The Pen and the Sword

The Pen and the Sword is the twenty second episode of Young Plumbers: Generations and the eighty third episode overall of Earth-19.

Plot
[The camera shows a hallway near the barracks at Galactic-Command. Paper and Polarys come into view, walking down the hallway hand-in-hand. The arrive at one room and enter it as the door closes behind them. Bink slowly moves down the hallway, having been following them. The camera cuts into the room that Paper and Polarys just entered. They are standing together just in front of the door.]

[Paper]: You don't have to stay here, you know. I mean, it's been a month, you can go back to Pollunia.

[Polarys]: If I wanted to go back, I would have gone back already. I've spent almost my entire life on Pollunia, alone. Being away from home has been a breath of fresh air. Plus, I feel like I need to stay here for Kali...

[Paper]: But not for me...

[Polarys, smiling]: And for you, too...

[She lets go of his hand and sits down at one of the two beds in the room. Paper walks over and sits down next to her as the camera back to the hallway. Bink is standing just outside the room. She stands back for a second and then closes her eyes.]

[Bink]: Tnerapsnart dna elbisivni em ekam

[She suddenly turns translucent as she phases through the door. Back inside the room, Paper and Polarys are still sitting next to each other on the bed. The translucent Binks watches him, waiting until they won't notice her take the copy of the Solvens Tenebrae Vestibulum that is lying on the desk.]

[Polarys]: Is it always like this? Do all of your missions always happen at once, and then nothing happens for a while?

[Paper]: Basically. After the ruse, the goal was to eventually release the Phantom, which, as you know, happened, unfortunately on the same day that everything else happened. Now, we've just been vigorously working to try and figure out two things: what the Elite have to gain by playing the Rotolysians and Aldabarbarians against each other, and what they have to gain by losing their immortality and other powers. It's frustrating sometimes, but we've gotten nowhere in the past month.

[Polarys]: Like I've said, I don't know anything about either of those problems.

[She places her hand on his and then looks up at him. The two look at each other for a moment before kissing briefly.]

[Polarys]: Are you tired?

[Paper]: It's late, yeah.

[He stands up and walks over to the other bed. He sits down at is as Polarys turns and sits on the other side of the bed, facing the one that Paper is sitting on, and away from the door.]

[Paper]: I say that, but this is earlier than I've gone to sleep most nights lately...

[He leans back on the bed.]

[Paper]: See you in the morning.

[He turns so that he is laying normally in the bed. He closes his eyes as Polarys continues to sit on her bed for a moment. Bink moves over towards the desk with the book on it. Polarys turns around, having heard a quiet creaking sound.]

[Polarys]: Are you still awake?

[Paper]: Yeah...

[Polarys]: Did you hear that?

[Paper]: I didn't hear anything...

[While Polarys talks to Paper, Bink grabs the book, which turns transparent as she touches it. She slowly exits the room and then sits on the ground outside of it as she reappears. She looks at the book for a moment and then stands up and walks away. She rounds the corner of the hallway just as the door opens and Polarys looks around, seeing no one.]

[Polarys]: I must be hearing things...

[She closes the door and returns to the room. The camera cuts to Bink standing in front of a door to another room. It opens, with Will standing on the other side. His stands back, surprised, and then notices that she has the STV.]

[Will]: It only took you a month...

[Bink]: Well, we have it now...

[She walks into the room as the door closes behind her. She sees Cassie sitting on one of the beds, with is being evident that Will was in the other. She sits down at a chair in the room as Will sits down at the bed. She looks at the front of the book.]

[Bink]: I'm just realizing that for all I've heard about this book, this is the first time I've actually been able to look at it...

[Cassie]: ...Or read it...

[Bink]: Yeah, and we're going to read every single page, and finally figure everything out...

[Will]: Everything?

[Bink]: Yes... Everything.

[She pauses to think for a moment.]

[Bink]: I guess that means we're starting from the beginning... The very beginning...

