B-29. Freedom

Ladies and germs, we are beginning the final arc of the Side Stories: Noah's Arc. It will be fairly long as the Side Stories will end at Chapter B-35, during which we will cover up the three character stories.

Pueblo de Niebla

Let's recap for a second: following their parley with Captain Slag, the Marzipan Pirates flew to Pueblo de Niebla to ask Luviro about the sixth Lost Candy. They flew by Team Sandman's aircraft, and before confronting the sick child, the crew decided to bare witness to the exciting conflict that took place in the village. A group of kids whom the pirates were pretty sure were Kids Next Door operatives fought a band of dark creatures. One of these kids grew exponentially gigantic and seemed to have no clue on his surroundings. Before he could cause too much damage, Stewie blasted this boy with his Metahuman Neutralizer. This seemed to work as the boy shrunk back to a normal size.

When Augustus was finally ready to see Luviro again, he led his crew up the path to his house. He cocked a brow: there was a skeleton boy in black clothes and a Western hat. "Well, you aren't something I see every day." Augustus said to the undead boy.

The skeleton looked up. He had glowing red eyes in his sockets. "Neither are you. What're you doing here?"

"Here to see Luviro." Augustus walked toward the house with his crew following.

Django was confused. "How do you know Luviro?"

"I met him a few months ago." The captain entered the old house.

Django gaped, pondering the teen's words. "Luviro's… alive? …" Feeling too curious, he joined the crew in the house.

The home was as fallen apart and poorly managed as either Django or Augustus had last seen. They all approached the bed by the dead fireplace. The lump that belonged to its occupant was still there. Django only watched as Augustus put his hand on the lump. "Luviro… are you awake?"

Django gasped upon hearing the faint, agonizing moan. "Au…gus…tus…"

"LUVIRO!" Django was quick to climb on the bed. The pale, dying face of his old friend opened his yellowish eyes. "Luviro… is that really you?"

Luviro coughed. "Dj…Django… You look… horrible…" He cracked a faint smile.

"…Hm." Django smirked. "Compared to you, I'm a sight. But… this isn't possible. You shouldn't even be alive… let alone look the same as you did 30 years ago!"

"Thirty years ago?!" Stewie asked baffled.

"Mw-mw?!" Maggie shared his confusion.

"You three are one to talk." Augustus noted. "Luviro, look! We have four of the Lost Candies!" He took the Infi-Cube and released the Rock Nut, Cupcake Core, Gear Heart, and Sun Key on his bed.

Luviro gazed at the treasures and made a faint hiss that sounded like a long gasp. "Los Caramelos Perdidos… You really found them for me?"

"I did!" Augustus said happily. "Just like I said I would! And I'm about to find the other ones, too! But I need to know where the sixth one is. Can you tell me?"

He coughed. "Augustus… I've never been more happy… I'm so thankful that you… are finding them. …I have a secret to tell you. Uncover my head, Augustus… Please."

Augustus viewed the blanket that covered his head. It seemed awfully thick for what he assumed was little space underneath. But he felt something hard underneath when he grabbed the blanket. Augustus pulled it off… He, Django, and the babies gaped.

Luviro had graying black hair and pale orange horns. The twin horns curved into swirls like a lizard's tail. "My name is… Luviro Lizaro. I am from a world called Alternia. Augustus… do you know about the Apocalypse that will happen at the end of this month?"

"The Apocalypse…" Augustus was still trying to process this strange appearance, so this new knowledge didn't reach him right away. "No…"

"The Apocalypse will destroy everything… He will destroy everything… But there is a way to save everyone. When the Lost Candies are brought together… they will create the ship to the New World… and it will sail for three years… I was sent to this universe thousands of years ago… to help the Sugar Fairies hide the Lost Candies…"

"Thousands of years…" Augustus whispered to himself, trying to process it all. "So… the Lost Candies create a ship?"

"Sí… It is the most powerful ship in the entire multiverse… created by Termina's Giants. If it isn't complete… nobody will survive… The universe is doomed… Augustus, please… You need to complete the ship. Save… everybody…"

"But none of this makes sense! An Apocalypse is gonna destroy the universe, who else knew about this?!"

"The Kids Next Door." Django answered. "What? You seriously weren't aware of this Seven Lights Quest that's been happening all month?! Hwow, you need to catch up!"

"Luviro, if all this is true, why couldn't you have told me earlier? I would've spent more time looking for them!"

"I had to be sure I could trust you… If you were really willing to find the Lost Candies… then I could. Augustus… I have Universe Cancer… My body absorbed too much of the energy from my peoples' Transportifier… and after I landed in this universe, my lifespan became bound to it… I can feel it… It's going to happen soon… cough. Augustus… please find the last candies… please… cough!"

"But where is it? Where's the sixth candy?"

"The final candy… we hid under an island… that looks like a squished gumdrop."

"Gumdrop Cove!" Stewie said with realization.

"Augustus… I'm sorry I lied to you before…" Luviro spoke hoarsely. "I'm sorry that I… gave you this difficult mission… But I loved this universe… I loved every moment I spent here… It's so much nicer than Alternia… I just wish… it didn't have to go… cough. Augustus… go find the last candy, quickly… I may not get to see you again… so I want you to know… I'm really grateful… you came to see me…" He fell asleep.

