Based on "Mary Shelley's Frankenstein". This is a crossover story about a witch with three daughters, a scientist and a sorceress madly in love with each other, and four "monsters". Grievous, Discord, Aku, and Garazeb are featured in the story.
Based on “Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein”. When an aspiring scientist and his sorceress lover create four strange beings, they reject them and send a mother and her three daughters with magical abilities to hunt them down. However, Eliza and the girls are in for more than mystery and justice when they find themselves intrigued by the fugitive “monsters”.
Featuring in this story are the talents of Discord, General Grievous (Star Wars: The Clone Wars), Aku (Samurai Jack), and Garazeb Orrelios (Star Wars Rebels)
Somewhere on the turbulent Arctic Sea, a ship had become marooned amidst a sheet of ice that had frozen for miles around the stuck vessel. Captain Dayton’s crew was working endlessly to chop up the ice and free the ship.
Dayton shouted to the men, “Put your backs into it, men! Let’s go!”
His first mate came up to him and said, “Captain, this is useless. The ice stretches for miles.”
“What do you suggest we do? Lay down and die?”
“The men are exhausted, sir. They can’t go on, man.”
“I tell you, I have not come this far to give up now. They knew the risk when they signed on. And we’re gonna chop our way to the North Pole if we have to.”
“Then you run the risk of mutiny, Captain.”
Dayton stopped in his tracks and turned to his first mate, “Did you say ‘mutiny’?”
“Yes, I did, sir.”
The captain’s eyes slit as he enunciated, “We proceed north…as…planned.”
“At the cost of how many more lives?”
“As many as it takes!”
The first mate’s eyes then widened and he pointed to behind Dayton as he said in alarm, “There’s something out there.”
The captain turned around to see a strange figure emerging from the fog. The crew noticed this as well and rushed to the captain’s side. Some even aimed their guns at the silhouette. To their surprise, the figure lifted the hood of the parka and revealed her weary face. The men were surprised to discover that the traveler was a woman, especially one so far from the mainland.
One crewmember whispered, “Is she a siren?”
Another hissed at him, “You ninny! Sirens don’t wear coats!”
A third asked, “Could she be a demon?”
A fourth panicked in a hushed tone, “It’s the devil come for the captain!”
A fifth said, “She has red hair! She must be the devil!”
The woman then asked, “Who is your captain?”
Dayton replied, “I am. Who the devil are you?”
“I am Eliza Geneve of Lavenza.”
Some of the crewmembers now wore surprised expressions because they knew who she was.
A crewmember chastised his gun-toting colleague as he pushed down the latter’s rifle, “Put that down, man! Do you not know who she is?!”
Dayton explained to the two, “I know fully well who she is. The question is…why has she come all the way here to the Arctic Sea?”
Eliza began, “I was whisked to the North Pole by –“ Before she could say anything else, she gave a groan and fell to the ice.
The crew huddled around her in concern and lifted her up. Dayton ordered, “Bring her to my cabin. I would like to speak to her alone.”
Soon after Eliza was put on the couch in Dayton’s quarters, she was left alone with the captain. She explained, “I’m afraid I don’t have much time left. When my family finds me, I might not be able to greet them. I’ll tell you everything so you can recognize them if they come your way.”
Dayton said, “Madam, we are on a very important expedition here. We are heading to the North Pole to search for the legendary Frost Flowers. I have spent six years planning this. My entire fortune. I will not let you or any members of your family impede me.”
Eliza gave a wry chuckle, “Funny. You remind me of two people I knew. One of them is the reason I got this.” She unzipped her parka and pulled down her shirt to reveal white bandages wrapped around her chest and shoulders.
The captain’s eyes were wide with surprise as he breathed, “What happened to you?”
“You might say it’s a long story. One that goes way back to when I first met my husband…”
Lavenza 1836
Elizabeth and her sister were taking a walk in the woods near their manor in Lavenza when suddenly, a mysterious streak of light descended from the sky.
Katherine, the older of the sisters, asked in concern, “Eliza, what’s that?”
Eliza replied in uncertainty, “It could be a meteorite.”
Just then, the ball of light crashed into a nearby hill and created a strong gust of wind that blew briefly through the trees.
Katie asked, “Do meteorites do that?”
Eliza said, “I don’t know.”
Using super-speed, the sisters ran to the hill. To their shock, they found a silvery vessel of some sort.
Eliza asked, “What do you suppose it is?”
Katie said as she inspected it, “It looks like a carriage, only kind of egg-shaped and…without wheels.”
“Or they might’ve flown off when the vessel was falling from the sky.”
When Eliza touched the foggy viewport, it hissed open, causing both sisters to yelp. When the smoke cleared, the girls were shocked to see a man with sea green skin and light periwinkle hair inside. Even though he was unconscious in his seat, the very strangeness of him frightened the girls.
Katie breathed, “It looks like a foreigner…from somewhere really far away or…” She looked up at the cloudy sky as she continued, “…from outer space.”
Eliza said, “Even so, we should take him with us to make sure he’s all right.”
Just as Eliza was about to lift him, her sister grabbed her shoulder and said, “Wait, Eliza! We don’t even know whether it’s safe to carry him or not. For all we know, he could be harboring some dangerous disease or something. Do we want to risk taking him back to the house in case he could be a hazard?”
Eliza contemplated the situation for a while, feeling torn between helping the strange man and listening to her sister. Suddenly, the man stirred and groaned. He opened his eyes a little bit as he tried to reach out to the sisters and weakly pleaded, “Help me…Please…You must…”
To the sisters’ shock, his body flickered like a flame before returning to its normal state. Eliza turned to her sister and asked, “Do you think he’s a changeling?”
Katie responded, “I don’t know, but the way he flickered like that…”
The man faintly said as he fingered his right knee, “My gem…I think it’s…cracked…You have to…help me…fix it…” His hand then slid over to reveal a white gem on his right knee. The sisters could see that it had a small crack in the middle.
Eliza said, “That’s it. We’re taking him back to the house.”
Katie sighed, “There’s no way to convince you otherwise.”
The girls used their telekinesis to raise the man from the cockpit and were about to carry him back to the house until Eliza said, “Wait. What about the vessel?”
The man groaned, “Leave it…I don’t…need it anymore…”
Katie said to her sister, “If that’s what he wants.”
In a second, the girls flew from the hill at super-speed.
A maid was putting wet clothes on the clothesline when she felt a rush of air behind her back. She turned around to see the sisters descending onto the gravel road that circled in front of the Geneve manor. The maid assumed that they had flown back at super-speed, hence the rush of air.
She turned to the girls and said, “How was your walk, my ladies?” She gave a yelp as soon as she saw the green man they were carrying. She then asked in a frightened tone, “What are you carrying?!”
Eliza explained, “We need to get him inside. He’s injured.”
When he flickered again, the maid gave another yelp and cried, “He is a demon!”
The man groaned, “What’s…a demon?”
Eliza gestured to the stranger and said, “Evidence enough?”
