Enemy of the Bane
Bloomin' Lovely...
Gita is working in her shop whilst talking on the telephone, "I'm sorry, I know it's late, but this is a really special order. This woman turns up out of the blue. Her florist has let her down big time and she's got this important do tomorrow. And money, she says, is no object. So I tell her, if you're asking me to work Saturday night to dig you out of the fertiliser, it better not be."
Chandra home…
"I could come over and help. Dad's cooking one of his specials. I could bring some over for you." Rani said.
"Oh, thank you, darling…" Gita said, her voice over the phone.
Bloomin' Lovely…
"But I think I've got everything I need." Gita said, looking at chocolate cookies. "And you know me, if somebody's here, I'll be rabbiting instead of working."
Chandra home…
"And believe me, my darling, tonight, rabbits and flowers do not go." Gita said, her voice over the phone.
"I'll keep some on a low heat." Haresh said.
"There's somebody at the door. Oh, I hope it's not the client, I'm nowhere near done. I'll see you later. Love you. Don't wait up."
"She says not to wait up. Mmm." Rani said.
Bloomin' Lovely…
"Oh, sorry. I haven't quite finished yet. You're very welcome to take a seat. Cup of tea?" Gita asked.
"That won't be necessary. I think this is as we agreed." Mrs Wormwood said, handing Gita a cheque.
"Oh. Oh, yes. What an unusual name."
"Wormwood. Mrs Wormwood." Mrs Wormwood said, activating her ultrasonic ring. Gita cries out in pain, then collapses. "Sleep well."
She takes her cheque from Gita's fingers.
Jared's dream...
"Quite right, too. And I suppose, if it's one last chance to say it, Rose Tyler..." Holo-Doctor said, vanishing along with Holo-Jared.
Finally, Ruby and Jared turn a corner and emerge from the service tunnel, only to see with their own eyes that they are far too late.
Jared turned his nanotechnology super suit back to its portable form of dual pistols to use for later. He fell down to his knees with Ruby.
"Penny..." Ruby said, and she begins to cry, the tears fall as she sobs miserably. "Even with your foreknowledge...we couldn't save...Penny..."
"Yeah." Jared said, walking over to Ruby to hug her, and he also started crying. "I tried. I really did. I planned ahead for months. But, I failed."
"Do you believe in destiny?" Pyrrha asked.
"PYRRHAAAAAA!!!!" Ruby said, as the white light envelopes her, spreading out to the Wyvern and Cinder.
"Crap!" Jared said, using the nanotechnology from his super suit to turn the hard copy of Ember Celica into a copy of Elucidator. "You son of a bitch!"
"Get away from her!" Yang said, as mad as Jared.
"No...please..." Blake said, reaching out helplessly, whispering.
Ianto updates the personnel files as Jack packs Owen's personal items. Final logout procedure Dr Owen Harper. Are you sure you want to continue? Yes.
Gwen packs up Toshiko's things. Final logout procedure Toshiko Sato. Are you sure you want to continue? Yes.
"Okay. So, if you're seeing this, I guess it means, I'm, well, dead. Hope it was impressive. Not crossing the road or an incident with a toaster. I just wanted to say, it's okay. It really is. Jack, you saved me. You showed me all the wonders of the universe and all those possibilities, and I wouldn't have missed it for the world. Thank you. And Owen, you never knew. I love you. All of you. And I hope I did good." Tosh said, on the monitor.
Message ends.
"Now we carry on." Jack said.
"I don't think I can, not after this." Gwen said.
"You can. We all can. The end is where we start from." Jack said.
"You're my daughter, and we've only just got started. You're going to be great. You're going to be more than great. You're going to be amazing. You hear me? Jenny?" The Doctor asked, and Jenny dies in his arms. "Two hearts. Two hearts. She's like me. If we wait. If we just wait."
"If you die here, it'll mean I've never met you and Jared." River said.
"Time can be rewritten." The Doctor said.
"Not those times. Not one line. Don't you dare. It's okay. It's okay. It's not over for you and Jared. The both of you will see me again. You've got all of that to come. You, Jared, and me, time and space. You watch us run."
"River, you know my name."
"Autodestruct in ten..." The computer said.
"You whispered my name in my ear." The Doctor said.
"Nine, eight, seven..."
"There's only one reason I would ever tell anyone my name. There's only one time I could."
"Hush, now." River said.
"Four, three..." The computer said.
"Spoilers."
"Two, one..."
River joins two power cables together, and there is a blinding light.
"I was going to be with the both of you forever." Donna said, looking between the Doctor and Jared.
"I know." The Doctor said.
"The rest of my life, travelling in the Tardis. The DoctorDonna and Jared. No. Oh my god. I can't go back. Don't make me go back. Doctor, Jared, please, please don't make me go back."
"Donna. Oh, Donna Noble. I am so sorry. But we had the best of times."
"We really did. I even brought you over to ALFheim Online. Something I wanted to do with Rose and Martha." Jared said, sadly. "It really was the best of times super temp, I laughed, I cried. I may never see you again, not like this."
"No." Donna said, crying.
"The best. Goodbye." The Doctor said.
"No, no, no. Please. Please. No. No." The Doctor said, mind melding with Donna and takes her memories away.
In the process of the mind meld, all of Donna's memories of being with the Doctor and Jared goes into the immortality pendant, waiting to be sent back to its host in case of emergencies.
"No!" Donna said, passing out.
Jack cradles Ianto, "It's all my fault."
"No Jack, it's my fault." Jared said, holding the hands of the two Magical Girls near him. "I knew this would happen. I should have stopped it. I should…"
"No, it's not. And Jared, you tried your best." Ianto said, looking at Jack, then at Jared.
"Don't speak. Save your breath." Jack said.
"Jack, I love you." Ianto said.
"Don't. Ianto? Ianto. Ianto, stay with us. Ianto, stay with us, please. Stay with us. Stay with us, please." Jack said.
"Hey. It was good, yeah?"
"Yeah."
"Don't forget me."
"Never could."
"Ianto Jones, back home, you have a shrine dedicated to you." Jared said, laughing a little. "Right near the Torchwood Hub. A little memorial."
"A thousand year's time, both of you won't remember me." Ianto said, frowning.
"Ianto, we will always remember you. I promise. Jack too." Jared said, looking at the coffee boy. "I won't let you down. And I'll keep your niece and nephew safe."
"Ianto. Ianto? Don't go. Don't leave us, please. Please don't." Jack said.
"You will die, and tomorrow your people will deliver the children." The 456 said.
Jack kisses Ianto one last time, and keels over, dead. Jared then looked over at Sayaka and Kyoko.
"Let her in." Johnson said.
"What are you waiting for?" Sayaka asked, and Alice runs to Steven, who was lying on the platform. "A mother lost her son."
Blood is coming from Steven's ears.
"No, no, no, no, no! No! No! Somebody help him. Help him! No, please, no. Why? Why? Oh, please." Alice said, sadly.
Jack and Jared cry.
"Goodbye, Sarah Jane." Barbara said, looking down at the baby, before at the adult version of her daughter. "Goodbye, Sarah Jane."
"Goodbye, Sarah Jane." Eddie said.
"Bye, Dad. I won't forget you. I'll never forget you." Sarah Jane said.
"And there they go." Jared said, sadly. "This was as hard as Rose's dad."
"I know." Ruby said, grabbing Jared's hand. "It's okay."
"You brought us with you. Because you were scared." Jaune said. "And you couldn't confront this on your own."
"Yeah." Jared said. "I couldn't."
"What now?" Ren asked. "Are we gonna watch them die?"
"Yup."
"That's horrible." Ruby said, frowning.
Eddie and Barbara get into the car and drive away.
"I know." Jared said, as Ruby squeezed his hand. "Thanks, Little Red. What do I do to deserve Teams RWBY and JNPR?"
The clouds vanish and the sunshine returns.
"No! Stop them. Stop them! You have denied me! My hunger..." The Trickster said.
"I did nothing. That was my mum and dad saving the world..." Sarah Jane said.
"It's something we can't help doing." Jared said, as he looked at the Trickster. "Them Smiths, and us being huntsmen and huntresses. We help people, and we save the world in the process."
"But you, Sarah Jane Smith, you couldn't do it. I knew you could never do it. And I was assuming Jared could do it, but he could never do it either. He's too grounded with Ruby Rose and Jaune Arc around." The Trickster said.
"You were right though, Trickster." Jared said, smirking. "Sarah and I, we could never send them off. Ruby, Jaune, and I may have lost people close to us. We're reckless separated, but together, we're strong."
"But you didn't count on one thing. They were brilliant. They worked it out, they went by themselves. My mum and dad defeated you." Sarah Jane said.
The Trickster explodes and vanishes with a scream.
