Seventeen Forever

The Masked Samurai Forever

 "So, what do you want to do now?" Emily asked James, who was watching the waves roll in to Endless Island.

"I don't know, maybe that bouncy pillow thing?" he suggested. We sat for a bit before someone came up behind us.

"Candi!" The voice said. We turned to see Tasty Troy behind us.

"It's not the best time, Tasty Troy." Emily said.

"It's an emergency! People are getting sick!" He said. We all looked at each other.

"What do you mean, sick?" The three of us asked. Tasty Troy beckoned us to follow him. We arrived to a more populated area, near one of Collin's barns. Dr. Champion was lying on the ground. As we came close, I understood. He had glowing green cracks running all over his body.

"He hasn't talked in hours." Tasty Troy said.

"Is anyone else like this?" Emily asked.

"In the barn." Tasty Troy said. We entered Collin's home- he, too, was covered in cracks. In front of him was the Samurai. The three of us all gasped.

"Kids, truce." The Samurai said.

"What do you mean, truce?" I asked. She turned around and put up her hands, revealing green cracks on her gauntlets and mask.

"But... you're human." Emily stuttered.

"This could happen to us, too, then." I added.

"I think I got it from touching the other infected." The Samurai said.

"Who else?" James asked.

"Well besides these two, just Borbo." she said. "I don't understand why it's only affected these three and myself though. Leave, kids. It's less safe than ever."

"I touched Doctor Champion." I said grimly.

"Why don't all four of us just leave Endless?" Emily suggested. The Samurai reached into her coat and removed an object. She held it in the air and was taken away from Endless. She soon came streaking across the sky back to the landing pad.

"I'm guessing the cracks are still going to be there when she gets back." I said.

"That is correct." the Samurai had come up behind them.

"How are you so fast?" Emily said in shock.

"That's part of my Endless power." she replies. I lost focus on the conversation suddenly when I noticed something alarming.

"Guys, look at her feet." I said. Her legs were now covered in cracks as well.

"Well, it looks like my Endless power made it spread." the Samurai noted.

"That is, in fact, how it works." The Buttwitch was leaning against a tree.

"I should've known this was you." the Samurai said. "Turn it off, you're hurting the islanders."

"No, I don't think I will. Three of these creatures is nothing compared to finally eradicating you brats like the pests you are." The Samurai pulled out her sword and sprinted at the Buttwitch, who put up her arms to block. The blade hit her and shattered on impact.

"What!?" The Samurai said.

"Would you like to try, surfer girl, dodgeball boy, hair girl?" The Buttwitch taunted. No sooner did two clumps of Emily's hair blow past me and wrap around the Buttwitch. When Emily pulled, the hair ripped apart. I looked back at her, her hair now glowing green where it had ripped.

"How did you take away our Endless powers?" I demanded.

"It took a few months of planning, needless to say. It's one of the most sinister things I've ever made. Even I can't stop it!"

"You better be able to stop it!" The Samurai bellowed as she punched the Buttwitch in the face. I noticed her gauntlet crumble a bit after.

"For someone who should be getting weaker, that one still hurt." the Buttwitch said.

"My Endless power is agility, the strength and swordplay are things I bring from the real world." the Samurai brags.

"It doesn't matter, you'll be too weak to do anything soon enough. You and all of the 'Endless Heroes'." As she speaks the ground begins to shake a bit. "I'm ready for you this time, brute!" The Buttwitch yells as the Queen of Endless jumps into the air and lines up for an elbow drop. When she hits the ground shakes and sand fills the air.

When everything settles the Buttwitch is still standing.

"Seems you weren't fast enough." she brags

"You shouldn't assume I'm not fast." Suddenly the Queen begins unloading a series of rapid fire punches.

"Well, this is a surprising development!" The Buttwitch says as the Queen stops fighting. "Perhaps I'll just wait until you are subdued to end the brats!" The Queen turns around and her hands are gone, her arms ending in the same glowing green that was afflicting everyone else.

"Wait. Does that mean she's not from Endless?" James asks. Chunks began falling off of the Queen, like when she'd been defeated previously, until she crumbled into a pile. The Buttwitch had taken a seat and was sipping tea with her cohort, Big Deal.

"Keep an eye on her, Emily." I said as I walked over to the Queen with James and the Samurai. I noticed a sphere lying in the rubble.

"This is her head. It didn't come off last time she went down like this." Her eyes were no longer present on the orb.

"Guys!" James called from where he was standing. I joined him and the samurai to see there was an arm sticking out of the rubble. The three of us cleared it off, revealing a dust covered girl wearing a strange helmet and chest plate. I dusted off the front of the chest plate and revealed some writing on it, the number 17. James and I took a collective step back and the Samurai ran forward.

"Reggie!" The Samurai called out as she threw off her mask and helmet, revealing her long dark hair. "It's me! It's Conelly!" The entire beach was quiet, save for the chuckling of the Buttwitch.

To Be Continued In: Conelly Forever