Chapter Text
Riley ran into Moana's shop, it was late and the store was about to close, but he couldn't waste any time. Moana walked up to him as he stood in the middle of the store trying to catch his breath.
"Riley?" Moana cocked her head to the side inquisitively.
"Moana, something's wrong with Chase," Riley said panting. "There was some woman, I don't know, she called herself 'Uru'."
"Darling come into the back room with me," Moana guided Riley into her study, hidden from sight in the back of the store.
"When she came near me I heard... singing... I know it sounds crazy-"
"Singing?"
"Yeah, and she did this thing, her eyes flashed green, and then she asked me if I liked... girls?"
"Singing around her... and her eyes flashed green..." Moana seemed to be ruminating on something as Riley spoke. She walked over to her private bookshelf and grabbed a thick, dusty tome. She opened the grimoire and started to scan through it. "Riley did the woman have... red hair?"
"Yes!"
"Oh dear." Moana put a finger to her lower lip, "Riley I believe that Chase is under the spell of a 'Patupaiarehe'."
"A what?"
"It's a sort of Maori spirit. They live in forests and mountaintops. I'm guessing this one is a Urukehu, you'd call it 'red-head'."
"A Maori spirit," Riley said incredulously. Riley's scientific sensibilities wouldn't allow him to accept something so flatly supernatural. There had to be a scientific explanation to it. "This doesn't make any sense."
"I've only heard stories but the spirits behave quite strangely. Normally they can charm anyone who is open to their charms. You said her spell didn't work on you." Moana smiled at Riley.
Riley blushed, "no it didn't."
"Well, then that's lucky for Chase. I have something that might help you." Moana walked over to a chest she had and started rifling through it. She pulled out a mirror.
"A mirror?"
"Yes. A mirror."
"What's so special about it?"
"Nothing really. But I gather if you can reflect her spell back at her you can possibly stop her. As I said these spirits behave quite strangely and in orde to achieve their goals-"
"She said something about Chase's life force," Riley interrupted.
"Yes, I imagine so. These spirits feed off life energy but they must do it in a strange way. You see in order for the Urukehu to feed on the life force of a chosen victim it must be bound to the victim through a ceremony."
"Like a marriage?"
"Yes, like a marriage."
"She told me she's getting married to Chase tomorrow!"
"Oh my. Then you must stop her as soon as possible. The minute the ceremony is sealed she will claim Chase's life force."
"What will happen to Chase?"
Moana gave Riley a dire expression. "He will get sick... and die."
Riley covered his mouth in horror. "No."
"No is right, that's why you need to take this mirror and break this spell as soon as you can. But before then, you need to find wherever this creature escaped from. Only by returning it from whence it came can it truly be defeated. The Urukehu cannot be destroyed."
Riley returned to Mrs. Randall's house and went back to Chase's room. He tried opening the door again but it was still locked. Riley went into the living room and tried sleeping on the couch but he tossed and turned all night.
***
The next morning, before Riley left, he explained everything to Chloe and asked her to stall Chase as long as she could while he searched for Uru's lair. He went into Christchurch looking for information. Lucky for Riley finding information about Urukehu was easier than he'd expected.
The locals pointed him to the hills between Lake Brunner and the Arahura River. They insisted those areas were particularly linked to ancient myths and legends. Riley took a bus out of Christchurch and into the surrounding countryside, traveling to the hills between Lake Brunner and Arahura River. Once there Riley searched for a few hours until he found an abandoned excavation site.
Riley noticed a tent set up near a cave at the heart of the dig and nearby a large rock lay sideways. Riley studied the rock but he couldn't make out the symbols on it. He drew out his phone and searched for what he assumed they might be: Maori writing; however, he was too far from the city to get service.
"Ugh," Riley rolled his eyes and sighed. He walked into the cave and inside he smelled Uru. It was a blend of local spices and flowers. A pungent perfume that filled the air. He suspected she'd come from this cave.
On the walls along the inside of the cave, Riley made out a series of markings.
