Garu woke up in a not so comfortable bed. But he wasn't complaining. It was the best that Ching could do in this wasteland.
He just remembered that he was locked in his little wooden room that Ching and Kua put him in.
Garu could hear Ching humming outside his cell.
He went over and watched her for a moment while she wrote something on the walls. Then Garu finally decided to speak up.
"Remind me again why you guys locked me up in here." He said while resting his head in his left hand.
Ching looked over to him. "Because Garu, we need to make sure that you're alright." She said.
"What do you mean?" Garu asked, confused.
Ching sighed in a way that said she was nervous about explaining something.
"It's. The goop." She began. "That black sludge, it isn't just some normal liquid. Nobody knows what it is, but all we know is that it can... Corrupt you."
Garu's eyes widened. "I just thought the black goop was expired sauce, or something."
"I am afraid not." Ching said. "That's why we put you in there. Overexposure to that stuff can make you lose it." She paused for a moment and looked down. "That's what happened to Ring Ring."
"A while ago, Ring Ring fell into a pool of that stuff. At first she was normal, throwing a fit over how her dress and hair was ruined. But as time went on she began acting... Strange. Even for her."
Garu was interested, yet concerned. "So that's why she became such a monster?" He asked, now dreading the possibility that he could be next.
Ching confirmed by nodding her head.
"B-but don't worry, Garu." Ching continued with a bright smile. "We're only going to keep you in there for about a week. If you don't start showing signs of corruption by then, we'll know you're ok."
That made Garu feel a little better.
"Listen Garu, I need to go out and get some more supplies. Why don't you get some rest in the meantime."
Ching then called out to Kua and told her to keep an eye on Garu while she's gone.
Something about how Kua looked at Garu seemed, a little hostile.
Garu decided it was because of her powerful personalities. He then lied down and went back to sleep.
The next day, Garu awoken to the sight of Ching writing something on the walls again. It seemed like some sort of phrase or saying, mixed with strange symbols and misspelled words.
"Why are you writing on the walls?" Garu asked.
"Everyone writes on the walls down here." Ching responded calmly. "For some. It's the only way they can be heard."
Ching suddenly remembered something.
"Speaking of writing on walls." She said as she got something out of a nearby desk.
"Me and Kua discovered something." She went over to Garu and handed him some weird device. "You see this thing?" She asked. "When you look through it, you can see hidden messages that you can't see with the naked eye."
Garu gave it a try. He looked through, and on the wall was definitely a message that wasn't there before... If only it hadn't said something unsettling.
She will leave you for dead*
Garu didn't say anything.
"I don't know who's leaving these messages." Ching continued. "But I have a feeling they may know more about what is happening than we do. Heck. Maybe they even know a way out of this place!"
"I wouldn't get too excited over that." Kua said as she entered the room. "For all we know those messages could be left by one of those freaks. Trying to lure us into a trap."
"True." Ching sighed. "It's still a nice thought though. That someone out there is trying to reach out."
A ding was heard from the other room.
"Oop, it's ready!" Ching said gleefully. She left the room and returned with a bowl of Ramen.
"Here Garu, you must be starving." She said as she placed the bowel on the gate to Garu's cell.
"I know it's not much, but it's all we have in this place."
Ching left the room. When she was out of sight. Kua gave Garu a owlish look. She then proceeded to knock his noodles to the floor.
"Listen here, ninja." She said sternly. "I have seen some of my best friends transform into blood thirsty beasts. So just know this. I don't trust you in the slightest. The second you start showing signs of corruption, I won't hesitate to give you what you got coming."
She then stomped out of the safe house. Leaving Garu standing there, speechless.
Ching heard the bowl break. She came in to check on things. She went up to Garu to see what happened.
"I don't think Kua is very fond of me." Garu said with a blank look in his eyes.
Ching sighed. "I'm sorry about her, Garu. She thinks you're dangerous... She has a rather, Defensive outlook, ever since she was trapped here. I can't say I blame her."
Garu decided that it was about time to ask some questions of his own.
"Ching?" He began. "How did you, and the others get trapped down here?"
Ching paused for a moment before coming up with a response. "It all happened so fast... Years ago, after the. Incident... I-I don't want to talk about it, Garu." Ching said while she put her hands on her heart.
