The following fanfic is an attemp to somehow connect the events in JJ1 and JJ2 with the ones in JJGBA. I don't think I am a good writer, but nonetheless I decided to finally put this up... In fact, I started this short story a few months ago, but kept on abandoning it, then coming back and rewriting massive portions again and again... Still, I am happy to share it with you at last, especially because it's loosely connected to the upcoming story arc of Guilty Gene (which is incredibly delayed, I know; not my fault this time). If you want, feel free to correct my writing mistakes.

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It was a mission like any other. Devan Shell floated near planet Carrotus in his new Orbital Cannon and claimed he would shoot with it if the natives won’t agree to his total domination. Just as usual, one of them stood against the attacker. Yes, it was Jazz Jackrabbit, the one and only green bunny with a big blue gun. Speeding towards Devan’s device in his Jazz-01 spaceship, he was wondering what’s going to be for dinner once he’s done with the evil genius. Soon, he encountered a squadron of Turtle Terrorists Scouts.
-Hi guys, nice to see you again! And to prove my happiness, here’s a little gift! – Jazz shot a few missiles from his spaceship, blowing up all enemy units with ease. Soon, he docked inside the cannon and dashed towards the cockpit.
-You’re not going any further, furry! – shouted one of the guards as soon as Jazz passed through the first door.
-And you’re a bad fortuneteller, mister. – Jazz soon burned every guard with his Toaster. He followed to the next part of the weapon-station, scattering the ashes with every step.
-Watch out everyone, it’s Jazz Jackrabbit!
-Get him!
Jazz didn’t even respond this time. He just threw a stack of TNT in the middle of attacking group. Anyone who survived was blasted by his RF rockets.
-Sorry guys, but I’d prefer to make it home until 4 o’clock, my wife likes it when I come back early and I do like to make her happy! Get out of my way if you ever wanna watch Family Guy again, I tell you, Devan ain’t worth your friggin’ deal!
-Oh, just shut up you pile of fur and eat my rocket! – a venturesome turtle aimed its rocket launcher right at the green hare.
-Not this time, I’m currently on a diet. – Jazz dodged the rocket and it soon hit the wall, shutting down lights in the whole area. –Oh, look kids, it’s time to go to sleep!
Few seconds later another part of the cannon was left lifeless. A few units were still alive, but they’d soon die from blood loss. Jazz entered the top floor to meet his antagonist again.
-Okay Devan, show up. Today’s match is over with 1:0 for home.
A turtle with oversized glasses came out of the door above. What he stood on appeared to be the main cockpit.
-That’s what you think. I still can just shoot the cannon from this point and you can’t do anything about it because you’re too far away to stop me in time!
-Really? Ahhahahah! That’s something new. I thought you’d have no use of a deserted planet… and that’s how Carrotus will look like if you shoot.
-You’re smart, Jazz. And yes, I knew that. We’re not fighting since yesterday, you know.
-Yeah, yeah, smarty pants, so what’s your great plan you’re going to spoil?
-Notice that you came all the way here just to stop me.
-Oh yeah, and? –Jazz wasn’t puzzled or surprised at all.
-This is a perfect opportunity to get rid of you. Ninja-Bots!
Several ninja-looking robots jumped out of the shadows, surrounding Jazz. He looked around and said:
-Oh, so this is your great plan? Tell me, when will you run out of profits? Because I know you’ve always got, ahem, fresh ideas.
-Silence! I do still remember what I was taught at ninja lessons… yes, I gave up the whole idea, but these robots will do the job perfectly!
-Whatever. Bring it on, jerk! –Jazz prepared his gun for what was about to happen.
And it was sure fast. Robots looking and acting almost like living organisms were jumping all around Jazz and trying to cut him in half with their swords.
-Hey, Devan! Just tell me already, where’s the weak point? – shouted Jazz, dodging another cut.
-What?!?!
-You know… Something that will make the whole thing explode when I shoot it.
-I didn’t make such…
He didn’t finish, as Jazz shot robot’s head with a bouncy bullet. The machine turned off and fell down the room.
-Bingo. – said Jazz. –Not too original, guess I’ll even manage to find some time for doing shopping.
-How did you… - Devan was shivering with fear.
-Oh come on, I saw it shining in your pretty eyes. Let’s end this party!
