Chapter 5, Pt. 2: Promise & Premonition

LOCATION: 'GROTTO OF JUDGMENT' (BLOCKED ENTRANCE), PRICKLE STITCH VALLEY, SEQUIN LAND

DATE: SEPTEMBER 18TH, 16 P.G.F.

TIME: 1626 HOURS

Aaaaaand we're back! Pardon the uh… very important interruption there. Potty breaks are serious business… Oh! And speaking of serious… As we left off, Shantae, Sky, Twitch, and Vinegar had been trying to enter the foreboding cavern their comrade was dragged into. Speaking of which…

"HaaaaaaAAAAAAHH!" roared Shantae, in elephant form as she charged with the speed of a fighter jet toward the blocked-off cave entrance.

"Give it all you've got, Shantae! This time, you'll smash right through!" Sky cheered, watching her friend's latest attempt at ramming through the stone barricade. Apparently, they'd been at this for quite some time. "Smash it to bits!" she added, hoping to the high heavens above that she could get through. With a voluminous, meaty *SMACK* that caused the other three girls to cringe in a mix of collective shock and horror. Shantae met the boulder head-on with all her might… again. However, she only succeeded in nearly giving herself a concussion from the disturbing impact. She *poofed* back into her human form, stumbling about in a disoriented daze, nearly falling over before Sky ran over to catch her.

"Oogh, my head…" the poor young genie girl deliriously droned, rubbing her forehead as Sky gently set her down on the grass. "I'm gonna feel that one for weeks…"

"I think 27 times is where we should call it, girl," Sky consoled, kneeling beside the still-disoriented half-genie and rubbing her back. TWENTY-SEVEN attempts at violently banging your head against a giant rock in a series of futile efforts to break it, though. Let that sink in. "Any more, and I'm afraid you'll wind up turning your brain into pudding…"

"Yet, there's still barely a crack in this stupid rock!" Twitch complained, inspecting the damage… or lack thereof as she tried pushing the boulder to no avail. "Come on!"

"You're kidding!" Vinegar observed alongside Twitch, equally as flabbergasted. "We've tried our bombs, we've tried using birds, we've tried pushing, we've tried the classic 'Open Sesame', and now we've even tried brute force… 27 times! This thing just won't budge!"

"Seriously, I'll bet we'd have better luck with chisels and mallets at this point…" Twitch agreed, scratching her head as she noticed something on the gargantuan stony obstacle. "Looks like Shantae's elephant charge made the most progress, though. The crack is a little bit bigger, at least," she pointed out, turning toward Shantae and Sky. "Hey! Try ramming it one more time! You actually did a little bit more damage in the last hour or so!"

"No!" Sky objected as she helped Shantae to her feet. "She's been through enough as it is!"

"What do you mean, no!?" Twitch boisterously disagreed. "Out of everything we've tried, that elephant move of hers is the only thing that seems to be working! Come on, we've gotta keep the momentum going while it's starting to swing in our favor!"

"Absolutely not!" Sky protested. "We're not sacrificing someone's health to break down a giant rock!"

"The important thing is getting Tayshan out of that cave and safe from whoever, or whatever dragged him in there! Are you saying we should quit now and leave him in there!?" Twitch argued.

"Of course not. As much as we'd like to get him out of there, pounding my head into zombie food to do it wouldn't really make sense," Shantae countered, finally regaining enough of her senses to speak up. She carefully approached the boulder to see how much 'progress' was made in trying to remove the impassable obstacle. "Jeez, that's it?" she complained, noticing a basically-negligible sliver of a crack in the boulder. "Wow, we really didn't make any headway… No pun intended."

"Which is why you should probably consider trying your elephant bull charge thing at least a couple more times," Vinegar suggested. "Only, from a farther distance away and with a stronger effort. You gotta put some pep in your step!"

"Pep in her step?" Sky incredulously cut in. "Do you want her to break the boulder, or do you want her to end up with irreversible brain damage?"

"Hmm… good question," Vinegar sarcastically retorted, pretending to weigh the options. "One of those options would keep you out of our way for a little while, at least…"

"Wow, Vinni… That's pretty dark," Twitch commented, though she barely tried hiding her laughter.

"Darker than the inside of a cave," she quipped with a snicker.

"Ooh, a double!" Twitch cheered with a more audible giggle, seeing what Vinegar did there. "You're on fire today!" she quipped back before realizing she made another horribly-timed, morbid pun. "Ah! I just made one, too!"

"Nice," Vinegar congratulated as the two high-fived each other.

"You two are just the worst," Sky disapproved, shaking her head in disgust as she drew closer to the rest of the squad. "If you're just going to stand there and make crude, tasteless jokes about this situation, then why are you still here?"

"Yeah, I figured you two would've just packed up and left to do your own thing by now," Shantae added, her curiosity piqued about Twitch and Vinegar's continued presence and apparent nonchalance. "You don't really have any obligation or anything to gain from helping us save Tayshan at this point, do you?"

"Jeez, we might not get along with you, but we're not that cold," Vinegar shot back. "Give us some credit for sticking around and learn to laugh at a joke or two."

"When something you say is actually funny and not at the expense of others, I'll remember to try to chuckle," Sky remarked in contempt.

"So… Why ARE you two still here?" Shantae asked, more curious than anything.

"Simply put, a friend of ours is in trouble, and it'd only make sense to do what we can to get him out," she further explained, surprising both of the non-Ammonian young women.

"Yeah, Tay-Tay stuck his neck out for us, even after what happened. We owe him one," Twitch corroborated with tangible worry, surprising Shantae and Sky even more as she frowned and clutched her chest while taking a shaky breath. "It'd be messed up if we ditched him here."

"Wow… I… I didn't know you girls became friends with him like that," Shantae observed in a sense of approval that nearly overshadowed her complete shock. "Are you girls thinking about turning over a new le-?" she was about to follow up, mistaking their reasoning as unadulterated concern for the soldier.

"Besides, it's also a fact that we don't have a way out of here anyway, so it's not like we could just leave," Vinegar added, abruptly ending what little friendly context the conversation might have led into. "At least half this place is on fire, so we can't backtrack, either," she continued, glancing at the separated cliffs and towers of smoke and flames ripping through the mountainous, grassy landscape in the distance. "We also don't have any extra airplanes, radios, or flares to call for an escort."

"Oh. Of course," Shantae acknowledged, slightly disappointed in Vinegar's response.

"Well, one way or another, we've gotta work together to get this rock out of our way if we really are going to work together to save him," Sky proclaimed, studying the boulder up and down. "If you two are serious about sticking around, then we might as well continue to brainstorm ways to save Tay."

"Fair enough," Vinegar reluctantly agreed with a shrug.

"Yeah…" Twitch also agreed, her concern more evident than Vinegar's. "I at least hope Tay-Tay's okay," she added in fear for his safety.

"Me, too," Shantae attested as the four young women began to put their heads together to contemplate other suitable (as in, less self-destructive) methods for which to break into the cave and rescue the extraterrestrial soldier. "It won't be long now, Tay…" Shantae murmured to herself. "No matter what, we'll get you out of there in one piece… Even if it takes us all day."

Within the Grotto of Judgment…

"Woaaouaough!" Tay yelled in utter terror as he was helplessly whisked through a long, pitch-black, winding corridor with no control over his movement. The twists, turns, and loops disoriented him to a point of him almost becoming nauseous on such a sudden rollercoaster ride. Before too long, however, he was dragged into a large, circular, enclosed room lit with flames on metal sticks, where the force dragging him in instantaneously dissipated. With an unceremonious *THUD*, Tayshan collided with the smooth, stony ground, rolling across the floor. "Ugh… What… what just happened…?" he queried, still dizzy from his recent trip as he rubbed his head and blinked his eyes to reorient himself.

"Welcome," that same mysterious feminine voice addressed him, though its owner sounded like she was present in the room. Tay, instantly woken from his stupor by the voice, stood tall and faced the individual responsible for trapping him. What he saw dumbfounded him, however. He had laid eyes upon a woman that appeared nearly identical to his half-genie mentor in terms of body proportions; slender, curvy, skin of a rich, soft mocha brown… at least, as far as he saw of her arms, one of which was resting on her hip as the other hung in a neutral position. The only difference there was that she appeared to be at least a few inches taller than Shantae. She was dressed in a sleeveless, midriff-baring sari of a vibrant royal blue, accentuated with a gorgeous golden paisley pattern along the edges, that tightly hugged her shapely curves. A matching pallu was draped across her shoulder, mostly concealing her abdomen. Her wrists and upper arms were adorned with golden circle bracelets much smaller and rounder than Shantae's, but more plentiful in quantity.

"Who… are you?" Tay cautiously asked. "And… why are you wearin' that creepy jackal mask?" he added, befuddled by the sight of the woman before him. Oh, right, I forgot to mention… he couldn't see her face or even a single lock of hair on the woman because she was wearing a hideous, ominous-looking black jackal mask with piercing, angry-looking golden eyes to conceal her identity.

"My identity is of no importance, Tayshan," the woman rebuked through the mask, whose snout mouthed her words. Weird as that was, it seemed this woman was in no mood to humor her guest's inquiries. "Regardless, it's a pleasure to finally meet you in person. Or rather, it should be…"

"What…? What do you mean?" he asked, growing wary as he maintained his distance from her.

"You were brought to this chamber by destiny, not by a mere stroke of luck."

"…No, I'm pretty sure I was brought here by some magic force that dragged me into this cave," he remarked, looking around to study the area. As he surveyed the enclosed space, he took note of the multiple footlong metal torches stemming from the floor lining the perimeter, whose modest golden flames illuminated the vicinity in an almost… serene glow. He scanned the room for other notable aspects, taking in the sheer size of it that made him feel like he was inside of a globe or space dome theater.

The ceiling appeared black at a glance, though upon further inspection, he identified the color as a lively midnight blue. The ceiling, arched outward, was decorated with thousands, if not millions of tiny, glimmering white dots that made it seem like he was gazing into a starry night sky. The walls surrounding him were covered in a mural seeming to depict events from a time immemorial within this world. Though he didn't spend much time studying it, Tay glanced at the mural and saw what appeared to be a series of long-haired, curvy women in saris or belly dance outfits of a wide range of colors raising their hands high toward the ceiling. The women in the mural looked like genies, as far as Tayshan knew. At the very least, it gave him some food for thought.

"Where… are we?" he asked again, bringing his attention back to the enigmatic woman.

"It must be nice, blissfully playing the protagonist in your own lifelong quixotic tale…" she began, ignoring his questions again. "A journey for absolution, redemption, change for the good of those around you… and maybe even a shot at glory to enrich the experience."

"…I'm not followin'," he admitted, becoming even more uneasy as his gaze fixed on this enigmatic humanoid entity. "What are you gettin' at?"

"It has been said, however, that a 'hero' without true purpose is considered a mere zealot in the eyes of others; a zealot who is blinded by his own ambitions and ignorant of the impact of his choices past, present, and future. Without a sense of conviction in the multifaceted concepts of true heroism, a warrior's adventures can be summed up as little more than a farcical charade of meaningless, empty-hearted deeds and a fraudulent, fleeting sense of satisfaction and validation. It is such self-serving pursuits that perpetuate an endless cycle; such is the hero's journey," she eloquently proclaimed, continuing to ignore her guest's questions.

"Hm… Good points," he nodded, understanding her wordy monologue as he took a moment to ruminate on her statement. He surmised that she had been trying to explain something to him, though he wasn't completely certain. Nevertheless, he attempted to level with her. "I… agree with you on havin' a sense o' purpose an' conviction. Without those, there'd be no reason for anyone t' take a stand against injustice an' corruption or create a sense o' hope in change for the better. Still, you can't undermine the cycle as somethin' t' be looked at with contempt an' hopelessness."

"Enlighten me, then. What do you know of heroism?"

"I know that there are tons o' reasons for anyone t' become a hero; be it t' protect an' serve, t' fight back against evil, or even t' establish something that benefits the general public. In many cases, bein' a hero means placin' yourself on that endless cycle so that you can continue t' make the world a better place. No hero's journey ever truly ends after one victory, or one completed mission or goal. Most times, the path doesn't end until that hero either retires or dies… an' even then, as I was taught, another hero takes the mantle an' continues that endless journey for as long as they can until it's time for them t' pass the torch along t' the next worthy successor. It's almost like a tradition that gets turned into a rewardin' job, if you ask me."

"Ah, so you are aware," the woman remarked, impressed by his answer. "Then tell me… What's your purpose, Tayshan? Why do you strive to be a hero?"

"…I have a lot o' reasons myself, but… My biggest one is because I want t' make my parents proud," he warily answered, playing along.

"Your parents have long since passed from this world, though, have they not? There is no purpose in appeasing the deceased," she flatly answered, sending a soul-rending chill up the soldier's spine. How could she possibly know about his parents?

"How did you…!?"

"They both did their best to provide for you, giving their lives in exchange for yours. A noble sacrifice, if I do say so myself," she continued. "However, there is no sense in trying to earn their approval when they can no longer give it to you."

"How do you know that?" he asked, becoming steadily more concerned as she dug into him.

"That question is irrelevant. What other reasons might you have?" she asked, deflecting his inquiry completely.

"…So you won't bother to answer my questions, yet you continue t' bombard me with your own. Fine, if that's how we're playin' it," he observed with a pensive nod. "My… my other reasons are because I want t' make a positive impact on the world, and… and because I want t' steer my path toward brighter roads."

"Considering how dark your past is, I suppose it would be all but necessary for you to look for light to lead you out of the long, otherwise-endless tunnel of your own inconsolable self-loathing and remorse," she countered again, causing a pit to form in the soldier's stomach. This eccentric woman was hitting vulnerable spots with him with pinpoint precision. The experience both vexed and unnerved him.

"…You… What else do you know about me?" he asked once more, not denying the point she made.

"You will receive your answer soon enough, though I doubt you'll like what I have to say. However, I have one final question to ask before that point."

"…In that case, shoot," he permitted after a brief, tense pause.

"What does it mean to be a hero?" she plainly asked him. At that, Tay paused, considering his words carefully before offering his reply. It seemed to him that she was taking much of what he was saying and finding ways to throw it right back at him.

"It means… standin' an' fightin' for what's right, no matter the odds," he cautiously explained. "It's about musterin' the courage t' combat an' beat back oppression an' injustice. It's about protectin' the innocent an' layin' your life on the line for the greater good. My father did that… So did my mother… I want t' follow their example while settin' one o' my own. I've got a point t' prove t' my community, and to myself, that, no matter where you're at, there's always room for improvement if you can get up in the mornin' an' take the opportunities as they come."

"Hm, very noble indeed…" the jackal-masked woman nodded. "Or, I'd like to believe that."

"You think I'm lyin' about that?" he asked back, offended by the assertion. "That is one of my biggest reasons for livin'!"

"It just might be your downfall, too…" she ominously shot back, sending another chill up his spine.

"What are you imp-?"

"The fact is, you're not being totally honest with me, and you know it," she interrupted. "There's something in just they way you carry yourself that tells me you bear a much heavier burden than earning the approval of your friends, fellow community members, and family. No, that would be too simple. I've already hinted at what I see in your motives at the start of our conversation."

"And what do you see in me, huh?" he defensively asked. "Tell me that much, since you seem t' have all the answers."

"Simply put: Guilt. And a lot of it," she answered, petrifying Tayshan as he continued lock his gaze on her. "Guilt, anguish, grief, despair, heartache, incredible frustration turned inward, and a resounding fear of failure are what I see in you. Try as you might to keep it hidden, there is no doubting that many of your recent actions have been driven by self-serving desire to reach a goal you may not live long enough to attain, for reasons from which you will never derive true satisfaction with yourself. The path you walk is a path to inevitable self-destruction at best; not heroism."

"…Is this the part where you give me that answer, then?" he asked again, frozen with confusion and debilitating anxiety. "Is this where you show me where I went wrong? Because even if you know as much about me as you're implyin', if all you're gonna do is berate me, then you don't get t' tell me how I should-!"

"No. This is the part where you face those who have suffered the most severe consequences of your iniquities. This is the part where you come face-to-face with the suppressed feelings you try to shield yourself from," she answered raising her hands, which flared up with a shining energy that matched the gold shade of the flames. However, the flames turned sapphire blue and the woman disappeared in a white flash of light.

"What the…?" he stammered, looking around to see lighting of the cavernous room changing color from gold to a somber, chilling blue as the dots on the ceiling swirled around, rapidly rearranging themselves as they raced along the walls, floor, and ceiling. However, before Tay was too distracted…

"Wassup, 'homie?'" greeted an anger-laced masculine voice familiar only to Tayshan. As he turned his gaze forward, he spotted two men with skin tones similar to his own; one of whom was on the short side, bald, and heavyset. He was dressed in ragged red basketball sneakers, pale navy-blue jeans with a series of tears and dingy brown stains on them, and a tattered black t-shirt with holes littered across it.

"Been a long time, Bony-Boy," the other man, taller than the first and bulkier than even Tayshan himself by a long shot in terms of muscle mass, sported a pair of wheat-colored work boots in very poor shape, a baggy pair of black jeans with tears in them, and a white tank-top, littered with holes and matted with dark brown stains, tucked into his jeans. This man sported jet black cornrows with a blue bandana tied around his head, though the bandana bore a gaping hole in the area covering his forehead.

"Tariq? Hakeem?" Tayshan remarked in utter surprise, taken aback by the apparitions before him. As it appeared, he recognized them. "Wh-what are y'all doin' here? I thought y'all were-!"

"Dead?" the taller, bulkier man finished for him, quickly taking on a tone of intense anger at Tayshan. "Well good news, Bony: We ARE dead!"

"An' it's all your fault, Tay!" the shorter man added, equally as angry as the two began to walk toward him. "Why ain't you stick around an' help me!? Why you let me die for!?" he further roared, tears streaming endlessly down his face as he vocalized his disdain for his former acquaintance, who'd apparently wronged him in the past.

"Tariq, you know that ain't true," Tay addressed the shorter man, standing his ground. "I stayed there as long as I could, tryin' t' get you help!" he added, thus confirming Tariq's accusation that he was responsible for a tragic event that led to his death.

"Bro, I ain't buyin' that!" Tariq screamed back, his vindictive rage building as he halted Hakeem to continue his aggressive approach alone. "You said we was gonna be safe gankin' that deli shop t' feed them kids! You said we wouldn't get hurt! But look at me, homie! I got holes in me that you said should've never been there!"

"I know, an' the day still haunts me, 'Riq! I'll never forget what happened…" Tay reasoned as Tariq stepped up to him.

"Yeah, I'll bet!" the heavyset young man remarked in scorn, shoving Tay backward. "You worthless chump! You ran away as soon as we got caught, an' you watched me get shot after the fact! You stood there like a statue, actin' like it was a joke when that store clerk ended me! Then you 'stuck around' long enough for the cops t' show up, then ran off an' left me where I was! I'm already sick o' your pathetic excuses!"

"Tariq, I-!"

"You don't know the pain I went through, Tayshan! The suffocation, the loss of awareness, the desperation t' survive…" Tariq continued to shout, his voice wavering with heartbroken anger and despair. "Every inch o' my body burned like fire! My wounds ached like no pain I ever felt in my life before that point! Then the visions I saw when I took my last breaths on this Earth… My whole life up t' that very point… then I just… lost consciousness, weepin' about why I had t' die alone an' without even my so-called 'friend' there… You don't know!"
"…Listen, I… I get it…" Tay tried to reason, heavily impacted by his deceased friend's harsh words.

"No, you don't! You got me roped up in some crazy scheme, watched me lose my life, an' you wasn't even there t' at least send me off like a true homie! You was always talkin' about justice for the poor an' unfortunate… Where's my justice then, Tayshan!? Huh!?" Tariq demanded to know, his face awash in his sorrowful tears as he sobbed, grabbing Tay by his tank-top. "Where!?" Tay, having been devastated by his old friend's words, found it hard to speak up as a rush of incredible sadness and guilt nearly paralyzed him right there. Just looking at his friend, who'd long been deceased, right in front of him… his face contorted into a vengeful sneer while drenched with tears of regret and pain… Tayshan was almost completely overwhelmed by the sight of the distraught Tariq alone. Nonetheless, he took a deep breath to gain some form of composure, and he tried to address the problem.

"'Riq…" Tay shakily began, standing perfectly still as he looked the ghost of his friend in the eye. "I… there's no amount of apologizin' I could ever do in a million years that would ever make up for what happened that day… I… the mere thought of it… You have no idea how badly I want t' take it all back… t' go an' convince you t' never come with me… You were never a bad seed like I was back then. Heck, I still remember every word you said when you tried t' talk me out of it. You didn't deserve t' go out the way you did… I'm so sorry, bro, I really am… I don't know what t' do or what else t' say…" he faltered, gently raising his hands to Tariq's and lifting them off. Tay then moved to embrace the portly phantom in a hug of consolation and immense guilt. "I can't even imagine what I put you through, takin' you along… Even after everything you said about what could happen if things went wrong… I know it should've been me, homie. It should NEVER have been you… I'm sorry, bro… I'm sorry…"

"I ain't wanna go like that, Tay… I ain't wanna go…" Tariq continued to sob, though he neither returned nor rejected the gesture.

"Bro… there will never be a minute I ever forget about the day you died… It's… one o' the drivin' forces behind my decision t' change for the better. I just wish we could've made that decision together… while you were still here with me."

"So now you wanna listen t' what I had t' say about cuttin' out the street shtick?" Tariq spat with unmistakable incredulity, offended by the statement rather than relieved as he tore himself away from Tayshan's embrace. "Man, how much wax was in your ears that they don't start ringin' until YEARS later!? I'm supposed t' feel better just because you regret not changin' before I bit the dust!? How about everything else you did, even while I was alive!? Especially in the last few hours we spent! You selfish punk!"

"…That's the least of what I deserve, but I deserve that, no less. Still, you were one o' my closest friends, an' I did you wrong on every level that day," Tay confessed, solemnly nodding as he realized his old friend's point. "An' here I am, makin' things worse by not even understandin' what you went through… but then please, Tariq, help me understand. All I've ever wanted since that day was t' get a chance t' apologize t' you for what happened… for what I did… T' even be able t' see you again after all this time is blowin' me away, so my thoughts ain't even close t' bein' in order! That aside, what can I do t' make it up t' you, man?" he pleaded, moving to rest his hands on Tariq's shoulders as he looked him directly in the eye, holding back a well of tears. Tariq, seeing Tayshan's anguish, momentarily closed his eyes and sighed before making his statement.

"I don't think you'll ever understand what I went through, no matter how much time I take t' explain it t' you. I died slow, painfully, an' alone, but even that PALED in comparison t' the betrayal I felt when I laid there on the cold concrete o' that sidewalk, watchin' you dash down that street without even lookin' back after the police showed… You were the last thing in my eyesight before I died, an' that hurt me so much more than those bullets did that, even if I didn't die from the gunshots, I probably could've died from that. I hope you know that. The sight of you runnin' away from a hard situation so you wouldn't get in trouble… It killed me in a way that those bullets never could, Tay…"

"…I didn't know that, but I will bear that knowledge for as long as I live," Tay hesitantly acknowledged, his heart sinking like an anchor in the ocean. "Again, I'm sorry… If you don't forgive me, I understand. I don't even deserve your forgiveness. I haven't even thought about forgivin' myself… I just… I don't know what I could ever do t' make it up to you, 'Riq…"

"I'm not sure there's anything you can do, unless it pertains t' givin' me my life back. If you can't do that, then don't insult me with offers t' make it up t' me."

"Man, I wish you were still alive. I REALLY do… If I had the power t' bring you back, I wouldn't even think about hesitatin'…" he admitted as he fought back tears of regret. "You know, I visited your grave at least once every month for the next few years until I joined the enforcement services. I was always accompanied by at least some o' the other kids we always hung around. Alongside me, they reminisced over you, keepin' your memory alive in your… absence… An' I never stopped thinkin' about how you deserved far better than what you got that day… I-if that makes you feel any better…"

"…Is that true?" Tariq asked, picking up the sincerity in his old friend's tone. More so, he was shocked by the revelation itself.

"Every word. You had a special impact on all of us, so there was no way we'd ever just let your memory fade away, 'Riq. It's… unbelievable that I get t' tell you this face t' face, but the point stands, regardless. I would never say somethin' like that an' not mean it. You know me. Even with the way I messed up, I was always tryin' t' keep my word. I only ever broke one promise t' you, an'… unfortunately, that resulted in your death…"

"Yes, it did, but… I get your point. It does kinda bring me some peace t' know them younger kids appreciated me. How are they, by the way?"

"Still mostly the same group o' knuckleheads as they've always been, but taller," Tay remarked with a somber grin. "And a little bit wiser t' the environment, last I heard. I was tryin' t' keep in touch with them t' show them through my experience that they can reach their goals, but… things got weird for me recently."

"Heh, that's good that they still looked up t' you…" Tariq acknowledged. "You did always try t' make somebody's wish come true in some way or another."

"You know it, bro… The only wish I can't make come true is my own, though…" he lamented.

"Homie, I know, but it… it is what it is," Tariq dismissed, understanding the depth of his friend's guilt. "Sayin' that won't make either of us feel any better."

"'Riq, I mean it. Even if it meant tradin' places with you so YOU could be the one tryin' t' save a whole different planet under the tutelage of a gorgeous belly dancin' magic genie girl, I would gladly take that chance t' resurrect you," Tay assured his friend as they both went silent After a moment of thought, Tariq moved to initiate another embrace, hugging his old friend tightly as the ghost let out a lighthearted chuckle to dispel the tension between them. They both separated after another moment.

"Yeah, I only got t' hear a little bit about that, but I still can't believe it… Sounds like the weirdest fairytale I ever heard. Still, Tay… Man, look… I thought you went about ya business, actin' like nothin' was wrong after I died…" he began, wiping the tears from his eyes. "But if you mean what you said, then… there ain't a reason t' keep holdin' it against you. It's been a good, long time since that day, but shoot… without sayin' too much, I should probably let it go… It's the only way we're gonna move on. That's weird t' say, considerin' what we're talkin' about, but there ain't no reason t' keep feelin' upset over somethin' you can't change," he further realized as his physical form began to fade. "Too much time has passed since then, an' this conversation is just what I needed t' get my closure. As far as I realized, we're born t' live a life an' die. Life was so darn short, an' I wonder why, but… hey."

"Tariq…"

"Don't mind me, I'm just ramblin'…" he quietly assured as his body began to grow more transparent; a sign that his time was running out. "It's time for me t' go now, but homie, just promise me two things."

"Anything, yo. What's up?"

"Make sure you keep doin' ya thing tryin' t' stand up for what's right, an' make sure nobody else ever ends up like me on your watch, alright?"

"You have my word, Tariq," Tay promised with utmost conviction, bringing a fist to his heart. "Till my dyin' day, I won't ever repeat that same mistake."

"Thank you, Tayshan… an' I saw that you're already puttin' that int' practice, so those promises shouldn't be too hard t' keep. Also, try t' make sure you do it for your sake, or for the sake o' those girls you're on your adventure with; not mine. It's too late for me, but not for them. Peace out…" Tariq nodded as he faded more. Just before he completely vanished, however, he and Tay shared a fist bump that only ended when Tariq retracted his hand to flash his friend a peace sign. After that, Tariq disappeared completely. Tay took a moment to think about his interaction with his old friend and the lesson he took from it… But then, the torches in the room flared and turned from blue to a dazzling orange before the other man furiously grabbed the soldier by the shirt and yanked him in. With a nasty *THUMP*, Hakeem punched Tay, knocking him to the ground.

"Ooh…!" Tay recoiled in pain, checking his jaw to see if it was still in place. Within seconds, however, he shook off the pain and brought himself to his feet while Hakeem stood over him. "Hmph. Even with all that muscle, you still hit like a baby," the soldier joked. Hakeem, none too amused, threw another punch, which Tay caught with an open hand before shoving an open palm into the burly man's chest. With another jarring *THUMP*, Tay shoved Hakeem, causing the ghostly man to stumble back.

"So Bony-Boy gets a little bit o' meat on him, an' now he's ready t' talk some smack?" Hakeem challenged, unimpressed by his former acquaintance's cockiness. "Where was that attitude in that shootout?"

"You mean the one I told you I wanted NO part of?" Tayshan shouted back, aware of what he was being accused of. "The one you got killed in?"

"Yeah, that one. The only one you an' me were ever involved in," Hakeem answered, tapping the hole in his bandana before charging at Tay again. Tayshan was prepared, however. Hakeem threw another wild swing, which Tay countered by ducking under it and hammering the not-so-friendly ghost in the abdomen and performing a hip throw on him, slamming his adversary to the flat, frigid surface.

"You can't bully me like you used to, Hakeem!" Tay shouted as he stepped back, allowing Hakeem to get up on his own. "I got a lot stronger since you died all those years ago!"

"As if I care! I'm still gon' put you down for not havin' my back!" the aggressive ghost roared, charging at Tay again with no sense of restraint.

"Your demise was your own doin', not mine! I ain't takin' an ounce o' responsibility for you!" he argued as the two locked horns once more, with Tay dodging and blocking wild swings from Hakeem aimed at his face.

"I would've never got plugged if you just used that glittery little gun o' yours like I told you! But no! You wanted t' be a punk an' run away from me at the first chance you got! Just like you're doin' now!"

"You would've never got plugged if you didn't go scrappin' with everybody else in the neighborhood!" Tay shot back, still stepping back and avoiding his enemy's uncoordinated punches as the two men carried on fighting. "Remember, you dragged me there because you threatened t' beat me senseless an' tell the cops about my gun if I didn't go! Then you dragged me t' that junkyard, knowin' you were bein' set up for an ambush! I got tired o' you always pushin' me around an' tryin' t' control me!" he shouted, stopping his retreat to block a swing from Hakeem. Tay then wrapped his arm around his opponent's, using the positional advantage to shove the man into a wall hard enough for the *BOOM* of an impact to reverberate within the room. Letting his anger take over, he pinned the other man to the wall and punched him in the chest with all his might. Another unsettling *THUMP* echoed around the makeshift arena as Hakeem exhaled all the air from his lungs, doubling over. Tayshan followed up by throwing the incapacitated man to the floor before backing up to catch his own breath. "If you came back here t' try an' punk me like you always did, then your luck ran out a long time ago!"

While not immediate in his response, Hakeem gingerly picked himself up, clutching his chest in frustration and agony as he shakily brought himself to his feet. "You really think I was hard on you because I wanted t' control you? Man, I only hung around your punk self because I thought I could make you a bigger man!" he confessed, taking a deep breath and stretching to accommodate for the residual ache in his chest. Tay, hearing his supposed-enemy loud and clear, froze in confusion.

"…What? You really expect me t' believe that, with all the times you beat me down, humiliated me, an' forced me t' do all your dirty work for you?" he asked, the indignation radiating from his tone.

"Sucka, I thought you was eventually gonna stop bein' such a softy about everything an' usin' your parents as an excuse t' try an' make people feel sorry for you!" Hakeem shouted back, approaching Tay slowly. Tay, remaining wary, grounded himself in case Hakeem attacked again, though his frustration at his old acquaintance was reaching a boiling point.

"You got some nerve, sayin' that about me of all people, 'Keem…!" Tay spoke up. "I NEVER tried t' get people t' feel sorry for me! I never even brought up moms an' pop in conversation unless somebody asked me! An' even then, I told people I ain't wanna talk about it!" he argued, incensed by his former associate's cold observation.

"Oh, right, but all the mopin' an' cryin' you did wasn't at all a call for attention, right? An' talkin' all that 'hero' junk, but then lashin' out at anybody who questioned your motives? That SCREAMS pity-fishin', fool! You never could accept any criticism for anything you did wrong. Hmph. Some things never change…"

"Hakeem, you're really pushin'-!"

"Your whole disposition in life back then was 'Feel bad for me because I'm just a tortured little tadpole in a swamp full o' piranhas.' But, you wanna get mad at me for callin' you out on your sympathy-seekin' exploits an' tell me it's MY fault I got killed. Get out o' here with that garbage, boy… If you was more of a man, you'd understand, an' you'd realize what a hypocrite you are. But no, you'd rather go on hidin' from the truth, actin' like a spoiled little baby an' pretendin' everything you do is for the sake o' mommy an' daddy or bein' a role model, or whatever your excuse is… Ol' soft li'l punk…" Hakeem spat in disgust. "How do you expect t' carry on with such a pathetic world view, huh? By tellin' that 'Wannabe Hero' tale o' yours over an' over again until you're-?"

"That's enough!" Tay roared, fed up with the man's incessant goading. "My parents are gone, Hakeem! Both of 'em! You wouldn't have a clue what that felt like, bro! Your entire world bein' ripped out from under you! Your life suddenly changin' in the worst way imaginable with no way o' goin' back! Bein' left all alone in a world you felt hated you for even existin'! Especially as young as I was! The only reasons I was even alive, gone in a flash with no hope of ever gettin' them back! As my older once-removed cousin, I thought you'd at least understand the grief I was goin' through, rather than tear me down harder for it!"

"That's why I tried t' make you into a bigger man, Tay!" Hakeem shouted back with equal fury. "I didn't want you t' be hung up on your folks forever! But I wasn't gonna coddle you like some snot-nosed, crumb-snatchin' toddler who ain't know his left from his right! You were better than that, an' you know it! Plus, you know what kind of environment we were in! You know what happens t' punks who can't stick up for themselves! Somebody needed t' give you a reality check before reality checked you itself! Besides, you wasn't the only one who was dealt a bad hand in our neighborhood! How was I gonna look, lettin' you act like you were some kind o' special exception t' that reality!? Matter fact, how do you think YOU would've looked if I stood by an' let you mope an' cry all day long!?"

"So what, your idea of toughenin' me up was bein' the very influence I tried t' avoid? Is that it? Forcin' me int' doin' half the awful things I did under your watch?"

"I ain't gonna pretend some of it wasn't messed up, but it worked t' some degree, didn't it? You're still alive," he indignantly shot back. "Even better, you're bigger an' stronger than before… but that still ain't no excuse for how you dogged me out that night."

"What was I supposed t' do, man? I told you, that gun was not meant for my hands! Plus, I had no idea how t' use it at the time," he admitted without hesitation. "I specifically said I would not be able t' help you an' that you would've been better off goin' with somebody else."

"There WAS nobody else! It ain't like you was my first choice, fool! Anybody else I could've picked was already either pushin' up daisies or countin' tally marks in a cell! You were my only hope! But then, right when you heard the first few gunshots, you bailed out with your tail between your legs… It's almost a slap in the face that you apparently joined the military after the fact," Hakeem explained, continually tearing into his cousin. "Your first warzone experience, an' you chose t' duck like the punk you are," he continued his tirade, forcefully shoving Tay back. Tay, listening to his cousin, did nothing but stumble backward as he began to ruminate. "Oh, so you remember now! Good! Let that sink in! Would you believe I caught that bullet in my skull in addition t' all the others, tryin' t' protect you while you sprinted out o' that junkyard, so scared I could've smelled the fear on you if I wasn't busy gettin' shot? You coward!" he finished, rubbing the hole in his bandana.

"…So what's your point, huh?" Tay hesitantly asked, still trying to process Hakeem's harsh words. "If that's the case that you thought I needed a reality check, or that I was just usin' my folks or my situation as an excuse t' avoid responsibility for my actions, then why'd you save a coward like me, even though it cost you your life?"

"Boy, if I had an answer t' that, I'd give it to you. You might be my cousin, but I wasn't thinkin' about no family ties. That's just… how it played out, yo…" he admitted with a sigh. "…but hey, it looks like it wasn't for nothin', I guess."

"Meanin' what?" Tay questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"You actually managed t' do somethin' with your sorry self since I got wet up…" Hakeem commended, though his commendation was laced with some contempt.

"I guess…" the soldier uncertainly agreed.

"You know I'm right, Bony-Boy. If it wasn't for me savin' your scary behind, you would've never got here. Countin' li'l 'Riq, that's two people who died in your place, so you could keep livin'," Hakeem pointed out, poking Tay in his chest to emphasize his point. "An' before you say it, I take responsibility for bringin' you out there with me, but you know you was wrong for dippin' on me. Wrap your head around that one…" Tayshan, shattered by a realization brought on by his cousin's tirade, froze as his gaze fell to the ground before Hakeem stopped him by placing a hand on the soldier's forehead, forcing him to look him in the eye. "Naw, you gon' look at me when you realize how much 'Riq an' I gave up for you. I been wantin' t' see that look on your face for a long time, an' you ain't gonna hide it from me now." Tayshan, receiving the message clear as diamonds, went silent as he stared at his ghostly cousin's anger-filled eyes, contemplating his words with the full intent of understanding where Hakeem was coming from. After a tense, pulse-pounding silence, he found it in himself to speak.

"…Y'know, just like with 'Riq, I… I feel guilty for what happened t' you, too…" Tay finally admitted with a heavy heart as he looked Hakeem in the eye at the phantom's request. "I know I said at first that I wasn't gonna take responsibility for your death that night, but… you… you made a real good point. A few of 'em, actually. Let's be real, I was the only person there who could've helped you, an' I didn't. It's just like what my friend Shantae said t' me today about knowin' what's right an' not doin' it, on top of all the other stuff she grilled me on…" he added, thinking back to his conversation with the half-genie hours earlier. "I'm sorry, Hakeem…"

"You should be," Hakeem replied with a condescending smirk as he pushed Tay back by his forehead. "I ain't gonna bawl my eyes out like Tariq did, but you know things could've been way different if you stuck around an' helped me."

"…I don't know if I agree with that, but… I… I still think I should've at least tried t' drag you out o' there alive. If we just stuck around an' fought, we'd both be ghosts," he calmly, hesitantly argued as hs guilt nearly overwhelmed him again.

"…Lookin' back, you might be right. But you know we wasn't no mark chumps with targets on our backs. Or at least, I wasn't. You still had a lot t' prove," Hakeem accused.

"Fair… Look, bro, I… I'm sorry for what happened. REALLY sorry. I know that won't do a thing t' change the events o' that night, an' I'm haunted by the memory every day, so it ain't like I got off scot-free. Shoot, every day I wake up knowin' I'm about t' get ahold of a gun, I… I think sometimes about what could've happened had I been brave enough t' at least cover you while we escaped t' safety… An' now that I see that event for what it really was, that kills me inside; especially because I know I can't go back an' change the past. I can't even imagine what you went through… Just hearin' 'Riq's description of how he died hurts me t' the core…"

"Which is why you're gonna make sure your future ain't ruled by cowardice, doubt, an' flimsy excuses like doin' it for the neighborhood or doin' it for your folks," Hakeem interjected, capitalizing on Tayshan's point. "There comes a time where you gotta just do somethin' simply because it's right, bro. Think outside o' what you're gettin' out of it instead o' worryin' about how many brownie points you can score with somebody. Shoot, you shouldn't even have t' think about it if you know somethin' you do is right or wrong. Not everybody's gonna care about what you do right, but that don't mean you can't just do it without needin' a crowd watchin' you. Trust your instincts sometimes. Matter fact, just like how you saved that li'l blonde girl from fallin' off that cliff, or how you took a bullet for the purple-haired dancer girl before that," he explained with a snap of his fingers, using VERY recent examples of trusting one's instincts. Of course, Tay was taken aback by the knowledge bomb.

