"...Mario?"

Luigi called out to his bro after he stepped onto the clear white sandy beach in the moonlight. His brother, a gloomy-looking Mario wasn't looking so good, as he was just staring out into the ocean, with his legs folded and sitting down. It was silent. Mario was not making a single movement. The only sounds heard were the waves crashing onto the shore. Mario was just inches away from the water. His shoes not being wet, but sandy. Mario did hear his bro after a while. He got up and faced Luigi. "Oh. Hey bro."

"Hey, Mario. Can't sleep, huh?" Luigi looked out onto the shore.

"Hah hah." Mario chuckled as he went back to looking at the endless ocean. "I could-a say the same to you, bro." He was lighthearted, but clearly depressed.

"Yeah, the signal jamming, huh? I'm scared of it."

"Me too, bro. I'm worried about losing you. I don't want-a that to happen. I'm-a also worried for Shido and what the Yamai are doing to him."

"Well, look on the bright side!" Luigi thought. "I'm sure there's a perfectly good reason why Fraxinus can't get to us! I'm sure the signal will be fixed no problem, and then we can get outta here and-"

"I don't-a want to run away from the danger." Mario interrupted. "I want to protect everyone from-a it."

Luigi went silent. As if needles could drop onto sand and still be heard. Mario, staying behind on a dangerous island to protect everyone.

"Even-"

"Even everyone we haven't found yet." Mario finished. "I'll-a get everyone, round up Princess Peach and-a Yoshi, and find a way home. That much I can promise. Because it's-a-me, Mario." He gave a thumbs up.

Just then, the red plumber got up, as he slowly walked back.

"Mario, where are you going?" Luigi quickly hurried along behind him.

"To bed. I'm-a tired."

"Yeah, let's just go to sleep..."

Once daylight rose, Shido was sitting on the beach with his swimming trunks.

Reine was communicating with Shido via earpiece. "Okay, let's review the plan."

"Alright.." Shido sighed.

"We'll have you and the Yamai Sisters spend today's free time at that private beach. I have given Kaguya and Yuzuru each intercoms so I can tell them what to do."

"Okay." Shido confirmed. "So then I just pretend I don't know about that and let them win me over?"

"That's right." Reine was straightening her hair. "If they understand that following my directions will make you fall for them, I will be able to control their actions to some extent."

"In other words, we might be able to seal both of them at the same time. Two birds with one stone." Shido smiled.

"That's right. If you seal one of the girls, there's no way in knowing on how the other will react."

Shido nodded.

Reine was just monitoring Shido with her tablet. "Communications with Fraxinus have not yet been restored. However, if we do not seal the Yamai Sisters now, we may never get a second chance." Reine pressed a button on her tablet, which brought up camera footage of the two Yamai getting changed into their swimwear. "There are many risks involved, though..."

"I understand.. if I can seal the two without any fighting... I'll try and do it. Honestly, I'm not sure if I can, though."

"We're counting on you." Reine said, without changing her tone. "They are almost done changing. In order to avoid confusion, I'm going to cut this line of communication for now. Don't forget to compliment them on their swimsuits."

The communication ended. Shido was still smiling with an 'end my life' soul inside of him.

"So this is where you were, Shido!" Aaaand it begins. That voice was definitely Kaguya.

"Discovery: I have found you, Shido."

"O-oh. Hey, you two! Those swimsuits look good on you!" Shido was silently sweating to himself. "You look very pretty."

Kaguya instantly went red. "Y-you got that right!"

Yuzuru did not change. "Acknowledgement: Thank you very much."

Then they both turned and tapped on their ears. Shido realised what this meant. They were communicating with Reine. "Hm, I see, roger that..."

"Noted: I understand."

Kaguya suddenly whipped out a bottle of sunblock. "O Shido! I will allow you to apply divine protection from the miasma of light on my body!"

Yuzuru just casually whipped hers out. "Petition: Please put sunblock on me."

"S-Sunblock?!" Shido sunk into himself.

They both nodded at the same time.

Meanwhile with heckin' Kannazuki. "Man, it's hard to work up much enthusiasm when there's nothing to do... To do something that can't be undone... and then recieve a good scolding from the commander... I had expected something like that..."

Everyone was staring at Kannazuki just hopelessly lying against the commander chair. "And as expected, he's useless."

"If at least Analyst Murasame were here..."

"Should we try contacting her later?"

Everyone grumbled as they continued to stare at Kannazuki.

Yoshino was then looking at the TV screen, watching the girl in the drama slowly undress herself.

"Oh, this is steamy... Way steamy!" Yoshinon was watching with pure terror.

