User blog:SleepyDragonSushi/Shadows of Summer: Part 4

"To seek out and defeat your 'Shadow' is to conquer the very fears and emotions that have grown inside you to the point of helpless desperation. Best your 'Shadow' and you have truly found yourself. Defeated your inner demons. Accepted the fate given to you..."

???: Hmm... Let's do this one last time, blue orb. Get me the best warriors that you can find!

The blue orb radiated light, though much fainter than the previous times. Despite this, within the orb, various pictures of worlds and their respective denizens were shown.

Earth, somewhere inside a hideout

???: According to the timelines, you both have time to attend your Omnidroid's construction, as well as spend time unearthing the so-called 'Midnight Channel'.

???: Good to hear! You may go on break now, Mirage.

A slim-figured woman in a business-style clothing nodded, then took a detour into another hallway. A man with a plump head in a black and white superhero costume trudged down the hall to a dark room with a massive monitor placed up front. Several screens all displayed the manufacturing of an ball-shaped mecha, the Omnidroid.

???: This is nice... real nice. Soon, I will have Mr. Incredible's head!

Syndrome began laughing maniacally, the shrill sound bouncing off the walls, filling the room with the evil audio.

Syndrome: Now that I know that the Omnidroid is near completion, let's check this 'Midnight Channel' out.

Pressing some buttons on some panels, Syndrome was blasted in the face with the sounds of fuzzy static coming out from several monitors. He lowered the volume before lookng up to it.

Syndrome: Now... show me the future...!

The static shifted to the image of a pale-blue skinned man in a heavy suit of armour. A smirk stained Syndrome's lips, delighted by the newfound discovery.

Syndrome: He looks like a man of fortune! A powerful soldier of fortune! Show me more!

By request, the monitors' luminosity increased by tenfold, blinding the superhero. When the light shut off, Syndrome was gone.

Ninja Dojo

???: No. I don't want you starting another scrap with those gangs ever again, it's too dangerous to do it alone. Do you understand, Hikage?

A green-haired young woman with several ninja weapons growled, but the "I'm not in the mood for this face' from her fellow ally, Haruka, convinced her not to prod the bear.

Haruka: I'm sorry about the loss of Hinata, but you must keep a calm head. That's what we ninja do. And we always will.

Hikage: Yes, Haruka-senpai.

Haruka: (sigh)... Good. Now, I got an assignment from one of the sensei. He wants us to investigate this 'Midnight Channel'. An event that apparently shows watcher a person that they'll meet in the future.

Hikage: What time do we go?

Haruka: Well, it is 11:59 PM right now. So we should head to my room now.

Following Haruka, Hikage entered the ninja's room and stepped to the center. A TV lay dormant to her right, but was activated by Haruka. Grey static flashed across the screen; Hikage leaned in closer out of curiosity.

Haruka: Careful, Hikage-kun.

Hikage: I know.

The static divided in two, displaying the image of a Chinese woman in an oriental-style dress. Hikage raised an eyebrow and poked her face closer. When her noise touched the glass, the TV disappeared and Hikage vanished out of thin-air. Haruka was in shock, but unsure of what to do.

Futuristic City

???: Hey, it's Noire!

???: Hello, ma'am!

???: Hii!

A gothic girl traversed through a shopping district, waving at those waving at her. Many eyed the Goddess of Ideal, out of awe or distaste. At the same time, a petite girl in more lively and peppy clothing and carrying a red bag on her bag stumbled upon the shopping district, a silvery smile on her face and a shining wink in her eyes. Even if it was nighttime, Lola just couldn't resist the urge to search for information and to barter trades.

???: Nyoho!

To her left, a merchant in a booth waved at the tiny trader, prompting her to forward.

Merchant: Hello there, miss! I see some wares in your bag behind you. Mind trading?

Lola: Sure thing, mister!

She unslung her bag and slammed it onto the booth, it's light appearance contradicted by the encumbering weight of the items found inside.

Noire: Hey, mister. Have anything for sale?

Merchant: Sure! Little miss, if you would bring out the things that you want to exchange while I attend to Noire?

Lola: Sure thing!

Out of the bag, various weapons, potions and scrolls spilled out and stacked high atop the table, making Noire drop her jaw to the ground.

Noire: All of that!? In that bag?!

Lola: Mhm.

With Noire's attention placed entirely on the trade stack, Lola sneakily hopped inside the booth and started stealing valuables. When she emerged out of the booth, the merchant had brought out even more shiny and precious items out for Noire to take a gander. Lola peered to her stash, tucking away her most recent findings.

Merchant: Tell me, girls... have you ever heard of the 'Midnight Channel'?

Lola and Noire: The what?

The merchant headed to the back of the booth and returned with a TV in his hands. He set it down next to the arsenal's worth of weapons and flicked the power switch on; static buzzed about as a result and rainclouds formed in the night sky, pattering down on the district with it's aforementioned liquid. Fortunately, the plastic flap hanging in front of the booth prevented rain from dousing either girl.

Lola: What does it do, mister?

Merchant: From what I've heard, this channel can show you someone from the future! I didn't personally believe it, so why don't you two take a peek?

