Keiko knew that she'd been crawling through the vent space in a short amount of time, and yet it felt as if she'd been going at it forever. She hoped that she would have to stop someplace soon. Her muscles were aching and felt like they'd been set on fire. She just wanted to get out of here and be reunited with her family already. She missed them. She missed them badly. She'd do anything to get back to them. She took a deep breath and kept pushing on. She couldn't stop. She knew that if she gave up now, she would never make it out of here alive. She had to keep going.

"Jesus, how much longer will I have to crawl before I find a place to stop?" Keiko asked herself. "The sooner I get out of this place, the better."

As if on cue, she noticed a light at the end of the literal tunnel. Her eyes widened, and she forced herself to keep crawling, hoping that this was what she thought it was.

"Thank God," Keiko whispered to herself. "Now I can hopefully get out of here."

However, when she reached the end of the tunnel, she noticed that it led into the kitchen. Just her luck, she figured, and good luck at that. Keiko sighed, knowing that her ordeal wasn't over yet. Even so, she couldn't resist the temptation of food, especially if it was real food. She carefully made her way into the kitchen, determined to find her way out of there as soon as possible. There were lots of chefs and sous-chefs just trying to do their jobs around her. She trudged carefully, not wanting to disturb them while they worked. All around her, they were yelling out orders to send this and that out to the hungry patrons.

"Give me a break!" one chef yelled to the head chef. "I just sent out a stuffed lobster tail! You really want me to make more?!"

"Of course I do, dumbass!" the head chef yelled back. "You want me to call you an idiot sandwich again?! Because I'm this close to calling you an idiot sandwich."

The other chefs laughed, with the first chef rolling his eyes. Keiko wanted to step away and not be a part of the drama, but she soon noticed another chef slipping on an oil puddle and spilling boiling water all over themself. She just stood there and watched as that chef screamed out in excruciating pain, but was soon brought to attention by the smell the chef gave off as they were dying from their injuries.

"Oh my God, that smells so good right now," Keiko muttered quietly. "It smells like... like sardines."

Seconds later, she decided to run over there and start munching down on the chef as they took their last breath. Blood spilled out from the chef's corpse as Keiko bit down and ripped chunks of their flesh off their body. She didn't even seem to notice the circle of other chefs that had formed around her while she chowed down.

"Uh, excuse me," one of the chefs tried to call out to her. "What do you think you're doing?"

But Keiko didn't respond. She just kept eating and eating, ripping off more and more chunks of flesh and even digging into their organs. It wasn't until another person called out to her that she finally stopped eating and stood up. She was covered in blood and gore, and her eyes widened in shock. She quickly ran away, leaving a trail of blood behind her.

"Holy shit!" yet another chef yelled out. "Is that who I think it is?"

"Yeah, I think so," replied another head chef. "It's Keiko!"

The chef gasped. "You're right! Someone stop her!"

Everyone in the kitchen scrambled to chase Keiko, but she was too fast. She managed to escape the kitchen and run off to what she could only hope was freedom.

Eddie and the group were still searching for Keiko after having parsed through half of the right wing of the compound. Where could she possibly be? Was she even in this part of the compound? Eddie wasn't going to give up, though. He knew that his oldest daughter had to be somewhere in this compound.

"Are you sure Keiko's in this part of the compound?" Iggy asked. "For all we know, she might have escaped already and we don't even know it!"

The others just laughed and shook their heads. Eddie rolled his eyes and sighed, knowing that Iggy was right.

"Help me keep looking, guys," Eddie said. "She's got to be somewhere around here."

They began searching again, this time with more intensity and dedication. Eddie was determined to find his daughter, no matter the cost. Suddenly, he noticed a trail of blood leading from what appeared to be the kitchen.

"Oh no..." Eddie muttered to himself.

"You don't think...?" Iggy started to ask, only to trail off.

"Oh God, I hope not. Let's go in and see if she's in there. Just watch your step."

"Alright, but I got a bad feeling about that trail of blood."

