The D

Story
It’s around late afternoon, as Aster walks back towards his mansion, yawning.

Aster: (Drowsily) This, has been the longest day of my life. Not counting exposes and demonstrations.

Skurd: Too bad your species requires sleep to refuel their systems. But having the constant hounding by the reporters, by the police. You’d been up since early yesterday morning.

Aster: Yep. Now, to get a long day’s night’s sleep.

Aster reaches to open the door, when it swings open on its own, Mindy leaping through, hugging and squeezing Aster.

Mindy: Aster! I was so worried! I’ve been watching footage from the incident from last night the entire day! I’m so glad you’re alright!

Aster: (Straining) Yeah, I’m fine. Can you, let go?

Mindy: Oh! Right!

Mindy lets him go, Aster coughing a bit.

Aster: Clear my schedule for the day, Mindy. I won’t be moving much for at least the rest of today.

Mindy: Actually, there’s a bit of a problem. There’s someone here to see you.

Aster: Who?

Mindy: He hasn’t said, didn’t want to ruin the surprise or something. He really creeps me out, though. He had just appeared out of nowhere on the couch. I was scared out of my wits! I’ve got a clone watching over him.

Aster: Yeah, yeah. Thanks.

Aster walks in to the living room, seeing a head of black hair, curling upwards to the sky.

Male Voice: Well, well. You’re finally as big a star as I am.

Aster’s exhausted face turns into an elated smile, as the man stands up. He’s wearing a green suit jacket with black pants, having square glasses and a beard connecting from his sideburns all around his chin.

Aster: D!

D: Hey, there’s my boy!

Aster runs over, hugging D. The Mindy clone goes back over to Mindy, remerging with her.

Mindy: Uh, Aster? Care to introduce us?

Aster: Ah, right. Mindy, Skurd, this is The D, my foster father.

Mindy: Foster father?

Aster: Yeah. My real dad died when I was young. He used to work for Kaiba Corp. Anyway, afterwards, The D adopted me afterwards.

Skurd: Is it common for you humans to have a single letter for a name?

D: Nah. That’s just my fighting name.

Aster: D was a professional fighter in the day. Mixed martial arts. He got the name cause if you recited the alphabet while he fought, you would never make it past the letter D. He made his fame, and his fair share of riches.

Skurd: Wait, if you were rich the whole time, how come we had to become mercenaries to get to where we are now?

D: I cut him off. Teach him how to make money for himself. Though, not the way I imagined it.

Aster: Neither of us took the regular working job.

D: That was before. I’m now a public affairs agent. I assist in making plans and arranging events. Which reminds me, I’ve been sent to get you.

Aster: You’re an errand boy?

D: You know me. I need to be constantly moving. Come on. I signaled the limo while your girl was coming to get you.

D walks towards the front door, as Aster smiles at Mindy.

Aster: Sorry, dear. Got to go. Cancel my appointments.

Mindy: Even dinner tonight?

Aster: Oh, I wouldn’t miss that for the world.

Aster give Mindy a peck on the cheek, then follows D out the door. The limousine is in front of the mansion, The D holding the door open for him. Aster gets in, scooting in and sitting across from Pegasus and Chumley. D gets in after him, closing the door. The limo drives off.

Pegasus: Aster-boy! It’s an honor to meet you. I apologize for the circumstances.

Pegasus extends his hand, as Aster shakes it.

Aster: Hey, there’s nothing like a meeting with the mayor after being kidnapped by my foster dad.

Pegasus: Really?! D, my-boy! I never knew!

D: Yeah, well. I didn’t want his status to be effected by my fame. Wanted him to work for it.

Aster: I think I earned my pay last night. (Yawns)

Pegasus: Which is exactly what we’re here for, Aster-boy. I’m attending a press conference to explain the situation that occurred last night. There’s been a lot of panic and scurrying around. The police moved on Crow and Axel’s intel, and captured those you left at the docks. Crow is the police representative speaking, having volunteered for the duty.

Chumley: He said he that Sayer told him something that needs to be known.

Pegasus: I’m afraid for an all out riot with his death. The Arcadia Movement has been relatively calm, but that’s because they know not to believe anything that Angela Raines says. Those who are anti-hybrid will try to say Sayer was attacking humans, and I’m expecting the worst. We need a hero, someone who is trusted and liked by all sides, to mediate and assist. And since Yami-boy doesn’t have the rapport with the people as you do…

Skurd: That, and he left town. He went with the new guy to transport a dangerous criminal away.

Chumley: All the more reason for you to be there. The people will believe what you say more than anything the police say.

Aster: Anything I can do, to use my image as a glorifying opportunity for marketing.

D: Ha! You inherited your business sense from me!

