My Third Default Option Seems To Be ‘sass’.

=CHAPTER 1B: RAGING FLAMES SMOLDER=

~AO v2.0~

((Courtesy of @codedhopes))

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{Meadow}

[Everything had fallen into a surreal sort of silence when Tobias shut down. Two of the Robot Masters were laying motionless on the ground, their eyes dark and without life. It was as if the souls had been ripped right out of them, leaving them in a state of eternal despair.]

Jack: Oh my God oh my God—

Jack: A—Are they okay, are they even ALIVE—?!

[There were soft and erratic patters of ping noises as the stunned brothers tried to get a response from the fallen. They were growing louder and more frequent, and a sense of panic was starting to rise in the data.]

Mikhail: Enough!

Jack: —! Huh—

Mikhail: -Speaking calmly but firmly- Let’s not jump to any conclusions. We need to run diagnostics on both of them. Carlos, Nico—take Shadow to the lab. Skull, Keltso—do the same for Tobias. Siamini, I need both of you to prepare the diagnostic equipment for them. Go, get things ready. No time to waste!

[His sons obeyed right away, though there was a delay from the Wilybots before they complied with the orders. Mikhail pulled out his phone.]

Mikhail: (I need to know what happened…)

[He dialed the number for Will, but to his aggravation…]

“Hello, this is Dr. William Apollo White of Sanda Technologies. I’m currently unavailable right now—”

Mikhail: -Annoyed- Mmmmmnnn… -Hangs up- (Voicemail AGAIN, Will? Really? At a time like this? Gahhh… fine, I’ll call you again later, after I’ve run the diagnostic.)

[He turned to face Jack.]

Mikhail: …I’m so sorry, Jack.

Jack: H-huh?

Mikhail: You came here for something, and this whole time we’ve all but ignored you.

Jack: Oh, uh… i-it’s alright, I mean… that was a lot going on…

Mikhail: True, but you must have come here for some reason. What was it? Can we help you with something?

Jack: What? God, no, I’m more worried about YOU guys—! A—Are they going to be okay??

Mikhail: -Adjusts glasses- It’s probably just… shock. (No pun intended.) We’ll know soon enough for sure.

Jack: …

Jack: …

Jack: Shock, huh….

Jack: …Hn…they aren’t…they aren’t the only ones….

Jack: Starting to feel a little of that myself…

[Mikhail was quiet at that for a while, and then walked over. He put a hand on Jack’s shoulder.]

Jack: …?

Mikhail: Follow me, Mr. Parker.

Jack: (O-oh, I guess Miss Eight told him about her brother’s name for me…)

Mikhail: Let’s just have a talk.

[Jack followed the Russian Doctor into the main building in the Meadow.]

[They walked through the building and into the kitchen, where Mikhail had Jack sit down at the table. It was a rather large table, and made Jack feel small sitting at it all by himself.

But the whole situation made him feel small. He was caught up in this disaster the same as everyone else, and there was nothing he could do to help…]

Jack: (Son of a glitch…. The whole family is fallin’ apart and what did I do? Nothin…)

[There were the soft background noises of the kitchen as Mikhail started preparing something. They were largely unfamiliar noises; not the clamor of a food-related workplace, like he had worked at once for a couple weeks, not the cheap joints he normally bought from. It was a more personal, friendly and family kind of noise, one that was almost alien to him.

He perked up at the smell of meat, though.]

Jack: (…mmm…meat…ugh, that smells too good…)

Jack: …

Jack: (Gosh, this reminds me of the meal Miss Eight and I had just the other night when she stopped by…)

Jack: (I wonder where she is right now…)

Mikhail: There. It will be a while before it finishes, I’m afraid. Would you like something to drink?

Jack: Uh… I’m fine with whatever, honestly…

Mikhail: How about a milkshake, then?

Jack: Milkshake?

[He perks up a bit more at this.]

Jack: Like with the ice cream you guys sent me back in the hospital?

Mikhail: Exactly.

Jack: Oh, PLEASE…

[Mikhail smiled a little at this, and pulled some ice cream from the rather sizable freezer. The blender was a little on the loud side, but it wasn’t long before Jack had a large glass of milkshake in front of him.]

Mikhail: There you are.

Jack: Thank…

Jack: -Takes a sip- …Thanks for everything, Doc. You guys have been nothing but good to me…

Mikhail: It’s the least we can do.

[He adjusted his glasses again, sitting down opposite the beleaguered ex-arena fighter.]

Mikhail: Now…

Mikhail: You expressed you felt rather overwhelmed by all this.

Jack: …Yeah…

Mikhail: Honestly, anyone would be.

Mikhail: It’s best to start from the beginning.

Jack: …The beginning? Like… this morning?

Mikhail: No… not this morning. It probably started earlier.

Jack: What do you mean?

Mikhail: -Rubs his beard a bit- Well…

Mikhail: Things look confusing to us all right now because we don’t have the proper context to them. That makes it hard to focus on what is going on.

Mikhail: So let’s find some context, and unravel it for you. What’s on your mind? We’ll go back to address it from the beginning.

Jack: Okay…

Jack: …I…I’m just really worried about…God, it was KATE, at first, but after…that…Avi, and now Cards is out there too? It’s just…they’re out there, all alone, especially Cards….

Mikhail: …

[He closed his eyes and sighed, crossing his arms.]

Mikhail: …There’s something you should know.

Jack: (…That doesn’t sound too good…)

Mikhail: It would take a long time to explain all the details, but for a while now, Cardinal has been convinced that Gregory Graham had been planning to make a massive power grab, by means of setting up a crisis and solving it publicly.

Jack: —?!

Jack: What…?

Mikhail: He believed that the highway incident earlier in the year was the result of something in this plan going… wrong.

Jack: Wrong…?

Mikhail: The fact that Graham took the time during THIS disaster to—yet again, as before—publicly say “don’t blame me! Blame someone else!” does not help matters. “Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.”

Mikhail: -Dryly- Guilty conscience, perhaps? Or just really bad lying?

Mikhail: That’s what Cardinal believed, at any rate. And I don’t think he was the only one.

Jack: He—he wasn’t?

Mikhail: Due to the meeting we had to discuss the threat that Greater Dusk posed—

Jack: Hang on, meeting—?

Mikhail: I’ll explain later, but yes. During that meeting, it was questioned why CherryDynamics would fund a team, especially one with an assassin. Cardinal wasn’t sure, but felt that Greater Dusk played an important role in the plans: the role of usurping power and favor from the Mighty Numbers, allowing for other power grabs later.

Jack: (They went through all that… because of me and Greater Dusk…)

Mikhail: Lady Countershade seemed to believe that CherryDynamics was not only responsible, but also eager to clean up “loose ends”. Namely…

Mikhail: You.

Jack: Wh...m...ME?

Mikhail: It seemed like it was very personal to her. She was adamant about it in a way that tells me she’d dealt with some sort of conspiracy like it before, whether one of her own invention she convinced herself was real, or else one she had truly witnessed.

Jack: (…She’s been following a few leads besides mine, the way she talked to me before all this…. Did…did that have something to do with my situation—?)

Mikhail: She wanted to protect you, Mr. Parker. She wanted to keep you safe from fixers, from those seeking to silence you as a witness. Something went wrong again in the finals, clearly; something that had not been intended to be publicly known yet. If ever. Likely never.

Jack: … … … … ….

Jack: Jeezus….

[This…this was bigger than he thought.]

[Much, much bigger.]

[What in the world was going on now?]

[Could…]

[Could this be…just too much to handle?]

[Suddenly Jack felt like he was up against MORE than just a virus.]

Jack: … ….

Mikhail: …Tell me more about the crosses, Jack. Felix had been doing research into them, but he fell ill as a result…. You’re the only person who can tell us about them, and… I think that this virus is related to what happened at the Queen’s Finals.

[Jack took in a deep breath after a long sip of his milkshake.]

Jack: Alright…. Where to start…

[He ran his hand through his messy, fluffy hair.]

Jack: Putting them on when they weren’t active–didn’t do a thing. They were made of Xel, so I guess the crosses also had this REALLY tiny core to keep it together….

Jack: They just looked like freaky jewelry to other people. I didn’t like it. Felt…wrong. That’s why I always hid mine under my shirt.

Mikhail: …In what sense? Physically, or morally?

Jack: ….Both? The cross felt…cold. Like it was just pulled out of the freezer, no matter how hot it was out.

Jack: That and inverted crosses are USUALLY a bad sign.

Mikhail: Mmmm…. When you threw the cross down in the finals, that did allow us to briefly see what it was. …The use of that symbol did not go unnoticed.

Jack: …

Mikhail: Their “youngest” brother believed the one behind it was trying to “play God” and was using that symbol on purpose, as a highly disrespectful mockery.

Mikhail: -Softly- I do not discount the notion.

Jack: … … ….

Jack: (The Provider…)

Jack: …..

Jack: Well, whatever nutjob made those things did a REAL good job fragging [glitch] up.

Mikhail: Quite…

Mikhail: There was… a theory I had about it, at the time.

Jack: …?

——————————

Tobias: I don’t understand—! What’s going on?!

[They all fell silent when a quiet voice spoke up unexpectedly.]

Mikhail: … -Quietly- Berserkers.

Cardinal: …! What?

Mikhail: In ancient times, there were men of great strength, warriors that were great and terrible. They could work themselves into a rage that made them almost seem to ignore their wounds in battle—a madness that they channeled with incredible force.

Mikhail: This is why there is the phrase “going berserk.” This is almost exactly what it means.

Mikhail: But to concentrate only on bloodlust, at the loss of sense…

[He adjusted his glasses, the light glinting off them in a glare that obscured his eyes.]

Mikhail: …Especially against tacticians, that can be a very heavy price…

——————————

Mikhail: …Was I right? Is that what they did, induce such a state?

Jack: ….You bet they did….

Jack: When they went active…

Jack: All I felt was rage.

Mikhail: …

Jack: All I felt was…this feeling to break things.

Jack: It was ALL I could think about…

Jack: All…I could think about was…

Jack: How much I wanted to hurt Blade.

Jack: …..

Jack: It was like… something just…took over and….and…

Jack: –….

Jack: I knew it was bad. I had this gut feeling WAY before the finals…

Jack: I knew.

Jack: So I fought back.

Mikhail: … -Focused but also thoughtful- … -After some hesitation…- …We know what that feels like. …You have our deepest empathy.

Jack: ……..

Mikhail: We know that to fight it off is no easy thing. …You are a stronger man than you give yourself credit for, Jack. Not everyone has the will or stamina to do this.

Jack: …..

Jack: -Sigh- Doc, I’m just a normal guy that wanted some extra cash in his pocket. Sure, I’m probably not such a piece of scrap, after all, but…

Jack: I’m not special.

Jack: I’m just…lucky, I guess.

Mikhail: -Gentle slight smile- I suppose. Having Lady Luck on your side is always nice. Heh… I wouldn’t have survived otherwise.

[He goes over and starts pulling things out of the oven, and Jack is left in his own thoughts for a while.]

Jack: (…Is it luck, or is it just something looking out for me…? Ah, who the hell am I kidding… Luck HATES my guts…)

[He was almost too focused to notice the smells of lunch, but it was at this point that the smell of delicious, glorious, tender S T E A K came drifting through the air—]

Jack: —!!!!!

[Jack shoots up into a straighter sitting position, eyes WIDE and eager–]

Jack: That—that is the most awesome smell I’ve ever—

[Mikhail walked over with a platter. A platter with SO MUCH FOOD.

There was steak, there was loaded baked potato with extra toppings set to the side—

Corn, green bean casserole, a tall glass of cold milk, a small bowl of fruit salad— and some chocolate pudding with Oreo bits and whipped cream!]

Mikhail: -Sets it down at the table- Sorry to keep you waiting.

Jack: …

[Jack might have kicked himself later for forgetting his manners—but he just dove into the most delicious food he’s ever eaten in his entire life.]

Jack: -dATA, SO MUCH DATA, OH GOD THIS IS SO GOOD HE COULD CRY-

[Mikhail chuckled at that, seeming very pleased.]

Mikhail: Things will get better, Jack. They may seem nearly hopeless now, but they will get better. Beck White has the power to reverse this, and that’s more than we could have hoped for in such a disaster. I have faith that he’ll bring his family back home.

[Jack slowed down a bit at this, his good mood wavering.]

Jack: …Hey, Doc…?

Mikhail: Yes?

Jack: Do… -Hesitates- …

Jack: Do y’ think Six was… lying?

Mikhail: …? Lying?

Jack: About her. Miss Eight…

Mikhail: …

[His eyes looked very tired at that, and he frowned slightly.]

Mikhail: …I’d say it's possible he was being misleading, but I find it unlikely that Kate is herself… given that even the RMDC was infected. She was connected to the database…

Jack: (…n…no…. Kate, no…)

Mikhail: She might have been asleep somewhere, but even then she would be in danger of getting sick after the fact.

[He gave a deep sigh.]

Mikhail: My heart goes out to those trying to find either her or Countershade; it will be very difficult to find them, and dangerous to confront them.

Jack: …But…

Jack: Isn’t that what bird guy is doing…? (And he can’t even heal them…)

Mikhail: Well. I can’t be entirely sure what he is up to, but that is a distinct possibility. Whatever Cardinal is up to, I can tell you this: nothing will deter him from a mission… not even the threat of death.

Mikhail: -Softly- “No one has greater love than this…”

Mikhail: “…to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

Jack: —!

Jack: … …

Jack: (Miss Eight…)

Jack: (Real deep stuff you’re laying down here, bird guy…)

Jack: … …

Jack: Sorry I…I’m not much help…I…

Jack: (….REALLY hope you know what you’re doing…)

Mikhail: -Weary… and sad…- No… it should have been expected and anticipated. We were not surprised. Alarmed, yes, but not surprised….

Mikhail: It is the path he chose long ago, and none can deter it from him as long as he yet runs.

Mikhail: He has made his choice. I only wish he weren’t so fragile…

Jack: ……

Jack: (Fragile…like a bird…)

Jack: (Flying solo for your friend, huh…)

Mikhail: At least he took Jazz with him. That may prove to be his saving grace, if things go south.

Mikhail: …That brings us up to the present, I suppose. Do you have any other questions?

Jack: … …

Jack: (Should I ask ‘em if they can help me find Miss Eight? If they couldn’t stop the bird guy, they’ll DEFINITELY try and stop me….)

Jack: Uh…no, no—well, sorta. Do you guys got anything I can use? Like—supplies and stuff. Just to have on hand.

Jack: And… if you’ve heard anything from Miss Eight’s family.

Mikhail: We have not heard from them yet, but we may hear from them within a week’s time. They are running on a different rate of time passage, so details may be different or confused. Time warps can fuzz the memory rather severely, as our own family can personally attest to. One remembers a general feeling, but not specific events…

Mikhail: As for supplies—forgive me, but I thought Ms. White set you up at a flat in Britain?

Jack: W-well, yeah, but…

Jack: …Saw a metal snake behind my couch…

[Mikhail visibly stiffened at this, becoming very tense. Jack noticed that his gloved, clenched left hand was shaking.]

What he couldn't possibly know was the extent dark, dark torment that plagued the Doctor's mind…]

Mikhail: …

Mikhail: -Somewhat strained at first- Oh, of course. No, of course…. It was good of you to come here…. Let’s see…

Mikhail: I know that David sent a great deal of good supplies—which I see you have brought with you. However… if you’re planning on camping, you’ll need something to eat…

[He wanders off for a moment. When he comes back, he has what appears to be a small cooler… or else a very large lunchbox.]

Mikhail: It’s not much, but with what you’re going through… lunch and dinner over the next few days to indulge in is the least we can do.

[There are sandwiches, sauces, ice cream bars, milk bottles, soda, even Xelpops in there!]

Jack: Thanks, man… this is…. This is just great…

Mikhail: You’re welcome.

[He stands and takes off his glasses to clean them for a moment.]

Mikhail: I’m afraid I must be going. I need to start work on the others.

Jack: Yeah, me too.

Mikhail: We wish you the best as you go on elsewhere, though you are welcome to stay here if you change your mind. I do hope you come back soon at least once—I think Felix had a gift for you.

Jack: …? (Miss Eight said the same thing…. She said he said it was important, too…)

Jack: Uh…I think maybe I’ll just pick that up on the way? Where is he?

[Hopefully he had enough luck on his side to get back to the States in time…AND in one piece.]

Mikhail: He’s out a bit further in the Wilderness. There’s a path that leads more or less right by his house. (Granted, his house is underground, but.)

Jack: Hmm. Got it—I’ll head that way for now.

[Mikhail nodded and left, heading for the medical bay portion of the lab.

Wiping his mouth with his sleeve, Jack straightened out his coat and grabbed the cooler with his other hand, stretching himself out a couple of times–the doc said he had to often just to keep himself limber.]

Jack: Nnh….

[…Despite the looming danger in front of him, and what was yet to come…

…Strangely, Jack didn’t feel all that worried about it at the moment. Maybe it was the food.]

Jack: ….

Jack: (Well, need to at least see what all that is about…)

[It wasn’t long before he found himself in a very unusual house.

It appeared to have been dug right into the ground. This underground bunker had undergone a number of renovations over the years, with the latest one making it far more sophisticated.]

Jack: (This must be the place…. Can’t say I expected it would be underground…)

Jack: …

Jack: -Knocks on the door in the ground?-

[After a few moments, the door was rolled away from underneath, and he found himself looking at someone rather unusual.]

Piers: ?

[The man had golden eyes and aqua colored hair. The air around him seemed to be cooler and… gentler, somehow.]

Piers: I’m sorry, I don’t think we’ve met before. May I help you?

Jack: (…OK, I’ve seen people dye their hair some CRAZY colors but—)

Jack: Um–yeah, same here. CDN.7037, Designation 'Dencerjack’. Just call me Jack…

Jack: Uh—I’m looking for a guy called Felix? The guys back at that Meadow told me he had something for me.

Piers: Ah… yes, that makes sense.

Piers: Felix mentioned you. He had an important gift for you. Please, do come in.

Jack: … ‘Kay….

[He followed the man down a ladder and into a sort of living room area. There was a large stone table, two chairs, a rocking chair, and a large sofa… currently occupied by a man with long brown hair, who appeared to be asleep in a fevered dream.

There were banners and tapestries adorning the walls, and there were blankets and furs stowed away neatly in a nearby chest. The mantelpiece and shelves around the living room displayed pottery and chinaware that the owner had made, and some wooden carvings. Noticeably, the art around the room showed not only his travels in Weyard and Weyard history, but also scenes and depictions of his friends (and their trials) beyond it.

In the middle of the living room, there were two large dog bed-sized baskets, and one smaller basket. Small cups of stone in the walls around the room served as recesses where beeswax candles and oil lamps rested, though they were lit by Venus energy most of the time… but not today. Today, they were lit by Mercury energy, giving the whole room a soft blue hue to it.]

Jack: (Jeez, this is like something out of a story…)

[His eyes keep glancing back to the little blue lights, wondering where in the world they had come from—this guy registered as an organic, but he was getting some weird energy readings from him too…

Piers: Where are my manners? Forgive me—allow me to introduce myself. I am Captain Piers of Lemuria—a Mercury warrior Adept.

Jack: (….Uhhh.) Nice to meet you…

[Piers looked over at the man on the couch, who briefly glowed a faint gold with a green tint.]

Jack: …!

Piers: Felix is still locked in the cursed dreams… I fear that it is the current disaster which overtook him.

[There were so many things Jack wanted to ask about that—the glow, where the heck was Lemuria and what in the world was an Adept—but he didn’t have the time…]

Jack: Yeah, things have REALLY gone down the drain, huh. …Hope he gets better soon.

Piers: I believe he shall, but that may not be until the crisis has passed… -Small sigh- It is hard to say, outside of time, how long it may take.

[He motioned for Jack to sit down on the floor near the table, which he did.]

Piers: There is, in our world, a material. This material can be used to craft things… jewelry, armor, weapons…. They provide a good deal of power, but they are cursed.

Jack: C-cursed?

Piers: The curse makes it impossible to discard the item without an exorcism. The user gets power, yes—but they are enveloped in a black and red aura, and at times… lose the ability to move of their own volition.

Jack: Ghn…. Oh glitch, that… that’s bad…

[Piers sighed and went over to the mantelpiece above the fireplace.]

Piers: Yes. The similarities were striking, which is probably why Felix was looking into it. Once you understand how something is set into motion, it is easier to see how to put a stop to it. He hoped that studying Dark Matter would yield information that the Doctors could use for medical purposes.

[He brought back a small container. Inside it was a chunk of what looked like an evil cross between obsidian and black marble, as smooth as glass.]

Piers: I'll be honest with you, Master Parker. This was a very dangerous experiment for him to be conducting, right from the start. It's also very unusual that he was working with Dark Matter at all; he'd always made a point never to use Cursed weapons or armor, simply because they were not worth the price. The fact that this happened anyway shows just how motivated he was.

Jack: B…But why the glitch would he DO that—?

Piers: Out of concern. Everyone was very worried. Felix honestly thought he could find an answer. Not only that… he also sympathized with your position.

Jack: …Position?

Piers: -Shakes his head- Within your group. …Felix knew what it was like to have… hard taskmasters, who favored the use of force to show dominance and displeasure.

Jack: -Winces at the reminder… and the thought someone else went through the same thing- …

Jack: …Hn…

Jack: …Is… Is he gonna be okay—?

[The sailor looked over at the Adept in question.]

Piers: …Probably. He’s been through worse in his time.

[He heaved a sigh.]

Piers: At any rate. He arranged for a gift to be given to you, but he fell ill before he could send it….

[He went back over to the mantelpiece and brought over a small box.]

Piers: He said this was to be for you.

[There appeared to be… only a single item inside.]

Jack: ….?

[…What the… a ring, of all things?]

Piers: -Looks QUITE surprised- So that’s where it went.

[He is suddenly very thoughtful.]

Piers: He must have felt that you would need it—and deserved it—and had it set aside for you to give to you…

Jack: ? You know what this is?

Piers: Yes. That’s a Cleric’s Ring: a rare artifact that prevents loss of control of your person.

Jack: … …

Jack: You mean– this thing will protect me from the virus?!

[It takes a moment for him to understand that Jack was talking about the sickness that had overtaken the Mighty Numbers, but then he nods.]

Piers: Yes, that is exactly the idea. It only protects the wearer, however; it does not have an area of effect or the ability to be used as a healing talisman.

Jack: …So it’s just for me. Got it…

[Jack takes a few seconds to inspect the ring a little before putting it on. It fit perfectly.]

Jack: Wow…feels weird…

[…But in a good way.]

Jack: …..

Jack: ….

Jack: (…This can protect me… I won’t get sick. Man, that makes me feel a HELL of a lot better… I guess I really am lucky, having this kinda stuff available… but Kate…)

Piers: I can see you have a lot on your mind… and your gear suggests you have nowhere to go. Would you like to spend the night here? At least then you will have a roof over your head.

Jack: Uh— A-Are you sure? You said Felix is… sick, I, I don’t wanna… be a bother, especially in a time like this--

Piers: Nonsense. It is no imposition whatsoever.

Jack: …

Jack: …A…Alright. I… need t’ think over all this, maybe…. Y…yeah. Thanks.

[And think them over he did.

… … …Kate…. The only person who ever gave two bolts about him…the woman who saved his life…

The woman who had believed in him when no one else did, who had been there to comfort and protect him, who had pulled him out of harm’s way…

The fearless agent who had championed his cause after he was out of surgery, who had kept the press and the forces of darkness at bay…

The… friend he had shared laughter with, who had made his days more than just “bearable”…

She was out there somewhere in America, alone. In the midst of all this.]

Jack: … …

Jack: (….No…No freakin’ way. It’s crazy. YOU’RE crazy.)

Jack: (If she IS OK, somewhere, then yeah, nothing to worry about then–)

Jack: (….But…if she ISN’T…)

Jack: … …

Jack: Sonofva[GLITCH.]

[Without another word, Jack yanks his old biker trenchcoat off from the floor, and heads for the door.]

“Where are you going?”

Jack: !

Jack: Uh—

[Piers was up, dressed in a simple cotton shirt and slacks, with a robe drawn about him. He looked at Jack patiently, clearly waiting for an answer.]

Jack: I…

Jack: I’m sorry, Captain, but—I really have to go—

Piers: …

Piers: Very well.

Jack: !

Piers: But before you do, permit me to at least prepare some supplies.

Jack: I…

Jack: I don’t know if I can carry any more…

[Piers smiled at this.]

Piers: We’ll see about that.

[He went over to one of the storage chests in the room and unlocked it, pulling out a well worn traveling bag. He disappeared off into the kitchen for a moment, before returning with just the bag again.]

Jack: What’s in the bag?

Piers: Some healing items. I am unsure if they would work on you, but I am inclined to think they would. There’s also a change of clothes that should fit relatively well; you’ll want them if you travel for long. There’s also some water and a few defensive items. You may take a look for yourself.

[The first thing he notices is the…wow there is a WHOLE lot more room in here than what it looks like on the outside—how is that even physically possible.]

Jack: …. Are you sure you won’t need this?

Piers: Very. We won’t be traveling for some time; your need is far greater.

Jack: Okay then…

[He proceeds to stuff the cooler in it because NO WAY was he going to drag that thing the whole way.

After some thought, he puts much of what was in his backpack in there as well. Then he puts the bag in one of his many pockets, hauling up the backpack onto his shoulders.]

Piers: -Turns to face Jack, looking at him thoughtfully before giving a gentle smile- I see others have supplied you for the journey ahead as well. I must say… it’s nice to start off a quest with something at hand.

Jack: No kidding…

[Piers opened the door and led Jack outside. He looked ahead down the path, pointing to the horizon.]

Piers: Keep your sights on that city, and you shall arrive where you seek soon enough.

[…WOW OKAY. There was a city there that was NOT there before—

—and what’s more, it looked familiar! It was definitely somewhere from Jack’s own world!

Jack looked to where he pointed–his violet eyes widening as he locked his gaze into something familiar in this huge mess of chaos–it almost felt relieving to see his destination at last.

…In fact…judging from the city skyline–it almost looked like…]

[..Seattle?]

Jack: … …

Jack: I REALLY hope it’s not gonna be raining by the time I get there…

Jack: That city is almost ALWAYS raining, see…

Jack: (…It’s better than nothing, at least.)

[Piers smiled a little.]

Piers: Do you have a poncho you could use? That’s what I’d recommend.

Jack: Oh yeah… now that you mention it….

[He pulled it out and put it on, and then put the goggles on as well. The night vision activated immediately, making the whole world a lot easier to see.

…He REALLY felt like he was about to embark on some important journey, now that he thought about it…

…Probably because he really was.]

Jack: …-Exhales-

Piers: Godspeed on your journey, my friend. Return home safely upon its completion—and may that be soon.

Jack: Thanks, Captain. Thanks for everything.

[He turns away, eyes set on the horizon, rain clouds already starting to form over the distant, war-torn city of Seattle.]

Jack: …Godspeed…yeah…

Jack: (I’m gonna need all the luck in the world for this…)

[In an instant, he starts to sprint off. Might as well get a head start and run for it…!]

Jack: (Just a little further, Kate…! I’m almost there…!)

Jack: (Just hold on until then…!)

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

=CHAPTER 8D: TRAPPED BY LASER LIGHT=

~AO v2.0~

((Courtesy of @codedhopes))

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

[SANDA LABS....]

[Ah...It looked like Beck fell asleep mid-transfer, a tired but satisfied look on his face as he used his rescued brother as a makeshift pillow.

Will looked like he had been through his own personal hell himself—he looked so frightened when he walked in with Soi—but he instantly perked up when he saw both of his sons...]

Beck: Zzzzz....

Shade: Zzz....

[Peacefully asleep.]

Pyro: -I am hardly surprised at this-

Will: Shade...

Mikhail: -An exhausted kind of relief- Praise be to God and His mercies. He’s safe.

Dyna: -BZZZT BABY BROSZZ—-

Cryo: -MOVE GLITCHES WE GOTTA GET THEM TO BED—-

Brand: ...-Leaning against his elder plane brother, just, tired but relieved-

Avi: -WEEEEEH, SHAAAAADEY, BECKERSSS—-

Pyro: (Thank God...thank God, we're...)

Pyro: (We're all here now...safe, together, at last...)

Pyro: (We're all home...)

Mic: ;W; -Family is all together again!-

Bat: -Hnmm- Too right, brother.

Bat: ...good to be home.

Will: (At long last…)

Mikhail: Will, I need to talk to you about handling the memories of the event and preventing overload.

Mikhail: But I know you’re still busy…

Mikhail: So please… don’t overdo yourself, my friend.

Will: .....

Will: I...I know.

Will: I'll keep working on the code...In bits...

Will: (....I'm sorry....)

Will: Soi can begin with Shade's and Beck's repairs...

Will: ...Bat...Mic. I...I need you to stand guard outside the repair bay.

Will: Once Shade wakes up....

Will: ......

Mikhail: I have recommendations regarding that, too, but again…

[He trails off when he notices his friend’s state of being.]

Mikhail: Will.

Mikhail: You don’t look very good.

Will: I—

Soi: Will had a panic attack.

Will: —....

Soi: He got worried over the government calling again—you know how THAT went the last time. >>

Will: (Soi...)

[Mikhail, however, just seemed… tired, now. More sorrowful than anything else. This did not go unnoticed.]

Brandish: …Doctor, are you alright?

Mikhail: …

[He was not alright. He was beginning to feel shaken and sorrowful, now that the relief was wearing off, giving way to dread and guilt.]

Mikhail: -Softly- I have done much I need to answer for yet, Brandish. -Strained- And in the end, you could say my task proved in vain….

Will: —…

[Of course. How easy it was to forget, with his own sons safely home. But… “in vain”? Surely he couldn’t mean…]

Will: Where…

Will: Where is Cardinal?

Mikhail: -Looks away- …

[He swallows after a moment.]

Mikhail: …We never retained visual long enough to compensate for a lack of signal, and then Tobias had a Stop error. I had to pull him out.

[He takes in a deep breath and lets it out in a huff, looking up.]

Mikhail: He… is still at the White House.

Will: —! What?

Pyro: . . .

Brand: ...Doctor?

Will: Why...hasn't he returned—?

Mikhail: …

[He looks away again.]

Brand: (...no, wait, he...he can't mean...?)

Mikhail: -Softly again- Dare I even say it…?

Mikhail: Nay… not even now. To hear them spoken aloud would bring you much grief, for otherwise there is the opportunity to yet deny in the heart what the mind understands…

Brand: (No—it can't be, this is Cardinal...)

Mikhail: -Somewhat strained- Cardinal did not return because he could not.

Cryo: But—but—! -Flails- But you said hell and high water wouldn’t stop him from his quest, so—!

Mikhail: …

Mikhail: Yes… and that is true. While he yet lived, nothing would have stopped him.

Will: (L-lived?! PAST TENSE!?)

Mikhail: -Deep breath again- Cardinal…

Mikhail: Cardinal is Offline.

Will: C...Cardinal—!?

Pyro: It—no—

Cryo: BUT—BUT— -On the verge of tears—-

Brand: -Pales at this, placing a hand on his elder for support- Cardinal...?

Bat: Ghn... (I knew it, damn it, I knew it, but I didn't want to BELIEVE it—)

Mikhail: I do not know more than that…! We cannot bring him back at this point without a visual…!

Call: Attention.

Call: We no longer have any security clearance to Xel Transfer onto the White House, nor any where near the property.

Will: What?

Will: --Then how are we supposed to--

Call: Attention: I am receiving calls from the Pentagon stating that they request to question Doctor Cossack about units DLN-008 and DLN-000.

Will: --!!

Mikhail: …

[He was literally shaking as he put a hand to his face, shivering from the chill lab air and his own concerns and fears.

He looked very tired, somewhat shaken, and more than a little depressed.

A man at the end of his rope.]

Soi: … (He looks like he’s about to have a nervous breakdown…)

Soi: We’ll take care of that for now. Let them know that Mikhail is indisposed.

Mikhail: Soichiro…

Soi: -Turns to Will- I think you should take the rest of this day off, Will. Please, get some rest.

Soi: Both of you. <<

Mikhail: …

[The older man doesn’t even argue.]

Mikhail: Aright. I’ll try to get what sleep I can. Call, please wake me as soon as possible after their return as long as it is after the current REM cycle is complete. You have my permission to closely monitor bioreadings to keep track of that.

Call: Yes, Doctor Cossack.

Mikhail: I am making hot chocolate and going to bed, hopefully be up by dinner.

Mikhail: Good day.

Soi: See you later, Mikhail.

Will: .....-Waves-

Will: (Oh, Mikhail...with the government asking so many questions, I can tell this is wearing you down to your wit's end...)

Will: (When will this nightmare END?)

[SANDA LABS, EVENING…]

[At last, after the longest, hardest week the White family and friends have had to endure in all of their time…

They were together again.

Scarred, injured, and some even still resting from the chaos…

But together.]

[It was nothing less than a miracle, born from the will of an unlikely timid boy forced to turn to his own strengths in the face of madness. In the span of a few days, he had gone from the meek, fearful screw-up to the world’s savior and last hope.

Even the key to what might be the cure to the nation’s robotic pandemic lies within him.

…And yet…

Beck Amadeus White, tried as he might, could not stay asleep for long.]

[There were too many thoughts. Answered questions that begot even more questions.

He had done what he had promised, and had done it as best as he could.]

Beck: … .

[…Or has he?]

[Love, compassion, respect and trust…

The basis and very essence of the bonds of friendship and companionship.

He was told, by his own father, by his own siblings, that these were the things that could make the world a better place…

That could help people, no matter how lost they are.]

[Beck believed that there was good in everyone– even people like Graham, Gravecrasher, or Blade…

And that no one–of flesh or Xel or otherwise–was truly born evil, or at the very least, it wasn’t their fault.

…

So that had to ring true for her, didn’t it?]

[Hurt and pain, tragedy, loss, all the sorrows of the world…

That is what made good people turn for the worse–those with not enough love or compassion or trust or respect in their lives…]

[So…

Was it not enough?

Did he not try…hard enough…?]

[He knew there was good in there–over the very first year of his life, even when he was so young, and still learning of the world–

He saw it.

Buried deep within rage and fear, bitterness and vengeance–bloodlust and insanity…

He saw it.]

[A light–still burning strong in the face of all the horrors that mankind was capable of. In the face of time, in the face of the very darkness it was now a part of…

A ray of hope beneath the mask.]

Beck: ……..

[He saw it, in the way spoken without malice, in the way spoken about others of their likeness–in the way that he looked at her and she looked at him without all the pain he never knew how deep it really went.]

Beck: (Where are you…?)

[He was more saddened and worried at the thought of it–he wasn’t angry, although he wondered if he should be.]

[In all honesty, he’d be more heartbroken if what he was dreading turned out to be a reality…]

Beck: …..

[And he was frightened at what he would see in his dreams should he surrender to sleep.]

Beck: (Ugh…)

Beck: (This sucks…)

Beck: ……

Beck: (Maybe…maybe she’s okay…)

Beck: (If…If she’s infected, I think we would have noticed by now…)

Beck: (But only…things and Xelbots that were offline or turned off didn’t get infected…)

Beck: (So does…that mean…)

Beck: ………

Beck: -Siiiiigh-

Beck: (I should at least try and get some rest. If Dad’s really going to use my Xel Filter Program to fix everyone, then at least that’ll help her too.)

Beck: (…And then I can go find her myself.)

Beck: (She’s a survivor. She’ll be okay.)

Beck: …..

Beck: -_-; (I wouldn’t be surprised if she was having the time of her life…The whole nation’s probably an all-you-can-eat buffet to her…)

Beck: -Shivers- (Ugh, I don’t even wanna imagine it…)

Beck: (Got enough nightmares to potentially have, thank you very much…)

Beck: -Stares at the ceiling-

Beck: ….

Beck: I guess I can re-read all of my Star Wars comics again….

[SANDA LABS, REPAIR BAY…]

Soi: Whew…

Soi: I got at least half of his repairs done–mostly just replacing the things that got, uh, fried. At least he’s still out of it for now…What about you, Will?

Will: Hrmmm…

[Will worked at his console as usual, typing furiously with purpose.]

Will: (…Gah, I can’t remove the source codes directly, that just makes the whole thing fall apart…)

Will: (…Perhaps I should work on modifying Beck’s Xel Filter Program–but if they analyze that too…)

Will: Not much headway, I’m afraid. Even WITH this latest sample…

Soi: …I see…

Will: (….)

Will: (I thought I was… through.)

Will: (I really, really thought so…)

Will: -Sighs, locks the code again-

Will: I think…I think trying to get the Xel Filter to work on a mass scale is more pressing, now that everyone is home at last…

Will: Doing that might be a bit tricky, though. It’s not as simple as just taking it out and copying it–

Will: It’s a program I designed with very…specific specs and coding.

