The Eldritch Guard:

Later Is Now

Chapter 2

Got The Time

By Nick Maro

Eleven Years Ago:

Jumping at the knock on the door, Roxy walked quickly to answer it. A young man in his early twenties stood before her holding a box of pizza. "Pizza time!" he said in a way too happy of a voice. He wore a red shirt that read Sal's Pizza and under it was simply his name P. Parker. He took the money that Roxy handed him and began to count out the change.

"The rest is for you," Roxy told him as she opened the box to make sure the order was correct. He thanked her with a big smile again as she nodded while closing the door. Walking to the table in the hotel suite, she set the pizza box down then swore under her breath. "I should've asked for plates and napkins." Looking at the cabinets in the kitchen area, she shrugged and began searching them in hopes finding anyway. She found a set of four plates in the third cabinet. She also found a couple of napkins that were left in a drawer.

Opening the box as she sat down, she grabbed a couple of slices of the sausage and black olive pizza and put them on her plate. As she took her first bite as Jetta opened the bathroom door and gave her a confused look. "What the bloody hell are you doin'?"

Roxy chewed her mouthful of food and shrugged. "Eating."

"There's going to be food at the party that we're already late for. You still need to get changed."

"I'm not going." Roxy took another bite of her dinner while looking away.

Jetta put her hands on her hips and chewed the inside of her cheek. "You agreed to go on the trip here. Why did you change your mind?"

Finishing her first piece, Roxy slumped in her seat and sighed. "I won't fit in there. These are your friends and I don't have anything in common with them."

Jetta rolled her eyes and made a scoffing noise. "You know some of them. Phoebe and Maeve are lookin' forward to seein' you again." She looked at the time and kissed her girlfriend lightly on the lips. She licked the grease from the pizza from her own lips and gave her a hug. "If you want to stay, that's fine with me. But you know where it's bein' held, right?" Roxy nodded as she started her second piece. Jetta grabbed a piece for herself before she began to leave. "I won't be too late. Love you."

"Love you and have fun. Tell the others I said hello." Roxy smiled when Jetta nodded and left the suite leaving her to eat in peace. A twinge of guilt gnawed at her gut for changing her mind so suddenly. The look of disappointment that Jetta held stuck in her mind as she finished her second slice. Groaning out of annoyance, she leaned her head back and grumbled. "Fuck me, she knows how to guilt trip me without consciously doing so."

Closing the box on the rest of pizza, Roxy cleaned up the table and put the box in the fridge. "It's always better cold anyway." She opened her suitcase and pulled out the outfit she bought for the trip. She changed quickly and went into the bathroom to finish getting changed. Twenty minutes later she was ready. She called for a taxi to pick her up from the hotel while she rode the elevator down to the lobby.

Stepping out of the hotel, Roxy couldn't resist her smile. The Autobot City skyline at night was one of her favorites. A light, cool wind blew past her making her hug the jacket around herself. She stood up straighter when she spotted the taxi pulling up. "The EDC building please," she said as she entered the vehicle.

Jetta stood off to the side of the party sipping her drink. Nearby Rapture talked with a group of Earth Defense Force recruits. She was half listening to her friend explain the finer points of magickal powers. She looked up when Rapture mentioned her name. Trying to hide her confusion she smiled and took another sip of her drink, letting the head of the Eldritch Guard repeat herself. "I was telling the cadets about when we thought there was a sect of mages plotting a dimensional uprising a few months ago."

"Oh, right, it just turned out to be a group of teens messin' around with a book they found. It was nothin', but we did discover at least two who did have some magickal abilities. Pheebs gave them our information to train with us if they wanted." Jetta looked away trying to hide her wandering mind. "But if you'll excuse me, I'm goin' to refresh me drink."

Excusing herself from the cadets, Rapture joined Jetta as she slowly walked up to the bar. "Hey, what's going? You've been distracted since you got here. It's a party! Have a little fun. We're celebrating one year since the Eldritch Guard has become an official branch of the Earth Defense Corps. Granted we really haven't done a lot, we're still going to celebrate."

Sighing as she accepted her drink from the bartender, Jetta leaned her forearms on the edge of the bar. "I know. It's a special night for all of us." She took a sip from the drink and hung her head down a bit. "It's just Roxy, she-"

"She was running late again," Roxy said as she hugged her girlfriend from behind. "You were right again," she whispered in her ear, "you guilt tripping limey bitch." She gave a light giggle when she felt Jetta do the same. Roxy let go of her and turned to Rapture. "And holy shit you look fantastic. Like a real person of authority."

