Haikara, Houzuki Manor
14017 August 7th
It's bright on a sunny day in a bedroom that is posh and somewhat unkempt, due to being out of bed.
Sitting on the side of the bed is a silver hippie cut inkling with orange tinktures, Rei, who has bandages on her arms, her head and a plaster on her cheek and her nose, dressed in a pink pyjama dress that isn't her's.
As Rei looks at her hands and herself in the mirror, everything happened earlier.
Mirai betrayed her friends, Shiki is dead as well as Cap'n Cuttlefish, Shiver and Frye, Big Man is missing and everything Zero explains shocks Rei after hearing the truth behind who Zero was.
Her own friend, who was obviously a demon, was actually her previous incarnation.
She didn't know that she was seeing her true self for 2 years which explains why Zero has forgotten who she was.
She and Serika are looking away from each other in the same room on a bed as Serika is also covered by her arms, a leg, a neck and has a plaster on her forehead to the left.
Serika hasn't spoken ever since Shiki was unfortunately gone forever.
A family member that lost not only her father and her aunt, but her little sister as well.
"Seika… Nothing." Rei had something to say, but was unable to open her mouth.
A door opens as Pearl and Marina approach both Rei and Serika as they're filled with grief and depression.
"You girls…" Marina whispers.
"Hey. I heard what Sheldon, Neku and Hotaru said to me earlier. Holy shit, what happened to you is beyond fucked. What the hell is Tartar thinking!?" Pearl growls after hearing what happened at the Abyss.
"But why Rei of all people? What does he have against Zero?" Marina asked out of worry.
"She's Agent 3, that's why Tartar's after her." Pearl clicks her tongue as she answers. "Also, about Mirai, who in the right fucking mind attacks her own teammate, betraying us for her own gain, lying to us in our faces!?"
"From what I heard, Zero is livid after hearing what Mirai had done. It's for the best to leave h-"
BANG! As Marina was interrupted while yelping, a wall was making a sound.
"You know everything! Tell me, Zero!" A voice that is coming from Ryu, yelled which is the first time he's actually enraged.
"You think I know!? How ignorant are you!? Tartar did all this and I get it! What I don't get is Mirai!" Zero is also shouting as Marina's right about Zero's reaction.
Pearl and Marina gasp as they hastily leave the room where Rei and Serika are at.
In another room where Ryu and Zero are at, Ryu pushes Zero at the wall as he pulls Zero's collar of a hero jacket, with both glaring into each other's eyes.
"Answer me!" Ryu snapped.
"How the hell should I know!? You know you can't let go of Shiki and I get it, but what about Mirai!?" Zero asks bitterly.
"What about her!? You know absolutely nothing about her!"
"Yes I do! We were close friends like brother and sister!" Zero yelled, only for Ryu to hesitate.
"Excuse me?"
"After defeating Mr. Grizz in the future, Mirai has been acting strange as she's looking at me, Shiki, Three, even Callie and Marie. Mirai obviously hates me because I took no notice of her, not even treating her like a sister like I used to." Zero lowers her head as she explains the answer to why Mirai ran away.
"Tell me. What's Mirai's game?" Ryu growls as he wants answers.
"I don't know. It's when she massacred all of us out of pure malice. I forgot to apologise to her." Zero is now bursting to tears after explaining to Ryu.
Ryu finally understands as he drops Zero to the ground.
As Pearl and Marina arrive, Ryu turns towards the Off the Hook duo as he leaves the room despite being covered in bandages under his coat.
The white inkling boy is gone as Pearl and Marina stand in front of Zero, who was down on her knees.
"Zero…" Marina whispers.
"I know, Marina. I failed." Zero grunts.
"What do you mean? Tartar is gone. But Shiki…" Pearl slows herself down after what happened to Shiki earlier.
"Her life is wasted!" Zero snaps.
"What!?" The Off the Hook duo gasps.
"What do you mean?" Marina asked.
"Utsuho has three lives without a spawn point to spare. The first was Frye's interference that cost her a life and second was Shiki's last stand. That means we have one more life left to kill this monster that is a telephone." Zero explained. "I thought we won, but I remember what Tartar has inside the inkling's body."
"The spawn point!" Both Pearl and Marina exclaim as they gasp.
