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Chapter Text

Burpy looked… cutely demonic, to say the least, while packing a far more powerful punch, courtesy of Dr. Blakk and his strange, also demonic-looking slug. That fateful battle was the first and last time he saw it, courtesy of lethal impalement by a broken branch.

A few days later, Blakk had another demonic-looking slug. When it was transformed, Will only had seconds to get Burpy to the surface.

*My son, now!*

He felt the rage and sadness close to consuming Burpy, even as his mental command echoed through the slug’s mind. But with a final, tearful look between him and a fleeing Blakk, he retreated with a roar.

As the Darkfurnus raced his way up, he could hear the younger Shane and his mom having yet another “discussion”.

“I don’t want to hear it. I did and am doing something just as important by having given birth to and raising your ungrateful ass.”

*Then, why do-?*

“Because raising a child who constantly questions you as a single mother is more difficult in this fucking economy-.”

*But you’ve told-.*

“AND I DON’T WANT TO HEAR ANOTHER WORD FROM YOUR TWO-FACED-!”

Keeping his rage and broken heart in firm check, he burst through the open window and cradled his wings around the stoic and shivering Eli, relishing in her terror.

*Leave. Now.*

“Wh-wha-what? I-I-I just wanted-.”

His light baby blue flames flared.

*NOW!*

She tried to reach for Eli.

She. Tried to.

Reach for. Eli.

While looking.

Apologetic.

Her screams of pain echoed through the neighborhood.

Five years to the night later, Eli snuck out of the dark forest surrounding the neighborhood, eyes brightly glowing a light green and a fiercely protective Burpy on his shoulder as he made his way to ‘The Drop’. Stopping by his house, he collected important things he’d hidden before fleeing the CPS.

“Well, time to go, Burpy.”

*Let’s go over the plan once again.*

Making his way to the mechanical capsule inside the sewer, the scanner confirmed Eli and Burpy before giving them access.

“Then we find this Blakk and kill him.”

*That’ll be too quick for it, Eli.*

Sending them deep under the surface, the only thing keeping Eli alive before entering Slugterra was Burpy’s magic the capsule surrounded itself with. Exiting the capsule and going further inside the cavern, he finds and enters his father’s hideout.

In front of him was a large cloth-covered object; uncovering it showed a brand-new Wolf Mecha, LK-E model.

“Nice.”

*Only the best for his kid, my Slinger. I’ll show you where everything is. First, we turn on the power source.*

Giving him a tour afterward, Eli stopped by his dad’s old room and unwrapped the protective bags holding his clothes and underwear for every occasion.

“So, what should I wear for my first day?”

Giving suggestions while Eli stripped and changed from one outfit to another, he gave his owner a devilish smirk at the last one he chose.

*That screams, ‘Shane’. Not everyone chose the same uniform, you know. One of your uncles was known as, ‘The LSD Shane’.*

Nodding his head at the bewildered look, Eli groaned and muttered while heading to the living room. Looking around at the amount of slug-related equipment, it occurred to him.

“So, where are we going to find more experienced slugs?”

*At tournaments, of course. We just look them up on the Slugnet.*

Sitting in front of the computer, he turned it on, and they started searching. Ten minutes later, they found one a brief ride away. They find themselves nervously stared at when they arrive.

*I think I’m attracting attention.*

*No kidding.*

Signing up in the last spot, the announcer seemed to be nervously respectful of the duo, while a trio of a cave troll, a molenoid, and a human girl were watching, morbidly fascinated. Looking at each other, they slowly approached the duo.

“Excuse me, but you wouldn’t happen to be a Shane, would you?”

“I am. Why do you ask?”

“T-that’s not a normal slug, bro.”

“The circumstances are something I would… rather not talk about.”

“Y-you can tell Pronto the Magnificent anything! I met your father once, and-!”

“Slingers, take your places!”

“Uh, bro? Do you know anything about slugslinging?”

Lifting a slug container, Burpy jumped into it, Eli loaded his blaster, and when in front of his opponent, he dodged the first blast and fired.

The sheer fear and terror that Shockwire showed reminded them a little too much of his mom, as Burpy wrapped his right wing around Shockwire’s legs, lifted him, and slammed him into the ground. Having the pick of his slugs, he instead asks them, with the left one a bit overly excited about Burpy’s ghoul form as he jumps into Eli’s hand. This repeated with each Slinger he faced, the defeating move differing from Slinger to Slinger.

In the end, he and the trio rode together to the next Cavern for the last round. There, they were invited to a meeting by the shithead himself.

“Dr. Blakk.”

Chapter Text

“Greetings, Eli Shane. I see my gift to your father made its way to you.”

“You’re lying.”

“I have no reason to. I want us to work together. But let’s not talk here.”

“Too bad. I’m not interested.”

“Give me your slugs, and I’ll return them at the same level of power as him.”

“No. Way. You were the last one to see my father. You could answer where he is, but I doubt you’d be willing.”

A burst of silence flooded the space between the two groups, with everyone around them blocking out the conversation. Staring at Eli and his slug, he slightly nodded and left, but not before answering in a whisper.

“If you’re not careful, your little slug will destroy you. And everyone around you.”

Pulling a repeat performance against John Bull, he gained a Frostcrawler whom he called Chiller. Heading back to the Hideout, Eli was intercepted by the trio he fought and bonded with earlier, with Trixie the first to speak up.

