Episode 23: Going Viral
Ronaldo POV
Tonight is the night.
Tonight...everything changes. Tonight, is when boys become men. Men become warriors. Warriors become legends.
There is absolutely nothing else that matters right now then tonight. I've been waiting years for this moment, and my patience has been rewarded. And...what better way to endure this privilege than with my best friends, Kameron Evans and Lars Barriga.
"My comrades. My friends. My brothers. Are you ready to embark on the most epic experience of your lives?" I asked, fully determined.
Kameron smirked, "Do you have to ask?"
Lars rolled his eyes, but he grinned, "Dude, don't make this too weird."
I smirked, "Who do you think you're talking to? Weird is my specialty. We're about to face so much weirdness, so you better buckle up."
And so, side by side... The trio is formed. The time is now. We each picked up our controllers and locked our eyes onto the screen. At the bottom the load-screen had reached one-hundred percent and once the screen went black the title screen appeared, a golden coin with an image of wings on it, but a large crack ruptured down the middle.
"Sacred Judgement. Press Start If You Dare."
I, Ranchor, The greatest mage of Topping-Burgh had officially reached LV:15. Time had passed and many monsters had been slain, but it had to be done so the world may continue to progress.
However, I would've have reached this level without those beside me.
To my right laid Sir Kamel, Demonic Knight Of The Metal Empire. Cursed by a demon and ostracized by his own people, including the Royal Family, he still fights for what is right and to protect those around him, regardless if they thank him or not.
To my left lies Lance, Guardian Of Rainbow Valley. He alone carries the Thirteen Rings, ancient and mystical artifacts that each grant him amazing powers. Though reluctant at first, he soon gathered enough courage to take a stand and fight for justice.
With the Staff Of Ancients, The Blade Of Souls, and The Thirteen Rings, we traversed through the Swamp Of Death.
We each moved at our own paces, but kept our eyes on the path ahead. Our field of vision was limited due to the fog of the swamp, only allowing us to see vague shapes and silhouettes. Portions of light illuminated the skies above, though it didn't help us navigate through the fog. Whispers and eerie sounds entered our ears, making us turn our heads slowly, but returning them back straight forward.
"Any idea what awaits us?" Sir Kamel asked.
I shook my head. "The villagers weren't very clear about the swamp. Only telling me that whoever goes in is never seen again."
Lance scoffed, "Great. That's real helpful." He then turned his gaze onto me. "You sure there weren't any other paths we could've taken?"
I shook my head again. "This is the only path toward the next town." I then increased my grip on my Staff Of Ancients, "Besides, we've grind enough to be prepared for this and we've made sure to be well equipped for anything. I've only seen this part in the trailers, but whatever happens we've gotta stick together."
Right when my companions was about to speak the snapping of a twig silenced us, making us halt our movement.
"What was that!?" Lance screamed.
I quickly turned my eyes from one direction to the next, slightly raising up my staff. Soon enough a collection of eerie sounds entered our ears. I spread my legs out slightly, narrowing my eyes while glancing at my companions.
"Get ready." Sir Kamel said firmly, pulling his sword from his back.
Lance raised up his hands while his rings glowed different colors.
Then...from the fog a loud scream entered our ears, making us flinch until a figure came right out of it. Without any time to waste I pointed my staff at the figure, firing a small burst of flames at it. The figure was engulfed in flames and started to disintegrate to dust.
We all took a breath, but as we turned our heads we saw more figures slowly coming of the fog. Their skin was pale while their eyes glowed baby-blue, but most notably most of their bodies were either falling apart or missing.
"Remnants." The three of us said in unison.
Raising up my staff I closed my eyes before beginning a chant. Reopening my eyes I turned my attention to my comrades, whom now had red auras covering their bodies.
Lance's rings soon lost their colors, except for the dark-green ring on his right middle finger. His eyes soon glowed dark-green and his hands started emitting a dark-green mist.
Lowering our bodies we glared at the horde coming to us.
"...Boys~"
We each took a breath, ready for the slaying of a lifetime.
