Arim
Ikuyim was excited for adventure as her crew, the Gem Pirates, sailed on their Sweet Alil, which bore a figurehead of the robot. "Watch out, Meta-Beast Pirates! Captain Ikuyim is here to beat—whoooa!" The ship rocked from a lightning strike, the white-haired earthbender losing her footing.
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves!" Alol yelled.
"Heads up! Giant whale spotted at -2:00!" Arohpsohp alerted.
"Captain, that's Ayaru!" Alil shouted.
"That's where they're keeping Avakam, huh? All aboard the Rock-a-pult, I'll launch us to the right fin!" (Stage music: "Brinstar" from Smash Melee.)
Leaving Arohpsohp and the still-recovering Atnort to manage the ship, the operatives launched toward the greater Titan. They fought down pirates from Ridley's division (consisting of Metroid enemies) and made their way inside Ayaru. While normally a vast, pretty cavern kingdom with glittering cliffs and staticky water, the pirates had made the people forget that peace. Ikuyim's earthbending was a key contributor to their progression, but the Titan could be picky in what areas it would allow to be earthbent. Using Seismic Sense, Ikuyim saw the way through the caves and eventually found where Avakam was imprisoned.
Avakam was suspended by rope over a pool of digestive acid. Alil was about to fly up and cut her down, when a giant, obese reptile emerged from the acid and swat her down. It was Kraid, a general of the crew, with three eyes, spikes along the spine, and on his belly. "(ROOO HA HA! We knew you worms would come to save your friend! If I squish you here, maybe Captain Ridley will let me join the Kremling Krew! King K. Rool personally asked for me! 'Said I'd fit right in! And when I do, I'll trample over all those inferior animals!)"
"I totally don't get what he's saying!" Alol yelled.
"Wait, I kind of speak lizard!" Ikuyim smiled. "Ahem…roo roo roo raaaaah roo roo roo."
"(YOU!! You dare compare my belly spikes to yucky ice cream cones?! YOU MUST DIE!)"
"Alright, I said it right!" (Boss music: "Brinstar Depths" from Smash Melee.)
Kraid shot his belly spikes and threw his own fingernails, both of which would grow back. Before they did, Ikuyim bent gems out of her Infi-Cube to strike the weak points from where the belly-spikes would grow. Kraid also spat rocks from his mouth, but Ikuyim easily sent them back, bashing his head as he tumbled over. Ikuyim could then jab his eyes with crystals. When he reached the peak of frustration, Kraid tried to eat Avakam alive, but Ikuyim sent a crystal up to suspend his mouth open. She fixed crystal gloves over her hands as she climbed Kraid's spine. Once atop the head, she punched the spikes of his head and forced them right back into his skull. A delirious and exhausted Kraid collapsed in defeat.
Alil flew back up and caught Avakam after Beewv cut her down. But before she had time to thank them, a dark laser fired at them. "That lug didn't stand a chance." remarked Sumas, the Dark Hunter marching in from the other entrance. "What's up, kids? All good in the neighborhood?"
"The hunter lady!" Avakam said. "You were chasing Hpot! What'd you do to her?!"
"She got a little shy, unfortunately. Maybe she'll come out of her shadow if I take care of you."
The kids bolted from the hunter, Ikuyim bending the caves to block her. They also gave Avakam some weapons stolen from the pirates, so she was able to hold back the hunter well. They called Arohpsohp to bring the ship around the front-left of the whale's face. The ops made it on top of Ayaru's head as Ikuyim used a Rock Launch to send them flying off and down the Titan. Arohpsohp sailed the ship right under them and spun a whirlwind to catch the kids, quickly sailing from the Titan.
…
Another group of operatives had landed on Arim: the Monkey Crew, consisting of Yddam and Hcaz, Ycrad, Ylime, and her Fancy Monkey Five. They drove an RV through a dense forest called the Brightglow Woods, KOing hordes of Dinosoids. Ylime's apes would swing off on their own to explore the greater forest. While they couldn't find clues as to their own operatives' whereabouts, they rescued several Arim natives who were rebels against the pirates.
"It's time to put you monkeys back in your cages!" A giant mech with hydro pumps came stomping through the trees, controlled by Commodore Krawq. The mech's glass stomach showed what looked like a catgirl, her prison watery and connected to the pumps. When Krawq blasted the water, it seemed to make the trees wither. The apes fled from the mech and made their way back to the RV.
"Ylime, what the heck's going on?!" Hcaz asked.
"Big toy bad! Big toy bad!"
"There you are!" The mech leapt and crashed before the RV. "Thanks for leading me to your little parade!"
"Looks like we got an officer on our hands!" Hcaz said. "And more pirates on top of that."
"COMMODORE KRAWQ?!" Yddam exclaimed, the crewmates jumping.
"Ah, it seems I have a little fan~" Krawq smirked. "Want my autograph, sweetheart?"
"Hcaz, he's the villain from the show, Mr. Justice! He's Mr. Justice's archenemy!"
"You mean the show that got cancelled?"
"It got cancelled because the actor playing him died…"
"You're only half-right, kid." Krawq smirked. "That wretched show was based on reality. Mr. Justice foiled my plans at every turn. That's why I made a deal with the Meta-Beasts. I joined their crew in exchange for Justice's demise!"
"You…you did what?!"
"Don't look at me; it was Captain Ridley who dealt the final blow. But I'll happily let you see Mr. Justice in the afterlife!"
He blasted more water, but Yddam thrusted it away with Fishman Karate. "Who's that girl?! Is she powering your machine?!"
"This little kitty is a special Xenoblade with cursed Water Chi. Opposite to a healer, she can drain life with her water. Too much water can drown ya, you know. So, get ready to drown!"
"Hcaz, I'll take care of this guy! Can you handle the minions?"
"Aye-aye!"
Yddam's karate redirected the water at the mech and shatter the pumps. When Krawq resorted to physical attacks, Yddam evaded swiftly and leapt to land punches against the Blade's capsule, making the water inside burst and eventually shatter the glass. Yddam retrieved the catgirl and leapt back onto the RV, the operatives making their escape. "This isn't over, you brats!!"
…
The Gem Pirates sailed to Rightheria, an archipelago of jellyfish Titans. (Music: "Aquatic Base 1+2" from Sonic 2006, to set a mechanical theme mixed with the dire situation of the overall war.)
Avakam heard that Yrret had been taken there, so they were determined to save him! The Cloud Sea was much more electrified in this region, but there was a shore for them to launch to. Afterwards, there were narrow pathways leading up and between the many islands, so they would have to travel them in exploring the archipelago. Ikuyim's bending was only limited to the white sand on the jellyfish, but Atnort's bending could disable the electric barrier machines, as well as draw electricity from the jellyfish to shoot down robots (including Irken SIRbots).
