CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

If one looks at the story of Jeremiah...that old “bullfrog”, you'll immediately take one message away just from reading five minutes into what he said to his people, and the message is this:

I have bad news...and worse news. Which would you like to hear first?

BUT...if one looked more closely, one could see a message of hope...for at the end of terrible struggle and trial and suffering, they would find good waiting for them. The problem was that the people couldn't...or WOULDN'T...see past the initial message of sorrow and doomsaying.

Why did they stick their fingers in their ears? Why did they have to start screaming in denial?

Ignorance is not a sin. But willful ignorance is very close to pride: the belief that NOTHING bad will happen to you. “I know all I need to know, you can go take a hike now!”

I've got news for you that will be properly demonstrated in the following short, short story. A woman tired of hearing men toss indecent remarks at her trains herself to ignore those comments. One day a construction worker yells out “HEY! LADY!” She ignores him. Again and again. But what he was TRYING to warn her about was the car coming.

Just because you won't listen to reason or anybody else's opinions doesn't mean they won't be true. You can ignore the honking of a train coming all you want, the TRAIN doesn't care.

One must go head to head with suffering just as one must own up to one’s own evil.

Now put on your boxing gloves. It's clobberin' time!

...

…

…

…SSSSSS!

There was a frying sound taking place inside the kitchen of King’s apartment, on the bridge between the city of Station Square and the world IT was placed inside, and that of Kokaua Town. As a member of the MA, specifically the Magician, King was an excellent healer of the spirit, being well-versed in discovering what lay dormant and festering in the minds of others. Often he was called on to give psychiatric advice to various sapients, or, as the term was better known, “furries”.

Hence, the door to his communal-style house was AAAAALWAYS open and the smell of various meals frequently drifted over the houses of Station Square.

“King! Where are you?” A spunky voice called out.

“In here, Sassi.” King responded, whistling as he tossed the ingredients of his pan up into the air slightly to shake things up.

“Whatcha makin’?” Sassi inquired. She was a brown fox with loooong brown hair and deep brown eyes with two tails.

“Breakfast!” He explained naturally.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Ask, but be brief, youngling.” King said, sticking his tongue out and holding it up in concentration as he got back to work on adding some spices to his breakfast.

“You’re NOT that scary as far as snakes go. What do you even EAT?” Sassi inquired.

“You want to see what I’m adding NEXT to my dish?” He asked, holding up a mirror from his robe’s pockets and displaying a surprised and horrified Sassi in it. “I must say, you look GOOD ENOUGH TO EAT.” He added darkly.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!” Sassi howled as she took off like a dog rushing after a bone, King throwing back his head nad laughing.

“Ssssssssah-ha-ha-ha-haaaa!”

“Why’d you do that?” Lilo asked, frowning and putting her fists on her hips. “You’re a vegetarian.” She said stonily.

“But SASSI didn’t know that.” King wisecracked, grinning slightly as he looked back at Lilo. He liked doing pranks like that which involved him playing off of other people’s fear of his species.

“You're WHAT?!” Dr. Rupert Jacques von Hamsterviel gasped, eyes going wide as he looked Green and Junior over, with Ariel holding onto her notepad nearby. Lilo and King heard them yelling and King put his egg omlette onto a plate as he grabbed a knife and fork and peeked his head, along with Lilo, into the living room/kitchen doorway to see the family’s discussion.

“We've decided to go steady.” Junior said. “We're boyfriend and girlfriend now.”

“You're not going to say “no”, are you, doctor?” Green inquired. “If you give me that line on how it's not mechanically possible, that won't work, I know that Murideans can mate with any-”

“No, no.” Hammy shook his head and held his paw in the air. “No, that's not it.” He insisted. “I'm just...surprised. Very much so. And...” He took a deep breath. “It's fine with me. Just make sure you use protection.”

Both the kids gaped. “DAAAAAAD!” Junior groaned.

