Episode 15: The Orochi Conspiracy
Hey hey hey!
Ready for another escapade on the high seas? I know I am.
1602jaw: Glad you liked the cameo. The both of them got big plans. And you're right with how cathartic it all felt. Today is sure to be a crazy one.
That guy: A lot of characters here have come this far, for better and for worse. At least Bernadetta left with her head held high. Her and Kronk will surely be missed. Light may be petty, but he's not stupid…unlike Pete.
NondescriptNorbert: It's nice to know you've been having lots of fun with this. That means a lot. The eliminations this time were hard, cutting two beloved characters. But they'll be back for 3. Bernie has come so far, and has taken a new step in her life, free from her abusive upbringing. Alucard has also really proved to everyone why he's not to be trifled with. And Pete is still gonna have a bad time regardless.
thenewsubwayguy: Glad you've been enjoying it. I'm really hoping to especially do justice for Shermie in today's episode. And greater than the sun of it's parts, huh? I love the compliment. And Light can cope all he wants, Alucard saved his ass.
ThelastCyberKnight : Much appreciated, my guy! I wouldn't say Bernadetta is overpowered here (Though if you play Three Houses, she's overpowered from a gameplay perspective.) She can be strong if she has confidence in herself, which she's shown great improvement in. And Kronk left on his own terms.
Happiness studios: So glad to see how much you loved it. That's really great. I know you weren't thrilled about the last few, but it's so nice to see your 'tude changed around with this one.
PineCoop: Thank you. Strap in, we're in for a crazy ride here. Hur Hur Hur Hur Hur Hur Hur Hur Hur Hur.
TheSupeMan: Thank you so much. I love the enthusiasm. Hopefully you'll equally love what I got planned today.
Well then, let's set sail!
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Last time on Total Drama, it was off to Fodlan, where a treasure hunt for a turtle's treasure goes south quickly. Our cast was attacked by pirates, and a group of nerds, one of which being Bernadetta's childhood friend. When the truth came out that their friendship was nothing more than a job, she took it up on herself to defend her friends, and finally managed to muster up the courage to show Ryu how much he means to her. Aren't the both of them adorable? Meanwhile, Shermie was kicked from Light's alliance and replaced with Shermie. And Kronk was revealed to be cheating his way through the game with the help of Yzma. He confesses and leaves on his own terms, with Bernadetta eliminated by Pete, being probably our most sad elimination yet. Find out what shenanigans will happen for our kooky cast today on Total Drama Infinite Bon Voyage!"
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We open up with a peaceful day out at sea.
SLAP!
"Take that!"
SLAP!
"And that!"
SLAP!
"And a whole lot of this!"
SLAP SLAP SLAP SLAP SLAP SLAP SLAP SLAP SLAP SLAP SLAP SLAP SLAP SLAP SLAP SLAP SLAP SLAP SLAP SLAP SLAP SLAP SLAP SLAP SLAP SLAP SLAP SLAP SLAP SLAP!
Well, almost peaceful.
Our remaining 11 contestants were each doing their own thing out on the main deck of the ship. Futaba was playing a handheld game, Malfoy was practicing spells with Bender as target practice, Yami was drinking, Panty was sunbathing by the pool, Light was getting some reading done while chatting with Percy, Shermie was drawing out ideas for a new outfit she wanted to design, and And Alucard just watched everyone in the shade. Even some of the staff like Molly and Lissa were playing around with Bibo, who was eating up the attention.
As for Ryu, he still had Pete in a large birdcage, beating the hell out of him every chance he'd got. It'd been a day since the last elimination, and the shaman was still not letting Pete off the hook. Pete himself had a bunch of bruises on his body, his eye and mouth comically swollen, with several goose eggs on his head.
"I said I was sorry." Pete whined. "I said it fifty times already. Now please let me go!"
Ryu angrily tugs at Pete's cheek, glaring at him at eye level.
"No way, pal!" Ryu spat. "After the stunt you pulled, a million sorrys ain't gonna cut it! You eliminated Bernie! And now I know it was you who tainted my special sauce! You're a fat moron who's getting what he deserves!"
Tokageroh floats up to them and tries to calm Ryu down.
"Personally, I think he's had enough, man. He's paid his debt to society. Why don't we just let him go?"
Ryu combusts into green flames, his face looking quite mad and demonic. He turns towards his ghost friend, putting the fear of God into him.
"DO NOT PITY HIM, TOKAGEROH!"
Tokageroh slowly backs away, fearing for his afterlife, and feeling the intense aura Ryu gave off.
"I I don't want any trouble, kid!" He gasps. "
"NO, THE FLAMES OF LOVE BURN BRIGHTLY!"
We see both Mordecai and Rigby, hiding behind a nearby barrel, wearing helmets.
"Dude, this guy's nuts!" Mordecai remarks.
"Hey, unlike you, that guy can actually pull a chick." Rigby jokes, with Mordecai responding by punching him in the arm. "Ow!"
"Not cool, dude. Besides, she's like a four out of ten anyway. I'd kill myself if I had to date someone like her."
They feel a chill go down their spine as they see Ryu glaring down at them, slamming his wooden sword into his hand like it's a paddle.
"What did you just say about her?!" He growls.
"Uh, nothing, r-really!" Mordecai says nervously. "Just that you're a lucky guy to have someone like her!"
"Y-yeah!" Rigby adds. " A twelve out of ten!"
Just then, a loud rumbling was heard, which came from Pete's stomach. Ryu is then pelted with an apple core.
"What the hell was that, fatass?!" Ryu growled, slowly turning back towards him.
"I'm hungry!" Pete whined. "Because of you, I missed breakfast! The closest thing to food in here is that apple...AND IT WAS ALREADY EATEN!"
Ryu cracks his knuckles. "Is that so?! Then I'll give you some more knuckle sandwiches to make up for it! Besides, you can stand to miss some meals!"
He proceeds to slap and punch the ever loving shit out of Pete, even harder than before.
"NEXT TIME, DEFY THE LAWS OF ANATOMY SO THAT I DON'T HEAR YOUR STOMACH GROWL! DO IT AGAIN, AND THINGS I DO TO YOU, THE UN WILL HAVE TO EXPRESSLY OUTLAW THEM!"
By this point, everyone was watching this go down. Futaba decides to step in. She puts down her game, walks up to the shaman and painfully drags him away by his ear.
"Ow, hey!" Ryu cries. "What's the big idea?!"
"We need to have a little talk." She sternly tells him. As she drags him away, she passes by Shermie. "Shermie, I need you as well."
The fashion designer looks up from her work. "Huh? Um, Okay?"
"Hey, wait!" Pete cries out. "Is someone gonna let me out of here or what?!"
Light walks over to the cage, and crouches down so he could meet Pete at eye level.
"My, you're in quite the predicament, aren't you?" Light asks mockingly.
"Darn right!" Pete snaps. "I've been in this blasted thing all night, at the mercy of that delinquent! Help a guy out, would ya?!"
Light says nothing, but whips out a key for the lock on the cage.
"Yes please! Let me outta here!"
