Wham-Shell's breath was heavy as he shot of a barrage of starfish towards a trio of trolls as he stepped back, his legs turned shaky from panic. But no, he couldn't panic now; he had to get out of here! Except, there were no ways out—those trolls had him surrounded. Another large troll leaped forward and pounded their giant fists into the ground, which sent Wham-Shell flying! As he hit the floor, he staggered back up, swung his mace straight into the troll's gut, and sent them barreling straight into the crowds! His breath turned heavy as the troll sent several of its comrades barreling into the oceans, only for more to take their places!

"These blokes are everywhere," Wham-Shell whispered. "Just how many are there, anyways?!"

His eyes darted back and forth as his balance swayed, and he was almost completely unable to keep his footing in the sand. But nevertheless, he stood and glared them down; now was no time to rest, for he had to save this place! Wham-Shell swung his mace at the various trolls that launched at him like a shark launches itself towards its prey. Each one soared into the skies within moments, but it was no use to celebrate—their replacements kept filing in! At this rate, there'd be too many for him to handle!

Just then, one of the burly trolls grabbed Wham-Shell and flung him against one of the stone walls! Wham-Shell was completely helpless to stop them, and only able to scream in pain as he collided with the wall and slid down. The giant group of troll soldiers all closed in on him, and the sound of their mocking laughter was a chorus to his screams. They all imposed themselves on him so that little else could be seen as they all readied their weapons and smiled, for they knew Wham-Shell could do nothing to stop him.

His body grew weak from all the fighting, and he could barely even stand—let alone fight. All he could do was watch in terror as they prepared to attack, his pupils dilated as his breath stopped short.

No—this can't be happening!

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" squealed a young voice filled with pain!

Just then, some human kid ran in front of Wham-Shell and created a magic force field around the two of them. With tears in her eyes, they cradled his body like one would a child's before they hugged him tight and cried.

"WHAM!" the kid sobbed as they hugged him tight, "Wham, please be alright, please, please…"

Wham-Shell groaned as he looked up at the child. He knew this kid from somewhere, but something completely blocked out his memory. What was their name?

"Wh, where am I?" Wham-Shell mumbled, still in a daze as he tried to focus his vision.

"WHAM!" tge kid sobbed into his shoulder, "I, I, I…"

Wham-Shell only gently pushed the kid away and fell back onto the sand, yet looked up at the kid. Their whole body seemed so frail, yet oddly enough, they were powerful enough to keep up an impressive force field, and their brown eyes shone with a familiar kind of youth. Wait, now he remembered who this kid was!

"Chihiro, you shouldn't have come here," Wham-Shell croaked, his voice weak and cracked. "I—"

Chihiro firmly shook her head as she stood in front of Wham-Shell and threw her hands in front of the magic barrier she had crafted. As she did this, the barrier pulsated and glowed brighter!

"I may not have been able to protect Spyro and Gill," Chihiro croaked as she just barely held back tears and gulped. "But, I'll, I'll surely protect you! I won't, I won't—"

As Chihiro choked on her words, the trolls pounded away at her barrier and cracked it—and from the looks of it, it wouldn't last much longer. Chihiro screamed as one last pound from one large troll became the finishing blow that shattered the barrier completely! The trolls all cackled as a terrified Chihiro froze in place, for one headbutted her and slammed her against a wall! Chihiro cried out and trembled as her entire body shuddered with rough, coursing pain, and her chestnut eyes laid in a frantic daze as she looked up at the trolls that enclosed them.

"Chihiro!" Wham-Shell called out. His pupils went tiny as his whole body shook violently, but stopped completely as he fell weak onto the sands. His whole body was on lockdown again, so weak and shaken that all he was able to do was watch Chihiro shudder and writhe in pain.

"Wham!" Chihiro frantically crawled to Wham-Shell's side and cradled his comatose body in her arms once more, then whimpered as she looked up at the trolls.

This was it.

This was how they were going to die, and it was all his fault.