"We've got to put things back on track. We've got to leave her." Luke said.
Kitchen…
"It was a nightmare, that's all." Sarah Jane said.
"But it seemed so real. She spoke to me. She said, hello, Luke." Luke said.
"But I didn't name you Luke until after the Bane were destroyed, Mrs Wormwood along with them. It was just a dream."
"But I don't dream. I never have."
A knock on the door.
Front door…
"Rani." Sarah Jane said.
"My mum. She's disappeared." Rani said.
Chandra home…
"Thank you for coming over, but I don't know what you can do." Haresh said.
"We can do a lot." Jared said, looking back at Tsuruno and Felicia. "We look into things a lot. So, what did the police say?"
"Has anything like this ever happened before? Is she on medication? Did we have a row?"
"Mum wouldn't just leave the shop. She didn't even take her van." Rani said.
"Why was she working so late?" Tsuruno asked. "Is it because she had to?"
"She had a rush order."
"Was there a fight? If so, did someone smash anything?" Felicia asked.
"No, there wasn't, Felicia. But there were flowers all over the floor." Haresh said.
(Jared's POV)
Outside the Chandra home…
"Rani, I'm sorry that you and your dad are worrying so much about your mom." I said, looking at Rani. "All I know is that people disappear all the time due to the influence of a Witch. And the Magical Girls like Team Mikazuki Villa save those people trapped in labyrinths. They then bring them home safe and sound."
"We know the world isn't as safe as that." Yachiyo said, exiting the house. "And by the looks of things, it wasn't a Witch."
"Does that mean she was taken by aliens?" Iroha asked.
"There's no reason to suppose anything that..." Sarah Jane said.
"What about what happened with Mister Trueman? She walked off then." Rani said.
"Rani, there's really no evidence…"
"You could use Mister Smith, couldn't you? He could look for Mum or something."
"Rani, um, everything's gonna be okay." Sana said, smiling. "We'll do what we can to help. But can, can we look around your mom's shop?"
Bloomin' Lovely…
"I got the message. Gita's disappeared? Rani must be going off her head. Is it aliens?" Clyde asked.
"Well, if there has been an alien here in the last twenty four hours, it will have left an energy trace." Sarah Jane said.
"Like a Witch." Yachiyo said. "The five of us would have sensed it's magic. If it was one."
"Sarah, you got anything?" I asked, walking towards the older brunette.
Sarah Jane scans, "Oh, no."
"Is it aliens?" Iroha asked.
"Yes, but the trace is too weak to identify the species." Sarah Jane said.
Tsuruno has found the cheque, "It's the Bane."
"What? Those takoyaki things that made Luke? That is able to shape shift?" Felicia asked.
"How could you know that? Jared, did you tell Team Mikazuki Villa that?" Sarah Jane asked.
"It was kind of an agreement between us. Jared has his suit produce Grief Seeds for us. We use them to replenish our magic. And we tell him about all the Witches and Uwasa we face." Yachiyo said, as she took the cheque from Tsuruno. "The person who wrote the cheque was a woman called Mrs Wormwood. Did she bear any significance to you?"
Attic…
"Mister Smith, I need you." Sarah Jane said.
"Yes, Sarah Jane? You appear to be in something of a hurry." Mr Smith said.
"Rani's mother has been kidnapped by the Bane. And I think Mrs Wormwood left this for me to find."
"Oh, maybe it's a clue." Iroha said.
"It could be a red herring." Yachiyo said.
"The Bane are not usually the perpetrators of intrigue. Their purpose in visiting a planet is rather more fundamental. To feed." Mr Smith said.
"That's what worries me. Mrs Wormwood has set this up to get my attention. I'm betting there's some sort of clue on that cheque." Sarah Jane said.
"The cheque is for the Mercian Bank, but the sort code and account digits are not what they purport to be."
"So, what is it?" Felicia asked.
"They form a tetric-bi-axial numeric code. In other words, something you don't understand, Felicia. Deciphering now."
Block-3 Lexington-road Industrial-estate.
"It's an address." Clyde said.
"It's an invitation." I said, crossing my arms. "I do love parties. Especially crashing them."
"So, what are we waiting for? Let's get my mum." Rani said.
"How long have you been there?" Sarah Jane asked.
"Long enough."
"I'm going alone. If Mrs Wormwood has gone to this trouble, it won't just be for my company. She could be after you, Luke, and she's not going to have you."
"I can look after myself." Luke said.
"All the same, you're staying here. And Clyde, Tsuruno, Felicia, and Sana, I want you to make sure that he does." Sarah Jane said.
"Yeah, sure." Clyde said.
"Okay." Tsuruno said.
"Fine." Felicia said. "I wanted to smash things."
"Oh, okay." Sana said.
"No, this is my mum. No way are you leaving me behind." Rani said.
"All right, but this is dangerous. You do exactly as I say. And Yachiyo, you keep Iroha and Jared in line." Sarah Jane said.
Industrial estate…
"The Bane are a cephalopod race, who use shape-shifting technologies to infiltrate planets. Mrs Wormwood led their invasion plans last time, but she and the other Bane served the Bane Mother. They made this drink, Bubble Shock. Sold it right across the country." Sarah Jane said.
"I remember that. It was foul." Rani said.
"Bubble Shock?" Yachiyo asked.
"What's Bubble Shock?" Iroha asked.
"Oh, it was a soda." I said, smiling. "It was cool."
I looked down for a moment, knowing how much closer I am getting to the 10th Doctor's regeneration. And Sarah Jane's wedding, I then noticed that I'm letting out some tears in the process.
"You sure you're up for this?" Yachiyo asked.
"No need to worry." I said, wiping my tears. "Come on."
"Then you were one of the two percent unaffected. You were the reason they made Luke. Mrs Wormwood needed to refine the formula, so she took samples from thousands of people and created the perfect human being, Luke." Sarah Jane said.
"Looks like you're right. She's expecting us." Rani said.
Block 3…
"Stay close behind me." Sarah Jane said.
"Aqours, set up." I said, taking out my pendant, for my clothes to come off and for the armor to get placed around my body. "Remnant mode. Ebb and Flow. Bow form."
"Right." Aqours said, for the bow to appear in my hand.
Gita is standing still in the middle of the rubble of the unused unit.
"Mum! Mum. Mum, it's me. It's Rani." Rani said.
"Rani, your mom is okay." I said, smiling. "She's just in a hypnotized state. Basically like a Witch's kiss."
"I thought it would be better this way. Fewer witnesses." Wormwood said.
"Mrs Wormwood. Still hiding out in factory units, I see." Sarah Jane said.
"Sarah Jane Smith. Still involving children in your dangerous games. And it's nice to meet you Jared Shay, you involve your friends in your dangerous games too."
"Oh, they've dealt with worse." I said, holding out Ebb and Flow in its bow form. "Team Mikazuki Villa. I don't want to hurt you. Come on, let Gita go. Please."
"Yeah, listen to Jared. You kidnapped my mum." Rani said.
"Hello, Rani." Wormwood said.
"How do you know my name?"
"Oh, I've been watching you. You're taller than your predecessor. How does she like America? I always said we should have launched Bubble Shock there. More cosmopolitan taste buds. Or maybe I should have launched in Japan, to make it suited to their tastes."
"Oh, hell no!" I said, aiming the bow at Wormwood. "You're not allowed to do your work in America. That's my home turf. And don't do it in Japan either. Symphogear will stop you there."
"Jared, calm down." Yachiyo said, looking at Wormwood. "Now's not the time. What do you want?"
"Sarah Jane, Jared, Yachiyo, I want your help." Wormwood said.
"I beg your pardon?" Sarah Jane asked.
"Why do you want to work with me?" Yachiyo asked, looking at Wormwood.
"You're worse that the intergalactic super nanny." I said, crossing my arms. "Who turned Brits into living fat."
"Believe me, I take no pleasure in this, Miss Smith, Miss Nanami, and Mister Shay." Wormwood said.
"You're asking for help? After you kidnap my mum and put her in a trance? You've got a funny way of saying please on your planet." Rani said.
"I didn't imagine that simply knocking on your door was an option. Oh, how is the Archetype, by the way?"
"His name is Luke, and you stay away from him." Sarah Jane said.
"Oh, I have no interest in the boy. He was merely an experiment. A failed experiment, thanks to you." Wormwood said.
"Well, now he is my son, and I will protect him with my life."
"Then you have no option but to help me."
"Are you threatening us?" Yachiyo asked.
"Your entire planet is under threat, Miss Smith, Mister Shay, Miss Nanami. The entire galaxy."
"Yachiyo, Jared, there's something here." Iroha said, looking around.
"Crap!" I said, turning my bow into dual pistols. "It's a trap!"
