Sector MG stepped out of the emerald flame, which dispersed behind them. They were inside a dark, round chamber with a sun design on the floor. With curious faces, the team approached an open exit doorway, returning to the daylit sky. "Whoa!"
The golden city below their vision left them awestruck. The structure they were on rested atop a ledge, with a C-shaped river pouring twin waterfalls into rivers that flowed through the city. While they couldn't see it, they were on the balcony of a round palace with several layers. A bridge connected the palace to a tower in the center of the kingdom, on which a sun seemed to sit.
"Hey! Who goes there?!"
Two guards approached from the right. They were a man and woman, dark-skinned with thin long ears and brown, thick horns. They had black hair and gold armor, the woman wielded a bow, and the man held a gold spear. "Humans! How did they get into the palace?!" the woman asked in an African-French accent.
"W-We came through the Floo Place!" Wendy answered. "The Sun Warriors allowed us to enter."
"You don't look like Sun Warriors!" the man stated.
"We're not." Romeo said. "Ahem, listen, I'm the Rainbow Flame. I brought Victini!"
"(Yo, what's the word, sunny bird?!)" Victini rapped, dancing in the air.
"Is that really… Victini?" the female asked.
"What is a Victini?"
"Haven't you learned about him in ancient history class?"
"Uh…you'll have to refresh my memory."
"Just go get Janai!"
The spear-wielder left. Sector MG waited patiently until he returned with a fiercer-looking woman, accompanied by more guards. She wore red and gold attire, with the gold parts in a scale pattern, a gold, horned headpiece with a sun crest, a gold cape, and bright yellow makeup around her dark-red eyes, each with two streaks leading down. "I am Janai: the Golden Knight of Lux Aurea, the Sunfire Princess, and leader of the Sunfire Knights."
"Greetings, Princess Janai!" Wendy bowed hastily. "We're Sector MG of-"
"I care not who you are. What business do those Sun Warriors have sending outsiders without first informing us?"
"He…he didn't really say if we needed permission." Romeo replied nervously. "Um, if now's a bad time, we could go back."
"Stay put. Now…" Janai approached Victini and observed the Newborn thoroughly. Victini curved his eyes and made a face. "I can feel the rich chi within its veins. But there is a faint darkness mixed in with it. What is the meaning of this?"
"Last year, he was hit by a weapon that turned him evil. But he hasn't really been evil for as long as we've been with him."
"Even so, for a revered fire spirit to possess even a speck of darkness is a disgrace."
"But we don't really know how to get rid of it."
"Hmph. What is your purpose here, anyway?"
"I don't suppose you know about the Firstborn and their Guardians?"
"We learned of them in our Mythical Legends class."
"We did?" asked the male guard, earning an eye-roll from his partner.
"I'm supposed to become Victini's Guardian, but I have to find the Sacred Flames first. So…um, how could I see about getting that?" Romeo grinned awkwardly.
"Our Sacred Flame does not belong to outsiders!" stated one of the other male guards.
"What can I do to prove myself?"
"Only the queen could answer that question. At the very least, do you possess firebending?"
"Yeah!" Romeo opened his hands and lit a purple flame and a yellow flame.
"Sniff, sniff." The male guard sniffed. "Ew! Your fire reeks!"
"Something feels unnatural about it…" Janai said.
"Well, my fire's a little different because of my magic."
"MAGIC?!" The guards readied their weapons.
"W-w-what's wrong?" The operatives readied their selves nervously. "I can use normal firebending, too-"
"Seize them! Take them to the dungeon!"
"W-wait!" Wendy cried as the guards began to grab and bind them in handcuffs. "What did we do wrong?!"
"You'll never take us alive!" Maria threw her crown at two guards, then jumped against a third.
"Maria, stop!" Oliver yelled. "Please, tell us what the problem is! What do you have against mages?"
"Mages have corrupted our kingdom. They are forbidden in Xadia! Confiscate their items!"
"Hey, my hat!" Maria shouted, being pinned to the ground as her crown was taken. "Give it back!"
"(Hey, I ain't a fan of these guys either, but cut them a break!)" Victini shouted.
"Grab the spirit, too!"
"(Hey! Aaaahh!)" One of the guards bound Victini by the sides.
"Wait, I'm not a mage!" Phil shouted. A guard found the jar of pills in his pocket and took it. "H-hey, give those back!"
"What are these?"
"They're my medicine! I-I have a terrible disease, and I need those pills to stay alive!"
The guard studied the label on the jar. "I can't read this language."
"Just hold onto them." Janai said. "We'll get Kazi to read it. Let's move."