[Undoubtedly, Mikhail would have been fascinated by this conversation.

But despite being in the same room…

…he was asleep on his notes.]

Mikhail: Zzz…

[The overworked Russian had a lot on his mind, and he had stayed up all night the night before working on the final key to his own puzzle.

And now, determined to be on hand when Cardinal came back, he had followed Sanda’s orders on a technicality.

Oh, he was resting, alright.

But judging by the empty mug of hot chocolate, he hadn’t even made it to a couch before falling asleep in the lab.]

Soi: … >> I told him to–

Will: … -Sighs- Leave the poor man alone, Soi….

Will: He has his…his own troubles now.

Will: ……

Will: (I’m sorry…)

[PING!]

Will: –?

Mikhail: Zzz…

[CALL] //: Doctor Sanda, we have a call on the emergency line.

Sanda: -Sighs- That’s been ringing off the hook, Call, we know there are people that need–

[CALL] //: Our private emergency line.

Sanda: –?!!

Mikhail: Zzz…

Will: But…That line is for Sanda Staff only–

[CALL] //: Mr. Seijiro Sanda has granted special permission given the gravity of the one who is calling.

Mikhail: Zzz…

Will: ……

Will: And…That would be….?

[CALL] //: Madame President Minerva.

Will: …….

Will: Call…

Will: Please tell me it’s not THE PRESIDENT of the United States–?!

[CALL] //: Affirmative, Doctor White.

Will: No no NO–!

[Mikhail abruptly wakes up, looking startled.

Will is OUT of there before Soi can even react, wow, can he move fast–]

Soi: Will–!

Mikhail: -More awake now, and very grouchy to be so- {What…}

Mikhail: -Feels around for his glasses and puts them on- {What’s going on, what was the shouting just now?}

Soi: E–Er–

Soi: Oh man…

Mikhail: Call, please explain? Your father is at a loss for words. </grumpy>

[CALL] //: Yes, Doctor. POTUS is currently on our emergency private Sanda Tech line as we speak.

Mikhail: …

[He seems to turn a bit pale. Kind of hard for a man in his condition.]

[CALL] //: Madame President Minerva was given clearance to use this line by the CEO of Sanda Technologies.

Mikhail: …

Mikhail: Stall for me.

[AAAAAAND HE’S OUT.]

Soi: Wha–Mikhail–! Don’t you two do this to me AGAIN–!

Soi: ….

Soi: (Crikey…)

{Meanwhile…}

“Will! WILL!”

Mikhail: -Runs after him- Will, wait!

Mikhail: {Will! We… we need to talk!}

[Will stopped dead in his tracks–whether for when Mikhail called him or out of absolute terror was hard to tell.

But he was quite not well, evident by the sharp intakes of air and the balled fists.]

Will: I–…Mikhail…

Mikhail: -Puts his hands on Will’s shoulders- Will, I…

Mikhail: I’m sorry.

Mikhail: …But it’s better you hear this from me now, rather than later…

Will: (–!)

Mikhail: I…

Mikhail: I’m going to have to talk to her, Will.

Will: –!!

Will: Wh–What–?! No–! You can’t–!

[He grabbed his colleague a bit roughly by the shirt, forcing him to look him in the eyes—there seemed to be some sort of cold fire to them.]

Mikhail: I HAVE THINGS TO ANSWER FOR, WILL!

((Pic—Mikhail & Will (shouting)))

Mikhail: I sent Tobias into the Cloud to get to the White House and interfere in their security!

Will: -Wince- (But…–!)

Mikhail: I’m sorry, Will…

Mikhail: It was for good reason, and I’m prepared to pay the price for it.

Will: (P-price…!)

Mikhail: I wouldn’t have done that unless I was truly desperate. And trust me, I was.

Mikhail: I need his hardware intact for me to fix him.

Will: –But–isn’t…isn’t all of their self in software rather than…?

Mikhail: …

Mikhail: -Swallows- …Yes… and that’s… that’s why.

Will: I don’t understand…

Mikhail: The software runs on the hardware… that is the primary copy.

Mikhail: Backups to the database are inactive copies.

Mikhail: If both are destroyed, the data completely lost… then… then the Awareness is effectively dead.

Will: –!!

Mikhail: That’s part of why the Robot Master Database was founded. Industrials were meant to wear out their bodies and get new ones. They… they are property, Will, that’s just how it works—

Mikhail: But what happens when there isn’t a backup to begin with?

Mikhail: What… what happens when… when the software is too old to properly connect with a constantly updating database?

Will: –?!

Will: T…Too…Old?

Will: (C… Cardinal…?)

Mikhail: …It’s hard to say for sure as I keep the respect of staying out of their files…

Mikhail:  But I don’t think he’s actually had his AI_OS backed up to the RMD in over a decade, if the records exist at all.

Will: ……

Mikhail: He… he’s always been afraid of changing his software. He wasn’t… properly coded, in the beginning.

Mikhail: But unless a construct updates their software on a regular basis, they lose the ability to communicate with the Cloud. Without the Cloud, then everything they are is tied to their chassis hardware.

Mikhail:  If he has… … if he had been too damaged to recover data from his body… he could very well have died.

Mikhail: If… if his self-destruct sequence had gone off… we probably would have lost him.

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

Will: John 15:13…?

Sanda: Why would…?

[MN.2] //: Is it some kinda code, or…?

[MN.1] //: ….

[MN.1] //: “No greater love than this…”

[MN.1] //: “…than to lay down his life for his friends.”

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

Mikhail: I… I got desperate. I couldn’t let that happen.

Mikhail: What… beyond the loss that would have been—

[His voice becomes bitter in pain.]

Mikhail: The man saved my daughter’s life, he saved my life— he leads their family, he keeps the two sides of the wretched eternal war in our home world in check—

Mikhail: What that would have done to your son…

Will: … .

Will: (Oh, Mikhail…!)

Will: (If only I could tell you–I understand–!)

Mikhail: … I don’t even want to think of it. Brandish took the brief fight with Shadow hard enough, but this…

Mikhail: -Hangs his head-  I couldn’t let it happen….

Mikhail: In retrospect… having Tobias fight off the security also helped make things a little easier on him, on your youngest son, by preventing everything working against him to the degree they had been working before. The distraction helped with saving the President too, I imagine.

Mikhail: But I will be honest—at the time I was really only thinking of Cardinal, and I’m sorry.

Mikhail: Between everyone’s efforts, we all made it out alive—and that is all I could have hoped for, so…

Mikhail: I am willing to pay.

Will: … (Mikhail…)

Will: (God, if I lost you, too, to…to them, I…!)

Will: (If only I was as half as brave as you are…)

Mikhail: I’ve been somewhat negligent in my duties as a Doctor out of the desire to let the boys handle their own lives. I was unwilling to enforce my authority when it was most needed. At least six people have suffered greatly as a direct result of that weakness. My irresponsibility has placed travelers from my world at risk by allowing an unforgiving spotlight on unusual phenomena.

Will: (No, please–please, this is all my fault–! I should be one where YOU ARE, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND–!)

Mikhail: What happened with the Queen’s Finals and on the highways could have been passed off as lingering issues born from their early lives. It would even have been plausible to say that the lack of files and records was related to the data breach not that long ago.

Mikhail: That is no longer the case.

Mikhail: The boys and I have gotten too much trouble to run from any longer. There are things that have happened which will no longer be overlooked.

Mikhail: Cardinal has entangled himself directly in government affairs, as has Tobias. There’s the very real question of security being put at risk, with what they did while they were there. Tobias in particular, since he now is under heat from investigations in two entirely different countries.

Mikhail: They are going to want answers, Will. They will not rest until they feel they are through. There isn’t much for them to find, but it is enough that it can’t be avoided. Trying to shift blame onto Doctors Light and Wily won’t be enough to avoid what is in store. Someone is going to have to give an answer.

Will: (What can I do, what–there must be something, I–I won’t–)

Mikhail: The simple fact is that all the incidents in question only have one clear link between them—

Mikhail: Me.

Will: (I won’t let them take you away from us–!)

Will: (If it comes to that, then I swear–!)

Mikhail: This time, Tobias was acting under my orders. I woke him up specifically to break into the system, disable it, and give us feeds from the cams.

Mikhail: Such… such an action is…

Mikhail: …not something easily forgiven.

Will: (N…No…!)

Mikhail: …I must… I have to answer for this, sooner or later. It’s the right thing to do.

Will: (I can’t lose another–not again–!)

Mikhail: I’m sorry, William…

Mikhail: After all this time, after all you’ve done for me… I’ve gone and done something terrible, something that places you in danger.

Mikhail: I certainly won’t let anyone put that onto you.

Mikhail: -Places a hand to Will’s face- You’re like a cousin, or… or even brother to me. And I know this is hard enough on you as it is.

Mikhail: Believe me, Will, I know what this is like—

Mikhail: I’ve seen it happen with MY sons before.

Mikhail: Even worse, I was the one who sent them there, the reason they ended up like they did.

Will: (Gnk–!)

Mikhail: The aftermath was… is very hard. I don’t… -In clear emotional pain- I don’t even have them all back yet. I’m still… still in the process of piecing us back together.

Mikhail: But you…

Mikhail: You’ve been doing such good work, you… you’re already under enough stress as it is… you should definitely not be hounded by the things I’ve done using your equipment. The things my nephews have done throughout this whole mess…

Will: … … ….

[Too much. It was all too much.]

[Of all the things Will had to hide…]

[Tears…]

[Now that was the one thing he could never quite master how to conceal.]

Will: Gh…!

[Suddenly, Mikhail would find a surprising strength in Will–of the physical kind, that is, once he had latched onto him–as if…]

((Pic—Mikhail & Will (hug)))

[As if the whole world was trying to tear them apart.]

Will: You–You have to promise me–!

Will: Promise me you’ll come back–please…!

Mikhail: -Blinks- …

[He returns the hug, though a gentle one.]

Mikhail: Oh, William…

Mikhail: I still have important work to do, my friend.

Mikhail: No government or government agency—no leader, no use of force will keep me from bringing my family back together.

Mikhail: No matter what happens, I will be coming back. That is not something I even have to promise… it is mere fact.

Mikhail: ({I’m not native to your world—I exist outside of it. So… even if…. Even if it were to fall to the worst possible outcome…})

Mikhail: Just… stay strong, alright? We’ll make it through this. I promised you that, remember?

-*-*-*-*-

“Listen… If anything ever goes that wrong for you, I /promise/ you I will help you find a way to fix it.”

-*-*-*-*-

Mikhail: I intend to keep to that.

[…..]

Will: -Sniff-

Will: (…Mikhail…)

Will: (…That’s right…The two of us…)

Will: (…You…don’t know how much we’re both alike…)

Will: …I…

Will: I really…wanted to show you around…

Will: I… -Sniff, choked laughter- I guess that’s out the window now…

Mikhail: -Weary smile-

[He ruffles Will’s hair a bit.]

Mikhail: We’ll see about that, Doctor. This isn’t the first time I’ve had to answer for myself before high office.

Will: -Sniff- Right…Here be dragons…

Mikhail: да.

Mikhail: Go…

Mikhail: Go see your sons, Will.

Mikhail: Be with them. Be with your sons and daughters. You have them back now.

Mikhail: And you and I both know exactly how priceless of a treasure that is.

Will: ….

Will: Y…Yes…

Will: Alright…

Mikhail: …

Mikhail: -Gently- Will?

Will: Mm?

Mikhail: That means you have to let go, Will.

Will: ….

Will: …!

Will: -Aaaand does so- Oh–I–Sorry, I, Ah–

Will: -Awkward noodle, how do we people–

[That gets Mikhail to laugh.]

Mikhail: -More hair ruffles for friend- Haha…! Alright, why don’t you go get something warm to eat? If anyone else wakes up, they’ll probably want to join in with you. Maybe make me some hot chocolate for when I get back. | )

[This seemed to be a statement more than a question, as with that said… he walked off, his lab coat swishing slightly behind him.]

Will: …Okay…

Will: ….

Will: (…..)

Will: I’ll…do that.

Will: …

Will: (Friend…)

{Meanwhile}

[Shortly after Mikhail had left, Call patched the line through.

Sanda was greeted with a somewhat disgruntled looking Madame President.]

Soi: (Ugh…Dealing with the government not once but twice in the same week…)

Soi: (The two of you REALLY owe me double for this…)

Soi: -Ahem-

Soi: M-Madame President! Sorry for the hold up–I-uh, apologize.

Soi: T-To what may be the reason for your urgent call? (Please don’t say Will or Mikhail, please don’t say Will or Mikhail–)

Min: Doctor Sanda.

[She lifts something onto the screen.]

Min: Is this yours?

Soi: –!!!

Scout: : D -LOOK, IT IS YOU, THE SNACK GIVER-

Scout: -LICKS THE SCREEN-

Soi: …..

Soi: Uuuuh…

Soi: I…Oh, dear…

Soi: -Inhales- It…yes, he is. Goodness, I wonder how he got there… (Scout, how in the WORLD did you end up in the White House–?!)

Soi: (–Oh, right…)

Soi: (Cardinal. -__-;;;; )

Min: And the cat?

Soi: –?

Soi: I…I’m sorry, cat–?

Min: Yes, Doctor. The giant cat that is currently preventing the White House from being thoroughly secured—is that also yours?

Soi: –!?!?

Soi: (Giant cat–oh no—JAZZ–)

Soi: …Er. (That–that isn’t even close to what I was expecting, what do I SAY–?!)

Soi: (Ngh, if I don’t tell them it’s ours, Cardinal will kill me–)

Min: If it’s not yours, we’ll have to disable it. It’s blocked off an entire room looking out onto the Lawn.

Soi: –….

Soi: (Cardinal….)

Soi: (Mngh, I can’t let the government get ahold of Jazz, though–she’s not Xel, if they shoot her and they find she’s not, then–!)

Min: Doctor. My men said they saw someone on the ground in there. We need to secure the area, and we need to get into the room and retrieve any fallen members of staff.

Soi: (Ack!)

Soi: (Will–Mikhail–I can’t hold them off anymore–!)

Soi: (What…What do I do…)

“The cat does not belong to Sanda Labs, no."

Soi: –!!

[Mikhail strides into the room, looking weary but determined.]

Soi: Wh–what are–?

Soi: (What are you doing, Mikhail–!)

[DR.WHITE to DR. SANDA] //: S–Soi….

Soi: –!

[DR.WHITE to DR.SANDA] //: …L…Let him do this.

Min: …

[DR.WHITE to DR.SANDA] //: …. (Good luck, Mikhail…)

Min: Doctor Михаил Сергеевич Казак.

Min: How fortuitous of you to show up. There are a lot of questions surrounding you, Doctor.

[She did not seem pleased, and there was a tension in the air that could not be surmounted. She was a woman who demanded answers, from whom answers had been withheld. She was clearly not one to be trifled with, especially now.]

Soi: …

Mikhail: CSU-001 is DLN-000’s support unit.

Min: …

Soi: —! (R…Right off the bat—?!)

Soi: (Nngh…Mikhail, I know you have experience with this, I HOPE you know what you’re doing…)

[It took a moment for the President to realize the implications of what Mikhail had just said. When she did…]

Min: —?!

Min: That…

Min: That’s DLN-000 on the ground in there?!

Mikhail: -Closes his eyes, bows his head, and sighs- … да.

Soi: … … ...

Soi: (Shade…Oh, Shade… Don’t worry, we WILL get Cardinal back here somehow…)

Mikhail: -Adjusts his glasses before he looks up- Madame President, I can understand your anxiety, suspicion, and concern—but CSU-001 has…

[A pause.]

Mikhail: …

Mikahail: -Decides to start over- Well…

Mikhail: …She’s a cat. -___-;;

Min: -Lowers eyelids slightly- By which you mean, she will not obey orders the same way a dog will. Why design a support unit that way?

Mikhail: >_>

Min: No matter. If she’s dangerous and will not obey, she must be removed.

Mikhail: -Holds up hands in a “I’m not armed” gesture- I agree. If you would let Pyrogen enter—

Min: So you are all working together, then.

Soi: -Wince- (Mikhaaaaaaaail…)

Min: -Somewhat coldly- I hope you answer the next few questions very carefully, Doctor.

[The look in Cossack’s eyes was the only indicator that he was starting to wear down on patience. His tone remained passive, and he seemed tired more than anything else.]

Mikhail: …Do you intend to put me in custody? Under what charges?

Min: I’m sure the Attorney General would have plenty if it came to that.

[DR.WHITE to DR.SANDA] //: Not if I have anything to say about it–

[DR.SANDA to DR.WHITE] //: Shh, Will–it won’t, we promise….

Min: Why are you being so defensive and confrontational?

Mikhail: Because I’m being listened to and recorded to right now, madam, with no idea how many are listening. -_- I will not speak so freely under such conditions.

Mikhail: Right now, I believe it is more important to focus on the physical aspects of the situation. CSU-001 will not answer even to Pyrogen, but she will be less likely to attack him. And even if she did, he would be able to, as you Americans say… “tank” it.

Mikhail: DLN-000 is in desperate need of extreme hardware repairs that are life-threatening. If he destabilizes, it will end very poorly. Readings that my database received suggest he needs to have a core replaced.

Min: While that is the case, we don’t think it is a good idea to allow anyone to teleport to or from the grounds right now; cybersecurity is another matter.

Mikhail: -Raises an eyebrow- And is that something you want to be saying right now, even over a private line?

Min: —…

[She pursed her lips together. After a pause…]

Min: This isn’t your first time dealing with the government, is it? ¬_¬

Soi: (You have no idea.)

[DR.WHITE to DR.SANDA] //: -Well, she figured THAT out quick…-

[DR.WHITE to DR.SANDA] //: Come on, Mikhail…I know you can do it…

Mikhail: -Turns his hands over to show his wrists- I understand that you have a lot of questions, and that these questions regard matters of dangerous and troubling natures. But your staff promised Sanda Labs that there would be full cooperation when necessary.

Mikhail: I am merely asking you to hold to that promise. I’m the one with answers you want, yes, and…

[He curls his hands into fists, and they shake slightly.]

Mikhail: I’m willing to go into questioning about them.

Min: -Blink blink- -Did NOT expect this kind of answer-

Mikhail: All I ask is that you think very carefully about who gets to hear the answers.

[DR.WHITE to DR.SANDA] //: -Ngh…-

[DR.WHITE to DR.SANDA] //: -As long as they don’t take him away–ngh–

Soi: ….

Soi: (Okay…So Mikhail…Is going to answer their questions, but if they ask to speak to Will…)

Soi: (He gets terrified at the thought of it and I know why…)

Mikhail: -Looks up again, turning a hand to the side in gesture- Please understand, Madame President— Jazz and her master both need to get out of there as soon as possible. Mighty Number Nine is currently undergoing his own repairs and recovery. Given the current situation, Pyrogen is the only one who can safely diffuse it.

Mikhail: If you’re so worried about any further “funny business”, I’m sure it shouldn’t be a problem if he’s watched while he picks them up.

Soi: ( ! Good idea…Really, all we’re doing is picking them up and nothing else…)

Min: Very well, you do have a point.

[She looks over her shoulder.]

Min: I have a personal interest in DLN-000’s well being. I’m sure the Secretary of Defense will be fine with leading the escort into the White House.

”…To be honest, a guy that can survive a headshot is someone that would be a shame to lose, but that’s just me.“

Min: -Smiles a bit at that-

Mikhail: … -Blinks-

Mikhail: He took a hit from Shade to his helmet?

Des: -Peeks over Min’s shoulder-

Des: Actually, we shot him in the head when he got into the Oval Office–that is one darn good helmet he has there.

Des: Desmond Donald, by the way. Secretary of Defense. I also have a few questions for you, Doctor Cossack.

Mikhail: -Flatly- No, I’m not a spy.

Des: –… (Great. Another genius who's short on patience.)

Des: It really isn’t your first rodeo, isn’t it… (Let's just hope he actually IS as cooperative as he claims he's going to be…)

Mikhail: нет.

Mikhail: The answers I have aren’t exactly something that everyone should be hearing.

Des: And why would that be? (He obviously has SOMETHING to hide….)

Mikhail: Well, for starters— I’m sure you have a lot of questions about DLN-000.

Mikhail: I am his Doctor, yes, but he is more than just a patient to me. He is also a good family friend. Answers regarding him lead into information about my daughter—

Soi: ( ! He mentioned Kalinka…)

Mikhail: And quite frankly, I will not have her endangered.

Mikhail: One who has landed themself in this position must answer for what has been going on. Investigations require answers. But only those who have a right to know should be handling such answers.

Des: … a right to know, huh…

Des: Well, I think I do.

Des: DLN-000 was wearing what I am sure to be dog tags.

Des: And– -Turns to Min- Believe me, someone with a good helmet like that, able to by-pass our security and go toe to toe with one of the world’s top Battle Colosseum fighters…

Des: Believe me, I would know if we had someone like that.

Mikhail: -Wry smile- Got you in trouble, did he, Mr. Donald?

Des: -~- (Why is it they always pick up these things without me SAYING it? Ugh…)

Des: Look…

Des: I don’t know if he’s in some… secret division or whatever, if he’s military–

Des: …Well.

Des: The man saved Min’s life, no matter which way you look at it.

Mikhail: And I can assure you he wouldn’t like you harassing his Doctor overmuch. He went to the trouble of saving mine once, after all.

Des: ….

Des: -Turns to Min again-

Des: He’s a soldier, Min.

Des: No one left behind.

Min: …

Min: -Siiiighs-

Min: You’re a person of interest, Doctor Cossack. I’d much rather have some of our staff look him over, if you want the honest truth.

Mikhail: That’s not going to work. If you wish to question me, however, that can be arranged. But he needs to get out of there.

Min: You would delay his repairs, potentially deny them altogether? : |

[The implications of that emphasis were not lost on the beleaguered Russian.]

Mikhail: …

[At that, he seemed broken in surrender, but with too great a dignity to openly give in to despair.]

Mikhail: -Quietly- Well, I seriously hope it doesn’t come to that, that’s an awfully chilling fate to walk off to.

Soi: ….

Soi: I…If I may…Suggest something…?

Mikhail: -Turns to look at Soi- ?

Soi: -Ahem-

Soi: -Exhales-

Soi: …..

Soi: DLN-000–his very life is at stake.

Soi: Please, if…If it helps–Sanda Enterprises is a very secure location, and our lines have the best security we can offer. You had to get permission from my brother before getting on this line, even.

[DR.WHITE to DR.SANDA] //: SOI WHAT ARE YOU DOING–

[DR.SANDA to DR.WHITE] //: Trust me–

Soi: If you like…After DLN-000’s condition is more stable and not in great danger, we can set up a room–monitored and with our most secure line–so that you can question Doctor Cossack as much as you want. I…

Soi: I’ll even answer some myself if I have to.

[DR.WHITE to DR.SANDA] //: Soichiro–!

Soi: Just…

Soi: He’s….he’s our friend. Please…

Soi: The more we wait…

Min: …

Mikhail: …I find this to be an acceptable answer.

Mikhail: I can assure you I’ll be staying here in the lab until repairs are over. DLN-000 needs my help with repairs, after all—I’ll hardly skip town, let alone country.

Soi: Call–my daughter, she can even give you reports.

Mikhail: Actually, I’ll need her help, Sanda—as an assistant—if she’s not on a different assignment.

Soi: Yes…Yes, certainly…

Min: -Looks at Des for a moment- …

Des: …..

Min: -Looks back- Very well.

[DR.WHITE to DR.SANDA] //: !

Min: It’s not what I’d consider ideal, but negotiation is all about give and take.

Min: As a representative of the republic, I don’t quite trust you, Doctor Cossack, and there are questions that will need to be answered.

Min: However, you have been more or less cooperative and you have agreed to remaining within a confined area and undergoing questioning. And character testimony certainly counts for something.

Min: Mighty Number One has clearance to meet the Secretary of Defense outside the White House and proceed to retrieve CSU-001 and DLN-000.

[DR.WHITE to DR.SANDA] //: –!!!

Min: And after that…

[She holds up Scout again.]

Min: I believe this one needs to go back home as well.

Scout: : D!!!!

Scout: -SNACK GIVER, HELLO AGAIN- Rarf! ^^

[DR.WHITE to DR.SANDA] //: Oh dear God we completely forgot about Scout–

Min: But before I let you go—

Min: I have a homework assignment for the two of you.

Soi: !

Soi: (…S…She means Mikhail and me, right–)

Min: This critter was looked over by the veterinarian on staff. It is not a dog, and it is not a raccoon.

Min: I hope your biology research will have an A+ answer as to what it is and to why and how it keeps doing this—

[She takes one of Desmond’s pins out of Scout’s mouth.]

Des: ??? -Again–

Min: Even from up to several yards away.

Scout:  D: -Nuuuuu-

Min: -Scritches for the Scout- -It’s okay, you’re a good boy-

Scout: : D!!! -Yaaay, nice lady is nice~-

Soi: Eheh…Er. Well, his name is Scout, and ah…

Soi: …H-How about we leave that to when you question me? ^^;;;

Min: That’s the definition of a homework assignment, Doctor Sanda. -Amused smile-

Soi: -Yup we knew that, just making sure- -Thumbs up-

Min: -Chuckles- Alright.

Min: -Turns to Des- You’d better get over to the White House then, Des.

Min: -Signals for the feed to cut out-

-BLIP!-

Soi: …..

[Suddenly, someone running into the room–]

Mikhail: ?

[GLOMP–]

Will: You did it–

Will: Both of you did it–!

Will: -Oh God for a second there I thought both of you were going to get taken into custody, SOOOOI–

Soi: –Oof–

Soi: Aw, Will… ^^

Mikhail: -Aw, group hug for Will- It’s alright, William. Things will be fine now.

Mikhail: The President seemed mostly to be acting in the interests of your republic, and not out of personal aggression. Trust me, that makes it much easier.

Will: …..

Will: Y…You didn’t have to do that, though, Soi…Putting yourself…

Soi: Eh…Will, I’m in charge of the American Branch. I’m pretty sure they would have gotten to me eventually. ^^;;;

Soi: Besides, as long as you’re not going to get questioned or anything like that…

Soi: It’s worth it.

Will: …Soi…

Soi: I always got your back, Will, remember? ^^

Mikhail: -Lets go to clean off his glasses- Call, please tell Pyrogen to report here. I need to… warn him about some things before he goes over there.

[CALL] //: Yes, Doctor.

Soi: I’ll get back to repairing Shade and Beck, then.

Soi: ….Right after a hot meal and a nap. ^^;;; -Oof, we feel rather shaken and exhausted…-

Mikhail: You do that. -Slight grin- I had my nap. Now it’s your turn.

Will: I–

Soi: You are going to do the same and spend time with the rest of the Mighties.

Soi: Jeez, Will, where would you be without me? | )

Will: Eheh…Up the creek with no paddle…

Mikhail: Alright, gentlemen. Let’s get going.

[When Pyro reported to the lab again, he was concerned and confused.]

Pyro: ...Doctor...

Pyro: Father...

Will: ...Son.

Pyro: Is...Is everything alright? -VERY concerned, you both seem very tired...-

Mikhail: -Takes off his glasses to rub his left eye with the heel of his palm- That’s… debatable. Both Doctor Sanda and I will be undergoing questioning later.

Pyro: I--beg pardon--?

Pyro: Why? You've both done nothing wrong, what is going on--?

Mikhail: There are things that we can’t run away from any longer, Mighty Number One.

Pyro: —…

Mikhail: The time has come to pay the piper. -Shakes his head- It is what it is.

Pyro: ...I...

Pyro: ...does this have something to do with why you called me?

Mikhail: Yes and no…

Pyro: ?

Mikhail:  Pyro…

Mikhail: …I’m afraid I rather volunteered you for a journey. I’m going to need you to do something.

Pyro: —?

Will: -Deep breaths- ...Yes...

Will: Not...Not all of us are home, Pyrogen...

Will: Not yet...

Will: The Robot Masters are offline for good reason, and Beck is in no condition to go anywhere.

Will: ...

Will: You must go and retrieve Cardinal posthaste...

Will: You are strong—and delicate enough to move him here without causing more damage, and I think, by now, some parts of the building have caught fire.

[Mikhail pinched the bridge of his nose.]

Mikhail: ({Electrical fire. Oh, Cardinal, why did you have to use something so powerful on an important point like that? You must have been truly desperate.})

Will: Once he is here, Mikhail can begin repairs...

Will: But with the Robot Masters offline...

Mikhail: …I’m going to need someone else to bring him here, for starters. And others to assist in repairs.

[He sighed, putting his head in his hands again.

He seemed… old. Truly old, and weary of the world. And he was exhausted.]

Mikhail: Will…

Mikhail: I really, really wish it could be you.

Mikhail: That’s what he would have wanted.

Will: (Mikhail...God, I'm sorry, this is my fault...)

Mikhail: -Turns to Pyrogen- Avi saw him getting injured to the point where oil spatter was visible from a far distance.

Pyro: -wINCE-

Mikhail: And he is Offline, in a way that brought Beck much despair. Offline, to where Jazz will suffer no man to pass.

Mikhail: Pyrogen…

Mikhail: I greatly fear that you may find that it is not a self-preservation way of going Offline. For he would have cared little for that, as long as his quest lay open…

Mikhail: I fear, Pyrogen…

Mikhail: I fear you will find that he has gone Offline because he is dead.

Will: --?! Wh--... (No--no, not again, not this, anything but this--)

Pyro: D...Dead?! (Cardinal--is...no...)

Pyro: (He's...)

Pyro: (He can't... that's why...)

Will: (Pyrogen...I can't--God, no, please, not another--!)

Will: -Very much pales...but holds fast.-

Mikhail: It may be a fearful thing you see, and… I am truly sorry. I would not place this burden on you if I had any other choice. If… -Trails off-

Pyro: …

Pyro: .... (Cardinal...)

Pyro: (You...)

Pyro: (...you AND Beck...)

Pyro: (You both just wanted us all home...)

Pyro: -Clenches a fist in resolve- …I will go.

Pyro: Beck...

Pyro: Beck swore to us--all of us...that he would bring us ALL home.

Pyro: But now that he can't go on in his condition...

Pyro: ...it is...only just that Cardinal returns as well.

Pyro: I will bring him home--because he deserves that much, for all that he's done.

Pyro: ...Beck...AND Shade...would've wanted it that way...as do I.

Mikhail: …

Mikhail: {Thank you, my soul-nephew. Alas…}

Mikhail: Good luck, Pyrogen.

Mikhail: (I’m afraid you’re going to need it…)

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

=CHAPTER 10D: THE MACHINE DRAWS NEAR=

~AO v2.0~

((Courtesy of @codedhopes))

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

[SEVERAL HOURS EARLIER, TITUS MAXIMUM SECURITY PRISON…]

Soi: Horf...aaugh, that was way too much walking for my liking…

Call: We have arrived at the Prison, Doctor.

[The hulking fortress of steel and tower loomed ominously over the father-daughter pair, it’s once strong doors blown wide open by some massive force. Inside, there was a loud chaotic noise of many different prisoners and wards either dealing with each other, or the surely infected robots that were also trapped within.]

Call: I detect several Xellular signals within the complex, Dr. Sanda. Signs of viral infection also detected.

Soi: Oh, boy…

[The large, soft-hearted doctor nervously gulped as they both headed inside--the cool air was welcome, but it didn’t much help the situation they found themselves in.]

Soi: Oh, Will...I really hope you and the Mighties are alright…

[While the Whites were busy storming the Robot Factory, it was up to Soi and Call to take care of the Prison break-in--and ensure the personal safety of Dr. Blackwell, who had been imprisoned for life for his cyber-terrorism crimes against the country…]

[...And maybe, get some answers. Although Soi really didn’t think someone like Blackwell would be very willing to give them.]

Soi: Whoever heard of breaking INTO a prison…? (What’s your game here, Graham--?)

Soi: ...But...we need to talk to Blackwell, so...C’mon, Call!

Soi: The sooner we can get this over with, we can get out of here!

Call: Yes, Doctor.

[MISSION DETAILS: TITUS’S MAXIMUM SECURITY PRISON HAS EXPERIENCED A BREAK IN. MULTIPLE DANGEROUS PRISONERS HAVE ESCAPED. DR. BENEDICT BLACKWELL IS HOUSED WITHIN THE DEEPEST PART OF THE PRISON. VIRUS PRESENCE CONFIRMED.]

[MISSION OBJECTIVE: ESCORT DR. Soi AND LOCATE DR. BLACKWELL TO ENSURE HIS PERSONAL SAFETY. QUESTION DR. BLACKWELL FOR POSSIBLE INFORMATION OF THE VIRUS. AVOID VIRAL INFECTION AT ALL COSTS.]

[SUB OBJECTIVE: MINIMIZE RMDC IMPACT, MITIGATE PRISONER THREATS.]

[SYSTEMS READY?]

[GO!]

Soi: Any prison built to house a genius like Blackwell will be a tough nut to crack into...we’ll just need to search every nook and cranny until we find a way in.

Soi: Alright...this must be the main prison building. Dr. Blackwell’s cell will be deeper inside...although I doubt they’re going to just keep him in just ANY old cell..

Call: Analyzing…

Call: Results: Dr. Blackwell will be most likely somewhere in which security is highest. We will need key cards to access the maximum security wing.

Soi: Yes, you’re right…

[At the end of the hallway littered with prison cells at it’s sides, there were a set of blast doors blocking their path. A key card terminal was mounted just beside it, blinking red.]

Call: Please wait here while I search for the key cards, Doctor. This area is safe.

Soi: A-Alright...b-but be careful, yes? A-And don’t be long!

Soi: I...really wouldn’t want to be alone in such a...dim place…

Call: Yes, Doctor.

[Call boosts on ahead, using a built in jet pack on her back. She wasn’t much taller than Beck, thus her small stature makes it a bit easier to slip by the patrol bots. A few of the supplies from a nearby storage room were strewn about this hallway--]

[And on one was a bright red plastic card with a metallic strip.]

[CALL] //: I have found one of the key cards.

[DR.SANDA] //: Already? Fantastic! I think there is another door behind this one, though...either way, try to find one more before we move on!

[CALL] //: Yes, Doctor.

[BWAN BWAN BWAN--]

Call: ?

[Unfortunately for her, sporting such a bright pink outfit didn’t exactly make her dressed for stealth.]

Patrol Bot: -INTRUDER DETECTED-

[Although not infected, this patrol bot still had a function to follow. It’s dangerous shields sprinted forward to attempt to apprehend the Soi bot by knocking her over first--]

[CALL has entered Defensive Combat Mode.]

[Shoom!]

[She extends her hand forward and a bow like gun appears in it--the tip of it glows once before firing an arrow-shaped energy shot into the patrol bot--which knocked it far backwards.]

[Her shots weren’t modeled after Beck’s, though--while indeed damaging, they didn’t break apart Xel like Beck’s buster did. After a few more volleys of arrows, the patrol bot shut down from too much damage to it’s frame.]

Call: Threat neutralized. Proceeding.

Call: Scanning.

Call: ....Organic lifeforms detected ahead.

[As Call turned the corner, she was greeted by a fairly alarming sight--or as alarming as one can get for a bot with a limited emotion range. Green hues blinked in slight surprise at the hall filled with wards and guards--all either injured or simply unconscious. There was a few that Call could not detect any vitals in, either…]

Call: ….

[The gruesome sight doesn’t seem to faze her as much as a normal bot would react to, at least. She steps carefully over the crew, eyes scanning their bodies--until she finally spied another key card poking out of a out cold guard’s back pocket.]

Call: -Swipes it-

[She makes her way back with all due haste--Back with Soi, he could definitely hear all the blasting going on, making him pace with worry and fraught.]

Soi: Ooh...Will, I really wish you were here…! I’m not really the kind of scientist for field work…! Much less this...Gh… I don’t even know how to defend myself…

Soi: (And don’t even get me started on your Dad…)

Call: Doctor?

Soi: --! Call! Did you--

Call: I have the key cards. We must proceed quickly.

Soi: Yes, yes! Let’s go…

[Beep! Beep!]

[As both doors opened for the two, there was something on the other side--something that seemed quite lost and afraid. It was small and pink, with a lot of scratches on it’s tiny body. Once it spotted the Doctor and Call, though--]

Patch: :’’’D

Soi: ! Oh--A Patch Service Bot! Perfect timing!

Soi: Call, plug in to recharge your shield energy! Use that as fuel to power your energy barrier--It should have just enough to deflect enemy fire!

Call: Yes, Doctor.

[The Patch bot was more than happy to come with them--with a happy beep and a twirl, the Patch bot flew behind Call to plug into some ports on her back--and then it folded away to look like a pack.]

Call: Charging complete.

Soi: Good, good! Let’s keep going--

Call: Doctor.

Soi: --Oh, yes?

Call: Question: Why was I equipped with an energy shield?

Soi: --Er...huh?

[Soichiro was absolutely not expecting a question like that, at a place like this. Call blinked blankly at her father, patiently awaiting an answer while he fidgeted and thought of a proper response.]

