Return to Vaporia! Here we go!
Chapter 38: Revitalization
Planet Vaporia
Both ships landed beside each other on the black, mysterious planet, littered with piles of scrap, with yellow flames rising in the distance. Meta Knight and Tails worked frantically to fix their ships, but to no avail. "It's no use, Meta Knight." His partner, Sword Knight, said in a Scottish accent. "All power's been lost."
"Now we're jus' sittin' ducks now, eh?" Blade Knight said in an Australian accent.
"Oh, GREAT." Wally folded his arms grumpily. "We haven't been in Galaxia for one quarter of a minute, and we're already trapped on some unknown planet."
"It could be worse, Wally." Kuki replied, still keeping a smile. "What if an evil fairy comes and casts a spell on us that forces us to obey absolutely every order someone gives us?"
Wally only looked at her confusedly. "…The crud does that have ta do with anything?"
Nigel, Eva, Rachel, and Dimentia went out to study the area. "Well… not the nicest planet I woulda picked." Nigel said.
"No kidding. What is that smell?" Eva asked, waving her hand by her nose.
"What is this planet, Dimentia?" Rachel asked.
"A forbidden planet that has long been abandoned by the galaxy." Dimentia spoke in a grim tone. "A dangerous wasteland far too horrible for GKND OR Irkens to visit. And that's not just another one of my lies this time."
"Well, it's being visited now. By them, too." Nigel pointed to a fleet of Bowser airships coming down, several Stormtroopers dropping and sliding down ropes to the surface.
"Hm. At least we're not alone." Dimentia said. "Anyway, I heard of a special Wisp that's supposed to be on this planet. A Plasma Wisp that can fuel our ships and have us out of here in no time."
"It looks like we'll need a few." Rachel figured.
"But be on your guard. The inhabitants of this planet are not to mess around with…" (Play "Desert Hoodmongers" from Rayman 3.)
Stage 24: Vaporia
Mission: Find a way off the mysterious planet.
Act 2
The four operatives slowly began their trek through the piles of broken junk, walking through a small tunnel and to a small trench with a poisonous river. They hid behind the corner and watched as the airships hovered several feet off the ground, allowing Stormtroopers and Koopas to climb down ropes and land on platforms in the poison river, or the side of the river. There appeared to be new types of Stormtroopers: EVO Troopers, who used their special armor to survive the poisonous river, Shadow Troopers, who were able to turn invisible, and finally, Purge Troopers, with armor much stronger than any other Stormtrooper's.
"Squadron 9 to flagship." A Stormtrooper on a platform spoke into his communicator. "We've landed on the planet's surface. Beginning expedition now."
"You know you can't call anyone here, right?" another Trooper reminded.
"I know. I'm just used to reporting where we've arrived all the time."
The others exchanged a questioning glance and walked down a small path, leading to the river, as Eva walked to a Stormtrooper that was tapping his communicator. "Gah, stupid planet…" he mumbled.
"Um… excuse me?" Eva tapped his shoulder.
"Hm?" He turned to her.
"Um… what are you guys doing here?"
"Oh. A couple of our best operatives, and some bounty hunters, crashed onto this planet, so we were called for a rescue mission."
"Ah… hey, you know anything about a Plasma Wisp on this planet?"
"I think the aliens here keep all the Wisps at the…" the Trooper then realized who he was talking to. "Hey!" Eva immediately bended her Water Fists and punched the soldier into the poison river.
"It's those kids! Blast 'em!" Another Trooper ordered. Dimentia held up a space barrier as they all began firing. Rachel defended with her sword and dodged her way over, jumping the platforms and slicing the Stormtroopers. The EVO Troopers held up protective barriers to defend against Dimentia's lightning, but Rachel still used the Master Sword to pierce through them.
The Koopatrols charged at Eva, who only froze them into ice cubes. She jumped gunshots from behind, looking to see no one there, but the invisible Shadow Troopers blinked on and off. Nigel ran to burn the invisible Troopers and knock them out. With them done, they went to tend to the Purge Troopers, which held up shields to defend against Nigel's and Dimentia's fire and lightning. Rachel ran to deal a few strikes against one, but another Purge grabbed her from behind and tossed her away, landing barely on the edge of another platform before she could fall in the river.
Dimentia was finally able to stun them with her lightning from behind, allowing Rachel to come back and land a few more strikes before they were finally taken out. They looked up and spotted a few more enemies landing on the ledges of the trench walls above them. The group continued down the platforms along the river and started up a hill, leading up the trench.
On the first ledge, Rachel ran and sliced a few more EVO Troopers, as well as skeleton Koopas called Drybones. The already-dead Koopas couldn't be destroyed, so they only split their parts away before continuing. They headed further up the trench, where Sniper Stormtroopers aimed and fired with sniper rifles on higher ground. Rachel gave them a taste of their own medicine and fired arrows up at them, making them take the fall.
After finally reaching the highest ledge of the trench, they found some kind of gate with a cage right behind, containing a Speed Wisp and Drill Wisp. "Hey! Get us out!" the Speed Wisp yelled, oddly in English.
