Miran KND: Taion. Son of Akhos and a Leftherian woman, they say his rare paperbending stems from his father's playwriting.
A peaceful meadow of autumn trees and grass, along with large dandelion-like plants, made up the canyon of the Great Sword's Base. The Go-Getters and Noah ran all the way up Bannis Path before finally stopping at the Headwater Camp, most of them immediately falling on their seats. "Oh, man… I think I have blisters for real this time." Chuko moaned.
"Thanks for… carrying me, Mowchan." Pai said.
"Huff, huff…I hope Laruta's proud of me now."
"Now, where's Vanilla?!" Aniki demanded. "I want to see her!"
Reycho nodded regretfully and downloaded Vanilla from his mind. She still had cuts of Sage's code and needed Reycho to support her. "Vanilla!"
"I'm alright, Aniki… just wanna… take a small nap…"
"I KNEW this would happen, I knew you should've stayed back!"
"But I helped, Aniki… you never would've freed those colonies without me… I thought I could do it this time, too…"
"How are we even supposed to treat you?!"
"Maybe Yuki can!" Pochi said. "She was able to protect her from Sage in the first place."
"What of the other injured?" Noah asked. "Do any of you have medical expertise?"
"Um…only Reycho, actually." The robot grabbed the med kit from Mowchan's bag and began treating Pai and Jennu's cuts.
"Reycho says… Tattsun will need special attention." Vanilla said. "Failing to open a Core Crystal… severely damages your organs…"
"Then we have to restore Mio! Her waterbending can help! She's an off-seer as well, so maybe you can do what you did for me!"
"We need all of them restored." Pochi said. "Or else we'll have a hard time dragging them along. Yuki's body was glowing when you were playing it… maybe it enhances her power somehow?"
"Then let's find out." Noah picked up his flute and replayed the same melody. Yuki shone a blue-white. The others lined the unconscious Alpha operatives up on the ground. Yuki aimed at them and flashed the Restore, but their clothes didn't change.
"It isn't working. …Uh-oh, she's waking up!" Mio began stirring.
"Wait, this could work!" Noah said. "Perhaps if both of us play, we can create a stronger effect! We play two different melodies that are meant to work in tandem."
"And how're we gonna get her to do that?!" Kansai asked. "She's gonna think you're a monster!"
"No… the same way Pochi's notes reached me, mine will reach her. I'd hate to ask this, but maybe some of you could 'play the part.'"
"I'll do it." Suna offered. "I don't want Tattsun being used as a prop like this."
"Playing a corpse." Jennu smiled humorously. "My acting debut."
"The rest of us should hide." Pochi suggested.
Mio awoke with an aching head and a sigh. Her ears were soothed in the gentle flow of the notes. She gasped seeing the shadow beast, Noah, a short distance away… but calmed down, realizing he was playing the melody. He was standing over two laying monster bodies. Were they dead? In fact… why were she and her teammates laying here to begin with? Did something happen in the castle and… they were brought here? Her teammates were still alive as they hadn't derezzed… and perhaps that didn't apply to these monsters, much like the normal animals.
Whatever it was… it was playing the off-seer melody. A different one from her own, but still a hobby that only she practiced. But when, why, and where she learned her melody, Mio didn't know. It was simply in her memory… and her heart. She wondered… would this being accept her melody? Mio stood and withdrew her own white flute. She played her own song that melded with Noah's. Behind her, Yuki's body glowed brighter. "Whoa… look at all the pretty lights!" Small blue and white balls of light filled the air.
"Huh? I don't see anything." Kansai said.
"Really? I do." Pochi replied.
"Are you messing with us?" Chuko asked.
"I guess only we can somehow. Yuki, let's go restore her."
She nodded. They calmly approached Mio while they were still lost in song. Her iris flickered between seeing the monsters and their true bodies. And once Yuki flashed the Restore, Mio blipped into her true clothes: a silver jacket with thick black collar and bottom borders, a white tank-top with black stripes underneath, exposing the blue and purplish Core Crystal under her neck. She had a white skirt, tall white high-heel boots with a gold rim running down its diagonal pattern, and black see-through stockings. The clothes complimented her silver hair and gold eyes.
"Noah!" Mio gasped. "Guys… w-what are we…"
"Keep playing, Mio." Noah said. "We'll explain in a moment, but we want to see if this works."
"O…okay." Mio resumed her song. Yuki's body remained alight. Even she could see the five operatives' real clothes flickering under their Kevesi ones. With another flash, Yuki restored them. Noah was elated knowing his friends were truly back, while Mio remained in confusion.
"Oi, man… did I just 'ave the weirdest dream or what?" Eunie awoke with a headache. She wore a black bodysuit with a matching jacket and yellow-green under-jacket, with similar boots with white laces.
"Eunie!" Chuko excitedly jumped on her lap.
"WHOA! Wait, you're… Chuko?"
"You remember me! I'm so glad!" She hugged Eunie's torso area. "Now I can be a princess's bestie!"
"Queen's knees, what are you on about?" Eunie sported a chuckle.
"Why does my skull feel like it's shattered?" Taion asked. He wore a white jacket with black pants and a long red scarf. His stern and quiet voice matched his expression.
"Sorry about that." Jennu said.
"'ey, Kansai!" Lanz greeted spritely. "I bet you're the ones who got us out of that stupor!"
"It took a few good swings to the head to knock you out though!"
"Wait, what?!"
"Joraaaaan!" Mowchan hugged the small boy to his cheek like a doll. "Thanks for washing my tummy!"
"Urk…didn't you find that… the least bit weird?"
"It's nice to finally meet you, Sena." Pochi smiled, kneeling to her level.
"It's a… pleasure!" Sena blushed. She wore a short dark-blue vest, smaller black top underneath, blue jean-shorts, and black stockings under white boots. She had a thin, sturdy midriff with blue lines of chi coursing through, her pearl-shaped crystal on the chest. Her voice carried a light bit of pep and optimism. "Have you heard of me or something?"
"You're my mom's Blade."
"M-Mom… You mean Miko? Are you Pochi?!"
"I am!"
"Wow! She sent me baby pictures of you and Tattsun! I was waiting for the day we could meet!"
"But doesn't a Blade need to be with their Driver?" Yuki questioned.
"Blades can act independently." Pochi replied. "They're only at their strongest with their Driver."
"But I am still pretty strong!" Sena flexed her muscle. "Oh! Is your brother here, too?"
"That's right!" Noah gasped. "Mio, can you apply some healing to Tattsun? He tried to resonate with a Core Crystal, but failed."
Mio gasped. "Right away!" She bent some water from the nearby spring and focused it around Tattsun's body.
While she worked, Yuki used Restore on Vanilla's body, replacing the red code with blue code. "Um…does that help?"
"It feels better than before… but I'm still exhausted…"
The Go-Getters explained the situation to Colony Alpha. As they did, the Mirans' memories from before they derezzed returned… and the image of the scythe piercing Eunie's face made her cold inside. "So, the consuls purposely killed you all and had you respawned as castle guards." Pochi deduced. "Was that because Sage expected us to make it there and thought the Top Sector could stop us?"
"Well, it sure backfired on her." Kansai smirked.
"Yeah. She predicted what entrances we would take, she expected Vanilla to enter the network… but Noah's off-seeing is what ultimately ruined her plan. What even is off-seeing?"
"It's a tradition that was started 20 years ago." Noah answered. "By a composer named Crys. Designed to put fallen souls at ease and wish them a safe voyage to the afterlife. There are two basic melodies we follow, and playing both together is said to make the spirits happiest."
"We've seen lots of death during our time as operatives." Mio said. "Comrades killed by villains or citizens by monsters. So, we give them a peaceful sending."
"And somehow, these songs remained with us under Sage's control."
"It might also be how I saw Yuki's light the first time." Pochi assumed. "Your notes carried across the valley and reached her crystal. But only I could see it because I was already loose from Sage's control. So, why does she resonate with the song then…"
"Maybe 'cause it makes ME happy, too!" Yuki sang.