Lola and Noire both glanced to each other, mistrustful of the merchant's words. They leaned in and took a look. The static was sliced in half by a black line down the middle and bore two images on both sides of the line: one a young man with a mask with a white streak on the front of his black hair, the other a white-haired man with a red cloak and a large sword.

Merchant: Well? What'd you see?

The girls opened their mouths to speak, but when lighting struck too close to the booth and scared the merchant, they both disappeared along with the light of the electrical bolt; the TV now powered down.

Colony 9

Rain and thunder filtered the ground with water and stained the sky respectively. Many of Colony 9's inhabitants took shelter in their homes, including Reyn and his friends, who sat in front of the window and stared to the dark outside.

Reyn: Man. Why is it always raining these days?

Shulk: I dunno mate. Why don't ya ask Motha Nature?

Fiora: Even from you, that sounds stupid.

Shulk: What?

Reyn: Uh, guys? What's that?

Turning around, Shulk and Fiora found a grey portal glowing before them.

Shulk: The heck's that?

Fiora: Could be that 'Midnight Rift' that Dunban keeps bugging us about.

Reyn: Well, we don't we take a peek?

The three got off their chairs and roamed towards the portal. Reyn, being the bold man he was, hunched closer.

Fiora: Careful, Reyn.

Reyn: Don't worry about it!

The portal pulsated, showing Reyn the image of redheaded woman in steel armour.

Reyn: Ooh! She's pretty!

Shulk: Who's pretty, mate?

Reyn: Her!

He pointed to the portal and shulk stepped closer. But the image had faded, leaving Reyn in a letdown.

Reyn: Aw... She disappeared.

Fiora: Who's sh-

The portal flashed a bright light, blinding everyone looking in it's direction. When Fiora and Shulk un-averetd their eyes, Reyn was gone.

Shulk: Huh?

Nighttime, rooftops

Below the Moon, Seth is seen, hopping from rooftop to rooftop with utmost haste. His masked face obscuring any onlooker's view of the assassin.

Seth: ('Midnight Rift'... it sounds... untrustworthy. I better go investigate it before anyone else does.)

He leapt off a roodtop, tucked into a ball and rolled down onto the street, before recovering and dashing away. As he ran, a gleam to his right caught his eye; he stopped himself and looked in that direction. A grey portal hung in the air, undulating and waving back and forth like the waves on a beach.

Seth: Could that be... the 'Midnight Rift'?

He cautiously approached the portal, unsheathing his knives as he drew near.

Seth: Where does it lead to?

As it's response, the portal's static washed away and displayed the image of a young girl with a red bag.

Seth: Who is she?

The image didn't last long, fading away and leaving Seth in suspense. He glacned back to see if anyone was looking; no one was, encouraging the assassin's next decision.

Seth: Well, if no one else is here... I might as well...

He stopped himself and stepped through the portal, where...

Seth: Hm? What is this?

Emerging out of the portal, a cloudy, yet sunny day over a colourful city awaited Seth. He scouted around, intrigued by his new surroudings.

Seth: So this is where it leads to...

???: Alright, everybody!

Seth glanced up and saw a lumbering building standing tall above all the rest. From what he could see, clouds gathered at the peak and thunder roared within. He opened his mouth to speak when another, unfamiliar voice called out.

??? (rageful male voice): Where the hell am I?!

??? (calm male voice): Who are you?

??? (female voice): What is this place?

??? (robotic voice): Constant yelling will put quite the strain on your asophagus.

??? (ignorant male voice): No one cares!

Seth and many others were exceedingly confused by the unknown voices and the unknown environment that now enclosed them in from all sides.

??? (male teen voice): Seriously though, where are we?

??? (brash male voice): Where's the Master Emerald?

??? (male teen voice): The what?

??? (brash male voice): Master Emerald, powerful gem? Hello?

??? (stoic male voice): What are you even talking about?

??? (greedy female voice): Wait, a gem?! Where is it! It's MINE.

???: Will all of you shut up?!

Seth: Who's talking?

???: Ugh... you know what?

??? (rageful male voice): What?

???: Meteor.

??? (calm male voice): Meteor?

???: Meteor.

Without warning, disasters of all kinds rained down on the city, ranging from lighting-storms, hurricanes to, yes, meteors. Those trapped inside the 'TV World' made haste and found shelter where ever they could. For what seemed like hours, Seth hid within a nearby store, silently watching the attacks unfold.

Seth: I'm in a nightmare...

Then, all of the damage caused by the disasters suddenly disappeared, the disasters included. Seth, with a raised eyebrow, made his way out of the store and looked around; the city was as clean as when he first entered.

???: Now, will all of you listen?

Silence. No one dared to speak.

???: Good. All of you are to be trapped here.

??? (male teen voice): What?!

???: Not forever, obviously. I've assigned each of you to a partner. Find them, cooperate and beat the other teams, then do your best to win my tournament!

??? (rageful male voice): A fighting tournament? Count me in!

???: Excellent!

Seth unsheathed his knives and took off in a direction; Vegeta equipped a set of battle-armour, teleported to him by the tournament's host; Josuke's Crazy Diamond emerged from behind him and Darth Maul activated his dual-lightsaber staff.

???: LET THE P-2 GRAND PRIX BEGIN!!!