Mario peeked out of the airport hotel. "Shido! Where are-a you?"

Luigi peeked out above Mario. "He always does this when we're not looking!"

Mario folded his arms. "Gosh, he's-a gonna get himself killed! For real this time, I-a bet."

Luigi thought. "Could it be he's with the Yamai somehow? We must've missed something."

"C'mon!" Mario stepped out of the airport, wearing casual summer wear instead of his normal plumber attire. "Let's-a-go to the beach!" He bolted out into the boiling sunlight. The sun was really hot today. Perfect for beach episodes and some sunblock. Unfortunately, Mario wasn't in the mood for either. He made his way down the airport road and went down the side road where he could see the beach. He saw Shido in the distance.

"Ah, there he-a is... And he's.."

The Yamai were flat on their stomachs, tops naked, and having sunblock splattered all over them. Doesn't help that the sunblock looks like something else that's white.

"Oh mama-mia." Mario facepalmed. "He is doing Alabama with them!"

Mario jumped down to the private beach. Shido turned, and instantly turned red. "Mario, please don't-!"

"I'm-a just..." Mario raised his hand up. "Not-a gonna say anything."

Luigi was on another section of the beach, thinking to himself.

"Huh.." He turned to a light blonde female who was hiding in the rocks from Tohka and Origami. The woman seemed to be communicating with someone. She then got up and made a sprint towards them while still communicating.

Luigi felt a churn in his stomach and was ready to put up a fight if necessary. But alas, the woman fell into a trap and the three gossipers instantly came out.

"Huh. A trap. Who-"

"We got her, girls!" Ai cheered.

Luigi sighed. "Of course it's those three."

Mai put her hands on her hips. "Well done! Now, what do we do with her?"

Mii finished. "I got something that'll be so lame..."

"..."

And then, after a few hours, the woman and Tonomachi were buried together with questionable drawings in the sand next to them.

"I see, I see." Tohka was standing in front of the Yamai, Shido and Mario. "So you four got lost and ended up here!"

"Yeah..." Shido lied.

"Yeah, ha ha ha..." Mario also lied.

Kaguya nodded. "That's my kinswoman, Tohka! Hastening to her master's side! Well done!"

Yuzuru also nodded. "Wonder: I did not think Master Origami would come to a place like this."

"Kinswoman?" Shido eyed Tohka.

"Master?" Mario eyed Origami.

"Yup." Kaguya affirmed. "She seemed to have a bright future. So, yesterday, we performed a baptism of darkness and exchanged bonds."

"Explanation: I was moved by Master's determination and asked to be her disciple."

"A-ah..." Both Mario and Shido started to sweat.

"So." Origami spoke up, without changing her tone. "Shido, what were you and the others doing alone?"

"Um.. Well.." Shido started to fumble for an excuse.

Just then, another voice came up from behind. A sleepy woman's voice. "I thought we could play a little beach volleyball."

Everyone turned to the soon-revealed Reine, holding a volleyball in a swimsuit that was... quite revealing, especially with something as large as - that volleyball!

"Why did you suddenly appear, Reine?" Shido asked.

"Since Tohka and Origami appeared, we have to change the plan." Everyone drew sticks on a bucket to determine teams for the volleyball. Except Mario. He was sitting this one out. "We'll have you, Kaguya and Yuzuru strengthen your bonds by playing together. Gregon, Jackson and Spencer are on this side." She pointed left. "Alexander, Abraham and Anthony are on the other court." She pointed right.

Mario looked at the playing field. In other words, Shido, Kaguya & Yuzuru were up against Reine, Origami and Tohka. Tohka was serving first. At least they will go easy on him-

Mario watched the ball get spiked straight into the sand like a meteor. Shido didn't even flinch. Everyone just looked at the ball, leaving smoke in it's wake as it sat in the sand like a... meteor.

"Yay! Yippee! I did it!" Tohka cheered.

And then they scored. Point after point with Kaguya butting against Yuzru, with Shido flopping all over the place.

Then everything paused. Mario couldn't see what was going on, but it was a while until Tohka's next serve. Shido managed to keep up with... using his face to launch it up. Then, Kaguya ran up to Yuzuru, stepped on her open hands (Yuzuru willingly used her hands as a platform), jumped up and spiked the ball to Tohka's side and they scored. A Bros move, is what Mario just saw.

Everyone gawked while the Yamai sisters were parading and celebrating and praising each other.

...Praising each other.

Of course, it did not take long at all for them to separate, folding their arms.

Mario sighed, shaking his head. "Mama-mia. They're-a worse than Wario and Waluigi. Glad they didn't get-a sucked in..."

