Okay, so, you know how the last chapter was really long? I wanted to give myself another break and make this one a lot shorter. I wanna save the good stuff for next time.
Chapter 37: Dimentia's Reform
Bowser's Airship Armada
Bowser's airship fleet was getting closer to the forbidden planet of Vaporia, the ships packed with Koopas, Stormtroopers, and many other Brotherhood villains, all on their mission to rescue their comrades. Since the ships weren't electrical-powered, they were safe from Vaporia's deadly pull. Aboard the main flagship, April Dickson stood in thought, worried for her new friends after hearing the dangers of that planet. "Awe, what's wrong, Dickson? Worried about your wittle mutant pets?" She gritted her teeth at the sound of this familiar voice. She didn't have to turn her head, already knowing who was behind her. (Play Groose's Theme from Skyward Sword!)
"Ugh! Who let you on here?"
Behind her was April's worst enemy and bully from school, Olivia Johnson. "Brain wanted me on here. Don't think I very much like it either. Having to be on the same ship with you mutants."
"Go back with your Teen Ninjas. My new friends may be 'mutants', but they're a lot nicer than you could ever be. Matter of fact, you look a million times more ugly than any mutant."
"Hmph. You're just jealous because you've only spent your entire life with freaks. All of the NORMAL kids saw you for your hideousness and shunned you away. If you had a little more of the looks like me, and a lot less of the freak, you'd rise in stardom among these creeps."
"Oh!" April smiled with sarcasm, turning to her. "So, if I looked like a cow and destroyed my face with that so-called 'make-up' of yours, I would be popular, too?! …Yeah… no thanks."
"Hm. Poor, denying April. But the sad truth is, all you mutants are really good at is doing whatever you mutants do. Which, in your case, is only giving people such a headache with your psychoness or whatever that they eventually die from the pain." April only became more enraged, gritting her teeth and quaking her fist in anger. "It's no wonder the military and everyone else wants you all dead."
"YOU'LL BE DEAD BEFORE ME, YOU-"
"Enough, ladies." (End song.) They turned their attention to Darth Genious at the door. "Olivia, perhaps you should go and help the Teen Ninjas. We'll be arriving at the planet soon."
"Whatever." Olivia said, walking off. "Just don't call me if she starts growing scales."
April calmed down and took heavy breaths as she walked beside Brain. "Why did you let her in here again? It's not like she's any more evil than just being a snob."
"I assure you, she is a bigger help to our plans than you may realize. A being like Olivia who only desires stardom is always filled with darkness."
"Terrific." She replied, sarcastically. "Anyway, Nolan and the others are going to be okay, right?"
"They will be fine. I am training Nolan to be my apprentice. He discovered a way to send the message to me, he will lead the others to safety."
"Mm… I just hope you're right."
Hawaiian Beach
From the distance, everyone could see the smoke from the volcano slowly dying down. They could immediately guess that the four operatives had completed their mission. During this time, Rouge walked over to Blaze with the yellow Sol Emerald. "Hey, we forgot to give you this." She said, handing her the gem. "We found it in a chest on a mountain."
"Hm… then this makes four."
"Only three more to go!" Tails cheered.
"Hmm… so you four have succeeded." Meta Knight said when the four operatives arrived back from the mountain.
"Did you learn anything new?" Magolor asked.
"We think so." Rachel replied.
"We need to find something called a Jeweled Scepter on Planet Halcandra." Nigel explained.
"Anything on Jirachi?"
"Nope. Not really."
"No matter." Meta Knight replied. "We have a path. I believe it is time to head into space."
From atop the ship, Marx, still bouncing on his ball, looked up and spotted another huge ship coming their way. "Meta Knight, Meta Knight! She's here, she's here!"
The others looked up as the massive spaceship was hovering over the island. Tails gave a wide smile, being the first to recognize it. "It's the Blue Typhoon!"
The ship slowly landed several feet away from Meta Knight's as Amy asked, "But… who's piloting it?"
