This chapter coincides with The Great Gourmet Hunt! The "gameplay" of this story follows the Sly Cooper formula like Veggie Heist!
The Great Medical Conspiracy
Lorac Nosretsam is summoned to Airam Oiram's office, where Sutsugua is also present. They discussed how thousands of people are still sick from Don Shrew's poisoning of Toadstool World, regardless if the land has become fertile again. So, Sutsugua brings up the Medical Planet, Pharmacupia (Negative of Sweetopia). The planet's regions are rich with all kinds of medicines, but it is kept under strict watch and guard by the Intergalactic Union of Doctors, who decide who should have access to Pharmacupia's resources. Sadly, they only favor the rich, and even they aren't allowed onto the planet without an official prescription.
Thankfully, Airam managed to acquire such a prescription and has her own private resort on the planet. She wishes to take Lorac and Sutsugua with her. Several territories were under the control of corrupt nobles, and they were hogging the best medicines to their selves. Airam wanted them to infiltrate their territories and steal them.
"No problem!" Lorac said chirpily. "Let me just call the team and we'll be on the way!"
"No." Airam said. "I want to keep this operation fairly small and manageable. Your full sector draws too much attention."
"You… really think so?"
"You're our field expert. Sutsugua's medical knowledge and mafia influence will benefit us, too. But we'll also need some technical know-how. These villains are always adding arbitrary computer-protected security. So, I called for him."
"Hello!" Orataj Irumek stepped in behind them.
"Orataj?" Lorac recognized. "I mean, I don't mind having him along, but why wouldn't you send for Xedni?"
"As a former pirate himself, I believe he'll have the right touch. Besides, I didn't want too many girls on this team. I refuse to cater to the Posiverse's over-reliance on females."
"Ooooo…kay?" Lorac cringed. "Then you could've picked Leic instead of me."
"You were the better option. Now, enough questions. The mission starts soon."
World 1: Vitamines
The trio of thieves rode a Neo Green Mafia transport to Pharmacupia, carrying the Bandit Van with it. Their first destination was the Vitamines. They were located in a rugged, colorful canyon made of Flintstone Vitamins. There were caveman miners picking the canyon dry for all the richest Vitaminerals.
The bosses of the cavemen were none other than Fred Flintstone and his friend, Barney, who were living it up in a stone mansion overlooking the canyon. "Fred Flintstone?" Orataj said. "He must be the opposite of Derf Firewood."
One of Lorac's missions involved her climbing the cliff beneath the mansion and eavesdropping on Fred and Barney lounging on recliners. "This sure is the life, huh, Fred?"
"Yep, this was a good investment. Sure was nice of Bugs to give us this land."
Bugs? Bugs Bunny?! Lorac thought. It didn't surprise her that he was involved in this.
From the convo, Lorac learned about a particularly efficient miner named Eniledam; or Dam for short. They also talked about keeping all the Vitaminerals in a secure vault.
"You know, I gotta tell you, Barney…" Fred would change topics, "I was walkin' outside the mansion, and I was by the bedroom window, and I…I saw Betty undressing." Barney's eyes widened in shock. "Now, she saw me there, but she didn't stop."
"W…What?"
"She didn't stop; she, she saw me there lookin' at her, but she kept undressing."
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, you serious?!"
"Yeeeeep. I got an eroction."
With a disgusted expression, Lorac deduced she got all the info she could and left. Their next mission would be to seek out Dam; Sutsugua would disguise himself as a Caveminer and ask the others for info. They learn that Dam has gone into a deep cavern full of pitfalls and drills that Lorac would have to platform across (recall that she can step on pointed surfaces by channeling gentle chi to her soles). Eventually, Lorac finds him: Dam is a young man with puffy brown hair and a mining outfit. She remarks how he doesn't look like the cavemen. Dam explains that he was offered this job for his superb digging skills, and he hoped the Vitaminerals would be offered to children in need. Lorac regrets to inform her that the Flintstones plan to keep the vitamins for their own needs. Dam agrees to join their mission to steal them.
Dam is capable of digging through all the "soft" terrain of the canyon (much like Donkey Kong Bananza). The Nosretsam Bandits find him quite impressive for not being an earthbender. Ultimately, their plan was to dig a tunnel under the mansion, leading to the vault room; Lorac would have to find the vault's location and learn the combination. (All she had to do was ask the living appliances, including the pelican toilet… and believe me, he had a crap job.)
To create a distraction, Lorac stole Fred's Fruity Pebble cereal and framed it on Barnie. This led them into a fight. However, by the time the thieves were finished loading the last Vitaminerals into the van, Fred and Barnie ambushed them in their cave hideout. The first round of the boss fight is direct combat, in which the duo charge at Lorac and Dam with their classic, cartoony running animation.
For the second phase, when the thieves make off in the Bandit Van, the Flintstones chase them in Fred's foot-powered car. His dinosaur sticks its head up through the roof as Bamm-Bamm and Pebbles are perched atop it. Pebbles chucks rocks up for Bamm-Bamm to hit toward the van, so Sutsugua (the driver) swerves to dodge them. Meanwhile, Dam smashes potholes into the road behind them, trying to trick the Flintstones into tripping on them. After enough trips, Fred's "car" ends up swerving into a ravine, his children tumbling off, and Fred's legs are broken. "Do I call a hospital or a mechanic?!"
