I let out a hiss of annoyance.
I'm so behind on this story, dammit.
Trials of Gnomus came out ages ago, and I still haven't finished.
I literally just started Trouble in Zombopolis.
I never even did Graveyard Variety...
Shaking my head, I place the Xbox One controller down on the couch as my game ends and I smile suddenly.
But I'm loving the new DLC...Frontline Fighters is pretty cool.
And it's almost hella freaking Christmas...oh yay and I have four tests this week, just jumping for joy. This chapter doesn't take place from where we were, it's completely random, so sorry the last cliffhanger won't be answered until later. For example, Druid Rose never talked to Chester Chomper and isn't in a dispute with Party Corn, Fire Rose and Agent Rose haven't been taken by the Gnomes, everything is practically normal it's just a part of a special chapter I made.
I glance back at the "Hunt Completed Sign" on my TV screen.
Then I smile. Well at least I have some inspiration now....it's kinda weird cause I'm literally just plunging it in the middle of the story...but this Boss Hunt was just too fun to not write about. I completed all three levels of difficulty...with random people! It's what I spent my Friday and Saturday evening doing.
I blink. It's been months since I went back to school, gone from the strange PVZ world. All I did was enter a portal and then bam, back here.
I click my tongue against my teeth in amusement, pressing the publish button and feeling the smallest sliver of regret.
Mystic Flower
"Thanks for comin' plants!"
The Dave Bot spins his arms around.
"But the news I bring you today is bad!"
He then flops his arms downwards darkly. "It's even worse than no Tacos on Tuesday and Saturdays..."
Gasps escape from the sea of crowded plants around the Dave Bot. My mouth drops open in shock and horror. What could be worse than that?
"It must be the zombies!" A Fire Cactus calls out. Anger brims in her voice.
"Yeah. They're always stirring up trouble." Another Mystic Flower nods her head.
"Dave has discovered bad, bad sight." The Dave Bot hangs his head. Then he nods to Agent Rose.
Agent Rose nods back and addresses us with a wave of one of her rose hands. "A bunch of Super Elite ranked plants went to the inspect the trouble stirring at Time Park." I nod, and lift my head a little.
Agent Rose takes a deep breath. "None have returned."
My eyes widen.
"So Agent Citron and I went to inspect whatever carnage could have possibly happened." Agent Rose continues.
I hold my breath.
"There were no survivors." Agent Rose looks down, her eyes emotionless. "They were all dead."
Gasps of shock and horror sweep through the crowd. I hold in my own.
"We even sent in some of our best individual scouts to see if they could spot anything that was killing plants, and report it. But they haven't returned either, and we've discovered that they didn't survive as well." Commander Corn shakes his head and his mouth parts grimly.
"If anyone has seen any unusual activity in Time Park, then please report it." Agent Citron says. For once, he isn't grinning.
Agent Rose adds "we did find something, however...some sort of Contraption. It looks like something....something that the Gnomes have made."
More gasps sweep through the crowd.
Agent Rose nods. "If you have already earned your Infinity Badge, then you would know of these "Gnomes".
I frown. I haven't earned my Infinity Badge yet. It's where you have to travel to Infinity Time and complete your thirty waves. I've heard it's incredibly challenging, and hard work.
And that's where the Party variants got trapped all of those years ago, before someplant unlocked them and released them from those Infinity Infinite chests. I remember, memories of Party Corn describing it to me briefly once coming back to me. You fight a lot of Gnomes, Giga Gnomes, Gnome Kings of different colors and imposters, and the true Gnome King himself.
"The Contraption consists of technology that not even Zomboss could even dream of making. It's simply too mystically futuristic, yet in the past all at once. The design and gears and functions make Zomboss's technology look like nothing but a baby sprout's toy. This is clearly not the work of the zombies, or Zomboss."
I swallow the lump in my throat as plants exchange worried looks with one another, and I catch myself looking at Toxic Pea for guidance. He looks back at me too, but his eyes are glowing green restless, anxious pools.
I bite back a worried exhaling breath and turn back towards the agents.
Suddenly, a Law Pea zooms in, green energy around his body, his Hyper obviously still activated. He lets out a hard breath, and I tilt my head.
"Zomboss himself is at our gates." He announces, his voice full of his own shock.
"And he's brought an entire zombie army with him."
Frost Rose
"Druid Rose! Druid Rose!"
I wave my Wand Of Freezing in my masked friend's face, but she still doesn't seem to notice.
"Druid Rose you-" I float gracefully, my frosty cape blowing behind me. "You must let it go! Druid Rose!"
Druid Rose had failed her Flag of Power assessment. She had to sacrifice her assessment to save a friend who was about to perish on the field, but she didn't pass and she's been standing still like this ever since.
"Druid Rose! Do stop, will you? You will receive other chances, it is just one assessment! It doesn't mean that you will be kicked out of L.E.A.F!"
Druid Rose's Toxic Trouble wand falls out of her rose hand.