But then she looked over to the curious ninja.
"Garu?" She started. "Why are you here?"
Garu thought back to the day he was in his apartment, and he got that letter from Pucca. He didn't want to bring her up, especially around Ching, knowing what Pucca has turned into. Garu finally spoke.
"I was invited here by an old friend. They said there was something at the Goh-Rong that I should see.. And now I can't leave."
Ching thought for a moment before speaking. "You know, Garu? I don't think you were summoned here for nothing. I believe you have a purpose here.. Nobody in town has been able to find any means of leaving this place. But maybe you will."
"Listen, Garu. I'll make you another bowl of noodles. Take it easy in the meantime, alright?"
After He ate his noodles, Garu fell asleep again.
Only to be woken up a few hours later by the sounds of loud speaking.
Ching seemed to be upset with Kua for something.
"That was very stupid Kua! You shouldn't have gone out there alone!" Ching strictly said as she tended to what appeared to be a injury on Kua's arm.
"And now that she's seen you, it's only a matter of time before she finds us here!" Kua said nothing. But she did look over to Garu and give him a distrustful look. Garu didn't want to add to the fire, so he went back to sleep. Completely unaware of what tomorrow had to bring.
What Garu was greeted with, was a loud crashing sound that jolted him awake.
He sprang out of bed, and quickly rushed over to the cell gate.
Kua and Ching were in a panic.
"Come on Kua!" Ching yelled, flustered. "We can't just leave Garu here! Not with Pucca at our doorstep!"
More crashing sounds were heard.
"Why? So he can rip us apart when our backs are turned!" Kua yelled back!
Garu frantically interrupted "what's going on here?!" He demanded.
Ching gasped "Garu! Uh, w-we gotta get out of here! Pucca found our safe house!"
Ching grabbed the boards to Garu's cell. "Cmon Kua! Help me!" Che said while trying to pry the boards off.
"He's not gonna turn on us!" She growled.
"Do you really want to take that risk?" Kua calmly said. Ching stopped pulling and quickly became red in the face. A few tears ran down her cheeks as she looked at her frightened friend.
"I... I'm so sorry, Garu." She said as she choked up.
The two girls then quickly ran out of the safe house. Leaving Garu, wide eyed and in shock.
"She really did leave me for dead" he thought.
Garu's first instinct was to break the boards down and escape. But no matter how hard he hit, or kicked, or no matter what kind of ninjutsu moves he performed, the cell wouldn't break. What kind of wood were these boards made of?
More loud bangs were heard, followed by monstrous roars.
The message on the wall that the device showed Him was right, and now there's no hope of getting out.
"Wait!" Garu said out loud. "The device!"
Garu kept it beneath his bed. He grabbed it and frantically looked around for more messages. There was!
Sure enough, there was a message on the wall in his own cell.
You'll need this*
The message said as an arrow pointed to a section of the wall that has been outlined.
Garu began to push in that area of the wall, until it opened up to reveal a secret storage room. And right in front of him, leaning against the wall, was Ching's old sword.
The same sword that she used to train with, all those years ago.
Garu could recognize that sword anywhere.
Garu picked up the sword, and with a hard downward slash. He cut those boards right off the gate. He was free!
But there was no time to waste. By the sound and or looks of it, Pucca could bash her way in here at any moment!
Garu quickly ran out of the no longer safe house, and down the broken, destroyed hall.
Garu didn't know where he was going, but he felt very uneasy. He somehow ended up in a large underground cavern, with what looked like a, dock. And a river of that accursed black slime. Flowing into some sort of man made tunnel.
Garu noticed a Barge stationed at the dock. Since there was nowhere left to go, he tried to turn it on. Surprisingly, it worked. And before he knew it, he was flowing down the black river. Everything was going smoothly, until Garu came across a fork in the road.
One wrong decision could mean bad things for anyone in this place. While Garu was trying to figure out which way he should go. He heard a noise!
He looked to the right, there was another boat floating in the river. But that's when the sludge started to stir. A giant, gooey, frightening hand rose up from the sludge. It grabbed the boat, and pulled it right down into the muck!
Looks like Garu's choice was clear. Left it is!