“So, let me get this straight, Eli Shane. You have a slug filled with, Darkness, that can one-shot nearly every other slinger and their slugs. Dr. Blakk offered to… upgrade those you won to the same level. When you add that on top of your natural skill as a Shane, you would have had a Dark arsenal that would’ve blown every other slinger out there out of the water.

“And you rejected this, why, again?”

His eyes flared brightly as Burpy did the same.

“He either killed my father or knows where he is. I won’t stop until it’s confirmed either way.”

“If you want to find your father, you’re going to need the best tracker anywhere!”

“You’re also going to need someone to keep all your gear running and replace them with the top-of-the-line while you’re looking.”

“Add that to the fact that Dr. Blakk offered you those Dark Slugs, when you already know he’s behind your dad’s disappearance… He’s up to something. And you’re gonna need someone to tell Slugterra when we get that proof!”

“Are you three sure about this?”

“We’re not getting anywhere at this speed, my good sir! Last one to the Hideout is a Flopper!”

With a scream, he charged off, Eli looking on amusedly before glancing at Burpy.

*Shall I tell the fool he’s going the wrong way?*

*Nah. Let him run around like a headless chicken.*

During a practice duel with Kord, Eli’s blaster exploded.

Literally.

Only Eli hurling it away and Burpy being the tough bastard he was prevented the explosion from being lethal.

“Well, that’s that.”

“Eli! I told you it was time to replace it!”

“Sorry! I should’ve trusted you. Where do you buy new ones?”

“Redhook in Quiet Lawn Cavern. He’s the best of the best.”

Mounting their mecha beasts, they made their way to the above Cavern, with the first words in Eli’s head being Burpy’s.

*It’s too quiet, my friend. I suspect rival Slingers. And Pronto? SHUT THE FUCK UP.*

The mole clammed up at the quip he was about to say. Simultaneously, another group of Slingers entered the scene with their mechas, blasters blasting and making a mess of the place. As the head of the gang began talking, Eli tuned his annoying voice out.

*Any idea on how to humiliate this jerk, buddy?*

*Well, he’s ‘suggesting’ a trick shot duel, but I suspect strongly you’ll repeatedly win ‘despite’ him using inferior Dark Slugs, he’ll whined his ass off, then we’ll all duel while keeping those Grenuke slugs from falling, which these assholes wouldn’t care less about. Afterward, he and his gang will run away, only for us to run into each other in the future, rinse and repeat.*

Eli couldn’t help but grin at the unspoken implication.

*You’re suggesting we deal with them right here and now.*

*Not kill them, but somewhat close to it, if you want.*

He raises an eyebrow at his Slinger’s narrowing eyes.

*You want them in the hospital regardless.*

“Yup.”

Not noticing how everyone had become unnervingly quiet, Eli held up a container for Burpy to hop into, loaded his blaster, and fired.

The terrified trio fired Hop Jacks, which Burpy easily defeated by blasting the center one, grabbing the right one and flinging it behind him into Trixie’s Aquabeek, and looping around Kord’s and Pronto’s slugs. Literally biting the remaining Hop Jack’s tail, he spun around the terrified and painfully screaming Dark Slug before hurling it out of town. Before the trio could reload, Burpy vaporized their mechas’ heads and threw them off. They tried running, only to become surrounded by a ring of flame. Burpy then hovered in front of them, grinning malevolently.

As Eli dismounted his mecha, the rest of the Gang did the same.

“Wh-wha-what the hell just happened, bro?! I’m no stranger to violence when the situation calls for it, but that was going to be excessive!”

“Yeah! While your slug didn’t kill them, I’m shocked that he could do any of that!”

“As am I! You must tell Pronto the Magnificent how you did it! Then maybe these lazy Floppers will give Pronto the Respectful the RESPECT that he deserves!”

With a flap, Burpy transforms back into his protoform and lands on Pronto’s nose.

*I will say this one time, and I’ll tell it to you straight, you arrogant, thoughtless, prideful little shit. Slugs aren’t creatures you should just use and discard, like clothing. We’re living, thinking, sensitive beings.

*We have opinions on shows and movies. We have opinions on our Slingers, even if we don’t always get the chance to choose or be called by an actual name. We have dreams and desires that don’t always revolve around you. YOU ARE NOT THE CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE, KING PRONTO!*

Leaning in, his red pupils held no mercy or compassion for the weeping and shocked molenoid.

*Be fucking graceful I’m telling the truth because from where I’m standing, I can see that your world is going to explode, and you’re going to need every slug you can get to be loyal to you.

Utterly and completely.

Do. You. Understand?

Molenoid?*

He meekly nodded, and with a painful flick, Burpy hopped off and landed on Eli’s shoulder. Meanwhile, two of the opposing gang members had gotten on their knees, placing their blasters in front of them and hands on their heads. Their leader didn’t, mocked them,  and blasted as many Dark Slugs as he could while retreating. Diving out of the way, the Shane Gang returned fire. The sole exception was Eli, who was mysteriously missing. As the fleeing boy barely missed a Tazerling, Eli grabbed him by the front of his shirt and lifted him, eyes blazing.

“You think I’ll let you get away after threatening my friends and an innocent town? Think again.”

What followed was a mental assault that left the boy screaming for his parents and help, rolling around as he tried to extinguish imaginary flames. The closer they were to their friends, the more visible their doubtful faces were and the slower they walked.

*… I’m sorry for pushing you.*

“I’m sorry for suggesting it.”

“I’m sorry for making myself look like a fool. I promise to do better.”

