"What happened to us!" Scott yells, staring at his high heel boots. "Sorry, for decades, I've given it to girls. This is an...unexpected side effect," Dot said, her expression one of worry.
"Oh my God!" Trevor screamed. "Guys!" Carl said, his eyes and face expressing happiness. "I can see!" He exclaims, smiling.
"That's great for you!" Trevor shouted. "Why are we shouting?" Carl asked, confused. "Sorry," Trevor said, smiling and began clapping. The boys began clapping for Carl who bowed, smiling from ear to ear.
They stopped and Trevor turned to Dot, saying, "Do something!"
"I cannot. But don't worry, they'll adjust," She promised quickly.
The boys sighed in relief.
"In three years," she revealed.
They resumed in their screaming. "Why is my dress white? I want it to be dark," Felix said, dismayed, grabbing at his frilly skirt. "You're a representation of light, Felix," Dot said. "He's a goth," the boys say in unison. "Oh. Wait, there still around?" Dot asked, surprised.
"Three years. I'll be graduating by then. This...will be fine," Scott said, trying to calm himself. "I just want you to know, Scott, this is your fault!" Trevor shouts, pointing his finger accusingly.
"Enough!" Dot shouts, causing them to fall silent. "You're Lumen Knights! Act like it. You are Lumen Vespera, Scott. You, Lonnie, are Lumen Orion. Felix, you are Lumen Aurora. Trevor, you are Lumen Solus and Carl, you are Lumen Caelum," she said.
"Okay, little mama," Lonnie grinned.
"Lumen Vespera? Lumen Orion? Lumen Aurora? L-Lumen Solus and Lumen Caelum? What are these names?" Trevor said, annoyed.
_
Muriel sat on the couch, annoyed. "Where is he?" She muttered. Suddenly, the lamp above began to flicker and energy began to crackle around them. Mr. Denoise stands up and Muriel brings her legs closer, her eyes darting around.
Suddenly, five women, in cutout leotards, emerge in the living room space, posing with their hands on their hips. "Hello," Angelite greeted, smiled evilly. Mrs. Denoise emerges from the kitchen and gasps. Jasper raises her hand and blasts red magic at her. Mrs. Denoise raises her hands to block the blast but it hit, freezing her in position in ice.
"Honey! You—" Mr. Denoise is cut off, as he's hit with a purple blast from Lepidolite, turning him into a tree man, frozen.
Muriel screams, leaping up from the couch and running. "Oh no, you don't," Angelite smirked, pointing her hand at Muriel, light blue-grey magic crackles around her hand. Muriel freezes in place, her magic trapping her as she dragged back into Angelite's grip. Now, meters of the ground, Muriel attempts to escape.
"Let me go!" She insists. Angelite laughed, her sisters joining in. "Amusing. I can sense negative emotions from you. Anger, sadness and fear," Angelite grinned. "What's your name?"
"Ha! Like I'd tell you," Muriel snarled. Quartz smirks, and her eyes glow white. Muriel's eyes glow white as well and in a trance like state, she says, "My name is Muriel."
Quartz's eyes stop glowing, freeing Muriel of her control. The poor girl looks around, confused and afraid as to what happened. "Did my mind just get hijacked?" She thought.
"Muriel. Such a pretty name, for a pretty girl," Angelite smiled, brushing aside a lock of her hair from the shivering girl's face. "But I'm sure, there's an ugly monster within!"
Angelite aimed her other hand at her chest and she began to glow again. Muriel squeezed her eyes shut, gritting her teeth. It hurts!
She popped them open to see a red orb emerge from her chest and float to Angelite. The woman tosses Muriel, the poor girl landing on the ground, curled up and groaning.
Angelite positions both her hands close to the orb. The four women back away as Angelite remains in the middle. "Grow, grow, big and strong," she chanted, as the orb grew, as she fed it her magic. "Become the threat we know you are!"
The living room began to shake from the formation of the creature. Arms with claws formed as well as thick, legs with clawed feet. Wings sprouted and a head merged, teeth sharp and terrifying. The newly made ghoul screeched as the women marveled. "What is your name?" Lepidolite asked. The creature, huffing and puffing answered, "Wrath is my name, mistresses."
