The last thing I remember is getting tortured by a purple haired lady. Apparently she was my mums best friend but you wouldn't guess by how she was fighting. Next thing I know I'm laying on the most uncomfortable bed ever. There's a slow moving fan on the rusty ceiling, and that's the only thing in here aside from a desk and cracked mirror. The room smells stale, and if I'm being honest if this is where the witches plan to keep me I'm not surprised they did all that lying.
"Oh right… that really happened." I can't find the energy to get up. I can't believe I could sleep with this constant headache. "Allister, Shen, Lilith and Louhi. It all happened." The memories of the day causes tears to well up. I'm tired of crying so I bring my left hand up to wipe them away. "Ouch!" I somehow get a small cut below my left eye. On instinct I pull my hand back and look up at it. "No no no no no! You've got to be kidding!" I sit up and examine the black claw covered in scales that's replaced my forearm. And of course my right arm is the same. I'm not even sure that scales are the right word. They feel way tougher than before but there's cracks all along them. When I take a closer look the cracks are a dull pink. I tumble out of the bed in a panic and crash onto the floor. My horn sends a wave of uncomfortable tingling straight into my brain. I can't even think about that though, i finally stand up and stumble towards the mirror. I almost fall but manage to catch myself on the desk. When I pull myself up I have to lean in so I can see myself with one of the broken pieces. "Oh come on…" I whine at the sight. My hair has gotten even longer and more messy, reaching halfway down my neck. There is a stripe of pink hair instead of black over the section my old horn used to occupy. My left eye is pink instead of blue, with a slitted pupil. My teeth have grown sharp. After a deep breath I pull my hair back to inspect the damage. One of my horns is still perfectly intact, but the only evidence I had another is the blue stub on the other side. Surrounding that stub is what looks like yellow scar tissue. There are little cuts and bruises all across my face, and I'm not going to take the time to check but I'm sure there's more across my body. With a pained groan I walk back over to the bed to check something. I need to see if they took my wand. And of course it's not here. Great. Next stop is the door I guess. And of course it's locked. Great. Ok but maybe there's something else in this room I can use to escape. And of course there isn't. Great.
"Hello? I'm coming in? She said you should be awake by now." I know that voice. As soon as Misty opens the door I can't help but smile. Her tail and ears stand on end when she sees me practically bouncing in place. "Holy crap! Your awake!" She rushes over and looks at my bruises.
"I'm really glad your ok." I don't really know what the appropriate thing to say is. I take a step back when I realise that Misty isn't wearing the facility uniform she usually has on. Baggy trousers and combat boots, a black and red shirt with really big sleeves and fingerless gloves. It's honestly really cool. "What happened though? Where are we? Is everyone ok?" Wasn't the city being destroyed? Her ears twitch when I ask those questions. Probably not a fun subject.
"The captain decided she would be the one to tell you. She's been wanting to meet you for two months now." Huh?
"Two months?!" That can't be right. There's no way I was out for two months! All that stuff happens in a single day and then I'm asleep for two months?! "Where is my wand?!" I grab at her arms.
"Whoa! Calm down first! Like I said, the captain will tell you." She gently pushes my arms away and walks through the doorway, signaling for me to come along. With some hesitation I follow her. The walls are a thick grey steel, zero personality to speak of. There are many other doors like mine. This place is clearly made for function over fashion. When we pass by some people in blue uniforms I'm tempted to stop to ask them questions. But they leave too quick and barley pay either of us a glance. I doubt they are just being rude, they probably have important things to get to.
"This place is crazy." I mention to fill the silence when we start climbing some stairs.
"Eh, it gets redundant real fast." She casually struts as we reach the next floor. Immediately I'm hit with the smell of salt and sulfur. The wind feels cold on my skin and I definitely hear waves.
"We're on a boat?!" I exclaim in surprise and point everywhere, as if that will confirm that this indeed a boat.
"Yep!" Misty places her hands on her hips. "Apparently it's a battle ship, designed to travel through the purple ocean." Seriously? That's impressive. Something this big shouldn't be able to survive this long on the purple ocean. It would either dissolve or be torn apart by the weather. "The captain won't explain how she got it though. Or how she keeps making more." Ok seriously who is this captain? I really don't see how we went from the city to here. Louhi seemed pretty insistent on me not getting away. I mean Lilith seemed like she was going to do something but she never mentioned having a super boat. Then again she doesn't mention a lot of things. "There she is." She points at a figure at the very front of the ship, looking out into the distance. A shining suit of silver armour covers them from head to toe, not leaving anything exposed. Covering their neck if a thick purple scarf. Flowing majestically behind them is a cape made of tentacles and vines and all sorts of other disturbing things. When we get closer they turn around it feels like something clicks for me.
