Sin of Arrogance

Mobius; Spying Eye

The Firsthand Pirates' submarine was nearing an undersea cliff. They shot down several Aquatic Division subs, and Yuta and Melody swam outside to battle Chomps, Pufftups, Frazzles, and all manner of ferocious fish. Above the shore of this very cliff was a seven-layered Japanese-style palace, with a Mogeko's head at the very top.

When it seemed that the fish had stopped attacking, an anglerfish swam their way. They held back from attacking, knowing it was their ally, Glimmer. The fish seemed to be pointing its angler to a cave a short distance off. "You found a way to get into the fortress?" Melody asked. Glimmer nodded. "Great. Yuta, let's go back and catch our breath for a moment."

The two swam back to the submarine, taking a seat and letting their strength recover. "Hey, Melody… you know Monaca's deadline is in seven days, right?" Yuta asked.

"Yeah, but none of the sectors reported saving my mom, yet. Don't tell me you're thinking of sacrificing your family again."

"I-I'm not, I swear! I'm just… What if they don't save her in time?"

"Sigh… I spent too much time crying over Danny. We'll just have to accept that we won't be able to save everyone. We can only save as many people as possible, and right now, that person is Tsu."

"If that's really how you feel…"

"Actually, there's eight days until the deadline." Emily winked. "It's February, and it's a Leap Year!"

"Thanks for the tidbit." Melody remarked. "Your reward is that you get to come with us."

"Underwater?!"

"It's only until we get to the surface. Besides, this fortress belongs to Moge-ko, one of the Kommanders, so I'd rather our best fighters go in there."

"But I didn't bring my swimsuit."

"Just put on the Oxygen Mask!" Eric stated. "I gotta drive this thing outta here before more fish come."

"Nyeh, but these inserts turn my feet blue when wet." Emily wept. "This mission's the worst."

The waterbenders dove in first with full bravery. Emily could merely stand tiptoed on the edge, O2 mask equipped, yet very jittery. "Gyup!" Eric pushed her in, resulting in a light splash. (Play "Cavern" from Metal Gear Solid.)

Stage 20: Mogeko Palace

Mission: Rescue Tsuyu Asui.

The three followed Glimmer's light up the tunnel, meeting little resistance aside from Flotsams and the occasional Shuri. They noticed a large, glowing round fish with a happy smile; its body was totally see-through, and a chest was inside it. Yuta recognized this fish as a Seemee, and he was able to take the chest by Torpedo Spinning through its bubbly body, but the fish seemed to feel nothing and swam on merrily. Chest secured, the three carried on, wondering if this darkness would ever end. At last, a surface was in sight.

They were inside a vast and vacant underground pier. They quietly peeped their heads above the surface below the pier, hearing light footsteps. The Nyakuza Empress was looking over the water. "Hmm… Nice work, boys. Not a speck of garbage. But there are worse things than trash to worry about." She turned and marched up the pier. "I'm going to get this place tidied up for the boss's return. We've gotta set up a good first impression, after all."

She entered an elevator in the back and rode it up. Mogekos and Nyakuza were patrolling the area. "Sounds like the Kommander isn't here." Yuta whispered. "We oughta finish the mission before she gets back."

"No reason to be stealthy then." Melody figured. "Let's take 'em down." The three splashed onto the pier, pounding the cats with Water Punches. All the guards on the pier came charging; Emily used her bending to lift a metal post out of the ground and slam it into cats, while Mel and Yuta caught a bunch in a large wave, lifted them up, and smashed them against the ground. After a minute or so, the cats stopped attacking, so they hurried over to the elevator. They pushed the button and heard it echoing from up the cavernous shaft, bracing their selves for an ambush. However, it seemed no one was in the elevator, so they could peacefully get on. They had a moment to relax as it flew up the shaft, stopping to let them out on the first floor. (Play "Nepeta's Theme" from Homestuck!)

Melody took the first step—she stopped, surprised to see a group of hamsters scamper by her feet. The floor was littered with hamsters and Mogekos trying to catch them. "Ah, we have guests-mogege." One of the cats smiled. "Please don't step on the hamsters."

The group shrugged, baffled by this lack of hostility, and decided to comply with his request. They tiptoed around the first floor foyer, careful not to squish the adorable rodents. There was a stairway to the 2nd floor and a couple other ways to go, so the question was how to go about finding Tsu. The right door had a dining room where the Mogeko were happily munching on prosciutto, with a massive painting of the ham. They chose to leave them be and make their way to the left room, which contained a cluster of giant hamster tunnels over a pit.

"This looks like one heck of a maze!" Yuta grinned. "Mind if I go in?!"

"Be my guest, Hamster Boy." Melody remarked. The Adabatian crawled into the tunnel, and immediately after the first turn, "Whoooaaa!" He fell into the pit, going down a slide that led to a ladder. Said ladder would take him back up to the start. Emily could control the metal rings on the tunnel segments with her bending, linking them to form a more complete, complex tunnel. The girls watched as Yuta crawled through like a kid on a playground. "Huh?" A line of hamsters scampered in from behind, between his legs and arms. "Hehehehe!" He giggled as he crawled with them.