The islands were separated by a great wall of Cloud Sea, but there were two artificial, mechanical tunnels that cut through it. The tunnels harnessed the sea's electricity and had windows for an aquarium view of the aquatic life. There was a route that led deeper underground, but as the teammates bolted through, reinforced shutters lowered to block some of them. The only one able to make it through was Alol, and as luck would have it, she found the very room where Yrret was trapped.
Yrret was hooked to a machine that seemed to be attached to his brain, causing him to jitter as energy transferred into the ground via cords. "Yrret! Hang on, I'll get you out—ah!" She was grabbed in psychic.
"Not so fast, kid!" Tallest Miyuki descended. "Andross needs this boy for a special experiment. I don't suppose you're a psychicbender, too?"
"Hate to disappoint you! At least I would, if you didn't look like a giant mantis!"
"No matter. We could always use more slaves. And snot-nosed kids like you make a good workforce!"
"Boy, are you an old-school villain. But guess what? My brother gave me a few pointers in resisting psychic grips!" Alol began to twirl in the air, a free smile on her visage. Miyuki lost her grip as Alol danced on the floor. "If I focus my thoughts freely, my brainwaves can counter yours and free me from your grasp!" (Music: "Turn the Tables" from Spongebob Movie.)
"Your dancing can't save you from this!" Miyuki willed a series of lightsabers to fly up, slashing them at Alol. However, she put her dancing to use and evaded the swords, taking two in her own hands to give her dancing some flare. She danced up to Miyuki to land cuts on her mechanical armor. After a while, Miyuki would fly away from Alol and make a series of mirrors levitate. Miyuki would combine the swords' lasers to an extended one, which deflected off the mirrors to attack Alol from a distance.
"Couldn't you do that easier without the mirrors?!"
"The confusion factor helps!"
"Hmph!" Alol drew her Butterfly Gun and shot energy butterflies to bounce along the same route of mirrors, striking Miyuki's head as she felt a tickling sensation. The tallest dropped the mirrors, and Alol kept up her dance as she made the pink butterflies spiral around her. "Monarch DANCE!" She directed the flies straight at Miyuki, but though she sliced some away, the Monarch Dancer flew up for a clean kick to the head. Miyuki's head slammed against the wall and she passed out.
Alol was able to unhook Yrret from the machine, and they disabled the shutters blocking the way out. As the friends escaped, they realized the Mushroom Mafia began invading the archipelago, fighting the remaining pirates while the Gem Crew made their escape. The Mushrooms would find Tallest Miyuki and take her prisoner.
…
The next Titan they searched for was Lodni, the Unholy Nation. (Music: "La Cloche" from KH: Dream Drop, to set the mood of a dark holy land.)
Alit with the golden flames of the Ant King himself, the dark priests had Annaira dress up in a black robe, ordering her to bend out the blood of their prisoners, simmer it within the flames around the king's statue, and then return that blood to their bodies. The crew fought through the priests, as well as some leopards and fauns from Oryps' division. Upon arriving at the church's grounds, Annaira was ecstatic to see her friends.
"'EY NOW!" The dingo-leopard, Retnuh landed, slapped a chi-blocking collar on Anna, and hoisted her up. "We can't 'ave these lot disrupting the ritual! Maties, make them the next sacrifices!" As the priests swarmed them, Retnuh fled and climbed atop the church. "YOW!" He suffered a cut to the leg: Beewv was able to run up and grab onto Anna's shoe before she was taken, so once no other pirates were around, he landed the cut. "You little peabrain! Oi'll squash you for that!"
Beewv evaded the giant dingo's brutish attacks while tanking other ones. His tiny blades struggled to cut through Retnuh's muscles, but if he got up to the head, he could deal cuts to the eyes. Beewv later slashed the ankles to make him topple over, leaving Retnuh's tail available. With his Kateeny strength, Beewv grabbed the tail and swung the giant hybrid around. "Here's our next sacrifice!" Beewv released Retnuh in the direction of the Ant King's statue.
"UUUUUWAAAAAAAHHH!" Retnuh burned in the golden flames, dark and crispy by the time he climbed his way out. With that, Beewv picked Annaira's collar open, the Harnitan smirking in gratitude. The ops made their escape from the dragon Titan.
…
On the Bioless, Nollid had been imprisoned in a laboratory beneath Camp -6. Captain Ridley stomped into his room. "He's still here, Captain." said the guard.
"Worried I'm misbehaving?" Nollid smirked.
"Shut it, boy!" Ridley squawked. "The only reason you still live is because the king wants leverage against your little shadowy friend. She's on Aruhtaz as we speak, searching for the Gungi Champion. After all this time, he's been unable to beat her in a single game. He won't rest until he is the new champion!"
"Whatever. Where are the others?!"
"Serving the crew well, I assure you! Now, you sit tight in there. Can't go far without your equipment, anyhow."
Ridley exited and sealed the room. But little did he know that a certain shadowbender had already infiltrated the base. She snuck about carefully and stealth-KO'ed whatever guards she could, hiding the bodies. She found the guard carrying the card key to Nollid's cell. She slid right in and found the mage sitting lonely. "Oh!" Nollid gasped. "M-Mrs. Noskcaj?!"
"Hello, Nollid." Ave whispered with a smile. "I assume none of the others are here?"
"No, but… what're you doing here?!"
"About a week ago, Cire called us and passed on the DNK's intel. He said our daughter's team was captured by the Meta-Beasts. Edak and I took it upon ourselves to find you kids. He's hiding outside at the moment."
"Wow, thanks… but I can't really do much to help. They smashed both my wand and my broom."
"Just stay with me and I'll get you out of here."
Ave snuck back through the base, carrying Nollid in her Veil. Retracing her steps, she found the way out of the base and brought Nollid down a valley where Edak waited. "Nollid!" Edak beamed.
"Hi, Mr. Noskcaj! Thanks for coming out here. One of the pirates told me that Ydolem was sent to Aruhtaz. They're forcing her to find someone that Ydnam's crew kidnapped."
"Saving you kids will be a relief either way. Do you still have Ynnad's cloak?"
"I stuck it in the Infi-Cube that the others kept." As he spoke, a dragon's shadow crept up on them. "If they're still safe, we should go back to the navy base and-"
"EDAK!" Ave screamed, bending her shadow to grab the dragon's and restrain it. The dragon hissed and seemed to slither into the base.
"What was that?!" Edak exclaimed.
"The Negatar Dragon's shadow, I'm sure!" Nollid said. "We have to split now!"
"Quick, on my broom!" Edak mounted his broomstick, the other two joining as they flew away from the cliffside.
"Augh, what's the matter, Void?!" Ridley asked, following the shadow to the brig. "Why don't you get your master to walk you, I…AH?!" Nollid's cell was empty. "AAAAAAHH!"