Outside the house, listening in through the window, David, who had been spying on them, intent on finishing what Frequency ought to have done laughed so hard that he fell off the ladder he was on and had to crawl away, still laughing. Oh LORD...oh LORD, it was too good! The daughter of Grey, Kila AND Zim and the son of Hamsterviel and the bastard daughter of Angel and Leroy going steady together? And having CHILDREN one day, most likely?

Oh, this really was just too good. He finally made his way to a tree and leaned against it, allowing the last of his giggles to squeak out before he composed himself and looked over at the Beautiful Angel. “Ah...ah, sorry, but it's just so FUNNY!”

“Right, right. Anyhow, we've got new orders. Frequency is hunting the former Suit of Chalices down...and in…” He checked a pocket watch. “…four hours…I have to deal with the little angel and his friends who are now currently cleaning up the church.” The Beautiful Angel informed David.

“Your father is quite right. I know the consequences of not using protection properly…or using cheap protection. That’s why I get so many Fathers’ Day cards in the mail.” King spoke up.

“EWWWWWWWWWW!!!” Everyone else groaned.

…

…

…

… “Kor has only got one ball, Purple's got two, but both are small, Reddy's package isn't large at all, and Spork has got no balls at all!” Darth sang out as he cleaned the large crystalline statue of Jesus on the cross which hang in the church Page called home. Page was helping a cone-headed, pink experiment with slightly thin ears down the aisle and he kissed her hand before waving goodbye. That was Crystallene, the experimental female he'd had a child with. His “wife”, whom had given him a child from in-vitro, the same way Jude had had a child with Bellatrix. The Catholic Church allowed in-vitro, this was a grateful change, and was much more sympathetic towards homosexuals, allowing them to freely enter the priesthood.

Draco, who was with them, had commented that this was for an ulterior reason: to ensure that the gays couldn't adopt kids and to shy them away from society, the Catholic Church swept them into the Benedictine Order. Nacht had visibly laughed at this, a rarity, and Myr had decided the best course of action was to sing some songs while they cleaned.

“Spork has got no balls at all!” Page laughed as he swept the aisles. “Oh I do so love to laugh.”

“One question.” Draco asked Darth as the Hierophant went over to a table and placed a large, two-foot tall candle down by a brown cloth hanging up overhead. “What’s that?” He asked, pointing at it and the other candles nearby.

“For the recently deceased or for those in great danger.” Darth explained. “It is for Kila.”

“And Zim?” Draco inquired.

“…” Darth shook his head after some time and then put a candle that was a couple inches high next to it.

“THAT’S for him?”

“Yes.” Darth said, nodding.

“Why do you hate Zim exactly?” Page asked again.

Darth wheeled around and placed his gloved claws on his hips, his milky white eyes blazing, his balled antennae quivering with fury. “He got my beloved KILLED.” He hissed angrily. “I had…” He bit his lip. “There was this Arosean…named Erin. She had given up being Tallest Red’s mate to be MINE. We…”

They noticed he was about to cry. “We were going to be a family. She was three months pregnant when a lab accident he caused made her get eaten alive by an Infinite Energy Absorbing Blob!”

“Yes, I remember reading up on that. If Dibbun Membrane hadn’t blown himself along with it, the entire galaxy would have been eaten alive!” Page admitted.

Darth covered his eyes. “I…I have tried to…tried so HARD to forgive him for what he did to my beloved wife, but…but it’s so hard.”

“But you have no problem giving a candle for Kila?” Draco asked.

“I don’t suppose you have an enormous amount of literature on the Sacred Feminine?” Nacht inquired.

“Why, yes!” Darth admitted, nodding.

“Ah, I sense a deep devotion to the opposite sex in you.” Nacht remarked, smiling. “That reminds me of White…he’s surprisingly charming to the opposite sex.”

“He DOES know how to treat ladies right.” Myr admitted. “Say, can’t you control people? You didn’t FORCE Erin to fall for you by making her dump Red?”

He found a mechanical spider leg was jabbing it’s point into his throat, some silvery blood trailing down from his neck.

