79. Beacon of Hope

Washington

Jessie Sidney blew Sleep Bubbles over the Inferi of James McGarfield and Carter Pewterschmidt, but the sleepless presidents popped them. "Don't have any other tricks, Jessie?!" James retorted. "You ain't nothin' in the real world!"

"Nothing but a way better president than you were." Shelly Johnson threw sand spheres over the two Inferi using her Fury Mode, crushing them with the Sand Coffin. "Of course, he still ain't as tough as me." She winked.

"Is that a challenge I heard?" Jessie smirked. "AAAH!" A snake grabbed him from a dark portal and yanked him in.

"Shorts?!" Shelly gasped. The Inferi broke free of the Sand Tombs and turned to attack her. That was before trees burst from the ground and encased the Inferi their selves.

"Why don't you leave the capturing to me, Human?" a girl's echoing voice spoke.

Shelly looked up behind her. "YIKES! Where did you come from?!"

Jessie was dropped on a field in the outskirts of town, where Sheila, Suki, and Kimaya had already been taken. "Seven Lights." Medusa stood before them beside a man bound in several locks. "It's amazing how close we've come to the climax of this prophecy."

"Man, it's THIS bitch again." Kimaya said. "But that guy beside you… that's-"

"Master Xehanort. Trapped in the most horrible locking spells known to man. Except for the Time Gate, of course." Medusa smirked. "The power of your Keyblades should rid him of the binds effortlessly."

"Why the hell would we do that?" Jessie questioned.

"Because he's one of the Thirteen Darknesses. You really have no choice if you kids have any hope of surviving. So, be good little Keyblade wielders and free this bald little man." The goddess stroked Xehanort's head sensually.

"Sigh… Fine, then." Kimaya raised her Keyblade as the other Lights drew theirs. They aimed them at Xehanort's binds as beams of light connected them with the Keyblades. "I'm seriously starting to wonder if this is a good idea."

"I'm still Groot." Suki still didn't understand anything going on here.

God's Domain

Chris and Aurora Uno used their Fury Modes and sent a Mega Combustion and Fire-Ice Beam at King Andrew. The King combined Armament Haki with his Octogan's beam to counter both forces, leaving His Majesty unscathed. "You CAN'T be serious!" Aurora exclaimed.

"Should you not be helping your friends?" Andrew pointed behind them, indicating Maddy's rematch with Rob Lucci. The former used all the strength in her Haki Fury while Lucci was going Primal against her.

"Maddy defeated Lucci before, she'll beat him again!" Chris assured.

"Will she now?" King Andrew flashed the Octogan, and instantly Chris, Aurora, and Maddy's Fury Modes vanished.

"WHAT?!" yelped Maddy. "What happened to my Haki Fury?!"

"The Octogan has altered your memories and prevented you from remembering how to enter your Fury Forms. You have even forgot most of your training."

"Then we'll just have to train them again!" Zach Murphy declared. "On the potties, all of you."

The three kids were sitting on toddler-size potty-training toilets. "I DIDN'T MEAN THIS KIND OF TRAINING!" Andrew shouted.

"HEY!" Maddy beamed. "I remember how to use my Fury again!" She lit her body with Haki flames, using swift speed to resume landing blows on Lucci.

"GAAAH!" Andrew cried from the Octogan's rage. "This is impossible! ! Why didn't the Octogan see something so foolish?! Nigel Uno, BURN THEM!"

"Kids, behind you!" In his dragon form, Nigel blew fire breath over his children, but Eva Jackson beheaded her late cousin with a giant Water Slice.

"This fight will never end as long as the Inferi keep respawning!" Eva yelled.

"They're powered by shadows, so maybe my lightbending can do something." Index lit her body with white light.

"AAAAH!" This caused Wendy and Sector SA to catch on fire. "Index, don't lightbend!" Nagisa ordered. "We need to wait until we get our shadows back."

"Where do you think Aunt Daphne's hiding?" Dillon asked. "She must have the shadows with her."

"I'm feeling a ton of Shadow Chi from that direction." Midna pointed to a distant, one-floor building that had a glass roof. "Daphne may be hiding in there."

"Come on, Midna, let's go bring her down!"

"I'm coming too, Dillon!" Danika stated. "I have a score to settle with Aunt Daphne."

"So do I. Just leave it to me, Mom, stay out here and keep the Inferi busy. I got Firstborn power with me."

"Would you be saying that if your father offered to help?"

"Honey, I'm a little preoccupied myself!" Nolan yelled, laying an Armament beatdown on Dracula. Behind him, Doflamingo tried to stab strings, only for Rachel to slice off the puppeteer's hands and then his head, which only grew back.

"And honestly, I wouldn't have." Dillon winked. With that, he and Midna ran for the aforementioned building.

"Ugh! I hate being the stay-at-home mother…" Dani sighed.

Rose Garden

The chaotic fighting hadn't spread here, yet. Daphne Anderson's rose garden was bathed in a dim gray light, due to the ceiling window that filtered it that way, highlighting the color on the gray roses. Daphne was calmly picking the petals off a black rose, connected to a simple criminal somewhere in a distant city. Before she set her fingers on the last petal, Daphne opened her eyes and faced up. Dillon York and Midna were at the entrance. "We meet again." she spoke softly.

"Are you the one who's controlling all the zombies?" Dillon asked.

"All the World Leaders share control of the Inferi. However, destroying us will be a pointless effort. Only the one who developed the potion can command the Inferi to fall back into rest. Of course, if I told you where he was, you still intend to fight me, don't you? Your hatred for me burns clearly in your eyes."

"What you did to your sister was cruel. Zombifying her and forcing her to kill her own daughter? What happened to make you like this, Aunt Daphne?"

"It was a lesson I learned in my childhood… the world is filled with disappointment and regret. If there ever is a great beacon of hope… it will fade away and be a forgotten memory. Look at your leader: Cheren Uno died of his own and left absolutely nothing behind for his followers. Just like his father."

"He left behind a legacy!" Dillon shouted. "He made a new Kids Next Door that was free for anyone and everyone! He inspired us to keep moving forward despite fear of death. And even now… I know he wouldn't just leave us behind. He'll come back… so as his fellow operatives, we plan to clear a way for him!"