"Wrath, go forth and reek revenge on those who deserve it!" Angelite ordered. Wrath roared before spreading his wings and flying up into the roof, creating a huge hole in it. "Come sisters," Angelite ordered, as they came near. The women finished and Muriel groaned weakly, her skin pale and sickly.
_
"So...is this stuff permeant?" Lonnie asks, as he and friends fail to rub the makeup off. The room from a sudden tremor and they all fall to the ground. "What the heck?" Carl gasps. Five seconds later, there is an explosion from Scott's house, causing the boys to brace for impact.
They stumble to their feet and look out the window. "My roof—er my parents' roof!" Scott exclaimed. "Oh no. Muriel!" He realized.
He hurried off, his friends, armed with their wands file out of the bedroom with Dot close behind. "No, I have no idea what happened!" Mrs. Fitzpatrick spat as she got up, and dusted herself off. The boys push past her, excusing themselves. She stares at them, mouth agape as Dot phases through her, making the woman jolt. "Sorry," Dot said as she followed the boys out the door.
The German Shepard and the chihuahua scurried inside, scared of the sudden earthquake and explosion that took place. Raising the phone to her ear, Mrs. Fitzpatrick said, "Diane, five boys in dresses just left my house. And the alien in the news article today was with them!"
There was a pause.
"What?" Mrs. Fitzpatrick spat. "What do you mean If I'm drunk? I've been sober ever since your father walked out on me!"
Felix kicks the door open and the boys swarm in, doing karate poses and making sounds, only for the eyes to take in the sight. Scott rushes over to his petrified dad as Lonnie rushes to Scott's father. "Dad," he gasps. "No, Scott's hottie of a mom!" Lonnie gasps as Trevor kicks his shin, making the boy jump and hold his leg in pain.
Felix wanders around only for his ankle to be grabbed. He looks down to see a shell of a girl that is Muriel and lets out a shrill scream, aiming his star wand at her.
"No! Don't!" Scoot orders, pushing him aside, Muriel's grip loosens. He scoops her up in his arms and carry her over to the ouch. "Scott?" She asks weakly. "Uh...Nope. I'm...Lumen Vespera," Scott smiled anxiously. "Oh...where's Scott? Is he—"
"Safe? Yes," Scott said quickly, taking hold of her hand. The others gather around her. "The Gem Girls had made contact," Dot observed. "The who?" Trevor asks. "The Gem Girls. Minions of Queen Amber. They create the Echoes. Like I said, Echoes are made of negative emotions," Dot explained.
"Did they...know who I am?" Scott glanced up at Dot, worried. "No. They had no idea. This was random attack, for an evil purpose. They rip out the emotion with their magic. The thing is however, the farther it's from the victim, the weaker the become, as the Echo hosts their soul. If it's destroyed in any way—"
"Game over," Carl murmured sadly.
Scott stands up, determination in his face. "No, I'm getting that reboot card," Scott declared. He turns to his friends. "Who's with me?"
Trevor shrugged, his expression serious. "We're in deep so far. We might as well," he smiled.
"Alright, it's hero time[1]!" Lonnie said, eagerly.
"Dude, you can't say that. It's trademarked," Carl warned. "Oh yeah," Lonnie said, facepalming.
"Hold on," Dot said, suddenly flowing. The sky turns pink and purple and a beam descends enveloping the boys and Dot before vanishing. Muriel laid back down, groaning. "Hurry," she moans.
-
Diane groans as she ends the call. "This phone call makes me wish my aunt was my mother," she shakes her head. "Tremors? The sky turning weird? It's a sign. I told you. That diary is cursed," Olivia said, shaking.
"Ugh," Diane sighed, rolling her eyes. "Keep that up and you'll end up like your mother."
Olivia crossed her arms. "Let me guess. Labelled crazy?"
"No, in a mental institute, Olivia."
Olivia blinked. "My mother is not a psychiatric hospital. She's in Siberia," she explained. The four girls shake their heads in disappointment.
Something huge and lumbering burst through the door, causing the DOLLS to scream. "Diane!" Wrath screeched, the dust dissipated by its shriek.
