Age of Aquarius

Part One - Thunderstorm

Panning shot of a busy city. People are walking, going about their daily business. The camera drifts down and begins to focus on a young woman with brown hair sitting on a bench. She is dressed in a sleeveless pink blouse and a black and white skirt with black boots. A large pink purse is at her side. In her hands is a cup of coffee. She takes a sip, and a few people walk by, obstructing the camera's view of her. She takes another sip, and realizes the cup is empty. She sighs and stands up, slinging her purse over her shoulders while crumpling up the paper cup.

As she walks, the camera cuts to the sky. A large object begins to cover up the sky, casting the ground below in darkness. As people begin to stare and point at it, the young woman continues to walk, seemingly ignorant of the object above her. The camera goes back to the object, which has now covered all of the sky. The object is black, and no distinguishing features can be made out. Suddenly, glowing projectiles race out of the object and towards the ground. People begin screaming and dodging the projectiles. The young woman, not bothered by any of this, goes up to a trash can and throws her paper cup away.

She then casually walks towards an alley as people are screaming and running around her, trying to avoid the projectiles. Luckily, no one is hit. Once the young woman reaches the alley, she reaches into her bag and pulls out a small crystal. She snaps the crystal in half with her fingers, and it disappears.

Suddenly, the city stops. The people stop. A large shock wave moves out and away from the young woman, but everyone is frozen in time and cannot notice. As the shock wave passes, the area grows dark and the colors of the world invert. Ghostly figures are suddenly made apparent. The figures are not stopped like the people, and they begin moving in on the defenseless masses.

The young woman reaches out with her hand, and with her arm outstretched, turns in a circle, her hand tracing a line as it moves. She closes her eyes and mutters something while moving her arms, her hands creating a pattern as she does so. Finally, she opens her eyes and spreads her palms. The symbol she has traced glows, and an entity emerges from it.

It is vaguely humanoid in appearance, although it is white and has no face. There are two curving horns on either side of its face, and a gear like device on its stomach. There is a large green patch in the shape of a diamond surrounding the gear. There are three spikes near its wrist, with the largest spike being the one farthest away from its hands. The lower part of the arms, from the fingertips to the last spike, is green. The area from the feet to the mid-calf is also green, with the green color ending in a upside down V shape. It has a long tail that feathers out at the end as well. The chest swells, as if it had breasts, giving the creature a female appearance.

The creature pushes its hands together, and then releases a large ball of energy at the figures, destroying them. It then uncurls its horns and uses them to shoot a giant beam at the large object in the sky. The object is hit, and breaks into a thousand small fragments that fall down onto the ground before vanishing.

The world suddenly goes back in time, and the colors have returned to normal. The people act as if nothing odd has happened. Something glittering falls into the young woman's hand.

Creature
Morrigan, is it...?

Morrigan
No. It's just another rock.

She places the stone into her bag and walks out, the creature disappearing into a wisp of smoke.

Morrigan
This city, Aquarius City, is closed off from the world. It exists in its own time, in its own universe. As a result, strange things happen in this city, and strange beings exist in the city's negative space.

She walks into a coffee shop.

Morrigan
That's where people like me come in. Even if we exist outside the rest of the world, that doesn't mean that we have to cut ourselves off from reality. In order to keep the citizens of Aquarius City grounded, we, The Defenders, were established.

As the door opens and closes, a bell jingles.

Shop Owner
Hello-- Oh, Morrigan. Did you take care of the disturbance?

She sits down at a table near the register. The coffee shop is empty. It is a well lit, clean establishment with posters of watercolor landscapes on the walls. There is a door behind the register counter. A sign that says "RESTRICTED" hangs on the door.

Morrigan
Yes, I did. Nothing really good came out of it; just a turquoise.

Shop Owner
A turquoise is better than nothing.

Morrigan
'Nothing' wouldn't have left me disappointed.

Shop Owner
You expect too much sometimes, Morrigan. Here, let me have the turquoise. I see Zack more often than you do. By the way, are you coming down today?

Morrigan
. . .Sure, why not. I should check in again, anyway.

Morrigan gets up and goes behind the counter. She and the Shop Owner go through the door. They descend down a long staircase before reaching a hallway. At the end of the hallway, there is another door. They go through the door.