"Simple boy… you know the only reason I was defeated last time was because I allowed you to win. In Arctic Prison, The King's son, Abram Johnson was trapped. Despite his ability to single-handedly free himself, he chose to stay where he thought he would be safe. That's why The King entrusted me with going in and dragging him out."

"What do you mean he could've freed himself?" Midna asked. "Does this have anything to do with that energy I felt moments ago?"

"We World Leaders have come too far to let you jeopardize our plan. I'm going to have to kill you, Dillon. This time… I won't hold back."

"Heh heh heh." Dillon grinned deviously. "I'm impressed, Daphne. You actually showed a little emotion."

"I don't follow…"

Dillon narrowed his eyes, his smirk devilish. "Fear." (Play "Shadow Queen 2" from Paper Mario: TTYD!)

Boss fight: Daphne Anderson

Power Levels: Dillon – 2032. Daphne – 8008

Giant gray shadow hands emerged from the walls and smashed down on Dillon, who hid in Veil and swiftly maneuvered around the garden. When he emerged in a patch of yellow roses, smaller hands sprouted up and tried to drag him down by the legs, but Midna clutched Dillon in her Hair Hand and pulled him from their grasp. They turned and gasped when Shaydes expanded into a grotesque gooey blob, moaning in despair as she tried to snatch them in her oozing mouth. Midna dropped Dillon and stabbed three tentacles from her hair into the shadow to split it apart.

"Both of you are shameful, honestly." Daphne said as her shadow reformed. "Dillon is so weak that he's forced to rely on a Firstborn's power… and Midna is a god who ignores the rules set by them and battles mortals of her own element. No different from Malladus Uno or Demise – gods who overstep their boundaries are undeserving of their title."

"At least I know how to restrain myself." Midna reasoned. She entered Dillon's shadow and passed a portion of her chi to him, and he spread his shadow around the room as clones emerged. The clones all dove at Daphne and swallowed her in a cluster, but the World Leader had slithered away with Veil to blow Gray Fog over them. Dillon popped up behind her and punched Daphne, but the clone became mist as the real Daphne stretched her shadowy arms from the window ceiling and grabbed Dillon.

The long paper-thin fingers wrapped around the boy and smothered him in gray, working with Mario to tear them apart and escape. Dillon gasped for breath and was already forced to run from the Dead Hands on the floor. A circle of Dead Hands surrounded him, so Dillon expanded a Shadow Shockwave with Midna's chi and had Mario zip around and tear them up. Dillon saw Shaydes' oozing form grow on the ceiling and sent Mario to rip her to pieces, finding Daphne at the core and gnawing her chest.

Daphne blew Mario off with Shadow Breath and landed softly on her feet thanks to her shadow's aid. "You should watch what you eat." Daphne said, indicating Mario's graying body. "You should've known my Gray Shade was contagious."

Not to me, Sister! I developed an immunity! Mario flew behind Daphne and bit her rear, the Leader flinching as Dillon snickered. Dillon sunk into Veil and emerged behind Daphne, who ordered Shaydes to bite, only to learn it was a Shadow Clone, as was the one that dove from her left. Daphne gasped—Dillon grabbed her ankles and was staring up her skirt. He pulled the Leader in Veil during her sheepish moment and laid punches on her, throwing her against a wall when finished.

"Emotions are a bane to any woman." Dillon smirked. "Especially ones that aren't used to them."

"In that case, we should've brought Harvey to fight her." Midna commented from the shadow.

"Disciplining you won't come easy, it seems." said Daphne. "Time to make use of the shadows who couldn't become Inferi." Five shadows grew up from the roses and flew into hers as Daphne grew up to the ceiling. The pale woman threw punches that would expand Shaydes' fist and crush her adversary, Dillon dodging the hits and expanding a Shadow Shockwave so Mario would tear at the giant's face.

Daphne easily blew the shadow off with Gray Breath and used her bending to expand the size of the roses' shadows' thorns. Dillon had to carefully slither around a thicket of shade thorns- "Ack!" he was pricked by one, then Daphne moved the thorns around to slice Dillon's clothing further.

Midna expanded a barrier to block the shadow thorns out. "Are you okay, Dillon?"

"Midna, I'm gonna need more power to beat this lady. She'll just get stronger if she absorbs more shadows."

"I don't want to overwhelm your body with God Chi. And besides, she's right, it's against our virtues to go all out."

"Midna, playing by the rules isn't gonna matter if we lose! You aren't just a Firstborn, you're a teammate, so you need to do your best to help us win!"

"Don't you think I want to?! I'm just afraid of letting my power run rampant. Then I'll be no different than King Andrew or his-"

"No taking breaks." Daphne dealt an uppercut from the floor under their feet and blew the two apart. Afterwards, a swarm of Dead Hands rose from the floor and caught Dillon midair, about to drag him underneath before Midna sliced him free.

"That's it!" Dillon yelped. "I can absorb my friends' shadows and fight back! I wonder if she hid them in the roses like those other shadows. Mario, search around for them!" His shadow obeyed and glided under the rose stems, leaving Midna as his temporary shadow as he Veiled to avoid Gray Shadow Stabs, which penetrated the wall. Mario was wrestling with Daphne's shadows in the garden, and sensing this, Midna stretched her Hair Hand into the shadows to strike the Gray Shades. Mario found the shadows of Chris, Anthony, and MaKayla, bringing them for Dillon to absorb.

"Huuurrr!" His body turned slightly dark as he grew in size.

"The strength that the shadows' masters possess becomes yours when you absorb their shadow." Midna recapped. "But be careful, Dillon. Too many shadows can result in Chi Overload."

"Good thing I have you." Dillon quickly sunk into Veil, coming around Daphne's right, the World Leader threw a Shade Fist, but merely hit a clone while the real Dillon punched the back of her head. Dillon submerged again, and Daphne was pelted by Shade Fists from multiple directions, ending with Mario's arms grabbing the giant woman and slamming her against the rose-covered ground. With that, Dillon cast Shadow Possession on Daphne and squeezed her to force the shadows out.

