In the northern wing of the mansion, there stands a greenhouse overrun with vines. Inside, there was Jade standing near a book resting on a stand.
"Oh, Mother Earth," She chanted, "Show me those who are blessed with your gifts."
As if bending to her will, a great tree made entirely of vibrant green energy appeared. A bud catches Jade's attention.
"Let's see who you are."
A vision of a young man with gentle eyes appears in her mind.
"Oh, Book of Pandemonium, bring forth to me a Spell for this human."
The book opened to a page, the writing on it turned into inky black smoke and gathered into Jade's hand.
"Soon, Lord Thanatos will be free."
************
"OK boys," Toma said as he was directing Daiki, Joichiro and Kairi for their first show, "From the top. One, two, three, four. One, two, three, four."
"I think he's trying to kill us," said Kairi, "We've been at this for hours."
"Kairi, you missed your cue," Toma shouted, "Again from the top."
"Toma," Daiki said, "We need a break. Or we'll be dead tired before the show."
Toma sighed heavily, "Fine, let's take a break."
"I'll meet up with you all later." said Joichiro as he left the moment he heard the word break.
"I wonder where he's off to in a hurry." said Kairi.
"That's three days in a row he's left for the park," said Daiki, "And the same time too."
"I wonder what he's up to." Kairi said with a hint of mischief.
************
Kairi, Daiki, Daisuke and Cosmo followed Joichiro as he walked through the park. He headed for a beautiful flower garden being tended to by a young man in a uniform.
"Oh, Joichiro," the young man said, "Back again?"
"Hello Yuki," Joichiro replied, "How are the flowers today?"
Yuki smiled and motioned to Joichiro to come with.
"Well, well, well," said Kairi, "Looks like Joichiro has a secret crush."
Daiki and Daisuke both said, "What?!" at the same time.
Yuki and Joichiro kept talking regarding the garden.
"You really have a talent," said Joichiro, "The garden seems to flourish with you tending the grounds."
"You're too kind," Yuki said, "I don't think I'm anything special."
"Don't sell yourself short," said a woman dressed like she ran several successful companies, "Your skills are nothing short of a divine gift."
Joichiro suddenly felt uncomfortable around her. He felt like her presence was oppressive and suffocating. This woman has an evil aura around her, he thought to himself
"My name is Jada Tamaki," the woman introduced herself, "And judging from this garden, I believe you can grow anything."
"Why, thank you," said Yuki, "You're too kind."
Jada interrupted Yuki, "I want to see your gift flourish so I'm offering a challenge. One that can prove your talents are indeed legendary as well as adding a beautiful new exhibit for this masterpiece."
Jada gives Yuki a small flower pot with a budding orchid. The moment Yuki touches the flower pot, Yuki feels a strange new energy inside him. He suddenly finds himself needing to tend to this orchid as if his life depended on it.
"I shall return in a couple days to check your progress young man," said Jada, "Take real good care of my beloved orchid."
Jada left with an evil grin on her face. As soon as she was out of everyone's view, she shed her disguise and returned to being Jade.
"Now, my Dark Spell," Jade said, "Work your magic and nurture that boy's gift."
Jade had grabbed a regular flower pot and placed her Dark Spell on the plant before giving it to Yuki. Now that Yuki has the bewitched plant, Yuki is now under the Spell's influence.
Yuki felt the need to do nothing but to care and nurture this orchid, "Joichiro," he said, "I'm sorry but I don't have time to talk right now. I have to work on this orchid." Yuki left without saying another word.
Joichiro knew something was wrong, and it all had to do with that woman and her orchid.
************
The group had bombarded Joichiro with a million questions regarding Yuki.
"His name is Yuki," Joichiro answered, "I met him on our first night here. I was walking through the park and saw the flower garden. Yuki was tending the grounds and I told him he was doing a good job. Since then, we would talk about anything."
"So what's bothering you now?" asked Daisuke.