"Luviro…" Augustus put a hand on his head. Django felt for Luviro's heart, but his boney hand had no feeling.

"Luviro… why…" Django would be crying tears if he could. "Why didn't you tell me… I would've done it for you! I was DEAD for 30 years, I had nothing else to do! LUVIRO!"

"Calm down, he's still breathing!" Augustus yelled. "He isn't dead, yet. Still… is his lifespan really bound to this universe? And the Apocalypse… could that be what the fairies were talking about?"

"Augustus, do you know what's going to happen at the end of this month?" Zeira asked.

"This month? At the end of this month, Luviro's gonna die. He's terminally ill, and he wants to see the Lost Candies before it happens."

"…I see…" Zeira was clearly suspicious of his reason, though Augustus couldn't imagine why.

"She did know…" Augustus thought back to that conversation. "She knew all along… Kids, we have to go. We need to search Gumdrop Cove for the Lost Candy." He recollected the four candies and began to walk out. "What are you gonna do, Skeleton?"

Django glanced at them, still kneeled on Luviro's bed. "I'm gonna stay here… I promised Luviro I would be with him when he died… I thought I missed my chance, but now… I can keep my promise."

"…" Augustus took out a lollipop and tossed it to Django. "If he wakes up, give that to him."

Django stared at the green candy, hearing the footsteps of the crew fade out of the house. "I doubt either of us could taste it now…" Django chuckled.

"Augustus, are we going to tell Captain Slag about Gumdrop?" Stewie asked on their way to the Ace Flyer.

"Not yet. I wanna get my hands on it before Slag or Licorice have a chance to find out. If Licorice knew where it was, his boys would've been swarming Gumdrop already. We have a shot."

"But he didn't even tell us what the candy looked like!" Rallo shouted.

"Yes he did, Rallo. The Lost Candies are parts to a ship. We have four of the parts, the fairies have the fuel… so all that leaves is the ship itself."

KND Moonbase

Sector RZ parted ways with Wendy and her group once they left Lunaria's atmosphere. The team of four returned to a shabby-looking Moonbase, parking their C.O.O.L.-B.U.S. in the hangar. Lulu, Denny, and Diwata headed for the Supreme Leader's office while Lee remained with his sister, who was lain on one of the bus's seats.

When Dillon saw the team come onto the bridge, he gestured Carol to follow as he jogged up to them. "Sector RZ! Where've you… Is that Diwata?" he questioned the blue-skinned girl with round white eyes.

"Yes, it's me." Dee confirmed. "Before we start explaining, let's get Cheren."

They knocked on the leader's door before entering the office. Cheren looked up with a quizzical expression. "Lulu, Denny? And…"

"Diwata." She rolled her eyes. "Cheren, we gotta show you something."

They led Cheren, Dillon, and Carol back down to the hangar and entered the C.O.O.L.-B.U.S.. Lee stepped aside to give them a look at his sister… The three gasped at the sight of the hole in Leanne's chest. They nearly died of shock. "Wh…What the hell happened?!" Cheren choked out.

"Leanne's dead." Lee said solemnly. "It happened on a mission to Lunaria."

"Lunaria?! I didn't give you any mission!"

"We sorta got it on our own." Lulu replied. "To sum it up…"

The next few minutes were spent recapping the adventure. Dillon couldn't bring himself to ask questions… Leanne was a close friend. He comforted her when her prank against Francis backfired, they played videogames together… Dillon wasn't particularly in love with her, but a recent conversation suggested differently about her.

"So Dillon, I notice you've been spending an awful lot of time with Carol."

"Well, she is tryin' out to be a new member of the team. I'm just helping her out."

"Ah. It's only fair, I guess, with Vanellope gone… no offense."

"What does that mean?"

"Come on, Dillon, you're totally hitting it up with that rich girl. And she knows computers now just like Vanellope!"

"That doesn't mean I LIKE her!" Dillon flushed. "And I wasn't in love with Vanellope either, she was my sister!"

"Adopted sister."

"It's still gross!"

"Fine, but I'm still gonna tell you that money doesn't buy happiness."

"I KNOW that! Besides, Carol's in love with Mason. I don't wanna steal her because I couldn't tease Mason then."

"Well, Mason still has Sheila, so you and her still have a shot, I guess." Leanne shrugged.

"Yeah, you're probably right… I MEAN, NO YOU'RE NOT!"

"Dillon, are you okay?" Carol asked comfortingly, putting a hand on his shoulder.

Dillon glanced at her and sported a light smile. "For a while, I sort of had the feeling… Leanne had a crush on me. I don't know if she did or… she was just poking fun. …I guess I'll never find out now."

"Sigh… We better go tell Mom and Dad so we can start preparing the funeral." Lee said.

"We don't have time for another funeral." Cheren replied.

"WHAT?!" Lee whipped at him, and Damien bared fangs and hissed, sharing his master's anger. "We had a funeral for your dad, but you don't wanna have one for my SISTER?! I thought you were a nice guy that tried to be too nice, but you're really a selfish PRICK, aren't you?!"

