The DOLLS screamed as they scrambled to their feet, rushing off into different directions. Diane hide behind a chair, Olivia under the bed, Lydia and Laura dash under the closet and Samantha into the bathroom, locking the door.
Dot blinked. "Always the terror," she muttered. "Don't be afraid, Lumen Knights. You have been chosen for a glorious purpose," she said mysteriously. Diane's head popped up. "What purpose?" She asked, intrigued.
"Saving the world from evil monsters. Echoes they are called. You're to stop them," Dot explained. "Magical powers will be bestowed upon you. Now, will you answer the call to action—"
"No," the response from Diane startling Dot.
"What?" She blinked.
"One, I don't know you. Two, I don't care and three, how dare you waltz into Dia's bedroom like you own the place. Take your powers and piss off!" Diane said, flipping her hair.
Dot blinked, her expression of disbelief evident. "Excuse me, young lady. Do you have any idea who you're talking to?" Dot asked her. Diane shrugged. "No, I don't. Now go, before I cancel you."
"Cancel? Do any of you have a desire to save the world? Your planet's in danger. Do you not care?" She debated. Olivia emerged, disgust on her face. "It's constantly in danger I suppose. Ooh. Global warming. Guess what? The place isn't flooded, and I haven't burned to a crisp," Olivia spat.
Lydia cries out as Laura pushed her out of the closet. "What she said. Also," Laura looked her up and down, her nose wrinkled. "What are you? Are you trying to be bug or something else? I don't follow your look."
"Yeah. Bye," Diane waved. Dot shook her head. "This is fine. There a plenty of young women, you will be willing to become Lumen Knights. I haven't normally been rejected like this in decades but there's always a first," Dot said. Just as suddenly, she vanished in a bright light.
Diane blinked, trying to remove the brightness from her eyes. "Ugh, that's so annoying," she shook her head. "Anyway, back to the diary."
_
Mrs. Denoise opens the door to four boys, grinning. "Hello?" She said, curious. "Shalom, little mama," Lonnie purred. "Excuse me?" She said, resting a hand on her hip. "We're here to kick your son's ass," Trevor remarked. "Excuse me?" She said, astonished. "We're here to see Scott," Felix muttered, his cheeks turn red. "What?" She squinted at him. "He said, we're here to see Scott," Carl grinned. He glanced over at the others, glaring as he pushed up his spectacles.
"Oh. Then start with that. Come on in. Would you like some lemonade?" She asks. "I'd love to," Lonnie said, deeply. Trevor stepped on his foot, causing Lonnie to shout in pain, muttering in Hebrew. Mrs. Denoise stepped aside and they entered the house. After getting the lemonade, they're directed to Scott's room, which they enter.
"Hey guys," he smiled. The boys greet him in turn. His smile then vanished. "I heard you guys downstairs. Please tell me he didn't try to rizz up my Mom," He asks. "He did," Trevor admitted. "But—"
"You mama is loyal," Lonnie smirked, sitting on his bed. Scott rolled his eyes. "Good," he said. His fingers then combed through his orange hair. Lonnie spots Diane's room. "Oh my...is that her room? You get a clear view inside? God, you're so lucky," Lonnie drooled. "Oh yes. How lucky am I," Scott groaned.
"What's this about? Because I was about to eat my granny's food," Trevor growled, as he stepped over a heap of clothes. "And no-one runs out on Granny's cooking."
"It'll be just a minute," Scott assured him. He cleared his throat before continuing. "I need you guys to help me break into Diane's room."
Trevor and the boys stared at him. "You're serious?" Felix said. Lonnie turned to him. "Oh, so you can speak," he comments. Trevor crossed his arms. "Scott, did you not hear my speech today? My mom's in Mexico and my Dad's in jail. Plus, I'm already black and now, you want me to rob some rich white girl? Are you insane?" Trevor asked.
"Well, you see. Muriel ran out of underwear and, not wanting to tell our parents, she's asked me to take some of Diane's. After all, they're the same size. It'll be in and out, I promise," Scott explained.
"I'm in," Lonnie grinned. "You serious? This is stupid plan. I'm in," Trevor shrugged. "Um, I'm in," Felix blushed. "I'm not," Carl frowned. "Oh come on. I need a five man team," Scott begged. "Is this like a ration thing?" Carl asked shyly. "Uh...yes?" Scott grinned. "Okay. I'm in. I can sympathize. I'm currently wearing the same underwear three times in a row," Carl smiled.
Trevor glanced at him in disgust. "Too much information. Also, why Carl? What's wrong with your parents?" He asked him.
Scott clapped his hands, calling their attention to him. "Here's your clothes. Get ready. I'll be right back," he smiled.
