Welcome to the Abyss
[Re-.. I… Rei!]
"Sheldon?" Rei gasps, which has her group's attention.
[Yeah. I don't know what to say since there's no clock, but as far as I recorded, Zero and Neku are at the Tree of Order.] Sheldon explains.
"Zero? Tree of Order?"
"Urgh! This is giving me brain damage! What in the world is going on!?" Aori exclaimed.
"Apparently, we're facing a sanitised horde and what Deep Cut has done, it was orchestrated by the telephone itself." Serika explained.
"Huh!? And what about the Tree of Order?"
"Yeah. Could you explain it to us, Sheldon." Rei is also curious to know what Sheldon is talking about.
As Sheldon explained everything from Mirai's recruitment to the Deepsea Metro incident to Aori's alter ego to Zero and Neku's deal in the abyss and Elsa and Sora's disappearance.
"So Sora's Saki and Sayaka's mother… I really need to apologise to her." Rei is feeling guilty after the events from 2 years ago.
[If Elsa and Sora are around, they'll say it's not your fault. Zero has revealed that Commander Tartar is the one that killed them.] Said Sheldon.
Rei knew Sheldon was right and was also agreeing with him after Serika, DJ Octavio and Callie were listening.
"Speaking of Zero, where is the Tree of Order?" Rei asks.
[The sea. The red water is very deadly, so it's better if you have either a plane or a boat in this ghost city.] Sheldon suggested.
"And where are they!?" DJ Octavio asked.
[Remember, it may be similar to Inkopolis, but different structures will get you lost. Since Zero and Neku found a boat, I'll pinpoint the location. Once you set foot inside the tree, the connection cuts off. That's why I lost contact with Zero and Neku.]
"What about Mirai and Marie?" Serika asks.
[I'll contact them, right now, you guys need to get out of there. The virus is spreading and it's far worse than the sanitisation.] Sheldon warned.
As Sheldon stops calling, Serika is staring as Rei approaches her.
"Seika?"
"Rei. What in the world is that?" Serika whispers out of fear.
"Hm? Huh!?" Rei gasps.
What the group witnesses is a dragon that is staring back at the group and growling.
"A- Aooo…"
"I- I…" Before Aori opens her mouth, DJ Octavio's tentacles are covering her mouth.
"Shaddup! Do you want to get splatted!?"
"Rheeeeiii… Zeeeerhooo… Siiinn…" The dragon's distorted voice sounds familiar as it approaches the group.
As the dragon gets closer, the group are staying quiet and guarding each other which makes them look like statues.
The dragon grunts and then flies off, causing the group to sigh.
[The Abyssal Dragon. You need to be careful since that thing is unkillable.] Said Sheldon.
"Thanks, Sheldon." Rei sighs.
Even though she's relieved, why is she scared?
Nothing…
No enemies.
It really is a ghost city.
Even Rei is curious about why those crystals Sheldon warned are the virus that shouldn't be touched.
Then they found it. The ship that'll take them to a large silhouette that is far away from them.
"So this is the tree. It's so huge." Rei is surprised to see a tree that is unnaturally so huge that it's unrealistic.
"Rei, when we get out, I… I wanna tell you something… Even when Rii, Shiki and Mirai showed up, I wanted to go back to the way we once were. Just the five of us together. While Mirai isn't in our childhood, she's a part of our family." Said Serika.
"Seika. You're my friend. I'll never give up on you, even if it hurts me a lot." Rei grins as Serika pats Rei's shoulder.
"No. We'll never give up on each other. Why? Because you're the very thing that saved me and Shiki. If only I was like you…"
"We were once enemies. I don't want to repeat the cycle that was from Gramps and Takowasa. Also you're amazing as yourself, Seika."
Even when down in the dumps, Rei is still able to cheer Serika up as she gives out some courage, leading Serika to hug Rei.
"Thank you, Rei."
"It's okay, Seika." Rei returns the favour by hugging Serika.
"Oi! You gals done talkin'!? We gotta go!" DJ Octavio shouted.
"Yeah! Hurry up!" Aori calls while waving.
Both Rei and Serika nod as they hop aboard the ship and then sit down by taking a ride on a large vehicle.