Her questions were answered when a hatch opened at the bottom of the ship, and none other than Numbuhs 74.239 and Infinity stepped out. "Hey, what's up, guys!" Gabe greeted happily.
"Gabe? Jeremy? What are you doing here?" Nigel asked.
"On his way to Earth, Meta Knight stopped by Moonbase and picked us up." Jeremy answered.
"He brought us to this ship and the three of us repaired it while he was off finding you guys." Gabe explained.
"The 'three' of you?" Nigel asked.
"We… brought someone else." Infinity said.
From inside the hatch, they could see the silhouette of a third person, with a pair of eyes, one yellow and one black, glaring at them. All of the operatives gasped when the former galactic leader herself stepped off and approached them. "Hmm… salutations."
"Dimentia!" Peach cheered.
"He-Hey! Decided to come after all, huh?" Sonic smirked.
Nigel only looked furious. "YOU! !" Dimentia dodged right when the Brit shot a fire blast. She then made a barrier when Rachel fired arrows at her.
"I don't know how you escaped, but we're sending you straight back to Underworld Prison!" Rachel exclaimed, drawing her sword.
"No, wait-" Infinity tried to say.
"Just what I was hoping for." Dimentia said, charging her hands with lightning. "If I'm going back, YOU'RE coming with me!" (Play the "Dimentio Battle" Theme from Super Paper Mario!)
Boss fight: Dimentia
The space clown flew back as the two chased her, Nigel and Rachel dodging opposite directions when Dimentia shot a Star Burst. Nigel fired his G.R.A.P.P.L.U.H. and pulled her to the ground, his fists on fire as he punched at her while Dimentia countered with electric hands. He charged a large fireball and pushed her into a tree. Dimentia recovered just in time to see Rachel come at her with a jump strike, rolling right just in time to dodge.
Rachel tried slicing the former leader, but Dimentia grabbed and held the sword back, electrocuting it with her lightning hands and shocking Rachel. While she was stunned, Dimentia spun behind and kicked her away. She quickly turned and jumped from Nigel's fireballs, but Rachel suddenly recovered and ran to deal a few blows against her.
Dimentia vanished and the two dodged when a Star Burst flew out of thin air. Three more Dimentias appeared and zoomed around to try and confuse them, throwing Star Bursts in all directions. Nigel shot a fireball, and Rachel swung her sword at one, but both were clones that vanished, and the real Dimentia teleported again. She reappeared behind them and made the ground between them explode, blowing them back a few feet.
The two quickly recovered and ran when Dimentia tried catching them in box barriers, blowing the boxes up afterward. Nigel then jumped and grabbed her legs, pulling her back down and kicking her on her back. She blasted him with lightning and pushed him back, standing up, only for Rachel to slice her from behind and push her back down. "That's for taking Nigel away from us!"
Nigel shot her with a fire blast and yelled, "That was for trying to destroy the universe!"
"THIS is for trying to get me to decommission myself!" Rachel yelled, striking her again.
"This is for trying to kill my dad!" Nigel yelled, burning her again.
"NNNGH!" Dimentia yelled, standing back up and stunning both operatives with lightning. "AHH!" she was suddenly hit by a magic blast from behind.
She looked back to see Grim aiming his scythe. "Yeh didn't expect to roam free from the Underworld for that long?"
Dimentia immediately fired lightning at him, Grim catching all the energy in his scythe and firing it back. Rachel dealt a few more blows against her before Nigel charged another huge fireball and pushed her several feet away.
"You guuuys! Stop fighting!" Amy pleaded.
Grim, however, didn't listen and charged in to strike her. But he was suddenly stopped by Clockwork, holding his scythe back with his staff.
Rachel was about to run and strike her, but Meta Knight suddenly shot up and knocked the sword out of her hand with his. "Do you children always follow the 'strike first, ask questions never' policy?"
When Nigel tried to burn her, he was frozen in time by Jagar King, using Time Stop. Olive Pioji and Misty Greene then ran to help Dimentia up, brushing her clothes off. (Stop the music.)