Ridley soared outside the base immediately, searching the sky beyond the cliff. Spotting the small dot that was the fleeing trio, the pterodactyl shot right after them. He charged and blasted a beam of fire, Edak evading. Ridley caught up and coughed more fireballs, afterwards swooping down to slash them, but a powerful spell from Edak knocked him away. "WAAAH!" Another dragon suddenly launched over and nearly stabbed them with its horned head. They crashed on the deck of a pirate ship called the Raging Riptoc.
"Well, I picked a good time to patrol this area." Ripto remarked in his Dogadon form.
"Perfect timing, Ripto!" Ridley returned. "Burn them!" He blew flames, but Edak shielded them in a Protego.
"Nollid, listen… for some reason, I'm not able to Apparate here." Edak said. "And I'm sure the Negatar Dragon will be here any minute. I want you and Ave to take the broomstick and escape. I know a spell that can at least keep Ridley near me."
"Hey, what're you thinking?!"
"Just come with us, Edak!" Ave pled.
"Just go! I can hijack this ship and catch up after I beat them!"
"Ghh…you better make sure you do, Mr. Noskcaj!"
As Edak drew another symbol with his wand, the barrier dispelled as he cast a magic chain at Ridley. Nollid and Ave flew away, but the pterodactyl was forced to stay near Edak. "Bah! Ripto, chase them!" The Riptoc followed his order, while Ridley proceeded to battle the mage. The minions were afraid to intervene as Edak's powerful spells matched Ridley's strength. Edak conjured magical airships to blast Ridley, the dinosaur using Armament Haki to tank the attacks and smash the ships. Edak dropped comets of magic and bombarded Ridley.
As the battle drew on, Ridley grew fatigued and slumped in his flying. However, Edak found himself in a psychic grip. "You're slipping, Ridley!" Oryps smirked, the purple dragon flapping into the scene. "Can't leave things to such an old fossil."
Edak used a spell to break the psychic, but dealing with both commanders took its toll on the mage. "I'm pretty starved after THAT business!" Ridley sneered. "Here's hoping YOU'LL fill me up!" So, the avian dove to feast on Edak's head.
As Nollid and Ave continued to flee from Ripto, they felt a terrible feeling in their gut.
…
The Monkey Crew made it to Mulavlys, a valley of tall rock formations and white sand. They found a place to rest for a while after taking down some Blade Drivers who served the Meta-Beasts. As they rested, the catgirl Xenoblade woke up. She introduced herself as Ain. She was separated from her Driver, Xer, and was forced to power Krawq's machine with her cursed Water Chi. She was able to use normal waterbending, but couldn't do so very well without her Driver.
They came out of hiding and continued their drive across the valley. "Oh! Big monkey head!" Ylime pointed delightfully.
"?!" It wasn't any monkey head: Andross himself was looming over them. "Are these the little worms Krawq couldn't stop? I guess I'll take care of them myself." His gigantic fist flew down like a meteor, but Hcaz used his Super Fist of Anti-Logic to smack it away with a giant tennis racket. Ycrad used her own racket to play against him, until Hcaz sent it flying back at Andross. The fist burst into a pile of hamburgers that covered Andross.
Unphased by the attack, Andross swung the other hand at their RV and knocked it over. Ylime's apes pushed it back upright, and as Andross cast electricity at them, Hcaz used it to power their massage chairs. The group sat on the chairs in relaxation, but the chairs became overpowered and burst. Hcaz decided to send them back to the store via a catapult, bombarding Andross. "Still no good?! Then how about-"
Andross thrusted a fist down, and while most of them dodged, Monkey Purple wound up crushed and pulverized under his knuckle. "P-P-P-Purple?"
"Don't worry, Ylime!" Hcaz declared. "Super Fist of Anti-Logic, Reboot Resurrection!" He attempted to revive Purple as a professional bounty hunter who was dating a circus clown… but even after using the gag, the monkey stayed dead. "Uh…didn't it sell well?"
"Ha ha ha! Your tomfoolery has no effect on me." Andross smirked. "I've trained my mind against such nonsense. But let's see if you've trained your mind against this?!" The ape touched two fingers to his head.
"AAAAHH!" A horrid ringing sound rattled Hcaz's head, falling to his knees.
"Hcaz, quick, come up with a gag or something!"
"I'm trying, but… I can't! I can't!"
"Now I'll show you true pain! OOF!" A missile blasted the back of his head. Andross turned, finding a small fleet of navy ships, led by Vice-Admiral Raaxul the Clublion. Andross threw a punch at Raaxul's ship, but the alien raised a simple PS Vita. The massive fist was utterly stopped by the tiny console. "?!" Andross glared as his fist was absorbed into the Vita.
"My Vita-Vita Fruit traps anything in my favorite console! I'll keep this hand if you don't mind, Andross!"
"Hah! Seems a little convenient to not have a few weaknesses!" Andross flew down and took a powerful inhale to suck up boulders from the desert. He spat the boulders right back, taking down a few ships.
"Ugh…" Yddam helped her brother stand. As they viewed the battle, they saw something else flying toward the ships. Ylime's keen eyesight made it out: "It Nollid! Nollid!"
"Nollid?!"
The wizard in question had escaped Ripto's pursuit, he and Ave flying for the ship. "I wonder if they know about the others?"
"I hope so…"
"Wait! Nollid doesn't know the navy's our enemy!" Hcaz yelled.
"NOLLID! WAAAIT!" Yddam screamed.
Raaxul recognized Nollid, and though he didn't seem aware of the situation, the vice-admiral quickly caught them in a PS Vita as soon as they landed. "Crud, they got him, too!" Hcaz shouted.
"I FOOOOUND YOOOOU!" Commodore Krawq came marching on a new mech, accompanied by robots. The Monkey Crew boarded the RV and made a retreat.
"We'll have to find another place to lay low. Let's try to call the others about Nollid!"
"Ycrad gone! Ycrad gone!" Ylime jumped.
"WHAT?!"
Ycrad saw Andross sucking in more boulders. She ran to be caught in the vacuum and be spat up at Raaxul's ship. The navy shot down the boulders and Ruxaal caught some in his game. "ARK, ARK!" Ycrad bit him in the neck, causing Raaxul to drop his console, but he punched her off with Haki. "AAAAGH!" Raaxul was zapped by Andross's lightning. Ycrad saw the dropped Vita and ran to grab it. The dimwit took a leap of faith off the ship and landed in a pile of sand. Her head poked out first, clenching the Vita in her teeth, and she pranced across the valley like a wild animal.
"I hope that wasn't your only one." Andross smirked. "I should get my hand back as soon as I crush you!" He charged up more lightning, but Raaxul drew another Vita that displayed Andross through a window. Raaxul tapped Andross's hand with his Haki finger and thrusted it back, then he smooshed Andross's monkey mouth.
