Fallen Rose

Crackling Underworld

"Right... Here! Gulliver Smith's Rose Garden! Now we just have to wait for the others to get here. Then we can finally end this!" Hiroshi spoke with glee, Billy charmed by his newfound confidence.

"Gulliver Smith...Huh..." He eyed the garden as they walked inside, finding shelter from the rain. It was a fragrant area, plentiful vibrant roses living despite the years of neglect "I think I've heard of this place before...Think it's called... La Rosa Caduta, yeah. I think my friend's grandad owned it or something."

"Really now?" Hiroshi leaned against the rose arch, arms crossed in an attempt to keep warm, "So no one keeps it up anymore?"

"Nah, as soon as he died it was deserted... His kids and all lived too far away and didn't care enough, I heard. It's almost sad but... Somehow it always managed to stay alive. I guess after his death, this older blonde man tended it frequently...." Billy's eyebrows shot up in realization, "Maybe..."

"Aladdin kept it going all these years?" Hiroshi smiled sweetly.

"I'd guess so...It's pretty cool, even if all these other places aren't safe from vandalism, it's like we all held a silent vow to keep it pristine... It feels almost magical, I think."

"It's about to feel a hell of a lot more magical with Carsmile out of the way..." He peeked out, noting an aged mansion down the road. The lights inside were on, but the curtains were closed. The sight of three figures seeming to hit a frailer individual made him stiffen with anger. "I swear...I'll kill him..."

"Yeah..." Billy followed Hiroshi's glance with a nod, "That's the place...." he winced, apologetically. "I'm so sorry, Hirosh..."

"Never beat yourself up about this," Hiroshi wrapped his arms around him, patting his back, "It's clear to me now he's lied to everyone he worked with. None of you knew any better...I couldn't hold it against you."

"Wish everyone could be the same..." He held him in his arms with a sigh. He was weak and tired, unsure of how much longer he could last. Though, the thought of getting rid of Carsmile was invigorating... he had brought nothing but hell to all of them. Thinking of the defeat energized him to a surprising amount.

"Hiroshi!" Michael's voice called. They found the trio, Katsumi groggily swaying in a gruesome woman's arms. Hiroshi gasped at the sight of the metal woman.

"What..."

"Don't worry, Hiroshi. It's me, Madiha..." She spoke with an iridescent voice, chilling Hiroshi to the bone. He nodded with a gulp.

"So Mr. Carsmile got you too...Like all those other guys why fought.." Hiroshi frowned with dismay.

"Other guys? I see..." Michael chimed in, "He sent some sort of mutants after all of us..."

"I guess so! He sent some dudes after me, too." Billy nodded with dismay.

"Interesting," Michael sighed, eyeing the house ahead, "He was already so close to us. How weak and cowardly must he be to send an attack instead of luring us in?"

"I don't think he wants to put in the effort for us if he doesn't have to." Madiha concluded as she stroked her hands carefully through Katsumi's hair. She mumbled, trying to get a grasp on her surroundings.

"That's possible. I know he hasn't really wanted to meet with me for a while, unless..." He stopped, guilt on his face as he turned his head to the ground.

"But if he hates all of us, why wouldn't he-" Hiroshi began, only to get a surprisingly dirty look from Michael.

"Don't ask questions, I shouldn't have mentioned it... If he and Aladdin have trouble, then so do we. I'm..." He lingered, biting his tongue, "I'm just very protective when it comes to him, So, I just...He knows what he's dealing with."