"Wh-what? How could you know about that?" he understandably questioned in utter surprise.

"Don't worry about that. I'm not allowed t' say," Hakeem dismissed, much to Tayshan's disappointment. "The fact is, you jumped in, despite how much pain you went through, an' you saved somebody's life today, bro. You also protected somebody else because you knew you didn't want her t' get hurt, an' that's all that mattered. I can at least be proud o' you for that. Just make sure you keep that savior's instinct in you, an' follow it without question."

"…You're right…" Tay hesitantly agreed, letting his curiosity about Hakeem's knowledge about him saving Twitch fade in the wake of the lesson he was receiving on finding the right motivations to do the right thing. "Maybe if I had somethin' like that instinct before… then maybe I could've…"

"Don't dwell too much on what you could've done for me, man. There ain't nothin' you can do now t' change things, even though I wish you could. Believe me, I would've preferred t' live my life t' the fullest. But, what can I do now, right? Just like 'Riq said," he reasoned with a melancholy shrug, bringing his hand to the hole in his bandana once more. "Oh, an' I went lights out real quick, in case you're curious. Not that I would ever recommend tryin' it for yourself…"

"I'll take your word for it, man… but you're right, regardless. It's just like I was told before in boot camp about doin' things for the greater good or for myself instead o' bankin' on the approval factor…" Tay continued to ponder, relating life lessons he'd been taught in his past. "I… I suppose I really should learn how t' move on… an' be my own person… Twitch an' Vinegar might be ont' somethin' there, too…"

"Good, you're finally growin' up at a reasonable pace," Hakeem teased with a smirk. "Just know that movin' on doesn't necessarily mean forgettin' about the people who ain't in your life anymore. You can still remember us as you see fit. Movin' on is about learnin' how t' keep pushin' forward under your own power an' makin' sure the knowledge that we ain't here anymore doesn't impact you to a point where you can't function without thinkin' about us, or that thinkin' of us causes you t' shut down."

"Wow… That's… That's so true…!" Tay exhaled, evidently having an epiphany thanks to Hakeem's words of wisdom.

"Shoot, you know it. Now, you can't say I never gave you anything on how t' deal with loss, homie," Hakeem taunted. "All my bases are covered." At that, Tay let out a slight sadness-riddled chuckle.

"Cool… I'll take that," the soldier acknowledged with an approving nod.

"Like I'm givin' you a choice," he shot back with a friendly grin. "Remember that part about bein' your own person, though, Tayshan. You're gonna need that bit of enlightenment later," the ghostly cousin warned, though his premonition was unclear to Tay.

"For what?" Tay dared to ask to vocalize his confusion.

"Can't say, but… Trust me," Hakeem cryptically urged with a serious nod.

"Okay. But… Shoot, I gotta ask. Is… is that really true that you were only tryin' t' build me up all that time back then?" Tayshan inquired, genuinely curious about his cousin's motives.

"The same way the military does it. Only, more street-wise," the phantom confirmed. "I know I was always hard on you, but it's because I cared, bro. But before I get too deep int' that, it looks like my time is runnin' out," Hakeem alerted Tay as his corporeal form began to fade. "Thank goodness, because things would've gotten super sappy at this point…" he joked. However, Hakeem held out his hand toward Tay, which the soldier was quick to grab.

"…Ain't no easy way t' say this, 'Keem, but… I won't forget about you or what we went through in life. An'… thanks for… for teachin' me, even if your lessons were gruelin'… Even up t' this very moment. Granted, you could've gotten me killed or seriously injured numerous times, which makes this so much harder t' say than you'll ever know, but…" Tay explained, still feeling a bit resentful of his cousin for their turbulent history.

"Look, I'm not gonna say I was the perfect teacher, or that my lessons t' you couldn't have been taught in less… deadly ways," Hakeem somewhat regretfully acknowledged, shaking Tayshan's hand. "I can tell you're still upset with me, so I'll man up an' say I'm sorry for puttin' you through the wringer so many times," Hakeem apologized, catching Tayshan off-guard.

"…I never… thought I'd hear you apologize for anything…"

"An' it's the only time you will hear it. If you can apologize for what happened t' me, then it's only right that I own up, too. I mean it. You gotta understand, though, that my intention was never t' get you killed or hurt, homie."

"Hm… At the time, it didn't seem that way…"

"I know, but I said it already that I wanted you t' be stronger," Hakeem reiterated. "I'm just glad you DID become stronger, all the other stuff aside. Are we cool?"

"…Yeah," Tay nodded after a moment of deep, intensive thought and a heavy, pressure-relieving sigh. "It'd be petty an' unhealthy t' continue holdin' a grudge against you after this long… an' I only just learned that from Tariq…"

"That's fair, Tay," Hakeem understood. "I get it… Forgiveness is hard for both of us, but we gotta get past the beefs we had. We're still family in the end, an' this is the last chance we're ever gonna get."

"Couldn't have said it better myself. Still, I'll say it again. Thanks for lookin' out for me, cuz."

"Yeah, sure," the ghostly man nonchalantly acknowledged his living cousin's offer of gratitude. "I still prefer that it didn't cost me my life, but it's at least good t' see you took some o' my hard-knock teachings t' heart, Bony-Boy. I also guess it's kind of a bonus t' see you ain't Street Struck like I was, an' that you're actually listenin' t' me without me havin' t' scare the knowledge int' you for once… That's a good sign if I ever saw it. Now, I can rest easy," he added with a peaceful sigh.

"…H-Hakeem…" Tay called out in abarely-audible whisper, impacted deeply by his late cousin's statement about resting easy. The context of the remark shook Tayshan nearly to tears, though he fought his hardest. His throat welled up as he swallowed. He was rendered nearly speechless as he studied his family member's fading form.

"Just make sure that whatever you do from here, you don't ever turn tail an' run from another fight; especially not against that purple pirate chick who stomped your fragile little guts out the other day," the ghostly man joked with a snicker, getting under Tay's skin as he let out an annoyed sigh. "Her OR that genie girlfriend o' yours who broke your ribs after that," he teased with another hearty snicker at Tayshan's misfortune. "If I was you, I'd have never let myself live down gettin' beat up by two women on two separate occasions."

"Wow… Even in death, you really know how t' pour salt in my wounds. I can't even imagine how you would know about any o' that," Tay remarked with a displeased, embarrassed frown as some of the grief-stricken tension he felt was mostly shaken off. "Also, these girls are NOT t' be underestimated, in my defense," he humorously pointed out. "They both hit harder than you're givin' 'em credit for, yo. They have this crazy magic thing goin' on as well, that makes their natural talents that much more dangerous; even against all the trainin' I went through!"

"Trust me, I've seen an' heard enough t' be aware," Hakeem assured with another chuckle. "You're gonna have your work cut out for you, I can tell. But look, all you need t' know from me about that is that frustration is the best motivator, cuz. Never forget that, either," he further advised.

"For once, I agree without question…" Tayshan admitted with a confident nod.

"I had a feelin' you would. On that note, As-Salaam-Alaikum…" Hakeem bade with a smirk and a peace sign before he, like Tariq before him, vanished into ethereal vapors that dissipated around the room, leaving Tay alone.

"…Wa-Alaikum-Salaam, cousin…" he somberly murmured as he cast his gaze to the ground once more, his heart getting heavier as tears welled up in his eyes once more. He would not get a chance to mourn his lost friend and family just yet, however. A sudden *click* coming from behind him, accompanied by an instant change of the light in the room from orange-yellow to a blazing red, as well as rapid flickering from the tiny luminous spots on the ceiling, alerted him that there was yet another presence in the room. He slowly turned around and was utterly floored to see who was behind him.

On the other end of the cavern, Tayshan laid eyes upon another young man, nearly as tall as him and quite lean in stature, with apricot-hued skin, blonde hair, and jade-green eyes dressed in black boots and an orange short-sleeved jumpsuit matted with reddish-brown stains across it. He was aiming a familiar-looking silver pistol at Tay. Beside this orange-garbed young man was a young woman who stood somewhat shorter than the other individual. She was voluptuous, her bright blue form-fitting jeans and magenta-tinted spaghetti-string tank-top tightly hugging her astounding curves. She also wore a pair of lime-green sneakers that complemented her top. Her luscious, bushy, curly, acorn-hued shoulder-length hair nearly enveloped her face. Her eyes bore a brilliant hazel shade that Tayshan found unmistakable as he recognized the woman, as well as the young man, in less than a second.

"…Kassandra? Damian?" he called to them, nearly petrified as his mind continued to be sent through loop after loop as stood, mystified. The multitude of monumental blasts from his harrowing past were taking their toll on him quickly.

"I'm surprised you even still remember my name, Tay-Tay," the woman spoke, her tone forlorn and riddled with sadness as she stepped forward. The other ghost, while still glaring hotly at Tayshan, lowered the gun he had pointed at him and stayed behind.

"Of course I remember you, Kassie!" Tay excitedly affirmed as the two met in the center of the cavern before he realized something… Something that made his blood run cold as his heart immediately sank. "Wait… if… if you're here, then… then…!"

"Yup, I'm dead as a doornail," she happily finished for him with an ironically-cheerful grin. Tay's heartbreak and devastation were only tempered by his confusion at her disposition.

"…You don't seem upset about it," he cautiously observed.

"Of course, I didn't plan on dyin'. Still, I'm just happy t' get t' see you one last time, Tay-Tay!" she remarked, keeping up her weirdly-jovial demeanor as she grabbed his hands and held them as she stood before him. It's also worth note that he didn't seem to mind her calling him by an embarrassing name he previously advised against a certain someone else calling him.

"…Right…" he regretfully agreed, remembering how his friendship with her ended. "I uh…"

"I know, you was so irked at me that you stopped talkin' t' me until I moved out o' the city… It's been a PRETTY long time since we last saw each other, hasn't it?"

"Yeah…" he morosely acknowledged. "I don't exactly remember us leavin' off on good terms. I'm surprised you could be happy t' see me."

"We had our spat, but there really ain't no reason t' dwell too much on it. This is our chance t' smooth it out, when you think about it," she advised, still smiling with glee.

"True… but why are you here? What happened t' you?" he warily asked, afraid of what she might answer with. His curiosity prevailed, however. "As far as I understand from Tariq an' Hakeem, y'all are ghosts…?"

"Yuppers, we all are. Also… let's just say curiosity killed this cat… an' there was no 'satisfaction' t' bring me back," she answered as her smile faded into a blank expression, sending a chill up the soldier's spine.

"…Y'know, it's great t' see your morbid, warped sense o' humor somehow stayed intact," he commended (sort of).

"Who would I be if I didn't find the light in the dark all the time, hm?" she joked with another cheery smile.

"…You haven't changed at all. Still… I… I don't even know where t' begin… How… When…? What…?"

"Still stuck on how I wound up here?" Kassandra asked as her smile faded again. She let go of Tay's hands and took a step back.

"Yes. I… I'm utterly floored t' see you here instead of, say, a doctor's office or somethin' related t' your goals from what I remember."

"Well… you're gonna be mad at me…" she warned, frowning with regret as she lowered her head.

"…We won't know until you tell me, Kass. That is… if you want to."

"I… I think you deserve t' know," she confessed through a heavy sigh meant to dispel an immeasurable level of pressure. "So… Here goes. You already know my story, right? About how I said that, even with how bubbly an' carefree I was, it was mostly because I liked makin' other people smile?"

"Yeah. I could never forget. We shared everything about ourselves to each other."

"Not everything…" she revealed, shocking her friend to the core.

"What…?" he warily asked, picking up on her increasingly-gloomy tone.

"I never got to tell you that… that deep down inside, I was eternally miserable…" she admitted, flooring Tayshan again.

"What?" he remarked in astonishment. "But… the way you presented, you always seemed so happy-go-lucky, an' so relaxed."

"I know, but… Tay, that wasn't all I was. I told you how I got good grades an' was good in school sports because I was naturally gifted, for example. But really, it was because my parents constantly, CONSTANTLY put heavy pressure on me t' succeed in school because they thought I had potential t' be a doctor or somethin' that made a lot o' money for the family. I had multiple weekly specialized gym sessions t' improve my sports performance here, biweekly Saturday study sessions t' reinforce my knowledge there, monthly father-orchestrated skill reviews the third… All just so I could get a job that paid well enough, as far as they saw fit… Oh, an' I got harshly punished if I ever brought home a bad grade on anything, missed the 8:30 PM curfew, or even so much as skipped a workout day t' just relax or eat fast food," she explained, becoming somewhat frustrated by her recollection of her difficult past. "I could barely BREATHE without gettin' sent t' my room without dinner or smacked by my mom if I did even THAT wrong…! It was… just a horrible experience, bein' treated like little more than a future meal ticket by my own parents. I could never open up t' them about anything because of how scared-slash-tired I was o' them turnin' it into a lecture about how I should just focus on bein' a successful athlete or lawyer in the future…"

"Wow… I mean… I had some idea based on what I saw that you folks really liked t' drill you on bein' a model student an' all, but… I had no idea it was that bad…" Tay confessed, sympathizing with the spirit of his old friend.

"Trust me, Tayshan, it was. I lived it for 22 years. Anyway, if a bad grade or a missed curfew were one thing, then they'd really get on my case whenever I got caught with the wrong company," she further admitted.

"Wrong company? With my background?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"You got lucky. They never did suspect you t' be the knucklehead you was back then, what with how tight my mom was with your foster parents," Kassandra countered.

"Noted. Thanks, I guess," he acknowledged with a frown.

"Harsh, but true. Anyway, my parents were also breakin' up an' they were in a heated battle about who would take me once I got accepted t' college; speakin' o' which, I didn't really even want t' go to school anymore after I graduated. I wanted t' become a singer, but neither my mom nor my dad believed in the idea. Go figure, when you're on the school choir an' your instructor tells you you've got vocal chords like gold, but your parents don't want to push for a music career. Also, my mom eventually won out, but it came at a cost. Without my dad in the picture, my mom an' I had t' move to another, worse set o' slums where she could afford t' feed the two of us while I struggled t' get to an' from the college I was enrolled at near that town…"

"Jeez…" Tay exhaled in wonder and dread, feeling increasingly bad for Kassandra.

"Yeah… an' even before that happened, my boyfriend an' I got into a huge argument right after you stopped talkin' t' me because he heard some rumor about me hangin' around you more than him an' that somehow, it meant I was gonna dump him for you. Crazy, no?"

"Hm…" was all Tay could muster up, the nature of the remark stinging him.

"We broke up because o' that, an' some other stuff we didn't agree on. I didn't even get t' at least try t' say goodbye t' you, either, Tay-Tay…"

"Kassie…" he called to her, his heart thumping in his chest with guilt and intense pressure.

"Y'know, you were the only true friend I had… I mean, I had my acquaintances in school, but none of them hung out with me like you did. You were the only person I truly enjoyed bein' around. I never got t' tell you because… I'll admit, the peer pressure made me keep things secret from our schoolmates, but… I wanted t' let you know that you were not just some charity case in my eyes. You were special t' me. I cherished the days we spent together because those were the only times I was ever truly happy. Once we had that fallin' out, it all seemed t' come crumblin' down, one domino at a time."

"I… I'm sorry, Kassie… but… How could things get so bad for you so suddenly?" Tay asked, unable to fathom Kassandra's turmoil in life. "I was under the impression you moved ont' bigger an' better things!"

"Good question, but no, things were not better when I moved. I didn't make a single friend in college. I struggled with my grades over the course o' the first couple semesters, and I had t' get a part-time job while I was tryin' t' study. Mom an' me were near rock bottom, an' I took the brunt o' the social aspect, with people makin' fun o' me an' takin' every opportunity t' make me feel worse about my situation than I ever could've on my own."

"Are you serious? College is supposed t' be all about acceptance an' equality, I heard!"

"Not the one I went to… It was high school all over again, but with ten times as much gossip, bullyin', an' trouble, as well as half as much action from the faculty. If it wasn't somebody callin' me names, it was somebody dumpin' food on me. If it wasn't that, it was somebody makin' fun o' me for bein' poor. If it wasn't that, then somebody had a problem with me for bein' the 'weird, quiet one.' If that wasn't it, then somebody was spreadin' rumors about me bein' a 'flirtatious boy magnet,' which earned me a lot more criticism for how I look… I also got picked on a ton because o' my low grades, which led t' people thinkin' I was dumb… an' don't even get me started on the boys who only ever tried gettin' comfy with me because they liked me, but then flipped the script when I turned them down…"

"Dang, Kassie… That's just horrible…!" he choked out, vicariously angered by what she went through.

"Work wasn't much better, what with the awful schedules, the busy nights, the oblivious managers, an' the rude, grabby customers with their spoiled kids… You'd think workin' at a family-friendly neighborhood arcade would sound like fun. Boy, did I learn my lesson the hard way… Day in an' day out, gettin' yelled at an' berated by everybody around me, just so I could chase a measly little check that wouldn't feed a starvin' dog…"

"I'm sorry you had t' go through that," he offered, uncertain of how to address her past struggles. "Sounds like you really toiled away since you moved away, but that not one bit of it was workin' out for you. You don't deserve havin' all that happen t' you. You deserve so much better than that."

"That's sweet, Tay-Tay, but it is what it is…" she lamented, dismissing his sympathy.

"Jeez…" he murmured in concern, scratching his head as he wracked his brain for how to proceed the conversation. "So… what happened, if you don't mind me askin'?"

"Oh, right, I was supposed t' tell you about that. Sorry, I was just venting… So, one day about a year or so after we moved, I… I got curious, like I said. I won't go int' too much detail, so fill in the blanks where you can, okay?" she advised, immediately cutting to the point of how she became a ghost.

"…Okay," Tay hesitantly agreed with a nod.

"I was home alone, an' I just… remember breakin' down an' cryin' my eyes from the minute I woke up, all the way t' late at night. For about a week or two leadin' up t' this point, I didn't wanna eat, I didn't wanna go anywhere, an' I didn't wanna do anything. Mom wasn't home all day because she was workin' both of her two jobs, an' I chose not t' go t' class or work that day or the three days before. I couldn't take it anymore. I was in such a daze that night once I cried my eyes dry, wonderin' why my life was such a perpetual trainwreck that no matter what I did t' make other people happy, it only ever backfired an' made me more miserable in the long run… Tryin' t' make friends only made me enemies, workin' t' support the house only got me yelled at for gettin' bad grades or not doin' a good enough job, an' just tryin' t' live only pushed me closer t' my breakin' point one day at a time."

"I… Wow, Kassie…"

"I never got t' tell you this, Tay-Tay, but deep inside, past my cheery attitude, was a girl who was lonely, broken, lost with no one t' save her, an' just… so torn up with years of pressure, guilt, sadness, an' pain that I… I let it overwhelm me. What hurt me the worst was that I betrayed my best friend when he was already dealin' with so much pain an' sufferin' of his own an' had it so much worse off than I ever could… Tay, I never forgave myself for what I did t' you. When you entered my mind that day, that… That was it. But, by the time I realized I was teeterin' toward the brink, it was too late…"

"…No… Y-you can't… You're not tellin' me you…!?" he almost dared to ask, but he froze mid-question as his blood went cold with dread.

"…It was an accident," she tearfully confessed. Hearing that ripped Tayshan to the innermost fiber of his being as as his eyes nearly overflowed with tears he still fought to hold back. He could only stare at the ghost of his former love interest, shaken nearly into a state of flabbergasted catatonia at what she'd just revealed to him.

"…You… I… I don't understand… Kassie, why? You said you would never…!"

"I… I hit a low point, Tayshan… a REAL low point I know I could've recovered from, if I gave it enough time," Kassie began as she started to cry. "But I was so mad at everything, an' so sick of smilin' for everybody when I knew it was only hidin' all the pain I had inside that I had t' wait until I got home t' let out. I was still gonna carry on, though. I was gonna give it another shot, like I always told myself every night, but… once I started, I… I couldn't stop… Even now, I don't think I should tell you what happened…"

"…I don't need t' hear it," Tay confessed, still choking back tears of grief. "I'm sorry, Kass! I'm sorry! For everything I ever did t' you! For everything I said! I… I can't even…"

"Tay-Tay, it's… it's okay now," she consoled, though she let her tears streak freely down her face. "I'm… I'm not in pain anymore."

"But it shouldn't have cost you your life, Kassie!" Tay countered, unable to conceptualize the event that led to Kassandra becoming a ghost. "If I wasn't so ignorant an' selfish, worryin' about if you liked me or not, or thinkin' about myself when we were hangin' out… Why didn't you let me know you were goin' through so much?"

"I wanted to, I really did! But I didn't want t' be selfish an' use you t' vent about my problems when you had so much o' your own thing goin' on! Plus, I was tryin' t' handle it on my own, like you were doin'…"

"Like I was doin'?" he echoed in shock.

"Yeah. Makin' all kinds o' moves t' make your situation more bearable, doin' everything you could t' provide in the only way you knew how… e-even if your ways always got me worried that you would get yourself killed or locked up, Tay-Tay, I always admired your can-do attitude."

"…Thanks, but… this… this ain't about me. I just… I don't have words to express how conflicted I feel right now…"

"What do you mean?"

"Like… I'm devastated t' find out you died… I always thought you'd become the success you deserved t' be… but I'm upset t' find out that, one way or another, you gave up your shot at a better life in a sorrowful rut that you just admitted you could've clawed your way out of… What about your mom? Your dad? Your… your plans for the future? Plus, we talked about this sort o' thing in the past…"

"I know, Tay… Quitters are people who've already lost before they try," she recited a phrase he'd evidently told her, rolling her eyes. "It wasn't about me quittin', though. It was about me findin' a way t' numb the pain. Please don't stand there an' judge me. I got enough o' that from everybody else. I don't need that from you, too."

"I'm not judgin' you at all, I swear… What I meant was that… that you deserved better than what you got… A better environment… a better livin' situation… a better friend that should've been more alert t' your struggles… Again, I'm sorry, Kass… I stuck my foot in my mouth just now an' proved that I have not been a good friend t' you."

"It's fine… I get what you mean," she understandingly replied, wiping her tears away as she calmed down. "T' be honest, I was mad at myself, too… I still kinda am, matter fact. I wasn't really thinkin' about what would happen or where it would lead me. I was only thinkin' about how t' make the pain stop… an' I know mom an' pop-pop must've been completely devastated when they found out… I never got t' see them or say good-bye…" she trailed off, offering a sad smirk to her old friend. "You could say that I found a pretty good method of makin' the pain stop forever, at least." Kassandra's morbid, ill-timed joke flabbergasted the soldier as he cocked an eyebrow at her.

"…Is… Was that a-?"

"Yep!" she answered, somberly chuckling whereas Tay remained quiet, observing her. "Come on, laugh with me! You know how much I hate depressin' conversations or sad moments like this. Plus, I had no choice but t' think about it for the last few years since that day. I won't ever completely get over the incredible amount of emotional pain I caused my family or myself, but I've had t' learn t' live with… er, I-I mean, be dead with the knowledge that we all have t' find a way t' keep movin' on," she informed him with a slight chortle at her own slip of the tongue.

"Y-yeah, but-!"

"Tayshan, no matter how much I wish I could stop myself, the fact is that I can't turn back time. On top o' that, time marches on whether you like it or not. That said, I didn't take the opportunity t' come all this way t' watch you cry about me. Don't you think you've done enough o' that already? Your eyes should be drier than cemetery dirt!"

"…Kassie, you… you are makin' this REAL hard for me…" he replied, cringing at yet another dark joke with intentional poor timing.

"Wanna know what else is hard?" she asked, still smiling as she continued.

"…Dare I ask, what?" he hesitantly queried, expecting another lurid answer.

"Your head," she answered, forming a fist and knocking on his forehead like a door. "Seriously, I don't think you know how much of a burden it always was t' get you t' listen."

"Ow! Stop that," he protested, swatting away at thin air. "This ain't funny…"

"No, but you know what is?"

"…Don't-!"

"The fact that it took this much time AND my death just t' get you t' talk t' me again. Not a lot o' people have that kind o' patience or commitment, Tay-Tay, so thank your lucky stars I stuck it out for you. You wouldn't believe how borin' it is t' sit in limbo for almost the amount o' time t takes t' graduate from college 40 times!"

"…What? Come on, that doesn't even-!" he was about to object to such an absurdly-high number.

"Tay, I coulda BEEN had my degree in Biochem, an' you'd still be all 'Blah blah, I'm so macho, I don't wear my heart on my sleeve even though I'm super sensitive' like you always was," she playfully mocked, gesticulating exaggerated versions of the soldier's mannerisms to drive the point home.

"Okay, okay, I get it," Tay remarked, his previous grief mostly replaced with sourness at the ghost girl teasing him. "An' for the record, I was never sensitive."

"Mm-hmm," she further incredulously teased.

"Goodness, you don't let up, do you?" he complained, taking issue with her relentless teasing.

"Hey, you try losin' an important friend, then dyin' before you ever reconcile. Just like your cousin Hakeem said, I wouldn't recommend the experience. Take my word for it."

"Exactly what I planned on doin'. Though… of all the things I need t' apologize t' you for, Kassandra, I'm the most sorry for ever throwin' our friendship away over somethin' so dumb as a crush… It's just… I… I had such a huge attachment t' you, an' I was too self-centered t' ever consider the possibility that you didn't return my feelings. Hearin' you tell your friends you didn't, was the fuel source behind my outburst… I also reacted to the part where you said you felt bad for me, but man… Rejection is an ugly feelin'."

"You got that right," she agreed, shocking the soldier, though he wasn't expecting sympathy. "I ain't pattin' you on the shoulder for screamin' at me like you did, though. That was just harsh an' unnecessary."

"Heh, that's fair. I deserve that…"

"No, you deserve this," she corrected, reaching a hand as far back as she could. Before Tayshan could consider what she was doing, she let 'er rip. With a frightening *SMACK*, Kassandra slapped Tayshan across the face with her full strength, the impact sending echoes throughout the room.

"Gagh! Owwww!" Tay shouted in excruciating pain, stumbling back and bringing both hands to his cheek. "Why'd you do that!?"

"That's years o' pent-up anger an' grief wrapped up int' one slap! It was just a matter of if I was ever gonna get the chance t' let you have it an' let you know just how much pain you put me through! How's that feel, you jerk!?" she roared, letting loose the result of a long-standing grudge.

"Like a thousand wet towels! Jeez, even as a ghost, you hit like nobody's business! Hakeem ain't got nothin' on you!" he complained, still rubbing his smarting cheek in shock and agony.

"Good! Now imagine how I felt when you cut me off, then told everybody we were never friends because o' the way you felt about me… That was a million times worse than any slap I could ever give you!"

"Point taken… Ow," Tay agreed, blinking to reorient himself as he recovered. "Look, I wasn't bein' rational at all. I admit that wholeheartedly. I was goin' full blast in a fit o' rage facilitated by a broken heart, an' I never did take very much time t' consider where I was wrong until recently. I can't apologize enough for havin' done that t' you. I know I deserve a ton more than just that slap for how I treated you."

"And I'd give you more, but I can see that purple-haired chick you been hangin' around actually managed to talk some sense int' you."

"Purple-haired…? Y-you mean Shantae?" he asked, dumbfounded that Kassandra would know who Shantae was.

"If that's her name, then yeah, her. The one in that stylish red dancer costume," she elaborated, confirming her knowledge of Sequin Land's finest belly dancing heroine. "Anyway, look… Tay-Tay, I never got t' tell you this, but… I actually knew about your feelings way before our fallin' out, in case you were wonderin'," she admitted, alarming her old friend almost beyond words.

"…Of course you did," he sarcastically murmured to himself, mentally kicking himself as he let out a sigh of disappointment.

"Yeah, I bet you're real surprised, huh? Then again, it wasn't like you didn't make it painfully obvious you were sweet on me."

"…Honestly, Kassandra, if my heavily-conflictin' emotions were fuel for an explosive, this whole place would be a giant, watery crater from the blast alone. That said, yes. Yes, I am surprised." At that, Kassandra giggled.

"Ah, there's that dry sense o' humor I missed so much… But, yeah, I had a soft spot for you too, Tay. Just… not in that way. You were my best friend. Sure, you were a cute kid, but I never thought we clicked that way. Plus, even if that was a possibility, why ruin a good thing by complicatin' it with relationship drama? I enjoyed hangin' out with you as my friend. We could talk about whatever an' just chill without a care in the world. My boyfriend was really good t' me, too, but his biggest drawback was that he was the jealous type. Once we started datin', I couldn't say near as much around him, because I knew certain things would set him off. Contrary t' what he believed when we broke up, I was fully committed t' him an' would've given him the world, regardless of any obstacles we faced. I even thought about marryin' him at some point if we saw eye-to-eye by the time our relationship ended, but you see what I mean, right? He got so mad at me for somethin' so simple as havin' you as a friend that he figured I wasn't worth datin' if he wasn't the only guy I was ever allowed t' pay attention to. If it wasn't for that, he an' I would probably have been engaged by now. Simply put, my relationship with him was closer than with you, but it was way more fragile," she blatantly spilled, hitting Tay in such a sour spot that it'd make a fresh lemon tense up in agony.

"…Uh… O-okay," Tay acknowledged with a nod, though he was uncertain of wanting to hear more.

"I know that tone. You don't care t' hear about my plans or my relationship with Jonah, do you?" she asked, for some reason suspecting Tay wasn't interested in her story about her lack of romantic affection for him and how he may have indirectly ruined her last relationship.

"Not really, no," he plainly blurted out, a blank expression on his face. "But-!"

"Ugh, you are such a pain!" Kassandra nearly snapped, frustrated with Tay's indifference. "You never was one t' listen t' things you didn't like t' hear. I knew you wouldn't get it."

"Let me finish," he interjected, catching Kassie by surprise. "Much as it pains me t' admit, I… I understand," he carefully added. "You an' he were together, an' from what you're tellin' me, y'all were almost inseparable. I get it. If I'd known about him sooner, I'd have very likely backed off an' let you live your life with him. But then, I completely messed that up for you with the way things panned out, if I'm drawin' the right conclusions…" he admitted, feeling his heart sink further. "S-sorry about that…" he apologized, trying not to show his regret (and failing).

"Don't you ever say that," she sternly rebuked, her heart feeling a pang facilitated by her best friend's regretful apology. "You didn't mess that up at all; he did. He knew better, but then he chose t' blow up on me because of what he believed about you without even meetin' you. Also, how mature of you t' own up to your feelings about my relationship with him. You really have changed," she observed with an endearing smile.

"Only as much as you're noticin', I guess," he dismissed with a despondent shrug, momentarily casting his gaze to the side.

"Aw… Tay, I didn't mean t' make you feel bad," she consoled, taking on an expression of concern for his emotional wellbeing.

"It's fine. No harm done," he forgave. "I'm basically an adult now, so I can handle this sort o' thing."

"Oh. Right… Well, if you're curious about why I didn't think it'd ever work out with you…" she hesitantly began.

"Go for it," he permitted without thought.

"Are… you gonna be mad if I say this? I don't wanna make you feel worse."

"It's cool, homie. Get it off your chest."

"If you say so, homeboy. Well… even if I wasn't datin' him… you were too young for me at the time. You were fifteen an' I was eighteen. Your maturity level just wasn't there, either. I wasn't gonna get in trouble for you, no matter how cute you were. Plus, you were livin' a real dangerous lifestyle that I wasn't sure I would've wanted t' take the risk t' ignore, age difference aside. Hence, why I always tried t' encourage you t' do somethin' different. That way, you'd find a girl your age who'd see you for the good-natured guy you truly were. Sorry… I… I just didn't feel that with you back then. Really, I'm sorry… If you're hurt by that, then I'll do what I can t' make it up t' you, Tay-Tay…"

"I think I understand enough that you don't have t' keep apologizin' for your lack of interest in me. If you don't like me that way, then that's how you feel. I have no control over it, an' I have no right t' try an' change that. I take it as a sign o' closure at this point, if nothin' else. It's actually better t' hear you say it directly to me than overhearin' it like I did however many years ago," he admitted, though the impact of her words still tugged at his heart. "Anyway, I get it. I wasn't exactly a renaissance man or even a half-decent bargain sale back then. I know that much. That makes sense, when I think about how I was. Shoot, I'm not even sure I'm really worth much right now. Still, I can finally let go o' the feelings of resentment, loneliness, an' self-pity. Thank you for bein' honest with me, Kassie. Weird as it is t' say, I needed that," he confessed with a half-hearted smirk, though he was aware that he did indeed need the closure.

"Tayshan…" Kassandra called to him, her heart pounding with regret and empathetic dejection as she picked up a familiar disenchantment in his tone. "Are… are you serious? You know, I'm here if-!"

"No, no, I'm over it now. That silly crush is long gone anyway, so you don't have t' spend time convincin' me why I shouldn't hold on anymore," he nonchalantly confessed with a casual shrug, scratching his cheek with his index finger.

"Oh…" she remarked, her head and her heart sinking. "O-okay…"

"…That's not the reaction I was expectin'. There somethin' on your mind?" he asked, picking up on some form of dissonance in her reply.

"…Uh, no, I-I'm okay. It's just… you came such a long way since we left off, Tay," she observed, though she appeared disappointed.

"If you say so… but as for your reasons for even bein' friends with me, since we're in that ballpark… Are you sayin' my idea that you saw me as somebody t' be pitied was all wrong?"

"…Well, no, you were right t' some degree about that," she admitted, causing Tay to sigh in vexation, stung by the revelation that his years-old hunch was correct. "I wasn't entirely honest with you about why I became friends with you, an' that much, you had every right t' be mad at me for. I was rotten for that, but I just didn't want you t' get hurt. I wound up hurtin' you worse because o' me bein' dishonest, though…"

"No, no, I get it, Kass. You were lookin' out for my safety in a way I didn't really appreciate until now. T' say you thought of me as nothin' but a charity case was pretty mean-spirited, not t' mention insensitive an' plain disrespectful. At the time, I was still way beyond angry at the world, an' I felt like anybody who took pity on me was just mockin' me or thinkin' they could fix me. I might've been sore about how that was revealed, but I… I understand that now, too."

"Thank you," she humbly accepted his words. "Anyway… If you want any consolation, then I will say that, in hindsight, we had a pretty strong bond that maybe could've turned int' somethin', had we both played our cards right, an' we waited a couple years," she admitted with a dismissive shrug. "Also, if I was single an' if you didn't get in so much trouble. But then, like I said, I wouldn't want t' ruin the friendship we had, which is why I never continued t' entertain that possibility."

"Huh? And… what's that mean? That you DID return my crush at one point?"

"Well… no, not exactly, but… Without sayin' too much, I did at least think about it at one point, like I mentioned…" she admitted as her face became hot, though Tay's entire body became an inferno of anxiety and anticipation. "Mind you, this WAS after I moved an' had at least a little bit more time t' reflect on my life… so don't read too much int' this."

"That's one o' your cruel, sick jokes, right? You're just sayin' that t' get a rise out o' me?" he questioned, disbelieving of the statement she was making as he nervously chuckled. "Because now couldn't be a worse time for that."

"Mmm… nope, I'm dead serious; with an emphasis on 'dead,'" she countered with a giggle at her own morbid pun.

"Ahh… Walked right int' that one," he murmured, resisting the urge to cringe as he sighed. "Okay… So, now that THAT'S on the table… What do you mean?"

"In a few words, I was pretty fond of you, an', at one point, I did ponder what would happen if were the same age, or if maybe you had a different hobby than hangin' with the street dwellers. Y'know, that whole 'different circumstances' type o' thing. Oh well, I guess we'll never know now. Plus, why bother wastin' any thought on it if you got over me anyway?" she dismissed with another innocuous shrug.

"…Ouch… That… actually makes me feel worse," he sheepishly shared, not expecting to be as affected by such a forward statement as he had. His heart sank at her revelation.

"Such a shame, too," she continued, not hearing his complaint. "You became such a hottie after all these years!" she announced, crossing her arms and pouting, though her childish confession again rocked the addled man to the core. "No fair…"

"Wh-what!?" he basically shrieked, the sheer volume of his surprise capable of sending him rocketing through the roof. "Stop playin' with me, Kass!"

"I ain't playin'! Look at you! That dashing goatee, those chiseled muscles, your more mature, yet still-chill personality, AND you're in the military instead o' runnin' the streets like some two-bit outlaw? Tay, if I got the chance t' see you like this when I was alive an' if I was single at that time, you could guarantee I would make you ALL mine without any ifs, ands, or buts!" she giddily gushed, hugging herself tight to contain her enthusiasm, though it didn't really seem to be working. "Platonic friendship be darned, I would've snatched you right up!"

"Are you-?"

"Like, you are 'Man o' My Dreams' material right now. Can you imagine all the things we could've been doin' together if we stayed in touch an' met again at this point if I was alive? I'm talkin' full-blown, committed lifelong marriage with, like, six kids AND a house! You would be my whole world! An' not a single other girl would ever get through me t' get t' you. Mm-mm-mm…" she brazenly commented, scanning the soldier up and down with just her eyes, biting her lip to accentuate her ostensible interest in his current appearance. "I can't BELIEVE how handsome you became, Tay-Tay! I totally missed the boat on you! Why didn't you clean up your act sooner!?" she comically complained, blaming Tay for being too slow to change for the better.

"You… You…!" the poor guy choked on his words, screaming on the inside as his supposedly-former crush brazenly admitted to wanting to marry him if she weren't a ghost and they stayed in touch until this moment in a different set of circumstances. His entire body became a neutron star of elation, anguish, nervousness, and confusion all wrapped up with a nice, (un)healthy touch of mental self-punishment and regret. It's safe to say at this point that maybe Tayshan wasn't ENTIRELY over his infatuation with this ethereal young woman.

"Alas, the cruel hands o' fate saw to it that you an' I would have a tragic love story much like those historical drama plays we had t' read in class," she continued. "So, we shall never know. I guess I'll see ya next lifetiiiime…~" she teasingly sang. "If there is one, of course." Yeah, I'm also convinced she was trolling him to some degree, based on her boisterous, provocative statements to him.

"You still have that obnoxious tendency t' tease me t' no end, I see," Tay griped, annoyed as he was flustered while also confirming my theory. "You know I couldn't stand when you did that."

"Aw, don't sweat it, homeboy!" she cheerfully encouraged, though his reaction clued her in that he wasn't being entirely honest about his present feelings toward her. "As far as I hear, you're a real ladies' man around these parts, anyway! You shouldn't have a worry in the world now!"

