Surprising herself, Kagami wakes up at 7 am in the morning. Given the harsh night, she thought she'd be out quick like a lamp. But, no, she didn't have a nice sleep. She could barely keep her eyes closed. The same words pounding at her skull since she came home. She has to talk to Vestalt.
She hurriedly gets herself dressed and ready, putting on her boots before rushing down the hall. And a sight to be seen, Oiji-san was there, cooking breakfast. He was never the one to wake up so early or be on time for work.
"Good morning Kagami-chan." He says with a wide smile as if the events of five hours ago didn't happen.
"Good morning." Kagami greets back, hurriedly placing the rice and sushi into an empty bento box.
"Are you in a hurry somewhere?" Ono asks.
Kagami stops packing her bento. "I'm going to a bookstore a little far away from here." She tells him. Kagami doesn't want to hide anything from Oiji-san anymore. She couldn't just up and disappear on him, worried sick thinking she's dead. Despite everything, she still loves him and that would be cruel. "There are these people. I was feeling down at school at one point. I-I ran away. The bookstore people, they helped me feel better. I go there to help them sometimes."
She hasn't told Oiji-san any of what happened in the past weeks. There was always this wall between them, preventing them from getting close. Though it's still there, Kagami was ready to crush it with a bulldozer. Okay, maybe she wasn't that ready but ready enough to make a window to the other side. It wasn't that she isn't upset over yesterday, she very much is but Oiji-san deeply cares for her and she herself wants to trust him again. She's willing to make the first step.
She still plans on going to Gorm but she would discuss it with Vestalt first, about filling in Oiji-san about everything, her powers, the resistance even if he had an inkling about most of these events.
"I'm glad you feel better." Ono ruffles the top of Kagami's head. This time Kagami embraces the gesture. "Just be safe, okay?"
Kagami nods, packing her bento and heading off. But there was one thing she has to do before she left.
"Oiji-san?"
"Yes?"
"I love you," Kagami says with the most heartfelt smile, unlocking the door and leaving.
The sound of her steps grow faint and Takahashi lays down his knife. Silent tears fall onto the blade.
Jessica cautiously opens her door. Her parents were up by now and she doesn't want to be noticed. However, her mother, despite her old age (she always lied about her age, but she was old) has good ears.
"Jessica, sweetie! I thought you were spending your weekend at Gina's!" her mother calls from the dining hall.
"I am! I was, uh - I forgot something in my room. I'm going back!" Before her mother could bombard her with questions, Jessica speeds to her room locking her door shut.
Finally, alone, she removes all her clothing, taking her bath essentials and heads to the showers.
After Nick went all Hercules on them, he passed out – honestly, it was a horror to see. He looked like a dead corpse and he was breathing harshly almost as if he were taking his last breaths. Toby broke down too, raving about how he couldn't let his brother die, almost in tears till the old sage showed up, reassuring them Nick was okay and he wasn't going to die. But the sight before them suggested otherwise. Apparently, Nick's little Hercules stunt was him tapping into his own strength of the Earth sleeping within him. His body's adjusting to the new strength, hence why he passed out. That also explains the scene in the mall. But even with Old Sage's immense knowledge, he couldn't explain why they suddenly de-transformed out of nowhere.
With the earth gormiti dealing with the caged monster, the gang were transported home. Toby and Lucas laid Nick to rest on his bed. A shocker to Jessica, Kagami was staying with them – Toby didn't outright say it but she could tell. He searched up and down the house calling out to her, still he checked Nick's phone. She texted him telling him she went home but not Toby her rumoured 'boyfriend'.
The trio spent all night at the Tripp's residency waiting for Nick to wake up. Jessica, tired, and not wanting to wear Toby's clothes, went back home to change. She might stop by Gina's to get her belongings then head back to Toby's.
Jessica gets out of the shower, getting herself ready to head out again. Her feet are still killing her even after she patched herself up. She dumps her party outfit in a casket one by one till she gets to the dark jacket – Mark's jacket. Her head drops to her bed.
She couldn't tell him about Gorm (which sucks by the way) but hey, that comes with being a superhero. Regardless she definitely couldn't tell him she stayed at Toby's place.
First the crush, then the dating rumours, now her spending the night at Toby's house in a frankly revealing outfit. Mark wouldn't take this lightly. Just to add more salt to the wound, Toby noticed the now purple hickeys all over her neck for the world and her parents to see!
