Spike handed Joran a not-so-clean defeat, but Pielope's will reawakened the green-haired youth with greater vigor. Mud poured from all pores of Joran's frame as he grew into a rasping mud monster. "Welp, I'm spent." Spike brushed his hands. "This kid's a chump. You chumps can have a turn."
"Jolene, why don't you bust out your Jiggylossus Fury?!" Robi encouraged. "Show him who's the boss blob around here!"
"But if I become the boss, then you can't go to the next level 'til you beat me."
"Don't worry, Jolene! You'll be a nice boss who will let us go!"
"A nice boss gives lots of days off." Jolene remembered her teacher's words as she grew into a giant blob of clay, armed with colored Crystal Jiggy knuckles, chest, and forehead, while numerous small, golden Jiggies dotted her body.
Jasmine and Frasmine battled Isurd and Nimue. As Nimue's icebending filled the battlefield in fractals, Pielope's influence allowed Isurd's Disc Launcher to wildly refract and duplicate its rings. The twins were swarmed and struck from countless directions as they tried to melt the ice, with Jasmine throwing similar rings of flame as a counter. The agents of Colony 0 faced Ralph and Marty Gilligan, Mack Strongarm, and Shimmy, whom were equipped with their own mechs to battle the Faces' Ferrons. Sector MG battled the Colony Iota agents, with Aria facing Craftmaiden Alexandria. Chickadee became entrapped in Charmy's cotton sheep. Mazu and Kodachi teamed up against Riku and Manana, the Nopon chef wielding her pot lid as a strong shield and the craftsman wielding a gun. Though, Mazu mostly acted in defense while otherwise trying to cook something yummy, sensing Manana was a chef as well. Once Mazu had gotten a sample into her mouth, Manana began to see the "monsters" differently.
When Ashenpelt Gray respawned, he had reunited with his Blade, Perceval the Heartless Judge. The two hunted Silica and Trella in a battle of stealth, the girls relying on each other's skills to outwit their opponents. Trella's Ghost Whispering could summon the aid of Gogol spirits to attack the judge and jaguar. Inscrutable Teach arrived to assist Zeon against Star, but Tiffi Whitby would intercept the Indoline and combat his Martial Linkstaff with a Lunar Whip, its lashes taking crescent shapes.
When Perry called a certain Hyrulean cousin of his about the mission, Sector TRI volunteered to take part in it as well. One of their teammates happened to be cousins with Pochi and Tattsun, so this would be a great chance to meet them! The team of hunters were in a stealthy match with Ghostbow Juniper and Colony Tau, ambushing each other with arrows through the Pleroma trees of the Aurora Shelf.
Mwax Mwurphy had mwatched against Mwamba. In the mwidst of their battle, they crashed into a cooking class and got mwixed into it. When they were tasked to mwash the potatoes, Mwamba panicked when Mwax shoved mwuffin mwix into it. The dough and potatoes mwelded together into a mwonsterous mwalady that broke out of the classroom and mwassacred every dog in town. When every mwutt mwet its demwise, Mwax was put on trial for not pouring mwoose mwilk into the mwixture. However, Mwax proved that all the mwooses were abducted by mwalicious mwice, and shoved under Mwamba's basement to sew mwittens for them to sleep in. And when the mwice slept, their snot bubbles mwixed into a mwassive one, uplifting Mwamba's house off its foundation and forcing him to rent a mwotel run by Mwartians.
At the foot of Prison Island, Aniki, Nyoro, Vanilla, Jennu, Pai, and Reycho had Errol outnumbered. "Don't hold anything back." Jennu said. "This one is strong."
Aniki looked between Vanilla and Pai, their courage and resolve clear. "Then I'll be counting on every one of you."
"Errororororor! I really won the easy lot this time." Errol sneered. In his Nefarious voice, "I'll grind you squishies into soup!" (Play "Vs. Klaww" from Jak and Daxter!)
Boss fight: Composite Cyborg, ERROL
Errol blasted plasma bombs to separate the Go-Getters, afterwards charging at Nyoro while commenting, "I guess I haven't killed you enough!" Thankfully, Pai made it to her and projected a barrier, which Errol violently began to hammer with his claw. Aniki stomped rock-jabs to push him from the girls, but Errol would keep at it while sending small, walking bomb drones. Jennu used her bending to raise the drones and make them "fall" against Errol. Pai dropped her barrier out of exhaust and retreated, while Aniki stomped a hole open for she and himself to dive through. Reycho rushed to grab Pai and run as Errol burned lasers after them. Aniki got beneath and sank Errol's feet into ink holes, and he and Nyoro would bring out behind to pelt him with rocks and ink.
Errol flapped his wings and took to the sky, raining a volley of plasma nukes onto the field. Jennu flew up with Pai, safe in her barrier as they rammed Errol with a repetitive Gravball combo. The cyborg took a swipe with his wings every time they came, while Vanilla got directly beneath the bot and glitched up to go inside him. She fussed and kicked around Errol's code as much as she could before being ejected, but her effort caused Errol to fall and land. When his right hand was briefly planted, Aniki trapped it in earth, along with Errol's shoes. Errol aimed his cannon, but Jennu dropped Pai down and fell sideways to kick its aim off. Aniki dealt a combo of rock-jabs to Errol's head before the cyborg escaped.
Errol uplifted and tried to swoop down at Aniki, who octofied each time, while sending missile drones at the others. During one dodge, Errol surprised Aniki by shooting his own claw to grab the octo. "Now I got you, Octofreak!" The claw was magnetically connected to his arm via an energy sphere in-between, reeling Aniki in. Aniki reverted to normal and struggled to tear free of the strangling grasp. He gripped and pulled the metal claws desperately, hoping they would bend like earth. Reycho caught one of the missile drones and threw it at Errol's side, followed by Jennu and Pai smashing him with their barrier, loosening Errol's grip enough for Aniki to slip free. Vanilla possessed Reycho and had him glitch-hop about like a bunny-monkey, kicking Errol at multiple angles, before the cyborg wildly flailed his wings to bat them away.
