Location: Fun House (Center Stage)

  Time of Day: Night

  The smoke left behind by Carnivex drifted slowly into the air. Hikari lowered her head, pink aura flowing softly around her. All but one drone faded out, leaving the last one hovering loyally at her side. She patted its shell. "Thanks, little fella."

  For a moment, the arena was silent. Then Lumina and Slayer rushed toward her. Slayer reached her first, jogging up with his sword sheathed and shield clamped to his back. "Hey Hikari!" he called out, voice full of energy. "That was frkn insane!" He grabbed the side of his helmet, like he was still trying to process it. "You actually, like... shot yourself and then-" He pointed wildly at the aura flowing around her body. "BOOM! Emanation, and then-!"

  Lumina let out a soft chuckle, sliding her katana into its sheath. "I think what he means to say... is that you saved us all." Her tone softened. "A brilliant performance, I'd say."

  Hikari gave a half-open smile, rubbing the back of her head. "Ahaha~ that definitely sounded like you were trying to imitate someone." She glanced upward, letting out a breath. "Well, I'm just glad we made it through. With everyone's effort... we were able to win."

  Slayer lifted a thumbs-up. "I'm also glad we have a genius Hollow like you on our side!"

  Hikari let out a small laugh under her breath. Then her expression shifted. "Speaking of Hollows..."

  A pained groan echoed nearby and Hikari spun instantly.

  Captain twitched once on the ground, then his eyes snapped open. He gasped, gripping the dirt beneath him. "Wha-what happened?!"

  Hikari rushed over and knelt beside him. "Captain! You're back!"

  His eyes darted around wildly, panic shaking through him. His breathing was uneven. "They... they were-"

  Hikari placed both hands on his shoulders, gentle but firm. "It's okay. It's okay." Her voice softened. "None of it was real."

  Captain froze, his body trembling once before he slowly exhaled. "I-I thought-"

  Lumina stepped beside him and knelt. "Try to stay calm, Captain. We're here for you."

  Slayer gave a confident nod. "C'mon, Captain. I know you'll pull through this."

  Captain shut his eyes for a long moment. When he opened them again, the panic had faded, replaced by clarity. He looked at Hikari, then at the others. "...Thanks. I'm glad to see you all again."

  Hikari smiled softly. "Glad to have you with us again."

  Captain finally noticed the pink aura gently flowing around her. His brow twitched. "Is that your aura around you...?" He sighed. "Hmph. I don't even wanna ask."

  Slayer immediately chimed in. "Yup. It's a long story. Definitely a campfire story." He lifted something from his shoulder, it was Captain's rifle. "Here. Don't forget this."

  Captain took the rifle and slung it over his shoulder. "It's good to be back."

  Hikari grinned. "Told myself I'd return it, but... I guess tin can beat me to it first."

  Everyone chuckled softly.

  All of a sudden, the ground beneath them rumbled. CRRKK! Cracks tore through the dirt, spreading fast as the whole arena shook.

  Slayer yelped, stumbling. "I think that's our cue to get the heck out of here!"

  Lumina steadied her stance, eyes narrowing. "This dimension is collapsing."

  Hikari nodded, pink aura flowing softly around her. "Then we need to get out. Now." Her drone hovered close, humming anxiously like it understood the urgency. Hikari pointed at her team. "Drone... it's time. Take us home!"

  The bot hummed in response, brighter and sharper.

  Slayer blinked, holding a hand out. “Wait, you're gonna shoot us?”

  Hikari raised a hand calmly. "Yup. It's the only way to get you back to your bodies." Her drone floated beside her, it's core humming brighter. “In this dimension,” she continued, voice steady but reassuring, "the aura infused bullets won't act like real bullets on us. Instead, they act like recall anchors. They pull your mind back to your real body, so they won't hurt you." She gave Slayer a playful wink. "Besides, the drone's shots will be a lot gentler on us than they were on Carnivex."

  Slayer froze. "...Let's hope your right."

  Hikari's drone turned toward the team. PEW! PEW! PEW! Pink shots fired, hitting Lumina, Slayer, and Captain in the chest. FWOOOM! Their bodies glowed softly for a few seconds, and then they disappeared in flashes of pink light. They were sent back to their real bodies.

