=CHAPTER 9C: HAZY SUSPICION=

=CHAPTER 6B: CRIMSON STRONGHOLD=

~AO v1.0~

((Courtesy of @limitbreakers))

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{Meanwhile, at the Rebel Angel residence…}

[Siam was starting to feel very tired.]

>RUNNING ANALYSIS…

[He was with himself right now, running the seemingly endless tests. It was just one more thing on top of everything else that had happened.

He spoke aloud.]

Gemini: First Cardinal nearly gets into a fight with an assassin.

[He continued the train of thought out of habit, speaking in unison.]

Siamini: Then he nearly flings himself at a lethal battle when Shade leaves, because he’s depressed.

[He continued on, letting himself handle the mainframe for a while.]

Siam: As if that weren’t bad enough… the Finals were an utter disaster.

Gemini: -Grumbles, not looking up from work- If he hadn’t been torn less, he could have died.

Siam: Not to mention the attention that got from the media…

Siamini: -Sighs-

Siam: -Tossing a ball and catching it- (And then Felix got ill, which in and of itself is telling for the disaster.)

Gemini: (He must have seen what was coming.)

Siamini: (And since then, things have just gone downhill…)

[He spoke up in objection to this.]

Gemini: Well, to be fair— Beck has managed to restore contact, and rescue the others in a way we never would have seen before.

Siam: -Scowls- That may be the case, but that didn’t stop Tobias from getting shattered, nor Shadow from going rogue. We never should have gone Offline…

Gemini: We made the decision based on what we knew. How were we supposed to know he had those kinds of powers?

Siam: We could have guessed! Besides, it was a bad idea to leave him unsupervised while Brand’s battle was going on.

Gemini: Well, I thought the Meadow barrier would have kept him safe…

[He sighed.]

Gemini: We really should focus more on the bright side. This isn’t another Monstropolis. The others are getting rescued. It’s not going to be a bleak end to a free world, like we had thought.

[Siam leaned back to look up at the ceiling.]

Siam: That may be the case, but this is far from over. Tobias still has to be kept Offline, so that he stays out of the way. There are at least five people still in recovery at any given time, and the others still have to be rescued.

[He gave a nasty glare and flung the bouncy ball at the ceiling, catching it deftly (without even looking!) in his hand.]

Siam: Every time one of us has interfered, there’s been trouble. Tobias got shattered, Shadow nearly jumped off a careening truck, and Cardinal’s foolishness has undone months of research.

PING.

[There was silence. Siam rolled his eyes.]

>ANALYSIS COMPLETE

[Months without progress, and he’d gotten tired of hearing the sound. They’d been back at it (without success) for days, and—]

>RESULTS: POSITIVE.

Siamini: …

Siamini: ?!?!

[He scrambled over to the database mainframe, both of him working at once. He was reviewing the details, printing out the results, he’d have to run a re-test—]

Gemini: (We HAVE to get the others over here!)

Siamini: (NOW!!)

[He didn’t yet dare to hope, couldn’t dare to dream—]

((…Apparently I wanted to put a pic here, but I honestly don’t remember why))

[This couldn’t be a false positive, they needed this now.

He needed to be RIGHT.]

[Back in the Meadow’s lab, things were also busy. Carmen’s father had come over to help oversee the repairs of the Xelbots in recovery—and he sure had his hands full.

Thankfully, the main problem just seemed to be weariness and memory loss, which was rather typical both of the recovery process and time warps in general.

Fighting Mighty Eight had started to recover much more rapidly after being looked to by her own Doctor, though remained more or less exclusively in Sleep mode. Based on the readings, she seemed to be having troubled dreams.

Sometimes she would “wake” abruptly, in a confused state, only to return to rest once she was anchored in where and when she was.

…

…Tonight was one such night.]

<FMN-008 is now Online.>

Carmen: -Snaps “awake” with a drowsy start- ?

Carmen: (Where—what happened, where is he—)

Carmen: (Was it a dream? What is real, what happened—)

[She stumbled out of bed, but before she got too far—]

-Zzt.-

Carmen: Ow!

[There was a somewhat fashionable looking bracelet band around her upper arm that crackled with electricity. She stumbled back toward the bed, and it stopped.

This made her more awake, but did not improve her mood.]

Carmen: … (Why the /hell/ am I /shock shackled/— aaaugh, dammit—) -Fusses with the band awkwardly, as it’s on the same arm as her only hand-

"....?"

[Jack looked up from his book--something that he found lying around the lab, looked to be the Xel kid's--at the moderate sounds coming from room next door.]

Jack: ...Uh oh...

[Putting the book down, he slowly rolled off the bed--he was in no condition to be doing anything strenuous, but at least he was allowed to move around so long as he didn't leave the repair bay.]

Jack: (Miss Eight must be sleepwalking again or something...)

[The data seemed to confirm that. It was hazy and distant, but with concrete substance to it.]

[There was suddenly a… pulse, almost, rather than a ping—it would have been a blast of data, if there had been any real energy behind it.]

<FMN-008 to MNN-ALL, FMN-ALL, CDN-7037>: > -STATUS INQUIRY?-

Carmen: (Was it real—was all of it real, did I really—)

<FMN-008>: > -Jack?? Brand??? AVI?-

[A few soft pings.]

<FMN-007>: >Everyone is fine, Shade.

<FMN-001>: >Go back to sleep.

<FMN-006>: > —

<FMN-007>: > -Puts a hand over Avi’s mouth, no puns right now, please-

[Carmen felt so dazed.]

<FMN-008>: >But— but everything was so hot, Brand was so angry— so many— dark, dark alleys, rain—

<FMN-008>: > -What happened to them, was it real, what did I do?-

[MN.7 IS NOW ONLINE]

[MN.7] //: Carmen...?

[CDN.7037] //: --Uh--yeah. Miss Eight? It...it's okay now.

[CDN.7037] //: See? Your bro was asleep.

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

[MN.7 to CDN.7037] //: Is she...?

[CDN.7037 to MN.7] //: Pretty much, Seven. She's out of it...

<FMN-008>: > What happened to them, Jack, what happened to them— are they really dead, what happened to you, it wanted you dead—so much pain, gaahhhhgh…

[CDN.7037] //: --!

<FMN-008>: > Brand—

<FMN-008>: > -I’m shock-shackled, what did I do, Brand-

<FMN-008>: > -Are they really dead, I didn’t want to stop them—-

<FMN-008>: > -bRAND AH’ THINK SOMEBODY KILLED THEM, BRAND—-

[MN.7] //: Shhh, Carmen--

[MN.7] //: -Soothing, calm data, you did nothing wrong, it's going to be alright, we promise.-

Jack: (...What...?)

Jack: (What's she talking about, this...this isn't like the last times she was up...)

<FMN-007>: > -Sleep, you need to sleep, you are not awake, so perhaps one could say this IS a dream-

<FMN-006>: > … -Are we being philosophical here, because I don’t want her trying to test out “dream powers” by trying to fly, dude—-

<FMN-006>: > -THOUGH IF THIS IS A DR—gak!-

<FMN-001>: >No shouting. Go back to sleep, Eight.

<FMN-008>: > But—but Brand— Bonnie—they were dead, I think they were dead—

<FMN-007>: > You’re having a bad dream. Rest. Dream of food and singing and dancing.

[This seemed to be working, based on the more subdued data and rustle noises as she retreated back to her sleeping place on the repair bed.]

<FMN-008>: > -It was dark and cold, rain, rainwater…-

<FMN-007>: > Shhhh…

<FMN-008>: > -Didn’t want… so many… walking away, not threats ‘no more…-

<FMN-008>: > -It wanted to hear them beg and see them scream-

<FMN-008>: > Can’t… remember…

<FMN-007>: > …

<FMN-007>: > …That is because this is a dream. Go back to sleep.

<FMN-008>: > Okay…

<FMN-008 has entered Sleep mode.>

Jack: . . . . .

Jack: (Them?)

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

<FMN-007>: > …

<FMN-007>: > … -Uneasy contemplative data- Gravecrasher…

<FMN-006>: >… Thaaaaaat was just a theory, bros, remember that there is not really any sign of her the whole time except for the pizza robbery…

<FMN-005>: > -…but this is SHADE, that’s rather the point-

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

[CDN.7037] //: --Hold up, who's--

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

[MN.7 to CDN.7037] //: -He took our Shade's arm.-

Jack: (--Holy shit--)

<FMN-003>: > Uuuuugh you loszzzerszz.

<FMN-003>: >Are you really gonna loszze szzleep over an Egyptian wannabe pszzzycho and a biker poszzer gone cray cray? At a time like thiszzz?

Jack: .....

[CDN.7037] //: Um...I'm going with Miss Three on this one.

[CDN.7037] //: There's...not much we can do about them at this point...

<FMN-002>: >Yyyyeeaaaah [glitches], lotsa ‘bots Offline or missing—so two of them HAPPEN to be ones everyone hates. Sooooo? That doesn’t mean much more than… they were given the cold shoulder!

[MN.7] //: -Ugh--Cryo, really...--

<FMN-002>: > ;; 3

[There seemed to be some bustle elsewhere in the lab. And a lot of excited data…]

[And then…]

-Ping-

<DWN-024>: > ???

<DWN-024>: > Sensei?

[MN.7] //: --? Shadow?

[He seemed rather surprised, almost incredulous.]

<DWN-024>: > Are you all alright?

[MN.7] //: I...was resting...

[CDN.7037] //: Oh. Space Ninja Dude. Sup.

<DWN-024>: > I could ask much the same of you-- we had to leave so abruptly, is everything safe again?

[CDN.7037] //: Uh--don't look at me, yo, you're the ones that basically kidnapped me.

<DWN-024>: > Apologies for that, Jack-- but Doctor Cossack felt it best for Carmen and safest for /you/ to bring you both with us after the Pentagon called.

[MN.7] //: --What--?!

[CDN.7037] //: Holy sh-- for real??

[MN.7 to MN.ALL] //: -STATUS INQUIRY-

[PING!]

[MN.2] //: BRAAAAAAND YOU'RE AWAKE--

[MN.2] //: BRO--BRO GUESS WHAT, BAT'S BACK, BECK GOT HIM BAAAAACK--

[MN.7] //: --!

[MN.6] //: Ey, bro! Feeling better after your nap?