"The Apocalypse is 15 days away!" Cheren yelled. "I'm as upset as you are and I wanna have a funeral, but we don't have time! We need to focus our energy on finding the Lights and saving the universe! If all of us are dead, there'll be no one to mourn her! But if we're successful… then we'll give her a funeral."

"…Hmph. I wonder if you would say that if Anthony died, or Aurora, or just about anyone from a higher-up sector."

"Calm down, Lee." Lulu appeased.

"Uh-uh. I don't get why Cheren is allowed to have a bedridden 'my life is over' moment and I shouldn't."

"I'm not berating you for being upset," Cheren argued, "I just want you to be sure you don't lose sight of the mission at hand."

"Oh, well sorry for not trying to find the Seven Lights that we don't know who they are. Sorry that no one in my sector fell asleep and received a destiny dream, EXCEPT maybe Diwata, because she's a flippin' Firstborn Guardian now! And NO ONE stopped Dillon or Melody from going to get THEIR Firstborn! In fact, if you didn't make that deal with Grim, she could just come back to life right now!"

"But if she did come back, it would kind of ruin the meaning behind Diwata's awakening." Denny reasoned. He was met with Lee's angry stare, plus silent stares from the others. "…Or something."

"Sigh… Lee, I'm really sorry about Leanne, and I'll even bump you guys higher than Sector L if you want." Cheren consoled. "But I just don't think another funeral is necessary. Anyway, since Leanne died on a mission, we'll put her in an official KND casket and keep her in the infirmary, but first you can take her down to show your parents. …We should also probably cover up her wound… it's hard to look at."

"Do whatever you want." Lee sat in the seat opposite of Leanne's. "I don't care anymore."

"…Okay, I'll leave you be." Cheren left.

Midna rose out of Dillon's shadow. "As saddened as I am about losing a fellow shadowbender, is no one going to ask about this accredited TENTH Firstborn?"

"Oh, sorry." Diwata pulled out her Spirit Ball. "Midna, meet Crest." She popped it open and released the indigo crescent-head. "Crest, meet Midna, your fellow Firstborn."

"HOLY FLAP, YOU'RE PRETTY!" Crest shouted at Midna with wide eyes. His chest moon shaped like a heart.

"GYUH!" Midna flinched, and red filled up her dark cheeks.

"You're so beautiful!" Crest got up in her face. "I don't wanna be that guy with cheap pickup lines, but I think I found the missing piece of my moon."

"Uhhh… byebye!" Midna zipped into Dillon's shadow.

Climbers Household

"Thank you for preparing this dinner, Mrs. Climber." Wendy said with a kind smile as she and the twins ate steamed carrots with mashed potatoes and melted cheese. "Um, that is your surname, right?"

"Ah, you don't have to worry about that." Nana smiled. "Just enjoy the meal! Traveling to the moon and back has to make a kid hungry."

"I wonder when my dad plans to meet me again." Wendy said to herself. "Or where."

"Wendy, I don't believe you should interact with that man, anymore." Carla stated.

"What? But Carla, he's my dad. You know how long I waited to meet him."

"I know that, Child, but there is something… off about him. Something that makes my fur tingle. Even you were detested when he attempted to-"

"I know." Wendy didn't want to hear the end of that sentence. "I agree… there's a few things that are… wrong with him. But he's still my father. I want to spend more time with him…"

Knock knock knock, came a sound from the wooden door. Popo went up to answer it, only to find nothing but snow under the night. The Eskimo peeked outside, wondering what fool would journey all the way up this mountain just for a ding-dong ditch. There was a sudden gust of wind that blew snow around, forcing Popo to slam the door.

Wendy and Carla exchanged a knowing look. "Well, um… I'm going to go for a walk. May I be excused?" Wendy asked.

"I call dibs!" Donna swiped her food.

"At least put on a coat, Child." Carla said.

Wendy donned a purple coat with thick black pants, purple boots, a white scarf, and purple mittens. She stepped out into the night cold, covering her mouth and nose to protect them from the chilly breeze. She looked up a hill and saw a floating shadow against the indigo sky. Wendy trudged up the snow and would soon discover the shadow was her father. Vaati was floating cross-legged a few inches above a floating carpet.

"Father…"

"Wendy." The Man With the Red Eye smiled, finding her outfit and posture adorable. "It's very chilly tonight."

"It sure is." Wendy uncovered her mouth to speak. "My nose always gets drippy."

"…I… hope you're not still angry at me for my actions."

"Um… I don't want to be… It just concerns me. I don't like fighting or violence… but when there is, I don't wanna see… death. Father… how often do you kill people?"

Vaati closed his eye. "More often than I'd like to admit." He reopened it. "I cringe at the sight of death, too, Wendy. I believe all beings deserve a freedom to live. And yet… there is a freedom in death as well. Beings become spirits, their souls no longer tethered by the weight of the world. When there are evil people who enjoy taking freedom, do not see the beauty in freedom, the only solace is death."

"Dad… I don't know if I like this freedom philosophy. I know that everyone deserves free will, and bad people have to be stopped… but I…I just don't know."

"The fault is mine on that. As you said, while my goal was to teach you freedom by abandoning you, let you be free to run around the world, I made you feel as though you were nothing. You were not able to look at the world as I have, Wendy. So I invite you to come see it with me."

