Now Haruka definitely couldn't ignore how the Lanes Between were getting darker and more shrouded as the continued on their journey.
"You think we're approaching something big?" Maylin wondered.
"Gotta be," Haruka quipped as they shot down some more Heartless ships that had tried to u-turn away from them.
"I wonder if it's because we're approaching whatever world that villains' council is using," Nick theorized. "With all those villains and bad guys, it's gotta be overflowing with darkness."
"It's probably a sign that we're close to ending this long, drawn-out battle," Maylin noted as the Gummi Ship transformed into Falcon Mode to destroy a wall of ships blocking their path.
"Here's hoping," Nick replied. "I just want to find Marie so we can go home once this is all over."
Suddenly, a shadow enshrouded the cockpit, the cause being a gigantic Heartless ship flying just above them.
"HOLY..." Maylin gasped. "That thing's freakin' huge!"
"Let's shoot it down before it gets us," Haruka replied, firing off a few cannon shots at the large ship.
The giant ship proved to be sturdier than expected, as after at least twelve Falcon Cannon shots, it was still intact.
"Oh, that's not good," Haruka stated. To the trio's surprise, the cruiser just flew off, as if it didn't want to stay in the fight.
"It... just chickened out?" Maylin quipped. "That's... weird."
"Probably not the last we'll see of it," Haruka replied. "But, on to the business at hand, new world dead ahead!"
"Um, is this one stuck in the past?" Maylin wondered. "Because this seriously looks like something that jumped right out of a mobster movie."
"Let's see if it matches the description, then. Prepare for landing!" Haruka stated.
(A hero races through the green fields. The sun races through a blue sky filled with white clouds. The ways of his heart are much like the sun. A hero runs and rests, the sun rises and sets. Don't give up on the sun. Don't make the sun laugh at you.)
The Blue Time Ranger is proud to present:
W.I.T.C.H.: Key to Her Heart HD ReMIX
Story Created: December 17th, 2015
Story Rated: T for Teen
Story Summary: All is well in Heatherfield in the aftermath of the battle with Nerissa, especially after dealing with Will's distrustful father. But when a strange event occurs and swallows Heatherfield in darkness, the Guardians of the Veil are informed of an ancient evil that is plotting to take over the many worlds that exist out there. Now, W.I.T.C.H., alongside their new friend who has been gifted with a strange weapon, must journey through the worlds in hopes of restoring Heatherfield to its former glory. But what strange, devious plots will they uncover along the way? Will the Guardians ever reach home? And most importantly, what is the secret behind Nick's new weapon, the keyblade?
On Today's Episode: It's been seven years since the Great War that nearly brought the Canopy Kingdom to its knees, and rumors say that a Skullgirl has once again awakened to terrorize the kingdom. Our trio arrives just in time to help a cute zombie who was supposed to be one of the Skullgirl's minions. Apparently, she has some strange ties to the past, especially where the Skull Heart is involved. Can Nick, Maylin, and Haruka help Squigly find who is responsible for her death before the Skullgirl destroys New Meridian?
And Now, the Obligatory Disclaimer: I do not own anything related to W.I.T.C.H. or any of its affiliations. It belongs solely to Elisabetta Gnone and Disney if we're talking the cartoon. The only things of this story I DO own are any characters created by yours truly for the story. Any characters or things I don't own, I am just borrowing. That also goes for any anime, video game, or comic book series that will be represented here. And I am not infringing on any copyrights (not anymore). I'm just doing this for the entertainment of my readers. Besides, if I did own W.I.T.C.H., which I don't, why would I be writing fiction on a fan site?
Author's Note/For Today's World: This episode brings us to Lab Zero Games' Skullgirls, specifically the 2nd Encore version because it's the one I own. For this one specifically, we'll be following the story path of everyone's favorite opera-singing zombie Squigly. Now, I am by no means a competitive fighting game player, but if I was, Squigly would be my main because she's my favorite Skullgirls character.
Episode 12: Be Still My Heart
Squigly was in disbelief as she walked through the city streets, seeing with her own eyes how much New Meridian differed from when she was still alive.
"This is so strange," Squigly stated. "I don't even recognize the city anymore. Just how long were we asleep?"
"I cannot say for sure," Leviathan, Squigly's loyal parasite, responded. "But the stench of the Medicis still reigns."
"Maybe we should ask someone if they know what's going on," Squigly wondered. After what had just happened with the Skullgirl and the Black Egrets, it definitely appeared that trouble was brewing in New Meridian.
"That would be a good idea," Leviathan stated.
"Oh, how about them?" Squigly asked.
"This is so weird," Maylin quipped as they gazed around the city of New Meridian. "It'd be even weirder if I wasn't witnessing it with my own eyes."
