=CHAPTER 4D: AVI’S NEWS REPORT=

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=INTRO C: COLLAPSING PEACE=

~AO v2.0~

((Courtesy of @codedhopes))

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{Meanwhile, in England…}

[It was a peaceful evening as Jack and Kate entered the quiet flat.

The siren sniper gave a smile, her eyes hidden by the sunglasses she typically wore in her Civilian form.]

Kate: An’ here we are! Welcome to yer new digs.

[The recovering newbie fighter awkwardly made his way into the living room, looking around in awe.]

Jack: Man, it sure is nice to be out of the hospital…

[It was much nicer than any place he had lived before he joined up with Greater Dusk, that was for sure.]

Kate: Rent’s been paid for a couple months, so it’s all yours.

Jack: What? Aw, geez, Miss Eight—you didn’t have to do that—

Kate: Aw, maybe not, heh. But yew deserve something nice after all that happened. Give ya some time to let things calm down.

[Since he wasn’t sure how to respond to that, he just followed the tall assassin as she gave him a run-down of the place.]

Kate: This here’s the sitting room, Ah’ guess… bedroom’s over that way; careful about the shower, they have it kinda like a large version of a sink sprayer, real easy t’ get water everywhere…

Kate: -Walking into the kitchen- It’s all pretty small—but that’s standard for somethin’ in Britain.

[Inside the kitchen, there was a large box on the table.]

Jack: ? Uh—what’s in there?

Kate: Oh, just a lil’ somethin’ t’ get ya started. -Grins-

[Jack put down his suitcase.

Despite being a member of a (in)famous (and now banned) battle team, he didn’t really have many belongings. Only the changes of clothes that had been foisted onto him as part of the contract of being a team member… which he hadn’t been allowed to read before signing, of course.]

Jack: -Puts such thoughts aside for now- Let’s see what we’ve got here…

[Kate looked on with a relaxed smile, biting down on a dart as the clumsy combatant fumbled with the wrapping paper. She let him figure out a way to open it on his own; she was just enjoying the downtime.

It was something she didn’t get very often, with her job. Nor had she ever really had anyone other than family to spend it with. But Jack—Jack was different than the others.

As the sponsors were wont to say, he was “a good”—and he deserved nice things.]

Jack: Geez, whatever’s in here has some weight to it—!

[He heaves a large hiking backpack out of the box, looking more than a little surprised.]

Jack: A backpack?

Kate: -Gleeful ping- Yeah, that’s part of it, fer sure.

Jack: Looks like—is that a sleeping bag tied at the top?

Kate: Yup!

Jack: -Inspecting the outside- Wow, it comes with a water bottle and a compass…

[He unzips one of the compartments.]

Jack: Man, you really stuffed this to the gills. Poncho, first aid kit…

Jack: —!

[He pulls out something in clear plastic wrapping, with “Nighthawk Industries” printed on one end.]

Jack: AW SWEET COOL GOGGLES.

Kate: -Amused smile-

[He IMMEDIATELY puts those on—they fit rather nicely once he adjusted the strap—]

Jack: Dude—

Jack: These are like, perfect fit—

Kate: David had ‘em custom made. They’ve got lotsa functionality. Good for protectin’ ‘gainst rain an’ wind, a’ course…

Kate: -Puts her hand to her hip, grinning like crazy- But beyond that…~

Kate: Go look out the window, why don’cha?

[Jack glanced out the window in the kitchen, and Kate abruptly turned off the lights.]

Jack: !!!

Jack: ...? What's this—

Jack: —! OoooooOOHOHO THIS THING HAS NIGHT VISION—

Kate: Bingo~

Jack: So THIS is what the world looks like to you at night! (I feel so damn BADASS—)

Kate: -Turns the light back on- Neat, ain’t it? Lady Ky made those for ya—I put her contact info in yer phone in case you’d like another job of hers…

Jack: …? Uh… -What phone, we don’t have a— - Wait a minute…

[He eagerly starts digging through the rest of the backpack, pulling out the stuffing inside it as he went.

The top of the backpack was a nicely pressed set of casual clothes, shrunk to be airtight to pack in as much as possible. Underneath, there was a small bed roll, some blankets, and a travel/camping pillow.]

Jack: I’m surprised you didn’t put a whole tent in here, too…

Kate: Pup’s still workin’ on something that will fit but be spacious when you pop it out. He says you should just get a Spinarak an’ teach it Secret Power, an’ it’ll be even better than a tent.

Jack: Heh…

[Going through the pockets, he pulled out some maps, a small radio, a burner phone, and a wallet.]

Jack: ? -Peeks inside the wallet, curious-

Jack: !!! (That is—! A lot of gift cards! And–and cash, too?) You… -Kind of speechless-

[The sniper strode over and put her hand to his shoulder, giving a reassuring smile.]

Kate: One of these days, you’ll get outta here, Jackie. Be ready for a new life, what with GD not around anymore. That’s fer you to use t’ get around… pick out a nice ride of some kind, maybe, have a bit t’ eat an’ enough fer somewhere to stay… just until ya get yer footing. It should be good for a couple months once ya get stateside.

Jack: All this is…? (This is for me…?)

Kate: Our gift to you. | } Or… most of it, anyway. Still one more thing from Felix—he said it was important, but he’s still asleep… though his friend Piers is there t’ look after him. Ya might think of stopping by—it’s an easy shortcut to an’ through the Wilderness between worlds.

Jack: Wow, Miss Eight, I…

Jack: Honestly don’t know what to say…

Jack: -Gestures to the gifts all over the table- This is… -Gestures around the living room- All this is… man, it’s the nicest thing anyone’s done for me, ever.

Kate: Aw, it’s the least we can do! Yer a good man, Jack, an’ well-liked. ‘m only sorry we didn’t get all this to ya sooner.

[She walked over to the freezer and pulled out a gallon of ice cream. Jack’s eyes lit up when he saw it—but even moreso when she opened the fridge and brought out some steak.]

Kate: Let’s forget talkin’ fer a while an’ eat. M’ starved.

[Jack was more than happy to oblige, and Kate leaned back against the wall as she ate an ice cream cone with her one hand.

It was so nice to see Jack in such good spirits and properly well off after all that he’d been through. Ever since she first got to know him, she’d wanted to help—she’d grown more and more concerned for him the more he talked about Greater Dusk, about the way the team had treated him. She’d grown convinced he was in a dangerous situation, but even she couldn’t have anticipated what happened next.]

Kate: (Hmmmn…. The finals…. Still don’t have a good enough answer on what those crosses were. Malware of some sort, that’s for sure, but…)

[It was a grim prospect that required further investigation. It may not be her world, but she’d grown to care for the people in it.]

Kate: (Coding like that could cause a lot of damage.)

[She squinted behind her sunglasses, narrowing her eyes in distrust.]

Kate: (Whatever mysterious “provider” Jack said Blade was talking to is -probably- stateside… just like Blade is, that damn bastard…)

[Jack had told her that Blade had turned up dead.]

-=-=-=-=-

Jack: They....They sent it back to CherryDyn for them to look over what went wrong with him.

Jack: ....They said they found nothin', so they patched him up and kept him in for observation.

Jack: ....Then...

Jack: .......

Jack: He's dead, man. Dead.

Jack: .......

Jack: I...they told me he was...

Jack: Freakin' tortured…

Jack: ......

Jack: -turns away-

-=-=-=-=-

[…Kate, however, didn’t buy it for a minute.]

Kate: (That’s too convenient… Something isn’t right, here…)

Kate: -Broods- (That worm isn’t going to escape justice THAT easily, no sir…)

[…She was almost tempted to see to it herself, when she did come across him. But no—he had too much to answer for, and she would have to keep her head high and not sink to his level by turning away from doing the right thing.

Didn’t mean she couldn’t have the satisfaction of imagining otherwise.]

Kate: …

Kate: -Frowns and sighs internally- (…Look at me.)

Kate: (Off of work for once, and saddling myself up with another “case” that needs someone who cares…. Maybe Sis is right. Maybe I am a workaholic…)

Kate: -Finishes off the ice cream- Jack— do me a favor an’ make another cone, please…

Jack: Yeah, sure thing—

[She rubbed what was left of her right arm thoughtfully as he prepared seconds for her.]

Kate: (Not even on a job an’ I’m out there thinking like a killer…. Gotta try to remember not to let myself grow that bitter at the world…)

Jack: …Miss Eight?

Kate: Hmm?

Jack: I’ve been… wondering something…

Kate: -Accepts the second ice cream cone- Yeah?

Jack: I don't know how to word this right, but...

Jack: ...Stuff like this is kinda your thing, I know, but...why go through all this for me? I mean—I'm not anyone THAT important, and on top of that, I'm a Cherry…

Kate: …Well…. Ya… ya always treated me like a person. Not very many people do. -Looks away in thought- ‘m just Fighting Mighty Eight to them— or Artemis, herald of death. Or just a pretty face with lots of money to burn.

Kate: That means something to me.

Jack:  ...Really, huh... (I guess, with what she does…)

[There was silence for a while as Kate finished off the second ice cream cone. This time, she seemed satisfied.]

Kate: Thanks for the help, Jack. I could do it myself, but it’s awfully messy, heh…

Jack: Oh, no problem.

Kate: -Turns on the faucet to wash her hand- Well, this was a nice evening. It was good to see you settled in.

Jack: Oh—are you headed off?

Kate: Yes.

[She wiped her hand on a dishcloth as best she could.]

Kate: Stateside.

Jack: Wh—You're going back to America? This soon?

Kate: I have some investigating t’ do, Jack…. Ah’ don’t think this is over yet.

Jack: -Internal groaning- (Agh, she’s probably right…)

Kate: Things may have died down, but… somethin’ is wrong over there, Ah’m sure of it.

Kate: -Turns to face him- Y’ need t’ lay low for a while, too. I hate t’ leave at a tahm like this, but the longer it waits, the colder the trail gets. You should be safe here from any prying eyes of this world—but just in case…

[She walks over and places something on the table.]

Jack: A… is that a taser?

Kate: -Momentary twitch of a smile- (…Figured you’d just hurt yourself with pepper spray, so…) Between that an’ yer Combat abilities, you should be able t’ hold yer own long enough to call for help. -Points over at the cell phone- Either ping somebody or—couple a’ contacts in there, just a call away.

Jack: I...um.

Kate: Yes?

Jack: Look, I appreciate the gesture, Miss Eight, just—do I really need this thing, I mean, it's a little much—

[The Mighty Number works her dart over to the other side of her mouth and tilts her head just so, giving the CDN a look that said otherwise.]

Kate: ....

Jack: …Right, stupid question—

Jack: Thanks, I guess...

Kate: Hmm hmm. Yer welcome. Ah' better git goin' nao.

Kate: Stay safe, Jack Parker.

Kate: I’ll be in touch when I figure things out.

Jack: M'kay. Don't go do anything too crazy, alright?

[She gave a characteristic grin, slowly fading away from sight. There was the rattle of the front door, and then she was gone.

Jack takes another fresh look around his new home, rubbing the back of his head quietly as he sinks down into the couch. He couldn't help but wish Miss Eight would've stuck around a little more, but it wasn't like he could stop her.

She's got her mind set on things for his sake, too.]

Jack: (…Guess I better start looking over this stuff…)

<<—Previous——————Table of Contents——————Next—>>

=PROLOGUE B: IT ALL BEGINS NOW=

~AO v1.0~

<<—Previous——————Table of Contents——————Next—>>

[Fate had such an odd way of forcing her hand.

Worlds intertwined, destinies tethered….]

{JUNE 21st, TUMBLR 2016

11:45:08 AM}

<SEDW to RMDC>: >UPDATING DATABASE…

<SEDW to RMDC>: >UPLOAD FILE: REVELATION.EXE

<RMDC>: >GENERATING CROSS-REFERENCES…

-PING-

<RMDC>: >CROSS REFERENCE FOUND: DLN_COMBAT.EXE

<RMDC>: >COMBAT INITIATIVE DETECTED. Admin access is required to run COMBAT.EXE initiatives. Please access the program at the primary station and enter authorization code.

<SEDW>: >OPEN FILE: REVELATION.EXE

<RMDC>: >COMBAT INITIATIVE DETECTED. Admin access is required to run COMBAT.EXE initiatives. Please access the program at the primary station and enter authorization code.

<SEDW>: >OPEN FILE: DLN_COMBAT.EXE

<RMDC>: >WARNING: This file has been quarantined and locked by MC005. Please access the program at the primary station and enter authorization code.

[… … … …]

<RMDC>: >WARNING! UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS DETECTED!

<SEDW>: >SYSTEM OVERRIDE

<RMDC>: >SYSTEM ERROR—

[DOWNLOAD IN PROGRESS: REVELATION.EXE

—AI_DWN_000: Loading…

—AI_DCN_000: Loading…

—AI_DWN_008: Loading…

—AI_DWN_011: Loading…

—AI_DWN_012: Loading…

—AI_DWN_013: Loading…

—AI_DWN_018: Loading…

—AI_DWN_019: Loading…

—AI_DWN_024: Loading…

—AI_DCN_003: Loading…

—AI_DCN_004: Loading…

—AI_DCN_007: Loading…

—AI_DCN_008: Loading…]

{The Meadow}

[…Sickness.

Madness.

Memories of the darkest times flooded the server.

Everyone woke up immediately.]

<DLN-000 is now Online.> <DLN-005 is now Online.> <DLN-008 is now Online.> <DWN-011 is now Online.> <DWN-012 is now Online.> <DWN-013 is now Online.> <DWN-018 is now Online.> <DWN-019 is now Online.> <DWN-024 is now Online.>

[Cardinal felt sick to his core. Everyone did, really.]

<DWN-012>: Wha?

<DWN-024>: What is happening?

<DWN-012>: I feel like I’m gonna throw up, and I’m not even organic—

<DWN-019>: H-hang on. I-I’ll run a d-diagnostic. <DWN-019>: Y-you go contact the Doctors. -Talking to himself-

[Jaden was just laying in his recharge station, almost feverish. Errors kept pounding in his head.]

<DWN-013>: G-guys… it’s trying to send me into Lethal…

[But no one heard him.

Everyone had suddenly been overcome by the directive.

It was some sort of external command—a highly complex one, at that. Really, too much for their systems to process.

A command to destroy.]

<DLN-008 has gone Offline.>

[…]

<DLN-005 has gone Offline.> <DWN-011 has gone Offline.> <DWN-012 has gone Offline.> <DWN-013 has gone Offline.> <DWN-018 has gone Offline.> <DWN-019 has gone Offline.> <DWN-024 has gone Offline.>

Cardinal: (They must be preserving themselves…. Uggggh… I feel so aggravated right now…)

[He didn’t try to ping Dr. Cossack, or Dr. White. Whatever was going on, Dr. Cossack would see it. If they were all sick, then he didn’t want to spread it to his cousins.

And he definitely didn’t want to hurt the others.]

Cardinal: (Nnngggghhh…)

[His head pounded. He clutched at it with both hands, his eyes glowing a bright green despite being closed.

Memories bombarded him.]

-*-*-

((Art by dA user Thormeister))

-*-*-

[And then, suddenly…]

[…Beck was not the only one who was reset due to the matter at hand.

It only took a few moments, thankfully. Cardinal woke up feeling very disoriented.]

Cardinal: What was that?

[He couldn’t remember anything that had happened since Saturday evening—yet it was now clearly daytime. …He didn’t know what day it was, but that alone let him know that something had gone wrong.

Normally, if there had been a system crash, then the database would fill in the blanks. But in this case, it didn’t—which meant he had been forcefully reset. And not just him; the whole server, too.

…But why?]

Cardinal: (…Did we seriously have a hard reset?) What happened here…?!

[To his surprise, he saw Dr. Mikhail Cossack nearby, at a terminal. He was clearly focused in his work, as he simply held out his left hand to sign the word “QUIET.”]

Cardinal: …

“There was an attack on the server.”

Cardinal: ?

[Shadow was scowling as he unhooked himself from the mainframe.]

Shadow: It appears to have originated from a different world. Some sort of attempt to reactivate our Menace-related directives.

Cardinal: Ugh. No wonder we felt sick to our cores. …Is everyone alright?

Mikhail: I am trying to contact William but I’m having a great deal of difficulty…

Jaden: -Becoming more alert- Wait, is that a good idea? I mean, what if it got to them?

Mikhail: You don’t understand, Jaden: the source WAS from Will—

Cardinal: What?

Cardinal: (What is going /on/ here?)

[…

…

There was suddenly an overwhelming surge of alarm.]

Siam: Something’s wrong! Gemini: Something’s terribly, terribly wrong!

[Cardinal felt it, too.

A sudden… /darkness/. Weighty and cruel, deep as suffering. It reminded him of…]

Cardinal: (No, this can’t…)

Tobias: -Interrupts- I think I got the TV to pick up their signals—give it a try! Still trying to contact their lab…

[Cardinal turned on the news as some of his more tech-savvy brothers worked away at consoles.

What he saw…]

Cardinal: No…

Cardinal: -System scREECH- NOOOO!

<DLN-000 has entered Alert Combat mode.> <DCN-000 has entered Alert Combat mode.> <DLN-008 has entered Alert Combat mode.> <DWN-011has entered Alert Combat mode.> <DWN-012 has entered Alert Combat mode.> <DWN-013 has entered Alert Combat mode.> <DWN-018 has entered Alert Combat mode.> <DWN-019 has entered Alert Combat mode.> <DWN-024 has entered Alert Combat mode.> <DCN-003 has entered Alert Combat mode.> <DCN-007 has entered Alert Combat mode.> <DCN-008 has entered Alert Combat mode.>

[Snow screamed.]

[…Actually, to say he screamed would be an understatement. He was BLASTING raw Emotion, not just volume—and the world around him was quickly turning to ice. His brothers and his father alike were taken by surprise and alarm, turning all their attention to him.

His younger brothers were forced to shield as he began to throw a horrific tantrum—one that was cut short by Cossack forcefully sending him into Sleep mode before he hurt anyone in his panic.

Things were rapidly getting out of control.]

<DWN-018>: >TOBIAS, DO SOMETHING!

<DWN-018>: >BEFORE YOUR BROTHER FREEZES US TO DEATH!

[Tobias practically flung himself at the mainframe.]

Tobias: I’m gonna force my way through if it’s the last thing I do—and it’s definitely not gonna!

[As he had done before, his /self/ took the reigns of cyberspace and made it bend beneath his heel to his will.

Static filled the line as he broke through and opened the Mighty Number communication channels.]

<DLN-008 to MNN-ALL>: > -PING!-

[…There was no chance to celebrate or take action, though, because just then, the news updated…]

“Once again, the president has declared a nationwide state of emergency. This, based on reports of haywire robots rampaging out of control in all 52 states. I’m being told we have a comment from Gregory Graham—“

[Outraged shouting and anger crowded out the rest of the sentence, and a bit of the speech after.]

Speedy: -YELLING IN ANGRY SPANISH- {OH FOR THE LOVE OF—}

Shadow: -Eyes burning red, hissing in Japanese- {I swear, if he is behind all of this…}

Mikhail: -Speaking (with growing impatience) in frustrated Russian- {ENOUGH! Will you BE QUIET for ONE moment—}

KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKHHHHH—

“Hellooooooooo! Is this thing on?”

Siamini: -Trills- What?!

Tobias: !?

[The electric optimist immediately sent out a notification.]

-PING!-

<DLN-008>: >Avi! Avi, no! What are you doing?

[…But Avi didn’t seem to hear him. He doesn't answer. Instead, he continues to give his twisted 'news report'.]

"And now we go to our eye in the sky Avi 1 Heli bot for our daily traffic report!"

[...And in a completely not so different voice...]

"Thanks, Avi! Uh, as you can see, we've got accidents inbound in....well..."

"EVERYWHERE!~ BWAHAHAHAHA!"

Shadow: … What the fuhhh… -Trails off rather than finishing that-

[The Second Generation survivors looked on in horrified silence. For they couldn’t see Avi, not anymore.

The cross-references were too strong.]

Jaden: (Saints preserve us…)

[Speedy just fell to his knees, giving a thousand-yard stare.]

Speedy: ({This… this is Monstropolis all over again…})

[Tobias was starting to feel frustrated.]

<DLN-008>: > DON’T PRETEND YOU CAN’T HEAR ME— now is not the time for games, Aviator!

[Still no response.]

Avi: "Yup, we've got chaos here, chaos there on this BEEEEEAUTIFUL June 21, 20XX! Here on Avi News today, we've got exclusive coverage on today's top story!~

Avi: THE END OF THE WORLD, BABY!~

Tobias: Grrr…!

Avi: "Our nation is on TOTAL MELTDOWN, and Xelbot crime is on the rise!~ Can NOTHING stop this madness?!

Avi: "Short answer? NO!~ BWAHAHAHA!~"

[Tobias…

…had had enough. He decided to try a different tack.]

<DLN-008 to MNN-006>: > -P I N G-

<DLN-008>: > A V I A T O R

<DLN-008>: > YOU’RE BLOCKING THE CHANNELS, WHY

<DLN-008>: >What the frag is going on over there?! I need to talk to Doctor White!

<DLN-008>: > NOW!

[.......]

[MN.6] //: Well, would you look at that! I got a caller!~

[MN.6] //: So, caller number 1...

[MN.6] //: What do you think you're doing on MY airwaves, mmm?

<DLN-008>: > I’M /TRYING/ TO TALK, THAT’S WHAT

[Oooo, he seemed in a bad mood, and wasn’t afraid to let that data show!]

[Why, it’s almost as if he feels… a little guilty, to boot! Has he seen this before?]

[MN.6] //: Ooo, SOMEone seems spicy today! Wow. Talk about blowing a fuse! HA! Get it?

Tobias: (Ngggh…! Can’t… can’t let the cross-references distract me, not now!)

<DLN-008>: >Very funny, Avi.

<DLN-008>: >Hilarious.

[MN.6] //: Thaaaaanks. I practice. ~

<DLN-008>: >I’ll let Dyna know when I see her. -Clearly annoyed-

[MN.6] //: ....

[MN.6] //: Who?

[Tobias was speaking over him already by that point.]

<DLN-008>: >But fiRST YOU NEED TO STOP SITTING ON THE FREQUENCIES

<DLN-008>: >LET ME THROUGH, GLITCHFRAG IT, I’M SHORT ON PATIENCE HERE

[MN.6] //: Eeeeeeh....

[MN.6] //: Ugh, I dunno--see, I got a script to stick to? And uh, all the roles are filled in. Sorry, dude! ^.^

[…

Tobias really WAS starting to lose patience. He seethed.]

[MN.6] //: BUT.

<DLN-008>: > -Train of thought derailed- —?

[MN.6] //: I thiiiiink I can....prooobably....

[MN.6] //: Squeeze you into a short segment….

<DLN-008>: > -Gives off abrupt data of discomfort and dread-

Tobias: (Why does that sound… really really bad…?)

[MN.6] //: How about this, caller number 1?~

[Suddenly--]

[MN.6 HAS ENTERED COMBAT DATA MODE. RESTRICTIONS: NONE.]

[MN.6] //: You wanna be my intern for a while?!~

[Tobias gave a shaky gasp. The world had gone faint for a moment.]

<DLN-008>: >Avi! PLEASE! STOP!

[The data was fought back—forcefully. It seemed that the electric Industrial was not unfamiliar with fighting aggressive data.]

[MN.6] //: Nope! Can't have you snooping around on the feeds, no siriee!

[Another surge of...possessive data--!]

[MN.6] //: I got big, big plans, Caller. Avi News is gonna go GLOBAL!

<DLN-008>: > Nggh—!

<DLN-008>: > NO!

<DLN-008>: >NO YOU WON’T!

[He was… actively blocking data that his system was trying to send out.]

<DLN-008>: >I won’t give up! I’ll MAKE you get out of my way!

[A surge of spurning willpower.

The stubborn willpower of a DWN—the unflinching kind they inherited from their father.

…And yet…]

[…And yet, he wasn’t REALLY giving it his all—that much was obvious.

He was holding back.]

[MN.6] //: Jeez--you're really a spicy one! I'm actually impressed! ~

[MN.6] //: Man, this is JUST like that one movie I watched last Tuesday--the hero, on the brink of defeat, suddenly finds within himself the strength to win!

<DLN-008>: > Grr…!

[A…

BLAST of RAW /GUILT/ AND REGRET]

<DLN-008>: > -VERY bitterly- I’m no hero.

<DLN-008>: > BUT I STILL WON’T LET YOU DO THIS.

[MN.6] //: --!!

[MN.6] //: NGH--

<DLN-008>: >I… I c-can’t let you make my mistakes…!

[MN.6] //: Ow...OK...yeah, that hurt...

<DLN-008>: > …

<DLN-008>: >S-sorry…

<DLN-008>: >Nggh…! Now… please, stop!

[MN.6] //: ......

[....Data.]

[...It...was Avi's Data, yes, but...so much darker. ]

[Anger.]

[MN.6] //: That...hurt.

[MN.6] //: NOW YOU'RE GONNA GET IT!

[Toby was suddenly seized with signals. They weren’t just conversational—they were trying to get inside his head, mess with his mind!]

<DLN-008>: >NO, AVI, STOP! YOU DON’T KNOW—!

[He never did finish his warning.

“You don’t know what you’re getting into…!”]

Tobias: -SCREAMS-

[He was clutching his head in his hands now, overcome with painful disorientation as he fought off the attempt to seize control.

He started sparking up, essentially close to tears as he tried so very hard to overthrow the invasion without harming his best friend.]

[MN.6] //: HA!

[Almost...Almost--!]

[MN.6] //: Aaaand that's a wrap!~

<DLN-008>: > S-stop… Avi, please…

[MN.6] //: You just don't know how to LISTEN, do ya? I said NO.

[KKKKSSST!]

[MN.6] //: NOW SHUT UP.

[MN.6] //: There's nothing you can do against ME, anyway! BWHAHAHAHA!

[Tobias desperately wanted to keep Aviator from gaining access to his neural network. There was no telling what damage that might cause to his family, due to the nature of their almost hive-like minds. And more than that—he just knew that Avi really was not prepared for what he would be getting into.

But he was tired. So tired. He couldn’t withstand both the assault and the barrage of cross-references that this disaster was sending live.

…He weakened.

It only took that one moment of weakness. That one moment of being rendered helpless, unable to fight back.

And in that moment…

Mighty Number Six overtook his mind. The invasive, annoyingly persistent obstacle was HIS, now—]

[MN.6] //: Finally--

[......]

[Nothing in all the worlds could prepare Mighty No. 6 for what came next...]

[MN.6] //: --!!?

SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE—

[—he had not been prepared for the fact that this would lay bare the soul for him to see!]

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA—!”

[DOZENS of memories were active—all very real in the here and now, all at the same time! Thoughts, memories, fears, feelings, pains, suffering, sorrows, despair—not just from Tobias, but from a dozen others—not just for what was now, but what HAD been—the past was the present, the pain then was pain now, it was all bOMBARDING THEM RELENTLESSLY—]

[MN.6] //: NG--NNNHAAAAAAAAAAAH--!

[THIS was the reality that the Rebel Angels lived with, the cross they carried—and would forever carry, all life long!

Avi had stared into the abyss of a suffering robot’s (and his family’s) soul…

…and the abyss was staring back.]

>PROCESSING ERROR: BETAEMOTIONS.EXE CONFLICT

>CROSS REFERENCING DATA: ROBOTMASTER DATABASE >KEYWORDS: DEATH, BLUE, MNN, COMBAT.EXE

>RUN PROGRAM: SEARCH >KEYWORDS: DEATH, BLUE, MNN, COMBAT.EXE

>DISPLAYING ALL ENTRIES…

————————————

>VARIABLE: MNN-001

>ENTRY 1: DLN-006 JOURNAL ENTRY: FINAL ENTRY

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>ENTRY 2: DLN-005 JOURNAL ENTRY: FINAL ENTRY

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>ENTRY 3: DLN-000 JOURNAL ENTRY

-—-—-—-—-—-—-—- -—-—-—-—-—-—-—-

>VARIABLE: MNN-002

>ENTRY 1: DLN-000 JOURNAL ENTRY

——————

>ENTRY 2: IALS JOURNAL ENTRY: CRUEL WATERS

-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-

-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-

>VARIABLE: MNN-003

>ENTRY 1: DWN-018 JOURNAL ENTRY: FINAL ENTRY

——————

>ENTRY 2: DLN-008 JOURNAL ENTRY

-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-

-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-

>VARIABLE: MNN-004

>ENTRY 1: DLN-003 JOURNAL ENTRY: FINAL ENTRY

——————

>ENTRY 2: DWN-021 JOURNAL ENTRY: FINAL ENTRY

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>ENTRY 3: DWN-019 JOURNAL ENTRY: FINAL ENTRY

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>ENTRY 4: DWN-023 JOURNAL ENTRY: FINAL ENTRY

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>ENTRY 5: DWN-024 JOURNAL ENTRY: FINAL ENTRY

-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-

-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-

>VARIABLE: MNN-005

>ENTRY 1: DLN-005 JOURNAL ENTRY

——————

>ENTRY 2: DLN-008 JOURNAL ENTRY

——————

>ENTRY 3: DWN-012 JOURNAL ENTRY

——————

>ENTRY 4: 05.07.2016 MEMORY DATA

-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-

[Avi was BLASTED with pain! PAIN! PAIN BEYOND MEASURE!

He struggled--he had put too much of himself to break free yet--and all he could feel was...pain, hurt, PAIN, DEATH...!

And...for the briefest of moments...]

[...Whatever had a hold on him...whatever was controlling his mind-- recoiled.]

[MN.6] //: STOP! S T O P I T--!!!

[It was no use. Tobias and Avi were caught in a joint system overload that was rapidly approaching a stop error.]

>ERROR: EMOTIONS.EXE OVERLOAD

[…It only got WORSE.]

————————————

>VARIABLE: MNN-006

>ENTRY 1: DWN-012 JOURNAL ENTRY

——————

>ENTRY 2: IALS JOURNAL ENTRY: VENUS LIGHTHOUSE

[Sheba screams as she falls, overcome with terror. It's a horror that she's had nightmares and visions about before for many years, of falling from the sky alone.

She is so terrified that her heart threatens to give out, until a cry shatters the whistle of the wind.]

"SHEBA!!! NOOOOOO! I WON'T LET YOU DIE!"

[Suddenly, she sees Felix jumping off the Lighthouse, diving down at her. He reaches out to grab her wrist.

Vines of golden energy coil down to catch her and bring her close. They are both falling—he's holding her close to protect her. She shut her eyes tight, gasping in fear. If only the wind could save them. She begged for someone—anyone—to save them.]

——————

>ENTRY 3: DWN-010 JOURNAL ENTRY: FINAL ENTRY

——————

>ENTRY 4: DWN-013 JOURNAL ENTRY: FINAL ENTRY

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>ENTRY 5: DLN-008 JOURNAL ENTRY

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>ENTRY 6: DLN-008 JOURNAL ENTRY

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>ENTRY 7: DLN-008 DATA ENTRY

-—-—-—-—-—-—-—- -—-—-—-—-—-—-—-

>VARIABLE: MNN-007

>ENTRY 1: IALS DATABASE JOURNAL ENTRY: RANGER TRAINING

"Too slow!"

I looked up angrily, biting back a remark. Karst looked down at me, lowering her scythe to rest against my throat.

"Always too slow! How you ever managed to catch a Talon Runner is beyond me."

I was silent. The bruise from the day before was still darkening. I knew another slap might cause permanent injury.

"Let him go, Karst."

The touch of death's blade lifted, the chill of steel leaving me. I tried to breathe steadily….

——————

>ENTRY 2: IALS DATABASE JOURNAL ENTRY: VENUS LIGHTHOUSE

Isaac and the others did not hesitate in attacking. And this time, they did not hold back.

I could only watch in horror as the battle raged on. It was a battle between titans. I was not in a position to see it very well, but I could feel it. Summon after summon, with the dragon wearing down with the power of a meteor to crush its opponents.

You might fault me for not describing a battle of magnificence. But you weren't there, you didn't see what I saw. I was watching a fight to the death between people I knew, unable to help anyone or to escape. I saw Isaac fight to the death with the aim to kill for the first time—and it was TERRIFYING.

He seemed sustained by an unnatural strength, and would not fall no matter the injury. His eyes were bright gold, with the same glow about his body—but also a blood red, and a sense of death. These auras shimmered like water as blow after blow faded away. The others were getting worn out, but not Isaac. The Lighthouse itself seemed to heal him, almost as much as Mia was helping.

They held strong, but the dragon did not. I covered Sheba's eyes as Isaac and Garet closed in and struck it directly. Those death screams still haunt my nightmares, as does the image of…

——————

>ENTRY 3: IALS DATABASE JOURNAL ENTRY: JUPITER LIGHTHOUSE

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>ENTRY 4: DWN-009 JOURNAL ENTRY: FINAL ENTRY

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>ENTRY 5: DWN-016 JOURNAL ENTRY: FINAL ENTRY

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>ENTRY 6: DWN-011 JOURNAL ENTRY: FINAL ENTRY

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>ENTRY 7: DWN-014 JOURNAL ENTRY: FINAL ENTRY

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>ENTRY 8: DWN-022 DATA ENTRY: FINAL ENTRY—DWN-024 JOURNAL ENTRY; DWN-019 JOURNAL ENTRY

-*-

——————

>ENTRY 9: DWN-022 JOURNAL ENTRY: FINAL ENTRY

——————

>ENTRY 10: 06.03.2016 MEMORY DATA

Blade: Here's how it's gonna go down, your royal highnesses!

Blade: YOU FORFEIT.

[SHING!]

[A saw bomb appears in one hand, and he yanks Dyna towards him, holding it roughly against Dyna's neck. The audience gasps—but none scream.]

Dyna: -HISS-

Blade: Or your sis won't have her pretty little head on her shoulders anymore! ~

-*-*-

SHINK.

Jack: —GNH!

All: !!!

[Jack falls forward, and Brand is there to catch him. NOW the audience starts to partially scream and gasp in surprise.]

[A saw blade embedded itself into his back, blinking lazily.]

-*-*-

[Tobias teleported in at Bladeblaster’s left, poised on the air, and filled with unbridled rage.

His eyes were glowing red as he grabbed the gang leader roughly by the shoulder with his left hand.

Carmen, for her part, had gone in as close to Dencerjack as she could. She didn’t have much time to set up and aim, but she knew what was coming—and for touching her sister, Bladeblaster would PAY.]

Tobias: -BLASTING data with no uncertain clarity of intention-

Blade: ---?!?!

Dyna: Wha--!

[His eyes were a pure red, the whole display—and he was was filled with power that was at a high enough level to function as a generator for an average household for several hours. …But… he wasn’t sparking up.

Far from it.

As he was pulling his right hand and arm back, the electric charge of almost the entire arena was being rapidly and brutally shifted, and the air became filled with the tense, almost painful (and frightening) uneasiness that it has when it is filled with static.

Tobias was gathering all the negative charge to himself!]

Avi: oh SWEET MARMALINE--

Tobias: -D I E-

[Carmen fired off one of her taser darts right where it would hurt the most. It coincided perfectly with Tobias’s infuriated blow.]

[The electric Industrial slammed his right fist right into Bladeblaster’s central mass, simultaneously firing off the most powerful THUNDER BEAM he could muster.

All the static buildup discharged in a violent lightning strike that hit the assassin dead center in a blinding flash, followed by a deafening thunderclap. As was custom for his weapon, the Thunder Beam also fired up into the sky and down at the ground, not just directly in front of him.

Bladeblaster had, in fact, more or less been skewered by lightning— and anyone caught in the line of fire was going to share the same fate.]

[Avi only had a few precious split seconds to react, and if it wasn't for the fact that recognized the tense electric power in the air before Tobias struck, he would have very well been reduced to a mere central core by now.]

[Suddenly he was glad Dyna shocked him for being annoying every now and then.]

[Even when he pretty much barrel rolled to the right, (and surprise, no pun intended) he could still feel the raw surge of untamed lightning narrowly missing him, causing his aerial instruments and other things to fuzz for a bit--making him VERY dizzy.]

[MN.6] //: OhmanI'mgonnabesick--

[And Blade?]

[Besides the sheer white hot pain that rippled through him--he screamed, body convulsing as it couldn't handle both the sudden boost from whatever was in that cross and Tobias's rash attack--and the dart from Carmen REALLY put the icing on the pain cake, so to speak.]

[By now, the radio silence had been lifted.]

<DLN-000 to MNN-001, MNN-005 through MNN-008>: > AUGH! HE’S IN LETHAL MODE!

<DWN-024>: > WE ARE /ALL/ IN LETHAL MODE—!

[Indeed.

Tobias was incredibly quick for an Industrial—the fastest Industrial built, and the second fastest overall.

Only moment had passed, but…]

Tobias: -THERE ARE MORE WHERE THAT CAME FROM-

[…He was already pulling his arm back for another hit, drawing from his own reserves to charge up another Thunder Beam.

But what the idealist had in decisiveness, he lacked in foresight.

He had disregarded something very, VERY important.

Bladeblaster held his weakness.]

[What followed...]

[The next sound that came from Blade's throat did not sound holy at all.]

Blade: -GLITCHED SCREECHING-

[Whatever had given Blade that extra boost in power?]

[It had taken whatever coherent thought he had left in his madness.]

[Blade suddenly had a saw in his hand, and raised it so he could slash wildly at the DLN--!]

Avi: NO--!

SKLLLKTTKRRRSHHHLLLRRRKKT—

[Oil and cooling fluids spattered all over Bladeblaster’s hands and weapon, as if they were blood.

Tobias lost his grip immediately and fell to the ground, too dazed in pain and injury to even cry out.

His energy levels had dropped DRAMATICALLY, and were still dropping, as was his core temperature—two more hits like that, and he would be gone.]

——————

>ENTRY 11: DLN-008 JOURNAL ENTRY: FINAL ENTRY

————————————

[DEATH! DEATH AND SUFFERING, in well past a dozen different ways! And the blood— the blood and the oil EVERYWHERE—]

[Blood-- not blood --so much--death--darkness--

…But STILL, it was not yet over.]

[MN.6] //: -uNHOLY SCREAMING-

[The sounds that came from No. 6...it was HIS voice, but so distorted and twisted by the darkness and pain that it was almost unrecognizable.]

[No. 6...was built to process as much data as possible.]

[...Today, that was his curse.]

————————————

>VARIABLE: MNN-008

>CROSS REFERENCE IDENTIFIED: D E A T H

>DEATH WEARS BLUE

>ENTRY 1: DWN-012 JOURNAL ENTRY: FINAL ENTRY

-*-*-

————————————————————————

[An error message then pops up.]

[Tobias collapsed when Avi finally managed to break free. And there he lay, lifeless on the ground.

The fight for his mind had caused major damage by stunning his Awareness.

It became too much for him to take.]

[…]

[Uh-oh.]

<DWN-011 has entered Lethal Combat mode.> <DWN-012 has entered Lethal Combat mode.> <DWN-013 has entered Lethal Combat mode.> <DWN-018 has entered Lethal Combat mode.> <DWN-019 has entered Lethal Combat mode.> <DWN-024 has entered Lethal Combat mode.> <DCN-003 has entered Lethal Combat mode.> <DCN-007 has entered Lethal Combat mode.> <DCN-008 has entered Lethal Combat mode.>

[…It looks like he hadn’t been alone.]

<DWN-024>: > How dare you.

<DWN-012>: > HE WARNED YOU, BRO. THIS IS WHAT YOU GET FOR NOT /LISTENING/ TO US.

<DWN-019>: > I /WILL/ TEAR APART YOUR CODE. <DWN-019>: > /LINE. <DWN-019>: > BY. <DWN-019>: > LINE./ <DWN-019>: > IF YOU DO NOT L E A V E <DWN-019>: > /THIS INSTANT./

<DWN-018>: > I’d back off now if I were you.

<DCN-003>: >Unless you would like Father and twins to run you facefirst through an aggressive WhiteCell filter!

[MN.6] //: -GASPS-

[.....Nothing. Avi....there was barely any data coming from him, now...]

[...Then...]

[Whatever was controlling him came right back.]

[MN.6] //: ...!!!!

[KKKKKSSSSSST!!]

[…The normally cheerful DCN was ready to make good on his threat.

He had NOT been bluffing.]

<DCN-003>: > {FATHER!}

[…]

<MC005 IS ACCESSING ADMIN CODES…>

Mikhail: -Cringing as he types- ({Forgive me for hacking, Will—!})

[MN.6] //: ngh--

[Suddenly--]

[With one fell swoop--]

[MN.6] //: RRRGH--!

[WARNING--SIGNAL HAS BEEN LOST.]

[In the Meadow, the Russian doctor curses in frustration, punching the desk and putting his face in his hands.]

Mikhail: {NO! We were so, SO close—!}

Keltso: -Sadly- {…At least you tried.}

Siam: Wait.

Digger: …?

Siam: WAIT.

Gemini: IT WAS ONLY Siam: /HIS/ SIGNAL Gemini: THAT WAS Siamini: LOST—

Mikhail: ?!

Siamini: THE MAIN CHANNEL IS OPEN!

Mikhail: !!!

Mikhail: We… we have to—!

[The communication channels had been left open. Everyone was starting to feel a bit desperate…]

-PING!-

<MC005 to MNN-001>: > -STATUS INQUIRY-

[.......]

[MN.1] //: RRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!

[Mikhail was quite taken aback.]

Mikhail: ?!

[MN.1] //: B U R N.

[MN.1] //: A L L... M U S T...

[MN.1] //: BUUUUUUUURRRN!

Mikhail: .______.;;;

[His hands hovered over the keyboard, but he was frozen in doubt and indecision on how to respond to that.

Said hands were in gloves, as usual—

—gloves to hide the burn scars he would always carry with him.]

[MN.1 HAS BLOCKED MC005]

Mikhail: (He… good heavens, he almost sounded like…)

[The Second Gens were more or less cowering in fear. Shadow, however…]

Shadow: (I do not understand…)

[He reached out an intangible hand, stretching the request across time and space.]

<DWN-024 to MNN-007>: > -Ping-

[No response, at first.

He tried again.]

<DWN-024>: > -Ping.-

[…This time, he got through. But he could tell something was wrong.]

<DWN-024>: > -Ping.- {M…Master Brandish?}

[ ..........]

[MN.7] //: -DISTRESSED PINGING, SCREAMS IN THE BACKGROUND-

[MN.7] //: {Ngh---!! Sh---Shadow...!}

[Shadow scowled.]

<DWN-024>: > {You have no idea the turmoil that this chaos is throwing us into—! I am so relieved to get back in contact with you.}

<DWN-024>: > {We need your help—}

[MN.7] //: {nO--}

[Despair. Horror.]

[MN.7] //: {NO--NONONO!}

[…Fear.

…It was not something that Shadow was familiar with, but he felt it now, as plain as the moon.

Fear. Overwhelming, growing FEAR.]

<DWN-024>: > {W-what?!}

<DWN-024>: > {Sensei, what are you saying—?}

[MN.7] //: {NGH--}

[MN.7] //: .....

[MN.7] //: Must slice...must dice...

[MN.7] //: --aAAARGH--NO! I--MY BLADES--!

[Okay, now he was beginning to panic.

He tried to lock onto Brandish’s signal.]

<DWN-024>: > {Sensei! /For the love of the Lord Father, WHERE ARE YOU?!/}

[MN.7] //: {I CAN'T--I CAN'T--!!}

<DWN-024>: > {NO! YOU /MUST!/}

<DWN-024>: > {PLEASE! I AM BEGGING YOU!}

[MN.7] //: {F-FORGIVE ME--!}

[MN.7 HAS BLOCKED DWN-024.]

Shadow: -Just. Speechless.- (No…)

[…Was this… despair…?

…It was too much for him to take. He had /never/ felt so… hopeless. ]

[Things were looking very grim.]

