Author's note:
I seriously didn't have to add this to every chapter but whatever. So this will be the first chapter that will include flashbacks from the 1980s heroes' lives. Enough said, enjoy.
Flashbacks...
It is around 1974 where Curt first met Roland. Curt spotted Roland sitting alone and playing the guitar on the bleachers.
Curt: Hey.
Roland: Hey.
Curt: Nice song you're playing.
Roland: Oh really? Thanks. I'm Roland, what's your name?
Curt: My name's Curt.
Roland: That sounds like a cute name. I mean, cool name. Sorry, I'm sounding a little girly.
Curt: It's alright. Raised in toxic masculinity, am I right?
Roland: Yeah. Wait, do you share the same childhood as me?
Curt: Abusive or neglectful fathers, disapproving mothers, middle of 3 children. How do you know?
Roland: No way.
End of flashbacks...
Zach's POV
My teammates and I followed Curt and Roland to some sort of hotel or whatever just a block away from the train station. It doesn't look like a 5-star hotel but at least we might have a place to stay while it rains or for the night before we go to Swansea tomorrow. I dunno what our plan is now because of those Time Eaters.
Zach: What is this place?
Curt: The estate building, it was recently converted into a hotel. Roland and I used to live here.
Roland: We were neighbours, apparently.
Mr Tan: You guys lived here?
Curt: Didn't we tell you that?
Mr Tan: Sorry, it's been a while.
Curt: Actually, I've been living here throughout my childhood and teenage years. Roland moved here after living with his aunt for quite some time.
Roland: My parents split cuz dad was abusive.
Curt: Why don't you guys get inside and make yourselves at home. We'll meet you at the lobby.
We entered the estate building which felt really old-fashioned compared to the Bernard Resort back in Thailand. But at least we got a place to stay for the night because there is no way we could head to Wales while it's raining. I found Ryan, Noah and I a room, put our bags down, and laid on the beds which felt a bit hard.
Zach: I am so tired.
Ryan L: Why would those Time Eaters break down the tracks and our train?
Zach: What their name said, they waste time. So apparently they wanted us to waste our time, we ended up in Bath instead of Swansea. And that's time-wasting.
Noah L: And the fact that we had to stay here for the night as it rains outside.
Zach: Yeah. But whatever, let's meet up with Curt and Roland downstairs.
Ryan L: They seem like cool uncles.
Noah L: More like grandpas.
Zach: Uncles, grandpas... heard of Uncle Grandpa?
Ryan L: Yeah, but why are we mentioning that show?
Zach: They just remind me of Uncle Grandpa. Let's go.
I carried my portable oxygen concentrator as my boyfriend and Noah went downstairs to the lobby where Curt and Roland are waiting. I sat down and tried to relax and breathe for a bit because I'm so tired. Later, the rest of my team arrived at the lobby as some of them sat down and the others remained standing.
Curt: We've been trying to call you guys.
Tommy: I'm sorry, what?
Zach: Curt, I didn't even hear my amulet ring.
Roland: Hold on, your amulets...
Kyle: Zach's a Computer Scientist and Software Engineer, he knows a thing or 2 about Zodiac technology.
Zach: Kyle, can you please sit down? Anyways, let me see your amulets, it seems like they're outdated.
Curt: Sure.
Zach: I'll be right back, my toolbox is in my backpack.
Curt: Who brings a toolbox on a trip?
Ryan L: Zach does that a lot because he's been working on new software every single day.
Mr Tan: He's one of my top students. Not to mention, he also has cystic fibrosis and dyslexia but neither of them stopped him.
Roland: He's so ambitious.
I ran back to my room and then took out my backpack to get my toolbox. Then, I went back to the lobby and took out the necessary tools and materials I needed to upgrade these amulets. The amulets Curt and Roland have are the 1980 model unlike the 2020 model we all have. Previously, Luke and his original team members has 2010 models. I looked at the old amulets and tried to demonstrate how to get the upgraded to the 2020 model.