“That is ENOUGH, Judgment.” Darth whispered angrily, his eyes alit with burning light. “I would NEVER do such a lowly thing! Yes, I can control any being with Irken blood as easily as I breathe, and if I sink my claws into any other organic, I can control THEM too, but I am not a monstrous schemer!” He hissed, reaching up and digging his claws into Myr’s cheek. “I have naught but concern and RESPECT for women and great devotion to my race!”

“So you don’t brainwash people in your church? I’ve heard rumors.” Myr said stonily.

“Disgusting lies.” Darth said, shaking his head and letting go of Myr. “I have HONOR.” He insisted. “I would not BRAINWASH any Irken into following the Way I have been teaching.”

“Well that’s a relief. Say…can I ask YOU a question, “Father”?” Draco inquired as he raised a hand and used Yin's power to add some water to a bucket that he was filling to do the confessional booth.

“Yes, but I'm no “father”, remember? I have not been ordained as a father.” Page insisted gently.

“Why do you live in the church attic?”

“To obtain Contemptus Mundi.” Page explained.

“...contempt for the world?” Draco asked, knowing some Latin.

“I have contempt for being here.” Esmeralda mumbled. “I HATE churches. They’re boring and stuffy and make me sneeze and sniffle every ten seconds. Why’d I have to come?”

“It’s good to do charity work. And no, contemptus means DETACHMENT.” Myr clarified. “It's not like communism or socialism...where all things are shared. Those have too much focus on material things. Above all, you must be willing to give your material possessions up at a moment's notice. That's why Page lives the simple life.” Myr explained.

“But Jewish teaching states that there's nothing THAT bad about possessions.” Nacht added, frowning slightly. “Cannot money be used for great reasons?”

“Yes, but possessions are extensions of the self. Hell is not other people...Hell is the self.”

“Hell is Satres.” Draco spoke up, turning around the original quote and substituting the author for the original point. This made Nacht smile slightly.

"Hell is having to do church work at lunch when I could be making a baby with my baby." Esmeralda thought angrily.

“Heh-heh. Hell is Selfishness, really. Caring only about your own needs. You must be willing to give your entire self up to devote it to the greatest causes of good and at a moment's notice.” Page went on.

“Even if you'll die for it?”

“Yes. Death is a violent transition into a better life, but it's not something to be hated or feared, necessarily-” Page blinked. Wait a tick...none of his friends had just said that!

He turned along with the others to see somebody who was unmistakably an angel of some kind. Brown hair like a thick mane that fell down from his head, amber/gold eyes that brilliantly twinkled and Caucasian skin that was richer and darker in tone than most...mixed, apparently, with another race. Furthermore, this person had a very gentle and lovely face, soft in tone and knowledgeable, and the wings...

The wings were dark in color, but large and majestic. It was hard to deny that they were impressive. The color of the wings didn't frighten them, but that question he'd asked had been...unnerving.

"Yowza-yowza." Esmeralda remarked, looking him over.

“What do you seek?” Page asked of the newcomer. “Who are you? Speak your name freely, we're all friends in this House of God.”

“I am the Rugged Strength of God. Azazel.” He told them all, nodding his head. “Member of the Minor Arcana, I am the “Wand” and have come for you.” He told them all. “To put an end to your lives so that you cannot interfere with the plans my associates are putting into action.”

Draco moved to clean his clock, pulling the sword off his back, but Page raised a furry paw up. “Hold.” He insisted before turning to look this newcomer over closely. “We will NOT fight in the house of God!”

“I’ve no intention of doing so, servant of Him.” Azazel added. He nodded his head. “I’ll wait for you at the picnic area of the park. Around the collection of oak trees. I don’t want to damage this lovely building!”

With a cheery wave, he headed off. Nacht blinked. “Interesting. The MINOR Arcana. Page, what do you know about the Minor Arcana?”

“Well, next to nothing, I’m afraid. I only know it’s got 52 cards and they’re all related to average, everyday situations rather than more loftier goals like the Major Arcana.” Page sheepishly told them. “And that’s only because Staccato told me.”

“STACCATO?” Esmeralda asked. “But he’s a prude of all prudes! He's worse than NICK!"