[As she opens the book, there is a flash of white light that stems from inside of it. The white light covers the entire screen.]

[Theme Song]

[The camera shows Will, Cassie, and Bink sitting in the room. Bink is looking at the Solvens Tenebrae Vestibulum. The cover of the book is open, and she stares at the first page, slightly confused.]

[Cassie]: Well...

[Bink]: The first page is blank...

[She flips the page, and then continues to flip the pages. She quickly scans the whole book.]

[Bink]: ...And so is the rest of the book?

[Will]: It's blank... How's possible?

[Bink]: Maybe you have to be connected to the prophecy in order to read it.

[She closes the book and looks at the front cover and then the back cover.]

[Bink]: That's strange...

[Will]: Let me see...

[She tosses him the book. He opens it up to a random page and sees one sentence at the top of the left-hand page.]

[Will]: It's not completely blank... The mysterious door is the gateway... What does that mean?

[Cassie]: Is that what it says?

[Will]: The mysterious door is the gateway...

[He turns the book around and shows the page to Cassie.]

[Cassie]: So, what door is it-- Um... Turn the book around again...

[Will turns the book around and sees words appearing on the page below the sentence that was already there. Cassie stands up and quickly sits next to Will on his right side so they can both look at the book at the same time. Bink quickly rushes over and sits at his left side.]

[Bink]: ...to the place where everything began.

[Will]: Beyond a curtain blocking those who have tampered with evil magic,

[Cassie]: The secrets of the book will be revealed.

[The three sit quietly for a moment.]

[Will]: So now we have to find a door...?

[Bink]: It could be any door...

[Will]: I'm thinking of one in particular... One we've been very close to before...

[Cassie]: The one in the Temple of Rigon...

[Will]: That's the one...

[Bink]: But this mentions a curtain that blocks those who have tampered with evil magic...

[She looks up and stares in front of her for a moment.]

[Bink]: That explains everything...

[Will]: About... WAIT, I GOT IT!

[Bink]: The Elite needed to lose their powers from Rigon's crystals...

[Will]: In order to pass through this door!

[They look at each other and then Cassie leans forward and looks at Bink and Will.]

[Cassie]: So, we need to find the Elite?

[Bink]: What about Blitz? He's the only member of the Elite who wasn't affected by the Blood of Excelsium. If we could find him, we might be able to figure out where this... door... is...

[She looks at the book and notices that more writing is appearing on the page facing the one with the information about the mysterious door on it.]

[Bink]: I think I may be able to help you figure out where the door is...

[Will]: What?

[She points at the page as more words continue to appear.]

[Cassie]: But if you want to know what lies on the other side of the door, you will have to pass through it, so...

[Will, overlapping]: ''So listen well, for these words will only last for a short while. Now, I have three clues for you.''

[Bink]: ''First. You may only find the door if you already know where it is.''

[Cassie]: ''Second. You may only open the door if you already know its name.''

[Will]: ''Third. You may only pass through the door if you already know where it will take you.''

[Bink]: But... These aren't riddles... These don't help us figure out anything about the door in any way...

[The words disappear as quickly as they appeared on the page.]

[Will]: Sounds like a pretty well hidden door. How are we supposed to find it?

[Cassie]: We may not be able to search for it, but we can definitely search for people who might know something about it.

[Bink]: Maybe these are riddles... Who would know a lot about a door that was mentioned in a book...

[Cassie]: The... author of the book?

[Bink]: Precisely. That could be the answer to any or all of the questions. Where is the door located? Right where the author his. What is the door called? The author's door. Where does the door lead? To the author.

[Will]: The last two questions contradict each other though. There's no way it's a door that leads to where it is located. That would be called a mirror.

[Cassie]: Maybe it is a mirror.

[Will]: How do you open a mirror?

[Bink, jokingly]: How would that be a mirror anyway?

[Will]: Well it would be kind of like a mirror.