Zach: Okay, so the amulets you guys have are the 1980 model.
Curt: Oh yeah, I forgot how to upgrade them but thanks to the genocide, I dunno where to do so.
Roland: Same here.
Zach: That's fine. And here is the 2020 model current Zodiac heroes have. You see, the 2020 model doesn't have the case every watch has. And to activate them, you press on them and they'll generate a holographic screen with the 'case' opening up. See?
Curt: Wow.
Roland: Reminds me of Tron.
Zach: Now let's see the 1980 model. You see, it resembles a human digital watch but unlike the 2020 model, when you press the 'case,' it expands and generates a holographic model. That's just the hardware of the watch.
Curt: What about the software?
Zach: I'll explain it to you as soon as I fix up the model to match the current model. But it'll take some time so feel free to talk to any of my teammates.
While I was working on fixing and upgrading Roland and Curt's amulet, they both proceeded to talk to my teammates and getting to know them. I also made sure not to break anything to prevent the holographic screen to be distorted. So I needed to keep focus instead of being distracted by the noise.
Curt: So, how did you guys end up in Bath?
Aimee: Roedden ni i fod i fynd i Abertawe ond fe benderfynodd un o'r Bwytwyr Amser hynny ddinistrio'r traciau a jamio injan y trên a achosodd i ni fynd i Gaerfaddon. Er bod Karl yma wedi llwyddo i drwsio popeth ond y traciau a'r injan yn anymwybodol. (We were supposed to go to Swansea but them one of those Time Eaters decided to destroy the tracks and jam up the train engine which caused us to end up in Bath. Even though Karl here managed to fix up everything but the tracks and engine unconsciously.)
Roland: What is she saying?
Mat: She said that we were supposed to go to Swansea but then the Dark Spirits decided to jam the engine and destroy the tracks so we ended up in Bath.
Curt: She also said that some guy named Karl managed to fix up everything but these things... what's your name again?
Mat: Mathew, but just call me Mat.
Curt: Anyways, Karl managed to fix up everything but these things Mat mentioned didn't get fixed.
Karl: Yeah, my name is Karl and yes I was the one who apparently saved everyone while I was asleep.
Tina: You heard of Time Eaters?
Roland: Yeah, they've been wasting our time a lot. I was glad Curt told them to just leave us alone.
Karl: You're a Time Travelling Spirit too?
Curt: Half Time Travelling Spirit half Phantom.
Bea: You're a Half-blood?
Curt: Yeah. I'm a Hybrid actually. But it's under the umbrella term, 'Half-blood' so that counts.
Mr Tan: So everybody in my team but Curt were Pure-bloods.
Roland: No, I'm a Half-blood.
Mr Tan: Oh yeah. You guys are the only Half-bloods in the team.
Curt: Yup.
Aimee: So, how do you know Welsh?
Curt: I learned some Welsh.
Mat: Same here. Along with Chinese, Arabic, Yiddish, Malay and Hebrew.
After about half an hour, I am done with upgrading Roland and Curt's hardware amulets and now they look good as new. Now I need to work on the software and the operating system of the amulet. Of course I can't have a new amulet model run an 80s operating system.
Zach: Alright, so the hardware here is done.
Curt: Cool.
Roland: Can we have them back now?
Zach: Erm... not yet. Because these amulets need a software update, a really hard software update because it looks like it's been running Windows 1.0 or some Unix system for over 40 years. When did you first become Zodiac heroes?
Curt: 1981.
Zach: Okay, definitely about 41 years. So, now we need this thing to operate the current Amulet operating system. I'll show you the interface of the Amulet 11 operating system.
Roland: Are you just gonna tap on your amulet and the it'll show some sort of holographic thing?
Zach: Yeah. But it'll be much different compared to the Amulet 1 operating system from the 1980s. If you look at Amulet 1, it resembles an old Windows or Mac operating system from the 80s. And this is Amulet 11, more up-to-date and modern compared to Amulet 1. Also, because Amulet 1 is no longer supported, you are more prone to malware than in Amulet 11.
