotting the items in their clutches, they smile and grab the items in question. "It's beautiful."
They look into each other's eyes and look, longingly, their eyes sparkling amidst the light reflecting off of the jewelry pieces strewn about the table. They continue for some time before realizing what they're doing… and surrounded by people no less. Fearful of what might occur if they reveal themselves, considering that not everyone is exactly open-minded, they quickly pay for the items, put them on their wrists, and walk off awkwardly.
Little do they know; someone was watching them. Someone saw them looking into their eyes that shimmer like the stars in the night sky; someone who was a part of the cast; and was the first person to reveal himself to the group. We discover that individual to be Justin, who watched the encounter from afar. At first, he appears mildly confused by the spectacle, but as he thinks about, it dawns upon him. His eyes widen in shock, showing the look of someone who has just grasped a simple yet elusive truth.
"That's why they've been acting so weird," Justin comments, lightly laughing. "Wow, that's…" He then realizes the ramifications that may come with this. "That's troubling." He gains a nervous expression. "I have to talk to them." He looks around and realizes that they've disappeared amongst the crowd. "But first, I need to find them." He runs off, hoping to talk to them and help them with their… situation.
Back with Eva and Windbreaker Moon, we find her painfully getting back to her feet, wiping blood off of her face as she comes back to her initial position to face down Windbreaker Moon.
"Show me your conviction," he says to her. "Where does you strength come from?"
Eva groans in aggravation. "Why do you keep saying that?!" Finally having had enough of his retorts, she transforms and becomes Powerhouse, viciously staring down Windbreaker Moon, who doesn't even give the slightest reaction. He narrows his eyes as Powerhouse charges towards him, preparing to tear him a new one. However, her fists only hit air as he manages to outmaneuver each blow.
"You wield such a ferocious counterpart." Now positively fuming, Powerhouse winds up for another punch, but the fist is caught by Windbreaker Moon, who manages to hold it in place as if it were made from paper mâché. "A reliance that proves your frailty." Powerhouse readies her other fist, the look in her eye suggesting she's ready to finish him off. But before she can do so, Windbreaker Moon pulls off a knee strike to the face, returning her to her original form and sending her flying once more.
Following that escapade, we find ourselves turning towards Gwen and Trent, who are currently observing the clothing district within the bazaar, partially intrigued by the outfits that several of the patrons are cloaked in.
"I don't see why we need this stuff," Gwen comments. "I mean, what's wrong with our costumes. They're durable, stylish, and don't blow upon impact with our powers."
"True, but they also don't breath all too well," Trent claims. "Until we find some cleaning units, it isn't the worst idea in the world to get a couple clothing items."
Gwen shrugs in response. "Alright, I'm gonna go check over here." Trent nods in response as Gwen walks over to a clothing rack and begins looking through some of the more extravagant looking items. She grabs a dress that perfectly matches her hair color and turns to the mirror to admire it. She chuckles at this, knowing that she wouldn't actually purchase the item in hand, but still enjoys the way it looks.
Then, as she's putting the dress back, a ripple appears within the mirror. Out of the corner of her eye, she notices the ripple and, although knowing full well she should just walk away like any sensible person due to her knowledge of horror movie clichés, her curiosity ultimately gets the better of her and she moves closer to it.
The ripples continue to increase in speed and size as she inches closer to the mirror. Despite every fiber of her being telling her to run, her feet remain planted as she stares, unsure as to what primordial force is keeping her at arm's length of the mirror. Suddenly, the ripples stop, leaving her feeling a sense of unease; staring at her reflection as if she were looking into her own soul.
An arm extends out from the mirror and grabs Gwen by the neck, choking her with enough tension that it could knock out a horse. It begins lifting her off the ground as the personification of Gwen's nightmare begins to remove itself from the mirror as if it were a portal to another dimension. Ghastly Gothika stares wickedly at Gwen as she struggles under the weight of her grip.
"Don't fight it, Gwen," Ghastly Gothika replies, sinisterly. "It's your destiny. Your power far exceeds that of the riffraff you call 'friends'." That last part is said in an explicitly disgusted tone. "Unleash me upon the world, and we will rebuild it in our image."
"No, no, no!" Gwen says, terrified.
"You cannot escape me, Gwen. We are forever linked. You can't stop it; so embrace it."
"Leave me alone!" She uses her powers to break Ghastly Gothika's grip and shove her back into the mirror, symbolically repressing her… for the time being. Gwen falls to the ground and, after momentarily reassuring herself that Ghastly Gothika is gone, fearfully runs off, as the faint sounds of Ghastly Gothika's wicked laughter echo in the background.
She reemerges from the back room and runs into Trent, causing her to trip and lose her footing. However, before she falls, Trent manages to grab her and keep her stationary.
"Gwen, are you alright?" Trent asked, although he realized immediately that it was a silly question to ask upon seeing Gwen's distressed expression. "What happened?"
"I saw… Something dark… It's within me… It… She…" Barely able to take solid breaths, she begins to break down, prompting Trent to comfort her as best he can.
"It's alright, Gwen, I'm here," Trent told her, comfortingly.
"I don't know what's happening, Trent," Gwen said between tears. "But ever since the simulation where I faced my dark counterpart, I've been seeing her everywhere. I'm scared that, somehow, someway, she attached herself to me. She was willing to do what needed to be done if it meant getting what she wanted, and I'm afraid that if I let her take control… there's no going back."
Trent, seeing her anguish, consoles her. "Gwen, I may not understand what's happening, but I know you're one of the strongest, bravest, and intelligent individuals I've ever met. And I'm not just saying that because you're my girlfriend… I mean it. And no matter what happens, I will always be by your side."
Gwen looks up at Trent, who proceeds to wipe some of the tears from her face. "Promise you won't go far from me."
"I promise," Trent assures her, and they embrace once more.
From a distance, Heather is watching the whole exchange and looking positively disgusted in the process.
"Pass the maple syrup, why don't you?" Heather responds, gagging at that overt show of affection before regaining her calm, collected composure. "Looks like Gwen is having a crisis of conscience. Play my cards right, and with just enough leverage, I can persuade her to join me. Who knows? Maybe she'll even make a good sidekick." Heather manically laughs at such an absurd concept when Ezekiel comes up from behind her.
"What are you laughing about?" Ezekiel asks, startling Heather. After taking a moment to ensure that her heart is still beating, she turns to Ezekiel, annoyed.
"How can someone so pathetic be so quiet?" She then stops to think about it. "Oh wait, I think I just answered my own question."
"First off, hurtful. Second, what's going on?"
"Just observing my plans coming to fruition," she responds before turning back towards Gwen and Trent, who are beginning to move on to their next location.
"More girls?" he asks, exasperated, before groaning. "I'm already with you and the Invisi-Twins, why do we need more girls?"
Heather turns towards Ezekiel and eyes him, quizzically. "You didn't seem to have problems when you saved that cyborg blonde back on the Stardust."
"And just what are you implying?" he asked.
"I'm just wondering, 'Are you really a sexist, or is it just an act'? What's your angle here, Mr. Man?" Heather narrows her eyes and stares him down.
Ezekiel, looking fairly annoyed at being probed, shoves her back. "Look Psycho, like I said to everyone back on the ship, I saved her because it made me feel heroic. That was no other reason, eh. I did it to prove that girls need a man to save them." He stands triumphantly to prove his point. "Also, my last name isn't 'Man', it's Jones."
Heather, annoyed at his wording, holds up her hand and uses her powers to begin choking him for his insolent response. However, as a result of doing this, she opened up her mind and thus, several thoughts began flooding into her head. She tried to maintain control, but the pressure became too much for her to bear and she held her head in pain, allowing for Ezekiel to reclaim his breath.
Heather, after wiping the blood from her nose and regaining her bearings, turns towards Ezekiel. "I'll take your word for it. But next time, choose your words very carefully," she warns him. She then leaves the area while Ezekiel holds his neck, grumbling as the result of having to put up with Heather as his boss.
