EXT. PHOENIX TOWER - NIGHT

(Meggy and Whisk continue to stare each other down, but not one of them is moving. Eventually, they both charge at each other, Whisk pulls out her gun and begins firing at Meggy. Meggy quickly dodges and starts shooting her splattershot at Whisk's laser gun, Whisk at first runs, but upon seeing its paint, is more confident to run out as Meggy blasts the gun out of Whisk's hand.)

Whisk: What the hell is that?

Meggy: C'mon, you think I'd come here with a basic paint gun?

Whisk: Wait a minute...(Getting excited) that's the weapon you used in- (She hesitates) Nevermind that. Guess I'll be using THESE instead! (Charges at Meggy with claws)

Meggy: Oh crap... (Meggy uses her gun to block but Whisk cuts a hole in the ink reserve) YIKES!

Whisk: What's wrong? Cat got your tongue? (Slashes across her face. Meggy backs up covering it, but pulls herself together again.)

Meggy: Alright, I felt that. But how about this! (Meggy then uppercuts Whisk. Her mask falls off.)

Whisk: M-my mask!

Meggy: Stand down!

Whisk: ...NEVER! (She picks up her mask with her tail and quickly slips it on before throwing a kick that sends Meggy flying. She tries to get up and we see from her perspective as Whisk stands above her and claws across her face.)

EXT. PORT AURORA - NIGHT

(Auri is making his way to the lighthouse, having found someone who can patch up Tig Tig.)

Auri: I hope I'm not too late... (there's an ominous shadow going over port Aurora, evil laughter is heard.) Benedict... (the shadow is headed toward the tower where Meggy and Whisk are.) I have to get up there...

???: (Offscreen) Not so fast, bean sprout.

Auri: What the? Who said that? Show yourself!

???: (Sighing) Behind you?

(Auri turns to see Shadow Meggy standing there.)

Shadow Meggy: Nice to finally meet you, Sheriff.

Auri: You're in my way...

Shadow Meggy: ME? (Laughs a bit) You're cute. Well, I don't know if you know this but...YOU'VE actually been the one causing trouble for US. So I just thought I'd come down and, well ask you to go ahead, stop all this fighting so we can go home and forget about it. Sounds reasonable enough right?

Auri: I won't back down... Not while citizens of Port Aurora are in danger!

Shadow Meggy: Aw, you sure bout that?

Auri: Yes... Now get out of my way...

Shadow Meggy: Ah fine. I guess if you want a fight. I better give it to y- (Before Auri reacts, he's immediately flying across the road and into a building. Shadow Meggy's standing where he was, in the position of someone who just made a kick.)

Auri: Ow... What in the...? How...?

Shadow Meggy: Let's be reasonable, deputy. We don't want any more trouble. (He feels as if he's been punched hard in the face as she's standing directly in front of him now. ) Do we?

Auri: I'm not the one causing trouble... It's you and Benedi- (He's flying through the ceiling and onto the roof of the building. Before he can even get up, Shadow Meggy's already up there with him.) How are you getting up here so fast...? Not even Meggy could...

Shadow Meggy: Why I just eat my vegetables! :D

Auri: No... That's impossible... Wait... You're the other Meggy, aren't you!???

Shadow Meggy: (Gasping) What gave it away??? The beanie? :O

Auri: Uh... Maybe? (He feels the pain of an intense slap on his face, enough to leave a hand-shaped mold in his face.) That does it! (He tries attacking with his spear. We continue to watch as Shadow Meggy throws, punches, and kicks him around, all with extreme force.)

EXT. PHOENIX TOWER - NIGHT

(Whisk is shown kicking the side of Meggy's head, her claw injuries are severe. Meggy holds up her arm to block but Whisk just scratches it.)

Meggy: Whisk...please...

(Meggy then stumbles to the ground, coughing up a bit of blood)

Whisk: Too much?

(Meggy is in too much pain to speak)

Whisk: Good. (She kicks her over. She walks over to Meggy.) Ready to call it now?

Meggy: A-Auri... I'm sorry...

(There's an ominous shadow coming over.)

Meggy: W-What... Is that...?

Whisk: ...He's here....