Soi: W...Well...it’s just...uh...aheh…

Soi: You never know, you know?

Soi: I just...thought it would be a nice little feature to add to your combat mode, that’s all. Just...covering the bases.

Call: …

Call: Analysis: Doctor Soi had concluded that this unit would eventually come across dangerous situations at the time of this unit’s conception.

Soi: S-Something like that! ^^’’’

Soi: But enough talk, dear--we REALLY should get going before something else catches us. Come on--

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

[When Nico arrived on the scene, he looked somewhat disoriented. The air around him flickered, as if glitching with time itself.]

Nico: (Ugh, time warps… getting worse…)

Nico: (Pull it together, Alnico…)

[He did his best to shake it off as he looked around.

The facility was a lot larger than he had expected. He had been convinced at first that there was only one prisoner housed there, based on the way that people spoke of it. He could perceive now that this was not the case.]

Nico: (They're probably headed to the deepest part of the dungeon, so to speak…. So just making my way down should catch me up to them, right?)

[He began hovering down the hallway, casting bits of metal into the air. They created a floating shield of shrapnel about him, which he spun around in orbits occasionally.]

Nico: (Now let's see here…)

[BWAN BWAN BWAN--]

Patrol Bot: -INTRUDER DETECTED!-

Nico: !!!

[He gave a blast of a magnetic field, slamming the bot against the wall.]

Nico: Out of my way!

[He tossed it back behind him. When they started to come back, joined by others, his eyes flickered brighter green.]

Nico: So you want to play this the hard way? Fine then.

[Nico used SHRAPNEL SHIELD!]

[The cloud of shrapnel acted like a rain of daggers and knives, tearing into the patrolling squadron.]

[Nico used MAGNET MISSILE!]

K-CHUNK! K-CHUNK! K-CHUNK!

[The homing missiles sped toward their targets, latching onto them on impact. They blinked for a few moments before creating a small but powerful explosion, rocking the victims with the full force of the blast and ensuing shockwaves.

Between the rain of metal that had continued to swirl about and the bombardment of Combat-level grade of explosives, his opponents were reduced to nothing but crumbling Xel.]

Nico: -Grins slightly cruelly beneath his mask, feeling that little surge of a Wily's delight at the thrill of power- Heh.

Nico: I'll fight my way through if I have to.

[He wrenched out the shrapnel from the dissolving figures and carried on his way down the hall, moving with greater speed than before.]

Nico: (Now… where are you…?)

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

[MEANWHILE…]

[It’s a long trek through the labyrinth like prison--and the two weren’t exactly conspicuous on this stealth mission. Call did quite well despite not being dressed for it, though, easily sneaking past the various patrol bots still on high alert.]

Call: -From the vents- I have another key card, Doctor.

Soi: All the way in THERE? How?

Call: Unknown. Hypothesis: Someone threw it in here.

Soi: Bad day, I guess…

[Call kicks open another vent grate and crawls out, some dust on her hair. She brushes herself off some before motioning for her father to follow her.]

Call: The wing should be up ahead.

Soi: Oh, thank goodness…

[As Soi inserts the last keycard, the way into the maximum security wing opens--or at least the entrance was now available to them. It’s a long hallway with a large door leading into the wing--beside it, a large terminal was blinking idly.]

Soi: Ah--finally, something I can work with--!

[Call stands by the wing door while Soi gets to work on the terminal, typing away at it with vigor.]

Soi: If this is what I think it is--

[SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEECH!]

[Suddenly, a HORRIFYING demonic screech fills the complex, both in the air and across the feeds--before they shut off COMPLETELY, cutting off any feeds coming in and out of the prison….!]

Call: -ERROR--

Soi: -SCREAM--

Soi: Wh--What in the world was that--?!

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

[Nico reeled from the sound of the scream, a part of his mind becoming lost to static. It was abrupt and almost maddening—to be suddenly cut off in entirety from the RMD and everyone in it, left with nothing but his own internal experiences and thoughts. It was not like simply turning off the transceiver—this was worse, far worse.

He staggered and crashed against the floor in a heap, clutching at his head in pain.]

Nico: Nnnnhhh!

>ERROR X05: UNRESPONSIVE/DAMAGED SOFTWARE DETECTED

[Errors blared like a throbbing headache, and he was dazed by them. The only way he could think of to solve it… was to go ahead and shut it all down, send his transceiver offline.]

Nico: Nnnnnnggg…

[He pushed himself up off the floor, slowly hovering again. He was still a bit limp, trying to gather up his strength from the strange attack.]

Nico: …

[It suddenly occurred to him that he was truly alone now. There was no way to recall him at this point. If he continued forward, he ran the risk of self-destruction.

And unlike Cardinal, he did not have the jailbroken override function to stop it.]

Nico: … … …

[He pressed on.]

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Call: Error: My communication lines are unresponsive. This unit detects a jamming signal within the screaming just now.

Soi: Oh, poppycock...that i-isn’t good--

Soi: I--I’d better hurry up then--you watch my back, alright, dear?

Call: Acknowledged. I will stand by.

[There is nothing but the quiet sound of typing, Soi murmuring to himself as he did so. No comms...which means his phone wouldn’t work. They really were on their own on this one.]

Soi: Yes, this door is locked electronically...one second while I hack it open…

Soi: (I really hope I don’t end up getting arrested for this myself--)

[BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN--]

Call: Warning--

[INTRUDERS DETECTED. DEPLOYING UNITS TO LOCATION: MAXIMUM SECURITY WING ENTRANCE HALL.]

Soi: Great Caesar’s Ghost--They’ve found us! -SCREE, WE’RE GONERS--

[CALL HAS ENTERED OFFENSIVE COMBAT MODE. RESTRICTIONS: PRESERVE DR. SANDA.]

Call: Please focus on hacking the terminal, Doctor. I will try to neutralize any threats.

Soi: C-Call! Wait--!

[But it’s no use--drones were already closing into their location, easily outnumbering the lone Sanda Number. Call’s eyes glowed a dull green as she raised her weapon, a faint hint of a familiar focused gaze on her face…]

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

(...Nearly...Nearly there...at last…!)

[There was a furious red glow fast approaching, and the light it cast off scored all who dared to oppose it’s destructive warpath to it’s objective…]

(All these years...you could have come for me...could have looked for me...yet you chose to hide here…)

[It was far too fast for Alnico to even get a proper look at the mysterious whirlwind of red and rage, fully intent on getting past him.]

[SHING!]

Nico: ?!

???: OUT OF MY WAY!

[His shrapnel shield hurled about him, but it seemed to be of no avail on the powerful figure before him. He was rammed into and bowled over, completely overtaken by the new attacker.

Just as he got up again to his feet, however, it was gone.]

Nico: (What the hell WAS that? I swear this place has become nothing but chaos…)

[He gathered up his shrapnel again, ignoring the alarms that were starting to increase. Now that his transceiver was off, they didn't bother him mercilessly.]

Nico: -Tries brushing off some Xel and ends up smearing it- (Ewww…)

[He tried pursuing the new intruder, not wanting to let them run amok.

Unfortunately for him…]

"-SNARL…-"

Nico: …!

[He was given something else to worry about.]

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

[BLAM BLAM!]

Soi: I never thought I’d be hacking under GUNFIRE, for crapes’ sake--!

Soi: B-But I’ve almost got it! Just a little more, Call--!

Call: Yes, Doctor.

[Call pivoted to avoid oncoming fire from her right, and then activated her shield to deflect the patrol bots from ramming her to the ground. The biggest threat right now was a giant, bladed patrol bot, hurling it’s huge cutter right at the combat secretary.]

Soi: DUCK--!

[She dropped to the ground at the last moment, the blade harmlessly passing above her. It had a boomerang effect, unfortunately, but just as the cutter was about to return to it’s unit, the pink Xelbot got an idea…]

Call: Opening fire.

Soi: --?! Call?!

[BLAM BLAM BLAM!]

[SCREEEE--]

[Stunned by the sudden onslaught of shots, the bladed patrol bot couldn’t recover fast enough to catch it’s own blade. When it came back, it embedded itself into its frame with a loud, horrific screech.]

[THUD!]

[The massive patrol bot fell to the ground, dissolving into a giant puddle of Xel. The other patrol bots followed suit to Call’s accurate aiming and shielding, clearing the area of all other threats.]

Call: All hostiles neutralized, Doctor.

Soi: I...I can see that… (...Her fighting style was...different this time around. Huh…)

Soi: ...Oh! The door! Right, one moment--

[ACCESS GRANTED.]

[The door slowly slid open, granting access to the maximum security wing of the prison. It’s not as dead quiet as one would like--there were faint sounds of screams and shouting just down the hallways of cells.]

Soi: Oh, that’s encouraging…

Soi: ...Now I’m really starting to worry about Dr. Blackwell. You...You don’t think the robots around here have gotten into his cell already…?

Call: ….

Soi: …? Call?

[The secretary bot was strangely silent, staring straight ahead with a blank, yet...paused expression. As if she was in deep thought.]

Call: ...Interesting…

Soi: Uh...What is it, Call? Did you figure something out?

Call: ...I often detect an aversion to combat in Beck’s vocal patterns, while I have no such reluctance.

Soi: …! (...Has she been analyzing her own combat protocols this whole time? It’s the only reason I can think of, if she’s asking NOW…)

Call: Question: Why would Dr. White include that hesitation in his design?

Soi: --Er--

Call: Beck is an Arena Combat Model, built for the purpose of acting as the role of a healer for Team Mighty Numbers, due to his Xel Manipulation function. A common strategy when dealing with healers is to neutralize them first so that they will not restore their allies’ vitality. Analysis concludes that Dr. White would have known that this would make Beck a constant target for other combatants in the Battle Colosseum.

Call: To include a hesitation to combat in this setting...

Call: It’s...illogical.

Soi: ….

[For a moment, Soi allowed himself to mull over it. When Call put it like that, it...was true. It didn’t make SENSE that Will would specifically make Beck so afraid of combat when that was the setting he was going to BE in--why with Beck, when all the other Mighty Numbers weren’t the same way, when they COULD have? Growth aside, even if he hadn’t...would Beck even be the same?]

Soi: Mmm...yes, well...that, uh…

[KSSSST!]

Soi: --! (The monitor--?)

[The screen on the terminal suddenly cuts off from it’s database, and a video feed pops up. Once the static clears, a familiar Mighty Number comes into view.]

Avi: Yoooo, Doc Sanda-Man! Duty calls from Call, eh? Haha--! Thank the maker I reached you!

Soi: Wha--Avi?! Y-You’re supposed to be at the FACTORY, why are you--WHERE are you?

Avi: Mighty No. 6 is reporting LIVE from above the Prison! I got a hot scoop fresh off of CherryDyn’s production lines that just couldn’t wait another minute!

[The screen switches off from Avi to a series of blueprints…]

Soi: ---??

Soi: ...What is this…? Schematics for a Combat Model…?

Call: ...These are blueprints for a CherryDyn patrol type combat model, Doctor.

Avi: Bingo! I scouted up ahead and spotted a nasty guard dog! I’m talkin’ one sick puppy. Probably literally! And there’s more than one--

Avi: It’s part of a line called the Cerberus series! There’s three of them--each of them has a total of one, two, and THREE heads respectively! And they’re assigned to patrol high level security locations...like the Prison.

Soi: -PALES- Oh...Oh, no… (Call is...I don’t know if Call can HANDLE something this huge--!)

[The screen flashes back to Avi upon hearing his uncle’s distress.]

Avi: Hey, but I got a pro tip! Blast his big eye first! That’s his weak point. THEN go for massive damage! He’s only got one, so he’ll be totally blindsided if you knock it out first!

Avi: Should be no problem for our call girl! How’s everything holding up for you two?

Call: All systems are still operational, Mighty No. 6. Dr. Sanda is safe.

Avi: Great! I wish I could stay and provide support, but I gotta fly back to the Factory--it’s a PARTY in there, lemmie tell ya--

Soi: No time for stories, Avi--you can tell us when we get back home! Please, hurry back to Will--!

Avi: Roger! See ya, and good luck!

[KSSSSSSSSST!]

Call: ….

[Call stares back at the screen after Avi signs off, yet again with that paused expression.]

Call: It’s not only Beck.

Soi: --?

Call: All of Dr. White’s designs have such contradictions...

Call: Aviator has an aversion to blood despite being a news reporter. Cryosphere possesses no fear reactions even when presented with situations that incite it. Brandish imparts his teachings of Japanese fighting styles to those that show a certain level of temperament, rather than skill level. Even Seismic, who is the team tank of the Mighty Numbers, is one of the more rational of the line rather than Pyrogen, who sometimes shows levels of ill temper.

Call: Why put such imperfections on designs that would negate their very functions?

Soi: ...Have...you been thinking about this since we arrived?

Call: I have been analyzing this data for 6 months, 3 weeks, 4 days and 17 hours, Doctor.

Soi: ….

Soi: ...Oh. o~o

Soi: (That...long. Huh. I...I guess she takes time to analyze other data when she’s doing her desk work...?)

Soi: I...Call…

Soi: I’m sorry, but...could you wait just a little longer for that answer? We’re...in the middle of a mission…

Call: ….

Call: Affirmative. This unit apologizes for straying from the objective.

Soi: No, no...it’s alright.

Soi: We should head deeper. It’s not long now--Blackwell’s cell should be somewhere in there...

[Father and daughter make haste for the maximum security wing at last, and it’s nothing but a mess inside. Bars bent this way and that, entire walls were caved in and the lights flickered ominously, damaged by some heated scuffle that had occurred not too long ago, most likely by the convicts and wardens of the prison.]

“I ain’t gettin’ cored, man! I’m OUTTA HERE--”

Call: -Eyes glow green, raises bow--

Soi: Ack, Call, get out of the way--! [Soi had just enough time to pull Call to the side of the hall as a group of Xelbots and humans in prison uniforms were racing down the opposite way.]

“MOVE IT, Fatso--”

Soi: >|T -Rude--

[The panicked convicts were too focused on escape to care for a Doctor and his only child in the prison, freedom beckoning them just beyond the walls. Soi’s annoyed expression slipped away into worry and concern as he watched them vanish around a corner.]

Soi: …

Soi: ...They...They probably don’t know what’s going on outside, do they…?

Soi: Those Xelbots weren’t infected...I guess they were lucky, maybe they were in solitary confinement when the virus broke out…

Soi: (But there’s nothing that’ll protect them if they even do get outside...Oh, no…)

Call: Doctor.

Soi: --Er, uh...sorry, Call, I just got...sidetracked for a moment.

Soi: --! Ah, look--there!

[Finally, at the end of the hallway, there it was--the gateway to the cell of the most dangerous man alive, in the form of...some sort of elevator. It was rather plain looking, save for a singular plate with a serial on it.]

[P-2045453.]

Soi: I...uh. Is this it?

Call: Searching database.

Call: This serial seems to be the number assigned to Dr. Blackwell.

Soi: So his cell is… underground? O.o

Soi: (Did they really built all this just to house him down there? Good lord…)

Soi: ...Well...down we go....

[DING!]

[They both entered the elevator, the reinforced steel doors shutting behind them as Soi punched the button for down. They smoothly started to descend…]

Soi: …

Soi: (...Will never liked his own father…)

Soi: (He always seemed bitter whenever I tried to talk to him about it...and he always switched the subject over to something else. From what he says, Dr. Blackwell doesn’t sound very nice…)

Soi: (And I’m inclined to believe him...Will said he just left him and Rebecca when he was 10…)

Soi: (Still...this is the first time...and maybe even the last time I’ll get to see him face to face.)

Soi: (I have to wonder...has he changed?)

[SCREEECH--]

Soi: --???

Soi: -What is that horrible noise--

Call: -PING, WARNING--

[The horrid metal screeching seemed to be coming from ABOVE them--]

Soi: -Looks up--

Soi: --!!!! LOOK OUT!

[CRASH--!!]

[Falling through the roof of the massive elevator was a HUGE canine unit, it’s singular eye boring holes into the pair, teeth buzzing in it’s maw as it HOWLED. The noise was akin to an alarm being raised, and the REAL alarms seem to respond to it by going off themselves.]

K-9: -HOOOOOWWWWL-

Soi: -SCREAMS--

[Helpless Soichiro skids off across the floor until he hits a corner--the weight on the elevator was uneven, causing the entire thing to screech against the elevator shaft as they continued to move downwards.]

Call: This appears to be one of the Cerberus models.

[DSN-000 HAS ENTERED OFFENSIVE COMBAT MODE.]

Call: Threat confirmed. Initiating combat protocols.

Call: Analyzing.

((Pic))

[ E N C O U N T E R ]

[CDN. ERR - CODENAME: K-9]

[HEIGHT: 333 cm]

[WEIGHT: 1009 kg]

[XEL COUNT: 201,800,000]

[The K-9 CDN did not waste a single moment in it's movements, poising to lunge at Call with it's teeth bared. There's little time to react, but Call was ready--she easily slid under the beast as soon as it jumped to the other side of the elevator.]

Soi: aaaAAH--

[...Which in turn, caused the round Doctor to slide to the other end as well. The elevator was big enough so that Soi wasn't in any immediate danger, and the K-9 was solely focused on Call for now.]

Call: I detect no viral infection in this model. Doctor, please find a way to stop the elevator--

Soi: There isn't! There's no terminal or box ANYWHERE--

Soi: What kind of--gh--elevator doesn't have an emergency brake?!

Call: ...

[There's a slight change in Call's stoic expression, as if she's trying to process something other than her analysis protocols. She doesn't have time to finish, as the K-9 unit opens it's mouth to reveal a gun hidden in it's throat--]

[BLAM BLAM BLAM--]

Call: Barrier.

[In an instant, Call's Barrier shields her from the oncoming shots. Luckily, they were energy based, so they didn't ricochet off dangerously--after all, Doctor Sanda was nearby--]

Call: -Frowns- ...Error...

Soi: -Gg--

Soi: Call! Do you remember Avi's advice?!

Call: --!

Call: Affirmative, Doctor. Knock the eye out first.

Call: -Aims--

[BLAM!]

K-9: ROOOOWWWWWWWWL--

[The shot hit its mark true, and the canine bot howled in PAIN as it was rendered blind, it's eye shutting close against it's head. Call takes this opportunity to fire even more shots at it...but they only bounce off harmlessly against it's armor.]

Call: ...

Call: This unit cannot pinpoint any other weakness other than the eye...

Soi: That can't be the only way--there has to be another way to damage it!

Soi: Something that its armor doesn't protect--!

Call: ...

Call: Analyzing new data... 

K-9: AWOOOOOOOOO--

Call: -PING!-

[A spark flashes in Call's mind, manifesting as a sharp glow to her green hues. She bolts off towards the K-9 unit and jumps--]

Soi: CALL--!!

[Her foot SLAMS into its bottom lip, and the flash of her barrier goes up, forcing the K-9 unit to open its jaws wide--]

K-9: -HNGHE--

Call: -Burst of data- 

[And then she jumps right back into the air, mirroring Beck's back shot, unloading shot after shot right down its throat--!]

K-9: -SCREEEEEEEEEEEEE--!!-

Soi: -Covers his ears over that HORRIBLE noise, hnnng--

[Call lands on the ground as graceful as a dove, stoic as ever as as the canine CDN coughed and spazzed in pain, pawing at it's own snout and throat.] 

Soi: : D!! Brilliant! That's my girl!

K-9: Rrrrng...

K-9: -BWAAAAAAAAAAN--

[PING!]

"ALERT! ALERT! CONDITION RED RAISED TO CONDITION BLACK. CONDITION RED RAISED TO CONDITION BLACK. MAXIMUM SECURITY WING LOCKDOWN INITIATED!"

Soi: D:!! -Oh no--

Soi: (Now how are we going to get out?!)

[The alarms on the K-9 was responded by some stray CDN supply drones, who had found their way into the shaft through the damaged holes left behind by the fighting--and their cargo was both marked fragile and explosive.]

Call: --!!

Call: -BLAM BLAM--

[Fearing that the drones would target the Doctor, the combat secretary turned her attention at them, shooting them down and their cargo. The crate broke on contact, revealing another CDN inside--one that blew up after significant damaged was was taken.]

Call: Analyzing--

Call: -Grabs the bomb CDN-

[As it flailed in her grasp, she lobbed it at the K-9 unit with considerable force--it didn't explode on contact, however...]

K-9: RAAWWWR--

K-9: -CHOMP-

Soi: --!

Soi: It ATE it--

Soi: (--! Of course, it can't see! It probably thought it was Call!)

[SCREEEEEEEEECH--]

Soi: -Stumbles-- ?!

[The elevator suddenly jerked and slowed, metal screeching against metal as it halted right in the middle of the elevator shaft--as if they weren't trapped in here already--!]

K-9: -WHINES AGAINST THE SOUND--

Soi: -Our eaaaars--

Call: Analyzing...

Call: This unit believes we should stand back--

K-9: -Hack--HACK--

Soi: Butter and toast--! Help--!

[Call dashes over in a moment's notice thanks to her Jet Pack, hovering behind her father and pushing behind him.]

Call: Hnn...

Call: Patch--full output!

[JET PACK BOOST: MAXIMUM OUTPUT REACHED.]

Soi: Whoooa--!

K-9: -ERROR--ERROR--

[Call and Soi just barely made it outside the blast radius as the K-9's lower half exploded from the inside out, its dying, final howl echoing out into the shaft and shorting out into static...]

[THUD.]

[The Titus prison guard dog fell onto the elevator floor in a smoking, broken mess, charred Xel bleeding out from it's mouth and staining the pristine white.]

Soi: -Uuughh...-

Call: ...

Call: Threat Neutralized.

[DSN-000 HAS LEFT COMBAT MODE.]

Call: ...Doctor Sanda, are you injured?

Soi: @~@ A...A little queasy from all that shaking and tipping about, but I'm alright for the most part...

Soi: -Hooorf...-

Soi: You were really something back there...

Soi: But now we have other problems to worry about...

Soi: D: I think we're stuck in here, Call, I don't see anything that would help us out...climbing out seems dangerous, it's still a long way down...

Call: -...Frowns- This unit has exhausted all of the power from the Patch Service Bot. I am unable to fly outside and look for a solution.

Soi: (Oh no...that means she can't use her barrier either...)

Soi: (We can't call for help, can't get out, can't go down OR up...)

Soi: (Have...have we failed? Oh, Will--!)

Soi: Gnn...!

[The younger Sanda twin frets for a moment, before slowly getting back on his feet. There were still people in here, weren't they? Maybe--just maybe.]

Soi: HELLO?!

Soi: -Yells upwards- IS ANYONE UP THERE?! WE'RE STUCK--!

Call: This unit calculates the chances of survivors still in the prison are--

Soi: No time for that! Please, just--make as much noise as you can, SOMEONE has to hear us--!

Call: ...Analysis complete. This unit will use the elevator shaft's structure to ensure the best echo possible.

Call: -Takes a scrap from the K-9 and CHUCKS it-

[WHANG!]

Soi: -That'll do--

[The sound definitely echoed, that's for sure.

…

…Wait a minute, those weren't echoes…!

And there was another sound— growing louder. …Music?]

[There was a grating and screeching noise from the upper floors…]

[WHAM!]

[A cloud of swirling metal descended into the shaft.]

Soi: -SCREE—-

Call: -Blinks in mild surprise- ...It appears our call for assistance has been answered.

Call: Analyzing data...

Call: Error--cannot connect to the Sanda Enterprises server.

Soi: (That music...)

Soi: -Bangs on the side of the wall- Hello?! We're down here! Help!

[As if in response, the metal was sharply flung in a circular radius, embedding itself in the walls above.]

PING!

"Sanda?"

Soi: --!!

Soi: By Jove! Alnico, is that you?!

[Indeed it was. There was a fierce glow fading from his eyes as the DWN plunged down the shaft with purpose, coming to a silent halt and hovering in the air in front of them.

He was in full armor for once, making his expression significantly harder to read. But there was an undeniable flicker of something deeper as his gaze fixated not on the Doctor, but rather…]

Nico: …

Call: …

Nico: (They could almost be sisters…)

Soi: (...Oh.) o~o (Oh, goodness, I didn't think of that--)

Call: -Bows- This unit thanks you for coming to our aid.

Soi: I...uh. -Subject change go--

Soi: Y-Yes! D-Did Will send you as our back-up? There's currently no comms working right now...

Nico: - -; Hardly. I…

[He suddenly clutched at his head, and the air around him distorted with an audible fuzz and reverberation. It only seemed to get worse, and he clutched his head with both hands.

His powers abruptly reversed, sending him crashing to the side.]

Nico: -Pries himself off the wall, grumbling- Dammit, not now—!

Call: !

Soi: Nico--!

Soi: (What was...is this because of the disconnect from the server? Time? Or maybe both...)

Nico: Mmmnnrrgh…

Soi: Are you alright?

Nico: Relatively speaking.

[He seemed distinctly unhappy, though.]

Nico: More on that later. You asked me a question. No, Doctor, I was not sent.

[His eyes suddenly flashed a full green and he bared his teeth—not that they could be seen.]

Nico: No one would ever send me, you were all conspiring to CONCEAL THE TRUTH!

Soi: Aahh-- -Backs up--

[…But the temper faded just as quickly, and he looked away, somewhat tired and possibly even ashamed.]

Nico: …I saw you on the monitors and realized that there was trouble. After arguing with Siamini, I stormed out and came over here.

Call: ...

Call: -Blinks several times at that-

Call: ...Error...

Call: ...

Soi: -n-;;;; (Hnn...he's right, we shouldn't have hid Call away from him, but it was such a sensitive... issue...)

Nico: That… that all can wait until later, though. There's someone else here, but I can't connect to the server and there are very hazardous warps that are making things worse. My short-term memory is being jacked with, and without the server to reference, I'm starting to forget what happened on the way here and what happened after I got here. We need to leave as soon as possible.

Soi: Ack... alright...

Soi: ...But we need to finish this mission first.... Dr. Blackwell is at the bottom floor, but we're stuck...

Call: -Looks around- The floor is currently skewed at a 24 degree angle, Doctor. My analysis concludes that the elevator is stuck because we are not aligned with the shaft.

Call: Cause: Improper weight distribution.

Soi: >>;;

[Nico crosses his arms in thought, scowling a bit.]

Nico: I can move the elevator, but I doubt I'll be able to fix it. I want to keep a firm "grip" on the both of you in case I make things worse.

Soi: Mmng...we really don't have a choice anyway...

Soi: We HAVE to get the the cell at the bottom.

Call: Dr. Blackwell may be able to provide useful insight once we secure our objective.

Nico: …Excuse me?

[A brief pause.]

Nico: Nnn, never mind—

[There was a sudden tense feeling about them and a terrible noise of straining strands and grinding gears.

…While it was moving, it was slow and sounded like it was making things worse…]

Nico: Bah…

[There was a loud CLANK as the elevator abruptly righted into place and started descending both rapidly and smoothly.]

Nico: -Visibly surprised- Well huh.

Soi: : D! Well done, Alnico!

Soi: We should be there in no time...

Soi: I just hope he's alright, though before that K-9 unit came in here, there wasn't really any signs that anyone else came before...

Nico: -Gives a look- …You guys ran into a dog?

Call: Yes. A CDN unit that patrols prisons such as this one. K-9 must have been assigned to patrol this area specifically because Dr. Blackwell is held here.

Nico: I guess it would make sense to develop a pack…

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

[DING!]

[The elevator chimes as a very large reinforced door appears--of course, there was a keycard terminal next to it.

The door had a single window.]

Nico: -Flatly- If you don't have a card, I'm tearing it off its hinges.

Soi: No, no-- -VERY QUICKLY PULLS THEM OUT- |D;;; We ran into a lot of them on the way here! One of them must have enough clearance...

[Surprisingly, the first card he pulled from the many they collected indeed had enough clearance to disengage the lock. It opens with a small hiss.]

Soi: ....

Soi: -...suddenly very nervous-

Soi: (...I'm going to meet Will's father...)

Soi: (Founder of Xel Robotics and everything else aside, even. I...)

Soi: (I really wish you were here, Will...)

Call: ...Doctor?

Soi: ...--Oh, I...sorry. The...the reality of the situation just hit me all of sudden...

Soi: ^^;; I'm fine, I promise.

Nico: -Eyes flash full green again-

[But it abruptly dies down. He pinches the bridge of his nose, venting heavily.]

Nico: -VERY strained- Right.

K-TANG! K-TANG!

[He takes a protective position in front of the both of them, holding a horseshoe magnet defensively in each hand.]

Nico: Let's finish what we came here for, then.

Soi: Y-Yes...

[DSN-000 HAS ENTERED DEFENSIVE COMBAT MODE.]

Call: This unit is ready to engage should the situation turn hostile.

Nico: …

Nico: -Quietly- If I take too much damage, scram.

Soi: ...

Call: Affirmative.

[Nico seems to relax a bit at that, as if satisfied.

Soichiro opens the door with some effort--it's quite heavy, after all--and they all step inside the cell.

...It's...very clean. The floor is a mirror in of itself, and while the room is fairly big, there's not much in it. A table with no drawers and a plain chair, a sink near by, a separate closed off section that must have been the bathroom. Very reflective surfaces. Very....empty.

Save for, of course, the elderly man sitting at the lone bench that sat at the center of it all.]

((Pic))

Ben: So it was you making all that racket.

Soi: Ah, uh...h-hello, Dr. Blackwell...

Nico: …

[The Robot Master recognized an air of authority when he saw it in action. And this…

This almost reminded him of…]

Nico: (…Mikhail…)

[He subconsciously gripped at the magnets tighter as he was seized with the fear of a memory made sharper.

Mikhail himself was locked up as they spoke, and the situation looked rather grim.]

Nico: (All the more reason to /hurry/…)

[Ben himself obviously looked frail. Old. But the cold hues of blue he bore showed a deep will and wisdom only acquired with long life, and they seemed to bore holes into the three, relentlessly.]

Ben: I will admit, you three were not what I was expecting. Especially you.

Ben: Yes...you're one of the Sandas, aren't you? The scientist one.

Soi: -Gulps- Mn...yes, that's me. Dr. Soichiro Sanda.

Ben: -Looks at Call- ...And this is your daughter, I take it.

Call: -Bows- Greetings, Dr. Blackwell. I am Call, an Arena Combat Xel Type Model. I am a support unit for various tasks and purposes.

Ben: Mm. Manners. Very good.

[And then his gaze falls to Nico himself.]

Ben: ....

Ben: Interesting.

Ben: Very interesting. So there ARE more of you...

Soi: --!!

Soi: (Wait, does...how does he...?)

Ben: -Brushes beard in thought- Yes, that makes sense now. They did ask me about that other one.

Soi: They—?

Ben: Hm. Yes. That's what I said.

Soi: >>;;

Ben: -Taps his cane VERY loudly-

Soi: -Flinches--

Ben: What do you want?

Soi: (Gh...Not a very talkative person...)

Ben: You didn't come all this way just to free me, I take it.

Ben: More questions. Always more questions...

Soi: T-Then you know what's going on outside? The virus? The clashes, the chaos--

Ben: Of course I am aware!

[The sudden SNAP in tone and posture made the kinder Doctor step back in fear. Blackwell curled up a gloved fist so hard that it shook, his teeth gritting as he contained a rage that burned deep in his eyes...]

Ben: That is all I've been hearing! Questions, accusations, pleads to a solution I DO NOT HAVE!

Ben: What that twit Graham expect, activating HER again?! AGAIN! HMPH! Call: --?

Soi: I-I...what? Graham--from CherryDynamics?

Nico: …

[His eyes were slowly seeping into a full green. Nearby metal was starting to shake slightly…]

Soi: Wh-What do you mean, 'activating HER again?'

Ben: Who ELSE? Trinity, of course! THAT project, the one that I was against from the start!

Ben: Graham is OBSESSED with her, with USING her to 'disrupt' the weapons industry! The FOOL!

Ben: I STOPPED him last time, and what thanks did I get? A LIFETIME stay at this maximum security 'resort!' HMPH!

Ben: His GREED led him to ignore all the warnings I put, all the time and effort into ensuring her final rest! But does he CARE? Of COURSE not.

Ben: Money is his only god, and in that petty pursuit, he's DOOMED us...

Soi: You...you tried to stop Graham? He framed you?

Ben: He's done PLENTY worse, Dr. Sanda.

Ben: That is not a man you are dealing with. That is a d e m o n.

[There were quiet rattling and scraping noises that were growing louder…]

Ben: A demon that has destroyed EVERYTHING I've had...

Ben: And placed me here, to face the end of my days in SOLITUDE.

Ben: Though now I don't have long to wait, it seems...

Ben: I had to stop them, because there was...a chance...

[...There's a distant stare as he stops short, the grip on his cane tightening around a certain spot.]

Ben: ...

Call: ...Doctor?

Ben: --...

Ben: If it's true...if she has been activated again, and it's been this long...

Ben: Then it is over. There is NOTHING that can be done now.

Soi: Wha--

Soi: I--you--don't say that, there--there HAS to be another way--! We've been working hard on a cure, and there's been efforts to minimize the--

Ben: You don't UNDERSTAND!

[He abruptly stands.]

Ben: Trinity can assimilate any robot's programming and OVERWRITE IT, TAKE CONTROL of it!

Ben: And not JUST the programming! She can assimilate a robot's components, their parts, their CORE, expanding herself ENDLESSLY!

WHAM—

[The bench abruptly tore right out of the floor, SLAMMING toward the group.

Nico held out a hand to stop it in its tracks, his eyes a deep and VIOLENT /full RED/.]

Soi: -Shrieks, sidestepping to avoid crushed toes--

[Nico vented heavily and haggardly for a moment, before…]

Nico: -SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEECH— -

Call: !!

Ben: -Frowns at this-

Soi: -aCK--

[Bits of the bench started flying off in splinters.]

Nico: That BASTARD! /SON OF A BITCH!/ We all KNEW he was behind it, we should have NEVER LET IT /GET/ THIS FAR—!

Ben: (Obviously. But he's GOOD at avoiding responsibility and consequences, it's not like you would have GOTTEN far, anyway.)

Soi: -N-Nico--

Call: -Places herself in front of the Doctors-

[This was the rage of Wily and his sons, who had inherited his absolutely MADDENING fury.]

Nico: We let it slide for the sake of all of YOU, and what do we find—?! /That THING eats code, IT CAN /FLAY US ALIVE!/

Soi: I-I--

Ben: (...So she does. But we? Perhaps I was on the mark. How many more of you are there, besides those two?)

Nico: -Points towards the door, still holding onto the magnets as the shrapnel starts swirling around him- Who's been lying to us, Sanda, and for HOW DAMN LONG?! /THAT THING INFECTED THE WHOLE DAMN SERVER!/ If Mikhail hadn't had tertiary backups, there's a high chance WE'D ALL BE DEAD RIGHT NOW!

Nico: For God's sake, Sanda! It absorbed Tobias! TOBIAS, OF ALL PEOPLE!

Nico: We should have let him rip open their sever MONTHS ago, back when we found that ex-CherryDyn accountant funding Greater Dusk!

Ben: -Raises an eyebrow- (...So THEY WERE behind that as well. Not surprised...but their involvement in much less ethical things leaves a few questions answered...a group of non-Xel models, and a 'Mikhail.')

Ben: (That is most DEFINITELY Russian...)

Ben: (Who exactly have you tangled yourself up with, Bill?)

Nico: Instead, Jack takes a sawblade to the back, we all get a SECOND Monstropolis, AND EVERYONE GOES MAVERICK!

Nico: [Fraggin'] hell, Doctor—! Tobias nearly KILLED Avi on live television, Shadow tried to CUT OFF Seven's hands, AND CARDINAL DIED TRYING TO RESCUE SHADE!!!

Nico: And now Mikhail is under arrest for this whole mockery of fate! WE /ALL/ KNOW HOW THAT IS GOING TO [color=blue]END[/color], SANDA!

Ben: {ENOUGH!}

[C R A C K!]

[The bold, sharp crack of his cane hitting the floor, the authority behind the Latin, and the rising CLOUD of dark cubes of utter blackness behind him give the Doctor a dark, terrifying aura--he GLARES at Nico with a beastly snarl, the dark Xel behind him pulsing in RAGE.]

Ben: {SILENCE, boy! Your anger is misplaced, and your tantrum helps NO ONE.}

Ben: -Casts a hand to one side, the Xel follows- {You DARE repeat what I have KNOWN for years in front of ME?! Had I not been locked away, I, too, would have taken action--but at what COST?!}

<DWN-018 has entered Defensive Combat Mode.>

[Nico's eyes flicker from full red to full green, and then start fading back to normal.]

<DWN-018 is now Online.>

[He's left with a mournful look of stifled anxiety, smothered by a forceful strain on emotion in the face of wrathful authority that denies the right to feel at all.

Within moments the color leaves his irises entirely, making what little is visible of his expression black and hollow.