"Maylin, honestly, after all the strange places we've been to on our journey, does a normal-looking city that's stuck in 1920s mob culture seem all that odd to you?" Nick stated.
"Well, when you put it that way..." Maylin groaned.
"Let's keep our eyes open," Haruka stated. "I don't think this city is as up-and-up as it looks, especially if that giant explosion I heard earlier is any indication."
"Um, excuse me?"
The trio halted just in time to see Squigly walk up to them. "Do you know what year this is?"
"ACK! ZOMBIE!" Maylin shouted, summoning Spellbinder to her hands.
"Maylin, down," Nick quipped, holding his hand out to keep Maylin from going on a rampage. "Let's find out whether she's friend or foe before we go hacking anything up."
Nick reached his hand out to Squigly. "Sorry about that. Maylin's been kind of on edge lately."
"Oh, it's no problem. Nothing I'm not used to," Squigly laughed, shaking Nick's hand. "Sienna Contiello, but please, call me Squigly. The pleasure's all mine."
"I'm never going to get used to this," Maylin quipped, resting Spellbinder on her shoulder.
"The city's changed so much while I've been gone. Do the three of you live around here?" Squigly wondered.
"Actually, we were hoping to get some info on the city ourselves," Nick replied. "We're not from, shall we say, 'around here'."
"He speaks the truth," Leviathan stated. "I don't know what it is, but I can sense great power from them..."
"Do you think it could be...?" Squigly started, only to be interrupted as a group of Heartless spawned around them.
"Seriously, this is really starting to get annoying!" Maylin growled, summoning Spellbinder back to her hands.
Many of the Heartless around them resembled mummies with long, lanky arms.
"Wight Knights are tricky little buggers," Haruka explained. "They can deflect your attacks easily with those long arms, so don't give them a chance."
One of the Wight Knights began to spin its arms around, allowing Nick to see that while spinning, they could only attack in front of them, so he leaped into the air and crossed the distance with a Hurricane Period, striking the Wight Knight in the head and destroying it.
Maylin raised Spellbinder and cast Thundara, causing lightning bolts to rain down from the sky on the Wight Knights, easily destroying a few of them. The few that remained immediately advanced on Maylin, only for Squigly to jump into the fray and spin around so that Leviathan could whip his sharp tail out at the Wight Knights, piercing one of them in the chest and striking another so hard that its head came flying off.
Two more Wight Knights tried to ambush Squigly, but Leviathan simply opened his mouth to breathe a stream of fire that destroyed the Wight Knights.
"You will not harm my lady while I still breathe," Leviathan proclaimed.
One last Wight Knight attempted to leap through the air towards Squigly where Leviathan couldn't catch it, but Nick saw the leap and intercepted with a Strike Raid, the Kingdom Key spinning through the air and splitting the Wight Knight in half.
"There we go," Nick quipped.
"What manner of monsters were those things?" Leviathan proclaimed. "What sort of nightmares has the Skullgirl dredged up this time?"
"I don't know," Squigly answered. "I couldn't feel the Skullgirl's influence on them..."
"We should probably get moving before more of them show up," Haruka stated. "I don't like the look of this place."
And so, the group took off through the streets of New Meridian, hoping to find out who was the cause of the troubles plaguing the city.
"Should we be letting them tag along, my lady?" Leviathan wondered. "We would not want them to get caught up in our affairs."
"They saved us from those monsters," Squigly answered. "The least we can do is help them out with their mission."
"So, pardon if I'm intruding," Nick quipped, swinging the Kingdom Key to dispatch an incoming Soldier. "But what exactly is this Skullgirl you're looking for?"
Squigly shuddered slightly, as if reliving a bad memory.
Oh, crap, I did it again, Nick thought.
"There is no need to worry," Leviathan stated, sensing Nick's distress. "We just have history with the Skullgirl. The Skull Heart is a monstrous piece of work."
"Legends say that it can grant any wish," Squigly continued. "But if the wisher possess even the slightest amount of impurity in their soul, the Skull Heart will corrupt the young maiden's wish and transform them into a Skullgirl, a being of unimaginable horror. Long ago, my mother was deceived and became a Skullgirl, so..."
"That's who you're looking for, isn't it?" Maylin realized. "Because you have unfinished business with them."
"Exactly," Squigly replied. "I'm looking for the man who killed me and made me like this. I believe the current Skullgirl may know something."
"Now, if you would kindly answer an inquiry of our own," Leviathan stated. "What were those nightmares we faced earlier?"
"Heartless," Haruka explained. "Creatures born from the darkness of people's hearts. That's why we came to this world. We're trying to find out who's behind the Heartless invasion and stop it before it spreads too far."