In the arena, Eva, now sporting a swollen cheek, begins to get to her feet, despite some of her bones making a clear crunching sound. She spits out some blood and sighs in irritation at the fact that she's getting her ass handed to her by a guy three times her age.
"Where does your strength come from?" Windbreaker Moon asks once more.
Eva, although clearly in pain, manages to get to her feet, believing she has the answer to Windbreaker Moon's question all figured out. "This is one of them trick questions, isn't it? You want me to say my muscles or my rage. But I know it's my heart," she replies, pointing to her chest. "That's my real strength." She smiles, thinking she has him beat.
"While you are correct in your assessment, you are wrong in your conclusion." Windbreaker Moon propels himself forward and elbows Eva in chest before dealing an uppercut, catching Eva completely off-guard. As she attempts to regain her bearings, Windbreaker Moon unleashes a palm strike with his staff in hand to Eva's face, sending her headfirst into a different wall, leaving a bigger indentation than the one before.
Back in the bazaar, we find McKlingon moving through the artillery department, getting an eyeful for the various types of weaponry strewn about the stalls. Eventually, he comes across a gunsmith who's hard at work maintain a handful of his merchandise.
"Pardon me," McKlingon calls out, gaining the gunsmith's attention. "Sorry to disturb you, but if you could be so kind, I need to get a few things engraved. I tried doing it myself, but it didn't really turn out so well. Think you could help me?" He lays down a stack of Zalosian dollars, five bullets, and a slip of paper. The gunsmith nods without saying anything, takes the items, and gets to work.
Owen and Grub, who were passing nearby in order to inspect the food section (Grub because of its authenticity and Owen because he wants to get a taste for Zalosian cuisine), notice McKlingon looking into the booth, with Owen taking a particular interest in the matter.
"Well that's weird," Owen commented. "You know, back on the Wawanakwa, I actually saw him engraving some bullets in the forge. Why is he going to a professional?"
"McKlingon knows out to make weapons. Engraving, on the other hand, isn't one of his strong suits," Grub explained. "He's been obsessing over getting those things engraved ever since… well… you know…"
It takes a moment for Owen to understand Grub's meaning, but it eventually clicks into place. "Wow, Blainedred's betrayal must've really done a number on him. What were they like before she pulled a Benedict Arnold?" Grub appears genuinely surprised Owen knows what that means, which Owen notices. "I remember that because of Eggs Benedict." Grub nods in understanding.
"They were close. Practically like brother and sister. But it wasn't just the betrayal that caused his vendetta against her." Owen appears intrigued, but Grub throws up a handwave before he can go into further detail. "It's not my place to say it. Let's just say, 'An eye for an eye only leads to more blindness'." Owen looks confused by this statement. "Give him time, and when he's ready to talk, we'll be by his side." Grub exclaims, walking away from the scene. However, Owen remains behind for a moment, simply staring at McKlingon, whose concerns currently lie with ending Blainedred Milrific. Owen, despite his confliction, moves on as McKlingon collects his items and heads back to the rendezvous.
In the arena, Windbreaker Moon is continuing to whoop Eva's ass without so much as breaking a sweat.
"Where…" Windbreaker Moon swings his staff across Eva's face. "Does your strength…" Shoves the staff into Eva's chest, but she manages to grab on to it. However, Windbreaker Moon merely lets go of the staff, confusing her. As she moves her hand down the wooden beam, she accidentally triggers a mechanism within the staff, revealing that it also doubles as a glider. The fans momentarily obscure her vision of Windbreaker Moon that, when she removes them from her line of sight, she's immediately nailed by a fist to the face from the old monk. Then, in one motion, Windbreaker Moon reclaims his staff, places it between Eva's legs, and spins it, sending Eva painfully onto her back. She attempts to get up, but he places his staff at her neck and his foot on her chest, leaving her pinned. "Come from?!"
Eva, now with her face practically caved in and sporting a black eye and second swollen cheek, can only stare up at him in resignation. "I don't… know," she manages to reply, weakly.
As the dust settles around them, they simply look upon each other. Then, in move that catches even Eva off-guard, Windbreaker Moon removes himself from her person and offers her a hand. Eva takes it and rises to her feet, even though she's still in a world of pain.
"You have much to learn about being a warrior," Windbreaker Moon tells her. "Seeking the path to true strength is the first step."
Eva exhales in agony, barely able to stand up straight. "Cool. What's the next one?"
"I have already shown you," he proclaims, as he turns and walks away, reapplying his robes and returning to his mediative position.
"Thanks, I guess," she replies, unsure of the meaning behind his cryptic response. She turns towards the exit, though not before giving one final look towards the individual who managed to single-handedly defeat her in the span of an hour.
Back at the gate's entrance, we find that a majority of the group have returned to the rendezvous point. McKlingon is currently placing bullets inside a six-shooter, including the five bullets engraved with the name, 'Blainedred Milrific'; Noah has a few machine parts on his person, which he's slightly struggling to hold on to; and Owen is currently partaking in what Grub calls a 'Classic Zalosian Delicacy'.
Owen gives off a delicious hum as he's chowing down on the dish. "What do you call this?" he asks after taking in another mouthful.
"Togoyan's Lopoysun," Grub says. "Or in English, 'Cow's Testicles'. A classic amongst our people."
"Testicles?" Owen asks, blanching in response to the realization he's been eating rocky mountain oysters, causing him to barf up the meal.
"Maybe I should've told you that before you started stuffing your face," Grub said.
"And here I thought you were as picky as a raccoon," he snickers. However, his attention is soon drawn to an approaching Gwen and Trent, with Gwen looking as pale as a ghost… well, more so than usual. "Whoa, what happened to her?"
"I couldn't honestly tell you," Trent responds. "Besides, it's probably no business…"
"It's fine, Trent," Gwen attempts to assure him. However, the look on Trent's face says otherwise, with Noah gaining the same look as well.
McKlingon looks around at the group and notices that not everyone is currently present.
"We're still missing someone. Has anyone seen Eva?" he asked.
Everyone begins looking around the area, wondering how they could lose the muscle-bound psycho chick. After a moment, Cody spots her wadding through the crowd.
"Oh, there she is." He then sees her face and cringes at the sight of it. "Well, half of her anyway." The others turn in her general direction, most of them looking rather disturbed by her bloodied features.
"Eva?" Izzy asked. "Whoa, you look worse than I did after the poison ivy spa treatment. What happened?"
"An old man beat me up," Eva replied. Some individuals chuckle at this remark, causing her to give them the evil eye, causing them to quiet down. DJ approaches her and places his hand on her shoulder.
"Don't worry, I can fix that," DJ replied as he began to heal her wounds, gaining a smile from Eva at this show of kindness. Once she's properly healed, DJ appears a bit woozy. "That really took a lot out of me." He stumbles backwards a bit, but Eva manages to catch him.
"I got you," she tells him.
"Thanks." They smile at each other. After a moment, they realize what this might look like, prompting DJ to regain his footing. "Remind me again, how did you sustained your injuries?"
"I was just wandering about when I heard a voice. I followed it, and I found myself guided to a temple, which looks a lot bigger on the inside than it does on the outside," Eva explained. "I found the old guy, and despite my physical prowess, he singled-handedly beat me up without breaking a sweat. I'm both very annoyed and impressed."
"I'd be too," Grub commented.
"He's one tough old dude. And throughout the whole encounter, he asked me, 'Where does your strength come from'?"
"Your muscles?" Tyler asked, innocently.
"It's not the obvious answer that you would think," Eva replies, annoyed. "And, in all honesty, it's not the answer that I thought it was either. Now I'm task with figuring out what Windbreaker Moon meant when he said, 'Where does your strength come from'?"
Bridgette, while drinking from her canteen, does a spit take, barely able to contain her laughter. "Wait, his name was 'Windbreaker Moon'?" she asked, chuckling under her breath.
"Middle name, 'Orifice', perhaps?" Geoff comments.
Immediately, this causes everyone to be burst into hysterics. Even Noah is unable to keep his composure in regards to the circumstances.
"Well, you gotta break wind sometime," Owen responds as everyone continues laughing.
Eva grumbles at this humiliation. "Thanks for the condolences," she replies, sarcastic.