"R…Really?" She stared at the carpet.

"This is a magic carpet I purchased from a town called Magnostadt. I never had a need to use it, since I can already fly." He blushed. "In fact, I used to have a black sky bison, but… he was a little too violent even for me. So, will you come?"

"Uh… Of course." Wendy smiled and climbed on the carpet. "Is this gonna be like Aladdin?"

"The very same." Vaati chuckled.

"Whole new world, same old song." Wendy beamed.

"Ha ha ha! However, I would like it if you take off your coat. It's so hard to embrace the air with such heavy clothing. Toss them in here." He held his hat out.

"Um… Okay, Father." After removing her coat, pants, and boots, Wendy was left with her emerald dress.

"You should take off those nasty chi-blocks, too."

"You mean my Stabilizers?"

"Yes. Do not fear your wind curse. We shall be constantly flying."

"If you say so…" Wendy reached under her dress to pull off the stickers on her waist. The wind began to build up as snow blew.

"There… Now just enjoy the breeze." (Play "Whole New World" (instrumental) from Aladdin!)

Vaati took off into the sky and the magic carpet followed. Wendy lay on her front and gripped the edge of the fabric, peering over to see the mountains shrink away from her vision. Soon, they were soaring over the clouds and over the endless sea. The view was already so majestic, and Wendy enjoyed the feeling of freedom in her soul. Her father flew around the carpet, performing barrel-rolls and gliding upside-down, smiling as he embraced the breeze. His one eye opened to stare at his daughter. Wendy smiled. "Are you going to sing, Dad?"

Vaati blushed. "Well, uh, I always considered 'Whole New World' more of a romantic song."

Wendy flushed. "Oh – right – how silly of me, that would just be weird!"

"Oh, no harm done." Vaati patted her cheek. "I remember when I brought your mother on a similar adventure."

"Will you take me to meet Mom?"

"Soon, Wendy."

Miles away from Iceland, they soared over the Mountain of Flavors, snowing with vanilla ice cream. They floated calmly between the mountains, mouths open as they caught snow on their tongues. "I can't believe ice cream actually falls from the sky. And this is natural?"

"You use magic and have been to many amazing lands, yet you question the existence of an ice cream mountain?"

"I just can't believe it's so delicious!"

"Save your appetite, Dear."

They flew through the Amazon rainforest during a gentle shower, and Wendy let her soaking blue hair hang over the carpet, creating a small waterfall. She smiled when a string of fireflies flew around her, glinting in her red eyes. She rolled on her front to watch them fly off. She then realized: "Dad, won't this rain hurt the carpet?"

"I cast a dryness spell on it just in case." Vaati assured.

"Oh! Hm hm, way to think ahead, Dad!"

Their adventure brought them to a sea of fluffy clouds. Wendy felt herself growing weary, her head lain on her crossed arms. The carpet began to feel like a bed, flying through an imaginary world. The clouds looked like sheep that Wendy counted. One, two, three, four…

"Are you getting bored, Child?" Vaati asked.

"Hm?" Her eyes cracked open. "Sorry… Clouds make me sleepy. And I keep forgetting I'm awake… Whenever I'm running around on my own, I'm always trying to focus on the path and avoid obstacles… I could never look around very much."

"It must feel good to rest your legs. It's a wonder you're so trim with all the exercise you've been garnering. Don't fall asleep yet, though. Or you will miss my most favorite of worlds."

Past the fluffy clouds, Wendy gazed in awe as they soared through a city placed atop the clouds. The people were angels, and there were giant colorful birds. "Dr. Facilier told me about this place… This is Skypia."

"The home of the Nimbi and the home of airbending. Embrace in it, Wendy. Relish. Because aside from the Minish culture, this is our heritage. The Land of Air."

"Father… can I lay down on a cloud?"

"Of course you can, Wendy. Of course…"

They found a lone, small cloud that was solid enough for Wendy to lay on. She found herself unable to find a comfortable position, because the cloud was just too fluffy, she wanted to hug it and cuddle it, rub her feet around it, let every part of her feel the wonder. This was greater than any dream. She was so glad to be with her father, have so many friends, and get to live in a marvelous world… She wanted to be grateful about everything.

"Dad… I never thought I could be this happy… I've been upset and afraid all my life… I can't believe this is real…"

"It is like the Air Nomads used to preach… If you look for the light, you will find it. But if you look for the dark, that is all you will ever see. You must allow yourself to know happiness… If you can believe it is real, then it will become real. That's what being an airbender, and even having magic is truly about."

Wendy opened her eyes and sat upright, facing her father. "Dad… Is everything really going to be destroyed at the end of this month? If we can do anything we believe… then could we stop it if we wanted to?"

"The only way is to find the Twenty Keys and venture to the New World, as I have said. I will miss this world deeply… but the next world will be one of our design. We will make it our ideal world… No boundaries, no conflict, no evil… Just freedom. But the World Government does not desire such a world. That is why we must fight them first. Will you join my team and fight the Government with me, Wendy? Join the White Lotus Revolutionaries?"

