Episode XXV: Back to My Home
Mmm...
I think we won...
Wait...
I'm about to wake up...
What I woke up to was the repetitive beeping of some medical equipment. Never
did I think something could be so annoying yet soothing at the same time. The
consistency of it made me feel less tense.
"Is this... the emergency room? Could I be... home?" I asked myself that question
once vocally, but a million times mentally. I kept wondering what had happened
after Orichalkon and I used Jiendo. And where were all my friends? Were the
NeoPets with them? Had they made it back? How did I get here? All my questions
were soon to be answered.
"Do you think he's awake yet?" I heard from outside the door. I immediately
recognised it as Ryo's voice.
"I don't know... I'm not sure if he'll ever wake up," said Sakari.
"Come on!" exclaimed Kage. "Of course he won't if you think like that! Now
let's stop guessing and go to check on him!" The door opened, and I could tell
how surprised they were by the looks on their faces.
"Thanks for having so much faith in me, Sakari," I said jokingly.
"Brad! You're awake!" she screamed.
"Yeah... just don't tackle me, I don't think my body could take it." Things
stayed silent for a few seconds, and all of them staring at me was making me
feel... well, weird. So I decided to break the ice. "So... umm, mind explaining
what happened to me after I used Jiendo?" And so Sakari began telling the story.
***
"Faith NeoWeapon activate!" we roared. A faint blue sphere of energy formed
around us as we floated fifty feet in the air. "JIENDO!!!" we roared. The sphere
climaxed into explosion and started destroying anything it touched. But I lost
consciousness in the middle of it all.
"BRAD!" The Balanced Beast yelled trying to avoid the falling debris. He flew
over to my now falling body and caught me, but when I was caught, I was in my
regular form. "Where's Orichalkon!?"
"I got him," said Ritsuzen as he flew up to catch Orichalkon, who was still
in his Senka form. Ritsuzen gracefully swooped him up and landed him to the
ground.
"This... can't... be happening!!!" Malum roared as he shielded himself from
the fallen pieces of his own empire. To the group, they were the shards of victory.
To Malum, they were badges of defeat.
"Wanna bet?" the Balanced Beast mockingly replied. "We end this now, Malum."
The Balanced Beast then turned into Ryo and Sakari, in their normal forms.
"No!" he yelled. "It can't end like this! I'm sorry Apokari, but I must leave!"
Malum held out his NeoP0rt. "Why did I have to use the NeoP0rt Disrupter too
early!? Feeble equipment! If I hadn't have used it up, I could've won!"
"Yeah, but ya did use it up buddy," said Cubix. "Live with it... or die, for
that matter."
"No... I will not lose!" he yelled. "NeoP0rtal Rip activate!" They didn't believe
what they saw. A NeoP0rtal had opened in thin air. "Forgive me Apokari... but
our empire has fallen! It's over!" he yelled desperately.
"I will not forgive you," a familiar dark voice roared. "It's your fault we
have fallen." At that moment, Apokari's hand flew from the NeoP0rtal and grasped
Malum in his hand. "Become me, young dragoon!" Malum was then taken away into
the NeoP0rtal, where his horrifying screams could be heard. Malum had fallen.
Even though he deserved to be taken, nobody deserved to be taken like that.
The entire group turned their heads away in disgust.
"What an awful fate," said Kage. "Nobody deserved that. Even Malum."
"Correct," said Ritsuzen. "But no dwelling on the past. Orichalkon and Brad
are near death. They need help. Now."
"I was dreading this time," said Sakari. She picked up Orichalkon and walked
over to the rest of the NeoPets. " We do not have time to say goodbye, as the
pandemonium is collapsing. But always remember, we love you all. Now, get out
of here and get help for Orichalkon!"
"I will take him, Miss Sakari," said Ritsuzen, and put Orichalkon back on his
back. "Good luck on your journey home. Just hope that Apokari doesn't get you
on the way there."
