Wildsmile

Overhead the purple sky of the high end and high-class area of Los Angeles, knights with angel wings fight against a single demonic looking heavy weight man with jet black wild long hair, gray skin, neon green horns and yellow eyes. However, despite being outnumbered, he can take down the flying knights easily who try to strike him with their guns and weapons while paying no mind to the panicking people below.

The demonic man hovers in midair looking around below frantically while grinding his fangs “AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAALIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIICE!!”

He hears a scream and teleports it to find a woman and man in convertible trapped under a tree. He pushes off the tree and takes the two people out just in time before the vehicle detonates.

“Thanks, Wildsmile. You rock as usual.” the man gives him the thumbs up with one hand while embracing the woman with the other.

“Vice, where’s Alice?” Wildsmile asks.

“She went back to her place with the kids. Tina and I’ll be fine in my safe room at mine. You go to your woman.” Vice informed him.

“Be careful, Wildsmile!” Tina called out as she and Vice ran inside his mansion.

Wildsmile took to the skies once more and teleported in skips as he flew knocking down winged knights as he did. He noticed Alice’s limousine on the ground upside down and flew down.

“Alice!” he looked in to find it empty and then looked around while roaring “ALIIIIIIIIIIICE!! LIIIIIIIIIZZIIIIIIIIE!! GEEEEEEEEORRRRRGE!!”

Just as a guard was about to shoot him, a musclebound biker with long white hair and long white beard threw a hubcap at him in the head knocking him out “Dude, be careful! These jerks are here to kill you, you know.”

Wildsmile turned around “Meathead, this is Alice’s car, but she’s not here and neither are Lizzie and George!”

“They’re ok. My guys are took them back to Alice’s place and guarding them with their lives.” Meathead kindly explained.

“Thank you, dear friend.” Wildsmile took to the skies once more and headed to Alice’s fantasy castle-shaped estate “... I should have left when I had the chance... For your sake, Alice, I should have left!”

Eleven years ago, somewhere in the vastness of space, Wildsmile yawns loudly as he stands before a technologically advanced and ornate podium where a judge sat with an obvious angelic motif, a jury and several angelically themed guards. He is detained with several mechanical restraints and chains while wearing an orange jumpsuit looking bored.

“Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, what is your verdict?” one of the judges asks.

“GUILTY!!” the jury shouted in unison.

The horned man rolls his eyes “Of course it is.”

“SILENCE!!” the judge yelled making the horned man frown while twisting his ears for a moment “Wildsmile, you are charged with the following list of crimes; vandalism to landmarks, destruction of property, disturbing the peace in over a hundred planets and turning them against the government, obstruction of intergalactic trade, theft of intergalactic goods, random attacks on imperial fortresses, and an assassination attempt on the imperial prince himself, Prince Celestius. Do you have anything to say for yourself?”

“Actually, I do.” Wildsmile straightened himself “I’m sorry.”

Everyone went silent.

Wildsmile then grinned “I’m sorry that the crime that got me caught was the one I failed. Such a shame to say my last hurrah was just an “attempt”.”

The jury cried foul and gasped followed by murmurs.

The judge was not amused “Scum until the end... No matter. Normally, your sentence would be death, but even that is too lenient and arguably merciful for a creature as vile as you, so instead, your punishment will fit your legacy.”

“Meaning?” Wildsmile raised a brow.

“Wildsmile, the terror, the horrors and dreadful deeds you left upon this galaxy will unfortunately stay with it forever even long after you are gone and long after the damage is repaired, so.... YOU shall remain long after all of us are gone.” the judge stared down at him “Forever.”

Wildsmile looked up at him blankly at first, but then went pale while looking panicked “No!!”

“Yes. I sentence you to Eternal Binding, so that even if by some fluke you are to ever be released again, you will STILL be a prisoner, and you will be at the absolute mercy of the one who is unlucky enough to find you and release you by their own blood. Though for safe measure, you will be sent to the other end of the galaxy. The undiscovered, isolated, unknown, mostly uninhabited and very primitive end of the galaxy.” the judge hit his gavel down causing a lightning bolt to shoot down “Take him away!”

Wildsmile roared in both rage and terror as the guards forcefully dragged him away by his chains. He struggled and pulled back managing to even drag ten guards as he tried to escape, but the judge stood up and beat his gavel against his staff causing lightning bolt to strike the horned man who then fainted. When he awoke again, he realized that he was inside of a giant pink gem surrounded by some hooded mages chanting while the runes beneath him. He punched, kicked and rammed against the walls attempting to get break free, but it was futile. The gem itself shone brightly illuminating the entire area before it shrank into the size of one’s palm before floating up into space and then speeding away like a shooting star at lightspeed into space. As the gem began to slow down towards its destination, it entered the atmosphere of a blue lush planet before falling into the water and then sinking to the bottom of the ocean. Once in the sand, it gleamed and the sound of Wildsmile's roar could faintly be heard scaring the fish nearby.

Ten years later, a diver picking up garbage alongside others finds it and pockets it before swimming up to the surface. She climbs onto the boat and empties her full garbage bag, then goes to the captain.

“Excuse me, Marvin? I found this in the water. Is it plastic or real?” she shows it to him.

He puts on his glasses and inspects it with awe “Real. VERY real and rare, Ms. Night! I’ve never seen nothin’ like it which means it’s one of those types of gems that’s a specific type of rare like a pink puma, a blue maharaja or a deep esmeraude.”