With almost anyone else, he may "tearfully" give a hoarse protest, but…

Not with a man who was as unforgiving of shortcomings as the likes of Doctor Benedict Blackwell, and everyone knew that other than the Cossack series…

Robot Masters couldn't cry.]

[The poor ex-Industrial bowed his head in smothered agony, filled with intense despair in the face of such deserved outrage. He was shaking in sorrow, and seemed to be anticipating an extremely severe punishment.]

Ben: -Growls-

Ben: Bah! How PITIFUL. If this is what the rest of your kind is like, I'm sorely disappointed.

Soi: Hey--!

Ben: -GLARES-

Soi: O~O!!

Ben: You. -Jabs his cane at Nico-

Ben: Clean up your own mess. NOW.

Ben: I hardly have any place to sit besides that bench, so I would APPRECIATE it if it was back where it was.

[There was a tense pause for a moment, and then Nico mercifully seemed to relax. The tenseness in the air dissipated and the pieces of the bench started silently drifting toward the main feather, seamlessly fitting in to where they had been torn. The bench was righted and gently put back into place, even bolted back into the floor.

Nico was quiet for a moment, breathing deeply as if gathering his courage for something. He closed his eyes.]

Nico: ``…Everything…``

Nico: ``…Everything… isn't that right…?``

[He dared to glance up, raising his head just enough that his turbulent green eyes were slightly visible when he opened them, looking on in tired and sullen defiance. He held eye contact for a few bold moments before slowly shifting down—not out of cowardice, but in weariness.]

Nico: ``You're right about the cost…``

[He closes his eyes tightly, searing with regret.]

Nico: ``What you don't know is we've already seen this happen before. When we came here, we wanted more than anything to make sure it never happened again.``

[He turned his head away.]

Nico: ``I deserved what you said. So how could I have reacted otherwise?``

Nico: ``But don't…``

Nico: ``Don't judge the others based on the misery you see in me. They don't deserve it, especially not the two oldest…``

Ben: Hmph.

Ben: I would say 'we'll see about that', but quite frankly, I'd be surprised if we lasted more than this coming week.

Nico: -Raises an eyebrow- (I'd be even more surprised if you were let within sight distance of David, but there you go.) 

Ben: If she's been activated...then it's already too late. Trinity cannot be stopped. Keeping her Offline was the ONLY thing stopping her from consuming ALL into herself. It's been an entire week and a half...

Ben: In all this chaos, all the robots she must have absorbed...

Ben: It will not be long before Titus falls.

Nico: …

Nico: (Why Titus specifically?)

Soi: I... n-no...

[The black Xel seems to gather around Ben like a shroud, a cloud of despair and sorrow as he sits back down onto his bench. After a moment, he heaves a long, deep sigh. The Xel around him behaves as such.]

Ben: And after that...no, she won't stop. She will spread, and spread, seeking out more to assimilate and consume.

Ben: It is... possible, perhaps, to survive in an environment like this. Closed off. No way in or out. But that in itself is only prolonging death.

Ben: -Half-lidded, entirely DEAD gaze, void of hope or life- ...run, Soichiro.

Ben: Take your daughter, your friends, your loved ones, and run.

Ben: If you leave now...you will still have a chance...

Ben: ...Maybe.

Soi: But--!

Ben: Listen to me.

Ben: Every second you waste here lessens your chance of survival. You need to leave me here and run as far away from Titus as you can. You run, and you do not stop--

Soi: We are NOT leaving you behind--

Soi: He would never--

[BANG--]

Soi: --?!

[B A N G--]

[The group turns at the sound and sight of the cell door, which was already dented considerably--]

[B A N G--!]

Call: Error, I detect no--

Nico: >>;;; If this were me, I'd have blown it outwards, not drawn it inwards. This isn’t my doing, I sw—

[BANG--!!!]

Ray: -DEMONIC SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE OF R A G E--

Soi: AAACK--!!

Ben: --?!?! GNNN--!!

Call: E--ERROR--

Nico: ?! -Struggling to stay focused through growing errors- (Why…)

Nico: (What the hell, why does she sound like Kate?)

[Nico probably shouldn't have taken those seconds to think about that. Because in those few seconds, the red raging bot had teleported in a blaze of fire from her spot, and reappeared right in front of him--]

Nico: !

Ray: -BURST OF WILD DATA--

[SLASH--!!]

[Claws--sharp claws, talons, TEARING--]

Soi: ALNICO--!!

Ben: -Backs away, wide eyed in disbelief, utter disbelief--

[Nico retained enough Awareness to hear and to try and use his magnetic power to distance himself as he fell to his knees, hand over his power core. The damage was massive—much more than he had ever endured and lived. He couldn’t handle much more of that, though— he could feel the MASSIVE drain on his core as his body worked to repair the damage.

When his mind tried to pull on cross-references, it seared him in pain, for he was unable to do so. To make things worse…]

Nico: -Silently, so silently across channels that aren't working, silently screaming in pain and despair— -

[The air around him was much harsher and distorted and seemed to echo things that had just happened and murmurs of things about to happen, and through it all, his injuries were doubling.]

[DSN-000 HAS EN--]

[Call never got the chance to fire off a shot, or even entirely enter her combat protocols--a heel met the side of her torso, dark claws grabbing onto her blond hair and RAMMING her head into the floor.]

Soi: CALL--!!

Call: -Pain--

Call: -Flash of green in her eyes--

[DSN-000 HAS ENTERED OFFENSIVE COMBAT MODE.]

[Her bow gun appears, and she shoots directly behind her, RIGHT into the hostile robot's face. She SCREECHES in pain, recoiling as it burned her unprotected eye.]

Soi: STAY AWAY FROM HER--!

Ben: -Heavy EMOTIONAL breathing--

[The older Doctor could not keep his eyes off of this mysterious bot that had suddenly appeared. He was too shocked to respond to anything else--]

Call: Doctors, please flee--

Ray: QUIET!

[Flames danced, wicked, SICK violet flames, so very familiar--]

Call: --!!! WARNING--

[WHAM!]

Call: GHNK--

[A fist makes heavy contact with Call's gut, causing her to double over, the air knocked clean out of her systems. 

At this point, Nico recovered enough to move again. His reaction—even though the database couldn’t support a deluge of cross-references—was immediate.]

<DWN-018 has entered Lethal Combat Mode.>

[Nico used MAGNET MISSILE!]

[The screech of the Missiles makes for Ray's form--]

Ray: -Turns around, snarls--

[SCREE--CHOMP--]

Soi: --?!? What on EARTH--?!

[In an impressive display that was nothing short of horrific, Ray had caught the Missile in her mouth, revealing row upon row of sharp, razor TEETH--]

Nico: !?

[The missiles exploded, and Ray roared. Whether it was in pain, annoyance, or defiance was hard to say.

With a sharp growl, she takes Call by the throat and drags her over towards Nico...]

Call: -Gnn--

[When Nico tried to throw her off-balance by adjusting magnetic fields, she held steadfast. Annoyed, she started adjusting her grip to become something more like a crushing vise.]

Ray: END your foolish antics, or I’ll snap her pretty little head off!

[Nico abruptly stopped, visibly shaken. She took the opportunity to rush at him.]

[WHAM!]

[He was thrown to the ground with considerable force. Angered, his eyes flashed red, and he raised the arm that had a launcher.]

Ray: WHAT DID I JUST SAY?!

[With her free hand, she took a sharp swipe across his arm, tearing gashes that split the launcher and ripped open the panel with the Power Capsule. This time, Nico screamed and his systems screeched from the pain.]

Soi: No! STOP IT! LEAVE THEM ALONE--!!

[Soi's pleas fell on deaf ears. Ray stomped on the fallen Robot Master, RADIATING sadism and rage.

Nico looked up into the unforgiving half of a face, overcome by a wave of intense and indescribable heavy emotion.

Here, he was looking into the face of death. He needed time—so much more time—to think, to understand, to comprehend.

But of course, he wouldn’t be getting it. And if he died before getting the chance to reconnect to the RMDC, he would forget everything.]

Call: -Ghnn--!

[The Sanda Xelbot’s cries of pain spurred his fighting spirit once more, though, and he bared his teeth in a snarl and grabbed the boot pinning him to the floor, clearly intending to force his way free and keep on fighting.]

Ray: Idiots...

Ray: -Aims her buster--

[BLAM!]

Nico: AUGH—!

Ray: STAY there and bleed.

[Not for long, he wouldn't. Oh, coolant was running along so perfectly cruelly, but the wounds themselves seemed to be… repairing?]

Ray: Tch...

[BLAM BLAM BLAM--]

[Nico put a hand to what was left of his throat, glowing with surge. He gave a stream of woeful pings of warning, clearly concerned with something beyond the horror of the fight and overall dreadful situation.]

Soi: STOP IT! PLEASE! YOU'RE KILLING HIM--!

Ray: Quiet, HUMAN...

Ray: Be thankful that my rage does not ask for YOUR blood...

[She turned her predatory gaze to the aged prisoner.]

Ray: ...but HIS.

Ben: ...

Ray: Hello, Father.

Ray: Did you   m i s s   me?

Ben: ....R...Ray...chel...?

[She loomed.]

Ray: Oh, don't tell me you've gone senile in here. Raychel is d e a d...

Ray: Now it's just ME, the MONSTER you've created when you left me to D I E.

Ray: -Wicked, cruel smile- It's funny how karma works, hm? It comes back when you very much least expect it.

Ray: You and I...have SO much to catch up on...~

Ray: But first...

[C R U N C H--]

[Nico’s speakers crackled in the wake of the damage.]

>WARNING: DAMAGE APPROACHING CRITICAL LEVELS

>SELF-DESTRUCTION IMMINENT

Call: -Hnnh--!-

Ray: I'm going to make sure these PESTS don't get in the way.

Soi: CALL--

Ray: Oh, they'll live for NOW, Doctor. It won't matter in the end, though.

[She took a moment to lick loose, oil and coolant-covered Xel off of her talons before giving a wicked grin.]

Ray: After all, SHE'S almost ready for her GRAND debut...~

Ray: The final show the Colosseum will EVER have!~

Ray: And you, dear Father? You and that rotten excuse of a man get front row seats.~

Ben: ...R...Raychel--

Ray: -TOSSES Call aside-

[Call slams into the back wall in a heap, her head hitting the floor again with a sick crack. Soi screeches and rushes to her aid immedately--but as for Ben...

The sound of his cane clatters to the floor as Ray slowly, very slowly, takes her time in approaching Dr. Blackwell.]

Ray: I'm going to enjoy...EVERY last moment of YOUR SUFFERING...

Ray: And when it all BURNS...when everything in this useless city falls to her, I will PERSONALLY escort you BOTH to the gates of hell m y s e l f...

Ben: -Fear, sorrow, h u r t—- Raychel—!

[Claws grab at his shirt and coat, a TWISTED, crazed smile decorating her face, flames flicking at Blackwell's form as if they, too, wanted nothing more than for him to burn in their fury.]

Ray: We're wasting time...

Ray: Only hours left...! Yes... I'll make this work...

Ray: I WILL have my answers--!

[BWIP!]

[And just like that, they both vanished in red and violet flames, Ben's pained yell the only thing echoing off the cell walls...]

[PING!]

[COMM LINK ONLINE.]

[Nico was dizzy with screaming alarms, warning him that any more strain would be deadly for everyone. The heat was becoming overwhelming—he had to shut down before that became the tipping point.

As if in defiance of this, he brought out an oil-stained object that looked like a square of fabric wrapped around something circular in shape. He held it out in the direction of the Doctor, pinging once.]

Nico: Doc...tor...

Nico: You need... to leave...

Nico:  Leave...

[He flicked his wrist, sending the object clattering. The fabric fell away, but the treasure it hid clattered a few feet away from Soi, a plastic packet skidding slightly closer.

The medallion was familiar—it was one of the same ones that had been given to some of the Mighty Numbers. The packet appeared to contain a single green ribbon, neatly looped into a coil.]

Soi: Alnico--!

Soi: (Hnn--I can't just leave him here, he's--!)

Soi: -Frantically looks back towards Call-

Soi: (But Call--oh, Call, I--I'm sorry I couldn't--)

Nico: Turn… off… and get… out….

Soi: (Hnn...he's right, I have to get her out of here--have to get her into repairs--)

Soi: Gnnn...

Soi: I--I promise--I promise I'll send someone after you, I swear--

[Soichiro frantically grabs both the packet with the green ribbon and the medallion, fumbling with the latter as he tried to figure out how it worked. Meanwhile, he manually shut off Call with his other hand. Her optics dimmed and her eyelids closed, her bow gun disappearing.]

Soi: Just please hang in there--

Soi: (I have to warn everyone--)

Soi: (Have to warn Will-- have to get everyone OUT--)

Soi: (Before it's too late--!)

[BWIP! BWIP!]

[The two vanish from sight, leaving Nico behind in the empty cell. Blackwell's cane had fallen next to the bench, the only physical sign of who was housed in this prison not moments ago.]

Nico: …

[He was in very bad shape, and the heat was getting too much. He had a nagging feeling that he was supposed to be able to reflect in a meaningful way on the situation as a whole, but…]

Nico: (Too hot… not enough time…)

[Shut down or allow himself to self destruct? In the end, would it even be able to make a difference? Was it worth the risk to the others, even if they did manage to pull off a miracle? He was so very close…]

Nico: …

Nico: (I'll leave that… up to them….)

((Insert shutdown sequence here—I'll need to comb various stories and archives to determine if it's something I've written before in full under "normal" circumstances.))

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

=CHAPTER 10A: THE MACHINE DRAWS NEAR=

~AO v2.0~

((Courtesy of @codedhopes))

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

[The air of despair was suffocating. Even Desmond could feel it as he shut the recorder off.

It just didn’t sit right with him—none of it did.]

Des: (Those scars are real, if nothing else. …If it IS a front as part of a cover, he’s sure hellishly dedicated to the job. And if not…?)

Des: (What is he so intent on hiding that he’ll be willing to suffer so much?)

Des: …—! (Oh, right…)

Des: …You have a daughter.

Des: If everyone is Offline, like you said, who’s going to take care of her?

Mikhail: …

Des: ….

Des: If there’s no one else, Doctor, I’ll have to call Social Services.

[Mikhail opened his eyes again with a stern frown.]

Mikhail: (As IF.)

Mikhail: …

Des: …

Des: Do you at least have anyone that can tell her where you’re going?

Mikhail: …

Mikhail: (I left… Jack instructions regarding this.)

Mikhail: (…Bitterly, this is not the first time she and I have gone through this…)

Mikhail: (She shouldn’t have to understand, she is a child, but…)

Mikhail: (She does.)

Mikhail: (After what we’ve been through, she does…)

Des: …..

Des: -Sigh-

[He seemed to be thinking on this as Desmond opened the door to take him out into the hall.]

((Pic—Mikhail & Des (arrested) ))

Mikhail: …I didn’t bring her with me. She’s with some family friends where she’ll be safe.

Des: ….Who?

Mikhail: I won’t talk about that right now. I don’t want anyone else knowing where she is. I don’t know who else is listening or who will be told, and we just had a call from CherryDyn—

Des: -Freezes- What?

Mikhail: -Dryly- Remember what I said about trouble with public relations? I’m afraid I lost my patience when the CEO called, after all the grief he’s caused this family. He knows that I’m aware of the link and trying to prove it. Given that Greater Dusk itself has been all but eliminated, I would not put it past him or his subordinates to go after my daughter before/as part of going after me. The danger may persist for some time yet.

Des: You... (What in the world were you THINKING, Doctor? At a time like THIS?)

Mikhail: -Snaps at the tone- Yes, I know, but what more do I have to lose at this point? He scares me a lot less than YOU do, Mister Secretary!

Des: …

[He gave a sharp huff and then calmed down.]

Mikhail: …I'm sorry. But I can only see darkness closing in, with no escape.

Mikhail: As long as she's safe, the rest doesn't matter… not anymore…. {There is no hope left for me here.}

Des: …

Mikhail: It’s very important to me that she stays safe, but it is easily a secondary importance that you are able to have access to the truth. There is evil within that company, and there are multiple people I know personally that have suffered because of it. There must be countless “nameless” if that is the case. So… we should go pick that up, at least. My notes are in the lab. Do try not to bother the others at their work. If we’re quiet, we should be able to leave without raising up a panic.

[His expression softened.]

Mikhail: …There’s someone you need to see there anyway.

Des: (…DLN-000…)

Des: (…Why would Graham call Sanda Tech, at a time like this–)

[CRASH–]

Mikhail: ?!

“AH’ SAID LEMMIE GO–”

[Just down the hallway’s intersection was Shade, struggling to push himself forward despite Avi and Beck clinging to his legs, and Pyro trying to restrain him–the other Mighties were worryingly trailing behind.]

Avi: BRO COME ON STOP IT–

Shade: -In near hysterics- AH’ SAID NO, UNCLE MIKHAIL’S IN TROUBLE–

Des: ( “Uncle”? And how—)

Beck: But he’s right there–

Beck: –!

Beck: H…Huh?

Mikhail: Countershade Arthur White! You should BE IN BED! =__=

[It was clear Mikhail was not happy to be seen in his current condition.]

Des: How did he–

[SLAM–]

[At the opposite end of the hallway, a door is heard slamming shut, and a rapid pair of footsteps following suit.

Soi had just enough time to yank Will back by his lab coat into a restraining hug, who looked absolutely livid.]

Will: YOU’RE NOT GOING TO TAKE HIM AWAY–!

Soi: WILL CALM DOWN–

Mikhail: -Would be BURNING IN SHAME if we weren’t so damn TIRED—-

Des: ???????? (How is it they all KNOW?!) -Looks back and forth- (…Crap wait the Mighties are behind us and the Doctors are in front of us–)

“ENOUGH.”

Beck: –!

Beck: Felix–?

[FELIX used HALT!]

Shade: –?!

Des: (What the–I can’t move–?!)

Will: –!!

Beck: (Ngh…Can’t move…)

Des: (How in the world–I can’t even look to see who did that, what is–??)

Dyna: -BZZ BZZ, HEY, CAN’T MOVE–

Cryo: -YO WHAT THE GLITCH IS GOING ON, WHY IS UNCLE MIKHAIL IN HANDCUFFS, WHY DOES DAD LOOK REALLY TICKED OFF, WHY CAN’T WE MOVE-

[Felix strode into view. Like Mikhail, he walked with an alpha gait—a bold leadership that DEMANDED obedience from lessers, respect from equals, and recognition from superiors.

He looked annoyed.]

Felix: I want answers as to why I was told to deliver medical aid, and ended up arriving on a developing fight scene. And no violence.

[He released Desmond, Mikhail, Sanda, and Brandish from the Halt.]

Felix: Talk.

Soi: –Oof–

Brand: -We are honestly just as confused as you are-

Des: Ngh…

Felix: -Glares!-

Des: –!

Des: (What the…Who IS he?)

Des: -Ow-

Des: Doctor Cossack is being brought in for more questioning–

Beck: (What–?!)

Soi: But–weren’t you just–

Mikhail: … -Looks away and sighs-

Mikhail: (Dammit, I didn’t want any of you to SEE me like this…)

Mikhail: (Cripes is this humiliating.)

Will: -ATTEMPTS TO STRUGGLE, nope, can’t move–Mikhaaaaaail–

Brand: …

Brand: (…No wonder Father is so worked up.)

Brand: Can you not question him here further?

Des: -…Looks at Mikhail-

Des: ….

Mikhail: …It doesn’t appear that is going to be given as an option.

Des: There’s still things he needs to answer for.

Des: (And THEN some.)

Brand: …. -Also glares-

Brand: And you expect to leave this building without some kind of explanation to us?

Des: –….

Mikhail: -Warning tone- Brandish—

Brand: Besides.

Brand: Cardinal still needs repairs. You are quite literally taking away the help he needs.

[Mikhail scowled as he scolded Brand.]

Mikhail: Shame on you, Brandish. You know full well that Nineteen can handle the rest of the repairs. Do not try to guilt trip the man, it’s already hard enough on the both of us as it is.

Brand: ….

Brand: >>

Mikhail: There are consequences to keeping secrets. This is one of them.

Will: (Ngh–)

Mikhail: Given what probably would have happened if I had told the full truth before he met Felix, I prefer this option. -_-;

Des: (The full truth?)

Mikhail: (Prison I can deal with. Torture, even. I’ve been through both before. And even as hellish as those are, at least what you say will be seen as truth or lies…)

Mikhail: (As opposed to an asylum, where EVERYTHING is taken to be madness.)

Brand: ….

Brand: …I apologize for my deceit, it’s just…

Brand: >> (Seeing you like this is rather…hurtful…)

Des: This–

Soi: Er–

Soi: I–I hate to interrupt, but we REALLY don’t have time to talk.

Soi: There’s a situation that requires all hands on deck–

Beck: (–?)

Mikhail: -Looks over at Sanda- So you really are sending them out? : /

Brand: –?

Soi: ….Do we really have a choice? We do not want the city or the lab overrun with infected robots again–

Brand: What?

Beck: (–!!)

Mikhail: Then… Felix, I need you to go back to the Meadow. Have Jaden and Carlos sent over.

Felix: … And your sons?

Mikhail: Let them rest. -Looks over at Des, then down at his handcuffs briefly before returning his attention to Felix- I don’t want them getting angry.

Des: Wait–

Soi: Er, Felix, before you go, uh…

[He gestured to the Halted others with a tilt of his head.]

Shade: B /

Felix walked over to Shade and looked at him with a frown.]

[His thoughts went back to the visions he had suffered—the agony he had seen.]

Felix: …

[But he knew better than to bring that up, especially now.]

Felix: … Don’t do anything too rash, Countershade.

Shade: -We thought he was in danger, alright, can ya please let us go, we’re gettin’ uncomfortably stiff here-

Brand: How did you even know?

Shade: -Watch signal-

Brand: –….

Des: ….Watch? -Aaaand looks at Mikhail-

Des: (I thought I completely disarmed him–)

Des: (He’s in his PJ’s, for crying out loud–)

[Mikhail was equally surprised.]

Mikhail: …It does that?

Shade: -Data- -Sends distress signal t’ the server and me if heart rate is above normal stress levels for too long-

Shade: -…..-

Shade: -In hindsight Ah’ should’ve given ya a rundown of the functions, sorry ‘bout that-

Brand: -______-;;;;;;

Des: …..

Des: (What is going ON around here??)

Des: (I thought the Doctor said they were just his children’s friends, yet…)

Beck: -Nnnngh, Feeeeliiiix can you please let us go, it sounds like there’s trouble–

[Felix releases them.]

Mikhail: Thank you. Now Desmond, please, my notes are still in the lab, and we have a power core to deliver.

Will: …..

Will: (Mikhail…)

Will: ….

Des: ….

[As much as Desmond wanted answers, he knew he wasn’t going to be getting any right at this moment. Especially with Dr. White silently glaring at him like that.]

Des: …Fine…

Soi: R-Right–Mighties? We need a quick briefing. We don’t have a lot of time.

Soi: Come on, Will…

Will: …..

Will: -Sigh-

[As the Whites and Sanda all file into the meeting room, there is a thick air of both tension and confusion--as well as still simmering anger from some members of the family.]

Soi: -Ahem—-

Soi: I know some of us are...Er...not in the best of moods...

Will: -Nnn...-

Brand: -Cold, glaring data-

Shade: -...-

Cyro: Yeeeeaaaah, no chill, definitely--

Shade: -Please don't.-

Pyro: Don't snap at your sister, Eight.

Shade: -Mmnf...-

[The second youngest of the Mighties grumbled and leaned his full weight against his largest elder brother--Mic, who was more than happy to provide support.]

Mic: -It's okay, Mic confused too.-

Shade: Tell me about it...

Shade: What the yappin' hell does CherryDyn want with us?

Shade: An' why is Uncle Mikhail under arrest?

Soi: >>....

Will: -Siiigh- Shade...

Will: I swear we will explain later. But right now we need to focus on the situation at hand.

Shade: ...

Soi: ...

Soi: << Will...

Soi: Are you sure this is a good idea?

Soi: Last time he fought Cardinal, he was out for three days, and he just fought Cardinal AND Beck…

Shade: -Hn...-

Shade: ...m'fahn.

Will: ...Son...

Shade: M'fahn, Dad.

Brand: ....

Beck: -Ping!-

Beck: Whatever's going on that CherryDyn had to call us has to be really important.

Beck: I can heal up Shade and myself if he needs it. And we do have the supplies from the Meadow.

Will: ...

Will: (...true...we do still have that supply of E-Tanks...)

Beck: What's the situation?

[Beck seemed very focused--and didn't waste time getting straight to the point.]

Soi: There's a massive malfunction at CherryDyn's Robot Factory. Their defenses were overwhelmed--and now their automated systems are infected with the virus.

Bat: ...Automated, ya say?

Will: Correct.

Will: The factory operates completely on it's own--and it's now generating infected units and unleashing them into the city. We have to stop it.

Dyna: -Bzzzt- Are you sure thiszzz isn't another one of their intentional zzzscrew upszz—

Dyna: -Points a clawed finger at her father- They wanted uszzz to clean up the messzz in Highway Delta too and go catch the Deszztroyer while we're at it!

Beck: (Urk—!)

Beck: -Quickly changes the subject—- Th-That could be true—but—!

Beck: It doesn't really matter, the city's in danger either way!

Beck: <<;; Even if they are really mean...

Will: ...

Soi: R-Right! This is the largest Robot Factory in California--if it isn't stopped, we'll be drowning in infected bots by the end of the day.

Soi: Now--this factory is big, and I mean big. This is going to take all of you to take it on--and while most of CherryDyn's Industrial units are made there, they're no match for all 9 of you!

Will: ...12.

Soi: --Ah, right...

Brand: --?

Will: Jaden and Speedy will be joining you.

Beck: !

Beck: : D! Really?!

[As if on cue, there was a swirl of colored spheres as Felix teleported in with both of the aforementioned Second Gens. They were in their partial battle armor, eyes glowing faint green in alert preparation.]

Beck: Jaden! Speedy! : D!! -HI GUYS--

Cryo: -AW YEAH, MORE FIREPOWER—-

Shade: -Mnnn....-

Cryo: -Oh come on, that wasn't even a pun—-

[Felix quietly slipped off, heading for the lab.]

Jaden: Yeah, we're… happy to help, but…

Speedy: What is going on, exactly?

Avi: -PING!-

Avi: Breaking News: CherryDyn Catastrophe at Compromised Factory!

Avi: ... Basically we gotta go clean up their mess. -Eye roll-

Jaden: Wha— again?

Bat: -Grunt- As much as I hate to admit it, yes. Their factory's gone haywire.

Shade: -Annoyed data, can't we just deal with the bots themselves.-

Speedy: -Looks around- …

Speedy: ?

Speedy: I don't get it.

Will: It's better to take it out at the source--otherwise we'd only be fighting wave after wave of infected Industrials.

Speedy: No, not that.

Will: --?

Speedy: If we're going on a field trip to trash a CherryDyn landmark…

Speedy: Where's Cardinal?

Shade: -Hnnn...-

[No, don't, don't—]

Shade: (Cards...!)

Mic: -Data, shhhh...-

Will: ...

[...well, THERE was a drop in mood if any...]

Will: ...

Will: ...Cardinal is still undergoing repairs.

Will: He's in no condition to go. And--

Will: Since this is nothing short of a full scale assault, with several Combat bots capable of causing widespread damage...

Will: You two are more suited to this given the current circumstances.

Jaden: …

Jaden: -Slightly coldly for him, head bowed a little- So. That was why we were given filler data.

Shade: (...nnn...M'sorry, Ah'...Ah'...)

Brand: ....

Jaden: -Softly now- I understand, now. I'm sorry it had to be like this.

[When he looks up again, his eyes are bright green. He looks over at Shade with a piercing gaze.

Shade very much looked like he wanted to sleep, or at the very least, turn invisible--but he didn't.]

Shade: (Ah' tried, Ah' did, Ah' swear—!)

Beck: Jaden--

[But no. Jaden was not enraged.]

Jaden: You look terrible. You should be in bed. ,': |

Shade: -Nnn...-

Shade: Ah' know. | [

Speedy: -Shifts his weight- Are you seriously coming with us?

Speedy: We can see about getting Nico to come over if you guys need more firepower so that you can rest—

Shade: -We are fahn—-

Beck: -Interrupts- --And the factory's systems are infected. Either I need to purge it or help destroy it.

Beck: I am not letting everyone go there without me.

Beck: I've made up my mind, Speedy.

Speedy: -Holds up his hands- Fair enough, Mighty Nine. Never doubted you for a minute there.

Beck: (...huh. That...didn't take much...)

Beck: (Thought I needed to argue for a sec there...)

Speedy: But if you insist on bringing along your sniper after he's gotten his life wrung out of him…

Speedy: -Toss!-

[Brandish smoothly catches the E-Tank thrown at him, not once taking his eyes off of Shade.]

Brand: ...

Speedy: Might want to give some of that vitality back.

Brand: ...Yes.

Brand: -Tosses to Mic-

Mic: -w-

[Mic doesn't even wait for an answer--he just pops it open and pours the contents over Shade's head, which does make him jolt up a bit.]

Shade: -OI, give a guy a warnin' next tahm—-

Mic: -w-b

Beck: -Snorts-

[He's dry afterwards, though, his systems already absorbing the contents of the E-Tank. Shade stands on his own now--inner turmoil still brewing within, but at least he wasn't ready to keel over.]

Shade: -Let's just get this over already-

Beck: ...yeah...

Soi: Alright then--I'll be uploading a map of the factory for you all to go over, as well as the points to hit hardest. Will's got the plan of attack all figured out, so--

[PING!]

[WARNING. WARNING.]

[Alarms suddenly go off all over the building--!]

Beck: --?!

Will: What—what now—?!

Speedy: Are we under attack or something??

[TITUS CITY AREA IS NOW IN CONDITION RED. TITUS CITY AREA IS NOW IN CONDITION RED. THIS IS NOT A DRILL.]

Bat: —!!

Pyro: Again—?!

[PING!]

[CALL] //: Attention: All individuals in the building please report to the main lab. Attention: All individuals please report to the main lab.

[CALL] //: We have another situation in development.

Will: Good Lord it NEVER ends—!

Will: Quickly! Everyone to the lab this instant!

[When Mikhail, Des, and Felix got there, The Mighty Numbers were gathered around the main screen, which had two live feeds.]

[One was of the main entrance of the CherryDynamics Factory, blown wide open. CherryDyn Models were pouring out by the dozens.]

[And the other feed…]

Speedy: Holy glitch is that a PRISON?!

Will: ….

Will: …Yes.

Will: There’s been a break-in.

Jaden: Seriously? At a time like THIS? Who would want to break INTO a prison?

Mikhail: ({—! No—! They DIDN’T—!}) Where are my sons?!

Jaden: Hmm? They’re still aslee— -Turns around-

Jaden: —!!!

<DWN-013 has entered Defensive Combat mode.>

[His full battle armor rapidly shifted into place. He looked scared.]

Jaden: HOLY glitch, Doctor WHY ARE YOU TIED UP—

Speedy: -Whirls around, shifting also and taking a defensive battle stance out of instinct as he speaks in alarm- Wait, what?!

Des: I’ll uncuff him later!

Des: What is going ON?!

Call: CherryDynamic’s Robot Factory has been mass producing infected models at an alarming rate.

Call: There has also been a reported break-in at the maximum security Prison, and all communication with them has been lost.

Call: CherryDyn Models have also been reported trying to swarm the Prison.

Will: …

Mikhail: What? Why? Who’s being kept there?

Will: ….

Will: Dr. Benedict Blackwell.

Mikhail: … What?

Mikhail: -Now just CONFUSED- I though we discussed this a long, long time ago—

Mikhail: Who would want to go after him? This can’t be his doing. You said he’s been there for ages, and even Dr. Wily isn’t THAT patient! After Rock finally corners him a second time, he’ll only wait a few months before—

Mikhail: … (Wait— he… w-will…?!)

[He doubled over in a sudden, overwhelming headache, with the Robot Masters present doing likewise. Felix managed to catch Mikhail before he hit the ground, despite being alarmed and startled—but Jaden and Speedy were not so lucky.]

Will: –!!

Will: Mikhail–?!

Beck: Guys?!

Jaden: Ow… (Feel like I had the wind knocked right out of me…)

Mikhail: Ghh… gah… not this again…

Will: (–?? Again–?)

Mikhail: This… this happened… or will happen… before…

Felix: Side note—Master Desmond knows the truth now.

Will: ……I…see.

Des: ….

Will: (…Ngh…)

Speedy: Ugh, worry about Dad and what he WILL do in the future later—let’s deal with the now, what do we do?

Will: Mngh…. (…. They’re not going to like this.)

Will: We now have not one, but two major situations we must deal with.

Beck: So we split up?

Will: No.

Will: At least, not you, Mighties.

Jaden: …What? Surely you don’t plan to send us off away from them. -Looks over at Desmond nervously- What if we’re… stopped, and…?

Speedy: -Suddenly notices, and seems to freeze up, then look pained- We’re not gonna get experimented on, are we? The first time people took me apart for science was bad enough.

Des: | /;;;; -No, and frankly we are rather appalled at that notion-

Will: That’s, um… not quite what I meant, you two.

Pyro: –?

Will: You’re more effective as an entire team, rather than in two parts. Not only that, but you have the endurance and skill needed for combat on a massive scale.

Will: It’s only logical that you all will be sent to the Factory. There’s no telling how many infected models are on site.

Will: …Not only that—

Jaden: But—!

Jaden: Doctor, that’s a contagion hazard! D:

Speedy: Oh, shut up, Beck’s on our side and you can tank anything anyway.

Jaden: Why take that risk, brother?! After everything that’s happened?! What do you think would happen if—! What would that do to them?!

Jaden: You and I are immune and make to take this sort of fight—we can handle ourselves! If we must split ways—

Will: Jaden.

Will: I...I know the risks, but the very fate of Titus lies in this. I won't split this family apart anymore than it has this past week. We see this through, together. We will overcome this, together.

Will: ...As..

Will: As long as you do not let any infected Xel into your systems, you all should be fine.

Will: I’ll also be implementing a prototype XelFilter.EXE program into our server before I go.

Beck: ….

Beck: Go?

Mikhail: {What?} Will, what— go where?

Will: ….

Will: CherryDynamics’s Robot Factory is all automated.

Will: The way the system is set up, it can produce models with little to no human help.

Will: Because of this, any and all changes to their Manufacturing Operator Mainframe– The M.O.M units…

Will: …Must be done on site.

Will: Though a certain, mainframe terminal with the ONLY authorized access.

Mikhail: —…

Mikhail: And… you’ve already determined there’s no one else— that’s why it took time, even after I left…

Mikhail: …

Felix: (I hope he doesn’t demand to take Will’s place. I don’t know much about the machines of this world, but I DO know that he’s going to make himself sick if he doesn’t get some rest very soon.)

Mikhail: At least take the sensory defense mechanism with you, Will!

Mikhail: I’m begging you—

Mikhail: You and Sanda are the ONLY friends I have ever since we were relocated in the protection program! PLEASE don’t get yourself hurt!

Pyro: Father–

Beck: Dad, wait–

Mikhail: Boys!

Mikhail: There’s an American saying you people have. “A man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do.”

Mikhail: He wouldn’t be doing this unless he knew it were the best option—we don’t have time for further delay! Mighties, Angels—get ready to go, you must act quickly!

Beck: ….

Beck: –But what about the Prison?

Will: Sanda’s going there with Call.

Soi: Yes, of–

Soi: Wait, WHAT?!

Felix: -sNORTS-

Will: Sanda.

Will: I know I ask too much of you…

Will: But if someone is going after Blackwell, someone must go and ensure his safety.

Will: …As well as get some answers, if any.

[Speedy gave a loud, annoyed ping of disagreement.]

Speedy: You want answers from him?

[He points at Mikhail (who is standing to the right of him) using both hands, without even looking over. He maintains eye contact with Will the whole time.]

Speedy: Try having him talk to the guy! We’ve more or less known for ages that Blackwell went nuts for the same reasons my Dad did! : /

Will: I will NOT put any more in danger than I HAVE to, Speedy.

Will: …..

Will: …Soi…

Will: If…

Will: If you really don’t feel like you can, I–

Soi: ….Ngh.

Soi: …W-Well…Under the circumstances, I…Suppose this is the only way to talk to Blackwell…Hoorf…

Soi: A…Are you sure you don’t want to swap missions? ^^;;;

Will: You want to go to a factory full of infected robots instead?

Soi: –….

Will: (…Besides.)

Will: (I would prefer it if I NEVER have to see or hear of Blackwell ever again for the rest of my life.)

Des: Are you kidding me–

Des: This is INSANE, you’re civilians, you can’t just–!

Will: On the contrary, Mr. Desmond.

Will: I am not as helpless as I appear to be.

Will: I have means to defend myself.