Their magic wands and Infi-Satchels were taken as the operatives were escorted upstairs and through the palace. "Eek!" Phil yelped, feeling a tail grow against his pants. "Come on, man, I really need those things!"
"You do not look sick to me."
"Please! I'm going to… whoa, uuoooohhh!"
The guards fell back in shock as Phil shrank into his clothes. The first male guard nervously moved his spear toward a small lump in the shirt. "Squeak!" He gasped when a mouse popped out.
"He turned into a mouse!" Janai yelled. "He IS a mage! Don't let him get away!"
"Squeak, squeak!" Phil zipped between the guards' legs and down the palace corridor. He was able to spot a hole in the wall and squeezed into it. "I'll snuff you out!" A lady guard shot fire into the mouse hole.
"HEY, STOP THAT!" Oliver screamed.
"Silence!" Janai ordered. "Keep moving! Jozy, stay watch on that hole. He can't hide for long."
"Phil…" Wendy choked on her fear.
Fortunately, the hole's interior had been long enough for Phil to outrun the fire. "(Damn, I should've taken a pill before we came! I ain't about to end up in a cage. I gotta try to follow them somehow.)" He maneuvered his way through the tunnel.
The five kids were brought to a dungeon and trapped within a large ring of fire. They were distraught over their friend's safety and utterly confused by the situation. They waited inside the flames for about half an hour, the sweat evaporating off their bodies. Romeo willed a flame to light in his cuffed hand. "I can still use bending. We should just break out of here!"
"No, Romeo!" Wendy said. "We have to try and explain ourselves. We can't make things worse."
"Worse than losing Phil?!" Maria shouted.
"We don't know for sure! I'm scared for him, too, but…"
"Why didn't the chief warn us about this?!" Kiki questioned in anger.
"You don't think this was our punishment, do you?" Oliver wondered. "For intruding on their land?"
"Well, screw them! I'm about to blab their secret to everyone if we don't get out of this!"
"Shhh!" Wendy hushed. "Someone's coming."
Janai opened the flames with her bending and marched in, alongside a thinner, bespectacled elf with olive-green eyes, a brown and gold outfit, and wine-red-tipped dreadlocks over their forehead. They looked much more nervous and normal compared to the warriors.
"This is Kazi, the royal interpreter. They have translated the instructions on this jar."
"Yes." Kazi replied, holding up the pills. "They are 'Humanification Pills,' a type only applicable to rats and mice. Designed to fully transform a rat into a human male body. One must be taken every hour to sustain the transformation. Taking too many will result in bodily dysfunctions."
"You mages have no respect for nature!" Janai stated. "Doing such a thing to a helpless animal!"
"EXCUSE ME?!" Kiki shouted. "You're the one who tried to burn him alive!"
"Rest assured, I have requested my guards not to burn the mouse, though we are still on watch for him. Provided he has not decided to be free of you humans."
"Phil wanted to be a human!" Oliver argued. "He wanted to take those pills."
"How can we be sure? You could have manipulated his memories."
"Could you please tell us why you hate mages?" Wendy requested.
"Because you hunger for power. Only the gods can decide which elements befit the mortals, but you bargained with the demons and dark spirits for more power. You seek to bend nature for your own dark whims!"
"What?! That's not true at all!"
"Magic Chi pours out of moons and stars and seeks shelter inside of newborn, compatible mortals." Oliver explained. "It's true that some of the original mages discovered their powers by worshipping demons, but it isn't a dark practice. We were born with our power the same as benders, and we have a duty to practice it all the same!"
"The spells we use are based off of spiritual incantations that people use to connect with the gods. It gives us a connection to nature."
"We'll see about that. As we speak, our High Priest is analyzing your wands."
…
A baldheaded elf in a white and gold robe was analyzing the wands on a table. He had yellow diamond markings on his forehead and nasal bridge, connected to a headpiece. He held a scepter with a sun-shaped head, channeling Light Chi through it as the head shone bright. "Hmmm…" He curiously picked up Oliver's wand, the Mornstar. Its head was a gold circle between wings, and red, blue, and yellow orbs were set within the circle. "This wand resonates with strong Light Chi. How curious. But for what purpose?"
Phil was watching from a hole in the ceiling. So, here's where they put all their stuff. What's he gonna do with them?
"I feel no malice from this wand. It is a far contrast… to this." The priest faced down at a black and red wand, its dark aura frantically vibrating under his scepter's light. "To wield a wand this evil, its holder must be equally corrupt. We may need to destroy this… and cleanse them."
What's he mean by that?!
