Sector IC
Jacques and Winter descended to the hangar's level on a hovercraft, and Augustus Fizzuras lowered on his plane, the Deadly Baby Trio in the back. "You there! Are you Miyuki Crystal?" Jacques asked.
"Yeah, she is." Terry answered, the girl in question casting a look back.
"The GKND told me you attacked my mom!" Augustus shouted. "Her name's Henrietta. Sound familiar?"
"I was talking to her first, young man!" Jacques retorted.
"Shut it, Whitey!" Rallo snapped.
"Quiet!" Winter ordered. "Why did you sneak into our mansion? And why were you disguised as my sister?"
"Alright then… I'll show you." Miyuki withdrew Verglora. "I was trying to free the spirit in this mask."
"The mask!" Jacques exclaimed. "You…YOU'RE the one who stole it!"
"Father, what is that mask?"
"Th-That's our family treasure! How dare you!"
"How dare you, Jacques. I've reviewed this mask's history, and it would seem you regularly harness its chi to make improvised weapons. Weapons such as Darkness Bombs to drop on your enemies."
"M-My company is known for manufacturing weapons, what difference does that make?"
"Hey, I still ain't getting any answers!" Augustus yelled. "Why did you attack my mom?!"
Miyuki dropped Verglora on the floor, along with the masks of Pea, Jinta, and Whitley. "That looks like… Pea."
"That's Whitley's face!" Winter gasped.
"These people have the power to break the mask's seal. I changed them into masks so they could recall that power."
"It makes more sense when you know the story!" Suki insisted.
"Change my son back this minute!"
"I can't change them back. Only Supreme Leader Cheren can do that. As soon as he gets here, we'll break the mask's seal, then he'll play the Song of Healing to restore these people."
"Song of Healing?" Augustus repeated. "We don't need Cheren for that. I have someone that can-"
"AWOOOOOOOLLL!" A gigantic centipede-like demon burst from the ground, ramming the ships from beneath. Augustus's plane went spiraling, Winter had to freeze herself to their craft, while Jacques dissolved into dust to stay afloat. The colossal centipede curled and smashed the other ships out of the air, its monstrous mask facing down at the operatives venomously.
Majora flew down onto the beast's head. "I call this baby MMetalmold! I created him a while ago, and with so MMany guests here, now seems like a good time to bust him out."
"MAJORA!" Terry exclaimed.
"MMaidens, this is your first warning!" Majora announced as Augustus was steering his plane up toward him. Maggie aimed her rifle at Metalmold's eye while Stewie launched missiles at Majora. "Release the seal on MMy child or I will kill everyone present! Starting with," he whipped the missiles, exploded them, and dove through the smoke. Augustus ducked the plane in evasion, but Majora's whip had snagged Rallo by the neck. He yanked the afro-headed child out of the plane and BASHED Rallo against Metalmold's armor, cracking his neck.
"RALLO!" Stewie screamed.
"YOU FUCKER!" Augustus returned around and chucked his spinning Gobstopper at Majora, the solid candy drilling against his face. Metalmold dove its head down at the plane, but August dodged.
Majora flew to the hangar edge. "That goes for you all, too! We can't wait for Cheren with all these intruders, the time to free Verglora is now!"
"You're the best, Father! Ha hah!"
"Once MMetalmold is through with these clowns, we'll set our sights on town next. Understand, MMaidens?"
"NO!" Suki yelled. "All Sissy had to do was apologize! We didn't have to hurt anyone, anymore!"
"They wouldn't have listened. These people desired nothing short of revenge. But we can't have that before our heroine can fulfill her destiny."
"Miyuki, tell this fucker off!" Terry ordered. "You didn't want anyone to die, right?!"
"No… I didn't!" Miyuki curved her brows in a glare. "Zanifr, why couldn't you have-"
"AAAGH!" Jacques flew into the hangar and KICKED Miyuki away with an Earth Dust leg. The president's furious visage was directed at her teammates. "And you! Did you five have any part in her schemes?!"
"No…" George answered seriously. "No we didn't! Miyuki betrayed us and ran off on her own!"
Hearing George provide that answer made Terry an ounce happier. "Damn right! She's been hurting our operatives this whole time!"
"Then quit standing like buffoons and seize her!"
