Tales of The Multiverse
Chapter 8
Who Am I? And Memory Fragments
-Sometime later in the ruins-
After awhile of wandering the passages and tunnels, they had come across magical light fixtures, in which they only had to be in close proximity of for them to turn on and emit light. So they had then be conserving their own light sources every since and had been going down a long winding path for quite some ways.
"Old underground passageways, tunnels, ruins and sewers. Kinda surprised these places are still intact," Mega Man commented as they walked along a semi narrow pathway with a body of water to their left.
"I'm surprised there's decent light down here. But then again given the sorta magical nature of this place I guess I can't be too surprised," Regina added. Hannah paused briefly as she thought she heard something in the water, glancing over but didn't see anything to warrant any attention.
"I dunno about this guys. I have a very bad feeling, and we're a bit out in the open," Hannah said as she resumed following them, and when her attention wasn't on the water it bubbled faintly as something moved beneath the surface, heading closer.
"You sound like we're hunting the whiptail all over again, Hannah," Jack retorted.
"Whiptail or not I can't shake the feeling we're being stalked," Hannah stated firmly.
"She may have a point, dangerous creatures do tend to make their way into places such as this, and make it their domain," Link added.
"Right, they do tend to become territorial, and very hungry," Felicia agreed as something surfaced up from the water silently, a single long object slithering up the stone and over the edge, going in front of Hannah's legs and brushed up against her left shin before it began to coil around it.
"Uh?" Hannah paused in her advance as she felt the sensation, looking down she tried to move and raise her leg away from the sensation but saw a smooth black long object wrapping around her shin and ankle, coiling tightly and refused to let go. "Ah! S...something's got my leg!" she pumped and kicked her leg a bit but was met with heavy resistance as she felt firm pulls on her leg.
"What?" Lucia paused and looked back at Hannah, before quickly looking down at herself as she felt something at her ankles, to see a similar object coiling around them. "I...it's got me t..." Lucia tried to reach down and pry the object off of her ankles but another quickly wrapped around her upper body and elbows, pinning her arms to her sides.
"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!" both screamed as Lucia was hoisted into the air while Hannah fell over as her leg was pulled firmly as her crossbow clattered to the floor, this really getting everyone's attention.
"Cwahoon, what in..." Jack paused as they all looked at the water, to discover the objects were tentacles as an animal's head surfaced from the water.
"An octopus!" Felicia gasped as she stepped back and began to aim her rifle.
"A hungry one at that," Link added as he drew his sword and shield as a tendril wrapped around the barrel of Felicia's rifle, turning it as she pulled the trigger and fired a missing shot.
"Arg! Missed!" Felicia protested as she stepped back a little further, reaching the wall as she tried to wretch her weapon free. "Urgh...eh...l...let go!" she pulled and yanked left and right firmly, but it was being stubborn before her attention quickly turned to her feet as she felt the tentacles at her ankles, making her lift her legs a bit but was too late as they had a firm grip, to which she'd firmly try and break by slamming down the butt of her rifle on a tentacle as she raise her leg up, grunting firmly as she did so. Jack tried to get a good shot off but was having trouble aiming due to the flailing tentacles, one of which soon wrapped around his waist and pulled him straight up. Mega Man managed to reach out and grasp that tentacle and tried to pull it back only to get slammed by another while Link tried to rush to Felicia's aid, only to get grabbed by the ankle and flung into the opposite wall and landing into the water.
"Aheh...ahhnn...ah..." Hannah gasped and grunted as she tried to pull herself along the floor but was fighting against firm pulls on her leg, making her go back a few inches. Her fingers clawed desperately as she shuffled her legs across the floor as much as she could, occasionally reaching out for her crossbow, trying hard to grab hold of her but her fingers fell short of the butt of the handle, and just shy of the strap as she reached her arm out full length, her arm and hand trembling, fingers flexing a bit to try and extend the reach, even slapping her palm against the floor and dragging but to no avail. "R...Regina! HEEELLLP!" she pulled against the floor as hard as she could as she also planted her free foot against the tentacle, trying hard to shove it off of her leg.
"I...can't get a clear shot! My bullets will tear through you guys!" Regina replied truthfully as she aimed her gun about, but was in constant risk of hitting her friends as they moved about from where she stood currently.
"AAGGGHH! It's...crushing me!" Lucia groaned in agony as she squirmed and struggled as hard she could, her legs and hips shifting and wiggling about while her shoulders raised up and down, trying hard to slip something out while Mega Man was having his own problems trying to keep a few tentacles off of himself, in no safe position to fire his buster.
"Closed...quarters...octopus fight...not...fun...WUAAH!" Mega Man yelped as he get one of his feet pulled out from under him.
"EYAH!" Regina gasped as she ducked and fell backwards onto her rump, nearly getting bashed in the face by a swiping tentacle. Glancing back she realized she could get to a good vantage point if she could get up some stone steps ahead of herself and turn left up them, prompting her to get to her feet and run but yelped when a tentacle wrapped around her ankle and made her fall forward, landing on her stomach as her gun flew from her hands and landed on a step. "Oh for cryin out...eyyygggh..." she tried to firmly crawl across the floor with all her strength to fight the hold on her leg but she was soon being dragged backwards.
"Ok wiseguy...you asked for it..." Regina remarked as she rolled onto her side as she reached and undid the strap that held her stun gun ans began to draw it. "This may sting a bit guys, but..." she quickly sat up and held up her arm before firmly slamming her stunrod against the tentacle on her leg, making a bright flashing spark that surged through the octopus' body, making the tentacles jostle and shake, faintly shocking everyone but Mega Man firmly grabbed onto Jack and pulled him out of it's grip along with himself as Felicia managed to wretch her rifle free while Hannah's leg finally slipped out, allowing her to quickly move forward, grab and aim her crossbow while Lucia struggled a bit harder.
"UUYAAHHH!" Lucia yelled as she managed to slip and arm free, gasping briefly before holding said arm up, creating a brief glow before she aimed her palm at the octopus, blasting it briefly before Link sprung from the water and stabbed his sword into it, making it thrash violently.