"Oh, sensitive much?" Ezekiel calls out to her, mockingly. "Can't handle losing to the superior gender?" Eva, after dealing with the worst beating of her life, approaches Ezekiel, grabs him by the shirt collar, and lifts him off the ground.
"After what I've just endured, I'm in no mood for your bullheadedness. Shut that mouth, before I rip it off." She eyes him, menacingly. Upon realizing that this time around, she means business, he backs down. Eva throws him back to the ground and begins heading towards the gate. "Come on, we're burning daylight."
The others, seeing no other course of action, follow her as she approaches the gates to the city. However, before entering the vicinity, Eva's stopped by a guard whose face is obscured by a mask.
"Halt," he tells her. "State your business."
"I'm with them," Eva said, pointing behind her to McKlingon and Grub. The guard, upon seeing the whole group, eyes them suspiciously.
"And you are?" the Guard asked McKlingon.
"Lieutenant Christopher McKlingon and General Grub Hatchet of the Zalosian Imperial Army. And these are my associates. We need to get to high command ASAP."
"Credentials?" he asked, holding out his hand.
"This guy is really trying my patience," Grub whispers to McKlingon.
"He's probably just been instated and he's a little trigger-happy," McKlingon replied back. "Just do as he says, and we'll all be on our way." Grub grumbles under his breath, but begrudgingly takes out his credentials and gives them to the guard.
The guard, after reviewing them, proceeds to open the doors and offers them passage. "Take the train to High Command. I'll tell them that you're on your way."
"Much obliged," McKlingon told him. He and the rest of the group proceed to enter into the inner wall of the city. As the guard proceeds to watch them off, he ends up catching a brief glimpse of one individual in particular who's partially obscured by most of the taller individuals in the crowd. As they approach the station, he can't help but take his eyes off of Justin, who's barely visible whilst in front of DJ & Grub.
"Was that…" he began, before shaking his head. "No, it couldn't be. Could it? No. Well… NO!" He exhales in exhaustion from fighting himself before heading towards an intercom. "Commander Toukamura, you have visitors: Lieutenant McKlingon and his garrison. They'll be arriving shortly."
"Copy that, sergeant," Toukamura said on the other end. "We shall greet them upon their arrival."
Inside the station, everyone is waiting on the platform for the next train to arrive.
"So I'm a little confused about something," Harold said. "He said 'train', right?"
"Sure. What's not to get?" McKlingon said.
"It's just… a train?"
"Of course, that's our main source of transportation," McKlingon explained. "If you think it's speeders or transport ships, then the movies have exaggerated that ten-fold."
"I thought you said that those movies were shot in space?" Owen asked.
"Yes, but we had to take a few artistic licenses, otherwise some people might get suspicious." McKlingon replied, leaving everyone looking confused by McKlingon's logic.
"I have no response to that," Noah proclaimed.
"What's the big deal about taking a train anyway?" McKlingon asked.
"Sorry, it's just… I was expecting something a little more… Sophisticated?" Harold begins before trailing off a bit at the end upon seeing the approaching headlights, which appear to be approaching at an unusually fast pace.
Eventually, the train appears before taking a stop in front of the contestants. Soon, they're treated to an eyeful of a train with a chrome metallic finish with glass panels all along the side.
"Is that a…" Justin began.
"A bullet train," McKlingon explained. "Commissioned and constructed in Japan and brought all the way to Zalos."
"Why not just build them yourselves?" Harold asked.
"Crafting our advanced artillery and transport units is hard enough. Even we can't perform miracles," McKlingon replied. Once more, the others are unable to fathom McKlingon's logic in this circumstance.
"Again, words fail me," Noah proclaimed. He and the others proceed to get on the train which, thanks to the usage of magnets, manages to reach top speeds.
After exiting the illuminated tunnel, the train enters into the city of Imperios, which looks all the more gorgeous on the inside than it does on the outside. The group becomes mystified by their surroundings and enamored by the sheer beauty of this city.
"Holy shit!" Geoff replied. "And here I thought it just looked good from the outside."
"I can comfortable say, I'm impressed," Bridgette said, placing her hand on Geoff's shoulder as they admire the view.
Noah smiles at this as he continues working on Bridgette's respirator. As he's working, Izzy comes out of nowhere, hanging upside down from the handrail.
"Hey Noah, what you up too?" Izzy casually replied, practically giving Noah a heart attack. After assuring himself that he's still alive, he looks up at Izzy, nonplussed.
"Izzy, how do you do that?"
"Do what?" she replied, genuinely confused as she got off the handrail. Noah sighs in conviction and proceeds to get back to work, with Izzy watching intently. After a while, this unsettles Noah.
"Do you mind?" he asked, politely.
"You never answered my question," she replied, cheekily. "I won't leave until you tell me."
Noah sighs, knowing he's already going to regret this. "Alright, if you must know, I'm constructing a respirator for Bridgette to help her with her… situation, so to speak."
Izzy appears interested in the project and begins inspecting the devices he procured from the bazaar. "I'm not really an expert in this field, but from what I can see, it does show your fumbling yet thoughtful attempt at resolving a… complicated hydrogen-related issue."
"I'm thinking of including a zinc-polished pneumo valve that can pump water instead of air or gas," Noah explained.
"You do realize, of course, that you'll need to cross-match the contouring tube system on the respirator," Izzy commented. Noah chuckles at this remark.
"You know for someone who isn't an expert, you have somewhat of an interest in this." Noah then thinks of something. "In fact, you're paying attention and listening to me rather than be blindly distracted by every small thing that comes our way."
"That's exactly what Owen said," Izzy stated, and upon putting this to thought, she realized that Noah might be on to something. "Come to think of it, at the bazaar, I spent so much time at a stall and I didn't steal anything."
"Really? That's the part you find the strangest?"
Izzy, wanting to draw attention away from the current conversation, decides to focus back on the device. "So your device… is it almost complete?"
Noah, despite wanting to discuss Izzy's situation further, turns his attention back to the respirator. "Almost. If I can just find a proper power source, I can get to building."
Izzy begins scratching his chin, pondering a potentially power source to properly power the respirator. After a moment, an idea strikes her. "I think I have just the thing." Noah looks at her, intrigued, as she pulls a glowing red gem from her pocket. Upon seeing it, Noah gains of look of fear.
"Where did you get that?"
"I got it on the pirate ship, just before the attack," Izzy responded. "I figured they weren't going to miss it, since they had enough gold as it is, so…" Before she can continue talking, Noah cuts her off.
"Izzy, that's no ordinary gemstone… That's Kyvarium," he replies, foreboding. Izzy is taken aback from this response and takes a closer inspection of the gem. The look on her face should say it all. "That must be why you've been focusing so well. I remember reading about it back on the USS Wawanakwa. It's said to increase your power tenfold…"
"But at a terrible price," Izzy responded, finishing Noah's sentence, creepily. "It can give you great strength, but it'll corrupt your soul, blacken your heart, and take control of your mind, until you're nothing but a heartless, deadly killing machine, no remorse, love, or feeling of any kind."
Noah gulps by her wording. "Not exactly the words I would use, but yeah, basically the description I'd use." Then, suddenly, in a move that surprises even Noah, Izzy chucks the gem to the other side of the train car… out of sight, out of mind. "Okay, was not expecting that. For a moment, I thought I would have to convince you to put that thing down… or fight you for it, and I definitely did not want to do that, mainly because I'd lose."
"First, that's probably an accurate assumption. Second, I tossed it because it's not worth it to maintain my focus in battle if it's at the expense of my humanity. That thing will warp my mind! And yes, I already know my mind's fairly warped, but I'd rather be a psycho host beast that a deranged lunatic." Noah appears confused by this statement. "There's actually a larger difference between the two than that statement let's on."
"Wow, that was… eloquently stated," Noah replies.
"Probably a few remnants of the Kyvarium still lingering in my system," Izzy commented. "Don't worry, it should be expelled shortly." Something offscreen then catches her eye. "Ooh, shiny." She rushes over towards it.
"She's back," Noah replied, smiling, before going back to work on the respirator.
