Castle of Memories 16B

(Act 2)

At the center of the castle, the heroes finally caught up with Chase Young, then they prepared their weapons.

Chase Young: (grins) You've done well to make it this far, Loud Kiddington. As your reward, I'll tell you why Charity rejected you.

They frowned while he continued.

Chase Young: My dark magic requires hearts of utmost beauty. Charity was perfect. Deep in her heart, her love for you shone with uncommon radiance. But she guessed my plans. By denying her love for you, she put her heart beyond my reach.

Loud: But she saved me! She protected me!

Yumi: And she couldn't hide how she really felt...

Loud: I've heard enough! Release her heart, you stupid changeling! If you don't...

Chase Young: Hm hm hm...

Loud: JERK! YOU’RE MAKING ME IMPATIENT!

Chase Young: Don't you realize why I am telling you all this? Did you think it was out of kindness? I did it to erase your doubts. Now your heart is beginning to shine with love for Charity. The perfect fuel for my dark magic! I shall have your heart, too, brat!

Delete: (glares) Oh, no you don’t! Not if we stop you!

Chase Young: You dare to challenge me? Pitiful fools!

The group then gasped as they saw Chase Young transform to his powerful lizard form.

Swiper: Oh crap!

Yumi: (covers her eyes) Gah! My eyes!

Grievous: I feel that he and I knew each other once...and I doubt that I honored him.

Bloo: Yeah, I have a feeling that I kinda remember that shape shifter...I think.

Mac: How do you know this?

Bloo: I dunno, it just came to my mind.

Grievous: (glares) Figures for an idiot.

The fox then placed down his goggles, then noticed something inside the armor that was ripped.

Swiper: There’s a card in that armor pocket!

Digit: Get it, Fox Man!

He nodded, then dashed while the others charged to Chase Young, hitting him with their weapons. The fox glanced at the battle before picking up the pocket part and took out the card.

Swiper: Hmmm...that chimp looks familiar.

He then quickly tossed it to Digit as the bird was dodging Chase’s tail. The robot grabbed it, then looked at it.

Digit: Uh, thanks.

Bubbles: Use that card, Didge! Hurry!

He nodded to the Powerpuff.

Digit: Right-O, kid.

The card flipped around until Digit grabbed the card.

(BGM Song: Slash!)

The droid then quickly slashed the card in the card slot, shouting.

Digit: CARD SLASH!

The card slashing was complete as Digit finished up.

Digit: Jake Spidermonkey Summon Activated!

Just then, a familiar chimp appeared as Gaz spoke.

Gaz: Don’t just sit there, you chimp, do something!

Jake Spidermonkey: Like what?

Just then, the chimp screeched as he dodged Chase Young’s claws.

Jake Spidermonkey: Oh, now I see.

Ichimai no kaado hanatsu hikari ga oh (The light emitted from one card, oh)
Kono monogatari no hajimari tsugeteru oh (Tells of this story's beginning, oh)

The heroes charged as they hit Chase Young at both sides, with Jake shooting the spitballs toward the lizard.

Chase Young: I will not be defeated that easily!

Kimitachi wa sude ni shujinkou nan da alright? (You guys are already the heroes, alright?)
Get up'n fight! aaku wo kazasou (Get up'n fight! Holy up your Arcs)

The lizard swung his tail while the heroes charged, using their magic and attacks, hitting him at all sides. Chase glared as he roared, trying to bite down on Delete’s arm, but the droid whacked him away from him.

Yuuki wo riaraizu shiro (Realize your courage)
Geeji wo fukkiru kurai ni (So much so that blows the gauge)
Evolution suru kimi ga teimaa (When you evolve, you're a Tamer)

Chase Young: Die!

Delete: Not today!

The heroes fought bravely as they used all their tactics on him. Digit quickly slashed a card with the Combo Techs on it. The group then powered up, then slashed and hit Chase Young at all sides, making the lizard groan in pain.

Slash the life! pawaa wo ageyou (Slash the life! Give them power)
Kaado surasshu! yuujou no tame ni (Card Slash! For friendship)
Slash the life! kimitachi wa nareru sa (Slash the life! You guys can become)
Muteki no paatonaa (Invincible partners)

Chase Young: I can’t lose!

Jake Spidermonkey: (spits a spitball) You just did.

The blade wielders then slashed at different sides, hitting and slashing Chase at all different sides. Loud screamed to the top of his lungs, making Chase deaf. Delete then slashed Chase in half, killing the lizard. Swiper then looked at the corpse on the ground, sighing sadly at it.

(End Slash)

As soon as Jake was back in the card, the group gasped as they saw Charity's heart coming toward them. Then, she reappeared in front of them, back to normal.

Loud: Charity!

The two then walked to each other as Loud grinned.