“I know. He was telling me as he burnt them in a big pile. He confiscated them from some mugger he got. He says they invite Sin into you.”

“Yeah, and to lie with man is an abomination and there’s probably something about “Thou shalt not grind thy coochie into your neighbor’s bunker tent”, right?” Esmeralda asked, licking her lips.

“You have me all wrong. I’m more than just the same shtick over and over. You’re thinking of 627!” Page defended.

(David pops his head out from the side in a breaking-the-fourth-wall-moment.) “Okay, okay, he’s twistedly perverted, I GET IT about my dad! SHEESH! Shakaraka’s the one who STARTED it!” (He then pops his head back and the scene returns to normal.)

“Besides, Mikhail, NOBODY listens to the things in Leviticus or Deuteronomy…” Page added as they headed out the door. “The whole thing’s made up of ridiculous rules, like what is unclean to eat and…” His beautiful pond-colored eyes widened. “What…to…eat…oh NO.”

“What?”

“King’s having a picnic with Echo and Yuna at the park! TODAY! He said it was a present for them in exchange for a competition they won in Magic class!”

“So THEY’RE the ones that turned Jumba and Pleakley into imps two days ago?” Nacht inquired. “Quite impressive, really.”

“We’ve got to get them OUT of there!” Draco realized. “Who KNOWS what he’ll do to them?!”

…

…

…

… “…you’re JOKING.”

"Hey! We're playing Twister!" Echo laughed, waving at the guys. "King's REALLY good at this since he has no spine."

"True. True." The serpent magus remarked, grinning as he bent over Yuna, with Echo underneath Azazel.

"Limbo LOWER now!" Esmeralda snickered.

"...this...is kinda weird to take in." Page admitted.

"How about some tea?"

As it were, Azazel, King, Echo and Yuna were all on a twister sheet that was placed on a brown and black blanket that stretched out underneath a particularly large oak tree. After putting Twister away, King concoted some sweet-smelling green tea and Azazel sipped some of it via a small white cup, raising it up in time with the others as they all went SLUUUUUURP at the same time.

“Daaaaaamn. This IS good tea! I don’t even LIKE tea. I like coffee.” Azazel admitted. “You ever try coffee?”

“It does things to me.” King remarked nervously. “One time White switched my tea for coffee…”

“Yeah, that was in the news! You got rushed to the hospital because your leg was curling up behind your head and stuff!” Yuna laughed.

King nervously blushed, putting down his cup and holding one three-clawed hand over his mouth. “Er…well…”

“Hey, who’s this?” Azazel inquired, holding up a picture from King’s knapsack. It was of two children, King, and some unknown women with the words “My Family” and a little red heart to the left of said words at the top. One child had the light blue hair King had, the other had his mom’s red hair and his dad’s golden/yellow eyes.

“Oh…my family. That woman is my wife…my HUMAN wife. She and I are divorced and she took Ophidius and Hebina with her.” King explained softly.

“Alright, but why’s her head crossed out?” Yuna asked innocently.

King looked to the side. “…the Irish aren’t like us.” He said at last, softly, quietly.

“What? They don’t have heads?” Yuna inquired.

“……it’s hearts they don’t have. They don’t know how to love.” King burbled out, trying in vain to suppress tears.  

Azazel stood there, silent as Yuna and Echo hugged the serpent magus to comfort him. He then placed his hand on King’s shoulder and gave him a pat and a sorrowful, sympathetic look before turning and glancing down at some dirt that was below him.

“Why are you sipping tea with them? Aren’t you interesting in killing us?” Draco asked as Azazel began to draw in the dirt.

Silence. He just kept drawing. A zephyr blew through their respective hair as Alex folded his arms. “Well?”

“Tell you what, let he who has never committed a wrong once throw the first punch.” Azazel answered.

All of them looked this newcomer over with new eyes. “You ARE interesting.” Nacht decided at last.

“There’s nothing wrong with me being kind to you before I have to finish you.” Azazel explained, standing up and patting Echo on the head before stepping back.