"And if this Skullgirl finds out how to control the Heartless, New Meridian may not last much longer," Nick stated. "So let's go find that Skullgirl before she causes any more trouble."
After a few minutes of wandering around, the group encountered strange, shambling creatures.
"W-what the hell?!" Maylin squeaked. "Z-zombies?! Actual, mindless zombies that aren't adorable like Squigly?!"
"No doubt the Skullgirl's minions," Leviathan proclaimed. "The risen dead are controlled by the Skullgirl's monstrous power. We must return them to the grave."
"Fine by me," Nick quipped, unleashing an Ars Arcanum to cut down multiple zombies in one go.
Maylin spun around before casting a Thundara spell to vaporize a few more zombies before turning her attention to another group, melting them with a Fira spell.
Haruka leaped to Squigly's defense, slamming Divine Rose into the ground and using her favorite shockwave attack to disperse the shambling horde before swinging out and cutting two or three down with each swing.
But still more zombies continued to approach the group.
"Okay, this isn't getting anywhere!" Maylin exclaimed. "How many of these rotting messes does the Skullgirl control?!"
"I suggest a tactical retreat," Leviathan stated.
And so they did just that, moving away from the zombie horde and towards a large circus that had been close by.
"This is nuts," Maylin groaned. "It's almost as if every new world we end up in has some new kind of nonsense for us to deal with!"
As Nick rested Kingdom Key on his shoulder, he suddenly realized something about what Leviathan had said earlier.
"Hey, Squigly?" Nick asked. "Leviathan said that the zombies are all just puppets of the Skullgirl. No offense, but why doesn't that extend to you?"
Before Squigly could answer that inquiry, a large Heartless ripped its way through a portal of darkness and stomped its feet in challenge. It was a very disfigured creature, almost resembling a cross between Frankenstein's monster and the Grim Reaper, with bolts through its neck and hands and clutching two large scythes.
"What monstrosity is this?!" Leviathan shouted.
"I think I know who this one came from," Maylin growled, summoning Spellbinder.
"Let's just take it down before it causes any damage," Nick stated, switching over to World System.
The Frightmare roared in challenge before lashing out, swinging its scythes in every conceivable direction so as to not give the group any room to attack it.
"Okay, large man, let's see if you can handle the heat!" Maylin shouted, aiming Spellbinder for the Frightmare and unleashing a Fira spell that broke through the swinging scythes and exploded into the Frightmare's chest, forcing it a few steps back so Haruka could go on the offensive, slashing at the Frightmare's chest with Divine Rose.
The Frightmare quickly recovered itself and began to strike directly at the ground, dragging the scythe blade through the dirt and unleashing a well of blue flames from the trench.
"Oh, come on, is that your best trick?!" Maylin shouted, casting a Blizzard spell to quell the flames before blasting the Frightmare in the face with a Thunder spell.
The Frightmare stomped on the ground a few times before raising its hands and unleashing lightning bolts from the screws in its hands. Maylin was so surprised by this maneuver that she couldn't dodge in time, and was thrown back into one of the nearby tents, surprising its occupant.
"Ooh, you're gonna pay for that!" Maylin exclaimed, casting Cure on herself before charging back into the fray with a loud battle cry. Cerebella just looked on, a tad confused until she got a good look at the Frightmare.
"Holy...!" Cerebella gasped before retrieving Vice-Versa and moving in to investigate.
Nick swung a few times to counter the scythe blades that were heading his way before moving through a drop in the Frightmare's guard and cutting loose with an Ars Arcanum.
Suddenly, the Frightmare stumbled to the ground, and a quick sweep of its punched-out legs revealed Cerebella, having used Vice-Versa's giant fists to send the Frightmare to its knees.
"Hey, freak boy, no one messes with the Cirque de Cartes on my watch!" Cerebella shouted as Vice-Versa lashed out and punched the Frightmare directly in its grotesque face.
"Who could this be?" Squigly wondered.
"Hey, as long as she's helping us out, that's good enough for me!" Maylin exclaimed.
As the Frightmare reeled from Cerebella's attack, Nick leaped for the face and slashed a few times, right on the scars that crossed over its eyes. The Frightmare bellowed in rage and swung its scythes out, intending to cut Nick into three different chunks. Nick simply cast Reflect, then shattered the barrier to throw the damage back, causing the Frightmare to crash to its knees.
"My lady, I am sensing a lot of wayward magic in the air," Leviathan proclaimed. "Mayhap a result of this protracted battle."
"What should we do, then?" Squigly wondered.
At the mention of "wayward magic", Nick realized something.
