20. Symphonia

Symphonia; approaching Fantasia

The R.O.C.K.E.T.-T.R.A.I.N. zoomed into the atmosphere of the musical planet, music lines and notes flying by their side as they pierced the fluffy clouds. "'ey, get away, ya crazy song-sans! I tryin' ta focus, go find some birdies!"

Haruka Dimalanta lied on her front on her train bench, her long raven hair unraveled while Aeincha brushed it smooth. The Lilliputian stood on Haru's right arm and held the comb in both of hers, its teeth watered as Aein exerted much strength in holding and brushing. "Arigato, Aeinchan." Haru smiled. "I didn't find time to comb after Dressrosa. It's not too hard for you, is it?"

"Nope! Your hair is really soft and pretty, Haru-chan." Aein beamed. "Your rose is really pretty, too. I don't see purple roses often."

"It's very pretty!" Mary grinned, twirling said rose in her fingers. "Purple is fun, it's close to blue, which I really like! You ever play 'Loves Me, Loves Me Not'?"

"Not if it means destroying a rose." Haruka said. "Besides, the outcome doesn't set in stone the person's feelings towards you."

"There's a trick to winning it: you can pluck off the stem petals, too."

"Well, a close friend gave it to me, so I wouldn't kill it. …Are you done, Aeincha?"

"After I tie the pigtails and rose on. Unless you wanna keep it long."

"Hmmm… not yet. Pigtails make me look youthful."

"Heehee, okay!"

"You're very great at what you do!" Meloetta grinned, floating above them. The spirit's hair was now light-green and hanging long, her eyes matching the color. "I love hair almost as much as music! We should do each other's one day!"

"That'd be great! Your hair looks amazing, Meloetta-san, I'm excited to style it."

Sugar looked at them a few seats away, frowning. She pulled back her hood and felt the edge of her short hair. Same as always. She stood at the nails of her fingers and toes. Very short. "Something wrong?" Chris asked. He was sitting next to her.

"My hair and nails don't grow anymore. At first, I liked that about my curse since it was time-consuming to cut them. But the idea of cutting them on a regular basis… it gives you a feeling of growth. Well, that's what I wanna think. I've seen the way girls dye their hair or change their shape… they know that life changes every day and they embrace it. I want that feeling."

"If you ask me, you got it. You were making toys yesterday, now you're going to a music planet with some kids who used to hate you."

"Used to?"

"I mean, I still don't like you. But if Cheren thinks you're alright, well I won't argue. But we're concerned for his tendency to date so many girls at once."

Sugar chuckled, sporting a smile. "Don't worry, Sugar!" Meloetta floated beside her and rubbed Sugar's hair. "Me and Aeincha will style your hair one day, too!"

"And your nails!" Aeincha was by Sugar's feet and observing the nails. "Promise to let me know when they start growing. I wanna be the first to give you a pedicure!"

"Hm hm hm! I won't forget!" Sugar giggled.

"Good evening, passenger-sans, this be your captain, the greatest train ever is taking land on a weird-ass planet of music and colors. Get off and no throwing up!!" Chimney screamed. ("Gyom-gyom!") (Play "Harmony" from Rayman.)

The operatives all stepped outside to admire the wonderful landscape. Massive trumpets stood upon the bright green hills, blasting notes that were heard across the planet. The paved roads were piano keys that brought delight to everyone with each step. Giant flutes looped under and over the surface like those futuristic transport tubes, with notes spouting at the holes when the passengers flew past, and the mountains were drums that struck fear into the denizens with their thunderous booms. "Ugh. No one can possibly sleep here." Chimney said.

"Not without our nightly Lullaby Series, nope!" Meloetta replied.

"Ahhhhh, strewth! Listen to all the music, mates! It's just screamin' adventure!" Sheila exclaimed with both fists raised. "Giant instruments that play music forever, it leaves so many questions, so many unanswered wonders for our universe! WHO WOULDN'T WANNA EXPLORE THIS PLACE?!?"

"You've been asleep 60% of this quest, you've no right to yell that." Mason said disbelieved.

"Just over the Bongo Hills is Harpsion, the town where La Melody Extravaganza's taking place!" Meloetta sang. "Well, part of it, at least. Hehe, it's a worldwide thing! Come on, Sugar, take part in it and meet all the famous singers! It's time your voice is heard to the world!"

"I WANNA SING, too!" Sheila proclaimed. "I inherited me mum's voice, and she won the award for Best Pirate Singer!"

Haruka informed with a smart, though disbelieved face, "Because Marine the Raccoon was the first person to sing, she deafened all the judges, audience, and other singers so they couldn't be heard, ergo she won by default."

"All of you are free to join, music is meant for everybody!" sang Meloetta. "Make your little footsteps go 'clop! clop! clop!' Tell a little joke and go 'Hah hah haaaa!' Breathe in the oxygen and 'Huff. huff. huuuuff.' Every sound makes music, so every person's a musicbender!"

Mason wrapped an arm around Dillon and said, "Watch the movie Annie and go, 'Ouch! Ouch! OOOUUUUCH!'" The boys all laughed.

Sugar rolled her eyes and giggled. "Symphonia is a place of happiness, to follow your dreams, to let your soul be free!" sang Meloetta. "Come on, Sugar. Is your soul free?"

"Yeah… it is." She nodded.

"I didn't hear you, gotta sing it!"

Sugar sucked in a breath, "Myyy soul is freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!" The topographical instruments all reacted to her magical voice.

"That's the spirit!" Meloetta twirled. "Now come, and let all of Symphonia know your voice! The Song of Destiny awaits!"

Stage 28: Symphonia

Mission: Attend La Melody Extravaganza!

Act 1: Bongo Hills

Sugar raced forward and bounced up a stairway of drums to get onto a piano pathway. She surfed across the up-and-down road skiing on ice, her arms outstretched behind her as she blew a gust of notes. Each piano key flashed when she passed it, sending colorful notes forward that formed a trail, and Sugar shifted left-and-right during her skiing to catch every single note. The notes started appearing in midair, forcing Sugar to jump with perfect timing, but she kept the rhythm flowing by the time the path led up a hill and let Sugar off onto a giant drum over a plain below. For catching all the notes, a colorful barrier surrounding an Electoon cage was open. Sugar broke the cage and set the creatures free.

To get onto the higher drums, Sugar had to carefully slide up a very narrow, floating ice road, which in reality was part of a giant note, as many such ice-notes floated around the sky. What lay before Sugar at this moment were a series of trumpets, all facing skyward and connected to a single pipe, the reed of which stuck up beside Sugar's platform. She inhaled and blew a forceful wind into it, causing all of the trumpets to blast forth; even though Sugar didn't release nearly that much air. Regardless, the strong gusts kept her skyward, having to avoid flying Doomtoons that tried to knock her down, lest she fall to the plain below. The farthest horn blew her even higher, at level with the end of an ice-note, and she kept balance as she slid down swiftly, looping around a tall stack of drums and landing at their base.

A stairway of normal-size bongos led up to the next foothold, so Sugar ran up them quickly as each one fell upon her steps. She ran up another set, which shifted backwards halfway up, but Sugar didn't stumble and made it onto the next platform. A trumpet was blowing flying winged notes that drifted higher up the tower, so Sugar grabbed one's base, but when it faltered and threatened to fall, she swung to another, and kept this routine until she could swing off on a giant floating cymbals. The cymbals bounced her to the top of the drum stack, but empty sky lay out from here. So with that, Sugar hummed the stage's theme and created a Song Road.

"La la laaaaa, la la lalala laaaa. La la laaaa, la la lalalaaaaa." She hummed the beginning of the theme and could easily follow the soft note pattern. "DADA daaaaa, da da DA DA DA DAAAAA." This next part of the road shifted down-and-up suddenly at these next few notes, until the last pair stooped directly down and landed Sugar on a giant violin. As she grinded across the strings like rails, a giant bow strummed the strings, going further along as Sugar went, and created another note path for her to follow. Just as well, a different tone sounded depending on the string Sugar was grinding on. Xylophones stretched parallel to the violin on either side, and when giant sticks beat the keys, electric spheres were flung onto the strings, which Sugar expertly dodged. The strings were meeting their end at the very top of the instrument, where she flew off onto the first of many floating drums. Giant disembodied hands banged the drums with sticks, creating thunderous booms that sent any passengers into the air.