"...Boys?"
It's time to unleash the greatest abilities we've ever unlocked. And there wasn't anything that was gonna-
"BOYS!"
Our bodies shook from the sudden yell, but we each sighed and groaned before pausing the game. I then turned to Kameron and saw him stand up before walking over to his door and opening it up. On the other side was Mrs. Evans, only...only...whoa...
Mrs. Evans was wearing a white crop-top with biker jeans. Wow... Just...wow... I turned over to Lars and his eyes were as big as plates. Plus I took notice of the drool coming out of his mouth.
"Sorry mom." Kameron said. "We were in the zone."
Mrs. Evans sighed and put a hand on her hips. "I'm ordering pizza for you boys in case you get hungry." She then turned her attention onto me and Lars, "Hi, Ronaldo. Hi, Lars."
I slowly brought up my hand and waved, "Hi, Mrs. Evans."
Lars only waved with a goofy smile on his face.
Mrs. Evans giggled at him and turned back to Kameron, "Your dad and I are heading out soon. Make sure you boys eat and don't be too loud. We'll be back soon, okay?"
Kameron nodded, "Got it. Have a good time."
Mrs. Evans smiled at pushed her head forward, pressing her lips onto Kameron's cheek before retracting it. "I love you, honey. Call if you need anything."
Kameron nodded just as his mom turned around and walked away. As she did Kameron closed the door and sat back down next to us.
Lars soon blinked and turned to Kameron, "Dude, I can't believe that your mom is wearing that. Has she dipped in a fountain of youth or something?"
Kameron rolled his eyes, "No. She just takes good care of herself. She works out at the gym when she gets the chance." He then sighed and turned to the screen. "How's your mom?"
Lars sighed and placed his attention back on the screen and shrugged. "She's okay. When I told her about the watch and becoming a Rainbow Gem, her and dad did freak out. But...after a long, long, long talk they eventually agreed to let me do this. Only thing I gotta worry about is being careful."
Kameron then turned to me, "What about you-" He then stopped himself from talking.
My lips soon fell as I looked at the carpeted floor. Mom... I haven't thought about her in years. But...why should I? I narrowed my eyes and looked back at Kameron, "Can we go back to the game, please?"
He nodded. I turned to Lars and he nodded too. I sighed as we un-paused and put our eyes onto the remnants.
'Don't think about it. You're not Ronaldo Fryman right now. You're Ranchor, the greatest mage of Topping-Burgh.' I thought to myself.
At my house I raised up my hands and cracked my hands and turned on my lamp before facing my laptop. I pulled up my blog and went toward my previous entries.
King Of The Jungle: Resurrection Or New Species
At Dewey High School, I have encountered the most amazing discovery in existence, a pink lion.
The beast was not alone. Steven had been riding on it at their arrival at the school, but when exiting the building the king ran within the concrete jungle.
It's appearance was indeed magnificent on sight, yet how has the king become pink?
The answer must be resurrection; dying and returning to the plane of existence.
Or the king is apart of a new undiscovered species yet to be discovered.
Next to my entry was a few responses.
Enigma000
Wow... Thanks for sharing your knowledge, Great One.
Maybe it's a new species. I'm not so sure, but it's gotta be.
White tigers exist due to a genetic mutation, so maybe this lion has something similar to it.
SearchSeeker06
Resurrection.
No doubt about it.
The lion was engaged in a fierce battle and one of the Rainbow or Crystal Gems brought it back to life.
Unknown20
Perhaps a new species. Many are getting discovered nowadays.
Resurrection sounds like a bit of a stretch, but it's possible. We live on a planet with people with powers fighting monsters and the military taking action against them.
I felt my lips curve upwards. My cheeks felt a lot warmer than usual. This... This is why Keep Beach City Weird was created. The people must know and must discuss the abnormalities that is upon us. But... I think I can do more.
Beach City isn't the only place where weirdness occurs. I must visit her sister and engage with the people about the truth and what is to come. The universe cannot keep her secrets forever. I will make sure of it. Facts and books won't be enough. No, believing in your own mind, heart, and soul is the only way to uncover the truth. And I'm gonna need some help.
