Heyo, everyone! Man, today sure is an exciting day to upload this chapter! You know why today is excitable? Ohh, I'll tell ya why.
Today is Smash Ultimate's second anniversary! :D
I thought that today will be a perfect time to upload this next chapter. I bet you guys are hyped for what's about to come! And trust me, so am I as I'm writing this!
...
Wait.
Anyways, I do have to warn you real quick that there is a violent death, tons of blood, dark scenes, and a major character death. So anyone who is sensitive to this content MAY want to skip until the next chapter is out. :/
But here we go. I hope you enjoy it.
P.S.: .YAWA EDAF OT SIHT ROF EMIT
The Inkling and Octoling population was significantly growing downwards with so many of the citizens getting caught. Master Hand clones were still around despite the real one getting freed from Galeem's control. Not to mention that the Minions of Light were doing this job, too.
But while it may have seemed like a job for all of them, it certainly wasn't for Hikari. She hasn't returned to her post back in the main rooms at the Fearical Dome since she met Jenny. And the last time was just a sneak-in.
But that doesn't necessarily count, considering that Jenny was there with her, and they were only there for a little bit so Hikari can continue her own needs while also helping out Galeem at the same time.
Jenny was an interesting person that Hikari could've met and grown with. A rocky start, but still turned out good for the two of them. Both of them love fighting (one loves killing more), both hold swords, and they also have an agreement on rather wanting to go rouge rather than be held back all the time.
As well as how they both have goals on taking over whatever they set their sights on. And both of them have ultimately agreed to let Galeem himself keep the city instead of trying to make him step away from the throne.
Because even Jenny wants those darn Inklings to suffer. And it was then that Hikari truly has...
A real friend.
Looking back at the Square, Hikari and Jenny were still by each other's sides, like any friends would. They haven't found any remaining Inklings or Octolings that are still hiding. And those who still were have yet to be found by these two, or the beasts that roam around the city.
Hikari was standing in a spot where no one else can see them. And Jenny was listening to whatever the white-haired girl had to say back.
"I'm not sure why, but it really was him that got me into pineapple soda," Hikari explained through a small story, "I thought against it at first, but I soon liked it after Lord Galeem offered for me to try it. Way sweeter than any other soda I've had in my life."
"Gee, and I thought pineapple on pizza was considered a crime..." Jenny groaned.
"Sure, but it works well with soda instead of pizza," Hikari giggled, "You should try some when you get the chance. Lord Galeem makes some of the best. It's his go-to drink."
"Heh, besides any type of beer." Jenny smirks as she retorts back a response.
"Oh, no. Galeem may be a trillion years old, but he's not stupid enough to give away beers or any other drink that messes with your mind," Hikari explained, "I mean, have you ever not see what they do to you? Do you know how relationships get more... weird... if anyone was drunk?"
"Love is impeccable. I don't follow any of it." Jenny scoffed, crossing her arms. Hikari gasped and stepped back a bit, shocked at Jenny's statement.
"Wait, Jenny. Are you saying that you never had a boyfriend?" The swordfighter quuestioned.
"No, and I never want one. Love is a stupid little thing. And I don't care about it at all." Jenny exclaimed.
"Wow!" Hikari yelped, "I mean, I don't have a boyfriend either, but I have hope that I will find one one day. I managed to find you, as we both love fighting and taking over, so if I can make a friend in a place I am unfamiliar with, then I'm sure I can find a boyfriend, too."
"I wouldn't hold your breath, Hikari. Chances of that are pretty little." Jenny teased.
"Oh, shut up! You don't know that!" Hikari chuckled as she playfully punches Jenny's arm, earning a smirk from the Elite Octoling Captain.
After that little tease is over, they walked on over to where they can see a better view of the Square. Still chaos. Lots of screaming and torment, and tons of damage being done as well. No mercy for anyone, no matter who it may be.
"So, Jenny." Hikari started as she turned her head towards her Octoling pal.
"What?" Jenny asked.