"Oh, no. It's me they're after." Wormwood said.
Four bald men enter.
"They've got us trapped. Who are they?" Rani asked.
"I'm warning you." Wormwood said.
"You are an enemy of the Bane Kindred. Surrender or be devoured." A man said.
"Bane! They're Bane." Yachiyo said.
"I never surrender." Wormwood said.
He transforms into a Bane, and Mrs Wormwood zaps him with her ring. Then the others get the same. They collapse.
"Okay, that's helpful." I said, smirking.
"They're only stunned. Run!" Wormwood said.
Mrs Wormwood leads the way, tottering in high heels, with me behind her. Rani brings Gita and Sarah Jane, Iroha, and Yachiyo is in the rear. The Bane recovers and grabs Iroha's ankle with a tentacle.
"Ah! Let go!" Iroha said, looking at the Bane.
"Iroha!" Yachiyo said.
"Yachiyo, help me! It's got my leg!"
"Shit, you have to help her." I said, looking between Iroha and Yachiyo.
"Oh, I do so loathe amateurs." Wormwood said, going back inside, picks up a piece of twisted aluminium and hits the tentacle. It releases Iroha.
"Iroha, are you okay?" Yachiyo asked.
Mrs Wormwood offers to help Iroha up.
"I'm fine." Iroha said. "That was as crazy as one of the Uwasa we fought."
Industrial estate…
"Shut the doors." Wormwood said, and Sarah Jane sonicks them locked.
I took out a small motorcycle with a sidecar out of my pocket, I placed it on the ground. I tossed an object at the small object to make it bigger and I looked back at Iroha and Yachiyo. I hopped onto the motorcycle with Yachiyo holding my waist, and Iroha hopped into the sidecar.
"Thank you Hank Pym for the shrinking tech." I said, smiling.
Rani gets Gita to the car.
"I don't understand. Why are the Bane after you?" Iroha asked.
"My mission on Earth was a failure. Sarah Jane killed the Bane Mother, but I bore the blame, for which I was cast out from the Bane Kindred." Wormwood said.
"And is that why they're hunting you?"
"No. I am hunted because I want to stop them taking over the galaxy."
Outside Sarah Jane's home…
"Will Luke be in?" Wormwood asked.
"Like hell you're touching him." I said, jumping off the motorcycle with Iroha and Yachiyo. "Just get Gita out of her trance."
"Wakey, wakey." Wormwood said, slapping Gita, who wakes up.
"Oh! What's going on?" Gita asked.
"Mum. You're all right." Rani said.
"What am I doing here?"
"You were sleepwalking, Mrs Chandra." Yachiyo said.
"Come off it."
"Dad's been really worried." Rani said.
"You'd better get her home." Sarah Jane said.
"Haven't you been in my shop?" Gita asked, looking at Wormwood.
"No. I despise flowers." Wormwood said.
Hallway…
��Mum's back." Luke said.
Front door…
"Hello, Luke." Wormwood said.
"Mum? Jared? What's she doing here?" Luke asked.
"Mrs Wormwood wants our help." I said, leaning against the wall. "I don't approve of it one bit. But I guess we do have to help her."
"That's Mrs Wormwood? I thought you said she was an ugly bug-eyed squid thing." Clyde said.
"Children. They have no respect." Wormwood said.
Attic…
"So this is from where you save the world? How comfortingly unsophisticated." Wormwood said.
"Mister Smith, I need you." Sarah Jane said.
"And there's a computer in the wall. I had no idea that you could be so entertaining."
"Good afternoon, Sarah Jane, Jared, and Yachiyo. I see that we have a visitor." Mr Smith said.
"Mrs Wormwood is a Bane." Yachiyo said.
"So my bio-analysis tells me."
"How much make-up does it take before you get out in a morning?" Clyde asked.
"Is it wise to have Bane in the attic?" Mr Smith asked.
"No, it isn't. Just watch her, okay? Contain her if you detect trouble." I said, leaning against the wall. "I hope you understood all that."
"Perfectly."
"Dad's looking after Mum. Did I miss anything?" Rani asked.
"Luke's family aren't exactly lookers." Clyde said.
"She's not my family." Luke said
"No, Clyde. She isn't Luke's family." Yachiyo said.
"Sorry." Clyde said.
"Yeah, I hate forgetting stuff." I said, rolling my eyes. "And I hate not knowing things. So tell us what's really going on, Mrs Wormwood."
"The Bane Kindred blamed me for the failure of our Earth invasion. And for the death of the Bane Mother. Do you know what Bane do to their kind who fail them?" Wormwood asked.
"I don't know. Maybe I don't want to." Iroha said.
"They eat them. Alive."
"What?!" Felicia exclaimed.
"That's awful." Sana said.
"Why would they do that?" Tsuruno asked.
"Because they aren't human." I said, sadly.
"But you escaped, obviously." Luke said.
"I made you rather handsome, didn't I? For a human. And there can't be anyone at your school to match your intelligence." Wormwood said.
"Blah, blah, blah." I said, walking around the room. "Just get to the point."
"Have you ever heard the legend of Horath, of the Dark Empire?"
"Nope, I don't. I can't possibly remember everything. Mister Smith? Got anything?"
"The Dark Empire was a period of tyrannical galactic rule by a mysterious and reportedly immortal alien entity called Horath, who crushed the civilisations of all but the most primitive planets." Mr Smith said.
"Your hole in the wall machine really is very impressive, Miss Smith. Horath was defeated, but couldn't be killed, so his body and his consciousness were divided and they were hidden at opposite ends of the galaxy." Wormwood said.
"No way! Did the Bane find Horath?" Tsuruno asked.
"His consciousness, in the Kaldeann Cluster. They have a mercenary agent bringing it to Earth."
"Felicia, weren't you a mercenary?" I asked, looking at the dirty blonde.
"I was one." Felicia said, her hands behind her head. "Now I work at Banbanzai."
"Was this where they hid the other half?" Iroha asked.
"Three thousand years ago, there was nowhere more primitive than Earth. Little has changed." Wormwood said.
"So the Bane get hold of this and they can take it over the galaxy. And stopping them is your way of getting your own back?" Rani asked.
"We Bane have a saying, the sweetest delicacy is the tongue of an enemy that has looked at you and licked their lips." Wormwood said.
"I am now officially a vegetarian." Clyde said.
"I don't wanna become one! Meat for life!" Felicia said.
"Even after all that?" I asked, looking at Felicia. "Wow. You've got nerves of steel, Felicia Mitsuki. So where is Horath's body?"
"If I knew, would I shackle myself with the tedium of asking you lot for help?" Wormwood asked.
"But the Bane knows where he is." Yachiyo said.
"Of course."
"So where do we find Horath?" Sana asked. "Is he in some kind of restaurant? Or some shopping mall?"
"Sarah Jane, Jared, Yachiyo, there is a relic. The Tunguska scroll that tells the story of Horath and his final resting place." Mr Smith said.
"So where is it?" Rani asked.
"The Black Archive." Mr Smith said.
"Son of a…" I said, looking up. "Why couldn't it have been S.O.N.G headquarters? It would have been easier to ask Elfnein."
"Why does that sound so cool and so scary at the same time?" Clyde asked.
"Because that's where they store alien artifacts. The ones that most humans can't handle." Yachiyo said. ��It's the UNIT vaults. Jared doesn't let us Magical Girls there. Because some are childish like Felicia, Tsuruno, Ayame, and Mito."
"That, Miss Smith, Mister Shay, and Miss Nanami, is why I need you." Wormwood said.
"Yeah, I know. Mister Smith, contain Mrs Wormwood." I said, walking towards Iroha to grab her hand.
"Instantly." Mr Smith said.
"What treachery is this?" Wormwood asked.
"No need to worry! You'll be safe here. While we're gone." I said, smiling.
"How can you know that? The Bane have agents everywhere."
Sarah Jane and her gang, along with the Magical Girls and I leave as Mrs Wormwood tests out the size of the containment field.
"Argh." Wormwood said.
Hallway…
"So is this it? The day Clyde Langer finally hooks up with UNIT? Locked and loaded, ready to fight the scum of the universe." Clyde said, happily.
"Haven't I taught you there are better ways of dealing with aliens than guns? Magical Girls, Symphogear, and huntresses and huntsmen are the exception." Sarah Jane said.
"What do you expect? He's a boy." Rani said.
"He thinks only guns are cool." I said, smirking. "Meanwhile I have a thing for weapons like Ruby."
"UNIT have their uses, but in my experience, guns never solved a problem they didn't first make worse. But the family Jared has at Remnant knows when to use their guns. And UNIT can be so suspicious." Sarah Jane said.
"They're not the only ones. Can we really trust Mrs Wormwood?" Rani asked.