Little did anyone know, the Kyvarium crystal what still intact and still in prime condition. And within the shadows reached out a hand of persons unknown, who grabbed the Kyvarium crystal without anyone's knowledge, then… vanished without a trace.
Moving on down the line, we focus on Katie & Sadie admiring the view while seated at one of the tables in the dining car.
"This is beautiful," Katie replied.
"No kidding," Sadie agreed. "Image us having our honeymoon here."
Katie whipped her head towards Sadie in surprise. "What?!"
Sadie, upon realizing what she said, attempts to cover up her previous statement. "What I meant by that was when we get married, not 'us' specifically, but when we find people whom we want to marry, we could bring them here to Zalos for a honeymoon… together." Sadie smiles innocently.
Katie, still not fully recovered from Sadie's statement, attempts to go along with it. "Of course. That's what I thought to." They chuckle, nervously, blushing the whole-time. They then hear a sharp inhale behind them and turn to see Justin, who clearly watched the whole conversation from afar.
"Yikes. That was pathetic," Justin commented. "Trust me, I speak from experience, I know pathetic when I see it."
"Rude much?" Katie asked.
"Sorry, just had to say it." He sat down with them and leaned in, secretively. "Listen, I am aware of your current situation."
Katie & Sadie look scared by this but try to play dumb. "Uh, what situation?" Katie asks.
"The situation that causes you two to have those looks on your faces that say, 'We're clearly hiding something'."
"What? That's crazy," Sadie replied, feigning ignorance. "I mean, that's so crazy that…"
Katie sighs and stops Sadie while she's ahead. "Drop it, Sadie. He knows." She then whispers to Justin. "Please, don't tell anyone."
"It's not my place to tell," Justin says. "I mean, what are you afraid of anyway? When you revealed to everyone that I was gay, no one seemed to mind."
"It's not like that," Sadie claims, causing the two to look downtrodden, prompting Justin to connect the dots.
"Oh, I see now. You've been friends for so long that you're afraid getting into a relationship with each other will screw everything up." Katie & Sadie look unsettled by his accurate psychoanalysis of their current state of affairs.
"Has this happened to you?" Katie asked.
"As a matter of fact, it has," Justin commented. "The same thing happened to Sebastian & I. We had been friends since the 3rd grade. And when I started developing feelings for him, I didn't want to admit it because I was afraid it would wreck everything. I was scared that, if I revealed by my true colors, he would turn away from me and never speak to me again. It was torture. Then, one day during lunch a few years back, he came out to me. He told me that he loved me, and that he had been in love with me for a long time now, but was so scared to tell me because he was worried that I either wouldn't accept him or reciprocate his feelings. After that, we shared a big damn kiss, and have been going steady ever since. He took the leap, and it was perfect. My only regret was that I didn't come out to him first. Do you understand what I'm saying?"
Katie & Sadie seem perplexed by this. "Not at all."
"Don't wait, just do it. It can be a scary thing, but sometimes we have to do stuff that scares us, like this war. I believe it was Zig Ziglar who said, 'F-E-A-R has two meanings: 'Forget Everything And Run' or 'Face Everything And Rise'. The choice is yours'." Justin smiles and leaves, leaving Katie & Sadie to contemplate everything he's just said.
Within the shadows, a pair of eyes are revealed to have been watching the trio during their conversation, which narrow at the current set of circumstances that they just heard about from his lips.
Scene switches to further down the row where we find Harold sitting by himself, desperately attempting to get his magic to work right.
"Come on, give me a fox!" He reaches into the hat and pulls out… an ox. "I said 'a fox'!" He reaches in once more and pulls out… a box. "What part of 'fox' don't you understand?!" He reaches in one last time and pulls out… a rock. Harold, infuriated by his lack of progress, shoves the rock back into the hat and throws the hat at the window. This results in a fox bolting out of the hat and attacking Harold, with Harold barely able to keep it at bay.
Fortunately, LeShawna manages to use her powers to blow the fox off of Harold, sending it back into the hat. "Harold, you alright, baby?"
"Of course not!" Harold snaps at her, standing to his feet in annoyance. LeShawna appears taken aback by this, prompting a guilty Harold to look away. "Sorry, it's just…" He sighs in resignation. "I've been trying and trying and trying, and every time I try, I fail. It's just… so frustrating."
"Maybe that's the problem," LeShawna comments. "Maybe the reason why you're failing is because you're trying to hard. Look I'm no expert on the sci-fi stuff, but I think that green dude from that movie series you like said something about not trying and just doing."
"That's different. That was a movie. This is real life; this isn't some cute story created by an 18-year-old in his parent's attic. I can't afford to blindly hope for a miracle."
"Still, it wouldn't hurt to take the advice," she commented, prompting Harold to pinch the bridge of his nose in annoyance.
They then hear footsteps and find Duncan approaching them. "Oh brother, it's the fun police," LeShawna said, sarcastically. "What do you want, Duncan? Are you here to rib him for being the load?" Harold looks somewhat offended by her word choice, prompting her to mouth, 'Sorry', to him.
"I'm here… to help him," Duncan said. They prompts LeShawna and Harold to turn towards Duncan in utter shock.
"What?" Harold and LeShawna say in unison.
"I'm going to help you with your power problems," Duncan said. "Look, I know I make fun of you a lot, and I can be a pretty big asshole, but this… well, even I have some semblance of standards, and ribbing you in this state is pathetic, even for me. So, against my better judgement, I'm gonna help you."
Harold and LeShawna appear wary of Duncan's intentions. "What's the catch?" Harold asked.
"No catch. I just want to make sure that the fight's fair so that you don't find some way to weasel out of it at the last second." Harold chuckles.
"There's the Duncan I know," Harold says.
"Look, the problem isn't that hat, it's you," Duncan explained. "You're getting in your own head and as such, you are unable to utilize your powers to their fullest potential. I get it, you're frustrated. Believe me, in my line of work, I've had my fair share of frustrations."
"And what work is that? Breaking and entering?" Harold asked, sarcastically.
"Among other things," Duncan commented. "But I've learned that, if you let your emotions cloud your judgement, you're more prone to make mistakes. Anger, fear, resentment, all common factors I've seen topple even the most calculating of criminals. I quickly learned that, in order to survive, you had to keep your head on your shoulders. Clear your mind, focus, and execute." Harold begins pondering this sentiment as Duncan grabs the hat. "Maybe instead of going all in, just try something small, and then as time progresses, get bigger and bigger until eventually, you can pull something out of that hat of yours that'll really knock the Siquorans heads off… literally."
Harold, figuring that he has nothing to lose, decides to go for it. "Give me a ball." Harold reaches into his hat and pulls out… a ball. He appears surprise that it worked.
"That's good," Duncan said. "Try again."
Harold nods and places the ball back into the hat. "Show me… a baseball." Harold pulls out… a baseball. "It's working!" He laughs in triumph as LeShawna watches him with a smile.
"Keep practicing," he tells him as he shoves the hat back into his hands. As he's leaving, LeShawna places her hand on her shoulder.
"Thanks, Duncan," she tells him. "I can't believe you're actually helping him."
"Neither can I," Duncan admits. "But we gotta a war to win. Everything, including my feelings of apathy towards that dork, can wait."
"Well, well, well, looks like the big bad boy has a golden heart underneath all that gruffness," LeShawna says, playfully.
"Hardy-har-har," Duncan says, sarcastically, before whispering sternly. "You tell anyone I did this, there'll be no where for you to hide."
"Loud and clear," LeShawna says, smiling coyly. Duncan leaves the area as LeShawna watches Harold pulling out several balls, including a softball, a tennis ball, and a soccer ball. "You're getting good at that, Harold."
"Well, it's only balls," Harold admits. "but with any luck, I'll manage to pull out some pretty miraculous shit in the near future. And can you believe Duncan of all people was the one to try and help me with this predicament."
"Just when you think you know someone, they pull a stunt like this," LeShawna comments. They then hear static, and a voice comes over the intercom.
"Attention passengers," the voice says. "Your next stop is Zalosian Command. We repeat, Zalosian Command."