The thieves drop the Vitaminerals off at Airam's hideaway, and Dam stays there as well.
World 2: NyQuil Lake
NyQuil Lake was the source of health for the commonfolk of Cold Town… but the lake was nearly sucked dry via the pipelines leading into the newly-built pumping station, causing the locals to grow sick. The station was owned by the Umichad Tribe, a band of portly, well-mannered frat boys who can't stand the cold. The inside of their station was cozy and warm, and the surplus of NyQuil would keep them from catching colds. The thieves would need to reverse the pumps' direction and refill the lake, and afterwards disable the pumps, and they would have to make off with some gallons of their own.
The boss of the Umichads was Ohoh, a rather prideful boy who was talented at Earth Sumo wrestling and football. Ohoh had a younger sister named Akiripip, who is sick of his "bullcrap" and they don't get along at all. She was also in charge of babysitting Ikuyanok, a small, but bratty girl who kept leaving messes everywhere. Sutsugua staged a meeting with Akiripip and easily persuaded her to aid their mission in exchange for sticking it to her brother. They would have to lure Ikuyanok into a cage to keep her from catching and tattling on them, and said cage would be sealed by one of Orataj's Math Walls. No way an unruly brat could solve that! Sutsugua would use his medical skills to enhance the sleeping effects of the Umichads' personal NyQuil reserves, making them too tired to thwart the operation.
Unfortunately, Ohoh caught on to the other tribesmen passing out. Sutsugua would be the one to face him in a boss fight, but would use his bending to control the sleep-enhanced NyQuil and make an unfair fight. With the lake refilled, the people of Cold Town were able to fight their illnesses and get some good Z's!
However, the Union of Doctors begin to catch on to the Nosretsam Thieves' actions. The Head Doctor fears they will interfere with the plan, so he sends enforcers to find them.
World 3: Pepper Palace
Airam informs them of a nobleman her mother used to do business with: Duke Cayenne Pepper. (From Trails of Cold Steel, but he's the Negative of Lord Licorice.) Pepper is known for his trade in rare and illegal spices, and Don Shrew used to apply said spices to her drugs. Unfortunately, Duke Cayenne was very susceptible to heartburn and acid reflux, so he won the monopoly of medicines in that field.
Cayenne was holding a ball in his spicy, fiery palace, which itself was built on an enormous boat shaped like a pepper. Lorac snuck into the palace guestrooms to steal an invitation from one of the attendees, then gave it to Sutsugua. The Little Dad heir casually blended into the party to gather intel. He saw a particular couple; a young man with devil horn-shaped hair named Uknes Nortuen, and a girl named Ukahok, who wears a lavish red dress and round hat, sleek black high-heels, and red-painted fingernails.
Sutsugua slyly cut into their dance and took Ukahok's hand. Asking how she met her date, Ukahok explained that they're only "dating" as a mutual exchange. The Separate Proprietors For Child Trafficking had abducted Ukahok's little sister, Akius, and sold her to Duke Cayenne. She hoped to save her, and she got Uknes to let her into the party as a guest. His own father (Ymmij Nortuen) was invited as a fellow underworld broker, but Uknes hoped to outsmart and double-cross him somehow, someway. So, Sutsugua decided to get them both in on their plan.
The main attraction was the enormous hourglass containing a special Stomach Soothe powder that was being mined up from the ground of this region. The party-goers could fill their drinks with the powder and eat the party's spicy food to their heart's content. However, when Sutsugua acquired a sample of the powder, he realized it was fake. In their investigations of the palace, Lorac found Akius tucked away in the corner of the food storage, wearing a little pumpkin disguise. Lorac would have to escort her back to the hideout, and Akius could recede into her pumpkin when guards walked by.
Eventually, they learned the real Stomach Soothing Sand was behind a painting. It was inside a magical hourglass designed to enhance the effects of stomach and heartburn relief. Not only were they able to steal it, but they exposed Cayenne for serving them a fake remedy and had the attendees turn on him. But when the Nosretsam Bandits make off, they are ambushed by one of the Doctoral Enforcers, Ynnus. Ynnus uses his Life Return skill to make his fingernail and toenails grow to grotesque lengths and angles. He can stretch them at his foes or make a shield, but Lorac's ability to stand on sharp points or grind wires allow her to cross his nails and thwack him with her cane.
But just when she thinks she's beaten the enforcer, he manages to pin her down with his nails—only to be thrusted away by a gentle, yet forceful palm. It was man in a tuxedo; Sutsugua recognized him from the party, though he only kept to himself in the background. The man numbs Ynnus with his Gentle Fist technique, allowing Lorac to K.O. him.
"S-S-Sorry for the late entry, brah." The man spoke in a timid, shaky voice. "M-My name's Arbez. Th-This guy used to be one of my colleagues."
"Colleagues?" Orataj asked. "You mean you were a Doctorate Enforcer?"