Just then, more Shadow Troopers appeared and started blasting the gang, moving around invisible, but Rachel was able to find where they were and slice them as well. A couple more Sniper Troopers fired from airships, but Rachel was still able to shoot them down.
Eva then proceeded to freeze the gate for Nigel to kick it down. She then froze the chain hanging the Wisps' cage, breaking it and dropping the cage, forcing it open upon impact and releasing them. "Oh, thank the stars! We're outta here!" the Drill Wisp exclaimed.
"Wait!" Nigel stopped them. "Any idea where we could find the Plasma Wisps?"
"Oh, they keep all those guys in the mining tower WAAAY over there." The Speed Wisp said, indicating the tower in the distance. "The fastest way to get there is through these underground caves."
"Oh, but it's hopeless." The Drill Wisp replied miserably. "The Vaporians have this whole area guarded. And those demons are invincible!"
"Doesn't matter." Nigel said. "We have to get the Plasma Wisps and get off this rock."
"Whatevah." The Speed Wisp shrugged. "All I know is I'm not sticking around here any longer." With that, he took off for the sky.
"Say… you're that bald kid who rescued my brother on Planet Secco." The Drill Wisp recognized. "The one who was in the Pokey Mummy?"
"He certainly is!" Eva grinned, wrapping an arm around Nigel's neck. "So, a little help in getting us in these tunnels might just repay him."
"D'ohh. Fine. You asked for it." With that, the Wisp shot into Nigel's body, allowing him to absorb the Color Power. (End song.)
"DRILL!" The girls wrapped around him as Nigel became a yellow drill, burrowing into the ground beneath them before reaching an underground cave, where Nigel reverted to normal as they landed. The girls shook from the dizziness before standing and brushing their selves off.
"Listen, Baldy, if those Vaporians spot you, you better find someplace to hide quick, 'cause if they touch you, it is GAME OVER!" the Drill Wisp exclaimed. "...Well, enjoy the last few moments of your life!" With that, he flew back through the tunnel they dug.
"Well, those guys were in a hurry." Eva said as they walked to a small room in the cave, leaping down a small cliff to a lower floor. "I wonder what they-" Dimentia immediately held her back, glaring ahead.
All four focused their attention on an orange spark in the center of the room. "Hey, you!" They turned their attention to a Stormtrooper, who had followed them in through the dug hole. He tried to run at them, but the kids jumped to the side, the Trooper tripping into the spark and disintegrating in an instant. "AAAAAAHHHH!" his scream of despair was the last thing heard.
They gasped and stepped back when the spark blinked. "Mip mip MIIP mip, mip mip mip. (Flesh beings detected. Preparing to vaporize.)"
Dimentia immediately held the alien back with lightning as it approached, having help from Nigel's flame blasts, making the being spark out of control. When Eva splashed some water on it, the spark flashed brightly, and its invisibility shield disabled, exposing the hideous, pitch-black alien, emitting electricity. "What is that thing? !" Eva shouted.
"Just hurry up and kill it!" Dimentia ordered. The alien extended its orange electrical tentacles to try and grab them. Rachel bravely dodged the tentacles and went over to the alien. Keeping a good distance, she swung her sword and successfully damaged the alien, forcing it back. When it zapped a tentacle at her, she flipped right over and sliced the monster's head clean off. The rest of its body spun rapidly for a few seconds before exploding.
"Whew. That was a close one." Nigel sighed in relief. "Just what kind of planet is this?"
"Planet Vaporia." Dimentia replied grimly. "There's a reason the GKND never come here, you know. Any ship that drifts near this system is just BOUND to malfunction, having no choice but to land on this planet of these... demon aliens just waiting to shred you, and the last sound that comes out of your mouth will be your hopeless screams."
"Wow… where'd you learn to talk like that?" Eva asked.
"When you've been around for thousands of years, watching everything die around you, it's perfectly natural." She smiled innocently.
"How come you never sent my dad here if you wanted to kill him?" Nigel asked.
"'Cause even I'm not that cruel. Now, if we're all done here, perhaps we should get a move on. Unless you want to wait for more to show up and be obliterated to nothingness." She said, continuing down a tunnel ahead. "But even though we know how to beat them, it's best to stick with stealth. Just in case." The others nodded and followed behind. (Play "Haunting Spirits" from Rayman 3.)
They carefully continued down the tunnel, already stopping behind a corner when they spotted another Vaporian. The alien continued down the hall, allowing the kids to dash behind a glass wall when he came back, then patrolled down the previous way they came. The four proceeded down the path and stopped behind a rock in a room where another Vaporian stood guard below a small ledge, which was where they had to go. "Meeep meep meep. Meep meep. (Ugh. Why did they set me in this dead end? It's not like anyone could make it up here.)"
"The Vaporians are attracted to electricity." Dimentia whispered. "We could use that to distract him."
"I've got it." Rachel said, carefully taking out her bow and aiming an arrow to the corner. Dimentia took the hint and lit it up with some lightning. Rachel fired it to the corner, attracting the attention of the alien. While it was distracted, Dimentia made some box barrier platforms as a staircase leading up to the ledge, getting away before the Vaporian came back.
