Tori’s first course of action was to make a Starman illusion for herself - this was a Starman base after all. But she couldn’t just waltz in through the front door. It was unlocked, yeah, but the actual Starmen would be a little suspicious.

“What we could really use right now is some guidance,” Tori muttered. “Like a guide book or a sign from the heavens…”

“Tori…” Buzz Buzz pointed at an out of place sign and told her, “There is a sign.”

Tori stared at the wooden sign with disbelief for a few moments before walking up to it and kneeling down in front of it.

“To those who I contacted last: there is an entrance nearby that will allow you to sneak into the base undetected. Please use it. I will contact you when I can. Also, please take this sign with you,” Tori read aloud.

“I’m assuming that sign was written by Leicra?” Buzz Buzz asked.

“I dunno,” Tori replied. “There’s no name on it, but I’d hope it was made by them.”

She stood up and said, “Welp, only one thing to do!”

She grabbed the bottom of the sign and hauled it out of the ground, having made skid marks in the ground once she had it out.

“Right, let’s find this entrance.”

Tori wandered around the general area while Buzz Buzz looked up in higher places, and together, they completely missed where the hidden entrance was. After about ten minutes, Tori and Buzz Buzz met up and shared ideas on what they heck they’d have to do to find the hidden entrance.

“It would have to be something achievable, right?” Tori asked.

“Yes, otherwise this would be a trap,” Buzz Buzz replied.

“Well the fact Leicra told us to come to a Starman base is a little odd.”

“Yeah… Maybe it is a trap.”

There was a brief silence before Tori added, “Should we just wait here?”

“Waiting here would be the worst thing to do,” Buzz Buzz told her. He glanced back at the hole where the sign had been pulled out and told Tori, “Just wait, I’m going to check over there.”

Buzz Buzz darted over to the hole where the sign was. There didn’t seem to be anything immediately obvious - no button of any kind around it. He poked his head into the hole, and soon saw the smallest patch of dirt that looked out of place. It was a shade darker than the rest of the dirt, and while it could have just been his shadow making him see things, he still thought it was a good idea to check. He dove deeper into the hole and scraped the darker patch of dirt. Buzz Buzz could have sworn he heard a click from somewhere, and his belief seemed to be backed up by a loud rumbling. Darting out of the hole, he saw that an opening had appeared in the cliff face nearby. Knowing it was the secret entrance Leicra wanted them to use, Tori and Buzz Buzz entered the opening.

Metal floor greeted them as Tori walked in. After Tori had taken a few steps into the passageway, a metal door slammed shut behind them, making them flinch. Tori took a moment to settler her nerves, then continued down the passageway she and Buzz Buzz had entered.

The passageway was dimly lit, the only light source being the spaced out LED lights above them. The walls were coated in the same metal as the floor way, and they gave off a dull shine as the light hit them. The passageway was long, empty and cold, and it seemed like forever until Tori and Buzz Buzz would get even the tiniest change of scenery.

Tori and Buzz Buzz had been making their way down the passageway for about five drawn out minutes when a static briefly filled their hearing. The static cut out after moment, and Leicra’s voice called out to them again.

“I can sense your PSI from here…

“It is very strong. You must be using a technique of some kind.

“There is no need to use it right now. You are safe down here.”

Tori and Buzz Buzz exchanged glances before Tori flicked her hands, and her Starman disguise faded with some sparkles.

“That’s better.

“Worry not, you are approaching the end of the passageway.

Once you do, go to the right. The left is dangerous.”

Another brief static, then Leicra was gone.

“We must be getting close, if they only gave us one direction,” Buzz Buzz commented.

“Or they didn't want to overload us with directions,” Tori suggested.

The two continued down the passageway until they came across a fork in the path. There wasn’t much other way to go than left or right. Taking Leicra’s word, Tori and Buzz Buzz headed down the right path. That path went on for a while as well, much to Tori’s dismay, but soon she and Buzz Buzz reached a door with a keypad to the right of it.

“Leicra?” Buzz Buzz said aloud, “There’s a door here, how do we open it?”

A static briefly filled Buzz Buzz and Tori’s hearing, then Leicra spoke again.

“You have made it there already?

“Wonderful!

“Although, you do not need to speak aloud to contact me this way. Just thinking it will suffice.

“The passcode is 1155.”

Another brief static, and Leicra was silent again.