"Well, I've been thinking we should get a better view of the Fearical Dome again," Hikari replied, "Y'know, I'm going to be heading back there soon, and I wanna see if there's any possible way we can see all the madness being erupted from the confines of the future of this city."
"Hmm... I like the sound of that. And we can talk more once we head on over there." Jenny agreed, placing a hand on one of her hips.
"Heh, great! Let's get a move on now!" Hikari cheered, making her way over to a more clearer part of the city.
"Way ahead of ya." Jenny said with a smirk as she follows the swordfighter.
*about 10 minutes later...*
The two were now underneath the Fearical Dome. Similar to the position they were in for their sneak in, but they were next to it, too, so they can see the sky at a much clearer angle.
"Ahh... isn't it glorious? I love the look of how this city is." Hikari sighed happily.
"Well, you got a giant sphere hovering over that d**n tower that everyone uses to play Turf Wars and all that. I hate the tower, but I do like the dome." Jenny admitted.
"I know, right?" Hikari giggled, jumping with glee, "I love it too! Lord Galeem has really done a great job with carrying out this plan! And he almost succeeded, too! Just a few more perks and all that other jazz, and everything will become ours!"
"Ours?" Jenny asked, "What exactly do you mean by that? And what do we have to do?"
"Oh, it's simple! I heard Lord Galeem re-captured Sonic!" Hikari started.
"And what does that have to do with what we're doing?" Jenny digs deeper into her question.
"Sonic can tell the future mysteriously, and Lord Galeem is going to be using that to his advantage for the future of this world," Hikari explained, "And once that is done, we're gonna carry out this same exact strategy with other known universes! And once all of them are empowered by Lord Galeem's light, we will become unstoppable! No one will stand in our way, and anyone who does will get crushed within our grasps!"
"You're saying 'we' and 'our' like I am part of this." Jenny reminded. Hikari was quite surprised Jenny said that. But confused as well, as she remembered the time they met, and how they agreed to stick by each other.
The white-haired girl approached her friend.
"Why... we agreed that we were gonna go through the City of Light together," Hikari said, "Don't you recall? We were planning on becoming light warriors to help the City of Light grow bigger! Right? Right?"
"Uh... we never went through that, Hikari. Besides, why would I want to help that pointy-winged bright goofball?" Jenny said. Hikari stumbled as she clutches her heart, hearing the insult thrown right at her boss.
Hikari's eyebrows narrowed, not liking how Jenny was suddenly acting in front of her.
"How DARE you insult my boss like that!" Hikari shouted, "He's more than a boss! He raised me and took care of me, and made me become the person I am today! I side with the light, and that's never gonna change."
"And that's fine. It's not like I listen to other's opinions anyway." Jenny giggled, growing an evil smirk on her face.
"We were gonna help Galeem together! I'd introduce you to him, so we all can have our shares on the remains of this city!" Hikari exclaimed, waving her arms in an annoyed motion.
"You think I was gonna accept the City of Light as it is? Since when?" Jenny said in a snarky tone, "I go rouge, don't I? I'm taking this pathetic city over all by myself. The way I imagine it."
"What? Y-You? A... All alone?" Hikari started to shake as her voice gets quieter during the question.
"The way I vision it is simple, Hikari," Jenny explained, "It's all dark and dreary. Blood spilling everywhere. The city becomes a ghost town. Dead bodies lying all over the floor. No Inkling is left in this world. And every Octoling that betrays the dark side gets the same fate. There will be nothing heard and seen in this world. Nothing but the screams of terror, and silence that comes soon after."
"Ergh... y-you sure are sick in the head." Hikari taunted.
"Of course I am. I'm insane for a reason. How else am I determined to kill every last Inkling in existence?" Jenny giggled, holding her head with one hand like an insane person would. Hikari looked at that action in pure disgust, mixed in with some slight confusion.
"That... makes no sense..." Hikari uttered.
"If anyone is gonna take over Inkopolis Square once and for all, it's going to be me." Jenny boasted, placing a hand on her chest.