Katie said, “Get Nurse Beaufort and bring her to the foyer with her healing remedies.”
The maid nodded, “Yes, milady.”
Soon after they put the strange man on the couch, Nurse Beaufort was brought into the foyer. By that time, the stone on the man’s right knee had split some more as the crack grew larger.
The nurse inspected him and said, “Hmm. It seems that he is not of this world. I’ve never known anyone with stones on their knees. Come to think of it, I’ve never met anyone with green skin before.”
Eliza asked, “Can you help him?”
The man whispered, “My…gem…Fix my gem…”
Katie said, “I think he means the stone on his knee.”
Eliza said, “He must want you to heal it as you would a regular wound.”
Nurse Beaufort said, “Well, I won’t guarantee anything, but I’ll do my best.” She then chuckled, “Heh. I’ve never even tried to fix a gem before. But…here goes nothing.”
She rubbed a salve between her hands and applied the solution onto the white stone as she chanted in Wiccan language. Fortunately, the crack in the gem disappeared within mere moments. As if he hadn’t been weak and frail moments before, the man sat upright in good health.
He smiled, “Thank you. Thank you so much. No one has been that kind to me except the fusion who helped me escape.”
Eliza asked in confusion, “Fusion?”
“Well, yeah. Her name is Garnet and she helped me escape Homeworld. I’m not like other Alabasters, you know.”
Katie asked, “So, wait. There are more of you?”
His smile faded as he said, “Yep, but I’m not like them. They have gleaming white skin and they’re ruggishly handsome. Or so I’ve been told. I’m a freak compared to them.”
Eliza said, “How do you know that? You’re special in your own way. So why did you escape Homeworld in the first place?”
“The Diamonds said that I was a mistake. They were about to break my gem until the Crystal Gems saved me. Garnet helped me to a small spaceship and told me to head for Earth. But given my bad eyesight, I might’ve accidentally flipped some controls I shouldn’t have. The next thing I knew, I was careening towards the ground and crash-landed very hard. I cracked my gem against the dashboard and lied there barely conscious until you guys came and saved me.”
Eliza asked, “What about your ship? Do we need to grab it, too?”
Alabaster scoffed, “I doubt I’m going to be using it anytime soon. I’m safe here with the rebels. You are rebels, right?”
There was silence until Nurse Beaufort pointed, “Sir, we are not in a war at the moment, so we do not consider ourselves rebels or loyalists.”
“What? But there is a war going on! How can you not…?” His eyes widened as soon as he realized something. “Oh, no…”
Eliza asked, “What’s wrong?”
“I must have traveled to another dimension!” He said to the group, “Pop quiz: What are the machines used to implant gems in the crust of the earth?”
The women exchanged confused glances with one another before Eliza said, “Um…Machines that implant gems?”
Alabaster stayed silent for a few moments until he said, “So you’re not gems at all?”
Katie shook her head, “Nope. We’re humans.”
“Ah…So I did travel to another dimension.”
Eliza asked, “Is there a way we can contact your friends and let them know you’re safe?”
Al waved his hand in dismissal, “I wouldn’t advise it. I’d be putting you all in danger by trying to reach the Crystal Gems. Homeworld could trace the signal here and try to invade this…Is this place called Earth?”
Katie answered, “Yes.”
“Ah. So there’s more than one Earth. Do you suppose there’s an Earth in every dimension, too?”
Eliza shrugged, “Who knows? I would love to explore that kind of thing someday. But do you think you could tell us about your heritage?”
He then smiled, “Only if I learn about the culture here and maybe get something to fix my eyes.”
“Deal.” After Eliza said that, they shook hands.
After Eliza gave Al an adjusted pair of Katie’s glasses, they shared everything they knew about their cultures. As for the spaceship Al crash-landed in, it was eventually discovered and taken to the nearest museum. In fear that curious scientists would accidentally activate the communication hub, Al and the sisters sneaked into the building and disabled the hub just in time. In the case of his appearance, Alabaster had to apply makeup on himself and put his gem underneath a long sock. He also added stuffing to his other knee to avoid any conclusions that there was something wrong with his right knee. Needless to say, people thought he was knock-kneed.
With his eyesight now improved, Alabaster practiced fighting with the warrior members of the Geneve family. His combat skills became so refined that he took up battling foes to the country of Lavenza and eventually the world. Some time after he moved in with the Geneves, he married Eliza and had a daughter named Garnet, whom he named after the Crystal Gem who came to his aid. Even though his main job was combating evil foes and monsters, Al loved to spend time with his family.
One day, Al danced with his daughter in the ballroom while Caroline played the piano and Alphonse – the butler – watched. Al laughed as he spun with his daughter, “Oh, my wonderful girl, Garnet! You are the beautifulest, kindest, cleverest, most wonderfulest girl in the whole world!” He kissed her before falling to the floor with her in his arms and laughing.
Alphonse chastised, “Sir, you will spoil the girl.”
Just then, the doors opened and Eliza stepped inside with a bundle in her arms. When Al and Garnet saw this, they immediately got up from the floor. Eliza then said to the butler, “Would you and Caroline leave us please, Alphonse?”
Alphonse nodded his head and said, “Madam.” He then whispered to the girl at the piano, “Come along, Caroline.”
Once the two servants left the room, Eliza came up to her husband and daughter and showed them the new baby. “Garnet, this is Teardrop. She’s coming to live with us.”
Al put his hand on his toddler’s shoulder and said, “She’s your new sister now.”
As Garnet reached out to touch the baby, Eliza said, “You must look after her, and be kind to her. Always.”
A few years later, Al was up in his study reading the literature of this world. His finger moved through the flame over and over again, but he could feel no pain. Just then, a very pregnant Eliza came into the room.
He took notice of her entry and said, “Eliza! How is the imminent arrival?”
Eliza responded as she rubbed her belly, “Oh, a little frisky today.” When she sat down, she said, “When you first came here, you used to chase fireflies in the field.”
He smiled, “Yes, and when I‘d trap them in my jar, they died.”
“Yeah, and do you remember how you cried?”
“Yes.”
“You wanted to keep them glowing by your bedside because of how pretty they were. You were so hungry for knowledge and beauty. Such a curious Gem you were. You’ve become such an earnest person here.” She picked up the journals in which he had written everything about his Gem heritage and the silhouettes he could make out on Homeworld before he had his glasses. “All these strange and ancient books.” She then smiled, “You’ll sure prove those Diamonds and Gem aristocrats wrong. But you know, Al, life shouldn’t be all research. There’s such fun to be had.”
When she grabbed one of his books, Al said, “Give me that back, Lizzie.”
She smiled, “No.”
He laughed as he playfully gave chase, “Give me that back, Lizzie!”
Soon, he, his wife, and their daughters were dancing in the ballroom as Caroline played the piano. Alphonse voiced his concern, “Madam, you mustn’t overexert yourself.”
Al laughed as he spun with his wife, “Don’t worry, Alphonse. The new baby will be a natural dancer.”