"I don't know. I haven't watched these adventures too much back home." I said, squeezing Iroha's hand.
"And if I tell UNIT about Mrs Wormwood, they could start asking other questions." Sarah Jane said.
"About me?" Luke asked.
"Questions it would be difficult to answer without them getting more suspicious. Oh, Luke, you have to stay here, but keep away from Mrs Wormwood."
"Yes. Of course."
"And Clyde, Felicia, Sana, stay with him. Tsuruno, stay with Haresh and Gita. Keep an eye on things. Please, keep him safe."
"No problem." Clyde said.
"Okay." Sana said.
"That's not too bad." Tsuruno said. "I can handle it."
"Me too." Felicia said, smirking. "Whatcha expect us to do? Sit around?"
"Right, come on, Rani, Jared, Iroha, and Yachiyo. I need to see a friend. A very old friend." Sarah Jane said, leaving the room with Rani, Yachiyo, Iroha, and I.
Room…
A wood panelled place with coats of arms in the window panes, and a pair of knights on horseback. A white haired gentleman is leaning on a walking stick at the far end of a long oak table, looking out of the window, when an Army officer enters.
"Brigadier, sir." Kilburne said.
"Major Kilburne. What a surprise." The Brigadier said.
"Your wife let me in."
"Oh, yes. What can I do for you?"
"I'm here to debrief you, sir. On your mission in Peru."
"On my what? Good God, man, I'm retired. I don't do missions any more, and I certainly don't do debriefings."
"I'm sorry, Sir Alistair, but you do remain UNIT's special envoy."
"Yes, which allows you to dust me down once in a while before sending me off on some fool's errand to Peru."
"I'm sorry, sir, but the Homeworld Security Mandate dictates…"
"Homeworld Security. That's the trouble with UNIT these days. Too many buzzwords, too many directives. At least in my day we maintained the benefits of common sense." The Brigadier said.
"With respect, Sir Alistair, UNIT has had to adapt to the challenges of a more hostile universe." The Brigadier said.
"In my day, we took on Daleks, Cybermen, Autons, Zygons and all manner of space-thuggery, and it doesn't get more hostile than that."
Sarah Jane, Rani, Yachiyo, Iroha, and I enter.
"No, Brigadier, you're so right. It doesn't." Sarah Jane said.
"It really doesn't. And I've taken on those things too when I was still traveling with the Doctor. Not Zygons yet, I will do it when my Impossible Girl comes around." I said, happily. "I had to combat all of that along with Grimm and Noise. That's more hostile. And I despise it. Using weapons now and again."
"Sarah Jane Smith. And Jared Shay." The Brigadier said.
"Hello, Sir Alastair. It's been a long time." Sarah Jane said.
"Oh, it has, it has." The Brigadier said, hugging Sarah Jane. "Jared, it's been quite a while. You can join this hug."
"Thank you, Brigadier." I said, joining in on the hug between the Brigadier and Sarah Jane.
"How are you?"
"Oh, dealing with aliens. I've been wanting to retire for a while now. Maybe I should take something out of Yachiyo's book. Settle down. Buy a villa. Find some strays and start a family."
"You might enjoy it. Retiring."
"Major Kilburne, Miss Smith, Mister Shay. It's an honour to meet the both of you. I've read most of your files. Concerning you two. Some are still level one security restricted. I'm only level two." Kilburne said.
"My files have a higher security rating than I ever did." Sarah Jane said.
"Same here. And the ones for mine, they only started appearing after I settled down on Earth." I said, smirking. "There's some before I settle down too. From 2005 up to present day."
"I think we're finished here, Major." The Brigadier said.
"Yes, sir. Good day, Sir Alistair. Miss Smith, Mister Shay." Kilburne said, saluting and he left the room.
"I'm sorry. We didn't mean to interrupt, but we're afraid this isn't a social call." Sarah Jane said.
"It really isn't one." I said, walking around the room. "I usually go to the people I most rely on. When I know I can't handle it."
"I would almost be disappointed if it were. How can I help the both of you?" The Brigadier asked.
"About that. We, um, need to break into the Black Archive. Kate, your daughter, she's so gonna hate me for this." I said, grabbing Iroha's hand. "Mostly because I won't properly meet her until next decade."
"Oh."
(Open POV)
Kitchen…
"I've met some pretty nasty characters since I hooked up with Sarah Jane. But as far as I'm concerned, none of them can hold a candle to my old man for what he did to me and my mum. But at the same time, he was my dad. Without him, I wouldn't even be here." Clyde said.
"That's what I'm thinking. About Mrs Wormwood. I want to see her." Luke said.
"Sarah Jane told you to keep away. And, I don't know, it's not like she wanted a kid, is it? The Bane wanted to take over the world and eat us. Believe me, that's something most families don't want to talk about."
"I'm going. Please."
Attic…
"Luke. I see you haven't abandoned me. Thank you." Wormwood said.
"I want to ask you some questions." Luke said.
"Of course. Release me and we can talk."
"I'm not going to release you."
"I won't harm you. I created you. It must have been very difficult for you, Luke, being born into this strange world, knowing so much and yet nothing at all."
"I was born running. Sarah Jane gave me a name."
Sana opened the door to the attic, and she closed it slowly, so she can remain unnoticed by Mrs Wormwood, "Luke, be careful."
"What are you doing here?" Luke said, looking at Sana then back at Wormwood. "Sorry, talking to myself. She made me into a person."
"From the raw material I provided. How does it feel to be so special?" Wormwood asked.
"It isn't always easy."
"Is that why you wanted to talk? Do you hate me for giving you life?"
"I enjoy my life. But this world is complicated, however clever you are."
"And sometimes, you feel so isolated. You are quite unique throughout the entire universe. Alone in its darkness, without blood kin. Just as I am."
Car...
The Brigadier stops his Bentley so Sarah Jane, Rani, Jared, Iroha, and Yachiyo can look at the squat dark building.
"So that's the Black Archive." Iroha said.
"Yup, and no one is allowed. Unless they've got a level one security clearance." Jared said, sipping his bubble tea. "What? I was thirsty."
"But they won't look twice if it was the Brigadier." Yachiyo said.
"All the same, if they were to catch you in there, it won't go well." The Brigadier said.
"There's no other way. I won't risk UNIT taking an interest in Luke. As far men like Major Kilburne are concerned, he isn't human. That means he's a threat." Sarah Jane said.
"And the Bane's agent is already on his way. We have to get the scroll, find Horath and stop them bringing him back to life." Rani said.
"Better get in the back, and get down. And Jared, do the trick you usually do to hide." The Brigadier said.
Jared activated his semblance and he went invisible, out of sight and out of might for others. That means the people he wants to see him will see him.
Main gate…
The guard just looks at Brigadier Sir Alastair Lethbridge Stewart's ID card, and takes no notice of the bundle under the travelling rug.
"Four of us in the back." Iroha said, telepathically. "Was that the best idea?"
"Thank you, sir." The guard said.
"Thank you." The Brigadier said.
"Pass through, sir."
Outside the buildings…
"We're here. Stay put while I check the coast is clear." The Brigadier said, getting out of the car.
"Brigadier, what are you doing here?" Kilburne asked.
"What's taking them so long?" Iroha asked, telepathically. "Can we help him?"
"No, not yet." Yachiyo said, telepathically. "Jared, how are you doing?"
The blue haired Magical Girl looked over to see Jared out of breath, due to using his semblance for a while.
"You should rest." Yachiyo said, telepathically.
"Just a bit longer." Jared said, telepathically. "I'm fine."
"You sure?" Iroha asked, telepathically.
"I look forward to it." Kilburne said, walking on, then turns back. "By the way. You didn't say, sir. What are you doing at the archive?"
"My memoirs, Major. Now that the cat's out of the bag about aliens, it seems as good a time as any to tell a few of those stories about the old days." The Brigadier said.
"I see. Just don't give away our secrets, will you, sir?"
Major Kilburne walks away, and the Brigadier opens the back door. Jared let his emotions go back to its upbeat self, and he looked straight ahead. The fanboy then looked down at his pendant to see it open up a Grief Seed.
Yachiyo walked over to him to pick up the Grief Seed and placed it inside her pocket, "Thanks. Now don't stress yourself too much today."
"Come on, quickly. In there. Now, this will get you into the archive. You'll move faster without me. I'll keep watch out here." The Brigadier said, giving Sarah Jane his pass.
"Come on, Rani, Jared, Iroha, and Yachiyo. Thank you." Sarah Jane said.
Archive…
"Welcome to the Black Archive. God, it feels so wrong being here." Jared said, looking around. "This place is TARDIS proofed."
"Does that mean the…" Iroha said, sadly.
"Alien technology plus human stupidity." Yachiyo said. "People don't trust others with tech they wouldn't understand, Iroha."