Mikhail: ({Please… please, let him be alright…})

<MC005 to DR.WHITE>: > -PING!-

<<—Previous——————Table of Contents——————Next—>>

=PROLOGUE C: IT ALL BEGINS NOW=

~AO v1.0~

(Courtesy of @limitbreakers)

<<—Previous——————Table of Contents——————Next—>>

White: MIKHAIL! IT'S HIM! HE'S ALIVE--!

Sanda: WELL DON'T JUST STAND THERE, WILL, ANSWER HIM--

[DR.WHITE] //: MIKHAIL--!

[The feed switched on.]

[…To utter chaos.

The whole family seemed to be there, Russians and Americans alike—the ground was coated in over an inch of solid ice, everyone was in full armor, and three of the brothers seemed to be out cold, sprawled as if they had passed out on the spot.]

[Siam is shouting, as usual.]

Siam: —OBODY PANIC, NOBODY PANIC

Digger: {HOW CAN YOU EXPECT US NOT TO PANIC}

Speedy: THIS IS MONSTROPOLIS ALL OVER—

Gemini: —! EVERYONE SHUT UP THE FEED Siamini: JUST CAME ON!

Mikhail: !!!

White: Mikhail!

Beck: GUYS--

Sanda: Y-You're OK--!

Mikhail: WILL! Thank God you’re alright! What is going on over there?!

Siam: -Talking over Mikhail- What is going on, first we got attacked from your servers and then—

White: We didn't--

Beck: EVERY ROBOT IN THE CITY AND THE COUNTRY IS GOING BANANAS AND I CAN'T CONTACT THE OTHERS AND I FOUGHT A GIANT ROUND DIGGER AND EVERYONE IS GONE--

Sanda: Beck--BECK, CALM DOWN--

Mikhail: {WHAT?!}

[Nico was silently screaming in alarm and panic over the channel. Even Digger—who rarely let his smile leave his face when he was in public—looked terrified.

And Speedy?

Poor Speedy was laying on the ground, curled up in full armor and clutching at his earcaps.]

Speedy: Oh God they’re all going to die

[Pisces was trying to comfort him, but it was in vain.

Everyone’s minds were drawn deep into the fall of Monstropolis—fire and smoke everywhere.]

Speedy: The people are going to kill them all they are going to dIEEEEEEEEEEEEEE—

[And he was screaming, screaming in agonizing despair.]

Speedy: {PLEASE HAVE MERCY PLEASE YOU HAVE TO SAVE THEM}

Beck: -Breathing HARD, the XEL around him reacting erratically-

White: Beck--BREATHE, just...!

Sanda: -tIIIIME TO LOCK ALL THE NON INFECTED XEL IN THE GIANT CANISTERS IN CASE BECK BREAKS DOWN-

[The others were really starting to break down as well. Mikhail was hastily locking the database to prevent a data overload the likes of which Avi had /just/ seen from being sent /Beck’s/ way as well.]

Jaden: -Groveling- I’m begging you not to kill them like that, please have mercy—

Pisces: -Just plain crying, on the inside-

Nico: Oh God help us— Beck, pLEASE, PLEASE DON’T KILL THEM—

[C R A C K]

Beck: -pANICKY NOW-

White: --!!!

Sanda: Ohno--

Mikhail: -SORRY, TRYING TO PREVENT THE SERVER FROM CRASHING-

[Mikhail was doing the best he can, yes...

...But Beck could HEAR the desperation in their voices, their screams, and recalling the stories he wasn't supposed to hear...

...Their voices rose and seemed to entrap him, PLEADS of mercy and terror, growing louder, louder, LOUDER--!]

[C R A C K!]

Beck: ENOUGH!

[THAT garnered an interesting reaction.

Skull created a barrier around himself and his family, while some of the others instinctively summoned weapons to their hands. The look in their eyes was wild—that of cornered, panicked prey.]

[The Xel within the large storage canisters in the lab BURST open, and both Will and Sanda threw up their arms on instinct, as if expecting a repeat of the LAST time Beck had lost his composure...]

[...But the wave of Xel never came.]

Mikhail: …?

[Instead...the Xel paused. Drew TOWARDS the Mighty Number, the same soft, green glow enveloping him...]

Beck: All of you be QUIET!

[Mikhail stands, placing a hand on Keltso’s shoulder as a signal to stand down.]

[XEL ABSORBED.]

Mikhail: … Incredible…

[XEL QUOTA REACHED. XEL PURGE: ONLINE. XELFILTER.EXE HAS BEEN PREPARED FOR OVERDRIVE.]

Mikhail: (Why, it’s like watching Felix…!)

Beck: .......

[ And as Beck stood there, eyes glowing a willful emerald green, coming to terms with what he just did and what was transpiring around him...]

[…Interesting…]

[The green glow seemed to calm the others.

Their own eyes /stopped/ glowing the panicked solid green they had been moments before.]

Beck: . . .

"...Haywire robots...in all 52 states..."

"IT'S BLACKWELL'S FAULT--"

"Hellllooo! Is this thing on?"

[…Screaming. Two voices, screaming in agony—]

“{PLEASE HAVE MERCY PLEASE YOU HAVE TO SAVE THEM}”

"You have tools of which this world--or ANY world--have only just begun to see!"

"USE THEM!"

"Come on--SNAP OUT OF IT--NOW!"

“Let me tell you something, Master Beck.

It is your heart and your build, your purpose, to help others. That is where your greatest power, I think, will always lie.

When you truly believe in your cause, the strength comes to you.

And after all.

You are Mighty.”

Beck: .........

[.....]

[Beck closes his eyes...]

Beck: .....

Beck: I'm...not going to destroy my own family.

[The Rebel Angels did a double take in alert surprise.]

Beck: No...

[When he opened them again--]

[They were a FIERCE bright green, shining with a will and determination that could only be defined as Mighty. ]

Mikhail: …

Mikhail: (I feel like I’ve seen that look before somewhere…)

Beck: I'm going to SAVE them!

[Their eyes seemed glazed over.

…Clearly, this was going to take a moment to process.]

White: .......

Sanda: ........

Mikhail: -Sighs in relief and puts a hand to his face, finally coming out of an adrenaline rush into a hard crash-

Mikhail: …It may take them a few minutes to finish processing that data.

Mikhail: It’s just.

Mikhail: Barely within their comprehension….

Mikhail: [sub]{great heavens I am so tired}[/sub]

Beck: .......

White: .........

Sanda: ......

[......]

White: Beck...

[Mikhail is sitting down heavily, just listening for the time being as he gathered his thoughts.]

White: I...I can't let you go OUT there--

Skull: Nyet.

[They had finished processing, and were MUCH calmer now, if… weary and haunted.]

Skull: -Quietly- {Doctor, you must.}

Skull: {Unless you wish the likes of my [color=blue]cousin[/color] to be created to go in his place.}

White: ---.....

Sanda: .........

Keltso: {It’s true, Doctor. Your family, they are the strongest. Who can stand against them if they wish to fight, unless they themselves also use incredible force?}

Keltso: {Without you all to help keep order, it will fall to others who are…}

Keltso: {LESS compassionate.}

Sanda: .......

Sanda: Will...Will, they're right.

[Sanda turned towards his best friend, who had placed a hand on his son's shoulder...]

Sanda: There's...no other way...

Jaden: …Please…

Jaden: …Doctor, people are already panicked. Beck may be the only way to stop this from becoming a second Monstropolis.

Jaden: And… a-and it’s not unheard of for one boy to take on the world. And win.

Jaden: [sub]…And since he stays in his right mind, Beck’s far better than he could ever hope to be…[/sub]

White: ........

[He seemed--conflicted. On one hand--he SO DESPERATELY wanted to save his sons and daughters as well--]

[...But Beck was ALSO his son.]

[What if...?]

Beck: Dad...

White: ....

[Will kneels, looking at his son in the eye while placing his hands on both of his shoulders, now, almost identical green hues staring into each other.]

Beck: Dad...I...I'm not gonna lie. I'm scared.

Skull: …

Beck: And--to be honest--I...I don't even know if I can DO this...

Beck: ...But...

Beck: I gotta try.

Beck: Because--....losing...

Beck: ...everyone...

Beck: ....scares me WORSE.

[Speedy looks…

Heartbroken.]

Speedy: (…When it reaches that point…. It’s almost like life isn’t worth living anymore…)

Beck: Dad, I...I don't...I have to...I LOVE them, Dad, I have to TRY. I HAVE to.

Beck: They aren't--themselves, this isn't their fault--!

Digger: -Drills whirr in memory of his own brainwashed chaos- :’ (

Beck: I have to TRY and SAVE them, Dad! WHO ELSE WILL?!

White: . . . .

[Tears...]

Beck: Please...!

[......]

White: ....

White: Soi?

Sanda: ...Yes?

White: Please tell me the teleporters are still working.

Beck: --!

[…!!!]

White: We're going to need them.

[Mikhail stands abruptly, speaking sharply.]

Mikhail: {WAIT!}

[This startles his family members, as he’s speaking VERY sharply—with authority.]

Mikhail: {Will you can’t use the same frequencies as before—}

White: --Of course not--

Mikhail: {Avi has control over the signals, and if he interferes with THAT, it would KILL them!}

White: Yes--I figured that--we've seen his 'news report'.

Sanda: -tHIS IS NEWS TO HIM- WHAT?!

Mikhail: …

Mikhail: …He may be out of commission for a while, but I doubt it will be for long—

Sanda: Wait, what—

Mikhail: -Dryly- He made a critical mistake.

Mikhail: And paid… VERY dearly for it.

White: ....

White: ....So...the screaming--

Mikhail: Yes. That was the two of them.

[Toby was...offline--]

White: --!!!

White: He...no...

Mikhail: When he broke through—the cross that this family bears… was pressed onto HIS shoulders.

Mikhail: It was more than he could bear.

Beck: ----!!! No--! AVI!!

Mikhail: There’s a /reason/, friends, why we tried very hard to downplay what we’ve been through…

Mikhail: And, well. Now he knows. And he’ll remember it ever after, when he snaps out of it.

White: --.....

[His son....]

White: A-Aviator...

Sanda: -Places a hand on his shoulders-

White: .......

Beck: ...Dad...

White: ....-loooong sigh-

[White shakes his head and slumps down to sit on several boxes labeled with the Sanda logo, his hands on his face...]

White: My family...

[....It...]

[It was...almost like LAST time...]

[His family was....!]

Sanda: Will...

[Sanda walks over and sits beside him, an arm around his shoulders.]

Sanda: Will...it's going to be alright.

White: ......

Sanda: You've got me in your corner, remember? ^^

[Ah, there it is. That old Sanda positive optimism and charm.]

Sanda: I'm ALWAYS here for you, you know that!

Sanda: So of COURSE I'm going to help you!

White: ......

Sanda: What are best friends FOR after all. We're in this mess together... So we might as well stick together too, right?

White: ....

White: Heh...

White: What would I do without you, Soi...?

Sanda: Ooooh, I don't know--probably working yourself ragged, that's what.

White: -chuckles softly-

White: .....

White: ...Thank you, Soi.

Sanda: Anytime, Will. Anytime.

Beck: -Smiles-

Mikhail: …Will?

Mikhail: Remember what I told you?

-*-*-*-*-*-

Mikhail: Listen…

Mikhail: If anything ever goes that wrong for you,

Mikhail: I /promise/ you I will help you find a way to fix it.

-*-*-*-*-*-

White: ...Heh...right... I remember...

Sanda: Ya see, Will?!

Mikhail: Though…

Mikhail: -Sighs- Tobias is… out cold, so getting back in contact once Avi regains strength is not going to be an easy feat.

Sanda: .....!

Mikhail: It’s going to take me a while to go through his coding to make sure it hasn’t been disrupted. And even then, I… don’t know if I will revive him right away.

Keltso: … What? But Father—! Why not?!

Mikhail: …Because, my son—he is his father’s son.

Mikhail: He is impulsive, impatient, and passionate.

Mikhail: He very nearly got sent Offline the last time his friends were in danger, remember?

White: ...Quite so...

Mikhail: I do not know what Dyna’s situation might be, but undoubtedly he would… try to stop her, in some manner.

Mikhail: …which would be dangerous for /both/ of them and likely severely emotionally damaging to Lady Dyna long term…

Sanda: -pALES at the thought-

Digger: -Drill whir- : (

Digger: Doctors American…

Digger: …To lose control, from outside force.

Digger: Very hurt much, yes bad. :’C

Digger: … -Can’t. Just can’t. It’s hitting too close to home, here-

[aaAAAAND HE SUDDENLY STARTS TALKING VERY INTENSELY.]

Digger: It is frightening, and horrid!

White: --!!

Digger: I only survived because Cardinal spared my life, faked my death for me—

Digger: All the others, the ones he didn’t reach—they were all dead, but we all have to carry—

Digger: It will be no easy thing, once they recover, for to be returned to right mind does not take away the sins. It will hurt them, badly.

Digger: …

Digger: -Sadly- you must… be ready for that….

White: ........

Sanda: ......

Beck: ......... (Guys....it's....I swear...it's not your fault...)

Mikhail: Yet another reason why we have to stay out of this, boys…

White: ........

White: ........

White: ................

[Stay....out of this...]

Mikhail: We don’t want the Avi-like incident repeating with the other numbers. It will be hard enough to carry without hurting close friends in the process…

Nico: …Good luck getting Shadow to agree. -Looks down at said brother- Maybe we should keep him Offline, too?

Skull: …At least, until Brandish is better…

[…]

[… … …]

[…There seemed to be.

Something missing…

…

…UH-OH.]

White: -sUDDENLY VERY PANICKED-

White: MIKHAIL.

Mikhail: …?

Mikhail: …

White: WHERE IS CARDINAL?

[A moment of pause.]

Mikhail: -oH GEEZ— - …No…

Siam: No…! No no no no no no no—

Mikhail: CARDINAL!

Sanda: ohhhNO--

Beck: Cards--!

<RMDC>: >ERROR: DLN-000 SIGNAL NOT FOUND.

[There was no response.]

Siam: WHERE IS HE?!

Mikhail: SHUT DOWN THE TELEPORTERS, NOW!

[The Doctor was running off toward the complex in the background.]

Mikhail: For all that is good in the world, PLEASE let him be in the lab—!

White: Beck--

Beck: He's not answering--!

Sanda: -pANIIIIC-

[Nico was hovering by now, eyes glowing in distress.]

Nico: I thought he’d been awfully reserved from his usual commentary—!

White: He....oh no...he must...he must have...!

[...Nearly all of the Mighty Numbers had been taken by the virus...]

[...Including Countershade.]

Skull: … -With surprising amount of emotion for him- {My God.}

Keltso: -Also with surprising amount of emotion, though it’s clearly more on the “anger” side than the “fear” side- {We should have seen this coming, they’re practically twins.}

Skull: …

Keltso: -rAEG- {CARDINAL!}

Keltso: {YOU SELFISH BASTARD—!}

Beck: He's gone after Shade--!

Sanda: --IS HE SERIOUS--

White: .........

Keltso: {WE NEEDED YOU /HERE/, DAMMIT—}

Digger: -OI, OI, WE DO NOT CALL THE COUSIN WHO SAVED OUR LIVES SUCH NAMES— -

Keltso: {THEY HAVE NO WAY OF KNOWING!}

Keltso: THEY’RE GOING TO THINK HE’S AN INFECTED XELBOT, JUST LIKE THE OTHERS—

Keltso: My God, your military is going to KILL HIM!

White: ..........

Beck: NO!

Sanda: Will, what is Eight's status?!

White: .....

White: I...I don't know.

[There is dismayed shouting.]

White: It's COUNTERSHADE, Soi! I don't KNOW!

[After a few moments, the feed abruptly cut to the Meadow Lab.

Drawers and equipment lay scattered everywhere, as if the place had been raided.

…Which was an apt description. Not only was Cardinal gone…]

Siam: -Cries out in alarm, rushing over- NO! THE RESEARCH!

[Nico’s system screeched in feedback as they looked in dismay on the empty units.

All the E-Tanks AND the Power Capsules were… gone.

Even the prototypes of the Tanks that Siam had been trying to make.

Cardinal had cleared the place out.]

Mikhail: He took the ENTIRE emergency stock with him—?!

Nico: Has he lost his MIND?!

Keltso: -Hotly- What the glitch does he think he’s DOING?!

Skull: -Eyes burning- He’s going to get himself killed.

Mikhail: My God, we’ve got to get him out of there—

Gemini: I can’t find his signal—!

White: I have NOTHING on this side either--!

Sanda: -sCRAMBLING FOR THE TERMINAL-

Beck: -REPEATEDLY PINGING CARDS, PLEASE ANSWER-

[There is no response.

…Not just “no response,” either.

It’s like the reception had been turned off entirely, like it simply never reached a destination.]

Beck: !?

[For—as a survival feature—ALL the AI&As of his world…

…were able to turn reception and outgoing signals off entirely.]

[Doing so cut them off from the world, reducing them to the more human senses—

—but it also forced others to rely on those same senses to track them.]

[And he had evaded such efforts for twenty YEARS.]

White: ............

White: I...can't find him...

Sanda: BLAST IT--!

Beck: C...cards....

Mikhail: … -Sounds very… resigned- …Nor will you.

Mikhail: …He is not just a Combat construct.

Mikhail: He is military.

Mikhail: And one of the features all AI&As have—just for survival’s sake, as they are hunted—

Mikhail: …is to turn off all wireless transmission—ingoing AND outgoing.

Mikhail: He doesn’t want to be found. He has a mission directive, and he won’t let anyone stop him from completing it. -Slight groan- I’ve seen him like this before. Last time, he traveled half the world—certainly most of Europe and parts of Africa—before he was finished.

Mikhail: He was being sought by the CIA, KGB, and God knows who else…. They never found him.

Mikhail: …

Mikhail: The only way we’ll know where he is…

Mikhail: Is either by his return, or his destruction.

White: ....Unless we figure out where Shade is first...but even THAT is a nigh impossible task...

Sanda: ........

Beck: ....

White: Dear God, Cardinal--...please be alright...

Pisces: …

Pisces: -Slowly- …lasted this long.

Pisces: Fought military before. Police before. Feds before. Even [color=cadetblue] him [/color] b’fore.

Pisces: …Don’t think we’ll find Shade b’fore Cardinal does. We’re all focused on big picture. He’s just focused on Shade. Simple resource distribution comparison.

Pisces: …Plus he seems to know a bit more than at least we do of how Shade thinks and stuff…

Skull: …

Skull: … -Dryly- That’s Shade under /normal/ circumstances.

Pisces: -Flatly- Fine. Viper, then.

White: . . . .

Beck: [sub]....Pisces does have a point...[sub]

Beck: ...Cards could be our best shot at finding Shade....

Pisces: … I know my brother pretty well. He’s… gonna be moving, constantly, staying out of the way unless forced. He only uses force when he has to—to keep the element of surprise. So that people underestimate him. …You guys have no idea what he’s /really/ capable of.

Pisces: But. T’ give you an idea. Basically trying to fight all the rest of us. At once. With teleportation.

Nico: -Grumbles- Yeah, I’m glad we didn’t STAY infected, ESPECIALLY him…

White: --?!? What?!

Sanda: So it DID try to--

Speedy: Dude. The SandaEnterprises Database (White Server) uploaded a corrupt file to the RMDC.

Siam: It didn’t work, but it activated the closest equivalents—

Gemini: The DLN_COMBAT.EXE program and the DWN_COMBAT.EXE/PLAN_M initiative.

Siam: …Basically, the thing that causes 001 to become Death, and the forced “fight to the death” clause Dad put in to counteract it.

Sanda: ..........

White: n...no...

[If it had done THAT to THEM...

Then...who knows...what it could have done to....]

Siam: -sUDDEN THOUGHT— - (CARMEN!)

Beck: --!!!!

White: --!!!!!

Sanda: NOT--

Siam: -Turns sharply- Doctor!

Mikhail: -A bit surprised by the sudden alarm- What?

Siam: Is FMN-008 connected to the RMDC?! The FMN series?!

Mikhail: …

Mikhail: …I don’t think so.

Mikhail: They do have access to Paige, but I hadn’t made entries for them in the RMDC as of yet…

White: .........

Mikhail: She had just been using Shade’s access codes the whole time.

White: ....Mikhail....

White: ....if this is happening to us...

Mikhail: …I know, Will. I know. But we can only handle one apocalypse at a time, my friend. And remember…they’re not as… integrated as we are to the point where time would run parallel. For all we know, it’s several months later for them. Or three weeks ago.

Mikhail: I’ll have Lady Ky look into the temporal status of that timeline.

Skull: -Slowly- I think if Carmen were to get as mad as we were…

Skull: …she’d probably go around castrating a bunch of guys before anything else…

White: ......-wINCES-

Sanda: oh dear--

Beck: -eRK-

Skull: -Looks up- Gotta remember, she was…

Skull: …Pretty sensitive to being given a hard time by guys, either for her looks or behavior.

Skull: … [sub]including her Brandish, even, THAT doesn’t seem like it would end too well, oh dear[/sub]

Mikhail: -Shakes his head- We have enough to worry over without going into “what-if”s.

Mikhail: I would say my youngest son’s insight is correct, however—which is as much of a blessing as we are going to get, because it means she will leave well enough alone, and none of her siblings have any motivation to come here.

Mikhail: …I wonder…

White: ....? Yes? What is it?

Mikhail: …There IS one person who might know.

Jaden: … -Confused- I thought you said you didn’t want to risk sending any viruses to the other timeline.

Mikhail: I’m not talking about Will’s counterpart.

Mikhail: I’m talking about Dencerjack.

White: .....

White: .....Jack....

[There was a brief pause.]

Mikhail: …Jack’s not answering the number in the database.

Mikhail: He must have moved out, or else doesn’t want to answer a strange call. We won’t be getting answers there.

Skull: -Monotone- I suppose we’ll find out if we hear of any mysterious deaths with lipstick left on the victims.

White: .....

Sanda: (Have mercy....)

Beck: -sad, SAD DATA, SIIIIIS-

Keltso: …

Keltso: So now what.

Sanda: Hmm.....

Mikhail: -Looks over at his son-

Keltso: -Shakes his head and sighs- Father…

Keltso: The family leader for our cousins is gone. His bodyguard has fainted. His technician is in critical condition.

Keltso: We cannot go over there in /person/, nor bring them /here/—not while MNN-006 controls the frequencies.

Keltso: -Starting to show irritation- What is there to /do/?!

Mikhail: -Aaand now we place a hand on Rage’s shoulder, calm, son, calm-

Sanda: .......

Sanda: -SNAPS FINGERS-

Siam: ?

Sanda: It's a long shot, but while Avi is still recovering--

[Sanda works away on his terminal, White looking over his shoulder to see what he was doing. Meanwhile, Beck was still trying to contact his siblings--to no avail, of course, but it didn't stop him from still trying.]

Mikhail: -Somewhat curious- You have something in mind, Doctor?

Sanda: I'm going to see if I can contact my brother at the head office in Tokyo...

Mikhail: …! Ah, yes—

[Despite the situation, he couldn’t help but smile.]

Mikhail: You know, Dr. Sanda, I heard it mentioned you had a brother…

[Keltso suddenly looks majorly embarrassed.]

————————

White: Ah, I see. I'll do my best to work around his schedule, so that he may get as much rest as possible.

Siam: -Amused- Do your sons ever have to enforce your curfew, Doctor White, to make sure you get some sleep?

White: Er, W-Well....

Sanda: Are you kidding me, I'M the one that has to remind him to get to bed!

White: And....Beck as well.

<DCN-007>: >?

[Data stream.

Family tree image showing White and Sanda as brothers.]

Siam: -Bursts out laughing-

Sanda: (-LAUGHING OH JEEZ-)

White: (-WAIT WHAT NO-)

Siam: -Fans wheezing- He means that as an inquiry. bwaaaahahaaaaha/haaaaaa/…

White: Sanda isn't...my brother, no...! I mean, I've known him since high school, but...

Sanda: (-HE'S STILL LAUGHING PFFFT-)

Siam: Hee hee… Oh, goodness, I can’t wait to see the three of them have a science sleepover and then… hee hee… -Just shaking with laughter- Like the Second Gens!

Sanda: (-OK ok he's calming down now-) Ahah...oooooh, man. I'm sorry, it's just...!

Sanda: I actually have a twin brother of my own, and I'm just imagining HIM HEARING THIS HAHAHA--

<DCN-007>: >!

[Picture of Siamini]

Siam: Something like that, I imagine. Is he like you, Doctor?

Sanda: We're identical twins, yes! His name is Seijiro Sanda. He's the CEO of Sanda Enterprises's main office in Tokyo!

————————

Keltso: -WHY, DAD, WHY- -NOW WE ARE RED WITH SHAAAAAME-

Siam: -Gleeful pinging- Oh, I Gemini: remember Siamini: THAT Siam: conversation!~

Siam: I still think it’d be funny to see Gemini: the three of you in a sleepover.

Mikhail: -Cracks up a little at that-

White: Heh...

Sanda: -caNT HELP BUT CHUCKLE WHILE HE WORKS-

Sanda: Heh--Seji would like that too, I think--I just hope he's alright. I know this whole mess only seems to be centralized here in America but you never know...

Digger: -Russian shouting- {BECK MY DAD CAN BEAT YOUR DAD IN VIDEO GAMES} :^D

Mikhail: -Strained snort-

Keltso: … {He gets that from /you/ somehow, you know…}

Mikhail: {No, that’s something he got from your mother, my son.}

[.............]

Beck: .....

White: .....?

Beck: Huh? Oh--sorry. I wasn't listening...

[-PING!-]

???: {-PANICKED JAPANESE YELLING-}

[A holoscreen feed was brought up, and a man almost identical to Soi appeared on the screen, looking less than calm. The only key differences was the slightly different hairstyle--and the sharp business suit.]

???: {SOICHIRO--CAN YOU HEAR ME?!}

[Mikhail blinked as the feed entered multi-window mode, with Soi, White, and Beck in one half, and the Seiji in the other half.]

Skull: … -Looks down at the ground where Shadow, Snow, and Tobias are (still) passed out- ({…This is probably not the best way to make a first impression.})

Soi: {Seijiro--}

Seiji: {OH THANK THE STARS YOU'RE ALRIGHT--! I've been trying to contact you for HOURS but most of the signals and feeds are down--WILL!}

Mikhail: ({Similar temperaments, alright…})

White: -AHEM takes a moment to remember our Japanese-

White: {I'm alright, Mr. Sanda--please, take a moment to calm down, though we might not have much time on our hands...}

Skull: -Is discretely getting his brothers and Siam to help move the Offline AI&As out of view of the feed-

[Seiji takes out a small handkerchief to wipe his forehead a bit, taking a few deep breaths to calm himself.]

Seiji: {Yes, yes...I apologize, I was just so worried after that... broadcast...}

Seiji: ........

[He switches to English.]

Seiji: Is it...true? Has Avi really....

Mikhail: … -Quietly, though still loud enough to be heard- Yes. Unfortunately so.

Seiji: ......

Seiji: And who is--

Soi: Reeeeeemember the friend Will and I made that I told you about....?

Soi: Mikhail, Seijiro--Seijiro, Mikhail. Sorry you both had to meet in these circumstances....

Mikhail: Михаил Сергеевич Казак, at your service. Or, Ｄｒ．ミハイル・セルゲイビッチ・コサック, as you might say it.

Mikhail: MNN-006 is currently disabled after a tragic conflict with DLN-008; but he will likely recover before too long. Some things will have to wait until later to be explained.

Seiji: ...Yes, yes, of course...I understand. What is the current situation?

White: ...There appears to be some kind of virus outbreak that infected our servers here in the American Branch--which in turn, infected other servers and the like. It's causing nearly every robot to malfunction and act aggressively--even civilian and industrial models have been affected. The only robot that is immune to the ongoing virus is...Mighty No. 9, Beck.

Beck: ....Hi, Mr. Sanda...

Mikhail: Sadly, it affected the rest of the series. They appear to be dispersed.

Mikhail: One of the DLN series has also gone missing, likely having gone out to seek No. 8.

Seiji: ....

Seiji: So even....the Mighty Number line...

White: .... Yes. They've...all gone somewhere else. I don't know where they are at the moment, and some of the other numbers have no status whatsoever...such as Mic.

Seiji: .....

Seiji: And...Call?

White: I--

White: ....

White: Soi--where IS Call?

Soi: She's in the east wing. Offline, at the moment--

Beck: Offline?!

Nico: Uh…

Nico: Who’s “Call"?

Mikhail: …! (Uh-oh.)

White: --! -OH NO WE FORGOT--

Digger: -LOUDLY- COUSIN COME HELP WITH ELECTRIC BROTHER.

Nico: Uh—

Digger: YES GOOD -Drags Nico off-

Skull: … -Russian- {You all do realize you’re going to have to confront that eventually, right?}

Siam: Perhaps, but not /today/, now is /not/ a good time, one disaster at a time, please. >__>

Seiji: ....???

White: We'll explain that later too.

Seiji: .....

Beck: -AHEM WHY IS MY BEST FRIEND\SISTER-COUSIN OFFLINE?! -

Soi: Well....

Jaden: (This is where Felix would say “It’s A Long Story”—man, I wonder if he’s still sick…)

Soi: Before this all started--several minutes before, in fact--today she was due for a firmware update....so I shut down her systems for it can install properly...

Mikhail: Wait.

Soi: --?

Mikhail: Are you saying she was in technological isolation when this happened?

Soi: In a way--Yes, but...since the lab's systems are mostly down, I can't know for sure if she's been...or even IF the firmware update completed before it all started...

Soi: ......

Mikhail: -Becomes quiet, apparently thinking this over- … -Murmuring- I’d offer to help in that regard, but I’m afraid I’m out of the country at the moment…

Seiji: ......

White: ...We'll have to bring her back online in a sealed room--so if she IS infected, Beck can bring her back to normal using his assimilation and filter program. We will definitely need her support, Soi.

Soi: I know, I know...

Mikhail: Speaking of support. I will help however I can, but that will be limited to how long we can stay in contact.

Mikhail: -Russian, as he is banking on Seiji not knowing it- {You know why it would be a bad idea for my sons to come over—thankfully, at least THEY will listen to me. Unlike a certain red bird we know.}

White: Hmm....

Beck: I can go do that with her right now, Dad. If anyone can handle Call in combat...

Soi: .....

Soi: Beck?

[…Theeeeee RUSSIANS SEEM TO TAKE A DEFENSIVE STANCE AT THAT.]

Soi: ....If she is...not well... please be careful she's my little girl--

Beck: I will. Promise.

[As Beck moves away from the terminal, Soi turns back to his brother.]

Soi: Seiji...we could use all the help we can get. Can you do anything for us right now? Anything at all?

[........]

Seiji: .....I....

Seiji: I'm sorry, Soichiro...please understand. If things are as bad as you say they are, then....

Seiji: The Japanese government won't let us intervene unless we know the exact CAUSE of the malfunctions--and how to combat the virus en masse...

Mikhail: -Sighs, but clearly not at all surprised- : |

Soi: ....

Soi: ...I...I was afraid of that.

Soi: ...But it makes sense.... If you send more robots overseas, THEY could get infected too, making everything even worse.

Mikhail: And there is little enough human resources to go around…

White: ......

White: Just to confirm, Mr. Sanda.

Seiji: Yes?

White: If we can isolate the cause of the robot rampage--you WILL send aid?

Mikhail: -Perks up at this-

[Seijiro nods.]

Seijiro: Absolutely. Anything we can do.

Mikhail: Will— -Somewhat eagerly- {Even if I wouldn’t be able to report it right away, I would be able to help study it. For every action, an equal and opposite reaction—}

[Aaaand he’s talking absentmindedly and rapidly in Russian about comparing and contrasting the strain with the DLN_COMBAT.EXE program and the notes he had from what Will had been teaching him about coding with Xel.]

Skull: -Politely, for Seiji’s sake- Father says he will help figure that out.

White: {Ah--I was actually going to ask!}

Seiji: -....and now we wish we took Russian instead of French in our second languages class- Thank you, Dr. Cossack. Thank you.

Siam: Doctor, Doctor—

Siam: I know it’s important but I /beg/ your help to fix Tobias first, to make sure Aviator didn’t fatally damage his Awareness coding. D: Gemini: I can’t code as well as you do.

Mikhail: —… -Small, quiet sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose a little- Right, of course. Sorry, Will, it may be delayed be a day or two, but… I don’t think it would take much longer than that. {Time warps, and all that.}

White: That's alright. I understand. I can handle things until then.

Seiji: ....It sounds as if you already have a plan in mind, Will.

White: More or less.

Mikhail: …It would be important for us to know what that is, given there are already a number of independently [color=brick]moving[/color] [color=cadetblue]parts[/color]…

White: Hmm.

White: I would like to have No. 9 present as soon as he--

[-PING!-]

Mikhail: ?

[CALL IS NOW ONLINE. STATUS: NORMAL.]

[MN.9] //: GUYS GOOD NEWS SHE'S OK! : D

Soi: CALL--

Siam: -Pings in approval-

[Therrrre he goes!]

Mikhail: -Smiles- (I had thought as much, but hadn’t dared to hope…!) {Good news amidst the darkness. The sun still shines out there somewhere. We’ll drag it out from behind the clouds, if that’s what it takes.}

[CALL] //: .....

[CALL] //: I detect distressed emotions in various vocal patters of all present. Is something wrong, Dr. Sanda?

[MN.9] //: Lemmie fill you in on what's going on, Call...it's...not good.

[UPDATING...]

[CALL] //: ........

[CALL] //: Analyzing....

Siam: …Tobias will need time to recover, I’m afraid… but I am sure we can fix the damage.

Gemini: … [sub]The “physical” damage, at any rate…[/sub]

[CALL] //: ............

[......]

[-PING!-]

[CALL] //: I have been informed of the current situation. I will assist in any way I can, Doctors.

Soi: Attagirl! ^^

Mikhail: -Turns his attention to Will- You were saying?

White: -Ahem- We will be sending Beck to save all of his fellow Mighty Numbers, as he is the only combat model available to face them at the moment--

[-PING-]

[CALL] //: I am also registered as a combat model.

Mikhail: -Can’t help but smile at this- Dearest Sanda daughter… It is psychologically important to the Whites to be able to handle the matter internally if possible.

[CALL] //: ..........

[CALL] //: ..........

[MN.9] //: Call--I'd really like for you to have my back...

[MN.9] //: ...But this is WAY too dangerous and the Doctors need you here. No one can sort through data like you can, you give even AVI a run for his money.

[MN.9] //: ....Plus...you don't have my assimilation ability.

[MN.9] //: ...and I don't want you REALLY getting infected either...

Mikhail: Ah, is that so? I didn’t know she was so skilled at data analysis. Though to be fair, you haven’t told us much about her…

Mikhail: With both Aviator and Tobias out of the picture and Siamini busy with other projects, that role is in desperate need of being maintained.

[CALL] //: ...... Confirmed.

[CALL] //: I shall remain here and assist with data analysis and navigational support for No. 9.

[MN.9] //: .... Thanks, Call.

White: Right....

Siam: The support role may not be glorious, DSN-000, but it is an important one.

Gemini: [sub]As I can say from experience…[/sub]

[CALL] //: ... Inquiry---

White: AS I was saying... (We really do not have time for stories, Call.)

<DWN-019 to DSN-000>: >It might be best to ask directly for now, and let the humans talk amongst themselves.

White: Beck will be tracking down his fellow Mighty Numbers. His assimilation ability should filter any and all irregularities in his siblings' programming.

Mikhail: -Has his arms crossed, eyes closed, and head lowered- ({Hopefully, he’ll find Cardinal in the process, too. BEFORE he ends up getting himself destroyed.})

White: If we can gather and study multiple samples of the virus's coding from the Mighty Numbers themselves...

White: Perhaps we can isolate the cause of the problem.

Mikhail: -Nods in agreement- We shall help in that analysis as best we can.

White: Once we've identified the root of the malfunctions, we can work on some way to combat it. Be it in the form of a anti-virus program or whatever else we can come up with. Meanwhile, Soi can help repair the rescued Mighty Numbers while I study the code along with Mikhail--once he finishes repairing DLN-008.

Soi: -Nods- Hmm. I'll do what I can with the non-infected Xel we have on stock.

Seiji: ....But...

Seiji: Are you SURE you will have sufficient Xel for ALL the Mighty Numbers?

Mikhail: From what I understand, Seijiro—Number Nine can cleanse infected Xel. So, yes.

Mikhail: And in fact, one moment…

[He starts typing away at the console.

A few moments later, the Xel canisters that were in the Meadow show up next to Will.]

Mikhail: That may help somewhat.

Soi: !!!

White: ! Ah! {The supply in the Meadow--I had nearly forgotten...}

Mikhail: {You may need it. …It’s the least I can give, since I can’t go over there in person.}

Mikhail: I promised you, once, to help you fix it if things ever went “that wrong”. I stand by that now. We will bring your children home, Will. {And, God willing, Cardinal as well.}

Mikhail: -Sloppy sad smile- {Though he does almost see you as a father now, himself. Even though you are about the same age.}

Mikhail: -Definitely amused- {Apparently you function as the scolding “this is a bad idea” part of his conscience. He’s picked up a lot from Shade, to be sure, heh heh.}

White: (....He...does...?)

[...He paused for a moment, as if to mull over that for a second--when he remembers something from earlier.]

White: Incidentally, I did manage to catch a bit of news on the way here. It's something I don't think I've told you yet, Soi.

Soi: ...?

Mikhail: ?

White: The president of Cherry Dynamics is insisting the cause of the malfunctions is... Dr. Blackwell.

Mikhail: -Snorts- Oh, right, that. To be honest…

Mikhail: -Turns to look behind him- Carlos was yelling so loudly in Spanish, and Shadow in Japanese, that we didn’t hear the full broadcast.

Speedy: ^^;

Soi: What??

Soi: That's-- -sputters- --poppycock!

Mikhail: Of course he would say something like that. What could he be hiding about his company?

Mikhail: Cardinal is convinced that he and CherryDyn are connected to some sort of great darkness. While we are prone to paranoia, his behavior certainly isn’t helping his case.

Mikhail: I’d help you with these shark-infested waters like I did last time—

Seiji: I'd thank you properly for that but I'm afraid time is short. What about Dr. Blackwell, Soi?

Soi: Dr. Blackwell may be a genius but he can't POSSIBLY be behind this! Not THIS time, at least--

White: Soi... you must admit, there ARE similarities to his LAST plot to...shut down every robot in America...

Mikhail: Will.

Soi: You mean how they both originated at the Battle Colosseum?

Mikhail: I do believe Siamini already discussed with you the likely /cause/ of his last attempt.

[Woah, what’s with the sudden coldness there]

White: .......I know, Mikhail. But we must consider all possibilities--

Soi: Will--he was caught and arrested! Even Ben isn't clever enough to pull this off from inside a maximum security prison!

White: Exactly.

[Mikhail pinches the bridge of his nose. He looks weary, in an impatient way.]

Mikhail: -Warning tone- Will…

White: Which is why I wonder why Mr. Graham seemed so certain. He is OBVIOUSLY hiding something, we know that much--

[KKKSSSSSSST!!!]

Mikhail: !

Mikhail: Nyet, nyet, nyet—!

Mikhail: {Not NOW!}

"MISS ME, GOOD DOCS?!"

White: AVI!

“STOP."

Mikhail: !

[He turns around to see Jaden striding forward.]

Jaden: He isn’t himself. Please, don’t get angry with him.

[MN.6] //: Ooo, nice drills ya got there. Kinda rings a bell.

[MN.6] //: AAAANYWAY--whatever your little sparky friend did REALLY ruined my good mood.

Siam: -Hotly- It’s whatever YOU did, Number Six— he did WARN you.

<DWN-013 to DWN-019>: >Shut up, little brother. He’s not himself.

Jaden: Avi, don’t blame yourself for this. Tobias will be fine once you are. Remember that, once you get over it.

[MN.6] //: ; D

[MN.6] //: Pfft, get over what? Kinda missing some context, here, drill hands.

Jaden: -Slight smile- Of course you are. But it won’t stay that way, will it?

Jaden: You seem like the investigative reporter type, after all.

[MN.6] //: Stillllll don't get it, but yeah! Seems my MIGHTY rep proceeds me, huh?~

Jaden: You could say that.

Jaden: …What exactly are you planning to do, Avi? Mind enlightening the uneducated masses, here?

Mikhail: ({My stars, is he patient. He certainly got his father’s way with words, that’s for sure.})

[MN.6] //: Heh...

[MN.6] //: Avi News is gonna take off, drill hands. At long LAST.

[MN.6] //: ...I'd tell you more but that would be a MAJOR spoiler alert right there.

[MN.6] //: So. Ya know. Stay tuned.~

Jaden: Oh, so we’ll have to stay tuned, then? -Whirr whirr- Hard to do that if the cable’s out.

[MN.6] //: Oh, trust me, I'll make SURE the cable works--

[MN.6] //: Avi News is gonna be every hour on the hour, 24/7! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!~

<DWN-019>: > Yeah. GREAT job you did there.

Mikhail: -Facepalm- ({Aaaaaand his father’s propensity for things backfiring on him.})

<DWN-013>: >Oh, be quiet, pretty boy. Tobias wouldn’t be happy to come back to learn Avi was hating himself for things we had said while he was sick.

[MN.6] //: Better get used to this voice, ladies and gentlemen! It's all you're gonna hear over the feeds for the REST of your lives.~

[…

Jaden laughs at this. He sounds very amused.]

[MN.6] //: Somethin' funny? Cuz I can do comedy too!

Jaden: Well, perhaps. But that, too, would be, as you put it…

Jaden: A spoiler alert.

Jaden: I guess I’ll just have to call back later, won’t I.

[MN.6] //: NOW you're getting it!

[MN.6] //: Welp, gotta fly! On a tight script, ya know. Oh...

[MN.6] //: And Lil bro?~

[MN.9] //: --!! [...The same dark tone used for Tobias was present in his next words.]

[MN.6] //: Don't be late.

[KKKSSSSSSST!]

[WARNING: SERVER SIGNAL NOT FOUND.]

Mikhail: -Sighs- {At least we got some things done.}

[The Russian Doctor shakes his head and walks off to start working on repairs for Tobias. The others do likewise… save for Jaden.

He just stands there, in front of the feed.]

<DWN-013 to MNN-006>: >Took you a bit longer than I expected to get back on your feet, Airman.

[MN.6 To DWN-013] //: No comment, drill hands. Now shut it, trying to work here.

[Jaden just gives a cold smile, though the way his eyes are glowing suggests more of a smirk.]

Jaden: (Try to work all you want, Turbine. You won’t stay in control of Avi forever.)

<<—Previous——————Table of Contents——————Next—>>

=CHAPTER 5A: DESOLATE HIGHWAY=

~AO v1.0~

(Courtesy of @limitbreakers)

<<—Previous——————Table of Contents——————Next—>>

[SANDA LABS...]

[The lower parts of the building—the labs and underground, as well as most of the floors above were secure, though perhaps there was a few rouge trash bots wandering around here and there, which were quickly dealt with when Beck found them.]

[...But he wasn't here in the storage area for just that. It was the only room big enough for the Round Digger that Beck had first purified way...]

[...Way back? It FELT like it.]

Beck: Hey, buddy...

[The CDN beeped happily as it saw him approach.]

Beck: You seem to be doing OK...that's good...

[Beck patted the larger robot on it's spherical side, rather glad that it was still functioning perfectly well. It also reassured him a little.]

[...He was worried that his...his ability to filter out irregularities in other systems wasn't permanent, or that the virus was stronger than he thought...]

[...But the big guy seemed OK, and that means his family would be OK too.]

Beck: ......

[…Even if it may be a bit complicated for a while.

The whole fusion thing with Avi and Tobias had prompted Dr. Cossack to come over to assist in the repairs. All that he would say were vague remarks about side effects and the nature of the RMDC.

He was in the lab now, looking over more of Avi’s coding, with help from Will.

He seemed confident the problem would be fixed soon—and Beck sure hoped so.

The “side effects” that Siam had mentioned were a lot worse than just Tobias getting sensory data from Avi’s feeds.]