"The Revolutionaries… Will I be able to visit Dr. Facilier and Lee?"

"Of course, Dear. You will be able to visit whomever."

"…Will there be a lot of fighting?"

Vaati frowned, feeling her concern. "Whether you choose to join me or not… you will have to face battles greater than you can imagine. Those battles are not far off. I can ensure that you are ready. You just have to trust me." He held his right hand out.

Wendy stared at it for a moment. Vaati's hand was more pale than his white face, with long fingernails. Her father wasn't much for personal hygiene, it seemed. But if he was right… Wendy wanted to be ready. She didn't want to lose any more friends like Juniper, Chelia, or Leanne. She wanted to have the strength to protect them. She stood and took her father's hand. "I will, Father. I'll do whatever you think is best." (End song.)

Gravity Falls; Portal Chamber

The Multiverse Portal was firing up, ready to transport its user to a set time and place. The arrow aimed at a symbol of a skull-and-crossbones with a straw hat. The one chosen to carry out the mission allowed the portal to suck her inside. "And so, another Negative is off to fulfill her duty." Medusa said lazily, focused on her card game with her acquaintance. "Are you sure that was the right one, Teach? She really didn't seem… all that up to it. Her Positive better fits the description."

"Oh, she was the one all right." Teach smirked, munching his cherry pie. "She might not have the lovable personality I do, but there's one thing me and her have in common: our devilish streak!"

Baltigo, Grand Line; 30 years ago

On her way through the Sea of Worlds, there were bubbles depicting a man with a crescent white mustache, a guy with a long nose, a curly-brow blonde man, and a blue-haired woman with a ponytail. In a final explosion of light, the portal released her in the Original World labeled "Grand Line."

And when the ray vanished, she was revealed to be Aliehs Citnarf. As Sheila Frantic's Negative, her brown skin was grayish, and went with her gray shirt, black shorts, and gray sandals. Her raccoon ears and tail were dull, as was her expression. She detested the sunny landscape, lighting up the desert of whitish-brown soil, which blew in the wind. There were tall and rugged peaks several miles behind her. Aliehs also saw the shadow of a village through the sandy wind.

Aliehs approached the village to find it was composed of old houses, with doors opening and shutting against their hinges due to the wind. "This place is boring." Aliehs said.

Her ears perked when she heard a sound come from a house. She entered the house and saw a rotund creature digging through a pantry. The creature had white pants and a black jacket that showed his belly area. It must've been a human. "Aha!" The boy plucked himself out of the pantry, holding a cherry up in victory. "Look what I found!" He ate it. The boy had black hair and a tooth missing.

"Are you a werepig?" Aliehs asked.

"WAAAH!" The fat boy fell on his back and tilted to and fro on his blubbery body before getting back on his feet. He turned to Aliehs. "Hey, who're you?! I thought there was no one left in this dump!"

"I'm Aliehs. You live here or something? I suddenly see more in my own life."

"I don't live here! This is an old village, I'm from the one down in the canyon. You know, Gorgetown. Just looking for a bite is all. The name's Teach."

"If a centuries-old cherry doesn't give you diarrhea, I don't believe you're human."

"You're one to talk. What's up with those ears, are you a Mink?"

"Sure. If you want me to be."

"Whatever. So where'd you come from?" Teach asked as he began to leave the house.

"Far away." Aliehs answered, following him.

"How far? Across the desert, across the sea?"

"I crossed a sea to get here. Sounds logical."

"Well, if you are a Mink, you're a gutsy one. It's the Grand Line, unless you're on a Marine ship, you ain't gonna last."

"What about an Eniram ship?"

"The hell is an Eniram?"

"Never mind. You have anything fun to do around here?"

"Nothing but hunt for treasures and steal food. What do you do for fun?"

"Tie this firecracker to my back and light it up." Aliehs was suddenly holding a blue firework with a red tip, nearly as long as her body.

"WHERE ON YOUR PERSON DID YOU HIDE THAT?!" Teach screamed.

"Infi-Cube." Aliehs took the small cube out of her pocket. "Infinite space for infinite things. I think you're too big for it, though."

"What the hell do you know?!" he yelled offended.

"Hey, what's up in those mountains?" Aliehs pointed to the towering rugged peaks. "Think there's a pyramid up there?"

"Why in the world would you think THAT??"

"I dunno, I came here looking for a pyramid."

"Then you should've gone to Alabasta! Besides, that mountain is way too dangerous to climb. Even if I wanted to see what's up there, my body, eh…" He looked down at his belly. "It's not in shape."

"I can probably fly us up there." Aliehs strapped the firework to her back and drew a match. "I'll push you from behind and you tell me where to steer."

"WHO SAID I AGREED TO THIS?!"

"Don't knock it 'til you try it." Aliehs lit the fuse on the firework and rocketed to the sky. She did a U-turn and dove back at the ground, quickly curving 90 degrees and shooting straight at Teach. The rotund boy bolted the opposite direction, but at such an inferior speed, he was inevitably bound to the front of the missile and used as a flabby windshield. "Where's the mountain?"