"Thank you, Ritsuzen." And with a quick bow as the NeoPets ran off, she turned
to the rest of the group.
"How's Brad, Ryo?" Apparently he was the one holding onto me.
"Not good. We have to get him to a hospital. Time to go back home."
"I'm almost disappointed that I didn't get to stay here longer," said Kisaki.
"Me too," muttered Laura.
"No use dwelling on the past," said Willie. "Time to go!" And with that, they
all ran through the NeoP0rtal to find themselves in Sakari's backyard, where
we had left.
***
"Wow," I muttered in disbelief. "What about Alamin?"
"It's strange... once you used Jiendo, he vanished! I guess he stayed in Neopia,"
said Sakari.
"Hmm... how'd ya explain how we were gone so long to your mother, Sakari?"
"It's the weirdest thing," she replied. "My mom said, "I understand", and then
pointed to the door. Almost as if she knew it all... of course, it's just a
strange coincidence!" If it was, why did I have the feeling that it wasn't?
"There's only one thing that makes me mad... I only got to use my Disc Swipe
feature once." THAT was the thing she was mad about?
"There are so many things we don't know," I said. "Why were the NeoPets coming
into our world? And what happened to Apokari?"
"Brad," said Ryo. "Those are all things we'll never know. Or probably never
know. Personally, I'm pretty happy I got my Apokari form still. If someone ever
messes with me... BAM!" We all laughed.
"How long have I been asleep? I feel so refreshed!"
"Running on two weeks now," Willie replied. "Sleeping that long will do that
to ya."
"Well, I'm ready to get outta here!" I exclaimed. "And we're gonna have a party
at Sakari's house!"
"Can't we have it at Kisaki's instead?" Sakari replied.
"Hey!" Kisaki yelled.
***
I'd never seen so much food in one room before. I doubted I ever would again.
Pizza, chips, burgers, hot dogs, popcorn, along with some fatty Japanese foods.
You name anything unhealthy, we had it.
"This is the best food I've ever had!" yelled Willie with food in his mouth.
"We should come to Japan more often!"
"I doubt that'd be easy," said Ryo.
"Personally, I never want to see any of you ever again. You're all too obnoxious
for my tastes," said Kisaki. "Except Sakari and Laura, that is."
"Oh," said Kage. "So you just don't like the guys in the group?"
"Exactly. You're all obnoxious, rude, and obsessed with fighting."
"You mean we're guys," I replied. We were all having a good laugh. Little did
we know, the festivities were soon to end.
"Hey Sakari!" Ryo yelled. "Is there any decent anime on?" I should've mentioned
before, Ryo was an anime and Japanese pop-music fanatic. I was into it to, but
not nearly as much as him.
"I'll check," said Sakari. But every channel she turned on had some strange
show showing a black hole opening above two towers.
"What is this?" I asked.
"It's... a special news report." Sakari translated the program for us. "Nobody
has an explanation for it, but a black hole is opening above one of the largest
towers in Tokyo."
"You... don't think--" Kage was cut off by me.
"Apokari..."
Episode XXVI: The Decisive Battle
"What!?" Kisaki exclaimed. "But how!?"
"It's simple," said Ryo. "He used the NeoP0rtal that Kage opened to get here."
"But how did he do it without a NeoP0rt!?" Sakari asked with anxiety in her
tone.
"That's your department," I replied. "Personally, I have no clue. Is it possible
he used Malum's?"
"Nope," she replied back. "I saw it burst apart on the ground just as Apokari
took him."
"What are we doing still here!?" Willie yelled. "Look! Our NeoPets are up there!"
Sure enough, it was playing back video of our NeoPets getting shot out of the
black hole. They must have been fighting Apokari in the portal.
"Come on!" Ryo yelled. "Sakari and I will turn into the Balanced Beast, and
we'll fly up there!"
"Right!" Sakari replied. "Good thing mom's asleep."