"That's our stop," LeShawna says as she and Harold go to reconvene with the group. "Ready?"
"We'll see," he says, reapplying his hat and smiling, more confidently than before.
The train comes to a stop outside of a white-opaque-glass fronted stronghold fortress stretching over 41 acres with a faceted roof.
Upon entering the vicinity, the group discover the inside to contain slick metallic panels, a service desk, a map which gives the full layout of the 165,000 m2 floorspace, and a coffee bar.
"Nice digs," Owen said.
"Seriously, who is your interior decorator?" Lindsay asked. "I would love to do my room in this style."
"Ditto," Beth commented.
They approached the front desk, where a guard takes a stand and gives a salute upon taking noticing of McKlingon and Grub. "At ease, soldier." The guard complies with the order before making their way over to the elevator and activating it. They proceed to direct everyone inside the great glass elevator which, if positioned just right, might give you a fantastic view overlooking the city of Imperios. "Shall we?" McKlingon asked.
The group all proceed to enter the elevator and begin making their ascent. However, almost immediately, the elevator begins shuddering, startling everyone. They hear the gears creak, almost as if they're having difficulty turning, and it seems like they've stopped before they even started.
"Either we're moving really fast or not at all," Duncan commented, hoping to dispel the tension. They then get a buzzing noise and look up at an illuminated blinking symbol situation above the elevator reading, 'Exceed Maximum Weight'. Upon reading this, everyone looks at Owen, who smiles sheepishly.
"I had a big lunch," he chuckles, nervously.
Grub sighs in conviction. "Come on, Owen. We're taking the stairs."
"NOOOOOOO!" Owen yells out on his knees, screaming to the sky. He then gains a serious face as he stands to his feet. "Stairs, my oldest enemy. How you vex me so." He then proceeds to leave the elevator with Grub following behind.
"Someone has to carry him, just in case he passes out," Grub says, just before the doors close.
After an uneventful elevator ride, the rest of our heroes arrive at the top floor. They make their way down a larger corridor where they approach a large, black marble table with slick metallic chairs strewn around it located at the center of the room with a large window situated at the end, overlooking the city.
As the group move past a reflective panel, we notice something peculiar about Eva's reflection. As opposed to her normal reflection, it appears to be a bit more feral looking, with a reddish tint to her skin, sharper teeth, and claws. She looks like a smaller version of her Powerhouse form. Eva only catches a minor glimpse of the creature in the mirror before it reverts back to her original form. Although unnerved, she assumes she's merely seeing things and continues with the rest of the group.
The group observe their surroundings before taking note of four individuals seated at the table. The first was a female with dark tan skin and medium-length dark hair. She was currently clad in a full bodysuit with a black base with a teal armor chest plate, turquoise highlights upon the arms and legs, a black belt, black heels, and a sword to coincide with her attire.
The second was an alien creature with orange skin, tentacles for legs, muscular arms, and a squid-like face. He was wearing silver battle armor and was carrying a weaponized spear.
The third was a male with short light brown hair and ivory skin. He was shown wearing a western outfit with bandoliers full of replacement bullets worn across his chest to coincide with several weapons he has on his person, including, but not limited to, a giant sword for hand-to-hand combat, two high-powered firearms, and a sniper rifle. He also had a small device attached to his back.
And the last one sat in a chair that was currently turned away from the contestants, obscuring their features.
The female, seeing the group coming to their location, stands and greets McKlingon. "McKlingon. About time you showed up." Cody, recognizing the female's voice, becomes surprised.
"Wait… Ellody?" Cody asked. Ellody turns towards him, smiling cheekily.
"Surprised to see me?" Cody, attempting to find an answer that doesn't come off as rude, nervously gives an awkward shrug. Fortunately, Ellody takes it with a chuckle. "Just so you're aware, I have backup severs here on Zalos. I'm not so easily killed."
"No, I got that part," Cody clarified. "What I'm move perturbed by is… all of that." He motions towards her whole ensemble and appearance, prompting a knowing look from the computer-generated female.
"This is my de facto appearance. I use this when I go out in public, minus the sword."
"Makes sense. If you're going to be seen with Mr. Musk, you might as well want to avoid carrying around a melee weapon," DJ commented.
"Yeah, about that, we broke up." Everyone appears surprised by this. "When you really get to him, it turns out he's a total loon. Rich people, am I right?"
"Hey, I resemble that remark. I happen to be worth half a billion dollars," Lindsay proclaims, causing everyone to stare at her, incredulous.
"Who's-It-In-The-What-Now?" Tyler says, rapidly. Lindsay attempts to elaborate further, but receives a handwave from Ellody, signifying that they don't have time to get into a lengthy explanation.
"Look, we can stand here all day and get into the exposition of things, but we're currently in the middle of something so if you don't mind refraining from that part, for now, so we can get through introductions, that would be much appreciated," Ellody says. Lindsay nods in understanding as Ellody continues with introductions. She turns everyone's attention towards the third individual, who stands to approach the crowd, looking fairly noble whilst doing so. "This is Lieutenant Donatello Irons."
"Please, call Don," Don tells them. He then turns towards McKlingon with a jovial smile, despite the feeling being seemingly unreciprocated by McKlingon. "Good to see you again, McKlingon. How's the second best Zalosian Imperial Army lieutenant doing?"
McKlingon chuckles, lightly and sarcastically. "I don't know, Don. Why don't you look in the mirror and ask him?"
"Oh, I see your rapier wit hasn't lost its edge. And apparently, neither have you." He chuckles lightly despite the clear indication that McKlingon is not laughing.
McKlingon, after taking another moment to stare down Don, turns back to the contestants. "In case you haven't figured it out, Don and I… have a bit of history together. It's nothing too serious, just a little foreplay."
"I can see why," Harold said. "I mean to me personally, I'd say he's your opposite. Witty, jovial but not bordering on sadistic, and in all honesty, way more handsome than you." Everyone appears shocked by Harold's bluntness while listing off all of Don's good qualities. However, Harold doesn't appear to notice as he's too busy observing Don's physique. "Actually, speaking of his appearance, what alien species is he?"
"Well, since you asked so nicely," Don said, flattered by Harold's comment though somewhat offended by the rudeness of his last remark. "I am a Shifter. Shifters are beings who, as their name implies, can shift between human form and an animalistic form. It ranges from common shifters, such as deer and mice, to extremely rare ones… most notably, dragons. As for me, well I'm leaning more towards the rarer side of things." Don, sensing a demonstration is in order, proceeds to shift for the group. A dark gray smoke cloud with white lighting envelops him, and when it clears, we find that he's transformed into a panther with glistening white fur like freshly fallen snow. "Albino Panther, to be precise."
"Okay, that's cool," Gwen responded.
"Indeed," Don stated. "Our race was one of strength, bravery, intellect, and ferocity." He stands proudly before his mood becomes solemn, turning back into his human form in the process. "Sadly, very few of us are left."
Gwen, despite clearly being aware that she's going to regret asking this question, can't help herself. "Why is that?" Don somberly looks away, not wanting to relive those painful memories, so McKlingon decides to chime in.
"Word got out about Don's kind, and the rarity of some of the shifts. Authentic pelts such as theirs were considered high-value items on black markets all across the universe. But in order to properly gain such high-quality items, they had to give the public proper incentive for collecting these hides. So they began spreading rumors that Shifters were nothing more than savage beasts who traveled on a conquest from world to world to conquer and kill everything in their sights. And if they weren't stopped, their brutality would spread across the universe from galaxy to galaxy, their thirst for genocide knowing no bounds. Thus, open season was called, with bounties popping up in various star systems all across the universe. Many sought the prizes simply for the money, others for the thrill of the hunt. And the higher the risk, the higher the reward. They were all but slaughter to near-extinction." Don begins to shed some tears upon thinking back to those dark ages. They contestants appear greatly disturbed by McKlingon's vivid retelling of the Shifter's massacre. Even Heather seems appalled.
"Wow, that's heavy, dude," Geoff said.
"And horrible. How could people be so cruel?" Bridgette asked.