"This is Cap'n Callie Cuttlefish speaking, preparing for takeoff!" Aori announced as the ship started to move and hit the seas. "Onward! Towards the large tree thing!"
"Yeah! Let's go!" DJ Octavio roared.
For a ship this large, it's moving so fast as it's giving the group a breeze.
For half an hour, the group are listening to Rei's singing as it soothes the group by listening to 'Calamari Inkantation.'
Despite how soothing that is, what stops Rei from singing is a splashing noise.
Arriving on a boat is none other than Shiver.
"Hello, boys and girls. It seems your destination is coming to a halt."
"Shiver." Rei called out as the group raised their weapons.
"Finally turning yourself in, traitor?" DJ Octavio growls.
"Ahahaha! No." Shiver quickly answers bluntly as she releases her Splatana Wiper and creates shadow clones of herself. "You have something that belongs to me. Hand it over."
"The fourth thang!? No way!" DJ Octavio snapped.
"So what do you need this thing for anyway?" Aori asked out of confusion.
"For treasure. Deep Cut will not stop their massacre until they get what they wanted." Serika explained.
"That is correct, Sin. All we want is our reward, but the truth is that the four thangs are not what you think."
"What?" The group halts.
"Remember how I let Rei out for free, even without any risks of dying? This is the promised land you've been searching for this whole time." Shiver reveals what being outside without any Kamabo Co. equipment.
"So that means…"
"You've all chosen death without realising the truth behind it all. I play along so I can sell it for money." Shiver answered.
"And what about Frye?" Rei asks.
"That faker? I'll kill him. There's a reason I faked being a part of his cause… Now, Rei, since you're after me, how about a duel. You don't have Zero anymore which means I have the upper hand." Shiver giggles.
"That's where you're wrong, Fuuka." Rei speaks out as she smirks.
"Huh?"
"What? But, Rei!" Serika gasped.
"You don't have Zero anymore!" Aori protested.
"I know. But I never relied on Zero. Only when things are desperate and this is just a duel. I splatted her once and I'll do it again." Rei explains.
"Bold of you to say that, child. Tonight will be Master Mega's feast!" Shiver laughs and then zooms towards Rei.
Then the battle begins.
A Hero Shot 0 and a Splatana Wiper clash as Rei slides under and fires her ink at a bunch of shadow clones and boots the real one at a hasty pace.
"Kh! Not bad, but can you handle this!" Shiver summons 2 black sharks made out of ink as Rei prepares herself.
"Be careful, Rei!" Aori yelled.
"Yeah. Fuuka's a very different opponent compared to your average octoling!" Serika called.
"I know! That's why I'm playing my trump card!" Rei said while chucking 3 Splat Bombs, yank the can as it contains a special weapon. "Game over, Shiver."
As Shiver's sharks drill their way as Rei turns into a large squid that is a Kraken, drilling towards Shiver's shark shield as it spreads both silver and black ink.
"Rei!" Aori shrieked.
"Don't you dare die on us!" DJ Octavio boomed.
At the air, Shiver grunts as she can tell that Rei and Zero are on a different level of power as it causes her sharks to lose themselves.
"I- I don't understand! What are you!?"
"I am Agent Zero, and I will put a stop to your horrible actions!" Rei shouted as she ended up losing her ink.
Unfortunately for Rei, the kraken is gone, causing her to gasp as she falls.
But fortunately, she grabs Shiver's legs and pushes her down, taking Shiver with her.
Slam and then boot Shiver to the fence and super jump on her as well as punching Shiver's face, Rei is now on the upper hand as she slows down and pants.
Then a Hero Shot 0 is pointing at Shiver's beaten up face.
"I won, Shiver." Rei pants as she puts away the gun.
"You're sparing me? Why?" Shiver asks.
"Because it wouldn't be fair if you don't answer why you're doing this to Fuuka. Tell us."
Shiver is now surrounded by Rei, Serika, Aori and DJ Octavio as they're looking into her eyes.
Shiver chuckles as she's lying down.