  The ground rumbled harder, cracks spread across the arena floor, and mannequins fell from their seats like broken toys. The circus tent began folding in on itself, collapsing from the inside.

  Hikari watched quietly, her pink aura fading around her. "...It's over now."

  Then, she heard footsteps. She turned and saw Marrowette standing in the center of the arena. But, she didn't look twisted anymore. No more hollow eyes or blood stained teeth. Just a small, normal girl. She even gave Hikari a small, gentle smile.

  In a quiet voice, she said, "Thanks for everything... dear friends."

  Hikari blinked, confused, but before she could say anything, something wrapped around her. A thin pink thread of aura curled around her body, gently tightening. It was the Link that was pulling her back. Her form began to soften and then… FWOOOM! She vanished with a pink flash, just as the entire dimension crumbled away. Leaving Marrowette behind.

  Back At The Forest...

  A soft FWOOOM! rippled through the forest. Morning light filtered through the trees. The cold air was gone and real sunlight warmed the grass now.

  Lumina's eyes opened first. She sat up and touched the ground, her fingers brushing real soil and leaves. "We're back." She let out a quiet breath. "It's good to see the forest again," she whispered.

  Slayer blinked awake next. He stretched, looking around, squinting at the light. "What the... I'm I dead?"

  Captain opened his eyes with a sharp breath and pushed himself up. He stopped moving when he saw the trees and the sun's light. The forest was back.

  Hikari woke last. Her eyes snapped open, then she quickly sat up, breathing hard. She looked at her hands, and then at the others. Her voice came soft. "...We made it back."

  Slayer stood up and looked over at her. "Are you alive Hikari?"

  Hikari let out a soft chuckle. "Yes - tin can I'm here." She tapped her chest lightly. "And soul included too."

  Lumina rose to her feet, brushing the dust from her sleeves. "I thought we'd never get out of that place."

  Captain pushed himself up, eyes scanning the forest around them. "So... is it finally over then?"

  Hikari stood, eyes moving across the trees. She shook her head once. "...Not yet."

  A faint rustle cut through the forest. All four turned at once. Fwsssh... fwssh... Leaves shifted, quiet and sneaky as a single red balloon drifted between the branches, its string dragging softly along the ground like it was trying to crawl away.

  Slayer's visor snapped toward it. "No way... is that-"

  Hikari's eyes widened. "Carnivex..."

  Lumina didn't hesitate. Her eyes shifted to green. "You're not getting away." FWOOOM! Her green aura burst to life, wind whipping through the leaves. She dashed across the forest floor - fast, cutting through branches as she passed. FWISH! Her hand snapped out, catching the balloon by the string. It jerked wildly, like something inside was desperately trying to escape.

  Lumina turned back to them, calm and steady. “Got it.” She stepped into the center of the group, holding the balloon up for all to see.

  Hikari rested a hand on her chin, eyes narrowing. "I remember everything now."

  Slayer leaned in. "So you remember what a balloon is now?"

  Captain and Lumina both sighed, unamused.

  Hikari put a hand on her hip. "Not that, tin can." She gently took the balloon from Lumina, studying it closely. "Carnivex... a Dormant-Type Echo."

  Slayer tilted his head. "Dormant?"

  Hikari continued, calm but serious. "Yes. Dormant Echos aren't aggressive unless they're disturbed. And we all got a taste of what happens when they are." She gently tapped the balloon in her hand. "But this... is his real form."

  Lumina crossed her arms. "The balloon... was his true body all along?"

  Hikari nodded. "Yup. And popping it is dangerous."

  Captain glanced at Slayer. "You got that, Slayer?"

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  Slayer blinked. "What'd I do?"

  Hikari chuckled softly. "To further explain this Echo. If this balloon pops, it releases a chemical gas. Anyone who breathes it in will instantly forget everything about Carnivex." She paused, eyes lowering slightly. "What he looked like, what he did..." Her voice softened. "Even that he ever existed." She tapped a finger lightly against her temple. "Every memory of him would just... disappear."

  Slayer's eyes widened behind his visor. "So that explains it... why we forgot he even existed when I first picked up that balloon in the forest."

  Hikari nodded. "Exactly. The gas wiped every trace of him from our minds. That's why I couldn't remember his capture, or what he abilities he possessed."

  Captain's brows narrowed. "Such a dangerous Echo we stumbled upon."