After exiting the opposite side, Yuta hit a switch, opening a passage that went around the pit for the girls to join him. The following room had hamster wheels leading across the pit; Yuta tagged Emily to go next. The scientist hopped on the first wheel and used the Super Hoop to gain speed and make it roll, carrying her along a track. At the end of said track, she jumped to the next wheel and repeated the process. The inside of the following wheel had hamsters controlling it, keeping it stationary. Emily noticed a Stop/Go barrel switch. She kept running to stay on the wheel, but got out her slingshot to shoot the Stop, prompting the hamsters to cease and for the wheel to go back to its start. However, the next wheel went further away as well, so she had to reactivate the Go, and then jump off her wheel and use the Sky Flyer to hover in the air as she awaited the next wheel to catch her. After hitting the Stop once more, that wheel carried her to the end.

She hit a switch that allowed her friends an easy way across. The next room resembled an ordinary lounge with a Mogeko on a couch. There were figures of a white angel and black troll, each with diamond-like attire. "Hello, guests. Would you like a cup of tea?"

"No, thanks." Melody replied. "We're just… kind of exploring."

"If you would like to explore the second floor, I have the key in that drawer. The other Special Mogekos will have the other keys."

"Who're the Special Mogekos?" Melody asked.

"Moge-ko's elite pet-sitters. Even though she's the 'House Pet Queen,' she has no experience with raising animals, so she gets us to do it. It's much more pleasant than what she made us do back home."

"What'd she make you do?" Yuta asked.

"I'd rather not talk about it. If you have an errand here, best get it done before Moge-ko returns."

Figuring he was truthful, the group took the key and returned to the foyer. They could unlock the second floor door, entering an outdoorsy area where flowers bloomed and butterflies fluttered blissfully. The Mogekos directing them had butterfly wings fittingly. "Mogeko have guests-mogege." one of them said. "Help Mogeko catch butterflies?"

"Well, I do have the proper equipment." Emily pulled out her T.E.L.A.-N.E.T., but turned off its transporter. She swung it gently and caught bundles of butterflies, releasing them into large cages around the room. After catching enough, the Mogekos thanked her by clearing away a cluster of butterflies on the wall, revealing a door. The next room was a proper greenhouse-like butterfly garden. The ceiling seemed to morph into a cylindrical shaft and extend to the third floor. One of the walls appeared to be sandy-colored; it was actually a huge glass casing with an ant farm. There were three different tiny buttons on the floor of the farm. Emily simply put her finger to the glass and drew paths in the sand with her bending, closing off other paths in order to lead the ants. She would have three groups of ants push their buttons, and all three would have to be pressed before the door opened.

"Huhuhu, I like to do this with ants back home. It makes me feel like a god~"

"You're weird…" Yuta said.

They entered a flowery room where a Mogeko-fly was perched on a giant sunflower. "Ah, how nice to have guests. If you would like a way to the 3rd floor, you must ride the butterflies in the previous room. You may use these potion bottles to temporarily miniaturize yourselves to the appropriate size."

"Can do!" Yuta said, grabbing the first bottle. "As long as our clothes shrink with us."

"Oh, absolutely. I would never take part in such crude tricks."

Each with a potion in hand, they returned to the greenhouse room and drank, shrinking to Minish size. Butterflies landed beside them, and they took flight once the kids got on. They held tight as the bugs picked up speed, gaining more altitude as they ascended the shaft. They landed on a floor, the group stepping off as they returned to normal size. This floor contained the distinct smell of dogs, and right on cue, a bunch of puppies came running out of doghouses, yapping up a storm and bouncing on hind-legs around the intruders. "Whoa now! Down, boys, down!" Yuta waved hands up and down, gesturing the dogs to sit. "Roll over!" They rolled in split directions to clear a path.

"Nice. You have a dog?" Melody asked.

"Yep! You might have noticed it on my jacket." He turned to them and pointed at the rounded text around a symbol. "'Dog can go like 3 cups rice dog oh love since 1981.'"

"What the fuck does that even mean?"

There were several switches with pawprints resembling different dogs. Yuta commanded the respective puppies to roll onto the switches, such as a pug, a poodle, shepherd, bloodhound, or Chihuahua. Thanks to his knowledge of paw pads, a door opened! There was also a climbable column with bone-shaped handholds embedded, leading to the currently-locked 4th floor. "Wait, guys, I sense someone in that room." Emily pointed to a different door. "Someone in danger."

They entered a small dog track room, a horde of 20 dogs rapidly chasing a fake bunny around. "GET ME DOOOOWWWWN!" But in fact, it was not a fake bunny, but a Mobian.

"Emily, stop it with your bending!" Melody ordered.

"The dogs will get her!"

"There's a switch on this thing! Hit it to free me and I can jump off myself!"

