The sky darkened when the corrupted Ztar passed their atmosphere. Sector Q could hardly believe what they were seeing. It's not like they had actually seen him die, but even then, why did he show up now? …And like this? "Oi, you know what this thing is?" Reyn asked.
"It's the Ztar God." Carmine answered. "I mean, the Ztar Go-…no, it's supposed to have an 'S'! Why can't I say it right?!"
"Heeeey!" Miko sported a bubbly smile, waving both arms at the child. "JGUGGLOO! It's us, the Kids Next Door! I bet Nebula would be happy to see—YAAAA!"
Ihcarij unleashed black Ztars, Shulk and Miko hastily projecting their shields to protect their friends, but Colony 4 still felt the tremendous impact. "EVERYONE!" Zeon yelled, waving his sword as he dashed back through town. "EVACUATE TO THE CARRIERS! HURRY!"
Their barriers would shatter as Ihcarij charged them directly, Shulk quickly batting him away. Ihcarij made a roundabout as a Shooting Ztar and would try to crash again. "Miko, we need another shield!!" Eddy ordered.
"Pixl Powers each need 2 minutes to reload!" Boly answered.
"THEN USE HAMMER, GIVE US A GOOD HAMMER!"
"GAH, ZANZA-DAMMIT!" Reyn stamped his shield down while Miko swung her arm down, swiftly spawning the hammer as it bashed Ihcarij dead on. The Virtual God Chi managed to direct Ihcarij's collision course into the ground, the shockwave sending the crew flying over the town fountain (watched by an innocently bewildered Finch). They were fearful as Ihcarij levitated above them, helpless to think if they could get out of this. Ihcarij closed his eyes and opened the purple True Eye on his belly.
The eye seemed to peer into Quill's soul, seeing his very desires: "I wish I could be a racecar!" Quill had this childish wish at one point, but time and age didn't matter. Ihcarij focused his magic over Quill. "W-Whuh?! AAAAAHHH!" The sensation was horrible as Quill's body stretched and morphed into a racecar, his face at the front.
"QUILL!!"
"OH GOD, THIS IS WORSE THAN I IMAGINED! I look like a silly Pixar character!!"
Ihcarij focused on Carmine. "I wish I was a kangaroo!" Accepting her desire, Ihcarij stretched Carmine's body to become her favorite animal. Unfortunately, she popped out of her suit and her flesh was still dissolved and sensitive. Kazuma thought she looked like an overgrown baby kangaroo ripped from her mother's pouch! "OOOOOW! OW, OW, OW, IT HURTS! PLEASE CHANGE ME BACK!"
"JBLYJAY!" Miko screamed. "Stop hurting my friends! I-I wish you would stop!"
Ihcarij transformed into a Stop sign. "…Okay, that is actually pretty funny, but I wish you would stop hurting us!"
Ihcarij changed back and began to observe them again. "Miko, attack him before he does anything else!" Eddy ordered.
"Miko, your body is experiencing excessive stress." Boly said. "Using more power is highly unrecommended."
"Then what else are we supposed to do?!"
Ihcarij glared at Eddy, seeing into his weird little desires. "I wish Miko would-" "WAIT, DON'T MAKE THAT WISH! NOOOO!"
A pair of red and blue tentacles seized the Reborn and squeezed him, breaking Ihcarij into particles. It was unbelievable how many familiar faces were popping up in this town. "OH, GREAT!" Reyn yelled. "What in blazes is that thing?!"
"It's… Deoxys!" Miko gaped. "The God of DNA!"
With a flexible, rubbery body of red, a blue mask, and a purple gem in its chest, Deoxys waited for Ihcarij's body to reform itself. The Ztar Kid transformed him into a bucket of toothpicks, but that bucket stretched and recolored as Deoxys twisted Ihcarij like a wet towel. "You must run." He spoke in his distorted microphone voice. "Kael has brought him here, in response to your use of Bolypius' power."
"You mean Kael's the one that did this?"
"I believe he became this way through some other means." Ihcarij transformed Deoxys into a drier and used him to "dry" and shape himself back to normal. Deoxys instead shaped himself like an oven to cook him, his voice sounding like a heater's whirring. "And there's only one other god that could have done this. Regardless, Kael has taken advantage of him. The other perished Firstborn have been Reborn as well, and he will no doubt use them."
"This was the penalty Infinite mentioned!" Shulk realized.
"Then… if we use the Newborn's power, Kael will send these corrupt Firstborn at us?" Jenny asked.
"This was an error I was not aware of!" Boly exclaimed. "Miko, I…I sincerely apologize!"
"Wait, how come CP0 never went after you?" Quar questioned. "That's not my name!"
"Perhaps they had neither the time nor the plan." Ihcarij pumped Deoxys full of popcorn that came exploding out of his oven body. Ihcarij emerged from the corn and conjured a fan to saw up his baggy form, but Deoxys assumed a gummy texture to stick and stop the fan. "But now that I've shown myself, Kael will not let me escape. Keep going, children. I will stop this one from pursuing you. And, Bolypius… I'm proud of you for finding your way."
"You intended for me to locate this planet?"
"No. I am proud of you for finding your heart."
"My… heart…" Miko stared into the eyes of her glove.
"Hurry." Deoxys used his bending to reshape and weave Carmine's broken suit. "His magic will wear off in minutes. You must flee now."
"Then we better use this time while we got it!" Eddy hopped in Quill's driver seat. "Miko, grab the Magearna!"
"You're not seriously driving me!"
"You gotta be useful for something, Quill."
"You're all gonna track mud inside me! Won't it, like, stay in my body or something?!"
"We'll help you throw up later!" Miko chucked Magearna in the trunk and leapt in beside Kanga-Carmine. "FLOOR IT, EDDY!"
Eddy stomped the gas. "OW!" Quill could swear his insides were blowing out as he blasted around the fountain—they rammed a wandering Finch as she flipped and landed upside-down in Kazuma's laugh.
"AUGH!" Not wanting her tail feathers in his face, he pushed Finch down a pinch, her head flipping up to face him. "Oh, hey, Katsuya! Can we swing by Tora's house and get some Sunshine Pie? I LOVE the Mint Fish Pyra puts in it!"