"I'll set these other wands away for now." The priest stashed the wands inside a chest and locked it. "I'll keep these two…" He stashed the Mornstar and Devil's Wand away in his robe. "And also…" He returned to the table and picked up Maria's Fire Nation crown. "I sense a dark aura from this crown. I'll have to ask them of its purpose."
Phil climbed off the edge of the tunnel and quickly clambered down the wall via gaps in the brick. He landed without making a sound and scampered to the leaving priest. He pounced onto his golden boot and climbed to hide under the robe. God, I hate this part of the job.
…
Queen Khessa was covered in almost all gold attire, save for black gloves and boots, and long blonde hair under a horned crown. Her throne room was exposed to the open sky and the shining tower in the kingdom's center. The chamber was completely gold with several pillars and sun banners.
Her gold eyes narrowed on the long-earred Victory Spirit in the guards' grasp. "(What, you wanna have a staring contest? Well, good luck, I don't think YOU could bathe in a sun without blinking!)"
"The legendary Victini… it's certainly not what I expected. Perhaps your time with those outworlders has tainted you." Khessa stood and slowly walked around them, eying Victini sardonically. "I've read the ancient story of how the great Natsu won our Sacred Flame and later saved our tribe from the ice demon's curse. Awful coincidence, isn't it? Almost like you two plotted to be the saviors."
"(It WAS a coincidence! Natsu was… well, he really didn't have a reason for winning your flames. He was just having fun.)"
"History hails you as heroes, but in actuality, you were just selfish boys in need of some undeserved glory. Natsu used your power and cheated our Sacred Flames. And based on the visions I've received, it seems his tribe haven't made a pleasant reputation. How expected…"
"(Fine, we were selfish. But it was 10,000 years ago! Romeo doesn't—what's the point, you can't understand me.)"
"Your Radiance." The High Priest walked in. "Forgive my intrusion, but I have studied the mages' possessions."
"Speak."
"This wand," he drew Mornstar, "possesses strong Light Chi. But I've picked up the smallest trace of malicious use."
"So, even a wand made for good can be misused. Humans…"
"But this wand seems to have been made with a foul material." He raised the Devil Wand. "Only one who embraces in dark arts would be able to wield it. I didn't feel much from the other wands, but it is clear that at least one of the mages possesses great danger. Shall I travel down to study them, Your Highness?"
"Yes. Determine the dark mage and have them brought here immediately. We will have them cleansed."
"Understood." The priest put the wands away and traveled downstairs.
Phil still clung to his pants, frantically trying to think of a way to help. The wands are too big to carry, and he'll notice if I steal them. Maybe I can swipe Maria's crown. Should be light enough. But what do I do with it? Gah, I'm gonna wing it! The mouse began to clamber around the priest's robe in search of the crown's pocket.
…
Janai had gone over the war between the elves and the humans that thrived on the west half of the continent. The Five Kingdoms relied on the use of dark magic, based on the teachings of their ancestors who followed the ice demon. That said, only a few humans were born with magic, with even fewer normal benders, whom the mages would often corrupt with their evil spells, "empowering" them for their benefit. Their magic relied on the sacrificing of animals, and they've killed many Xadians with their power, including their mighty and respected Dragon King, Avizandum.
"And the egg of the king's unborn child would be taken and destroyed by the humans." Janai concluded.
"I…I'm terribly sorry for all the humans did to you." Wendy spoke sadly. "But we're not like that. Honest. And there are more kinds of magic besides darkness!"
"Then despite that you have magic, you can swear to not having a shred of darkness?"
"Well, we…"
"We can't promise that." Romeo said. "We fight villains to protect the universe, and that means using magic to fight them. Sometimes, we have to use dark spells that are safe to use. We certainly don't use it for selfish reasons, or to kill people. It's no different from using firebending to fight your enemies."
"…" Janai couldn't deny the logic in his words. "Even if you try not to feed the darkness too much, it may not pass Her Majesty's judgment."
"Princess Janai." The High Priest entered the room. "I've analyzed their wands, and one of them seems to possess great darkness." He withdrew the Devil's Wand. Wendy gasped. "The queen orders that the dark mage be identified and cleansed."
"Cleansed? What does that mean?" Kiki asked fearfully.
"You will be exposed to the Sunforge." Janai answered. "The holy light of our sun will penetrate your pupils and burn the evil inside you."
"P-p-penetrate our pupils?! That'll blind us!"
"A necessary side-effect. But should the corruption be too strong, you will turn to ash."
"Now, who owns this wand?" the priest asked.
"I believe the blue-haired girl was-" a guard answered.