…
Ycrad found a cave to hide as she attempted to break Nollid and Ave out of the console. "WHAT THE HECK, GUYS, HOW'D YOU GET IN THERE?! Don't worry, I'mma wreck it, I'mma wreck it good!" Smashing it against a rock did nothing as it was protected by an energy field. Her face displayed in the sky of the game, allowing her, Nollid, and Ave to talk with each other… though her constant shouting did no favors to their ears. The game was LittleBigUniverse, and it seemed to be set on "100 Levels Mode." Nollid conjectured they had to make it through 100 levels before they could escape the game.
Ycrad could use the Vita's touchscreen to manipulate the environment, and she had to do this to help them advance in some areas. Ave's shadowbending could be used to cheat areas, but they heavily had to rely on Ycrad… and given her erratic nature, she would rampantly tap her fingers everywhere. "Come on, Ycrad, we really need you to focus!" Nollid shouted. "Just calm down and listen to me!"
"O…O…OKAY…" Ycrad struggled to compose herself and do as they instructed.
Of course, playing through 100 levels took longer than one would think; about a few days' worth. Ycrad needed time to lay down, rest, and go out to eat the local fauna for sustenance. They were getting close to the end, Ycrad smiling at Level 95. But when she snuck out of the cave for a hunt, a dark laser fired. "Well, whaddya know. I found a cavewoman." Sumas remarked, blowing a cigarette. "Let's get a cracka-lackin'."
Ycrad had to run and hide from the Dark Hunter while trying to help her friends whenever she had to. She dodged Sumas' missiles and jumped in the direction their explosions would push her. With focus more intense than she's ever mustered, Ycrad tapped her friends' way through the 100th level.
"HEY! There's Ycrad!" Hcaz spotted her across the valley. The Monkey Crew had barely shaken the pirates off before they were able to return, but with Ycrad in sight, they drove full speed.
But it was in vain: Sumas fired an energy sphere in an arch that landed before Ycrad, and swallowed her in a dark matter explosion. Before the explosion hit, she kicked the Vita away and out of its range. Nollid and Ave had just finished the level, too, and they sprung out of the console. "It worked! …YCRAD!"
Her body was charred and dead. Nollid and Ave were ridden with guilt. After she worked so hard to help them… she couldn't enjoy the victory.
"Oh, where'd you two come from?" Sumas asked. "No matter. Just more sheep to hunt-"
"AH!" Hpot yanked Sumas back with her shadow and punched the hunter in the visor. "I'm sorry I didn't get here sooner!"
"Miss Hpot!"
"HEY, grab Ycrad and get on!" Hcaz yelled. "The navy and the Black Lotus are our enemies!"
"I'm afraid it's true!" Hpot stated, dodging Sumas' gun. "Better go before I'm forced to stop you!"
Ave used her shadow to lift Ycrad's body into the RV, she and Nollid escaping with their friends. Ylime cried at the sight of her fallen friend: never again would Ycrad humor them with her erratic behavior. They sent a call to check in with the Gem Pirates.
…
After chasing Ruxaal around for a while, Andross finally had him seized in his other hand. "You were more stubborn than I expected, Ruxaal… but your game ends here." He squashed the vice-admiral without remorse. Andross's lost hand would emerge from the discarded Vita, along with its other trapped contents.
Ydnam's Sand Sea
Nega-JP, calling their selves the Gold Medal Pirates, sailed the sands on a spirit-drawn ship, designed like a football with tennis net sails. Earlier, while still on DNKG, Atnij managed to find a kinship with Urasam, the redheaded singers expectedly bonding, and he chose to confide where to find Acanom's dreamscape. The crew sailed to an island brewing with bubbles, set under a darker, but still starlit sky, wherein the soft neon bubbles contrasted splendidly. (Music: "Footlight Lane" from Mario 3D World, to fit with a mystical mountain under a peaceful night.)
The sectormates journeyed up Bathsoap Mountain, jumping bubbly platforms. In some areas, Amadok could sing to call spirits that would blow up some platforms. The enemies here were pretty white bears called Shirokumas, who used various weapons or techniques. Some Shirokumas could project music and compel huge crowds to dance, so Atnij focused his musicbending to forcibly activate them and distract the bears.
At the top of the mountain, the crew encountered a green-haired girl in a white dress. "Hey! What's the big idea breaking my Shirokumas?! Don't tell me you're more party poopers! Or 'rebels' as you sometimes justify yourselves."
"Can it, Greeny!" Uzuy stated. "You're Acanom, right? Word on the street is you know where our friends are being kept."
"Patience, Uzuy." Atnij said. "We speak, of course, for Lady Lorac, Leic, and a band of Lilliputians. We've come to understand they've been taken into Ydnam's custody."
"There's no way I'm just gonna tell you that in the middle of war! And besides… I don't think they'll be waking up any time soon."
"What'd you do to them?!" Nirak shouted.
"N-Nothing! It's just… a couple weeks ago, there was an incident where all of Lady Ydnam's Dreamsand deactivated in the real world. Her nightmares got loose because of those two thieves, and that naughty Atuy brat, so all our citizens woke up. Everyone except those very people. And… I think I figured out what happened."
"Yeah?"
"I think they fell into the Sand Sea. We've sometimes had citizens fall into the sea. Their dreamselves were lost and their real bodies never woke up."
"So… they're just gone forever?!" Ururu exclaimed.
"The Valley of Lost Dreams…" Otokam said.
"AH! Whoa, I totally forgot you were with us, you're so quiet!"
"Gee, thanks. Anyway, I heard about it from some Teensies one time. Whenever dreams are utterly abandoned, dreamscapes dissolve into dark sand and all their inhabitants wind up in an endless desert. Just about anyone can fall into this desert by sinking in any pool of Dreamsand."
"Oh, no!" Acanom gasped. "Is there no way out of there?!"
"Beats me…"
"What if we get, like, a really long fishing line?" Ururu suggested. "Or some scuba gear with a long cord? Let's go salvaging!"
"Actually, I sort of like those ideas." Amadok smiled. "But, instead of fishing… maybe we can send speakers down under the sand, and I can sing a song to… 'uplift' their spirits! Or something. There'll have to be a ton of spirits down there!"
"Sounds crazy enough to work!" Atnij declared. "But, where to find enough speakers?"
"I guess I can make some with my Bubble Dreaming." Acanom figured. "Although, I think we'll find plenty on Urasam's isl-…HEY, wait a minute! The DNK took Urasam prisoner and never gave him back!"
"But that wasn't us!" Ururu reasoned.
"Whatever! I demand you return Urasam to us!"
"You have our word, little lady." Atnij took her hand consolingly. "Please, assist us in calling our friends' spirits up from the depths. Do so and we will kindly bring Urasam back to you."
"Oh…okay! Mm hmhmhmhm!" Acanom flushed.
"She is our enemy…" the girls chorused.
Waking World; Aruhtaz
The Nega-$ Thieves sailed the sands on the Gyrodactyl. Nosam stood T-posed on the bow, hoping that his fair princess will see him from afar. "Ugh, you're calling her a princess now?" Ssiew sighed.
"Yes! The Princess of Thieves!"