Soon, every Ninja-Bot was lying on the ground. Jazz came over to Devan and said:
-Okay, push the self-destruction button or whatever you’ve got there to get this piece of junk out of our orbit and both of us will be going home.
Suddenly, Devan's eyes widened. Way too much to ignore this face expression.
-Hey, what’s wrong? It’s not like I said something new…
Suddenly, a cold, but similar to Devan’s voice has spoken from behind Jazz:
-Hello, Devan. Behold, this time I’m exceptionally going to help you and your lame Turtle Terrorists.
-Now what… -this time Jazz was actually puzzled.
-It’s… It’s HIM! – screamed Devan.
-Just who is this “him”?
-Oh, sorry. Guess I didn’t introduce myself… - the newcomer made a pause for increasing the tension, and perhaps also exaggerating his name’s value. -Dark Shell, the one and only Shellion emperor.
For the first time since sometime around 3 years, Jazz was frightened. He wasn’t prepared for that.
-There’s one thing Devan forgot… I don’t know how could he forget, it was so obvious…
-No, don’t tell me… - Devan was trying to stop Dark, but he was brutally pushed away.
-Yes, you forgot to IGNITE THE CANNON!
-NOOOO!!! – Jazz jumped towards Dark and started shooting at him, but the emperor had a tough metal shell and it reflected the bullets. It was too late. Dark entered the command to the cockpit and the cannon was charging up.
-You… you SICK (-)! – Jazz was really on top of his nerves. –Devan, stop the sequence RIGHT NOW or else I’ll BLOW YOUR HEAD OFF!
-I… I can’t. – Devan was shocked, too. –It cannot be stopped. I never meant to…
-You did. Of course you did. That’s what it was made for. – said Dark Shell, snickering.
Jazz did not have time to continue the talk. Not this time. He ran down to the docks even faster than he came the opposite way and jumped into his spaceship. A million thoughts dashed through his head, none of them being even a single wonder about sense of this runabout. He just sped back to his home planet, as fast as he ever could, trying to come before the shot.
-Eva! Spaz! Lori! Everybody! I…
The cannon shot.
For a moment, it went so bright that nothing could be seen. Like a supernova, or maybe even the light that is the mark of life’s end. Then, a number of explosions spread all over the surface. Nobody who would survive this could ever hear the noise of such an Armageddon considering they’d have to be behind a wall of airless space, but no doubt just the sound of it could kill in a blink of eye. Then everything went down within few seconds. The home planet of Galactic Rabbits, the crown of their civilization, main point of their business and a celestial body with the biggest population of their race was now a dead rock.
Jazz was alive. But in this very case, he’d rather prefer to die in the explosion. He landed and tried with all his will to see if anybody survived, but there wasn’t even any air to breathe with. When all his hope faded, he spent hours and hours on the scorched ground, sitting there and crying. Finally, he lost. He lost harder than Devan ever did. Now he had… nothing.
Nothing… except for a chance to revenge.
It wouldn’t bring back his family and friends to life… but it was the only way to repay for their souls. It was Dark’s fault. He launched the sequence. It was Devan’s fault. He had built the cannon. It was Jazz’s fault. He didn’t stop them. He didn’t do anything to end Devan’s rush for conquering Carrotus when he could. Each time Devan tried again, while he could’ve been gotten rid of in the very beginning. Now it seemed like that doesn’t matter, but it was still the only thing to do. With nothing more to lose.
Trying to rub off tears from his face, Jazz went back to the spaceship. Another squadron of Turtle Terrorists Scouts was coming to see if the planet is all clear. Jazz started off and destroyed every unit without a word. He flew into the dock, got out of Jazz-01 and immediately ran through the station full of dead bodies to the cockpit.
-De… DEVAN! I SWEAR! THIS TIME I’M GONNA KILL YOU!!!
Devan was lying in the corner in an embryonic position, shivering. He whispered maniacally:
-He… he went… away… Dark Shell… he’s not here… please… spare me… he did it…
Silence. The thick, heavy and oozing silence has spread through the whole station for a minute. No doubt it was the most thrilling minute in Devan’s whole life…
-No.
Jazz shot. The brain of evil genius covered the whole corner. Within a second, thousands of ingenious plans have simply vanished forever. The green hare turned around and started walking back to docks, leaving the dead corpse alone.
