Rocket W.R.A.S.L.E.R. Redux

Mobius; Manky's treetops

Manky Kong was seated atop a throne above the tallest tree in the jungle, elbow propped on an armrest as he munched on a giant banana. It was hardly bliss upon the treetops as the apes partied dawn to dusk, whether they be lemurs (looking at you, Julien), chimpanzees, Rainbow Monkeys, or Revertified Mobians. As the giant orangutan lazily munched on a banana, a call came in. He pushed an armrest button as a crane lowered a barrel before him with a TV screen. Ineptune's face appeared. "Good news, Manky! I was finally able to chase off Pat, the pitiful coward. Almost coincidentally, Kami and Kimaya have reported to have secured Queen Peach, and they informed me that the Boogey Pirates have begun an invasion of the Free Kingdom."

"That would make sense." Manky replied. "If Big Mom has spies in the kingdom, they would be informed and send crewmen to take advantage of the chaos. Some of her crewmen are being imprisoned by the Sky Gods, or so I heard. We'd best do the same and collect whatever else we need from them. Which reminds me… when are you going to tell Kroctus that you're a Linlin?"

"WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO STOP MAKING THAT JOKE?! Some merpeople are naturally born girthy! Don't throw me in with those freaks!"

"Could've fooled me!" Manky grin humorously.

"Ook-ook-ack-ack!" An ape clambered up to Manky's throne and danced in a panic.

His brows furrowing, Manky glanced over the valley and saw an incoming ship, the Halberd II. "And now the Sky Gods are attacking me? Don't they have anything better to do?"

"How odd… I don't suppose they're there for the Inkling Devil Fruit?"

"Whatever the case, I'd better take them down. They're just putting their own kingdom in danger by being here." And so, the giant performed a terrific leap off the throne and toward the ship.

As soon as the Big Grin Pirates saw Manky leap from the treetops, Chimney announced, "Looks like the V-chans made it right on time! Aisa-chan, Apis-chan, Phony-Gonbe-Replacement, you good to go?!"

"'Phony-What-Replacement'?" Judy Hopps repeated for clarity. "N-Never mind. So, we're looking for some kind of orange squash?"

"Yeah." Aisa smiled confidently, bow at the ready. "If there's a soul still in there, I might be able to sense it. Just don't let me down while we're in there."

"You can count on me!" Judy smirked, wielding a Taser. "I'm ready to bring the Kremling Krew to justice!"

"Then ready the Mochapult!" Apis said.

"The what-" Judy couldn't finish before Mocha snatched them in her conjoined hands. "W-Wait, is this saaa-AAAaaaa-AAAaaaa-AAAAAA…!" Mocha whirled the three around and around before hurdling them across the jungle to the distant towering trees.

"Don't worry! I practice that a lot!" Mocha assured. (Play "Jungle Japes 1" from Donkey Kong 64!)

Stage 34: Orangutan Gang

Mission: Secure Squitaba's Devil Fruit!

Mocha had tossed them with such momentum that they were able to bounce up a stairway of far-apart Neckies, resulting in them hitting a floating treasure chest and taking it. They landed atop a tall trunk as Diddy Wannabes flipped around and shot peanut popguns, Aisa evading with Haki and sniping arrows in turn. Aisa took some down while Judy scampered up and hop-kicked around the monkeys, afterwards zapping them with her Taser. There was no other way to advance, but Apis found a green Histup snake inside a pot. "Could you help us get higher?" she asked. Histup was touched by her kind voice and stretched 30 feet high, allowing them to climb him like a pole.

They were able to reach a spiral stairway of planks going up a vertical branch, leading to a large deck, but Aisa stopped them, sensing Gunorillas ready to blast intruders with miniguns (they basically looked like Monsieur Mallah). Aisa clambered vines along the underside of the deck, getting behind the three apes and quickly shooting their butts with arrows. The apes whipped around, but Aisa had gone back under, distracting them so Judy could hop across their heads and zap them with the Taser. The gorillas weren't down yet, so Apis bombarded them with her S.C.A.M.P.P. to finish the job.