For collecting all the notes, Sugar could break another cage holding Electoons. She couldn't have a moment to catch her breath, for the drumsticks kept on poundin', keeping her and the Wrong Notes aloft – average-size purple notes with scary, monstrous faces. When the Wrong Notes saw her, they tried to shift toward Sugar to bite her while bouncing, and she couldn't wave her own notes to push them back. Thankfully, the pounding drums ended shortly when Sugar made it to a xylophone stairway. She happily skipped her way down and made a note at each step, but the stairs shortly ended at a clear, sparkly river. Since Sugar couldn't swim, she would have troubles crossing, but this was why she could blow a reed next to her, which channeled underground and blew several trumpets under the water. Several bubbles with oranges notes inside them rose into the air.

The notes were smiling and dancing to the music, but like everything else, Sugar would have to bounce these bubbles in the order they came out. Since they were disordered, this made it difficult, each bubble popped upon bounce, but if she hit the wrong one, they would all pop. She memorized the order and bounced across the river safely, making a perfect rhythm with the right order. The bubbles ended above a waterfall, where the top of a vertical ice-note stood. She flew up over the opposite side of this note, fell down, and landed on the sudden curve at the bottom which sent her sliding up a slope at sudden speed. She kept her feet still, let only the ice guide her, she went up a loop that shifted direction leftward, between an enclosing of steep hills over a narrow part of river.

The road curved right, where Sugar had to shift her feet along an ice-note wall on the left, then shift back onto the main road to keep sliding. Piranha-notes leapt up to snack her over this lake, this ice-road coming to end, so Sugar leaped far with the momentum and slid across the next one. She slid over another narrow river where the road shifted left, but the intersection went directly up vertical, Sugar shot up, into the air, looked carefully, and positioned her feet to land on the opposite side, then slide across the new path. This ice-road ended, the following area had distant, scattered ice-road platforms, Sugar leaped and cartwheeled left, right, a shorter right, then left, and surfed a straight road that was approaching a downward hill, where the ice-road looped into a great spiral.

"OOWAAAH!" A living Trumpetling with eyes on Sugar's right blew forcefully, shifting Sugar's momentum to begin sliding around and around the great ice-spiral. Wrong Notes glided on the path and tried to bite her, so she had to leap them. Once again, ground-trumpets blew Rainbow Notes onto the road that Sugar collected on the way, a simple task. Sugar looped and looped until the spiral brought her to the center. The center was a circle the length of both legs, so Sugar stretched her legs to either side and whirled around until she sunk to a splits. "Hehe." A trumpet down below blew her into the sky, where she was sucked into the hole of a flute-tube and whisked across the earth.

The flute spat her out on a piano path, where she could break an Electoon cage for collecting all notes. "YAAAAAH-haaaaaa!" Sheila glided across the path and stopped beside Sugar. "Blimey, they really do have Song Sodas! Check it out, behhp, burp, beep beep beep BEP! Buurp." She burped bubbles with the rhythm, and those bubbles made music.

"Dat. Dat. Daaaah, dalala-LALA, I wanna sing-song all day!" Aeincha sang, swaying left and right while Haruka carried her.

"It's nice and all," Haru smiled humorously, "but doesn't anybody get any rest?"

"It's haaaard to rest, hard to rest, with La Melody Extravaganza as the test!" Meloetta sang, dancing above them. "Come this way, it's Harpsion, to see the show, come and play!" (End song.)

They followed the piano path into a bustling town where all the buildings were giant instruments or instrument cases—they better not be real instruments, thought some of the members who were getting a headache. A stage was standing in the town square, flashing colorful lights as steam erupted. The person that appeared, whom everybody cheered loudly for, was a most unusual girl. A tall, slim 16-year-old with cyan hair of a neon texture, in two pigtails that flowed almost the length of her body. She wore a white sleeveless shirt with a black skirt, and a tie that matched her cyan hair. She wore very high black boots that ended just under her waist, and appeared mechanical like the sleeves over her arms (which weren't connected to the shirt). Her eyes also matched the hair's cyan color, and her voice bore a futuristic feel.

Sharing the WOR-R-R-R- world!

Sharing the WOR-R-R-R- world!

I can see this FUTURE is right now!

'Cause my voice is always going aaarooooound!

Tell me how, you feel like these days

Tell me why… you DON'T wanna saaay it

Tell me now what is on your mind

I'm still gonna listen to yoooouu!

Sugar didn't know how to describe it… she was in love with that girl's voice. Those lyrics described Sugar perfectly… like this singer was talking directly to her. The vocals touched and warmed Sugar's soul… oh, how she strongly resisted the desire to run up and sing with her. "Impressed?" Meloetta startled Sugar out of her thoughts. "She's Symphonia's Pop Queen, Hatsune Miku!"

"SHE'S Hatsune Miku?!" Haruka's jaw dropped.

"Huuuuuu, her hair is so pretty!!" Stars glittered Aeincha's eyes. "I feel like I could slide down those pigtails like water! Ohhhhh her barber is the luckiest person in the universe!"

"She does her own hair!" Meloetta said.

"EEEEEEAAAAAAAAAIIIIII!" Aeincha was in love.

"You're sure she's not the same Miku from Shrink High, right?" Artie asked.

"You actually played that?" Harry stared.

"(Vweeb said it was good.)"

"Huh?" Haylee looked around. "Hey, there's Sugar!"

"If there is something on your MIND that- makes- you- stay, I will free your sou-ul- ul!" Then, Hatsune gasped when Sugar ran up on stage.

"You will free my so-ul-oul-oo-ooouuul!"

The music stopped. Everyone was looking at Sugar next to Miku. The child, realizing what she did, froze in shock. Hundreds of people staring at her. She slowly glanced up-right and saw that Miku was doing the same. "Who… are you?"

Sugar flushed, scratching the back of her head as she faced the taller girl with a nervous grin. "I'm, um… Sugar."

"I can't heeeeaaaaar!"

As if on impulse, Sugar looked up and cried, "MY NAME IS Suuuugaaaaaarrrrrr!"

"Thank you, Sugar, for sharing your sound!" Miku took Sugar's hands and swayed them forward and backward, joyfully dancing in place while Sugar remained speechless and stationary. "Now we're connecting our feeeeliiii-ii-iiiings!" Hatsune danced behind Sugar and twirled the child around by her right arm. "Everyone has found that we've owned this hymm. Now we have found that's all, so we join iiiiiin."

Meloetta landed on the middle-front of the stage, her hair matching Miku's cyan color and tied in pigtails. "I'm the Goddess of Music, and Hatsune Miku is my idol! Helloooooo, Fantasia! Do you love Hatsune and her new friend, Sugaaaaarr?"

"YAAAAAAAYYY!"

"Are their voices not the most majestic you've heard all day?"

"NAAAAAAAYYY!"

"RIGHT! I mean, WRONG- wait…" The audience exchanged baffled murmurs at the spirit. "Double negatives. Ahem, what I mean to say is, YOUR voice is majestic!" She pointed at a random person, "And YOUR voice, and YOURS! On Planet Symphonia, where music is life, everybody has a beautiful voice! Your voice is your soul! Every voice is beautiful!"

"Everybody has a beautiful dream!" sang Aeincha.

Haruka rocked the tiny in her arms and sang, "Everybody has a beautiful thing!"

"All this singing makes beautiful vomit!" Mason sang, dancing with Dillon.

"So pretty, we just shouldn't, dag gonnit!" Dillon sang, earning glares from all the girls except Chimney.

"Every THING's a work of art!" April presented a painting of Miku and Sugar dancing.

"Every line, shape, and color!" Mary held up a crayon version of April's painting.

"Everybody here has a voice! So let it be heard! And you wiillll siiiiiiiing!" Meloetta's final note reached the ears of millions. "People of Symphonia and intergalactic visitors alike, welcome to La Melody Extravaganza! We're so happy to have so many voices!"