"Wait a second, couldn't Dimentia just teleport us to the tower?" Nigel asked.
"It would be a lot simpler if I KNEW where I was teleporting. I could warp us right on top of a Vaporian."
"Point taken." Rachel agreed. "Let's just keep going."
They continued down the hall before reaching a dead end with a dark pit. To their left was a ladder leading to another ledge, which led around the pit to a door. However, a Vaporian patrolled around that ledge, around several glass walls. They climbed up while it was on the far end, ducking behind another glass wall. When it was coming back, Dimentia electrified another arrow for Rachel to fire at the corner, the alien rushing over in an instant. They then ran to the other corner and hid behind more glass. When the Vaporian passed them, they were able to hurry to the next room.
They crouched behind two fallen cars and spied on a group of three Vaporians ahead, guarding a door. They spotted another high ledge to the right of them and saw a ladder, climbing up. "Zip zip ZIP zip, zip zip? (Hey, guys? Don't you feel a little bad, trying to kill a bunch of kids that are stranded on this planet?)" one of them asked.
"(…No. Why? Do you?)"
"(…Er… n-no no, of COURSE not, guys! I'm just… ah, come on!)"
Rachel aimed another electrified arrow at the cars they were just behind and fired. Attracted, the Vaporians ran over to study the arrow, allowing the kids to head in the door.
They had finally made it back to an outside area, atop a cliff, looking around to make sure it was safe. "Coast is clear." Rachel reported. "I wonder where the tower is?"
"Uh… Rachel?" Nigel tapped her shoulder, looking and pointing upwards. Towering right over them was the mining tower itself.
Fi came out and reported, "Master, there is an 80% chance-"
"Don't. Say it." Rachel ordered as Fi jumped back in. "Sigh, okay, we found the tower… let's just find a way inside without being spotted." The four of them continued down the path on their right, finding what seemed like an entrance. (End song.) However, the four of them stopped when a gang of Vaporians stood in their path.
"Mip mip mip mip… mip… (So, I asked if he was going to the strobe light party, and he said…)"
"(Hey, look! More flesh creatures, like the one we killed earlier! Catch them!)"
"I'm… guessing this wasn't the way." Eva figured.
"Run!" Nigel ordered when the Vaporians started chasing them. They ran the opposite way down the cliff, but screamed and ran back when another squad of Vaporians headed their way. They were completely surrounded by Vaporians, seeming to have no way to go.
"Jump!" Dimentia ordered, jumping off the cliff. The others gulped and shrugged as they jumped after her, just before the Vaporians caught them. "AAAAAaaahhh!" their screams echoed in the dark abyss.
Mining Tower Dungeon
Meanwhile, the group of seven villains who had crash-landed earlier were unconscious inside a prison cell beneath the tower. They all finally woke up, groaning and holding their throbbing heads. "Argh… what happened…" Cad Bane groaned.
"Hm hm hm hm." Came a light giggle.
Everyone shot completely awake and searched around. "Who's there?" Nolan shouted.
A strange, orange light came from outside the cell. They all held their guards up as a vicious Vaporian approached them. Just when it was about to touch their cell… "BOO! !"
"AHH!" They jumped back and covered their eyes as an impish figure popped out. Realizing it wasn't a Vaporian, they uncovered their eyes slightly.
"Eee hee hee! I SCARED you!" the girl cheered. (Play Midna's Theme from Zelda: Twilight Princess!)
Nolan and Danika exchanged their still-startled glances. This girl wore a stone helmet that covered her left eye. Her body was black and white, with little glowing blue lines. She was as tall as a toddler. Her hands were a baby's size, and her bare feet were an inch long.
"Hey, check this out!" the figure smiled, sticking her hand in the back of the lifeless Vaporian's head. "When a Vaporian dies, you can use his severed head as a puppet!" They watched as she was able to move its mouth.
"Who ARE you?" Nolan asked.
The imp dropped the lifeless alien and floated inside the cell, easily slipping through the bars to Nolan's face. "My name is Midna. And aren't you the heroic little cripple I've heard so much about." She grinned, playfully pinching his cheek.
"You're the denizen from Cheshire's world…" Danika recognized, speaking quietly. "The one from my dream."
"You're a Shadow Being." Matthew deduced.
Cheshire slowly arose from the ground and extended her right arm to the shadow imp. "Hm hm hm! Nice to see you again, too." Midna smiled, shaking the shadow's hand.
"You two know each other?" Danika asked.
"Of course! I know all shadows. I'm quite popular around them, if you catch my drift…" she gave a wicked grin.
"What are you doing here?" Nolan asked.
Midna drifted outside the cell and responded, "I was kidnapped by these alien demons. They were interested in my power for some reason, so they locked me in here. Seems they didn't count on my escape. Poorly designed cells. How nice that I have some company! It's amazing you made your way past all those filthy monsters with barely a scratch."
"Hmph, yeah, for us at least." Matt replied grumpily.
"In case you didn't hear the news, my brother was killed by these things…" Danika said through gritted teeth.