Morrigan
Headquarters. Not only is it possible for The Defenders to track one another's locations here, it's our home away from home as well. For those of us with families and friends who cannot know about our job, we retreat here in order to socialize with people who know the true state of Aquarius City.

There is a large room. In the center of the room, a large screen stands, surrounded by several smaller screens. There is a control panel on the bottom of the screens. On the south side of the room, there are couches and a television. In one corner, there is a mini kitchen. Bookshelves and more couches line the east walls. There are a few people in the room, each doing their own thing.

Shop Owner
Hmm? Hayden? Are you still here? It's been four days!

Hayden
My brothers are back home. I'm hiding from them.

Shop Owner
And what have you been telling your parents?

Hayden
They think I'm with Ben. Hey, Morrigan.

Morrigan
Hey, Hayden. Skipping school again?

Hayden
. . .

Morrigan
Hmm.

Shop Owner
. . .Well, I'm not your mother, so I can't say anything. But, Hayden, what are you going to do if you fail out of school?

Hayden
I've already devoted my life to this cause.

Shop Owner
And if The Defenders aren't needed anymore?

Hayden
Then that means the city will have a future. Annabel, do you have my gems?

Annabel
Ah. . . Ah, yes! I do. Please come with me, Hayden.

Hayden stands up from the couch. He is a good looking youth with black hair and brown eyes. He wears a well pressed dress shirt with a few buttons undone at the top. A tie hangs loosely around his neck. He also is wearing neat suit pants and a nice pair of shoes. Although he is young, he is taller than both Annabel and Morrigan.

Morrigan
Nice topic change.

Hayden
. . .

Hayden leaves with Annabel. Morrigan is free to roam HQ. She can now talk to the characters here.

Althea is a petite woman with short red hair and blue eyes. Her face is lightly freckled. She wears jeans and a light blue t-shirt. She's pacing around the room.

Althea
Hi, Morrigan. Have you seen Ted anywhere?
>Nope, sorry
Oh. . . Well, if you see him around, tell him that I need to talk to him, okay?
>Why do you need to see him?
Oh. . . Nothing much. Just this and that. You know. Well, if you see him around, tell him that I need to talk to him, okay?

Althea (If you speak to her again)
Why is Ted never around when you need him. . .?

Seth is a young man wearing paint splattered jeans and a white shirt with a tree screen print on it. He has short, messy blond hair and brown eyes. He is sitting on a stool in the kitchen.

Seth
Hmm. . .
>Something wrong?
. . .Huh? Oh, sorry. Didn't see you there.

Morrigan
I'm a bit hurt.

Seth
No, I didn't mean it like that! I was just spacing off, I guess. I've been distracted lately.

Morrigan
Really? By what?

Seth
. . .I don't know. I just get distracted. . .

>If you pick, "Leave him alone"
Morrigan
He looks like he's thinking hard about something.

Seth (If you speak to him again, no matter what you picked)
. . .

Kristen is a young woman with long brown hair. She has a butterfly clip pinning her hair on the side. She is wearing a cream colored dress. She's sitting in a couch near the monitors.

Kristen
I've been thinking that we've gotten a lot more work lately. . .

Morrigan
You think something's up, then?

Kristen
It's too soon to tell, but, yeah, I've got a bad feeling.

Morrigan
A bad feeling, huh. . .

Kristen
You haven't felt anything like that?

Morrigan
No, I'm afraid I haven't.

Kristen
Maybe that's good, to not have that feeling. . . Man, I hope I'm just being paranoid. It would SUCK if something was up.

Kristen (If you speak to her again)
I'm getting kinda hungry. . .

After talking to everyone, Morrigan examines the control panel and the monitors. A woman suddenly runs in. Her dirty blond hair is in a long braid, and she is wearing black dress pants and a nice white blouse.

Gina
G-guys! Major trouble like you would not believe!

Kristen
Huh? What's wrong?

Gina
You guys mean you can't see it on the monitors?!

Morrigan
No, I see nothing strange.

Gina
Oh, no! Oh, no! Noooooooooo!!!

Morrigan
Gina, what's wrong?

Gina
It's horrible!

Morrigan
What is?

Gina
Terrible!

Morrigan
Gina--

Gina
It's such a grievous misfortune! Such a terrible malady that has fallen upon us! Oh, fate, why--

Althea
GINA! Just tell us what's going on!