As he ran out, Lonnie lifted the red polo shirt into the air. "Is this what I think it is?" Lonnie said, surveying the shirt. Trevor snorted, a smile on his face. "Scott's got a nasty sense of humor," Trevor laughed, as Lonnie blushed.
Scott skipped down the steps as his father walked in. "Got the treats?" He asked. "Yes, but—"
"Thanks," he said as he snatched the bag and ran up the steps.
Mrs. Denoise simply shrugged as her husband scratched his head. Muriel who was on the steps chuckled, her eyes red from rubbing and crying. "Underwear?" She sniffed. "Sorry but it was best lie I could think off," he winked. "You're the best brother ever," she smiled. "Thanks sis," he answered.
He entered his room and took his jacket, revealing that he wore a black bodysuit. "You guys ready?" He asked, sliding on a a ski mask. "You think this funny? The black boy wearing black?" Trevor asked, frowning.
"Scott has a nasty sense of humor, Treffy," Lonnie smiled. "Don't call me that," he snarled. "Guys, come on," Scott sighed. The boys nod and Scott gestures them to the window. After awkwardly turning around, they climb out the window via a rope.
They then sneak the fence and they gather close to Scott. "Okay, so Lonnie. You distract Mrs. Fitzpatrick while Trevor, Felix, Carl and I sneak in through the back. Any questions?"
Lonnie raised his hand. Scott sighed. "What Lonnie?"
"Why do I have to be the pizza guy?" He asks, annoyance in his voice. "Because, you're Italian?" Scott smirked. Lonnie rolled his eyes. "I'm only half, bro. Plus," he shows him the box. "Papa Johns, seriously. Not Mario's, not Little Cesare's? Papa Johns. Disgusting," he shook his head.
"Sorry, Lonnie the Roman," Scott smiled. Lonnie tucked the box under his arm. "Her mom better be a hottie. Like yours," he teased as he slinked off. The smile left Scott as he shouted, "You better not make it out alive or I'll—"
"Scott. Focus," Trevor said, hitting him. "Oh right. Sorry. Ahem. Let's do this," he said as the slinked off.
"Did you hear that?" Mrs. Denoise said, heading for the door. "That's probably the second Scott," Muriel said quickly. "Oh, of course. I forgot we have another Scott on his street," Mrs. Denoise smiled, turning away. "Had I known, I'd never name him Scott," Mr. Denoise sighed.
The four amigos sneak out to the back. Scott opens the pack of dog treats and tosses on over. "Are you serious?" Trevor asks, incredulously. Scott flashed his friend a smug smile.
Trevor peaks over and glances back at Scott, annoyed. "Dude, seriously?" He said. "What?" Scott asks, peeking over. The small nimble golden Chihuahua chewed eagerly on the snack, its round deer head making it look funny. "A Chihuahua? My aunt owns one and it ain't scary," he comments.
Suddenly, Scott pulls Trevor away as a big burly German Shepard, its teeth bared and foaming at the mouth, nearly bites him, barking and snarling. It's large frame casts a large shadow on the boys.
"Now that's a big dog!" Carl gasps as Felix hugs him. The two boys hit the ground. "What the hell?" Trevor said, horrified.
The door opens and Lonnie's mouth falls open at the sight of a woman, who's hair was in a messy bun, a grey sweater, showing some shoulder made her look dirty and she smelled like a sewer. "Uh...Shalom, little mama?" He said, smiling nervously. "Hi," She smiled back, grinning her braces.
Scott throws over a treat, distracting the beast of a dog who follows it. Scott throws over so more, leading the dog away, the small chihuahua following. The four leap over and dash to the back door. Luckily, being open, they sneak in as the German Shepard fights the chihuahua over the food.
"I got pizza?" He grinned. She looked him over. "I didn't order any but I bet my daughter did. Come in," she said gruffly, grabbing him and pulling him inside. She whipped out her cellphone and began to dial as Lonnie spoke into his speaker, "You guys in?"
"Yeah," Scott answered as the boys snuck up the stairs. "How's—"
"Mrs. Fitzpatrick? Great. Question, how does someone so....unique creates a goddess like Diane?" Lonnie hissed. Scott chuckled. "Ask her."
"No thank you. She looks like she'll break me in two," he replied.
_
There was a crackle of energy before a black portal opens, the streetlight above flickers before dying. as five scantly clad women exited. They wore cutout leotards with elbow length arm sleeves and thigh high boots, each outfit a different color. Their eyebrows, eyelashes and lipstick were also of the color of their leotards.
"Angelite, are you sure?" Jasper, the one wearing the red leotard asked her. Angelite, the one in the cutout light blue-grey leotard chuckled. "Yes sister. It's ripe with negative energy once more," she smiled.
