Distress

Story
John and Julie are at a café in downtown Bellwood.

Julie: You saved an entire planet, and the Plumbers didn’t know you were there?

John: That’s the glory of being a superhero. I can go where I want, and do what I want. The fact that no one knew where I was helped too.

Julie: Still, that’s pretty brave.

John: I still wonder about the incident. I mean, that could’ve been the start of something bigger. I’m not familiar with the politics of this Galactic Senate, though it didn’t look like they were very productive. (Then, John spins and pushes his chair out of the way.)

Julie: John? (A mana bolt flies towards them, and John turns into Chromastone, absorbing the attack. He fires an ultraviolet ray back into the sky, and the attack is hit by another mana bolt. Chromastone sees Hex in the air, who was simply firing random mana bolts everywhere.)

Chromastone: Hex? That guy doesn’t understand the meaning of don’t cause trouble. (Chromastone flies at Hex, and punches him, knocking him to the ground. Hex stands up, and Chromastone lands.) What’s wrong with you? You’re just blowing things up. (Hex looks up at him, and screams. He raises his staff and fires a powerful mana blast at him. Chromastone takes the attack, but Hex doesn’t stop.)

Chromastone: Ugh! Too, much, power! (Chromastone shifts to Big Chill, phasing through the ground to dodge. He comes out of the ground, and uses his freeze breath, freezing Hex’s entire body and staff, except his head.)

Hex: Agh! Let me go!

Big Chill: So now you talk. What is wrong with you?

Hex: She’s dead! She’s dead because YOU took her back!

Big Chill: Charmcaster? How do you know?

Hex: I was able to contact an old friend. Now, I will avenge her.

Big Chill: I am sorry, Hex. I was there when she was killed, and couldn’t stop it. (Big Chill reverts)

John: Do to me what you will. I accept the punishment. (The ice breaks, releasing a shockwave, launching John back.)

Hex: Then stay out of my way! (He raises his staff, and red smoke comes out of it. When the smoke fades, Hex was gone. John walks back to the table where Julie was.)

Julie: What was that about? Who’s Charmcaster?

John: His niece. They’re both from the realm of magic, and Charmcaster convinced me to help her get back. She was killed by Aggregor, and I failed to save her.

Julie: It’s not your fault.

John: Maybe not, but I believe I am, and so does Hex.

Julie: You know you have to stop him.

John: Yeah. Sorry about this.

Julie: Go. (John nods, kisses her on the cheek, and runs off.) End Scene

John, Gwen and Kevin arrive at Hex’s mansion.

Kevin: This is Hex’s place?

Gwen: Yeah. Looks like one of those libraries in old movies. (Turns to John) Do you know what Hex’s plan is?

John: No, but he is severely depressed. It’s probably going to be something world threatening. Let’s go.

The three go inside, expecting a fight. However, the mansion was abandoned. The three search around the house, finding no trace of Hex.

John: This isn’t good. Maybe this isn’t where Hex is going to initiate his plan.

Gwen: No, he’s here. I can feel an incredible buildup of mana.

Kevin: Where?

Gwen: The roof.

John: There’s no way up to the roof.

Kevin: Dude, he can fly. (Gwen opens a window, and creates mana platforms forming stairs, and the three run up the stairs. They arrive on the roof, where they see Hex chanting, while stirring a cauldron.)

John: Hex! Stop this now! (Hex’s staff floats in front of the cauldron, and it fires three beams of mana. All three of them are hit, and trapped in mana prisons.)

Gwen: Ugh! Not again! (Hex continues to chant and stir, and pink smoke rises from the cauldron, forming a giant cloud.)

Kevin: Not good.

The spell is completed, and the sky turns pink, rich in mana.

Gwen: He transported the Earth to Ledgerdomain.

John: Hex. What are you doing?

Hex: I told you to stay away. Now I will destroy all life with you for last. Reverto Meus Ops Mihi Exige Animas Omnibus! (Then, large streams of mana start flying into the sky, and they enter Hex. He then starts to drain the mana out of Gwen, John and Kevin.)

Gwen: AGH! (She enters her Anodite form, giving off more mana.)

Hex: Soon, I’ll drain all the power from the humans, and become the absolute ruler of Ledgerdomain!

