Chapter 7 ~ I Am...
The serious Kokirion made eye contact with the one leading the group; a girl named Ari.
“You all aren’t supposed to be here.” he said with a stern expression.
“What I wanna know is...why are YOU two here?” Ari replied.
“That’s none of your business,” the frustrated Kokirion replied. “Mido, I think you need to take care of this. I’ll be your defense.”
Mido leaped out in front of Kokirion and drew a strange looking weapon of some sort. All it appeared to be was a short piece of metal.
“Ha, what are you gonna do with that? Throw it at me?” Ari laughed.
Suddenly, a red laser beam shot out of the side of the metal piece. Mido swung it at a tree branch. It snapped and shortly after, burst into flames. Ari’s eyes widened.
“WHO’S LAUGHING NOW!?!?! OL’ MIDO’S GONNA GETCHA WITH A LIGHTSABER!” Mido screeched with a demonic laugh. He approached Ari cautiously as she tried to figure out what to do. Suddenly, a green laser beam appeared in front of her.
“I’m the only one allowed to touch Ari,” Pendio said, leaping before Ari to stop Mido’s attack.
Mido swung the light saber but missed. Pendio swung back and a duel between the two began. Everyone watched with anxiety.
“I’m not going to let you all get away!” Mido yelled as the fight continued.
Pendio carefully guarded himself and the others as he and Mido fought it out. Suddenly, Kokirion grabbed him from behind. They both fell to the ground. Mido put his foot on Pendio’s chest and muttered...
“Pendio...I am your father.”
Everyone looked at each other in shock, including Kokirion.
“What?” Pendio replied.
“I’m your real father, my son,” Mido explained. “I’m sorry it had to be like this.”
Kokirion got up and brushed his clothes off.
“Dad, you never told me I had a brother,” he said to Mido.
“I’m sorry. I thought it would be best not to tell you.” Mido replied, taking his foot off of Pendio’s chest and putting his light saber away. “I didn’t want to make you feel bad for having a missing brother out there somewhere.”
“So...I have a brother?” Pendio replied. He glanced at Kokirion, noticing a few of the similar details in their appearances.
“Enough of this sappy ****, I’m tired,” Kokirion yawned.
“Are you gonna let us go now?” Ayano asked abruptly. “I’m getting bored with this ****.”
“Yeah, you all are free to go. Anyways, we really didn’t want to do this in the first place,” Mido explained.
“What do you mean?” Ari asked.
“The thing is, neither I nor Kokirion signed up to work here. We just happened to be strolling by one say and this strange man in a red cloak told us we’d make really good money if we worked for him. We signed a contract and everything, but we still get **** pay and we can’t leave for another ten years.”
“Yeah, it’s the worst, I never have ‘me’ time anymore,” Kokirion added.
Mido scanned the group of misfits and suddenly had a realization.
“You know...maybe we could break out of here somehow...” Mido mentioned. “There’s only two men who run this place, it shouldn’t be that hard to take them down. Anyways, what they’re doing is wrong, we could get them thrown in jail if we all work together!”
“Yeah!” everyone cheered.
“Okay, I know a secret entrance where they won’t find us. Everyone needs to be as quiet as possible though when we go inside,” Mido said, leading everyone to a secret door on the side of the building.
“Hey, this is that door that leads to the treasure!” Huck said to Ari.
“You’re right. I guess we’ll see where they take us.” she replied.
Mido unlocked the door and let everyone in. Kokirion made sure that no one was watching, and closed the door as the last one made their way in.
******
Heavy footsteps approached the giant steel door. The three girls heard it unlock. All of them prepared for the worst. Physical, mental, or emotional abuse was sure to come their way.
“Get in there, you filthy creature!” a man yelled, as a woman with brown hair in a ponytail was thrown into the cell. The steel door slammed shut, and was locked up again. Differing from the other girls, this woman had tape over her mouth and rope tying her hands together. She struggled to break free.
Snow pulled the tape off of her mouth while Dark Link 7 and Bri untied the rope.
“Ms. Beauts? Are you alright?” Snow asked when she realized who the woman was.
“Do I look alright?” Ms. Beauts replied with attitude; her hands finally free. She pushed some hair out of her face and brushed her clothes off. “I don’t understand what’s going on. I was getting into my car to go home when this weirdo in a red cape dragged me in here.”