"Well," Joichiro added, "That woman, the one who gave Yuki that flower pot. I think, no. I know she was a Gem Witch."
"That definitely wasn't Aquamarine," Toma said, "Could it be that other one?"
"Jade," Joichiro said, "She was calling herself Jada. After she gave Yuki that flower pot, he didn't seem like himself. Like he was…"
"Under a Dark Spell." Daiki finished Joichiro's sentence.
"What are the Witches planning this time?" asked Kairi.
"Not sure," Cosmo added, "in the meantime, we need to keep Toma safe in case they are trying to capture him again."
************
Yuki wasn't in the flower garden the next day. Joichiro searched the entire park for him but could not find any trace of Yuki. Already, the garden started to reflect Yuki's absence. The atmosphere in the garden seemed less welcoming.
"Something's wrong," Joichiro said, "The flowers here in the garden feel like they're crying out for help."
"There is a powerful dark energy lingering here," Cosmo said, "A Dark Spell is at work here."
"What is their goal this time I wonder."
"Whatever it is," said Cosmo, "It can't be good for your friend."
"Can you track the Dark Spell?"
Cosmo tried to get a feel for the Spell's energy and pointed towards a shack at the edge of the park.
"There," he pointed out, "It leads to that shack."
Cosmo and Joichiro headed to the shack and were met with Yuki, who seemed to be a shadow of his former self.
"What are you doing here?" Yuki asked, as if he were annoyed.
Joichiro grabbed Yuki's arm and immediately he felt the Spell's influence on Yuki.
"Yuki," Joichiro pleaded, "Please rest, you look sick. I'm worried about you."
Yuki pulled his arm away from Joichiro, "I'm fine. I don't need your pity."
Yuki's voice sounded irritated, but Joichiro knew Yuki's emotions were being manipulated.
"It's not pity, Yuki. This isn't like you."
"You don't know me at all! Now leave me alone! I don't want to see you again."
The sentence hit Joichiro like an arrow to the chest. Joichiro was stunned to hear that from his Yuki. Feeling the sting of those words, Joichiro dropped to his knees as Yuki went back inside the shack.
"Joichiro, "Cosmo called to him, "Come on, we need to find a way to break that spell over Yuki."
"Yuki," Joichiro whimpered, "I'll save you somehow."
************
Inside the shack, Yuki was tending to the orchid. He watered it, put in compost, and even spoke to it as if it were his child. The more care he poured into the orchid, the more it grew.
"Soon," said Yuki, "You will bloom. And you will be magnificent."
Dark, smoky tendrils of darkness emanated from the orchid and, like vines, entangled themselves around Yuki.
************
The next day, the boys came to try to separate Yuki from the orchid. The plan was for Joichiro to distract Yuki while Daiki and Kairi restrain him and Daisuke takes the orchid away.
"We stick to the plan," Daiki ordered, "If that Dark Spell manifests, be ready to transform."
Yuki came out of his shed, looking like a walking corpse.
"Yuki," Joichiro whimpered, heartbroken seeing what became of his friend, "What is that thing doing to him?"
"Bloom, my beauty," Yuki said to the orchid, "Bloom!"
Just then a dark, shadowy aura surrounded Yuki as his eyes began to glow blood red. Yuki fell to the floor, lifeless.
"Yuki!!" Joichiro ran towards his fallen friend only to see the shadowy aura manifest into a monster resembling a carnivorous flower.
"Boys," Cosmo shouted, "Transform, now!"
"Scorpio Constellation Power, Armor On!"
"Cancer Constellation Power, Armor On!"
Crusaders Scorpio and Cancer rushed in to fight the Dark Spell while Joichiro held his friend, now a husk of his former self.
"This can't go unpunished," said Joichiro, "You will pay for this. Cosmo, take care of Yuki."
"Right," Cosmo agreed, "Daisuke, with me."
