EPISODE 7 – The Search Begins
The late afternoon sun cast a warm orange hue over the broken streets as Hiroshi led Tall Boy through the quieter, more forgotten part of town. The neighborhood was full of silence, no children, no traffic, only the rustle of wind through skeletal trees and the crunch of debris underfoot, it wasn't a place you stumbled into; you had to know where you were going.
Eventually, they reached a small, worn down house tucked at the edge of the street, the windows were grimy, the wood cracked and splintering, vines crept up the sides like the house was being swallowed whole, the front door hung slightly off its hinge, and the yard looked like no one had cared for it in years.
Tall Boy gave the place a slow once over, "So this is where you live , huh?",
Hiroshi pushed the rusty gate open, ignoring the loud screech it mad, "Used to be my grandfather's house",
They stepped inside. The interior was just as aged as the outside—old, dusty, and filled with shadows of a time long gone. A few things remained: a crooked photo frame on a side table, a dusty cushion on the couch, and a coat rack that had long since given up its purpose.
Tall Boy looked around curiously. "Kinda spooky, but I like it, got a vibe",
Hiroshi gave a small smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. He placed his bag down and turned to face Tall Boy, "Hey… I meant to ask",
Tall Boy glanced over at him
"If you had enough money to pay the Seer", Hiroshi said slowly, "why do you live in an abandoned house?",
There was a brief pause and Tall Boy didn't answer right away, His smirk faded just slightly, and for a flicker of a second, there was something else behind his expression, something tired,
"I just do" he said, brushing past the question, "I don't feel like talking about it",
Hiroshi studied him, sensing there was a deeper story there, something painful, but he didn't push it, "Alright" he said, "I get it",
Tall Boy nodded as if silently thanking him for letting it go, then Hiroshi changed the subject,
"We need a team",he said to him, "If we're gonna beat The Magician to the shards, we can't do this on our own",
Tall Boy leaned against the wall, arms crossed, "You got anyone in mind?",
"I don't" Hiroshi admitted, "I've always been… a lone wolf, I guess",
Tall Boy chuckled, "Same",
There was a beat before Tall Boy added, "Actually… I've seen a two people, we're not friends, not even people I've spoken to, but I've seen them use powers, strange ones",
Hiroshi arched an eyebrow, "So I'm not the only one you spy on, huh? Why am I not surprised",
Tall Boy grinned, "Observation actually not spying and you're the only one I've actually bothered to talk to",
Hiroshi smirked a little, "Right", he then added, "So.....hou think they'll help us?" Hiroshi asked,
"Depends, but I've got an idea",
"Let me guess, we offer them something?",
"Exactly", Tall Boy said as his eyes were glinting, "The Seer told us the Orbuculum grants any desire right? So why not offer that? Let each person put their wish on the line and make them invested in helping us",
Hiroshi frowned, "That's dangerous, what if one of them wishes for something dark? Or destructive?",
"Then we make a rule", Tall Boy said coolly, "Anyone with bad intentions has to walk, we explain the stakes, lay out the risks, but let them decide",
Hiroshi paced a little, thinking it over, it wasn't ideal but they needed help and anyone joining them deserved something to fight for, maybe it was fair,
"Alright", Hiroshi finally said, "We do it your way, but if any of them show signs of being a threat, they're out, no second chances",
Tall Boy raised his hand like he was swearing an oath, "Fair enough, and if you ever think I'm hiding something or going rogue you can kick me out too, I won't argue"
Hiroshi nodded, "Good, your words not mine....now these two people you've seen, where exactly are they?",
"Other side of town" Tall Boy replied "They seem to have a proper place they stay, I guess",
Hiroshi grabbed his bag again, already heading for the door, "Then what are we waiting for?",
Tall Boy smirked and followed him, "Let's go and recruit them",
And with that, the first step in building their team began, an uneasy alliance bound by hope, risk, and the promise of one wish that could change everything.
In the other part of town, where the buildings were older and the streetlights flickered like dying fireflies, a dark alley stretched deep like a jagged scar in the city's skin, two figures made their way through it, walking calmly as if it were just another sidewalk on a sunny afternoon.