"We're happy to introduce those singing for our festival!" Miku proclaimed. "Sunny Bridges, if you would like to do our first?"

"Thank you, Shawty."

Harry Gilligan spit out a soda he was drinking. His dark eyes fell wide. "No WAY that is Sunny Bridges! Nobody's seen 'im in, er, ages!"

"Now who's a dreamy fanboy?" Haylee stared.

Sunny Bridges, a very slim, rubber-like man with a purple shirt, blue jeans, and a straw hat walked on stage in a moonwalk fashion. "Ahem. All the way from Dimension Termina, a ninja from a distant mountain, proud to introduce Killer Bee!"

A cloud of smoke puffed on the stage behind them. A muscular dark-skinned man with yellow hair, a goatee, and sunglasses walked up, jabbing his fingers as a rap tune played. "Yaw-yaw. I'm Kil-ler Bee, so you should know, Ah'm the head of this show, fools, ya fools."

"Great, hehehe!" Miku grinned. "Hailing from Galaxia, a skeleton whose soul lives, Nightmare Prince Jack Skellington!"

"Thank you, thank you!" The round-headed skeleton in the black-gray tux waved to all his fans. "I am always delighted to sing to the people of Symphonia!"

"Now, our final, and most recent contestant," Meloetta began, "from the Milky Way Galaxy, the Princess of Dressrosa, Don Quixote Sugar!"

Sugar panicked when the spotlights shone on her. "Wait, I didn't even register, I just got here! !" She waved her hands in defense.

"Then you HAVE registered!" Meloetta sang. "The rules for La Melody Extravaganza are the same as every year. Across the country in our three High Lands, our singers must make their way and perform a musical feat with the land's guardian. The one whose moves are most graceful, whose voice is most majestic—not that it's different from anyone else—will be this year's Queen of Sing! So leeeet's beeeegiiiiii-"

"HEY, I wanna enter, TOO!" Sheila screamed, running onstage. "I have me mum's voice and she was the best! Ahem… MAAAAARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB, LITTLE LAMB, LITTLE LAMB-"

"My name's Mary, I wanna sing!!" Mary ran up beside Sheila and sang in unsynchronized form. "IIIII HAD A LITTLE LAMB, LITTLE LAMB, LITTLE LAMB, MY NAME'S MARY AND I HAD A LITTLE-" Two long hooks flew up onstage and pulled them both away.

"I would love to hear you sing later!" Meloetta cheered.

"Uuummmm they need work." Sunny said. "So all singers, head to the High Lands, good luck, and sing beautiful! …" He looked to his right and found Harry Gilligan standing inches away, viewing Sunny with wide sparkly eyes. "Who're you, Shawty?"

"I need your autograph." Harry held up pencil and paper.

"For the record dude, you can't be in love with Sunni just 'cause she's named after your favorite singer." Artie said, grabbing Harry's ear and dragging him away like a stone-cold statue.

Sugar saw a bunch of citizens jumping into Transport Flutes to 'Genie Road', and Killer Bee was among them. "Wish me luck, guys!" Sugar told her friends before approaching a flute's hole, and was sucked in and whisked across the earth like a vacuum. She must've flown for miles, but Sugar felt herself land on her feet in minutes. Time to explore this new region. (Play the "Genie's Stage" theme from the Aladdin Game.)

Act 2: Genie Road

"OOWAAAH!" A Trumpetling immediately blew Sugar up an icy slope, where she leaped and grabbed Rainbow Notes. "OOWAAAH!" Another Trumpet, Sugar jumped Wrong Notes on the slide up. "OOWAAAH!" She jumped Wrong Notes, crouched to slide under spikes, then plopped against a wall that stopped her at the top. The Genie Road took place above the clouds of Symphonia, where Sugar viewed the tops of pink, Arabian towers. Marble white platforms and footholds made up the "ground", and designs of a grinning blue genie were everywhere. Just as well, floating trumpets and instruments were performing the classic song, keeping Sugar's spirits up as she battled across. To start off, she could blow into a trumpet and cause several Genie heads above to let their tongues droop, which Sugar used to swing across a cloudy chasm.

She landed on the first of many small Genie platforms and jumped across before they fell, easily avoiding the flying Doomtoons before stopping to rest on a larger foothold. The next chasm had giant pungi flying her way – flutes that snake-charmers use, so with careful timing and precision, Sugar danced across the slender footholds, but didn't have to for long until the Genie flew by and let Sugar grab onto his tail. He soared up up and away and let Sugar drop on the palm of a giant Genie hand, the arm of which stretched up from below the clouds. Up next was another segment of giant drums, with big blue Genie balls bouncing around to cause the thunderous booms. Large Genie hoolihoops were also fluttering in-between drums, spinning incredibly fast as the balls bounced through them.

Sugar jumped onto and commandeered the nearest ball, keeping an excellent balance as she bounced toward the first hoop and made it through. The second drum had Doomtoons flying back-and-forth, and the hoolihoop floated along a firewall with only one clear opening, but Sugar stayed clear of the 'toons and dodged through the opening. The third hoop had electric beams that sparked to life at certain intervals, so when they were off, Sugar passed through. The fourth and last drum had nothing on it, a trumpet on the opposite side was blowing skyward. It was the width of Sugar's ball, and when the girl bounced inside, the music immediately silenced as the horn tried to blow. It puffed wider the longer it was clogged, until finally, it POOOOFED!

Sugar shot across the sky like a comet on her ball, the rubber bouncing forcefully between towers until it flew straight at a giant point and POPPED confetti everywhere. Sugar fell onto a trampoline that bounced her to a safe floor, plopping on her back. A pungi was lain down next to her, along with a basket the snake would come out of. Sugar grabbed the instrument and stood atop the snake's lid, performing notes that went with the stage rhythm, each correct note making the skinny green snake rise higher, Sugar with him. When it was level with the floating Genie balloons, she proceeded to jump them, their pops propelling her into the air to give her the time to bounce the next one. The final balloon, she grabbed the hoop on its bottom, a hole on its back opening and releasing helium as it glided around like a rocket.

Sugar directed it to fly to a structure's side where a long tongue stuck out of a Genie face. The tongue began to retract, so Sugar leapt to another and gracefully began jumping from tongue to tongue between this sky-high alleyway. She spotted an Electoon cage and burst it open on the way, performing a twirl on her toes upon landing the next tongue, and jumping to the next. When the tongues reached their end, and empty sky laid between her and the next ground, she created a Song Road and soared. "Pride ourselves on serviiiice, you're the boss, king, bishop!" Sugar sang, moving along the right notes while also avoiding Wrong Notes on her road. "Say what you wish," inched up, "yours true dish," inched far down, "how 'bout a little more Baklavaaaaa?" Inched way way up, then landed on a straight, marble road.

Statues depicting our favorite Aladdin characters stood on either side as Sugar ran down without fear. She stood before the final statue at the end, depicting none other than Robin Williams. Sugar paid him a salute before going around, beyond the columns of a palace. The judges, Sunny, Miku, and Meloetta were there, the latter now colored purple with her hair tied in a cone. A shiny brown lamp stood upon a pedestal, so Sugar walked up and rubbed it. The genie whom the road was named for appeared in a cloud of blue smoke.

"Eeeeeee-YAAAAAAAH!" He stretched his sky-blue form with much relief and enthusiasm. "Feels so good to be OUTTA there! Hey there, happy to meet you Kid, welcome to La Melody Extravaganza, please tell us your name!"

"I-It's, uh, Sugar." The girl blushed.

"Sugar, hmmm, well maybe I'll call you Su, no how 'bout Gar, or perhaps UGA!" He morphed into a caveman.

"Kee, ha ha ha ha!" She laughed joyfully.

"Well, Sugar, thank you for participating, I suppose you know what's next, right?"

"We have to sing!"

"I've been goin' on for 10,000 years, and I've got 10,000 more, so let us show this crowd some MAGIC!"

"Well, Ali Baba had them 40 thieves, Scheherazade had a thousand tales." Genie snapped his fingers and made 40 thieves surround Sugar.