*knock knock*
The echoing knocks entered my ears, breaking my concentration. I groaned and got up from my chair and walked over to my door. Grabbing the knob I twisted it and opened it up, revealing a large man on the other side with blonde hair sticking upwards. He had brown eyes and some aftershave along a red T-shirt, blue jeans, and yellow shoes.
"You didn't show up for work today." He said.
I rolled my eyes, "It's the weekend, dad. Besides, you've got plenty of employees on deck."
He narrowed his eyes at me, "You know, Peedee does a lot more than you do. You're older than him, which means you have to work more than him."
I narrowed my eyes at him, "Dad, I'm not gonna work for you forever. I have my own life to focus on."
He rolled his eyes, "The family business requires every Fryman on board. You're just wasting away on your computer chasing things that either don't exist or do, but you haven't discovered it yet. You're living in a fantasy world when you should be in reality."
I growled. "Then just give up on me." I then pointed at him, "For the record, what I do is important and something you could never understand."
Dad scoffed and walked away. I closed my door and placed my back against it. I groaned and pushed my hands through my hair. Ugh... He doesn't get it at all.
I shook my head and walked over to my drawer next to my desk. Getting down on one knee I reached out and grabbed the knob before pulling it back. I looked inside and grinned.
*Static Sounds*
Jiggling the camera and making sure the red light was on, I took a step back and stopped, putting myself between Kameron and Lars.
"Greetings homosapiens of planet Earth. My name is Ronaldo Fryman. These are my best friends, Kameron Evans and Lars Barriga. Today, we are going on a journey. A journey that will change the world going forward. To uncover...the truth." I said to the camera.
Lars scoffed, "Dude, do we seriously have to film this?"
I turned to him, "Of course. We must let the world know who made the discoveries." I then turned to Kameron, "Any words for the world?"
Kameron shrugged, "Let's see where the wind takes us."
I grinned and looked back at the camera.
*Static Sounds*
*Static Sounds*
Walking down the sidewalk I held the camera while Kameron and Lars walked in front of me. While we walked several bystanders took some glances at us. Some gave us weird or unsure looks while others gave us curious expressions. Diverse expressions were always welcome in my discoveries.
"So, this is Nero Avenue." Kameron said, "Nothing too special about it. Just an average block."
Coming up to a crosswalk the three of us stood side by side right when I turned the camera to a man wearing a suit and carrying a briefcase.
"Excuse me, sir." I said, gaining his attention. "What are your thoughts on the Rainbow Gems and Crystal Gems?"
The man blinked, "Are you making a movie, kid?"
"Please answer the question." I replied.
The man huffed and shrugged, "I don't know. I think they're freaks. But they're protecting us, so that's enough for me."
"Why do you call them freaks?" I asked.
The man narrowed his eyes, "Because that's what they are. Having powers or fighting monsters is insane. I'd rather have a normal life than dealing with all that." The man then turned his head, "Listen kid, I gotta go."
I watched him walk and followed. Turning the camera I looked at the guys and Lars glared at the guy while Kameron had his hands in his pockets.
"What a jerk." Lars whispered.
"Some people have their own opinions about us." Kameron stated.
That I firmly agreed with. Not everybody shared the same perspectives, but that's what makes their opinions so unique.
*Static Sounds*
*Static Sounds*
Taking a left turn we arrived at the entrance to Destiny Station and made our way down. Reaching the bottom I turned my sights onto a duo of girls sitting on a bench.
"I'm gonna go get us tickets." Kameron said. "Stay together and in one place. The station isn't always a nice place."
Watching Kameron go to the ticket counter I made my way to the duo.
"Excuse me." I said, gaining their attention. "Do you two believe the Rainbow Gems and Crystal Gems are truly keeping us safe or leading us to destruction?"
The girls looked at us and tilted their heads.
"Um...are you with the news?" Girl#1 asked.
"No. This is a Commentary/Documentary/Video for my blog." I replied.