Mustering Clockwerk's programming, Errol threw rings that electrified the area around them. Jennu and Pai flew through, Nyoro kicked on Inkjets to fly through the rings, Reychilla hopped through them, while Aniki Rock Jumped through. But Errol would shoot his claw to grab Reychilla and quickly rotate it around himself, bashing Nyoro out of the air. He then slammed Reychilla against Pai's barrier as parts of Reycho's body snapped off. Pai briefly dropped the shield and recreated it with Errol's claw inside, and Jennu would levitate them away to drag it away from Errol. Nyoro kicked on her Inkjets again to reach his level and bombard him with an ink blaster. Errol spun and lunged toward Nyoro, intending to saw her with his wings, but the constant ink gunked up his eyes and wings, forcing him to land.
Just as he wiped his eyes clean, Aniki shot up from underground with an uppercut, bending a rock-jab into Errol's chin. Errol shot eye lasers at Aniki, who octofied and hid underground. He emerged with a Boulder Fist, thrusting it at Errol in the same manner as his own claw. Errol used his wings as a shield, but from behind, Nyoro and Pai would combine their Inkball and barrier to ram the cyborg. Errol spun to send them flying, their barriers shattering as Errol's claw finally returned. "What?!" The arm began spazzing as the claw smacked himself. He heard Vanilla giggling in the distance. "Blasted virus!" Errol purged the new programming and rebooted his arm. Using Nefarious' programming, he used Holo Clone Jutsu, sending clones to attack the ops. They would disappear after one attempt of an attack.
Vanilla possessed Reycho to glitch-dodge the clones, snatching stones off the ground to throw at Errol. Aniki, safe inside Pai's barrier, stomped up golems and sent them at Errol in the same fashion, the cyborg swatting most away while two were able to tackle him, splashing Errol with his ink. Jennu fell from a high point and slammed the ground with intense gravity, pressing Errol down. Aniki then willed boulders to rise above Errol, the gravity smashing them into him, but Errol mustered the strength to rise and snatch Jennu with his claw. Reychilla zipped over to try and pry Jennu free, while Vanilla glitched into his mainframe. Despite her attempts to hack Errol, the cyborg bashed Jennu and Reycho against the ground in repetition until they were KO'ed.
Errol raised his foot above Jennu's head—Vanilla's hacking caused his Nefarious brain to sizzle, playing a recording of a soap opera. "Calculon! Why didn't you tell me you had two evil twin brothers?!" "It is not so simple, Monique. I also have a THIRD evil twin!" Errol sparked back to normal in a fury and STOMPED, but Aniki had already pulled Jennu to safety. Nyoro had also activated a new gadget, sending six speakers into the air. She waited for Vanilla to escape before, "AAAAAHHHH!" screaming as beams of ink fired from the speakers, known as the Killer Wail 5.1. The Enforcer still refused to go down, only growing angrier as his eyes brimmed a brighter red and his head dome sparkled bright green.
"That looks like his version of a Fury Mode!" Nyoro said. "Aniki, it's time to bust out the big guns. Still got that pill Marty gave you?"
"Yeah!" They both drew theirs. "Pai, might wanna step back." She did so, and once Aniki and Nyoro swallowed the pills, both were intensely pulsing with ink.
Vanilla gasped. "The Kraken Royale tablets?! Awesome!"
The siblings morphed into much larger squid and octo forms, dwarfing Errol. Aniki burrowed them underground and shot up to ram Errol at any turn, with plenty of ink to survive the direct attacks of his wings or cannon. Nyoro became human and fired a Trizooka; triple ink cannons, while Aniki Rock Jumped into the air and smashed a powerful Inksplosion upon landing. Errol survived and fired a volley of plasma bombs around Nyoro, who brought up the Inkball to survive. Without giving her a chance to explode it, Errol charged to grab Aniki and soar to the sky. Aniki simply became a giant octo and enveloped Errol's torso, the cyborg flailing to shake free as his wings repeatedly stabbed Aniki.
"Hey, Pai!" Nyoro rejoined her. "I have an idea for a combo move, but I'm gonna need you put on a few pounds." She pulled out the Weenifier and a cannon which had a slot for it to go in.
"Are you about to awaken my gigantism?"
"You bet."
"Can I join the super move, too?!" Vanilla glitched over.
"Absolutely!" With that, Nyoro fired a red beam from the cannon, blowing Pai up in size.
Aniki splashed into a puddle when he and Errol returned to earth. The cyborg rose to take flight despite the ink blotting his face—he crashed into the ceiling of Pai's barrier. "You aren't going anywhere, buster!" Pai's magnified voice echoed. Aniki was momentarily stunned by the size of her, but when Errol fired laser eyes at her stomach, he snapped back to reality. Nyoro began to surf around the barrier and ram Errol from wherever possible, so Aniki followed her lead. The cyborg couldn't keep track of the two surfing around the spherical ink dome, especially when Vanilla glitched in and out of him for brief intervals.
Pai would shrink down to normal in a few more seconds, rescinding her barrier, and the siblings' Kraken Royale would be drained as well. Errol sparked as he rose completely soaked in ink. "Y-Y-You… cannot… conquer… me…" He turned his eyes at Nyoro and aimed his plasma cannon at Pai, both drained from their effort. Vanilla, trying to stabilize her own body, gasped at seeing Aniki's octo form merged in the ink on Errol's back. "I am-" he glitched between voices, "-immortal—flowers—ANNIHILATE—LAWRENCE—Dark Freak—I win, Jak—I will live…"
Aniki's ink seeped inside and out of Errol's circuitry. He stayed quiet and focused to maintain his hiding place, but was desperate to think of a way to attack. It was then he began to feel the fragments of earth in Errol's metal frame, possibly thanks to the ink. Aniki focused his chi only around the arm cannon. Just as he was about to fire it, Aniki bent the arm up to aim at Errol's face. The blast blew Aniki off while Errol collapsed on the ground, powering down. (End song.)
"ANIKI!" The girls raced to his aid. "Are you alright?!" Pai propped him up.
"I'm fine…cough!" Pieces of his body were missing and oozing. "He took… the brunt of the damage…"
"How could you be so RECKLESS, Big Bro?!" Vanilla shouted. "If that'd been a little off, you'd be a ghost like ME now!"
"Heh…I guess you two set a bad impression for me."
"Hehehe!" The sisters blushed. "It looks like your vital spots are okay at least." Nyoro smiled. "How did you do that, anyway?"
"I…I metalbent him."