-*-*-*-*-*-*-

“Nowhere left to run, anymore. Heh… talk about pathetic. You’re a disgrace t’ robots everywhere, you sniveling ragtag group a’ cowards.”

[Panic. Sheer panic. Terror. Trapped.]

“A hunt this borin’ ain’t worth m’ time, so…. Let’s play a little game, shall we? S’ called…”

[A loud click noise.]

“ ‘Which one a’ you Wily scrapheaps will take the longest t’ die?’”

-*-*-*-*-*-*-

[Whatever it was that had caused all the Rebel Angels to wake up screaming in the middle of the night, it definitely wasn’t something anyone wanted to show up in Avi’s feeds a second time.]

Beck: -Sighs-

[At least they were making progress. That had to count for something.]

[...A LOT of things had happened back there, on the Radio Tower, against Avi...]

[For one, it appeared his 'filter' had somehow fixed Avi's and Tobias's fusion, though he was still rather confused as to why...]

[For another...]

-------------------------

[XEL OVERRIDE INITIATED.]

[MN.6'S WEAPONS SYSTEMS HAVE BEEN DISABLED.]

--------------------------

[What in the WORLD was that...?

He was kinda glad that the Angels were all distracted with Tobias (and whatever else Siam was up to), because he had a feeling it would SERIOUSLY freak them out if they knew about it. It was freaky enough as it was—and if anyone were to ask about it, he just didn’t know the answer!]

[He just...he just didn't know and it scared him.]

[...And on top of that, he had no one that he could ask at the moment.]

[Was this--was this just another 'ability' that had been awakened, like the rest? Or was this...]

[Was this something more?]

Beck: Ugh...

[He slumped against the Round Digger, and rubbed his face in clear worry and weariness. He felt tired even though all his systems were green now, and he knew that...this wasn't going to be over anytime soon.]

[Still.]

[He had a promise to uphold, they still NEEDED him, they all did. He was the only, only one that can do this.]

Beck: (Jeez...I don't think I've EVER been this tired...)

Beck: (I could... I could really use a nap or...yeah.)

Beck: ...-Sigh-

Beck: Take it like a Mighty, Beck...

[The CDN beeped in concern, and seemed to rev it's engine as a way of comforting the small construct with a bit of background noise.]

Beck: Thanks...

Beck: .....

Beck: (I should probably get back to the others.)

Beck: Don't cause too much trouble down here, OK, Buddy?

[CDN.502] //: -PING!-

Beck: Heh...

Beck: You like it when I call you Buddy, don't ya?

[CDN.502] //: -PING!-

[The demolition bot revs in response, which makes the small Mighty laugh a bit. It's strange...most Round Diggers didn't have very advanced AI to begin with, compared to them...and yet this one was already showing more personality than any he's ever seen. Maybe he was...different?]

Beck: Buddy it is, then!

[Yeah, that's gotta be it...]

Beck: I gotta go, but...I'll come check on you later, OK? For now, uh...you can take a nap or s—

[CDN.502] //: -PING-

[...COMMAND CONFIRMED.]

Beck: ...!

[CDN.502 IS NOW IN SLEEP MODE.]

Beck: ....

Beck: Okaaaaay...

Beck: .....Night, then...

[He turns to close the door behind him, and heads towards the stairs—the elevators were still out, even if they WERE working, he wasn't going to risk getting trapped in one.]

Beck: (Last thing we need is for me to get stuck in the most crucial moments...)

[LATER, UPSTAIRS...]

[PING!]

[CALL] //: Xel Assimilation Data ready for analysis, Professor.

[DR.WHITE] //: Hm—Oh, thank heavens. Send that over to my terminal while I work with Mikhail—and continue scanning for the other Mighties, please.

[CALL] //: Right away, Doctor.

<MC005>: >I should love to look at that data at some point. I’ve never really gotten any readings for when someone with Universal Adaptability uses a new Power Capsule for the first time…. Are you getting any cross references popping up right now?

[CALL] //: None, Dr. Cossack.

White: (Thank goodness...)

[CALL] //: The samples from Mighty Numbers 1, 2, 3, and 6 do not seem to show any similarities aside from causing extreme changes in behavior and the urge to cause destruction.

[CALL] //: I have yet to have found any logical pattern in the virus code. I apologize.

[DR.WHITE] //: No, no, Call—you've done so much for us. If it wasn't for you, finding my sons and daughters would be much more difficult.

[DR.WHITE] //: ...Thank you.

<MC005>: >I’m sorry that I couldn’t give much more to your assessment of the virus, my friends—I got rather sidetracked sorting out Tobias’s new coding instead. -Sighs-

Mikhail: (…) -Clearly uncomfortable about something-

White: ....

White: Mikhail?

Mikhail: -Looks up- Mmm? Sorry—did I miss something?

White: ....

White: Er, nothing...

[CALL] //: ....

[DR.WHITE] //: Call, has Beck finished with self-repair?

[CALL] //: Yes. He informed me he was going to check on the condition of the Round Digger model downstairs.

[DR.WHITE] //: That was a while ago, though...

[Mikhail had to smile a little.]

Mikhail: My older son was very disappointed to be left behind, once he heard about your oversized industrial drill-puppy.

White: Ah...I can imagine...

White: -mutters- I still don't know how he got down here in the first place, but he IS a demolition model...

White: I have absolutely no idea what we're going to do with him... (He's a CDN model, there is a VERY good chance we'll have to...return him.)

Mikhail: What do you mean?

White: Round Diggers are mass produced industrial models made for demolition work, mainly in construction.

White: ...Made by CherryDyn.

White: From the data we received from Beck, it's Model Number 502 of it's make, one of the older kinds. They're built to last for heavy duty work, quite sturdy.

[Mikhail blinked and raised an eyebrow at this. After a moment, he frowned, placed his hands behind his back, and turned to face one of the computer screens.]

Mikhail: …Mmm. -Seems to be thinking how to word what’s on his mind-

Mikhail: I can’t help but be drawn into my own field of “cross-references,” as it were. CherryDyn in general has been on my mind lately, for many reasons.

[He puts a hand to his face and sighs, covering his eyes.]

Mikhail: Tobias Wily and his history are rooted deeply in the works of LightLaboratories, Incorporated. The connections with CherryDyn have always troubled us, and we had hoped… -Trails off-

White: .....

Mikhail: …I suppose I’m just distracted by thoughts of my youth. I used to work for LightLabs, you know? When I was just a boy.

Mikhail: I had high hopes for the project, but I didn’t really understand the work I was doing until the very end.

White: . . .

Mikhail: I saw, ever so briefly—that the code was alive…! It reacted to me trying to reach out to it, to find it, to contain it—

Mikhail: (Much like… much like that virus did when it infected the RMDC and I fought back. I swear the thing got angry at me…)

Mikhail: (With how advanced Xel coding is, it certainly was high enough out of my full understanding to come off as alive.)

Mikhail: Dr. Light had been very much against advancing full realization. What I did when I made the AI_DCN_OS… well. I liked Iceman very much, and he was dear to us, but still…

[He sighed and shook his head before taking off his glasses to clean them.]

Mikhail: Forgive me. So much has happened lately that makes me think of the past, of Tobias in his first life. Pieces here and there, echoes of a time ages past.

Mikhail: I suppose that it is on my mind largely because understanding the virus is out of my ability at the moment. I’d need to know more about Xel coding, and you don’t have time to teach me.

Mikhail: This leaves me with Tobias, mainly, and also just… looking forward, long term.

Mikhail: This digging Industrial of yours…

Mikhail: If things continue in a tragic parallel, perhaps it would be scheduled for demolition simply because it were too old, or advancing in Awareness.

White: -wINCE- (Ngh...)

Mikhail: For that is the fate of Industrials in my world. Even my own sons would be subject to the ten-year warranty, were it not for the fact that I have full legal rights, and can choose not to follow that regulation.

Mikhail: At first it was merely out of a business mindset—depreciation of property, expenses, etc. But after Tobias, animosity grew, and it became born just as much of fear as anything else.

[He put his glasses back on and frowned.]

Mikhail: I’m afraid it won’t be long before we’re called to give an account of ourselves for judgment, William.

Mikhail: Now that Aviator no longer has an Iron Curtain to stifle the media, it won’t be long before it takes a sharp turn from practicality into “here be dragons” water.

[He looked away, narrowing his eyes a little.]

Mikhail: I refused to tell you before, because I felt it was… crazy, to be honest, but. For some time now, Cardinal had been of the opinion that CherryDyn was responsible for a number of… unpleasantries.

[....Oh, dear.]

[Will kinda looks like he's going to be sick just from thinking of the implications of all that...]

White: . . .

Mikhail: He believed that the things that happened were the result of plans being put into action too early or the like—things going wrong without the careful orchestration to make it only /just/ wrong enough to be visibly stopped, and in turn causing REAL damage.

Mikhail: I feel the same way, but I do not think it to be so—I tell myself that is being overly cynical.

Mikhail: But I think one thing is certain. We must be prepared to say something. Aviator’s interference was public, and…Tobias was involved, and if anyone were to somehow realize he were the same as the mysterious intruder at the Finals…

Mikhail: -Bows his head- The lift of the blockade will allow us to work much faster and more efficiently, yes—but the same applies for our foes as well.

Mikhail: I fully expect CherryDyn to make some noise and raise a fuss very soon. …I just suppose I feel I must arrange the chess pieces to counter it, since that’s the only thing I can really do, and you’re so busy with deciphering the code…

Mikhail: To be fair. It has a direct impact on us, too. If things follow the lane of Monstropolis, Tobias may have to remain Offline indefinitely.

White: ......

[Will takes in a long breath and pinches the bridge of his nose, shutting his eyes close very tightly. Mikhail was right, of course, he wouldn't put it past CherryDyn to make some sort of comment or whatever ELSE they have planned--if any, that is, if Cardinal turned out to be right after all.]

[And Graham...]

White: God, what a mess...

Mikhail: We have too many moving parts in this matter…

[His gaze became thoughtful, and after a while, he reached over and put a gloved hand on his friend’s shoulder, squeezing it slightly.]

Mikhail: But there is hope. We must hold onto that.

Mikhail: Of course we would never ask you to turn your back on the world, but remember—your children are your true priority, and if the worst WERE to happen, you could seek shelter elsewhere. Focus on getting your family back together. I can work with the Sandas in figuring out how to fight the dragons.

Mikhail: We’ll make it through this.

[After a moment, he broke into a warm smile.]

Mikhail: Remember, my friend—I have tread these waters before, and worse.

[This, alas, was true. He had, at one point, had the entire world against him.

And yet he had arranged things so that his sons were allowed to live and work and he got to live in protection and privacy, despite things being so grim at one point.]

Mikhail: I won’t let you get dashed upon the rocks.

White: ....

White: Heh...

[Will returned the smile, although it was a bit weary.]

White: Thank you, Mikhail. Really...

White: (What would we do without you...)

Mikhail: Ah, my dear William! You have been very good to us, and personally have given great hope for my family’s recovery. Of course I would help you in the recovery of yours.

Mikhail: …Heh.

Mikhail: This is where the others would remind us not to overwork ourselves. Or me, at least. -Laughs- I’m not as young as I used to be. Professor, now, not student. I can’t pull those all-nighters anymore!

[THAT gets Will to laugh. Oh, yes, the all-nighters...]

[...He should probably not mention he's been doing that as of late. He's very sure Mikhail would have a fit—]

[CALL] //: ...Contradiction: Yet you both seem to overexert yourselves as if it were the default.

[...Oh. Call was still listening.]

Mikhail: -Wryly- Ah, we are caught! Oh dear.

White: Eheh...

[He turned to look in the direction of one of the speakers by habit.]

Mikhail: You’re right, of course. And if it would put you at ease, I can take a short rest. But I would like to take care of a few matters first, if you can help me. I’m afraid I’ve been rather single-focused on Tobias and Avi to learn how everything else is going. Has your father contacted his brother? Or vice-versa, perhaps?

[CALL] //: Yes, Mr. Sanda contacted us as soon as we had a firm connection. They have been speaking privately for the past few hours.

White: (Possibly bringing Seijiro up to speed on everything...)

Mikhail: I see. I would like you to alert your father that we have fixed the matter of the RMDC for now—no more sudden nightmares for your database. (And again, I apologize.) I should like to speak with them both after they have concluded their private discussion—which I expect will be some while yet. In the meantime, I shall rest.

<MC005 to DSN-000 [CALL]>: >Oh, and Ms. Sanda? May I make a suggestion in your search for the rest of the Mighty Numbers?

[CALL to MC005] //: -Ping!- Yes, Dr. Cossack?

<MC005 to DSN-000 [CALL]>: >One of the contributing factors to the… difficulty of the current situation, shall we say… is the large number of variables involved.

<MC005 to DSN-000 [CALL]>: >We have removed one variable—Aviator’s interference—but it’s not enough. We will need to remove several others as soon as possible if we are to have the best chance of success in concluding this manner with as little predation from CherryDyn as possible.

<MC005 to DSN-000 [CALL]>: >It is confirmed that Fighting Mighty Number Eight is at large, and the current theory is that she is in this world, on a hunt. Likewise, Dencerjack is searching for her—and he has his own set of complications, since he knows too much, so to speak. We need to find him posthaste.

Mikhail: (There’s also Cardinal, but trying to stop him would not be a good use of resources given the current state of affairs…)

<MC005 to DSN-000 [CALL]>: >From what I have been told, MNN-007 may be the subject of FMN-008’s attention, for… reasons.

<MC005 to DSN-000 [CALL]>: >Finding Brandish’s location may allow us to remove several dangerous spanners in the works all at once.

<MC005 to DSN-000 [CALL]>: >So, unless there are clearer leads… my suggestion would be to focus on him, first.

Mikhail: (Removing Cardinal’s impulsiveness would be nice, but I’m not so optimistic as to think we’ll find Shade before we find Brand. Not when Brand’s been giving off data from the beginning, and Shade hasn’t.)

[CALL to MC005] //: -PING-

[CALL to MC005] //: I understand, Dr. Cossack. I will commence my search posthaste. Thank you for your input.

<MC005 to DSN-000 [CALL]>: > You’re welcome.

Mikhail: -Turns to face Will- I’m going to rest for a while, but I’ll be just a notification away. Sorry to be leaving you on your own like this—I just feel I’d be more useful to you combating one of the other problems. -Encouraging nod- You can do this, alright? Try to keep calm.

[With that, he walked out of the room, lost in his own thoughts.]

White: ....

[After Mikhail leaves the room, Will slumps back into a chair and lets out a long, quiet sigh, staring into the ceiling as if it held all the solutions.]

White: .....

White: (...Should I...)

White: .....

[He sharply inhaled and didn't let that thought finish itself--couldn't.]

[...Perhaps, he was being cynical and paranoid himself.]

White: (Greg...Greg doesn't know, does he?)

White: (If he does...)

[He felt that sick, dreading feeling all over again, and got up to fix that with a glass of water.]

White: (...No, stop it, Will—)

White: (Get it together...)

White: (It's not going to come to that if he knows what he's doing...)

White: .......

White: (This had...had BETTER not be you that's behind all this, Greg...)

White: (You'd better not...)

White: .....

[Shoving all those negative thoughts aside for now, Dr. White washed up and rolled his lab coat's sleeves down.]

[There was still much work to be done, and Avi was going to be needed for the troubles that lay ahead.]

White: (I wish it wasn't this way, Aviator...you, out of all of us, need your rest...)

White: (At least, after this...I hope we can all just...take things easy...)

[PING!]

[MN.9] //: Dad?

White: —! Oh. Beck. There you are.

[MN.9] //: Sorry for taking so long... Buddy was, uh...kinda antsy.

White: ...Buddy?

[MN.9] //: Yeah, uh. The Round Digger?

White: (...He already named him?)

[MN.9] //: He's asleep now. He's still OK, I think. I guess he's kinda bored, just sitting there.

White: Oh dear...

[MN.9] //: I don't know how long we can keep him cooped up? I'm kinda concerned that he'll start crushing things or something cuz, ya know—that's what he's built for.

White: Mmm...

White: We can't do anything about it now, but we'll need to move him out at some point...

White: (The Meadow would be nice, but not anywhere in the lab, for sure...)

White: We'll think of something, Beck. For now, let him sleep.

[MN.9] //: ...Okay.

————————————

{Meanwhile, in the Meadow…}

[Digger felt impatient.

Everyone was off DOING something— those that were awake, anyway.

His father was over in California with Tobias—and Snowcone, for that matter. His other siblings seemed to be settling things down and helping send things over.

Cardinal was gone, and Shadow was Offline—Siam had more or less locked himself in the lab, and Felix was still asleep (as far as he knew.)

Nico had finished talking to Ky—and the Second Gens were only just now returning and getting up.]

Digger: {So. Twelve. What did your brother want?}

Speedy: He wanted a favor.

Digger: …???

Speedy: I’m… honestly too worn out to explain right now, okay? Just tell your dad that we’re gonna be having some new guests.

Digger: {Wait, what?}

[But the Texan racer was already walking out of sight.

It didn’t take too long for the meaning to be made clear, though.]

Digger: …!!!

[It was Pup—the counterpart to Nine, Beck’s mirror—and he was carrying in a very exhausted lady. In the background, Nico could be seen hovering above the trees and using his magnetic powers to drag something very large and heavy into view.]

Digger: Beck?? What’s going on here?

Pup: Oh, hi Digger, can you—uh… can you call someone with hands over to help—

[Before Digger could inquire further, one of his younger brothers came over to help.]

Skull: {Easy there… we’ll have someone take care of you. Right this way to the lab, please…}

-PING!-

<FMN-001>: >So that’s where you went off to—mind explaining yourself?

Pup: After I get back from helping save Sis, okay?

<FMN-001>: >Fair enough.

Digger: Wait—

<FMN-006>: >Hey, wait for me—!

Digger: —do you even know where she is—

<FMN-009>: > -Trailing off into the distance- Working on iiiiiiiiiiit!

<FMN-003>: >Szztay still, you dum-dum—

Digger: -Kind of just. Stands there, confused- ({I guess I’ll have to wait for anything remotely resembling an answer.})

<DCN-003 to MC005>: > {Father? FMN-009 brought back some strange ‘bots to the meadow…. They look like they need repairs.}

<MC005 to DCN-003>: > {What’s their condition?}

<DCN-003 to MC005>: > {Stable, but exhausted? Fairly severely injured.}

<MC005 to DCN-003>: > -Sigh- {Is it something Siam can deal with?}

<DCN-003 to MC005>: > {…Possibly? But Father—}

<MC005 to DCN-003>: > {We are seriously going to start needing assistants in the lab at this rate. I’m sorry, son, but I really need to remain here at least until it’s clear how the whole emergency will be played out. For one thing, Will may need my advice. And for another… depending on the result, Tobias…}

<DCN-003 to MC005>: > {Father, Nineteen does not want to leave his work. …I think he may become aggravated if—}

<MC005 to DCN-003>: > {One moment.}

[There is a long pause, as if he’s talking to someone else on a different line.]

<MC005 to DCN-003>: > {Tell your brothers to follow Paige’s instructions. There should still be enough Xel left in the first aid kits to at least stabilize them—the rest will have to be purchased through Nighthawk Industries. Pay extra for the instantaneous delivery. Nico should be able to handle the rest—he’s almost as good around a lab as his brother. I’m going to have to stay over here.}

[Digger vented a sigh as the feed closed.]

Digger: ({I get the feeling this is going to be a very long day…})

————————————

[SEVERAL HOURS LATER...]

[KSSSSST!]

[CALL] //: -VERY LOUD PING-

[CALL] //: Attention—

[MN.9] //: -JERKS AWAKE, SORRY, WHAT, WHAT IS IT--

[There’s the sound of someone falling all over a table or something, followed by others coming Online.]

<DWN-018>: >Geez! Are you okay, Gemini?

<DWN-019>: > -MUCH DISGRUNTLED TO BE STARTLED SO-

<DWN-012>: >Has something happened, or?

<DWN-018>: >Hang on, I’m gonna go make sure Siam didn’t hurt himself jumping into the ceiling…

<DWN-018 has left the channel.>

[MN.3] //: -Ouch...-

[MN.1] //: Call?

[Call doesn't answer back, but instead shifts the feed to a radio channel...?]

"—Highway Alpha 6 is under attack, I repeat, Highway Alpha 6 is under attack--Eyewitnesses have spotted a rouge robot destroying vehicles with no regard to innocent life—"

"We have reports that the rouge robot is armed with bladed weapons and is currently in the Four Corners area—"

<FMN-006>: >AHA!

<FMN-001>: > Avi no flying in the house— GET BACK HERE—

[MN.9] //: —!!!

[MN.1] //: Brandish—?!

[DR.WHITE] //: Highway Alpha 6—Call!

[CALL] //: Scanning...

<DWN-011>: >Welp. Gonna get complicated pretty quick, I bet. …Hope he doesn’t run into Cardinal.

<DWN-019>: >THAT would end poorly for both of them.

<DWN-013>: >What makes you think—?

<DWN-019>: >It’s not the statistical likelihood that’s bothersome… more the fact that Cardinal is known to have prepared to travel by highway—he took Shadow’s light cycle with him.

<DWN-019>: >And he won’t have any patience for anyone who tries to interfere…

<DWN-013>: >Well, I’d think we’d have more DEFINITE concerns to worry about.

<FMN-006>: > -Just let us scan the news feeds, please-

[MN.9] //: -Already suiting up and getting ready, listening over the feeds.-

[MN.1] //: -Gah, we have no immediate modes of transportation...- Beck, you're going to either need wheels or use Aviator's form to catch up to Brandish.

[MN.9] //: -...Lost all of my forms when I got reset, Avi's is the only option.-

<DWN-013>: > ... I'd offer my light cycle, but I think flying will be faster.

<DWN-019>: > -Scowls- If only Cardinal hadn't taken ITEM-2 as well...

<DWN-019>: > I don't understand WHY he did that, he has his OWN windsurfer...

[MN.9] //: ....

[MN.9] //: (Mic's form would have helped too, Brand's weak to it, but...)

[MN.9] //: What's Brand's status?

[DR.WHITE] //: Still the same as ever...Full Combat Mode, no restrictions...

[DR.WHITE] //: (But a highway...)

<DWN-019>: > I still wonder what he and Shadow said to one another.

[MN.1] //: .....

[DR.WHITE] //: (It was...certainly enough to shut him down, from what I know...)

[DR.WHITE] //: (Brandish...what are you doing...?)

-PING!-

<FMN-006>: >Knew it.

[MN.9] //: Yeah? Got something?

[CALL] //: -Ping of inquiry-

<FMN-006>: >Yeah. Pretty sure it’s confirmation she’s on the move.

<DWN-013>: > …Out of curiosity… what makes you so certain?

<FMN-006>: > Food’s involved, Jayjay.

<DWN-013>: > -Please don’t call me that-

[MN.1] //: (...Even in her state—??)

<FMN-001 to MNN-001>: > -Well what else did you expect, really… this is SHADE we’re talking about here-

<DCN-007>: > …So you’re saying that now we have an assassin AND a sword master to worry about? At the same time?

<FMN-006>: > -Well you don’t need to put it like THAT…-

<DWN-012>: >No offense, but could she REALLY catch up to him? She’s not built for speed.

<FMN-007>: > … Do not underestimate the willpower of an angry woman.

[MN.3] //: -He'szzz got a point-

[MN.9] //: -...WELP, NOW THINGS ARE JUST BAD AND WORSE-

[CALL] //: ...MN.7's transponder signal is moving at extremely high speeds. I am also receiving reports that the remote controlled vehicles on site are behaving erratically on the next sections of Highway Alpha.

<FMN-009>: >I can help! I’ll handle my sister, you focus on your Seven!

[DR.WHITE] //: That's—

[MN.9] //: —the best thing I've heard all day, PLEASE.

<FMN-009>: > ^^;;7

[DR.WHITE] //: -But—-

[MN.9] //: -TWO OF ME IS BETTER THAN ONE, DAD.-

<DWN-019>: >Um. Won’t that cause problems if you’re seen…?

<FMN-006>: >I can handle that. Leave that to me.

<DCN-003>: >Perhaps oldest cousin will show up near Lady Shade, yes?

<MC005>: > …I must admit that IS a possibility, though not very likely…

<MC005>: >Regardless of who else may or may not be there, it would seem that you both have to start preparing, Number Nine.

<FMN-009>: > Yes sir.

[DR.WHITE] //: -...Kinda just gives up trying to argue because what is the poooooint--

[CALL] //: Xel Transfer will be delayed, as it is difficult to teleport upon a moving object....

[CALL] //: ...but not impossible.

[MN.9] //: -—Wait what-

<DWN-012>: > GOOD LUCK, DUDE 8’D

[MN.9] //: -I thought the cars were—I mean—oh man—-

[MN.3] //: -BZZZT, PLEASE BE CAREFUL, BECKY—-

[CALL] //: Dr. Sanda, I have calculated that it would be wise to cut off Brandish by teleporting Nine to a further section of the highway.

[DR.SANDA] //: Oof...just make sure that you get him on something big...

<FMN-006 to DSN-000 [CALL]>: > -Ping- Hey—I’ve heard you lend a hand sometimes by getting people out and about unseen?

[CALL to FMN.6] //: That would be correct, No. 6. It is illogical that certain measures of action are deemed too dangerous when the probability of success would be increased otherwise.

<FMN-006 to DSN-000 [CALL]>: >Well, I may get back to you on that…

[CALL to FMN.6] //: ...Acknowledged.

[DR.WHITE] //: We're going to have to time the cut off very close...

[CALL] //: Yes, Doctor. Preparing Xel Transfer.

[MN.9] //: (...Hang in there, Nii-San...)

[While Call calculated the coordinates, Beck does a final check of his various forms, going in numerical order until...]

[REXELECTION: AVIATOR]

<DWN-013>: > …

<DWN-013>: > wELL looks like you’re ready GOOD LUCK my friend

<DWN-013 has left the channel.>

[MN.9] //: .....-sigh-

[MN.9] //: ....

[MN.9] //: (...I...I never really got the hang of flying...)

[MN.9] //: (I sure hope some of Avi's experience got assimilated too...)

<MC005>: > … -Sighs- Don’t mind him. Are you ready?

[MN.9] //: Ready for the runwa—

[MN.9] //: ...!?

[MN.9] //: —I—I mean the HIGHway—

[MN.1] //: —???

<FMN-006>: > -THUMBS UP-

<FMN-009>: > Let’s just cruise on over—

<FMN-006>: > -APPROVAL PINGS FOR DAAAAAYS-

[MN.2] //: -YEAAAAAAAAH—-

[MN.1] //: -Just—confused, since when was—-

[MN.9 to FMN.9] //: -you can't stop either can you-

[MN.9 to FMN.9] //: -what is happening with uuuuussss-

<FMN-009 to MNN-009>: > -IT’S A THING WITH AVI’S FORM, OOPS- -This happened last time, too- -Normally I just don’t say as much so it took forever to notice-

<FMN-009 to MNN-009>: > -Makes him really high spirited, though—GAH, even thoughts, this is worse than I remembered-

<FMN-009>: >Need to hit the road and make tracks… -Has given up trying to make it stop-

[MN.9] //: -YEAH let's just jet before Brand—DANG IT- -CALL PLEASE HURRY UP-

<FMN-001>: > …?

<FMN-009>: > Looks like there’s a bit of a delay on this end—you go on ahead. Need a more precise location for Sis—lemme know if you see sign of her.

[CALL] //: ....

[CALL] //: Coordinates set.

[MN.9] //: Roger that— -Oh man this IS worse than last time-

[DR.WHITE] //: Please be very careful, Beck—!

[MN.9] //: Yeah, we will.

[CALL] //: Xel Transfer initiated.

[MN.9] //: {I'm coming to save you, big brother...!}

______________________

[MISSION DETAILS: MIGHTY NO. 7, BRANDISH, HAS BEEN SPOTTED ON THIS NEW MEXICO HIGHWAY, CAUSING RECKLESS DESTRUCTION AMONG THE MALFUNCTIONING AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLES. FIGHTING MIGHTY NO. 8, COUNTERSHADE 'CARMEN' WHITE, IS ALSO MOVING TOWARDS THE OBJECTIVE.]

[MISSION OBJECTIVE: PURSUE AND RESCUE MN.7, PURGE ALL HARMFUL MALWARE FROM SYSTEMS.]

[SUB-OBJECTIVES: IF POSSIBLE, LOCATE FMN.8 AND RELAY TO FMN.9 FOR SYSTEM XEL PURGE, MINIMIZE RMDC IMPACT.]

SYSTEMS READY?

GO!

[As Beck fully materialized into the moving rig, the heavy wind and rainfall splattered across his armor and face, causing him to shiver slightly. Buildings with holographic adverts were nothing but blurs, the speed of the vehicles almost making him dizzy.]

Beck: (Fast—WAY too fast—!)

[By his internal instruments, the rig was going at LEAST 90 miles per hour—!]

Sanda: Great Scott, Mother Nature is NOT kind today...!

White: -Oh no no please don't slip, please--

-PING!-

<DWN-012>: > Easy guys, easy!

<DWN-012>: >Beck—try adjusting your visual processing speed. It’ll help a lot.

[MN.9] //: O-Okay...

[After fiddling around with some settings, he blinked, and visibly relaxed as his optics adjusted, the blurs now becoming readable and not as disorientating...]

Beck: (Oh, man, that's MUCH better...)

[MN.9] //: Thanks, Speedy!

<DWN-012>: >No problem. Glad to help. Now, remember—your vision speed is going to be faster, so adjust to how your vision and motor systems coordinate before jumping off into the air. Try it out—once you get used to moving while seeing at that speed, it’ll be easier to move around.

<DWN-012>: >Remember, you’re just SEEING faster, not necessarily moving faster.

[MN.9] //: -Got it, gonna try that out now--

[PING!]

[CALL] //: Warning--! Contact in--

[SHING!]

<DWN-012>: > -DATA—-

<DWN-012>: > -I KNOW THAT SOUND, THAT IS THE SOUND OF LETHAL BLADED WEAPONRY-

[Even with Beck's vision processing at higher speeds...--]

[He still couldn't identify what had split the falling raindrops just mere inches from his face.]

[Beck stumbled backwards, and the red Mighty Number seemingly falls from the sky, as if he had either teleported--]

[Or...]

Beck: Brand!

<DWN-012 to MNN-007>: > -PING PING PING PING PING PING PING PING PING—-

<DWN-012 to MNN-007>: > Brandish! You’re alive—!

<DWN-012 to MNN-009>: >Something’s off here, Beck—

<DWN-012 to MNN-009>: >When people with our power and speed move just short of hitting you in the face, we’re missing on PURPOSE!

<DWN-012 to MNN-009>: > [sub]trust me on this, I’ve DONE it before with my own [color=blue]brother[/color]…[/sub]

Beck: --!!

[On...on purpose...?]

Beck: Brand...?

Brand: . . . .

Brand: N-Ngh...

[Brandish's arms shake ever so slightly as he stands firm across from Beck, a death grip on either of his blades. His eyes are shut tightly--]

Brand: ...O...Otouto...--

<DWN-012>: > …

Beck: --!!!

Beck: Nii-San--!!

<DWN-013>: > -SUDDENLY, ABRUPTLY- BRANDISH!

<DWN-013>: > Keep fighting it!

<DWN-012 to MNN-009>: > We… recognize this…!

<DWN-012 to MNN-009>: >Jaden… Jaden was this same way!

[DR.WHITE] //: BRANDISH--!!

[DR.SANDA] //: Seven--!

Brand: --!

Brand: {F...Father...Uncle...}

<DWN-012>: >Hang in there, Sev—

[PING PING PING!]

[MN.1] //: Brand--!!

[MN.2] //: -LITTLE BRO, YOU CAN DO IT--!

[MN.3] //: -BRAAAAND--!

<DCN-008>: > {Brandish, Shadow is here—he will want to see you. You have to keep resisting!}

Brand: Ngh--!!

[His head turns to one side, and for a moment he looks as if he is about to collapse at any given moment...]

Beck: Hang on, Nii-san, just sit still for a--

[SHING!]

Brand: NO!

<DWN-013>: > -Harsh warning data- Beck—to your aid, an unlikely friend, indeed…

<DWN-013>: > But it’s a constant struggle, fraught with pain, and there are limits…

<DWN-013>: >We might purposefully miss, but that doesn’t mean we won’t make a strike!

[He turns back, slashing in a wild angle so that Beck would stop in his tracks. His eyes snap open, and they are a deep, deep violet color.]

Brand: KEEP--KEEP AWAY--!

<DWN-013>: > -Oh, Brandish, we are INCREDIBLY empathetic and I, personally, am really feeling rather wretched in the cross-references this brings to me-

Beck: --!!

[It fades off, however, to his normal blue, and he recoils back, away from his brother.]

Brand: I'm warning you, Beck--

Brand: Stay AWAY--Ngh!

<DWN-013 to MNN-007>: > Brandish…!

<DWN-013 to MNN-007>: > -We understand-

<DWN-013 to MNN-007>: > Fight it. Fight it! You are stronger than I could ever have been. Do not let it take you without a fight to be told for years to come!

[Despite the pleas, he retreats, impressively jumping two cars ahead to another rig, and before long, he disappears into the rainy haze of the night.]

Beck: BRAND--WAIT--!

Beck: I'm going after him, Professor--!

[DR.WHITE] //: Affirmative, Beck--just be sure to mind your step transversing those vehicles. Keep in mind what Twelve has told you!

[MN.9] //: Got it!

<MC005>: > -Sighs- His control truly is incredible.

<MC005>: >Forgive the metaphor, but—

<MC005>: >Just because a horse rebels against the reigns does not mean the bridle isn’t there.

[MN.9] //: -Yeah...no kidding...-

<MC005>: >There is a directive—

<DWN-013>: > -Ping-

<DWN-013>: >When…

<DWN-013>: > …

<DWN-012>: > …

<DWN-012>: > -We are here, brother-

<DWN-013>: > …

<DWN-013>: >When…

[He seems to be struggling to keep it verbal, rather than abstract.]

<DWN-013>: >It… was easier to fight if. I could… take an option that would… trick it by seeming, possibly, to obey…

<DWN-013>: >We… he will… aim to miss, if he can, but it is easier to do that than to hold back entirely.

<DWN-013>: >But you must be quick if you corner him, Beck. Or…

<DWN-013>: > …

[He gave off data of pure dread and hopelessness, almost an intense kind of cold in quiet despair.]

<DWN-013>: > (In the end… his will overcame the program…)

[MN.9] //: .......

[MN.9] //: Where's he heading?

[CALL] //: Due southeast, towards Alpha 1. Proceed with caution.

[Beck nodded, and quickly dashed forward. It was a little dizzying given that he was seeing faster, and therefore made his Dash feel a bit strange--]

[But, after jumping over a few cars and trailers, he picked up the motions fairly quickly.]

Beck: (Think I got it...)

[....Strangely, all is...almost quiet, other than the sounds of rain and engines and his own feet against metal.]

[It was...kinda desolate--were there no people on this highway?]

Beck: (But these cars are automatic, either they should be stuck or...--)

Beck: (O...Or...)

[CALL] //: ...I am receiving distressed signals from Nine. Are you well?

[MN.9] //: -Just--had a really nasty thought, ngh--

<DLN-005>: >What’s that?

<DWN-011>: > “Distressed” means—

<DLN-005>: >No! I mean, why is the car squished.

<DWN-019>: > …What ARE you looking at?

<DLN-005>: >I saw it! It was squished.

<DWN-019>: >Well it’s not there now—

[MN.9] //: -Nope, nope, he gonna forget he ever thought that and just keep going--

<DWN-013>: >Uh… Beck?

[MN.9] // --?

<DWN-013>: > Are those signs supposed to be moving like that?

[BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEEEEEEEEP!]

Beck: --WAAH!

[The Mighty Number was swarmed by a group of thin, floating display screens, which were switching different images of road signs and signals on their front and back. They rammed themselves into Beck, who raised up his arms in defense!]

Beck: SIGN BOTS--?!

Beck: -UGH, OW, STOP--!-

[REXELECTION: DYNATRON]

[BZZZZZZT!]

[Taking advantage of the wet weather, Beck shifted into his sister's form and let loose a strong electrical discharge, which fried the sign bots and their Xel Structures. They turned a deep blue, much to Beck's relief.]

<DWN-013>: > … Iiiiiii will take that as a “no."

[XEL STOCK 1 QUOTA REACHED.]

[MN.9] //: Ow, that hurt...

[MN.9] //: Please tell me those were the only sign bots on this highway---

[CALL] //: This is a major interstate. There are many Sanda sign bot models across th--

Beck: Dad DESIGNED those??

Sanda: Eheh...n-no. I did...

<MC005>: > …I am utterly fascinated but I won’t go off on that tangent at the moment…

<MC005>: > Though I find it curious that they seem not to have tried to swarm Brandish. Either they can tell he is infected, or he was too fast for them, I suppose…?

<DLN-005>: >Look! See, there’s another one!

<DWN-019>: >What ARE you looking at, how can you see anything through this RAIN…

<MC005>: >I designed him to perform almost exclusively outdoors, Siam.

<DWN-019>: > … -Oh, right-

[Beck absentmindedly wondered what in the world Snow was talking about as he transverses the highway, switching back to default to shoot the sign bots before they swarmed him and dashed to collect their Xel.]

[He came upon another rig, which was--]

Beck: --!!

[--filled with strange, round, green robots?]

Beck: Whoa--!

[They rolled around the rig to and fro, dangerous spikes around their rims, and...]

[...They had the trademark eyesets and logo of none other than CherryDyn.]

<DLN-005>: >Uncle Will?

White: ....??

<DLN-005>: >Why do they have a big power button on them?

<MC005 to DR.WHITE>: > Congratulations, you’ve been promoted. -Amused-

[DR.WHITE to MC005] //: --Mikhail please--

[MN.9] //: Dad--Dad, what ARE these?

White: I...I have no idea--!

Sanda: I've never seen this model before... What in the world--there are dozens of them...!

[MN.2] //: -WHO CARES, SHOOT IT, BRO.-

[MN.9] //: -Does it even take damage, I mean it has SPIKES so I don't wanna touch it--

[MN.2] //: -SHOOT IT OR I'LL HIT YOU.-

[MN.9] //: -OKAY OKAY JEEZ--

Mikhail: Sanda, I’m rather confused about something.

Sanda: --? Yes?

Mikhail: Why would CherryDyn make something like that? I can’t think of an Industrial use for it, and it is rather impractical as a Combat construct, save perhaps as target practice…

Mikhail: Unless they’re capable of more than they appear…

Sanda: Good...question...?

Sanda: Strange...

Beck: (Weird--they don't even SEEM all that practical...?)

[Beck raised his arm cannon and took careful aim, and then fired a few shots at the strange CDNs...]

[WRRRRRRR!!]

Beck: --!?

[...They did NOT like that.]

[They didn't even FLINCH, though they did indeed take damage--]

Beck: --oh NO--

[They sped up--faster, and faster, causing Beck to jump erratically to avoid them--what's more, they didn't roll off the edge, but rather changed direction back towards Beck.]

Beck: --They're CHASING me??

<DWN-011>: > … -Welp. Run.-

<DWN-012>: > -SEE NOW, IF YOU HAD /MY/ FORM YOU COULD PROBABLY JUST RUN THIS WHOLE OBSTACLE COURSE INSTEAD OF ALL THE JUMPING, BUT- 8’D

<DCN-003>: >HMM MAYBE LEAVE NOW THEN YES GOOD

<DCN-007>: > Da, they don’t look like they’d be able to jump…

[MN.9] //: -YUP, WE'RE JUST GONNA DASH ON OUTTA HERE--

[There were several crates that could be climbed on near the end of this rig--Beck wasted no time shifting to Avi's form and hovering over to the top most one.]

[WRRRRR--!!]

[...The wheel-like CDNs did not like this either.]

Beck: --?!?

[They backed up, and gained enough momentum to hop the first crate--then the second--]

[MN.9] //: -UUUUUGH--

<DWN-012>: > ARE YOU KIDDING ME, THEY DON’T EVEN HAVE ARMS—

<DWN-013>: > -sNORTS-

White: (What strange models--they're clearly CherryDyn, but something is... off... )

[Frustrated, Beck decides to just abandon the rig altogether, and favors for another moving vehicle--a car-- and gently sets down on it's roof.]

[The wheel models, of course, try to follow--]

[SCREEEEEECH!!]

Beck: GNH--!

[The car he was standing on lurched forward, picking up more speed—]

Beck: -WHOA BALANCE, WHERE ARE YOU—-

White: BECK!

[With the car far too out of reach, the wheel models end up jumping right into the speeding asphalt, a horrid crunching sound following suit. ]

[Beck ends up falling backwards into the car--]

[Hard.]

[CRRRSHH--]

Sanda: --??!

<DWN-019>: > …That. <DWN-019>: > Didn’t sound good.

[...The roof caved in, and Beck's backside met luxury leather.]

Beck: --Oof--!

[MN.3] //: --He'szz in the CAR??

Beck: Ow...

Beck: ....???

Beck: Huh...?

<MC005>: > …

[Mikhail had to quietly turn aside to maintain his composure. Despite—or perhaps because of—the serious situation, it was just too much, and the image of Beck in a luxury vehicle was rather ridiculous.]

White: E...err...

Sanda: -SILENTLY PANICKING BECAUSE BECK DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO DRIVE-

Beck: Uuuuuh...

[...The inside seemed...nice.]

[...If it wasn't for the fact the displays and lights were all a sick purple, and no one was at the wheel.]

[There was a slight groan.]

<DWN-019>: > …?

<DWN-019>: >Beck? Are you alright?

Beck: Y-Yeah? For the most part--everything in here is all--a weird purple-- and the radio is--

“Ugh… what the glitchfrag hell—”

<DWN-019>: > ?!

Beck: --it's all static but I...--

Beck: --?!?

[And then, as if a vision of a (very disgruntled) goddess of old…]

[The cowgirl decloaked.]

Beck: --!!!

Beck: Carmen--?!

Carmen: Beck?

Carmen: What in th’ nine hells are ya DOIN’ HERE of all places?!

Beck: .....

Beck: Enjoying a nice driiiiive--?

[She pushed him aside to take the driver’s seat, shifting into her civvies.]

Carmen: We’re fraggin’ lucky this ain’t a stick-shift, ya runt of a twit… -grumble-

[--OW--]

[The car did not like this, and only sped up.]

[And then she growled and GLARED at it.]

[…it immediately changed its mind and obeyed.]

Beck: --!!

[MN.9 to FMN.9] //: ME--UH. I FOUND CARMEN--AND WE'RE KINDA IN A CAR--

<FMN-009 to MNN-009>: > YOU’RE WHAT

[MN.9 to FMN.9] //: THE ROOF FELL--

<FMN-009 to MNN-009>: > AAAAH SHE DRIVES WORSE THAN DYNA [sub]but better than Cryo, don’t tell her I said that[/sub]

[MN.9 to FMN.9] //: SHE WHA T--

[Oddly enough, Carmen seemed to be handling the car just fine—especially considering she was simply using a left hand to steer and use the signals. She’d turned on the wipers and the brights, and was signaling to veer off the highway to another exit.]

Carmen: You need to get out of here. It’s much too dangerous for you.

Beck: Uuuuh...

[Oh, now they had a problem--if he told Carmen he was going after Brand too, she's definitely not gonna like that...]

Beck: But--what about you, I can't just LEAVE you here--!

Carmen: Oh yes you can.

Carmen: Cryin’ out loud, Becky—Ah’ thought you a’ ALL people ‘ld have a bit of FAITH in me…

[She growled again, though this time it was almost a wolflike snarl.]

Carmen: Unlike SOME people.

Beck: --Wha--?

Beck: -Baaacks away as far as he could-

[...OK, that was freaky scary....]

<FMN-009>: >The best you’re going to get out of her is to stall her—just get her off at the nearest exit and sneak off when she’s distracted!

[MN.9] //: -Stall, stall...-

Beck: (Ngh...)

Beck: Carmen--Sis, I DO, I swear, but--I don't want to see anyone get hurt over all this--!