Girl#1 turned to Girl#2, confused. They soon turned to us.
"Uh... Well...I don't think the Gems are bad people. Sure they look weird, but they're not bad. Personally I don't know them well, but I've seen them around and they don't seem too bad." Girl#1 said.
"Same. Plus I think the red guy is hot. I wanna talk to him, but whenever I get near him I freeze up." Girl#2 added. She looked at us and started pulling something out of her purse. It was a pen and paper. In a flash she wrote down on the paper before retracting her pen and handing the paper to Lars, "If you see him, can you give this too him?"
I turned to Lars whom looked at paper. His cheeks started turning red as he then looked at the woman.
"Uh...s-s-sure. We'll give it to him." He stuttered.
Right when I was about to ask what the paper was I heard Kameron coming back.
"Got the tickets." Kameron said. He then turned to Lars, "You okay?"
Lars rapidly nodded.
I soon turned to the duo, "Thank you for your time. We'll be going now."
They nodded and waved at us.
"Hope we were helpful." Girl#1 said.
"Goodbye." Girl#2 added.
*Static Sounds*
*Static Sounds*
Arriving at Wild District we exited the station and made our way toward our next destination: Destiny City Police Department.
"Are we even allow to be here?" Lars asked.
"We have to be. Plus, we've got special clearance." I replied, turning the camera to Kameron.
"Just because my sister is a cop that doesn't mean I can go to the police station and do whatever I want." Kameron stated.
"Please?~" I asked.
Kameron shook his head and walked up to the entrance. "Stay here for a sec." He added before going inside.
A few minutes went by and Kameron came out while holding the door open for me and Lars. Inside the station we made our way to the front desk with several police officers and Amber were present.
"Good day, fellow holders of the law. We have come in peace." I said.
Amber rolled her eyes, "Hun. This ain't a place fer fun. Unless somethin' happened that we don't know about or ya got in trouble, ya boy are gonna have ta leave."
"Before we do that, can you answer a few questions?" I asked. "When did you become a police officer? Have people treated you differently because you're a Gem? Have you ever been arrested yourself?"
Amber soon narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms. "Five. Four. Three..."
"Please, Amber. The world must know the truth." I told her.
Her narrowed eyes slowly turned into a glare. Up above the lights started to flicker slowly. I raised my camera up to the flickering lights, gazing at how quickly they dim and brighten. Lowering my camera I placed it onto Amber, but as soon as I did the picture started showing static. So...she's capable of electrokinesis. Interesting...yet my soul was telling me that if I made her even angrier it'll be the last thing I'll ever witness.
"Two..." Amber growled.
"Okay, okay! We'll leave. But remember, just like a cop, I will get to the bottom of this." I replied.
The lights above stopped flickering. Amber rolled her eyes and walked away while growling. I turned to the others and saw Lars shaking where he stood while Kameron let out a long sigh.
One thing was certain, Amber was terrifying. She must be using this against unforgivable criminals.
*Static Sounds*
*Static Sounds*
Leaving the DCPD, we left Wild District and made our way over to Angel District.
Arriving on Polar Drive we arrived at Chopper Hospital. Going inside Kameron went up to the front desk while me and Lars remained in the waiting area. Turning my whole body I pointed the camera at a girl nearby, whom was quietly reading a book. Going up to the girl I pointed my camera at her, making her look up at me.
"I'm sorry for bothering you, but may I ask you a question?" I asked.
The girl tilted her head and slowly shook her head, "My mom taught me to never talk to strangers. I'm sorry, but I can't talk to you."
I hummed a little. Though I was disappointed, I understood and walked back to Lars.
"Dude, are you gonna barrage people with questions, regardless of who they are?" Lars asked.
I nodded. "I have to."
He rolled his eyes as I turned my body to see Kameron coming up to us.
"Azurite is finishing up with a patient right now." Kameron said. "She'll be here shortly."
I grinned.
And my patience was soon rewarded when Azurite came walking toward the waiting area.