"It's huge!" Rani said, happily.
"Yup." Jared said, grabbing Iroha's hand. "This has the best collection of alien artifacts on Earth. Like, in a parallel world, the Infinity Stones would be here. The Relics that the Symphogear wielders use would be here too."
"You mean the authorities have known about aliens all this time? So since Roswell, all they've been doing is lying to us?" Rani asked.
"Oh, Roswell was nothing. Queen Victoria knew about aliens." Sarah Jane said.
"I bet she wasn't amused."
"Oh, I was there." Jared said, laughing a lot. "When the Torchwood Institute was founded. I brought Jaune and Pyrrha. The Doctor and Rose made a bet that day, for ten quid. Rose kept wanting Queen Victoria to say that she wasn't amused."
"What happened next?" Iroha asked. "After she said that?"
"Oh, she knighted then exiles us. The five of us. And Rose was happy that she won the bet, the Doctor was sad that he lost."
Sarah Jane searches the database for the scroll, "Jared, you were there, so you knew she wasn't amused. Got it. Tunguska Scroll, Section E 4 6. Come on."
Security room…
Two UNIT paratroopers are watching small CCTV screens.
"All quiet?" Kilburne asked.
"Sir." A trooper said.
Kilburne apparently uses a shiny curved surface to check for nose hairs.
Archive annex…
The Brigadier's pass lets Sarah Jane, Rani, Jared, Iroha, and Yachiyo into the small storeroom.
"This is it." Sarah Jane said, sonicing open safe E46 and took out the heavy alien scroll.
"This is the complete opposite of what I did with Torchwood." Jared said, looking at the camera. "Being with them made it easier to be all stealth."
A camera watches them.
"It's beautiful." Iroha said, looking at the scroll.
Front door…
Felicia answers the doorbell to see a woman with a charity collecting box, "Grrr. Not now! Can you come back later?"
The woman transforms into a Bane.
Clyde slams the door shut, "Luke! Sana! Luke! Sana! It's attack of the one-eyed squiddy things!"
Attic…
"Oh no." Sana said, her eyes widening.
"Something's happened." Luke said.
"They've found me. They will eat me alive. You and your friends have to help me, Luke. I am your mother." Wormwood said.
Security room…
"We've got a security breach." The trooper said.
"Show me the pictures, now." lol burns said.
Archive annex…
"Okay, we've gotta get out of here." Jared said, looking around. "And I don't have a plan for it."
Outside the buildings…
"Gate, we have a security breach." Kilburne said.
Front door…
"What happened?" Sana asked.
Luke, Sana, and Mrs Wormwood come down the stairs.
"Grr! Sana! We can't hold it for much longer!" Felicia said, looking at Sana.
"We have to escape. The back way." Wormwood said.
"What's she doing out of that, whatever it's called?" Felicia asked.
"We couldn't leave her. They'd kill her." Luke said.
"Okay, on three, run for it. One…" Clyde said, and a tentacle smashes the skylight. "Forget it, just run."
Garden…
"I really want to whack one!" Felicia said, when the Bane leaps onto the lawn. "Can I?"
"I'm, I'm not sure." Sana said. "They're not Witches, Familiars, or Uwasa."
"This is not good. We don't know if Jared modified their Soul Gems enough. Let's go back." Clyde said, looking at Felicia and Sana.
"My sonic disruptor isn't working. The containment vortex must have drained its power." Wormwood said.
More Bane trap Clyde, Luke, Sana, and Felicia on the driveway.
Outside the buildings…
Sarah Jane, Rani, Jared, Iroha, and Yachiyo rejoin the Brigadier.
"Brigadier. Stay where you are, sir." Kilburne said, pointing his service revolver at the Brigadier.
"Um, what's the plan?" Iroha asked.
"I don't have one." Jared said, smiling.
"Then we're gonna die here." Yachiyo said. "You led us to our deaths."
Yachiyo turned her back to see Jared smiling and the fanboy started laughing, "You don't have a plan. Because someone else thought ahead."
"Do as he says, Brigadier." Sarah Jane said.
"I have the situation secure." Kilburne said, as Sarah Jane zaps the soldiers with her sonic lipstick. "Argh."
"I've sonicked their earpieces."
"Why don't you have one?" Yachiyo asked.
"They're too overused. And not as helpful as magic." Jared said, sitting next to Iroha and Yachiyo. "Yeah, it's a bit cramped in here."
Rani is next to Yachiyo. But then Jared hopped over to sit in the back.
The Brigadier drives them away as the main gate is closing, "Hold on."
"Stop that car!" Kilburne said.
The Brigadier powers the Bentley through the gap and away.
Garden…
"At least I'll have the satisfaction of giving you food poisoning." Wormwood said, and the Bane vanishes, to reveal a scarred Sontaran with a smoking gun. "Kaagh. Such perfect timing. Do you have it? The consciousness of Horath?"
"I have it hidden, but it's safe." Kaagh said.
"Then soon Sarah Jane Smith and Jared Shay shall lead us to Horath, and make us emperors of the galaxy. And they will crawl before me as we crush their world. Oh, the sweetness of revenge. Jared Shay must have told Sarah Jane Smith everything ahead of time, he has the foreknowledge to do so."
Outside Sarah Jane's home…
"Typical. I turn vegetarian, and now I'm Bane munchies." Clyde said.
"What happened to Mrs Wormwood?" Sana asked.
"Don't know. Could be one of these, for all I can tell." Clyde said, grabbing the garden hose. "Tap. Come on."
"Go." Felicia said, grinning. "Beat 'em up, Clyde!"
"Nothing eats Clyde Langer without a fight." Clyde said, squirting water at the Bane.
Mrs Wormwood and Kaagh look around the corner of the house.
"Your kindred have the half-forms trapped." Kaagh said.
"They're not my kindred, Kaagh. Not any more. I'm like you, an outcast with no family." Wormwood said.
"Then they will feast on the Smith woman's boy and his friend, and they will feast on the friends of Shay."
"No. Not today. Kaagh, my phonic disruptor needs an energy boost."
Kaagh's bracer provides the energy. A Bane knocks the hose out of Clyde's hand.
"I think they're done playing with their food." Clyde said.
"Bane Kindred. Humans are off the menu." Wormwood said, and her phonic disrupter makes the Bane go splat, all over Clyde, Luke, Felicia, and Sana.
"Agh!" Felicia said, looking down at her school uniform. "Gross!"
"Urgh. Nice one, Mrs W." Clyde said.
Sarah Jane drives up, "Luke! I told you to stay away from her."
"She saved our lives." Sana said, happily.
"It's true. We were Bane bait, then Mrs W fixed them with her ring thing." Clyde said.
"Saving human lives is becoming a bit of a habit with me, Miss Smith, Mister Shay, Miss Nanami. I do hope we can conclude our business together before I am scarred for life. Do you have the scroll?" Wormwood asked.
"Yeah, we have it." Jared said, crossing his arms.
"Then give it to me." Wormwood said.
"No, I don't want to. It's not the right time."
"It wasn't exactly a stealth operation. Half of UNIT is probably headed this way right now." Rani said.
"Miss Chandra's right. We should be on our way." The Brigadier said.
"And, er, who are you?" Wormwood asked.
"Brigadier Sir Alistair Gordon Lethbridge Stewart, madam, at your service."
"Ahem. I know the last place UNIT'll look for us. Let's go." Rani said.
"Um, flowers?" Sana asked. "Are we going there?"
Kaagh looks around the corner of the house to watch them leave.
Bloomin' Lovely…
"Hiding out in a flower shop?" Clyde asked.
"I do it all the time, I hide out in Kako's bookstore or Konomi's flower shop." Jared said, leaning against the wall. "Away from alien invasions sometimes. This is the last place UNIT would look."
"Tea. Come on, Mum's got a kettle out the back." Rani said.
Rani, Clyde, Sana, and Felicia leave.
"So, now may I see the scroll?" Wormwood asked.
"Thanks for saving Luke, Clyde, Felicia, and Sana." Jared said, kicking his foot back and forth. "I really appreciate it."
"Oh, there's no need. I am an outcast from the Bane Kindred. Their only interest in me now is one of digestion. I take the deepest satisfaction in ensuring they go hungry."
"Don't you have any children of your own? What would you call them, spawn?" Sarah Jane asked, looking at Wormwood.
"No. I am alone. Completely." Wormwood said.
"I was alone. For a long, long time, until I met Luke."
"I wasn't alone when I had Team RWBY. But ever since the Fall of Beacon, I never felt more alone." Jared said. "Yachiyo was alone, until she met Iroha. Tsuruno, Felicia, and Sana soon joined her. She has a new family to take care of."