"Can I throw this brat off and lighten our load?!"
"We can't just leave her!" Shulk reasoned. Eddy drove downhill, recklessly trying, but failing to avoid most of the trees along the alpine.
"D'OW! GAH! AH HA HAAAAA." As Quill met the full brunt of every obstacle under his friend's carelessness, he began to pity every sentient train, car, and plane in fiction. "Where are we even go—WOW!"
"Down to Colony 5! Afterwards, we'll board a carrier! I want to go to the Mechonis."
"What's at Mechonis?" Jenny asked.
"Queen Melia and Lady Vanea. We need to report everything that's happened."
"Shulk?" Boly spoke with a hint of sadness. "Can you see… my father's future?"
"…" Shulk and Alvis held the Monado together. Their glowing vision saw Dr. Eggman piloting a mech with thin, flexible limbs, panning out to what appeared to be a walrus-like Titan. "I…I don't know."
Alrest
The Sunny Day sailed out of Uraya's body, under a vibrant blue sky and a sea of white. "Two of our friends are at Mor Ardain, fighting off a Blade invasion." Rex explained. "I'd like if we could go there next."
"I wonder if our own Blades are with them…" Nia said.
"So, when a Blade becomes a Flesh Eater, they can also become Drivers?" Haruka asked.
"Yep. In fact, between the four of us, we've resonated with hundreds of Blades."
"HUNDREDS?! That's kind of overpowered, isn't it?!"
"Well, we can only use one Blade at a time." Rex answered. "And most of the ones we wake, we send to work for the mercenaries. They do whatever task's assigned for them."
"What, exactly, is the point of Drivers when Blades can just act and fight on their own?" Mason asked.
"Because each Blade has a set limit to their power, but Drivers can go beyond it with enough training. Of course, some Blades have higher limits than others, especially Aegises. Those same Blades could give Drivers a higher chance at winning, too."
"But we never have the time to train and bond with every single Blade." Nia said. "What Rex really wanted was to give them freedom."
"Yah, but most Blades, by default, are compelled to help their Drivers. Especially the Common Blades that haven't found their 'identity,' yet. But the Rare Blades each had something they wanted to be. Vess and Gorg want to cook food, Ursula wants to be a singer, Dagas wants to… be a king, I guess, and now many of them are famous for what they do."
"Ursula?" Aurora said. "We kind of know her; she was close with Sector IC."
"Aye, she told us." Nia nodded. "She used to be my Blade, before we transferred her to Celica."
"Blades can transfer Drivers?"
"Overdrive Protocol!" Pyra pulled a key from her crystal. "Another Aegis specialty. Rex thought it would be better if some Blades had special Drivers who'd be able to focus on them. Then we ourselves wouldn't be burdened with so many, hehe."
"Honestly, these Blades have too many convoluted rules." Mason rubbed his head.
"It's always been pretty simple for us." Rex shrugged. "But I guess we grew up with it."
"I mean, our rules get pretty crazy, too." Aurora reasoned. "There are four primary powers people can get, element bending, magic, metahumans, or advanced martial arts. For elements, most people are born with a single element, but sometimes have two; magic allows people to use elemental spells with more limited control, and they can-"
"Okay, Aurora, please, stop." Mason groaned with a headache.
Pyra chuckled. "Fire, magic, humans, Titans, the sea, the sky…" She touched her core and faced the sky. "We're all united by the chi that makes the universe… and the gods who created us."
"Yeah…" Her words saddened Aurora, but they were also soothing.
"MATES! CHECK OUT WHAT OI FOUND!"
Wondering what marvels Sheila found while Cloud Sea swimming, they turned to port—"SHEILA!!" and saw their captain being swung about by a green tentacle.
"Hahahaha! This planet is rippeeeeeerrrrr! It has a bloomin' Kraken and everything! Oi, Pyra, did you say somethin' about bein' a cook? Then fry this baby up!"
Aurora sliced the tentacle off with Galaxia, Sheila pushing herself free to land on the deck. An enormous squid with wing-like protrusions emerged from the sea, floating as its splayed its circular mouth on its underside. "It's a Squood!" Rex exclaimed. "Nasty old buggers! Let us handle it-"
Mason bent soda up into its mouth, causing its insides to bubble. The Squood slammed its tentacle onto the deck, but Sheila stopped it with one hand. She swung the Squood around at a vertical angle, stirring the soda inside and sickening the beast. One of the tentacles swung in Haylee's direction, the carpenter raising a long saw to cut halfway through it. Sheila tossed the Squood several meters behind the ship, but the squid was too stubborn to let its prey get away. It came swimming at the Sunny like a torpedo; no matter what, it was bound to eat fresh raccoon for lunch!
But if one could see its dead body tied to the ship's stern, they would know how that worked out. Pieces of its cooked tentacle would be filling the crew's delighted bellies. "I bet you guys don't know about Cloud Sea King Ken." Rex began in a way intended to earn their interest. "He's a Squood like this one, only way more strong. The strongest creature in the whole Cloud Sea."
"Sounds like this Cloud Sea King belongs in the belly of the Pirate King." Sheila smirked, already hungry for more.
"Why'd you have to go and tell her that?" Haylee asked. "Now she'll want to find him. …Hey, I think I see our destination!" The compass led them directly to a towering, humanoid-shaped Titan, its shape barely visible under a dense cloud of dust. "That's a… pretty different Titan. I'm a little scared to get closer."
"I'M NOT!" Sheila screamed. "FULL SPEED AHEEEAAAD!"
"That's Mor Ardain alright." Nia said. "Most industrial nation in Alrest on the most desecrated Titan. Famous for its regular sandstorms and geothermal haze. It's bloody awful up there. Sand gets all up in my clothes."
"And Sheila was so happy to have sunlight again." Mason smiled in passive humor. "You'll wanna sit this one out, Cap."
"Like I'd ever! There's no adventure without crazy weather!"
"This kind of weather isn't safe to fly in." Rex said. "Let's dock the ship at the port behind its left leg."
"I still feel zero comfort sailing close to this thing." Haylee reasoned. "I mean, the giant whale was fine, this thing looks like it might kick us!"