"Ah ah ah." Light quietly tells him. He looks around to make sure they're not being watched by the others "I'll do it on one condition."
"Name it!"
Light gets a sinister glint in his eye, and gives a small grin.
"From here on out in this alliance, what I say goes."
"What?!" Pete asked angrily.
"Your stunt last night was completely idiotic." Light calmly says. "You could have eliminated one of the big threats from this game, but you decided to be petty and pick Bernadetta out of spite. Now we're in the merge, and people like Yami and especially Alucard are still here. That's the last time I let you call the shots."
"Hey, it's not like the brat was some weakling!" Pete defends. "She's deceptively strong, despite her size and mannerisms!"
Light shakes his head. "Nope. Not a good enough excuse. But a good enough reason to leave you stuck in here."
"You've really got this guy between a rock and a hard place, Light." Ryuk muses. "You think he'll cave in?"
With an ungodly amount of reluctance, Pete weighs his options, and finally relents.
"Alright, fine. From here on out, you call the shots. Just don't make me regret this decision."
Light looks pleasantly pleased as he unlocks the cage. "A pleasure to do business with you. And don't worry, I know what I'm doing."
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"Looks like I'll need to be keeping him on a much shorter leash from now on." Light said. "When he takes the reins, it causes more harm than good. Now that there's no more teams, it's gonna be a lot harder going forward with certain people still wandering around."
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"The guy wasn't leaving me with much options." Pete mopes. "But he is a lot more shrewd and crafty than I gave him credit for, so there's that. I just hope he doesn't make me regret this decision."
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As soon as Pete's out and about, Bender approaches Light.
"Hey, dude. Mind if I talk with ya for a moment?" The robot asks.
"Hm? Sure." Light responds.
The two find somewhere a bit more secluded on the ship to talk.
"What's up?" Light asks.
"I couldn't help but notice that you were pretty upset at Pete over what happened last night." Bender admits.
"It's quite alright now. It's all worked out now. We just had a little chat, and now he's willing to be more…obedient. Though realistically, I wouldn't see him lasting in this game too much at the rate he's going anyway."
"Yeah…that's the thing." Bender said awkwardly. "With how upset you were at him, and the fact we kicked that Shermie chick out a couple days ago, it's…actually got me a little worried."
"Worried?" Light asks. "About what?"
"I know we're good friends but…you wouldn't get rid of me, would you?"
It finally clicks with Light. "I see. That's what you're concerned about? I know that Scott's elimination hit you rather hard, just like Bernadetta's seems to be hard for Ryu right now. Rest assured, you have nothing to worry about. You and I are as thick as thieves."
"Really? That's a relief. What if it came down to just our group in the finals. You'd take me with you to the finale, wouldn't you?"
"Of course." Light says. "The others are good and all, but…. you'd be my first choice….pal."
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"If it came down to it, I wouldn't be caught dead with this toaster in the finale." Light coldly admits. "Out of our group, he's easily the physically strongest. Though he is quite naive and easily swayed. His personality also just infuriates me. If it comes down to it, I'd have no qualms kicking him to the curb like the tin can he is.
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"I'll be honest, folks." Bender says. "I still really miss Scott. He reminds me a lot of Fry. But Light hasn't disappointed me yet. He's pretty damn intelligent, and one of the chillest dudes around. Just you wait, as he and I are gonna take the game by storm, baby!"
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"I'l admit," Draco begins, albeit hesitantly. "I'm beginning to have doubts with this group. Not that I'd say it to their faces. Pete has truly shown how much of a bloody idiot he is. And I'm starting to see a side of Light I'd never expected. When I saw him get visibly angry last night, I was…actually quite startled. But this group is my best ticket to sticking around as long as possible. But from this point on, I'm gonna have no choice but to be careful. I'm truly in the dragon's den now. I can't afford to mess this up."
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Futaba drags Ryu into the dining room, and sets him down in a chair.
"Again, what the hell is the big idea?!" Ryu cries, rubbing his ear in pain.
"Look, I don't like Pete as much as the next guy." Futaba tells him. "But you need to get your act together. I know you miss Bernadetta….I miss her too."
"It's not just Bernadetta." Ryu sighs. "I also miss Kronk as well. I've met some great people, and made some really good friends here. Then bam, two of them are gone in the span of a day."
"I understand the pain you must be going through." Futaba says. "I know the type of person you are. You're easily moved and motivated by your emotions. And you're a pretty emotional guy. But you can't let sadness and anger dictate your emotions. At this stage of the game, that could cost you big time. Besides, you still have us. Right, Shermie?"
Shermie nods. "Of course. If I can be honest with you guys, I…never really liked people all that much before coming here. Well, except for a few people."
"What are you talking about?" Ryu asks.
"Like you, I've done some… pretty awful things in the past. And even when I first got here, I was still that same kind of person. But throughout the many months we've been sailing, and forming bonds here, not all people are bad. You especially, Ryu."
Ryu was a bit shocked to hear that. "Me?"
"Yes. Even after how much I've hurt you, you still have someone like me a chance. And it's given me the opportunity to change my outlook on some things."
"I didn't know all of that." Ryu says. "I'm glad I was able to help you that much, Miss Shermie."
"It's not just you. Futaba, Kronk, Bernadetta…you've all been nothing but kind to me…even if I didn't deserve it. But I'm not going to get sappy about it. In all my life…I've never cried."
"Seriously?!" Ryu exclaimed. "Never?!"
"Nope. I've never felt the need to."
"Is any of this helping you feel better?" Futaba asks.
Ryu rises up from his seat so suddenly. "Of course! I'm feeling so pumped right now! And when this is all said and done, I'll still have her! Thanks, ladies!"
Suddenly, a small purplish creature appears on the table in a puff of smoke.
"News Imp!" The creature squeaks. "Piping hot news, straight from the Universal Economic Journal!"
"Seriously?!" Futaba exclaimed. "Might be something big!" She reaches into her pocket for some money to give the imp. "Do you guys take yen?"
The news imp nods and eagerly takes the money. "Yep. We take all known forms of currency. Pleasure doing business, hee hee!"
The creature disappears in another puff of smoke, while Futaba looks at the front page. Her eyes widen at the most prominent article.
"Guys….you might want to see this."
Her two friends look at the front page, and one large picture stands out to Ryu in particular. His eyes and pompadour turn into hearts while he gets a big goofy grin on his face.
"It's Bernie Bear!~" He happily cries.
He takes the newspaper and begins to repeatedly smooch the picture of Bernadetta.
"Oh, how I've missed you!" He cries between kisses. "You're just as beautiful as the day I lost you!"
"You last saw her last night." Futaba brings up.
"Let him have this." Shermie tells her. "Besides, he seems to be in a much better mood than earlier."
Futaba quickly takes back the paper and skims the article's contents, the shock on her face quite apparent.
"What is it, Futaba?" Ryu asked, now calmed down again
"I think we need to gather up everyone else." She answers. "This is some pretty big stuff."
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A couple of minutes later, everyone was all together in the dining room.
"Well….read it, kid." Yami says. "What's the news spouting off about this time?"