"Ooh, he has?" Midna said in a fake teary expression. "How odd. I've only been playing with him all this time. He's such a fun human to mess with!"
"What are you talking about?" Nolan asked. "He was disintegrated by the Vaporians."
"How can that be?" she smirked. "He's just fine. Matter of fact, he's right here!" With that, the shadow waved her arms, summoning what looked like tiny pieces of dark matter from all around the room; similar to what people destroyed by Vaporians become. She formed the dark matter together until it all became a shadow, the exact shape and size as Leo. The team gaped when the boy himself emerged from the shadow, shaking around.
"NO! NO! NAAAHHH! !" He finally stopped when he realized nothing was happening, uncovering his eyes. "…Huh?"
"Leo!" Danika yelled happily, running to the front of the cell.
"Sis? Where are we?"
"I don't understand…" Nolan spoke.
"Eee hee hee!" Midna giggled. "It's all quite simple really. After escaping this prison, I was able to use my powers and kill one of the guards. Afterwards, I took its lifeless body and produced my own microwave shield. Then I blended in with the others ganging up to charge on you. I was the one that grabbed Leo. But what you thought you saw, with him being vaporized into dark matter, was ACTUALLY me using a powerful shadowbending technique to scatter the matter of his own shadow, and therefore scatter his body as well. It was a safe gesture, perfect for faking his death without actually killing him! It seems to have worked a little TOO well! Eee hee hee!"
The team had no words to express their thoughts. Their mouths just hung open. "You…" Nolan could not have been more furious. "You little SNOT! ! How could you put Danika through all that? !"
"Do you have ANY idea how I felt? !" Danika shouted.
"It was a necessary evil." Midna smirked. "A mortal who hides from the sun and befriends the shadows rarely has any love for any other mortal. I had to see if you were different, and I was right." She then sat on Nolan's head and pressed his cheeks together with her tiny feet. "Besides… this whole expewience got you and wittle Nowan a wittle cwoser together!" She laughed and flew off as Nolan and Danika blushed.
She went back outside the cell and turned back at them. "Great. So you saved his life with a little magic trick." Bane replied, uninterestingly. "So, can you get us outta here?"
"Oh, you bounty hunters would just LOVE getting out of jail, wouldn't you?" she smirked at Bane and Aurra. "Yet, it's supposed to be the hunters that put the animals in cages."
"Well, we do need to get out of here." Jeremiah reminded.
"Yes." Dani replied. "We need to get off this planet before any more goons show up."
"Hmm… very well then. But know that if I help you… you have to let me come with you, Danika." Midna smirked. "After all, we Shadow Beings must stick together…"
"Fine. Now open the cell."
Midna then closed her eyes (or her one exposed eye) and channeled an orange energy ball into her hands. She released the ball at the cell and blew it open. As the others proceeded to walk out, Danika ran to hug her brother on the ground. "Don't worry!" Midna assured. "It'd be a pleasure to help my old friend, Cheshire's master. So, if you need any help, just summon me." With that, she blended into Danika's shadow with Cheshire. (Stop the music.)
Underground cave; actually the same cave
The four operatives had landed safely in an underground cave after their drop. "Boy, that was a close one." Rachel said as they brushed off. "Let's keep going and find a way up this tower."
The gang proceeded down a hall, sidling along a wall as they came to a corner turning left. At the same time, the eight villains were sneaking along the same wall on the other side of the corner. "Someone's coming!" Rachel gasped, quietly, having her sword drawn.
"Shh, someone's coming." Danika whispered, having her daggers ready.
Nigel tip-toed beside Rachel with flames in his hands while Nolan rolled beside Danika, having a missile ready. When both teams were about to turn the corner…
"EE-YAH-" They immediately ceased their attack when each found out who it was.
"YOU? ?" Nigel shouted.
"YOU! !" Nolan yelled.
"Grrr!" Nigel lit his flames back up.
"Hnnn!" Nolan charged a missile.
"RAHH!" Nigel jumped at him.
"AHH!" Nolan rolled at him.
"STOP IT!" Midna yelled, immediately appearing between them and pushing both boys' heads back with her little hands as they kept trying to charge the other. After a while, they finally stopped. "Phew. Boy, I didn't think you'd need help so quickly."
"What are you kids doing here?" Bane asked.
"We should be asking that question." Eva replied.
"We crash-landed here a few days ago, passing by this planet." Matt explained.
"One of those Vaporians mauled me! !" Leo yelled.
"That was just Midna, you idiot." Jeremiah retorted.
"Well, we all crash-landed on our way warping here on our ships." Nigel explained.
"Is Ava with you guys?" Aurra asked smugly.
"Yes." Nigel replied grumpily. "Thank Zero she didn't have to come with us to see you."
"What about Marine?" Elijah asked.
"Why do you care?" Bane asked.
"Guys, enough!" Midna shouted. "Look… you crash-landed on this planet with no way out." She gestured to the villains. "THEY crash-landed on this planet with no way out." She gestured to the heroes. "I saw we compromise." She smirked.
"No way! I'm not walking a single step with them!" Nolan yelled.