[The three Plumbers sit quietly for a moment. Cassie leans her head on Will's shoulder.]

[Cassie]: Is that enough for tonight? I feel like we've made good progress...

[Bink takes the book in her hands, closes it, and then stands up.]

[Bink]: I should take this back before someone notices that it's gone...

[Cassie]: Are you just going to keep taking it and putting it back every time we need it.

[Bink]: How else are we supposed to do this in secret?

[Cassie]: I guess you're right...

[She walks over to the door and opens it.]

[Bink]: We'll continue the investigation tomorrow night, then...

[She walks away and closes the door behind her. She walks down the hallway and hears footsteps coming from around the corner. She mutters something and quickly turns invisible and transparent, along with the book, as she sees Hornbok and Zyfer emerge from around the corner.]

[Hornbok]: I'm telling you. The way you run things here at Galactic is a nice change of pace from the Academy. If we were still there we he woke up, the alarms would be sounding and everyone would be up in less than 20 seconds.

[Zyfer]: Nothing is urgent here. Maybe it's because everything feels surreal here, being in a subspace pocket, cut off from the rest of the galaxy.

[Bink continues to listen as the two Magisters walk past her.]

[Bink]: Who woke up?

[She thinks for a moment.]

[Bink]: ''Was it the guy who was in a coma? Reg's friend?''

[Hornbok and Zyfer stop in place for a moment.]

[Zyfer]: Who should we wake first?

[Hornbok]: Probably Paper. He is the lieutenant after all.

[Bink becomes worried as the two Plumbers turn around and walk towards Paper's room, which is exactly where she was headed.]

[Bink]: ''Don't notice the missing book. Please don't notice the missing book.''

[She stays in place as Hornbok and Zyfer open the door to Paper's room. They see Polarys sleeping on the near bed with Paper sleeping on the far bed. Zyfer turns the light on in the room. Paper quickly jumps up and sees the Magisters standing in the doorway.]

[Paper]: What's wrong?

[Hornbok]: Reg's friend is awake.

[Paper, angry]: ...And you're just casually strolling to my room and acting so calm? This is serious.

[Zyfer]: Maybe, but it's not urgent. Nothing is urgent at Galactic. It's far different from the Academy.

[He relaxes and walks towards the door. He looks at Polarys briefly, but decides to let her sleep. As he turns back, his eyes glance past the empty desk, which he takes note of, but doesn't inform Hornbok about.]

[Hornbok]: I'll take you to the infirmary. Zyfer is going to wake up some other members of the team.

[The camera cuts quickly back to Bink, who having heard this, quickly begins to run towards her own room to get in bed. She phases right through the door, hides the STV under her bed and then lies down on it. She looks over at Corona, the Plumber who was wrongfully imprisoned at the Southern Plumber Prison, who joined Paper's group and then escaped with him and Sub, sleeping in the other bed.]

[Bink]: She'll never think to look underneath the bed, I hope.

[She looks up at the ceiling.]

[Bink]: And hopefully I don't get woken up and can finally get some sleep.

[She closes her eyes as the door opens. Bink looks up and sees Zyfer in the doorway.]

[Zyfer]: Look at that, I don't even need to turn on the lights... Hornbok is requesting that you go to the infirmary...

[Bink stands up and walks out of the room, heading in the direction of the infirmary.]

[Zyfer]: Could you not sleep?

[Bink]: I've been having insomnia lately, yeah...

[She continues for the infirmary as Zyfer closes the door to the room and heads down the hallway to wake a few more members of the team. The camera cuts ahead to Bink walking towards the infirmary. She sees Sci and Nick walking in front of her.]

[Bink]: Do you know why we're heading to the infirmary?

[Sci and Nick stop and wait for Bink to catch up with them.]

[Sci]: Reg's friend woke up...

[Bink]: The one who was in a coma?

[Sci nods his head as the three continue to walk forward. The camera cuts to them arriving at the infirmary. Paper and Hornbok are already there, sitting on the beds on either side of Reg's friend, who looks scared at everything around him.]