John: (Strain-fully) Not while I’m here.

John turns into Terraspin, and uses his flipper to tear through the mana prison. He then spins and flies at Hex, ramming him. Hex is knocked skyward, who recovers with ease. Several mana tentacles come out of his back, and they charge at Terraspin. He uses his flippers to cut through them, and then releases a powerful gust of wind at Hex. Hex raises his hand, canceling the wind attack. Terraspin is then hit by a sparkling mana blast, knocking to the ground.

Terraspin: Not bad. You’re stronger now.

Hex: With all this mana flowing through me, I could defeat Adwaita himself! (Terraspin is then hit by several mana blasts. He isn’t hurt, but he can’t push through.)

Terraspin: Need a new tactic. Hm. (Terraspin shifts to NRG, and he’s blasted by mana blasts again. NRG charges forward, when Hex raises his hand. NRG’s armor rusts over, and he is immobilized in a matter of seconds.)

Hex: Did you think that you could actually stop me without that turtle form? (Then, the armor superheats, and breaks open. NRG in his true, radiation form breaks out, flying level with Hex.)

NRG: I figured I could give you a run for your money.

NRG fires a powerful radiation blast from his mouth, which Hex counters with a mana blast. NRG flies around overhead, and fires several energy balls at Hex. Hex swings his arm, creating a vortex that sucks in the energy balls, causing them to collide with each other. A lightning bolt then hits NRG, though he doesn’t stop. He fires more energy balls, being made of radiation and lightning. Hex swings his arms in an X-shaped motion, creating a shockwave that cuts through them, and cuts through NRG. NRG regenerates, and flies in, firing a radiation beam at Hex. Hex takes the radiation beam, pushed back, but was unharmed.

Hex: With all this mana power, anything that you do is useless. (Hex raises his arms, and NRG stops flying.)

NRG: What? I can’t move! (Then, NRG’s armor reforms around him, and he falls to the ground.)

Hex: Now stay there! (He holds his arms to the sky, and the mana continues to pour into him. NRG gets up, seeing Gwen was shriveled up.)

NRG: I’m running out of time. I think I would consider this an End-of-the-World situation. (NRG stands up, and transforms into Alien X.)

End Scene

John floats in the galaxy of Alien X, when Bellicus and Serena appear.

Serena: Well, hello John. How are you?

Bellicus: What do you want? We’re in the middle of a debate between whether crabs or lobsters are better.

John: Hex is draining the mana off of every human being, after transporting Earth to Ledgerdomain, which will kill them. We have to stop him.

Bellicus: Why?

John: Why!? Does everything have to be a debate with you guys!? If I need a reason, then if he kills everyone on my watch, then we’ll have failed our duty as a hero. What’s more, you said that you’d help in an end of the world situation.

Bellicus: I said maybe.

Serena: A promise is a promise, Bellicus. You should honor it. I vote for saving the humans.

Bellicus: (Angrily.) Fine. Go ahead, tell us your elaborate and complex desire to save the Earth.

John: Very well. I want the Earth to be returned to its original location, out of Ledgerdomain. But before that, I want the mana of every living thing drained to return to it. Also, seal Hex in Ledgerdomain, so he can’t do anymore harm.

Bellicus: Is that all?

John: Yes.

Back in Ledgerdomain, Hex is laughing, as more mana continues to pour into him. Then, Alien X releases a pulse wave from his body, and the mansion was back on Earth, out of Ledgerdomain. The mana prisons fade, releasing Gwen and Kevin, who were completely restored. Alien X reverts.

Kevin: Alien X, huh? Things must’ve been bad.

Gwen: Where’s Hex?

John: Back home, in Ledgerdomain. The Earth is saved once again.

Characters

 * John Smith
 * Gwen Tennyson
 * Kevin Levin
 * Julie Yamamoto

Villains

 * Hex

Aliens

 * Chromastone
 * Big Chill
 * Terraspin
 * NRG (normal and true form)
 * Alien X

Trivia

 * Hex has learned about Charmcaster's death.
 * John seals Hex back into Ledgerdomain.
 * The John Smith 10 Christmas Special takes place after this episode, but before the next episode.