"Jared, you told me you got Team RNJR right now." Yachiyo said, walking towards the fanboy. "So you're not alone. Not completely. Stop thinking you are. They're there for you. Until you see your family again."
"Then perhaps you should be indebted to me, for enriching your sad, purposeless life." Wormwood said.
"Don't push it, Wormwood." Sarah Jane said.
"Just give me the scroll."
"Um, can you tell us how you were able to save Luke, Clyde, Felicia, and Sana?" Iroha asked. "I want to know."
"I want to know too. Mister Smith's containment vortex is designed to draw the energy from any weapon confined within it." Sarah Jane said.
"How very ingenious, and how unfortunate." Wormwood said.
Wormwood and Sarah Jane point ring and lipstick at each other. While Jared, Iroha, and Yachiyo watch.
"Not another inch, Mrs Wormwood." Sarah Jane said.
"The battle of the costume jewellery counter. How very female. Perhaps what we need here is a more masculine influence. Kaagh!" Wormwood said. "And Jared has some feminine touches to his personality due to hanging around girls."
Kaagh enters from the back, pushing Rani, Clyde, Felicia, and Sana in front of his very big gun.
"Let go of me!" Felicia said, angrily.
"Kaagh!" Jared said, walking around the flower shop. "I should have remembered you would be here."
"A Sontaran always keeps an oath of vengeance. You were there with the Doctor, during the ATMOS incident." Kaagh said, looking at Jared.
"I know. But your race poisoned the Earth's air. You would have killed millions of innocent people."
"You alien chaps never get the message, do you?" The Brigadier asked.
Kaagh stamps on Sarah Jane's lipstick.
"The sonic lipstick. No!" Rani said.
"You will regret doing that, Kaagh." Sarah Jane said.
"The both of you shall regret robbing me of the honour of Sontar, for all eternity." Kaagh said.
"Kaagh and I both have a score to settle, Miss Smith, Mister Shay. Our vengeance will span a galaxy." Wormwood said.
"Kaagh has the Consciousness of Horath. He is the Bane's agent. And you're both double-crossing them." Sarah Jane said.
"I could never return to Sontar. What sort of soldier is beaten by a male seer, a female and half-forms? I was reduced to working as a mercenary for the Bane." Kaagh said,
"Kaagh was carrying the Consciousness of Horath for the Bane when he recognised me on a planet in the Snake Tongue Nebula. The Bane had put a high price on my head. But I encouraged Kaagh to see the bigger picture. A much bigger picture. So, give me the scroll." Wormwood said.
"Don't do it, Sarah Jane, Jared." Rani said.
"Oh, I suggest you do. Or Kaagh will disintegrate your friends one at a time."
Sarah Jane gets the scroll out of her bag, "You're mad. It will destroy you. It will destroy everything."
"I worked my ass off for protecting this world and this universe." Jared said, kicking his foot back and forth. "That scroll will destroy life itself! I've been trying to preserve it whenever possible."
"Oh, really, Miss Smith, Mister Shay. You're so negative. Power has such beauty, hasn't it, Kaagh?" Wormwood asked.
"Power is the most beautiful thing in the universe. Shall I destroy them now?" Kaagh asked.
"Don't." Yachiyo said.
Luke steps in front of Kaagh's gun, "No! Leave them alone, Mrs Wormwood. My mum and Jared gave you what you wanted, now get out."
"Such a brave boy. So much more than a boy." Wormwood said.
"Don't you dare touch, Luke." Jared said, grabbing Iroha's hand. "Stay away from him."
"Luke, I will spare your friends, if you will come with me." Wormwood said.
"Sana, follow Luke." Jared said, telepathically.
"Are you sure?" Sana asked, telepathically.
"Jared knows what he's doing." Yachiyo said, telepathically. "Most of the time. I trust him."
"Me too." Iroha said, telepathically.
"Oh, okay." Sana said, telepathically.
"No, Luke." Sarah Jane said.
"I promise you, Sarah Jane Smith, Jared Shay, that as long as you can resist that infuriating tendency to meddle, Luke will be safe. Take him away, Kaagh." Wormwood said.
"Luke. I love you."
"And I love you." Luke said.
"We are not finished, Mrs Wormwood."
"Oh, I think we are, Miss Smith." Wormwood said.
Mrs Wormwood activates her ring and knocks them all out except Sana as she can't see her. The green haired Magical Girl then followed Kaagh, Mrs Wormwood, and Luke.
Outside Sarah Jane's home…
Gita is knocking on the front door when the garden gate creaks, "Sarah? Is that you, Sarah?"
She goes around and reaches for the handle.
"Oh, a military man." Tsuruno said, and the door is opened by an Army major. "Hi. How are you?"
Chandra home...
"I didn't realise Sarah Jane had a nephew. I didn't think she had any relatives at all, to be honest." Haresh said.
"Jared, there's a man here." Tsuruno said, telepathically. "Is he safe?"
The brunette didn't get a response back from Jared.
"Well, you shouldn't have to wait long. Sarah and Jared are always very busy with their newspaper stories. Both of them are teaching my daughter. Oh, that's Rani, very bright, all the tricks of the trade. Ooo, I could call Sarah and Jared, if you like. Tell them you're here." Gita said.
"No, it's okay. When Aunt Sarah Jane and her best friend gets home, I'd like it to be a surprise." Kilburne said.
"That guy, he's bad news." Jared said, telepathically. "I can feel it. Even through our connection. Keep Rani's parents safe."
Industrial estate...
Mrs Wormwood is driving the Brigadier's Bentley.
Sana hopped down from holding onto the roof of the car, and her hair is a bit messy from grabbing the rooftop, "That was close."
"Be careful, Kaagh. This isn't a bout of Sontaran quicksand wrestling. He is a boy. They break, or so I understand." Wormwood said.
"I will make sure the perimeter is secure." Kaagh said.
"How are things?" Sana asked, telepathically. "Jared?"
The green haired Magical Girl got no response from the fanboy.
"Some squalid wasteland, rancid with the stench of stagnant oil and rotting fast-food wrappers. Typical of this depressing planet you call home." Wormwood said.
She then tried to get in contact with Yachiyo, Iroha, Tsuruno, and Felicia.
"Hello?" Sana asked, telepathically.
"Sana?" Tsuruno asked, telepathically.
"Where? Where are you?"
"I'm with this military man. Jared says he's a bad guy."
"Military man?"
"I won't do anything for you." Luke said.
"You already have. You are our hostage. Sarah Jane Smith and Jared Shay won't move against us while we have you." Kaagh said.
"Too much talk, Kaagh. Get me what we came for." Wormwood said.
"This way."
Empty unit…
"Kaagh's space pod." Luke said.
"Soon I will look upon a galaxy crushed to stardust beneath my feet. I want Sarah Jane Smith and Jared Shay to know they gave it to me. And that they gave you to me. Such shall be my vengeance." Wormwood said.
"Why is revenge so important?"
"Humans, the runts of the galaxy. No wonder half the species from here to the Vylixik Spiral Cluster have plans to invade you. You have no guts." Kaagh said.
"My mum does. And Jared does too. That's why they defeated you before. Both of you. And they will this time." Luke said.
"They will have to find us to do that. And to our destination there is only one guide. Kaagh?" Wormwood asked.
"Jared, they're up to something not good." Sana said, telepathically. "What happened?"
The green haired Magical Girl got no response back from Jared, and neither from Yachiyo, Iroha, and Felicia. Kaagh places a glowing crystal from his pod inside the scroll.
"The Eye of Horath begins to open, and the galaxy shall tremble." Wormwood said.
Bloomin' Lovely…
Rani recovers first, "Sarah Jane. Jared. Sarah Jane, Jared, wake up."
"Ugh." Jared said, lifting himself off the ground. "How long have we been out?"
Jared ran over to Iroha, Yachiyo, and Felicia, to see their Soul Gems have been kicked away from their bodies. He placed the Magical Girls' respective Soul Gems back in their hands to wake them up.
"What happened?" Iroha asked, opening her eyes. "Where's Luke and Sana?"
"We have to get him back." Felicia said, angrily. "Sana's keeping him safe."
"And the Tunguska Scroll." Yachiyo said.
"That potato head and that blonde knocked us out! Grrr! They'll pay for that."
"She thinks kidnapping Luke will stop us going after her. If Mrs Wormwood thinks that, she really doesn't understand motherhood and that Jared cares about his friends deeply." Sarah Jane said.
Empty unit…
"The scroll's a receiver, isn't it? It's searching for a homing signal from Horath. It's not so much a map as a Sat Nav." Luke said.
"This drab world may have stunted your potential, Luke, but you still remain so very impressive. So intelligent, so perceptive, so intuitive. After three thousand years, the signal is faint. But the scroll will locate it, and then we shall find Horath." Wormwood said.