"Enough." Clockwork spoke, pushing Grim back. "Revenge will solve nothing."
"Oh, come on, Clockwork." Nigel said when Jagar released him. "Don't you remember what she did all those years ago?"
"I remember everything. But I can't stay holding onto the past."
"Well, whether you can or not, she's way past her expiration date." Grim replied. "I have to take her back to the Underworld. I mean, we can't just bring someone back from the dead just like that."
"If I recall, you brought Facilier back from the dead after your crowning as Demon King."
At the moment of realization, Grim turned to Facilier beside him. "…You did." The voodoo man shrugged.
"Indeed." Clockwork smiled. "I've always believed people with a complicated past should receive such a second chance. Don't you?"
"…Hmph." Grim lowered his weapon.
The Time Ghost then drifted over to Dimentia's weakened form and healed her wounds. "Now it's time for your lesson." With that, he waved his hand and put Dimentia to sleep in an instant.
Meta Knight sheathed his sword and said, "Let us put her in a more comfortable location." Gabe and Jeremy walked over and proceeded to carry her inside the Blue Typhoon. (Play the "Dreams" Theme from Spyro: Eternal Night.)
Dream Realm
Dimentia lay unconscious as she drifted through the lonely emptiness that was outer space. She slowly awakened and studied the infinite surroundings. "Uh… where am I?"
"Dimentia Z. Winkiebottom…"
She gasped. "Who's that?"
"It is I… The Chronicler… spirit who watches peoples' lives."
"Oh, great." She sighed. "A rapist."
She could hear The Chronicler smack his forehead. "UGH! I am TIRED of… sigh, never mind. I am here to teach you of your Space Element…"
"I don't know if you get this a lot, but I already know my Space Element."
"Yes… but there is more you must know than simply floating and teleportation. Step into the light to learn more…"
A rock path appeared for Dimentia to land on. The former galactic leader walked along the path to a gate of pink energy, as well as a glowing pink platform. She stood on the platform and was shown an image of where she had been just now: the vastness of space.
"Space is the Element of Openness. While the Space God, Palkia, granted you your powers as only mere choice… it was no accident. The benders of dimensions are strongly closed-minded about their feelings… giving them the impending desire to release it. Dimensional benders can release their space in so many shapes and forms…" Dimentia closed her eyes as the endless space around her began to swirl and twist into a dimensional vortex. When she came out of her vision, the space gate ahead opened.
She continued along the path and reached a ledge where the road continued over a far chasm. "Space works very similarly to psychic. But rather than rely on the mind, it relies on the area around you. Benders who wield Space can leisurely float around wherever they like…"
Already knowing this power, Dimentia lifted herself off her feet and drifted to the ledge on the other side, feeling no weight to her body. She then arrived at a wall, completely blocking her path.
"While a wall or object stands in your way, there is space on the other side. No matter the distance, as long as there is space… you can Warp there."
Dimentia snapped her fingers and vanished in an instant, reappearing on the other side. Afterwards, she stood before a door with two electrical generators on both sides, with a third one above it. "Your cluttered internal space has created interference. You are able to release this interference in the form of electricity."
Knowing this power as well, Dimentia fired lightning from her hands and lit up the electrical generators, making the door open and allowing her in. For her final test, she arrived at the arena of the usual stone demons, all ready for battle. "The evil ones are trying to clutter your space. Use the area around you, and defeat them."
The first bit of stone demons tried to grab her, but she Warped off. She reappeared in the air behind them and fired Star Bursts. The next squad that tried to jump at her, she trapped them inside a box barrier and blew them up. Two more ran at her, but she snapped her fingers and Warped them over the edge, watching them fall in the chasm. For the last bit, she just fired Space Lightning and blew them over the edge.
She landed in the center of the field as tons more stone men had her surrounded. She closed her eyes and channeled the space energy around her. "When the space around you is the most cluttered, your powers can bend and twist it until it is perfectly clear again." The galactic leader cupped her hands together and spun them around, twisting the area into a dimensional vortex and destroying every last demon.