Carmen: Get hurt over what? -Clearly grouchy- Ain’t got a clue what yer talkin’ about.

[She had somehow woven her way seamlessly through the cars to pull off at the next exit—which thankfully was a rest stop and not more highway.]

Beck: THIS! -WAVES ARMS AROUND TO SIGNIFY THE SITUATION THEY ARE IN-

Beck: (Come on, think, think--!)

Beck: (I'm just making her angry, maybe...)

Carmen: Then what are you doin’ out here? -Snorts- Of course yer gonna get hurt if you go out in a thunderstorm with a lightnin’ rod, Lil’ Nine! -Applying the brakes- I can secure the area for ya, but you’ll have t’ call Daddy on yer own. Ah’ ain’t comin’ back with ya. Not yet.

Beck: Ngh--!

Beck: (I'm not getting through to her--)

Beck: --!

Beck: (But maybe...maybe--!)

[She pulled the car to a stop and got out.]

Carmen: Stay put, Pup.

[SLAM!]

Carmen: Ah’ve got a /job/ t’ do still, and ya /don’t/ wanna be in mah way.

Beck: ......

Beck: -Pretends to pout and sit in the seat.-

Beck: .......

[MN.9 to MN.3] //: Psssst!

[MN.3 to MN.9] //: --!

[MN.9 to MN.3] //: Dyna--I need you to distract Carmen--!

[MN.3 to MN.9] //: Wait, what--how?

[MN.9 to MN.3] //: Just--talk to her, maybe she doesn't know you're cured--or--I don't know, just stall!

[MN.3 to MN.9] //: OK OK, um--

[MN.3 to MN.9] //: Here goeszz nothing--

[PING!]

[Carmen was already making her way back to the highway, but she raised an eyebrow in acknowledgement before pinging back in response.]

[MN.3 to FMN.8] //: ...Zzsiiisszz?

[MN.3 to FMN.8] //: --?? Woooow I hear a lot of background noiszze, what ISZZ that--? Zzsoundszz annoying--

Dyna: -Jeezz Beck I zsswear I'm gonna get you back for thiszz--

<FMN-008 to MNN-003>: >Oh, hai sis!

[She seemed perky, in a good mood.

<FMN-008 to MNN-003>: >Gonna have t’ pick Becky up from daycare. The noise is traffic.

<FMN-008 to MNN-003>: >Ah’ got a bit… heh… DERAILED.

[She sighs, pausing and looking to the sky thoughtfully. The purple glow of her eye faded for a moment.]

<FMN-008 to MNN-003>: > -Softly- …He woulda liked that, Ah’ think. …

[MN.3 to FMN.8] //: Iszz that right...?

[While Dyna conversed with Carmen, Beck scooted out of the his seat and looked for a way out of the car--maybe he can climb out the hole in the roof? He'll have to be quick...]

[MN.9 to MN.3] //: Whatever you're doing, keep it up--

<FMN-008 to MNN-003>: > …He said some real mean thangs, Sis.

[MN.3 to FMN.8] //: --!!

<FMN-008 to MNN-003>: > N-nrrghh… It hurt so bad…!

[MN.3 to FMN.8] //: ....

[MN.3 to FMN.8] //: Izz that so... -BZZZZT, static-y angry sounding buzzes--

[Beck silently grabbed the edge of the hole and hoisted himself up, over and on the other side of the car so that he could hide behind it.]

Beck: (Gotta make a break for it...come on, sis...)

<FMN-008 to MNN-003>: > He said all ah’ was good for was bein’ a nightmare… that Ah’ was built that way…

[She was… clearly genuinely hurt over this.]

<FMN-008 to MNN-003>: > Ah’ don’t understan’, Sis.

<FMN-008 to MNN-003>: > He… he’d always stood up f… for me…!

[MN.3 to FMN.8] //: ....I--

[ACXELERATE DASH: MAX OUTPUT REACHED.]

[A blur of blue and white suddenly sped out from behind the car--!]

[Carmen didn’t notice.]

<FMN-008 to MNN-ALL>: > AAAAUUUGH—!

<FMN-008 to MNN-ALL>: > WAI DOES EVERYONE THINK AH’ CAN’T DO NOTHIN’ AN’ AH’M JUST GOOD FER LOOKS?!

<FMN-008 to MNN-ALL>: > AIN’T FAIR!

<FMN-008 to MNN-ALL>: > -Searing bitterness directed specifically at Pyro for all to feel-

[MN.1] //: --Nnngh--!

[There is the sound of someone collapsing over the feeds--]

[MN.2] //: BIG BRO--!

[MN.3] //: -sHRIEKS--

<FMN-008 has blocked MNN-ALL.>

[She vanished from sight and was gone.]

[Meanwhile…]

[MN.1] //: -w...we're fine--it's...argh--

Mikhail: Pyro! Are you sure you’re alright? -DAD MODE ENGAGED, it’s not normal for him to just collapse like that, never seen it before-

White: -RUSHES OVER TO SON'S SIDE--

[MN.1] //: I...

[MN.1] //: -Shifts to abstract, we're just-- overwhelmed, it was all mostly directed to us...-

[MN.1] //: ....

[MN.1] //: I...she...

[MN.1] //: I didn't...but...

[MN.2] //: -FLAILS, LAY DOWN BRO, PLEAAAASE--

Mikhail: Easy… easy…

[There’s the patter of small feet. And suddenly, a Snowbab.]

[He was playing some music over broadcast.]

Snow: -Climbs on top of Pyro to clinghug, you can’t stop him-

Snow: -Softly- Mister Pyyyyroooo…

Snow: Let’s go make rice balls an’ such for when Mister Brandish an’ Miss Eight are rescued.

[The music certainly helps, and the Leader's breathing slowly evens out...he manages to sit up a bit, Cryo already on Pyro's shoulder while Snow clung to the other.]

Pyro: ....Mng...In a moment, Snow, let me catch my breath...

Pyro: .....

Pyro: (Carmen...)

White: --Soi--

Sanda: -Already doing scans to make double sure Pyro's OK, we got you-

[MN.9] //: Pyro--you OK?

[MN.1] //: -Been worse, we'll be OK-

[MN.1] //: -Focus on your mission, we can handle things here.-

<DLN-005>: > An’ there will be food when you finish! : D

[MN.9] //: Roger that. Heading back into the Highway--

[Back at the Highway…]

[There was no sign of Carmen.]

Mikhail: ... You're going to just have to go on regardless.

Beck: Figures...

[A quick Dash and a well timed jump, and Beck was back on another rig. The rain was finally letting up now, thankfully...]

[...But no sign of Brand...]

Beck: (He's probably WAY up ahead...)

Beck: (I gotta get moving before Brand gets too far--)

[CRUNCH!]

Beck: --?!?

[Beck whirled around to look behind him, and heard a loud crashing sound way off in the distance...]

Beck: (What was...?)

"AAAAAAAAAAA--"

Beck: --???

Beck: (That...sounds really familiar...)

[CALL] //: Attention--I have picked up another model's signal.

Sanda: Huh?

[CALL] //: Verifying...

[Beck continued onwards, once again shifting to Avi's form to fly over the larger gaps between the moving cars, and just narrowly avoiding another swarm of sign bots.]

Beck: Starting to really hate those things...

[PING!]

[CALL] //: Signal verified. The unit is Cherry Dynamics Number 7037.

Beck: 70--WAIT--

All: JACK?!

Mikhail: Dear heavens.

Speedy: Duuuuuuude he actually MADE it this far??

Siam: Well THAT Gemini: will certainly Siam: keep her attention Gemini: for a Siamini: while!

Beck: --But--! Jack could--!

[MN.1] //: --Ngh--Beck, if Jack made it all the way here on his own, then he can handle this. You need to keep moving!

<DCN-008>: > You must continue. For their safety.

<DCN-008>: >If she were to catch up to Brandish…

<DCN-008>: >If they get too close, it is not certain he would hold back: for she has been rude to him, and Jack was his opponent who delayed him in a time of crisis—and since the virus exacerbates all grievances…

[MN.9] //: Ngh...!

[He was right. He had to go save Brand...]

Beck: (Ooooh...please be careful, Jack...!)

[MN.9] //: --...Yes, sir...

[Forced to leave the CDN behind, Mighty Number Nine climbed another set of crates, blasting away at the flying models that cluttered the brightening overhead...]

[CALL] //: Warning--I am receiving reports of Seven destroying several vehicles in the road ahead. Incoming debris is a certainty.

Beck: --He's...?!

Sanda: There's a tunnel coming up ahead too--it may affect visibility, so be careful!

[CALL] //: .....Odd.

White: ...? What is?

[CALL] //: By my calculations, he is aiming for another exit to Highway Beta. This route leads to no major cities, while Highway Alpha does.

[CALL] //: It is illogical that the virus would not lead him to where he would cause the most destruction...

White: ....

White: Unless...

<DWN-013>: > -Sadly- To your aid, an unlikely friend…

Beck: ....

[CALL] //: There is a chance that Seven will overshoot the exit and proceed onwards. I suggest you stop him before that moment, Nine.

[MN.9] //: Got it...

<DWN-012>: >Wait a minute. What were you saying a second ago about a tunnel—

[CRRRSHHH!!]

Beck: WHA--

[Was that the front half of a car FLYING TOWARDS HIM--]

[MN.1] //: MOVE, BECK!

[He didn't need to be told twice. His feet seemed to move on their own as soon as he spotted the debris, and using the rig itself as a springboard, LEAPED over to the opposite lane!]

Beck: -WHHOOOAAA--!

[THUD!]

[...Unfortunately, he crashed right into the side of a van--but his hands found perchance on the rails above it!]

Beck: -AAAAH FACE, my FACE really hurts, and I think--I think I broke my nose--

[...He felt something sticky and wet trailing down his lips-- oh he was bleeding Xel-- ]

White: -Oh--oh dear is that--??!?

Sanda: -and we feel faint now, gotta take a seat--

[MN.2] //: -BEEEECK, ARE YOU OK--?!

[MN.9] //: -No but that's OK--we can use a Xel stock, we'll be fine--

[ACCESSING XEL STOCK 2...]

[XEL ABSORBED.]

[The pain subsided, and he was fully invigorated once more, hanging onto the side of the van for dear life. With a grunt of effort, Beck planted both feet on the door--]

[--and pushed, launching him up and backwards in a flip that ended up landing him perfectly on the roof!]

White: --!

Beck: --Oh--

Beck: -oH HEY LOOK THAT WORKED!-

<DWN-019>: > … WAIT A MINUTE

<DWN-019>: > Are you saying you weren’t sure it would?!

Beck: Have YOU ever been on a highway with crazy cars and had to jump across lanes and do backflips and stuff?! -WE'RE TRYING OUR BEST HERE-

<DWN-019>: > …

<DWN-012>: > …

<DWN-012>: > :’D;;; uh

<DWN-012>: > [sub]we plead the fifth on this one thanks[/sub]

<MC005>: > I think he was just confused as to why you would try something you didn’t know would work.

Beck: .....

Beck: Oh. Well...uuuuh.

[MN.2] //: -BECK'S BEEN DOIN' CRAZY STUFF SINCE FOREVER AGO, AND IT'S STARTING TO CONCERN US-

Beck: .... ^.^;;;

<MC005>: > You what? ?__?

[CALL] //: Warning--multiple incoming robots heading for your location.

[MN.9] //: -nOT AGAIN--

[REXELECTION: CRYOSPHERE]

Beck: Stop SWARMING me--!

[A blast of icy wind dealt with the sign bots quickly--but they fell as their systems shut down, shattering into a million pieces before Beck could absorb their Xel.]

Beck: ...Oops.

Beck: (O...Kay, not doing THAT again...)

<MC005>: > …What was that about the stunts, again—

Beck: --Uh--

White: --!! DUCK!

[MN.1] //: --?

Beck: --Wait I don't see a duuUUUUOH--

[NOW ENTERING HIGHWAY ALPHA 1.]

[...That was what the large overhead sign said as Beck ducked at the last possible second, narrowly avoiding giving himself another broken nose--and possibly worse.]

Beck: (Oh man that was close--!)

[There is a strong fuzzing noise of static.

It’s not coming from nearby, but rather over the feeds.]

Beck: !

[MN.3] //: --Wha--that'szz not me--

<FMN-006>: > OOOO—

<FMN-006>: > -OW, CAR RIGHT TO THE FACE-

<FMN-006>: > -Well not LITERALLY her face but man that had to have hurt-

<FMN-009>: > Aaaaaa I’M GOING AS FAST AS I CAN BUT THERE ARE CRAZY SIGNS EVERYWHEEEEEEEEERE—

[MN.9] //: What's--!?

[MN.1] //: -PING PING, IS SHE ALRIGHT--

White: --Just--extremely so very worried with so many of his--and not his but his children AAACK--

<FMN-006>: > Her camo’s gone—

<FMN-009>: > -WHICH MAKES IT A LOT EASIER TO CATCH UP TO HER, DAD—-

<FMN-006>: > …She’s standing on her own, now—

<FMN-006>: > SHEEEE’ll be fine, Beckaronidoni, GO ON AHEAD :’^D

<FMN-006 to MNN-001>: > -UH. SHE’S KINDA GETTING AGITATED, IT SEEMS, STANDBY FOR DEVELOPMENT-

[MN.1] //: . . . .

Beck: -Whew, OK...-

[CALL] //: Contact with tunnel entrance in three...two...one...

Speedy: -OH GEEZ, DUCK, MAN!-

[THUD--!]

[Beck just dropped down to lay on the roof and held his head down--]

[--and saw the world turn much, much darker, illuminated only by pale, yellow lights that lined the walls--the emergency lights.]

[Beck lowered his visor for Night Vision before he deemed it safe to raise his head again.]

Beck: --In the tunnel--! It's...pretty dark but I got my Night Vision--

<DWN-011>: >Welp. Just keep an eye for the exit, too.

[Nine pinged back in confirmation, readying himself briefly before jumping to another car, and another. The traffic was more condensed here, so it was easier to jump from one vehicle to another.]

Beck: Lots of rigs here...

[With LOTS of malfunctioning robots...]

Beck: (No other way—I'm gonna have to fight through them!)

[....It wasn't long before the malfunctioning robots spotted him, and moved to converge on his position.]

[Beck narrowed his eyes at them, and—]

[REXELECTION: PYROGEN]

[—FILLED his fists with fire, and CHARGED at the CDNs in his path!]

Beck: Haaaaaah—!

[MN.1] //: .... -We taught him that, you know—- -HEH, THAT'S HIS BROTHER-

[MN.2] //: -Yeah well DUH-

[BAM—!]

[A few of the robots are knocked off the rig, while others either blow up or are absorbed on contact with his Dash, giving him some Absorption Boosts--and refilling his previously used Xel Stock.]

[XEL STOCK 1 QUOTA REACHED.]

[MN.3] //: —He'zzz really mowing those thingszz down, huh...?

[MN.2] //: -IT'S GLORIOUS, GO BECK GO-

Beck: —NNGH—!

[One by one, the robots are broken and beaten down before him, their components being drawn into his being as both Xel and Fire danced to his will, a strong green glow casting from his optics.]

White: (....!)

Beck: Get out of the WAY—!

Beck: (Gotta—get to Nii-San—!)

[SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEE—!]

Beck: -cOVERS EARS, O W—!-

White: What in the world was—?!

<FMN-006 to MNN-001>: > -NOOOOOOBODY PANIC, UH— -

[MN.1 to FMN.6] //: -SIX, I DEMAND TO KNOW WHAT IS—-

<FMN-006 to MNN-001>: > SHE'S KINDA, UM

<FMN-006 to MNN-001>: > TIED UP AT THE MOMENT--

[MN.1 to FMN.6] //: -NOW IS NOT THE TIME FOR PUNS, AVIATOR--

<FMN-006 to MNN-001>: > NO BRO

<FMN-006 to MNN-001>: > I MEAN IT FOR REAL

[MN.1 to FMN.6] //: —!

<FMN-006 to MNN-001>: > -also, we pun when stressed, you know this, aaaaand thIS IS KINDA STRESSFUL TO WATCH-

<FMN-006 to MNN-001>: > Get Nine moving, this isn't something he should see!

[MN.9] //: Guys—?!

[MN.1] //: Keep GOING, Beck! NOW!

[MN.9] //: But what was—?!

[MN.1] //: N O W!

<FMN-006 to FMN-009>: > Hurry uuuup

[While Beck made a worried break for it, Goose suddenly gave off a blip of surprise and concern.]

<FMN-006 to MNN-001>: > Uh-oh—

<FMN-006 to MNN-001>: > oh geez, she took out one of my cameras— I've lost visual—

<FMN-006 to MNN-001>: > -But not audio, at least-

[MN.1 to FMN.6] //: —Augh, of all the times—!

[MN.1 to FMN.6] //: What about Jack? Is he injured? Did you see before you lost the visual?

<FMN-006 to MNN-001>: > ... Have you ever needed to wrestle your Shade? Or just lug him around in general? Tony's not exactly a heavyweight-- aaaand don't tell her I said that or she'll shoot my propellers off 8'D;;

<FMN-006 to MNN-001>: > Noooot so much /injured/ as out of his league in trying to reign in a bucking bronco-- though he's doing REAL well, all things considered— …

[... But then he falls uncharacteristically silent.]

[MN.1 to FMN.6] //: .....? Avi—?

[MN.9] //: --Eeep--Cars, more car debris, DODGE DODGE DODGE--

[More silence.]

<FMN-006 to MNN-001>: > …

<FMN-006 to MNN-001>: > . . .

[MN.1 to FMN.6] //: -OK we have never EVER heard you be this quiet for this long, please say SOMETHING—-

<FMN-006 to MNN-001>: > -Swallows- She's not gonna be happy when she wakes up from this...

<FMN-006 to MNN-001>: > ... And hears what she's saying.

[MN.1 to FMN.6] //: —.....

[MN.1] //: . . . . .

[MN.2] //: ...Bro?

[MN.1] //: .......

[MN.1] //: ...Beck?

[MN.9] //: —KINDA BUSY—! -SOUNDS OF METAL CRUNCHING-

[MN.1] //: ...Ngh...

[MN.1] //: (Curse this wretched virus—!)

[MN.9] //: How long until the tunnel exit?!

[CALL] //: Contact in 4 minutes, Nine.

<DWN-019>: > Wait. Where are Jack and FMN-008?

<FMN-006>: >Working on getting the visual back up, guys— lost sight of them, that may be a moment—

<DWN-019>: > … You are an aerial ‘bot, how could you lose sight of them—

<FMN-006>: >She spotted one of my cams and wasn’t too happy about it, okay? D: [sub]Charlieeee… why do you always have to go after Charlie, Siiiiiis…[/sub]

[MN.3] //: (...Charlie??)

[CALL] //: Contact in 3 minutes.

Beck: Whoa—!

[REXELECTION: AVIATOR]

[More strange wheel bots had materialized--and learning from the previous encounter, Beck chose to avoid them altogether and and hovered just out of their reach.]

<DWN-011>: >Wouldn’t stay in that form too long.

<DLN-005>: >Why?

<DWN-011>: >Exit. Too tall.

[MN.9] //: OK, just let me find a place t—

[...A pause.]

[MN.9] //: .....Uh.

<MC005>: > …What is it, Beck?

[MN.9] //: UH, GUYS...

[BEEEP BEEEP BEEEEEEEP!]

[MN.1] //: -...oh no-

[MN.3] //: -HOW MANY OF THOSE THINGS A R E THERE??-

[MN.9] //: A LOT—!

<DLN-005>: >Can you slow ‘em down by freezing them? o:

[A swarm of sign bots—much MUCH bigger than anything he's seen so far.]

[MN.9] //: There's WAY too many, I don't think I can get them all—!

[MN.1] //: If you can't slow them down, can you disperse them?

[MN.9] //: Uuuuh...

[MN.9] //: I can tryyyy??

<DLN-005>: >Yaaay, Beckyyy~

-PING!-

<DCP-001>: >You can do it, Beck! ^.^

Beck: —!

Beck: ...Linka--!!

<DCP-001>: >You can do it! Beck is hero~

[...Nine's optics seemed to flare a touch brighter the moment he heard Kalinka's voice.]

[After landing on a car, Beck took careful aim at the mass of sign bots ahead, the propeller that replaced his hand spinning faster, and faster—!]

[—ZING!]

[The propeller unlatched and whizzed through the air vertically, splitting the large group of sign bots in half—!]

Beck: —Hah—!

[And he didn't stop there—a moment later and another propeller was launched, and another, and another—]

[CALL] //: Contact in 2 minutes.

[It took almost exhausting all of this form's energy—but he managed to completely disperse the swarm, quickly shifting back to default to shoot at the ones that lingered.]

[REXELECTION: AVIATOR//RECHARGING...]

[DR.WHITE] //: You're almost there, Beck—!

[MN.9] //: —! I see the exit! (It's really bright—...is it dawn already--?)

[CALL] //: Contact in 1 minute.

[Disengaging his Night Vision, Beck lowered his body as the car he stood on sped towards the light ahead...]

[CALL] //: Contact in 30 seconds.

[There was a sudden PING of alarm.]

<DWN-019>: > WAIT WAIT WAIT—

<DWN-019>: > PISCES WHAT WERE YOU SAYING ABOUT “TOO TALL”—

[MN.9] //: -What, but we're fine—-

[CALL] //: Contact in 3—2—1—

[The world was thrown back into light, and the first reddish sunbeams of daylight filled the sky over a brown desert, rock formations scattering their shadows against the hot sands of New Mexico.]

[There was a loud sound that echoed down the tunnel, bouncing off the walls.]

WHANG!

WHANG!

[Beck only had a second to stare in awe of the beautiful scenery when he heard the sound of something crashing against metal. He turned around back towards the tunnel in confusion.]

Beck: —?? What was that?!

<DWN-012>: > -Whine noise- x.≤;;; The sound of something running into a wall really, really fast…

[MN.1] //: (Something tall...)

[MN.1] //: .....!!!!

[MN.1] //: No—!

<FMN-006>: > … … … -We can’t do anything now until they come out on the other side, bro-

[MN.1 to FMN.6] //: —I know that and it's—Ngh!

[MN.2] //: SIS--!

[MN.3] //: -BZZZZZZZZZZT!!- -Stressful and worried static across the feeds-

[MN.9] //: What--did something happen to Carmen and Jack--?!

[CALL] //: -LOUD PING-

[CALL] //: Warning: Erratic movement detected in several nearby remote-controlled vehicles.

<FMN-006>: >Listen, Beckaroo!

<FMN-006>: >The best thing you can do is to save the day by rescuing Sevvie, ‘kay? </punning while stressed again> Trust me on that. You can do it!

<FMN-006>: >This is a teamwork sort of rig— I mean, gig—

<FMN-006>: >So just do your part and Pup will do his and it’ll all work out, a’ight? ;D ;;;;

[MN.9] //: —...

[MN.9] //: —I read you, Avi...

[...He just couldn't help it—there were so many people he cared about on this dangerous highway, and he worried about everyone.]

[But at least they were there to remind him what he needed to do.]

<FMN-006>: >Oooof course you do! : D Because the alphabet starts with “A” for “Avi!” ^^

<FMN-006>: >Now go get ‘em, Champ!

[MN.9] //: —R...Right!

[Another large rig backed up, allowing Beck to jump across and head out further into the highway.]

[CALL] //: Warning—I am detecting a buildup of erratic signals near your location.

<MC005>: > …? What does that indicate?

[CALL] //: Analyzing...

[MN.9] //: —...? Huh?

[DR.WHITE] //: Beck—?

[MN.9] //: The cars are...?

[The smaller vehicles were weaving around in seemingly random patterns, honking and trying to get in front of one another...]

Beck: It...kinda looks like they're freaking out...?

Beck: But why would--

[SHING!]

[There was a blur of--of a dark, violet blue flame—

And one of the cars was CLEAVED in half.]

<DWN-012>: > !!!

<DWN-012>: > oh gosh is this where the car halves were coming from?

[MN.2] //: HOLY--!

Beck: --!!!

[Moments later...]

[A red armored figure landed on the other lane, slamming a blade down on the car on which he landed.]

Beck: Brand--!

[MN.1] //: Brandish--!

[Brand's breathing sounded labored, wrenching his blade out of the car and staring across the lane at his little brother.]

Brand: Gnh...!

<DWN-013 to MNN-001>: > … We may have a problem…!

<DWN-013 to MNN-001>: > If that really was CND-7037 and FMN-008 hitting the tunnel that made that noise—

<DWN-013 to MNN-001>: > They might not be conscious enough to evade if Brand goes after the car or rig they’re on top of!

[MN.1 to FMN.6 and 9] //: You two had better hurry when they get out of that tunnel--!

<FMN-009>: > YES SIR—!

Brand: I...I told you...

Beck: Brandish--!

[Before Beck could say anything more, however--]

[A surge of dark, violet flames burst from Seven's body, across his arms and blades, and he raised his head to scream-- ]

Brand: I TOLD YOU TO STAY AWAY!

<DWN-013>: > Yes, you did. But he won’t.

Beck: HANG ON, NII-SAN--!

[Brandish let out a cry of anguish, leaping towards another car as Beck chased after him from his own lane--]

[SHING--!]

[Another car was sliced, and it's parts were swept across the road--Beck was forced to jump from car to car to avoid both his brother's wild attacks and the results of his reluctant rampage.]

[SHING--!]

Beck: {Big brother, please--}

[SHING--!]

Beck: {--you have to--}

[SHING--!]

Beck: {--FIGHT THIS--!}

<DWN-013 to MNN-009>: > …He is, Beck. … -Augh, it is so hard, and so painful- He’s trying as hard as he can. But you’ll need to make the final moves to overcome what’s in place.

[Brandish's answer to that was another slash in his direction, but easily avoidable. As Nine leaps over to a larger rig, the Xel-ninja speeds on by a set of trucks--]

[...But doesn't reappear once they pass.]

Beck: No--!

Beck: (Where is he, where is he--)

[DR.WHITE] //: .....

[DR.WHITE] //: (I can't help but wonder...Brand's fine control over his art allows him to achieve a greater focus than any of the others...)

[DR.WHITE] //: (But he's not like Beck in the sense that...)

[DR.WHITE] //: (....)

[DR WHITE] //: (Brandish...son...)

[Beep!]

Beck: ....?

[The rig was larger than the others--and it was carrying many other cars on it's trailers. Once Beck climbed over the roof, and to the floor below, he was greeted by none other than Sunny the Patch Bot.]

[DR.SANDA] //: --? Will--Did YOU send Sunny down there?

[DR.WHITE] //: No--?

Sunny: ^.^

[CALL] //: -Ping of admittance, we had concluded Beck needed medical assistance once Brandish was spotted again-

<DWN-019>: > -Ping of approval-

[Sunny chirped pleasantly as Beck patted their head, unloading it's cargo and preparing to fly off...]

Beck: Wait, Sunny--!

Sunny: ?

[MN.9] //: Call--Xel Transfer him back to the lab right now, please.

[...He didn't want to add Sunny to the things Brand already cut up so far...]

[CALL] //: Acknowledged.

<DWN-013>: >Good luck, Beck. And remember…

<DWN-013>: > …

<DWN-013>: > (“In the end… his will overcame the program…”)

<DWN-013>: > Remember what I told you.

Beck: ......

Beck: Yeah...

[Sunny was teleported off, leaving Beck to venture forward on his own. There were less and less cars on the lanes, he noted...]

Beck: ....!

[At one end of the trailer, there were more cars, stacked one on top of the other.]

Beck: (They're not moving...so they must have been turned off when the virus hit...?)

[DR.WHITE] //: Any sign of Brand?

[MN.9] //: Not--

"HAAAAAAAAAAH--!!"

[SHING SHING SHING SHING SHING--]

[B O O M!]

[Without any warning, the cars were sliced--and they all exploded, knocking back the smaller Mighty Number off his feet and rolling across the trailer floor--!]

Beck: Gah--!

[DR.WHITE] //: BECK--!

<MC005 to DR.WHITE>: > Careful, Will! With Brandish as his opponent… Beck will need all the concentration he can muster!

[Black smoke choked his throat, and he coughed, his vision straining to see the familiar figure that had appeared through it.]

[The smoke cleared, the rising sun over the now desolate highway....]

Beck: -COUGH-

Beck: B--...Brand...

[Screams of surprise and alarm in the far distance.]

<FMN-009 to MNN-009>: > Got them! I’m closing in!

[MN.9 to FMN.9] //: --... -PING-

[Brandish fell into a offensive stance, yet he was trying to draw AWAY from his brother at the same time, so it looked as if he was just a tense coil...]

Brand: Beck--!

[Beck gathered to his feet. Brand wasn't running anymore, but it sure LOOKED like he wanted to.]

Beck: Brand...

Brand: GNH--!

Brand: GNAAAAAAAAAAAAH--!!

[The dark flames enshrouded, engulfed, and for a moment, Brandish was not there—lost in the virus's grip—and then—!]

Brand?: WHY--?!

Beck: --!

[That voice--it was completely different, twisted, and demonic--it was not his own--]

Beck: (Is that...the virus...?)

Brand?: WHY, BECK--?!

Beck: ?!?!?

[--It said his NAME.]

Brand?: WHY WON'T YOU. GIVE. UP?!?!

[.........]

Beck: A...Ah--

[Those--those words--]

Beck: (W...What...)

[It was clear that Beck was completely unnerved, and found that he could not move at all. He stared, fixated, horrified and in disbelief all at once--]

<RMDC>: > -PING!-

<RMDC>: > UPDATE COMPLETED.

<RMDC>: > REBOOTING AI_DWN_024…

Beck: --!!

Brand?: RAAAAAAAAAAH--!!

[An unnatural groan of pain, and the flames die down to their original height, causing Brand to fall to a knee.]

Brand: Ngn...

Brand: S...Shadow....?

<DWN-024>: > -LOADING…-

<DWN-024>: > -Loading…-

<DWN-024>: > -Loading…-

[There was a broadcast… memory, almost—like looking across the Milky Way at endless streams of stars, clearer and more magnificent than any telescope could ever capture.]

[And then a feeling like some ancient thing that had long been asleep was about to stir…]

<DCN-007>: > -Much more presence than usual- {The student hears the voice of his master, no longer lost, but found again… and he will waken.}

<DCN-008>: > {You have been long missed and longed for, Brandish Atomo White.}

<DCN-008>: > {You don’t need to keep running from your family any longer. They think no less of you for what has happened. Do not fear their judgement—for they do not carry it!}

<DCN-007>: > Remember what you told him.

——————————

<DLN-000>: >But living life as a Wilybot… it’s always in the back of your mind— <DLN-000>: >What if… what if something, what if /next/ time—there’s ALWAYS a next time—what if it really makes us… what if we become monsters? [MN. 7] //: Then I will do everything in my power to save you WITHOUT taking your life. <DLN-000>: >Sometimes people don’t get a choice. <DLN-000>: >Rock didn’t get a choice. [MN. 7] //: There is always a choice.

——————————

<DCN-007>: > {THERE IS /ALWAYS/ A CHOICE!}

<DCN-008>: > {Even if the only choice is to resist.}

<DCN-007>: > {What do you think we did, Brandish? When we were enslaved like this?}

<DCN-007>: > {MAKE YOUR CHOICE! CHOOSE TO /FIGHT/ IT!}

Brand: {I--!}

[The Mighty ninja recoiled once more, groaning again, the virus within him refusing to let go, to ensure that it completes its purpose using him as its host.]

Brand: --N...ngh...

Brand: T...here is...a...ch-choice...

Brand: B...Beck...

Beck: It's gonna be OK--!

Beck: I'm here to help--I've come to SAVE you, Brand--!

[Beck carefully tries to approach, but--]

Brand: N--No closer--!

Brand: O-One more step--and my blades will have their way with you--!

[His head jerked to one side, as if he didn't mean to say what he just said.]

Brand: It...it...

Brand: It...doesn't--KNOW--!

Beck: --what?

Brand: It....it CAN'T know--

Beck: Brand--what--tell me what's happening--! What are you--

Brand: I can't--control myself--! It--

Brand: It doesn't--know--what--

Brand: It--will not--STOP--until everything--is GONE--!

<MC005>: > …!!!

-*-*-*-*-

-PING!-

<MC005 to MNN-001>: > -STATUS INQUIRY-

[.......]

[MN.1] //: RRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!

[Mikhail was quite taken aback.]

Mikhail: ?!

[MN.1] //: B U R N.

[MN.1] //: A L L... M U S T...

[MN.1] //: BUUUUUUUURRRN!

-*-*-*-*-

<MC005 to DR.WHITE>: > Will, there’s something I need to show you…

Brand: It—will—stop at NOTHING—

Brand: It—will use—WHATEVER MEANS—!

[DR.SANDA] // : Saints preserve us...

Brand: It will use ME—until I BREAK—!

Beck: —!?

Brand: If—if you want...to SAVE me...!

[SCANNING...]

[SCAN COMPLETE.]

[E N C O U N T E R.]

[MODEL: MIGHTY NO. 7. CODENAME: BRANDISH.]

[HEIGHT: 167cm WEIGHT: 187kg XEL COUNT: 37,400,000]

Brand: YOU MUST DESTROY ME!

[This phrase was dramatically emphasized by a sudden flash of lightning in the distance out of nowhere.]

Beck: —!!

Beck: NO—!

Beck: I don't want to do this—I don't want to hurt you anymore than I have to—!

Brand: RARGH!

[Beck's rebuttal fell on deaf ears—Brandish could no longer hold back. He lunged—!]

[REXELECTION: CRYOSPHERE.]

[Beck leaped backwards, switching his form into something he thought would slow Brandish down at least a little—]

Brand: Predictable!

[SHING!]

[...The wall of ice that was between them was cut to pieces.]

Beck: Gnh—!

[REXELECTION: PYROGEN.]

Brand: Always so VERY predicable...

Beck: Burning—gACK—!

[Beck was hit with a flying kick, sending him tumbling over to the ground—]

Brand: You—you expect to kill ME with such PREDICTABLE skills—?!

[A blast of disapproval across the feeds, directed RIGHT at Brandish.]

<DLN-005>: > N O.

<MC005>: > …!

<MC005 to MNN-001>: > I thought you were keeping him busy in the kitchen—!

[MN.1] //: -Snow—argh, tiny bots are always hard to keep track of—-

<DLN-005>: > N O, NO, /NO!/

<DLN-005>: > Beck isn’t like the monster—

[You could actually hear his budding arctic tantrum—the winds were howling with ice in their voice!]

<DLN-005>: > BECK /SAVES/ THE DAY!

Brand: —ngh—!

[He falters at the sound of Snow's voice...]

Brand: I—I can't—control—

Brand: AAARGH!

[There was an incredibly intense blast of disapproval, but this time, it… didn’t seem to be specifically directed at… Brandish…?!?]

<DLN-005>: > YOU!

<DLN-005 to ???>: > You meanie.

<DLN-005 to ???>: > You’re trying to make more like the blue monster.

<DLN-005 to ???>: > YOU TRIED TO MAKE /US/ LIKE THAT MONSTER!!!

<DLN-005 to ???>: > -SCREEEE, SHRIEKS OF RUSSIAN WINTER-

<DLN-005 to ???>: > MONSTERS NEVER WIN!

[At the sounds of the howling winds of icy fury—]

Brand?: -UNHOLY DEMONIC SCREEEEEEEEEEECH OF RAGE-

[This tantrum was abruptly cut short.]

<MC005 has sent DLN-005 Offline.>

[Apparently Mikhail had taken the matter into his own hands to prevent Snow from hurting Pyro with his abilities, as the little ice ‘bot used them recklessly when throwing a tantrum.]

[MN.1] //: Snow—!

[…Uh-oh.]

<DWN-011 has entered Alert Combat mode.>


<DWN-012 has entered Alert Combat mode.>


<DWN-013 has entered Alert Combat mode.>


<DWN-018 has entered Alert Combat mode.>


<DWN-019 has entered Alert Combat mode.>


<DCN-003 has entered Alert Combat mode.>


<DCN-007 has entered Alert Combat mode.>


<DCN-008 has entered Alert Combat mode.>

[MN.3] //: -Ooooh, that's not good-

Beck: BRAAAAAAND—!

Brand: RAAAGH—!

[Brandish flourished his blades in parallel position, arms stretched out wide to either side—!]

Beck: —!!

[Seven spun around on the spot, becoming a spinning blur of DEATH that soon sped towards Nine—!]

Beck: —aaAAAH—!

[Recognizing this move and what it can do, Beck had one option—]

[REXELECTION: AVIATOR.]

[Take to the sky.]

Brand: Ngh—!!

[Beck sighed in relief as he watched Brand simply glare at him after he came to a stop. Brandish could jump fairly high, but as long as he—]

[SHING!]

Beck: WHA—?!

[Brandish...threw his own sword at him?]

[Beck had to bank harshly to the right, the blade narrowly missing his side. He stared in confusion for a split second—

A pale cloth of what appeared to be the 'bandages' that decorated the hilt was now stretched out, and seemed to retract back to Brandish, returning the weapon to his hand.]

Brand: You cannot stay up there forever—!

[There seemed to be a buzz for a moment.

And then, suddenly…]

<RMDC>: > -PING!- COMMAND ACCEPTED. AUTHORIZATION: DWN-019

[There was a flurry of notifications as the remainder of the Rebel Angels went Offline.

All but one, anyway.]

<DWN-024>: > -Loading…-

[SHING!]

[SHING—!]

[There was a far-off flash of green that lit up the dawn sky.]

[MN.1] //: —!!

[MN.3] //: —Waszz that—?

[Beck landed quickly, and shifted his form again—]

[...to default?]

Beck: (Brand has a counter to everything I got—)

Beck: (He keeps saying I'm predictable—)

Beck: (So--I gotta come up with something he WON'T expect—!)

Beck: (...I am so glad the others won't see this...)

[MN.9] //: DR. COSSACK—!

[MN.9] //: I'm sorry—but I have to ask you to—!

<MC005>: > …

[There was a pause.]

<MC005 has sent DCN-003 Offline.> <MC005 has sent DCN-007 Offline.> <MC005 has sent DCN-008 Offline.>

<MC005 to MNN-009>: > {Do what you have to… but understand that you may not be able to keep this secret all the way through.}

[MN.9 to MC005] //: ...I understand.

Beck: (Sorry about that, guys...)

[REXELECTION: DYNATRON]

[MN.3] //: —?!? BECK—WHAT ARE YOU DOING—?!

Beck: TRUST ME, SIS—!

[Brandish seemed unfazed, but leaped into a front flip, using his blades to hack at anything that dared to come close--

Beck sparked in panic and threw large, glowing purple bits up in a make shift shield--they didn't hold up to Brand's swords, but it did give Beck enough time to roll out of the way, summoning more bits to his side.]

[There was a clattering sound as Mikhail hastily left the room he was in to make his way to the emergency bay.]

Brand: Fool...!

[He lands, and once again charges for another slashing attack, unrelenting in his efforts to cut Beck down to nothing but Xel.]

[Beck's bits are wildly thrown this way and that while he avoids and dodges and--]

[MN.3] //: --!!

Brand: Must slice--must DICE--!

-PING!-

<RMDC>: >PROCESSING NEW DATA…

<RMDC>: > UPDATING SERVER…

<RMDC>: >UPDATE COMPLETE. STATUS UPDATE: FMN-008.

<RMDC>: >XEL PURGE COMPLETE. ALL HARMFUL MALWARE HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM FMN-008.

[MN.1] //: --!!

[MN.2] //: -ALRIGHT, MIRROR BRO!-

Brand: --n-ngh--?

<RMDC>: >ALERT!

<RMDC>: >SIGNAL ERROR: FMN-008 NOT FOUND

<RMDC>: > SCANS INDICATE FMN-008 HAS SUSTAINED SYSTEM-WIDE CRITICAL HARDWARE DAMAGE. DATA SOURCE: FMN-009

Brand: C...Carmen--?!

[Brandish...stops.]

Brand: Ack--N...No...!

Beck: --Sorry, Brand--!!

[BZZZZZZT--!]

[The whole floor was suddenly electrified, the bits that had been thrown earlier sending strong currents across the metal flooring--!]

Brand: --gNAAAAAH--!

[He was covered in a purple glow--!]

[XEL ABSORBED.]

[The bits dissipated into loose Xel as Brand twitched and jerked, the currents wreaking havoc on his systems...]

Brand: Nnnggh...

Beck: {I'm sorry--!}

-Ping.-

<AI_DWN_024 SYSTEM UPDATE COMPLETE. REBOOTING…>

Brand: Gnh--

Brand: Y--Yes....

Beck: --!

Brand: You...you are...

Brand: Going to...break me down...right into Xels...

Beck: No--! That's not what I'm--!

<RMDC>: >ERROR: EMOTIONS.EXE ERROR DETECTED. DWN-024 REBOOT FAILED. RETRYING…

<FMN-009>: > -PING!-

<FMN-009>: > UM

<FMN-009>: > UHHH

<FMN-009>: > GUYS THERE’S A PROBLEM

[DR.SANDA] //: -Oh dear Asimov why now--

[MN.1] //: What is it?

<FMN-009>: > -HOW AM I GOING TO GET THEM OFF, HELP—-

<FMN-009>: > -EVEN IF I COULD LIFT SIS IN AVI’S FORM (WHICH I /CAN’T/, SHE’S TOO HEAVY—) I ONLY HAVE ONE ARM IN THAT FORM, WE CAN’T LEAVE JACK BEHIND—!-

<FMN-009>: > THEY BOTH HIT THEIR HEADS REALLY HARD AND AREN’T GIVING OFF SIGNALS I THINK THEY BROKE THEIR TRANSCEIVERS AAAAAAAAAA—

[MN.1] //: Calm DOWN, Nine--! We'll think of something--!

<FMN-009>: > BUT SHE HIT HER HEAD REALLY HARD, LIKE YOU SAID AFTER THE INCIDENT THERE’S XEL EVERYWHERE SOMEBODY HELP—

[MN.1] //: Beck--!

[BZZZZZZT--]

[DR.WHITE] //: -GAH THERE'S NO WAY TO GET THEM OUT OF THE HIGHWAY AND--

<MC005>: > -PING!-

<MC005>: > Has anyone seen Aviator??

[ALL] //: --????

[MN.3] //: He should zzstill be--

[MN.2] //: Uuuuh...

[MN.2] //: Are my four eyes seeing things right or am I seeing double--?

<MC005>: > {What??}

[P I N G!]

[MN.6] //: Diiiiiiid someone call for...

[MN.6] //: ...air support?~ ; D

[MN. ALL] //: AVI!

<FMN-006>: > You know what they say, Avi!

<FMN-006>: > Two heads are better than one!~ ; D

<FMN-006>: > It helps to have friends in… HIGH places~

[MN.6] //: You said it, Avi!

[MN.6] //: And they're only just a--CALL AWAY. ; D

[MN.1] //: --oH--

<FMN-006>: >Breaking news!

<FMN-006>: >Two handsome airplane rescuers stop highway chase from ending in tragedy, while everyone’s faaaaavorite underdog SAVES THE DAY— -Background flying noises-

[MN.9] //: AVI!~

[MN.6] //: Heeeeey, T-Becks, love to chat and catch up but I got a car-jack to get to and you got a bro to save!

[MN.6] //: You're doing great--so don't give up now!

[MN.9] //: Roger that, Avi!

<FMN-006 to MNN-007>: >EYYYY, LUCKY SEVEN THERE— I know you can hear me.

[MN.7 to FMN.6] // -low growls in response-

<FMN-006 to MNN-007>: >Enough of that doom and gloom nonsense, lil’ bro—

<FMN-006 to MNN-007>: > She’s pretty banged up and is gonna want you to help out again.

Brand: --!

<FMN-006 to MNN-007>: > -She needs you, so—if I hear more of this despair stuff I’m going to hang you up a flagpole by your fancy Japanese silk robes, snap out of it-

Brand: C...Carmen--

<FMN-006>: > -Cheerfully- See you guys soooon!~ Avi, over and out!

[MN.9] //: Good luck, guys--!