A circle of four red Zingers blocked the stairway leading up the tree. The stronger bees were immune to their other attacks, so they looked around the deck and found TNT barrels, which proved strong enough to KO the bees. The stairs ended in only a short distance before they were greeted with a floating Barrel Cannon. The three squeezed in and aimed at the next cannon, three apes swinging between with bombs in hand. They launched past the apes, but the 2nd cannon was rotating multiple directions. Aisa used Haki to sense when it would aim at the next cannon and launched. The 3rd cannon closed its cap, but they could hear a ringing bell attached to the following cannon, which was flying around. Judy could hear the bell more strongly and knew the perfect time to launch.

The barrel automatically launched them to another, and normal cannons threatened to shoot balls and destroy the next round of barrels, so the group launched their selves quickly before the last barrel dropped them on a platform. There was a female blue Rainbow Monkey happily playing a xylophone on a floating platform, and her notes allowed a series of large leaf buds to grow. The leaves were large enough to serve as platforms, but when the monkey played the song in reverse, they would shrink back into buds. Since Judy was the best jumper, they relied on her to make her way across the leaves, though when they became buds, she stayed on her current one until they grew back. Once across, she flipped a switch to stretch a bridge for her team to cross.

This deck platform had nothing else to offer, though the path seemed to continue along web-like vines, which started several feet below them, but sloped up vertically. "God, don't tell me it's another spider." Aisa shuddered.

"Excuse me?! Does anyone occupy this web?" Apis called.

"NO, APIS!" Alas, Aisa already sensed something crawling down. It was a giant chimera spider-monkey, made with natural monkey limbs, and its face was innocently, adorably smiling. The spider-monkey stopped under their platform and turned around. Apis shared a smile with her worried friend as they jumped onto its back. The spider's legs stepped with the music on its journey up the vines, but chimera Winged Monkeys were flapping up in attempt to kick them off, Aisa sniping them with her bow. As the spider-monkey trekked up the vertical vines, they had to step up to its face, much to Aisa's discomfort. Luckily, their ride still bore no ill will as they shot down more Winged Monkeys. The spider stopped below a deck, on which they could step off.

A tall, but pleasant wood house towered above them, the wood nailed together perfectly. Aisa sensed no one inside, so they opened the door, expecting the inside to look just as well-crafted—there was no floor, and Apis had to stop Aisa from falling. Only a few tiny wood segments hung from the edge of the walls. They used careful jumping to cross the right wall's segments, made their way along the back wall, and they could climb out a window to land on a floating bridge piece. Indeed, they had to go across a divided, floating bridge, apparently elevated by some sort of magic.

Apis first noticed a vine leading up to the house's roof, offering to climb and see what was up. The vine brought her to the top back of the two-sided roof, having to crawl across its corner carefully to reach a chest at the end. Once successful, she slid down to her team. While jumping along the bridge segments, an 8-foot ape called Conga chucked large oranges, but Aisa could shoot arrows to stun him for small instances. To get up a steep, slanted segment, they had to run up the second their feet touched and jump to the next. Afterwards, they had to slide down another slanted segment and use the momentum to long-jump to a safe platform on a tree.

"Hey guys, prisoner." Aisa pointed at another slanted bridge leading to a wide ringed bridge, where Lanky Wannabes were spitting grapes at a girl hanging upside-down by a vine. "Come on, guys, at least let me put the boards down if you're gonna do this!" cried Ochaco Uraraka, sick to her upside-down stomach.

"Leave her alone, you mean apes!" Apis ordered, the apes averting attention to them. The Lankies maneuvered around the ring to shoot from afar. Judy ran around the right while Apis and Aisa took the left, avoiding the grapes and combatting them. Aisa knocked an ape off, but it held on with its hands, which Apis shot to make him fall. A Lanky flipped under the bridge and back up to kick Judy, but she ducked, Tasering his hands in the process as he slipped and fell. Aisa and Judy both leapt to stomp the last two apes into each other, watching them plummet below. Afterwards, Aisa held her hands for Judy to jump on and help her launch to grab Ochaco, landing on the other side.

"Oooog… thanks for saving me." the heroine moaned. "They've been forcing me to use my gravitybending to build more houses."

"Is that why those pieces are floating?" Aisa pointed back at the bridge.

"Yes… but I can't take it, anymore." Ochaco released her bending, causing those segments to fall.

"'Guess you couldn't help us." Apis figured. "But would you know anything about an orange squash?"

"Oh, yes. They told me to put it in a storage room up there. They said it was a Devil Fruit."