Her green clad sister, Serpentine stepped forward. "I can feel it. Earth is once more ripe for Queen Amber's return and we can free our king," she smirked as she clenched her fist. Dark energy enveloped her fist as her eyes glowed a dark purple.
Lepidolite, the one dressed in the lilac purple leotard scoffed, making Serpentine to glance back. "Last time you said that, we got banished by the Lumen Knights, How do we know they're not here?" Lepidolite asked. "Affirmative, sister. The Lumen Knights broke up remember? The barrier Lumen Vespera set up, kept Dot out, but we can come in as it uses dark energy," Quartz, dressed in the white leotard, smirked.
"Correct, sister," Angelite smiled. "I sense negative emotions from there," she said, pointing in the direction of Scott's house. "Sisters! Now!" she said, raising her hand. The mysterious women disappear in a flash of dark light.
_
The door creaks open as Scott rushes in, immediately sliding onto his knees. He lifts up the cover, searching under bed but sighs as he finds nothing. "Uh...dude. The underwear is that way," Trevor points.
"I know—give me a minute," Scott said, glancing behind him.
Lonnie tapped his foot anxiously as Mrs. Fitzpatrick chewed her daughter over the phone, her voice course and loud. "Some pizza guy is here, holding a pizza. What? I don't know. He's a boy!" She shouts, pacing up and down. She pauses. "What? His name? What's your name?" She turns to him, hand covering the phone.
"Uh...Mario," he grins.
"Last name?"
"Brothers," he nods.
She places the phone back to her ear. "He said his name is Mario Brothers," she answered, mouth agape.
There was a pause.
"Do you think I'm joking!" She yelled.
"Hey. Can I use the bathroom?" He asks suddenly.
"Upstairs, down the hall, third door on your left," she said. He salutes her before dashing up the stairs. "What do you mean I'm stupid?!" She yells on the phone.
Lonnie enters the bedroom, pushing past the boys until he ends up in the front. "What's the hold up?" He asks. Trevor simply points at Scott, trashing through her shirts. "Dude, what are you doing? The merchandise is that way!" He asks, incredulously.
Scott pauses then glances over. "I...have a confession to make. I lied."
_
A group of Girl Scouts sat down in their treehouse hushed, their faces decorated with face paint. "Tomorrow, we will march down Left Street and turn Right Street. We plan to make twice as more money as today!" The leader barks.
A great light blinded them as they leaned back, terrified. The light disappeared and Dot hovered over them. "Greeting," she said.
Suddenly, she is struck with an onslaught of cookies and brownies. "Ow! Ow! Hey!" She exclaims. One girl whipped out some holy water and sprayed her, saying something in Latin.
Dot vanished, however the girls kept throwing until they realized she disappeared. "What was that?" A girl scout asks. "Maybe a drone form the Boy Scouts," one surmised. The leader pulls out a pink unicorn. "Let's pay them a visit," she said, darkly. The other girls pulled out their own unicorns and got up, marching to the exit and sliding down the rope.
-
Scott sat down on Diane's pink bed, the smell of perfume bombarding his senses. Glancing up at the poster of Hannah Montana on the pink wall, he continued, "This was a mission to retrieve my sister's diary. Diane stole it, planning to reveal the content inside and well...I know you guys or well Lonnie, would laugh along but I'm the only one who should embarrass her, not my stupid neighbor. Sorry," he apologized.
Lonnie pouted. "Should've said that," he mumbled, "But we would've helped just the same."
Felix nods. "As the eldest brother of one brother who thinks he's a vampire and the other thinks he's a werewolf, I understand whole-heartedly," he smiled. "Why do they think that?" Scott asks genuinely. "Too many movies," he shook his head.
"Come one, dude," Lonnie beckoned. Scott gets up and the bros do a group hug. "Better?" Lonnie asks. "Better?" Scott smiles.
Suddenly, there a bright light, causing them to back away. The light vanishes and Dot lands on the bed, sobbing. "No-one wants to stop them," she cried. She looked, blinking away her tears, at the boys.
The boys screamed, hugging each other tightly as Dot screamed with them.
They then stopped and immediately got into formation. Lonnie grabs the hardest thing in the room: a make up kit while the others do exaggerated karate poses. "Who are you?" Scott demands. "Or we will kick you in the balls," Trevor threatened. Lonnie relaxed, lowering the kit. "Dude, that thing doesn't have balls," he pointed out. "Well...you right," Trevor nods.
"It's a Pokémon," Carl pointed out. "No, that's not it," Trevor said, surveying its wings and dragon tail. "That's not an animal."
Carl gave him an annoyed look. "No Pokémon in that show is an animal. Do this day, no one knows if Pikachu is a rat, a cat, a bunny or a combination of all three," He replied.