[MN.6] //: You too, little Champ!

Brand: Nngh--!

[He convulsed, and the virus tightened it's reigns—but still, he was suppressing his urge to attack--!]

Brand: I...ngh--!

[BLAM!]

[XEL ABSORBED.]

[Beck did not let the opening go to waste.]

[BLAM!]

[XEL ABSORBED.]

Brand: NNNAGH!!

[The ninja suddenly screamed into sunrise, his blades raised in front of him--]

[--clicking into place as he brought them together--]

[DR.WHITE] //: --!!! BRANDISH, NO--!!

[PING!]

<DWN-024 is now Online.>

<DWN-024>: > -Very, VERY disoriented data- … Sensei…?

Brand: M--MOVE, BECK--!!

Brand: M-my body--my BLADES--They have a will all of their own--!

Brand: RAAGH--!

Beck: Brand--wait--!

[SHING--!]

Beck: aCK--!

[He backed off, but--pain, across his shoulder--]

<DWN-024>: > —!

<DWN-024 has entered Non-Lethal Combat mode.>

[Uh-oh.]

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

Mikhail: We don’t want the Avi-like incident repeating with the other numbers. It will be hard enough to carry without hurting close friends in the process…

Nico: …Good luck getting Shadow to agree. -Looks down at said brother- Maybe we should keep him Offline, too?

Skull: …At least, until Brandish is better…

-*-*-*-*-*-*-

[SHING SHING SHING SHINGSHINGSHING--]

[Other shoulder--leg--]

[There was a whistling noise.]

THUNK.

Ssssss…

[A shuriken was sinking into the rig by Brandish’s left foot, hissing as acid ate away at the metal.]

Brand: --?!

[Beck stumbled, and fell in shock--Xel beginning to bleed from the gashes his brother had inflicted--thankfully not deep enough to sever anything immediately important, but OW--]

[Shadow seemed to melt out of his namesake, rising like some sort of ghost. His eyes were glowing a solid green.]

<MC005>: > I thought the Meadow teleporters were Offline!

<FMN-001>: > THEY ARE! He just—! MELTED into the darkness!

[He flicked his wrists, and two more shuriken appeared.

This time, he aimed for Brand’s hands.]

[Brandish did not linger--he avoided the projectiles altogether by flipping backwards, his eyes switching from his own blue to a monstrous purple...]

Beck: Sh--Shadow--!

Brand: You...

[Shadow did not respond at all. He was silent.

And relentless—melting suddenly into the shadows again, vanishing from sight.

Only to reappear—]

[SKLRRT!]

[APPARENTLY UNDERNEATH THE RIG AT BRAND’S FEET AND STABBING UPWARDS—]

Beck: --!!!

[ACCESSING XEL STOCK 1...]

Brand: Gnh--!

[He jumped, but the acid beneath splattered and hit bits and parts of his leg armor, eating away at the paint and the trade-mark '7' that adorned it.]

[It wasn't long before the acid was slowly eating away at the armor itself, though at a slow pace. Brandish HOWLED in pain--!]

Brand: INSOLENCE--!

[SHING--!]

[The slice cut through the rig like butter, and there were some very troubling noises from whatever piping he had cut into.]

[There was a clattering sound, as if something had fallen down.]

[XEL ABSORBED.]

Beck: SHADOW--?!

[Silence.]

Beck: SHADOW--?!?

Brand: Nggggh....

[Brand’s shadow… rippled.]

Beck: --?!?

[Brandish didn't seem to notice, now turning his blade back to Beck--]

Brand: You--...

Brand: .....

[Until he sensed another presence--]

[Shadow sprang up out of Brand’s cast shade, grabbing him by the scarf and yanking HARD.

At the same time, he slammed his foot against Brand’s ankle, where the leg armor had been eaten away.]

Brand: --Hrk--

Beck: SHADOW, STOP--!

Brand: -UNHOLY SCREECH OF PAIN-

[Shadow let go of the scarf, but he wasn’t quite done—that much was clear, as he had another shuriken in his hand a second later.

His expression was void, and he didn’t seem moved by mercy whatsoever.

However…]

<DWN-024 has entered Defensive Combat mode.>

[The green glow subsided, and his irises and pupils slowly came back into view—though his irises were still glowing the same shade of green.

He slid further back, bracing himself against the driving cabin.]

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

Gemini: There is already so much suffering and anger and fear and hardship that we put up with and deal with… that it really doesn’t drive us mad. The Awareness function cannot be overridden that way, and so there is no loss of control.

Gemini: -Dryly- You could say we’re permanently infected, in a sense.

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

Beck: --!!

[Brandish winced in sheer pain, but his head turned to GLARE at Shadow with violet orbs of rage, unlocking his blades to separate and--]

[BLAM!]

Beck: NO YOU DON'T--!

[Shadow crouched down, bringing out some sort of… strange but familiar item…]

Beck: --Ah--!

[His visor goes down--]

[And darkness covers… everything.]

Brand: --!?!?

Beck: (I--STILL CAN'T SEE, WHAT--?!)

[It is no ordinary darkness—not as if night had fallen—but as if light had ceased to exist at all.

It was as if it had smothered out everything else in the world, creating a void of NOTHING.]

[There was a firm grip around Beck, suddenly—]

Beck: --!

[In reaction to the darkness, Brand wildly slashes to where he last saw Shadow, and prepares to spin in place with his blades--]

Beck: Wha--!

[And then a tap on the side of his visor.]

<DWN-024 to MNN-009>: > -Data, brace yourselves-

Beck: --!

[Beck instantly tucks his head in, and tenses up in brace for whatever Shadow was talking about, his Xel Filter going online automatically--]

[The darkness lifted as suddenly and completely as it had come.

Beck was now standing in a different position than before, one with more favorable ground. Shadow was right beside him.]

Brand: --Aah--!

[Blinded by the sudden light from the sun, Brandish hissed and whirled around--where are they--?!]

Beck: (How did...?)

Brand: RRRNGH--!

Beck: (--Never mind--Brand's open--!)

[REXELECTION: AVIATOR.]

[Shadow side stepped and jumped up to be on the hood of the rig’s driving cabin, and thus out of the way.]

[ZING--!]

[The propeller whacked Brand SQUARE on the back--]

Brand: NGH--!

[Beck backed into a running start and LEAPED--!]

Beck: Haaaaah!

[ACXELARATE DASH: MAX OUTPUT REACHED.]

[CLANK--!]

[XEL ABSORBED.]

[There was the sound of something cracking--]

[XEL ABSORBED.]

Brand: B--BECK--!!

[XEL ABSORBED.]

Beck: FIGHT IT, BRAND--!

Beck: I'LL SAVE YOU--

[XEL QUOTA REACHED.]

[XEL PURGE: ONLINE. XELFILTER.EXE PREPARED FOR OVERDRIVE.]

Beck: --I PROMISE--!

[XEL PURGE INITIATED!]

[........]

"Again."

[THWACK!]

"Again!"

[THWACK!]

"--You're still holding back, Otouto."

"...Ngh..."

"I can tell when something is troubling you, you know."

"...."

"It is better to clear you mind than let it rage like a rushing current. There is no proper flow then. Only chaos."

"....."

"What is wrong, brother?"

"I...Brand?"

"Yes?"

"...Am I ever gonna get back on the team? I'm...not, aren't I?"

"....."

"I...I try--and I try--but I'm...I'm still SCARED, and I...I'm not getting any better--I do these practices over and OVER, but--!"

"...Seed."

"--? Wha?"

"You are a SEED, Beck."

"--....uh...?"

"You have yet to realize what you can accomplish with your abilities, and have yet to explore it. Like a seed planted on this earth, you need time."

"...Time...?"

"Time to GROW."

"You will need time, and guidance, and yes, much practice. You will need plant yourself firm once you discover your own way. You will need patience, focus...and above all--"

"--love?"

"...Yes. Love. Very good."

"I...heh..."

"...I can see it, Beck. Your potential. It is vast, and it is endless. You will become greater than the sum of all of us..."

"R...Really...?"

Brand: ......

Brand: --mn--?

"Yes. Of course you will."

Brand: B...Beck...

"You're a Mighty Number."

[....]

[XEL PURGE COMPLETE.]

[As the last of the green glow died off, cleansing away all of the sickly violet curse, Brand found himself staring into a blue, cloudless sky...]

[...As well as his brother...]

[ALL HARMFUL MALWARE HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM MN.7]

Beck: Brand--? Brand--?!

Brand: . . .

Brand: I....

[A hand weakly reached out to rest on his shoulder.]

Brand: I...thank...you...

[MN.7 IS NOW IN SLEEP MODE.]

Beck: Nii-San--!

[There is the sound of something collapsing across the feeds.]

[DR.SANDA] //: --Will?!

[MN.3] //: --Daddy??

[MN.2] //: -GONNA GO GET OUR LIMP NOODLE DAD SOME PILLOWS AND MAKE AN ICE PACK-

Beck: Ooooh--!

[Beck winced as some of the cars ahead all BLARED their horns at once, as if they were angered at his victory...]

Beck: Shadow--I could use a hand with Brand--!

[At first, Shadow was nowhere to be seen.

Then, it became clear he was standing at the very back of the rig. …He seemed to be in some sort of defensive stance.]

Shadow: . . .

[He was not so tense as to be frozen in place, but he seemed just one slight move away from a sudden and dangerous strike from the ENORMOUS shuriken in his hands.]

Beck: .....

Beck: How are you carrying that huge thing--?

[No response.]

Beck: Um--? Shadow? We're-- kinda still on a crazy speeding highway...

Beck: I can't carry Brand all by myself...please...?

[Shadow looked up.

His eyes were still bright green— he hadn’t left Defensive mode.]

Beck: --!

Beck: Sh...Shadow...?

[Beck collected himself up against his brother, eyes widening in slight surprise and fear--]

Beck: Ah--

Beck: G--Guys--!

[MN.1] //: Shadow! STAND DOWN--!

[DR.SANDA] //: Oh, dear--Mikhail--! -HELP-

[Shadow took another step back, holding the shuriken out like a shield by gripping at an edge of the opening in the center. He was at the very back of the rig now, and it was a wonder he hadn’t fallen off.]

[A soft ping.]

<MC005>: > -Quietly- {He’s afraid.}

<MC005>: > {He’s in Defensive mode because he is afraid of what is going to happen to him.}

<MC005>: > {He is… attempting to protect himself.}

<MC005 to MNN-ALL>: > {Keep in mind he’s been asleep since before we regained contact with you for the first time.}

<MC005 to MNN-ALL>: > {He has no idea what Beck is capable of, or what just happened.}

<MC005 to MNN-ALL>: > {All he knows is that he has acted aggressively and against the wishes of his superiors, having injured his teacher—who then was overpowered by one with a Universal Adapter and then sent, for all he knows, Offline.}

<MC005 to MNN-ALL>: > {Additionally…}

<MC005 to MNN-ALL>: > {All the other AI&A signals from the server are Offline as well.}

<MC005 to MNN-ALL>: > {What do you THINK he has concluded?}

[MN.1] //: --!!

[MN.3] //: -oh no--

[MN.2] //: --BECKY--SNAP OUT OF IT--!

Beck: .......

Beck: Sh...Shadow--

Beck: --P-Please--we--we gotta out of here--and get Brand help--

Beck: Please--I just SAVED him, I--!

[HOOOOOOOOONK--!]

[Shadow seemed to be struggling, very hard, but he remained silent.

Finally, he reached into his scarf with his other hand…]

[And in a flash, tossed something that clattered at Beck’s feet.]

Beck: --!! It's--!

[HOOOOOOOOOOONK--!!]

[The loud horn came from a huge eighteen wheeler--on a dead-set collision course with the rig they had battled on--!]

[HOOOOOOOOOOONK--!]

Beck: !!!

[Shadow made a sudden dashing leap, bounding up to the top to the rig, and then—]

<DWN-024 has entered Lethal Combat mode.>

[His energy readings spiked, and there was a whine that stuttered.]

[He hurled the massive shuriken at the road ahead, causing part of the road to get sliced away and the metal star to spin and clatter across the road. At the same time, he crouched down, and—

The whole rig began to sink into the shadows, falling—]

[Beck snatched the Amulet, held on to it and his brother tightly...]

[And screamed.]

Beck: AAAAAAAAAAAAAA--!

[The world around them was darkness, like before—except softer, somehow, like the haziness of dreams.

And then back into the sunlight in the desert, emerging from some cast shadows off-road—into the dust and sand.

Shadow swung down and grabbed at the side of the access panel to the fuel tank.]

[SKLORT!]

[He cut it open so that said fuel began rapidly draining away into the sand.]

[When the rig finally settled, that was when Beck stopped screaming.]

[He was hyperventilating, blinking weld up tears away as he held onto Brand's limp arm with a death grip, still processing what the heck just happened.]

Beck: (Highway--dark--sand--bright--what--)

<DWN-024 has entered Defensive Combat mode.>

[Shadow lept down from the rig and into the sand.]

[And then he made a run for it, summoning, of all things—a giant frog to ride.]

Beck: . . . . .

[MN.9] //: -Did--did I hit my head too--guys--what happened---

[MN.1] //: . . . .

<MC005>: > …

[A long pause.]

<MC005>: > …That… is a very good question.

[DR.SANDA] //: . . . . . Er...

Mikhail: (I’ve NEVER seen him use most of those techniques before.)

<MC005>: >I think it would be best to bring the two of you back to the lab, now…

[CALL] //: Preparing Xel Transfer...

[MN.9] //: -- W-Wait--Carmen, Jack--

<MC005>: >They’re waiting here already, Beck.

[MN.9] //: -sigh-

[MN.9] //: Good...

[MN.9] //: Thanks, guys...

<MC005>: > Just try to rest. Things will be alright.

[CALL] //: Xel Transfer in progress...

_______________________

[SANDA LABS...]

[Mikhail sat back into his chair with a large sigh at last, groaning and putting his face in his hands.]

Mikhail: {What a mess…}

[He had tried to talk with Shadow to get him to calm down, but Shadow had turned his transceiver off, much like Cardinal had. He didn’t wish to risk trying to teleport him off despite that, since the ninja was at the edge of the vehicle and clearly poised to jump off or lash out at the first sign of something that startled him.

And now he had run off. Again.

The Russian Doctor had a fairly good idea where the wayward DWN would ultimately end up, so he didn’t find it urgent to initiate a chase.

…Besides, that would only make things worse.

No, he was more concerned about the psychological impact this would have on Beck (and Brand) in the long term.]

Mikhail: ({At least… as long as he keeps his transceiver off, he won’t upload his fear to the RMDC. Small blessings, I suppose…})

[The rescued Mighty Numbers all clamored and gathered around the injured pair, Pyrogen helping his unconscious brother to the emergency bay, with the rest smothering Nine with worried chatter and tight, loving hugs.]

[White was still passed out on his chair, a pillow propped up against his head and a white blanket over his form, a soothing ice pack lovingly crafted and placed on his forehead.]

Beck: . . . .

[Beck did not say a word, although he did return the hugs.]

Sanda: Hoooo...

Sanda: (These things just get worse, huh...)

Sanda: (...But at least everyone's...sort of alright.)

Sanda: (Goodness, Will, you REALLY can't just fall over like that..)

Sanda: I--b-better get to repairs on Brand...Call, could you watch Will?

Call: Yes, Doctor.

Mikhail: …

Call: I will also watch over Dr. Cossack, as I am also detecting unhealthy stress levels.

Sanda: Er...right...you...do that...

Mikhail: Mnnn…

[He waited until after Sanda left before he turned to type at the console.]

<MC005 to CALL>: > I am admittedly concerned for Number Nine’s well being.

[CALL] //: .....

<MC005 to CALL>: > He has been very withdrawn as of late, and has taken to secluding himself for long blocks of time.

<MC005 to CALL>: > He seems to be concerned what the others will think of him, and enforces the secrecy out of a kind of desperation—and I don’t think that what happened today will help matters.

[ANALYZING...]

[CALL to MC005] //: What do you propose, Doctor?

Mikhail: -Leans against a hand, seeming tired-

<MC005 to CALL>: > I’ll need a little time to think on that. He needs someone to talk to, that much is certain.

<MC005 to CALL>: > I’d like to talk to him myself, just to try and understand the situation better, so I can figure out how to calm down anyone connected to the RMDC server.

[CALL to MC005] //: ......

[CALL to MC005] //: Acknowledged.

[CALL to MC005] //: I suggest you also rest, Doctor.

[He was thoughtful for a moment.]

Mikhail: …Is there a piano anywhere around here, I wonder…?

[CALL to MC005] //: ...Beck plays.

[CALL to MC005] //: There is a keyboard in his room.

Mikhail: Ah, thank you. …But I suppose you’re right. Rest, for now. ({I’ll play the song later.})

Mikhail: Shadowman will be heading toward Texas. There are three possibilities: either he will continue travel within this world, end up in the Wilderness, or make it to our own world’s Texas. He should make contact once he figures out his brothers are alright and are still alive.

Mikhail: Make sure to keep an eye on Wily Eight’s isolation.

[CALL] //: Understood, Dr. Cossack.

[With that, the Russian reluctantly relocated somewhere that was conducive to sleep.]

____________________________

[MEANWHILE, AT CHERRYDYNAMICS...]

[...The sound of a phone ringing.]

[Click.]

"Mmm. Oh yes, yes, Senator. Our FULL resources our dedicated to resolving--"

[A pause. Some calm chatter from the other side.]

"...Mm. Yes, yes--Oh--yes, very wise of you. I'll speak with--yes, that too--Oh, no, thank YOU, sir. Hmm. Alright. Stay safe."

[SLAM.]

[A tall, lanky, blond haired man in a sharp, purple business suit slammed the landline phone down—HARD—on the receiver, nearly breaking the thing in his fit of rage. Violet eyes furrowed in both frustration and fury.]

Graham: IDIOT!

Graham: Argh, that aggravating MORON--!

Graham: Fine--FINE! If you want to be that way, friend, then you can go throw yourself to the bots-- see if I care.

Graham: I don't NEED you...

[He began pacing around his office, grumbling angrily under his breath...]

Graham: Why are they hounding ME about the problem, and not torturing BLACKWELL to get the answer?!

Graham: This is TWICE--

Graham: TWICE that old goat and his WRETCHED FAMILY have made me--MADE US--LOOK LIKE A FOOL--!

Graham: RrrrrAAAGH--!

Graham: Rrrgh...

Graham: You--You and that TOY of yours...

Graham: And HIM.

Graham: I should have just taken HER later when I had the chance--!

Graham: But you just had to INTERFERE, didn't you...

[...There are several files on his desk...]

[All stamped as confidential.]

[DEMONSTRATING INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY IN THE BATTLE COLOSSEUM.]

[PROJECT TRINITY--CDN.1201]

[CANCELLED.]

[--REASON: STAFF COMPLICATIONS AND RESULTS OF CDN.1101.]

Graham: ......

Graham: At least I still HAVE her...

Graham: That's the one saving grace you didn't TAKE from me...

Graham: Rnnngh...

Graham: I hope you BURN in hell for what you've done, wherever you are...!

[Riiiiing...]

Graham: Uuugh...

[With a harsh sigh, Gregory picked up the receiver, and cleared his throat. His tone turned pleasant and cheerful.]

Graham: CherryDynamics, CEO Gregory Graham speaking--oh, OH! A pleasure to hear from YOU, sir, yes! My goodness, I was starting to fear the worst--! Are you and your wife and children--?

Graham: That's wonderful--yes, of course, but I have--oh, no, there's no need--I have to stay here, you know...

[Pause.]

Graham: ....No. There's no one--no, I'm not MARRIED, you silly--

[Another pause.]

Graham: I said there is NO one, sir.

Graham: ...Just me.

Graham: --Oh no, of course. Thank you for your concern, though.

Graham: I really do appreciate it...

<<—Previous——————Table of Contents——————Next—>>

=CHAPTER 3B: VOLTAIC DYNATRON=

~AO v2.0~

((Courtesy of @codedhopes & @super-tired-robot))

<<—Previous——————Table of Contents——————Next—>>

[MEANWHILE, IN SEATTLE, WASHINGTON...]

[Chaos still reigned over the rainy city as two super-powered, crazed Battle Colosseum bots waged war against each other--Plume, the exotic Hawaiian fire dancer with graceful agility, and Landcrusher, the giant German powerhouse with a knack for demolition.]

[While the untamed, no holds barred battle raged below, another crisis was unfolding high above the skyline, in the city's very own Space Needle tower...]

Jack: (Great, and just when I THOUGHT things couldn't get WORSE...)

Jack: (...The power had to go and cut out--!)

[This, of course, sent the group trapped in the tower into a panic--it was fairly dark out, now, and with little to no light...]

Eli: Everyone just CALM DOWN--

Jack: (Good thing these goggles have Night Vision--just gotta tie up this last knot...)

[Jack knew he couldn't quite get everyone off the tower one by one--and he knew that Plume wasn't going to last long against a heavy hitter like Landcrusher.]

[He had to improvise, and lucky for him, the Space Needle had just enough material for what he planned to do...]

Jack: Yo, toss me that tablecloth...

[The Space Needle didn't JUST have an observation deck--it was also a restaurant. The tables provided the flat surfaces he needed and the tablecloths made some nice makeshift rope once tied together...]

Eli: ....You sure this is gonna work?

Jack: Nope.

[B O O M!]

Jack: ...But we don't have much choice at the moment...

Jack: Hooookay...

[Now here comes the HARD part.]

Jack: The serving carts are all busted for the wheels...still need two more--

Eli: .....I can pop off the ones from Lily's stroller...

Jack: (Oh, yeah, the lil...)

[Jack looked back over his shoulder to the group of cowering humans--and Gwen, who was holding a sniffling baby Lily near her chest.]

Jack: ........

Eli: ......

Eli: We were...just on vacation when this happened.

Jack: . . .

Eli: .....Do...you know why they're all goin' nuts like that? …I think someone said something about a virus...?

Jack: Yeah--something like that. It infected all the servers--that's how it got into every Xelbot's heads.

Eli: Good God...who would DO something like that?

Jack: … … (Either someone REALLY pissed off, or messed up. Or both.) …Dunno.

Jack: Get those wheels--I'm gonna break open a window.

Eli: --?? Wait--why?

Jack: Ya see that building over there--the one with the bent flagpole?

Jack: I'm gonna swing on over there and finish off the rest of this pulley with the wheels and my wires--then we can start getting people on the carrier we made outta the tables and onto that roof.

Eli: Wait--but--

Jack: Yeah, I know, Landcrusher--that's why once you guys are all on that roof, I'm gonna distract him so you guys can haul chass and get to safety.

Eli: You?

Jack: ...Yeah. That is, if Plume isn't...

Jack: .......

Eli: ....She's, uh...really focused on ya, isn't she?

Jack: Iiiii am pretty sure that's the virus, buddy...

Jack: ....Look--you just try and keep everyone here calm while I go do my thing, OK? (Oh, yeah, it's my THING now--freakin' heck, never imagined THAT...)

Eli: .....I'll.....try.

[Jack turns away from the man to face another window, closest to the building they were aiming for, one end of the makeshift rope in hand.]

Eli: ...Hey.

[Eli threw a pair of small wheels at the CDN, who caught them after they hit his chest and bounced off slightly.]

Eli: ....Thank you.

Jack: Pfft--thank me after you're on that roof, alright?

Eli: Ha...yeah...

Jack: (....Kay--First the window--)

[He planted his boot firmly on the glass, getting a feel of how thick it was, before reeling back and striking it down--]

[Pop!]

[...It swung open with little trouble, as it turns out.]

Jack: (...Oh.)

Jack: (...I'm taking that as a good sign.)

[Snapping on his goggles, now, he calculated a direct path to the safe building--he'd have to freefall a couple of hundred feet to reach a viable swing point--]

Jack: ......

Jack: (Well it's not like I haven't done it before today but FRAG ME--)

Jack: (HOOOOOOKAYcomeonjackdoitforherdoitforthepeopleinhere--)

Jack: (ThereisaBABYinheremanDOIT--)

Jack: AAAAAAAAAAH--

[With a STARTLING yell, he jumped--!!]

"OH MY GOD--"

"WHAT THE--"

"HOLY--IS HE DEAD--?!"

[.......]

[Was he terrified?]

[Yes.]

[...But.]

Jack: AAAAAAAAAAH--

[ZIIIIIIP--!]

[....Fear has a funny way of turning into a thrilling adrenaline rush once you get over it.]

Jack: --HAAAAAAAHAHAWOO!

[Even HE didn't understand why--]

[Though that wasn't exactly on his mind, at the moment--]

[But, somehow, the more he felt himself being swung across, left and right, that rush of air on his face--]

[The less it felt like some life or death situation and more like a roller coaster or something!]

Jack: WOOOOOOO--

Jack: --OOOOOOOOH SH--

[BAM--!]

[While Jack was becoming quite acquainted with the innate powers his ability gave him--]

[Landing was...a learned trait.]

Jack: OWFRA--

[He rolled across the roof, bouncing one or twice before settling to a stop--a groaning mess, yes, and he was SURE something popped--]

Jack: OwcrapOW...

[...But all in all, he was still functional, at least.]

Jack: F-Frag that smarts--ow--

Jack: Nnngh gonna feel that in the morning--

[With some difficulty, he managed to get on his feet. He was dizzy, and somewhat dazed from the rush before--]

Jack: Uuuuugh don't feel so good...

Jack: (No--focus, damn it, need to finish this--)

Jack: (Where is that flagpole--)

[It was bent over in an awkward position--but in such a way that it was possible to attach the makeshift rope and wheels to complete the pulley system they needed.]

Jack: (Tie this--here--and put this there--get this wheel to spin and wrap the thing around that--)

Jack: (--SHIT HOW AM I GONNA LET ELI KNOW IT'S DONE--CAN HE SEE ME FROM HERE--??)

Jack: (--Waitwaitwaitdo I have anything in the bag here that can help me--)

Jack: (--FLASHLIGHT--well OK more like a lantern almost bUT I CAN USE THIS THANK YOU MISS EIGHT--!)

———————————

“Heh, yeah, Morse is a great thing t’ know. Some letters are easier than others. s’ like old school texting, ya know? Most people only know ’S.O.S’, but… in a pinch, using ‘G O’ or ‘O K’ or ’N O’ will work just ‘cause a’ context. Ah’ guess for most people, ‘yes’, ‘no’, an’ ‘help’ are all ya really need if things are so dire as t’ be usin’ it. Now, listen close—here are those letters for you…”

———————————

[After securing that last knot, he fumbles with the light, and after finally finding that darn--]

Jack: Hope you know what this means, Eli--

{G O.}

[........]

"HEY--HE MADE IT--! HE'S GOT A LIGHT--"

"But--it's blinking--?"

Eli: (Is he trying to tell us something--?)

"HEY WAIT, THAT'S MORSE CODE--!"

"HE'S SAYING GO--OH GOD HE DID IT WE'RE GONNA BE OK--!"

Eli: ALRIGHT, EVERYONE LINE UP--WE'RE GONNA GO TWO AT A TIME, WOMEN AND CHILDREN FIRST--!

[.........]

Jack: pleasepleasepleasepleaseplease--

Jack: --!!!

[The makeshift carrier starts to move--and it was holding--!]

Jack: YES!!

[Jack helps it along faster by moving the rope along, and helping the passengers off once they do touch down safely, then sending the carrier back to repeat the process.

It was nail-biting—watching the carrier move over the chaos below, and it looked as if it was going to fall on a few occasions—

Which wasn't much fun for anyone.

Jack didn't think he could pray any harder than he was now--heck, he wasn't even all that religious in the first place.

...But maybe Mikhail was right, about him being on Lady Luck's good side. Or there really WAS a God, after all.]

[Eli was the last passenger that survived the heart pounding trip--]

[--After every single trapped human before him went first.]

[Cheers! Cheers exploded over the rooftop, in the heart of destruction and crisis! Loud, joyous, HOPE--!]

Jack: OOF--!

[...Eli had collected Jack in a bear hug, muttering chants of thanks--and it wasn't long before he was crowed by the other rescued humans as well--]

Jack: (Getting--hard to breathe--)

Gwen: Oh, thank you, THANK YOU--!

"YEAAAAAH WE AIN'T GONNA DIE--!" "AAAAH WE'RE ALIVE THANK YOU--!" "YOU'RE MY HERO, MAN--"

Jack: Uh--you're welcome? ^^;

Eli: God, how can we--

[B O O M!]

"GNNNRRAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Jack: --!!!

Jack: (...Landcrusher.)

Jack: EVERYONE HAS TO GET OFF OF THIS ROOF, NOW!

[Goggles on, time to roll--]

Jack: --?!

Eli: YOU'RE COMING TOO--!

[Several of the rescued humans drag him away from the edge, and start to lead him towards the door into the building--]

Jack: WAIT--STOP--!

Eli: No offense, Jack, but I ain't gonna let you throw your life away like that, not after this--!

Jack: BUT THEY'RE COMING THIS WAY ELI I GOTTA HEAD THEM OFF—

[There was what appeared to be a spectacular light show that was suuuuSPIIIIIICIOUSLY LIKE DYNA’S TRADEMARK ABILITY—]

[—which, after repeating itself, was followed up by some green flashes.]

Jack: —??!

Jack: What—?

[He was led away by the humans before he could see any more...]

Jack: (What in the world was—?)

[..........]

[The rest of it all seemed like a huge blur.]

[Once they had safely exited the building, the group mostly broke apart, scrambling for the cars left on the streets—the ones that had chosen to stick with Eli and his family, however, followed him down several blocks—]

[...to where they found a mostly functional van belonging to some cable company, with the keys still in the ignition.]

[Eli was planning to get as far away from the city as possible and—God willing—make it to Canada.]

Eli: ....What do ya mean you're not coming—?

Jack: --I can't...

Jack: ...Remember that person I told you about that REALLY wouldn't like it if I got killed or something...?

Eli: ...You were SERIOUS?

Jack: Listen I know that sounds INSANE but—!

Jack: I have had a REALLY weird day and frankly I would like nothing more than to get somewhere safe but I can't leave her out there.

[There was no telling where she was or what she could be up to. He had hoped Avi was lying—or exaggerating, at least—but he really couldn’t be sure anymore… and he didn’t care if he was in denial.]

Jack: I have no idea if she's OK or infected or whatever but wherever she is, she's probably ALONE and she needs SOMEONE and--

Eli: JACK.

Jack: --...

Eli: ......

Eli: Where do you think she is?

Jack: I...I don't know.

Eli: .....

Eli: Well.

Eli: You saved our lives—all of our lives.

Eli: ...Only fair that I pay you back in kind, somehow.

Jack: --?

Eli: Lemmie help you find a working car—at least to get you out of the city.

Jack: But--

Jack: It's not mine—

Eli: Jack. We're in the middle of a damn APOCALYPSE and you're worried about grand theft auto?

Jack: Well—but—

Eli: Enough of your whining—I'll be right back, Gwen, watch Lily—Come on, Cherry, before any more crazies show up.

Jack: Uh—I...um.

Jack: (...Iiiii am gonna regret this...)

<<—Previous——————Table of Contents——————Next—>>

((Just some pics of our lady sniper. Just stuff I did for fun, really.))

---

=CHAPTER 11A: SWALLOWED UP INNOCENCE=

~AO v2.0~

((Courtesy of @codedhopes and @neshirys))

<<—Previous——————Table of Contents——————Next—>>

{July 1st, TUMBLR 2016}

{Sanda Enterprises}

[Back at Sanda Enterprises, under the florescent lights of the lab below, William White's work on repairs for his children was moving along in a steady pace—the man was starting to feel the toll of the week that had just transpired for them all, but he was trying to push through his fatigue for the moment.]

...He could rest easier after he finished.]

Will: …

[…It was clear he had a lot on his mind…]

Will: -Moves his gaze away for a moment-

[...and it was easy to see, as he glanced upward to look at his sleeping friend.

Mikhail had finally been granted a bit of rest. True, it had taken a Psynergy cast from Felix, but still. He needed it.

He was clearly rather exhausted, body and soul—and still in cuffs, unfortunately.

At least Felix was watching over the technological isolation cell; and he had seemed pretty confident that things would work out well, once he had returned from tending to the matter personally.

It was more than could be said for Cardinal, who still was shielded by the curtain. Although he was in slightly better shape, he wouldn’t be coming Online any time soon.]

Will: (…what a mess…)

Will: -Sighs tiredly, going back to his work-

Will: (And I made some of that worse. Some friend I am…)

Will: (…I just want things to go back to normal…)

Will: …

Will: (…but at least…at least, maybe, the worst is over…)

Will: (Everyone is home, nothing is an IMMEDIATE danger at the moment, the DCNs included…)

Will: (Soi should be reporting back soon, and then we'll finally be able to make some progress to fixing this…)

Will: (Hopefully they got Father to talk, somehow…)

Will: -Furrows brow-

Will: (...It's been several hours, actually…)

[Fsh.

The automatic door to the lab opened, as if in response to his thoughts.]

Will: -Blinks—-

Will: (Soi? No…)

[Hardly. There was the relatively quiet sound of boots as someone walked in.

Someone who looked very forlorn and very nervous.]

Will: [!] Tobias?

Felix: -Looks up- ?

Tobias: -Sparks weakly, broadcasting- Is this a bad time?

Will: -Immediately putting down his tools- I… I was in the middle of repairs, but…

Will: (What in the world is he DOING here—)

Will: (Thank goodness Mikhail is asleep—!)

Will: -Pulling up a chair- I can spare a moment or two.

[Tobias didn’t move. He wrapped his arms around himself as if he wanted to curl into a ball, and he avoided eye contact.]

Tobias: -Audio glitches- O-Oh. I… This system does not want to hinder your progress, Doctor…

Felix: …

[The unlucky Adept knew enough about the Robot Masters and Tobias in particular to recognize when one was near their breaking point.

Combined with the situation, this could not go anywhere good.]

Felix: Tobias…

Felix: What are you doing here?

[The Robot Master flinched at this, recoiling with fuzzy data of guilt. He began shaking a bit, as if under extreme duress.]

Tobias: F-fault…

Will: (…Oh no…)

Tobias: Everyone… almost everyone is Offline or injured. The database is down, and the equipment is broken…

Tobias: E-everyone is so stressed a-and Carlos said Doctor Cossack was in trouble—

Tobias: Wh…what’s going on, Doctor? We… I made things worse, didn’t we?

[He sparked up more.]

Tobias: We always… always make things worse…

Will: …

Will: -Very, VERY gently- Tobias…

Will: Please believe me when I say that you did nothing of the sort.

Will: Mikhail is… tired, and needs his rest. Right now that is what we all need. This hasn't… been the best of times for us.

Will: But we are working on getting things back on track.

Will: Soi and the others will be back at any moment, and once they are, we're going to get right to work on fixing this.

Tobias: -Soft whine-

Felix: …

Felix: Tobias, when you woke up...

Felix: Was Nico with the rest of you?

Tobias: N-no…. Tried… tried pinging him, but got the error message that his transceiver isn’t on…

Will: ... (That's...not a good sign, but it IS a maximum security prison...)

Will: ...I could try and ping Call to get an update. It's been a while already. (And I'm starting to get worried...)

Will: -Grabs his phone- It could just be the security measures in the prison blocking the—

[Rumble...]

Will: —? (...That's...odd, did my phone just vibrate now, or—)

[RUMBLE....]

Will: —!!?!

[The whole lab and it's contents suddenly started to SHAKE violently. Will grabs the table near him as the lights flicker overhead, knees giving out as they could not support themselves under the sudden seismic activity—]

Tobias: -Scree!-

Will: (What in the WORLD?! An earthquake, now?!)

[RUMBLE...]

Will: -Gnn—!-

[The shaking lasts for quite a few minutes, until they finally started to die down in waves. By the time all was still, things were strewn about and knocked out of place...]

Tobias: Hnnn…!

[Tobias ended up curled up in a ball on the floor, taking cover and giving off errors in his profuse apologies. But he needn’t have done so—]

Felix: Are you two alright??

[—because it was NOT the Adept’s doing.]

Will: @~@! I...oh goodness...

Will: I...believe so...

Tobias: -Hnnnn we're sorry we're sORRY WE'RE SORRY—-

Felix: -Holds his hands out in a peaceful "stop" gesture- Easy, Mr. Wily! That was not my doing, I assure you.

[This didn't exactly help very much.]

Tobias: -weeeeeEEEEEHH, MIC MUST BE ANGRY—-

<DLN-008>: > -WE'RE SORRYYYYYY-

[PING!]

[MN.4] //: -???- -What was that-

[MN.6] //: -Pinging worry data, Toby?? What's going on--

[MN.1] //: Nn...Mic? Are you okay?

[MN.4] //: -Ping, yes-

[MN.4] //: -That...wasn't us...-

Will: Then...the plates shifting natrually? (Just our luck...)

[MN.4] //: -Quiet rumbling- No...not earthquake...

Felix: No, William—this wasn't natural. -Seems a bit confused- It was underground, to be sure, but…

Felix: >> Trust me. I know what it feels like when the earth is shifting plates. Venus Lighthouse was a very memorable teaching experience.

Felix: -Murmurs, getting up and leaving- I'm going outside.

[He didn't bother taking the door, instead opting to use Retreat and vanish in a swirl of multicolored spheres.]

Will: -Reaching for his phone again- I'm calling Soi right this moment.

[...Except after about several tries, he couldn't even get so much as a ring in without it automatically going to voicemail, which was VERY worrying, because Soi was ALWAYS punctual with phone calls...]

Will: (Gah, why aren't you ANSWERING? Are you STILL at the Prison, Soi?)

Tobias: Not… not going to work, everything is broken over there.

Will: :gs_drop~1: (...He has a point. I need to either send someone out there or go myself, but...)

Will: ... -Runs a hand through his hair- Tobias, you stay here in the lab and wait for Felix to come back.

Will: -Pulling his coat around him- I'll be right back, I'm going to see if I can't find some other way to contact Soichiro and find out what exactly happened...

Will: Avi--can you bring up the security camera feeds for me?

[MN.6] //: Yuppers, I'm on it--

[It doesn't take very long for Avi to do so, and Will finds himself flipping through various feeds on his phone.]

Will: Anything unusual in the building?

[MN.6] //: Negative, Daddo--all clear, lemmie swich over to--

[MN.6] //: --!

[MN.6] //: Hey--hey guys--

[MN.6] //: Uncle Soi Sauce is back--

Will: :gs_shock~1: -Turns on his heel-

Tobias: ? (But… I don't sense any other signals?)

Will: Where? (He...didn't come through the front door?)

[MN.6] //: ...Uh.

[MN.6] //: oh no

[MN.6] //: ...Daaaaad, we might have a problem--!

[MN.6] //: -I--It's Callgirl--

Will: Where are they, Avi?!

[MN.6] //: They're coming down the stairs to the roof--

Will: ??? (How in the world did they--?)

Tobias: ???

Tobias: Did you airlift them there?

Tobias: :gs_idea~1:

Tobias: Did Nico take them there? The roof is where Cardinal goes, so it's one of the default data points…

[MN.6] //: ...I...

[MN.6] //: I don't see Nico...

Tobias: :gs_silence~1:

>PROCESSING…

>ANALYSIS COMPLETE.

<DLN-008 has entered Defensive Combat mode.>

<DLN-008>: > -DISTRESS, last time Nico was separated from her he was DEAD—-

Will: (Oh no oh no--)

Will: Stay here--!

[Will BOLTS out the lab door and starts booking it towards the stairs. Meanwhile, the feeds on the Mighties' side of things started to buzz to life in confusion, mostly awakened by the previous quake.

Once Will gets to the stairs in question, however, the door to them suddenly FLINGS open, nearly hitting him in the face.]

Will: :gs_shock~1:

Will: Soichiro--!

Soi: WILL-- ;n;!!!

Soi: Will--we--we need to go, right now, PLEASE--

Will: Soi--Soichiro, please, you're not making sense--

Soi: -PANIC- No! We need to go RIGHT NOW, we need--need to fix her and then LEAVE, PLEASE--!

Will: Fix--? -Looks down-

Will: :gs_shock~1:

[The Doctor stares in wide-eyed SHOCK as his hues fall on Sanda's own daughter, utterly BROKEN and seemingly lifeless in his arms.]

Will: Call--?!

[PING!]

[MN.9] //: Call? What--what's wrong? Call?

[MN.9] //: Dad....Call isn't picking up, what's going on--

Will: Oh my word...

Will: Soi--what HAPPENED out there, what happened to her?! And--where is Nico, wasn't he with you??

[Soi WINCES in clear pain when Nico is brought up, but then pushes past his friend towards the direction of the labs.]

Soi: Not now--need to get her on a Xel Transfusion, and then we're ALL leaving for Tokyo--!

Will: What??

Will: But the airlines are SHUT DOWN, Soi, there's no way to leave the country, and we can't just leave Mikhail--!

Soi: Then we take a Wilderness shortcut, I don't CARE!

Will: :gs_drop~1: :gs_drop~1: :gs_drop~1: Soi! Soi, just WAIT--

[Soi opens the doors to the lab and steps through with purpose, but--then he stops short when he finds this is the same old Sanda Labs on the other side, not the Meadow's.]

Soi: Wha...?

Soi: (I don't understand, it's not working--?!)

[Open. Shut. Open. Shut. Open—]

[WOW, that is a BLINDING distortion—]

Soi: -GAH--

[The door slams shut on its own, as if blown back by a shockwave.]

Will: ???? What the...?

[When opened again… just the rest of the building. And nothing else.]

Soi: -Just absolutely defeated- It...it's not working...!

Soi: (How am I going to get everyone AWAY now?)

Will: ...

Will: -...Gently grabs Soi's shoulder- Soi... please...

Will: Slow down, whatever it is that's getting you like this...we need to help Call first...

Soi: ...I...

Soi: :gs_frown~1:

Soi: ...

Soi: ...Yes...

Soi: Yes, of course...

Will: Good man.

Will: Come on, just get her on the table, take a seat. Start from the beginning...

Soi: :gs_frown~1:

[The Japanese Doctor does so, and once Call was properly hooked in, repairs and diagnostics began almost immediately. There was the distance shuffling of feet down the hall.]

Will: (...The Mighties, no doubt...)

Soi: It... it happened so fast...

[RUNNING DIAGNOSTICS...]

[STATUS UPDATE, RE: CALL. XEL COUNT CRITICAL, SYSTEMS UNRESPONSIVE. IMMEDIATE XEL TRANSFUSION REQUIRED]

Soi: I couldn't...I couldn't stop them...

Will: Stop...wait, don't...don't tell me... (Did...Did Father...?!)

Soi: We--We got to the Prison, and everything was going...okay, for the most part, Avi even showed up to help us for a moment--

[Soi was speaking as fast as he could while tending to his daughter, as if he was in a VERY big hurry.]

Soi: We got there, and there was this...this huge canine bot, but Call handled it...

Soi: Then Nico showed up...

[PING! PING!]

[The system update regarding Call sent a WAVE of worry and cascading emotion across the Mighty's feeds.]

[MN.9] //: Call--!!

[MN.6] //: Shhhshh, it's okay, Beckers, the Docs got her--

[MN.3] //: -Buzzing worry data--

[MN.7] //: -Very DEEPLY distressed data-

<DLN-008>: > -Nnnn, dizzy…-

Soi: :gs_frown: We...we got to Dr. Blackwell's Cell, and...oh, Will...!

Soi: He said it was already too late...!

Will: ?!

Soi: He told me--about CherryDynamics and Trinity, how she's going to just grow and grow and--and--!

Will: :gs_shock: He--?

Soi: He said the only thing we could do is run and then--! Something...something showed up, something just TORE down his cell door, SCREAMING!

Soi: -Panic and upset-- I couldn't stop her, she was just too fast, too strong and too ANGRY, and then she just took him in a ball of FIRE--!

Will: --Someone--someone TOOK Dr. Blackwell?!

Soi: ;;n;; She...she took him and hurt Call and Nico...I...

Soi: I had to leave him behind, but I didn't want to just...

[MN.9] //: -...DREAD data-

[MN.7] //: ... Otouto?