"Good thing you can't walk at all." Midna remarked. "But if either of us has any hope getting out of here, it's best if we work together."
Fi then came out and said, "Master, I calculate a 90% probability working together will give us a better chance at escape."
"Good, good!" Midna smiled. "Besides: you'll need to, considering coming to this tower was a waste of time."
"What do you mean?" Dimentia asked.
"I mean the Vaporians had the Plasma Wisps relocated to the arena a few miles away. And they have the area LITTERED with Vaporians. You'll have to work together."
"Hrrmph. Little brat puts up a good argument." Bane figured.
"Fine. We'll team up." Nolan decided. "But I get first crack at you when we get outta here."
"Fair enough." Nigel agreed.
"Then it's settled." Midna nodded. "We'll find a way out if we keep heading up. Let's go." (Play "Modern Crisis City" from Sonic Generations!)
Act 3
The lot of them headed up a staircase to a hall with three Vaporians. The poisonbenders burped Gas Bombs at them while Dimentia zapped them with lightning, exposing their bodies. Bane and Nolan shot them and blew them up. They dashed through a door on the other side and ran up a staircase to another hall with windows to the side.
Eva sensed some water pipes inside the walls and used her bending to make the water shoot out, electrocuting the Vaporians' shields. Dimentia made the ground beneath them explode and destroy them as the place started shaking. Midna had floated outside and extended a huge arm from her orange ponytail, gripping the top of the room and successfully ripping it from the tower.
The room slid down a pile of scrap and junk before stopping at a field on the ground. A gang of Vaporians charged at them, but Eva threw some water on them while Dimentia gave them a shock, exposing them. Rachel quickly dashed over and sliced one down the middle while another one grabbed her right leg with a tentacle. Danika saved her by tossing her daggers into its eyes and blowing it up.
The last three tried coming for Aurra, who drew out two nun-chuck parts. The parts immediately connected via electric chain, similar to a lightsaber, allowing her to swing it around an oil drum, tossing it at one of them and blowing them all up. The 12 hurried down another small hill to a poisonous river, jumping waste cans and cars that were floating on the river.
At the end, they came to a field with plenty more Vaporians. Midna got in front of Danika and said, "I'll draw them in my energy field. Then you handle the rest." They ran in the center of the field as Midna produced a shadowy circle around them, stunning each of the Vaporians that came in. Danika then had Cheshire come up and zoom around in a huge, monster-like form, her mouth wide open as she snapped at all the Vaporians and killed them.
"Zeep zeep zeep. (Why couldn't we just be an electrician planet?)" the last Vaporian asked before his head was eaten off.
The 12 hurried down the path and crouched behind two small piles of scrap, behind two more Vaporians. "Beep beep BEEP beep, beep beep? (Hey, did you see somethin'?)"
"MIIP mip, mip mip. (Probably jus' another electrical malfunction. I remember this las' malfunction we had. I was about to bone mah girlfriend, but then we had this malfunction, and she said dere was no way.)"
Another Vaporian drifted beside them, making a beeping sound identical to a pick-up truck. Nolan immediately fired a laser at the right one while Dimentia shot lightning at the left. Nigel shot fireballs at Nolan's while Eva splashed water on Dimentia's, exposing both of them. Rachel immediately jumped between them and performed a spin attack, slicing both of them.
The other Vaporian, who made the pick-up truck sound, made the sound again, floating in midair above the center of the field, summoning a bunch of old junk parts. Those old parts became a bulldozer with two claws, the teams separating left and right when it swung at them. Nigel and Nolan fired fire and missiles at the left side, the machine turning and catching them in its claws. Danika and Rachel immediately ran up the back of it, slicing both claws off and dropping them. The poisonbenders burped Gas Bombs at it from behind, the alien turning around again, only to be suddenly splashed with water by Eva from behind it. When the machine turned back around again, Dimentia fired lightning at the wet spot on its back. The bulldozer short-circuited and fell to the ground before exploding, killing the Vaporian with it. The heroes and villains nodded to each other before hurrying closer to the huge arena ahead. (Stop the music.)
They went down another hill and reached a strange, yellow river. "What is that stuff?" Nigel asked.
"It isn't liquid. That's for sure." Bane replied.
Midna floated a few inches above the substance and stared hard at it. "…It's Fear Energy."
"But I thought Fear Energy was supposed to be red?" Matthew asked.
"It feels similar. I'm not sure though."
Bane then looked up and spotted some more junk parts floating over the river, by what seemed like psychic energy. The parts seemed to be going to the arena. "Well, we won't get anywhere standing here. Let's go." He said, jumping onto a floating car with Aurra. The Toxic Four hopped onto an oil drum, Leo barely hanging on the edge, while the other three were standing on it. Dani and Rachel grabbed onto a lamp post, Dimentia and Eva grabbed a rusted pipe, while Nolan and Nigel fired their grappling hooks around opposite ends of a fallen TIE Fighter (notice the symbolism?), letting it carry them away.