Garu quickly steered the barge left. After a few minutes it suddenly stopped, he looked back and saw that some pulsating blobby tentacles have tangled themselves into the paddle wheel. That's when the massive hand emerged from the depths once again, this time, it was headed straight for Garu's boat!
Garu quickly used Ching's sword to slice the blobs away. And hastily pressed forward on the barge control to stay ahead of the monstrous hand that was pursuing him down the river!
The same thing kept happening every now and then, it's almost as if the river of goop was alive! Trying to stop him from escaping his doom.
At some points, Garu had to swat at the giant hand's fingers to keep it from grabbing the barge.
But eventually, the river ended. Garu hopped ashore and ran to a safe distance.
The larg, goopy hand slowly sank back down into the slop. Garu was finally safe, but the place he washed up at was rather, nostalgic. But in a bad way.
It appeared to be some sort of settlement camp. There was a couple banners stuck up on the walls, with a familiar face on them.
Garu's arch nemesis. Tobe.
Along with the banners of his former enemies face all over, there were more messages written in that guck on the walls of the buildings and cave walls.
They all said the same things as before.
He lied to us* *She will set us free!* *It's time to believe.*
Garu held up the strange device, there was some hidden messages to. They said some strange things.
Such as *Don't blame them.* *They have lost their way* or even *They are not monsters, just deceived souls*.
"What does this mean?" Garu thought. "Who are "They"?"
Garu began to approach a boarded up doorway. But when he got within touching distance of it, he was thrown back!
The boards just burst! And rushing out from the dust cloud, with a sharp sword in hand, was one of Tobe's Ninja fighters! But it was very ragged and scratched up.
"BETRAYED!! ABANDONED!!" The ninja screamed out! As Garu quickly got up.
"Tobe was the only one we trusted! He was our Master! We gave him everything!" The enraged ninja wailed.
"... and Now he's gone! He's been taken away from us! Now we're just left here to rot!! ... Why? WHY!?"
Garu and Tobe's ninja got in the most aggressive sword fight that Garu had ever seen these guys put up.
Normally Tobe's army is useless, but this time just one alone was giving him a run for his money!
"He said he'd save us!" The scratched up ninja said angrily. "He said he'd persuade the Noodle Girl to set us all free!! And now look what you've done!! He's gone, and we'll never get out of here!!"
The angry ninja let out a horrible yell that was more intimidating than any war cry as he charged straight for Garu! But with a quick slash of the sword, Garu hit the charging ninja right in the face. So hard that he sliced the mask off of him.
The ninja quickly covered his face.
"No!" He yelled. "Don't look at me! Stay away!..."
Garu was about to go bring him down, but suddenly, it jumped and grabbed him by the shoulders.
"He promised us!" It said as he stared angrily into Garu's eyes. "He said he'd set us free! Well I'm going to set YOU free now!" The ninja then threw Garu to the ground. "Free your head right off your shoulders!" Then Tobe's ninja raised his sword. "Sheep sheep, sheep... It's time for...Sleep."
But without warning, a lasso whipped down and wrapped around the unstable ninja, and hurled him into the slime river. Where he was pulled down by the muck itself.
Garu looked to see who his heroes were. To his upmost surprise. It was Kua, accompanied by Ching.
"That was close." Ching said as she ran over to help Garu up. "You're lucky we were in the neighborhood."
"Yeah" Garu said in an unamused tone. "Thanks for leaving me to die you two. I appreciate it."
Kua just giggled to herself at how frustrated Garu was. She then spoke up. "You know Garu, after seeing all the junk you just went through. I think I can trust ya."
Suddenly the ground felt like it was shaking for a moment. "Was that, Her?" Garu asked.
"I don't think so." Ching replied. "Tobe's Ninjas built this place... Tobe must have been keeping them at bay. Now that he's gone-"
Agitated voices and growls started getting louder and louder.
"Looks like we're in for a tussle!" Kua finished.
Suddenly, many more ninjas from Tobe's army started flooding out of the shelters, they were accompanied by grotesque sludge monsters that manifested from the river and puddles that were splattered around.
Garu, Kua, and Ching fought with all their strength for what felt like an eternity. But finally, after a very long battle the last ninja fell, and the last slime creature was splattered. All was quiet.
