The Entrooper Ship was en route to Emperor Entropy’s base world when the Entrooper Commander made a decision. It made a call in its quarters. “Entrooper Commander of Earth Mission to Emperor Entropy,” it said. The screen then displayed a man in a state of decay.
“Report,” ordered the man, Emperor Entropy himself. “Your ship is leaving Earth. What news of success do you grace my ears with?”
“With regret, I can’t report success,” replied the Entrooper Commander. “The Earth Mission was a failure. Lord Typhoon is dead. His storm machine was destroyed. His team abandoned the mission. Wilma Lux, Grace, Grayson, and Belinda Umbra still live.”
“…How is that POSSIBLE?!” demanded Emperor Entropy in a rage.
“They brought three girls under their tutelage,” explained the Entrooper Commander, “and made them into the new Roses of Fire, Water, and Lightning. The new Roses assisted their teachers in killing Lord Typhoon.”
“Lord Typhoon died at the hands of three Roses at the rank of Lady?! The starting rank?! These new Roses and the old ones have jeopardized my plans! You have failed!”
“It was unavoidable, Sir!”
“Reasons are irrelevant! Failure is unacceptable! Inform the Chief Scientist that it is to take command!”
“Yes, Emperor.” The Entrooper Commander carried out its orders.
“As for you…CADAVER!” At Emperor Entropy’s command, the Entrooper Commander’s body was filled with magic and, thanks to being soulless, exploded like Lord Typhoon did. By then, the Chief Scientist arrived.
“…I understand I was promoted, Emperor?” it asked. “I take it you heard the news?”
“About the mission’s failure? Yes,” confirmed Emperor Entropy. “Your predecessor had the courage to tell me. I expect you to have the same courage.”
“Yes, Emperor,” replied the new Entrooper Commander. “Sir, who is to say that the surviving Roses didn’t train others?”
“It WOULD explain their flight path,” remarked Emperor Entropy. “It matters not. We will proceed. Their survival is a setback, but we WILL find an alternative. We will continue in our battle to finally cease all change in this universe!”
Back on Earth, the Swansons’ daughter arrived, having heard the news. She called the butler. “Hey, Anders, it’s Abby. Listen, we need to arrange for my parents’ bail money.”
“I’m sorry, Miss Abby,” replied Anders, “but that is not possible. They have no money.”
“Look, just sell a few things,” said Abby. “Remember that jewelry box? The one with-?”
“That has been sold,” said Anders. “As have all their other possessions and the house.”
“What?! What does-?!”
“Your uncle and aunt will be your legal guardians, Miss Abby. Your parents owed me five years back pay and I’ve collected on it.”
“WHAT?! YOU UNGRATEFUL-!”
“I must leave now,” said Anders. “My plane for my father’s homeland of Stuttgart leaves tonight and I need to clear airport security. To quote from my beloved father, auf wiedersehen.” He hung up on Abby.
“…That…that wrinkly crook!” snarled Abby. She then scrolled through her phone’s news section and found an article with all six Cosmic Roses shaking hands with the mayor and police commissioner, stating that they were deputized as rescue workers. “…You’ll pay for this!” promised Abby. “This whole damn town will go up in flames and YOU will be to blame!”
Back with the Roses, they were all in their civilian identities, helping with fixing up the church. It was going pretty smoothly. The priest approached Ruby and her friends. “I don’t know how you two did it, but you saved this town! You deserved everything the mayor and police commissioner gave you!”
“…Father, could I speak with you?” asked Bethany. “In the confessional?”
“…Oh…Oh, I see.” The priest nodded.
“Beth, what sin could you have-?” asked Yazmyn.
“One of the ten things we should or should not do says murder’s a no-no,” said Bethany.
“…Oh.” Yazmyn shut her mouth and looked away.
“Lord Typhoon was soulless though,” reminded Ruby.
“Yeah, so why do I feel like we still murdered a man? Ruby, let me have this.”
“…All right,” said Ruby. Bethany and the priest left.
“…She’s not wrong to think that,” remarked Wilma. “But Lord Typhoon was already dead, since he gave up his soul to Emperor Entropy. …But we have a shot with his minions.”
“…Yeah, true that,” remarked Ruby. “What they need is their hope reignited.”
“Rather ignite their hope than them, eh Rubes?” chuckled Yazmyn.
“Oh hush, you!” retorted Ruby as she playfully swatted Yazmyn’s shoulder.
“Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned,” said Bethany when she was in the confessional booth.
“As you said it aloud, I think I already know what you feel your sin is,” replied the priest. “Miss Williams…I cannot tell you that you can undo his death. I know your mentors said that he sacrificed his soul for power in the most literal sense, but you saw him acting with emotions that are, for all intents and purposes, human.” Bethany said nothing. “…As someone who fought in a war, I cannot tell you that the regret will ever go away. But you still have your heart and soul and they are both good. You wouldn’t even think about the consequences otherwise. …And even the Lord understands when one has no choice, just as you did.”
“…Well, the choices were either to fight against him and stop him or do nothing and let Earth die,” remarked Bethany. “But that’s not a choice, that’s an ultimatum!”
“And you may find yourself facing other such ultimatums. But it seems you tried to reason with him before learning that he abandoned reason. It’s always a blessing to try and reason. I can safely say God will forgive you and so do I. Amen.” Bethany smiled.
“Amen,” she said. “And thank you, Father.”
“That’s what I’m here for. Now, what say we help your friends?”
“Sounds good to me!”
After the church was fixed up, Ruby, Bethany, and Yazmyn went to the arcade where Yazmyn won as usual, then they went to the museum. Yazmyn stayed silent, but she WAS bored. Bethany saw her bouncing her leg. “…Come on, Yaz,” she said. “You can’t tell me it’s not fascinating.”
“I could, but what’s the point? You wouldn’t believe me.”
“Well, I say it’s nice to slow down after that Lord Typhoon business,” said Ruby. That was when her Comms Compact buzzed. “…Spoke too soon,” she grumbled. She opened it up. “Ruby here,” she said as Grace’s face popped up.
“Hi girls!” said Grace. “Sorry to pester you, but there’s a group of men coming intending to rob the museum of the artefacts on display, specifically the ones that came from…Egypt, I think the country is called. Belinda already told the curator and she should be finding you soon.”
“Oh, taking Egyptian stuff, eh?” asked Yazmyn.
“We’re just about to enter that exhibit,” explained Ruby. “We’ll be right there.”
“Good luck, girls!” wished Grace. By then, the curator arrived.
“Excuse me, are you the Cosmic Roses?” she asked.
“That’s us,” replied Bethany. “Our friend told us about the situation.”
“Please, you must stop those fiends!” begged the curator.
“Don’t worry, Ma’am,” assured Ruby. “We’ll put those crooks behind bars and the artefacts will remain intact. Come on, girls!”
A few shady looking people entered the room where the Egyptian collection was being displayed. They were looking around, then reached for their guns, then… “Red Lady Rose of Fire…!”
“Blue Lady Rose of Water…!”
“Yellow Lady Rose of Lightning…!” came three separate voices.
“I desire to bloom!” said all three. Three giant rosebuds then appeared, then opened into a red, blue, and yellow rose with Ruby, Bethany, and Yazmyn leaping out of them.
“Stealing artefacts?” Ruby asked the leader of the robbers. “Shame, shame!”
“Kid, get out of here or get-!” The lead robber didn’t get very far as Yazmyn kicked the gun out of his hands. The other robbers pointed their guns at her…with one hand.
“…Seriously?” asked Yazmyn. “You guys are REALLY gonna try and muscle through the recoil?” She summoned her own guns and leapt into the air, firing at their hands and knocking the guns out of their hands. The lead robber rushed for his gun, then Bethany flung her shield at his legs, tripping him up. He then reached for his gun.
“HEY!” called Ruby as she stabbed the floor in front of him. The lead robber looked up. “…No,” she said.
The police were quick to arrest the failed robbers and take the Cosmic Roses’ statements. While that was going on, Ruby and Yazmyn replaced the floor tile that was stabbed. “You girls really ARE heroes!” praised the curator.
“Just doing our job, ma’am,” replied Bethany. She then saw Yazmyn’s face. “…You’re seriously smiling.”
“That was exciting!” protested Yazmyn. “And we all learned something.”
“What’s that?” asked Ruby.
“That robbers don’t really pay attention to the news.” Ruby face palmed.
“…Right lesson, wrong time,” she grumbled.
“You’re never gonna change, are you?” sighed Bethany.
“Nope!” confirmed Yazmyn. “Being a Cosmic Rose has only made me more so!” She pulled her friends closer to her as the cameras came out. The Cosmic Roses put aside their differences and smiled for the cameras, the smile reaching their eyes. What adventures await them? We can only guess!