"Horath was never a living being, was he?"
"Sana?" Jared asked, telepathically.
"Jared! You're okay! How's Iroha, Felicia, and Yachiyo?" Sana asked, telepathically.
"And so much more. A computer that can command the physical laws of the universe, that can destroy worlds and give birth to them in the blink of an eye. As I gave birth to you. The universe is a cruel place, Luke. It delights at the tricks it plays. How could I ever have imagined that it would come to this, that my only kindred, my only child, would be the most perfect human? I can see why Sarah Jane Smith and Jared Shay are so attached to you, my boy." Wormwood said.
"You're not my mother." Luke said.
"I gave you life, Luke, and I can give you so much more. There are such wonderful things out in space. Amazing things. Be my prince and you will inherit an entire galaxy. You could wield such power, as my son."
"What about Kaagh?"
"Kaagh is a foot soldier, bred for war, not to rule. Unlike you. Here, my son."
"Now's my chance!" Sana said, while Wormwood gives Luke the scroll. "They can't see me. Only Luke can."
Sana grabs Luke's hand and the two run with the scroll.
"Sana." Luke said, looking at the green haired Magical Girl. "You were protecting me?"
"Kaagh!" Wormwood said, angrily.
"Half-form!" Kaagh said.
Luke and Sana run into an office.
"I don't think my shield can hold them." Sana said, as she tries jamming the door.
"Come on!" Luke said, and he climbs out of a small window with Sana.
Industrial estate…
"I will fry you alive, half-form." Kaagh said, and he shoots but it only hits Sana's shield.
"That body shield of yours is handy." Luke said, as Sana is hiding behind the shield.
"Bring him back to me. Alive." Wormwood said.
Kaagh cuts off Luke and Sana, "You cannot escape. Defiance will be eliminated."
Luke dodges the shots that ignite a pile of oil barrels and he jumps to hide behind Sana's shield again.
"My shield protects me from attacks." Sana said, smiling. "And it's protecting you too, Luke."
"I said I want him alive. Idiot Sontaran." Wormwood said, and she transforms into a Bane.
Luke drags Sana away knowing she might use up all her magic and the two hide behind some barrels, and Kaagh conceals himself on the other side. When Luke and Sana come out, they get tripped up.
Kaagh takes back the scroll, "The Bane woman has her fancy idea of vengeance. But for what you and your half-form friends did to me, you will taste Sontaran reckoning."
Mrs Wormwood bounces in between them and turns back into a woman, "No one comes between a Sontaran warrior and his prize of vengeance."
"Except you're no longer a Sontaran warrior, are you, Kaagh the Slayer? Kaagh the Shambles, more like." Wormwood said.
"Oh no." Sana said, as Wormwood punishes Kaagh with her phonic disrupter. "That's terrible."
"Now, do we understand each other?" Wormwood asked.
"Yes. But not the logic in keeping a half-form alive." Kaagh said.
"Of course you wouldn't, Kaagh. You are a clone. You were born in a tub of green goo. You've never created anything, only destroyed. But as long as the Bane hunt for me, I need you." Wormwood said, as she helps Luke to his feet and Sana lifts herself up.
"Jared, the scroll." Sana said, telepathically. "Should I get it?"
The scroll hums.
"The scroll has re-established contact with Horath. Our journey is almost done. A new age nears." Wormwood said.
Bannerman Road…
"There's no sign of UNIT." Iroha said.
"They're soldiers, UNIT. They're not like Symphogear and Torchwood. They're not as gung-ho as them." Jared said, smirking. "And they're not as badass."
"Jared's right, UNIT soldiers are trained to disappear into the background." The Brigadier said.
"Mister Smith is our only chance of finding Luke and Sana and stopping Mrs Wormwood." Sarah Jane said.
"Hang on. UNIT don't know me. I can go in and do a recce, see if the coast is really clear, and they wouldn't suspect a thing. Clyde Langer, superspy." Clyde said, and he goes up the driveway, watched by someone hiding behind the garden gate.
Then Clyde goes into the garden.
Sarah Jane's phone rings, "Clyde?"
"All clear." Clyde said.
"Be right there." Sarah Jane said.
Outside Sarah Jane's home…
"Where is he?" Iroha asked.
Hallway…
The front door is open. They walk over the broken glass.
"Shit." Jared said, looking at the broken glass. "That's not good at all."
"Clyde?" Rani asked.
Lounge…
Major Kilburne is holding Clyde, with his hand over his mouth.
"Major, what the hell do you think you're doing? Let him go." The Brigadier said.
"I always follow orders." Kilburne said, pushing Clyde away and draws his gun. "I'm afraid all of you are under arrest."
"Major, I assure you, you are making an earth-shattering mistake."
"Give me the Tunguska Scroll."
"Major, stop it." Jared said, looking down at his pendant. "Aqours, set up."
"Okay." Aqours said, and the armor placed around Jared's body as usual. "What weapon do you want?"
"Ebb and Flow."
The bow appeared in Jared's hand and the fanboy looked at Kilburne.
"Stop. Please." Jared said, holding the bow. "We're trying to save the galaxy. If not, the universe."
"Just give me the scroll!" Kilburne said.
"We don't have it." Yachiyo said.
"What?"
"My son's been kidnapped. I'm trying to save him, can't you understand that?" Sarah Jane asked.
"My only concern is Homeworld Security." Kilburne said.
"Yeah, well." Felicia said, putting on her Magical Girl outfit and she whacked her hammer on Kilburne's knee. "You pissed me off! As much as the potato head!"
That hurts, and Kilburne drops his gun. Felicia jumps onto him.
"Nice work, Felicia." Jared said, smiling. "That's why you never piss off a blonde."
"You better stay where you are." Yachiyo said, crossing her arms. "If you know what's good for you. Felicia, she can do so much more than that."
"You do what you have to. I'll keep an eye on the Major." The Brigadier said.
"Rani, Yachiyo, Felicia, stay with the Brigadier. Clyde, Jared, Iroha, with me." Sarah Jane said.
Attic...
"I registered these energy readings from the Tunguska Scroll. I need you to initiate a tracker search across the UK." Sarah Jane said, putting her watch into Mister Smith's scanner.
Lounge...
"When I said my only concern was Homeworld Security, I meant my world, not yours." Kilburne said.
Attic…
"Satellite tracking now active." Mr Smith said.
"They could be anywhere." Iroha said. "And we don't know how much time we have left."
"Iroha, there's no need to worry, everything's fine." Jared said, leaning against the wall. "We've got one advantage. It's Luke. He's smarter than me at times."
"Target acquired. It is apparently mobile, and heading along the A786 towards the village of Whitebarrow." Mr Smith said.
"Whitebarrow? Hang on. We went there on a school trip. It's one of those places like, er, Stonehenge." Clyde said.
"A neolithic burial site, three thousand years old. That's where Horath is buried." Sarah Jane said, retrieving her watch.
Lounge…
"You're Bane?" Rani asked.
"I'm warning you, sir, keep your distance." The Brigadier said.
"No, Sir Alistair. Remember, I invited you to dinner. And you're it." Kilburne said, transforming into his Bane form.
"I warned you." The Brigadier said, and his walking stick is also a gun. He shoots Kilburne. "Jared, you were right. Everything also being a gun is useful."
"Yup." Jared said. "And I knew Major Kilburne was as gross as a Zygon. Felicia. Stay with Tsuruno. Keep Rani's parents safe."
"Aww." Felicia said, sadly.
Bannerman Road...
"Well, of course you can borrow my van, Sarah, Jared. It's the least I can do. I hope your funny little motor isn't too poorly." Gita said.
"Thanks a lot, Gita." Jared said, smiling. "We really appreciate it."
"Thank you. I appreciate it more than you can ever know." Sarah Jane said.
"Don't be late for tea. Both of you." Gita said.
"Thank you for all your help, Brigadier." Sarah Jane said.
"Yeah, thanks. It was nice to finally work with you." Jared said, walking up to the Brigadier for a hug. "This is the first time and the last time too."
"Oh, my pleasure, Sarah Jane, Jared. Felicia, Tsuruno, and I will keep an eye on what's left of the Major until the UNIT chaps take him away. You do what you have to do, and God speed." The Brigadier said.
Stone circle...
"Move." Kaagh said, and he pushes Luke out of the Bentley.
"Wow…" Sana said, and they are on a flat hilltop by a circle of six small standing stones with a much smaller one in the middle. "This looks like Stonehenge."
"This is it. The resting place of Horath, the birthplace of a new galactic aeon. The Age of Wormwood." Wormwood said.
"And Kaagh." Kaagh said.
"If you really want the empire to sound like a firm of solicitors."