Jessica drops the jacket. She forgot about the hickeys.
"Where's the fucking make-up cabinet!" Jessica mutters, crawling to her desk and opening all the cupboards. Having found her make-up under a slew of 'fucks' and 'shits', she tears open the box, grabbing the foundation and brush and caking the solution all over her neck, now regretting taking things 'to the next level'.
Jessica peeks at the mirror embedded in the cabinet. The purple marks are still visible.
"Goddamnit, Mark Tuan!" She pours more foundation on her skin. She said baby steps, not a 10m leap! She did say yes when Mark asked to kiss her neck, but a small hickey was all she expected out of it, not a fucking dozen big fat purple bruises going down to her collarbone. She scoops the whole bottle meshing all the contents down her neck.
Now it looks like she's hiding hickeys.
"Jessica, sweetie! Someone's here to see you!" her mother roars from downstairs.
Jessica groans, taking another look at her neck through her mirror. This isn't going to work. She rushes to her closet, grabbing a scarf – a temporary solution till she gets a hang of covering her hickeys with foundation.
She marches down to the dining room, already conscious of time. Lucas couldn't keep Toby sane all by himself and she was still concerned over Nick, also not fully believing the Old Sage's words that he was okay.
"Mom, what is it this…time." Jessica slows her words, overridden with shock at the person conversing with her parents at the table.
"Jess!" Mark states, mounting from his seat and heading towards Jessica; an all too familiar item in his hands. "You left your things with Gina. She told me to come here and give them to you."
Jessica couldn't hide the utter shock and disappointment in her features.
"And, there's something I need to talk to you about," Mark adds.
Jessica smiles awkwardly at him. Seriously, why couldn't that monster attack the Gorm today instead?
'Thank you for allowing me to stay at your place but I'm going home. Don't worry about me, my grandfather is picking me up. I hope you are safe though. Please call me as soon as you can.'
Nick reads the text from Kagami out loud. He brings the phone close to his chest, silently praising the orbs that she is indeed safe and sound. His efforts weren't wasted.
Nick pretty much accepted he would die back when he hauled that monster into the lock rocks but nope, he's still here, alive and breathing and somehow in his room. The whole ordeal felt like some weird fever dream, him almost kissing Kagami, going off to fend for Gorm again. But he knew it all was real, the cramps protruding his whole body was proof.
Even with his fingers aching, he dials Kagami's cell number. He had this weird desire to speak to her, to hear her voice. It didn't help that he dreamt about her – about kissing her, a sweet passionate kiss.
The call went to voice mail and Nick, mentally debating whether to shoot her a text or not, does so anyway. She's probably sleeping but he wants to talk to her. Ever since the mission in Gorm, he couldn't stop thinking about her. It was different this time like his near-death experience had triggered something, but Nick didn't know what.
'Hey, I'm okay. Thanks for letting me know you left. I would've been worried sick if anything bad happened to you. About last night, when you asked me to kiss you. Are you still up for that?'
Nick deletes the entire text. She was in the heat of the moment, not thinking straight. He shouldn't ask something like that.
Nick gets up from his bed onto his feet, groaning at the slight wince of pain covering his entire body. He still hasn't recovered from yesterday.
He strides down the flight of stairs, taking small breaks with each step to ease the cramps. He's 100% sure to spend the weekend in bed. Finally reaching the bottom of the steps, in his rear view, he catches a glimpse of Toby with Lucas. Toby isn't his playful self, instead he's hunched down, hand in hair, apparent he didn't get enough sleep.
"Toby?" Nick calls out to his older brother and Toby's demeanour changes.
Toby and Lucas gaze at the younger brother, and Nick swore he saw tears in Toby's eyes. Toby scrambles to his brother, locking him in a hug "Fuck! I didn't think you'd wake up!" Toby eyes his brother, wanting to see his face. "Don't go pulling a stunt like that again! Jesus, I thought you were dead for a second, bro!"
Nick chuckles. "You're starting to sound like Mom, Toby."
Toby would've shot back a rebuttal but the happiness of his brother's recovery was too overwhelming for that.
Lucas places a hand on Nick's shoulder, alerting the brunette of his friend and Razzle's - perched on his shoulder - presence. They both exchange a silent convo, Lucas also glad Nick's okay.
