-July 15 Friday, Parker University-

The long search for the item Mistress M was sealed into led them here. It is one of Parkerville's colleges, home of Fearsome Badgers. With it being summer, it was not as full of those seeking knowledge, themselves, or where the next party was. Reinstar, Ryu, Christina, and Tanya were walking around campus. The lavender ninja opted for baggy pants and a violet t-shirt to 'blend in'.

"Stepping foot here feels different." said Christina.

"You feel more grown up." Tanya smiled. "You are on the cusp of adulthood, waving by to the child you once were."

Ryu spotted three people talking on a bench. He shouted. "BADGERS ARE WHAT!?"

"BADASS CALAMITIES! WOOO!"

"YEAH!" shouted the redhead. "TEAM SPIRIT!"

The young girls looked embarrassed from the shout, then sent each other an exasperated glance.

"Then again, is being grown up a myth?" sighed the lawyer's daughter

The gossip girl shook her head. "At least they responded."

"Christina..." He turned to her with a serious look. "Team spirit is the foundation of all colleges, dating back to the Greeks. They had team spirit!"

"And look what happened to them? Conquered by Rome."

His face grew more serious, almost comical. "Rome had more team spirit."

Tanya giggled while Christina tried not to smile. Reinstar chuckled. "Okay, there is a reason I brought you three here... partially. You all fit the stereotypes of the class clown, the anti-war hippie, and the princess prep."

"Why am I a hippie?" asked the annoyed water woman

"What led you here?" asked the curious ice woman.

"Originally, it was sent to another city. I went there, but it was a bust, then it was sent to another city... then I checked the nightclub."

"Never thought of you like that." smirked the redhead. "Does Pilot know?"

"Only for an hour, Pilot does not know. Shh."

"We will be reticent about that." giggled the braided girl. "But did it lead you to the nightclub, or were you curious?"

"The nightclub had the same name as another place of interest, and I was almost mugged. He now has a broken hand." She scoffed. "However, the nightclub was fun. Stayed there for an hour. Then I went to the next state over, where I accidentally came across a group of boys playing a make-believe dungeon game. Lizards and basements? I played with them, won their campaign, and left. Then.. here."

"Do they always bring ancient stuff to universities?" questioned the electric warrior.

"Either here, museums, research institutions, or other places that have funds." responded the water warrior.

"Yes." The ninja gazed around the campus. "Now, where is the research lab?"

"There should be a directory," Christina suggested. A moment later, her stomach rumbled. "Maybe get something to eat first?"

----------------------------------------

-Abandoned Warehouse-

"Sam, are you sure?" questioned Amy

"This poster I was given says a rock concert/rave is happening here tomorrow night." Sam held up a flier. "Now you know how much stigma rock music has. Mosh pits, head banging, worshiping the devil, and stuff."

"True," said Jake. "Everything on that list made my dad's grandmother hate it."

"And it would not hurt to check it out in case Crazy Eyes somehow turns a person or thing into a monster and gathers rage."

"Music tends to ring something from a person's soul." The long-haired girl looked around worriedly. "Adding Rock music's... reputation... just freaks me out when people chant her name while the music plays.

"Hmm." The wind rubbed his chin. "Imagine them playing something haunting, then they are waving their phones and lighters as they chant her name." He raised his hands and emotionlessly said. "Mistress, Mistress."

"That gives me the chills." She shivered.

"I feel you don't like rock?" asked the leader.

"I don't like pure heavy metal rock. You can barely hear what they are saying, and everybody looks like they are going to get violent." replied the girl. "I am more into Soft Rock, at least melodic, upbeat music. For example, the J-Rock groups, 'Hamster Wheel, Tanuki Squad, Sun n Moon'."

Jake smiled with glee. "You like Hamster Wheel? Awesome, did you like their last album, 'Grapes vs. Apples!'

"Yes!" She shouted gleefully while grabbing his hands and jumping like a little girl in a candy store. "Another person that likes them! Yes, it was amazing!

"Yeah! Although that dumb scandal with the drummer was not worth the effort."

"Nearly destroyed his career. Who cares if he liked that one girl in that one group." Her eyes twinkled. "They're coming here soon. We should make plans for tickets."

"Yeah!"

Two snaps of the fingers brought them back to reality. The box-faded haircut teen looked slightly annoyed but wore a small smile. "Fam, are you back?"

"Yeah," The spiky-haired youth inquired. "Do you like them?"