"If you say so…" Emily used her Haki to focus on the moving device. With a single pellet from her slingshot, Emily loosed during its right curve and hit the button. The cuff binding the rabbit opened, and she swiftly hopped off. The dogs still chased, but she bounced off the walls and to the exit. "Shut it!" she ordered, the trio running out and sealing the room.

"Phew… man, I'm glad that's over." The gray rabbit gasped for breath. "Thanks for that, humans. Officer Judy Hopps, nice to meet you." She extended a paw.

"What's up." Melody shook it. "We're the Firsthand Pirates, for the time being. You a KND operative?"

"No, ZPD officer. I assume you know what's been happening, but it's been horrible; almost everyone in my town was turned savage by the Kremlings' cannon. The only reason they spared me is because the mafia cut them a deal."

"The mafia?" Yuta inquired.

"I… might be friends with a mafia boss." Judy smiled awkwardly. "Don't tell anyone!"

"You seen any frogs around here?" Mel asked.

"Not really? Why?"

"Nothing, just get in here." Emily turned on the net, caught Judy, and teleported her to the submarine.

Afterwards, they entered the unlocked door, their eyes nearly blinded by the white floor and walls. Black dots adorned the white; it was a Dalmatian plantation! Spotted puppies frolicked happily, but now was not the time to enjoy them. A red Mogeko waited by the door and said, "One of Mogecuckoo's chickens got loose down here and took my key. Help Mogeko find it?"

A presumably white chicken would be difficult to spot in this environment. Luckily, Emily still had her R.A.D.A.R., which she set to locate chickens. She followed its signal as it seemed the target was running with the dogs. But when it seemed the chicken was right under her nose, there was only a puppy… She grabbed it by the fur and yanked off its disguise, exposing a brown chicken. "I just wanted to be a Dalmatian, too. Cough." He spat a key out. With it, they could enter the next room, which was pitch-black and dark in comparison.

Their only source of light was a flashlight on a bloodhound's back. "Only bloodhound can find the Blood Spirit. Follow-mogege." said the guard. The three patiently followed the hound, who led them around a narrow, snaky path over a chasm. They stayed in a straight line to avoid falling, eventually making it to a pawprint switch that opened a door to a blood-painted room.

"…Hello… I'm the Blood Spirit."

"Creepy." Mel replied. "You have the key?"

"…Here." He kicked a bone-shaped key a few inches forward. Melody went to get it, then they made their way back to the center. They climbed the bone column and stuck the key in a bone-shaped keyhole. The 4th floor was full of birds! The little tweeters were cooing and flapping around the rafters. Emily spotted one of them with a key in its talons, but it was too high and kept flapping around. There was a little pen with Huffin Puffins (wingless, snowman-like birds). A Mogeko guarding the pen said, "Need something from the birds? Throw one of the younglings and it'll get it."

Melody shrugged and picked up one of the Puffins like a baseball. She held it in her Water Fist, whirled it around, and chucked it at the key bird. It came back with the key in beak. Of course, there were four birds carrying a chest around the room's ceiling, so a few more Puffin throws were required to bring it down. The key led to a room where a golden light shone from up high, and three Crosses stood. There was a large painting of a man reading a book on a couch, his gem-like blue hair reflecting light, and some tea and blueberry cake at his table. "Well, that's one fancy fella." Yuta said.

"Hmm…" Melody cocked a brow at the shiny-haired figure in the painting. "Isn't that the guy from-"

"Hast thou come to learn the word of the Lord?" An angel-winged Mogeko with a halo descended, parrots at his side. "Or mayhaps thou wouldst like something from this fortress. Whatever thy case, I sense thou art not dark hearts like Moge-ko."

"You guys don't seem to like Moge-ko." Emily noticed.

"We Mogekos lived in peace until Moge-ko cometh, the spawn of a troll and Mogeko. Her dreadful fearbending hath corrupted our hearts. Many of our kind back home art now demons thanks to her. King Kcalb and 'Kwing' Etihw ordered the destruction of our castle, but Moge-ko and the remaining Mogekos fled, becoming pirates and stealing the ship of a heroic Mogeko. We treasure all times Moge-ko is not around. We pray to Lord Prosciutto that we canst return to peaceful lives."

"Prosciutto? The shiny guy up there?" Yuta asked.

"That's a painting I bought online. Thou may useth mine parrots to ascend higher. May Lord Prosciutto watch over thee." The parrots repeated his words as they flew down to lift the trio, their surprising strength able to carry them into the light, which was merely a large lightbulb as they arrived at the 5th floor. This floor housed the most important animals of all: CATS! Kittens immediately swarmed the trio, clawing at Melody's sarong and Emily's labcoat. Of course, Yuta wore shorts, so he was lightly cut.