She stopped after a few seconds and teleported away, reappearing inside the temple with the Reflecting Pool. "Good… your Element of Space is strong, just as it's been for the past thousands of years… but for such a long period of time, you've kept secrets. You refused to open up, and that led to your inner self to become cluttered."
"Hmph. I had no reason to open up. And I still don't… especially not now."
"Dimentia… I know you are still troubled for what happened in the past… but if your space is to be at its strongest… you must be able to trust those around you. Look into the light to see your path ahead…"
Dimentia just shot him (or at least the sky) a glare and walked over, sticking her face into the pool of light. (Stop the music.)
Squadrons of TIE Fighters and enemy ships patrolled around a massive space station. Inside, Stormtroopers stuck Jirachi in a machine, and Dimentia gasped as the little Star God screamed, being drained of his energy.
Blue Typhoon
Dimentia finally gasped and shot awake, finding herself lying in a bed aboard the Blue Typhoon. She gave a small glance to the door and looked back down, sighing in depression.
Outside
"She's WHAT?" Nigel shouted to Clockwork.
"Dimentia is Jirachi's Guardian." The ghost replied.
"Hmph. I'm surprised you're actually telling us that." Jagar remarked. "For once."
"Mmm. But Dimentia's mind has been cluttered since her return to the living. If she is ever able to fully awaken herself as a Guardian, she must be able to open up."
"Hm. I know that feeling." Blaze said.
"Any volunteers?" Clockwork raised a brow.
Nigel looked around and already felt all eyes on him. He himself even felt he had to be the one to do it anyway. "Sigh. Fine. I'll be right back." He decided, heading inside.
"ANY-howww…" Gabe drew out. "Come on inside! We have another little surprise…"
Gabe led them inside the hangar, where the operatives were shocked, smiling at their 2x4 aircraft, as well as the Sonic crew, seeing their ships. "Sw-e-e-et!" Hoagie drew out.
"Rigged 'em up, all ready for space combat!" Gabe said. "We hopefully won't have much trouble with Gnaa's troops in space now."
Nigel found Dimentia in the Blue Typhoon's control deck, standing by the window and overlooking the ocean. Dimentia felt his presence and turned slightly before looking back at the ocean. The Sector Leader only folded his arms and leaned against the wall. "…I'm not too excited either, Dimentia, so let's get this over with."
Still having her back turned, Dimentia decided to speak. "…For thousands of years, I've always kept to myself. Having no one to trust but my own minions. No real friends to share with. But who could blame me? I was able to manipulate one of the most powerful beings in the universe. A Firstborn, no less. An endless supply of eternal life. …And I ended up creating a universe-wide organization of villain-fighting kids. All for the sweetness of immortality. The only person I told the truth to was Darkrai. And what does he do? He stands against me. So, I knew, right from then… no one could know the truth. I kept up my lie to everyone for over a million years. And every little drink of Dream Water I took to keep me young, my internal space became smaller and smaller, even too little for a Kateenian to squeeze. Until I was finally exposed for the evil I was on the inside. Not the Kids Next Door legend Infinity and everyone came to know. And now that Time Spirit expects me to come back and fulfill a destiny that was already started, but only went bad? I can never go back. I'm better off dead. Grim should've finished me when he had the chance…"
"Dimentia…" Nigel walked over and put a hand on her shoulder. "All that stuff was in the past. It's a new time now. Now is the time to begin anew."
"Oh, don't give me that crud." She snapped, smacking his hand off and facing him with hurtful eyes. "Both you AND Rachel know that I'm, and always have been, no good. I'll always be listed as your highest-ranking supervillain. You can't change the past."
"But you can decide your future. Look… I'm sorry we attacked you earlier. But we need all the help we can to defeat this Dark Master, and that includes you. And you need to fulfill your role as Jirachi's Guardian."