Gina
It's Ben! He's being cornered by those girls again!

Morrigan
. . .

Althea
. . .

Kristen
. . .That's. . .all? Ben's being attacked by his groupies?

Gina
When I left, they were stripping him naked.

Morrigan
. . .

Althea
. . .

Kristen
. . .

Gina
It's terrible! Those girls are vicious! They'll attack any female that they deem unworthy! Seth! You're a man! You must overpower them with your masculinity! Seth! Seth! Yoo hoo, Seth!

Seth
. . .

Althea
Gina, he's--

Gina
SEEEEEEEEEEEEEETH!!

Seth
--! Wha? Huh?

Gina
Ben's in trouble! You have to rescue him!

Seth
W-what? Why me? Can't Hayden rescue him?

Gina
Hayden's not here. As the only man currently here, it's your duty to save Ben! Come on!

Gina runs up to Seth and grabs his arm. She begins to drag him out of HQ.

Seth
Woah! H-hey! Hang on a minute!

Gina and Seth exit.

Althea
. . .

Morrigan
. . .

Kristen
. . .

An alarm goes off. One of the screens begins to flash.

Morrigan
Hm? . . . . . .It looks like Ted needs backup in Sector G. I'm off, then.

Althea
Ah, I'll go with you.

Morrigan
Kristen?

Kristen
I think I'm gonna stay. Two people should be enough, right? It's not like he's giving a distress signal or anything.

Morrigan
All right. I'll see you later.

Althea
Good bye.

Kristen
Bye guys. Be safe!

Morrigan and Althea exit.

Kristen
. . .Why do I have a bad feeling. . .?

Outside the coffee shop/HQ

Morrigan
It's raining.

Althea
Storming, you mean.

Morrigan reaches into her pink bag and pulls out a compact umbrella.

Morrigan
Shall we?

Sector G

Camera fades in to Morrigan and Althea walking into Sector G. The moment they do so, the sector goes into a time stop. The colors of the world invert, but there is fire all around.

Morrigan
What the--!

Althea
Fire? How?! Nothing is supposed to be in motion in a Stopped Zone besides us and the shadows!

???
Althea! Morrigan!

A man runs up to the two of them. He has shaggy red hair and is dressed in a shirt, a loose red jacket, and scruffy jeans. Once he reaches the two of them, he places his hands on knees and leans on them, breathing heavily.

Althea
Ted, what's going on?!

Ted
I. . . I came here to wipe out the shadows, right? Well, as I was creating the Stopped Zone, lightning hit. I think the energy reacted or something, 'cause the whole place just lit on fire! I got rid of most of the shadows, but the main one is still up there, and the fire's seriously getting out of hand. Also--

Morrigan
Watch out!

The three jump away. A bolt of lightning strikes the area, but unlike regular lightning, the light emitted is similar to that of a black light. The three quickly trace circles and runes in the air with their arms. From each circle, a large humanoid creature emerges. Morrigan's creature is the same one as before.

Althea's creature is angelic in appearance, with wings and a halo, but the abdomen tapers off into a point rather than legs. The area where its face is supposed to be is also blank. It hovers off the ground, the wings flapping slowly in the air. The primary color of her creature is a light pink, although the middle of the front of its body is white, as if someone painted a stripe down its center.

Ted's creature has a humanoid head and limbs, but the limbs are not connected to the torso. The creature's torso is round, and much resembles a wheel. The arms, hanging off the edges of the wheel, undulate slowly. The legs of the creature are think. The wheel is gold, but the rest of the creature is colored black. The eyes of the creature glow gold as well, and it is mouthless. The creature is also large, towering over the others.

Asclepius
Althea, are you all right?

Althea
Yes, I'm fine. Thank you, Asclepius.

Ted
W-what was that?!

Morrigan
Althea, Ted! Behind you!

Ted
Wha-- Ahhh!

A large ghost like figure leaps from behind them and takes a swipe at the two. Asclepius grabs Althea with its arms and fly her out of range. Ted's creature, meanwhile, uses its wheel like middle to block the attack.

Morrigan
Pasiphae! Destroy it!

Pasiphae
At your command.

Pasiphae, Morrigan's creature, releases a beam of energy at the ghost. The figure vanishes.

Morrigan
Now, where is the ship?

