(Part 4, enjoy my macaronssssss-)

"Doubt."

"You still recognize me after so long, I'm flattered."

She wanted to cut that smirk.

So.

Badly.

She tightened her grip around the hilt of her sword.

All of the events clicked in her head.

"You were the one behind this. You hired the assassin to be employed by Kaneari. That fake footage of me.....you knew Mr Kaneari would take any chance just to have us gone. You knew he would frame me. You tricked us all", she clenched her jaw.

"I didn't trick any of you. I just didn't tell."

It was amusing when it came to her friends fighting over this phrase, but it was annoying to hear it from her.

The lady smirked as she went down the circular staircase beside the stage slowly,"Your skills have certainly improved, Queen. The king and queen would be proud."

The hilt was going to break if she tightened her grip more. She knew she was trying to provoke her. She wasn't going to get distracted.

Her focus was to get her friend back.

The enemy swiped a screen at a wall, and suddenly, she felt the building rising out of the ocean.

He knew this was a chance for her to escape, "Queen, get out of here now!", he snapped.

"I can't just leave you here!", she snapped back. The tapping of the rain outside could be heard.

"You don't understand! She's-", cuts appeared by the side of his neck, shocking both the blonde and the assassin.

"Ah, I see you have forgotten to be quiet", she tsked as her claws slid back into her glove, "And I thought you had a really good memory."

"Release him", she growled at her. Was that why his body was covered with cuts?

"My, my. Impatient now, aren't we?", she smiled coldly at the assassin, "Gray, move out of the way."

The large man opened his mouth to say something, then shut it as the professor's former assistant  waved a remote with a button on it, "You wouldn't want anything to happen to her, would you?"

The assassin clenched his fists as he stepped aside, eyeing the remote. Was there something holding him back?

"This is our fight. I'll end you all the same way you ended him", she whipped out Professor Clover's Thunder Blast and released a blast at the blonde.

Queen managed to reflect the electrical current with her sword and dodged every one of her attacks; from the electrical strikes, to punches to clawing.

He hated he couldn't help her.

The chains around him would wrap tighter the more he struggled. He wanted to yell, to warn her, she couldn't read Morse like this, not while she could risk herself if she stopped just for a second. Dang it. If he even yelled or send any suspicious statements.......

He didn't want to know what Doubt had in store for her.

He caught sight of the assassin creeping towards a tablet that was thrown aside on the floor. Fortunately, it was still functioning. He watched with curiosity as the assassin began to fumble with it.

The tablet dropped from his hands.

The screen smashed into pieces as it hit the ground.

A look of anguish had painted over his face.

The fight was intense for the opponents to notice him covering his mouth.

Tears dripped onto the floor soundlessly.

He was crying.

The silver-haired suddenly felt sympathy for the assassin as he watched him cry silently at the corner. Maybe he had a purpose to work for her? He was about to find out as he came up to him.

The miracle maker raised a brow, as if asking, "Why the sudden change of mind?" as the assassin released him from the chains.

Gray smiled sadly.

"I couldn't save my sister."

The phantom thief widened his eyes.

"But at the very least, I can save you and your friend."

"How's it feel to be defeated? To be weak? To feel pain?", the lady managed to give her a few beatings as the blonde stood up, panting,"I don't feel it, because it's not over yet!", she slashed at the villain as the lady morphed into a cat. It'll be easier to slice her, but at the same time it would be hard to catch her with her slick body.

Queen had received a few claw marks, but that didn't stop her from fighting back.

Strong and determined.

Not exactly persistent but........

He smiled.

She's just as she always is.

His smile faded.

It hurt him to see all those bruises.

She was fighting for him.

She was starting to face some doubt that she could defeat her.

Ah, the irony.

She needed to get rid of that gun. The villain morphed back into her human form and clawed at her, nearly missing her by the face as she dodged, only to be kicked in the stomach and thrown against the wall. Why does she keep crashing into walls?

"Now it's over", Doubt smiled smugly down at her, raising her claws for the final blow. She shut her eyes, hoping it'll at least make the pain much more endurable.

It never came.

She opened her eyes in shock as her friend nearly sliced the villain's claws off. The villain hissed, leaping back and was met with the assassin's grasp.

