One Thousand Degree (Ex) Princess

Let's give it everything we got. Iiiiit's punishment time~

Hyrule; Flamin' Park

Flamin' Park was designed so that people could run around and have fun no matter what time of year it was. The heat from the local volcano made the air eternally warm. During the winters, kids could throw off their heavy coats and let loose, and during summers, well, there wasn't that much of a difference! Everything in the amusement park was painted with red or orange colors, delivering the aesthetic of Azula's home nation. Even in the midst of war, Hyruleans were playing the games and riding the rides with joyous faces.

However, that same volcano, aside from being a great source of heat, was also an execution ground. Bubbles of lava expanded and burst in rapid succession, as if the volcano was long awaiting a nutritious beverage. This was the first to appear in Eva Jackson's vision when she regained consciousness. She was bound by chi-blocked chains, suspended in the air by two Aeralfos, upside-down as blood swelled to her head. When she tilted "down," Azula was seen standing on the volcano's ledge, accompanied by five soldiers wielding flamethrowers.

"Eva Roberts-Jackson, the daughter of Kyogre Neptune. We've received the official word from our agent, Li'l Despair, that you are to be executed for opposing the Boogey Pirates in Year 2011. In light of your heritage, we've decided that a volcano was the perfect way to end your existence. After all, your father was enemies with Volcano God Groudon, was he not?"

"Sigh… just get it over with, you psychotic bitch." Melody… I'm sorry this has to happen to you. Don't worry, you still have your grandparents. Please just… try to live happily.

"Those chi-blocks will prevent you from entering your Logia form, but they won't stop these mechanical flamethrowers from burning you to a crisp. By the time those chi-blocks burn off, you'll be too charred to save yourself as you plunge into the boiling pit! Soldiers… BEGIN!"

Minutes ago

A fleet of sky ships had intercepted the Rogue Delivery. After several other operatives tried to invade the park, they were absolutely determined to let nothing disrupt the upcoming execution. But while her teammates drew their attention in the sky, Wendy was storming through the park with breakneck speed. "Don't worry, Mrs. Jackson! I'm coming! Please just hold out until I get there!" (Play "Circus Park Original" from Shadow the Hedgehog!)

Stage 27: Flamin' Park

Mission: Rescue Eva Jackson!

Walls of fire burst out of the ground, Wendy side-stepping to evade them. She made a tight right turn to go around some citizens, dodging leftward to avoid crashing into game stands, and with another tight left turn, Wendy went up a ramp, flying between two lines of sparklers before landing. Three Fire Soldiers conjured dragon snakes, sending them at Wendy, who dodged and blew the soldiers off their feet. They tried to recover, but Wendy KO'ed them in a heartbeat. She approached a teacups ride, in which magic barriers prevented her from going around, so she had no choice but to ride. The teacups protected her from the flaming floor, but their fast spinning made it hard for Wendy to focus her jumps.

She heard wicked giggling as Hotheads flew around, child monsters made of fire and flying on hoverboards. They tried to push Wendy off the teacups, and she blew them away, but one of them managed to score a hit. Wendy doused the fire and made her way to the end of the teacups. The path led her to a Ferris wheel, so she hopped on one of the platforms to let it carry her up. It was then she realized the wheel was carrying grills with patties. Her grill was about to ignite, but she cast an ice spell down to cool it. She had to repeat this during the slow ascent up, stamping her feet impatiently. She also began to notice the music for the park sounded like "Hot Hot Hot."

Finally, the platform was level with some hot-air balloons, albeit they were far apart. She jumped atop the first one, then jumped, Air Boosted, and quickly Ground Pounded once above the next one. The following balloon had flamethrowers above it, so she had to wait until they stopped before leaping to it. From here, she could jump to the rails of a roller coaster, which was designed to shoot flames as she grinded along, as if she were "blazing a trail." Unfortunately, she was grinding opposite along the intended route, and had to jump an incoming car, followed by several more, having to Boost each time lest she fall into the fires.