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

[MN.6] //: Boy, do we really gotta bring you up to speed, huh?

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

<DWN-024>: > ...

<DWN-024>: > That would be HEAVILY appreciated.

[MN.7] //: Please.

[MN.6] //: ...wow, tough crowd.

[MN.6] //: Uh--hoookay, well, where to start...

<DWN-024>: > Are you all safe?

<DWN-024>: > The PENTAGON called!

[MN.6] //: Yeah, Shads, we're OK, really. Just--just lemmie talk, alright?

[MN.6] //: So, after you guys skedaddled after the higher ups called--they, uh, basically told us where Bat was.

[MN.7] //: ...and?

[MN.6] //: Aaaand well, he was in Nevada.

[MN.6] //: ...in, um...

[MN.6] //: ...Federally owed land, so to speak...

<DWN-024>: > ... Dios mio.

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

[MN.6] //: Yeah, uh--so Beck and Cryo went in, things got crazy--but it all worked out! : D

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

[MN.6 to MN.7] //: Look, Brand, I don't want him to panic or anything, OK?

[MN.6 to MN.7] //: This is the last thing they need right now--especially Doc Cossack.

<DWN-024>: > ... This is something where we would have to be read in, I am guessing, if the military contacted you directly regarding their property.

<DWN-024>: > Do not trouble yourselves with that at this time.

<DWN-024>: > We do not wish to draw so much attention to ourselves, nor do we wish you to get court marshaled for disclosing sensitive information.

<DWN-024>: > Are they still bothering you?

[MN.6] //: Uh...well, we still gotta get debriefed and all. Does that count?

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

[MN.6] //: They, uh, also wanna talk with Dad--about the virus, I'm guessing, since he's the one heading up the analysis on that...

[MN.6] //: But, um--there is good news!

[MN.7] //: ...Yes?

[MN.6] //: They're gonna try and help us from now on, at least! We basically got a guarantee on that. Well, 90% chance, I think...

[MN.7] //: ....? Are you certain?

[MN.6] //: Hmm-mmm.

[MN.6] //: Pretty sure.

[MN.6] //: So...things are gonna be OK.

[MN.6] //: No one's gonna SWAT the place or anything, don't worry.

<DWN-024>: > I see...

<DWN-024>: > We have good news as well.

[MN.6] //: ...! Really?! What is it, what is it??

[MN.7] //: Avi--

[MN.6] //: -WHAT'S THE SCOOP-

[MN.7] //: -_-;;;;;

[MN.6] //: -Bro come on, man, any good news right now is fantastic news-

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

[MN.7] -Point...-

[There was a delay.]

<DWN-024>: > It is perhaps best to discuss this all at once, together in a meeting. We have much to announce and cover...

<DWN-024>: > I think, for now, it may be best for you all to rest and be brought up to speed on the goings-on within your own line.

[MN.6] //: Good plan, good plan...

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

[The word spread that it was safe to communicate, and several of the parties contacted one another to interact…]

<DLN-005 to MNN-005>: > -Ping-

[MN.5 to DLN-005] //: .....?

[His data seemed...tired, at first glance, but he was awake, at least.]

<DLN-005>: > ~

<DLN-005>: > -You’re back!-

<DLN-005>: > -Yaaay~-

[MN.5] //: ....

[MN.5] //: Right....I'm back.

[MN.5] //: ...Sure is nice to hear from ya again, David.

<DLN-005>: >We missed you! Sorry we missed your birthday. But we have presents for lotsa people when everyone’s better!

[…Well that was odd. Battalion’s birthday was in August. But… wasn’t it still June?

The next question was more than adequate of a distraction, though.]

<DLN-005>: >Didja see Cardinal?

[MN.5] //: ...No. Been resting, along with Private Beck.

[MN.5] //: ......

<DLN-005>: >Aw…

<DLN-005>: >We thought maybe he would find you instead, maybe.

<DLN-005>: >Oh well… maybe next time.

[MN.5] //: ...??

[MN.5] //: -Find us?-

<DLN-005>: >Well, yeah—

[PING!]

<DWN-013>: > -SIR—-

<DWN-013>: > -Whrrr WHRRRR- Oh man Major, are you okay?

[MN.5] //: --Jaden?

[MN.5] //: ....

[MN.5] //: Been better, if I'm honest.

[MN.5] //: But I'll live.

<DWN-013>: >Affirmative, sir. Sorry that we couldn’t help out. We were evacuated and put in radio silence.

[MN.5] //: .....

[MN.5] //: Makes sense...

[MN.5] //: ... -Sighs-

<DWN-013>: >…

<DWN-013>: > -Credit for your thoughts, my friend? You seem troubled.-

[MN.5] //: . . . .

[MN.5] //: Jaden...

[MN.5] //: What in God's good earth have I done...?

[MN.5] //: -Can't...remember it all...-

<DWN-013>: > …

Jaden: (…I don’t know what happened. …But I think that he needs to hear something else anyway, right now.)

<DWN-013>: > You? Nothing. You were possessed, Major.

<DWN-013>: > Don’t you remember what Cardinal said about that?

[MN.5] //: ....

[MN.5] //: I could have fought back.

[MN.5] //: -I can't even remember if I did.-

<DWN-013>: > …

<DWN-013>: > -Quietly- To what [color=blue]end,[/color] Major?

<DWN-013>: >We know you all fought. But where would you have taken it?

<DWN-013>: >Your younger brother nearly took it very [color=blue]hard.[/color]

[MN.5] //: . . .

<DWN-013>: > …Battalion…

<DWN-013>: >I do understand.

<DWN-013>: >Really.

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

I looked at my arms. My bomb launcher was loaded and ready to fight. I had everything I needed to bring him down.

I just had to make sure he didn’t.

The wall was thrown down by cannon fire and MegaMan came stumbling in, an angry look on his face. I stopped pacing.

[font color="Orange"][font size="3"][tt]Beginning Stage III… Now.

Destruction sequence activated.[/tt][/font][/font]

[i]No…! Not yet![/i]

I paced back and forth, trying to override the program. The kid staggered to his feet, staring at me as I turned my back.

[i]Come on, kid… make it quick…[/i]

“You… you’re Crashman, right?”

I turned to face him with a frown.

[font color="Orange"][font size="3"][tt]Target in sight. Destroy.[/tt][/font][/font]

I struggled against the program. [i]I was made to fight a heartless mechanic monstrosity, not a boy. I will not fire until he does,[/i] I pleaded.

“Yeah,” I responded, my voice strained. “Hello… older brother.”

His eyes widened as he put a hand to his arm cannon. “Wh-what?!”

“Please… MegaMan? I don’t… I don’t have time to explain.”

“You… you’re playing some kind of mind game! Well… it… it isn’t funny!”

“Blast it boy, [i]LISTEN[/i] to me!” I snapped. “I…I can’t fight this much longer. You have to… have to win.”

“…You…”

“I’m sorry… bro… it should never have been this way. You… you have to start it. And you have to end it.” I glanced back at him as I turned to walk away in my pacing. “The first shot is yours… go ahead. Run the program. Just… just promise me… that you’ll bring that Wily down.”

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

<DWN-013>: > … I do.

[MN.5] //: .....

[MN.5] //: ...Copy that, soldier.

[MN.5] //: ...I just wish it didn't have to be this way.

[MN.5] //: ...one hell of a mess to clean up...

<DWN-013>: > -Sighs- Yeah, that’s for sure. Honestly, I’m glad you’re doing as well as you are—Fighting Eight is still way out of it.

[MN.5] //: (...So her too, hmm...)

[Jaden seems… broody.]

<DWN-013>: > …We feel kinda bad because it feels like we’ve made things worse along the way.

<DWN-013>: > Not sure how much you’ve been told of what’s happened so far…

[MN.5] //: .....

[MN.5] //: Not much, no.

[MN.5] //: Been put to repair and bed rest since retrieval.

<DWN-013>: >That makes sense. You took quite a beating.

<DWN-013>: >We’re going to have a meeting later.

<DWN-013>: > We’ve got some good news to share, so. Take heart in that.

[MN.5] //: Now that's real good to hear. Should help the morale.

[MN.5] //: ...Private Beck's going to need it, for certain.

<DWN-013>: > …Yeah. Well, call us when you guys are rested up, okay?

<DWN-013>: > …Though you, uh. May want to talk to Pyro, first, to get some context.

Jaden: (Better him than me to explain just how much a mess my family’s made… ooooog…)

{Later…}

Bonnie: How’s Five doing?

Pyro: Still resting, but...I think he spoke with Jaden a while ago, and it seemed to have helped.

Pyro: As for Beck, he's still in Sleep Mode...

Bonnie: I’m not surprised. From what I can make out of the cross-references, it was a very trying experience.

Bonnie: Any sign of the three still missing?

Pyro: .....

Pyro: Still nothing on Shade--and we don't even HAVE a transponder signal coming from Mic...

Pyro: -Rumbly grumpy data-

Pyro: ...And Cardinal...well. I don't really have to say at this point, do I.

Bonnie: -Sighs and covers his face with a hand, folding the other under his arm- Then I hope whatever Dr. Cossack has to say regarding “good news” involves his whereabouts.

Bonnie: He WAS going over some of 000’s recent activity…

Bonnie: Unless I’m mistaken, I believe the Cossacks were able to trace the source.

Pyro: !

Pyro: I certainly hope you're not, then...

Pyro: (...But I doubt he would stay in one location for too long. He's too smart for that.)

Pyro: (Mmn...tracking those two is like trying to follow footprints in a blizzard...)

Pyro: (...But, at least we know he's still out there...)

{Meanwhile…}

<MC005 to DR.WHITE>: > -Ping-

[DR.WHITE to MC005] //: ...! Mikhail!

[DR.WHITE to MC005] //: Oh thank goodness are you alright you ran off so suddenly and then--

<MC005>: > I’m… better, certainly.

<MC005>: >Shadow informed me that Brandish had contacted us—it took a bit of unraveling, but it sounds like whatever was going on over there has resolved itself, for now. I’m glad.

<MC005>: >I was given quite the scare, that’s for certain. But a good deal of time has passed over here since then, and it’s given me a chance to settle down.

[DR.WHITE] //: Whew...

[DR.WHITE] //: I'm glad--things were a bit...chaotic, to say the very least...but we got through it together, and Bat has returned to us.

