The World Rings, Night 10: Fantastic Fantasies

Azoth Castle

Izuku lay Eri to rest on a bed in the guestroom, having been re-enlarged and panting from exhaust. "There, there, Eri-chan." Lotte said, dipping a blue potion into her mouth. "This potion will revitalize your chi. You'll feel better in no time."

"Deku-san… was I useful?" Eri smiled weakly.

"Yes, Eri-chan. You were a big help today."

"Thank you… oh?" Eri glanced up when Killua placed little Alluka on her forehead.

"Big Brother, big pimple~" Alluka sung, rubbing Eri's shrunken horn, the latter blushing.

"Ha ha ha! I thought about resizing Alluka, too." Killua said, lightly pinching her tiny cheeks. "But then I decided, nah."

"I like big brothers and I cannot lie~!"

"By the way, Deku, I noticed Eri has red eyes."

"Huh? Yeah, she does. So what?"

"Have you ever heard the story of the Red Eye Tribe? Legend says they were a dark tribe cursed with bad luck. Whoever's born of this tribe lives a life of misfortune."

"Well, Eri-chan has seen her share of bad luck… but I'm sure that's just a coincidence."

"I don't know." Goombella replied to this, cocking a brow. "I remember Ib and Madotsuki having red eyes, and they weren't real lucky campers. Wendy used to have red eyes, her father does, and I remember that Akko girl having red eyes, too. Of course, those people are from entirely different races or planets."

"Yeah, but you have to wonder if they share a connection." Killua said.

"Alright, boys, we gotta decide who's gettin' the snacks!" Nagisa announced. The three boys got together and readied their hands. "Ready: Rock, Paper, Scissors!" He and Deku played rock while Killua did scissors. "Looks like it's you, Killua!"

"Yeah, except MY scissors can cut through rock. But fine, I'll go." Killua smirked, exiting the room. Morgiana glared in his direction.

Just as Killua was coming back with Pokémon cookies, Morgiana kicked at his stomach and pushed him back. "What gives? Did you wanna give him the snacks?"

"How long do you plan on hiding it?" Morg asked sternly.

"Hiding what?"

"Goombella Tattled you back on Hyrule, and she told me in secret. I know… that your master is Rob Lucci."

"…" There was a tense silent for a moment. "Yeah, I was worried about that. Her Tattle tells TOO much. Okay, you got me." Killua shrugged nonchalantly. "I was waiting for the perfect chance to betray you guys and steal the Universe Book all for my own nefarious gains."

"Grrrr!" Morgiana spun and whipped her leg.

"Except that I already told Nagisa." He blocked her foot with his left hand.

"What do you mean you already told him?"

"I told him last night."

After the girls had gone to take their bath, Killua made a sigh and said, "Nagisa, now that we have a moment, I need to get something off my chest."

"Would that be me?" Nagisa grinned, still arched over the half-Sheikah's chest.

"Ha ha ha!" Killua pushed him off and sat up. "…Nagisa, the truth is… I've been ordered to watch you by my master."

"Your master?"

"His name is Rob Lucci."

"HUH?!"

"You see, the Zoldyck Family helped fund CP0 because they saw their value as assassins. But in return, my parents asked them to train their kids. Deadpool got Kalluto, and Lucci picked me. And Lucci knew you trained under his former master and wanted to see if your skills were on par. That's why I attacked you on Field Day, and why I hung out with you on Meet Your Heroes Day. And if you were good enough, he would consider inviting you into CP0. But you know what? You're too soft."

"Disappointed?"

"Not at all." Killua smiled. "I like that about you, Nagisa. What you have in you… well, it reminds me of Gon. And you know, I never cared to work with Lucci OR his plans to assassinate the gods. Of course, that was before Gon's accident happened. For a time, I was more serious about my apprenticeship because Lucci promised to find a way to heal Gon. But thanks to your White Ring, he's got NOTHING else to bargain with." Killua smirked. "As soon as we get done with this World Rings quest, whaddya say we go and moon old Lucci?!"

"Ehhhh…" Nagisa blushed. "That sounds great, but I'd rather do the old raspberry."

"Man, you are soft." Killua punched him.

"Dude, I know you take steroids!" Nagisa punched back.

"Where's your proof, Girl Hair?" Killua tugged one of his pigtails.

"Hey, stop it!" The boys shared in laughter.

"And if you still don't believe me, just ask that Riddler guy. Or Nagisa himself. But look, sweetheart, I'm not trying to steal your boyfriend. I mean, this adventure doesn't need the whole 'one of the good guys is a traitor' cliché."