After sinking a few sandships and interrogating pirates, they learned that Lorac was taken to Tear Lily Valley. (Music: "Under the Starlight" from Rayman 3.) The valley was composed of lush blue lilies that seemed to cry, and ponds that shone under the moonlight. Ssiew was delighted by all the wondrous flowers, but the battle transpiring all but ruined the peace: Aluza's royal psychicbenders were fighting Galactic Navy mages, trampling the lilies.
Ssiew and Nosam took the liberty of sneaking through the valley amongst the carnage. Their Plant and waterbending were naturally effective in this place bustling with both chis, combatting whatever pirates shifted focus to them. Aside from Psychic Soldiers, there were big-eyed clowns that fired huge teardrops. Their target was a large, tear-shaped spire in the center of the valley, its bright blue blending well with the scenery. There was a side area where they had to solve a maze of giant lilies, which would lead to a sand pool where Narod, one of the TG operatives, lay asleep. Ssiew used her vines to pick him out of the sand and stash the sleeping tiny in her pocket.
On the way, they saw Commander Aluza battling Zul, the Hispanic apprentice mage. Nosam glared. "It's the girl who was being mean to Sipa."
"Should we help her out?" Ssiew asked.
"Nope~"
They snuck past the battle and made it into Teardrop Tower. The ethereal glow of this place made Nosam's heart rise, the boy excitedly rushing up the spiral stairs. Like a fairytale, his princess waited at the top of the tallest tower. Nosam bent away the rushes of water that flowed down the stairs, generated by a Crying Clown at the top. Nosam KO'ed the clown and reached the highest chamber, where Lorac herself slept in a sandpool.
"There she is!" Ssiew beamed, using vines to lift her out of the pool. "Well… I guess now's the time, Nosam." She looked away in cringe.
…
In the Dream Realm, the Gold Medal Crew worked with Acanom and the sleeping Urasam to construct a giant megaphone. They sailed out to the Sand Sea and lowered the megaphone into the depths via a crank. Afterwards, Amadok began to sing a lovely song.
Her notes radiated throughout the entire desert. The Lost Dreamers hadn't heard anything this wonderful in ages. "Hey, where are all the spirits going?!" Lorac asked.
"To wherever that song is coming from!" Leic cheered. "Lorac! That's Amadok! I recognize it anywhere!"
"Amadok?! But how?"
"Let's just go see!" Leic raced in that direction, Lorac and Atuy following.
The spirits were climbing each other to grab the megaphone. The trio used them to climb up as well. The spirits ascended and carried them higher, pressing them against the sandy ceiling. They were practically drowning in the sand, bracing their selves and trusting the dreamers to bring them out of the darkness.
"HUUUUUUU!" Lorac, Atuy, and Leic breathed in the fresh, outer air.
"THERE THEY ARE!" Ururu exclaimed.
"I can't believe it worked!" Acanom yelled.
"Acanom?!" Atuy glared.
"And Sector -JP!" Lorac yelled. "Don't tell me you were captured?!"
"No, we just used a friend of ours to get this far." Nirak answered. "Other operatives should be rescuing your main bodies as we speak."
"What?!" Acanom yelped.
"Then Leic, try to wake us up!"
"You got it!" Leic drew his sword, slashed Lorac, and her body vanished, the TG kids dropping out of her pants.
…
Nosam bent romantically over Lorac's slumbering face. Closing his eyes, his lips lowered to kiss hers—Lorac woke up and, utterly startled, she KICKED Nosam directly against the wall. "NOSAM?! Oh, crud, did I just end up in my own nightmare?!"
"Lorac!" Ssiew beamed.
"Ssiew? W-where are we?"
"It's a long story, but this is Planet Aruhtaz. Nosam came with us to find you. You were stuck in the Dreamsand, so Nosam tried to…"
"Oh…eh heh." She looked to the dizzy-eyed Nosam with a blush. "Leave it to you to do that. Either way, I'm actually glad to see you, Nosam." As she helped him up into a sit (high enough to be level with the Hobbit-size thief), Lorac gave him a, "Mmmmmwah!" to the cheek. Nosam turned a bright shade of red.
As they exited the tower, the three saw Zul pinned under Aluza's enlarged tears. "HEY!" Zul called. "You're Nosam, right? Please, help me!"
"You know her?" Lorac asked.
"No!" Nosam yelled. "You were mean to Nerehc's girlfriend! You took her and the others hostage!"
"What?!" Aluza gasped. "You mean you bullied these kids, too?! That's so awful!"
"I'm sorry!" Zul cried. "I was just following orders, I never would've done any of this if—ergh…" Her train of thought betrayed her.
"Nosam, shouldn't we…" Lorac said.
"Your rescue is our priority, Lorac! Let's go!" Nosam lifted her on his shoulders and ran. Ssiew followed.
"Come back!" Aluza cried. "I'll help you save them! Let me be your HOOOOOPE!"
Giant twin Tear Whales grew from her eyes, chasing them as they surfed up a river via Nosam's bending. They maneuvered around several obstacles and escaped successfully, returning to their ship. "D'oh…they've escaped." Aluza sniffled, her eyes dry. "I really am a losa."
"You sure are…" Zul struggled.
Aluza stomped and KO'ed her. "Better drink some more Teary Tea!" She raised a cup of tea made from the Tear Lilies and took a sip. (It didn't look much different from water.)
…
Sector -W, the Happy-Scare Pirates, learned that Leic was imprisoned in a fortress called the Toy House. It was a colorful fortress that looked like a stack of Christmas presents on the outside, and the inside had many children's playrooms. They jumped merry-go-round platforms, fought rocking horse enemies, and slid long slides where they had to jump obstacles. There were other giant toy enemies being controlled via puppet strings, but were easy for Yllas and Yevrah to cut down.
They found Ragus inside of a large, dark room, examining Leic's body. "These Gigai are quite fascinating… They feel more lifelike than any doll I know. Including me, tee hee. But I doubt they can age like a real body. Boy, wouldn't that be nice." She turned to face her visitors.
"It's that girl again!" Yevrah gasped. "The one who worked for Medusa and the Anarchists!"
"Oh, those guys were old news. Lady Ydnam is my master now! I wonder what kind of destruction she'll bring? Or if she'll wind up being destroyed in this war? Who knows, eee hee hee hee! Since you're here, why don't I show you my favorite puppet? Wanna guess who I made it after?"
Lights turned on, the kids horrified as an enormous puppet, resembling Ragus's father, loomed above them with a wide grin and peering eyes. (Music: "Puppet Ganon" from Wind Waker.) When the puppet thrusted its fists and legs, Yllas and Yevrah would slice the strings with their bladed tops. When only one string was left to hold up the father, it collapsed to the floor. The twins sliced its limbs off, but Ragus tugged another string and made spider legs grow from the body. She would make the spider rise and spin against the ground in attempt to crush them. The twins would throw their tops to catch and tugs its legs in the opposite direction, halting its spin. When it hit the floor, they would slice the strings binding the legs.