So Eddie and the rest of the group made sure to follow the trail of blood down into the kitchen. Once inside, Eddie noticed that there was a lot more blood spread out across the floor than on the trail. He stepped in to get a closer look.

"What the hell happened here?" he asked out loud.

A chef covered in merfolk blood blurted out, "She did! She ate one of us!"

"Who ate one of you?"

"It was Keiko! Keiko ate one of us!"

"...what?"

Eddie was left speechless, unable to further articulate himself. He couldn't believe what he'd just heard. Keiko eating someone? She wouldn't be that desperate to eat someone, right? He shook away the shock and horror of it all and got back to focusing on the mission.

"Jeez, guys!" Iggy exclaimed. "You look like fragile-ass bitches around here!"

"Hey, we're not fragile!" one of the chefs protested. "You just caught us off-guard."

"Oh yeah?" Iggy pointed to Eddie. "Well, maybe if you'd been as focused as this motherfucker is, you'd be better off by now!"

"Screw off, lady! One of our chefs just got eaten. Go back to... whatever it was you were doing before!"

"Okay, no need to ask us twice!"

Eddie and the rest of the group ran out of there and followed the trail of blood out to wherever Keiko's ultimate destination was. Eddie could feel his heart pounding with excitement. They were so close to finding her, so close. Even if it didn't seem likely, they were going to find her alive. It didn't matter what the odds were. They were probably wrong, all things considered. They kept following the trail of blood until it led to what looked to be a broom closet with Keiko inside. To Eddie's initial shock, Keiko was covered in the blood and guts and viscera of the chef she'd eaten earlier. However, it quickly wore off as the reality sank in for him.

"Keiko!" Eddie cried out in relief. "Thank God we found you!"

Keiko likewise sighed as if a huge weight had been lifted off of her shoulders. "Dad! I can't believe you're here! How'd you get all the way down here?"

"No time for that right now. We need to get out of here. The sooner, the better."

"Right. Let's hurry before Lord Stingray gets back. I don't know what he'll do when he finds out I ate one of his chefs."

With that, Keiko left the closet and followed her father and the rest of the group out of there. They rounded a corner and then another one and then another one as they tried to find their way out of the compound. Looking back, it should've been obvious from the get-go that the place was so huge and labyrinthine that it could be hard for anyone save the people living here to know where they were or where they could go. Still, Pearlisle and Piscynia were able to help Eddie and the others correct course on more than one occasion.

"So we'll go back the way we came, right?" Eddie asked the two mermaid princesses.

"Yeah, you got it," Pearlisle answered. "All we have to do now is try to find it again."

They proceeded to do so, following along more or less the same path they made when they first entered the compound. Halfway through the path, however, a couple guards stepped forward and blocked their path.

"Um, what are you doing?" Keiko asked the guards.

"Blocking your path?" one of the guards asked back. "What the hell does it look like we're doing?"

Without even thinking, Keiko kicked that guard in the crotch and started running, her father and the rest of his group following closely behind.

"Hey, get back here!" the other guard yelled out as he started chasing after them.

Keiko and her father managed to stay ahead of him and other guards that gradually joined him one step at a time. They pushed themselves to keep going, keep running. They had to keep going, keep on the path out of here. Eventually, they made it out of the compound. Keiko was relieved that they'd made it, but she was worried about what would happen next. After all, Lord Stingray was strangely nowhere to be found. For all she knew, he was actually hiding somewhere.

"Oh God, I hope we won't have to fight him," Keiko said. "I'd hate to go through all that again."

"Maybe you won't have to," Eddie assured her. "Even though our friends and I trained with some weapons for such an occasion, I doubt we might have to actually do it."

Keiko nodded, but was still worried. No sane person would ever underestimate what Lord Stingray was capable of. After all, she'd seen it first-hand. Suddenly, an alarm went off, and it let out a deafening shriek as it alerted the guards and Lord Stingray what was happening.

"Shit!" Keiko practically hissed out. "The chairman knows we're trying to escape! What do we do now?"

