Melody to the rescue! Someone start playing some spy music because it's action hero time!

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Melody managed to get on top of a building nearby the main Fortress. There were die guards below, so there was no way she was going to walk through the front door. Instead, she was going to use the zip line above her to reach the Fortress' rooftop. Unfortunately, the mechanism that pulls out large fuzzy die was broken. She'll have to make her own vehicle in order to get across.

She used different pieces of scrap lying around to construct a board that will help. She used a broken trap door for her main piece of the vehicle. The handle will keep her from falling off. She found broken pieces of Air Cubes and she shaped them into paddles. She can use her Pumpinator to give her a boost. She also stuck chains through the trap door to attach to the zip line. Only one more thing left to do: suit up.

Melody pulled out her sticker album and took out the ninja outfit from Zom Zom's shop. Once she was dressed up, she climbed onto the board and turned her Pumpinator towards the panels. Once she pressed the button, she was off. She flew over the guards' heads without them noticing and landed on the rooftop.

Once she made it, she ran up to the ventilation shaft and pried open the cover. She then climbed inside and began to navigate through the system.

"Ugh," Melody mumbled to herself. "I can't see anything." Then, her face lit up. She reached into her left pocket and pulled out the Illuminator. Once she turned it on, she picked up her pace. Until she was left with two paths in front of her. One continued straight while another went to her right.

"Oh no. Which way do I go?" Melody began to ponder what way will lead her to Marlon Random. That is, until she heard a familiar voice.

"You are trying my patience, Mr. Random."

That's the Boss! It sounded like it came from the right. Melody carefully crawled down the shaft. She spotted a patch of light ahead, so she turned off her Illuminator and put it back in her pocket with her Pumpinator.

"So, I'm gonna ask you one more time…"

Melody peered through the open air duct and looked in the room. The first thing she spotted was Marlon Random. He was right below her, bound to a wooden chair. His arms and legs tied up with rope. Clyde and Drake stood on each side, guarding him. They were all facing to Melody's left. She assumed that's where the Boss was sitting.

"Where is your partner?"

The Boss was in a large leather chair with its back facing Marlon and the guards. It sat behind a desk that had a golden name plaque with the name 'Boss' engraved on it. Behind the chair stood a large window that showed the pouring rain.

"I'll never tell you," shouted Marlon Random. "Why are you even trying to stop us? We're just trying to save Bunkum!"

"Well, Mr. Random. The reason is quite simple…"

The Boss turned his chair around, revealing himself. He had the head of a cash register. No eyes or mouth for facial features. He wore a black suit with grey stripes and a red tie tucked in it. He appeared to be shorter than Marlon and the guards, but a few inches taller than Melody.

"Newton agreed to pay me a lot of dough in order to keep that Marble locked away. Plus, I can't say no to possessing shiny treasures. Especially when they are important and there's no trouble in stealing them."

The Boss spoke in a voice higher than the deep one he used. The Bronx accent was clear as a Collectabell. Melody noticed he had an intercom microphone, which probably made his voice deeper earlier.

Marlon glared at him and said, "Well, I'm sure she already broke into that safe, got the Marble, and is on her way to get the others!"

"Is that so? Frankly Marlon, I think the problem is that I haven't been to… persuasive with ya."

The Boss then turned to Clyde and Drake and said, "Boys? Get the tools."

Both guards replied, "Yes, Boss!"

Melody whispered, "Tools?" What was he up to?

Clyde and Drake wheeled out a tool box on a steel cart. The tools, however, looked more like torture weapons.

The Boss got out of his chair and walked over to the cart.

"If I can make a suggestion, Boss," said Clyde, holding up a pair of sharp scissors. "How 'bout we cut his film?"

Drake added, "Or hurt his feelings? Hahaha." He was holding a meat mallet and hitting it in his hand.

Melody and Marlon both flinched at the horrible thoughts of pain they can inflict on Marlon. But the Boss had other ideas. "No, no, no, boys. Those are just mere toys." He then dug through the tool box to find a specific torture device. He pulled out a dirty drill, a bent screwdriver, and a sort of mini bear trap. "Aha. Here's a way…"

"…to make you talk," said the Boss as he held up the worst kind of torture weapon there is. The feather.

Melody let out a soft gasp. "Tickle Torture! The worst kind of torture!" It may not inflict pain, but no one can withstand it.

The Boss walked over to Marlon and the two guards held onto the chair. "This is your last chance, Mr. Random. Where is your partner?"

Marlon scoffed him and looked away. "Very well," said the Boss. "Soon you'll be singing another tune when I do this!"

He then aimed the feather around Marlon's stomach area and began brushing it along his sides. Marlon let out a chuckle that soon turned to full blown laughter. "PLE-HEHEHEHE-ASE STO-AHAHAHA-P!"

"Ready to tell us now," asked the Boss as he started going for his armpits.

"NE-HEHEHEH-VER!"

"Fair enough. Boys? Some assistance?"

"Yes sir!" Clyde and Drake then started tickling Marlon themselves. Marlon broke out into hysterical laughter.

Melody then said, "I got to save him!" Without hesitation, Melody kicked open the air duct. The air duct cover fell on top of Clyde and Drake and they passed out. Marlon's laughter died down. Melody landed in front of Marlon, removing the ninja mask.

"Melody?" Marlon was surprised to see her here.

Melody turned her head around and smiled. "Hey, Marlon."