"AAAH!" Dillon was attacked by other gray shadows in Daphne's garden, breaking his hold. Daphne expanded the size of the gray roses' shadows and ensnared the boy in a wrapping of thorns. "If a black rose dies, a gray rose blooms in the garden." Daphne linked Dillon with a black rose. "A black rose blooms when someone is close to death. Do you see all these black roses, Dillon? They represent you and your friends." She picked the petals. "This means that your fate is truly inevitable."

"It's one thing to live in fear of fate." Midna extended five Hair Hands to tear the thorns away from Dillon. "But it's another thing to enforce that fate based on your fears." When Dillon was rescued, he severed the binds between him and the rose and threw a Shade Fist at Daphne, who Veiled.

"Very well." Numerous normal-size Daphne clones appeared around the room, picking a black rose. "Then see if you can stop someone else's fate. I've linked my shadow with one of your friends." Indeed, all the clones' shadows connected at the exit and stretched outside, likely bound to a friend. The still-enlarged Dillon stomped each Daphne he could, but all were clones, and even worse they kept shifting position and respawning.

"Owww!" Dillon was forced to release his three friends' shadows when he could no longer hold the power. "Darn it, if only Sheila was here! I could borrow her shadow and go White Shadow."

"Hold on, that girl from Sector SA was a lightbender!" Midna realized. "Her shadow must be in here somewhere!"

"Yeah! Mario, hurry, find Index's shadow!" Once again, his shadow explored under the stems while Midna punched at the Daphne clones with Hair Hand. After 10 seconds, Mario returned with four shadows that belonged to Sector SA, and with Index's shadow in the mix, Dillon shone bright white. "YES! Time to bring light back to this garden!" Dillon blew White Shadow Breath and shunned all the clones. The real Daphne emerged from the bars of the ceiling window, giving Dillon the chance to throw a White Fist at her.

Daphne hit the floor as Dillon blew White Breath directly in her face, and in her weak moment, he expanded a White Shockwave as Mario sunk his light-imbued teeth into her body. "Light may fight the darkness, Dillon, but it cannot fight the dead." Gray shadows flew in from the entrance and the window, absorbing into Daphne's body as she grew beyond the ceiling window. Towering high above Mariejoa, Daphne blew Gray Breath into the dawning sky and made a dim shade thicker than clouds.

"HOLY CRAP!" Danika gaped.

Dillon used Shadow Glide to fly up Daphne's body and pelt her with White Fists, but with her superior strength, she smacked and smashed him to the ground. Chris Uno attempted to blast a Combustion Beam, but King Andrew jumped in the line of fire and defended his ally without suffering damage. "Darn it!" Dillon panted. "She's too much for me this time!"

Don't give up, my son! Cheshire split from Danika's body and entered the remains of the rose garden. She located all the kids' and adults' shadows, and on her command they flew into Dillon to increase his shadowy size once again.

"I'll keep you from overheating!" Midna yelled from the core of his combined shadow. "Hurry, Dillon! All these are the shadows of your friends and supporters! They're rooting for you, so take their feelings and attack her with light!"

Yeah man, show her Sector V Style! Shadow Chris cheered.

Do it like I taught ya, son! Shadow Nolan cheered.

Give one extra kick for my master! Shadow Morgiana encouraged.

The only one doing the kickin' is me! Shadow Vanellope yelled.

That last one gave Dillon the motivational boost to slither up Daphne's body, leaving a trail of light on her ghost-white dress. Now up at Daphne's head, Dillon sunk his white teeth into her neck. "Taste the LIGHT, Aunt Daphne!"

The trail of light crushed Daphne in a White Strangle, squeezing all of the gray shadows from her body. Daphne shrunk back into the ruined rose garden while Dillon set all the shadows free, including Index's as his White Shadow ceased. "You still have no hope at succeeding." Daphne pushed herself off the ground. "Even if you defeat me… you cannot win. Either King Andrew will finish you or the Apocalypse. Either way… it's hopeless."

"It most certainly is NOT." (End song.)

Daphne faced the entrance with an expression of shock. Monty Uno was scowling with disapproval, his former brown hair gray from age. "Monty… I thought I turned you into Nigel's Inferius?"

"I escaped, of course!" Monty said proudly. "Don't underestimate this jolly old body of mine. You know, Daphne, ever since I was recommissioned, I thought about you. I wondered where you were, I wondered how you were doing… and I never got to tell you… I was sorry."

"Sorry? For what?"

"For abandoning you." Monty approached her slowly. "My absence struck a terrible blow to everyone, but you especially. I disappointed you, Daphne. I made you lose hope. That's why I'm here to tell you… to be hopeful again. And that I…I've always loved you. Truth be told, if I wasn't decommissioned, I would've searched for you and wanted to marry you." He took Daphne's hands softly. "Let's start over, Daphne."

"Monty…" Their mouths moved closer. Daphne's black lips would kiss the British man's scruffy white mustache. Their lips made contact—Monty sparked with pixels and became Vanellope. Daphne gasped horrendously and red shone on her white cheeks. "Ha ha! Learned shape-shifting." Vanel snickered.

Dillon leapt to grab Daphne's shoulders from behind and bring her to the ground. "Get slagged, Daphne!" Dillon PUNCHED her head against the ground and knocked the love-struck Leader clean out.

"You're lucky I happened to be around back then to know about those two." Vanellope noted.

"That's why you're the best MCP we'll ever have."

The Noah

Augustus and his mother combined Armament Haki to chop off Sherry's nails, but like every other wound they landed, the nails self-healed. "Zere is nothing ve can do to hurt zem!" Henrietta yelled. "At zis rate, ve'll be toast long before they are."

"Mamamamamamama!" Sherry cackled. "I don't want to kill you, my sweets. Thanks to this little spell taking place, I finally have the chance to commence the Linlin Family Reunion! I'm just dying to see all my descendants, alive and undead, sitting at a great big table and eating every sweet in the universe! But, with so many alien races out in the great vast cosmos, there are jillions more for you to marry and bare beautiful hybrids! It's going to be so… delicious."

"AUGUSUS NO WANT YOU!" Somebody shot up like a bullet and kicked Sherry with both feet, sending her over the deck of the Noah.

Augustus gaped as the stranger stood to full height—though she wasn't really a stranger at all. "N…Nel?"