"Exactly. I heard it's not the NILS Statue this time…"
"But NILS Avatar. That means it's Tartar's final resort!" Marina has revealed the answer to what Tartar is hiding.
"Sneaky little bastard he is, huh!" Pearl chuckles.
Zero stands up as she pierces an orange glare.
"Pearl, Marina, you've been following us demons for a long time, right?" Zero asked.
"Yes. As for your body, it'll return to your male form once you go back to the Tree of Order and head to the past. Also, you need to confront Order-03." Marina answered.
"Huh? Why?" Zero halts as Marina points out who Zero was associated with.
"He has something right behind your back. He's an Order, one of the gods of many worlds. The virus, the insanity, all this is the answer you looked away from." Marina said.
"Yeah. And Chaos was my other self from a different world, and I'm not even from here as well. Zero, we're leaving this shithole of a world and creating a new world you desire." Pearl raises her hand as an offer to escape and rewrite the past.
Zero is staring at an inkling and an octoling as she finally comes to a conclusion.
If Zero wants everyone to be happy, then she'll make them happier.
"Sure. Let's leave this world and move forward to our new lives, if Tartar messes up our world, then we'll fix it. But it'll cost us more difficult tasks. The order will be there and a few human population will be a hassle for us to deal with. But I love a good challenge." Zero pulls a grin as she finally gets to face something far more different than the usual octarian loop and Tartar's sanitised army.
"Indeed. Senpai?" Marina asks with a positive smile.
"Hell yeah! Let's kick ass together!" Pearl laughs.
Zero then smiles as she finally leaves with Pearl and Marina.
"What about Ryu?" Marina asks.
"If he wants to stay, then don't blame us for leaving him here." Zero snorts.
Afterwards, the trio returns to Rei and Serika's room as they see Rei standing up and changing to her hero uniform while piercing an orange glare like Zero.
"What're you doing here?" Rei asks.
"We're here to see you, Rei." Said Zero as she shows her calm expression.
"So you know where I'm going…" Rei sighs as she remembers to go back to the Abyss.
"To the Abyss?"
"Yeah. The Tree of Order… It's where Mirai went. The past is about to go into her hands." Rei warned as she's worried about the possible future.
"Actually, I'm here to ask you. You wanna see your friends again?" Zero reveals what Rei wanted for a long time.
Rei stops after hearing what Zero said about her friends.
"Think about it, Rei. Tartar has led them to their suffering. If we can change it, then they won't be able to suffer any longer and you'll make more friends than before." Said Zero.
Rei lowers her head as she can see what Zero is planning on doing this whole time, leading Rei to look into Zero's orange eyes.
"What does it take for me to see them again?" Rei asks.
"How do you feel now?" Zero asks back.
"I already moved on after their deaths… But I want to see them one more time. Dai, Saki, Sayaka, Shiki, Gramps, Fuuka, Utsuho and Mantaro. I want to save them all and see them once more." Rei concludes as she makes her decision.
Pearl and Marina then nod as Pearl approaches Rei and clasp Rei's hands.
"Kid, no matter what happens, Zero will make it possible. He's doing the best he could to make the world an even better place."
"Pearl…"
Afterwards, Pearl, Marina, Zero and Rei turn as they hear a voice screaming from another room.
"Sounds like Aori… I hope she's okay." Marina sighs as she's worried.
"Yeah. That brainwashing device was something else. She's been struggling to sleep ever since you guys went home." Said Pearl.
"Anyway. That's Rei sorted. Serika, if you want to see Shiki once more, now's a good time to come with us." Zero calmly called.
"What's the point? The dead stay dead… Shiki's already gone and you think bringing her back will save her?" Serika asks in a very depressive tone as Zero marches towards Serika.
"But Shiki is still out there. She's waiting for you at the Tree of Order as the inner demon you have."
Serika gasps as she turns around. "Sin? So what you're saying is that…"
"Shiki is actually a demon that is here to protect her older sister. She lost you countless times and now she's playing the sacrificial hero to save your life. All she wants is to see you as her older sister. Her voice is the reason why she loves you, Serika." Zero explained.
"In other words… She wanted me to live instead… Ah… No wonder you're this stubborn, Shiki… Hahaha…" Serika laughs bitterly as she lowers her head.
"So?" Rei asked.
