I had many things to consider. How were we going to ultimately finish Vortech? What about those universes that had their original history altered? Will the Vortex Riders keep their belts? If so, what will happen to their home universe? I had scurried into my office at After Academy. I say office, but it was more of a bedroom with a desk than an office. A bit crude of me to hide, since it was near the end of the month-long Halloween Festival at the school, but I needed the privacy. My office was done up in the skeletal motif I\u2019m associated with. I heard the door open but was so deep in thought. \u201cDeath?\u201d asked a voice. \u201cWar was asking after you. She wanted to know about the construction of\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cA secret ship\u2026\u201d I muttered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cConsidering all staff and students know about the ship,\u201d replied the voice, \u201cand that wasn\u2019t what I was talking about being built, I don\u2019t think it\u2019s a secret.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNo,\u201d I mused in a lower whisper than usual, \u201cI think we should make one.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDeath?\u201d asked the voice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe have the technology and magic,\u201d I whispered, \u201cwe just need the resources. Maybe I should detail some mining operations, see if we can get some things.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDeath, what are you talking about?!\u201d asked the voice harshly. I was snapped out of my reverie to see Lacey and Scorpainia at the door. Lacey was in a navy blue walking mermaid tail, a red tutu and leotard with black tulle, a pair of devil horns with a halo in the center, and a set of black angel wings. Scorpainia was in her usual armor, on a visit. \u201cYou don\u2019t usually go all bony unless you\u2019re thinking deeply about something,\u201d observed Lacey. I looked at my hands to see that I had, indeed, adopted the look most cultures associate me with, a skeleton in a black cowl and robes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSorry, sweetie,\u201d I whispered as I put flesh back onto the bones and changed my robes for my dress. \u201cI was just thinking.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAbout?\u201d asked Scorpainia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThings,\u201d I whispered, vaguely. I elaborated on that as I moved to sit on my bed. \u201cSpecifically, what we have and DON\u2019T have.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI don\u2019t follow,\u201d commented Lacey as she and Scorpainia followed me. Lacey sat on a bench while Scorpainia sat backwards in my desk chair. I rested my chin on my hands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been a while since War visited Foundation Prime,\u201d I whispered. \u201cOddly enough, he never really made a move against us, even when we freed Scorpainia. Nothing new, nothing different, nothing out of the ordinary that would normally get my attention.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI thought we wrote that off as a lingering after effect of the Foundation Saber,\u201d recalled Scorpainia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI know,\u201d I whispered. \u201cIt\u2019s just\u2026there\u2019s something Vortech\u2019s playing at. The fact that I don\u2019t know worries, concerns me about the future.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI don\u2019t see much point in dwelling on it,\u201d mused Scorpainia. \u201cFuture predictions tend to be wrong anyways. It\u2019s good to have a plan, but some things aren\u2019t foreseen.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2018The chessboard is the world, the pieces are the phenomena of the universe\u2019,\u201d I started quoting. \u201c\u2018The other player is hidden from us. We know that his play is always fair and patient, but we also know, to our cost, that he never overlooks a mistake, nor makes the smallest allowance for ignorance.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI think you forgot a bit of that quote from Dr. Thomas Huxley,\u201d reminded Lacey. \u201cAfter the \u2018phenomena of the universe\u2019 bit, he said, \u2018The rules of the game are what we call the Laws of Nature,\u2019 and then he goes into the other player.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAnd against a force of nature like Vortech, the last of the Vortonians, we\u2019re woefully unprepared,\u201d I sighed. \u201cIt feels that way to me, at least. We\u2019re trying to get new people to help and whatnot, but\u2026it\u2019s not shaping up to be enough. Not when the BIG fights come. Some of them, the Vortex Riders can hardly call them fights. The only reason they\u2019re alive right now is because Megumi found help and put aside her pride. What happens when one of Vortech\u2019s flunkies does something completely out of left field, who doesn\u2019t care about a greater plan and just feels like stomping them?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBy that same admission though,\u201d countered Scorpainia, \u201cwhy should they care about bothering Megumi if it\u2019s beyond revenge or the like?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTell that to Hiro,\u201d I whispered. \u201cHe\u2019s considered a hired gun in Vortech\u2019s plan. One part of the Rogue Driver\u2019s legend suggests that it can make its host ascend to godhood. And, even at THAT level, Megumi is still capable of getting her rear handed to her! Hiro tricks people in so many ways. And it\u2019s not just him. The Daleks have pestered us more times than I can count. Shocker and its splinter group, Shocker Nova continue to take us completely by surprise! Then there was that whole fiasco with the Sontarans in the universe you were commanding before, Scorpainia. That was a defective clone batch! Imagine what a perfect one could have done!\u201d I sighed. \u201cWe try to develop new weapons, train new fighters, plan something the enemy wouldn\u2019t expect, but\u2026I don\u2019t know. Maybe we\u2019ve lost the knack for it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBut we still win through,\u201d observed Lacey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAnd that\u2019s even MORE terrifying, though,\u201d I whispered. \u201cThe Sontarans were robbed of their prize when Scorpainia made a last-ditch effort to stop them. The Omega Protocols are a last resort and defective Sontarans suppressed the Tarlaxians enough that they needed to move from that universe. That\u2019s not something Scorpainia does willy-nilly!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWell, sitting and examining a battle down to the tiniest detail, even though we won with honor,\u201d declared Scorpainia, \u201cisn\u2019t going to help us win. What do you suggest we do?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe need\u2026information, knowledge,\u201d I whispered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI think I know one place we can start looking,\u201d helped Lacey. \u201cIt\u2019s the reason I came here in the first place.