The kittens chorused with the "mew" sounds in the music as they scampered around the carpeted room. Naturally, the Nyakuza were at work here, too. "Come back here, you little rascals!" one of the Mobians yelled, trying to chase them. "Sheesh, even the giant cats back home weren't this difficult." The kids found a can of catnip, looking for a place to use it. Melody felt one patch of the carpet sink down, so she dropped catnip on it as a bunch of cats clustered up and clawed at it vigorously. Like a dog digging up a bone, they ripped the carpet open, going underneath. The trio crouched and crawled in after, their backs heavily brushing against the carpet in this limited space. Luckily, the passage let out in a new room, where a bunch of large fluff balls were rolling around.

Oh wait, these were cats who haven't shaved in forever, their coats so round that they looked like dust balls. They came in many colors, but the white one had the face of a Mogeko. Emily caught this one. "Oh, please don't eat me! I'm not a Mofuko, I'm Moffuru~"

"You the Special Mogeko?" Mel asked.

"Thanks for the compliment. The key is somewhere in my fluff." The leader rolled her eyes and felt around the fluff until finding the key. They returned to the first room and used it to unlock a room containing a large scratch post, but it was otherwise a dead end. Emily then indicated a hole in the ceiling, so they pulled the scratch post out and had it propped up below the hole. Cats immediately zipped up and clambered up the post, so the group made sure to go around when climbing up their selves.

Two Nyakuza were watching them. "Hey, don't those guys seem kinda weird to you?"

"They don't look like they work here. Maybe we should tell the boss."

Upon reaching the 6th floor, they found a chair where a gray cat was peacefully sleeping. Her name was Cherry, and she was the princess. Knowing this, they let her be and entered the next room.

The 6th floor was a farmland, cows grazing on a hay-covered floor. There was a board of wanted posters, titled The Incipisphere's Most Wanted. It depicted Moge-ko, a troll named Ivlis, a Carapacian called Jack Noir, and a flower named Flowey. "Moge-ko… Leijon?" Melody read her name. "That's right… she has Nepeta's last name! Did anyone ever ask what their relation is?"

"Sisters, cousins, it's pretty common in our profession." Emily noted. "Let's just pet the cows and forget about it."

"These cows are sensitive around strangers." Mogeko said. "If you want milk, don't get close." There was a bucket under a cow, but if they couldn't get close, Melody used her bending to draw milk out of its utter and fill the bucket. She could then pull the filled bucket over and use it to hold down a strong switch, unlocking a door. The next room had Cuccos, but the floor was mostly broken. This was no issue as they could simply lift the Cuccos, jump off, and glide across with their aid.

They entered a small room with a large, round chicken on a nest. "Cockadoodledoo!" The chicken turned and had the face of a Mogeko.

"Haha, nice costume!" Yuta grinned.

"Actually, I think it's his body." Emily corrected.

"At any rate, you have the key?" Melody asked.

Mogecuckoo stepped away, revealing an egg. It hatched into a key. The trio returned to the center room, but the only thing to unlock was a leash tied to a large, black horse with orange mane. "I guess this big fella will help us." Yuta assumed, freeing the horse. "So, will ya?"

"NEEEEIIIIIIIIGHHHHH!" The horse bit and threw Yuta onto his back, furiously kicking his hind legs while rotating, and Yuta was eventually forced up through the ceiling. It grabbed the girls and butted them up before charging through the wall and escaping.

"…Owwww…" Emily groaned. "I take it that horse didn't like it here."

"Sigh, I think this is the top floor." Melody said, straightening her sarong. "Tsu has to be near. I'm gonna ask." She approached a Mogeko. "Hey, we're looking for a frog girl, would you know about that?"

"You must mean the one Moge-ko has been torturing lately. She's in that room." He pointed to a half-open door. The three approached cautiously and opened it. The room was very dark, lit only by a screen, which was shining on someone crying on the floor. (End song.)

"Ts…Tsuyu?" Melody recognized her froglike posture and the sound of her voice as she sobbed.

"Sniffle…M…Melody… sniff…"

Melody didn't know why she was crying… until Yuta tapped her shoulder and pointed at the computer screen. The three were… repulsed. The screen was full of pictures of unsightly, degrading fanart that portrayed Tsu in a very undignified manner. Whether it involved disproportioned body parts or indecent interactions with her friends, it was plainly obvious why Tsu was upset. "What the hell is all this?" Melody asked.

"This is how the world sees me, Melody. Sniffle." Tsu sobbed. "I thought I was inspiring. I thought the people looked at me as a reliable hero. But I'm not…I'm just…I'M A SEX OBJECT!" She spat acid at the computer and destroyed it.

"I'm so sorry, Tsu." Melody touched her back in comfort. "But that's how some people are, I'm afraid."

"You're right, sniff. People don't care about heroes… they just want entertainment. The dirtiest, filthiest entertainment there is. So, why…why do I want to help them, Melody? Why do I want to save them? Why does this ungrateful universe not want heroes?"

"Because if we don't, there won't be anyone left to BE grateful. There are people who appreciate what you do, Tsu, and they admire the person you are on the inside. And if you keep saving people, then more will admire the hero you are."