"Relax, Ardain is friendly when you get to know him." Pyra smiled. "Besides, he's way too old to get in any fights—WHOA!"
An electric arrow struck the deck, barely missing Pyra and Nia. "AAH! HE'S STRIKING DIVINE JUDGMENT!" Haylee screamed.
"That wasn't the Titan!" Rex glared suspiciously. "In fact… it looked like Akhos' arrow!"
"Ah don't see him anywhere in that dust cloud!" Nia said. "How does he even know we're coming?"
…
"Akhos, dear. You missed." A lady Blade resembling a porcelain doll with a mechanical left eye spoke in a seductive tone. "How do you expect to please Master Eggman with an aim like that?"
"Tch!" A young-looking man in blue armor, red glasses, and black hair was flustered. "I was merely setting the stage, of course. A warning shot to warm them up for the action. As a playwright, I intend to give Dr. Eggman the best show possible!"
"The only acceptable show is one where these KND perish. Aim better this time, Akhos."
"Perhaps that eye of yours needs a few adjustments, Azami!" Akhos pulled back his bow and charged another electric arrow.
Before the Raccoons knew it, a storm of Shock Arrows came flying from the dust cloud, Aurora swatting as many as she could with her sword. "Well, THIS is a pain!"
"Stupid can-headed Titan!" Sheila shouted. "Haylee, hurry and get us over so I can send it toppling!"
"Aye-aye, Captain! I think I found us a good current!"
"Poppibuster modifications completed!"
Tora's announcement drew their attention to the cabin. At first, nothing seemed different about the bulky robotic Blade, until it turned to reveal a turret seat on its back, carrying Artie Gilligan! "Haha! I'm the Poppibuster's rear flank now!"
"Poppi leave no side unprotected!" Poppi mk. II echoed from inside the mech. "Your assistance is welcome, Master Gilligan." Poppibuster said in its butler-like voice.
"Sheila, want us to give you a headstart?" Artie asked, the mech twisting back around with an open hand.
"You bet your bottom doubloon I do!" Sheila curled up like a ball midjump into the robot's hand. Poppibuster reeled back and, "GERONIMOOOOOO!" chucked her like a cannonball.
"You know how to make an entrance, Sheila!" Mason cheered.
"So do you, First Mate!" Artie said, the mech grabbing Mason as well. It balled Mason up before stretching back and, "AAAAAAaaaaahhhh!" throwing the poisonbender after his captain!
"Who want to go next?" Poppi asked. The operatives cringed a tad. (Play "Alba Cavanich Night" from XC2.)
Act 6: Mor Ardain
Mason and Sheila crossed the metal dock and rode a platform being hoisted up and down by a crane. The sandy wind blew around the right of the leg, where they could barely see a two-level platform with stairs. The duo used their hovering techniques to ride the wind toward the bottom layer. On the top, they were ambushed by a manta-like Titan called a Sollmeyer, implanted with Ardainian tech. It shot energy blasts, but Sheila exchanged them with her signature Light Fists. The lack of light in this dusty storm hindered her bending enough for Sheila to need a few hits to knock it down. Worse than that though, Mason's gas attacks would merely be blown away by the wind. They rode another crane lift, followed by jumping some high platforms, careful to not let the wind hinder their hovering. The platforms led to the top of a smoke stack, a black fume with violet embers rising from it. An idea came to Mason as he used his bending to smash and compress the smog back into the chimney. He and Sheila leapt in as he released his hold, the compressed smoke shooting them skyward! "That stuff's thicker than it looks!"
They could grab a grated wall, seeing inside of a base lodged within the Titan's leg—three firebending Blades immediately tried to shoot flames through the bars. "WHOA!" The friends hurriedly climbed their way up the grate while Sheila punched light between the grate to strike the Blades. "They already knew we'd be climbing up this way?!" Mason judged by the readiness of their ambush. Two more Sollmeyers levitated at their level, the duo suffering a few bullets while Sheila tried to whip her Light Tail to hit them. The grates led to a trio of hanging hooks which the two were required to swing, soon finding safety on a platform. Sheila had a better vantage to KO the Sollmeyers; unfortunately, "Zzzzzt!" a Blade was stationed on a higher platform to strike bolts upon them.
"OUCH! That's gonna leave a burn!" teased Pandoria, a girl with frizzy green hair, glasses, and several lightbulbs around her body (including a tail).
"You drongos really don't make climbing fun!"
"Just hurry, Sheila!" Mason ushered, bolting up the cliffside slope and minding the impact points of Pandoria's bolts. Luckily, those points would shine and sparkle before the bolts landed, giving them a split second to react. They climbed a ladder up to a metal walkway, but this merely allowed Pandoria's bolts to conduct along and shock them wherever. After learning this the hard way, the friends tried to jump whenever needed. When the journey required them to climb another metal grate, they feared there was no safe way with Pandoria ready to snipe them.
"AAAAAHH!" Until a thick, mechanical fist smashed Pandy into the cliff.
"Pandoria! If you not control yourself, Poppi will have to beat sense into you!" Poppi mk. II said.
The buster spun as Artie began unloading Light Bullets over the Blade. Pandoria dodged her way up to swing her large sword, Big Bang Edge, Poppibuster jump-spinning in evasion and to shoot a blast from its palm. "Mason, Sheila! We threw the others to different parts of the leg, but they've been getting ambushed, too. Team Rex thinks Azami is pinpointing their locations."
"Who's Azami?!"
Poppibuster grabbed Pandy's sword mid-swing. Artie's seat lifted and turned to shoot her. "She's a Blade with Clairvoyance! They said she can see anything between two whole Titans!"
"That sounds both broken and creepy!"
"Well, she'll have a hard time watching too many divided targets, but they're all probably gonna get ambushed, too. Just keep climbing!"
"You'll live on in me heart, Art!" Sheila cheered.
"Don't act like I'm about to die!"
However, amidst their climbing of the grate, Pandoria spared time to shoot and electrify it. Luckily, there were platforms on the side for them to be safe. From the top, the two could drift up in whirlwinds afloat in set parts of the air. Falcos (robot birds) would soar past the whirlwinds to shoot bullets, but the Eggman mechs were no issue for Sheila's fists. They landed at the base of a stairway leading into the Titan. There was a river of sludge to the right of it, and it seemed the surrounding cliff would jut out into a ceiling above them. "EEEWW! Sheila, I think we're in the Titan's butt!"