And Shido just looked deadder than a doornail, just laying on the sand with a volleyball mark plastered on his face.

"Shin, are you alright?" Reine asked on the intercom when Shido was at the beach bathroom.

"Yeah... I'm alright... I wonder if this will really work." Shido was holding his nose to stop the pain from the volleyball.

"Honestly, I can't say yet."

Kaguya peeked out to meet with Shido. "Oh, Shido."

Mario came out of the bathroom after a mighty flush. What was he doing in there?

Kaguya continued. "Mario."

"Oh, Kaguya?" Both Shido and Mario asked.

"There's something I wanna talk to you about, is that alright?"

"Sure, but..." Shido lowered his voice to a volume that Kaguya couldn't hear. "Reine, are you telling her what to do?"

"No, I didn't say anything." Reine confirmed as Kaguya shyly approached the two with an arm sheepishly behind her back.

"Um.. I wanted to say..."

Mario folded his arms. "Where's your confident-a tone, Kaguya?"

"GYAAAA-" Kaguya screamed and then switched her tone. "S-so you were taken in by my little farce, weren't you?! You looked extremely ridiculous dancing in the palm of my hand!"

The two just smiled at Kaguya.

"W-why are you two looking at me like that?! It's not like I'm forcing myself... this is normal for me!"

"No.. you stopped doing it again..."

Kaguya sighed. "Well, since I'm a Spirit, I have a bunch of awesome powers so I gotta sound awesome too. You know, dignity. Pride. That kinda stuff."

"You think so?" Shido scratched his head.

"Anyway, it's annoying, so I'm just gonna continue like this!" Kaguya looked at the two. "Shido, your task tomorrow is to choose between Yuzuru and I, correct? You know, to decide our battle?"

"Oh.. yeah.. that?"

Kaguya pointed at Shido and said with 100% seriousness:

"Shido, choose Yuzuru tomorrow."

"...Huh..." They both couldn't breathe. No way... She couldn't have said-

Mario went behind to the other side of the bathrooms. Yuzuru had a request so Mario filled for him.

"Petition: Mario, please ask Shido to pick Kaguya as the winner of the match."

"...But... why...?" Mario was nearly in tears.

"Explanation: Because Kaguya is much better than I am. I'm sure you know how lovely she is, Mario. Even from your standpoint."

"You know, cuz Yuzuru's super cute, right?" Kaguya praised her. "She's not that friendly, but she's gentle. She's got great features, and she's a moe character come to life, you know?"

"She likes to pretend she's strong, but she's earnest. The wonderful feeling of holding that delicate body that looks like one touch could break it.. It could only be described as heavenly."

"B-but then you'll..." Both Mario and Shido said to their respective twin.

They both nodded.

"Naturally." Yuzuru said, looking at Mario while she was having her private conversation with him.

"I'll disappear." Kaguya confirmed.

"Why-?!" Shido couldn't take it.

Kaguya stretched her arms and looked out at the ocean. "Well, it's not like I WANT to disappear. But more than that, I want Yuzuru to live."

Yuzuru looked out at the ocean, not looking at Mario. "Desire: I want Kaguya to live. I want her to see and enjoy more of this world. Kaguya is the Spirit most suitable to be the true Yamai." she turned to Mario, smiling.

"I chose a battle of charm because no matter how you look at it, Yuzuru is cuter."

"Certainly: No matter how you look at it, Kaguya is cuter. That is why I accepted the battle of charm."

She looked sternly at Mario. "Reminder: Ask Shido to choose Kaguya tomorrow. If you don't..."

"This whole island and all your friends on it - INCLUDING Mario..."

"I'll blow them all away!"

The words of the Yamai stuck with both Shido and Mario as they looked out onto the sunset ocean. This just got SERIOUS.

As Reine would say; "This is an unexpected turn of events. If there was no ulterior motive behind what they just said, and this is actually how they feel..."

"To wish for her own disappearance..." Shido grumbled...

"To allow the-a other to live..." Mario clenched his fist..

"What the hell is this despair?!"

"...Mario?"

Luigi called out to his bro after he stepped onto the clear white sandy beach in the moonlight. His brother, a gloomy-looking Mario wasn't looking so good, as he was just staring out into the ocean, with his legs folded and sitting down. It was silent. Mario was not making a single movement. The only sounds heard were the waves crashing onto the shore. Mario was just inches away from the water. His shoes not being wet, but sandy. Mario did hear his bro after a while. He got up and faced Luigi. "Oh. Hey bro."

...Odd. Luigi felt a bit of deja vu. Regardless, he went up to Mario. "What's wrong this time, bro?"