"I think that's all of them." Ching said. "We should probably stick together from now on." She turned to Garu. "Why don't you lead the way, Garu."
Garu nodded with a determined look on his face. The trio began to press on down the next corridor. That's when the floor below Garu's feet collapsed. Both Ching and Kua shrieked Garu's name as he fell into the darkness below! He Landed in a big pool of the black goop. He wasn't hurt too bad, But now Garu was lost again.
It seems like this place went down forever. But where Garu ended up was the administration center. This must have been where all the higher up owners of this crazy facility worked. More posters and cardboard cutouts of Pucca were scattered around the place.
Garu was looking around a bit and he found a book in a desk. This was an odd book. When Garu looked inside, there was no doubt about it.
This was Pucca's diary!
This must not have been touched for ages, the pages were yellowing. Garu wasn't interested so he just skipped to the last few pages, maybe she wrote something that could explain what happened before these awful events. Garu wasn't expecting anything good from this, but what she'd written down was way darker than Garu could have ever imagined.
Dear Diary.
This will my last entry. I can't handle this anymore. I'm always being bossed around, treated badly by the new companies, and every time I try to go outside I'm always flooded with a mob of so called, fans. The amount of exaggerated love I get out there, and the amount of mistreatment I get in here. I know I'm going to break apart at any time. Being famous is not fun, I can't even live my life, I'm just some worthless puppet figure to all these corporations. It all started with that noodle machine. If there is one thing I know, if that machine can build me up. It can tear me down too.I bid farewell to my uncles, I hope they can make their way without me. It's time to end it all.
There was no more entries written after that. Garu slowly closed the book. He was frozen in dread. He carefully put the diary back, still baffled by what he read.
He wanted to try and proses all this but suddenly he was brought back to his senses by some threatening gargling sounds. He looked down the hall, he saw a familiar unhinged jaw that tried to eat him a while ago slouching by. Garu quickly used a ninja move to make himself blend in with the surroundings as he waited for Shaman, or what was once Shaman to pass by.
"Great." Garu thought to himself sarcastically. "These guys are back. I'd better be careful."
This new section of the building was like a maze. It felt like he was going in circles. All the while, having to occasionally hide from one of the deformed Vagabonds, whom Garu presumed where "hunting" for something to chow down on.
After wondering around for a while, Garu found a particularly interesting office. The name above it was "Tony Styoo" the agent that supposedly started all this.
Garu stepped inside. There was a letter sitting on the main desk. Garu picked it up, it was a letter to one of the employees from the Toys and Accessories department. It read:
"Listen Koru. I know that you're doing your best. But I'm paying for living attractions, not weird abominations. Whatever that little, grinning, plastic creature was I saw wondering around your office. You'd better keep that thing locked up tight. I realize it was just a first attempt at making one of them dolls, but just imagine what would happen if the press caught sight of it! The last thing we need is for a creepy Pucca doll that hardly even looks human to be in the papers! Might scare off investors. And in response to your previous memo:
If you believe your failures are because these things are soulless. Then, darn it we will give them a soul! After all, I own thousands of them."
Garu noticed a three levers on the wall, he pulled them, and heard what sounded like cogs turning. Garu remembered a locked metal door at the beginning of this place. Maybe it opened.
Garu stepped out of the office, only to be startled by a yell to his left. The three grotesque Vagabonds were there.
"Guys! It's him again!" Chief snarled "our escaped meal!"
"GET HIM!!" They all three gargled as they charged him.
Garu took off the other way.
Despite being horribly disfigured, Chief , Clown, and Shaman were surprisingly able to keep up with Garu, as he ran through the seemingly endless corridors. Finally Garu found the beginning. He quickly dove into a nearby closet. But it was too late, the hungry Vegabonds saw Garu go in it. Now Garu was boxed it!
"He's in there! Eh, Let's get em!" Clown said as they approached the closet. Garu could see the desire to eat in their bloodshot eyes, which were black from the goop.
But out of nowhere, disturbing whispers could be heard, followed by vine like shadows or slime started manifesting all over the walls, ceiling, floor, and all over!