[Paper]: Listen, Phil, I know this must be strange to you, but we can explain everything.

[Phil]: I had a vision of this place... Of soldiers marching down hallways preparing to go somewhere... To... something they called the Haven...

[Hornbok, worried]: And then what happened...

[Phil]: These soldiers went to this... Haven... And found these... temples... Temples that had been raided, and then destroyed by... aliens... Aliens in red armor with destructive weapons... The Aldabarbarians...

[Hornbok gawks at Phil as he notices that Sci, Nick, Bink, along with Ray, Paul, Reg, Virton, Hannibal, and Zyfer have arrived in the infirmary.]

[Commercial]

[Hornbok]: In your vision, you saw Plumbers going to temples on the Haven that had been raided and destroyed by the Aldabarbarians?

[Phil]: I don't really understand what that means, but yes, I believe so...

[Reg walks forward so that Phil can see him.]

[Phil]: Reg, you survived!

[Reg]: I did... Eric and Mike weren't so lucky... And I also met my mother. The whole purpose of our journey wasn't for nothing...

[Phil]: Well they do say that the journey is more important than the destination...

[Hornbok]: Paper, what do you think the Aldabarbarians have to do with the temples?

[Paper]: I'm assuming these temples are like the one Dexis raided...

[He turns to Phil.]

[Paper]: Not that you understand...

[He turns back to Hornbok.]

[Paper]: But if that's the case, and both the Rotolysians and the Aldabarbarians are going after them, then it might have something to do with controlling the Haven.

[Hornbok]: That also begs the question: do both sides think that the Elite will grant them the Haven if they raid and destroy the temples? That could be what the Elite are getting out their alliances.

[Phil]: I'm sorry, I thought you said you could explain. What is the Haven? Who are the Rotolysians and Aldabarbarians? Who are the Elite? Who are the Plumbers?

[Paper laughs.]

[Paper]: We're the Plumbers. Allow us to introduce ourselves. I'm Lieutenant Paper, this is Magister Hornbok, Reg, Commanders Sci, Nick, and Bink, Ray, Paul, and Head Magister Zyfer. And those two are Virton and Hannibal. They're not Plumbers, but--

[Phil]: I recognize you two from my visions...

[Hannibal, stepping forward]: I can explain why I was in your visions.

[He sits down at the bed next to Hornbok, which Phil on the other side of Hornbok, and Paper on the other side of Phil.]

[Hannibal]: As the young recruits already know, I projected visions into the minds of specific members of the Plumbers, Hornbok, Paper, and Sci, mainly, but also into the minds of significant others, including Polarys and, when he was passing by the Academy, Reg, not only because he was passing by the Academy, but because he is half-Vivoserian. What must have happened was the psychic signal I projected to Reg was so powerful that it siphoned off to his crew mates, causing one to burn up instantly, another to fall into a coma, and another to be injured severely to the point where he died from his injuries. I would never have sent the signal if it would have caused this. The same psychic bomb must also have been why I cannot remember all the details I wanted to share with the Plumbers.

[Reg]: So he wasn't missing... He burned up because of the siphoning of your psychic signal?

[Hannibal]: Or he burned up when your ship crashed into the Academy, I'm not sure, not that it matters. Again, I apologize.

[He stands up and exit the room. Everyone stares at Virton afterwards.]

[Virton]: He may be my brother, but I met him no sooner than any of you did...

[Zyfer]: So these temples... Specifically the one you say Dexis raided... Where exactly was this, and what did he take?

[Paper]: The temple in Solaris... Dexis collected something from it, although we have no idea what. There is also something alarming about some of the artwork we found in the temple...

[Sci, realizing]: The artwork of the Phantom?

[Paper]: There was other artwork as well. One image in particular depicted two large clouds rising over the Haven. That image worries me.

[Hornbok]: Do we know where the other temples are?