Glancing between Slug and Slinger, Trixie spoke next while rubbing the back of her neck.

“I’d be sorry for joining, but… I’d be a hypocrite, as I have anger issues as well. Wanna join me in my daily meditation?”

“That would be great. Thanks.”

Burpy nodded in agreement as Kord spoke up.

“I’d join you, but I’m-.”

“A brave Cave Troll who can’t focus on anything other than technology for more than three seconds.”

Freezing up, the cave troll slowly turned toward the nervous, backing away molenoid.

“Wanna try that again, Tracker Molenoid?”

“U-Um-I-I-I meant-.”

“I’m just playing, Pronto, there’s nothing dangerous to worry about!”

The look in his eyes told Pronto that, yes, there was something to worry about during the next couple of days.

Chapter Text

Pronto’s worry transformed into a prank war that raged for the better part of the week, with Trixie, Eli, and their slugs having to plan around every possibility from both sides.

One of those slugs was a green slug Eli had rescued after Billy tried to kill him in sheer terror. As they’d ridden back home, he took this time to get to know this unfortunate Darkened slug and his Slinger.

*This is very strange. The Darkness inside isn’t corrupting you so much as it… Loosening your restrictions. Both good and bad.*

That rang alarm bells in the minds of all members, both Slinger and Slug. Unfortunately, when Trixie blasted the self-identified Healer slug at Eli and Burpy so they could say they tried everything, nothing occurred.

During the rare downtime Kord’s planning afforded him, Pronto saw a commercial for a weekend camp promising to teach anyone’s slugs new and better moves in a few hours without lifting a finger. Making a silent, one-sided bet with Kord that his slugs could learn more moves and seeing the chance to relax, you can guess what happened next.

“I see we have a Shane in our midst. Good to see you, son.”

“The pleasure’s mine, ‘father’.”

“Hah! A Shane with a sense of humor, I love it! Hm, those are some mighty powerful slugs you and your Gang have. Any family secrets you can give away?”

And indeed, they were slightly Darkened and much stronger, despite not having left the Hideout and only having dueled Eli’s.

“That’s why they’re called ‘secrets’, sir. What good are they if you let anyone know them?”

“I respect that, ‘son’! Now, let me show you all what you’re here for!”

In the end, it was a combination of Burpy’s telepathy, Eli’s leadership, and his skill with his new blaster that put Club Slug out of business and made Pronto the winner of the prank war and “bet”.

As they return home, Kord tiredly asks, “Next time, Pronto, tell us before you think of doing anything close to this stupid with our gold.”

Opening his mouth, his favorite slug, Stinky, interrupted and utterly tore into him for what he experienced in the Slug Club, Pronto clamping his hands on his nose and falling to the ground as his other slugs joined in. While Burpy and Eli were tempted to stop them, they could tell this was something they needed to get out. In the end, the bowing molenoid trembled as he apologized, promising to treat them more equally.

*You’d fuckin’ better, Mole. Otherwise, we’ll stay with Eli, and you’ll only ever handle us while Slinging.*

Standing, he nervously mounted his Mecha as they continued the ride back, slowly becoming more and more confident as they got closer, much to everyone’s curiosity and the slug’s happiness. Entering the Hideout, the first thing he did was gather his apologetic slugs outside and ask after they nuzzled his face.

“What do you like?”

“… If no one else will say it, then I will. Bro, you’re nuts, you know that? You’ve only been riding that mecha of yours for a few months now, and you expect to survive… THAT?!”

With the last word, he grabbed Eli’s head and forced him to inspect the race’s map and the dangers he’d be facing.

“You’d be lucky to survive with only a limb or two missing, never mind your life!”

Glaring at Kord, Burpy forced him to nervously release his Slinger, who didn’t look too bothered at the breaching of his personal space.

“Come on, Kord! It’s a once-in-a-lifetime chance to grab a once-in-a-lifetime slug! Besides, it’ll give me the chance to get more in touch with my mecha skills.”

“I swear, the only thing you’re going to get in touch with is the afterlife! I beg you, reconsider! Think about your slugs! Think ab-!”

*LAY OFF HIM, KORD! I’m in full agreement, as are the rest of us!*

Eli’s and Pronto’s slugs squeaked and shouted in agreement, causing the rest of the Gang to rub their temples from the number of voices drumming in their heads before giving in.

On the day of the race, the entire gang came to support Eli as he and Burpy inspected the competition. When the ‘No Slugging’ rule was announced, Eli’s slugs weren’t too happy, with Burpy mumbling the most.

“Burpy, not everyone would have the same slugs. Even if they did, it’s likely they wouldn’t be at the same levels of experience for the race to be fair.”

*… I get it, I get it. That doesn’t mean I have to like it, though.*

“Who knows? This track is dangerous, so maybe I’ll need you guys eventually.”

At that moment, a late-comer to the race showed up, riding a Darkened mecha horse and positively full of himself.

“There’s the competition. And funded by Blakk, of all people. Now we’ve got to win!”

With the blast of a slug, the race was off. As Eli focused on racing, Pronto was rather amusedly focused on trash-talking another molenoid called Sedo. His slugs were pitching in their own sluggish insults, which Sedo quite literally brushed off. At a certain moment in the race, ‘the competition’ went off course, with Chiller gasping at the apparently insane racer.

*What the fuck is he doing, Burpy?!*

*I’ve given up ever trying to figure out humans apart from my Slinger, my friend!*

“He is the three-time champ… Screw it, let’s go!”