"It's another of Zach's articles." She says. "About the events of the last challenge. The headline says, "Conspiracies and Attacks Thwarted. The Lake Teutates Incident.'"
"What exactly did we miss during that?" Shermie wonders.
"I don't know what you guys went through during that challenge, but it was a hell of a lot more crazy for us." Bender explained. "Keep reading, shrimp."
Futaba recites the article word for word. " A couple of days ago, this reporter was shocked to learn of the events that transpired on the far off continent of Fodlan in another world. From evil pirates to corrupt bureaucrats, the cast of Total Drama are at the forefront of these crazy happenings yet again."
"We've been ending up in the news quite a bit lately." Percy says. "I suppose our fame transcends just what people see on TV and their devices."
" The first of these incidents was an attack on the sacred land of Lake Teutates." Futaba continues. " Orchestrated by the notorious interdimensional crew known as the Aegis of Anarchy, with four of their top commanding officers spearheading this operation to plunder the treasure of Saint Indech. Luckily, the cast from Total Drama Infinite: Bon Voyage were there to make sure their plans were thwarted, especially by the contestant and servant to the Hellsing Organization, Alucard. While thwarted, the crew escaped with a bit of treasure headed for Varley territory."
"Huh, nobody told us that happened." Ryu says. "Yuri said they were hired to steal the treasure, but I wasn't sure about who the masterminds were."
"Well, you never asked." Alucard calmly brags. "I put the fear of God into all of them, and they ran off like a bunch of cowards. One of them must have had some crazy abilities to escape me that easily. Which reminds me of….a certain vampire." He growls, remembering the piece of shit that is DIO.
"Well, what else does it say?" Panty asks.
" Which brings me to the next incident that occurred here that day." Futaba continues. " The Minister of Religious Affairs in the Adrestian Empire, Gregoire von Varley, has now revealed to the multiverse and large how evil a man of his status is. From abusing his daughter Bernadetta, to helping incite an insurrection and coup in the Empire years ago with the aid of the genocidal Agarthans, to his cruel treatment to the common people of his lands due to his greed, status, and classist beliefs. This has resulted in the aforementioned daughter renouncing her inheritance to House Varley and her nobility, and leaving Fodlan entirely, much to the Count's chagrin. Another contestant, Ryunosuke Umemiya, got in touch with the Count and gave him a piece of his mind, a commoner challenging a man with power gifted by the goddess."
"I didn't know Bernadetta had to deal with all that." Percy said regrettably. "What a poor young woman. Now I can see why is the way she is."
Yami gives Ryu a pat on the back. "Way to stick it to her old man, bub!"
"Thanks, Captain Yami." Ryu says proudly.
"Would you quit with this captain crap? I'm not your captain anymore."
"I still hold you in great respect, so I'm still gonna refer to you as such."
"Geez…"
"Keep reading, kid." Pete says. "This is getting juicy."
" Uprisings were starting to brew in Varley territory with news of this event, and the Church of Seiros has opted to remove Count Varley from power, and put him on trial for his crimes. As soon as this news broke out, Gregoire mysteriously disappeared, with all of his wealth disappearing with him. In the meantime, his wife, renowned for her intelligence and grace has taken over the role of Countess. The people of Varley are mostly quite pleased with this outcome. As for the now former Count's whereabouts, that is currently unknown."
So….the rat bastard got away, huh?" Ryu huffed. "Typical. Running away like the weasel he is. But as long as he's far away from Bernadetta and any of us, then I can't complain. But if I ever see this guy in person, he's catching this smoke."
"We're the talk of many other worlds, it'd seem." Percy points out. "And that Zach has been making a name for himself in the process."
"As big as we've been getting…we've been making lots of enemies lately." Futaba added. "That's the price we've paid for fame, I guess."
"C'mon, every threat that's tried to mess with us has failed." Yami brags. "Say that again when I'm given a real threat."
Pete notices another article in the paper, and points to it.
Futaba inspects the article and reads the headline.
" Heads of the Three Sacred Treasures Utterly Defeated by Unknown Assailants."
Shermie feels her blood run cold at the mere mention of that title. Sacred Treasures……no, it couldn't be…
"Mind reading a bit more of that one?" Shermie asks, masking the anxiety she felt. "Looks like something interesting."
I guess…" Futaba begins reading that article. " Reports have flooded in about three individuals who're found beaten to near death and are now currently hospitalized. Those individuals were later discovered to be King of Fighters veterans Kyo Kusanagi, Iori Yagami, and Chizuru Kagura. It is unknown who caused this, but-HEY! The rest is cut out! Who did that?!"
She looks towards Ryu, who had cut out the picture of Bernadetta that was on the other side, continuing to pepper it with small kisses, hearts still in his eyes.
"You lovesick moron!" Draco complained. "You ruined the paper!"
Ryu wasn't listening to him, his mind focused on one thing. "Mmm….Bernie Bear……oh, how I miss you!~"
"Lighten up, kid." Pete tells Draco. "The guy looks happy. And I'll take that over him taking his anger out on me. Besides, that article is probably nothing important that pertains to us. Who cares if some randos I've never heard of were attacked? Doesn't change the price of rice in China."
"If we're done here, I'm going back outside." Light says. "Still got some reading to catch up on."
As soon as he leaves, Futaba looks back at Shermie, who still looked a bit unnerved.
"Are you sure you're alright?" She asks. "Something about that article stuck out to you."
"It's just that…..I recognize those names." Shermie admits, choosing her words carefully. "They're people from my world, that's all."
"Makes sense. I wonder what could have happened to them."
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"It cant be them can it?!" Shermie says worriedly. Her bubbly and playful demeanor crumbling. "I completely forgot about the deadline! If I face him now…and if he heard the things I was saying today….I might as well be a dead man walking!"
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Minutes later, the ship begins to shake violently back and forth. The sky turns dark with storm clouds booming loudly as thunder and lightning crackle across the sky. The wind picks up tremendously, being the cause for the ship's unsteady rocking.
Panic quickly begins to fill the room.
"I don't remember the weather calling for storms!" Percy cries. "It was supposed to be sunny all day!"
"I've never seen a storm this violent!" Ryu says.
"I know I have." Panty jokes. "This is nothing compared to anytime my sis was on the rag!"
"This is not the time for jokes!" Draco snapped.
"We should probably head back to our rooms and wait this out." Alucard calmly says, being the only one in the room who wasn't fazed.
"Wait!" Bender remembers. "Light is still outside!"
The robot heads for the door outside, the others running up to him in protest.
"Don't open the door!"
"Are you crazy?!"
"You'll get us all killed, dumbass!"
Bender refuses to listen to them, and opens the door. The sight before them was utterly horrifying.
The wind seemed to not affect the main deck. Light was on the ground, unconscious. His face was a ghostly pale, a syringe with tiny traces of a red liquid lay next to his neck.
"Light!" Bender runs out and lifts Light's upper body towards him. "Damn it, man! Speak to me!"
"You don't think he's dead, do you?!" Pete worries.