Des: –…

Will: Brandish?

Brand: –Yes, Father?

Will: Remember that box I gave you? Before you left to train?

Will: The wooden one.

Brand: Yes…?

Will: Please bring it to me.

Mikhail: I still insist you take the sensory device mechanism with you. >>

Will: I didn’t say no, Mikhail. -Chuckles-

[Mikhail walks over and slings his arms over Will’s head to pull him into a hug—as much of a hug he can, given his current condition.]

Will: –!

Mikhail: Be careful out there, alright?

Will: ….

Will: Eheh….

Will: I will.

Will: I have the world’s top fighting team on my side, don’t I? ^^

Cryo: -YEAH I’LL PUNCH ANYONE THAT TRIES TO HURT NOODLE DAD-

Mikhail: -Grins, pulling his arms up and over again to release his friend- And then some. I think you will all be surprised at what Jaden can take and what Speedy can do.

Jaden: As long as Avi doesn’t get me caught in a crosswind unfriendly fire, I can take just about anything.

Jaden: …

Jaden: …I wish Cardinal could come with us.

Will: ….So do I.

[A moment later, Brandish returns with the box in question.]

[…It’s a stained black wooded box. It almost looked solid with no visible way to open it.]

Will: Ah…

Soi: –!

Soi: Wait a sec…

Brand: ….

Brand: You told me to never open it unless I was in real danger.

Speedy: Bro, I’m pretty sure now qualifies. >>;

Will: Yes…

Beck: ?

Beck: But what’s in it?

Will: Hmm…

[Will runs his hands over it, an almost…Far away look in his eyes.]

Will: (…I never thought I’d have to use this again.)

Will: (Or if I even… Remember how…)

Will: Soi…

Soi: –!

[The box suddenly opened–either by voice or by some hidden mechanic only Will knew, was hard to say.]

[Inside was some kind of…]

[… Rapier handle?]

Soi: (…You still kept that–?)

Speedy: …

Speedy: Is that a classy light saber, or—

Will: -Laughs-

Will: Not quite, but that’s a good guess!

[With one hand behind his back, Will grasped the handle.]

[As if by magic, Xel began to appear out of the hole where the blade should Be–slowly settling into that very sharp steel-like point.]

Will: I must admit, I…

Will: …Haven’t quite fenced in a while…

Brand: ….

Brand: You knew how to FENCE and you didn’t tell me–

Will: Eheh…

Will: Oops? ^^;;

Felix: …

Felix: -I want to spar—-

Brand: -So do I–

Soi: -SNORTS-

Soi: Ah, ah! I’d think twice if I were you!

Soi: -Pats Will on the shoulder- Will here won the National Collegiate Fencing Tournament for FIVE years running!

Beck: WHAT–

Will: I, uh…Eheh. That was college, Soi…

Soi: -STILL COUNTS-

Felix: And I trained under Proxan Warriors for five years, give—

[Mikhail gives a hearty laugh.]

Mikhail: You boys can have all the spars you could want once this nightmare is over. Felix, you and Brand are next, if I remember correctly?

Brand: -Winner gets to face Father-

Felix: -DEAL-

Mikhail: Go on. Go out there and end this, to make those happy days once again a reality.

Des: -You guys are NUTS-

Will: Mikhail…

Will: I trust you’ll hold down the lab while we’re gone.

Felix: -Brought back to the now at this- -Frowns- …

Mikhail: I’ll do my best. Mr. Desmond, will you help me with that?

Des: I…don’t really have a choice…

[RING!]

Des: –? (That’s my cell–)

Des: -Takes out phone–

Des: –….

Des: (Oh.)

[CALL FROM: MINNIE MOUSE]

Mikhail: …

Mikhail: ???

Des: Uh.

Des: I have to take this—

Des: Good luck!

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

=CHAPTER 1B: RAGING FLAMES SMOLDER=

~AO v1.0~

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

{Out in Kansas City…}

[Cardinal seethed.]

Cardinal: (Nothing. NOTHING!)

[He had spent all day and all night looking for some sort of gathering place where Shade might go. He’d found a number of underground dens, alright, but everything was so trashed that it was more or less impossible to tell what had been there before.

He hadn’t really expected this to be simple, straightforward, or easy…

But he was REALLY starting to regret how he had never looked into the other side of Shade’s life.]

Cardinal: (I only wanted to show him the respect he deserved! To not have to choose between duty and friends. And that had been important to him….)

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

Cardinal: One thing I always have tried to do when it comes to friends involved in enforcing stuff—and that is not to end up making them feel they have a conflict between duty and… well, us.

Cardinal: That’s why I don’t ask about your job and stuff much even though I am awfully curious at times. xD

Shade: Heh. Oh, I'd tell ya, ah' really would, but. Sort of a whole, uh. Code of conduct sort of thing. Like...honor among thieves? 'Cept with assassins.

Cardinal: -Waves hand dismissively, as if dissipating the idea/concern- It’s more of a sort of… how do I put this?

Cardinal: I know this is not something I’ve talked to you about much before, but… preparing and trying to predict multiple possibilities is a pretty… eh… “strong” program of mine, I guess you could say.

Cardinal: It’s basically the backbone of my survival instinct, what little I have. Since, y’know, I was programmed with the idea that if I ever got destroyed, I could just be uploaded into a new chassis…

Cardinal: …Or replaced entirely.

Cardinal: Having an understanding of all of the elements in play—or as many as possible—is sort of an instinctive drive, you could say? Especially when it comes to power players.

Shade: (Kinda like in a game of chess…)

Cardinal: Now with your associates, that is something that would normally be a prime directive to understand in detail. Because they register—even as an abstract concept—as hunters. Which always take greater… mmm… priority, in a sense, since they are proactive, not reactive.

Cardinal: But in your case—same with Issimo—that, uh… instinct is negated/appeased by, well. You.

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

[He was stung with sorrow.]

Cardinal: (Oh, Shade…)

Cardinal: (I…. …I just wanted you to…. …In the beginning, we worried about what might happen if you guys got turned against us, but as time…)

Cardinal: (As time went on, you guys made our world so much brighter that we left such contingencies behind us. I didn’t make one for if I would have to chase you down. This is my fault for being so unprepared…)

[He couldn’t stand this right now. He needed to vent.]

[…Which is exactly what he did.

He walked away from the alleys, making for the skyline.

Let them see his handiwork, should anyone care to look for him.

He needed to keep moving.]

———————————————

{Meanwhile, in the Meadow…}

[Dr. Cossack was sitting in the lab.

The remaining Rebel Angels and the DCNs were all present, though some seemed more restless than others.]

Mikhail: …We all know the grave nature of the situation upon us.

[Slight shuffling noises as a few of the boys looked away and to the side.]

Mikhail: I will not lessen the depth of this crisis.

[He interlocked his fingers.]

Mikhail: Our best friends and closest allies are in grave danger. The majority of the family has fallen to madness, and the remainder are without a proper home or lab. It is Beck against the whole country, and Gregory Graham is only making matters worse.

[He sighed and put his face in his hands.]

Mikhail: And, of course, Cardinal has RUN OFF on his own… AFTER taking all of our supplies.

Mikhail: To make matters worse, Tobias is in critical condition, and Aviator is blocking the signals. We cannot send help, either verbal or physical, for the time being.

Mikhail: I now open the floor. Does anyone have something to say?

[Jaden twirled his drills.]

Jaden: …We have to try and keep Aviator calm.

Nico: …Jaden—

Jaden: -Flatly- As far as I care, the infection is Airman reborn. -Softer again- …But Aviator is still in there. And when he gets back into control…

[He shifts his weight.]

Jaden: Cardinal once talked to him about his worries. Avi has a very sensitive Emotions.EXE program—that’s why getting his soul dragged into the abyss of our suffering hurt him so badly, even while infected. And we all know what it was like the last time someone was forced to see such suffering…

Speedy: -Looks away in shame-

Jaden: …It’s going to be horrible for him once he gets out of it. …He needs to be reassured, no matter how much Airman might scoff at such words. He needs it.

[Mikhail was silent.

Siam eventually sighed, drumming his fingers against his arm. (Gemini, meanwhile, was already over working on Tobias.)]

Siam: …We need to make Tobias our main priority.

Siam: While the research of the virus is important—and the need to find replacements for the supplies Cardinal raided is just as critical—there’s just no real use, since we won’t be able to APPLY such information. Not until Avi is better.

Siam: And for that matter—if Tobias is still unwell by the time they rescue Avi, how much more will that twist the dagger into his heart?

Skull: {You have a very good point, cousin…}

Siam: -Vents a heavy sigh- We need Tobias to be repaired. It is the one thing we can do independently, and… it is so very important. So I propose that we focus on that, exclusively.

[Nods of agreement around the table. Mikhail seemed to be thinking things over.]

Mikhail: …We still need to have something to report to them, should they come back in contact before them. Siamini and I are really the only two that can work on Toby’s coding. With Kalinka safely in the care of Lady and Lt. Nighthawk, and David and Shadow both Offline…. And, of course, Cardinal gone…

[He turns to look at Jaden.]

Mikhail: Jaden, next to your oldest brother, you are the greatest strategist. I want you to go over potential tactics to give as advice. …If you truly feel it important to keep in contact with MNN-006, then that is your prerogative— but be warned. Pushing him too far may have very bad consequences.

Jaden: Yes sir, Doctor Cossack.

Mikhail: {Keltso, I want you to look into getting some more supplies. Help Nico to contact the friends of the Rebel Angels—some of them may have supplies or equivalents.}

Keltso: {Yes, sir.}

Mikhail: That’s it for now. Let’s get started.

<<—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 9A: HAZY SUSPICION=

~AO v2.0~

((Courtesy of @codedhopes & @super-tired-robot))

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

{Soon, outside the White House…}

[…It was a shambled mess. Not like how it was usually seen in pictures or in movies or TV. Windows broken, smashed, smoke coming from various places…]

Desmond: ….. -Sighs- (Never though I’d live to see myself going through a living White House Down movie…)

"Secretary."

[Desmond turned around at a very familiar voice–one that many people knew at this point.

Pyrogen, leader of the Mighty Numbers, the highest ranked IBCA team on the planet.

While Desmond knew the gravity of the situation…He couldn’t help but feel honored, really, when the fire bot strode over with focus and purpose.]

Pyro: Mighty No. 1, reporting for duty. I’m here to retrieve DLN-000 and his support unit.

Desmond: -Nods- Desmond Donald. It’s an honor. And right on time….

Pyro: I like to be when there are lives at stake.

Desmond: –….

Desmond: I’m aware of the situation, One… >>;

Desmond: (He really does possess an air of authority…)

Pyro: Am I cleared to enter?

Desmond: Yes. There are some areas that have caught fire, due to the… fire breathing cat…

Desmond: –But–that should pose no problem for you. I assume you are going to disable her…?

Pyro: I will, if my first plan doesn’t work.

Desmond: ….?

Pyro: Need I remind you that she is a cat.

Pyro: There are less aggressive ways to calm an angry feline, Secretary.

Pyro: If you are coming with me, I suggest you change into casual clothing. A man in a suit with a fire arm will make her even more aggressive.

Desmond: …..

Desmond: You seem to know much about this support unit anyway, One.

Pyro: You are already going to question my Father and Doctor Cossack. I am here to retrieve DLN-000 and the support unit, nothing more. If you want to question me, you will have to go though him first.

Desmond: ….

Desmond: -~- I see.

Desmond: Give me a few minutes to change.

Pyro: Affirmative.

[INSIDE…]

Desmond: -Now in a green cotton shirt and jeans- She’s this way.

Pyro: …….

Pyro: (Good Lord, I can’t tell if it’s Beck that made this, Shade in his illness, or Cardinal…)

Pyro: (All of them at once, I suspect, even…)

Desmond: Yeah, I know. It’s like Hurricane Jeremiah had a kid with a tornado and then this happened….

Pyro: … ….

Desmond: It’s going to take weeks to clean this up… (And I don’t even want to THINK about the damage done to the historical artifacts–guh, I can hear the protesters and crazed historians matches already…)

Pyro: ….

Pyro: You said they were in the room overlooking the Lawn, yes?

Des: …Yeah. This way. We’re still getting rid of the rest of MN.8’s traps so we have to take the other way around.

Des: Careful, some of the flooring is unstable–some of the hallways should be safe, though. -Pause-

Pyro: …?

Des: Your mysterious soldier friend kind of made sure of that. >>;;

Pyro: –!

[….Case in point, they had reached one such hallway….]

Pyro: …..

Pyro: -S I G H-.

Pyro: Cardinaaaal… | (

Des: –?

Des: What?

Pyro: –….

Des: Cardinal?

Pyro: ….

Pyro: (Glitch–)

Des: –…Is that his name?

[He hadn’t actually had the time to look up all of the related files on the DLN-008 case; as a privacy feature, related files were only listed by serial number, nothing more.]

Pyro: ….

Pyro: Yes. -~-;;;;   (Damn it, Cardinal, if you weren’t such a trouble maker, I wouldn’t have had such a reaction–)

Des: ….That… explains why Countershade was calling him ‘Birdy’…

Pyro: -Sigh- Yes…

Des: So they do know each other.

Pyro: Are we going to save him or not?

Pyro: I told you, you’re going to question the Doctors, you can ask them.

Pyro: If you’re only going to play 20 Questions, I can find my own way there myself. | [

Des: ….

Des: | \ I’m the one escorting you, One–

Pyro: And I have a mission.

Pyro: You are just along for the ride.

Des: ….

Pyro: | [

Des: ….

[While that was not quite true, he knew that it wasn’t really in their best interests to argue the point.]

Des: -Begrudging tone- Fine.

[After carefully going through the wreckage and debris left behind by the resulting battle, Pyro and the Secretary of Defense didn’t say a word to each other as they came up upon one of the last hallways to the room in question.]

Des: !

Des: Oh, come on, he smashed nearly HALF of the Presidential Busts too–?!

Des: -n-

Pyro: …. (No, Cardinal wouldn’t do that. Shade, perhaps….)

Des: At least it’s all on THIS end instead of all over the place…

Pyro: …..The door’s been knocked down…

Pyro: (Cardinal DID use his shield to break some open, didn’t he?)

[Something could be seen moving inside…]

Pyro: –?

Pyro: I can see something…

Des: -~- That must be her. She was standing guard by the door until we left her alone…

Des: …After we found out she could breathe fire.

Pyro: …Breathe fire…

Des: It was sudden too. She hissed at us a lot like cats do–and then… whoosh.

Pyro: ….

Pyro: (Hissed?)

“HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHSSSSSSSS…”

[Glowing red eyes. FULL RED EYES.]

Pyro: —!!!

Pyro: (That is NOT just a cat hiss—! That’s—! That’s the sound of flammable gas being released!)

Pyro: Back! Now!

Des: —!!!

Click click FOOSH!

[Pyro tanked it, alright!]

Jazz: RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGH…

Jazz: -Digs claws into floor-

Jazz: -HHHHSSS! HHHHHSSSS!-

Jazz: -COME NO CLOSER-

Pyro: -Is now aflame but slowly dying it down-

Pyro: Stay behind me, Secretary.

Des: Holy…

[The mechanical panther seemed absolutely ENRAGED.]

Jazz: RRRRRRRRRRRNNNNNNNGGGGGHHH! >K

Jazz: -Bats a bit at the air in front of us, SEE, RAZOR CLAWS, come no closerrrr-

Pyro: -And we back up, like she wants-

Pyro: Jazz…

Pyro: Look at me. It’s me, Pyro. I know you’re just trying to protect him…

[The full red glow fades to just red irises.]

Jazz: Rrrrrrrnnngh…

Pyro: I know he is hurt, badly, and I know people have been trying to get in that you do not like, I understand.

Jazz: Rrr…

Jazz: -Sits, flicking tail-

Des: (—!)

Pyro: Jazz…

Pyro: He needs help, and repairs. He needs to get out of here.

Pyro: That’s why I’m here. To take him back home.

Pyro: And you trust me, yes?

Jazz: …

Jazz: |K

Jazz: -Lays down, looking over her shoulder at them in a sulk-

Pyro: Yes, I know you don’t like it. I know you must be worried.

Pyro: How about this. You let me and this man pass and let us retrieve him…

Pyro: And you can have these.

[…Is…Is that a bag of cooked fishes and some jerky he’s pulling out of his outfit–]

Pyro: You must be hungry, no?

Jazz: …

Jazz: Ree-ow.

[Whew. Green eyes again.]

[PING!]

[It’s… a memory file, showing Cardinal in the Titus alleyways with Baron, Jazz, and Scout.]

Jazz: -The spiky thing ate our share of the sandwich-

Pyro: …..

Pyro: -Laughs-

Des: –????

Pyro: (So he DID travel with you two…)

Jazz: -Prrrrr, yes, we like that sound- -That is the happy sound-

[Ping!]

[Another memory file, with Cardinal and Shade laughing really hard at something… hard to say what.]

Pyro: ……

Pyro: Hmmn…

Pyro: (…I worry that they’ll never share that again…)

Pyro: (…I know that they’re practically chained at the waist together but…)

Pyro: (….)

Pyro: (No…They’ll be fine…)

Jazz: -Tailflick, closing eyes and putting head down-

[Pyro comes over and places the bag in front of Jazz, then motions for Des to follow.]

Pyro: Hurry.

Des: -Yup we’re going, alright–

Des: What the heck were you laughing about back there?

Pyro: …The cat.

Des: : /

Jazz: -Sniff sniff- -Starts poking her nose and then face into it the way cats do- -Munch munch-

Pyro: …Rather hard to see…

Des: Hang on, I got a—

[Foosh!]

[Pyro’s hand is now alight with flame. It brights the area around them–not as much as a conventional light, but better than before.]

((Pic—Pyro & Des))

Pyro: …..

Des: …. (Oh. Right. Fire bot.)

[Other than Jazz and the crackle of flames, the room was… eerily quiet, and still. There was no signal. No sound. Only… cold, lifeless… silence.

The whole room was almost as silent as a tomb.]

Pyro: … . .

Des: …. (This…silence…why does it feel so grim…)

Pyro: (Where are you, Cardinal…)

Pyro: I’ll search the left side. You search the right.

Des: -Turning on his flashlight- Got it…

[The room was an absolute disaster. There were marble columns on the floor (not to mention the chandelier), Metal Blades and Quick Boomerangs in the ceiling, acid damage on the far side, bits of shrapnel embedded in the walls, giant spikes scattering the landscape, and even plasma burns on the floor. Most of the debris had been swept aside by some strong force, though…]

[…]

[…there were… oil paw prints on the floor…]

Pyro: (God Almighty… you used all this against Shade and…?)

Pyro: …..

Pyro: –? (Prints…This is oil…)

[Now one could smell it. The smell of… oil and coolant…]

-*-*-*-*-*-

SKLLLKTTKRRRSHHHLLLRRRKKT—

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

-*-*-*-*-*-

Pyro: (Gh–)

Pyro: (Coolant…Oil…)

Pyro: (Shade…No, that accursed VIRUS–)

Pyro: (That virus–what have you done to him–?)

Pyro: …..

Pyro: (I feel no signal…)

Pyro: (Nothing.)

Pyro: (Not even the error message, it…It’s as if he just vanished–)

[—?]

[A…a shadow—Pyro can make out a form—a frame on the ground—]

[Not moving.]

Pyro: !

Pyro: Cardinal—

[What Pyro found was… not pretty.

Cardinal was looking up with a gaze that seemed to go beyond the roof, beyond the sky—right into the stars—but there was no light at all in those eyes. They weren’t just dulled… they were off entirely.

As the gaze moved downward, one could see he was holding onto something with his left hand—the grip was tight, having locked in when the power shut off.

And even further—

…

… … …]

Pyro: !!!!

Pyro: -Choked g a s p–

[Cardinal’s outer armor was in tatters. Most of the inner armor around his torso was gone— leaving his vital inner mechanics exposed. It was clear that some of the mobility and coolant systems (including the fans) had been repeatedly crushed and repaired. There was a largish sphere in the center of the cavity, with another device hooked to the side. The coloration on the surfaces around it suggested it had recently burned white hot….

…But now it was cold and dulled, like a dead bulb that had been utterly spent.

The core was exposed… and the power was gone.]

[The core– exposed–]

[Pyro immediately felt sick– sick to his very Xel, he couldn’t–he just couldn’t lay eyes on Cardinal’s broken form like this, not with his very chest open–]

[The core…

For Robot Masters, the core was nothing more than a power source–something that kept them alive, kept them running.

But for those made of Xel, it was so much more.

The central core of a Xel robot contained everything–their self, their personality, their function and weapon data, their very heart and soul.

To see Cardinal’s own core so dead and lifeless—!]

Pyro: CARDINAL—!!

Des: –?! Wha—

Des: Hey, what’s—

[He turned and shone his flashlight in their direction. For a brief moment, the light glinted off of punctured metal and crushed gears, and the smoky dullness of the power core became soft in reflection, like a very faint moon.

Desmond was alarmed at the sight of the core, and trailed off immediately.

His view was quickly obstructed by Jazz stepping in the way, giving him an eerily judgmental look.]

Pyro: (…Oh– Oh dear GOD—)

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

<DLN-000>: >But I’ll never give up on you Shade, not for any reason.

-*-*-*-*-

Skull: -The fact that he’s emphasizing that nothing will make him lose faith suggests that he anticipates something happening that would be the end of a friendship in lesser hearts-

Skull:  -And that it’s something that Shade would feel were his own fault, should it be too late for him to recognize until after the fact-

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

Pyro: (Oh Shade–!)

Pyro: (Brother–to have been forced to do something like this–!)

Pyro: (To…To have harmed your own…)

____________________________

"PYRO CRASH, AND YOU...BUUUUUUUUURRRN!"

___________________________

[A sharp SPLITTING pain shot through his head–]

Pyro: Ngggh–!

Des: –!

Des: One–?

Jazz: Ree-ow…

[She pads over to Pyro, giving him a gentle headbutt the way cats do.]

Jazz: Ree-ow.

Pyro: —!

Pyro: …..

Pyro: Oh, Jazz…

Pyro: I…

Pyro: I’m sorry.

Pyro: (…Shade…)

Pyro: ……

Pyro: (…Cardinal…)

Pyro: (Neither of you are at fault…)

Pyro: (I can only hope both of you remember that…)

Pyro: (The real culprit…)

Pyro: (…Is the one who is behind all of this.)

Pyro: …..

Pyro: (I don’t even want to move him, but…Father trusted me to be delicate enough to do so.)

Pyro: (…He’ll want his shield…)

[Said shield was laying beside him. It had a dart stuck in it and what appeared to be tooth marks…

…Oh.

Well that would explain the oil paw print trail.]

Pyro: …

Pyro: Secretary.

[Pyro’s tone was grave, sad, and incredibly heavy with guilt and worry.]

Pyro: …Take his shield.

Des: …..Right….

Des: —!

Des: ….

Des: (There’s still a dart in it…)

[Carefully taking great caution to not injure Cardinal any further than he is now, Pyro placed his arms over his torso, and moved to tuck his own unlit arms under his legs and back…]

Pyro: (He’s…clutching something in his hand…)

[…Seemed to be a chain leading out of his hand and around his neck…]

Pyro: … ….

[…Pyro took a moment to close Cardinal’s eyelids before lifting him up gently–he was certainly strong enough to lift him, given his weight.]

Pyro: …

((Pic—One Last Journey (Pyro carrying Cardinal) ))

Pyro: Time to come home…

Jazz: Ree-ow. -Paws at the dropped scarf until she gets her claws into it-

Des: …Is that his?

Pyro: –…..Yes.

Pyro: I think Jazz will hold onto it…

Jazz: Ree-ow.

Jazz: -Picks the scarf up in her teeth and then goes over to rub her face against Pyro’s legs-

[…She’s… becoming smaller…?]

Des: –????

Des: What the–

[Jazz shifts into her own Civilian form, that of a house cat. After making a figure eight around Pyro’s legs the way cat’s do, she hunched up and then leaped onto his shoulder.]

Jazz: -Prrrrrr, things will be safe now-

Des: What…

Pyro: …..

Pyro: Right…

Pyro: Right.

[The Leader of the Mighty Numbers stood up, shoulders back and standing tall–the First’s broken form in his arms, the last lights of day finally fading off in the distance.]

Pyro: ….

Pyro: Mr. Donald.

Pyro: There is a teleportation ban in effect, yes?

Des: I…Yes. for security reasons.

Pyro: Is there another way out of the building? A back door?

Des: …One, this is the White House.

Des: Follow me.

[Des had to be Pyro’s lead now—he couldn’t light himself up with Cardinal on his person, so Des’s flashlight would have to do.]

Des: We’ll take Passage Reyes. That leads to the Presidential Garden.

Pyro: —…I assume this is one of those secret passages the House is famous for having?

Des: ….

Des: Yes.

Des: ….

Des: One…

Des: When…. When the White House was attacked…

Des: MN.8 came out of one of these passages.

Des: That particular passage was a planned escape route for POTUS for situations like… like what happened.

Des: And he was already there.

Des: I have no idea for how long—

Pyro: Wait.

Pyro: Are you telling me.

Pyro: Countershade was ALREADY in the White House–possibly asleep, I bet my own core on that–

Pyro: He was ALREADY in the WHITE HOUSE, SLEEPING, THIS ENTIRE WEEK, AND NO ONE NOTICED?!

Pyro:  -DO YOU NOT PERFORM DRILLS, WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU, DOES NO ONE CHECK THESE THINGS–

Jazz: -Bats at Pyro- >: 3

[She sends a ping. It’s another one of those memory files—Cardinal commenting on how Shade “weighs like a truck”.

Any attempt to go through a passage with him blocking the door would undoubtedly be difficult, leading to people writing it off as immobile from age.]

Pyro: Just—

Pyro: -Growl that kinda fades off into a groan-

Des: Look, these passages are very old and yes, some of them don’t have much use anymore or are unstable–

Pyro: Just–Just stop–

Pyro: -________-;;;;

Jazz: -Prrrrr, rubs face against face of firebro-

Pyro: -Siiiighs, we’re going to have a long rest after this-

[As soon as they got outside, Jazz got a ping. She flicked her ears and put it onto her audio speakers.]

<MC005>: > {I’m picking up your signals… are you outside and in an accessible environment now?}

[MN.1] //: ….

[MN.1] //: -Quietly- Yes, Doctor Cossack.

[MN.1] //: …We…We have him now.

[MN.1] //: I managed to calm down Jazz without hurting her as well.

<MC005>: > {Good… her mobility rig is rather complicated…}

<MC005>: > …

<MC005>: > {I hear feedback. Is Jazz broadcasting my voice?}

Jazz: Ree-ow.

<MC005>: > … {I seeee…}

<MC005>: >Mr. Donald, will you be coming over to the lab also?

Des: …I might as well. (Since we ARE going to be questioning you.)

Des: I’m sort of holding something of his anyway, so I feel obligated to return it, at least.

<MC005>: > Understood. Call will bring you all over shortly.

[MN.1] //: … Yes, sir.

[MN.1] //: …Has…Has Shade awakened yet?

[PING!]

[CALL] //: Negative, One. He is still in Deep Sleep Mode.

[MN.1] //: …I see…

<MC005>: >He’s worn out. One?

[MN.1] //: …Yes?

<MC005>: >When you get home, please come straight to the lab. It… is not a state he would want many others to see him in.

<MC005>: >And I may have other tasks for you afterward.

[MN.1] //: …..

Pyro: (Honestly, I would like to get some rest myself…But I do not come first.)

[MN.1] //: Of course, Doctor Cossack.

[CALL] //: Coordinates locked.

[CALL] //: Initiating Xel Transfer…

[…

… … …

After they left the premises, a singular green metal snake crawled out of a bush, its beady eyes blinking red…]

[Pyro walked briskly from the platform over to the lab, where Mikhail was waiting for them. The transition between the blackness of the night and the bright lights of the lab was a little hard on Desmond’s eyes, causing him to squint a little.

As they approached the lab, Battalion gave a stiff salute—as best as he could give it. But his eyes and those of his giant older brother’s seemed… rather wary.]

Desmond: (…Why do I get the feeling I’m less than welcome here…?)

[Countershade was laying nearby, deep asleep and receiving an infusion as part of his repairs. Beck, too, was asleep—the worse for wear, but better off than the other two by a long shot. Although Dr. White was nowhere to be seen—asleep, Desmond assumed—Dr. Sanda could be seen working away at their repairs.

Mikhail rose to meet them.]

Pyro: … (He slept all day, but still looks tired…)

Mikhail: Pyrogen. Please place him down on the table…

[Pyrogen seemed hesitant. Mikhail noticed that Desmond was now showing particular interest.

He moved between them to block the view, placing his hand on a curtain that was hanging from a rod up above them.

Mikhail: Mister Secretary. Thank you for… for letting us bring him back in peace….

Des: ...Of course. No man left behind.

Mikhail: I am sorry we had to meet under such circumstances. I hope you will forgive me, but…

[He draws the curtain between them, obscuring most everything from view. There was still a clear window of plastic, but it was a bit warped and difficult to see in clear detail.]

Mikhail: Master Cardinal deserves the dignity of privacy as a patient with heavy injuries.

Des: (...Is it...is it really that bad?) ...Right. I'll be over here, then...

Des: ....

[Mikhail took in a deep breath and let it out sharply, turning his back to the ill omen and focusing on his patient. As Pyrogen drew away, Mikhail could see the extent of the damage.]

Mikhail: -Sucks in air between his teeth- …! (I knew it was going to be bad, but I did NOT expect this…!)

[His face became lined with sorrow.]

Mikhail: (Oh, Cardinal…! I can only imagine from my darkest of days what terrible pain you must have endured that hour, when he crushed your armor to expose your heart…)

Pyro: ....

Pyro: Doctor...

Pyro: You...You can fix him?

Pyro: He can be fixed?

Mikhail: …

Pyro: . . .

Pyro: (...I can't stand this, please just answer--he will be fine, please let him be fine--)

Des: (...This suspense is...almost suffocating...)

Mikhail: -With equal hesitation- …I can fix the damage, yes. The physical damage, at any rate.

Pyro: -Sigh of relief-

Mikhail: (The damage to his heart and soul… alas, that is a cross I cannot lift from his shoulders, and may yet take years to heal…)

Des: …How long will that be, Doctor? (Can’t really question him until he’s done—)

Mikhail: As long as it has to.

Des: —… (Right…)

Mikhail: …

Mikhail: There is a lot of work to be done. If this is to happen in a timely manner, I can’t work alone. But it is a fearful thing….

Mikhail: Doctor Sanda?

Soi: What—oh, yes?

Mikhail: Can Call be spared to work as my assistant? -Russian- {It’s a rather… grievous sight, and her even demeanor would allow her to remain calm in the face of such… ghastly and painfully sorrowful things..}

Soi: Ah...right...right. (Ho, man...right, Call...Call doesn't--well, she DOES understand, just... she can't make the emotional connection yet. At least she'd be able to handle it...)

Soi: She'll help. I'll call her in.

Mikhail: Thank you…

Des: (…Sanda knows Russian? Or was the Doctor just thinking aloud?)

Mikhail: (…This still isn’t going to be enough. Not with the amount of damage here. I need one person at the computer, and another helping me with the actual cleaning and repair process. I need Call for the latter, but…)

Mikhail: … (Perhaps Jack for the former…? He’s doing a lot better now, as is Felix… but I’ll need Felix to go get a different core, and… I don’t think it would be a good idea for Mr. Donald to see Felix’s power unless we had no other choice.)

Mikhail: … (But… Jack is still in hiding, so to speak…. He was supposed to lay low for a while. There’s no records of him leaving England, so at the very least, people might get suspicious if he was seen here, assuming they aren’t trying to find him anyway….)

Mikhail: … … …

Mikhail: (I need to get Desmond Donald out of the lab.)

Mikhail: -Looks over at Pyro-

Pyro: -Clearly troubled, lost in thought at what he had seen-

[Mikhail was moved with pity.]

Mikhail: (He needs a distraction, too…)

Mikhail: Pyro?

Pyro: Yes, Doctor?

Mikhail: Why don’t you prepare dinner for our visitor, and show him to the guest quarters? I’m going to be working for some while.

Mikhail: Besides…. Countershade will likely be starved once he wakes up—whenever that may be—even before he is coherent enough to think about anything…

Pyro: (...He's right. Shade was asleep during all this, he probably hasn't eaten at all...)

Pyro: Right. I'll go make something for all of us.

Des: … (I get the feeling I’m being pushed out, but…)

Des: (I do have to admit I’m rather hungry and REALLY tired…)

Mikhail: Put the shield in Shade’s room. It’d really only be in the way here, and that’s where Cardinal would want it to be…. Get Brandish to do that, if he’s still awake.

Pyro: Very well...I'll ping Brandish once I get started on dinner.

Pyro: Right this way, Mister Secretary.

Des: …See you tomorrow, Doctor.

Mikhail: -Wearily- Yes, I haven’t forgotten. Good evening.

[The kitchen was, unsurprisingly, crowed with hungry arena bots. Cryo was declaring herself queen of the freezer and all of it's sugary sweets, much to Avi's and Mic's dismay. Brand, however, was content with his own meal of instant noodles, leaning against his elder Bat--and Dyna was just about to raid the pantry when Pyro and Des showed up.]

Bat: -SALUTES- Sir!

Dyna: Big broooo--

Pyro: -Yes, we are going to make dinner, you don't have to ask--

[There is collective cheers from all present!]

Cryo: FINALLY, I'M SO HUNGRY I'M GONNA EAT AN ENTIRE SHARK--

Avi: -I want pastaaaaaa--

Mic: -Mic HUNGRY, want something meaty-

Brand: ...-Stares at his cup of noodles and promptly downs it in one go to make room for better food-

Pyro: --...Really?

Brand: ...-Ignores- Secretary.

Pyro: =~=;;;

Des: Er...hello...

Cryo: OH, HEY, IT'S SUIT GUY, hi--

Cryo: You gonna chow down with us?

Des: Well...I really haven't eaten anything, so...yeah. That would be nice.

Pyro: Pasta it is, then. If that's the general vote.

[All agree to it, and the Mighty Leader wastes no time in preparation of making a large pot of pasta. The Mighties--the ones awake and there, anyway--all make idle chatter as they await their dinner.]

[...Idle chatter being an understatement.]

Avi: Man...can you believe it's been, like...a whole week and a half??

Dyna: I know, bzz--it zzseems like forever ago...

Bat: Combat does that t' ya. Makes time seem to stretch on and on.

Dyna: Pfft, easy for you to zzsay, I don't really remember the firszzt part of it...

Bat: ...fair point.

Cryo: Yo, I'm just glad we're all not iced, or worse. -Chomps on a ice cream bar- We're all home now and junk, in once piece--right, Brandy?

Brand: ...Yes...

Mic: ^^

Cryo: Hey, speaking of that--

Cryo: How's Cards?

Cryo: Is he, like...gonna be okay?

Des: --.....

Pyro: . . .

[Pyrogen hovers his spoon over the pasta, clearly internally conflicted. Des, of course, feels the same--but he keeps his lips sealed.]

Des: (...Man...One, I...)

Pyro: . . .

Pyro: Cardinal is...very...badly injured.

Avi: --...no joke?

Pyro: Yes. Dr. Cossack says he can repair the damage, though.

Brand: -...Hmnn...-

Dyna: Zzzso...he'szz...like, gonna be okay? -Like... physically, because we know better-

Pyro: ....

Pyro: Yes...he will.

[But as Pyro continues to stir the pot of pasta, Des can tell that the Leader of the Mighty Numbers wasn't even too sure of that himself, given his upset expression.]

[His younger sister seems to pick up on this--]

[Aaaand promptly lobs a snowball to the back of his head.]

Pyro: -GAH--

Cryo: Bro, we don't need to taste worrywart in our food--

Pyro: -How many times have I told you not to throw snow in the kitchen, you might get it in the pot--

Des: -...has to snort at this- (Those two seem very close--no surprise, they ARE the oldest...)

Des: -Laughs a little-

Cryo: See?! Suit man gets it!

Bat: You are embarrassing us in front of the Secretary of Defense, show some respect--

Des: No, no--it's fine. At ease and all, Heh...

Des: Just, reminds me of...other things. Family, you know how it is...

Brand: --You are a father? | /?

Des: Oh, no--but I know someone that is a parent, and we do have outings...that I am invited to, at least...?

Cryo: OH YEAH, Prez lady has kids! I saw them on TV--

Des: Right, heh...

Des: You know, if...if it wasn't for your little brother, Two...

Des: I...I really think I wouldn't get to see them again. They're good kids--Min raised them right...

Des: I just...

Des: ...Really do want to thank you all.

Brand: -Blinks-

Des: If it wasn't for your brother--and your friend Cardinal, of course--

Des: If it wasn't for them rising up in this absolute nightmare...

Des: I don't think any of us would be standing here. And it really IS because of your cooperation and support--not only as a team, but Sanda Tech as a whole.