The girls screamed again as it approached them. "Feel the wrath of Wrath!" Wrath shouted. "Oh my God. Call the police!" Lydia said, pointing at it. A beam appeared suddenly in the room and vanished, leaving five queasy boys in its wake along with Dot, who was unfazed.
"I think I'm gonna puke," Felix muttered, covering his mouth. Lonnie groaned then glanced over to see Diane, still dressed in her cheerleader outfit. "Hi Diane," He waved in a daze.
The DOLLS screamed and Wrath turned its attention to the boys, its eyes white suddenly. "Go...away!" It screeched, sending a shockwave of sound at them. It hits them hard, sending them crashing through the wall and flying through the air at a considerable distant.
Quartz blinks as the connection is broken. "What is it, sister?" Angelite asks. "It's...the Lumen Knights. They're back," Quartz reveals. "What? Impossible? How did Dot breech the barrier?" Jasper demands. "Unimportant. Where are they now?" Serpentine questions. "They'd just been sent flying through a wall," Quartz revealed. Her eyes glowed as she reconnected with Wrath. "Wrath has kidnapped a girl named Diane," She adds.
The street shakes, indicating that Wrath has landed somewhere. "Then we shall wait and confirm if it's truly them," Angelite smiled. Feeling something soft against her boot, Serpentine looks down to see a stray dog sniffing her leg. She smiled and knelt down, extending her hand. It sniffed and she petting it, running her hand along its back. "Cute," she smiled, as her hand glowed, the energy transferring to the animal. It contorts and twist into a flying eyeball. She lifts it up in her hand, the smile still on her face.
"Go, spy, and be our eyes," Serpentine orders as it flies away.
_
The boys groan as they move within the dumpster. Dot flies over to them. "Are you alright?" She asks. "Oh, of course we're fine. It's not like we were just yeeted through a brick wall, sent flying fifty feet in the air to land in this dumpster!" Lonnie yelled, as he tossed a banana off his lap. Carl sat up, shaking his head. "Man, your sister's Echo got the skillset of Urogi from—"
"Demon Slayer? I realized," Scott groaned, shaking off the grim. Dot blinked. "Demon Slayer?"
"It's an anime. You wouldn't understand," they said in unison. Lonnie promptly fell out and landed on his front hard. "Man, my ears are ringing," Felix complained, covering them to repel the feeling of intense pain in his ears. "You're so gonna be deaf after this," Trevor said, groaning.
Scott chuckled. "On the bright side, we have an excuse."
Impersonating Mrs. Wagner's voice, he adds, "Herr Denoise. Why are not paying attention?"
Speaking in his normal voice, he response, "You see, Frau Wagner. I'm legally deaf."
The boys chuckle, as Dot shakes her head. She emits a warm glow, which envelopes them. "There. That will make you well," she said. Felix blinks, uncovering his ears. "I can hear," he smiles. Scott hops out, landing on Lonnie. "Ow!" Lonnie cries out. "That hurts!"
"Sorry," Scott said quickly. "Okay, so Mission recover reboot card went disastrously. So we improve on the plan."
He glances around and notices some construction worker standing there. One in particular taking a picture. "Oh no," Felix blushes, trying to hide his face. "It's a long story," Trevor said. "Hi, would you mind giving us your headphones?" Scott asks.
The men look at each other and one stepped forward. "Sure for a price," He said, menacingly. Lonnie gets up, dusting himself off. The boys glance at him and he looks back. "I'm not getting them a pizza," he said quickly.
The boys ran past pedestrians, wearing bright red headphones. "This is insane. I can't believe their "price" was to get some anime merch from Anime Con. 1. Why is there an Anime Con at the hour? and 2. How un self aware are these to not see the color change nor the tremors?" Lonnie huffed as he brushed past a stunned mother who's baby in the stroller laughed with glee.
"Why do we have to run? My feet hurt," Carl whined. "I will never call my mother a wuss again. I finally understand what it's like to be in her shoes," Felix winced.
Scott slid to a stop as a car whooshed past. The boys behind poked their head out from behind each other and watched the car crash into a store. Dot gasped as Lonnie gulped. "I'd like us to rethink Mission Reboot Card," Trevor said, meekly.