"You did?!" Vanilla exclaimed. "Wow, that's amazing! Now metal bases will never bother you agai-"
"COUGH!" Pai dropped, releasing Aniki and clutching her stomach. "H-He got me… pretty good with that laser." She raised her shirt, revealing the black gash on her stomach.
"Oh, my!" Nyoro gasped. "We need to find Mio or somebody! Even Sector L might be here, at least!"
"Jennu and Reycho need it, too." Vanilla looked to them. "Um…before we do, do you think we should… put that guy down?"
They faced C's unconscious body with concern. "No." Nyoro said. "He'll just respawn. Then he'll be sent to fight us again. Let's just look for a healer. I'm afraid I'll have to shrink you guys to carry you."
"That's fine." Pai blushed. "I need to lose some weight."
Nyoro minimized them two along with Jennu and Reycho. Vanilla carried the latter while Nyoro tucked Aniki and Pai in her turtleneck pocket. "Sigh…your brother's gonna kill me for letting this happen to you."
"Mowchan's just gonna have to get used to it. I meant what I said, you know… I'm joining the KND."
"You're not doing it just to see me more often, are you? If that's your only motive, you won't make it very far."
"Why not?"
"Well, just… a good operative stands on their own merits. Not just to keep a loser like me happy."
"Hmm…" Pai held his hand and pulled him closer. "I'm joining because… I want to be a winner like you."
"…heh…" Aniki leaned closer…
Nyoro felt lots of shuffling in her pocket.
Several minutes earlier
"Before we proceed," Enforcer U began, "I'd like to know your Numbuhs."
"Okay?" Kansai replied. "Well, I'm Numbuh…uh…Chuko, what'd I pick for a Numbuh again?"
"Was it Numbuh Home Run? No, that was one you tried to pick, but it was already used."
"Maybe it was Numbuh Home Base?"
"I think I was Numbuh Kilos?" Mowchan wondered.
"How could you not know your own Numbuhs?!" U shouted.
"Because we never use them?" Chuko shrugged. "Like, we have to give ourselves Numbuhs when we graduate as a prerequisite, but literally no one calls each other by them. Our real names are much easier to remember."
"So, the KND no longer cares for sacrificing its traditions. It's bad enough that you have TEENAGERS among you." He glared at Suna. "Next thing I'll learn is you'll have adults in your ranks."
"I think there used to be, actually." Suna smirked.
U leapt backward to grab the skater by the arm and flip her on her front, but she landed on her skates before spinning and throwing the Enforcer. "Besides, don't you guys get confused callin' each other by letters?" Kansai remarked. "Even if you are who I think you are, I ain't lettin' you judge how we do things. I'm about to show ya what a real leader is!" (Play "KND Theme 2" from Punch Time Explosion!)
Boss fight: U the Unchanged
U extracted a F.R.A.P.P.E. and blasted hunks of ice at the operatives while using swift acrobatics to dodge Suna's kicks. Suna skated away for Mowchan to flatten the baldy, but the giant was hauled off by twin S.P.L.A.N.K.E.R.s, leaving him with a reddened rump. He shot the F.R.A.P.P.E. to intercept Chuko's fireballs, but Kansai hit a surprise baseball to smash the ice weapon, allowing Chuko's fireballs to reach him. U ignited rocket shoes and lunged at Chuko directly, but Suna zoomed to save her. Chuko stuffed herself with spicy peppers as Suna held her like a weapon, pulling Chuko's legs to make her burn downward for Rocket Boosts. This allowed Suna to gain air and kick the flying baldy. "Haha!" Kansai laughed. "You make a good rocket pump, Chuko!"
"You're more pumped with hot air than me!"
U scattered tons of M.A.R.B.L.E.s around the ground to prevent Suna from building momentum. She would still use Chuko to rocket up, her flames exploding the small bombs, but U would bombard them with a B.A.J.O.O.K.A., soaking the girls in OJ (and not the Enforcers, I mean) and weakening Chuko's fire. However, U was pelted with M.A.R.B.L.E.s, exploding him: Mowchan was using a large straw to suck the tiny bombs in and quickly spit them at U. The Enforcer landed as Kansai dealt him a bat beatdown. U would send Kansai flying with a SLUGGUH, and when Mowchan Goron Rolled him, U shot his G.R.A.P.P.L.U.H. onto the giant before dodging. Mowchan became tangled up in the strong rope as U rocketed up and down in an arch, hoisting and swinging Mowchan at the girls. Suna kicked Chuko out of range while otherwise withstanding the giant's force with a double kick.
U targeted Chuko and shot both a B.A.J.O.O.K.A. and a M.U.S.K.E.T., the girl evading on all fours like a rat, channeling fire to them for speed. U leapt at her up close and punched her in the face, knocking her down before squirting mustard over her. But while Chuko had him distracted, Mowchan and Suna combined their strength to send Mowchan bowling his way, ramming U directly while Chuko lied flat enough to just be smooshed beneath the belly for a second. "You could've warned me that was coming!"
"It would've ruined the surprise attack, dummy!" Kansai argued.
"Stinkyhead!"
"Dragon breath!"
"IS THIS really the time?!" Suna grabbed Kansai's hat and smacked him with it.
"Man, I've been used as a Ping-Pong and golfball in just a few minutes…" Mowchan moaned, rubbing his rear. "And I feel those chilidogs mixing around."
"!" U's eyes welled with tears. Through his blurred, sun-shaded vision, Kansai appeared as a hotheaded, short blonde boy with an orange hoodie; Chuko became a chipper girl with a green sweater; Suna became a dark-skinned girl swatting her own red hat; Mowchan became a portly boy in an aviator hat, eating chilidogs. "H-Hey, what's wrong with him?" Chuko asked cautiously.
"He looks distracted to me!" Kansai hit two baseballs at U, Suna slid to kick him off his feet, while Chuko burned him. U snapped back to reality and drew two G.U.M.Z.O.O.K.A.s, blasting rapid gumballs at the kids. Kansai deflected them with his bat while Suna lashed kicks at U, who was swift in evasion before rocketing skyward. He charged a Powuh Shot and fired a huge, neon gumball to bounce off and knock Kansai down, then into Chuko, Suna who kicked it, then into Mowchan's bellybutton… where it got squished in and lodged through the shirt. Mowchan sat and angled up to spring the gumball back at U, striking his rockets to knock him down. Suna tackled and pinned him long enough for Mowchan to Ground Pound.