When people say ‘practice makes perfect/progress’, they usually know what they’re saying. In the Slug Run, they have to know what they’re saying. Eli learned that the hard way, using Chiller to create a ramp to safety.

“You may be a hotshot, but you have got to teach me those moves!”

“Ask me after we’re out of Shadow Clan territory, kid!”

When the Clan themselves stumbled upon them, they visibly recoiled in fright from Eli and his growling slug, fleeing in puffs of ‘smoke’. The duo quickly shoved the event to the back burner, as there was still a race to win.

A couple of weeks after, Eli, while attempting to capture a Hoverbug, was also practicing some moves Bolt had taught him and trying out a new upgrade from Kord. Centimeters from grabbing the infuriating and playful thing, his mecha suddenly gained a power boost. He used the boost to grab it as the increased speed sent him and his terrified slugs straight into a canyon. The rest of the Gang’s mechas rapidly followed, with Trixie’s Attacknet saving their asses right when the mechas calmed just as quickly. The Hoverbug struggled in Eli’s grasp and was about to bite him when Burpy hit her with a subduing mental pulse.

As the rest of the Gang hung around their home and Eli got Bugsy acquainted with the rest of his slugs, Kord came in with a befuddled and cautiously hopeful expression.

“Don’t ask me how, but our upgrades were, upgraded!”

After a beat of silence, Eli replied.

“Uh, how’s that possible? You said the Forge doesn’t do more than one upgrade at a time, right?”

“Don’t look at me, I’m not the one with the blueprints or advanced knowledge of these things. Something inside the Core must be amplifying the mechas’ power. That means upgrading the frame to handle the increased power or adding more tech to reduce strain. Of course, I could do both, but that’ll take months for all of them.”

Before Pronto could open his mouth, his slugs spoke up, and he listened.

“The Great and Humble Pronto, having listened to his wonderful and-.”

A trio of voices halted him in his tracks.

“PRONTO.”

“All right, all right. The slugs suggest enforcing the exoskeletons and increasing the speed would help stabilize the Core, thus preventing this morning from ever happening again.”

Trixie was appropriately skeptical, while Kord quickly dove back in after grabbing a meal replacement bar.

“And they would know this how?”

Eli, on the other hand, instantly understood.

“Their connection with Kord’s slugs, of course. Whatever he knows, they’ll learn, and vice versa.”

As weeks passed, the news was bombarded by reports of people’s mechas malfunctioning, causing 24 deaths and driving people to take Blakk’s Slugterran Express more and more, allowing it to expand.

“… Damn it.”

“What happened, Kord?”

“We should’ve gone to the Beast Forge. I suspect that everyone else’s mechas were also upgraded, but they weren’t able to handle it for whatever reason and we were the sole exception.”

Pronto’s and Kord’s slugs were speechless before they horribly cried, gathering together and comforting each other. Burpy hopped in and also comforted the leaders of each group, nuzzling them.

“We need to make sure no one else’s mechas malfunctions. Kord, lead the way.”

As expected, the new overseer, Darius Yorman, was denying everything inside out and upside down, while also presenting convincing proof they had nothing to do with anything outside.

Well, convincing proof to anyone other than the Shane Gang, and while Pronto was still wanting that dessert, he was kept in line by his slugs, who easily convinced him to follow Eli in investigating the factory. Quickly finding the imprisoned Cave Trolls and freeing them, they led the charge to take back the Forge. Getting back to the other two members of the Shane Gang, they found them kicking ass and taking names, eyes literally aglow in determination. Trixie’s eyes were starting to glow a darkened burned orange, Kord’s eyes a vivid, slightly darkened red, and covertly inspecting Pronto’s eyes revealed the start of black and purple...

“The same color as their favorite slugs…”

Turning as one to each other, they realized the same thing simultaneously.

*Well-*

“Shit.”

Chapter Text

The two leaders thought their fellow slugs/humans would react one way.

Most reacted the complete opposite way, to their slight confusion.

The slugs not following Burpy were nervous, even as their curious Slingers reassured them. Those following Burpy were completely trusting.

Pronto, on the other hand, was outright ecstatic.

“Pronto will now be able to truly get in touch with his sluggish side!”

The faces everyone gave him, including his slugs, did nothing to dissuade him. If anything, they only encouraged him, and that led to some…

Disturbing trouble and unnerving developments.

Riding to Deadweed Cavern, Eli and Trixie withstood the urge to slap themselves, the latter rubbing the bridge of her nose. Kord couldn’t, leading to a minor shockwave.

“Pronto, buddy, I’m asking again so you can hopefully wake up… What are you thinking?!”

“Come on, Mr. Brave and Mighty Cave Troll! I intend to get in touch with my sluggish side and this is the best way!”

Shaking their heads and sighing, they followed him into the mines after making sure the door would stay open.

The only problem?

Pronto firing a Darkening slug, causing the door to slam shut and lock from the outside.

Staring at the molenoid as he confidently rode deeper and deeper, they glanced at each other and followed. As things progressively got creepier and creepier, the gang stayed together and their slugs ‘took the lead’ by hopping on their mecha’s heads. However, things inexplicably turned for the better as they quickly felt stronger, braver, and-.

“Uh, Eli?! Wh-wh-when and where did you get flames on your head?!”

He felt similar worries from the rest of the Gang, except for Burpy, who informed everyone what happened.