Chihiro… I'm so sorry, Wham-Shell thought as he looked up at Chihiro, I wasn't strong enough.

Chihiro wrapped her body around Wham-Shell's in some vain effort to shield him from the attacks that were to come, all hope seemingly lost, then…

"SO NOT RAD, DUDES!"

Another voice broke the surface as they both saw a familiar blue figure zip into the battlefield—Zap!

Enraged, Zap stormed up to the heart of the battlefield and shot a bolt of lightning straight into one troll's back. The one troll fell over unconscious, and subsequently the others looked over at Zap with deep scowls. As they chased after Zap, Zap slid around the island in a circular motion while the trolls fruitlessly chased after him—but he was too fast for their slow, clunky selves.

However, what the trolls didn't realize is that whenever Zap slid about, slime formed under his paws, and the more and more Zap circled, the stronger and stickier the slime got! As soon as they charged into Zap's slime pit, they were completely stuck!

"You dudes have some nerve, ganging up on my buddies like this," Zap gargled with a surprising level of venom in his voice as he glared down the trolls who struggled in the slime pit. "What do you have to say for yourselves?"

"It's his fault for being so weak," sneered Bob. "He can't even save his own kingdom, but he thinks he can play Skylander? Ha!"

Chihiro looked down at Wham-Shell, who only rapidly blinked as his face fell.

"What he said!" chimed in Joe as he sat on Bob's shoulder. "Some king he was! He couldn't even stop us from drilling down his own kingdom for oil! How's he gonna save one measly island?"

Chihiro let out a shallow breath as she looked back up at the trolls, then at Wham-Shell before she gently laid him back down on the sand.

"I may not really know what you're talking about, but," Chihiro said as her gaze narrowed and she staggered, "Wham isn't weak at all! You've got it all wrong!"

With a snap of her fingers, she summoned a basketball-sized magic sphere and tossed it right at Joe, and watched with pride as he fell off Bob's shoulder and face-first into the slime pit.

All the other trolls turned to Chihiro and grew enraged, but she only stood tall as she readied more magic spheres as her gaze serious and stern. The trolls yelled out and stomped after Chihiro, but the energy spheres she summoned whooshed away from her and slammed into most of them, which sent them all flying back into the pit!

"I think I understand now." Chihiro turned back to Wham-Shell and smiled. "You came here in the first place because you wanted to make sure that what happened to your home didn't happen to anyone else, right?"

Wham-Shell was so stunned that he could only nod. Chihiro's gentle, almost angelic smile made him feel a little more at ease until he heard a roar and they both looked up.

There, one particularly large troll was running towards them both!

"Wham wanted to protect these people! He wanted to keep them safe!" Chihiro jumped out the way of the stampeding troll and kicked them in the back.

The troll turned around and growled as it readied an attack of its own—but Chihiro was faster than it was! She punched the troll straight in the face, and watched as it yowled out and stumbled backwards into a rock wall before it passed out.

"He cared so much for these people that he didn't even know that he wanted to protect them no matter what." Chihiro's eyes burned with judgmental fire as she stared down the remaining trolls and pointed at them. "That makes him way stronger than any of you! If anything, you're the weak ones here for hurting all these people when they can't even stop you!"

"Chihiro," Wham-Shell gasped, for he was completely taken aback by Chihiro's sudden speech.

"Yeah!" Zap gargled as his whole body charged with electricity as powerful as the angered stare he made. "Even though Wham lost his home and his people, he never gave up even for a second! He still wanted to protect people from what happened to him! And that's what makes him a Skylander!"

"Zap," Wham-Shell whispered again as Chihiro and Zap stood strong before him. For a moment, something in his heart warmed up.

"A hero? Don't make me laugh!" Joe proclaimed as he shook the slime and ran towards Zap. "He couldn't even stop us when we captured him! I'm surprised you haven't sent that puny little crab back to his home yet!" Joe paused for a moment and smirked. "Oh, I forgot—IT'S GONE NOW!"