"Oh, Rei… I never had a past. Zero and I are never from the same world. But I was filled with jealousy, no, slothfulness. Oh how I envy you. Every world I go to, I always lose which makes me never want to be a part of this world. I thought my sin of sloth is the reason I lost, but I guess it's something else…"
"It's arrogance." Fuuka speaks out in her body.
"What?" Shiver gasps.
"Like you said: I have flawed logic when it comes down to being cold-blooded. But you're the one who clings onto your superiority complex, when you actually have an inferiority complex. It's true that Mantaro's existence and Utsuho's forehead are more popular than Fuuka, that is me, but… What about you?" Fuuka has finally called out what Shiver said to her earlier as it becomes a role reversal.
The group remained silent as Shiver's smile had broken.
"Damn it! Why can't I win!?" Shiver grits her teeth as Serika goes down on her knees.
"Like your true self said, it's arrogance. Do you not remember when you left the octarian army a long time ago?" Said Serika.
Shiver stops as tears are running which are not from Fuuka, but herself.
"I guess… You're right. Fuuka, tell me, will you forgive me for the things I did to you?"
"No. But I'm gonna keep that demon power as a way to face a certain friend. Shiver, thank you…" Fuuka sighs.
In the end, Shiver super jumps away from the ship as Rei's group are watching a blue octoling hopping towards the tree alone.
[Everyone, you're almost there. From what I heard, Shiver's not doing too fresh.]
"I'm aware of that. Sheldon, when we enter, will we go back?" Rei asked.
[You're most likely will. Good luck.]
After Sheldon hangs up, the group are watching as they're closer to the Tree of Order which means their ticket to home is coming.
Outside the Tree of Order, Fuuka is panting back to her body as she's struggling to walk.
"It's been awhile since I was able to walk again." Fuuka sighs.
It is until she saw Big Man standing all alone.
"Mantaro?"
"Ay! (Sup, Shiver!)" Big Man waves his flipping arms with excitement.
"I think you're mistaken. I'm me again." Fuuka giggles.
"A- Ay!? (Fuuka!?) AY! (Fuuka! I'm glad you're back!)" Big Man cheers as he hugs Fuuka.
"Ufufu. Now. We should leave this place. This world is too dangerous for us to stay in." Fuuka warned.
"Ay! (Sure!)" Big Man agreed as he walked ahead.
As the remaining 2 Deep Cut are walking together, Fuuka sighs as she's watching the white sky and then looks away until.
A black metallic crystal darts through Fuuka's chest as she gasps.
Crash.
"G- Gah! Wh- M- Mantaro!?" Fuuka gasped, only to have witnessed crystals growing out of her body. "Why!?"
"Ay. (You're not Fuuka.) Ay. (You've been imitating her for a long time.) AY! (GIVE HER BACK!)" Big Man growled.
"No! Mantaro! Please! It's m-"
"AY! (SHUT UP!)" Big Man snaps.
This leads to Big Man landing on top of Fuuka and continuing what Rei has left off by beating her down, spreading a few ink on the floor as Fuuka ended up in an inky mess.
In the end, Fuuka is left with no one to save her as Big Man steps on her stomach and then kicks her.
"Ay. (So long, Shiver.)"
Now Big Man is gone.
Fuuka is all alone.
Nothing can cure her.
Nothing can save her.
"It seems that Mantaro is no longer with us. Deep Cut is dead." Shiver sighs.
Shiver is right… Deep Cut is dead…
"Ufufu… Ahaha… Ahahahahahahaha! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Cackling, Fuuka is no longer herself anymore as she finally understands what betrayal feels like.
"Fuuka…"
"Mantaro! Mantaro has betrayed us! Isn't it wonderful, Shiver!? ISN'T IT!?"
To Shiver's surprise, Fuuka's laugh is so unhinged as she's unable to listen, even Shiver herself is normally the crazy one.
"Hey, Shiver."
"What is it, Fuuka?"
"I want Zero to change the past." Fuuka bitterly chuckles.
Shiver understands why Fuuka ended up like this after years of torment and this is what she becomes. Even Shiver knows no one is to blame but herself.
For once she agreed with Fuuka.
"Then let's wait for him. But first, let's deal with Commander Tartar."
"Fine…"