*Calm down, everyone. The only reason is that we’re getting closer to an enormous source of Dark Water, or Karum-Zanul, as Cave Trolls call it. We’ll get stronger the closer we are. Follow your gut.*

And they do, their eyes growing closer to the colors of their favorite slugs, skin darkening, muscles increasing, and all five senses improving drastically. The whole while, they encountered none of these supposed ‘ghosts’  an ironically ghostly-white Pronto boasted about scaring off, ‘explaining’ why there were none. Reaching where they were guided, they entered a large space. The expanded Slugterran Express was directly opposite them, manned by a crowd of Blakk’s henchmen. A large well of Dark Water took up the rest of the space to the Gang’s left from which they were extracting water.

“Blakk. He wants more Dark Slugs.”

*But why? I know any slugs he Darkens won’t be as strong as mine.*

“Er, ‘mine’, Burpy?”

He rubs himself against Eli’s cheek apologetically and lovingly.

*I meant, ‘ours’, my dear Slinger.*

The other three members glanced at each other before looking at the duo and replying telepathically and simultaneously, Trixie being slightly heated.

*And what are we? A bunch of Floppers?*

“You can come out now, Shane Gang.”

*Damn it.*

“Damn it.”

Emerging from their cover, Pronto’s skin turned red nearly instantly, the molenoid screaming in pain as his friends cared for him and Doc healed his burns. Then, the voice of El Diablos Nacho echoed off the walls, overpowering Pronto’s worried whimpers.

“If the three of you are done playing doctor, I believe there’s… Some business we need to attend to.”

Leaving him behind, the Shane Gang stepped forward, Trixie’s steps being loud, and her fists clenched tight. Glancing between the Gang and the well of Dark Water, he put two and two together.

“I can-.”

“No deal.”

He grinned at the seriousness of the Shane and his slug’s faces, instantly slugging it out. The Shane Gang, for their part, reacted almost superhumanly fast. Trixie was already firing Darkening slugs as Nacho was reaching for his blaster. Kord rushed a cart full of Dark Water and flipped it as if empty, punching out a Grimmstone as Nacho dodged Burpy. As the Darkbane launched a Frostfang toward Eli, he swiftly launched a fireball from a fist, defeating it as it transformed.

“Hm. You’re already part Darkbane.”

Ignoring him, he saw Blakk’s henchmen sprinting away from his friends and on the train as it sped away. With a smiling growl, El Diablos followed them, leaping on the train as it left the cavern. The gang, minus Pronto, regrouped next to the well, staring at each other in shock at the power surging through them.

Kord was the first to speak.

“That… Was awesome. And terrifying. Who knew Dark Water could do… Any of this? Bludgeon?”

*Nope. I can safely say none of us had any idea these things were possible.*

Getting close to the well, the group felt the water draw them closer.

“… Burpy?”

*… You trust me.*

Nodding, all of his, Pronto’s, and some of the others’ slugs zealously lined up before the well, while the rest nervously waited in their Slingers’ bandoleers. Taking a deep breath, they pledged their complete loyalty to the Shane, and before anyone could react, they dove in. As they swam around, their Darkening rapidly progressed, leading to a series of dark-red pulses through the Cavern.

Simultaneously, the rest of the Shane Gang underwent their own, painful changes. Eli’s skin took on an almost metallic, dull silver sheen, as he grew retractable claws and fangs; Kord’s skin and muscles grew larger; Trixie’s hair also developed a metallic sheen of bright silver; and Pronto’s skin became so sensitive he could not be in the shade without undergoing tortuous pain.

The whole while, Burpy stayed in physical contact with Eli, screaming as he willingly experienced the same pain as his Slinger. The seconds passed with excruciating slowness, everyone praying it’d be over soon. And when it finished, the first thing they heard was a crowd of their slugs roaring and screeching at some intruders.

Trixie, Pronto, and Kord smoothly whipped out their blasters and fired their Darkened slugs, with men and women screaming as they were thrown back and the rest retreating. Trixie’s hands shook as she steadily retreated and her slugs rejoined her, eyes narrowed.

“I think it’s time for us to leave, you guys. We need to figure out what happened to Pronto.”

Helping him up, Kord was faster than Eli as the latter loitered and looked at the well.

“I’m not about to let Blakk get more Dark Water than he already has.”

Raising his blaster, he fired a Hop Jack at the far side of the space, leading to a chain reaction that destroyed the whole mine.

“Are you sure we can trust this Shane? He’s-.”

“‘Not like his father?’ Please. He and his gang have made things safer than ever! You saw how easily they beat back those twins!”

He begrudgingly accepted the woman’s rebuttal and hooked the cart to their tracker’s mecha. When the group left their sight, the rescued Slingers laughed till they cried.

Meanwhile, as the group hurriedly made their way to Bullseye Cavern, the slugs they met also laughed till they fell, breathless.

The reason?

One Pronto Geronimole, currently dressed in the most ridiculous robe, gloves, turban, and goggles ever found in the 99 Caverns. While his current outfit was inspired by his usual clothing, the way the colors blended was a crime against fashion.

At one point, Locke and Lode attempted to block the way, but a series of well-placed slugs and fireballs cleared the way while nearly blasting the two men to bits. Reaching their destination, they used the Fandangos and Doc together to revert the Dark Water and return the Cavern to its former glory.

“That’s one less source of Dark Water for Dr. Blakk, my dudes.

Now, who wants pizza? I know the best place that’s cheap and delicious.”

Chapter Text

They were tired and hungry.