"No female can rule an empire alone. You need me, Wormwood." Kaagh said, bouncing off a forcefield surrounding the stone circle.
"It seems you're right. A blundering Sontaran has its uses." Wormwood said, and she cannot pass through either.
"It's a forcefield. You've come all this way for nothing." Luke said.
"Not at all. The force field must be attuned to non-Earth life forms. Those who concealed Horath within its stones would see that humans were no threat. They're too stupid. Only an off-worlder would know what was hidden here, and they would be kept safely at bay. How very clever. Yet, I, Luke, have you." Wormwood said.
"Sana?" Jared asked, telepathically.
"Jared? We're at something that, um, looks like Stonehenge." Sana said, telepathically. "Where are you?"
"We're on our way. Stay where you are." Iroha said, telepathically.
Sarah Jane, Rani, Clyde, Jared, Iroha, and Yachiyo are just three miles away and travelling fast.
"Of course. I see it now. It was meant that I should give you life, then lose you to Sarah Jane Smith and Jared Shay, that you should remain on Earth awaiting my return. For this moment." Wormwood said.
"You're talking about fate. I don't believe in fate." Luke said.
"I made you for this moment, Luke, to enter the circle of stones, and to be my prince."
"Mum and Jared were right. You are mad."
"Sarah Jane Smith was the wet-nurse. And Jared Shay was emotionally charged, he influenced you too. I am your mother. Now do as I say and fulfil your destiny. Bring me Horath."
"Like you, half-form, I believe we make our own destiny. But mine lies within that circle. So do as she says." Kaagh said.
"Place the scroll on the altar stone at the heart of the circle." Wormwood said.
"Luke…" Sana said, and Luke enters the circle with the scroll. "Don't…"
"Do it." Kaagh said.
"Do it, my prince." Wormwood said.
"Come quickly, Mum, Jared." Luke said.
Luke places the scroll in the handy slot in the stone, and energy beams out to each of the six taller stones.
"The Age of Wormwood approaches." Wormwood said.
Van…
"Crap." Jared said, and the ground shakes.
"It's like we always deal with end of the world scenarios." Yachiyo said. "Even after Walpurgisnacht."
"Yeah." Iroha said, as the van screeches to a halt.
"It's an earthquake." Rani said.
"We have to hurry. We may already be too late." Sarah Jane said.
Stone circle...
"Luke, see. The scroll is unlocking the Tomb of Horath." Wormwood said.
"It's a portal. Horath was never buried on Earth. This is a doorway to somewhere else. Another dimension, maybe. That's where Horath is." Luke said.
"And you have opened that door, Luke. You have earned your place at my side. Rulers of a billion stars. Soon, the most almighty power in the universe will be ours."
"What treachery is this, Bane? The half-form has no place in our bargain." Kaagh said.
"Consider our arrangement terminated."
Kaagh suffers the full power of her phonic disruptor.
"Kaagh." Sana said, running up to Kaagh but remembered that he couldn't see her. "I hope you're okay."
It doesn't kill Kaagh.
"Join me, my son." Wormwood said.
"No. You can't control the portal. It's too powerful." Luke said.
"Sarah Jane Smith and Jared Shay has made you timid, Luke. But I shall make you strong. You shall be a god."
"I don't want to be a god. Especially after what happened to Madoka Kaname in another universe. That version of her suffered enough. She wanted to save the universe and everyone there. While you want to destroy and rule it."
"It is your fate to sit beside your mother and preside over all creation. You are my prince."
"Luke!" Sarah Jane said.
"Luke!" Jared said, happily.
"Mum." Luke said, running to Sarah Jane and Jared. "Jared. You saw this coming, I assume."
"I forgot most details. I got the knack for good timing or bad timing." Jared said.
"Forget about that. Thank goodness you're all right, Luke." Sarah Jane said.
"Luke." Wormwood said.
"It never looked like that when we came with the school." Clyde said.
"Jared, got any ideas for how to stop this?" Iroha asked.
"Nope. I got nothing." Jared said, walking over to Iroha to grab her hand. "I know for a fact that we can't give up on life. Not ever! We need to have faith that we can get through this. I just, I can't remember how we won."
"Figure it out then." Yachiyo said.
The ground inside the circle drops away to leave the altar stone hanging above a swirling vortex.
"Whoops." Clyde said.
"I bet the National Trust is going to be really pleased about that. A stone circle with a black hole in the middle." Rani said,
"I'd pay to see it."
"The portal. It's open. What do we do?" Sana asked.
"Luke. Come with me, Luke. I will show you things beyond even your imagination." Wormwood said.
Clyde and Iroha go to the stricken Kaagh.
"Half-forms." Kaagh said.
"We're trying to help you." Iroha said. "Are you hurt?"
"Come to me, Luke. Come to your mother." Wormwood said.
"No. Sarah Jane is my mother." Luke said.
"Do you hear that, Mrs Wormwood? Luke is my son because I have cared for him and looked after him. Because I love him. And you don't understand love. People who understand love don't want to crush planets or take over the universe. Those people aren't people at all. They truly are monsters." Sarah Jane said.
"You're right, Miss Smith. And it is so much more fun to embrace one's nature." Wormwood said.
"One of you. Get me my gun." Kaagh said.
"No. I can't." Clyde said.
"Neither can I. I don't want to kill you." Iroha said.
"I have been a disgrace to Sontar. I have betrayed the brotherhood of warriors. Give me this chance of honour." Kaagh said.
"And what more fun could there be than to destroy? With your deaths, the Age of Wormwood shall begin." Wormwood said.
"Sontar-ha!" Kaagh said.
"What?" Yachiyo asked, and Kaagh runs forward.
"What is he doing?" Sana asked, as Kaagh and Mrs Wormwood go into the portal just as she activates her ring. "Is he sacrificing himself?"
"Yes! Just like Mifuyu!" Jared said, looking back at Iroha, Yachiyo, and Sana. "Everyone! Get down!"
Boom!
"You knew this would happen." Iroha said.
"I was 30% sure it would go as to how I remember it." Jared said, happily. "It turns out I was right. For the most part."
When they get up again, the circle is back to normal, with the scroll still in the altar stone.
"What happened?" Rani asked.
"Mrs Wormwood was about to discharge her ring when Kaagh pushed her into the portal. I think it sort of overloaded the system." Sarah Jane said.
"Is she dead?" Luke asked.
"I don't know." Jared said, sadly. "That was one thing that was never covered in the show. Well, it'll forever be a mystery."
"Hey, the scroll's still here." Clyde said.
Sarah Jane takes out her lipstick.
"You got another sonic lipstick?" Iroha asked.
"Do I look like the kind of girl who only has one lipstick?" Sarah Jane asked.
"What are you going to do?" Sana asked.
"What UNIT should have done when they first found it." Sarah Jane said, and she sonicks it into its constituent quarks. "Now the portal is closed for good. No one will ever find Horath."
"We saved the universe, again." Rani said.
"Did we? I told you when we first met, Rani, the universe is an amazing place. It's got so many surprises for us. But one thing I never expected to see was the universe being saved by a Sontaran."
Kirito and Asuna's home…
"Now the multiverse, it's a wonderful place to be a part of. There's a lot to explore and share, get people involved in." Jared said, looking back at Yui who's in her human form. "I should take your mom on a trip sometime."
"Mommy?" Yui asked. "Who else will you bring?"
"Oh, some of the people I consider good, true friends. Family and friends of Kirito of course. Like Sinon and Leafa. I rely on them and on you, no matter what. That's mostly because Team RWBY's been apart for a long time."
Outside Sarah Jane's home….
"Iroha, Yachiyo, Felicia, Sana, and Tsuruno." Jared said, looking at the five Magical Girls. "This was fun."
"It was." Yachiyo said. "Stay safe. And stay in contact with us."
"I will. Don't give up on life! Got it?"
"Yeah." Iroha said. "We will."
They wave goodbye to the Brigadier and Team Mikazuki Villa.
"See you." Clyde said.
Kirito and Asuna's home...
"My extended time traveling family, you guys are part of the people we love." Jared said, sitting on the couch. "Team RWBY and Team JNPR were the ones I consider family away from family."
Outside Sarah Jane's home...
"Bye, Sarah Jane, Jared." The Brigadier said.
Kirito and Asuna's home…
"Are you giving up?" Yui asked, looking at Jared.
"No. Because the multiverse, it's not done with me yet. I still have a hell of a lot of adventures to have. With you guys, Team RWBY, and basically everyone." Jared said, placing his hand on top of Yui's. "If I could have a normal life again, settle down. I would. But I don't want it anytime soon. There always will be aliens visiting Earth. It's my home. It's where I was born."
"Yeah. What will you do now?"
"Wait until I'm ready. For me to go back to Remnant. And see Team RWBY reunite, the long way around."