Nick, enjoying the embrace from his brother, couldn't help but think of the Gorm. Their powers, they de-transformed on the whim and the sudden appearance of that monster. "What about our powers, and the Gorm, the monster, wha -"
"Slow down, bro! We'll talk about that later." Toby cuts his brother off. "You need to go eat and rest."
Nick looks at his brother like he's an alien. Is he still dreaming, or did Toby get replaced with someone else? "No, really, you're starting to sound like Mom. Frankly, it's freaking me out."
"What, you don't like the new and improved responsible Toby?"
"I have to agree you do sound weird." Lucas had to include.
"Ditto," Razzle adds.
Toby groans, prompting laughter from the other guys. "First you diss me for being irresponsible, now that I say something responsible, you're weirded out?"
The guys continue to laugh, not answering Toby's question.
"You guys are as confusing as girls somethings, you know that!" Toby storms off to get Nick something to eat. His anger didn't last long. His brother's okay and that's all that matters.
"Vestalt?" Kagami calls, closing the door upon entrance to the bookstore. Though she was used to the emptiness of the bookstore this time it felt eerily spooky. Like something was off.
"Kagami?" Vestalt questions from the back, making her way to her, startled Kagami would show up so early. "If this is about your training then I'm sorry but we'll have to postpone -"
"I found it. The final piece."
Flamma drops a pile of books, making her best impression of a gaping octopus. Anchor also is shocked beyond words, right behind Vestalt and Flamma.
"You were right. It was at my house. My grandfather hid it." Kagami states, no hesitation or wavering present in her voice or stance.
"Good girl! I knew all along you could do it!" Vestalt showers Kagami with compliments, cupping the girl's cheeks like a proud soccer mom. Kagami didn't react to the gesture. "Where is it? Do you have it with you now?"
Kagami's silence was unnerving and Anchor bites his lip. Their mission was derailing as they speak.
"I still want to go to Gorm with you but -"
"But what? Kagami you…you didn't tell your grandfather about us?" Vestalt's smile turned into a frown at Kagami's words. She signals to Flamma and Anchor to get ready to attack. If she indeed did tell her grandfather about him, then she must already know about their hoax.
"No, I didn't."
Vestalt eases and signals to the other two to call off the attack.
Vestalt knew this conversation would arise eventually. "Kagami, remember what I told you -"
"I know you said to keep this just between us, but I can't disappear on my grandfather without him at least knowing the truth! He already knows about the Gorm and Magor. H-he can help! He's not a bad person, I swear." Vestalt is against anyone else knowing and rightfully so but Kagami's adamant on telling her grandfather. "There's nothing you can say to dissuade me. I'm going to tell him everything. That's all I wanted to tell you."
Vestalt pauses and Kagami halts her breath. For the first time, Kagami feared her which just feels wrong in so many ways. But in this instance, she's opposing Vestalt and Kagami didn't know how the commander would react.
"If that's what you truly desire, then I can't stop you," Vestalt says.
Kagami relaxes – she feels like she can breathe again. She mentally curses at herself for doubting Vestalt. "Thank you, thank you so much for understanding." Kagami bows down to her.
"You are a strong individual Kagami, one with great resolve. I think it's time – you're ready for your final lesson."
"My…final lesson?" Kagami asks. Vestalt never said anything of the sort to her before.
"Yes, it's time for you to assume your destiny. To become the new Lord of the Volcano."
Kagami is led to one of the bedrooms, Vestalt still smiling and complimenting the girl. Though once she's out of view, Vestalt becomes all business.
"Anchor go get the book. We're doing this now."
Both Anchor and Flamma freeze in utter shock. Of course, time was ticking but it was too soon.
"But, commander, I don't know if the deciphered spell would work!" Flamma pleads. Endless researching yesterday led them to a makeshift spell from the book, but this was simply too dangerous, even for Vestalt's standards. Heck, they don't have another test buddy like Orrore to try out the spell! Anything could happen to Kagami if she used that spell. Death could also be a liable outcome and Flamma, despite her fair share of seeing death and carnage – she couldn't stand seeing anything awful happen to the poor girl. "Is it really that bad if the old geezer knows?"
"Flamma, we can't allow Kagami to tell him." Vestalt sighs, reliving the memories from her past. Takahashi Ono – Once she heard that name, she wasn't sure if it was the same person from that time but Kagami confirmed her suspicions. "He was there when it happened."