Scott's shock melds into seriousness as he turns around. "No, we got this. Right Dot?" He turns to the flying creature. "Oh! Um...yes! Totally," she smiled. "You can't see it in our faces but we just had a huge surge of confidence," Trevor said, rolling his eyes. Dot gazed at him, unamused. "You're being sarcastic, aren't you?" She asked. "Oh, you think?" He replied, loudly.
Scott shushed them. "What's my power?" He asks her. "You have the power of kinetic energy, Lumen Vespera," she told him. "What about us?" Lonnie asks. "She'll tell us later. Come on, let's wing it!" Scott urged. The boys took a breath and hopped out into the street.
"Hey Wrath!" Scott calls. Wrath turns around, in his hand was a squirming Diane. "Diane, no!" Lonnie called out, earning him a kick from Trevor. "Let her go!" Carl demands, his statement making the boys turn to him. "No!" The boys said, the faces expressing horror.
Wrath smiled and it winds its hand back before throwing her. "Crap!" Scott shouts as he extends his wand. A blast of pink magic shouts out and it hits her, enveloping the cheerleader in a pink energy shield, around like a sphere. The pink ball bounces off the store, sending it flying. Diane's screams and curses being echoed as it continues to bounce away.
"Oh. She'll be fine right? She'll be fine?" Scott turns to Dot who shakes her head vehemently. "No? She won't be fine? Okay."
Trevor spins around to Carl. "See Carl? That's what happens when you tell the bad guy to let the damsel in distress, who is now in much distress, go. That's what happens. That was a very poor choice of words," He berated him. "You're right. My bad. I'm sorry," Carl apologizes. "I won't do that again."
Trevor nods, with Felix patting his shoulder before turning back to the monster.
_
A boy flips into the pool as a group of boys and girls cheered. The party was currently being held by Josh's uncle's house. "My uncle is such a loser. He doesn't deserve to be the principal. Like who makes a school rule on no spray-on deodorant?" Josh chuckled.
Suddenly something pink and round, crashed into the pool, sending the current guy flying. Josh runs over, the girl behind him, bending down to see. Diane emerges minutes later, scaring the girl who backs away. She flails around in the water, gasping. "Help me!" She begs.
Josh simply crosses his arms. "Do you promise to date me?" He asks, smirking. "What!" She shouts, disappearing before reappearing.
"Do you?"
"Yes—gasp—I promise!"
Josh whistles and two burly muscular boys jump in. In swift, strong strokes, they swim over and rescue her, dragging her up on land. Plopping her onto the hard ground, she cough of water, catching her breath. A towel is draped over as Josh kneels to her level. "Where did you come from?" He asks. She slowly turns to her, anger on face. "Did you seriously ask—I fell from the sky, trapped in that stupid bubble by that...freak. And you ask where I came from?"
Josh simply shrugged.
Diane scoffs in disbelief. "You know, our relationship which you bargained for is already not off to a great start!" She hissed before coughing.
_
Wrath, eyes glowing white, roars at them, picking up another car and tossing it at them. The boys expertly dodge, with Felix hitting the ground. Scott rolls over to Dot, who flutters above. He raises one side of headphones. "Now what?" He asks. "Time to use a spell, specifically not to hurt it too much," she said. He flashed a look of disbelief before hiding it. "Say Sagittarius! Followed by Plasma Arrow Barrage!" She told him. "Okay," he muttered.
Stepping between the others and the monster, Scott raises his staff into the air. "Sagittarius!" He said, twirling and posing dramatically. Pink arrows, aimed right at Wrath, form in midair. "Plasma Arrow Barrage!" He shouts. The arrows fly right at him, impaling the monster.
Quartz screams in pain, staggering back simultaneously as the monster does. "It's definitely them," she hisses as Jasper and Lepidolite help her stand. "I know that spell...intimately," she growls.
Angelite smiles, stroking her face. "Still, they don't know any other spells, meaning they're amateurs. Fear not sisters. They'll lose, and we'll watch them die," she sneered.