Percy approaches Light's body, and takes his pulse. "The good thing is, he's still alive. But his pulse is rather slow. Bender, I'd suggest taking him to the infirmary and keeping an eye on him."
Bender gives a salute to the officer. "Got it, lady." He heaves Light over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes, and makes a beeline for the infirmary.
Percy picks up the syringe and inspects it. "He was injected with some anomalous fluid. That's probably the catalyst for how he ended up in this situation."
"Geez, you carry a thesaurus around with you?!" Pete complains. "Can we get that in English?!"
"Whatever was in the needle knocked him out, in layman's terms." Percy explained. "But what exactly is it….and where did it come from?"
"Oh my….that would merely be my doing…" An ominous voice drawls.
This voice freaked everyone out. They look around, but can't find who it was. Shermie grows more worried, recognizing that voice.
"No….it can't be him!"
"Who're you talking about?!" Ryu cries, already having his wooden sword out. "Show yourself, whoever you are!"
"Oh…. we're not outside."
"Huh?"
"HE MEANS TURN AROUND, YA NUMBSKULLS!" A new, yet gruff voice orders.
The group turns back to the dining room, and sees one man sitting at a table, sipping a glass of wine. He had a black and blonde hair, and wore a blue and black priest outfit. At both of his sides, he was guarded by two guys. One was a tall and muscular Japanese man, sporting white hair, wearing white pants and a red jacket exposing his bare chest. The other one was a young Swedish boy with brown hair, wearing a blue shirt and black pants.
"Who the hell is this guy?" Yami asks.
Ryu notices Shermie looking quite nervous, visibly shaking at the presence of this group.
"You alright? I can tell something's wrong."
The priest chuckles and sets his glass down.
"He's right, Shermie." He coldly responds. "You seem nervous. Don't tell me you've forgotten our faces. It's been far too long…"
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Up on the control deck, Bugs is seen struggling to helm the ship out of the storm. Don comes in, looking concerned.
"This storm is a real nasty one, doc!" Bugs says.
"I don't get it!" Don cries. "The forecast was calling for sunny skies this week! That island we were supposed to dock at shouldn't be too much farther. Let's focus on getting their, and work from there!"
It was then that Ramsey came in with a small box.
"I brought the donuts and-HOLY CRAP, THAT STORM IS REALLY GNARLY!"
"You think?" Bugs snarks.
It was then that Molly bursts into the room, looking more worried than everyone else.
"Molly?! What's wrong?!"
"You might want to call in the Imps!" She cries. "There's some scary looking visitors downstairs!"
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"Shermie…how do you know these guys?" Futaba asks.
"Oh, did she not ever tell you?" The priest says. "Then allow me to entertain you lot with a little story." He then stands up from his seat.
"My name is Goenitz. Leopold Goenitz. Goenitz of the Wildly Blowing Wind….leader of the Hakkeshu."
"Never heard of ya, bub." Pete complains.
"I'd advise you to not interrupt me, swine!" Goenitz snaps. He regains his composure and gestures towards the white haired Japanese man. "This is Yashiro Nanakase of the Parched Earth." Next, he gestures towards the Swedish boy. "And we have Chris of the Flames of Destiny. We are…the Four Heavenly Kings. The most powerful of the Hakkeshu."
"Get your math right, dumbass!" Panty says. "There's three of you!"
"Ah, but do not be mistaken." Goenitz chuckles. "The fourth member stands before you. She is Shermie of the Insanely Violent Lightning!"
Everyone gasps and looks at Shermie, whose face remains unchanged. She tries to avoid Yashiro and Chris's gaze.
"You're with these guys?!" Yami exclaimed.
"Should've known." Pete said. "Light and I were right to not trust you!"
"Hold on, you two." Ryu tells them. "This is probably a misunderstanding. These people could probably be her for something that…. isn't bad."
"Yeah, because Light being found unconscious with a needle at his side isn't a red flag." Panty retorts.
"Me and Mr. Yagami had a little chat." Goenitz explains. "Trust me…he was on board with this idea."
"Quit spouting bull crap!" Yami snaps. Percy puts her arm in front of the magic knight to quiet him.
"What business do you…. Hakkeshu have here?" Percy asks. "And what does Shermie have to do with it?"
"Then allow me to give you a history lesson." Goenitz says, a malicious glint in his eye.
"Freeze, Motherfucker!"
The Imps now had Goenitz and his two cohorts surrounded, guns aimed at the group.
"Looks like we're surrounded." Goenitz says, raising his arms. He didn't look worried at all.
"We're not joking, fuckface!" Blitzo warns. "You and your group of weirdos come quietly, and we'll go easy on you!"
"That's no fun…because complying with someone else's demands are not on the agenda."
"What?!"
It was then that the Imps noticed their weapons were gone. Chris was giggling, holding them in his arms.
"That little shit! How'd he do that?!"
"I'm just that fast!" Chris cheerfully responds. He drops the weapons on the ground, and Yashiro destroys them all with one mighty punch.
"And we especially don't take orders from demons!" Yashiro brags.
"I believe I was about to tell a story." Goenitz warns the assailants. "And I do hate interruptions. That goes for everyone on this ship."
Nobody responds, nor dares to draw their weapons. For now, all they could do was listen.
"Long ago, there was a being that existed as Gaia, the earth mother's will. That being's name was Orochi. Orochi served as a guardian God and protector of the planet. Orochi gathered worthy servants to its cause, who continued to protect the world for centuries. These eight powerful servants became known as the Hakkeshu, with the four strongest ones being known as the Heavenly Kings."
"As humanity and civilization grew, the natural balance began to shift, causing nature to suffer. And it was all humanity's fault. Humanity was, and still is, to blame for the planet's suffering."
"Oh, so you're environmentalists?" Ryu asks. Goenitz snaps his fingers, and a slash of wind chops off a lot of his pompadour.
"I said no interruptions." Goenitz calmly warns. "Do that again, and I'll aim for your neck. Now, where was I…?"
Goenitz continues the story. "1800 years ago, Orochi could no longer tolerate the destruction, and decided to wipe out all of humanity. The Orochi clan and humanity waged war…until three clans dared pose a threat. The Kusanagi, Yasakani, and Yata clans. The three clans defeated Orochi and sealed them away with the aid of three mystical treasures. The Hakkeshu were left defeated. Years pass, and those eight followers reincarnate themselves, hoping to accomplish their dream of breaking the seal and bringing Orochi back to finish what they started."
"So…the truth comes out." Pete says, shooting an accusatory glare at Shermie. "You're nothing but a dirty global terrorist."
"I thought when she said she had a job, she meant like being a secret agent or something." Tokageroh whispers to Ryu.
"Is all of that true?" Ryu asks.
Shermie sighs. "I didn't want you guys to find out like this. The plan was simple. Find strong people here to sacrifice, and have someone be the perfect host body for Orochi. Oh, how awry the plan went. Last time we talked, he gave me two weeks to finish the job."
"How could you fail this, Shermie?!" Yashiro asks, a hint of disappointment in his voice. "You had one job!"