"Strewth!" Her perky response was highly inappropriate to Mason under this context. "It reminds me of our first big adventure!"
"And it haunts me to this day!" There was an large pipe entrance to the sewer at the top of the stairs, but a four-legged tank Titan was guarding it. Sheila spun and charged her fist, dodging its bullets before sending a momentous punch into its face. The Titan stumbled back, but remained on its feet, unloading bullets at the duo, but Sheila would leap above while Mason slid underneath. The Titan was too slow to turn as they had already sprinted into the sewer. The river led to a waterfall pouring between pipes, and there was a door to the left. "Sheila, wait! They're probably gonna ambush us behind this door. Why don't we Wall Jump up here?"
"You really think I can't handle a few blokes?"
"I mean, no, but I'd still like to take a less crowded route."
"Well, fine by me." With that, Mason used bending to hold back the waterfall, at the same time Wall Jumping between the pipes. Sheila then took her turn, proceeding up the sludge river as it turned right. A grate blocked their way, but Mason simply used "Water Slice" to cut it open. He would have to do it again for the next grate—"Oof!" but tripped and splashed in the river. "Pleh, gross!"
"You orright, mate?"
"Yeah," Mason stood and bent the sludge off, "some kind of rubbery pipe in the water or-…" The boy paled as a cobra-like serpent emerged from the water. "OR A SNAKE!!"
Sheila grabbed the Aspar's tail and frantically hurdled it back down the tunnel. It came slithering back, but Mason pushed the river up into a tidal wave with its bending, sending it back down. A storm of Gas Bombs would ensure the Aspar would think twice about chasing. Mason sliced down the next grate; to the left was a room with a Riddler puzzle! It seemed to involve turning nine different cranks and directing a gas flow through a maze to make the trophy pop out. …Mason attempted it for two minutes before giving up. A stairwell led to an exit back into the sandy storm. A group of iron Egg Pawns stormed the walkway in ambush; Sheila's lightbending would bounce off their silvery bodies, but her direct fists would send them plummeting after five hits each.
The ladder upward was broken, but the duo could simply float up another sequence of whirlwinds. "AAAAAH!" One of the whirlwinds grew larger and spun wildly, trapping them in a never-ending ride.
"I see I'm not the only one who enjoys riding Ardainian sandstorms." An orange-feathered, bird Blade glided around them, twirling dual scythes to direct his airbending. "Just gotta make sure nothing gets in your EYE!" He slammed them into the cliff.
"Blimey, what's that ugly excuse of a Nimbi?"
"Some kind of birdman!"
"BIRDMAN?!" he yelled in offense. "First of all, I am Roc! I identify as a '4' and I am the most beautiful '4' that ever 4'ed!"
"He's fine with male pronouns though!" Pandoria echoed far below, clashing her electric sword with Poppibuster's fists.
"'Guess we have to beat him before we can go on." Mason figured. …His expression lit up, "Or not!"
A plane soared from behind Roc, riddling the bird with bullets. Roc slashed an airwave from his scythe, but Haylee quickly curved down, using rear lasers to shoot up at him. Roc dove down and tried to bend the wind to crash Haylee's plane, but she flipped its wings in her favor, her plane spinning to face Roc as she launched a bomb into him. "You're clear to go, Captain!"
"Thanks, 'aylee!" Sheila yelled. "This almost makes up for you joinin' Gus's crew!" Luckily, Roc had dropped them on a cliffside leading up Ardain's hip. Madmoles would poke out and throw mushrooms, but if they knew anything about how Sheila played Whack-a-Mole, they'd know what happened to every mole in that machine. "Like, what else am I supposed to call him?" Mason asked. "Fim, fer, fee, hore?"
"BAH, Mason, shut up, or I'll have fours in my brain for weeks!" Sheila tugged her ears in aggravation. The path sloped up to a minecart track with a cart available. Mason chugged some Flurp and used Gas Rocket to push the cart up the track. Cyan robots called Rhinoliners threatened to ram the burp-powered cart, but Sheila's fists would ram them first. There were gaps in the track, typical of minecart levels, so Sheila would grab the rim and jump, pulling the cart up with her. A larger train would drive along a higher track, at the same time their minecart would run off a dead end.
"SHEILA, JUMP!" The mates locked hands, squat, and sprung into the air, using their hovering for a boost. However, the train began to curve away, and the momentum wouldn't allow them to redirect their selves—but a pair of gentle hands would grab either of theirs. Kirie Beatles hung acrobatically upside-down, her legs arched over the train's side bar. She would smile as she flip up and throw her friends onto the flat train car. "Haha! Awesome save, Kirie!"
"Yo, I can't believe we made it up before you did." Harry remarked. "We climbed one of the tentacle-y things on its back, but we got attacked a few times. This train ran past, so we decided to hitch a ride. I think the tracks connect to all the Titan's towns."
"Well, we're gonna have to cover just about everywhere." Mason figured. "At least we have a nice way to-"
Kirie grabbed and pushed Sheila down, dodging a Shock Arrow. It had come from a ledge on Ardain's arm, where Akhos was stationed, alongside a black-haired woman in a white coat. "You missed again Akhos." Patroka remarked. "'Guess I gotta do EVERYTHING myself!" She punched the cliff, causing a rockslide to fall and cover the lower ledge the tracks would slope up. The train came to a violent crash, the operatives toppling over.
Akhos and Patroka landed on the train, the latter raising her Cobra Bardiche spear… but before she could chop it over Kirie's neck, a sickening headache overcame her. "Agh…man, it fricking hurts! Get the hell OUT OF MY HEAD!" She slammed the spear away from them, her chi blasting some boulders off the cliff.
"Focus, Sister!" Akhos ordered, his aim faltering as well. "We can't… fail the doctor!"
"They're resisting the control!" Harry said. "Sheila, attack them! Hurry!"