"It's mine!" Romeo shouted. Wendy faced him aghast. "I was asking Wendy to carry it for me. It's a cursed wand I got from my mentor, because I was never able to bond with a normal wand."
"Romeo!"
"The Rainbow Flame owns this wand?"
"Yes. But I only use it against dark creatures! Otherwise, it's too dangerous to use! And I don't mix my firebending with it."
"Bring him before Her Majesty!"
Janai looked over Romeo with reservations, and Kazi seemed to share her sentiment. Regardless, she gestured for the guards to lift Romeo and escort him out of the circle. Wendy tried to follow, but the guards closed the flames. "You will stay there until we return. Pray that the queen is merciful… although, she usually isn't."
The imperials exited the dungeon and sealed the door, with two guards stationed outside it.
As Kazi followed from the rear- "Oh?" their foot kicked something small and metal on the floor, just after turning a corner. It was a fire-shaped crown! Thinking it was pretty, they picked it up and put it on, smiling.
Sector MG perked up as Maria's body seemed to squish and stretch. "I'm out!" she yelped in casual surprise as she was slurped through the walls and directly into Kazi's body. "Ooo! I didn't think it could work like that!"
"Did you say something, Kazi?" Janai and the priest turned.
"Uh… I found this cool hat on the floor!"
"Hat? …That is the crown that shorter mage was wearing!"
"Oh, I guess it fell out of your pocket. Well, can I keep it?"
"It contains a dark essence. You should not-"
"Pleeeeaaase? It goes with my wiggly hair things!" She poked Kazi's dreadlocks. "Whatever these are."
Janai shook her head and sighed. "You are too carefree sometimes. Well, we must hurry." They kept going on that note.
Maria glanced down at the floor and spotted Phil. With a smile, she picked up her little friend and tucked him down Kazi's collar. "People underestimate the value of floor treasure, eh Philly?"
Twilight Town
Miyuki placed Victoria's Mask on herself. She and the Anderson were adrift in an illusion of darkness. "Hey! What've you done to me?!"
"I only want to speak to the Maiden inside you. Come on, I know this works. I already tried it with the Spring Maiden."
"Oh…okay then." Victoria was agape as a shy, young Twili girl appeared between them. Her hair was made of autumn leaves, covering herself. "Um…my name is Evea. The Fall Maiden. What did you want to talk about?"
"I want you to remove your seal on Verglora's Mask."
"I don't think I'm allowed to do that. Verglora is very dangerous."
"If you don't release your seal, I can't guarantee this town will sleep well tonight."
"What?!" Victoria gasped. "What've you done to Twilight Town?!"
Miyuki walked out, removed, and raised the mask. Victoria and Evea were horrified by the pigs confusedly waddling around, not a single Twili in sight. "You turned them all into pigs?! Just like our town's folktale?!"
"Oh, there's a folktale behind it?" Verglora asked. "I only saw the pigs and just came up with this on the fly. Not that pigs fly, haha!"
"And if they aren't turned back, it's only a matter of time before hunters arrive and carve them into bacon."
"No, I don't wanna hear this part!" Suki cried, shutting her ears.
"Heck, I can do it myself." Miyuki's scythe reflected the frightened visage of a little piggy. "I'll make a nice ham sandwich out of these oinkers."
"No you won't." Evea replied.
"Wanna put a wager on that?"
"Your heart isn't that cruel. I can feel it. Even if someone were to come and hurt them, you wouldn't let them."
"Well, there'd be nothing I could do if I leave without changing them back. We could fix this now if-"
"MIYUKI!" The sisters turned right. Dillon York glared at them in spite, while Haruka was only dumbstruck. "What are you doing by my aunt's inn?"
"I guess you got the call I was here? Nice that our sectors always keep each other up-to-date."
"Don't dodge the question!"
"Suki, I expected better from you!" Haruka yelled.
"The piggies were the mask's idea!"
"Look, nobody was hurt." Miyuki said. "And I'll change these pigs back. As soon as the Fall Maiden-"
Before she could put Victoria on, Dillon Veiled over and tried to uppercut Miyuki, but she jumped back and slashed his hip slightly. "YOW! Miyuki, you frickin' cut me!"
"I don't mind hurting you. You're a little strong to take lightly."