"I have no idea what you're talkin' about…" he dismissed, pouting and momentarily shooting his gaze elsewhere.

"I'm so sure," she shot back, giggling at him. "I also see you didn't completely overhaul yourself if you're still doin' that adorable poutin' thing. You're still so cute!"

"D'oh…! I'm not poutin'!" he protested, fixing his face into a manly frown. "I am a grown man! Men are not supposed t' be cute, darn it!" he continued to whine while Kassandra laughed at his eternal disdain for being called 'cute.'

"Whatever you say, Mr. Macho-Muscles…" she laughingly dismissed, patting him on the shoulder. However, she noticed her physical form beginning to fade as her hand became more transparent. "Uh-oh… I'm runnin' low on time, so I'll say this before I go: Don't let that purple-haired girl slip away from you, Tayshan. I can tell you have a real special connection t' her, much like you an' I did. Maybe it's in the fact that your names sound the same, but I ain't too sure…"

"So you noticed too, hm? Neat… Also, what do you mean my connection t' her is special?" he inquired, cocking an eyebrow.

"You might not see it now, but… I… I just have this feelin' from what I heard about this crazy, straight-out-of-a-video-game adventure thing you're on, that you two will become real close through it all. Maybe even closer than you an' I ever were," the ghostly young woman sagaciously observed.

"I don't know about that, Kassie… Shantae's a great girl, no doubt, but I'm certain she an' I are strictly platonic friends. She said herself in no better words that she's not interested in me, if that's what you're implyin'. Plus, I'm nineteen, and she's about two or three years younger than me. That, an' she seems more interested in bein' my tutor an' tour guide than… anything like you an' I were or apparently could've been. I'm all for bein' her friend, no doubt, though," the soldier naively objected.

"Oh, Tay, Tay, Tay… How simple-minded you always was with this sort o' thing…" she remarked, shaking her head. "When a girl shows interest, even if she doesn't think she is, you'd better be wise t' pick up on it. Also, if I'm doin' the math right, then that means she's… what, sixteen?"

"Sixteen-and-three-quarters, as she specified," he clarified, still uncertain of why Shantae made such a distinction.

"Well, she's basically an adult, too! Especially if she had t' clarify t' you that she's above the age o' consent!" Kassandra pointed out to him, though he remained firm in his disbelief. "After sixteen, age differences shouldn't matter that much!" she proudly proclaimed.

"Wait… didn't you JUST say I was too young for you back when I was her age an' you were my age?" he questioned, perplexed by the phantom woman's logic.

"You were FIFTEEN, Tayshan, an' I was legally an adult at eighteen. At fifteen, you're still technically a minor. If she's close t' seventeen now, you all good!" she clarified matter-of-factly.

"But-!"

"T' be fair, Jonah was twenty-two when he an' I got together."

"Oh…" he remarked, pausing as he lost the point he was about to make. He was certifiably thrown off by the revelation of the age difference between Kassandra and her ex-boyfriend.

"Yup," she nodded as they momentarily went silent to ponder.

"…Wait, why are we even havin' this conversation!?" he asked after realizing the outrageous context. "I don't plan on datin' her!"

"You say that now, but just you watch…" she teased with a wink. "Love has some real funny ways o' sproutin' up between two people."

"I guess that means you're seein' somethin' that I'm not," he countered with a grin of moderate amusement. "Anyway, however close Shantae an' I get, Kassandra… There… There won't be another you in this or any lifetime… unless there really IS another lifetime where we meet again, of course. T' be honest, an'… since the opportunity is presentin' itself, I might as well come out an' say it…"

"Say what?" Kassie asked, tilting her head in wonder.

"Well…" Tay began his confession with a nervous sigh. "You… you touched my heart in a way no other girl could, an' you were one o' my biggest inspirations for becomin' like I am now… If… if it wasn't for you, I… probably would've still been tryin' t' find a different way t' make my situation better. I know it's late, but you helped me change much more than I could express t' you."

"Aww, Tayshan~! You are just so cute, you're about t' make me cry all over again," Kassandra gushed, hugging Tay around his waist tightly, her face nuzzling into his chest. Tay, nothing but willing to engage, hugged Kassandra back with equal strength. In that moment, however, Kassandra made another move as her body continued to fade like the other apparitions before her. She placed her hands on the young man's chest, causing him to loosen his grip as he allowed her some room. He looked down at her, his eyes locking onto her hazel-hued irises as she gazed up at him. Seizing the moment, Kassandra crept a hand from Tay's chest up to his face, where she cupped his cheek.

"Kassie…?"

"Shh… There's… one last thing I gotta do…" she warned, sliding her hand from his cheek to the back of his neck, her stare becoming half-lidded with pressure as her smile faded. Her eyes began to waver as though to summon up a fresh new wave of tears before closing them. She nudged the soldier by gently pulling on his neck as she lifted up onto her toes to close the distance. Before Tay could understand what she was about to do, Kassie brought her lips to his cheek as tears streaked down her face once again. The young man, caught off guard, committed to holding the ghostly young woman where she was, though he couldn't fathom what was happening. The gravity of Kassie's embrace nearly convinced him she was still alive. The surprising damp warmth of her lips against his face, the chill of her breath tickling his cheek… the sensation of her pulling him closer as she crossed her arms behind his neck… he almost couldn't believe it. The amorous gesture nearly sent him into a warm, ecstasy-riddled stupor, though it was tempered only by the fact that he saw her body losing its physical form in his grasp. Before the moment lasted too long, Kassandra broke her kiss, though she and Tay continued to hold each other.

"Wow… I…"

"There. So now, even if you do wind up fallin' head-over-heels for that genie chick, or one o' the other girls who seem t' have their eyes on you, you'll always remember me as your first love…" she proclaimed, though her tears were running free like waterfalls of grief.

"Wow… You're terrible," he remarked with a sad smirk, finding some discomfort with her reasoning.

"The worst," she teased, smilingly sticking her tongue out at him through her tears. "With all those girls after you now, I gotta make my impression as the original; the one who was in your life before any o' them ever were; especially since this is the last time I'll ever get t' see you, Tay-Tay…" she confessed, unable to hold back her sorrow. "I know, that was selfish of me, but… Please, don't forget about me…"

"…Kassandra, I will never forget you, the experiences we had, or the lessons you taught me. This moment just solidified that…" he assured her, trying not to lose his composure, though his voice was wavy with fresh heartache.

"It'd better. Otherwise, I'd hate you."

"That's the last thing I'd ever want. That was one heck of a goodbye kiss for just the sake of leavin' an everlastin' impression, so thanks for makin' it special… even though you just completely stole it from me," he remarked with a slight chuckle.

"Oops…" she acknowledged, taking on a facial expression of worry. "You're… not mad at me, are you?"

"Not as much as I should be," he calmly assured. "Still pretty messed up, though, that you only did it t' cement your spot as my first unrequited crush… even for it just bein' on the cheek."

"Oh, you ARE mad… I'm so sorry, Tayshan… I-I was just tryin' t' do somethin' memorable, is all."

"I'm jokin'. I'm not mad at all," he assured with a warm, disarming grin as he brough his hand to the cheek she kissed. "I'm just… surprised. But then, if this really is the last time we'll ever see each other, then I wouldn't have it any other way. It's much more meaningful doin' it like this…"

"See, that's what I was goin' for," she admitted with a lighthearted giggle as she wiped her tears away. "An' hey, you can still have a first kiss of your own, since that wasn't lips-to-lips. Just chalk this one up as a special commemoration of our friendship."

"Hm. So does that mean I should ignore all the sappy 'first love' shtick, or…?"

"Don't ruin this moment, sand-for-brains," she teased, lightly tapping his chest as they laughed together one last time. "This is the only one we're gonna get."

"Fine, fine… This was a totally commemorative sign of affection, like you said. Thank you, an' I'll never forget it. Before you go, though, I'm curious: What's it like in the afterlife? Where do you go?"

"Ah-ah-ah~! You'll find that out when you diiieeeee~!" Kassandra jovially sang, sending another chill up the man's spine.

"That's creepy…" Tay remarked in nigh-tangible discomfort. "Even creepier because you're a ghost. I appreciate the way you hit those tones, though. Your singin' voice always was captivatin'."

"Doesn't make it any less true, Tay-Tay. Also, thanks!"

"Good point," Tay rebutted with a nod as he and Kassie separated. "Thank you for comin' t' see me one last time. May you forever rest in peace, Kassandra," he bade, clasping his hands together in front of his chest and bowing slightly. "You will live on in my memories an' my heart, always." His heartfelt farewell bid rocked the young woman to the core as her eyes widened in surprise, welling up again.

"What a poetic send-off that is. Wow, you really HAVE become a man," she approvingly nodded, though his farewell bid brought about more tears from her. "Just promise me one thing."

"Anything."

"Make sure that no matter what, you cherish your friendship with that Shantae girl like you cherish ours. Don't you ever let her slip away from you like we slipped away from each other. It would suck if your relationship with her hit a mountain y'all couldn't climb over before it was too late, like ours did. Besides, if anybody can keep your stubborn behind in line like I used to, it's her. And… make sure she knows how much you value her, Tay-Tay," Kassandra instructed, wiping her eyes dry and sniffling to recompose herself.

"Yeah… Word is bond, Kassandra. I won't let you down again. Ever."

"That's all I ask, but also make sure you're doin' it for yourself an' for Shantae, not me," she advised. "I won't be there t' see how your relationship with her develops, unfortunately, but I know you'll get along great. Bye-bye, Tay-Tay! I love you!" she bade farewell with a cheerful wave as her physical form vanished completely.

"I… I love you, too…" he murmured, letting grief-sticken tears run down his face as he let his gaze fall to the ground beneath him. He remained silent for a moment, paying respects to his fallen friend. "Goodbye, Kassandra…" he shakily bade as he internalized the knowledge that his friend was no longer with him.

With a heavy sigh, he wiped his face dry and focused his attention to the final ghost standing before him as the room's torches shifted in color to an eccentric bright violet; the ghost of his friend Damian, who appeared to be armed with the very same pistol Tay had possession of. "So why are you here t' haunt me?"

"Now that's just rude. We finally meet again after you got me sent t' prison all those years ago, an' that's how you greet me?" Damian was quick to accuse, pointing the gun at Tay. Instinctively, Tay went to reach for his own pistol, only to find it missing.

"…Shoot, Twitch still has it…!" he mumbled in frustration at himself. He then attempted to unsheathe his shotgun, though his attempt would be met with hostility. With a jarring *BANG*, Damian's weapon discharged a round into the ceiling of the room, freezing Tay in his tracks.

"Touch that shotgun, Tayshan, an' I'll end you right here an' now," he warned. "Hands t' your sides!" Tay, realizing he had no other way out of such a tense situation, obeyed and lowered his hands.

"Y'know, I didn't get you sent t' prison," he calmly began. "You did that on your own when you robbed innocent people."

"Don't gimme that garbage. You robbed people, too!" Damian accused right back as he took a few steps forward. Tay, unwilling to agitate him further, remained still.

"Never with the threat of a weapon, Damian! Don't try t' draw parallels!" he shouted. "You stuck random people up, gankin' them for whatever you could get for yourself. I only ever stole t' try an' provide t' kids who didn't have anything or the means t' get what they needed."

"Theft is theft, bro. Just because we had different reasons for doin' it, don't make either one better than the other."

"I… I can accept that at this point, but that does nothin' t' justify your crimes. An' while we're on the topic, I never got t' ask; what was the deal, sendin' the cops t' my house after what you did?"

"I wasn't tryin' t' go t' the pen, yo! What can I say?" the hostile ghost rhetorically asked with a shrug of his shoulders. "I thought you'd be a homie an' take the rap for me. Your sheet was more-or-less clean, unlike mine. Had you been a real bro, you'd have gone in my place an' been out way sooner."

"I don't buy that for a second. You tried t' use me t' get out o' trouble for somethin' you did! You SHOT somebody, Damian! A police officer, at that! I was not goin' anywhere for you, much less for a charge that serious!"

"So your alternative was t' stash the Desert Eagle, then rat me out?" he questioned, somehow already knowing the story behind how Tayshan obtained the Desert Eagle. "Because it worked all so well in your favor, didn't it? You get off scot-free with a new gun, an' I get t' spend the last year or so of my life in prison. It was torture, in case you were curious! A torture I got out of in the worst way possible."

"I won't even pretend that wasn't messed up of me, an' for that, I'm incredibly sorry," Tay offered his condolences.

"No, don't apologize now, punk! You knew what you was doin' when you hid the gun. You knew what you was doin' when the police came t' your house, askin' questions. An' you definitely knew what you was doin' when you kept it an' decided t' become a sharpshooter with a gun I gave you," the vengeful orange-garbed apparition accused, deflecting the soldier's apology.

"Look, we can go back an' forth over who was in the wrong for what, but it won't get us any closer t' squashin' the beef. Of all the ghosts I've seen thus far, you're the one I thought I'd have the easiest time t' reason with, believe it or not."

"Oh, yeah? Why's that?" Damian queried in curiosity as his slow, menacing approach halted.

"Because you an' I were a lot alike, despite the fact you always tried t' force me t' play second fiddle t' your escapades or t' keep quiet. Only difference was our reasons for doin' what we did. I wanted t' provide t' those less fortunate an' dig my way out o' the hole fate put me in, even though I risked my life for little t' no reward at all… even when I was too blind t' see that I was only redistributin' limited resources an' stealin' from other poor people… Meanwhile, you thought you could make a livin' bein' a stick-up kid like in the movies t' get rich off other people's property."

"As if those are really all that different… Homie, it was all about survival o' the fittest. You of all people should know that, with everything you lost. Everybody everywhere was scratchin' for what they could get, even if it meant stompin' on their own friends an' family. You wanna throw on a phony cloak of altruism an' tell yourself that stealin', fightin', an' runnin' with the roughest crowds in our city is anything close to bein' 'for the greater good', then you keep trickin' yourself int' doin' that."

"I never pretended that my actions were good! I considered them justifiable back then because o' my reasons for doin' them! Would you seriously think I'd have ever made the decisions I did if I had better options that yielded as much of a benefit?" Tay reasoned with utmost vehemence.

"Sounds like a heapin' sack of flimsy excuses, like always," Damian coldly dismissed. "I can smell the bologna from here. At least I was honest about why I robbed an' stole."

"Oh, let's not even talk honesty in that case, since neither of us can be pardoned. You were 'honest' in the sense of keepin' your hobby a secret an' threatenin' your friends with violence should they ever even try t' convince you t' stop. I know that much from experience. It only gets more hypocritical on your end when we consider the point your bad karma caught up t' you. Let's not forget how you tried t' get away with almost killin' somebody. That very decision changed both of our lives."

"Yeah, you stabbed me in the back an' sent the cops t' my place!" Damian roared, aiming his gun at Tayshan with the intent to fire.

"No, YOU stabbed ME in the back!" he shouted back, deflecting the accusation back at his former friend. "I never said a word about what you did until I almost got caught up in your drama! You were always tellin' me this an' that about gainin' rep, livin' a lifestyle o' the poor an' dangerous, an' bein' ready t' die if that's what fate had in store for you. Then, when the time came t' put your money where your mouth is, you went back on your word, ran t' my house, shoved that very gun in my hands, an' took off without turnin' back! Worst of all, you KNEW that I would get in trouble, with you even goin' as far as tellin' the cops that I did it! Are you serious!?"

"…Alright, maybe that was a li'l bit grimy," the apparition admitted, lowering his weapon and nodding in contemplative guilt. "Bro, I thought you would've held it down an' covered for me, though! We was boys!"

"Boys don't set each other up for failure, Damian!" Tay indignantly spat in frustration. "You told the cops that I shot that woman after she reported you! They came t' my house ready t' haul me t' prison! What idea did you have about what I was supposed t' do, exactly?"

"I don't know, alright!? Shoot, I panicked when they showed up, an' I said the first thing that came t' mind! I was thinkin' they'd go t' you, handle their business, an' then be on their way! That still don't absolve you of any guilt, though, now does it!?" Damian yelled, his frustration compounded by his former friend's.

"This ain't about me absolvin' any guilt! I'm very aware by now that I've got a long list o' sins to atone for, an' I've been doin' everything I can t' do that! This is about the very reason we should never have been friends! But…" Tay paused, taking a deep breath as he collected his thoughts. "…Look, bro, I got so sick an' tired o' bein' pushed around, used, an' manipulated that, I'll admit, I wasn't thinkin' too clearly, either. I had a hunch you got yourself in some serious trouble when you gave me that thing, so I acted on impulse because at that moment, I lost what little trust in you I had left, but I figured that I now had access t' somethin' I wanted but knew I shouldn't have had. So, I hid the gun somewhere the police wouldn't think t' look."

"Uh-huh…" Damian nodded, listening intently.

"When those police officers came t' my door an' said I was named a suspect in a recent case of aggravated assault, it put the nail in the coffin for us as friends. So yeah, I told 'em what I knew was true; that you shot the woman, planted the gun on me, then ran off without explainin' why you suddenly didn't want it no more. After that, I told them I threw it away in a panic because I didn't wanna get in trouble. I won't pretend for a second that such a decision wasn't messed up beyond all points o' redemption between you an' me. I was wrong for it, an' I suffered for it in my own way. I still am, believe it or not."

"Oh, yeah, joinin' the enforcement services an' livin' out your childhood dream o' bein' a hero is really sufferin'. Gimme a break, Tayshan," he scoffed. "Try bein' convicted of a crime, goin' t' prison, an' then windin' up dead before you can even begin wonderin' how you wound up there. Considerin' all the stuff you did without my help, you should've already been there," he spat, approaching the soldier.

"That… that is fair, I won't lie. Still, I don't walk around, proud that I lost who was supposed t' be one o' my closest friends that day. I don't consider myself a beacon of moral superiority, or even a halfway decent friend because of how toxic our friendship was. You were one o' the biggest reasons I stopped even makin' friends up till I met Kassandra. I withdrew, became more distrustful of others, an' used that gun t' threaten anybody who dared t' mess with me because it made me feel tough like you always painted yourself out to be. Unlike Tariq an' Hakeem, you didn't even have t' die for me t' lose you. An' for what it's worth, I did grieve for you when I heard what happened t' you. Mind you, I grieved in secret because I was ashamed of how we stopped bein' friends. I never told anyone up until I met this girl recently. While we're on the topic, I'll also admit that our mutual betrayal of each other fills me with regret."

"Oh…"

"As for everything else I got away with… well, you're right about that, too. I don't have a word in my mind right now that could justify the things I did… Not like I tried t' do back when I committed those crimes…" Tay hesitantly admitted.

"See, now you get it. You're no better than me," Damian berated. "Wanna know why? Because when all is said an' done, you're nothin' but a coward. A selfish, spineless, back-stabbin' sellout rat coward who did nothin' but use his situation as an excuse t' play pretend an' act like a 'hero,' an' run away from his problems or cover up his guilt with flimsy, half-hearted 'tortured, ambivalent good guy' garbage rhetoric."

"…" Tay went silent as his old acquaintance tore into him, ruminating on every venom-laced word as he looked Damian in the eye. Just like the other ghosts before him, Damian accused him of the exact same thing he'd been hearing since he entered the Grotto of Judgment; that deep down, he had only deceived himself into thinking he was a 'hero,' when none of his past actions or decisions lined up with his ideology. Hearing this for seemingly the 800th time cut Tay deeper than any knife or sword ever could as he went blank, rendered speechless by such an observation made about him by so many others.

"Or at least, that's what you used t' be," Damian clarified, surprising Tay as he snapped out of his contemplative trance.

"Huh?"

"Look, yo," Damian began, his tone much calmer in contrast to moments earlier. "It's been a long time an', since I died, I had a lot o' time t' mull over my life… My decisions… an' even my friendship with you up t' that point."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah, and, believe me, I used t' think I would love nothin' more than t' hold you accountable for what happened t' me after that botched robbery. I used t' think every day about what I would do t' you if I ever saw your scrawny behind again… what it would take t' satisfy my cravin' for revenge… how I would exact my revenge on you… but then, I realized that I indeed did this t' myself, like you said."

"So, if you're not here for revenge, then what ARE you here for? T' remind me of one of the most inexcusable mistakes I've ever made, like Tariq? T' show me why I needed t' change my attitude, like Hakeem? To… t' make peace an' say goodbye, like Kassandra?"

"T' make sure you weren't the same whiny punk from before," Damian corrected. "An' also, to apologize for… for everything…"

"What…? You, apologizin'?" he disbelievingly asked.

"You heard me, homeboy. This is a once-in-your-lifetime chance, so here it is; I'm sorry for the way I treated you back then. I'm sorry for gettin' you caught up in my issues, an' I'm sorry for almost gettin' you locked up. At the very least, my experiences can be turned into somethin' like a cautionary children's story."

"…Wow…" Tay stammered, shocked beyond reason. "I… I don't know what t' say."

"The correct thing t' say would be, 'It's all good, yo. No hard feelings.' Or do I have t' force that out o' you, too?"

"No, you ain't gotta force it. Thanks… And uh… it ain't like we're gonna get a better chance t' do this, so… It's all good, yo. No hard feelings. I'm sorry for not bein' so good t' you, either. We were a pretty poor match for each other in hindsight."

"Don't rub salt in the wound now," the jumpsuit-adorned ghost dismissively retorted.

"But it ain't like we never had good times together, man. I still fondly remember the laughs we shared, an' the time we spent together. Remember that one time we pranked our whole science class with that rubber snake an' all those plastic frogs we put all over the classroom?"

"Man, I could never forget that. That tape recorder we brought in with the frog noises sold it, too. Good times, good times…" Damian agreed with a hearty chuckle, though his body began to fade, cutting their reminiscing short. "Looks like I'm runnin' out o' time, so I guess we won't get the chance t' catch up all the way. Bummer…"

"Shoot… I only wish it didn't take one of us dyin' for us t' finally clear things up, but… despite what I said, I don't regret us bein' friends, Damian. I want you t' know that. I only regret that our choices flushed what we had down the drain."

"Yeah, me too. But hey, it looks like you're on your way t' makin' new friends, anyway. Granted, you had t' go to a place far, far away t' do that, with your lonely self," he joked. "Seriously, Sequin Land? Just hearin' the name, I almost mistook this place for an old folks' home or an abandoned recordin' studio."

"How… did you know that? You, Kassandra, Hakeem, and Tariq all seem t' know somethin' about my time here in this world or… or universe or wherever I am. Or, even what happened with me since the last time I saw y'all. How could y'all possibly know what I've been up to despite not seein' me in years? I've only been here a week or so, too."

"Some things, we're sworn t' secrecy over," Damian dismissed with a shrug and a tilt of his head. "I'll at least tell you that it ain't a deal of us watchin' over you like guardian angels, though."

"…I'd ask if it had t' do with that woman in the jackal mask, but… I get a feel I'll find that out myself."

"Trust an' believe that, homeboy. Anyway, I'm glad t' see you manned up an' started actually practicin' what you been preachin' all these years. Plus, you're all bulked up to a point where I MIGHT'VE been intimidated by you had we met back then while you had all that muscle. You pulled a complete 180 on me in the time I been gone. Weird as it is t' say, I'm proud o' you."

"I appreciate that. Deeply," Tay accepted his acquaintance's surprising compliment.

"Good. Now, if I gotta follow the trend o' makin' you promise me somethin' so you won't forget where you came from…"

"Go for it. May as well make it an even four for four, right?"

"You know it. So… Hmm… How about this? Promise me that my D. Eagle is never used for the wrong reasons. I spent a good long time abusin' that thing for my own purposes, so I guess it'd do me good t'know it's in better hands."

"You mean the one you're holdin' right now?"

"What, this? This is just a dupe. A convincin' fake," he revealed, disengaging the magazine of his weapon to reveal it only had blanks in it. He then cast the gun aside, where it vanished in midair.

"Oh… Well, you certainly fooled me. Could you imagine what I would've did if I pulled out this shotgun?"

"Believe me, I know. I made a real risky move, but I figured it'd be the strongest, most… effective start to our conversation."

"I'm… pretty sure there are MUCH better ways t' squash a beef, yo."

"Yeah, well you know I wasn't tryin' t' fight you in your current state like Hakeem. You'd floor me. I ain't that crazy. I also ain't all hugs an' kisses like Tariq or Kassie. That sappy shtick is for the birds. Or, y'know, that bombshell of a bird tamer who likes you so much."

"Sky?" Tay asked, cocking an eyebrow in surprise that he would know her.

"Yeah, if that's her name. Super convenient, by the way," Damian commented, noticing some totally obscure pun in the name of Sequin Land's favorite war bird trainer. "Anyway, she seems like the kind o' girl who would eat that stuff right up. Considerin' your gushy l'il display with Kassie, that seems right up your alley, too. Laaaame…" he droned, lazily flicking his hand and rolling his eyes to emphasize his distaste for sentimental moments.

"You have no chill, bro," Tay shot back, chuckling at his acquaintance's joke. "Still, stickin' me up with a fake gun when I'm armed with a real one was a better choice for you?" Tay questioned.

"Better? No. The only decent option I had? Yes. Granted, I… didn't actually know the gun was fake until I shot it when you tried t' pull your shotgun."

"So, you would've greeted me by shootin' me, is what you're sayin'?" Tay deduced.

"Basically," he unabashedly admitted with a shrug, though he snickered at the incredibly dark thought of shooting his friend as a means to say 'Hello.' Jeez, what a jerk…

"Wow. You are just the worst. How would that ever seem like a good idea t' you? Even if you were mad at me? 'Oh hi, Tay. BANG! Oops, my finger slipped. Who shot ya? Couldn't have been me!'" Tay mocked in disbelief that Damian would've put a bullet in him as a greeting tactic.

"I dunno. I mean, it DOES sound pretty bad puttin' it the way you did, but like… come on, bro, at first glance, it looks like a good idea. You can't blame me for wantin' t' make my presence known." At that sociopathic remark, Tayshan stared blankly at Damian. "…What?"

"…Man, your thought process always was odd t' me. I'm almost thankful that you're a ghost in this situation, because you could've gotten yourself hurt bad."

"Point taken. But hey, I was always thinkin' outside the box," Damian acknowledged with a shrug and a wink.

"Outside the box, you say…" Tay repeated, shaking his head in disbelief. "Unbelieveable. Anyway, I guess that means…"

"…that the real version o' my gun is still in the possession o' that gorgeous, but completely crazy blonde friend o' yours with the weird blue raccoon hat."

"Hey, hey. Twitch ain't crazy. At least, not as crazy as you apparently still are," he defended. "She's just… a bit assertive."

"Whatever you say, but I haven't seen thirst like that since the time we got stuck in that desert on our middle school field trip. An' man, must you be a tall drink o' water for her," he joked with a guffaw of amusement, though Tay merely growled and cringed in discomfort.

"Goin' back to the point, you want me t' promise that your gun is only used for good?" Tay redirected with a roll of his eyes.

"Yep."

"Well, here's a question: What could be considered 'good' versus what's considered 'not good?' Your wish has a lot o' moral subjectivity in it, an' I could do just about anything with that promise."

"I knew I'd get nothin' but back-sass from you," he remarked with a smirk, lightly shoving his friend. "You always was a smart-alecky son of a gun… No pun intended," he added, ensuring that I should probably start keeping a tally of all the situational puns made throughout this story.

"Only when the time calls for it," he quipped, returning the disarming grin with one of his own.

"I'm sure. Anyway, don't use that gun in a way you know might be wrong based on your sense o' rational judgment or your idea of right an' wrong. There, specific enough for you?"

"Much better, friend. Now I don't feel so uncertain."

"Good," he accepted as his corporeal form became steadily more transparent, signifying the encroaching time limit of his and Tayshan's conversation. "Shoot, I was hopin' t' stick around longer… Oh, well, I'm at least glad we don't have t' hate each other anymore. I was never gonna cross int' the next world with such a heavy weight on my shoulders."

"So there IS an afterlife?" Tay asked, getting a huge clue from Damian's careless statement.

"Uh, n-no. Unless this counts as it, since I'm dead. Yet, I'm still here havin' this conversation with you while you're still alive," Damian hastily corrected himself.

"So, what do you mean by crossin' int' the next world?" Tay quizzed, raising an eyebrow.

"Don't dwell on that, Tayshan. You'll have t' wait till you're dead. It was a figure o' speech," the ghostly young man dismissed.

"Sounds more like an inside joke for ghosts, when you put it that way."

"Well here's a surprise for you: Apparently, not all dead people turn int' ghosts," Damian blurted out.

"Wait, what? What other kinds o' dead people are there? Revenants? Angels? Zombies?" Tay asked, his curiosity far beyond piqued by Damian's assertion.

"I've said enough… That jackal lady is gonna tear me a new one for spillin' that stuff…" Damian regretfully muttered before clearing his throat. "Uh, i-it was good seein' you one last time, bro. Keep fightin' the good fight, an' make sure that, however you an' that foxy genie girl do it, you save this place from utter destruction… or whatever," he encouraged in mild confusion as he offered a hand to Tayshan.

"I get the feel you didn't get all the details, but yeah, I'll help save Sequin Land even if it kills me," he assured, returning the gesture. He and Damian shook hands and followed up with a brief one-armed hug before separating. "Wherever you're goin', I wish you a safe trip an' a peaceful rest, old friend," Tay further bade, saluting his fallen companion.

"It's been an honor, sir," Damian joked for the final time, returning his friend's salute. "An' you can count on me raisin' some hairs where I'm goin'. Damian, out." With that, Damian vanished before Tay's eyes, leaving him completely alone in the Grotto of Judgment. The flames in the room turned from purple back to their original golden hue.

"Man… That was heavy…" he murmured to himself, clutching his heart as it beat heavy in his chest. "Seein' them all again… an' none of them looked like they aged a day after I last saw them… but why were they here? Were they real? Or just figments o' my imagination? For all I know, this cave or that woman could've just been playin' tricks on me…"

"The spirits of your friends were all too real," the ethereal voice of the jackal-masked woman spoke as she materialized right in front of him with a golden flash of light. Tay, still wary of this woman, stepped back. "They each had their reasons for visiting you, and I saw to it that they were granted the opportunity. I must say, your history is indeed filled to the brim with pain, regret, and suffering. It's honestly only a surprise that your tumultuous life impacted theirs in such ghastly ways."

"How… how did you even get them over here?" he asked, more discombobulated than ever. "How do you know so much about me that you gave them specific details about what happened t' me since I saw them last? How did you even find their spirits? Who are you?" he asked, justifiably hungry for clarity, as his encounters raised many, many questions.

"You have many inquiries as to what circumstances led you to this point," the yet-nameless woman acknowledged. "However, you are asking the wrong questions. The answers you seek at this moment are irrelevant to the reasons your destiny has led you here."

"What is it with this cryptic, existential gibberish!?" he shouted, his patience running thin. "I don't understand what's goin' on! All I ask for is some clarification! Can you give me some idea of why you dragged me in here? An' if not, then can you at least let me out?"

"Hmph. You so desperately cry out for answers, yet you take no time to consider how to attain them," she rebuked with contempt. "It is that lack of insight into the gravity of your decisions in life that keeps you locked in a cave with no conceivable way of escape… in more ways than one," she wittily added.

"So you want me t' understand somethin', is that it? I mean, what… are you tryin' t' get me t' figure out?"

"I will not simply give you the answers you seek, if I must be candid."

"Of course not," he growled, his frustration growing like invasive weeds. "So in that case… No point askin' any questions. But, if I had t' think about the context o' this whole situation, then… all things considered, I've been brought here by destiny t' face judgment for my past, which evidently still haunts me t' this very moment."

"Now we're getting somewhere," she encouraged, though it came across as patronizing.

"An'… somehow, you raised the restless spirits o' some o' the people I lost because they each had a grudge or some unresolved problem with me?"

"Indeed, though I did not expect you to make peace with them. You have made an incredible bound in the right direction on your own, for which I highly commend you, Tayshan."

"Thanks, I suppose, but… if you don't mind me askin'…" he hesitantly began, his heart pounding hard enough that one could hear the echoes of its thumps against his chest inside this eccentric flame-lit cavern. "…How come you didn't bring my parents back? I… I don't expect you t' answer that, but-!"

"Not every spirit is granted an opportunity like the one your friends were given; there only exists the power to temporarily connect restless spirits back to the world of the living, where they are allowed one chance to make peace with living individuals with whom they bear some form of conflict. You may be relieved to know your mother and father held no resentment toward you, though you may be disheartened to know that they were not granted a chance to visit you as a result."

"Oh…" Tay could barely muster the emotional will to utter, nearly being brought to tears at the revelation. He took a deep breath to steel his nerves, however, taking some comfort in knowing his parents were resting peacefully and had no qualms that would bring them to him in the Grotto of Judgment. "Well, I hope the same now applies t' my friends. But, at this point, I know you're gonna say that this wasn't even about them…"

"Correct. This is about you. You still must atone for your own misdeeds, and I'm afraid I won't let you out of this cavern until your judgment has been passed," the jackal-masked woman warned, channeling magic into her hands. With a *WHOOSH* of a dazzling golden light that matched the hue of the torches illuminating the cavern, she began to… dance. As in, belly dance. She began swiveling her hips as she extended her arms outward. As she hypnotically shook, shashayed, and wiggled her hips, she rhythmically waved her arms around as they continued to be imbued with her energy. Swirling winds from directions indescribable in such an enclosed space kicked up without warning as the woman prepared herself. She kicked her dance up a notch by performing sporadic spins as she continued rocking her hips as though she were expertly balancing a hula hoop. As Tay stared at the woman, bracing himself for her next move, a disorienting afterimage effect took form as she continued to dance. The atmosphere became dense, humid, and thick as a rhythmic disembodied drum beat sounded from seemingly nowhere.

"…What are you doin'?" he dared to ask, taking a guarded stance as he prepared for the worst. The sudden density of the atmosphere unnerved him greatly.

"Through pain and dispair, you committed heinous sins, for which the price was paid with the lives of your kin. Yet, the one true victim stands right before me, as I show you the wrath of your judgment to be. With this, you will learn to carry the weight, that binds your soul to the hand of fate. The time has come, and you shall see, that you are your own worst enemy!" she chanted as her belly dancing intensified. The inexplicable wind gusts grew stronger. Crackling noises sounded off all over the cavern as jolts of lightning flashed without warning. Tay attempted to draw his shotgun to prepare for the fight of his life… but, he couldn't move. He was stuck in place, unable to move anything but his mouth and eyes, which were fixed on his current captor. He looked down to see that he was once again ensnared in this woman's grasp.

"What…!? What is this…!?" he choked out, the surrounding windy pressure restricting his ability to speak as the woman's magic completely immobilized him.

"I draw upon the darkness harbored in your being! Haaah!" she roared, thrusting a hand toward him as she finished her belly dance. Within a literal second, Tayshan began to feel a series of debilitating burning stings rapidly shooting across his body. "Come unto me!"

"Gaaaagh!" the soldier choked out, unable to break the woman's grasp as a thick, murky, ominous cloud of black and midnight-purple smoke began rapidly draining from his body. He continued to cry out in horrible pain as his enemy sucked the energy out of him… or, actually, I don't know what she was taking from him. Whatever it was, it gave off a mostrous, destructive vibe the likes of which were known by very few inhabitants of Sequin Land. Nonetheless, the cloud of smoke was drawn directly to the hand she'd been holding out without any deviation whatsoever. Within a few more agonizing seconds, she seemed to have drawn enough of the discolored ink cloud into herself that she could take no more of it from him. In that moment, she released him from his magic binds, where he was left on one knee, breathing heavily as he watched the smoke surrounding the woman as she began to levitate.

"Release!" The woman commanded with a surprisingly familiar tone and striking an eerily familiar pose. Before Tay could even think to question what he saw, a *POOF* of royal purple smoke shrouded the woman's form. However, the soldier's wait was a short one as he rose back to his feet while the magic-induced smog dissipated. Although, what he bore witness to utterly floored him.

"What the…!? Is… that… me!?" he asked, taking another defensive pose as he was introduced to his opponent: himself. The figure standing before him was identical to him in every respect… only, this second Tayshan bore snow white hair, fierce, menacing silver pupil-less eyes, skin of an eccentric pale blue matching that of Risky Boots, and a clothing color scheme very complementary to his own. This doppelganger wore a white tank top, navy-blue camouflage-styled pants, and matching navy-blue boots, though it was worth note that this Tayshan lacked any firearms or weapons. The clone was smirking at him in a way that communicated a nonverbal dare to fight.

"Oh, how good it feels t' be given form," the doppelganger spoke, his voice and dialect nearly identical to his antithesis, only doubled and much deeper in tone as he observed his new body. "It was gettin' t' be a real downer bein' stuck inside a pathetic little punk like you," it insulted with the callousness of your average cold-hearted villain.

"Who are you?" Tay asked, readying himself for a fight he would likely never forget.

"Your long lost twin brother," he derisively remarked, already annoyed by such an insipid question. "I'm you, obviously. I know you ain't blind," the evidently-evil clone answered for real this time, maintaining that same spiteful tone.

"That's impossible! You might look like me at a glance, but everything about you down t' your colors is nothin' like me," he protested, seeing the key physical differences between the two right away. "You can't actually be another me!"

"Hm, you're right," the clone agreed. "I guess I should be clearer. It's more that I'm all the 'best' parts of you, rolled up with some Dark Magic, an' BOOM! Showtime!" the fake Tayshan added, grinning with evil intent as he gestured his hands to emphasize his point.

"Best parts? Dark Magic?" the real Tayshan questioned, understandably befuddled by the doppelganger's explanation. Rather than simply explain himself, the evil clone raised his hand high into the air while his counterpart watched.

"Haaaaa!" clone Tayshan grunted with considerable effort, almost instantaneously summoning a ball of a bright, crackling purple light in his extended arm that seemingly burst into an ominous flame once it formed. Without warning, the clone launched what seemed to be a blast of pure evil energy directly at Tayshan at full speed. Tay, quick on his feet, leapt out of the way, narrowly dodging the attack. The energy blast smacked into a nearby wall with a deafening electric *CRASH*, destroying some of the mural and sending chunks of gravel flying in every direction. One of the torches was caught in the blast, its holster snapping in two from the sheer force of the impact while the flame went out. The dismantled candle holder fell to the ground with an echoed *clang*.

"No way…!" Tay brought it in himself to comment, astonished as he observed the damage. "Can this get any weirder…?"

"In case you were stilll wonderin', I'm basically the manifestation of all your past sins, amplified by the Dark Magic trapped in your body from when you went through that portal with that deliciously bodacious, domineerin' pirate woman, all nice an' incubated inside you for the entire time you spent in this miserable world. And man, what a healthy supply of doubt, grief, an' anger you had for me t' feed on t' get this strong… Years' worth of it, too. I should thank you for grantin' me such a delightful reservoir of nourishment."