"You've gone soft on me." Goenitz tells her. "You guys hate humanity , and here I see you getting chummy with them….like you're one of them. They must really hate you."
"So what if they do?!" Shermie snaps, her mouth going faster than her brain. "I don't care if they do. And I don't care if you're upset! These people…are not like the evil people you're constantly preaching about! Well, except for a couple of people."
"I take offense to that!" Pete huffed.
"Um…she didn't say any names, fatass." Panty tells him. "Guilty conscience, much?"
"Don't blame me! She's the one who's a dirty lying villain! Toss her and those other bozos overboard!"
Pete stops yammering when he feels a hand behind him grab his head and lift him up. That someone was none other than Yashiro.
"Sorry lard ass, but we don't listen to people like you."
Yashiro throws him up like a baseball, and punches him, sending him crashing through a wall.
"Oh, you rats are fucking done!" Panty says, drawing her gun.
"What she said!" Draco says, having his wand aimed at Goenitz.
"You humans can only put up a fight with your fancy little toys." Goenitz chuckles. "Goes to show how pitiful you all are. Humanity is a disease that must be wiped out. Chris, handle these maggots."
Chris moves at an insanely quick speed, and knocks out both Panty and Draco with a karate chop to the neck.
As soon as they go down, it turns into an all out brawl in the room. Those who had no way to fight take cover and hide.
Yashiro and Chris are single handedly fending off Percy and Ryu with their combined strength and speed. Chris was too fast for Percy to get any slashes in, while Yashiro overpowered Ryu with mighty blows. He trips the shaman, and leers stop him, pounding his fist into his palm. Before Ryu could react, Yashiro grabs him by his leg, and slams him back and forth, Hulk style.
"How are you holding up, Ryunosuke?!" Percy asks as she constructs a wall from the ground using her Epithet to block Chris.
"Not the best time, Miss Percy!" Ryu cries. Yashiro flings him through Percy's wall, the two slamming into each other.
"Where'd Captain Yami disappear to?!" Ryu groans. "He'd be a big help right about now!"
Goenitz watches the chaos unfold with glee. "Ah, it's music to my ears. The sound of humanity's comeuppance is harmonious, is it not? Hm?" He turns to see Shermie trying to sneak away. Seeing this made him lose his cool. "THOUGHT YOU COULD ESCAPE ME, WENCH?! I'M NOT DONE WITH YOU YET!"
Goenitz's body dissipates into air, and reforms above Shermie. His hand is raised, ready to slash her. Shermie lays on the ground, defenseless, until Alucard intervenes and blocks the attack with one of his guns.
"Can't let you do that, you sack of shit!" Alucard smack talks. "I'm not human myself, so what does that make me to your stupid cult?!"
Goenitz smirks at him. "Hmm…. so you're the Alucard. In the flesh, eh? To us, your kind are an abomination against Orochi. A servant to a mortal as well. Your death is as guaranteed as everyone else's."
Alucard readies to unload on Goenitz, but the bullets go through Goenitz's body, as he's turned himself into air.
"I'm untouchable, you blood sucking leech!"
Alucard backs away, his grin growing wide and wicked.
"You wanna play like that, huh?!" Alucard growls. "You remind me very much of that bastard Anderson! Let's see if you have as much bite as he does!" He makes a sign with his hands. "Releasing control art restrictions to level 1!"
Shadow hounds emerge from his body, but Goenitz quickly creates a tornado that shreds them up.
"That the best you can do?!"
"THAT WAS MERELY A DISTRACTION YOU FOOL!"
Alucard materializes behind Goenitz, more hounds now attack him from behind, and begin to do serious damage.
"I caught you off guard!" Alucard brags. "If you're not anticipating the attack, you can't avoid it!"
Goenitz cries out in anger, sending out wind blades in all directions, slashing up the entire room, including his allies.
"Ouch! Hey, no friendly fire!" Chris cries.
Goenitz's attack shatters Alucard's attack, and the priest creates a twister around him that sucks Alucard into it.
"This…isn't going to be pretty." He grunts.
Alucard is spun round and round inside Goenitz's attack, unable to break free.
"I'll send you flying….to the ends of the earth!" Goenitz roars. "To oblivion, vampire!"
He blasts a hole in the ceiling with his wind, sending Alucard flying into the sky, soaring far off into the distance for miles and miles. His attack dies down, and everyone has momentarily stopped fighting.
"If I can't directly kill him, then just get him out of sight." Goenitz says, clapping his hands together triumphantly.
"He just manhandled Al like it was nothing." Futaba muttered, hiding behind a table.
Shermie hears a weak voice next to her.
"Shermie…"
She looks to see it was Ryu.
"You can't let this bastard win!" He groans. "Convince your friends to back off!"
Shermie stands up, looking offended.
"Why should I?!" She snaps. "Why are you still encouraging me?! You should be hating me right now! Loathing me! I'm a monster who nearly killed you! Who nearly ruined your relationship with Bernadetta! And yet…" her voice quivers. "Why do you keep defending me? I know full well I'm not worthy of forgiveness. You should be against me right now!"
"The traitor makes a fair point." Goenitz points out. "If anything, she's hurt you the most here. Do tell, Umemiya. Why stick up for her?"
Ryu painfully tries to get up. Once he's up, he clutches his hurt shoulder, panting with exhaustion.
"Because some of us here were once bad people." Ryu states. "We've done awful things…. horrible, unforgivable things. I know I'm one of them. But I met a guy who changed my life. I was given a second chance, and look at how my life turned out. I now have everything I could ever want…and the best people in my life who I wouldn't change for anything. I see a little bit of myself in her. Whether she feels she deserves it or not, Shermie is my friend. She's not the monster you see her as. We just happened to make her see the truth."
Futaba comes out from hiding, and joins Ryu.
"She's my friend, too." She says. "I may not have a shady past myself, but I spent huge chunk of my life with a death wish, one foot in the grave. I too, met people who changed my life. Who became my dear friends. And I also see a little bit of myself in her."
Draco begins to wake up, and hears their speech.
"And guess what?!" Ryu snaps. "I'm not Mr. Popular myself. There's plenty of people out there who don't like me. Doesn't bother me, because I have people who love and care about me now! That's what matters! That is the heart of what a Best Place should be! You don't have to be the bad guy, as long as you know what really matters to you!"
" That sounds like something Barry would say…" Draco thinks. " And here they are, defending this woman who minutes ago, was revealed to be in cahoots with these uninvited guests…"
"You guys…" Shermie said. She was touched by their words. Even if at first she was heartless and nihilistic, friendship could tear that away, and reveal another side to you. She thought it was a bit corny, but she didn't care. These new feelings began to overwhelm and overstimulate her. Suddenly, she feels a new feeling, as she felt something liquid dripping from her unseen eyes. Was this…. crying?
She drops to her knees, not speaking. Her eyes still continued to stream tears down her face. She breaks down, crying harder…still not used to this feeling. Goenitz and her fellow band mates noticed this.
"Are you crying?!" Yashiro exclaimed.
"Yes….I think?" Shermie says, failing to hold back sobs. "But people are supposed to cry when they're sad. But I'm not sad."