“True. It costs predators little, if anything, to be kind to our prey, and it means EVERYTHING to them.” King added. “I’m glad to meet someone of similar honor.”

“Well then, let’s get started and I show you what I can do AFTER the kids high-tail it.” Azazel added, jabbing his thumb at them. “I don’t want them getting hurt in this when I start flinging thunderbolts around or turning you into frogs and such.”

Myr decided to be snarky. “Oh, shut up and make me a sandwich.”

POOF!

“…I don’t care who you are, that’s pretty damn funny.” Draco remarked as a ham sandwich with a pair of eyes glared up at Azazel, who covered his mouth and snickered madly.

“OY! Change me back!!!” Myr snarled, a slice of cheese acting as his “tongue”.

“Say please.”

“…PLEASE.”

POOF!

He was returned to normal. Smelling himself, he moaned. “OHHHH. I can’t even EAT pork! That was so INSULTING!”

“Sorry, I get it from my Dad.” Azazel laughed.

“Well I get the feeling I'm going to have to take out the big guns and use one of the most potent black magics in the world...” King decided.

He held his hands up and closed his eyes. “TITAN, I INVOKE YOU!”

THWOOOOOM! The ground before them opened up and from the chasm a large, hulking behemoth of a bodybuilder in a loincloth, tribal necklace, sandals and large, hairy chest appeared. He grinned evilly and raised his hands up to crush Azazel...

Who raised HIS hands up and closed HIS eyes. “TERRATO, I INVOKE YOU!”

THWOOOM! ANOTHER thing emerged from the ground, a dark brown serpent with bright red eyes and sharp fangs, cobra-esque in appearance and hissing darkly...he was even BIGGER than Titan and wrapped himself around the giant, squeezing tightly.

“HEY! OFF!” King snapped at the serpent.

Terrato nervously blushed at King and then slunk back into the ground as Titan passed out. Azazel frowned. “How did you...do that?”

“I happen to have some authority over things that crawl upon their bellies, eating dust. I WAS appointed by my people to choose the gifts and curse of my species when the time came.” King explained.

“So you ARE The Serpent's nephew?” Azazel inquired. “Oh naughty, naughty!” He laughed, waving a finger in the air.

“What's he talkin' bout, Willis?” Yuna asked as she and Echo listened in using spy equipment they'd bought off the internet, hiding in an old tree hollow about fifty yards away.

“Wait...are you saying...” Page gaped at King, seeing him in new eyes.

“Adam and Eve got tempted by a serpent Satan entered, remember?” Echo told Yuna.

“That thing was your UNCLE?”

“I never LIKED him, y'know!” King snapped. “He had a nasty sense of humor. AND he ruined it for the rest of us! So after I was chosen as the representative of my people I sent a message to EVERY snake in the Garden…I cut him up into chunks before everyone’s eyes, tossed one piece at every single family present and said I’d do the same to THEM unless they got in line behind me. It proved to be a startlingly effective way of keeping them from getting out of line.”

Azazel clapped his hands. “NIIIIICE.” He complimented. “Going the way of Saul! Now then…I believe it is MY move.” He raised his hands up. “I INVOKE THEE…VALEFOR!”

TWHOOOOOOSHA! A swirling tornado of light and wind rushed down as a beautiful bird with a slightly humanoid chest appeared, including two shapely breasts and large golden rings hanging down like a necklace around her. She had a sharp beak, beautiful red feathers on her head and a gleaming white body. She let out a loud call as she rose into the air.

“Beautiful, is she not? As an angel.” Azazel announced.

“I’m afraid this next summon’s no looker…” King laughed. “I INVOKE THEE…IFRIT!”

SHA-THWOOOM! A burning pillar EXPLODED into existence before them as if God’s wrath was trying to spontaneously consume some unknown sinner below. As it faded, a being with sharp clawed fingers and taloned feet and HUGE, brown, curly horns appeared…a djinn, a being of fire, with magma dripping out of his mouth like spittle and  strong muscles. He had teeth that were so big he couldn’t close his mouth all the way and looked like somebody had beaten him with an ugly stick at birth. Over…and over…and over.