"Then… you're not going to hurt him?" Morg asked.

"No, of course not. Now, can you put your foot down, I can see your panties." Morg froze in embarrassment, Killua casually walking around her. "I don't really know his preferences in girls, but there's nothing wrong with a dignified approach." The girl's blood boiled as steam leaked from her ears.

After Index had gotten into her bunny pajamas, she was talking to Ciel in the cage on a table. "What did Riddler tell you about me?"

"He told me a riddle, what else? Still, it was pretty easy to figure out. If it's not such a big deal, why don't you tell them the truth?"

"Because I don't want the universe to fall into more of a panic. So, keep your mouth shut or I'll tape you to my habit."

"Oh, I almost forgot!" Nagisa spoke up as Killua reentered the room. "We need to ask Riddler about the Newborn Guardians. If his power really works, we can't pass the chance up."

"Nagisa, are you sure you wanna do that?" Killua asked. "I mean, Riddler's part of the Brotherhood. He'll pass on the info to our enemies."

"He has a point." Deku replied. "Maybe we could phrase the question in a way that doesn't reveal who the Guardians actually are."

"Good idea. I say we ask him first thing in the morning." Nagisa decided. "And besides, who's to say one of our enemies didn't ask him already? If they have this knowledge, they'll have the advantage. So, we may as well hold the advantage, too."

"I agree with Nagisa." Goombella replied. "At least then we won't stress over which ones are Guardians and scramble to find them all in one month."

"Great, then let the slumber party commence!" Index clapped. "Little Ciel here has agreed to paint our nails!"

"I AGREED TO NO SUCH THING!"

"Well, boys, I think we know who we're wrestling with tonight." Killua said to Deku and Nagisa. "And here I thought it would be Deku."

"Come on, I'm not that much a wimp." The hero blushed.

"So what, you three will stoop to the level of common stereotypes?" Ciel remarked.

"In this case, gladly." Killua replied.

"GYAAAAHHH!" Ciel would suffer a difficult night under the power of the three superior males.

Riddler's Office

The Riddler was motionless in his chair, his head propped against his staff. He sensed that someone was about to walk in, and before long he could hear her footsteps walking up to his station. "You are going to persuade me to go with your little crusade…" He turned the seat around to face her. "Aren't you, Lotte?"

"Well, yes…" the spectacled witch replied. "But I wanted to ask you something else." Lotte calmly approached him. "I'm curious… what's your favorite Zelda game?"

"Hm? Why, it's Breath of the Cosmos, of course!"

"That's the one where Link explores a bunch of planets, right?"

"But of course! It gave me so much inspiration for Riddle locations. The puzzles in that game were truly worthy of my genius!"

"You wouldn't happen to have the game with you, would you?"

Riddler grabbed an Infi-Cube and pulled the game case out. "Right here!" He held the disc up to prove his point.

Lotte grabbed Riddler's arm and smiled. "Get ready for the night of your life!" Her body glowed a bright aqua, and they were both sucked into the disc.

"WAAAAAAAHHHH!" Riddler screamed as they swirled into a dimensional maelstrom, soon to take land in a vast green field. Riddler jumped up with a gasp, seeing massive alien saucers in the distance. A pack of horses saw them land and galloped away in fright. "It can't be… th-this is…"

"Hyrule of the Future." Lotte nodded. "With my World Ring, I can go into any story I want, whether it's online, in book form, or a videogame. And do you remember that motorcycle Link gets?" She snapped her fingers, summoning a motorbike made of Sheikah Tech.

"Th-The Master Cycle Zero…" Riddler was at a loss for words as he climbed onto the bike. "Can we really?"

Lotte got on with him and summoned a bow. "HIT IT!" (Play "I Ship It" by Not Literally Productions!)

The duo sped across the fields as Lotte blasted Bomb Arrows at a camp of Bokoblin. They zoomed around a Binox and shot arrows into its front and back eyes. After an exciting ride across Hyrule Field, Riddler drove them to the Shrine of Trials to solve 100 floors worth of puzzles.

When they got bored with this game, Lotte warped them into Donkey Kong: Jungle King, where they joyfully swung vines across the endless jungle, nimbly dodging Zingers left and right. They landed in a minecart, Lotte had to jump off Riddler to grab Green Banana Coins that were too high for a normal jump. They ventured to a temple as Riddler instructed them to perform timed and tricky jumps in this deadly and dangerous level.

They jumped into Dance Dance Revolution, dancing perfectly in synch with the dancer to the beat of this song. "I didn't think you knew how to dance!" Lotte shouted.

"This was the true test of my Observation Haki!"

