Opening File: Tohru
Tohru is a Huntsman that hails from Japan who was originally a criminal who worked for the criminal organization the Dark Hand before it was dissolved. Little is known of Tohru's past with many details of his early life such as his childhood, adolescent years or even his surname and the identity and status of his father or other family (aside from his mother) being relatively unexplored, other than the fact he has ancestors that were samurai. It is known that he was born a native Japanese citizen and, even as a child, is shown to have been very large. He developed a crippling fear and frequent nightmares of the Japanese demons known as Oni as a boy which was brought unintentionally on by his mother, who told him stories of their monstrous exploits against disobedient children so he would not misbehave.
As an adult he moved to America at some point and became an enforcer for Valmont but did not especially desire such a life, only doing so because he was in need of money (which indicated he either did not receive a full education, or was unable to make enough money through legitimate means to support himself and/or his mother). Tohru was once the best enforcer for the Dark Hand who led Valmont's Enforcers during most of the talisman hunts on behalf of the dragon sorcerer Shendu, and a personal servant to Valmont. Despite his formidable size and strength, he proved to be no match for Jackie's martial arts skills and Jade's cunning. His string of defeats displeased Valmont so much that, for the hunt for one of the last talismans (the Pig), he hired the then-freelancer Hak Foo to ensure success of the mission - a switch which Tohru greatly resented.
Eventually, Tohru changed sides when the Dark Hand succeeded in reviving Shendu, who then double-crossed Valmont. Forced to fight Shendu alone, Tohru was quickly defeated and sent flying out the side of the building, which he survived with moderate injuries. After providing Jackie and his friends with the decisive clue to track and stop the demon (specifically Shendu), he turned himself in to Section 13's authorities. Later he would become a Chi Wizard apprentice when Shendu returned as a demon spirit and possessed his former boss Valmont to free his demon bretheren but many of them vanished or even perished through the years with only Tchang Zu the Demon Sorcerer of Thunder imprisoned in the Netherworld.
Tohru would master many spells and officially received a Huntsman's license for his efforts. He also became a member of the J-Team that was assembled by the niece of his former archenemy, Jackie Chan. Tohru's fighting style is rather unique from the other members of the J-Team because of his large size, and combines the use of thrusts and tackles. He is not agile (and as such is unable to dodge attacks as well as Jackie or Jade).
However, he has demonstrated fast reflexes at certain times, which is evidenced at one point when he blocked a swordfish Jade threw at him by using the Rooster Talisman. He is not afraid to use his weight to his advantage (which is evidenced by the fact that he used it to break open the water tower in order to defeat Valmont/Shendu). Out of all the members of the J-Team, Tohru possesses the greatest amount of physical strength and endurance. He is able to lift a sumo wrestler who was 1/3rd larger than him completely off the ground, which means that he is able to lift more than 500 pounds.
He is also able to withstand devastating attacks that could potentially kill a normal human but he was able to survive these attacks albeit with injuries or being knocked unconscious.
Close File
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Opening File: Enid Mettle
Enid Mettle is a Huntress in training at Yamanouchi Academy despite originally being born in the United States. Enid was a born as a witch in a family of monsters, with her parents being a werewolf and a vampire but curiously was born a human. It is likely the cursed genetics of the werewolf from her father's side and the vampire genetics from her mother's side cancelled each other out. Despite being neither Enid has shown to have above average speed, strength and stamina to that of a normal human.
As soon as she was the appropriate age, she went to Ghoul School and befriended Phantasma, Elsa, Sibella, Tanis, and Winnie. Around this time, Enid began reading books about ninjas and began wanting to be one. After an injury, she begged her parents to let her transfer, and once they approved, she changed to a more normal school. Once there, she had a major outfit change and began studying to become a ninja, until eventually having a complete move set change.
Enid used to train after the school was out, in which she one day met Elodie, who complimented her battle strategy. Enid invited Elodie to train with her and from there, their friendship blossomed. Enid had longer hair now and was still friends with Elodie. She had a crush on Radicles but had not talked to him much. At a certain point, she fell and he helped her pick up her things, once she got back up Elodie encouraged her to finally ask him out.
When Radicles accepts, Enid leaves saying 'it's a date!'. However, they called off the date early because of Radicles' friends, Bell Beefer and Mega Football Baby's bad influences on Rad causing Enid to lose interest in him. Later on, Enid and Elodie found a contest advertisement for P.O.I.N.T. Prep to compete to be the next student, in which Elodie and Enid encourage each other to join, causing them to join together. Both of the two made it to the finals, and Enid almost won, before stopping herself as she would not hurt a friend.