Kansai and Chuko, shaking off the concussions from the impact, ran to opposite sides of U after he pushed Mowchan off, with Suna joining Chuko and lifting her up. Kansai hit a baseball at U, who ducked, but Chuko caught the ball, Suna spinning from the force as Chuko lit the ball on fire and threw it, burning the back of U's head with great force. Kansai hit another ball with a successful impact, and when he saw the girls rolling to retrieve it, U pursued and fired a T.H.U.M.P.E.R.. It shot exploding teddybears that would release a pleasant gas to daze the girls, but Suna managed to roll out of their range after retrieving the ball. Mowchan attempted to bowl U again, the British youth dodging and shooting a B.E.A.R.H.U.G.G.A.H., in which a bear would latch and tightly hug Mowchan's face. U flew to ram the giant's knee and topple him, but just as he turned back, Suna and Chuko hurdled the fiery baseball and struck him.
Chuko emitted fire to increase Suna's speed as they charged U once more, the skater kicking his head in repetition. U drew the SPICER to burn her face directly, but Chuko got between and puckered her lips to the spice gun again. Her head swelled with the heat, but U quickly flipped both girls off and shot a C.H.E.E.Z.O.O.C.K.A. at Chuko. She gulped the cheese right up as it melted in her spicy mouth. "HuuuuuuUUUUURRRRR!" Her hair loops flared up like rat ears, the fires of her hands and feet like claws, a skinny fire tail grew from her rear, and rat fangs and a nose shaped on her face. Chuko gnashed and gnawed U like a feisty rodent, quickly recovering from his direct S.P.L.A.N.K.E.R. shots to riddle him with burning teeth marks.
"Yo, Chuko, is that a Fury Mode?!" Suna exclaimed.
"Cheese always makes me gassy, but I never had it with spice!"
"So, you got really bad gas!" Kansai laughed. "Go, Spicy Rat Fury!"
"You're next, Kansai!" U took flight and shot more from his T.H.U.M.P.E.R., Chuko running and throwing fireballs, only to miss as well.
"Then how 'bout now?!" Kansai raced to her side and let Chuko on his shoulders. "Yowch, you're one heck of a neck-warmer." Chuko ignited the baseballs he tossed up as he hit them toward U; even when he dodged, the baseballs branched into two fireballs as one was able to burn him per round. Mowchan had rolled away before rebounding toward U, despite him being airborne. But the giant had Suna tucked in his arms, so once close, he released her as the trajectory of his roll was aimed up at the Enforcer. She rammed him midair and dealt a flurry of kicks before U slammed her into the ground. He shot her face with the T.H.U.M.P.E.R. and S.P.L.A.N.K.E.R. enough times before Suna passed out.
U flew to engage Kansai and Chuko directly, the leader's bat on fire as he and bashed U with greater ferocity. U used his hands to block him and maneuvered his shoes to block Chuko's bites, but the intense heat made him sweat inside-out his armor. They both fled when Mowchan Ground Pounded U. Before he would escape, Kansai handed Chuko a bundle of tied baseballs to ignite, throwing them all at once. When U pushed out, Kansai hit the balls toward him, all bursting into multiple fireballs to burn him at once. Chuko then charged in and gnawed his bald head, scarring it before U punched and slammed her to the ground enough times to knock her out.
U trained a S.C.A.M.P.P. on a furious Kansai. "Two of your teammates are down. What kind of leader are you now?"
"Hey, an inning doesn't end until we get three outs. And even if we do, my team will be up and at 'em for the next! Then again, you're a football-head, so who knows how you think? Right, Mowchan?"
"I'm so tired…" Mowchan melted onto his seat, panting heavily. "He's so tough… I'm just not fit for this…"
"What're ya sayin', Mowchan?! Get your butt up and fight!"
"Looks like you just got your third out." U remarked.
"Let me just… have a nice drink and I'll lie down." Mowchan pulled out a large bottle of pinkish milk and drank. "Ahhhh…here, Kansai, have some." There was a shallow amount left, but enough to fill Kansai's skinny stomach.
"This ain't no time for milk, Moocow! Get your head in the game!"
"Kansai, it's IMPORTANT that you drink your MILK!" Suddenly reinvigorated, Mowchan rolled to his teammate, grabbed him, and shoved Kansai headfirst into the bottle to tip the milk in his direction. Kansai chugged down every sip before he was set down.
"WHOOOOAA! Mowchan, that was some dang good MILK! What was in it?!"
"It used to be Miltank milk I brought from Planet Poké, but I mixed it with some Armu milk I got here! MOOOOO, I never thought it would taste this good!" Mowchan rose and flexed his arms.
"MMMMM, MAN! I'm feelin' like a REAL white tiger now! REOW!"
"What's going on with them?!" U questioned. "They're nuttier than Cuppa Joe on coffee!"
"I just know how to make a mean milk, that's all!" Mowchan stomped both legs like a sumo wrestler. "MOWTANK ROLL!" Mowchan curled and spun with greater speed before shooting for U, who was still scraped by the giant when trying to dodge. Kansai leapt to take a swing at the football-head, only for U to sock him in the gut and send him back. Kansai landed on his feet, scraping the ground before dashing for the next bat. U flew to a safe altitude when Mowchan came back, but the giant would grab Kansai and throw him, the athlete landing a successful bat on the Enforcer. U plummeted, and Mowchan's belly would be a landing pad for Kansai.
The athlete ran to engage U in direct combat while Mowchan began to bounce like a giant rubber ball. The earth quaked as Mowchan grew higher each bounce, seeming to build a milk-colored aura around him. U had taken and thrown Kansai's bat away before kicking him away, but Kansai just as quickly got up, threw a baseball to daze U, and pounced him like a vicious tiger. He clawed U's gray eyes and wrapped legs around him, refusing to let go despite the S.P.L.A.N.K.E.R. and B.A.J.O.O.K.A. shots. "I don't care if you're the real Numbuh One or some knockoff! But you!" He headbutted U with each word, "Hurt! My! Teammates! SO! SCREW! OFF!"
"COW COMET!" Mowchan fell for the final time, and Kansai kicked off before he could face the brunt of the collision. The shockwave still sent him flying, but U was squished flat into the Mow-sized crater. (End song.)