"Yah, brah… but they were gettin' into some twisted stuff. I couldn't stay with 'em. But good thing I got hired on as security for that party. I recognized Sutsugua… and had a feeling what he was up to."
"Very astute." Sutsugua smiled. "Then maybe you can tell us… What?!" They heard commotion back at the palace.
With Duke Cayenne exposed, he and his cohort, Ymmij began to enact their real plan. Ymmij had set up cameras around the ballroom, and their blinding flashes would trigger extreme madness in all the party-goers, having consumed food laced with Cayenne's Hypersanitous Spices. Afterwards, the duke himself unveiled a giant, mechanical knight of bright red armor: Testa-Rossa the Vermillion Apocalypse. The knight absorbed the very madness of the attendees and became fueled with power. Afterwards, Duke Cayenne took off inside it, with Ymmij following in his rocket.
Arbez explains how the Union of Doctors have been working with Duke Cayenne and other dealers for a secret project, the ends of which he doesn't know. However, he did overhear that Cayenne's spices were being shipped to a medical school in Napaj, Earth, and believes Cayenne will head there next. He recalls the name of the school: Nisemonodesu Academy. After returning to the hideout, Airam radios the DNK about the plan and the school's name.
When Lorac asks if they should leave the planet to stop Cayenne, Arbez urges them to a more "pressing" matter. He knows of another operation taking place. Behind her shades, Airam glares at the man suspiciously.
World 4: Ibuprofen Park
This park is a carnival town that welcomes athletic performers from all around! The land is rich with ibuprofen, so the performers never feel fatigue from achy heels or limbs! Sadly, a portly and brutish crime boss by the name of Goodnis settled into the area. Goodnis came from Ralava's Airdnis Kingdom, and he was joined by his Six Collectors. One of them was a girl about Sutsugua's age, aptly named Assert Enoizloc. She was a metalbender who forcefully pulled coins away from people, then would hit them with those coins until they handed over their paper money; or in this case, their ibuprofen.
The Nosretsam Thieves snuck around to collect info from the Collectors. Uknes hustled info from Misak, perhaps the most insecure man among Goodnis' ranks. Dam burrowed underground and eavesdropped on a conversation between Nokard and Sotraps. Goodnis himself had commandeered a large circus tent and based his office in the top of it. When Lorac was climbing the outside, she ran into one of the acrobats: a Chinese-looking girl named Ner Ukoyguok, wearing a scarlet and light-green acrobatic jumpsuit. She was attempting to sneak into Goodnis' quarters and steal back the ibuprofen, so she decided to join Lorac on her own mission.
In their reconnaissance, they learned that Goodnis was a smokebender who used a variety of colored smoke and pipes, shaping them into genies that would have a variety of sickly effects. Sutsugua would acquire some local materials to concoct counter medicines. They also learned that none of the Collectors were fond of Goodnis except for Assert, and only because Goodnis fed her all the rock candy she wanted. The Nosretsams organized a plan to steal the Collectors' valued possessions and frame Goodnis.
Lorac also stole Assert's candies, but before she could get back to the hideout, she finds herself lifted into the air: Assert was bending the coins in her puffy pants! She was already tipped off about their plan, but thankfully, Ukahok comes to Lorac's rescue by striking Assert with a heart-shaped lipgloss bomb. Ukahok engages Assert in battle and reveals her own poisonbending, themed around lipgloss, nail paint, and eyeliner. She could blow "kisses" of explosive lipgloss, slash Assert with nail paint, or blink her eyes to flap eyeliner and blind Assert. The assertive money grubber was unprepared for Ukahok's elegant combat style and took the fall.
Unfortunately, Goodnis and the Collectors were already onto the thieves as well, and were planning to relocate their stashes of ibuprofen. With some of Orataj's quick hacking work, they managed to locate the ibuprofen's hiding places while the Nosretsam members battled the other Collectors. Lorac and Ukoyguok would face Goodnis, using Sutsugua's medicines to counter his sickly smoke. Goodnis' husky frame would collide with the ground in defeat: the Six Collectors decided to give up and leave Goodnis to his fate.
However, the girls collapse, still overwhelmed by the smoke. Another Doctoral Enforcer, Ococ, reveals himself, his attire pale as he coughs up a storm. He abducts Lorac and makes off.
Earth; Nisemonodesu Academy
Nega-JP was sent to investigate the school, but were advised that it was a potential trap. However, they met a girl on the way to the school: Imugem Orokodat. She had dark-blue hair in a ponytail, a green polo shirt, light-red pants, white golfer's shoes, and a brown cap with a white fluffball. Imugem was a medical student from Ikustōt Academy, and the staff tasked her with bringing some supplies to their newly-opened sister school. Imugem spoke with a confident and righteous heart, and many of her sentences came with philosophical analogies. (She talked like Kagura from Gintama.)
Nega-JP explained their suspicions about the place: for one thing, "Nisemonodesu" roughly translated to "It's a fake." Amadok sent her spirits into the academy to investigate: all the students were shabby robots performing generic medical animations. Even the medicines Imugem was carrying were fake, though she was just as dumbfounded as the operatives. They were then ambushed by a band of Unionizers, led by the General Surgeon, Nig Amijōd. He was a thin man with silvery-blue hair.