[DR.WHITE] //: Not only that, but along with one more piece to solving this virus code.

[DR.WHITE] //: (I'm close, I can feel it, I just need time...)

[DR.WHITE] //: How are the others...?

<MC005>: >Well, Jack was rather confused when he woke up somewhere else again— and Tetra had a rather… interesting choice of words to explain it—but he’s been a good patient. Most everyone has been rather docile. Jaden was agitated for a while, but improved after getting the chance to speak with Bat.

<MC005>: > … Fighting Eight still hasn’t fully recovered.

[DR.WHITE] //: (Oh, no...Carmen...)

<MC005>: >I don’t entirely understand… this kind of damage surely must happen from time to time in the arena, but it seems this is the first time it’s affected her memory so deeply. Either she hasn’t ever had a head injury that severe before, or the head trauma just made existing problems worse, or there’s something else about it that I don’t know.

<MC005>: > She remains more or less docile, and can usually be coaxed back into Sleep mode within two minutes of her panicked episodes.

<MC005>: >She’s been rather incoherent. I think she just needs rest. Lots and lots of rest.

<MC005>: > The boys have been mercifully cooperative, especially ever since the latest development.

<MC005>: >That’s something you and I definitely need to cover—though there are other things to discuss that I think everyone should hear.

<MC005>: >We have good news and… some very important findings.

<MC005>: > We really should hold a conference call as soon as possible. Though you should probably get Five and Seven back up to speed, first.

[DR.WHITE] //: !

[DR.WHITE] //: I see--we'll have to wait until Beck awakens, however--I'm afraid he hasn't woken up since.

[DR WHITE] //: It's...a bit concerning, but he's showing no signs of negative data...so...as long as he gets as much rest as possible...

<MC005>: >Mmm… well, for the good news, I’m sure he’d appreciate being there with everyone else…. I’m not sure about the findings, however…

<MC005>: > I think Pyro, Bat, and Brand definitely should hear it, though.

[There’s a thoughtful silence.]

<MC005>: > Are there any sign of the other three on your end?

[DR.WHITE] //: ...

[DR.WHITE] //: ...Nothing from Shade...

[DR.WHITE] //: ...And there's...no signal from Mic. At all. Ever since this started...

[DR.WHITE] //: And Cardinal...nothing.

[DR.WHITE] //: .....

<MC005>: > …

<MC005>: > -Sighs- Well, I had hoped.

<MC005>: > I think we may be able to help you find where Four went off to, though.

[DR.WHITE] //: !!

[DR.WHITE] //: Oh thank God--

<MC005>: >And I do have news of Cardinal.

Mikhail: (Though definitely not the news anyone was hoping to hear.)

Will: (Perhaps we're almost through this crisis--wait...just news?)

[DR.WHITE] //: --...and it's...it's good news? -yes, we are trying to be hopeful here-

<MC005>: > …Er…

<MC005>: > …That depends on how you take it?

<MC005>: >He’s definitely in one piece, and seems to be at his full strength—at least, at the time he was last spotted.

[DR.WHITE] //: (Still alive--while I am worried about you, Cardinal...I have to admit I am impressed you've--)

<MC005>: >But as for Four—

<MC005>: >My dear Will.

<MC005>: >You DO remember that my oldest (currently Online, David aside) son is a miner, da?

[DR.WHITE] //: --!

[DR.WHITE] //: Of course, maybe can he can give us an idea where Mic might have gone...

[DR.WHITE] //: Definitely somewhere in his 'element', to be sure--although we already scanned his mine, and found nothing...

[DR.WHITE] //: Mmmn...

<MC005>: >Digger has a few other ideas, and he’s turning his analysis to them now that we’ve finished our analysis of Cardinal’s information.

<MC005>: >He agrees at it’s likely that Seismic has headed underground. Quite frankly, there is no other way that he would be in his element while also being out of sight unless that were the case. He’s too large to go unnoticed above the scene.

<MC005>: >You will have to be prepared to accept his authority, though.

[DR.WHITE] //: ...I expected as much...

<MC005>: >I’m sorry, but it’s just…

<MC005>: >Dealing with infected constructs is one thing. Battling nature is another. And going underground is something else entirely.

<MC005>: >It’s very easy to get lost, and if you get lost without a surface team to keep track of you, you could spend days trying to find your way out.

<MC005>: >Thankfully, Three is an Industrial by nature, so he won’t try to get involved in any combat. You don’t need to worry on that front.

<MC005>: >He has extensive experience with that field—it’s his area of expertise—so he will be in charge of the monitoring surface team, and the recovery team, should it come to that. He’s already assigned Jaden as his second, though he’s still debating on who should be his partner…

text

text

((Bat and Pyro convo goes here))

[Later that afternoon, Mikhail briefly stopped by Sanda Labs to pick up a few things that had been left in their hasty retreat. Before he returned to the Meadow, though, he had an important stop to make.

He made his way up to Beck’s room with a bag of marshmallows in hand.]

[...There's no sound coming from his room, and the lights seem to be off...]

[Inside, a soft white glow can be seen under the covers--and the small bump that was Beck there as well.]

Beck: --? (Dad--?)

[A head pops up, and tired emerald eyes blink in slight confusion when the figure at the foot of his bed was not his Father.]

Beck: Dr. Cossack...?

Mikhail: -Softly- Good afternoon, Number Nine.

Mikhail: -Offers marshmallow bag-

Beck: ...um.

[...He can't help but feel a bit meek while taking a few marshmallows. He couldn't guess why Dr. Cossack was here, but...]

[...This had to be about Jaden's Capsule, right?]

Beck: .....

Beck: (Maybe I should...give the data back...)

Mikhail: Trouble resting?

Beck: ....Um...

[He rubs the back of his head a bit.]

Beck: Kinda. It's been a long week...it's sorta throwing my whole sleep schedule off...

[...Well, that was true, in part. Lately, he still felt tired even after going into Sleep Mode...]

[ ...There were just too many thoughts in his head.]

[Too many worries.]

Mikhail: It has been a long week, hasn’t it. And the time warps in effect can be a headache, true.

Mikhail: It helps to have someone to talk to about it.

Beck: .....

[...Oh.]

Beck: Y...Yeah, those are always weird...

Beck: .....

Beck: ....Doctor Cossack?

Mikhail: Da?

Beck: Are...

Beck: ......

Beck: Are they afraid of me?

Mikhail: -Blinks at this-

[As was his custom, he waited until he was sure Beck had had his say before he said anything himself.]

Beck: I...Nico was...really angry--and Shadow...

Beck: I...I didn't mean...

Beck: .....

[...He falls silent.]

[There is some rattling in his closet a second afterwards...]

[Mikhail reaches out and gently puts a hand on Beck’s head.]

Beck: ....

Beck: I...I'm sorry I got Jaden in trouble....

Beck: I...I just...

Beck: ....

[Mikhail gave a soft sigh and pulled Beck into a hug.]

Beck: ......

_________________

"Humanity is hardwired to be cautious to that which is better than them, and they know this. As do all sentient creatures."

"...What does that mean--"

"...It means don't be surprised if everyone starts to FEAR YOU, you idiot." _______________

Beck: --I...I don't want them to be afraid of me...

Beck: I'm not like...I don't want to...

Beck: -They're family too, I don't want to let them down or--or fail them or scare them or...-

Mikhail: Shhhh…

Beck: .....

Beck: (What if they're right?)

Beck: (I barely understand what's going on with me, and Dad...I'm not even sure if HE knows too...)

Beck: (Was this what she was talking about...?)

Beck: -We're scared.-

[Beck just curls up with the Russian Doctor, hands clutching the blankets, trying to even out his breathing.]

Beck: -I don't wanna be like the Menace...-

Mikhail: Oh, my dear soul-son…. -Soft sigh again-

Mikhail: You are very dear to all of us. Remember first that in our hearts, you are beloved, and cherished like Tobias, Kalinka, and David.

Mikhail: You are not the one that they fear, Amadeus. What they fear is the loss of control.

[He pulls back so he can lean his forehead against Beck’s.]

Mikhail: Not you losing control of yourself, but the situation growing greater than they can handle. It is already out of their hands. This is hard for them to accept, for it brings them back to our days at home where we live in hiding and in fear.

Mikhail: That is why they have grown defensive. They see themselves in a hostile world, where their family could be turned against itself unto ruin.

Mikhail: They are afraid that some other force will take such an ability from you to use against them—whether that force hunt you down for it, or simply take advantage of what is at hand.

Beck: .......

Beck: (I...gosh, I know that feeling...)

Beck: -Nods-

Mikhail: They have not spoken much of their culture to your family, partially because it is one of sorrow and suffering, with a serious, melancholic, reflective atmosphere. But now that Aviator knows the full extent, they may open up more over time.

Mikhail: The Power Capsules are culturally very important, not just physically. That Jaden allowed you to interact with his shows how much he trusts you.

Beck: ....He...he does...?

Beck: .....

Beck: (Jaden, you...)

Beck: .....

Mikhail: He would not have let you even see it if he did not, Nine. He was obviously hoping to give you his form—likely because of how sturdy it is. Such a thing is very important to them, and not done lightly.

Mikhail: Alnico was alarmed primarily because… well, to put it frankly, he’s been wound a bit too tight during the whole ordeal. Being the family leader is not easy, and it was never a position he really wanted to begin with.

Mikhail: When feeling stressed and afraid, it is easier and more likely for faulty alarm triggers to go off.

Beck: ...O...Oh...

Beck: (Poor Nico...he must be really stressed out and stuff...)

Beck: ......No wonder he got so mad...

Mikhail: He in particular has had a very bad experience regarding the Power Capsules. His half-brother took his brother’s Power Capsule from storage for the sole purpose of destroying him.

Mikhail: He, like most of the family, feel that the fewer people that have access to such things, the safer things will be.

Beck: .....That makes sense when you look at it like that... (...They ARE weapons....)

Beck: (...I guess Nico had a point. I SHOULD be more careful...)

Mikhail: You did no real harm to them, though. Nico has calmed down considerably, now that they are confident that all will be well in the end.

Mikhail: They really do believe that.

Beck: ......

Beck: (They....they really do believe that I'll fix everything...)

Beck: (I don't...I can't let them down like that...)