Ragus began to make the puppet slide around like a snake, ramming the twins. Yllas and Yevrah donned Topman Armor, allowing them to spin rapidly and ram the snake to stop its charge. When one had it stopped, the other would slice off a segment of the snake starting from the back. When enough segments were cut, Ragus made it bounce around like an erratic worm, but enough cuts were able to destroy the puppet completely. With that, they spun over to Ragus and knocked her out.
Ynohtna tickled Leic in attempt to wake him up. "Sigh, I knew you would." Ibyf sighed. "Hurry, let's get out of here. We should take her as a prisoner, too."
"Leaving so soon, are you?" an echoing voice spoke. (Play "Constraint" from Cold Steel IV!)
The kids jumped around, facing up at an upper entrance to the room. A new figure jumped down, a man with a creepily friendly smile. His long, spiked hair was a golden-pale-blonde, his skin was pale with nails blue, and his eyes possessed an array of rainbow pastel tones. He wore a blood-red turtleneck on his muscular body and tan hakama pants. The collar of his shirt had a black, oozing blood design, and he wore a cap of a similar design.
"Ah, such poor children." He grinned, fangs visible. "I can feel the gloom radiating from you. You may call me Doma. I am Captain Ydnam's faithful 'Darkness Dumpster.'" (from Demon Slayer)
"A Darkness Dumpster?" Yllas questioned. "How'd you end up with the crappy job?"
"You misunderstand. Lady Ydnam's goal is to spread happiness to everyone… but some mortals are too stubborn. They resist the effects of her Bubble Dreaming and try to corrupt her dreamscape… so, those mortals have to be disposed of. Who better for that task than I~?" Doma did a twirl, the kids taking a step back.
"Yaaaawn…" They looked as Leic woke up. "Boy, was that a nap and a half. Hehe, I feel tickly for some reason. Oh, Sector -W! What're you…?!" Upon sensing the evil aura, Leic jumped to his feet and took the front line. "A vampire?!"
"Is that what he is?" Ibyf asked.
"Wait… I think I've seen you in the SKND's files. You're Doma! 200 years ago, you were part of a cult where you ate people alive!"
"If you've heard of me, then you must understand. My duty was to bring salvation to those who were doomed to lose it! As we all know, good mortals go to the Spirit World when they die, while bad mortals are doomed to the Underworld. But when Count Dracula made me what I am, I found my life's purpose: to give those hapless souls a place inside me~"
"That's disgusting!" Yllas retorted.
"Yeah! The inside of a tummy isn't as warm as you think!" Ynohtna declared.
"Uh…yeah!…what?" Yevrah said.
"Cry-hy-hy-hy-hy!" Doma laughed. "You two, the bucktoothed boy and the angel, are swimming with happiness… but those other three, especially the Nimbi, are clouds of gloom. I'll swallow you three and show you true paradise!" He opened his palms as frozen brambles emerged.
"He's an icebender." Leic observed. "Sorry, but the only thing you'll be eating is butterflies. Luckily, vampires fall in my jurisdiction, t-…?!" He was unable to draw his Zanpakutō. "I coulda sworn I just… wait! I'm still in my Gigai!"
"Tehehehe!" Ragus woke up, weakly pushing herself up. "While you were asleep, I stuck a few little stitches in your Gigai. Just a special little technique that binds your soul to it! I anticipated you waking up eventually and knew you would try to fight Doma."
"Such a pure little angel would've warmed my belly perfectly. Maybe I can still have you if the captain will permit me. For now…" The demon lashed the brambles, but the kids dodged.
"Guys, let's get outta here!" Leic encouraged, the five racing back through the fortress. As Doma pursued, he drew out Japanese war fans and waved them at the kids, casting waves of frost that froze the floor, and would've frozen the group had they not dodged. Ibyf threw back Fear Spheres to impede the vampire, but only held him back slightly.
As they hurried down a tight corridor, Yevrah's feet wound up frozen to the floor by one of his waves. Seeing Doma coming, Yllas immediately leapt to shatter the floor ice and throw Yevrah to the others, but Doma grabbed the sister and froze her solid. Yevrah furiously threw his bladed top, but it froze, and despite Ibyf's added Scare Scream, there was nothing to stop Doma from eating Yllas like a popsicle.
"YLLAS!!" Yevrah fumed. "YOU FUCKER, I'LL KILL YOU!"
"No, we have to run!" Ibyf yelled, pulling him along. "We'll end up eaten, too, if we fight him!"
"Don't worry! Your friend is at peace now, and soon you'll be, too!"
They managed to evade Doma's ice until they exited the fortress, but feared they couldn't get their boat ready in time before he caught up. Fortunately, Doma stopped upon receiving a call. "Hm? What is it, Wodahs?"
"Doma, if you're not busy, I need backup! The Mushrooms are attacking Zen Highway with their new weapons!"
"My, my… well, at least I got to enjoy one morsel. Ta-ta for now, children!" With that, Doma became a bat and flew elsewhere.
The kids caught their breath on the deck of their ship. "Yllas…" Ynohtna began to cry. "I can't believe she's gone…"
"Sis…" Yevrah wept.
"Let's call everyone else ASAP." Ibyf said. "We have to warn them about that demon…" (End song.)
…
The Gold Medal Pirates chose to honor their agreement and bring Urasam to a designated area. This area was the Bike Lands, where bike tracks splayed like highways over and around the Sand Sea. (Music: "Excitebike Arena" from Mario Kart!)
The Despairagers were fighting Galactic Navy cadets; some of the pirates from the A.U. Crew, Division 1-B. Urasam thanked the operatives before running to help his friends. The Gold Medals used this opportunity to explore the Bike Lands in search of prisoners, with Amadok and Atnij staying to guard the ship. Ururu, Nirak, and Uzuy were naturals on the bikes, and by beating the Racerkumas along the different courses, they could win treasure chests. There were platforming segments where they jumped giant pedals and grind-rail segments where Nirak and Uzuy had to throw their tennis and footballs at targets to open the way. There was a part where Ururu had to loop around the inside of a spherical cage and hit switches. This would free the next TG operative, Dnis.
The crew arrived at an indoor skatepark where a tan-skinned boy, whom they recognized as Atuy, was lying in a sand pool. While ready to save him regardless, they didn't ignore the broken Shirokumas laying around: the only other person here was Ikullim Kcydloz. "Who goes there?! You with them Despairagers?!"
"It's a Galactic Navy guy!" Ururu pointed. "We're with the Daring Pirates, buddy!"
"Same thing either way! I'm Lieutenant Ikullim, and I'm placing you under arrest!"
"We ain't about to be arrested by some brainwashed tool!" Uzuy retorted.
"I…grrr! Brainwashed or no, I have a duty to uphold to my family!"