"Is that right…?" Tay murmured, still trying to figure out how this evil version of himself could ever come to be. Even though he watched the process happen right before his eyes, he couldn't bring himself to believe it.

"You should know I possess your fightin' skills AND your strength augmenting my own as a result… only, without all the soft, infantile human tendencies you let yourself develop."

"You do, huh…? Shoot…" he cursed, already wondering how he'd defeat what was basically himself… only, with the apparent ability to use Dark Magic. "That leaves a lot t' be curious about, but I know I can't let my guard down…"

"Any real answers you're lookin' for in that case, you'll have t' force out o' me. That is, if you can," the Tayshan clone dared.

"I didn't think you'd make it easy. I've been told I'm generally not that kind o' guy anyway, so I suppose you're on the right track there when it comes t' impersonatin' me," the real soldier observed, sizing up his opponent as his anticipation for the incoming battle steadily increased. "So, it's obvious you're evil, if you're completely made up o' Dark Magic. Since you're here now, what's your purpose? What do you plan on doin', masqueradin' as me?"

"Basically, I'm a killin' machine ready t' watch this worthless world burn in an unrelentin' global inferno… Unlike you, I like hurtin' other people an' destroyin' things, an' I will do it indiscriminately. Simple as that."

"Hmph," the real Tay grunted, unintimidated by his impostor's threatening words as he stood tall and faced his mirror image. "Well ain't you a textbook definition of a cliché evil alter-ego. You say you're a better version o' me, but I was actually hopin' you had more t' you than such cookie-cutter motivations like that. You might've got me wary of what you can do, but you're not showin' much promise elsewhere."

"Comin' from the wannabe who spent his entire time in Sequin Land playin' 'superhero' t' boost his fragile ego. Let's not forget I'm the opposite o' you, fool. We're two sides o' the same coin," the clone spat back. "Anything you say about me reflects directly on you, too."

"Oh, yeah? So by that logic, if I said I consider myself pretty smart, then what would that make you if you're my opposite?" he asked, poking a hole in his doppelganger's point. "An' for that matter, how opposite are we talkin'? Actually, shouldn't you also be female, if your assertion was true?" he continued, letting his curiosity get the better of him.

"What? Er, no, you're takin' my statement too literally," the doppelganger answered, quickly becoming annoyed by the derailment of the conversation into the semantics of opposition.

"Or am I not takin' it literally enough? Who's t' say you didn't just lie t' me right now, for example?"

"What are you-?"

"Lies are the opposite o' truth. So, if you're my opposite, then would that mean everything you just said was a lie?" Tay continued to press and antagonize… or, would this be him Pro-tagonizing his doppelganger, all things considered? Is that even a word? Hm… Oh, wait, I'm getting sidetracked, too!

"What reason would I have t' lie about what I just told you!?" the clone indignantly shouted.

"What reason would you have NOT t' lie?" At that, the evil clone sighed in vexation, pinching the bridge of his nose before uttering his reply to such inane, irrelevant questions.

"…I see what you're doin' here, and I find it completely childish. Stop it. It's not funny."

"Yet, I'm bein' dead serious, which is the opposite o' funny," Tayshan shot back, pointing toward his unsmiling, critical face. "How are you gonna claim t' be the opposite o' me when you didn't even consider the real definition of 'opposite,' or what that would mean in this scenario?"

"Uh…!" the clone Tayshan grunted, caught off-guard by such an unnecessarily in-depth evaluation. "Enough o' this, you insolent whelp! I will destroy you an' everyone you care about!"

"Good answer," he dryly remarked again with a single nod. "I guess we're about t' find out just how alike or how opposite we really are, but I expected more from an evil me in terms o' personality than somebody who just acts like me… except with a reversed moral compass an' ultimate goal," Tay remarked again, breathing deeply as he refocused. "Also, I've realized I'm not a hundred percent good, which would mean you're not a hundred percent evil, if we're goin' about this the right way. Just sayin'."

"Aw, for goodness sake, we're not opposite that way, you idiot! That ain't how this works!" the evil Tayshan rebutted. "I meant we were opposite in color scheme an' motivations for fightin'! That's it! I couldn't care less about your personality, your meaningless alignment, or your long-term aspirations! We're mostly the same, otherwise! If I have t' spell it out again, I'm basically the embodiment of your anger, your hidden guilt, an' your past misdeeds, amplified by Dark Magic, and given your form an' and fightin' skills, along with enhanced strength! I think…" he further clarified, though he wasn't sure he was a hundred percent correct, either. Too many variables and subjective definitions were being tossed around for him to find a concrete explanation for his existence, which at this point had only been a thing for barely a few minutes.

"So you're not sure about exactly what you are, either?" the good Tayshan dared to ask, though the question infuriated his evil 'twin.' "That's not very 'opposite' o' you, if we're on the same page there…" At that, the evil twin sighed in exasperation.

"You know what? Forget it! Your false bravado an' subversive jokes won't save you from my unforgivin' wrath!" the copy Tayshan threatened, readying himself in a manner perfectly mirroring his opponent. "But if you really want t' get t' know me, then why don't we start by talkin' about what a letdown you are t' your dearly departed friends an' family?" at that remark, Tay scoffed.

"That it? You gonna try gettin' int' my head with empty insults aimed at people I care about who can't defend themselves?" Tay deflected once more. "How predictable. If it wasn't for me just havin' made amends with most of 'em a few minutes ago, you might've gotten me there. Plus, I fully acknowledge that I let them all down, if you wasn't aware. That's why I'm here, after all; I'm redeemin' myself. Try again, homie," Tay calmly, brazenly shot back.

"Grgh!" the bizarro-Tayshan grunted again, his frustration building much faster than the original's as he failed to differentiate himself from any other evil clone of any protagonist. "Oh, yeah? Well… I'm… going to… to beat you down, assume your role, and-!"

"Oh boy, the 'evil twin commits identity theft t' turn my friends against me' routine. Come on, I thought an evil me would've wanted more than that!" Tay mocked once more. "I mean, if you really are me, then you no doubt have my memories too, right? As in, you're aware o' some o' the things I've done in the past?"

"Uh… Well, a-about that…" the fake Tay uncertainly began, scratching his head, thus indicating that he may not have been everything like his counterpart.

"Okay, so you don't have my memories?"

"Of course I do!" the clone shouted in disproportionate anger. "I'm well aware of the evil things you've done!" he assured, instinctively scratching his cheek with his index finger.

"You're not a good liar," Tay flatly remarked, shocking his doppelganger again. "That much is evident."

"What? How-?" he was about to ask, taken aback by the observation as he flinched.

"I know that, because lyin' ain't a skill o' mine, either. I've been told I have real obvious nonverbal tells that, much as it pains me t' say it, you're showin' right now. In that way, at least, we're the same. So, unless you're aware o' somethin' I wouldn't expect you t' know, like… well, just about anything I haven't already told my friends or confessed here, you won't get far with that."

"Oh, really? Then how about this?" the evil Tay confidently remarked, having a card up his proverbial sleeve. "After I beat you down, I'm gonna drag your broken body out o' this cave, an' enslave your precious girlfriend once she realizes how much better I am than you!"

"…and who's my girlfriend? Last I checked, I was single," he denied, raising an eyebrow.

"Don't play dumb with me, Tayshan," the clone shot back, grinning with malicious intent. "We may not be completely alike or completely different. I'll give you that much. I'll even come out an' admit I DON'T have that many memories of your time before comin' t' Sequin Land aside from what you've already said. However, of all the things we DO share, all of your experiences and your memories here in Sequin Land are a couple of 'em. So, I already know about your little crush on-!"

"That's crossin' the line! You'll pay for that!" he hastily and blatantly interrupted, flustered by what juicy bit of information his doppelganger was about to spill.

"But I… I didn't even say who-!"

"The fact that you'd even consider such a… a nefarious idea is proof enough that you have t' be stopped right here an' now!" he heroically challenged, evidently not wanting you or me to find out who he might've had some sort of newfound infatuation for. Hmm, now I wonder…

"…No matter," the evil Tayshan mumbled after a brief period of staring blankly at his original counterpart, shaking his head. "One way or another, I will destroy you. You know, this place makes for a perfect tomb for you. Judged for your iniquities before bein' made t' perish under the weight o' your own misdeeds… How fittin'. I promise you won't be alone, though. Once I'm through with you, I'll be certain Shantae and Sky follow you into the afterlife. I'll kill those two blonde idiots for good measure, too, before I join forces with Risky Boots t' help her annihilate this primitive dirtball," he threatened with a sickening laugh.

"Not sayin' it's likely, but even if I fall here, I'm certain Shantae could handle you without issue," Tay challenged.

"Not in her present state, where that pestilent genie brat is basically at her most vulnerable," the counterfeit Tay countered. "With my current power in comparison to hers, I could easily snuff her out before she gets the chance to use that repugnant Light Magic of hers against me," he threatened, sending the real Tay a daunting message that he got right away.

"How would you know that? If you really have any memory o' my experiences in Sequin Land while you were in my body, then you know how that sparrin' match went!" he argued, refusing to believe such a possibility.

"Ah, but you had no intention of harmin' her, remember? Your hideous compassion an' human sentimentality made it so that you'd never even think of hurtin' her. Additionally, you're far too weak in your current state t' realistically take her on. She toyed with you the entire time, an' even admitted it. Or, did you 'forget' that piece out of unadulterated shame an' embarrassment? Imagine that: Bein' so pitiful an' helpless that your own teacher couldn't even take you seriously. What a joke!" the doppelganger remarked, cackling as he did so.

"…Darn it…!" he cursed at his clone for mocking him, as well as at himself once he was reminded of his half-genie mentor's previous admission to holding back on him during their mock-battle and its effect on his confidence in himself. "I've gotta go all out here, then…" he further muttered, letting his anger show as he glared at his clone.

"See, it's that sort o' doubt an' self-loathing that gives me all the power I need," the fake Tayshan taunted with a smirk. "Also, I, on the other hand, won't even think about stoppin' once she's at my mercy. Plus, one thing I know, with or without your help, is how that brat fights when she's serious."

"An' how would you know that?" Tay asked, alarmed and confused by the revelation.

"Even without a carbon copy of your physical form in my possession, I have done battle with her more times than you can fathom, bein' an entity made of Dark Magic manipulated by none other than Risky Boots. Takin' your abilities provides me with just enough of a repertoire that she'd fall by my hand without her precious power enhancements," he informed with a stoic, malevolent glare that sent his message loud and clear.

"Well, that changes things…" Tay murmured in great concern, suddenly filled with a pressing desire to vanquish his foe before he made good on his threats. "If you seriously think I'm lettin' you anywhere out o' this cave t' harm my friends, much less tarnish my good name t' suck up to that self-absorbed, thievin' pirate witch, you are SADLY mistaken. You'd better enjoy your time impersonatin' me while it lasts, because you're about t' find out just who you're messin' with!"

"Finally, we cut the banterin' an' get down t' business," evil Tay agreed. "I'll make your death slow an' excruciating before I move onto your friends. Well, the new ones, anyway. You already killed your old ones," he remarked with a snicker. Tayshan, hit heavily by that remark, sneered as his heart began to pound with guilt. He bared his teeth and tightened his fists as he got ready to make his counterpart suffer for making such a callous remark.

"You miserable…!"

"Triggered, are we? Good, I can work with that," the evil Tayshan laughingly acknowledged. "That way, your inevitable failure will sink in deeper. After that, when I get my hands on some o' those weapons, I'll test some of 'em out on Sequin Land's hapless citizens… The mere thought of all the chaos an' carnage I'll cause brings me so much joy, I can barely contain it…!" he ruminated with a sickening chuckle. "Oh, all the desperate screams o' despair, the explosions, the hopelessness in the eyes of every man, woman, an' child as I descend on them with the most dangerous weapons known t' this world yet… I can't wait…"

"I've heard enough," he declared in disgust at the cruelty of his enemy, a fire lighting in his eyes as he focused on himself… literally. "You won't even touch Shantae or any o' the girls, much less have your way with anything else. Not so long as I'm alive t' stop you," he threatened back, taking his doppelganger's threats with utmost severity.

"Even after what we just went over? You CAN'T stop me! You're too weak, Tayshan! You couldn't even beat a self-limited Shantae at her lowest level o' strength! Accept your punishment an' make it easier for both of us!" he mockingly retorted.

"If that's all you're gonna go by, then I've got a hard lesson t' teach you!" he shouted back, his body suddenly tingling from head to toe with intense vigor and determination as he grew angrier at his twisted mirror image of an adversary. "Say what you want about what you think you're gonna do, but the fact is that there ain't enough room in this universe for two of us. More so, there's no room in this or any universe for somebody like you at all. It's time t' correct this horrible cosmic mistake."

"Yet, you call ME cliché…" the evil Tayshan mocked in bemusement. "I'll let you know that you should worry far more about yourself than anyone else right now. If you think you can stop me, go ahead an' try."

"No… I'll succeed if it's the last good thing I do," he assured himself as he adjusted his shotgun sheath to where the weapon was at his back while remaining slung around his shoulder. Afterward, he reached into his tank-top to pull out the Smoked Salmon he'd stashed earlier, eating the tasty seafood dish in one bite to replenish some of his health. Glaring at determination at his corrupted body double, the two prepared to throw down.

NEGA-TAYSHAN (That's the name Shantae would very likely give him, so roll with it): MALICIOUS MIRROR IMAGE!

"Hrrraaaaah!" Both Tayshans roared as they charged at each other, ready to fight. I'll take a moment right here to say this: If you were thinking this fight began with the two of them doing the exact same thing at the exact same time, leading to a more-or-less equal stand-off… well, you'd be wrong. Instead, Nega-Tayshan summoned up a surge of Dark Magic into his first punch as the real one was about to charge in at him. Once he was in range, Nega-Tayshan began with a nasty right hook coursing with murderous intent.

"Whoa!" Tay shouted in surprise, narrowly ducking under the hook as it flew past his head with a crackling *WHOOSH*. Using his position to his advantage, he hurriedly posed himself to counter, launching an uppercut aimed at the doppelganger's abdomen. However, the evil clone blocked the punch by catching it in one magic-charged hand to lock Tay in place. As the original soldier attempted to yank himself free, his malevolent counterpart threw a full-force straight. Tay, still fully aware of the situation, used his free hand to catch the clone's punch, causing the two to engage in a brief power struggle where the two had been trying to use their raw strength to overwhelm each other.

Before too long, however, the two near-identical versions of Tay separated, stepping back before immediately charging in. Tay, intent on figuring out if his opponent truly moved like him, took the defensive. Nega-Tayshan began wildly throwing Dark Magic-infused haymakers left and right as he chased Tay down. Tay began moving backward around the cavern, dodging and blocking punches as they came his way, though he was quick to notice the frightening malevolence and incredible power behind each of his clone's attacks. Every punch that Tay blocked left him with a noticeable burning sensation in his arms that seemed to become increasingly more nagging as they carried on.

"His punches are makin' my arms numb for short spurts, an' his form is exactly like mine… but this ain't exactly how I'd approach a situation like this…" he observed, noticing a difference right away as he backed into a wall without paying attention. "Agh! Shoot!"

"Can't run from me now, Tayshan!" Nega-Tayshan shouted, aiming a particularly wrathful punch at Tay's face. Tay hastily dodged to the side, allowing Nega-Tayshan's fist to ram into the wall behind him. With a jarring *CRACK*, Nega-Tay punched a deep, basketball-sized, smoking hole into the wall, ruining more of the prophetical mural painted on it as a series of pebbles and rock chunks flew in every direction. Refusing to let such a minor setback slow him down, Nega-Tay launched another Dark Magic-laced punch at Tay, causing the soldier to dodge again. The same result came about, with Nega-Tay punching into and damaging the wall. Tay, not wanting to stay on the defensive for the entirety of this battle for fear of eating one of those stone-breaking haymakers, made his move.

"Take this!" he shouted, throwing a lightning-quick uppercut to the doppelganger's chin to knock him back. The blow connected with a solid *CRACK*, disorienting Nega-Tayshan just enough for the real Tay to drive his knee into the clone's stomach, the alarming *THUMP* causing Nega-Tay to double over in breathless agony. Tay attempted to finish his counterattack by going for a hip throw to ground his opponent, but Nega-Tay was prepared. The instant Tay's hand grasped Nega-Tay's jaw, Nega-Tay seized Tay's hand and pulled it across his chest as he cocked his opposing elbow across just below his chin. "Wha!?" Tay yelled in utter shock.

"He-yah!" Nega-Tay shouted as he yanked Tay over and elbowed him in the face with a startling *THUMP*.

"Gowagh!" Tay grunted, finding himself with a sudden, temporary splitting headache. Nega-Tay capitalized on the opportunity, following up by grabbing the back of Tay's head and driving it into his rising knee. With another *CRACK*, Tay was sent staggering back. However, Nega-Tayshan's onslaught wasn't over just yet. Nega-Tay finished his counter combo with Tayshan's own hip throw, used against him.

"Have a taste o' your own medicine!" Nega-Tay snidely commented, spinning behind Tay and extending a hip behind the soldier's back. Nega-Tay hooked his arm around Tay's throat to drag him backward soon afterward. In one fluid motion, Nega-Tay flung Tay backward off his feet, where Tay flipped over Nega-Tay's back and hit the ground with a heavy *THUD* on his stomach. Nega-Tay, proud of his counterattack, cackled in amusement, crossing his arms in triumph.

"Grrgh…! Why you…!" Tay growled, immediately rising to a knee and glaring up at his opponent as he stood triumphantly over him.

"You're so predictable! Did you really think that technique would work on yourself!?" Nega-Tay teased. "A stronger version of yourself, much less!?"

"I'll show you predictable!" Tay roared, his aggression fueled by his determination as he got up and charged Nega-Tayshan. The two instantaneously engaged in a high-speed, high-stakes bout of throwing rapid, relentless jabs and hooks at each other. The two Tayshans were hot with determination to end the battle as quickly as they could, but they soon found themselves at a furious stalemate. The two bounced and dashed through the Grotto of Judgment, blocking and dodging each other's attacks while keeping their guard up. The arena was so engulfed by their intense collective rage and conviction to destroy each other that each attack either one landed or blocked caused the cavern to quake as each blow reverberated off the damaged cavern walls.

The torches illuminating the grotto flickered and burned erratically, as though they could be blown out simply by being in the vicinity of the ferocious one-on-one battle. However, whereas Tay was finding himself becoming frustrated with not being able to land a decisive blow on his opponent, Nega-Tayshan remained calm, as though he expected such a turn of events in their battle. The evil clone occasionally struck back with heavy punches when the opportunities arose, nearly stopping Tay's assault cold.

"Hah! If this angry flailin' is what you call an attack plan, then I'm almost embarrassed for you!" Nega-Tay teased as he continued to defend himself from his good incarnation's fruitless aggression. "Takin' you down will be more laughably simple than I thought!" Feeling the literally-shocking impact of some of his opponent's counterattacks as his frustration nearly boiled over, Tay took the moment to assess the predicament at hand.

"He's really readin' me like he knows my every move…" he murmured, still pressing on to keep some form of momentum. "I was afraid o' that… Darn… I've gotta catch him off-guard with somethin' I normally wouldn't do, then. Simple enough…! Maybe I'll get him with somethin' from Shantae. But what…?" he hypothesized, halting to take a step back.

"What? Retreatin' while you're on the offensive?" Nega-Tayshan observed, confused by his opponent's sudden change of pace. "In that case, allow me t' pick up where you left off!" he added with a dash toward Tay, who'd waited for him. As soon as Nega-Tay was in range, he threw a fiery jab to begin his assault. The real Tay leaned backward to dodge and, with blistering force, lunged his head forward, landing a rather-unorthodox, yet crushing headbutt that hit with a frightening *CRACK*.

"Agh! Oww!" Nega-Tay screamed, having taken the brunt of the actual Tay's cranium in his face. He staggered back, clutching his face for dear life.

"Gotcha now!" Tay remarked, evidently proud of his crude interpretation of Shantae's classic Hair Whip attack as he moved to capitalize on the momentum shift. He started with a low kick aimed at the doppelganger's ankle that caused him to jerk downward to grab his shin. Tay continued with a swift one-two, uppercut-hook combo aimed at Nega-Tay's face that sent him reeling backward into the nearby wall. Tay dashed forward and got ready to tear into his adversary with a series of coordinated punches aimed high. "Haaaaaaaah!" Tay shouted, throwing a bone-shattering full-power hook directly into Nega-Tay's sternum to wind him. He landed the attack with deadly power and precision, the emphatic *THUMP* resounding throughout the torch-lit cavern. However, Nega-Tay didn't flinch. Instead, he grabbed the soldier by the arm, locking him in place. "What the…? Let go!" Tay demanded, launching his other fist at the clone in the form of a hook aimed at his ribs. Nega-Tay blocked the punch with a tucked-in elbow, immediately following up by wrapping his arm around to ensnare Tay' other hand, grinning with devilish glee. Tay, alarmed by his clone's resilience, attempted to pull himself free.

"Weak an' pathetic…" he spat, drawing Tay's first fist away while keeping the other tucked under his elbow. "You can dish it out, but can you take it!?" he bellowed, craning his head back before launching a headbutt of his own. He landed the brain-scattering attack with a disturbing *THACK* as his forehead collided with the real Tay's.

"Gaagh!" Tay cried out as Nega-Tay let him go and allowed him wince in agony. Nega-Tay then lunged forward and planted a powerful thrust kick to Tay's abdomen to push him back. Though forced back and winded by the kick, Tay remained on his feet.

"Feel the power of your own fist!" Nega-Tay announced, punching Tay in the face to open him up for his next move. As he'd expected, Tay staggered back as he cupped his cheek with one hand. Nega-Tay took a giant step forward, ducked, planted a foot into the ground, and, with a burst of power derived from his planted foot upward, he fired a monumental uppercut square into the disoriented serviceman's stomach with merciless prejudice that landed with a horrifying *THRASH* of an impact.

"Gwoooahaaagh…!" Tay choked out, forced to cough up nearly all the air in his lungs as Nega-Tay's fist found itself embedded in his solar plexus. Worse for Tay, however, was that he found that his feet were dangling in the air while his opponent thrust his fist into him. As it turned out, Nega-Tay raised Tay off the ground with just his fist, cackling as he did so. In what should've been a physically impossible feat of terrifying brute strength, Nega-Tay raised Tayshan off the ground with nothing but his fist jammed into the soldier's stomach. He followed up by turning around and performing a brutal overhead slam that saw Tay hit the ground flat on his back with a startling *THUD* as though he'd fallen from a 10-story building. To give you some more brutal context, the ground where Tay made his cringe-inducing impact cracked in multiple different directions. Yeah, he hit the ground THAT hard. Sudden, sharp pain coursed through the young man's back like someone had whacked him with a spike-laden pizza paddle at mach speed. Despite this, Tay somehow remained conscious as he somehow avoided hitting his head on the cold, stony surface of the arena hard enough to knock him out.

"Hrragh!" Nega-Tay yelled, moving in to perform his next move. Tay, thinking quickly once more through the insufferable agony he'd experienced, flung a foot upward as he saw Nega-Tay moving in to grab him. The front of his boot crashed into Nega-Tay's dome with a violent *POOMPH*.

"Owgh!" Nega-Tay grunted as he flinched, allowing Tay to climb back to his feet as quickly as he could to shake off the residual agony of the nasty body slam he took. He moved to try attacking Nega-Tay again, but the evil version of the soldier was far from unprepared. He blocked Tay's punch with one of his own. Tay then tried to perform a side kick, which Nega-Tay parried by jutting his knee upward and using his lower leg to shove Tay's away in a manner that would leave him vulnerable by making him nearly do a split. Nega-Tay launched a cross of his own, which Tay parried before trying to land another hook aimed at Nega-Tay's abdomen. Nega-Tay blocked the punch, thus starting off another bout of the two Tayshans throwing rapid punches and kicks at each other in a fury-laced effort to bring the battle to a violent end.

As they carried on, however, it became immediately evident that, as the two of them fought nearly identical to one another, neither one of the Tays could decisively figure out how to best the other. Each of them scored sporadic, nonconsecutive hits on the other, though no hit that either one of them landed was sufficient to halt the other's onslaught. I swear, the two Tays did at least three laps around the circular Grotto of Judgment, it made me so dizzy just watching them go all around as quickly as they did. Anyway, the two carried on full-speed ahead, putting all of their effort into trying to rip each other to pieces, though they fought to their second bitter stalemate. Eventually, the two came to a standstill in the form of a clash in the center of the arena, where the two locked hands in another contest of physical prowess in the center of the makeshift ring.

"What did I say?" Nega-Tayshan gloated with a sinister grin. "I know everything you do about fightin'. You can't beat me!"

"Which won't help you, because that means I know everything that YOU do about fightin'!" Tay agrily shouted back. "We're even in just about every way, in case you ain't been payin' attention!"

"Not exactly…!" the clone ominously and confidently remarked. In a moment's glance, he charged a burst of dark energy into his hands. "Take this!" he shouted, sending an intense controlled shock through his hands into Tay's.

"Gwaagh!" Tay grunted in horrible pain as a sudden electric flash accompanied by a resounding *POP* separated the two. Tay stumbled back, his hands smoking, tingling, and trembling as a result of his impostor's sneaky tactic.

"I'll bury you alive!" the clone roared while Tay was distracted. With a disturbing *THUMP*, Nega-Tayshan connected a vicious, dastardly sucker punch to Tay's face. He followed up by hammering the momentarily-defenseless soldier in the abdomen with another wrathful uppercut. He finished his combo attack with a leaping side kick aimed directly at Tayhan's head.

"Hah!" Tay reacted the instant he saw the doppelganger's boot headed for his face. He ducked and sidestepped his double's kick, wrapping his arm around Nega-Tayshan's ankle. He followed up by lifting a foot forward and then ripping backward full force, using the same foot to clip his evil self's remaining foot from under him.

"Hwagh!" Nega-Tay shouted in pain as he fell to the flat, stony ground with an echoed *THUD*. Tay, wanting to capitalize on his advantage, rained an angry falling haymaker down on Nega-Tay's face. He connected with extreme prejudice, the impactful *CRACK* resonating throughout the arena. Tay followed up with two additional quick, full-power punches, though his last attack found itself countered. Nega-Tayshan caught Tay's hand before his last punch could land, quickly using the opportunity to wrap his legs around Tay's abdomen to lock him in place. "Let's see how you like this one!" Nega-Tay taunted as he attempted to wrap his arm around Tay's neck. Tay, aware of his position, raised an arm to block Nega-Tay's attempt to wrap him into a guillotine choke before hammering him in the side with two heavy hooks. Nega-Tay flinched as his side was pounded, loosening his leg grip just enough for Tay to break free and position himself atop the clone.

"Like I'd let you get a submission hold on me! You must be crazy!" Tay taunted back, ensnaring his clone's arm and maneuvering to where he was at Nega-Tay's side with his arm tightly gripped. Tay positioned his legs across Nega-Tay's chest and pulled on the doppelganger's arm, initiating a determination-fueled armbar.

"Gaaaagh!" the clone roared in agony, his rage already boiling over as he attempted to yank his arm free. "Release me this instant!"

"Keep strugglin' like that, an' your arm will snap!" Tayshan warned, holding his position with no intent to let go. "You should know that! That is, if you really know everything I do!" Despite the warning delivered to him, Nega-Tay continued to try and wring his arm free, without avail as Tay only tightened his grip to restrict his movement while also increasing the threat of breaking his clone's arm.

"Hrrrraaaaagh!" Nega-Tay roared again, feeling sharp, stabbing, twisting pains in his elbow that perturbed him to no conceivable end. Within seconds, however, he tensed his arm up, sending a massive current of Dark Magic coursing through it. With no way to avoid it in his position, Tay was zapped again with a malevolent current of the corrupt energy.

"Ghaaaaaaagh!" Tay cried out in unfathomable surging despair as he was almost completely paralyzed by the shock. As the soldier temporarily lost feeling in his arms and chest in his dazed stupor, Nega-Tay snatched his arm out of his grasp. The doppelganger picked himself up quickly, moving to stand over the incapacitated soldier.

"Pathetic!" Nega-Tay goaded, raising a foot high into the air and stomping on the soldier's upper chest with a cringe-inducing *THUD*. "The mere idea of you ever gettin' the best o' me like that is grounds for an immediate death sentence!" he ravenously roared as he stomped on Tay again.

"Haaagh!" Tay cried out, feeling the full brunt of the evil soldier's boot on him. This did not stop Nega-Tayshan, however. He continued to stomp on the good Tay's chest three other times before snatching the soldier up by his shirt collar to throw another heinous hook to his face.

"Feel that!? This is the culmination of your failure t' understand the consequences of your foolish actions!" he taunted before throwing another punch that landed with a horrible *THWACK*. "This is the result of followin' ignorant, idealistic, fundamentally-flawed misinterpretations of 'heroism'!" Tay, though in a disadvantaged position, slowly regained the feeling in his arms as the burning and numbness subsided, replaced with more vigorous tingling. As he tried his hardest to remain fully aware of his surroundings after eating two dirty haymakers, he noticed something in his peripheral vision within his reach; something long, thin, metallic, and iron gray in color. Without needing many more clues, he surmised it was a piece of the candle holder that had been broken previously. "And this…" Nega-Tay continued his monological tirade, raising his fist once more and channeling an immense level of Dark Magic into it. "This is the judgment you face for trying to alter your unchangeable destiny!" he roared, launching what he considered to be the finishing blow. However, Tay was as far from ready to surrender as he could ever be. He raised a hand, catching the surging fist of his evil clone and stopping his attack dead. "What!? How-!"

"Hrrrah!" Tay shouted with bolstered determination as he got Metal Stick. In almost an instant, he swung the blunt object and clocked Nega-Tayshan in the head with it. The ear-splitting, alarming *CLANG* of an impact caused Nega-Tay to stumble back into a nearby wall, holding his head in unbelievable pain.

"Graaaaaaaaagh!" he roared loudly enough that someone (namely, Shantae and the girls) outside of the cavern might have been able to hear him. "Daaaaaaargh!" he enunciated in a most sophisticated and eloquent manner. Tay gingerly picked himself back up, holding the slender metal stick as he caught his breath. He winced as he rose to his feet, clutching his chest where the clone had stomped on him previously. His shirt was in tatters, loosely hanging off his torso. His pants were littered with dirt stains and tiny rips scattered along the lengths of each leg. He'd been drenched in sweat to a point where one might've assumed he'd recently gone swimming, and he was wracked with fatigue and residual pain. However, Tayshan refused to give up, as his body continued to be pumped full of a mysterious, indomitable, adrenaline-infused drive to see this battle to the bitter end.

"How'd… How'd that feel?" he dared to ask through labored breaths.

"You despicable, cheatin', underhanded fiend!" Nega-Tay cursed his enemy. "Weapons!? In a man-to-man battle!? Where's your honor, you coward!?"

"Don't you lecture me about honor! I'm the coward when you spent this whole time chargin' your fists up with magic, electrocutin' me with it to escape pressure, an' then tryin' t' stomp my guts out while I was down? I would never do any o' those things in a fight! Mainly because I can't use magic, but my point still stands! You ain't been fightin' fair, either!"

"Hmph. I still think it's real pitiful that you needed a weapon—a broken candle holder of all things—to delay your inevitable destruction."

"Not as bad as desperately needin' t' rely on magic t' try an' overpower an opponent. You deliver some mean hits when your fists are pumped full o' that awful energy, I'll admit. But without it, I'd bet you could hit me a hundred times, only for it to barely tickle. That says somethin' about your previous claim t' have integrated my strength int' yourself! If you want a fair fight, then we might as well cut right to the point," he advised, taking a readied stance with the stick in his possession. "What I don't have in magic, I'll make up for in strategy."

"Fool… You really must have a death wish," Nega-Tay jeered, channeling another current of dark energy into his hands. "That's alright, because I'm gonna enjoy grantin' it… with EXTREME prejudice."

"Well ding-ding, the bell has rung…" Tay remarked, gesturing for his evil twin to get ready for round two. "Try me." That was all the provocation Nega-Tay needed as he belligerently charged in to begin the second phase of their battle. His fists swirling with Dark Magic, Nega-Tay attempted immediately to punch his good twin's lights out. Tay, anticipating his enemy's assault, dodged the punch thrown at him and countered with a mighty swing of the metal stick. With another disturbing *CLANG* over his opponent's head, Tay scored a direct hit as he leapt backward.

"Daaagh! I will rip your beatin' heart from your chest!" Nega-Tay boisterously threatened, holding his head with one hand as he dashed forward, refusing to let Tay get even a breath of air that could go unpunished. He ran in, fists blazing with an appetite for demolition as he threw another rapid, haphazard flurry of punches while his enemy went on the defensive to keep his distance. Despite the slight advantage the real Tayshan had, he found it incredibly difficult to keep Nega-Tay at bay, as he'd eaten sporadic punches while trying to implement his strategy. He soon found himself pressed against another wall, as he backed into it with another *THUD*.

"Ooh! Darn it, this room is so compact, I can barely-! Whoa!" he barely had time to remark before hurriedly side-stepping a monstrous haymaker from Nega-Tay. The doppelganger's fist rammed into the wall, causing another voluminous, rocky *CRUNCH* to echo throughout the room. He'd put another dent in the wall, almost twice as big as the first couple. Tay, thinking quickly, hopped away to escape the corner and took another swing at his clone with the stick. However, Nega-Tay caught the weapon in one hand, stopping it dead before it could harm him.

"Nice try, coward, but your luck just ran out!" he taunted as he moved to counter by gripping the Metal Stick and pulling it forward to reel Tay in. The original soldier, refusing to let go, allowed himself to be reeled in along with the stick. Nega-Tay followed up with a fully-charged wild, deadly Dark Magic uppercut, though Tay adapted. As his opponent's fist shot upward from down below, Tay took the initiative to weave to the side, causing the uppercut to miss completely. "What!?"

"Hrrraaah!" Tay shouted with determination as he threw his upper body back and yanked on the stick with all his might, pulling Nega-Tay just close enough for him to throw a full-power hook at his dark incarnation's face. He connected with a *THUNK* at full force, causing the doppelganger to jerk his head away, letting go of the stick. Tay followed up by cocking his arm back and releasing a full swing to clobber the clone across the face with a dense *CLINK* that knocked Nega-Tay to the ground. However, Nega-Tay was far from finished as he backrolled to his feet, his silver eyes burning with rage.

"Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" he roared with the intensity of ten Bengal tigers as he summoned more of his evil energy, actually causing the room to quake like a nearby volcano had erupted before he dashed forward to continue pressuring Tay with another berserk knuckle barrage. Immediately within the first few seconds of the next assault, Tay dodged another magic fist, stepping further back to keep a safe distance while being mindful to avoid cornering himself again. Nega-Tay pressed on without mercy, however, increasing the speed and power of his attacks and even throwing in occasional side and roundhouse kicks as he mounted his incredibly-aggressive assault.

Tay, finding a rhythm, continued to dodge around the arena as valiantly as he could, making sure to stay away from the uncomfortably-close walls. He occasionally blocked attacks from his adversary when dodging wasn't the safest option, though he was (literally) painfully aware that blocking Nega-Tay's attacks caused him all sorts of chip damage. However, his current strategy allowed him many opportunities to use the Metal Stick. At seemingly-unpredictable points, Nega-Tay would tire out and his assault would relent, allowing Tay to land a few coordinated strikes with the stick and his fists before Nega-Tay redoubled his efforts.

After maybe two and a half cycles of this repetitive attack/defense pattern…

"Grrrrraaaaagh!" Nega-Tay roared loud enough to break the sound barrier as he backed up, breathless and frustrated. At this point, his entire body began to exude a maleficent dark purple aura that intensified the pressure in the cavern's atmosphere. Tay braced himself for any surprises. "I've had enough! Forget slow an' painful, I'm killin' you right now!" he shouted, cupping his hands around each other to summon up a bright, floating purple flame bigger than a basketball in size and hot like the sun in temperature. "Time t' get you fired up!" Nega-Tay quipped, launching the fireball squarely at Tayshan with intent to burn him alive.

Tay, having little to no time to dodge because of the blistering speed of the projectile, attempted to block it with the Metal Stick. Unfortunately for him, however, the stick couldn't withstand the raw energy of the blast as it was melted through. The fireball struck Tay in the chest with a fiery *PWOOSH*, causing him to stagger back as he clutched his chest in searing pain. In that moment, however, he noticed the ends of the now-useless candle holder glowing a hot orange as though they were welded.

"Agh…! Shoot, that one caught me completely off-guard…!" he complained through the pain, dropping the remains of the candle holder to the ground.

"Prepare yourself!"

"Now we're ont' actually usin' your real powers, huh?" Tay remarked, bracing himself for more as he caught his breath. Rather than respond with words, Nega-Tay threw another fireball, causing Tay to duck under it. In the time it took him to crouch, however, Nega-Tay nigh-instantaneously dashed in front of Tayshan and thrust his foot forward. With a powerful *THUMP*, Nega-Tay kicked Tay in the chest, causing him to stumble back to keep his footing. "Khagh!"

"Feel the full wrath o' your sins personified!" Nega-Tay roared again, launching yet another vicious, merciless assault. He started by throwing a powerful hook at the incapacitated soldier that landed on his cheek with another harrowing *THWACK*. Tay, rocked by the sheer impact, stumbled back further, but remained stable on his feet. Nega-Tay dashed at him again, lunging forward with a thrust kick that Tay sidestepped to dodge, though the evil clone found himself at an early advantage. He planted the foot he tried to kick Tay with behind the unknowing serviceman's legs while cocking his arm back. He fired a lightning-quick uppercut that collided with a devastating *WHACK*.

"Hwaaagh!" Tay shouted in near-crippling pain as he stumbled back, inevitably tripping over his evil twin's leg and falling backward into a seated position. Nega-Tay, quickly picking up momentum, followed up by blasting Tay in the chest with another explosive purple fireball, knocking the wind out of Tay with the force of a full-powered body hook, searing off a portion of his tank-top as he was sent sprawling to the ground. Nega-Tayshan quickly leapt over to where he was standing on top of his enemy and attempted to stomp on his chest. Tayshan, needing desperately to move, dug up enough strength to roll himself over while Nega-Tay's foot pounded the ground hard enough for it to crack the surface. Tay, thankful that he was quick enough to avoid having his guts literally stomped out, gingerly brought himself to his hands and knees, though he began to cough as he tried catching his breath. However, Nega-Tay was keen on keeping his advantage.

"Wwaaaaarrgh!" He rapturously shouted, cocking a foot back before he delivered a despicable soccer kick to Tayshan's stomach while he was down, the resulting echoed *THUMP* being resounded all over the cavern.

