37DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN RANDY CUNNINGHAM 9TH GRADE NINJA NOR LIFE AND TIMES OF JUNIPER LEE
After the defeat of Ghoulian things went pretty much back to normal in Orchid Bay. The LARPers were having their victory celebration gorging themselves on mutton and mead (actually it was just fried chicken and soda). The former stanked monsters, after recovering from the stanknesia, for the most part went back to their normal lives. With the exception of a few bad apple that wanted to resume their evil acts. So in an attempt to make amends for attacking her and the other friendly monsters, Randy as the Ninja decided to help June restore order to Orchid Bay. Tracking down and capturing criminal monsters like Demoness and her father Cordath the former conqueror that Ghoulian freed from banishment and stanked. "Is that the last of them?" Ninja huffed trying to catch his breath.
Checking her bracelet, judging by a lack of beeping, June assumed that the world is in balance again. "Looks like it for now," June said with a sigh of relief.
"Great so how about we go to the Bucket? I'm starve." Ninja suggested taking off his mask.
"No we have to check on Monroe and Ghoulian," June reminded him.
"But," Randy pleaded with his best sad puppy dog eyes.
"Oh fine, we'll get us some take out on the way home." June conceded, giving Randy cause to celebrate.
Back in the Lee's residence, Monroe was keeping a close eye of Ghoulian, testing various spells and potions to try and find a way to safely open a portal to the Land of Shadows to rescue Julian, with Howard and Ray-Ray were standing guard. Or at least they were suppose to. Completely bored with watching the old dog working, the two boys decided to ditch the mutt for some sugar and fun; and to be honest, Monroe was just glad to be rid of them.
"Hey guys, we're back." June announced walking in through the front door.
"Howard, I gots us some victory chicken." Randy said shaking the bucket of food, trying to call his friend. Not seeing their companions rushing to greet them, the two headed to Monroe's lab were the little dog had Ghoulian safely sealed in a stasis spell.
"Hey Monroe, where's Ray-Ray and Howard?" June asked.
"Sorry lass, but I'm a afraid that Tweedle Dumb and Tweedle Dumber stepped out for awhile." Monroe informed them.
"Wait Ray-Ray and Howard left? Weren't they suppose to stay with you?" June ranted.
"Hey don't blame me, you know how those two are." Monroe defended.
June groaned in frustration, but let it slide. Truthfully she was expecting something like this to happen. "So have you learned anything from Ghoulian?" June asked.
"And did you find a way to save Julian?" Randy asked as well.
"Not quiet but I did learn a lot actually," Monroe said proudly. "The good news is that I was able to suppress his powers. He won't be stanking anyone anytime soon. Also it seems that this is not just an evil manifestation. He's appears to be half of the human essence."
"So what you're saying that this is half a person?" June asked.
"Not quite correct but essentially, yes." Monroe replied.
"So that would mean that if this is the evil half, then the good half is the one we saw in the Land of Shadows." Randy figured.
"Aye lad. You know if the Sorcerer is anything like this, it would explain why he's so hard to beat. Beings in this state can only be killed when both halves are destroyed at the same time." Monroe informed them.
"So in order to stop Ghoulian permanently we need to bring Julian back," Randy said hopefully.
"Correct again," Monroe applauded. "And lucky for us, there seems to be a connection between the two halves that I can use to open a portal. The bad news is..." Monroe snatched up a paw full of mystic powder and tossed it on Ghoulian. A small energy beam manifested from Ghoulian's body and created a small portal. Randy recognized it as the same kind the Sorceress used when she tried to send him to the Land of Shadows. The only problem is that the portal Monroe created was the size of a golf ball.
"What the juice, I can't even get my hand through that." Randy complained.
"Sorry man, but that's about as big as I'm willing to make. Dabbling in the black arts and all that." Monroe said sternly before closing the portal.
"But then how I'm I going to help Julian?" Randy cried.
"Be patient, I'm sure a solution will present itself. Now how about we go to the kitchen and eat some chicken before it gets cold? Or before my brothers and Howard eats them all." June suggested.
"I'll join you later," Randy said keeping a watch on Ghoulian's sleeping body. After they left, Randy hurried over to the book that Monroe was reading simply titled 'Black Magic for Morons'. Opening to the first page: 'If you are reading this book, then you are already a moron.' Randy read. Continuing on reading: 'Black magic is more than just evil spells and incantations. It is power, but like everything else in this world, that power comes at a price. That price is your SOUL.' The word soul was printed in bright red ink with a bleeding effect. At this point Randy wasn't quite sure if this was a big mistake.