"I've asked myself that question for years now," Don said. "We thought we were done for until the Accords were created." Everyone looks intrigued by these documents that Don is referring to. "The Galactic Accords. These were a series of laws and legislatures signed by various dignitaries from various galaxies and solar systems across the universe. Among the recipients included our leader of the Shifters at the time, Paroque Matsuo, Zūnyán Chéngxìn of the planet, 'Hángyè', Willed Làidir of the planet, 'Ebāgurīn', Marianna Byline of the planet, 'Zalos', and even your President Harry S. Truman of Earth, among others."
"By any chance are you referring to the treaty McKlingon mentioned after some aliens were discovered at Roswell?" Courtney asked.
"You'd be correct, Courtney," McKlingon stated. "Among these laws, alongside Earth being a safe zone from hostile invaders, included the Prohibition of Killing Shifters Without Proper Reason. As such, several planets offered aid and protection to Shifters from rogue assailants and bounty hunters. Even King Loterra of Siquora participated in the signing of the Accords." The others appear surprised by this, due to McKlingon's description of Siquora and its people. "And considering this was after the Zalosian-Siquoran War began, this was a rare moment during the course of this ongoing conflict, as even they were appalled by the massacre of the Shifters. And thus, two warring sides decided to put aside their differences as a means of lobbying for change. However, they still managed to find ways to inflicting harm upon them. They won't stoop to killing them, but enslaving them and forcing them to work in their mines… that's a different story." Several individuals look perturbed by this notion.
"Well that seems a little hypocritical," Lindsay proclaimed.
"I know, right?" LeShawna said. "Chaining them up, enslaving them, and forcing them to do manual labor for squat seems like a far worse punishment than death."
"What?" Lindsay asked, confused, before realizing what they're referring too. "Oh, sorry, that wasn't what I was talking about, but I could see why you would think that. Actually, I was talking about how Ellody allowed for McKlingon to give his backstory while I couldn't give mine." Several individuals, including Don, nod at this statement.
"She does make a good point," Don comments. Ellody gives an indignant look.
"Well, if everyone will listen in…" Lindsay begins, only to be cut off my Duncan.
"Sorry to interject Lindsay, but I think the reason why they are allowed to give exposition is because without it, we probably won't be able to know the full extent of the backstory and how it applies to our current situation, so if you don't mind waiting until afterwards to explain yourself, we should probably listen to what the other guy has to say," Duncan said. Lindsay looks like she's about to argue, but thinking about Duncan's wording, decides to remain quiet as the final individual gives their introduction.
"Well, on that note, let's continue our introductions with the Captain of the Zalosian Imperial Army, Cardin Butaku." The second individual rises and approaches the group, giving a salute to McKlingon before pulling him in with a great big grizzly hug.
"Good to see you again, my friend," Butaku said, giving what we can assume to be his species' version of a smile. He then turns towards the group and looks them over from head to toe. "And your recruits are… smaller than I expected them to be." Everyone gives him a quizzical look, which he notices. "Sorry, I call 'em as I see 'em."
"Well rest assured, despite their size and stature, these 22 individuals will knock your proverbial socks off," McKlingon assures him. Don then does a head count and notices an error in McKlingon's math.
"Uh, I count 21." Everyone looks around and realizes that Grub and Owen still haven't joined them. Fortunately, or rather unfortunately, depending on how you perceive the situation, Grub bursts through the doors, carrying an unconscious Owen over his shoulders in a fireman's carry. "Well, as least your 22nd man knows how to make an entrance."
"Yeah, that's not our 22nd man," McKlingon states, nervously. Grub immediately drops Owen and pants heavily, clearly suffering fatigue as a result of having to carry to equivalent to a bag of bricks. "That's him." McKlingon points to Owen, who is beginning to stir.
"That blubbering mass of a land whale?" Don comments, before realizing how rude that sounds. "Sorry, that was uncalled for."
"I would've said it," Butaku states, gaining an angered look from Izzy, prompting her to kick Butaku in what we assume to be his groin area, causing him to recoil in pain. She then rushes over to his boyfriend's side as McKlingon approaches Butaku, who's currently riling on the floor in pain.
"Pro tip: When in the presence of Izzy, try to keep your mouth shut, otherwise your nutsack will regret it," he replies before helping Butaku to his feet.
Izzy then comes to her boyfriend's side as she helps him get to his feet. "Are you alright, big guy?" Owen nods, slightly
"No, it's fine… I just… carried him… since he passed out… on the… thir… floor… It's fine," Grub says, sarcastically and between breathes, attempting to explained what happened. However, upon mentioning the floor number, it comes out mumbled due to shortness of breath.
"The thirtieth floor? That's farther than I would've expected," McKlingon said.
"I said… the thirteenth!" Grub yelled out in fatigue and anguish before immediately backpedaling. "Sorry… I'm just… very irritated… right now." After a moment, he manages to regain his bearings. "I'm good, I'm good." He clears his throat and then goes up to Owen. "Thanks for the workout."
"And thank you for carrying me up those flights of stairs," Owen said. "By the way, I think I may've thrown up on the tenth floor so you may wanna send someone to go clean that up." He hears a grumble and turns towards the group, with Butaku in the background, having recovered from Izzy's painful kick, pinching the bridge of his nose while muttering to himself in frustration. The contestants appear a little less confident then they did a minute ago, prompting a sympathetic Ellody to try and quell Butaku's concerns.
"Look, I've seen them in action," Ellody responds. "They have… potential." Her hesitation at the end doesn't exactly instill Butaku with confidence. She tries coming up with a better explanation when Geoff clears his throat, gaining her attention. He then subtly coats his hand with ice and gestures towards Butaku. Ellody nods, playing to the beat Geoff is currently laying down. "How about a demonstration? Geoff, why don't you show the good captain what you're capable of?
"With pleasure, bra," Geoff said. He proceeds to do a palm stretch before gearing himself up and unleashing a torrent of ice from his palms. Unfortunately, while he was simply trying to hit the floor in front of Butaku, his aim wasn't as precise as he thought it was, and he ended up freezing Butaku's tentacles to the ground. Despite his reaction being fairly minimal, it's clear that Butaku isn't exactly impressed, much to Geoff's chagrin. "My bad."
Ellody tugs at his collar before approaching DJ. "Well how about him. Look at these big, bulging muscles. He's like a mountain made of skin. This guy can totally wail-on those Siquorans, right big guy?"
DJ begins nervously sweating due to being put on the spot right then and there, conflicted between defending Ellody's case and his moral ethics. "Oh! Well, it's funny you should, I mean, you see th-" He attempts to continue, but seeing the charade already failing, decides to speak the truth. "Look, I'm not on the offensive side of things. I hate violence. I just act as the healer with an energy shield." He shows off his energy shield while Ellody face palms, followed by practically everyone else. "Sorry, but as the gentle beluga whale would say." Begins making whale noises before going back to speaking normally. "Roughly translated, it means: 'Give peace a chance'."
After taking a moment to let that sink in, Ellody decides to get back on track. "Okay, so the brickhouse is simply a healer, that can still come in handy. Right?" Butaku still doesn't seem convinced. Even Don, who is normally more willing to take a chance on weirdos like the contestants, is looking a little weary. Ellody hastily turns towards Harold.
"Well there's also this guy. He's a magician."
"Not your best sales pitch," Don comments.
"Trust me, he's got this whole thing nailed," Ellody asserts. However, Harold looks a little reluctant. "Go on, man, show 'em what you're made of."
Harold takes a deep breath and reaches into his hat. He begins feeling around until he grabs hold of something. "Just be aware, I'm not exactly proficient. But I give you… a pair of balls!" He closes his eyes and holds out his hand triumphantly. However, opening his eyes, he notices everyone looking simultaneously disturbed and incredulous. Even Duncan isn't cracking a joke. "What?" Harold then looks at the balls in his hand and discovers… "Testicles!" He immediately shoves them back into the hat and gives an expression of absolute horror while everyone else looks extremely uncomfortable. "Excuse me for a second." He proceeds to shove his whole head into his hat and, although it's muffled, it's pretty clear he's screaming his head off.