"The important thing is if we can keep using that, we won't need to destroy the clocks first, anymore. Though, speaking of that… I think I know what those clocks do. Sage mentioned taking the planet's life, and you guys look older than you just were. Maybe those clocks are stealing our life force… our years, even. You still looked normal in your 'game forms,' but maybe you lose years every time you get derezzed."
"Queen's beans!" Eunie gasped. "So, I'll become a wrinkly old hag if I nicked it enough times?!"
"You know, I have more years than most of you lot," Lanz said, "and even I feel a bit more old and achy. Are those clocks meant to suck more life from Machina?"
"Even my chi paths have more blank spots in them." Sena observed. "Just what do they want with our years?"
"Sage mentioned a father and comrades, too." Yuki said. "Why do they hate this planet so much?"
"Well, there's a lot of villains who hate Earth, too." Pochi remarked. "It's just what villains do. And it's our job to clobber them."
"Darn right it is!" Lanz fist-palmed. "So, what's next on the agenda?"
"What do you think?" Mio asked rhetorically, releasing Tattsun. "His condition is stable now. We need to find shelter."
"Incidentally," Taion turned skyward, "we are at Swordmarch's doorstep."
"Ah yeah…" Kansai drawled, only now processing the enormous structure. "Is this, like… a real sword?"
"But you'd have to be suuuuuuuuuuuuuuper huge to pick it up!" Yuki stretched her arms for emphasis.
"It may resemble the Mechonis Sword if you've seen it. But the Mechonis still has it, so this sword was forged with the continent during Deoxys' Final Craft. It was hollow inside, but people have since built settlements upon and inside. Of course…" Taion tipped up his glasses, "I dread that it has also become an enemy fortress."
"I so don't feel like another one right now." Mowchan sighed.
"We'll just have to camp in Mowchan's gear again." Pochi said. "Then we'll go in. Your sister is up there, right Suna?"
"Unfortunately…"
Erythia Sea
As twilight set over Aionios' sea, so did the aurora. Consul U enjoyed the coming night on his boat, designed like a house with a boat sticking out of its garage and a wood platform on its roof. The aurora glitched red as U would find Sage's visage glaring down at him. "What happened in there, U? It was hard enough seeing through all that fog, but that music made me dizzy."
"I was forced to retreat, I. I couldn't take a chance against that sword. They should head to the great sword next. Isn't that where you picked up interference?"
"More than I expected, unfortunately. But maybe I still have time to flush them out. Or, if not… I can strand them." Her iris glowed. U felt his boat rise with the sea, the surrounding islands submerging.
Sword's Base
"Mmmmm…oooooo…" Tattsun awoke by Suna's side. "W-w-what happened… where are we…"
"You know what, you don't get a recap." Suna stated. "What the heck were you thinking trying to open a Core Crystal, makin' me have to carry your stupid butt?"
"I thought I… if Pochi could do it… I could…"
"Tattsun…" Pochi bowed, feeling at fault. "…?" But looked up when feeling a rumbling. "You guys hear that?"
"The ground's shaking." Aniki said. "What is that?"
"AAAAH!" Mio pointed across the pond: there was a ledge and another canyon pass beyond it… but to their horror, a great wave was flowing from it. Mio used waterbending to divide the water away from her friends, with Jennu helping by redirecting it with gravitybending.
"QUEEN'S TREES!" Eunie screamed. "I never heard of big floods happening out here!"
"Is this Sage's doing as well?! Quick, to Swordmarch!" Noah pointed uphill. "It's the only place we can hide from it!"
The ops grabbed their exhausted friends and bolted uphill, the benders keeping the waves aloft. The entrance to Swordmarch was against a rusty wall at the pass's end. "Yes, I believe," Taion felt around the wall hastily, "it opens here!" His fingers dug into a gap as he tugged the wall open sideways. "Hurry!" The crowd piled inside.
"Mowchan, you might need some help!" Nyoro shrunk the giant to their size. "Uh…sorry, Joran." The mudbender was still in Mowchan's tight grasp and shrunk as well.
"I'm starting to think you really are monsters." Joran drooped.
Mio and Jennu were the last ones in, slamming the door shut and hearing the flood slam the cliff outside. "Wow, it really is tight in here." Mowchan said.
"You're the bunch that came with a ginormous group!" Eunie argued.
"Fate brought us together." Pochi shrugged.
"That wave could wash down to the Syra Reefs!" Taion realized. "Didn't you say our comrades were still on the bridge? They could get washed off the continent!"
"We'll just have to trust they'll be okay." Noah said. "The problem is they may not be able to catch up with us."
"Wait," Chuko perked up, "you mean if we fell down that chasm, we would be off the continent? Couldn't we, like… escape?"
"Well, Aionios is a floating landmass over a thousand meters above Mira's ocean." Noah explained. "Jumping off isn't generally recommended."
"Even if Jennu's bending could soften our fall," Pochi followed, "it's possible Sage's power extends down there as well. We might not be able to escape. And we'd be stuck for luck in getting back up."
"Leaving the continent wouldn't help us save it, anyway." Mio reasoned. "Thanks to you all, we have a shot at winning. In fact… I wonder if we should try to find-"
"Swab me deck!" They flinched, hearing a voice echo up the corridor. "That be a right mare of a downpour!" It sounded like a scruffy old sailor's voice.
"Captain, I heard voices from the south entrance. We may have intruders."
"Well, get the jump on 'em, Mr. Herman!"
"My name is Gray!"
"We have company." Nyoro glared.
"I know those voices…" Eunie said suspiciously.
They braced their selves hearing fast footsteps. A man with messy gray hair came around the corner. He wore a ragged black cape, military gear, a ninja mask, and eyepatch over his right eye. "Ah! This many?!" He drew twin pistols and fired, Reycho raising his barrier.
"Stop that!" Rising against her fatigue, Pai shoved her way to the front and dealt a Perfect Guard, reflecting a gunshot back and hurting his wrist. Reycho ran to tackle the man in that moment.
"It IS you, Hrm!" Eunie exclaimed. "Blimey, do we have to kick your arse again?!"
"Will you quit calling me that, Eu…Eunie?" Hrm ceased struggling. "Wait, you… Are you all normal?"
"You mean you aren't brainwashed either?" Noah asked. "How?"
"Hrm… Can you get off me, boy?" Reycho blinked and got off, allowing Hrm to stand. "The captain will want to know of you. Come."
Confused, curious, and yet slightly hopeful, the operatives moved single file through the narrow passage. Hrm led them to an underground harbor where people were at work around a ship. "Captain," a yellow Nopon spoke, "Samon thinks we reconstruct ships for underwater travel. These conditions no good for sailing."
"Then let's get to it, Mr. Samon. We've no idea when this storm'll let up, but we need to keep gatherin' food…?" Hearing an array of footsteps, the captain turned. He was a large, muscular old man with a spiky gray beard and hair. He wore a red captain's hat and a red and white captain's uniform with a silvery-dark cape. "Well… ain't this a motley little crew we have here. And Colony Alpha?"
"Ahoy, Cap'n Triton." Lanz greeted with skepticism.
"Captain? Is he a pirate?" Yuki asked. "Arrrrrrgh, matey!"
"Aye! I be Defiant Triton!" He balled his fists. "The greatest pirate to sail Mira's seas! And more recently, the leader of the resistance."
"Resistance?"
"Wait, I heard about you!" Suna said. "Ghondor said you were her favorite teacher!"
"Eh? Aspars alive, are ye Suna?"
"Teacher?" Kansai asked. "You just said you were a pirate."
"I am… a teacher in my part-time. I take the young'uns of Swordmarch Academy out on field trips, teach them how to sail, catch fish, and how to scrap with the big beasties of Erythia Sea. Heh, and no one scraps like Ghondor, let me tell ye now. Ay can barely keep up with the lassie."