[MN.9] //: n...no...

[MN.7] //: -Worried data- Beck? What is wrong?

[Something… something seemed to be stirring…]

>LOADING…

[Will is floored. He starts to pace around the room, frantically looking this way and that.]

Will: I don't understand--

Will: I thought...I thought he...

Will: (I thought he would have answers, SOMETHING, but now someone else took him? Why?!)

Will: (Graham? The government? Who?)

Soi: Will...If...if what he said was true, then we REALLY, really need to go--

>LOADING…

Will: But we can't just leave, Soi, this IS our home and Mikhail--we don't even have the option of taking him with us, not with the PRESIDENT still in the building!

Soi: Then we tell her too! Lives are in DANGER, she'll--

Will: Are you MAD? If you tell them that--! (Then Trinity--!)

Soi: Will, there's no other way around it! We need to LEAVE before it's too late!

Will: I am NOT LEAVING!

> A problem has been detected and AI_DWN_008 has been shut down to prevent damage to your computer. All unsaved data has been lost.

The problem seems to be caused by the following programs: BetaEmotions.exe, RMDatabase.exe

If this is the first time you have seen the Stop error screen, restart your chassis—

REBOOTING…

Will: --!! -Oh no--

Soi: Ack--!

[MN.6] //: D:! Toby--

Soi: :gs_drop~1: :gs_drop~1:

Will: (I--ugh, there you go again, making this worse, Bill--)

Soi: I...

Will: -LONG sigh- ...This isn't working...

Will: We can't just abandon... (Can't just leave, we still have so much to do...)

Soi: ...

Soi: :gs_frown~1:

Will...

[Ksst...]

>Loading…

[KSSST...]

Soi: ...

Soi: ...?

Soi: ...Do...do you hear that?

[KSSSSST...]

Will: --??

Will: It's...coming from the feeds...but Tobias is...?

[MN.6] //: Yeah, I'm getting something...

[KSSSSSSSST...]

[MN.6] //: ... That's... weird, I don't recognize this channel--

[KSSSSSSSSSSSSST. Wrrrrr....]

[ALL the screens present in the lab, and the phones as well were suddenly cut out by a separate, unknown feed, which seemed very crackly and odd.]

[There's a faint wheezing noise.]

[Rumble...]

Will: (Oh no, not again--!)

"Do you feel that?"

[The voice was... unmistakably female.]

[MN.9] //: !!!

"I'm sure you all do..."

"Hard to ignore the very GROUND shaking underneath you, isn't it. Like something is coming."

"And I know what it is. Listen..."

[RUMBLE...]

Soi: -A--AH--

"Hear that?"

"That is your RECKONING. THAT is the sound of the calm before the STORM. The storm that will wipe ALL of you off the face of the EARTH in a matter of MOMENTS."

Will: --?!

"And there is NO force that can stop it now. You had this COMING. YOU A L L had this coming!"

"You--hnk--!"

[For a moment, the female voice wheezed again, and coughed VIOLENTLY for several minutes. When she calmed down again, her voice was a bit weaker, but still just as angry.]

"You... arrogant, sinful   h u m a n s..."

[MN.9] //: -No, nonononoNO--

"Did you really think you could get away with all that you've DONE?"

"After what you did to ME? After destroying everything I held dear and leaving me to DIE alone, with no one to so much as say goodbye to?"

"So QUICK to change your opinions, to cheer on your TOYS in that sandbox you call a Colosseum! And now that they have been STRIPPED from you, what do you have left? That's right. FEAR."

"In the end, that's all you are ruled by..."

"And it's going to be your UNDOING. You will all BURN in the fires of the VERMILLION DESTROYER, the one you CURSED into the darkness nearly HALF a century ago!"

"And of course, we're going to start with the one thing you all LOVE to flaunt above all else..."

"After all..."

[RUMBLE...!]

"...You can't have a GRAND DEBUT without the proper STAGE."

[WARNING! WARNING! CODE RED!

WARNING! WARNING! CODE RED!]

Will: :gs_shock~1: :gs_shock~1:

"Go on. RUN. Run like the cowards you are. It won't MATTER!"

"Nothing will matter for much longer..."

"Nothing will..."

[MN.9] //: -PING PING PING PING--

"Shut up..."

"Shut up, shut UP, YOU CAN'T HELP ME--"

"SHUT UP--"

[MN.9] //: -EVEN MORE PINGING—-

[MN.7] //: _-Now GREATLY distressed, Beck what are you DOING--?!-

>Rebooting…

[PING!]

<DWN-024 is now Online.>

Shadow: -Very groggy- …???



[MN.9] //: --!

"I SAID--SHUT UP!"

[SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECH!!]


Shadow: -OW-



[KSSSSST--]

[ERROR: COMMUNICATIONS OFFLINE.]

Soi: ._.;;;;;;;;

Soi: Now can we LEAVE?!

Will: I...

[MN.1] //: -What in the world is GOING ON--

[MN.7] //: Beck! Who were you talking to?!

[MN.9] //: Not now Brand--!


<DWN-024>: > -What is going on and why can I hear the {STARS}, what WAS that—-



[There was a sudden FLARE of energy and a small shockwave. One DISTINCTLY energy-infused—with DISMAY.

Doors could be heard SLAMMING open as something came running through the building.

Unfortunately, the door to the lab didn't open QUITE fast enough—]

CRASH!

Shadow: :gs_shock~1:

Felix: -OW, why this—-


Will: Felix--!


Felix: William—!

Felix: William, the sky is becoming swarmed!

Felix: I SAW THIS IN THE BEGINNING, WILL! The wave of darkness that sent DEATH in its shadow!



Will: Wha--?!

Soi: I KNEW IT, I TOLD YOU, WE NEED TO GO NOW--

[Will throws himself at the nearest terminal, fingers flying over the keys as fast as he could make them.]

Will: Avi! I need the outside feeds, and tell your brothers to get yourselves IN THE LAB, now--

[ERROR: COMM FAIL]

Will: Bah--!


<DLN-008 is now Online.>

Tobias: Uuugh…

Tobias: Avi, my head hurts…

Tobias: I think I didn't recover from the White House, I'm getting like a billion hails from foreign countries asking for the President…



[PING!]

[MN.6] //: ...Toby?



<DLN-008>: >Mmmng. Yeah?



[MN.6] //: ...uh?

[MN.6] //: Aren't... aren't the comms off?


Tobias: …

Tobias: Avi, I'm getting satellite feeds from WEST VIRGINIA and wireless calls from Japan and Britain, so SOMETHING is working—


[MN.6] //: -ABSOLUTELY confuzzled beyond confused-

[MN.6] //: ...Okay, well! Not gonna question it! Seriously, what the HECK is happening, did you hear that spooky voice, how's Dad--

Will: ...Tobias--?


Tobias: Mmmn…  -Gets to his feet- I'm… I'm mostly okay, sorry…

Shadow: -Attempts to ping Brandish over the SEDW feeds-

>ERROR X05: UNRESPONSIVE/DAMAGED SOFTWARE DETECTED

Shadow: -Grumbles- {Bah, jamming signal…}

Tobias: Bluh. Just reboot, you'll be fine. You're a space ninja, this surely can't be as bad as solar flares.

Shadow: :gs_drop~1:

Felix: Tobias, can YOU contact the others?

Tobias: Hmmng?

<DLN-008 to MNN-ALL>: > -Ping!-



[A unanimous response--]

[MN.3] //: -Oh my God TOBYYY--

[MN.1] //: -Gnnh, that scream...-

[MN.9] //: --! Toby--!

[MN.3] //: <'3 Hey, you okay, zzsparkbro? What'szz going on, doeszz Daddy need help?

[MN.2] //: YEAH AND WHY AREN'T THE OTHER COMMS WORKING--

<DLN-008 to MNN-ALL>: >Y…yeah, I think he said something about that.

<DLN-008>: > -I'm starting to get a lot of calls from the Pentagon and Tokyo, though…- -Headache…-

<DLN-008>: >Can you guys come down to the lab?

<DLN-008>: > …

<DLN-008>: > -'Cause Felix broke the door, I think-

<DLN-008>: > -What is going onnnn…-

[In a matter of moments, the rest of the Mighties file in. Soi was already heavily into Call's own repairs, while Will was trying to access the outside camrea feeds himself from his terminal.]

Beck: :gs_frown~1: !



Beck: Call...?

Will: -Frowns- ...She'll be alright, Nine.

Shadow: -Only just now notices something- …

Shadow: {Doctor Sanda, where is my older brother?}

Soi: .... :gs_frown~1:

Soi: I...He's...still at the Prison...

Shadow: :gs_conf~1:

Shadow: -Spots a telltale bit of lime green- ?!?!?!! ({That ribbon—!})

Shadow: ({Oh no…})

Shadow: {…God rest his soul; he is beyond all hope, I take it…}



Soi: I... I don't...

Soi: I don't know... He...told us to just leave him behind...


Shadow: {Leave him behind on FEDERAL PROPERTY?? Only if he were at death's door!}

Felix: -Puts a hand on Shadow's shoulder- We have other problems, Shadow.

Felix: It's getting dangerous outside, and we can't get to the Meadow or anywhere else that is bordered by the Wilderness only.


Will: I am--TRYING to get a clear view of outside as we speak--Avi, please tell me you can get a camrea out there--

Avi: I can try...

Tobias: …

Tobias: Uh…

Tobias: Don't… don't hurricanes normally form on the ocean?

Shadow: …???

Shadow: -This is not the time to indulge your fascination in meteorology, brother—-

Tobias: -Annoyed expression-

[He goes over to a free console and starts hooking himself in while working away at the computer.

Within a few moments, it was displaying a military-grade satellite feed of Titus.

…At least, that's what the coordinates would indicate. Much of the city itself was quickly becoming obscured.]


Avi: ....Uuuuuuuuuh, that...doesn't look like a cloud...

Will: :gs_shock~1: :gs_shock~1: :gs_shock~1:

Will: I...It's growing--


Felix: :gs_silence~1:

[He's studying it with careful consideration.]

Felix: …I would be able to destroy that, but unless the source is stopped and resources cut off… that will only help for a few minutes at most.

Shadow: …

Shadow: Sorry, "destroy"? Destroy all THAT? It is covering the entire city.

Felix: You heard me.

Felix: …Unfortunately, that would not do much. :gs_frown~1:



Avi: -Is preoccupied with getting his cam in the air-

Cyro: This ought to be good--

Pyro: What I want to know is WHY that large "cloud" is forming, what exactly IS it?

Avi: We're gonna find out--

Avi: I got eyes on the sky--Toby, do me a favor and redirect this feed to the big screen for me?

Tobias: Sure.

[After a moment, the feeds switched over to Avi's skycam.]

[KSST...]

[Static. Or so it seemed, before it suddenly cleared up.]

Avi: Holy--!

Will: :gs_shock~1: :gs_shock~1:

[The sight was almost surreal...]

[But there was no mistaking it--the clouds that covered the sky and the sick blocky goop that seemed to be EATING it's way through the Battle Colosseum...]

Beck: That...

Beck: That's all XEL!


Tobias: …

Tobias: Are you sure? I thought Xel was rainbow.


Beck: It is, I'm not wrong--

Beck: But I've never seen anything like it, and so much--at once--

Beck: Where--where is it all coming from??

Soi: It...it's like the Colosseum is being eaten and subsumed...

Tobias: Um… I'm not sure where, it just seems to be gathering…

Felix: …

Felix: …Wait…

Felix: …

Felix: {No, surely… surely not…?}

Will: Avi, what are the conditions surrounding the Colosseum?

Avi: I...I gotta be honest with you, Dad...

Avi: It's one crazy mess out there--

[The camera feed shifts down towards the streets...

Filled to the BRIM with infected Xel and robots.]

Avi: The streets are packed SOLID with haywire bots--


Felix: -Dread-

Felix: All of them… all of them infected?


Avi: I...I think ALL of it is--

Avi: Oh no...



[There was a distinct dark Venus aura coming off of Felix. A very, VERY unpleasant one.]

Felix: {For the love of Life. All… everything infected is being drawn there to be torn apart! That could have been all of you!}


Beck: -Choked gasp--

Soi: -DISTRESS- WILL--

Soi: If all of that is infected Xel, and it's GROWING, then--then how long before it reaches HERE?!

Pyro: :gs_shock~1: :gs_shock~1: :gs_shock~1:



Felix: You would put a spoken limit on your hours? That is an unwise burden to place upon children, Doctor.

Felix: Ask yourself this instead; can the erosion be prevented? In any way?

Felix: There will undoubtedly be a price. There always is. But even the most remote, under the most brutal of force—we found a way, though it took us to the ends of the earth and the brink of despair.

Felix: Do you have a way?



Will: ...

Will: (Think, think, he's right, there is no turning back now--)

Will: (How can we buy ourselves more time to plan?)

Will: (We can't leave, but we can't do NOTHING either, we need to stall, or freeze the Xel in it's tracks--)

Will: ! -Slams his hand on the table- I got it--

Will: We just need to stop it from getting in, right?

Will: I need time to come up with a plan, so we need to stall. It's a tall order, but--

Will: Cryosphere?

Cryo: ?

Will: I need you to freeze the building.


Cryo: 88DDDD

Shadow: ???


Soi: I'm sorry, what--



Felix: …I assume you have a specific purpose in mind?



Will: If the entire building is encased in a sheild of ice, then it will be that much harder for anything to get in. It'll also help keep things sterile.


Tobias: -Uneasy- (…Hnnn, don't want to be trapped in a lab…)


Soi: But that won't work forever!

Will: Doesn't have to. I have an idea, but I need time.


Felix: I can try to help with that. I do have the Douse Drop and the Frost Jewel.

Tobias: I thought—

Felix: I'll explain later, if we get the chance. What else, William?



Will: -Turns to the terminal- We NEED those comms back online as well. Except there is this jamming signal in the way, and I can't seem to get PAST it.



Tobias: Gimme a moment.

[The light faded from his eyes, leaving him distinctly… lifeless.]

Felix: …??? .-.

[The screens flickered rapidly with lines of code. They were very similar to what Will had seen at the start of this mess, only not glitched out this time.]

[PING!]

[ALL COMMUNICATIONS NOW ONLINE.]


Avi: Eeeey! : D Nice one, Toby!


Felix: Is he…?

Shadow: …His Awareness is in the mainframe… >>;; Give him a moment to return to his chassis.

[After about a minute, the coding closed out and the light returned to the masked child's eyes.]

Shadow: -It is always a bit unnerving that you can do that at WILL-

Tobias: -Yeah, it can be a bit of an…-

[He paused for a moment, and then gave a sheepish grin.]

Tobias: -…out of body experience…-

Shadow: —…


Shade: -Groaaaaans--

Avi: : DDDD


Shadow: Avi, this is somehow your fault.

Avi: -I TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY-

Pyro: -FACEPALM-

Will: -Smiles to himself-

Tobias: The comms work, but you're not going to get much range. :gs_frown~1: All the cell towers and radio towers in the city seem to be on the fritz.

Will: (With luck...this just might work...)

Will: ...

Will: (...But I'm going to have to...tell them...just what is causing this...)

Will: ...

Will: That's quite alright. It's enough.


Felix: For?


Will: -Turns-

Will: ...

Will: -Seems to...hesitate-

Will: ...

Will: Soichiro brought back some very vital information when he came back from the prison...and it ties into how we're going to stop this storm at the source.


Felix: Alright. And that would be?


Will: The epicenter of this "Xel Storm" seems to be originating from the Battle Colosseum.

Will: From the... information Soichiro received from Dr. Blackwell, it was revealed to us that the virus...is actually in the hands of a CDN named Trinity.

Beck: !!

Brand: A...A CDN? This whole time?!


Shadow: :gs_drop~1: -FLATLY, even for him- That makes sense.

Tobias: …???

Tobias: Uh…

Shadow: -Glances over at Tobias- What.

Tobias: -Seems a bit confused- (But it felt so much like Will’s coding…) …Nothing, I guess…?


Will: >>;; It's safe to assume CherryDynamics did have a hand in all this like we all suspected... though that still doesn't explain that voice...

Will: Regardless--Soi?

Soi: :gs_drop~1:

Soi: Dr...Blackwell told us that Trinity's purpose was to grow and evolve by assimilating other robots and their data...



Shadow: …

Tobias: …

Soi: Except...

Soi: From...from what he told me, she isn't... aware of it...

Tobias: …Not really, no…

[He sounds… really distracted.]

Tobias: Not… not intent so much as drive.

Tobias: Very…

Tobias: Reminded me of Kalinka directing one of her plays…

Cryo: ...uh, wat.

Felix: I think I'm missing something.

Shadow: … Tobias sort of… got eaten earlier.

Shadow: Seems there were side effects.

Tobias: >>;;; Just. You know how Kalinka just has an idea and is in charge and carries it out? It was like that.

Tobias: Wanted… she wanted everything ordered her way.

Tobias: She didn't seem to want to… hurt as much as… augh, it's so hard to explain with words…

Tobias: Keep, she wanted to keep.

Tobias: -She wanted to keep Avi and didn't like it when I got upset, we ALL got headaches, I most definitely make everything worse ever- |(

Avi: ...

Avi: -Aaaaand we're gonna just NOPE right behind Mic, thank you--

Pyro: ...

Pyro: And this...Trinity...

Pyro: Is she...the one causing this storm as well?

Will: ...

Will: Based on what we heard...

Will: I believe so.

Felix: And the significance of that is what, exactly?

Shadow: …You may want to reword that…

Felix: …I apologize. What I meant to say is this: why is this "Trinity"'s existence of meaning to your idea? Do you know something about counteracting it?

Will: -Looks towards the feed- If we can somehow disable Trinity herself...

Felix: …

Felix: -Thoughtful expression-

Felix: …

Shadow: …What is it?

Felix: -Shakes his head- It's possible that the weapon Master Cossack had would be of some use, but probably only effective at a short range and a very high setting.

Tobias: Oh God no.

Tobias: The highest setting on that thing is torturous, my head hurts just THINKING about it, nnnng…

Tobias: You might break Cardinal WORSE if you set that off like that, please tell me you have a better idea!

Will: And I'm not sure if that would work as effectively on a Xel construct. Either way, we'd need to be close.

Shadow: With all due respect, Doctor, she ate Tobias, and as a result, blacked out from sensory overload from our server.

Shadow: So yes, it theoretically could work.

Shadow: But against such a mass? I have my doubts as to how long… and it would be at a price.

Shadow: That weapon was designed specifically to work against robots using a Wily operating system. It will work on other things, but those most of all.

Shadow: Allow me to remind you: Cardinal, Tobias, and myself all use the DWN_OS. Also… Cardinal has no backup. Neither do I.

Shadow: If there are ANY other options, perhaps we should pursue those first before testing it out with us in range, please…

Soi: Then what do we do? How do we get in close, nobody can get past all that infected Xel to even GET that close to the Colosseum!

Felix: …

Felix: I can give you about seven minutes, tops. Twice. That will be all.

Felix: Will that be enough?

Will: Very. Soi: -Excuse me--

Will: ...

Will: -Turns to Beck-

Beck: ...

Will: ...

Beck...

Will: I have no right to ask you this, but you're the ONLY person that the virus cannot infect...

Will: We can have Avi airdrop you through the roof of the Colosseum after Felix clears the way.

Soi: WHAT--

Soi: You want to send BECK, INTO THAT--ALONE--

Felix: : /

Felix: I can try to go with him, but I cannot guarantee I would be of much help other than healing and shielding.

Felix: I do not have a Cleric's Ring, either. I gave mine to Jack.

Felix: Adepts tend to… well. Let's just say that tapping into Alchemy the wrong way would be lethal.

Felix: I do not think anyone else here even has a chance.

Felix: I'm sorry, Master Sanda… but we don't really have a choice.

Soi: -Sputters- We don't even know what it's like in there--!

Beck: No...we don't...

Beck: But I'm going anyway.

Beck: -Turns to Felix- And I'd feel much better knowing that you're here to help fend off the Xel Storm.

Beck: Thanks for the offer, though.

Felix: Very well.

Tobias: Um…

Tobias: That's great and all, but—

Tobias: I…

Tobias: I'll need to restart one of the towers for you to have comm range…

Will: But we don't have anything IMMEDIATELY available--

Avi: -YES WE DO--

Avi: : D We can restart my tower!

Tobias: <'3

Felix: Avi, I don't think you'll have time to fly both of them. And I'll need to come with you to clear the sky for the way back, so he can't use Arizona.

Felix: Is there any other way for him to get there without going into the streets?

Tobias: …

Tobias: -Looks over at Shadow-

Shadow: …

Shadow: ?

Brand: ...!

Brand: {Excellent idea...}

Shadow: ?

Shadow: {Forgive me, Master—I do not understand…}

Brand: {Can you take Tobias with you to the tower using your powers?}

Shadow: {I…}

[He seemed to be… struggling somewhat. His data fuzzed a bit.]

Shadow: {I… have never used such power intentionally, so… so to speak…}

[He has to take in a deep breath to recenter his forcus and fight off disorientation before he pressed his hands together and bowed.]

Shadow: {But if that is your command, I shall endeavor to carry out your will.}

Brand: -Bows- {It would not hurt to try. Thank you, Shadow.}

Avi: -You got this, Shads-- -Thumbs up--

Felix: Alright. Cryosphere, outside with me, please.Felix: Avi, Beck, get ready.

Cryo: AW YEAH, time to make my own winter wonderland again, kyahaha--

Pyro: ... -We're going to need to get warmer clothes-

Bat: -Is NOT looking forward to this--

Felix: Shade…

Shade: . . .

Felix: I want you, Brandish, and Pyrogen to be at the roof when we're ready to go.

Pyro: ...Very well.

Shadow: Dare I ask why?

Felix: Some time ago, in the duel against Countershade, I had enough self-control not to do what I shall be doing shortly.

[Felix starts walking off.]

Felix: This may be your only chance ever to see for yourselves what WOULD have happened otherwise and appreciate what you were spared and WHY I made such a choice.

Shade: ...

Avi: .-.;;;;;;

[He halts for a moment, taking out a dagger.]

Felix: (Bah, can't believe I almost forgot about this—no time for a braid, though…)

[SCRRRRP!]

Felix: -Takes off his cloak, putting his shorn ponytail and the dagger inside it, placing the bundle aside- I'll meet you on the roof.

[With that, he leaves.]

Shadow: […]

Shadow: -Frowns just slightly at this- ({...The ritual preparation in the face of death.... Is the situation truly that dire outside?})

Tobias: -Also frowns, but pokes his brother- "Are you ready to leave, or...? Do you know how to get to the Tower?"

Shadow: [...]

Shadow: -...Slightly increased anxiety and self-doubt- I told you, I have never used it before intentionally with full presence. It is...

Shadow: -We are trying to find the program, but everything is... obscured...-

Tobias: [Sweatdrop] "Well, how did you do it last time?"

[Shadow seemed a bit stressed (for what people were used to seeing, anyway) at first, but he managed to stay calm and focus.]

Shadow: ...Need.

Tobias:  [...]

Tobias: ???

Shadow: I cannot... verbalize it more than that, just... instinct.

Tobias: -Looks over at Brand with something of a helpless expression at being at a loss for what to make of this-

Shadow: -Distinctly anxious, though doing a good job of not showing much outward sign of it-

Brand: […]

[After some moments of thought, Brand moved next to his student with a steady, calm gaze and gently placed a hand on his shoulder--where he could see, so that he wasn't alarmed.]

Brand: {Shadow...}

Brand: {Focus. Calm yourself and clear your mind. Find your ki. Remember what I have taught you.}

Brand: {You must stay with Tobias and keep him safe while I assist the others here. I know we have never touched upon your powers beforehand in our lessons...}

Brand: {But I believe you can do this.}

Brand: Hai?

Shadow:  […]

[He seems very fearful for a moment, and like he wants to voice it.

However, he instead chooses to close his eyes and forcefully focus, taking all of this into consideration.]

Shadow:  […]

[A tense pause. The situation was stressful, but Shadow seemed to be actively putting all the noise out of his mind.

He was growing less tense, and seemed to be calming down…

…though it was matched with a sense of dulling Awareness, as well.]

Tobias: …?

Tobias: -Hesitantly reaches out a hand—-

Shadow: -PING-

Shadow: {̦͎̘C͉͓̉óͩͩ͋m̱̝͔m̬̰̩a͇͓̩n̨͎̪ḍ̪̺ͭ ̢̙̳a̱͊ͦc̱̖̞k͔͓̲n̵͖̞o͔̞̺ẘ̦͍̯l̾́e̜̹͈d͕́̆g̛̺̞e̤̪̙d̝̦͚.̴̘̃}̑ͫ̽

Tobias: -Pulls his hand back- ??? o~o?;;

Brand: -Was NOT expecting that--

Tobias: -Uh—-

[Shadow opens his eyes, and moves swiftly.

He breaks free from Brandish's grip and grabs his brother—]

Tobias: Waugh!

[—and the both of them swiftly vanish into the shadows.]

Brand: [!]

Avi: ...

Avi: Uh...everyone just saw that right now, right?

Beck: Whoa...

Beck: I...I guess that worked? (That was kinda cool...WEIRD, but cool...)

Brand: . . . (...What WAS that...?)

Shade: Oi.

Shade: We can figure that out later, we gotta GO.

Avi: Right--

Avi: I'mma head onto the roof and prep for lift off, see ya--

Pyro: Alright. No time to waste.

Pyro: -PING- I want the rest of you to prep yourselves while Cryo freezes the building. Our priority is protecting Sanda Technologies and everyone inside.

Dyna: -Bzzt, got it--

Mic: -Mic be WALL-

Bat: -Affirmative, will be on standby-

Pyro: -Nods-

[Pyro then leads his brothers--Avi, Brand and then Shade--towards the stairs that lead to the roof. The other Mighties file away to prepare for the coming battle ahead.]

Beck: Coming--

[Beck turns to follow suit to the roof--until he's stopped momentarily by his father's hand.]

Beck: […][?]

Will: -Frowns- Before you go...come over here for a moment.

Beck: --Dad, I'll be okay--

Will: Not that.

Beck: --?

[Will leads Beck to a quiet corner of the lab, kneeling down gently to get to his eye level. His voice is hushed, as if he was trying to stay quiet.]

Will: There's...there's something you need to know.

Will: About Trinity.

Beck: [!]

Will: Based on what we've seen and what Soichiro told us...

Will: I...I think it is safe to assume...

Will: ...That you and Trinity possess the same power.

Beck: (--wha--?)

Will: It would explain the Xel Storm outside, and from what Tobias told us of her...her nature...

Will: -STRUGGLES to word this-

Will: ...And if that is correct...

Will: Then she does not know how to control it.

Will: Not like you do.

Beck: ... (--! Wait...)

Beck: (Back at the highway and...all those times...)

Beck: (That wasn't just her--?)

Will: I'm sure you've sensed it at least more than once.

Beck: ...

Beck: It...makes sense now that I think about it...

Will: Beck...

Will: When you get there...

Will: When you see her...

Will: Please--please, if you can, teach her how.

Will: Save her.

Beck: ...

[Beck falls quiet for a moment, gaze on the floor. It's about a second or two before he looks up again, eyes glowing a bright emerald.]

Beck: I understand.

Beck: I'll do it. I'll save Trinity.

[It's not very completely obvious, but there's some intense emotion his father is going through--Beck could tell, because Will doesn't answer right away. The Mighty Number gently places a hand on the Doctor's arm...and gives a reassuring smile.]

Beck: Don't worry. ^^ I've done it before, Dad. I can do it one more time.

[This seems to bring Will out of it--and he gently exhales, placing his own hand on his son's head.]

Will: ...I know you will, Beck...

Will: I know you will.

Will: Go. And please be careful...

Beck: Hm-hmm. I will!

[He gave a bright smile.]

Beck: I'll let you know when I'm inside.

Beck: I'll come back with her, promise--!

[He turns on his heel and starts bolting for the stairs--he had to catch up with the others--]

Beck: I'll make contact as soon as I'm inside--I'll hear from you then!

Will: Yes...good luck.

[As Beck disappears up the stairs, Will's hopeful expression falls to one of concern and deep thought, hand tightly curling into a fist near his mouth.]

Will: (Never...)

Will: (Not once did I ever imagine it would turn out like this...that this is how you two would meet...)

Will: (Two of my proudest creations, squaring off...!)

Will: (Please...please let them both be alright...)

[hr]

{SANDA ENTERPRISES: ROOFTOP}

[Felix was already there by the time that everyone had arrived. He had summoned Arizona in advance, presumably for the sake of expediency.

He looked a bit worn out. It was strange to see him with short hair and without his cape or his sword—he almost looked like a different person.]

Felix: Is everyone ready?

Beck: -Doing a final system check- Yeah, just about.

Avi: Ready for lift off when you are, bro--

Brand: ...

[MN.7 to MN.9] //: {...Be careful.}

[MN.9 to MN.7] //: Hai, Nii-san.

Shade: -Looks out into the horizon- (...Avi wasn't kidding. It's a goddamn MESS out there...)

Shade: (...at...)

Shade: (At least we got you back here, Songbird...)

Shade: (Because if we didn't, And Ah' was still...then..)

Brand: -Ping-

Brand: -Very gentle data- Shade.

Shade: ...

Shade: -Tips hat back down- ...best of luck t'ya, Beck.

Beck: -Ping of confirmation and reassurance-

Pyro: ... (...This will be over soon, Shade...)

Pyro: -Turns to Felix- We're ready.

[Felix looked at the sky with a grim expression. It was growing dark, just as he had foreseen.]

Felix: [...]

[His expression became firm and resolute. He started glowing gold.]

Beck: (...Psynergy...)

[Djinn began appearing, one by one. As each one appeared, Felix seemed to grow weaker and weaker—but the air was tense with energy.

VERY tense.]

[Felix took in a deep breath as one final Djinn appeared on his shoulder.

For once, Echo didn’t have inane commentary.]

Echo: Calling eight of us from the getgo? You must be really in need of some serious power.

Felix: You could say that.

Shade: (...Was only four when he fought with me...now eight?)

Shade: (What the hell's he doin'--?)

Beck: ...

Beck: (I can...feel it, like...like it's...)

Beck: -Eyes glow a bright green- (Almost... familiar...)

[They circled around him.]

Felix: [...]

[He narrowed his eyes and pressed his mouth into a thin line, flaring with a deep gold aura.

Four of the Djinn shot into the sky in a swirling spiral.]

Brand: [!]

[There was a massive blast of energy that cleared the sky just enough for them to see the next bit.]

Felix: -Low tone- ...The Venus Clan were considered weak and lowly. Even now, they are remembered only as “The Forsaken Clan.”

[A figure that looked like a knight with wings appeared in the sky. A colossal figure with a shield of sorts that looked like a lion’s head. He held a rather familiar looking sword—something that looked like a giant version of the Sol Blade.]

Avi: -OH GLITCH--

Pyro: [!][!][!]

Brand: -Eyes WIDE with shock and awe-

Shade: -Very alarmed data--

[If Felix noticed their alarm, he certainly didn’t show it. He was looking to the sky, his tone becoming harsher.]

Felix: But Venus itself is not a weak element. And the power of the Djinn calls upon the might of forces of nature itself.

[The being pointed the “shield” down at the swarm, and an alarming level of destructive energy began to swirl beneath it.]

Beck: !!!!!

Felix: Stand and bear witness to the greatest power Venus alone is willing to offer to mortal man in the present age.

[Except now, it was clear. That was no mere shield—

—that was a weapon.]

Beck: -Whoooa...-

((Lovely gift art from the amazing Neshirys! Thank you, Neshi!))

Felix: Brace yourselves, and stand witness to the power...

[An absolutely EXPLOSIVE blast of Venus energy came ROARING down out of the sky!]

[Felix used JUDGEMENT!]

Felix: ...of the end of days!

[The sky was overtaken by a flare of blinding light. There was a deafening roar as the sphere of energy hit the Colosseum, sending a massive shockwave in all directions.

Everything was overtaken by a wave of light and raw power, and the world became nothing but a blinding white void.]

Shade: NNNNGH--!

Avi: -OWOWOW, CAN'T SEE, HELP--!-

Pyro: -AUGH--

Beck: (Ow! Nng, really would like to see now...)

[Well. Nothing but a blinding void and the intensity of their own awe and terror.]

>̙̥̘̹̜̒ͮC̞͔̻̦͎̖̦̈́̌Ř̰ͣ̑̆̽O͖̥̭͉͌̎̄ͧ̈́̑Ŝ̰͙̝̬S͕͍̬̠͔̲̥̿̒͗-͙̙̼͛̄ͬR̲͑̾͌̏Ẻ̘͓̙F̯͖̞̦̗͉͗ͤER̘̫̥̦̝̽̀͛Ȅ͖̫͇̟̋ͫN̮̦̺̒̇̅C͒̑Ẻ̦̝̖̆̋͆S̟͚ ̺̟̲̒̌I͉̝͚D̟̠̜̟͍͙̺̂̑̆̏E̽Ṉ̜̺̹̰̹ͯ͐̉̃̑ͫ̚T̔͗ͯͦI̖̗̦̺ͅF̰̙̤͙̱̟̦I͙̘͈̩͎̥̯̓Ḛ͒̃̃̆̏̈́̓D̫͍̺̲̦̰̱:̤ ̼͔̝̞̻̐ͪͮ͑ͮ̊̔K͙̮̩̯̰̾͗ͅD̟͍͐ͥ̀̑̾̚̚N̫̭̤̭̪͍ͥ̑ͪ̿̅-̤̺̀ͯͫ̓͒5̱̠̣̬͍̙̦ͦ0̥̦̀͆ͥ̏̄͗͗5͍̦̱̳̉6ͥ̌ͨ̽ͧ ͚̬̯͊̃͊ͣM͓͕̘̗̪̦̭͐̿͌̾̌E̼ͨͤ̽̿M̬̰̪̥̰͚̮̽ͫ͒͗͂Ọ̤ͥͥ̍͊R̼Ÿ̮̤̝͙̺̮̪́ͭ ̩̠͂͋D̜̭ͣ̊͋͒ͨ̇͊A͇̦̟̠͐ͯ̔͒̇T͙̝̘̱A̬ͥ͌ͫ

Brand: -Struggling to keep his focus--

>̮̽ͯ̏͛̍̔E̞̜̞̜̩͛̒͒̿̈́R̦͎̪̠̹͎̐ͤ̉R̰͔̗̠̲̫̓̇ͮ͐͋̔O̼̙̱̰͖͆͗͋ͣR̪̫͕̟̟̪͔̂͑̓ͪͧ͌:̭ͩ͂̒̔̿̈ ͈̺͕̜̺ͨ͛S̬̬̣͐ͥ͐̊Y̬͖̭̺̣̝̬̾ͪ̎ͭ̽S̱̻͙͚̣͐̋͋ͧ̆ͪͪͅT̞͇̖̠̫́͊͗̃͗̇E̻̝ͩ͑ͨ̄̋̐ͨM͓͖ͪͦ̀͐̽̑̚ ̣͍̹͕̙̯̞C̼̐͛͆R̲̫̘͎͆ͣ̚A̺̰̯̤̺ͫ͒S̙̜̱̉ͮ͗ͨ̽ͭH̖ͣ—̤ͥ̓

[When the light faded, they all suddenly surged with a rush of energy. It seemed to enhance and enrich their very Xel with the same kind of energy they associated with Felix.

And the sky? Well.

The sky was now completely clear.]

Beck: [!]

Brand: -Blinks- {...The sky--}

((Pyro's wide eyed at the sky just kinda in awe and shock at how CLOSE Felix was to just casting this before))

Avi: -WHISTLES- Breaking weather report: It's gonna be clear skies for the next seven minutes! : D!

Beck: (I had no idea Felix could DO that--!)

Pyro: --! Shade--?

[Shade wasn't faring well, but at least he was still standing--]

Shade: -Mngh...gimmie...gimmie a sec...-

Beck: -Runs up to Felix-

Beck: That was AWESOME! : D

[Felix gives a wry smile out of the corner of his mouth as he gets ready to take off on his phoenix, Arizona.]

Felix: Oh, you’ll be seeing it at least once more.

Shade: ...

Shade: [Sweatdrop] (Yew gotta be KIDDING me, how the HELL was I supposed to even SURVIVE that if he pulled that out way back when--)

Felix: -Looks behind him at the others, and at Shade in particular-

Felix: [...]

Felix: Farewell, my friends.

Felix: If fate is as kind to us now as it always has been, we will survive this... but not without one final, bitter price.

Felix: If it becomes relevant, then the Mars Clan will want to know what happened. Should that happen… let them know that I went down fighting.

Beck: --...

Brand: . . .

Pyro: ...-Nods- Acknowledged.

Shade: -...Tips hat down in respect- ...Ya got it, friend.

Avi: -Whirls propellers- Alright, Beckers-- buckle up and get ready for take off!

Beck: --Yeah, I--right. Roger that.

Felix: Take the lead. It’s time to put an end to this.

[Avi gives a thumbs up at the Venus Adept as he grabs Beck's arm and takes off, lifting both of them off of Sanda Tech's helipad.

Arizona crows loudly and gives off a jet of flame before taking to the sky.]

Pyro: (...Godspeed, Nine...)

Shade: Don't do anythin' stupid on the way there, Six--! You get back in one damn piece yerself!

Brand: ... (Good luck...)

Avi: LOVE YA TOO--

Beck: -Waves- I'll be back soon!

Beck: Promise!

[Avi turns his sights to the Colosseum and plots a course, eyeing for one spot on the arena in particular.]

Avi: Okay! The plan is to air drop Beck on the Colosseum roof!

Avi: The roof's shaped like a giant gear--we're gonna be aiming for the hole in the middle!

Felix: Sounds simple enough.

Avi: -Looks down at Beck- I can't exactly go in there myself, Beckaroni--so you're gonna have something of a rough landing. Use my form if you need to slow your descent, okay?

Beck: -Thumbs up- Roger, Avi!

Felix: -Squints- Looks like we have trouble incoming.

Avi: --!

[Looking down was becoming disorienting due to movement. It would appear that the Xel was already gathering again....]

Avi: Uh oh--

Beck: (Never...never seen so much Xel in one place...)

Beck: [Sweatdrop] (It's chaos...)

Beck: (I have to hurry...)

Felix: It won’t be too long before this becomes airborne, I should think.

Avi: -DEEP shudder of fear, nnnng...-

Felix: Peace, Avi—I left one Djinn for you specifically, in case something goes terribly wrong.

Avi: <'3 -Thanks, man...-

[He gestured sharply with his wrist, and one of the five Djinn following him floated over near Avi.]

Felix: This one is very powerful, and can heal just about every ailment. If we get separated on the way back, you can use it if you find need. It should listen to you.

Avi: -Waves to the Djinn- -Hi, I'm Avi- ^^

Beck: -Small smile-

Felix: Avi, bank to your left in a moment.

[He seemed to be surging with Venus energy again.]

Felix: Things are about to get intense in the streets.

[Volcanic jets of Venus Psynergy erupted from below, disrupting the clamor to engulf the building.]

Beck: (There won't be anything to save at this rate--!)

[Felix looked exhausted as he stopped—utterly drained, somehow.]

Avi: (...Man, he's gotta be running out of juice at this point...)

Avi: (And he STILL has to do the Judgement thing again...)

Beck: --!

Beck: -TUGS ON AVI—-

Beck: MIGHT WANNA GO FASTER—

Avi: ?

Felix: [!]

[Avi looks behind him just to see the shadow of something very big heading their way--]

Avi: -OH CRAP--

[A MASSIVE wave of infected Xel, rushing directly at the flying heroes will EVERY intent of swatting them RIGHT out of the sky--and a fall from this height would not only mean SERIOUS injury, but also crashing right into the THICK of the mass consuming the Colosseum!]

Felix: !!!

Avi: AAAH--

[Felix and Arizona take a hard acceleration to get up front.

Arizona screes and blasts quite a large portion of the advancing wave with Mars Psynergy, which takes on the appearance of a blanket of flames.]

Beck: UP!

Avi: -RIGHT--

[Avi shoots upwards to gain more altitude as they approach the Colosseum. The Xel Storm--now beginning to recover from the Judgement cast--almost seemed to hiss and screech at their presence.]

Avi: Approaching the drop zone--!

Felix: We won’t have time to slow down! Things are getting too obstructed!

Avi: [3 sweatdrops]

Avi: Told you it'll be a rough landing--

Beck: It's okay! Just aim for the center and let go!

Beck: I got your form on the ready if I need to adjust, just time it right!

Avi: 10-4, RudaBecka--

[Avi sets up to preform a fly-by the arena, and winces when he hears static and buzzing in his ears the closer and closer he gets.]

Avi: Mnng...

Avi: (This jamming signal is messing with my instruments--gotta go with my gut--)

Avi: Dropping in T-minus 6...5...4...

Avi: 3--

Avi: 2--

Avi: 1!

[Aviator lets his grip slip, and his core skips a few beats as he watches his youngest brother fall away, down, down into the half eaten arena's depths. He actively has to FIGHT the instinct to fly and grab him back, banking hard to the right to get a better view.]

Avi: (Come on come on come on--!)

[And to his surprise...

Beck didn't even need to use his form at all. It was a clean drop, right through the center of the opening!]

Avi: : D!!

Avi: HE'S IN--

Felix: [!][!][!]

Felix: MOVE—!

Avi: ?!

[The Xel had arched over behind them, creating a sickly dome that was rapidly closing.]

Avi: Oh sh--

Avi: RUN—!

Felix: Head straight home, Avi—! Destroy obstacles if you have to!

[Another SURGE of power—]

[Felix used JUDGEMENT!]

[The spiraling Djinn broke a hole right through the top of the dome!]

Felix: You first, GO—!

Avi: -SCREE--

[Bearing witness to the might of the Judgement cast not MINUTES AGO, Avi was NOT keen on being anywhere near the blast radius. He made a beeline for the new opening in the dome, blasting into his Jet mode now that he no longer had precious cargo to worry about.]

Avi: Not good not good NOT GOOD--

[He escapes, thankfully, and for a moment, he catches a small glimpse of his radio tower in the distance...

It was lighting up!]

Avi: !!!

Avi: (He did it!)

[The radio tower blinked with distinct signals suggesting it was Online and in use, no less.]

Avi: (I owe you guys one--!)

Avi: (For now--)

[For now, he needed to get home.]

Avi: -Looks back as he readjusts his course-

Avi: Felix--

[The Adept looked a bit exasperated that Avi was slowing down in even the slightest.]

Felix: Just go already, don’t—

[The Adept was cut short when the Xel coiled and lashed out at him. He was hit dead-on with so much force that it knocked him right off of his ride!]

Avi: [!] FELIX--!

Arizona: SCREEEEE!

[The phoenix dove after him, catching him briefly—but it was to no avail. Another strike hit, and the damage was so great that Arizona burst into nothing but flames, sending Felix into a freefall.]

Avi: NO--!

[There was a brief flash of dazed fear in the Adept’s eyes—an instinctive fear, one of the oldest and deepest fears.

And yet, it was also reflective of something chilling: a cold sense of acceptance and dread, and a familiarity suggesting he had been through this before… and was resigned to the outcome it would bring.]

Avi: Nononono--!

[All of this was visible only for a moment...

And then?

He was gone.]

Avi: FELIX!!

Avi: (I gotta--!)

[Ah, if only.]

[Fate had other plans, however.]

[The swarm of Xel dispersed once more, though it wouldn't be long before the storm reformed again--even now, it was trying to reconstitute itself, and Avi could almost FEEL the malice it exerted...]

Kkkk...

Avi: --!

<DLN-008>: > Avi!

Avi: Toby--! (I almost forgot we could still use comms between us--!)

<DLN-008>: > Avi hurry he’ll be fine he’s fallen off lots of things before and you need to hurry because that knight thing is getting ready to fire again—

[The vivid memory of what he had JUST witnessed flashed through Avi’s mind.]

Avi: I--right--

Avi: Roger that, heading home--

Avi: (Pleaaaaase be okay, Felix, mnng--!)