Elodie then finishes the battle by shooting arrows at Enid and was then announced the winner, being handed a trophy. Once Enid mentioned how proud she was of Elodie, Elodie then said she only used Enid to learn her fighting technique, before being carried off, leaving Enid heartbroken. Fortunately one of the spectators turned out to be an associate of the headmaster of Yamanouchi Academy, the Huntsmen Academy in Japan who approached her with the offer to attend their academy instead of P.O.I.N.T. which surprised Enid. When asked why the person explained that Enid showed true honor in not wanting to strike her own friend down along with great skill.
He then remarked that Elodie had dishonored herself for she turned on Enid and betrayed their friendship. After a day of thinking it over Enid accepted the offer and attended Yamanouchi in Japan, taking up residence in the school's dorm. She is currently finishing the high school level of the school's program and a year later will be in the college program where she will be placed with her own team. The identity of the person who helped her apply to Yamanouchi Academy was a turtle Mobian named Leonardo.
Close File
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Opening File: Karai
Karai originally known as Hamato Miwa is a Huntress and the adopted daughter of Sensei Splinter who is the headmaster of Yamanouchi Academy. She was an orphan who was found by Splinter after her parents had been killed. Having been a close friend of her parents Splinter took her in and gave her a false name: Karai so the people who killed her parents would think she had died with them. Splinter raised her along four turtle Mobians he had adopted, making them all her adoptive brothers.
She was trained as a Huntress, becoming extremely skilled in the ways of Ninjutsu. While her brothers have long since graduated she is still a student at Yamanouchi and often takes missions, including being a body guard to important clients to help bolster her reputation outside of being the daughter of Sensei Splinter. She is an acquaintance of Genki Sanban who hired her to help protect her daughters, especially after the arrival of Dani Phantom whom the Sanban daughters often convince to help sneak them out of the Sanban home to go to the park to have fun. Karai has good relations with the Sanban family, even training in their home and is said to have spared with Genki herself to help improve her training.
Their relationship is good enough that Genki asked her to aid in transporting Danielle to the Shiga Highlands.
Close File
Xxx
"We all have our beginnings. Some more humble than others. Some being the kind of topic we would probably like to avoid talking about. Those are the kinds of beginnings that are shared by people who find it the hardest to open up." TOM said as the file closed. "When someone finds it hard to talk about their beginnings it all boils down to fear. Fear of pity, fear of rejection and even fear of never being able to move past whatever they've experienced. They say the truth sets you free but it may not feel like it at the time and even if friendship helps the choice in the end to open up is their choice and their choice alone."
Xxx
There was a tingling sensation that he felt coming from the strand of power he had encountered recently and drained some time ago.
The empath that had escaped Van Kleiss.
"It seems the daughter of Trigon is on a journey of enlightenment to unlock her chakras in a manner similar to Scotty." Sammael remarked, holding up his hand as it pulsed with dark energy.
"Her power is not like Aura. She cannot become an Ascendant." Moloch remarked.
"Given the source of powers she could become something greater than even an Ascendant." Sammael calmly rebuked. "The power of Trigon was so great even other deities feared him."
"Other deities feared Aku as well and his power flows through us and the Grimm." Moloch pointed out.
"Indeed they did but this girl…She was the one who destroyed Trigon in her world. Given that, if she were to unlock her chakras it is likely she could gain full control of her powers." Sammael narrowed his eyes. "We would not be looking at an Ascendant. An Ascendant would still be bound by Earthly rules, even if their Aura is now released in a completely purified form with virtually no limits."
"And what would she become?"
"With her powers purified not a demon…A force of creation as a counter to the destruction and hate that Trigon was incarnated from."
Moloch's eyes widened. "You mean-"
Xxx
"The first chakra is the Earth chakra located at the base of the spine. It represents survival and is blocked by fear."
Raven closed her eyes, listening calmly as Azar helped begin her journey.
"Now what are you afraid of?"
What was Raven afraid of?
She remembered telling Beast Boy once that she 'didn't do fear' and what had happened afterwards.
She opened her eyes as they flashed white.
Xxx
"I believe a little challenge from us is in order." Sammael sat down in the center of his meditation chamber and closed his eyes.
He focused on the sample of power he had taken from Raven when they first met and used that link to focus on her.
Xxx
Monsters from that stupid movie, the Wicked Scary surrounded her in the living room of Titans Tower.
But she wasn't afraid this time.
Not anymore.
It wasn't the monsters she was afraid.
The monsters howled as they melted away, leading to her appear in the middle of Jump City that was completely destroyed.
Resembling the state had been in when Trigon had arrived through the portal.
"No, this won't happen again. I will never help him again." Raven muttered to herself, taking a deep breath.