Beck: Yeah...I...I know.

Mikhail: They know that with the public not giving into panic, things can be fixed, with effort, even if it takes quite a lot of it over an extended period of time.

Mikhail: For them, that is everything—to be allowed that chance.

Mikhail: I know you can do it. I knew it when you first said you would, when I saw the look in your eyes.

Mikhail: I’d seen that look before, you know.

Beck: ....B...Before...?

Mikhail: Yes. Right down to the green eyes. | )

((Cardinal pic))

Mikhail: Cardinal gets that when he becomes determined. He was that way when it came to saving my family.

Beck: ...!

Beck: (The Russian Incident...)

Beck: .....

Beck: .....I...I miss him.

Beck: ...I know he's trying to save Shade...and I don't blame him at all, but...

Beck: ...I could use his advice too...

Mikhail: Yes…?

Beck: ...He's just...ya know, he's done everything?

Beck: ...Though I bet he'd just insist on going with me to save everyone or something...

Beck: If...if he was still here, that is...

Mikhail: -Chuckles softly- Even if he did not come in person, you could probably have expected a great deal of backseat driving from him in the form of continuous witty and sardonic commentary.

Beck: Heheheh...

[That gets him to smile at last--he could practically hear him commenting on those weird wheel-like CDNs and Graham's backfired blame game...]

Beck: Cards is funny like that...heh...

Mikhail: Ah… but Cardinal is made for this sort of thing; it is quite literally as close to what he was built for as anything can get. So… if he had not left, he would have joined you… or had to shut down for the duration, as the only options for such a directive are to obey or stall.

Beck: ....

Beck: -Sighs-

Beck: I'm worried...

Beck: ...He can't cure Shade like I can--he knows that by now, doesn't he? -And I don't know what Shade will do or if he'll even...-

Beck: ......I just hope we find one of them soon...

[Cossack was silent for a moment, his demeanor turning a thoughtful kind of serious. When he spoke, it was as if saying something that had already been mourned and passed over, healed with time.]

Mikhail: …Beck… there’s something you should know.

Mikhail: And this is something I will tell the others as well, very soon. As soon as everyone is well enough to attend the meeting… you included.

Beck: ...?

Mikhail: Shade and Cardinal once discussed what to do if something ever happened that made Shade go mad.

Beck: --??

Beck: They did?

Beck: (But how would they...)

Mikhail: Shade warned him to stay away, but acknowledged Cardinal’s honest response that he would do no such thing.

Mikhail: He ultimately told him that if all else failed, to save his Central core.

Beck: ....!

Beck: (His...his core...)

Mikhail: Cardinal will attempt to bring your brother back, willingly or not.

Beck: . . . .

Beck: Shade...

Mikhail: You must understand…

Mikhail: For Cardinal, this was yet another round, another generation, another lifetime which he must see those close to him suffer and be destroyed. He has put a great deal of effort in our world into halting and then reversing this tide.

Mikhail: He was not about to let it happen here.

Mikhail: He feared that if Shade were not stopped, that the use of force against him would be so great as to destroy him entirely.

Mikhail: He would prevent that from happening, even if it meant fighting Shade himself to do so.

Beck: .......

Mikhail: … (Even if it meant…) …

Mikhail: …

Mikhail: …He does not expect to cure. He just seeks to bring him back to those who can.

Beck: ...U...Us....

Beck: (Cardinal...)

Beck: (You really care about him, don't you...)

Beck: ......

Beck: ...Shade would've done the same thing...

Beck: ....It's...just who they are, right...

Beck: ....

Mikhail: Yes.

Mikhail: (Though for some reason, I get an odd sense of deja vu when it’s mentioned Shade will do the sa—… wait… /will/?)

Mikhail: (…I’m not going to think on that, probably just another one of their misadventures…)

Mikhail: And Beck…

Mikhail: Even with all that, I don’t think he would have left it up to you if he did not feel you could handle it.

Mikhail: Take heart, my friend. And… do talk to us once in a while, alright?

Mikhail: I know you’ve been unhappy and nervous. You kept avoiding people, just like your father has been doing.

Mikhail: But we’re here for you, Beck White. Kalinka very much enjoys talking with you. And if you seek advice on what Cardinal might do or say…

Mikhail: She traveled across a continent or two with him, you know. She’s pretty familiar with his mannerisms—more than some of his brothers, even.

Beck: (...That's right...Linka....)

Beck: ...I'll...I'll keep that in mind, Dr. Cossack...

Beck: ....T...Thanks.

Beck: ......

Beck: Dad's probably worried about everything too.

Beck: -We're similar like that-

Mikhail: I know. (…I wish I could be more helpful.)

Beck: I know Dad's been working so hard on cracking the virus...

Beck: (...He must feel like everyone's counting on him too...)

[Mikhail sighed.]

Mikhail: …I wish there were more I could do to help him. (Because this still isn’t over…)

Mikhail: (We have a lot of work to do.)

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

=PROLOGUE A: IT ALL BEGINS NOW=

~AO v1.0~

(Starring @limitbreakers)

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

“Come ON, Beck! Hurry up, we’re gonna be late!”

It is the present year.

“C-Coming, Cryo!”

Breakthroughs in robotic technology have ushered in a new era of peace and prosperity. Violence is confined to the Battle Colosseum, where robot combatants face off in spectacular duels.

“We’ve spent enough time walking down memory lane in the trophy room. We have to get to the arena before they call us out for our return debut match.”

“WE KNOW, Pyro. Jeezzz, calm down.”

“I believe he is only excited to be back in familiar stomping grounds. Isn’t that right, Bat?”

“TOO RIGHT, Brand!”

“MAN, I am so stoked for this! Hey, I hope they get my good side, ya know? Course, I look good in ALL angles.”

“…Avi not focused.”

“Mic is right. It’s time to get out there. Everyone! PLACES!”

“YES SIR NO.1!”

Today, the colosseum walls once again echo with the shouts and cheers of excited fans…

…when suddenly…

….

BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN–

Attention! Attention! This is Code Red! Please evacuate the arena calmly and quickly! This is not a drill! Please–

[WARNING. WARNING. VIRUS DETECTED IN SERVER. FIREWALL PROGRAMS HAVE FAILED.]

[MN.1-8 HAVE BEEN INFECTED WITH HARMFUL MALWARE. RUNNING XELFILTER.EXE FOR MN.9]

[WARNING: MN.1-8 HAVE ENTERED FULL COMBAT MODE. RESTRICTIONS: NONE.]

[S Y S T E M E R R ROR–S YSTEM E R R ROR–]

“PYRO! BRAND! SHADE! GUYS! S T O P!”

[MN.9 HAS BEEN DAMAGED BY HARMFUL MALWARE. PREPARING HARD RESET. ALL FORMS WILL BE LOST.]

“GUYS–NO–NOOO–!!”

[....]

[XELFILTER.EXE PROGAM CYCLE COMPLETE. ALL MALWARE HAS BEEN FILTERED AND NEUTRALIZED FROM ALL SYSTEMS.]

[REBOOTING...]

[MN.9 IS NOW ONLINE]

Beck: ....Uuugh...

Beck: What...what happened...

[......]

[At first...nothing.]

[Then....]

"PYRO! BRAND! SHADE! GUYS! S T O P!!"

Beck: ......!!!!!

[MN.9 to MN.1-8] //: GUYS! GUYS!

[MN.9 HAS BEEN BLOCKED BY MN.1-8.]

[MN.9] //: ...??!?!

Beck: What...?!

Beck: Why would... They...

BOOOM!

[...And that is when he noticed where he was. No longer was he within the Colosseum walls, he was now on some rooftop by a NBCA advertisement. It looked like he was simply DROPPED here, but the means of how and why were far from his mind.]

[At the sounds of the explosions, Mighty No. 9 ran across the rooftop ...]

Beck: !!!

Beck: N...No...!

[Screams. Fire.]

Beck: What....

[The whole of the city in absolute chaos, citizens screaming in terror, fleeing from literal hordes of rampaging robots, leaving nothing but destruction in their wake.]

Beck: What is...happening...?!

Beck: .....!!!

Beck: DAD!

[His creator. His father. Doctor William Apollo White.]

[He was somewhere in this madness...]

[Without another thought, Beck jumped down from the rooftop. He had to find him. He had to know if...!]

Beck: PROFESSOR! DAD! WHERE ARE YOU?!

Beck: DAAAAD!!

[......]

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

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

[...!! There! In the distance--! That puff of hair that could only be--!]

Beck: Dad!

White: Beck!

[The sheer relief couldn't be plainer on their faces, as Beck ran up to his father, who seemed to have seen better days--his lab coat was torn here and there, and his face was covered in black soot.]

White: Ah, Beck--thank God--and functioning normally, it would appear!

Beck: Yeah...yeah, I'm fine, Dad. I'm fine...

Beck: I am so glad you're OK—

[Beck clutched his leg as hard as he could, and White bent down to give his youngest perhaps the hardest hug he could muster.]

White: ...God...what on earth has happened...? It's...chaos, everywhere...!

Beck: I...I dunno...I dunno...Dad...

[Tears filled his emerald green eyes.]

Beck: I...I can't contact the others...Pyro, Cryo, Dyna...they...blocked me...!

White: What?!

White: Why on...

White: . . .

White: oh God—nononoNO—

[He fumbled with his bag, which held his laptop. He opened it as quickly as he could and--]

[...His suspicions were confirmed.]

[The status of all Mighty Numbers...]

[To say he was both horrified and shocked was an understatement.]

[His sons...his daughters...]

White: NO!

Beck: .....!!!

Beck: INCOMING!

[Several airborne delivery bots had spotted them--and their load was less than helpful. They were bombs.]

[Beck pushes his father out of the way, with a strength he never knew he had in this default form...]

White: ooF--

[The blast knocked both father and son back some ways, but Beck's quick actions had saved them both from sustaining serious damage.]

[Thankfully, the trio of delivery bots no more cargo to dispel, and flew back the way they came--probably to get more of their ammo.]

Beck: Dad--Dad, are you OK?!

White: Ngh...

White: Y-Yes...mostly...

[Beck looked forward--this street...this was familiar...]

[...! Wait! He knew where he was! Just a few blocks from here was home!]

Beck: Dad--Dad, it's not safe--

White: ...