"Ladies, I think I know who would be perfect for this one," Nick quipped, fetching the Skydiamond from his pocket.
"Well, then stop wasting time and bring her out!" Maylin exclaimed.
Nick clutched the Skydiamond tightly, focusing his power into it as Maylin and Haruka disappeared from sight.
("Innocent Starter" by Nana Mizuki plays)
Nick tossed the Skydiamond into the air, then aimed the Kingdom Key at it. Tendrils of wind exploded from the keyblade's teeth and surrounded the Skydiamond before absorbing themselves into it and causing a bright explosion of light.
Nanoha rode down on the air currents, already providing Nick with a barrier to protect him from the worst the Frightmare could offer.
The Frightmare didn't seem to discouraged, lumbering toward Nick and attempting to cut through the barrier, only for Nanoha to flick her right hand out and send the barrier straight into the Frightmare's chest, knocking it back quickly.
Deciding that this battle had to end before any more damage could be done to the Cirque de Cartes, Nick signaled to Nanoha, who nodded and flew to just above the Frightmare, channeling all the nearby wayward magic into her device.
The Frightmare attempted to pick itself up, but it was far too late, as Nanoha thrust her hands downwards and unleashed Starlight Breaker, the gigantic blast thundering down through the air and enveloping the Frightmare. When the attack dispersed, there was absolutely nothing left of the Frightmare.
Cerebella couldn't help but smile at the display as Nanoha waved to Nick before returning to the Skydiamond and allowing Maylin and Haruka to return.
"Well, that was a thing," Maylin quipped. "How much do you wanna bet that this Mariko chick's watching us from somewhere?!"
"Wouldn't surprise me," Haruka stated. "She has it out for us."
"Now that this unfortunate incident has been settled," Leviathan proclaimed, "we should really continue our search for the Skull Heart. We simply cannot allow this abomination to stay in our world."
"Hey, thanks for helping us out, miss," Nick stated to Cerebella, who just smiled. "Really appreciate it."
"Hey, I've stomped my fair share of monsters before, one more isn't gonna stop me," Cerebella quipped. "No Franken-creep's gonna wreck my circus. But, hey, if you're looking for the Skull Heart, try looking at the cathedral. That's where a lot of strange things have been happening."
"We'll keep that in mind," Nick stated as the group exited the Cirque de Cartes. Nick was able to use his keyblade like a beacon to track the source of the evil energy being emitted by the Skull Heart, so it was a rather easy trek to the source of the problem.
"Forgive us for asking about it again, but you three possess a great power, as we no doubt have witnessed," Leviathan proclaimed. "Where does this power of yours come from?"
"You're lookin' at it," Maylin quipped as the trio re-summoned their keyblades. "We're traveling the worlds so we can use the keyblade to stop the Heartless from swallowing everything in darkness."
"Okay, so, if you don't mind me asking... why exactly are you a zombie, Squigly?" Haruka wondered. "I mean, I don't mind that you are, but like we saw before, every zombie in the city is under the Skullgirl's control. We never got the answer to why it's not the same with you."
Squigly sighed heavily. She didn't really like recounting her tragic past, but these people had been so accommodating to her, and they were offering their help against the Skullgirl, so she figured it wouldn't hurt.
"It has to do with my connection to the Skull Heart," Squigly began. "It all started about fourteen years ago. I am the lone survivor of the Contiello family, a group of world-famous opera singers. The Medici family were our clients, but their mafia viewed us as their rivals."
Squigly closed her eyes as the memories began to flood her mind. "Lorenzo Medici ordered his top assassin Black Dahlia to silence the Contiello family."
Nick didn't need an answer to know that Squigly had also been a victim, as the hole in her head where Leviathan currently resided told him everything he needed about that.
"My corpse became one of the Skullgirl's undead minions, but I was properly laid to rest once the threat was over," Squigly continued. "I awakened recently, expecting to be the same, but Leviathan is the reason why I still retain my free will."
"Of course, my lady," Leviathan stated. "I would never back down from you."
"That is why I have made it my mission to destroy the Skull Heart," Squigly finished. "I will not allow that cursed artifact to wreak its havoc as long as I have free will. Not after what happened to my mother..."
The group stopped near the cathedral in question, which looked dreadfully imposing, no doubt the lair of this Skullgirl. Nick could easily since the evil flowing from that stairway.
"Looks like this is it," Nick quipped. "Let's go and end this Skullgirl business."
And so they descended down into the cathedral's catacombs, the evil energy growing closer and closer as they moved, until they came out in a large area with strange blue vessels snaking out from a central point.
Squigly was the first to tense up upon catching sight of the Skullgirl, Bloody Marie herself, being held up by those blue vessels.
"Not what I expected, honestly," Maylin quipped.