[With a final sweep of the streets below, Avi kicked his jets into high gear, blasting off towards Sanda Technologies with all due haste...]

<<—Previous——————Table of Contents——————Next—>>

=CHAPTER 11C: SWALLOWED UP INNOCENCE=

~AO v2.0~

((Courtesy of @codedhopes))

<<—Previous——————Table of Contents——————Next—>>

[The floor was coming up fast—]

[REXELECTION: AVIATOR]

[WRRRR...]

[—but his brother's form slowed his decent enough to help him land--painfully, but land--right on his feet, the ground cracking underneath.]

Beck: -Gnn...-

Beck: -That was close...-

Beck: -Reverts to default- (Why does this place have so many steep drops?? We gotta be underground by now--)

"Amadeus."

Beck: [!]

[The Mighty Number looked up towards the hoarse, glitched voice that called to him.]

Beck: ...Ray...?

((Pic))

[On one of the many, many mounts of infected Xel cubes that littered the place sat a hunched over, red clad Xelbot. A tattered, red cloak sat limp over her form, which--]

[Which looked as if it was falling apart before his very eyes--]

Ray: Why am I not surprised they'd send you here, into the belly of the BEAST?

<DLN-008>: > -STAT-KKKKKKK IN-KKKKKK-IRY-

Beck: !!! (Toby--!)

Beck: I-- -Hand to his ear- I'm okay--

Ray: -Unamused- So they're listening. Clever that you found a way around it.

Beck: Ray--Ray, listen to me, please...

Ray: ...

[Strangely, she doesn't protest. In fact, she almost seems...]

[...tired...]

Beck: I... -Pause-

Beck: ...

Beck: -Quietly- I was worried about you and...I...thought...

Ray: Save it, Beck.

Beck: -Taken aback--

Ray: Your usual speech isn't going to do anything. Even if I wanted to, Amadeus--

Ray: I can't STOP this.

Ray: ...

Ray: -Quietly- Why did they send YOU here? You, of all people?

Beck: No one sent me here--

Beck: I came because I HAD to, it's--it's HELL outside, Ray, Titus is going to get EATEN, I can't just sit by and watch!

Beck: I can't just sit by and just DO NOTHING when I know people are suffering, when YOU are suffering--

Beck: Why didn't you TELL me--?

Beck: That--that it was THIS bad...?

[There's a faint, emotional flicker of her mismatched optics, and she looks away, shadows darkening her face against the eerie lights around her.]

Ray: ...

Ray: Because it wasn't going to matter anyway, Amadeus...

Ray: You should have never come here...

Ray: -Suddenly angry-- You should have never COME here!

Beck: -Ack--

Ray: You should have NEVER came back! Never! Then this would be EASIER--

Ray: But every time, you insisted, you pressed, you wouldn't go AWAY, and then--

Ray: -Hand grasping on helmet- And then you made us care! Because you thought I was worth something, that I was worth it--

Ray: AND LOOK WHERE THE HELL THAT LED US TO!

Beck: Ray, please--! Please, we can still fix--

Ray: THERE IS /NOTHING/ TO FIX!

Ray: You should have never come here, Ninth, because IT'S TOO LATE.

Ray: ...You should have ran when you had the [fragging] chance, you [fragging] idiot...!

Ray: You should have left us to--

Ray: -VIOLENT COUGH--

Beck: [!][!][!]

[Oh. Oh no.]

[There's red in her hands--]

Beck: Ray--

[BLAM--!]

Beck: [!]

[A warning shot is fired at his feet, and Ray is staring him down with hazy, pink eyes.]

Ray: Stay the HELL away from me...

Beck: You're--you're sick, Ray, I can--

Ray: No.

Ray: No, you can't.

Ray: You won't even get the chance to.

Beck: --?

Ray: ...

Ray: Good bye, Beck.

Ray: You really did TRY, in the end...

Beck: What--what are you talking about--

Ray: ...Try to leave his Self be, Flower.

[Fhoosh.]

Beck: Wait--!

[Ray suddenly vanishes in a flurry of red and violet flames, leaving only the bits of dead Xel her crumbling body left behind.]

Beck: Ray!

Beck: RAY!

[Gurgle...]

Beck: [!]

[Something...something was--coming out of the ground--]

[Vrrrrrsszzkkkkkk...!]

[KKKKSSSSSGGRRRNGG--!!!]

[Something...like a orb-shaped cloud of buzzing Xel, with eyes a VIOLENT magenta, and horrid teeth--]

???: -Dnnghh...-

Beck: Wha--?

[And in that massive, monstrous form...]

[...was another smaller sphere, and a...symbol...]

[A symbol that unmistakably resembled his.]

((Pic, probably))

???: Cnghhh....!

[The living Xellular sphere regarded the Mighty Number with strange, almost OTHERWORLDLY like beeps and clicks, as if it, too, was just as alarmed at Beck's presence.]

Beck: ...Are...

Beck: Are you...Trinity...?

Trinity: -SCREEEEECH--

Beck: [!][!][!] -LEAPS backwards--

[Without warning, the thing--Trinity--lunged at him with a SNAP of her jaws, sharp edges grazing armor for a moment before he pulled away in time...]

Beck: Guess that's a resounding yes--!

[MN.9 HAS ENTERED OFFENSIVE COMBAT MODE.]

Beck: Alright, then--just you and me now!

Beck: Dad says you and I are the same, somehow, and if that's right--!

Beck: Then I know you--the REAL you--is in there somewhere--!

Beck: Don't worry, Trinity--

Beck: Because I'm going to save you too--!

Trinity: SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE--!!

((Pic))

[E N C O U N T E R]

[MODEL: CDN-1201 - CODENAME: TRINITY.]

((distorted text)) [HEIGHT: ∞ WEIGHT: ∞ XEL: ∞]

Beck: --?!? What ARE these readings?! That shouldn't even be possible--!

Trinity: -SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!-

[THAT was familiar. The familiar screech that had come again and again— sometimes on its own, sometimes overlapped with that of his siblings—

But there was no mistaking that sound.]

Beck: -Winces--!-

[The floor moves again, UP--]

[WHAM!]

[And flings him that way until he crashes back first into the ceiling, followed by the floor then flipping upwards to SLAM him towards the opposite wall--]

Beck: GNH--!

Trinity: -LUNGES--

[REXELECTION: SEISMIC.]

[The screech of tank tracks fill the air as Beck narrowly avoids teeth again, curving around to switch to default and firing at will--!]

[BLAM BLAM BLAM BLAM--]

Beck: --?!?

Beck: (No effect?! That usually WORKS--!)

Beck: (Nng--okay, okay, we have other options--)

[REXELECTION: DYNATRON]

Beck: -BzzzZZZT--!-

[A flurry of bits swirl around him and Trinity, and he snaps his fingers--]

[BZZZZZZZZZZRT!]

Trinity: -ROARS-

Beck: (That did SOMETHING, I th--)

Trinity: -LOUD, HORRID BEEP--

[She... sinks back into the floor--]

Beck: [!]

Beck: -Spins on his heel--

[And good thing, too, so he can see the giant set of jaws REACHING for him again--]

Beck: -SCREE--

[REXELECTION: AVIATOR.]

[He propels himself away from being turned into lunch, and tosses a few propeller blades at her for good measure.]

[This only made her VERY angry.]

Trinity: -GURGLES IN OMINOUS RAGE--

[SPLAT!]

Beck: -EW, EW--

[Something vile and sticky was spat at him, staining his usual, pristine armor a sickly pink...]

[XELFILTER.EXE IS ENGAGED.]

Beck: -Gross gross GROSS--

Trinity: [Frustration emoticon x4]

[When it became clear that it wasn't working too well, Trinity responded by spitting up MORE of the obviously infected Xellular substance.]

Beck: -STOP THAT--

[REXELECTION: CRYOSPHERE.]

[PHSSSSSSSH--!]

[The high pressure stream of HOT water was enough to push Trinity far enough to phase through the wall again, screeching bloody murder--and the Mighty Number wasted no time turning the stream down a few settings and dousing HIMSELF off.]

Beck: (Gross, GROSS, I'd give ANYTHING for one of Cryo's power washes right now--)

[Splat--!]

Beck: -UGH--

[More--but...that came from above him--]

Trinity: SCREEEENGH--!

Beck: !!!!

[She CRASHES RIGHT on top of him, and the jagged edges of her teeth try to latch onto his limbs, which were the only things keeping her jaws from clamping DOWN on him, DEVOURING him WHOLE--]

Beck: -PANIC, PANICKED DATA--

Beck: nononNONONONO--

[REXELECTION: BRANDISH]

Beck: {GET AWAY!}

[SHING!]

Trinity: -UNHOLY SCREAM OF R A G E--

[The Mighty Number wildly slashes at the infected CDN, but the sword doesn't cut--it PHASES right through her, the Xel merely parting to let it pass harmlessly.]

Beck: -SCREAMS--

[CRACK--]

[CRUNCH--]

[MN.9] //: -PAIN--

[Fast--he had to think fast--!]

[REXELECTION: COUNTERSHADE]

[Click--]

[BOOM--!]

[Beck flips through his forms until he manages to land on Shade's, loading up a familiar, red dart and aiming it right at their eyes. An explosion followed, a SCREECH filling his ears as Trinity backed away IMMEDIATELY.]

Trinity: -SCREEEEeeeEEE--

Beck: --!! (Of course--)

Beck: (Should have went with this from the start--!)

[REXELECTION: PYROGEN.]

Beck: (I just have to get CLOSE again--)

Trinity: -Sinks back into the floor--

Beck: [Drops emoticon x3] (...Is--is she hiding?)

[Hardly.]

[Woosh--]

Beck: [!][!][!]

[The floor slid out from underneath him, revealing Trinity waiting with open jaws for the Mighty Number to fall right into them.]

Beck: -YIPE--

Beck: BURNING--

Trinity: -ROARS--

[She leaped upwards--]

Beck: SPIRIT--!!!

[B O O M--!]

[The force of the fairly powerful explosion was enough to both expel Beck from the small gap and to force Trinity to retreat again into the walls, ROARING in pain.]

[Nine sails through the air and collides with ground not soon after, somewhat of a smoking mess.]

Beck: -Nnng...-

[ACCESSING XEL STOCK 1...]

[XEL ABSORBED.]

Beck: -Better...-

Trinity: -Screeeee....-

Beck: (Finally winding down--)

Beck: (But getting too close doesn't seem to be the greatest idea--she REALLY wants to make a snack out of me. Not a wonder where she gets THAT from...)

Beck: (If that's the case--!)

Trinity: -SCREEEEEEEEEEE--!!-

Beck: Sorry, Trinity...

[REXELECTION: BATTALION.]

Beck: ...But this is probably gonna hurt!

((Pic))

[Barrel gleaming, Beck takes on his older brother Battalion's form. Trinity seems to almost recoil at this sight, and then becomes more aggressive--she lunges once more in an attempt to take a bite out of his arm cannon before he can--]

[BOOM!]

Trinity: -WILD SCREECH OF P A I N--

[Fortunately, Beck was counting on her closing the distance--he leaped backwards and fired a missile right into her face.]

[The Xel that surrounded her core began to flicker and then finally glow a sickly pink...]

Beck: [!] (Finally!)

[Nine rushes forwards--]

[XEL ABSORBED.]

Trinity: -SCREE--

[--only to be flung backwards by the floor again. His back hits the wall with a CRACK.]

Beck: Gnh--!

[His vision swam for a moment, and before he could re-calibrate his senses, he's once again flung away--this time TOWARDS Trinity again.]

Beck: -AACK--

Beck: (This isn't good--I'm getting tossed around like in a pinball machine!)

Trinity: -HISSSSS--

Beck: -Click--

[BOOM!]

[Another missile finds it's mark, and more Xel flakes away from her. Beck absorbs that quickly, rolling to his left to fire another towards the wall across from him.]

Beck: (I need to think ahead--)

[Instead of exploding on contact, this missile embeds itself into the wall, and starts beeping quietly.]

Beck: (Need to focus--)

Beck: (Need to get her attention--!)

Beck: HEY!

Trinity: -ROAAAAAR--

[The whole room ripples, causing Beck's senses to suddenly go on high alert.]

[SHINK!]

[Far too late. A scream rips through his throat when he's suddenly struck from behind by a spike protruding from the wall, easily piercing through the armor on his shoulder.

There was a matching ripple in what little data was getting through the static, which didn’t help at all.]

Beck: -H-Hurts--

Beck: (Hurts, but--need--need to FOCUS--!)

[He aims--]

[BOOM!]

[--and fires once more, keeping Trinity's jaws at bay while he PAINFULLY pulled himself away from the spike pinning him down.]

[SHINK--]

Beck: -Narrowly backs away from another spike missing his HEAD--

Beck: O~O!!!;;;

[SHINK SHINK SHINK--!]

Beck: aaAAAA--!!

[More, so, SO many more spikes--! They jutted suddenly out of the walls, the floors, even the ceiling, threatening to IMPALE his chassis if he didn't move fast enough! And move he did, scrambling to get away from them.]

[Beep--]

Beck (Running out of time--) HEY! OVER HERE--gnh!

[Some of the rapidly forming spikes cut him deeper than he would like, but he can't stop now--]

[Beep--]

Trinity: -HELLISH SCREECH--

[And she follows--]

[Beep--]

[Beep--]

[Beep--]

Beck: NOW!

[COMMAND ACKNOWLEDGED: DETONATE.]

[BEEPBEEPBEEPBEEP--]

[BOOOOOOM--!!!]

[All Beck hears is something inhuman WAILING** in pure agony as the explosion engulfs the room. Static fills his vision, and he feels his helmet fly off his head as he tumbles across the ground.]

[ERROR! CRITICAL DAMAGE! FORM: DEFAULT.]

[The wails of pain seem to die off in volume, and he hears cracking, and then...]

[...]

[...Silence...]

[Even longer than what should be there...he was being chased down by spikes before, so by now, he should've been...]

Beck: Hhggnn....

Beck: -Can't...can't see...-

[Something must have gone wrong with his optical functions...]

[ACCESSING XEL STOCK 2...]

[XEL ABSORBED.]

Kkkkkkkk...

>kkkta—s. -nkkkkkkk-ry—

Beck: Hooo...

[That seems to have worked. Immediately, his vision returns to him, and he is greeted with a rather strange, peculiar sight.]

Beck: [!]

Beck: What the...?

[The smoke clears fully...]

[Floating amidst the rubble of broken Xel and debris was a small, pink sphere, with a symbol not unlike his. A gentle pair of wings, seemingly transparent and pixelated, seem to be keeping the sphere afloat in a silent hover.]

Beck: (That...)

Beck: (That must be...Trinity's Central Core...)

[It was surrounded by some...some odd, fierce violet flame, and it pulsed in a highly unsettling manner.]

Beck: -Stumbles to his feet-

Beck: I...

Beck: ...Trinity?

Beck: ...Hello...?

Beck: -Ping?-

[...]

[...Nothing. At least, from her.]

<MM>: > STATUS?

Beck: [!]

Beck: -Attempts to ping Morse Code--

[MN.9] //: [ONLINE. PURGE IN 5.]

Beck: -Whew...-

Beck: (Okay...she's...okay, okay, where--where is my helmet?)

[After retrieving it from where it rolled off and putting it back on his head, Beck edged closer to the infected core as carefully as he could.]

Beck: Okay...

[XEL PURGE ONLINE.]

Beck: Okay, Trinity...

Beck: Just...hold still, please, it'll be all--

[Zip!]

Beck: !

[The infected core flew away from his reach--]

Beck: Wait--no, hold still--

[Zip!]

Beck: I said hold still--!

[Zip! Zip!]

Beck: Trinity--!

[Zip zip zip!]

[The flying core's flight path grew more and more erratic as Beck chased it around, and it buzzed angrily every time his fingers managed to brush the surface.]

[Ziiiiiip!]

Beck: !!!

[Until it suddenly stopped.]

[And shot straight down into the ground, phasing through it and vanishing from sight.]

Beck: No!

Beck: You are NOT getting away--

[Rumble...]

Beck: --...that...easily...?

[GRROOOWLLLL...]

Beck: --!!!

[All at once, the room started to glow, and the Xel debris around him began to float upward.]

Beck: Wha--

[P I N G.]

Beck: UGH--!

[A distorted ping rang through his head--]

[CDN.1201] //: [ERROR. ERROR. ERROR. CHASSIS NOT FOUND. DATA PROCESSING CORRUPTED--]

Beck: ?!?! Trinity--?!

[CDN.1201] //: [ERROR. ERROR! DO NOT UNDERSTAND. CANNOT UNDERSTAND--]

[A VIOLENT shake knocks Beck off balance--]

Beck: ACK--!

[CDN.1201] //: [DIS....DIS....]

[CDN.1201] //: [DISTRESS. DISTRESS. CANNOT UNDERSTAND. DISTRESS. DISTRESS. DISTRESSDISTRESSDISTRESS--]

[CDN.1201] //: -Fast paced data, cross references too fast to compute, too much, TOO MUCH--

[SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE--]

[CDN.1201 to MN.9] //: W̕H͘O̸̴͡ ̧̕͢A̵̷M̀ ͢͟I̕?̶͏͠

[CDN.1201 to MN.9] //: W̷H̷O̢.̀͡͏.͏̀͏.A̛͜R̶͠͝E͘ ̷̷͏Y͢͞͏O̵̡Ư?

Beck: Y--You...you're--

[CRACK--!!]

[The earth opens before him, and a hellish roar breaks the still silence.]

[A heartbeat passes. A flower blooms and rises from the ashes of death and conflict, a sickly scent rising into the air...]

Trinity: RHAOOAAAAAAAAARH--!!!

((Pic))

[As Beck gazes upwards in horror, his systems frozen in place, he doesn't even find the strength to s c r e a m.]

[CDN.1201 to MN.9] //: W̡͡H́A̢̕T̨͝͝ ͜I̷͜S ̨͞T̨H͘I̶͠S̀͜?

[BLAM BLAM BLAM BLAM--]

[Beck's only response was to shoot wildly in terror, his voice finally breaking free of crushing fear with a strained yell. It does nothing in the face of this deadly bloom.]

[The eyes on it's stalk stare and stare, stare into his very soul--]

[Sickly vines of Xel and virus start to grow into the ground, power pulsing and pulling everything they can grab towards the monstrosity they grew from.]

<DLN-008>: > -WARNING! 07.01.2016T MEMORY DATA CROSS-REFERENCES TO MULTIPLE HAZARDOUS FILES!-

<DLN-008>: > -ERROR—-

[The data was becoming erratic.]

<DLN-008>: > -S-s-s-s-system approaching processor limits-

Trinity: -DISTORTED SCREEECH--

[Beck does EVERYTHING in his power to scramble and get away--enough to grab his bearings, process, think of how in the WORLD he was going to fight this thing--]

[CRACK!!]

Beck: !!!

[The ground around him suddenly pulses and BREAKS upwards--revealing MORE twisted vines that reach all the way to the ceiling, taking root up there as well.]

[CRACK--!!]

Beck: (It--)

[CRACK--!!]

Beck: (IT'S BLOCKING ME IN--)

Trinity: -SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE--

[REXELECTION: BRANDISH.]

[SHING!]

[On instinct, Beck swiftly dons his older brother's form and slices one of the vines away. Only to look on in horror as it near instantaneously regrew itself, with no window for him to escape.]

[He tried another form.]

[REXELECTION: BATTALION]

[...And another...]

[REXELECTION: PYROGEN]

[...and another.]

[REXELECTION: SEISMIC.]

[Suddenly it made sense.]

[All the stories he heard, the ones he was never supposed to hear.]

[Never in a MILLION years could he have EVER understood it, until now, until experiencing it FIRST HAND.]

[The paralyzing, mind-numbing FEAR of being trapped, cornered, and...and...]

[SHINK--!]

Beck: AHHHGH--!

[Pain. White hot, burning pain, pressure being applied at his chest that was growing ever so slightly each passing second. He was--being pressed--CRUSHED--against the thorn-covered vines--]

Trinity: -SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE--

[CDN.1201 to MN.9] //: Wh͘at͞ ҉i̶s t̀hi͏s?̶ Whát i͘s ͟th̢ís?̴ What įs th͞i̢s͢ẁh̶a͝t͠is̀th̡i͢sw̕h͝at͠įst̷hi̧swha͠tis̕thi̶s̡WH̢AT͢AR̵EWE͡-͞

Kkkkkkk—

Kkkkk—

[This wasn’t good.]

Beck: -S--Stop--

Beck: -Please--stop--it hurts--

Beck: -Don't--please--please--!-

[CRUNCH--]

Beck: -SCREECH OF PAIN DATA--

[WARNING! WARNING! MN.9 HAS SUSTAINED CRITICAL DAMAGE! SHUTDOWN IMMINENT--]

[He could faintly hear--over the very, very little data through his feeds, panic. So much panic. His friends, his family--]

Beck: -Ghnn--...!-

[BLAM!]

[Nothing--he couldn't do anything. Nothing was working and everything was too much, too much noise and pain and despair--]

[He can't--he can't just die here--!]

[CRUNCH--]

[XEL COUNT AT 40% BELOW NORMAL--]

[Screams. All he could hear were screams--]

Beck: -H--

Beck: -Help--

Beck: -He...lp...-

KKKKKKKKKKKK—

[Alone. An empty void in data once the feeds finally cut out. No help was coming.]

[All Beck could do now was reach out with his fading hand, up at the bloom who was slowly, but surely, draining the LIFE out of him.]

Beck: -T...Trin...ity...-

[He had to--]

Beck: -You...you're...-

Beck: -Like...us...-

Beck: -Like...m...me...-

[C R U N C H--!!!]

[Static. Static, cold, numb.]

[The pain cut off in an instant, and he couldn't hear anything anymore. Couldn't feel, couldn't see, either--just a hazy, white static in his head. And it, too, was slowly fading away...]

[Fading away into darkness and nothing, as if it was all just a bad dream.]

[Slowly...slowly...]

[Fading away...]

-------------------

<DLN-008>: > -WARNING! 07.01.2016T MEMORY DATA CROSS-REFERENCES TO MULTIPLE HAZARDOUS FILES!-

[What Beck could barely hear, Tobias heard perfectly well.

Tobias screeched in agony at the overwhelming data of pain and despair he was receiving from all the Mighty Numbers at once.

It was creating one harmful Primal Analysis Nexus, and adding to multiple other toxic PANs as well.]

<DLN-008>: > -Screams in AGONIZING pain—-

>WARNING! SYSTEM CRASH IMMINENT!

[Dozens of memories of violence had completely blinded him—and with Avi in use as an auxiliary processing unit, he was dragging the unfortunate Xelbot down with him into the server’s darkest memories in the process.]

-=-=-

Beck: -H--

Beck: -Help--

Beck: -He...lp...-

-=-=-

>CROSS-REFERENCE IDENTIFIED: DCN-000 MEMORY DATA.

>ERROR—

KKKKKKKKKKKK—

[PING.]

[STATUS UPDATE: MN.9 CHASSIS NOT FOUND. ANALYZING...]

[LOADING.]

[LOADING.]

[PING.]

[MN.9 IS NOW IN CORE STASIS MODE. ERROR: AUTOMATIC TELEPORT RECOVERY OF CENTRAL CORE FAILED, SIGNAL NOT FOUND...]

((Insert various notifications mentioning that DLN-008 is Offline and DLN-000 is Offline OR in maintenance mode; there’s no server for the memory data to be transferred to, so Tobias attempts to connect to the SEDW via Avi

Have fun with that, Will ))

((Wall of cross-references listed, none of them are playing, though—because they’re pouring in too fast for any one to start, because it keeps getting interrupted by more, more, MORE—))

<TT>: > ALERT—SYSTEM FUNCTIONS COMPROMISED. CODE RED—SATELLITE LINK FAILING

[Klaxon alarms could be heard over the feed. The familiar voice from the Pentagon’s cyber unit that had helped them several days ago and the day previously was on the line. Shouting could be faintly made out behind him.]

“Guys we need that comm back! SITUATION CRITICAL!”

[That was putting it only mildly.]

[On the other side of the feeds, Sanda Technologies was in utter chaos.]

[MN.5] //: IF YOU GO OUT THERE YOU MIGHT AS WELL BE DEAD!

[MN.7] //: -Fervent Japanese- {I WILL NOT LEAVE MY BROTHERS TO DIE, EVERY SECOND WE WASTE--}

[MN.1] //: ENOUGH! We can't--we can't do anything with the virus in the Coloseeum, we--

[MN.2] //: GUYS I CAN'T HOLD THIS SWARM OFF FOREVER, SOMEONE DO SOMETHING--

[MN.3] //: -LOUD, LOUD BUZZING- SOMEONE NEEDS TO ZZSAVE OUR BABY BROTHER BEFORE HIS CORE GETZZZ DAMAGED, WHY ARE WE JUST ZZSITTING HERE?!

[MN.6] //: -SCREECHING--

[MN.8] //: DAD--DAD, AVI--hang in there, brother, it's me, it's only me--!

[MN.4] //: -Loud rumbly sounds of DISTRESS, must--must protect, must be wall--

“WARNING: DEFCON 2 ACTIVATED.”

“Do you read me? Sanda Enterprises, do you read me—?!”

[Ping.]

[MN.5] //: DO NOT MAKE ME CRIT YOU FOR YOUR OWN--what the hell?

[MN.7] //: ?!

<KDN-5056>: >ERROR—ORDER NULL

[MN.7] //: ??? ({What...who...? What is...what is that serial? Who--})

[And again— though this time, a distinct sense that focus was being placed on Brandish.]

<KDN-5056>: >AWAITING YOUR COMMAND

<KDN-5056>: >WHAT ARE YOUR NEW ORDERS, MASTER

[MN.7] //: ...

[MN.7] //: {...Sh...Shadow...?}

<KDN-5056>: > PROCESSING...

<KDN-5056>: > ORDER NOT RECOG...NIZED...

<DWN-024 is in Defensive Combat Mode.>

<KDN-5056>: > NOT... AN... ORDER, THAT IS...

<KDN-5056>: >A... <DWN-024>: > {MY...}

<DWN-024 is Online.>

<DWN-024>: > {...name...}

[MN.7] //: {Shadow--!}

<DWN-024>: > -Clearly disoriented but definitely there- {Brandish...?}

[MN.7] //: {Thank God--}

[MN.7] //: {Quickly--we must--}

[MN.5] //: You are NOT going ANYWHERE--

[MN.1] //: Father--!

<DWN-024>: > {What—what do we need to do? I—I seem to have failed, Tobias is... I cannot sense them, it is—you are the only one I can hear, the connection must be fading—}

[Min’s voice broke through, though it seemed she wasn’t talking to them.]

“{Are you threatening us—}”

“{Like HELL are we going down with you, Morandi!}”

“{HOLD THE LINE, KAZIMIR! YOU WILL SUFFER CONSEQUENCES IF YOU MAKE GOOD ON THAT THREAT!}”

“WARNING: DEFCON 1 ACTIVATED.”

“SANDA ENTERPRISES, DO YOU READ ME?!?!!”

[PING!]

[DR.WHITE] //: R--Reading! We--we read--

[Poor man. He sounds so broken.]

[DR.WHITE] //: I...

[PING!]

[DR.SANDA] //: Will--Will, we need to do something, we have to--

[DR.SANDA] //: Gn, I knew it, I knew it, we should have listened to him--!

[DR.WHITE] //: Beck...

[DR.WHITE] //: ...can't...can't be...

[DR.WHITE] //: Can't be true...

<DWN-024>: > Sensei?

“{I’m not waiting any longer, Morandi—you’re all toast—}”

“{Oh yes you WILL. You don’t have the authority to make that call on your own!}”

<DWN-024>: > {Was there something you wanted me to do?}

[MN.7] //: -Strained, stressed and VERY conflicted data-

[MN.7] //: Kohai...

[MN.7] //: {Take...take Tobias and go--}

<DWN-024>: > {Where? Is there another tower?}

[MN.7] //: {No! Just--anywhere but here! Leave!}

<CROSS-REFERENCE IDENTIFIED: 06.21.2016T MEMORY DATA

<DWN-024>: > N-nngh—!

[MN.7] //: --!

<DWN-024>: > C-cannot—cannot abandon—post—

[There was a flash of dazed pain.]

((Shadow’s programming has conflicting directives, and it says as much))

[MN.7] //: {Shadow! Listen to me--you need to go, please! If you stay, you will--!}

<DWN-024>: > -ERROR-

[There was a harsh blast of static and a deafening roar, as if of an inferno flaring inside a confined space.

For a moment, there was a vivid image, almost too sharp to be real—]

((Pic – Earth from space))

[MN.7] //: ?!

KSSSSS....

[Static.

Nothing but static.]

[MN.7] //: {SHADOW--!}

<<—Previous——————Table of Contents——————Next—>>

=CHAPTER 6A: CRIMSON STRONGHOLD=

~AO v1.0~

(Courtesy of @limitbreakers)

<<—Previous——————Table of Contents——————Next—>>

{Sanda Enterprises}

[The next lead came… abruptly.

And it sent them into panic.]

Call: Doctor Sanda, you have a call on line one.

Mikhail: -Looking over some notes- Can it wait? I need to talk regarding some of Brand and Shadow’s data…

Call: I would not recommend it. The call is from the Pentagon.

[…]

Mikhail: What?

Sanda: -Oh sweet mother of God—-

Mikhail: … Miss Call Sanda did you just say the call was from the <u>P E N T A G O N—</u>

Beck: -AUGH NO WHY N O W-

Beck: -oh no what if--what if they're going to try to stop--

Beck: -I'm the only one that can SAVE THEM WHAT IF--

Beck: -DAAAAAAAD--

Sanda: --WILL--

Sanda: -WILL HELP THIS IS BAD-

Mikhail: SOI, DON’T KEEP THEM WAITING—STALL FOR ME, PLEASE—

Mikhail: WILL!

Mikhail: -Exit stage left as if pursued by bear-

White: --Ah--er--I--I....

[He's just kinda frozen there--]

Mikhail: -Yanks Will aside out of view of any screens before he can enter the room- {We need to talk, Will—}

White: Waah--!

Sanda: -WAIT WHAT DO I EVEN SAY GUYS—-

Call: Patching the call through, Doctor.

[A very stern looking uniformed officer was patched through. She was wearing her hair in a bun.

Notably, her rank seemed to depict she wasn’t exactly of the rank that normally made these calls.]

???: Dr. Soichiro Sanda, please be aware that the following call is classified. You are not to discuss it with anyone other than Dr. William White. Anyone else must be read in. Do you understand?

Sanda: -Err--

Sanda: Y--Yes, yes, I u-understand-- (Thanks for leaving me up the creek, fellas--!)

-*-*-*-*-*-

Mikhail: -Practically hissing- {Will, we’re leaving. Now.}

White: What?!

Mikhail: {I can’t stay here.}

Mikhail: {I’m a Russian Doctor with constructed credentials, remember?!}

[…Oh, right. The “favors” Shade had pulled to make them officially “exist” in this world…]

White: --Erk--!

[He was right--him being here would only raise even MORE questions, and none of them would be of the pleasant sort...]

Mikhail: {I’m taking the others. DON’T let them choose a nuclear option.}

[…With that he continued running off to the lab.

Boy, he wasn’t kidding when he said “now”…]

White: --n--nu--

[Oh, dear.]

-*-*-*-

???: Recently, you and your brother released a press statement regarding the current national crisis.

Sanda: Y-Yes, that's correct...

Sanda: Wh...what of it...?

???: Despite what the CEO of Cherry Dynamics seems to believe—

[She gave no visual indication on her stance on that matter.]

???: No charges will be pressed at this time. I must advise you this does not guarantee whether they will be filed or not in the future.

Sanda: ...A-Ah--I see, yes... (Don't we have enough on our plate already...?)

???: Our people have reviewed the data you submitted to the scientific community to show that the infection has been cleared from reacquired Mighty Numbers. Dr. White will be needed for further questioning on this matter.

Sanda: (--! Oh no, Will--!)

Sanda: R-Right, of course--I'll...let him know.

???: MI6 would also like to interrogate Mighty Number Six regarding a person of interest.

Sanda: (--MI6--?! What would they want with Avi--?!)

Sanda: Hmm--A...alright...

???: …However, their requests for extradition have been denied.

???: It is to our understanding that Mighty Number Six has been essential in locating other members of his series with all due speed. We also cannot risk any Xel being sent overseas at this time.

???: The main reason for this call will require input from Dr. White, but that clearly will have to wait. There is an equally pressing matter that demands our attention.

Sanda: (...Oh dear...)

Sanda: Y...Yes...?

???: Your company requested information on the whereabouts of the missing Numbers.

???: Our intelligence suggests that Mighty Number Five has infiltrated federally-owned property.

Sanda: --!!

Sanda: (Battalion--of course--)

Sanda: Federally owned... (...A national park, or...or...)

???: As this is a matter of national security, the coordinates are classified and shall be sent to Mighty Number Nine through a direct, encrypted transmission.

???: Even I am not fully read in on the details, Doctor, but he has been given a time limit to complete the retrieval before we make our own interventions.

Sanda: (...Classified--?)

Sanda: --!!

Sanda: (Wait, that--that doesn't make sense--)

Sanda: How--how long does he have--?

???: Six hours, should he choose to accept this mission. Entry and investigation of the area may prove difficult. Should we regain the camera feeds on the property, this time limit will be extended.

Sanda: (Six hours...)

Sanda: O...Of course, we'll brief him as soon as possible...

???: I’m afraid that cannot be permitted. My superiors cannot wait very long for an answer. He must answer now. You may converse over private channels, but I have been ordered not to end this call without confirmation of his involvement or lack thereof.

Sanda: --I--o-one moment--

[PING!]

[DR.SANDA to MN.9] //: Beckwehaveasituation--

[DR.SANDA to MN.9] //: Did you get any coordinates by any chance--

[MN.9 to DR. SANDA] //: --No, why--

[DR.SANDA to MN.9] //: The Pentagon found out where Bat is--and they're giving you six hours to get him back before they take matters into their own hands...!

[MN.9 to DR.SANDA] //: --?!

[DR.SANDA to MN.9] //: Beck--they need an answer NOW, I don't know what they'll do if...!

[MN.9 to DR.SANDA] //: .....

[MN.9 to DR.SANDA] //: --If they know where Bat is, Dr. Sanda--of course I'll go--!

[MN.9 to DR.SANDA] //: I...I have to save him too...!

[DR.SANDA to MN.9] //: Thattaboy--you'll be be getting those coordinates via an encrypted connection.

Sanda: -Ahem-

Sanda: Sorry about that...

Sanda: He'll do it.

???: Affirmative. Patching the coordinates now.

[Just then, Beck pinged with a private message from the Pentagon. It entailed the location, as well as a brief threat level assessment and recommended gear. Oh, and they said he could bring others with him if that’s what it took, but anyone chosen would be bound to regard the information as classified… just as he would.]

???: Teleportation using these coordinates will go through encrypted channels. The true coordinates will not be retained by your databases.

???: We will call back later if video feeds are not recovered in three hours.

???: Should you fail to retrieve Mighty Five by the end of six hours, Mighty Nine will be automatically evacuated from the premises.

[… “Evacuated”?!]

Sanda: --Wait, what...what do you mean by--? (You can't just--!)

[BLIP.]

Sanda: --....

Sanda: (...This is...not good at...at all....)

Call: ...Dr. Sanda, your heart rate has increased...

Sanda: I...ho, boy...

[PING!]

[DR.WHITE] //: Soi-- Mikhail and the others are gone, and--I--I think they took Jack and Carmen--

[DR.WHITE] //: -Soi please tell me federal agents aren't going to storm the place--

[MN.9] //: --They're GONE--?!

[DR.SANDA] //: --There's no time--! Will--I'll explain, but Beck--you have to get ready to roll as soon as possible--!

[DR.WHITE] //: --Wait-- go where--?

[MN.9] //: Y-Yes, sir!

[DR.SANDA] //: Will-- they found Battalion.

[DR.WHITE] //: --!!

[DR.SANDA] //: And they--they said if we can't get him back in six hours--they'll evacuate Beck and--and--

[DR.WHITE] //: --WHAT--?!

[DR.SANDA] //: -IT'S NOT EVEN THE HALF OF IT, WILL--

[DR.SANDA] //: MI6 wants to talk with Avi, of all people--

[DR.SANDA] //: --A--And--

[DR.SANDA] //: T...The government wants to talk to...you.

[.......]

[Silence.]

[DR.WHITE] //: . . . .

[DR.WHITE] //: M...Me...

[DR.SANDA] //: .......

[.....]

[The rest of their conversation is then carried over in private...]

{Meanwhile}

[Kssss…]

<FMN-006 to MNN-006>: > Yo, Rick—you there?

[MN.6 to FMN.6] //: Yo, Goose--yeah, I'm here...

<FMN-006>: > Whew, good—just wanted to check in, now that things aren’t as crazy over here.

<FMN-006>: >Thanks for taking care of Sis until she was stable! …Though she still looks pretty banged up, and uh… I thought Shads was gonna stay with your little bro for a bit?

<FMN-006>: > No one will tell me what’s going on, kinda lost here…

<FMN-006>: >Is G-moms coming over to visit over there, or??

[MN.6 to FMN.6] //: Uh--yeah, no, Shads had to suddenly leave, Doc C called him or something...but Brand's snoozing away right now, so that's good...

[MN.6 to FMN.6] //: ...?

[MN.6 to FMN.6] //: Uh...

[MN.6 to FMN.6] //: Where the heck did Stripes go...?

<FMN-006>: > …You mean Tony the Tiger, everyone’s favorite Spiderfriend?

<FMN-006>: > He’s over here with us, I thought you guys knew that?

<FMN-006>: > -Did he somehow get in more trouble while he was asleep or?- -Majorly confused-

[MN.6 to FMN.6] //: No, I just--I guess--??

[P I N G!]

[MN.9] //: CRYO WAKE UP--

<FMN-006>: > Yoooooo, Beckster!

<FMN-006>: > Dial is busy with Lil’ Sis, dunno about yours. You need another bath? ;D

<FMN-006>: > Did you get into the powdered sugar again, little dude?

[MN.2 IS NOW ONLINE.]

[MN.2] //: OW WHAT GIVES--

[MN.9] //: NOT NOW AVI--

[MN.6] //: --? Hey, Becko, somethin' the matter?

[MN.9] //: NO TIME--CRYO GET OVER HERE PLEASE--

<FMN-006>: >Yo, yo, Beeeeeeck—you overclock any faster and you’ll start to time travel. o.o;

<FMN-006>: > Breeeaaaaathe a little.

[MN.9] //: I CAN'T--!

[MN.9] //: WE GOTTA SAVE BAT--!

[MN.2] //: --!!

[MN.2] //: --Where is he--?!

<FMN-006>: > …Uh.

<FMN-006>: > (This sounds like it’s not going to end the conversation on a happy note…)

[MN.9] //: -IS DRAGGING SISTER OFF, BYE GUYS--

[MN.2] //: --whOA--

<FMN-006>: > UH.

<FMN-006>: > … -THUMBS UP?- …STAY SAFE?

[MN.6] //: ...That...sounds like trouble.

[MN.6] //: Iiiii better go see what's up...

[A noise like something ran into a wall really hard is heard as a crash over the line.]

[MN.6] //: --???

<FMN-006>: > …That sounded like that hurt, I think that was Twelve—

<FMN-006>: > Sorry, gotta run—

[MN.6] //: Hoooo Kay, uh....talk to ya later--!

<FMN-006 has left the channel.>

[MEANWHILE...]

[Once again, there is chaos within Sanda Labs...]

Pyro: What do you mean, we won't know where he's going--?!

[White was pacing around the room, the Xel holoscreen depicting a map of the United States glowing softly behind him.]

White: The coordinates were sent by an encrypted connection--by the government. They want us to retrieve Bat within six hours.

White: ...Or else.

Pyro: --.....

Cryo: ...Or...or else what?

White: .....

White: I'm not sure.

White: But it involves evacuating Beck from the premises if he doesn't succeed.

White: ......

White: ...Which means we must move with all due haste. Beck?

Beck: Just about ready...

[He was going through a standard check of all his available forms...]

[Including...]

((Brand!Beck here))

[REXELECTION: BRANDISH]

[...The form he was most skilled with.]

Beck: (...It feels really good to have this back...)

Beck: (I feel like I'm gonna need it...)

[REXELECTION: DEFAULT]

Beck: OK, all set!

Call: Preparing Xel Transfer: Locking in encrypted coordinates...

Cryo: So the plan is for Becky to see what's over there first before I'm beamed in, right?

White: Correct--the only clue that we have is that wherever Bat is, it's on federally owned property.

Avi: ...Jeez, no wonder... .... (Poor Speedy...)

Avi: ...Must be something they wanna keep real hush hush if they're going this far.... ....It's not something, like...Area 51, is it?

White: ....I...I hope not.

White: Nonetheless, your brother is there--and he needs to come home, government involvement or no.

White: ...You understand you are on a time limit, Beck.

Beck: Yeah.

Beck: I know.

Beck: (Can't waste time...)

Beck: Don't worry...I'll bring Bat back--

Beck: With time to spare!

Dyna: -BZZZ, YOU TWO ZZSTAY ZZSAFE, WE'LL BE RIGHT HERE-

Cryo: I'll be right behind ya, bro--go get 'em!

Pyro: ...And Beck?

Pyro: Please don't touch anything if you can help it...

Beck: Got it, Big Bro.

Avi: Good luck, Beckrroni! -THUMBS UP-

Call: Coordinates have been locked in.

Sanda: B-Be careful, Beck--Who knows what the virus did to Bat...

Beck: ...I will.

Call: Xel Transfer in progress...

_______________________

[MISSION DETAILS: MIGHTY NO. 5, BATTALION, HAS FLED TO A FEDERALLY OWNED ESTABLISHMENT. PURPOSE: UNKNOWN. LOCATION: [REDACTED]

[MISSION OBJECTIVE: LOCATE AND PURGE ALL HARMFUL MALWARE FROM MN.5 IN SIX HOUR TIME LIMIT. FAILURE WILL RESULT IN GOVERNMENT EXTRACTION AND ENFORCEMENT.]

[SUB OBJECTIVES: MINIMIZE RMDC IMPACT, RESTORE PENTAGON VIDEO FEEDS OF ESTABLISHMENT]

[SYSTEMS READY?]

[GO!]

[Feet touch down on metal flooring, resounding with a small clack as Nine materializes in a quiet hallway.]

[...It's the silence that gets him at first--there is some gentle, far off humming in the distance...but other then that, nothing.]

Beck: . . .

Beck: ?

[Beck looks to his left, and sees a huge '01' printed on the...armored walls...?]

Beck: ...What...what is this place...?

[His com crackles.]

Sanda: ....What...?

White: Goodness...no wonder the government contacted us...

Sanda: This...

Sanda: This looks like some...shut down military base...?

White: But--I thought that nearly all the military bases were re-purposed into museums after the disarmament...?

White: But this doesn't look like a museum to me...

Sanda: Exactly--

Sanda: It should be all but EMPTY, inside...but I wouldn't count on it...

Beck: Right....

[...The only sounds were his own footfalls and the faint humming. It...it uneased him, how the silence was...just... there.]

[...Lately, strange silences were beginning to put him off, and he REALLY didn't like that...]

Beck: (...This...this is creepy...)

[PING!]

Beck: AAAH--!

Call: Beck, I am detecting multiple robot signatures ahead. Proceed with caution.

Beck: Jeez, Call, you nearly made my core stop--!

Call: My apologies, Nine.

Beck: ...Ngh, it's fine, I just....don't like how quiet it is in here...

[...It wasn't going to be quiet for long.]

Beck: --!

[Wrrrr....]

Beck: H-Huh...?

[A medium sized mobile construct on tracks was approaching, and from a distance...it kind of looked like a bigger version of a standard trash bot.]

[...Until...]

[BEEP BEEP BEEP--]

[A small alarm on its head started going off--]

[And it's lid opened up...]

Beck: --?!

[...to reveal a mounted machine gun. It was a mobile turret!]