[After catching his breath, he stood--brushed himself off, and looked to the distance along with Nine. There, on end of this long street...]

[Sands Enterprises.]

White: ........

White: .......

Beck: Dad...?

[His expression hardened.]

[....His sons, his daughters...]

[What was happening to all the robots...]

[...He couldn't do anything from here.]

White: We won't figure out anything from here, Beck.

White: We must make for the laboratory--and quickly!

Beck: ...!

[But between them and home...a war zone.]

White: ........

Beck: ....

White: Beck...

White: I can't get through this by myself.

White: You MUST forge on ahead and clear a secure path.

Beck: --!? Wha--

White: Don't worry--I'll follow, and monitor your process. We only need to make it to the end of this street!

White: Do you think you can do that?

Beck: ......

[...He's walked down this street countless times--he's just never had to do it amidst gunfire.]

[But Dad...]

[His family...Dr. Sanda...Call...!]

[MN.9 HAS ENTERED COMBAT MODE.]

Beck: Yes sir!

[...Seeing that smile on his face, and the will that clearly shined beneath those eyes...]

White: Alright...

[...There was hope.]

[They could not lose that--not now!]

White: Let's move!

[OBJECTIVE: ESCORT DR. WHITE TO SANDA ENTERPRISES UNHARMED.]

[SYSTEMS READY.]

[....INITIATING COMBAT PROGRAMS.]

[Getting through the overturned vehicles and debris was easy enough, and provided good cover for Will.]

[...But it wasn't long before...]

Beck: ....!!

[A flash of purple, and a standard CherryDyn Security Model robot materialized in his path, waving it's arms around wildly, it's weapon primed and ready to fire.]

[White's voice filled his comm link--as long as they were near each other, they could speak above the chaotic noises that filled the blue sky.]

White: A security bot...and it's out of control like all the others...

[The CherryDyn bot, however, didn't notice Beck at all--rather, it moved on ahead...]

Beck: ....!!

Beck: Professor! Look!

White: !

[There, on a large public screen that overlooked the street...]

[Gregory Graham.]

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

[…!

Faint!

But there!

That was Toby’s signal, no doubt about it!]

Beck: !!!!

Beck: Toby!

White: Tobias?!

Beck: I felt his signal!

Beck: It's...so faint but...!

[The signal is fluctuating and faltering, as if something’s interfering with it.]

[KKKST!]

"Once again, the President as declared a country-wide state of emergency. This, based on reports of haywire robots rampaging out of control in all 52 States. I'm being told we have a comment from Gregory Graham, CEO of CherryDynamics."

Beck and White: WHAT?!

[There are some faint data streams that suggest anger—from DWNs—but it is still too faint…

Barely noticeable, given the matter at hand.]

"CherryDyn, of course, being the world's largest robot manufacturer. Let's go there now, live...

Graham: Ahem! Hello?...eh, hello...? Is this thing on?!

[...The CEO seemed...panicked...]

Graham: Ah! Ahem--...My fellow Americans...in this time of crisis, we at CherryDyn would just like to express....

Graham: That this isn't our fault!

White: ....!!

Graham: It's that Dr. Blackwell--HE'S the one that's behind all this! BLAME HIM!

Beck: What the--is he SERIOUS?!

[…Oddly…

…nothing, from their otherworldly friends.

Very odd, considering the LAST time that there had been a panic, and how loudly they had cried out in dismay.

But it seemed Graham wasn’t done yet…]

[Graham then composes himself...]

Graham: Ahem--we at CherryDyn are doing ALL we can to help fix the situation...BUT IT'S BLACKWELL'S FAU--

[KKKKKKSSST!]

"Heeeelllloooo! Is this thing on?"

Beck: ...Avi?

[PING!]

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

[He doesn't answer. Instead, he continues to give his twisted 'news report'.]

Avi: “Ahem! And now, let's go live to our eye in the sky, Avi, for today's Avi News traffic report!~”

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

Avi: "Thanks, Avi! As you can see, we've got a few accidents eastbound on, well--"

Avi: "EVERYWHERE! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!~"

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

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

Avi: THE END OF THE WORLD, BABY!~

White: MIGHTY NO. 6! STOP THIS IMMEDIATELY!

Beck: A…Avi…

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

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

[.......]

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

[The screen cuts out to another camera while Avi switched his attention to Toby, leaving Beck and White to gaze in horror at the bird's eye view of their city...]

White: We're almost there...!

[Traversing the war-torn street, Beck and White are just one more block away from the entrance...]

White: ....!

Beck: ...? What is it, Dad?

White: Dr. Sanda's calling...

[DR.WHITE] //: Sanda? What's the matter--

[DR.SANDA] //: WHAT'S THE MATTER?!

[DR.SANDA] //: WHAT THE BLEEDING HECK DO YOU THINK IS THE MATTER?! ARE YOU OK, WILL?!

[DR.WHITE] //: ...Oh, fine. More or less.

[DR.SANDA] //: .....

[DR.WHITE] //: And yourself?

[…Yep.

He was his usual self, alright.]

[Dr. Sanda, however…]

[DR.SANDA] //: Good Lord do you EVER stop being tactless--

[...LOUD clanking noises in the background of his feed.]

[DR.SANDA] //: ohmyGod

[DR.SANDA] //: I'm less than fine--MUCH LESS! These robots gone wild are TEARING THE PLACE APART!

[DR.WHITE] //: What...in the building too?!

[DR.SANDA] //: I've sealed myself in the lab--but who knows HOW long before they break through?!

[DR.WHITE] //: Ah, I see. Understood. We're already on our way!

[DR.SANDA] //: ...We?

[MN.9] //: -PING!- Dr. Sanda...!

[DR.SANDA] //: ...!! Beck? BECK? IS THAT REALLY YOU?!

[MN.9] //: Yeah--it's me! I'm OK, I'm not crazy!

[DR.SANDA] //: THANK THE LORD--

[BANG!]

[DR.SANDA] //: -sCREECH--

[DR.WHITE] //: Just try to hold them off for as long as you can! We're coming!

[Soon enough, after what seemed like hours had passed instead of minutes...]

[...Sanda Enterprises.]

[The front door was completely blown open.]

White: Oh, no...

Beck: I...I don't see Call anywhere...

White: ......

White: Beck. We have no time to waste...calculate the fastest possible route to the lab!

Beck: Yes sir!

Beck: ......

Beck: This way!

[BWAN BWAN BWAN BWAN--]

Beck: nEVER MIND THIS WAY--

[The elevator down to the lab was out--they had to take the other way down.]

White: --!!!

[...Sanda Models.]

[Heading this way...]

White: BECK!!

Beck: !!

[Trash bots--designed to recycle waste and paper--harmless enough, but something had caused them to open and shut their lids with the force of a vice, looking for anything to chomp on.]

Beck: Uhoh--

[They were heading this way--but oddly enough--their target...wasn't Beck...]

White: --!!

White: They're locked onto me--!

Beck: NO!

Trash Bots: -GLITCHED BEEPING-

[.......]

[ANALYZING.]

[EMOTION MATRIX RUNNING...]

[THREAT CONFIRMED.]

[ACTIVATING WEAPON SYSTEMS.]

Beck: STAY AWAY FROM HIM!

[WEAPON SYSTEMS: ONLINE.]

-*-*-*-*-

Felix: 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.

Beck: ..........

Beck: (Well, that's not...I mean, I was just built to fight....)

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

Felix: I can tell you THAT from experience.

Beck: .....R-Really....?

Felix: Of course.

Felix: And after all.

Felix: You /are/ MIGHTY.

-*-*-*-*-

[XEL ABSORPTION SYSTEMS....

ONLINE. ]

[BLAM BLAM BLAM!]

[In an instant, Beck's arm had transformed into his default demolecularizing arm cannon--capable of breaking apart substances right down to the molecular level within a few shots.]

[The Trash Bots were nailed right in the face, and soon they were...glowing. Their Xels were being broken apart, floating around them...]

[ZOOOOM!]

[ACXELARATE DASH: ONLINE. ]

[A white-blue glow had enveloped Beck as he dashed forward, the Xels of the weakened robots being absorbed into his own body, seamlessly clicking into place.]

[Shocked from the sudden Xel loss...the Trash Bots shut down.]

[ABSORPTION BOOST: ONLINE. ]

Beck: --!!

[A soft red glow shined around him, energy SURGING through him in a way that he's NEVER felt before...]

Beck: Ah--

[It all seemed to pool into his arm cannon.]

Beck: .....

Beck: WHAT THE HECK JUST HAPPENED.

Beck: -pANIC-

Beck: W HAT WAS THAT?!

White: .......

White: Beck...did...

White: Did you just...absorb the Xels of a weakened robot and--my goodness --assimilate them?!

Beck: I DON'T KNOW--YOU TELL ME!

White: Alright--alright--just CALM down, Beck--breathe, breathe...

Beck: .......

White: Beck--I DESIGNED you with this capability.

Beck: ....!! W-Wait--

Beck: ...So--THIS is my...my power? My OTHER power?

White: Yes, Beck. I designed you with THREE central powers: Xel Manipulation, Xel Transformation...

White: ...And Xel Assimilation.

White: ....But...

White: This is the first time I've seen it...active...I hadn't thought it functional yet...

White: (...So why now...?)

White: .....!

White: (Of course...)

White: (Seeing me like this--in danger. Amidst madness and chaos...)

White: (His emotional matrix must have activated his latent abilities...)

White: (In an effort to protect me.)

Beck: .......

Beck: Whoooooa...

White: ....!

Beck: .....

[The glow subsided. Along with the surge of power.]

Beck: --? Uh...what happened?

White: ---Ngh! I'd love to explain but we have more robots incoming--!

Beck: --!!

[Within moments, as they headed deeper into the building, more and more robots appeared.]

[The security system had also gone haywire, and the very same measures used to protect them was now being used against them.]

White: Almost there, almost there...hold on, Soi...!

Beck: OwowowowlASERSHURTOW--

White: ...Right--the Lab is just ahead...

[DR.WHITE] //: Sanda?

[.....]

[DR.WHITE] //: Sanda, are you still there?

[.......]

[DR.WHITE] //: .......

[DR WHITE] //: Have the robots torn you to pieces...?

