Zodiac

I meant to upload this earlier, sorry, I've been busy.

So, from Tingle's messages, we agreed to contact Zodiac. I called their leader, Dragon, who me, Precog and my cousins had met previously, and he came round to the base, I thought he could help explain about the group to the others, because we still didn't know everything. He got to us within a minute of me hanging up the phone, he's picked up a lot of skills over the years.

Zodiac is a group of twelve individuals founded to destroy HIM long ago, when he first rose to power. The title of each animal is passed down through the ages, to those with the chosen power, or some variant thereof, each selected by the current members of the group. There have been generations of members, and our friend Dragon is currently the oldest member. The Dragon was famous for being multi-powered, using an ability only known as 'The Dragon's Claw' to gain powers, traditionally gaining Pyrokinesis as their first new power. (Interesting point, one of the now deceased members was a writer, and got involved in writing episodes for Jackie Chan Adventures, which I belive Damian has mentioned before, and that is where the Talisman's powers came from. He changed some of them a bit though, so some don't quite match up to the member of the same name.)

'Ah, my friends' he smiled at me and Precog, and then gazed around at everyone else 'I see your little troup of superheros is up and running then. It has been a long time since we last spoke. Too long.' He sighed. 'You have heard the rumors too then. Ah, but of course, your eldest cousin, miss tildy. It is true. HE that we vanquished so long ago is returning. Our group must once again gather for it's primary obligation. Our numbers are depleted, alas, as you will remember, but I can sense the ones suitable for the mantles are good friends of yours?'

'Er, yeah, probably' I said, unsure of exactly what he had in mind. I introduced him to everyone, and told him their powers. 'So' he breathed heavily, almost sadly, as we reached Pete. 'You have found your Claw. It is an honour to meet you Sir.' and he bowed very low to Pete, who looked surprised and unsure of what to do. 'My own Claw was killed many years ago, taking down one of HIS greatest creations alongside me. He was a great friend, and a Hero of the first class. I miss him terribly, and regret a thousand times a day that I could not save him.' Dragon turned to me, and said 'You look after this boy, Tempest. I can already see that you are great friends, and your life will depend on him in times to come.'

I was still a bit confused. 'Hang on, your saying that the dragon's claw isn't an ability, but a person? I thought that the Dragon HAD that as an ability, and used it to get more, starting with Pyrokinesis?'
'Ah no' he said, smiling. 'That is the legend, but that has never been so. The very first Dragon had Pyrokinesis. He was the most powerful Pyrokinetic the world has ever seen, and done things with fire than nobody else has ever been able to. And then, one day, he saved the life of a young woman, and discovered she had the same power as young Pete here. She swore to help him in gratitude for him saving her, and he realized he could help more people if he had more power. They travelled the world, and much like you, gathered abilities from those who needed saving from it, and used his new skills to help humanity. Then HE arose, and our hero gathered a team of eleven others, to form Zodiac. They vanquished him, but they knew he would rise again, so Dragon used two of his most dangerous abilities, allowing him to both see all of time at once, and manipulate the strings of fate, to reach through time and tie a Dragon and a Claw together through all of history, as well as twisting together that of potential other members, and making the lines of fate cross, so that whenever they were needed, new chosen Zodiac members would rise, along with two prophets and a veil, who would lead our team along the right path.'

He smiled at me and Pete. 'I assume that the first time you met, some sort of danger was threatening our new Claw, and that you saved him, thus creating a great bond?'
We nodded, in awe of the tale he'd just told.
'Then that is that. My time to retire, and become the guide for a new Dragon has finally come. I have waited for this moment for hundreds of years. I am both saddened, and relieved. I am glad that at last, my advancement has come. Now I must pass to you the four powers handed down to every Dragon. The Pyrokinesis of our very first Dragon, and the three abilities he kept closest to his heart. Two, you may use as much as you wish, to help you in your adventures, but the other two must be treated with great caution, for if used to much, or used incorrectly, the world could stand still, and be torn apart.

'I will set you up as the new Dragon, and then we will gather the others' he said, clasping Pete's hand as I nervously did the same. Pete's red energy craclked up round us, and I felt a surge of power rushing into me. Fire danced around us, and I saw all of time spread before me, like a map, or a book, with the pages constantly turning. I can't describe that transfer, partly because I wouldn't be able to think of the right words, and partly because I want to spare you from some of the things I experienced. As it ended, a huge pressure seemed to press down on me, and then it was like all my powers were blocked like when John or Howard does it, but different, it seemed more normal, and all the stranger for it. I couldn't hear all the machines in the base anymore, couldn't feel the particular patterns of the air around me anymore. I was normal again.

'What the hell?' I called out, Pete'e energy starting to sting a little now that I had no powers. He was still transferring them across, but they seemed to just sink inside me and disappear. 'It is the trial of the Dragon' my old friend winced, straining with effort as the transfer and my de-powering continued 'every Dragon must prove that he can cope without abilities, to show he will use them wisely when he has them. I haven't stolen them, don't think that, please, you have just had them...wiped from your bodies senses and cognitive functions. It is the reason every Dragon gets the ancient Pyrokinesis as their first new power. after their own, it is the first to re-manifest. For a few days, you will be powerless, my friend. I deeply regret my actions, this is not my doing, I had prepared the conditions seperately, I did not realize this would come to pass until it began, but now I recall. I was visited by a man and a boy a few days ago, they said I was phase two, and then everything went black. I am so sorry, Tempest, forgive me!'

We were thrown from Pete as the transfer finished, and he fell to the floor, panting. Healthbar went to heck he was ok, and patch up the nosebleed he'd got from doing such a big transfer, but she was lifted up into the air, thrown against a wall, and sank down to the floor, unconsious.

'No no no, I don't think we want you healing people, do we?' said a voice I had grown to hate 'Tempest powerless, and the healer and the old man unconsious. That seems like our cue.' Howard and John entered the base, and smiled gloatingly at everyone. 'Techpower's all rounded up, and we've already been to see Cleo, so we thought we'd see how VHS was doing. Looks like we arrived just in time.'

Next post: Tingle's return.