"Damn right they will. Because it's time for Froppy to change. It's time to make them PAY!" Tsu whipped her tongue at the light switch and brought light to the room. At the same time, Tsu pulled herself past them and blocked the exit, assuming a battle pose. Her costume was remarkably different: it was now black with orange stripes, and she wore a slanted-eyes mask, her eyes brimming with Dark Chi. "From now on, I'm Black Froppy, the Poison Frog Villain!"

"Black Froppy?!" Emily exclaimed.

"Are we bearing witness to an origin story?!" Yuta followed.

"Melody, I think I understand how you feel about your brother. I mean, I never lost anyone, but you're angry that he isn't receiving the respect he deserves. If I were to die, would they mourn for their hero, or just find another sexy hero to oogle over? Hell, I bet Mt. Lady's got millions."

"Your eyes…" Melody noticed the darkness burning in her friend's irises.

"Melody, I don't wanna fight you. I want you to join me. Let's make everybody respect us! If they won't admire us as heroes, then they'll fear us as villains!"

"Tsu, is this how you really feel?"

"Yes it is! I didn't work hard in school for this long to be treated as an object! I want respect! And I WILL have respect! You're either with me or against me, Mel!"

"Yeah, well I didn't work this hard fighting the Kremlings just to betray my own team! Even back then, I didn't give up when Danny died, I kept fighting! Or else his sacrifice would've been for nothing!"

"Fine… I understand." Tsu's throat swelled as she hacked something out: a phone. "Kommander! Intruders in the base!" (Play "Sinken" from Mogeko Castle!)

Miles off the shore of the fortress, the Mogeko Kremlin was returning, drums pounding and horns blowing to signal her return. Atop the stairway leading to her cabin, Moge-ko answered her phone. "Hello, hello, it's me, the lovable Moge-ko! ✩ Hm? What's that, Tsuyu? Oh, just intruders. This shouldn't be a problem." She hung up and drew out a megaphone. She took a deep breath and her eyes reddened from the incredible outburst of Fear Chi.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

The Mogekos on the ship cried in despair—her amplified Fear completely consumed the fortress. "AAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!"

"MOGEGE-NOOOOO!" The creatures were desperate to cover their ears, but it was hopeless! They cried, knowing their peaceful day was over. Team Melody looked out to the ones in the hall, horrified to see their faces morph into single big eyes.

"Surrender, Melody!" Tsu yelled, whipping her tongue, but Melody grabbed it in her Water Fists and slammed Tsu to the floor.

"Emily, the net!"

Emily quickly drew her T.E.L.A.-N.E.T., but a Mad Mogeko jumped her and snapped it in two. Melody punched the creature off and fought back the others. "Great, we didn't bring spares!" Yuta yelled. "What now?! Do we drag her back by hand?"

Seeing Tsu recovering, Melody punched her away. "RUN!" She bolted down the passage, jumping down the hole they came from. The cows had gone mad and were trying to kick the group, Emily using her Super Hoop to bounce between and dizzy them.

"But what about Tsu?!" Yuta asked.

"If she wants to work for them, then let her! We've gotta get out before Moge-ko gets here, I heard she has this power to trap you in a nightmare world. Kind of like this…"

"What's going on up here?!" The Nyakuza Empress burst in. "Huh? You must be the intruders! Time to see what this can do." She withdrew a large, black cannon from her coat and took aim as Dark Chi surged inside.

"This way!" Emily pulled her friends toward the chicken room, dodging the first blast.

"That weapon! Was it… a Darkness Cannon?" Melody recognized the design. They ran in the Cucco room, but were immediately swarmed by a flock of the chickens. Mel and Yuta formed a water shield around them, splashing the birds to scare them, but with The Empress storming up, they had no choice but to jump off the broken floor. Cuccos still followed, but Crazy Cats were pouncing up, catching the chickens in their teeth, and throwing through the shield. Emily was forced out, face immediately clawed by cats, but water kept them at bay, too.

In the main room, Nyakuza and Mad Mogeko scurried to slice them with knives, but Emily used metalbending to take the knives, throwing back to slice their waists. They ran for the way down, but Tsu suddenly appeared from seemingly nowhere, catching Melody in her tongue and pulling her in. Yuta threw kicks at Tsu's stomach, only for the frog to spit Mel into him, knocking both down. Emily shot Tsu with slingshot pellets, and her friends recovered as they ran for another door, The Empress still pursuing. Fluffy cats were rapidly rolling into them, fur now spiky, so the waterbenders swat them off after the first pricks.

They were nearing a screen window and decided to brave the odds and jump out! "Squawk, yolo! Yolo! Brawk!" The parrots flew out, caught the escapees, and threw them into the 4th floor. Birds were slashing airwaves from up high, Emily relying on her Haki to dodge and shoot with keen precision. Even the Huffin Puffins were throwing themselves into them, Emily batting them away with the Stun Club. Empress burst out of Hasu's room, rapidly shooting the Dark Cannons as they dodged their way to the exit. They jumped off the dog bone tower and landed the 3rd floor. Barks filled the air as the mutts blasted soundwaves to knock the trio over.