"Let me think about it. I need some time to think." Serika is trying her best to think about her reason to go out.
"Alright. Let's go, Rei." Marina nods as she lets Pearl lead the way, followed by Zero, Rei and herself.
Then the door closes.
Serika opens her phone as she sees a photo of her and her little sister, Shiki, as they're smiling together with Shiki hugging Serika.
Shaking, Serika is trying her hardest not to cry as tears are dropping to her knees.
"Shiki… What am I going to do? Am I really okay with leaving this godforsaken world? Do you deserve a worthless idiot as an older sister? Please… Answer me…" Serika weeps, lost after a couple of days ago as she sinks her head down to her phone and sobs quietly.
In this quiet room, a lonely octoling girl is no longer smiling, but is forever scarred.
In a different room, a grey and green inkling, Hotaru is watching a black and magenta inkling, Aori, panting as she's awake.
"Aori…" Hotaru whispers out of worry.
"Eh? Hotaru?" Aori hyperventilates as she gasps.
With the Squid Sisters reuniting once again, Aori jumps onto Hotaru as she's crying after not seeing her own cousin for a long time.
To Hotaru's surprise, Aori is absolutely traumatised after everything she went through from separating from her cousin, to kidnapping (debatable), to manifesting an alter ego, to mental torture, to wrongfully killing a family member, to being in a nightmarish world, to losing an ally, seeing as Hotaru can tell why Aori is shaking uncontrollably.
"It's okay, Aori… It's okay. I'm here." Hotaru whispers while comforting Aori.
"Hotaru! Hotaru! Please don't leave me! Please!" Aori wails while sinking her head to her cousin's chest.
"Yeah… I won't." Hotaru understands why her cousin is confused, yet frightened at the same time, knowing it could take months for Aori's mental stability to recover.
Arriving, Pearl, Marina, Zero and Rei are standing in front of the Squid Sisters as both Rei and Zero are relieved that they're okay.
"Rei?" Hotaru turns with surprise.
"Rei? Zero?" Aori turns as well as she hiccups.
"Aori… Hotaru…" Rei slowly looks down and then looks straight back at them with a serious expression.
"Huh? You're not calling us your mothers anymore?" Hotaru asks with surprise.
"Yeah. Times have changed and tonight's our last stand." Rei answers as she raises her arm. "I need you two to come with us."
"What?" Aori gasps.
"Hime, Marina, what's going on?" Hotaru asks.
"Apparently, we're going to the next world and we say bye-bye to this shitty world. Aori, what Tartar did to you is absolutely fucked up that it's unforgivable. He manipulated Deep Cut into sabotaging the hypnoshades in order to not only release King, but create an uncontrollable alter ego. She holds your idol name, Callie." Pearl explains as Aori gasps.
"So that's why Callie is hesitant to try to act as a demon, because she knew I was about to die." Aori closes her eyes and then opens it while looking serious. "Callie is trying to protect me this whole time as well as Rei and others. Even Empress is afraid of killing me because I looked exactly like her. Tartar… Where is he?" Aori asks as she calms down.
"Back in the Abyss. He's waiting for us to face him in the Tree of Order." Marina answers as she reveals the information in her tablet.
The location that is the Tree of Order is where the NILS Statue was located in Zero, Pearl and Marina's eyes as near a turf war battlefield.
"But how do we get there? I mean Fuuka can swim there because she's half shark and her ink is resistant to water. We, on the other hand, dilute, meaning we die if we swim." Aori said as she can tell how difficult it is to get to a specific location.
"Wait, Fuuka can swim?" Hotaru gasps with surprise.
"Yeah. Not only the gills on her neck is proof, but she's closer to sharks than we are to other sea creatures." Aori answered.
"Aori is correct. Being a half-breed affects her body overall. But since I'm the richest bitch in Haikara, I can offer you a yacht." Pearl chuckles.
"Wait, you can do that!?" Rei asked.
"Heh. As expected from a Houzuki. Name a past you want me to change?" Zero asked.
The group stops themselves as they're thinking about how to change fate and get themselves a happy ending.
"W- Well, you don't have to answer! I was only asking, that's all." Zero nervously laughs.
"I know. But it's hard to change our past because… What'll happen if we don't meet each other again?" Marina is worried about the effect it'll have with her and her friends' lives.