"Petroglyphs?" Riley stated out loud as he studied the cave drawings. The etchings detailed the story of two people being in love, then a demon emerging and consuming one of the lovers, leaving the other one in tears. Riley wondered if that's the kind of "life force" Uru spoke of. Was she only drawn to people that were in love?
***
Uru and Chase managed to assemble a marriage at a local church in rather short notice. Chase spent the day contacting friends he hadn't seen since high school, informing them that he was getting married and that he wanted them to be there; meanwhile, Chloe eagerly worked to help Chase see through Uru's spell.
"Chase, don't you see, you aren't in love with her, you don't even know her," Chloe pleaded.
"Chloe, could you stop talking about Uru that way," Chase would say and then return to his phone call.
"Chase she isn't good. Riley said he saw her eyes glowing. She isn't human!"
"Chloe!" Chase admonished sharply. He covered the receiver of the phone. "Are you mad because we haven't gone to the skate park today?"
"No Chase!" Chloe stomped her feet, "I'm mad because you aren't listening to me! She's going to hurt you, Chase."
"Uru would never do such a thing," Chase looked around, "have you seen Riley? He's supposed to be my best man but he's been gone since this morning."
"He's looking for a way to break the spell," Chloe started, "because he's really the one who loves you! Don't you remember why you came back home, Chase! You said you wanted to tell mum about you and introduce her to Riley! You're in love with him!"
Chase looked down at the floor. He was perplexed but moved beyond the confusion rather quickly. "Don't be silly Chloe. Me and Riley are great mates but it's not like that."
***
As evening fell over Christchurch Riley headed to the church where Uru intended to marry Chase. He hoped that she would try to use her magic against him again. That way he could reflect the spell and save Chase.
Riley ran into the church as Chase and Uru exchanged vows.
"Chase, no!" Riley yelled eliciting a collective gasp from the attendees of the marriage.
"Riley?" Chase's mother said aloud. "You were supposed to be here hours ago."
Chloe ran behind Riley as he approached the altar.
"Don't do it, Chase, she isn't human. She' a creature called a Urukehu. She's going to marry you then steal your life force!"
"What?" Chase scoffed.
"What's the meaning of this young man?" Chase's mother scolded angrily.
"I'm telling the truth, he knows I wouldn't lie to him."
Chase looked to the ground, once again struggling in his mind. Uru looked at him then sneered at Riley. Riley drew the mirror and approached Uru. She looked at the mirror furiously then looked over at Chase's five groomsmen. Her eyes flashed green as she used her magic to take control of the groomsmen and direct them toward Riley. "Grab him! He's going to ruin our wedding!"
Chase's five groomsmen approached Riley. Riley could've easily fought off all five of them but he knew they were under Uru's spell and didn't want to hurt them. He shooed away Chloe who went and hid and allowed the five men to restrain him. One of them grabbed his arm so forcefully that the mirror flew out of his hand and landed near Chase's feet.
The preacher continued to conduct the wedding after Riley had been apprehended.
"Chase no, don't do this! She's going to hurt you!" Riley kept yelling.
They exchanged rings.
"Chase don't you see... it's me Riley. Remember when you first met me and you thought I was so uptight? I never had any fun? All I ever did was practice? You said 'bro, why're you always practicing the same sword move'? And then you asked me to show you how to do it?" Riley chuckled to himself then looked over at Chase and Uru again.
The preacher continued the ceremony.
"Remember when I was going to race Burt and you had that stupid idea to write on your chest to encourage me? You even convinced Tyler and Koda? Remember when I got hurt protecting Xenowing and you told me, afterward, how brave you thought I was?" Tears started to flow from Riley's eyes.
"Remember when we came back to this world and Kaylee was with another guy and you were going to go back home but you stayed in Amber Beach... because of me..." Riley's voice started to soften.
Chase's mother stepped forward curiously wondering what Riley was going on about.
"Remember what you said to me at the airport that day, Chase?"