[Phil]: I don't know that, I'm sorry.

[Hornbok]: It's okay...

[Paper]: I have done some research. I believe there are four temples in total on the Haven. The one in Solaris was already raided by Dexis back in September, but there are also temples in Lunaris, Phonaris, and Hophopris.

[Hornbok]: We know that the Aldabarbarians have many soldiers in the Lunaris-area, so maybe that isn't the best one to choose. I don't know anything about the other two cities; Phonaris sounds good.

[Sci]: I don't think it really matters.

[Hornbok]: Okay, then everyone in this room except for Zyfer and Phil is going to Phonaris to search the temple there.

[He stands, as does Paper, as most of the team exits the room until only Phil, Hornbok, Zyfer, and Bink remain. Bink looks at the rest of the team as they head for the transporters. She overhears Paper and Sci talking.]

[Paper, quietly]: Did you take the copy of the STV?

[Sci, quietly]: No, it should be in your room where's it's been for the past month.

[Paper, quietly]: Well, it's not there...

[As they get too far away to hear, Bink turns back to Hornbok.]

[Hornbok]: Aren't you going to follow them?

[Bink]: Do you think I could stay behind?

[Hornbok]: Why? Do you not want to be around Paper?

[Bink, annoyed]: What's the supposed to mean?

[Hornbok]: You're a Commander. There's no reason--

[Zyfer]: She's been suffering from insomnia as of late.

[Hornbok looks at Zyfer strangely.]

[Zyfer]: She told me that when I woke her up.

[Hornbok]: You can stay behind, but go wake up Toon.

[She nods her head and exits the room. Hornbok and Zyfer stand across from each other as Phil rests on the bed, looking as if he is going to fall asleep.]

[Hornbok]: I like the way you run things around here...

[He walks past Zyfer and he goes to find the team. The camera cuts to Toon leaving his room and walking past Bink.]

[Toon]: You're not going?

[Bink]: Hornbok said I didn't have to go. I've been having trouble sleeping lately...

[Toon]: Alright then.

[He closes the door behind him and heads off for the transporters. Bink walks off to her room as the camera cuts to Toon arriving at the transporters. Hornbok, Paper, Sci, Nick, Ray, Paul, and Reg are waiting for him.]

[Hornbok]: Okay, now that Toon's here, we can head for Phonaris...

[Toon]: We're going to the Haven?

[Sci]: We're investigating the temple in Phonaris... You remember the one we went to in Solaris, right?

[Toon]: Vaguely...

[Sci]: We think whatever Dexis retrieved from it may be the key to controlling the Haven... Either that, or the Elite want whatever was in the temple, and the Rotolysians and Aldabarbarians are both trying to get it first...

[Nick]: Either way, all we need to do is protect one of the temples and we'll prevent all sides from getting what they want...

[The Plumbers walk onto the transport platform as it takes them to Phonaris. The camera cuts to the city, which looks much different than Solaris and Lunaris. While those cities were very dark and industrial, Phonaris seems to be much brighter, even though it has seemingly more tall buildings. They Plumbers look up and see the sun, as it is early morning in Phonaris.]

[Paul]: So does anyone know why it's so light here, but so dark in Lunaris?

[Paper]: It's got to do with the Haven being stationary; it doesn't rotate, and it doesn't revolve around the Earth. Depending on where the Earth and Sun are in relation to it, different parts of the Haven have different amounts of sunlight for weeks at a time.

[Sci]: Basically, 1 day on the Haven is 365 Earth days.

[Paper, laughing]: Yeah, basically... We're in the time of the Earth year where it's early morning for Phonaris and Hophopris, but practically midnight for Solaris and Lunaris.

[Hornbok]: That's why it was even dark when we were in Solaris and Lunaris in the previous months, because it was basically 10 at night then.

[Paper]: Correct.

[Ray]: So what does this have to do with the temples?

[Paul]: I don't think they're related at all, I was just being curious.

