22: A Secret Weapon.

After Kano's defeat, Dark Spectre grew more impatient. At this point he was really pissed, but he decided to give Kori one last chance on this mission.

Kori: "Mason will be gone for sure this time. And then I will collect the reward."

"You will, if you succeed."

"Pardon me for asking, sire. But what is the reward? I heard it's very good."

"Yes. It'll be a surprise. I guarantee you'll like it."

Kori: "Yes, I understand, Lord Dark. I won't fail this time. I have a secret weapon that'll kill Mason for sure."

Dark Spectre: "Good. That's what I wanted to hear. I hope your results are as good as your words, Kori." He pushed a button and disappeared from the screen.

He sent Triclops and Dergoneous to use the secret weapon, which was intended for only one special person, and then they'll kill every one in the colony.

The skies were calm and the lake was at its bluest color this hour. It was the perfect time for training. Margrit focused her hands and released energy into the lake, and SPLASH. The wave was extremely high. She had improved, but that still wasn't enough to her.

"I have to get stronger...or I'll fall behind. I didn't even stand a chance against Kori or Kano. What is wrong with me? I can't have people rescuing me all the time. I must destroy the Dark Empire!" She blasted the water again, and the splash was even higher.

When the water calmed down, Dergoneous and Triclops appeared from the lake and attacked. She was gotten by surprise.

Triclops: "Ohhh, look at poor little Margarita. All by herself."

Dergoneous: "With no one around to help her."

"It's Kori's henchmen! What are you doing here?"

Dergoneous: "Isn't that obvious? We came for you."

Triclops: "I don't understand why we're wasting time with her. Our target is Mason!"

Dergoneous: "Listen, if we attack her, then Mason is bound to show up! After all, they are on the same side. Of course he'll come."

"You're right!"

Margrit: "I don't need anyone to help me!"

They began attacking her, and she fought back fiercely. Pow! Pow! Whack! They got close enough to her and punched her non-stop. She could only block and didn't and couldn't fight back. They whammed her into a tree and the birds flew away scared. Triclops charged as she jumped and he hit the tree, causing it to fall. Then they both flew and attacked. She was flawless in the air as they couldn't even hit her. After a few attacks, they rested for a second.

Triclops: "We need a strategy."

Dergoneous: "If only we could lure her into the water, then I'll have no problem disposing of her!"

Margrit: "I'll make you regret ever coming here!"

Mason leaned against the window and sighed. The colony was getting boring. He wandered into his thoughts and suddenly Margarita popped up. Speaking of her, she hasn't returned from the lake yet. Could some thing have happened?

(It's that feeling again...Margarita is in danger! There are two other life forces with her. I recognize them. Kori's henchmen. What do they want with her? I must go help her now.) He opened the window and flew out.

Commander A: "That rebel colony is starting to become a nuisance..."

Dark: "Don't worry about it. My men are working on it as we speak."

Commander B: "Lord Dark, I'm not questioning your ability, but how you be sure Kori will succeed? He has failed before. Besides, the colony's defense system is strong!"

Dark: "I've already put a reward on this mission. Even if Kori fails, others will try and I'm sure one of them will succeed."

Commander A: "Lord Dark, if you go there, you can easily destroy the colony, and Mason..."

Dark: "That is right. But I need to save my energy. I've heard rumors that he's still alive..."

Commander C: "You mean him? I thought you killed him?"

Dark: "So did I. He's the only one who could ever match my strength. Just in case those rumors are true, I have to conserve my strength for the fight..."

The person that worried Dark Spectre so much is a mysterious sayan by the name of Blaze. The story is that ten years ago this warrior came directly to Murai to challenge Dark. He was unlike most other fighters. He showed incredible strength, and he was the biggest threat to Dark. The battle was a destructive one, but he lost, like all the others who challenged Dark. Everyone thought he was dead for good, but now, Dark had his doubts.

Dark: "If he is alive, then I know he'll come after me. This time, I'll kill him for sure."

Margrit continued the fight with Kori's henchmen, until Mason showed up. "You two again?"

Dergoneous: "He's here at last!"

Margrit: "What are you doing here? I didn't ask for your help. I'm doing just fine."

Mason: "That's all the thanks I get for coming out here?"

Triclops: "Heh heh heh, your day has come, Mason. We have a secret weapon that'll finish you off!"

Margrit: "Secret weapon?"

Mason: "What is it?"

Triclops: "If we tell you, then it wouldn't be a secret, now would it?"

Mason: "Hmmm, I don't what you've got up your sleeves. You're probably just bluffing."

They start fighting and it seemed like the good guys were winning, until Triclops opened the third eye again.

Triclops: "Now you'll pay!"