"Link jump!" Felicia called as she aimed her rifle, to which Link dove for the ledge and landed on it with his stomach before she fired, hitting her mark, followed by Hannah shooting and arrow into the same spot, making the octopus begin to sink down into the depths, the remaining tendrils leaving Felicia's legs as she went over to Link and helped him up while Hannah quickly reached out and took Lucia's hand, pulling her back to the ledge and to safety as the tendrils released her, while almost dragging her down into the water.
"That was a close one," Felicia said as the water bubbled and turned darker.
"Remind me not to doubt your danger instincts in the future, Hannah," Mega Man said.
"You doubted her warnings?" Lucia asked, a bit surprised and confused.
"It was a rhetorical comment. Boy you do have a lot to learn," Regina replied as she went and picked up her gun.
"Well, onwards and upwards," Link said.
"And not too soon. I don't think I can look at the water the same way again," Hannah stated.
"Like you could after the whiptail and thrusher encounters?" Jack teased.
"And like you're one to talk after falling off of a cliff and smacking into a rock," Hannah snapped.
"Oh will you two quit it with the bickering!? It's driving me nuts," Felicia protested.
"It's more playful banter than anything," Mega Man commented.
"Playful banter?" Lucia asked.
"Later. Mount stairs, now," Regina ordered firmly as she pointed up the stairs.
"Coming, coming," Link replied as he hurried up his pace a little as he arrived at the steps the steps, following Regina as everyone else did as well, taking caution from here on to hug the wall as they went. Or at least stay pretty close to it and a constant eye on the water until they were out of the room. They soon entered a wide corridor which led to a door on the far side. Pushing it open they found themselves in another large room, but it was filled with stone pillars and there was pedestal of some kind near the center.
"Now what we do have here?" Jack asked as they approached, seeing resting in the pedestal was some kind of gold bracelet with strange markings.
"It looks like what I believe to be a bracelet," Hannah replied.
"Obviously, but why is it on display here?" Regina asked.
"Usually bracelets like this tend to bestow it's wearer some kind of power. Simple or major," Link replied.
"What does this one do?" Lucia asked, before the bracelet started to glow suddenly, and slowly begin to levitate.
"Something bad if I had to guess now," Link replied as he reached back and drew his shield, and attempted to slam down the back of it over the bracelet and pedestal, only for it to fly away spinning around as he'd miss.
"Catch it and hold it down!" Mega Man stated as he tried to jump and snatch it in his grip but it dodged him just as fast. As it flew near the floor it evaded Jack's tackle attempt, and swerved out of the way as Regina tried to swat it with her stun rod before it began to fly towards Hannah.
"NO!" she yelped as she held up her left palm, attempting to make it stop and outstretched her fingers, but as it drew closer her fingers were forced together, and hand tilted down to where it faced the opening, and it quickly slipped on, to the point it glowed while to shrank down in size, contorting to her wrist size and shape. "Ah...g...get off! UHHHHAH!" she groaned as she gripped it and tried hard to shove it off but it refused to budge.
"Did...the bracelet just change shape?" Lucia asked, a bit stunned as Mega Man went over and gripped her arm and bracelet.
"It flew right towards her, like it wanted to go to her," Felcia replied.
"I tried to stop it but...I lost control of my hand," Hannah stated.
"So what do we do?" Regina asked.
"Hold her steady, I'll try and get it off," Mega Man replied as he took hold of the bracelet around the base of her wrist, as Felicia put her arms around Hannah's waist. Mega Man then began to try and pry the bracelet itself apart, or at least the mouth of the bracelet open a bit, but it resisted even his robotic strength.
"OOOOOOOWWWWWW! That Hurts!" Hannah protested from the pain.
"Sorry, but it doesn't seem to have any give at all..." Mega Man said.
"Given the magic involved I think I can say any normal force normal man and mortal can try without the aid of magic itself won't work," Link stated. "Plus I'll also say I believe Hannah was somehow destined to get the bracelet."
"But I don't want the bracelet on me forever! I don't even know what it can do!" Hannah yelled as Mega Man and Felicia let her go. "I just want to get out of this crazy place..." and seemingly as if on cue there was a brief spark of energy in the air and a dark swirlling portal opened.
"Ok, that's gotta be some sort of gynx!" Regina said as they all looked at it in surprise as there was an air current going towards it, but Lucia's attention turned to Hannah as she began to slide across the floor.
"Hannah!" she gasped as she jumped over and put her arms around her, trying to use her weight to anchor her down, but both their feet were slowly sliding across the stone.
"Wh...what's going on!?" Hannah asked as everyone realized they weren't effected by the portal's pulling effect.
"Did the bracelet do that?" Jack asked.
"It's gotta be! It heard Hannah's plea to get her out of here and it intends to. Where to exactly is anyone's guess," Link replied as Felicia and Mega Man tried to grab hold of Hannah to keep her from moving.
"Less theory and try and figure out how to shut the portal!" Felicia protested.
"I think it's pull is getting worse!" Mega Man added as they were sliding a little faster.
"Ah...ah...ahhhh...uh...p...portal close! UWWAAHHHH!" Hannah screamed when her feet slipped out from under her and went horizontal on their arms as they started to get dragged.
"WHHOOOOAAAH! UH!"
"AAAAIIIIH GUH!"
Both Mega Man and Felcia grunted as they lost hold and fell over with a grunt on the floor.
"WAAHHHH! GEH!" Lucia managed to hold on and was being pulled through the air with Hannah before she managed to grab hold of a portion of a passing pillar as she held onto Hannah still, who was now dangerously dangling with her legs faintly kicking within the portal. "Don't let go Hannah!"
"I'm trying..." Hannah replied, but could feel herself slowly slipping. Regina ran a little bit closer to them followed by Jack and Link, and soon Mega Man and Felicia as they got to their feet.
"Hang on you two, we'll reel you in!" Regina said as she reached into her belt and pulled out her extending and retracting cable. "Guys, hold me down!" and they did, trying their best to keep a hold of Regina as well as to keep themselves from being pulled away as Regina threw the cable and it wrapped around Lucia's wrist, and just in the nick of time as her own fingers slipped off the pillar, pulling taught before she grasped the cable.
