Strange Ones: Volume 3

Romeo's Warning

"Chara!" Frisk called as she and Saoirse walked down the stairs and into another hallway of Strange Coliseum.

Ever since the girls talked in the janitor's closet, both of them have been searching for the amnesiac young girl. So far, they didn't find her. They checked the building's cafe, its food court, its lounge, and even the bathrooms. However, the girl managed to keep their cool as they wandered around the Strange Games' venue in search for her. It was only 2:46 in the afternoon, so they have until the end of the event to find Chara. But before the girls could search any further, Frisk's body bumped into someone else.

Letting out an oof, the girl in the blue jacket stumbled backward until she landed in Saoirse's arms. When Frisk opened her eyes, she was surprised by the sight of Asriel, who was on the ground rubbing his head. Beside him was Kubo, who was on one knee as he tended for the older brother.

"Guys?" She began, getting the boys' gaze.

"Frisk!" Asriel exclaimed, jumping back to his feet so he can trap his adopted sister in a tight embrace. "Oh my gosh! Ever since Chara showed up, I was so worried about you! You drifted from us and we were wondering why!"

"I'm sorry, Azzy..." Frisk said, returning the hug. "I've had a lot on my mind lately because of Chara being here." After breaking away, she added, "Speaking of, where is she? Wasn't she with you guys when I went away?"

"She was," Kubo nodded. "But when Atlas soldiers showed up during the Strange Games, she ran away out of fear."

"Excuse me?!" The Mimic's eyes went wide.

"You heard me! Atlas is in the coliseum and Chara disappeared ages ago." The one-eyed boy gave her a stoic glare. "Do I have to repeat myself?"

"Then, what are you boys up to?" Saoirse asked.

"We were going to tell Mom and Dad about-" Suddenly, Asriel stopped his sentence and gave the seal Morpher a wide-eyed expression. "Wait, you're usually quiet! What happened to you?!"

"Do I have to explain myself when we have other important things to deal with during a time of celebration like this?" The dark-haired girl gave the goat boy a glare that sent chills down his spine.

"I'm so sorry! It's just it's been a long time since I heard you speak in full sentences. I don't know why, but we all decided not to question it."

"Anxiety runs over you like a truck." Saoirse shrugged before her eyes looked away as her cheeks turned pink.

In response, Asriel gave her a raised eyebrow of confusion before looking at the others, who gave him a shrug in response. Since then, the air inside the hallway became silent until a voice of a man broke it.

"Excuse me,"

The four children immediately turned around, only to be greeted by a nervous-looking Romeo. The red-haired man's arms were crossed in front of his chest and the expression on his face appeared to be worried and filled with guilt. As Frisk looked at his face, she began to detect that something was wrong. Yet, she couldn't decipher his face.

"Hello," Asriel was the first to speak. "You must be Mr. Romeo."

"So, you know who I am?" Romeo asked.

"You're a Strange One executive and you've been talking to Mom and Dad a lot lately when Team USA isn't fighting." The young goat explained. "We've heard a lot about you and..."

"I see that you are the son of Asgore and Toriel Dreemurr."

"He's not their only child," Frisk chimed in, putting a grin on her face despite her intuition on the executive. "Mom and Dad have adopted a couple kids long ago." She wrapped an arm around Kubo. "We're it."

"Right." Kubo nodded.

"I'm just a friend," Saoirse said.

"I understand," Romeo nodded and twirled the hair on his chin.

With that, the hallway filled with hush again until Frisk asked, "So, is there anything you want to tell us or did you just want to meet us because Mom and Dad told you a lot of good things about us?"

"Your mother and father told me many great things about you four." The red-haired man nodded again, putting his hands behind his back. "Too many, if you ask me." He chuckled.

"Shucks..." The Mimic giggled, slightly blushing.

"What did they say about us?" The one-eyed Puppeteer asked, raising an eyebrow at the executive.

"Mr. and Mrs. Dreemurr told me how extraordinary you all are as not only friends but a team as well," Romeo explained. "They told me how great of a leader Frisk was despite being young, how kind Asriel was, how smart and stoic Kubo is and how beautiful and graceful Saoirse is."

Pfft. Beautiful... Saoirse thought, looking away as her cheeks became pinker. The compliment flustered her.

"But that is not why I'm here, however." The man continued, making the four children's heads look up at him with blinking eyes.

"What do you mean that's not why you're here?" Frisk frowned and raised an eyebrow at him.

With a somber frown, Romeo opened his eyes and continued, "I have come to warn you four about the future."

"The future?" Kubo repeated.

"What happens in the future?" Saoirse asked.

The executive took a deep breath before saying, "There is evil among you and everyone in this building and I don't want it to find innocent children like you four. It is watching over all of us as we speak."

"What are you trying to tell us, Mr. Romeo?" Asriel, feeling the emotion of worry course through his mind, asked.

"I want you children to keep your eyes open for that evil lurking in this coliseum. Three of you may be the children of Asgore and Toriel, but you all must be careful. It will strike all of you without warning and it has almost taken the life of two innocent people."

That was when the four began to feel a sudden tension from within their souls. Frisk's soul felt it even more. With her brown eyes looking down at the tiled floor of the building, she fell deep into thought.

"You're all stronger together and I admire you four young ones for that." Romeo continued. "But none of you are invulnerable to the darkness that seeks blood. It may even attack the one you wish to protect."

With that, Asriel's green eyes widen, for the thought of Chara being fatally attacked by a faceless shadow made his heart drop to his stomach.

"Romeo," Frisk gulped as she got a glimpse from him. "Is there anything we can do to help you? We're not Delta heroes, but-"

He disrupted her speech by holding up his right hand. "I wish you children can help me get out of my personal situation," Romeo sighed as he felt tears building up in his eyes. "But I must escape this alone. I refuse to see four young lives get hurt by the ones who threaten the wholesome people of this wondrous planet."

Frisk, Asriel, Kubo, and Saoirse were all taken aback from the moment they spotted a single tear escape from the corner of his right eye. Discovering the looks on their faces, Romeo wiped it away with his hand and walked away in silence, letting out a sniffle as he moved. The four watched him walk far away from them until he disappeared by turning right. While Asriel and Kubo turned to each other without thought, Saoirse turned to a deep-in-thought Frisk, who turned to face her. The seal Morpher noticed her friend's eyes narrowing until she remembered the video she showed her long ago. It didn't make sense to the boys, but the girls figured what was wrong: Romeo was being threatened by what could be their greatest enemy of all time!

The only question is, "Could it really be them?"