Having expended the rush of energy the milk served them, Kansai and Mowchan fell on their backs panting. "Huff…Chuko…" Kansai mustered the strength to lift up onto his knees and crawl to her. She was heavily bruised from the battle, but didn't seem to be in bad condition. "That's like you to… pass out before me. But don't worry… Eunie can treat ya."
"Hey, Sector Q! How's it holding up here?!" They turned to the familiar voice of Perry, alongside Christina.
"Boy, you guys look beat!" the elder cousin said. "I still got fuel to spare if you need a tag-in."
"Yeah, you can keep it." Kansai smiled proudly. "We just finished sockin'… him?"
But U pushed himself out of the crater. Perry and Chris prepared to act in case the opponent tried anything… before they took a thorough look at him. Even through the damages on his bald head and bent, cracked sunglasses… no one outside his family would recognize him better. "Chris… doesn't he look like… Nigel Uno? His child pictures?"
"He… really looks like Grandpa, doesn't he?"
U drew a S.C.A.M.P.P.. "Perhaps I was wrong, Kansai. You're full of dedication and recklessness… the signs of a great operative. I wish you could've lived in my time… I really do." He turned the weapon on himself. "But I can't accept this future of yours. Someday, you'll long for your own Endless Now." He charged the Powuh Shot.
"Hey-!" Kansai reached, but the Unchanged blew his own head clean off and derezzed. "Ghhhh…" Kansai grit in frustration. He knew U planned to respawn in the game, but… just what was his problem? He and Chuko were always called whiners… but that guy felt like a far bigger whiner.
"Achievement unlocked! Who Knew U Blew?" Pielope hummed. "Well, those two were real letdowns. Maybe the others are doing better?"
Seven years ago
Noah Vandham had a difficult time grasping the katana. His father made it look so easy, but his battles in Cadet Training made him learn otherwise. Other kids would fling it right out of his hand, so he resorted to swinging it with two hands. It seemed to work as he was able to pierce his foes' armor, but he only fell slower on the rebound as the kids were able to hammer it out of his grasp.
"Wherefore Noah want to wield katana?" asked Riku, the KND's main weaponsmith. He was a cyan-furred Nopon with spiky brown hair and dark-green armor. Unique from other Nopon, he had a deep, manly voice and spoke in an Old English tone. "Doth Noah wish to be Dunban? Seems unnecessary, as Dunban is over there."
Noah's father was staring at him through a Phantom of the Opera mask, wearing a dark cloak. "I-I don't know." the 10-year-old answered uncertainly. "I just thought… it's tradition or something. Like how Eunie's learning to use her own magic staff."
"Quite. But Eunie seems to favor rifle." Riku looked out to the training hall as Eunie dodged cadets' rubber bullets, rolling or belly-sliding as she fired her own. "Riku considers she will favor rifle designed to hone magic. Mayhaps Noah should consider new weapon."
"Like what?"
"Noah insists on using tight grip and force with katana. But katana meant for swiftness and mobility. If Noah can only use force, perhaps a larger blade is what thou needs."
"O…kay?"
"Come hither." Riku led Noah over to a long safe. Riku unlocked it, revealing a large, mechanical red sword with a golden central part and blue energy veins. There was a black circle in the center of the hilt. Noah picked the weapon up. The circle shone as a point of bluish energy rose from the tip of the sword. "Whoa!"
"Veiled Sword responds to fighter's will. If one wishes to sheathe, one must restrain their will."
"…" Noah calmed his fighting spirit as the energy rescinded. "It's kind of like the Monado."
"Riku took inspiration, but power much weaker. However, this sword contains much potential. One must only realize that potential. If Veiled Sword suffer damage, must return to Riku to repair it posthaste."
"Is it really that important?"
"More important than Noah realizes. Truth be told, Riku dost not know if Noah is proper one to wield sword. But mayhaps Noah find out himself."
"Hmm…alright. I guess I'll try it out."
Ragmos Desolation (Play "Obstacle in Our Path" from Xenoblade!)
Noah lodged his sword between two of Dirk's claws and swung right, throwing Dirk off balance. Noah spun to Dirk's side and punched the back of his head, afterwards reclaiming his sword. However, the Veiled Sword had slightly decayed from the impact. "Just how long can that piece of junk last?!" Dirk shouted, slashing a volley of death. Noah stayed far back enough so only the energy tip would counter the claws.
Do you wish to change it? The future?
"!" Noah was briefly distracted. For a moment, it sounded like… the sword spoke to him.
Mumkhar scowled. Why'd those two timebenders have to show up and ruin their fun? Why couldn't they be left to torture Noah, Eunie, and Nikol in peace? "Well, P, seems time to try out that 'authority' you were given."
"P?" Ruford repeated. "So, he's also one of the letter people?"
"I'll need lots of angles for this crowd." Stefano snapped, conjuring several satellite cameras above the area.
"He's gonna use those to transmit his bending!" Ruford exclaimed. "Stay alert, Hiyuki!"
"But hey, look on the bright side, P!" Mumkhar smirked. "If we get that girl's scythe, we'll be practical twins! So, let's skewer 'em!"
Boss fight: Rogue Reaper and Chronic Photographer, RP
Hiyuki engaged with Mumkhar first, trying to make his scythe Rewind on impact, but the powerful relic resisted her timebending. Hiyuki was knocked off-balance as Mumkhar went for a backstab, until Poppibuster yanked him up from behind and suplexed the Reaper. Mumkhar sliced the mech's arms and lunged to stab Nikol, but along with his A.R.M.S.' shield, he was shot by a bullet that enhanced it and blocked the scythe. "Grrrrrr!" He growled at Eunie. Thanks to Swordmarch's materials, she had finished her replacement Gunrod. With a few feathers from her wings, it was ready to channel her magic. Mumkhar aimed his scythe and fired a beam of its magic, and though Eunie dodged, the ground she stood became a monstrous mouth trying to munch for prey.
"Queen's spleen, what'd you do?!" Eunie cringed.
"That wasn't ordinary energybending!" Hiyuki used Rewind to repair Poppibuster's arms, after shooting a Chrono Beam that Mumkhar blocked. The Reaper jumped through a green portal and reappeared behind Hiyuki, grazing her arm before she could dodge. Nikol and Poppibuster stretched a combined punch at Mumkhar while Valdi came to Hiyuki's aid.