"Oh. So, you're Mr. Random's partner in crime." Melody turned her attention to The Boss. He then said, "Well, I hate to say it, kid. But this is the end of the line."

Honestly, Melody didn't think this far. She quickly began thinking of a way to get out of there. She then spotted outside the window a portable surface. She still had her Blink Ball headset on. Now, with a new plan, Melody ran over to the tool box and grabbed the scissors.

"I don't think so!" Melody then ran back to Marlon. With one swipe, she cut him loose. She then grabbed Marlon's hand and pushed the button on the Blink Ball. The metal ball headed straight for the Boss. He yelped and moved out of the way. The metal ball then crashed through the window and hit the portable surface. In a blink of an eye, Melody and Marlon teleported to the surface and fell. Once they landed on their feet, they started running towards the safe.

"No, no, no," shouted the Boss as he ran to the window. He then ran over to his desk, grabbed the intercom microphone and shouted through it,

"The intruder is heading towards the Marble! Stop her! Slap her! Kick her legs away! Anything!"

Melody and Marlon heard barking and yelling. A large group of guard dogs and guards were coming.

"Let's go," shouted Melody. Marlon nodded and they ran. They continued to follow the path towards the safe. When they came across lasers blocking the way, Melody said to Marlon, "Hold tight!" Marlon grabbed Melody's hand and Melody teleported them to the other side. Three guard dogs blocked the way. Melody knew what to do. She ran towards them and jumped on their bubbles. Each one exploded with every jump.

"When the chips are DOWN, we blow the place UP."

Melody and Marlon reached a dead end. Above them, alarm lights blared and the floor dropped beneath them. Luckily they landed on another platform. The platform, however, started beeping. A red light was flashing on the side. The beeping got faster. Melody realized they were standing on a bomb!

"RUN!" Melody and Marlon quickly ran from one platform to the next. Each platform they were last on exploded behind them. Then suddenly, lasers blocked the next platform.

"It's curtains for you, kid!" Melody looked up and saw Clyde. He then pulled a lever that blocked their way back. Melody and Marlon were trapped on a bomb platform. Melody, however, spotted a portable surface. Marlon, seeing it as well, grabbed Melody's hand and nodded. Melody teleported both of them onto the next platform and continued running.

"You ain't gettin' your dirty paws on that Marble!"

Now it was Drake's turn to trap them. But Melody spotted another portable surface. She managed to teleport both her and Marlon to the next set of bomb platforms. Unfortunately, the path stops and there was nowhere else to go. That is, until Melody spotted a zip line. A large fuzzy dice popped out, connected to the zip line. Melody jumped and grabbed onto it.

"Come on! Quickly," shouted Melody to Marlon. He jumped onto the dice right when the last platform exploded. Melody swung her legs out and started moving the dice. It wasn't fast enough. Melody quickly pulled out the Pumpinator and blew them across the gap. Once they reached a safe platform, they ran inside a large building. Melody quickly stopped, turned around, and pushed the button on the wall. A large metal door slammed down, locking the guards outside. Melody and Marlon escaped.

Melody leaned up against the wall, took off the Blink Ball, and let out a sigh of exhaustion and relief. Marlon then walked over to Melody.

"Kid," said Marlon. "That was INCREDIBLE! That was some top-notch acting there, Kid!"

Melody was flattered. "Well, I never leave my friends behind. That is… if we are friends." Melody was worried she would appear untrustworthy to Marlon after getting him caught.

"Well, of course we're friends. Why wouldn't we be?"

"Well… it's just…" Melody's thoughts then turned back to Newton. "I didn't want you to…"

"Ah. It's nothing." Melody then headed towards the safe while saying, "Come on. L-let's go get that Marble."

Marlon grabbed Melody by the shoulder and said, "Hold up, Cloth Kid." Something was wrong and he wanted to know.

"There's nothing more to say, Marlon." Obviously, she wasn't going to tell him. Not here and now. But that gave Marlon an idea.

"You sure? I was gonna say that we should head to the great tree next. I know a good spot there where we can take a break and I promise there are no guards to fight or get chased by."

Melody was relieved he didn't push the subject from earlier and thought about what he said instead. "…Yeah," she said with a small smile. "I'd like that."

As they continued walking, Melody added, "Besides, heh, I don't think I could take on anymore action like that again."

"'Not take on anymore action like that?' Kid, I've LIVED acting and your skills were outstanding. It's almost like you've done this hero business before."

Melody chuckled a little from that. It was true. She did save Craftworld. "Well, actually—"

"Here we are!"

Melody stopped her sentence and saw the giant safe.

"I already set up a giant laser from my last encounter, so all we need to do is turn it on."

Marlon pressed the 'on' button on the laser and it began to cut through the safe. Once it was done, a giant hole was left on the door. There were large stacks of poker chips inside and the Marble. The Marble floated out of the safe.

"Whoa," Melody breathed out. The Marble was as big as a beach ball to Melody's size and pink. It floated down towards her and she stretched her hands out. Gingerly, she held the Marble in her arms with a smile.

"Nice work, Kid! Now let's head back to Manglewood."

"How will we get back?"

"I set up an emergency escape passageway through here. It'll take us right back to where we started." As he said that, he opened up a trap door that led underground.

Melody and Marlon climbed their way down and headed back to Manglewood, with the first Marble in hand.

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Whew! This was a lot to write about, but I hope you enjoyed this action-packed chapter! Watch for more updates and I'll see you then! ;)