"Why thank you and you do also. Sheila would also if she agreed to wear her uniform, but this is a casualish affair so I'm letting it slide." Rapture pointed at the now blushing woman. "But only this time, do it again I'm writing you up on charges or something." She smirked as the two women giggled. "C'mon, I'll introduce you to some of the other members of the Guard." She led the pair to a small group of mages talking at a table. "This is Martin Walker our resident tech genius and defense expert."

Martin was an African American man of slight build with short cropped hair and glasses that perched on the tip of his nose. Standing to greet Roxy and Jetta, he eagerly shook Roxy's hand. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Roxy. Sheila and Phoebe speak highly of you all the time. I wouldn't call myself a tech genius by any means seeing as there aren't any real technological defenses against magick. But I've been known to invent few alternative ways around them." He gave her a kind smile as he removed his glasses. "You should definitely come by the Estate and see what I've done." Roxy gave him a polite smile and nodded.

"Next we have Edmund Peart. He's a music theory professor from San Francisco."

Slowly looking up, Edmund blinked as if noticing Roxy for the first time. He was an older man who looked to be in his late fifties yet in excellent shape. His white speckled dark hair was wild but his beard looked neat and trim. Roxy would've thought he was a professor of some sort even if she didn't know he was one. He chuckled softly to himself and stood up to shake Roxy's hand vigorously. "Oh I must apologize for my mind wanders at these events. I'm a huge fan of your guitar playing. I have what is known as synesthesia or more specifically chromesthesia. It's the ability to see music as colors and shapes. You see, I can take musical notes and turn them into defense or offense."

Jetta nodded quickly and smiled at her girlfriend. "You really should see him do it. It's quite amazing really."

Giving the older man a quizzical look, Roxy smirked a bit. "That's definitely different and sounds like something from a superhero movie. You don't have codenames or anything, do you? I mean, the rest of The Misfits have stage names except for me. But that," she stopped herself in midsentence and looked at Jetta in mild amused confusion, "you know, I don't know why they do."

"I always saw it as just nicknames, luv."

Edmund chuckled deeply again and gave her a friendly smile. "Most people just call me the Prof."

"The Prof will talk your ear off for hours about music if you let him." Rapture led Roxy to a woman in an Earth Defense Corp dress uniform. Her straight brown hair went past her shoulders and was tied back in a loose braid. "I don't think you've had the chance to meet the woman in charge yet. Roxanne Pelligrini this is Commander Marissa Faireborn, our fearless leader."

The EDC Commander firmly shook Roxy's hand and flashed a gentle smile. "The infamous Roxanne Pelligrini has finally graced us with her presence," she said with humor in her voice. Roxy wasn't quite sure where her accent was from. "It's wonderful to meet you. I know that you have an aversion to magick, so thank you for coming out. I'm sure that both Phoebe and Sheila have assured you that no magick will be used tonight."

Roxy gave Jetta an annoyed look. "I had a very traumatic experience, but I'm working through it. And thank you for all that you've been doing. Now if you'll excuse me, I haven't had a chance to have dinner." She turned to her girlfriend and flashed a knowing smile. "Someone told there would be food here."

"C'mon, we'll go feed the big baby." Jetta put her arm around Roxy's waist leading her away from her friends. "I'll catch up with you both later, yeah?" The two women nodded as Jetta and Roxy left to find the buffet table.

Leaning against the pillar, Roxy watched the night's sky as she sipped her drink. She smiled to herself as she remembered her time of actually being on another planet. It was a crazy and chaotic time, but also some of the best times of her life. So much had happened to herself and her friends in the past few years. It felt strange to actually be able to catch her breath without wondering what the next event would be.

"There you are! I thought you said you would try ta fit in," Jetta slurred slightly as she walked with a slight wobble. "Instead I find ya out here starin' up at the stars again. You okay, luv?"

"I'm fine, just wanted to get some fresh air." Roxy put her arm around the Englishwoman's shoulders. "It's a beautiful night and this skyline is amazing."

Jetta looked out where Roxy gestured and nodded slowly. She grabbed the glass from Roxy's hand and looked at the amber liquid. "So what are ya drinkin'?" She took a sip and gave her girlfriend a confused look. "Sparklin' grape juice? Seriously? I thought fer sure you'd be shitfaced by now."