"TURN RIGHT!" Teach panicked. "Nonono slightly left! Er- one inch right, we're gonna hit a—FALLING BOULDERS!" They were whipping through the mountain range, and with Teach's instruction, Aliehs quickly ducked "LEFT RIGHT DOWN UP DOWN DOWN RIGHT LEFT RIGHT DIAGONAL!"

With Aliehs' vision aimed down the whole time, the half-raccoon spotted a flat ground at the top of a thin mount. "We should land before we explode." Aliehs whipped up, performed a loop, and blasted toward the foothold Teach-first. She spun quickly in order to shake him off, dropping him safely and dodging left just in time. She flew up, detached herself from the rocket, and landed with him, watching the firework explode in the sky.

"THAT WAS INSANE!!" Teach bellowed after recomposing himself. "Are you TRYING to kill yourself?!"

"I used to be suicidal. Until I found a thrill with dodging death."

"I take that to mean you SWAM to this island boatless?"

"No, I surfed. I don't swim."

"Great, we have something in common! Go kill yourself by yourself, I'm climbing down—AAAAAH!" When Teach looked over the edge of their very steep mount, he shortly realized how impeccably and precariously high they were.

"I was going to suggest this way." Aliehs indicated a rickety bridge that crossed to a path up the side of a mountain. "But don't let me discourage your need for danger."

"I don't have a need for danger! But I have a craving for cherries like you wouldn't believe."

"Then maybe you should stick with me. Trust me, I know what I'm doing." Aliehs walked across the rickety bridge with no speck of fear. Teach sighed, cursing the devil that sent this monster to his island. (Play "Rockface Rumble" from Donkey Kong Country 3!)

Stage B-24: Baltigo Peak

Mission: Find the Pyrameglyph.

Teach couldn't bring himself to cross the bridge, as it could easily snap under his weight. Aliehs decided to return and kick him across like an exercise ball. Teach pushed himself back up as he joined Aliehs up the mountain path—giant boulders bounced down the path, quaking the ground powerfully, so Teach clutched Aliehs' back in the hopes she knew where to step. Aliehs kicked the boy back and jumped forward before a boulder bounced in the spot where they were formerly standing. Teach scrambled to catch up to her, and the path ended at a tall flat rock perched on the ledge.

"Let me see…" Aliehs looked around the rock and studied the area behind it. "Yeah, this could work. Hold still." She got behind Teach, shoved him against the rock, and caused them to topple over the edge. The rock landed on a U-shaped slope, and Aliehs hopped to the end of it as they rode it like a sled. Teach's cries echoed across the mountains when the sled flew off the ramp and bounced across some jagged mountain tips. It landed on a path that winded down around a mountain before launching them up a ramp.

The sled was stabbed and perched atop the tip of a needle, rocking to and fro by their weight. There was a series of tilting platforms ahead, so Aliehs used her strong feet to kick Teach to each one. She had to quickly jump and use her propeller tail to float to the platforms and kick Teach to the next before he would roll off the current one. After the last tilting platform, Teach was kicked into an opening within a mountain. The only path to follow was a shaft ascending directly upward. A rope seemed to stretch up along the wall of the shaft and would set off dynamites latched to the ceiling.

"I take it you plan to kick me up here." Teach deduced. "At least whoever set those dynamites never set 'em off."

"I'll fix that." Aliehs lit the fuse with her match.

"I DIDN'T SUGGEST YOU SHOULD DO IT!"

"Too bad." Aliehs kicked Teach in the rear to propel him up the shaft. She used the close walls to Wall Jump up, kick him again, and repeat as they steadily progressed. At the top of the shaft, Teach was kicked onto a ledge outside. Aliehs kicked him down a stairway of aligned flat-top needles, running after the organic stage device before the dynamites exploded behind her.

"Huff…huff…" Teach groggily pushed himself up again, feeling the need to hurl. "Why did you even come to this island, anyway? Why are you dragging me on this adventure?"

"I'm trying to find a pyramid. The sooner we find it, the sooner I'll leave you alone."

"Who even told you there's a pyramid up here?"

"You did."

"Come again?"

"It's getting warmer… I think there's lava up ahead."

"Don't ignore me!"

The two cut through a narrow path within a mountain and arrived at a lava pit. Two rows of stalagmites led to a ground across the lava, so without changing the routine, Aliehs kicked Teach and bounced him between the stalagmites for him to make it across. Aliehs Wall Jumped the stalagmites to cross herself, helping the rolly boy up as they followed a path between a small trench. They came to a straight path that was scorching hot, with lava leaking up from its cracks. The other side was too far to kick Teach across.

"'Guess we'll have to use this." Aliehs shot a giant ice cube out of her Infi-Cube, setting it on the scorched path and kicking Teach on it belly-first. The ice began to melt, so Aliehs kicked and slid it partway across. She had to Wall Jump the close canyon walls and kick the ice further, using her tail to stay afloat long enough to do so. When the ice bumped against the end of the scorched path, Teach was flung onto the safe foothold. He and Aliehs followed a narrow path out of the enclosed canyon and back to open mountains. They were at the top of a thin, steep hill miles above ground.

"Hey, will you do me a favor and eat this?" Aliehs asked, holding a red mushroom with white spots to Teach.

"A mushroom? Well, I am pretty…" Teach took the fungus and was about to eat. "…What'll it do to me?"