"We're getting close!" Judy beamed. "You can rest in here." The hero was stashed in the Infi-Cube.

They progressed along a carved-out walkway within the tree, in which Neckies poked their heads out of holes to spit nuts, Aisa reacting quick to shoot them. They arrived at a wider bridge with rope railing, monkey houses hanging from the branches. A giant tire was available, so they pushed it along, feeling it may come in handy. Monkeys were dropping down to try and push it back, but Apis tricked them into leaving by saying there were free bananas back where they came. This wouldn't stop the Tyrant Twin Kremlings from charging at the tire. Aisa ran in front, held her Impact Dial at the ready, and absorbed the force of their charging, releasing it straight back to blow the Krocks down.

At the end of the path, two very long vines were tied to posts, and it was clear they were meant to be tied to the tire. The group carefully did so without letting them swing away, but the next step was simple: the girls had to squeeze in the tire and swing. "WHOOOOAAAA!" It felt like flying 50 miles-per-hour, like the most dangerous playground ever, swinging hundreds of feet aboveground and putting faith in the vines. As if it were planned, the very top of their swing would send them headfirst through a deck hatch. A Minkey raised a hammer and- "AAAAAAAAAHHH!" sent them swinging back the other way at the cost of some HP. They set foot on the starting point and made the great swing again, but once coming up through the hole, Judy kicked the monkey away and the others could climb up safely.

Beside them was a giant, laying barrel, and it seemed level enough to help them reach a rope ladder. The trio climbed a box stack to get onto said barrel, working together to roll it along. Klaptraps scampered toward them, but were helplessly crushed under the barrel. As they maneuvered the barrel around the gaps, Goo-Coos (chubby hen-like birds) flapped overhead to drop yolk-like goop, the trio maneuvering to avoid said goop lest their barrel become slippery. They were also gutsy enough to steer the barrel over a narrow path to reach a platform with a chest, and afterwards return to climb the rope ladder.

They rested on a small platform with a stone monkey head with ruby eyes. "Is this an Indiana Jones trap?" Apis wondered.

"Wait, I know that!" Ochaco caught the reference and came out. "That's what they used to lock the Devil Fruit room! It's just up there." She pointed up a winding stairway of monkey statue platforms. "By the way, I don't know whose shell-shoes these are, but I threw up on them."

"Why always me." Aisa wept. They stashed the stone head in the Infi-Cube and jumped to the first statue. "AIEEEEKK!" The statue thrusted up, flinging them level with the next, but they reacted quick and shifted toward it before the previous statue fell. This process repeated up the tree, trusting the statues to do the jumping for them, until they had to grab a vine. Another statue threatened to fall on the vine, so they climbed quick and jumped to an alternate statue, which flung them up to a Barrel Cannon. They could move the midair cannon side-to-side, aimed at a troupe of monkey statues. Random statues would flip toward them, so they ensured the cannon wasn't in their path. Finally, a flagpole was revealed behind one, but one last statue in front leapt, so they dodged, and a statue behind it leapt, but they fired toward the flagpole just then and snagged the top. The Kremling flag was replaced with a gold Big Grin!

"Oh, I get it," Judy smiled, "you're called the Big Grin Pirates because of your big mouths!"

"You mean Chimney's big mouth." Apis replied. "And I guess Mocha's."

"You two have pretty big mouths, too."

Aisa grit her teeth and stretched her mouth, as did Apis. "Well, yers ish a little berg." Apis mumbled.

"Yers, tuu!" Aisa argued.

"Heheh, okay girls, let's get moving." Judy carried the stone head to a door with a slot fit for it. The door opened, revealing a banana treasury, in which the Devil Fruit did not blend in at all. (End song.)

Manky crossed the jungle in no time at all, for it was like crossing a yard to the giant ape. "If I'm not mistaken, you are Meta Knight, are you not?! What an honor to be challenged by such a legendary warrior!"

"You shall have no honor from me, Manky!" his Spanish accent echoed from the ship. "The honor goes to her!"

A hatch opened on the ship's bottom. A carousel fell from it, and a mechanical body of buildings and cars grew from the carousel.

Kids Next Door: W.R.A.S.L.E.R.

