Chapter 33: Rio Returns
Authors Note:
I changed the name of Ainsmuth to Faraday.
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POV Rio
Mace: "This is the end of our training. You have mastered all the skills I have taught you. Now I request you use the knowledge I taught you to protect those in need."
Rio: "I thank you for your guidance, Master Windu. I cannot promise I will save everyone but I can promise I will use my power for the greater good of all."
Mace: "That is enough for me. Now I understand you can go back to our universe from time to time."
Rio: "Yes that is indeed the case."
Mace: "If so I will tell you 3 words you can use to make me listen to you no matter the circumstances. I have only ever told Master Yoda this and as such if you say it to any version of me after the beginning of the Clone Wars I will listen to you. Say Fall Of Ice. I will know what it means."
Rio: "Why are you telling me this?"
Mace: "Call it intuition. Or maybe the Force is guiding me. Regardless I believe you will someday need this knowledge. I do not need for it as once I return I will become part of the force."
Rio: "I didn't want to assume but I suppose you are already dead aren't you?"
Mace: "Yes, I failed to kill Sidious and was betrayed by Skywalker. Training you I have had time to contemplate my failings. I can see what I did wrong. The Jedi had become the villains in the conflict with most of us being blind to it. You are my last student and you have already proven yourself capable of surpassing me. I know I am not your only master. I can sense you have a teacher of interest to me. I wish to meet them."
Rio: "Sure let me activate the Holocron."
Traya: "What do you require apprentice? Who is this?"
Windu: "Darth Traya, the traitor to both the Sith and Jedi alike. You were once called Kreia. You attempted to build a new Jedi Order. I am surprised that she is your current master."
Traya: "A Jedi it seems. I am curious as to how you are here. I suppose you must have been summoned by my apprentice."
Windu: "I have studied your case in the Jedi archives. You were a master of many techniques and the order was somewhat split as to why you left and if you were a true Sith or just a fallen Jedi. Care to enlighten me."
Traya: "I am neither Sith nor Jedi. I am a slave to no teaching. I left the Order for my own reasons. I may have been called Darth Traya once but I left that name behind when I left the Sith. I am Rios's current master and I teach him all that I know. I assume you have taught him some Jedi techniques."
Windu: "Yes, I have been instructing him for a month now on lightsaber forms and my knowledge of force techniques. I am surprised that both of the masters he has had before me were Sith. Yet he is no Sith."
Traya: "I was a Sith, now I am just me. Apprentice leave us I wish to speak to this Jedi alone."
Rio: "Yes master."
I leave the room and head to the kitchen to make some dinner. As I enter the kitchen I am surprised to see Renamon sitting at the table.
'That is surprising she is usually never seen outside her room.'
Rio: "Hello Renamon. How was your day."
I seem to startle her as she jumps up into a combat stance. I laugh a bit at that.
Renamon: "Oh it is you. I was just practicing my timing on how fast I can get up from the table."
Rio: "So I totally didn't startle you. Got it. Though that doesn't answer my question."
Renamon: "My day was fine. And you are correct that you didn't startle me. I don't get startled."
I roll my eyes and start making dinner.
Rio: "Well I am making dinner do you want to stay? I am making enough for everyone."
Renamon: "Sure, I wasn't that busy anyways."
Lucario: "Ooh what's that smell?"
Lucario walks in and smiles at me until he sees Renamon then he frowns.
Lucario: "Oh great you're here. I thought you were busy brooding deeply in your room. Or out watching Foxes get in on."
I nearly choked at what I just heard Lucario say. I sneak up behind him and grab his ear. Lucario yelps like a puppy when I pull on his ear.
Rio: "You will not say such vulgar things in my house. I raised you better than that. I think you need to apologize to Renamon."
Lucario: "Sorry."
Rio: "I don't care if you guys want to insult each other but if you do you will keep it clean and outside my house. Do I make myself clear?"
They both lower their heads and nod silently.
Rio: "Good. Now if I hear you two not abiding by those rules I will put both of you on cleaning duty for a month and I will personally make you spar with me until you can't feel anything but how sore you are. Oh, and that cleaning duty is not just for the base but all properties related to me and the other summons. Now go call everyone to dinner."
They scurry off as I set the table.
Gardevoir: "Oh you made dinner, thanks, Rio."
Rio: "No problem. How have you been settling in since we last talked?"
Gardevoir: "Great so far. I learned a lot of new things. I was wondering if I could apply to be your assistant."
Rio: "I don't see why not. You will have to be able to read and write. I have an artifact that can allow you to disguise yourself. Can you mimic human speech?"
Gardevoir: "Yeah I can create an artificial voice using my psychic powers. It requires no telepathy. As for reading and writing, Lucario has said I have already passed the requirements for that."
Rio: "That's really impressive. Congrats, now you will just have to pass Sebas's test to meet the high standards. Sebas is also my assistant but he knows he can't be the only assistant. That and he likes being a butler, not a business assistant. I hope you pass the test but if you don't that's alright just don't give up."
Gardevoir seemed to have a fire in her eyes after I encouraged her.
Gardevoir: "I won't let you down! I will be the best assistant ever!"
After Gardevoir says that the others arrive and we have a nice family dinner. Before we finish I sense Master Windu arriving.