"Yeah, no one can. So, uh…why aren't you brainwashed?" Suna remembered the obvious question. "Any of you?"
"Hmmm…that be best explained at the city. But first, do we have more eyepatches for them?"
"Should have just enough right here!" Samon grabbed a pile of eyepatches. "Put these over right eyes. Quick, mehmeh."
"Now then, follow me." Triton instructed.
The pirate led them to an elevator. They rode the lift upward for several minutes before disembarking. A chilling air enveloped them as they stepped onto snowy, rusty ground. The caws of birds echoed around the sword mountain. The kids were breathless overlooking the great expanse of Aionios. They were on a walkway almost all the way up the tremendous sword. Even with a railing here, anxiety swallowed them being this high up. Bunnits frolicked the walkway and Taos glid over the abyss. As terrifying as it was, this place was also peaceful.
"Whoa, there's like a small ocean down there…" Jennu observed.
"That's the Erythia Sea." Noah said. "Swordmarch divides it from the meadow where we just were. But it looks like it's overflowing. All the islands are submerged!"
"Definitely Sage…" Yuki said sadly.
"Hrm…" Hrm wondered what these kids knew.
"Oh yeah, this is Hrm." Eunie mentioned. "He tried to ambush us once and test our mettle."
"And I told you my name is Gray."
"No, the first time I asked, you answered Hrm. So, that's what it is from now on."
"Can you do Ninjutsu, Mr. Hrm?" Yuki asked.
"Enough! Just who are you kids, anyway?"
"I'm getting so tired of explaining this quest to everybody." Chuko complained. "We've been meeting so many new people in such a short time!"
"I know!" Yuki cheered. "There are so many neat people on this world! I wonder what people other worlds have?"
"Hehehe!" Sena giggled. "It's always nice to have more friends, you know!"
They followed Triton through another corridor, thankful for the insulated heating. The corridor would lead to a more open space… inside which was a small city. There were people of several Miran races, adults and children. There was an air of gloom emanating from the adults, while some groups of children were playing hide-and-seek or watching another juggle. "This here be Swordmarch City. Presumably the only safe haven from the disaster outside."
"But… how?" Pochi asked.
"Pochi, this eyepatch is making my eye itchy." Yuki moaned.
"Ye can take those off now. We're safe in here." Triton assured. "See, this city was built from metal taken from the World Tree. When that meteor shower was upon us, we took refuge in here… and later learned it sheltered us from this bizarre virtual phenomena. Then we had these eyepatches crafted from some of the scrap so we could go outside safely."
"My eyes are still itchy…"
"Wow…" Pochi grew intrigued. "So, the World Tree's material is immune to Sage's power?"
"Sounds like you 'ave your own insight on this… but I'm not one for technical jargon. You ought ta come speak to our intelligence officer."
"Before that, is there like a medical room or any place some of us could go to rest? They really need it."
"He's right… I can't go another step." Pai sighed.
"Aye. Mr. Hrm, will ye escort these brave lads and lasses?"
"Ugh…This way, children." The aggravated ninja led Pai, Chuko, Jennu, and Mowchan, who took Tattsun from Suna's hands. Eunie accompanied, hoping to put her skills to use.
"Um, as for Vanilla," Nyoro began, "would there be any… computers in this facility? Even I'm not sure if I could operate on her that way."
"Well, I was about to take ya to such a place." Triton said.
They traveled to the north side of the city. In front of the targeted facility, a tan-skinned woman seemed to be arguing with a short Ma-non; an amphibian humanoid. "I told you letting them go was a bad idea! The Erythia islands have all been flooded!"
"N-No one knew this would happen, ma'am! It shouldn't be so bad, that kid's a trooper!"
"She's in over her head! She's going to get herself and all her teammates killed! We need to go out there and-"
"Ah! Captain! Perfect timing!" The Ma-non diverted attention from himself. The woman turned, surprised by the large crowd.
"Ahoy, Monica, Travis." Triton greeted. "We found this bunch in the-"
"Miss Monica!" Suna exclaimed.
"Suna?!"
"You two are familiar?" Taion asked.
"She's Ghondor's mentor and guardian! She comes to Earth to have conferences with Mom and Dad sometimes."
"And I bet I can already guess why you're here."
"Yeah… Ghondor sent a video message about the meteor shower… just before this happened. Is… she here?"
"When the meteors hit, Ghondor ran inside at the last minute and avoided the corruption. But as of now… I'm afraid she led her friends on an expedition across Erythia."
"Just like her. She can't keep herself out of danger, can she?"
"Suna, why don't you stay and get filled in on that?" Pochi suggested. "We'll speak to whoever's in here."
"Sure. Hope you find good news."
The remaining operatives entered the computer station. It had a holographic globe, though it seemed to be glitched with only Aionios visible. There was a blue-haired boy with long ears operating the keyboard and a small, skinny, orange-furred creature beside him. "See, Mar, this is why we needed to get out more!" the creature ranted in a snappy, cartoonish voice. "Now we're stuck in this dreary town hidin' from brainwashed red-eyed warmongers!"
"Yeah, I heard you the first time, Bax. Maybe you could complain up a way to contact the outside. …Huh?" His ears twitched hearing walking and spun in his seat. "Colony Alpha!"
"Mar!" Noah smiled. "Baxter! You're okay, too!"
"Ohhhhh." Pochi smiled knowingly. "You're the sons of Jak and Daxter, aren't ya?"
"Oh, a visit from the fan club, eh?" Baxter smirked. "At least something good came outta this! Bravin' a war-torn virtual reality world just ta come meet their heroes. That's real devotion, Mar."
"But," Mar blinked confusedly, "how are you guys-"
"And HERE we go again." Pochi sighed, followed by another recap.
"Hmmm…that does help paint a better picture." Mar said. "You might not know this, but this whole planet originated as a virtual world. It was made reality ages ago by an incredible power source. I figured that whoever was behind all this must've somehow tapped into this planet's virtual origins. And the reason this World Tree metal protected us was because it used to be part of the machine that created this world."
"That makes sense, I guess." Sena figured.
"Hah, you're lucky he skipped all the sciencey stuff." Baxter remarked.
"Using the city's main computer, I learned that the same digital readings from those meteors was covering the whole continent. And worse, the citizens outside the city got swallowed up in it. In the next few days, Kevesi and Agnian soldiers climbed up here. We only saw them with our cameras, but whenever they came near the city, they always got afraid. Their right eyes were glowing red, so we assumed that had something to do with what was controlling them."
"That's why you made the eyepatches!" Yuki sang. "Arrrrrrgh, matey!"
"Yeah… but that was just one problem out of a million. Which I'm hoping is where you would come in. You said Yuki is the same as the mastermind of this game. So, can she undo all this?"
"That's something we've yet to figure out." Pochi answered. "We need to find Sage's main base."
"I thought so. What I'd also like to do is try to contact someone on the outside. Unfortunately," Mar brought up a screen of red code against a black screen, "this is all I get when I try to contact satellites, networks, or anyone beyond the continent."
"Sage's code again…" Vanilla observed. "Just like in the castle's computer."
"Oh!" Nyoro remembered. "Hey, could you help Vanilla?" She explained how her sister got in this condition.
"So… Yuki's data fought Sage's in the computer, and now her code has overwritten Sage's in those cuts." Mar summarized. "Maybe the two of you could…"
"Hey, weren't you listening?!" Aniki shouted. "We want you to treat her!"
"Wait, what were you gonna say?" Vanilla asked.
"Well, uh…" Mar was hesitant to speak after Aniki's outburst. "Just that I could possibly use both of you to hack my way through this firewall and contact help."
"Like GKND?" Nyoro asked.
"NYORO!" Aniki screamed.