The cavewoman's cyan hair blew with a breeze caused by the ship's movement. Augustus noticed the younger Nel behind him, then faced the older Nel. Her legs had become very strong and firm, her chest developed greatly, and her Inferius eyes bore strictness. "Whoa… Nel… you, uh… you've grown."

"Augusus…" Teenage Nel spoke. "Nel know why she know English… Nel learn from English."

"English?" August cocked a brow.

"Big light that appear in sky 3 days ago in this time. Lord English. English teach Nel English. Nel not remember this until Nel die."

"Oh…" He glanced at the younger version with regret. "You die, huh?"

"It Nel fate. But Nel don't go without fighting." She smiled, holding up one leg. "Nel call herself Stone Foot, after great Captain Aughsucks. Nel strongest foot in all Primordial Rock… until Nel die from giving birth to child. But Nel glad to see Augusus one more time. Nel must tell Augusus to take Nel back to past. It where Nel belong."

"Sigh… I guess she does. …It was great to see you again, Nel."

"Augusus no need worry." The cavewoman touched his shoulder. "Nel be with Augusus always. And Nel… always…"

"I know you do, Nel… I know."

"…" And so, the two embraced in a deep kiss. The Baby Trio, Henrietta, Mandy, and Azula were royally appalled. Augustus deeply enjoyed the kiss with the strong, beautiful cavewoman. Nel was so happy that her Inferius body shone and crumbled, releasing her soul back to the Spirit World. "Aughsucks is best captain, Aughsucks is bravest…" The spirit sung.

"Whew." the captain whistled. "Nothing concludes a story like a kiss from a lady!"

Again, the witnesses felt like throwing up, for they had known the 5-year-old version of that woman all this time. The young Nel, on the other hand, was infatuated with his captain greater than ever.

Mariejoa; God's Castle

Sector GF continued exploring the castle after escaping Abram Johnson's wrath. The castle trembled from the constant rhythm of Slifer blasting Jennifer and preventing her recovery. "Mabel, you ever wonder how the World Government went so long without being a focus for the KND?" Dipper asked. "Given that they have a castle on a mountain that reaches the stratosphere?"

"I thought we were trying to figure out why no one notices the weirdness in Gravity Falls."

"Good point. I wonder what's in this room?" The four kids entered a room labeled Entertainment.

"WHAT THE HECK?!" Mabel exclaimed.

"GIDEON?!"

The pudgy boy with pompous white hair was trapped in a cage, wearing a dress and tap-dance shoes. "Dipper! Mabel! Thank the stars! PLEASE get me outta this cage!"

"Why are you wearing that outfit??" Mabel questioned.

"When that Daphne freed me from Arctic Prison, I thought she was gonna offer me a Government position, but it turns out they just wanted a dancing monkey! I've been doin' tap-dances from dawn to dusk each day. I'm so tired of it like you wouldn't believe!" The child cried. "I won't be bad anymore, Pines! I'll turn a new leaf, I'll join Kids Next Door! Just let me outta this stupid cage…"

"Okay, just hang in there, Gideon." Dipper said calmingly. "Grenda!"

"ON IT!" The muscle girl grabbed the cage door and tore it off the hinges.

"Mah gawd, my face wasn't meant to absorb this much makeup." Gideon wiped off the dripping black eyeliner from his tears. "Thank you, Pines Family. Since I'm feeling generous, I'll tell you a li'l old tidbit I picked up from the Leaders!" He winked.

"A tidbit?" asked Dipper.

"Do y'all know about that Abram Johnson feller perchance?"

"Yeah, we found him in the throne room. I knew he had anger issues, but firing lasers from your mouth is the point you need to see a psychiatrist."

"Oh ho ho, it ain't nothin' to do with anger issues." Gideon smirked cutely. "In reality, our friend Abram is actually…!"

Outside

Crystal Wickens unleashed a constant beam from her staff to counter a magical blast from Ellen Wickens. Crystal remembered a similar scenario with another witch, but she wouldn't have the same luck against the invincible Inferius. "AAAH!" She was overpowered and fell on her back.

"…Hmmm…" Ellen felt different suddenly. "I was being forced to attack you without control… but now it feels like that control was broken."

"Maybe the person issuing the orders was defeated." Travis assumed.

"Ellen!" Death the Kid emerged from a portal behind her, alongside a blonde-haired Inferius with pigtails. "I brought someone to help you."

Ellen turned and gasped: "Viola!"

"Ellen!" Viola beamed. The two girls immediately embraced in a hug. "How is this happening, Ellen?"

"I don't know… but I'm glad you're okay."

"I'm glad you're okay, too."

Their artificial bodies glowed and decayed, freeing the victims trapped inside. The spirits of Ellen and Viola ascended to Heaven, hugging each other with warmth and love. "Um… Thanks for that, I guess." Crystal said to Kid, not sure of the story between those two. (That blonde girl seemed familiar, though.)

After Meloetta fashioned a new dress for Sugar, the adult singer assisted Rachel in her battle with Doflamingo. "You're not allowed to stop NOW, Inferi!" Andrew commanded. "Keep fighting!" Under his orders, the Inferi of Sirius Black and Dumbledore fought Morgan and Mika.

Lucas Stonebuddy tried to crush Anthony with two angel statues, but he burrowed underground to avoid. Lucas stomped a straight path up that revealed Anthony, trying to smash him between two squares, but Anthony punched each fist outward and broke holes open. "You do not wish to fight me?" Lucas questioned.

"I know you're using a fake body. I wanna fight the real you, Stonedummy."

"I see no benefit to disclosing that knowledge."

"Then allow ME to disclose it!" Lucas was snatched in Angie's large Logia rock arm. She stomped a foot through the ground and used Seismic Sense. "Anthony, I just felt where the control of this statue is coming from. It's fifty feet directly below us. Do you need me to come with you?"

"I can handle it, Mom." Anthony smirked. "Don't know about Michelle, though. After all, she was born yesterday."

"Five minutes before you, dummy!" Diancie giggled. Anthony jumped and pushed an ever-descending hole into the ground, his Firstborn sister flying after. Angie resumed her duel with the fake Stonebuddy.

