Chapter 7: Like Mother Like Daughter

Then darkness began to leak from her face and a dark hurricane surrounded the whole area.

Ruqayya- Time to show you what true dark magic is!

Rottytops- What's going on?

Shantae- Ruqayya must be using the Eyes of Merlin she's placed on her tiara to strengthen her dark genie magic.

Bolo- But how can she handle all that darkness flowing through her body?

Sky- I don't think she can. Just look at her face. There are essences of her dark magic actually leaking from her eyes and mouth. That obviously shows using the eyes of Merlin like that is putting a huge strain on her body.

Shantae- But she is still capable of causing a lot of damage before it takes its tole on her. Her magic and dance moves are even stronger than mine.

Rottytops- Shantae, you should use the Eye of Merlin too!

Shantae- What are you…

Rottytops- There are five Eyes of Merlin total and your mother was entrusted with protecting the fifth! Therefore, you should be in possession of the final Eye of Merlin!

Shantae- Do you see a magic glowing stone on me? My mother never left me anything except for her powers…and this tiara on my head, but there's no Eye of Merlin on it.

Sky- But that missing Eye of Merlin would be helpful about now…

Ruqayya placed both her palms on the ground as sparks of electricity were jetting across her arms. The ground shook a bit, but then bursts of lightning shot out of the ground Shantae and the others were standing on until the ground crumbled beneath them. They barely managed to avoid the lighting attacks as well. Sky tried to shoot Wrench at Ruqayya again, but Ruqayya caught Wrench in her hair. Wrench struggled and squirmed, but it was no use. Sky tried to punch Ruqayya, but she danced to dodge the attack before placing her left palm on Sky's chest. Suddenly, Sky was electrocuted by the electric spell Ruqayya fired from her left palm. While Sky was still a bit dazed from the shock, a huge fist made of stone came out of the ground and knocked Sky into the side of a nearby building. Ruqayya then threw Wrench into the same building as Sky. She then held her right hand out and caught the Morningstar Bolo tried to swing at her when he thought she wasn't looking. Then Ruqayya crushed the Morningstar into dust in her grip like it was a party balloon.

Bolo- Wow…

Before Bolo could react, some of that dark hurricane lifted Bolo into the air and hurled in into the air. Then Bolo crashed through the roof of another building. Shantae tried to perform a high kick at Ruqayya, but she caught Shantae's kick before it could reach her.

Ruqayya- Foolish niece! Don't you realize Azra's usual tricks won't work on me that easily since I know all of them too?

Shantae- Who said I was trying to make something work on you.

Then Ruqayya saw a green hand reaching out to try and grab the Eyes of Merlin from her tiara. It was Rottytops who used the distraction to get in close. However, a magic force pushed Rottytops away and onto the ground.

Ruqayya- You think I would fall for the same trick my sister and the Mario's pulled on me, 1,000 years ago? I added a precaution to prevent the Eyes of Merlin or the tiara from being taken from my head. But I think I take your leg from your body!

Ruqayya was about to attack Shantae while she still held Shantae's leg, but she felt something bite into her and made her let go of Shantae. Ruqayya looked at her leg and saw the Tropical Night biting down on her right leg.

Ruqayya- ****ing little pest!

Ruqayya swung her leg and threw the Tropical Night off of it. The Tropical Night hit the ground, but Ruqayya shot a fireball at the Tropical Night before it could get back up. But when the smoke cleared, Ruqayya saw Shantae standing next to the Topical Night as she created a barrier around herself and the Tropical Night to block the fire spell.

Tropical Night- Mama!

Ruqayya- The Tropical Night thinks you're its mother…? No wonder that thing follows you around like that.

Ruqayya fired a beam of energy using her dark magic and this time it shattered the magic barrier Shantae created, knocking her and the Tropical Night to the ground. While Shantae was struggling to get up, despite her injuries, the Tropical Night charged for Ruqayya.

Shantae- No! Stop! Don't go near her!

The Tropical Night retracted the stinger on his tail and tried to sting his mind control powers into Ruqayya, but the aura of dark magic surrounding her body stopped the stinger in its tracks.

Ruqayya- Your power to control the minds of anyone you sting with that stinger is formidable, but you Tropical Nights are nothing more than one track ponies.