"The Yamai." Mario simply stated.

"Ah, the orange-hair girls? What about them?" Luigi was clueless. He innocently tilted his head.

"...They want the other to live. If-a Shido does not comply... We're dead." Mario folded his arms.

"A-ah..." Luigi went silent and into a low whisper... "What..."

"I know... I know..."

"Analyst Mursame! Please respond!"

The Fraxinus IS trying to get back to the main group, but no luck. No signal.

"This is Fraxinus! Analyst Murasame!"

"We can't get through!"

"Shido's line is the same!"

"This is strange... Looking at the readings, I don't think it's just a simple malfunction."

"Artificial interference?"

"But who would...?"

The doors in Fraxinus opened to reveal a blonde-hair man. Kannazuki again, holding a chibi Kotori plush. He was yawning. "Is something the matter?"

Origami walked outside to the night sky after seeing Shido gone from his room. Of course. Stalker. She then paused... and stopped... She saw... a robot figure.

"A-ah.."

"Mario? Luigi?" Shido looked at the two plumbers. Tohka was accompanied with Shido.

"Oh, Shido! Tohka!" Mario stood up. "What-a brings you two here?"

"I wanted to ask Shido something alone... but..." Tohka fumbled. "Is something wrong? You three are very on edge today..."

"W-well... you won't mind if we tell ya?" Shido looked nervous.

"Not at all!" Tohka beamed innocently.

"Well..." Luigi pointed out. "Tomorrow Shido has to choose Kaguya or Yuzuru, in a no-win situation."

"No-win situation?"

Mario sighed. "Kaguya wants Yuzuru to live, and vice versa for Yuzuru."

Everyone got attacked by a gale wind. "H-huh?"

"What?! I don't get it!" A voice beamed. Everyone turned. Mario looked up.

"Kaguya!"

"Yuzuru said that about me? What are you talking about?"

"Kaguya, hold on!" Luigi panicked.

"Repeat: Demand."

"Yuzuru!" Shido shouted.

"Kaguya said to choose me? Is that what she said?"

Mario and Luigi were back-to back as the Yamai approached from either side.

"Kaguya, Yuzuru, calm-a down and listen to Shido!"

"WHAT THE HELL?!" Both of the Yamai yelled as they enveloped themself in a tornado. Shido was protecting Tohka and Mario was protecting Luigi.

Gone were their regular kimono relaxing clothes... No... They were replacing it with their Astral dresses. Purple... and blue..."

"Raphael! El Re'em!"

"Response: Raphael, El Nahash!"

They summoned what appeared to be a lance and some chains. The four heroes were quivering with the ocean being even more bumpy than Luigi's heartrate.

Origami was still staring down the robot figure. She analysed the air. "A Territory has been deployed. What is this?"

The robot's eye lit up a menacing jade. It then took up into the sky.

"Tobiichi Origami, what are you doing?" A sleepy voice called out. It was Reine in a kimono.

Origami looked back up to the sky and for once, screamed. The robot...

was charging straight at them.

"Ms. Murasame! PLEASE RUN AWAY!" The robot charged straight at them before Origami passed out.

"I see." Kannazuki was done analysing. It's a little dangerous, but let's send personnel to communicate directly. Bring us to 1,000 meters above ground level. Deploy the cannon!"

Everyone in Fraxinus laid back as their chairs went under the main commanding room.

"Y-yes sir!" Everyone was worried. Could they really trust Kannazuki to do this?

"Approaching target coordinates!"

"No reaction to the Permanent Territory." A dark room was lit up with blue screens.

"Very well! Here we go!" The Fraxinus uncloaked itself and was now soaring through the sky at very high speeds. Crystals around the edge of the cannon started to glow up, indicating it was charging.

And there, in the sky, was another red airship. The two airships were about to go to war, because the truth had to be told -

it was a DEM airship.

"You really like to mess around, don't you, Yuzuru? Saying he should choose me?" Meanwhile with Kaguya...

"Rebuttal: What about you, Kaguya? What is your intention?"

"It's no use. I thought this method would let us decide properly, but I forgot to add your idiocy to the equation."

"Agreement: I have had it with your stupidity. It was asking too much to have someone else end a duel we started ourselves. It looks like we have to settle the score in our own hands after all."

"Whoever falls first WINS!"

They clashed into each other, pulled back and clashed again, raising themselves into the sky and glaring at each other with maddening yells.

Mario was protecting Luigi as Shido did with Tohka.

"Stop... please stop..."

"STOOOOOP IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT!" They cried out which could shatter glass.