Curt: But what about alerting other Zodiac heroes?
Zach: It only works if your teammates' amulets also run Amulet 1. However, due to the rise of technology, you cannot call us from your amulets because we run Amulet 11. Now, I'll upgrade and set up your amulets along with installing some necessary apps you'll need for your journey.
Roland: Journey? Are we doing this again?
Zach: Maybe Mr Tan has the answer.
Mr Tan: Yes.
Zach: Welcome to the current Zodiac team.
Curt: Can't wait for Jon to hear about this. Jon as in Jon Bon Jovi.
Zach: Are we seriously going to reunite the 80s Zodiac heroes like how we reunited the Guardians?
Mr Tan: Only if we can because we need to find Karl's kind in Swansea.
Aimee: At least we found his kind now, except that Curt is half Phantom instead.
Zach: Okay, so now let me software update and set up your amulets. It's gonna take me about an hour so you can continue getting to know your team.
I worked on updating Roland and Curt's amulet operating system and it's gonna take ages because these things haven't been updated since Amulet 1.5 came out in 1985. I guess doing Zodiac hero work in the 1980s distracts them from keeping their amulets up to date as heroes needed to work extra hard to survive the massacre. Anyways, I felt like drifting off already by the time I was about to reach the account setup.
Curt: So, when did your team form?
Luke H: The current team was formed on October 2019.
Delilah: However, the team before that which is Gerald and I's team was formed in 2006.
Roland: What happened to the last team?
Gerald: The shooting killed everybody. People think that the massacre was done at the time but the American division was still active. It still is today and they're the reason why gun violence is still a problem there.
Curt: The Zodiac Labourers sure are plotting something we probably didn't know yet.
Karl: Wait, could they be responsible for the Time Eaters?
Nick: Karl, I don't think Dark Spirits, Light Spirits or any kind of Spirit would be lab-made.
Delilah: I dunno how could anyone be made in a lab.
Luke H: Spirits can't be made in a lab, that's pretty much illegal.
Larry: But you know the Zodiac Labourers.
Curt: Pretty much did some illegal stuff back in the day and literally jeopardised Live Aid for some reason. They tried getting into Zodiac territory after learning that we do exist.
Wendy: That's against Zodiac code to have a human enter Zodiac territory unless they wanted to learn the ways of the Spirits or are the parent of a Half-blood Spirit.
Roland: Yup, definitely illegal.
Alex: Another illegal activity against Zodiac code is exploiting information towards the humans.
Curt: Yeah, that law was put into place in 1981 because of the massacre. So that no one would know where we are or if we're the so-called Zodiac heroes.
Delilah: But then the ban was lifted in 2000, and then you got the shootings started by a human in 2009.
Jim: I adopted Gerald after that. Kyle's my biological child but we dunno his mum. All I know is that his mum was Irish, like my dad, Larry, who's half Irish half Jewish.
After about an hour, I finally got the update and now I need to set up the new accounts. Along with installing necessary apps and of course, the AI guide, Aren. I then told Roland and Curt how to set up their accounts and how do each application work.
Zach: Okay, so now that I got your operating system up to date, I'm gonna teach you guys how to set up your Amulet profiles. Because you guys were previously Zodiac heroes and you guys attended Cambridge I suppose, it'll automatically sync up your records to your new amulet.
Mr Tan: They did study in Cambridge with me.
Zach: Zodiac college?
Mr Tan: Yup.
Zach: So setting up is a lot easier, you just need to update your information. Cuz apparently, it says here that you're 20 instead of about 60.
Curt: Yeah, we gotta change our pictures as well, had a little braid over there.
Roland: At least my hair is alright here, just a little fluffy.
Jenna: Then why is it long now, Santa Claus?
Roland: Santa Claus?
Audrey: It's Pride Month, not Christmas season.