Then Ruqayya smacked the Tropical Night in the face and knocked him into the side of a building.

Tropical Night- (Whimper)…

Ruqayya created a large fireball and threw it at the Tropical Night. Shantae struggled to try and get herself up and try to save the Tropical Night again, but it looked like she wasn't going to make it in time this time. But then a small hand reached out of the Tropical Night's shadow on the ground and pulled in into the shadow before the fireball could make contact.

Ruqayya- What the…

Suddenly, a thick ink cloud appeared around Ruqayya and she couldn't see anything around her.

Ruqayya- Where did this come from?!

Then a bunch of chemical bombs dropped down above her and knocked Ruqayya to the ground. While Shantae was wondering what was happening, Vivian appeared from the shadows behind her while holding the Tropical Night in her hand.

Vivian- Yikes! That was a close one, little guy!

Shantae- You're one of Kyrin's followers, Vivian, am I right?

Then she saw both the Squid Baron standing behind her.

Squid Baron- Yes. Sorry we're late. We would've been here sooner to help, but Vivian and I had a bit of trouble removing that mind control kiss off of Mimic here.

Shantae- You could've just used the Tropical Night's mind control sting to undo it like it did with Bolo.

Vivian- The Topical Night's mind control can counter Ruqayya's?!

Squid Baron- Now they tell us!

Mimic- Anyway, Shantae, I know I promised your mother not to tell you until you were ready, but it looks like we don't have a choice not that Ruqayya is free. But your mother did leave one of the Eyes of Merlin with you before she left.

Shantae- She did…but where is it? I don't see…

The Squid Baron licked one of his tentacles and rubbed a part of Shantae's tiara. Shantae pushed the Squid Baron away from her.

Shantae- EWWW! Stop that, Squid Baron! Why did you do…

Shantae was cut off when she noticed a small sky-blue gem placed in her tiara.

Squid Baron- See it now.

Vivian- Your mother painted over the Eye of Merlin to conceal it so no one would know it was there.

Shantae- How did you know it was there?

Vivian- Kyrin.

Mimic- But even with your magic, it will still be dangerous for you to use. Like when your mother used it to power her own magic, it drains her to complete exhaustion. And it could kill you if it drains you completely.

Shantae- I don't think we have much of a choice, Uncle Mimic. We need to stop Ruqayya, now!

Tropical Night- Mama…

Shantae- Don't you worry, little guy. I'll be fine.

Then the stone on Shantae's tiara began to glow brighter and brighter until Shantae's body was glowing the same way. Also, strengthening her magic. But at the same time, Ruqayya had snapped back to her senses and noticed what was different about Shantae.

Ruqayya- The last Eye of Merlin…so you did have it, Shantae!

Shantae- It appears that way. But since you want this stone's power so badly, you can have it!

Shantae created a magic beam of energy from the Eye of Merlin on her tiara and fired it at Ruqayya.

Ruqayya- You think that one Eye of Merlin will be enough to stop me? I have the other four to power my magic!

Ruqayya fired a beam of dark magic and the two blasts collided, yet neither side was giving way. But then, Ruqayya saw what looked like Shantae's shadow on the ground not moving the way it was supposed to. In fact, the shadow left from Shantae and approached Ruqayya's shadow.

Ruqayya- Wait a minute…Azra…sister…

Shantae's shadow grabbed the shadow of the tiara on Ruqayya's head and pulled it off Ruqayya's shadow. And as the shadow of the tiara was pulled off from the shadow's head, so did the real tiara from Ruqayya's head. Now all that dark magic vanished from her body and so did that beam of dark magic she created, but not the magic beam Shantae created.

Ruqayya- Azra…sister…I see…you are still here…and you've been with your daughter…this whole time…

Then the energy blast Shantae created turned into a massive explosion.

(Shantae's dream)

Shantae opened her eyes and saw nothing but what looked like outer space all around her.

Shantae- What's going on? What is this place?

As soon as Shantae stood to her feet, she saw a genie that looked similar to her standing in front of her.

Genie who looked like Shantae- Hello, Shantae. It is good to see you again. I only wish our reunion could've been under better circumstances.

Shantae- Wait…

Shantae took a good look at this genie that had appeared before her and her eyes widened as soon as she got a good look at her.