And just like that the red skies, the statues of the terrified population and ruined city were gone.
Replaced by blue skies, cheerful people and a completely restored Jump City.
"Not bad but we both know this was never your worst fear."
Eyes widening Raven spun around, seeing someone standing behind her who did not belong here. "You!"
Sammael was smirking in amusement at Raven. "Tell me do you honestly believe that destroying your father has changed anything? Just as the Fallen can't deny or fight their true natures, neither can you. Trigon might be gone but you still carry his blood, his darkness, his very power in not only your veins but your very soul." Sammael's voice took darker tone of pure malice. "It's just slumbering under the surface, beneath this facade of being a heroine you've created for yourself. Just waiting for the day that you can no longer resist or deny your true self, and when that day comes."
Suddenly their surroundings twisted, shifted, and changed till their surrounded by flames engulfing wreckage with Grimm running amok, and numerous dead bodies scattered around, bodies to her horror that she recognized from her friends and fellow Titan to the friends and allies she's made on this world as well.
Raven looked horrified at the sight than felt her cloak getting pulled on and saw a critically injured Beast Boy with his last breath. "Why Raven, why?"
Beast Boy's hand dropped as he died.
Raven twisted around eyes now a demoniac red with tears going down her face glaring at Sammael with deeper hatred. "You'll pay for this!"
Sammael calmly gestured to the carnage. "Ah but my dear it wasn't I who did this."
Raven growled demoniacal. "Then who did?!"
Sammael smiling pointed up in the air behind her and she quickly turned her head with her heart freezing at the sight. "Why you did."
Indeed the person she saw floating above with a sadistic look of amusement and pleasure at the destruction and death surrounding them, was none other than herself. Only her appearance now taking more after her father with demoniac red skin, white hair, and four glowing eyes filled with nothing but evil and malice.
Raven steps back in shock and horror whispering out. "No."
It was her.
No, it was what she would have been if she had given into her father's corruption.
"Did I do good, daddy?" The demonic Raven asked in an innocent voice despite the destruction and carnage she had caused.
"Yes, daughter." Raven stared in horror as Trigon himself appeared behind the demonic Raven, grinning at the complete devastation. "You have done very well."
"NO!" Raven shouted, her eyes flaring and black energy surrounding her.
The entire landscape around froze itself in time much like what happened on the night of her birthday when Slade returned.
"That is not real. That is not real." Raven held her head, closing her eyes. "I won't become that. I won't become that."
"Who are you trying to convince?" Sammael spoke from behind her. "Me, your father or yourself?"
Raven spun around, glaring darkly at the Fallen. "Get…out!"
Sammael smirked. "I must say when I learned the origin of your powers I was surprised. To know that you were the offspring of a demon as powerful as Trigon and that you actually managed to destroy him."
"What do you want?" Raven questioned.
"I want what everyone wants. To remake the world according to my own personal desires." Sammael answered honestly. "Right now there is a plan in action for that but for the moment I have a little competition in the way with one of them being Van Kleiss and one threat to it being…you."
"And I suppose you plan for people to die?" Raven narrowed her eyes.
"People will indeed die. That is unavoidable." Sammael grinned.
"…Then you have just given me another reason to stop you." Raven's eyes turned black. "Yes, I am afraid. I've been afraid of a lot of things…But I learned that doesn't mean I can't fight back!"
Sammael's grin vanished.
"You have a bit of my powers. I'm taking it back! Azarath Metrion Zinthos!" Raven shouted, the dark energy of her powers swirling around her.
The energy blasted out in the form of a shockwave, destroying the demonic Raven and Trigon and was about to hit Sammael before he vanished. The energy spread out, restoring Jump City to normal much like what happened when Trigon was vanquished.
Xxx
Sammael opened his eyes, managing to prevent Raven from turning the connection against him in time. "…More."
Xxx
The trip to the private airstrip was mostly uneventful but the kids inside the truck stayed around the de-frosting unit to help keep Danielle calm. They kept their hands on the tank, made small talk with the ghost girl inside who couldn't do much other than talk and listen. Floating on her backside in a cylinder shaped tank was not something she was comfortable with.
She had to remind herself that Genki had promised she was not going to a lab.
"We'll be there in exactly two minutes." The police officer, a Mobian named Inspector Tezuka. "Once we are there you all need to get out so the unit can be moved onto the ship."
The children silently nodded, remaining crowded around Danielle's tank, continuing to talk to her about anything they could think of.
"You hear that, Dani? We're almost there." Kuki said to the ghost girl who nodded back with a grateful face, even though it was most covered by her breathing mask.
She'll be really glad for it to be all over and she could hopefully get out of this tank.