The two earthbenders broke through the ceiling of a wide cylindrical room, composed of smooth straight stone. Statues and cubes filled the floor, and Stonebuddy was playing chess in the center. The fall lasted for three seconds in this tall room before Anthony dented a crater by landing on his feet. "Found you, Stonewimpy!"

One hand over his mouth, Lucas moved a chess piece of Jesus. "Your remarks get more creative by the hour. Well, boy, I suppose you won the honor of fighting me."

"Honor, my foot. You're not the real one EITHER, are you?"

"Ooo, my… your perception has improved."

"Stonebuddy… do you remember who I am?" Diancie asked. "Do you remember who YOU are?"

"Yes… I do know you, Diana. My memories are severely scattered, so I cannot remember everything. But… I do know the reason King Reggie broke my soul. It seems that the person whom Stonebuddy reincarnated into… was the same incarnation as one of the Ancient Gods. You see, boy, we World Leaders are incarnations of ancient guardian deities who must prevent imbalances between the universes. Our order has lasted for 4,000 years, and our leader has always been the denizen of this dimension who gained control of the Octogan. The King and his descendants lived in the Original World which became the core of the Dimensional Fusion. The same Dimensional Fusion that is destroying our universe."

"Ancient Gods?" Diancie questioned. "Where in the world did you learn this?"

"The Octogan saw this. With it, the original King saw the incarnations who had inherited the duty and sought to bring them together. For 4,000 years, this tradition repeated, so our existence would continue and we would eventually save the universe. And I proudly follow the tradition." He moved a chess piece. "I don't remember my life as Stone and I do not want to. The powers I possess, while artistic, are a curse. Foreign power like mine are the reason this universe is falling."

"That's not true." Diancie spoke sympathetically. "Stone may have been different, but he was still a person. You're still a person, Lucas. Not a reincarnated god."

"And you are a god… A god hopelessly trying to live like a human, shunning your true identity."

Diancie bowed her head in shame. "At least she's fun to be around." Anthony stated, stepping forward. "She's got more heart than you do. But if you aren't gonna show yourself, I'll break every statue you throw at me!"

"Hm…" Lucas slid his chess table across the floor, away from them. "You can try." (Play "Mr. Stone's Theme" from Rayman!)

Boss fight: Lucas Stonebuddy

Power Levels: Anthony – 3001. Lucas – 8500

Stonebuddy leapt as high as the ceiling and shook the earth upon landing, dropping several stone cubes around the room. Lucas leapt behind one and kicked it to Anthony with great speed, the boy stomping the floor and punching through the cube. Lucas punched the floor and bounced a rectangle to crush Anthony, but he burrowed underground and dug toward Lucas. The Leader leapt above Anthony's place to Ground Pound, but the boy punched a perfectly shaped cone up to stab Lucas. Anthony popped out, grabbing the cone to chuck at Lucas, who karate-chopped it.

"Wow, I never made a jab that smooth before!" Anthony beamed.

"Perhaps Stone's memories are awakening inside you!" Diancie inferred. "Or it could be the Diamond Chi I transferred to you to give your rocks that extra smoothness."

"I prefer the memories idea." Anthony remarked (and referenced ;P).

Lucas stomped a platform from the wall, hopped onto it, and punched the wall to launch five giant cones. Anthony evaded the others and kicked one up to Stone, who jumped and smashed the ground before Anthony. The boy flew all the way up to the ceiling, grabbing the intersecting wall with one hand and both feet. Lucas punched the ground and dropped a spherical stone that was larger than his body. He kicked the stone as it ricocheted up the wall and would crush Anthony. The boy kicked the stone instead and shattered it, dropping to the floor to create an earthquake that would drop more stone spheres.

Lucas lifted a sphere up with one hand and threw it fast as a baseball, bashing Anthony in the face. "Ouchie!" Diancie flinched. "This may also be Stone's memories, but my power is also protecting your body from severe injuries."

"I'll give you that one, Michelle." Anthony rubbed his nose. Stonebuddy lifted another one and chucked, but Anthony jumped and grabbed the top, hanging tight as it ricocheted up the room again. Anthony directed it down with his bending, still ricocheting, and successfully landing a blow against Stonebuddy's stone body. Lucas rapidly stomped the ground in a tap-dance fashion, rising to safety via a pillar while smaller blocks dropped from the ceiling. They fell in a Tetris pattern and shaped like L's, U's, etc., but Anthony jumped up the layers and avoided them.

Lucas jumped and sprouted a stairwell into being, stationed at the top with Anthony at the bottom. A Thwomp appeared behind Anthony, forcing the boy to quickly jump up the tall stairs to avoid the pursuing rock creature. When Anthony made it to the top, Lucas jumped again and stomped a sloped road into being – the Leader at the bottom with Anthony on top. A Rhomp appeared behind him – a cylindrical stone with a grinning face. Anthony dashed down the path to escape it, but gained an idea and punched a hole in the Rhomp to hide inside.

Lucas saw this, so when the Rhomp made it down, the Leader stomped himself to the top of a new path and watched it roll away again. But then Lucas noticed the hole in the path, and was instantly stabbed by a stone jab from an underground Anthony. The boy popped out and laid a beatdown on Stonebuddy's body, breaking it into pebbles. The slope rejoined the flat ground, and Anthony turned to see another Stonebuddy.

The World Leader dropped a large cube from the ceiling, breaking it to create a sculpture of Cragalanche. Lucas made the statue move similar to the real creature, diving at Anthony with a spin attack. Anthony dodged behind and kicked a rock at Cragalanche's rear weak point. "Stone loved to make sculptures back in his day." Diancie remembered. "He kept them loyal to the real thing."

"Good thing I know how to BEAT the real thing!" Anthony dodged Cragalanche's arm smash and burrowed underground to emerge behind the creature. He stabbed a cone through its weak point and destroyed the statue, but Lucas broke through the cone tip-first and punched Anthony against the wall. The boy recovered and saw Lucas jump to the back, shooting a barrage of rectangular platforms. With precise finger-jabs, Anthony broke each platform and moved closer to Stonebuddy, stomping a rectangular slanted pillar at the Leader. Lucas leapt overhead, and during this action, ceiling pillars emerged along his path and crushed Anthony under one.

