The Floating Island (Cave Story)

Merloco: If he knew the purpose of that thing, then he wouldn't be fighting it! I know Alex! He doesn't get a kick out of killing innocent lives! Besides, I'm sure that thing attacked him first out of self defense, so he's fighting out of self defense, so this is nothing more than a big misunderstanding!

Misery: He seems to get a kick out of killing, though.
John: Yeah, when he has to.
Misery: So he has to all the time? How very interesting.

Merloco: Just who told you he wanted to destroy your island!?

Misery: I was never told. I just figured it out.
John: So why are you keeping him in there to destroy that thing?
Misery: Oh, just look at the time.
Misery teleports away.

...

Alex continues attacking the Core... but is blasted by several lasers.
Alex: Ow.

Merloco quickly pulls out his log and starts flipping through the pages.

Merloco: Darn it, where is that spell!?

Alex quickly flies up to the Core and stabs it in its eye thing multiple times.

Merloco: FOUND IT!!!

Merloco pulls out his wand and starts chanting.

A few stabs later, the little sub-cores around the Core fall to the ground. Alex jumps back onto the regular platform and turns to normal.
Voice in the same room as Alex: Why did you stop?
Misery appears in the room, floating just out of Alex's reach.
Misery: It doesn't have much left in it. One more stab and this thing will be dead and out of your hair.
Alex: Wait... why do you want me to kill it?
Misery: It tried to kill you, correct?
Alex: Yeah, but if you want me to do something, I think something's up.
Misery: Oh, so you don't trust me. But Balrog helped you move that boulder. Surely I am as trustworthy as he is.
Alex: Yeah, but Balrog's an idiot. You're not. Something's up.

Merloco finishes his chant and an orb of light surrounds Alex and telepots him right infront of Merloco.

Merloco: Thank Grambi I got you out of there in time!

Misery casts a spell that teleports Alex back in.
Alex: That is really annoying.
Misery: So it is. But back to the point. Kill that thing.
Alex: Why would you want me to kill it?
Misery sighs.
Misery: Since you seem to be desperate for the truth, I'll give it to you. You're going to destroy that thing and send this island crashing into the ground.
A cartoon exclamation point appears over Alex's head, then disappears.
Alex: But... why? This is your home, right?
Misery: So what?
Alex: So why do you want me to crash it?
Misery: Who says I want you to?
Alex puts two and two together (which is rather hard for him).
Alex: Morbul ordered you to do this, didn't he?
Misery: Yep.
Alex: Then why didn't you revolt or something?
Misery: I have to obey him. Comes with the curse.

Merloco: Crap...

Yoko: I can't make out what they are saying.

Curly: None of us can. The door's soundproof.

...

Alex: Curse?
Misery: The Demon Crown, smart one! Balrog and I have to obey the commands of whoever wears the Demon Crown, regardless of what they order us to do or...
Misery looks to the side.
Misery: Or however badly they treat us...
Misery looks back up at Alex.
Misery: There's your truth. Now stab that thing.
Alex: After what you told me? No.
Misery sighs and raises her broom in the air. Etherial chains wrap around Alex's legs, chaining him to the bottom of the room.
Alex: What the?
Misery: You stay there until you decide to destroy the Core.
Alex: That's all? I can stay here all day and all night, lady.
Misery raises her broom again and the room floods with water, not affecting the Core or Misery (who don't need to breath), but it does a number on Alex. Misery casually sits on her broom and watches Alex squirm.

Yoko: Oh no! You have to get Alex out of there!

Merloco: I can't! That spell did a number on me and I'm sure it won't work again! Those chains look like they can cancel out any of my spells!

Julius: So Alex...

Yoko: ... Has to destroy the Core if he wants to live...

Realizing that flailing around won't get him anywhere, Alex pulls out Bane and uses it to try and saw through one of the chains. Surprisingly, this works, though not as well as Alex would like.

Yoko: Hey! Alex is managing to cut one of the chains!

Merloco: Crap, I don't know any enhancment spells!

Yoko: Neither do I!

Alex slices through the chain and gets to work on yanking the other one off, convinced Misery did something to strengthen the other chain after he sliced through the first one. In reality, Misery is just watching, somewhat surprised he didn't immediately go after the Core.

Yoko: Come on Alex...

Alex yanks off the chain and tries to swim to the surface and get air... only to realize there is no surface. Alex would curse here if he could afford to. Instead, he notices the door, the glass window on the door, and friends (and Dr. Y) beyond said door. He then realizes he can still do something, swims up to the window, and writes "Demon Crown" on it with his finger before passing out and sinking to the bottom of the room.

Yoko: ALEX, NO!!!

Julius: It's too late...

Yoko: NO!!! DON'T SAY THAT!!!

Julius: ... *Hugs Yoko.*

Merloco: Demon's Crown... *To Curly.* Do you guys know anything about this?

The water pressure gets to be too much and the doors blow open, letting all the water out. Misery teleports off as the Core picks itself up and flies back to the top of the room.
Curly: Yeah. The Demon Crown used to be this evil artifact or device that controlled Balrog and Misery...
Something clicks in Curly's head.
Curly: Of course! Morbul has the Demon Crown! That's how he's controlling Misery and Balrog! Alex must have found that out and thought that if we destroy it, they'll stop trying to kill us!

Merloco: Then we need to get to the temple, destroy that crown, and put a stop to Morbul's tyranny once and for all!

Dr. Y: We can destroy the crown, sure. But we've just lost the only guy who can kill Morbul!
John: That's the extent of your grief? You only care about losing Alex because he can kill Morbul? You, sir, are a jerk.

Yoko: ... To hell we lost him.

Yoko marches into the Core's room and starts to drag Alex out. Julius runs in and helps her drag Alex out of the room at a quicker pace. After getting Alex out, Yoko starts to do CPR on him.

Yoko: Come on *Pushes down.* Alex *Pushes down.* I'm sure *Pushes.* you've been *Pushes.* through worst!

Alex is not breathing and lacks a pulse.

Yoko stops and sits next to Alex in disbelief. Julius walks up behind her and puts a hand on her shoulder. Yoko starts to silently sob.