Sometime later, Ghoulian opened his eyes and found himself in a strange room. "Wha...? Where am I?" Ghoulian demanded.
"Hey Gho...I mean Julian. How are you feeling buddy?" Randy and Howard greeted.
"Randy, Howard, where am I?" Ghoulian asked weakly.
"You're in the medical room on board the ship. We are heading home." Randy informed him.
"But the Ninja, and the magic girl," Ghoulian sputtered.
"The Ninja? What would the Ninja be doing all the way out here?" Randy laughed trying very hard not to make eye contact. Fibbing is still not one of his strong points.
"But I saw him, the Ninja was fighting this magic girl and all these monsters." Ghoulian insisted.
"Man that sounds like one crazy dream," Howard laughed.
"You got a little too excited during our big quest that you passed out during the LARPing thing." Randy assured.
"You should really be careful, you know with your condition and all that." Howard said.
"My condition?" Ghoulian feeling a bit confused.
"You know that life threatening disease you have that got us this epic trip." Howard laughed holding up all the free snacks that they got from the hotel.
"Right my disease," Ghoulian almost forgot about that scam he did to get here. "Did we win?" Ghoulian hoped since it meant that he could get his hands on the Monkey's Paw.
"Sorry man, but without you we rolled up short." Howard said pretending to be devastated.
"Yeah and just when we reached the final boss too." Randy pretending to be disappointed. "But the good news is that the judges decided to give you one of the prizes as an honorary award, because of you know...you dying." Randy tried to say it without making it sound awkward.
"Which one?" Ghoulian asked.
"The Monkey's Paw I think it was called." Randy said reading the inscription on a display case he was holding.
"Give it to me," Ghoulian demanded reaching out his arms.
"Okay don't get so grabby," Randy said handing Ghoulian the case. Ghoulian smashed the case and picked up the amulet. "Well that just ruined the collector's value," Randy commented looking at the broken case.
"It mine, all mine. With this I can have my wishes be granted and become all powerful." Ghoulian laughed. "Wait, what's this?" Ghoulian noticed this small print on it that said 'Made in the Philippines'. "A fake!" Ghoulian screeched. "I did all this for nothing!"
"I wouldn't say that," Randy laughed. The truth is that the judges didn't give Ghoulian any prizes. That monkey's paw was a magical replica that Monroe made to fool Ghoulian into thinking that the Paw was a fake all along.
"Oh look at this," Howard said suspiciously picking up some papers on the desk.
"Howard what are those?" Randy asked rather strangely.
"Oh my these are the latest lab reports from the hospital. It seems that whatever was effecting you is completely gone. You're cured." Howard cheered.
"It's a miracle. Maybe that Monkey's Paw granted you're wish after all." Randy teased.
"That's great," Ghoulian scowled. Since he was unconscious he couldn't fake his illness so the doctors found nothing wrong with him, giving him a clean bill of health. Not that it matters anymore since he lost his objective. "If you'll excuse me I'm still feeling a little tired."
"Sure man of course," Howard and Randy said exiting the room. After they left, Ghoulian got up as well. He was so frustrated at how this trip turned out that he felt he needed to go for a walk.
Meanwhile down in the passage way, Howard and Randy were celebrating how they completely fooled Ghoulian. "Well we did it. We stopped Ghoulian from taking over the world and got a nice little vacation out of the deal." Howard said proudly.
"Yeah but the real Julian is still trapped in the Land of Shadow." Randy pointed out.
"Cunningham, you said it yourself. That June girl also said it, and even that creepy dog. There's nothing we can do for him, so just let it go." Howard advised.
"But Julian," Randy feeling responsible.
"Let it go," Howard repeated.
"Alright," Randy sighed.
"Great, so how's about we go to the mess deck. I hear that they're having an ice cream social. We can make whatever type of ice cream sundae we want." Howard sounding excited about the prospect.
"You go on I'll catch up," Randy said.
"Okay man," Howard giving Randy the thumbs up. Normally Howard would be suspicious of Randy wanting to stay behind, but this is unlimited ice cream we're talking about. Well worth abandoning his best friend for.