Sugar sang, "Well that's okay, 'cause up my sleeves, this kind o' magic never fails!" She whirled her arms and blew them all away with songwaves.

"You got some POWER in yo' corner now-" Genie lit two fireworks and flew them at Sugar.

"Ammunition in my camp." She clapped hands, sent a soundwave, and popped the rockets like confetti.

"You got punch, PIZZAZZ, yahoo and how, See all you gotta do is rub that lamp, And I'LL say-"

They both sang and danced in unison, "MISTRESS Sugar, Sir (I'm a girl), what will your pleasure be?"

"I'd like to win this contest, please!"

"Ain't no problem with a friend like-!"

"HOLD IT RIGHT THERE!" A cloud of smoke exploded behind them. A rap tune played as Killer Bee danced out. "Fools, ya fools, Ah got here, too, so move aside, that cool?"

"Oh, actually-" Genie tried to say.

"WEEEELL," Bee snapped his fingers in rhythm as he sang, "Ah'll take som' that in Column A, gimme all dat in Column B." A tray of meat appeared in his right hand when he snapped, and fruit in his left. "Good luck gettin' me, 'cause then you'll see, I'll-have-ya-all-wiped-down one-two, threeee." Three ninjas appeared behind him, so he cut them with his sword.

"Get back down, masa baka, or Ah'll show ya how we do it downtown!" Sugar rapped.

"I'll bet."

"I will!"

"WELL, gimme a thrill!" both sang. "All I gotta ask is one thang!"

Bee leapt and stood on the tip of a tall needle, hands folded as he stood with perfect balance. "Mistress Sugar, ya fool, what will yo' pleasure be?"

"I'll take ya down with all my strength, you've never known one- no, NEVER known one like, meeeee!" Sugar unleashed a soundwave at Killer Bee, but he easily jumped a few yards behind her.

"Haha! You got moves, you got grooves, but lemme ask ya, Sugar, 'bout your hometown. Can your friends do this?" Bee formed a hand symbol, poofing a new set of Shadow Clones at each strum of the trumpet.

"Not to my knowledge, no." Sugar said.

"Aha! Can yo' buddies do this?" Another hand symbol, and eight purple tentacles sprouted from his back.

"Ooooo, that's pretty good." Genie said.

"Can they pull THIS!" He jabbed his fingers to the sky and shot lightning bolts at each strum. "Not even they're little hat, I bet."

"Not so fast!" Sugar threw a top-hat at him, exploding into smoke. For some reason, Killer Bee expected dancing women, but what he got were crocodiles blowing horns. "What the-?!"

"Ha ha!" Sugar laughed. "Can your friends go razza-matasma, haba-cadaza, so many I don't even haaaave? It's a minor, thing, nothing good, but it kicks more butt than you."

"OH!" The audience gaped.

"You wanna get down, well you'll be amazed, after askin' me that little phrase-" Bee sang.

"Oh YOU mean—Mister Killer Bee-san, would you like a wish or two or three? I'd choose those moony toons of yours, take it from a gal like me!"

"Hold on now! You'd diss mah toons with all your goons, fools ya foolin' like fools no mo'. Ah'm on the clock, go on, TICK TOCK, apologize right now on the dooooot!"

"You wanna hear 'sorry', Kill' Bee, YOU say sorry to meeeee! Go on and cry, but YOU know WHY! I'm the best damn singer aroooouuund!" She spun like a tornado, a giant Genie hand with eyes appeared beside her.

"WAH WAH wah?"

"Nuuuuh-uh!" Sugar wagged her finger.

"WAH WAH wah?"

"HEEEELL no!"

"WAH WAH wah!"

"Badap—ba! I gots the POW-wuh!" She snapped her fingers and they popped. "Yeah, you're good Bee, I'll admit that. But I got a few more things to ask you: Can you do this?" She surfed a songwave and performed the Egyptian walk.

"Can y'all do THIS?" He was on his cranium, spinning around and around.

"Can you do THIS?" Sugar stood straight and stiff, arms clamped to her sides. Her eyes looked left, right, left, right, clicking her tongue like a clock. "Click, clock, click, clock, click- or would ya rather, rather, RATHER face your DOOM." An explosion of smoke—missiles, soldiers with machineguns, and flamethrowers surrounded Bee. The rapstar scurried away when all hell was loose. "Abracadabra, Alakazam, bippity-boppity-BAM!"

"COME ON, MAAAAAN! Slow yourself!" Notes flew everywhere, Killer Bee narrowly dodging each one, then Sugar popped up before him, performed quick fist-jabs, "It-gets-hard-to-keep-with-this-BEAT!" The world flashed at each jab, 'til Bee was knocked dizzy. "I'll keep this up allll day long now, gonna send ya packin' ALL WAY HOOOOOME!" He flew several meters with her kick. Sugar danced onto a stage as the notes strummed louder, "Mis-ter Kil-ler Bee, Sir, should I kick the head or knee? I'll kick you down, in a wed-ding gown," she wore a wedding dress for a brief second before smacking him, "You ain't NEVER known one, never no, ain't never never known, never known," She danced and flailed her arms and legs every which way, the notes dancing crazily, "Yooou've NEVER! (shing!) EVER! (cling!) OOOOONE LIIIIIKE MEEEEEE!" A great fireworks display colored the heavens, and Bee was among the rockets propelled.

"OH, it's so BEAUTIFUL!" Genie cried.

"I know! I can't stop looking!" Meloetta raised two poster-boards, depicting the scores of both contestants, "10 out of 10!"

"She gives that score to everyone." Sunny said disbelieved, writing his own scores. "It's mostly just us two, 8 for Bee and 8.5 for Sugar."

"8.5 for Bee and 9 for Sugar!" Miku cheered.

Sugar's eyes sparkled at the judges, especially Miku. She felt a whole new warmness inside her. "Look at my score. Isn't it neat? Wouldn't you say this contest is complete? Wouldn't you think I'm the girl. The girl who's won… everything!"

"Nawwwww! No no!" Bee cried, pounding the ground. "Fools, ya fools! I just got schooled!"

"Yes, and it was coolly-cool!" Sugar rapped.

"NOW IT'S OUR TURN!" Mary zipped up onstage, pushed Sugar away, and Sheila joined her.

"Ladies and gentlemates, Sheila and Mary's GRAND SONATAAAA!"

"That's me, I'm Mary, she's Sheila!"

"NOW LET'S SING! Uuuuudatakaaaaa. Nuiiiii, yodo yotooooo (You sure this is Japanese?)"

"(Yeah!) NONI TIDO DOOOOO ya dooooo-"

Killer Bee and Sugar slid up behind both girls and sent them skyward with powerful kicks. "Some of us prefer to hear, the REST of the contest." Bee sang.

"Awesome!" Meloetta sang with delight. "10/10!"

"You're very unbiased." Sunny and Miku sighed.

"Great singing with you, Bee." Sugar shook her rival's hand.

"You too, Sugar, now I have a new reason, to get groovier."

"Excellent job, marvelous performance!" Genie applauded. "Since you were such a great act, I'll give you one wish!"

"I wish to go to the next contest area!"

"Comiiiing riiiight up!" Genie snapped his fingers, and Sugar poofed to the next area. (Play "Orchestral Chaos" from Rayman Legends.)

Act 3: Hip-Hop Pond

Sugar ran forth, jumped a crocodile, ducked under a thorny branch, leaped with both legs outstretched over another croc, jumped up two Toad Soldiers, landed and ran, bent back at 90 degrees to dodge another's axe, jumped, swung a vine, bounced down two Toads. She fell, slid under a thorn, leapt and flipped two Toads before surfing a songwave, dodged left, dodged a right Toad, jumped and kicked one in the crotch. Several lilipads propelled into the air with water spouts, so she gracefully jumped each one before surfing a Song Road through a thorny passage.

