Chapter 108: Belly of the Beast:
Jack's POV:
I kept thinking about how Aku changed Peter and not for the better. Aku turned him into an assassin. Somehow, I must find a way to get my friend back. Then I ran into Ashi.
"I shall end this now," says Ashi. She then attacks me, but I knock her out.
. . .
I tied Ashi up with her own chain-sickle. She woke up.
"Samurai, I will kill you in the name of Lord Aku!"
"You always were troubled," I said.
"I will end your life and then I will avenge the rest of my sisters and kill the assassin!" Perhaps, if Ari and Ali can change, maybe Ashi can as well. "I will never stop trying to kill you!" Perhaps not.
Johnny's POV:
Frankie, Dexter, and I were still looking for Jack and Peter.
"So, how do we snap Jill out of her whole thing," I asked.
"We can't force her to fight," says Frankie.
"We're going to need all three of them," I said, "Aku's forces are everywhere and nowhere."
"So, where are they," asks Dexter.
"I don't know, they're somewhere," I said.
Then we found some dead Daughters of Aku.
"Could Jack or Peter have done this," asks Frankie.
"No, they don't kill humans, this could be anyone or no one," I said.
"So, who did it," asks Dexter.
"I don't know, it was someone," I said. I then started counting them. There was one that could be out there.
Jack's POV:
"You know who Pan is, don't you," asks Ashi.
"I'm afraid he is Peter," I said.
"The arrow guy. Well, this has to be ironic for you," says Ashi.
"Aku did something to him," I said, "but I will get him back."
"But what if he kills you first?"
Then we heard something. A large tentacle grabbed us, and we were entering the mouth of a large beast.
Johnny's POV:
We were checking the area, and I froze with fear.
"Johnny," asks Frankie.
"Do you know who lives around here," I asked, "a creature so vicious, so horrible, so... his name is Eight-Armed Willy!"
Jack's POV:
While we are trapped in the creature's stomach, Ashi tried to attack me, but then she nearly fell, but I saved her.
"You may have saved my life, but that does not make up for the plague you have brought on this world," she said.
"Where do you think this monster came from," I asked, "Aku is responsible for such things!"
"LIES!" This was not going to be easy.
Johnny's POV:
Frankie, Dexter, and I were on the move.
"Johnny, you've seen this thing before, haven't you," asks Frankie.
"Why do you think I can never take off my glasses," I asked.
Jack's POV:
My evil counterpart returned. "You should just leave her to die."
"I cannot," I said.
"She serves Aku. She is your enemy."
"And what are you?"
"I'm something you can never get rid of. After all, you can't have light without darkness."
"But light is stronger than darkness."
"I see. By the way, Ashi's gone."
"What? Wait, you should not know unless I know."
"I'm not a hallucination, Jack. I'm you." He then disappears and I see Ashi is gone.
. . .
I then searched for Ashi and then I found her, and she was attacked by a beetle creature. I then saved her again and defeated the beetle. "We should keep moving," I said.
. . .
I had to carry Ashi on my back. Then I saw the remains of another beetle. Shedded skin perhaps. I then had an idea.
. . .
I then wore the shell as armor.
"You look ridiculous," says Ashi.
"From you, that is a compliment," I said, "thank you."
. . .
We were looking for a way out. "There are two ways..."
"I vote we go up," says Ashi.
"Agreed," I said.
That is something we can agree on.
Singer/Chorus: You walk this earth without a heart
You tear the innocent's souls apart
You shovel your conscience into the grave
You walk this earth without a heart
Your uniform couldn't be taken off
A tattoo burned into your flesh
Your mind, your voice
These are your instruments of death
How could you dare to be so bold
You only did as you were told
Marionettes dancing in time
To the apologetic lines
For all the monsters of our time
Who is evil, who is blind?
In the name of who you'll find
A city of souls dying for peace
Welcome to the belly of the beast
One mind, one voice
Welcome to the belly of the beast
Who hears your voice?
Millions, never, never again
Madness, never, never again
Martyrs, dead that can't die
Monsters
Insanity, the normal state
The left hand a hammer, the right the stake
Driven so deep into the heart
It's killing love, it's killing faith
It's killing 'cause it's from the heart
What better way to demoralize
When your own children are your spies
The things you trust are not the same
Trust in death, trust in grief
Trust in hope is trust in pain
Who is evil, who is blind?
In the name of who you'll find
You're not supposed to question faith
But how do you accept this fate?
Millions, you walk this earth without a heart
Madness, tear the innocent's souls apart
Martyrs, shovel your conscience into the grave
Monsters!
I then climbed up the beast's throat with Ashi on my back.
"If I ever see Jill, I don't know what to tell her about her brother," I said.
"Assuming Lord Aku didn't recruit her as well," says Ashi.
"Peter does not even remember who he is," I said, "he has been brainwashed. How do you justify that?"
"I... got nothing," says Ashi.
The beast then started to move. "We are going to need a clever way out, but you are not going to like it."
"Let me guess," says Ashi, "it involves that uvula."
"Yep."
"Are you sure you're not the evil one."
"We could go back down and get out through..."
"Uvula it is."
I then jumped and kicked the uvula...
. . .
We have been vomited out. We looked and saw the beast. Then something was blasting it. It was Johnny, Frankie, and Dexter. I was glad to see them again.
Ashi's POV:
While the Samurai was watching his Resistance friends fight the sea monster. I was about to attack, but then I saw the Samurai release a ladybug that was on his hand. I remember when the High Priestess who is also my mother crushed a ladybug for not being a part of Aku's order. I then stopped and dropped my sickle.
CVIII
In the next chapter, Jack and Ashi meet the Dominator.