Next, they went into Sonic Dimensions, where Lotte granted Riddler super speed as they zoomed through the stages. Lotte raced him on her broomstick, but Riddler's prior experience with the game allowed him to remember every jump and sidestep, so S-ranks were almost a guarantee.

Their next game was Star Fox 3,000, where Riddler drove an Arwing with Lotte flying outside in a space helmet. Playing on Hard Mode, Riddler memorized every enemy formation and shot them down in combos at just the right times, whilst Lotte was panickingly focused on dodging laser fire.

They entered the N64 cartridge of Kirby 64. As the little pink puff was walking along his path, Riddler and Lotte were doing quick side-jumps over said path, taunting Kirby's inability to go in more than 2 directions. They proceeded to run around and tear up the beautiful landscapes, and Kirby was unable to stop them.

They went into Banjo-Tooie and approached Canary Mary on Cloud Cuckooland. The humanoid bird was dancing as she asked, "Hello, strangers! Would you like to have a race? Hop on the mouse and rapidly tap 'A' to-" The Riddler BASHED Mary in the head with his staff, then began mercilessly beating her on the ground. Lotte could only watch with horror, the woman's yellow feathers becoming soaked with blood. Mary could barely be recognized in this new battered form.

"Huff…huff…huff…" Riddler panted after releasing all his rage. "After 30 years… I can sleep well…" (End song.)

Lotte warped them into Mario Galaxy afterwards, where they sat atop the platform in the Gateway Galaxy. The planet's surface stretched across the horizon as colorful Star Bits rained everywhere. "Lotte… I haven't felt this happy playing videogames since I was a child. These games that I've played a hundred times… suddenly feel so brand new to me."

"I know exactly how you feel." Lotte replied, staring at her hand. "This World Ring… it was the answer to my prayers. I mean, what obsessive fangirl wouldn't want to go inside her favorite show, or better yet her own fanfiction? With this power, I could take my friends on all sorts of adventures that would last for the rest of our lives. I would never want to give this up. …And I know… you feel the same way."

Riddler frowned, sighing and looking away. "Because of your Ring of Wisdom, people appreciate you, Riddler. You finally have something that can be used to help people. And the kingdom of Azoth is grateful for your help. You want to find more people to ask you questions, solve problems they never knew how to solve. You don't want to give your power up. …But do you know what'll happen if we don't restore the Universe Book?"

Riddler saw visions of the very universe ripping apart like scraps of paper. A tremendous outpour of energy escaped from the rifts and washed over many other universes like a ruptured dam destroying a town.

"…Destruction. Destruction on an unspeakable scale."

"Yes. And if that happens, we'll never be able to enjoy the things we love. That's why, I would gladly give my powers up, if it means saving my friends and everything we love. But that's okay, because I don't need this power to enjoy my favorite stories. And you… you'll always have your favorite games. You'll always be a genius… and you can still help people in other ways. But just in case you're not persuaded, I'll get my sector to solve 500 of your Riddles once this is over."

"Mu hu hu… With an offer like that, how can I refuse? Still, my knowledge doesn't come free, Lotte. I expect you all to pay very close attention to me."

"You have our word, Mr. Nigma."

"Good. Still, Lotte, it is a shame that a power such as yours must remain confined to your stories. Would you like to… experiment?"

"Hm? Experiment?"

Castle balcony, the next morning

Both sectors had gathered on the balcony as Riddler faced the horizon, his chin and hands propped on his staff. "Okay, Riddler…" Nagisa began, "answer my question: will you describe the Guardians for the New Firstborn without naming or showing them?"

"…" Riddler turned to them. "Well, let's find out." (Play "Auras" from Hunter X Hunter.)

Edward's body began to shine green as a beacon stretched into the sky. There was a burst as green mist engulfed them, displaying dozens of floating windows. The kids stared in awe, recognizing the images of Victini, Araea's Mask, and Horror's Hand. "From the rebirth of our realm, Nine great entities made their place in history. There they were, all along, and yet nonexistent until the coming of age."

The Riddler whipped his staff toward Hoopa. "One you already know, He who Keeps History, and the Eternal Nun who stood with him for one trillion years."

He stuck the staff up skyward as a great tower rose into the heavens. "He who climbs the Highest Tower will light the skies in Rainbow Flares, and speak, 'I have come for you, O Sweet Victory!'"

Index quickly began to write all this down. Next, Riddler brushed his arms like the wind, a hurricane sweeping the balcony. "A young king who lost his way, adrift in the Storm." A tremendous, mechanical vessel sailed by the balcony, its size imposing. "As fate decrees, only a Valiant Princess should cross his path, and with Unending Rage, they seek to make this world anew."