"Whatever." Lola responded neutrally. The four teammates approached the grounded Miyuki with faint sympathy.
"Sorry, Miyuki." MaKayla said. "Maybe your destiny just isn't now."
"Why would you say that~?" Majora landed to protect Miyuki, placing on his own mask. "This is just another MMenial obstacle!" A dark portal expanded, swallowing the four teammates up.
"Wah—hey!" George tried to yell out.
Miyuki pushed herself up, but saw Jacques moving to take the masks. She leapt and stabbed the floor before him. "How dare you! That mask is Schnee property!"
"Shouldn't you care more about your children?!" Winter surfed into the hangar, opposite of Jacques with her sword raised at Miyuki. "Stand down. We'll take these masks to Cheren ourselves."
Miyuki calmly glanced between them with her scythe raised. "Suki, take Jacques. I can handle…?" She turned, seeing Suki about to enter the shrinking portal. "Suki?"
The little sister faced her with a scowl. "I don't need to apologize, Sissy. I…I don't think being a bad guy is fun." She jumped into the portal before it vanished.
"Sounds like that child has some common sense!" Jacques blew Wind Dust at Miyuki, but she froze the wind's time, then spun her scythe to deflect Winter's icicles.
With the three masks touching Verglora, Jinta, Pea, Whitley, and the Maidens were floating in the same dark space, where the spirit rested trapped in a layered bubble. "I don't know if Augustus can hold that monster off!" Pea said. "Please, can't we just break the seal?"
"We can't trust Majora to call the monster off." Lyara replied.
"We should wait for Link's reincarnation as instructed." Araea said.
"I just want to get out of here!" Whitley shouted.
"We can't, you idiot!" Jinta argued. "Grrr, but I'm sick of just being helpless in here. Why can't we just break the seal, anyway? If Miyuki is this thing's Guardian, she can just seal it in her Pokéball."
"As far as I see, she's still unworthy to carry that thing." Flaru said.
"Well, we sure ain't gonna let her get away! As soon as backup arrives, they'll stop Miyuki AND this monster! We might as well take the chance of them calling it off!"
"Yes! Please, let's just do it!" Pea insisted.
"We shouldn't!" Flaru said.
"Hmph…" Jinta huffed. "…Then why don't we try to do it ourselves?"
"Only we know the incantations."
"Well, if you're supposed to be us, let's try to remember them."
"Say, that's not a bad idea." Miyuki said, Rewinding Jacques to a position where his Fire Dust would end up burning Winter.
"You can hear us?!" Lyara exclaimed.
"Why don't you just review each other's memories?!" Miyuki squatted down to touch Pea's mask. She contacted her chi with both spirits inside the mask and interlinked their pasts.
…
Suki and Sector IC landed inside a large room with ethereal walls made of moving multi-colored darkness. "I MMade a replica of the room where I battled both Cheren and Link, inside MMy personal dark dimension!" Majora loomed above them. "Figured I would keep you busy in here. But shouldn't you be helping your sister, little one?"
"I can't take it, anymore! You're an awful man and you made my sister do awful things!"
"I didn't MMake her do anything. MMiyuki chose this fate. She longed for the path of evil! That's why she tried to warn you to stay away! And now you suddenly decide to abandon her?"
"I'm not abandoning her. I'm gonna help her by getting rid of you!"
"We've let you run around for long enough, Majora!" MaKayla declared, her Chrono Staff raised. "But it's over!"
"Don't be so naïve. We demons are eternal… and MMajora is eternal! You'll soon see with your own eyes!" (Play "Majora's Wrath" from Zelda!)
Boss fight: Majora
Majora flew around and lashed his whips down at the group. Terry grabbed his sister and pulled her in a shadow in evasion, while George focused his bending to Stop the whips. MaKayla was able to run up one and tried to bash him, but Majora kicked a Darkball down—he struck her Paradox Clone as Kayla ran up the other whip, but he reacted to kick her again—meanwhile, the third Kayla got partway behind and allowed Lola to spank her up. She bashed Majora in the head with her staff, bringing him down as he released the whips. George dispelled the Stop as Terry grabbed a whip and lashed the troll. He took one hit before seizing the whip's other end and flinging Terry away. He did a spin attack to knock the others away and flew across the room.