Rio: "Everyone I would like for you to meet my teacher for the last month. Jedi Master Mace Windu."
Master Windu bows slightly.
Mace: "It is a pleasure to meet you all. I have heard good things about all of you. I wish we had more time but I am here to say my final farewells to Rio. My time here has just about ended and it is time for me to join the Cosmic Force."
I sigh at the somewhat cold topic to be brought up at a dinner table but decide to go with him to hear whatever final words he has for me.
Rio: "I will be talking with Master Windu then I will head off to bed so I will see you all tomorrow. Good night and you don't have to clean up I will clean up later or tomorrow."
Sebas: "Leave the cleaning to me, sir. It would be my pleasure after the delicious meal you made for me."
Rio: "I know arguing with you is pointless so go ahead."
I leave with Master Windu back to the training room.
POV Sebas
I received a text once Lord Rio left and I read it.
Mal0: {I need to talk to Rio. It has to do with a suspicious individual that I have been watching for a while now.}
Sebas: {Can this wait till tomorrow as Lord Rio has retired for the night?}
Mal0: {It can wait but I will be waiting tomorrow morning in the living room to let him know the situation.}
Sebas: {Very well I will let Lord Rio know about your visit before he sleeps tonight.}
Mal0: {Thank you and good night.}
Sebas: {Good night to you as well.}
The Next Morning...
POV Rio
I get up and get dressed for the meeting this morning as today will be quite busy. As I walk into the living room I see Mal0.
Rio: "Good morning Mal0. It has been a while since we last saw each other. How are you doing?"
Mal0: "Good morning to you as well and I am doing great. You should come over and visit my new house sometime. The remodeling crew did a fantastic job."
Rio: "I will soon I promise. Now let's get into why you asked for this meeting."
Mal0: "I have been collecting a lot of info and lately I have been watching a man in purple a lot more. I am now confident he can mind control people. Humans only by the looks of it. I bring this to your attention because he has been doing some horrific things and I was hoping you could get rid of him. That and a Hrdra member recently contacted him and I am not certain what they talked about but whatever it was it was something big and related to LexCorp based on the snippets I overheard. Like several million dollars big."
Rio: "That is indeed not good. I will deal with this. Thank you for bringing this to my attention. Anything else to report?"
Mal0: "Yeah, Kingpin is gathering people to attack this neighborhood. He seems to have made a deal with both the Vampires and Hand to invade this area and find where you are hiding. Or at least the group that wiped out the Russian Mafia. I can say with almost 100% certainty that Hydra is funding this operation. The other thing of note is that a person known as Taskmaster has been skulking around Hell's Kitchen looking for something. Likely us. I have all the info in this file."
I look at the info and I am shocked at just how many people are joining this coalition.
Rio: "I can see why you came to me with this. It seems I need to do a culling of the undesirables. I will kill the Purple Man first then I will get a team together to eliminate the Vampires. Then the Hand and after that, the coalition will have lost most of its powerful players. If you see Taskmaster stay away from him. He is dangerous and can copy your moves just by seeing them. He is also a very good tracker so it's best to avoid him."
Mal0: "Got it, now about my pay."
Rio: "I will give you 150k for this information."
Mal0: "180k, this info is worth at least that much."
Rio: "Isn't that a bit much? Aren't we friends surely you would give me a discount on this info."
Mal0: "Ha! I know better than to give you a discount. You are practically made of money. You could pay 3 times as much and it still wouldn't affect you all that much. No 180k."
Rio: "160k."
Mal0: "175k."
Rio: "165k."
Mal0: "172k."
Rio: "Ah come on. 168k."
Mal0: "168k and you treat me to dinner."
I raise a brow at such a strange request. I think about it for a few seconds.
Rio: "Fine, I have an artifact that can make you appear as a mirage. You can use it so you can enjoy a dinner in public. Where will we go? And when?"
Mal0: "I will decide the place and time. It was a pleasure doing business with you."
She smiles and shakes my hand before leaving and I just sigh.
'I feel like every time we negotiate I lose. I swear she has a silver tongue or maybe I am just bad at negotiations. Now that I think about I shouldn't be that bad at convincing others. My Charisma is at 25. I would like to think that means I am good at speechcraft. I do find it a bit odd she asked for me to treat her to dinner but I suppose we haven't had a nice chat in quite a bit.'
Status Update After Training/Last Status Update.
Strength: 24 (+50%) = 36
Perception: 28
Endurance: 30
Charisma: 25
Intelligence: 40
Agility: 35 (+50%) = 52.5
Luck: 100 (+50%) = 150
Skills
Force Mastery lvl: 37/100
2050/3700 xp
Damage Resistance lvl: 36/100
500/3600 xp
Weapons Proficiency lvl: 37/100
3000/3700 xp
Observe lvl: 34/100
0/3400
Aura Mastery lvl: 23/100
2000/2300 xp
Programming lvl 37
100/3700
Stealth lvl: 36/100
1000/3600 xp
Mana Manipulation lvl: 27/75
900/2700 xp
Instrument Playing lvl: 24
2300/2400
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Authors Note:
Rio is officially back and he has mastered all 7 forms. He also learned how to use Shatterpoint and Battle Meditation. Rio also shows off his fatherly side. I hope you liked the chapter and have a great day. Until next time Ciao.