"Oh no..." Chief whispered as the three of them froze. Suddenly a massive black mass of black ooze leaked out from the wall on the other side of the room.
An unearthly growl came from it. A large menacing, lengthy, sludge drenched figure stepped out of the mass on the wall. It was, Her!
Pucca made a horrific roar that shook the room.
"RUN!!" Chief yelled. She, Clown, and Shaman made a mad dash out of the room with the monsters noodle girl chasing right behind.
Once Pucca's roars where no longer heard, implying that she was gone, Garu carefully yet swiftly headed tword the metal door, which was now open.
Just beyond the door, was a giant Vault. Inside the vault was just some cardboard boxes. But there was a suspicious arrow drawn in sludge pointing to one of the boxes.
Garu held up the strange device. Another invisible message came into view right beside the arrow. It reads: *Pucca has taken it*
Garu opened the box that the arrow pointed to, and all that was in there was a bubbling glob of that strange black goop.
Suddenly Garu heard a familiar voice.
"Looks like whatever was here was taken long ago." Ching said as she and Kua entered the vault.
"How did you two get down here?" Garu asked, surprised.
"It pays to carry a rope. You should try it sometime." Kua said jokingly.
"Look, guys." Garu began. "I know where we have to go... But it's not going to be pleasant. Pucca has something that we need... I need to go after her."
Ching and Kua changed their expressions to worry.
"You want to go to her lair? Are you insane!?" Ching asked. "Don't you remember what she's capable of, Garu? She once pulled the entire moon right out of the sky! And that was just when she was 11!" Ching swallowed hard. "Now that she's become this, blood thirsty beast... Going after her is a death wish."
Kua nodded in agreement.
"I'm afraid that's where the trail seems to lead." Garu continued. "I have to find her."
Ching sighed. "Well it's probably close by... Maybe threw that door." Ching said as she pointed to a large metal door on the other side of the vault.
It's not going to be easy to open though. I'm gonna need a few things."
Ching then started listening things that she needed to open the door. The list was dreadfully long...
Kua finally had enough, when Ching was still talking, Kua went up to the large metal door and with a single punch. Busted the whole thing down.
Garu and Ching looked at her in surprise.
"You two coming?" She asked with a smirk.
"Um.. Yeah." Garu said. "Thanks for the help." The trio then pressed on.
As they were headed down the eerie halls, Ching couldn't help but wonder about a few things.
"Garu?" She began. "It's kinda, fascinating to me, how back in our youth, you always ran away from Pucca... But now, the one time that it is necessary to keep away from her. You're practically jumping into her arms."
Garu sighed.
"Listen, Ching." Garu began. "I haven't really been telling you every part of the story... Before I came here, She sent me a letter. Telling me that she needed to show me something here." Garu took out the letter, which was still in his pocket this whole time, and handed it to Ching.
Ching read the note, she didn't know what to say.
"Um.. Well, this is definitely Pucca's handwriting.. I. I didn't think she knew how to write anymore. I always thought that ever since, the incident. She had become nothing more than a wild animal." Ching said while rethinking everything she thought she knew about the new Pucca. While she was reading Garu held up the device.
"Ching? I think you should take a look." He said while handing her the device, she looked through onto the wall. Another hidden message came into view.
The Noodle Girl is the key*
Ching slowly gave Garu back the device. "I guess you know what you're doing, Garu."
Right then, a menacing whisper, echoed through the halls. There was a massive window on the wall to the left of them. The same shadowy slime vines began manifesting all around them.
"Nobody move!" Kua said, as they all froze.
From the other side of the glass. The beast slouched by. Now that they were able to get a good look at her, they could see just how messed up she was.
Her body was more disproportionate than they'd thought. Her giant smile, wide as can be was the only feature on her face that wasn't covered in goop. The creature towered over them as she limped by, thankfully, she didn't seem to notice the trio on the other side of the window.
Once the shadowy globs were gone, it was safe to breath again.
"Few." Garu said in relief.
"That was close." Kua said.
"I think it's safe to press on." Garu added.