"I am aware that you are in utter shock, but really, this is not necessary, come on Druid Rose SNAP out of it will you?" I wave one of my frost rose hands in front of her masked face.
"Frost Rose?"
I frown, shifting my silver frost tiara and turn around sharply, seeing a Law Pea zoom in front of me.
"Yes?" I ask.
"Come to the front gates. Something is happening."
Mystic Flower
My breath gets caught in my throat, and I feel my eyes widen in horror.
"Everyplant stay calm." Agent Rose narrows her eyes.
"Head out to the gates!" Agent Citron instructs, gritting his white teeth.
We all shuffle outside, heading towards the gates and I lift my head defiantly.
Zomboss has a lot of nerve coming to our gates...
We reach the gates and my eyes narrow with hatred as I spot him.....
The zombie behind it all.
I feel so many mixed emotions.
This is the zombie that started this whole war, the zombie that feels no remorse as he kills innocent plants, the zombie that really has no heart.
And he's standing at our golden gates.
At our gates stands Dr Edgar George Zomboss, short and ugly as ever, with large, mean pale yellow eyes, face twisted into a wicked, confident smile.
"Ah, the plants." He says it importantly, yet also in a slight mockery. "I can't believe I am saying this, but...we have a lot to discuss!"
My eyes narrow even more.
Why is this hated scrub standing at our gates?
"You are probably wondering why I, the one and only amazing Dr Edgar George Zomboss, am standing at such a low-standard plant home."
I grit my teeth. Plants around me hiss in venom.
"However, I have a lot to say."
I twist my leaves around in curiosity. My petals twitch.
"An extremely large amount of my zombies...." Zomboss scrunches up his face, as if he's holding a grudge against what he's about to say.
"-have been found slaughtered and unrevivable at Time Park." Zomboss continues hastily, his round pale yellow eyes full of spitefulness.
My eyes squint in interest.
"The marks on their bodies were not of plant weaponry or plant damage. No Pea Canon splats, no fallen Cob Buster kernels, no Sun Pulse or Orange Laser burns, no splats of Chomper Goop or Chomp bite marks, and no Magic Thistles or Spike Shots in their skin." Zomboss then smiles, clearly pleased with his observations. "As you can see, I am very observant and extremely genius....y. I'm extremely geniusy, yes that's a word."
I roll my eyes. What is his deal here? Anger suddenly rips through my central stem as I remember that this obnoxious fool is the cause of so much pain, and so much fighting and war.
"I believe that..." Zomboss narrows his large pale yellow eyes. "These Gnomes are back. My hypothesis is that they aren't exactly showing any mercy on your army either, are they?"
I grit my teeth at this.
"I presume that, at least." Zomboss laces his black-gloves hands together thoughtfully, yet there's a hint of smugness in his voice. "And that you've been losing fighters as well."
I clench my mystic hands.
"Things aren't going to be the same if the Gnomes take over Time Park." Zomboss says. "It's ruining my plot for world domination, and brainz for Z army."
And WHY isn't that a good thing? I think stupidly.
"And you must ALL be thinking, WHY isn't that a good thing?" Zomboss continues, and plants around me nod grudgingly.
"They want to take over Time Park. What if they try taking over all of Zomburbia?"
"SUBURBIA!" A Fire Flower snarls viciously in anger.
"Eugh. No matter. My point, as genius, my goal is to destroy them. Think about it. They could have domination over everything when I should be having domination over everything." Zomboss rolls his pale yellow eyes. Several plants snarl.
Zomboss is no doubt walking on a thin layer of ice here.
"They could take over and wipe us all out." Zomboss continues. "Which, is why I, Dr Edgar George Zomboss, have come to a somewhat....unpleasant conclusion."
I frown.
"Perhaps this...this one time...." Dr Zomboss scrunches up his face again. "Plants and Zombies will have to..."
Oh no. No he's not actually going to say it, is he?
"Work together." Zomboss spits out. Those two words are filled with pure disgust and venom, acidic and spiteful and flooded with bitterness.
No plant says anything. I bite back my own question.
"To rid of these gnomes." Zomboss finishes hastily.
I clench my mystic hands. Is this a trick?
"Why do you need our help?" Commander Corn spins his cobs dismissively.
Zomboss pale yellow eyes narrow. "What, are the gnomes treating you as friends?"
Agent Rose narrows her eyes. "Are you asking to form an alliance?"
"An alliance against the gnomes. But after we win, all will return to normal. I can't stand the scent of chlorophyll and your sunshine and rainbows." Zomboss twists up his face. There's pure disdain laced in his voice, and his eyes are reduced to slits.
Agent Rose narrows her eyes. "And we can't stand your wretched stench. How do we know you won't double cross us?"
Zomboss cackles, like this is some sort of joke. "You won't know, will you?"
Agent Citron grunts. "Trustin' you zombies seems like a dumb mistake."
"I agree with Citron." Commander Corn says.
"It's probably our best shot at getting rid of these Gnomes." Agent Rose reasons grudgingly.
"I ain't trustin' these scrubs." Commander Corn grits his teeth.