(Whisk kneels. We hear Benedict's laugh as a giant round mech flies over. 2 detachable hands on the sides of it, and what appears to be 2 guns in between)

Benedict: Well well well, look who decided to stay.

Meggy: I...had to come back...

Whisk: Oh, and she's paying for it.

Benedict: Excellent...

Shadow Meggy: (Offscreen) Special delivery. (Everyone looks up as Shadow Meggy stands holding Auri, beaten horribly and barely hanging on to life. She tosses him next to Meggy.)

Meggy: Auri....

Auri: M-Meggy... I... I'm... Sorry...

Benedict: You know, try as I might, I still don't understand it. Why would anyone want to throw themselves at something like this when they have no business being here? (Whisk steps on Meggy's ribs) This here is my destiny. It always has been. You see, many years ago when the Phoenix purged this island of its power, did it realize that this whole island belonged to a dynasty? Did it really not think that hundreds of years later its descendants would not come back for revenge? The office, no, the THRONE has always been mine. And I would've gotten it before without that boy's meddling "Pop Pop"! (Whisk picks up Meggy and drags her toward the edge of the tower.) When people stand in my way, they suffer my wrath, even the beloved Phoenix. (He prepares his cannon.) Once my cannon is charged I will wipe out the Phoenix with the full power of my mech, and drop Port Aurora into eternal darkness...and with no hope left, they will be forced to turn to ME! Their new king! And what else will I do but say "...this is your fate." (Meggy is dangled over the edge.) Well, now there's only one thing left to do. Go on Whisk. Finish her.

(Whisk holds her over the edge.)

Whisk: Any last words, Meggy?

(Everyone looks at Meggy expectedly, waiting for her to beg for her life.)

Shadow Meggy: Pity. You beat her so senselessly she can't even cry for help any longer.

Benedict: Well, dispose of the trash, Whisk.

(Whisk's grip loosens a little)

Meggy: (weakly) Wait...(Whisk stops)...Whisk...I'm...I'm...sorry...

Whisk: (Laughing) Sorry??? As I'm about to drop you off a roof to your death? Sorry??? Of course you're sorry-

Meggy: I mean it Whisk...I'm sorry...sorry for how I treated you and Auri...for not understanding...for never slowing down enough to let you two catch up...(she breathes heavily) I became so wrapped up in looking for a journey of my own...that I missed out on the one we had together....(Meggy comes to her own realization) You were wrong earlier...about your purpose...you aren't some assassin...

(Auri begins to grow a tearful look)

Auri: (Weakly) Please... Don't drop her...

Meggy: You weren't created for a set purpose...I don't have a set purpose...none of us do...(she puts her hand on Whisk's weakly) There was always more to it than that. (As she talks there are flashbacks to the group on the rollercoaster, bowling together, laughing after battling the glubber, messing around with the walkies at the theatre, and enjoying the festival on the Ferris wheel) Much more than I could ever say...You still have the choice Whisk....if you drop me then that's it...this is your life, where your future lies...but I promise you that if we walk away from this alive...whether it's all of us or 2, or even just 1 of us...there's going to be another journey out there. A better journey worth having...(Whisk isn't moving)

Auri: Whisk?

Benedict: Whisk...finish her off...(Commanding) Whisk, finish her NOW.

Shadow Meggy: (Growing restless) C'MON DAMN IT! END HER!

(Whisk pulls Meggy back slowly as Auri, Meggy, and Benedict look at her. Without saying anything she reaches for her mask with one hand and takes it off. Her hand shakes for a bit, then she crushes it.)

Whisk: No... I'm done being a soulless assassin... (she turns to Benedict, looking him in the eye. Not with fear or shyness, but with determination. She dives for her gun and fires directly at Benedict's center cannon as it sparks up and stops charging.)

Benedict: No, NO! (It seems to go dead) YOU FOOL! That was the only thing strong enough to penetrate the Phoenix's shield! Do you realize what you've DONE???

Whisk: Yes, for once I do. And this time, I don't regret it. (She prepares to charge but Shadow Meggy punches her hard in the jaw, sending her back.)

Shadow Meggy: You waste of SPACE! (She punches Whisk again.) You can NEVER FINISH A JOB! CAN YOU? (She punches Whisk more and more into the ground. Meggy and Auri watch painfully as Benedict looks with disgust. Eventually, Shadow Meggy stops as Whisk is on the ground, making pained noises.) Pathetic....