"Oh my gosh it's you!" Without thinking I run past Misty until I'm right in front of the imposing knight. "I had a dream about you a while back!" I'm practically bouncing in place now. "I'd kinda forgotten about it because of everything that's been happening but I was so confused! So who are you?! You fought Morrigan and my dad right?!" Oh yeah. That guy was probably my actual biological father. I'm really going to need some time later to unpack that. The shining figure tilts their head slightly at my constant rambling. "Um. S-sorry." I look down at the floor sheepishly. That's far from the best first impression I could have given.
"I am glad to see that your strength has recovered young one." A filtered female voice finally says. I look up at her for a moment in confusion.
"I'm twenty though?" Misty holds back a chuckle behind me.
"Heh. My apologies. From the perspective of one such as I, it can be hard to keep perspective. My name is Lancelot. I am what you have come to know as a witch." Oh shit! I leap back but end up crashing into Misty. Well it's not like it did anything but still! "Calm yourself. I can assure you that I do not subscribe to my sisters designs." Here voice is gentle, but it has an unmistakable authority behind it. I cautiously look up to Misty, getting a reassuring nod in return.
"Ok. So if you really are a witch and you aren't evil…" I wait for a few seconds before she nods. "Can you give me some answers? People keep saying crazy things that I don't understand. And with how much fighting I've been doing I couldn't really figure any of it out. Plus I'm not really that smart anyways." Lancelot brings her right hand up in front of her helmet, as if considering something. She turns away and looks into the purple ocean for about a minute. I can feel
Some sweat drip down my forehead in anticipation. She says she isn't with her sisters but how can I believe that? This whole thing has only gotten as bad as I had because of me blindly trusting people. But what do I do if she is with Louhi? More importantly, what can I do? I'm completely at her mercy now.
"What is it you'd like to know? I will answer to the best of my abilities." Oh. Well for now I'll play along.
"Ok, first uh… why are we on a boat? Wasn't the city being destroyed?" I try to control the shiver down my spine, it almost feels like my veins are aching. I hate it.
"When I arrived I wasn't able to defeat my sister and her allies. It was only through the sacrifices of my men that I could rescue you and your allies." She looks down at the floor. "Fortunately I was able to retrieve your brother and this one." She nods towards Misty.
"If you knew about the attack, does that mean you also know what Louhi wants? Why am I suddenly do important?" I have a few more questions about that, like why didn't she turn up sooner? But this feels more important. Plus I don't think it's a great idea to antagonise her.
"My sisters believe they have a purpose in this senseless slaughter. They believe that humanity, and truly all life, are cruel at some deep level. Please don't misunderstand, my sisters do not hate you, but they have been warped by years of grief and bloodshed. They wash for it to all end, for peace to become a reality. Louhi has prepared a powerful technique from her ability. With adequate components she would rewrite the system of this world. The voice of the planet would permanently change to follow her deepest wish." I gulp while trying to process such a crazy piece of information. "Her wish is to limit the amount of life this planet will hold. If she possesses enough artificial worlds she will impose a finite number to the number of creature this world can ever have." What the hell? Haven't things escalated a bit too much?
"T-that's insane." She simply nods in agreement. "But how do we stop her?" There's no time to be overwhelmed. I just have to focus on saving the world. That's what mariner satellite would do.
"Luck is on our side, for the solution is simple. As long as we can keep my sister from completing her technique, we will be safe. We just need to make sure that you do not become fully realised as a hero. With that, we can by some time while another is being found." Oh nice. Ok that seems manageable.
"Alright! So all we need to do is beat up one person?" Another nod. "That's so simple I almost don't believe you." That whole story frankly sounds really far fetched. But really how can I not believe it? After everything I can't afford to not take this seriously. "Ok then! As soon as I get my wand back we can get to it!" I wonder where they put it.
"About that. You have my sincerest apologies but I simply cannot return the wand to you. Your power and progress are directly tied to it. If you are not kept separate it would put us all in grave danger." Huh?
"What's that supposed to mean?" I feel my heart pounding in my chest.
"It means that I will not allow you to become Kaiju boy again.".