"That Parasite of yours," Bloody Marie proclaimed. "It's unusual, how it actually seems to be blocking my influence. Yet, you still possess a strong connection to the Heart. And through it, I can sense that you, too, seek revenge against the Medicis, more specifically the man that silenced you."
"I believe you are a good person at heart, but the Skull Heart's power is poisoning your mind and body," Squigly countered. "Even when you saved those people, I could feel its hate festering within you."
Flashes of Selene as the Skullgirl flickered into Squigly's mind. "I've seen where that hatred ends, after all."
"But you are not immune to its corruption either, resistant though you may be," Bloody Marie challenged. "Do you seriously believe you can resist the Skull Heart? I can feel your will faltering, after all. It will overwhelm you before long!"
"Not if we have anything to say about it," Nick taunted, summoning the Imperial Blade to his hands. "This game ends here and now."
"Yeah, you need to give the dead the rest they deserve!" Maylin shouted, summoning Spellbinder. "You can't just pluck them like overripe fruit!"
"This is where we exact justice for everyone who has fallen to the Skull Heart's evil," Haruka proclaimed, summoning Divine Rose.
"Foolish outsiders," Bloody Marie bellowed. "Do not think you stand a chance."
"Wanna bet?!" Nick shouted as the Skull Heart itself glowed brightly, spreading bright blue blood vessels out across the entire area and transforming the catacombs into the Final Atrium.
"Show me your strength," Bloody Marie proclaimed, her body surrounded by four large demon skulls as she floated in the air.
Nick was the first to go on the offensive, leaping into the air to avoid the skulls Bloody Marie was throwing at him. A few of them were sent back to Bloody Marie with a quick swing of Imperial Blade, and even though they barely seemed to do damage, it accomplished Nick's intent of keeping her attention on him.
Maylin wasted no time in casting a Thunder spell, the bolt of lightning lancing out to strike Bloody Marie in the back, giving Squigly time to move in and attack, Leviathan's tail lashing out with surgical precision to attack Bloody Marie's weak points.
"Fool," Bloody Marie stated, raising her right hand and causing a row of demon's skulls to rush along the ground towards Nick, who cast Reflect to keep them away.
Maylin enchanted Spellbinder so she could swing it around on a magic whip, striking out at Bloody Marie and turning the Skullgirl's attention to her so Nick could switch to Truth Seeker and attack Bloody Marie with a Sonic Blade.
"This ends now," Bloody Marie proclaimed, the demon skulls surrounding her vanishing. Strange blue lines emerged from the Skull Heart behind her, forming a humanoid figure that extended from the Skull Heart itself. "You will feel my wrath."
Nick simply stood his ground, waiting for whatever the Skullgirl was going to pull off. A strange shadow flew at him from the Skull Heart, which Nick cut through easily.
"Is that really the best you've got?!" Nick shouted. "I'm disappointed, Skullgirl!"
"You will pay for your insolence!" Bloody Marie shouted, sending out a skeletal minion to fly at Nick, who quickly dodged away from it and rushed in to deliver a few slashes to Bloody Marie's prone form before finishing with a Ripple Drive that separated Bloody Marie from the Skull Heart for a few seconds.
"Now's our chance, milady!" Leviathan shouted.
"Got it!" Squigly exclaimed, dashing in before anything could stop her and landing a decisive strike on the Skull Heart, which caused the figure coming from it to dissipate and caused Bloody Marie to fall to her knees in defeat.
"T-think about what you do," Bloody Marie proclaimed. "Lorenzo is on the run, and his empire is in disarray and vulnerable. Don't throw away our one chance to break his hold on the city!"
"Oh, can it," Nick growled, raising the Kingdom Key to strike the decisive blow, only to feel another strange power approaching rapidly.
Leviathan seemed to pick up on it faster, spinning around to see a large and grotesque fist approaching, with fingers made of mutated claws and a giant eye in the center of its palm.
"Squigly, behind you!" Leviathan exclaimed.
"I gave you another chance, and yet you still disappoint me?!" a heavily distorted voice rang out from whoever the fist belonged to.
Squigly prepared herself for whatever would happen, only for a black blur to strike out and force the demonic hand back.
"Oh, a new challenger approaches!" Maylin proclaimed.
"Filia! You're helping us?" Squigly proclaimed to the new arrival, not having expected to see her again after the altercation they'd had earlier that day.
"Of course we are, so can the high-and-mighty crap," Samson, Filia's parasite, growled.
"Samson, knock it off," Filia reprimanded.
"While we appreciate the assistance, your ill intentions are something else entirely," Leviathan proclaimed.
"We'll worry about the Heart after this," Filia stated. "Let's team up and take this monster down!"