Tsu dropped in and lashed her tongue, but pulled back when Yuta threw a Water Slash. Melody grabbed dogs in her Water Fists and threw them at the frog, Tsu taking a few hits before turning invisible. Emily sensed her presence and shot her with some pellets, followed by a bonk with the Stun Club. "Stand still!" The Empress dropped in and aimed the cannon at the still-grounded Yuta. With a determined glare, he rolled to dodge the blast, then put his feet to work in dodging further blasts. He maneuvered toward the cat-woman, flipped in the air, and SLICED the Dark Cannon with water! The Empress dropped the remains, dodged back, and drew twin pistols, but the bullets were snagged by Emily's bending when they fired. Empress was too taken aback by this to remember Yuta—the boy swung a great KICK up at her chin, The Empress flying headfirst into a statue of Brian Griffin.

Tsuyu spat acid globs at Melody, the girl dodging and shooting Water Bullets back. "Tsu, I think you were brainwashed by that cannon!"

"That cannon opened my eyes, Melody! I was denying the truth right in front of me, but now I understand. I'll do whatever it takes to earn my respect, even if it means fighting you!" In a swift motion, Tsu hopped to the wall, then across the room, ceiling, floor, wall, ceiling, other wall.

"Melody, watch-!" Emily tried to warn, but Tsu had already hopped and caught Mel on her tongue going by. She slammed Mel into the wall, then hopped on the floor before spinning and throwing her into Emily, KOing both girls.

"Melo-" Yuta tried to aid, but The Empress bashed him in the head with the head of the Brian statue, and he was out as well. "Hmph. Little shit." Empress cursed, rubbing her sore head. (End song.)

…

The three awoke in a daze, feeling their heads hanging while their arms were suspended. The sea breeze chilled their skin, and the gentle rocking informed them they were on a ship. It was a metal ship, and Mogekos guarded them. The three's arms were tied to posts via chi-blocking ropes. "Wakey-wakey, eggs and bakey~" Before them was a blonde girl with cat ears and red and black clothes: Moge-ko. She was tossing a knife up and down in her hand. "It was rude to invade my fortress when I wasn't home. Moge-ko would've skinned you alive by now, but then she realized… you're Emily Garley." She pointed her knife at the scientist. "You've saved me the trouble of hunting you."

"W-Why did you want me?"

"It was a special request from our new Krewmate. Wanna introduce yourself?" (Play Specter's Theme from Ape Escape.)

"No introductions are necessary." A dark spirit rose out of the deck, smirking. "She knows who I am."

"S…Specter?! I thought you were destroyed!"

"Oh, sweet Emily. No one is truly dead. As long as a spirit leaves regrets in this world, an insatiable lust, we can always come back. It was lucky that you neglected to capture Pink Monkey three years ago, or this wonderful opportunity might never have happened. Now, I can finally get revenge on Adams Tech for how they treated me! And it has already started… with THESE two!" Two figures appeared via a teleport and dropped on the deck.

"M-Mom?! Dad?!"

"WAAAAAAAHHH!" Matthew Garley was crying and pounding the deck. "MAMA! I WANT MAMA!"

"BUUUUUUU huu huuuuu…" Kimberly was struggling to crawl in search of sustenance, weighed down by her own adult body. The sight of her parents in such a helpless manner disgusted Emily.

"At first, I wanted to kill you three." Specter said. "But then I realized that would be too merciful. Killing is such a cliché tactic. Then, I learned about K. Rool's Revert-O-Matic. With a powerful mixture of Time and Emotion Chi, a person's entire being can be erased, reset to Stage 1! A human's brain is a precious tool that stores years of growth and experience, and the heart tells them how to interpret that experience. And no humans treasure their brain more than intelligent, arrogant scientists like yourself, Emily. The state that your parents are in now will soon be YOUR fate!"

Specter flew out of the way, exposing their eyes to open sea. An enormous, statuesque mountain approached from the horizon: the Hideout Helm. The chest of the crocodile fortress opened, and the tip of a laser cannon stretched out. "I-Is that what I…?"

"Yes, Emily! It's the Revert-O-Matic! Prepare to lose all of your intelligence! Succumb to the mindset of a mindless infant before your friends! This beam is also powerful enough to puncture chi-blocks; it will take far more than the measly two on your ropes to protect you."

"NOOO!" Emily furiously tugged on the ropes, desperate to break free. "I REFUSE TO END UP LIKE THAT! I'm the greatest scientist in the KND! My brain is too precious to be erased! I refuse to go out like this! I'D RATHER DIE!"

"Your death will come only after I show Earth the 'brilliant' Emily Garley! A big-headed girl with a pea-sized brain, the knowledge of an infant. That is how everyone will remember you for all eternity!"

"NEVER! I will become a brilliant scientist that surpasses Sheldon Cooper, Steven Hawking, and everyone else! There's nothing more precious to me than my brain!"