Riddler spun and slammed the staff down, a frigid blizzard enveloping the air. "Four Maidens drawn together, but one cut from the thread." Four colorful figures appeared, and a sword cut through the white one. "The Mask that was her pride can only be worn by She with Cold Blood." A white flame brimmed, showing Araea's Mask for a brief moment before it vanished.

The green light was replaced with black and red, the eye of Horror's Hand glimmering in the sky. "The Eldest Prince, disowned by his father, to find comfort in his brother's loving arms." They saw Darkrai and Marshadow asleep inside a pink bubble. "Can She who lay them to sleep, help him awaken?"

Behind Riddler appeared a forest, their view zooming further and further in, beyond the grass, beyond the bugs, and beyond the cells. "A thousand worlds down, this spirit finds solace. No mortal dare venture so far, except He Who Commands the Greatest Army." An army of Pikmin sprouted out of the ground.

That world dissolved into particles, which took the form of pixels and numbers. "It knows not who it is, this Formless Spirit. Won't someone Shape its Soul? Perhaps a soul with a pure mind and heart can attain such a High Score."

Riddler pierced the floor with his staff, morphing the very landscape into candy. "Who can satisfy this beast's everlasting lust? What valiant Chef will rise to the challenge?" The kids were frightened when the ground morphed into a boiling stew, yet they could still feel ground beneath them.

Then Riddler returned to the original pose, hands over his staff and legs in the "A" shape. "And finally, who shall bear the Royal Crown, standing tall as the One True Victor? 'Tis a battle of gods that shall rage over skies, seas, and stars." A great golden crown loomed over them all.

And just like that, the green and screens faded away. (End song.) "And thus, more young minds are enlightened."

Index finished writing down the riddles, the operatives taking a moment to think. "I have an idea who some of these people could be." Index said. "But that's a discussion for later. Now's the matter of-"

"Convincing me to join you, what else is new?" Riddler remarked. "And after a good six hours of playing videogames," Lotte gave a little yawn, "I have reached a decision. I will consider accompanying you on your quest… provided you follow my demands."

"Name them." Nagisa replied.

"First, I demand all of you subscribe to my YouTube channel and give me your thoughts on all the games that I've reviewed on said channel. If you haven't played those games, I'd advise getting them or watching a walkthrough. Preferably getting them. Second, I want each of your sectors to search for and solve 500 Riddles when this is all over. And before I actually join, I want you to tell me three things that you admire about me. There should be a hundred things, but I'm feeling generous today."

"Is that all you want?"

"For now. But in a few seconds, we'll have another problem on our hands."

"Eddie, this is Hima!" the Fairy Queen spoke through his earpiece. "The Egg Carrier has just entered the atmosphere!"

"Thank you, Hima, I can see that for myself." Indeed, the kingdom was quickly shadowed by a tremendous vessel in the sky. The newest in Eggman's line of flagships, it was the Egg Carrier 4, modeled like the first ones, only with five engines and massive cannons lining the bottom.

"Attention, people of Azoth, this is Dr. Eggman! As of this day, your kingdom is under the command of the Eggman Empire. Any attempts to resist will be met with punishment at the hands of my unstoppable military."

"I tried to fool Eggman into thinking I would conquer this town from the inside." Riddler said. "But he deemed me incapable for the task and now he's trying to do it himself. Hm hm, but he won't get the chance. Kimia," he yelled into his intercom, "activate the Holo-Fleet!"

"What's the Holo-Fleet?" Deku asked.

"Me and Raleigh checked on it last night." Carol replied with a smile. "We think it has a good shot of winning."

Inside the Treehouse, Kimia and her colleagues pressed buttons on terminals. Chunks of the ground opened outside the kingdom walls as hologram projectors rose from the ground. To everyone's amazement, the sky was filled with green, holographic spacecrafts, from the Blue Typhoon, the Halberd, the Great Fox and Arwings, Gummi Ship, and many more. "FIRE!" commanded Riddler, and all the ships bombarded the Egg Carrier with lasers.

"They're solid holograms, just like Vanellope!" Carol exclaimed.

"Really?" Goombella asked. "Well, if they're that strong, we should make short work of that Egghead."

On the Egg Carrier

"Ho ho ho… Mr. Nigma thinks he has us outsmarted." Eggman said with a smirk. "It's time to show them your power…"

A mysterious figure with a red eye placed a hand over a ruby on his chest, the gem glowing.