"NOW YOU'VE DONE IT!"

Zap shot a lighting bolt that zapped Joe in the chest and sent Joe reeling back—but only for a minute. Before Joe could retaliate, however, an aqua glow surrounded him and he quickly flew to face Chihiro.

"You're all just awful," Chihiro said as she fell into a tranquil rage. "You're taking away everything from these people! Their home, their families, their safety… Only weak cowards like you would terrorize people who can't even fight back!"

Chihiro grabbed Joe and tossed him back into Zap's slime pit, yet shuddered as she heaved heavy breaths. This rage she had felt so strange; Chihiro tended to get frustrated here and there, but she had never emitted such raw, untapped anger before. It almost made her look intimidating.

The same thing went for Zap. Impulsive and careless as he was, Zap was never the type to lose his temper, especially violently. Yet he was, so enveloped by rage that his whole body was now coated in electricity! He looked more like a giant speck of light than anything as he charged to and fro on his slim trail and rammed into the trolls that tried to fight back! With every crash he made, he sent what was surely thousands of lightning volts into their bodies and made them surge with pain—literally!

As the trolls fell comatose around the beach, Chihiro took a breath and slowly walked up to Zap. "Is that all of them?" Chihiro asked as Zap came to a crackling stop while the electricity that surrounded him vanished.

Before Zap could even reply, however, something grabbed them tight! They both squirmed and struggled as their mysterious assailant lifted them in the air, and they turned around to find it was none other than Bob!

"Missed one," Bob sneered as Chihiro and Zap both gasped.

"Let us go!" Chihiro demanded as she kicked against Bob's belly—but it was no use. She was far too weak to even leave a bruise!

"Why should I?" Bob made a toothy grin as he looked back at Wham-Shell. "It's not like your little buddy over there's gonna save you! He couldn't even save himself from us!"

"SHUT UP!" Zap shouted as he bit down on Bob's finger!

Bob yowled in pain, growled as he glared down Zap, and squeezed Zap tighter.

"Why're you so worked up about this crab, anyways?" Bob placed his free hand on his hip, clearly not bothered by Zap's attack.

"Because he's our friend! Even though he's kinda cold sometimes, I know he cares about us! He'd do the same thing for us any day!" Chihiro exclaimed as she looked at Bob with wide, determined eyes.

"Yeah!" Zap shouted in retaliation as he shot down Bob with a piercing glare.

Chihiro's eyes sparkled for a moment as she let out an eager gasp, and her expression turned serious as she glared down Bob once more. "So we're not just gonna let you toss him around and talk him down like some ragdoll!" Chihiro exclaimed as she kicked Bob once more. "We're gonna stick up for him no matter what!"

"Blah, blah, blah, too much talking," Bob grumbled as he rolled his eyes. "Let's just cut to the chase already!"

Bob lifted up the arm with Chihiro and Zap captive, and about struck, but something struck him in the back and knocked him face-first into the sand! Chihiro screamed as she fell down, only to notice that Bob's grip on her loosened and jumped out of his hand! As she looked over Bob's back, she broke into a smile.

There, across from Bob's comatose body was Wham-Shell! He now stood tall as he rested his mace back at his side while a steely expression graced his face—thankfully, his strength returned to him while he witnessed their fight.

"Wham!" Chihiro exclaimed as she dashed across Bob's back and leaped forward. "Thank goodness!"

Chihiro quickly tackled Wham-Shell into a hug, and for the first time that day, Wham-Shell laughed and hugged Chihiro tight.

"Dude, you're back!" Zap exclaimed as he gazed at Wham-Shell with complete shock in his orange eyes.

As Wham-Shell looked at them both, the cold in his gaze subsided into something much more warmer, and maybe a little more vulnerable.

"Chihiro, Zap," Wham-Shell said at last, his voice a little hoarse but full of emotion, "thank you."

"You heard all of that big fight, didn't you?" Chihiro asked.