Sheila threw two Light Fists, but the Blades regained their selves in time to dodge, leaping to opposite cars. Akhos reshaped his bow into his Calamity Scythe and leapt to stab Harry, but was thwarted by a scimitar. "Akhos! Patroka!" Nia greeted her old compatriots. "You two are Flesh Eaters like me! How could ya give in to Eggman's control?!"
"Ah, Nia. Isn't this a heartfelt reunion?!" Akhos threw a downward swing, Nia back-flipping.
Patroka was hit by two waves of darkness from behind, growling as she faced her assaulter. "Patroka, baby!" A blonde man in black and dark-red armor waved his Infinity Fans. "I thought you were over this phase. Causing rockslides on railroad tracks ain't good for business."
"Ya know, Mikhail, I've been waitin' for a chance to smash your stupid face in, and I'm GLAD I have it!" Patroka stabbed the cliff and made a spike thrust out at Mikhail. He went flying off, but Kirie summoned a chain of Rainbow Monkey spirits to catch him.
"Huh?" Questioning what saved him, he was pulled back onto the train.
"Mikhail, Cole made this medicine for the Flesh Eaters! We've got to give it to 'em!" Nia said.
"I was never one for drugs!" Akhos raced along the train, sniping arrows behind him.
"I think we'll stay here and back them up." Harry said. "You two keep going!"
"Ah'm in your debt, mates!" Sheila took Mason's hand and ran toward the front of the train, jumping the rubble and continuing their venture up the cliff. They would eventually arrive at the town of Chilsain on Ardain's right shoulder. (End song.)
Zeke, a bare-chested man with an eyepatch, was pinned beneath Dromarch the white tiger, who tried to bite Zeke's head as he wrestled him back. Empress Mòrag kicked Dromarch off, but he would spew a gush of water and blast her into a building wall. "Facing me without your Blades is futile. I would suggest you surrender."
"Like hell, old man!" Zeke boldly stood. "The Eye of Shining Justice will pierce Pandy's heart and return her to my side!"
"As if!" a whiny child's voice declared. A massive robot with enormous tires rolled along the outskirts of town, the voice of Omelette echoing from its mic. "No one can break my papa's control! Now, why don't you be good royals and surrender or I'll roll over this little town? The two of you will make perfect farmers for awakening more Blades!"
"We won't let another Blade fall in line with your mass-produced machines!" Mòrag vowed.
"Well, you'll have to rename this town the Flatlands! Huh?" The child received a call. "What is it, Azami?"
"Young Master, I see the furry-tailed girl and her partner approaching you. Our other Officer Blades are in combat with the other operatives, and I seem to have lost track of two of them…"
"The Pirate King, huh? Time to make Papa proud!" Omelette spun the mobile mech around, smirking as the comparatively tiny Mason and Sheila crossed the desolate field.
"CRIKEY! Is that a bloomin' monster truck?! It's HUGE!"
"Frick, that thing could flatten us like pancakes!" Mason panicked.
"Hahahahahaha! Scared of my Egg Ferronis?! Ya know, Pirate King, you're pretty darn famous on Mobius, and that really pisses Dad off! It'd sure break their hearts if I squashed you. Only fitting for a raccoon to die like roadkill, wouldn't ya say?!"
"Oi've beaten up bigger buggers than you! I'll crack you wide open, just like I will that fat old egg!"
"Whatever, Loudlungs! Still, I know better than to underestimate you, so I think some help is in order. Right, Dromarch?"
"I am at your service, My Lady!" The tiger pounced them from the ledge on their left, Sheila and Mason jumping apart. Dromarch faced Mason and spat a Water Gun, the boy evading and chugging a soda can. Dromarch levitated his Twin Rings before his mouth, amplifying the width of his Water Gun and drowning Mason within it. After swishing the soda in his mouth, Mason spewed a Soda Gun of his own, pouring enough pressure to pierce the center of Dromarch's stream and fill his mouth with sodium. The tiger choked and reeled back, releasing a belch.
"And I'm at My Sheila's surface!" Mason grinned. "Shall I take care of this one, My Sheila?"
"Quit talkin' like that, ya freak!" Sheila playfully bonked his head. "He's all yours! As for me…" the captain bravely and slowly approached the giant-wheeled mech, unintimidated by its superior stature. "Today's the day I flatten a monster truck!" (Play "Vs. Boss" from XC3!)
Boss fight: Egg Ferronis
Omelette decided to start off simple by trying to run Sheila over with the smaller front wheels. Sheila dodged between the double-tires on her left, and the mech would halt just as Sheila was below their interlinked component. She spun her fist and snapped it, causing the Ferronis to tilt as the wheels slanted over. Sheila could climb one of the tires and then the sloped leg. Seeing her coming from the above cockpit, Omelette jiggled the Ferronis, but Sheila grabbed a small handle to stay balanced. Omelette began to shoot lasers, Sheila dashing up the leg and spinning another charged fist. She hurdled it at the cockpit, Omelette crying from the impact. Her wheels regained stability as she quickly backed the Ferronis up, Sheila flying off the front.
The Ferronis charged energy within its central cannon, Sheila spinning both fists in preparation. Sheila half-expected some sort of mega laser she would have to push back, but when the Ferronis instead released a storm of divided lasers, Sheila came up with a different tact: she flung off only smaller fists from her bigger Light Fists, intercepting the curved beams at the appropriate angles. However, one managed to get through and strike Sheila, the captain crashing through a stalagmite as she was blown back. Omelette spun her craft around and put it in reverse, intending to squash Sheila with the giant back wheel. Sheila looked at the opposite tire and noticed the inside was hollow. Fighting the pain, Sheila channeled light to her legs, dodged the tire with lightspeed, then jumped inside it.
She crouched inside, and Omelette would then roll forward and turn to study the result. As the tire moved, it carried Sheila to the top. Seeing there wasn't a flattened corpse, Omelette growled, wondering where the crafty pirate had gone. Sheila would charge another fist and drop slowly with her propeller tail, just barely catching Omelette's cockpit in sight. With an upward swing of her arm, the Light Fist flew at an arch and punched the cockpit! "GAAAAH!" A furious Omelette impulsively spun the Ferronis, the force blowing her several yards away. Omelette immediately drove her direction; she would curve the right tires sideways and RAM Sheila with the side of them, sending the captain flying off the cliff! Thankfully, there were several whirlwinds that had formed away from the cliff, allowing Sheila to regain herself with her propeller.