"You alright? Whoa, what's happening to your arm?!"
Her left arm was turning into metal mercury. "I don't know! I-It's some kind of metal!" She could still move the arm, but it was heavier. It even reminded her of Loki's recount fighting that rogue Reaper… Nikol and Poppibuster divided to either side of Mumkhar, swift in blocking both as he zapped Nikol's A.R.M.S. and turned them into serpents. He frantically dropped his pack to run from the snakes, with Mumkhar warping to cut him off. Nikol ducked his scythe while Eunie shot an ice bullet to freeze Mumkhar's feet to the ground. Nikol rolled away, and was thankful to see his A.R.M.S. turn back to normal, recovering them. Eunie landed a flame shot on Mumkhar's head, the Reaper warping once more before dowsing the flames. He stabbed the ground and cracked open a demonic trench of fire and abominations in Eunie's direction. She fell inside, but Hiyuki threw her scythe down for her to catch, then Rewinding it to return Eunie to the surface.
Mumkhar fired a spell at Hiyuki, but Nikol took the blast with A.R.M.S., flipping them inside-out as their inner wires were made bare. Poppibuster bowled into him, Hiyuki Rewound it from his counterattack, and afterwards Fast-Forwarded the mech to ram Mumkhar again. The mech flipped away, a bright flare of light brimming from its top as it unloaded bullets of light from its fingers. Hiyuki cast another Fast-Forward on the A.R.M.S. until they reverted to normal. "Only the Grim Reaper's scythe can cast magic like that." Hiyuki deduced. "And you're definitely the same Reaper my friend fought. It all lines up."
"Done your homework, have ya?"
"But the scythe's full power can't be harnessed by the unworthy. Your spells are too limited."
"Bah, what do you know? All I gotta do is keep killing and my power will grow!" Mumkhar poofed to various positions to slash them, Hiyuki and Nikol blocking some of the attacks, while Eunie's legs, Hiyuki's stomach, and Nikol's right shoulder and eye area turned mercury. "Dumbabababa! The mercury will consume you inside-out until you're frozen!"
"Crud!" Hiyuki cursed. "We shouldn't have let Lucina stay behind! She could suck and spit this out of us!"
"If that's all you need, leave it to me!" Valdi withdrew a device with a needle attached to a suction pipe. He stuck the needle into Hiyuki to pump it out of her first.
"Oi, don't ruin my work!" Mumkhar blasted magic, but Poppibuster blocked him and turned into a giant mosquito. The insect still saw Mumkhar as the enemy and tried to suck on him, though the Reaper was less than appetizing as the buster fell sick. Hiyuki sped up Valdi's device to quickly remove the mercury from herself… but against their control, the mercury returned and everyone was right back into position, repeating their same evasive maneuvers. "About time you lent an eye!"
"He kept ruining the focus!" Stefano replied, using his own eye lens to trap Ruford in the same leap-kicking motion. He drew a gun to shoot Ruford, but wound up shooting a Recordance Clone. His satellite cams saw Ruford behind him, turning his gun to shoot, but Ruford swiftly did a Rewind Deflect to knock the gun out of his hand. He repressed the Time Chi of his satellites and enabled time to proceed for the others. Stefano Rewound his gun back and shot several rounds that Ruford evaded, yet he still felt them puncture him. Stefano's satellites were actually Rewinding previous bullets along Ruford's trajectory. Ruford slowed time down to better observe the bullets' positions, carefully evading them on his way to Stefano.
Stefano flipped away from the youth and threw his knife, but Ruford reacted to Stop it. He leapt atop it on his tippy-toes and willed a Rewind, flying toward Stefano with a spinning kick to his head. Ruford kept spinning while falling and kicked him off his feet, afterwards tapping a chi-block punch to his back. Unfortunately, Stefano had more bending to spare as he snapped Ruford with his eye and slowed him. Ruford had tried to chi-block his head earlier, but Stefano's cyborg components protected him. Ruford could still speed his own time to nullify the effect, dodging a shot to his heart that would chip his shoulder instead.
Dirk impaled his claws into the ground, charging at Noah as he scraped them along. He was coming too fast for Noah to evade, so he slammed the Veiled Sword with as much force as he hoped could block Dirk's attack. The villain had flung his claws up with a fierce wave of decay along the gaps he had cut. The force Noah input saved him from worse damage… at the cost of his sword. The blade began crumbling apart at the seams. "Hah. I guess we now know who's the superior soldier!" Dirk smirked madly. "Oh, if only I could have your head instead of your EXP!"
"Riku…" Noah could only see the weaponsmith's hopes die with the sword. "…?" And yet, a red glimmer of hope shone from the heart of the decay.
"?!" Ruford whipped over. "Another source of Time Chi?!"
"Where?" Hiyuki asked.
"Noah's sword!" Nikol was distraught seeing it crumble. "…Wh…"
Dirk frowned, curious at the red gem that was left of the sword. It was cross-shaped. "It can't be…" Noah picked it up.
"Is that Alvis?!" Nikol exclaimed.
"DIRK, TAKE IT!" Mumkhar shouted. "TAKE IT AND OPEN-"
Right after slicing him clean through his Reaper skull, Hiyuki threw her scythe to slice Dirk's back. She then Rewound it to land the same cuts on both people. And in the next second, Noah was enveloped in a great flash. (Play "Awakened DNA" from XC2!)
The red crystal hung from the left ear of a tall, slim girl with silver hair and sharp blue eyes. "I am Alvis." She wore whitish-blue armor and drew a thin, red sword. Raising it, the sword opened with the same bluish-white energy as the Veiled Sword, a symbol in its hilt gap. "With my visions, we will change the future." Her voice was strict, intelligent, and refined.
"Eh…wait…" Mumkhar scratched his split head, which reformed. "That ain't the same Blade."
"A Blade?" Dirk scowled. "Just another pretty head to hunt. I'll-" The burning power of Alvis' sword severed his claws. "AGH!"
She handed the sword to Noah, who beheaded Dirk without hesitation and derezzed him. "I…I can't believe it. I'm the Heir to the Monado?!"
"That is the general contract between Driver and Blade." Alvis replied. "Whether you were prepared or not, this is proof you were worthy."