"Need a hand?", he reached out, and she accepted his hand.

He was not expecting an embrace from her.

"I'm glad we finally found you", she gripped his cape. He smiled, wanting to tease her that she was worried about him but decided against it and returned the hug instead.

"Word got around and.......did they seriously think you killed me?",the phantom thief questioned.

"Yeah.......surprisingly, Inspector Oniyama was on our side", her friend shook his head in astonishment, "Looks like the inspector does care about us after all."

"They should know better than to trust Mr Kaneari", she sighed.

"At least none of them were bribed by his large, large amount of gold (tairyo no kin 大量の金)from his "Kaneari Group"", she giggled at his sarcastic statement.

"What are you doing? Have you forgotten the deal?", the lady snatched the remote from the floor and pressed the button. She was surprised to see Gray was unfazed by the action.

"Quit the act", he snapped. "You already bombed it."

"Bombed?", Queen raised her eyebrows and glanced at her friend, who had his hat lowered down.

"I should've just got her away from you. You would've done it anyway. It was bad enough I had to harm her and capture him for your revenge and pride!", he pointed at the phantom thieves, "You made me the man she never wanted me to be! You killed her!"

The two friends let out a gasp.

Tears flowed down his cheeks.

"What do you want from us?", he stood in front of her protectively.

"Nothing, just a little.......deal", she morphed into her cat form and pounced onto the girl behind him.

"Mia!", he reached out for the girl, then backed up when Doubt raised her claws at her victim's neck.

"If you agree to take up this task, I'll make sure she's safe. If not..........", her claw dug into the girl's flesh as she gasped in pain.

"Fine! Whatever you want! Just don't hurt her!", he cried out.

"Don't listen to her! Save yourself!", the girl tried to reach for her brother as the goons held her custody inside Gray's cabin.

"I see that you're a former spy. Do this and you'll see her once your task is completed", he took in the details on the tablet. He gripped it in his hands, then yelled, "You're a coward! Using me to harm people like that!"

"Would you rather have a death note?", she snapped her fingers as her goons raised their guns at the wooden cabin.

"No! I promise I'll do whatever you want! Please!", he cried.

"Now that's more like it. Your mission starts tomorrow", she led him into the airship as he looked back in resentment at the forest he and his sister lived in over the years.

"You killed her anyway! You killed my sister!', he raised his fist at the villain as she dodged it.

"You're a monster! You killed my sister! You killed Mia! She was my only family left! You're a heartless monster!", he yelled, punching and kicking and chopping at the villain.

"I'll do anything for revenge", she took another remote from behind her and pressed the button. A huge explosion was heard from below the building, startling the three of them. The phantom thieves ran towards the rim of the staircase and was greeted with black smoke. Astonishingly, the building wasn't collapsing.

(Idk if explosions can be caused when it's raining, but since they're inside the building-)

"There's no way.....there's no way", he whipped his head at Doubt, glaring at her angrily.

"Grandpa(o jīchanおじちゃん/叔父ちゃん).....Roko", Queen was beyond furious at the villain. "YOU'RE WORSE THAN THE PROFESSOR!"

"That's what I like to hear", the villain -more like maniac- laughed evill. Looks like she had become worse than the professor himself, having him gone while she plotted might've been the last straw for her sanity.

"STOP IT!", he received a direct gash on his arm and he jerked back. The lady tsked, then glanced at the phantom thieves.

He wasn't giving up.

"Don't. Hurt. Them", the lady dodged his attack and slashed at his chest just as he took a step backward. He groaned, his hand against his thorax as he landed on one knee.

"Joker", the blonde glanced at her friend worriedly.

"I know", he nodded, staring at the assassin and villain uneasily.

"I won't.....let you hurt...more inno-innocents", he raised a fist, and she caught it, staring him down.

"I won't let you.....hurt any more people", he clenched his jaw, "You made me......the man.....I never thought I could be. You destroyed my only....happiness....ever since...losing my family....", tears pricked his eyes as they all watched silently. The blonde had her hand clasped to her chest while the silver-haired clenched his fists.

They knew how he felt.

"I lost everyone.....everyone except her......you....took her away from....me", each tear dropped onto the ground synced with the sound of the rain's tapping.

