When Fate is Decided

Portal Chamber

Medusa approached the scanner and presented a Keyblade with a light-blue bar and a clock design for teeth, composed of intricate designs. The Multiverse Portal targeted a dimension marked with a Heartless emblem. "Destination set for: 'Kingdom Hearts.'"

Nerehc played the Ocarina of Time, and Fi instructed the instrument to warp back 55 years. Medusa stared at the spinning blue portal before turning to her chosen candidate. "You remember why I brought you, correct?"

"Yeah." Kimaya Heartly answered, still wearing her cowgirl uniform. "You said you would tell me about this Seven Lights stuff and why I got these keys. You said the 'other Keeper of Keys' was in that portal?"

"Yes, Kimaya. One of the Thirteen Darknesses, Master Xehanort resides in that dimension. Based on his information, Kingdom Hearts is the center of a Dimensional Fusion just like ours. His role in the prophecy is similar to yours, I presume. It's only fitting you two should learn it together."

"A'ight, then. This portal better not stretch me all funny." Kimaya hopped on her skateboard and surfed through the Dimensional Byway.

"After she finds the Darkness, we don't need this portal, anymore?" Nerehc asked for clarification.

"That's right. Granted, it would be fun to explore the Multiverse, but… I have more important matters." Medusa answered. "We still have one more Darkness to awaken after this."

"But counting Xehanort, we only awakened 10 Darknesses. Were some of them already awakened?"

"Yes, two of them were, and I didn't need to interfere. However, there's another dilemma at hand: rescuing the Darknesses from Underworld Prison. I only succeeded in rescuing Teach… saving the others will require special help. We need the Firstborn."

Sometime later…

Kimaya skated out of the portal and skid to a halt, picking her board up. "Did you find him?" Nerehc asked her.

"Yeah, I found Xehanort. BOTH Xehanorts!" Kimaya exclaimed. "There was a young one and an old one who… kinda looked and sounded like Spock from Star Trek."

"Well, did either of them find the pyramid?"

"Yeah, the young Xehanort had a key ring, so I guess he read it. …Where'd that snake lady go?"

"Medusa already left. She trusted you would find Xehanort and said once you did, we didn't need this portal anymore."

"When I was in there, I also met the guy who created this portal. He said we need to destroy it or…" The chamber began trembling. "You feel that?"

"Is it an earthquake?" Nerehc asked himself. "The portal creates a lot of gravity anomalies in this town. Maybe it's—AAAAHH!" A blinding pink light swallowed the chamber, the silhouettes of their bodies waving. When it vanished, Nerehc and Kimaya waited for their vision to return. The room had grown darker, so Nerehc held two violet flames in his hands. "W…What?"

Dipper and Mabel reentered the chamber from the secret passage, the former holding a flashlight. "Nerehc, we saw a bright light. Is everything—WHAT HAPPENED TO THE PORTAL?!"

"How should I know?!" Nerehc exclaimed. Almost every piece of equipment in the cave had vanished, including the Master Emerald, the Tesseract, and the triangular portal burning with energy. "Fi, did you see what happened?"

"Hilariously-Confused Nerehc, I am unable to determine a source for the anomaly that has occurred. However, I took measures to recover the Ocarina of Time when the quakes began." Fi took the ocarina out of her cape and returned it to Nerehc.

"Thanks." Nerehc looked around, still confused. "I wonder if Medusa had something to do with it. I guess we can't use it anymore if we wanted to. I think your job is done, Fi. You can go back to your boss."

"Affirmative. Not Master Nerehc, it was a pleasure working with you." Fi turned into a ball of light and flew up through the ceiling.

"Hey, can you two take this girl back to her place?" Nerehc asked the Pines.

"Hold on, Cheren told us you were one of the Seven Lights." Dipper said to Kimaya. "Maybe we can take you to meet the other ones. It's probably safer—if the Government knows who you are, they'll send their assassins after you."