Eddie's heart sank for a moment, but he quickly composed himself for the sake of his companions. "We do what we did the last time we were in this kind of situation: we fight our way out of this!"

His voice brimming with determination, Eddie rallied his daughter and his party behind him. They had faced countless challenges before, and this was no different. While the odds may have seemed insurmountable to them right now, Eddie refused to let doubt creep into their minds. He had to think about his family. They wouldn't have wanted him to back down, and he was certainly not going to let his companions back down either. They all immediately jumped into action and got to work taking out the mooks that were quickly arriving and closing in on them. With their weapons and their precise and coordinated movements, Eddie and his party swiftly disposed of the approaching wave of enemies.

"Alright!" Aurelia exclaimed. "This is awesome!"

"Yeah, tell me about it," Flavia rejoined. "I can't even remember the last time we had to fight off this many people!"

As the battle raged on, Eddie's leadership shone through. He effortlessly strategized and directed his comrades, ensuring that each member of the party played to their strengths. They fought as one unit, seamlessly synchronizing their attacks and defenses. Despite the chaotic surroundings, Eddie remained composed and focused. With every strike, he inspired his team to push harder, fueling their determination to emerge victorious. Then, almost as if out of nowhere, Lord Stingray came onto the scene, having earlier heard the alarm going off.

"Oh shit!" Keiko exclaimed upon seeing him. "He's here!"

"Don't worry, Keiko," Eddie assured her. "I've got your back."

With that, he started landing blows along Lord Stingray's face and neck.

"You won't get away with this, you bastard!" Eddie yelled at his opponent.

"Oh yeah?" Lord Stingray asked smugly. "How would you know?"

"Because we've stopped you before, and we're prepared to stop you now!"

Lord Stingray just chuckled menacingly, seeming unfazed by what Eddie had said. "Oh yeah? I'd like to see you try."

Eddie proceeded to throw an uppercut into his opponent, sending his head reeling backwards. Lord Stingray then proceeded to shake off the attack a few seconds later, almost like it was nothing.

"You're going to have to do way better than that, kid," Lord Stingray said.

Eddie gave his opponent a smirk. "My pleasure."

Eddie swiftly shifted his stance, his eyes locked on his opponent. He prepared to throw another uppercut at him, only for Lord Stingray to knock him out cold with an uppercut of his own.

"What?!" Keiko yelled. "Oh, that is such bullshit, even for you!"

"Life is bullshit, sweetheart," Lord Stingray replied. "Deal with it."

With a lightning-fast movement and invigorated anger, Keiko lunged forward, aiming a series of quick jabs at Lord Stingray's midsection. She weaved and bobbed, dodging the retaliatory strikes that came her way. Each punch she threw carried the weight of determination, fueled by her desire to prove herself.

"Alright!" Mariko called out to her older sister. "Go, Keiko!"

Invigorated by Mariko's encouragement, Keiko kept fighting. Surprisingly, though, Lord Stingray proved to be a formidable adversary. He blocked Keiko's punches with ease, countering with a powerful hook that grazed her cheek.

"Is that the best you can do?" Lord Stingray tauntingly asked.

"Nah, I'm only getting started, motherfucker," Keiko replied.

Ignoring the sting from the punch, Keiko then focused all her energy into maintaining her focus. She knew she had to keep Lord Stingray off balance if she stood a chance against him. Leaping backward, she executed a graceful backflip, using all the momentum she had to deliver a swift kick towards his chest. The impact sent him stumbling backward, momentarily disoriented as he tried to gather his bearings from here. Seizing the opportunity, Keiko charged forward and launched a barrage of fierce kicks and punches against him, each strike hitting its mark with precision. She could feel the sweat trickling down her forehead as she poured all her energy into the fight. However, decent of a fighter as she was, she knew that Lord Stingray could overpower her at any moment and knock the wind out of her. As such, she tried as hard as she could to rob him of that opportunity at every moment.