Wendy zoomed up a loop-di-loop, but with a coaster coming, Wendy had to jump across and skip half the loop, landing on the other side. Once past the loop, Wendy would have grinded into a tunnel with a flaming entrance, but she could jump off and Home Attack a line of balloons, landing on a viewing platform. "Sorry, 'scuse me, in a hurry." she apologized to all the customers, rushing past. There was a restaurant area on the platform with Goron cooks, but she had no time to admire the exotic cooked meat. Three floating targets hovered over the edge of the platform, each with faces of Sokka, Katara, and Aang. Wendy shot the targets, and this created a rainbow bridge to the next platform.

People were gathered in awe to look at a monstrous, caged creature. It actually looked like a Hollow, based on Wendy's studies, and it was wearing an orange sweater and black knitted cap. The creature desperately tried to break out of the cage, but kept getting shocked, and the mean Hylian kids were laughing. "I know those are evil creatures, but do they really deserve this?" Wendy asked. Still, she was running short on time, so she went with her instincts: "Sorry, everyone!" She leapt atop the cage and stamped a switch before carrying on.

The electric bars deactivated, allowing the Hollow to escape. "AAAAAHH!" The citizens began fleeing for their lives, and Flare Dancers leapt in to attack the beast. "Get yo' flames off my sister!" Music Notes struck the dancers as Beat soared in. He destroyed the demons and grabbed hold of the Hollow. "Rhyme, calm yo' self down!" He twisted his knuckle on its head. "Big Brother is here, c'mon, don't do this again!"

"Nnn… Bito…" The skull mask disappeared, and the hole in its chest sewed itself. Rhyme opened her eyes and smiled at her brother. "I'm getting serious déjà vu."

"Yeah, me too. Now c'mon, we still need to find Joshua." The siblings flew off.

Wendy ran down the steps off the platform and onto a furnace-like grated path, where a giant ice block was available. She jumped on while running by and slid the block across the furnace. She kicked air backward to make it go, and it was steadily melting. She blew left or right to dodge around fire spires, which would make it melt faster, and was able to bring what was left of the ice to the end. The flat ice sheet settled on a magic switch, which registered and opened a Riddler cage, containing a chest. Wendy then ran up stairs to what seemed to be a giant stand. She hopped on a platform and was behind a cardboard Aang cutout—"AAH!" It was shot down by a fire bullet.

This was a giant target-shooting game that Big Gorons were playing. They mistook Wendy for a target, so she had to keep jumping behind cutouts of the Avatar Gaang. There were ladders to carry her up to the upper rows, and she advanced up until she could escape via a hole in the ceiling. On the roof, four Poes began to dance around her, leaving trails of fire. When they stopped, one of them twirled, and they all dove at her for a painful attack. Wendy growled and shot one of the Poes, but it poofed, and they all attacked again. She then learned she had to shoot the Poe that twirls at the end, doing so three times to fully defeat it.

Wendy shrank herself to run across a tightrope leading to the Bombchu Gallery, where she then resized. Living Bombchus (brown rat-like creatures with bomb tails) were running around a field with small barriers, while kids were sending mechanical Bombchus from a safe spot to try and hit them. Wendy yelped and frantically dodged the bombs, suffering a few explosions until she was able to escape. Wendy raced into a water park area, and upon spotting her, the Zora children thought her to be another kid come to play. They began to shoot her with squirt guns- "YOWCH! Hot water!" Wendy zapped them with stun spells and ran through.

She hit a Riddler switch, triggering several rings to appear along the path, but with hot water sprinkling in them, they might as well be hoops of heat. Wendy blew air shields around herself as she ran through them; the first two were normal, she had to slide under the 3rd one, jump through the 4th, and Home Attack two Peahats to get through the 5th, opening the Riddler cage and taking the chest. Wendy raced into a giant replica of a Fire Nation battleship, where Twili children in pirate hats were shooting hot water guns. "Sorry, love to play, but I'm in a hurry!" Wendy cast stun spells, but the Twili hid in Shadow Veils to avoid. Wendy could only dodge their deadly toy guns, hopping a stairway of cutlass hilts to get onto the second floor.