[Nick]: Speaking of the temple...

[He points to a large building just across from the transporters.]

[Nick]: I don't think we'll have to look around for it.

[The camera cuts to the Plumbers entering the temple. The natural lighting from outside lights up the inside of the temple, making it much brighter than the temple on Solaris.]

[Hornbok]: Are we going to stick together or split up? It's really up to you...

[Sci]: I think we should stick together. No reason to rush when this isn't urgent.

[Sci and the others walk towards a door on the left side of the back of the main room of the temple. The door has a red lamp over it. Hornbok stays back, thinking about the continuous use of "not urgent." He continues to follow the rest of the team as the camera cuts ahead to the Plumbers exploring the room at the end of the hallway behind the door. Unlike the temple in Solaris, there is no artwork on the walls. Like the temple on Solaris, however, there is a pedestal that has been moved from its original location, leaving a hole in the ground to a room beneath it.]

[Toon, noticing the moved pedestal]: Someone's been here already

[Sci]: Wait, in the temple in Solaris, the large door in the center was closed at first...

[Toon]: But then it was open, probably after Dexis got what he needed...

[Paper]: But the center door in this temple was already open...

[Nick]: Which means we're wasting our time...

[Toon]: But the door in the other temple lead to a docking bay on the Mare Glacies with the Darwin in it.

[Ray]: And that reminds me of something... Aren't there two seas on the Haven?

[Paper]: There are: the Mare Glacies and the Mare Ignis... You think this temple might be connected to the Mare Ignis?

[Sci]: No, this temple is definitely connected to the Mare Glacies; I remember from when we first met Tayvir and Eshus. The ones in Lunaris and Hophopris are probably connected to the Mare Ignis.

[Hornbok]: It's unlikely that the temple in Lunaris hasn't been raided yet, which means Hophopris is our last option. If we don't protect that temple, things could get very ugly very quickly...

[Paul]: So let's go to the temple in Hophopris...

[Hornbok]: It's not that simple.

[Nick]: Hophopris is heavily-exclusive city. A massive indestructible glass dome surrounds it, and the only opening in the dome is heavily guarded. Absolutely no one gets in or out of that entrance undetected. Ever.

[Paul]: But there's a secret entrance?

[Sci]: Of course: through the temple. Which means it looks like we're headed back to Lunaris.

[Commercial]

[Sci]: ...That also must be why the Aldabarbarians sent most of their forces to that city.

[Paper]: ...But there have to be other ways to get into the Mare Ignis, right? It can't be only Lunaris and Hophopris that are connected to it, right?

[Hornbok]: Perhaps...

[Paper]: Let me guess, it's not urgent...

[Hornbok]: No, it's not...

[Sci]: So this whole mission was for nothing?

[Ray]: We've got an idea of what we need to do next. I think that's something...

[The camera cuts to the team arriving back in the main room of the temple. They stop in place when they notice a small group of Aldabarbarians approaching them.]

[Hornbok]: I'm afraid you're too late. Someone else has already raided this temple?

[An apparent commander steps forward.]

[Aldabarbarian Commander]: I am Commander Thasin of the Aldabarbarians. You say that someone else has collected the prizes of this temple?

[Hornbok]: Yes...

[Thasin]: I bet it's your team. Hand over the vials.

[Hornbok]: What vials?

[Thasin, angry]: Hand them over!

[Two Aldabarbarian soldiers step forward and aim their guns at the team. Ray and Sci step forward, prepared for a fight.]

[Hornbok]: We don't have any vials with us.

[Thasin]: You have until the count of three to--

[Soldier #1]: Sir, they don't have any vials with them. My scanner indicates that the temple's giant guardian has been dead for a month, which means the vials have been gone for at least that long.

[Thasin lowers his hand as the soldiers aiming the guns at the Plumbers step back.]

[Thasin]: They're still Plumbers... We'll let you go if you tell us all you know about who has the vials.