Lola seized the other whip, ran closer, and engaged him in a long-range whip clash. The whips' ends enwrapped each other—Suki immediately grabbed Lola's whip and froze ice along them both, freezing Majora's hand as well. Suki then zoomed across the ice whips; Majora blasted Darkballs, but Suki curved at different angles along the whip before stabbing her icicle arm into his chest. The God Tier pushed her off and decided to smash his frozen hand off, knowing it would reform. He flew away and decided to put on a jester's hat, transforming into a taller form with jester clothes and a unicycle, but still defined by his self-named mask.
Majora zoomed around on the cycle and juggled clown heads, which he would throw down at the group as bombs. MaKayla's Rewind Deflect could knock them back, but since the bombs only returned to the throwing point, they only missed the swift jester. George Stopped a bomb and began to thrust rapid punches against it, building its momentum. Lola and Terry saw this and flew to lure Majora in George's trajectory. George's Stop wore off as his Stasis Launch blasted the bomb into Majora with great speed. The jester fell off his unicycle, so Lola flew to spank him in the behind. Majora leapt up with a start, bouncing as he clutched his rear. Suki slid up from the front, but Majora turned and dropped a bomb from his rear, blasting her back.
Majora ditched the jester hat and donned a metal helmet. He curled up in a large metal shell like an armadillo. He rolled to crush the kids, but George mustered another Stop, leaving MaKayla to bash him from the side. Majora broke free of the Stop, but didn't fall over, and while George tried to avoid, the giant wheel still bumped and knocked him down. Suki created her own ice-made wheel and chased the armadillo. She cut the corner and managed to ram him from the side, causing Majora to drag against the wall. She molded the ice to freeze him against the wall before breaking herself out. The ice cracked as he broke free, but rolled much slower as they could see his shivering. "I guess it's not insulated in there." MaKayla figured.
Majora unraveled and tossed the helmet away. He threw on a gold Mayan crown and turned into a totem pole entity with dart cannons along its segments. The darts homed in on the kids as Majora rotated and slid around the floor, making sure the Rewind Deflects couldn't hurt him. They noticed that the cannons would flip and reveal targets after shooting, then to flip back into cannons. Suki froze icicles along the floor to slow Majora's movement. Terry helped Lola slide up to the bottom segment so she could SPANK one of the targets, the force causing it to detach from the totem. Majora was unable to move freely, so MaKayla Rewinded the darts back against the targets and struck them all. The segments exploded afterward, leaving Majora's head to drop down. Suki shot her own icicle darts into his eyes.
Majora discarded that form and put on a pterodactyl mask. The prehistoric avian took to the air and barfed a stream of purple ooze onto the floor. "The hell kind of pterodactyl is this?!" Terry asked. Suki tried to freeze the ooze, but its Dark Chi substance steadily melted her power. Lola flew up and used gigantified hands to force the beast's mouth closed, but Majora could perform a drill attack and force her into the wall. Lola managed to keep him pushed back and slipped out. She dropped down, then shot up into the dactyl's belly, sinking her fangs into the soft part of his skin. While he was trying to shake her off, Terry stretched his shadow to catch the beast in a Shadow Possession. It wasn't very strong in the faint light of this room, but he was able to strangle Majora's neck.
He abandoned that form and whipped Lola away; the dark ooze dispelled, too. Majora flared with a dark aura and grew two extra arms, each holding whips. The whips flew wildly around the room, like being directly inside an omnidirectional fan. MaKayla Stopped him in time; they almost wanted to observe the unique angles of the whips, but they used this chance to gang up on the troll. George shot Chrono Beams, Lola Spank Hands, Terry pelted Shade Fists, and Suki erected icicles from the floor to stab him. When Majora became mobile, his whipping faltered from the damage, but his arms recomposed, wrapped the kids in whips, and threw them apart, except for Suki. Majora spun spiked tops into being and sent them to explode against Suki, and when she tried to fly up with Ice Wings, Majora whipped her down.
MaKayla formed Slow Bombs and batted them at Majora, slightly slowing his whipping motions. During the first attack, Terry had actually taken the shadow of one of Majora's whips, so Tael whipped Majora's shadow in the face. Majora lunged at him, but Lola chased. Majora lashed a whip at her, but Lola snagged it in her teeth and managed to rip it in half. She grabbed that whip half and lashed Majora's back, the troll swinging another whip to fling her away. Majora decided to fly and land on Lola, catching her neck in a whip to choke her.