Above, the eyeball watches the boys flail across the battle field. Lonnie, who's hiding behind a lamp, watches the monster stumble. "Shouldn't you be stopping them?" A woman, hiding behind a car, said in a frustrated tone. Lonnie turned to her, frowning. "I may have powers but I have no idea how to use them," he hisses.
Wrath flexes its muscles, causing the arrows to shoot in other directions, impaling walls, roads and cars. It then lumbers over to the car where the woman hid behind and picked it up, roaring. "That's my cue," he said, as he sprinted off. The woman, realizing she was vulnerable, screamed.
"Lumen Orion," Dot said as Lonnie skidded to a stop. The boy raised one half of his headphone to listen. "Your power is that you have control over all liquids, not just water. Say Pisces! And use Aquatic Fish Blast," she ordered. Lonnie pointed his wand at the sewer cover. "Any liquid, even sewer water?" He asks, panting, a smile on his face. Dot scrunches her face in disgust. "Not...advisable but you do you."
Aiming his wand at the road, he closes his eyes. "Pisces!" He shouts, raising his wand above his head. Water spurts out, sending the covers flying. They gather into a sphere and Wrath, seeing this, charges at him. "Aquatic Fish Blast!" He shouts, aiming his wand at it.
A stream of water shoots at Wrath, the droplet forming into fishes which hit the monster, sending it unto its back. "Alright Lonnie!" Trevor shouts, Felix and Carl high fiving each other.
"Sewer water? Who has Dot chosen?" Lepidolite commented, her face cringle in disgust. "Apparently, uncivilized humans," Jasper shook her head.
Dot flies past Trevor, who turns around. "What about me?" He yells, raising the left side of his headphone. "Oh! Right. Lumen Solus, your power is earth based, mostly lava. Shout Cancer! You spell is Erumpunt Vulcanus," She said. "What? Lava? Eru—who?" He said. She flies off, not hearing his concern. "Oh yeah, sure. Leave me in the dark!" He shouts. Turning back around, he see Wrath get back up.
"Can't be to hard," he mutters. Clearing his throat, he aims his wand at the road. "Cancer!" He announces. The earth begins to shake, causing some the boys and the Gem Girls from afar, to fall. Muriel grunts, slipping off the couch. She notices her parents slightly moving too.
Mrs. Fitzpatrick desperately dials her daughter. "Diane, pick up the goddamn—woah!" She exclaims, falling over as the dogs rush to her side. They proceed to her lick her face, a warm smile spreads across. "Oh yes. You never left me," she cooed. Diane screamed, clinging onto Josh who stumbles back, causing both to fall into the pool.
Steadying himself, Trevor continues, "Erumpunt Vulcanus!"
The earth cracks, followed by a sea of lava. The lava spurts out, trapping the monster by covering it. Trevor watches, mouth agape while Lonnie frowns. "So he gets the cool power?" He shouts. "I—Impossible!" Jasper gasps as they stand up. "That spell...it took Lumen Solus years to master."
Serpentine flashes a glare at Angelite. "Perhaps, we should not underestimate these new Knights, sister," she warned. Angelite gazes back. "We are stronger. Besides, they have not stopped Wrath," she argued.
Wrath struggles to get out as Trevor runs over to Scott and Lonnie. "This isn't so hard. You?" He asks, panting. "Fine. Although...the smell is getting to me," Lonnie comments, covering his hand. "Yeah. Of all the water, Lonnie. Sewer water?" Scott said, annoyed.
Felix flinches as Dot comes near, he raises his end of the headphones nervously. "Lumen Aurora, they need you," she said softly. "How? I probably got the lamest power," Felix murmurs. "I have no idea what you just said, but," Dot flies closer. "Your power is Weather Manipulation. You are the storm, you bring the thunder."
Felix brushes his some strains of hair aside. "W-What do I say?" He asks. "Leo! Tempestas Vocare! Followed by Lighting spear. Try it," she encourages. Felix lifts his wand, taking a deep breath, closing his eyes. He opens them and shouts, "Leo! Tempestas Vocarre!"
The sky changes, the wind howling as dark clouds gather, the lighting being an x-ray, allowing them to see the clouds. The cars' bumpers are lifted up, nearly being taken up by the strong winds. Felix's eyes glow purple as he starts to rise up into the air. "He's Thor now?" Lonnie gasps as he and the others watch him float up. "He's Thor now," Carl grins.