Haruka quickly lifted Dillon's sweater, slapped on ointment, and wrapped a bandage around his cut. Dillon stretched both his shadow's arms and divided them, the shadows trying to surround Miyuki. She slowed time and charged at Dillon, but only wound up cutting a Shadow Clone that dissolved. The real Dillon emerged from the side and quickly caught Miyuki in a Shadow Possession. He tried to strangle her, but Miyuki shook free. She evaded Dillon's following Shade Fists and mustered chi at the end of her scythe, in the form of a gray clock with turning hands. She leapt at Dillon for a cut, but he Veiled away, only for Miyuki to blast the charged beam at him. The beam possessed a soft feel, but Dillon aged by about 80 years, growing a white mustache and wrinkly bald head.
"DILLON!" Victoria screamed, but was unheard by the others. "You Agified him!"
"Not like he'll be decommissioned."
"Good thing I'm always prepared!" Haruka whipped out Anti-Aging Crème. "Courtesy of the Gilligans' grandma!" She caught a dab on her finger and stroked it around Dillon's skin, aging him back to normal.
"Suki, freeze her!"
"Okay…" Suki skied around and cast an ice wave, Haruka dodging and drawing a S.P.I.C.E.R.. She fired the fiery weapon, taking Suki by surprise and burning her face. "Ow! Why does everyone have a fire weapon?!"
"Sector IC told us about you both, so I borrowed this from $'s treehouse!"
Suki erected an ice wall, but since the S.P.I.C.E.R. alone couldn't melt it, Haruka released a cloud of gas before shooting the weapon. The flame was amplified as the ice melted, but Suki absorbed the frosty air around her to become a chubby snowman. Haruka evaded her giant jumps and combined her gas with spice to damage the Logia.
Dillon surrounded Miyuki with Shadow Clones that each thrusted Shade Fists, the white-haired taking some hits as she tried to dodge her way out. The clones were all interconnected with shadowy binds, and Miyuki was able to trace them to the true Dillon. She slowed time and lunged at him, snipping his right shoulder in the midst of his Veil. He decided not to bother Haruka now, so he maneuvered around some houses. Miyuki calmly followed, keeping eyes on the ground—ten Shade Fists flew at her, so she jumped back- "AH!" she bumped her head against a tree branch. The actual branch was a few feet above her, but Dillon had bent its shadow to her shadow's level. Dillon returned around the houses to make his way to Haruka, so Miyuki slowed time and pursued—Dillon had already bent the house's shadow over to shove her away, and it reached her in time.
Miyuki grunted in frustration and turned toward the blotted sun. The shadows were only barely visible in this dull light, yet Dillon was able to bend them efficiently. He would certainly be a lot worse if the twilight were shining completely. Suki willed a swarm of Snow Birds to swirl around and swoop down at Haruka, the doctor enduring and running through in search of Suki. However, Suki had scattered into snow to mix herself with the birds, so Haruka kept fleeing while leaving a trail of gas. A flick of the S.P.I.C.E.R.'s trigger set all the birds aflame, forcing Suki to reform and retreat to douse the flames. "Haruka, my shoulder's cut!"
"Okay!" Haruka gave his shoulder a quick treatment. In return, he helped her Veil to avoid Suki's icicle storm. He released Haruka behind a group of pigs, then maneuvered under the pigs' shadows to land a punch to Miyuki's nose. Suki tried to freeze him, but Dillon quickly shot his own S.P.I.C.E.R. at her face before retreating. Haruka jumped out from the pigs and fired more flames, amplified by gas, but Suki intercepted it with a condensed blizzard from her hands. Suki scraped the ground with her foot and sent an ice strip to trip Haruka—the icebender immediately cast a freezing wave to both trap Haruka's lower body and raise her to the air.
Dillon gasped and mentally began to plot a way to save her, but Miyuki charged with a swing of the scythe. He Veiled the swing and sprouted up behind her, grabbing and shoving her face down repeatedly. "I dunno what's wrong with you, but I'm knocking you back to your senses!"
Sadly, Miyuki was already mustering chi and projected a gray bubble around them. She focused her De-Aging affect over Dillon and turned him into a two-year-old toddler. She was able to roll up and shove the kid against the ground. She then got up and pinned him under her Mary-Jane, the boy punching her leg like a pouty child.
"STOP IT!" Victoria shouted. "That's enough! Stop hurting my nephew!"
"I'll remove the seal!" Evea yelled. "Just leave these people alone!"
"That's more like it." Miyuki moved the Victoria and Verglora Masks closer. "Mmmf!" Mario restrained Miyuki's shadow's arms. She had to forcefully stomp him twice to weaken his hold, afterwards hurrying away to put the masks together.
Evea sighed with regret and uttered an incantation. The two masks shone with an orange light. The symbol of a leaf appeared over Verglora, but it shattered. "Yes! Finally! One seal down!"