[MN.9] //: DAD--

[DR.SANDA] //: Criminny! Tactful as ALWAYS, Will... -_____-;;;

[DR.SANDA]//: I'm FINE, but for PETE'S SAKE, HURRY--!

[DR.WHITE] //: Don't worry, we just need to go through the--

[There was a LOUD scream across the feeds.]

[No—two voices, both screaming in utter agony!]

[B A N G.]

Beck: ?!?

Beck: What was THAT...?!

[The door opened...]

[WWRRRRRRRRRRRRRR--]

White: --?!

[Literally CRASHING through the side wall was a huge, round robot nearly seven times Beck's size, crushing anything underneath it's round steel flattener...]

White: A CherryDyn demolition unit?! How on EARTH did it manage to get DOWN here?!

Beck: Oh C RUD--

[The destructive CDN CHARGED right into Beck's path--he dove out of the way in time, however, but the shock of the impact with the other wall forced the door to close, leaving Will on the other side.]

Beck: DAD!

[DR.WHITE] //: I'm fine!

[DR.WHITE] //: Beck, quickly--you MUST stop it, before it destroys the whole laboratory!

[MN.9] //: M...ME?!

[MN.9] //: DAD THIS THING CAN CRUSH ME--

[DR.WHITE] //: YOU HAVE TO TRY! SOI IS STILL IN THERE!

[DR.SANDA] //: COME ON, BECKO--DO IT! OR WE'RE ALL TOAST...!

[MN.9 HAS ENTERED FULL COMBAT MODE.]

Beck: I'msodead--

[SCANNING...]

[SCAN COMPLETE.]

[ E N C O U N T E R ]

[CDN. 502 -- MODEL CODENAME: ROUND DIGGER]

[HEIGHT: 300cm] [WEIGHT: 450kg] [XEL COUNT: 90,000,000]

[The CherryDyn Number 502 charged once more, rolling across the room at RAPID speeds. Beck once again had to dodge, THIS time using his new AcXelarate Dash.]

[...It certainly was...Fast.]

[SPLAT.]

[A little...too fast.]

Beck: O-Ow--stupid wall-

[DR.WHITE] //: Your AcXelarate Dash is EXACTLY that, Beck! An acceleration! Use it wisely!

[DR.WHITE] //: You must weaken it with your weapon to destabilize it's Xel before you can absorb it with your Dash!

[MN.9] //: SO I JUST SHOOT AND RUN INTO IT?!

[DR.WHITE AND DR. SANDA] //: YES!

[The Round Digger reared up to charge once more--like a bull would.]

Beck: Crudcrudcrudcrud--

[WRRRRR...]

[BLAM BLAM BLAM!]

[Direct hits--but it didn't stop the CDN from charging.]

Beck: -nOT AGAIN--

[ZOOOM!]

[...And yet another splat.]

Beck: OW--

[DR.WHITE] //: Beck--are you alr--

Beck: NO IT'S NOT WORKING--!

[DR.WHITE] //: Perseverance, Beck! Aim for it's joints and head! Destabilize it's Xel structure!

Beck: Aim and shoot, joints, head--

[WRRRRRRRRRRR--]

[A panel opened up on it's back, revealing--]

[Bombs!]

Beck: --oh NO--

[Of course, it was a demolition unit!]

[BOOM!]

Beck: AAAAAAAAAAH--

[There he goes, dashing this way and that to avoid being blown to pieces!]

Beck: -SCREAMING-

Beck: DAD HELP ME--H ELP ME!

[DR.WHITE] //: I can't--! Not from here--!

[DR.SANDA] //: THE SYSTEMS ARE ALL SCRAMBLED FROM HERE, I CAN'T DO ANYTHING--!

[BOOM! BOOM!]

Beck: -I'MGONNADIEOHMAN-

[Nine keeps shooting--but they are wild and panicked shots, some hitting their target, some missing completely.]

[.....Eventually, however...]

[ERROR--ERROR--XEL STRUCTURE UNSTABLE--]

[...The CDN's head starting glowing purple! ]

[DR.WHITE] //: NOW, BECK!

[As soon as Beck saw it...]

[...He knew exactly what to do. As if it was instinct.]

[As if the thought was there all along.]

Beck: Here GOES!

[ZOOOM--]

[XEL ABSORBED. 100% --CDN XEL COUNT LOWERED 20%--]

[WARNING! WARNING! VIRUS DETECTED!]

Beck: --?!?

[RUNNING XELFILTER.EXE...]

[XEL FILTERED. ALL MALWARE HAS BEEN NEUTRALIZED.]

[ATTENTION: MORE XEL IS REQUIRED FOR A FULL XEL PURGE.]

Beck: (Xel...Purge...?)

[DR.WHITE] //: BECK! ABOVE YOU!

[The CDN had stopped charging--and--oddly enough, used it's extending legs to grab onto the ceiling...?]

Beck: ....???

[A panel UNDERNEATH it unlocks and--]

[PSSSSSSSSSH!]

[A HUGE high pressured blast of water SLAMMED into the Mighty Number, knocking him back into the door with a loud CLANK!]

Beck: AAGH!

[DR.WHITE] //: BECK!

Beck: Uuugh....

Beck: ...Ooooowww...

[...? What's this?]

[...All that did was... Just DAZE him, at best...]

Beck: That was...almost as hard as Cryo, ow...

[PISSSSSSSSSHHH!]

Beck: -gARBLING NOISES-

[DR.WHITE] //: MOVE, BECK!

[A bit shaky, Beck dashes away from the stream--]

Beck: sTOOOOOP--

[.....]

[OH! Wait--why didn't he think of this before?! He might not have his siblings by his side--]

[...But he had their FORMS, right?]

[...Right?]

[…]

[ERROR//: MN.7 REXELECTION FORM NOT FOUND. FORM WAS ERASED AFTER HARD RESET.]

[…Wrong.]

Beck: WHAT?!

[ERROR//: MN.1 REXELECTION FORM NOT FOUND. FORM WAS ERASED AFTER HARD RESET.]

Beck: NONONO!

[ERROR//: MN.2 REXELECTION FORM NOT FOUND....]

[ERROR....]

[ERROR...]

[ERROR...]

[...Gone.]

[They were all gone.]

[He had nothing. No forms except that STUPID golden one, and what good would THAT do?!]

Beck: NO!

Beck: DAD--I CAN'T CHANGE FORMS--!

Beck: I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO FIGHT WITH--!

[DR.WHITE] //: YES YOU DO, BECK!

[DR.WHITE] //: You have tools of which this world--or ANY world--have only just begun to see!

[DR.WHITE] //: USE THEM!

Beck: .....

Beck: --Shoot, dash, shoot, dash--

Round Digger: -R O A R S-

Beck: Shoot and dash, shoot and dash--!

[Repeating this mantra, Beck circled the CDN...]

[They both traded blows, neither of which seemed to be giving in or showing sign of fatigue--]

[...But...slowly...slowly but surely...]

[XEL ABSORBED.]

[XEL ABSORBED.]

[XEL ABSORBED.]

-PING-

[XEL QUOTA ACHIEVED.]

[XEL PURGE: ONLINE. XELFILTER.EXE PREPARED FOR OVERDRIVE.]

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

[...A circle of white began to glow around Beck's feet...]

[A stream of Xel floated outwards, forming a large circle along with three dots and lines--his symbol...]

Beck: Come on--

[His arms started to shine a pure white!]

Beck: SNAP OUT OF IT!

[XEL PURGE INITIATED!]

Beck: NOW!

[A burst of green Xels flow out of the circle, and RIGHT back to the CDN! Rings of purged Xel incircle it, and slowly--it's...purple, tainted Xel fades...]

[........]

Round Digger: ....????

Round Digger: -BEEP-

Round Digger: -BEEP BEEP-

Round Digger: -CONFUSED DATA, THIS IS NOT OUR DESIGNATED AREA-

Beck: ...!!

Round Digger: -DISTRESSED BEEPING-

Beck: Hey--Hey...

Round Digger: -THIS IS NOT WHERE I'M SUPPOSED TO BEEEEEEEE-

[...Beck...cautiously approaches the CDN...]

[Closer...Closer...]

Beck: Hey....Are you OK?

Round Digger: -BEEEEEEEEEP!-

Beck: Hey--Hey, it's OK...

[...Pat. Pat...]

Beck: You're OK now, don't worry...

Round Digger: -SAD BEEP-

Round Digger: -BEEEEEP-

Beck: ....! Uh...hey--do you think you can help me?

Round Digger: ....? -beep?-

[MN.9] //: Dr. Sanda?

[.......There was no response at first. Both Doctors were still STUNNED at what just happened.]

[MN.9] //: Dr. Sanda!

[DR.SANDA] //: ...! Erm--ah--y-yes, Beck...?

[MN.9] //: You said the systems were haywire, right? So you can't unseal yourself...

[DR.SANDA] //: Well--I....oh.

[MN.9] //: So--I guess there's only one option, right?

[DR.WHITE] //: --! Of course! The Round Digger!

[DR.SANDA] //: W-Wait--Wait a min--

Round Digger: -PING-

Round Digger: -DIRECTIVE RECEIVED. COMMENCING DEMOLITION.-

Round Digger: -WARNING BEEPS, STAND CLEAR-

[DR.SANDA] //: -SHRIEKS, RUNS TO THE FARTHER ROOM-

[WRRRRRRRRRRRRR--]

[C R A C K!]

[With one powerful charge, the CDN Demo unit reared back once more and charged into the other wall, making a hole large enough for even MIC to walk into.]

[DR.SANDA]//: Did you REALLY have to do that?! This place is falling apart enough as it--

[DR.WHITE] //: We can worry about it later! Beck--neutralize any other threats in the building while I work with Soi to get at LEAST some of those systems back online...

[MN.9] //: Yes Sir!

[DR.SANDA] //: B-B-But--the lab is unsealed--

[DR.WHITE]//: I don't think we have to worry about that for now.

Round Digger: -BEEEEEEP-

[MN.9] //: Yeah, you can stay down here and make sure nothing gets past you, OK? That way you don't get hurt too. ^.^

[CDN.502] //: -BEEP BEEP, NEW DESIGNATION AREA CONFIRMED-

[DR.WHITE]//: Good, good. Be careful, alright?

[MN.9] //: Yeah. I will.