A furious Terry called Tael into his form and entered Madshadow Fury, built from the frustration of these recent events. Luckily, Lola was able to shove Majora off with Spank Hands, then when Terry caught the shadow whip around Majora's neck, he willed spikes to grow from the whip and puncture the troll. Majora ripped himself free and furiously lashed at the shadowbender, who Veiled, only for the whips' shadows to still land hits. Kayla tossed more Slow Bombs, and Lola sank her teeth into Majora's bottom-right shoulder. The troll formed a Top Bomb beside himself, to blow her up, but Lola quickly spanked it away, only for Majora to kick the back of her head—Terry seized him in a Shadow Possession and strangled him.
The Top Bomb spun over to George, who Stopped it, and Suki pelted the top with icicles. Majora forced Terry off and whipped his face and belly, cutting either as blood seeped out. He stretched a shadow to grab the dazed Lola and throw her into Majora's arm, trying again to tear it off. But Terry pulled his sister back once George dispelled the Stop on the top, causing it to launch into Majora and explode him. In his stunned state, Lola leapt to bite and rip that arm off at last. She then put her mouth against that spot and drank Majora's purple blood; much to MaKayla's repulse.
"YO HOOOOOOO!" The room turned darker as Lola's bat wings grew larger, burning a pinkish-purple. She grew venomous fangs and bore eyes with deep lust. "That was GOOOOOD BLOOD, YOOOO!" Spank Hands grew on her wings' tips. She whipped her hands to knock Majora's whips away, until Terry was able to bind his shadow's arms. Suki also froze his legs to the ground, and George and Kayla Stopped his upper body. "MAJOOOORAAAAAA!" Lola began to violently spank him against the floor, causing it to crack. "You have been very BAAAAAAD! And shall feel the stinging wrath of Lola Virginia Belle STOOOOOOORK!"
…
Miyuki was carrying the four masks in one arm. After running around the treehouse in evasion from Winter and Jacques, sending W.A.T.C.H.B.O.T.s to stop them, she eventually returned to the hangar. "Hey… I think I know the spell now!" Jinta said.
"I do, too!" Pea announced. "It goes like…"
"No! We can't!" Lyara could do nothing to stop her as Pea began uttering the spell.
"Stop it right now, you fool!" Flaru ordered, but Jinta was already uttering his spell.
The green and red barriers dispelled around the spirit. "Whitley, do you know your spell?" Jinta asked.
"I…I think I do."
"Don't say it!" Araea ordered. "We should wait for Link's incarnation!"
"The monster might get called off!" Pea yelled. "Please!"
"What if Verglora attacks your father?!" Araea asked. "Do you think your family will be spared?"
Whitley gulped at the notion. Either he would face the spirit's wrath… or his father's. Maybe he shouldn't. "If you don't, I'll cut you in half right now!" Miyuki threatened.
"GYAH!" Whitley screamed. "Oh, screw it! Ahem…"
"Huh?" Miyuki saw the space above her cracking. She barely had time to process it before Majora came bursting out of it, smashing Miyuki through the floor of the hangar. They would all crash on the snowy ground below. (End song.)
…
…
…
The operatives lay amongst the snow in exhaust. The Metalmold seemed to cease its attack, Augustus's crew looking with confusion. Terry had dispelled his Fury, but Lola was still shaking on the ground, mad from the blood. "…?" Miyuki sat up and felt something under her. …It was a shard of one of Verglora's spikes. The mask lay shattered around her.
Majora was cradling something in his arms, smiling. His form was still bloody and bruised, steadily recovering. Miyuki approached him. He was holding an imp with a wide, creepy mouth. It had four arms, but no legs, and a snowflake point sticking from the bottom. Fractals jutted from the arms. Verglora's body resembled the face of their own mask. "MMiyuki… you've done it. MMy child… is free…"
"Uuuuuuuhhh…" Verglora felt stiff and only half-awake.
The child looked as Miyuki could've imagined. They were… ugly. An ugly infant corrupted by darkness. Majora could've asked for no better. Their form reflected their heart. "…They're beautiful." Miyuki smiled.
"I know…"
Majora looked her in the eyes. Her pale sunset eyes poured into his mad, red-and-green eyes. Her vanilla face moved toward his gray face. This was his child… their child. A symbol of their love and trust. And so, they kissed.