"Good point. That's how flawed time travel was. It's also convoluted as well." Pearl sighs.
"Then we'll find out for ourselves. I'm coming with Zero to the past." Rei said with a smile.
"Rei?" Zero gasps.
"You did a lot for me before. Now it's my turn to do something for you."
"So you want to return the favour for me? Heh, you never change much, idiot." Zero sighs as she chuckles and smiles.
"Hehe!" Rei giggled.
"Ooh!" Aori leaps up while raising her arm. "If I was a child, then I would not only be an idol, but a hero as well! I will bring anyone to justice and save those in need!" Aori laughs as she's prepared for this.
"That means bribing your grandfather into making you an agent in your childhood? Do you really want that?" Zero asks out of worry.
"Well… Gramps died because of the virus… So I want him to live, so I can protect him and be even stronger!" Aori shouts as she's ready.
"Aori… I want to fight too. I want to protect Aori as much as Gramps. I want Empress to see me before I first meet you, Rei, Zero." Hotaru requested with a serious expression.
"I guess I have no other choice… Rei?" Zero asked.
"We have to." Rei nods as she's also reluctant about doing the deed.
"Then it's settled. Zero, when's the tree growing?" Marina asked.
"Considering we trespassed there, it's about to come out this afternoon. We need to prepare ourselves. Hotaru, keep Aori's mental state in check." Zero warned.
"Already on it." Hotaru nods and then lowers her head after seeing what Mirai did as she and Empress are stunned with shock. "Mirai…"
As the door opens, Serika arrives as she reveals to have her purple ink with blue tinktures, approaching Zero and looking her in the eyes.
"Let me come too. I'm not done with that murderer. He'll pay for what he did to my little sister!" Serika clenches her fists while looking down out of anger.
"Are you sure? If you come, then all the effort Shiki made was all gone to waste. Are you willing to risk it?" Zero asks with a warning.
"I'll take that risk. So take me with you!" Serika growls as Zero sighs and then pat her head.
"Then it's settled, remember what Shiki treasured to you. Don't let it go, okay?"
"Okay." Serika accepts.
"Good. Pearl, Marina, would it be possible to fight Tartar's new creation?"
"Well, with Senpai's voice and Shiki's ink covering the statue that managed to weaken the machine, it's possible to destroy the avatar with you and your friends." Marina concludes the answer.
"I guess we've not much time." Hotaru grunts.
"Not really. Seika, when we face Tartar, please don't be reckless. It's best that you need to think before you act like Shiki wanted." Rei warned Serika.
"Oh? I didn't know you could say that. That's the first time you ever said something like that. You've changed a lot since we met." Serika smiles as she's surprised to see Rei getting smarter as time goes on.
"Hehe. You can thank Zero." Rei giggles.
"Alright. That's all you girls got. Tonight, we'll beat the shit out of Tartar, wreck his ass and save our world for real!" Pearl yells with excitement.
"To think it was before the Chaos vs. Order… Order!? Senpai, I think I got it!" Marina exclaims.
"Huh?" Pearl stops as the group are looking at Marina.
"Just like Zero, I can gain access to the world where the Orders are hiding. There's a chance that I can take you in with me." Marina points at the security inside the Tree of Order that has something to do with the Order.
"Nice call, Marina. It's time we finish this altogether and get these freaks to change our past or let Zero do it with Rei." Pearl punches her own palm while grinning.
"So our objective is to get to the past and keep Rei and Zero alive throughout this operation." Hotaru asks.
"That's right. Aori, Hotaru, don't die on us, okay? Same goes for you, Serika." Marina warned.
"Yeah." Aori, Hotaru and Serika nod as they agree.
"Also, Serika. It's hard that you lost your sister… Heh, I lost someone closest to me when I was young. But it doesn't stop me from moving forward. Now's your chance to avenge Shiki." Pearl rubs Serika's face while cheering her up.
"Hime… Thanks." Serika nods with a positive smile.
"Heh. Anything for a kid like you. Here." Pearl hands out a Hero Roller that is finally complete as Serika is now double equipped with a charger and a roller.
Finally, Zero, Rei, Aori, Hotaru, Serika, Pearl and Marina are prepared for the final battle inside the tree that is about to surface this afternoon.
To Zero, it's all going to end well.
Maybe so… Maybe not…