"People can cry when they're happy too, you know." Ryu says. "I've cried many a happy tear. It doesn't make you weak…it makes you human."
Percy begins to cry herself, and pulls out a handkerchief. "What touching camaraderie. Friendship truly knows no bounds. You have my support."
Malfoy stands up next. Since Light was still in the infirmary, and Pete was out cold, he could speak his mind. Especially since his fellow alliance mate Percy did, why not?
"You're not so bad, Muggle." He tells her. "I'll be honest, you creeped the hell out of me at first, but…it seems I've misjudged you. That tells a lot more about me than it probably does you, though."
"Well I'll be." Ryu remarks. "Draco is actually showing some compassion."
"Just shut up." Draco tells him. "Don't make a big deal about it. I'm just sharing my thoughts is all."
Shermie wipes away these tears. She stands up, and looks towards Yashiro and Chris. She truly appreciated all the support her friends, and seemingly some of her enemies, were showing her. "You guys…I hope you can find it in your hearts to break this cycle. We weren't always like this, you know. What about our band?"
Yashiro looks down, a bit conflicted. "That's…right. Our dream was to make CYS one of the biggest bands the world had ever seen. Once we awakened our power, we sorta became dedicated to carrying out Orochi's will."
"And there's still a chance for us to do that. Besides, what'd be the point of our band performing for people if all of humanity is wiped out. Who will we perform for then?"
Goenitz scoffs. "Don't tell me you two are going to buy the nonsense she's spouting."
"Why didn't I think of that?" Chris brings up. "We can't be a band if there's no one to play for."
"She's right." Yashiro adds. "Besides…why are we doing this? Just because we're reincarnations of nutjobs with an unhealthy obsession with a god? We didn't ask to be born into that."
Goenitz grows furious, his face contorting into pure rage.
"Are you three seriously doing what I think you're doing?!" He growls.
Shermie joins her bandmates, the three of them glaring down Goenitz.
"That's right!" Shermie affirms. "As of today, consider the Four Heavenly Kings….no more!"
"Excuse me?!"
"That's right, old man!" Yashiro taunts. "The band I formed is gonna be our top priority from here on out!"
"I see…." Goenitz growls. "You want to betray me just like Gaidel did? THEN YOU SHALL SUFFER THE SAME FATE AS HIM!"
The three members of CYS transform into their Orochi forms, now wearing robes similar to Goenitz, only they were a dark magenta. And in Shermie's case, her hair color changed from red to purple.
"If you wanna take my band out, you're gonna have to beat all three of us, Goenitz!" Yashiro warns. "But there's three of us….and only one old you!"
"It's that form again!" Ryu gasped, remembering his fight against Shermie so many episodes ago.
"Just be thankful it's not being used against you this time." Futaba says dryly.
"You folks might want to step back!" Chris says with sadistic glee. "It's about to be a bloodbath!"
"So….is this really the path you three have chosen?!" Goenitz asks darkly. "You brats are showing quite the confidence, despite how stacked the odds are against you!"
"Bring it!" Shermie says confidently.
Yashiro stomps the ground, and rips out a huge chunk of the ground beneath him and chucks it at Goenitz. Goenits slashes through the rubble, but that was a distraction, because Yashiro pops up in front of him and punches him hard in the face. Goenitz is sent flying, with Shermie running towards him, and sends him flying across the room with an electrified kick. While he's flying, Chris is above him, a large ball of purple fire above him like a Spirit Bomb.
"To the fires of Hell with you!"
Chris drops the huge fireball on Goenitz, creating a nearly blinding explosion in the room.
Once the light dies down and the smoke clears, we see a smoldering crater in the center of the room.
"Oof." Futaba winces. "I feel bad for Mordecai and Rigby. No doubt they're gonna have to clean up this mess."
"Is it over?" Draco asks.
"I think so." Shermie says. The three of them finally turn back to normal. "Good riddance."
"How cute." The sinister voice of Goenitz is heard, sending chills throughout the entire room. "I let you attack me, and that's the best you three can muster? Either I'm just that strong, or you three have grown weak! What a flaw for having humanity. My plan will just have to continue without you three in the picture."
Goenitz materializes behind them, and gives them a fake applause.
"But I must give you some credit. That hurt, but not as much as you thought. Perhaps if you did that thirty more times, then you'd win. Too bad I'm not giving you the chance to do it again."
Yashiro and Chris rush towards him, but Goenitz raises his arm and snaps his fingers. Suddenly, the two of them feel suffocated as Goenitz is sucking the air out of their lungs. So much to the point both collapse to the ground, unconscious.
"Chris!" Shermie cries desperately. "Yashiro!"
Goenitz slowly walks towards Shermie menacingly, while she tries to back away, but Goenitz grabs her by her neck and lifts her up. His grip tightens, strangling her.
"Shermie!" Ryu exclaimed. "He gets out his sword, but Goenitz stops him.
"Ah ah ah. I wouldn't do that if I were you. Take one step and I snap her neck."
Ryu grits his teeth, frustrated at this ultimatum. Futaba gives him a look that tells him not to take the risk. With great hesitation, he backs down.
"Good boy." Goenitz says condescendingly. He steps forward, and puts one foot on Yashiro's chest, the slight sounds of bones cracking can be heard. He directs his attention back to Shermie. "Now here's the plan. Your two friends here are going to die as sacrifices to Lord Orochi, and you will become Orochi's surrogate body, thereby erasing your humanity and who you are."
"This heartless bastard…" Futaba cries.
"Call me whatever you want, it makes no difference. If any of you try any funny business, I will kill her and make one of you Orochi's host. And I'd hate to make people as deplorable as you carry the soul of my lord within you."
Shermie gags, struggling to breath, while Goenitz laughs at her predicament. "I'd ask you for any last words, but I'm far too mad to give you anything! All you lot deserve is death! Such is the fate of those of your ilk!"
Goenitz cries out as a boot is seen stomping him, causing him to drop Shermie, and crash into a wall.
"Hey….you knuckleheads miss me?" The voice of Yami can be heard saying.
"CAPTAIN YAMI!" Ryu exclaimed with great jubilee, tears in his eyes.
"What took you so long?" Draco scoffed. "Off using the bathroom again?"
Yami responds by painfully grabbing the wizard's head. "Not this time. I left my sword and grimoire in my room, and went to get it!"
Ryu and Futaba rush over to Shermie to see if she's alright.
"Don't worry…. I'm alright, guys." Shermie said. She coughs hard, still in pain.
"Better take it easy, then." Ryu said.
"We're glad, Yami." Futaba says. "You came in just the nick of time."
Yami walks up to Futaba, and pats her on the head. "You guys have done a good job handling things till I showed up. Proud of you all for that. But now, it's time for the big kids to play. I'm about to surpass my limits, and it's all because of you dumbasses."
Goenitz emerges from the wreckage, coughing up smoke. Before he could do anything else, Yami punches him in the face so hard, he's sent flying outside. When the Hakkeshu leader fell flat on his back, the indentation of Yami's knuckles could be seen on the side of his face. He grows enraged.