“Whoa, aren’t those gems usually owned by royalty?” Night’s eyes widened “And please, call me Alice.”

“Or the wealthy of which it’s only fittin’ that you of all people found it.” Marvin tried to return it.

“Yeah, but I don’t need it. You should take it or at the very least, use it to fund Clean and Clear the Waters.” she initially refused it.

“Nay. My code as a man of the sea states that he, or she, who finds the treasure has claimed it, so it’s yours, ya hear?” he took her hand and put the gem in it “Besides, ye gave enough and top of that, ya’re givin’ yer time, energy and sweat by actually doin’ the dirty work today. Not many people in the ivory towers have the humility or heart to do that.”

Alice blushed “I do this for all the causes I sponsor, Marvin.”

“All the same, keep it. Just keep bein’ the decent person ya’re, Alice.” he winked at her.

“Well, if it’s alright with you.” she shrugged as she packed it into her sports back.

“Oh, by the way. Ye got a call.” he recalled while raising a finger.

“Ah, I’ve been expecting one.” she took out her cellphone and called back the number “Hello, Ingrid.”

An older looking maid in a beautiful hallway is seen as other maids and butlers are seen carrying sheets, towels and other things to some guest rooms behind her “Hallo, Fraulein Night. I called to inform you zhat your sister Susie and your brother-in-law Valter have as you say “hit zhe road” vith zhe children and zhe dog. Zhey vill arrive in three days as usual.”

Alice smiled slightly “I keep telling her that I would be more than happy to pay for plane tickets... Anyway, we’ll be ready for them including Smokedmeat, Ingrid. Have Smokedmeat stay in the same room as Lizzie just like he does at home.”

“Very vell. I should also tell you zhat zhe gentleman from Oni Games called. He vants to make an um... open vorld game I think it’s called based on Dark Hearts. And by zhe vay, your bodyguard resigned vhile you vere out.” Ingrid went on.

“Ugh... It’s because I turned down, isn’t it?” she rolled her eyes.

“I vouldn’t lament zhis, Fraulein Night. The best zhing a manchild can do for you is leaving.” the older woman advised her.

“Anyway, I’ll call Oni Games as soon as I get back and start searching for a new bodyguard. I think we’re done cleaning up this area. Thank you for telling me everything, Ingrid.” Alice replied.

“I vill have cocoa ready, Fraulein Night. See you soon.” Ingrid smiled before closing the ornate antique telephone then returning to work on each family member’s welcoming basket.

Meanwhile, Night was tidying herself up in a tracksuit while carefully packing her diver’s gear, and Marvin headed to shore.

“Thanks again for bein’ a part of this, Ms. Night. It means a lot to us.” Marvin shook hands with her as the rest of the clean-up crew agreed vocally and with nods.

“I grew up here in LA, so making sure it stays beautiful is a personal mission of mine and before I forget, here.” Alice hands him a graphic novel “It’s a special edition copy of Dark Hearts with concept art and exclusive information. And my autograph. For your granddaughter who is a big fan of my work since you won’t take the gem.”

Marvin smiled wide “Honestly, my dear, THIS is a real gem and my darling Wendy would agree. Any book that gets the younger generation readin’ again is one I stand behind.”

Alice smiled back “Tell her I say hi, Marvin. And keep me posted on how the ocean cleanup is going, ok?”

“Aye aye. Ye take care now, ya hear?” Marvin nodded before she walked onto the docks and into the parking lot.

“Hi, Marty! We’re done for today.” Alice called out to him as he played a game on his phone while chewing bubble gum.

His bubble popped “Already? That was quicker than I thought.”

“I’m happy to say that the Clean and Clear Waters crew has done a great job at making people more mindful of how they throw out their garbage, so our area was much smaller this time, and I found this.” Alice showed him the gem.

Marty let out a whistle “I didn’t know you could find pink diamonds at the bottom of the ocean.”

“I don’t know if it is one. Marvin says it’s most likely something else. Something rarer. I need to get it appraised and identified, then I’ll decide what to do with it. Also, my bodyguard quit while we were out.” Alice entered the limousine.

“Seriously? So he was a creep and a big baby.” Marty shook his head as he closed the door and entered the driver’s side up front before driving away “Anyway, to heck with him. You’ll find a more professional bodyguard... And... The right guy.”

“Thanks, Marty. If we’re being honest, I honestly wouldn’t mind it if it was in my bodyguard or one of you guys. It’s just that well... A good man really is hard to find.” she looked at the gem in her hand.

“For what it’s worth, it’s not easier even when YOU are a man, but you’ll find the right one and trust me, it’s worth it. It’s kind of like that gem in your hand. To find that gem, you must be willing to dig for a long time.” Marty reassured her.

“I feel like I’ve been digging for too long. Susie got married at twenty, and she’s only one year older than me.” Alice looked out the window.

Marty gave her a look while stopped at a red light “No offense to your sister Susie, but part of the reason she married was for money. You were focused on making your own. Which you did. Filthy.”

Alice chuckled “I got lucky. My graphic novel was a big hit.”

“And started a new genre of fiction being “horrormance”.” he laughed out loud “You had different priorities and that’s ok. Now, it’s the right time and when it comes to the one, being picky is smart. Never lower that bar. Ever.”

“I don’t intend to. Ever. Thanks, Marty. Say, Oni Games wants to make an open world game out of Dark Hearts. Maybe I should ask my nephew for pointers since he is a gaming athlete.” Alice thought out loud as the beautiful gates to her large driveway opened revealing her fantasy castle style and sized estate.