"Not as much as you two." He turned away. "I understand being too obsessed with something to the point of forgetting where you are."

"That bad?" asked the embarrassed long-haired girl.

"Nah." Sam waved it off. "You are both fans." He turned back with a mischievous smile. "All I saw was planning a date right in front of me."

"It's not a date!" They shouted.

"Oh." He chuckled. "Sorry, but onto a serious matter. Let's check it out, right boss?"

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

"Right," Jake nodded. "Let's go."

The trio approached the warehouse as the music got louder. The wind bobbed his head, the fire tapped his finger while the light hummed a bit before stopping herself. When they entered the warehouse, the music stopped. The trio observed people milling about, getting the stage together, and getting other assortments ready. They saw a four-member band on the makeshift stage, talking to each other while testing their instruments. Everything seemed okay, and hardly anybody noticed them.

"Well, I don't sense anything." said the wind user.

"Me neither." spoke the warrior of fire.

"None for me." the light warrior. "I think they wait until there are enough people. Tomorrow, right?'

"Yep," replied Sam. "Wait until then."

"Hmm." The fire warrior gave a final look. "Yeah," He turned to them. "Let's go."

"Amy?"

The girl perked up at her name and the familiar voice. She frowned when she turned to face a teenage boy with light blue hair. Her eyes narrowed at him as she crossed her arms. "Kai."

He chuckled. "Well, well. I'm surprised you are here, but then, maybe you decided to stop being the good girl after the rumors weighed you down."

"Stop it, Kai," she said. "I am not here because I like the band."

"Hm, you still like those lame foreign bands? Come on, Angelo." He stepped closer. "You're here because you decided to change yourself, like me. I wanted to do different things."

"Like how you insulted Diana?"

"How is breaking up with her insulting?"

"You belittled her, jerk."

He crossed his arms. "I was only pointing out her flaws."

"You were too harsh."

"Harsh or not, she needed to grow up. Maybe you are not trying to change, still the same good girl."

"Okay." Jake walked up as Amy was getting more irritated. "Think we need to stop before things go too far."

"Who are you?" the blue-haired teen looked between him and Sam. "Made new friends?"

"Yes." The boxed-faded boy smirked. "Is it wrong to make new friends?"

"No, but if you two go to our school... then."

"We know." The spiky-haired raven spoke up. "But it does not matter. I wanted to stop before it went too far."

"Too far?" Blue scrunched up his face, then shook his head. "Fine, I'll stop. So, are you guys here to get a glimpse of the bands or try to network in case you want to play?"

"I already have some skill at the drums." said the wind warrior. "But I don't think I want to network with these guys."

"Don't play an instrument." shrugged the fire warrior.

Kai turned away. "Whatever, do what you want. If you want to watch the show soon, then come."

As he left, Amy turned to them with a thankful look. "Thank you."

"No problem." Jake turned to her. "So he was Diana's boyfriend?"

"So this guy picked apart your friend." Sam crossed his arms. "Do we want to know why?"

"He overly criticized her looks and quirks." The girl shook her head. "He can be crude sometimes in a geeky way, but he changed."

"Growing up can suck." grimaced the wind.

"Diana moved because of family, right?" asked the spiky-haired teen

"Yes."

"Have you spoken to her?" inquired the Fire Radiant.

"She closed her social accounts, and I have been unable to get in touch with her for a few weeks."

"Maybe... she got a new phone and forgot your number?" Jake wondered

"Whatever happened to sis, she might be doing some reflecting, then contact you when she is done." the drummer suggested.

"..." she sighed. "Maybe."

"In the meantime." Jake gazed at the room. "Let's leave and come back tomorrow. We will know when we bring the others."

----------------------------------------

-Parker University, Archaeology Research Department-

The group was sitting in the waiting room of the research department, waiting for someone. After a long wait, a man in his late 50s came out and approached them.

"Miss Star? Reina, is it?"

The spiky redhead snorted at the name of choice, Reina Star.

"Yes, we talked over the phone yesterday." She sounded chipper. "Thanks for responding on short notice."

"You were so eager and convincing about your love of history. I couldn't help but want to meet someone with such passion.

Tanya smiled brightly at the possible lie, and Christina felt this would be a stretch about how much of a kiss-up the girl could be.

"Yes, I just have to learn as much as possible. Also, I brought along a few students of mine." She gestured to the trio. "Tanya, Christina, and Ryu. These bright minds are also passionate about the artifacts that could tell us how people lived."