"Yeah, really," said Laura. "Come on! Let's get going!" We all grabbed our
NeoP0rts from Sakari's room and ran outside. This was the battle that would
decide the fate of two worlds. This was the decisive battle.
"Apokari Transformation!" Ryo yelled. "Mitsukai!" Sakari yelled back. Then,
they both said in unison, "The Balanced Beast!" They went through the usual
flashy transformation and turned into the great dragon.
"Hop on," he said. "We're going to go and end this." We all used his tail to
get on, and took off towards downtown Tokyo where our partners were waiting.
"I thought all of this horror was over... but it's just the beginning, isn't
it?" Sakari asked, I believe to me.
"It's not the beginning. All of this useless pain stops, right here, right
now. And we'll win!" I don't know how I did it, but I was smiling. I guess I
had a lot of confidence in our team. "Balanced Beast, are we there yet?"
"Almost, Brad." I could see our NeoPets standing around the black hole now.
We were soon landed on the tower. Ryo and Sakari turned back into their normal
forms as we landed.
"BRAD"! Orichalkon yelled out. "YOU MADE IT!"
"Hey buddy, we're a team! I'll always be here for you! Anyway, what's going
on?"
"Apokari... he's mutated. He put his body together with Malum's! He's just
too powerful for us now!"
"Maybe without us around," I replied. "I only wish we knew how to Zennou Weaponize... but for now, Senka will have to do! Orichalkon, Senka Weaponize!" Orichalkon
Weaponized into his Senka form. I couldn't hear the conversations the others
were having with their pets, but they must've been along the same lines as mine,
as they were all Weaponized to. Orichalkon then shot his head back to the black
hole.
"Here he comes..." Orichalkon was right. I saw a creature with black, curled
up dragon wings emerge from the portal. It shot it's wings out, revealing it's
full, monstrous body. Apokari's arms were a lot thicker now, his green eyes
stood out like a rainbow, his hair was now jet black, and had a crystal blade
on his right arm.
"Hello, Brad. Long time, no see huh? Recognise the crystal?" I thought about
what he said for a few seconds, and then yelled it out. "THE PROPHET!"
"You called?" he said. "I guess, since I'm going to destroy you all, I should
explain all of this to you." What he told me then haunts me to this day. I could
not believe what he had told me. And you won't either.
"You see, I am the Prophet you spoke to in the village. But I am much more
than that. You see, I... AM THE PHYSICAL FORM OF DESTINY!"
"WHAT!?" I yelled. "You mean... you're the one who told me about Destiny... and you were him!?"
"Brad!" Ryo yelled. "You told us the Prophet didn't tell you anything! What
did he really tell you!?"
"That Destiny was trying to stop my quest... that Destiny's wishes had no affect
on me... and it was you all along!!!"
"That's right... hehe. Hard to believe, isn't it?"
"But... but why did you want to stop me!?"
"It's really simple. You see, as Destiny, I have the ability to control people's
lives. Most of the time, anyway. However, my hold on this world was much weaker
than the one I had in Neopia as I lived in Neopia, and the barriers between
the world were much too strong. So I had a plan. Being able to cross over, barely,
every now and then, I could cross over to this world. I would pick someone,
and give them a special design of the NeoP0rt, one which, if in Neopia, would
weaken the barriers between the worlds! Alas, the barrier became paper-thin,
and I am now able to claim my rightful place as the ruler and dictator of BOTH
worlds!"
"But... but how!?" Sakari exclaimed. "How did you learn to design a NeoP0rt!?"
"Sakari, that's all your fault. This isn't a short term effect. This is all
a delicate chain. Kisei is the main link."
"Kisei!?" she yelled.
"Yes, Kisei. Kisei, was, how can I say, a minor incarnation of me. She was
merely some of my genetics reconfigured and sent to gather information. She
got the name Kisei from you, Sakari. Her codename was "Parasite", but translated
in your language was Kisei. As soon as she possessed you, the information in
your head was sent back to me. However, I was only interested in the NeoP0rt."