She ran through a hallway where Fire Nation pirate statues popped out to swing real swords at her, but Wendy dodged them and made it to a circus cannon. The cannon fired her across the park and closer to the volcano. There seemed to be little else in her way, so Wendy relied on her feet for the rest. However, dozens of children were lined up outside this field, readying Bomb Arrows. Several targets appeared on this field, and the arrows were loosed. Wendy dodged around the targets with split-second thinking, knowing a Bomb Arrow was sure to follow. When the targets were hit, they launched fireworks, their explosions sending fireballs down. Wendy was surprised by this at first and suffered a few burns, but this didn't hamper her resolve to complete this mission!

Wendy raced up the slope of a giant firework, its fuse lit by several arrows that targeted it all at once. The missile flew across the field, and it was slated to crash before the Boogey flagpole. Wendy jumped with just the right timing, the momentum carrying her toward the top of the pole, where she swapped the Fire Nation flag with a Sky Dragon one.

"Wendy, I'm almost at Azula, but they're starting the execution! Hurry, you have a minute at best!"

"I'm almost there, Romeo! I'M COMING!" Wendy dedicated all of her chi into running, zooming up the volcano's slope. (Play "Bugs Panic" from Danganronpa!)

Waving her flaming fingers like a conductor's baton, Azula directed her soldiers: the first flamethrower whirred to life and began to burn Eva's feet. Her natural reaction was to struggle, but the Aeralfos kept a firm grip on her. The second flamethrower activated, cooking Eva's legs through the chain. The third one began to boil her waist area, the fourth one began to char her breasts, and the fifth roasted her head until it was bald. Screaming and struggling was pointless, for as her flesh was becoming a golden brown, so was her resolve. The chi-blocked tapes were steadily turning to ashes, but when they were gone, it was already too late.

Eva's body liquefied and fell through the chains, but her conscience was all but gone. She plunged into the volcano and splashed onto a single scorched platform. Her body was barely able to reform, but the hungry volcano was rumbling with powerful lust. With murderous intent, Azula waved her fingers and channeled lightning to the tips. Her aim was dead on Eva, desiring to evaporate her and her platform. And when the lightning loosed, it assumed the form of a raging dragon. It formed a conscience of its own, but its only desire was to murder Eva in the cruelest way possible. Its bolts flashing, THE DRAGON DOVE!

Wendy had probably never run faster in her life. Gravity worked in her favor as her feet stayed to the volcano's side, descending ever closer toward the lava until she was within jumping range of Eva's platform. With the thunder dragon but a split second away from obliterating her, Wendy jumped and flew with the speed of a bullet.

A grand explosion of lightning and fire signaled the end of Eva Jackson, the shining light of death glinting in Azula's pupils. Not even a trace of the platform remained—

A pink bubble bobbed around in the lava, perfectly securing Wendy and Eva. Azula's face paled, the feelings of sadness, disappointment, and irritation mixing in her mind. With a gasp, she realized that purple ropelike-flames had taken hold of her troops. Romeo yanked the flames back and bashed their skulls against the earth. (End song.)

"You're a pretty sick person." Romeo said. "You have to go to this much torture just to kill somebody? Still, I guess if you hadn't, we wouldn't have made it in time. So, thanks for stalling…"

"You…" Azula's hatred was now focused on him. "You were the boy I fought at Beach City. The rainbow firebender. How dare you interrupt my execution!"

"This woman did nothing wrong! She and her husband were just part of a cruel prank by one of your crewmen! Her daughter is going to be heartbroken without her, don't you have any sympathy?!"