The road curved directly up in a steep, precise staircase—then went down in the very same fashion—steeped back up, she remained precise, then leapt right off and flipped off some Toads' heads. She tap-danced on her tippy-toes across some lilipads, nimbly leapt some piranhas jumping to snatch her, limbo-ducked some horizontal sticks, jumped, placed her hands on a totem, flipped, kicked a piranha in midair, and began grinding on some giant violin strings. She jumped left, right, avoiding spiked parts, jumped a whole section, kicked a midair Toad, landed back on the strings, hearing the last of their sad notes before landing on the next ground.

Sugar swung her fists fast and punched Toads, ducked an axe, jumped a kick, dove between two close branches, Wall Jumped over a narrow chasm, tap-danced across Toads' heads, then fell down a deep chasm, faster and faster, she would splat any minute, but a blubbery Toad's belly at the bottom bounced her back on her feet. She kept steady, tap-danced a pond of lilipads, jumped and ducked piranhas, surfed a songwave in rainbowy waves, landed on her belly, slid under thorns, jumped, kicked off a piranha's head, off a Toad's head, swung a vine, then landed perfectly before a great big pond with many lilipads, both up close and in the background where a Frog Choir sat. Sugar took a bow as they applauded.

"Splendid, well done." said the Frog Conductor, Don Gero, blowing his bubble pipe.

"That was marvelous footwork." Jack Skellington applauded.

"Hey, aren't you Darkrai's son?" Dillon asked, the Sector V operatives arriving. "Why are you participating?"

"While it may not look like it, Father created me as a musicbender. And I must say, I'm quite proud of my voice."

"Yes, but we will be doing little singing hear." Don Gero said. "This will be a test of movement. These lilipads are feeble and don't support average weight. Musicbending allows one to move gracefully, light as sound, and you have already demonstrated this feat on your way here. I had waited for the second contestant to arrive so I may test you together. If you would, on the pads."

Sugar and Jack bowed to each other before leaping on parallel sides of the lilipads, keeping their feet light as the lilipads supported them. "Now as I conduct my wand… you dance."

"Heeheehee, good luuuuck!" sang Meloetta – who was now yellowish-green with her hair short and wide.

Don Gero tapped his wand and prepared to conduct. A strict, gentle song played as Sugar and Jack, in mirrored fashion, stepped sideways along their lilipads. When at their farthest point, Gero directed them to come back, but stop halfway. They bent backwards into a rainbow bridge, the act hurting Jack less than Sugar, their hands planted on pads behind them. As directed, they were off their feet, totally upside-down on their hands. Blood rushed to Sugar's head, but she ignored it, focused the light chi to her arms to stay standing. Then on a forceful note, they both jumped and turned to face the shore, still on their hands. They squatted their arms, pushed with all their light force, flipped upright, and landed on both feet.

Sugar and Jack stretched one leg backward, touched a pad, squatted their other leg, and placed their hands on two front pads. They faced directly up, took a deep breath, and bent the leg that was stretched back. Then they jumped backward, placed hands against pads, flipped further, landed—Sugar's left foot forced a lilipad under the water, her heart skipping, but she kept her cool and stayed balanced on the other pad while placing her foot on another. Don Gero smiled charmingly and twirled his wand. Sugar and Jack spun toward each other and locked: she gripped his left arm by the elbow, reached up to hold his right waist, while Jack's long-fingered arm reached down to hold her left.

They danced and swayed each other in a graceful, romantic fashion. Two lovers, under a moonlit night, even though it was daylight and very misty. They couldn't look at where their legs moved, just had to know where the lilipads were. On a sudden note, Jack swung Sugar around, bent back and facing up inches from his boney face. Then she grabbed his shoulders, hauled herself overhead, landed on the lilipads behind, and bent Jack back as well. She released, they both hopped across several lilies and landed like frogs. Sugar turned sideways and bent like a rainbow bridge while Jack positioned like a spider.

"Laaaaa la- la- la: laaaaa. Laaaaa la laaaaaa." Sugar returned upright, waved an arm, and sang.

"Laaaaaa la LAAAA. Laaaaa lalala LAAAAA." Jack mirrored this movement with his own notes.

"Laaaaa la la la laaaaa." Sugar inched forward.

"Laaaaaaaa lalala laaaaa." Jack came closer.

"Laaa-aa-aa-aa laaaaa."

"Looooooaaaa laaaaaa." Dramatic notes, the swamp turned darker, Jack wore a monstrous face. "LAAAA."

Sugar's eyes became psychotic, "Laaaaa."

"LAAAAAAAA."

. . . Both faced the conductor and took a bow, the audience clapping.

"Beautiful." Artie yawned, half-awake.

"Excellent! 10/10!" Meloetta cheered.

"7 for Sugar, 8 for Jack." Sunny scored.

"7 for Sugar, 7.5 for Jack!" Miku beamed.

"Huff… well, not bad." Sugar smiled.

"I had fun dancing with you, Sugar." Jack said. "And congratulations for conquering your fear." He reached an arm.

"Hmhm." Sugar shook his hand. "Thanks."

That very instant, eight parts of two metal hoops came and trapped Meloetta, pulling her skyward. "WHAT the-?!" Miku gasped. Everyone's jaws dropped; a Raticate ship was hovering above them, and the perpetrators, a woman with blonde hair in two angled braids, and a man with cyan hair, both in black suits with red "R" symbols, stood on the roof.

"Prepare for trouble!" Cassidy announced.

"And make it double." Butch continued.

"To infect the world with devastation!"

"To blight all people in every nation."

"To denounce the goodness of truth and love!"

"To extend our wrath to the stars above."

"Cassidy!"

"Butch."

"We're Team Rocket, circling the cosmos all day and night!"

"Surrender now, or you will surely lose the fight."

Raticate popped out, "Raticate!"

"What the fuck?" Chris said.

"Who are they?" Hatsune asked.

"It's Team Rocket!!" Aurora pointed panickingly. "They're bad guys who try to steal peoples' Pokémon!! Hehe, I always wanted to say that." She grinned.

"Do you work for Dr. Nefarious, too?" Sugar yelled.

"HEH heh heh! Little twerp thinks Nefarious is the big shot in all this!" Butch laughed.

"In truth, Nefarious is smalltime, compared to Giovanni." Cassidy said.

"Even if Lord Gnik thinks he's running the scenes, Team Rocket will be the ones in charge by the end of this month."

"Urr! Please, let me go!" Meloetta shook. "Please, we have to finish the festival!"

"I'm afraid this performance must end a little short." Cassidy smirked. "Don't even try to persuade us. We're well aware of the legend of Chernabog."

"Chernabog?" Sugar asked.

"The demon that lives on Bald Mountain, the third High Land of this contest. The reason this festival is held every year is because the seal on Chernabog falters at this time. The seal requires an enormous amount of Music Chi on Meloetta's part, so La Melody Extravaganza is her only means of recharging."

"But there's another part to the legend." Butch continued. "Millions of years ago, it's said that the Devil himself created Chernabog out of Meloetta's negative energy. Chernabog is a musical demon that Meloetta can control. But with Meloetta under our control…"

"You can't force Meloetta to do what you want!" Sugar yelled.

"No, but you'd be surprised what a little hypnosis does."

"The weakness of gods that choose to live among mortals is they become much more susceptible to mortal ailments." Cassidy said.

"See you at Bald Mountain, twerps. This is the year Team Rocket plays the final key."

"Rrrrraticate!" The airship returned to the heavens and flew away.

"I feel like I've heard of Chernabog." Haylee said. "Isn't he a demon from some religion?"

"Father told me about him once." Jack replied. "Chernabog was one of the Six Demon Saints. There are others like Medusa, the Queen of Darkness; Lucifer, who granted magic to mortals in exchange for souls; Hannibal Bean, the Yin-Yang Spirit; even the Masked Demon, Majora was considered one. Not all of them were on grounds with Satan himself; some of the saints wanted to control the universe on their own."

"Then we can't let Team Rocket awaken him! Let's get to Bald Mountain!" Sugar declared.

"This Transport Flute goes there!" Miku directed at a midnight-blue flute nearby.

"Thanks!" Sugar dove in first and whooshed across the world, her many friends joining.