Within seconds, a fleet of dark-red Egg Carriers materialized in the sky, immediately blasting and destroying dozens of Riddler's ships. "WHAT?!" Riddler gasped.

"Dr. Eggman was hiding his own fleet?!" exclaimed Index.

"But how?! How could one vessel be able to project so many holograms?! Grrrrr! Trying to outsmart me, Eggman?! We'll see how cocky you are after I go up and SMASH your projector to pieces!"

"We're coming with ya, Eddie!" Nagisa declared. "Index, call up the S.C.A.M.P.E.R.!"

"Right!" Index tapped her wristwatch and summoned the ship to the balcony in seconds.

"Come on, Sector $, let's get back to our ship and help out, too!" Carol ordered.

"For the record, she isn't the leader!" Ciel shouted as they were leaving.

As they flew to the Egg Carrier, the flagship didn't appear to be putting up resistance. But right as Sector SA flew over the deck, five miniature Death Eggs (but still fairly massive) materialized out of thin air, blasting simultaneous lasers at the crew. "WATCH OUT!" Riddler screamed, quickly taking hold of the wheel and dodging the ship upward. "We can't rely on this scrap pile to protect us. Prepare to abandon ship!" He set the ship to autopilot and ran to jump out the entrance.

"Killing ourselves already?!" Killua shouted.

"Just follow him!" Lotte yelled, boarding her broomstick and flying out.

The others quickly dove off the S.C.A.M.P.E.R., using either their powers or superhuman strength to land safely on the Egg Carrier, watching as the Death Eggs blew up the 4x4 craft. "NOOOOO!" Index cried. "My Scampeeeeerrrr."

"We'll trade it for a bigger one!" Killua remarked. "As soon as we kill the pilot!" (Play "Virtual Enemies" from Sonic Forces!)

Stage 8: Egg Carrier(?)

Mission: Destroy the source of the holograms!

Two large cannons materialized up ahead, locking onto the group and launching giant cannonballs. Deku powered up with Eri's help and launched toward the left cannonball, sending it back to destroy the cannon with a powerful punch, while Killua and Morgiana combined their strength to send the other one back. The cannons scattered into digital particles, but they were soon replaced by solid holograms of Darth Genious, Madame Rouge, General Immortus, and Monsieur Mallah. "What?! The old Brotherhood leaders?!" Index exclaimed.

"They're just holograms, yet my Tattle reads they're as powerful as the original people!" Goombella said. The Brain began shooting Psycho Spheres, the group scattering as Deku was dodging Rouge's stretched punches. The Superbian ran to swing a kick at her body, but it stretched miles away while her limbs remained in place, the body flinging back like a slingshot and sending Deku flying.

"AH!" The hero screamed, landing on his back. "Ah, Eri! Are you hurt?!" he asked, having smashed the child upon landing.

"I'm okay… Deku-san…"

Killua used Haki Tempest Shaves to chop up the rubber woman, and with enough cuts the hologram was destroyed. Since they were merely illusions, Nagisa put more power into his attacks, dodging Immortus's sword with Paper Art and then piercing him with numerous Finger Pistols. Morgiana landed on Mallah and mercilessly squashed his head like a grape. Unfortunately, The Brain conjured a psychic wall to block them out, the heroes unable to breach through. "I don't remember Brain being this tough!" Nagisa said.

"Yeah, but I know someone who's tougher!" Lotte declared, holding her crystal ball forward. "CUT HIM DOWN, ERZA!" She glowed a bright aqua, and Fairy Tail's Erza Scarlet leapt out of the orb in the same color. Drawing ten swords, she cut down the barrier, then disposed of the former Sith Lord like a can against a can opener. Afterwards, Erza returned to the orb. "Ha ha ha! Who writes bad fanfiction now?!"

"Impossible!" Index shouted. "The Aqua Ring shouldn't be able to take the characters OUT of the story!"

"Riddler helped me practice it last night! When I combine my Ghost Whispering powers with the Ring of Pleasure, I can summon the spirits of my favorite characters!"

"And she's not the only one!" Riddler declared, whipping out Breath of the Cosmos and slapping it into Lotte's hand. "COME, MASTER CYCLE ZERO!" And the Sheikah Tech motorcycle appeared. "She can make anyone's fantasies come to life! See you brats on the bridge!" He and Lotte hopped on the cycle and sped along the deck.