Wrestling Robot Absolutely Slammerfies Large Enemy Riffraff

The robot landed with a thud, punching its metal palms as Kirie Beatles smirked from the Carousel Command Center. My name is Kirie Beatles, you Rainbow Monkey murderer! She signed aggressively, the robot mimicking each of her movements.

"Oh, the mute girl." Manky understood sign-language. "You seem to be in Rainbow Kong's memories, though I couldn't say why. I'm sure he was dead before you were born. To clarify, it was Doflamingo who killed him, not me."

I don't care! You're shaming my mom's company by making Rainbow Monkeys do bad things! And worse, it's your fault that Sally died! I'm gonna make you pay, and this time, you're not getting away with a Goodbye Hug!

"Are you sure? This body also remembers tearing that robot to shreds after your father called it stupid. Such a petty insult won't affect me, but I will be violent nonetheless."

And so will I, buster! Time to show you how violent I can be! (Play "Caves Boss" from DK64!)

Boss fight: Kremling Jungle King, MANKY KONG

Kirie ran and threw the first punch, Manky dodging right and hammering his hand onto the carousel. The structure was able to endure, but Manky followed with a punch to the gut, then planted his hands against the ground to prop up and kick the robot with both feet. Kirie flew back and fell, but rolled away when Manky tried to Ground Pound (his motion was the same as Lanky Kong, an aerial flip and falling hands-first). Kirie kicked the ape, Manky recovering and swinging a spin-punch, to which Kirie grabbed his wrist, hauled him overhead, and slammed him to the ground. While she was still holding him, Manky spun himself like a screw, thus spinning Kirie as well as she flung off.

The ape applied Haki to his arms and shot stretched punches, Kirie dodging some, but suffering a punch to the chest and one more that knocked her down. Kirie flipped back up and evaded his next round of punches, throwing quick, light punches at his arms to disable his Haki with chi-blocks. Manky leapt away and began slamming the ground like drums, shaking the land as violently as a flimsy table. The robot fell on its rear, then Manky grabbed it by the ankles and began to whirl it 'round and 'round. Kirie's body was lain flat in like position, unable to will herself to stand so long as the robot couldn't do the same. Instead, Kirie kicked her shoes off, and the robot in turn detached its feet, escaping Manky's grasp. It fell on its back, propped itself up with its hands, and thrusted at Manky legs-first. Kirie put her shoes back on, the robot doing the same.

"I'll take you down from the train!" Manky leapt onto his Orangutrain and began to speed away.

"Kirie-chan, lemme give you a lift!" Chimney sped by on the Rocketship, the W.R.A.S.L.E.R. situating itself on. The giants remained well-balanced on their trains, Manky grabbing a large powder keg from a car and hurdling at Kirie with terrific vigor. With each throw, Manky would jump and spin with his arm looping behind him, and the bombs would fly once the arm made the full rotation. Kirie leaned left or right to avoid the bombs, and after each dodge, she launched Rocket Fists from the robot to punch Manky and call them back. The Orangutrain swerved around to help Manky dodge as necessary, but the ape also begun to target the front of the Rocketship. Kirie watched for when Manky's arm performed vertical motions, and would thus send a fist to block his bombs from the train.

"All cannons loaded! Open… FIRE!" At Chimney's call, her train unloaded a storm of cannonballs upon the Orangutrain, forcing Manky to jump off before his cart of kegs exploded. The train sped off to acquire more ammunition, and Kirie jumped off her own ride to reengage Manky. She launched a Rocket Fist, Manky dodging and maneuvering closer to hit back. Kirie backed away to stay out of range of his long arms, and her launched fist came flying back to bash the back of his head. As Manky keeled forward, Kirie swung a kick up at his face. He reeled back, but rolled back to his feet.

"OOO-OOO-UEH-UEH-UEH-UEH-UEH!" Manky pounded his chest, his bellow echoing across the country. By his Kommand, Rainbow Monkeys began to climb the W.R.A.S.L.E.R., aiming to attack Kirie. "Rainbow Spirits, come save me!" she called with a voice that was only heard by the souls of her beloved monkeys. Monkey spirits formed into being and bounced on their living counterparts, sending them falling off the robot. While this transpired, Manky made his way to a towering hill with a pyramid of metal barrels.