As the truck came upon the airstrip a pair of eyes watched from behind a black tinted visor.
"Target located." A little girl's voice said from inside the helmet. "She is there. Find her. Take her. Bring her home to daddy."
As the children got out of the truck they watched as the de-icing unit was slowly wheeled down a ramp. As they did Kuki felt a sudden jolt through her body, her eyes going wide and her heart racing as she looked up.
"Uh oh…"
Hearing her voice, the others looked at her and then followed her eyes, seeing someone in a red and black armored suit with a dark visor over their face. The outline showed them to be female and they were on a v-shaped hoverboard.
(Slingshot by Trocader Starts to Play)
Tezuka reached down for her pistol as she addressed the newcomer. She spoke Japanese to the person whose visor projected a translation inside her helmet.
"Jibun jishin o shikibetsu suru(Translation: Identify yourself)." The woman heard the Mobian's voice and her visor instantly showed her a translation.
She raised her hand and a blaster sprouted from her wrist.
"Take cover!" Tezuka shouted to the children as she aimed and fired.
The woman raised her other arm, projecting a light shield that blocked the bullets. From the bottom of her board came a dart thrower that instantly fired. Tezuka quickly rolled out of the way as the woman flew down, firing her darts and then flew straight at the de-icing unit holding Danielle.
"She's going after Dani!" Miku shouted.
Just as the woman was in grabbing distance something leapt out of from the shadow of the unit and delivered a high powered kick the woman's chin, knocking her off her board which flew over Danielle's tank.
"Guys!" Danielle cried out from inside, trying to get a better view of what was going on.
The woman crashed onto the ground but instantly got back up.
"Picking on little kids are we?"
The newcomer was a tall young girl with a thin waist, wide hips and legs. She had light brown skin and thick, waist length purple hair that was tied in a bun. She had big eyes, a small rectangle shaped nose and thin lips. She wore a sleeveless dark top with a loincloth like skirt tied around her waist, white cloth wrappings around her forearms and brown shinobi boots.
"Who is she?" Mushi whispered, taking shelter back in the track with her sister and the others. "Is she a Huntress?"
"She doesn't look like she's from here." Shinobu stated, seeing the way the girl moved and was dressed made him think she was a fellow ninja.
Tezuka opened fire with another barrage of bullets but the woman shot forward, moving at high speed and appearing in front of the bird Mobian, surprising her. The woman then head butted her, throwing her pistol away.
"Hey!" The new girl called as she shot forward and somersaulted through the air, aiming to deliver a double kick to the woman's back.
Only the woman spun around and blocked with her arms.
The girl then smirked. "Boom."
Suddenly from her boots came an explosion that sent the woman flying back. The girl somersaulted back through the air and landed perfectly next to Tezuka.
"I assume you are one of the Huntresses Lady Genki hired." Tezuka said as she pulled out a rod like device that sparked with electricity.
"The name's Enid and yeah." The girl answered as the woman slowly got back up. "What's this chick's deal?"
"Don't know…Don't care." Tezuka answered simply.
As the woman faced them Tezuka made the first move, swinging her stun rod at the woman who shrugged off the first hit. She tried to hit Tezuka multiple times but the avian Mobian through the use of her Semblance was able to accurately predict her opponent's moves. She hit her opponent with her stun rod multiple times and even managed to disable the wrist blasters. The woman tried to fight back, demonstrating herself to be skilled in karate and her armor seemed to enhance her skills and strength.
She tried punching Tezuka but her Semblance, granting her enhanced vision allowed her to see all the attacks coming as soon as the woman was making them. That was perhaps the only reason she was able to fluently dodge as well as she did. Enid leapt in, delivering another kick to the woman as she was distracted and knocked her down.
"You sure that thing works?" She asked Tezuka who threw her a dirty look.
The woman got back up and her armor started to glow with energy.
"Uh, what is that?" Enid mumbled.
Suddenly the woman burst forward, moving at insane speeds as she collided with Tezuka and Enid with such force she sent them flying back.
"Guys, what's going on?!" Danielle called out inside her tank.
Miku and Shinobu both shared a look, nodding to each other. They needed to find cover and fast without drawing suspicion. The woman moved to attack again but Enid jumped back to her feet and planted her hands on the ground and spun around, releasing a barrage of fire blasts from her foot cannons. The woman activated an energy shield around her in the form of a dome that blocked Enid's attacks.
The woman stood up as the shield dropped…and then vanished.
"Okay." Enid muttered, staying on guard. "Last I checked you were only allowed on Semblance."
