9- Infinity

"Elgetrat we can pay for the house if you'd like." Infinity suggested as the farmers began to pick the rubble. Elgetrat smiled. "You would?"

"Absolutely. It's the least we could do before we take our leave. And also as a sorry for bothering your daughter in the first place."

"What?" Shimmer chimed in. "We didn't bother her! If anything I thought she WANTED to go with us!"

Elgetrat looked to Dicentra with surprise as a few cheers came from the crowd of farmers. "Dicentra, you WANT to go?"

"Dad, I know you have good intentions keeping me here so I don't tear down any other houses, but I need to go." She pointed at Unity. "Here is finally someone who can help me understand this power since Mother. You would let an opportunity waste away like that?"

More 'support' came from the farmers as they whooped and cheered. "Let her go!"

"It's for the best!"

"We'll- She'll be happier away from here!"

Elgetrat stared at his daughter for a moment before bringing her into a hug. He looked over at the kings. "Take care of her for me, yeah?"

"Absolutely sir." Unity replied.

"Good, lemme grab your stuff- oh. Never mind then..." The farmer said when he suddenly remembered last hours event. "I'll send your stuff later. Right now you go and be great."

Dicentra smiled warmly. "Love ya, Dad."

"I love you too, Diss."

****************************************************************

"So that's just a thing you can do?" Ghoul asked the new member as they travelled to the town center of Tobuscis for their next recruit. Elgetrat gave them some intel of an 18 year-old portal-bender living around here. Since it's such a small town, no doubt people will have seen him around. The plant-bender looked at the prince, "What do you mean?"

"Well, y'know, EVERYTHING back there. Is it often you wreck your house like that?"

"Too often." Dicentra admitted shamefully.

"Cool." Ghoul smiled at her with admiration. Infinity noticed Ghoul and replicated his smile before it quickly faded. Clearly his son has taken a liking to his new friends, but even under the friendliness the king could sense jealousy. His son doesn't act like it, but his face reads like a vividly painted picture book. Dicentra's powers we're already unmatched compared to everyone here except Unity. And Shimmer, while her powers seem basic she can float and create ninja stars, which is already miles ahead of where Ghoul is.

And who's fault is that? Your son is weaker than the xode scum beside and you've got nobody to blame but you.

Oh geez this guy again. Infinity shook the thought from his head. Sure, Ghoul may be behind on his power-training, but the main part of this phase of the plan is to make up for that. By the time they get everyone, Ghoul will be soaring through the air like it's nothing and he'll have his hard-working father to thank.

Sure, getting applause for shit that should've been done years ago. Great job your majesty you did the bare minimum.

"Your majesty I have to pee!" Shimmer called from the back, raising her hand up and waving it around like a school pupil desperate for her teacher's attention. "Well, we're here now Shimmer so let's find a bathroom and-"

The king was interrupted by a sudden 'whoosh' sound followed by a glowing spiraling hole appearing on top of their carriage. Out of the hole fell a young adult, whacking off the hood and landing with a thud. Citizens around began to shout, "It's him police! We found the rugged robber!"

"The rugged robber?" Shimmer echoed, "We're recruiting a robber?"

"I know this guy." Dicentra began as the thief stood up and saw two guards on either side of him. Without hesitation they dashed toward the crook. As they did the teenager turned around to face the cart and the people in it. He was the color of bricks, a deep mix of red and brown. His eyes were bright swirly spheres that seemed to turn in an endless spiral. He wore bright red rags and had blush colored hair styled like a mohawk. His pendant was of course a portal, a collection of bright colors swirling together with a black dot in the center. "Nice guys," He said "You disturbed my routine!" With that another swirly portal the same shape and color as his eyes appeared below him and he fell through the ground, causing the two guards after him to smash into each other.

The group got out of their vehicle to help the law men. "Wait Dicentra," Unity asked. "What do you mean when you said you knew him?"

"Well I've never met him," Dicentra explained. "Just heard of him. I never left the farm growing up so whenever a farmer did leave for really any reason, when they came back they'd be gossiping to me and other farmers about the "rugged robber." A title he gave himself. He's been here stealing and causing havoc amongst these streets for years. Most likely since he was a kid."

"Well why didn't they put him in a foster care or orphanage or something?" Infinity asked.

Dicentra raised her hands up defensively. "Hey, all I heard were tales of how he's mugged old ladies at the flea market, I don't know his life story."

"Well we will eventually," Shimmer said, smashing her fist against her palm victoriously. "When we catch him!"

"Good fucking luck." One of the guards commented. "We've been chasing that guy for YEARS. Dunno where he came from, how he got here, who his parents are. All we know is that every morning and afternoon he comes to town and makes our people miserable. If you're here to take him away just do it already. I for one have had enough of this same old song and dance!"