The 12 of them hovered over the supposed Fear Substance, getting closer and closer to the arena. When they spotted a path that seemed to go the rest of the way, they all hopped their junk parts onto the safe landing. But just when they were about to keep going, another squad of Vaporians ambushed and startled them. They were about to try and fight back, but the Vaporians quickly lashed tentacles and wrapped around their arms and legs.
"Beep beep beep beep beep beep beep beep beep beep! (Haha! Haha! Come on! Let's vaporize 'em! Let's vaporize 'em GOOOD!)"
"(NO! I have a better plan! Let's go see what King Vapus wants to do with 'em!)"
"(OOH HOO HOO HOO HOO! Good plan! You'rre IN for it, NOW, you little munchkins! HAHAHAHAHAHA! !)"
Vaporia Colosseum
The gang of operatives and villains were forcibly dragged to the arena, over a bridge leading over some more yellow Fear Energy, and throwing them on the ground. "Mm hm hm hm. Well, well. We really DO need to stop meeting like this." (Cue Ghirahim's Theme!)
They all looked up and spotted Ghirahim, holding a cage containing what seemed like a cyan-colored, electrical flame with blue eyes. "I believe this is the Plasma Wisp you were looking for. What's that? Oh, no, it's not like one of the Wisps YOU'RE used to. It is actually a Nightmare creature, one of many sent here to lay siege upon the planet during the Nightmare Wars, turning this planet into a monster-filled wasteland."
"Ghirahim?" Rachel questioned.
"What? Surprised to see I'm not vaporized? Here's a little interesting piece of history: ages ago, this planet was one of the most advanced in the galaxy. That is, until the inhabitants of this world were cursed by a horrid substance: the Yellow Fear!" They gasped. "And now they are a ravenous people, DESPERATE to feed off electricity, and kill any mortal being in their now-distorted sights! But… they recognize a fellow demon when they see it. That's why I have an all-access pass."
"Great!" Nolan exclaimed. "Then help us get out of here."
"Mm hm hm HEH…" Ghirahim smirked.
"What?"
"I saw the way you all worked together. It was delightfully… unpleasant. I'm interested to see how well you'll fair a little bit longer."
"You can't do that!" Danika shouted.
"I could care less what happens with either of you. No matter what side, all mortals are a waste of matter. So, it's time to watch all your matter become just what the rest of this planet is: WASTE! His Royal Highness will see to that! Prepare to face the grand ruler of all Vaporians! The horror of alien demons himself! They're yours now… King Vapus!" The smooth-skinned demon laughed again as he warped out, dropping the Plasma Wisp's cage. (Stop the music.)
The whole area began shaking as the bridges leading off the battlefield collapsed into the river of fear. A massive door opened on the opposite end from them as the Vaporian-filled audience of the arena cheered away, their lights blinking like crazy. (Play "When They Come For Me" by Linkin Park.)
Both teams stared worriedly as a gigantic orange spark drifted out of the door, to the arena. The Vaporian switched its shield off, and they all jumped back at its hideous form: the massive Vaporian stood straight up and gave a deafening screech, its spider-like legs hovering just a few feet above the ground. The inside of its mouth had teeth on all sides, and four hands zoomed around its body, connected only by the orange electricity, and it also had two regular arms. Three microwave-producing circles spiraled around the center of its body. The monster spotted the little Plasma Wisp in its cage, who screamed and tried to get itself out. The demon gently picked the cage up in its right hand and dropped it in his mouth.
Rachel elbowed Nigel and pointed to the center of its body: the three circles appeared to be surrounding a yellow stone, emitting a yellow aura. They immediately figured that was the demon's heart. "Kids Next Door… er, and villains: BATTLE STATIONS!"
Boss fight: King Vapus
The hideous alien turned invisible once again, the 12 running in separate directions as the massive orange spark chased them around. As Eva and Dimentia ran, they splashed water and zapped it with electricity, slightly damaging the shield. After Nolan fired a missile at it, the shield was disabled. The Vaporia King roared and moved to the center of the field. Cad Bane shot bullets while Nolan shot more missiles, but they didn't seem to harm its rough skin.
"We have to attack that weak spot." Rachel said. The alien beast emerged electric tentacles and started swinging them all around the field. Eva's legs were grabbed by a tentacle, but Dimentia zapped it and released her.
As Rachel jumped some of the tentacles, she called, "Fi, I could really use some help now."
Fi came out and spoke, "Master, this is King Vapus. The supreme emperor of Vaporia and the likely source of the microwave energy. Its weak point appears to be the yellow stone in its chest."
Rachel swung at another tentacle and shouted, "GREAT! Crap I already know! Anything else? !"
"Your sword may be able to absorb the electric energy and redirect it."
"Works for me!" she exclaimed. She held her sword up and attracted another electric tentacle, the energy catching onto the tip. The sword absorbed the electricity before it started glowing orange. She swung and sent an orange slash at the alien, but Vapus quickly swat it away.
"Try again!" Midna shouted as she produced an energy field, catching his floating hands. Cheshire zoomed around and bit the hands off as Rachel absorbed more power into the sword. Dimentia fired some lightning and stunned its arms as Rachel sent the slash, the demon screaming from being hit with his own energy, shutting it off.
