Quest for the Omnistone

Chapter 25: Marshmallow Drops in for a Visit

Max:

I went inside the kitchen to find the rest of the D.T.C sitting around the table. I would've gone straight to the fridge had I not seen the looks of pure concentration on their faces. "Hey, what's up?"

Steven sighed. "It's Crystal's birthday next month. We're thinking of a gift." I burst out laughing.

The D.T.C stared at me weirdly. "Sorry— Haha— I just— hahaha!!" I pounded my fist on the table. A minute later, I calmed down. "Ahem. Sorry. It's just... do you remember Crystal's 7th birthday?"

"How could I forget?" Steven groaned. "She kept ranting about seeing Tinker Bell and the other pixies."

"And when you said it was impossible to see them outside the television screen, she shoved the homemade apple pie in your face!" Johnny finished, beginning to laugh as well. Soon, everyone was laughing... except for Steven.

"Ha-ha, very funny." Steven grumbled. "Wait, Tinkerbell? In that realm, didn't they have—" Crystal came running in.

"Guys, we've got— what's so funny?"

"Never mind that." Steven said. "What is it?"

"We've got a dimension surge in Ion City. Whatever came through is coming—"

-BLEEP-

"Sir, there is a giant ice creature attempting to infiltrate our defense lines."

"Got it, Jarvis. Let's go!" Steven bolted down the corridor with us right behind him.

Steven:

When we got to the courtyard, we found Marshmallow floating in the sky, trying to get past the HQ's protective barrier.

"RAAAAARGH!!"

"Whoa." Danny flew up to him in ghost form. "Hey, Marshy! What are you— hey, ha-ha! That tickles!" Marshmallow was unsuccessfully trying to smash Danny to bits.

"Steven, look at his forehead!" Johnny shouted.

"Easy for you, you have super-vision." I muttered. It took a while, but I finally saw what he was pointing out. There, resting just above his eyes was an orange jewel. "Crystal, is it one of the gems for the Omnistone?"

Crystal's eyes momentarily flashed white. "Negative. It has elemental magic written all over it."

"Orange Hood." Clam stated.

"We knock him out and try to take the jewel off. Let's go!"

I took out my stun-grappler, but before I could get a good aim, Marshmallow threw a snowball the size of a small cottage at us. I ducked, but Crystal wasn't so fortunate.

"Wha—" 'POOMF!'

"Crystal? Crystal!"

'POP!' Her head appeared out of the snow. "Steven, Orange Hood is—"

'POOM-POOMF!' Two mansion-sized snowballs landed on her.

'Ugh, it's freezing!' Her voice exclaimed in my head. 'I sense Orange Hood inside the building. Marshmallow is just a decoy. Go! We'll distract MM here!'

'Roger!' I ran inside and wandered around the corridors. Where could he be hiding?

'THUNK!' 'THUMP!' The armory! I sneaked towards the doorway, quiet as a mouse. I heard the sound of something metal falling. Bingo.

"Freeze!" I shouted, jumping in front with my stun-grappler ready to shoot. My jaw dropped at the sight.

Black Hood was there once again, battling Orange Hood. There had been no sight of them the past two months, not including the water demon attack from Orange Hood back on Andros.