The parents then watched their daughters, two and four years old at the time, finish their dance. The adults clapped for the girls as the young ones bowed. Suddenly, Eliza groaned.
Al asked in concern, “Eliza? What’s wrong, honey?”
His wife moaned, “I think…the baby’s coming.”
At that moment, a thud was felt throughout the ballroom. Al looked all around and muttered, “The baby’s not the only one coming.”
That night, chaos took place inside and outside the manor. Alabaster was fighting a ferocious ogre while Eliza labored in her bed. She groaned and gasped, “Oh, I hope Al’s okay.”
A maid assisting her said, “I’m sure he’ll be all right, ma’am. There’s nothing Alabaster can’t face.”
“Even so…I can’t shake the feeling that something’s going to go horribly wrong.” She then gave a loud groan when another contraction came on.
Downstairs in the foyer, another maid was watching the little girls. Whenever the children heard a loud noise, they rushed to the window in worry for their father. The maid always led them away from it so the girls didn’t see anything horrific.
She told the girls, “He’ll be all right. Your father’s the finest fighter in Lavenza.”
All of a sudden, they saw a bright flash of lightning and all of them looked out the window. There was Alabaster, on top of the ogre’s bumpy head as he telekinetically plunged his now-electrified blade through the beast’s skull. In that one moment, the ogre exploded and Alabaster disappeared from sight. The girls were filled with shock and anxiety. In a panic, the children ran upstairs as they repeatedly shouted, “Mommy!”
A maid that was just coming downstairs asked the girls, “Whatever’s the matter, little girls?”
Garnet explained in a frantic tone, “It’s Daddy! He’s in trouble!”
Teardrop added, “He needs help!”
The girls ran up the rest of the stairs and hysterically called for their mother.
Minutes later, a maid helped a groaning Alabaster into the bedroom. His blade was shattered in the explosion and the tip wedged itself into Al’s gem, therefore cracking it. Eliza saw the injury he obtained and gasped.
Al’s wife said in concern, “Al, your gem!”
Al groaned after he flickered for a few moments, “There’s nothing you can do. The tip’s stuck in there tight. If you try to pull it out, I might die sooner. If it’s left in there, it’ll buy me more time. I just want to see my new kid before I go.”
Garnet wept as she and her sister raced towards their father, “Daddy…”
Nurse Beaufort said, “Be careful of his knee, girls.”
Alabaster leaned towards Eliza as far as he could. He was taken with the blue-haired baby in her arms.
Eliza said in a voice thick with emotion, “It’s a girl.”
“In that case…let’s give her the name ‘Juno’.”
She chuckled sadly, “You and your fascination in Roman gods.”
“And as a bonus…” He groaned before he continued, “Juno did inspire the name of the month of June, when we got married.”
She nodded, “Good point. Good point.”
Al sat on the edge of the bed and helped Teardrop onto the bed as well. He told Eliza in a soft voice, “Remember what we talked about in case this happened?”
She answered, “Yeah. Only we’re lucky to have you around for a bit longer.”
He sighed, “It’s a shame I won’t get to see the girls grow up. All of them.”
“Hey, when you were baptized in the church, I bet God gave you a soul then and there. He wouldn’t have sent you here without a reason.”
“Are you sure God works in other dimensions, too?”
Eliza shrugged, “One can only wonder.”
“I’m glad I lived a good life. I consider myself luckier than other Gems, especially those with my stone. I’m very lucky to have been your husband.” He kissed his wife before he turned to the girls and said, “And I’m really lucky to have been your father.”
Teardrop sniffled as she hugged her dad tightly, “Daddy, don’t go.”
Garnet agreed, “We love you too much.”
Al sighed sadly, “Girls, I know how hard this is for you, but the sad truth is that everyone dies, some earlier than others. I’m sorry it had to be this soon.” He embraced his family tearfully and told them, “I love you so much.”
Eliza sniffled with a tear sliding down her cheek, “We love you, too.”
Alabaster kissed the girls’ heads before he came to Juno and said, “Hey, baby girl. I’m sorry I couldn’t watch you grow up. I bet you’re going to be as pretty and smart as your mom and sisters someday.” He kissed the baby’s forehead before telling Eliza, “Remember, Eliza. I will be with you and the girls forevermore. Find happiness and I will be at peace.”
Eliza nodded, “Okay.”
After the couple kissed, the family embraced each other before Al disappeared in a myriad of sparkles, leaving only a broken alabaster stone and the tip of a blade behind.
20 years had passed since beloved Alabaster died, but Eliza and her daughters always kept him close to their hearts. Shortly after Al had passed on, Eliza commissioned for a piece of his gem to be placed inside pieces of jewelry made for each girl. Eliza put her piece of Al’s gem in a see-through necklace, Garnet had a bracelet holding her piece, Teardrop had a ring that displayed her piece, and Juno got a brooch showcasing her piece on her chest. The rest of Alabaster’s gem was displayed in a glass case along with his shattered blade. Garnet despised the blade because it had killed her father, but she eventually moved past it and learned to accept circumstances as it happened.
It took a while for the family to live without Alabaster, but they found it easier to cope with his absence by remembering him and doing great deeds of heroism. Honoring Alabaster’s memory was what set Eliza and the girls on the path of becoming defenders of the people. They became skilled warriors and merciful guardians of the poor and innocent. They soon became famous and on-call many times. To alleviate the burden fame had on the Geneves, Eliza took it upon herself to teach other magic-users to fight for the people.
One night, the Geneves held a ball at their manor. After much dancing and celebrating, Eliza called the crowd’s attention to her and her daughters.
She said, “Thank you, one and all, for coming tonight. As you probably know, my daughters and I have been sent a letter from the University of Clerval.” After the guests clapped for them, Eliza continued, “The staff wants my daughters to attend their distinguished school while I will teach a class in the art of witchcraft. It is a high honor for us all and we hope to make the best of our time at the university.” She then joked, “That is, if no monster out there needs busting.”
This elicited laughter from the crowd.
“Even though I hope that is not the case, my daughters and I will be on-call whenever needed. After all, it is our mission to protect and serve the people. Now I hope I can serve the university with the best of my abilities. Thank you.”
There was clapping once more.
The day after the ball, Eliza and the girls packed their bags and left in a carriage. The women were all aflutter and nervous about what the semester would bring.
Juno said in excitement, “I can’t wait to see what the curriculum is!”
Teardrop asked, “Do you think they have astronomy? History? Experimental science?”
Garnet said, “It’s a university, Teardrop. Experimental science is restricted to laboratories and such.”
Eliza said, “Still, it never hurts to know what science can solve that magic can’t.”
The eldest sister scoffed, “Yeah, like magic can’t solve everything.”
“It doesn’t, you know. Only few people can bring dead people back to life and feelings brought on by magic spells are no replacement for genuine feelings.”
Teardrop asked, “Mom, what can science do that magic can’t?”