“Alrighty, 1155…”

Tori keyed in the passcode, and the door slid open with a satisfying swish. Tori and Buzz Buzz went through. Buzz Buzz whipped around to check if the door had a way to close it. There was - there was an identical keypad on the other side, which had a little red button in the corner. Pressing it closed the door, and Buzz Buzz darted back over to Tori’s side.

They had found themselves in a shorter hall, and it got darker as they went further in. Soon, it was pitch black. They kept going for a few moments, before Tori stopped. A small flame of PK Fire appeared in between her hands, and she told Buzz Buzz, who looked on with raised eyebrows, “Just thought I’d give us some light.”

They went on with their surroundings lit by Tori’s PK Fire, but they soon found there was no need - a soft glow filtered under the next door that they had now come across. Tori blew out the PK Fire. Strangely, this door was more similar to a human-made door, with a doorknob and the only sign of Starman technology being a soft green light at the upper middle of the door. Tori opened it, and she and Buzz Buzz went inside the room.

The room was small, with various Starman tablets scattered on the table that lined the back wall and most of the side walls. Loose wires were strewn about, but had kicked to the sides in an attempt to clean up. In the middle of the room sat a large, round object that gave off a soft, yellow glow - it looked like a piece of technology, perhaps a computer or engine of sorts, and it was definitely from another star, but something about it seemed like it wasn’t the case. The object was a deep red with glowing golden veins running down it. The object almost seemed alive, but it seemed silly to both Tori and Buzz Buzz to think that was the case. Standing behind the object was a Blue Starman, keenly looking at them. They had a white lightning bolt going across their eye, though it was hard to discern whether it was paint or a scratch in the low light. Their arms were politely folded in front of them, and when they spoke, it was immediately obvious who they were.

“Welcome! I am Leicra, the one who has been contacting you.” And yet, Leicra introduced themself anyway.

“Uh… hi,” Tori greeted awkwardly. “You’re not… freaked out? You’re not freaked out by a Pigmask and a bug coming into your base?”

“Not at all,” Leicra told her, “in fact, I knew that you would be the way you are. I was told ahead of time.”

“What? By who?!” Buzz Buzz questioned.

“Allow me to explain.” Leicra looked down at the object and rested a hand on it as they explained, “This is the Apple of Enlightenment. Giygas stole it from its home after hearing about its power to predict the future, and used it to foresee the events of the war. After being told of those who would stop him, he discarded it, and it has been resting here ever since.

I have been tasked with looking after it for a while. Us Blue Starmen don’t get to do a lot these days. I soon grew intrigued about the Apple, and I started talking to it. It told me many things about the world, and it told me more recently to be on the lookout for a Pigmask, a bug and a Wild ‘n’ Wooly Shambler. That is, you two, and the Shambler you came with.”

Leicra paused for a little while, then said, “Come closer to the Apple.”

Tori cautiously took a few steps forward, and Buzz Buzz flitted closer too, then landed on Tori’s shoulder.

“Apple of Enlightenment, tell us the fate of the world.”

The Apple of Enlightenment glowed brighter for a moment, then, its voice echoing through the room, replied, “Four Earth children: a boy, a girl, a boy, and a boy, will stop Giygas from conquering the earth and sending all to darkness.”

Tori’s eyebrows turned up with confusion. “But… that didn’t happen… Giygas is still here! Everything is in darkness!”

“Correct,” the Apple of Enlightenment replied. “Because Giygas was successful in stopping these chosen heroes.”

“So then how…”

The room was silent for a moment before Buzz Buzz said, “Wait. I think I might know.”

Tori and Leicra looked at Buzz Buzz. While Leicra was solely curious, Tori was even more confused, but hopeful.

“There was a legend from ancient times where I was from - it was handed to down to all of us,” Buzz Buzz explained. “‘When the chosen boy reaches the point, he will find the light. The passing of time will shatter the nightmare rock and will reveal the path of light.’ I never understood it, but it was essential to remember it…”

“Fascinating!” Leicra awed.

“Oh, and there was another part of it!” Buzz Buzz added, his wings fluttering with excitement. “It was said that three boys and one girl will defeat a ‘Universal Cosmic Destroyer’... It has to be about what the Apple said!”

The Apple of Enlightenment glowed again, and said, “Correct. Though I am unsure of how you know that, what you recall is true.”