Scratch that, they were tired, hungry, and pissed.

The number of Slingers hunting for this Enigmo slug and doing devastating damage was…

One Slinger too many.

Add that to the fact that Trixie was too fuckin’ eager to get to the Jungle Cavern to let anyone else get more than a literal bite to eat…

Kord was several hair-thin threads away from snapping, with the only ones keeping him together being his friends.

Trixie was too furious to care.

Pronto was satisfied with the various bugs he could find, and he used his increased agility to find them much more easily.

Eli was taking Burpy’s advice of mentally calling for the slug to focus his frustration from the idiots destroying the place and keeping Trixie’s rage from boiling over.

“Eli! I’m not-. Sorry, I am. It’s just-!”

“Hi, Cutie! Once I find-?”

With an inhuman screech, she blasted the girl with an Attacknet,  which hung her upside down as she stared, speechless and stupefied.

“I get it, Trix. You’re eager to find the Enigmo, but as your friend-.”

The youngest and most adorable sounding voice spoke in his head.

*Who is… Youfriend?*

*Hello. Are you-?*

“Eli, is every-?”

*EnigmoEnigmoEnigmo, I’mEnigmo. Applesarehigh,pearsarelow. Metal is… Sharp? Wheeeee…*

“Oh-.”

*Snap.*

Rushing through mushrooms and bushes, he tackled the ditzy slug and saved it from a gruesome death. Standing up, he grabbed the trap and brought it to the other Slingers, showing both trap and slug.

“You bastards nearly killed an innocent slug.”

Before anyone could speak up, Eli melted the trap. As molten metal burned the grass, the shared brain cell of the group decided to flee, pushing their way past Kord and Pronto as the former plucked out the last dart from his clothing with a frustrated growl. He calmed down by taking a few deep breaths while making a bobbing hand movement.

“The Enigmo, huh? Nice going, bro. Pronto?”

The walking pile of color chaos mumbled under his breath as he gave him a couple handfuls of gold.

“I’ll accept tha-.”

With a tired sigh, Trixie fired another Attacknet as Kord and Pronto also fired at the voice. Dodging all shots,  the man emerged from cover and returned fire.

“We can do this the easy-. AAARRRGGGHHH!!”

Claws emerged from the shadows as a pissed-off Shane and Burpy began suppressing his short-term memory. A moment later, Eli stopped, Trixie nervously asking regarding the trembling and convulsing Slinger.

“You sure that’s enough, Eli?”

“Don’t want to cause too much damage. Let’s get out of here.”

“Are you sure that you won’t-?”

*Stinky thinks that Eli thinks that going through everything we have is payment enough.*

“… Fair enough.”

Eli glanced behind him as the Dark Water refinery exploded in a mushroom cloud.

“That was hard, you guys! Even with these enchantments!”

“Pronto is glad he was able to save his teammates from Blakk’s men!”

“I, for one, can’t believe Trixie’s meditation actually helped me.”

“Are you sure you know the way out, Pronto? If you don’t…”

His eyes were covered, but one could get the distinct sensation of him being unamused through the casual raising of his sniper rifle at the redhead and the snarling of the loaded slug. As they reached their predetermined destination, Kord handily smashed through the pre-marked wall and exposed a path to the Flumes, a maze-like section of the Underriver.

“Ready to test the new upgrade?!”

A multitude of voices rang out in alarm as the slugs snuggled closer to their Slinger, while Kord’s were… A touch psychotic with excitement, their Slinger’s darkened red eyes unnaturally reflecting it. With a loud whoop, his mecha dove in, transforming into what Eli quickly recognized as a jet ski.

*A ‘jet ski’? Sweet name. Once we’re done, you’ve got to tell me more about this far off Cavern you’re from!*

*Uh-oh. Burpy?*

He glanced at Kord and his self-proclaimed brother a couple times, bored.

*Complete honesty.*

His face became nightmarishly tranquil with a small grin as they leisurely rode the river home, dodging slugs and returning fire.

*Although I’d go with memory erasing. It was so much fun…*

*I’d admit it was, but not something I’d want to repeat.*

After a few rounds of slug slinging back and forth, they found themselves dragged away and flung off a waterfall.

“What…”

“The fuck…”

“Was that?”

Getting back on their rides, they find themselves on a vast, underground ocean.

Hooping on his Slinger’ shoulder, Burpy produced a flame to dry himself off.

*I think it’s called a ‘water, fall’, my dear Eli.*

He sarcastically laughed while remounting his mecha, smirking at the small celebration Kord did as the others quietly watched with a smile.

“Hands in the air, ya Ghoulish Princesses! You trespassers face Malvolio Drake, Pirate and Master of The Cavern Seas!”

The Gang glanced at each other, and in the mere blink of an Infurnus’ eye, the ship cracked in two. As Burpy swooped around the ship, he abruptly stopped and disappeared into the ship’s guts.

*Non-Darkened slugs, and enough to give each of you a heavyweight arsenal. I can get two cages, but will need help with the rest.*

Securing their plunder, they left the floundering pirates behind, but not before grinding them and their ship into a bloody paste against the seafloor with a pair of Aquafreaks. Moments later, the sea calmed, leaving no evidence of the murder that happened.

On their way home, they came upon the lonely, former head of the first gang they faced. His clothing was torn, dirty, and bloody. His limbs shook, he was visibly sleep deprived, and his eyes darted around, haunted and terrified.