"!!!!" Her four teammates and sister gawked with utmost disgust. Miyuki's scythe dripped with purple blood. Zanifr's body lay dead. Miyuki's left arm held Verglora, the scythe in hand. And her right arm… pressed Majora's head to hers, their lips locked.
"I love you, Zanifr… but the universe doesn't need two of you."
"…Hm. That's fine." Majora's head and body softly dissolved into darkness. It swirled and seeped into Verglora's mouth. "Only together… are we… MMajora."
Once the last traces of darkness were gone, Verglora's eyes shot open. The spirit grinned eerily as they rose from Miyuki's arm. "Oh, Father… I'll keep you close to me. Always…" They hugged and rubbed their self.
"So will I…" Miyuki drew the snowflake Spirit Ball and threw it at Verglora. The spirit burst into darkness and was sucked inside, dropping on the snow. It softly shook and beeped.
"Good, you've contained it." Jacques said. "But that creature belongs to me!"
"I hope you're paying for Rallo's funeral!" Augustus shouted. "He's dead because of you!"
"Zanifr never told me he would kill anyone… and no one asked you to come here."
"Look, you little shit, I-"
The ball popped open as Verglora escaped. "It didn't work!" MaKayla exclaimed.
"Then I…I'm not worthy, yet?"
"You're not?" Verglora cocked their head. "That's odd. I really liked you! Or is that my father talking? Mmmmmm, MMMMMM, I can't get the M's just right."
"Grrr, you little-!" Augustus charged at the Newborn sword raised, but Verglora lashed a Dark Whip and swatted him away.
"Hey, big guy, you can attack some more!" Verglora said to Metalmold.
"AWOOOL!" The demon dove down at Augustus, but the captain dealt a Fork attack directly at its mask. With the damage it had already taken before, the mask finally shattered, and the demon disappeared. "Thing wouldn't even have made a good meal."
"Heheh, that wasn't the only monster we brought!"
"GRAAAAH!" A huge, naked humanoid monster came crawling on all fours, its mask a skull with a lion's mane. The Jaw Titan tried to snack on Augustus, but was grabbed and stopped by a tall, muscular man with long blue hair.
"Hina!" Augustus exclaimed.
"I will hold it back! Please, destroy that-" But the beast shook Hina off and leapt at Augustus, who sent it flying with a punch.
Verglora then snagged Jacques by the neck, swung him into Winter, and sent them both flying. "I know! Maybe you'll be worthy if we knock a few heads!"
"You'll be worthy when you apologize and stop hurting these people—AAH!" Suki was whipped away.
"HEY!" Miyuki raised her scythe to them. "Don't hurt my sister!"
"I-I'm sorry! Really… I'm sorry." Verglora bowed their head in sadness. "Truly. Forgive me. Okay, I did it, are we good?"
"Maybe we need to finish this as planned." George decided. "We need Cheren to pacify you."
"Ahhhh, the old Linkie wannabe, eh? Fine! He can try to pacify me, because I'll pacify him right back! Let's GOOOoooo…" They were about to fly off, but remembered… "Uh, which way is Cheren?"
"Huh? Oh, I… guess we never mentioned that." Miyuki realized. "Cheren is at Moo-"
"Cheren is at GKND H.Q.." George said.
Terry perked up in shock. His shadow, Tael whispered to George's shadow. Hey, what the hell is your master thinking?!
Uh, gee, maybe he's thinking GKND has a God Containment room and he wants to lead Verglora into it!
Oh, yeah! Terry remembered.
"That's right." MaKayla followed. "Cheren has been at GKND for some time now." And we shouldn't trouble him with this business until the Aincrad issue is resolved. Tricking them to GKND is the best way of containing them for now.
"Isn't that right, Miyuki?" George asked.
Miyuki narrowed her eyes, suspecting their trick as well. "…Yes. He is at GKND."
"Then let's hit the stars! Time to get my revenge on Link after 3,000 years!" Verglora flew back up into the hangar.
"Terry, Lola, stay here and help fight this monster." Kayla ordered. "The rest of us will go with Miyuki. But Miyuki, we're handing the masks over to them."