Anthony broke the pillar and decided to stomp up a stone cube of his own. He smashed it and made a… disfigured statue of Aunt Rachel, who wielded a wavy sword and charged at Lucas sloppily. "Utterly laughable!" Lucas shattered the statue effortlessly. "This is what real art is!" He stomped up a cube and broke a Sovite statue out of it. The lavabending ancestor ran at Anthony and tried to squash him with his muscular legs.

"That's pretty awesome! Hope you don't mind if I steal it!" Anthony punched the ground and sunk Lucas in a ditch, seizing the chance to control the statue with his own bending. Sovite flipped behind and stomped Lucas further in the ditch. Eventually, Lucas broke the statue with his power and emerged from the ground in a stone-made car with wheels, using the former ditch as a cockpit. Lucas drove toward Anthony, but he ducked under the craft's middle, only for it to about-face. When it sped to Anthony again, the boy stomped twin ramps for the wheels to drive up, then he stomped a large trapezoid up to cut the car in two. "Hah! No wonder the cavemen liked trapezoid better!"

"You would know, mm hm hm hm hm!" Diancie giggled.

"And you would know THAT!"

"Touché, Anthony."

With half his body crumbling, Lucas erected a stone maze from the surface. He strengthened the walls to prevent Anthony from punching through, so the boy maneuvered the maze and avoided the falling walls. He used Seismic Sense to see the correct path and followed to where Lucas was hiding. "I guess YOU'RE not the real one!" Anthony smirked before kicking a stone sphere to shatter the body.

"Over here." The maze lowered as another Stonebuddy was present. "So, I made a slight miscalculation when estimating your abilities. Or should I say the abilities the Firstborn granted you—otherwise, I am spot-on. I must improvise." Lucas stomped stone pants over his legs, a vest on his body, stone fists, and a helmet on the head. Anthony charged forward, countering his launched fists with a punch of his own. Punching the fists left them slightly cracked, but Anthony felt a slight aching in his knuckles.

Anthony stomped a rock jab to shoot himself to Stonebuddy and headbutt his vest, following this with punches and kicks to the Leader's armor. Lucas crouched, stuck his hands underground, and drew a stone mace and club. Anthony leapt back to avoid the swings, but striking the ground allowed Lucas to bounce stone balls to his opponent. Anthony stomped a round pillar up, and with another stomp, that pillar's body became a stone spring. With this, Anthony bounced around the room to avoid the balls Lucas batted his way, the World Leader burrowing underground when the spring tried to crush him.

From underground, Lucas sensed where the boy was bouncing and shot cones up to strike him. Anthony sent more chi into the spring and broke holes in the ground with each bounce. He then spun the spring around and sent a spiraling earthquake across the floor, striking Lucas's hiding spot. Lucas climbed out, still clad in armor and holding weapons. Anthony abandoned his spring and charged stalwartly at Lucas, grabbing both his weapons, flipping above, and breaking the Leader's helmet with his feet.

Anthony took the weapons and crushed them in his palms, engaging in a fist fight with Lucas's stone gloves. Anthony caught the fists in his palms and applied pressure to crush them, Lucas's arms crumbling. Anthony then leapt to stomp his stone head into rubble. "Well, what's one less." He whipped around to find another Stone Clone.

"GRRRR! I am getting SICK OF THIS!" Anthony used a rock jab to rocket toward Lucas with greater force, head-butting the World Leader against the wall. "Michelle, give me a bit more. I'm settling this."

"Sure thing, Big Brother." Diancie lent a fraction of chi to Anthony. The boy stomped the ground and sent his Seismic Sense everywhere to see beyond the walls. Countless Stone Bodies lined the interiors, so with a great burst, Anthony tore the walls into rubble, expanding the room's width and taking all the lifeless clones down. Some of them weren't completely painted.

"I see." Anthony deduced. "When you're controlling a clone, you can't control much of anything else because you're sending your chi to it. But I'm gonna make you come out!" He stomped two giant cones into being and stabbed each and every able-bodied lifeless clone. He then directed them at Stonebuddy, but when the Leader shattered them, Anthony seized the chance to shoot over and grab him. He used Seismic Sense again to see the origin place of the clone's control. "Oh, just over there, huh?" He located the source in a room across the rubble. "I'll meet you there." He crushed the clone in his hug and raced over.

Anthony burst down a wall and uncovered the hidden room. "FOUND YA, Stone…wimpy?" He was taken off guard by the sight. (End song.)

Lucas Stonebuddy was pale and frail, sitting in a wheelchair while light cords connected to him from the walls. "So… you see me for what I am." he moaned hoarsely. "When King Reggie split my soul… it shortened my life force… and I was placed into this coma. I was forced to use my powerful stonebending… to interact with people via statues. The natural Light Energy from this mountain keeps my body intact… no matter how great my usage of chi is."

"Stone…" Diancie was terribly saddened by his condition. "You poor, poor man…"

"You may say Stone was a good person… but even though I don't know him, I hate him. …I did not ask to be born as him… I did not ask to be an Ancient God reborn… and I do not want to endure this pain any longer… cough!" He kept a hand over his mouth to block the coughs. Perhaps that explained why his clones always made the gesture. "But it's too late now… do as you wished: put me out of my misery. King Andrew is close to victory, anyway…"

"…" Anthony shook his head. "This is wrong. I can't end our battle like this. Michelle, can't you do anything for him?"

"I wish I could… but the reason this man is dying is because part of his soul was destroyed. That part was reborn into you. Even if I could just… put it back… I'm afraid of what'll happen to you, Anthony."

"Cough, cough!…" Lucas coughed.

Anthony clutched his right arm in his left. "B-But… you said you were reborn as children who were going to die, Michelle. Doesn't that mean… Stone was, too?"

"Yes, but I didn't sense the same fate befalling you. That part of Stone just… chose you."

"Do you think maybe… Stone was tired of being Stone?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, if the same guy was being reborn with ALL his memories for thousands of years… I don't know, I guess if I were him, I'd feel like I wasn't making progress. It's like when I get everything in a game, only to start a new game, and have to do the same stuff over again. (Thanks for that, Michelle.)" Anthony glared.