"Explain to me why I give a damn about other peoples' families? After all, families betray and kill each other all the time. My own mother thought I was a monster and abandoned us, Mandy's parents wanted nothing to do with her, and all she and her daughter have are a 'professional' relationship. Wouldn't be surprised if they turned out the same. If anything, losing both parents will help the poor dear, wouldn't it?!"

"You're not executing anyone else today. And you're still owed a punishment for hurting those people at Beach City. And this time, I'm NOT holding back!"

"Neither am I, brat. This time, I'll execute you, TOO!" (Play "Yell Dead Cell" from Metal Gear Solid!)

Boss fight: Flame Division Commander, AZULA

Azula willed sapphire Flame Blades to appear from her wrists and heels, slashing them at Romeo in a graceful, dancing fashion. Romeo ignited his own hands and feet, countering her attacks, but in the midst of one kick, Azula was able to slash his leg and knock him down, followed by a kick to the face. Romeo rolled away, but jumped up when she tried to flip-stomp him, punching fire at her face, but Azula merely ate the flame and spat it back in bullets. Romeo tried to block them, but suffered some hits to the chest, then the face, and Azula spun midair and kicked him toward the volcano. He almost fell in, looking down in fear, but Azula didn't hold back in kicking him down.

Romeo threw purple fire to latch himself to the wall and stop his fall, then used Rocket Boost to bring himself back. "You have such colorful fire, but it does you nothing!" Azula taunted.

"Just because my fire doesn't always burn, it doesn't mean it isn't powerful!" The two returned to direct combat, their fists and feet impacting several times, until Romeo turned his right fist purple and glued Azula's hand to it. In trying to flip, Azula tripped, and Romeo seized her weakness to slam her into the ground. He then sprayed her with pink fire, and when Azula broke free, she gasped to learn her sapphire flames reverted to the Emerald stage. "Surprised? I softened your fire." Azula growled at the boy and threw fire blades, Romeo dodging as he whirled his arms with pink flames. He unleashed the charged flames, but Azula countered them with a wave of green flames.

Both fires struggled to overpower the other, until Azula's seemed to be prevailing. "Engorgio Glacius!" Romeo enlarged his flames, which turned blue and chilly, and was able to surprise Azula for a brief instant before leaping forward and blasting Soft Fire at her. Azula's flames reverted to a natural orange. "Oh, that's it!" the woman snarled, leaping away and surging lightning through her fingers. Romeo formed a calm composure and readied himself. The lightning struck, but Romeo caught it, guiding the lightning through his body before releasing at Azula. She caught it back and returned, and then Romeo returned, the lightning growing faster each time until-

"AAAAH!" Azula suffered the full shock and fell to her knees. Romeo leapt forth for strong kicks and punches to the face. Azula recovered and summoned Sapphire Flare Dancers, slurping their flames as if they were smoothies and ridding herself of the Softness. Azula coated her body with flames, taking the shape of a dancer's outfit. She spun away from Romeo, sending flames at him, but he caught the fire, turned it pink, and threw back. Azula simply dodged and kept throwing flames; Romeo noticed, if they hit the ground, the fire patches would divide into tiny flames and bounce along the ground. This gave him an idea: he would catch Azula's flames, turn them purple, and throw them on the ground around her.

Azula stepped on a flame, thinking she would absorb it, but her foot became stuck to it. She couldn't burn it off in time before Romeo leapt and punched her in the jaw with Soft Fire. Her dancer outfit disappeared, but she was still able to throw sapphire shurikens at Romeo. The boy caught one and kept it whirling, catching and amassing the other shurikens into a single large form. Azula suspected him to throw it back, so she skied away and began to shoot lightning at him. Romeo kept a hold of the shuriken while evading the bolts, then he saw the perfect chance to throw the star in a straight line! Azula smirked and caught it, whirling as she—