" How could that brute of a human harm me like that?!" Goenitz thinks to himself.
Yami calmly walks out, his katana aimed at Goenitz, who was still on the ground.
"C'mon, you little shit." Yami spat. "You were talking all that high and mighty crap a minute ago. Now, are you man enough to fight me….or are you a scared little bitch whos afraid to fight someone who isn't below his weight class?"
Goenitz growls. "I sense darkness within you!"
"So? That's probably my Dark Magic. What about it? Are you going to dodge my question, or are you gonna get back up and fight me?!"
Goenitz floats into the air, crying out in anger. The sky turns dark as a storm is engulfing the sea. The currents and strong winds begin to do heavy damage to the ship.
"DON'T YOU DARE SPEAK TO AN APOSTLE OF OROCHI LIKE THAT, YOU IGNORANT BULL!" Goenitz booms. "I'LL CAPSIZE YOU AND THAT ENTIRE SHIP! YOU'LL BE NOTHING MORE THAN CORPSES AT THE BOTTOM OF THE OCEAN!"
"Big talk, from a religious nutcase." Yami retorts. His grimoire opens up, and his sword begins to emanate darkness.
" Mana Zone!"
Yami creates an area around him, taking control of all the mana in the area. Goenitz was also in this area.
" Black Moon!"
Goenitz grows impatient, and sends out a giant tornado at the ship, big enough to completely obliterate the whole thing. However, the attack is sucked into a black sphere above him, along with a lot of the storm.
"W…..what?!" Goenitz was left utterly flabbergasted.
" I control what goes on in here." Yami mocks. "You're in my domain now, ya prick."
Goenitz grows more mad than he ever thought he could. His robes turn a dark magenta, much like the other kings. He flies towards Yami at high speed, his hands ready to slash his enemy. He didn't care at this point, he was out for blood.
"I'LL SLICE YOU UNTIL THERES NOTHING LEFT! I REFUSE TO BE BEATEN BY A HERETIC LIKE YOU!"
" Mana Zone Condense!"
Yami sheathes his sword, still overflowing with Dark Magic. He condenses the area of Black Moon's effect, and waits for Goenitz to get close to him. And once he's inches away…
" Dark Magic: Dark Cloaked Iai Slash!"
Yami quickly draws his blade and dashes forward, slashing Goenitz in the stomach. Goenitz's eyes go blank, grunting as he collapses to the ground.
"If that's the best you got, your god must be not too much better." Yami says, lighting a cigarette.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"Huh? The storm's gone." Ramsey points out. "All of a sudden. Was it magic?"
"Hard to say…" Don says. "Regardless, I'm grateful. I can see the island now! Turn to starboard, Bugs!"
"Already on it, doc!" The rabbit salutes.
There's a large crash as Alucard falls throw the roof.
"Whoa there! What the hell happened to you?!" Ramsey exclaimed.
"Windy day." Alucard quips, looking completely unharmed with the exception of his suit.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
In the infirmary, Bender is seen sitting next to Light's hospital bed, looking quite nervous.
"Relax, I'm sure he'll be up and at 'em soon." Lissa tells him. "Everything is fine right now. Just gotta wait for him to wake up."
"Rrrrgh, stupid humans and your constant desire for rest!" Bender complains. "C'mon, Light! Don't you die on me! When you see the light at the end of the tunnel, tell it to piss off!"
Light's eyes suddenly flutter open. He looks around in confusion, until he sees Bender.
"Finally back! Bender cheers. "Booyah baby!"
"How are you feeling?" Lissa asks.
"Quite nice, actually." Light responds. "Wait….how did I end up in here?"
"What you don't remember?" Be der reminds him. "You got drugged against your will and was knocked out cold."
"Ah, that's right." Light says, remembering what happened. "...Against my will…
We flashback to earlier that day, when Light left to go outside. As soon as he did, he saw Goenitz sitting on the railing.
"W-who are you?!" Light exclaimed.
"Relax, I bear no I'll will to you." Goenitz tells him. "I am Leopold Goenitz. I'm quite the fan of your work…Kira."
Light's eyes widen, but Goenitz puts his mind at ease.
"Relax, I'm not going to say anything. I admire your work. Eradicating the sinners who poison this world. I'm in a similar line of work, but for a god of my own."
"I appreciate the sentiment, but there's only one god that can rule over every world, and that's me." Light said.
"I'm well aware. But it'd be a hassle for us to compete against each other. Hence I give you an offer, with no strings attached."
Light raises an eyebrow of suspicion. "What kind of offer?"
"You have the will of a god, but what if I told you I can give you the power of a god?"
He holds out a syringe. Light was still skeptical.
"What's that?"
"The power of Orochi itself. Once this enters your bloodstream, you will have the power of the god Orochi. Only one other man had been given this power."
"One other?" Light asked.
"Yes." Goenitz responds. "His name was Rugal Bernstein. But he tried to tap into it's full power, and died. My hypothesis is he lacked a strong enough will and conviction. But you…are different from him. Better, even. This concoction will be even stronger than what we gave him. You'll have all the powers our lord possessed."
"I'm still on the fence about this." Light admits. "This sounds too good to be true. What's in it for you?"
"You have nothing to worry about." Goenitz assured. "I plan on sparing you once Orochi's coming is upon us, becoming another apostle of his. But as a contingency, should this plan go wrong, is for you to keep doing what you're doing. This way, you can fight just as good as you can….write."
Light eyes the syringe with curiosity, and takes it.
"You've made a fine choice, young man."
Light turns away, and grins maliciously. "I know I am." And he injects himself in the neck with the syringe."
"It's all coming back to me." Light says. "Bender, could you leave the room for a moment?"
"Oh, sure. Anything for you." The robot does as his friend asked and leaves the room.
Once the coast was clear, Light takes out his Death Note.
"Who're you killing now, Light?" Ryuko asks.
"How dare he ask me to serve another god?!" Light snaps. "There is no one more godly than I. I'll keep whatever this new power is, but I'll cast divine judgement."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Once the ship has docked at the island, the cast and crew disembark, while Don surveys the damage.
"Gonna take a lot of work to repair this baby."
Nearby, Goenitz was restrained by chains. Shermie, Yashiro, and Chris were all handcuffed, as Percy was escorting them to a large armored truck.
Is this still really necessary?" Shermie asks.
"Yes." Percy answers. "Despite your actions today, you four have still committed atrocious crimes. Luckily if I play my cards right, you three should get a shortened sentence."
"Going to prison, just like real rock stars." Yashiro said, looking at the bright side.
Before she's out in the truck, Shermie turns towards her friends. "Thank you for having my back. Hopefully once I'm allowed back into the free world…we can still be friends."
"Count on it." Ryu says. " Whether you like it or not, you're one of the weirdos now. And I wouldn't change it for nothing."
"We'll be waiting for you." Futaba adds.
"Thanks you guys." Shermie says. "Let's meet up over coffee once I'm free. Au revoir."
"Ugh, gag me." Goenitz groans. "Bested by these heretics?"
Light then approaches Goenitz. "At least I have you, my backup plan." Goenitz whispers.