“Well, I suppose I’m going to have to end this. I really can’t waste TOO much time. I INVOKE THEE…BAHAMUT!”

“BAHAMUT!?!” Everyone else yelled.

KRA-KOOOOOOM! The heavens opened and down he came, beating on his majestic wings, golden claws shining on a dark blue and white body. He had a lance strapped to his back, thick and deadly with glimmering gemstones embedded in it and a large crystal in the center of his chest. He had gleaming white fangs and deeply intelligent eyes that gazed down on them all.

“The Godly Saint of Dragons. You lose.” Azazel remarked calmly.

“Is that…aaaah, that’s Cupidia’s smell on you!” Bahamut announced in his golden, deep voice, glancing at Draco. “Hello Grandson!”

Azazel’s mouth gaped open, though not NEARLY as largely as the others, save for King, who shrugged, and Draco, who brushed his hair back. “GRANDSON?!?”

“Yeah, uh…my…mom…er…dragonkind gets around a lot…usually the females seduce strong men to make children that can hide among the human population without fear, but my mom actually ended up falling in love with this one mayor and…well…” He blushed deeply. “I have a LOT of half-brothers and sisters…that’s not something I’m proud of.”

“…well I can’t very well order you to attack your grandson.” Azazel said simply.

Bahamut looked him over, frowning. “Why not? You DID call me fair and square, Rugged Strength.”

“Because family ought not to fight family.” Azazel explained simply.

“You guys ought not to be fighting either.” White spoke up, appearing from behind a nearby tree. “King, c’mon, we’re goin’ to our new base of operations.”

“Ah, good, you’re willing to work for the Corporation?” Azazel asked, clasping his hands on White’s shoulders and smiling happily.

“Indeed.” White said, nodding.

“Y-y-you’re working for the BAD GUYS NOW!?!” Echo yelled. “WHY!?!”

“It’ll be interesting and fun. And they promised me a lot of money.” White added as an after thought.

“…” King nervously bit his lip, then hugged Echo and Yuna tightly, drawing them close and whispering into their ear. “I don’t want you telling anyone else about that Clan book you found. Not until I say so. Do you trust me?”

“Yeah.” They said at the same time. “We do.”

“Alright. I must follow my heart, and White is a dear, dear friend.” King said, bowing. “Let us take our leave, Michael.”

White scowled slightly at being called by his first name, but didn’t make a big deal out of it.

DRACO on the other hand, was furious.

“How…dare…you.” He growled, fists clenching, not notcing Azazel’s hand was glowing. “You’re turning your back on us! The MA, your FRIENDS, YOUR FAMILY!!!” He hissed. “I shall-”

“He made his choice and must live with it. Just as you have made your choice…”

THWOO-LUCKA!

“And shall die for it.”

The others screamed or gasped. A sharp bolt of electrically-charged magic had been launched through Draco’s chest and he was clutching his chest. He gasped, the sunglasses falling off his face and falling to the ground as Esmeralda kneeled by his side and shook him.

“DAD! DAD!!!” She sobbed.

King turned pale. White looked away and Azazel clapped his hands. All three of them were gone as Esmeralda kept shaking Draco.

“I can’t believe they’re working for THEM now.” Alex said, frowning deeply.

“King a snake, it’s totally in his nature to betray, is it not?” Nacht inquired.

“He’s not doing this to betray US, he’s doing this because he does not wish to betray Michael. I do not believe that he will actually KILL us…he is as pacifistic as Nick, if not more so.” Darth added.

“I’m sensing you got a biiiig “but” coming.” Yuna spoke up, eyebrow raised. “Would he HURT us? If they asked him to?”

“…I don’t honestly know, dibbun.” Darth admitted quietly. “…I don’t honestly know…”

“MY DAD IS DYING!!!” Esmeralda screamed. “I NEED…I…” She blinked. “…I know what I need to do. There’s still some color left in his cheeks…” She whispered, caressing his cheeks.