Romeo had attached a purple rope to it, which got stuck to Azula, allowing Romeo to fling her overhead and slam against the ground. He blasted toward her to lay another Soft Punch, reverting her sapphire to emerald. Azula growled and stretched a long green sword from her conjoined palms, slashing a flurry of flame-cuts at Romeo. He thought it best to dodge the slashes, which had varying heights and angles, but the crafty Azula broke her own pattern with a jolt of lightning. "AAH!" yelped Romeo, becoming stunned as Azula kicked him in the jaw. She then unleashed flames upon him, showing no mercy in her eyes. "Ever hear the phrase, 'A waterbender likes being in water, but a firebender doesn't like getting burned?' Case and point, kiddo… eh?!"

Romeo forced himself to stand, the electricity wearing off, but showing no signs of pain despite the fire coating him. "Fire doesn't have to hurt if I don't want it to. But I think I'm in need of a treatment." Romeo willed some of the flames to seep into his skin, dispersing them and smiling. "I can't use healing magic unless I borrow fire. Doesn't work as well as Wendy's, but I feel energized again!"

Azula decided to end his good mood with lightning, Romeo dodging each shot, emitting yellow flames from his feet. A foul smell began to plague Azula's nose, so she decided to get away from him. To her fortune, two Flare Dancers arrived to give her fuel, and she allowed them to flow into her lungs—Romeo cast the yellow fire from his foot, letting it flow into Azula first. "UUUUUHHHH!" It felt like inhaling non-lethal toxic gas, her mouth and nostrils were absolutely withered. Romeo snickered and sent her another whiff of his fiery foot, and when Azula combatted the flames with her own, the smell merely worsened.

The Flare Dancers tried to attack Romeo, but he ceased the attack and grabbed their fires, spinning toward Azula and burning her while she was still gasping. Another punch of Soft Fire set her chi back to orange. Azula escaped from the boy, readying her next blast of lightning. Of course, he would just catch it again. Instead, Azula glanced to the volcano and saw Oliver and Kiki lifting Wendy and Eva out. "NOOO!" Romeo sensed her objective and was able to intercept the lightning, at the cost of suffering the pain. Azula ran up and began to mercilessly stomp the boy's face, leaving it bruised and bloody.

She leapt away when a group of violet Flare Dancers showed up. As soon as she slurped them into her bowels, she flared hotter than ever. "So, you really CAN bend violet flames." Romeo said. "Augustus mentioned that about you."

"Oh, so you know that boy, huh? I'm dying to have my revenge on HIM!" She threw a giant fireball, Romeo shooting Ice Fire to hopefully cut a hole through, but it was ineffective as he was burned. "Try to heal yourself with THIS heat!" She unloaded a deadly stream of violet upon him, but Romeo was able to conjure his Sticky Fire. The glob of fire seemed to be swelling as it absorbed Azula's fire.

"Fire makes a good sponge, too!" Romeo beamed, getting up. He struggled to maintain the sponge, for the violet fire was still too strong, so he spread the sticky fire over his arms like butter, the flames spurting out like sparklers. "And it's a good muscle ointment!" He rushed to Azula, dodged a bolt, and punched in the gut, followed by the face, his movements faster and stronger than before. Azula grabbed his fists, channeling all that remained of her violet fire to her palms, desiring only to turn his hands to ash.

Romeo desperately tried to force the fire back, but the air grew mysteriously heavy. "W-What is this… feeling in my spine?! Is that Mandy's fearbending?!"

"It's my Conqueror's Haki, you little SHIT!" With a sudden burst of chi, Romeo was forced off, his hands charred and his armor dispersed. Ten more Flare Dancers came, coursing down Azula's throat and reigniting her fire tenfold. She unleashed a great beam of violet, three times as tall and wide as herself, completely smothering Romeo's body. He formed a purple flame sponge and hid behind it, barely shielding himself, but the flames punctured through, and he suffered punishment from the flames. The beam was wearing out, but Sapphire Dancers came to feed Azula, then Emerald, and orange, until all the colors of the rainbow combined to reduce him to nothing.