Whisk: At least... I'm not a ripoff... (Shadow Meggy delivers a hard kick to the ribs that causes Whisk to wince in pain as she walks away.)

Benedict: Look at all this mess...truly a waste of existence....

(Meggy then stands in front of the downed Auri and Whisk)

Meggy: If you want to get to them, you're going through me first...

Benedict: My my, someone STILL trying to be a hero in all this? Very well. At least you will have the honor of being the first bricks in my new empire! (He prepares to fire as Meggy braces herself.)

Whisk: T-thanks guys...

Auri: I wish things could've ended better for us...

Meggy: Well at least we go down together...(The 3 brace for impact. The machine gun is heard going off but no bullets are seen and no one is hit.)

Auri: Huh?! We're still alive?!

(They look around to see that flaming wings, phantom-like but still there, blocked the shots.)

Auri: It's the Phoenix! It's protecting us!

Benedict: IMPOSSIBLE!

(The 3 of them glow. Each of their injuries seem to fade and they seem to be re-energized. A new, more durable spear forms for Auri and Meggy's splattershot repairs itself. The phoenix wings flicker a bit then fade, as if all the energy was used that it had.)

Meggy: It...(She feels around her face and other areas.) It healed us!

Auri: And I have a new spear!

(The 3 look up at Benedict.)

Benedict: (He seems in shock as he tries to make sense of things) Well...it appears the Phoenix has found favor in you three...it sees you as its champions...

Shadow Meggy: (Surprised) You mean...the phoenix...sees these three...as its CHAMPIONS???

Benedict: It does... (For a moment they don't say anything. Then it seems like they're both stifling laughs of their own. Eventually the two can't contain it any longer. Benedict himself is roaring with laughter to the point of tears.)

Meggy: Better for us to be the champions instead of a giant talking egg and a shadow bootleg!

Benedict: (Benedict composes himself as does Shadow Meggy) Very well...I cannot refuse young blood so willing to embrace death...If you wish to have a challenge then, so be it. (The guns rise again) ....Still I must admit I have my doubts....for looking upon your faces I fear....that this is the last time I will see you three alive! (The guns start turning as he fires them.)

Whisk: DIVE FOR IT! (The 3 of them duck out of the way, Meggy rolls to grab her splattershot and starts shooting at Benedict.)

(Shadow Meggy is next to Meggy.)

Shadow Meggy: Not on my watch. (In a split second she sends Meggy flying off the edge of the tower, landing hard on the ground. Shadow Meggy appears next to her.) We're not done here are we, punching me in the nose and thinking you get away with it? (Meggy tries looking for her Splattershot, but she can't find it. Shadow Meggy punches Meggy into a tree.)

Auri: MEGGY!

Whisk: Auri, what do we do?!

Auri: If we try to get to Meggy now Benedict could shred one of us to pieces. There's no way out of here unless we face him head on!

Whisk: How do we do that???

(The two are still barricaded from Benedict's shots. Auri notices Meggy's splattershot on the ground not too far away.)

Auri: That splat gun coats things in paint right? I'll create a distraction and you try seeing what it does!

Whisk: Got it! (She gets ready. Auri looks like he's trying to run away.)

Benedict: Where do you think YOU'RE going? (A giant fist detaches from his mech and looks like it's about to come down on Auri as the hand opens. It smashes right behind him.)

Auri: AH! (Slightly panicky) I'm gonna dieeee...

Whisk: Not while I'm alive you aren't! (She rolls out and grabs the splattershot.)

Benedict: So sorry! Looks like I'm serving up this match, over easy! (He raises another fist over Whisk as she stares up intimidated. He's about to slam it down on her.)

Whisk: NO! (She fires the splattershot upward. Not too far above her, the fist immediately starts sparking up.) ...huh?

Benedict: ...what's wrong with this thing! (We hear button mashing) Why won't it go DOWN?

Auri: Ha! That ink must have the ability to weaken tech! Keep firing!

Whisk: RIGHT! (She fires more of it upward trying to coat the fist.)

Benedict: What are you doing- (The fist falls to the side, painted orange.) NO!