Taking the glass back, Roxy shook her head. "I'm just taking a break. I was getting a bit fuzzy brained in there. Anyway, I'm glad you came out here because I've been thinking about something." She waved off the concerned look Jetta gave her. "Relax, it's a good thing. I'm going to do a solo album and go on tour. You're busy with the Eldritch Guard, Phyllis is busy with Misfits Music business and Mary has her own thing going on. Meanwhile, I'm at home writing music that will never get used at this rate. I'm getting restless and I need this."

Resting her head on Roxy's shoulder, Jetta thought about what she had said. "Whatever you do, I fully support it, you know that, yeah?" She took a deep breath and led Roxy back into the party. "Now let's go celebrate!"

Ten Years Ago:

Sitting at her dining room table, Stormer held her head up with both hands on her forehead as she studied the text book. For the past three years she had been taking courses on ornithology. She was now starting her fourth year and it was a tougher than she had expected. Cursing under her breath, she read the paragraph again before throwing her head back and groaning in frustration. "I should know this shit by now!"

Chip turned from washing the dishes and gave her his disarming smile. "Just relax, it'll come to you. Better yet just take a break, the semester is just starting. You're pushing yourself too hard again." He smirked as she glared at him while chewing on the end of her pencil.

"I hate it when you're right like that." Stormer closed the text book and pushed it away. She leaned back in her chair and stretched while throwing her arms out wide. "I only started these courses to get my mind off of the band. I don't need to write anything new and we are on an extended hiatus. I just thought this wouldn't be so goddamn stressful."

"You're making it stressful by trying to force yourself to learn faster. Take it slow and easy. I overheard your instructor on the computer. You're doing what you always do by trying to overachieve. Follow the syllabus he gave you. There's no reason to get ahead of the rest of the class."

Stormer rubbed her eyes with the corners of her palms while she listened. She blinked the stars away when was finished. "Again, you're right. I was like this in high school, too. I was almost the valedictorian, did you know that? I always felt like that I needed to prove myself to everyone. I was always in Phyllis's shadow." She gave a little shrug, stood from the chair and walked into the kitchen. Hugging Chip from behind, she kissed him on the side of his neck and smiled. "But now she's my best friend and actual sister, before she was just my best friend."

"It still amazes me after hearing stories of how you were before to how you are now. How the hell didn't The Misfits know they were a family?"

"Oh we were a family, just a very dysfunctional family." She rested her head on his shoulder and watched him finish with the dishes. "Now that I think about it, we still are just with better coping skills." Stormer giggled when Chip started laughing softly, she turned her head when she heard the doorbell ring. Looking at the time, she gave him a slight shrug. "I definitely wasn't expecting anyone tonight. However, this just may be the universe telling me to take a break."

Chip kissed Stormer on the cheek as she left his side. "I really need to pack for my trip to Autobot City, anyway."

The doorbell rang three more times in a row causing Stormer to yell, "I hear ya! Holy shit." She opened the door with a slightly annoyed look on her face it quickly faded when she saw Kimber standing in her doorway. She looked like she had been crying.

She held up the pizza and a six pack of beer she had in her hands as she shrugged. "I couldn't open the door with my hands full." Kimber slowly walked into her best friends' home after Stormer took the pizza from her hands. "Fucking men, I swear I don't why I fucking deal with them." She stopped and looked over her shoulder at Stormer. "I broke up with Alan."

"Ah crap." Stormer put the pizza on the coffee table in the living room as Kimber handed her a bottle of beer. She set the bottle next to the pizza box and pulled Kimber into a tight hug. 'I'm so sorry, but this has been a long time coming, hasn't it?"

Kimber drained her bottle of beer and belched into the back of her hand as she nodded. "Oh yeah, we were fighting about everything the past few months. I finally got sick of his bullshit and told him to get the fuck out. So tonight I just want to get drunk and eat pizza and watch shitty movies. You up for that?"

"It's a good thing that I'm leaving for a few days. Don't want to incur a woman's wrath for just being a guy."

Jumping over the couch and hugging Chip tight, Kimber gave him a big kiss on the cheek. "Oh I could never get mad at you! You're one of the good ones, Chip Chase!"

Hefting the shoulder strap to rest better on his shoulder, Chip gave a shy smile. "Thanks, but I do have to get going. I'm heading to Autobot City so I can have the circuitry in my spine looked at and updated. My legs have been a little sluggish lately." He checked the time on the clock and made a face. "The transport can wait a few minutes." He put the bag down and sat down next to Stormer. "I don't think I ever told you, Kim, what happened to me as a kid."