The first girl walked with her hands in the pockets of her baggy jeans, her black hair was short and rough, styled into two stubby pigtails that bounced slightly with each step, she wore a loose green and white striped shirt, its sleeves rolled up to her elbows, dark permanent stress marks clung under her sharp, narrow eyes like the shadow of endless nights without sleep,her signature look. Her lean frame moved with a quiet confidence, tomboyish, almost androgynous in presence, and she had a low-key swagger in every step,
Beside her was a girl who looked like her complete opposite, slightly curvier with soft skin and long flowing pink hair that shimmered under the faint glow of the alley lights, she wore a cute cropped blouse and snug jean shorts, where her companion looked like she hadn't rested in weeks, this girl looked like she stepped out of a dream, she was the kind of pretty that turned heads, the kind that drew trouble, but soon trouble came.
From the shadows, a gang of thugs emerged, laughing lowly, their boots stomping against the cracked concrete, they encircled the two girls like a pack of wolves, one stepped forward a burly man with a scar that slashed across his face and tattoos crawling over his arms and up his neck, he reeked of arrogance and cheap liquor, his smirk dripping with threat,
"Well, well, well", he said, eyes locked on the pink haired girl, "Hey sweetheart, what you doin' in a place like this? Don't you know it's dangerous?"
She stepped back, slightly hiding behind her companion, her expression trembling, her voice didn't come out, the scarred man chuckled darkly, clearly liking the power dynamic,
But the tomboy girl frowned, stepping forward like a wall of attitude and resolve, her voice was low and cutting
"Listen, fella, I'm gonna give you three seconds to move… out… the way",
He blinked, then laughed loud shaking his head, "Who the hell are you supposed to be, her boyfriend?" he spat on the ground, "This is my turf, girl, I do what I want, don't mess with me",
She walked up closer, getting chest to chest with him, "Wanna dance, baby boy? I got rhythm and it's killer",
The rest of his gang chimed in, amused by the sight of a skinny girl throwing tough words,
"You think I'm scared of you?" he said, grinning, "You just acting tough, I'm gonna teach you what happens when you bark too loud",
He clenched his fist,
She rolled her shoulders and cracked her knuckles, "Been a while since I threw a few punches, guess you'll do",
'"Oh yeah? Go ahead, punch me, let's see what that skinny arm of yours can do, probably soft like a—",
PUNCH!
Her fist collided with his jaw before he could finish, blood and few teeth spilled from his mouth as his body twisted and stumbled backwards, his feet skidded across the dirty alley floor, silence fell, the other gang members froze, eyes widened, he wasn't just hurt, he was rocked,
"You little bitch, GET THEM!" he roared, wiping blood from his lips,
The gang surged forward.
The two girls looked at each other and nodded, time to throw down,
The tomboy was a blur, she jumped into the air, twisting into a flying kick that hit one thug square in the chest, before he hit the ground, she spun and delivered a fierce elbow to another, then flipped back and landed in a crouch, her movements were sharp, calculated, she fought like someone who'd been scrapping all her life, no hesitation and no wasted motion,
Meanwhile from above, two shadowed figures watched from the rooftop,
Hiroshi and Tall Boy stood side by side, peering down with narrowed eyes, the wind ruffled their clothes as the fight below played out like a street opera.
"She's good", Hiroshi muttered, "Really good, might even be better than you",
Tall Boy crossed his long, veiny arms and chuckled, "I don't know about that, but yeah, she's got something",
Hiroshi's eyes narrowed as he watched the tomboy girl dodge an incoming punch from the gang leader, that's when it happened,
Her eyes began to glow, deep haunting violet,
She stepped back, raised her hand to the sky, and pointed at the thug,
"LET ME SHOW YOU...MY WORLD",
Instantly, the gang leader's eyes glowed to match. His body stiffened, and then,
He was gone.
To everyone else, he was still standing in the alley, but in his mind, he was somewhere else,
He opened his eyes and found himself in a pitch black room, no light, no sound, just the sound of his own breath,
Until she appeared.