She took off her jacket. Now she wore only a pink pair of underwear that read “Juicy”. She extended her black claws and grit her teeth. “I’m not ALL dragon…so I’ll have to make this really count and go all the way. All my heart to keep you whole…”

Yuna whipped her head to the side, realizing what Ezzie was about to do. “WAIT-”

“My strength to purify your weakness!”

SCHLUCKA!

She clawed her chest and dove in deep, yanking out a dark red light. It pulsed like a beating heart…and she SLAMMED it down into Draco’s chest…then keeled over, her eyes rolling up in her head, blood dripping out of her nostrils, twitching before lying still.

Draco stirred and before their eyes, changed. His hair became metallic crests, spikes ran down his back as he shrunk into a reptilian form, wings grew from his body, his eyes became big and black, and his face elongated out slightly and fangs filled his mouth. His fingertips became silver in color as he was transformed back into the form they all knew so well…Heartwing.

Heartwing stood up, gasping. “I’m…I’m okay!” He grinned happily. “I’m okay, I’m…I’m…” He turned his head, noticing Esmeralda. His face fell on the spot and he nuzzled her with his snout. “…Ezzie?” He whispered.

No movement…not an ounce…

“Ezzie?...”
…

…

…

…Sari was having that dream again. About her past, this time…not her future.

Whimpering, he approached her as she noticed the tranquilizer pistol he had in his pocket, and the mournful expression lingering in his yellow, vibrant eyes. Frequency sighed sadly as he folded his arms and Sari stepped back.

“You saw me coming in your dreams, didn’tcha, Sari? C’mon, you can TOTALLY tell me.”

“…yes, I did.” Sari mumbled.

“Then you know what’s going to happen?” He asked quietly. “C’mon, just say it and get it over with. Like…tearin’ off a band-aid.”

“You’re gonna kill me.” She whispered, covering her eyes. “I knew it would happen, but I…I knew running would do no good.” She began to cry. “Free, please, just…just do it quickly, I’m begging you.”

She then felt his paw caress her cheek as he pulled her close. He smelled like a calming ocean breeze…she’d always liked that about him. Yet it frightened her now. Oh God, here it came, the snap of her neck-

He patted her head. “I’m NOT gonna waste ya, honest and true. I couldn’t do that to ya.” He then sighed and held the tranquilizer gun to her neck. “This’ll hurt for just a sec.”

THICKA! The dart struck her jugular and she felt a numbing pain rush through her body. She fell back into the couch as Frequency took out a small bag from his pocket…and pulled it open, revealing tools. Surgery tools.

“Don’t worry, princess.” Frequency insisted in that surfer tone of his as he sat next to her and patted her cheek. “You ain’t feelin’ nothin, I promise, okay?”

Sari would wish that he HAD simply killed her. She could not move her body, which she was PARTIALLY grateful for…she didn’t want to be able to look up to see him cutting her head open with the scapel, his eyes set, still intent on finishing his latest task…she was glad she could not feel the blood and…and YELLOW stuff…dripping down her face…what was that yellow stuff? BRAINS?

Glad she was slowly losing her hearing…if she continued to hear the squelchy slicing sounds of the scapel, she-

Sari screamed and awoke, whacking the side of her head over and over as she clenched one fist and sobbed and sobbed tearfully in her bed…the cause of her nightmare sitting in the room, looking her over like he was going to cry. Frequency looked down and away as Sari gradually settled down.

“Oh Sari.” He whispered softly. “I’m sorry.” He added, standing up and approaching her as he placed his paw on her cheek. She knew he had no claws, she was vaguely aware of that, but she would have PREFFERED claws…this soft feeling on her cheek was more unnerving than calming. She wanted to run, but her thoughts were all fuzzy, she couldn’t concentrate, and she had a feeling it was Frequency’s wave-riding technique being used on her. He was fiddling with her brain waves…

He reached for her neck, his eyes still looking intently into hers.

“Hold.”

