Sector Zero-Part 2 (The Summoner)
By NaaroYoshi
Chapter 1: Vindicator
As Ness finished his dinner, he walked over to the door. Someone was furiously pounding on it. Ness wondered if it was going to be his first adventure all over again. He opened the door, and a shadowy figure leaped inside, tackling him to the floor. "Ouch!" Ness cried out. He felt the scabbard of the shadowy figure poking into his leg. "Hey," he thought, "this person might be Crono!" The shadow stood up and nodded, sensing Ness's thoughts. "Crono!" Ness cried out in relief. "I thought you were Pokey! How'd you get here?" Crono smiled and held out the Gate Key. "Lucca lent me this Gate Key so I could open a portal to your time and place. Pretty neat, huh?" "Yeah," Ness nodded, "but why'd you come here? And who's the shadow behind you?" Crono turned around and looked at the shadow for a moment. "That's Locke. Remember that guy who returned us to our places?" Ness nodded. "Well," Crono continued, "he's called on us again. He contacted me in my sleep, and told me to get you guys together. It seems that Arc-Marcin was only the first of our challenges. There's still 2 more villains out there. The one we're after now is the second strongest. His name: Vindicator the Summoner. He's also got a hostage." "Hostage?" Ness inquired. Crono responded, "Yeah, some guy named Shadow009 or something. Planeswalker. Went there to stop him, but got caught in some Immortal Trap..." Ness scratched his head. "Oy," he thought, "don't these people ever use technology?" Crono helped Ness to his feet, and the two walked over to Locke. "Hey Locke," Ness said rather happily, "how's it going?" "Just fine," Locke responded. Crono stepped in front of the three and held out the gate key to a small, glowing blue ball. The ball expanded. "Whoa, nice trick!" Ness exclaimed. "Yeah, it's the Gate Key. Now, we hop inside...huh?" Crono stared at the portal, which had turned green. He took a step toward it, and suddenly, it became a vacuum. "Ack!" Crono exclaimed as he was sucked in. Locke and Ness were sucked in behind him.
Chapter 2: Into Defeat's Gaping Maw?
"Uggh..." Ness grunted as he slowly awoke. He opened his eyes, and saw nothing but black. "What the...am I blind?" Ness moved his hands up to his face, pushing a box out of the way. "Oh. Heh heh, knew I was too young to be sightless." Ness used two stable boxes of trash to push himself up, and hopped out of the dumpster he was in. He looked at the dumpster, searching it over for his two friends. His eyes focused on something that resembled one of his friends. It looked like Locke's leg. Ness grabbed onto it, and pulled. Locke followed the leg out of the trash and clutter, and coughed. "Locke! Locke! You okay?" "Ugh...yeah, I'm ok." Locke jumped to his feet, and looked around. "Pretty gloomy, huh?" Locke asked Ness. "Yeah," Ness responded. "Where's Crono?" Locke asked. Ness shrugged, and looked around. "AAA-CHOO!!!" someone suddenly shouted from down the dank, dreary hall. "Ack!" Locke jumped. "Uhh...bless you," Ness said to the mysterious voice. "AAA-CHOO!!!" The voice shouted again. Locke and Ness were shocked to see a short man in a cloak with two white slits for eyes and a dagger in each hand flying past them coming from the hall. "Wow," Ness exclaimed, "somebody sure got a piece of him!" "Who's there?" the voice from the hall inquired. Locke and Ness looked at each other. Locke responded after a one minute pause, "I'm Locke. My teenage friend, Ness, is here too. Who are you?" "I am Yang," the voice responded, "hello Locke and Ness. Would you mind coming into the hall? We can't just talk to each other all day." Locke and Ness stepped quietly into the hallway. It was full of fog, dark, and soggy, like a dungeon of sorts. Locke and Ness continued into the hallway until they saw a figure in the fog. From what they could tell, he was bald, except for a small ponytail of hair hanging down from the back of his head to the bottom of his head, and was distinctively muscular." Are you Yang?" Locke asked. "Yes," the figure replied. He stepped from the fog. He was dark-skinned, but not quite black, muscular, and bald except for the ponytail of black hair. For clothes, he only had a pair of red fighting trunks. "Hello Yang," Ness said. "Hello. I trust you are Ness?" Yang asked. "Yes," Ness replied. "Have you seen a kid around 13 with red hair that's been formed up into several spikes anywhere, Yang?" Locke asked Yang. "Why, no, I don't recall anyone like that," Yang replied, "all I've seen are monsters." "M-monsters?" Ness choked out, a stammer in his voice. "Ness, monsters are just like