"Well, I did kinda kill a CEO. Okay, I'll go with you… but hey, do you guys know anyone named Jagar King?" Kimaya raised the clock Keyblade.

Somewhere outside the atmosphere

The Multiverse Portal reappeared on an asteroid, its equipment and pieces scattered about. A man with a black-and-white face chuckled maliciously. "Hm hm hm hm. The Multiverse… is ours now."

Termina Dimension; Sector V

It was the 8th sleepless night Truman Kirman has had. He's had insomnia troubles before, but ever since his trip to Egypt with AlyakAm, it has been worse. It was 7:00 in the morning when Melissa Gilligan entered his room. She was upset to see the redness in his bright blue eyes, the bags forming like an adult who passed out drinking. "Truman, you couldn't sleep again? Not even after that cocoa I gave you?"

"I didn't have trouble sleeping." Truman lied. "I'm just trying to wake up."

"Truman, this is starting to worry me. I think we should take you to a doctor." She grabbed his arm to pull him up-

"I SAID I'M FINE!! Can you go ONE night without BOTHERING me?!"

Melissa jumped back, startled by his outburst. "I'm… sorry! I'll go make you breakfast, you can take your time."

Truman was once Delightfulized by Father like his parents, Eric and Ashley. His parents were broken from the spell, but they often sleepwalked, reverted to their Delightful states. Truman's spell was not as strong as theirs, but he still had nightmares of being under Father's control. The nightmares became worse when Truman's soul was trapped in his own glasses by Majora, and his Delightful self took over again. Melissa has been trying to help Truman forget his past; she helps him with homework and other matters, acting as his big sister. And Truman loved her like a sister. He never yelled at her like this.

Melissa poured a bowl of Rainbow Munchies and made toast for her friend. It was a happy breakfast any normal kid enjoyed, nothing fancy or yucky like Delightfuls would like. Truman lazily chewed his cereal, holding the golden ring with five dangling points and a pyramid with an eye in its center. A strange item he had collected from the tomb in Egypt. "What is that thing you found in the pyramid, anyway?" Melissa asked. "Basing my knowledge off of movies, maybe that has to do with your insomnia. Maybe it's… cursed."

"The only thing cursed is this cereal, it's DISGUSTING!" Truman smacked the bowl off the table, drenching the floor in milk and colorful treats. …Truman shook his head. "I'm sorry, Melissa, I'm sorry! I'll clean it up!" Truman ran to get a roll of paper towels.

"No, it's okay, I'll do it." Melissa took the roll and cleaned the spill herself. While she was doing so, Truman stood over her, his brows slanted over his dull eyes. The look gave her an unsettling feeling. "…Truman, are you sure you don't wanna see a doctor? I don't think your nightmares bothered you this much before."

"I keep hearing this noise in my head. It's like… an evil laugh. It goes like…"

"Hah hah hah ha, AHH hahahahahaha!"

Melissa knew only one person to laugh like that. "Truman, we won't let anyone like Father get to you ever again. I'm sorry we couldn't protect you from Majora, but we'll do better next time. We won't let anyone hurt you."

"Like good, faithful servants." Truman smirked darkly.

"What?"

"Hah hah. Hah hah. When I see you on the floor like that, it's like you're bowing before me. Like I were a king, and you were my… man-chair."

"O-kay, now I have to say that's a no-no. I don't know what you learned in Egypt, but we don't do that, anymore."

"But it sounds fun, we should try it!" Truman hopped on Melissa's back like a horse.

"HEY, GET OFF!"

"What the heck are you doing?!" Celeste Stork yelled. The other four members of Sector V had walked in to witness the disturbing position.

"Hello, guys!" Truman climbed off. "Did everyone sleep well?"

"Not well enough, apparently!"

"Truman, you're too young to act like the Adult Playtime Rainbow Monkey!" Kellie stated.

Melissa stood up and said, "Truman's been acting weird this morning. And he never lets go of that ring."