"Haaaaagh!" Tay cried out in terrific pain, feeling the full, brick-shattering impact of his doppelganger's foot in his gut as he was sent rolling and sliding across the arena floor, clutching his stomach. "Ah-hagh…!" he coughed, his unbearable agony being mixed with a sudden case of nausea as he struggled to regain his composure. "N-no…! How could I be losin'…? How could I get this far just t' fail…!? Darn it…! I can't… I can't believe this…!" he desperately rasped to himself, infuriated that he'd been on the verge of losing everything after all he'd done. His body ached all over. He was out of breath and out of energy. Any attempt he made to move was met with debilitating muscle fatigue and residual pain from the grueling battle. He was beaten down, weary, and gasping for air. It appeared… that Tayshan had reached the end of his rope.

"Aww, you sound frustrated," Nega-Tay coldly mocked, grinning with inhuman enthusiasm. He casually walked over to the injured Tay, cackling with glee. Tay, through an enormous effort, rolled onto his back, taking in sharp, labored breaths as he cluched his abdomen. Nega-Tay, caring not even the slightest for his opponent's condition, firmly and triumphantly planted a foot on Tay's upper chest.

"Gagh! Aaaaagh…!" Tay croaked out in a mix of fatigue and unspeakable pain as he grabbed his evil twin's foot and tried desperately to lift it off him.

"Doesn't feel so good now, does it?" Nega-Tay sarcastically asked, applying pressure to his foot and causing Tay to grunt in pain. "Does it!?" he shouted, savagely slapping the defenseless soldier across the face with a magic-infused hand. He immediately reversed his motion, back-handing him with just as much force as his first slap. "How easily that heroic bravado flies out the window when you're bein' pummeled int' the dirt. Do you understand now why you're goin' through this never-endin' torture?"

"Hagh…!" Tay choked out, trying to get some air into his lungs while his opponent restricted his breathing. For his failure to answer the question, Nega-Tay lifted his foot high and stomped on Tay's chest yet again. "Daaaaaagh!" the unfortunate serviceman cried out in unspeakable despair, though he was cut short by another punch aimed at his face.

"Shut up! It's rude t' scream in agony while I'm talkin' to you! Now then… Deep down inside, you know you deserve every second o' this long-overdue punishment!" he answered for his enemy, twisting and digging his foot into his chest, causing Tay to writhe in awful torment. "Every person you stole from!" he shouted, punching the downed serviceman again. "Every time you've ever lied!" he added, stomping on him again. "Every time you've ever harmed someone! Deliberately or otherwise!" he further added, emphasizing his wrath with two more forceful, brutal stomps on his chest. "Every! Friend! You! Ever! Let! Down! And! Let! Die!" he kept adding, emphasizing every word with merciless full-range punches to the soldier's face, nearly knocking him out cold. Nega-Tay followed up with a brutal, heart-wrenching barrage of extra punches and stomps, their impacts echoing throughout the enclosed cave with stomach-churning volume.

Tay barely hung on, refusing to let his evil self get the better of him, though his confidence (as well as his consciousness) was slipping… and fast. It had become clear to him, sadly, that he was on the verge of losing his battle with no conceivable way of turning things around. Everything he'd been fighting for… Everything he'd ever sworn to protect… All the promises he said he'd keep to his friends, living or dead… it all seemed to be fading away as Tay resigned himself to the relentless physical and psychological torment brought on by his time in this forsaken cave, where he would soon meet his end. This was the hardest battle he'd ever fought in his life… and he couldn't last long enough to win it. That prospect sickened him… Alas, his malevolent clone was right. He let down a lot of people in his time. He was letting them down at this very moment, even. That mere thought, in conjunction with the reminders of all his other past transgressions, nearly made Tay give up on himself. NEARLY.

"I needn't even remind you of your biggest sin of waitin' until it was too late t' listen to your precious parents…" Nega-Tay continued to goad. Hearing this, Tay's eyes flew open as he managed to turn his head to glare up at his attacker. At that moment, his cold, defeated dejection turned into an ember of anguished rage. "Or the second biggest one of ever comin' here, thinkin' you could shack up with that sugary little purple-haired minx when you can't even win a single battle without her help. How repulsively pathetic! It almost makes me ashamed t' take your form," Nega-Tay added in sneering disgust before snickering at his downed foe. "I'll do you some justice by makin' sure you ain't looked upon as such a spineless coward when I go out there an' destroy everything, though…"

"Grrrgh…!" he growled, still breathing heavily, though it was more from his rapidly-building, monumental anger at none other than himself than it was from fatigue. He couldn't give up here. If he did, it would seal not only his fate, but the fates of potentially all of Sequin Land's citizens.

"Now you wanna get mad? Mad at who? Me? Or yourself?" Nega-Tay taunted again, though he did not follow up with another attack. Tay, as though he ignored his question, continued only to glare with ferocious, burgeoning rage at the malevolent doppelganger. "Yes, that's it! That's the look I wanted t' see all along! That look of hopeless frustration at your inevitable failure! Oh, how it brings me pleasure to watch a wannabe 'hero' fall before my feet!"

"D-darn you…!" Tay cursed, trying to find the strength to keep going, though Nega-Tay stomped on him again. This time, however, Tay did not make a sound.

"Before you get too confused with that pitiful little peanut brain o' yours, by the way, it should go without sayin' that that was a rhetorical question; lest you forget that, as I established, I'm a part o' you," he informed with a triumphant smirk. "A part o' you that you can't hide from anymore! A part o' you that you will never bury in the back o' your mind with a mountain o' hopelessly-naïve, ignorant acts of altruism!" he brazenly enlightened him, leaning down to grab Tay by the band of his ripped-up shirt to pull him up, though Tay's glare did not waver. Nega-Tay leaned in close, grinning with malicious glee at his enemy's frustration. "A part o' you… that will rip you asunder from the inside out…! Face it, Tayshan… I'm a monument to your sins, an' I ain't goin' nowhere for a looooong time…" he finished with another diabolical laugh, though Tay heard his words loud and clear. Nega-Tay straightened his position, still holding Tayshan by his ragged tank-top, cocking his fist back once more. "Don't worry, though. Once I'm done with you, I'll continue your habit of destroyin' everything you care about. Just for you, 'friend.' You can get as angry as you want, but you will perish knowin' that you have only yourself t' blame for your sufferin' here, the sufferin' of all your old friends, and the world o' sufferin' your new friends are in for! It is precisely why you could never have hoped t' defeat me! So much for all those gushy little promises you made t' all your friends… Your life will end here with their memory tarnished by your ineptitude an' soul-crushin' incompetence. Now die!" he roared once more, launching his Dark Magic-charged fist at Tay's face to finish him.

Tay, however, began to burn hot from the inside with anger, determination, and a desperate need to succeed as his body began to tingle once again. He, for the briefest of moments, flashed back through all of his conversations… his promises… to Tariq about not letting anyone else get hurt on his watch… to Hakeem about never backing down from another battle… to Kassandra about cherishing and being empowered by those he cared about… to Damian about standing up for good… and even to Shantae about sticking by her side through thick and thin until they saved Sequin Land together. He internalized and made those promises his own… to himself. Dying here would not only mean letting them down again… but also letting himself down. In that moment, Tayshan recovered enough of his energy to catch the punch in one hand, stopping it dead despite it burning his hand immensely.

"What!? But how-?" Nega-Tay was about to ask before Tay yanked him downward, countering with a monstrous hook that sent the clone stumbling back in surprise and agony. Tay remained on the ground, however, still trying to build up enough energy to catch a second wind. He attempted to bring himself up to a seated position, though he was quickly sent back to a lying position by the blazing *CRASH* of a fireball that collided with his chest.

"Agh! That one hurt…!" he further commented, wincing as he lay face-up on the cavern floor. "But… not as much as I thought it would…" he added, though he heard the footsteps of his opponent rapidly approaching him. "Gotta… move fast…! I… I can't fail here, darn it…! Not like this…! Not ever! No one is gonna tell me that I can't make a difference! Not… not even me!" the soldier continued to motivate himself as he fumbled around with the scabbard slung across his chest, pulling the sheath to his front. He then opened it and hurriedly pulled out the Shotgun he hadn't yet gotten to use.

"This is the end!" Nega-Tay roared, leaping high into the air, a magic-charged fist cocked with an unmistakable desire to maim. "Prepare t' join your friends in the next world!" he threatened as he rocketed downward like a meteor. Just as he was about to end Tay for good (or, evil in this case), Tay used the shotgun as though it were a second Metal Stick, swinging it by the barrel and clocking Nega-Tay across the face with it. A horrifying echoed *CLACK* emphasized the unmitigated impact of thick, dense metal on a humanoid skull. "Aaaaawwrgh!" Nega-Tay screamed in unfathomable torture, having taken the full metallic force of the blow in the nose. He stumbled back, holding his nose as he tried recovering from the brutal counterattack.

"There is no excuse… There is no choice… but t' turn this fight around…!" Tay told himself, fighting through tidal waves of physical agony to pick himself up. He managed to bring himself to a knee, panting heavily as his chest and legs ached like he'd run a hundred miles while being pelted with bowling balls. "No matter what you say, evil me… You… You will never break me down int' believin' I can't change for the better! You will never dictate who I am!"

"You just don't know when t' quit, do you!?" Nega-Tay complained as he recovered, glaring at the fatigue-riddled Tay and charging up another fireball with which to knock him back down. Rather than launch it from afar, however, he ran toward Tay to give it to him up close and personal. "I'll burn you alive!"

"Oh, no you don't…!" Tay countered, aiming the Shotgun and pumping it to load its first of eight rounds into the chamber. "Choke on this, faker!" he bellowed, bracing himself accordingly and pulling the trigger. With an incredibly-startling, earsplitting *KABOOM*, Tay fired a barrage of glowing marbles that scattered in many different directions all at once, though most of them made their mark, striking Nega-Tayshan all across his face and chest.

"Graaaaagh!" he shouted in horror and pain. The doppelganger, caught by complete surprise, was sent hurtling back, landing flat on his back across the arena, appearing to have been knocked unconscious.

"Whew… How much trouble does one need t' go through t' end a boss fight here…?" he commented, painstakingly bringing himself to his feet, though he never took his eyes off his clone, whose body was still radiating with dark aura. "An' it doesn't even look like he's done yet…" he observed in marked disappointment. "I'm not even surprised he took that blast up close like that an' still survived…" As predicted, Nega-Tay kipped up to his feet, his shirt now torn up and riddled with bullet holes from the shotgun blast he took at POINT-BLANK RANGE and survived. He was far from uninjured, however, as he'd been holding one of his arms with the other, panting in notable fatigue.

"You… you are just full o' surprises, aren't you?" Nega-Tay asked, frustrated with his good counterpart's inability to just go down.

"You should know. You are a part o' me, like you said, no?" Tay asked back, pumping the shotgun again to load in the second round as he fought through his pain to prepare himself for the long haul.

"Fair enough… but, if you weren't aware by now, you know you're not leavin' this place alive," Nega-Tay proclaimed with a point toward his opponent.

"An' I told you that there's only room in this universe for one of us. I could never forgive myself if I ever let you go free. If… if you really are some twisted amalgamation of all my inner demons rolled up into an evil version o' me… then I have no doubt in my mind that I really messed up bad over the course o' my life…"

"It took you this long t' realize that?" the clone scornfully asked with a contemptuous sneer.

"No, but… it did take me this long t' realize that, much as I hate to admit… you're right about somethin'."

"Oh?" Nega-Tay asked in surprise, his eyes widening with a strange sense of intrigue.

"Yeah, I said it… You're right… I did so many horrible things in my time that still grip at me with such strength that it's like I'm constantly bein' weighed down with anchors. My parents, my friends… I did let them down, like I said. No sense tryin' t' run from that truth anymore…" he admitted. "Goin' further, though, it's no use tryin' t' stick my past in a closet an' hope t' discard it by simply turnin' over a new leaf."

"Hmph. You think ownin' up to it now is gonna curb my wrath?"

"No. Of course not. Your anger at me, now that you helped me see it, is my anger at myself," he further acknowledged, shocking his evil twin again.

"That's interestin' t' hear from you, however obvious."

"I'm… not necessarily what others might call a 'good person.' At least, not if they knew me for who I was. I understand that. I've spent so much time over the last few years tryin' t' make somethin' of myself that I completely neglected t' take a real good look at why I really wanted t' make those changes in the first place. I told Shantae I wanted t' make my parents proud an' t' redeem myself for my past actions… yet, when she asked me what exactly it was I was redeemin' myself for, I couldn't even be bothered t' be a hundred percent honest with her. Pretty obvious example, right?"

"You think? I was there for that conversation, in case you forgot," he snidely remarked, impatiently crossing his arms as he straightened his stance.

"Of course… Well, thanks t' you, Shantae, that jackal woman, and the ghosts o' my old friends, I got just the wake-up call I needed t' understand that it really is short-sighted t' use a cloak of heroism t' shield myself from my past."

"Oh boy, what a brilliant an' profound observation," Nega-Tay uncaringly and sardonically remarked with a visible yawn. "Seriously, you're borin' me t' sleep over here. I knew all that already, so why are you spoutin' this sentimental garbage t' me?"

"Because I need t' be brutally honest with myself before I'm completely honest with anybody else," he answered with utmost confidence. "An' I need t' reassure myself that my decisions from this point on are of my own volition above all else; not ruled by guilt an' self-loathing. It's like Hakeem pointed out t' me, because it applies so well here… I need t' be my own person."

"And your first self-made 'decision' as your 'own person' is t' foolishly try t' stop me?" Nega-Tay quizzed, the condescension in his tone unfaltering.

"There ain't no try. I told you, I will win. I made promises t' my old friends, to Shantae, and t' myself t' keep fightin' an' t' never give in until my dyin' breath. That aside, I realize more than ever now, that you really are too big a threat t' take lightly."

"How kind of you t' finally notice."

"Whatever that Dark Magic is, you could legit kill somebody with it. Every single one o' your magic attacks hurt worse than anything I've ever felt…" he confessed, his body shuddering at the mention of the feeling of being attacked with Dark Magic. "My body still burns like an oil-based wildfire an' stings like a thousand wasps from every blow you landed on me… an', if I learned anything at all from my trip down here, then it's that I will NEVER let anybody else suffer the way I did. Never again. So, one way or another, I'm takin' you down! Here an' now!" he declared, readying his weapon for the final round of his kinda-sorta introspective battle.

"You sound like you're finally gettin' serious. It's about time," Nega-Tay observed, summoning more dark energy and charging fireballs in his hands. "Too bad for you that your little epiphany came too late, however. Time t' meet your maker!" he challenged, dashing forward to attack by launching a fireball at Tay. The weary, yet-determined serviceman sidestepped and waited for Nega-Tay to get close enough. Once the evil clone was within range, Tay aimed the firearm and triggered another explosive *BOOM* that sent Nega-Tay flying back in terrible pain again. He'd eaten the full force of the second shot, but he remained on his feet as he quickly retreated.

"I should've thought about usin' this thing from the start…" Tay oh-so ingeniously realized, pumping the third of eight rounds. "Granted, I've only got but so much ammo an' I'm not sure I'd have been able t' pull it out in time t' use it before this point. Plus, who knows what would happen if I did an' he snatched it off me. Oh well… Now, I have the advantage, so I have t' make every shot count."

"That gun won't save you! You will die!" Nega-Tay threatened, retreating to the wall behind him and launching another fireball. Tay, with more than enough time given the distance between him and his opponent, ducked under the fireball while keeping his eyes on the prize. Tay rushed forward and fired another burst of flashing shotgun marbles. Startled as he was, Nega-Tay leapt out of the way, throwing another fireball that Tay was forced to block. Remembering that his adversary's fireballs could melt metal, he turned around and let the projectile hit his back with a flaming *THWOSH*. "Agh…!" he coughed, stumbling forward before shaking off the pain to redirect his focus on his opponent. "I can't let him melt this thing or avoid too many o' my shots. Elsewise, it'll be a lot harder t' take him down…" With that observation, Tay cocked the barrel of the shotgun to load his fourth round.

"Hah!" Nega-Tay hollered, throwing another fireball that Tay jumped to avoid. "It's almost amusin' how you need t' rely on weapons t' beat me," he taunted, running along the perimeter of the arena while haphazardly launching flaming projectiles at his foe. "You really are a coward after all!"

"Says the one who refuses t' fight me up front without usin' cheap tricks an' magic!" Tay shot back as he… well, shot back (clever, right?) with another shotgun blast while dodging as many of the wildly-flung fireballs as he could. Most of the marbles missed their mark, decorating the wall with a spray of holes. Although, some of the marbles caught Nega-Tay in the leg, causing him to nearly fall over as he stopped and winced. "Besides, a 'coward' would never be able t' come down here an' face his inner demons alone! A coward would've given up long before now! A coward would never have charged headfirst into a foreign world with the intent t' keep a deranged, psychopathic pirate woman from destroyin' it in the first place! I am no coward!" Tayshan boisterously declared as he began to approach his enemy.

"Graaaagh! Darn it, how is this happenin'…!?" he cursed, catching himself on the wall before he fell over. "Even with that gun, he shouldn't be able t' put a dent in me…!" He refused to let the burgeoning impact of his injuries stop him, as he threw another Dark Magic-charged blast at Tay, who'd narrowly avoided it by leaping to the side. "Just do yourself a favor an' perish already!"

"Now's my chance…!" he told himself, running in while loading his fifth round.

"No, wait!" Nega-Tay shouted, holding a hand out to try to stop Tay from firing.

"You wanna talk about how much harm you'll cause this world if I let you free!?" he roared, firing another *BLAST* of marbles that made a violent direct hit. "You wanna threaten t' harm my friends!?"

"Waaaagh!" Nega-Tay shouted in excruciating agony, hurriedly picking himself up to start moving again, though his injuries were made quite evident in the fact that he was hobbling rather than sprinting. He refused to go down so easily, however. He threw another fireball to the best of his ability, though the flaming projectile was considerably weaker than the rest. Tay, not immediately realizing this, took the blast in his chest. It impacted him with the force of someone slapping his chest, which he shrugged off as he pumped the sixth round into the barrel. It was at that point that he realized that his clone was quickly losing power, though his approach went on unhindered.

"You never accounted for the amount o' sufferin' I'd have t' put you through before you could ever get the chance!" he continued, marching toward the ailing doppelganger. "You never considered the lengths I'd be willin' t' go t' protect those I care about!"

"Spout all the 'friendship' an' 'commitment' trash you want!" Nega-Tay shouted, conjuring up another fireball, this time powered by both hands. "You will never escape the judgment you deserve! You cannot change your destiny!" he boldly and callously added, throwing the fireball with all the strength he could muster. Tay didn't even flinch at this one, as its fiery vapors dissipated upon impact with his chest. "No…! How…? How did I get so weak all of a sudden!?"

"Most of all… you never bothered t' even ask me if I was willin' t' accept whatever judgment life handed me once I realized how much responsibility I needed t' take for my actions," Tay calmly concluded, aiming the shotgun at the injured Nega-Tay. Rather than cower in fear or beg for his life, however, Nega-Tay gave his counterpart a good, long, silent look, as though he were contemplating his options. After a moment, he smirked, bowing his head and using the wall to stand himself back up.

"Hmph. I see… Looks like I've lost my sway over you… Darn…" he cursed, hinting at the source of his powers. "Sickenin' as it is to admit, I know when I'm cornered. I hope you know that killin' me here won't bring you any closer to absolution, though. You will only have shielded yourself from yet another ugly truth about your character. However, I'm not here t' convince you t' do one thing or the other. Looks like your mind's made up anyway. Don't keep me waitin'. Do your worst, 'hero,'" he mockingly goaded, expecting Tay to end the battle while he had the upper hand.

"…Gladly," Tay agreed, firing the sixth voluminous blast from his shotgun. An additional deafening *BOOM* rang out, after which was total silence.

"…Huh?" Nega-Tay grunted in wonder after a moment of standing completely still, having been completely unscathed by the shotgun marbles. He looked down at his tattered clothing in confusion, wondering just how he'd survived what should've been the final blow that triggered the boss battle explosions. He cast his gaze over to the real Tay, who'd been aiming the shotgun above the evil twin's head. In that moment, he felt trickles of pebbles raining onto his head. He glanced upward to see that Tay had fired his blast at the wall above him, intentionally missing. He then turned his attention back to Tay. "What gives?"

"I… I realized somethin' else, interestingly enough," Tay shared, further befuddling the duplicate.

"And that is…?"

"That if I destroyed you here, then… then I'd be losin' the very part o' myself that brought me this far," he confessed, much to the surprise of his adversary/other self. "Twisted as it sounds, I… I don't think I should kill you."

"You… don't think you should kill me? After all you said about not lettin' me escape? Of all the negative traits of your character, I didn't take you as one t' go back on your word, Tayshan. Don't tell me you're-!"

"I'm not goin' back on my word," he interrupted, dislodging the final round from his shotgun and sheathing the weapon in its scabbard. He placed the round in his pocket. "But… I… I can't let you just disappear; especially not by my own hand," he asserted, holding out a hand. "There may not be room in this world for two of us, but technically speakin', there wouldn't even be a full one o' me if I got rid o' you."

"What exactly are you gettin' at?"

"My point is that, tf you're a monument t' my sins as you said, then I'd rather treat you as such; a commemoration of all the reasons I needed t' change. I refuse t' cast my past behind me while ignorin' the impact it has on my present self any longer. It's thanks t' you an' all my old friends that I realize that now."

"Hmm… I see," Nega-Tay remarked in a surprisingly-calm manner that I didn't even expect him to respond in. "In that case, what do you expect me to do from here?"

"Well… in no better words, I'd like for you t' rejoin me," he offered, further shocking the doppelganger.

"Rejoin you? Are you insane!?" he asked, offended by such a ludicrous prospect. "Why would I ever go back to being imprisoned in your subconscious like a caged animal? It was torture being stuck inside you! Even with all the strength I garnered from your insecurities, I hated every moment I wasn't free from you, you pathetic creature!"

"You don't have a choice, an' neither do I. You know that by now, don't you? Besides, if you've been listenin' t' me, then you should understand that I won't try t' keep my misdeeds hidden anymore. If I really wanna fulfill the promises I made or become the hero I said I was gonna be, then I gotta start by acknowledgin' my faults an' all the wrongs I've committed. I've… well, I've gotta embrace my past an' my shortcomings as a part o' what makes me… me."

"Hmph. That was so saccharine that I think I'm developin' cavities over here," Nega-Tay quipped with a disapproving shake of his head.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Will you come back or not?" Tay asked, losing his patience with himself. "If you don't wanna die, then this is the only other option you got, evil me."

"Alright, fine, but you'd better not go back to your old ways," he acquiesced, ultimately realizing Tayshan's point. "Otherwise, we WILL meet again… WITHOUT this woman's help," he warned, taking Tay's hand. Tay pulled Nega-Tay up to his feet as the two locked their gazes on each other. In a literal flash of a mysterious golden light, however, Nega-Tay suddenly transformed into a more identical clone of Tay; as in, everything from head to toe suddenly changed to match his twin, although he appeared younger and lacked a goatee. He was also slightly shorter and much less muscular than his present counterpart. "Thank you for finally acceptin' me, yo," the now-purified Past Tay offered his gratitude with a warm, almost-tearful smile. His voice was nothing like Nega-Tay's, in case you were wondering. He sounded like… well, like a (more) teenaged version of the current Tay. "You have no idea how long I been waitin' t' go back t' bein' me again…"

"Uh… S-sure thing, uh… past me…?" Tay played along despite being utterly floored by the sight of his evil twin morphing into his younger self in an exact copy of his present clothes. "I'll be sure not t' let… whatever that was happen t' you… er, me, again. From here on, we're in this together. Or, I-I'm in this… as a whole?" he stammered in utter discombobulation, though his past self chuckled with lighthearted mirth.

"I get what you mean. No doubt, homie. I'd say I'll see ya around, but… y'know, you're me. So… catch ya on the inside," he joked as his form faded, dispersing into a bright white light that meshed itself into Tay's body, completing the Boss Battle once and for all.

"Whoa…" Tay remarked in wonder, his entire body momentarily glowing with a luminescent white aura as his formerly-evil self merged with him once more, making him whole again. Before he could question this phemonenon, he realized he was still holding someone's hand. He looked ahead to see the blue-garbed, jackal-masked woman, panting heavily as she kneeled on one knee. Her mask was cracked, revealing tufts of dark purple hair and an eye whose iris appeared to be a bluish green in color. "Wait… Shantae… is that you?" Tayshan was all but compelled to ask in utter shock as he helped the woman up. "I thought you were outside with Sky an' the other girls! How'd you get in here?"

"Hm? What do you speak of? I am not Shantae," the woman denied in confusion, still trying to recuperate from the battle. The ethereal tone in her voice was gone, leaving only the sound of a regular woman. "What would have you draw such a conclusion?"

"Well… the purple hair an' turquoise eye I'm seein' through the crack in that scary mask are kind of a giveaway, if I have t' say it," he answered, causing the woman to bring her hand to her mask. She gasped in utter shock as she felt the crack in her disguise, hastily covering the portion of her face revealed through it. "What's the deal? Did you have somethin' t' do with what just happened in this cave?"

"You damaged my mask… I didn't account for that while I let your darkness use my body as a vessel," she murmured, apparently as confused as he was as she stood up straight. Her hand remained on the portion of the mask that was broken off as she concealed her identity. "However, I assure you that I am not who you think I am."

"Then… who are you?" Tay asked with a tilt of his head, totally curious as to who this woman was and why she bore such a strong resemblance to his half-genie team leader… as far as he could tell. She took two steps back while still covering the broken portion of her mask with her hand. "You don't sound much like Shantae, now that I'm hearin' your voice. Or, you kinda do, but you sound… a lot old-! Er, more mature, I guess I'll say," he observed, correcting himself before he stuck his foot in his mouth. "Not t' mention, you danced just like her before you turned int' that evil clone of me."

"My identity is of no importance, Tayshan," she calmly replied, ignoring his observations.

"Of course not," he sighed, disappointed that even now, this woman refused to let him know who she was. "Why won't you let me know who you really are?"

"My apologies…" she offered. "…but my true identity must remain confidential. However, I must commend you on overcoming the obstacles presented to you during your time in the Grotto of Judgment. Very few adventurers that found themselves here before you have been able to face their inner turmoil and succeed."

"Thanks, I guess, but… I'm still really confused," he admitted, scratching his head. "Why did you turn yourself into an evil me? HOW did you turn yourself into an evil me? For what reason was I brought down here alone? How do you know me?"

"Your inquiries, while understandable, are hardly worth asking me," she curtly responded. "Most of them, anyway."

"Hmph. You're not doin' me a lot o' favors here, deflectin' my questions like that…"

"The knowledge you seek with your questions won't serve you much substantial benefit. If I must provide you with some clarity, however, I will start by letting you know that you were fated to come down here, believe it or not. Our encounter was foretold. You also answered many of your own questions during your time down here, if you were conscious during our previous conversation."

"I… guess that's fair," he nodded, recalling their exchang from when he first entered the Grotto of Judgment. "Well, that sort of answers two o' the four questions I had at this point, but it raises at least fifty more. I guess Shantae was right about predestination after all, though, interestingly enough," he further murmured.

"I will at least clarify one thing by granting you this bit of knowledge, for it will be important for you to know. As for how I managed to assume an alternate version of your identity, it was not that I simply transformed into you. I drew much of the Dark Magic tainting your soul from your being and allowed it to take control of my corporeal form. Being familiar with you, it assumed your appearance of its own volition," the woman revealed, though her answer threw Tay for more loops than a circus performance.

"And that answers the third question but raises at least ninety more. You took Dark Magic out o' me an' let it take over you?"

"In no better words. Before you ask, I will also tell you that, with your help, I purified most of the Dark Magic that I was able to draw from you. With your acceptance of your past self as a part of your overall state of being, you have cleansed your body of a great deal of the iniquitous influences that might've threatened you as a human being."

"Huh… Well, that's pretty cool. Thank you," he uncertainly showed his gratitude. "I don't know if I feel much different, but… what an interestin' reveal…" he further pondered, though he shook his head once he realized something he needed clarification on. "It does make me morbidly curious, though… What would've happened if I'd lost?"

"I figured you'd ask that," she plainly replied. "What do you think would've happened?"

"Well… The hopeful side o' me thinks you would've called the clone off an' just revealed this as a test that I failed…?" he answered, having a hunch that his perilous encounter was a simple test of willpower and introspection.

"…That would have made sense, but…" she uneasily trailed off, seeming to realize something of a discrepancy.

"What?" Tay remarked, understandably panicked by the woman's answer. "Then what would've happened if that clone killed me!?"

"He very likely would've carried out the heinous acts he was threatening to perpetrate. That would be putting it lightly."

"But you said he was usin' your body as a vessel. Wouldn't you have been able t' simply call him off or… I dunno, find some way t' beat him or trap him in here if he got out o' control?"

"Implying I had any control over your dark doppelganger," she shot back, further confusing and frightening the serviceman.

"So… how-?"

"I understand that you are confused," she interrupted. "See it like this, then: Magic in all varieties is formless, shapeless, ever-present, and naturally without consciousness… sort of like air. However, the difference between air and magic is what happens when either of them enters a living creature," the jackal-masked woman explained. "Air comes and goes with each breath you take, hardly making any changes during that process. Naturally, as air is an essential resource that preserves all life. Of course, one does not simply breathe in magic. One would normally have to come into direct contact with a powerful magic-infused item or device to introduce it into their body."

"…Mr. Mimic's gonna flip when he hears this…" Tay muttered, completely blown away as he put two and two together. As far as he was concerned, the case of how magic in any capacity entered his body was cracked wide open by the woman's revelation. The question still remained, however, of HOW the magic got there, though he had a clue in that respect already.

"Once magic has entered a carrier's body, however, it takes hold. It metamorphizes almost immediately, bending, mixing, and assimilating into that being's very core. Once that happens, there is no clear-cut way to remove magic from any living thing, be it Light or Dark. The only known relic capable of doing so, a powerful magic-absorbing lamp, was eliminated from this land not so long ago."

"No way…!" Tay commented, mesmerized by the knowledge bomb dropped on him. "So, magic kinda works like a parasite that infects you if you come int' contact with a source?"

"Close, but not quite. A parasite would feed on its host and drain it of all resources until the host ceases to function. Magic merely transposes itself into a living being and, in some cases, mildly influences the being's decisions and/or grants them enhanced abilities. You may have experienced this already. Many creatures are not even aware of the presence of magic in their bodies. The 'parasite' theory you mentioned only applies to Dark Magic, however. Light Magic does not work in that regard."

"Got it… sort of," Tay replied, still trying to wrap his head around such an unfathomable concept. "So, if what the other me was sayin' is true, and if I'm followin' this right, then that would mean the evil me got stronger by feedin' off all the emotions I was hidin' away in the back o' my mind, as well as my personal doubts an' insecurities?"

"Correct. It is also true that, if the Dark Magic were to continue to grow inside you, it would yield ghastly consequences for you in the long term."

"…I think I get it enough that I know what you might be drivin' at," he concluded with a nod of understanding. "But then, with you drawin' all that Dark Magic out o' me, what would've happened t' you if I didn't make peace with myself? I mean, I noticed that the evil me got a lot weaker once I stopped lettin' my negative feelings overwhelm me, an' he even stopped fightin' after I finally got the upper hand."

"That was the only point at which I was able to easily regain some form of control over your evil side, though it was only enough to stop him from continuing to attack," she clarified. "If you had not realized that he drew every ounce of his power from your emotions, he would have very well destroyed you. At that point, I would not have been able to keep hold of him. Your body would have been his for the taking as a much easier vessel to control…"

"Get out…!" he remarked in utter shock. "Would you have been able t' stop him, at least?"

"Very likely not, as my strength was sapped by allowing him to use my body to take your form for such an extended period of time," she replied without a hint of hesitation, further alarming him. "However, this portion of our discussion has gone on long enough. To conclude, Tayshan, you did well in conquering your inhibitions and defeating your dark self to cleanse your body."

"Yeah, but… if I didn't, then that would've meant the end for both of us…"

"I am aware of the danger posed by that situation but be grateful you understood the circumstances and acted when you did."

"You're right, but that's a pretty big gamble t' take, ain't it?" he questioned, still somewhat unsettled in the aftermath of the battle. "I mean, I came real close t' losin' that fight, an' you're tellin' me you didn't have a back-up plan for if I couldn't win?"

"Much as I'd like to tell you otherwise, that is indeed the case," she understandingly admitted. "I am not perfect, in case you were thinking that. I will certainly need to reevaluate how I arrange for future travelers to battle and potentially purify Dark Magic hidden within them. It is not often that I have to do so. However, you may want to take this as an example of just how dangerous Dark Magic can be."

"You ain't gotta tell me twice," he agreed, though he found himself mildly upset with the woman for almost having killed him with an evil clone of himself. "And, while I admit I'm… a little bit unsettled by your admission there, I'm still at least glad the situation turned out like this. Might as well spin it in some kind o' positive light, all things considered. And uh… thanks for bein' honest, I suppose."

"Right," she acknowledged with a nod. "I don't suppose that would be all the information you seek on this encounter, though. Am I wrong?"

"Nope, you hit the nail on the head there," he confirmed. "You've been awfully accurate in ways I couldn't have expected; especially from someone I'd never met before this point. Which reminds me… You said this meetin' here was predestined."

"Indeed I did."

"Well, what did you mean? Could you give me a bit of insight int' that?" Tay asked with utmost intrigue.

"In simple words, the universe has an infinite number of possibilities, save for certain events whose courses cannot be altered. For any particular situation, be it as inconsequential as what an individual chooses to eat or drink, or as influential as a person's decision to either act or not in the event of an emergency, has a set number of contingent possibilities regarding what happens next. The number of possibilities available depends on the situation, the individuals involved, the time of day, et cetera. However, certain events, once they happen, will have one course to follow, no matter what decision is made. As such, your arrival in this era through the self-proclaimed Pirate Queen's portal was no accident, but a destiny-bound event."

"Really now?" Tay reacted with such shock that one may have thought his eyes would pop out of his head. "You're jokin'!"

"This is no joke, Tayshan," the mysterious woman assured. "You were brought here by the hand of destiny, though it seems paradoxical, given what I told you about infinite possibilities."

"An' here I was, thinkin' things couldn't get more confusin'… So, wait… if you knew I'd be dragged here from my world, do you know where I'm from? Like, if I'm from an alternate dimension, the future, or a different timeline?"

"Unfortunately, I don't," she plainly answered.

"Darn… One of my biggest questions about how I got here, an' it still goes unanswered…" he complained to himself. "Even after learnin' that bit of info about infinite timelines…"

"Not timelines; possibilities, though you may not be wrong to think about time travel as a possible factor for your entrance into Sequin Land," she corrected. "Quite frankly, I only know that you were destined to arrive in Sequin Land and that our encounter was predetermined in that regard," the enigmatic cobalt-garbed woman explained, acknowledging his pensive soliloquy.

"Wow… So… if you knew those things would happen, then… can you see the future?" he deduced based on the woman's revelation about this apparently-predestined encounter.

"Yes, but not nearly as well as you might imagine."

"What do you mean?"

"I am only able to see possible futures based on present events," she clarified. "Additionally, I can only peer but so far into a possible future, and even then, what I see is a vague, foggy sequence of significant pieces at best. In essence, any event I choose to investigate would be considered a core point. Any possible event following it would be considered a branching sequence. Think acorns and trees, simply put," the woman educated him.

"Uh-huh… So, if I got it right, then a core event would be like an acorn in the ground, an' anything that happens after that event would be like the trunk an' branches of the tree that sprouts from it after the acorn gets its essential resources?" Tay asked, hoping his guess would provide some clarification.

"Correct," she confirmed with a confident nod. "Contrary to popular belief, however, my ability does not make me omniscient. Using your example, it is akin to being unable to predict the exact way a tree will grow once its seed is planted, but while also knowing exactly how it will look when it is finished growing… in addition to seeing glimpses of things that could potentially happen to the tree as it grows. As I said, there are many possibilities within any given circumstance, except in the cases of very special, very rare predestined events."

"Mm-hmm…?" he nodded, listening intently.

"In a sense, that is like knowing the tree will grow and knowing that at least one of its branches will be sturdier than the rest, while still being uncertain of how the tree will grow or where its acorns will fall once it is able to produce them. Regarding your presence in Sequin Land, I only knew that a chance encounter with Risky Boots would indirectly bring you here to this cavern with me. Conversely, I was not aware of HOW you would get here."

"That makes enough sense t' where I get what you mean," he nodded in understanding. "The fact that you can see the future at all raises a different question, though. I heard there were druids in this place that had the gift o' foresight. Are… are you one o' them?" he posed, calling back to the rumor he'd heard during his previous adventure.

"I am not a druid. The druids, as well as most of the inhabitants of the Prickle Stitch Valley have long since emigrated across the globe from this land, for its impending destruction was foretold months to a year in advance. I couldn't tell you where any of them went or what they did, either."

"…Shoot, that's why I should've asked Priyanka how long ago she heard that prediction or how long ago she left this place for Naga Mountain…" he cursed himself. It… definitely would've made sense to ask that archer woman to be more specific with her claims. Oh well. Too late to cry over spilt milk, as they say.

"This is no time for speculation," the nameless woman dismissed, her tone becoming serious. "Based on what I have foreseen of you, I have grave news for you."

"Aw…" Tay groaned in disappointment, though he quickly shook it off in the wake of her seriousness. "What's the news?"

"Your quest, as you may know, is one that has been, and will continue to be filled to the brim with peril at every turn."

"You're tellin' me this now?" he incredulously asked, surprised that her 'news' would turn out to be something so obvious that it was already established. "After everything I've been through, I… think I know that."

"Yes, but the hazardous nature of your adventures will serve to grow progressively more evident with the more often you and your friends risk your lives to save this world."

"I know that, too," he assured. "Believe me, there's nothin' you could tell me that I haven't considered since I arrived here in Sequin Land. No matter what, I'm gonna do my part in keepin' this world safe."

"Oh? Then, what if I told you that the price of heroism is often much higher than most adventurers are willing to pay?" she asked, seeming to be hinting at something.

"Oh… Well, then you'd have t' be more specific," he hesitantly answered, picking up on the sudden tone shift into the realm of the ominous. "Anybody can just say somethin' like that t' try scarin' me out o' doin' somethin', but… as you might've witnessed, I'm not one t' back down from a tough situation. Not anymore, at least."

"Do not take my warning lightly, Tayshan. I would not pose such a question without reasonable cause," she advised, solidifying the pressure brought on by the conversation as it went on.

"But I don't know what you're warnin' me about," Tay countered, still in the dark about the jackal woman's words. "T' answer your question, though, I… I suppose most people never know the 'price of heroism' until it comes time t' pay it. It ain't quite like goin' to a store t' buy a piece of equipment, where you know what you're gonna get."

"That's quite naïve of you," she criticized, evidently unimpressed by his rebuttal.

"Yeah, well unlike you, I don't have the gift o' clairvoyance t' give you a better answer."