-One down. One to go. I’ll find him wherever he is… And eliminate.
Before going to his spaceship, Jazz picked up various weapons lying on the floor. Blasters, machine guns, bouncy guns and even the rocket launcher. He took off his backpack and tied bigger guns to his back, then carried everything to his spaceship and blasted off.

A few hours later, he was approaching Shellion. A dark, skinny planet, with air full of toxins and with metropolises built just about everywhere on the inhabitable areas of its surface. Those who had enough money lived in apartments with imported fresh air, others were emigrating to colonized planets or suffering from the pollution. The central point of Shellion culture was clearly visible even from outer space. This giant dome would surely be Dark Shell’s palace. Jazz flew close to it, looking for an entrance. Finally, he spotted a window and boosted right through it, breaking inside regardless of the reinforced bulletproof glass the window was built with, and then going straight on a big crowd of turtles. Jazz catapulted out and his Jazz-01 spaceship exploded right in the middle of the hall. The flames almost reached him, but he made it out successfully. Only one of his wristbands got burned and fell off. Jazz landed and ran towards the center of building. Of course, he encountered resistance, but it was simply blasted by him from the rocket launcher. He ran to the only survivor and grabbed him by the neck.
-WHERE’S DARK SHELL?!
-I… I don’t know… - the turtle paused for a cough, swaying. -He hasn’t returned here yet… But he should return… - he paused again, suffering from Jazz’s tight grasp. -Soon… with his fleet…
-Thanks, too bad I don’t need you anymore. – said Jazz and broke turtle’s neck with one quick, brutal move.
Jazz followed through more halls, killing everyone in his way. Every time he ran out of ammo, he just threw the gun away and picked up another. Soon, he reached a Shellion spaceship and hopped into it. There was a turtle inside.
-Get out! – screamed the turtle and shot. He missed Jazz, but hit his remaining wristband, cutting it. It touched the floor at the same moment as turtle’s head. Jazz started the spaceship and piloted it to the orbit. The lead spaceship of Shellion fleet could be already seen in the distance… Among with about thousand ships following it.
The mothership wasn’t positioned in front of the fleet. That would be foolishness. It was hidden behind a large amount of big battleships, each only a bit smaller than Devan’s Twin MegaBattleShips. The lead unit could still be seen even from Shellion's surface – it was enormous. One would guess it wasn’t capable of landing anywhere, since it was almost as big as a planet. Someone who would attend to destroy it could be considered as a deranged freak – and that’s exactly what Jazz was about to do. Without any strategy he just aimed straight for the mothership. As soon as he reached the sight field of the nearest ship he was caught under fire without a slightest warning. He maneuvered the stolen spaceship and continued going for Dark Shell’s mothership. Now, he was in-between the fleet and under attack of every ship around him, but still was continuing the course, dodging the shots with incredible accuracy. Eventually, the fleet was shooting itself. Since Jazz was in a Shellion spaceship, he could hear the communication between battleships:
-Hot Shell 014 to Hot Shell 045, stop shooting us or we will respond with fire, I repeat, stop shooting our unit or we will respond with fire, over.
-This is Hot Shell 045, we were not aiming for Hot Shell 014 but for Dodgemachine 714, we’ve got a message from the planet surface that a Galactic Rabbit is piloting it, over.
-This is Hot Shell 014, Hot Shell 045, we KNOW about the rabbit. This is a standard response procedure and you’re damaging our shields. Over and out.
Jazz sighed and continued the course. He was nearing to the mothership when his vehicle was shot in the starboard and started spinning. Luckily, the dock was somehow open and he slipped in, crashing the spaceship just like when landing on Shellion. Jazz stood up after a hard landing and started running through docks, killing all resistance he encountered. They tried to stop him… but even snipers weren’t enough. All they managed to take down was Jazz’s LFG-2000 Blaster. When it broke apart, Jazz grabbed the last machine gun on his back and shot the nearest spaceship’s fuel tank. It might’ve looked as a foolish action of last resort, but Jazz jumped and used the explosion as a very effective boost, letting himself break through several floors. He took some heavy damage, but continued to blast everyone in his way to the cockpit. What he didn’t know was that the explosion he caused has triggered the destruction of engine’s other highly explosive elements. The great construction was falling down like a domino track.