"You... it was you! You had your Parasite mutate me for three years! Although,
I must say, thank you for these powers."
"Those powers are yours, Sakari."
"What!? No! Kisei gave them to me!"
"Believe what you wish. The time for talking has ended. It is time for me to
take my rightful place as a watcher of this world. A god!" Our NeoPets stood
up with their backs straight and their heads high. Sakari and Ryo formed back
into the Balanced Beast, and we all prepared for the fight. We all charged.
"Fools! You WILL LOSE!" Destiny yelled. "Crystal Edge!!" All the NeoPets and
the Balanced Beast flew at Destiny, but were instantly knocked back by the massive
crystal blade. "See?"
"Guys... don't give up! We can't let it end like this! Not this soon!" I yelled
at them. They all listened to my words of encouragement, and got back up. "We
WILL WIN!"
"Grand Divide!" the Balanced Beast roared, with a fury of slashes hitting Destiny
with full force. So why wasn't he hurting!?
"Pathetic! Meteor Flash! Let's see how well you fare when the sky is falling
on you!" There was an instantaneous flash of white light, followed by a falling
of meteors, striking into buildings across Tokyo.
"NO!" Kage yelled. "Those people in the buildings are getting hurt because
of our fight!"
"Grrr... Orichalkon!" I yelled. "Slice the other meteors and stop them from
making impact!" Orichalkon flew off and started slashing meteors into dust.
"Orichalkon, Level 5 NeoWeapon, Gurando Toukai, activate!" The rays of light
blasted every single meteor into oblivion.
"Hmph... not so big now, are you Destiny?" said Orichalkon mockingly.
"Don't get overconfident!" I yelled. "I'm the only one here not under Destiny's
potential control! He could have serious effects on you if you let your guard
down!"
"Come on Elci!" Kisaki yelled. "Use your NeoWeapon! It's powerful! Level 3
NeoWeapon activate!" Elci attempted sucking up Destiny with the Shinjitsu Benda,
but it was knocked aside like an old rag.
"Is this all you have!? If this is the world's finest, I'm wondering if these
people are worth ruling. But I'll do it anyway! Annihilation Beam!" A massive
beam was shot at the entire group of NeoPets and the Balanced Beast, and it
did heavy damage. They were in limbo with their lives.
"Orichalkon!" I yelled as I picked up Orichalkon in my arms. "Come on! Speak
to me!"
"Elci! Open your eyes! Wake up!"
"Dracosis! Come on! You have to keep fighting!"
"Come on Ritsuzen, the fight must go on!"
"Cubix! Come on man, up and atom!"
"Kyoutan!" the Balanced Beast roared. "Come... fight with us." We were all
with our NeoPets, as they laid there, bruised and beaten, and we were helpless
to do anything about it. The Balanced Beast was the only one that was capable
of still fighting.
"You will lose, Destiny, I assure it! The people of the worlds will not be
bound by your shackles any longer! Balanced Eclipse!" The moon hanging in the
sky morphed at that point. One half became pitch black, and the other glowing
white. It then released a massive shock with head Destiny dead on. But it had
little effect. There was just no stopping this guy!
"If this is your best, just pack up and go home! Cometeor!" A meteor covered
in ice fell from the sky and hit the Balanced Beast dead on, turning him into
Ryo and Sakari again.
"No," Ryo said faintly, scratches all over him.
"It can't end like this..." muttered Sakari on the ground, her clothes tattered
and dusty. "Wait a second..." Something popped into Sakari's mind.
"Summon your sister from afar,
She'll always know where you are.
Just sing the Siren's Song a loud,
And watch the radiant faith be handed to you..."
She started thinking that the lullaby was the Siren's Song, and that it was
more than just a simple lullaby. Her mother seemed far too used to this magic
and stuff. This lullaby might mean something... maybe Sakari's mother knew more
than Sakari thought she knew.
"Fall to sleep great angel..." Sakari was almost immediately cut off by her
coughing. It didn't really matter, since she wasn't singing loud enough anyway.