Felix spreads his arms out, the lighting flickering around him, his hair floating upward. He points his wand at the monster and says, "Lighting Spear!"
A great lighting bolt flashes down towards Wrath, slowly shifting into a spear. It impales the monster, pinning it to the road. The clouds dissipate and Felix floats back down, landing wobbly on his feet. Carl and the others rush to his side, bearing big smiles on their faces. "Good job, man!" Carl said, shaking him. Lonnie and the other boys tap his shoulders. Felix smiles back. "Thanks," he says.
"Tell me it's not over," Lepidolite said, fear in her voice. Angelite grits her teeth, sensing its lifeforce. "Relax, sisters. It lives," Serpentine smiles.
Wrath grabs the spear and pulls it out before tossing it aside. The monster grunts and gasps before shrieking. The boys flinch before remembering they're wearing ear protection. Wrath charges forward, hitting the boys with a clothesline. It slams to the ground, making them groan.
The monster then looks up, seeing Dot. "There she is," Quartz muttered, smiling. Through the monster, it blasts her with a magical beam, sending her to the ground. "Dot!" Scott screamed, rushing over to her. The monster screamed, sending him back, even as he put up a shield to lessen the blow. He crashes into the others, as they're sent to the ground.
Dazed, they groan as Wrath walks over to the creature, pinning her down with its hand. Carl, seeing this, gasps but hesitates. Dot turns to him, her vision blurry, gazing right him. "Lumen...Caelum...." Dot groaned, "Your power is...gravity. Say Taurus! Then Gravi Slam."
"Gravi....Slam. Not so fancy like the others," Carl smiled, stroking his wand nervously. "It doesn't need to be fancy, Lumen Caelum. Do it," she urged, flashing him a smile.
Carl takes a breath and shakily gets to his feet. He aims his wand at the creature who raised Dot into the air. "Say goodbye, Dot," It said, grinning. He inhaled then exhaled. "Taurus!" He said. "Gravi Slam!"
Wrath felt something heavy hit its back. It hit the ground hard, grunting but unable to move. Carl grits his teeth, applying pressure on the creature. Dot, manages to wrigle away and an idea pops into Scott's head. "Lumen Aurora, do the lighting spear again!" Scott ordered. Felix nods and raises his wand to the sky. "Leo! Tempestas Vocare!" He shouts as the clouds gather and the winds begin to blow again.
People scream, as several women try to keep their skirts down, one man lamenting the loss of his hat. Once again, Felix levitates into the air "Lighting spear!" He shouts, the spear flying at speed towards Wrath.
Wrath shrieks as it's hit, causing a huge explosion, not of fire, but of smoke and energy. The boys brace but the smoke dissipates and its place was a crackling of energy as the red orb floats, dark energy crackling around it. The boys marvel at the sight and glnace at each other.
The eyeball flies back to Serpentine, who catches and pets it. She turns around, facing her sisters. "We've seen enough," she grimaces. "I-Indeed. It's like you said. I underestimated them," Angelite said, bowing her head. "You can tell Queen Amber that," Serpentine berates her. Her hands glow, converting the eyeball into its former form, the dog. She sets it down and it runs from her. The women are enveloped in a dark portal and disappear.
Scott slowly approaches it, reaching out. His hand is shocked by an invisible forcefield which makes him shutter and back off. "You'll have to...force your way through," Dot said, as she flutters near. Scott removes his headphones. "What?"
"You'll have to...force your way through," she repeat. Scott turns back to the orb and takes a breath. He reaches out, ignoring the pain of being shocked, pushing his hand through it. The boys gather near and each grabs hold of Scott's arm, pushing him in.
Dot watches, her eyes filled with worry.
Could he do it?
Has she made a mistake?
The energy crackles around his hand, as he forces through. He grabs the orb and with his might, pulls out. They fall to the ground and Lumen Vespera sits up, opening his hand and smiling at the orb in his hand. Lumen Vespera and Dot make eye contact. A victorious smile on his face, the gesture returned by the creature.
She should neve have doubted him, not once.
[1] Ben 10 reference