Pasiphae
Gone. . .

Althea
W-what?! But Ted, didn't you say that the main one was left?!

Ted
Yeah, but. . . I can't see it anymore either!

Morrigan
Impossible... Nothing can escape the confines of a Stopped Zone!

Moros
. . .The wheel of fate has already begun spinning. . .

Ted
M-Moros?

Moros
Now. . . The gate is open. . .

Asclepius
. . .Yes, I feel the Negative Space shifting. . .

Pasiphae
The shadows are creeping in. . .

Althea
What's going on? Asclepius, you're beginning to scare me. . .

Morrigan
. . .Pasiphae?

Ted
N-no. . .! M-Moros!

Asclepius
We have entered. . .

Moros
The age. . .

Pasiphae
of Aquarius. . .

The world suddenly lights up, and when the light fades, Morrigan, Althea, and Ted find the Stopped Zone has vanished, leaving only the normal world. Time begins to flow. The fire still burns, and now it begins to consume the nearby shrubs and trees.

Althea
B-but the ghosts! How did the Stopped Zone get destroyed?!

Morrigan
That's not important! We need to stop the fire before anyone realizes and find the ship before it does more damage!

Ted
I-I'll contact HQ! See if we can't get Hayden and Ophion to put out the fire!

Althea
Will the Stopped Zones even come?

Morrigan
Don't think so pessimistically. Althea, come with me! We have to find the main ship!

At a Park

Althea and Morrigan stop running and take a break by a fountain. They are in a park, and there are flowers blooming everywhere. The park is empty, but Althea and Morrigan seem not to notice. The sky is dark, and flashes of lightning can be seen occasionally, lighting up their surroundings.

Althea
Hey. . . I just noticed that it stopped raining.

Morrigan
Yes, there's just lightning and thunder now.

Althea
Doesn't it feel off, though? I was too preoccupied to pay attention, but I'm fairly certain that it stopped raining just as we entered Ted's Stopped Zone.

Morrigan
. . .Hmm. . .

Althea
I wonder. . . What is the 'Age of Aquarius'?

Morrigan
It's something to do with the stars. The earth rotates around the sun, but the sun also rotates around the center of the Milky Way. Basically, everything's in motion. The stars, too. The constellations change their positions relative to us. When that happens, we move into a new 'age' depending on which constellation we face. Or something like that. I was never too fond of astronomy.

Althea
It makes sense, though. The Age of Aquarius. Aquarius City. . .

Morrigan
The city was named after the constellation.

Althea
I know that, but--

The world goes black, and when it fades in, Althea and Morrigan are in a Stopped Zone.

Althea
What's going on?! Morrigan, did you create a Stopped Zone?

Morrigan
No! You didn't either?

Althea
No! I--

Asclepius and Pasiphae suddenly emerge from the two. Althea and Morrigan look at them in surprise.

Asclepius
It is here.

Althea
---! Ah! Morrigan! Look! The ship is--

Above them, the main ship hovers in the sky, blocking out even the lightning. Morrgan and Althea tense and go into battle stances.

Ship
You do not belong. . .

Morrigan
It spoke?!

Ship
You do not belong in the underside. . .

Morrigan
What?

Ship
I will remove these intruders. . . Begone!

The ship launches dozens of ghost like figures down onto the two. Asclepius takes Althea and flies, dodging them, while Pasiphae shoots down the ghosts. Even though they are outnumbered, Asclepius is able to heal them with his magic. Althea soon brings out a pistol, and begins shooting the ghosts. Morrigan stands near Pasiphae, striking at the ghosts with a dagger when they get close. Eventually, Pasiphae shoots a large beam of energy at the Ship.

Ship
. . .Ah. . . I, too, have failed to remove these impurities. . .

Althea
Impurities?! Wait!

The ship suddenly breaks apart, and the pieces rain down before vanishing. A glittering gem falls into Morrigan's hands, and Asclepius brings Althea to the ground before the Stopped Zone vanishes.

Morrigan
Amethyst. Annabel. . .

Althea
Morrigan. . . What was all that? The main ship spoke to us. The Stopped Zone created itself. What's going on? Is this because we're in the Age of Aquarius?

Morrigan
I don't know, but we have to go back to HQ and find Taylor. If anyone has answers, it will be him.