"I'm sorry if you're busy, sis." Kameron apologized.
Azurite shook her head and approached Kameron, wrapping her arms around him and putting his head into her chest.
"No need to apologize, brother." Azurite said before releasing him and turning to me. "And what are you three engaging in?"
"We're making a movie about the truth behind the Rainbow Gems and Crystal Gems." I explained.
"Plus I've never been around the city before, so that's why I agreed to do this." Lars added. "Even though I would rather be training or chilling."
I then took a step forward, pointing the camera at Azurite, "How long have you been a doctor? What kind of powers can you do? Do you use your powers at your job? Has a doctor or a nurse ever hit on you?" I asked.
Azurite blinked at him and turned to her brother.
"Just humor him." Kameron replied.
Azurite then turned back to me. "I've been a doctor for many, many years. My powers are hydrokinesis and flight. Sometimes. And yes, several of my co-workers have tried flirting with me and I declined because I'm married."
My jaw dropped at her responses. I looked at Lars and Kameron, who stared at her with shocked expressions.
"You're married?" Kameron asked.
Azurite blinked twice and covered her mouth. Just when one of us would speak to her the intercom went off.
"Dr. Evans to Intensive Care. Dr. Evans to Intensive Care."
Removing her hand from her mouth she looked at her brother, "I will tell you one day. For now, I must go and you all should too."
Turning around she walked away and went to the left.
Now...our answers gave way to more questions.
*Static Sounds*
*Static Sounds*
Leaving Angel District my mind absorbed so much information. But what piqued my curious the most was that Azurite was married. Kameron never mentioned that his sister was taken, though he himself didn't know either. Which means that his siblings and father must've had multiple partners. But I'll save that for another time.
Crossing the street and arriving on Phoenix Street in Inferno District, I lifted the camera to the skies as we soon arrived at our next area called Jojo's Gym.
Going inside I turned my attention on a woman near the entrance whom noticed us.
"Kameron?" The woman asked.
Kameron waved at her, "Hi, Claire."
The woman named Claire then turned her attention on us. "Oh, are these your friends? Are you guys making a movie?" She added.
"Hi, I'm Ronaldo." I introduced myself. "We're exploring the truth about the Rainbow Gems and Crystal Gems."
Claire tilted her head and looked at us with confusion.
"Is Pyrope here?" Kameron asked.
Claire shook her head, "No, he went to go pick something up. Did you need anything?"
Kameron shook his head.
"Oh, if you see Pyrope, can you give him this?" Lars said, handing the paper to Claire.
She opened it up and looked at what was inside. Once she finished she raised her head up and narrowed her eyes at us.
"Where did you get this?" She asked firmly.
I was a bit taken back by her sudden mood change, but I chose to answer. "We met these girls at the station and one of them handed it over to us."
"I see." Claire replied. "Well...thanks for that. You boys should leave now."
We each blinked at her. "But we need to explore the rest of the gym." I said.
Claire then smiled and slowly walked up to me, making me take a step back. "Honey, I suggest you leave right now or I'm gonna make you run on the treadmill for two hours."
My eyes lightly widened. Two hours...on a treadmill. That...that is nightmare-inducing torment.
"O-Okay. we'll leave now." I said with a stutter.
"Good. I'm glad you understand." Claire replied before walking away.
I soon turned to Kameron and Lars, to which both were as still as statues.
*rumble sounds*
*Static Sounds*
*Static Sounds*
Leaving Jojo's Gym my friends and I quietly traversed toward the next part of Destiny City: Feast District.
With how Claire reacted to us, something told me we made a mistake. Well...next time we see Pyrope, hopefully we can clear things up.
Taking a turn on Geo Avenue, we were a few distances away from a large building in front of us. The building held a large sign showing a man with a mustache and wearing a chef's hat while holding a spatula and a wooden spoon. Underneath the man was a sign: Hall Of Hunger.
*rumble sounds*
Lars groaned while putting a hand on his stomach. "Guys, can we get some grub, please?"
"Yeah, I'm starving." Kameron groaned, putting a hand on his stomach.