"No. Were you injured?"

"I was crippled as a kid in a bike accident. I lost the use of my legs after I got run over by a car. I was eight years old and just learning how to ride my bike. This car came out of nowhere, jumped the curb and ran me over, crushing my spine. The doctors said I would never walk again, but that was before the Autobots came along into my life. I was in a wheelchair until I was nineteen. It was while in the wheelchair that I became obsessed with computers and technology." Chip took a sip from Stormer's beer. "I was actually one of the first people that Spike introduced to the Autobots. They happily helped me regain the use of my legs, first through cybernetic bracers and then finally through surgery on my spine. I just need a tune up every so often."

Kimber brought the bottle from her lips down slowly and nodded. "Wow. I never would've guessed."

Picking up his bag as he stood, Chip let out a soft laugh. "It's not like I advertise it or anything. Now I do have to get going." He bent down to hug Kimber as he walked to the door. "I'm sorry to hear about the break up." Stormer followed him out the door and he closed it slightly for some privacy. "I'll call you when I get to the City. Have as much of a good time as you can cheering her up, okay?"

"Oh, you know I'll find ways to distract to her." Stormer looked through the gap of the door at the redhead sitting on her couch. "I'll have her help me with my studying." She hugged and kissed him farewell. "Love you and hope everything goes well. Say hello to everyone there for me." Chip nodded and walked off to the waiting vehicle. Leaning against the wall of her home, she watched the transport fly off into the distance. Once it was gone from her sight, she went back inside.

"I really should've called first, Mary. I'm sorry that I didn't. I was just so upset that I needed to get over here to talk." Kimber yelled from the living room. She smiled as she wiped pizza grease from her fingers on a napkin.

"It's fine. I was going to just spend the night trying to study. Now I have an excuse to take a night off and have some fun. It's been way too long since we've hung out." Stormer sat next to her best friend and grabbed a slice of pizza.

Nine Years Ago:

"…and by the power invested by me and the State of California, the United States, the planet Gaia in the Sol planetary system, I hereby name you lawfully wedded husband and wife," Rapture said as she held the hands of Riot and Pizzazz, "you may now disgust everyone by kissing." She held back a giggle when the newly wedded couple smirked and glared at her joking around. Pizzazz leaned in and kissed her now husband Riot to the cheers of her friends and family. Rapture held up their hands after they had finished smiled proudly. "I present to you Rory and Phyllis Llewelyn! Now let's fuckin' party!" She covered her mouth when she noticed the Starlight Girls in the crowd.

Letting out a shocked yelp as he lifted and carried her down the aisle, Pizzazz kissed Riot's cheek. He set her down at the end of the aisle and acted as if he had hurt his back. She playfully backhanded his upper arm and laughed as they left the ballroom together. Their family and friends followed the couple as they let the catering and wedding planners set the tables and chairs for the reception. The ballroom was ready within a matter of minutes.

Pizzazz and Riot waited a few extra moments in the backyard of the Xanthos Estate with the rest of The Misfits, The Stingers, Jerrica and The Holograms. "Thank you so much, Phoebe, you really are the best." Riot hugged Rapture tight and kissed her cheek. "Phyllis and I both agreed that you were the only who could wed us properly."

"I think I made our wedding planner's head explode when that I suggested this." Pizzazz laughed again when she turned to Jerrica, "See, I told you that a wedding planner would be easier all those years ago. I only gained one ulcer." Jerrica rolled her eyes and hugged the woman who had since become like a sister to her.

The reception had been going for a few hours. Cyndi and Mrs. Bailey took the younger Starlight Girls home around eight o'clock. Jerrica let the girls who could drive and were out of high school stay for the festivities. It was still strange to think of the girls she raised as responsible young women with lives of their own. A few of them even brought their own dates to the wedding.

Pizzazz shared a dance with Yuji who had walked her down the aisle. She smiled as they danced slowly. "Y'know, you were never a step-father to me. You're my business mentor, but most of all, you became a real father figure over the years. And I love you. I know I don't say it to you too often but I do." She hugged him tight as the song ended. "Thank you."