"I failed her....as her brother....I'm not going to fail....as a spy....who...works for....justice", more liquid poured out of his eyes as he began whimpering, sucking his breaths in and puffing them out.

"I see", he looked up, surprised, "If you miss your sister so much", her lips curled cruelly.

"You can join her."

The phantom thieves yelled in horror as the villain blasted the current at the assassin.

"How could you do that?!", Queen yelled, her diamond eyes shaped into golden flames.

"You're worse than any monster created from the human mind!", Joker clenched his fists tighter, his knuckles turning pale, his eyes burned like a blue blaze.

"It's your turn", Doubt smiled at their anger as she leaped and slashed her claws against Queen's sword. Joker threw his cards at her as she blasted him with Thunder Blast, in which he avoided. They continued battling, slicing, slashing, none of them wanting to admit defeat.

Joker threw a card at the electric gun, knocking it out of her hands. Queen saw this as a chance and slashed the claws off of her. The enemy roared in pain and fury as she kicked them both, sending them flying outside the other balcony. The rain was getting heavier outside. Thanks to the slick floor, both of them almost skidded off the building.

"Queen!", he grasped her hand when she nearly fell off, her legs dangling at the edge of the building, gasping in fear. He helped her up and found themselves face to face with the villain once more.

"This is where it all ends", the lady gave them a death glare as she brandished her claw.

"Say hi to Professor Clover for me."

They shut their eyes, holding hands as they braced for impact.

The very moment where the phantom thieves could have their fates decided, two large arms had her in a choke-hold. They sprung into action as they struggled to release both the assassin and the enemy. The assassin was somehow pushed aside and the silver-haired managed to nearly throw him and Doubt off the building as he clung onto the rim.

"Joker!", the blonde sheathed her sword into her scabbard and tried to pull him up.

"Gray, help us check for survivors!", the assassin looked back and forth between the phantom thieves as if trying to decide whether to help them or help the others. He wanted to help both. Queen shot him a look that forced him to take the second option.

Doubt wasn't making it easy for her to help her friend. She tried to keep herself alive by dangling from Joker's legs like a desperate zombie.

"Let go of him!", the blonde pulled him up while the villain pulled him down.

"You're breaking my arms", he gritted his teeth while he tried to kick the enemy beneath him.

Out of absolutely nowhere, a bird flew right into the lady.

Must've been searching for shelter.

I'm sure you all, dear readers, know what's going to happen.

The bird yeeted her off the building.

Kidding.

It pecked her like in the real story where Cinderella's sisters had their eyes pecked out by the birds-

All right, sorry, time to be serious-

The bird crashed right into her.

The sudden momentum of the creature startled her, and her arms let go of the support in that one split second the phantom thief was pulled up.

That one split second.

She still had a chance.

She wasn't going to lose empty-handed.

She had a final surprise up her sleeve.

No, it wasn't the Thunder Blast anymore. It was an actual weapon with ammo.

The one she had originally saved for the blonde.

Change of plans.

He started all of this. He's the reason of all of this. The Professor would be delighted. He's going to end .

She immediately realized what would happen.

What was going to happen.

She had to prevent it.

She just got him back.

She wasn't losing him again.

"GET DOWN!"

She pushed her friend, rolling back in to the area and skidded onto the floor. Joker caught a glimpse and watched in horror at his friend across him.

"QUEEN!"

I didn't even realize I was inspired by the scene where Shadow was begging the professor to spare Rose until I typed the "the villain blasted the current at the assassin" part.

So-

Some context for the assassin.

He's not really a bad guy after all.

Also, I just found the Cinderella thing humurous to add in. I mean, the original ending was morbid but uhhhh I find it funny to add it in here-

ᵍᵉᵗ ʳᵉᵃᵈʸ ᵗᵒ ᶠᶦⁿᵈ ᵒᵘᵗ ʷʰᵃᵗ ʰᵃᵖᵖᵉⁿˢ ᵗᵒ ᵠᵘᵉᵉⁿ⁻

ᴵ ᶜᵃⁿ'ᵗ ᵇᵉˡᶦᵉᵛᵉ ᴵ ᵗʸᵖᵉᵈ ᵗʰᶦˢ ˡᵒⁿᵍ⁻