"It was inside Noah's sword all this time." Nikol said. "I guess… Mr. Riku knew he was worthy."
"H-Hang on," Noah replied in guilt, "could we return you to your crystal? I think Nikol should have a chance to-"
"That would not end well." Alvis cut off. "I am sorry to say he would not have the proper aptitude for me."
"You can't know that!" Valdi shouted.
"It is nothing to be ashamed over. There are many who do not possess aptitude, but fair much better in their own talents. Nikol is one such person."
"Yeah… It's fine, really, guys." Nikol smiled. "I'm really glad for you, Noah."
"Hang on, isn't Alvis supposed to be male?" Eunie asked. "Or are you a reborn Blade like Glimmer?"
"No. I am the very same Alvis you speak of. I am simply a Blade of both genders. But you can address me as female in this form."
"Wouldn't have it any different with that bod." (Play "You Will Know Our Names" from Xenoblade!)
"THAT BLADE BELONGS TO DIRK!" Mumkhar stabbed the ground.
Noah saw a vision of a circle of dark hands sprouting from the ground to grab him. He leapt out of that circle before they could form. "The visions!"
"You are already privy to the Monado's powers." Alvis said. "Use them wisely."
"AGH!" Mumkhar was slashed in the neck by Hiyuki's scythe, with Nikol and Poppibuster bowling him afterward. Eunie shot Healing Bullets to heal some of their injuries. "Your future's not looking bright, buddy." Hiyuki remarked.
Noah charged at Mumkhar, the Reaper all too eager for revenge against the Monado. His scythe seemed an equal match for the Monado and his efforts to turn the blade into a snake was in vain. His only direct "cut" on Noah was thwarted by Alvis' Driver shield, the Aegis then taking the Monado to slash Mumkhar's waist. The Reaper warped, and the duo saw a vision of many scythes piercing from the ground to cut them all. "Monado SPEED!" Noah spun and cast an aura over his allies. They were able to dodge the scythes with swift awareness. Mumkhar burst out of the ground and lunged for Alvis herself, but she blocked him, while Eunie shot Mumkhar with a spell that would strike a bolt directly on him.
Mumkhar warped to the center of the group and slashed a spin attack, unleashing a magic shockwave that would rip apart their perceptions of reality. Poppibuster remained immune to the effect and grabbed Nikol and Eunie, while Alvis had ducked and resumed clashing with the Reaper. Mumkhar tipped his scythe through a tiny portal and pricked Alvis' earring crystal, the girl yelping in pain, after which Mumkhar sliced her hip with a spin attack. "I guess you don't know everything!" Mumkhar sneered as mercury began to envelop her. Poppibuster, in a rather obvious move, seemed intent on bowling Mumkhar again, but when he slashed a magic wave at the mech, it popped open and released a smaller, thinner mech. "Ino-Ino mk. II on the move!" It resembled the artificial Blade, Ino, but with golden hair and an antenna. It zipped behind Mumkhar with jetshoes and rammed his back.
"Haha!" Valdi laughed, beginning to pump out Alvis' mercury. "Now that Oosoo and Ino are rescued, we can use the buster's 'special' function!"
"Nice one!" Noah took the Monado back to land a solid blow on the Reaper. The distorted reality spell wore off, much to Mumkhar's chagrin. He poofed, and Noah foresaw him targeting Valdi to stop him from helping Alvis. "Monado Shield!" He cast a shield of aura to foil Mumkhar's efforts.
Hiyuki decided to assist Ruford, believing Noah and his new Blade would even the odds with Mumkhar. Her scythe went for the cameraman's neck, but it phased through an illusion, a 3D "picture" of one of the satellites' earlier shots of him. There were several Stefano copies moving in frame-by-frame motions, confusing Hiyuki enough that the real Stefano could sneak up, his knife aimed at her neck. Ruford spotted him in time to shoot a Chrono Beam, Hiyuki jumping to alert and slashing him. Stefano flipped away and Stopped Hiyuki, but to his shock, Mikaela appeared to throw a Psy-Sphere at him! "This battle's just full of reunions!" He dodged and threw his knife at her neck before Rewinding it… but Mika made no reaction. "An illusion?!" A memory of his battle with Mika conjured by Hiyuki's scythe.
"DITTO!" Ruford jumped and wrapped legs around his neck, swinging his body to disorient Stefano before flipping off and tapping chi-blocks at his back. Stefano dropped a grenade at Ruford's feet before fleeing, but the bombs would only blow up a Recordance Clone while Ruford was otherwise unfreezing Hiyuki. Stefano Rewound his grenade back into being and threw it to them, Hiyuki deflecting it back, but Stefano had escaped among another crowd of Photo Copies. Hiyuki threw her scythe at one of the satellites before Rewinding it, causing some of the copies to flicker. Stefano flashed his eye lens and Stopped Hiyuki, but Ruford hid behind his cousin's wider frame. He then ran out and raced around Stefano at an angle, but he already saw it as a Recordance Clone while another Ruford was on standby far to the opposite side. Stefano raced toward that Ruford, who seemed ready for a counterattack—Stefano was blown up by his grenade.
"Fooled ya!" Ruford retorted. Hiyuki's Rewind Deflect was still in effect on the grenade, Rewinding it to a position Stefano had been earlier. Ruford intended to lead him into it. Furthermore, Stefano wound up chasing another Recordance. The current Ruford ambushed with a leap kick while the first Recordance rammed Stefano off his feet, with the real one then kicking down on his eye lens. Hiyuki unfroze and boomeranged her scythe into another satellite, afterwards lunging at Stefano.
But Hiyuki was blasted away by Mumkhar's spell, turning her fat and blob-like. He then warped above Stefano to slash Ruford, converting his torso into mercury before Nikol could pull him away. "OI! CLOWN THING! FUSE US!"
"'Clown thing'? Well, that's a name or two. Pielololoon!" Pielope fused R and P, creating a huge, cloaked being with a lens inside the right socket of his crowned skull. But most notably, there was a computer screen in his chest, displaying a chat log.
R: fiRst time putting this to use ain't it?
P: why are we forced to talk like this? this is PrePosterous.
R: just fReeze them!
P: *flashes camera and stoPs Ruford and Nikol*
R: *swings scythe, blocked by Noah's Monado* *smiRks as Noah gets oveRwhelmed by RP's stRength* *Alvis takes Monado and attacks*
P: *flashes Alvis and slows her down*
"Are they, like, roleplaying or something?" Hiyuki pondered.
