Earthbound Zero Point Five - Chapter 6: Arrival in Spookane!

"YEEEEEEEEEEEEES! We made it!"
Khaoseru punched the air with both her fists as they arrived from the northern entrance to Spookane. Gem looked at the sky and smiled while the younger two boys were in awe.
"And made it by sunset, too."
"Big brother, you were smart to pick Spookane over Merrysville."
"Ahaha...thanks, lil' bro."
The four of them looked around, and there were people walking around. Some kids were playing over a playground not too far away, and the adults seemed as if they were getting ready to work.
"Uhh....is it opposite day or something???" Damien asked.
"Nope. That's just how this city runs." replied a voice. All four turned their heads straight ahead and saw a girl about 16 years of age. She had her signature red vest and a blade on her, and took off her purple sunglasses so that the four can see her better.
"ONA, HAAAAI!" Khaoseru shouted while waving her arms madly, "LONG TIME, NO SEE!!!"
"Can't say I feel as excited seeing you again..." Ona said as she walked closer to the group, and Khaoseru stopped waving and her jaw dropped.
"Meanie."
"Hi, Ona!" GemStar waved.
"Yo, Gem! We received the news from Merrysville Headquarters. Y'all really took a beating, eh?"
"Yeah...we were tricked badly...I don't know, I'm thinking that it's our fault."
"Don't feel bad. We were told that the two Yucca Desert members were ambushed while heading over to Youngtown, and just now they were found."
"They're being treated right now...that's nice."
Damien and Chase, being confused, just stared at Ona. Ona looked down and looked at both boys.
"They are...?" she asked.
"Kids I rescued earlier today." Khaoseru replied, as Damien and Chase nodded. Ona looked up and raised an eyebrow.
"YOU rescued?"
"Hey, being a leader means doing that kind of stuff."
"You rescued them alone?"
"Yep yep."
"I find that hard to believe!"
"YOU FIND ANYTHING I DO THAT'S EPIC TO ME HARD TO BELIEVE!"
"Whatever...c'mon, I'll take you all to the headquarters."

A few minutes later, the five of them arrived at a building much taller than the headquarters of Youngtown. It was also much more sophiscated, compared to the simple Youngtown base. Massive columns of marble were in the front, supporting the massive roof that the base has, and the slick windows reflected the lights on the streets.
"Whoooooaaaaaaaa........." Damien and Chase awed as the five had to walk up a flight of stairs to reach the entrance. Ona had to open the stainless steel door that blocked the only way into the base via passcode, and once it opened, Damien and Chase just ran on in.
"Damien! Chase! Wait!" shouted Gem. Khaoseru, on the other hand, decided to chase them down.
"Slow down, pipsqueaks!!!" Khaoseru yelled, and Gem sighed. Ona looked over at Gem as she raised an eyebrow.
"I feel bad that you gotta suffer not only that idiot, but the younger two who seem just like her."
"I swear, it's a curse."

"WOOOOOOOOOOOOW! THIS IS AWESOME!!!!" Chase chirped happily, as he and Damien arrived at the base's main control, and it was much more futuristic than that of the Youngtown base. The lights were dim, but there were strips of light on the floor that indicated where you could walk. Khaoseru came along behind them, and panted due to lack of energy.
"Sheesh, you two. Learn to slow down. You nearly left us behind!" Khaoseru then took a deep breath. "I'm surprised you even have any energy left to run, despite all that walking we just did!"
"Haha, sorry Khaoseru!" Chase said while he smiled. Khaoseru couldn't help but smile herself, and then looked up to a higher platform. There was a boy of 17 years, wearing headphones around his neck and was looking down at the three of them. Chase and Damien was confused at first as to what their guardian was looking at, but turned their heads themselves to see the stranger. "Hey, who is that?" Chase asked, as he pointed at the older teen.
"I don't know, but he seems familiar." Khaoseru replied, while thinking.
"What, you don't remember me??? Khaos, it's me! Horo!" the teen exclaimed.
"OH SNAP, HORO?! DANG, IT'S BEEN SO LONG! You've changed so much!...Hey wait a minute, how did you know it was me? I changed my look from last time."
"Well, I couldn't help but eavesdrop on your conversation with those kids."
"Oh darnit..." Ona and Gem entered the room as Horo slid down the rail of the stairs that lead up to the platform that he was previously standing on.
"Haha, it's been a while, Khaos!" Horo said while smiling.
"Hello there." Gem said while bowing in respect.
"Ah, you must be Gem. Khaos is always talking about you." Horo said, while rubbing the back of his head as Gem nodded a bit.
"Yep yep."
"Saaay," Khaoseru interjected,"You don't mind if we stay here for a few days, do you?" Horo and Ona looked at each other, and then back at Khaoseru. They both nodded.
"WOOHOO!!!" Khaoseru punched the air in excitement, "C'mon, pipsqueaks! Let's go to the guest rooms and get comfy!"  All 3 of the childish ones ran away, as Gem sighed in relief.
"Thank you guys so much." Gem bowed again, and then ran off to chase after. Horo scratched his head again, as Ona smiled.
"Ah, it won't be THAT much trouble."
"Yeah, but...the manor..."
"Oh god, I completely forgot all about it!"

"YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAW!" Khaoseru slid into a guest room with two sets of bunk beds on her knees, with Damien and Chase following with the same action. "Yep, this is it. Our place to stay for a while."
"It's almost like back at Youngtown...except we didn't sleep in it."
"Yeah, all the bases tend to have bunk beds for the guests. It's not like we all expect guests to visit us. We are busy..." Khaoseru's voice drowned in the end, as her expression went from normal to depressed. Damien and Chase felt Khaoseru's emotions, and frowned.
"...Not like we can just leave the place also...just to visit family...or whatever..."Khaoseru continued to mumble, and that's when Gem knocked on the door, even though it was open.
"Yo, we settled?" she asked.
"Yes, GemStar!" both boys replied, as they set their bags on one of the bunk bed sets. Khaoseru only nodded slowly and sat down at the other bunk bed set. Gem blinked in confusion, and shrugged.
"Say, you two...how about we leave Khaos alone for a bit, yeah?"
"Ah...yeah...bye, Khaoseru! We'll see you later."
"Catch y'all later..." Once Gem, Damien, and Chase left the room, they already ran into one of the other members of the base.
"Base leaders Ona and Horo would like to speak to you."
"Alright. Take us to them."
========================
"Hey, hey...are we gonna be able to leave the base to see our parents at Mt. Itoi?"
"Yeah! I would love to tell them that we joined the Earthbound Fighters!!!"
"Ah...about that..."
"Huh?"
"I don't think you can...you see, now that you joined you're gonna be swamped with work. It could be working around here, or doing things outside of the base...such as defeating any aliens that threaten the residents. With all that in mind, we really don't allow anyone to have a break...unless they're the ambassador...but that's only the elite headquarters...Yucca Desert and Mt. Itoi."
"Ohh..."
"Wow...wish we were told this earlier. I don't even know our parents' phone number or anything..."
"Squirts...I'm sorry...really..."
=========================

"Ona, Horo! What seems to be the problem?" Gem asked as she arrived at the main control room with Damien and Chase.
"We've been having a bit of a problem lately....heard of Rosemary Manor?" Ona asked.
"I've heard of it. Isn't it NorthEast from this city?" Gem questioned.
"Yes. The trademark of this city, you can say. Also claimed to be haunted." Horo said.
"Well, it was more of a rumor of it being haunted, until 20 years ago, as it is documented." Ona added.
"When the ones who fallen failed...so they've been there." Gem said, softly.
"Yeah. Since then, it's been crazy in there. Enemies running about. We do have some houses out there and have countered some aliens of sort escaping the mansion. Though, nobody dares to go in there." Horo explained.
"Huh...why is that?" Gem asked.
"Because whoever goes in gets out within a few seconds.." Ona replied, "Despite having moonlight or light posts near the mansion, it's nothing but complete darkness. Even flashlights tend to just turn off the moment you walk in there."
"We're guessing it's the ghosts that live in the mansion that cause all lights to go out. So we just left it as it is...but-" Horo stopped talking, and looked over at Ona.
"So, 20 years and nobody investigated since the fallen ones." Gem said, "Because it is nearly impossible to do so."
"Exactly."
"Ya know, that could possibly change...the last time it was investigated, it was because of Giegue and he knew there was a threat somewhere...and today, it happens again."
"Huh?"
"When Youngtown Headquarters was attacked...two mooks told us that someone in the town was a threat to Giegue."
"That would explain the destruction of Youngtown then..."
"Yeah...I'm pretty sure I know who the threat is...it's..." Gem was cut off by Damien and Chase, both tugged at her shirt.
"GemStar, we're hungry..."
"Oh...sorry, you two."
"I'll take care of it. Misao, get over here and take these two to the kitchen." Ona ordered.
"Yes, ma'am!" an adult, maybe about 25 years of age, responded and left the control room with Damien and Chase following her.
"...Those kids are the threat." Ona's and Horo's jaw dropped from Gem's statement. "I kid you not. In Youngtown, I had Ullrichs and Starmen ambushing ME, and I was the one with the kids." Gem then took a deep breath. "You two should go investigate the Rosemary Manor, but drag them along. Just tell them it's an adventure. I'm sure they'll join just for that. If Giegue's minions wants to chase them down to there, I'm sure you two can handle it. I just have a feeling they will be able to help out greatly." Horo looked over at Ona, who seemed somewhat angry.
"Fine...we'll drag them. I'll make sure those kids are safe...if they are to be the heroes, then so be it...I'm still finding that hard to believe."
"Trust me, Ona...you aren't the only one..."