“Yeah, that happened to all of us too,” Snow said.
“I don’t understand it at all. Is this some kind of weird rapist?” Ms. Beauts commented, when suddenly the door unlocked. It slammed against the wall as it opened.
“Who said that about me?”
The Red appeared in the doorway, as evil and majestic as ever.
“No one said anything. We weren’t even talking,” Snow lied.
“Hmph.” The Red scoffed. “I want you girls to know that I truly appreciate you coming here to be with me.”
“Coming here? You mean...dragged here against our will?’ Dark Link 7 commented.
“Yeah, you should be arrested because this isn’t right! You can’t just kidnap us and make us your slaves! Or whatever the hell you’re gonna do with us!” Ms. Beauts exclaimed.
“Oh, I don’t need slaves,” The Red told them. “I need you all for...heh...a little experiment I’m working on.”
“What kind of experiment?” Ms. Beauts asked.
“I need five female humans to complete this project I’ve been working on,” the Red explained. Everyone looked around.
“But there’s only four of us,” Snow said.
“Yes...the fifth and final woman is on her way. In fact, she’s in this very building, about to get caught in my little trap!” The Red explained with an evil laugh.
“Ari...” Snow said to herself in desperation.
“I’m still confused. Why do you need females humans exactly for a science experiment?’ Ms. Beauts said.
“My wife...she is gravely ill,” the Red began. “In order to keep her alive for another hundred years, I need the souls of five other human souls. Specifically females. And without her...I would never be able to take over the high school again. That stupid Principal Seth...he was never cut out to be the leader of the school! He took my position after they banished me...and all my dreams were squashed! Now my only hope is my wife to get me my job back, since she is as sweet as an apple pie. I can one hundred percent guarantee you she can get my job back. With the power of persuasion. Anyways, I’ve done way more for that school than that ****ing principal has ever done.”
“What are you talking about? Seth has done a great job!” Ms. Beauts argued.
“Heh...I strongly disagree.” The Red replied.
The Red slowly pulled his hood off to reveal his identity.
Ms. Beauts gasped and said, “I knew it was you.”
******
“Now everyone, be quiet!” Mido said, putting his index finger over his lips. Everyone walked down a very long and narrow hallway. There were no windows and there were cobwebs everywhere.
“This place is disgusting, I don’t see how anyone could work here for more than 24 hours,” Ayano complained.
“I don’t see how I’ve worked here for a year and a half.” Kokirion sighed.
“Shh! I hear someone coming!” Mido explained, looking around for somewhere to hide. There was a small closet on their left, so Mido led everyone in there, Unfortunetly, not everyone could fit, so Mido and Kokirion stood outside. The short bald sidekick of the Red appeared, straightening his tie and making his way down the long hallway.
“Hey!” he yelled at Mido and Kokirion. Everyone in the closet huddled together nervously.
“You two are supposed to be outside at the front gate.” the man told them.
“Sorry sir, we thought it would be a good idea to come in here for a few minutes and cool off.” Kokirion explained.
“You thought it would be a good idea?” the man said. “Well, you thought wrong! Get back out there! And get out of my way, I need to get in this closet,”
Mido and Kokirion instantly panicked.
“What for, sir?” Kokirion said with a gulp. The man scanned his expression and put his hand on his hips.
“What are you hiding?” the short man asked.
“N-nothing...I was just wondering...um, didn’t the boss call for your assistance right now? A-at least, that’s what he told me,” Kokirion stuttered.
“I don’t think so,” the man said. “Now get back to work and get out of my way!”
The short, bald man pushed him aside and turned the knob. Mido and Kokirion watched in horror. Before he could enter, Kokirion grabbed his father’s light saber.
“What are you doing?” Mido whispered to him.
“Saving my brother.” he explained.
Kokirion turned on the light saber and swung at the man...but it was too late. The man opened the closet door and jumped up into the air and landed behind everyone.
“Haha! I knew you two were hiding something!” he exclaimed, starting to float in the air again. Everyone stared in amazement, as it was a shock to see such a little man with such a strong power. Even Mido and Kokirion were surprised, they were so used to seeing this man as a lowly human being.
Pendio raced in front of his father and brother.
