To Randy, battle was like a deadly dance. The world around him seemed to slow down as he fought, every swing of his sword, every careful step, every breath he took, was a part of his dance. To Randy everything was in slow motion, but to everyone else, Randy was like the wind. Howard watched in awe as Randy was fighting his way to freedom through a sea of metal and oil. Soon the last Robo-Ape fell, but Randy knew that there would be more.

"Come on, let's go!"

He grabbed his friend and dragged him down the hall of mutilated robots as fast as he could go. The Ninja-Nomicon wrote arrows and urgent messages in the air showing which way would be the best way to go as the alarm continued to blare in their ears. Randy could feel his heart beat against his chest as he turned corner after corner. Howard struggled to keep up with his friend, dear god did he hate running, he's been running all day!

"Cunningham, ease up will you?!"

"Not a chance Howard! We're almost there come on!"

They could see the exit in sight, freedom was so close, so near to their grasp. They could see the exit, large metal doors that were heavily guarded. Randy stopped and shoved Howard to the side to avoid an incoming laser beam "Ninja rings!" Randy tossed three ninja rings that hit some of the robo-apes, when the robots fell Randy drew his sword and waited for them to attack. They didn't attack however they just stood there and stared at Randy "Huh?" Randy stood there "Hey! Helloooo? Ninja escaping here! Aren't you going to attack?"

"Uh, Ninja..."

"Hang on Howard. HEY! ROBO-APES! Look at me! I'm about to escape!"

"Ninja!"

"Hang on a sec will you?! ATTENTION ROBO-IDIOTS, I AM ESCAPING. HAVE A NICE DAY!"

"NINJAAAAA!"

"What the juice HOWARD! WHAT IS IT?!"

Randy turned around to his friend to see him staring up at three familiar figures. The first was McFist, the second was Viceroy, the third was the dog/scorpion robot that started it all. The robot's eyes glowed red as they locked eyes, the two stared intently at one another "Did you really think you could escape Ninja?" McFist smiled "If the ScorpoDog was able to take you down once, then it'll definitely defeat you a second time! SCORPODOG, ATTACK!"

The robotic dog lunged into action, the Ninja ran underneath it and slashed at its underbelly as it passed over head. The blade only did minor damage though, Randy cursed as he remembered his last battle with the canine. The battle continued, the dog attacking and Randy counter attacking. Howard snuck off to the side, trying to avoid getting noticed by McFist and Viceroy. When he found a bunch of boxes and hid behind them as he watched the heated battle "Come on Cunningham you can do it..." He whispered "There has to be something I can do to help..." He looked around but finding nothing he sat down. Howard jolted up though when he felt something in his back pocket, he took it out to find... The Ninja-Nomicon?! There was a note attached to its cover.

Howard

PROTECT THIS AT ALL COSTS. McFist and Viceroy are after it.

Randy

When did Randy put this in Howard's pocket? Well he is the Ninja after all, so he can do anything without Howard knowing. Howard looked at the book as it glowed a bit, was it trying to talk to him? Oh right, it was alive! He forgot...

"I know you're worried about Randy, but he wants me to help him play keep-away with McFist!"

The book glowed threateningly in response.

"Hey don't take that light with me! I'm trying to help both you AND Randy here!"

Its light dulled a bit, as if it was trying to apologize. This is honestly the strangest thing Howard had ever done, holding a conversation with a book... A magic book nonetheless but still a book.

"I know how you feel though, you want to help! You don't think its eating at me that Randy has to face that bag of bolts alone?"

The book glowed brightly again, not threateningly, more like it had an idea? Suddenly a bunch of strange looking marks appeared around Howard. He thought he was seeing things but then realized that the writing was by the Ninja-Nomicon! OH, so this is what Randy meant when he said the Nomicon doodled all over the place! The doodles were a bunch of arrows, Howard followed the arrows and found a big dog bed with robotic toys all around "This must be were Viceroy keeps the ScorpoDog!" The Nomicon drew several arrows pointing to a little red ball, when Howard picked it up it squeaked. He smiled "I see where this is going! Don't worry Randy we're coming!"

Howard ran back to the fight, Randy looked like he was getting tired. The ScorpoDog was now trying to stab him with its needle tail that was freshly refilled with tranquilizer. Howard held the ball up in the air and tossed it, it landed at Randy's feet and he picked it up with a confused expression "Huh?"