Eliza suggested, “For those without magic, it helps explain even simple phenomenon like floating objects and chemical reactions. I, for one, think that new scientific discoveries could help improve and enhance magic. It might even explain the mechanics of a magic curse and if there were simple properties that could reverse such spells in case certain conditions of an individual curse aren’t met.”
The girls sat in silence until Juno pointed out, “She does have a point.”
Garnet said as she put her chin on her hand, “All right, you got me hooked.”
Teardrop said as she showed off her ring, “After all, Dad was kind of a mix of both science and magic.”
“Sure wish we could’ve brought his books along.”
Eliza offered, “I’ll have them mailed to the university by the end of the week.”
Juno asked, “So, by the way, what are you going to be teaching in your witchcraft class?”
“Oh, just the basics and, of course, the new developments. I’m always open to new ideas.”
Garnet smirked, “Is that why you fell for Dad?”
“Well, I was more unsettled by your dad when I first met him. Eventually, his tales of his culture and the technology they possessed intrigued me and made me interested in melding magic and science together. I would like to learn more about science in my spare time.”
Teardrop suggested, “Well, maybe we can take some science courses. That way, everything’s up-to-date and simplified for everyone to read.”
Garnet asked skeptically, “’Everyone’?”
Teardrop added sheepishly, “Virtually.”
Soon, they arrived in the city of Clerval, a metropolis of commerce and education. The carriage took the Geneves to a row of cottages reserved for students and teachers living on-campus. After the bags were unloaded and carried by aides, Mrs. Brach arrived to show the ladies around.
The old lady told the Geneves, “Not much room, I’m afraid. How was your journey?”
Eliza responded, “It was fine, thank you. We made very good progress in the mountains.”
“Good. I am pleased.” When she saw her sheepdog licking Teardrop’s hands, she chuckled, “Putzi seems to like you.”
Teardrop smiled as she petted the dog, “I like her, too.”
Brach opened the door of one cottage and said, “This is your living space for the semester. I hope it’s to your liking.”
The Geneves gazed inside and found that despite its relatively small size, it was beautifully decorated with expensive cloths and delicate antiques. The girls loved every bit of it.
Eliza smiled, “It’s perfect.”
After they got settled in, Eliza and her daughters toured around the campus. Many people recognized them and asked for advice and autographs. Afterwards, Eliza met up with the dean of the university and saw the large lecture room she was going to be teaching in. She was quite amazed to learn that many people wanted to take her class. She and the girls used the next few days to prepare for the semester and acquaint themselves with fellow students and professors. When the semester finally started, masses of people flooded into Eliza’s lecture hall. She greeted every one of them until she saw a grim-faced man standing by the doorway.
She stared at him for a while until one of the students took notice and whispered to her, “That’s Professor Krempe. Don’t mind him.”
This gave Eliza a bit of confidence and she turned to her students, saying, “Good afternoon, class! I am Elizabeth Geneve, your instructor for this class. I am very honored to have the opportunity to teach the fine art of witchcraft and its techniques.”
Professor Krempe gave a cough as he muttered, “Not unlike science.”
Eliza gave him a glance that was a mixture of irritation and confusion and continued to the students, “I have studied magic for a long time and I would like to share my knowledge with you.” She then noticed two students talking to each other. She decided to test them by pointing the rod at them and asking, “You there. Is there anything you’d like to say?”
The other students turned to face the pair, a male and a female. The girl stood up and answered, “We apologize for any disrespect we caused you. It’s just that my friend and I were talking about the possibilities of blending science and magic together.”
Krempe huffed, “As if the two can be combined at all.”
Eliza suggested, “Well, there was alchemy in the medieval ages.”
He scoffed, “Alchemy can hardly be considered a science, nor can it be considered magic!” He turned to the girl student and asked, “What is your name?”
The student answered, “Justine, sir. Justine Waldman.”
Eliza smiled as she pointed her finger at Justine, “Ah…I knew you looked familiar.”
Justine nodded, “Yes, ma’am. I took your Lavenza Defenders classes and learned how to fight with my magic.”
Krempe then sarcastically said, “Oh-ho. A teacher’s pet.”
That just about did it for Eliza and she retorted to Krempe, “Professor, this room may belong to the university, but it does not give you the right to heckle my students. No matter where I teach, on or off the campus, I will not allow for my students to be undermined like this. Good day to you, sir.”
Stunned silence befell the room until Krempe harrumphed, “Well, I never!” He left the room in an irritated huff.
The students couldn’t believe Eliza had just told a professor off like that. Even Eliza couldn’t believe it. She couldn’t stand seeing others being disrespected in such a way or worse, but now she wondered if telling Krempe off was the right thing to do.
At the end of the day, word of Eliza’s rejoinder had spread across the campus. After class was over for the day, a secretary of Dean Schiller visited Eliza and told her to meet with her employer. When the time came, Eliza went to the dean’s office and knocked on the door.
A voice beckoned from the other side, “Enter.” When Eliza opened the door, Schiller gestured to a seat in front of the desk and said, “Have a seat.”
Eliza then sat down and said, “So, I guess I know what this is about.”
Schiller nodded, “Yes, the…riposte you gave Krempe early this afternoon. And I must say I couldn’t be more impressed by it.”
Eliza looked at him with surprise and asked, “What?”
“Professor Krempe’s not the easiest person to be around with at the university. He’s a very stubborn man who thinks everything should be a certain way. He’s very intelligent in scientific matters, but emotionally, he’s hardly knowledgeable.”
Eliza crossed her arms and said, “If he made a good impression today, I hardly saw it.”
“Well, thing is he’s a bit grumpy that you’re teaching in the classroom he usually teaches in.”
She nodded in understanding, “Oh.”
“He doesn’t think very highly of women. He grew up in what you might call a male-dominated environment. Not much of a female influence on him. Just remember: if he gives you any grief whatsoever, ignore it unless it’s something truly disgraceful.”
“And you’re telling me this why?”
“Well, you look like the sort of person to be open around.”
“Except Krempe. Okay, he was more open about his views than his gentility. I’ve yet to meet a person who’s withdrawn around me.”
“I must say, Miss Geneve, you really know how to stand up to a person like Krempe. I’m surprised to hear such a thing about a newly-hired teacher.”
“I confess, I have clairvoyance. I saw parts of the incident before it happened, so I knew what to expect.”
“Oh. Did it take you a lot of thought to come up with what you were going to say?”
“Well, no. I just said things that felt right to me.”
Schiller chuckled, “Always the heartfelt hero, huh?”
Eliza smiled, “Yep.”
Over the course of several weeks, Eliza grew more confident in teaching her fellow students. In fact, two in particular were excelling her class. Not surprisingly, Justine was one of them. However, the other – Kenneth Frankenstein – had no magical abilities, yet he was hard at work and absorbing the information Eliza offered. One might wonder if Ken was related to the well-known Victor Frankenstein, who was rumored to have created a hideous creature from bits of corpses. The Frankenstein story was made known by an author friend of Captain Walton’s sister. One night, Eliza invited Justine and Kenneth to her cottage while her daughters were out on the town with the campus friends they made during the semester.