[Beck went back the way he came--through the recently re-opened door--while White stumbled through the opening, patting the CDN on it's side as he passed by.]

[...It took a while to find where Sanda had taken cover, but eventually--]

Sanda: Will!

White: Soi!

[Without another word, Sanda threw his arms around his beast friend, quite literally giving him a bear hug--]

White: Hurk--! Soi--!

Sanda: You have no IDEA how glad I am to see your face, friend--

White: Th-The feeling is mutual, Soi, but c-could you PLEASE let me breathe--

Sanda: --? Oh--OH. S-Sorry, William--Eheh, excuse me--

[White breathes in a few deep breaths once Sanda let's go, once again brushing himself off--but to no avail, as his clothing was more or less ruined.]

Sanda: Great Ceaser's Ghost, Will--you look like you've just been put through the wringer...!

White: That's...not wrong, Soi...at all...

Sanda: ...I can only imagine--I could hear everything from down here...

White: ....Did...you hear the broadcast...?

Sanda: Broadcast--?

White: ...Right, the systems are still scrambled—you wouldn't get anything...

Sanda: —…. Well—I… /did/ hear.... screaming—

"Dr. Sanda!"

[Passing through the crumbling wall, Beck reappeared, his pristine white armor slightly singed in several places--probably from laser fire.]

Beck: Dr. Sanda—!

Sanda: Beck--! Come here, you--!

[In a well meant hug of his own, Beck latched on to Sanda's leg, burying his face into it. Muffled cries of 'I'M SO HAPPY TO SEE YOU'RE OK' and 'SANDAAA' were heard while the Doctor fondly gave Nine a noogie.]

Sanda: Ha Ha! I KNEW you could do it, Mighty No. 9!

Beck: -MUFFLED NOISES-

White: Yes--well done, Beck...but, I'm afraid we still have work to do--have the other robots been taken care of?

Beck: I...did my best--some of them went outside, but I managed to absorb most of the ones on the upper floors...

White: That will do. Come on, Soi, let's TRY and get this lab running again--

Sanda: W-Wait a minute--

Sanda: I see here that BECK is functioning normally...

Sanda: But what happened to the OTHER Mighty Numbers...? Are they still OUT there...?

[........]

[… … …]

White: ....Sanda...

[...Will sighs...and takes up a straighter posture.]

White: Based on empirical evidence...I believe that they might be suffering from this... robot affliction that's been going around--and causing all this chaos...

Sanda: W-What--?!?

Sanda: You mean--Pyrogen, Cryosphere...

White: ...Yes, Soi...they've been infected with a virus. I saw the status of all of them on my laptop...

Sanda: No...!

White: ...Have a look...

[MN.1 STATUS: ONLINE, FULL COMBAT MODE, -VIRUS DETECTED- ]

[MN.2 STATUS: ONLINE, FULL COMBAT MODE, -VIRUS DETECTED- ]

[MN.3 STATUS: ONLINE, FULL COMBAT MODE, -VIRUS DETECTED- ]

[MN.4 STATUS: UNAVAILABLE.]

[MN.5 STATUS: ONLINE, FULL COMBAT MODE, -VIRUS DETECTED- ]

[MN.6 STATUS: ONLINE, FULL COMBAT MODE, -VIRUS DETECTED- ]

[MN.7 STATUS: ONLINE, FULL COMBAT MODE, -VIRUS DETECTED- ]

[MN.8 STATUS: UNAVAILABLE.]

[MN.9 STATUS: ONLINE, COMBAT MODE, CONDITION: NORMAL.]

[After a moment…]

-PING!-

<RMDC>: >REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGED. SENDING STATUS UPDATE TO MODERATOR DR.WHITE…

[…! Data from the RobotMaster Database (Cossack Server) in the midst of this—?!]

White: It's...!

Sanda: The Robot Master Database--we're still connected--!

>DCN-008 STATUS: LETHAL COMBAT MODE

>DCN-007 STATUS: LETHAL COMBAT MODE

>DCN-004 STATUS: LETHAL COMBAT MODE

>DCN-003 STATUS: LETHAL COMBAT MODE

>DCN-000 STATUS: OFFLINE

[oH WAIT THEY’RE IN /LETHAL/—]

[...!!]

Beck: But--They're in--!

>Loading…

>DWN-024 STATUS: OFFLINE

>DWN-020 STATUS: LETHAL COMBAT MODE

>DWN-019 STATUS: LETHAL COMBAT MODE

>DWN-018 STATUS: LETHAL COMBAT MODE

>DWN-017 STATUS: OFFLINE

White: Oh God... Don't...tell me they...they've...

>Loading…

>DWN-013 STATUS: LETHAL COMBAT MODE

>DWN-012 STATUS: LETHAL COMBAT MODE

>DWN-011 STATUS: LETHAL COMBAT MODE

Beck: Speedy....Siam...everyone...

White: -PALES, THINKING THE WORST-

>Loading…

[…]

>Loading…

[…There seemed to be a delay…]

>Loading…

> -PING!-

>DLN-008 STATUS: OFFLINE— CRITICAL AI_OS DATA ERROR

[…well that might explain the screaming from earlier…!]

Beck: TOBY...!

White: No!

Sanda: T-...Tobias...

>Loading…

>Loading…

>Loading…

>Loading…

>Loading…

>Loading…

>ERROR: SIGNAL NOT FOUND. SEARCHING…

[…This did not look good. Everyone who wasn’t in LETHAL Combat mode was OFFLINE. The whole series—! Even the Awarenesses who didn’t have rebuilt chassises yet!]

Beck: Nononono--!

White: Not them too!

Sanda: Oh no MIKHAIL AND KALINKA-

[MN.9 HAS GONE INTO COMBAT MODE]

Beck: -sCREECH- LINKA!

-PING!-

White: --!!!

Sanda: -jUMPS-

Beck: !!!!

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

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

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

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

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

=CHAPTER 2B: BEYOND THE WATERY VORTEX=

~AO v2.0~

((Courtesy of @codedhopes))

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

{SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.}

Jack: . . . . .

Jack: oh man I am so cold--

[He made it.]

[Somehow, he made it.]

[In the COLD, pouring rain, he made it.]

Jack: frag frag frag frag--

[It was coming down in SHEETS, and the city was in utter turmoil. There were nearly no humans in sight in the street he was in, and the robots that were left were free to follow their new directive: destroy. ]

[Fortunately, Jack stuck to the back allies to avoid being seen by them, quickly making his way towards a familiar landmark--]

[The Space Needle.]

Jack: (OK, you're back now, you're in the States....)

Jack: ....

Jack: (NOW what?)

Jack: (Can't find Kate if I can't find her brothers....)

Jack: (Can't exactly CALL her cuz of Six...)

Jack: (Bird guy is who KNOWS where....I'm on my own here.)

Jack: ......

Jack: (Well--I can't just keep moving around without SOME idea of where I should go--)

Jack: (Space Needle's a landmark--people know it, so someone's GOTTA be there--maybe someone that can help or something...)

Jack: (Gonna take a while to get there by FOOT...)

[Jack takes a moment to scan the streets, eyeing the many abandoned cars left there when the virus first struck.]

Jack: (...Hate to take someone else's car, but if I'm lucky--)

"HEY--!"

Jack: --!!

[Jack turns around at the voice--it seemed to come from behind--no wait--]

"GGHHAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH--!!!"

Jack: oh SH--

[Jack sprung out of the alley and into the street as a large, LARGE fireball NEARLY burns him alive from above-- it shatters the pavement were he once stood before, leaving only a scorched, black hole in the ground. ]

Jack: WHAT THE HELL IS--

[WHAM!]

[Jack felt a foot connect with his abdomen, and he was kicked back into a totaled car, creating a sizeable dent...]

Jack: NGH--!!

Jack: Awwwwshitthatsmarts--

[...Giggling.]

Jack: ...???

"Why, ALOHA, little man!~"

Jack: --?!

Jack: Wait a--

Jack: You--You're Plume...!

[Jack had HEARD of this one--Plume was Hawaii's very own Arena bot fire dancer, part of the small but efficient combat team, Island Koas. They weren't among the high ranking teams--so Jack had never FACED her--but her solo fighting career was impressive enough.]

Plume: Hehehe...Awww, did I scorch you? I WAS aiming a little TOO low, wasn't I?~

Jack: UM--

Plume: {You seem like a good dance partner.~}

Jack: .....

Jack: Uh--M-Miss Plume--I--I don't have Hawaiian in my languages--

Plume: Really? That's too bad--

[Fireballs start to form on both of her hands--and one on her head--despite the pouring rain, it didn't seem like it was affecting her in any negative way.]

Plume: Maybe I can take you back to my island and TEACH you a few tricks?

Jack: Uh--Well--uh...

Jack: --....

Jack: Wait...

Jack: How in the WORLD did you get here to the mainland?

Plume: Mm? Oh...

Plume: I had a little HELP.~

Plume: He's having some fun with the Navy!

-*-*-*-*-

[MEANWHILE, OFF THE WEST COAST...]

"HE'S MOVING TOO FAST--"

"WASN'T HE ON STARBOARD SIDE?!"

"SIR, I CAN'T GET A LOCK ON--"

"LOOK OUT!"

Merlion: -R O A R I N G-

-*-*-*-*-

[BACK IN SEATTLE...]

Jack: ....The Navy--...

Plume: He was visiting my island when I asked him for a ride. I didn't want to miss the big Luau here on the mainland, you know? ~

Jack: ....Miss Plume--

Plume: But enough talk! ~

Plume: I want to see if you can LAST longer than the OTHERS. Finding the PERFECT dance partner is SO hard these days--

Jack: Miss Plume I REALLY don't wanna hurt you--

Plume: I wonder, little man--

[FWING!]

Jack: oH CRAP--

[Plume swayed to one side gracefully, and a wave of fire flew from the flames that burned from her wrists--forcing Jack to duck under it.]

Plume: Can you take the heat?

[ E N C O U N T E R ]

[IKN.1 - CODENAME: 'PLUME']

[STRENGTH: 20 DEFENSE: 20 S.ATTACK: 40 INTELLIGENCE: 30]

[Plume's central abilities--Fire and Dance--blended very well together in terms of her native culture. And it showed on the Battlefield: Plume's a graceful fighter, using her dances to both avoid enemy fire and deal some damage herself.]