"Mr. Amijōd?!" Imugem exclaimed. "Wait, was this a surprise party all along?!"
"'Course it ain't, dumbass! We're here to pulverize those meddling kids! And since they didn't get a chance to fall in the fake academy's traps, we gotta get our hands dirty!"
"Why would you send Imugem to this fake academy?!" Nirak asked.
"To get rid of her! This dumbass doesn't know a stethoscope from a circumcizer!"
"That does sound a rather grievous error." Atnij cringed.
The operatives fight the Unionizers and get Imugem to help them. While she was allegedly a bad doctor, she was also… a pretty bad golfer! But her reckless and wild golfing style served their needs in this battle: with her club and a tube of balls handy, she hit them with great force and had them ricochet between the enemies. She and Nirak teamed up to take on Amijōd directly.
Secretly, the -$ Thieves were watching the scuffle. They had been sent as -JP's backup, and phoned the report back to Nerehc.
Pharmacupia; Airam's H.Q.
Nerehc forwarded the intel back to Airam, who called Arbez out on his lies. He was still a Doctoral Enforcer; he only betrayed Ynnus because he was already losing, and he was the one who tipped Goodnis' gang about their heist. Airam battles Arbez using her Noble Gas poisonbending. (Which she returned the original gases to their planets in New Galaxia, she absorbed and adapted with samples of the regular gases.) Arbez ate the Mitt-Mitt Fruit, which turns him into a giant oven mitt resembling Arby's former mascot. (That's how Arbez's name is pronounced.) This form strengthens his Gentle Fist and spreads it around his whole body, so Airam keeps her distance. Though Arbez is a tricky opponent, he's still a cakewalk compared to her mother.
The Nosretsam Thieves return in time to witness Airam apprehend Arbez. She tortures him for information, so the weak-willed man spills the beans. In actuality, Duke Cayenne was targeting Ikustōt Academy itself; many of the students and staff were served lunch secretly laced with the Hypersanitous Spices. He still wasn't sure what their ultimate plan was, but Airam quickly forwarded this intel to Nerehc. They decided to head back to Earth, but as they were flying through space, they were bombarded by an unexpected meteor storm that sent their ship spiraling into a nebula.
Nerehc had the whole DNK mobilize at Ikustōt, but they were swarmed by hundreds of school security, whom were actually more Unionizers and Enforcers. They anticipated the DNK's interference and put the school on heavy lockdown. An all-out war transpired. (Since the Gourmet Corp. members were made of the Toriko villains, the Unionizers consist of the Negatives of the good Gourmet Hunters from that series.)
But while the Unionizers were difficult opponents at the DNK's current level, the operatives faced unexpected calamities that caused the enemies to gain the advantage.
World 5: Helispital
When the -$ Thieves heard of Lorac's capture, they deduce that she must be being held at the Union's base. If they were involved with Cayenne's plan, perhaps they were on their way to Napaj. The thieves managed to locate their flagship, which roughly resembled a giant hospital chopper with numerous propellers: it was the Helispital. They devise a plan to rescue Lorac, eventually locating her holding room (she was tightly strapped to a hospital bed).
The Head Doctor himself strolled in to meet with her: he was a tall and charming young man named Ustamok. Ustamok confided his past: he had grown up with his childhood friend, Okirot. Okirot had a rare condition that rendered his body frail, unable to grow up or muster any kind of strength. Okirot delved into medical studies to find a cure… but even when he thought he found one, the experiment led to Okirot's death. Ustamok was torn up, cursing the gods for giving his friend that disease and cursing the happy, healthy peoples of the universe. Ustamok pursued the monopoly of top doctors and formed this organization to decide who was worthy of treatment.
Ustamok learned about how Clockwerk had sustained his everlasting robot frame by harvesting negative emotions. But while he had no idea as to Clockwerk's remains, he learned of something similar: Duke Cayenne's Testa-Rossa. If it could empower itself with peoples' anger, it could lead to everlasting life the same as Clockwerk. So, he and Cayenne made a deal to tap into this power. They could potentially revive Okirot, while Cayenne could harness Testa-Rossa's spice and create the spiciest buffet in the universe!
Acificap Southeast and Leic Spirithive eavesdropped on the conversation and waited for him to leave, but the elaborate room would be patrolled by guards. They had to search for four keys to unlock Lorac's straps, and succeeded in freeing her. "See what happens when you go on a big mission without us?" Acificap asked.
"I'm sorry, guys! It was spur of the moment and Airam didn't want me to bring you!"
"Haha, don't worry about it!" Leic beamed. "What's important is you're okay!"
"I don't think so…" The three jumped to alert when Ustamok returned. "You didn't think I wouldn't anticipate a rescue, did you? The moment you DNK set your sights on us, you were already doomed."
"We'll see about that!" Acificap lashed a rope at him, but it accidentally snagged the metal bar above the bed area, causing her to yank it down right onto herself. "OW! The frick was that aim?!"
Lorac and Leic's attempt to dodge around and attack the doctor ended in failure, tripping on the terrain and accidentally cutting their selves with needles and knives in the drawers. "Something's wrong here!" Leic said. "I sense some kind of spiritual chi!"