Shimmer hovered above Infinity's head and created a ninja star. "Whaddya say kings? Ready to get some answers?"

Infinity smiled and hovered also. He liked Shimmer, she thought a lot like him, which Unity believes will show more cons than pros. "Let's catch this kid."

The plan devised was simple: Split up into different sections of the town center, namely the flea market areas where he'll be mugging the elderly. Each bender took a different corner of the street which according to the aforementioned guards, are the most likely places he'd show up. Dicentra took the closest street to the rural areas of the farm, where her powers were already acting up like crazy. "Uh guys," She said through her new mobilizer, "Are you sure you wanna put me where the nature is?"

"Of course!" Infinity answered. He was at the middle of town, sitting by a water fountain. "That's how your powers work!"

"Yes, but what if I accidentally create a Venus fly trap that eats the guy! What'll we do then? I'd feel so horrible!"

"Shouldn't feel too horrible," Ghoul chimed in, connecting with all the others on their mobilizers. "The guy is a crook who robs the elderly and constantly takes advantage of his portal-bending abilities." He was nesting himself in a tree by a row of flea marketers, pretending to be some undercover spy when he felt a rumble and the branch he was on began extending toward the ground. The source of the plant-manipulation stood before him and lectured him about safety. "Yeah I know dad!" Ghoul whined. "But you blew my cover! I was being stealthy!"

"As stealthy as one can be wearing cheap sunglasses and talking to himself in a tree." Unity teased, flicking the shades off Ghoul's face.

"Hey guys I think I see something near my spot!" Shimmer exclaimed into her device. She was the furthest away from the group, by the docks watching people pass by and throw stones into the water. "What do you see Shimmer?" Infinity asked excitedly. His face dropped quickly though when he heard Shimmer's voice say, equally disappointed, "Oh, it was just a slumpling. Sorry guys."

Infinity thought back to the last time he saw a slumpling. The thing had a long retractable neck with a green beak that complimented it's dark feathers and claws. "Shimmer, how on EARTH did you mistake a portal-bender for a slumpling?"

"I don't know!" Shimmer argued. "Maybe it was the hair..."

Shimmer's voice faded away in Infinity's ears when he saw white and brown sparks appearing in front of him. The king took four weary steps back as the sparks formed a portal, and the young man stepped out of it holding bread and cheese. His mischievous face dropped when he noticed the king in front of him. "King Paktor?" The young man said.

"Nope, just his descendent." Infinity said, trying not to let the fact he was mistaken for his father get to him any more than it should.

"What do you want with me?" The portal-bender asked

"We want to help you. To recruit in fact, for a team of sorts-"

"No thanks," The crook cut in. "I don't do teams." he stepped back and disappeared into a portal behind him.

"Guys," Infinity called. "Found the target, if I can chase him into town, you guys can corner him."

Dicentra was the first to spot him. Appearing right above her, the crook tackled her to the ground and scrambled up to leave before getting his leg caught in the living grass coiling around his it. The crook shot his eyes at Dicentra with surprise and confusion. All the girl had to ask was: "If the police are so good at tracking your usual route how have they not caught you by now?"

The thief answered easily. "They are slow and incompetent and don't really care if I rob and old lady."

Dicentra's eyes widened. She wasn't expecting him to answer her at all. "Uh, I trapped the target, everyone to me." Was all she said. The amusement on the teen's face from Dicentra's expression wearied off quickly as he struggled to rip his leg free from the blades of grass that held it. "Copy Dicentra, we're to you." Infinity said. He was the first one there and slowly approached the teen a second time. "Let's try this again shall we?"

"Let's not." the crook said before creating another portal below him and escaping.

"Ugh, sorry your majesty." Dicentra groaned.

"It's nothing kid. Ghoul, Uni, it's on you now."

"It almost always is." Ghoul said arrogantly with a yawn. Unity rolled his eyes and looked around for the chance to strike. Infinity and Dicentra caught up to them by the flea market. As predicted, the crook appeared here and was immediately struck with a tree branch, courtesy of Unity. The young man got back up but before he could attack Ghoul leaped on him, pinning him to the ground. "Easy Ghoul," Infinity said, "We're friendly remember?"

"Yeah right!" The teen yelled from under the prince. "You guys are working with those guards aren't you!"

"No!" Ghoul argued, pinning the thief's arms down, attracting more and more attention. "We're not trying to turn you in, we need your help!"

The teen turned his eye up at the prince. "What's your name again?"

"Ghoul." Ghoul replied.

"Ghoul...you're seriously annoying me."

With that the crook, out of breath, made another portal below him, this time swallowing him and the prince.

Unity kicked the air. "Crap!" He took out his mobilizer and contacted their last chance.

"Shimmer, no pressure but it's on you now."