-ALERT! ALERT! Critical damage on engines and flight stabilizers! The mothership will hit the surface of Shellion in 34 minutes! – the voice of announcer was sounding really thrilled, and its tone was so jolted that it was driving on everyone’s nerves. Everyone knew there isn’t enough escape pods to keep everyone alive. The madman race towards shuttle bays started.
-Oh God, oh God, oh GOD!!! Please, I don’t want to dAAGH!
The troop didn’t finish as he was just trampled down by others. Everyone cared only about themselves, dashing above everything that got under their feet, and a single trip over any obstacle could mean an awful, long death. Only the elite units stayed on positions, trying to save the situation bypassing the systems and repairing physical damage that could still be repaired.
-How come this is our biggest and most important fleet unit and it can be damaged so severely by one single rabbit in so short time?
-I don’t know, but whoever he is, he must be a demon of destruction… I heard of warriors that could stand against whole planets, but I didn’t know there is someone like that in this part of galaxy… - the turtle paused for a moment to adjust in a new segment of a partly scorched and melting construction. – I only heard of Jazz Jackrabbit, but they say he’s the good guy, fighting the rebels from our planet.
-Maybe he’s not only against rebels, but our whole race…
Suddenly, Jazz appeared in the area shooting from a rocket launcher he found on the way. Characteristic bruises and wounds had been showing that he also encountered the hordes running in amok.
-I… it is him all right! Run!!!
It was too late as another explosion reached the two chatters, burning them in several seconds. Although injured, Jazz still remained unbeaten as he progressed to Dark Shell at all costs.
-Where the hell are you, freak?! Huh?! Huh?!?! I won’t stop destroying your good-for-nothing spaceship until you show yourself! – Jazz was starting to lose his already heavily drained patience.
-It would be no fun if I just stood there in the middle of this mess, don’t you think, my friend? – Dark Shell’s voice spread all over the area Jazz was in.
-Quit the whole melodramatics! You came out there in Devan’s place, you’ll do it again here!
-I do what I want to. After all, I am the emperor here!
-Then watch as I’ll turn your empire into ruins!
-25 minutes until impact, everybody except for elder technicians and generals abandon positions! – shouted the same voice in speakers as before.
-How do you like that, Dark?! – Jazz started laughing maniacally. –This whole mothership of yours seems so tough on the outside, but really it’s just a pile of rubbish like everything you’ve got! You don’t want to stand in a face-to-face fight? Then you’ll die like a meaningless worm! Yes, you’ll die just like everybody you killed in that one moment, a worthless element of swarm! HOW DO YOU LIKE THAT?!?!
There was no answer. Meanwhile, the construction started heating up; it looked like the mothership has started entering Shellion’s orbit. Time was running out and nothing happened… Nobody responded… All the life on the mothership, all the crew somehow disappeared all of sudden… Only a single green rabbit stood in the middle of the mess he caused all by himself. Jazz was looking around, losing his mind. It now seemed like it all had no sense… He came all this way for vengeance, but he still couldn’t feel any satisfaction, nor relief. Dark Shell was somewhere out there alive and he could have an escape plan. Maybe he already left while Jazz was talking. Not really knowing when, Jazz became a melodramatic freak himself. Or maybe he already was one before? After years of fighting Devan… The two enemies could become more close to each other than anyone would guess. Like reflections of each other, mirroring their pros and cons, their feelings and their needs. Jazz always fought as the good one, as the defender of his home planet. Now that what he used to be defending was gone, what more good could he do? This time he was fighting just for himself. Whatever he would do, it wouldn’t bring his friends back to life. Revenge? What did it mean? Maybe just an urge to fill up his ambitions? He fought just for himself… He did it for himself. Even Devan had a better meaning for his actions. Until he died from the hand of Jazz, of course.
Jazz felt as if his legs couldn’t stand his weight anymore. He tried standing still, but just couldn’t help but fall on his knees. While everything around was becoming warmer and warmer, he felt incredibly cold inside. Why did he act like that? When did he lose control over himself? Time was passing and he just sat there trying to grab onto any reason that could come to his mind… Other than an urge to revenge.