Tezuka remained silent as she focused on finding the unknown enemy. Her pupils seemingly shrank as she concentrated on using her Semblance. It allowed her to see things as if she was looking through a scope, picking up details that would be missed by the normal eye.
Like the sudden movement on Enid's right.
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
Shells coated with Earth Dust slammed into an invisible figure that was within striking distance of Enid, covering her leg, right arm and even her head in instant earth that caused her to stagger over. Enid quickly delivered a spinning kick to the woman's face, knocking her back and cracking her visor. She followed up with a series of kicks to the woman while Tezuka aimed and fired regular bullets, successfully hitting the woman multiple times causing her to drop to one knee.
"You got her." Enid said, noting the blood coming out of the damaged areas of the armor.
The woman looked up as a little girl's voice spoke. "Activating Healing Unit."
Slowly the woman managed to stand back up with the armor seemingly healing itself.
"You have got to be kidding me." Enid sighed. "And I thought Boxmore's robots were annoying."
The woman stared at them and moved to attack as Enid quickly preformed a quick hand sign which was picked up by Tezuka.
'She knows Ninpo!' The inspector gaped.
Ninpo was considered a sub-variant of Aura but those who learned it were able to achieve more abilities and powers than a normal Huntsman or Huntress.
But how did this girl know it?
Just as the woman went on the attack, rushing at them again with her super speed Enid took a deep breath and then exhaled, releasing a blast of ice cold air that slammed into the woman head on, freezing her from head to toe.
"Wow!" Kuki, Mushi along with Kuni and Kimiko looked on in awe and surprise.
"Guys, come on! Tell me what's going on!" Danielle called out from the tank.
"Dani, please stay calm." Miku whispered near the tank.
At first it seemed the woman was finally defeated…
Then the ice shattered.
The woman staggered but was seemingly glaring at Enid now.
"Okay, seriously." Enid groaned. "What the Gob?"
Suddenly the woman vanished again and Tezuka prepared to use her Semblance again.
Only this time the woman wasn't using camouflage.
In one instant Enid and Tezuka were blasted back, both of them crying out in sheer shock and pain from the assault. The woman stood over them victoriously, having seemingly moved so fast she blasted before they could react. Both Huntresses looked badly injured now as the woman turned away from them, approaching Danielle's tank and stopping in front of it. The ghost girl stared up in shock and slight fear at the woman.
And yet she looked very familiar.
"Who are you?"
Just as the woman raised her hand…
And then a giant metal hand swatted her away.
The woman crashed several yards away, thanks to the Shinkalion Fumikiri.
Tezuka got up, narrowing her eyes at the sight of the machine but remembered Genki's threat. "This changes nothing…"
The woman had a chance to look up in time to see a second machine, Shinkalion Haifu slam its hand down on her, keeping her down.
"Wow!" Mushi exclaimed, seeing the two robots as they surrounded the woman. "Where did they come from?!"
"Yeah." Kuki looked around, seeing Miku and Shinobu were missing.
The woman struggled a bit before becoming still…and then her domed shield projected itself around her, knocking Fumikiri back. She then called for her hover board and jumped onto it, taking off and flying around the two Shinkalions as they tried to grab her. Cube shaped devices flew around with her and fired purple energy blasts, scorching the armor of the Shinkalions.
"What is this chick?" Enid muttered to herself.
The woman slammed a fist into the leg of Haifu, causing severe damage that caused Haifu to cry out and fall to one knee. The woman then moved to finish her off…
"STOP!"
Everyone stopped to see Dani Phantom herself, standing outside the de-icing unit and her body starting to freeze again. Her face turned blue and frost appeared in her hair as she shivered but was staring boldly up at the woman.
"Dani!" Kuki shouted.
"What are you doing?" Kimiko asked. "Get back in the tank!"
"You want me? Come and get me!" Dani shouted.
The woman stared…and then shot straight at the ghost girl.
"NO!" The kids screamed out but before the woman could grab her she was suddenly stuck in mid-air by a field of green energy.
"Huh?"
"What happened?"
The sound of a man chanting nearby caught their attention. "Yu Mo Gui Gwai Fai Di Zao. Yu Mo Gui Gwai Fai Di Zao. Yu Mo Gui Gwai Fai Di Zao. Yu Mo Gui Gwai Fai Di Zao."
It was a large Japanese man, wearing a white T-shirt with black overalls and brown sandals. He had black hair tied in a bun.
He was holding a puffer fish of some kind as he chanted without end, holding the woman in air with some sort of spell.
Leaving her open to attack as another Huntress jumped in, slashing at every angle and damaging the suit.
"Karai-san!" Kuki and Mushi exclaimed.