"I love you as well, Phyllis. I know your mother and brother would love seeing you like this." Yuji walked with her to her seat at the wedding party table. "You're happy. That's exactly what both of them really wanted for you." He placed his hand on Riot's shoulder and smiled. "Now it's up to you to make sure she stays happy. She's bound to get into trouble, it's in her nature, so you make sure none of it sticks." He let out a loud laugh when Riot gave him a confused and shocked look.

"I am the Queen Bitch of Rock after all," Pizzazz smirked as Yuji laughed even louder when he took his seat at the table.

"The next question is who is getting married next, Mary and Chip or Roxy and Sheila?" Kimber arched her eyebrow at her friends.

Roxy choked on the glass of wine she was sipping. She wiped her chin with wide eyes while shaking her head. "Oh hell no, Sheila and me both agreed no wedding here. We're happy just living in sin and pissing off Middle America." She looked at Stormer and Chip as she winked. "You two have fun tying the knot though. Excuse me, I see someone who needs some entertaining." She kissed Jetta's cheek and got up from her seat. Walking over to Yukio she put on her best disappointed frown. "It's a wedding, cheer up, have some fun, dammit!"

Looking up from her phone, Yukio gave a fake forced grin. "Sorry, I'm having a lot of fun. I was just checking my messages. The guy I asked to the wedding stood me up. I was hoping that he would've at least given me a good reason." She slid the phone back into her suit jacket pocket and sighed. She had decided to wear a tux instead of a dress. She felt dresses restricted her movement too much. "I never had much luck with dates."

"The hell with him then! He obviously has shitty judgment, you don't need that. I'm your date now." Roxy leaned against the pillar and smirked when Yukio giggled. She held her hand out to the young ninja. "C'mon, dance with me. Sheila won't care." She smiled when Yukio gently took her hand and they slow danced to the ballad that came on. Roxy looked over at Jetta and shrugged. Jetta gave her girlfriend a thumbs up and smiled.

"Are you and Sheila doing okay? You seem to be distracting yourself from her." Yukio took the lead and gave her friend a concerned look.

"Oh we're fine we're just taking a break from each other. I've been keeping busy with some music and she's been busy with the Guard." Roxy shrugged a little and watched Jetta as she danced. "Don't get me wrong, I love her with all of my heart, sometimes we need a break." She let out a sigh when the song ended. "I need a drink, join me? I could use your ear." Yukio followed Roxy outside after she grabbed them both a glass of champagne. They found a private place to sit and talk. "It's times like this that I really miss David. He would definitely give me some good advice or maybe some halfassed advice. I really think he made things up as he went along."

"He was truly a master of bullshit advice."

"That he was." Roxy sipped her drink and sighed again. "Sheila has been spending a lot more time here with Phoebe searching for something. Sometimes she's here for a few days without coming home. I just started feeling like she was ignoring me. I know she isn't it's just that stupid paranoid part of the brain everyone has. Last week we decided to break up for a while. We're still living together and all, but she moved to the guest room. So yay, temporally single Roxy!"

Yukio listened to Roxy and sipped her own drink. "You two have a very strong bond, don't you?" Roxy nodded and watched the Starlight Girls who stayed explore the Estate grounds. "You are certain you'll get back together?"

Finishing her champagne, Roxy shrugged. "Yes? I really don't see myself without her. She's the constant in my life. I mean, I can go months without talking to Phyllis or Mary, but I can barely go a couple of days without talking to Sheila. Even if it is only a short conversation." She got to her feet and helped Yukio to hers. "I've been meaning to ask you, could you teach you me martial arts? I know you've taken over the Los Angeles branch of the Arashikage Dojo, but I wanted you to be the one to teach me." She grabbed two more glasses of champagne from a passing waiter and handed one to Yukio.

After taking a sip, Yukio nodded and smiled. "Yeah, I could do that for you. Come into the dojo when you're ready. I'm there most days. And nice segue to change the conversation, really smooth."

"Yeah, well, I try."

Roxy began walking back into the reception when Stormer came out the door obviously searching for someone or something. She grabbed Roxy and Yukio's hands and pulled them into the ballroom. "There you two are, they're about to serve the cake. Also, I want to talk to Rox about something with the rest of The Misfits." She looked at the expression that Roxy had and frowned a bit. "Cheer up! It's a wedding, dammit!"

Moaning as she rubbed her feet, Pizzazz waited for Stormer to return with Roxy. She kicked off her other heel and began rubbing her foot. She was thankful to get away from the reception for a few minutes so she could decompress a bit. It was then that she realized that she hadn't been able to be alone with her three best friends all day. "I knew I should've broken these heels in before wearing them all damn day," Pizzazz mumbled to herself.