“Then… how do we make it true?” Tori asked the Apple. “Is there any way?”

The Apple of Enlightenment was silent.

After a moment, Leicra told her, “I think you may have asked your question wrong. It has happened to me a few times.”

“Uh, okay, let me try again.” Tori looked at the Apple of Enlightenment and asked, “Apple of Enlightenment, how can we get the prophecy fulfilled?”

The Apple of Enlightenment glowed, then replied, “You and one other must end the dispute that is now taking over Earth. Once you have, one of you must take the first prophecy back to the chosen heroes. The way will become clear with time.”

Tori and Buzz Buzz were left in awe.

Leicra stared at the Apple for a moment longer, then turned to Tori and Buzz Buzz and told them, “While you are not the most conventional of heroes, it is better than none. I wish you luck on this quest. Now you must go - before the others find you.”

“Well, we’d best be on our way if that’s the case,” Buzz Buzz said. He buzzed over to the door and hovered by it as he waited for Tori to open it for him.

The walk back out was uneventful. The only thing stopping it from being as boring as the trip there was the fact that their new quest was still buzzing in their minds. As Tori and Buzz Buzz returned outside, three metal bodies stood in their way, causing them to freeze in fear. A Starman Super, accompanied by two other Starmen blocked their path.

“You thought you could simply use that entrance to the underground chambers as you pleased?” the Starman Super clicked.

“And a Pigmask, too!” the left Starman added. “No doubt that “King” of theirs got them to investigate for him!”

“There’s only one thing to do here, men.” The Starman Super raised an arm and shouted, “GET ‘EM!”

The Starmen wasted no time in attacking Tori, both opting to go with a PK Beam. One managed to get Tori right in the gut. Buzz Buzz put up a PSI Shield, which collided with the second PK Beam and pretty much reduced it to nothing.

“Where did that PSI Shield come from…?” the Starman Super questioned, taking a step back. “No matter. Continue attacking!”

The Starmen did as they were told, and one readied another PK Beam while the other put up a Shield for himself. Tori launched a PK Fire at the two Starmen, roasting them both. Another PK Beam was fired at Tori, and thanks to the PSI Shield Buzz Buzz had set up, the blow was softened. Tori let loose another PK Fire. She then followed up with a PK Thunder, but the one bolt she fired hit no one.

“Foolish human,” the Starman Super taunted, “you don’t even know how to fire a bolt properly? Even if you do have PSI, you’ll go down in a flash!”

The Starmen fired another PK Beam each, and while the PSI Shield softened both blows, Tori was starting to run low on health. That, and the PSI Shield broke. Buzz Buzz quickly remedied this by setting a new one. Tori fired another wave of PK Fire, getting the Starmen on about the same level of health as her. One Starman fired yet another PK Beam, and Tori barely managed to hang onto her life. She retaliated with a PK Thunder - and this time, it hit. The Starman collapsed onto the grass with an empty clank. Buzz Buzz glanced at the other Starman, who was too busy taking a Sudden Guts Pill. He darted off Tori’s shoulder and slammed his horn into the base of other Starman’s head. Even with the Shield, the damage was enough to knock the Starman out. Buzz Buzz quickly returned to Tori’s shoulder.

“Hmph. I should have known those two wouldn’t quite be enough. But that’s why I’M here, isn’t it?” the Starman Super growled.

He charged at Tori, who smacked the sign she was holding into the side of his head. The sign snapped in two, leaving part of the message on the ground and the other part, plus the pole, im Tori’s hands.

Holding a hand to the side of his head, the Starman Super said, “Hah! You think a sign can stop me?!”

“CHAAAAAAAAAAARGE!”

Footsteps and teens screaming was heard from not too far away, and quickly came closer. All the teens from Autumns had come rushing onto the scene, immediately assaulting the Starman Super and climbing all over him. They did whatever the could to harm him - throw rocks, kick him, some of the more impulsive ones just punched him, and a lot brought the thickest branches they could find. From around the crowd of teenagers, Gran ran over to Tori’s side.

“Are you okay?” she asked.

The most Tori could manage to say in reply was a drawn out “uh”, so Buzz Buzz told her, “She’s taken a fair bit of damage from the Starmen that attacked her. I shielded her, of course, but they were rather strong.”