"Wuuuhhh...g...got it, now pull us in!" Lucia called, and slowly but surely Regina was pulling them back with the aid of her cable retracter. During this though Lucia's pendant had worked itself loose and was waving wildly, but Hannah's grip was slipping, despite how hard both were hanging on.
"I...can't hold on...I'm slipping..." Hannah groaned.
"Don't give up...we're going to make it through this..." Lucia replied, but before long she felt Hannah's hands slip from her fingers, prompting her to look back as she tried to reach back further and grab her again but failed, watching her fly into the portal and vanishing into it as she hit it's exterior border, and Lucia gasped as she felt the chain of her pendant snap, and saw it glittering was it flew through the air, and followed after Hannah before the portal swiftly shrank and sealed shut, and with gravity quickly returning Lucia hit the floor with a thud.
"GAAAHHH...ok...now you guys are really crushing me here..." Regina groaned from how severe the weight of everyone became before they quickly released her and staggered back. Lucia propped herself up slightly and gazed at where she last saw Hannah and her pendant in the open air, left only to wonder.
"You ok?" Mega Man asked as he knelt down near her.
"I...think so but what happened to Hannah?" Lucia asked.
"Simple answer, she got sucked into a vortex portal. Where it specifically took her and lead, no clue," Spider-Man said. Meanwhile Link did a quick running sweep of the room, looking and checking every nook and cranny trying to see if he could locate anything of note or value but turned up nothing.
"Sadly there isn't anything else here for us, we should get going," Link said as Mega Man helped Lucia to her feet.
"He's right unfortunately. We won't do anyone any good by just staying here, least of all Hannah. The best we can do is hope and pray she's safe, and will stay that way until we find her. We don't got much of a choice," Regina said. Everyone solemnly nodded as they started to head back for the entrance of the ruins, left only to wonder what became of their companion.
-In a new world-
"UWWWWAAAAHHHHH GAWH!" Hannah screamed as she flew through the air after exiting out of the portal and crashed into a bunch of trash cans, knocking them over as the clattered and banged about, the lids rolling as she laid in a bit of a sprawled mess at the moment, but thankfully remained clean. She looked up at the portal momentarily as it was closing, but the watched as Lucia's golden pendant came out and bounced across the pavement towards her, prompting her to grab it when the portal closed, she was now cut off from where she came. She looked around herself to see she was in an alleyway as the sun was still shinning down, and she could hear the sound of busy streets and honking horns. She then looked at her new accessory with a bit of a disgruntled look. "What have you gotten me into?" she got up and brushed herself off, pocketing the pendant as she took a look around, soon spotting a large tattered piece of cloth. It looked a bit worn but otherwise it would be somewhat serviceable as she took it up and was attempting to wear it as a cloak.
However while she was doing this, a woman with raven black hair and dark brown eyes peered into the alleyway and saw Hannah get up and start to try and put the cloth on. The woman herself wore a dark white grey top, and a bright red jacket, skirt, and high heels while she also had a black ribbon tied around her neck in a bow. The woman had a mature face and figure, but the way her eyes narrowed and when she'd smile would convey a deadly sense of cunning and deviousness.
"Well, what do we have here?" she spoke very softly and very intrigued as she watched Hannah finish getting herself ready and walk out of the alley the opposite direction. The woman then hustled on over and peered out, watching Hannah walk down the sidewalk, very much unaware of her presence. "An ambassador far from home? How did you get here in this San Fransisco?" she lightly tapped the side of her chin with her left index finger in cute contemplation. She started to follow Hannah in a discrete manner, shadowing her very carefully. While Hannah did get the odd look on occasion no one really seemed to pay her much mind however. She followed her along for about roughly twenty minutes or so until Hannah stopped outside of a shop and took a look at it.
"Uncle's rare antiques?" Hannah read the sign, and pondered for a moment. "It's a bit of a stretch but, I don't got much to lose really for trying." she then opened the door, causing a bell to jingle which did startle her, but figured it was just a unique method of announcing a customer. She peered in a bit and saw a wide assortment of items upon the shelves, seeming to almost come from all over. However a rather unusual assortment of smells came to her nose, and she couldn't help but get more curious as she then stepped in further.
"Is that incense?" she couldn't help but ask aloud but then gasped sharply as her eyes widened when a very large man stepped out from back of the shop, easily dwarfing her in size on several accounts, he was the biggest fellow she'd ever seen. He had on a large white t shirt, and black overalls. And his hair was done up in a bun style she wasn't quite familiar with.
"Can I help you?" he asked, in a not too surprisingly deep voice.
"I...I'm sorry for freaking out a little...I'm...a bit jumpy right now," Hannah replied.
"What seems to be the trouble?" he asked as he tilted his head. Hannah sighed deeply as she took a few steps to then lean up against a vacant wall.
"To be frank I...am a bit overwhelmed...I honestly don't know what to do I feel so lost..." she said, sounding incredibly sad as she gazed off into space a bit.
"Well that hardly narrows down the question," a young girl's voice said almost below Hannah, making her look down in surprise to see a little girl with short but very distinctive black hair and bangs, and very sharp eyes looking up at her. The most striking thing was her bright orange vest over a long sleeve shirt, blue pants and bright red shoes. "Saying your lost doesn't entire help if you don't explain how you're lost. And besides, how do we know you're not just trying to take advantage of us?"
"T...take advantage?" Hannah asked in a bit of shock.
"Jade," a young man's voice said, prompting Hannah to look to see another dark haired man enter, with a long sleeve blue sweater, beige pants and brown shoes walk in. He had the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. "You should know it's not polite to accuse strangers of ill intent."
"But Jackiieee!" Jade protested before darting to Hannah's side and pulled away the cloak a bit to reveal her clothing. "She's too clean and nice looking to be a beggar, a simple cloth is a total amateur thing to do!" she motioned to Hannah a bit, before her eyes widened to see Hannah's gun pouch basically in her face. But then Hannah plopped the rest of the cloak onto her in return, sighing in a bit of frustration.