"Miyuki…" She looked down as little Dillon weakly crawled toward her. "Cheren is gonna be… really pissed… that you're doing this… Whether finding the Newborn is important or not, is it worth hurting us over?"
"You'll overcome this pain and become stronger. Even Cheren is motivated by his hatred for his enemies, as much as his love for his friends. Now, it's time for your nap." She spun her scythe and BASHED him in the head with the back side, knocking the part-Twili out.
"Dillon!" Haruka struggled in her frosty prison.
Clap clap clap!
"Bravo, MMiyuki~"
Majora wore a dull smile as he stepped out of the shadows. "You've embraced your darkness well. But some additional touches are required." He grabbed his whip and lashed it at Haruka before either could think. It slapped her cheek with enough force to knock her out.
"HEY! She was already trapped, that wasn't nice!" Suki shouted.
"Hey, Daddy, guess what!" Verglora chirped. "First we froze this bakery town and cut a German lady, then we caught a Kokiri twerp, then we ransacked this rich people town, and caught two snotty rich kids, then we made their butler our bitch, and-"
"Settle down, Verglora. I've kept your IC friends preoccupied in the woods. I'll retreat with you if you want~"
"Fine. Just let me fix these people."
"Oh, do we have to? It would certainly hinder the KND's pursuit if we left them piggified."
"Mmmmm…" Miyuki viewed around the hapless pigs. The Twili were despairing inside their pudgy pink forms… and such despair was oddly satisfying. "You have a point."
"Hey!" Evea shouted. "You promised you would change them back!"
"That deal was overwritten by my promise to stop hurting Dillon."
"Which you still did!" Victoria argued.
"Oh, yeah. 'Guess I'm bad at promises."
"Let's head this way." Majora took Miyuki's hand.
"Sissy, wait!" Suki's call was for naught as the two fled the village. "…" She dispelled the ice entrapping Haruka, laying both her and Dillon beside each other, on their backs. "I'm sorry. Piggies, watch over them for me." And she skied after them.
The piggies looked over their would've-been saviors with downtrodden snorts. The Twili huddled around them in comfort.
Majora brought Miyuki to a formerly-twilit river for her to rest. "Now, while the Spring MMaiden is too stubborn to play along, only two MMaidens remain."
"I thought Weiss would've been the Winter Maiden, but she wasn't. I'm having someone look into her family."
"Depending if said MMaiden would MMake herself that obvious. Though, it seems like these two have reincarnated inside people of their respective race."
"Do you think that's a requirement for them?"
"Possibly. Usually, reincarnation allows one to carry their unique chi, but Sweet Pea and the Anderson are neither Plant, Air, or even shadowbenders. Pretty odd for a half-Twili, even. But if it's true that the races are the key, that could substantially narrow the search down."
"In that case, if the Schnee Family are descended from Araea's race, then they're the only ones I can think of. What about the Summer's race?"
"I believe that one was a Gerudo."
"I don't suppose you know any Gerudo that fit the bill?"
"No idea. You're the one with experience, you think of someone."
"I vaguely remember some Gerudo helping us during the war, but nothing that helps. Verglora, do you remember anything about her?"
"Nah, I think she was like the responsible leader or something, even though she was barely involved in our plan. She had a cool Boss Room, though. Baseball field. I made her into a fun baseball monster!"
"So… she liked baseball?"
"Beats me. Why not?"
At least it was some clue to work off of. Still, the only one that came to mind with baseball was-
"Miyuki-chan, the piggies aren't gonna be bacon, right?"
"He said Sector IC was nearby, so they'll take care of the piggies."
"Okay. …Um, when we're done with this, what's gonna happen?"
"Who knows? We don't know what'll happen when we find the Newborn."
"No, I mean… we're gonna say 'sorry' to all the people we hurt, right?"
"If you want to. They're probably used to villains not apologizing to them."
"Sigh…"
Lux Aurea
Romeo was escorted to the throne room, seeing Victini suspended by the same guards. It was clear to him and Maria who the proud, golden woman on the throne was. "You stand before Queen Khessa, the radiant ruler of Lux Aurea." Janai announced.
"Your Majesty, the Rainbow Flame claims to be the wielder of the dark wand." the priest said.
"So, the Rainbow Flame truly is tainted." The queen stepped off the throne and stood directly over Romeo, his eyes wrought with anxiety. She could smell his body odor and see the sweat in his clothes. She also studied the alternating flame at his chest. "In more ways than one. Just why did the Sun Warriors let you have their Sacred Flame? You probably used the spirit's power and cheated."
"I did not! I earned these two flames fairly! And frankly, I don't even care about the flames or Victini, I'm just doing this 'cause I was told to!"