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat is it?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt\u2019s about the Foundation Saber,\u201d explained Lacey. \u201cI think it\u2019s trying to say something. Whenever I pass by that room we\u2019re keeping it in, I hear something like a very soft, low voice trying to say something. I already told War and Scorpainia told Pestilence and Famine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHow long has this been going on?\u201d I asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAbout a couple of days,\u201d replied Lacey. \u201cI checked with the nurse to make sure I wasn\u2019t going crazy, but she found a psychic aura around it. That was when I told War.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cGood thing you told us,\u201d I whispered. \u201cWe\u2019ll look into it after the Halloween Festival is over. Scorpainia, I need you to look into something else.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAt your disposal,\u201d assured Scorpainia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhen you inherited the Eye of Tarlax,\u201d I whispered, pointing to the jewel in her armor, \u201cyou said there was an underlying message in it. A message of reinforcement. We haven\u2019t done a lot of study of it, but I think it\u2019s time we learned what it means. Get your scientists and mages on it. In the meantime, I\u2019ll see what War wants to make. Something to do with the Foundation Saber?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBingo,\u201d confirmed Lacey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019m on it,\u201d called Scorpainia. She opened a rift and returned to her new universe, Tarlax 14.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIn the meantime, I think we had better rejoin the festivities,\u201d I suggested to Lacey. I helped her up as she got herself steady in her tail. We then walked out the door as I changed my dress into a costume of a Black Chess Queen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTime to move some pawns,\u201d quipped Lacey. I chuckled softly at her joke. As we walked, Lacey got an idea. \u201cI just need to do a written portion of Pestilence\u2019s Apocalypse final, right?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cRight,\u201d I confirmed<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI think we can use our examination of the Foundation Saber to be that bit!\u201d said Lacey. \u201cI write down what we\u2019re doing, what my theory is, and what the results are, and use that!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cA lab report!\u201d I whispered. \u201cShe will love that!\u201d I then heard a rustling noise. \u201cLacey,\u201d I whispered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe plants behind us, I heard it too,\u201d confirmed Lacey. We both cautiously crept towards the plants, moved our hands toward them, and shoved them aside to see five students, Lacey\u2019s friends. They had all gone the path of gothic angel, devil, sea creature tutu-wearing ballerinas, one of them being a male. The young man was Brendan, whose sea creature was an octopus mermaid, a Cecaelia. The tallest girl was Amelia, whose sea creature was an eel mermaid, an Anguillimer, as she called it. The short and stocky girl was Sophie who was a seahorse mermaid, a Hippocamini, as she called it. The third one, a shy girl by the name of Flora who was an Orca based mermaid, an Orcimy as she called it, was hiding behind Brendan. The last one, the spunky Ms. Charline, was a shark based mermaid, a Selayne, as she called it. \u201cEavesdropping, are we?\u201d hissed Lacey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe weren\u2019t dropping any eaves!\u201d yelped Brendan. \u201cWe were just trimming the plants!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThey\u2019re office plants,\u201d I whispered. \u201cThey don\u2019t need trimming. How much have you heard?\u201d No one said a word. \u201cAll right, let\u2019s do Sir Terry\u2019s method,\u201d I then deepened my voice. \u201cHOW MUCH HAVE YOU HEARD?\u201d I said in my Discworld voice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe didn\u2019t understand much of it!\u201d cried Amelia. \u201cAll we heard was a sword giving Lacey some mental problems, some fiasco with Sontarans, a fight with Vortech, that\u2019s all, we swear!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou went to the beginning of that conversation!\u201d snarled Lacey. \u201cI don\u2019t believe it!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cPlease, Ms. Death, Ms. Lacey, don\u2019t hurt us!\u201d whimpered Flora. \u201cDon\u2019t turn us into anything\u2026unnatural!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2026No?\u201d I whispered. \u201cWell, I think I know something for you five. Lacey\u2019s going to be our Fifth Horseman of the Apocalypse. She needs a herald and I think the rest of Horsemen need one each. You will be our heralds.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe won\u2019t disappoint you! We swear!\u201d called Sophie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI don\u2019t think you will,\u201d I whispered. \u201cNow, no more eavesdropping. Clear?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cCrystal clear!\u201d gulped Charline. \u201cIt won\u2019t happen again!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cGood,\u201d I sighed. \u201cNow, don\u2019t you have a play to rehearse?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cCome on, you guys,\u201d directed Lacey. \u201cWe\u2019ve got work to do.\u201d As they walked away, Lacey asked Amelia how her character was getting along. I sighed with a grin as I headed to Pestilence\u2019s lab. She needed to know what Lacey was planning.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I had many things to consider. How were we going to ultimately finish Vortech? What about those universes that had their original history altered? Will the Vortex Riders keep their belts? If so, what will happen to their home universe? I had scurried into my office at After Academy. I say office, but it was […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":222,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[96,8],"tags":[117,118,122,26,27,119,121,123,120,75],"class_list":["post-221","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-kamen-rider-vortex","category-kamen-rider-vortex-chapters","tag-after-academy","tag-ballerina","tag-classmates","tag-death","tag-lacey","tag-merfolk","tag-musing","tag-planning","tag-room","tag-scorpainia"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/221","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=221"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/221\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":223,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/221\/revisions\/223"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/222"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=221"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=221"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=221"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}