"Ah! I mean…"
"I think they're just fibbin', Mar." Baxter thumbed at the girls. "They don't look like they could hack into an egg. Not a bad coat though." He crawled up and tucked under Yuki's coat. "Where'd ya get this, sweetheart? I'm definitely gettin' one for this winter."
"Tehehehehe! That tickles!"
"Come on, guys, let's try it!" Vanilla insisted. "I may have had trouble in the castle, but maybe I can help here! I can use Yuki's code to fight through Sage's!"
"You're going to get yourself treated and stay out of harm's way!" Aniki argued. "We don't need your help anymore now that we have their… magic music!"
"I feel like we should leave." Mio whispered.
"Yeah, we kind of walked into a bad topic, huh?" Sena awkwardly agreed.
"You know, Aniki, Pai was injured, too, and you never asked if she was okay. Why am I the only one you worry about when everyone else here is risking their lives?"
"I… That…!"
"Aniki," Nyoro placed a hand on his shoulder, "I think Vanilla knows the risks by now. But if we could contact GKND or anyone else, we could tell them about the World Tree metal and they could get in here to help us. I'll be here to help her and so will Reycho. So… can you give her that chance?"
"…tch…" Aniki approached Vanilla. "I can't believe how reckless you are. Are you planning to keep this up for the rest of your life?"
"Hehe…I hope it's a long time before I do anything like this again. But if this is what I can do to make our jobs easier, I will!"
"…" Aniki hugged his sister tightly, but gently. The others held in their cries of awe. "You better not get hurt in there."
Vanilla hugged back. "Promise!"
"Heh…well…" Mar felt awkward going on from that moment, "It might take a while to pull this off and I'm sure you'll want your Blade with you. I have something that can analyze the data of her Core Crystal. We can use that to start us off."
"Okey-dee!" Yuki sang.
"Sounds like another all-nighter." Baxter sighed. "Better crank out the sugar."
"Yeah. In the meantime, we really need some sleep." Pochi said. "This city has showers, right?"
"Small bathhouse, too." Mar nodded.
"Ah need me some of that right now!" Lanz rushed out.
"I'll wash your back, Mimi!" Sena chirped.
"Hehe, your massages are the best, Sena!"
The group returned outside and met with Suna. "So, Ghondor led her team to invade the Colony Convention Center. It's a floating white building across the Erythia Sea. Monica says a lot of the Agnian troops were coming from that place."
"They are using that facility as Agnus Castle." Taion deduced. "Since we are put on opposing sides, it's logical we would have two separate headquarters."
"It probably has its own pods like the ones we came out of." Noah said.
"Those pods!" Pochi remembered the ones from the castle. "I thought they looked weird. So, that's where fallen soldiers spawn back from."
"So, what would happen if we broke those?" Kansai wondered. "Would that free them?"
"That's not a guarantee. It might even mean people could die for real. But what does Ghondor plan to do once she gets there?"
"That's what we wanna know. But I'm too tired to worry about her right now. So, what happened in there?"
"Basically, there's a slim chance we could contact GKND or people outside and tell them how they can get to Aionios safely. Vanilla and Yuki are gonna help hack the system."
"Well, that's sure gonna be nice!"
"Yeah, we can only hope. But I guess tomorrow, we're going on a sea voyage."
"Yeah, Triton says he'll try to have a submarine or two ready for us. He, Monica, and some others are gonna ship out tonight and try to get a lead on them."
"Then we better catch up first thing in the morning."
"Until then, let's enjoy a nice bath." Noah smiled. "Ah, Dadban's there, too!"
Dunban was waltzing in place on his tip-toes, wearing an Olympic onesie. "…You really call him that." Suna said in disbelief.
…
"Hey, Pai." Aniki stopped her before she entered her side of the bathhouse.
"Hm?"
"I, uh… You weren't hurt too badly… were you?"
"Oh…hmhm! Not at all. Just a few papercuts. If only I did my pushups like you." Pai playfully pinched Aniki's muscles, earning a blush.
"Ah, that's right." Overhearing, Jennu ran over to Taion and jumped to grab his ear. "You owe us an apology!"
"Ah! I-I'm sorry!"
"Yeah, Taion's not as delicate as he makes himself look sometimes." Eunie said.
"You know, Aniki never apologized for hurting you either, Pai!" Mowchan stated.
"I-I was only trying to break her barrier because she was our enemy!"
"It's alright. Thanks for asking, Aniki." Pai leaned over and pecked him on the cheek. All the ink rushed to his face. "Hope you enjoy the baths… however you can. See you later!"
"…heh…" The Octoling was left frozen with a light smile. …But he caught Mowchan's grave glare. The mini giant stomped into the bathhouse while not keeping his gaze off, making Aniki hesitant to join them.
"Aaaahhhhhh, hot baths are the best…" Chuko sighed.
"A lot hotter with you and Sena in." Eunie said, stretching across the length of the spa. "Not that I mind."
"So, how's Tattsun's condition, Eunie?" Mio asked.
"We think he should rest at least another day. So, he might not join us on the voyage."
"Well, that's fair." Sena replied. "We hope to come back tomorrow night, anyway. A few others are staying, too."
"Hmmmm…" Suna sighed through her nose, her mouth submerged in the spa. Jennu looked over at her in worry. She wasn't looking forward to reuniting with Ghondor… yet she didn't want to stay in the city either. How much could a roller-skater do in a deep sea mission, anyway?
"Hey, Eunie, since you're the princess, do you have any special powers?" Chuko asked.
"Well, if I had my Gunrod, I could show you a bit of magic."
"You're magic?!"
"Well, mostly elemental magic. We don't study crazy arts like we hear on other worlds."
"So, you couldn't turn Kansai into a toad or something? Well, at least we can turn him into a weeny." Chuko smiled contentedly.
"Do I even want to know what that means?"
"AW YEH!!" Kansai's wall-shattering cheer disturbed the peace of both sides. "We found ourselves a ton of new allies AND a way to contact GKND! Our luck is finally turnin' around, team!"
"Let's not get overexcited." Pochi said. "We still don't know if Mar's plan will work."
"Oh, then you don't know Mar like I do." Baxter popped up from their bath, startling the boys. "That kid whipped up a waveracer that could circle all of Alrest in 13 hours! So, he'll wave circles around any of Sage's crazy code!"
"Where did you come from?"
"We Ottsels are the superior Nopon. We can go anywhere we please. Even through drains!" He dove under and reappeared in the girls' bath, whom mostly screamed horrifically. "You girls ever scratched an Ottsel's tum? It's fluffier than a Floof Pippito's, I guarantee ya."
"Really?!" A curious Yuki swam to scratch his belly. "Wow! It's so squishy!"
"Ooo, let me feel!" Pai said.
"Tell him to leave!" Jennu shouted.
"Our mission's lookin' bright, team," Kansai declared, "so let's give 110% tomorrow! Go-Getters Club…"
"HEY, HEY, HOOOO!" His teammates thumbed up, including the girls.
…
Tattsun had no motivation to move. Was it because of his injury? Or because he was anything less than a hero today? What would Rex say if he saw how pathetic he looked? All while Pochi and Yuki were being praised some more… unaware that Yuki was as much a threat as Sage. Only he knew… but no one would listen if he told them. No one cared what he had to say. The next chance he had to meet Rex… Tattsun should just leave them and hang with a real hero.
Erythia Sea
"Captain!" Monica gasped. "Something's appeared on our scopes! Something large!"
"Arrrrgh!" The sailor hardened his fists. "She must sense a rival in her waters. But she's about to meet a new predator!"
Only the glows of the massive serpent gave light to the dark undersea, locked onto the small submarine.
The next morning
The Go-Getters and Colony Alpha awoke in fresh spirits and traveled down to Sentridge Harbor. Suna, Tattsun, Nyoro, Vanilla, Reycho, and Joran stayed back at the city. A submarine was available for the large party. "Other sub already taken by Captain." Samon said. "Samon just hopes big crowd not sink it to seabed."