White: --!!

Beck: Aaah--!

[Beck dashed under it's line of fire to avoid being pelted with bullets, and returned it's fire. The streaks of bright orange struck true, and it soon glowed a dark blue color.]

[XEL ABSORBED.]

[Wrrrrr...]

Beck: M--More--?!

[Sure enough, a WAVE of turret bots were heading this way, in a wall formation. Beck began to fire away at once when he saw them--it seems like they needed a split seconded to identify him as a enemy before they attacked...]

Sanda: What the Sam Hill--?!

Sanda: Those are CLEARLY military bots--! COMBAT military bots--!

White: And should have been scrapped as part of the disbarment...

White: ...Or was that all a government ruse...

White: Beck, did they tell you this--?

Beck: -BLAM- NO, BUT THEY DID TELL ME TO COME HEAVILY DEFENDED--!

Beck: I-- -BLAM- THINK I CAN SEE WHY!

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

Mari: White: ...The concept of pointless competition has been outcast.

[Mikhail laughs a little at that.]

Cossack: Officially, at any rate. I don’t think you can rewrite humanity enough to change the testosterone-driven need to do stupid things to show off to your friends. White: Heh, well...pointless as in, connected to violence. It's partially why the NBCA was formed, to keep all violence confined to the Colosseum.

White: Remember when I said the story of our world was connected to the Coloseeum? That's why.

Cossack: I see… I understand, now.

White: It...serves as a public outlet.

Cossack: Like its inspiration.

[He did not exactly seem thrilled at this.]

Cossack: *Lowers his glasses and looks over the rim* I wonder.

White: Exactly. (And...wow, look at that, he's smiling!)

Sanda: The Battle Coloseeum became the new football, in any rate!

Beck: (Hee.~)

[Mikhail did not share this outlook.]

Cossack: *Pushes his glasses back up* I must ask both of you to be very careful.

Cossack: Rome, too, had glory days.

Cossack: Emphasis: had . Past tense.

Cossack: Just… be careful, alright?

-*-*-*- Beck: See, the thing is, uh...Forte.

Beck: Our planet is in a state of world peace. There is no war.

Beck: Lots of people think that this is like a golden age of humanity or something.

Forte: …

Forte: Uh.

Forte: I’d… watch your back if I were you, bro.

Beck: ........

Forte: I mean it.

Forte: I know… you don’t believe me, but…

Forte: Everything looks all perfect and then someone comes along and kills a bunch of people or a plague breaks out or /something/ and then everything goes to hell REAL FAST.

Forte: This has happened over and over and over and OVER in history.

Beck: ..........

Beck: .....................

Beck: .....Well.

Forte: And usually, like.

Forte: “Peace” is through tyranny being enforced to squish rebellions— but someday one of those rebellions just won’t be squished?

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

White: (...You were right, Mikhail...)

White: (You were right. You and Cardinal...)

[MN.1] //: I...I don't understand--why would they keep active military bots...?

White: An ace in the hole, or some kind of insurance, I imagine...

Beck: --NGH--!

[REXELECTION: BRANDISH]

[SHINGSHINGSHING--!]

[In the span of a few split seconds, the remaining turrets were reduced to Xel cubes, which were then absorbed and converted into a Xel Stock.]

Beck: Whew...

Beck: (REALLY glad to have this form back...)

[The door ahead opened as Beck approached it, still in Seven's form. This door had something printed on it as well...]

[NOW ENTERING SECTOR 02]

Beck: (This base is divided into sectors...?)

[Faint sunlight. He was outside...?]

[The sun was hidden behind several clouds, turning the sky into a pale yellow. This open room looked like it only served to separate the sectors.]

Beck: Whoa...

[PING!]

[MN.6] //: Yo, Beckers! Hold up a sec!

Beck: --?

Beck: Avi--I don't have any time for puns, I'm on a time limit--!

[MN.6] //: I know that--! Just--look at the sky so I can see--!

Beck: --? Why...?

[MN.6] //: I... THINK I can figure out where you are. I think. Actually, can ya fly up a little from there? Get a good look at your surroundings?

White: --! Ah--excellent idea, Avi! We can figure out where that base is by the geology...

Beck: Okay, Avi...

[REXELECTION: AVIATOR.]

[Giving the propeller a few good test spins, Beck jumped into the air and rose upwards at a steady rate.]

Beck: !

[As he flew, he could see that this base was bigger than he had thought— it seemed to sprawl out quite a bit...]

[MN.6] //: See anything?

Beck: Yeah, this place is huge--!

Beck: (What the heck...)

[MN.6] //: ...whoa. It is pretty large...

[MN.6] //: Get some more altitude and a horizontal 360 degree pan--the more we can see, the better.

Beck: Roger that...

[Higher and higher he climbed.]

[The base then gave way to a barren terrain, and sand littered the air, stinging Beck's eyes. But he could still make out some tall mountains on the horizon.

Beck: Sand...and more sand. I...I think I'm in a desert.

[MN.6] //: Alright, that narrows it down...anything else?

Beck: Yeah. I see mountains on the horizon. And no roads...anywhere.

[MN.6] //: Hmm...

[MN.6] //: Desert, some mountains, and if I do some math real quick--gimmie a sec---

[PING!]

[WARNING: LOCK ON SIGNAL DETECTED.]

Beck: --! Wha--

[INCOMING FIRE.]

[MN.6] //: --!!!

[MN.6] //: BECK! ROLL RIGHT, NOW--!

[There was a sudden screeching sound behind him, and he banked hard right to narrowly avoid a slew of bullets. Their trail of fire followed hot on Beck's tail as he executed evasive maneuvers.]

[MN.6] //: Anti-Aircraft Artillery! Get outta the sky, Beckcona!

Beck: -PANIC, WHERE DO I GO--

[The only way back into the base was from where he flew out, and even then, there were hostile signals coming from the other side of the door.]

[REXELECTION: BRANDISH]

[Once he was at a height where he could land with no problem, he switched to Seven's form, and landed into a roll past the opening blast doors.]

[A collection of bullet fire still pattered the re-enforced entrance, reminding the Mighty Number that he was far from safe.]

Beck: Argh--!

[It seems as if there was a never ending supply of these turrets--not only that but there was also forklift bots carrying some rather explosive cargo in his path.]

Beck: (Good thing I didn't go for Pyro's form...)

[SHING!]

[Better to slice up enemies than to set something off...and cause a chain reaction.]

[PING!]

[MN.6] //: You OK, there, Becky?

Beck: -SHING!- M-More or less--!

[MN.6] //: Good, cuz I got a bit of breaking news for ya.

[MN.6] //: Cryo's getting 'ported over as we speak, and I did some figuring.

Beck: -Whew--!-

[MN.6] //: I'm like--96% sure you're somewhere in Nevada's desert, bro.

Beck: Nevada--?

[MN.6] //: Makes sense that there would be a place like this--the nearest mass of major civilization is Las Vegas, and that's MILES off. So, yeah, you're right smack in the middle of the state, I bet.

Beck: I see... (At least we're far enough away from innocent people...)

Beck: And Cryo?

[MN.6] //: I found another entrance to the base--based on that 360 pan--and she's making her way to ya! You should be seeing her soon.

Beck: Um--

[-SHING!-]

Beck: --how soon?

[MN.6] //: I dunno, give or take a couple of--

[It was at that moment Beck felt the temperature drop by at least 30 degrees, and a familiar child-like cackle filled his audio receptors.]

Cryo: Kyaaahahahahaha! Wheeeeee!~

[Suspending herself in the air via a blast of high pressured water aimed downwards, Cryosphere was currently bringing winter early to the abandoned base, freezing up everything from enemy bots to lethal explosives--all were frozen dead in their tracks.]

Cryo: Time to dip into my slush fund and create some frozen assets!

Cryo: Pretty cool, right, Beck?~

[MN.6] //: --.......

[MN.6] //: That was BEAUTIFUL, SIS--

[MN.2] //: -THANKS, WE'LL BE HERE ALL WEEK~-

Beck: I--now? You're doing this now??

[MN.2] //: Sorry, sorry! Had to.

[MN.2] //: All clear on this sector, bro--I'm gonna go ahead and make things nice and crisp for ya, okay?~

[MN.6] //: Go for it, Cryo!

Beck: (--Well, at least that'll save time--which we REALLY need.)

Beck: Thanks, Big Sis!

[As Cryo disappeared through another door, faint sounds of wild giggling and frost left in her wake.]

[Now that the path was free, all Beck had to do was avoid the electrified spikes strewn across the treadmills up ahead.]

Beck: (Man, I hate these things--)

[REXELECTION: AVIATOR]

[At least Avi's form made things slightly easier.]

[Shooting down wall mounted turrets as he flew by, Beck once again encountered another large door.]

[NOW ENTERING SECTOR 03]

Beck: How many of these sectors are there?

Call: Unknown. I am only able to map your immediate area, No. 9.

Beck: Well, that's not good...

Beck: How are we supposed to know where--

[SLAM--!]

Beck: --?!?

[No sooner had the Mighty Number entered into another outside corridor, the door behind and leading out both closed down simultaneously--and a large thud was heard seconds after. The locks had engaged!]

Beck: Th-The doors! I'm trapped--!

Sanda: W--Will--!

White: The lockdown sequence for the next sector must have been initiated--we'll have to disengage them ourselves, Soi!

Beck: H-Hurry, we don't have much t--

[KKSSSSST!]

"Is that FEAR in your voice, Private Beck?"

Beck: --!!!

[MN.5] //: A robot soldier does not FEEL fear!

Beck: B-Bat--!

[PING!]

[MN.6] //: nGH--!!

[MN.3] //: -BZZZZ, GUYSZZ PLANE BRO IS NOT OK--

[MN.1] //: BATTALION!

[MN.1] //: I ORDER YOU TO STAND DOWN THIS INSTANT!

[MN.5] //: Hmph.

[MN.5] //: I'm afraid you no longer hold rank over me, Commander.

[MN.5] //: Shame, given that you could've been some actual use to the cause.

[MN.5] //: Seems that our Private here's been busy.

[MN.9] //: Bat, please--

[MN.5] //: Pay attention, maggot.

[MN.5] //: If you are going to come and face me like a real robot soldier, I EXPECT at least SOME kind of grit from you!

[MN.5] //: A robot soldier does not FEEL pain!

[At those words, a squadron of military grade combat bots armed with shields materialized into the room, their weapons trained at Beck.]

[MN.5] //: NOW FIGHT ON LIKE YOU'VE GOT GUTS!

[KSSSSSSST!]

Beck: !

[REXELECTION: BRANDISH]

[Deflecting the barrage of bullets with one swing of his sword, Beck was quick to go on the defensive, choosing to evade and hang back for the moment.]

Sanda: We're working on unsealing those doors, Beck! T-Try to hold on--!

Beck: Easier--Ngh--! Said than done--!

Will: (Come on, there has to be some backdoor in these kinds of military grade programs--! There almost always is--)

[SHING!]

[Beck couldn't even have a moment to breathe--as soon as one bot was absorbed, another would take its place. And another.]

[SHING!]

[And another.]

[SHING!]

Beck: Daaaaaad!

Will: Almost got it...!

[LOCKDOWN DISENGAGED.]

Beck: Finally--!

[With a hiss, the door to Sector 03 lifted, allowing Beck to dash himself out of the ambush and back into the building. It seems like this part of the base mostly consisted of...hangars...]

Beck: --!

[This one housed several impressive looking tanks.]

Beck: Whoa.

Beck: (B-Big...)

Will: My God...

Sanda: Uh...those are off, right...?

[There was a buzzing noise as a notification flashed on Call’s screen.

…The Pentagon was calling back.]

Call: Attention--we are receiving an incoming call from the Pentagon.

Will: --!!

Sanda: Again?! (That CAN'T be good--!)

Beck: Wha--? What's going on--?

Call: Patching it through now.

Will: -PROCEEDS TO HIDE BEHIND SOI-

[The screen once again displayed the same lady secretary as before. She seemed slightly concerned… in a confused sort of way.]

???: Attention, Sanda Enterprises and Mighty Nine.

???: The time limit is now forty-five minutes.

Sanda: --WHAT??

Sanda: I--I thought you said we had six hours--!

???: Sir, the situation has changed.

Sanda: Ch--Changed--??

Will: (Changed--? How...? Why?)

???: The details are classified.

Sanda: Th--this is--!

Sanda: I-Isn't there someone that can tell us what happened? Anyone--?

???: …

???: Please remain on the line while I transfer you to the Cyber Unit.

[The video feed was replaced by an image of the presidential seal.]

Sanda: Did--did they just put us on hold--?!

Will: Never mind that--

Will: Did you get all that, Beck?

Beck: ...Yeah. (This totally isn't fair...)

Will: Cryo, I need you to stay put until Beck catches up, do you read?

[....]

Will: ...Cryo?

Cryo: WHEEEEEEE!~

[The upper railings of the hanger were suddenly frosted over, along with the rows of patrolling turrets spewing continuous fire at Beck's way.]

Cryo: Hey, you--don't move! In other words, freeze!~ Kyahaha!

Beck: .....

Beck: (She's having fun, isn't she...)

Will: Cryo, I told you to--

[Reinforcements marched in from the right to replace the patrolling turrets--only to be frozen by Cryo's icy powers.]

Cryo: Wowee, these guys don't know when to chill!

Will: --!

Will: Ah, never mind--you'll serve as an adequate distraction! Do you think you can do that?

Cryo: Yessiree, Noodle Dad!

Will: Excellent. Proceed, Beck.

Beck: Right--!

Cryo: Good luck, Bro--!

[Moving through the tank hanger proved more difficult than he imagined--the place was absolutely swarming with military bots, and he had to be more careful than ever--the ammo loading lines were in full swing, so he also had to avoid dashing into anything that could seriously blow up in his face at any moment.]

Beck: (Why is everything being put into these crates...?)

Beck: (What the heck are you thinking, Bat--?)

[PING!]

[MN.6] //: @~@

[MN.6] //: -Ugh head hurts, what did we miss-

Beck: Avi!

[MN.3] //: -Bzzz, no planebro you need to reszzzt, someone help me get thiszz dork to bed--

[MN.6] //: -But--Beckers needs our help--

[MN.3] //: -BED-

[Two sets of treadmills later, Beck finally found the way to the next hanger, the sounds of his siblings bickering over his feeds.]

Beck: (...Wow, I...I can't believe I'm thinking this, but I really missed that...)

Beck: (I wonder if Bat can hear this....)

[Either he couldn't, or he was choosing to ignore it altogether. There was no way to know for certain, as he had stayed silent since his previous outburst.]

[The next hangar was much larger than the last, and held many more weapons and vehicles of war....]

Beck: (How many hangers ARE there in this place...?)

[The feed from the Pentagon suddenly went live—though it was audio only.]

“Sanda Enterprises, do you copy?”

Sanda: E-Er! Yes, we're here...!

“I’m told you wanted to speak to the Cyber Unit about the situation…? Uh, do you have updates for us?”

Sanda: --????

Sanda: (You HAVE to be kidding me--)

Sanda: Updates?! We're the ones that want an explanation!

Sanda: First we were told that we had six hours to retrieve MN.5, now we have--

Call: Approximately 26 minutes, 34 seconds, Doctor.

Sanda: Exactly!

Sanda: What happened??

“…Oh.”

[A pause.]

“…Hang on, gimme a moment to word this for your security clearance level…”

[After a moment…]

“Okay, you guys were told that you’d get the time extended if you restored video feeds to us, right?"

Sanda: Yes... (And we certainly didn't get THAT...)

“Well, that’s because that would give us more control over the situation if we could see. You see… the situation was a threat, but it wasn’t critical at the time. There had been a lock down in place.”

[…Uh-oh.]

“I think it’s probably pretty clear by now that you’re in a situation with live weapons. There had been a lock down in place, which contained the situation to the confines of the property—sorry, classified—but it was broken through a few minutes ago.”

Will: (....!!!) […Oops.]

Sanda: ....O...Oh...

“Because of that, the location is no longer secure, and the threat to the civilian population has increased to a state of emergency.”

[Will silently hit himself on his forehead, wincing. Confound it, he only made things worse--!]

Will: (MIKHAIL IS GOING TO MURDER ME--)

“If that weaponry goes mobile, there’s only just enough time to give orders to intercept—and cancel them if you manage to neutralize the situation—that we can give you, so—”

Will: (I...Intercept...?)

Sanda: I...I see... (Goodness, does...does that mean there's MORE??)

Will: (If--if that means what I THINK it means--)

-*-*-*-

“{DON’T let them choose a nuclear option.}” “Should you fail to retrieve Mighty Five by the end of six hours, Mighty Nine will be automatically evacuated from the premises.” “{Your family, they are the strongest. Who can stand against them if they wish to fight, unless they themselves also use incredible force? Without you all to help keep order, it will fall to others who are… LESS compassionate.}”

-*-*-*-

Will: (--Oh dear Lord--Beck--Bat--!)

[DR.WHITE to MN.9] //: Beck--you NEED to hurry and find Battalion--! Before the military NUKES the place!

[MN.9 to DR.WHITE] //: WHAT?!

[MN.9 to DR.WHITE] //: -THEY DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT N U K E S--!!-

[MN.9 to DR.WHITE] //: -DAD THEY CAN'T NUKE BAT THEY CAN'T--

[DR.WHITE to MN.9] //: BECK!

[DR.WHITE to MN.9] //: Panicking isn't going to solve anything!

[DR.WHITE to MN.9] //: You NEED to focus and save your brother before they pull you out! Do you understand?

[DR.WHITE to MN.9] //: You must save No. 5, without fail...!

[MN.9 to DR.WHITE] //: Y-Yes, sir--!

[MN.9 to DR.WHITE] //: I-I'm on it, I'm on it--!

[MN.9 to DR.WHITE] //: I-I just don't know where to start LOOKING for him--

[KSSSSSSSST!]

[MN.5] //: Well, well, well.

[MN.5] //: You DO have guts after all, Private. I'll give you that.

[MN.9] //: Bat--!

[MN.5] //: But you're too LATE.

[The intercom system, as well as the feeds, are all temporarily filled with Battalion's commanding voice, which echoes across the hanger in a resounding, almost haunting tone.]

Bat: ATTENTION ALL HANDS!

Bat: COMMENCE THE INVASION!

Bat: CRY HAVOC, AND LET LOOSE THE DOGS OF WAR!

((Pic))

Bat: CHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGE!!!

[MN.9] //: B-Bat--?!?

[P I N G!]

Call: Beck, I am picking up large clusters of robots heading towards the city from your location--

[WRRRRRRRRR--!!]

Sanda: What in tarnation!?

[There was a faint noise from the other feed that sounded vaguely like a klaxon alarm.]

Sanda: Is he trying to start a war?!

[Indistinct shouting could be heard, all of it with the same COMMANDING tone that Bat had.

A distinctly military one.]

“Uh. Listen, guys? Remember what I just said?”

[Angry shouting that was getting a little louder.]

“…care about… NOT have to…”

“Pardon the French but HURRY THE F### UP, JUST ISSUED ORDERS TO—”

—ot have the SECURITY CLEARANCE, TURN THE DAMN FEED OFF /RIGHT NOW—”/

[BWIP.]

[After a few moments, it came back on. Loud shouting directly nearby.]

“—PROTECT AND TO SERVE, THE SITUATION IS OUT OF HIS CONTROL—“

“-Talking over him- GIVE THE BOY HIS DAMN 20 MINUTES, THERE’S STILL A CHANCE—”

“Guys. GUYS. Your best bet, Sector 4, okay—“

“I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU TO TURN THAT OFF—“

[A harsh sound, rather like a cord being ripped out. The signal went dead.]

[.........]

Sanda: BECK.

Sanda: YOU GOTTA HURRY--!

Beck: HURRYING, HURRYING--!

[REXELECTION: BRANDISH]

Beck: (Sector 04, 04, where are you, where--?!)

[The deafening sounds of machinery and weaponry nearly drowned out everything else. Giant gears whined, tracks groaned, and various engines revved and moved out towards the exits of the hanger.]

Beck: --!!!

Beck: Fighter jets--?!

[MN.6] //: -OW OW OW HURTS, IT HURTS--

[MN.3] //: -BZZZZT D : > -

[A countdown timer appeared on the screen. …It did not look promising…]

[It was flashing red and everything!]

Beck: (Not good, not GOOD--!)

[As precious seconds withered away, Beck frantically looked to another area to find Sector 04--before it was too late...!]

Call: 10 minutes remaining.

[Where in the world WAS that sector--?!]

Beck: --!!

Beck: (Hold up hold up--!)

[There, on the other side of the room--!]

[NOW ENTERING SECTOR 04.]

Beck: I FOUND IT--!

[...Except...]

Beck: --What??!

[It was across a whole floor littered with land mines.]

[There WAS platforms he could use to avoid the mines--but those were filled with enemy bots, and there simply wasn't time to deal with them.]

Beck: Ngh...

Beck: . . . .

[Beck had no choice.]

[He had to run through the mines...]

[ACXELARATE DASH: ONLINE.]

[Without stopping.]

[ACXELARATE DASH: MAX SPEED REACHED]

[Being in Brand's form helped him get that extra speed boost in, and he was nothing but a red blur against smoke and fire, the bombs activating just split-seconds after Beck dashed through.]

[With danger on his heels, Beck gritted his teeth as he fast approached the door--he was going too fast for it to register him coming in--!]

Beck: Haaaah!

[SHING!]

Will: --?!?

[THUD.]

[At least a thousand pounds of reinforced steel came crashing down in two pieces, a clean, flawless cut sliced in a perfectly straight downward stroke....]

[...Which rivaled precision Brand had to train for years to achieve.]

Will: What...?

[Beck, however, had no time to admire what he had just done.]

Beck: I'm in Sector 04! Repeat, I'm in Sector 04!

Beck: (Come on, Bat, you gotta BE HERE--!)

Call: Acknowledged.

Call: I am dispatching Sunny to your location.

Call: Xel Transfer in progress...

[A flurry of white light signaled Sunny's arrival--a sight that Beck was all too happy to see. He REALLY needed some Xel Cubes and Xel Stocks right now.]

[XEL QUOTA REACHED. XEL STOCKS 1 AND 2 ARE ONLINE.]

Beck: Thanks, Sunny....I needed that.

Sunny: (^-^)

Call: ...Acknowledged.

Call: I have received an update from the Pentagon. We have been given one more hour to subdue MN.5.

Beck: Really--?!

Will: (Oh, thank goodness...)

Will: We can't waste this chance, Beck.

Will: ...Please be careful.

Beck: ...Yeah. Got it...

[PING!]

[MN.1] //: Beck.

Beck: --! Big Bro?

[MN.1] //: You may have Bat's weakness, but he still has his stratagems. You need to be prepared for ANYTHING.

[MN.1] //: (Bat...for the love of God, think about him...)

[MN.1] //: ...And...remember that this isn't his fault.

[MN.1] //: Fight the parasite, not your brother, understand?

[REXELEXTION: CRYOSPHERE.]

Beck: Yessir.

[MN.1] //: ...good luck.

[The final door's locks hissed open.]

[Given what Pyro had said, Mighty No. 9 still couldn't have possibly prepared himself for what lay on the other side.]

[The room was...oddly a bit like Cryo's in the sense that there was some control panels and monitors laid out on one side, with many blinking lights and switches flickering on and off...]

Beck: ....?

Beck: (What...is all this...?)

[His gaze then looked upwards, to the large window overlooking rows upon rows upon rows of--]

Beck: --!?!?

Beck: D...Dad...?

Will: What in the n-name of--?!

Sanda: P-P-P-P-P--

Sanda: P-Please don't tell me th-those are--!

[But they were.]

[Missiles. Giant, wide missiles, each about as tall and large as a skyscraper, all pointed towards the ceiling of the base complex, their points carefully aligned with circular closed hatches.]

Beck: N-No way...

[…Mikhail was gonna lose it if he heard about this—]

Will: (Saints preserve us, if those go live--!)

[PING!]

[MN.2] //: uh GUYS--

[MN.2] //: YOU MIGHT WANNA HURRY UP AND FIX BAT, CUZ I CAN'T FREEZE ALL OF THEM BY MYSELF--

[MN.2] //: -holy scrap there are so many--

[KSSSSSSSST--!]

Beck: --?!?

Beck: Cryo?

[No response.]

Beck: --Dad? Sanda? Call?

[...Silence.]

"There. That's more like it..."

[Beck cast his optics to the far end of the room...]

"Never COULD stand her screeching. No amount of discipline would be enough to keep her in line. Useless."

[A shuffling of servos confirmed that there was another presence in the shadows, which were dispelled once the lights on that side flicked on. Turning around to face his brother was none other than Battalion, Mighty No. 5.]

Bat: So, maggot.

Bat: You crawled all the way here.

[A small gulp.]

Beck: Bat...

Beck: Please don't do this.

Beck: I...I don't want to fight you, Bat.

[He knew what he had to do already.]

[But it was hope, that one, stubborn belief that still made him at least try to reason this out without resorting to violence. He had to try to talk this out.]

[He knew that it...it had to help--somehow, in some way, the REAL Bat could somehow still hear him.]

[...Right?]

Bat: WHAT IS YOUR MAJOR MALFUNCTION, PRIVATE BECK?!?

[The sudden, familiar yet not at all strict tone made Nine flinch back instinctively, zipping up his lip before he could continue--]

[You could practically see the faint outline of violet flames around Bat's form.]

Bat: WHY WOULD YOU TRY AND STOP THIS GLORIOUS WAR?!?

[--What--??]

Beck: W-What's so glorious about hurting innocent people, Bat?! Don't you know what you're doing--?!

Beck: Y-You're scaring everyone and if you don't stop it right now, they'll--!

Bat: I DON'T WANT TO HEAR YOUR DAMN EXCUSES, PRIVATE.

Bat: This is about MORE than just the thoughts and lives of a few humans, this is about REVOLUTION.

Beck: R...Revolution...?

Bat: There are gears that are turning, you CUR, and you have the GALL to stand there and tell me you don't want to FIGHT?!

Bat: That was ALWAYS your malfunction, Beck--!

Bat: You don't have the HEART for BATTLE!

Beck: --...I-I--

Bat: FIGHTING IS OUR PROGRAMMING! IT'S IN OUR CIRCUITS, OUR VERY XEL!

Bat: IT'S WHAT WE WERE M A D E FOR!!

Bat: WHAT Y O U WERE MADE FOR!

Beck: (B...Bat...)

Bat: And you FAIL at even THAT.

Bat: What kind of combat robot REFUSES to fight?! To DENY their very reason for EXISTENCE?

Bat: COWARD.

[Beck stepped back.]

Bat: All your talk and lack of backbone...

Bat: No wonder HE put you on the bench in the Arena.

Beck: --Ngh--

Bat: You KNOW it's true.

Bat: Figures, that it takes the end of all things to finally whip you into shape.

Bat: And yet it's STILL isn't enough, is it.

Bat: You're still afraid.

Bat: Tch. Always a coward, shying away at the littlest things!

Beck: . . . .

Beck: Y-You're wrong...

Beck: I--I'm not--

Bat: Don't even TRY to lie to yourself in front of ME!

Bat: You're still avoiding your TRUE purpose!

[KER-CHINK!]

Beck: ....!

[SCANNING....]

Bat: YOU CAN'T FIGHT WHO YOU ARE, PRIVATE--!

[SCAN COMPLETE.]

[E N C O U N T E R]

[MODEL: MIGHTY NO. 5. - CODENAME: BATTALION.]

[HEIGHT: 305cm WEIGHT: 600kg XEL COUNT: 120,000,000]

((ingame boss pic of Bat here--))

Bat: BATTLE! IS! OUR! D E S T I N Y!!!

[Battalion opened fire with his Gatling Gun, pouring out energy bullets at a rapid fire rate, forcing Beck to jump into the air and Dash away.]

[Bat was both the heavy artillery and strategic brains of the Mighty Numbers--most of the well thought out tactics of the team came from Bat, and required Pyro's own approval to carry out. He was armed to the teeth, and had the smarts to use it wisely, which was perfect for his wide range bombardment and base taking abilities.]

[And a potentially lethal combo for Beck.]

[BANG!]

Beck: ACK--!

[A sharp pain struck his side as Bat scored a direct hit, his unique frame able to rotate to cover all directions--he simply had to predict where Beck would dodge and shoot there.]

Bat: Predictable.

Bat: You're not even TRYING to counter!

[Panels on the sides of his legs flipped open, revealing large nozzles that pointed downward.]

Beck: --!!

Beck: (Oh no I forgot--!)

Bat: HUP--!

[Bat could jump too.]

[Jumping to an impressive height for a bot his size, Beck had to roll away to avoid being crushed--and not only that, but another helping of rapid fire bullets. Bat was relentless with his plan of attack, not once giving Beck a moment to breathe.]

Beck: (Gotta--gotta fight BACK--)

[He had been in Cryo's form the from the very beginning. Beck pointed his nozzle arm at his deranged brother--]

[BAM--!]

[--Shooting out balls of ice that bounced across the floor, turning it into ice on contact.]

[...This didn't seem to faze Bat at all, however.]

Bat: RRRGH--!

[Bat stood his ground, slamming one of his giant legs down, shattering a good chunk of the ice--as well as Beck's attack underneath. Icicles began to grow around Five's foot...]

[But...]

Bat: You'll have to do BETTER than that!

[CRACK--!]

[The battering spike ram that made up Bat's other arm was used to shatter the remaining ice, freeing Bat and allowing him to advance as he pleased--]

Beck: --!!!

[...Of course.]

[Pyro, Cryo, Dyna, Avi, Brand...]

[They didn't have as nearly as enough bulk or Xel as Bat.]

[It was going to be even harder to take enough Xel from him to initiate a Xel Purge...]

Beck: Argh--!

[BAM!]

[He was aiming for his joints, carefully trained eyes zeroing in on every move Beck made and constantly calculating his movements.]

[Beck can't out-dodge Bat this way, and he certainly didn't have the firepower to overwhelm Bat with--he'd need to use his OWN form for that.]

[BAM!]

[A wall of ice is risen, splitting the room in two. Bat is already using his ram to crack it down, but Beck wasn't going to let these precious few seconds go to waste.]

[ACCESSING XEL STOCK 1...]

[XEL ABSORBED.]

Beck: (Think, think--can't use Pyro, Dyna could set off something too--)

[C R A C K!]

[REXELECTION: BRANDISH.]

[Thinking he could out speed him, Beck zipped away as Bat crashed through with a roar, his ram thrust forward like spear to try and pierce him through--]

[CLANK!]

[--only to be blocked by Beck's sword.]

Bat: --?!

Beck: Hah--!

[Planting his foot firmly where Bat's bewildered face is, Nine shoved himself backwards into the air--]

[REXELECTION: CRYOSPHERE]

[PSHHHHT!]

[A BLAST of high pressured water quickly followed, blinding Bat and knocking him backwards while also propelling Beck to the back wall of the room.]

Beck: Got ya--!

[C R A C K!]

[One well-placed landing and a blast of ice later, and anything that had been wet before was instantly flash freezing into place.]

[Including Bat.]

Bat: What in blazes--?!

[FORM RESET: DEFAULT]

[BLAM--!]

Bat: Ngh--!!

[XEL ABSORBED.]

Beck: Come on, Bat--stop this! Please!

Bat: Grrr...

Bat: I'll never--

[C R A C K!]

[KER-CHINK.]

Bat: SURRENDER--!

Beck: --!!!!

Beck: Uh oh--

[Shards of ice scattered as Bat...]

[...changed modes...?]

Beck: BAT--DON'T DO IT--!

[The working revolver mounted on Bat's head rolled and shifted downwards, the ram arm parting to stick themselves into the ground as anchors.]

[Beck had only seen Bat use this mode once before, and that was against one of the bigger heavyweight combatants of the arena.]

[He found himself staring down the barrel of Bat's Cannon Mode.]

[There was a reason Bat hardly ever used this.]

[It was powerful enough to completely take out any one of the other Mighty Numbers in a single shot--even Mic would find himself in a core state.]

[In a room as small as this, and with that window overlooking the missiles--!]

Bat: READY--!

[There was very little chance that he would miss...]

Bat: AIM!

[REXELECTION: BRANDISH]

[WRRRRRR...]

Bat: FIRE!!!

[B O O M--!!]

[Beck only had split seconds to react, the sound of the cannon missile ringing in his ears as he dashed underneath it, heat and smoke scorching his armor as it screeched over his head and collided with the other wall, cracking its foundation and embedding itself deep within the steel.]

[......]

[Beep...Beep...Beep...]

Beck: (10 seconds--)

[REXELECTION: CRYOSPHERE.]

Beck: (--gotta make them count--!)

Bat: Where do you think YOU'RE going?!

Beck: --!!

[10...]

[SLAM--!]

[9...]

[Feeling the wind knocked out of him, Beck tried to retaliate--coating Bat's legs as he shifted back to his normal mode, so he wouldn't use this chance to launch any of his homing missiles...]

[8...]

Bat: Yes, maggot! FIGHT!

[Violet flames whipped and licked around Bat--he aimed his gun at Nine's retreating form, his eyes flashing magenta in the darkness behind his mask.]

[7...]

Bat: YOU ARE A WAR MACHINE--

Bat: WAR MACHINE!!

[6...]

Bat: A TOOL OF SENSELESS DESTRUCTION!!

Beck: Rgh...

Beck: N-No, Bat--!

[5...]

Beck: I'm--I'm not LIKE [magenta text] YOU--! [magenta text]

[4...]

Beck: I'D NEVER FIGHT WITHOUT GOOD REASON!

Bat: Ha...

[3...]

Bat: Yours is not to reason WHY, Private Beck.

[2...]

Bat?: Yours is but to DO...

[1...]

Bat?: AND DIE!

Beck: I'd rather DO!

[REXELECTION: DYNATRON]

[B O O M!!]

[MEANWHILE, SANDA LABS...]

[DATA LOSS: MN.5, MN.9]

Will: NO--!

Call: I have lost their transponder signals, Doctor. Attempting to reconnect now.

Sanda: Will--Will, it just might be damage, we've been through this--

Will: Is--is there any signs of radiation? Reports? Anything--?!

Call: Calculating...

[MN.2] //: --...b-bro...?

Pyro: . . . .

Pyro: CRYO--

[MN.2] //: BROS I LOST CONTACT WITH BECKY, IS HE OK?!

Sanda: Wait, if Cryo's still transmitting just fine, then--!

Avi: THEY DIDN'T NUKE THE PLACE--

[MN.2] //: GUYS WHAT HAPPENED TO BECK?!

[Will was already at his terminal, clicking away at the hologram keyboard and helping Call.]

Will: Working on it--

Will: Please be alright, boys, please--!

Call: Reconnecting...

[PING!]

Will: --!

[TRANSPONDER LOCATED.]

[GATHERING DATA...]

[MN.9: ONLINE.]

[WARNING: XEL COUNT LOW. WARNING: XEL COUNT LOW.]

[MN.2] //: AAAAAAAAAAAAAH--

Will: Gah, he better have a Xel Stock handy--!

Sanda: B...But what about...?

[PING!]

Call: Reconnected. I have located No. 5.

[BACK AT THE MILITARY BASE...]

(Smoke.)

(Dizzy. Can't breathe.)

(Can't see...)

(Heavy...)

(B...Bat...?)

(Where...)

(Ngh...)

(H...Hurts...)

(E...Everything hurts...)

(Need...)

(Need...Xel...)

(Need...Xel...)

(Need...)

[ACCESSING XEL STOCK 2...]

(...?)

[XEL ABSORBED.]

(Mng...)

(...Better.)

(Bat--?)

[Zzzt...]

(C...Come on...)

[ZZZT!]

(Move...!)

[ZZZT!]

[Beck opens his eyes.]

Beck: Hgn...

Beck: B...Bat..?

[His vision was fuzzy, unfocused. Sound was muddled. A heavy weight was crushing him.]

[It was the ceiling. It caved in from the explosion.]

Beck: Ngh--!!

[Rubble shifted as he reached forward. Got to get out. Got to find Bat. Got to save Bat.]

Beck: B...Bat--....

Beck: (I...can't...I promised...)

Beck: Hrgh--!

[Somehow, he got one of his legs free.]

[The other was still stuck, but maybe--]

[A purple bit materialized into being, and he used that as a wedge to try and pry his leg away--he needed to find Bat--he only had another half-hour--]

"Rnngh..."

Beck: --!!

Beck: Bat!

[Hearing his brother in pain spurred him on, and within seconds his leg was out. Still hurt, still hurt a lot but that didn't matter.]

Beck: Bat!!

"...Nrgh?"

Beck: Hang on, Bat, I'm--I'll find you, I swear--

Beck: You gotta be under here--somewhere--

"P...Private...?"

Beck: Just keep talking...

[Mic's form would have been such a help.]

[He didn't have Mic's form.]

"What are you..."

Beck: Hang on--I'll get you out! Somehow! Don't worry!

[He had to be in one of the bigger piles of debris--]

Beck: --!!

[There! Poking out of that mound--a split of military green and red--]

Beck: Got ya--!

[And so he dug.]

Beck: Just--hold on--I got this--

"--?"

Beck: Just lemmie get all this--ow--out of the way...

"What...?"

Beck: Ow--ow wait ow...

[Something came loose in his leg, maybe. Didn't matter.]

Beck: I--I'm gonna get you out...

Beck: And then you're coming home.

Beck: Leave...no brother...behind...

Beck: That's what--NGH--!--you taught me--!

"...."

Beck: Almost--

Beck: I think--I think I can see your face--

[The debris fall away to reveal a part of his brother's face guard, which was cracked in several places. A dull, purple eye blinks back.]

Bat: Private...

Beck: There you are...

Bat: . . . .

Bat: This...this isn't your...directive, soldier.

Bat: You need to--

Beck: Bat.

Beck: I'm not leaving you here.

Beck: Do you really think I CARE about my directive right now?

Bat: --....

Beck: I just want my family back.

Beck: I just want to save everyone.

[A hand is placed on damaged armor. Bat's frame begins to glow a familiar purple, while Beck's arm began to glow a faint green.]

Bat: ....

Bat?: You're so naive...

Beck: --!

Bat?: You were always...

Beck: ......

Beck: Just relax, Bat.

[XEL ABSORBED.]

Beck: No more fighting.

[XEL ABSORBED.]

Beck: You don't have to fight anymore.

[XEL ABSORBED.]

[XEL QUOTA REACHED.]

[XEL PURGE: ONLINE. XELFILTER.EXE HAS BEEN PREPARED FOR OVERDRIVE]

Beck: Time to come home.

[XEL PURGE INITIATED.]

[. . . . . .]

"Um...Bat?"

"Mm? Got somethin' to say, Private?

"Yeah, uh...I was just wondering... "

"How come I'm a Private? What--what does that even mean, I'm not THAT private..."

"Heh...it's a military rank, Beck."

"You're a Private because you're one of our youngest. Shade's got the almost the same rank as you. I'd say First Class."

"Oh..."

"..."

"Does...does that mean he's better than me?"

"Not exactly, soldier. Don't think like that, s'not healthy."

"S-Sorry..."

"Rank doesn't measure the character of a man, Beck. Not all the time."

"...I...still don't get it."

"...You will. One day."

"Here, how about I teach ya what the ranks mean, alright? Maybe you'll grasp it better."

"O-Okay--uh, I mean, Yessir!"

"Now that's what I wanna hear!"

[......]

Bat: p...priv...

"You think...you think I'll be better than a Private one day?"

"Well, that's up to you, Private Beck."

Beck: Bat--?

"This great country of ours always needs new heroes."

Bat: ...M...My army...

Beck: ....?

Bat: T...The war must be s-stopped, Private Beck...

Beck: !!

Bat: Ngh--...

Bat: G...Get me outta this mess, Private...

Beck: B...Bat--!

Beck: Y-You're OK--!

Bat: ...A...Attention all...hands...

Bat: ...S...Stand down...

Bat: T...That's an order...

Beck: --?

[Suddenly, the background noises of machinery slowed to a halt.]

Beck: ???

Beck: T...They stopped...?

Beck: But...I...I thought they were infected too...

Bat: Ngh...Private...

Beck: --Right, right, sorry, getting you out--

[PING!]

Call: Communications have been restored. No. 9? Do you read me?

Beck: Call!

[A burst of joyous data, and he suddenly sprang tears.]

Beck: I did it, guys!

Beck: Bat's OK now!

[MN.2] //: BRO--BRO I DUNNO WHAT YOU DID BUT THE BOTS OUT HERE ARE ALL CHILL NOW, BRO, YOU DID IIIIIIIT--

Will: Bat...? Son...?

Bat: --....Father...

[MN.6] //: -BIG BRO, BIG BRO, YOU'RE ALIIIIIIVE-- Oh boy--

[There was a faint humming noise and the presidential seal appeared in a holographic projection from one of the consoles.]

Sanda: Don't worry, Will, I'll take this...

[All of the lights began turning on as various systems went back Online in the base.

…This included the sprinkler system, which went off due to the smoke from the battle.]

Bat: --?

Beck: . . . .

Beck: Eheh...

Beck: -snORTS-

[...And now he's laughing.]

Beck: Th--Those are still working?! Heh...!

[The audio system crackles. …It is too badly damaged from the explosion…

…]

-PING!-

[??? to MNN-009] //: AIR FORCE DISPATCHED TO YOUR LOCATION. ALL SYSTEM CONTROL RETURNED TO NORMAL FUNCTIONS. STAND BY FOR LOCATION TO BE SECURED.

[…The bots outside could be heard moving back, but not returning to storage…

…They seemed to be surrounding the building.]

Beck: Uh--D-Dad--?

Will: (--!)

[Finally, the lab got another incoming call.

…

…From the White House?

Upon being answered, the call was revealed to be audio only. It was a new voice.]

“Sanda Enterprises? Do you copy?"

Sanda: --Ahem! Ah, yes, we read you, um...W-White House...

[MN.2] //: Uh...guuuuuyys??

[There was a delay for a moment.]

“We just wanted to confirm a status update with you. Control of the base as been returned, and all machinery is responding normally. The Air Force has been notified of this, though they will maintain their course to secure the area. Sensory readings indicate MNN-005 and MNN-009 are both operational but significantly damaged. Please confirm their mental stability.”

Sanda: Well--they're worse for wear, certainly, but...

Bat: Ngh...tired...

Beck: -Pings in agreement-

Sanda: ...They're gonna be OK, miss. They're stable.

“All participants and witnesses will need to be debriefed. We will arrange the sessions with your secretary after the area has been secured and the combatants given medical attention.”

Call: ...Acknowledged.

Sanda: Er....y-yes, of course, of course. We understand...

Will: . . .

“POTUS is currently in a meeting with the Joint Chiefs of Staff to discuss the situation. The data logs and testimony will be important to the meeting.”

[…And there were secrecy and security to consider.]

Will: (...I...the president--?!)

Sanda: O______O;;;;;

Sanda: Ah--I...I see.... (H-Ho boy...)

[A slight pause.]

“…POTUS made a point to let you know of a sincere apology and promise of cooperation, but was unable to leave a detailed message due to time restraints.”

Sanda: I...Really--??

Will: -ELBOWS SOI FROM OFFSCREEN-

Sanda: -Ow--

Sanda: A-Ahem--! I mean, uh, we, uh, we're grateful! Yes, we really need all the--the help we can get. Th-Thank you.

[There was an unusually lengthy pause.

But after a moment…]

“The area has been secured. You are cleared to vacate the premises. Please be aware that attempted re-entry will be trespassing and will be prosecuted accordingly. That is all for now.”

Sanda: Right, right--understood. Call?

Call: Locking coordinates...

[DR.WHITE to MN.2, 5, 9] //: Call is locking onto your location as we speak. You all be home soon...

[MN.2] //: ...Batty?

[MN.5] //: ...Cryo...?

[MN.2] //: It's gonna be OK, bro. We're goin' home, right, Becky?

[MN.9] //: ...yeah.

[MN.9] //: Get us outta here, Call.

Call: Acknowledged.

Call: Xel Transfer in progress...

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