“T-T-The fire spreads, th-th-they singe the world. The p-p-people scream for relief, but it c-c-comes through d-d-death…”

Collapsing, Billy spasmed and choked, struggling to breathe. Shaking himself out of subtle terror, Eli blasted Doc.

The last thing anyone heard was a blood-curdling screech of terror.

Riding to the nearest town with his sobbing slugs who refused to leave the body, they discovered he’d been a runaway, constantly on the move to escape his loving and exasperated parents. Unfortunately, they were among those dead from Blakk’s mecha beast Darkening.

“Do you folks know what scared ‘im  to death like that?”

They solemnly shook their heads and watched as he was buried in a special spot for Slingers. When he becomes nothing but bones, they’ll place them inside an ossuary.

The week afterward at the Hideout and during their patrols were very subdued. No pranks pulled, no tinkering done, no videos made, and no questions regarding Eli’s home Cavern.

Twas the day before next, and all through the mall, nothing was moving, not even a ball. The Shane Gang had needed some fun, so they left their dreary home and went on a run.

Unfortunately, the Shane Gang were currently hiding out in a clothing/handbag store, which Pronto took advantage of to grab a replacement for the latter. Trixie also took advantage in order to voice her frustrations with their situation.

“Eli, will you please tell me there’s a zombie movie in that cute and smart head of yours appropriate to the situation?!”

Looking back at her, he grinned, a fang peeking out and a few flames flickering.

“I’m cute?”

Her dark-red pouting face only made her cuter as she slowly rubbed it while groaning. Kord decided to relieve her of her embarrassment.

“Why don't you and Burpy try telepathically talking to them? It doesn’t look like they've been dead for too long. Maybe you could nudge them onto a different path?”

The expression Eli’s light green eyes returned was silently replied with ‘can’t hurt to try’.

*Turns out these are Voodoo zombies, my allies. We just need to find the artifact or magician behind this, and we can hopefully undo it.*

The look on the Infurnus’ face was smug and optimistic, and incredibly so. As the group peeked through the windows, they were faced with a man from the Tropical Caverns observing their hiding place. As the warlock was surrounded by zombies and lazily holding a blaster-staff with a Cryptogrif slug, it was clear he was the source.

*Plans, Bro?*

*I’ll use my agility to distract his zombies. You crush his skull, then reverse the hypnosis.*

*All in favor, you guys?*

It was unanimous.

Chapter Text

 The music softly echoed in the air. Burpy and Eli were unwavering in their focus, as if a cipher hid in its notes. The volume slowly arose, the strings growing higher until they leaped up and quickly lowered so as not to disturb anyone.

That unintentionally caused the rate of information to double.

*You did it, Eli! And you doubted me !~*

*Never again, Burpy. Never again. Now what?*

They looked as one at the blackened skull of the courtier for Blakk Industries. The destroyed crispy claw print on his neck was the only evidence of what had happened.

*Too bad we’re on a time limit; about to have a two-faced visitor with a shot at redemption; and you’d look suspicious, otherwise our arsenal would clean that up flawlessly.*

The hungry look in Burpy’s eyes and the equally hungry pleads in Eli’s head made him shake it with a grin as he left, his claws re-hidden.

*You guys, I already feed you fresh meat when I can. Tell you what: next time there’s a dead bad guy and we’re in a remote place,  I’ll try to secretly bring pieces of it along.*

“You’re messed up, dude, you know that?”

He pretends to be surprised by the young man with a Smugglet slug, the group’s faces neutral and friendly.

“Hi there! If by ‘messed up’, you mean ‘in touch with my slugs’, then yeah, I’m completely loco. What brings you to these parts?”

“The slug crowds secretly following the Eli Shane.”

Looking around, they were shocked at the number of admiring slugs that had and were coming out of hiding as the trio walked to their mechas.

“Seems you two are something of celebrities among the slug population.”

A number of braver ones slowly approached them, shyly squeaking before bowing. The rest of the crowd shook their heads and squeaked apologies, which Burpy humorously accepted. Directing them to his left, they joined the group of former pirate slugs of the same mindset.

“There’s also that blackhead behind you, but we can talk about it later.

Where’s the rest of your Gang?”

“Hitting a Blakk depot.”

“And leaving no one alive, I presume.”

He raised a hand to stop Eli’s reply.

“However, even though no one has said it yet because of no evidence, thanks for dealing with the pirates.”

He replied with a breathy laugh and then, shaking his head, straddled Lucky while the “mysterious” kid called Twist straddled

“Those were life-threatening circumstances. And you’re welcome.”

As Twist and the Gang got to know each other, Kord paused while retelling everyone about the one-sided fight against the pirates.

“That reminds me, Eli. You never told us about the Cavern you’re from. Come on — spill the beans, Bro.”

As everyone refocused on him in curiosity and, in Kord’s case, excitement, he schooled his expression. Burpy, not so much.

*Thoughts, Burpy?*

With a definitive nod, *Mind-wipe them.*

*BURPY.*

His expression was akin to a kid being denied a BB gun for Slugmas.

*You’ve been practicing for a bit, my Slinger! Just remove a section here, rewrite a section there, and Bob’s your uncle!*

He chuckles at his slug’s dark sense of humor, as well as his pout.

*Oh, Burpy… At any other time and in any other situation, sure.*

“Well, Eli? New member of the Shane Gang waiting.”

Taking a deep breath, he holds out his hands, joining the whole Gang in a circle.