"We have a contingency plan just in case." Jennu waggled the Weenifier.
"Why is Aniki coming, anyway?" Chuko asked. "He's not a water-type either."
"Well, there isn't anything I can do upstairs either. Besides, my sisters probably don't need me breathing down their necks. Think I'll try to… trust them this time."
"It's wonderful to have you aboard, Aniki." Pai hummed.
"No it isn't…" Mowchan whined.
The operatives boarded the submarine and submerged beneath the pier. A lower hatch opened. The submarine sailed cautiously through a canyon, beyond which splayed the expanse of Erythia Sea. (Play "Factory Fright Flooded" from Yooka-Laylee!)
The islands first appeared as shadows against the sun rays illuminating the undersea world. There was a towering spire of massive yellow-red crystals, an island with a huge flower-like structure, one with a lighthouse, one that seemed like an enormous stone flower with petal-spikes jutting out, or a sandy island with huge dome-shaped structures with gaping holes around them.
That was to say nothing of the array of aquatic life. Gyaarks, sharks with huge forehead horns; Merfreys, long seahorse-like creatures with sharp teeth; Moglum, anglerfish with gaping mouths that could eat their whole party and coral along their backs for camouflage; Krodlaxes, fish with pink horns and glittering sapphire scales; or Shoox, long fish with glowing yellow antennae that would swim ahead of the submarine, serving as additional headlights.
"The whole archipelago is underwater!" said an awestruck Noah.
"It's kind of pretty… actually." Sena spoke honestly.
"It's so amazing!" exclaimed Yuki, her eyes alit with wonder. "They look like undersea mountains!"
"That's what islands actually are." Pochi replied. "I know Sage did this trying to drown us, but at least she gave us something nice to look at."
"I'm already hungry again!" Mowchan drooled. "Which of them look the tastiest? Definitely the anglerfish!"
"I can go for those Gyaarks myself!" Lanz said.
"This isn't an aquarium trip, you know." Aniki stated.
"The radio's picking up distress calls." Taion reported. "I'll put their signatures on the map."
A holographic map of the sea displayed on the head window, with five dots flashing on different islands. "That's a lot." Sena said. "They couldn't just be from Ghondor or Triton's ships, could they?"
"We should investigate them all. Perhaps Corne Island first."
"Ooo, an island of corn?" Mowchan beamed. "Now I'm REALLY hungry!"
"What's he talking about?" Eunie wondered.
Corne Island was the island of giant yellowish crystals. "That's not corn at all…"
"Maybe it would taste like corn to Gorons." Pai said. "You do train in Goron arts, Mowchan."
"Look what it's doing!" Noah alerted as the crystal bunches seemed to grow and multiply around the island with pixelly red auras. "That isn't natural!"
"Sage…" Pochi glared. "Still, crystals are earth. Aniki could get through it and find the source of the signal. I have an idea for him to survive out there."
Pai would form a barrier around herself and Aniki before jumping through the water hatch, with Pochi fusing Paniki afterward. Mio would bend the flow of currents to direct their bubble toward the island. Mio would ram them against the crystals repeatedly while Paniki broke through them with earthbending. They even formed a golem of crystals to help fight through the sprouting spikes. They would dig into the Antol Pit, though the Antols likely retreated deep underground to avoid the flood. "Aha!" They found an unconscious humanoid wearing an oxygen device over his large mouth. He had four eyes, blue skin, a bulky physique with large hands, and two tentacles on the sides of his mouth. "My, what's this?" Pai gasped.
"He's a Prone." Mio answered. "He's almost out of air. Looks like he set his communicator to send the signal."
They brought the Prone, Kryto, back to the submarine, the others shocked by his large, alien appearance. Mio treated his injuries while Eunie steered them to the next island. The island with the huge flower-like monument was Daedal Isle. Perhaps more impressive than its signature landmark, several massive Gogols and Godzilla-like Darbuses were battling each other while swimming. "WHOA! Is this where King Kong and Godzilla came from?!" Kansai exclaimed.
"These beasties won't let a little flood stop their brawl!" Lanz cheered.
"Chuko, we're goin' down there next!"
"Seriously?! Paniki should just go again and use their barrier!"
"Don't you know the takin' turns rule? Fuse us, Pochi!"
"I'll go with ya in case they pick a fight." Lanz said.
Kansuko would emit fire from their paws like rocket boosters while Lanz held on their back. The Gogols or Darbuses would punch each other toward the operatives: Lanz would use his Shieldblade to stop them while Kansuko swung their bat to send them flying. The SOS call came from the top of the flower: it was a Definian named Cyma, a tan-skinned humanoid. She was unconscious as well, so Mio would treat her once she was brought back to the sub.
Lavi Sandbar, the island with the holed domes, was defined by its white slippery sandhills in-between its rocky barriers. But as they closed in, they realized the sand was floating and making a "fog" within the domes; though the red pixels around the fog implied it was artificial. "So, why don't we fuse two of you next?" Pochi suggested. "Volunteers?"
"I'll try/I'm up for it!" Noah and Mio offered simultaneously.
"Noamio it is!"
"Noooooo…" Sena moaned.
Noamio was white with various hues of purple, long hair with dark cat ears, and ring-shaped protrusions. They swum down into the fog, their ears listening for swimming Aspars that would ambush them. Mio would send the rings whirling around to cut the Aspars in their tracks, with Noah's sword to sever any who came too close. The sinkholes that would usually be present in the central part of the island were now just open holes. Noamio swam down one into the cavern that would normally be home to Antols and found Nissick, a blonde young man with tan skin and long, furry ears, unconscious with his dwindling oxygen tank. They returned Nissick to the submarine.
"Hey, another long-earred guy." Kansai said. "He's from the same race as Mar, I bet."
"Wouldn't they be Hylians?" Chuko questioned.
"Mar is a Longear." Noah replied. "Their ears are… well, longer. This one's a Qlurian."
"Put enough long-earred people together and it'll be hard to tell them apart." Pochi figured.
The flower-shaped island was the Baldotas Atoll. "Looks like the transmission's coming right from the center." Taion observed. "We can simply drive the sub down and-"
But as they neared the island, the petals steadily closed in to chomp its spikes together. "YIKES!" Sena screamed. "I never knew it was alive!"
"Probably another Sage trick." Eunie figured. By steering away from the flower, it would reopen.
"I have a fun idea I wanna try." Jennu smiled. "Mowchan, care to fuse with me this time?"
"Well, okay! What are we gonna do?"
"The Two-Way Cannonball!"
They floated directly above the center of the Baldotas. Jennu and Mowchan dove into the sea before fusing, appearing as a more monochrome cow with long arms and legs. Jennowchan curled up and increased their gravity to sink with intense speed. The flower began its steady closing, but the duo were able to plop directly in the center, grab the black-haired human girl who sent the signal, and make a clean bounce upward as Jennu changed their gravity's direction. They escaped the flower's spikes before it fully closed and defused, though Jennu had to shrink Mowchan again before entering the sub. "Moohoo, that was fun!"
"Phew, now I know how Nyoro felt." Jennu patted her slender belly. "Gaining and losing that much weight in seconds flat…"
"You're tellin' me." Kansai snickered.
"What does THAT mean?!" Chuko shouted.
"The last one appears to be at Thurbin Island." Taion said. "A lighthouse is stationed there… though I fear it's become a base now."
"Hey! Can anyone hear this?! Ghondor, I know you're still out there! I can't hold them off anymore! Someone, hurry!"
"There's a voice this time!" Pochi gasped. "That means it must be breathable inside the base. Yuki, Noah, Mio, let's go together. There's a chance there are even more we can rescue."
"Perhaps there is." Mio smiled hopefully.
"Hey, don't leave us outta the scrap." Kansai fist-palmed. "They'll listen to the music better when we knock the wind outta them!"