"Yeah, so do we. At least we're doing it by choice."
"Shut it! I may not like this turn of events, but I will exercise my free will as much as I can! So, I will willingly get in the mindset of capturing you!" He raised two footballs and got on a skateboard.
"Looks like we got something in common." Uzuy prepared her metal footballs. "Leave him to me, girls."
She took her own skateboard and chased Ikullim around the park. His Throw Fruit power was able to knock her off with precise hits. On top of that, he could also see the trajectory of Uzuy's throws and either dodge or grab her footballs to use against her. But as the battle drew on, Uzuy began to memorize the skate course's layout. She began to rampantly swing her football around her body, distorting the trajectory in Ikullim's vision, then she kicked it to bounce against the walls or threw at other surprising angles to bash Ikullim in either the head or nuts. She also got accustomed to dodging his manipulated throws.
Uzuy was able to knock Ikullim out cold, the girls binding him up and stuffing him in an Infi-Cube. They then pulled Atuy out of the pool, and Uzuy woke him up by holding her armpit close by. "Uck, P.U.!" Atuy squirmed awake. "What the fuck is…huh? I-I'm awake?!"
"Yeah, you're welcome." Uzuy said. "You were the kid with Lorac and Leic, right?"
"Oh, yeah, it's you guys. Thanks. After you left, that Acanom brat tried to Bubble me."
"'Guess it's good that we came." Nirak said. "If you're against them, I guess you'll be willing to work with us."
"Sure. But listen, there's another person I wanna try to save. Captain Ydnam's daughter, Ydnic."
"You know where she is?"
"Probably at her palace…"
…
There was someone else that Ssiew wanted to rescue: Detective Amo. After interrogating a few pirates, they recommended searching "Fort Prime," a mechanical tower that flew the Horde's logo. (Music: "Cobalt Base" from Color Splash.) It seemed the fortress was under attack by the Meta-Beasts, where Gnosis were possessing the Horde Droids and making them shoot the Hordaks.
"Oclaf, you're going the wrong way!" Up above, Ztar Xof were fighting Horde ships, with the falcon's ship flailing aimlessly.
"NYAH, I CAN DO IT, I CAN!" Oclaf landed and made his ship do backflips, crushing several Hordaks before shooting lasers to blow an opening in the base.
Lorac and Acificap snuck across the battlefield with their natural abilities. They infiltrated the base via this opening and snuck up the tower, stealth-KOing several Hordaks. In one room, they were hit with gusts of air bent by Oyib, the largest tiny of Sector TG. His eyes were green as he wore a chip on his neck. The duo fought Oyib and managed to knock him out, tie him up, and pocket him away. The girls reached a maze of hallways that had no cameras, but upon hearing a guard coming, they hid into separate vents and saw them walk by: it was the very boy they were looking for, the black-clothed detective brainwashed. The girls shared knowing nods that neither could really see—but it was then Amo threw a gas grenade through Acificap's vent and gassed her unconscious. Lorac gasped.
"Did you think I wouldn't notice you girls sneaking through here?" Three Hordaks walked in. "Prime sees all. Prime knows all."
In his control room, Prime's monitors displayed the clones' vision. "There is nowhere you can hide that I can't-"
"IS IT THIS BUTTON?!" Oclaf burst through the room's window and RAMMED Prime against the wall, crushing him dead.
One of the Primes in the maze shook his head. "Oof! Annoying bird! Take care of those intruders, little brothers. I'll deal with the gnats."
"Yes, Elder Brother." Amo nodded. After Prime left, Amo focused his Haki and saw Lorac's footprints leading to the other vent. She was already crawling away, exiting on a different part of the maze. The Hordaks split up to search for her while Amo followed her prints through the vents. Whenever he spotted her out in the open, Amo would shoot shock darts at the thief. Lorac led the detective in circles and stealth-KO'ed the Hordaks first. When it was only him remaining, Lorac would wait just outside a vent and attempt to KO him, but he matched her attacks and tried to shoot her. Lorac ran again, and this time Amo would throw a gas grenade before exiting the vents, in case Lorac was waiting outside. However, this impeded his own exit, so he was forced to retreat and find another exit. Lorac anticipated this and ambushed him then, her quick punches chi-blocking and disabling the detective.
Unfortunately, more Hordaks walked in and grabbed Acificap, taking her away. A horde of them blocked Lorac from saving her friend. As she cubed Amo, Lorac considered her options, the Hordaks lining up to shoot her. "AH!" She was pulled into a Shadow Veil, slithering out of the room. When they were safe, she and her savior emerged. "Ydolem?!"
"Shhh! You don't have to worry about Acificap. There are too many enemies here, so it's best to rescue her later."
"W-what're you doing here?!"
"The Meta-Beasts are making me look for a Moebian dog woman. It's hard to explain, but she's really important to the Ant King."
"Well, you can come with us!"
"I can't! I'm afraid they'll hurt my friends if I abandon the mission."
"But, you can't trust that they won't betray you afterward!"
"I know, but… somehow, I feel, at least, the Ant King will keep his word. Compared to other villains I've seen, there's something… different about him. And the way he feels about this woman is special. I feel like I need to help him…"
"Urgh…" Lorac didn't understand her logic. "If you say so."
"Anyway, I searched this whole base and I don't think she's here. I'll help you escape."
"Okay. Sigh…we'll come back for you, Acificap, promise."
…
Somewhere nearby, Aluben killed several Gnosis using fossils she carried in her Infi-Cube. But those fossils would be scattered into matter by Tachyon himself. "As soon as I saw you on that asteroid, you were my first priority! You're definitely Nebula's Negative, I'd recognize you anywhere!"
"You know Nebula? Do you wanna be friends??"
"Far from it! If I destroy you, her death is all but assured! This is perfect!" He tried to grab Aluben in his matterbending, but Aluben focused her own bending to twist Tachyon's bones, causing his grip to weaken. "What?! I'm a Logia, how are you doing that?!"
"Logia doesn't protect you from the inside!"
"Then what if I do this?!" Tachyon scattered his own body, breaking Aluben's hold. He merged with the earth's matter and bent it up to crush her, but Aluben rode some fossils skyward. Aluben bent fossils up from beneath the earth to force Tachyon into reforming, attempting to bend him then. The battle persisted for a while until Tachyon received a call, flying away from his foe. "What is it, Krawq? …Miyuki was kidnapped?! The mafia?! How could you let this happen?! I don't care if it was Andross's fault, you…grr, this isn't over, Ablu…whatever your name is!" Tachyon left the Gnosis and returned to his ship, changing course for Toadstool World.
…
About a day after Ztar Xof left the fort, they received a call. Xof answered it, Ydolem riding in his Arwing. "This is Xof McSun, report."
"It's me, Xof…"
The two jumped. "Y-Your Majesty! Um, we still haven't found-"
"Don't waste my time. You would've reported earlier if you did. Besides… I've already deduced where she is."