enemies. Why are you so scared all of the sudden?" Locke asked Ness. "It's not the m-monsters, it's th-th-that!" Ness pointed behind Locke and Yang to a dark gray-furred, shaggy, two-legged beast with scythes for arms and a red-eyed wolf's head towering above the three, drooling acid. Yang and Locke turned around. Yang assumed a fighting stance. "Wow!" Locke exclaimed as he unsheathed the Atma Weapon. "That's huge!" Ness shakily pulled out his Legendary Bat, not used to facing monsters of this caliber. Yang narrowed his eyes at the huge beast. "AAAAAAA-CHOO!!!!!!!" Yang flew at the beast, his foot extended. He struck the beast right in the left eye. Using the beast's snout, Yang leaped off and landed next to his two comrades. The beast howled in pain and doubled back, covering its left eye with one of its scythe arms. "Nice shot Yang!" Locke exclaimed. "Now it's my turn!" Locke assumed a battle stance, and put away the Atma Weapon, he closed his eyes and began to chant quietly. "Pearl!" Locke shouted, breaking his chants. The beast and the 3 heroes were suddenly transported into a white, rolling tube. 4 spheres of white energy spinning horizontally formed and descended over the beast. The beast howled in pain as the spheres exploded, littering the beast's body with white explosions. The beast and the 3 heroes appeared back in the hallway, Locke smiling and looking at the beast. "Too easy," Locke stated in a cocky manner. The beast panted, cuts and burns all over its body and its left eye put out by Yang's kick. It mustered all the energy it had, left, and roared, slashing at the 3 with one of its claws. The slash sent them skidding along the hallway floor. Yang and Locke slowly got to their feet, Ness not far behind. Ness ran at the beast, using psychic powers to propel himself into the air. He raised the Legendary Bat, targeting the beast's head. He swung at just the right time, delivering a SMAAAASH!!! attack. The beast flew backward, its razor-sharp teeth steadily flying from its mouth. When the beast struck the floor a ways down the hallway, it was out cold. Blood dripped from its mouth. Ness landed on the ground, and put his bat back into his backpack. He turned to Locke and Yang. "Well, that's all folks," he stated with a smile. Locke smiled, and Yang walked past Ness, a serious look on his face. "Let's keep going," Yang whispered, as if he sensed an evil presence. Ness and Locke shrugged, and followed Yang down the hallway. They continued, taking out the occasional monster, until reaching the end of the hallway and a huge wooden door with the handles out of reach. "These doors conceal a villainous presence," Yang stated, preparing to leap up and pull the handle. "Villainous presence?" Locke asked. "You know, like a bad guy...evil," Yang replied, smiling for the first time. "I know WHAT a villainous presence is, Mr. Sarcastic," Locke snapped back. "Hey!" Ness cried out. "Stop it you two! If there is a bad guy behind these doors, we have to be ready!" "Right," the two replied. Yang made his leap for the handle. He grabbed it, and opened it. Locke's eyes widened as the room was made of pure gold, elaborately decorated with a bear in it. "Ack! Bear!" Locke cried. He pulled out the Atma Weapon. "Calm down Locke," Ness said as he entered. "This is Mr. Monotoli's office." "Monotoli? Who's he?" Locke asked. "He's someone from my world," Ness replied. "Hello," a voice said. "Huh?" Locke whirled around to face a person sitting in the shadows on a golden couch. "Who're you?" "Most people call me Mara," the person responded. The person stood up. She was a woman, dressed in golden women's business clothing. "I'm the new mayor." "What happened to the Monotoli Building?!" Ness snapped at Mara. "I turned it into a compound for Vindicator, my master," Mara replied. "We keep people here to be "prepared"." "Prepared? For what?" Ness asked. "Why, you silly boy, don't you know anything?" Mara laughed. "Prepared to be Lords, the soldiers of the great Florian!" "Florian? Who's Florian?" Mara giggled, a sly, evil smile on her face. "Florian's a man of destiny. Florian's destined to be the person to open Ni to evil so that it may be destroyed!" Mara begin to cackle like a witch. Ness and the others looked at Mara in confusion. What was Ni? Who was Florian? Where was he from? What was he doing to their worlds? While trying to answer these questions inside of their heads, Mara, still cackling, headed over to the bear and pushed it over in front of the door. A secret passage in the wall opened up, and she left the three confused heroes, taking Shadow, the planeswalker, with her.