"You're just one of those poor little men who were born with nothing. Both your types of chi mix together so much that you have to work twice as hard, and all your struggling amounts to nothing! This is what true firebending is, brat! This is a TRUE RAINBOW!"

Within minutes, Azula had become exhausted, but knew with instinct he would have to be long dead by now. She stopped the attack to view the final result. "…?" Romeo was flat on his back, and… his hair took the form of colorful fire, his wrists, shoulders, waist, and ankles were burning different colors, yet he seemed to be in no pain. Romeo helped himself to stand, confused by this strange development. "What… is this…?"

"Romeo, are you hurt?! Do you need my help?!" Wendy shouted.

"No. I don't know what this is, but… my chi feels so pure. …Let's see how you like it." And with that, Romeo unloaded all that fire right back on Azula. The former princess mustered her chi to block it, using what remained of her strength to desperately push it back. Somehow, against all odds, this boy had enough stamina to keep firing, and she herself struggled to regain control of the fire she just sent. …No, the fire felt different for some reason. Just what was this? She used Conqueror's Haki, hoping it would weaken him just enough to prevail, but no!

"Impossible! I am the strongest firebender in the Avatar Realms! I won't be defeated by some boy with tainted chi! I won't…I won't…AAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"

Although beautiful colors brushed the former princess's body, it left her with nothing but brown and black. Her color was no different than that of Romeo, after his rainbow chi was exhausted. Both benders passed out at the same time. (End song.)

Wendy rushed to her friend, nearly burning her hand as she felt his charred body. She felt a pulse and a breath. "He's alive. Oh, thank goodness."

"I can't believe he wanted a solo battle all just so he could get stronger." Kiki stated in a fury. "What is with you anime protagonist wannabes in not accepting help?!"

"Let's just get these three back to H.Q.." Oliver said. "They'll be out for a while… but at least we made it in time. Mission accomplished."

Nextgen Pirate H.Q.

The warmth Eva was feeling was extremely soft compared to what she felt in her final moments. So, this was what the sweet embrace of death felt like. At last, she could safely open her eyes to the Spirit World and its beautiful… hospital room.

Being a "spirit" felt a lot heavier than she had anticipated. She was too weak to move, as if the pain had carried over to the afterlife. And what was this heavy thing on her chest that felt like… Melody's head?

Her daughter's arms held her in a soft hug, and tears dripped on her charred skin. Though Eva was cleaned and healed, the damage was still visible, and she could barely feel anything. Except for her daughter's love. "I'm so glad…so glad… that you're alive, Mom."

"Mmmm…Melody…" She had no strength to return the hug. "I'm sorry… they ambushed us at our house… there were too many, and I…I couldn't save Kade."

"Sigh… Mom, I…I thought we weren't going to find you in time. I was ready to lose you. I would've… given up… if we didn't know…"

"I wouldn't be mad at you for moving on… but I'm so glad I survived. I don't want you to feel any more pain. I'll get better… so we can both go home."

"Sniff… Mom…"

Yuta and Kotoko said nothing as they watched this. The boy only felt shame, knowing he was the one to cause all this to happen. And Kotoko felt a mix of emotions. Confusion that a girl could feel such a bond with her parent. Envy that she couldn't know this bond herself. Even a bit of regret that…that if she held out for just a bit longer, she could've learned to… love… her…

Masaru and Jataro, who were freed from their cell simply to watch this reunion, had already turned away halfway through. Their feelings were the same as Kotoko's. "…Are you trying to insult us?" Masaru asked. "Trying to show us what a 'happy family' looks like? Did you even think that maybe we tried to make friends with our parents? Yeah, I get that Monaca's betraying the Sky Gods, I get that she almost killed Kotoko, but why should I care what she did to this family?"