"Starting to give up yet?" Lord Stingray tauntingly asked again.

Keiko shook her head. "Never."

Delilah just looked on in awe at the fight unfolding before her. "Look at her go. Magnificent."

The longer the fight went on, however, the more Keiko's confidence began to waver as Lord Stingray gained a second wind. Soon, his relentless assault on her pushed her to her absolute limits. Her movements soon became sluggish, and her attacks started losing their initial vigor. Sensing her growing weakness, Lord Stingray prepared to gather up all the strength he could muster for one final blow.

Mariko's eyes widened. "Oh my God, no!"

Mariko rushed forward into the path of Lord Stingray's fist and absorbed the blow that had been intended for her older sister, which sent her to the ground.

Keiko gasped. "Mariko!"

However, Mariko soon got up and positioned herself into a fighting stance.

"Hey, asshole!" Mariko called out to him. "How about you fight me instead?"

"Mariko, no," Keiko said. "You don't need to do this."

"I gotta, Keiko!" Mariko yelled at her. "I gotta do this for you!"

"Look, Mariko, I get it. I really do, but you don't need to do this."

"No, you don't understand! I-"

Before Mariko could finish her sentence, Lord Stingray landed a hook across her cheek and sent her back down to the ground.

"How cute," Lord Stingray remarked. "You thought you could take me on by yourself."

"No!" Keiko cried out. "Don't hurt her. You can do anything else. Hell, you can even go scorched earth on Miami Beach if that's what you want, but please don't hurt Mariko."

"Hmm... I'd rather do both." Lord Stingray picked Mariko up by the tip-top of her neck and quickly squeezed down on her throat until a sickening crunch could be heard and blood spilled from her mouth. He then dropped her body to the ground. "This will teach you not to fuck with me now!"

"Mariko!" Keiko couldn't believe this was happening. First he'd killed her mother, and now he'd killed her sister. "You bastard! You're gonna pay for that!"

"Oh yeah? What are you gonna do about it now?"

Keiko just screamed out loud as she shapeshifted into a swan and started hissing and honking and biting the hell out of him.

"I have no idea what's happening right now," Pearlisle could only say. "But go, Keiko, go!"

Keiko just kept hissing and pecking at her tormentor and abuser, making sure that every peck and bite hurt at every opportunity she took. Nothing mattered to her at that moment except rage and pain. She then started chasing after him when he tried to run away, biting and pecking at him the whole time while rapidly flapping her wings at him.

"Ow, stop!" Lord Stingray yelled. "What the fuck? Stop biting me!"

Keiko didn't care to listen. She kept at it, wearing him with every bite and peck until he started crying and begging for mercy.

"I don't believe it," Pearlisle began. "But Keiko just made Lord Stingray beg for mercy while in the shape of a swan."

"Wow," Piscynia added. "Now that is a first!"

Just then, Keiko reverted back to her default form and stood over her opponent while he lied on the floor, still crying and begging for mercy.

"That'll teach you not to fuck with me anymore," Keiko coldly told Lord Stingray. "Also, don't ever mess with swans."

Eddie just looked on, stunned. "Keiko, I don't know how else to say this, but I'm proud of you."

Keiko let out a sigh of relief. "Thanks, Dad. That means a lot to me."

"So what do you suggest we do with him now? Remember, it's all up to you."

"Send him off to Superjail so he can be made an example of. But first, I want to know what we're going to do about Mariko. Is there a way we can bring her back?"

"I don't know if there is." Eddie started tearing up. "Oh, my poor baby! I can't believe someone could kill her so cruelly."

"Actually, I have an idea," Pearlisle interjected.

Eddie wiped away whatever tears had begun to form to look at the younger Atlantean princess. "You do?"

"Yeah, but I don't know if you'll want to hear it."

"What is it?"

"I could use my powers to resurrect Mariko, but..." Pearlisle paused for a moment. "...in doing so, I would be transferring my life essence to her and making her a mermaid like me."

Eddie's eyes widened. "You mean...?"