The Huntress had short dark black hair that was dyed blond in the back with two long hair strands on the right side, bright red eyeliner over the tips of her eyebrows and she wore a black and silver ninja outfit.
(Slingshot by Trocader Ends)
"Uh oh." The girl's voice spoke from inside the armor. "Daddy's not going to be happy. Locking armor."
Valerie's suit went into lockdown mode, paralyzing her body and leaving her limp. The man holding her in the air ended his spell and she fell to the ground like a puppet that just had its strings cut. In the meantime Danielle fell to her knees as ice started to form on the ground around her again.
"Dani!" Kuki and Mushi rushed over to her side, careful not to touch her face that was not covered.
"Get her back into the de-icing unit." Tezuka ordered, holstering her pistol and glaring at the Shinkalions as Fumikiri helped Haifu to her feet.
Xxx
"The second chakra is the chakra of fire. It represents pleasure and is blocked by guilt."
Raven took a deep breath and prepared herself for the second trial.
What did she feel guilty about?
Xxx
"So old four eye's little brat is trying to center herself huh?" Bill snickered. "Maybe I should get in on this."
Xxx
Guilt.
She may have pretended not to be afraid but she felt guilty.
Surprisingly about a lot of things.
What could those be?
Giving into Trigon and almost handing the Earth over to him on a platter?
Yep.
That was the big one.
She endangered the entire Earth for not trusting her friends over her demonic father.
What did that say about her?
But in the end they always forgave her.
Robin
Cyborg
Starfire
Beast Boy
They forgave her and it made her wonder what she, the daughter of Trigon did to deserve such friends.
Even after they learned what she was supposed to do.
"You tell him he'll have to destroy me before I help him." Raven said, using her powers to pin the undead Slade to the wall.
But stopped when she saw the scared looks on the faces of her friends.
"Raven?" Beast Boy was the only to speak.
Raven stopped herself, the red marks on her body vanishing as Slade escaped.
"How we stop him?" Cyborg asked after learning the truth.
"We don't." She answered solemnly.
"Doesn't mean we're not going to try." Beast Boy said, wrapping an arm around her as they all watched the sun rise.
Raven opened her eyes, feeling the second chakra awaken as she looked upon Azar's smiling face. "You unlocked the second chakra."
Xxx
"So this is the Beta Kindergarten?"
It was a lot brighter than the other Kindergarten.
"Yes. During the Rebellion, Homeworld scrambled to make additional troops." Peridot explained as they stepped off the warp pad.
"So bright." Steven remarked.
"Where are the other Gems? They should have been here by n-"
Peridot was cut off as something dash in, stopping right in front of him and kicked up dust everywhere.
"What the sta-"
"Garnet! Pearl! Amethyst!" Steven said happily.
It was indeed the three Gems along with Living Bullet who had brought them here in record time.
"That was a rush." Amethyst remarked with a dizzy giggle. "You got to show me how you do that. Can you imagine how much fun I could have?"
"Sorry, Miss Amethyst. It's unique only to me." Bullet replied with a smile.
"Seriously?" Amethyst scoffed and blew some hair from her face. "Lame and stop calling me Miss. Makes me sound like I'm some old crone." She gestured to Pearl. "That's her thing."
Pearl scowled but cleared her throat. "Well we're here now. What's the status of the drill?"
"RAGH!"
The group looked to see a bunch of creatures resembling Gem limbs attacking a bunch of humans and were about to jump in.
Right before they saw the humans easily take down the Gem monsters easily, peppering them with bullets until there was one left who charged at their leader…
"Roland!" Steven gasped and called out.
Roland remained focused as he created a light blade in his hand and with one quick slash the Gem monster poofed into its gemstone…or gemstones.
"Those were early Fusion experiments. Prototypes for the Cluster." Peridot remarked, surprised to see these humans take them down so quickly.
"We need to bubble them, quickly." Garnet ordered.
As the three Gems went about bubbling the gemstones of the poofed Gems Steven could not help but walk up to Roland as he gathered his team. "Roland, is that you?"
"Steven Universe." Roland nodded to the young boy. "I had a feeling we would meet again very soon."
"You look…different. Weren't you older last time?" Steven wondered.
"Things change rather quickly." Roland replied, noticing Peridot and Connie. "I was told you would be accompanied by two who knew of the Cluster."
"Right, this is Peridot," He gestured to the green Gem who was slightly timid and then to Connie who was…staring in slight awe. "And Connie. Both come from Homeworld."
Roland nodded silently to them before looking back at Steven. "Sebben called us and requested we keep this land clear of any danger when you arrived with the drill."
"Really? Thank you." Steven said gratefully. "We didn't think there would be any of those…Fusion Gems out here."