Avi: ...

Avi: ....but...

Avi: <<;;; Weren't... weren't we kinda part of the problem...?

[The Mighties all shift glances at one another--and a heavy air of shame fills the air.]

Des: ...

Des: Well, by no means was that your fault...

Avi: But--

Des: -Rasies a finger- And, all of you have played some part in trying to fix this, afterwards--that DOES mean something, Mighties. Don't think that it doesn't.

Des: I am... truly grateful for your help--and I say this on behalf of a nation still in crisis.

Des: Your friend--a soldier, no less--saved Minerva's life, and mine--and your brother...

Des: ...I've met many heroes, folks. And I can say with full confidence that Beck and Cardinal--and all of you-- are, without a doubt, real ones.

Des: (Full honors, I'll make sure of that...)

Des: .....

Des: Sorry, I just...I just wanted to let you guys know before we get caught up in work again. ^^;;

Mic: ;w; -D'awwww....-

Brand: <//< -Clearly thinking of disappearing--

[This does clear the atmosphere of the previous mood--and even incites chatter of their own brother. Des quietly listens in while he enjoys a nice hot meal of pasta, listening carefully as the elder Mighties all conversed about Beck's past--and how far he has come.]

Cryo: Hey, Pyro...

Pyro: --Yes?

Cryo: Ya know...don't ya think, maybe, after this...

Cryo: We can let you know who back on the team?

Brand: -Looks up with interest-

[As did the rest of the Mighties.]

Pyro: ...ah...

Pyro: Well, it would depend on where the season picks up again, it's still too early to say--

[...But he does smile a bit after he puts away his oven mitts to grab a plate for himself.]

Pyro: But why don't we shelve that for now?

Pyro: I think that would be only fair to be another reward for all his hard work...

[After settling in for the night, Desmond used the private lines to make another call…]

Des: …And that’s where we stand right now.

[President Minerva sighed.]

Minerva: …You’re right. The Smithsonian is going to have a fit. Covering the cost of repairs is going to be a nightmare—several hallways need to have the entire security system reset and/or replaced, and some are so bad as to need electrical rewiring. No doubt some of Congress is going to want to use this as an excuse to update styles or otherwise be extravagant about it.

[She gave another exasperated sigh before shaking her head.]

Minerva: The VP is currently handling affairs at the White House itself. I’ve submitted some paperwork to my speechwriters regarding a public statement on the incident. There’s not much to say, even if I felt like saying it; I can truthfully say that the matter is under investigation, but everyone working there was safely evacuated thanks to the combined efforts of the Mighty Numbers.

[She paused.]

Minerva: DLN-000 has really brought a lot of attention to himself, but it seems the media didn’t catch on to his serial number. I’d like to keep it that way for now—the investigation is proving difficult enough as it is without adding in false reports to the mix.

[She frowned.]

Minerva: What do you make of Dr. Cossack so far, Desmond?

Des: -Crosses arms- Well.

Des: He’s cooperative, at least. Which worries me a little, because this isn’t the first time we’ve seen someone seemingly open to questioning and not be a spy of sorts.

Des: He personally doesn’t strike me as one, if I’m being very honest.

Des: I’m going with my gut on this one and saying he’s not, but the fact that he’s Russian and probably working with Dr. Sanda…

Minerva: Mmmn. There’s something very strange about this. (How does a Russian doctor come to care for a military grade American Combat construct, anyway?!) -.-

Des: Dr. Sanda has Japanese ties with his brother overseas, there’s that to think about too…

Minerva: You bring up an interesting point–Russia and Japan aren’t exactly friends. (I can’t seem to recall they EVER made a peace treaty…)

Des: Exactly.

Des: Which just further backs up the point that Dr. Cossack isn’t a spy, but…

Minerva: Well, let’s just consider him a Person of Interest at this point.

Des: I’m wondering how they met in the first place, because they clearly know each other, and I’m willing to bet that goes the same for Dr. White.

Des: Not much going on for him, though. Full blooded American, mother is Rebecca White, father ditched when he was 10.

Des: He’s very clean—heck, not even a parking ticket.

Minerva: That’s not really unusual for… withdrawn geniuses, shall we say?

Des: True.

Minerva: Genius is often accompanied by social issues. From what you’ve told me, he almost never makes public appearances. He probably doesn’t feel comfortable in a public setting. I’ve worked with plenty of students like that.

Des: Yeah, there’s not even a lot of pictures of the guy, aside from social media from the Mighties themselves.

Des: (And even then, he’s sorta in the background…)

Des: Should we cover all the bases and ask to question him too?

Des: Though, uh… a guy that withdrawn, might be hard to get anything from him…

Minerva: That would be something for Homeland Security to cover if it came to it. I’ll speak with the Secretary and see what they say.

Minerva: However, I don’t think that will be necessary–not unless something comes up in the questioning.

Minerva: For people who have a hard time being around others, they come to rely very deeply on a select few they trust and feel comfortable with. This can lead to being taken advantage of, though–if he is involved in anything, I would suspect it would be because someone took advantage of him in some way.

Minerva: Dr. White is very withdrawn—Dr. Sanda is his main point of contact with most of the world, from what we have seen. He doesn’t attend conventions with his contemporaries. So if Mikhail Cossack is a family friend, it had to have been through Sanda first.   (How would an unknown and very secretive Russian scientist become such good friends with a Japanese scientist of a very high profile? He must be very busy, and they don’t seem to be business partners so much as friends…)

Minerva: At the moment, the cyber units are working with him to combat the virus. Let them continue to monitor the situation– they will let us know if something is wrong.

Minerva: And beyond that–

Minerva: A man’s house is his castle.

Minerva: You are in that castle by yourself right now, and there are more than a few knights at his command.

Des: –… (Yeah… that…)

Minerva: Trying to place pressure on the king could end poorly, and I’d rather not risk you.

Des: Aw, you care. | )

Minerva: | } I could make a remark to pass it off, but yes, I do care. I try.

Des: -Stretches- Well…

Des: If anything, the cyber units and White’ll think of something. Doc is a genius, after all, made the Mighty Numbers and everything.

Des: Hopefully this virus mess gets cleaned up soon, then we can fully focus on damage control and repair…

Minerva: That would be nice, especially if Dr. Cossack proves to be a potential asset. Though I get the feeling he won’t be easy to work with. (He’s stubborn and doesn’t give way to pressure or fear–even great fear.)

Minerva: I don’t think intimidation will work on him. It may prove counterproductive to try for that right away.

Minerva: It might help to see if you can learn more from the Mighty Numbers–if he knows Sanda and White, he has to be a part of their inner circle. Try talking to Six.

Minerva: You need to talk to him anyway. It’s clear he’s linked to DLN-008—the footage he broadcast while sick shows that much. And the Brits are asking about him again. >.> (Someone must have leaked that the child was involved with the incident at the White House.)

Des: Yeah, we might get answers there.

Des: And then there’s Nine himself, but poor kid’s been though a whole week and a half practically saving the nation.

Minerva: Oh, heavens, try to let the poor child be if you can at all help it.

Des: Yeah, I’m with you there.

Minerva: Your coworkers were hellbent on destroying that compound, barely even were going to give him enough time to get out… >_> -Pursed lips, WE ARE STILL VERY DISPLEASED ABOUT ALL OF THAT- -Simmering-

Des: -Grimace- I’m still going to get to the bottom of how an entire base full of military grade constructs was still functioning without me knowing about it. I swear I’m gonna discharge whomever’s involved…

Minerva: This begs the question. Does Dr. Cossack know about that? I wonder if he knows who was behind the security breach there. It didn’t have the style of DLN-008′s breakthroughs…

Des: If he did, he’s not going to tell us outright. Not sure how long he’s been involved in this…

Minerva: The earliest dates the files connected to him have is April 5th, so it has to have been before that.

[She leans back and sighs.]

Minerva: 000 probably knows most of the answers. And he certainly seemed talkative.

[She looks up.]

Minerva: How did the retrieval go?

Minerva: I take it you were successful?

Des: ….

Des: >>

Des: …Yeah.

Des: ….

Des: He was in…

Des: Very bad shape.

Des: Got a name, though.

Des: Cardinal.

Minerva: …

——————

[MN.8] //: Keep gettin' in mah way, Birdy, and Ah' WILL make ya regret it!

——————

Minerva: -Thoughtful frown-

Des: That does explain all the bird metaphors Eight was using in his illness…

Des: -SIGH- One mentioned that name out loud when he saw how much damage 000 did trying to get into the Oval Office.

Des: …Used an exasperated tone, like he’s said that more than once.

Minerva: -Raises an eyebrow- That’s interesting. Authoritative tones are normally used with equals or subordinates.

Minerva: 000 didn’t seem like one to dance to someone else’s tune, though. His methods were rather… unconventional.

Des: -Shrugs- If 000 knows Eight, he probably knows the rest of the Mighty Number line, too. Isn’t that far of a stretch. He did speak like he knew Six too.

Minerva: …

Minerva: Yes, he did. -Thoughtful- …He was trying to be gentle with him about going back.

Des: Yeah…

Minerva: All the more reason to talk to Six…. I wonder how much he knows?

[There was a thoughtful silence between them for a while.]

Minerva: …When you say very bad shape…

Minerva: (Cossack said he would need to have a core replaced. Was he understating, or being technically correct?)

Minerva: Do they have the resources to fix it?

Des: Good Lord, I hope so.

Des: He was practically almost in pieces.

Des: Core exposed, even…

Minerva: …

Minerva: What?

Minerva: How is he still alive?

Minerva: That was hours after—!

Minerva: The xel loss, wouldn’t that have been too much?

Des: ….Min?

Minerva: —…?

Des: I…

Des: I couldn’t see very well, but…

Des: I saw oil, and I saw him.

Des: -Very puzzled expression- But not an ounce of Xel around him.

Minerva: —…

Minerva: -Now VERY confused- That’s… how is that possible?

Minerva: Wasn’t he fighting with Eight?

Minerva: He seemed to know quite well how to handle him. I’m sure he got off some hits on Eight, too.

Minerva: There should be something, there were TWO of them there.

Minerva: Do you suppose Nine could have picked it up?

Des: I’m not sure if Nine would take Xel from someone that’s already bleeding out–

Des: –Actually…

Des: Nine went in a little while before we got pulled out–

Des: Why didn’t he try to help him with Xel loss, if any?

Minerva: …

Minerva: You heard him, Des, as much as I did.

Minerva: Nothing would deter him from his mission.

Minerva: If it was coming down to rescuing Countershade or rescuing him— he probably told Nine to leave him behind.

Des: ….

Des: (Poor kid…)

Des: You’re probably right…

Des: -Grumbles- Doesn’t make sense, though.

Des: No Xel, yet 000 seems…I don’t know.

Des: Call it a hunch, Min, but he just seems… different.

Minerva: Well. No one in the Pentagon has stepped forward to claim responsibility for him just yet.

Minerva: …

Minerva: Though I probably scared off anyone from doing that with how obviously displeased I am with what has been going there. >________>

Des: -Snorts- Yeah, you do tend to have that effect on people. | )

Minerva: I can’t believe tax money was being used to maintain such facilities and no one noticed.

Des: -I know, geez—-

Minerva: The IRS has a lot of explaining to do. |K

Des: -Groans- And then we got to deal with investigation into who caused the whole mess…

Des: I’m tellin’ ya, Min, we’re getting nothing but dead ends on that front. We’re not getting though to CherryDyn’s lawyer dogs and Blackwell’s an uncrackable nut.

Minerva: …  -.-;  -Rubs temples- -Grumbles- Fighting fire with fire is dangerous…

Minerva: I wish we knew what happened to Dencerjack.

Minerva: There are no records of him leaving the country, but he hasn’t been found yet. There are only so many places you can hide on an island that small. >__>

Minerva: I dearly hope he didn’t get eliminated.

Des: Beats me… England might be small, but plenty of quiet countryside. He might have gone off the grid, even.

Minerva: I suppose, but given the circumstances—

Minerva: The other possibility is that he was eliminated. Someone has had it out for that team.

Minerva: Oh well. The UK has been very cooperative about that, at least. Even though the only thing they had to report were explosive metal snakes. (Not exactly helpful, but points for effort.)

Des: -Weird…-

Minerva: I had the FBI run a full report, since the files you gave me were left behind in my office, and were just preliminary anyway. Here’s what they’ve found so far…

Minerva: There are only two reported members of the Doctor Light Numbers lines: 000 and 008. Both have Doctor Cossack as their listed Doctor.

Minerva: There were other files that are around the same timeframe that also list Cossack as the Doctor: seven members of the Doctor Wily Numbers series. One of those is DWN-024, who was seen on the highways fighting Mighty Number Seven. …The footage on that has to be seen to be believed…

Minerva: There are also nine registered Doctor Cossack Numbers, and one biological daughter.

Minerva: Dr. Cossack himself is a widower. Apparently, he’s cared for these series due to abuse and neglect issues from Doctors Light and Wily… though nothing has been found on them so far.

Minerva: However, I’m sure they probably exist, or did exist, as these bots all have their serial numbers branded onto them. ¬__¬ Things are made complicated by all the records that have gone missing.

Minerva: Prior to his time in Kansas City before he came to the White House—reports confirm that he is the mysterious Xelbot who helped liberate Kansas City recently—there was only one public record of 000. According to the reports, he went to visit the Colosseum back in late May. With Eight and Nine.

Minerva: And you’ll never guess what happened while he was there.

Des: -This we gotta hear–

Minerva: They were attacked.

Des: -Sputters–  Right there–in the sands–?!

Minerva: By Bladeblaster.

Des: What.

Des: (I don’t get it, did–was he DRUNK?)

Minerva: According to the witnesses, 000 did not react in a way that would have suggested he were as much of a Combat master as he has proven to be. He made an effort not to reveal what he was capable of, even when taken by surprise. It would seem his instinct was to protect his friend, though.

Minerva: I may be wrong, but I think someone with the secondary jobs that he and Eight had would have had access to more information about people than the general public. Which means either there was no information suggesting 000 was what he was, or else he didn’t care.

Minerva: The three of them were seen talking after that. He must have said something offensive just before leaving, because both Eight and 000 were described to have reacted adversely.

Minerva: (Even if he didn’t know or care, he was surely sorely pressing his luck.)

Des: -_-;;;;

Des: It kind of sounds like outright stupidity to me, but…. Late May, huh, not too long after the date the files came in…

Minerva: They’re trying to find the receptionist who checked him in, but it’s very chaotic down there.

[She gives a slight smile.]

Minerva: At least there’s a humorous side to the story.

Minerva: According to witnesses, 000 was playing around on the gymnastics equipment before that confrontation. I’m sure it wouldn’t surprise you to hear he displayed aptitude for parkour and gymnastics in general.

Des: Heh…

Minerva: It was apparently enough to catch the attention of at least one recruiter. But by the time they went in there, he and Shade had already left. The recruiters were rather disappointed.

Minerva: We’ll have to try and talk with him as soon as he’s awake. -Smile fades, slight sigh- If nothing else, just to work out how to handle the press coverage.

Minerva: As far as I know, it hasn’t gotten out yet that he was injured so badly, or where he went… but the former has been almost universally accepted to be true, given the alternative was vanishing as suddenly as he came, as if some comic book superhero.

Minerva: I don’t want anyone knowing he’s at Sanda Labs just yet.

Des: No kidding, they don’t need that kind of publicity right now…

Minerva: … True….

Minerva: Be careful, Mister Secretary. Not in just what you say, but also in how you say it. Questioning the Doctors the way you will be doing is highly unconventional, and there could be consequences to deviating from procedure, even with the extenuating circumstances.

Minerva: Keep us posted, and stay safe.

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

=CHAPTER 5B: DESOLATE HIGHWAY=

~AO v1.0~

(Courtesy of @limitbreakers)

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

[INTERSTATE ALPHA 2, FOUR CORNERS BORDERS...]

[Night. Night as night can be, in the pouring, pouring rain...]

[The wipers didn't work, so Jack had to make do with the weather. The radio was set to a news channel tracking the 'rogue robot's merciless rampage' across the state.]

Jack: Stupid RAIN...

"The armed robot is currently moving into New Mexico, on Interstate Alpha 1--"

Jack: ...--!!

[SCKREEEEEEE--!!]

“Local pizzeria reports theft of entire stock of cheese pizzas, police confirm unrelated to the current rampage—”

Jack: --?!

Jack: --What the--?!

[Jack swerved left and right, nearly causing himself to flip over several times--]

[These cars--they were going the other way in the wrong lane--!]

Jack: (GREAT, THIS IS ENGLAND ALL OVER AGAIN--)

Jack: --FRAG--

[He needed to get to the other lane--]

[A digital sign overhead blinks in the misty glow of the building's nightlights...]

[NOW ENTERING INTERSTATE ALPHA 1.]

Jack: --!

Jack: (I can switch lanes on the ent--)

[HOOOOOOOOOOOOOONK--]

Jack: !!!!

Jack: Oh, SH--

[The truck interior was flashed with the bright overhead lights of an entire semi-cargo truck on a dead set collision course with Jack...!]

Jack: (CRAP--)

[Jack knew he couldn't avoid something like that.]

[Grabbing the magic Weyard bag he was given from across his seat, he kicked open the driver's side door--]

[ZIIIIIP!]

[His wires attach themselves to a street light and he is pulled away moments before the truck was overtaken by the semi with a loud, sickening CRUNCH.]

Jack: AAAAAAAAAA--!!

[He swings to the other lane and onto a passing car, right onto the hood. The windshield mostly cracks under his weight as he slams into it with a sharp yell.]

Jack: Ow...

[The car, however, still keeps going with little to no resistance with the road...]

Jack: .....?

Jack: Huh...?

[After sitting up with a groan, he realized he was on one of the fancier, newer hover models--the ones that floated above the ground and were MUCH faster than those with wheels.]

Jack: (Wait--if this is one of the new models then--)

[He looked into the car.]

[There was no one inside. The car was driving itself, and WAY too fast for any human or bot to control.]

Jack: (The...the cars ARE infected too...!)

[At the speed they were going, if one of these cars went off road...!]

Jack: This is a giant Highway Delta just WAITING to happen...

Jack: (But where is...?!)

[…Wait.

There was something… odd… about the cars below.]

Jack: ....??

[There were large dents along the roofs of the cars, where something several hundred pounds heavy had landed hard.

With the chaotic nature of the highway, they didn’t show a direct line—but they did give a general direction.

Almost like footprints.]

Jack: .......

Jack: Oh no way--

[Up ahead in the distance, another large dent appeared.

Silently.]

[She wouldn't--SHE IS--on a highway--?!]

Jack: God, you're REALLY putting me through the wringer, Miss Eight--

[Carefully, he rose to his feet, trying to maintain a good balance before putting on his goggles and looking for another street light--fortunately, they were placed evenly over the interstate.]

[ZIIIIIP!]

Jack: Ngh--

Jack: CAAAARMEEEN!

[There was an abrupt and sudden ping.]

<FMN-008>: > Jack?

[CDN.7037 to FMN.8] //: MISS EIGHT--!

[CDN.7073 to FMN.8] //: Oh man finally--FINALLY found you...!

<FMN-008>: > What the hell…

[She seemed… confused, somehow. Surprised.]

<FMN-008>: >Jack— what are you DOING here? For God’s sake—

<FMN-008>: >You need to leave— this is no place for a Civvie!

[CDN.7037] //: OH JEEE, YA THINK?!

[CDN.7037] //: KINDA FIGURED THAT OUT A WHILE AGO, THANKS.

[CDN.7037] //: This isn't any place for YOU either...!

[Carmen was clearly growing impatient. When she spoke again, her voice seemed…

…darker.]

<FMN-008>: > I’ve got business to attend to.

[CDN.7037] //: ......

Jack: (.....n....no...)

[....So...she was...]

[CDN.7037] //: .....

[CDN.7037] //: ....Figures you do...

<FMN-008>: > Augh— INCOMING!

[There was a swarm of sign bots headed his way. As if infected cars weren’t enough—!

At this speed, they could—]

<FMN-008>: > Stay…

<FMN-008>: > AWAY FROM HIM!

[Shots were fired, and bounced crazily off of incoming reinforcements and into the foes that had already swarmed the Cherry Number. Bits and pieces fell away, the parts going flying as the whole thing continued to speed along at over ninety miles an hour.]

Jack: HEY--!!

[Jack covered his face as parts and Xel flew away, nearly falling over on the current vehicle he was on--]

[CDN.7037] //: YA COULD HAVE SHOT ME--

<FMN-008>: > Nnngggh…! N-no…

[Her voice was dark again—but also strained, as if she were struggling against something painful.]

<FMN-008>: > Augh… Get out of here, Jack, before—

[There was a horrific sound up ahead—followed by a fast approaching large metal object—]

WHANG!

[There was a loud thud as something tall and teal appeared out of nowhere and fell to the surface it was standing on.]

Jack: --!!

Jack: MISS EIGHT--!!

[ZIIIP!!]

[He swings over closer to her, to get a better look at her condition--]

Jack: ARE YOU OK--?!

[The Fighting Mighty Number Eight wasn’t out of the fight just yet—but the hit had done quite a lot of damage. She couldn’t resume her Active Camo anymore—no matter how much she tried.]

Jack: (She doesn't have her invisibility...)

Jack: MISS EIGHT--?!

[A low growl.]

Jack: --!

[The lady hunter staggered to her feet, a demonic purple aura about her. Now, she spoke aloud—and there was a clear overlay to her voice, as if it were being applied through a filter.

…A disturbingly familiar one.]

Carmen: I don’t need your help.

Jack: --!!

___________________

"FORFEIT, OR THE ELECTRIC MAIDEN'S HEAD ROLLS!~"

____________________

Jack: (I....no...it can't be...!)

Jack: (She--the...)

Jack: (The crosses....)

Jack: CARMEN--LISTEN TO ME--!

Jack: There's something--something in your head that's making you angry--and it's not your fault...!

[She hissed as more sign bots approached. She shot at an angle off of a car in a different lane, the shots making wild pinball-like bounces to tear them to pieces.]

Carmen: I don’t need protecting. I /REFUSE/ to be put on a leash and shut in a tower! I’m no damsel in distress— AH’ AIN’T MADE A’ GLASS, Y’ALL—

Jack: CARMEN--!!

Jack: FOR LIFE'S SAKE--STOP--

[He ducked as more debris flew over his head, avoiding the edges of the vehicle as he swung on after her.]

[It was as if she’d never heard him.

She lifted her head, her one eye glowing a violent hue the color of blood. Now her rifle was pointed in Jack’s direction.]

Carmen: -SCREAMS- AH’ NEVER HAVE BEEN!

Jack: --!

[.....]

[When he saw her pointing his weapon at him...]

[He froze.]

[The deadly cowgirl would have none of it.]

Carmen: Back off, Puppetdancer! Ah’ have no quarrel with y—

[She wavered, as if she were going to fall. The color of her eye briefly went from crimson to yellow.]

Carmen: A-ah…!

[She was forced to a knee to steady herself and keep her balance. She turned her head to the side, the purple aura fading for a moment.]

Jack: Carmen--I don't want to fight you either--CRAP--!

[Zip, swing, land, repeat--don't fall--]

Jack: I JUST WANT TO TALK--

Carmen: (Everything hurts…! Everything… HURTS!)

[Aaaaaaand then she was not only back on her feet… but also on the move!]

Jack: MISS EIGHT--aw, come on, really?!

[ZIIIIIIP! ZIIIIIIP!]

Jack: STOP--!

[There was a LOUD thud as she leaped over to the truck in front of them.]

Carmen: -Yelling over the whistling wind- Get somewhere safe, Jack! I don’t want you in the way.

Jack: I CAN'T--!

[Another loud thud.]

Jack: You think I'm gonna TURN BACK after all I've gone through just to FIND YOU?!

[Carmen wasn’t about to stay put for anyone. She jumped through the air, landing hard on the vehicle in front—which happened to be a big rig.

And the Spider Puppeteer only followed suit.]

[ZIIIIP!]

Jack: Carmen, PLEASE...!

[Carmen looked angry again, the demonic aura returning. Once again, her rifle was pointed at Jack.]

Carmen: What is it with men and directions? WAI DO YA /NEVER/ LISTEN T’ REASON?! Ah’ SAID that Ah’ have a job t’ do—an’ I won’t let ANYone stop me! So… BEGONE, Dencerhound, a’fore Ah’ show you what Ah’ DO to men who try to chase me—!

[THAT made Jack take a couple of steps back.

His hands shook, his face twisted in a expression of concern and fear.]

Jack: . . . .

[She turned to leave again.]

Jack: ......

Jack: . . .

[No one has greater love than this...

...Than to lay down one's life for his friends.]

Jack: No.

[ZIIIIIIIIP!]

Carmen: —?!

[Carmen found herself held fast with wires. …Unusually strong wires—not so much the strength of steel as of… spider silk?!]

Carmen: What the—

[He yanks her backwards--which took quite a bit of effort, given her weight...]

Jack: I can't let you DO THIS--!

Carmen: GIT OFFA ME—

[She bared her teeth at the former Civvie, her eye displaying cross-hairs over the blood red color.]

Carmen: AIN’T GOT TIME FER THIS, M’ TARGET MOVES FAST AS FRAG, HE’S GETTIN’ AWAY!

Jack: THAT'S--

[Yank--!]

Jack: --A GOOD THING, MISS EIGHT--!

[Carmen screeched in a seething disgust.

She fired off a trick shot which bounced off of the big rig into the sky, hitting a camera drone. She started yelling—and then screaming— skyward…

…as if it wasn’t really Jack she were talking to anymore.]

Carmen: AAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUGH—!

[She thrashed.]

Carmen: You never wanted me. NEVER! /You think I’ve forgotten that?!/ If they’d had your way, /I NEVER WOULD HAVE EXISTED—!/

[There was horrific screeching over the feed along with her shouting.]

Carmen: -Enraged- You lock me in a cage and treat me like glass. ME, the gal BUILT for things more dangerous than you could EVER imagine!

Jack: --?!

Jack: (What...)

Carmen: When Ah’ came back that night with m’ arm missing, did you even try to help me get back on my feet?

Carmen: NO! You blamed it on ME, you said I’d been CARELESS, that I couldn’t HANDLE going outside by myself—

Carmen: YOU PUT ME UNDER PERMANENT PAROLE, /YOUR OWN SISTER—!/

Jack: (I...)

Jack: M...Miss...Eight...

[The aura was now almost like a consuming fire, flaring more intensely in this rage.]

Carmen: You, who were supposed to be BETTER! Supposed t’ see I wasn’t just a number, not just the youngest! Not just a GIRL! You’re no better than the scrap that clogs up the arena, calling me names and spreading those lies—!

[.....]

[Lies--lies and slander...]

Jack: . . .

[His core lurched in sympathy for her, his heart cracked with every pained word, every agonizing sentence...]

Jack: (God, Miss Eight, no...)

Carmen: I hate you.

Carmen: I HATE YOU /BOTH/ SO DAMN MUCH—!

[The aura died down. Carmen’s breath was ragged, and her readings were low.

But she looked up with a glare. Her eye changed from blood red to the same demonic purple as the aura that surrounded her.]

Carmen: Grr—! …I’ve got no quarrel with you, Cub—so let go!

[YANK.]

Jack: I--I CAN'T!

Jack: YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING--!

Carmen: Don’t know what I’m doing? DON’T KNOW WHAT AH—

Jack: FOR GOD'S SAKE, CARMEN, SHUT U P FOR TWO SECONDS--!

Jack: YOU'RE THE ONLY PERSON THAT C A R E S ABOUT ME IN THIS LIFE!

Jack: I'M N O T GONNA LET THAT GO!

[A pause.]

Jack: .....

Jack: Carmen?

[…Uh-oh.]

Carmen: Oh, so you wanna play NOW then, do ya—

[HER EYE DISPLAYED CROSS-HAIRS CENTERED OVER JACK’S SPIDERWEB SYMBOL.]

Carmen: You wanna DANCE, do ya?

Jack: (Oh--OH SCRAP, I'M DEAD.)

Jack:

U-Uh--!

[Carmen suddenly dashed forward and RAMMED right into Jack.]

Jack: OOF--!

[Jack was tackled RIGHT off his feet and onto the rig, with the wind knocked out of him. He was a wheezing mess for a couple of seconds--]

[But he still held fast.]

Jack: N-Ngh...

[Carmen stood, glaring down at Jack—or so it seemed, given her menacing stance. The places where eyes would be in the face of any other Xelbot were cast in a deep, dark shadow.]

Carmen: Tch.

[She sounded unimpressed.]

Carmen: If ya won’t let me go… Ah’ll just have t’ bring you with me! Now be a good boy… an’ HEEL.

Jack: N...

Jack: I can't...do that...

Carmen: Ah’ said HEEL, not SPEAK. Now get yer act t’gether, we’re goin’ hunting. MOVE IT!

[.......]

______________________

"For [Frag's] sake, Den. I'm starting to wonder why I even picked you off the street in the FIRST place."

"I--"

"You can't even DODGE or take a hit right--you're NEVER going to survive out in the arena if you keep being WEAK!"

"B-Boss, it's ju--"

"I don't want to HEAR it."

"Now be a GOOD boy and do as I say."

"But--"

"MOVE IT, PUPPET!"

__________________________

[That was it.]

[He was SICK and TIRED of this.]

[Sick and tired of being treated as a throwaway mutt--!]

[When Jack raised his head, his eyes were GLOWING a bright purple. Not at all like the virus's evil glow--this was strong, and defiant, and angry.]

Jack: THAT'S IT--YOU KNOW WHAT?!

Jack: I'M NOT GONNA LET YOU BOSS ME AROUND--NOT Y O U!

Jack: NOT ANYMORE--!

[...Strange...he...didn't seem to be talking to Carmen...?]

Jack: I'm NOT backing down--

Jack: And I'm NOT going anywhere with you--!

Jack: No...

Jack: NO WAY, MISS EIGHT.

Jack: YOU WANNA DANCE?! FINE!

[A HARSH YANK.]

Jack: LET'S D A N C E.

[She gave a wicked grin. …A shark grin that was disturbingly like her vampire witch sister’s—Dyna’s.]

Carmen: Thought ya’d NEVER ask~

[She YANKS hard, moving quickly to the side. It becomes apparent why soon enough—there are more debris headed their way, and she was trying to get the wires right between them!]

Jack: --!!

[Was she--well, yes, actually, she WAS crazy.]

[His arms swing backwards, so that the strings straighten out like fine lines, almost invisible to the naked eye...]

Jack: (Can't let them get tangled...!)

[It…

…didn’t work out the way Carmen had hoped.]

Carmen: ?!

[She just STARED in astonishment as the debris cut cleanly through the wires—as if it were cheese run through several dozen slicers.]

Carmen: -Meepface- . . .

Jack: .....

Jack: Woah.

[Jack seemed to be as EQUALLY surprised...]

[And THEEEEN she surged with panic.]

Carmen: (OH M’ GOD THEY’RE ALL AROUND ME /HE COULD SLICE ME RIGHT IN HALF WITH THOSE GAROTTES—/)

[.......]

[She....wasn't the only one going into panic.]

Jack: (OH GOD--OH SCRAP IF I EVEN M O V E WRONG I COULD TURN HER INTO RIBBONS OH MAN OH NO--)

Carmen: -Glitched screeching- AH WON’T LOSE ANY MORE LIMBS, DAMMIT—!

Jack: NO--I SWEAR I WON'T HURT YOU--!

[She moved in closer in her long strides, but it was clear from the fluid motion and calm control that she just wanted to slack the lines a bit. She pivoted aside to look at him, a loading icon displaying on her eye as she tried to think of something—anything— that would work here.]

Carmen: (Glitchfrag it…!)

Carmen: (Ah’ know…)

Carmen: (Ah’ KNOW I’ve lived through missions in situations just as bad or worse—)

Jack: OK--um--uh--I...OK just don't move--

Jack: I swear I'll get us out of this--!

Carmen: Why…

Carmen: Why can’t I remember…?

Jack: ....!

Jack: (Remember...?)

Jack: C...Carmen...!

Carmen: Nnngh…!

[And again a semi-collapse to her knees, her head turned to the side.]

Carmen: (Lord help me, the HEADACHES…)

Jack: Carmen...!

[The aura surged again, and she looked up, angry.]

Carmen: Grrrr…!

[She returned to her feet.]

Carmen: A Mighty NEVER loses on their knees!

Jack: --!!

Jack: Eep--

[He backs up again, careful to not tug on his wires too harshly now--]

[He didn't want to hurt her that way...!]

Jack: C-Carmen...please....

Jack: Don't....don't you remember me?

Jack: I--I don't want to hurt you, please, stop...!

Carmen: Jack…!

[The virus wasn’t ready to give up such a prize. The aura surged again—and again, the demonic overlay.]

Carmen: I remember a terrified civvie in way over his head who ran t’ mah heels from just a few /words/.

Carmen: I remember someone who… who DIDN’T have th’ strength t’ face the forces of darkness…!

[A glare.]

Carmen: /I don’t recognize this—this steadfast WARRIOR in front a’ me—!/

Jack: .......

Jack: Well, to be honest--I don't really recognize the women in front of me either.

Jack: But I KNOW that isn't your fault.

Jack: .....

Jack: I'm no warrior.

Jack: I'm just a normal guy trying to save his friend with what he's got.

Jack: I'm just a guy with REALLY bad luck and way too many regrets and mistakes on his head.

Jack: .....

Jack: But I'm not gonna let that stop me.

Jack: Not you, Carmen...

Jack: And certainly not YOU.

[A glitched screech at that.]

Carmen?: WHY, CDN-7037?

Carmen?: YOU. CANNOT DEFY FATE!

Carmen?: YOU KNOW. TOO MUCH!

Jack: --???

Jack: What are--

[Carmen paused to take a firmer stance, but then, suddenly—

The aura faded and her eye turned a pale gray.]

Carmen: Aw glitch—

[Jack tuned around to see what Carmen was more concerned about--]

[...That...was his mistake.]

[WHANG!]

[…Carmen had seen it coming, and had even tried to duck.

But she was tall, injured, and neither of those things made it easy to dodge in close quarters.

She hit the entrance to the tunnel head-on.]

WHANG.

[Jack's systems were jostled, and he could see nothing but static for a good half minute.]

[Pain, dizzy, what, where is...]

Jack: Aaaaaaawfraaaaaaaag....

Jack: Can't...

[Bright, dark, bright, dark...]

[The static finally clears out...]

Jack: A-Ah...

Jack: What...was...

[Though he was still seeing stars, he could tell from the orange glow of lights that they had entered...a tunnel?]

Jack: (Did...did I seriously get hit by...?)

Jack: Ah--!

Jack: (Can't...hurts to...think...ow...)

Carmen: J-… Jack…

Jack: ...!

Jack: C...Carmen...?

Jack: (Miss Eight...is she...?)

[The aura was still there, but very faint. …It wasn’t hard to see why.

She’d hit the overpass SO hard that it had cracked her radar dish—and maybe even the rest of her skull. There certainly was a lot of sickly-looking Xel pooling beneath her head.]

Carmen: -Weakly- Jack…?

Jack: .....!!!

Jack: (X-Xel--she's...no...)

Jack: M...Miss...Eight...!

[With some reserved strength he never knew he had, he crawled his way towards her, and pushed himself up on his elbows to get a better look at her.]

Jack: Oh no...

Carmen: …Can’t…

Jack: Miss Eight...it--you're gonna be OK...

Jack: If ya can't move--

Carmen: Can’t… see…

Jack: ....!!!

Jack: Y...You can't...?

[Back into the glaring light of the setting sun.]

Carmen: He’s going to get away…

[Her anger couldn’t sustain her through the damage.]

Carmen: Can’t… can’t see… ANYTHING… can barely hear, so fault…

Jack: Carmen...

[Jack placed a shaky hand on her shoulder, so she can at least feel his presence somehow, with her sight and hearing so shot...]

Jack: I-It's OK...I'm...here...

Jack: (Everything hurts, ow...)

[She tried to get to her feet. When it didn’t work, she shifted into her civilian form. This stopped the Xel loss, but didn’t help the pain.]

Carmen: God help me, this headache…

Jack: Y-You and me both, ow...

[She suddenly pushed herself to her knees—but the eighteen wheeler LURCHED.]

Carmen: -YELPS-

Jack: WHOA--!!

[Jack saw why—there were bits of wreckage EVERYWHERE in the road ahead. And they were approaching cars that had been literally sliced in half.]

Jack: Oh FRAG...

Jack: WE NEED TO GET OFF THIS RIG N O W--

[There was a rough and violent bit of turbulence before the truck briefly went flying and then tipping over—]

Jack: AAAAAAAAH--!

[At first, the only thought on his mind was Carmen.]

[So the first thing he did was grab her.]

[And the next?]

[ZIIIIIIP!]

[His wires wrap around another street light, and the two of them are sent swinging onto another passing rig on the opposite lane.]