"Then your fate is sealed! Aim the cannon and FIRE!"

Inside the base, Baron K. Rool zoomed the cursor up on the tiny target that was Emily. "Mental state ready to Revert to six months old. Ready in 3…2…1… GO!"

A bright neon beam burst from the cannon, completely swallowing Emily and blinding her vision. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO…"

Melody and Yuta opened their eyes when they felt the beam's light disappear. At first, Emily's expression was blank. Moge-ko cut off her ropes to let her face-plant on the deck. "…Bap-bah." Emily seemed to push herself up and was crawling. "Bap-thah. Thaaaah!"

"MWAH HA HA HA HA!" Specter put aside his calm demeanor and let his glee flow out. "My revenge is COMPLETE! I have reduced the Adams Family's pride to a helpless nothing!"

"Mon-key! Mon-key!" Emily beamed at Specter and crawled to him.

"Yes, Emily, adore the monkey! Worship the monkey." He gingerly petted her crown-shaped hair. "What do you two think? Doesn't your arrogant friend look sooooo much better this way?"

"You know, Emily didn't deserve that." Melody stated. "Yeah, she's a smartass, she's a show-off, but at least she has the evidence to prove it. With all the hard work she does, she deserves to gloat. Everyone wants to be acknowledged for their work, no different from me or Tsu!"

"Perhaps you're right. But over-inflated egos like Emily take pride in using the lesser life-forms as test subjects." Specter looked down as said girl was sucking on her own shoe. "I'm sure there are a ton of humans that Emily has talked down upon and would be satisfied at seeing her in this state."

"Well, those humans don't deserve the technology they got."

"In that case, you can join her. Prepare to fire the next shot!"

"NO!" Yuta cried suddenly. "Please, not Melody! She still hasn't saved her mom, and she just lost her dad! Please don't make her forget, take me instead! Please!"

"Yuta…" Although Melody felt that she had to counter his proposal, in truth, she completely agreed. If her mind were to be wiped, if she were to forget Danny and have to rely on everyone else's second-hand knowledge, it would be a terrible fate.

"We were going to shoot you both, anyway!"

"Roger that." Klammy replied after getting his signal. "Increasing blast radius by a small margin. Everyone else, clear the way!"

The pirates stepped away from the captives, whom were horrifically awaiting the second blast. In only a moment, all their emotions and experiences would be reset, their very identities destroyed.

The roof of a submarine emerged from the surface, a cannon aiming above the ship. "THIS IS A BAD IDEAAAAAA!" Eric Horvitz came flying out of the cannon, the nerd crashing in the center of the deck—he only had a moment to absorb the situation, but he was able to whip out his guns and shoot the ropes binding Mel and Yuta. The former immediately ran to grab her friend and pull him away before the cannon could fire, throwing Water Whips at the attacking cats. "I did it!" Eric beamed. "Holy cow, that was aweso-" The second he turned, Moge-ko PUNCHED him in the jaw and knocked him out.

"Blast!" yelled Klammy. "Abort fire! Send backup to the Kremlin!"

The submarine cannon launched another figure out, Judy Hopps. The rabbit officer rapidly shot the pirates with 4x4 guns, kicking any one that charged from behind. "Hurry, let's get out of here!"

"I think NOT!" Moge-ko unleashed her chi and trapped them in a nightmare.

"What's happening?!" Yuta exclaimed when they wound up in a horrific dimension with Mogekos in the sky, the "Gas Gas" song playing. "WAAAH!" They fell down a pit of chainsaws and were sliced to pieces—they respawned at the top, fell, and tried to avoid the saws—another painful sawing!

"Now, let's get back to business." Moge-ko said. "AH!" A chi-block tape was suddenly stuck to her as Judy slammed her into the deck, quickly cuffing the hybrid. "Why weren't you affected?! Wait, that's right… you were able to clear the Dead Kid Course." Indeed, she had been torturing Judy using her Pain-Pain power, but the rabbit was surprisingly able to escape, just like that Hat Kid.

"So, that's your weakness." Judy smirked. "You shouldn't underestimate me."

With her chi stopped flowing, the others were able to wake up. Specter threw Psycho Spheres at them, but Melody dodged and splashed water over the phantom, freezing him. "So, physical attacks still work on you. Yuta, Judy, grab the parents!" Judy tossed Moge-ko away and grabbed Kim while Yuta took Matt, and Melody grabbed Eric and Emily in her Water Fists. They bolted for the edge and jumped into the ocean, immediately going into the submarine. Melody steered the ship downward, torpedoes and fish headed their way.

"Waaaaah ha ha haaaahh…" Emily began bawling, as any child would after being forcibly submerged.

"There there, Emily, it's okay." Yuta tried to console her. "I promise we'll find a way to fix you. M-Maybe Melody's healing could work?"

"I'm a little busy." Melody said, evading torpedoes. "Besides, my bending only works for physical wounds, not something like this."