"I realize I look totally out of place, but believe me when I tell you, I bear no ill will towards any of you," Hannah said as she held her hands up. "And in regards to how armed I am. I've basically lost my only firearm, and I only have a knife." she then slowly opened the pouch and pulled out her knife, but then carefully moved it to where she was holding it by the blade and held the handle out.
"You can hold onto it if it'll make you feel better," she stated. Jackie then walked up to her and simply pushed her arm back down.
"I can tell you're incredibly tense. I apologize that my niece can be a bit, rash at times," he replied.
"I'm sure she's just trying to be cautious but is a bit...well, I'm sure you've heard it from others," Hannah remarked as she put the knife away as Jade tossed the cloth away.
"But still what's troubling you?" Jackie asked.
"To try and best sum it up," Hannah paused as she raised her forearm with the bracelet. "I'm dealing with a lot because of this." she then lightly hit it with her knuckles. Jackie then took her arm gently and turned it to have a look, noting it's markings and design.
"This looks very old, and the markings are rather unusual," Jackie said.
"I didn't put this on intentionally if you can believe me," Hannah stated. Everyone gave her a bit of a look. "And before you try, I can't get it off. No one was able to and one of them was very strong, and he couldn't pry it."
"Maybe we should have Uncle examine it," the large man said.
"What is everyone doing out in the front? Helping with a sale?" an old man asked as he came out of the back as well, and he had the most wild of grey hairs, it was spiky, and he was incredibly skinny, had small glasses, and was wearing a white shirt, a sorta yellow vest and dark pants.
"Uncle, I think this lady needs some help of the special variety," Jackie replied, which took Hannah a bit off guard before Uncle approached and took a very close look at the bracelet for a moment.
"Hmmmm. I think we need to do research," he said before taking Hannah by the wrist and lead her off into the back, much to her surprise as everyone quickly followed suit. Meanwhile the woman that was following Hannah had been standing casually outside the store, listening as best as she could but upon seeing them all exit the room, she then very slowly opened the door. Knowing of the bell, managed to reach up and push the bell more up and kept it there as she got herself in and closed the door, and eased the bell back down so it hardly made a single noise. She then quickly made her way around to the back and listened outside of the doorway.
"That is clearly magical. It operates in a way of it only works for a designated user, and won't work for anyone else," Uncle said.
"But, I don't want it stuck on me forever!" Hannah protested.
"How did it get on you anyway?" Jade asked in a bit of an accusing tone.
"You may not believe me, but...it simply levitated off the pedestal it was resting, evaded everyone else and came at me. I held out my hand to try and stop it but, I lost control of my hand as it then went into a position where the bracelet could easily get on and then well...it molded it around around my forearm. I can't get it off, and when I said I wanted out of there, it must've opened a portal and...picked this world randomly," Hannah replied honestly.
"Hacha, that narrows it down!" Uncle said excitedly as he went off to rummage in a section of books.
"It does!?" everyone asked in disbelief.
"Indeed," Uncle replied as he pulled out a book and flipped it open, skimming it. "It, is in the same vein as that necklace Jackie found."
"Ohhh, the one that takes you where you say "Return to"!" Jade said.
"So...you aren't new to this whole magical business by any stretch of the imagination?" Hannah asked.
"Pheee! Not by a long shot. But this does raise one very important question," Uncle said as he walked up to her. "From where did you come from?"
"I...I come from Wassoon. Or at least what's now known as Wassoon. I...oh no..." Hannah blinked for a moment upon Uncle's question but as she talked her eyes soon widened as something now dawned on her and it hit her hard. Her hand's went to her face as she looked absolutely horrified as she stumbled back and then fell into a seat, her expression. "I...I...I don't know who I am..." she started to develop a large case of the shakes.
"You didn't lose your memory!?" Jade asked, a bit horrified, as was everyone else, not sure what to make of her behavior.
"I'm Hannah Dundee...Wassoon Ambassador to the City in the Sea...I'm a diplomat and scientist...I still remember everything that's happened from my childhood up to the present but...I just...realized something that hadn't mattered to me until now..." Hannah replied as she ran her hands through her hair for a moment, trying to compose herself, until she buried her hands in her face and took a deep breath of depression and sobbed a little. "I'm an orphan...I was born to a family I never knew and I was simply raised by an adoptive family in Wassoon...I don't question their beliefs but...but now with this..." she took a look at the bracelet as her arm trembled.
"Who even am I? I'm...not even from that world am I? If my family were dimension hoppers then...I somehow got lost to them I...I can't take it!" Hannah fell from the seat and onto her knees as she started crying her eyes out, so many new and harsh questions and realities tore at her heart, for the first time in years she felt so lost and confused, out of place in the world. Everyone started helping her to her feet as she sobbed but was trying to collect herself.
"I know you're going through a lot but, if it'll make you feel better, you're among friends. And we're here to help you," the large man said, as Hannah managed to stop her sobbing but was still clearly pained as her arm went limp, and then suddenly the bracelet slipped off and clattered to the floor with a hard bang at first. Everyone was confused as Hannah slowly pulled out Lucia's pendent and held it out to them with trembling hands.
"Find out...what you know of Lucia...the...goddess of the Blue Star..." she said before she passed out, her arm dropping and the pendant fell, but Jade quickly caught it in both hands.
"Lucia?" Jade asked.
"Blue Star?" the larger man asked before they heard a loud bang and the bell ring in the front, prompting Jackie to dart out to see the woman swiftly exiting.
"STOP!" he called out, realizing she had been listening as he leaped over the counter and made it to the door, darting himself before flinching when a gun shot rang out and hit a nearby pole, making him look to see the woman sprinting with a gun in her hand, aiming back at him. "BWAH!" he dove behind a parked car as she fired a few more shots and sprinted away, darting through traffic as she fired a few strategic shots to make cars swerve and crash, causing a bit of a blockade which Jackie could've easily surmounted but he knew where he needed to be.
