Zeronia And The Circus At The Edge Of The Universe

Chapter 8: Face From The Past

I shook my head in disbelief. It couldn't be! It just couldn't be! But it was.

Standing before me grinning menacingly was none other than my old nemesis Dark Seegnal. The one who tried to infect the earth with a virus so he could take it over. The one who had kidnapped me and tried to force me into becoming his queen.

Dark Seegnal threw back his head and laughed. "I thought I recognized that fiery red hair of yours," he said. "What is the chances that we'd be on the same asteroid?"

I drew my wand and morphed it into a sword, then pointed the tip of the blade at Dark Seegnal's throat.

Dark Seegnal held up his hands defensively. "Whoa, I don't want to fight you," he said. "I'm here as a friend."

"Friend," I snarled. "There's a joke! After what you put me and my friends through. You really expect me to accept you as a friend?"

"Actually, no I don't," Dark Seegnal said. "But I'm here as a friend nonetheless."

"How could you even be here?" I demanded to know. "When last I saw you you were infected with your own  virus."

"Well, let me explain that," Dark Seegnal replied. "When the Cosmic Order captured my ship they took me to their medical unit where they were able to cure me of the virus. Then as they were transporting me to space prison I've escaped them."

I drew back my sword and morphed it back into my wand. "What do you want, Dark Seegnal?" I demanded.

"To warn you."

"About what?"

"About the Cosmic Order," Dark Seegnal said simply. "They are corrupted. They control this part of the galaxy, but they want more. They can't be trusted!"

"They want to unite Earth with the rest of the universe," I protested.

"When I was aboard the Cosmic Order I've heard them talking," Dark Seegnal told me. "They want your planet and they know all about how you defeated the Crillinarians and my crew and they were afraid that you might try to interfere with them, so they brought you here so you can't stop them."

"You're lying," I accused. "Since when did you start giving a damn about Earth?"

"I don't," Dark Seegnal shot back. "But I do want to see the Cosmic Order finally taking down and if anyone can do it it'd be you and your band of cuties!"

I'd have to admit, what he said did make sense. Then again, this was Dark Seegnal we were talking about and I've already known from experience that he could not be trusted.

Dark Seegnal went on. "This circus here is a trap designed for you. That pink-hair woman that brought you here. She's a robot programmed to keep you here. That's why the Cosmic Order needs to be taken down."

I stared at him. "Are you sure that the reason you want me to take down the Cosmic Order isn't out of revenge for them arresting you?"

Dark Seegnal chuckled. "Boy, you were always the suspicious one, aren't you, beautiful?"

"Don't call me beautiful," I scolded. "I've already told you that I'm a guy!"

"Sorry, I keep forgetting," Dark Seegnal said quickly. "Maybe it does have a little to do with revenge. But mostly it has to do with stopping the Cosmic Order once and for all."

I place my want back into my belt."Thanks for the warning," I said. "Now leave me alone." I began walking away.

"I'm warning you, this is all a trap," Dark Seegnal yelled after me.

I ignored him. I probably should have taken what he told me more seriously, but with my cramps and my backaches, and my throbbing ankles, I wasn't in the mood to think of anything.

I then saw Brian. He seemed to be eating something that was shaped like a popsicle except it was covered in brown slime and there were little pieces of red hair sticking out from it.

"What is that?" I asked him.

"Shmooka on a stick," he replied. "Want one?"

I pulled a face. "No, thanks," I said. "It has hair on it!"

"The hair is the best part," Brian said. "They tickle the inside of your throat when you swallow them. The guy who was selling them gave me a couple for free because I smiled and winked at him, which is good because I don't know what they use for money here."

I stared at him. "You winked at a guy?"

Brian shrugged. "Hey, if I'm going to be in a cute girl body I'm going to use it for all it's worth."

Just then Judy and Tak joined us.

"Hey, Toby, how is everything?" Judy asked, sounding concerned.

I knew what she really doing was asking about my period. "Fine. Is Debra back yet?"

Judy shook her head. "I haven't seen her."

"I'm sure she's around somewhere," Brian assured me.

"There's something I have to tell you all,' I said.

Everyone stared at me.

"Dark Seegnal is here."

"Dark Seegnal?" Judy gasped. "Are you sure?"

"I talked to him," I told her.

"But how could he be here?" Brian wanted to know. "Isn't he infected by the virus?"

"The Cosmic Order was able to cure him," I said. "He told me that the Cosmic Order was corrupted and that they wanted Earth and that they sent us here so we can't stop them while they're on Earth."

We all turned to Tak, assuming that she would know if it was true.

"I never did like the Cosmic Order," Tak confessed. "Then again, I don't trust Dark Seegnal no farther than I can kick him."

"He also said that Zara is a robot."

"That I can believe," Tak stated. "Real people don't smile as much as she does."

"My ears are burning." We all turned to see Zara standing there with her frozen smile on her face

"It's showtime," Zara said in a chipper voice