Bald Mountain

The northwest region of Fantasia was cold, cloudy, and trapped under eternal night. A small town with citizens stood miles from the terrifying, oddly-shaped mountain where lightning surged. Surrounding the land, three towers with golden bells rang their holy tolls, majestic sounds that kept evil at rest.

Team Rocket's airship hovered at a close, safe distance from the mountaintop. "Oh, the bells of the Three Goddesses." Cassidy observed. "They are beautiful. Powered by your Music Chi, aren't they?"

"Nnnnn!" Meloetta was zapped trying to shake free of her binds.

"Too tight for you? We'll make it stop. Drowzee, use Hypnosis!" She tossed open her Pokéball, and the yellow elephant-trunk Pokémon came out.

"Drow. Drow." The creature waved his arms at Meloetta's face. Her vibrant emerald eyes turned milky and lifeless.

"Sableye, Charizard, Fearow, destroy them!" ordered Cassidy. At this point, her three Pokémon flew around to each of their targeted bell towers and destroyed them with a Shadow Ball, Flamethrower, and Drill Run respectively.

With that, Butch took out a small book and held a page to Meloetta's face. "Now Meloetta, sing this."

The spirit was not in her right state of mind, but her eyes read the words and something in her head told her to sing it. As she read the lines over and over, they were clear enough in her head for her to sing. Her mouth and tongue moved beyond her control, letting her voice flow in the form of foreign incantations. The vocals traveled to the top of Bald Mountain – and entered the pair of ears.

Sugar finally arrived with Sectors V and W7, feeling the ground tremble. "What? Already?!" Aurora yelled.

Mixed with Meloetta's vocals, a catchy song began to play from the airship's stereos. Cassidy and Butch appeared on the roof with a stagelight and microphone. "Oh, geez. What're they doing now." Chris sighed.

"We are Team Rocket and we fight for what is wrong. You already know our motto, so now you'll hear our song!"

"Cassidy!"

"And Butch."

"You little INGRATES, we'll EDUCATE!"

Their Raticate appeared. "Rrraaaaaticaaaaate!"

The lights flashed as they both made fancy poses. Then, smoke covered the duo before they emerged from the shadows in very charming forms.

"I aaaaammm the haaaandsome ooooone." Butch sang.

Guitar strum. "I'm the GORGEOUS oooooone!"

A stronger strum. "Deep inside our hearts, there are oceans of love! To extend our reign to the stars aboooooove!"

More flashing poses – Sheila was the only one enjoying the spectacle, the others just prayed for it to be over.

"We're gonna find the Firstborn, so don't cause too much friction. And when we do, we'll be the NEW—" Another strum, they froze in a new pose. "Stars. . . of this, Fan, FICTIOOOOOON! (Dum. Dum DUM.)"

"Raticate!"

"That was beautiful symmetry." Artie said. ("Gyom-gyom.")

"Yeah, and it sure delayed you twerps, 'cause LOOK!" Butch declared. (Play "Night on Bald Mountain" from Fantasia.)

The tremors grew stronger, and Meloetta's incantation rang through the air. The top of Bald Mountain, they shortly realized, was not part of the mountain. Enormous bat-like wings stretched to life, and the being they were enclosing was rising to full height. A colossal demon whose blackish-blue color contrasted with the night above. Rounded horns sat atop his bald head, slit glowing eyes peered at all of them with ravenous intent. Air escaped from his nostrils and through the fangs of his mouth, his first breath in probably centuries. A distant orchestra began to play, the source of which was invisible, but probably the vengeful spirits that heard Chernabog's awakening cry.

The demon observed his surroundings before waving his arms and singing his song. Dark, monstrous notes soared into the atmosphere, his graceful movements directed their path. All across Symphonia they would soar, and already darkness was swallowing the land. "Yes! It's working, Cass!" Butch laughed. "Alright, Meloetta, tell that lunk to waste these twerps and we'll bring him to the Boss! …Eh?"

Meloetta had already flown out of the vessel, staring at them with milky glowing eyes. Chernabog snarled at the duo, pulled his mighty right arm back, and flew a godlike punch at the tiny ship. "WE'RE BLASTING OFF AGAAAAIIIIN!" Twinkle.

Meloetta flew meters in front of Chernabog's face. She stared blank and mesmerized still into his shining, lustful eyes. His mouth opened wide, and snapped the spirit inside, the operatives gasping in horror. Chernabog swallowed, and he felt his power rejuvenating. He roared to the heavens, he was heard all across the planet, the children shielded their ears as the cry tingled their souls. Dark mist appeared on Chernabog's form, and from it emerged ghostly demons that flew everywhere, to all corners of Symphonia, to absorb its wonderful voices.

"We have to stop it!" Chris yelled, throwing off his headband and aiming his Combustion Eye. He inhaled and blasted the sparking beam, but Chernabog swung his fist and destroyed it partway, snarling venomously at the children. "Didn't even scratch him."

Chernabog inhaled and unleashed a Song Beam of dark notes, which would surely deafen their souls for all time. Sugar inhaled and unleashed a white Song Beam that contrasted his dark, defending her friends successfully. Both beams stopped as Sugar caught her breath. Aurora unlocked Ice and Flame Gates, Sheila spun her Light Fists, Chris blasted more combustion, but neither attack made a dent in Chernabog. But Sugar was dancing gracefully, listening to the orchestra however dark it may be, and created a beautiful rainbow Song Road. She soared up and around the winged demon and blasted a Song Beam, hurting the side of his head, before he furiously blew her away. "Is musicbending the only thing that hurts him?" Apis asked.

Sugar regained herself and stood straight on her midair Song Road. "Then a battle of song it is."

Boss fight: Chernabog

Chernabog unleashed a wave of dark notes, which Sugar dodged and surfed to the demon's left. She waved up and down to evade his arms, stretching her note trail longer as she wrapped around his head. Chernabog furiously tried to pry the notes off of him, then succeeded in swatting Sugar away with his powerful arm. "Uwah!" She flew for miles, but she recomposed and created her Song Road, flying against the winds to the towering demon again. He unleashed a deafening roar that summoned magma from the planet's core in the form of geysers, Sugar dodging around them hurriedly, but a magma wall erupted before her that startled her out of her notes. She plummeted to the earth, seeing the ground ready to burst with lava, but she regained herself, waved her arms to the music, and created another road to fly away just when the string of geysers erupted.

Once away from the pillars of magma, Chernabog took a deep breath, and blasted a beam of dark notes that Sugar countered with her own. White against black-blue, their energies shoved against the other, before both beams vanished and Sugar caught her breath while flying. Chernabog whooshed his arms and sent gusts of wind that turned into demonic notes, Sugar riding the wind as she evaded, moving toward Chernabog again. The demon opened its mouth wide and GNASHED, but Sugar soared directly skyward, so the angered demon leaped up to clutch her. He missed again, her Song Road zipping an aimless colorful trail as she blew around, fell facefirst toward the demon, and unleashed a powerful Song Beam.

Her white beam struck the demon's face, increasing his anger as he searched for the child. Sugar was lower than eye-level and much farther away, but within seconds, she zipped up and scratched his left eye, turning to face him while floating in place several meters in the air. Chernabog covered his eye and snarled at her, but Sugar smiled witfully and noted the glass patch covering her own eye. Dark mist appeared on his body and became dementors, cloaked phantoms that fed on souls. Sugar flew away, the air turned colder at their presence, separate ones flew at her and tried to grab, but she avoided with the power of rhythm. She whooshed back into the air, aiming to turn toward Chernabog, but a dementor ambushed her from below. Its empty face glared inches from her as its vortex mouth opened, Sugar's beautiful voice flowing into it from her own mouth. She felt her very being fade, the world blurring around her, in seconds her soul would be lost.

Lightning struck the dementor from below and pushed him off, but Sugar had already fallen. Her arm was grabbed by another force, and looking up, she found Hatsune Miku riding a neon cyan Song Road. "Don't lose your voice, yet! The song isn't over!"

"Damn, these ghosties, are a little too chilly for my lightning bolts' roasting, fools, ya fools." Killer Bee rapped, blasting lightning bolts at the dementors.