With the powerless monster on the ground, Rachel was able to dash over and deal a few swings to the heart, greatly injuring the monster. When its body started lighting up with microwave energy again, Rachel hurriedly ran out before it could kill her. The monster stood back up and screeched at them before turning invisible again.
The invisible demon chased them around some more while Nolan fired missiles at its barrier. Dimentia stunned it by shooting electricity, allowing Nolan to blast the laser, tearing apart his shield and exposing him. The Vaporian went to the center and made its electricity skim all around the ground to try and grab them. Its four floating hands touched the ground and started sending shockwaves at them. Rachel dashed over and stabbed one, Aurra swung her light-nun-chucks at another, Danika stabbed the third, while Eva froze the fourth for Nigel to melt it.
The angered king roared and jumped into the fear river, coming out and spitting huge balls of the substance around the field. Dimentia electrocuted one of Rachel's arrows as the blonde aimed and fired at its left eye. The beast then charged a bigger blast, keeping its mouth wide open, only for Bane to take out a grenade and toss it inside, doing damage on his insides.
The beast came back on the field and swung more tentacles. Once again, Rachel caught the energy in the tip of her sword and swung a microwave slash, giving him a shock and disabling his energy. But when Rachel ran up to strike the heart, the beast lit back up a little and grabbed her by the legs. It tossed her above his head and held his mouth open to eat her, but Rachel grabbed the top and bottom of its mouth to keep from falling in. She then flipped above his head and started stabbing at him, making the beast grip his aching head as Rachel jumped off, dealing more strikes against the heart.
The demon gave another angry screech as it lit all the way up again. The Vaporians in the audience became angered at this and floated over to assist their king. "Hey, no cheating!" Rachel ordered, slicing across the first two.
Midna caught four more in her energy field for Cheshire to fly around and snap them, and Eva covered more of them in water for Dimentia to shock and blow them up. Bane handed a gun to Aurra as both of them ran around and shot all the Vaporians they could.
"BLEEEEP! !" King Vapus cried, using his powers to summon tons of pieces of junk from the surrounding area. The scrap flew all around, the group dodging when Vapus flew it at them. Rachel quickly swung her sword at the pieces of scrap before a trashcan suddenly knocked it away, the sword flying across the river and sticking to the other side.
"CRAP! !" she yelled.
"PIYAH! !" Just then, a twinkle lit up in the sky, and the infamous pink puff that was Kirby came shooting down in his Warp Star.
"Kirby!" Rachel yelled with an excited smile.
The puffball shot inside the arena's walls and shot back out, along with tons of Plasma Wisps. One of them seemed to be glowing a brighter light, so Kirby landed on the field and sucked the creature in. Kirby's skin became green as the plasma cap appeared on his head with a star emblem, the Star Warrior glowing brightly.
"SUPAH PLASMA!" the puffball declared, the Super Ability empowering him. King Vapus glared at the tiny puff and flew over to try and eat him. Kirby shook around at a fast pace to expand a powerful barrier, shaking faster and faster so the barrier would keep King Vapus' ugly hands back. During this time, Midna flew across the river and picked the Master Sword out of the ground, tossing it back to Rachel, who easily caught it in her left hand.
When King Vapus became tired with trying to fight past Kirby's more massive plasma barrier; which grew as big as Vapus himself, the puffball launched it out, giving Vapus a more painful shock and disabling his energy. Once he was down, Rachel dealt a few more blows against the heart before flipping up and stabbing it straight in the center.
She flipped off and left the sword in there as Vapus got back up. The demon frantically shook around to try and shake the sword out, but it stayed in tight. Finally out of energy, the King of Vaporia fell to the ground. Rachel ran and pulled her sword out as the heart hovered higher in the air. The yellow energy from the river was sucked into the heart, and that same energy was sucked from the Vaporians' bodies, their pitch-black forms becoming white as they fell to the ground. The overpowering heart spun around before shooting to the sky, erupting in a great explosion that lit the heavens yellow.
Rachel caught her breath for a moment before twirling and sheathing her sword. (Stop the music.)
The black clouds that were just covering the sky slowly faded away, allowing the sun to pass through and give the planet light. The fallen forms of the Vaporians got their selves up shortly afterw, the now-white aliens rubbing their heads. "Mip mip MIIP mip, mip mip. (I say, what happened?)"
"Meep meep MEEP meep, meep meep! (Holy crap! We've been freed!)" And soon, all Vaporians were cheering happily.
While the others just looked around confusingly, one of Bowser's airships came down and lowered an anchor. "There you guys are!" Gary exclaimed. "Get on, we're getting out of here!"
"Finally." Bane said, flying up to the deck with his rocket shoes. Aurra jumped after him, and Dani flew Nolan up while the poisonbenders grabbed the anchor and were hauled up.
"Finally, we can get going to Avalar." Matt said as the poisons boarded. The operatives just shot them all glares as the ship flew away.