"I found our wayward bassist!" Stormer said as she entered the room with Yukio and Roxy following close behind. "Holy shit, this is the first time we've all been together in a couple of years." She looked around the room that was converted into a hospitality suite for the wedding party. "Okay, before I get emotional and completely sidetracked, I was hoping that we could discuss the idea of recording a new album. I know we're all doing our own thing, but I've been getting the itch to record again, definitely the itch to perform on stage and tour again.

"I know that Roxy has been doing her solo act and I really love it, but I really miss all of you. I miss performing together and being one big family." Stormer wrapped an arm around the shoulders of both Roxy and Jetta. "I know you two are having personal troubles. I can see it on your faces and how you've been acting all day. Maybe it's time we all took time away from our personal lives and started making music again." She gestured at Pizzazz and smirked. "I'm almost one hundred percent certain that you're bored out of your skull dealing with Misfits Music and Gabor Industries business. When was the last time you had a vacation? I mean a real vacation."

Pizzazz opened her mouth to answer then closed it again as she began to think. "I think it was a few years ago. I have been working pretty hard. Between the business classes and Yuji mentoring me, I've kept myself busy." She got up and poured herself a glass of water. "After I get back from the honeymoon I guess I could extend my leave of absence. I'll talk things over with Yuji and see if he minds filling in for me a little longer." A smile crept across her lips the more she thought about recording a new album. "All I'd really have to do is spend a little time approving his decisions." She sipped her water and nodded. "I'm in, let's do it!"

The two half-sisters turned to Jetta and Roxy anxiously waiting for their answer. Jetta chewed on her thumbnail the stopped when she realized what she was doing. "I have really been throwin' meself pretty hard into this research I've been doin'. I'm gettin' kinda sick of hittin' dead end after dead end. Maybe I do need a new distraction." She glanced at Roxy and let herself smile wide. "And I do really miss my girl here. I never thought that I would be spendin' so much time with the Guard. I thought it would just be a few days a week kinda thing." She took a hold of Roxy's hand and squeezed it gently. "If it means spendin' more time with Rox then yes, I'm in also."

Roxy looked at Jetta and mouthed the words I love you to her. "Of course I'm fucking in. I missed you three so fucking much. Playing with my band is great, but they don't compare to The Misfits." She turned to Yukio and grinned knowing that everything was going to be all right. "But I really missed you, Sheila. We did the one thing that we never shoulda done. Become distant from one another. No more walls, yeah?"

"No more walls and no more keepin' things from one another." Jetta hugged her girlfriend tight after a loving kiss that made her melt. She rested her head on Roxy's shoulder as they remained in their embrace. Stormer wrapped her arms around the couple.

Running over and hugging the three friends who were a family to her, Pizzazz kissed each of their cheeks. "It's about fucking time we got back together." She reached out and pulled Yukio into the group hug. "You're a part of this dysfunctional family, too." After a few moments they each stood back. "Well, I think we should get back to the festivities before people think we got kidnapped or something."

"Oh don't even joke about that!" Yukio said with a slight giggle in her voice. She followed the newly reunited band out of the room with a renewed sense of purpose.

Letting go Jetta's hand, Roxy wrapped her arm around Yukio and grinned. "Sorry, Sheila, but Yukio is my date. She asked me before we got back together." She gave her a playful wink.

"Somebody wake up Ingrid, the party's over." Riot stretched after helping his new bride Pizzazz to her feet. He glanced at his phone and cringed a little. It was just after one thirty in the morning. "I don't think we've had this much fun in ages, Phyllis." He looked out into the ballroom at the stragglers who were slowly saying their good bye and leaving. The catering staff had left long ago and since then Rapture and Astral had been bringing out the private reserve of the Xanthos Estate wines and liquors.

Rapture stopped Chip and Stormer from cleaning up. "We'll deal with this when we get up. Both of you go to bed." She turned to Riot and Pizzazz. "Congratulations again, you both make a great couple. Love you both." She hugged her two friends and kissed their cheeks. "I'm off to fall into a coma." She said her farewells to the rest of her friends and left the ballroom.

Hiding her yawn Minx started waking up. "I'm going to follow Phoebe's lead and find a nice soft bed to sleep in for the next day. My legs are killing me. I haven't danced like that in a long time." She kissed Riot softly on the lips and did the same to Pizzazz. "It was such a lovely ceremony and reception. You'll have to visit me in Autobot City soon." She wiggled her fingers as she walked out of the room.