"I never understood this myself…" Ustamok spoke. "But sometime after Okirot's death, calamities would befall any who would threaten me. Even news reporters or inspectors met bizarre ends when they tried to investigate me. Perhaps the gods see purpose in my mission."
The operatives try to retreat, but wind up with all kinds of accidental, self-inflicted injuries. Leic's Gigai died from a gash in the heel, causing it to bleed out. However, before Ustamok can apprehend them, a tidal wave of tears washed into the room: "LORAAAAAC!" Nosam Atnalamid surfed in. "I'm here for you, my darling!"
"You brought him, too?!" Lorac exclaimed.
"It was impossible not to!"
"Yeah…" Lorac's face drooped in realization.
Somehow, Nosam was unaffected by the strange misfortunes and was able to escape with the operatives wrapped in his tears. They returned to -$'s hideout: Leic decided to return to the Spirit World, having a theory about Ustamok's strange power. On his way to Heaven's Hotel, he is assaulted by wild Hollows, and even the escalator to the hotel starts collapsing, trying to bring him down. He still manages to reach the hotel, asking the manager, Charlie if Okirot has a room here. Charlie claims she can't just let people into others' rooms, but she starts to panic as windows start shattering, the glass flying in Leic's direction, along with stray Heaven Bullets from afar.
Amidst Charlie's confusion, Leic manages to steal her master key. He dodges the calamities of the hotel and finds Okirot's room. The man in question is overlooking Ustamok in a Reflecting Pool, holding a Zanpakutō. Leic learns that Okirot's ability (Wonder of U) causes calamities to befall anyone who threatens Ustamok, or even anyone who plans to stop him. This includes all of the DNK as they are now in war with his organization. However, it didn't work on Nosam in that moment because his sole desire was saving Lorac, and had no interest in Ustamok. Leic battles Okirot with his Flutterwing, and hopes that distracting him will weaken his power.
The remaining Nega-$ Thieves are still plagued by minor calamities as they carry out their next plan: to get back Lorac's cane, and for her to use Art of the Phantom Thief to steal Ustamok's ambitions. After retrieving the cane, they plot an ambush on Ustamok as Lorac breaks into his subconscious. Following a dream battle, she manages to steal his ambitions and make him see the error of his ways. Because he lost the will to pursue his goal, Wonder of U lost its effect on him.
This allows the DNK to turn the tide of battle against the Union of Doctors, because it does nothing to stop Duke Cayenne's ambitions. Ymmij had already broken into Ikustōt Academy and flashed his camera at the students and staff, resonating with the Hypersanitous Spices in their system and forcing them to go mad. Duke Cayenne absorbs their madness and brings Testa-Rossa to its max power. Nerehc Onu flew to clash with the spice-ridden knight, but slowly, it absorbs the anger from the Supreme Leader.
Fortunately, Airam's crew are able to make it to Earth. Using the medicines they had collected on Pharmacupia, Sutsugua is able to craft a powerful drug that can quell Testa-Rossa's fury, calling it the Pharmacupia Heart. He requests Lorac's group to steal some more rare medicines from the Helispital. Once Sutsugua creates the medicines, he takes it himself and battles Duke Cayenne in his new Miracle Cure Fury. He harnesses Pharmacupia Heart and nullifies Testa-Rossa's anger. He shatters the ancient knight and Duke Cayenne is arrested.
The DNK arrest the other Union members as Sutsugua and the Little Dads begin treating the Ikustōt staff afflicted by the Hypersanitous Spices. The Neo Green Mafia secured the other medicines taken from Pharmacupia and ensure that anyone in need of them would get their fair share.
The following segment is based off a side quest from Hollow Knight!
The Grimmverse
When tending to her personal shrine one day, Amadok discovers something strange in the basement. At first, she thought it was a giant, creepy pillow, but found it was the corpse of a large bug, wearing a red, ragged bag-mask. Amadok tried singing to it, but it wouldn't respond.
She hears footsteps and turns to find a familiar, dorky boy in a black hoodie: Otokam. He had come wondering if she had any charms to give him good luck for a presentation. "Awe, you see the value of my charms now! That's sweet!"
Her remark makes him blush. "Hmph…so, what's that creepy thing?"
"That's what I'm wondering. I literally just found this thing. Maybe someone broke in and put it down here."
"Hmm…" Otokam approached it. "I kind of feel… Bubble Dreamer chi around it."
"Can you do anything then?"
"I dunno. I can't use those powers when I'm awake."
"Then maybe you should sleep on it."
"I AIN'T SLEEPING ON THAT THING!"
"I wouldn't either… but I have another idea. Maybe if the two of us sing together, our chis can resonate with it somehow."
"Seriously?"
"Gotta try something."
With an embarrassed blush, Otokam took Amadok's hand and joined her in a soft hum. To their wonder, red bubbles flew out of the bug and scattered. The two shared perplexed glances. As soon as they walked outside, they were stunned to see a tall lantern in the center of the shrine's pavilion, a coalpit at the base of it. "Now I swear this wasn't here when I walked in." Otokam said. They could see the red bubbles softly floating around the air. "They still feel like Dream Bubbles, but there's something… wrong about them."