Wham-Shell nodded as he poked Bob's foot with his mace, and slowly drew it back. He went silent afterwards and looked aside, as if there was something on his mind but he didn't really want to—or knew how to—say outright. Which was true, for he had a lot of things he wanted to say to them, but, eh, it was no use thinking it over now.

Finally, his gaze turned neutral as he stumbled away from Chihiro and Zap. "C'mon, we've got an island to—" Wham-Shell stopped short as something lurched up from the earth and turned around to find…

"Did you really think one little starfish was gonna stop me?" Bob asked as he stood tall and tossed the aforementioned starfish into the oily ocean. "Hah! You really are stupid!"

Wham-Shell bared his teeth as he drew his mace. "Chihiro, Zap, get back!" Wham-Shell exclaimed as he glared down Bob. "This is gonna get dangerous!"

Chihiro and Zap quickly heeded his warning and backed up quite a couple paces from the fight that would soon break out. Though there was a bit of fear in their eyes, what Wham-Shell mostly saw was trust—trust that he could do it!

"You think you're so tough, don't'cha?" Bob sneered as he pounded on the ground and sent Wham-Shell soaring in the air. "Tryin' to stick up to the big bad troll? You think you're some kinda superhero, don't'cha?"

Wham-Shell grunted as he caught himself in mid-air and landed on his feet.

"I'll be the first to admit, I'm no great hero," Wham-Shell said as he stepped forward with his grasp on his mace tight. "I've made a lot of mistakes, and I have regrets like anyone else."

Bob scoffed, as if he thought Wham-Shell affirmed his statement.

"But." Wham-Shell opened his eyes and bore a confident smile as he stared down Bob. "I'll be damned if I just stand by and watch while you hurt innocent people!"

Wham-Shell then slid forward and whammed his mace against Bob's leg pit, which in turn flipped Bob upside-down! With a loud CRASH, Bob landed headfirst into the beach and groaned as he staggered back up with a nice bump atop his ugly head.

"I may not have been able to save my kingdom from you monsters, but I won't let that stop me from saving theirs!" Wham-Shell shot several starfish into Bob's belly and snarled as the starfish flung Bob into a wall. "And besides, you're forgetting one important detail."

Wham-Shell walked up to Bob and smirked.

"This time, I'm not alone." Wham-Shell smiled as he looked back at an eager-eyed Chihiro and Zap. "I've got my fellow 'lander and my portal master right here, and as long as they're here to support me, I could never lose!"

Wham-Shell raised his mace over his head and glared down at Bob.

"So you're out of luck. Sorry about that, Bob."

Bob winced as Wham-Shell whacked him upside the head, and Bob quickly fell unconscious onto the sands. Wham-Shell had to admit—it was quite satisfying to see Bob finally fall under the pound of his mace and rendered completely harmless.

"WHAM!" Chihiro exclaimed as she bolted forward.

As Wham-Shell turned around, Chihiro wrapped him in a tight hug and gently stroked his smooth shell. He couldn't help but smile as she did, and gently hugged her back.

As Zap joined them, he gently nudged a paw against Wham-Shell's face.

"I'm fine, Zap, really." Wham-Shell smiled as he looked over at Zap.

"That was amazing, dude!" Zap chirped as he nudged Wham-Shell's shoulder with his head.

Wham-Shell chuckled and smiled as he leaned against Zap and took a few shaky steps.

Chihiro made a giggle of her own, and looked back down on Bob.

"Don't feel too bad for him," Zap said as he gaze fell back on Chihiro and Bob.

"It's not that, Zap. Look!"

Chihiro pointed towards a shiny glimmer that poked its way out from Bob's back pocket. Chihiro knelt down and dug her hand through the pocket, then yanked out a rusty metal keyring filled with keys! With a beam, she held it up for Wham-Shell and Zap to see.

