Charlie's POV

When I heard that stomach-turning scream, my wits sharpened, my adrenaline started pumping.

"Captain did you hear that!? That was Brittany!" Alph freaked.

"Of course I heard it! She must be in trouble! Come on let's get moving!"

With my Koppad in hand, we hastily followed Brittany's signal. When we got to this dense path, we heard these horrid sounds. Whatever it was it sounded huge… considering what we've been going through on PNF-404… oh no not another monster…

We burst out of the brush into an open area, not even in my scariest nightmares could I picture what I saw. A giant walking land mass with an eyeball jutting out of a crystal!? I saw Brittany running our way, to my relief she looked all right.

"What in the blazes!? Brittany are you okay!?"

In between pants she replied, "I'm fine! I tracked Olimar's signal to here when all of a sudden that piece of land turned into a monster!"

"Uh Captain?" Alph nervously said, "Olimar's signal is following that beast..."

I was hoping I had misheard him, "Come again?"

"I said, Olimar's signal is following that beast. I think it's safe to say that Olimar got ate by that thing..."

I shook my head, "Great...

Alph's POV

"So what's the plan Captain?" I asked.

He thought for a moment, "Hmm... The best thing we can do right now is find it's weakness. Now where in the would could it be?"

Brittany continued staring at the crystal, "Captain! There's something pulsating inside that crystal! That could be it's heart!"

Both of us checked it out ourselves, luckily the monster was calm enough for us to get a good look. Sure enough there was something pumping inside.

"Excellent Brittany!" Charlie commented, "That's the plan! We'll crack what's left of that crystal and attack it! If we're lucky that's it's weak point!"

"How are we going to do this?" I questioned.

"Okay, the three of us are going to approach it from different angles. Alph, you go to the right with the blue Pikmin, Brittany, you go to the left with the yellow Pikmin, and I'll approach it head-on with all the others. When I give the signal via Koppad, both of you will approach it in sync. Hopefully this will confuse the creature, then I'll approach it head-on and start bombarding the crystal with the rock Pikmin! Then when the crystal breaks, we rush the weak point all at once!"

Brittany was anxious, "I'm worried, what if that's not it's weak point?"

"We'll figure something else out Brittany don't you worry!" Charlie assumed, "You can always count on me remember!"

I added my own comforting words, "It's worth a shot Brittany, and we have to get to Olimar."

She nodded, "Right! When we do get him back! I have a few words for him for stealing our juice!" She was all fired up now.

"All right team! Let's get into position!" Charlie commenced.

I snuck my way to position through the bushes with Brittany doing the same. Once I was in my spot I nervously awaited for Charlie's orders.

This is going to be risky...

Brittany's POV

I waited in my place for the Captain's signal, gosh it's a miracle itself that we've made it this far with all that we've encountered here. But now I'm hoping for another miracle that we can all get through this and make it home safe...

"Alph! Brittany! Move now!" Charlie gave us the command via Koppad, confidently but fearful at the same time I ran out toward the beast. I could see Alph on the opposite side.

The monster's eye glaced at me, then at Alph, and back and forth. It seemed hostile, but not quite sure what to make of us at the same time...

Charlie ran forward while it was distracted and pelted the crystal with rock Pikmin, the shocked monster gave a roar, sending us all back into the brush. Now the beast was agitated and stomping all around making giant mud puddles.

Seconds later, the fractured crystal began to crackle, in the blink of an eye the whole thing shattered apart! I guess we did enough damage. It froze in its tracks gazing at the small shiny pieces of broken crystal.

We all charged it at once, hoping it would be easier.

I thought it'd be simple after that, but boy was I wrong...

Charlie's POV

In a split second the bad just got worse, that swamp monster started thrashing and stomping wildly once it learned it's weakness was exposed. Throwing us all in different directions. My first concern like always in a situation like this is to look for my teammates, I saw Brittany sprinting frantically trying to avoid the monsters colossal feet. I made an impressive dash toward her and commanded the winged Pikmin for her. To my surprise they knew what to do; they dove for her and swept her in the air out of harm's way, they brought her to me.

"Charlie where's Alph!?"

My eyes scanned around the beast, I had to find him fast. As luck would have it I spotted him in the swampy mud water directly under the giant, swimming desperately to avoid getting crushed by the panicked creature.

"Stay here where it's safe!" I told Brittany, "I'm going to get him!"

I ran like hell into the danger zone. I spotted him in the swampy mud water directly under the giant, swimming desperately to avoid getting crushed by the panicked creature. I was about to make a bold move, but just as quickly he had to dive to avoid a crushing blow. He reemerged but in an even quicker pace a wave caused by the monster's rampage forced him back under.