“Who even are you?!” he shouted with rage.
“Who am I?” the man began. “Who AM I???”
The man began ripping off his skin, throwing it at everyone.
“Ew, this bloddy skin **** is getting all over me. Yuck.” Ayano sighed miserably.
The man slowly revealed his true identity. His face was covered in blood red scars and blisters, and his mouth was wide and filled with nasty, crooked fangs. He was far from human. He had claws the size of a vultures, and his hands and feet were covered with matted chunks of black and red fur. He grinned with an evil gleam in his eyes, preparing to eat everyone alive. But instead, he flew at Ari.
“Ari, run!” Mezlo screamed.
Pendio grabbed Ari’s hand and ran as fast as he could to get her to safety. The beast ran face first into the wall, causing it to crumble on top of him. Kokirion gave his brother a high five.
“This isn’t over!” the beast yelled, quickly getting back up. It flapped it’s poisonous wings and took off once again towards Ari. It screeched a murderous, blood-curdling screech before almost grabbing Ari with it’s talons. She ducked and only managed to get a tiny scratch on the back of her head.
“Aw, baby, are you okay?” Pendio asked, petting her head delicately.
“I’m fine. But this creature clearly isn’t,” she remarked.
The beast made a u-turn and came back for Ari, when suddenly a man in green clothing and overalls came running down the hallway.
“LET’S A GO!” the man yelled, when suddenly a red Koopa appeared out of nowhere. The man in overalls jumped on the Koopa and rode it like a surfboard all the way to the action. Everyone gawked with confusion.
The Luigi imposter jumped off of the Koopa as it made it’s way down the hall and up the stairs. He eyed the flying beast with intensity for a few moments, before speaking these eight words.
“I’m going to cut you a new butthole!”
The Luigi imposter giggled and left as quickly as he came.
“...” the beast began. “Okay...”
Suddenly, a gun shot went off and the beast fell to the ground, groaning in agony. At the end of the stair case, stood the two guards from earlier, Stitch and Sadia.
“Serves him right,” Stitch said, putting his gun back in the holster.
“Thank goodness,” Sadia sighed with relief. “It’s over.”
“Not exactly,” Stitch began. “We still have the boss and his wife...even though to be honest, she’s pretty useless.”
“IS IT BECAUSE SHE’S A WOMAN?!?!?!” Ayano yelled with fierce anger.
“...No, it’s because she’s not even human and made out of sugar and spice or something like that,” Stitch explained.
Suddenly, the beast began to speak.
“Do not forget this day,” it said. “Do not forget who I am...as I lie here, in my final moment of life. Do not forget...I am...Axle...the Beast.”
Axle took one last breath before drifting off. He was defeated for good. He was dead.
Everyone hooted and hollered with excitement.
“Shh! We can’t let the boss know all these people are here!” Mido hushed.
“You’re right,” Sadia replied.
Everyone looked at each other in silence for a few moments.
“Wait...why did we come here in the first place?” Terminus asked.
Everyone in the original treasure hunt group had to think about it.
“Oh right! The treasure map!” Pendio exclaimed excitedly.
Ari pulled out the map and handed it to Stitch.
“Do you know where this is?” she said, pointing to the map.
“...Yes, I do.” Stitch said. “But there’s no treasure there, unless you consider four women a treasure,”
“I know I do,” Terminus said under his breath.
“What do you mean?” Ari asked Stitch.
“Didn’t you know? Our boss kidnapped a few of the female students from the nearby high school to save his wife. He even took one of the teachers!”
“So that’s where Snow and the others have been,” Huck realized.
“I know the older woman goes by Ms. Beauts...” Stitch explained.
“Oh no, they took her too? Mr. Rep is gonna be pretty salty,” Ayano commented.
“You know what? I think we should help these good folks get there friends back. This has gone on long enough.” Mido explained. “Afterall, this is my son and his friends. I could never abandon my son.”
Pendio looked at his father lovingly.
“We can do this together,” Pendio began. “Thank you.”
Mido nodded and led the way up the stairs.
“Mr. Red...here we come!” he cheered.
“Wait, we’re dealing with the Red? Oh gosh, now it all makes sense.” Ari sighed.
Everyone marched up the stairs, anxious to save their dear friends and get back home to play Pokemon.