As much as Ching and Kua didn't like it. Garu was right. The three made their way through the dark corridors until finally they reached a massive room.there was a big lake of sludge and right in the middle of it, stood a massive building. The entrance to the giant structure was a humongous Statue of Pucca's head. It's mouth was abnormally wide open. A long red-ish bridge that seems to resemble a tongue reached out from the giant head's mouth. With a big sign above the head that says *Noodle Fun House!*
Perhaps this was another attraction from the amusement park. Ching was amazed.
"Wow.. Look at this." She said in aw. "I've never seen this before."
"How are we gonna get there" Kua asked, as the bridge didn't reach the bank of the lake.
"I guess we're gonna have to wade across." Garu said. Ching gave a nervous look.
"We can't wade through that stuff, Garu." Ching said. " we aren't like you... You can handle direct contact with that black liquid without getting corrupted.. I'm afraid Kua and I can't."
"And I sure don't want to find out." Kua added.
"... Then I guess it's up to me." Garu said with a determined tone.
"Garu." Ching said as she put her hand on his shoulder. "I believe in you. Set us all free."
It was time. Garu trudged through the slop. Then stepped onto the platform, and with a deep breath, the brave ninja literally descended into the belly of the beast.
"Alright Pucca. I'm here." Garu whispered as he ventured fourth into the darkness.
If this building was meant to be a circus funhouse. The design sure was different on the inside than the outside.
The inside of the building was more of a labyrinth of metal walls, pipes, and rusty machinery. However it did not take long for Garu to find a big rounded room, with a big chair in the middle of it. This chair was decorated and positioned on top a big, bubbling, pulsating mound of black guck. This was no ordinary chair, it was a thrown!
Sitting on the seat of the thrown, was a tape. There was also a small tv on a stand to the right of the thrown. No doubt the tape goes there.
Garu put the tape in, turned on the tv, and began to watch.
Once the picture finally came in, there was a huge crowd behind what looked like a news reporter. This must have been one of those pre recorded news stories because the reporter was fixing his hair in the camera lens before starting the report. He finally starting talking about the current situation.
"Hello ladies and gentlemen and this is Sooga news. Here to bring you the latest news on the sudden disappearance of worldwide sensation, Pucca. Here with me is Mr. Dumpling, one of the founders of the Goh-Rong restaurant and Uncle of Pucca. Mr. Dumpling, do you have anything to say about this pressing matter?" The news man then put the mic in front of Uncle Dumplig's face. He looked very uncomfortable.
"W-well, I. I am very worried of course." Dumpling said as sweat rolled down his face. "The very thought of my dear Pucca going missing is the scariest thing I could imagine!"
Suddenly the interview was interrupted by Pucca's other uncles, Ho, and Linguini. They looked very concerned.
"Dumpling!" Ho called out. "You gotta come quick! Now!"
"We found Pucca!" Linguini added!
Like that, Dumpling dashed after them. The camera crew, being the nosey news hogs they are, followed closely behind.
They quickly ran to the room where the Noodle Machine was, sure enough. The young girl that Garu would recognize anywhere. Pucca was standing on top the Noodle Machine, with the saddest look on her face.
"P-Pucca?!" Dumpling said nervously. "W-what are you, d-doing?"
Pucca stared for a moment while a few tears streamed down her face. Then... She opened the top of the machine..
She then jumped up, and dove head first into the Noodle Machine, while it was activated.
Grinding machine sounds and ripping noises followed by a spout of blood and chunks of flesh spewed out from the mechanical blender.
The horrific screams of the three uncles were clear as day as the camera tumbled and landed on the floor. The camera man must have panicked and dropped the camera.
Poor uncle Dumpling started throwing up. They had to get everyone out of there.
The camera remained on the floor, it landed in such a perfect way that it was still pointed tword the machine... A massive pool of blood formed across the floor.
But. A moment past before the machine started shaking. Suddenly an ocean of goop oozed, or poured out from the machine. The ooze was black.
Slowly, a mass started to rise up from the black sea on the floor. The figure formed into the lengthy, disproportionate shape that was haunting Garu the whole time he's been here.
Pucca limped over to the camera on the floor. She picked it up, and got her face real close to the lens. Her face was completely covered in sludge. Until she formed that giant, wide, unforgettable smile. She let out a mixture between a giggle and a growl. Before she turned off the camera. The screen went black.