Shantae- Mo…Mo…MOTHER!

Genie who looked like Shantae- Shantae…you don't know how proud I am to see the genie you've grown into and all that you've done to help your friends. My only regret is that you got involved with dealing with Tabuu…just like I was when I first met the Mario Brothers…

Then the genie who looked like Shantae burst into many lights that scattered the area.

Shantae- NO! Mother, please! Come back!

(Back in Scuttle Town)

Shantae woke up to the sight of the Tropical Night licking her in the face.

Tropical Night- Mama!

The Topical Night licked Shantae's face again.

Shantae- Hehe! Stop! That tickles!

Shantae tried to rise, but her body felt like led and it was hard to move.

Kyrin- I wouldn't try and move if I were you, Shantae.

Shantae managed to raise her head and saw she was lying on a couch in Mimic's workshop. Asides from Kyrin and the Topical Night, Mimic, Bolo, Rottytops, Sky, Squid Baron, and Vivian were also there.

Shantae- What happened earlier…?

Rottytops- You completely obliterated that nasty dark genie! That was so cool!

Then Shantae looked at the tiara on her head and saw the Eye of Merlin was still there.

Kyrin- But it appears the Eye of Merlin has taken its tole on you. But it was the same for your mother. Whenever she used the Eye of Merlin to give her magic a boost, she always dropped to the floor from exhaustion once the effects wore off.

Shantae- My mother! I saw her!

The Tropical Night jumped onto Shantae's lap.

Tropical Night- …saw…Grandmama too…

Shantae- Huh…you saw her too…

Bolo- You were talking in your sleep and the Tropical Night put his stinger into you while you were sleeping. I guess he saw what you were dreaming.

Shantae- I…saw my mother…

Sky- It was probably just a dream.

Shantae- I don't know if it really was…

The Tropical Night jumped up to Shantae's face.

Tropical Night- …saw…Gradmama too!

The Tropical Night licked Shantae in the face again and Shantae smiled a bit. Then she noticed Kyrin was walking out the door.

Shantae- Going somewhere, Kyrin?

Kyrin- I need to speak with Mario and Luigi. I know where Tabuu intends to strike next and I need to warn them as soon as possible. I just hope I'm not too late.

The End

Epilogue-

(Subspace)

The Pirate Master and Poke'mon Hunter J gave Tabuu the piece of his soul they got from Ruqayya. Tabuu took it and absorbed it into his body. His body was starting to look more human now instead of a digital drone.

Tabuu- 98%. Not much longer until I've regained all the power Marco took from me.

Poke'mon Hunter J- And you'll be at 100% once you regain all the pieces of your soul?

Tabuu- Oh much more than that, J. Not only will I have all my powers back, but I'll be strong enough to undo the curse keeping me from physically leaving Subspace. I'll be free to leave this dimension and face the Super Mario Brothers' Team on their home turf. But for now, you're both dismissed.

Pirate Master- Thank you, Master Tabuu.

After Poke'mon Hunter J and the Pirate Master left the room, Tabuu pulled out that book again.

Tabuu- Now, where to go next?

Tabuu cast a seeker spell and the book began flipping through its pages until it stopped on a particular picture. Tabuu seemed really pumped up when he saw this picture in the book. It showed a picture of a man who looked similar to Mario and a man who looked similar to Luigi.

Tabuu- Well, well, well! If it isn't my archnemesis! Should've known you'd be saved for last…Marco Mario!

Tabuu looked at the picture of the man who looked like Mario, but you couldn't tell if he was excited or angry.

Tabuu- Been over 1,000 years since you and that team you and your brother Loewy put together locked me up in here! You even stole a piece of my soul and hid it among the members of your team…but now…HAHAHAHAHA…your little game ends. And the best part is, you and your decedent, Mario, will lose! Now, let me guess where you and Loewy chose as your hiding spot…King Koopa's Ultimate Star Cannon…

Tabuu cast the seeker spell again and the book flipped to a picture of a Koopa King that looked similar to Bowser.

Tabuu- I knew it! You're as predictable as King Kong, Wolf, Kimberly, Prince Calmly, Chaos, Simba, Icarus, and Azra were in their hiding spots, Marco! And I know just the sucker to help me with this little task…hehehe…