"And that's our cue as well." Stormer hugged her best friend and her new brother in law tight. "I'll talk to you both soon. Night!" Chip joined her after he said his own good bye.

"I'm goin' to go take care of the Dancing Queen there."Jetta looked to where Roxy and Yukio were still dancing slowly. "Rather I should say Queens. Where they get their energy, I have no idea." She shook her head and turned back. "Congrats again and we'll see you shortly." She gave them each a long embrace and peck on the cheek. Jetta looked over at Clash made a gesture to kill the music.

"Awww!" Roxy moaned as the music was cut off. It was then that she noticed that the room was almost empty. "Oh." She ran up to Pizzazz pulling her into a hug. "I had so much fun tonight. Congratulations on being the first Misfit to tie the knot. We all know how you enjoy being the first to do anything." She smiled when Pizzazz giggled. "And you, Rory, take good care of her or I'll kick your ass." She hugged Riot and kissed him gently.

Yukio walked slowly up to Pizzazz and Riot. It was obvious that she was pretty drunk. Standing before them, she straightened up with a sideways grin. "I am drunk and I am going to bed." She gave an unsteady bow and giggled softly. "My deepest congratulations to you." She hugged Pizzazz with a small sigh and did the same with Riot. Wrapping her arm around Jetta and Roxy's shoulders, she left the room, starting to fall asleep as she walked.

Turning to see that it was only herself, Riot, Jerrica and Kimber left in the ballroom, Pizzazz picked up her heels and phone. "Is it bad luck for the bride and groom to be the last leave or something?" She walked with her husband and her two best friends to the doorway and paused to take a deep breath of fresh air. Off in the distance she saw the lightning and heard the low rumble of thunder of the approaching storm. She could smell the distinct scent of rain in the air. "Looks like we're beating the storm after all."

"I'm heading to bed. I'll see you when I get up, Jer." Kimber hugged Pizzazz and rested her head on her shoulder as she spoke. "Give me a call when you can. It's been way too long since we've just hung out. Congrats and love you." She kissed her on the cheek then did the same for Riot. "Night all." She hid her yawn as she walked into the mansion.

Looking at her two friends Jerrica let an amused smile cross her lips. "Look at us. The three lead singers of three former rival bands now best friends. If you had told me years ago that we'd end up like this, I would've called you insane and laughed in your face. It was a lovely ceremony and a fantastic reception." She hugged Riot first and held him for a moment before kissing him softly on the cheek. Turning to Pizzazz, she let out a light giggle then embraced her tight. "Congratulations and good night." She gave Pizzazz a peck on the cheek and went inside while wiping tears from her cheeks.

Slowly walking inside the Xanthos Estate mansion in silence, Pizzazz leaned happily into Riot's side. Once they reached their room, Riot lifted Pizzazz up and carried her through the doorway. They each shared a private smile as he shut and locked the door. They each knew their night wasn't over yet.

Shutting the door to the private office, Jetta turned on the video call. A somewhat static filled image of Rapture appeared. The signal cleared up after a few moments and she smiled. "Sorry to bother you, Sheila, I know you're on sabbatical but I wanted to show you what we found in that cave system."

"It's quite alright we were breakin' for the day." Jetta sat in an office chair and put the call on the main monitor in the room. She rotated her wrists slowly making them crack.

"I'm sending you the images now. We're not one hundred percent sure what the hell they are, but they're definitely old and don't look they were made by human." The image of Rapture cut away to photos of small statues of three monsters. The first look to be a skeleton, the second looked to be a creature made of vines and the final one looked to be made of metal and fire. There were words in the same glyphs they had found in the journal named Infernac as well.

Jetta rubbed her chin thoughtfully and waited for Rapture to return. "This is huge, Pheebs. We're going to be wrappin' up here in a few days and I can fly out and visit the cave. I really want to see this in person. We've been recordin' for almost two months. I kinda need a break from my break."

Rapture giggled and smiled. "Take your time, these aren't going anywhere. I'll talk to you soon. Later."

The transmission ended as she sat back in the office chair. There was definitely something familiar about those strange statues. Something she saw in one of the journals back at the Eldritch Guard headquarters.

TO BE CONTINUED IN "BIG TIME"

CHAPTER 3 OF LATER IS NOW