"They feel demonic." Amadok replied. "I hate to say it… but I might need to call someone else's expertise."
And that person was Sipa, the dark Ganonist witch of Nega-W7. "Ahhhhh! Fascinating!" She could already feel the demonic essence around the lantern and bug corpse. "Though nothing immediately strikes out…" She flipped through her Book of Demons. "Some additional research is required!"
"If anything, I just want this stuff gotten rid of. I don't want it to cause any sort of danger."
"Well, sometimes, the only way to get rid of this sort of stuff is to just give it what it wants. And it looks like it just wants fire! Incendio!"
"SIPA!" Amadok screamed as Sipa's magic ignited the coals. The lantern burned to life with a scarlet, ethereal flame. There was an earthquake, followed by the distant song of an accordion. After that, silence. The trio are left confused and nothing else happens. So, they part ways and leave it alone for now. Shortly after that, the battle against the Union of Doctors begins.
However, on the night of -9 Lirpa, the kids learn about a circus that based itself in the forest near Nega-JP's treehouse. Numerous late-night kids were attracted by its scarlet glow, and even Sipa would sense its arrival. She, Amadok, and Otokam are invited into the main tent by a man called Brumm, who plays a worm-like accordion.
The inside seems vast and empty, but the accordion plays as spotlights move around. They focus on a single point as a tall, slim being emerges in a puff of flame. His eyes are scarlet against a pale face with black hair-horns. He wears a dark cloak with a red inside, though it seems to be made of segmented tendrils.
"So, it was you who called us. Well met, my friends. I am Grimm, master of this troupe. The lantern has been lit, and your summons heeded. A fine stage you choose, this world wrought with metal and waste. Perfect earth upon which our Ritual shall take place."
"Hey!" Sipa pointed. "You look like a member of the Goetia Family!" She quickly flipped through her book, to a page depicting owl demons beneath stars. "They're astronomer and prophetic demons! In fact, there's even a passage about one who was banished in pursuit of dreams."
"A life long forlorn." Grimm said. "As have many before… and now that ritual begins anew. And you, my friends. Your own part is far from over. As the lantern flared, your role was cast, our compact written in scarlet fire. Eager we are to see you commence, but first, some illumination is required."
"Whoa, whoa!" Otokam spoke up. "That lantern?! She's the one who lit it," he pointed at Sipa, "I don't got nothing to do with this!"
"From the moment of your waking call, your role was cast in my troupe's thrall. Across these lands, my kin now spread, harvesting that which is peculiar to my… breed. The flame in dream. Seek my kin; claim their flame and return it to me. Together, marvels shall be achieved. But don't fret, young ones. For this task, you won't travel alone. My child shall guide you to the flame and gather within itself that burning essence."
Grimm opened his cloak as a small insect flew out, its head resembling his own. The bug fluttered harmlessly around the kids, though Otokam shirked from it. "Like you, the child plays key role in this task. Only with it by your side will the flame, and my kin, reveal themselves."
"Okay, well what if, hypothetically, we don't do any of this?" Otokam asked.
"Then my kin shall dance in these lands eternal." And Grimm poofed into embers.
All the kids that had visited the circus were bewitched by the flame and were causing havoc all across Napaj. "I mean, I can roll with this." Sipa remarked. "I might even make some friends!"
"Look, we have to stop this." Amadok stated. "Which I guess means playing along." The Grimmchild made 'nya, nya, nya…' sounds as he fluttered around her. "…He's kind of cute." She scratched his chin.
"I've always wanted to raise my own devil baby!" Sipa grinned.
"Okay, I didn't sign up for this." Otokam walked away. "I'm going home."
"Nyaaaaaaa!" The child buzzed around him, crying. "Nyaaaaaaa!"
"No, don't go away!" Amadok yelled. "He needs his daddy!"
"Yeah, you can't just walk out on your child!" Sipa laughed.
"Oh, for the love of…" The grumbling goth stomped back to them. "All I wanted was a stupid cheating charm!"
"Then you should've shopped at my store. Now come on, it's time for a night of family friendly fun!"
The gameplay of this story is a soft-horror adventure in an interconnected map. The enemies are all skull-masked children who fulfill different circus roles, like juggling fireballs, walking on flaming stilts, elephants, all the fun stuff, but with fire! There are some enemies befitting the environment, too. Amadok could equip Spirit Charms to her lantern and summon them out for a variety of affects.
The first place they go is Omuzi, a steam-powered town. The scarlet flames bewitched the local automatons. With Grimmchild to track it down, the source of the flames in this area seemed to take root inside a boy named Hoy Arukasa. Hoy crafts a massive heavy-metal music-playing machine, creating a rhythm-based platforming battle. After they knock Hoy out, a small Grimmkin flies out of him. It uses the same attacks from Hollow Knight, but it's an easy follow-up battle. After it bursts into flame, the Grimmchild absorbs it. They hear a voice:
Shadows dream of endless fire
Flames devour and embers swoop
One will light the Nightmare Lantern
Call and serve in Grimm's dread Troupe
The next town is Adeomot. Amadok mentions Sector DT, a delinquent biker gang sector. They weren't noteworthy compared to the Bottom Sectors, but they helped keep order around Napaj's streets, keeping worse gangs from causing havoc. The enemies in this level were biker-themed, and the Scarlet Flame was housed in DT's leader, Arukas herself. After defeating Arukas, a larger Grimmkin comes out. They destroy it as Grimmchild absorbs the flames.