"Just don't let 'em get too close and we'll be cool." Sunny said, blowing Note Beams out of his saxophone.

"Sugar, let's attack him together!" Miku sang, releasing the child as she created her own Song Road and both flew around opposite sides. They both released soundwaves that did little damage, but confused the demon, he flailed his arms and erupted magma from the earth, Hatsune blew a soundwave that pierced a geyser so Sugar could fly through and blow a Song Beam into Chernabog's face. Chernabog let out a roar and fist-palmed, the impact causing a wind that blew Sugar and Miku miles away. The demon sang and waved his arms, creating stream after stream of Demon Notes that flew at either girl. Miku cried a soundwave into her microphone, increasing its volume as Chernabog clamped his ears shut, leaving Sugar to fly at him with a huge, shining, bladed note in her hands, which she slashed across the demon's face while passing by.

The demon roared to the heavens and erupted a great flaming column around his form. He unleashed fire breath that turned into horseback demons, all running at Sugar and Miku as they jabbed fiery spears, the girls gracefully dodging before Sugar blasted a Song Beam at a final one, though the sides of her clothing were scorched. "You said he was a Song Demon, right? He has a lot of powers." Sugar gasped.

"Musicbending can become anything, remember?" Miku replied. "Anything his soul desires."

Chernabog roared again, creating Demon Notes that snapped their teeth on their way to Sugar, who barrel-rolled and dodged. "Then we'll need to create things, too. From my soul… oooooooooooaaaaaaaaaa." Beautiful notes flowed out from Sugar's lungs, their bases morphing into grapes. The grapes bounced and danced around Chernabog's head, exploding and covering him with juice. Sugar put rage in her next vocal, sending a Tatababasco Grape-note whose expression was furious. By the time Chernabog wiped the juice off his face, the spicy note made it and exploded, burning the demon with lava-like juice. Sugar and Miku surfed around him, wrapping his body in their notesheets. He tugged and tried his best to tear them off, but the girls soared up behind him, over his head, and shot down, forcing his head over and smashing against the mountain.

The singers released and watched him slowly rise up again. More hate and rage burned on his features, white dementors appeared this time, with a more chilly aura that almost froze their skin. Killer Bee tried to shoot them with lightning from below, but barely laid a scratch. "Damn. If only we had a lightbender to be our defender."

Sheila perked. "'ey, I'm a lightbender!"

"Y- What?! Fools, ya fools, help me stop them!"

"Okay, sheesh!" Sheila whirled her fists and sent Light Spheres at the white phantoms, making them sink.

"We can use illusions to stop them, too!" Jack Skellington created glowing note-made bats from his vocals, snapping the dementors in their teeth to scare them off. Sugar created glowing nutcrackers while Hatsune made cute cyan dolls of herself, all singing happily to scare the phantoms away.

"We aren't any close to defeating him, though. We have to get Meloetta out of him." Sugar said.

"His exterior is very powerful, but if one of us managed to get inside him…"

"I'll do it. Give me an opening and I'll go in." Sugar said determinedly.

With a concerned look, Hatsune nodded and flew circles toward Chernabog again. The demon coughed notes in any direction she went, Hatsune nimbly dodging and shooting skyward just before he blew an air gust inches from her. Hatsune was miles in the sky before she turned, becoming still, silent, and shutting her eyes as her cyan road vanished and she fell. The demon channeled power in his fist and readied to punch upward, but "AAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" A fearsome soundwave from Sugar's lungs drew his attention, but the moment he looked, Hatsune was gone from her point in the sky, having rode the soundwaves and was down at Chernabog's crotch in a split second. She conjured a shining note on the heel of her boot and kicked the demon, resulting in a blood-hurdling screech that might be heard for light-years. "Now, Sugar!"

Zigzagging around the air, Sugar went straight for the demon's gaping mouth, muted his screams with a Silence Shield, and dove inside. It was pitch-black inside and very cold; the inside of a demon's body was much larger than any other creature's. Dementors were still coming at her, she sang musical nutcrackers and grapes to bite or blow them away. She felt she was getting nowhere flying around this dimension, but eventually, she found a swarm of dementors surrounding and absorbing the energy from Meloetta's body. "Hey, leave her alone!" Sugar flew forward and sang Song Beams to push the phantoms off. "Meloetta, wake up! Meloetta, please!"

"Ooooooo…" The spirit's majestic voice came out faintly.

The dementors recovered and lunged at Sugar, who shot down and escaped before turning to unleash notes. She struck one dementor while the others rounded on her, she shot up in attempt to escape, but their skeletal claws took hold and chilled her flesh. She struggled to shake free, but a dementor turned her head toward him and began to suck out her precious soul. She tried with all her power to fight, but the world was turning cold, dark.

When she was younger, growing up in Fun Fun Castle, playing with all her favorite toys. Her mother and father were too busy, the castle's maid, Monet Sinclaire played with her lots. On her tenth birthday, she grew no more, was given a Devil Fruit that ceased her aging. She followed her father's orders and turned people into toys, nobody remembered them, but Sugar remembered it all, all the loved ones she removed. She masked all her pain and was mean to everyone, even Monet, and then she watched as she got a new little brother, growing up like normal, 'til he matched Sugar's 10 years, and within a few more, he would be the older sibling.

Those painful memories were what made her Don Quixote Sugar. An innocent, growing child made into a tool. She wanted it all to end… until she met him.

Cadet Next Door Graduation was here, Sugar stuck her booger in the module and shook Cheren Uno's hand. On Mariejoa, Cheren saved her from one of the monster's attacks. Moments later, President Morgan was going to slay him, so Sugar turned Cheren into a toy and saved his life. He hated her for what she did. Then, he forgave her, convinced Sugar to live, reminded her of her love for music, gave her the moment to sing, realize her true voice. That boy whom everyone loved, was their Supreme Leader, the boy who would stop the Apocalypse and save everyone. Everyone followed his orders because they believed in him, so Sugar would, too.

A mystic glow covered Sugar's body, searing and scaring the dementors. Her long aquamarine hair breezed behind her as her body stretched. Taking breaths, recomposing herself, Sugar sang. "My soul is mine, it's not for yooo-ooou. My voice is mine, I'll SING it TOOO-oooo-oo-oo. If there's one guy… I'll give my soul to, I, will, give it to hiiiiiiim." (End song.)

Sugar soared past the dementors on her rainbow road, scaring them away from Meloetta and encasing the notes around her. "My heart is always growing ever-y daaaay. Two-thousand-ten, to this MONTH of Maaa-aa-aay. Now you will… come hear me say: we, really, need you agaaaaiiiin."

Her voice reached Meloetta, touched her soul. The Song Goddess awoke, her emerald eyes beautiful again. The inside of Chernabog's body shined with a new warmth.

The demon felt this, and it was awful. He grabbed his stomach desperately, wishing to expel it all. He hacked, coughed, and Sugar and Meloetta came flying out. Miku beamed at their appearance, as did Jack, Bee, and Sunny below. "Thank you, Sugar, for showing me your voice! Now I am free, of my OWN choice! Lend me your power, one… more tiiiime. It's TIME to send him AWAAA-YAY-YAAAAY!"

"What should I doooo, just teeeell me no-ow."

"Siiing yooour sooooong with meeeeeee!"

The duo dodged a dark Song Beam and created a beautiful rainbow trail, flying to each of the three bell towers. "These towers here, what doooo we do-oo?"

"We have to sing, yes, meeee and yooo-ou. They're made of chiiii, soooo you seeee-ee: my magic will wiiiin the daaaaaay." And so they circled around and around the towers, giving them life and light with their rainbow chi. "Do it with me, Sugar. Focus your love and soul with all your strength!" Sugar and Meloetta closed their eyes and folded their hands in prayer. Chernabog was going to punch them, but light shone in each corner of his eyes. The Three Bells were returning to being.

"God, save us all. Destroyyyy the darkness." sang Sugar.

"O Holy Gods, reTURN the suuuu-uuuun."

"Show us the light. The hap-py daaa-aaays."

"We still wanna haaaave some fuuuuuun!"