"You're a moron, Jenny. Lord Galeem already has it under his name! And we were gonna share it all together!" Hikari yelled.
"Since when, Hikari? I'll just kill your boss while I'm at it to take it all for myself." Jenny retorted, not replacing the evil smile plastered across her face. Hikari felt her eyes shrink. And also become a little wet from some slight tears, thanks to what she realized.
She has been betrayed.
"H... How could you do this, Jenny?!" Hikari screamed, "We had a full-proof plan to broaden the City of Light's overall structure! I thought we were friends! How could you just leave me out of the blue like this?"
"For your information, we were never friends to begin with, Hikari," Jenny groaned, "And who's to say I would betray you? Didn't you just say something new out of nowhere, and take the blame off it for me? You're clearly the one who betrayed me."
"Not true, moron! I never agreed with what your future would bring! Dead bodies and blood? That sounds like a gross future!" Hikari ranted, clenching her fists tighter.
"But it's what I like. And now... you decide to step in my way instead of accept it." Jenny said as she shrugs her shoulders. Hikari stepped back some more, wiping her eyes with her sleeve to stop the tears from flowing.
"Oh, Lord Galeem was so right about what friends can bring," Hikari sighed, "I knew I should've never taken chances with you, Jenny. Lord Galeem told me countless times never to make a true friend here. As they will lure you in and bond with them, and then, once things are all settled, they'll stab you in the back."
"Your monologuing tells me you just want what Galeem wants instead of you. And I can end it if you'd like." Jenny exclaimed. Her insane smile grows even wider, and she tilts her head all the way to one side that you can easily hear a slight cracking noise.
Hikari had no choice. She has been betrayed by the one REAL friend that she ever made, and she can no longer stand for it. She only sides with whatever Galeem has planned, and won't change anytime soon. After all, it's the outcome for the City of Light.
With no regret, she takes out her sword, and gets in a fighting stance, gritting her teeth.
"I'm sorry, Jenny, but I must do this for the sake of Lord Galeem's future," Hikari growled, "And if you don't accept it, so be it! We're no longer on good terms! And to end it off, we know the City of Light has no room for the two of us! And now you're just another target! So go ahead and battle me, Jenny! Show me all this insane power that you truly hold! And no running away or forfeiting!"
Jenny, with her insane smile still showing, takes off her shades and crushes them in her grasp, revealing her eyes. Then she would pull out her Octo Sword and point it right at her opponent.
"I won't hold back anything, Hikari!" Jenny shouted, "I have my own views for this world, and in fact, you're just being another target to me! One of us will leave here alive, so I want you to give me your best shot!"
"En guarde!" Hikari shouted as she kept her stance. The two continued to stare at each other for a few more seconds. Their swords were tightly held in their hands, and they looked like they were about to go out there and end it while they still can.
Hikari closed her eyes and thought about the countdown for some time.
3...
2...
1...
GO!
And with that, Hikari and Jenny clash with each other. Their battle started as soon as Hikari's imaginary countdown began, and their swords hit each other with a loud metallic sound echoing throughout the area around them.
And somehow, no one heard them...
This battle is still going on without any damage taken. And whatever Hikari tried, it was no match for Jenny. Because to Hikari, it was no normal match of Smash. This is an actual sword fight more realistic than anything she could've ever done.
In Smash, there's no blood, you can respawn a certain amount of times, and there's a stage in which you can fall off. And in an actual sword fight, the damage is permanent, there can be signs of blood, and if there was any fatal damage...
It's guaranteed to kill the person with no way of respawning back. It was just done, with no friends or family to return to. No nothing.
Hikari tries her hardest to space herself out with her Gale Strikes to blow Jenny away. And while that could work for a while, the elite captain knew she can be ready for it the next time. And Jenny was quite intelligent despite her arrogance.
Even Hikari's special spinning move and side special she perfected wasn't enough to keep Jenny at bay. And most of what Jenny tried to do was quite offensive. Almost... TOO offensive.
She always charged forward as if she was ready to stab someone straight in the chest. And each time, she failed to do just that, as Hikari blocked every time, and would sometimes counter her.