A spark of red lights darkest dream
Scarlet nightmares bright and wild
Visions dance and flames do speak
Burn the father, feed the child
The kids return to Grimm and present the evolved child. Grimm, pleased with their progress, welcomes the child into his cloak and invites the kids to dance. The stands are filled with Grimmkin and kids. And by "dance," he means battle. Grimm first bows to them—Sipa quickly cast the first spell. Grimm screeched and swelled like a pufferfish, sending balls of flame in every direction. Moving with grace, Grimm lashed at them with claws, sent out fire bats, and thrusted the tendrils of his "cloak" underground to thrust up around the floor. Amadok looked for openings to send her spirits to attack, Sipa kept up with spells, while Otokam… screamed and ran around as frantically as he could.
After Sipa landed the deciding blow, Grimm let out an echoing scream before bursting into flame. But a few seconds later, he reappeared, bowing as the crowd applauded. "Bravo, my friends. Hear how the crowd adores you! They've not seen such a show in a long time." Grimm opened his cloak, releasing the evolved child. "Look here! How our child has grown, nourished and strengthened by the heat of our passionate dance! The two of you will feature in many tragedies and triumphs together, I'm sure."
"What?!" Otokam shouted. "I thought that was the end! Just how long are you gonna make us do this?!"
"Our great Ritual nears its end. Will you continue to harvest the flame, even though now you surely see the path it illuminates for us? Our scarlet eyes will watch you keenly… friends. Go out into the darkness. Harvest the last lingering embers of this land. Then return to me and we will complete our dance."
The group leaves the tent, but the accordionist, Brumm is missing. "Gods, all I wanted was some fricking sleep." Otokam huffed. "I don't wanna deal with this anymore!"
"It can't be that much longer." Amadok said. "We just have to push through a little more."
"Can't we just call the other DNK to deal with this?!"
"I tried to call and wake my team up twice, but they're sound asleep."
"I'm just eager to see what we're gonna make from all this!" Sipa perked up.
"Exactly!" Otokam argued. "We're just gonna end up creating some worse monster we'll have to defeat!"
The Grimmchild fluttered and murmured innocently around Amadok's spirit lantern. "Or maybe it won't. We are the ones raising this child. We can make sure he turns out… well, good."
"We literally have a Ganonist here."
"Former Ganonist!" Sipa argued. "I mean, well… I still love dark magic and demons, okay?! Just… cutting back a bit!"
"All the same… this exercise might be healthy for us." Amadok smiled. "Sipa… your soul is still recovering from all the stuff you did." The witch's expression turned soft. "And Otokam… I think, deep down, you just want to feel valued."
"What do you know?! I just wanna be left alone! But you guys dragged me into that Pirate War, and now this mess!"
"We dragged you in because we needed you. Heck, we even brought up asking some Posiverse Dreamers for help, but you didn't want us to take away your spotlight."
"Grrrr…!" He couldn't admit she was right.
"The three of us can raise something to be proud of. Make sure he doesn't… well, brainwash a nation of kids into causing late night havoc like his father."
"Yeah, don't worry, kiddo!" Sipa ruffled the child's hair. "Your other father and two moms will teach you to be a responsible young demon!"
Otokam rolled his eyes. "Either way, I don't wanna be dragged on any more adventures after this. But fine, let's just get this over with."
They venture to a small town submerged in a muddy swamp and vines. The flames had possessed mud monsters: they meet Acanom of the Despairagers and learn that her friend, Asigan (Austin) was bewitched by the flames. "So, these monsters are from his Logia bending." Amadok deduced.
Sipa learns to create her own mud monsters with her magic, and Grimmchild is able to enhance them. When they find Austin, he takes the form of a giant, vine-covered mud beast, but they must destroy the five lanterns around his body. When Austin's body collapses, they must defeat a stronger Grimmkin Nightmare, and the child takes its flame.
Dance and die and live forever
Silent voices shout and sing
Stand before the Troupe's dark heart
Burn away the Nightmare King
Grimmchild sniffs out the last flame in a desolate valley. The trio scales steep cliffs of howling wind, and several of the Troupe Kids had wandered into the valley. The group finds a hidden hot spring and decide to disrobe and bask in its relaxing warmth.
Eventually, they track the flame to an abandoned house… and Brumm is holding it in a lantern. "You?" Amadok spoke.
"Mrmm. You came. The red flame I've gathered from this dead valley. You would claim it… for our master. For his final act. The Ritual plays itself out once more. We are like the notes in an old, old song. You and I. Mrmm. Endless, repeating songs of sacrifice, of servitude. For the Ritual. For the troupe. For the master. Even this child was born into invisible chains. Mrmm." They glanced at the Grimmchild. "So we serve... Thus it has ever been. Yes? Take the flame then, it is why you came here."