Chapter 3: A Little Victory In A Defeated World
Ness rushed over to the window, and looked out onto the city of Fourside. Most of the buildings had been destroyed, monsters had overrun the streets, and the dead or dying littered the sidewalks. Ness went into shock, the full impact of this Florian's handiwork taking its toll on him. Yang and Locke were worried about their own homelands, sincerely hoping their homeworlds had been spared what Ness's had not been. Locke and Yang looked at Ness. "Hey Ness, maybe we should leave," Locke said. Ness just stared out onto the ruined city. Yang shook his head, and headed up the secret passage. Locke followed after a few minutes, then stopped cold. "Hey guys!" he heard. Locke whirled around to face a freshly-opened window, where he saw Crono. "Crono!" Locke exclaimed! "Where the heck were you?" "I had some problems with the Gate Key. It took me to a lot of strange places. I even ended up in this cloud world, where I found this guy." Crono motioned to a short little creature resembling a puffy cottonball with arms, eyes, a mouth, short, stubby legs, and a large pair of pants. "Hi, I'm Mallow," the puffball chirped happily. "Err...hey, I'm Locke," Locke said. Locke motioned to Ness. "That's Ness. This is his world. He's in a bit of shock..." Crono looked out onto the dying world. "Dang...Florian must have really done his work well," Crono mumbled. "You heard about Florian too?" Locke inquired, overhearing Crono. "Yeah, heard about it from Mallow," Crono replied. "Seems that one of Florian's cronies, Multex, came and kidnapped his parents, King and Queen Nimbus." Locke nodded. "Hey," Yang shouted down from the secret passage, "you guys coming?!" "Who's that?" Crono asked Locke. "That's Yang," Locke replied. "He joined us while we were on the way here." Locke turned to Yang. "Yeah, we're coming, Yang," he responded. Locke, Crono, and Mallow walked over to the secret passage. Ness remained in front of the window, staring outside. Locke sighed, and stopped Crono when he reached out to try and coax Ness to come. "Leave him be," Locke told Crono. "He's going to need some time to recompose himself." Crono nodded, and the two followed Yang and Mallow, who had gone ahead. "Hey," Mallow said to Yang. "Who're you, mister?" Yang looked at Mallow and jumped back in surprise. "YIIII!!!! A giant puffball!" Crono looked up at Yang and Mallow. "No need to panic," Crono said to Yang. Yang looked at Crono. "Another kid? Sheesh." "Hey! I resent that!" Crono snapped back at Yang. "Hold on!" Locke stepped between Yang and Crono. "Yang, this is Crono, the person we were looking for when we found you. Crono, you've already been told about Yang." Locke turned to Mallow. "That's Mallow, Prince of Nimbus Land, as Crono tells me. Right?" "Yup!" Mallow replied. Yang turned to Mallow. "Greetings Mallow, I am Yang, from Fabul Castle." Mallow nodded. "I'm Mallow." After everyone had introduced themselves, the 5 headed up to the helipad. Before reaching it, Locke decided to ask Yang a question. "Hey, Yang...how did you get here anyway?" Yang turned and faced Locke. "Well, I'm really not sure. I had just gotten back to Fabul Castle when an earthquake rocked me into the moat. I went unconscious. When I woke up, I was in that hallway, surrounded by these short little guys in black cloaks carrying daggers. After beating them, I met you guys." Locke nodded. The 5 then reached the helipad, where they found a man with rotted flesh, glowing olive eyes, and torn brown robes. "Who are you?!" Locke asked the man. "I am Vindicator the Summoner. But you can call me...Zorin." "Zorin...spooky name," Mallow pointed out. Zorin looked at Mallow, and sent a bolt of green lightning at him. Mallow jumped back in surprise, his right hand getting shocked. Locke took out the Atma Weapon. Crono followed suit, unsheathing the Rainbow sword. Ness took out the Legendary Bat. Yang assumed a battle stance, his trusty Claw weapons on his fists. Mallow shook his hand in pain. Yang was the first to attack, taking a swing at Zorin. Zorin teleported behind Yang and knocked him out cold by teleporting in a brick over his head. Locke attacked next, leaping and slashing with the Atma Weapon. Zorin used an energy wave to throw him aside. Crono prepared a Luminaire spell. Zorin stopped him cold by firing an iceball at him, freezing him and knocking him backward. Zorin smiled, focusing his gaze on Mallow. Mallow looked into his eyes, and was hit by a sleep spell, falling fast asleep. Zorin cackled, looking down at his fallen opponents. "Hey! Ugly!" someone shouted from the passage. "Hmm?" Zorin looked in the direction of the voice to see the silohette of a kid in a red cap, baggy pants, and a t-shirt. He