  Hikari looked at each of them, her voice steady. "Which is why we have to be careful. As long as we don't pop this balloon..." she held it slightly higher "...we won't be dragged into his domain ever again."

  Slayer groaned, resting a hand on his helmet. "So basically... we fought a memory-erasing murder clown because I picked up a dam balloon." He crossed his arms. "Great."

  Lumina exhaled slowly, eyes closing as she looked slightly down. "Yes - Slayer. That's what happens when you pick up random things in the forest."

  Slayer threw his hands up. "Hey, in my defense... it was my favorite color. And it was just a balloon. A frkn' balloon!"

  Captain rested a hand on his chin. “Well… can’t really blame you for that one, I guess.”

  Hikari let out a soft chuckle until BA-BUM! A faint pulse throbbed from inside her coat pocket. Her smile faded. Slowly, she reached in… and pulled out the Artifact, the balloon still held in her other hand. The Black Star engraved on its surface was glowing, bright but dark.

  A faint, childlike voice echoed from the Artifact - soft, almost mechanical yet human. "His will is broken now... the Echo known as Carnivex can now be contained." A brief pause. "Do you wish to proceed with the containment process? ...If so, please consent."

  Captain stepped closer, voice low. "It's reacting to the Echo... isn't it?"

  Lumina nodded once, eyes fixed on the Artifact. "Looks like it's ready to contain him."

  The Artifact's glow spread across Hikari's hand, a faint hum passing through the air. She stood firm, eyes narrowing. "This is it... It's finally time to seal Carnivex for good."

  Slayer clenched a fist in front of him. "Do it, Hikari."

  Hikari nodded. She looked at the balloon in her hand... then pressed the Artifact firmly against it. "I consent!"

  BA-BUM! The Black Star at the center of the Artifact lit up, dark and bright at the same time. A pulse rippled through the air. The soft, childlike voice spoke again, calm and almost mechanical.

  "Affirmative... now initiating Black Seal Protocol."

  FWOOOM! A small circle of black starlight opened above the artifact. Black aura flowed out, spreading across the forest ground. The balloon jerked hard in Hikari's hand. It shook like something inside was trying to escape. Then SHRRK! SHRRK! Black chains shot down from the circle above. They didn't just drop, they reached and grabbed, like hands made of iron. They wrapped around the balloon and pulled.

  The balloon fought back, shaking and twisting - but Hikari held the Artifact close, refusing to pull it away. The chains pulled harder, FWUM! In one sharp pull, the balloon was dragged into the dark void, and the circle snapped shut. An echoing scream marked its closing... and silence followed.

  The black aura hanging in the air faded, and the chains were gone. Carnivex was now contained for good. Hikari stood there, still holding the Artifact. Then, the Artifact spoke again.

  Same childlike voice. But this time, a little more... alive. "One more... And my voice will be made whole again."

  The glow on the Artifact's Black Star faded and the forest fell quiet. Slayer broke the silence first, gesturing at the Artifact. "Okay... is it just me, or is that voice sounding more human every time we contain an Echo?"

  Hikari looked at the Artifact in her hand, calm but curious. "No, you're right. It definitely sounds more human now. It's like... every time we seal an Echo, it gets a little more of its voice back."

  Lumina crossed her arms, thinking. "It also said that we needed 'one more'... so it's voice can be made whole again." She looked at Hikari. "Meaning the next Echo we seal... will most likely bring it's voice back."

  Captain nodded slowly, expression steady. "Yeah. Last time, it said its voice would soon reach us." He glanced at the Artifact. "Now it's actually becoming true. Just like how Hikari said before."

  Slayer leaned in, whispering, "About being able to communicate with us?"

  Lumina gave him a light elbow. "Look at you. You actually paid attention for once."

  Slayer crossed his arms proudly. "Well, I am the-" He blinked. "...Wait, was that an insult?!"

  Lumina turned away with a faint smile.

  Hikari chuckled softly. "Guess we'll never know." She looked down at the Artifact, then tucked it back into her coat pocket. "Either way... all we can do now is keep moving forward." She turned to the others, a small smile appearing. "Echohold-09 isn't far from here now." She nodded once. "Everyone ready?"

  Slayer raised a fist. "Oh yeah! Onwards, team!"