Justine said as Eliza got some tea ready, “Thanks for inviting us over, Ms. Geneve. It’s such a huge honor.”
Eliza smiled, “The pleasure is all mine, Justine.”
Kenneth said, “So, Ms. Geneve, what’s it like being a witch of your prowess?”
Eliza answered as she brought the tea to her guests, “Well, part of my magic’s hereditary, but for the most part, I had to hone my gifts so I’d do something worthwhile.”
“I bet crimefighting must take a lot of practice and extraordinary abilities.”
“Well, it’s not easy, but I was inspired by Alabaster and his need to defend the people.”
Justine asked in amazement, “You were friends with Alabaster?”
“Yes.” She then smirked as she showed her necklace, “Why do you think I have a piece of his gem in my necklace?”
Ken breathed, “Wow. You two must’ve been really close.”
Eliza said, “You could say that. When he came to Lavenza, my family and I were the only ones compassionate towards him. Naturally, we became fast friends and I helped him on his adventures sometimes.”
Justine smiled, “Lucky.”
“After he passed on, I decided to honor his memory by practicing his styles of fighting and eventually finding my own technique to protect the people from any threats. Al is also the reason why I think science and magic can be blended, because he was a combination himself.”
The two students looked at her with gaped expressions. Kenneth said, “No way. You’re kidding, right?”
Justine exclaimed, “I thought he was pure magic!”
Eliza shook her head, “Nope. Where he came from, science and magic existed as one. People had special gems that made them who they were and they could use their stones to pull stuff out at will.”
“Like when Alabaster pulled his blade out from the gem on his knee!”
“Exactly!”
Kenneth asked, “Ms. Geneve, do you have any more information about where Alabaster came from?”
Eliza had prepared an answer for that sort of question, however dishonest it might’ve been. She only did it to protect others from the Diamonds in case the superior Gems somehow found their way to this dimension.”No, I don’t, unfortunately. Alabaster only told me so much because he wanted to keep me safe from any threats from his birthplace.”
The students looked disappointed, but Justine asked, “But haven’t you always wanted to know how science and magic could be combined like in the case of Alabaster?”
Eliza answered, “Believe me, I do. Even I don’t know how exactly it was possible for Alabaster. I’m planning to learn about science once my teaching is finished. I think that combined with my knack for witchcraft, I could make the impossible happen.”
Kenneth said, “That’s what we want, too. We want to make history as the first two people who combined magic and science together as one.”
Eliza chuckled, “You remind me of Victor Frankenstein. By the way, are you related to him?”
“He was the brother of my great-grandfather, Ernest Frankenstein.”
“Oh, wow! That’s amazing!”
“Yeah. I’m hoping to take up Victor’s work someday and combine magic with science to make it better than before.”
Eliza smirked, “Is that why you’re taking my class?”
“Yes.”
Justine touched Ken’s hand as she said, “Reading about Frankenstein’s exploits made me interested in what science could do. There are advances in medicine, new research involving biology, and so much more. Ken and I are exchanging information of our expertise and we hope to combine it into something extraordinary.”
Eliza said, “I just hope that if you’re reviving Frankenstein’s work, you won’t use corpses.”
Ken shook his head, “Oh, nothing like that. Human corpses, that is. No, we’re thinking of using bits of animals so it’d have fur to cover up any scars it’ll have. We’ll keep it in the lab to hide it from the rest of the world.”
Justine turned to Ken and asked, “Wait, I thought we were giving it human intelligence.”
“And that’s where your magic will come in. We’ll give it enough smarts to make it the first anthropomorphic being in the world.”
Eliza remarked, “Wow. Sounds like you have a lot of plans.”
Ken said, “Yeah. Oh! Have you read The Man That Was Used Up?”
“By Edgar Allan Poe? Yes.”
Justine said, “You see, we want to create a person with material limbs instead of actual limbs. Since stitching a person together would be too gruesome and the result would be less than pleasant, we could make a man out of guts and artificial limbs.”
Ken said, “Since wood is not really hardy in certain situations, we’re thinking about using metal for the limbs instead.”
Eliza said, “I hear metal is very heavy.”
“Don’t worry. We’ll work out something.”
“Well, then, what can I do except wish you both good luck on this endeavor?”
Justine smiled, “Thanks. I’m sure we’ll need it.”
After weeks of experimenting and testing in the warehouse they set up their work in, Justine and Kenneth knew they weren’t getting anywhere with their efforts to create life in a different way.
Justine groaned in exasperation, “That’s it, I quit! We’ve tried everything! Your great-great uncle’s findings, crystal divination, the latest research by witches and scientists! Nothing! Just plain nothing!”
Ken tried to calm her, “We’ll find something else that’ll work, Justine. Something that will be easy to combine both science and magic. Don’t give up yet.”
Justine sighed, “Ken, you make it sound so simple. But it’s impossible. Why were we foolish enough to believe that it could actually work?”
“Hey, I’m not willing to give up yet. We’re going to find a way to create a chimera and a metal man even if it takes us a million years.”
“But…”
Ken put his hand on his beloved’s shoulder and said, “Listen…” He then began to sing, “I know you’re scared…and I know what you’ve been through…Look in my eyes…Can you see I’m frightened, too? So let’s take one step at a time…I won’t give up…That’s one thing I swear to you, miss…For it’s said by the wise, ‘Keep your eyes on the prize’…And I’ve got my eyes on this…
“It’s hard to trust…when you’ve been misunderstood…but starting now…we’ll be treated like we should…So let’s take this ride till it’s through…I won’t give up…That’s one thing I swear will be true…Justine, don’t give in…We’re stronger than they ever knew…When we make life…making history’s what we’ll do…for it’s said by the wise, ‘Keep your eyes on the prize’…And I’ve got eyes on this…”
When he handed her a wrench, Justine nodded and set to work with him. After a long day of failed experiments and disappointment, Ken saw Justine was losing hope again. He comforted her by singing, “Let’s not give up…That’s one thing I swear will be true…for it’s said by the wise, ‘Keep your eyes on the prize…And I’ll keep my eyes…on you…” He then kissed her on the lips to make her feel better. Justine was pleasantly surprised by the kiss and wanted another one when the door suddenly knocked.
Ken asked, “Yes?”
The door opened to reveal a messenger, who said, “Kenneth Frankenstein and Justine Waldman, Dean Schiller has requested your presence in his office immediately.”
Kenneth and Justine were becoming nervous as they walked to Dean Schiller’s office. When they came up to the secretary, she left her desk to inform the dean of the students’ arrival. Moments later, the secretary came back and said, “He’ll see you now.”
Justine and Ken held hands as they made their way to the door and opened it. To their surprise, not only were Dean Schiller and a Japanese translator in the room, but Eliza too!
In surprise, the students exclaimed, “Ms. Geneve!”
Eliza gave a smile, “Surprised?” She gestured them into the room as she beckoned, “Please, come inside. We would like to tell you something.”