Omelette parked on the edge of the cliff and launched a storm of small missiles, and while Sheila punched them down, Omelette began to charge another multi-laser. Once she was as close as possible, Sheila noticed the cliff beneath the Ferronis was cracked and unstable. With a lull between the missiles, Sheila quickly built up twin charged fists and shot them into the cliff. The central part crumbled and the side areas followed, causing the front tires to slip off. "WAAAAAH!" Omelette's mech fell vertical and had no choice but to shoot her laser into the Cloud Sea. She quickly ordered the back tires to speed the opposite direction, the front ones doing the same to "climb" the cliff. Sheila took this opportunity to swing Light Kicks into Omelette's cockpit, repeatedly bashing her. "Now that I think about it," Sheila said, "lightbending goes through glass. So, 'ow the bloody hell are you still conscious?!"
"I drank a Hi Defense Potion!"
"Huh. Oi always wondered how Eggman could survive Sonic's attacks in the old stories. At least Oi don't need somethin' like that!" Sheila landed on the Ferronis' roof just as it succeeded in rolling back on land. Omelette backed the craft up and spun her off before she had to suffer more attacks. Omelette drove to ram her again, twisting the front tires sideways, but the captain had the reaction time to jump and clamp the side of the wheel, spinning with it as the Ferronis would reverse. Omelette would spin the tire around when she saw Sheila attached to it, but when this failed to work, Omelette drove toward the cliff wall, intending to twist the tire sideways again to smash Sheila against it. Before that could happen, Sheila used the spinning momentum to release and fling herself upward, landing and skidding up the Ferronis' sloped leg.
Sheila would hang onto the knee as Omelette spun the craft around again. When she ceased, Sheila quickly leapt to the large tire, and would pour full speed in her legs to run along it as it rolled about to push her off. Omelette would drive forward and reverse, prompting Sheila to quickly change direction, all the while shooting smaller Light Fists at the cockpit. Frankly, if it weren't for Omelette's sunglasses, she would've been dazed by the lightbending, but even the Defense Potion was starting to reach the limit of Sheila's bombardment. Omelette would also spin the craft around, but Sheila would cling onto the stopped tires, and thought fast to keep running when Omelette drove it again. The constant punches dizzied Omelette so much that she realized too late she was backing off the cliff. "WAAAAAH!" She put full throttle into the tires, relying on the front ones to pull it up and the back ones to climb. However, Sheila had already leapt to hover before the fall, spinning her fists one last time.
"If you're gonna go racing on a mountain, drive a smaller car!!" She smashed the fists into the right tires' interlink, snapping it once more. The loss in stability sent Omelette plummeting toward the Cloud Sea. "Hahahahaha!" The victory compelled Sheila to jab her fists at empty air. "They should invite ME to the monster truck show! Now, Ah wonder 'ow everyone else is doin'?" (Play "Death Match With Torna" from XC2!)
Roc would mold balls of condensed wind and throw them at Haylee, who would curve her plane to evade and also use their currents to give herself a boost. After tanking one of Haylee's energy missiles, he threw his scythes to slice the top of the left wing and bottom of the right. Roc flapped above and stamped his talon onto the plane's tail, Haylee flipping uncontrollably for a second. As she faced Roc, the bird divebombed headfirst, blocked by the plane's energy shield, but still able to force Haylee back. She held the brakes and tried to shoot Roc as he soared around in fast, random directions. He would slice airwaves down as Haylee curved evasively, and when Roc divebombed, Haylee boosted, did a U-swoop to go underneath, and dropped a bomb down to blow up the bird directly. Haylee saw him fall spinning, dropping his scythes, and deduced he was unconscious.
However, when Haylee soared down to catch the Blade, Roc suddenly recalled his scythes to his hands, swiftly zipped around Haylee's plane, and diced it into pieces! She began to take the fall, buckled to the cockpit, the only stable piece she had left. Showing minimal fear, Haylee reached into her Infi-Cube and used her Legoan speed to quickly attach replacement parts. "What kind of speed is that?!" Roc spun downward and cast a vortex of wind, spinning Haylee's new plane at insane speed. "I admit you're a master of the sky, but the wind is MY mate!" Roc bravely dove down to ram her once more.
Except Haylee programmed a special function in this propeller. "That may be, but we Gilligans are the sky's family!" She pulled a lever and launched the propeller. The rapid spinning shot it off with greater force and struck the bird directly. The impact combined with the dizziness knocked Roc out for good. Haylee would release a parachute from her plane after the wind settled, watching Roc fall to the Cloud Sea while she fixed a new propeller. "I think I'll just let you fall this time. Birds float, right?"
Poppibuster drew a hammer to clash with Pandoria's sword, each impact sparking power through the blade. She leapt away and slammed the sword into the ground, an electric explosion stunning the buster in place. However, Artie had leapt off and away from the shock zone, rolled around the mech, and shot Pandy with a B.A.J.O.O.K.A.. She was disgusted as the juice cartons popped over her, and her distraction allowed Poppibuster to recover and swing her into the cliff with its hammer. Pandy raised her sword skyward and willed lightning to rain around the area. Artie threw on a backpack with an antenna and twin cannons attached, catching some of the lightning to power it up. He fired the lightning back, and though Pandy was able to catch some, other bolts zapped and stunned her. Poppibuster turned its hammer into knuckle claws, pummeling Pandy, and a solid blow to the face shattered her glasses.
"NOOOO! My glasses! I can't see without my glasses! Kidding." She snapped her fingers and the glasses were fixed. "They can regenerate, too."
"Boy, Cheren would be jealous." Artie said. Pandoria channeled lightning in her legs and zipped circles around them, leaving a good jolt each time. Artie dropped to his knees, trembling as Pandy raised her blade above him. However, his hand was actually in his Cube, tossing a simple M.A.R.B.L.E. to bust her face again. Poppibuster shot mk. II into Pandy headfirst, wrapping limbs around and holding her in place. Poppibuster charged, beeping and lighting with heat. It threw Artie further behind so that it could self-destruct in peace. "WHOA!" Artie was speechless as its pieces flew everywhere. Pandoria was KO'ed, and mk. II barely hung intact. "Did you really have to destroy it?!"