had a club-like weapon in his hand. "Who are you?" The kid responded coldly and seriously. "I'm your worst nightmare." With that, the kid lunged at Zorin, stopping inches in front of him. Locke opened his eyes and looked at the kid and Zorin. "Ness...get him, Ness..." with that, Locke collapsed. Ness nodded, and closed his eyes. Energy began to gather around him. The energy was red, blue, and yellow in color. Ness then opened his eyes, and shouted, "PSI Special Omega!" The energy then began to batter Zorin. It showed no mercy, battering Zorin's body into a weakened state. "Time to finish you!" Ness pulled out his Legendary Bat, and delivered the final home run hit, sending Zorin flying into the sky and disappearing as a star flash. Ness helped Locke, Yang, and Mallow to good health, and Locke un-froze Crono with a Fire spell. Locke patted Ness on the shoulder as the 5 looked out upon the city of Fourside, which seemed not quite as horrible. "See Ness? There can be victory in a defeated world."
Chapter 4: Enter Florian
Mara kneeled before the shadowy man on the silver throne. "Master Florian," Mara began, "the heroes of Ni have descended upon Fourside. They have seen your destruction there. I have told them of your destiny, master." Florian, who's left arm and left hand were the only things that could be seen of his body. The hand had a glass of crystal-colored wine in it. The hand was white and pale, and the arm was covered by a loose green sleeve with a bronze lining on the edge of the sleeve. "So Mara, they know of my destiny and my power? Do they also know of my plans for them?" Mara's eyes widened, and she did not respond. "Well?" "Well, Master Florian, heh heh...I didn't tell them that." "WHAT?!?!?!" Florian rose from his seat, the wineglass dropping from his hand and shattering on the floor. "Master Florian...please...spare me your wrath..." Florian stepped from the shadows, everything below his nose revealed to the light. His skin was pale white. He was thin, and dressed in a loose, green, long-sleeve shirt, and long pants that were also green. The edges were lined with bronze. He was wearing brown dress shoes. He smiled, a salesman's smile. "Mara. My dear, dear, Mara. Why didn't you tell them about my plans for them? Hmm?" His fingernails turned yellow, and Mara's eyes widened. "Why, Mara? Why? Now I'm going to have to hurt you...you know how much I hate to hurt any of my henchmen." Florian raised his hands to Mara, pointing his fingers at her. Mara screamed as lightning bolts flew from Florian's fingertips and struck her heart. Mara convulsed and writhed in agony, the lightning flow from Florian's fingertips unwavering for several minutes. After a time, Florian lowered his hands, and his fingernails turned to normal. The lightning flow stopped, and Mara collapsed to the floor, eyes completely white and body motionless, electricity still crackling through her body. She was dead. Florian turned his back to Mara's corpse, and returned to his throne. He snapped his fingers, and two giant apes with wolf heads and dark, gray bodies adorned in bronze armor and wearing bronze crowns came into the room and picked up the corpse, throwing it into the fireplace. The two bizarre creatures bowed to Florian, and left, closing the door behind them and allowing another man inside. The man was dressed in a black tux, had green eyes, and had blue hair. He was thin, sleek, and stylish. His skin was pale, like Florian's. "Ah, Multex, I was expecting you. I trust you now have Ness's parents captive, Mallow's parents captive, Locke's friend Celes captive, Yang's wife captive, and Crono's mother captive?" The man in the tux, named Multex, smiled, and responded, "Yes, Master Florian. They are all our prisoners." Master Florian's clean-toothed smile shone from the shadows that stood watch over his throne. "Splendid...splendid. Now, it is only a matter of time until they come seeking to free their friends and family. Oh, by the way Multex, I'm giving you a new task." Multex snapped to attention, his face turning serious. "What would that be, Master Florian?" Florian smiled. He liked to have control over his underlings. "I need you to find a new mayor for Fourside. Mara has been...removed." Multex's serious expression turned to one of surprise. "Removed, Master? What did she do?" "She failed to follow my instructions correctly. And you, Multex, are failing to mind your own business! I know that you cared for her greatly, but she couldn't handle the burden. You should readily accept this, Multex! You're my best man!" Multex nodded. "Yes, Master. I will...accept it." "You may go, Multex," Florian stated. Multex turned on his heel, and headed for the door, opening it and leaving.