Roland: Just decided to grow it out.
Zach: Okay so now that the setup is done, all I need to do now is to tell you how to use the important apps here. Here is the Health app, it's necessary only cuz many of us have health problems. Also because Tubbo, Mat, Cooper and I had Lunatite poisoning.
Curt: Doesn't it cause your immune system to be compromised?
Mat: It did for me.
Toby: My lungs just suck more.
Cooper: Same.
Zach: Mine's only mild so I didn't get any side effects.
Curt: Yeah, Lunatite Poisoning is basically the Zodiac version of AIDS, depending on the person.
Mat: Do you have to learn how to breathe or even walk all over again?
Curt: Yup.
Roland: Yeah, I could recall how traumatising it is to see Curt just dying right in front of me.
Zach: I saw your medical history, Curt. Same for yours Roland.
Brad: I was supposed to see it.
Zach: Yeah, but I haven't synced it to everyone yet.
I synced Roland and Curt's health and stuff with the rest of my team and now Brad could see it. I continued working on the other necessary apps as Brad told them about the health app. I also had to tell them how to call other Zodiac heroes as well.
Brad: Okay so here are the basic things we need to know about your health which consist of a heart and oxygen monitor. However, as you guys are elderly now, no offence, we also had to monitor your blood pressure as well.
Roland: Alright.
Curt: Why do you have to monitor Tommy, or whoever his name is but anyway, why do you have to monitor his blood pressure?
Brad: Because Tommy suffers from low blood pressure. Some people also needed their blood sugar checked as well due to diabetes.
Roland: Do you have to check our medical history?
Brad: Yup. For Curt, he had Lunatite Poisoning which led to pneumonia and sepsis.
Curt: Yeah and I had to learn to walk again.
Brad: Reminds me of Mat though.
Karl: I was also septic before.
Curt: We'd get along just fine, kiddo.
Karl: Karl.
Curt: I don't do well with names so I'll just call everyone, kid or kiddo. Unless I got to know you better.
Brad: Yeah and you were also diagnosed with OCD and ADHD as well.
Curt: Yeah, I was some angsty teen and young adult back then.
Brad: And for Roland... you did drugs, didn't you?
Roland: Err...
Brad: You also have a history of alcoholism.
Roland: Yeah, until Curt inspired me to stop drinking.
Curt: All I did was catch you, take you to rehab and I wonder why you did that.
Brad: Let's just skip that one. You guys seem healthy overall, even for an average 60-year-old. No signs of Alzheimer's or Parkinson's.
Mr Tan: Healthy indeed.
Curt: We're not the ones who are gonna stay 30 forever.
Mr Tan: But you guys aged fine like wine anyway. I wonder what would the others be like as well. Except that George, Michael and Whitney are dead.
Curt: You're missing Michael.
Mr Tan: Apparently, I did mention him. Oh yeah, it's cuz we had a teammate named George Michael.
Roland: Yup.
I finally finished installing the necessary apps and now I'm ready to give the amulets to Roland and Curt. I gave it to them but I need to give them instructions on how to handle the amulets with care. I like how the new amulets looked good on them, they looked like real Zodiac heroes.
Zach: Alright, now that your amulets are upgraded and I installed some necessary apps. There's a phone app where you can call us, a texting app to send us messages, an email app to be notified from our school which is Cambridge and of course the health app.
Roland: Cool.
Aren: Hello, I'm Aren.
Zach: Hi Aren.
Aren: Oh hello Zach, long time no see.
Curt: Why is she out of my amulet?
Zach: She's an example of a holographic image that would come out of your amulet. Aren here will be your guide through your newly technologically advancing journey.
Roland: Aren, you're the sound of one of those expert systems we used to have.
Aren: Yup, you were talking to Aren 1.0. Now you're talking to the newly upgraded, Aren 11.0.
Curt: Technology is advancing before we know it.
Zach: Okay, now that we're done with your amulets, we now have to do extra research on Time Eaters.
The end...