"You… have?" Ydolem asked.
"Yes… follow these coordinates. Komugi is there, I'm positive. I'm counting on you…"
"Of course! …Your Highness." Xof winced. The king's behavior had become unusual from what he had known.
…
The Gold Medal Pirates sailed to the Palace of Dreams amidst a battle between Meta-Beasts and Smiles, with some Metroids eating the heads off Horde and Yllib clones. They were expecting this mission to be difficult, but they weren't expecting… that. (Music: "Ikana Castle" from Majora's Mask.)
The Ant King hovered ominously against the full moon. He mustered a powerful flame and fired at the very moon, incinerating and replacing it with a golden sun. The sky brightened to yellow and the Dreamsand dulled. The king blasted his next attack on the castle, until Ydnam intercepted it with a gush of sand. The sand turned into glass fractals, but the queen readily bent up waves from the surrounding sea, directing it all against the raging king.
It was a godly, picturesque sight, the two Emperors dueling under a golden sky. But the operatives couldn't waste time to admire it, breaching the palace bravely. As they fought down guards, parts of the palace rumbled and crumbled, creating unique platforming segments.
They were ambushed by Ekusas, the white-cloaked ninja. "Pardon me, ladies, but it's far too dangerous to be trespassing right now. Shall I waltz you to the exit?"
"That won't be necessary, my good sir." Atnij remarked smoothly. "My ladies delight in waltzing through danger."
"You'll be a shame of a man if these ladies got injured under your guidance."
"We'll see who's a shameful man first."
The girls and Atuy left him to his battle and kept going. But it wasn't long before they encountered Okotok, the Sinalaf leaping to kick Ururu down. Naturally, the tall athlete took the liberty of fighting the high-soled fighter: Ururu had mastered the Moon Walk technique and used it to mimic Okotok's Step-Step attacks. Ururu would grab and perform massage techniques on Okotok to steadily weaken her consciousness.
The remaining kids finally found Ydnic's room. "Atuy! I'm so glad to see you again! Would you like to have a mid-war tea party?"
"What?! Wait…" Atuy's shadow had snuck behind her to see. "Guys, she's wearing one of Horde Prime's chips! She's brainwashed!"
"Can we save her if we break it?" Nirak asked.
"No, it's connected to her nervous system. Let's just knock her unconscious and get here out of here."
Ydnic pulled out a remote and made robot unicorns attack them. While Nirak smashed them with tennis balls, Atuy was able to catch Ydnic in Shadow Possession and K.O. her. They fought their way back through the castle and saw Ururu standing victorious over Okotok, while Atnij and Ekusas found a brotherly understanding and shook hands. But Ekusas was too exhausted to stop them from taking Ydnic.
Ydnam crashed like a meteor amongst a sea of sand-sized shards. The glass stuck into her charred wounds as the king prepared to drop a meteor on her. "YOUR MAJESTY!"
The king whipped about-face. Ydolem and Xof were standing atop a distant sand dune… with Komugi bound in the former's shadow. The king lunged over immediately. "You were right! She really was in the town! She was in the candy store's basement!"
"Komugi… is it really you?!"
"Er! I love… Horde Prime!"
"What?!"
"She's brainwashed!" Ydolem yelled. "This chip on her neck is controlling her!"
"Komugi… do you recognize my voice?"
"S…S…Supreme Leader?"
"Let's return to the palace, Komugi…" The king took her hands. "All these weeks without Gungi… without you… they've all been empty."
"Supreme Leader…" She kept squirming, welling up with emotions. "These pirates kept saying… they rescued me from you… That you were an evil king… a monster…"
"Is that what you choose to believe, Komugi?"
"N-no… you made me feel special… like no one else has. Playing Gungi with you… made me so happy."
"Then come with me. We'll play Gungi… for eternity."
"Sniff…sniff…sniff…" Tears and snot spilled from her. "SUPREME LEADER!"
The emotions overwhelmed the chip and shattered it. Komugi fell into the king's arms. The idea that such a monster could hold a woman so affectionately… Team Ztar Xof was in awe. "Komugi… earlier, you asked for my name. But… the truth is, I…"
Xof and Ydolem shared a glance. He was almost willing to tell the king the name his mother gave him.
As Ydnam groggily climbed out of the glass, she saw the Gold Medalists running off with her daughter. "HEY! Where are you taking Ydnic?!"
"Away from you, you crazy old bat!" Atuy yelled.
"Maybe DON'T antagonize the Yonko?!" Nirak questioned.
"G-Give her back… Ydnic is happy here."
"She hated working under you and you know it! You had to fucking brainwash her to make her happy, just like you did everyone else!"
"N-no… everyone is… happy here… Ydnic loves me… Ydnic is my sweet, precious daughter… Ydnic… don't say such awful things… Why would you…" The queen looked over to the king, holding Komugi dearly. How could such an innocent woman… love that monster? Ydnam's crewmen saved her. She should be grateful. Why did she love that monster… more than happiness? Why? Why? Why?
Ydnam glared into the billions of shards. Within those tiny fragments, she could see herself. No… it was her Positive. Her evil, negative Positive was glaring from billions of reflections. Her voice echoed from all of them. "Families get sick of each other… Friendships die. They crumble to dust…dust…DUST… and it piles into a desert of broken dreams and scattered memories. Unrecognizable… DEAD!"
Her anger surging, Ydnam bent the glass up into a storm. The storm swarmed over them. Ydolem grabbed Xof and hid in a Veil, while Yppils used metal shields to protect the others. Eventually, the storm settled down… (Play "Kingdom of Predators" from Hunter Hunter.)
Komugi hung limp in his arms. Her body was riddled with holes… and blood… Her head was shielded by the king's arms, but her heart was cut cleanly through. He could feel a pulse… but her life was fading. Ydolem and Xof could see it… that darkness in the king's eyes. That gloom. To be reunited with his precious… and have her swiftly stripped away. "L-Let's take her back to Arim." Xof stuttered. "Surely, one of the doctors can-"
"No." Ydolem said. "I know some people… who can do it better. The DNK will definitely save her."
"Y-You can't…"
Silence followed. The king merely stared at Ydolem… and they feared his response. "…Xof…" He stepped forward slowly and lay Komugi in Xof's arms. "Escort Ydolem… to the DNK's base… and have them treat her."
"But…"
"…I'm counting on you…"
The fox felt the king's eyes, and his words, peer into his soul… and he cried… "I will… M…M…Meruem."
". . . . . ." The king viewed the sky. The yellow sky cast by his flames. "Meruem… so… that's it. It was inside me… all along."
The king marched toward Ydnam. A maelstrom of glass rose behind the enraged queen. "…I've no interest in finishing such a pitiful creature."
The king flew back to his flagship. Ztar Xof took off as well. "… … !!!!!! AAAAAAAHHHH!" An explosion of glass sliced across the valley under Ydnam's fury.