The limo pulls up, as they come to a stop. The door opens, the flashing of camera lights clicking blinding them. Pegasus, Chumley, Aster and D get out, with Gemo leading security guards to clear a path. Pegasus gets onto the stage behind the podium, as Chumley, Aster and D sit in the back. Crow is sitting with them as well. Aster surveys the crowd, seeing gates up to prevent the spectators from getting close. There’s a group of anti-hybrid protesters, featuring Jack Atlas and Tyranno Hassleberry. On the other side of the crowd are members of the Arcadia Movement, including Aki, Espa Roba, Bastion, Mako, Thunder, T-Bone, and a new guy dressed as a biker. He has spikes on his jacket, his helmet resembles a skull with a red visor drawn down, obscuring what looks like a grill plate over his eyes.

Aster: (Whispering) Pegasus wasn’t kidding about this crowd.

Skurd: (Whispering) What are you thinking?

Aster: (Whispering) You remember that mole creature you found in the Nemetrix?

Skurd: (Whispering) The future seeing?

Aster: Keep an eye to the future.

Skurd stretches a tendril into Aster’s pocket, tapping the Nemetrix. Skurd grows a mole snout, using Seer Digger, his eyes closing.

Pegasus: Hello, everyone!

The crowd quiets down, the reporters eager to listen and the news cameras rolling.

Pegasus: I know many of you are asking about the events of last night, especially with the suddenness of an attack from a shadow demon creature. While I do not have all of the details…

Angela Raines: Shadow demon?! Quit protecting the halfbreed lover! We all saw Yami rampaging through the city! He’s the demon!

Pegasus: Yes, I am well aware of what the amateur videos on Youtube have shown. And if you paid attention to them as well, you would see that the shadow demon and Yami were two different entities. And, if I remember correctly, the videos also showcased the other members of the Signers. I have two members here today to testify to the events that occurred. First, I introduce Crow, who also serves as a detective in the Domino Police Department.

Pegasus steps away, as Crow takes to the stand, uneasy.

D: Aw, crape.

Aster: Crape?

D: Censoring myself. The chicken’s going to choke.

Crow: (Voice shaky) Last night, a series of criminals escaped from prison and their confinement, having been possessed by the Shadow Demon, known officially as Zorc the Dark One.

Carly: Zorc? The thing that Yami beat over a year ago?

Crow: That’s right. We engaged in a battle with his followers, which eventually formed back into Zorc. The battle ensued into the downtown area,

Angela: Is it true that you Signers, led by Yami, in truth attacked the city?! There is video proof showing Yami’s transformation as he attacks everything around him!

Crow: (Nervously) That was due to Zorc’s influence. It was broken when Sayer,

Angela: Sayer? The Arcadia movement was involved with destroying our beloved city!

Aki: You dare accuse us of destroying what is our city as well! You will pay for your insolence!

Aki moves towards Angela, but Espa puts his hand on her shoulder, stopping her.

Jack: Yeah, you better stay over there!

Crow: Hey! Listen! Sayer joined that fight, because it was the right thing to do! He died fighting for his people, to make this city…

Angela: A place for only his kind?!

Outrage flies, as the police struggle to keep both sides from going at each other. The biker on the Arcadia side looks up, his grill plate flashing an orange light.

Skurd: Aster!

Aster: Guide me!

The biker fires an orange radioactive blast from his grill plate eyes, which is refracted and expanded by his helmet visor, shooting towards the reporters. Aster leaps up, Skurd extending a tendril up Aster’s arm and head, giving him Seer Digger’s large mole paw and snout. He moves exactly into position and jets his paw out, taking the radiation blast. The force blows Aster away, him falling into the crowd with Jack and the others.

Jack: Get them!

The crowd breaks through the police blockade, Jack leading the frenzy. The Arcadia Movement looks for the one who fired the shot, unable to locate him.

Espa: Where’d he go?

T-Bone: Who care ‘bout that, dawg? They come for us!

T-Bone runs forward, pumping his jackhammer as he swings his fist. Jack catches it, his Blazing Soul armor absorbing the force, releasing a red aura. T-Bone swings another fist, as Jack punches this one, blasting through T-Bone. Mako washes Jack back with a water blast, as the crowd begins to swarm the Arcadia Movement.

Aki: Stay back!

Aki draws thorn tendrils, whipping them at the crowd, keeping them away. Crow charges in, as he kicks his legs, forcing people back. Bastion fires crystal shards at Crow, forcing him to jump over and dodge.

Crow: Hey! I’m on your side!

Jack: Like you’re on anyone’s side!

Hassleberry wrestles with someone in the crowd, as an asian woman wearing a yellow Chinese dress with pink covers on her hair buns kicks someone away.

Vivian: Take that! Huh?

Vivian spots the biker from before punching someone. She catches a glimpse under his visor, seeing his grill plate eyes.

Vivian: Him! The biker!

The biker looks up, infuriated. He looks at Vivian, firing a radioactive blast at her, it tearing through the battlefield. Jack pushes Vivian out of the way, as he crosses his arms in front of him, taking the radioactive blast. He skids back, though his armor absorbs the entirety of the attack. He radiates power, as he punches the ground, releasing red aura as it shatters the ground, the biker leaping back.

