10- Ghoul

The portal opened and with a flash of light Ghoul found himself at another part of town, far past the flea market and toward the beach. The portal-bender locked the prince under his left arm as he jogged. "Damn," Ghoul thought out loud "Do you do lifting or something?"

"Nah," the thief answered "It's like carrying a doll."

Ghoul gasped at the comment and looked for something to fire back with. "Yeah well, YOU'RE HOMELESS."

"Low blow, dude."

The boys came across the pier of the beach as they dashed through the sand. Ghoul noticed the teen's hands waving in a circular motion with only little sparks flying out of it. "All out of energy?" The prince asked.

"Shut up kid." the thief said, his breathing more labored like he ran a marathon.

Suddenly, as they just passed under the pier, a shout came from above, something about target on sight. Ghoul and the stranger could only look up for a few seconds before being knocked down by a gold-skinned girl. "Shimmer?" Ghoul said, squirming to get up.

"Got him! I got him! Did I do good?" Shimmer chirped ecstatically.

"You did great." The prince replied through gritted, fibbing teeth. Shimmer was alright, but with her here along with Dicentra it seems like they've done nothing but one-up the prince. Even on this mission where he was sure he could catch the guy, the guy ended up catching him instead. Ghoul just found the whole thing so humiliating.

"Okay," The thief grunted, his voice muffled in the sand. "If I do as you say, can you promise you annoying kids will stop landing on me?!"

"Promise!" Shimmer agreed cheerfully as she floated off the crook. He sat up in the sand with the other two sitting across from him on their knees. "So," the girl asked "What's your name? Or is your name more like a title? The way Ghoul's is Ghoul the Soulless."

"SHIMMER!" Ghoul sneered.

The crook let out a stifled laugh. "The soulless? You're literally a soul-bender."

"You're telling me," Shimmer chuckled "It fits you though Ghoul, don't get me wrong."

Ghoul's face was an ugly beetroot as the other two laughed more at his made-up title. Desperately he tried changing the subject. "Ugh whatever. We asked what YOUR name was, thief!"

"Oh yeah." The portal-bender said "I'm Vortex."

Shimmer's face lit up the same way it did when Ghoul introduced himself. "THAT'S SO COOL!"

"So why are you guys chasing and harassing me again? Apart from the fact that I frequently break the law of course."

"RECRUITMENT!" Infinity's voice could be heard from across the beach. Shimmer stood and waved both her arms around. "Guys look! I caught him! And we know his name now!"

"Good job Shimmer." Infinity said once they caught up. "What is your name, young man?"

"Vortex."

"Vortex, you know me. King Infinity. I would like it if you joined our plan of repopulation-"

Infinity's big speech was cut off by the roaring laughter on the crook. "Yeah, I saw that on a newspaper one day. You know what I did with it? I took the sheet off and wiped my ass with it. That's what I think of your silly, single-minded plan."

"HEY!" Shimmer came face-to-face with Vortex. "His mind is NOT single! Can't you see he's married?" She gestured over to Unity, who was picking tree branches out of Dicentra's hair. Vortex locked eyes with him before cracking a crooked smile. "You guys want me to live with THIS guy! Now I know this is a trap."

"It's not a trap kid." Was all Unity was bothered to input.

"It has to be. Calling it now, you're all in disguise to help the police catch me."

"That is absurd."

"So is your wig yet here we are today."

Until that point Unity had held it together, now he was ready to punch down this hobo. He was eighteen it wasn't child abuse, technically. But before he could Ghoul rounded everyone up into a huddle while Vortex stayed seated on the ground a few feet away. "Look, I know he's a little shit-" Ghoul started.

"Language!" Unity whisper-shouted.

"But he's our only option. So before you guys dump him on the streets again, consider this: Where will we find another portal-bender in his prime like this one?"

The circle was silent with contemplation. At last Vortex's voice came from outside the circle. "Wait, what are the quirks to this agreement?"

Infinity turned to him with the stalest face he could manage. "Well, you'd live with us for a while, train your powers until the next phase of the plan."

"Living? With the kings? All you had to do was start with that!" He leaped out of the sand and jogged back to the town. "You guys coming or what?"

"Could you not just portal us there?" Dicentra asked. Vortex's face dropped for a moment before smirking again. "Can't do all the heavy work for you lazy lumps. TO THE CASTLE!"

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

"Everyday I regret this plan of yours more and more." Unity muttered in the car. They had long pulled over and the four in the back were sound asleep, leaving the kings to discuss the latest developments in their plan. Or at least they thought four of them were asleep, Ghoul was on his mobilizer secretly eavesdropping on his parent's conversation.

"Uni, I'm trying, and look at what we've got so far! We'll have everyone by the end of the summer!"

"I know. And believe me, I'm probably the most surprised in this car that this is actually working."

"So why still have these doubts?"

"Well...it's all working too well, what if somehow, someway, this all falls apart because of your single-minded ignorance?"

That last part came out more bitter than Unity intended. Even Ghoul flinched a bit upon hearing that. Infinity's hopeful face darkened as he turned away from his husband. It was as if a bright open picture book was there for you to read, then it suddenly slams on you and locks up. Unity's face pained with regret as he reached out to his husband. "Finnie, sorry. I didn't mean it like that."

Seems like you meant it to me. The prince thought.

"It's fine." Infinity mumbled.

"No it's not," Unity placed a hand on Infinity's shoulder. "I am sorry. This is fine progress you've made. And who cares what Vortex thinks? Right?"

"Right." Infinity said as turned back and smiled. "But, you have free reign to complain to where we're headed next."

Unity cocked an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"

Infinity hesitated before answering. "We're going to meet a color-bender. Who lives in Reeklow. More specifically, Vanity hotel."