"It's a way of showing that I commend you for your conveniently durable body."

"When has it been convenient? You could've climbed up here a lot easier if you didn't have me to kick around."

"Kicking you was the best part about climbing up here. It's a 'thank you' snack."

"Hmmm… Well, who am I to turn down free food?" Teach ate the large mushroom in two bites. "HUUUULP!" He inflated to the roundness of a perfect sphere, save for his hands and feet.

"This is why plumber food is disgusting. Okay, time to serve your worth." Aliehs hopped on the Teach Ball and began rolling. (Play "Star Ball 2" from Mario Galaxy!)

The steep slope curved right and would lead them onto a wider slope with large boulders. Aliehs avoided the boulders and maneuvered left to roll into a large steam geyser. The geyser blew them up to a tunnel that cut through a mountain, and Aliehs dodged the flame spouts that would burn Teach's blubber. The tunnel dropped them on a flat tilting rock, and as gravity tried to weigh against them, Aliehs hurriedly rolled Teach up the opposite end of the rock. They rolled onto a corresponding tilt-rock and repeated the process for two more rocks until they could roll down a mountain path.

They arrived at a lava river with large flat rocks floating to the right. Teach rolled onto one of the rocks and remained steady under Aliehs' command. She rolled Teach onto a lone platform that was pushed up by a flame geyser every few seconds. They sat on the platform for a minute, wondering where to go from here. Then Aliehs noticed a crater that appeared to be corked by a trembling stone. When their platform was aloft, Aliehs rolled Teach off to smash the cork in. The lava buildup increased and they were blasted into the air, flying over several needle mounts before landing on a new hill.

Aliehs kept her balance as they rolled down with little control, maneuvering to cross the platforms over lava pits. They had a chance to rest at the bottom of the slope, but Aliehs wanted to keep the momentum flowing. She guided Teach over a very thin path above a lava pit, and the feeble stone supports were steadily cracking from the weight. Aliehs was able to get them across, rolling into a tunnel that sloped down and dropped them in a cave. Behind them was a cork in the wall, clogging some lava that urged to burst free. Aliehs rolled a good distance, came back with building momentum, and rammed Teach against the cork. She performed the act three times before the cork BURST, blowing them out of the cave and over the mountains, miles over the earth. (End song.)

When Teach's spherical exterior smashed against the ground, a strong BUUURP was forced from his lungs and he deflated back to his regular rotund form. As Aliehs was casually fixing her sandals, her expression dull as when they started, Teach stomped up to her in a rage. "I don't know who you are or where you came from, but YOU are OFFICIALLY, the CRAZIEST humanoid girl that has EVER set foot on this desert! My life flashed before my eyes, I came close to crapping myself, and YOU act like it was another day in the life!"

"It was."

"Well, you know what I have to say?!" His eyes widened with vigor, and he flexed his hands to express: "Best. Day. EVER! ZEEE HA HA HA!" He raised a fist and posed proudly. "I felt like I was rolling down from Heaven, to be reborn anew on Planet Earth! I still feel my blood churning! I want some more, I wanna do it again! Aliehs, let's race up the mountain and run down so fast, we become wind!"

"You have come so far, my student." Aliehs said with approval.

"ZE ha ha!" Teach waddled as he ran around the path. "I wonder if pirates do this? Always out on that dangerous sea, they gotta be…?"

His eyes fell on a stone pyramid with an eye on its tip. Just like Aliehs said… but what kind of pyramid was it? Teach approached the stone, and at first, the only letter he could read was the huge D on the bottom. And yet, when the letters glowed, the writing became clear.

The world is full of freedom and full of adventure. It lies stretched out before your eyes. If the endless dream guides your restless spirit, seize it! Let nothing stand in your way!

The "D" on the stone filled with a dark aura that floated before Teach's eyes. The "D" flew into Teach's chest, and he felt his heart THUMP.

Marshall D. Teach awakened as a DARKNESS. Only 4 more to go.

"Hmmm…" Teach wasn't sure what had happened, but his need for excitement grew stronger. He turned to Aliehs and asked, "So, what made you into such a crazy psycho? Somebody use you for a balance ball?"

"Not that in particular, but it was this girl." Aliehs took out a small photo of her Positive, Sheila. She was smiling and holding two fingers up.

"She looks a lot like you… She your sister?"

"Well, we were born on the same day."

There was a FLASH in the sky, and the earth trembled when a ray of light burned the ground behind Aliehs. "What the… Aliehs, behind you!!" Teach panicked.

"This is my ride home." Aliehs turned to walk into it. "See ya later, Teach. Oh, and when they offer you a part in Pan, say no." The light sucked Aliehs to the sky, leaving a scorched spot where it shone.

Seconds after, Teach felt his stomach rumble. But to his good fortune, he noticed three large berries growing from a dead tree. The berries were black with red swirls. His face beaming, Teach punched the tree and caught the dropped berries. He took the first bite of the first berry. "Blech! How awful! …" He continued eating.

Portal Chamber

"Boy, I was fat back then." Teach frowned. "But who would've thought I was talking to an interdimensional traveler. Destiny is a funny thing."