"Maybe I should've accounted for other types of balls," Duncan comments, causing LeShawna to elbow him in the ribs. "Hey, careful with those alligator elbows." After saying this, he instantly regrets it, especially when he notices LeShawna's death glare staring him down. "My bad."
Once Harold's done having a moment to himself, he recomposes himself and tries again. "Let's do something different. How about a flower?" He reaches into his hat once again and pulls out… a shower, which turns on, drenching him in water. He sends it back into his hat as he gives a disheveled look. "At least I got my hand clean," Harold chuckles nervously.
Butaku once again pinches the bridge of his nose and mumbles in frustration, though this time, everyone can clearly understand what he's saying. "No puedo más, no puedo más, no puedo más." Ellody, realizing they're losing ground fast, tries to salvage what's left of this burning dumpster fire.
"Uh, you!" She points at Eva, who seems a little surprised by suddenly being put on the spot. "Show him your monster form!"
"Hey, I can that just fine, eh," Ezekiel claims.
"Sorry, but sexist jerks don't get a say in the matter," Ellody states, sternly. Ezekiel attempts to argue, but Heather stops him.
"Hold it, I want to see this in action," Heather comments, gaining a confused look from Ezekiel.
Eva then begins attempting to transform into her Powerhouse form, but as her claws begin to grow, and scales begin to form on his body, she's suddenly overcome with a searing pain throbbing inside her head. She screams out in agony as she clutches her head, treating us to a barrage of memories involving kids laughing mockingly, a beastly creature roaring in rage, and what appear to be said creature standing behind an uproar of flames, staring down a devastated battlefield. Eva falls to her knees as a fearful DJ comes to her side.
"Eva, what's wrong?" he asked, worried. After taking a few harsh breaths, Eva comes to DJ's eye level, though she's still rubbing her temple in pain.
"What just happened?" Eva asked, her skin and hands turning back to their natural state.
"You tell us," DJ said.
"I don't know. I felt like I just got hit in the head with an anvil like in those old cartoons. I mean, I was content and ready to unleash the beast, then suddenly, I'm bombarded by a horrible case of vertigo."
"Maybe you're just putting on a little too much strain on yourself from your battle with Windbreaker Moon," DJ comments.
"Yeah, that's probably the most likely explanation," Eva states as DJ helps her to her feet. "That monk really knows how to take a punch and throw right back at you."
"Monk? Windbreaker Moon?" Butaku said, his attention diverted back to the group. "You don't mean the Keeper of the Temple of Haimerej? One of the deadliest fighters in the known universe. That Windbreaker Moon?" Eva nods, confused. "You battled Windbreaker Moon… and survived?"
"Uh, yes? I mean, I had my ass handed to me on a platter, but yeah, I survived." Butaku appears quizzical when Eva makes this statement. "What's up?"
"Windbreaker Moon is known to be one of the fiercest combatants on this or any other planet. However, while many men fight for glory and adoration, he fights for honor and humility. As many would say, 'All who've challenged Windbreaker Moon have perished because they sought to build up their reputation by attempting to defeat Windbreaker Moon, and as such, paid with their lives'. I don't know why he spared you, but if he saw something in you, something that would warrant Windbreaker Moon to end the match in a draw, then there may just be potential that resonates within you kids yet." He then hears Duncan chuckling under his breath, trying in vain to cover it up. "Something funny to you?"
"I'm sorry, I am so sorry!" Duncan claims, still trying to hold back his laughter. "I just keep imaging him waking up in the morning, looking in the mirror and, in all seriousness, saying to himself…" Does an impression of what he assumes Windbreaker Moon sounds like. "'You know what would be a really kickass name? Windbreaker Moon'!" He bursts into full-on, unrestrained laughter while everyone else desperately attempts to hold it back. "That's how I hear it in my head. I mean, what was his second choice? Hugh Jass?!"
Soon, everyone bursts out into hysterics, prompting Butaku to face palm at their immaturity, implying that he's recanted his previous statement.
"We are so dead," Butaku comments.
"Don't be so quick to judge, Cardin," a mysterious voice suddenly speaks up, silencing everyone. They begin looking around the room, wondering about the location of the disembodied voice. They then notice McKlingon, Grub, Butaku, Don, and Ellody have set their sights upon the end of the table where the chair currently facing away from the group is situated. The individual in said chair spins it around, revealing themselves to be an elk-like alien currently in the middle of reading H. G. Wells' 'War of the Worlds'. He sets the book down and stands, revealing himself to stand at a staggering 9ft. even wearing a royal blue uniform with red trimmings, medals on the left side of said uniform, dark gray pants, and army boots. He approaches the group, who appear mystified by his majestic form. "As Friedrich Nietzsche once said, 'Whichever interpretation prevails at a given time is a function of power and not truth'." He smiles at the group, allowing to feel strangely at ease whilst in his presence.
"And last, but certainly never least, Commander Reddick Toukamura, leader of the Zalosian Imperial Army," McKlingon announces with the utmost reverence in his voice. "You grace us with your presence, Commander."
"As do you, Lieutenant," Toukamura exclaims. "And your group, while unconventional, do showcase of level of potential that not many receive upon first gaining such extraordinary powers. Plus, Ellody has brought me up to speed about their recent exploits, including how, with some help from KISS, they managed to destroy two Siquoran warships."
"Oh, and we killed a shipload of vampire pirates," Owen comments, causing all eyes to turn in his general direction. "Just thought I'd point that out." Toukamura gives a sly smile towards Butaku, who merely rolls his eyes in resignation.
Suddenly, a guard frantically bursts into the room; the same guard that questioned our heroes when they first arrived in the city.
"Sir, something's going on in the control room!"
"What?"
"The computers, they're…" He attempts to continue when he suddenly spots Justin once again, this time getting a good eyeful of his presence. "Justin?!" he replies, more than likely giving off a flabbergasted expression underneath his mask. Justin, upon hearing his name just randomly called out of the blue by some random guard, momentarily looks around the room before turning back towards the guard, slightly disturbed.
"Do I know you?" Justin asked, fearful of the answer.
"You should," the guard comments. He then removes his helmet, revealing himself to be a plain-looking individual with fair skin, black eyes, black hair styled in a flattop, and a unibrow. Despite his appearance being anything but remarkable, Justin gives off a nonplussed expression as if he's just bared witness to a ghost sighting.
"Sebastian?! What are you doing here?!" he yells out.
"Me? What about you?!" The two stare each other down as everyone watches on, unsure of how to respond to… any of this.
"Uh, do you mind…?" Geoff begins, slightly trailing off due to the ever-growing tension within the situation.
Justin looks about ready to bust on artery as a result of his anger levels rising to dangerous proportions, but he's able to reign himself in long enough to turn towards the group in order to give some context to the situation.
"Everyone, this is Sebastian… my boyfriend," he replies, calmly, while everyone gives shocked expressions while looking between the two of them.
"Wait, this is guy you were talking about?" Katie asked.
"Yes. Is that really such a shock?" Justin asked, confused.
"It's just that we weren't expecting him to look like… Forrest Gump," Sadie replied, sheepishly, gaining an offended look from Justin.
"Oh? And who did you expect him to look like?"
Katie & Sadie look at each other and, thanks to their mind link, give their answer at the exact same time. "Fabio."
"Really, Fabio, that's your go to? Isn't he like 50?"
"Hey! Fabio is hot, and you know it!" Sebastian stated, grabbing Justin by the collar. Justin attempts too retort, but instantly clams up.
"Oh I can't argue with you when you have that adorably angry face." Sebastian chuckles at his boyfriend's attempts at flattery and sets him down. However, upon dusting himself off, Justin instantly returns to his serious face. "Okay, now I can argue with you. So I'll ask again, 'What are you doing here'?!"
"Well, in case it wasn't obvious…" Sebastian said, waving his hand over his uniform, allowing for Justin to put two and two together.
"Wha- This is what you had to be shipped out for?!"
"I told you I had obligations to the military."
"You told me you going to a military academy, you didn't tell anything about this!"