[....There wasn't as much grace in the landing, though.]

Carmen: Hrgh…

Jack: C-Crap...

Jack: OK...ah...um--ow...

Jack: Gotta...get...

[A faint, choppy noise seemed to cut through the ambience of the highway.]

[…

…Seemed to be getting louder…]

Jack: .......?

Jack: (What...what is that noise...?)

Jack: (S...Sounds...like...)

“FINALLY!”

Carmen: …Th’ hell—Beck…?

Jack: ....!

Jack: K...Kid...?

[There was a slight THUD as Fighting Mighty Number Nine landed next to the beleaguered Cherry.]

Pup: Man, you are HARD to find!

[Carmen shifted back into her combat form.]

Carmen: You…!

Jack: --!!

Jack: Carmen, no--!

Carmen: You’re here on One’s orders, to drag me back to confinement—!

[Beck didn’t seem fazed. He shifted forms—]

[ZZT.]

[…It was almost comical how that tiny zap put her back down.]

Carmen: OW—

Pup: No more hide-and-seek, Sis!

[He shifted back to his default… glowing… green, now?]

Jack: ....!

Jack: Wait, what are you--

Pup: TIME TO COME HOME!

[There was a bright green flash as he thrust his arm forward—causing Carmen to glow as well—]

Carmen: G…GYAH—

[… … …]

“Come on out, Pup. No need t’ hide from me.”

“S-sorry—”

[He stepped out from behind a street sign that Carmen had in her room for some reason. His sister was polishing her boots, humming a song.]

“What’s on your mind?”

“… … …”

“C’mon, now.~ Yer alright.”

“…Sis…”

“Mmhmm?”

“Why do you make up those stories?”

[Silence.

Long, awkward silence.]

“S-… a-ack, I-I— I’m sorry—”

[A pulse of relaxing data.]

“…Easy now, hon. …Ah’ ain’t mad at ya.”

“…Y-… you’re… not?”

[She clicked her tongue.]

“Yer the most honest soul on God’s green earth. ‘Course ya can’t understand the workings of lies.”

[Another pause.]

“…Y’ know… I don’t know if I’ll ever tell anyone what happened.”

“Not… not even Dad?”

“No.”

“But—but it’s Dad—”

“Shhh…”

“Lemme tell you something, Pup. When you go through that kind of darkness, there are only so many things you can do with what’s left, after.”

“You can choose to let it haunt you. To define you. To become your obsession. You can go off the deep end into denial, even more of an obsession. Or you can just say, ‘I don’t like talking about that time’ and take things in your own control.”

“People are never gonna stop asking, hon. Never. Even if I ever were to be made whole. Maybe Ah’ COULD tell the truth every single time—maybe, maybe not. For all you know, I’m sworn to secrecy.”

“You… you could tell US if you were, though… right?”

“Heh… not the point, Puppy. The point is… the answer doesn’t change what happened then. So I choose not to give that answer any power.”

“I shall defy it, mock it, scorn it— Trivialize it, so that it’s not in control. No room for self-pity—not at work, and not at m’ other job, either.”

“But…”

“You know the kind of people I work with. And you know that sometimes, I meet people who are really scared. Why focus on what you don’t have—what you’re not— When instead you could be movin’ forward with a healing touch with the vast strength you DO have?”

“Helpin’ others means putting them, first. Whether yer scared, or troubled—”

“We don’t have to be in the spotlight, Beck, to make a difference. Sometimes, the most important things are done where only Heaven can see.”

[… … …]

[XEL PURGE COMPLETE.]

[ALL HARMFUL MALWARE HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM FMN-008.]

Carmen: Nnnn…

Jack: !!!!

Jack: (What in the world was that...green...?)

Jack: Carmen...?

Carmen: …What… what…?

Carmen: Jack, is that you…?

Jack: Y...Yeah...?

Jack: Are...is...oh my God...

[The lady assassin felt very out of it. Everything was darkness… but she had to reach out for that voice, confirm that it wasn’t all a dream…]

Carmen: -Reaches up with her hand to touch his face- Ah’—Ah’ can’t see you right now—

Jack: Y--You...it's...

[.....]

[Were....those...tears she felt on her fingers...?]

Jack: It's...it's you...!

Carmen: …

Carmen: …Are we… what…

Jack: Oh God it's really you Miss E--

Carmen: Where are we? Avi’s wind tunnel or somethin’?

[HONK HOOOOOONK.]

Jack: ...!!!

Jack: oH--

Pup: Yikes!

[…Oh. RIGHT.

They were still in the middle of a pack of crazed cars heading who knows where at over 90 miles an hour.]

Jack: Kid--We gotta get off this crazy--

Pup: UH—

Pup: UM

Pup: -AAAAH I CAN’T CARRY YOU /BOTH/, SIS IS SO—uhhhh… TALL.-

Jack: FRAG--!

Jack: UH--UM--

[A search light suddenly illuminated the area around them.]

Jack: --Wha?!

“YOOOOOOO!”

"HOW'S IT HANGING, BROS?"

Jack: ....?!

Jack: SIX?!

Carmen: AVI!

Pup: TWO AVIS—

Goose: -Swoops in closer to perform a cursory check on the stability of the platform- Well, Avi, looks like Spiderman and Wonderwoman landed in a… sticky situation!

Carmen: …

Maverick: Ooo, looks like you're right, Avi--it's a real TANGLED MESS.~

Carmen: . . .

Pup: But—I thought One told you to stay behind—

Goose: AW, C’MON, BECKY

Goose: DID YOU REALLY THINK I WOULD LET THIS CHANCE

Goose: PASS UP? ; D

Carmen: . . .

Jack: ......

Maverick: HA! I get it!

Carmen: (Lordy Ah’ musta done somethin’ horrific t’ suffer THIS as my punishment—) -Weakly- Goose, ain’t… got th’… energy t’ yell at ya properly fer that right now…

Goose: I know, right :^D

Maverick: Heheh...

Maverick: Hate to cut this short--but we REALLY need to make an exit, don't ya think? ; D

Jack: (Wow...they are REALLY showing no mercy...)

Maverick: Any longer and we'll have to ride them up for going over the speed limit--

Jack: UM, GUYS--

Jack: NOW'S NOT THE TIME--

Goose: Truuuuue enough! Time waits for no one! 8^D

Carmen: -Faintly- Lord help me but He sure knows ah’ve earned this sufferin’…

Goose: Seems like you guys could use a LIFT out of here! ^.^

[The chipper plane scooped his solid younger sister right off the roof of the rig.]

Pup: —! WOAH WOAH WAIT—

[Oops.

The strings were still attached.

Jack got yanked along about a foot, like a pull toy.]

Jack: FRAG FRAG FRAG S T O P--!!

[There was a sudden red blur.]

-SHING!-

[THUD.]

Jack: Ow...

Ninja!Pup: Whew…

Goose: … -Just kinda. Blinks for a moment-

Goose: …Um.

Goose: WELL! If everyone’s checked in, time for Avi Airlines to get you out of here!

Carmen: Uggh…

Carmen: Ah’ suppose Ah’ deserve your puns. But no weight jokes or Ah SWEAR Ah’ll take ya down with me, got it?

Goose: Love ya too, Sis! ^.^

Jack: Ha...

Jack: Oweverythinghurts....

Maverick: I got ya, Jackie!

[Rick hovers over Jack as he grabs both of his arms to lift him up, then hoists him further into the air with relative ease.]

Maverick: All set, yo! Let's hit it!

[Pup shifted into Avi’s form to follow after them, the three fliers headed off away from the highway.]

Goose: -Touches down gently- Theeere we go.

-Ping!-

<MC005>: > Augh, why is there still no signal?

<FMN-001>: > This IS Shade we’re talking about…

Carmen: -Groans- (…Brother?)

<DWN-011>: > …think it is more that her transceiver is damaged…

Maverick: Yeah, you guys don't look so good...

Jack: Tunnel...

Maverick: ???

Jack: Didn't...see it...

Maverick: OW...

Jack: ...Mng...

<MC005>: > …I have an idea…

<MC005>: >Will, you don’t mind a lot of sand near the teleporters, do you?

[DR.WHITE] //: Er, no--why?

<MC005>: >I’m going to do a spherical transportation.

<MC005>: >Call, if you please…

[DR.WHITE] //: Ah--! Yes, that will do the trick...

Jack: ...Is that Doc White...?

Maverick: Yup. And Dr. Cossack. Say hi, Jackie!

Jack: Heh...hi...sorry I don't look my best right now...

<MC005>: >Heh… don’t worry about that.

Carmen: Daddy…

[DR.WHITE] //: It's alright now, Shade.

[DR.WHITE] //: You'll be home soon.

Carmen: … ‘kay, Dad.

Carmen: I’mma… I’mma just…

Carmen: …sleep, nao—

<FMN-008 has entered Deep Sleep mode.>

Jack: . . .

Jack: H...Hey...Docs...

Jack: She's...she's gonna be OK now, right? Dunno...dunno what the kid did but...

Jack: She's...not crazy any more, right...?

Goose: Bro. Bro.

Goose: Not in the way you’re talking about, no.

Goose: But… her being okay eventually means being back to doing her crazy, ridiculous stunts. …Just part of who Eight is.

Jack: Heh....

Jack: Wouldn't...have it any other...way...

Jack: Just...wanted to...make sure...

Jack: So tired--

[INSUFFICIENT POWER SUPPLY. SHUT DOWN INITIATED.]

[CDN.7037 HAS GONE INTO DEEP SLEEP MODE.]

Goose: …

Goose: [sub]Looks like Mister Sandman paid them a visit[/sub] :’^D

Maverick: You said it, mirror...

Pup: -Sighs inwardly- (Yep. Definitely back to normal.)

{Later that Night…}

[Having delivered Jack and Carmen to the emergency bay, Maverick and Goose made a swift exit stage left, in an attempt to avoid Pyrogen’s wrath.

However, their plan to vacate to the Meadow instead…

…didn’t work as well as they might have hoped.]

Bonnie: You are all okay AVI DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW WORRIED—WHAT IF SHADE HAD HIT YOU— -Seems to be talking to both-

[…Oops. The OTHER Pyro was there waiting for them.]

Maverick: 8' D (Hoooo boy...)

Bonnie: -Pulls Rick into a half-hug… aaaaand Goose in a headlock-

[…One gets the impression Rick is not in a headlock because he currently lacks a civvie form.]

Rick: ^.^;;;;; (Man I am so glad I do not have a squishy form at the moment--)

Bonnie: -BIG BRO IS SO GLAD YOU ALL ARE OKAY—but you’re still in trouble, especially you, Rick-

Rick: -WAT WHY ME--ooooooh wait-

Rick: ehehehehuuuuuh... 8' D

Bonnie: You might have at least TOLD your Pyro BEFORE suddenly abdicating the emergency bay…

Goose: Aww, but then he woulda said no. D^:

Rick: Yeaaaaaaaaaah he would--in my defense I knew Goose needed help so???

Bonnie: | [

Rick: IIIIIIII am so dead when I get home aren't I--

Goose: MAYBE but I’ll help take the heat— gak!

Bonnie: -Loosens his grip, because he was just giving a warning- If this was your idea, then you’d better own up to it.

Goose: YEP MORE OR LESS—I mean I tried to tell you, Beck only has one arm in that form, the other is used for flying, no way he could carry ‘em both—

Bonnie: How did you even know where to start looking?

Goose: WELL. There was this news report about a pizza robbery—

Goose: Didn’t realize Jack was there too until my cameras found them. Uh… she shut that down pretty quick, though, so… had to go in in person.

Rick: Yeah, she was REALLY letting those bullets fly...

Rick: -Totally intended pun by the way-

Rick: And then Jack was zippin' and zoomin' all over the place, and the debris, whew!

Bonnie: -Small sigh- Alright, you two. Time to get started.

Goose: Uh…?

Bonnie: You. You are going to help with the cooking.

Rick: . . . .

Rick: Uh, BOTH of us or are you talking to Goose-- (Gosh sometimes it's hard being mirrors--)

Bonnie: No, I’m sure your eldest has something else in mind. What might that be, MNN-001?

[And then there he was—the one figure they had been trying to evade in the first place—arms crossed and everything.]

Pat: HE is going straight home and helping Father with data analysis.

Rick: (WHEEEEEERE DID YOU COME FROM--)

Pat: And to help track down our last three kin, Call could use the assistance.

Rick: Uh....sure...yeah... (No seriously where did Bro come from--)

Goose: H-hi bro :’D;;;

Bonnie: (I’ll admit… I was hoping they’d see Cardinal on the highway, but of course not…) -Lets go of Rick-

Goose: Um… is this really the time for baking, though—

Bonnie: Have you been paying any attention?

Bonnie: There are now 33 people to feed. And more will be coming.

Bonnie: ONE of those is COUNTERSHADE.

Goose: -Hrk—!- Okay okay I get it—

Bonnie: Besides, I think CDN-7037 deserves some sort of reward, don’t you? I’ve heard he’s quite the carnivore…

Rick: Yeah, real meat lover...

Pat: If that's the case, I'll assist with food whenever possible. We should ask Nico too, he's also quite the cook.

Goose: I thought he was playing Doctor while Nineteen sealed himself in his room and Doc C was in Cali?

Bonnie: Well, Captain Piers has come over to assist in the healing process. It helps that Felix has been stable for a while and they have another Healer there… and that Plume and Landcrusher are also stable…

Goose: -Sudden lightbulb- Uh. Patrick? Y’ might be busy just keeping an eye on the three of them for a while…

Pat: . . .

Rick: Y...Yeah, I think we all gotta just keep an eye on everyone that's still recovering for now...

Pat: (...Shadow can stay with Brand, that will help...)

Skull: {I’m sure he would like that.}

Rick: Gah--

Pat: Skull.

Rick: (How does he DO that???)

[The soft-spoken skeleton was finally up again. He had come back Online as soon as Brandish had been brought to the lab, as he was needed to help run things in the Meadow.]

Skull: Apologies, MNN-006. It was not my intention to startle you.

Rick: Eheh--noooo problem, bro... : ' D

Skull: {We are incredibly glad you are well, Aviator. We missed you.}

Rick: Eheh...

Rick: Y-Yeah...good to be back...

Rick: .....

Rick: -scoooots behind big bro nope we're not hiding at all.-

Rick: : ' D

Skull: …? ({Am I missing something?})

Rick: Um--

Rick: I'm just gonna--go now--sorry--

Rick: -FLEES-

Pat: ......

Goose: BEEEE RIGHT BACK— -Hovers after-

Bonnie: … : / (Poor Aviator.)

{Meanwhile…}

-Ping.-

<FMN-006 to MNN-006>: >Brooooo. Broooooooooooooooo—

[MN.6 to FMN.6] //: sorry man I just--couldn't stay there--

[MN.6 to FMN.6] //: not after you know what--

[MN.6 to FMN.6] //: -nnnnngh, guilt, so much guilt--

[Goose is clearly catching up. He’s flying upside-down now… very Echo-like, honestly.]

<FMN-006 to MNN-006>: > I know, man. I know.

<FMN-006 to MNN-006>: > -Man, I can’t even REMEMBER everything, but-

MN.6 to FMN.6] //: I just--man they must HATE me--

[MN.6 to FMN.6] //: I mean I know I was screwy and everything but STILL--

<FMN-006 to MNN-006>: >Duuuude… let’s just. Just fly now, ‘kay? Catch some thermal from the plains.

[Indeed, the Wilderness was shifting into open, expansive prairie, in a state faaar away. The night air was clear, and it was silent and free.]

Goose: -Inverts and does a corkscrew in one direction, then the other-

<FMN-006 to MNN-006>: > -Hums Let’s Go Fly a Kite-

Goose: (Gotta let him wear off the Xeldrenaline, that’ll probably help. Flying always helped with that for ME me, anyway…)

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

[This DOES seem to help significantly, the very warm night breeze blowing over into the prairie and up to a starry sky...]

[MN.6] //: . . .

Goose: -Sways contently by banking very slightly from one side to the next- (Ahhh…) Home, home on the range…~

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

[MN.6] //: -Siiiigh-

Rick: -turns over so that he's staring at the stars-

Rick: (What am I gonna tell Toby...?)

Rick: (What can I even SAY?)

[Goose does a lazy loop-de-loop before resuming his swaying.

He then comes up so he’s in wingman position near Rick. But he’s still quiet, mostly just… there, for his Other.]

Rick: . . .

Rick: -Sighs once more and rubs eyes-

Rick: I reeeeeally messed up, didn't I...

Rick: Like... Super MAJOR big time messed up.

Goose: …

[He seems really thoughtful.]

Goose: …I try to always put things in a positive outlook, you know? Saying something like that outright isn’t really my thing…. Brand’s a lot better at that sort of stuff. [sub]too good, sometimes…[/sub]

Goose: I honestly… don’t really know what happened? Because… I can’t /remember/ what I did—which is pretty scary, really…. And… we couldn’t get ahold of you guys until later.

Goose: But even though I can’t remember, I know it was… definitely not cool, what I did. Yeah.

Goose: But… there are a couple of things about what happened, you know?

Rick: Yeah, I get that...

Rick: .....

Rick: (I...I can't really see a BRIGHT side to this--which tells me just how BAD things got--)

Rick: .....

Rick: I...oh man I'm SO glad Toby is--well...for the most part, OK again...

Rick: . . .

Goose: Yeah, see—that’s the thing—one of the things.

Goose: Remember what the Robin told you guys before you fought YoYo Hippie? About how possession wasn’t really them you were dealing with?

Rick: .......

Rick: Y...Yeah...

Rick: (You're not fighting the person, but the parasite...)

Goose: Man, we know it’s true, because attempts were made to fight back.

Goose: How could that happen unless there were something else— something the REAL YOU didn’t like, didn’t agree with—were there to fight against? Yeah, it doesn’t really help a whole lot, maybe, but it is really important.

Goose: And as for the Wily Numbers…

Goose: Duuude, they…

Goose: …

Goose: …I…

Goose: …I heard you… -Trails off-

Rick: . . .

Goose: (…heard you saw what happened…)

Rick: .......

Rick: I...

Rick: . . . .

Rick: Yeah.

Goose: …

Goose: …They’ve been there, man. Especially the little spark dude.

Goose: But know what?

Goose: Even though maybe someone could try and argue that everything is Tobias’s fault—HE sure seems to think so, himself—

Goose: His bros just plain love him, bro.

Goose: You’re part of their family now, dude. …Like, REALLY part, now, even. Blood Xel brothers, uh, something like that.

Goose: …You know how it is with bros. If something’s going wrong, of course you try to stop it—like with squishies, if someone’s drunk or whatnot—

Rick: ....

Goose: But you don’t hate on a bruthuh, ya know?

Rick: .....Yeah, heh... (I hope not, at least...)

Rick: .....

Rick: I guess I'm just--scared...?

Rick: I mean WILY BOTS, man. Tempers. Nothing against that, no, I mean...

Rick: (I really wouldn't blame them if they really wanted a go at me anyway...)

Goose: Well, that’s the THING, man—these guys—their experiences made them really empathetic. …Well, I mean, other than their Ninjabro, he’s like Blondie—still trying to learn about feelings and stuff.

Goose: Iiiiii think if it’s their temper you’re worried about? Yeah… maybe you’re right.

Goose: because DUDE they hate Cracker Snack so much, Toby would TOTES take a crack at them if he were let looooooose :’D;;;

Rick: Oh bro you're so right--jeez louies, tHAT would be so bad--

Goose: YEAH BRO KINDA.

Goose: …They have tempers against… well… people that cause those close to them to suffer. Like. Man, if Yoyo Hippie had REALLY tried going against them, that wouldn’t have gone well—because he threatened Robin to the point where he was paranoid more on the side of cray-cray, and then the whole deal with Queen Bee came… (Man, don’t even WANT to think about what woulda happened if Cossack hadn’t shut the others down after they sliced poor Toby open…)

Goose: They honestly think CherryDyn’s behind all this. Some think it more than others. It’s them they’re angry at.

Goose: You?

Goose: They’re SO happy you’re okay, they feel awful about…

Goose: …

Goose: …the whole cross-reference thing.

Rick: Ya know--I wouldn't be very SURPRISED if Cherry was behind it at this point...

Rick: But....

Rick: . . .

Goose: WELL, YA SEE

Goose: Here’s what Siam said—

Goose: Basically he didn’t think Cracker Snack was smart enough to think something like that up, let alone pull it off? :’^D

Rick: -SHRUGS-

Rick: He's REAL bent on putting blame on someone else. Done it with the VD and now with Doc Blackwell, and the guy is in PRISON. Seems like he's running out of options at this point and just...grasping straws...

Goose: …Did he really? Man, Siam was right—getting real un-creative with his content.

[The chipper plane snorts.]

Goose: He’s so lucky that the Angels really like YOU guys. And that Robin is busy with more important things right now. I mean, really—

Goose: THE DUDE WENT AND TAGGED THEIR HQ, AND THAT WAS ON A PRETTY GOOD EVENING

Rick: -SNORTS-

Rick: Yeah--who knows WHAT they'd do if pushed far enough and left unchecked... (…Pretty scary thought right there…)

Goose: … -Seems thoughtful about this-

Goose: …I think they don’t really know, themselves? Wasn’t that why Toby was so scared?

Goose: That’s why they are the way they are. Determined not to let that happen. No matter how hard they’re pushed.

Goose: It would take something REALLY bad to… well. Yeah, we kinda saw that already at the Finals. (They’ve just lost so much already. Really scares them when they’re about to lose even more.)

Rick: .....

Rick: -Sigh-

Rick: .....

Rick: Sis is probably gonna zap me, though. I'm, like--85% sure she is.

Goose: Bro, that’s Sis for you. Isn’t that something Electric ‘bots do when stressed, anyway?

Rick: Yeah, energy buildup, their systems release it to avoid overcharge— (Dyna's gonna be soooo angry at me I can tell--)

Goose: I knew it was her way of showing affection~

Rick: -SNORT-

Rick: Ya think? Heh...

Goose: Sure! You know, the whole “tsundere” deal.

Rick: HA! Oh, man, I knew it--

Rick: I bet it's the same for Cryo too--she fights Big Bro all the time even in a good mood--

Goose: Yeah! All the sisters are like that—

Rick: I mean SURE we do talk an earful but it's our job as little brothers to annoy big sisters, right--

Goose: -Gleeful swaying again- Something like that! More like there’s just a lot to saaaaay~

Goose: -Imitates Carmen- “C’mere a lil’ closer so Ah’ can make ya go into Airplane mode.”

Rick: -LOUD SNORT-

Rick: Oh dude I'd hightail out the window SO fast if she said that--BUT THAT IS A G R E A T PUN THO--

Goose: I TAUGHT HER WELL -So proud-

Rick: NICE, BRO. -THUMBS UP-

Rick: Wish I had an apprentice, heh...

Goose: Duuude—you DO!

Goose: : D

Rick: ....

Rick: TOBY--

Rick: I CAN TEACH HIM SO MANY PUNS--

Goose: IT’LL BE GREAT

Rick: The fact that there are so many electric/lighting puns already is also perfect--

Goose: Well yeah—he’s a real

Goose: LIVE WIRE~

Rick: And a real--

Rick: SHOCKER!~

Goose: -LOOP-DE-LOOP- Wheee!

[Yep. The lovable goofball was just a big kid at heart.]

Rick: : )

Rick: -Yeah, why not, LOOP-DE-LOOPS FOR DAAAAAAYS-

Rick: Wooooo!~

Rick: -Content data, we feel MUCH BETTER now, thanks, Goose--_

Goose: -Anytime, me-

Goose: Hey—Hey… thanks for helping out today. Really. -REEEEEAAAALLLY means it, so grateful-

Rick: Oh...yeah, no problem, dude. ^.^

Rick: Carmen's just as much a sis to me as you guys are--and Mighties always gotta stick out for one another, ya know?~

Goose: Yeah… and Tony, man… -Vents a sigh- MAN, is he gutsy for a Civvie—she’d have been really panicked if he didn’t come along.

Goose: Firebro wants me to stick around and help with cooking for everyone so the Docs can focus on their work and you guys can do your thing, and not have to worry about food. We all know how Daddo gets when he’s focused on a project, and I hear Cossack is even worse… >.>

Rick: ...Soooomeone's gonna hafta keep an eye on the Daddos so they don't overclock themselves...

Goose: Well, I think Blondie helps with that—something about the sprinklers—

Rick: -....Oh she has control over the sprinkler system, welp--

Rick: : ' D

Goose: …I won’t be able to come over there for long. Just. You know. Just in case someone stops by the lab. At least Shade is in her civvie form, no one will recognize her as Sniperbro like that… but the rest of us, ehhh, best not push our luck…

Goose: But she’s gonna be there for a while, I think. Man, face-first into concrete at 110 mph, ow.

Goose: So… she just. Might need you, since I can’t be there… ‘kay?

Rick: Yeah...I'll cover, bro. Promise.

Rick: ...Though she's probably gonna wanna be around Brand and Jackie, at first...

Goose: Oh, yeah, definitely Brand. …

Goose: … … …

Goose: … … … … … … … … … … …

Rick: .....

Rick: Uh...Goooooooooose?

Goose: -Blinks, coming out of it- Hmm?

Rick: ........

Rick: Iiiii....uh. (OK is it just me or am I really disturbing when I DON'T talk?)

Rick: Anything that Car will wanna hear from me--like, stories, stuff that'll get her to calm down and stuff?

Goose: …

Goose: -Fairly seriously- When she came back. That night.

Rick: (oooooh this does not sound good--)

Goose: She. She looked real beat up, man. Like… like this, but worse, because… it was just so sudden, and there was a good chunk of her just plain GONE—it was so wrong, somehow— “it just ain’t right” as she would say.

Rick: . . . .

Goose: She… was having trouble recovering, she wasn’t healing right, you know? Probably because of such an important thing like a core being missing.

Rick: (S...Sis...)

Goose: She’d wake up, man—but only sorta—all panicked and incoherent and man I think Pyro said she was all “Five Nights at Freddy’s 4” in her incoherent abstract data.

Rick: Oh, jeez...

Goose: And then… she got well enough to not be all “loopy in fever”, basically—

Goose: And she asked for Brandish.

Rick: ......

Rick: Little odd that she would considering their relationship before...

Goose: I know, right?

Goose: …I mean…

Goose: … Man I hope Brand doesn’t hear about what she said, not for a LOOONG time…

Rick: . . .

Goose: Brand, uh. Well. I’ll play you the clip of what we explained to the others later. But basically she thought he didn’t believe in her at all. Aaand she was vocal about that.

Goose: Everyone was kinda expecting her to ask for me, you know? No one was more shocked to hear the request than Sev himself.

Rick: Wow...

Goose: But.

Goose: She wanted him to tell her stories.

Goose: …She couldn’t stay at rest because she still felt in danger from… whatever happened, I guess… or those FNAF nightmares.

Goose: So she couldn’t get any better, because her body wasn’t recovering.

Goose: But having him around, verbally walk her through a meditation and stuff… just knowing he was there…

Goose: She got better. She slept and got better.

Rick: ....Huh...

Goose: There’s a chance something like that might happen again with this—I mean, Dad DID change the flow between the remaining cores, but she got banged up pretty bad, might need to redo that. -I don’t know, I’m not a medical genius like Siaaaaaaaam-

Rick: -wince-

Goose: As long as you, he, Jack, and Pryo are around, though, she’ll be docile and compliant.

Goose: With Jack it’s a case of him being her last mission objective—something about protecting him from CherryDyn loose-end “fixers,” dunno if that was actually a thing or just a concern, but. She’d think “OH CRAP STILL ON A MISSION” but if he’s right there, it’s all “oh okay mission accomplished, everything’s okay now” sort of deal. [sub]she takes her work super seriously[/sub]

Rick: Yeaaaah, Jack...Jack's pretty banged up too, so he'll DEF be there with her in repairs...

Goose: We’ll bring her home as soon as she can handle it—or at least to the Meadow, I mean—Dad DOES want to work on her, after all. But yeah, they’ll probably be there for a while. :’V

Goose: You’ll know she’s gotten over the worst when she becomes absolutely ravenous. [sub]she might start sleep-eating at that point tho[/sub]

Rick: Oof--she's gonna clean out our FRIDGE--if Cryo isn't sleeping in it already but I mean--

Rick: --Oh man Jack--Jack's gonna be hungry too, man no wonder Big Fire Bro asked you for cooking help, so many hungry people...

Goose: …

Goose: Did—I mean… Does Shadebro eat a lot, too?

Rick: Well--I mean, no? Sort of? His hunger is REALLY weird--

Rick: Like, sometimes he'll not eat for a day and then suddenly he does and then he doesn't and it's just--

Rick: Iiiiit's become a fact that if he says he ain't hungry, he ain't.

Goose: Huh. Weird…

Goose: …

Goose: Ten credits says Sis challenges him to an eating contest. :^D

Rick: Noooo bet, she's so going to at some point--!

Goose: Awwwww…

Rick: But--

Rick: I bet 20 that Shade bro will lose SO HARD--

Goose: DOUBLE DOWN SAYS JACK GETS HIMSELF INVOLVED—and that Firebros do a simultaneous facepalm :^D

Rick: DEAL--

Goose: ^.^ C’mon, Rick. Let’s head on home. |D

Goose: Home is where the heart is. < 3

Rick: Yeah-- -Yawns-

Rick: Home sweet home...

[And so, Goose takes flight lead and guides his mirror home…

Ah… home at last, indeed.]

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

=CHAPTER 9A: HAZY SUSPICION=

~AO v1.0~

((Courtesy of @limitbreakers))

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

{Earlier, the night before…}

[Will, Soi, and Mikhail continued working through the night. Mikhail had Jack come over to help him in secret, having sent Pyro off to get some sleep while he could.

After settling in for the night, Desmond used the private lines to make another call…]

Des: …And that’s where we stand right now.

[President Minerva sighed.]

Minerva: …You’re right. The Smithsonian is going to have a fit. Covering the cost of repairs is going to be a nightmare—several hallways need to have the entire security system reset and/or replaced, and some are so bad as to need electrical rewiring. No doubt some of Congress is going to want to use this as an excuse to update styles or otherwise be extravagant about it.

[She gave another exasperated sigh before shaking her head.]

Minerva: The VP is currently handling affairs at the White House itself. I’ve submitted some paperwork to my speechwriters regarding a public statement on the incident. There’s not much to say, even if I felt like saying it; I can truthfully say that the matter is under investigation, but everyone working there was safely evacuated thanks to the combined efforts of the Mighty Numbers.

[She paused.]

Minerva: DLN-000 has really brought a lot of attention to himself, but it seems the media didn’t catch on to his serial number. I’d like to keep it that way for now—the investigation is proving difficult enough as it is without adding in false reports to the mix.

[She frowned.]

Minerva: What do you make of Dr. Cossack so far, Desmond?

Des: -Crosses arms- Well.

Des: He’s cooperative, at least. Which worries me a little, because this isn’t the first time we’ve seen someone seemingly open to questioning and not be a spy of sorts.

Des: He personally doesn’t strike me as one, if I’m being very honest.

Des: I’m going with my gut on this one and saying he’s not, but the fact that he’s Russian and possibly working with Dr. Sanda…

Minerva: Mmmn. There’s something very strange about this. (How does a Russian doctor come to care for a military grade American Combat construct, anyway?!) -.-

Des: Dr. Sanda has Japanese ties with his brother overseas, there’s that to think about too…

Minerva: You bring up an interesting point–Russia and Japan aren’t exactly friends. (I can’t seem to recall they EVER made a peace treaty…)

Des: Exactly.

Des: Which just further backs up the point that Dr. Cossack isn’t a spy, but…

Des: I’m wondering how they met in the first place, because they clearly know each other, and I’m willing to bet that goes the same for Dr. White.

Des: Not much going on for him, though. Full blooded American, mother is Rebecca White, father ditched when he was 10.

Des: He’s very clean, heck–not even a parking ticket.

Minerva: That’s not really unusual for… withdrawn geniuses, shall we say?

Des: True.

Minerva: Genius is often accompanied by social issues. From what you’ve told me, he almost never makes public appearances. He probably doesn’t feel comfortable in a public setting. I’ve worked with plenty of students like that.

Des: Yeah, there’s not even a lot of pictures of the guy, aside from social media from the Mighties themselves.

Des: (And even then, he’s sorta in the background…)

Des: Should we cover all the bases and ask to question him too?

Des: Though, uh… a guy that withdrawn, might be hard to get anything from him…

Minerva: That would be something for Homeland Security to cover if it came to it. I’ll speak with the Secretary and see what they say.

Minerva: However, I don’t think that will be necessary–not unless something comes up in the questioning.

Minerva: For people who have a hard time being around others, they come to rely very deeply on a select few they trust and feel comfortable with. This can lead to being taken advantage of, though–if he is involved in anything, I would suspect it would be because someone took advantage of him in some way.

Minerva: Dr. White is very withdrawn—Dr. Sanda is his main point of contact with most of the world, from what we have seen. He doesn’t attend conventions with his contemporaries. So if Mikhail Cossack is a family friend, it had to have been through Sanda first.  (How would an unknown and very secretive Russian scientist become such good friends with a Japanese scientist of a very high profile? He must be very busy, and they don’t seem to be business partners so much as friends…)

Minerva: At the moment, the cyber units are working with him to combat the virus. Let them continue to monitor the situation– they will let us know if something is wrong.

Minerva: And beyond that–

Minerva: A man’s house is his castle.

Minerva: You are in that castle by yourself right now, and there are more than a few knights at his command.

Des: –… (Yeah… that…)

Minerva: Trying to place pressure on the king could end poorly, and I’d rather not risk you.

Des: Aw, you care. | )

Minerva: | } I could make a remark to pass it off, but yes, I do care. I try.

Des: -Stretches- Well…

Des: If anything, the cyber units and White’ll think of something. Doc is a genius, after all, made the Mighty Numbers and everything.

Des: Hopefully this virus mess gets cleaned up soon, then we can fully focus on damage control and repair…

Minerva: That would be nice, especially if Dr. Cossack proves to be a potential asset. Though I get the feeling he won’t be easy to work with. (He’s stubborn and doesn’t give way to pressure or fear–even great fear.)

Minerva: I don’t think intimidation will work on him. It may prove counterproductive to try for that right away.

Minerva: It might help to see if you can learn more from the Mighty Numbers–if he knows Sanda and White, he has to be a part of their inner circle. Try talking to Six.

Minerva: You need to talk to him anyway. It’s clear he’s linked to DLN-008—the footage he broadcast while sick shows that much. And the Brits are asking about him again. >.> (Someone must have leaked that the child was involved with the incident at the White House.)

Des: Yeah, we might get answers there.

Des: And then there’s Nine himself, but poor kid’s been though a whole week and a half practically saving the nation.

Minerva: Oh, heavens, try to let the poor child be if you can at all help it.

Des: Yeah, I’m with you there.

Minerva: Your coworkers were hellbent on destroying that compound, barely even were going to give him enough time to get out… >_> -Pursed lips, WE ARE STILL VERY DISPLEASED ABOUT ALL OF THAT- -Simmering-

Des: -Grimace- I’m still going to get to the bottom of how an entire base full of military grade constructs was still functioning without me knowing about it. I swear I’m gonna discharge whomever’s involved…

Minerva: This begs the question. Does Dr. Cossack know about that? I wonder if he knows who was behind the security breach there. It didn’t have the style of DLN-008′s breakthroughs…

Des: If he did, he’s not going to tell us outright. Not sure how long he’s been involved in this…

Minerva: The earliest dates the files connected to him have is April 5th, so it has to have been before that.

[She leans back and sighs.]

Minerva: 000 probably knows most of the answers. And he certainly seemed talkative.

[She looks up.]

Minerva: How did the retrieval go?

Minerva: I take it you were successful?

Des: ….

Des: >>

Des: …Yeah.

Des: ….

Des: He was in…

Des: Very bad shape.

Des: Got a name, though.

Des: Cardinal.

Minerva: …

——————

“Keep gettin’ in mah way, Birdy, and Ah’ WILL make ya regret it!”

——————

Minerva: -Thoughtful frown-

Des: That does explain all the bird metaphors Eight was using in his illness…

Des: -SIGH- One mentioned that name out loud when he saw how much damage 000 did trying to get into the Oval Office.

Des: …Used an exasperated tone, like he’s said that more than once.

Minerva: -Raises an eyebrow- That’s interesting. Authoritative tones are normally used with equals or subordinates.

Minerva: 000 didn’t seem like one to dance to someone else’s tune, though. His methods were rather… unconventional.

Des: -Shrugs- If 000 knows Eight, he probably knows the rest of the Mighty Number line, too. Isn’t that far of a stretch. He did speak like he knew Six too.

Minerva: …

Minerva: Yes, he did. -Thoughtful- …He was trying to be gentle with him about going back.

Des: Yeah…

Minerva: All the more reason to talk to Six…. I wonder how much he knows?