“Oh dear. Let me fix you right up.” Gran embraced Tori in a hug, and the PSI Lifeup energy from the former flowed into the latter, giving her strength. Gran released Tori as soon as she was healed up.

Meanwhile, the Starman Super was suffering under the attack of several teenagers. It wasn’t that they were particularly strong, but their sheer numbers were taking quite a toll.

“Please!” the Starman Super wailed, “Please, somebody, help me! I need backup!”

“Never!” one teen screamed.

“Yeah! We won’t let you get backup!” another teenager, a girl, added.

The mauling went on for a little while longer before the Starman Super wailed again, “Please! I give up! Just let me go!”

The teenagers halted for a moment, eyeing the Starman Super suspiciously, before the eighteen year old who owned the house they lived in simply said, “No.” And then he smacked him over the head with a branch.

The Starman Super fell to the ground, and after a rattling clank had passed, the teens cheered. Most went back to the house, but the eighteen year old and a couple of others that had accompanied him the previous day stayed behind.

“You alright?” the eighteen year old asked Tori and Buzz Buzz.

“Yeah, mostly,” Tori replied. “A little sore, but really I don’t think it’s anything a little sleep can’t fix.”

“That’s a relief,” the sixteen year old, who had been oddly quiet the previous day, said.

“We heard an alert from our house that someone had gotten in and they need to “be eliminated” or whatever, we assumed that they were gonna kill you, so we got ready to kick a… butt,” one of the thirteen year olds explained.

Tori nodded, before a strange pain came over her. Or rather, it came over her head.

“What is it now?” the thirteen year old asked as Tori grabbed Gran’s shoulder.

There was no response, and it stayed that way for a few moments before Tori perked right back up again like nothing had happened.

She blinked, then said, “That was weird. It was like this haze came over me, and then it was like, a migraine, which is weird because I don’t usually have those, and then it just… stopped.”

“Not… usually?” the eighteen year old asked, raising an eyebrow.

“I had one about a couple of months ago, actually, and it was a little bit after that I learned I had-” Tori cut her explanation short as realisation hit her. She stood up in a flash, then held out her hands and focused. A purple wave emerged from her hands and made its way to Buzz Buzz. The wave passed through him, then darted into Tori.

“Huh. That was weird. I feel like I could pull off another PK Fire no sweat, though.”

There was a brief silence before Buzz Buzz told her, “You learned PSI Magnet Alpha. Though you took the PSI from me.”

Tori’s mouth fell open with shock, then said, “Sorry!”

“Don’t worry about it too much,” Buzz Buzz reassured her, waving a hand. “With a little sleep, I’ll be fine.”

“Speaking of,” the thirteen year old piped up, “can we go home now? I’m tiiiiiired.”

“We sure can,” the eighteen year old replied. With that, the other teens headed back home, and Tori, Buzz Buzz and Gran followed them.

“So why exactly did you head off to the Starman base?” Gran asked Tori and Buzz Buzz.

“The one who had been talking to the kids via telepathy contacted us as well,” Buzz Buzz explained. “They wanted us to go there and meet them.”

“It didn’t go badly, did it?” Gran asked, concern written all over.

“Oh no, I’d say it went quite well,” Buzz Buzz told her. “And now we’ve been tasked with saving the world. Or at least, getting the ones who would have saved the world originally… to save the world…”

“Basically, we have to make sure they don’t die,” Tori told Gran.

“Oh goodness. I’m not one of the people who have to go with you, am I?”

Tori and Buzz Buzz looked at one another as they shared a long “uhh”.

“Maybe?” Tori replied.

“We were just told that there was “you and one other”, though we’re not sure if that meant it was me, Tori and the one who contacted us, or us three and the one who contacted us,” Buzz Buzz explained.

“Or me, Buzz Buzz and someone we haven’t met yet, or us and someone we haven’t met yet,” Tori added.

“Oh my. Well, I will keep going with you,” Gran told them. “The children here are darling, and I would love to stay, but if you two have such a daunting task on your hands, I don’t want you failing.”

“Thanks, Gran,” Tori said, a faint smile appearing on her face.

Before long, they had returned to the house, and Tori and Buzz Buzz were quick to go to sleep again. Gran told the children another story before they too went to bed, and for a little while, everything felt safe. Though tomorrow, the dawn of a new adventure would rise. Tomorrow would be the start of a turnabout - soon, the world would start getting better. Even if it was just a little bit.