"That ring from Egypt?" Harry Uno approached and reached for it. "Let me see-"

"DON'T TOUCH MY RING!" Truman smacked him.

"Ow! Alright, Truman, what's really going on here? Did that girl hit you with some kind of spell? Are you being possessed by a demon again?"

"DON'T talk to ME that way!" Truman snarled. "You've got no power over me and I am NOT your PUPPET!"

"I never said you were a puppet!"

Truman panted, anger still fuming in his eyes. "…Ahh…" He touched his head. "Where did that… come from?"

"Truman, we already stopped Father." Harry stated. "You already broke free of his control. Why are you acting like he's still got a hold on you? You're a person with free will, Truman, so act like it!"

"Huff…huff…" Truman eased his rage. "I…I'm going to lie down." He returned to his room.

Shortly after settling on his bed, he heard someone enter his room. Kellie Beatles placed a pink Rainbow Monkey in a star-decorated night cap and sweater over him. "Happy Sleepytime Rainbow Monkey will remove the soreness from your eyes." She turned and left.

Truman hugged the monkey to his chest and tried to sleep. But peaceful rest wouldn't come. The laughter still cackled in his mind. He thought it was Father, trying to possess him again. And yet, part of him knew… it was something else. It called to him… and he couldn't ignore it. He knew his friends would be upset. Truman did care for his team. He had a close bond with each of them. Sparring with Harry and Thomas, laughing at Kellie's jokes, hanging out with Melissa… but Truman had to remember, they were only mortal.

One of the points on his golden ring stood up. It was pointing at the window. He knew, then, it was time to follow it.

One hour later, Melissa came to check on him. "Truman? You feeling better?" She saw the blanket was pulled up over him and came to uncover it. "You shouldn't cover yourself like that, you'll have trouble breathing—!" She gasped, realizing the lump was the Rainbow Monkey and pillow. She noticed the window was open. "GUYS, TRUMAN'S GONE!"

Her teammates rushed in and viewed out the window. "Did he kill himself?!" Thomas exclaimed.

"He would be laying on the ground if he did!" Celeste reasoned.

"He must've gone somewhere, but where?!" Melissa followed.

"I have an idea. Come on!" Harry ordered.

Delightful Mansion

Truman returned to the place where it all happened. He activated the Dimension Transportifier connecting to Hyrule, gazing at the pink vortex. "TRUMAN!" He turned, seeing his friends. "Truman, why are you going to Cheren's world?!" Harry asked.

"The Ring led me here!" Truman held up the golden trinket. "My destiny is there! I'm going and I don't want you to follow!"

"WHAT destiny?!" Celeste shouted. "Where's this all coming from?!"

"I should have realized it before! I was never afraid of being Delightfulized… all this time, I was denying my fate. My Delightful self was my true self all along. And my true self belongs in that world!"

"Your TRUE self belongs with US!" Melissa stated, marching up to him. "And we're taking you back-"

Truman threw his open hand at her, the ring glowing—there was a FLASH, and Melissa was turned into a card that drifted to the floor. The back of the card was brown with a black oval. The kids were struck speechless. Truman stared at his hand, then the ring. "I…I have to go. I'm sorry it has to be this way, guys… The least I can do is keep you from following. Good-bye." Truman pulled out a sack of M.A.R.B.L.E.s and threw them up before diving into the vortex.

"TRUMAN!!" The tiny explosives destroyed the Transportifier, but Truman was already gone to the parallel dimension.

Moments later, Melissa changed back to normal. "What was Truman… talking about?"

"I don't know, but we're getting him back!" Harry decided. "Let's start fixing this portal now!"

"We don't know how to FIX something like this!" Celeste argued. "Look, Cheren lives in that world, and he found a way to get here before. Maybe he'll bring Truman back to us."

"We can't wait around and hope Truman will fall from the sky like he did! There's gotta be another way…"

Melissa recalled their adventure with Cheren in attempt to find a clue. Unfortunately, the image of her kissing Cheren when they and Nerehc were drunk was still burned in her mind. …Her eyes widened: "If Truman went to Cheren's world, what about Truman's Negative?!"