"Well it makes sense. As I said they were prototypes to the Cluster." Peridot remarked as she looked around.
"This place sure is dead for being the birthplace of Gems." One of Roland's team members said.
"Steven, this is Alain." Roland decided to return Steven's members and introduce his team. "Along with Thomas, Aileen and Susan."
"Hi." Steven quickly waved at them and they returned with a small wave and smile.
"They are with me, helping to form a new group of Gunslingers." Roland continued. "They are descendent from failed Gunslingers but they have the skills and the heart to remake our order."
"Wow." Steven marveled.
"Are we getting a fan now?" Alain asked before looking at Peridot. "You come from Homeworld?"
"I do." Peridot hesitantly nodded.
"Mind telling me what's with the holes? I heard your empire believed in perfection." Alain gestured to the surrounding holes in the canyon.
"Well," Peridot cleared her throat. "The Beta Kindergarten was made to create more soldiers in a short amount of time so it is logical to assume they had the Injectors deployed in any location where they were sure a Gem would emerge. Sadly it's not likely that these Gems emerged perfectly like in the Prime Kindergarten. This was likely made by Blue Diamond's court along with almost any other Beta Kindergarten."
"Sounds like Homeworld wasn't really interested in quality as much as quantity." Thomas surmised.
"It's red." Amethyst remarked.
"No kidding. Heh. Red sandstone. We're lucky this place hasn't blown away." Peridot said as she walked up to a few of the holes. "I mean, this place has got the right growing conditions in a pinch. I guess…" She picked up a rock, licked it and tossed it aside. "But it's too small. It was obviously a total rush job. I mean look at the holes, they don't even line up!"
Peridot walked up to an exit hole half way inside a tunnel.
"This Carnelian came out sideways! How could she not, the walls are curved!" Peridot chuckled. "What a joke."
"Man, I had no idea." Amethyst commented and looked at Pearl and Garnet. "How come you guys never showed me this?"
Pearl shifted a bit. "Rose-"
"Got it." Amethyst rolled her eyes. "She told you guys not to bring me here or mention it right?"
"We never thought we'd come here." Garnet weakly answered.
"What about this hole?" Aileen pointed at another hole. "This one is different from all the others."
Indeed it was.
The hole in question was larger than the others with arms in an upward pose instead of at the sides.
Peridot froze. "Jasper…"
"This is Jasper's hole?" Steven asked with widened eyes.
"It's huge." Amethyst now felt really small…again.
"Oh, come on, we already know she's tall. Let's take a closer look." Peridot walked over to the large hole. "A Kindergartner can tell a lot about a Gem's makeup and flaws by their exit mark."
"Do we have time for this?" Pearl questioned. "I thought we were on an important mission."
"We have time." Garnet answered calmly. "Amethyst needs this."
Steven walked over and gave Peridot a lift, allowing her to climb into the hole.
"Thanks." The green Gem said before looking around. "You see, the problem here-wait. Oh wait, oh, no, umm…Now this part…hmm. There's this thing where if you count the steps to the back I can…"
Peridot was silent for a second before she came out of the hole.
"What is it?" Amethyst asked.
Peridot hopped out of the hole and walked back up to the group. "She's even got frictional rock melt. It's glass all the to the back. Actually, I uh…I've never seen an exit hole this perfect."
Amethyst glowered. "So she really is the perfect Quartz."
"Whether you are perfect or not it doesn't make you unstoppable." Roland said calmly.
"He's right, Amethyst." Steven agreed. "Who you are isn't about where you came from. It's who you wanna be. It's what you worked hard for. It's what you care about, that's what really matters!"
Amethyst smiled a bit. "Yeah! Yeah, you're right!"
"Yeah!" Steven nodded.
"It's about who I wanna be!" Amethyst pumped a fist.
"Yeah!"
"And I wanna be the Gem that beats Jasper into the dirt!" Amethyst declared.
"Ye-Huh?" Steven stopped mid-sentence.
Peridot laughed a bit. "You can't fight her! She's the Ultimate Quartz!"
"And we already bubbled her." Garnet spoke. "We're not letting her back out."
"I'm doing it. Yeah and not just for me but for all the weird holes out there!" Amethyst declared, walking down the canyon. "Like this guy! And 'Skinny' up there! And all these guys!"
"Amethyst." Pearl sighed as she walked after the purple Gem.
Steven simply stood and watched Amethyst as she continued down the canyon.
"She's a spirited one." Susan could not help but comment.
"Yeah, she's always been like that." Steven admitted before looking at Roland. "Hey, uh…Roland. Last time I saw you, you said you were the last Gunslinger."
"That's right." Roland nodded.