At first, Ken and Justine were afraid that Eliza had snitched on them, but the smile on her face and her warm invitation eased the students a little.
Once they settled into the seats, the dean told them, “We have brought you here today because Ms. Geneve believes that you two are the perfect candidates for an important mission.”
Justine asked, “A mission?”
Schiller nodded, “Yes, but I’ll let Fukuzawa Yukichi explain what is happening.”
When Fukuzawa stepped forth, he said, “My homeland, Japan, is in great peril. Something of great evil has sprouted pointed black trees that have begun to spread through our villages. Many people have died because of them. Our wise men have foretold that a witch of great power would come and save us all. We have requested many sorceresses to come to Japan, but all have died.”
Eliza added, “So they came to me about it, but I had predicted that my daughters and I would perish in the forest before even coming close to the source of the evil. So I suggested to both Fukuzawa and Dean Schiller that you – Justine – would be the best witch for the job. Top student in my witchcraft course, one of the best in my Lavenza Defenders class, and I can’t think of anyone more qualified than you to take on this mission.”
Justine blushed at such compliments.
Dean Schiller then said, “Of course, this means she’ll need to have an escort with her. Ms. Geneve has suggested Kenneth for the job.”
Eliza told the dean, “Since she won’t want any other man to accompany her.”
Justine chuckled, “It’s true.”
Dean Schiller asked, “Then we are all in agreement?”
Ken said, “Yes, except for one thing. What about our upcoming finals?”
“I will notify your teachers and tell them that you have been given a great task that will require your absence for the rest of the semester. I’m sure they’ll let you off with the grades you’ve made at this point in their classes.”
Eliza reassured them, “They’ll know how important this is for the people of Japan. A whole nation needs you more than this very university. Now get out there and be the legends you are meant to be.”
Justine smiled, “Thanks. We need all the support we can get.”
It had taken Justine and Kenneth many days to travel to Japan. Despite the fact that it was such a long trip, they discovered many things that could help them with their research. One of the things they had discovered was in China. While staying in an inn, they saw a doctor administering acupuncture on a fellow patient. During their short time in China, Kenneth and Justine learned much about the art of acupuncture. Another thing they discovered shortly before they arrived in Japan was a common magical item called a star stone. They learned that it enabled the body to be in harmony at all times and even granted magical powers.
When they had reached their destination, they were shocked by the devastation and ruin the evil had caused. Many black trees had pierced through homes and their roots left none of the green that had coated the plains before.
Fukuzawa spoke for one of the despaired villagers, “The trees came three days ago. There has been nothing but grief and fear since.” When he talked to his people in his native dialect, expressions of joy replaced their sadness and excited chatter filled the air. He then turned to Justine and Kenneth and said, “Come. I will take you to the emperor.”
When they arrived at the Kyoto Imperial Palace, Ken and Justine were filled with awe as they took in the beautiful surroundings of the grounds. Finally, they arrived in the throne room and bowed before the emperor.
Fukuzawa and the emperor then spoke in their native language before the translator turned to Ken and Justine and said, “The emperor is grateful you have arrived. The trees are becoming very dangerous for the people of Japan and must be exterminated before –“
He was cut off when a guard ran into the throne room, shouting anxiously in Japanese. Suddenly, a black tree sprouted from where the guard had been and an anguished cry filled the air for only a few seconds. When a crack started snaking towards the four people in the throne room, Fukuzawa said urgently in two languages, “Kiretsu kara nigemasu! Get away from the crack!”
Just as the emperor, Ken, Justine, and Fukuzawa ran out of the throne room, more black trees sprouted abruptly along the crack. The crisis stopped shortly after a tree split the throne in half.
By now, Justine and Kenneth understood the magnitude of the situation. They could not turn their backs on Japan now. Even with their very lives at stake, they had to muster up the strength to complete the mission and destroy the abomination once and for all. At the request of the emperor, the two of them were given custom-made armor to wear for when they would venture into the forest of evil trees.
Just before they were ready to go, a monk came up to them with a blue container and spoke in Japanese. Fukuzawa grabbed the item and said to Kenneth and Justine, “This elixir is created for you to extinguish the devilry that plagues us all.” He said as he gave them the elixir, “Please save Japan and the rest of the world.”
Justine smiled, “You can count on us.”
An hour later, Justine and Kenneth rode out with the army. Ken was sitting behind his lover on their horse as they led the troops into the forest. The trampling of hooves was the only thing that could be heard in the desolate woods. They were in the forest for only a minute when –
“YAAAAGGGHH!”
The shout that followed a soldier’s disappearance gave Ken and Justine alarm. They knew that a tree had gotten to him and left his horse still trotting on. Even though fear gradually filled their hearts, they and the troops kept going. Soon, more screams and sounds of ruptures followed until Justine and Kenneth were the only ones in the forest. When their horse slowed to a stop, they could sense the eerie silence that accompanied the wind blowing and the leaves rustling. Suddenly, cracks snaked towards them.
Kenneth cried, “Get away from the cracks!”
Justine urged the horse to run and they galloped away from the growing cracks. Soon, they stopped and gasped at the sight before them. It was a huge, bubbling tar pit with large, jagged cracks branching from it.
The witch told Ken, “I really don’t like the looks of this.”
Ken said as he dismounted, “We’re lucky we made it here at all.”
Justine sighed, “The others weren’t.”
He said as he grabbed the container, “Come on. Let’s get rid of this thing once and for all.”
Just as Justine dismounted, cracks appeared from the edge of the tar pit. She put her arm across her lover to protect him as she cried, “Ken!”
Kenneth told Justine, “We have to be quick about it.”
Ken had been studying the Japanese language to perform the spell, so when Justine put the container on the ground, he read from the scroll Fukuzawa gave him. As he kept reading, Justine opened the container and dipped the tip of an arrow in the elixir. She then aimed the arrow at the tar pit and held it for a while until Ken finished reading. When she angled the arrow towards the sun, she released it. The arrow flew up very high until the potion-covered tip caught on fire and then descended into the tar pit. After the arrow sank into the tar, a deep rumbling was heard. To Ken and Justine’s amazement, the black trees began to disappear into the tar pit.
Justine said with a growing smile on her face, “We did it, Kenneth! We did it!”
Ken chortled, “I can just see it now! ‘University Students Become Heroes’! Nice ring to it, huh?”
“To us!”
“To us!” They laughed as Ken spun her in the air until he set her down and said, “We’re making history!”
Suddenly, two small fires ignited in the pit. Seconds after, the earth shook violently.
Justine asked in fright, “What’s happening?!”
Ken answered, “I don’t know! Whether this is good or bad –“
Abruptly, a new black tree larger and taller than any before it shot up from the tar.
Justine said, “Yeah…I’d definitely say ‘bad’!”
The horse ran away in fright of the growing tree. The tree then slowed when its tip seemed to reach the sun. After a few tense moments of silence, its branches started to shape themselves into what appeared to be limbs.