"Come on, we've still got gillpeople to free!" Chihiro joined Zap and Wham-Shell, and gently wrapped her hand around Wham-Shell's as she glazed over the murky, oily island scenery.

As Wham-Shell followed her gaze, he couldn't help but feel a little dizzy. His head was still a blur as he reflected on the fight earlier—and the others' actions. He honestly didn't expect Chihiro, ever so cheery and bright, to take on such a serious nature; it was like something else took control of her! For that matter, he had never expected Zap to react like that, either! And yet, they both snapped the moment they saw Wham-Shell in such danger and pain… They really cared about him that much, huh? Wham-Shell couldn't help but smile as they walked along the oily grounds.

They were good kids.

§

"There you go, buddy," Chihiro chirped as she unlocked a cage and watched the gillperson inside run free, "All free!"

The trio smiled as they watched the gillperson inside retreat to safety, pure silence echoed around the area, and then…

"Thank goodness you managed to free them!"

Chihiro jumped in the area only to realize—hey, she knew that voice! She then turned around to find Gurglefin staring straight at her, which caused her to jump once more.

"Hey! Don't sneak up on me like that!" Chihiro exclaimed as she tugged on her jacket.

"You're welcome, it's what we do!" Zap chirped as he slid up to meet Gurglefin, completely unfazed by Gurglefin's surprise appearance. "Is something up, dude?"

Gurglefin frowned as he played with his webbed hands. He looked a little anxious still, as if there was something on his mind. "Well, the thing is," Gurglefin said before he gulped. "You see, there's something I forgot to tell you."

"Figured as much," Chihiro sighed as she rested the keyring back at her waist. "Spill the sardines, Gurglefin!"

Gurglefin shot Chihiro a tired look as he cleared his throat. "Most of our people were locked up in this giant troll factory," Gurglefin said as he pointed to the island's horizon, "The ones out here were just extras they couldn't fit in there!"

Chihiro frowned and followed Gurglefin's outstretched hand to see a giant, wonky factory placed at the top of the island. It was covered in giant pumps that bellowed out thick, black smoke, and something about its gloomy, imposing nature made it the cherry on top of this awful, oily sundae.

"Well then, looks like those trolls were smarter than I thought," Chihiro said as she looked back at Gurglefin and pumped a fist, "But that doesn't matter! We'll just have to storm the factory and free them!"

"Gurglefin, can you lead us to the factory?" Wham-Shell asked as he rested his mace at his side.

"Well, I cod—could," Gurglefin softly winced, "but those trolls set up a lot of traps and stuff. It's really dangerous!"

"Who do you think we are, dude?" Zap teased as he stood proud. "We're Skylanders—we eat danger for breakfast, and lunch, and dinner, and sometimes as a—"

"I'm sure he gets the point, Zapster!" Chihiro chirped as she walked forwards, "Now time's a'wastin'! Let's go to that fact—OWCH!"

Chihiro rammed face-first into a giant steel door and stumbled back, then moaned in pain as she cradled her face. With a grunt and a shake of her head, she looked up and frowned.

"Fool me once, shame on you," Chihiro remarked as she dusted herself off, "but fool me twice, shame on me."

"This must be another one of those crystal puzzles," Wham-Shell remarked as he looked over the gate.

"Why?" Chihiro looked over at Wham-Shell and tilted her head.

Wham-Shell only pointed to his side, where a giant crystal that emitted a brightly-colored laser beam stood tall and sturdy.

"Ohhhh…" Chihiro made a soft giggle and scratched the back of her head, "Didn't see that there."

Chihiro skipped over to the crystal and side-kicked it, which slid it a few paces to the west and caused its laser to lock with another crystal, and in turn locked with a small crystal mounted near the gate. With a sound akin to that of screeching metal, the gate receded and revealed an area covered in metal platforms!

"Is this the way, Gurglebin?" Chihiro asked as she looked over at Gurglefin.

"It's Gurglefin," Gurglefin moaned as he made a shaky nod, "and unfortunately yes."

"Then let's go!"