"Your Majesty," 'Kazi' began, "I don't mean to dishonor you or anything, but might it be nicer to let him go? Just look at how sad he is!"
"Kazi! Mind your tongue!" Janai hissed.
"The cleansing will take place as planned! Now, to the Sunforge."
The stairs behind the throne led them to a long bridge. It crossed over a small portion of the city and onto a great, wide, suspended platform with a crisp, shining lake with lush green islands. The sun-topped tower rose in the center of the lake. "So, Phil, any ideas how to get out of this?" Maria whispered.
"(Me?! I didn't have any ideas, I just decided to get you outta there!)"
"I thought you would've gotten me out of there to help with your plan!"
"(I thought you would've come up with a plan… or something! You're the creative one!)"
"But you're smarter than me! You have glasses!"
"(I'm a mechanic, not a tactician! There's a diff…wait, how're you understanding me?)"
"Oh, the owner of this body is sort of speaking from their subconscious. Apparently, they know rat language, too. It's nice of them to translate while wrestling back for control."
"Kazi, what are you mumbling over there?" Janai asked.
"Just, uh…wondering if I should buy a new pair of glasses! These ones are getting messy."
"I see." Janai heard them say something about glasses. "…" She cocked a brow and turned back. "Have your eyes always been blue? I could have sworn they were green."
"Hehe, that's why I need new glasses! I'm getting colorblind."
"In that case, you might not want to come into the Sunforge."
"N-no no! I am concerned for… the human's wellbeing."
"It seems your linguistics studies have made you attached to these heathens." Queen Khessa remarked. "But do not forget their words created curses and plagues."
"Y-yes… Your Majesty."
Victini raised a brow at the translator; it seemed that Maria was using her possessing power, like with the Sandbags. Perhaps she would send someone flying to the sun again?
Romeo patiently followed them to the top of the tower. He had to squint his eyes under the miniature sun. "Behold the Sunforge. Thousands of years ago, my ancestor challenged Goddess Palutena and earned her God Chi. With it, she created this eternal sun, to cleanse darkness from our hearts. We will now purify YOUR darkness. The Victory Spirit can go first."
Victini was set directly under the light, a guard binding his neck in a gold ring attached to a staff. "Now face the sun and do not blink."
Victini rolled his eyes and stared at the sun. His big blue eyes absorbed every last ounce of light. "(This is child's play to me.)" Still, as he stared at the light, his eyes began to swirl with an array of flashing colors. If this kind of thing were on TV, there would need to be a seizure warning. Heck, it actually reminded Victini of the Pokémon Porygon, which was banned from all tournaments due to its seizure-inducing aura. Romeo cringed in sickness at just imagining such an awful sensation. Victini may be able to endure it, but it still looked so horrific.
The High Priest held his scepter beside Victini as darkness emitted. "The spirit is still corrupt!"
"So, his darkness has seeped deep into his heart." Khessa said. "How tragic. Move the spirit and put the boy in!"
The guards pulled Victini away as the ringed staff was put over Romeo's head. He felt he would wet his pants as he was set under the light. "H-h-how long will the blindness last?"
"It varies." Janai replied.
"P-please! Isn't there another way?!"
"If the Rainbow Flame wishes to honor his legacy, he must be void of darkness!"
"Your Majesty, what shall we do with the wand?" The priest raised the Devil's Wand.
"Janai, destroy it at once."
The Golden Knight drew a bright, molten blade from a sturdy brown hilt with gold markings. Markings adorned the blade, too. "With honor, Your Radiance."
The priest set the wand neatly on a small table. Janai approached, ready to deliver a clean cut to the dark relic. Romeo, Maria, and Phil's hearts were racing. Knowing the Devil's Wand was Dr. Facilier's gift to Wendy, she would be distraught if it were broken.
"Eyes at the sun!" the guard ordered.
Romeo anxiously tilted his head up, but immediately winced at the blinding light. "Please! I don't want to!"
"(Maria, do something, dammit!!)" Phil whisper-squeaked.
The possessed elf bit their lips. "AAAAAHH!" She dashed at Janai and SWIPED her Sunforge Blade, leaping to slice the ring staff, then slice Romeo's cuffs. She slashed the blade at any elves who came near—without actually hurting them, only prompting them to back away in surprise and caution. Romeo used his free hands to pull the ring off his neck.
"Kazi, what is this treason?!" Janai demanded.
"I refuse to let an innocent boy be blinded! He only wanted to go on a trip with his friends! How was he supposed to know you guys—I mean, we hated mages?!"