"I would be delighted, Filia," Squigly giggled.
"We should probably be careful," Maylin stated, readying Spellbinder for action again. "I can feel the same power as the Skull Heart coming in droves from this mutilated nutball!"
Double simply smirked, phase-shifting back into its monstrous true form. "Squigly, that girl is a Medici," Double proclaimed, gesturing to Filia. "Do you still wish to ally with her, knowing that? Must I remind you of what happened when the Medicis and Contiellos previously came to blows?"
Squigly stood her ground, Leviathan already charging up. "Your words will not sway me, foul monster. I'll let Filia's actions speak for her, not you."
"Come on, Samson, let's make an impression," Filia proclaimed.
"Yeah, right on her faces!" Samson exclaimed.
"You would stand against me, too, wielders of the keyblade?" Double stated. "I would think the power you have been... unfairly gifted with would have taught you a valuable lesson to never oppose those stronger than you."
"You honestly think that's stopped us?!" Maylin exclaimed. "Do you honestly know how many people who've claimed to be stronger than us? We whipped their faces anyway!"
"And you wouldn't believe how many times we've already heard people saying we're 'far too young to wield such power'," Haruka stated, quoting a certain hooded woman. "We really don't care about anything you have to say."
"So how about you just shut your distorted yap and take the beating you deserve?!" Nick shouted, bringing the Kingdom Key up into a battle stance.
Double simply melted into the ground and came back up as a great beast with many tendrils. The entire group split off in different directions to draw Double's attention away.
Leaping over a wayward tendril, Nick lashed out to strike Double's head, culminating in a Stun Impact that dazed the monster.
"Let 'em have it!" Nick exclaimed, to which Filia and Squigly rushed in to tag-team Double, using their parasites to great effect to deal as much damage to Double as they could.
When a break in their dual attack came, Maylin fired a Thunder spell right into Double's quivering mass, forcing the beast back. Haruka was right on Double's heels, delivering a low spin attack that created cutting light circles around her (Haruka affectionately dubbed it 'Round Break') to knock Double to her non-existent knees.
Nick continued the combo with a Hurricane Period straight to Double's head before jumping back to avoid retaliation.
"ENOUGH!" Double roared, shifting her mass to that of a large berserker wielding two fleshy weapons vaguely resembling keyblades.
"Oh, seriously, get a new act!" Maylin shouted, parrying one of the weapons as it ripped through the air. "You're not getting anywhere by just cribbing off of us!"
"This thing looks strong," Filia noted. "We're gonna need some heavy-duty hits to break through this."
"Hey, key boy," Samson proclaimed. "You up for a fastball special?"
"You know it," Nick quipped. Filia and Samson combined their strength and rolled into a large ball very reminiscent of a certain famous hedgehog before leaping into the air towards Nick.
As Double approached, Nick swung Kingdom Key like a baseball bat, sending Filia and Samson rocketing straight into Double's chest, dazing the monster for a few precious seconds.
Nick took his chance to rush in and attack, knocking Double around with a quick series of slashes that actually made him levitate into the air as he did so. Once the barrage was over, Nick pointed his keyblade towards Double, swirls of light gathering around the blade's teeth. After a second to charge up, Nick fired the energy in the form of a barrage of laser beams that all converged directly on Double and forced her back into her regular form.
"You ready to give it up?" Nick growled.
"You... underestimate how ruthless the Medicis can be," Double proclaimed. "I am surprised you didn't recognize me, Squigly."
"W-what?" Squigly gasped.
"I was there with your mother for her final birthday," Double explained, shapeshifting into a high-class female form. "It was such a blessed day, remember?"
Images flashed through Squigly's mind as she quickly realized what Double was referring to. "It... it was you all along!" Squigly exclaimed.
"Hardly, dear," Double cackled. "All I did was inform Lorenzo that the Contiellos were in possession of the Skull Heart. After that, all their generations of built-up trust and goodwill meant absolutely nothing. He may not have claimed the Heart, but the world knew that he came out unscathed, and the Contiellos silenced. Even now, fourteen years hence, your family's fate prevents others from opposing Lorenzo."
"I've heard enough out of you!" Squigly shouted. "For what you've done, demon, I will see you burn in hell!"
Leviathan opened his mouth wide and unleashed a massive blast of energy that ripped through Double's form.
"You exist only to manipulate," Squigly proclaimed. "I won't let you sway me!"
"Pitiful child..." Double gurgled, still attempting to hold her eviscerated mass together.
"Oh, just give it a rest," Nick quipped, walking up and slashing straight through Double, finally causing her to collapse into nothingness.
All was silent for a few seconds as everyone regrouped.