Hyrule Dimension

Truman fell out of the opposite end of the portal before it vanished. He walked out of the mansion, under a dark, cloudy night. "Hah ha ha ha ha. Ahh ha ha ha ha." Truman looked up: a blonde-haired boy with sharp teeth and black eyes floated down. The eye-triangle on his hat matched Truman's gold ring. "Ha ha ha ha ha! Did ya miss me?"

"I…I know you." Truman glared. "Don't I?"

"Vividly." Bill Cipher smirked, pacing around him. "You existed in Termina's Egypt thousands of years ago. I manifested my image into the Egyptians' minds. They honored me like a god and created seven magical items based on my appearance. The Millennium Ring you hold is one of them. Those seven items were created to destroy YOU, the God of Darkness. Your power is on par with Demon King Demise. When you were destroyed, part of your soul was locked in the Millennium Ring… while another part was reincarnated over the ages. Your newest incarnation is Truman Kirman, and your soul was awakened when Father 'Delightfulized' you, and again when Majora took away the human soul. But deep down, you know who you are…" Bill wrapped an arm around him. "And I know, too… Zorc Necrophades."

A lightning struck in Truman's mind. A tidal wave of memories washed over him. His eyes turned malicious, and he smirked devilishly. He shared the look with Bill Cipher, his fellow demon. …Zorc punched Bill in the jaw. "You ruined my plans, you phony god!"

"It was all part of my plan!" Bill raised hands in defense. "I couldn't let you destroy the world before WE had a chance to! Don't think of it as me robbing you of your victory… but instead, think of it as me giving you a shot at a greater goal! At the end of this month, my master will return and the Thirteen Darknesses will be his allies! You can join us and have your own number of universes to rule! Doesn't that sound better?"

"Hmm… Very well. I will accept your proposal, Cipher. I suppose I owe it to Medusa, after all."

The Goddess of Darkness materialized from a portal. "Oh, Zorc! How nice to see you again. You appear smaller than before."

"Funny. So do you." Zorc smirked.

"Troubles in bed." Thanatos mentioned to the readers.

"Your sense of humor is delightful as always. I'll take it from here, Bill." Medusa said.

"Until the D-Day!" Bill saluted before flying away.

"So, how much is there to do before the prophecy will be realized?" Zorc asked.

"All we have to do is wait for the Seventh Light to awaken, rescue the Darknesses from Underworld Prison… and of course, awaken the 13th and Final Darkness, Ganondorf Dragmire."

"Do you have a plan?"

"Hmm, HAH ha ha ha!" Medusa cackled. "My plan is so brilliant, I can't contain myself! We just need to ask for a little help… Sigh, I don't think Nerehc is going to like it at all."

DNK Moonbase

Cheren Uno and Panini Drilovsky climbed through the mirror to Nerehc's office. As if he were expecting them, Nerehc was standing there waiting. "Nerehc, we have some news." Cheren said.

"Does it have anything to do with that business in the sky?" Nerehc asked.

"You saw it, too?" Panini said with surprise.

"Yeah. I got two people who might know something about all this."

Nerehc led them to the prison wing, where the Gnik siblings sat patiently in their cell. "Egroeg, AlyakAm… are you finally ready to spill?"

"The cat is out of the bag, Alyak." Egroeg said.

"Very well, we confess." AlyakAm followed.

However, the truth was too intense at this point in time. Perhaps in a greater story with greater build-up...

"Then we have no time to lose." Cheren said. "Nerehc, who's the last Darkness? How do we find him?"

"You're gonna love this." Nerehc remarked. "The last Darkness is Ganondorf."

"GANONDORF?!"

"Well Cheren, you wanted an excuse to make Azelf like ya." Panini shrugged.

"But our moms destroyed Ganondorf! What are we supposed to do, bring him back?!"