[Paper]: It could be anyone. The Haven has billions of citizens.

[Soldier #2]: It's entirely possible that they really don't know, sir.

[Thasin]: I hope I don't regret this, but I think they don't.

[He turns around and walks off as his soldiers follow him. The Plumbers relax, having avoided a fight, as the camera cuts back to Galactic-Command. Bink is lying on her bed, staring at the ceiling once again. She is awake, now suffering from true insomnia.]

[Bink]: ''What could the clues mean? The author is... If words are appearing in the book, then is the author still alive?''

[She takes out the book from underneath his bed. She opens up to a random page in the book. It is blank at first, but then a single word appears on it.]

[Bink]: Write!

[She pauses for a moment.]

[Bink, quietly]: Nep lacigam a ekam

[A magical pen appears in front of her.]

[Bink]: If when you write, I see the words, then when I write, do you see the words?

[The magical pen floats as it moves in a writing motion, being directed by her thoughts. She writes a single question on the page.]

[Bink, thinking her own question]: Why are helping us?

[The words quickly disappear as more words appear on the page.]

[Bink]: I will answer you soon, dear Scribe.

[The "S" in "Scribe" is capitalized on the page. Bink looks at it carefully, but it quickly disappears. She waits for more words to appear on the page, but none do. The pen drops down onto the bed.]

[Corona, waking up]: What are you up reading at this hour?

[Bink quickly loses the book and looks over at Corona.]

[Bink, slightly worried]: It's nothing... I just haven't been able to sleep very well lately.

[Corona looks at her sympathetically before closing her eyes to try and get back to sleep. She quickly opens her eyes again.]

[Corona]: Whenever I can't sleep, I like to think about what that would mean for tomorrow.

[Bink]: Huh?

[Corona]: If you don't sleep now, tomorrow you won't be able to do anything. But if you fall asleep and rest, anything could happen tomorrow.

[She closes her eyes again, and this time falls back asleep. Bink puts the book back underneath the bed, putting the pen right next to it and closes her eyes. This time, she does not open them again. The camera cuts to the team arriving back at the transporters. Zyfer is standing across the lobby, waiting for them. Hornbok approaches Zyfer as the rest of the team heads for their barracks.]

[Zyfer]: Find anything in the temple?

[Hornbok]: It had already been raided, probably by Dexis. We saw some Aldabarbarians in the temple, asking us if we had some vials from inside of it. They clearly hadn't been the ones to take them, and when they realized that we hadn't taken them either and had no idea who did, they left without a fight.

[Zyfer]: So Hophopris next?

[Hornbok]: I guess... We need to search for a better way to get to the Mare Ignis... Going in from Lunaris seems to be a very risky option at this point...

[Zyfer nods his head in agreement.]

[Hornbok]: I do have one more question for you. How can you be so laid back? How do you remain so calm and keep yourself from overreacting and making everything super urgent?

[Zyfer]: There's an old saying that the pen is mightier than the sword... This organization was founded on a basis of diplomacy, yet we call ourselves a police force. From now on, that changes...

[Without saying another word, he turns around and walks away from Hornbok, who seems to smile at the thought of a reformed Plumbers organization. The camera quickly cuts to a dark study. There is a desk at the back of the study, and a figure who cannot be seen is sitting at the desk. There is an open book laid flat on the desk, and a pen floating in midair.]

[Voice, approaching]: She's finally fallen asleep, you know.

[Figure]: A man can think, can't he?

[He pauses for a moment.]

[Figure]: Paradox.

[Paradox steps forward, but he can still barely be seen in the dimly lit room.]

[Paradox]: Another warning. They are coming.

[Figure]: I'm well aware, Professor. The Elite do not scare me.

[Paradox]: They will kill you.

[Figure]: They will try.

[Paradox]: How do you plan on defeating them?

[The figure chuckles.]

[Figure]: There's an old saying, Paradox, that the pen is mightier than the sword.

[The End]