"Pandoria strong Blade. It best way to win battle efficiently. Don't worry! Masterpon can repair armor."
"I sure hope so… my lovely mech…" Tears tainted the hollow victory.
"Damn!" Azami swore. "Roc, Pandy, even the Young Master was taken out! I'd better make my escape before this gets any worse." The ceilings lights flashed on. "What?!" Dillon stretched a Shade Fist around to sock Azami in the jaw.
"Man, she's ugly!" Dillon cringed, he and Haruka in the doorway. "Do all the other Blades look this weird?"
"How did you disrespectful urchins find me?!" Azami drew a cannon and shot blasts of darkness, the duo splitting separate directions.
"Rex told us you came to this pipeline on a mission." Dillon answered. "Said it makes a great secret hideout!" The blurry ceiling light only cast his shadow faintly, but it had enough form for Dillon to land continuous punches. However, Azami used a similar technique on Haruka behind her: a garden of Dark Hands rose around Haruka, either grabbing or slapping her. Their grip drained Haru's will, submitting her to Azami's "soothing" embrace, so Haruka bent two adrenaline pills from her dress, swallowed, and gained the enthusiasm to shake free. Azami hissed and threw her weapon to the ceiling, willing it to spin and shoot Dark Bullets all around the room. The duo were struck by some bullets, negating their bending for a moment. She would stretch Dark Hands at either of them, but when Azami faced Haruka, the poisonbender shot a water gun filled with eyedrops right into her Clairvoyant Eye.
"AH! You bitch! What have you done to me?!"
"Those eyedrops will improve your vision, but they'll be murky and sensitive to light for a while!"
"No! How can I view my darling Eggman when he's in the shower now?!" She danced and unloaded bullets like a minigun, but they could tell her aiming had faltered without both eyes available. "Oh, I can see it in my head! Scrubbing underneath his husky, half-metallic flab, trimming his pointy pink nose, and spraying perfume on that wrinkly old scalp!"
"I think you need to tone it down!" Haruka bent a pill between the bars of her "cage" dress and forced it to explode into gas. It seeped up into Azami's artificial body, a calming sensation overcoming her.
"Ah…Eggman…yes, he is very handsome." Azami spoke in a more neutral, objective tone. "I am quite pleased to serve him…quite pleased…serve…oooo." Her torso area hung limp and her weapon dispersed.
"Huh…" Haruka cocked a brow in bewilderment.
"So, you used a sleeping pill?" Dillon asked.
"No, it's a drug that… well, nullifies hormones and… reduces one's 'private' desires, if you know what I mean. I was getting creeped out by that Eggman shower stuff, like ew!, so I mostly just threw it in her for fun."
"So, she was powered by her, uh, 'love' for Eggman? …Why do you even have that?"
"You'd be surprised how many operatives ask for it. Helps them focus on sleep or other hobbies when they aren't bogged down by 'romance.' Can't disclose any names."
"Is Mason one of-"
"What-do-you-think-Dillon?" she answered rushedly as if he should already know.
Mikhail stretched black wings and soared around the air, shooting dark feathers from his fans. Kirie seemed to be flying all on her own; in actuality, a "Soar Above the Clouds" Rainbow Monkey was lifting her. Patroka bent a boulder to shield from Mikhail's feathers, but Kirie would toss her new Saffronia Shuriken around the boulder and cut Patroka's hip. Mikhail ambushed her from above, attempting to hold the woman firmly, but gently. "Tell me, are you really brainwashed, or do you just want an excuse to fight me?" Patroka growled, stomped a rock jab to force him off, then stabbed the ground with her spear to cause an earthquake, further breaking his footing. In her attempt to stab him, Kirie landed to block her with her own fan. Patroka back-flipped with a sudden vertical slash, cutting Kirie's kimono and flipping her fan into the air.
Patroka stabbed the wall and yanked a cone-shaped chunk of earth out on the tip of her naginata. She would thrust repeatedly and shoot segmented layers at the two, Mikhail being knocked back while Kirie summoned a Sumo Monkey to protect her. Seeing the girl remain immune to her cones, Patroka tried to stab Kirie directly, penetrating Sumo Monkey, but Kirie had dodged around to throw kunai into her hip. Mikhail caught Kirie's fan after it fell, slapping a dark wave over Patroka's face before returning it. Mikhail slapped his fans together repeatedly to shoot compress dark waves at his lady.
A furious Patroka ripped the head of her spear off, making it a scimitar. "Illusory Bloom!" She began to hack and slash Mikhail, who would dance elegantly and do the same with his fans. "Ultimate Crow!" Kirie joined in the dance, landing cuts with her fan whenever she could. With the three of theirs against Patroka's single weapon, the darkbending hindering her Earth as a bonus, Patroka would be brought to her knees.
"Relax, babe." Mikhail tipped her chin up. "I made sure to go easy." She grit her teeth at him in spite. Kirie silently giggled and poured the medicine down her throat. Patroka gagged slightly and panted heavily as her "headache" began to heal itself. "That takes care of her. Nia, you need any help over…?" But when he looked, Mikhail had no idea what those two were doing.
"YO, this is Nia, and Ah'm gonna heal ya, I'm gonna rid the Egg in your head and free ya!" Nia danced and rapped to Harry's DJ.
"Ready or Gormotti, ya gonna feel sorry, swingin' that scythe and givin' us the shockies~" Harry wasn't the best at thinking up lyrics on the spot.
"Stop that annoying drivel!" Akhos could barely manage a few missed swings before having to cover his ears. Nia was free to strike him with her scimitar, combined with Water Slices. "You call this a musical?! You've never seen a word of good writing in your life! And that's Dunban over there!"
Dunban was dressed as a hip-hop gangster, jigging up and down.
"Uhhhh…I was wondering what all the noise was." Mikhail said.
Teehee! I never thought they would get along so well! Kirie grinned.