"It really is, Teach." Medusa played a card. "Still, I feel bad for the Negatives. None of them are Lights, none of them are Darknesses, none of them are Firstborn Guardians. They're just pawns doing my dirty work. What a pitiful bunch."

"I can hear you loud and clear." Nerehc said from the darkness. "And I don't like you talking about my operatives that way."

"Loosen up, boy. Even you have to see that you're the only Negative worth anything. The new Demon King Nerehc."

"Then why don't you send me to find the Darknesses?"

"Because these Negatives possess a certain charm that… relates to them better. Thanos likes bickering siblings, Yellow Diamond's a fan of rocks… and Teach, deep down, is a danger seeker."

"But if Teach is here right now, where are the other Darknesses?"

"They're on the lowest floor of Underworld Prison. I broke in there last year and tried to rescue them, but Teach was all I could recover. Rest assured, I have a plan."

The Multiverse Portal spat Aliehs out before returning to its normal neon colors. "Well, look who's back." Blackbeard approached the half-raccoon and patted her head. "To think just seconds ago, I was a fatty little brat. Amazing how much a man grows, huh? Ze ha ha ha!"

"You look less grown up than before." Aliehs said.

"Ahh, say whatever you want. I'm just glad I was picked to be the Darkness instead of Kaido."

"Based on your stories, Teach, I say any one from that world could've been a Darkness." Medusa said. "Anyhoo, I believe we're done here, time to pack up. You might want to let those kids go." Medusa formed a Dark Portal and entered. Blackbeard used his Logia darknessbending to spit Sector GF out of his body, afterwards sucking the card table in. He followed Medusa as the portal vanished.

"Oh my gosh, what just happened?!" Dipper panicked. The color was sapped from the four operatives' faces. "W-W-We were trapped in a black hole that smelled like rotting cherries!"

"I guess it's true." Mabel rocked back and forth, hugging her legs. "Anime characters really do have endless bowels."

"Never-To-Be-As-Good-As-Master Nerehc, regarding your accord with Goddess Medusa, I suspect a 91% chance of treachery on her end." Fi said.

"REALLY, Fi?" Nerehc's eyes widened into a fake look of realization. "That DIDN'T occur to me!"

"Please take heed that any misfortune that should befall you may have drastic consequences for Master Cheren."

"I might be your master's Negative, but I won't let her get the best of me. I'll fight to protect my operatives no matter what. And as long as Cheren does the same, I have nothing to worry about."

Pokémon Palace

Giovanni returned to his private quarters, feeling anger and humiliation. He sat at his desk and linked the security camera feed with his computer. He viewed a cell in the dungeons… completely empty with a pair of cuffs on the floor, and a note. Giovanni zoomed the camera in on the note.

Got bored. Felt like leaving. Better luck catching me next time! –M.C.

Giovanni was too exhausted to feel more irritated. His Persian meowed and gestured at the ovular mirror, which wobbled like liquid. Giovanni viewed the unchanging scowl of his reflection as he and Persian entered the mirror.

Now he was in the dark basement where Team Gnik held their meetings. There was a table with a Krabby Patty, Fourth Flavor ice cream, and a hot bowl of Gold Ink Soup. Giovanni sat in the available chair and ate the Krabby Patty first. "Plankton has outstanding culinary skill." The dull, mysterious voice spoke. Team Gnik's leader was in the darkness across the room.

Giovanni swallowed. "Lesser Lord Gnik. Are you going to punish me for my failure?"

"Trying to control a monster like Acnologia was bound for failure. There is a reason he was the first vessel my master chose. The ancestor of the Pines Family… Acnologia." He stepped forward into the light.

Giovanni nearly choked on his patty. "Is that really your face? How…How do you live that way?"

"I am not to leave this home until the appointed day…" Ragaj said as the camera faced his chest to troll the readers. "It is why I had to gather minions to serve my master's cause. I promised to take them to the New World… yet, I did not sense that many of them would make it. Mr. Dark has already served his purpose… and XANA and Nefarious are about to serve theirs. However, you, Giovanni… I may require your services just a bit longer."

He put a glass on the table and held up a bottle, pouring a blue liquid into it. He pushed the glass up to Giovanni. "You will not be on par with the Thirteen Darknesses… but you will be a formidable force. You will get everything you wanted."

"…" Giovanni reached for the glass.

"Oh, it's not for you. It is meant for the Persian."

Giovanni quirked a brow. He picked up the glass and held it to his Pokémon. The Persian licked it up. "MROOOW!" A shocking sensation coursed through it.

"PERSIAN!"

"Wait." Ragaj raised a hand.

Persian rolled on the floor, his fur spiking and his forehead gem glowing. A red light burst from the gem and swallowed the feline. It shrunk back and revealed Mega Persian, with its shining large ruby gem, sharper fangs, long claws, and tiger stripes across its back. "It's a… Mega Evolution."

"A permanent Mega Evolution. Thanks to my specially ordered Perma-Mega Potion. I have vast quantities of it… I would grant them to you and more. With the power of your Dark Balls, I can give you an army of Mega Pokémon to use at your disposal. And if you remain by his side… the Firstborn will be yours."

Giovanni smirked. "Well, I guess it's worth a try."