Chapter 5: Crunch Time
It was truly amazing. Ness, Locke, Yang, Mallow, and Crono, great heroes of their worlds, gathered in the realm of Ni. From the helipad, they had suddenly teleported to this field of golden wheat, grain, and grass that was known as Ni, according to the booming voice that had greeted them. The booming voice spoke again as the five got to their feet. "WELCOME, HEROES," the voice boomed. "I AM PLEASED THAT YOU HAVE ALL MADE IT HERE SAFELY." "Who are you?" Locke asked. "ME, LOCKE THE THIEF? I AM NOT OF YOUR CONCERN. ONLY WHAT I HAVE TO SAY IS." Locke frowned. "It's TREASURE HUNTER!" he shouted. The voice chuckled, and then began to speak again. "YOU HAVE COME QUITE FAR IN YOUR TRAVELS, ALL OF YOU. YOU HAVE DEFEATED MANY ENEMIES, FACED MANY HARDSHIPS, PROBABLY EVEN DIED OR FAILED A FEW TIMES. YOU ALL PROBABLY THINK THAT WHAT YOU HAVE FACED CAN NOT BE TOPPED. WELL, I HAVE NEWS FOR YOU. WHAT YOU GO TO FACE AFTER I AM DONE WILL TOP ANYTHING YOU HAVE EVER FACED, YOU ARE ASSURED OF THAT." Ness stepped up. "We're going to face Florian, aren't we? I'm ready. I'm going to get him..." "YOUNG NESS...YOU BELIEVE YOURSELF READY? THAT IS GOOD. THOUGH THE ODDS OF YOU FIVE COMING OUT OF THIS ALIVE WITH VICTORY ARE ABOUT 750,000,000,000 TO 1, YOU STILL HAVE A CHANCE. REMEMBER THIS, HEROES...YOU WILL NOT WIN THIS BATTLE ALONE. ONLY WITH TEAMWORK, WILL VICTORY HERSELF COME TO REWARD YOU." "That all?" Crono inquired, getting impatient. "YES, IMPATIENT HERO OF GUARDIA, EXCEPT FOR ONE THING. FLORIAN HAS CAPTURED FRIENDS AND FAMILY OF YOU ALL FROM YOUR RESPECTIVE WORLDS. YANG, FLORIAN HAS YOUR WIFE. LOCKE, HE HAS YOUR FRIEND CELES. CRONO, HE HAS YOUR MOTHER. NESS, HE HAS YOUR PARENTS. MALLOW, HE HAS YOUR PARENTS." The 5 narrowed their eyes simultaneously, as if making a promise to destroy Florian all at the same time. "WELL, IT IS TIME TO GO, HEROES. GOOD LUCK, AND REMEMBER, TEAMWORK SHALL PREVAIL." Locke took out the Atma Weapon. Yang assumed a fighting stance, adjusting his Claws. Mallow took out his Sonic Cymbals. Crono unsheathed his Rainbow sword. Ness took out his Legendary Bat. "Your time has come, Florian...we will destroy you," Ness silently promised as the 5 were teleported into Florian's palace.
The time has come. The stage is set for the final battle. Only the 5 heroes stand between Florian and evil's rampage into the realm of Ni. The delicate balance of things will either be preserved by the 5 heroes, or it will be thrown into an eternity of chaos and destruction by the evil Florian. How will it end? Will good triumph, or will it fall? Find out the answers to these questions and many more in the explosive, action-packed conclusion of Sector Zero! It's gonna be nothing short of a universal 4th of July fireworks display!
Part Three
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