"Come on Sakari," said Kage. "You can do it!"
"Right!" I yelled. "All you have to do is believe!" Sakari then got to her
feet, and starting singing the song extremely loud.
"Fall to sleep great angel, rest your weary head..." Sakari was singing at
the top of her lungs. After repeating it a few times, a beautiful voice could
be heard singing it with her. We all looked up to see a white portal open up
in the sky. And I had to look twice before I believed what I saw. Valens, with
angel wings, a long flowing, white dress and a massive sword. "Sister, you called..."
she said.
"Va... Valens!?" Sakari screamed. "You're my sister!?"
"Call me by my real name. Touei." No way! Touei was the holy beast from the
legend Valens told us about the great battle hundreds of years ago. It was Touei
against Apokari. Looks like they were here to finish their duel.
"So Apokari, you're back, hm? Maybe not with the same mind or body, but it's
definitely you. We end this now! Or, not me, but the Radiant Faith for that
matter." Again, from Sakari's lullaby.
"Just sing the Siren's Song a loud,
And watch the radiant faith be handed to you..."
Touei released a golden ball of energy, and it floated down to me. "Valens... er, Touei, what is this for?"
"A little boost. Now come on Brad, get to work! Form the Radiant Faith!"
"What!? But I don't know how!"
"What are you talking about! You've done this before! Just hold onto the energy
ball and then have Orichalkon hold it with you!" I had no clue what she was
trying to accomplish, but who was I to doubt the Grand Holy Beast? Orichalkon
and I held the energy together, and I felt a sudden surge of power.
"This feels... familiar!" I yelled. The energy then exploded into light. When
the light vanished, Zennou Orichalkon was floating in the air. Zennou Orichalkon,
the Radiant Faith!
"Of course!" Sakari exclaimed. "Now it makes sense!"
"Shining light and glistening steel,
It will always know the way you feel,
Faith can guard your entire life,
Take you through every single strife,
Just trust in it and you'll be safe,
Just keep your trust in faith..."
"It all fits Brad and Zennou Orichalkon! Come on Radiant Faith, if you're supposed
to guard my life, get to it!"
"Ha ha," we said sarcastically. "Touei, I... ER, we are powerful, but we still
need help. Touei, help us! Let us defeat the Grand Darkness Beast Apokari once
and for all!" Touei floated down to my side. "Let's do it."
"You will not win!" yelled Destiny. He was in for a treat.
"Let's go!" we yelled. "Ultranova!" We formed a massive ball of white energy
in our hands, and exploded it right onto Destiny.
"Holy Slash!" yelled Touei. She used her massive sword to slice open Destiny's
torso.
"No... this cannot be happening! I cannot lose!"
"Sorry buddy, you're wrong," we said. "Mach VII Striker!" We flew at Destiny,
and shot right through him with our claws outstretched. We shot through him
in almost an instant, making him not even realise the pain he was in until after
a few seconds.
"No... it is my destiny to rule these worlds."
"You have no Destiny. Nobody does. At least not anymore! People will live by
their actions, not yours!" Touei then handed us her sword. "Use this. It's magic
will show you the way. You just have to carry it out." We nodded.
"Destiny, it ends here! Watch me as I take your life away with this glorious
sword! Taste my steel! Holy Weapon! Final Judgement!" I lifted up the sword
as it glowed. I then flew at Destiny as I felt the power of the awesome sword.
The Holy Sword.
"Let there be LIGHT!" I roared as I slashed Destiny right down the middle.
He was finished.
"No... how can this be!? Even when I control the creatures of the world, I
have still been defeated!"
"You forgot one thing. I'm the Radiant Faith. I live my own life." As those
words left my lips, Destiny started turning into blue shards of glass as he
was sucked into the black hole. The battle had been won. The fate had been decided.
Good was victorious. We could now live in peace, together forever... or so I
thought.
To be continued... | 