"Er…okay? You heard him, Grimmy."
The child absorbed the flame without question. "It is done… and yet… It is not merely by fortune that we meet here, in this dark corner of the world where my master's scarlet eyes cannot see us. Mrmm. A song that never ends… is no song at all. You take part in the Ritual, yet I sense you truly have no master. Is it so?"
"Where are you going with this?"
"We are merely vessels for the flame. But… are we truly empty? I wish to know for myself. To end this endless song."
"You wanna stop the Ritual?" Otokam asked. "How?"
"Her." He directed at Sipa. "There is a spell we can perform to extinguish the flame which ignited it. And when done at the right moment… it will end the Ritual forever."
"What is this Ritual even going to do in the end?" Amadok asked. "Will this child just turn into Grimm… or what?"
"It is more than prolonging the master's existence. The flames will fuel the Nightmare's Heart… a relic planted in the master's very dreamscape. The heart will be offered to the Nightmare King, whom as we speak wages war on the Realm of Dreams. The heart has grown larger across the ages, for each Ritual's completion. If the king claims it, his power may be insurmountable."
"That does sound really bad." Otokam said. "So, we… just go back to the lantern and do the spell?"
"The master and his troupe will aim to stop us. In order to succeed, you must begin the next and last step of the Ritual. You two may do this." He aimed at Otokam and Amadok. "And the witch must accompany me at the lantern. Alas… if you wish to continue the Ritual… Mrmm. As long as you do it without regret, I will bear you no hatred."
The kids returned to the hot spring to contemplate. "Whatever that Dream War stuff was… it sounds pretty bad." Amadok said. "But… it'll destroy the child, too, won't it?" She tipped a finger to his chin. "I have to admit I'm a little attached to him. He's really not a bad kid."
"But he'll probably just inherit Grimm's personality and purpose when he's grown up." Sipa reasoned. "On my own, I wouldn't mind letting this Ritual play out… but it would probably hurt us in the end."
"So, what exactly is the last part of the Ritual?" Otokam asked. "Are we gonna have to fight him again?"
"'Stand before the Troupe's dark heart'…" Amadok recounted the song. "If the Nightmare's Heart is in his dreamscape, maybe we'll end up going in there. Which means you can use your Bubble Dreamer powers."
"I won't be able to fight that thing!"
"Hey, you'll have me with you." Amadok held his hand, smiling. "If I go to sleep with my Spirit Charms, I can fight just as well. Just stay focused on his moves and we'll do great."
"Hmm…I hope."
Sipa sighed, staring melancholically at the Grimmchild. "Alright… let's do this."
Amadok and Otokam returned to Grimm's tent, finding the master hung upside-down asleep like a bat. There was a tub of red Dream Bubbles nearby. Otokam dipped his wand into it and blew the bubbles on Amadok as she fell asleep. The child flew into Grimm's cloak. Otokam put himself to sleep next.
They awoke in a dream version of the tent. The texture felt much thicker and veins all interlinked to an enormous, beating heart. The heart beat three times with greater force as it ruptured: Nightmare King Grimm emerged, his hair and cloak now scarlet. "The expanse of dream in past was split. One realm now must stay apart. Darkest reaches, beating red. Terror of sleep. The Nightmare's Heart." (Music: "Nightmare King" from Hollow Knight!)
Grimm's attacks are similar, but he's faster and fiercer. He can erupt fire from the floor and crawl like a spider around the walls. Both kids use evasion and send bubbles or spirits at him, though at first needed to memorize his swift patterns. They could also use bubbles and spirits to make stairs for aerial evasion. After a certain number of hits, Grimm would burst into a shadowy Grimmchild, which Otokam would attempt to Bubble peacefully.
While they were distracting Grimm, Brumm and Sipa were conducting their own ritual, crafting a magic circle around the lantern. All their friends needed to do was survive the dream and allow the Nightmare's Heart to burn its brightest. Soon, the final hit on Grimm would be struck. "UUUUUAAAAAHH…now, at last… My Master… the Dream World will burn. Nightmare Land will rise on its ashes… I… What?!" A rumbling. The brimming heart ruptured. "No! It can't be! The flame! The heart! NOOOOOOOOO…"
Grimm's body dissolved, unveiling the child… and Otokam acted to Bubble it once more.
Amadok and Otokam woke up in an empty patch of forest. The circus kids were looking around confused… but were extremely tired out of their minds. The duo hurried back to the shrine. Sipa was there… along with an innocent bug spirit playing an accordion. "Ah! Hello, hello! I'm new around these parts, so it's marvelous to see so many friendly faces. I am Nymm!"
"Nymm?" Otokam questioned. "So… you guys did it?"
"It looks like we did." Sipa said.
"Did what, might I ask?"
Amadok looked at Nymm. "Er…nothing. Yaaaaaaawn…I am so sleepy."
"Allow me to play you a carefree melody. May it give you good dreams."
Sharing a smile, the three friends settled on the soil and went to sleep as the warm morning sun touched them. As they shared a nice dream, Otokam found a new child inside a Bubble. It resembled the Grimmchild with a more innocent face, a fluffy scarlet mane, and softer wings. They named it the Carefree Melody.