The two leaders thought their fellow slugs/humans would react one way.

Most reacted the complete opposite way, to their slight confusion.

The slugs not following Burpy were nervous, even as their curious Slingers reassured them. Those following Burpy were completely trusting.

Pronto, on the other hand, was outright ecstatic.

"Pronto will now be able to truly get in touch with his sluggish side!"

The faces everyone gave him, including his slugs, did nothing to dissuade him. If anything, they only encouraged him, and that led to some…

Disturbing trouble and unnerving developments.

Riding to Deadweed Cavern, Eli and Trixie withstood the urge to slap themselves, the latter rubbing the bridge of her nose. Kord couldn't, leading to a minor shockwave.

"Pronto, buddy, I'm asking again so you can hopefully wake up… What are you thinking?!"

"Come on, Mr. Brave and Mighty Cave Troll! I intend to get in touch with my sluggish side and this is the best way!"

Shaking their heads and sighing, they followed him into the mines after making sure the door would stay open.

The only problem?

Pronto firing a Darkening slug, causing the door to slam shut and lock from the outside.

Staring at the molenoid as he confidently rode deeper and deeper, they glanced at each other and followed. As things progressively got creepier and creepier, the gang stayed together and their slugs 'took the lead' by hopping on their mecha's heads. However, things inexplicably turned for the better as they quickly felt stronger, braver, and-.

"Uh, Eli?! Wh-wh-when and where did you get flames on your head?!"

He felt similar worries from the rest of the Gang, except for Burpy, who informed everyone what happened.

Calm down, everyone. The only reason is that we're getting closer to an enormous source of Dark Water, or Karum-Zanul, as Cave Trolls call it. We'll get stronger the closer we are. Follow your gut.*

And they do, their eyes growing closer to the colors of their favorite slugs, skin darkening, muscles increasing, and all five senses improving drastically. The whole while, they encountered none of these supposed 'ghosts' an ironically ghostly-white Pronto boasted about scaring off, 'explaining' why there were none. Reaching wherethey were guided, they entered a large space. The expanded Slugterran Express was directly opposite them, manned by a crowd of Blakk's henchmen. A large well of Dark Water took up the rest of the space to the Gang's left from which they were extracting water.

"Blakk. He wants more Dark Slugs."

But why? I know any slugs he Darkens won't be as strong as mine.*

"Er, 'mine', Burpy?"

He rubs himself against Eli's cheek apologetically and lovingly.

I meant, 'ours', my dear Slinger.*

The other three members glanced at each other before looking at the duo and replying telepathically and simultaneously, Trixie being slightly heated.

And what are we? A bunch of Floppers?*

"You can come out now, Shane Gang."

Damn it.*

"Damn it."

Emerging from their cover, Pronto's skin turned red nearly instantly, the molenoid screaming in pain as his friends cared for him and Doc healed his burns. Then, the voice of El Diablos Nacho echoed off the walls, overpowering Pronto's worried whimpers.

"If the three of you are done playing doctor, I believe there's… Some business we need to attend to."

Leaving him behind, the Shane Gang stepped forward, Trixie's steps being loud, and her fists clenched tight. Glancing between the Gang and the well of Dark Water, he put two and two together.

"I can-."

"No deal."

He grinned at the seriousness of the Shane and his slug's faces, instantly slugging it out. The Shane Gang, for their part, reacted almost superhumanly fast. Trixie was already firing Darkening slugs as Nacho was reaching for his blaster. Kord rushed a cart full of Dark Water and flipped it as if empty, punching out a Grimmstone as Nacho dodged Burpy. As the Darkbane launched a Frostfang toward Eli, he swiftly launched a fireball from a fist, defeating it as it transformed.

"Hm. You're already part Darkbane."

Ignoring him, he saw Blakk's henchmen sprinting away from his friends and on the train as it sped away. With a smiling growl, El Diablos followed them, leaping on the train as it left the cavern. The gang, minus Pronto, regrouped next to the well, staring at each other in shock at the power surging through them.

Kord was the first to speak.

"That… Was awesome. And terrifying. Who knew Dark Water could do… Any of this? Bludgeon?"

Nope. I can safely say none of us had any idea these things were possible.*

Getting close to the well, the group felt the water draw them closer.

"… Burpy?"

… You trust me.*

Nodding, all of his, Pronto's, and some of the others' slugs zealously lined up before the well, while the rest nervously waited in their Slingers' bandoleers. Taking a deep breath, they pledged their complete loyalty to the Shane, and before anyone could react, they dove in. As they swam around, their Darkening rapidly progressed, leading to a series of dark-red pulses through the Cavern.

Simultaneously, the rest of the Shane Gang underwent their own, painful changes. Eli's skin took on an almost metallic, dull silver sheen, as he grew retractable claws and fangs; Kord's skin and muscles grew larger; Trixie's hair also developed a metallic sheen of bright silver; and Pronto's skin became so sensitive he could not be in the shade without undergoing tortuous pain.

The whole while, Burpy stayed in physical contact with Eli, screaming as he willingly experienced the same pain as his Slinger. The seconds passed with excruciating slowness, everyone praying it'd be over soon. And when it finished, the first thing they heard was a crowd of their slugs roaring and screeching at some intruders.

Trixie, Pronto, and Kord smoothly whipped out their blasters and fired their Darkened slugs, with men and women screaming as they were thrown back and the rest retreating. Trixie's hands shook as she steadily retreated and her slugs rejoined her, eyes narrowed.

"I think it's time for us to leave, you guys. We need to figure out what happened to Pronto."

Helping him up, Kord was faster than Eli as the latter loitered and looked at the well.

"I'm not about to let Blakk get more Dark Water than he already has."

Raising his blaster, he fired a Hop Jack at the far side of the space, leading to a chain reaction that destroyed the whole mine.

"Are you sure we can trust this Shane? He's-."

"'Not like his father?' Please. He and his gang have made things safer than ever! You saw how easily they beat back those twins!"

He begrudgingly accepted the woman's rebuttal and hooked the cart to their tracker's mecha. When the group left their sight, the rescued Slingers laughed till they cried.

Meanwhile, as the group hurriedly made their way to Bullseye Cavern, the slugs they met also laughed till they fell, breathless.

The reason?

One Pronto Geronimole, currently dressed in the most ridiculous robe, gloves, turban, and goggles ever found in the 99 Caverns. While his current outfit was inspired by his usual clothing, the way the colors blended was a crime against fashion.

At one point, Locke and Lode attempted to block the way, but a series of well-placed slugs and fireballs cleared the way while nearly blasting the two men to bits. Reaching their destination, they used the Fandangos and Doc together to revert the Dark Water and return the Cavern to its former glory.

"That's one less source of Dark Water for Dr. Blakk, my dudes.

Now, who wants pizza? I know the best place that's cheap and delicious."