In traditional style, Manky began to throw the barrels down the hill. Kirie had to jump the rolling barrels and duck the bouncing ones. Some of them rolled side-to-side, making it trickier to time when to jump. Once she was close, Kirie launched a fist to topple the barrels, Manky stumbling and getting atop one, balancing on it comically as it rolled downhill. The barrel hit a bump, flinging Manky forward and hitting his head on a rock. The ape remained stunned long enough for Kirie to deal a beatdown, her Rocket Fists bouncing back-and-forth, until Manky kicked her away.

The ape leapt and propped his arms on her shoulders, swinging around to twist the robot's upper body. Kirie grew ever dizzy during the maneuver, and Manky finished by throwing the robot miles across the jungle. Manky pranced forward and leapt on its back, jumping repeatedly to bash the carousel head against the ground. Battered and bruised, Kirie fell out.

To honor his victory, the jungle began to chant his mighty name. "M.K.!"

"OOK, OOK?" He balled fists, raised them high, and shook them.

"MANKY KONG! M.K. ("OOK-OOK?") MANKY KONG!"

Manky kicked the robot aside and gently picked the girl up, patting her. "There there, darling." Kirie was helpless in his Gentle Fist. Her normal Power Level was a simple 100, but Manky's natural ability shrunk that power to an utter Zero. It was as low as her own voice, fitting to her Numbuh, 0-V. With her current strength, Kirie probably couldn't squish a bug or even lift her own foot. "I'll make this nice and quick. OOOOAAAAAAAGGGH!"

Manky leapt to the sky and tossed Kirie straight down. At such a Zero Level, her body could face total obliteration upon impact. She used the last of her strength to scream, almost hoping she would miraculously develop a voice so her friends could hear her final moments of despair. But there were those who did hear her voice: the spirits of Big Belly Rainbow Monkeys formed a great big cushion that saved their master from death. Smaller monkeys lifted and quickly carried Kirie back to the W.R.A.S.L.E.R.. Still falling, Manky positioned his arms to hammer the mech once again, but the spirits were able to get Kirie back on the control pad, and the robot to get up and dodge.

A pair of Handicap Helper Monkeys held her arms and legs, ready to direct upon her orders. With a grateful smirk, Kirie directed them to help her leap away. Once far enough, they charged at Manky, who growled and stormed forward. He saw the robot about to punch both fists and ducked, but the left fist launched off. Manky punched its pelvis, then reached behind to grab the returning Rocket Fist, tossing it at Kirie, but she reacted to grab it in the right fist, spin, and send it back at Manky's face. She swung a kick at his feet, Manky falling on his back, then Kirie put that foot down to lift the other, and stamp Manky's crotch.

"WAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGHHHH!" The ape flipped back up, his nostrils and fur flaring, and his eyes glowing a crimson red, just the same as an enraged Rainbow Kong. Haki popped back in his arms, which swung at Kirie like cannonballs, the robot steadily moving back. She wouldn't risk searching for an opening in his attack and simply evade, hoping he would tire soon. "!" The robot tripped on a mound, falling back, leaving her totally vulnerable to his relentless bashing. Bolts and scrap flew off the robot's chest, and Kirie struggled to grab and hold his fists in place.

"SHE'S NOT A DRUUUM!" Chimney sped the Rocketship at full throttle and stabbed Manky's foot with the keel. Again the beast cried and kicked the train away, the girls screaming as they flipped across the air, but fortunately landed right-side-up. The Orangutrain drove by as Manky helped himself atop it, waiting for the pain in his foot to die down. "OOO-OOO-UEH-UEH-UEH-UEH-UEH!" He pounded his chest to summon Flying Rainbow Monkeys to enter Kirie's cockpit, but she called for Hang-Glider Hero Monkeys to intercept and take them down. Kirie hopped atop the Rocketship in pursuit of Manky. This time, the ape rolled metal barrels, Kirie punching them away with Rocket Fists before the train would crash into them.

Chimney bombarded the train with cannons whenever there was an opening, chopping down more of its cars until the barrel cart was ruined. She had to steer her train around the scattered barrels, while Manky retreated further up his train to a TNT car. More explosive barrels came flying in a similar manner as before, but as Manky was doing a spin, Kirie sent the right hand to fly past him and grab a barrel. It returned, then she hurdled it straight at Manky, bombing his chest. Chimney unloaded more cannonballs at the bomb cart, Manky jumping off to avoid the damage.