After seeing that. Garu couldn't stand. He dropped to his knees in shock. Garu slammed his head down on the table as he began to cry at what he had just witnessed.
His grieving was stopped by a beastly growl.
Garu shot his attention to the source of the noise. Standing behind the thrown, was her. The monstrous Noodle Girl. Peering at him from behind the chair.
Garu immediately went into defense mode, and drew his sword. Getting ready for the final fight. But what Pucca did next, was something nobody could be prepared for.
She twitched and then sank below the chair, making disgusting gargling sounds.
Until two long horn like strands of guck popped up from behind the chair.
Two giant hands with long sharp fingers climbed up onto the thrown to reveal a horrible abomination. A creature that looks even more unearthly than before!
Pucca has transformed herself into a nightmarish beast. Razor Sharp teeth snarled as the black monstrosity leaned tword the horribly frightened ninja. Then, She roared! The roar was so loud the building shook. Before Garu could react. She hit him hard with one swing of her arm, and sent him crashing right through the metal wall, into another room.
The final battle has begun.
Garu got up and saw that he was in some sort of maze, made of metal corridors. But he was not alone. The monster Pucca sprinted right past him, inches from his face.
She was running through the metal labyrinth without any pattern. Garu had to be careful, if he was in the wrong hallway at the wrong time. He would be done for.
Garu didn't know what to do, Pucca was literally bursting out of the walls. Until he found an invisible arrow on the floor thanks to the weird device. It lead to a lever. Garu pulled it and the ground shook momentarily. A doorway nearby opened up. Pucca was no longer charging through the corridors.
Garu ran through the door
He eventually found his way into a large room with four pipes that were pumping gallons of the corrupting black slime. There were various television screens of various sizes up on the walls, they were all playing different commercials of the Goh-Rong that they made with Pucca.
Shortly after entering, Garu heard a loud roar behind him. Garu got in position to fight as the unearthly beast stomped into the room.
As she flashed her knifelike teeth, Pucca charged!
Garu just barely managed to dodge her as she sprinted right into one of the pipes, and smashed it. That's when Garu got the idea. He got ready, After Pucca recovered. She made an outraged roar before stomping her way over to Garu, who was standing in front of another one of the pipes. The creature slashed at Garu, but missed. The second pipe shattered and pored glop all over the monster again.
Garu kept this up for the last two pipes. After the fourth, Pucca has had enough. She slammed head first into the wall and disappeared in a giant splotch of sludge.
Garu then ran out and took a different path. He ended up back in Pucca's thrown room. But before he could do anything he was slammed against the wall. He was pinned!
The beast got within inches of his face and bared her razor sharp teeth as she growled. But Garu wasn't afraid. It was finally time to end all this madness.
"Hello again, Pucca." Garu calmly said with a faint smile. "It's been awhile, hasn't it?"
The monster hesitated. But didn't back away to give Garu a chance to escape.
"You know?" Garu continued. "I really missed you. I've been keeping you in my thoughts while I was away."
The monster Pucca did nothing, just staring at the calm ninja as he spoke.
"Listen, Pucca. I know that there is something you've wanted from me ever since the day we met. And you know what Pucca?"
Garu gently said in a soft voice.
"After all these years, I finally realize, that I've wanted the same thing as you... And after seeing all the things you've been through. I think you deserve it."
Garu put his hands on both sides of the creatures head, and before she knew it. Garu pulled her in for a long kiss.
Once the kiss was over, the monstrosity pulled away and slightly stumbled backwards.
The whole facility was shaking as the beastly Noodle Girl roared and screeched as it struggled to stay up.
Suddenly a very bright light shined out of nowhere! The light was almost blinding. Pucca let out one last bellowing roar as she dissolved away.
Suddenly, everything faded to white...
After a moment of silence in the white nothingness. A slight beeping noise slowly faded in, getting ever so slightly louder. Then... Garu slowly opened his eyes.
"Gasp, Look guys! He's waking up!" Said a familiar voice. Garu could only make some confused grunts as his vision focused.
He looked over and saw some of his closest friends. "It's a miracle!" Ching said joyfully.
"Hiya Garu!" Abyo said while ripping off his shirt to celebrate Garu's awakening.