Chihiro snagged Gurglefin's hand and marched off, her head held high.

"Wait, don't tell me, I don't have to go too, do I?" Gurglefin gulped as if he already knew the answer.

"Of course, you're the only one that knows the way!"

"Oh carp."

Wham-Shell and Zap only shrugged as they followed Chihiro's trail. The journey continued as they trekked through the metallic, oil-stained wastelands of the gillpeople's home. Despite how dreary everything around them was, however, they refused to relent! Their spirits were vigorous as ever as they traveled across the island…

"There you go!" Chihiro chirped as she freed an olive-colored gillwoman dressed in a black wetsuit while Wham-Shell and Zap opened another gate.

"Careful now, Chi!" Zap shouted as he caught Chihiro on his back after she slipped on an oil puddle.

"You're free now!" Chihiro said as she unlocked a cage and ushered away an elderly gillman.

"Watch out!" Wham-Shell exclaimed as he slammed his mace down onto the top of a large troll tank while the others narrowly dodged its artillery.

It was long and tedious indeed, but the journey was nearly over—they reached the factory, and dear lord, it was even worse in person! The metal that made up the factory was rusty and cold and coated in oil stains, its door was as large as a house and made of tough steel, and all across its roof were pumps that churned out massive amounts of smoke. All sorts of creepy, creaky noises emitted from within the factory despite its lack of windows, and it felt so out of place compared to the sandy beaches of the past.

"Well," Chihiro said as she took a breath and exhaled, "I'm ready when you guys are!"

Wham-Shell only grunted and pushed the doors open—which was surprisingly easy despite their imposing size and metal structure. As the doors fully open, he peered inside, but there was nothing but steel floors and walls coated in rust. It seemed so empty.

"Hellooooooooo?" Chihiro shouted as she leaned against the doors and peered inside. "Any gillpeople here?"

Gurglefin slapped a wet hand over Chihiro's mouth and quickly shushed her. "Keep it down!" Gurglefin whispered as he eyes darted from side to side. "Do you want the trolls to hear you?"

"What trolls?" Chihiro pried Gurglefin's hand off of her mouth. "The whole place's empty!"

"I wouldn't be so certain, Chihiro," Wham-Shell replied as he carefully walked into the factory. "You never know what could be lurking around these kinda places."

Wham-Shell tapped the bottom of his mace against the metallic floors, and they only made a resounding banging noise. After a few minutes of staring at nothing, he nodded as Chihiro and Zap carefully followed him inside.

"I'll just stand guard here!" Gurglefin proclaimed as he carefully inched away from the doors. "Just to be safe."

"Doesn't this place have a light switch or something?" Chihiro asked as she clapped her hands a couple times, and frowned as she looked around. "Guess not."

Just then, a soft sizzling sound echoed around the factory's base room. It was barely audible, but it was there—and it grew louder by the second.

"Do you guys hear that?"

Chihiro looked at Wham-Shell and Zap, who both nodded furiously, and glanced up at the ceiling. As the fizzling sound grew even louder, a glowing red dot manifested on the ceiling, initially small but grown bigger over seconds. It kinda seemed like…

ZAP! The trio just barely jumped out of the way as a giant laser shot down from the ceiling!

"Where did that come from?" Chihiro exclaimed, only to scream in panic as even more lasers rained down from the ceiling!

She, Wham-Shell and Zap practically danced around the metal floors as red-hot lasers bolted down from the ceiling like hail with no sanctuary in sight!

"We've gotta get outta here!" Chihiro shouted as she bounced away from a square that a laser drilled into.

"Where would we go?" Wham-Shell shouted back. "There's nowhere to hide!"

Wham-Shell was right—the entire area was just a vast, open square, or so it seemed. The entire place was so dark that aside from the spots illuminated by the lasers' light, it was hard to tell one's left from their right!

