Makoto stood on the smooth surface of the Super air destroyer Leviathan. "You may go back to Laputa now." He commanded the robot. It activated its wings and flew into the sky.

Crouching on the ship, Makoto placed the red crystal on the smooth surface of the air destroyer and uttered a spell. A hole appeared where there was armour plating, and he dropped in.

Creeping along the shaft, he discovered an air vent filled with a putrid stink. Let me guess. The medical room. Moving along, the well-trained young guard felt a sudden explosion rock the entire ship.

"What was that?"

Looking below, Makoto saw two soldiers at a table.

"I don't know!" One of them replied in surprise.

"Go and find the captain! Maybe he'll have some answers!"

"Right!"

Once the soldier was well away and only the one soldier remained, Makoto dropped down beside him.

"What was that…HEY! Who are –"

Wham! A well placed elbow to the head knocked him out. Searching his body for any useful items, Makoto found a revolver fully loaded, and he took a few more bullets and dropped them into his pack.

"Hey!"

Spinning around wildly, Makoto drew his new revolver.

"Down here!"

Looking down, the Laputian saw Pazu underneath the grill. "Why are you here?" Makoto demanded.

"Hey, don't be crazy, but wee had to help you some way! And besides, we hitched a ride from some old pira – uh, friends."

"Well, what are you going to do? Is Sheeta with you?"

"Yeah, but don't worry, she'll be safe with me."

"Good…well, I guess since you're here I might make you useful…Try to get into the engine room and jam it. Sheeta will help you in getting the Etherium to co-operate. Tell her to focus on it, to try and imagine the Etherium core as a person who replies and talks to you. Then communicate her wishes."

"Got it." Pazu crawled out of sight.

Walking along, Makoto headed for the main cockpit. With luck, that was where the general and the self-destruct switch would be.

For some strange reason, there didn't seem to be anyone aboard the ship. It was odd, considering the amount of people this thing could hold.

Reaching the cockpit, Makoto drew his gun and ran in.

The cockpit didn't seem to be as complicated or as large as other ships. It was simple, bland in colour and there were only a few switches and levers.

The general appeared out of the shadows. "Welcome, Makoto," He said coolly. "I've been expecting you."

"How did you know I would come?" Makoto demanded.

"HOW? My dear boy, I could guarantee you would come. You see, you're just like your father, always playing the hero, being a fake!"

"DON'T YOU CALL MY FATHER A FAKE!" Makoto raised his gun.

"Oh my, you have just as short a temper as well. Unlike your mother, of course."

"LEAVE HER OUT OF THIS!"

"When she was on her knees, begging for mercy and begging me to spare you, I laughed! I killed her with a bullet to the arteries, so she bled to death!"

"Don't make me!" Makoto's grip tightened on the gun.

"Go ahead! Shoot me, if that's what you want! Or aren't you a hero anymore?"

"It's not what I want. I want to destroy this infernal machine!" Makoto walked over to the controls, scanning each of the switches.

"Oh, I doubt you'll do it. With your little friends on board, I doubt you will."

Pazu and Sheeta! Damn it! They weren't part of the plan!

"Oh, they've been captured of course. You think that all the abandoned corridors were coincidences? You fell into my trap!"

Simultaneously many gun clicks were heard.

"I think I'll kill the boy first. He'll die in quite a good deal of pain, naturally. But I'll keep the princess as a pet after her use is up."

"USE? WHAT USE?"

The general cackled. "To find Laputa of course! We're going to gain hold of that Etherium crystal that makes it float, that used to make its weapons systems work, then we'll be unstoppable!"

"NOT IF I CAN STOP YOU FIRST!" Makoto took the red crystal out of his pocket. "This crystal has enough power to destroy us all! You'll never get the power of Laputa, because we'll all die in this tomb!"

"Oh, don't make me laugh, Makoto. You still have duties to the princess."

The guard hesitated. If he destroyed the ship, he would save the world but then he would fail his honour…

NO! He needed to do this!

The princess!

Laughing in absolute pleasure, the general decided to push him further. "I was lying, Makoto. You have failed your duties! The princess is dead!"

"Then you and I with her!" Makoto screamed. "BALOS!"