"Don't ask me, ask Medusa! She's the one that's been treating us like lapdogs all month. I don't suppose you guys have any ideas."

"Afraid not, Nerry." Panini replied. "Brave little Cherry here is in the middle of planning his climactic battle against the World Government's King." She nudged Cheren's arm. "He lost the Fierce Deity Mask to that monster, so he's totally in over his head!"

"I am not! I just have to figure out the Octogan's weakness."

"HA!" AlyakAm laughed. "You are in over your head. The Octogan's power is limitless. No god in this universe can challenge it."

"Then we need a god not from this universe." ;;;; ) a girl's voice said. Nerehc, Cheren, and Panini turned to find a Zoni, whose left eye had seven pupils. "Hellooooo! I haven't seen you three since Termina."

"Termina?" Cheren raised a brow. "You were one of those Zoni?"

"Allow me to properly introduce myself: I am Vriska Serket, a mem8er of the trolls, and a special friend of Majora." :::; )

"I haven't seen Majora since January… Do you know where he is?"

"Majora has 8een captured and trapped in Underworld Prison, on the same floor as most of the Thirteen Darknesses. Medusa organized his 8eing there with the hopes you would attempt to rescue him, Cherry Cakes."

"Why would I want to rescue Zanifr?"

"8ecause Zanifr knows a way you can overpower the Octogan. If I were you, Cherry, I wouldn't pass up the knowledge. Granted, it would be easy to tell you myself… 8ut don't you think Majora owes it to you?"

"This sounds a little too suspicious."

"Think what you want, 8ut you're missing the 8ig picture here: the Thirteen Darknesses are in Underworld Prison as well, and eventually Medusa will want you to help rescue them. You might as well get started. Trust me kids, I'm on your side. I wouldn't 8e telling you this if we didn't know exactly what we were doing." :;:: )

"What do you think, Cheren?" Nerehc asked.

The former was silent for a moment. "…Majora's the one who started all this. I think it's only fair he comes to watch the end with us. I say we go to Underworld Prison and speak with him. Him AND the Darknesses."

"You think Grim will even let us?" Panini asked.

"He doesn't have to. I know someone who can help."

Underworld; Castle Hell

The demons allowed Cheren, Nerehc, and Panini to enter the royal palace. In the castle's throne room, they saw Spider Queen Velma Green resting on her ceiling web. The Arachnimorph saw the humans and descended via a web rope. "Cheren… Welcome back. My husband is in our room… he's been under the weather as of late. More than usual, of course, he seems more than dead. Shall I bring you to him?"

"No thanks. We're here to see your son, actually."

"Oh, well Death is in his office. You know the way."

Cheren led his friends to a door designed like a coffin. "This isn't just any office." he explained. "It's a Supreme Leader's office. Death the Kid is the Spirit KND leader. …Panini, you stand in the middle." He moved her to said place. "Nerehc, stay on her left, pose exactly like me, show the Triforce, oh and Panini, better brush your ponytails like this." Cheren fixed her rabbit ears to bend in opposite side directions.

"Why are we doing this?" Nerehc asked.

"He likes it this way. Alright, let's go in."

The office had skull candles lined perfectly parallel on the walls, drawers and paper stacks in symmetrical position, and even the desk items mirrored one-another. The Spirit KND Supreme Leader, Death the Kid, was a black-haired boy with scowling yellow eyes, a black tuxedo and pants, and pale skin. White horizontal lines crossed around the left of his hair. His hands were folded on the desk as he observed the three humans. Panini was the most different, she stood in the center. Cheren and Nerehc mirrored each other. A Triforce mark on Cheren's left hand, one on Nerehc's right. They were…

"No, no, not perfect, not perfect at all!" Kid walked around the desk. "Look at this girl's skirt, it's a MESS, totally asymmetrical!" He indicated Pan's camouflage skirt. "Cheren, your glasses are totally different from this kid, your shirts are opposite, your EYES aren't even the same! I told you 88 times, don't approach me if you aren't going to appear presentable! Look at these candles, I designed these candles so the flames would sway exactly parallel to each other, I print off backwards versions of my paperwork to lay in stacks parallel with my main paperwork, tell me you have not SEEN a more perfect office!"