"Yeah…How come that's different now and why were you the last?" Steven asked.
"Gunslingers undergo dangerous missions. One of the most important reasons why is that we lost a great many of our numbers was our rite of passage. To become a full-fledged Gunslinger the student must defeat their teacher in battle and if the student fails they are exiled." Roland explained. "This is said at the beginning of the rite.
"The teacher asks: Have you come here for a serious purpose boy?
"The student answers: I have come for a serious purpose.
"Have you come as an outcast from your father's house?
"I have so come, and will remain so unless I best you.
"Have you come with your chosen weapon?
"I have.
"What is your weapon? The student announces the weapon they are using." Roland finishes.
"Guns?" Steven hesitantly asked.
"No. Guns are forbidden to the student and only the teacher can use them in the rite of passage. I used my pet hawk, David. I passed my test but my teacher Cortland lost his eye and David lost his life." Roland continued.
"What?!" Steven gasped. "He killed your pet!?"
"I fire a bullet into the air on the anniversary of David's death." Roland looked at Steven. "This scares you."
"You just told me your teacher killed your pet and you took his eye." Steven explained like it was obvious.
"And your mother waged an entire war against her own people. Gems and people were destroyed through it all." Roland calmly rebuked. "This world can be a dangerous place, Steven. At times you will be forced to accomplish tasks you've never thought you would have to do before."
Steven was silent as he considered Roland's words. He didn't want to hurt anyone and he was sure his mother didn't either.
Still she have to fight in the end and Garnet admitted whatever hard things she did it was always for Earth.
"Hey look! The drill is here!" Connie called out, pointing to the sky.
Indeed it was, being carried by none other than Major Glory himself.
Xxx
"The third chakra is the chakra of fire. It represents willpower and is blocked by shame."
Shame.
Raven could think of one thing to be ashamed about.
It wasn't something she spoke out loud, even to her friends.
She felt guilty for believing Trigon when he convinced her to fulfil the prophecy.
She had her heart broken by Malchior.
But what did she feel ashamed of?
"Idiot."
"Immature pinhead."
"You better hope I don't come over there and rip your head off!"
"WOULD YOU KNOCK THAT OUT OR DO I HAVE TO SEND YOU TO ANOTHER DIMENSION?!"
Don't get her wrong; Raven cared deeply for all her friends.
Including a certain green skinned idiot.
Even if he tried to drive her insane at times.
Even if she threatened or insulted him over a hundred times a few days a week.
The thing is…she didn't like insulting him the way she did.
Sure his jokes were corny.
He was loud.
He had no respects for personal boundaries.
He pulled stupid pranks.
He had no concept of personal hygiene.
And he didn't leave her alone…
"I never tell him that I'm actually grateful because I don't want to be alone."
"Well isn't that so sweet?"
Raven felt a chill go down her spine with a level of fear that she probably hadn't felt since the day of that hated prophecy arrived, as she looked up at the form that many would believe harmless from his appearance alone. But she knew better having heard whispers and stories of the one eyed trickster, the demon that literally burned his birth dimension and all its denizens with it to the grounds.
A monster whose insanity and cruelty made the likes of the Joker look like a sad joke in comparison, an entity who even her father might have treated with caution.
Raven whispered out the name of the one eye demon in front of her as his insane laughter sends more chills down her spine. "Bill Cipher."
Bill thanks of his hat and bows a bit. "The one and only! And your old four eyes daughter Raven, who went and offed her old man. Tsk, tsk, tsk, kids these days no gratitude." Bill waved a finger and then shrugged. "Oh well at least my little girl isn't like that."
Raven kept her guard up but showed concern in her tone. "You have a daughter?"
Bill floated around Raven. "Yep! And let me tell you she's a chip of the ol pyramid, why you should have seen her slaughter some old reject followers of mine, burnt them all alive!" Bill's body flashed and showed pictures of that very massacre. He suddenly went into a bit of a laughing fit much to Raven's disgust. "Oh the looks on their faces were priceless!"
Bill wiped a tear from his eye. "But speaking of my little girl why don't I introduce you, the two of you can even have a bit of play date."
Bill snapped his finger and suddenly Raven quickly twisted around and threw up a barrier just in time as a blast powerful blue flames hit it. It stopped allowing Raven to see a smaller form reveal herself walking through the flames in the form a blonde haired child with a emotionless yet arrogant look on her face, her eyes changing to match Cipher's demoniac filled with just as much madness to match her father.
Pacifica curtsied as she spoke. "A pleasure to meet your acquaintance Gem of Trigon, I am the herald of the dawning era of madness and weirdness, Pacifica Cipher."
And she followed up her introduction with a blast of blue fire.