*We live on a planet called Earth. For those living in Slugterra, we’re all in the planet itself.*

“What’s so special about Snowdance Cavern, Beatrice?”

Two voices spoke simultaneously.

“Ice Ogres.”

“Two words, Twist: Ice. Ogres. Fortunately, there are only two seasons in Snowdance: Alive. And dead.”

While Trixie rolled her eyes as Kord overacted their potentially gruesome demise and the slugs laughed their asses off, Pronto was content to solemnly swear he’ll protect Twist.

“That goes for all of us, Twist. As the leader of the Shane Gang-.”

He was interrupted by their shared Darkening slugs, which numbered 63.

“And Co-Emperor of these slugs…”

In actuality, and to the slight frustration of everyone, they all belong to Eli and Burpy and are a part of ‘The Emperors’ Core’. It means they’re willing to take their admiration of them to the extreme.

“… I’m willing to do anything to keep you guys safe. Anyway, let’s get going.”

As the Shane Gang finished their popcorn and drinks as the movie ended, Trixie found a new super fan of Max Jackson in Twist as they discussed the differences and similarities between him and the James Bond character Eli showed them.

“THERE YOU ARE, YOU FUCKING BITCH!!”

A slew of Dark slugs forced the group to hide from the vengeful trio, while the Emperors’ Core savagery swarmed the latter, biting, stabbing, shocking, webbing, and gassing them.

One of the slung slugs impacted the ice used as the screen.

The cracks were three feet long.

Then seven feet long.

Jumping to eleven feet as humans and slugs stared in paralyzed horror, the whole thing fell apart when a large fist punched its way out, quickly led by an equally large, hairy, pissed-off, and roaring creature. Before Kord could stop anyone, the entire fucking crowd fearfully fired their slugs.

The barrage, to his astonishment, knocked it back.

Before it promptly grew fifty times larger, getting back up and lunging for the dispersing Slingers. There were only two proper responses, in various ways, anyone could have.

The first was, confusedly, Gerhard Stocker’s.

“Fuck this shit, I’m out.”

However, he still focused on one thing, trying to aim through his continuous headache while struggling with which figure was the real Eli. His indecision allowed the Emperors’ Core to tear out bloody chunks, including from an intimate part of his body.

The second response was Twist and Glasses. In short, “What do we need to do?”

At the end of it all, Eli gained a Slyren slug that shrunk and put the Ice Ogre to sleep.

Moaning in pain and lightheaded from blood-loss, SBD tried escaping, only to be surrounded by the Shane Gang and Twist. The other two fearfully promised to leave Eli and the Shane Gang alone forever, then left.

Stumbling backward to the ground, he tried raising his blaster, but his slugs fled in terror as the E.C continued to kill him with a thousand cuts.

“Let him go! Doc-!”

*My Emperors, he’ll eventually escape and try again! Let us finish him here and now!*

“We’re not murderers, we’re protectors!”

*Read his mind, Your Highnesses! He will try again!*

Doing so, they discovered a deep-seated terror and hatred for them to the extent that yes, he’d try again. Silently communicating, the Shane Gang turns toward a silent and subtly nervous Twist.

“We want to ensure you are completely okay with all of this. If not, we’ll let him go.”

The Emperors’ Core childishly voiced their frustration before shutting up, causing Burpy to giggle before shaking himself and refocusing on the task at hand.

“I… I wasn’t expecting this. Any… of this.”

Taking a deep breath, he relaxed and raised his blaster.

“In for a Fandango…”

Slumping in the chair she was webbed to while catching her breath, the girl with the hot pink colored hair successfully hid her terror at the up close and personal look she had with the Shane Gang. The head slug of the Gang hopped on a Hoverblade and stared into her eyes, his red pupils drowning in apathetic derision.

*You think you can hide yourself from US, you little bitch?*

Despite the terror she felt at real-life telepathy, Dana Por kept her surface-level expression cool even as the other members and their slugs pitched in, attempting to overwhelm her.

“Enough, you guys.”

Their leader slowly strode in front of her, his light green eyes blazing against his dull silver skin as he displayed his razor-sharp claws and fangs.

“I’m not looking for a dead body. Nor am I looking for a scrambled mind.”

Kneeling in front of her, he lightly smiled, warm and welcoming.

“All we want to know is why you thought you could invade our home and steal from us without us figuring it out.”

Her smile, on the other hand, was cocky and self-assured.

“I’m a thief, that’s what I do. Now-.”

Two of their slugs landed on her lap, screeching at her. Her slugs hopped before her in defense.

“H-HEY! G-get your sl-!”

*OBEY THE EMPERORS!!*

The thunderous shake that slammed into her mind was her connection with Thorax being inadvertently strengthened. For a split second, she felt intense loyalty towards Burpy and his Slinger while seeing through his eyes. Simultaneously, she felt it being imprinted into her struggling and screaming slugs as she shielded herself with her hands. In the next split second, Eli grabbed her temple, cutting her and Thorax off from Vex’s and Vox’s brainwashing, as well as from each other.

Before anyone could interject, the screeches and screaming were cut off, and silence reigned. Her Darkened slugs slowly breathed again, and when they stood, they bowed to Eli and Burpy. The latter stood there with fearful shock written on their faces.

“Burpy…?”

He shook his head before the smallest of grins appeared unnoticed to anyone but Eli, who returned it along with the smallest of nods.

“We’re gonna figure this out, but first…”

He retook his place in front of a subdued and fully cooperative Dana who nervously rubbed her hands.