Dromarch had amassed all the soda Mason spat at him around his Twin Rings. "Regrettably, Mor Ardain is quite limited in water, so I thank you for providing me some! WILD ROAR!" The rings spun as a powerful stream of soda fired at Mason, who struggled to bend it back while allowing some of it in his mouth. Dromarch began to bend the soda around him, swirling and rising into a raging cyclone. "DARK MAELSTROM!" The twister was relentless with Mason in its grasp, Dromarch's fangs grinning in twisted delight. "…?!" But he realized the twister was shrinking and almost "flushing" down Mason's throat. Once he was all swelled up, he faced his body at Dromarch and bent back. The tiger tried to run, but Mason blasted forth with a Gas Rocket and crushed him like a Goron. He planted his face into Dromarch's… and a gaseous explosion quaked the Titan's shoulder. (End song.)
All operatives reunited in Chilsain, the Egg Blades tied up. Rex and Aurora arrived from the town on Ardain's head. "Great job, everyone!" Rex praised. "We've checked the whole Titan! Everything's okay!"
"That was a JOLLY GOOD throwdown, kids!" Zeke squeezed Mason and Sheila in his arms. "You're almost a match for the mighty Zekenator himself!"
"You have my utmost thanks. I am Mòrag, Empress of this nation." The white-garbed woman smiled. "This man is Prince Zeke von Genbu of Tantal."
"It's all apples, mates!" Sheila replied with a sheepish rub of her nose. "You can call me Sheila the Sunny Fist!"
"Zeke, this is the Pirate King you mentioned earlier." Rex said.
"THE PIRATE KING?!" The frantic prince raised Sheila to his level. "The one who favors the Flurp?!"
"Heh heh. Mason, toss me a can." Her first mate saved a can specially for her. Sheila guzzled the purple drink and, "BUUUURP!"
"THE LEGEND'S REALLLLLLL!" Zeke was so euphoric that his Eye of Shining Justice nearly pierced its restraining eyepatch.
"The Pirate King…" Akhos smirked, sighing as he held his head. "My acquaintance told me about you. Even among the Earth KND, you're as big a star as the Aegis wielders."
"I pray that you're back to normal?" Mòrag inquired.
"Normal with a splitting headache." Patroka groaned. "But I think I'll be fine."
"So, you guys are Flesh Eaters, too, huh?" Dillon asked.
"Yeah, me and these two go way back." Mikhail sat between and hugged his partners. "As for me, I'm a Blade Eater. I've got part of a Core Crystal in my chest. It's what gave me darknessbending, and my eternal beauty~" Patroka groaned for a worse reason.
"Great, more Blade rules." Mason sighed.
"He's not the only one." Zeke showed the sharp lodged in his chest. "I share Pandy's crystal. And ever since this whole thing started, I've had serious heartburn."
"At least you two didn't get brainwashed." Rex reasoned. "Where are Brighid and Aegaeon? I coulda swore they would be here."
"I'm afraid we don't know." Mòrag answered. "But with you all at our behest, I hope we'll be able to end this crisis soon."
"I know we will." Aurora assured. "…Actually, Empress Mòrag, there's something else we should tell you."
"Yes?"
"Do you… know about Kael?"
"Kael…!" Her brown eyes shrank as if recalling an ancient and important memory. "WHAT?!?"
Crossing Sword Valley
The great mechanical canyon spanned the body of a tremendous sword held by the Mechonis. Once used to land the fatal blow to the Bionis, it was now the bridge that bound their worlds. Sadly, Quar was in no mood to enjoy the view, still trapped in his car form and carried by a crane beneath the shuttle. "So, you're saying… there could be 7 more like that one?" Reyn asked.
"Yeah, if our math is correct." Eddy answered. "'Guess we'll have to cut back on overusing Boly…"
"A God Killing…" Shulk repeated. There was a time where he would've supported the idea, but their story sounded nothing but dreadful.
Miko sat back in the corner, melting in depression over the upsetting memories. She lazily stared at Reyn's discarded equipment beside her… and the Core Crystal on the floor. She picked it up to casually stare into the gem, mesmerized by its mystical glow. She turned at all angles to study the differences in texture… and it began to vibrate. Its light grew. "U-Uh-" WHOOSH! It flashed. "AAAH!" WHOOSH!
"MIKO!" They whipped in her direction. "We told you that was dangerous!" Shulk yelled.
"I-I didn't mean to, I-I just-!" In one more flash, whiteness enveloped the ship.
A thin, feminine, white and dark-gray Blade materialized. "Hi! I'm Sena!" she smiled perkily. A hammer spawned before her, grabbing it firmly. "I'll fight with you until the end!"
". . . . . . ." Everyone was agape. Miko especially. "WHAAAAAT the?!"
"I see…" Alvis tapped his chin.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU SEE?!" Kazuma shouted. "I thought only Mirans could awaken Blades!"
"Deduction attained!" Boly perked up. "The Mirans were created from me, and Miko was created from me! Miko is, in technicality, a Miran!"
"SO, I'M A DRIVER NOW?!" Refueled with excitement, Miko was up meeting the Blade at equal height. "Uh…everything okay? No, uh…brainwashy business?" She knocked Sena's head.
"My mind's in check as far as I know."
"Could it be because of her connection to Boly?" Shulk wondered.
"Ah mean, another one in our ranks is fine by me." Reyn shrugged. "So long as she don't lose her head though."
"Closing in on Mechonis' right arm." Carmine reported. "Hehe! I hope he isn't ticklish!"
"Why did Carmine change back before I did?!" Quar shouted.
BOOOOOOOOOM!!! A huge chunk of Sword Valley splattered into billions of particles as Deoxys crashed through it. The dark ztar soared after him, all the way to the Fallen Arm in the ocean. "Deoxys is… having a hard time…" Boly said lowly.
The matter returned to reform the great sword. "At least he's still mindful of his surroundings." Jenny said. "Just leave it to him. He's a god, right? It's not something we can deal with now…"
A certain rocket closed in on Deoxys' duel, defined by its big red "R" and its design of a cat's head with a paw reached out. "Could that be who I think it is?" a red-haired woman wondered.
"The Prince of Ztars and the Daimyo of DNA." a blue-haired man observed. "I wonder who's going to win?"
"It won't matter when we'll be reapin' their spoils." The cat smirked.
"Woooooobbuffet…"