"We need to get her to safety," he said as he came back in.
"You didn't catch her?" Jade asked, a bit in disbelief.
"She's clearly apart of something bigger. Even if I was to catch her, whoever she's with will come down on us harder. We need to play this smart," Jackie replied.
"Meanwhile we'll have enough time for some research. Tohru, gather some of the material from the back," Uncle said.
-Minutes later-
In an office somewhere, the woman who escaped came in and quickly strode over to her desk, promptly sitting upon it and elegantly crossed her legs while grabbing the phone and swiftly dialing, and only had to wait a few rings before she heard it pick up.
"Mercy?" she asked.
"Candace. What's the cause for this call?" another mature woman's voice asked.
"Hannah Dundee. That Wassoon Ambassador our mistress told us about?" Candace asked rather nonchalantly and coyly.
"I remember. What about her exactly?" Mercy asked, rather confused by the question.
"She's here in this world. And she practically ended up in that Archeologist, Jackie Chan's, lap," Candace replied.
"What? How did she get here?" Mercy asked in disbelief.
"Apparently some sort of magical bracelet, and what's more. She might not even be a native to that world and is quite special. That would pique our mistress' interest, wouldn't you agree?" Candace poked a finger through the coiled cord and began to lightly twirl it as she spoke.
"I certainly would imagine so."
"And that's not all. We got some amazing news."
"What's that?"
"She has the pendant of the goddess from the Blue Star. She's out in the Multiverse now."
"After all this time...she's here?"
"Not here here, but, I'm almost certain our mistress knows. Would you care to pick me up so we can inform her second in command and daughter, or should we wait for her to do so?" Candace began to lightly kick her foot in the air slightly.
"We should wait, but what about Dundee?"
"We should hold on that as well. I'm sure our mistress would want it that way for now."
"I need to hang up. Our mistress is calling."
"It's just as well." Candace reached out and opened a drawer in her desk, reaching in to retrieve a phone book. "I have another call to make myself. We'll speak again soon." she then hung up as she thumbed through the pages.
-In another office-
Mercy sat in a chair in a really large, expansive office space, in a real large room where there were only one wall and ton of windows. And she was a tall, fit slender woman with a narrow face, sharp, pale green eyes, and darkish long blond hair. It was silky smooth while it was semi parted via the bangs tucked back by her left ear, while the hair remained loose and down on her right. She was garbed in a dark blue business jacket, skirt, dark leggings and black heels. A special button on a nearby switch board was flashing as she gave it a press, while a unique antenna rose up and started rotating.
"Greetings mistress. I trust I find you well?" Mercy asked.
"More than you except. Mercy, she's finally here," Neifirst's voice replied.
"I...wish I could give you a more genuine excited reaction. But I had learned of her arrival through Candace via an, unusual trail of events it seems," Mercy said a touch hesitantly, but honestly.
"Wha...dare I even ask how?" Neifirst asked, sounding rather aghast at this revelation.
"Apparently, Hannah Dundee got transported here via some unusual means, and she carries Lucia's pendant with her. How she got here we aren't entirely certain," Mercy replied.
"Now that is intriguing...how did it happen if you know?" Neifirst asked, now very curious on this information.
"From what I can surmise, she's now in possession of a magical bracelet that enables transportation through the realms. And it only obeys her. What's more..." Mercy paused a bit coyly.
"...what's more?" Neifirst asked, sounding a bit thrilled surprisingly, but knew Mercy was semi playing with her but was enjoying it herself.
"She isn't even a native of Wassoon. Raised there yes but, she's an orphan," Mercy said very sinisterly while crossing her fingers under her chin, resting her elbows on the desk.
"...A wayward soul that just so happens to be able to wield a magical artifact that grants key access to virtually anywhere in the Multiverse? Coincidence?" Neifirst asked half sarcastically.
"I think not," Mercy said.
"It's too perfect." she shook her head as both she and Neifirst spoke in unison.
"Get a track on that magical signature, it's bound to be distinct and powerful. And keep tabs on her. However, what I wanted to call you about is I'm activating our little "moles" within the governor's building in The City in the Sea," Neifirst stated as another light started flashing on Mercy's desk. "Because apparently our little feminine bat got hold of information that can ruin the pompous governor at last."
"Didn't you forget bloated? Egotistical, arrogant?" Mercy asked jokingly.
"I prefer hearing you say it," Neifirst replied as Mercy couldn't help but devilishly smirk.
"Regardless, I'm having the signal also transferred to our home. I'm sure everyone will want to hear and remember this. Sadly I don't be present, I have to find Annet," Neifirst replied before the call ended. Mercy then pressed a different button and held it down.
"Science division. Do a dimensional signature scan of San Francisco, lock onto the most recent signal disturbance and document it. Most likely region, around "Uncle's Rare Antiques"," she said firmly. "And send the signature to all other labs and keep posted for that signature as soon as it moves."
-At the ruin's entrance-
Everyone exited out of the large entrance way at the top of the stone steps, with Lucia walking off to her right as she stepped out, before everyone stopped upon hearing loud rustling thumping steps approaching.
"Wait here," Link said before he leaped and slid down the stone railing, and as he was about to leap towards a tree to get to a large branch, when suddenly a small figure landed in front of him on it. It was a young boy, with raven black hair, short but very wild, and equally black eyes. On his head was a red band of sorts, and around his neck was a necklace with a blue stone at the end of it. He was garbed in a leather made jacket, pants, with fur wrist bands, shin covers, and dark shoes. "Whoa." before he could do anything else the child then moved around rather nimbly and bounded his way to the top of the steps with acrobatic ease.
"Wh...who's this kid?" Regina couldn't help but ask in shock.
"He's a regular Tarzan is what he is," Link replied as he observed a sandbuck, what's also known as a stegosaurus coming through the tree line. It was blue skinned and had unique basically rainbow colored specs on it's face and running down it's neck slightly. "Although a lot more modestly dressed." he then started trotting up the steps again.
"Wild Child!" Jack exclaimed as he came over, and the child looked at everyone in the group, glancing a bit more before making roughly a star shape gesture with his fingers.