Ken asked quietly, “Do you suppose it’s…Oh, no. Oh, no…”
The cracking stopped after the tree had shaped itself into a tall, black figure with two horns on each side of the head and a stinger-like appendage accompanying each pair. When the two fires appeared again, the figure turned itself towards the couple with its eyes closed. Justine and Kenneth drew in their breaths when they saw the green face, the curved canines bookending the teeth, and the red beard dangling from the chin.
Justine said, “I think it’s a male, judging by the beard.”
Ken asked, “How can you know for sure? It could have a feminine voice.”
At that moment, the demon opened his black-and-white eyes for the first time. He then stretched his limbs while yawning in a deep, masculine voice.
Justine smirked to her lover, “Feminine voice, you say?”
The couple just stood in silence while the demon blocked out the sun with gray clouds. After the figure tried out his voice, he began to open his hands.
Ken suggested, “Maybe we should talk to him nicely.” But as soon as the demon opened one hand to reveal pointed fingers like claws, Ken added in an intimidated tone, “Okay, forget nicely!”
The demon’s eyes then scanned the surroundings until they fell on Justine and Kenneth. In utter delight, he pointed at them and said, “Oh! You! Thank you!”
Justine protested, “Wait! You’ve got it all wrong! We were supposed to destroy you!”
“Oh?” He gave a hearty laugh before he explained, “But it was your poison arrow and your hocus-pocus that set me free.”
As the demon was laughing, Ken asked his lover, “What do we do now?”
Justine said as she formed a light raspberry-colored ball of magic between her hands, “I guess we do this the hard way.”
“Justine –“
Before Ken could stop her, Justine blasted a continual ray of magic at the demon. The sudden attack surprised the creature and it seemed like he was surrendering to the magic until he deflected it back to Justine. The force of the counterattack threw her back violently and she landed near the bags that had fallen off the horse.
The demon shouted in anger, “Fool! Nothing of this world can harm me…for I am Aku, the Shogun of Sorrow, the Deliverer of Darkness, your new master, and you will bow to me!”
While he was monologing, Justine grabbed a glass bottle out of the bag. She then stood up and said, “Oh, yeah? Let’s see you try to get out of this!”
Her hands then glowed light raspberry and a strong wind sucked Aku into the bottle. He shouted in surprise and fright, “What – What is happening?! Nooooo!”
Once Aku was in the glass bottle, Justine sealed the cap on tight. She taunted, “And you can’t ever get out of there.” With that, she threw the bottle back into the tar pit.
Ken said in amazement, “I can’t believe you did that.”
“Which part? When I used the ‘Genie in the Bottle’ spell on him or when I threw him back in the tar pit as a prisoner again?”
Ken shrugged, “Pretty much both.” He looked at the elixir container and picked it up. “So if this created life instead destroying it…”
The two then looked at each other in realization. Justine then asked with a smile spreading on her face, “Do you know what this means?”
Ken nodded, “Yep. We’ve just discovered the key to our experiment’s success.”
Kenneth and Justine were hailed as heroes in both Japan and Clerval upon word that the evil had been destroyed, despite what the two truly knew about Aku’s fate. To their fortune, they had managed to smuggle the elixir to their laboratory. They also brought star stones and acupuncture needles back from their journey. With these new materials, they made modified plans to create life. After many trial runs, they were delighted that their formulas and methods were successful.
Still, the shadow of fear that Aku might somehow return hung over them. As a result, they decided to make their experiments super-warriors, ready to fight Aku. Despite having vowed never to use a human corpse, they decided to go on with it and stitched only muscular body parts together. As a circumvention of Frankenstein’s original experiment, Ken and Justine decided to implement lynx DNA into the creation to enable him to have useful traits from the animal. They also made modifications to their chimera and metal man. For the metal man, they put in reptilian eyes so he could have better vision; for the chimera, they stitched on sharp parts of various animals along with a horse’s head to fit with the rest of its sleek body.
After much preparation, the time finally came for Ken and Justine to bring their creations to life. That fateful night, Justine was preparing the spells for intelligence and life while Ken was attaching acupuncture needles – which were connected to electric wires - to the covered bodies.
When he put the human corpse inside a large, water-filled bronze tub and pierced it with the needles through accessible portholes, Justine said, “I think we are ready. I just need you to keep the lid off the tub so I can perform my spells.”
Grabbing some purple dust from her bowl, Justine tossed the powder into the air. It then puffed into the image of a lynx before descending into the water and the corpse submerged in it. Justine then grabbed a yellow dust and spread it to all three of the creations.
When the powder settled, she said, “The cantrips have been spoken. The patterns of force are aligned. Now it’s up to the machine, Kenneth.”
After he secured the lid on the tub, Ken said as he grasped the two pronged levers, “If this works, it’ll be a miracle.”
When he pushed the levers up, an electrical surge ran through the bright Van de Graaff generators over the creations. The electricity then sprouted from them and flowed through the acupuncture needles attached to the experiments. When the generators burst, green rays of magic from the elixir in the urn emerged and snaked towards the creations. When they reached the corpses, the rays were gradually absorbed into them. To the surprise of the couple, a metal claw reached out of one of the canvases and a growl was heard beneath the large blanket.
Ken shouted in glee, “It’s alive! Alive!” He then told Justine, “I’ve always wanted to say that.”
The creature – still covered with the canvas – sat upright and removed the heavy blanket. Even with the metal-clipped needles still clamped onto him, the metal man was still a sight to look upon. His yellow reptilian eyes gleamed from the light as they scanned the surroundings.
Justine said, “As you said, it’s alive.”
Ken breathed in amazement, “We…we did it. We actually did it. We created life!”
“But did we succeed with all three of the creations?”
Just then, they heard a moan from beneath the canvas that covered the chimera. Ken slowly removed the blanket to reveal the horse-headed animal and he and Justine gasped slightly when they saw that the chimera’s eyes had become yellow and red.
Justine asked, “What happened to the eyes?”
Ken suggested, “I think the elixir did something to them when it was mixed with the intellect spell.”
“But why did the metal man’s eyes stay the same and the chimera’s didn’t?”
He gave it some thought before he said, “Maybe the side effects are different for each creation.”
Suddenly, the chimera groaned and grabbed the canvas Ken was holding. When the creature covered itself with it again, Justine chuckled, “I guess it wants its beauty sleep. I’ll take off the needles now.”
With a gesture of her hands, the needles came off just like that. However, the chimera yelped in a masculine voice as he jumped in mid-air. After he landed back on the table, he covered himself with the canvas and snarled at Ken and Justine.
Ken joked, “Oh, prickly creature.”
Justine asked as she went to the huge tub, “What about him?”
Even though the portholes were fogged up, Ken and Justine could see that the creation wasn’t moving.
Ken said somberly, “I think we can chalk this one up as a failure. We’ll just have to make do with the two we do have.”
Justine used her magic to remove the needles from the portholes and suddenly, the tub started shaking. She breathed, “Wait. Is he…?”
Ken cried, “Alive!”