He looked at the robot, it stared at the ball in Randy's hands. It instantly got into a playful position and starting acting like a normal dog. Randy remembered that it did the same thing when he was using the pipe back at the school... "Wait a second... With every strength, comes a weakness!" He recited the Ninja-Nomicon's lesson "This thing may be strong, but it has the brain of a dog! And that means..."

Randy held the ball up "Hey, boy! Wanna play? Huh? Wanna play boy? Let's play!" He dashed down the hall, the robot following in hot pursuit. Randy lead the ScorpoDog to a certain portion of McFist Industries, he and the robot were standing on a bridge that was high above vats of acid.

"HEY ROBO-MUT!"

He threw the red rubber ball over the bridge's railing and into a vat of acid, the ScorpoDog jumped after it. It fell into the acid and melted. Randy smiled, and was about to run back to the exit when he saw McFist and Viceroy running up and looking over the railing into the vat of acid that the robot jumped into "SHERMAN!" Viceroy called out. Randy slid up behind Viceroy and awkwardly pat him on the back "Sorry, for your loss? Yeah.. I'm just gonna... Go now..."

With that Randy took off toward the exit. McFist hit Viceroy upside the head "NEXT TIME YOU BUILD A DOG BASED ROBOT MAKE SURE NOT TO GIVE IT THE BRAIN OF ONE!" Viceroy huffed and rubbed the back of him head.

Randy met Howard at the exit, the chubby boy was holding the Ninja-Nomicon in his hands "I believe this belongs to you!" He handed Randy the book "Thanks for keeping it safe Howard..." He gave Howard a bro hug "Missed you buddy." "Missed you too, and don't ever get caught again! I was worried sick, I had to run half way across the city, AND I was almost killed by robots because of you!"

Randy laughed and rolled his eyes "Okay, I promise!"

"GOOD! Now let's go home... Today was literally the worst day ever!"

"I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH THAT!"

"Oh! You're Mom's making steak tonight by the way!"

"AW YEAH! I love my Mom's steak!"

"So do I Cunningham, so do I..."

-0O0-

Later that day, Randy was sitting in his bedroom. Resting and thinking back on what happened on that day. He remembered what the Ninja-Nomicon had said about how Viceroy and McFist didn't want to unmask him, he thought about it for awhile before deciding to ask the Ninja-Nomicon. He pulled the book out and set it on his lap "Hey, back at McFist Industries... You said McFist and Viceroy didn't want to unmask me, I don't understand... Why wouldn't they want to unmask the Ninja?"

The book opened and pulled him inside. He was in a dark room filled with candles, it seemed like a calm and relaxing place. He could smell incense burning, he sat cross legged in front of the candles and watched as the smoke spelled out the Ninja-Nomicon's message.

"Fear and Guilt can be a person's greatest enemy, while for another it can be an ally."

"So... What you're saying is, McFist and Viceroy didn't want to unmask me because they were afraid to see who was under the mask? And that it was a good thing for me because that means my identity wasn't revealed?"

The candles' light grew a bit brighter in response. Randy had the feeling that meant 'Yes'. He smiled, McFist and Viceroy may be bad guys but they were only humans capable of feeling human emotions.

"Well I don't know about you Nomicon, but I for one have had a very long day..."

Randy felt himself being lifted out of the book and back into his body. He collapsed on his bed, not bothering to change into pajamas and fell asleep with the Ninja-Nomicon on his chest.

Randy's Mom came into the room "Randy it's time for..." She saw her son's sleeping form "Bed..." She smiled as she walked over and tucked Randy in, setting his book on the end table next to him and shutting out the light "Good night Randy." She kissed him on the forehead and left the room. The Ninja-Nomicon glowed a bit as its way of saying good night to its student. Randy slept very peacefully that night. He was glad that he wasn't captured and stuck anymore.

-0O0-

And there we have it! The final chapter of Captured and Stuck! I'm planning to write a sequel to this, so keep an eye out for it! I'm very sorry for the long wait, but my Grandfather passed away and I didn't have the motivation to write for a while. Then I started having trouble with school, and everything was very crazy for a while. I was able to finally finish this story though! Funny how it was originally going to be a one shot but it turned out to be a 4 chapter story :P A quadruple shot? I don't know... Anyway I hope you all enjoyed this story! I certainly had a blast writing this! And I hope to see you all again for this story's sequel: A Game of Keep Away!

GhostCalumon out~!