Mason: "I don't see how having an extra eye will make you stronger..." Dergoneous: "Come on Margrit! Show me what you've got!"

Margrit: "My name is Margarita!"

Dergoneous was trying to get her angry. "I can call you whatever I want, Margrit!"

"That's it!" She flew straight at him. The water below her turned into waves as she passed.

Mason: "No! It's a trick!"

She punched, he got above her, and screamed "SUCKER!" WHAM! Margrit fell into the lake.

Mason: "No! Margrit!"

The fish-man dived after her.

He rushed after them, but was stopped by Triclops.

"You're not getting near her!"

Mason: "Get out of my way!"

Pow! Wham! Whack!

Under the water, Margrit tried to get to the surface, but Dergoneous grabbed her foot and pulled her even deeper.

Dergoneous: "Heh heh heh! I'm invincible when fighting in water! You fight best in the air, but in water I'm the king."

Now the fight has turned around. Her moves were slower but the fish-man moved faster. He punched, then she barely dodged, then she punched, he dodged, and kicked her ribs and whacked her face.

"Typhoon!" Dergoneous formed a tidal wave and sent it at her. It hit her and she fell lower and lower down the water.

"He's right! He fights better in the water. I've got to get back up! I'm almost out of air..." Margrit said, and bubbles came from her mouth.

They continued, and Dergoneous was too fast and strong for her.

Dergoneous: "Uh oh, looks like you're almost out of air! I can breath underwater, but you can't!"

It was now a life and death predicament for Margrit. She better think fast, or she'll drown. She swam up, but Dergoneous grabbed her feet and pulled her back down.

"You're not getting away!"

"Stop it!" Wham! "Ahhhhhhh!" She was knocked into a rock. She recovered, but her head felt dizzy. Her vision was blurry. She choked and grasped for air. "No...I can't die like this."

Dergoneous: "Goodbye!" He punched her one last time and swam back to the surface. She was sinking and fell unconscious and continued sinking.

Mason got past Triclops and splashed into the water to save her. He swam deeper and deeper, but there was no sign of her. After about a minute, he saw her body sinking.

He dived closer and closer to her. He held her and brought her to the surface.

(Hold on! Just a bit further.)

He put his mouth next to hers and gave her air. Then he continued swimming until he reaches the surface.

Splash. He dragged her body all the way back to land, and hid under a niche.

He looked around. There's no sign of the bad guys, so they're safe for now.

"Where'd they go?" Triclops asked.

"They can't be far from here. Look for them." Dergoneous replied.

"Margrit! Can you hear me? Answer me! Come on!" He lightly slapped her face. "C'mon! Wake up!" There was still one thing left to do and it was her last hope. "I have to give her mouth to mouth. I just hope it works."

Mason gave her mouth to mouth then pushed her lungs as he counted, "One...two...three...four...five!" No response. He did it a second time. No response. He did it a third time. She coughed out water from the mouth.

Mason: "Good."

He did it again. Her eyes opened just when he was giving her mouth to mouth and her first instinct was slapping him. SLAP!

"Owwww! That hurts!"

"Creep! What do you think you're doing?!"

"Geez! You're welcome for saving your life! I was giving you mouth to mouth! You were dying. "

"Ohh, I...I'm sorry. Thank you, you saved me again." Margrit said, blushing.

"Don't mention it."

They lay behind a rock and rested. "I'm really sorry about that. You were so close to me and..."

"And you hit me just like that." His hand was rubbing his face, which was red.

"Does it hurt?"

"Are you kidding? You hit me really hard."

"How would I know?" she hollered, trying to defend her actions. "I just woke up and saw you right in my face…and…"

Mason sighed. "And good deeds aren't appreciated, right?"

"I'll make it up to you."

"How?"

"If you can beat them then I'll give you another massage."

"Alright! I can't wait."

"Mason, I want to ask you something, and I want an honest answer."

"Okay."

"Am I useless?"

"What?"

"I can't even beat them. And I was such an idiot to fall for Dergoneous's tricks and I almost drowned. I went anyway even though you tried to stop me."

"Absolutely not. In fact, I think you can defeat them. With my help." He touched her hand gently. "We can do it, together!" He held her hand firmly and lifted it up. Her face turned red and she was speechless.

Suddenly, Dergoneous appeared above them, standing on the rock. "So I found you at last!"

Mason: "He's here!!!"

He shot at them, but they got away just in time. "Almost got them!"

Triclops: "You're not getting away this time!"

Mason: "We're not planning to!"

Margrit: "You might be tough underwater, but I can beat anywhere else. You're not getting me in the water again."

Dergoneous: "I think its time we use the secret weapon."

Triclops: "Yeah, its time."

What exactly is the secret weapon that Triclops and Dergoneous are referring to? How will this affect Mason's fight?