"He? You mean her grandfather? When what happened, commander?" Anchor isn't the type to dish out questions to his commander, but the weight of her decision was getting to him.
"When the orb shattered and the portal to Tartarus opened sucking me and many others into its depths, he was there." Vestalt curls her fists. "Takahashi Ono." The cruel years spent in that tower, her comrades who all met their demises and her one and only faithful person she cherished the most gone – all thanks to Takahashi and his friends. To think their paths would cross all these years, it must've been fate.
"We're out of options, this is the only way we can succeed." Vestalt won't let Takahashi win this time. He bested the lava gormiti once, but now is her time to get the upper hand. "Anchor, go and get the book. Flamma, go and prepare Kagami for the spell."
Anchor nods, already heading out to the basement to retrieve the book. Vestalt heads off into the room where the orb is placed. Flamma begrudgingly goes into her room, collecting her notes for Kagami.
She knocks on the door of the room Kagami is in, before opening it. Kagami sits there, hands fiddling with the ends of her skirt. Flamma gave her an apologetic smile, she's completely aloof to what's going to occur.
"Today, I'm going to have you learn a spell," Flamma says, pushing her worries to the background.
"A spell?" Kagami questions.
"Yep! To, uh, further your connection with your orb!"
"My orb?"
"You are going to be the new lord of the Volcano. You'll need some way to transform into a gormiti."
Flamma rummages through her notes, picking out a single page and handing it to Kagami. There was only one line with random symbols. Kagami quirked her head to the side. If this was the spell, how would she recite it or cast it?
Flamma catches on to Kagami's confusion. "Oh, yes I forgot you don't know how to read this!" Flamma chuckles to herself. "Okay, so your pronunciation has to be precisely accurate or else it might not work!"
Kagami nods her head, listening diligently.
"Mnu anvete tic ac yia Vesta oa ac odnyoel otov napdeio."
"Mnu anvete tic ac yia Vesta oa ac odnyoel otov napdeio?" Kagami repeats.
"Okay, but add a little more oomph into it!"
"Mnu anvete tic ac yia Vesta oa ac odnyoel otov napdeio."
Kagami repeats again, though a little more serious.
"Again! Like your whole life depends on it!"
"Mnu anvete tic ac yia Vesta oa ac odnyoel otov napdeido!" Kagami screams out from the top of her lungs and Flamma was taken aback, hand on heart.
"Impressive. You're gonna give me a run on my money for the role of spellcaster. "Flamma comments.
The girls both laugh at the comment. Though Kagami's laughter dies down as she eyes the note. "You really think I can do it? Become the lord of the Volcano?"
"Pfft! You already are the lord of the Volcano! You just need to hone your powers."
"Yeah, you're right about that but I don't think I'm good enough. I'm weak and I don't think I have the strength to command an army like Vestalt. I want to get stronger but…I don't know. I feel like I'm asking for too much – like I should know my place." Kagami thinks back to yesterday when she confronted Nick. She didn't know what his connection is with Gorm or if he and his friends did anything to stop those cracks and earthquakes, but she felt it deep inside, she could've helped them. She needs to get stronger; she needed more power.
"Kagami, you're a very special person. It's your destiny to become the lord of the volcano. You have all the power that you need – you just need to tap into it. Vestalt, Anchor and I are here to help you do just that!" Flamma clutches her notes tightly.
Lies, all a load of lies.
Though Kagami is the lord of the Volcano- Vestalt wasn't here to help her. Technically she is, but Kagami doesn't know of their true agenda. To fool Kagami like this, it doesn't feel right to Flamma.
"Thank you, Flamma. To be honest I was worried at first, going through this. I think I'm ready." Kagami says, holding the note close to her.
'You shouldn't be thanking me' is what Flamma wanted to say. For all Flamma knows, she's sending Kagami to her death bed.
Anchor enters the room. "Kagami, it's time."
Kagami gets up from the bed. Flamma snatches her hand, stopping her for leaving.
"Uh, Kagami I uh -" Flamma stutters on her words, not really knowing what to say. Kagami looks at her, confused, but Anchor is notably peeved. "Uh, good luck! I know you can do it!" Flamma says with a forced smile. Kagami smiles back, heading off with Anchor. Flamma lays back on the bed. She should've told her. But she couldn't. Flamma had nothing less but Vestalt and Anchor. She couldn't turn her backs on them. She knows her place and that was to follow orders.