Leaving Eunie and Taion to manage the sub, the others swam down to the pavilion around the lighthouse, where Avises were armed to attack them. Sena and Lanz fought the robots so their friends could break into the building's entrance. "Haaah!" They splashed out of a water wall into the building. "Ah, the building's an air bubble! Uh-oh!" They realized the band of Agnians that were inside. They all seemed to be girls except for two.
"Commander!" called Kanata, a Bladeborn girl with a light-blue behind her head. "Monsters! The monsters are here!"
"Don't back down!" the commander yelled from atop the upper walkway. Her pink hair was tied in a bun, and small red horns jutted out above her brown eyes. "Fight with all your heart! MU MU POWER!" She waved and twirled a parade flag, sending a wave of chi that enchanted her teammates.
"It's Proudbanner Fiona!" Noah exclaimed. "She can increase her allies' abilities with that banner!"
"WOOHOO!" cheered a pigtailed girl. "Nico is going to thrash you monsters! And I'm Nico!"
"Then Chuko is going to burn you!" Chuko declared. "And guess who that is?!"
Chuko ignited her hands, shoes, and hair loops to lay swift, fiery strikes on Nico. She would beat Nico easily and change targets to Tussore, a Gormotti sniper. Kansai clashed his bat with Kanata's sword and shield. Jennu battled the only male in Mu, Tallow, defined by the Band-Aid on his nose and his hair that made him look like a Tirkin head. He couldn't get close with his dual swords as Jennu began flipping and bashing him around with shifting gravity. Ayase, a green-haired Urayan, thrusted her spear at Aniki, who evaded via octo-morphing before punching her with a glove made of earth. Mikaela, a blonde Qlurian, shot at Pai with her rifle, but Pai would make her way to Mika while defending until she could spring a barrier directly against the gunner, repeating the act until she was KO'ed. Mowchan would Goron Roll against Hildemarie, a Gormotti wielding a spear. Again, his bad affinity with cats persisted.
Pochi and Yuki reached the upper walkway, where Fiona lashed out at them with her flag. Yuki fought back on her own simply using her gauntlet for defense and offense. "You have Mu Mu Power?! Well, I have Yu Yu Power!"
"Though since you glow from spirit music, you're kind of Yu Yu Hakusho." Pochi joked.
"Whuuuuuuh??" Yuki had no idea what that meant.
"The signal's probably coming from here. Keep her busy, Yuki." Pochi rushed into the nearby room. It was the lighthouse's control station, where a pigtailed girl was shooting cloned Agnians with a revolver. She wore a green army vest and skirt with tall black combat boots. After blasting the last one, she whipped her gun at Pochi- "NO, NO!" He dodged the first two shots. "I'm not a-" But she stretched her palm to freeze him in time.
"Wait…what?" The girl halted. She unfroze Pochi.
"-an Agnian! We received your distress call and… Did I just blank out for a second?"
"So, you're… a normal person? I don't remember you in the city."
"I'll explain in a moment… again. For now, we have to knock these Agnians out."
The Go-Getters successfully KO'ed the Mu agents. Lanz and Sena would catch up to them inside. "'ey, it was Colony Mu!" Lanz realized. "Ah hope you didn't go too hard on them."
"We mighta got carried away." Kansai blushed. "They didn't power up as much as we thought."
"Well, they are one of our youngest sectors." Noah reasoned. "They're a lot more about support and fun than fighting."
"You guys are more of a Teens Next Door than a Kids, huh? Our youngest sector sure wouldn't go down that easy!"
"Well, they're sure to be a big help, anyway." Sena smiled. "And they're super precious besides! Let's restore them!"
They lined the kids up on the floor as Noah and Mio performed their off-seer song. Yuki's body glowed softly. Pochi would join her and Restore the youngest sector!
"Eeeeeehhhhh…" Colony Mu seemed to age 90 years in the blink of an eye. The Go-Getters' and Alpha's jaws dropped.
"Heeeeelp…Nico has fallen… and she can't get up… Th-That's me…"
"I can't feel my kidney…" Kanata moaned.
"Mu…Mu…poweeeeerrr…" Fiona moaned.
"WHAT THE SPARK?!" Lanz exclaimed. "Is this because they died a bunch in this game?! How many times did they snuff it?!"
"This is terrible…" Pochi said. "We're gonna have to find out which colony killed them to get their EXP back. Or which colonies…"
"Did you just age them?" the pigtailed girl asked. "Are you also a timebender?"
"Shania!" Sena perked up in recognition. "It's you!"
"Ah…hello, Sena." Shania passively greeted.
"It's great to see you alright." Noah said. "We rescued your teammates before coming here. But we haven't found Ghondor."
"Forget Ghondor. Just take us back to town."
"We can't do that." Pochi reasoned. "Ghondor's our friend's sister."
"Oh…so, you're from Earth then."
"But first, what to do about Mu here." Noah said. "Certainly can't take them along."
"Shania, did you just say you're a timebender?" Pochi asked.
"Yeah, I am. But I'm not good at age-changing. Can't you just change them back?"
"Uh, no. What we used wasn't timebending. Their years were stolen from them and we just dispelled their fake game forms. Maybe we should get them back to the city… but I don't think the sub has enough room."
"Those guys chased me here on their own submarine. It's probably docked in the underground pier. I'll take them there with my teammates."
"We'd really appreciate it." Sena said. "But do you know where Ghondor is?"
"Who knows. Maybe she made it to the Convention Center. She wanted us all to go there because most of the white soldiers seemed to come from there. We'd only made it to the barbican before the ocean flooded. The rest of us wound up washed across the sea and separated, but Ghondor powered and swam her way toward the center. Even dragging that dumb Blade of hers along."
"This makes things easier, don't it?" Ghondor smirked. "Now we can swim right toward it!"
"G-Ghondor—cough!" A wave broke Shania's words. "It's too stro—cough! Can't keep—uck!"
"Then just get to the boat 'cause Ah'm goin' in!"
"I can't stand her…"
"That lends Suna some credit." Jennu shrugged. "I guess we'll go on ahead to the Convention Center."
"But she's a timebender!" Kansai reminded. "Wouldn't it be REALLY helpful if she came along?"
"I don't care to rescue Ghondor."
"Shania…" Sena sighed sympathetically.
"It's fine, just get Fiona to safety." Lanz said. "We're plenty strong for whatever's up there, right?"
"YEAH!" Kansai thumbed! (End song.)
Swordmarch
Suna was lazily slurping a smoothie at the Michiba Canteen, her feet propped on the table. All the while internally asking herself why she even bothered staying here. Now Jennu didn't have a fusing buddy… and Suna herself was still avoiding-
"Hey, Suna? Nyoro here." She spoke on comms. "Tattsun seems to be leaving the city."
"What?!"
"We just caught him on camera. He's wearing the eyepatch, at least."
"What is he…ugh, I'll get him. Er, but can you give me directions? Still don't know my way around here."
Tattsun wondered if Rex had followed them up here. Or even saw him in his feeble state. Either way, Tattsun had to rendezvous with him, and he likely couldn't get inside the city without being seen. Tattsun made it onto the snowy, rusty walkway. The gentle breeze howled and birds cawed across the steep chasm. "Reeeeeex?" His voice echoed down the sword. "Helloooooo?"
"'eeeeeere! Over 'eeeeeeere!"
Tattsun lit up. He was across the narrow bridge, past the elevator and around a corner of the wall. Tattsun crossed and followed the walkway around that corner. "There ya are, son!" The hero greeted him jovially.
"Rex! How'd you get up here?"
"Well, with that flood blockin' the entrances, all I could do was climb! Helps build the biceps." Rex flexed. "But why'd you climb all the way up here? Seems a bit lonely, don't it?"
"Well, there's a secret city where people were able to hide from Sage's control. It's because it's made from World Tree metal. This eyepatch is, too; it lets them move outside the city without her seeing them."
"Really now… So, your buddies are in there as well?"