"What's with the star shape?" Felicia asked.
"He's wondering where Hannah is," Jack replied.
"Ohhhh..." everyone moaned in unison as that really stung, except Lucia who only stared a bit blankly, but quickly got a sad expression as she tried to figure what to say.
"I'm sorry...Hannah isn't here right now but, she'll be back soon, I promise," Felicia said as she got down a put a hand on the boy's shoulder. "But, why are you here then?" the boy then made some sort of warble high pitch noise in his throat, motioning to the sandbuck who then lowered it's head to the steps, laying it's neck a bit flat as it could.
"I think he's offering us a temporary lift," Link replied.
"We could use a bit of a rest from walking," Mega Man said as he turned to Lucia, and she looked back, but as she started to turn, ended up yelping as she felt a pull at her hand, followed by a snap of a twig and rustling of leaves. Everyone looked in surprise as she looked back, seeing every branching waving for a moment, before she then raised her right hand up in utter confusion as everyone was drawn to the dangling, glistening pink gem hanging upon a pink string. Said string was wrapped around her wrist a bit, and rather snugly.
"Wh...where did that come from?" Regina asked.
"And...what is it?" Felicia asked as she leaned in a little.
"I've seen this crystal before..." Jack replied as he went over and lightly palmed it as Lucia moved her hand over to him. "I thought it was some sort of talisman gift from the Grith, but I came to realize it was a bit more than that. It's clearly gone deliberately towards you."
"It's...the same presence I felt before we entered the ruins, like as if something was approaching," Lucia said as she started to gently untangle it from her wrist.
"It must've deliberately strung itself from branch to branch and then wrap around your wrist while we weren't looking," Mega Man before Lucia then handed him her hat temporarily as she then hung the jewel from around her neck, and Mega Man gently put the hat back onto her head, causing her to look at him, as he then gently smiled back, causing her to tilt her head slightly in confusion but didn't seem to mind otherwise.
"Well let's not keep our ride waiting," Link said as he got onto the neck of the sandbuck, and slid down to the base of the neck while everyone else followed suit to sit on it's back.
"You might want to hang onto me," Mega Man suggested to Lucia as he sat in front of her, as she was close to the back. The order as Jack in front, and behind him was Link, Regina, Felicia, Mega Man, and Lucina, while Wild Child was on the head. The sandbuck rose and started marching off to where they had previously left the others of their group. A bit of time passed as they were walking along for a fair bit, and everyone was sitting mostly regular, except Felicia who was riding side saddle, her legs draped over the left side. Mega Man took a look back at Lucia when he noticed she was fidgeting a lot, seeming unable to get comfortable.
"Why don't you try riding side saddle?" he suggested.
"Side saddle?" Lucia asked, a bit perplexed.
"Like I'm doing. Having both of your legs off to the side," Felicia replied as she leaned forward to look at Lucia. "It's how ladies used to ride on a saddle for a time. It helps show off a woman's elegance and quality, apparently."
"Except they used to ride majestic beasts," Regina quipped as she tilted and turned her head back slightly.
"Yeah well, we don't really have horses to prance around on anymore and nor is that really viable or safe anymore. So I'll take what I can get," Felicia retorted with narrowed eyes. "And besides, gentle giant herbivores like the sandbuck are plenty majestic enough in their own right." she then leaned back a touch more drastically, and as if for added effect to her statement crossed her legs even.
"I suppose you're right. I never really met any proper herbivores," Regina said as she gave the sandbuck a very very mild smack it likely hardly felt at all.
"Well...I may as well try it," Lucia said as she tried to raise her leg and slip it over the other side, but ended up slipping slightly, yelping as she grabbed onto Mega Man, whom quickly steadied her as she froze for a moment before then dangling her legs over the left side and relaxed a bit as she then sat there. "That's admittedly much more comfortable." things went silent for a bit as they continued to ride along, the loud steps they were taking were hardly bothersome as it was rather serene. Lucia couldn't help but lean against Mega Man's back, gently putting a hand on his shoulder as she rested, indeed starting to feel a bit tired, but he simply looked at her and smiled, despite her not noticing. Regina on the other hand did look back mostly to check and did essentially see this moment.
"Seems to me he's getting awfully sweet on her," she quipped as she straightened herself.
"I find it rather sweet as I've said. He's treating her like a gentlemen should," Felicia retorted.
"This is his first real major contact with a woman at this point," Link stated.
"Really?" both asked in a bit of disbelief.
"Yeah. His whole life he hasn't ever really met a proper woman. I mean, at this point sure he's met and become acquainted with a number of em, including yourselves but, Lucia here is the most unique one. And for some reason he feels obligated to protect her," Link replied.
"He did seem to start to know a lot once we entered that spire," Regina remarked.
"Hmmm..." Felicia pondered for a moment, reflecting upon when they were walking along, she saw Hannah's eyes looking at something, but upon attempting to follow the gaze didn't see much of anything. "There's something that happened in there that we missed. I certainly missed it, but Hannah saw something and I tried to but failed to see what it was. She didn't say anything and nothing else happened so I almost forgot. It maybe unrelated but I dunno...but maybe he's meant to do this?"
"Meant to?" Link asked as he looked back further, seeing Mega Man looking back at Lucia, and he looked really content, until she actually looked at him, causing him to look away with a blush which made her tilt her head in confusion, not understanding the behavior. Link then looked at the back of his sword hand, where the invisible brand that only appears when fundamentally beckoned to appear lay hidden. That triangular brand, with three spots that could glow at once upon a single person's hand if they're very fortunate enough to do so, but one vacant spot never glowed. "Perhaps he is."
After a bit of an uneventful ride they made it to the edge of the jungle where Mustapha was waiting with the returned Cadillac and extra jeep, Batgirl having long since returned back to the garage with her bike. The sandbuck lowered his head to the ground and everyone carefully slid down the neck and onto the ground in single file. Mustapha watched everyone and was fairly surprised by the new additions, but then noticed the one member missing.
"Hey, where's..." he tried to ask until Jack held up a finger.