When his lover used her magic to unlock the lid, it flew off with one swift kick from the creation. Droplets of water splattered the couple and their creations, but it wasn’t enough to electrocute the wires. Justine flew up in the air to help levitate the creation from the tub. Before she could, however, the creature roared as he emerged from the water. Reaching for Ken, he ended up tipping the tub over.
Justine grabbed her lover and hoisted him into the air as she cried, “Ken, look out!”
They watched from the air as the tub fell to the floor and the water drenched the creations and the wires, thus electrocuting them. When the electricity stopped dancing, Justine used her magic to disconnect the wires to prevent any more electrocution. When the couple landed on the wet floor, they could see that their creations were as good as dead. However, one in particular caught their attention. To their surprise, their human creation had transformed into a catlike creature with purple fur and dark purple stripes. He also had a beard divided into three sections, with two of those sections bearing the resemblance of that of a lynx’s hairs.
Justine asked as she inspected the cat-man, “How was this possible? He was supposed to have catlike traits, not a catlike appearance.”
Ken said, “Well, whether he would’ve acted like a lynx or a human, he’s no good now.” He tsked, “It’s a shame, really. The metal man actually turned out perfect. He and the others would’ve turned out to be perfect super-warriors.”
Justine chuckled sadly, “I bet they would’ve taken out Aku with one fell blow.”
“Well, we tried. I suppose there’s nothing else to do but discard this experiment entirely. We’re just going to have to find some other way to defeat Aku should he escape again.”
“What should we do with these guys?”
“What else? Put them in bags and pass them off as trash.”
“Which they are now.”
After they put the chimera in a burlap bag and smuggled him onto a garbage wagon, they went back inside the warehouse to prepare the next burlap bag. Suddenly, they heard metal clacking against the wooden floorboards.
Justine asked in unease, “Ken, did you put something close to the edge of a table?”
Ken shook his head, “No. I always put items as close to the center of the table as possible.”
“Then what…?”
They turned towards the door and yelped in surprise when they saw their metal man, alive and walking on all fours!
Justine squeaked in a frightened tone, “Ken, he’s alive!”
Ken sputtered, “How can this be possible?”
They tried to stand still as the metal man came up to them. He then stopped just a foot from them and stared at the two for several moments. When his eyes turned back to Justine, he grabbed the top part of her skirt!
Justine shrieked, “Aah! What are you doing?!”
Ken rushed to her side and started attacking the creature, saying, “Get away from her!”
In retaliation, the metal man grabbed Ken’s arm and started pulling him towards him. This time, it was Justine’s turn to defend her lover. She angled her palms towards the creature as she shouted, “Don’t you dare hurt Kenneth!”
In a blast of magic, the metal man was driven back against the wall. A black burn mark was now visible on the creation’s right chestplate. In response to the attack, he growled at them.
Ken whispered to Justine, “Okay. Grab the net over there. It should keep him still until we put him in a bag.”
As Ken told his lover this, the metal man eyed the window, his only means of escape. When Justine took a step towards the net, the creature suddenly lunged. The couple jumped out of the way before the metal man could ram into them. To their surprise, the creation took another jump and crashed through the window! After the flying glass had landed on the floor, Justine and Kenneth rushed to the window and saw the metal man getting up from the ground and scampering into the forest.
Justine asked, “Should we go after him?”
Kenneth said, “Yes. To make sure he hurts no one else.”
Minutes afterwards, Ken and Justine left the warehouse armed to the teeth, unaware that another creation had just woken up. When the cat-man had opened his green eyes, he witnessed the scuffle between the creators and the metal man. Looking at his own paws, he realized the same thing could happen to him. He had to escape, but how? He got off the table on which he was lying and walked on all fours to the room with the broken window. As he got closer, he noticed how much colder it got. He pinpointed the source of the cold to the broken window, where the dark green curtains were gently flapping with the wind.
The cat-man retreated back to the lab to get warm again. He had seen Justine and Kenneth suit up before they left the warehouse, so the creature knew he needed a coat of some sort. Luckily for him, there was a spare overcoat hanging on one of the levers of the machine. Carefully, he grabbed it and put it on. Since it was tight on him, he had to stand upright to put it on completely. Even though it might’ve been too small for him, it had to do. He walked on two legs into the room and inspected the broken window. When he put his paws on the windowsill, he looked out and saw the broken glass on the ground, the distant lights in the forest possibly from Ken and Justine’s lamps, and the tall buildings of Clerval about a mile away.
Suddenly, a sharp pain pricked his paws. He looked at them and saw pieces of glass sticking out of his palms. After he slowly pulled out every piece, he saw that his paws were bleeding. He looked all around for something to stop the blood from oozing out until his eyes fell on a white roll of bandages. He took the roll and wrapped both of his palms with white strips.
Even though the bandages made it hard for the cat-man to flex his paws, he was glad he stopped the bleeding. Now he had to get out of here. He certainly couldn’t go out the window for two reasons: the broken glass and how high the window was from the ground. He decided to use the door Ken and Justine used when they left the warehouse. He opened the door and found a pair of stairs and a platform in between them waiting for him. This was the first time he encountered stairs, so one could imagine the curiosity and apprehension he must have felt at that moment. He decided to take a chance and descend the staircase.
Slowly, he put one foot on the first step and the other on that same step. When he tried to put his right foot on the next step, he felt as if he was losing his balance. Quickly, he grabbed hold of the railing and did not let go of it as he climbed down the rest of the steps. When he got close to the platform linking the two staircases, he tripped on the steps and landed roughly on the platform. After he recovered from the hard landing, he grabbed the railing of the second staircase and managed to reach the floor without falling. When he looked around the first floor, he was amazed at how expansive it was, despite the darkness that the night had blanketed it with.
He then reached the front double doors and opened them to see the world before him. The cat-man took in everything with wonder: the stars in the sky, the cool ground beneath his feet, even the fresh, crisp night air. He knew he could not go into the forest, so he began walking towards the city that laid near the warehouse.
The metal man had successfully evaded Ken and Justine by hiding out in a large, rocky den obscured by tree roots and vegetation. Once the couple was gone, he put his back against the dirt wall in relief. However, he felt something sticking out of his back. He reached back and felt the strange object. He tried to pull it out with one hand, but was unsuccessful. When he tried to pull it out with both hands, it flew off and landed in front of him.
Thanks to the intellect spell cast by Justine, the metal man now knew what the object was: a brown leather book. He took the book and flipped the pages. Unfortunately, the intellect spell was not fully in effect, so the creature could not read. He gazed at every page until one caught his eye. There was a drawing of a metal creature…a creature just like him. The four-fingered hands…the arms…even the chest. He then realized that he was looking at himself.
The first thought he ever had in his newly-created life crossed his mind: Is this me? Is this…truly me?
The evil banished in the tar pit was not gone forever as many people assumed. A pillar of black ooze slowly rose from the pit and leaned to the edge. At that moment, a glass bottle slid from the tar and onto the ground. Glaring eyes then peered from the transparent prison that held Aku.