"Pochi, Yuki, and some others left on a mission. Your daughter went with them; Pochi was able to restore her."
"Heh, that's my Mia…cough, Mio."
"By the way… I tried to open a Core Crystal. But I couldn't."
"Oh? That would explain those bandages, I take it?"
"I guess I'm not qualified to be a Driver like Pochi, huh?"
"Hey, don't give up, yet. There are other ways to become a Driver, you know."
"Really? How?"
"First, have ya any updates on Yuki?"
"Not particularly…"
"Hmmm…so, did Mio put up a good fight?" Rex sported a grin. "Bet it was tough restorin' her. How'd Pochi do it?"
"They wouldn't really tell me. They were mad about what I did."
"Mmmgh…" Rex seemed disgruntled. "Well, what're your mates doing now?"
"Well, Nyoro visited earlier. She mentioned they were working on a way to contact GKND."
"Really? How?"
"Uh-"
"Tattsun! Hey!"
Tattsun gasped, hearing Suna's snow skates closing in. "Suna!"
"Oi, let's climb down where she won't find us."
"Er, I-I dunno…" Tattsun was starting to think he was scared of heights. "I-I-I'll just get her to turn around." He hurried back to the corner, much to Rex's frustration.
"Tattsun, there you are!" Suna approached him in relief. "Why're you going out here by yourself, it's dangerous!"
"I just… wanted a little walk."
"Haven't you worried us enough, you idi—ugh…" Suna stopped herself. "Alright, just… look. I'm sorry for how I've been treating you. I never meant anything by it, I was only trying to do play-hitting and quipping. Friends do it all the time."
"Well… you did it too much."
"Okay, okay…" Suna rested a hand on his shoulder. "Sigh, I didn't wanna say it out loud, but… I do kinda think the Electro Rangers are kinda fun."
"You…You do?"
"Yeah, I…" Suna sported an embarrassed smile, "I kinda almost want some electric skaters… it'd be neat."
"Hehe…you would look neat with it."
"Yeah… and Zodiacs was a cool name. Which animal would I be?"
"I… haven't figured that out. Especially with our new additions, making 13 members… maybe you could be the, uh, secret 13th Zodiac… th-the Cheetah."
"I'm a cheetah?"
"Well, you're fast… like one."
"Heh, cool…um, but, is there anything else bothering you? You wanted to get away from us back at the falls, too, then that crystal business…"
"I just…I just wanna be cool like Pochi… I wanna be a hero…"
"Seriously, dude? You realize every sector has a special operative or two. Can't you be happy just being involved on this mission, saving this planet with us? You're already a hero."
"I…i-it's not like that…um…"
"Not like what?"
"Mmmmhh…" Rex sighed. He should've got this over with sooner.
"Uh…I might know something you guys don't. But you won't believe me…"
"If it's really important, you gotta tell us! Why wouldn't I believe you? I may like to quip at you, but I can take you seriously when it matters."
"Uhhh…"
"Tattsun, just tell me."
"F-Fine. Y-Yuki is the bad guy."
"What?!" Even Suna couldn't have expected that. "W-W-Whuh…Where'd you learn that?!"
"From Rex…"
"Rex… Mio's dad?"
"He's… over there."
The dumbstruck Suna followed Tattsun onto the walkway. There the hero was before her eyes… looking irritated. "Re… You…You've been talking to him… when exactly…?"
"When I fell in the forest. He explained why Yuki might be evil, too…"
"And…And you just believed him? When everyone else was brainwashed… and this guy's just hiding from the only safe place…"
"I-It's because he's an Aegis Driver; but, his Aegis isn't here, so…"
"Tattsun, get over here. We need to get back inside."
"You said you would believe me." Tattsun turned to her. "Rex said that I was—GUUUAH!"
Suna paled. An energy sword chopped Tattsun's head, derezzing him. "Ah was hopin' to arrange this more peacefully." Rex said. "But no way he was gonna come under conventional means."
"Ay-ya-ya…" Suna stepped backwards.
"Ya like it?" He held the light sword out. "I tried to have it replicate the original as best I could… but it'll never have that same spark."
"… … …" Suna spun and bolted, crossing the narrow bridge full speed, but Rex had already pursued, reeled his sword arm back, and sent the energy blade spinning. It severed his end of the bridge, causing it to weigh downward. Suna grabbed the sides of it, but Rex would grab a second, flaming sword and throw it to burn the other end. "AAAAAAAAAaaaaahhhhh…" Suna's cries would fade down the great sword.
"No doubt this place has cameras. Doesn't matter… I already have my protégé. So, let's get him ready for the show." Rex leapt off the tower and opened a glider, flying for Agnus Castle. "Dangangangangangan!"
Cent-Omnia Region
The battle was brutally won in Colony 4's favor. The blonde-haired soldier slew Colony Gamma with his long-clawed gloves; making especially sure to slice through their whole necks. Yet, he seemed dismayed as their bodies dissolved into pixels. "He wasn't an operative before." Mumkhar said. "Accordin' to the news, he was found guilty for a string of murders. Their severed heads were found in his hideaway."
"Great job, Dirk!" Commander Bolearis praised. The clawed soldier approached him with a vicious, unsatiated scowl. "You showed them what-for! With all this EXP, we're sure to-"
Dirk severed his head. "DIRK!" screamed Yorde, a Machina girl. "What're you-"
Within minutes, heads rolled… or at least he would've liked them to. "Dumbabababa!" Mumkhar laughed. "Didn't I say you would like him?"
"He is unsatisfied…" Stefano observed. "This world doesn't give him the art he yearns for."
Dirk caught his breath after the final comrade drew his last. "Not as fun when ya don't get to reap the prizes, right?"
"Huh?" Dirk acknowledged the two. "Is there a problem… my dear consuls?"
"No need for formalities." Mumkhar beamed with open arms. "Come to papa!"
Erythia
The operatives sailed to the opposite end of Erythia Sea, where the bottom pillars of Agnus Castle hung beneath the surface. "You know, I wonder… if Zeon's supposed to be the Supreme Commander for Keves, then who's Agnus's?" Eunie asked.
"I can't say I really know." Taion replied. "But hopefully, we can restore them along with anyone else in the castle. Huh?!" The sonar was beeping wildly. "There's something massive incoming! Activating shield!"
Though the shield saved them from worse damage, the force still sent their craft spinning. They could make out the long, serpentine massive swimming past their window. "A seasnake?!" Chuko gasped.
"I've never seen a Ramoon that big!" Lanz said.
"'Think it's a little worse than that." Pochi narrowed his eye as the massive serpent curved to face them directly. "It's an Aion!" It has huge buzzsaws on the sides of its head, a glowing red horn above its mouth of razor teeth, an energy axe for a tailfin, and other glowing fins along its body.
"Yeah, we were due for one." Kansai said.
"Time for another superty-duperty Titan toppling!" Yuki fist-pumped.
"Hey, we want in, too!" Sena said.
"YEAH!" Lanz cheered. "'ey, Sena, wanna fuse with me? We'll be the strongest among them!"
"I like the sound of that!"
"Never too late for a test run! Noah, Mio, you too!" They dove outside as Pochi worked his magic! Lanzena was a dark and white Fusion with arm shields, massive wings with a purple textured design, and a large hammer attached to their ponytail. Along with forming Noamio, Pochi and Yuki formed their Lucky sword! (Play "Find Your Flame" from Sonic Frontiers!)
Boss fight: Levialord Aion
Levialord charged horn-first, but the firm swings of Pochi's blade deflected it away. The Aion curved and tried to stab him from other angles, Pochi deflecting each time, until its buzzsaws would lash out to his sides. Lanzena got at Pochi's back and hold the saws back with their shields. They swung their hammer against the jaw to bash Levialord's head up, with Pochi to slash it in the neck! Yuki rode Noamio down its body as Pochi tossed Lucky to her, riddling it with slashes before Levialord retreated. The serpent circled them in a wide radius, detaching its fins as they homed on the ops like boomerangs. Noamio sent their rings out to intercept them, keeping it up for 10 seconds before Levialord suddenly swung its axe. Pochi deflected it, but the axe detached and returned beneath him like a boomerang, but Yuki grabbed the sword to deflect it once more.