"I said sorry." Diancie blushed, recalling she erased some of his games. However, looking back at that silly scenario… Diancie understood. "Maybe you're right, Anthony. Stone was, well, Stone for so long that he wanted to be someone else. He kept his memories until he ended up ruining someone's life because of it. …Still… if Lucas dies, what if you remember everything, Anthony? What if you become the whole Stone?"

"Maybe I would get his memories… but I still have my memories." Anthony smiled. "And in the future… Stone can be reborn as someone else with memories, too! It's like those games that examine data from other saved games! But I…" Anthony frowned and faced Lucas again. "I feel bad just… letting you…"

"…Do you truly believe Stone would be happier… being you?" Lucas coughed. "Would I be happier… if I were you?"

"I…I do." Anthony spoke truthfully. "…Would you be happier… if you were me?"

"… … … Yes." Lucas weakly clasped the light cords and tore them off. The action made his body weaker, but with his remaining strength, he picked them off. "I have always despised great power… because of where my foreign power has brought me. I do not know if I shared Stone's thoughts on that matter… but if I did, perhaps you will give me new thoughts. Anthony… please… make our final moments meaningful." Lucas passed out on his chair, his final breath leaving.

Diancie wiped the tears from her eyes and Anthony bowed his head. A gray chi flew from Lucas's mouth into Anthony's body. "Do you feel different… Anthony?"

"I'm not sure. …Hold on, I sense something." Anthony looked to his left, feeling a loose spot on that wall. He went over to slide it open, finding a compartment with a large, brown lantern. "It's… a lantern?"

Diancie gasped, "Anthony! It's the Sun Chi Lantern!"

"The what?"

His wristwatch rang, and the person to speak was Dipper. "This is Dipper Pines calling all nearby operatives. We rescued Gideon from the castle, and you might wanna hear what he told us."

Aboveground

"That's impossible!" Midna exclaimed after hearing the news. "The Octogan couldn't have done that, could it?!"

"That thing is WAY too powerful!" Dillon looked King Andrew's direction with horror. "Hey, Midna!" His Firstborn flew over to Mew and Sunni.

"Mew, I need you to use your telepathy and call the other Firstborn to us!"

"Mew can do that?" Sunni asked.

"Yes, it's one of his special powers. Of course, calling all the Firstborn in one place is usually a bad thing. In this case, I think we should. Just to see if this is real."

"Okay. Do it, Mew."

"Mew…" The Ancestral Firstborn closed his eyes and sent the message.

Los Angeles

"Mana?" Manaphy perked up.

"What's up, Uncle Manaphy?" Melody asked.

"Mana Mana! Mana!" He pointed skyward frantically.

"You want us to take you somewhere?"

"Is it safe to leave Jones like that?" Eric asked.

Davy Jones and the Dutchman Pirates had been encased in trees that sprouted up out of nowhere. "They've been that way for five minutes… you boys just stay in the treehouse and watch them from there. I'll take Manaphy wherever he wants to go. Call if something bad happens." The three rushed to the treehouse.

Blackbeard Teach appeared from a dark portal and began tearing Jones' tree open.

Rozeland

"Who's talkin' to me?!" Crest panicked. "HELP! VOICES IN MY HEAD!"

"What voices, Crest??" Diwata questioned.

"Some voice is telling me to go to Mariejoa! But they're talking like 'Mew Mew Mew Mew'!"

"What do you think is happening?" Denny asked.

"Maybe the others are in trouble. I guess we should go. Tie Leanne up and take her with us."

Lee Andrew was restraining his Inferius sister with Shadow Possession, leaving the others to bind her in rope. "You've gotten better, Lee." Leanne smiled.

"Glad you finally acknowledge it." Lee remarked smugly.

His sister frowned. "I never got the chance to say… sorry for not treating you right."

"Sigh… it's all right. We're still throwing your funeral before Cheren's."

"AAAAH!" Denny was flung out of the S.C.A.M.P.E.R..

"URSE!" The Teddiursa posed proudly. It was still stalking Denny.

Mariejoa

Anthony and Diancie emerged from the ground with Lucas's fallen body. "Guys, we beat Lucas Stonebuddy. Er, I mean…" Anthony wasn't sure where to begin with the story. "Actually, he kind of killed himself. It's a lot to explain."

"Killed himself?" Haruka repeated with remorse.

"Wow." Chris said. "Well, it looks like we defeated them all now. Except—AAAAAAHH!"

King Andrew encased the entire battlefield in his Octogan's glow. When it faded, Chris began rampaging like an uncontrollable demon, mindlessly shooting Combustion Beams. Anthony began moaning "Duuuuh" like a boy with no brain, Nagisa was crying and grabbing his crotch as though he lost his privates, and Maddy's Haki vanished as her body felt flabby, leaving Lucci to pin her under his claw. "The Octogan has trapped each of you in an alternate reality." Andrew proclaimed. "Your physical bodies have not changed, but the ideas in your brains appear real."

"SUGAR!" Meloetta cried when Sugar was reduced to a five-year-old form, sticking out of her grown-up dress. Sugar cried, seeing her precious breasts were all gone.

"The Octogan sees your fears." Andrew glanced at Nagisa, who believed he had become female, and at Wendy, who was hugging herself on the ground as she believed her friends were beating the life out of her. "It shows what is hidden. It opens the shrouded parts in your minds."

"Then it's a good thing I don't have a mind!" Zach Murphy was pedaling a giant gargoyle with Pluto the Dog's head. Glittery powder rained from its tongue. "I shredded this dust from old MacBooks! This oughta save everyone."

Andrew glared. "That would be very annoying… IF I DIDN'T SEE THAT COMING!" The Octogan flashed and turned Pluto into Big Elmo Bird Thing (just imagine that combination). It fell and crashed on the ground, leaving Zachary in the dust.

"Oaf!" Andrew pinned a foot on Zach's neck.

"The Octogan has adjusted to your trickery, boy! Now, I will end the Twenty Keys Prophecy once and for all!"