At the landing spot
The rest of the crew aboard the Halberd and Blue Typhoon came out to greet the four heroes when they came back, alongside tons of Vaporians. Ava walked over and kissed one of the aliens, allowing it to learn and speak their language. "Eons ago, we were some of the most technical-advanced species in the galaxy. But one day, during the Nightmare Wars 500 years ago, the Nightmare King laid siege upon our land. We fought back and had him outmatched. But just before our victory, he cursed our planet with something far worse than any curse in the galaxy: the Yellow Fear."
"What's the Yellow Fear?" Rachel asked.
"The Yellow Fear is the most dangerous type of Fear Energy ever produced by the first Nightmare King. Too dangerous even for him. So, he trapped the source of the fear within the heart of our king. As a result… our whole planet became a Nightmarish wasteland, and we became a tribe of cannibals who desperately crave electricity, and destroy any other creature who appears in our sights. But thanks to you kids, our curse has been lifted, and we can begin rebuilding our lost civilization!"
The revitalized King Vapus approached the four kids and bowed in thanks. "VOOOWOOP."
Rachel smiled and approached the king. "Well, I'm glad we could help out."
"Poyo?" Kirby smiled, holding up a chocolate bar. The king reached down and picked up the candy. The kids laughed when he studied the substance and stuck it in his teeth.
"That little puffball's starting to remind me of someone." Sonic smiled.
"We are also gifted with much knowledge of the galaxy." The English Vaporian continued. "If there is anything about Galaxia you wish to know…"
"Actually…" Nigel spoke up. "Would you know anything about a Sun Temple on Planet Secco?"
"Ah… that story. Ages ago, there was another civilization advanced in technology that lived on Planet Secco. It was once a whole planet of robotic beings. But when we became cursed with out lust for electrical power, we invaded the planet and destroyed everything… we are ashamed to say we are the cause of the planet's current desert environment. But the people that once lived there were loyal worshippers to the God of Suns. His temple should still be there."
"Why would a bunch of robots worship a Sun God?" Rachel asked.
"It was believed Solaris also contained the power of time travel. Much like Dialga or Celebi. The robots mined for powerful gems called Timeshift Stones, which they believed could change an area back to a previous time state. They believed Solaris would use these stones to bring their civilization back should disaster ever befall… but he didn't."
"Do the stones work?" Eva asked.
"We don't know. But the stones were supposed to only react to timebending."
"Sounds like a job for the timebenders." Nigel figured. "So, I guess we're going to Secco."
"Hold on. Didn't Matt say something about heading for Avalar?" Rachel asked.
"Wait!" Yin spoke up. "You mean Matt and the poisonbenders?"
"Uh… yeah?"
"LET'S GO!" Yin shouted, Yang covering his ears. "Get this ship working and LET'S GET OVER TO AVALAR!" With that, she walked back in the Halberd rushedly.
"OI SECOND THAT!" Marine shouted, running in the Typhoon.
Soon, everyone was back on their ships and getting ready to lift off. "Main engines set." Tails reported. "Scanners working. Chaos and Sol Emerald energy loaded."
"Status report, Magolor." Meta Knight ordered to his copilot.
"Rear wings are up." Magolor reported. "Reactor still needs more energy."
"Kirby. Activate the Reactor!" Meta Knight ordered through the intercom.
"Piya!" Kirby still had his Super Plasma form as he stood in the Halberd's Reactor. The little puffball shook around to build up his forcefield until it was big enough to power the core and make the ship fly.
"All power to the Reactor's been restored. We're clear for takeoff!" Magolor reported.
"You've done well, Kirby." Meta Knight said. "We're heading for Avalar. Let's take off!" The Vaporians waved good-bye as both spaceships took off for the sky and sailed out of the atmosphere.
Zuzu's Valley
Yuki Crystal went back to sitting in his cave to warm up by the fire. The timebenders finally had to leave, so he was more upset than before. Especially considering that Olive girl had to go with them. It was then Rumpel Stiltskin approached the boy in a fake pitiful voice. "Oh, boo hoo hoo. Did those mean, nasty timebenders weave you here all alone?"
"Mmm." Yuki grumbled.
"You know, I really do feel bad for you, Yuki. I really do. And it's upsetting to see your old friend won't use his powers to go back in time and make sure that unfortunate accident never occurred. He must not really like you at all…"
"…" Yuki stayed quiet, keeping his angry expression.
"You know, I would gladly go back in time and save you, Yuki… but thanks to those no-good spirits, my powers are nothing without first cutting a deal. Whaddya say…?"
"Oh, can it, Rumpel. I may have been banished, but I know about your tricks."
"Hm, touché. But surely I can cut some deal. Do you honestly want to waste the rest of your life in this wasteland… when you can be using your powers for something… productive?" He squinted his eyes and gave his usual puckered smile.
Yuki finally looked at him with interest. "What did you have in mind?"
Rumpel's smile grew into an evil grin.
The Ice Climbers spied on them from outside the cave, and already suspected trouble from that elf.
And SO, Vaporia is saved. But before we head to Avalar… we will see how Chad, Emily, Luvbi, Shaunie, and the Eds are doing. We haven't heard from them in a while. So, later.