Chimney continued to pursue the train while Kirie jumped off. The ape realized he was close to his base, so he decided to charge through the towering trees and climb the one leading to his throne. He climbed it in no time at all, reaching under his seat cushion and extracting a massive bazooka. It was a struggle for Kirie to perform the right gestures to climb after him, but she gasped at seeing giant fireballs rain down. She had to hop from tree-to-tree in evasion, steadily climbing higher. She made it high enough on one of the less-tall trees to launch a fist, which Manky grabbed in his foot, but because both arms were holding the bazooka, Kirie could shoot the next fist at his stomach and disable his balance.

Manky dropped the bazooka and fell backward, though said weapon fell on Kirie and caused her to drop down the trees. Manky managed to grab four trees in his limbs and save himself, though it was from this angle he was able to notice the group walking out with Squitaba's fruit. "WAAAUGH!" He angrily recomposed himself and climbed to snatch the girls in his hand.

"AAAAAHH!" Aisa, Apis, and Judy screamed for their lives, Manky carefully picking the fruit out of Apis's grasp and placing it on the deck. The ape climbed back to his throne with them helplessly struggling. Not even going to give Kirie a chance, he moved them to his mouth, his drooling teeth ready to separate their heads in one bite. "NO, PLEASE, NOOOOO!" The girls saw the face of death and no way to escape.

"PLEASE STOP, RAINBOW KONG!" Kirie shouted with a voice that no mortals heard.

In such despair, her voice would only reach the ears of the boss monkey in question. Manky's teeth hesitated, feeling an invisible pair of fingers restraining them. The soul of Rainbow Kong was still present in Manky's body, yet its new owner fought for control. Kirie climbed back up the trees as fast as possible, knowing this won't stall for long. Once high enough, she launched a fist to grab the wrist holding the girls, lifting it up and arching to bring Manky down the other side. The ape grabbed the tree in his feet, dropping the girls, but Kirie sent the other hand to grab them, bring them back, and set them back where the fruit was.

Both Kirie and Manky returned to the throne, Manky grabbing her arms, but Kirie used his arms as a prop to push up and catch his head in her mechanical legs. Manky bashed the legs in a fury, their parts flying off, but Kirie just as well bombarded his face with Rocket Punches. Teeth flew off, his face swelled, and both giants plummeted off the tree. The crash shook the entire jungle, and the W.R.A.S.L.E.R. shattered to pieces. Kirie lay exhausted and unconscious in the wreckage of the carousel, above the defeated Manky's head. (End song.)

…

Across the galaxy, on calm DK Isles, Donkey walked out of his house. The cranky ape looked to the sky. He couldn't tell what had happened, but he felt… satisfied.

The picture above Chunky's grave seemed to smile more peacefully.

…

The Gilligans descended in parachutes and found the trio's platform. "Yeah, that's the fruit alright." Haylee acknowledged.

"It's all yours." Apis handed it to her. "Mind the goop."

Haylee cringed once the orange soaked her hands. "Eh, thanks… In return, could you take care of Kirie for us? I doubt she'll be fighting again any time soon, and we'll be leaving the kingdom by then."

"Aye-aye." Aisa thumbs-upped. "Haruka's still at base, so we'll fly her up in a jiffy."

With a confident nod, the triplets inflated their Fultons and returned to the sky.

Inside the Halberd, they presented Squam and Marie with the Inkling Fruit. Squam gasped softly, recognizing that lush orange color anywhere. He carefully took the fruit, and could recognize its feel. "Squitaba…" He hugged the fruit, caring not for the ink soiling his shirt, his tears hitting the floor. "Can you hear me, Squitaba? Are you… alive in there?" He sobbed and trembled as if the weight of the fruit grew more heavy. "Please…please let this work. We lost so many, but please, at least give my sister back! Sniff…"

"I pray that our journey has been rewarding." Meta Knight said. "And yet… what is this foreboding feeling? Let us return to the kingdom immediately."

Free Kingdom

Skaios was in horror, seeing smoke and flares rise from multiple islands of his precious kingdom. He could hear the distant demands to return their queen. "Captain…" Skaios turned to Kotoko, and she and the three boys were as terrified as he was. Nagisa, especially, was trembling greater than ever. After risking his life to save the captain, after proving Monaca's trust, why did this have to happen? Why was everything falling apart?! "Um… we wanted to talk to you."