"Masaru, you guys need to open your eyes." Yuta said. "I know that your parents were terrible, maybe they deserved to die, but that doesn't mean you should be jealous of other families. The Sky God Pirates aren't helping anyone with the Free Kingdom. They're hurting people no different than those 'corrupt' governments, if not worse. That's why… we need to convince Skaios that this is wrong. Skaios would feel the same way you do. His 'parents' didn't treat him well either. He would be jealous… but he needs to learn his freedom isn't worth it if so many families have to be hurt."

"I agree with Yuta." Kotoko took her friend's hand. "I…I've been trying so hard to escape the pain and the… g-gentle feelings." Yuta could feel her trembling. "Even after we've killed so many adults, it's still not enough. Maybe I'm trying too hard to run. M-Maybe I want… to start over. I want to be proven wrong… and find adults that…that aren't…"

Masaru and Jataro had no way to respond for a while. They almost considered he was right. The Avalarans risked their lives and their freedom just to save their king. They cared more for his life than their own, but they wouldn't have to make that sacrifice if Skaios never captured him. "…Hmph. Fine, we'll just see what Skaios thinks." Masaru said. "But more importantly, you said Monaca is plotting against him, right? I'm more worried about that."

"Me, too. I don't know what she's planning, but we need to stop it. Unfortunately… I heard Skaios was in danger."

Wendy had come out to rejoin her friends, all sharing worried expressions. "Is he gonna be alright?" Phil asked.

"Yes, he'll pull through. Eva, too. But it'll be a while until he's ready to fight again. We have to carry on without him."

"Still, it was weird how he was able to power up like that." Oliver replied. "I wonder what that was…"

Galaxia's Sun

A little yellow and orange imp was chilling on an inflatable chair, sipping a smoothie as it floated along the burning surface. "…?" It tipped up its sunglasses when it thought it felt an odd presence coming from a peculiar direction. "Vic…tini?"

Hyrule; The Wonder

Rā's al Ghūl plugged several green cords into his body, attached to tanks as a liquid coursed into him. "Huff…huff…sigh…" When his muscles reflated a tad, he pulled the cords out.

"This artificial Lazarus we have concocted can sustain the Demon's Head," Shiva explained to Goombella and Nagisa, whom were being held at swordpoint, "but it will not empower him like a true Lazarus Pit."

"Even without it, he's still got a decent Power Level of 9,855." Goombella said. "But why show to us?"

"Hm hm hm… simple." Rā's turned to Nagisa with a smirk. "You intrigue me, boy."

"Aww, I'm honored." Nagisa blushed.

"I've seen that look in your eye before." The Demon's Head approached Nagisa, dwarfing the boy like an officer over a delinquent. "A young man of justice who looks at his foes with predatory instincts, yet has no murderous desire. The moment you threatened to kill me, I knew you were no threat."

"There's a first time for everything…" Nagisa gave him a cool, but grim smirk. "Come to think of it, why is such a legendary assassin serving Mandy, anyway?"

"Heh… What other reason would there be? When she invaded our hideout and defeated my assassins, we agreed to her proposal and joined her crew. Under her orders, we would assassinate all those she deemed evil. And… when the time came, we would assassinate her, the dark Queen of Fear. …But that was my mistake." Rā's turned, frowning as he gazed at his blade. "That was before Mandy awakened as someone new. She had become… a true symbol of light. A true hero to guide her people." He raised his sword, and could envision the Gracious Queen shining against the morning light. "I had never seen such divine radiance from any mortal. I knew, then, that if I followed her… I could truly rid the cosmos of its evils. And now, I will prove my loyalty by bringing Scheherazade to her. So…" He turned his blade on Nagisa's neck, "where… is she?"

Meanwhile, a certain ninja was clinging onto the side of the Wonder. "Ah… been a while since I snuck onto a pirate ship." Cheren spoke in Japanese, having donned the Hidden Leaf Headband. "Hope I haven't gotten rusty…"