After Howard had gone, Randy took a seat at a near by bench. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the book on black magic that he took from June's room. Against his better judgment he read the page about portals and found that while it is nearly impossible to open a portal to the Land of Shadows, it is doable. Still Randy couldn't help but wonder if this is a mistake. Just as he hoped the nomicon started glowing. "Oh thank cheese, I did not want to make this decision on my own." Randy said as he shloomped into the book.
Inside Randy found the doodle ninja facing off against a giant shadowy monster. Doodle ninja then summoned a bunch of shadowy warriors and ordered them to attack. However the giant shadow just absorbed the ninja's shadow warriors, growing bigger and bigger. Until the entire area was covered in blackness. Then at the heart of darkness, doodle ninja illuminated the darkness using a simple candle. Inside the flame of the candle an inscription read: 'You cannot fight the darkness with darkness, for that will only create more darkness. Darkness can only be extinguished by light.'
"And how is that suppose to help me?" Randy asked. But as always the nomicon simply ousted him. Randy awoke to find the ninja nomicon, a symbol of light, in one hand and the book on black magic, a symbol of darkness, in the other. On one hand, the black magic gave him a solution, where as the nomicon didn't. But everyone is saying that he shouldn't use black magic. Naturally Randy is confident that he can handle a little black magic without becoming totally evil. Still he couldn't shake that nagging feeling in the back of his head that if a magical dog won't do it, then doesn't that mean that he shouldn't either? Then again, he's much stronger than a dog, so maybe it would be okay for him to dabble a bit. Although Julian tried dabbling and now he's trapped in the Land of Shadows and there's a new sorcerer terrorizing the world. Randy wracked his brain for a solution, but the only thing he could think of was to use black magic. "Be patient, I'm sure a solution will present itself." June's words echoed in his mind. For the first time, Randy started to relax. "June's right, it may take longer, but I will find a solution that doesn't require black magic." Randy decided throwing the book on black magic into the trash can. "So until then wait for me Julian. I'll rescue you some day. I promise. Until then, I'll see if Howard left me any ice cream." Randy hoped as he hurried to the mess deck.
A few minutes later, Ghoulian walked down the passage way were Randy was contemplating his dilemma. "Was it all really just a dream?" Ghoulian asked himself. He can still recall the battle he had with the Ninja and the Te Xuan Ze, but if Randy and Howard have no memory of it, then it had to have been just a dream. "No it can't be. I'm above that sort of thing. Aren't I?" Ghoulian asked himself. That's when he noticed something in the trash can. "Hello what do we have here?" Ghoulian wondered reaching in the trash. "A book on black magic?" Flipping through the pages he found some pretty impressive spells. "My the things people throw away. You're no Monkey's Paw, but not a bad consolation prize." Ghoulian laughed as he headed back to his quarters.
Epilogue
Somewhere in the middle of the Land of Shadows, a floating rock with a scared little boy drifted along. "Please someone, anyone, get me out of this place." Julian cried.
"Do you really want to leave here?" a mysterious voice said.
"Who said that?" Julian asked.
"Someone who can help you," the voice said.
"Taylor is that you?" Julian asked crawling to the broken gargoyle head.
"No I am not Taylor," the voice insisted.
"Really because you sound just like him," Julian commented still looking directly at the gargoyle head.
"I sound just like an inanimate object shaped to look like a fake gargoyle's head?" the voice asked him.
"Yes, exactly just how I imagined it." Julian cheered.
"Whatever, just heed me out. If you want to leave the Land of Shadows, you must first seek the man in fancy pants. Only he knows the way back to your world." the voice instructed him.
"Man in fancy pants? Is he far?" Julian asked.
"Yes and the journey will be long and perilous," the voice warned.
"Perilous," Julian yelped. "In that case forget it," Julian shaking his head.
"Don't wish to leave this place?' the voice asked.
"Not if it's dangerous," Julian whimpered. "Besides, this place doesn't seem so bad now that I have a friend." Julian smiled for the first time since being trapped here as he started hugging the gargoyle head.
Miles away, a mysterious figure was watching what has transpired through her power ball. Frustrated that Julian isn't rushing to leave the Land of Shadows, but she is confident that sooner or later Julian will seek the man in fancy pants to return to his world. Especially since there are others in that world who at this very moment are doing every they can to bring him back. And when he returns it would mean the end of one more Sorcerer. One less competition for her to worry about. It will just take a little more time, and the best thing about being immortal, she can wait.
To Be continued Amazing Mystical Warriors Unite