"Fine…" Miyuki pulled out Victoria, Weiss, and Ciel's masks, while the other ops already picked up the Maidens' masks, handing them to the Storks.
"You guys better come back safely." Terry replied, still glaring at Miyuki.
"We'll try." George nodded.
Mushroom Castle
Sector MG awoke to a beautiful morning. Romeo freed Victini as both friends stretched their limbs up the castle corridor. "Hey, Romeo!" Maria greeted cheerily. "I got you some new boots!" She dropped the light-brown pair on the carpet.
Romeo smiled and slipped his feet into the shoes. "They fit nice! Ooo!" He stomped the right boot and felt a noticeable boost. "Pretty springy!"
"Bouncy soles for bouncy Mushroomians!"
"Ha ha! …" Romeo frowned awkwardly. "Are you mad at me, Maria?"
"What?! No, why would I be?"
"I mean… because-"
"Because you stopped Bowser from killing Dad and Uncle Luigi? I mean, I guess I should be mad that you were about to kill yourself."
"(Yeah, Romeo. It was my fault for getting kidnapped…)"
"Honestly, that I can agree with. But you both need to get over yourselves."
"Eh heh heh. I just thought I should ask." Romeo blushed.
"Well, it's cool, bro!" Maria bounced and slapped his chest.
"Hehe! I'm just afraid of what the citizens will feel about me."
"Ugh, who cares what they think?" As she spoke, the spectacled Toad guard was approaching. "Society is toxic."
"True…"
"Ah, good morning, Princess Maria. Rainbow Flame." Snoo T. greeted.
"FORMER princess."
"And you, too, Victory Spirit. I'm sure it was thanks to you that our friends escaped Bowser's clutches."
"(I didn't really do anything.)" Victini scratched his head. "(All I did was…?)"
"Huh?" Romeo cocked a brow. …There was some kind of bright red, flame-like aura around the Toad. There was even a temperature meter beside him.
"Something wrong?"
"Uh…no, nothing."
"Alright then. Back to work for me." The Toad casually marched by and entered a door.
"Maria, did you see that?"
"See what?"
"(I saw it, too. It felt like… corrupted Luck Chi. I've never sensed anything like that before.)"
"Yeah… and it makes me wonder." Romeo quietly approached the door. He cracked it open. The Toad was writing a letter on a desk. Victini turned invisible and slipped into the room, fluttering over the desk.
To Lord Bowser… The KND operatives are still in the castle, and the Mario Bros. are still at rest. Is there anything you want me to do to them?
Victini returned and whispered, "(He's writing a letter to Bowser!)"
"W-what?"
"What's going on?" Maria whispered.
"Maria, that Toad is a spy for Bowser!"
"WHAT?!" Maria immediately burst into the room.
"WAAH!" Snoo T. screamed.
"GOT YA!" Maria jump-kicked him against the wall. Romeo snatched the letter off the desk.
"Let's hurry and tell the others!"
…
Snoo T. was locked in the castle dungeon as Queen Peach and Sector MG looked over what was written in the letter. "Snoo T., how could you?!"
"This is all a misunderstanding! I was framed!"
"You were deliberately writing it!" Romeo shouted. "I bet YOU'RE the reason Bowser knew we were here! You're the reason Toad Town was ransacked!"
"I can't believe a Toad would work for Bowser!" Wendy said. "Romeo, how did you discover him?"
"I can see some kind of aura around him. Victini says it's some kind of corrupted Luck Chi. It made us suspicious, so we just spied on the spy."
"(But his died down a little after we caught him.)" Victini said.
"Romeo… do you think you're seeing his karma?" Oliver wondered.
"Karma?"
"Karma is basically 'luck' that's based on your deeds. You get bad karma from doing bad deeds and vice-versa. So, because this guy has been reporting to Bowser, he's got bad karma. And I figured a Luck Spirit would have to do with that."
"(I've never been able to sense 'karma' before. The strong Luck Chi I've sensed in others was different.)"
"Maybe it's because I'm your Guardian now." Romeo figured.
"Either way, I'm glad you managed to catch him. Have you been a spy for the two years you were employed here?" Peach asked strictly. "Are there other spies?"
"You're not getting a word out of me! …Not including those ones. Or those. Or-"
"(Ya ya ya. Ain't there a spell that can make him spill? Maybe a Truth Potion or something?)"