Anchor leads Kagami to another one of the desolate rooms. There, the almost complete orb shines brightly. Kagami could feel its energy coursing into her – but she didn't feel faint this time. She guesses she's grown used to its presence by now. Though Kagami could feel another presence, one that wasn't so reassuring. No, this one was dangerous and every nerve in her body told her to run. But she's done running – nothing's stopping her from grabbing what's hers.
Vestalt came from the shadows, now illuminated by the red hue of the orb. She's holding the source of the malevolence, a book with an eye staring right out her. Evil is the word she'd use to describe it. Kagami could practically smell its wicked aura.
"Come closer, Kagami." Vestalt voiced.
Kagami does what she's asked, despite the shaking of her legs.
Vestalt places the book in Kagami's hands. Kagami's heart pounds at her chest and her palms were sweaty. She resists the urge to faint.
"You know what to do next." Vestalt leaves her with those words, leaving to hang with Anchor by the doorframe. Flamma joins the party, looking over at Kagami with worry.
"Mnu anvete-"
Kagami fights through her body's urges. She won't run.
"tic ac yia-" Kagami's shadow disfigures, now circling beneath her. Kagami powers on through the spell. "Vesta oa-"
The shadows spilt into four, all surrounding Kagami. Emerging from the floor, rise four shadowy female bodies.
"ac odnyoel…"
The horrid memories all come rushing into her mind as if she's reliving them. The rigorous days of studying back in Japan. Her fool of a mother with her asshole of a father. The fight with Toby. The discovery of her Oiji-san's secret. Her foolish display of desperation to Toby in his room.
No, no more.
No more of the nice student council façade.
No more of being rejected by those she thought cared about her.
Today, she'll be reborn anew. Someone strong and powerful. She won't let others trample over her anymore.
"otov napdeio."
Kagami drops the book. She clutches her head, feeling her mind split in two.
"ha…ha.. !"
She takes on a fetal position, mouth foaming in red, eyes rolling back into her skull till her pupils were pure white. "MAKE IT STOP! MAKE IT STOP!" she bawls in a hackled voice.
"KAGAMI!" Flamma was ready to rush to help the girl but Anchor holds her back. "What are you doing!?" Flamma screams at him but the look on his face stuns her into silence. Even now, Anchor is deadpan as ever. Flamma couldn't fathom he'd be so heartless to stand by and watch Kagami in anguish.
The four entities converge into one, now standing over the struggling girl. It bends down to meet her gaze. It looked like a scene from a horror movie – Kagami was possessed no longer fighting, just twitching as her mouth drools blood. The entity gets on top of her, its face (if you'd call it that) leaning in closer to the girl till it touched her lips. In autopilot, as if she was actually possessed, Kagami sucked in the entity. Her body jerking wildly, her hands banging on the wooden floor somewhat crying to Vestalt to stop this. Her body comes to a standstill, sucking in the last of the shadowy remains until there was nothing left.
Flamma pushes Anchor out of the way, rushing to Kagami and violently shakes her body. "Kagami! Kagami, please wake up! Kagami!" Flamma repeats. Her body is limp, but she is still warm.
Anchor adjusts his glasses. "Is the girl dead?" he asks Vestalt. Usually, if the spell failed, one would turn into a monster. Maybe the book just killed its user if they're human.
"Give it time, Anchor. She's not dead yet." Vestalt answers.
Then Kagami opens her eyes, her pupils back to normal.
"Kagami!" Flamma shouts in relief, hugging the girl for dear life.
Kagami blinks, dazed, but still alive and breathing.
"Does this mean it worked?" Anchor questions.
Kagami eyes glow a faint red and Vestalt, with her impeccable vision, makes out a symbol embedded in those eyes.
Vestalt smirks to herself. Takahashi and Obscurio won't know what hit them. "Yes, everything is going exactly how I predicted it."
a/n: More plot I guess ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
You all probably know where this is going. Anyways remember last week when I said there'll be two chapters left (for this arc) last week? Remove that from your memory cause I don't know how many chapters are left just that we're close to the end.
Only thing I can say is that I've been waiting 10 months to reach this plot point.
See ya'll next week.