BOOOOONG. . . . BONG. . . . . BONG. . . .

Those golden bells had an otherworldly sound. A beautiful light that gave hope to Symphonia. …Chernabog was afraid of it. He raised his arms, shielded his face from the terror of holy tolls. Very slowly, the demon sank into the mountain, closed his wings over his form. The dark spirits faded away from Symphonia. Bald Mountain was once again in slumber, the holy bells ensuring a beautiful year.

The operatives weakly awakened. The surface of the planet was clouded in mist. They were slowly warming from the dementors' chills, happy to see each other okay. They wondered where they were and the result of the battle. Light footsteps were slowly coming closer.

A person's shadow was seen within the mist. A girl of average height and long hair was coming. They knew who it was, they just couldn't believe it. But soon, Sugar was present in full color, dirty battered clothes, longer hair, and several inches taller than before. She panted for breath, holding her chest and smiling. Her friends returned the smile… they would probably feel the same way if their heart aged a few years in seconds. "Everyone…" Sugar gasped. She waited a few moments to catch more breath. Then, she spoke with the biggest, most excited smile they've seen on her, "I HAVE BOOBS!!"

They lost any warmhearted feelings and wore blank expressions. Sugar was pressing her chest with both hands. "I'm 13 years old and they're already bulging!! After all these years, I'm finally close to having a big, blossoming pair! I can't wait until I'm older, I'm gonna be so hot and sexy, all of the guys will fall for me! Aaaaaaaahhh!" Her eyes were filled with stars as she just couldn't look away from her chest.

". . ." They had no other comment on that. "Hmhm, amazed?" Meloetta winked. "Musicbending has the power to remove any supernatural ailments. Even Time Stasis. Within a few short years, Sugar will be back to her proper age."

"Only a few short years of being short!" Sugar swayed, hugging her chest. "I can't wait until I'm all grown up! I hope I find a dress big enough-"

"QUIT IT, ALREADY!" The girls screamed. ("Gyom-gyom!!")

At the R.O.C.K.E.T.-T.R.A.I.N.

The friends relaxed and enjoyed their final moments on Symphonia. Sugar's hair and nails were growing at a steady, though unusual pace, but she kept her promise to let Aeincha be the first to give her a pedicure. "Huff, you're really, making me work." the Lilliputian panted, brushing the large comb across Sugar's hair quickly. "You grow, way too fast, huff…"

"My hair's becoming a bit much than you hoped, huh?"

"Haha, nope! I wanna get better at what I do, too!" she proclaimed determinedly. "You make, excellent practice, huff!" Then once Sugar's aquamarine hair was smooth and shiny, Aeincha grabbed a nearby larger-than-her braid, got it around the end of Sugar's hair, pulled it to the base, and made it into a ponytail with as much speed and strength as she could.

Sugar got up off the table they had laid out as Aeincha held up a hand mirror with both arms. Sugar stared at her 13-year-old self and swung her ponytail. "Outstanding work." She stared at her fingernails, the free margins finally grown to a snow white, looked down and wiggled her toes, which have grown longer with her feet. "'Guess I'll need some new shoes. And a new dress, before I break out of this one."

"Your growing should subside for a little while." Meloetta told her. "But we'll be happy to give you a treatment if it acts up again."

"Not that there's anything wrong with longer hair!" Hatsune Miku beamed. Sugar turned with surprise to see the contest judges and other contestants arrive.

"Oh yeah, the contest, who…who won?" Sugar asked.

"YOU'RE ALL winners!" Meloetta sang, raising up the '10' posts.

"Right, right…" Sunny nodded with disbelief. "Still, I think the vote's unanimous."

"I hate to say it, but my beats, don't match up to yo' feats, fools, ya fools." Killer Bee rapped.

"Only a true musicbender could take out a monster like that." Jack followed.

"I hope you sing a song with me someday!" Hatsune winked, forming a heart with her fingers.

Sugar blushed, "Really, I didn't think I was that great. Well, maybe a little, but only through a few unexpected advantages."

"One way or the other, you've awakened yourself as a musicbender, and so your growing can commence." Meloetta said. "I happily accept you as my Guardian."

Sugar took out and expanded her Spirit Ball. "If you say so, then…" She threw the ball, hit Meloetta, and watched her turn into energy before flying inside. The ball fell on the ground, shook, and beeped. When the catch was sealed, the ball hovered into the air and flashed. The top half shone green while the bottom was brown. The ball lowered into Sugar's hand.

Sugar captured a FIRSTBORN! Only 8 more to go! …I think.

"…!" Sheila flinched and yelled suddenly, "AHH! I just remembered something, mates! Apparently, I'M one of these Seven Lights!"

And the friends were awestruck again. "Yeah, we figured that, Sheila, but um, how did you confirm it?" Aurora asked.

"Well, when I've been snoozin', I've been goin' to the Dream World, and I learned this from a giant talking frog. He also said another Light was awakened, too, didn't say who. I remembered 'cause that Don Gero bloke was in the Dream World."

"So then, two Lights, Sheila and someone else, were awakened," Mason counted his fingers, "so we got five Lights, and 13 Darknesses, to go."

"Yeh, but they said we also need the Firstborn, and 'far as I know, Suguh's the only Guardian so fah." Sheila informed.

"So with 8 Firstborn, 5 Lights, 13 Darknesses… sigh, I feel like we barely accomplished anything." Haruka sighed.

"Then we just need to work hahdah!!" Sheila fist-pumped. "Let's go around and find every one of these Firstborn and Dark-Lights!!"

"It's too easy when you say it out loud." Chris sweatdropped. "But… yeah. It's time to stop being lazy and start working on this quest. The first person we should go after is Dr. Nefarious. If those guys were working for him, they gotta know something about all this."

"Okay." Aurora nodded seriously. "Let's get to it, pack up your things and everyone on the train."

"Not me." Sugar told them. "I wanna stay here and perfect my musicbending. I wanna become stronger so I can repay Cheren for…for helping me. We're gonna destroy the World Leaders together."

"Okay, Sugar." Haruka nodded. "But don't be too long. We only have one month. …I have to ask, though… how did Caesar make a Devil Fruit that stops your age?"

"I'm not sure. But I heard my dad say he got the material from the Government. …That's one of the reasons I wanna beat them."

The Sector V friends exchanged understanding nods. "Alright. Good luck, Sugar." Chris said as they began boarding the train. "Come back soon." Within minutes, the airborne train roared to life and blasted out of the atmosphere.

The blue sky morphed into stars and blackness in the cockpit's windshield as Fi appeared before the kids. "Fi, go back to Earth and tell everything that happened to Cheren. Word-for-word." Aurora ordered.

"Do Master Cheren's friends not need assistance in returning to Milky Way?"

"We might stay in this galaxy for a while, but it's important he knows this, first. Tell him we'll be fine."

"Very well. I wish you the best on Master Cheren's behalf. Should he request, I will return to you soon." Fi morphed into a ball of light and soared across the galaxy like a comet.

"After all, it's a hefty bit of progress than we expected." Aurora shrugged. "Just how fast can one month go?"

Mariejoa

Things were quiet in The King's throne. He enjoyed the serenity that gave him time to contemplate today's events. A green portal spawned on the opposite end, the Grim Reaper appearing. "I'm not here for any trouble." he told The King. "But I'm not afraid to get messy. Hand over the body. Now."

"…It's over there." The King pointed to Grim's right. "You may have it. Let his children pay their respects."

Grim calmly approached the brown solid coffin. His dear friend, Nigel Uno, the Demon King for only one minute. He was peaceful in eternal slumber. Grim levitated the coffin with magic. "Thank you." It floated behind him as he returned to the portal. He stopped just before entering, and wore a grave face that he didn't show to King. "…You may have disrupted your Sands of Time with that Octogan, but I still see your death. …He is going to come here."

The King was not moved. On his throne, he appeared like a statue. "One day this month… that boy will find you… and he will destroy you. Then you, like thousands of mortals before you will learn… never to mess with the Uno Royal Family. Okay… Andrew?" Grim and the coffin entered the portal, which vanished.