But then again, could he just leave it all behind? Let Dark Shell go like that, without any punishment? What was the right thing and what was the wrong? It’s not like he didn’t kill hordes of turtles before… It was just the way he did it. Certain he did the right thing, because he did it for somebody else. And so, again and again, his thoughts went back and forth confusing what is the right way to finish all this, as time passed.

-I see you suffer, Jazz… I sense your loss of control. – the voice of Dark Shell has spoken again. -And you were the one to tell ME that you and only you can destroy everything I have? Look at yourself. A single little soldier, so-called hero, who had enough LUCK to win so many times. For example, did you wonder what could happen if that dock gate wasn’t open? A little handicap from me… I didn’t want my victory be that easy… But it all ends here. I actually will have the pleasure to end your legend by myself!
Jazz was still confused. He couldn’t tell where Dark could be; actually he wondered if he could realize where his own self is. The questions of good and bad were still juggling in his head and just wouldn’t let any other thoughts to attention. This was the opportunity Dark Shell was waiting for.
-I’d finish you with a single blow right now, but let’s stay true to our roles in this show. Tell me something. Tell me something witty. Or maybe even stand up and fight. Whatever it will be, you don’t stand a chance… You can barely sit already.
Dark Shell was right, however Jazz decided to take this one last chance, as it could be the only thing to keep him sane, maybe even alive.
-Oh, I’ll stand up all right… - said Jazz with difficulty. -I will… I will kill you. This is the last thing I can do.
-So you want it the hard way. Very well then! It will be much more interesting. – Dark Shell ended his line with a snicker, which was interrupted by the announcer:
-10 minutes until impact! Everybody leave NOW!
Jazz picked up the Bouncer he left on the floor and quickly dashed towards a higher track in the hall. Dark Shell was yet nowhere to be seen, or maybe Jazz still couldn’t see clearly enough. Suddenly, he heard a shot. He noticed that his forehead stings… And then he saw his bandana fall to the floor.
-Darn, I missed. Guess I’ll have to come a bit closer!
Adrenaline was flowing in Jazz’s blood again after this shock and all his senses were finally at maximum tension after a long blur. He noticed a higher ledge and quickly reached it, grabbing a Machine Gun lying there. He heard shots again, but this time he ducked to the floor, rolled off it and fell back to the bottom of the area. He noticed Dark Shell behind a few pipes and aimed his newly acquired weapon at there, still moving to avoid getting hit. Once he moved a bit closer, he started shooting and steam began to come out of them, making it harder to see for both Jazz and Dark.
-Your cover’s blown, emperor! You won’t get away from me this time!
-Who said I want to? – Dark Shell jumped out from behind Jazz; how did he get there so fast was beyond Jazz’s notion. Nonetheless, the duo clashed their guns, pushing at each other just like their weapons were nothing but swords. The wrestling lasted for a few moments until Dark kicked Jazz in the stomach. Jazz yelled in pain and crouched, so Dark took this opportunity and aimed the final blow. Suddenly, Jazz turned around Dark and grabbed him by the neck.
-Your shell’s strong, but let’s see if I can break your neck!
-Less talking, more doing! – responded Dark Shell and threw Jazz off himself, shooting as soon as he could hold his gun in a right way. Jazz covered himself with his Machine Gun, immediately followed by the Bouncer he took off his back once again. He jumped back behind a ledge and shot a bouncy bullet in the direction opposite to where Dark Shell was. Dark however noticed this move and crouched under a bridge, then shot a few rockets where Jazz hid, but he didn’t know that the green rabbit had already abandoned this position and was swinging on one of the cables attached to some machinery on the ceiling, aiming for another ledge near a window. Then it came out that these rockets were in fact homing projectiles and have altered their direction, going straight at Jazz. He immediately jumped to another cable and swung it to the ledge. The rockets passed right over him and hit the window, breaking it open. All the air started escaping through it right into outer space, dramatically altering inside’s pressure. Jazz grabbed onto ledge’s fence, while Dark caught on to the nearest pipe and shouted:
-Let’s see how long you can hold on before being dragged into void!
-Oh, why don’t you just shut up?! – responded Jazz even louder and shot a bouncer at Dark. However, he missed greatly.
-Hah! Looks like you can’t even keep your aim! But I promise I WON’T miss!