The tomboy girl, her face calm and cruel, stood in front of him like a ghost,
"Where am I?!" he yelled,
"My world", she said simply, "And here… I'm in charge",
He backed up, "What the hell are you talking about?! Let me outta here!",
She smiled, "I know your deepest fear",
From the walls, snakes slithered out by the dozens, tongues flicking, eyes glowing, they coiled, hissed, swarmed toward him, his screams tore through the darkness,
"AHHHHHHH! NO, PLEASE! I HATE SNAKES!!",
Back in the alley, he was rolling on the ground, clawing at his own body, crying and screaming, fighting invisible enemies,
Hiroshi tilted his head, "What the…? Is he rolling around… screaming?"
"He's seeing things we can't", Tall Boy said, "Cool right?",
"Interesting", Hiroshi replied, impressed, "Very useful skill",
Then his eyes shifted to the pink haired girl, she had tripped and fallen, backing away from a thug approaching her like a predator, she whimpered, "Please… don't…"
The thug leaned in, grinning, "Relax, baby, I just wanna have a little fun",
"This one she seems....useless, we might need ", Hiroshi muttered,
Tall Boy smirked and faced him, "Don't come to conclusions too fast… Just wait",
The girl sighed, then frowned,
"You leave me no choice", she said quietly, "The other me won't go easy on you",
The thug paused, "What?"
She raised her hand to her face and slowly, eerily peeled it off like a mask,
But there was no blood, no horror, just… another face underneath,
Her other face, it looked like her, but with wide, psychotic eyes and a twisted smile that stretched too wide, ger body language shifted in an instant calm to chaos,
"WHY SO SCARED, PRETTY BOY?!", she screeched with manic glee, "COME AT ME!",
The thug turned to run but too late,
She launched off the ground like a bullet and punched him so hard he flipped through the air and crashed into a wall,
Hiroshi's jaw dropped, "What the hell?", he exclaimed,
"She is skillful too", Tall Boy said to him,
The pink haired girl, now grinning like a maniac twirled and kicked another thug into a dumpster, her movements were wild, unpredictable, like watching a rabid dancer in a fight ring, but it worked and it was terrifying,
Back in the illusion, the tomboy watched the gang leader scream as snakes crawled over his body,
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!! PLEASE STOP!!", he begged,
She gave a small laugh, "You've learned your lesson",
Her eyes dimmed, and the illusion shattered.
He collapsed in the alley, gasping for breath, staring around like he had just survived a living nightmare,
"I...'ll never bother anyone again!!", he cried and stumbled to his feet, he waved at the others, "RUN!",
The gang bloodied and broken, took off like scared rats,
The pink haired girl calmly raised her hand and her original face, innocent and sweet reappeared, she gently pressed it onto her head, and it stuck like it had never left,
She walked beside the tomboy, who crossed her arms with a smirk,
They high fived like it was just another day,
From above, Hiroshi's expression softened,
"I think they would"he said
Tall Boy smirked, "I knew you would"
In the darknes of the alley below, two powerful girls had just proven they were anything but ordinary.
The alley had quieted down, the gang had long vanished, leaving behind the soft echoes of footsteps and the scent of sweat, fear, and victory, the two girls stood side by side, brushing off dust and casually stretching like the whole thing had been just a warm up,
Just as they turned to leave, two figures stepped from the shadows, Tall Boy and Hiroshi,
The tomboyish girl eyes narrowed, "Great!! More creepos", She pulled her baggy sleeves down and eyed them suspiciously,
"Relax" , Tall Boy said, smiling faintly, "we're actually here to make a proposal",
She tilted her head, "A proposal? What do you mean?",
"You two are impressive", Hiroshi started, "The way you handled yourselves, it's not just physical strength, you both have powers, real powers, we're gathering a team to find something important, dangerous and magical",
Tall Boy stepped forward with his arms crossed, "There's something in it for both of you. Something... you want",
She folded her arms, "What are you even talking about?" Her voice laced with disbelief,
Meanwhile, the other girl couldn't stop staring at Tall Boy's absurd height, she tiptoed up, wide eyed, and said, "Wowwww, you're so tall!", She almost reached to touch his face until Chimera swatted her hand away,
"Don't touch him Geez!!!"
Tall Boy chuckled, but got straight to the point, He explained everything, The Orbuculum, The ancient wizard, and the scattered shards, the power to grant desires but also destroy everything if it fell into the wrong hands,
The tomboyish girl raised a brow and laughed bitterly, "Dude just stop, The Orbuculum? That thing's probably some urban legend, I'm not into bedtime fairy tales", She grabbed the pink haired girl by the arm, "Let's go."