"NUMBUH 100!" a banshee voice screeched. Andrew turned: the person to bravely oppose him was Panini Drilovsky, aiming a M.U.S.K.E.T.. It was twitching in her hands as she stood on the edge of the mountain. "You are scheduled for immediate decommissioning! As temporary Supreme Leader, I order you to come quietly!"

Andrew left Zach and approached the girl instead. He could see Panini's heart racing without cease, her fear rising to the top of her mind. The M.U.S.K.E.T. would slip out of her sweaty hands as Andrew stood high over her. In one swipe of his great power, he could wipe Panini from existence. Instead, The King released Conqueror's Haki and brought Panini to her knees. Her will was not totally lost, for she did not faint. "Hm… You do have your mother's blood in you."

"ANDREW!" The King turned once more and found Sandman. The vigilante pushed himself off his wheelchair and removed his mask and hat. "Numbuh 100… you have to stop. This has gone too far. I know for a fact you don't want to do this. Even when you think you're doing what's right… it could just be the darkness blinding you."

"There is NOTHING blinding me!" Andrew stated. "Thanks to the Octogan, I'm the only one who sees the truth! I see what all of you are blind to!"

"I may not be able to see beyond reality like you can, but at least I can see what's right in front of me. I can see what's around me. Look around you, Andrew! Is this what your friends wanted?!"

Andrew turned and watched as the White Lotus and KND continued to battle Inferi. They have endured many injuries and the town that belonged to God was in deep ruin. "You think you're building a new world, but you're just destroying the world your friends fought to protect, the world the NEW Kids Next Door are trying to protect! And now, Dillon, Travis, and the others are suffering, because you're making them destroy everything they loved! You're no different than the very thing you despise. The Octogan's made you mad with power. You're unstable. This is the very reason the Kids Next Door needed benders, to combat people like you."

"There was NEVER meant to be benders!" Andrew seethed. "There was never meant to be people like me! You're right, I DON'T want to do this, but there's no other way! I need to make the world the way it's supposed to be!"

"Don't you understand, Andrew?! THIS IS THE WAY our world was supposed to be!!"

"?!?" Even with the Octogan, The King couldn't find meaning in his words.

"I don't know what world the Octogan is showing you, but it's not the world you live in! This is the world you and your friends were born in, the world your friends loved! The world the Kids Next Door protect each and every day. And they'll protect it FROM THE APOCALYPSE! The Kids Next Door ALWAYS have a way! And the only reason the Octogan isn't showing you that way is because IT wants the power! It wants to destroy everything and it's been using you all this time! But you're not its puppet, Andrew. You're Numbuh 100, a Kids Next Door operative. You don't have to listen to it."

"…" Andrew bowed his head, a tear leaking from his eye. He clutched the Octogan and tore it out of his socket. He stared at the flashing 8-ball, the gem of unlimited power and sight. "Ever since I was an operative, I dreamed of a world where all kids were free to be who they are. I never wanted to play god… I never wanted anyone to believe my father for a second."

"It's not too late, Andrew." Nolan held a hand out. "You can start over… just like I did. You can be an operative again and stop the Apocalypse with them."

"…" Andrew slowly reached to place the Octogan in his hand. The gem brimmed, and The King's eye narrowed as its light glinted off.

"DON'T TOUCH IT!!" roared Vaati.

"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" Unbearable pain coursed through Nolan upon contact—he saw worlds colliding together, a green demon towering over galaxies, eggs flying across space like shooting stars…

"NOLAAAAAAAN!" Danika cried.

"Unfortunately… the Kids Next Door is inferior to my power." Andrew placed the Octogan back in his eye socket. Nolan York was horribly burned and wounded, unable to move and close to death. "It must be me… now and forever." Andrew punched the former operative and sent him falling over the mountain. He faced the operatives and adults, all speechless with horror and remorse. With the great 2030 gone, the same as Nigel Uno… there were only so many left.

Fast as a bolt of lightning, a golden comet burst from the sky RAMMED Andrew, blowing him several feet. "What?!" Andrew recovered to see who had landed the blow. Everyone else faced at the edge where Nolan fell. Andrew looked over, gaping with utmost shock. (Play "Open Your Heart" by Crush 40!)

The person to rescue Nolan from death was Cheren Uno. He lifted the adult with one hand, glowing like a golden sun. His clothes were gold, his jacket was longer, and a symbol of a "C" and an 'x' was featured on his shirt. A golden flame covered his body, bringing a pure warmth more loving than the sun. Panini cried at the holy light. Sugar, Wendy, Sunni, and all the kids stared at the golden light with pure happiness. At this moment, no one wanted to feel worried or weak. All they could feel now was hope.

Cheren set Nolan on the ground and played the Ocarina of Time. A blue sphere appeared over Nolan as the peaceful tunes from the Song of Reversed Time healed Nolan's wounds. The adult opened his eyes to Cheren's golden, godly form. The child made a joyous grin that could melt hearts. "Sorry Mr. York, but I don't want you to die, yet! I've become too fond of you!"

"…Don't I ever get a break." Nolan chuckled.

Andrew gritted his teeth and charged a Hyper Beam. Sensing this—FLASH—Cheren slashed the Master Sword so blindingly fast, The King rocketed across Mariejoa, smashing through many buildings and statues before colliding with his castle. Cheren sheathed the sword and faced Panini, on her knees and crying. The child god floated over and set foot before her, tipping her chin up. "Don't worry, Panini… I'll take it from here. Just kick back and relax."

"…" Panini smiled.

Moonbase

"What…What just happened?!" Alexei was agape. He and Sector KB saw it happen firsthand.

"We just watched a miracle, Lexi." Clay smiled. "There ain't nothing gonna stop him now. …What are you gonna do?"

"…" Lexi bowed his head.

Somewhere close by, Zanifr felt it happen. "God Tier… hmmmmm…" He smiled with humor. "This boy continues to surprise MMe."

Mariejoa

King Andrew recovered, glaring at the child with hatred. He floated toward Cheren, facing each other at level air. "I won't let you do as you please." Cheren promised. "You strayed too far off your path, Numbuh 100. It's time to show you what the Next Generation is capable of." He drew the Master Sword and flashed lightning. "I will be the Beacon of Hope that guides the Kids Next Door to the future! YOU CAN COUNT ON THAT!"