Frequency turned around and saw a robot there, standing with her arms folded. Her yellow visor gleamed as her red helmet wobbled slightly as she slowly shook her head, her black-gloved hands gripping tightly into her arms with their claws. “I’M to kill her, but first she is to suffer. That is what we agreed on.” The ruler of Android Hell explained.

“…” Frequency looked mournful. He sighed and then stepped back as the Ruler of Android Hell held up a small remote and placed it on Sari’s head.

“Statement: All humans can be broken. I intend to break you.”

Sari screamed as pain tore through her.

…

…

…

… “So…we need information.” Nick said, crossing his arms as he and Grey and Lilo stood side by side, looking a dirty, filthy hobo named Hobo over. It had been a day since King had left with White to defect to the “Corporation” and Sari had gone missing as well. They needed all the information they could get.

“I don’t know nothin’, I don’t see nothin’.”

“LIVES are at stake.” Lilo insisted. “Hobo, you always brag about knowing all sorts of underworld activity. Why don’t you tell us what we’d like to know? We’re asking NICELY.”

Hobo burped and covered his mouth. “Really, I can’t help ya.”

“…you’re lookin’ tasty today.” Grey spoke up, grinning and showing off all his teeth.

“Why you gotta be like that?” Hobo asked, frowning.

“Oh, I’m SERIOUS.” Grey added, licking his lips. “I haven’t had lunch yet, so I’m quite peckish.”

Hobo immediately gulped. “Uh…look, all I know is that they hide off in Japan! That and the fact that they put up a lot of nightclubs and bars and discotheques, but that’s all a front for distributing Hypercortisone X.”

“Why am I not surprised?” Lilo remarked, shaking her head. “Fine! We’re a-goin’ into the Lion’s Den. We’d better call Hanako and Ranku up. They can help us with this.” She told the others.

“I can’t eat him, can I?” Grey asked, jabbing a claw at Hobo.

“…noooooo.” Nick said, rolling his eyes.

“Sorry. I’m just REAAAAALLY hungry…”

And so, off to Japan! Nick and Lilo and Grey all hooked a ride up with Senkoukura, Makani and Esmeralda, who were eager to go along with them for some fun…and to say hi to their old friends. Waving goodbye to them, Sandy saluted at Nick.

“I promise I’ll track Jack down.” He insisted. “And make things right.”

“Think of what your parents would do, Sanders Pelekai.” Lilo warned him, nodding her head as they waved back at him from atop the large, hulking frame of Senkoukura’s majestic, fully-grown, white, red and gold-armored body.

“Don’t worry, I’ll sing my song and turn him good!” Sandy laughed, jumping up and waving enthusiastically as they finally zoomed out of sight. When they were long gone, Sandy rubbed his paws together. “First thing’s first.” He told Kuko and Peleka. “You two, you’re more than a match for Gavrilo, go seek him out. Darth and I will go find Sari, and Myr, you and Nacht track down Jack, alright?”

All of them nodded. It was time to get to work!

…

…

…

… “Who is our next target, my fellow scientist?” The gloved, labcoat-wearing one spoke.

“Ah, that would be…”

FLIP-FLIP. Some searching through pages attached to a snazzy metal clipboard.

“Welllllll. That oh-so-adorable Hawaiian girl is our next target, Zoburg.”

Zoburg grinned, showing off zipper-toothed teeth as he held up a vial. “The catalyst I’ve been working on will turn all her wonderful powers into OUR gain. Just think of what will happen when we put the Bios she has to good use!”

The white-furred one rubbed his chin. “I am not so certaintly certain it shall turn out the way we invision it. Ah well.” He shrugged. “In any case…our new scaly recruit is to bring her to our lair.” He shivered.

“Ah, you HATE snakes, eh?”

“They are CREEPY! VERY MUCH SO!” The white-furred one snapped angrily.

“Oh calm down, Jacques. Sometimes it is a good idea to have in your employ somebody whom you KNOW will have cold feet lingering in the back of their mind constantly.” Zoburg laughed, his antennae bouncing as he did so.

Jacques rubbed his paws together. It was time to get to work…