"I wish I knew what to say," Filia stated. "I didn't know about any of this..."
"It doesn't matter, Filia," Squigly answered. "The Skull Heart will never bring happiness to anyone. Not to you, your friend, or anyone."
Squigly turned around to glance at Bloody Marie, who, by some miracle, was still standing, even if it looked like she was seconds from death. "Lorenzo fought a Skullgirl before, but he didn't run. That must mean something else has hurt him. If so, he's weak and won't last."
"For everyone's sake, I hope you're right," Bloody Marie admitted. "But... I suppose you'd be the one to know."
And at last, Bloody Marie's form collapsed into pieces, leaving nothing but the Skull Heart behind, floating ominously in the air.
Squigly was about to let Leviathan destroy the cursed artifact when it began to shine with a white light.
"Oh, for god's sake, what now?!" Samson growled.
Inside the 'mouth' of the Skull Heart, Nick could see particles of energy forming a keyhole.
"Just one second, Squigly," Nick proclaimed, raising the Kingdom Key and firing a beam of light into the keyhole, sealing it off with a loud click. "All right, go ahead."
Squigly bowed to Nick before flashing out with a strike from Leviathan's tail that pierced through the Skull Heart and vaporized it instantly.
"YES! And down goes the evil skull thingy!" Maylin exclaimed.
But Maylin's mirth was cut short when she saw Squigly collapse to the ground.
"H-hey, Squigly, what happened?" Maylin gasped, scared that no response was coming. "Squigly?! Squigly, can you hear me?!"
Nothing happened. Haruka said nothing, but she knew what had happened; Squigly's connection to the Skull Heart meant that with its destruction, Squigly would 'die' again, only to reawaken when the Skull Heart did.
What will you do now, Leviathan? Squigly asked.
It seems we've become quite inseparable, milady, Leviathan answered. I will stay with you until you next awaken.
Thank you...
"Is this the last one?" Marie asked as she placed the prism-shaped crystal onto the altar where the others were resting.
"Yes, my dear," Red proclaimed, smiling wickedly even though his face was silhouetted by the reflection of the mirror. "We can begin very soon."
"Is this ritual really going to work in our favor?" Marie quipped. "And you haven't even told me who your third vessel is. All I see are those two Inaba wackos."
"All in good time, dearie," Risky quipped.
Marie still didn't like where this was going, but she wasn't exactly in a position to complain as she was.
So I watch and wait, Marie thought.
"So, where are you guys off to?" Filia asked. The trio had stayed a little while longer to give Squigly the burial she truly deserved.
It was a nice little place on the edge of town, under a large tree. A little statue of Leviathan had been carved to place on top of the headstone, which read Here lies Sienna 'Squigly' Contiello and Leviathan. May they rest in peace, until we meet again.
"Oh, just places," Maylin answered. "Other worlds need our help, so we've gotta go help them, after all."
"Will you ever be back?" Filia wondered.
"I'm sure we will," Nick replied. "Once this whole business is wrapped up, we'll come back and visit. I'm sure Squigly would love that."
"Speaking of which, I think Squigly wanted you to have this," Filia stated, handing Nick a trinket.
As always, Nick attached the trinket to his keyblade and watched it transform. The handle guard was a replica of Samson's talons, at the hilt of the weapon was a skull that heavily resembled the Skull Heart, the blade was an almost exact replica of Leviathan with his head and open, razor-tooth-filled maw acting as the keyblade's teeth, and the keychain was the personal symbol of the Contiello family. The words Immortal Meridian ran through Nick's head as he studied the weapon.
"I have a feeling this isn't the end of the Skullgirl, though, is it?" Haruka wondered.
"It comes back every seven years, apparently," Filia replied. "So there may not be a way to permanently destroy it."
"You guys will find a way," Maylin giggled. "You always do in the end."
"Yeah, we're not gonna let some sentient Halloween decoration do us in!" Samson proclaimed. "We're way too strong for that!"
After saying their goodbyes to both Filia and Squigly, the trio teleported themselves back to the Gummi Ship, ready to begin the next leg of their adventure.
"I feel like we're learning a lot from all the worlds we've seen," Haruka quipped.
"A lot of them are worlds I never knew existed before all of this," Nick admitted as the Gummi Ship set off through the Lanes Between. "I mean, I knew that other worlds existed thanks to W.I.T.C.H. and the stories they've told me, but none like this!"
"It's a learning experience," Maylin stated. "If only you could have seen some of the worlds we've been to before this..."
Nick didn't have to say a word to notice Maylin's slight expression change. It was gone in a flash, so quickly that most people wouldn't have noticed, but Nick prided himself on paying attention to what his friends were thinking.