Hunter Pace: I think I’ve had enough fun here!

Pace fires another radioactive blast at the stage, straight at Pegasus. Pegasus’ mechanical wings tear out of the back of his suit, as he flies into the air, dodging it. Everyone’s attention is now focused on Pegasus, while Hunter Pace runs over to a motorcycle, hopping on it. It has a tire supported only by two bars to the main bike, him revving the engine.

Aster wakes up, groggy as he stands.

Aster: Too bad we didn’t see that coming.

Skurd: No, but I do see the one we’re after escaping!

Aster sees Hunter Pace driving off, as Aster gets up. Skurd morphs, his tendrils retracting from Aster’s arms and head, as they surround his legs. They morph into black horse legs, with the black legs having streaks resembling white bones, and hooves going over Aster’s feet.

Aster: Diomedes, nice!

Aster breaks into a sprint after Hunter Pace, leaving black and white streaks behind from his legs. Hunter Pace drives down the main street, as Aster chases after him. Pace spins around and drives in reverse, firing a radioactive blast at Aster. Aster zooms to the side, running up a car, hopping over it. He jumps down, as he continues after Pace, who spins around. Pace turns down an alleyway, as Aster makes the tight turn down the alley.

Aster: You can’t outrun me!

A door on the side of a building opens, an arm sticking up holding a trash can lid. Aster crashes head first into the lid, flipping backwards as he hits the pavement. Aster groans, looking up. The trash can lid falls and hits him on the head, Aster dropping his head. Skurd looks up through the door, there being no evidence of anyone standing there.

Skurd: What? There was definetely an arm there!

Aster moans, as Skurd turns his attention back to Aster.

Skurd: This is not your day, is it? End Scene

Aster lies on the couch in his home, ice pack applied to his head. Mindy is by his side, while The D stands off to the side.

Mindy: Oh! You know, you make me worry so much! First that battle downtown, now this! I shouldn’t even let you out of the house!

Aster: (Groaning) You’d have to be pretty convincing to do so.

D: Well, Aster. It has been good seeing you again. But I have plenty of better things to do than watch your girlfriend fawn over your every command.

Mindy: (Blushing) What?! I’m not!

D goes over to Aster, bending down besides him.

D: (Whispering) Don’t let this one get away. She’s pretty hot.

D stands up, going over to Mindy and handing her a card.

D: My number. If you ever want to hire me, just give me a ring.

Aster: Good to see you again, D. Don’t get into too much trouble.

D: Ha! You know me better than that, son.

D walks out the door, walking down the street, out of the view of the mansion. He then teleports, as he appears in a factory, filled with machines, chains hanging from the ceiling. He approaches Syd Barlow, a thug with a bald head, a scar on his forehead, and criminal markers; three on his right cheek, one on his left. He’s wearing a black vest, and stands with Hunter Pace.

D: Excellent. You certainly don’t disappoint.

Pace: Why, thank you kindly. I never imagined that just causing mayhem would be so much fun!

Syd: We’ve done what your bosses told us to do. I am expecting our pay.

D: Of course, of course.

D teleports away.

Pace: Uh, why did we attack at that press conference?

D re-appears, holding two briefcases.

D: It was to stir the revolution. With Sayer now dead, there is nothing to restrain the Arcadia Movement from attacking all who threaten them. Which means, we can make assaults of our own, our hybrid members parading as their newest recruits.

Syd: That leads to the implication that you want us for more jobs.

D gives the suitcases to Syd, grinning evilly.

D: Yes. And the fun, has only just begun.

Characters

 * Aster Phoenix
 * Skurd
 * Mindy
 * The D (revealed bad at end)
 * Pegasus
 * Chumley
 * Gemo
 * Crow
 * Enforcers
 * Jack Atlas
 * Tyranno Hassleberry
 * Arcadia Movement
 * Aki Izayoi
 * Espa Roba
 * Bastion
 * Mako
 * Thunder
 * T-Bone
 * Angela Raines
 * Carly Carmine
 * Vivian

Villains

 * Hunter Pace
 * Syd Barlow

By Skurd

 * Seer Digger (first appearance)
 * Diomedes (first appearance)

Trivia

 * This episode takes place in the late afternoon following the battle with Zorc, which climaxed around sunrise.
 * This episode shows the immediate fallout from the battle with Zorc. Where the media tries to claim Yami and Sayer were attacking the city, while the Arcadia Movement defending Sayer's honor.
 * The D is introduced, involved with a gang.
 * The attack at the press conference further divides the people between humans and hybrids.
 * The D's gang arc was inspired by the Marvel Netflix series Daredevil.
 * Due to Seer Digger being recently created and introduced, it wasn't the original alien to fill that slot. It was originally Time Panther that was supposed to appear.