"He could be a rat," Lonnie shrugged. "He talks, Lonnie," Trevor states. "So? My cousin Jacob owns a rat who talks," Lonnie shrugged. Trevor gave an expression of surprise. "Why does your cousin have a talking rat. Where did he get it? From the awesome store[1]?" He asks.
"I'm sorry," Dot spoke up, drawing their attention to her. "I didn't mean to come into your room. It was the safest place I sensed."
"Well, we're intruders too," Scott grinned. "I see...my name is Dot," she said. "And you?"
"Yes, how rude of us. I'm Scott and this is Lonnie," he said. "I can speak for myself. I'm Lonnie and that's Trevor," he pointed. "I too can speak from myself. I'm Trevor and that's Felix," he introduced the goth boy. "Hi," he blushed. "And I'm Carl," Carl grinned.
"Please to meet you," she smiled warmly.
"So...where are you from?" Scott asks. "From the realm of Magicka. Your world is in danger. Queen Amber is awakened and I need five chosen warriors to stop her and her minions," she explained. "Who is Queen Amber?" Trevor asked. "That's so cool. Where are the warriors?" Carl asks, adjusting his glasses.
"That's my problem. No girl wants to be a Lumen Knight! They keep asking will they be famous and if they'd win over the boy of their dreams? What happened while I was gone?" Dot asks.
"Social media," Lonnie answers truthfully.
"Your world is doomed," Dot sighed. "Can we be Lumen Knights?" Carl asked genuinely. "No, dude. That's a girl thing obviously. Go to my female cousins. They'd love to be...whatever you just said," Lonnie advised.
"No, no. Choose us. You're already here," Scott shrugged. Dot's eyes sparkled. "Really? Alright," she said, excitedly. Fluttering into the air, she cleared her throat. "Greetings, chosen champions. You have been chosen. Lumen Knights, I choose thee!" She said grandiosely. "Don't be afraid, Lumen Knights. You have been chosen for a glorious purpose."
There was a silence.
"You're supposed to say, what purpose," she whispered.
"Oh. Uh...what purpose?" Scott asks. "Saving the world from evil monsters. Echoes they are called, formed from negative emotions. You're to stop them," Dot explained. "Magical powers will be bestowed upon you. Now, will you answer the call to action?"
The boys grumbled in unison, "Yeah. Yeah," and "Totally."
Her eyes glowed and they gasped as light appeared on their hand, wrist, neck, beanie and cuff.
"What the heck?" Scott gasps, as he admires the pink signet ring. "Woah," Lonnie marveled at the bracelet. Trevor gazed at the shiny necklace, Felix turned and admired himself in the mirror, touching the pin back button on his beanie. Carl touched the cufflink on his sleeve.
"They were help you transform. Now hurry," she urged. "Wait, what we are supposed to say?" Lonnie asks. "Scott, you say, "By the constellation of Sagittarius, transform me!", Lonnie, you say, "By the constellation of Pisces, transform me!", Trevor say, "By the constellation of Leo, transform me!", Felix, say, "By the constellation of Cancer, transform me!" and Carl, you say, "By the constellation of Taurus, transform me!"" she said.
"That sus," Scott said. "But alright."
Raising his hand, he shouts, "By the constellation of Sagittarius, transform me!"
"By the constellation of Pisces, transform me!" Lonnie shouts.
By the constellation of Leo, transform me!" Trevor declares.
"By the constellation of Cancer, transform me!" Felix yells.
"By the constellation of Taurus, transform me!" Carl screams out, his face read, his scream making the others brace.
Their respective jewelry glows and the boys are enveloped in a bright light.
They watch in amazement as their clothes are replaced with frilly knee length dress, white fingerless arm sleeves with the ends being color coded, and white high heeled boots with the bottoms and heels of the boots being different colors. Their hair changes, in length as well as color.
As the light vanishes, they turn around, facing the mirror. Scott's hair was pink, shoulder length and curly, his dress had a frilly skirt which reached his knees and a bow at the back, his arm sleeves white with pink trims. He held a similar colored star wand, winged and striped with white and pink, and his eyelashes and eyebrows were also pink. He wore pink eyeshadow and lipstick. His irises, once brown, were pink in color.
Lonnie had blue hair styled in a bob. His dress, wand, irises, formerly brown, were blue and makeup was similar to Scott except it was all blue. Trevor's hair was orange dreads styled in a ponytail. His dress, star wand that was winged and stripped white and orange, his boots and makeup was orange.
Felix's hair was long, to his back, straight and purple. His dress, star wand, boots and makeup was purple. His irises were purple as well.
Carl's hair was in a ponytail, long and green. His glasses were gone and he was in a dress and wore arm sleeves like his comrades. His star wand and makeup was green as well as his irises.
The boys looked at each other and screamed.
[1] It's a Gumball reference :)