"See, that's the thing." Light says quietly. "I'm not doing things your way."
The look on Goenitz's face turns to confusion. "What?"
"You heard me. To hell with your god. I'm above all else. I hope you enjoyed playing Kira's game. May we never meet again."
"WHAT?!"
Goenitz breaks free from his restraints, freaking everyone out. Goenitz was moving against his own will. In front of everyone, he shreds himself with his wind powers until there was nothing left.
"Okay, what the fuck did I just witness?!" Panty exclaimed, breaking the silence.
"The guy took the coward's way out." Yami says.
"Great, now I'm not gonna get that imagery out of my head tonight." Ryu says. He then tries to do so by holding up the Bernie photo from earlier. "Ahh, now I did."
Futaba looks over nervously next to her, to Alucard.
"You don't think Light had something to do with this, do you?" She whispers.
"Seems so." Alucard responds. "And look at his disgusting face. No remorse whatsoever. I mean, I don't feel bad for the people I kill, but that's neither here nor there."
Once loaded into the truck, Shermie and co are driven away. Don approaches all ten remaining contestants.
"Well, this surely wasn't how Id wanted today to turn out." He says. "But at least everyone made it out okay. Can't say the same for the Jolly Rancher, though. She took quite a beating today. Hopefully, we'll see if the island has any carpenters or shipwrights to repair it."
"What is this place anyway?" Pete asks. "Looks pretty tropical. I assume there's no Marines here?"
"This island is owned by the show." Don explains. "It's a resort island, and the location of your next challenge. "Unfortunately, due to the circumstances, it's been moved to the end of the week, so you have the week to rest up and have fun beforehand."
"What a coincidence!" A familiar voice says. "Because I've also got a pretty big day at the end of the week!"
The cast are utterly shocked as The smug and punchable face of Maynard McMonster strolls up to them, now in a wheelchair. Unlike last time, he was only accompanied by Portson and Gumbo.
"Look what the cat dragged out of the shitter." Panty says with disgust.
"I thought we were done with you!" Draco spat.
"I figured the law would be after you." Futaba adds cheekily.
"Yeah, thanks for that." Maynard snarks. "Thanks to you, my subscriber count has dropped tremendously, and my girls dumped me. And now I'm in this fucking chair for the next three months. But I've changed since then."
"Oh really?" Lights asks skeptically.
"Yes." Maynard assures. "I've had time to reflect on what I've done after I met you guys. It was awful of me, taking advantage of you guys for fame. Which is why I'm making a big press announcement at the end of the week to make amends. I'm unveiling a new project that's going to benefit mankind. I'm putting my wealth into something beneficial and productive."
"For real?!" Ryu exclaimed. "Well I'll be damned."
"Sometimes it takes an ass beating for someone to have a reality check." Yami jokes.
"Glad to hear it." Maynard says. "I'm really sorry for everything I did. Hopefully we can let bygones be bygones."
"As much as I hated what you did, I can't help but see you sincerely mean it." Don says. "I guess we can both move on from that fiasco."
"Great. If you want, I can lead you guys to the resort. Really high scale place. Five stars, a great beach, greater food, the complete works."
"You know, how could I say no to that?!" Pete happily says.
As Maynard leads the cast to the resort, Don receives a phone call.
"Hello? Oh, hey, boss. Don't worry, everyone made it out okay, and I'm having some people fix up the ship."
"Don't bother with the ship." The boss says. "That baby has hit it's final voyage. I'm sure you know that."
"Well, yes, I know it, but-"
"But nothing. No point in using it anymore. Because after this next challenge…they won't be needing that ship where they're going. Nor us."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Later that night, Futaba hears a knock from her hotel room. The knocking was rather forceful and that irritated her a little bit.
"Alright, I'm coming. Just hold your horses."
When she opens the door, she surprised with who it was. It was her close friends from back home: Ren Amamiya, Ryuji Sakamoto, Ann Takamaki, Yusuke Kitawgawa, Makoto Niijima, and Haru Okumura. With a familiar cat in Ren's bag, Morgana.
"Wait, what are you guys doing here?!" Futaba asks in disbelief.
"We were waiting for you, obviously." Yusuke says matter of factly. "And you guys sure took your sweet time."
"Cut the crap, Inari." Futaba huffs. "We've had quite the day, and I don't need you starting your nonsense."
"If we're done quarreling, there's a more pressing matter at hand." Makoto explains. "We wouldn't have come out to see you were the situation not dire."
"What's going on?"
"You know that Maynard guy?" Ann says. "The guy who said he's turned over a new leaf?"
"Yeah?" Futaba still wasn't sure what they were getting.
"That's a complete load of bullshit." Ryuji says. "We did some more digging on the guy after he appeared on the show."
" I did the digging." Makoto says. " You were just sitting around playing video games."
"Hey, I don't do the brainy stuff, Miss Student Council President." Ryuji says defensively. "That stuff hurts my brain. Besides, you're much smarter than me."
"Not exactly a high bar." Morgana jokes.
"Zip it, cat! Before I make catnip out of you!"
"Wait, so Maynard was lying to us?" Futaba asks.
"Yes." Haru answers. "He's got ulterior motives at this press conference."
"Turns out he's got a plan that's going to be bad news for you and the rest of the cast." Ann adds. "Meanwhile the viewing world will be none the wiser."
"I should've known!" Futaba says bitterly. "But then why are you guys here now?"
"Because we're gonna do what we do best." Ren says confidently. "We're going to steal his heart!"
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End of Part 2
Voice Cast
Don: Terry McGurrin
Yami Sukehiro: Christopher Sabat
Erza Scarlet: Colleen Clinkenbeard
Futaba Sakura: Erica Lindbeck
Light Yagami: Brad Swaile
Pete: Jim Cummings
Bender: John DiMaggio
Scott Pilgrim: Michael Cera
Gonard, Ryunosuke Umemiya: Sean Schemmel
Karin Kanzuki: Lauren Landa
Kermit
Whoo, quite the cliffhanger, eh? Bet you…never saw that coming? (Okay, I'll see myself out.)
Jokes aside, we wrap up Bon Voyage's second story arc. Next time, we begin the final arc: The Door-Mension Arc. Sounds exciting, I know.
Today, we say goodbye to Shermie. Now that the truth has come out she and her friends have rebelled against their fate. They may be in the slammer for now, but it was worth it. Shermie is definitely not the same person leaving than game then when she started, much like some people who've now left the show. And now Light has the power of Orochi himself. What could this mean now?
As for next time, the challenge will be a mysterious one. The cast must find a mysterious door hidden somewhere on the island. Meanwhile, Maynard has a plan to exact his revenge for his humiliation on multiverse TV. Luckily the Phantom Thieves have now reunited to steal his heart and have him confess to his crimes. Hopefully it won't get in the way of the challenge, because our of the ten people left, only nine can enter. But where does the door lead to…?
Well, that's it for now. Until next time, read and review as usual. Everyone's support is greatly appreciated. Can't do it without you guys. Till next time, this is MemeKing, signing off.