"Dude, who are you to talk 'perfect', look at those lines in your hair." Nerehc pointed.

"HUU!" Death sat on the floor, hugged his knees, and looked depressed. "You're right! I'm NOT perfect! I'm a disgrace!"

"Nerehc, you hurt his feelings." Cheren said reprovingly.

"He's a nutcase." Panini remarked.

Cheren helped Kid to his feet. He passed the Spirit Leader a smirk, and Kid matched it as they locked same-size hands. "Hi, Kid. Sorry to come in unannounced."

"You're not here to ask me to join Nebula's council, are you?"

"Nah." Cheren chuckled. "Kid, do you have a record on the Underworld Prison inmates?"

"Yes, I've been keeping tabs ever since the incident last year." Kid opened a drawer on his desk and grabbed a file. "Prison escapees are a concern for we operatives as well. Who were you thinking of finding?"

"Majora."

"Yes…" Kid pulled up a paper. "The Masked Demon Majora, whose true name was learned to be Zanifr Mimchi. Showed up at Underworld Prison under mysterious circumstances on January 6."

"That was the day after I talked to him!" Cheren exclaimed. "It's… way too big of a coincidence."

"We're looking for others." Nerehc mentioned. "Do you have names like Madara Uchiha, Sōsuke Aizen, Thanos, Yellow Diamond…" He named the others.

"Yes, we have papers on those names. 'Blackbeard' Teach was freed by Goddess Medusa, there is a man named Baldy Bald in a remedial English class… However, Voldemort was not collected, and Zeref appears to be absent. Why do these names fascinate you?"

"We have a need to break into Underworld Prison." Cheren answered. "Those people down there are the Thirteen Darknesses. They're vital to the prophecy. And as for Majora… We were told he has something that can help us defeat The King."

Kid looked up in shock. "You mean The King of the World Government? He's been taking spirits using his Octogan for the past several months, tarnishing the Spirit World…"

"Well, Majora might know a way to beat him. I don't know if it's true, but we have to go down there and save the other Darknesses, anyway."

"Even so… I cannot simply allow this." Kid set the file in the middle of his desk, perfectly aligned. "As the Reaper's son, I have a duty to the Balance. This business with the Octogan and even my father's actions have done much to disrupt it. Disaster would befall us if a break into Underworld Prison created too much chaos."

"There's enough chaos with the Apocalypse happening around the corner!" Nerehc argued. "If this is our only chance at saving the universe, we have to get in there!"

"I know!" Kid yelled, irritated. "I know that it's important… but my father has grown ill, and if the worst should happen, it's up to me to preserve the Spirit World balance. This sort of thing wouldn't look good on my record."

"You know we're just going to break in there, anyway." Panini inferred. "It would be a million times easier if you help us."

"Yeah, Kid. They'd have to let YOU in." Cheren reasoned.

"Well, yes… but they wouldn't let you in." Kid turned to them. "The second you're discovered, the guards will be after you."

"Then help us sneak in so we can find the Darknesses."

"Sigh… check back with me in a couple days." Kid looked away. "I want to discuss it with my operatives. Just be warned… it will be extremely dangerous."

"Then we oughta bring our own help with us." Cheren nodded.

"The other thing is Ganondorf." Kid continued. "Ganondorf is in Underworld Prison, but he's in a lower level where the Sanzu River flows. He has been completely sapped of his former power. If you intend to fish him out of the river, it will not be easy to dry him off. And frankly, I advise against it."

Nerehc stared at the Triforce mark on his hand. He felt like he knew the solution to reviving Ganondorf… and he wouldn't like it.