  Lumina gave a faint smirk. "Ready as I'll ever be."

  Hikari then looked at Captain, who was staring quietly at the sky. "Captain? Everything okay?"

  Captain nodded slowly. "...Yeah." His voice was calm. "Just... that it's morning already."

  The others followed Captain's gaze, looking up at the morning sky. Hikari let out a small breath. "It is huh... we really were stuck in that dimension for a while then."

  Slayer stretched his arms, surprised. "Funny thing is... I don't even feel tired at all." He then did a heroic pose. "In fact, I'm ready to take on the next Echo already!"

  Hikari adjusted her glove. "Its makes senses since our bodies never left this place. They were still resting here while our minds were trapped in Carnivex's dimension."

  Lumina placed a hand on her chin. "How lucky for us."

  Slayer cracked his knuckles with a grin. "Nice! Then let's get moving!"

  Hikari nodded and stepped toward the forest path. Pink aura flowed gently around her as she raised a hand. "Drone!" FWMM! A drone appeared beside her, hovering with a soft hum. She then pointed ahead. "Continue our route to Echohold-09. Full speed ahead!"

  The drone pulsed once with pink light, then hovered forward, projecting a pink thin guiding line of light down the forest path. Hikari looked back at her team and smiled. "According to my drone... we're only a mile away now." She clenched a fist lightly. "We'll be there in no time."

  The group then pressed forward, following Hikari's drone. They stepped out of the clearing and into the forest path. Leaves brushed against their boots and birds chirped faintly overhead. Hikari walked at the center of the group, hands tucked in her coat pockets, her drone gliding ahead to guide them.

  Slayer stretched his arms. "Hey, Hikari."

  She glanced his way. "Hm?"

  "Just curious..." Slayer continued, scratching the side of his helmet. "You never really told us how you recovered from that attack. The Reaper... something. What was it again?"

  Hikari blinked, immediately knowing what he meant. "Oh, you mean the Clockwork Reaper."

  Slayer lifted a hand, nodding. "Yes. That guy." He crossed his arms. "Even without Emanation active to soften the blow. You seemed to have recovered pretty quickly from that attack." He punched his palm lightly. "And not to mention the part where you got sent flying across the field."

  Lumina's voice came, calm but firm. "I agree. That kind of attack should've knocked you out for a lot longer."

  Hikari rested a hand on her chin. "Well... to be honest, I just kind of woke up." She looked at Captain. "And when I did, I saw you standing there. I thought maybe you healed me."

  Captain shook his head. "I don't even have healing abilities. I just assumed you healed yourself."

  Slayer sighed. "So basically, neither of you knows what actually happened."

  Hikari rubbed the side of her arm, thinking. "Well, I did feel something though. Like a pulse of energy. It didn't hurt or anything, it just kinda... powered me up?" She looked at her hand. "It felt like it gave me strength. But just enough to move again."

  Lumina spoke calmly, and thoughtful. "A pulse of energy..." She glanced at Hikari. "Perhaps it was the Artifact?"

  Hikari paused, thinking. "Now that you mention it... that could've been it." She took out the Artifact, looking at it carefully. "If it was this that woke me up... I wonder what else it can do."

  Slayer rested a hand on his chin. "Yeah, kind of suspicious how it keeps helping us. First it contains Echos... now it might even have healing properties?"

  Lumina glanced toward the Artifact in Hikari's hand. "Whatever the case might be... we're certainly carrying something powerful."

  Captain's expression hardened. “Then we’d better hope it chooses to stay on our side.”

  Hikari's thoughts followed quietly as they walked, staring down at the Artifact in her hand. ("Somehow, I do believe that this thing really is on our side. It also holds such an immense power. I can feel it every time it contains an Echo.")

  ("I'm also curious what it will say when its voice fully returns. I just hope... it's not earning our trust only to betray us in the end.") She looked at her teammates ahead of her. ("But even if that happens... I still have them. We've come too far to break now. And once Dr. Naru joins us... we'll be even stronger than before.")

  Slayer's voice cut into her thoughts. "Hey, the forest ends just up ahead."

  The drone hummed once, confirming it. Hikari nodded. "Yeah. We're close now."

  Lumina's eyes narrowed, focused. "Let's see what waits for us on the other side."