Auri: Sorry, but it looks like the only one scrambling eggs is gonna be US! (He runs and jumps over the fist on the ground, resulting in Bendict's other fist crushing it to nothing.)

Benedict: HEY! I'M the only one who gets to be witty here! (Aiming his machine gun and yells angrily as the two jump and try to dodge again. When the bullets fire too close to Whisk, she tosses the gun to Auri and rolls out of the way.)

EXT. FOREST - NIGHT

(We cut to Meggy, who looks injured but is still holding well. She looks around the empty woodland waiting.)

Shadow Meggy: C'mon. A whole summer to discover yourself and you can't even come close to hurting ME? (Meggy hits the ground hard from a forceful punch.) Hard to believe the world-famous Meggy Spletzer's just another fake! (Meggy hits a tree next to her and rolls down. She's still quick to get back up.)

Meggy: How are you even real?! And why are you so FAST??? (Meggy gets smacked across the mouth. She covers it as she hits the ground hard. Tears in her eyes from the pain.)

Shadow Meggy: (Considering what was asked) Huh...guess that was a valid enough question...(Turning away) Well, let's just say that I belong to a man who has quite a few gifts of his own. (Before Meggy can get up, Shadow Meggy has her down again with another punch.)

Meggy: Rotcod...

Shadow Meggy: He wasn't just collecting your abilities...he collected the abilities of so many other people, adding up all their skills so he could create someone to be the fastest. (Drags Meggy across the ground at top speed.) The strongest. (Delivers a powerful punch to her face. As she tries to get up and bring it back) The most evasive (She's behind Meggy before she can even punch.) Soldier ever! (She roundhouse kicks Meggy to the head, making her dizzy.) Of course the one specimen he thought could handle it ran away before she was even ready to receive these powers so he thought, (Meggy is seeing double of Shadow Meggy) why rely on adding on to another being, (She sees her as one again) When you can make a new one yourself? (She punches Meggy in the face.)

EXT. PHOENIX TOWER - NIGHT

(We are greeted with a spray of bullets flying at Whisk and Auri from Benedict's mech.)

Benedict: Oh c'mon, you can't win this battle playing hide and seek with a shrine now, can you? Show some respect! (He uses the other fist he has to smash into the side of the tower, causing the ground to shake.)

Auri: What's he doing?

(After a few more hits, the ground collapses, sending Whisk and Auri falling down into the tower. Despite the altar and floor falling, however, the egg remains suspended in mid-air. The two fall for a bit screaming, but Whisk grabs onto a step from the staircase, grabbing onto Auri.)

Whisk: Auri! Are you okay?!

Auri: Am I still alive???

Whisk: Yes! Hold on!

(Benedict comes down inside, his mech big enough to fit.)

Benedict: Now, right where I want you!

(Whisk hurriedly swings to chuck Auri to the steps below. Then swings back toward Benedict. She flips through the air about to come down. The screen is in slow motion as Benedict looks ready to fire upon Whisk. She looks prepared to die as she futilely gets her claws out. However, instead of her usual small claws, long iron claws, similar to that of Wolverine's, come out. Benedict's face changes to sudden shock.)

Benedict: (Slowmotion) HOLY FU-

(Whisk makes an X slash on the Mech, causing significant damage to the gun mechanisms.)

Whisk: OH WHAT THE HELL??? (Benedict swings the mech to send her flying against another staircase as the machine guns are rendered useless.)

Auri: Whoa! Metal claws! THAT'S AWESOME!!! :D

Benedict: No no NO! (The guns aren't working) Alright, why don't you run from THESE??? (Two boxes, each equipped with a laser, fly around for a moment. One flies around Auri and one around Whisk as they charge up.)

Auri: DUCK! (He jumps as the laser starts to fire. It's about to fire onto Whisk as she blocks out of fear, but the claws successfully deflect the lasers around.)

Whisk: Whoa...

Auri: How are you DOING THAT? :O

Whisk: Must be a gift from the phoenix! (The box flies around back and forth attempting to blast Whisk out of existence, But she just keeps dodging. Eventually, during a jump, her feet claws come out, which are long enough to penetrate through her shoes as she deflects shots from all sides. Auri's literally panicking as he jumps around avoiding all of them. One laser shot blasts through the box that's attacking him.)

Auri: Watch where you're aiming!