"I've already fulfilled my role, and nothing good came out of it!" she yelled, slapping at the air. "I can never go back to Galaxia…" She turned and looked back out the window. "It's best for everyone…"
"Dimentia-"
"A-HE-HEM." Nigel noticed Numbuh Infinity beside him. "Uh… let me talk to her. I've been with her a lot longer than you have." Nigel just shrugged and walked off as Infinity stepped closer to his former leader. "Dimentia… ever since we first met, I've always looked up to you as a hero to all kids. As an operative who was truly loyal to the Galactic Kids Next Door, I can honestly say I was… very disappointed after finding out the truth."
"Finally, someone who's honest…"
"But the time of lies and deceptions truly is over." He spoke in his professional tone, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Clockwork has given you a second chance. Whether it was for destiny or not. If you help us, people will forget the old galactic dictator. And the Kids Next Door legend to all will be redeemed."
"Hmph." She huffed once more and looked away.
"Dimentia… please… I've always had faith things could change…" he sound more sincere, "if you were just given the chance. And the friends…"
Dimentia looked into the diplomat's pleading black eyes. He always seemed the closest to her, and the one who respected her the most. And if he had faith in her now, despite what she's done, she'd only feel worse in letting him down again. She finally came to a decision after a while of thought.
Minutes later
The two massive starships shot away from the planet's atmosphere and took off for the stars of outer space. "WOOHOOOO!" Marine cheered aboard the Blue Typhoon. "We're goin' back inta SPACE!"
"And good thing the others were able to convince Dimentia to come along!" Toad smiled.
Dimentia stood with the rest of the operatives aboard the Battleship Halberd, watching the planet get further away as the ships flew off, eventually shrinking in the distance. Numbuh Infinity smiled and placed a hand on her shoulder again. "You've really made my day… Sir."
"Hm hm." She smiled and chuckled.
"All systems are check here." Tails reported from his cockpit aboard the Typhoon. "I must say, Gabe did an excellent job repairing this. How're things with you, Meta Knight?"
"The Halberd is working perfectly as always." Meta Knight reported. "We are prepared to take on any enemy attack."
"Poyo!" Kirby cheered.
"Is the lightspeed function operational?" Meta Knight asked.
"Lightspeed is operational." Magolor reported. "Get 'em fired up, Bro. Next stop: Galaxia!"
"3-2-1, 3-2-1!" Marx cheered, still bouncing on his ball. "Go… BLAST OFF!" The cheerful Nightmare slammed his right jester point onto a button, the ship charging for hyperspace.
"Activate lightspeed, Amy." Tails ordered.
"O-kay!" Amy pulled a lever on the Typhoon, and the ship prepared to go into hyperspace as well. Both ships vanished within the blink of an eye.
Somewhere in Galaxia
They both reappeared in a rather black part of Galaxia, approaching a pitch-black planet with several yellow cracks, as well as a yellow aura around it. "Hm. I don't remember ever visiting this part of Galaxia." Nigel said.
"What's that planet up ahead?" Eva asked.
"I dunno… but look!" Hoagie shouted, noticing the many flying pirate ships surrounding the planet. "Aren't those Bowser's ships?"
"Oh, perfect!" Fanny replied. "Fly us in closer! I want ta give that turtle a piece o' meh mind."
"Hmm… something seems familiar about that planet." Dimentia said. "I don't think we should be here."
"According to scanners, the name of the planet is-" Before Magolor could finish, both ships immediately started shaking.
"Oh no! All communications are down!" Tails shouted.
"All power's been disabled." Magolor reported.
"We're going down, we're going down!" Marx cheered. "AHHH!"
"What are we going to do?" Rachel asked.
"I do not know." Meta Knight said. "But be on your guard. I sense darkness from this planet…" The gang looked worriedly as both ships flew in to forcibly land on the planet.
SO, guess where we are: VAPORIA! And next time, we will finally do the SECOND act of this stage! So, yeah, short chapter. Took me a while to think up that Chronicler scene, I don't think it was too good. So, next time, we will return to Vaporia… and a certain spirit revives a beloved character from the shadows. ;) Later!