[There was a thoughtful silence between them for a while.]

Minerva: …When you say very bad shape…

Minerva: (Cossack said he would need to have a core replaced. Was he understating, or being technically correct?)

Minerva: Do they have the resources to fix it?

Des: Good Lord, I hope so.

Des: He was practically almost in pieces.

((pic))

Des: Core exposed, even…

Minerva: …

Minerva: What?

Minerva: How is he still alive?

Minerva: That was hours after—!

Minerva: The xel loss, wouldn’t that have been too much?

Des: ….Min?

Minerva: —…?

Des: I…

Des: I couldn’t see very well, but…

Des: I saw oil, and I saw him.

Des: -Very puzzled expression- But not an ounce of Xel around him.

Minerva: —…

Minerva: -Now VERY confused- That’s… how is that possible?

Minerva: Wasn’t he fighting with Eight?

Minerva: He seemed to know quite well how to handle him. I’m sure he got off some hits on Eight, too.

Minerva: There should be something, there were TWO of them there.

Minerva: Do you suppose Nine could have picked it up?

Des: I’m not sure if Nine would take Xel from someone that’s already bleeding out–

Des: –Actually…

Des: Nine went in a little while before we got pulled out–

Des: Why didn’t he try to help him with Xel loss, if any?

Minerva: …

Minerva: You heard him, Des, as much as I did.

Minerva: Nothing would deter him from his mission.

Minerva: If it was coming down to rescuing Countershade or rescuing him— he probably told Nine to leave him behind.

Des: ….

Des: (Poor kid…)

Des: You’re probably right…

Des: -Grumbles- Doesn’t make sense, though.

Des: No Xel, yet 000 seems…I don’t know.

Des: Call it a hunch, Min, but he just seems… different.

Minerva: Well. No one in the Pentagon has stepped forward to claim responsibility for him just yet.

Minerva: …

Minerva: Though I probably scared off anyone from doing that with how obviously displeased I am with what has been going there. >________>

Des: -Snorts- Yeah, you do tend to have that effect on people. | )

Minerva: I can’t believe tax money was being used to maintain such facilities and no one noticed.

Des: -I know, geez—-

Minerva: The IRS has a lot of explaining to do. |K

Des: -Groans- And then we got to deal with investigation into who caused the whole mess…

Des: I’m tellin’ ya, Min, we’re getting nothing but dead ends on that front. We’re not getting though to CherryDyn’s lawyer dogs and Blackwell’s an uncrackable nut.

Minerva: …  -.-;  -Rubs temples- -Grumbles- Fighting fire with fire is dangerous…

Minerva: I wish we knew what happened to Dencerjack.

Minerva: There are no records of him leaving the country, but he hasn’t been found yet. There are only so many places you can hide on an island that small. >__>

Minerva: I dearly hope he didn’t get eliminated.

Des: Beats me… England might be small, but plenty of quiet countryside. He might have gone off the grid, even.

Minerva: I suppose, but given the circumstances—

Minerva: The other possibility is that he was eliminated. Someone has had it out for that team.

Minerva: Oh well. The UK has been very cooperative about that, at least. Even though the only thing they had to report were explosive metal snakes. (Not exactly helpful, but points for effort.)

Des: -Weird…-

Minerva: Here’s what the FBI’s found so far…

Minerva: There are only two reported members of the Doctor Light Numbers lines: 000 and 008. Both have Doctor Cossack as their listed Doctor.

Minerva: There were other files that are around the same timeframe that also list Cossack as the Doctor: seven members of the Doctor Wily Numbers series. One of those is DWN-024, who was seen on the highways fighting Mighty Number Seven. …The footage on that has to be seen to be believed…

Minerva: There are also nine registered Doctor Cossack Numbers, and one biological daughter.

Minerva: Dr. Cossack himself is a widower. Apparently, he’s cared for these series due to abuse and neglect issues from Doctors Light and Wily… though nothing has been found on them so far.

Minerva: However, I’m sure they probably exist, or did exist, as these bots all have their serial numbers branded onto them. ¬__¬ Things are made complicated by all the records that have gone missing.

Minerva: There was only one public record of 000. According to the reports, he went to visit the Colosseum back in late May. With Eight and Nine.

Minerva: And you’ll never guess what happened while he was there.

Des: -This we gotta hear–

Minerva: They were attacked.

Des: -Sputters–  Right there–in the sands–?!

Minerva: By Bladeblaster.

Des: What.

Des: (I don’t get it, did–was he DRUNK?)

Minerva: According to the witnesses, 000 did not react in a way that would have suggested he were as much of a Combat master as he has proven to be. He made an effort not to reveal what he was capable of, even when taken by surprise. It would seem his instinct was to protect his friend, though.

Minerva: I may be wrong, but I think someone with the secondary jobs that he and Eight had would have had access to more information about people than the general public. Which means either there was no information suggesting 000 was what he was, or else he didn’t care.

Minerva: The three of them were seen talking after that. He must have said something offensive just before leaving, because both Eight and 000 were described to have reacted adversely.

Minerva: (Even if he didn’t know or care, he was surely sorely pressing his luck.)

Des: -_-;;;;

Des: It kind of sounds like outright stupidity to me, but…. Late May, huh, not too long after the date the files came in…

Minerva: They’re trying to find the receptionist who checked him in, but it’s very chaotic down there.

[She gives a slight smile.]

Minerva: At least there’s a humorous side to the story.

Minerva: According to witnesses, 000 was playing around on the gymnastics equipment before that confrontation. I’m sure it wouldn’t surprise you to hear he displayed aptitude for parkour and gymnastics in general.

Des: Heh…

Minerva: It was apparently enough to catch the attention of at least one recruiter. But by the time they went in there, he and Shade had already left. The recruiters were rather disappointed.

Minerva: We’ll have to try and talk with him as soon as he’s awake. -Smile fades, slight sigh- If nothing else, just to work out how to handle the press coverage.

Minerva: As far as I know, it hasn’t gotten out yet that he was injured so badly, or where he went… but the former has been almost universally accepted to be true, given the alternative was vanishing as suddenly as he came, as if some comic book superhero.

Minerva: I don’t want anyone knowing he’s at Sanda Labs just yet.

Des: No kidding, they don’t need that kind of publicity right now…

Minerva: … True….

Minerva: Be careful, Mister Secretary. Keep us posted, and stay safe.

[SANDA TECHNOLOGIES, REPAIR BAY: DAWN...]

"I don't know, Will, it seems..."

Sanda: It seems like we need to somehow broadcast the XelFilter on a mass scale in order to cure the nation but...that's WAY too dangerous...

[Will--on his third or fourth cup of coffee, no doubt--sighed in apparent defeat.]

Will: I...I know that, Soi. Perhaps...Perhaps I can work from the ground up without using his XelFilter at all?

Sanda: Well--that would take even more time...Mm...

Will: .....

Will: (...I...It's...really catching up to me...)

Will: (The past...) [PING!]

[MN.8 IS NOW ONLINE.]

Will: --!!

Sanda: Uh oh...I mean--uh. -Mixed feelings here-

[Mikhail looks up from his work.

There was a curtain separating them, but still…]

Mikhail: Jack, hold this for a moment, please—

[He passes off some towels to the short-notice lab assistant and looks out from behind the barrier.]

Jack: --! -Oh--oh okay--

Shade: --Mngh...Ngg....

[DR.WHITE] //: -Both of you are still outside, right-

[MN.4 and 5] //: -PING-

Will: Okay then...

Will: Shade?

Shade: Wh...What...

Will: Countershade--?

Mikhail: (I’m glad Mr. Desmond is asleep right now… I get the feeling this is going to be hard enough as it is.)

Shade: ...D...Dad...?

Will: (Oh thank God--)

Will: Shhh, it's alright, don't exert yours--

Shade: C--Cards--

Shade: Ah'--Dad, where--

[Shade suddenly clutched at his own chest, a sudden pang of what felt like a needle going through his own core--]

Shade: Ngh--!

Will: --!!

Soi: Uh oh--

[Sanda immediately ran a diagnostic scan, then quietly motioned for Mikhail and Jack to stay out of sight.]

Soi: Shade--listen, it's me, Uncle Sanda...

Shade: --...Sanda...--

Soi: Your SH program is running faster than you can keep up with, so please don't move so much. We don't want you to have a complete system shutdown so--

Shade: --Can't--

Shade: Can't stay--

[WHUMP--]

[Unfortunately for Shade, his condition didn't allow him to get further from the foot of his bed as he simply rolled out of it.]

Will: Shade--!

[MN.5] //: -For Pete's sake I TOLD you we had to restrain him--

[MN.1] //: Mighty No. 8, you get BACK in bed this instant--

Shade: N--No, can't--I'll--

Shade: I'm just gonna hurt y'all again--!

Will: --!

Mikhail: -Pinches the bridge of his nose- ({This is going a bit worse than I thought it would, that’s a new record.})

Will: Shade--

Shade: Don't--

Will: Countershade White!

Will: You are SAFE!

Will: The fact that you can think that is proof enough--!

Shade: --....

Will: Shade...

Will: It's okay.

Will: The virus has been purged from your systems. Beck made sure of that.

Shade: --!

Shade: --...Beck...

Will: And...

Will: And I know you would never hurt me, Shade.

Will: ... Alright?

[PING!]

[MN.7] //: -Breathe, brother.-

Shade: --! Brand--

[MN.7] //: -Breathe.-

[MN.7] //: Do nothing but breathe. Let everything go.

[MN.7] //: {Breathe.}

Shade: .......

[Shade tenses for a few seconds... as if lost in his own thoughts, still clutching at his own chest--]

[PING!]

[SH RATE: 150% OF NORMAL BASELINE.]

Soi: --!

Soi: (That's not good--)

[PING!]

[MN.2] //: -Do you need water, bro, we can get you some--

Shade: -Hurts--

_______________________________________

"Songbird, eh?"

"Well, that explains the bird part."

[CLICK.]

"Adios, Songbird."

______________________________________

[A flinch--]

[SH RATE: 180% OF NORMAL BASELINE.]

Shade: M'sorry--!

Shade: I tried to fight it, Ah' swear--!

Shade: Cards--!!

[PING!]

[RMDC SERVER] //: >STATUS INQUIRY (SUBJECT: DLN-000) HAS BEEN DENIED.

>RobotMaster Database® COSSACK SERVER IS CURRENTLY LOCKED.

>AUTHORIZIED BY: ADMIN MC005

Shade: NO--!

Soi: Will--

Will: (Gah, if I don't do something--)

[PING!]

[MN.9 IS NOW ONLINE.]

Will: --! Beck--

[--There's no words from the small Mighty Number, not at first.

Instead--

Instead there was a file.]

[For some reason, it opened up for Shade anyway, without any prompt on his part.

...It was only audio, but...

...It was from a very memorable night.]

"But I'll never give up on you, Shade."

"Not for any reason."

Shade: --!!

"Not for any reason."

"I'll never give up on you."

Shade: . . . .

Shade: (Cards....)

[MN.9] //: -Soft ping-

[Another file. Something from Beck's OWN memories...]

"I have to save you."

"So the two of you can /live/— together."

Shade: .....?

[MN.9] //: M...Mikhail found...

[MN.9] //: A new power source...

Shade: --!!!

[MN.9] //: He...he’s gonna...

[MN.9] //: Be okay...Shade...

[MN.9] //: I saved... everyone... like I promised...

[MN.9] //: S...so...

[MN.9] //: Don't run away...

Shade: --...

[MN.9] //: ...And make me a liar...

[MN.9] //: Okay? ^^

[MN.9 IS NOW IN SLEEP MODE.]

Shade: . . .

[PING!]

[SH RATE STABILIZING.]

Shade: Beck...Cards...

Shade: What in the world did Ah' do to ya, brother...?

Soi: -Siiiigh...-

Soi: (At least his SH Program's calmed down...)

Mikhail: -Also a sigh of relief-

Will: (Oh, Shade...)

Shade: Dad...

Shade: ...

Shade: Why's no one else answerin'...?

Will: The others...They are also Offline, for their own safety.

Will: .....

Will: Everything will be alright, Shade...

Will: (I pray it will be...)

Will: But please--I know your heart aches and you want to isolate yourself--

[PING!]

[MN.2] //: DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT, SNIPE BRO.

Shade: --!

[MN.2] //: -Like heck I'm gonna let ya go on your own after all that, FITE ME--

Mikhail: -From behind the curtain- Ahem. Shade?

Shade: --.... Mikhail...?

Mikhail: It’s also about… 5:46 in the morning.

Mikhail: Everyone else is asleep. That’s why they aren’t answering.

Shade: --.......

[MN.3] //: You picked a heck of a time to wake up and diszzturb our BEAUTY ZZSLEEP. -Annoyed buzzing-

Shade: Dyna...

Soi: -____-;; (Jeez, you're just as tactless as Will, aren't you, Mikhail...)

[MN.1] //: Alright, that is enough.

[MN.1] //: ....

[MN.1] //: -Very gently- Shade.

[MN.1] //: You've been gone for nearly a week and a half.

[MN.1] //: Have you eaten anything?

Shade: . . . .

Shade: .....

Shade: -Very, VERY hungry data-

Shade: Food...

[MN.1] //: As I thought.

[Ping—]

<FMN-008>: > -Mrrmnngghhmmmfffpph… did we hear someone mention  f o o d—-

Shade: !

Shade: Kate...

<FMN-008 is now Online.>

Mikhail: …

Mikhail: (She was sleeptalking? That’s a new one.)

<FMN-008>: > -Hazy data- ???

<FMN-008>: > …Jack?

<MC005>: > He’s assisting me with something. Go back to sleep, Countershade.

<FMN-008>: > …? -Hazy data, but our Other—-

<MC005>: > He’ll be fine. Go back to sleep.

<FMN-008>: >Mmmm…

<FMN-008 is now in Sleep mode.>

Mikhail: -Another relief sigh- (I wouldn’t want to have to explain THAT to the Secretary.)

Shade: Kate...?

[MN.1] //: She's resting, Shade.

[MN.1] //: Seven, do you think you can get Eight to the kitchen without--

[Knock Knock.]

[MN.1] //: -....You're already outside the bay, at least let me finish my sentence--

Mikhail: -Starts shaking in silent laughter-

Will: Eheh... (Oh, Brand...)

[Sanda lets Seven in quietly, who chose to not wear his helmet, or his mask. His scarf is wound tightly around to compensate, though.]

Brand: --....

Shade: .....

Shade: Ah'...Guess we're on even ground nao, aren't we...

Brand: .....

Brand: I...suppose we are.

Mikhail: …?

Mikhail: -Puts his head in his hand- Mmmnn… (Tired. And hungry. But can’t eat in the lab. Jack should get something to eat, but I do not want to run the risk of him running into Desmond…)

Mikhail: (As a general rule, military men can be early risers if they stay in habit, and it’s nearly 6:00.)

Brand: .....

Brand: You're still quite insufferable, though.

[Shade quietly chuckles at that.]

Shade: An' yer still an' honored bastard, heh...

Mikhail: … -Smiles to hear the exchange- (At least he’s doing better. That’s what counts, right now.)

Mikhail: Number Seven?

Brand: --Yes, Doctor?

Mikhail: If Felix shows up, please have him let inside the building.

Brand: ...Felix is... ah. Of course.

Shade: --Felix is comin'...?

Shade: ....

Shade: -Too tired and hungry to think too hard-

Mikhail: You’ll see later, Shade. Go eat something.

Shade: ...Yeah...

Brand: Here. Just lean on me and stay invisible.

Shade: Alright...

[It looked strange, like Brand was supporting nothing but air, but one could almost hear a pair of footfalls walking out the door and down the hallway to the elevator.]

Will: .....

Will: -Sigh-

Will: (...It's going to take a long time to heal... from this...)

[Mikhail sighed, pulled a sheet over his patient, and pulled back the curtain.

He had been working through the whole night after Pyro brought Cardinal back. As with the injuries Tobias had received, the first step was to completely clean the exposed mechanics of the core mass of oil, grime, and debris. It was always a messy affair, and not one that could be made faster or more efficient through automation.

They were thankfully just about done. Call had been able to confirm that the old core was completely spent—it did not pose an explosion hazard. She had it locked away tight for later disposal, along with some other broken machinery that had been removed. Such things were a bit of an uncomfortable matter, and were best kept locked away out of sight to be dealt with in private.

Since there wasn’t really the time to do a proper replacement, he would have to rely on the energy source doing so. The systems would rebuild themselves once the new core was in place.

However…]

Mikhail: -Wiping his face- ({That was far too close a call. He has got to update.})

[…He wasn’t exactly planning on using the Sun Stone core just yet.]

Mikhail: ({I need to talk to him about updating and getting new hardware to go with it. He can’t keep it up like this with the form he’s been using, not at the rate he’s been getting into ghastly disasters.})

Mikhail: Please do make sure he doesn’t run off.

[Once the cleaning phase was over, he would have to wait until Felix arrived before he could continue the repairs on Cardinal. But his work was far from over.]

Mikhail: ({I isolated Tobias and his memories last night, but I still need to make certain Cardinal uploads to a quarantined part of the server so that the others don’t get cross-references from his memory files. Then I have to lock the files and set up proxy files to substitute for the memories so they at least know what happened. Otherwise, they’ll try to unlock the files to fill in those blanks.})

Mikhail: -Low grumble- {And then the questions… Mary help me, it’s going to be one in the afternoon before I get any rest…}

[He almost wasn’t sure whether he had the energy to feel grateful or not that he was too tired to be scared at the moment.]

Mikhail: Sanda? What’s his status?

Soi: Well...He's stable, for now. SH rate's normal, though a bit jumpy, but that's okay, given the situation...

Mikhail: …?

Mikhail: “S.H.”? Does that have something to do with the E.R. -like monitor sounds from just a moment ago?

Will: Ah. In a way...I suppose you can call it a more complex version of a Robot Master's Emotion.EXE program.

Will: The Synthetic Heart Program--it's the very coding that allows a Xelbot to feel. To evolve, and grow as they experience new sensations and emotion as they come.

Will: Like us.

Will: ...I designed this particular version myself, to all the Mighty Number Line.

Will: ...Usually...

Will: ...Usually, The SH Program is capable enough to keep up with the rest of the Xelbot's thoughts and functions, but...

Will: Shade.....

Will: ....

Will: He...He lost a core once.

Will: I had to rehaul his entire power output to compensate for 6 cores instead of the usual 7...

Mikhail: …

Will: --....

Will: -Hand in his face- But in doing so, the SH Program responded accordingly.

Will: With the increased power, it... sometimes, not often, but sometimes...

Will: It processes at a speed too high for Shade himself to keep up...

Mikhail: … (Just like an Emotions.EXE overload…)

Mikhail: …Heh. -Chuckles softly for a moment, shaking his head- Soul-brothers indeed…

Will: -Sigh- Ah... I suppose...

Will: In a way, yes, it is the equivalent of having an increased chance of cardiac arrest...

Will: It isn't life threatening, given that he's usually a loner...and rather hard-headed...Stubborn... -Cracks a smile-

Will: ...This isn't the first time he's come close to one, but it's certainly been the longest in between...

Will: The last time he had his SR Rate above 180% is when Beck almost drowned that one time during training...

Mikhail: …

[Mikhail sighs and sits down rather hard.]

Mikhail: I’d be more curious if I weren’t so exhausted. I’m so sorry, Will, I don’t mean to be rude.

Will: ....You... you should...

Will: ....Oh, bother, you're not going to stop even if I tell you...

Will: -Leans back in his own chair-

Will: Call, please go get us some food, I don't care if it's in the lab, I'll eat in the closet if I have to.

Soi: -Snorts-

Mikhail: Jack, you should eat something as well.

Jack: ...Yeah. Okay.

[Mikhail turns his attention back to Will. He has an almost defeated expression on his face, but that’s mostly from how tired he is.]

Mikhail: No, I’m not going to stop.

Mikhail: What I’m going to do next is crucial if we are to keep the Robot Masters from going berserk.

Will: .....

Mikhail: I sent everyone Offline just as the news came in on where Cardinal had been spotted. Everyone went into Lethal—except for David, who doesn’t have that setting—remember?

Mikhail: That was out of panic. Going someplace like that is a sure death sentence, and worse, where we come from.

Mikhail: Tobias I woke up on purpose, which again, is something I’ll have to answer for.

Mikhail: He has his own memories. He was angry, but that was tempered when he got feedback from Cardinal by way of his own Thunder Beam. He went Offline to rest before the worst of it, but it’s still enough to cause great anxiety and raise the threat level tag in the database entry for Shade by at least half a star.

Mikhail: I was able to isolate those easily while waiting for Cardinal’s return; everyone else was Offline, and the database was locked. As soon as his Awareness was re-seated back in his hardware, it became a non-issue… though it’s important he remains Offline.

Mikhail: -Rubs his face- He really does start to show his father’s worst traits when he is angry.

Mikhail: It’s Cardinal’s memories that are the danger now.

Mikhail: He encrypts all his memories, but it’s still something that would contribute to generating cross-references and modifying threat levels in informational files.

Mikhail: Those are things that would affect his brothers, and furthermore…

Mikhail: Whenever a Robot Master is forcefully sent Offline in a fight, the experience… that’s something very deep and complex, more than you realize, William. It starts to go beyond just the Emotions.EXE program and into the Awareness aspect itself.

Mikhail: The Awareness affected becomes… detached from the hardware, usually, and there is that sense of Self, that Self is not “alive”, and that…

Mikhail: …with Cardinal, it’s a bit more than that, for reasons I already went through.

Mikhail: I have to wake them up soon. He’ll probably still be either Offline or in Maintenance mode. That’s… going to cause incredible panic, unless I quarantine the files in a very specific manner.

Mikhail: The Hunter as a cultural concept, for someone to fall to the Hunter, and at such a high cost, too…

Mikhail: That sets off a frenzied panic mode, and for some, that could cause rage. And rage tends to cascade for robots running Wily’s OS.

Will: ....

Will: I... see...

Will: -Sigh- I suppose that's of higher importance.... But at least eat something for a bit...

Will: (And Mikhail still has to be questioned--Not to mention Soi...)

Mikhail: I’ll try.

[There’s a quiet pause. When he speaks up again, he does so softly.]

Mikhail: …I’ll admit I don’t feel very good about eating right now.

Soi: ...Cardinal would want you to take care of yourself.

Mikhail: -Closes his eyes and sighs softly- True.

Mikhail: It’s just… hard. (I hope you never have to understand how, though I think you may make a logic-based guess as to why.)

Mikhail: …Put some protein powder in chicken broth or something, that’ll be good enough for me. =___=

Will: Call, relay that to Pyrogen, please.

Call: Yes, Doctor.

Mikhail: -Rubs his hands with his face- (Ugh.) This would be so much easier if I could have Siam, but he’s… mmmngh, cross-references, experiences everything in a dual nature, complications.

Mikhail: Did you know—when he’s feeling particularly complex emotions, they tend to break down and manifest divided between his Awarenesses?

Mikhail: Yet another reason to do this properly—with one half panicked and the other enraged, I wouldn’t be getting any help— -buries face in arms at nearby workstation- {Saints preserve us—} Will, being the ONLY reliable Doctor for your world truly does get exhausting.

Will: ......

Mikhail: I wish we’d had the time to finish our tech lessons before this happened.

Mikhail: I could have helped with decoding…

Will: (Ngh...)

Will: ....No, it's fine...

Will: I never... quite...

Will: ....

Will: -Looks away in shame-

Will: I never quite managed to crack it... all the way...

Will: I...I did manage to understand enough how to combat it, but it would have required Beck's XelFilter program to be broadcasted much like the Virus was...

Will: And that's something I cannot just... release into the open airwaves.

Mikhail: …

Mikhail: -Muffled- I would have Tobias help, except undoubtedly that would be just as bad of an idea. He might have some ideas, but I believe it would be safest for everyone—Shade in particular—if he and Shadow remained not just asleep, but Offline for at least a few months.

Will: ....

Will: If that is what's best for them... (This is all... my fault...)

Soi: ....

Soi: (Will...)

Will: ....

Will: I'm going to try to work on something from the ground up. I'll use the XelFilter's properties as a sort of blueprint, and go from there.

Will: (It will take a while longer, but...I can't use his XelFilter Program, not with the government...)

Mikhail: Siam may be able to give a few ideas. After all, he is as close as it gets to a Doctor, and as a Robot Master, he did interact directly with her.

Will: --!

Will: (--H...Her...)

Will: (Dear God, he's already even figured out gender...)

Will: ...The Virus has a gender now? ?_?

Mikhail: According to Siam and Tobias, yes.

Mikhail: Something about how it targets aggression and the English phrase “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned,” from what I understand.

Will: (Oh, God, no, is... is...)

Will: (Is... is she coming for me--?)

Will: (Am... am I what she wants?)

[There is a quiet knock on the door, snapping Will away from his darker thoughts.]

Will: --!

[Brand pushed in a cart of food for all present--even Call, who normally doesn't eat around other people besides Beck.]

Jack: -Hungryyyyy--

[Jack IMMEDIATELY grabs as much meat as his plate can handle, even biting and holding down on a large wing of chicken in his mouth just to have more.]

Jack: -Awwww yessss- < 3

Soi: Heh! Save some for us, Jack--

Mikhail: Good luck, Soi, you’ll have to fight him for that. While he was undergoing repairs, he could eat up to several pounds of meat a day.

Mikhail: -Smiles, adjusting glasses- It’s good to see you have a healthy appetite, though. Shows resilience and reflects overall well-being.

Jack: -It's mine-

Jack: -Miiiiiine-

Jack: -NOM-

Jack: ^^

Mikhail: Thank you for coming over on such short notice. I know that it was fearful work, but you helped speed up the process tremendously.

Jack: Eheh...n-no problem, Doc Cossack. Anythin' t' get Bird Guy up and taggin' corporate sleezeball's HQ's again. | D ;;

[Mikhail laughs at this.]

Mikhail: Once he’s well enough to do so, I’d almost be tempted to buy the paint for him.

[He shakes his head, looking over at his covered patient as he accepts a thermos of chicken broth from Brand.]

Mikhail: Oh, he’ll be ready and willing, alright.

Mikhail: Like with Shade, Robot Masters are prone to overclocking under extreme duress. With Cardinal, that’s always been a weak point. But now with the new power source… that’ll change, if he agrees to hardware modifications as well.

Mikhail: To minimize the impact of the memories… as they are slowly released from quarantine, there will be other cross-references actively running. I happen to know as a fact that there are at least 40 entries with Shade laughing as of the day you left to go overseas.

Mikhail: Once he knows his mission was completed… he’ll be alright.

Will: Thank goodness...

Will: (At least there is some light at the end of all this, for them...)

Mikhail: Mmm. He knew something like this might happen when he set out. He said so himself. He came to terms with that and accepted it—that’s why he left such strong messages pointing it out.

Mikhail: He knew how hard that would end up being on everyone else if it came to pass…

Mikhail: It’s his way of saying not to be too sad, that he holds no ill will and will be back soon.

Mikhail: Hopefully Felix will come by with the core soon; I want his armor closed up before Desmond makes a very firm and unavoidable demand to see him.

Mikhail: -Rolls his chair over to his yellow legal notepad- I think I might be able to input a program that will automate the quarantine process… that’ll help, as I won’t have to oversee it personally. Give me a few hours.

Mikhail: After that… -Sip- I’ll see what I can do within what there is to say.

{Later, in the Kitchen…}

[For once, it's not Pyrogen making breakfast. It's Dyna along with her elder sister, although Cryo's only washing dishes. It was strangely quiet, save for Brand and Shade shuffling past...]

[Mostly everyone else was either resting or requested their breakfast be brought to them.]

[For a family this large, seeing and hearing everything so quiet was...]

Des: (...Not right.)

Des: (I can practically cut the tension and stress in the air with a knife if I could...)

Shade: -Mngh, too tired, can ya just take me t' Mic's room instead, brother-

Brand: -Fine, but I'm telling him to make sure you eat something.-

Shade: Yeah, yeah, Ah' know...

Des: (...Poor man looks like he's fresh out of a warzone...)

Des: (...This is going to be one tough crowd to deal with...)

“Ree-ow."

Des: --!

[Jazz padded her way into the kitchen, looking fresh and eager as any housecat should be—albeit more green and blue than most.]

Jazz: Ree-ow. :D

[She trotted right past Brand and looked up at Shade.]

Jazz: Ree-ow.

Jazz: -Tall servant-

Jazz: -You still owe me food-

Jazz:  -FEED ME- >:V

Shade: ....

Shade: Heh...

[His laughter is tired, but still lighthearted, in a way.]

Shade: I'll...ask Dyna t' make ya somethin'...

Brand: -You better not fall asleep on your feet, you're heavy enough as it is-

Shade: -Quiet snort-

Des: .....

Des: She's not going to start breathing fire again, is she? >>;;

Dyna: She'szzz a cat. Doeszzz what she wantszz. -Meaning we can't say for sure, bzz bzz-

Des: (Jee, THAT'S comforting to know...)

Jazz: -Purrs and goes over to Shade, rolling over at his feet and purring in the flop- </cat>

Shade: Jazz...Heh...

Brand: -_-;;;;; -You can come rest with him if you want, but the food is his, he needs to eat too-

Brand: -Sleep on top of his hat like you always do-

Shade: -More snickering-

Shade: Yer' more nonsensical than usual, Ninjabro.

Brand: -You are not the only one that craves a bed, alright- =~=

Jazz: -Purrs and hops up onto Shade’s shoulder- -Prrrrrrhhhrrrrhrrrrhrrrrr- -Starts kneading on his neck-

Shade: -Mmmm, lil more t' the left--

Brand: -Starts dragging his brother away before he really falls asleep on his feet-

Des: (...Well, at least there's some sign of healing in those two...)

Dyna: -I'm never taking Pyro for granted EVER again, making so much food is HARD--

Cryo: -WE GOT YA, SIS, we watch Pyro make breakfast so we can show ya-

Cryo: YO MISTER DEFENSE MAN, YA WANT COFFEE--

Des: --Uh...Yeah. Strong, two teaspoons of sugar, please.

Cryo: Got iiiit.

Cryo: Man, where's Avi when you need him, he's like our second backup breakfast person when Pyro's not making food... -NOT ALL OF US HAVE HANDS, YA KNOW-

Dyna: -Ping-

Dyna: Pretty sure everyone iszz crashing in Earth bro'szzz room.

Des: --???

Cryo: -This makes perfect sense to us- Ooooh, right.

Cryo: -No wonder it's so quiet, his room is sound proof-

Cryo: In THAT CASE--

[Cryo shoves Des a tray filled with pancakes and bacon, eggs and a whole lot of cooked ham, and also buttered biscuits.]

Cryo: That ain't for you.

Des: Uh--

Cryo: -Waves hose arms around, we don't have hands so YOU have to take breakfast to everyone else-

Des: (...Oh.)

Des: Uh...and where is...

Cryo: Dude, it's the biggest bedroom in the whole place, not THAT hard to miss. >>.>>

Cryo: -NOW GO, because we're hungry too and I want food-

[Deciding it was better to leave some of the two most temperamental members of the family be, Des obliged and made his way out of the kitchen and to the bedroom of Mighty Number Four. When he got there…]

"Aviiiiiii you're hogging all of the spaaaaaace...."

[The room wasn't exactly well lit when the door opened, but it was a comfortable darkness. The bedroom was indeed very large, and--]

Des: --?

[...The floor felt very soft, almost like... a bed, of sorts--?]

[It seems as though the whole team had taken refuge in Mic's room--Mic himself was napping right in the middle, with Shade--not invisible--was quietly snoozing, head down so that his hat would block most of the light from his face.]

[Pyro was in a corner along with Bat, in a game of chess--probably under orders by either his Father or Sanda to take it easy for now. Both seemed to be taking their time with their moves.]

[Brand had a corner all to himself, although he didn't mind--not far away were Beck and Avi, who had used both Mic's giant pillows and their own to build a fort.]

Avi: -Oops, sorry Becko-

Beck: .....

Beck: -Wait, I smell pancakes-

Beck: -Pancakes equal syrup, sugar--

[Beck pops his head up from the pillow fort, his hair all askew from sleeping so much--he's in a simple space-time sleep shirt that was WAY too big for him, and...]

[...Holding some kind of...pink plush toy...?]

Puffball: -u-

“Chirp-cheep!”

Avi: Baron, bro, I'll get ya some bird feed from my room if ya want some--

Beck: -Stumbles out of fort, rubs sleep out of his eyes-

Beck: Sugarrrr...

Beck: ....

Beck: -Looks up-

Beck: .....

Beck: ??????

Baron: -Wriggles to get to see where he can view what’s going on- 8>

Des: . . .

Des: (....THIS is...Nine?)

Beck: Who the heck are you...

Beck: -And why aren't you giving us that food-

Beck: -Grabbie hands-

Beck: -Give us the sugar, stranger-

[Foosh. Foosh. Foosh.]

Baron: {D.C.!} :V

Des: -Blinks-

Des: -That is a bird--

Beck: -Foooooood-

Des: Oh--um. -Here?-

Des: (So do ALL the animal-based bots breathe fire here?)

Baron: Chirp cheep! -Wriggles back in to hop around on Avi’s shoulder-

Baron: -Via hops- {D.C., D.C.!} : D

[It isn’t long before he pokes his head out again and twitters loudly.]

Jazz: -Looks up grumpily from Shade’s shoulder- Ree-ow. |K

Baron: >:V

Baron: -Flits over to Des and lands on his shoulder- ovo

Avi: --! (Wait, isn't that the Secretary person Cards saved--?)

Des: -Whoa--

Baron: ^v^

Des: -Never had a bird land on US before, jeez--

Avi: -Um- -Hides under blankets-

Des: Uh...hi?

Beck: -Guyyyys, there's breakfast-

Shade: -PING-

Shade: -Where-

Beck: -No, this is OUR tray--

Pyro: -Not looking up from chessboard- No fighting over food.

[This is when Dyna comes in with more breakfast trays, conveniently floating some of them around with her bits.]

Dyna: -We are GOING as fast as we can, we're not a master chef person like Big bro, ya know-

Pyro: -Snorts-

Pyro: Everyone thank your sister.

All: Thanks, Dyna.

Dyna: ~~

Cryo: -HEY DON'T FORGET ME TOO, I HELPED--

Pyro: Yes, you too, Cryo. | ]

Cryo: -HECK YEAH-

Baron: Chirp-cheep!

[Foosh. Foosh. Foosh.]

Baron: {000? D.C.?}

Des: ...

Des: (That--that cannot be Morse code, I must be seeing things--)

Des: You...You know 000?

Beck: --!

Beck: Pyro says that he brought back Cards with someone else...

Pyro: That would be him, yes.

Pyro: ....

Pyro: Thank you, by the way. I appreciate your help, Mr Secretary.

Bat: -Salutes-

Beck: . . .

Beck: Secretary?

Des: -Smiles-

Des: Desmond Donald, US Secretary of Defense, serving breakfast, heh.

Des: It's an honor to meet you, Mighty No. 9.

Beck: . . .

Beck: (I'm in my sleep wear--)

Beck: o//////o

Beck: I--Uh. I.

Beck: -SALUTES, TRIES TO SAVE SOME FACE- Th-Thank you, Um, Mr. D--I mean, Mr. Secretary, uh, sir--

Des: -Cannot help but be amused-

Des: Des is fine, Number 9.

Des: We're not in any kind of public or otherwise, so no need for formality. I'm in your house, after all.

Des: ....If I may...

Des: I want to thank you.

Des: For everything.

Des: This nation and its people owes you and your actions a lot more than we can ever say.

Des: (And I'm sure Min feels the same way.)

Des: If it weren't for you...I don't know where we would be at this point.

Des: Not to mention your family.

Pyro: -Pride, ALL of the pride data--

Des: I'm probably not going to get another chance to do this after all this is over...Not to mention, I don't have the actual thing with me, so...

Des: -Salutes-

Des: Beck Amadeus White, I hereby award you the Secretary of Defense Medal of Valor, awarded to those that perform acts of heroism and sacrifice in the face of overwhelming danger at the cost of personal safety for the good of all.

Beck: --!?!

Bat: -PING-

[At the sound of that, all of the Mighties give off much pride and joyful data for their brother, who was still trying to process the whole thing.]

Beck: I...

Beck: -Speechless-

Bat: -That is the highest honor the Department of Defense can bestow, WELL DONE, PRIVATE.-

Beck: I...

Beck: Really?

Des: Really.

Des: You deserve it, Mr. White. More than you know.

Bat: -Don't just STAND there, Private, SALUTE the man--

Beck: !

Beck: (–u–)7  Th-Thank you, sir! I--I mean, Des, sir--

Des: -Nods-

Des: Well...

Des: I should leave you to yourselves, now.

Des: (...They all seem like they really need to rest and relax. Questioning Six is going to have to wait.)

Des: Enjoy your breakfast.

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