Beaming with excitement, the others made haste and followed them, watching as gigantic illusions of Ganondorf appeared. The Ganons were bouncing on spring heads and feet, but Riddler swiftly evaded them using Haki to help. Just as a Ganon was about to crush her, Maria tossed her hat onto its head and possessed the colossus. She forced its body against the others and sent them flying off. Riddler and Lotte had encountered an army of Kaptain and Baron K. Rools, so they ditched the motorcycle and summoned Banjo-Kazooie with Lotte's power. The bear and bird took flight and carried Riddler while Lotte rode her broom, dodging the crocs' gunfire.

Maria used Giga Ganon to easily squash the army, allowing her friends to pass. The Giga Ganon dissolved and released Maria as they were nearing several flights of stairs. This time, an infinite supply of Big Moms were rolling down, moving so fast that they couldn't tell it was her at first. Just as well, cannons locked onto Lotte and Riddler and shot them down with cannonballs in the form of Nickel Joe's head. The two now grounded, everyone took cover behind Deku as he kicked the Big Moms away as easily as soccer balls.

Once at the top of the stairs, they entered a field of dancing Arlons with shaking Viridi heads, tap-dancing and turning to the music. Nagisa approached one to attack it, but it was quick to start pelting him with kicks, giving no time for recovery before sending him flying. Lotte grabbed her crystal ball again and called forth One Piece's Usopp, who blasted all the clones with green (actually aqua) pellets that grew into piranha plants and devoured the fakes. The group approached a towering wall, in which their only way up was by climbing floating Caesar Clowns with wavy snaky necks.

Not wishing to touch those things, Killua tried to fly up using his hoverboard, but he was whacked out of the air by a Caesar. They had no choice but to climb the creepy necks, resting atop the psychotic mouths with dangling tongues before hopping to the next. They reached the top of the wall and viewed a large gap where a zigzaggy tongue was scrolling across from the other side, originating from Mom's mouth (the Corporate President).

There was an electric generator on their side, and Maria could possess it to become an electric ball. She waited 'til a part of the tongue connected to the generator before zooming across it, forcing herself to move quickly before the tongue entered under the ledge. She reached the other side and possessed the Mom head, sticking a wider tongue over so her friends could cross. One last road lay between them and the bridge. Cannons tried to blast them from the sides, and walls of Rob Lucci zoomed down in attempt to push the kids away.

Riddler grabbed his Sonic Dimensions disc and had Lotte summon the titular hedgehog, who blew through all the Luccis with a Boost. Nagisa and Killua sent Tempest Kicks to destroy the cannons, and Lotte had to keep summoning Sonics to plow through more Luccis. Eventually, the group was able to reach the stairs that led to the bridge. There floated Dr. Eggman in his signature pod, alongside a short, mysterious figure. (End song.)

"Oh ho ho ho ho!" laughed the scientist. "Well, if it isn't the intrepid little explorers who have been stealing all our World Rings. And you, Edward Nigma… I should have known you would turn against me."

"And how could you know anything?" Riddler fixed his glasses. "You're no more real than anything else on this dead weight vessel!"

"So, you saw through my illusion, huh?" Both Eggman and the stranger spoke. "How very keen of you, Edward." And the Eggman vanished.

"Of course… the real Eggman never believed I was worth his time. He only gave me his robots to make me go away, not because he saw me as an equal. That's why he sent you in his place… Infinite."

The strange person was a Mobian jackal with a black body, spiked silver hair, and a silver mask exposing only his left eye, yellow with red sclera. He had a triangular ruby on his chest. "Are you really surprised, Edward? All you've done is waste our time. With the money and technology Eggman has access to, he could've built or bought FAR better help. And he has…"

"Goombella, what's your Tattle say about him?" Nagisa asked.

"I can't pick up a real name… only 'Infinite.' Apparently, he's a mercenary Eggman picked up, and… Holy crud, he's a matterbender! That's extremely rare! And his Power Level is over 15,000!"

"Matterbending? Then he must be the one creating all these illusions!"

"Impossible, illusions is a power for psychicbending, not Matter." Riddler stated.

"And that is why, Dr. Eggman created this." Infinite tapped his ruby. "The Phantom Ruby. Designed to amplify my Matter Chi and create solid matter from the very air. Or liquids, plasma, or what have you. That's how I was able to conjure this fleet and all the enemies you've encountered."

"Yeah, but I can see you're exhausting lots of energy just to control it." Goombella smirked. "If we beat you down a bit, you'll conk out just like that."

"How dare you imply that I'm WEAK!" The area became a blood-red as a dark aura brimmed around Infinite. "I must become the strongest man on Mobius… I will not rest until I am able to defeat him. And when Dr. Eggman conquers this town, he will use its technology to make me even stronger. But only after I show you the limitless power of my Miracle Matter!" (Play "Black Doom" from Shadow the Hedgehog!)