Negaverse; Naihcalappa Mountains

Vaati Apparated Annie and Wendy in front of a house within a mountain range. "Ulp…" Wendy clenched her stomach. "Dad, I forgot to mention this… but Apparating makes me sick."

"Heh heh heh! It's not for everyone." Vaati chuckled. "Usually, I prefer flying, but we are late for a meeting." The Minish led Wendy to the house and knocked.

"Dad, I think I recognize this place. It was from a dream."

"You know what they say about dreams and reality." As he spoke, the person to answer the door was a girl with blue eyes who looked like Wendy's twin.

Both girls gasped. "Wendy!" the twin exclaimed.

"Do I… know you?"

"I'm Ydnew! We met back in Christmas, remember?!"

"EDNEW?!" Wendy gasped. "I-I thought you were a dream!"

"Ydnew here is your Negative." Vaati explained. "She is connected to you as your 'other half.' Everyone in our universe has an opposite. Her father and I staged the two of you meeting."

"I see you've finally made it." Itaav came to the door. He smiled at his Positive's daughter. "Hello, Wendy! Nice to see you again."

"You were real all along!" Wendy grabbed Ydnew in a hug. "I'm so happy, you were REALLY watching after me all this time!"

"I'M real, too!" They looked up at a red blob with a face hanging from the ceiling above the door.

"AIE!" Wendy jumped back. "What is that?!"

"Wendy, this is Yeoj." Ydnew sighed in aggravation. "He's our pet… somewhat. Super useful, but super annoying."

Yeoj turned into a slinky with muscular arms of a superhero. "And also toying."

"MY TURN TO PLAY!" Nil Gnofieb snatched the toy.

"Nil, I told you it's a person!" Niyus grabbed and tugged on it.

"Heh heh! We really have a lot in common." Wendy laughed. The two reminded her of her own sidekicks.

"Red Eye, everyone is waiting downstairs." Itaav said.

"Right. Come, Wendy, we can't keep them waiting." The group entered the house as Itaav led them all down a basement.

"Who are we meeting?" Wendy asked.

"Before I came, your father asked me to gather the White Lotus members and bring them down here." Annie explained. "Of course, Vaati didn't plan to start this meeting without you. I'm glad you can finally be part of it, Wendy."

"I am, too. I just wish Carla and Dr. Facilier could come…"

"You'll have time to fill them in afterward." Vaati replied, frowning at the mention of her.

The basement was a wide, round room consisting of a table with a big, black-and-white lotus symbol. The respective members were on opposite sides. "Wendy, meet the Black Lotus." Itaav introduced. "Raseac Atnalamid the Plant Master, Hpot Gnofieb the Shadow Master, Atteirneh the Poison Master (our newest member filling in for her late mother), Imorih Atoihs the Earth Master, Yevrah Reilicaf the Spiritual Master, and my wife, Einna." There was a stern, sunglasses-wearing woman that looked like Annie.

"Is that Dr. Facilier's Negative?" Wendy noticed. "He looks-"

"Very religious, compared to his Positive."

"At least I ain't one of the crazy ones!" Yevrah shouted.

"Now meet the White Lotus." Vaati proceeded. "The Sword Master, Rachel Uno, Shadow Master Danika York, Psychic Master Mikaela Chariton, Fire Master Fanny Drilovsky, Earth Master Angie McKenzie, Poison Master Matt Dimalanta, and Water Master Eva Jackson."

"Where's Dr. Facilier?" Eva asked. "I wanted him to tell me what was up with the late-night call."

"He's tending to other business. Wendy, these people are the parents of Kids Next Door operatives, and former operatives themselves. Rather exemplary ones at that."

"So, you're the blue-haired girl Cheren mentioned before." Rachel recognized.

"You're Cheren's mother?" Wendy asked. "It's nice to meet you!"

"Okay, let's get this meeting underway." Itaav said hastily. The two leaders took seats beside each other with their daughters on their other side. Both pairs mirrored each other.