"Kazi, drop the blade and stand down!" Queen Khessa ordered, marching forward. "Or you will face the Sunforge next!"
"No! I will defend this human… even if I must cut you down!" Maria held the sword threateningly at the queen's face.
"…" The scowling queen stepped forward… and let the sword pierce through her head. The kids gawked breathless… but the blade only seemed to phase straight through, a rim of light around where it touched. "A Sunforge Blade cannot cut a Logia lightbender."
The queen's leg flashed a gold light and KICKED Kazi like a lightspeed laser. The interpreter crashed against a pillar and collapsed, and Maria was forced out of their body. Both their stomachs were crushed and blood leaked from their mouths.
Phil was flung away from the impact, bouncing along the floor. "(MARIA!)" He scampered back to his teammate and pounced on her belly, climbing her chin.
"(Maria, stay with me! Maria!)" His tiny paws slapped her rotund cheeks. He could feel a faint breath.
"The mouse!" a guard pointed. "And the smaller girl! Seize them!" Two of them approached with spears aimed.
"DON'T HURT THEM!" Romeo dove over his friends, hunched over like a bridge.
Phil was relieved of the bright light under the shade of Romeo's abs, puffing in and out from exhausted breathing. "(I can feel that testosterone, buddy. But for once, I'm glad to see it.)"
"Just let us go home!" Romeo began to cry. "I don't care about the Sacred Flames or stupid Victini, I just wanted to have an adventure with my friends! We weren't trying to hurt you or anyone! It's not our fault that we're mages, why should that even matter?! I don't care, anymore… I just wanna go home…"
As his tears hit the ground, the guards couldn't help but feel hesitant. Even Janai felt her sympathy rising. No human she's met had ever shown such fear and earnesty. "Forgive me, Sister… but are we sure this human possesses any true darkness?"
The queen scoffed at the pitiful boy. "Such a state is like the darkness of a rainy night. Ugh…" She turned to leave down the stairs.
"Your Highness, what shall we do?" asked the priest.
"Let Janai decide. These humans frustrate me."
The knight glanced down at the sniffling boy, then at the wand on the table, her KO'ed interpreter, and released a sigh. "Get that wand. We'll decide upon it later." The priest recollected it. "Come on, boy. Get up."
Romeo looked up, calming down as he lifted Maria in his arms, Phil still rested on her belly. He began to follow Janai back down the tower and across the great bridge. "What's… gonna happen now?"
"If you are true to your words, I will allow you to leave this kingdom peacefully. But are you certain you no longer desire the flame?"
"I…I don't know. Even if I become Victini's Guardian, I didn't plan to use him. I don't know why we need to collect the Newborn."
"If you held such a power, what would you use it for?"
"I guess I would do… good things. Like, bring good luck to suffering people. But Victini's power doesn't work without bad luck, so I couldn't."
"Perhaps, but your words carry truth. If my sister will allow it, I will grant you a piece of Solaris's flame."
"You will…?"
"Not for free, of course. We will have to hold a special trial. But first, perhaps we will arrange a more accommodating living quarters. Even I can tell that you have traveled far and are beyond fatigued."
"Yeah… that would be great, thanks."
"(Pheeeeewww…)" Phil released a sigh of extreme relief. "(We barely survived that one, Romey.)"
Romeo lightly laughed, feeling Phil's relief. "Yeah, we barely got through that one. I hope Maria will be okay."
"She should be fine." Janai replied. "My sister did not intend to be fatal to Kazi. But they may need a bit of treatment."
"That's good. She was only trying to protect me."
"I know. But she was holding back against our guards. She is an honorable girl."
"Ha ha! I'll have to remember to thank her. You, too, Phil. You're my best bud from now on!" Romeo grinned and held a fist beside the mouse.
"(Too bad, I'm already Ollie's best bud.)" Phil smirked and punched Romeo's knuckle. "(Don't worry, we won't tell him~)"
"By the way, you won't tell anyone I cried, will you? I felt like such a dork."
"(That, I will definitely tell, to everyone.)" Phil replied with a boasting posture.
"Thanks, buddy. You're the best."
"(Also, you need to get your deodorant back, 'cause hoo boy, you're poisoning my nostrils. I'm never gonna be able to smell motor oil again.)"
"Well, these guys just have a bad history with mages. I'm sure we can get off to a better start."
"(Take a frickin' bath, dude.)"
"Yeah, that's the spirit!"
Victini slogged behind them with his head hung. "(Sigh…I really am a burden to him. Why even stick around… he's not the same friend. He likes his new friends better. I'm just… bad luck…)"