Dark Shell once again grabbed his gun and started to aim, but suddenly Jazz’s bouncy bullet apparently ricocheted back and hit the pipe Dark was holding onto, letting steam out of it right into Dark Shell’s eyes.
-GHAH! – shouted Dark in panic. He couldn’t see a thing, so he just started shooting aimlessly. Jazz took this opportunity and let out a series of bullets from his Machine Gun, adding a few words:
-Take your worthless promises with you to hell!
Dark Shell was hit in the hand he was holding the pipe with and accidentally loosened his grip, flying to the gap in the window.
-NOOOOOOOOO!!! – was the last cry he let out before he disappeared behind mothership’s outer structures. Jazz’s final mission, his vengeance, was over.
-That was for every single soul that left this reality from your hand… Universe will be a much better place without you and your cursed leadership.
Jazz Jackrabbit just stood there for a few moments, looking around. After so many bothers, he actually felt better. In fact, his mind was once again clear. He looked around and summarized:
-…this final scene was sure similar to something else. Why do I have this strange feeling it has something to do with Dark Shell’s uniform?
-2 minutes until impact. Evacuate immediately. – said the announcer, but this time it sounded like a computer-generated voice.
-Darn! How do I get out from here? – Jazz finally realized he actually didn’t have any escape plan. But he was certain that Dark Shell somehow had one.
-Where was he standing when I couldn’t see him, again…?
Jazz looked around again and noticed the same steaming pipes he shot back in the very beginning of recent duel. He used all of his remaining strength to reach them regardless the pressure still pushing him in opposite direction. After sometime near a minute, he was finally there, examining the wall behind. There was a gap between two of the pipes.
-There has to be a way to get inside!
-1 minute until impact. Evacuate immediately.
-I know, shut up you piece of junk!
Once again, Jazz had to quickly examine the area. He needed something he could break those pipes with, anything… And then he noticed…
-Dark Shell’s gun!
It was hooked on a nearby safety fence. Jazz quickly jumped to it and noticed there’s something else around it… His bandana. Without thinking much, he tied the gun to himself with it, then had to go back to the pipes. He blasted them with few shots, then finished them off with few kicks and jumped into the now open gap.
-Bingo!
There was a single escape pod waiting inside. Jazz came over and opened it, then took the seat inside.
-30 seconds until impact.
-Now, where’s the start button…?
Before he could start looking for it, the pod closed and started itself. The floor beneath it opened and it fell through to Shellion’s mesosphere. Jazz grabbed the steering pad and flew off to the depths of space…
-10… 9… 8… 7… 6… 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…
A similar illumination to the one on Carrotus has spread, swallowing nearly the whole surface of such a big planet as Shellion. At least Jazz had the comfort of not following the fashion and leaving a part of planet’s ecosystem alive. But either way, he still repeated himself in mind that it was the only way he could do it… Now, being sped up by the impact’s recoil, he was roaming through the galaxy with no goal, right into the future, which was even more unknown than ever before… Nobody has heard a word of him since then.

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The cloaked character interrupted his story, picking up his cup of coffee from the table. He looked around to see if any new listeners have joined him. Unfortunately, there was still just one squirrel humanoid sitting in front of him and staring with disbelief. Disappointed, the mysterious storyteller took a good draught of coffee, letting his tablemate ask questions.
-But wait, couldn’t the rest of the fleet drag off their mothership somehow? And why it was so fragile in the first place?
-Beats me. I’m not the one to know.
-Well then, how do you know all of this anyway? You made it all up, didn’t you?
Before the storyteller could answer these questions, a rabbit soldier lurked out of the door with a “R.A.B.T. Recruitment Room” sign over it and shouted:
-Next one!
-I’ve got to go now, so I’ll just end as briefly as I can. As I said before, there was no word of Jazz since he defeated Dark Shell, just like he disappeared all of sudden. But just recently, he got to know that his brother is alive. With this knowledge… He decided to take the path of a soldier of fortune once again. It all looks like soon, very soon, we shall all hear of him in action again.
-But…
-See ya, buddy!
Before quickly leaving, the cloaked character left something on the table. It was a long, scorched and rapt piece of red material.
His tablemate spent few more hours just sitting there and looking at it.

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And now, hop on to Black Light Burns' MySpace and listen to The Mark as an outro song.

I rather liked it. ;D