But before they could leave, Hiroshi stepped forward quickly and shouted, "Wait!", He reached into the wooden box he always carried with him and opened it,
The glowing shard pulsed with mysterious energy, they both both froze,
"It's not fake", Hiroshi said firmly, the shards are real, they're scattered across the world, and we need to find them before others do, you won't be doing this for free, if we find them all and recreate The Orbuculum, you'll each get a wish, whatever you desire",
They stared, expression unreadable,
The pink haired girl glanced at her with a pleading face, "Let's do it... It's a once in a lifetime chance to finally get what we always dreamed about",
Chimera sighed, "Ugh....Give me a break....don't know, what if it's all a trick?"
But the pink haired girl pouted, eyes big and begging, "Pleeeease....lets just try and see?" she whispered,
The tomboyish girl looked away, wrestling with her inner thoughts, but deep down, there was something she wanted too, something magic alone could deliver,
Eventually, she turned back toward Hiroshi and Tall Boy, "Fine, we'll help, but once it's done, we get our desires granted, no funny business",
Tall Boy smirked, "Its a deal",
The pink haired girl squealed and clapped, "Yay! We're all friends now!",
"We are not friends",
"Fine by me", Tall Boy replied with a shrug,
Hiroshi gave a small smile, but it disappered as quickly as it came, "Then it's agreed, now that you've joined us, what should we call you?",
"Just call me Chimera, that's all you need to know for now", the tomboyished girl said with a sly attitude,
The pink haired girl threw up a peace sign, "Im Mae Ryomen...reporting for duty!",
Hiroshi nodded, "I'm Hiroshi Hiroto....also know as Hypno Boy",
"And I'm Tall Boy", he added, stretching his arms lazily.
Later that evening…
Hiroshi brought the two girls back to his grandfather's house,
"Whoa!!!", Mae gasped, "This place is so cool!",
Chimera raised a brow, "Wow, what a great place", she said flatly,
Tall Boy narrowed his eyes, "Are you being sarcastic?",
"Well Duhhhh!!!", Chimera replied while flopping down on the couch,
"At least it's better than the street we stayed on", Mae added, brushing her pink hair behind her ear,
Hiroshi walked over to the table and set down three glowing compasses, they each had intricate carvings and orb like centers that flickered softly,,
Chimera peered at them, "What the hell are those?",
"They'll help us find the shards", Hiroshi said, "but Ive calculated...we still need two more members to complete the team",
"Anyone come to mind?", Tall Boy asked.
Chimera scratched the back of her head, then nodded, "Yeah... I know someone, He's weird but strong, but I'm not sure he will be easy to convince, though",
"Where is he?", Hiroshi asked,
"I know where he is, I'll lead you there, but you'll have to convince him yourself", she said,
"I'll give it everything I've got", Hiroshi said confidently.
There was a moment of silence, the soft hum of wind sneaking through the cracks in the window,
Then Mae asked curiously, "Hiroshi-kun... what about you? Do you have a desire? Something you'd wish for?",
Hiroshi walked to the window and opened it, the sky outside was grey, heavy with clouds, a breeze blew in, rustling his bowl cut,
He stared out into the distance, voice calm but resolved, "No.....after everyone's wish is granted, I'm going to destroy the Orbuculum",
The room fell quiet,
Chimera frowned, "Why do you want to destroy it?", she said to him crossing her arms, "Is it because it can affect humanity? Or because you think you can change the world or something? The world's already rotten Me and Mae know that firsthand",
Hiroshi turned slightly, the wind brushing past him,
"I know the world is full of bad people", he said softly, "But I also believe there are good ones, innocent ones and yes, they're rare... but they still matter and I'm willing to fight to protect them",
The room fell silent.
In that quiet, something unspoken passed between them, a moment of understanding, a bond forming though it's not friendship yet, but something stronger than coincidence.
Mae smiled warmly and Chimera looked away rolling her eyes,
Silence lingered like fog.
No one questioned him again and it was settled, tomorrow, they would go after the next potential member....