Whisk: Sorry!

(The laser charges up and seems to go after Whisk. It shoots with a higher power, as her claws seem to heat up painfully.)

Whisk: GAH! THIS THINGS HEATING UP!

Auri: Oh this is bad! Whisk, get behind me!

Whisk: (Straining to move from her spot) Can't...MOVE!

Auri: Fine, I guess I'll just go to YOU! (He runs and jumps into the air, he lifts his spear up and stabs down into the laser thing as it shoots wildly around.) WHISK DUCK! (She dives. The laser spins and eventually goes across Benedict's face before it goes down with Auri close below.)

Benedict: AHHHHHHH!!!!

(Whisk looks at her claws, which are red with heat. Then she looks up at the mech, where Benedict rolls around in pain inside.)

Whisk: I've had enough of this! (She runs and jumps onto the mech.)

Auri: Get him, Whisk!

Benedict: Now...Whisk, I know we're all upset but....j-just think about what you're doing for a moment-

Whisk: I already have... (She raises her claw.)

Benedict: N-no! Whisk STOP!

Whisk: You made my life nothing but hell...

(She slashes through the mech.)

Benedict: WHISK!

Whisk: You made Auri's life hell by murdering his grandfather... (Slashes as warning sounds are starting to come from it.)

Benedict: Whisk, I- I command you to stop NOW! (He pounds the fist to the side wall while using a tone that would normally scare Whisk back into submission.)

Whisk: You're not the boss of me anymore, Benedict... (She raises both claws) This ends now! (She claws across again as the mech starts to fall smoking. It's falling apart as it goes.)

Benedict: WHIIIIIIIIIIIIIISK!!!! (Whisk watches unremorsefully as the mech falls in a fiery mess to the bottom.)

Whisk: Heartless freak...

(Auri runs his way up to Whisk.)

Auri: You okay, Whisk?

Whisk: Never felt better.

(Auri sighs.)

Auri: Same....(The two take a moment to catch their breath) We're still not done here.

Whisk: Right....almost forgot about that stupid bootleg....(The two start to run down the stairs.)

EXT. FOREST - NIGHT

(Meggy is seen getting thrown to the ground by a punch from Shadow Meggy.)

Meggy: Damn it...she's too fast.

Shadow Meggy: Not gonna lie. I'm a bit disappointed. I expected more of a challenge from myself.

Meggy: I'm not the one that was enhanced in every way!

Shadow Meggy: Aw, you're too kin- (Meggy tries to punch Shadow Meggy, she gets kicked backward and rolls. She notices she's in front of someone. Looking up, Whisk and Auri are there.)

Whisk: Sup? (Offering Meggy her Splattershot)

Auri: Having all the fun without us?

Meggy: (Grunting as she gets pulled up by Whisk) You kidding? I'm just getting started! (She takes the Splattershot and the three look at a laughing Shadow Meggy.)

Shadow Meggy: My, you two got here quick. Did the master get bored that easily? (Chuckles a bit.)

Whisk: If dying by explosion counts as getting bored, then yeah.

Shadow Meggy: Mm. (Getting serious) Pity. I thought he would have a bigger spine than that. (Sighs and shrugs playfully) But what can you expect from an egg?

Whisk: You're outnumbered now.

Shadow Meggy: Yeah you're right. Guess that's it. (Raising her hands) Just take me in as your prisoner and we'll go- MADE YOU LOOK! (She attacks each of them with quick speed. Then goes back to her spot. Each one is hurt but not injured.)

Meggy: Whisk? Auri? I think it's time we put my shadow bootleg in her place.

Auri: (Wiping some pained tears from his face) Let's do it.

Whisk: Right here with you guys. (The three seem ready for combat, Meggy with her splattershot, Auri with his spear, Whisk with her blaster.)

Shadow Meggy: Looks like I get to kill more than just Meggy! :D (Preparing her battle stance) Allow me to pinch out the last sparks of hope Port Aurora has left. And plunge us all into the shadows forever. (Switching between their perspectives as now we have a true final battle tone set.)

End of Episode 9

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Apologies for the lateness of this episode! I was heading home to college from my house and as a result, wasn't able to publish or edit the episode. Next week's finale will be out on time, I promise! Thanks again for your patience. ^^'