"Truth Potions are illegal here." Peach said.
"Hah, just like on Earth!" Kiki perked up. "Thanks, Morgan Uno!"
"Or we could…oh." Wendy frowned.
"What?" asked Romeo.
"I just remembered… Miyuki. 'Cause Miyuki can review peoples' history, so she could probably determine this guy's background. …But I just remembered they were having problems with her."
"Oh yeah…" He recalled that Miyuki was on her own Newborn Quest, committing controversial actions. After his recent experience, he had to wonder… "You know, why don't we stop by Earth?"
"You wanna leave?" Phil asked.
"Well, we oughta catch up on things. We can report our success to Cheren and we can ask if we can help with the Aincrad crisis or something."
"Yeah, I suppose we shouldn't just loiter around." Wendy figured. "Not to mention I need to introduce my new Firstborn Guardian boyfriend!"
"YOU'RE DATING?!" the friends chorused.
"Ah ha ha!" Romeo blushed, touching her shoulder. "Yep! We kissed under the stars!"
"Geez Louise!" Phil shook his head.
"Huh, where's Louise?" Maria looked around.
"Just get out before my ear spores burst!" Snoo T. shouted.
"You be quiet!" Peach ordered.
"Let's stop by GKND first and stock up on fuel." Kiki suggested.
GKND H.Q.
"Jerome, Sector IC is requesting permission to land." A Wisp reported.
"Sector IC?" Jerome already suspected what this could be about. "…Alright, send them in."
The bat ship docked as the three operatives walked out to meet Jerome in the entrance bridge. "Sector IC, what's… Miyuki?!"
"Who's this clown?!" Verglora shot up into his face, Jerome stumbling back with a start. "He'd make a great mask!"
"What is this?!"
"Ahem, this is Verglora. The Newborn that Zanifr entrusted me with."
"This was the creature inside the-"
"Ugh, reintroductions are annoying!" Verglora groaned. "Y'all need a way to instantly telegraph information to each other's brains! Just tell me where this Cheren boy is."
"Ch-Cheren?"
"Yeah!" MaKayla nodded. "We need Cheren to fight Verglora, and Verglora wants revenge on 'Link.' And I'm pretty sure Cheren is in the playroom, right?"
"Uhhh…"
"Yeah. The playroom. You know?" George twitched his brow at Jerome as if telegraphing.
"The…ah, the playroom, right!" Jerome sported a vibrant, knowing smile. "Yes, right this way, Verglora."
"Now, hold on! I ain't no escort mission, buddy! The hero is supposed to come to the bad guy, so why don't we give him some incentive?!" Verglora grabbed Jerome by the neck and threw him into MaKayla. The nearby Wisps and operatives saw this and turned their weapons on the spirit, but Miyuki danced around Verglora and deflected the lasers back.
"SISSY!" Suki swung her own ice scythe to intercept hers. "Why're you helping it?!"
"They're just gonna prod them into attacking more! Verglora, you need to save your strength for Cheren."
"But I got a ton of power I need to burn off!"
"Then burn it off in here!" Jerome flew to grab Verglora and opened a portal, Miyuki jumping in after. They landed before a windowed children's playroom.
"Huh? Is this the playroom?" Verglora pressed their face to the empty room. "I don't see anyone!"
"Cheren will come, now please step inside." Jerome inputted the code to open the door.
"WAIT, THAT SAYS GOD CONTAINMENT!" Verglora spotted the label above.
Jerome quickly formed a Space Block around them. "Miyuki, help me put him in!"
"I'M GENDERLESS!" Verglora broke free and blasted Darkballs, but Jerome opened a portal to redirect them against the spirit, pelting Verglora against the window. The spirit shoved their spiky arms against his face, but he blocked with his hands, shoved Verglora toward the door, and used a Starburst to blast them in, afterwards slamming the room shut. "RAAAAAH! MIYUKIIIII!" Verglora violently blasted darkness against the window, their visage terrifying.
"You're lucky all the Firstborn aren't in today!" Jerome stated. "Skaios helped us test this room's durability, so we're hoping it holds up. However, I'm afraid we may need to lock you up as well, Miyuki."
"Miyukiiiii! Please!" Verglora ricocheted around the room at wicked speeds, completely disorienting the toys and slides. "I love yoooouuuu!"