Boss fight: Infinite

The Mobian snapped his fingers and summoned a circle of Malladuses to rotate around him. The Demon Kings fired Heat Vision, and the areas they struck burst into flames, so the operatives had no choice but to run in closer. "Hope you don't mind, you guys, but I'm taking your Rukh again." Index said, summoning the golden butterflies from Deku, Riddler, Lotte, and Killua and forming her Holy Trident. She channeled power through the trident to make it longer for a short time, quickly jabbing at the Malladuses and destroying them.

"HYAH!" yelled Index, shooting a beam at Infinite, but the jackal dodged and fired large black blocks from the Phantom Ruby. "Lotte!" yelled Riddler, grabbing The Wind Waker and having Lotte summon Link. The toon hero raised his Mirror Shield to block the blocks, pushing through until Infinite was forced to maneuver, only for Killua to hit him in the eye with his yo-yo. Morgiana flew up and kicked him across the head, then Maria flipped above and smashed him with a Ground Pound.

Infinite punched Maria off and took to the sky using anti-gravity boots. The KND were caught off guard when Kraken tentacles burst out of the deck. The tentacles grabbed them all and swung the kids around, bashing them against the deck, but Riddler used Observation Haki to avoid them. "I may not be able to call upon my games, but 20,000 volts should be just as effective!" Riddler ripped off the head of his staff, unveiling another "?" in electrical form. He stabbed the staff into the tentacle as electricity surged through, the tentacle unable to move before it was destroyed.

"Eri-chan, can you give me more power, yet?!" Deku asked.

"Yes, Deku-san! Here it comes!" Eri granted Deku his strength back, allowing him to stretch his arms and break free of his tentacle. They both began striking the other tentacles and freeing their friends. "Now it's OUR turn!" Deku faced up at Infinite, squat down, and sprung up to the Mobian like a bullet.

"Not so fast!" Infinite bent the air itself to spin a cyclone and blow Deku back.

"Darn it!" Deku flicked his fingers and pierced the cyclone, causing the wind to scatter.

"Let me give you a boost!" Morgiana leaped up, flipped upside-down, and kicked off Deku's feet, propelling him even higher so he could PUNCH Infinite dead in the Phantom Ruby. The jackal coughed blood, then Deku raised both fists and slammed down on him, blasting Infinite through the floor. Infinite helped himself out, looking down at his cracked ruby. Glaring up at the hero, Infinite formed a bunch of giant arrows around Deku and had them all launch.

Thinking quick, he punched and kicked at all the arrows, but felt one of them strike behind his neck. "ERI!" He immediately flipped and kicked that arrow away. Luckily, Eri's Defense Charm negated any damage both to her and himself. Killua zipped up and grabbed Infinite by the neck, forming a Finger Pistol to pierce his ruby chest. A desperate Infinite shot a vine out of the ruby and knocked him away, and the Firstborn Celebi emerged from the gem. "A Firstborn illusion?!" Goombella exclaimed.

"Infinite, what is this power I'm sensing from you?!" Eggman spoke via communicator. "I told you you aren't ready to materialize Firstborn replicas! Even the weakest Firstborn is too much to manage."

"I can do this, Doctor! I will not let these children defeat me!"

"Have some EXP, Goombella!" Index declared, catching her friend in the Goomba Mitt and chucking her at Celebi, repeating the same move consecutively until the Fakeborn was Headbonked to death.

"No!" Infinite grunted, feeling an ache in his chest. "I will use every last ounce of my power… TO DESTROY YOU!" The jackal brimmed with a blinding red aura as all his ships returned to his ruby. Before their eyes, he began to conjure a colossal, Hulk-like entity with a skull head. (End song.)

The very sight of the monster triggered terrible memories in Index's mind. At this moment, she was deaf and blind to everything else around her. "Now, Riddler… I demand to know where Hinobi is hiding the-"

A blinding beam erupted from the Holy Trident as fast as light, burning off the demon's head. In the spur of this moment, Index used every ounce of power to destroy this thing. The laser shrunk, and its head was completely gone, the body fading away. "Argh… no…" Infinite put a hand over his chest as the Phantom Ruby continued to crack. In a moment, the gem shattered.

Everyone gasped as the Egg Carrier suddenly disappeared. "Wait, so this ship was an illusion, too?!" Nagisa exclaimed.

"Yes. Didn't you know that?" Riddler asked.

"WAAAAAHHH!" And everyone took the fall.