"Hm. In that case, does the phrase 'pay the ultimate price' ring a bell to you?" she asked, dropping another clue.

"Yeah. That's part o' the promise I made when I swore myself t' duty. I joined the military in my world with that phrase. Is… that a sayin' here, too?" he asked, raising an eyebrow in curiosity as he attempted to read into this mysterious woman and her words.

"And… have you considered just how solemnly you'd have to abide by that vow at this point?" she asked, ignoring his question. However, he was tipped off regarding what she meant. At that point, his heart sank into the pit of his stomach as his blood ran cold.

"Oh… I… I-I think I get what you mean now…" he hesitantly acknowledged, his eyes widening as his breath became heavy and restricted. "Are… are you sayin' that I… that I'm gonna…?"

"It's a possibility," she curtly replied, sending a chill up his spine that shook him to the core. "An undeniably strong one, at that."

"Oh… Well, how… How strong?"

"Strong enough that we're having this conversation now," she clarified in as basic a manner as she had been, though her portentous point was made stronger by her simplicity. "Otherwise, you and I would have little reason to meet here."

"Even with all the introspective stuff you made me go through with my old friends an' my… my younger self? With purifyin' the Dark Magic in me, as you said earlier?" he asked, deeply unsettled by the implications of the conversation.

"You eventually would've come to terms with your past without my assistance, though at a much later point and with much more of a struggle. I have foreseen this," she answered with utmost confidence, though her tone revealed no emotion. "However, the Dark Magic in your body also gave rise to the possibility that you would've been irreversibly corrupted had I not chosen to intervene."

"Oh. Fair enough, I guess. Thanks?" he offered, still contemplating her warning about his fate.

"Hold your gratitude. I did not act for your sake," she corrected matter-of-factly.

"Okay…? So, what did you do it for?" he was all but compelled to ask.

"To prevent the potential emergence of another malevolent enemy of the peace in this land. Your intrinsic struggles would've incubated the very uncertainty, fear, frustration, and self-loathing that Dark Magic feeds on." At that, Tay got a clue.

"That's exactly what the younger me said when he was evil…" he realized as he pondered on the warning. After a moment of silence, he spoke again. "Are you gonna tell me somethin' about fear leadin' t' anger, anger leadin' t' hate, an' hate leadin' t' sufferin'?"

"You are… on the right track," she acknowledged, seeming to be impressed with his guess. "Although, you would be wiser to know that suffering is a primary source of growth for Dark Magic. Take what you have learned here with utmost seriousness."

"Clear an' concise, you are… at least, when you want t' be. Well, thanks for that, at least. Still, as for that other prediction you made… I can't believe I'm askin' this, but… How? When? Does… Is someone responsible for it that I should avoid?" he asked, though his last question immediately made him think of Risky Boots. That very thought filled him with both anger and dread that he could scarcely disperse with a deep, heavy breath as he focused all of his attention on the woman standing before him.

"I'm… sorry to say that I don't know many details surrounding the event, but I am here to tell you that you have a chance to avoid such a terrible fate and prolong your life," she offered.

"Oh yeah? Well, I'd be interested t' know," he admitted. "What can I do t' make sure things play out right? That I don't…"

"I cannot answer that for you," she bluntly replied, not giving him a chance to finish his question. "I can only tell you that it all comes down to one decision… A decision that you must make here and now. However, your decision may serve to either seal or change your fate. The troubling part is… well, is the circumstances of your choice, if I must say it."

"Well, can you at least tell me that much?" he implored, itching to get a clear answer out of this clairvoyant woman that might at least calm his nerves. "What effects do my present choices have on my future? Or… this prediction o' yours? What circumstances?"

"Your chances of suriving this ordeal could be slim, depending on the decision you make here, but… your involvement in the effort to defeat the Pirate Master's former apprentice and reclaim your weapons directly impacts the futures of your friends; very strongly, I might add."

"Really, now? How so?" he asked, hungry for information as his heart pounded in anticipation.

"Their chances of surviving are heavily contingent upon your decision," she revealed, causing Tayshan to exhale in wonder.

"Now THAT brings me some clarity, though I don't like how I feel about it. Hmm…" he pondered. "So… from the sound of it, my decision is basically whether I'll continue fightin', or choose t' back out? An' that… based on what I choose t' do from here, it might play a factor in what happens t' Shantae an' the others?"

"In no better words, yes."

"Well then… This just might be one thing I didn't consider… At least, not since I joined up with Shantae…" he murmured, his heartbeat getting heavier. "Alright… in that case, I have just two major questions t' ask you. I don't know if you'll answer them, or if I'll wind up havin' more t' ask, but I'm gonna ask the two anyway."

"For the sake of this discussion, and helping you make your choice, I will answer any relevant questions without hesitation."

"Oh, good, good…" he acknowledged, breathing a sigh of relief. "In that case, my first question is this: If I was t' step aside an' let Shantae handle Risky Boots on her own… then, what are the odds of her survivin' the battle?"

"The odds are… questionable at best. Bear in mind that Scuttle Town's guardian genie has three other friends whose fates also hang in the balance."

"Sky, Bolo, an'… her uncle Mimic?" Tay guessed.

"The ones called Sky and Bolo, yes. Her surrogate father? No."

"Not him? Interesting… Yet, she has three friends aside from me… Sky, Bolo, and…" he trailed off, pondering just who else the woman referred to. "Do you mean Twitch an' Vinegar?"

"No. Their fates are not tied to your decision as strongly as your other friends' are. Your decision will have little impact on their futures."

"That's interesting… But, who else could you mean…?" he wondered. After thinking back to past conversations with the half-genie, he remembered. "Oh, that's right. She has someone else named 'Rotty,' so far as I'm aware, no? I haven't met that one, but that's the only one I can think of."

"Correct."

"Alright. I guess I should be on the lookout for this 'Rotty' then. So, if the four o' them handled this situation without my help, then what would happen?" he asked, anticipating the severity of the scenario presented to him.

"Your decision not to lend your assistance would make things more difficult for them, but… their chances of survival are skewed, whether they succeed or fail."

"How so?" he asked, his brain already conjuring up various what-if scenarios of the battle with Risky Boots if he was not involved.

"Well… There is no easy way to say this, but… Out of seven possible branching futures without your assistance, each one of them yields, with utmost certainty, the demise of either Shantae or at least one of her friends at different points in different courses of events. Of course, there is also the possibility that she and her friends fail to thwart the self-proclaimed Pirate Queen, in which case they all perish. You would be exempt from such a fate in all scenarios, however, in your choice not to intervene."

"No way…!" Tay gasped in complete shock, utterly astounded and frightened by the revelation. "So if I don't go along, then no matter what, either she and/or at least one o' her friends dies tryin' t' stop that crazed pirate woman from destroyin' this world with my weapons?"

"There is one possibility where they all survive and defeat her, but… yes. The chances are quite grim…" she confirmed.

"That's… that's not good at all…" he murmured, his concern turning into near-crippling anxiety as he ruminated on the possibility of his comrades' failure to stop Risky Boots if he were not to intervene. "That… is pretty chillin' to imagine, an' I usually don't scare easily…"

"It is… unfortunate, but those are the circumstances I have foreseen," the woman asserted, though she appeared to pick up a tone of concern in her voice.

"Right," he acknowledged, taking another deep breath to compose himself enough to ask his next big question. "So… What… are our chances of survivin' if I stuck by Shantae's side?"

"Out of at least ten different possible branching futures I have seen, you die in nine of them; at least three of which are at different points in time, though I do not know how or what happens."

"Oh…" was all he could manage to reply with, his heart sinking like a boulder in quicksand. "That… that shakes me t' the very core…" he muttered and gulped, nearly losing his awareness of his surroundings as he tried to process what he was just told.

"You may take some twisted form of consolation in knowing that Shantae and her other friends would stand much greater chances of surviving, whether you succeed or fail to stop Risky Boots, at least."

"How much greater?" he asked, perking up slightly.

"They would almost be guaranteed to survive in all ten of those possible futures. There are other futures where at least one of them does not survive, but those possibilities appear to be quite negligible. However, their guaranteed survival will basically come at the cost of your life in exchange for theirs. There is, of course, the one-in-ten chance that you and your friends not only survive, but also accomplish your goal, but… I'm sorry to say, your demise would almost certainly be an event that will come to pass," she warned him, the somberness in her voice evident.

"…Jeez…" he quietly and pensively murmured, floored by the circumstances surrounding such a critical decision. However, as the cavern went silent, he began to drum up possibilities of his own. As he was just told, his decision on whether to help Shantae or not would almost invariably cause the end for either himself, Shantae, or any one of her closest friends. As if that wasn't bad enough, it appeared that there was minimal chance in either scenario that they would survive… which didn't even cover whether or not they'd be successful in stopping Risky. At that, he thought long and hard about what other options might've been available in the wake of such troubling news. After a moment, he voiced his thought. "I wonder… What would happen if I chose to stop Risky Boots on my own, or with other allies in tow?"

"You will not like what I have to say in that regard," the jackal woman warned.

"What, that I'd stand no chance without Sequin Land's greatest heroes on my side an' that I and whoever else I brought with me would get wiped out?" he guessed, hoping that he was wrong.

"Not quite. Your chances of succeeding in that case would be one in roughly one hundred million; even smaller if your goal is to defeat her without anyone losing their lives. So, no, it wouldn't be impossible. However, those are not odds I would consider as being worth gambling on."

"Great… Shoot…!" he cursed, still trying to figure out ways to maximize his and his allies' chances of surviving. "Well… What if Shantae an' I worked separately? Or, if I chose t' intervene only when my help was absolutely necessary? Not that that's a decision I'd make at this point, but…"

"Your odds of surviving the ordeal, much less accomplishing your goal, would decrease. Dramatically, at that."

"Figures… Darn it…!" he cursed again, his brain thoroughly wracked for alternative measures to his two most prominent choices.

"I understand that such a decision bears heavily on your shoulders, Tayshan, and for that, you have my sympathy."

"Thanks, I guess… but… from the sound of it, if your predictions are right, then… it's basically a decision of either backin' out an ensurin' my own survival while severely endangerin' the lives of Shantae an' her friends… or stickin' t' my guns an' bein' killed in the line o' duty myself while they all most likely survive, whether we win or lose…" he stated, his gaze momentarily falling to the cavern floor as the very possibility of him meeting his end hung on a single decision that would indirectly affect not only his future, but also the futures of his Sequinean allies. What was he supposed to do? He certainly didn't want to charge blindly into a scenario where he wouldn't live to see the end of the fight, but… it was equally as bad if he chose not to fight and potentially allowed someone else to take his place… Actually, that would be worse, considering he would KNOW that that person perished instead of him…

"Unfortunately, this is what I foresaw. Try as I might to discover an easier alternative for you, there are none available. Your choices are laid out on the table, so to speak, with no way to alter them to your liking. With this information, one could not blame you for ensuring your survival by refraining from fighting further. At the very least, you could pursue a newer, more peaceful life in-!"

"Don't patronize me," he interrupted, evidently having made up his mind. "It might surprise you… or maybe it won't since you've got the power o' future sight, but I have no intention o' backin' out."

"What?" the woman remarked in astonishment that she failed to mask… even while wearing a mask, ironically. "You… you didn't take much time to come to your conclusion. Are you certain?" she asked in worry. As evidently as Tay's certainty with his choice, she hadn't expected him to make his choice so soon.

"Ah, so you DIDN'T see that comin'. Interestin'…" he observed with a nod, confirming that the woman's future sight wasn't perfect. This observation brought him some level of comfort, however fleeting. "Oddly enough, that kinda gives me a sense of hope. Anyway, Sequin Land is in danger, an' it seems there's no way t' keep it safe but t' fight. Whether I'm involved or not, somebody's steppin' up to the plate, from the looks of it."

"Yes, but I implore you to consider the consequences of your choice, Tayshan," she advised, showing that she was not entirely convinced that he was making his choice with a clear line of thought.

"I did consider them, and… I would never be able t' live with myself if I withdrew, knowin' that my decision sealed someone else's fate," he concluded with confidence. "That goes against my code with the enforcement services. It goes against the promises I made t' Tariq, Hakeem, Kassandra, an' Damian… it goes against my partnership with Shantae… an' worst of all, it goes against my personal preference t' be responsible for cleanin' up my own messes."

"Tayshan, take a second to think about this," the woman urged, a strong tinge of concern in her tone. "You have an opportunity to ensure your survival in this age. You may not like the conditions of it, but you do not have to die. If it helps you to think further about your choice, Shantae has faced similar odds in her past and has come out victorious."

"So what? That means I should live here as a coward instead?" he dared to ask. "No thanks. I've been a coward for long enough, an' I won't go back t' that. Besides, the past doesn't always dictate the future. I'm tryin' t' be a livin' example o' that. There are a lot o' very dangerous threats comin' her way that only I know about. It wouldn't make sense for me t' allow her t' handle fightin' Risky while she has my guns; especially if Shantae doesn't know what she's up against. Plus, one o' my other goals was t' get back home, an' as it stands, Risky Boots is the only one who can help me with that. I can't ensure that will happen if I don't get involved. I… I never intended on stickin' around here permanently."

"No… No, of course you didn't," the woman acknowledged. "I must warn you, however, that your chances of making it back to your era are even slimmer than your chances of surviving the coming battles against Risky Boots and her army. As in, within the one-in-ten chance that you'd survive, there is an even smaller chance you'd be able to return home as you intend."

"Hm… You really are makin' it sound like I shouldn't even bother fightin' her. Why are you tellin' me all this, anyway? What's the purpose o' this?" he asked, becoming a tad apprehensive as he continued trying to read the woman's reactions. By this point, he picked up that she'd become somewhat… fearful of his involvement in the effort to stop Risky Boots, but he couldn't understand why. At the very least, he could surmise that she didn't want him to get involved.

"I… I cannot say. I am sworn to secrecy," she admitted, her worry for him apparent in her wavering tone.

"What? Then… how do you expect me t' sit back an' obey your command not t' get involved if you won't explain t' me why you're deliverin' such a warnin'?" he pressed, perplexed by her refusal to answer him.

"My intention was not necessarily to convince you one way or the other, my boy. I intended to give you a point of consideration, so that you might know the peril your life will be in if you choose to continue along your path. Ultimately, I cannot force you to make your decision," she admitted, though her tone continued to be laced with sadness and concern.

"Alright, then… That's fair… and I appreciate that you warned me, but I… There's no turnin' back for me at this point. It's not a choice I make lightly or without intense contemplation, but I'd rather sacrifice my own life t' guarantee someone else's will carry on than the other way around; especially if I'm given the option myself. Besides, my entire reason for becomin' part o' the military in my world was t' serve an' protect; even with my life on the line. This is my purpose. I didn't sign up for such a position without expectin' t' be faced with a circumstance like this. Otherwise, I'd have no business joinin'."

"I understand…" the jackal woman solemnly acknowledged with a pensive sigh. "Are… you certain you will commit to that decision? You are aware of the stakes it carries, no?"

"Without another thought, ma'am," he asserted with a confident nod, though he felt a pang in his heart the moment he confirmed his choice to keep fighting. "The chances might be slim, but that never stopped my father from doin' his thing as a firefighter. It didn't stop my mom from workin' her hardest t' provide for me… an' it won't stop me from doin' what I can t' protect Sequin Land, either."

"…Very well, then. I wish you luck on your endeavors, Tayshan. May we never meet again," she bade with a bow.

"Never again?" he asked, perplexed by her statement. "You're… not mad at me for makin' that choice, are you?"

"No. I say this not out of hostility toward you. Take it as your final warning from me. If we cross paths again by the end of your journey… just know that it would mean one thing," she informed him, sending another chill up Tay's spine.

"…Oh. I-I understand now, ma'am," he observed with a pensive nod, though he certainly was affected by her statement. He sighed away some of his overwhelming tension before continuing. "Well… it was nice meetin' you. Whether my gratitude is misplaced or not… Thank you for lettin' me see my old friends again. An' thank you for grantin' me the wake-up call of a lifetime. Trust me, I will not forget what happened here today."

"I trust that you won't, Tay," she affirmed, addressing him by his nickname in a manner that caused him to raise an eyebrow. "Just promise me this," she requested, surprising him once more.

"Hm? I'm already loaded up with promises, but I'm sure I can take one or two more. Go ahead," he permitted.

"Commit to this decision and do not look back. No matter what happens, if you choose to take this path, then do not alter your course from here. I'm… certain Shantae would appreciate it greatly."

"Oh! O-okay, no problem. You have my word."

"I trust that I do. Also, if it comes down to it in the end… then I beg of you, please destroy the portal Risky Boots constructed to bring you here," she requested, again catching Tay off-guard.

"That's… that's a pretty heavy promise there…" he uncertainly replied, already knowing perfectly well the consequences of eliminating the very device that brought him to Sequin Land.

"I am aware that doing so would forever trap you here, but…" the jackal woman hesitantly began. "…that portal poses too big a threat to be allowed to exist. You may not be aware of this, but Risky Boots previously used that portal to invade another realm of existence called-!"

"The Genie Realm?" Tay finished for her, surprising the woman again. Again, he took her inability to predict his knowledge as a form of comfort.

"You know?"

"Both Shantae AND Risky Boots enlightened me on separate occasions," Tayshan informed. "I'm aware Risky Boots invaded this Genie Realm an' also tried t' destroy the place usin' that thing, or somethin' t' that effect…?"

"That is correct," the woman confirmed. "So, you know why I make such a request."

"Right. I didn't consider it before, but…" he began with dread, instinctively swallowing as the pit in his stomach grew bigger. "…but if she did open that portal again an' somehow had it transport her back t' my world, she'd have free rein t' steal more weapons from it. If she managed t' get t' that Genie world again, she'd very likely try t' destroy it all over again. In that case…" Tay trailed off, wishing that the possibility wasn't brought into his mind. It was bad enough that his chances of surviving his adventures in Sequin Land were spectacularly low. But, to risk forever stranding himself here with no access to his home turf in order to protect his world, Sequin Land, AND this Genie Realm from potential annihilation by Risky Boots? The pressure was on like ugly on a sloth. Sorry if you don't think sloths are ugly, but like… they kinda are. Like, REALLY ugly. Anyway, if it weren't for Tay understanding the circumstances of the request, he would very likely have lost all sense of awareness just contemplating the consequences of such an action.

"…Would you agree to that, Tay?" the woman asked, again addressing him by his nickname.

"…Yes," he nodded in confidence, though the mere prospect frightened him to the core.

"Thank you," she offered her gratitude. "I swear to you, I would not ask you to potentially sacrifice your chances of returning home if the threat posed by that device were not so great."

"Say no more, ma'am," he acknowledged, not wanting to think about possibly destroying his one and only means of returning home in the wake of all the other life-changing factors he was forced to consider. "If it has t' be done, then no matter how I feel about it… consider it done."

"Again, thank you. One more thing, however…"

"What's that?"

"Shantae must not know what we spoke of here."

"What?" he asked, understandably thrown off by the suggestion. "Why not?"

"The contents of this conversation are strictly to be kept between you and me," she sternly asserted. "Her knowledge of what you and I talked about would greatly jeopardize her future."

"In what regard, if you don't mind me askin'?" Tay challenged. "I don't see why she shouldn't be informed about this… if our lives hang in the balance-!"

"I will not tell you again, Tayshan. DO NOT speak of this conversation with her," she warned, her tone practically radiating with anger as she pointed a finger at him. "Whatever you tell her once you leave this place, she mustn't know about the true nature of our meeting right now. She will come to know on her own in due time, but that will not come at your discretion. Do you understand?"

"…I suppose," he acknowledged, though he disagreed with the idea of keeping his friend in the dark. "But what do you expect me t' tell her when she asks what happened t' me in here? Am I not allowed t' tell her about my old friends comin' back t' see me, or how you made me fight an evil doppelganger that turned out t' be a corrupted version o' my past self?"

"You may freely share those experiences with her," the woman clarified. "You may even share with her that you and I met. However, she is not to know about our conversation regarding the futures you and she may face or my request to you to destroy that portal, nor is she to know about my appearance… except for this mask. If you should reveal any pertinent information to her, I will know, and I will make you pay," she forbade with utmost vehemence, her hand glowing with a threatening golden aura.

"Alright, alright, I won't tell her about the futures or what you look like…" he acquiesced, raising his hands to protect himself. "Jeez, why is it that so many women threaten me with violence t' keep me quiet around here…?" he further complained. "Can I at least talk about the part with there bein' infinite possibilities an' predestined events? She seems t' already know that much, as far as I learned from her, so there's nothin' I could say that she would be surprised about."

"Does she?" the woman remarked in what sounded like pleasant surprise. "Interesting… In that case, I will conditionally allow it. Just be certain not to get too specific with it."

"Gee, thanks for your permission. You're so generous," he sarcastically spat, though he was curious about what this woman's connection to Shantae was. He was additionally curious as to why she didn't want Shantae to know much about her presence. However, upon further thought, he acknowledged that questioning the jackal-masked woman would probably get him nowhere, as she would refuse to answer his questions in that area. As such, he shrugged and made it a point to keep it in his mind for later. "Now, how do I get out o' here?"

"I will grant you an exit, but before you go, I must deliver one more warning to you," she informed him.

"Oh? What warnin' is that?"

"However dire the circumstances get for you, do not let your passions burn you."

"Hm? What do you mean?" he asked, uncertain of what she was implying.

"Hopefully, this does not come to fruition, but… while the Dark Magic in your body was purified, there are other ways that more of it can enter your being… Intense emotions are chief among them. This is to say that overwhelming feelings of anger, grief, misery, or the like are a primary gateway, as I stated before. Let it consume you, and you may very well become the version of yourself you were forced to fight here in the Grotto of Judgment. I may have purified your body, but only a combined effort of your willpower and someone with command of Light Magic can help you purify your mind in the case that you are overwhelmed by Dark Magic."

"Wow. There's an awful lot t' look out for, huh? I… I'll take that int' consideration," he replied in understanding, his head spinning like a disco ball at all the information relayed to him in his time in the Grotto of Judgment.

"I trust that you will. However, it is now time for you to leave this place. Brace yourself," she warned, raising a hand that glowed with a brilliant golden hue. Immediately after, Tay's body was highlighted in the same glow as he began to levitate against his will.

"Hey, what-!?"

"Farewell, my child!" commanded the woman as she, with a magic-charged thrust of her hand, cast the soldier out of the Grotto of Judgment the same way he came in.

"WAAAAaaaaaaaa…!" Tay screamed in horror, though it quickly became increasingly distant as he made his graceful exit.

Back on the outside (Finally)…

"Man… We've tried everything," Shantae complained, breathing heavily as she, Sky, Twitch, and Vinegar wracked their brains on what else to do to rescue their teammate. The four young women had been trying relentlessly to gain access to the cavern Tay was hoisted into… evidently with not even an inkling of luck. "None of my spells work…"

"None of my birds are strong enough to break through the boulder," Sky added, equally as frustrated as she scratched her head.

"And none of the bombs we stocked up on put even a crack in this thing," Twitch further complained, still feeling the stony barricade up and down for a possible secret entrance switch. "The only progress we made is with that tiny little sliver from earlier!"

"We've been out here for the last two hours trying, too," Vinegar concluded, thus completing the list of complaints the girls had, crossing her arms as she leaned up against the nearby wall. "How is it that this thing hasn't even begun to crumble?"

"You can say that again," Shantae agreed, rubbing her chin as she stood directly behind Twitch, observing the blocked cave entrance from a distance. "Something's gotta give, though," she added, her determination unwavering as she perked up. She was certain that, one way or another, Tayshan would be rescued from that cave… it was just a matter of figuring out how. "Things might look rocky right now, but we can't take this situation for granite—er, granted! If we can't get him out of there, then hoodoo we expect to solve this problem for us? We can't allow ourselves to be graveled now! Tay needs us, and, so long as we work together, we can climb this mountain as a team!" she prattled on in a pun-laden attempt at motivating her comrades to keep trying.

Of course, she was met with a collective "Ugh…" and eye rolls from all three of the other girls. From the sound of it, none of them were to appreciative of the gritty speech she gave… Wait a… Oh, no, I made a rock pun, too! Darn it!

"If you could find it in you to come up with such a cheesy, pun-infested motivational speech at a time like this, then how is it you haven't figured out how to move this boulder?" Vinegar asked with contempt, apparently disliking such juvenile, campy humor… at least, when Shantae did it.

"Seriously, Shantae, the rock puns… Just like these two, your timing couldn't be worse," Sky further complained, shaking her head in disapproval.

"Aw, come on!" Shantae complained back in disappointment and worry. "That took me this whole time to come up with… Twitch, you at least appreciate the creativity of my speech, right?" she tried to fish for approval from the only one of the other three girls not to voice her displeasure. However, Twitch was still investigating the boulder when she noticed it beginning to shift.

"Girls, look!" the bespectacled blonde cheered as the boulder quaked and shook, moving downward into the ground. "It's finally moving! I did it!"

"Alright, Twitch!" Vinegar congratulated her. "Now, we just need to go in and-!"

"Do… you hear something?" Sky asked, evidently picking up a noise coming from inside. "It sounds like… panicked screaming," she further observed, carefully approaching the cavern entrance as it opened all the way. Upon further inspection, she identified the screaming, which was getting progressively louder, as their lost teammate. "That's Tay screaming!"

"Oh, no… He must be in trouble!" Shantae hastily concluded, running toward the cave, ready to jump in at a moment's glance to save him. "We gotta-!"

"Duck!" Twitch interrupted, seeing something bulleting toward them as she and Sky hit the dirt and covered.

"Huh? What are you two do-!"

"WAWAWAWAWAAAAGH!" a human projectile screamed, flying out of the cave entrance and colliding with Shantae at basically mach speed. With a jarring series of cartoony *CRASH* noises, Shantae and the unidentified flying object were sent bowling across the open, grassy landscape into the nearby freshwater stream. She landed on her back with a rocky *SPLASH*, the object finding itself… or rather, HIMSELF, pinning her down.

"Shantae!" Sky called out as she and Twitch rose to their feet and turned to inspect the damage. The intensely-worried bird tamer rushed to her friend's aid as she noticed an entanglement of scarlet red and… some kind of mud stain-styled camouflage. Within a couple of seconds, she realized what the mud camouflage might've been. "Tayshan!" she also called out. Once she reached them, however, she froze, uncertain of what to make of the situation. "Ooh… Uhh…"

"Owww…" Shantae groaned, coming to her senses as she blinked her eyes to regain her senses and took a gander at what crashed into her. Still flat on her back in the shallow stream, she looked downward and saw someone's head pressed into her chest. Understandably frightened and confused by such a predicament, she pushed the individual's head up with both hands, revealing the human missile to be none other than Tay, though he appeared worse for wear. Nevertheless, Shantae's apprehension changed to excitement and relief that her extraterrestrial comrade was out of the cave he was sucked into. "Tay! You're safe!" she cheered, still holding his head.

"Ooogh… Huh…?" Tay grunted, still very disoriented as he stirred from his momentary slumber. He blinked his eyes a few times before focusing his gaze downward to see a mass of purple below him with blue eyes. Once his vision came back, he barely recognized just who that mass of lavender was. "Shantae…? Fancy meetin' you here…"

"Oh, thank goodness, you're okay! I thought you were a goner!" she cheered, ensnaring the still-groggy soldier's head in her arms and pulling him in for a hug. Now, as one might expect, this hug was totally innocent in nature and was a result of a friend being rescued after at least two hours of being stuck in a cave with seemingly no way out. Nothing wrong there. However, the execution of the hug could very well be called into question. Suffice to say, Tay stood about as much chance suffocating in his friend's chest as he did drowning, due to the fact that she was bear-hugging his head they were still in the stream. Shantae had been blissfully unaware of the fact that she was in the middle of killing him while ironically celebrating the fact that he was still alive. Soooo… yeah. Do with that information, what you will.

"Grgrgrglglrlgrlglglg!" Tay futilely tried to shout, his words only coming up as gurgling bubbles that rose to the water surface as he struggled to break free.

"Shantae, stop!" Sky called out, rushing to the poor soldier's aid by trying to pull him off of the half-genie by his arm. "You're gonna drown him!"

"Huh?" she responded, still unaware of what she was doing as she held him firmly in her grasp.

"That means get off him, ya thieving cow!" Twitch angrily screamed, rushing over to assist Sky in yanking the half-dead soldier off of his half-genie would-be killer. With a collaborative pull, Sky and Twitch dragged Tay off of Shantae, pulling him to safety on the grass below. As the two young women did so, Tay went into an uncontrollable fit of hacking, coughing, and gasping for air. His latest near-death experience had, thus far, come the closest to doing him in.

"Oh! Jeez, Tay, I'm so sorry!" Shantae profusely apologized, climbing back to her feet to check on her friend while Sky tended to him by patting him on the back. However, Twitch stood in the way, holding her arms out to block her path.

"Oh, no you don't! I knew you were up to no good!" the shorter Ammonian acolyte accused.

"What are you talking about?" Shantae asked, vexed by Twitch's overprotective outburst.

"Like I have to explain it! You think you're so slick, making such… such dirty moves on my man!" she accused once again.

"What!? Again with this!?" Shantae reacted with insurmountable chagrin. "Look, this is getting old, so just drop it! I need to see if he's okay!"

"Girls, stop!" Sky commanded, still patting Tay on the back as he recovered from nearly meeting a watery end. "There are more important things to worry about right now," she advised, turning her full attention to Tay.

"Ugh! Oh, man…" the lone male team member of the group managed to comment through heavy breaths. After a moment, he came to his senses, though he remained seated in the grass. "If I never went back in that cave again, it'd be too soon…"

"Tay-Tay!" Twitch called to him in alarm, swiftly approaching him and kneeling at his side. Shantae followed suit, though not quite as… enthusiastically, as she approached the disheveled young man's other side. "Are you okay? Your clothes are in ribbons! What happened to you in there?" she asked in rapid succession, placing a hand in his chest.

"Yeah, you look like you went through a cheese grater," Shantae commented, worried for her friend's safety. "Was there a lot of danger in that cave? Did you figure out who or what dragged you in there?"

"It's a… a VERY long story…" he replied, motioning to bring himself to his feet. Sky and Twitch both helped him by grasping each of his hands and pulling him up. He winced as he went through radiating waves of pain throughout his body just to stand. "Thanks, ladies. I owe y'all one each."

"Of course, Tay!" Sky happily accepted his gratitude. "No return favors necessary."

"No problem," Twitch added. "I mean, I'm certainly not complaining about the view you're giving me, so your debt is most certainly paid," she salaciously added, eyeing him up and down to take in a full mental picture of his mostly-shirtless, battle-damaged form.

"Jeez, Twitch, you could at least try t' be subtle…" he self-consciously complained, his face getting hot with embarrassment. Shantae, displeased with such a gushy display of romantic intrigue, stuck out her tongue and made a silent 'Bleagh' facial expression. Sky rolled her eyes and sighed in just as much discomfort.

"Yeah, but you should know me by now. As in, REALLY know me by now. Still, you look like you had a really rough time in there. Who did this to you?" Twitch asked, concerned about his wellbeing.

"And, for that matter, was there anything worth note in that cave?" Vinegar added as she remained leaned up against the wall. "The entrance closed up again, so it doesn't seem like we'll be going back in there any time soon," she added, pointing toward the cave entrance, which was once again blocked off by the giant boulder.

"Hm…" Tay pondered, trying to figure out where to start as he scanned the sun-bathed canyon and observed the curious stares each of his four comrades shot him. "Gather 'round. I'll… try t' tell y'all as much as I can," he offered, limping toward Vinegar. The other three followed suit, eager to hear what he had to share.

One Long, Confusing Explanation Later…

"The Grotto of Judgment?" Sky asked, alarmed by the name of the cavern.

"Ghosts of your old friends?" Vinegar followed up, equally as shocked.

"An evil clone of you that almost killed you?" Twitch asked after her partner, startled by the gruesome tale.

"A… woman in a jackal mask?" Shantae asked, mystified by Tayshan's description of the ominous woman he came face-to-mask with. "And you said… she knew about time travel?"

"Good t' know y'all were all listenin'," Tay surmised, still scratching his head. "As for your question, homegirl, it wasn't time travel she knew about. It was the whole thing y'all were arguin' about before, with predestination versus infinite possibilities and such. Turns out that y'all were all right… in some strange sense that I can't elaborate on."

"So what, predestination and multiple possibilities are both true?" Vinegar deduced.

"Kinda… All I know is that it's apparently based on probability, but that some things, like me showin' up here, could never have been avoided… even if somebody could try t' go back in time t' try t' stop it. So yes, in a nutshell, predestination an' multiple possibilities exist, but there ain't no tellin' what events will be… predetermined…" he uncertainly stated, still ruminating on the warning given to him by the woman in the jackal mask.

"Alright, I guess that makes SOME sense…" Twitch begrudgingly accepted. "I mean, I still don't buy the predestination part, but whatever…"

"Glad that little debate could be solved, but I'm not sure what we'll do with that info," Sky interjected in perplexity. "I'm curious, though… Why is it that you were the only one dragged in there? We tried for a solid two hours to move the boulder blocking the entrance, but none of us could get through."

"Yeah, we were at it nonstop," Shantae corroborated.

"I… I really wouldn't know, but…" Tay began, trying to find the right words to convey his explanation. "Maybe… it has somethin' t' do with how much somebody needs t' be in there."

"Oh?" the four young women all perked up in wonder.

"What's that mean?" Vinegar questioned.

"Well… like I said, I spoke with that woman about my reasons for bein' here, as well as my motivations for doin' what I do," Tay explained. "She dug int' me about my past, my goals, an' my personal faults… An' then… An' then she somehow made it so that I could talk to some old friends I had unresolved conflicts with…" he continued to elaborate, though his eyes were primarily fixed on Shantae as he came clean.

"Whoa…" Shantae remarked, astounded by such a chilling revelation.

"Shantae… There's… somethin' more I want t' talk t' you about later on, if you've got time… R-regardin' our conversation from this mornin'," he hesitantly requested.

"Oh? Sure, Tay. We should have some time tonight," she agreed with a nod, though one merely needed to glance at her to pick up the abundant concern she felt as she remembered the sour note they left off on.

"Okay, so what happened with the evil clone?" Twitch pressed, wanting to hear more.

"That woman drew out some Dark Magic she said was locked int' me, an' then used it to… to create an evil version o' me that knew basically everything I knew from the minute I arrived in Sequin Land, but that had the sole purpose of destroyin' this world if he got the chance. That's… why my clothes look like this," he explained, grabbing at the shredded remains of his tank top. The four young women could barely contain their shock, though Shantae was especially unsettled by the news. "That clone knew all my moves, but he could also throw fireballs an' charge his fists with magic that he used t' fry me up good."

"It's… just like what we talked about earlier… I thought I was the only one that struggled with that…" the mystified half-genie murmured low enough to where no one else could hear her.

"I only managed t' win once I realized that I was basically fightin' myself," he further spilled the beans. "Once that happened, I whipped out this shotgun the first chance I got, an' brought the fight to a quick, merciful end. There's also some details about the clone transformin' back into a younger me that wound up rejoinin' me, but I'd be here all day tryin t' explain that… After that, the jackal lady an' I chatted a bit more before she let me out, an' well… the rest is history."

"No way…!" Twitch exhaled in awe.

"You really went through a mid-life crisis of sorts in there, huh?" Sky further observed, dumbfounded by the tumultuous tale. "What a scary experience…"

"Yeah, I guess it really could be put that way," Tay agreed with a small chuckle. "In any case, sorry t' make y'all worry. I didn't exactly expect t' fight a Boss Battle all on my own, or… do anything that wound up happenin' down there. Were y'all okay out here?"

"We're fine, but we never stopped trying to get you out of there," Sky assured.

"Oh. Thanks for carin'," he sincerely offered his gratitude. "Still, there were no other Tinkerbats or suspicious-lookin' monsters out here? I mean… It looks an' smells like this place is still on fire in the distance, but it doesn't look like the flames got here."

"Nope, not a single one of Risky's little circus freaks popped up here since we made it to this end of the valley," Vinegar affirmed. "No signs of other life, either. Not even the birds, rabbits, or goats we saw and heard when we first got here."

"We don't have a clue on how to put out the fires, either," Twitch added. "They don't make fire extinguishers big enough to contain the damage done in this place. We probably shouldn't be sticking around here much longer, either, unless we want to burn like the grass around these parts."

"Good point," Tay agreed, observing the landscape to see that many of the blazes set by Risky Boots's minions were still ravaging the Prickle Stitch Valley. Thick, murky clouds of smoke polluted the otherwise-clear, sunny evening sky above. "Should we really leave this place like this, though? There are still at least a few weapons over there that we didn't get a chance t' reclaim… Plus, it doesn't feel right, leavin' this place t' burn like it is."

"You leave those weapons to us, Tayshan," Vinegar assured him. "We'll find a way to scavenge them out. Besides, it's part of our deal that you let us take whatever we found here, remember?" Hearing this loud and clear, Shantae and Sky both perked up in alarm.

"What!?" The two maidens simultaneously shouted, understandably appalled.

"What do you mean you get to take whatever weapons were left here!?" Shantae asked, objecting to what she heard of the new deal.

"I… I promised them that, in return for us workin' together, they could take whatever they could find while we were fightin' our way through here," Tay confessed, much to his comrade's shock.

"But why?" she asked, unable to fathom whatever uncharacteristic reason Tay would agree to such an unfavorable arrangement. "I thought the deal was that you'd let Twitch take you on a date if they helped us!"

"What!?" Sky reacted with sudden fury, as she had not been informed of the previous arrangement. As such, she glared at Tayshan with unmitigated rage.

"Shantae, no!" Tay yelled at her, incredibly displeased at her wording and very, VERY poor timing. I can't imagine why, so don't ask me.

"Oops…" was all the mortified half-genie had to say for herself, covering her mouth as she contemplated the monstrous can of worms she'd just opened.

"You agreed to go on a date!? With her!? When? Why!?" Sky drilled, every syllable laced with intense frustration. As they say in Sequin Land… The underworld hath no fury like a woman scorned.

"Ohh, you're in trouble now," Vinegar teased, giggling from the sidelines.

"It was NOT a date!" Tay yelled back, equally as flustered as he was frightened at what Sky would do to him upon finding out about this most… inopportune arrangement as he backed away. "We were gonna spend some time just gettin' t' know each other at some restaurant in Scuttle Town! This… uh, deal was decided maybe a few hours after you an' I first met."

"So you were planning on wooing both me AND this little girl, Tay!? What kind of gross, depraved womanizer are you!?" Sky continued to yell, marching up to him. "For goodness sakes, she's not even old enough to walk across the street without a chaperone!" she indirectly insulted Twitch while still yelling at Tay. Twitch, already having heard enough, intervened by stepping between them.