"Not here," he whispered.
"Thanks little boy," Felicia said as she ruffled his head momentarily, getting a bit of a weird look before the sandbuck rose it's head and started heading off, prompting everyone to get into the vehicles. Jack got into the driver seat of the Cadillac as usual, this time with Mustapha being the passenger, Link getting in the back, while Felicia got into the jeep with Regina as her passenger, and Mega Man and Lucia getting into the back of the Cadillac before they drove off.
"So, what happened to Hannah?" Mustapha asked a bit concerned.
"We lost her in a portal...I tried to hold onto her but I couldn't...I lost her..." Lucia said, sounding very regretful of the situation.
"Somehow a magical bracelet latched onto her wrist and took her away when she said she wanted out of there," Jack replied. "Where ever it took her I can only hope she's alright..."
"Hannah's tough and has a good deal of smarts. And is fairly world savvy from what I've personally seen. She should be able to take care of herself until she figures out how to get back to us, or we find her," Mega Man said.
"If she's real lucky she'll have been dumped onto this Annet person we're supposed to find but, somehow I doubt our luck's going to be that good," Link said.
"I'll just settle for her making it back in one piece safeky," Jack stated a bit firmly. This took most of them by surprise, noting Jack hardly ever shown this much concern for Hannah. True he has before but not quite like this in the time they knew him.
"By the way, we might have some friendly company waiting for us back at the city," Mustapha said.
"Spider-Man reported over the radio spotting a ship with an Old Blood Mechanic logo on the sail, much like your speed boat," Mustapha said.
"There's more of you up here?" Mega Man asked.
"Yeah but I can't say I know who it is," Jack replied.
"Guess we'll find out when we get there. After all, we have bloated bean bag to overthrow," Mega Man said. After a quick ride through the badlands, they finally arrived back at the garage and pulled in single file across the bridge.
"Bout time you got back. I've been anxious to get on over to the governor's," Batgirl said as she walked up while they were getting out, she even firmly slammed her fist into her palm, but then noticed they were one person short. "Hey..."
"AAAAAAAAHHHHH NONONONONONONO!" Jennifer squealed from another room.
"Oh gosh he's at it again!" Batgirl protested as everyone followed her as she ran into the other room, more baffled as to what was happening before spotting Jennifer and Hermes running around the large room in a circle. "He's taken quite a liking to Jennifer since she's fundamentally the only one of us who "plays" with him." Batgirl put her hands on her hips as she gazed upon this little scene with mild dismay.
"You have a dinosaur as a pet!?" Regina asked in shock.
"It's a bit of a long story. Hermes!" Jack called, prompting the dino to stop in his tracks, quickly turn his head in Jack's direction and promptly trot on over, much to Jennifer's relief as she sighed and plopped onto the floor. "Now you go and rest elsewhere big fella. Leave the nice lady alone." he gave him a mild pat on the snout, to which Hermes went on off elsewhere.
"The previous time he chased her around she stashed herself in a locker, only for him to find her minutes later," Batgirl remarked.
"It's impossible to hide from something with a good tracker for scent and, well, has the proper appendages to open doors," Jennifer protested before laying flat in exhaustion.
"He's pretty harmless really, just like a big dog. But can be appropriately vicious when need be," Spider-Man said.
"And as playful as one too I see," Regina said.
"As much as I'd like to hang around here and learn all there is about this garage, I think we best be off on the ship to the city," Felicia said.
"Right. Some of us can finally take a bit of a nap on the cruise," Link said as they made their way to the exterior area that lead to the mini dock and ship area. There was a ferry vessel waiting and they got things ready and were quickly off. Everyone was anxious, tired and not in high spirits for some. Many of them did end up dozing off on the ride out, which would give them a few hours of sleep and finally recover a bit from everything that's been happening.
-In Uncle's shop-
Everyone was busy rummaging through boxes and sorting though various books and tomes, looking up references and scrutinizing the smallest details, while Hannah was laying in one of the beds up stairs, still covering from her state of shock earlier. Meanwhile the phone suddenly rang, prompting Jackie to pick it up.
"Hello?"
"Is this Mr. Chan?" a woman's voice asked.
"...speaking," Jackie replied after a moment of thought.
"I apologize for taking those pot shots earlier, but I didn't want you following me," Candace said.
"Why are you calling, really?" Jackie asked.
"Again, I do sincerely apologize. I panicked. However, since we may as well get down to business I won't beat around the bush," Candace replied as she turned her chair slightly and elegantly crossed her legs. "My employer shall we say, has business with the Ambassador. Ms. Dundee."
"And are we to just turn her over to you?" Jackie asked.
"No, I just suggest you take care of her and aid her. She's far more special than you can realize," Candace replied.
"Try me," Jackie retorted.
"Hm. No longer playing the technical skeptic I see. Let's just say we're going to be endeavoring to figure out who she truly is. I suggest you do the same," Candace said.
"Why are you telling me this?" Jackie asked, legitimately wondering Candace's sincerity.
"My employer doesn't like loose ends and unsolved problems. Let alone lost souls like the Ambassador. In the end, she might have a grander title than that, and has just been living a humble life unaware," Candace replied.
"And is that a bad thing?"
"Not entirely. She's clearly had a good up bringing and has a good head on her shoulders. However, Jackie," Candace turned and leaned back, putting her feet on her desk. "She deserves the truth of who she really is. Wouldn't you agree? After all, if it was you technical niece in that position, wouldn't you want her to know the truth? Hannah, deserves to know who she is, who her family are. It may not be earth shatter perhaps, but it at least wouldn't be weighing upon her mind, like I know it is now. Consider my words, Chan. And we will come for her eventually. And I expect cooperation." and with that she hung up.
"And that would be?" Jade asked after Jackie hung up on his side.
"Someone who's clearly as much in the know as we are, if not a little bit more so on current matters," Jackie replied. "And they'll be expecting cooperation when they do "eventually" come for her."
"And you expect us to do just go along with it?" Jade asked a bit sternly.
"No. But we'll have to play it smart if we don't want things to get anymore worse for our guest," Jackie replied.