I gotta do something fast or he's dead!

Just as I finished my thought the creature whirled around and started running for me! I tore like heck across the deep mud.

Now I'll be dead if I don't move!

I flipped around and scampered madly out of the way, the ground shook like a seismic wave beneath me causing me to stumble.

I heard the other predators of this forest panicking at the oncoming chaos. Trees were falling! Boulders were being crushed to pebbles! The ground was being caved down by this gigantic brute! It was chaos! Absolute chaos!

The beast suddenly veered around and began to head for a massive tree. I feared the worst. The sound when the creature impacted the tree sounded like a massive explosion. To my surprise the tree didn't even budge! The monster fell on its body and by a stroke of luck a large, sharp branch fell from above and pierced right smack-dab into the center of its body. The monster made an agonizing roar before it fell out of my sight. I couldn't tell whether it was dead or not.

All of the forest was quiet now, except for the rain. From behind me, I heard the little noise that the Pikmin make when they're carrying something.

What I saw made my stomach turn, a small group of blue Pikmin emerged from the giant mud pond carrying Alph. I wasn't sure that he was all right.

I ran to him, "Alph!"

The blues set him down in front of me, they too, looked nervous. They had a sad look in their eyes and were making worried sounds.

Fortunately, he casually climbed out of his dazed state, "Captain? What's going on? Where did-?"

"Alphie!" Brittany had rushed over, interrupting him, "Are you okay!?"

He gave her an impish smile, "I'm a little dizzy from the tossing around but, I'm okay."

"I'm glad you're okay." She softly said. Huh? Why is her face suddenly red?

The thought of Olimar flashed in my mind, "All right guys, we have to find Olimar. You did say his signal was coming from that beast right Alph?"

Alph jumped to his feet, "That's right! He'd better have some answers for us when we get him! So where is the monster?"

"Right over there!" I directed to the saving tree, "Let's go get him! Onward! Forward! Through the fog!"

"Or in this case rain!" Brittany corrected me.

"Whichever! Let's get going!"

Off into the woods we went, tromping through mud and sopping plants. Not the most pleasant thing to do, but we kept our heads high and wits about! Approaching the signal with caution, we came across a rather surprising sight.

Olimar was laying right next to the creature, unconscious again it figures. But miraculously the beast was dead! By pure luck we were bailed out of another jam! I do admit it was quite a gruesome sight, the massive branch pinning the monster's corpse to the ground.

All of a sudden a massive fruit fell from above, possibly fell from the tree the beast crashed into.

Naturally Brittany was the first to make a comment, "Wow! What a delectable looking piece of fruit!" She just as quickly became angry, "And there's Captain Olimar... that food thief! He better still have our juice!" She began moving toward him fast.

I reached out to stop her, but Alph took her hand first saying, "Brittany, take it easy. As much as we all want to after what he did to us, it'd be a bad idea to hurt him."

She stared at him, but instead of looking mad she looked... flushed?

Never mind, "It looks like he's back in his unconscious state... Let's get him back to the Drake!"

"Don't forget the fruit!" Brittany added.

Back at the Drake, we analyzed both the fruit and Olimar. As I feared his suit had put him back into stasis. Fortunately he still had all of our juice.

"Oh thank goodness he has my ducky!" I blurted out, snatching my comfort object into my arms and hugging it tight. Not caring that Alph and Brittany were staring at me weird.

"Captain Olimar is going to pay for stealing our food!" Brittany fumed, "When he wakes up he is in for an interrogation of a lifetime!"

Alph's POV

We managed to capture the thief Olimar, that Hocotation who had been eluding us, Brittany was still angry even after we took off into low orbit. But she has every right to be! She had just gone to the storage to get something... O-KAY she just came back with a rope. She's going to tie up Olimar. Well at least he won't run away anymore.

This may seem a bit odd to say but... Brittany's fiery side really emphasizes her beauty ... Well, she already is quite lovely even if... Gah! What am I drifting off too!?

Okay where was I? Um... Right! We retrieved our stolen food supplies, and Charlie was quite happy to have his rubber ducky back. Hmm... I'm starting to think that something really fishy is going on here...

We need to get to the bottom of things...

Author's Note: Hi guys and girls, friends and neighbors, how's it going? I hope everybody had a wonderful New Year! I would like to apologize for this late update. I was busier than I thought I would be! (Figures this happens when I do a cliffhanger ending...^_^") I hope you guys are happy with this chapter as I. Now next chapter will be quite fun! :D

Stay Flying everyone!