Everyone else: *shrug.*
Noah took the Monado back and cast Enchant on everyone, increasing their strength in attacking RP. Eunie shot an enhanced Water Bullet that swallowed up RP's upper body, briefly hindering his movements, followed by another Bolt Bullet. Hiyuki unfroze her cousin and Nikol, but it seemed the Stop effect also caused mercury to spread thanks to their Fusion. Valdi worked to pump it out of them while Hiyuki sped the process, leaving Noah and Alvis to clash with RP's scythe. The Fusion poofed a few feet over, "Don't be fooled!" Alvis alerted the Photo Copy. "Eunie!" The sniper realized just in time that the Fusion was behind her: she shot the ground with a Shadow Stitching spell, emitting a field that would lock RP in place before his scythe could reach. Noah rushed over and leapt to slash him in the skull.
Poppibuster threw Nikol above RP, slamming a single fist, but a swing of the scythe shattered it and sent Nikol flying—before Ruford, riding Nikol's back, Rewound him back into position so Nikol could slam the other fist down for a blow. When the boys landed, RP stabbed the ground, opening a dark gap from which tentacles arose to grab, squeeze, and twist the two. Their faces turned blue and eyes were on the verge of popping before Noah sliced them free. RP retreated, but he had actually caught Nikol and Ruford in a time loop where they would keep getting strangled, to RP's satisfaction. Eunie broke them out of their smirk by shooting an Earth Bullet, causing the ground around them to jut up in jagged rocks and stab the Reaper. Hiyuki broke the boys' loop and destroyed the tentacles for good.
R: hey, P, I know a good way to combine ouR poweRs!
P: then let's Perform!
The Fusion channeled chi into the scythe and spun into a dark tornado. As the tornado sucked them in, they felt their selves aging. "He's Agifying us!" Hiyuki exclaimed.
R: peRfect way to combine death and time chi, wouldn't ya say?
P: beautiful! let us caPture every moment as their youth decays into dust! or Pixels, I should say.
"AAAAAHH!" Valdi was sucked into the vortex, Nikol crying out for him as his body rapidly aged. The others could only grasp the ground and keep from blowing in.
"I have an idea!" Hiyuki said. "Nikol, use your arm thingy to break my scythe! Break it in as many pieces as you can!"
"Okay!" Nikol reached his remaining backpack arm, Poppibuster offering a second arm, to grab and crunch the scythe into metal shards. The shards were slurped into the tornado, cutting around RP's body.
R: *confused* is that… dumban oveR theRe? *sees dumban, weaRing maRiachi clothes, Rushing up to attack; stops spinning to attack back* no, he's oveR theRe! *attacks dumban weaRing a dumb swimsuit*
P: stoP, you fool! that girl is using her tricks again!
R: but theRe's so many of them! what if one of them is the Right one? he has to be here somewhere! is that dumban over there?! *points at dumban with maid's outfit* oR is it that one? *sees dumban with baby's onesie and milk bottle* I Remember him weaRing all these outfits! bloody fool hasn't changed a bit! is that dumban?
SS: no, it was… A FLOOF!!
R: and who aRe you?! get out!
SS: …*smack*
R: Aha! *sees dumban in tigeR skin undeRpants Running at him, katana in hand* you'Re mine now, dumban!
Beneath that memory of Dunban was Noah. Despite his aged body, he jumped the scythe and, "Monado CYCLONE!" struck the Reaper dead-on with a twister of his own.
"This oughta finish it!" Eunie charged her strongest spell into the Gunrod. "Light of Purification!" She unleashed a great wave of light, enveloping the Fusion's skull. Their body dissolved into pixels.
R: this ain't the end, you snots! I'll be back to Reap you all! maRk my woRds! *angRy emoji*
P: is there a facePalm emoji? (End song.)
The operatives' ages returned to normal. "Huff…phew…" Valdi panted. "That was too much excitement… at my age."
"The scythe disappeared, too." Hiyuki noticed. "Where did they go?"
"They're probably gonna respawn with the game." Nikol determined. "But hopefully, we can end it before we have to deal with them again."
"Your power made him see illusions of my father." Noah said curiously.
"Those were his memories. He must've been someone who knew your father." Hiyuki replied.
"I'm sure you know the answer, Noah." Alvis said.
"…" His father once told him of an old friend-turned-traitor who called him Dumban. "Let's search for the others. I hope the Go-Getters are alright."
"We saw them a moment ago, actually!" Valdi beamed. "They just about made it to that X thingy!"
"A great battle draws near." Alvis said. "We must make ready to assist them soon."
Pochi, Yuki, Tattsun, and Sage reached the altar at the highest point of Prison Island. There was a transport pad with four pillars around it with keyholes. "I presume you've collected the Cyber Keys from the four Aions?" Sage asked.
"Oh, these!" Pochi withdrew the four keys. "So, these open the way in?"
"Yes. The Genius left them inside the Aions in case he ever locked himself out of the station by mistake."
"That scientist guy?" Tattsun asked awkwardly. "He does that?"
"Usually when he gets very drunk."
"I would've settled for leaving a key under my mat instead of hiding them in giant killer robots."
"Good thing we got them." Pochi inserted the four keys. The transporter activated. "Christmas is almost here, guys. Let's give this world a really nice present."
"Hai!" Tattsun affirmed.
"Tehe, it's gonna be my first Christmas, Sage!" Yuki chirped. "I'm so glad I get to spend it with you!"
"Point of inquiry, Yuki… Pielope is our sibling, too, in a matter. Do you plan to rationalize with them, too?"
"Oh." Thinking about it, it only made sense. "I…um…I guess we should, huh?"
"I think we need to worry about stopping them first." Pochi reasoned. "It's great that you and Sage were able to make friends, but Pielope… doesn't sound like they have an ounce of empathy in them."
"Perhaps they don't." Sage replied. "And if not, the most we can do is pacify them. Is that acceptable, Yuki?"
"Uh…uh-huh." She smiled acceptingly.
"Though to clarify, I do not categorize us as 'friends.'"
"Sisters, then!"
"Hmph…in a matter of speaking."
The four stepped onto the pad. They vanished in a flash as they teleported up to the station.