Daisuke, transformed into the Star Ninja and spirited himself and Toma to Cosmo's side.
"Yuki," Joichiro said, "I promise, I will save you. Taurus Constellation Power, Armor On!"
Taurus calls to the Spell, "Taking advantage of a kind and gentle young man for your evil goals is truly unforgivable. I'm the second Warrior of the Zodiac, ruled by the Planetary Guardian Deity, Venus. I'm the Loyal Boy clad in Heavenly Light, Crusader Taurus."
The Dark Spell growled at Taurus and shot out vine-like tentacles from its fingers. Cancer and Scorpio tried to avoid them, slashing them off with their weapons but the vines kept coming.
Taurus was entangled but it did not stop him. Instead, he closed his eyes as if summoning courage or power.
"Oh Venus," he said, "Grant me the strength and power of Taurus, the bull. Give me the power to crush this foe."
A power welled up inside Taurus and he tore himself free from the vines as if they were nothing. He summoned his weapon and charged his attack, "Taurus Glimmering Shield, Shine!" The light gathered in his shield was unleashed as a powerful blast of light and with it, the Spell's vines and flower petals dried up and withered as the intense light burned the Orchid Monster.
"Scorpio," Taurus called, "Finish him."
Scorpio charged his weapon and threw his bolt, "Scorpio Harpoon Stinger!"
The Harpoon bolt pierced the Spell's heart and the Orchid Monster turned to stone and crumbled to dust.
Once the Spell was destroyed, Yuki awoke and looked like his old self again. Taurus rushed over to him and asked, "Are you ok?"
Yuki was amazed by the Crusaders and how they saved him. "I'm ok," he said, "I don't know what came over me."
"I'm sure a certain friend is worried about you," said Taurus, "Maybe you should go see him."
Scorpio and Cancer blushed and chuckled as they were shipping Taurus and Yuki.
************
The park pavilion was packed with the Magiboys' fans. Yuki was in the front row, awaiting Joichiro, or Justin as he knew Joichiro's Idol Identity, much to Cosmo's dismay.
The trio came on stage and the crowd went wild as the deafening sound of the fans' cheers filled the air.
Justin approached and said, "Our first song is dedicated to a very special friend, you know who you are." He looked at Yuki as he said this.
Trey chimed in, "This is our song Best Shot"
The music started and the boys began to sing and dance.
With you, with me
Too soon, oh, is it already time to go? When will we meet again?
C'mon c'mon dance along C'mon c'mon with me now
We're so lucky to have met, our hearts resonate, baby, you and me, yeah
C'mon c'mon dance along, thank you always
Time flies when you're having fun, doesn't it? Wanna know, wanna know
I wonder if these feelings are reaching you?
We're going up, we're going down
For you
We're going high, we're going low
I'll always give it my best shot
With you, with me
You give me love, I'll give you love
I'll give you my best shot
For you, my best shot
I'll send you all sorts of weird videos and pictures!
Even if we can't meet, I want to know everything about you,
Every single detail!!
I'll always be waiting for you, I'll always be by your side, yeah
C'mon c'mon dance along
Show me your smile!
Special memories, by your side, by your side
Let's make many more from now on, yeah
We're going up, we're going down
For your sake
We're going high, we're going low
I'll always give it my best shot
With you, with me
You give me love, I'll give you love
I'll give you my best shot
For you, my best shot
When you're feeling down, it's okay to cry,
Come here, I'll comfort you.
If you feel the same way, I'll come to see you again soon.
'Cause we are OCTPATH, yeah
Baby, I'll be there for you
We're going up, we're going down
For you
We're going high, we're going low
I'll always give it my best shot
With you, with me
You give me love, I'll give you love
I'll give you my best shot, always with me
For you, my best shot
With you, with me, with you
I'll always give it my best shot
Yuki smiled and said to himself, "I feel the same, Crusader Taurus."
*The song is OCTPath's Best shot. Video