"And what would I have told you? 'Hey Justin, I'm not supposed to tell you this, but I'm actually an alien who's being sent off to the front lines of a century-long war which, might I add, takes place in outer space'?!" As a result of Sebastian's iron-clad comeback, Justin is left speechless. "Besides, what's your excuse?"
"Oh, I got roped into this whole scenario by McKlingon over there. And before you ask, no! I'm not backing out of it, especially now that I know you're involved." Sebastian attempts to argue further, but McKlingon interjects.
"Look, Sebastian, we can talk about your personal drama all day, but we have a war to win. Now what was it you were saying about the computers."
"Yes, uh, sorry. The computers, they're…" Suddenly, the several the of the screens situated around the room begin glitching, with static and interference running across their surfaces at rapid-fire pace.
"Uh, excuse me, we did not order a Poltergeist," Gwen commented.
"That's what I was trying to say," Sebastian stated. "The system was in the middle of being hijacked. Someone was trying to hack it from the outside."
"For what purpose?" Toukamura asked.
"Maybe to weaken our defenses?" Ellody commented.
"More likely turn them against us," Butaku stated.
"No," McKlingon chimed in, his voice filling with contempt. "This isn't a hijacking. It's a message. And there's only one person who has the clearance, and the audacity, to enter our system and show her face on that screen." Everyone turns to one of the screens, which indeed appears to be in the middle of showing an individual's face. After the moment, the image becomes clear, revealing itself to be… "Blainedred Milrific."
"Well, well, well, Christopher McKlingon," Blainedred began, her voice not even attempting to disguise her wicked personality. "I see you finally crawled out of the hole I dug you in."
"Blainedred, you disgrace us with your presence, you traitorous scoundrel!" Toukamura shouts in opprobrium.
"Oh Commander, always attempting to integrate your encyclopedic vocabulary into the public's speech patterns. Well suffice it to say, it doesn't work." She then stops to think about the words she used in her speech that wasn't just one syllable, but pushes past it to focus on McKlingon's recruits. "So these are the fabled recruits I've heard so much about. Gotta say, for all their hype, they don't look the part."
"Excuse you?" Heather asked, looking rather offended.
"I expected a mighty army, not a bunch of rabble rousers who probably nurse their father's hangovers." Duncan, and by extension McKlingon and Courtney, look fairly offended by this last comment. "Although, I shouldn't be completely surprised. After all, they are being led to their deaths by a coward and his subordinate who hasn't even reached his final form." Grub clenches his fists in rage at this comment. Don, knowing what Grub might do, steps forward to address Blainedred personally.
"You have the audacity to contact us after your betrayal, Blainedred. Why?"
"To show you the might of the Siquoran army, obviously. Observe." She points towards the window overlooking the city, prompting everyone to turn around and discover a rather grim sight.
They soon bear witness to large Siquoran warship currently hovering just above the domed region of Imperios, causing its imposing shadow upon all who reside within the city. As it slowly inches across the landscape, our heroes brace for an attack. However, it doesn't come. Everyone appears confused by the lack of Siquoran fighters that should be descending upon the city.
"Um, did I miss something, or isn't this supposed to be the invasion scene?" Harold asked.
"For once, I agree with the dork," Duncan comments. "Why aren't we stabbing those monsters with their own venomous tails?"
"Oh our target isn't the city," Blainedred says, sinisterly. "No, it's something much more… valuable." She logs off, leaving everyone perturbed by her cryptic message. They then hear a horn blow and look back up at the Siquoran warship. They soon discover several pods and transport vessels descending towards the planet's surface, speeding off to a region just north of the city. Upon seeing their current direction and waypoint, McKlingon and the rest of the Zalosian natives become alarmed.
"The Outskirts," McKlingon said in horror
The Mines!" The Zalosian natives yelled out in fear, leaving everyone looking at them like they've just grown two heads.
"Uh, excuse me, locked out of the loop here. Explain," Gwen comments.
"Okay, here's the deal," McKlingon begins. "I believe I've mentioned to you how one of our chief exports is Kyvarium, correct? And that we only use it for transportation needs." Everyone nods. "Well years back, before we knew about the dangers presented from overexposure to Kyvarium, we actually found a rich deposit of the stuff in the old mines just north of here, in the Outskirts."
"Considering Kyvarium was a rare resource, even to this day, we thought we hit the jackpot, believing that that could be our ticket to finally defeating the Siquorans and winning the war," Grub continued. "Thus, we began sending teams of workers into the mines and retrieve as Kyvarium as we could supply our troops with."
"At first, when we implemented this gemstone into our weapons and armor, we became practically unstoppable," Butaku exclaimed. "We finally had the advantage we were looking for to defeat the Siquoran horde."
"Unfortunately, 24/7 exposure to the Kyvarium began to drastically take a toll on everyone's physical, mental, and emotional health. They became more violent, more volatile, and greedy," Ellody continued.
"Soon, the soldiers began turning on each other, attempting to possess more Kyvarium in the pursuit of gaining more strength, more power, more everything," Don stated. "They became insane."
"Realizing that we were becoming no better than the savage brutes that we pledged to defeat, we destroyed practically all the weaponry and armor that was crafted from Kyvarium and shut the mines down for good," Toukamura stated. "Only officials with high clearance and protective armor are allowed to enter the facility."
"And let me guess, Blainedred has such clearance, right?" Gwen comments, raising an eyebrow at the group, who proceed to give off sheepish and awkward-looking expressions.
"After her betrayal, we attempted to erase it, but just before she left for Siquora, she changed the codes and locked down her profile, thus ensuring she could still gain access to various Zalosian occupations and facilities. Now she's set her sights on the mines."
"And if she gets her hand on all that Kyvarium, we're toast," Butaku said, seriously.
"Well what are we waiting for," Duncan said, unsheathing two bone spikes from his body. "I say we pay those Siquorans a visit, and shut down their little operation, permanently." At the last word, he crosses the spikes over one another, sporting a cocky grin while doing so.
Harold chuckles at this. "Nice action movie line. You come up with those yourself?" Duncan chuckles at this little comment, once again surprising him and Harold. They then try to brush it off, but it's pretty clear everyone heard it, with LeShawna slightly smirking at that little moment.
"The kid with the bone is right," Don said.
"Phrasing," McKlingon comments, gaining an annoyed look from Don. "Sorry, continue."
"Assemble the troops, prepare the brigade. We're going to the Outskirts…" He approaches the door, but before he exits, he transforms into his albino panther form and slightly turns his head to look over his shoulder, showcasing a determined expression. "And we're gonna kick some Siquoran ass." He exits, with everyone else soon following afterwards.
However, before leaving, Eva hears the sound of growling and looks behind her. Though still wary, following her encounter with Windbreaker Moon, she brushes it off as her just hearing things. However, she then notices Gwen has also stopped and, due to the fearful expression currently plastered on her face, prompts Eva to come to her side.
"Hey, Gwen, are you alright?" Eva asked, concerned.
"Huh?" Gwen asked, as if just now snapping back to reality. Upon seeing Eva, she smiles and softens her facial expression. "Oh, yeah, I'm fine. Just thought I heard something."
"By any chance was it a growling sound?" Eva asked, curious.
"Uh, no? Why do you ask?"
"No reason," Eva responds, hastily, not wanting to appear crazy in the present company. Desperately wanting to avoid the awkwardness of the situation, Eva quickens her pace and rejoins the group while Gwen looks at her, nonplussed.
"That might just be the first time I've ever seen Eva nervous," Gwen thought. She then chuckles at said thought. "Well, there's a first time for everything I guess." She then catches up with the group, not noticing the sly smile creeping up on Heather's face.
"Looks like two little birdies are having the same problem," Heather thinks to herself. "And what better way to kill two birds, than with one stone." And with that, her irises turn a deadly shade of red, which soon envelops her entire eyes. The background fades to black, leaving only the menacing illumination portruding from Heather's eyes. Soon those fade as well, momentarily leaving a pitch black screen, allowing for a certain set of familiar words to appear, signifying that things are just heating up.
To Be Continued…