The echoing rumbles entered my ears. This...we could not ignore. There was only one solution to this problem.
Walking up to the Hall Of Hunger we entered inside and my nose was immediately hit with a seducing scent. Straight ahead there were large stocks of food from left to right. Spaghetti. Corn. Mashed Potatoes. Sour Chicken. Apple Slices. Pineapple. Vegetables. Steak. Pie. Ice Cream. Whatever food you could imagine, they had it.
"Holy crap..." Lars whispered.
"We've gotta eat here." I added.
"Ditto. Let's go." Kameron added.
With that agreement we went up to the counter and looked at the cashier.
"Table for three, please?" I asked.
The cashier nodded and guided us to our table. Once we ordered our drinks we each went and grabbed our food. As much as I didn't want to leave the camera behind, I had to so I could quell my appetite.
Soon enough we all went back to our table, plates full of food. Lars got some sweet-potatoes, some pizza, carrots, and corn. Kameron got some Sour Chicken, potato chucks, corn, and fries. I got some mac & cheese, steak, pizza, and green beans. Without wasting anymore time we engaged in our cuisines.
"Oh man, this totally hits the spot." Lars said while eating. He then turned to Kameron. "You come here often?"
Kameron shook his head as he devoured his corn, "Not often. Sometimes."
As I chewed my food I turned my head and took notice of certain individual with mountains of food around him while several customers gazed at him in awe and disgust.
"Hey, isn't that your brother?" I asked Kameron.
Stuffing some potatoes in his mouth he turned his head and saw Citrine nearby. "Yeah. This is one of his favorite hot-spots." Kameron added.
Swallowing my food I turned to Citrine. As much as I wanted to go over there and talk to him, my stomach had my attention first. So...once my hunger is satisfied I will continue our journey.
*Static Sounds*
*Static Sounds*
Getting our fills, we paid for our food and left the restaurant.
Making our way out of Feast District, we ventured on toward Union District.
I groaned with every step I took, but I kept pushing myself forward. Sometimes...I really don't like taking long walks, but the truth doesn't wait for anyone.
Taking a right onto Creed Street, we came to a complete stop at a very...interesting building. The building was completely purple with small indigo lights around the door. Above the door showcased a sign showing some lips with words next to it that said: My Secret.
"I think we should skip this one." Kameron said.
"But isn't this where Charoite works?" I replied.
Kameron turned his head while his cheeks turned pink.
"Yeah... She works here, but...I don't think we should go in." Kameron said.
"Why not? What does your sister do?" Lars asked.
Kameron groaned a bit and shook his head. He was okay going to the other places, but...why not here?
"Okay." Kameron said. "We'll go in, but...you've been warned."
Opening the door for us we headed inside with Kameron following inside.
Within the building we were hit with soft music entering our ears. Up above the lights were indigo and all around there were various benches, chairs, and seats with a small amount of people sitting around. Up ahead I turned my sights onto a woman at the counter and...and...I think I now know why Kameron hesitated on coming in. The woman was beautiful...but the word wasn't enough to describe her.
"Hello, boys~" The woman said with a suggestive tone as we approached. "Are you three making a movie?~"
We each shook our heads as fast as humanly possible. "N-No ma'am. We're just searching for various truths."
The woman hummed and lowered herself onto the counter, pressing her chest against it while putting a hand under her chin. "I see.~"
I swallowed some saliva and coughed a bit, getting my voice back. "U-Um... W-W-What are y-y-your thoughts about Gems, ma'am?"
The woman hummed again and turned her sights onto Kameron. "Well, it's hard to say. I am grateful of you all protecting us and all, but...I hardly know anything about Gems."
I turned to Kameron, whom gulped and scratched the back of his head. "U-Um...thank you, ma'am."
The woman giggled a bit and stood up before walking around the counter and approaching us. "What you boys like? Hand? Back? Chest? Or Sauna?"
I blinked at her and lifted the camera up to notice what she was taking about. Above the counter showed a sign showcasing different types of massages, access to a sauna or hot spring, or even getting haircuts. Although...there was something that caught my eye.