"You have no chance of taking what Galeem and I just achieved, Jenny!" Hikari threatened, throwing another small tornado at her from her sword. Jenny looks over and crazily smiles.
She cuts the tornado in half with her sword, gets pushed a bit by the leftover breeze, then leaps up with her sword held high. As she fell down trying to land an air attack right on Galeem's prized pupil, she dodged just in time, letting Jenny's sword hit the ground.
"Nuh-uh! My destiny will be the one that will be heard anywhere, and yours will crumble into dust!" Jenny shouted. Hikari growls as she lunges at her in the form of her side special move.
"Lord Galeem already obtained the city! You have no way of taking it for yourself once you're gonna see him!" The white-haired girl shrieked. But Jenny blocked just in time as the two try to get the upper hand by clashing their swords and pin each other down.
"It'll come! Ohh, yes it will!" Jenny shouted demonically. Hikari would transfer her ongoing move up to her spin that would temporarily propel her upwards. While it pushed Jenny back, it almost did next to nothing.
And the fight just continues. The sounds of their swords getting close with each other would drown out any other noise that could be heard in the invaded city. And no one could see or hear what this was. Even Galeem didn't notice, despite the fight taking place right beneath their very eyes.
But it may not matter for the two for what's about to come.
The fight lasted for another five minutes. Hikari was sweating and panting, still getting through all of Jenny's reckless charges and blocks, and trying to hit Jenny with one of her own and end the fight once and for all.
But Jenny was somehow maneuvering throughout all different attacks that Hikari whipped out. Tornadoes are avoided, spins were eventually slipped out, and she won't have any of Hikari's lunges or reflectors.
Another minutes passes by. Dust and dirt can be seen on the girls' faces. This fight has been going on for some time now, and Hikari prepares another spinning lunge to get Jenny right where she stands while she wasn't looking.
But as she does so, Jenny does a quick super jump, and it caused Hikari to yelp and trip, stumbling across as she tried to grab Jenny, only for her to grab nothing. Nothing but the air.
And just as Hikari growls while standing up...
STAB
She gasps loudly as she felt the sharpest pain in her chest, dropping her sword in the process. She didn't know what was, but she felt a wet spot in the middle region of her chest, even through her robe. Her breath started to become shaky as she looks down to see what damage has been done.
A knife was shot right through her chest, with the end appearing at the other side of her belly, cutting a small line in her robe to add onto it. It turned a little red, then the red grew brighter as tons of blood was protruding all over her chest.
She would look behind her, and she saw that it was Jenny who caused the stab. And it wasn't through the sword she used in the fight. Instead, it was a knife. One of the sharpest in the world, too.
Jenny smirks as she pulls the knife right off Hikari's chest. In return, the white-haired sword fighter screamed in pain as she fell to her knees, placing her hands on the stab wound.
For Hikari, this was the most painful thing she ever felt. At least in terms of physical pain. She closes her eyes and winced, with tears coming back, and falling down faster more than ever. A small line of blood appeared at the corner of her mouth, and more blood appearing through a cough she let out after.
She opened one eye as she shakes in her spot, a large blood puddle forming beneath her.
"S-So... that's how y-you wanna e-end it? By stabbing me in the chest where L-Lord Galeem will be upset...?" Hikari shakily questioned.
"Yes. It was the same for all my other victims, and it was an incredible sight to see with so much blood." Jenny giggled, taking some of the blood in her hands and slurping it easily. And despite Hikari's severely weakened state, she was disgusted at what she saw.
"W... What the hell are you...?" She snapped. Jenny looks back at her weakened victim, giggling some more after she was done slurping some blood.
"I'm a demonic Elite Octoling Captain, b**ch. Get your facts straight already. I'm the infamous serial killer of Inkopolis Square, and NOTHING stops me." She boasted. Hikari then lays down in the puddle of her own blood.
Laying down on her back, she weakly looks at Jenny, coughing up blood as the puddle gets a big bigger.