Agent Rose twists her mouth. "I think we need to ask Crazy Dave."
Commander Corn grunts. "Dave Bot? He's inside."
"No." Agent Rose shakes her head and narrows her eyes to slits. "The Crazy Dave. Who knows what time zone he's travelling in right now, but it is he who should make this decision."
"Rose is right." Agent Citron shifts his peel legs. "This is his decision."
"Alright then, somebody go and contact him." Commander Corn says. I catch a glint of worry in his eyes, and that instantly make me feel scared. Commander Corn is a plant of war, a veteran, with a Master ranked plaque in the hall of records. He's seen a lot, no doubt, battling and fighting at the front lines nearly all of his life, and he even went overseas during the first Garden Warfare. He returned, with no rest or a break and launched himself into the second Garden Warfare, and still maintained his fearless, tough exterior. If this made him feel fear, then this must be extremely serious. It's more than just some pesky threat from the Zombies. The Gnomes have started an even bigger war.
"You go." Agent Citron nods to Agent Rose.
"I would go...but you two aren't exactly...the most negotiable plants I know. If Zomboss triggers you, and you say something wrong, you'll be at fault. Citron you go." Agent Rose says with a quick wave of her wand.
"Not negotiable? What are you playin at Rose?" Agent Citron shifts in what appears to be protest.
Agent Rose narrows her eyes and twists her mouth and gives Agent Citron a daring look.
Finally, Agent Citron grunts. "Fine. But mostly 'cause Rose said that Kernel also isn't negotiable. That was gold, better than any bounty I could hunt." He grins and looks at Commander Corn smugly.
Commander Corn eyes narrow in response to his comrades' words. He grunts in mixture of what sounds like protest and annoyance, spinning his cobs. "Rose-"
"Aw c'mon KC." Agent Citron grins wider, showing off his white teeth.
"Don't call me that." Commander Corn snaps.
Agent Citron chuckles at this aggravation.
"All right you two that's quite enough." Agent Rose rolls her eyes. "Citron, get on your way, will you?"
For a moment I see the three of them, three new agents of L.E.A.F, as a group, three friends just discovering and adapting to the Garden Warfare. Three friends that were just normal, new agents of L.E.A.F, before they rose up and became who they are today.
Agent Citron flashes one last victorious smile at Commander Corn and turns into his ball form and starts rolling away.
Agent Rose looks at Commander Corn, her mouth twisted.
"What?" Commander Corn asks.
Agent Rose smirks and turns back towards Zomboss.
"What if we refuse to join you?" Agent Rose calmly lifts her head.
"In all the years I have been fighting you weeds, I know that you plants care about one another and all of that garbage. If the Gnomes attack you, and you are unprepared, defenceless, followed by helpless, then what will you do? Loose each other one by one? Be torn apart, from stem to stem? Be shredded into nothing but a mere pile of leaves? The choice is your's."
Commander Corn grits his teeth. "I'd love to see you zombies shredded into a pile of heads."
Agent Rose places one of her rose hands on Commander Corn's shoulder and narrows her eyes darkly. "As do I. Trusting you seems like a mistake."
Zomboss scrunches his face up and narrows his large eyes. "Then is that your decision? Coming here really was a waste of time then."
I let out a growl.
"What do you think they're gonna do?" A small voice asks and I turn downwards and see very young Peashooter who is squinting his eyes worriedly. He looks no newer than a beginner, and he is incredibly small.
Aw, poor sprout...he must be scared out of his mind. I think sympathetically.
"I don't know." I say back, and gently pat his head soothingly. "But I'm an Elite now, and in all of my time in L.E.A.F, the agents have always made the right decisions. There's nothing to fear."
The small Peashooter rubs one of his tiny little pea pods, and nods.
I look back up.
Out of nowhere, Agent Citron comes rolling in in his ball form. He turns back into his normal form and his mouth is twisted into a grim look.
He gives a small nod to Agent Rose, who tears her hard gaze away from Zomboss and listens as Agent Citron mutters something to her.
Agent Rose frowns at this, and she turns to Commander Corn and says something.
Commander Corn's eyes widen and they flare with disbelief for a moment before they calm.
"You can't be serious Rose." Commander Corn narrows his eyes at her.
Agent Rose shoots Commander Corn a worried look, yet her her eyes harden and turn bold. "I don't know...but what if it is the wrong choice? This could be our best shot at beating these Gnomes..."
"Fine. I guess I think it's best. Gotta take this fight up to the front lines...but not like this." Commander Corn grunts.
Agent Citron tilts his head and chuckles "I agree with him."
Agent Rose turns back around to say Zomboss, her eyes emotionless. Then she says
"We've reached a decision."
Her voice is hard, hard like flint, and cold, colder than Ice Pea during the winter. Colder than Frost Rose's icy wand. Colder than a Frozen Z-1 Assault blaster to the face. Colder than a freezing blizzard in the Great White North.
I hold my breath as Agent Rose narrows her eyes, her expression turning fiery.
"We will fight alongside you against the Gnomes."