"What the "Happy Ending" massage?" I asked.
The woman looked at me, then turned to Lars and lastly Kameron. She then started giggling. "Sorry, sweetie. You'll have to wait until you're older for that one."
Hearing this all three of our faces turned completely red. Oh... It's "that" kind of massage.
"Um...may we only get back massages?" Lars asked.
The woman nodded. "Of course. I'll summon my girls and they'll take good care of you three." She then looked at Kameron and smiled, "I'll make sure your sister knows you're here."
Oh...boy...
*Static Sounds*
*Static Sounds*
Wow... Just...wow. I...couldn't fully describe exactly what just happened. The only thing on my mind when we left the building was how soft those masseuse's hands were.
"Geez... You're sister has an amazing job, Kameron." Lars said dreamily.
"Yeah." Kameron simply replied. "And no, you can't date her, she's already taken."
Lars gasped as he blushed, "W-What? No. I'm not thinking about that."
Kameron smirked and rolled his eyes. Part of me wanted to ask him who Charoite was seeing, but...the other part of me was still thinking about the masseuse.
Coming up onto Heart District we approached a small building on Cupid Road showing a big image of a cat with a crown on it's head. Just underneath the cat was a title that said: Royal Cream.
Outside the building were several tables with umbrella on them, protecting them from the rays of the sun. But what caught our eyes were a huge group of people screaming and cheering near a table with numerous security guards keeping them at bay. Taking a closer look at the table we saw Lepidolite and what looked like a small group of people eating ice cream.
"As you can see, most individuals simply adore Gems. Being on pare with celebrities and absorbing all that they receive from those who crave their attention." I said out loud.
Right when either Lars or Kameron attempted to speak, Lepidolite and her group took notice of us. Lepidolite smiled and waved at us before gesturing us to coming over. The crowds soon turned their attention onto us with glares across their faces. Now with the spotlight I turned to my friends. Kameron shrugged and Lars was shaking in place. Without a second thought I began walking toward the group.
"Kameron!" Lepidolite cheered, getting up from her seat and running up to her brother before wrapping her arms around him.
Kameron tensed up a little, but he returned her affection and patted her back.
"Aw. There's nothing more beautiful than the pure love between siblings." I said softly.
Releasing her brother from her grasp, Lepidolite turned to me and tilted her head before scoffing. "Please don't tell me you three were asked by the paparazzi to film us."
I shook my head, "No, we're searching for the truth about Gems." I then took a step forward, pointing the camera at her. "How long have you been a pop star? Do you enjoy your career? Do you love your fans?"
Lepidolite then turned to Kameron and then to Lars. She then whispered something to Kameron and turned back to me, narrowing her eyes.
"SECURITY!" Lepidolite screamed.
Almost like they appeared out of thin air, several security guards came up and gently pushed me and my friends away while covering up the camera.
"Hey! You can't suppress the truth!" I yelled.
*Static Sounds*
*Static Sounds*
Making out of Heart District we found a large bench in Necro District and sat down. Ugh, I can't believe Lepidolite did that. I puffed up my cheeks while aiming my camera to the sky.
"Ronnie." Lars said, making me turn and put the camera on him. "No offense, man, but I'm calling it quits."
I gasped. What? Lars was throwing in the towel after the three of us made it this far? I then turned to Kameron and he adverted his eyes from me.
"But... But what about the truth?" I asked.
"Dude, my family aren't gonna split about their secrets." Kameron replied. "And yeah, this was fun at first, but now it's getting stale."
"Same." Lars added.
I slowly lowered my camera onto my lap. On one hand, they were right. We haven't found anything. On the other hand, there were two Gems left to speak to. We had to keep going.
"But...don't you guys want to know the truth? Don't you want to know what's going on behind the scenes? There has to be something! I know it in my gut! Something is going on and it's our responsibility to seek it out! Don't you care!?" I said strongly.
Kameron and Lars stood up from their seats and narrowed their eyes at me.
