Last time Liam, Neo, and Mickey met the rest of Squad 13. They also met up with an old friend Proto, who happens to live in this world. Although there is no time to waste with Heartless lurking around!
"So let me get this straight, you guys travel to other worlds to destroy Heartless and stop Organization 13 along with some guy named Xehanort. This same person is trying to start a second Keyblade War to create the true X-Blade?" Goro summarized as he looked at Liam for confirmation. "That's the long and short of it! So we'll get rid of the Heartless and be on our way!" Liam said happily as he turned to look at Gaia. "I thank you for your help Liam, but these attacks are getting quite severe. Do you think you three can handle it?" Gaia asked in a worried tone as she looked at the trio nervously.
"How amusing, I was thinking the same thing as well." The group turned to see a pink haired man in black robes looking down on them.
"Marluxia! So your the one responsible for the Heartless attacks on this Plantation!" Liam shouted as he and Mickey summoned their Keyblades. Proto's arms turned into large black claws with blue lines running through them. "Hey pinkie I still gotta a bone to pick with you for what happened in Twilight Town!" Proto shouted angrily as he glared at Marluxia. "Are you still mad about being possessed? It's not my fault your mind was so weak that it couldn't resist my influence." Marluxia said in his monotone voice as he stared down at Proto in boredom.
"Come down here and say that to my face you bastard!" Proto roared as he bared his claws angrily at the pink haired Organization member. "As tempting as that sounds, I have a mission to complete, so I'll leave you some friends to play with. Until next time, I bid you farewell." Marluxia said as he disappeared through a dark corridor as Dusk and Reaper Nobodies appeared in the Plantation.
"Well it looks like Marluxia brought some Dusk and Reaper Nobodies with him! Proto you with us?" Liam asked as he sunk into his fighting stance. "You kidding? Of course I'm with you! That pink haired bastard is going to pay!" Proto shouted as he rushed in and grabbed a Dusk Nobody by the head before crushing it with his claw. Liam slashed down a few more Dusk Heartless, but a Reaper was about to strike him in the back. Mickey blocked the Reaper's attack before cutting down the Nobody. Liam grabbed Mickey by the hand before tossing him in the air so he could cut down a few more Reapers.
Proto grabbed another Dusk Nobody and threw it so hard into a Reaper that both monsters exploded. A Reaper then stabbed Proto through the back of his chest, but Proto completely unfazed turned to face the monster. "Come on man do you know how many of my clothes have holes in them because of this?" Proto asked as he clawed the Reaper's head off before removing the scythe from his chest and the wound instantly closed up. "Hey Liam what do you say we finish this?" Proto called over to the Keyblade Wielder as Liam turned to look at him. "Alright let's end this!" Liam shouted as he and Proto stood side by side.
Thruster like wings sprouted out of Proto's back as they shot blue energy that propelled him into the air. Liam then used his semblance to create a circular wall that surrounded the Nobodies. Proto then enlarged his claws as he rocketed towards the trapped Nobodies. Proto was engulfed in the blue energy from his wings as he impacted the ground and Nobodies as an explosion of blue energy was let loose. The shadow wall was shattered by the explosion as Proto stood there in the center of a large scorch mark. "Alright with that taken care of, I have an ass to kick!" Proto said as he rocketed out of the Plantation in search of Marluxia.
"What was that?" Gaia asked in surprise and confusion at what her Lover and Liam had just done. "It's called a Union attack, that one is called Azure Comet. Proto and Liam came up with it when they were fighting together in Twilight Town." Mickey explained as everyone nodded their head in understanding. "I better go after him, besides any day I get to rough up Organization member's is a good day." Liam said as he went after Proto. "Liam sure is quick to help others, I wonder why that is?" Ikuno mumbles to herself as she scratched her chin.
"Would you like to know how Liam became a Keyblade Wielder?" Mickey asked as he got multiple nods in response. Mickey summoned his Keyblade and made a keyhole appear on the ground. It then opened up into a Mural that depicted Liam in front of a stained glass window.
"Then take a look into the past of damaged individual." Mickey said darkly as the members of Squad 13 along with Franxx children were thrust into Liam's history. What they saw was something they didn't think possible, but there it was right in front of them.
Liam ran out of the Plantation and spotted Proto fighting another group of Nobodies. Liam summoned Way to the Dawn and rushed in to help the hybrid boy. Their brawl was interrupted by the ground shaking as they turned to see a team of Franxx with the Nobody emblem printed on their chests. "Hey Proto, friends of yours?" Liam asked as he looked at the possessed Franxx and most likely possessed pilots. "God dammit! Looks like Marluxia has turned the Nines into his puppets! Actually now that I think about it, that isn't very different from what they normally are." Proto said as he looked at the team of annoying brats.
"So you don't mind if we rip those robots limb from limb?" Liam asked double checking before he shot into action. "I would be disappointed if we didn't do that." Proto said as shot himself into the air with his wings and launched himself towards the middle Franxx, knocking it over. Proto was then grabbed and restrained by one of the other Franxx as Liam was also grabbed and restrained. "How unfortunate for you Proto and Liam I expected better from a Keyblade Master in training." Marluxia said as he appeared on top of one the Nines Franxx. "I must say this tree growing out of the top of this Plantation is quite powerful! The energy could be quite useful to the Organization." Marluxia said darkly with a smile.
"You keep your grubby hands off the World Tree you bastard!" Proto growled as he glared at Marluxia. "Oh? Please tell me dear Proto what can you do to stop me?" Marluxia taunted as the Franxx he was standing On was stabbed through the chest by a lance. "Did you forget that we were here?" Zero Two spoke through Strelizia as she pulled the lance out of the Franxx chest. Proto and Liam were dropped as they landed on their feet. All of Squad 13 in their Franxx stood at the ready to fight the possessed Nines. "Proto, you and Liam go take of Marluxia! Gaia and Heliconia are protecting the Klaxosaur nest!" Ichigo said through Delphinium as she turned back to face the Nines.
"Liam Come On! I know how to get to the World Tree! Let's get that pink haired bastard!" Proto shouted as he grabbed Liam and flew him to the top of the Plantation. Once they got to the mini forest on top of the Plantation that surrounded the World Tree, they met up with Neo and Mickey. "Babe, where is Marluxia?!" Neo's sign typed out as she ran up to her boyfriend in a panic. "That's what we're here to figure out." Liam said as he and Proto looked at the World Tree. "Um Liam I think I found him." Mickey said as he pointed to the top of the tree, where a large circular platform hovered over the tree. "Well I guess it's time to teach this Prick a lesson!" Proto said as he punched the palm of his hand.
So Marluxia has finally showed himself! How will Liam and Proto take care of this threat? Will Squad 13 be able to defeat the possessed Nines? How will Gaia and Heliconia hold up protecting the the Klaxosaur nest? Find out in the next chapter!