  Captain adjusted his rifle strap. "Hmph. At this point, I’d be surprised if it wasn’t another Echo.”

  Slayer cracked his knuckles. "Then I'm looking forward to beating the crap out of it!"

  Hikari smiled faintly as they finally stepped toward the clearing. Their footsteps carried on... until the forest finally ended. There was no grass beneath their shoes now. Only cracked, faded earth stretched out before them, coated in dry, lifeless dirt. The fractures were thin, but deep enough to be seen through, engraved across the ground like old scars.

  Lumina's eyes widened. "So... is this it?"

  Hikari stepped forward, her boots crunching softly over the dry dirt. “Up ahead,” she murmured, eyes scanning the horizon. The others followed her gaze. There it was... still distant, but finally visible. Echohold-09.

  A large, industrial facility sat built into the land. Solid concrete walls rose behind tall fencing lined with barbed wire, wrapping the entire structure in layers of security. Glass-panel windows reflected the morning sky, still intact and untouched.

  Along the perimeter, security cameras and inactive turret units were mounted on top of the fence, silent now, but still watching. Nothing was damaged. Just… empty. A short distance ahead of the fence stood the main access gate. A reinforced steel door that was heavy and sealed shut. A warning sign hung on the entrance fence, slightly tilted from wind or recent movement: KEEP OUT! HOLLOW PERSONNEL ACCESS ONLY!

  Slayer squinted toward the facility, hand shielding his visor. “So… that giant building thing over there is the place we were looking for, right?”

  Hikari nodded, drone hovering beside her. “Yeah. We’re finally here. Only about a three-minute walk across this field now.”

  Lumina stepped forward slightly, eyes tracing the walls and fencing. “It’s bigger than I expected.” Her gaze stopped on the fence line. “What is that machinery mounted on top?”

  Captain followed her line of sight. “Turrets. It's like my rifle, but stationary, automatic, and set to fire at anything that moves within its range.”

  Slayer blinked. “So… like a giant ‘shoot first, ask questions never’ thing?”

  "Basically." Captain simply replied.

  Slayer gave a nervous laugh. “Well, hopefully it doesn’t recognize us as ‘moveable things.’”

  Hikari scanned the fence, eyes landing on the dead cameras. “The cameras don't seem to be active,” she said quietly. “Which means the turrets probably aren’t either. Everyone must’ve left already. Or…” Her words slowed and the thought hit her.

  Captain stepped closer, resting a steady hand on her shoulder. “Don’t jump to that,” he said. “I'm sure Dr. Naru is still in there. If anyone made it out alive, it’s him.”

  Hikari exhaled, nodding once. “You’re right, Captain,” she said quietly, turning to him with a faint, hopeful look. “Then… let’s go find him.” She faced the facility again, posture straightening, voice steady. “Let’s keep moving.” HUMM... The drone beside her gave a soft hum, like it understood.

  They started walking. Their footsteps pressed across the cracked ground. CRUNCH… CRRK… CRRRT! Then, something moved beneath the dirt. Hikari’s drone gave a low hum, sharp and alert. Almost like a warning.

  Lumina slowed, lifting an eyebrow. “What’s wrong with your drone?”

  Hikari kept her gaze on the ground. “It’s detecting movement under the cracks.” She raised an arm slightly, signaling the others back. "Careful everyone. Something’s coming through.”

  The fractures in the dry soil began to stir, as if something beneath was pushing upward. SHLP… SHLP… SHLUP! Something wet forced its way up. Then-

  SPLOOP! A smooth, translucent cyan blob shot straight up from the crack, like it had just been launched by a trampoline. It traveled through the air - wobbling like jelly, then landed right in front of the team. BWOBBWOBBWOBBWOBB! It jiggled wildly from the impact, swaying side to side until it slowly came to a stop.

  It had no face or mouth. It was just a shaking, breathing mass of gel. Then, Its five floating eyes began to drift up from inside the slime. They hovered within the translucent body, orbiting slowly, scanning their surroundings SHLP! All five eyes snapped forward at once, locking onto the team. Not threatening in any way. It just watched them carefully. Like a curious little camera creature.

  Hikari narrowed her eyes slightly. “So… it’s you, huh?”

  HUMM! Her drone responded, hovering beside her.

  Hikari’s eyebrows lifted. “Mimiris.”