"Really?" The old man sounded surprised. "This generation does not have the same passion as mine did. It's a shame."

"Miss Star's drive is our drive." The short-haired raven smiled while lying through her teeth.

"Quite," chirped the braided raven. "I love the mystery of the past hidden in what we discover."

"It's essential." spoke the redhead with a grin. "Because the past will be us soon, and we need to learn to guide the future to prepare for an alien inva-." Both girls covered his mouth while straining a smile.

"He just loves to think what our current stuff would be like to the people of the future if there is a chain of events that leads to current society falling." smiled Reinstar.

"Oh..." He chuckled. "That is interesting to think about. Come, I would like to show you what we have."

"Do you have anything that was dug up recently?"

"Hmm, yes. It was shipped here around early June. Come."

The group walked through the building while observing people conversing and studying old trinkets. When they walked into the room, the four were hit with a weak yet familiar feeling. The professor walked to the cabinet and pulled out a gold urn. Reinstar narrowed her eyes on the strange markings on the object as well as a missing top.

"This was sent to us from a few colleagues; a turn of events from the dig site in Salem led this to come here." He furrowed his brows. "Unfortunately, my apprentice accidentally broke it."

"When?" asked the girl.

"June 5th." He sighed. "Then he started to get strange and became more irritated. Claiming he deserved better, then... vanished."

"Vanished..." muttered the water warrior. "How?"

"My mistake. He yelled, 'I quit' and left. That was on June 10, and I have not seen him since."

"I'm sorry." spoke the violet-haired woman. "He probably had a passion for it."

"Ryder was great, but that change was sudden. I called his house, but his wife informed me he tore the house up and left, talking about his cabin in the woods."

"Maybe he wanted to see a movie?" spoke the electric teen.

"Whatever the case, she was terrified and filed for divorce."

"I see." Reinstar gazed at the urn. "Can I look at it?"

"Sure." He handed it to her, then his eyes widened. "Oh, I almost forgot. I will be right back." He walked out of the room, leaving the group alone. After waiting for a few moments, they stared at the urn.

"So... she was sealed in this?" The ice princess gazed at it like it was poison. "Fitting."

"Fire, Light, and Space put her in here." The water woman frowned. "Then buried it..."

"I mean... come on. Every horror movie starts when you unearth something you should not be messing with." The lightning lad crossed his arms. "This... is proof."

"They did well to seal her." The canokian gazed at it. "But, it is cracked and cannot be used again due to the damaged rune." She sighed. "That puts down one mystery." She grimaced and placed the artifact down. "Now for Ryder. He's an incubator now, since June 5th." She turned to them with a serious expression. "He is far too gone... but."

"Should we find him and stop the monster?" questioned the water woman.

"Yes." The canokian frowned. "Finding his home might be easy, but where he is hiding might be a bit harder."

"We're on pause until that man can be found." The ice warrior nodded. "And his cabin."

"A cabin with a crazy guy, another horror plot." The electric man curled his lips up. "Or a comedy. Either way, we need to be ready."

----------------------------------------

-One hour later-

The Radiant and Tina were at Radical Skate Park. They were sitting on the bench while putting on skating gear. Ryu had a skateboard while the others donned rollerblades.

"Are you all sure the concert is another Mistress M's plan?" asked the short-haired raven.

"No," spoke Jake. "But we will check it out, probably wait outside. The moment we hear a unison chant, we transform and attack the beast."

"Kai has gone from a school band team to trying to be in a rock group." The spiky redhead appeared to be in deep thought. A small smile formed. "That explains his sudden twist in personality. The rock demon possessed him."

"After everything that happened recently." spoke the braided-haired girl. "I would not be astonished."

The chestnut-haired girl stood up while balancing on her skates. "Yep, nonna would be terrified if a demon emerged from the venue."

"We'll finish it before the usual bunch finds out and uses it as proof that rock is evil." The faded-cut youth stood up while balancing on his skates. "And the brother who ran off?"

"Still missing." spoke the short-haired raven girl.

"An angry man out in the world." The sister grimaced. "That is bad to think about."

"He has a cabin." The lightning warrior grabbed his skateboard after equipping the helmet and pads. "He's there, stewing in his... angerness."

"As soon as Reinstar learns the destination of the cabin, we will head there to find out his fate." said the ice warrior.

"You make it sound like he is dead." The light warrior gazed at her

"Being angry for a long time can raise blood pressure. Father has a colleague like that."

"Dead or not, he needs help." The fire warrior skated away. "Let's be ready."