"First of all, I'm eighteen years old! Don't you dare condescend to me like that!" she shouted. "Second, he's clearly more interested in women who actually have a sense of beauty and style," she further added, taking another shot at Sky, though her revelation of her age surprised both Sky and Shantae. "Which is far more than I can say for you, little Miss Unseasonable, with those rags wrapped around your head in the burning sun! Maybe you should give that bird brain of yours some air! Why would he ever plan on 'wooing' a harpy like you!?"

"Wait, you're older than me!?" the still-inscensed bird trainer asked in surprise, though she shook her head to refocus. "Forget that. Anyway, you've got some nerve telling me how I look when you look like an oversized third-grader!" Sky angrily shot back. "What's more, you talk about who he's interested in like you really know him! I'll have you know he appreciates how I look!"

"What!? And what's that supposed to mean!?" Twitch demanded to know, taken aback by the implication of Sky's statement.

"I'll tell you… or rather, maybe I'll let him tell you," she suggested, gesturing toward the soldier they were fighting over. Twitch, absorbing some of Sky's anger, turned toward Tay with a fiery glare in her eyes.

"Okay… Tay-Tay, what does she mean?" she asked in a scarily-calm manner, though one could tell just by being within ten miles of this conversation that one wrong word would set her off like an atomic bomb.

"…Wow… All of this is really comin' back t' bite me right now," he sighed, fearing that his impending death would happen any minute now. "Hard enough that I can FEEL the marks on my butt already. But you know what? I'm an adult, so I'll come super clean, rather than panic an' trip over my own words. This is my fault t' some… no, to a VERY high degree, so I hope you're both merciful when… when you decide t' collaboratively murder the ever-lovin' stuffin' out o' me."

"Hm?" the two combatants, as well as Shantae collectively hummed in intrigue at his decision not to panic in the wake of this heated discussion.

"Now THIS should be fun to hear," Vinegar remarked, just as eager to hear Tay's next magic trick of convincing the other girls not to kill him dead. "I wish I had a nice, big bag of popcorn right about now…"

"You and me both," Shantae agreed, though she took no pleasure in watching Tayshan be put on the hot seat. It's also possible that she didn't enjoy it because it was, in part, her fault he was even in this situation.

"Alright, so… first an' foremost, I am NOT… I repeat, NOT a womanizer. Like, at all," he eloquently, albeit nervously began. "At. All."

"I beg to differ, Casanova," Vinegar teased, still snickering at the pressing ordeal at hand. Of course, her snide remark set Tay's temper off like she'd become something of an expert at doing.

"You're not helping, Vinegar!" Tay screamed, shaking a fist at his heckler before clearing his throat to regain his composure. Afterward, he turned toward the bird tamer. "So, Sky…"

"Mm-hmm?" she remarked, arms crossed with a vexed facial expression.

"When I made the agreement with Twitch, I had the sole purpose of enlistin' some help against Risky Boots in mind. Nothing else. I figured that if she wanted t' get t' know me, at least as a friend, then she an' I could hang out. Not date. Hang out. Like, what friends do. Platonically. Plus, I thought that, if she couldn't keep her end o' the bargain by way of tryin' t' steal weapons instead o' returnin' 'em to me, then the deal would be off. That deal eventually fell through when Twitch an' Vinegar kidnapped me. Honestly, I was bankin' on the deal fallin' through in a different way than this, but… It was messed up, no matter what way we look at it. I was… also not thinking about how you would feel about that, and I apologize PROFUSELY for makin' such a move… especially without your knowledge."

"Oh. Well, that… That actually makes sense, though I don't really get why someone would accept a da—er, friendly hang-out as a bargaining chip related to saving Sequin Land from foreign weapons in Risky Boots's possession," she observed with a nod.

"As far as I understand, her part of it was to try t' trick me int' spillin' secrets that she an' her crew could use for their own purposes. Am I wrong, Twitch?"

"No, that's mostly accurate," she begrudgingly admitted. "I mean, I thought of it as a date, but yeah. That, and we kinda need help getting that H.P.G. back. Teaming up with Tay-Tay and Shantae was our best option. There's no way that old hag is gonna give up our machine so easily after a grand discovery like the one she made…"

"Oh, right, I only heard Risky took something from you…" Sky acknowledged. "I suppose that all adds up, though I don't know how I feel about it," she mercifully accepted with a stroke of her chin as she breathed and relaxed her stance.

"I understand," Tay replied, acknowledging Sky's uncertainty. "This was a pretty… unusual arrangement by all accounts."

"You can say that again. I just hope this is the last time a discussion like this has to happen."

"You bet it will be. I swear. Now, Twitch," Tay addressed, turning his attention to the aforementioned Ammonian affiliate.

"Yes?"

"I… I can't believe I have t' explain this again…" he lamented with a heavy gulp as he hesitated to speak his mind.

"Well? Spit it out!" Twitch impatiently commanded.

"You got it. So, as for what Sky was referrin' to… I… I did wind up… lookin' at her in a… less-than-pure light the other day…" he confessed, his shame nearly roasting him like the wildfires in the distance that were scorching the valley into dust. "I… I got distracted when we were done talkin' that morning, an' I let my eyes wander a bit too much…" At that revelation, Twitch scowled while Sky smirked.

"Wow. I can't believe you! you dirty pi-!" Twitch nearly spat in disgust, ready to insult him.

"But! I will tell you that, with some sage advice from Shantae, I apologized t' her for my shameful, humiliatin', totally-creepy move, an' I promised never t' do anything like that to any girl ever again… and now I'm apologizin' t' you for even doin' that when we had that arrangement in the past. I'm… really sorry, an'… I have no idea what I could do t' save face at this point. I get it if you don't like me anymore because o' that."

"Oh. Well, so long as you owned up to your mistakes, I GUESS I can forgive you. You boys do tend to get a little… curious sometimes, which apparently is no different across separate dimensions. So, I guess I can see where you're coming from," she calmly replied, though her reply came across as male-shaming.

"Really?" he asked, perking up in response to her seemingly-magnanimous attitude.

"Yeah. And don't you worry, you're still the apple of my eye. Although…" she trailed off, walking toward him and clenching a fist. Before anyone figured out what she planned on doing, she cocked said fist back and, with a frightening *THUMP*, she punched Tay in the chest as hard as she could.

"Gagh! Nnnnnnnrgh…!" he winced in unbearable, searing, torturous agony, as Twitch punched him in an incredibly tender area; namely, where Nega-Tayshan had repeatedly stomped on him during the battle in the Grotto of Judgment. As such, he hunched over, clutching his chest with both arms. "That was legit the worst spot you could've punched me…!" he choked out, still groaning in horrible pain.

"Hey!" Shantae complained from the sidelines. "He said he was sorry! That was completely unnecessary!"

"That's what it feels like when you play with a girl's heart, Tay-Tay! Now you know how much love hurts! But, so long as you've come to your senses, I think that's punishment enough. I'll let it go… THIS time…" Twitch warned with nothing but dead seriousness in her tone as she paid no attention to Shantae's complaint.

"…Fair, I guess…" the young man acknowledged, bringing himself back to a standing position as he continued to rub the wounded area of his chest. "Thanks for understandin'…"

"Of course. Also… for the record, you can stare at me as much as you want, just as long as I know it and I'm the only girl you do it to," she advised him with a smiling wink that startled the soldier stiff… again. Shantae, Sky, Tayshan, and Vinegar each shot her a series of blank stares that let her know just how uncomfortable her statement made them. "…What?"

"…Uh…" Tay droned, unable to drum up a retort as the pain in his chest seemed to disappear the instant his romantically-aggressive friend made her comment.

"Twitch, you know you don't always have to be so awkward and pushy to win a boy over," Vinegar admonished in shared embarrassment, much to Twitch's blushing chagrin. "Those awful dating magazines have totally warped your approach, so you can guess what's going right into a fire pit when we get home. Sometimes, a little bit of tact will do the trick, by the way."

"I'm not being pushy, Vinni! I'm being honest!" the flustered young woman complained to her closest ally. "Why bother beating around the bush when you can just claim what's rightfully yours from the start? Those mags are just a supplement to my ingenious method! Just take a look at Tay-Tay yourself and bask in my fruitful results!" she further defended herself, pointing toward a terribly-flustered Tay, who silently gawked at her in complete astonishment.

"Anyway, I guess I can appreciate a man who can be as honest about his mistakes as you've been, Tay," Sky added, thankfully changing the topic as she addressed the mortified soldier. "Especially as big as the ones you admitted to. Sorry for calling you all those names and accusing you of being a womanizer."

"Y-yeah, thanks… thanks for your forgiveness, y'all," he understandingly replied, taking a few deep breaths to regroup. He was, however, still rubbing his aching chest with one hand. "I… I won't make those mistakes again. I swear. If I do, you both—no, you all have legal right t' bury me alive," he permitted, wanting to be all-inclusive.

"Alright, but don't think we won't take you up on it if you get caught slipping again, 'Tay-Tay,'" Vinegar warned with a smiling, laughter-laden wink. Tay, amused as always at Vinegar's goading, shot her a deadpan expression.

"I'm sure it won't come to that," Shantae consoled, feeling for her humiliated sidekick. "You seem like you've learned your lesson, Tay-Ta—uh, Tay," she corrected, nearly slipping by calling him by his other nickname. Immediately following the slip of the tongue, she sheepishly grinned at him as he also shot her a disapproving stare.

"Hmm… You certainly got that right," Tay agreed, choosing to ignore Shantae's mistake while stretching to try and ease the post-battle aches. "Alright, are… are we all cool now? Can we all be friends?"

"With you, yes," Sky clarified.

"With hairball and the walking chicken coop over here?" Twitch added, referring to Shantae and Sky, respectively. "Don't count on it. We might be on the same side, but it doesn't mean we have to get along with them."

"Your choice in that regard. I can't force y'all t' do somethin' y'all don't wanna do. I'm just glad we cleared that up," Tay dismissed with a sigh of relief.

"Sure, except for one thing…" Sky pointed out.

"For once, I agree with bird-brain," Twitch attested.

"An'… W-what's that?" Tay hesitantly asked, fearing he knew what either one of the two girls was going to ask.

"Which one of us do you actually like?" Sky and Twitch both asked with utmost curiosity, apparently retaining their shared interest in him; even in the wake of his longwinded confession of debauchery. As you can see, he was not out of the woods yet. Of course, Tay froze in sheer, unbridled terror. He was once again placed on the hot seat, and this time, there was no sweet-talking his way out of it. As far as he rationalized, if he picked Sky, Twitch would kill him. If he picked Twitch, Sky would kill him. If he chose neither, they would both kill him. And of course, if he chose both, then they'd either kill him… or kill each other. Or kill each other AND him. Yeah, there was destined to be a 'Crime of Passion' in every scenario he could think of. He didn't need partial clairvoyance powers to know that much. Tay knew his preferences, but he was so far beyond unwilling to share them at this point that one would have a better time convincing a snail to eat a tablespoon of salt. Reading his tangible discomfort, Shantae stepped in to save him.

"That's not important, nor is it fair to ask him right now," the half-genie chimed in, bailing him out of the second-hardest decision he had to make today.

"Shantae…" he breathed with a sigh of relief as his heart leapt for joy. "My hero…"

"What do you mean 'not important or fair'?" Sky incredulously asked. "This is a critical decision he has to make right here and now! It could legit change the fates of everyone here!" she enunciated, not even close to knowing how true those words were, on a greater scale.

"Yeah, we need to get to the bottom of it once and for all, so we know he likes me, and not her!" Twitch rather… assertively added.

"Whatever is true and what isn't, shouldn't really be up for discussion right now," Shantae argued. "The poor guy just got done spilling his guts out to you both and apologizing for what he did. If we can move past this, that'd be great. Besides, I'm more curious about this new arrangement of yours regarding the weapons," she redirected, finally moving this awkward conversation along.

"If you must know, then our arrangement was that if we all teamed up to bring down Queen Crabby and refrained from double-crossing you again, Tayshan would allow us to take whatever weapons we found," Vinegar clarified. "So, since we proved that we'll do our part by teaming up to wipe out all of Risky's Tinkerbats, we expect him to hold up his part by letting us take whatever we can collect from here… provided that we have much to collect after those Tinkerbats scorched like 78% of this island."

"Actually, Tay-Tay…" Twitch interjected, having been reminded of something. "I still have your awesome, but horribly-unwieldly handgun. No offense, but this is… not gonna serve much use for me," she further explained, pulling out the firearm and holding it toward Tay. He went to grab it, but Twitch wasn't so keen on just handing it over. As such, she nudged the gun away from his hand as he tried to take it.

"What gives?" Tay asked with a tilt of his head.

"I'll trade you for that shotgun and that Stinger thing you used to blow up those Tinkerbats."

"Shoot… Right," he sulked in disappointment, realizing right away that he would be back to square one regarding equipment.

"Oh, and don't forget about those grenade things you have," Vinegar further suggested, causing Tay to cringe in displeasure. "However many you've got on you, we'll take. They seem pretty useful."

"Right…" he acquiesced, pulling the empty Stinger launcher of from seemingly nowhere and handing it to Twitch in a totally fair exchange for his Desert Eagle. "Remember what I told you about that thing, though," Tay warned Twitch. Shantae and Sky looked on in wordless awe, apparently surprised by the intimidating appearance of the device.

"Yeah, that this weapon needs a battery cooler thing and an actual missile to launch for it to be useful," Twitch recalled, shoving the Stinger into her rucksack despite the weapon being at least five times the length of the bag. "Chances are, we'll only be keeping this thing around for study if we can't find any of the other missing pieces, but… who knows?"

"Hmph. All I know is that you'd better not use it for the wrong reasons if the case winds up bein' that you did find replacement parts or somehow repurposed it."

"Of course, Tay-Tay! I told you I'd be a good girl for you, remember~?" she reassured as she flirtatiously grinned and winked at him. Sky, and even Shantae, both unamused by Twitch's disposition toward Tay, frowned in collective contempt.

"Eh… r-right," he acknowledged as he pulled out his last two grenades and surrendered them to Vinegar. "That's the only two I got, so you'd better be careful with 'em."

"Thank you kindly, sir," Vinegar graciously accepted his generous donation.

"Tayshan…" Shantae cut in, growing understandably concerned. "Are… Are you really sure about this? I thought your original goal was to collect as many of your guns and weapons as you could, so that no one with the wrong idea would ever get to use them…?"

"To be honest, Shantae… no, I'm not," he answered. "But, a promise is a promise. I've gotta keep my word, no matter what I do. Also, it's increasingly evident that I won't be able t' get everything back…" he added in disappointment and mild frustration. "At this point, all we can really do is either take 'em back or destroy 'em if there's no chance t' reclaim 'em…"

"That makes sense, but I'd hope we can collect as much of this bounty as we could," Vinegar answered as she observed the grenades, awed by their design. "We could benefit by a huge margin…"

"Hmm… I dunno, Tay," Sky also replied, rubbing her chin in worry. "It definitely seemed unrealistic for us to collect everything once you and Shantae found out Risky was already deploying troops armed with your equipment, but simply giving some of it out to people who've attacked you twice by this point? How do we know they'll keep their word on not using anything they get their hands on for the wrong reasons? Especially with a track record like theirs?"

"You got me there, Sky," Tay shamefully admitted, cursing himself for letting things get out of hand like this. "I… I was told previously that they could be trusted, but…" he admitted as he continued to brood, contemplating the consequences of deviating from his original mission to a point where he might not have been able to recognize it by the time it was completed. An anxiety-induced pit formed in his stomach as a result.

"After everything we've been through, don't tell me you still don't trust us, Tay-Tay," Twitch objected, disheartened by the alien soldier's uncertainty.

"Yeah, cut us some slack," Vinegar added in equal displeasure. "We never break an honest vow of cooperation; especially when we've got a common goal. You were right when you said we shouldn't be squabbling with each other at a time like this."

"Yeah, because you definitely never broke a 'vow of cooperation' in the very recent past…" Sky sardonically countered.

"We said we were sorry, alright!?" Twitch yelled, her temper quickly reaching a boil. "Seriously, what else do you want us to do to prove we won't fight with you again until we're done taking down Risky Boots? Kiss your feet and beg for forgiveness?"

"No," Shantae denied. "But you girls do realize that kidnapping someone and then trying to coerce them into working with you on your terms is pretty bad for morale and collaboration in the future, right?"

"Ugh, we know," Twitch acknowledged in annoyance, crossing her arms and rolling her eyes.

"Spare us the moral story," Vinegar agreed, also crossing her arms in annoyance. "The fact is, you have our genuine word this time. Besides, after what we just went through, there's no way we'd stab Tayshan in the back."

"…Why just me?" Tay asked, his curiosity piqued at the odd specificity of Vinegar's rebuttal.

"Tay-Tay, sweetheart, come on!" Twitch interjected, strolling up to him and grabbing his hand with both of hers. Immediately, Sky became wary, as she shot a scrutinizing stare in Twitch's direction. Shantae merely watched, an inexplicable pang in her heart triggering a strange sense of… moderate to severe displeasure directed at Twitch. "Don't be like that. We did a bad thing before, but you literally saved my life, remember? Not to mention how you protected me from those Tinkerbats with the shotguns before that! And who could forget how you piggybacked Vinni through this place when she got hurt? We'd be nothing but heartless and inconsiderate to ever forget how much you've done for us on just this trip. We owe you so much more than our cooperation just because of that, and the least we could do is begrudgingly agree to work with your annoying friends without the threat of treachery."

"Excuse me!?" Sky yelled in outrage, though Twitch ignored her completely.

"…That's a generally good point, I guess…" he acknowledged, though he didn't really like how Twitch conveyed her point. "Your wordin' needs work, but that's… that's true. So, you're really tellin' me you're okay workin' with Shantae an' Sky an' that there won't be more trouble?"

"Exactly, hon! If that doesn't convince you, then think about what'll happen between the two of us once we finish dealing with this little pirate mess?" she teased, a rather… sultry grin creeping onto her face as she tugged on his arm to bring him closer to her height level. Shantae, noticing this, took an immediate issue with such a display. She felt a sudden heat of anger stir in her abdomen as she and the other girls looked on. Sky was about ready to pounce like an enraged bobcat, though Shantae laid a hand on her shoulder to keep her from lashing out. It was clear, however, that these girls were not happy with what they were seeing, but that they were restraining themselves to keep from possibly violating their cooperation agreement. Vinegar, unfazed by her (sworn) sister's lascivious performance, watched on with no strong feelings one way or the other. Tay, while still uncomfortable with Twitch's forwardness, bent down in accordance with the young woman's wordless request despite his reservations. At that point, Twitch latched onto the soldier's arm with one hand while drawing circles on his mostly-bare chest with the other. She leaned in and planted a sneaky kiss on his cheek, making her intentions known. Tay, caught completely off-guard, froze in place as he tried to process what was happening.

"I knew it!" Sky protested in intense irritation. "Alright, sister, it's time you cut this nonsense out! This is for the birds!" she continued to yell, though it fell on deaf ears again. She was set to march over and separate them herself. However, her best friend grasped her hand. At that, Sky turned and looked at who grabbed her. "Hey, wha…? Shantae, are… you okay?" the bird tamer asked in concern as she dropped her previous aggression toward Twitch to examine her best friend. Shantae was trying her hardest to hold her tongue, though she was also visibly disquieted by her frenemy's advances on her sidekick. However, she hadn't been speaking… only taking deep, stress-laden breaths as she glared in the direction of the soldier and the Ammonian Army affiliate kissing his cheek. "You… look… furious," Sky continued to speak to her irritated friend, shocked beyond belief by her display of barely-contained anger. However, the half-genie did not offer a reply; she remained silent as she watched Tayshan and Twitch intently.

"Hey!" Tay reacted in shock once Twitch finished her public display of affection, nearly jumping out of his skin as he tried to release himself form her grasp. By the time she finished, he'd realized what she did and tried to create some distance between them. However, Twitch tightened her grip.

"Hold on, hold on," she beckoned as she gently tugged on his arm, managing to get him to stop pulling away. "Sorry I startled you. That was kind of sneaky, and I acknowledge that. But for real, I do have something I want to ask you. Come here," she requested, that mischievous smile never leaving her face.

"Okay, but you're comin' on a bit too strong with whatever it is you wanna say," he protested, bringing his free hand to his cheek. "Why not just say it out loud at this point?"

"It's… personal, but I swear, I'm not yanking your chain," she promised with a nod of confidence.

"…I hope this is important…" Tay acquiesced with a heavy sigh, trying to get a read on this strange young woman as his heart pounded hard enough to break out of his ribcage. Nonetheless, he leaned in once more. "What is it?"

"That little love peck was your reward for protecting me before, but you and I both know you deserve more," she whispered into his ear. "You wouldn't wanna pass something like that up, now would you? I know I wouldn't…~" she added with a naughty blushing giggle as she continued to draw circles on his chest, sending an intense wave of unnerving heat through Tay's entire body.

"Alright, come on, you're playin' too much," Tay objected, lightly grasping the hand she was using to draw on his chest while raising back up. His face grew hotter than the fires roasting the foliage in the distance at her remark. "It was funny at first, but you're gettin' carried awa-!" he was about to object as he motioned to separate himself from Twitch.

"That's enough," Shantae furiously objected, markedly aggravated by Twitch's unwarranted flirting with her sidekick as she glared bullets at the boundary-encroaching Ammonian affiliate. "You've made your point already, and now you're making all of us uncomfortable. Let go of Tayshan and BACK. OFF OF HIM. NOW," she irritably commanded with bass in her tone, shocking everyone around her; including herself as she realized how authoritarian she sounded. She scanned the surprised faces of her allies, seeing that they shared her astonishment with her.

"Whoa, genie girl, she was just messing with him… Relax, will ya?" Vinegar warily commented, though the shock on her face was irrevocable.

"…Okay, then," Twitch hesitantly acknowledged the demand as she created some much-needed distance between herself and Tayshan, though she found herself quite surprised by the half-genie's sudden anger. Tay, though equally surprised at how scarily-angry Shantae sounded, shook his head and regained his senses.

"Wow, you go girl… I didn't know you had that in you," Sky commended Shantae, patting her on the back.

"…Neither did I…" she murmured, casting her gaze elsewhere in uncertainty, questioning why she was so insufferably angry in that moment.

"Right…" Tayshan began, still feeling some of the ambient pressure of the moment as he glanced at Shantae. The instant he locked eyes with her, however, her face grew red with awkward discomfort as she quickly shot her gaze down to the grass she was standing on. "Hm… Er, anyway, I'm glad y'all plan on keepin' your word," he remarked, turning his attention back to Twitch.

"Absolutely," Twitch confirmed with a single nod, turning her attention back to him, though she appeared to drop all signs of her flirtatious behavior.

"Good. Although, Vinegar…" he called to the other Ammonian affiliate as he approached her.

"Yo."

"Whatever you do, don't play with these grenades. Like I said, the instant you pull the pin on one, you have four seconds to dispose of it an' duck for cover. They can potentially kill anyone within 50 feet if they ain't protected," he warned her.

"…Excuse me?" she pressed him to reiterate, slightly intimidated by the revelation of the grenade's specifications. "I… don't think I heard you right. You said this tiny green pinecone-shaped thing can…?"

"Kill anybody within 50 feet of the blast," Tay enunciated. "The fragments can disperse as far as about 750 feet, or… roughly 250 yards max at very high speeds. If you're not killed by the fragments, you'd most certainly take some serious damage if you weren't careful."

"Oh. And… All that would need to happen is this key thing here being pulled out?" she apprehensively asked, pointing toward the pin of one of the grenades.

"Unless you squeeze the spoon A.K.A. the handle o' the grenade before you pull it… yes. That thing is that powerful."

"Oh," she plainly remarked, hiding the intense level of pressure he unknowingly placed on her about the explosives he gave her. She pondered for a literal second on what to do with them before she spoke again. "On second thought, you can keep those," she offered, changing her mind. "That's a lot more risk than I'm willing to gamble on." With that frightful statement, she handed Tayshan back the grenades.

"Yeah, I wouldn't want those, either. You're the only one who knows how to use them, so it makes sense that you keep those," Twitch agreed. "We'll stick to whatever we and our army might be familiar with."

"Hm. Y'all have a point," he also agreed, placing the grenades back in their pouches before taking off the shotgun sheath (with the shotgun inside) and handing it to Vinegar. "I guess you'll be takin' this instead."

"Your shotgun? Awesome!" the taller Ammonian affiliate cheered, gleefully taking Tay's shotgun off his hands.

"Only thing, though, is that this is the only round I had left by the time I was done with the fight down in that cave," Tay added, pulling the shotgun shell out of his pocket and handing it to Vinegar.

"Fair enough," she shrugged, seeming not to mind as she took the shotgun shell off Tay's hands. "I'm sure that if we're lucky, Twitch and I can fish for other shotguns like this once we come back and clean this place out for the rest of the weapons those Tinkerbats dropped here."

"Come to think of it, I'm almost positive there was another shotgun just like that one behind that boulder Tay-Tay and I were hiding behind," Twitch recalled. "There might've even been another one of these Stinger launcher things, too! Once we get back to base, we'll see about making a return trip to salvage what was left here."

"I think it's worth the effort, so why not?" Vinegar agreed.

"At this point, I've gotta ask one more time, Tay," Sky cut in. "Are you really serious about giving these two those weapons? Even after they dragged you off to this place and tried to enslave you?"

"Like I said, Sky, we had an agreement," he explained. "Plus, it seems like we came to an understandin' durin' our time here… right?" he asked, addressing Twitch and Vinegar.

"Yep!" Twitch cheerfully agreed. "You and I are A-Okay now, Tay-Tay." At the 2913th mention of the nickname originally given to him by his old friend, he sighed in embarrassment.

"Man, I'm never gonna outgrow that childish name now… Thanks a bunch, Kassandra…" he mumbled, though he couldn't help but grin slightly at the thought of the bright, cheerful smile of his old friend as he momentarily looked to the clearer part of the sky… as in, the part that wasn't blotted out by smoke billowing from burning valley foliage.

"Yeah, we're cool," Vinegar also agreed with a casual thumbs-up. "Honestly, you earned my respect after you saved Twitch from falling over that cliff while you were running and giving me a piggyback ride in my injured state, so you can count on us to keep our word. Unless of course, you wanted it drawn out in fine print and notarized at this point. I feel like we've repeated ourselves seven different times." At that, Tay chuckled.

"Nah, I'll take your word for it. Thank you," he acknowledged, returning her thumbs-up with one of his own. "So, that just about settles it, then. All we need t' do now is get off this island an' figure out where t' go next…"

"We might not need to worry about how to get off the Prickle Stitch Valley, girls and guy," Shantae happily remarked, pointing toward a Stage-Clear platform that suddenly sprouted out of the ground near the group.

"What the heck is that thing?" asked Twitch.

"Oh, right, you and Vinegar have never been good girls before… This is a Stage-Clear platform," Shantae explained. "This allows us a safe, basically instant trip back to Scuttle Town, while also giving us an opportunity to save our progress. Otherwise, everything we've accomplished here would be totally undone."

"…So many questions, so little time," Vinegar murmured with a shake of her head. "Sure, let's play along with this."

"All we have to do is stand on it together, and we'll all strike a pose and get sent back. Climb aboard!" she suggested, prompting the rest of the squad to find their places alongside her… Of course, this glorified sparkling boulder barely had enough room for two people. Five? Kinda pushing it, as the five young warriors found it a bit cramped. However, they managed as best as they could.

"Okay, so now what?" Twitch asked, understandably perplexed.

"I'll show you…" the half-genie assured with a sly wink before striking her signature celebration pose.

"All Clear!" the entire squad harmoniously declared in unison as the disembodied Stage Clear music blared out once again, causing all the team members to strike their own victory poses… without necessarily being conscious of doing so, except in Shantae's case.

"…What a weird day this has been," Vinegar commented as she and Twitch held their pose, which consisted of the two holding a hand each high, with their fingers interlocked with each other's while their other hands were balled into fists laid across their chests. Sky stood tall on her own, a close-eyed, contented smile on her face as she crossed her arms in triumph. Tay was proudly, though stoically saluting toward no one in particular, as had become a staple for him. Finally, Shantae did her signature victory pose, in which she raised one foot off the ground, raised one hand up in the air with her palm facing upward, and shot a winking smile toward no one in particular. Within a second, however, Team Shantae had vanished with a flash, thus concluding possibly the most… bizarre, existential adventure they'd ever had. However, we're not done just yet…

Hours Later…

LOCATION: SCUTTLE TOWN LIGHTHOUSE, SCUTTLE TOWN, SEQUIN LAND

DATE: SEPTEMBER 18TH, 16 P.G.F.

TIME: 2159 HOURS

We rejoin our two spoonerifically-named heroes in the midst of a much-needed conversation following their perilous adventure, as the duo made themselves comfortable inside the upper deck of the lighthouse that served as Shantae's bedroom. After the duo made their bedtime preparations, they got dressed in their pajamas… Well, Shantae was in hers; a midriff-baring (as usual), loose-fitting white spaghetti-string tank top with pink ties at the shoulders and a matching pair of white capri pajama pants with a pink string at her waistline neatly tied into a bow. She was wearing none of her jewelry and wore her extensively-long, silky lavender hair down, which made it look like she had an extra blanket to keep her warm… in case you were wondering. Tay was wearing his favorite/only outfit, minus his tank top and boots. Basically, he was bare up top and wearing his normal pants and a pair of black socks to keep his feet warm.

Anyway, Shantae invited Tayshan up into her room, igniting a candle to provide some light and lending him a spare pillow and blanket to get himself settled on the floor as she set herself up in her rope hammock. Once they were settled in for the bedtime story of a lifetime, Tayshan divulged the details of his time in the Grotto of Judgment to Shantae in full… well, as much as he was apparently allowed to divulge. Without further ado, here's how the following conversation went.

"…Well, that's… just about everything, homegirl," Tayshan nervously concluded with a shaky breath, rubbing his chin with a hand as he laid back onto the not-so-prickly, yet still-uncomfortable wooden floor of the bedroom. "In a nutshell, all my old friends whose… departures I was responsible for in one way or another, wound up comin' back t' me for one last visit before I was made t' fight a corrupted version o' my past self comprised of pent-up guilt an' frustration, mixed with Dark Magic I can only guess I probably absorbed from Risky Boots's portal… that is, if your uncle's theory was right."

"Wow… Tay, I… W-wow…" Shantae stammered in utter disbelief as she sat up in her hammock, adjusting her insanely-long, unbound, cascading curtain of hair to where it wasn't in her face. She was completely floored by the harrowing tale. Her friend was visited by ghosts from his past, and then was made to battle what she presumed was his very own Nega form without warning… and it was all perpetrated by some mysterious woman in a jackal mask. She could understand some of it, considering her past experience fighting an evil alter ego of her own. However, she couldn't even begin to fathom what it must've been like to be visited by friends from beyond the grave… or maybe she could, in some twisted sense. "There was so much that happened to you in just that two-to-three-hour span… I have so many questions, but I don't even know where to begin asking."

"Pretty breathtakin' just t' hear, ain't it?" Tay asked, quicky picking up on her loss for words.

"Yeah… I-I mean, that's… that's one of the most alarming things I've ever heard… and I've actually BEEN to places inhabited by restless spirits of deceased people… if you remember what I told you about having to go to the Village of Lost Souls to collect Barracuda Joe's soul after he died…"

"See, that, I couldn't fathom myself," Tay admitted. "Shoot, I didn't even believe in ghosts before I came here, but… clearly, this experience changed my mind in so many more ways than one."

"I'd be nothing but surprised if it didn't. Still, Tay…" Shantae hesitantly began, uncertain of how to word her next question. "I guess I'll start with this. Who was that woman? How did she know so much about you despite not having met you until that point? What does she know about predestination and multiple timelines that she would explain to you how the flow of time works?"

"You're… not gonna like my answer t' those questions…" he warned, scratching his head as he immediately recalled the woman's stern verbal warning to him.

"What's there not to like? Unless it has something to do with something bad happening in the future," Shantae accurately, yet unknowingly estimated. Tayshan flinched in momentary shock, though remained calm once he realized she was only guessing.

"Well… It's more that she forbade me from sharin' anything about her. I never learned her name, an' she strictly advised me t' not say anything about what she looked or sounded like, or most of what I talked about with her down there…" he admitted, of course to Shantae's disappointment as she sunk in her net bed.

"Aw, really?" she complained, not even attempting to hide her disapproval of her friend's answer. "You can't even tell me a little bit about her or what you talked about? Like, how she knows me, or why she was wearing a mask that magically mouthed the words she spoke while she was wearing it? Or even the part where you said she belly danced like me to summon Nega-Tayshan?" she asked. Also, totally called it on her naming Tay's evil clone Nega-Tayshan.

"No, unfortunately. I can't say anythi-!" he was about to assure her, though he paused after processing a certain detail of her interrogative questions. "Wait… What? Nega-Tayshan?"

"Yeah. Y'know, the evil version of you, who you said had a color scheme and set of motives opposite of your own, yet still was basically you in every other way," she clarified. "Just like how the evil version of me was named Nega-Shantae."

"Huh… I never thought about it that way, but that certainly makes it easier t' describe…" he nodded in approval of the moniker for his evil alter ego, though he did find himself curious about this evil version of his team leader. He shook it off, however, as he didn't want to stray too far from the point of the discussion. "E-er, anyway, I'm basically sworn t' involuntary secrecy on that woman."

"Aww man… You can't give me at least ONE more itty-bitty, little detail?"

"Believe me, I'm ITCHIN' t' tell you everything, because there's so much about that woman that didn't make sense t' me… but, for fear of her huntin' me down an' killin' me… I-I gotta keep my mouth shut on her…" he warily informed Shantae, though a sudden chill ran up his spine. He couldn't help but get a strange feeling that someone, somewhere, was watching him… or at least, keeping tabs on him whenever he brought this woman up. For this reason alone, he didn't want to keep talking about her.

"I guess so," Shantae let go with a disappointed sigh. "Fine."

"Sorry, homegirl…" Tay apologized, though he was secretly relieved that Shantae had stopped pressing him for more details.

"No need for apologies. If she wants you to keep quiet under the threat of death, then it's best not to say anything now. I'm more interested in your safety than I am in whoever that lady was."

"How considerate," Tay acknowledged. "Thanks."

"Of course, Tay. Although… I DO want to know something else…" the pajama-adormed half-genie led on.

"What's up?" Tay asked perking up in curiosity.

"How… How did you feel, seeing your friends and having those conversations with them?" Shantae hesitantly asked, uncertain of how Tay would react.

"Oh! Good question… Collectively, or individually?" he asked back, surprised that she would pose such an inquiry to him.

"Hmm… Individually," the curious half-genie chose. "I can at least understand how the experience as a whole could be scary, but… if I heard everything right, then each of your friends had a different impact on you."

"You got that right," he agreed with a sigh as he looked his travel partner in the eye.

"What kinds of impacts did they have?"

"Well… I'll start with Tariq, since he was the first one I talked to. Tariq was the one that hit me the hardest right off the bat, because he was the one whose death could've been completely prevented by me. Granted, they all could've avoided the ways they met their ends, but Tariq was the one I regretted losin' the most; especially since he only met his end as a direct result of my terrible decision-makin' back then…" he morosely admitted to Shantae, gulping to try and ease his nerves. He knew, however, that if he was going to commit himself to changing, then it'd have to start by revealing the darkest details of his past to his closest friend in this other world.

"Whoa. Tay…"

"He… he was like a brother t' me, an' he was one who always tried t' see the good in everything, even when things didn't look like they had a good side," the soldier explained. "Even after he tried talkin' me out o' stealin' from that store that fateful day, he eventually went along because he believed I was doin' the right thing in the long run. Y'know, stealin' from the poor t' give to the poorer, as you put it." Hearing her words reiterated back to her sent a wave of reflective guilt through Shantae's abdomen.

"Well… I… I admit, Tayshan, I really crossed the line with you there. I'm really sorry I said that to you," Shantae apologized, feeling an additional pang of remorse in her heart.

"No need, homegirl. You were definitely not wrong t' say that, because I never even considered it until you mentioned it t' me. Of course, as I also realize when it's much too late, the REAL right thing would've been t' never have gone out there in the first place, much less bring him along. He had every right t' be angry at me when he saw me again, an' I told him I'd gladly trade places with him if I could, so HE'D be the one helpin' you save Sequin Land… Yet, he still forgave me anyway, tellin' me that all I had t' do t' make it up to him is make sure I never let what happened t' him happen t' anybody else," Tay revealed as he took a deep breath, remembering every bit of his heart-rending conversation with his old friend.

"Wow, Tay… that's… that's pretty sad…" she offered her condolences in the best way she knew how. "Tariq sounded like he was a good guy who looked out for your best interests. I… I wish things were better for you and him, too."

"Thanks, but… wishin' I could change the past won't help me make the future better," he somberly rebutted. "Only learnin' from the past will do that."

"Oh… W-well, I'm sure that you can make the future better," she uncertainly encouraged, though she found it difficult to even come up with such a statement in the wake of such a heavy discussion. "You're right. Learning from the past helps to avoid repeating it."

"Truer words could not have been spoken," the saddened young man concurred with a sigh. "Ironically, aside from you, I only learned that because of Hakeem…"

"Hakeem? The one you said forced you into doing all those bad things when you were younger?" the young woman perked up in curiosity.

"Yep, that one. He was… an interestin' guy, t' say the least."

"How so?"

"Say what you might about him bein' quote-unquote 'evil,' but he really wasn't. He just had… some pretty awful ways o' dealin' with some o' the problems we faced back then. Still, the way he lost his life fills me with dread…" Tay began to explain.

"Again, I apologize for putting that label on you," Shantae offered again to clear the air between them regarding their earlier conversation. "I… I have to do better to understand just how blurry the line between good and evil really can be."

"Hm? Where's that comin' from?" Tay asked in slight perplexity, not expecting the half-genie to be so regretful.

"Well, I had a talk with Sky while you were outside waiting for us earlier today," she revealed to him. "I… I didn't know how I could make you feel better after our talk this morning, so I explained to her how it went… and she… she helped me open my eyes a bit."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah… If I can admit this to you, Tayshan, I grew up with a very black-and-white understanding of good and evil. I always thought it was as plain as Light Magic versus Dark Magic, and that there was no wiggle room between them. I get it, now, that there is always so much more at play than I realized before our adventure today…"

"You don't say…?" Tay remarked in alarm, intrigued by his mentor's confession.

"I told you I wasn't judging you when I pegged you as a 'former villain,' but I didn't realize that just calling you that was already making me look like a total hypocrite. After thinking about how our adventure went today, especially with Twitch and Vinegar actively helping you, it really woke me up. I'd never thought I'd see the day where they, or any bad guy, would kidnap someone, only to have them work together like they were a solid team…"

"Ain't that what you did with Risky Boots a little while ago?" Tay questioned, recalling another conversation they had. "You said she kidnapped you by placin' a fake bathtub in here, only t' wind up recruitin' you t' help her beat this Pirate Master guy, right?"