"Quit crying!" Riddler shouted. "We'll be saved by Sector $ in a couple of-"

The S.U.P.E.R.-C.O.O.L.-B.U.S. swooped by and caught them all on a rooftop trampoline. The trampoline sunk back into the ship as the roof closed. "Did you know the second floor of our bus is a bounce room?!" Carol asked happily.

Infinite used his gravity boots to stay afloat, shooting the kids a deathly glare before flying away. "So, all those holograms were coming from him? What kind of technology was he using?"

"It was some kind of advanced matterbending." Goombella replied. "But I can't believe he was able to control all of those ships. Whatever Dr. Eggman made for him… it was powerful."

Azoth Castle Gates

After the sky had been clear of holograms and Miracle Matter, the people of Azoth watched as King Nicholas approached The Riddler and hung a gear-shaped medal around his neck. "Edward Nashton, you have come to Azoth as naught but a humble tourist… and within days, you have become our hero. Your wisdom has opened the gateway to new innovation and has protected our kingdom from certain destruction."

"It was my honor, Your Majesty. But alas, I'm afraid I cannot stay here. These ignorant brats that stand behind me are in desperate need of my infinite wisdom. I have helped your town, and now it is time for me to rebuild the universe. Do not weep for me, for my wisdom will never leave you!" He spoke passionately to the subjects, his left fist balled. "And also, the hundred or so Riddles that my fairies constructed and left around the country."

"We will be sure to solve every one of them!" Nicholas assured.

"Eddie, are you really going with these brats?!" Queen Hima asked, getting in his face with teary eyes. "What if they take your ring away?! What if they dump you on a deserted planet when they're all done?!"

"The first answer is 'Yes.' As for the second question, I understand now… I don't need all the wisdom in the universe to continue doing what I love. I will always be creating Riddles, and I will not rest until I convince people to solve them. And the universe will continue to develop more and more videogames that test my intelligence! And as for the third question, that's what I have you all for."

"Okay, Eddie… but if they bully you too much, you come and tell me. Good luck on your journey." And she pecked him on the nose.

"Well, this is the weirdest couple I've ever seen." Index said.

"I ship it." Lotte replied with a twinkle in her glasses.

"Well, it doesn't matter!" Nagisa beamed. "Because now, WE HAVE ANOTHER BOY FOR OUR TEAM!" He, Killua, Deku, Hoopa, and Edward formed a chain.

"Are we really going to let this old guy into our sleepovers?" Killua asked.

"WHO you calling old?! Can't you see I'm a teenager JUST like you?!"

"Daaaaa-a-a-a-a-ahhhh…" All their jaws hit the ground.

"…It was a joke."

"PHEEEEEWWW."

"Wait, I just remembered!" Index said. "Our S.C.A.M.P.E.R. got destroyed. And unless we can find the pieces, Eri can't fix it up."

"We can just carry you on our ship!" Carol said.

"That's too many people. Besides, we'd like you to keep searching for pages."

"Hm hm hm." Riddler smirked, fixing his glasses. "It just so happens I have just the thing. A vessel far faster, FAR more glorious than that shabby camper."

And he presented to them a blimp composed of Azothian tech, and a golden figurehead of Riddler's glorious visage. "Voila! Propellers designed for air travel, but can switch to engines for space travel! We'll soar the cosmos as a beacon of hope for all those despairing bystanders!"

"There's no WAY we're riding that thing!"

"I don't want to hear your protests! Besides, we've only got three more of the wretched rings to find, surely you can avoid being dazzled by my marvelous visage until then."

"Sigh… he's right, team, we'll survive." Nagisa complied. "Let's swing by GKND and grab a bite before we go after the next ring."

"If my sister sees me riding in that, I'll never hear the end of it." Maria groaned.

Soon, everyone was onboard the Enigma Explorer, leaving Poké's atmosphere. "Well, if we're not going to Mushroom, yet, and we're not looking for Louise," Hoopa said, "the only other ring is the Pink Ring of Love."

"You've got to be kidding." Killua remarked.

"This World Ring is on a desert planet called Secco."

"PFFFAH HAH HAH!" Nagisa laughed. "Of course! It's not an intergalactic mission if we don't go to Secco! Ain't that right, Morgie?"

"…" The Fanalis seemed to be bowing her head, lost in thought.

"Morgie?"

"Huh? Oh, yes. Secco is a big planet."

"Hm? Morg, are you… feeling okay?"

"I'm fine, Nagisa. Just a bit tired, that's all." Morg faced out the window, watching the stars scroll by. Sigh… calm down, Morgiana. There's no way we could be going there. The ring could've landed anywhere else. Yet, the fear couldn't escape her heart. …But… what if it did?