"I... I thought we could s-sort things out," Hikari confessed through her weakened state, "I n-never had a real friend before, and... I thought you and I can get along well. I was stuck with Galeem and some of those same creatures I saw countless times before. A-And w-with this opportunity in h-hand a-at the Square... I thought o-one person w-would agree with m-my true intentions. But I-I see... I was wrong..."
"Yes, you were. You should've gone away while you had the chance," Jenny suggested, "But then again, that would consider you a coward. You put up a valiant effort, but your end has arrived. If ONLY our intentions were the same. I would've loved to have a partner in crime for every single killing."
"Jenny... m-mark my words," Hikari spoke as her eyebrows narrowed, "G-Galeem can see everything h-happen. W-When he finds out what h-happened with me, a-and what you d-did... h-he will make sure you never see the light of day again, a-as the City of Light will- AAAAARRGH!"
She screeched again as Jenny pummels the same stab wound with her knife. At this point, Hikari leaned her head down after the scream, as her arms and legs loosen up from trying to stop the blood from flowing.
And shortly after, she let out her last breath as her body completely went limp. Jenny smirked at the sight, but not before licking some more blood from the other stab that Jenny continued to do.
At this point, the blood puddle was huge, and Jenny's knife was drowned in blood. She grabs her knife as she tastes a little more blood, and then roughly grabs the dead Hikari with only one hand.
"Now to dispose the body before anyone does find out," Jenny growled, "I don't care if that Galeem, or those pathetic Agents find out. This girl is dead, and I'll make sure she's no longer found."
Being careful not to be caught, the elite captain walks along with the dead body in her hands, a small blood trail being made as she does so, from both Hikari's stab wounds, and from Jenny's bloodied footprints.
Soon, there was a huge area where light waves were just flowing all around. She looks at the dead swordfighter in her hands and crazily smiles. And then, looking at the light waves, she throws Hikari into the rapid light wave current.
Hikari immediately disappears upon being caught in the waves. And Jenny could no longer see her. Gee, Galeem's attack really was that strong to be causing this type of separation, whether dead or not.
Jenny then sighs with a bored expression on her face. She looks at her blood-covered knife, and decides to head back to Octo Canyon to report anything. Though, we'll never know if she'll admit what happened to Hikari.
Right?
*meanwhile, with Galeem in the Fearical Dome...*
In a huge room, the Lord of Light himself was there, discussing himself about what to plan next as he now as Sonic within his grasp, ready for something deadly to make this City of Light even more dreadful.
Suddenly, he gasped as he felt something spark in his mind. Like it was... something important. But he couldn't tell what, but he had a feeling that something happened to someone he knew very well.
...
Hikari.
"Hrmmmph..." The light god growls under his breath as he clenches one of his wings like a fist. Then he floats on over to another room, where he was ready to torture Sonic for more information to suit his needs.
In the current torrent of light waves, Hikari was stuck underneath. Dead and stuck with no way out. And as the current goes faster, it felt like Hikari's life forced was being dissipated by the second.
Despite this, a message began to be floating around.
".niw ylurt ot enoyna rof gnihton tub ,krad dna thgil neewteb soahc fo tsdim eht ni eb oT ?dne eht ni neppah ot siht rof ylno ,raf siht tnew thgiL fo ytiC ehT
It was in Hikari's voice. And as the last of her completely disappeared, there one one last very quiet message.
"K... I... R... Z..."
A/N: And there we go. It's all done. Yeah, I will admit that I think Hikari's death is one of the most brutal ones that I ever wrote. :/
Quite an unexpected surprise for me to bring out. And on Smash Ultimate's anniversary, too! It's almost madness! :0
Yeah. But dis be my story, and dis be wat happeen (spelled on purpose).
But that's all I got for this story. Next chapter, it's time for the Agents to fight back against Galeem's forces themselves and save Sonic! And boy, it's going to get even more exciting by the minute!
Stay Fresh, everyone, and I'll cya next time for more! And remember to have a SMASHING good time to add onto it! ;)