"About… what?" Skaios wondered what other bad news his mates had to deliver.

"Um…we…We think you should give Mandy back."

Her sentence garnered the same shocked expression from Skaios and Nagisa. "Give her back?"

"Captain," Masaru followed, "before you captured Mandy, she said that… We think she wants to stop fighting. I think she really cares about her people, and she just wants to protect them from other pirates. Like… us."

"She's an evil witch who has them under her spell! We need to begin the execution early and shame that phony queen in front of all her subjects, so we can break the spell!"

"But it won't stop them!" Kotoko yelled. "It'll make them more angry! The only way to save the kingdom is to give Mandy back!"

"Listen to her, Skaios." Someone rose out of his shadow: Midna.

"Y…You, too, Midna?"

"While you were interrogating her, I spoke to Mandy's shadow. She was earnest. She wants to rule her kingdom in peace. Even if she gets aggressive, the Hyruleans have become important to her. Skaios, Mandy has already said that she withdraws from the war. There's no point in killing her or keeping her, because she's already 'lost.'"

"I didn't buy that for a second!" Nagisa argued. "She was pushed into a corner and tried to save herself! Think about it, Captain, if we let her go, one of our enemies, the Yonko, she'll get treated and come back angrier than ever. Think about Monaca! Think about freedom! We can't give her back!"

"I never liked you, Naggy-sa." Jataro said.

"Aye… you're right." Skaios furrowed his eye. "We've come too far to back down now, me hearties. You're free to flee if you want, but I will fight to my last breath. I refuse to become the Yonko's prisoner. I will protect this kingdom with everything I have!" Skaios flew to the first island, using his bending to create rainclouds and douse the flames, throwing rapid air-punches to KO the enemies as fast as possible.

"I'm going to get things ready for the execution." Nagisa marched off. "Once she's out of the picture, this invasion will stop. One way or the other."

Midna and the three Hopes remained rooted where they stood. Skaios was committed… and any attempt to defy him would only make things worse.

Just as the Halberd returned from hyperspace, sailing toward the islands, the dark feeling in Meta Knight's heart was given form. Humans, Inklings, and Star Knights alike teared at the destruction. "They're attacking… Inkopolis…" Squam cradled the fruit ever more worriedly. How he was hoping to reveal a revived Squitaba to everyone and restore hope to their people. How many would survive to witness it…

"Hm hm hm… could this be how we end?" Meta Knight smiled behind his mask, a gloomy shadow cast over his gold eyes. "No matter. As a loyal servant to this kingdom, I will fight."

The Gilligans stared at his back. Their eyes were dark… but for different reasons. "Well?" the knight asked. The three cocked a brow. The side of Meta Knight's eye narrowed at them. "Is this the part where you point your guns at me?"

"W-What?!" Artie smiled, chuckled, and gasped hysterically. "Silly Knight, why would you guess that, we're worried about, hahahahahaha…"

"Yep." Artie froze when Harry pointed an ink gun, not panicked in the slightest. "This is a mutiny."

"Hm hm hm…" The knight faced forward. "I suspected from the beginning you would do this. Deep in your hearts, you were Nextgen Pirates. You would seize any opportunity to defeat us, for the sake of your friends. But I am glad. Because now you will have to fight for your lives." His eyes flared with passion and desire, his heart pounding with excitement as he gazed down at the deck. "To save yourselves, to win… you must defeat me."

The focal point of his vision was Aurora Uno, who had just returned. She glared up at the Halberd's bridge. From this distance, their eyes burrowed into each other. This invasion was a sign that it was time. Aurora positioned her hands as lightning flashed, becoming a sword.

…

…

…

"Yo ho, yo ho, a Yonko's life for me." Nebula swayed her head happily. "When superhumans come a-beating thee,"

"Drink up, me hearties, yo ho." Mandy swayed, frowning. "Just throw one punch, it's the end of ye,"

"Drink up, me hearties, yo ho. When the guillotine falls, it shatters to shards,"

"Drink up, me hearties, yo ho. A quaking fall of 10,000 yards,"

"Drink up, me hearties, yo ho."

"Yo ho, yo ho, a Yonko's life for me." Their chorus brought joy to their peaceful prison.