"Yes, I would have to die in the process. I still want to do it, though."

"Pearlisle, no!" Piscynia cried out. "I can't lose you, not after everything we've been through!"

"I know you don't, but this is what I want. I can't stand by and watch while our Supreme Leader mourns a death just a year after he lost his mother. Hasn't he been through enough?"

"Yeah, but-"

Pearlisle cut her older sister off. "Please, Piscynia. Think about our father. Think about what he might do if he were in this situation."

Piscynia sighed and wrapped her arms around her sister. "Alright, but just remember: I love you and I'm also proud of the mermaid you've become."

Pearlisle sniffled. "I love you too, Piscy."

"So you'll do it?" Eddie asked Pearlisle eagerly.

Pearlisle solemnly nodded her head. "It's for the good of everyone involved... including myself."

Pearlisle then knelt down to where Mariko's corpse was lying and began to exert all the powers she had to resurrect the fourteen-year-old girl. Piscynia and Eddie watched in awe as Pearlisle's efforts worked and Mariko's body slowly began to regenerate, part by part. Mariko's eyes then slowly started to open, and with a gasp of shock, she sat up, alive and well. Simultaneously, Pearlisle collapsed after having worked her magic and died. Everyone was relieved and overjoyed that Mariko had been brought back to life.

"Oh my God, what happened?" Mariko asked, still in shock from being resurrected.

Piscynia had a satisfied smile plastered on her face. "You were dead, but my sister used her magic to bring you back to life."

"Really? How?"

"She used all of her life essence to do it. Unfortunately for her, it killed her."

Mariko couldn't help but tear up. "Oh no..."

"It's okay, though. If not for her, you wouldn't still be here. It's the least she could've done for anyone, least of all you."

Mariko embraced the living Atlantean princess, tears forming in her eyes. "Thank you so much. You have no idea how much that means to me."

Everyone including Keiko prepared to board the submarine back to the surface, utterly exhausted from the whole mission to save her. With him was an injured and unconscious Lord Stingray, whom they were currently bringing back with them to prepare transport to Superjail. While everyone else felt mostly satisfied by how everything had turned out, Keiko just sat there quietly and gave the whole ordeal room for thought... perhaps a little too much. Everything had gone wrong, so wrong. This was supposed to have been a great birthday party for Raphael, but now it was going to be tainted forever by utter horror and death. She tried to push those thoughts into the back-burner and be grateful that everything had worked out, but it was easier said than done and she blurted out the first thought that popped up in the forefront of her mind.

"I'm sorry," Keiko said.

Eddie raised an eyebrow. "What? What for?"

Keiko froze. She couldn't believe she just said that. She carried on anyway, knowing that her father would press on if she just clammed up. "It was supposed to have been a better experience this time, not just for Raph but for me. Instead, I hurt everyone and got my mother and my sister killed. Maybe if..."

Eddie widened his eyes and cut her off. "Keiko, stop! None of that was your fault. Nothing about this was your fault. It's not like we could've known beforehand that Lord Stingray would crash Raph's birthday party."

"But Dad-"

"No buts. The only one truly at fault here is Lord Stingray. He was the one who caused most of your pain and strife."

Keiko sighed. "I still failed you all, though. I put through so many unnecessary pain and stress when I had Raph. I figured that if I decided to throw a first birthday party for him down at Miami Beach, then maybe it would help me atone for what I did."

"Is that why you wanted to do it in the first place?"

Keiko nodded. "How else was I supposed to make it up to you? I know you're always telling me that Raph doesn't even remember what happened, but I do. I'm always going to remember that, and I know you will too. All I wanted was your forgiveness."

"You never needed to atone for anything, sweetheart. What happened with Raph when he was born is all in the past. You're doing such a great job with him now, and I know that you'll continue to be great with him when he grows up."

Keiko responded by embracing her father, tears flowing freely down her face. "Thanks, Dad. You have no idea how badly I needed to hear that."

Eddie hugged back. "It's the least I could've done for you."