"I hope you have an explanation prepared for Cheren. You've endangered fellow operatives and even civilians! I would believe it if this thing's darkness corrupted you, or else how could you be so reckless?"
"Miyukiiiiii!"
She was struggling to think under both of these noises, only growing frustrated. "I have no excuse. Everything just pisses me off. All these crises and operatives quitting… We work so hard and I feel like no one appreciates our success. Not even our own operatives. Even I can barely appreciate our success. So, I wanted to look from the opposite perspective."
Miyuki raised her scythe at the Zathurian. "What about you, Jerome? Are you happy with our progress?"
"Of course I am! So much that the other KNDs are envious of Earth's success! Some of them don't even respond when we ask for help, saying the Earth KND will handle it! I know they have their own problems to worry about, but that's hardly a good excuse. But Earth's KND has become the example to follow, and as a member of the Top Sectors, you're disgracing them!"
"I'm showing them that no one's a true hero. That all people are flawed."
"Well, some flaws need to be FIXED!" Jerome tried to catch her in a Space Block, but Miyuki sliced through the force and dealt a cut to him. "AAH!" Jerome cried as a bunch of balloons popped around his child self, and he was vulnerable to Miyuki's Chrono Beam. He warped behind and shot her, so she swung back—Jerome began to warp circles around her and launch Starbursts from all directions, landing some hits while Miyuki deflected others. Miyuki then seized and Rewinded Jerome, causing him to repeat his maneuvers as Miyuki better deflected and struck him back—once Jerome's memory caught up, he ceased the technique and warped away. He reached into a portal, his hand coming out from behind Miyuki to grab her scythe, and his other hand grabbed her leg to pull it in.
Miyuki fell over, still keeping a grip on her scythe, but Jerome closed the portal around her leg to dimensionally sever it. Jerome recalled his other hand, dodged a Chrono Beam, then jabbed his fingers into another portal directly at Miyuki's eyes. She tried to cut the fingers, but Jerome opened another portal to catch Miyuki's scythe and dimensionally sever the blade. With fast thinking, Jerome reached in another portal, grabbed Miyuki's face, and pulled it in.
"HA ha ha!" Verglora laughed; the playroom was frozen over with dark ice. "Looks like you've become a mask now, Miyuki!"
"Nice carnival tricks. Let's play that again." Miyuki caught Jerome in her bending and Rewinded him again, causing him to undo the severing. She made sure to avoid Jerome's grabs and cut his left hand. A memory played of himself pulling Miyuki's face through a portal, but Jerome was able to dodge Miyuki's swing at his hip.
…
Sector MG landed in the hangar and walked onto the bridge. "Sector IC?!" Wendy exclaimed.
"Sector MG?" MaKayla turned with a start.
"Hey, is something going on?" Romeo asked. "Why're the alarms going off?"
Kayla was about to answer… but she noticed the big-earred spirit floating with them. "What's that?"
"Um, this is Victini. I just became his Guardian, hehe!"
"You're a Firstborn Guardian?!" George exclaimed.
"Y-yeah. Is there a problem?"
"Come with us! Maybe you could help!"
…
Miyuki froze Jerome in time and used some harnessed chi to shoot a De-Aging Beam, reducing Jerome to three years old. She quickly swung the back of the scythe to bash his weakened head. She then faced the door's terminal: it was chi-blocked, but by touching Jerome, she used Past Sight to see him input the code. "Miyuki, what're you doing?!" Jerome made Starbursts shoot from behind her, but she deflected them back through the portals to hit himself.
"I just need some leverage. But now that Verglora's warmed up, why don't we call Cheren here for real? Granted, he's probably asleep at this time."
"If you have an ounce of honor left, you'll stand down now!"
"Miyuki, Jerome!" George called as Sectors IC and MG ran in.
"The God Containment room?" Wendy noticed. "W-what's happened to it?"
"OOOO, more guests!" Verglora faceplanted against the window. "Now I really want…?"
Victini gaped upon seeing the creature. Verglora's eyes seemed to grow as well. "(It…it's you…)"
"YOU AGAIN?! Gah, you gotta let me out of here! I got a score to settle with you, too, Big Ears!"
"Those two… know each other?" Jerome asked.
"…" Romeo focused his gaze over Miyuki. "Wow, Miyuki… you have some really bad karma."