"So, what's the plan from here?" Judy asked. "Are we going to stop the Kremlings?"

"The plan was to save Tsu, but THAT didn't go very well! Sigh, now I don't even know what to do!"

"We'll get her back, Melody!" Yuta vowed. "If she's really brainwashed, we'll snap her out of it! We've made some good progress, so we'll have the Kremlings busted in no time."

The terminal beeped, so Melody answered the call, seeing Apis's image come up. "Melody, are you busy? We need backup! We're being chased by a Kommander, and some of the others suddenly went crazy and attacked April! She needs a serious treatment, but our doctor went crazy, too!"

"Okay, I'll come as soon as possible. But we're kind of under attack too, so don't expect a warm welcome."

"Sector AC's on the way, too, so it's okay—please just come and help April!"

"You can count on me." Melody said before transmission ended. "I'd say it's about time for us to regroup, anyway. I refuse to give up now!"

The Light of Hope

Monokumas were firmly standing guard outside Monaca's room, attention completely on point. …Unfortunately, they didn't account for a shadow quietly slithering past them and under the door. The shadow's eyes glanced around before Dillon York rose out. "Good, she's not here. There's gotta be some clues as to where she hid Mrs. Jackson." He and Mario split up to cover every corner of the room. Nothing under the bed, nothing in the drawers; it was still possible that Monaca had shrunken Eva, but nothing. Not even a secret diary.

"Sigh… Only place left is the bathroom." Feeling awkward over entering a girl's private bathroom, Dillon marched in. "…What?" There sat the most complex toilet he had ever seen. His dad often joked that Mr. Swanson had a toilet like this, being handicapped as well, but… to think it actually exists. "Heh, maybe she flushed Eva down this. …" It wasn't a weird thought for this situation. Dillon climbed the toilet and decided to tug on the hand rings—"Whoa!" He slipped and fell, and a ceiling hatch opened from the quake. "Ow… huh?" He noticed a ladder unraveled from the ceiling.

More curious than ever, Dillon climbed to a secret room. "…Eh?!" He turned and gasped, seeing a massive painting of a grinning man with dark-green skin. "G…Ganondorf?! Why would… Monaca have something like this?"

He turned toward a desk with a feather pen and Vanish Box. He opened the box and found a letter with a seal resembling Mandy's Jolly Roger. Curiosity driving him, he carefully opened the letter and read. Dear Li'l Despair, I have placed Azula in charge of the prisoner's execution on March 1, should her fate be sealed. We will keep her bound and hidden until then. For a while, I feared that some of the KND were onto us, as they attacked Azula's theme park, though I believe it was Smaug they were targeting. He was able to scare them off, though not without sacrificing a few. Some Solarans, few Pumparians, and some humans died, too.

"Some humans died? I hope that doesn't mean… WAIT, why is this-!" Mario clamped Dillon's mouth shut. Dillon whispered, "Mario… Monaca is working for Mandy. She's a traitor! And Mandy has Eva! We gotta show this letter to the Commanders." His shadow nodded in agreement. Dillon jumped down the ladder while Mario closed the Vanish Box, then rolled the ladder back up and closed the hatch. He used Veil to slither under the bathroom door—

8)

The very millisecond he saw Monaca in the bedroom, he returned to the bathroom and froze stiff. It was like a jumpscare in a horror game; he could almost hear a nonexistent, eerie whirring sound that would come with it. He was now plainly aware of the demon beyond the door. The demon that would kill him with a glare; or a touch in this case.

"Hmmm… Monaca thought she forgot something… Oh, now she remembers! It's in Kotoko's room~" The crippled child rotated her chair and exited the bedroom.

Dillon could hear the sound of her chair fading… and gave a mute Phew.

Humming to herself, Monaca briefly snapped her fingers.

BOOM! The letter in Dillon's hand exploded, blasting him into the wall as a bloody, burned mess. He rasped, too weak to even command Mario. Monaca rolled into the bathroom and looked down on him with her sweet smile. "Monaca's ~ hand ~ has ~ already ~ touched ~ the letter~"

"Uu. . . . oo . ." Dillon fainted.

Monaca bent down, hand reached, to finish the job. "What do you think you're doing?" Kokichi cocked a gun to the back of her head. "I can't ruin his reputation if he's dead." he said with his crescent smile.

Monaca raised her hands in surrender. "Monaca wasn't gonna kill him. But she has to touch him to make him teensy-weensy! Then he'll fit in the magic box and be sent to Lord Mandy. It's the best place to hide him now that he knows my secret~"

"Nee hee hee! I'm sure he'll be too traumatized to remember this. But only touch the skin, so you can't rig his clothing."

Monaca placed her hand to Dillon's face and used Psycho Shrink to miniaturize him out of his clothes. "Ufufu! How embarrassing~" She carried Dillon up to the Vanish Box and put him inside. "Let's hope Lord Mandy gets the message. For now, Monaca will have to prepare her cover story for the others."