Chase broke eye contact with Uru as he remembered the day Riley came to the airport before he left for New Zealand. He remembered Riley telling him that he had been in love with him. He remembered standing in the terminal with Riley holding him. The memory played out in his mind like a video.
Chase was standing in the airport holding Riley. "All this time... You were right under my nose."
Riley looked up at Chase, his eyes gleaming. "I was scared."
"You didn't have to be. You remember when we hung out all last summer? I liked you too Riley. The whole time... I just didn't know... I didn't know how to say it. So when nothing came of it I just moved on. If I had known Riley, believe me. I would've held you and never let you go."
Chase snapped out of the memory and shook his head.
"You may now kiss the bride," the preacher announced.
"Chase no!" Riley screamed, struggling in the grasp of the groomsmen. "She'll kill you!"
Uru started to near Chase's face.
"Chase!" Riley swung his head toward Chase, "I LOVE YOU!" He screamed, swaying his head away, unable to watch Chase kiss Uru.
When he jerked his head away tears flew from his eyes. One sparkling teardrop hit Chase's cheek. Chase put a hand to where the tear landed. He brushed it off and looked at the fingers he'd used to wipe it away. He pressed the fingers to his lips. He felt Riley's lips touch his. He came to his senses when he realized how much he loved Riley.
Uru's spell was broken. He looked up at her defiantly. "You've got a real staring problem you know!"
"Impossible," she muttered menacingly. She angrily sought to cement her spell's grasp on Chase's mind but before she could catch Chase in her gaze he reached down, grabbed the mirror, and reflected her spell back at her. Uru fell to the floor asleep.
All of the groomsmen released Riley as they fell to the floor asleep. He looked up and saw Chase smiling at him. Riley ran to Chase, throwing his arms around him, and kissing him. He squeezed Chase tightly in his embrace. Chase kissed Riley's face multiple times before he pressed Riley's head down onto his shoulder.
Everyone who wasn't under Uru's spell looked around confused as Riley and Chase held each other at the altar. Chase's mother looked on doubly confused but Chloe pumped her fists and whispered "yes!"
"Chase," Chase's mother said stepping forward. "Can you please explain to me what is going on?"
"Oh hey mum," Chase kissed Riley on the cheek then walked toward his mother holding Riley's hand. "I guess there's no point in trying to hide it any longer. Riley ain't my best mate, he's my boyfriend. And I love him. And uh, that Uru girl, was uh, some kind of monster or something."
Chase's mother was so overwhelmed with revelation, she fainted. Once again the attendees of the wedding released a collective gasp.
With Moana's help, Chase and Riley took Uru back to the cave and sealed her in it again.
Once they were done they traveled back to Mrs. Randall's house. Chase and Riley walked into the kitchen where Mrs. Randall was sitting quietly. Riley looked at Chase nervously. Chase looked at him and smiled.
"Hey Riley, why don't you go get washed up, it's been a long day." Chase sent Riley off then sat at the table across from his mother.
"You know when your father died I always wondered if I could raise the two of you right on my own." Mrs. Randall started, her voice just barely above a whisper.
Chase was quiet. Unusual for someone who always had a quip ready.
"When you were going through school I always wondered if you'd be like him. Like your father. He was brave, and very... well he was very fool hardy. And he was a smart mouth, always something sharp to say." She smiled to herself which broke the tension and eased Chase into a laugh.
"Chase I never doubted for one second you'd grow up to be a good man like your father. All I had to do is see you with Chloe to know that. So from now on, no more secrets. I don't care who you want to fall in love with. Whoever they are will be lucky to have you. And from where I'm looking," Mrs. Randall looked into the living room where Riley was carrying on a playful conversation with Chloe, "that's a good one to have on your side too."
Chase smiled warmly at his mother, stood up, and hugged her.
"I'm making your favorite: bangers and mash. So get washed up." She said as he pulled away. Chase walked into the living room and put his hand on Riley's shoulder. Riley looked at Chase and smiled. "And would one of you two care to explain to me exactly what the whole 'monster-of-the-week' business was all about?" Riley and Chase looked at each other and started chuckling.