Loud: Thank goodness...

Charity: (sighs) I’m sorry. Please forgive me. I had to be cruel to you. But I guess I couldn't hide my true feelings...

Loud: I'm the one who should apologize. For just a moment, I doubted your love. I never want to remember those feelings of despair.

Charity: Then don't. Let's replace the sad memories with happier ones...starting now.

Loud: Charity...

Bubbles then started filling her eyes with tears as she smiled.

Bubbles: Awww...that’s so beautiful.

Nemesis: There they go with the mushy stuff!

Grievous was crying a bit as well with tears forming his eyes until he noticed Bloo chopping some onions.

Grievous: (anger mark) WILL YOU GET THAT OUT OF HERE?!

Delete: Come on. We'd better give them some privacy.

Maximus: Good idea! Let's keep moving.

The group then left the two, leaving them with their privacy while Delete smiled at the scene before exiting Deathsland.

***

Back in Endsville, Loud was shocked at what he was explained.

Loud: THEY WERE DOING WHAT?!

Mandy: Do I have to repeat myself just to force you to understand?

Grim: Mandy!

He sighed as he looked at the group. Unknown to them, some familiar figures at a café were watching.

Grim: You see...those thing were going to hurt you and steal your memories. We had to do something.

Miroku: Tell me, how the heck did you guys get here anyway?

Charity: We’ve always been here, what else?

Sango: Listen, I think your friends are worried about you. You should probably go on home.

Loud: (sighs) Yeah...we probably should.

He then grinned a bit to the group.

Loud: And guys? Thanks for helping me rescue Charity yesterday.

Billy: Hey, what are friends for?

Ray-Ray: Yeah.

Monroe: I’m glad we could help you.

Zatch: Meanwhile, Kiyo and I will check out Homestar and the others.

Loud: Huh?

Sasami: It’s a long story, guys.

Mandy: Just leave, now!

With that, Loud, Charity, and Mandy’s group separated as Billy waved goodbye to the two. The group of villains only glanced at the scene.

Katz: Perhaps we should go visit them, say for our own purposes.

Mirage: Maybe...

The two held hands, looking lovingly to one another.

Phage: (looks at Katz & Mirage) Love, how sickening! It’s just another useless emotion to use for someone of the opposite gender.

Jack Spicer: (concerned) Uh, are you saying that you're gay?

Phage: (grabs him) Say that again and I'll put a stake into that idiotic brain of yours!

He tossed the goth boy toward the garbage. Darla chuckled as she spoke to Wuya.

Darla: And thus, we have, what we call, an imbecile, right?

Wuya: (rolls eyes) Don’t remind me.

The reptile only looked away from everyone as he thought to himself.

Phage: (quietly) Sanford...where are you, boy?

Nutsy: This place has the weirdest stuff I’ve ever seen.

Trigger: With you, everything is weird.

Nutsy: Kinda like the Sheriff talking with our new hostage?

Max frowned and groaned, turning away Drakken groaned.

Drakken: You know, Max, if I could go back in time, we could have been partners.

Shego: With Drakken? Ha!

Kikyo, meanwhile, only sighed as she looked at her husband eating while touching her collar.

Kikyo: (quietly) We have to get away...but how?

***

Back in the castle, the group looked around for the robot sibling, but unfortunately, he was nowhere to be found.

Swiper: Man, no sign of Buzz.

Minimus: (to Delete) Maybe he doesn’t want to fight anymore.

He placed his hands behind his head as he spoke.

Delete: Well, that’d be nice.

Bubbles: I hope so.

Meanwhile, back in the room with the crystal ball, Azula, Blackjack and Braniac were having another meeting.

Azula: What's going on, Braniac? Wasn't Buzz meant to go out and attack Sora? (frowns) Where is he? What's he doing?

All the android did was simply glare at her.

Blackjack: He's hiding on purpose, to lure Delete in further. Just trust me on that.

Azula: (sarcastically) Oh, reeeeally? So that's it! I had no idea! I'm so sorry!

Braniac: (angrily) Shut up!

She glared at the android.

Azula: (grumbles) The usual response. (normal tone) Hmph. People with no hearts are worthless.

Braniac: Don't forget...Don't you have no heart, too?

Voice: Stop it.

The three turned to the voice and saw another cloaked figure. The figure took off the hood and revealed himself to be the Nightmare King.

Braniac: (shocked) The Nightmare King!

The lord of nightmares frowned as he stepped forward to a glaring Braniac.

Nightmare King: Braniac. Your plan has completely failed. Don't continue to disappoint us.

Braniac: (angrily) Disappoint you? Don't push your luck! You're only number 11 in Organization Infinity! I, number 4, refuse to take-

Just then, the android was cut off when the Nightmare King pointed his scythe weapon at him.