"Hatchaaaa!" Uncle exclaimed.
"What did you find?" Tohru asked as they started to look at what he had laid out.
"The characters on this bracelet match these ancient scripts, as well as carry missing characters," Uncle replied.
"Meaning?" Jade asked.
"Nobody had been able to locate a complete set of the characters that weren't smudged out, or just outright missing. So no one has been able to come close to even remotely translating the language," Jackie replied.
"Correct. This language was considered an early form of writing language before it was merely abandoned and was just left as that. Nooooo these while old weren't exactly "abandoned". They're merely left overs of an ancient tribe. By visitors," Uncle added.
"So, what, have you been studying left behind notes by some other dimensional beings?" Jade asked.
"Peh, for years people haven't been able to make sense of these writings and their just sudden end and no other evidence, many people just assume their writers just vanished. Baaaahhh! People and civilizations don't just vanish! And this is precisely why there's virtually no other evidence of them," Uncle retorted before quickly turning, grabbing the bracelet and then held it out. "They took all of their artifacts and relics with them." he then firmly prodded it to add emphasis to his statement.
"...except for a tool," Jackie said as he started to get a picture.
"A tool left behind for one they believe they've lost, and it only obeys one of their own," Uncle replied.
"But if that's the case..." Hannah's voice spoke, making them look to see her in the doorway that lead to the stairs. "Why didn't it just...take me home then?"
"How long were you standing there?" Tohru asked.
"I was sitting on the stairs when I heard a ringing. I never actually used a phone before but...I heard what's been going on," Hannah replied.
"There is two explanations," Uncle replied as he held up a finger while Hannah approached. "One, your home world is protected and you need to do something to somehow ensure it's truly you that's returning. Or..." his voice lowered in tone and lost a bit of it's energetic luster as he took in his second logical conclusion.
"...my true home no longer exists..." Hannah rationalized and the possibility seemed the most probable of the bunch.
"I'm sorry we have no way of knowing," Jackie said.
"If home's out of the question and there isn't anyone or anything really left behind perhaps..." Hannah took the bracelet and pondered for a moment. "You feel up for a bit of a trip?"
"Where are we going?" Jade asked a bit excitedly.
"Well, I have a technical idea to try out here. But before I do anything I want us to be packed and ready to go. So I suggest we be prepared for almost any possibility," Hannah replied.
"What's your plan then?" Jackie asked.
"Well, if we can't really find anyone of my people, then maybe we can go to someone who is able to actually give me the answers in some capacity, and learn who I am," Hannah replied. "If I can at least learn who my mother and father were...I'd be satisfied with that."
"We're of to...doesn't really work without a clear destination in mind..." Jade tried to excitedly proclaim but her excitement fizzled out both audibly and visually.
"Although I could use a bite to eat," Hannah remarked.
"I'll go make some food!" Uncle said.
"Actually, I think I better order," Jackie replied as he went and picked up the phone again, making Hannah raise a very curious brow.
-The City in the Sea-
Mega Man was sitting below deck while everyone was resting elsewhere, but he his hearing picked up something above deck. Heading out it became clearer he was hearing a soft voice singing, and looking over he saw Lucia standing near one of the railings of the ship, facing out at the ocean while her hair and cape blew in the breeze, and she was singing a soft melody. It was simply one word, but the way she was changing the tone and how long she'd hold the word, just sound relaxing, if not a touch, heavenly. It was almost like he was looking at a live painting due to the dark starry sky, the two moons, and the city drawing slowly closer on the horizon, and Lucia virtually at the center of it all, it was just a breath taking view.
"If I still had a heart I'd swear it'd be fluttering right now," Mega Man remarked to himself, but then blinked when he realized something he just said didn't make sense. "Wait...still had? But I never..." suddenly his vision became very cloudy and fuzzy, soon seeing a tall city, the buildings pristine, the windows shined to a perfect polish, the dazzling lights, but then there were these visages. He could barely see due to a blinding light, but he could make out the outlines roughly. The first was clearly a woman with bright red hair, at most he had a rough outline of her face, and it was very close, he, felt like she was holding him, cradling him. After blurring he found himself in a dim room, looking to a doorway that opened to a starry sky with the city far off in the distance. But the striking thing was the silhouette of a woman leaning in the doorway, tilting her head. He could tell her hair was vibrant, and while he couldn't quite make out the details, she had vibrant eyes and had a gentle smile spreading on her face.
Things then changed suddenly again, this time gazing at a large majestic being of some sort, looking down at apparently weapon smiths as they were hammering away at a weapon, soon raising it aloft, appearing to be some sort of sword. Things changed again, a sunset evening in a remote forest near a mountain range, a field and the sound of a bamboo crack as he swung and struck the bamboo sword of a silhouette of what appeared to be a samurai. They both clashed a few more times until the spark suddenly changed to a horrific visage of a monster, towering over him and slowly approach him while he stood ready with a blade in hand, but despite not being intimidated, what was tearing at him was this woman's voice, so distant and so familiar at the same time.
~No don't do it! I'm begging you get back please! ROOOOOOCCCCCK!~ Things went white before the inevitable clash, and Mega Man let out a groan of agony before falling hard to his hands and knees, getting Lucia's attention. She turned at the hip a bit before turning on her heel and started running to him.
"Mega Man, are you alright?" she asked as she got to one knee and put her hands on his shoulders.
"I...don't know what came over me I..." Mega Man was at a total loss and didn't seem to be fully aware of what was going on as he was gazing off into space a bit. He didn't even notice the back of his right hand was glowing a golden aura. Lucia saw this briefly, just barely seeing the rough outline of a shape, and a pattern being left behind momentarily, but then faded away. She then put her left hand's fingers gently where she saw the pattern and ran the tips along it very gently.
"...the brand...?" she asked, while Mega Man was still in such a daze he didn't catch what she was doing or saying until she started helping him to his feet. She then walked him over to the railing as he gazed out silently at the sea as she stood beside him, starting to see him a little differently now although she didn't fully comprehend what was going on.
Chapter End.