How was any of this possible? Garu tried to speak but he couldn't. Ching gentle grabbed his hand. "Shhh. Don't overexert yourself Garu. It's not good to strain yourself after waking up from a coma." She said softly.
"Yeah!" Abyo butted in. "Besides, you wouldn't wanna just wake up only to break your vow of silence."
Garu was getting more confused by the minute.
"You see Garu." Ching said. "When you were on your way to start your training, the bus got in a pretty nasty crash."
"You got knocked up pretty bad." Abyo blurted.
"You've been out for about 2 weeks." Ching continued. "The doctors said you might never wake up.. But you did."
Ching giggled a little before continuing.
"You know. Ever since you were brought here, Pucca volunteered to help take care of you this whole time.
Garu looked to his other side. There she was. She looked just like she had before. No grotesque figure. No black goop. She looked just like she did before any of this happened. Beautiful.
Pucca warmly giggled and nodded to confirm that she's been helping him the whole time.
Garu reached out for her hand, in which she glady took hold of.
"Ha! It was pretty funny how you woke up too, Garu" Abyo chuckled.
"Yeah, hehe." Ching said. "Pucca was in here to check on you and it was like you just reached for her in your sleep and pulled her in and kissed her! Hahaha!"
Pucca giggled while she held his hand.
Just then the doctor came in. He was pleased that Garu had woken up.
The doctor told the gang that Garu has completely healed from all his injuries obtained from the crash, and that if he feels well enough he can go home today.
That afternoon, the four friends were able to go home. Garu was so happy to see that Sooga village hadn't turned into a massive city like in his dream.
All his friends were alive and normal. Everything was wonderful.
Garu didn't complete his training, so he still had to stay mute. He also wasn't the adult man he was in his dream, he was still his Same old 12 year old self.
But he was more than happy that everything was back to normal... Or was it?
On the way home. They passed by a strange building that Garu hasn't seen before. It was a big brick building with what looked like a giant red helmet with a massive crown on it at the top. A large banner that said "DK" on it was hanging on the front of the building.
"Oh yeah, we forget to mention that." Abyo said while Garu pointed confusingly to it.
"These guys built that place while you were in your coma. I think don't really know what it is though."
"That's the newest restaurant coming to town." Said a familiar voice.
The gang turned around to see Ring Ring. She was also unchanged compared to her coma counterpart.
"Aww. Garu's out of the hospital? It's great to see that your well again, Garu." She said in a flirty voice.
Garu rolled his eyes.
"Anyhoo." Ring Ring continued. "That fancy building is the Don King restaurant. They're going to be opening their doors in just a couple days. And guess who they have hired to be their beautiful mascot?... Me!"
The four gasped. To Garu, There was something oddly familiar about this.
"Yeah, I know you're all jealous." Ring Ring taunted. "They even made a waving inflatable tube guy of me that there going to put up during the grand opening! Hehe."
She then gave Pucca an evil look. "Get ready, Pucca!" She said challengingly. "The Don King is going to run your little Goh-Rong restaurant out of business! Ha ha ha ha!" Ring Ring then skipped away.
"Just ignore her guys." Ching said. She's probably just pulling our legs to make us upset.
"Whelp. I guess we'll find out if she's telling the truth or not in a couple days." Abyo said.
"Come on." Ching said. "Let's just get Garu home, it's getting late."
Just then Garu felt a tap on his arm. He looked over and suddenly, Pucca had given Garu a surprise smooch on the lips.
He recoiled and and aggressively wiped his lips off.
Pucca gave him another peck on the cheek, which Garu also desperately tried to wipe.
Then Pucca hugged him tightly and giggled with love.
Garu struggled to break free. When he finally did, he took off running! Pucca then proceeded to chase after him... Again.
Ching and Abyo laughed at their antics.
"On second thought." Ching said. "I think Garu can make it home without us. Tehehe."
They both chuckled as they watched Pucca chase Garu off into the sunset. Funny love was in the air, once more.
The End
Authors notes: Hi all, thanks for being patient with me. It took a lot longer than I thought to write this final chapter. And I would like to thank you for reading my story, and coming along on the journey. Rates, reviews, and comments are welcome. Thanks again for reading my combination of Pucca and Bendy and The Ink Machine.