The words 'if only you could have seen' were what made Nick realize that a good few of the worlds that Maylin and Haruka had been to before he'd met them had most likely been attacked by the Heartless and cast into darkness before they could have found the keyholes.
And after hearing Maylin's admission that her parents had been killed by a Heartless, Nick was starting to understand a certain other possibility.
"Hey, Maylin?" Nick asked.
"What's up, Nick?" Maylin giggled.
Nick sighed, hoping Maylin wouldn't get upset. "I've been thinking about something you said to me about why you're on this journey."
Maylin tensed up, knowing that Nick had caught it.
"You said your parents had been killed by a Heartless," Nick stated. "And I thought about it, and I think I realized something. ...your world was taken by the Heartless, too, right?"
Maylin was silent for a few seconds, trying her best to not let the bad memories come rushing back to the surface. She'd held it in for three years, but hadn't expected Nick to figure it out so quickly.
"I've only ever told Haruka about this," Maylin stated, a few tears beginning to fall, but she signaled to Nick so he wouldn't freak out and think it was his fault. No, these tears were her own doing.
"But... you're right on the money, Nick. My world was taken from me."
Nick didn't expect Maylin to burst into tears and throw herself at him, arms wrapped tightly around him and sobbing into his shoulder.
"H-hey, Maylin, I'm sorry..."
"No, it's not you, Nick. I've been keeping this in for three damn years, and it's about time I let it out," Maylin responded. "It was right after the Heartless invaded and killed my parents. I didn't know what to do, I was so frightened. I thought I was going to be next, but... everything was a blur after I fell. When I woke up, I was in Candracar. Himerish was the one who saved me."
Haruka cast a glance at Maylin from her seat, glad that her partner was finally willing to talk about the incident.
"He told me everything, about what had happened to my world, who was responsible... and then he offered me a chance to take back what I had lost," Maylin continued, wiping a few tears off with her sleeve. "He knew what I was feeling, the pain of loss I felt. He offered me something that could help me fight against the darkness that had taken everything from me. And that's when... I got my keyblade."
Maylin looked out at the star-filled void of the Lanes Between. "So, I spent the past three years traveling with Haruka to other worlds so we could protect them from the Heartless. I made it my life's goal that I would make sure no one would ever have to suffer what I did. We weren't always so lucky in finding the keyholes before it was too late, but we pressed on regardless."
Maylin summoned Spellbinder to her free hand, gazing at her reflection. "You know what it's like, Nick. You know how it feels to have everything taken away from you."
Nick didn't have to reply, but oh yes, he knew.
"I guess... that's why I felt like I could trust you with the one thing I've kept hidden from everyone but Haruka," Maylin explained, letting Spellbinder disappear. "I didn't know if they would understand what I've been through. But you've been through it yourself. You know the pain of losing everyone you've ever known or cared about."
Inwardly, Nick suddenly began worrying about how much Marie had changed since his world had been swallowed by darkness. Was he losing everyone he cared about, too?
"That's why, when we finally meet whoever is controlling the Heartless, I wanna smack them so hard that they'll feel it for the rest of their lives. You and I, we both owe this bitch some lumps after what they've put us through," Maylin proclaimed.
"Yeah, we'll show them who's boss," Nick quipped.
Maylin smiled brightly, a few tears still falling, as she leaned over and kissed Nick on the cheek before cuddling into his side.
Haruka decided to just let the two have their moment, focusing on piloting the Gummi Ship to the next world in need of assistance. She was just happy that Maylin was opening up about the loss of her world.
After all, you lost your own world to those bastards, Haruka thought. That's one thing all three of us have in common. Maybe it was fate that we'd all come together to fix things.
Haruka wasn't so sure she believed in fate, but she knew there were forces in this universe beyond their understanding.
Only time would tell if that was true or not.
To be continued...
New keyblade acquired!
Immortal Meridian
Strength: 12
Magic: 7
Ability: Combo Plus
A keyblade representing the constant struggle between good and evil in New Meridian. A powerful weapon that is difficult to deflect, capable of inflicting mighty critical blows and increasing ground combos by one step.
On the next episode...
Maylin: Hey, did we go back in time again? Because this time, I think we're stuck in World War II!
Haruka: I don't know, but this place looks a little different than history said.
Nick: I'd have figured, from the red-haired witch girl flying through the air on a giant rifle like it's a broomstick.
Maylin: Okay, what kind of witch uses a rifle to fly instead of shooting some hapless mooks with it?!
Nick: These kinds, apparently. Next time on W.I.T.C.H.: Key to Her Heart HD ReMIX, "The Witch Switch"!
Nick, Maylin, & Haruka: The worlds are our ocean!