Nightmare King: Our leader put me in charge of the castle, Schala, and Imax. To oppose me is to go against the Organization.

Blackjack: (smirking) All opposition is eliminated. That's how it goes.

He glares at the former clone as Azula spoke.

Azula: (shyly) We don't need someone who's only halfway useful.

Braniac: Ngh...

Nightmare King: Braniac. You cannot defeat the droid.

Braniac: (scoffing) You know so little. You only see what's on the outside. You cannot comprehend my power.

Nightmare King: Oh?

He  then made his scythe weapon disappear as he continue.

Nightmare King: Then prove it.

Braniac: (startled) Pardon?

The Nightmare King turned around as he continued.

Nightmare King: I don't want to doubt a fellow member's power.

Braniac: You haven't got the heart.

With that, Braniac vanished from the room. Blackjack shrugged as he spoke.

Blackjack: Taking off like that. I'm sure he's going straight to take out Delete.

Nightmare King: And I'm sure nobody looks forward to the outcome.

The creature then walked over to Schala and Imax, still sitting in white chairs, looking down with Snake still in his cage. He then leaned down and put his hands on the two’s shoulders as he spoke.

Nightmare King: Well, what now? At this rate, your hero won't be around for much longer.

The three looks worried, then he leaned down some more.

Nightmare King: But didn't he make a promise to you?

Imax looks up, becoming concerned about it while Schala only looked up slowly.

Nightmare King: Didn't he, Imax?

She only sighed as she looks down.

Imax: Yes.

As the Nightmare King walks away with a smirk, the girls looks down sadly again.

Snake: Poor them. How can I help thossse two?

Meanwhile, with the group on the next floor, Delete and the others looked around as the bird robot looks worried.

Digit: 10th floor already?

Ling Ling: We're going up really high.

DT Ling Ling: And Ling Ling wonder how much memories lost doing that...

Becoming more and more concerned, the male creature turned to Delete, who looked at him.

DT Ling Ling: Delete-kun, it still too untrue. Don't you get them back?

Deelte: I can't. (sighs) I don't want to break the promise I made long ago.

Ling Ling: (puzzled) The promise? What promise?

The droid then looked at everyone as he spoke.

Delete: It was long before Motherboard got the virus.

(Fake Flashback)

In the fake version of his past, Delete smiled as he looked at the stars.

Delete: Wow! That’s more wishes than I can make! Um...I wanna catch a lot of bunnies, and lots of them!

He then noticed Imax, a year younger, looking shyly at him while hiding behind a tree.

Delete: Imax? What’s wrong?

Imax: (shivers) I’m scared. What if a shooting star hits the Northern Frontier?

She looked worried with tears while Delete grinned a bit.

Delete: Hey, it’s nothing to worry about. If a shooting star comes...

He then picked up a rock, then a stick. He tossed the rock in the air, then hit the rock into the sky with the stick.

Delete: I’ll hit it back into the vasts of Cyberspace! They won’t get near you, Imax! I’ll protect you, no matter what.

Then, the same rock hit Delete on the head.

Delete: Owie!

He gave out a sheepish chuckle while Imax smiled.

Imax: (grins) Y-Yeah...thank you, Delete.

Delete looked at the sky some more until Imax came to the droid.

Imax: Here, Delete. Take this.

He then gave out her star charm to the droid.

Imax: It’s my lucky charm. It’ll protect you, Delete.

He looked at it, then smiled before the two looked back at the shooting stars and held hands.

Delete: Then from now on, Imax...I’ll bring you good luck. I’ll keep you safe.

(End Fake Flashback)

Delete sighed as he looked at his friends.

Delete: That was my promise, but eventually...I forgot it.

The group looked sadly as he continued.

Delete: I lost so many memories and didn't remember it.

Delete groaned as he clenched his fist.

Delete: Even though we promised each other...

He pauses a bit then looked determined to everyone.

Delete: That's why I'm not giving up. I'll keep that promise from here on in!

Both Ling Lings nodded as he puts a hand on Delete's face.

DT Ling Ling: I see. I understand, Delete.

Eduardo: Who knew it’d be very sad. (sniffs) It brings tears in me eyes.

Wilt: It does to me too, Eduardo.

The group then headed to the door as Digit raised the last world card, then everything glowed white.

(ED: Fukai Mori)

Delete’s Voice: Next Castle of Memories: Looks like the guys and I are off to Free Country, USA. Meanwhile, Zatch and Kiyo visit Homestar and the others while both the villains outside Castle Oblivion and the mysterious Organization plot against me. What is this Braniac guy wanting? Does Strong Bad have any purpose in both sides? And what intentions does the Phage himself have? Next Castle of Memories: Free Country Express. Ha-ha-ha! Don’t miss it!