Chihiro grunted as she dodged another laser, watched as several more crashed down a couple paces away from where she currently stood, but frowned and squinted. Several beady, red orbs peered out from a space across the room—more lasers? Hopefully not. Chihiro watched them for a few more minutes, and yelped as a laser shot down only inches away from where she stood and startled her into falling flat on her face. As she grumbled and sat back up, screechy laughter echoed throughout the factory.

"Hey, guys, that isn't funny!" Chihiro retorted as she crossed her arms.

"That wasn't us, Chi!" Zap replied as he slid away from a trio of lasers.

"I'd recognize that laugh anywhere!" Wham-Shell exclaimed as he ran to their side and glared down the orbs. "Spell punks!"

The red orbs grew wider as they heard Wham-Shell's words—clearly he was right on target. With various panicked chattering noises, they dashed away from their hiding spot!

"After them!" Wham-Shell proclaimed as he jumped on Zap's back.

Zap grunted and zoomed off, and the potency of his slime enhanced from the slick metal of the floors. Despite how furiously the lasers rained down, they couldn't catch him; he was far too fast, so fast he was merely a blur to the untrained eye! As they drew closer to the source of those strange red orbs, Wham-Shell readied his mace and shot off several starfish! The starfish shot off like rockets into the dark before a wet slapping noise and pained moans echoed through the hall.

As Zap came to a stop, the lights slowly flickered on and revealed the culprits—a trio of spell punks with beady, glowing red eyes dressed in black and silver robes. The starfish had them all stuck to one of the many rusty metal walls in the factory, and moans and groans and grumbles all about.

"The lasers, they're gone!" Chihiro exclaimed as she joined Wham-Shell and Zap. "You guys did it!"

"You bet we did!" Zap gargled as Wham-Shell slid off his back.

Chihiro beamed, spun around the corner, and smiled even wider as she looked back at Zap and Wham-Shell and pointed around the corner.

"Stairs!"

The two of them peered around the corner and found that she was right—right next to where the spell punks were trapped was a lengthy metal staircase! The trio made their way onto the staircase and climbed, while each stair clanked with each step they took. The staircase was quite lengthy, though; each flight seemed never-ending, and each stop only lead to another lengthy flight that looked near-identical to the prior.

"Is it possible to walk up in circles, by any chance?" Chihiro asked as she stopped and heaved a sigh.

Zap and Wham-Shell stopped for a few minutes and bolted up the stairs.

"Guys, wait!" Chihiro exclaimed as she bolted after them!

The stairs seemed to fly by as she ran her fastest; by the time she stopped to rest, she found herself on a metal platform with large, open red doors! The light that emitted from it was so bright it almost burned, but curiosity got the better of Chihiro and she ran right in.

When she reached the other side, Chihiro arrived on a giant platform that hung over the rest of the factory from what seemed like hundreds of feet above, all suspended from the ceiling by multiple large, rusty metal chains. Wham-Shell and Zap arrived there before she did, and currently flanked the object of large interest—a giant cage filled with gillpeople of all ages, shapes and sizes!

"Chihiro!" Wham-Shell called as he looked over at Chihiro, "Do you still have the keys?"

Chihiro beamed as she pulled the keyring out of her pocket and showed it off for everyone to see. Most of its keys were discarded, and all that remained were three large, rusty golden ones. It didn't look like anything out of the ordinary, but to the gillpeople in the cage, just the sight of those keys made them hoot and holler!

Chihiro walked up to the cage and found a giant steel lock with three keyholes inside, and cast a look to Wham-Shell and Zap as they nodded.

"One," Chihiro said as she took off the keys, and gave one each to Wham-Shell and Zap.

"Two," Zap gargled as all three placed their keys inside the keyholes.

"THREE!" Wham-Shell exclaimed as they all turned the keys!

With a satisfying click, the lock fell to the ground and the cage door swung open! However, the rusty creak of the open door was only barely heard over the sound of cheering gillpeople and the pounding of their entire school as they stampeded out.

"C'mon, everyone! Let's get out of here!"