Levialord opened its mouth for a deep inhale, a cyclone forming from its lungs. Noamio took control of its own current and swam against it, bending the flow the opposite way. The act would halt and twist Levialord's fans, giving it the sensation of choking. Lanzena would hurt its throat further by batting fireballs into it. Pochi and Yuki swam down opposite sides of its body, tossing Lucky between each other to slice it in circles. Levialord would flee again and bend itself against the spine, connecting its horn to its tailfin in a circle. The glowing fins within connected to become an energy wall. The Fusions swam circles around Pochi and Yuki to block the connected energy with their shield arms and Water Shield. The Levialord sent its fins independently to repeat the act, and while the Fusions redid their defense, the Aion charged straight for the center. A firm swing from Pochi deflected it. Noamio then bent a spiraling current down its body, the Driver and Blade flowing down and quickly exchanging Lucky for another volley of cuts.
Levialord's saws transformed into propellers as it swam upward and launched out of the sea. Its horn would rain lasers and it launched more boomerangs. As they deflected the attacks, they saw Pai, Jennu, Mowchan, and Aniki approach, safe in Pai's barrier while Jennu guided their direction. "Pochi, we'll bring it down!" Jennu said. "A little weight will do the trick!"
Pochi nodded and fused Paniki and Jennowchan. The latter's gravity would make them all fly up, the cow's girth combined with Paniki's barrier. They reached Levialord's level as Jennu reenacted their trick from the castle, bouncing against the serpent from multiple angles. The force eventually weighed the Titan down to the surface, still swirling and keeping up its attacks. Noamio threw Pochi and Yuki onto its back, dashing to chip off more pieces of armor. Levialord flipped its axe tail up at them, but Lanzena blasted up to grab the base of it, their great strength redirecting its course. They chopped the axe directly into Levialord's head and hammered it in. Still, the Aion hung in there and flicked the Fusion off, but its vision sensors were damaged as it shot its horn lasers aimlessly.
Jennowchan flew her group in range of a laser, allowing Pai to deflect it with a Perfect Guard and shoot the Titan right back. The Aion would float dazed on the surface. Noamio began to bend Water Rings around and along its body, closing them for an array of 360° Water Slices. Pochi and Yuki raced along the askew spiraled beast a final time to slice each of these places. Noamio had chipped the armor enough for their blade to cut clean through. Levialord fell to pieces, and the duo would take the sword together, leap, and stab it straight through the horn. They escaped as the Titan's segments exploded starting from the tail. "Every good game has an underwater boss, right?" Pochi remarked. As the submarine rose to surface, they sent its claw to grab the Cyber Key that fell from the Aion. (End song.)
"WHOA!" Eunie exclaimed. "Ah knew you were special, I didn't think you were THAT good!"
"What a peculiar sword." Taion said. "It almost looks like the Monado."
"What's a Monado?" asked Yuki.
"One of the Aegis blades, I believe." Pochi answered.
"So, like… is Yuki sort of like an Aegis, too?" Sena wondered.
"That has always been in the back of my mind."
"Wow! That sounds like a super big honor!" Yuki beamed.
"But she is the antithesis to Sage's power." Taion recalled. "Wouldn't that suggest…"
"Sage is a Blade, too?" Kansai cut in. "We already talked about that."
"But we never found a concrete answer." Pochi reminded. Thinking on it now, it was still worrying… in fact, he couldn't help but feel a dreadful chill in the air. Or perhaps it was because they were still floating in the ocean.
"TRAR HAR HAR! Wow, ye lads sure cleaned up!" a sailor's voice called.
"'ey! There's Triton!" Lanz pointed.
"And Dadban's with them!" Noah exclaimed.
Dunban was dressed in a striped shirt with a French beret, playing a jaunty sailor's song on an accordion. A drenched and battered Triton and Monica rowed over on a dingy. "We had a good skirmish with that beast last night! Blasted brute sent us flyin'. Lucky ol' Dunban here rowed along. 'Shame that I didn't get ter finish the job, but at least I whittled him down for you lot."
"Oh, spark off, you old Aligo." Lanz retorted.
"Have you any news to report?" Monica asked. The group explained how they saved Shania and her teammates. "Sigh…I'll have to have a few words with that young lady. Provided she's even still alive…"
"Oh, she is." Triton assured. "Don't doubt that li'l lassie. So, let's get in there before she hogs all the fun."
However, just as they climbed aboard the submarine, they received a call from Nyoro. "Guys, we have trouble! Suna was just attacked outside; she fell off the great sword!"
"HUH?!" everyone gasped in unison.
"We saw it on our cameras. Suna was following Tattsun into this blind spot, but then she ran out when this man chased her. He threw these energy swords and cut the bridge, and Suna fell. We don't know where that guy or Tattsun is now; Hrm went to investigate."
"What did he look like?!" Noah asked. "Kevesi? Agnian? Consul?"
"Mar says… he actually looked like Rex."
"Dad?!" Mio gasped.
"No, that can't be right!" Sena said.
"It's logical he was brainwashed like everyone else." Taion reasoned.
"Taion!" Eunie smacked his back.
"Alright, change o' plans, team." Kansai declared. "We're turnin' around and lookin' for them!"
"I fear that may not be an option." Monica replied. "A fall from that height would spell the end of your friend… or perhaps she was 'derezzed' in this case."
The idea was still frightening to think about. Even if they were both derezzed, where would they find them? …The pods quickly came to Pochi's mind. And with it the answer. "We're staying on the mission. We're invading the castle."
"Are you crazy?!" Kansai shouted. "We can't give up without at least TRYING to look!"
"Didn't we figure out that those pods in Keves Castle were where people spawn back from when they derez? Which means Agnus has its own pods. So, there's a chance our friends will spawn out of there!"
"But we were assigned as Keves soldiers!" Chuko reminded. "I know these guys swapped nations, but it still doesn't mean we'll find them here!"
"It's our only good option right now! We have to try."
"I second that!" Triton fist-palmed. "Helmsman, full force into the fortress!"
"YAAAAARGH!" Yuki bellowed with a foot on the controls and aura sword aimed at the castle. "We'll rob them of all their loot, aye?!"
"Well, I can't argue with a battle cry like that." Kansai smiled. "HOIST the colors, maties!"
"This ship doesn't HAVE colors!" Chuko argued.
"What should we do?" Nyoro asked.
"Is progress going well on the communications hacking?" Pochi asked.
"It kind of is, actually. Vanilla was able to find a small gap using Yuki's code. We're trying to target Star's email."
"Then stay on track. We're really gonna need their help. We'll see you in a bit."
"It's a promise."
Cyberspace
Tattsun was afloat in the dataspace, his avatar half-complete with several open chunks around him. He had only a single eye to open as Sage loomed over him. "Reorganizing fragmented memories. Installing special directive. State your name."
"Ta…Tattsun."
"Who do you serve?"
"…The hero, Rex!"
"Who is the enemy?"
"The bad guy… is Yuki."
"Who do you aim to surpass?"
"…Pochi."
Sage smirked. "Installing Driver program." She cast streams of her data over the boy, a dark suit materializing over him. As their data connected, Sage saw into his latent memories.
"Back home, the others loved watching him play games. He was so good. But they didn't wanna cosplay Electro Rangers with me. Now we have to rely on him to save this world; he has all these cool powers and skills now, and I'm still the dork no one cares about."
"Hmm…" Tattsun felt inferior to his brother. He only wanted to be useful to his allies. Somehow… that resonated with Sage very well. But that resonance would only enhance their bond. And now, they would both surpass their inferior brethren.