"Of course we care." Kameron said firmly. "Ever since I discovered the Kindergarten, I've had many, many questions for my family. So far the only things I know about them was that they came from machines and those machines harmed the planet. That's all that I know."
"For the record, I care too." Lars said firmly. "But so far we keep running into dead-ends. I don't fully know what's going on either, but I don't want to cause problems for others just because of curiosity."
"That's why we take risks. You'll never know unless you try. I gotta figure this out. But so far, I'm the only one who's taking this seriously." I said.
Lars then scoffed, "Why do you have to figure this out? You keep saying you're searching for the truth, but if you get it, then what? You gonna boast about it online and to everyone else just to prove you were right?"
"What are you really trying to solve, Ronaldo?" Kameron asked.
I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out. This...this was all about finding out about the Gems. That's it. That's all that there is to it. That's the only truth that I need to solve. I need to know what's gonna happen to us. I need to know what secrets the Gems are hiding. I need... I need... I...
Some sobs exited my mouth as my vision got covered in tears. Kameron and Lars looked at me with wide-eyes along with everyone else walking by. My lips quivered as I lowered my head, putting my blurry vision onto my camera. I looked up and saw by best friends looking away from me. Maybe...I was wrong. And...this whole thing is a waste of time.
"C-Can you take me home?" I asked through my sobs.
"Ronaldo..." Kameron replied in soft voice. "We didn't mean to-"
"Please. Just...take me home." I interrupted.
Kameron and Lars sighed. I then turned off my camera as Kameron pulled out his Warp Whistle. Without any delays he blew into it, engulfing me, Lars, and himself in a flash of light.
RING! RING! RING! RING! RING!
Reaching my hand out from the covers of my bed I slammed it onto my clock, shutting it off. Retracting my hand I pushed myself up, removing the covers from my body before twisting it and putting my feet onto my carpeted floor.
As much as I don't want to leave the house or even my room, I knew dad or Peedee would force me up anyway. So...might as well wake up.
Once I got dressed I glanced at my laptop. Sucking in some air I slowly exhaled it out and made my way out of my room.
Going downstairs I turned my body to the left and entered the kitchen. There I saw dad sitting at the table drinking coffee while reading the paper. Next to him was a small boy with pale-skin, brown eyes, and yellow dreadlocks wearing a white collared shirt, khaki pants, and yellow slip-ons. He was dipping his spoon into a bowl of cereal before stuffing it into his mouth.
I walked pass them and made my way towards the door.
"Ronaldo."
I then froze, my hand inches away from the knob. I then turned my head to dad, "What?"
"Afterschool I need you to go straight to the shop. We're gonna be busy soon, so we need every Fryman on deck." Dad replied.
The shop, the shop, the shop... That's all he ever cares about!
"I quit." I told him angerly.
Peedee gasped and looked at me with widened eyes. Dad glared at me and put his coffee and paper down on the table.
"What did you just say?" Dad asked, angerly.
"I quit." I repeated firmly.
"You know what, if you're not gonna take the family business seriously-" Dad replied.
"Why should I?" I interrupted him.
Dad blinked while Peedee switched between looking at me and dad.
"Excuse me?" Dad asked.
"Family business, family business, family business. That's all you ever talk about and it's the only thing you will ever care about! Ever since mom left us, you just threw yourself into work and force Peedee and me to be your employees even though you already got plenty! I'm gonna follow and live my own life, which I doubt you care about at all! You don't need me! You only need Peedee! He's your employee of the month while I'm a piece of trash that'll never accomplish his goals!" I yelled.
Dad and Peedee fell into silence after my rant was over. Honestly, I couldn't care less about what their responses would be.
I gripped onto my backpack strap and turned my attention back to the door. "I'm going to school. Don't wait up." I added before going outside.
End Of Episode 23.
Sorry for the long wait.
So...yeah, Ronaldo episode. I know that many in the fandom hate him, but I personally think he's a decent person. Canon only focused on his negative traits, stripping us from seeing both sides to him.
Anyway, see you all next time.