"Oh yeah," she remembered with an amused giggle. "That is kinda true, isn't it? Although, it wasn't quite the same as with you and those two. Whereas Twitch and Vinegar actually took a liking to you and cooperated with you, Risky Boots only forced me to do most of her dirty work; to the point where I was actually using her boots, sword, gun, parachute hat, and portable cannon to dash, slice, shoot, glide, and blast-boost my way throughout Sequin Land rather than use my magic, which she drained out of me and forced me to destroy during an adventure right before that… Hence, the origin of Nega-Shantae, in case you were wondering…"

"Oh… Wow, I… I kinda want t' hear those stories," Tay nodded in intrigue at the odd relationship and history between Shantae and Risky Boots. "I can't even think of a situation where you two would ever be made t' collaborate, much less where she would have you fight most of her battles for her. You must be pretty versatile t' be able t' use all of somebody else's equipment an' special moves in place of your own magic well enough t' save the day on your own," he commended. "Or, mostly, as far as you, Sky, Twitch, an' Vinegar all let me know. Of course, I should know about your battle dexterity first-hand by now, since you already adopted some o' my moves since we started sparrin' with each other. You must be some kind o' fightin' genius in the makin'."

"Aw, Tay," she giggled again, flattered by Tay's observation. "I'm not THAT good…"

"Says the one who mastered my parry AND is makin' tons o' headway on how t' punch like her fists were made o' diamond after less than a week," he shot back with a smirk. "It took me a good six months to even begin throwin' haymakers with weight behind 'em, an' you're already outpacin' me by a hundred miles an' runnin'…" he humorously added. Shantae let out another bashful giggle, momentarily pressing her index fingers together to dispel some of her nervousness.

"Tay, stop, you're making me blush," she acknowledged, taking a deep breath as she internalized his remark.

"No need t' be so modest," Tay asserted. "It's the truth."

"You're too kind. Thanks…" she accepted his praise before regaining her composure.

"Mm-hmm," he acknowledged with a nod. "Anyway, as you were sayin' about teamin' with Risky?"

"Oh, right. We only teamed up because we were both weakened in one way or another. The Pirate Master took back a chunk of his power from her, rendering her mostly unable to fight on her own. Also, most of her Tinkerbats were corrupted and turned into vicious, senseless, unruly Cacklebats that I had to defeat and absorb their Dark Magic into the very same Magic Lamp that Risky used to suck the magic out of me."

"Magic Lamp?" Tay asked, his curiosity shooting into the stratosphere. "I thought you said genies DIDN'T come from Magic Lamps," he posed, remembering a detail about his conversation with Shantae when they first met. "O-or was it that you said Magic Lamps weren't a thing here?"

"I only said genies don't come from magic lamps, like you believed when we met," she assured. "There is only one Magic Lamp in existence here, as far as I know, and its power was incredibly dangerous to genies, full-fledged or half. That lamp was not a place that genies wanted to end up inside, simply put. Trust me on that, Tay. There's a MUCH deeper story behind that, but that's a whole different animal to tackle that would take us another night to catch you up on."

"Hmm…" Tay acknowledged, his mind wide open. However, he took note of Shantae's discomfort talking about this Magic Lamp, so he refrained from asking further questions… at this point, anyway. "I… I'll take your word for it, but I WOULD like t' be enlightened on that for clarification," he requested. "That woman from the Grotto of Judgment also mentioned a magic-absorbin' lamp o' some kind, but she said it was destroyed not too long ago."

"So she knew about that, too? Intereresting… I'll give you as deep a crash course as I can manage when the time comes. Don't worry. Anyway, back to the story. So, any Tinkerbats that weren't turned into Cacklebats by the Pirate Master either left me clues on how to progress on my adventure or were trying their best to protect Risky Boots in her weakened state; even if they had to risk becoming corrupted in the process. On my end, I was devoid of any magic after Risky drained it from me, turned it dark, and forced me to destroy it. I had no choice but to rely on her moveset, though I will admit it was a lot of fun being a pirate. I'd totally do it again if I had the chance. Y'know, minus losing my magic a second time."

"Wow… I'm just… LOADED with questions about your experience with all o' that."

"You'll get those details another day, Tay. I promise," she dismissed, wanting to bring the conversation back to its original point. "Still, I'm floored that Twtich and Vinegar worked so well with you while you were there… I'm also surprised they didn't try to just ditch you and fight for themselves."

"So am I. It wasn't all sunshine an' camaraderie, if you're thinkin' it was that smooth with them, though," he countered.

"I figured it wouldn't be. Mind giving me some idea?"

"In a nutshell, they initially tried t' force me t' work with them," Tay began. "They stuck me up with a gun, I bluffed them int' cooperatin' by threatenin' t' blow us all up with a grenade if they kept tryin' t' control me, we argued a bunch, an' we really only came together when the Tinkerbats attacked. Or rather, Vinegar an' I did most o' the arguin' until I saved Twitch from fallin' off a cliff. Twitch… well, you saw for yourself how most o' my conversations with her went…"

"Yeah, she's awfully territorial about you," Shantae remarked with a chuckle, though Tay groaned in discomfort. "It was like a wolf protecting a cub!"

"You're tellin' me…" Tay concurred with a cringe of intense discomfort. "Anyway, they're not so bad once you get t' know 'em. They're pretty much regular ladies once you get past all the sneaky tactics they employ t' get their advantages over others. An', if it's worth anything, I asked them about what they would consider their alignment t' be, an' in no better words, they told me they were neutral."

"Neutral?" Shantae remarked, though she seemed to understand. "That… that actually makes sense, all things considered. They DID help me out once, and when I first met them on Saliva Island, they were really nice to me. It's only after I found out who they worked for that things have been sour between me and them."

"Huh. In that case, maybe there's a chance y'all could become friends if y'all had a talk?"

"Ehh, let's not get carried away, Tay," Shantae denied. "There IS still the fact that they loyally work for Ammo Baron, whom I've had issues with in the past; way before I met them. Plus, you heard it yourself; they don't really seem to like me very much. Especially Twitch, who's convinced I'm trying to use my feminine charm to steal you away from her."

"…" Tay refused to entertain her observation with a comment, as the mere thought of Twitch at this point made him very uneasy. "…You really know how t' get under my skin now…" he muttered low enough that Shantae wouldn't hear him.

"Totally weird line of thought, I know," she continued, coyly smirking. "Your silence speaks louder than anything on how you feel about that. Anyway, they seem to dislike Risky Boots more, so there's hope there, I think."

"Yeah, they did say they'd sooner help you out than ever entertain the idea of workin' for Risky if it ever came down to it, so there's that," Tay attested, snapping back to his senses.

"Oh. Neat. That's good to know," she acknowledged, sighing with relief. "Going back, though, that's sort of how I realized that things are a lot more complicated with good, evil, and neutrality than I thought. At this point, I'm not sure what's what, after thinking back to when I teamed up with Risky, up to hearing your story, and then teaming up with Twitch and Vinegar for the first time since the Pirate's Curse saga…" she confessed.

"I hear ya, homegirl. I don't hold you at fault for labelin' me, if it makes you feel better. I get what you were tryin' t' say. I just wasn't in a state o' mind t' hear it."

"Yeah, but that doesn't make it right," she rebutted, still feeling ashamed for making him uncomfortable. "You opened up to me, and I totally shut you down with a flawed idea without even really trying to understand what you were telling me. I need to do better… I'm sorry, Tay."

"Fair enough… in that case, I accept your apology. On a small side note, though, there DOES exist a form of Good/Evil/Neutral, Lawful/Neutral/Chaotic chart that I could give you a crash course on, if you were interested in hearin' about that."

"Really?" Shantae perked up, unable to hide her tangible intrigue. "Once we're done talking about your time in that Grotto of Judgment place, could you show me?"

"Sure thing," he agreed with a nod. "So, Grotto of Judgment first, then Alignment chart?"

"If there's enough time in the night before we conk out, then totally!" the young lady excitedly agreed.

"Sounds like a plan. So… uh, where was I with explainin' what I saw down there?"

"Hmm…" Shantae hummed, pausing to think about their monstrously-derailed conversation. After a moment, however, she remembered. "Ah! You were wrapping up talking about your friend Tariq, and were about to talk about the next one, who you said wasn't necessarily evil."

"Oh!" Tay exclaimed in realization. "Right, I was about t' tell you about Hakeem…"

"Right."

"Yeah. Um…" he droned, taking a minute to consider where to begin sharing details of his encounter with his late older cousin. "So, I left off saying he had some pretty messed up ways o' tryin' t' make situations better for himself an' the people around him. Shoot, it's… it's because o' that reason that he lost his life as early as he did…"

"You said he was… He lost his life in the middle of a gunfight that he took you to, right?"

"Correct."

"My goodness…" the astounded half-genie murmured, shaking her head in disbelief as she felt a pang in the pit of her stomach. "I… I can't imagine how you feel about that…"

"I wouldn't want you to, homegirl," Tay offered, hearing the discomfort in her tone that made him somewhat hesitant to divulge more information to her. However, he was keen on being as honest with her as he could be. To do otherwise would only serve to harm their trust in one another. Tay, already beginning to feel fresh waves of remorse surging through him, took another deep breath before continuing. "Without sayin' too much, I used t' put it in the back o' my mind every day because o' how hard it was t' deal with the stress that his demise brought on… but, thanks t' the fact that we were able t' make peace an' the way he clarified his real purposes for bein' so tough on me, I… It's a little bit easier t' deal with now. He acknowledged his responsibility in what happened that day, believe it or not."

"Did… he apologize for bringing you along?"

"He did, actually. Well, it's more that he apologized for givin' me such a hard time over the years in general. Of course, in his special fashion, he made it sound like the ultimate street life lesson more than it bein' because he understood just how awful my situations with him were," Tay rebutted with a relaxed chuckle, though Shantae did not share it for fear of making her friend upset. "He mostly only regretted that his life ended that day, but he did say he acknowledged where he might've been wrong. I mean, that still goes t' say that if he'd lived past that day, he probably would've still been doin' the same thing."

"Huh… I figured that anyone who was given another chance like that would've taken it and done something else."

"That would make sense, but he always was stubborn. I was just like him, up till a certain point, in his defense. Still… even for what he put me through, I understand… well, somewhat understand, that he was tryin' t' get me t' cope with the loss o' my parents in the only way he felt comfortable doin' so. I won't pretend like I ain't still upset about some o' the things he did t' me or made me do, but… I don't have a choice now but t' take his lessons an' apply 'em in the most productive way I can."

"…If it makes you feel any better, Tayshan, then I think you're really strong for acknowledging that," Shantae offered, hearing every word of his confession with full intent to understand her newest friend.

"Thank you, Shantae… I really appreciate that," he graciously accepted her commendation, though the conversation began to weigh steadily heavier on him as he continued to think about his dearly departed friends. He took yet another deep breath to compose himself, however, and kept going. "Speakin' of acknowledgement, Damian was another one that surprised me…"

"That's… that's the one you said you got your gun from, right?" she asked, her breath catching in her throat at the mention of the friend from the story Tay told her about the other day.

"Yep. The same one who went around robbin' people until it landed him in such hot water that you'd swear he'd come out as a hard-boiled egg as opposed to a hardened criminal," Tay humorously remarked, shaking his head.

"What was THAT conversation like?" Shantae asked, already having heard the sour relationship between Tay and his presumed-former friend. "I bet it was tense, with a lot of finger-pointing and arguing…"

"Surprisingly, there wasn't that much arguin' between us," Tay revealed to his comrade's shock. "I actually made peace with him much faster than any o' the others. Whereas Tariq screamed at me an' took a minute for me t' get him t' calm down, an' Hakeem tried t' fight me as soon as he got the chance, Damian didn't take near as long t' get t' hear me out."

"No way…! Even after what happened between you two?"

"Yep. He said he came back specifically to apologize for that whole situation, and he even acknowledged that he set himself up for what happened to him. Of course, I also finally admitted t' him that I played my part in his trouble-brewin' lifestyle, an' that neither one of us was very good t' the other…"

"Wow… I can't say I was expecting that turn of events. I can't even think of a situation where I and, say, Sky or Bolo wound up falling out because they got in trouble and tried to pin it on me," Shantae admitted. "I haven't even made peace with the kids who used to get me in trouble when I was younger, either. It must've taken a lot for both of you to admit your faults to each other."

"Believe me, it did," Tay confirmed with another heavy sigh. "Especially when you consider we started that conversation with him pointin' a fake gun at me," he added with a chuckle, though Shantae gasped in horror. "Mind you, he didn't even know it was fake until he fired it into the air once."

"Whoa, whoa… He would've tried to shoot you if you didn't make up!?" she asked with such surprise that one might've expected her eyes to shoot out of her face.

"Short answer: Yes. He never was a very clear thinker. Even when I told him how messed up that was, he just laughed it off, thinkin' his entrance was the most… influential an' creative o' the bunch."

"Jeez…" the worried half-genie murmured with a shake of her head. "What would've happened if you pulled that shotgun out and he fired at you, only to realize it was a fake?"

"Exactly what I asked him," Tay affirmed. "Like I said, he was never a clear thinker. Very impulsive, though he did at least know what he wanted out o' life. In hindsight, it was just like him t' do somethin' like that. Still, once we squashed our beef, it was like we were friends all over again. We chatted for a little bit longer before he…" Tay paused with another sigh of contemplative regret, making evident that it was getting progressively harder for him to keep talking about his friends right after meeting them for the final time that he would ever see them. "…before he disappeared… Now, I'll never get t' see him, or Tariq, or Hakeem again… but… a-at least we got this chance t' clear the air…" he began to murmur more to himself than to Shantae.

"Are… are you okay, Tay?" Shantae asked, her concern for him showing as she began to feel the dejection in his tone.

"As I'll ever be," he replied, acknowledging her concern as he was hit with another wave of grief. He gulped again, staring blankly at the opaque plank ceiling of the bedroom as he lay back, replaying his conversations with his friends. "Or, maybe I'm not… I dunno, homegirl… It's just… it really hurt t' see them as ghosts with grudges against me… but… I… I have t' be happy with the fact that I got that chance at all. How many other people get t' resolve old grudges with dead friends like that?"

"Tayshan…"

"Yeah?"

"We… we don't have to keep talking about this, if you don't want to," Shantae offered, picking up on the nigh-tangible vibes of sadness and regret emanating off of her sidekick. "I… I'm starting to feel like this is too soon to have you talk about them when you just… when you just watched them vanish before your eyes…" she shakily added, though she was unaware of how heavy of an impact those words had on Tay, who froze as a knot began to form in his throat. He felt his eyes begin to waver as he briefly remembered the manners in which his three friends disappeared… Tariq's smiling peace sign… Hakeem's peace-wishing bid… Damian's mock-military salute… It was like he'd just watched them disappear all over again. He flashed back to them, remembering his exchanges with them, their observations of him since he'd last seen them alive, and… especially the promises he made to himself with their sage advice before they vanished. "Tayshan?" Shantae called to him again, snapping him out of his near-catatonic trance. He cleared his throat, rubbing his forehead with a hand as he continued to lie down.

"Sorry, sorry…" he apologized, barely managing to compose himself as he focused his attention back on his half-genie companion. "No, I-I'm good. I… I need t' be upfront with you about this. It's the only way I'm gonna be able t' cope. I've… I've held it in too long now…"

"Are you sure, Tay? You don't have to force yourself to keep going…"

"I'll be okay," he assured, though he wasn't too certain he could hold it together. He acknowledged that if it was getting this hard to talk about Tariq, Damian, and Hakeem, then how would he handle talking about the fourth and final of his deceased friends? He gave it little thought, however, and soldiered on. "Now, as for Kassandra…" he redirected, causing Shantae to perk up in a mix of intrigue and anticipation.

"Oh! She's the one you said knew about me, right?" she asked, trying not to sound too excited.

"Yes, indeed. Well, all four o' them knew about you," he corrected, thus shocking her even further. "I thought I mentioned that."

"What?" Shantae shouted loud enough and with enough surprise that she could've woken the neighbors… if she had any, that is. The perks of living in the middle of a more-or-less secluded archipelago. "You didn't tell me that at all! How did they know about me, anyway? Or, about how you wound up here with me?"

"I unfortunately was never given an answer for that. Believe me, I'm still just as curious as you are. I was only told it had somethin' t' do with that jackal-masked woman, but nobody I asked down there wanted t' say anything."

"Man… What a head-spinner," Shantae commented as she scratched her head in confusion and prolonged astonishment. "There's so much to wonder about…"

"You're preachin' t' the choir there, Shantae," Tay agreed wholeheartedly. "For all I know, you're some kind o' celebrity or household name in another plane of existence. But get this… Remember that girl I told you about the other day? The one I had that fallin' out with way back when?"

"Hmm…" the young woman pondered for a moment to recall details of one of their earliest conversations. After a brief pause, she spoke up. "Oh, yeah! The one you said you had the unreturned crush on. What about her?"

"Well… take a wild guess as t' who Kassandra was…"

"You're kidding! Kassandra was the girl you had the crush on?" Shantae asked in another tsunami of shock, nearly falling out of her hammock as she barely contained herself hearing all these juicy details.

"Mm-hmm."

"Wow, what a way to meet up with an old flame," she excitedly replied, though something rung a bell in her head. "But… Wait… if… if you saw her there, then…" Shantae began to realize, putting two and two together to reach a disheartening conclusion. At that, she gasped in horrified shock, covering her mouth with both hands as she sat up in her hammock. Her eyes began to waver in sympathetic devastation as her gaze remained fixed on Tay. "Oh, no… Tay, I'm… I'm so sorry you had to find out that way… Oh, my gosh…!"

"Believe me, it stung me t' the very core t' find out she was gone…" he admitted, another, bigger knot quickly developing in his throat as his eyes welled up with overwhelming sadness. Just seeing the half-genie's horrified reaction triggered something in him. However, he tried his hardest to keep his composure. He managed to do so… for a moment. He sat up and took another deep breath, though he paused once he realized just what he was telling Shantae. He could still hardly believe it himself, as he'd only found out about Kassandra's passing as recently as mere hours ago. "I… um… I…" he stammered, casting his crestfallen gaze down to the floor as he froze, unable to speak his mind as his thoughts became fixated on trying to internalize the fact that one of his dearest friends was no longer in the world of the living. The grief-stricken man's breaths became heavy with emotional anguish as he tried processing it enough that he could tell Shantae about what happened in his conversation with her. However, the more he tried thinking about it, the harder it became for him to hold back his sorrow.

He flashed back to his conversation with Kassandra… Her unfitting jovial tone throughout the course of their talk… Her revelation to him that she never stopped caring about him, even after he'd cut her off so long ago… Her confession to him that he was the only person she considered a real friend to her… Her cheerful smile… Her woeful tears… Her hesitant mention of how she met her end… and even the goodbye kiss she gave him before she, too, vanished from his sight for the final time. He even remembered her telling him not to cry over her, but the emotional weight was far too heavy for him to bear; the toll it took on the fatigue-addled man was like an Olympic shot-put crashing through a glass coffee table. All of this, topped off by the soul-crushing fact that he would never see her again. Eventually, he could fight it no more, as tears began to roll down his face. He squeezed his eyes shut to try and stop himself from shedding his tears of grief, but it proved futile. Tayshan began to cry in grief over the loss of Kasandra.

Shantae, witnessing her friend's distress first-hand, was hit with a sudden wave of second-hand trauma as she welled up with tears herself. She couldn't relate to him at all on losing a friend the way he did. She had no idea at what point to begin relating to him, and she was fully aware of it. Regardless, the young woman felt every bit of the pain the grief-stricken soldier was suffering as she saw the tears streaming down his face that he tried to hide. She saw him cover his eyes with one hand as he tried to regain his composure for her sake. She heard every agonized breath he took as he tried to suppress his urge to cry in front of her that made his sorrow much more poignant for her. It was at that moment, however, that Shantae lost her composure right there with him. As though her body went on autopilot, she climbed down from her hammock and knelt down to embrace her grieving comrade as she wrapped her arms around him and squeezed as tightly as she could, tears freely cascading down her face as abundantly as his. Tayshan, never expecting Shantae of all people to hug him in such a manner, froze in utter bewilderment.

"Tay… I… I'm sorry about your loss… Whatever I can do to help you, I'm here," she poured out, weeping alongside him. "I don't have the first clue of what that feels like, but I know it must be harder than anything… No matter what, though, I'll do whatever I can to help you feel better," she continued to confess through her tears. Hearing such a heartfelt statement both compounded the man's grief and brought him a sense of consolation and trust in his Sequinean tour guide. Gingerly, he brought his arms up and rested them across Shantae's lower back as he returned her gesture of kindness and understanding.

"…I… I'm not… I'm supposed t' be stronger than this, darn it…!" he cursed himself as he drew Shantae closer, his tears still streaming down his cheeks. "I'm not supposed t' be-!"

"It's okay to let it out, Tay…" she advised, squeezing him tighter as she took a seat next to him. She could hardly contain herself as both she and Tay let their combined sadness flow free. "You're no less of the person you are for letting your feelings be known. Don't be ashamed of feeling sad for her."

"Hm…" Tay barely managed to reply, adjusting himself to where he had a more comfortable angle at which to hug Shantae. He wiped his eyes before resting his head on hers as she laid her head on his shoulder. He wrapped his arms tighter around her as she sat next to him, his forearms becoming coated in her sleek, silky lavender locks that hung so beautifully from her head in such abundance that her hair felt like fur. "I… Thank you, Shantae…" he shakily offered his gratitude for her gesture. "I… I couldn't thank you enough for…"

"Tay, you don't have to thank me," she caringly rebuffed, lifting her head up to look him in the eye, though the two continued to hold one another. Her arms were slung around his shoulders as she pressed her body against his bare chest. "Just… I just want to make sure you're okay. I get that losing her and then finding out like that could never, ever be easy. Honestly, it sounds like the worst possible way to find out."

"Hit the nail on the head there, homegirl," he agreed, recomposing himself as his tears came to a gradual halt. "It's like havin' a prized possession stolen from you after you set it down somewhere without payin' attention, an' then not findin' out for years on end what happened to it until you see it just long enough t' watch it fade an' scatter int' the wind, never t' be seen again…"

"That… that sounds as profound as it sounds accurate," the consoling young woman agreed as the two separated, though she remained seated next to him.

"Yeah… but shoot, Shantae… This… this is… it just… hurts in a way I can't describe…"

"I… I think I understand what you mean," she acknowledged with a nod, resting a hand on his arm. "But, if there's anything I can do at all to help you to cope, just say the word, and I'm on it." At that, Tay managed to smile at her, though the grief and fatigue were still evident on his face.

"Just bein' here an' helpin' me is already much more than I could ever ask for, homegirl. Besides, she told me not t' keep cryin' about her passin'. She… she told me… t' cherish my friendship with you just like I did mine with her," he confessed, causing the young girl's heart to skip a beat as she reeled back in astonishment.

"Oh…! Really…?" she barely found it in herself to ask, clutching at her heart through her pajama top with both hands. Her face grew hot with an unprecedented, unidentifiable heat.

"Yeah. Granted, that doesn't at all mean I'm supposed t' replace her with you, or anything crazy like that. You're your own person, and I would never try t' use one individual t' fill in a hole left by another."

"Of course!" Shantae nervously acknowledged. "I wasn't getting that impression at all. I get what you mean."

"I'd only hope I wasn't givin' you the wrong impression… Still, if I remember right, she said that she wanted me t' move on, make new friends, an' t' keep those new friendships strong," he clarified. "An' believe me, Shantae… I'll make sure I stay as committed t' you as humanly possible, even on my darkest days."

"Tayshan…" she called to him in a shocked whisper, her heart skipping another beat as she listened to him, her gaze never breaking from his.

"I mean it. This is comin' straight from me. On her end, she… she didn't want me t' be so hung up on losin' her that I'd never be able t' live my life," he continued to confess.

"Wow… she sounds like she was really intelligent… even after dying…" Shantae hesitantly observed.

"Trust me, I think she was wise beyond her years, an' she was three years older than me," he concurred. "Still… she had a point. She, an' the rest of 'em. They all told me different spins o' the same thing; t' live my life preparin' for the future an' absorbin' the present, not dwellin' on the past, but learnin' from it. How right they were…"

"Really?"

"Yeah. In relation t' this situation, Tariq told me never t' leave another friend hangin' like I did him. Hakeem told me never t' back down from another fight. Damian told me t' use that handgun o' his for nothin' but the right reasons. And, like I said before, Kassandra said t' keep my new friends close… especially you."

"Wow, they taught you a lot… but, if you don't mind my asking, why did Kassandra say to hold me in such high regard?" At that, Tay let out a mirthful chuckle that brought some ease to both him and his half-genie companion, though she merely smirked without knowing why he was laughing.

"Believe it or not, she said I need somebody t' keep me from completely losin' it, an' that nobody has been doin' it quite like you have," he confessed. "Of course, I don't think I need a babysitter t' set me straight at this point," he further joked with a small chortle, which Shantae shared with him.

"I don't have experience taking care of kids anyway, Tay. Trust me," she matched his joke with another. "All jokes aside, maybe she meant more-so in the way of making sure you're okay as we continue trying to stop Risky Boots."

"That would make a lot more sense than the way she put it," he readily agreed. "That's a two-way street anyway, so… Goin' off that, as long as you've got my back, homegirl, I've got yours," he assured, patting her on the shoulder.

"Thank you, Tay…" she confidently acknowledged with a smiling nod. "Let's keep working together."

"Without a doubt. And y'know, I told you before that my whole reason for bein' a hero was t' make up for lost time, t' make my parents an' my peers proud, an' t' redeem myself for past mistakes. I realize now, thanks to you, my old friends an' that jackal woman, that those were selfish motivations, an' that wouldn't have gotten me anywhere."

"Well, those aren't necessarily bad reasons," she objected in concern. "I'd like to think you can still have their memory as motivation to keep improving yourself. I mean… This might sound bad, but what would you have become if you didn't have the experiences you did?"

"Also a good point," Tay acknowledged. "I'm not sure who I would've been if my parents were still around, or if any one of, or all o' my friends stayed alive or walked different paths than the ones they did… I only know how I was with those experiences, an' where it's brought me up t' this point. I also know that I've gotta make the best of it, because with as much as we talk about changin' the future, there is no such thing as changin' the past… that we know of, anyway."

"So true…" Shantae agreed with a nod. "If there was, I'm sure we'd all be the absolute perfect versions of ourselves. That, or we'd cease to exist because we got so overwhelmed with changing past events that we wind up second-guessing everything to the point where people start undoing their own births… Talk about a catastrophe," she theorized, causing Tay to chuckle.

"You sure do have a colorful imagination," he humorously pointed out, sighing away some of his sadness. In response, she giggled a bit, running her fingers through her hair. "You are right, no less. It's for that very reason that I… I think I'm callin' it quits on regrettin' my past. My regrets played a much bigger role in my reasonin' for wantin' t' be a hero than I ever bothered t' consider."

"Wow… I understand completely. Feeling bad for things you've done and letting that be the driving force behind wanting to please other people to a distressing fault… I know that feeling myself. But, you already knew that."

"It's still good t' know we relate on that."

"Most definitely. Sometimes, I wonder if I'm still guilty of letting regret rule some of my decisions, though…" she pondered as her smile faded.

"Hm? What do you mean?"

"Well… In no better words, I still struggle with saying 'No' to people," Shantae admitted, her head lowering slightly. "Like, if someone asks me to do something for them, I have a pretty bad tendency to just go along with it without asking enough questions. They don't even have to persuade or beg me, either. I always think about what would happen if I told them I couldn't help them… and then I start thinking about how angry or how upset people have gotten when I rejected their requests or demands in the past… It's… probably one of the biggest reasons why I never have much of anything at the beginning of an adventure, and… maybe even why the Palace Guards think I'm a bad protector," she additionally realized.

"Hm? I'm… not entirely seein' the connection there," Tay commented in confusion. "I mean, I get what you mean in terms of givin' away so much that you don't have enough for yourself, but what does that have t' do with the guards?"

"Sorry, I should be clearer. During the final stretch of my last adventure, for example, each of the four Barons of Sequin Land asked me to find things for them in return for a piece of Risky's equipment that I needed to deliver to Uncle so he could make a Magic Polarizer to stop Risky's Tinkerbrain with…"

"…I'm… gonna pretend I understand that."

"Fair," Shantae conceded with a light chuckle. "Anyway, I had recently stopped each and every one of them from terrorizing Sequin Land in one way or another, but for some reason, they all wound up bumming around Scuttle Town afterward. They each mysteriously had one piece of Risky's equipment and would only give each piece to me if I collected things like Sunken Souls, Machine Parts, a Poster, or a Data Chip for them. Instead of turning them in to the authorities or putting my foot down after what they did, I… just gave them what they wanted because it was easier for me, and I… I figured they'd be less likely to attack Scuttle Town or another region again."

"Oh," Tay recoiled in surprise that Shantae would make such a… definitive and… dare I say, erroneous decision. "That's… That's somethin' if I've ever heard it…"

"Yeah, and I'm kicking myself just thinking about it," she remorsefully admitted. "Each of them wound up doing something bad right off the bat pretty much right after I was done fighting Risky Boots, and I was made to clean up the messes I helped them make… Mind you, they're still roaming the place, free as birds. I'll give you details another time, but that's my point. I knew what I should've done to get what I needed, but I did something else that backfired in the long run because I didn't want them to give me a hard time when they asked me for things I shouldn't have given them… except maybe Squid Baron's poster. That was harmless. Still… y'know, the 'knowing what's right and not doing it' thing I told you about earlier, in addition to not saying 'No'…"

"Goodness, homegirl… That's quite a way t' learn those lessons…"

"Yeah… That's something I wish I could've changed if I had the power."

"Well… Shoot, we both have our kinks t' iron out then, huh?" he observed, surprised by the revelation that Shantae, contrary to his initial beliefs, was not a perfect heroine.

"Yeah…" she somberly agreed, frowning with guilt.

"Hm… That's why learnin' from the past is important, though," he spoke up after a moment of silence. "That way, you're a lot less likely t' repeat the same mistakes. I mean, it ain't foolproof, an' more mistakes will inevitably be made, but the more you learn, the better an' more solid a person you become. That's why I plan on changin' how I define my purpose," Tay shared with a sense of motivation, laying a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"I couldn't agree more," Shantae agreed, laying her hand on top of his. "I'm right there with you, with changing for the better by learning from my past mistakes. So, what would you say your reasons for being a hero are now?"

"Now, I want t' do it t' protect those who are still here. I want t' do the right thing, no matter what. Even if…" he paused, contemplating what he was about to say. "…even if it kills me…" he murmured, that very statement reminding him of his conversation with the jackal-maksed woman who swore him to secrecy about her premonition. He sighed away the sudden influx of anxiety as he began to understand just what his decision back then meant. Nonetheless, Shantae smirked with vigor.

"That's awesome, Tay!" she proclaimed, not reading into his statement at all. She was proud of him for having rearranged his motivations for being a hero. "And, like I said back when we first started, I'll show you the ropes on being a hero, if you're still interested in being my student! Of course, I also said we'd succeed or die trying, and luck's been on my side since I began my career as a hero! Don't you worry!"

"…Heh, I certainly like your enthusiasm. You're right. We're in this together, an' together, we'll win," he agreed with a confident nod, still holding onto hope that the mysterious jackal-masked woman's bleak predictions about his future wouldn't come true.

"Most definitely," she confirmed, though she began to yawn as she gazed out her bedroom window to notice the glowing crescent moon had shifted significantly in its position. "Man, we should probably hit the hay… We've been up all night."

"Shoot, you ain't lyin'," the serviceman agreed, stretching and yawning himself. "I hope we can get enough rest t' tackle whatever tomorrow brings us."

"You can say that again," she agreed, getting up and climbing back into her hammock. "I do have one last question before we go to sleep, though, Tay…"

"Go for it," he permitted, stretching himself out and lying back down on the floor.

"Are… Are you sure you're okay, after we talked about your old friends? Do… you feel like you might need a couple days to come to terms with what happened today?"

"Honestly… Seein' them all again for that last time WAS the time I needed t' come t' terms with their passings," the soldier revealed, much to Shantae's bewilderment.

"What? How?"

"I was holdin' ont' feelings of regret, shame, an' self-hatred before today, an' I had a lot of unresolved conflicts with them. Those perpetual feelings turned into… 'Nega-Tayshan,' as you called him. That was, by far, the most gruelin' fight of my life next t' Risky Boots, an' I only won once I realized my own emotions an' refusal t' really accept my faults were givin' him power. You saw for yourself how badly I was beaten up when I came out o' that cave."

"I think I have an idea of what you went through…" she attested, again calling back to her own experiences fighting her evil self. "Still, I'm so glad you won. On your own, no less! That deserves acknowledgement of its own! Your first solo Boss Battle, and you dominated it!"

"Heh, I guess I could take that," he smilingly nodded in appreciation. "I will say thank goodness for that bathhouse, though. It did the trick like it always seems to; even fixin' up my tattered-up clothes!"

"You, I, Sky, Twitch, AND Vinegar can all say that," she remarked with a chuckle. "We all needed time in there. I'm just glad they don't charge us to use it."

"You're tellin' me…" he understood. "Anyway, like I was sayin'… The bright side t' my experience in the Grotto of Judgment is that I was finally able t' get closure with all o' them…" he explained. "This doesn't go t' say that their memory no longer affects me… It's just the opposite, actually."

"Opposite? You mean it still hurts you to remember them?"

"No. I mean that now, rememberin' them motivates me in a more positive light," he clarified. "Even if it was the case that I didn't know one of 'em died until I saw her as a ghost… Sorry… for breakin' down like that, homegirl… That isn't like me at all…"

"Tayshan, don't be silly!" she deflected his apology. "You had to let that out. You were grieving over a loved one you lost. How could anyone ever hold you at fault for that?"

"Hmm… Y-you're right," he pensively agreed with a nod.

"You're not weak for crying, if that's what you're getting at," she let him know. "I still don't know much about boys, but I do know how you all get with showing emotions that aren't anger or pride," she teased, at which they both shared a much-needed laugh to lighten the mood.

"Touché," he conceded in utter gender-biased defeat. "I'll take that one layin' down… literally."

"Ahh, clever!" she praised with another giggle, picking her candle up from the wooden nightstand near her hammock and blowing it out. Immediately, the room darkened to a near pitch-black, save for the rays of the moon shining through the window. As she relaxed herself on her hammock, however, she realized she had at least a couple more questions to ask her otherworldly sidekick. "Hey, Tay?"

"Yes, ma'am?"

"What was it like, fighting that evil doppelganger? I mean, you gave me a little bit of detail, but I'm curious as to how the fight itself went."

"That… That's a LONG story…" he informed with a yawn. "I'll tell you about that tomorrow, but man was it an experience."

"I hope to hear all about it, in that case. I'm interested, because you're the only other person I know of who's actually fought an evil clone of themselves. I thought I was alone there…"

"Say it ain't so," he remarked in surprise. "Well then… Sounds like we owe each other some evil clone stories."

"Oh, tomorrow should be fun!" she cheered, barely able to contain her excitement to hear how Tay's experience fighting his evil self was. "One more question before I stop badgering you, though…" she led on, wanting to know one final thing for the night.

"What's up?"

"You… You don't have to answer this if you don't want, and you have every right to be mad at me for asking… but… um… Did… did…?" she hesitated, uncertain of how to utter her inquiry for fear of upsetting her friend.

"It must be a real hard question t' ask. If it makes you feel any less uncomfortable, I won't get mad, no matter what," he encouraged.

"O-okay. Well…" the apprehensive young woman froze again before taking a deep, heavy breath to dispel her nervousness. "I'm just going to ask it. Did your parents visit you in that cave?" she blurted out, cringing and nibbling on her blanket as soon as she uttered it. She expected Tay to explode with grief and sorrow or get so angry he'd jump out the window and scream in inconsolable rage until he exploded into a thousand confetti ribbons or do something totally irrational that would've been completely her fault. "Oh, no! I-I'm sorry, Tay! That's none of my-!"

"Nah, I didn't see 'em," he plainly answered, petrifying Shantae as she tried processing the overwhelming… calmness of Tay's answer.

"Oh," she eloquently responded, pulling her blanket down from her lips. "…How come?"

"As far as I know, you're only visited by ghosts o' those who have unresolved conflicts with you in the Grotto of Judgment. I was told by that strange woman that my parents had no grudges t' hold against me. Therefore, they weren't required t' visit me like my friends did."

"Oh… Wow… I… I don't know what to say there…" she admitted, rendered speechless by his revelation.

"I just take it as them bein' unconditionally lovin' an' proud o' me," Tay confidently interpreted, making himself comfy as he began to doze off. "Even through all the things I was made t' admit an' apologize for, I… I only hope they're happy with what they might've heard about me up till now, regardin' my efforts t' change for the better… wherever they are… an' even if they aren't, I'll use that as motivation t' keep improvin'."

"…I'm positive they are proud of you. Without a doubt," Shantae affirmed to the best of her ability as she assumed a resting position. Hearing Tay's positive outlook about the opinions his dearly-departed parents may have held about him reminded Shantae of her own parents… While she may not have had any idea where they were or what they were doing, she held out hope that they would be as proud of her as Tay felt his parents were of him. "I… I kind of hope the same thing with my own parents…" she murmured to herself as she brought her hands to her heart.

"Homegirl, there's no doubt your parents are proud o' you," Tayshan affirmed, though he alarmed his team leader. She didn't expect him to hear her in the dead silence of the lighthouse that was only interrupted by the crashing ocean waves outside. "That goes without sayin', an' I'm just an outsider lookin' in. If I was one o' your parents, I'd be nothin' but proud," he further sleepily affirmed without even looking at her, though he probably should've. If he did, he'd have witnessed the impact his nonchalant words had on her. The heroine's eyes began to water as her heart became heavy with wonder and hope.

"…Thanks for that," she shakily professed her immeasurable gratitude, wiping her eyes as she gazed down at him. He was lying down, his back turned toward her as though he were already asleep. She smiled brightly, taking his kind words to heart as she laid her sleepy self back down into her hammock. "G'night, Tay…"

"Sweet dreams, Shantae," Tayshan replied as the two finally settled down and rested their weary bodies for the next big challenge awaiting them.

Whew… THIS… was a LOT to process. I don't blame you if your brain is basically pudding at this point. But fret not, dedicated reader! We've still got much more ground to cover, more action-packed thrills to indulge in, and more of that existential, multifaceted teenage angst to explore than the fires sweeping through the Prickle Stitch Valley! That's my last wildfire joke, I swear! I'm not a pyromaniac! Anyway, stick around for the next exciting entry in this strange, strange saga in the history of Sequin Land! Peace!