[Wave after WAVE of fire pierced through the streets, slashing at cars and scorching the asphalt. Jack had no choice but to keep backing off, avoiding her and the resulting explosions from her destructive onslaught.]

Plume: Where are you going? We haven't even STARTED!

Jack: MA'AM, I REALLY, REALLY THINK--

[FWING!]

[A fireball nailed him right in the shoulder--not a large one, but enough to really BURN--]

Jack: Aaah--!

Jack: (OhGodshe'sreallytryingtokillme--)

Jack: (SHE'SGONNA--)

Plume: {Ooooh, little maaaaaan!~}

Jack: . . . .

[Jack doesn't stick around. He BOLTS for it.]

[....]

[Or. Tries to, at least. ]

[The street he's on happens to be a dead end. ]

Jack: WHA--

Plume: Theeeere you aaaaare.~

[Swaying from side to side like a puppet on strings, Plume lightly approaches Jack with blue fire trailing behind her--her eyes a deep, deep red.]

Plume: Why do they ALWAYS run away?

Plume: .......

[The fire around her dims just for a moment.]

Jack: ...?

Plume: They NEVER stay. Not for long...

Plume: No one does...

Plume: You VISIT Hawaii. You don't stay.

Plume: No one EVER stays...

Jack: ......Miss...Plume...?

Plume: ......

[Plume's expression changes.]

[It changes to one of anger. ]

Plume: Why don't they STAY?!

Jack: --Erk--!

[She steps ever closer, fire and rain mixing together, steam rising to the darkening sky as Jack feels his back touch brick.]

(( Pic—Jack cornered))

Jack: --!! (Nonononono--)

Plume: My home is... paradise on Earth...

Plume: Who wouldn't want that? ~

Jack: (Oh God I don't wanna hurt her--it's not her fault she's like this--!)

Jack: (Wires and Hacking--what GOOD would those do?! UGH, I CAN'T DIE HERE--!!)

Jack: (Come on, Jack, THINK...)

Jack: (All your stupid wires can do is just grab things and there's no WAY I'm getting that close to Plume--)

Jack: (--!!!)

Jack: (WAAAAAIT A SEC--)

[Jack frantically looks around for something--ANYTHING--that looked sturdy enough support his weight.]

Jack: ---!

[There! Above him--a set of broken, steel stairs that lead to the roof of this building--an apartment complex. The bottom was blown off, so there was no way to climb it from the ground--]

[But if he aimed right--]

Plume: YOU MEN NEVER STAY W I T H ME!

[ZIIIIIP!]

[FOOOOM--]

Jack: SORRY MISS PLUME--

[Jack shot his wires up to the broken stairs--and retracted them, lifting himself up and away from Plume's furious fire!]

Plume: ?!?

Jack: BUT I GOT ANOTHER DANCE TO GET TO--

Jack: AND I'M PRETTY SURE SHE'D KILL ME IF I WAS LATE!

Plume: -SCREEEEEECH-

Plume: COME BACK HERE!

Jack: NOPE--

Jack: GOTTA RUN, BYE--

[Fireballs are chucked at his retreating form as he runs up the rest of the stairs, demonic screams of rage filling his ears. When she saw that she couldn't quite get to him from here, she decides to double back--for now.]

Plume: {I'LL MAKE YOU STAY WITH ME, LITTLE MAN--S T A Y!!}

Jack: ........

Jack: Oh God--

[Finally seeing that he was safe for the moment--he collapses in a heap, catching his breath. The first stars start to twinkle in the sky.]

Jack: (OK--....can't stay, you're not safe, she'll come back through the other street on the other side--gotta keep moving...)

Jack: (Tired...so tired, can't rest--....ugh crap my shoulder hurts...)

Jack: (Don't have wheels...can't steal a car...)

Jack: .......

[......]

[Jack's hand rests on his face as he thinks, momentarily staring at the small panel on his wrist that his his wires.

...He never thought they'd be useful for anything but tripping things and yanking or holding people in place...]

[......]

"DENCER! LET ME GO!"

"I--"

"PLEASE!"

Jack: .......

Jack: ....Mmmng.

[He's kinda always thought his Wires were just....an annoyance.]

Jack: .......

[But maybe they weren't? They DID just save him from being Hawaiian barbecue...]

[Maybe he could do something....MORE with them?]

“…You are a stronger man than you give yourself credit for, Jack.”

Jack: ........

Jack: (What ELSE...what else...)

Jack: ....

Jack: (Well--right now I need a fast way to the Needle--but no wheels. All I got are these things...)

Jack: .......

[ONE MINUTE LATER...]

Jack: Godalmighty this is the stupidest thing--

[Jack was standing right on the edge of the same roof--goggles on, sleeves rolled up, looking down to the street below. The building was about 10 stories high...]

Jack: .........

[A fall from this height...it wouldn't KILL him, but it would certainly do some major damage.]

Jack: .....

Jack: I do NOT get paid enough for this...

Jack: OK--just...aim for that other building across the street--and swing--like--like Tarzan or something like that--

Jack: OK on three....

Jack: One....two....

Jack: ......

Jack: Two and a half...

Jack: .......

Jack: .....

Jack: . . .

Jack: [FRAG] IT I CAN'T DO IT--

Jack: (I CAN'T JUMP OFF A DAMN BUILDING IT'S SUICIDE WHAT AM I THINKING--)

"{OH LITTLE MAAAAAAAN!~}"

Jack: . . . .

Jack: [Glitchfragit]--!

[He backs up, takes a few deep breaths, and takes off in a running start--]

[FOOOOM!]

[The street below him lights up in FLAMES as he leaps from the roof--]

Plume: --!!!

[ZIIIIIP!]

Jack: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH--

[His wires latch onto the taller building on the other side...]

[....and he sails...]

[Over the flames, over Plume, in a perfect arch that ended just on the building on the corner--]

[Jack didn't have enough height to reach the roof of that one--but it was enough to catch onto a windowsill, scrambling up to find perchance--]

Jack: --!!!

Jack: ......

Jack: HOLY SHIT I'M ALIVE--

[Even Plume had to take a moment to process what just happened--the little man wasn't a flying model...]

Jack: I FREAKIN' DID IT--

Jack: FRAG, THAT WAS AWESOME--YO, MISS PLUME DID YOU SEE WHAT--

[FOOOOSH!]

"RAAAAAAAAAAGH!!"

Jack: ....Ohright--

[Sheeeee was still angry.]

Plume: {WHO TOLD YOU YOU COULD FLY AWAY, LITTLE MAN?!}

Jack: AAAAAND I'M OUTTA HERE--

[ZIIIIP!]

[The repeated sounds of ziplining wires and screams of bloody rage echo throughout the rainy city, drawing ever closer to the Space Needle...]

Jack: Gotta get high enough to reach the top--!

Plume: -DEMONIC SCREAMING-

Jack: (THAT DOES NOT SOUND GOOD AT A L L--)

[Jack has never been this high UP before--]

Jack: Almost there almost there--

[And all this wind and rain was NOT making things any easier--he REALLY needs to thank the ice kid for the goggles--]

Plume: {LITTLE MAAAAAAAN!}

Jack: FOR PETE'S SAKE I'M NOT LITTLE--

[WOW that Needle was WAY up high--]

[C R A C K!!!]

Jack: GGNH!!

[The intense electricity messes with his systems, alright, due to being close to it to begin with--]

Plume: NAAH--!

[But that went true for his pursuer too.]

Jack: (No good--gotta get inside--gotta break through a window--!)

[To do that, he needed enough speed--so he proceeded to swing another lap around the Needle, fireballs pelting from below, rain pounding in his face and thunder clapping above his head--]

Jack: AAAAAAAAAAAAH--!!!

[With one final scream, Jack swung--one final time, lighting flashed, for a moment he couldn't see a thing--]

[C R A C K!]

[Static. Glass breaking.]

[Screams.]

"OH GOD THEY GOT IN--"

"WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE--"

[More static...]

"ELI, WHAT DO WE DO--?!"

"GET ME THE GUN--"

"HE FLEW IN THROUGH THE WINDOW-- "

"WHERE IS THE GUN?!?"

[. . . . . .]

[SYSTEMS REBOOTING...]

[.....]

Jack: ........

Jack: Nnngh....

[SYSTEM REBOOT COMPLETE.]

Jack: Nh...?

Jack: Uuugh, my head....

Jack: Owwwww...

[. . . . .]

[CLICK.]

Jack: ....?

[With some effort, Jack turns his head towards the strange sound--]

[Only to find a revolver being pointed at his face.]

"Alright, ya crazy freeloading flyin' freak--"

[A middle aged human man looks down at the CDN, cold muddy eyes beating down on him in an unforgiving manner.]

"You got 5 seconds to start talking or your Xel's gonna stain this floor tonight."

Jack: ...........

Jack: . . . . . .

Jack: PLEASE DON'T THROW ME OUT THERE, THERE'S A CRAZY HAWAIIAN BOT THAT WANTS TO FRY ME UP--

???: We know.

Jack: --??

???: Why do you think we're STUCK up here?

Jack: . . . .

???: . . . .

???: I'm gonna be straight with you. You're a Xelbot. And all of them's gone outta their minds for some reason or another-- something about a virus.

Jack: .......

???: My family is up here too.

???: You see where I'm coming from?

Jack: .....Y...Yes sir....

???: Good.

???: Now--so far--you don't seem like Miss Plume down there.

Jack: I-I--She...

Jack: She's not OK, it's not her fault--

???: No, but right now that don't matter. Point is, as long as she's down there raising hell...we can't escape.

Jack: .......

Jack: ......

Jack: Sir--please, just--listen to me--I get it, you're afraid, and trying to protect people, but I can't stay here--

???: Why?

Jack: I'm LOOKING for someone and I REALLY don't think she'd like it if I wound up DEAD so PLEASE--please believe me--!

[THUMP.]

???: Whatthehell--

[THUMP.]

Jack: (THE WHOLE BUILDING IS SHAKING--)

[T H U M P.]

"ELI!!!"

[As the human--Eli--snapped his attention to the screaming woman that ran around the curve of the observation deck, Jack quickly took the chance to collect himself from the floor and back off a safe distance--]

Eli: Gwen--stay back, what is going--

[The woman named Gwen was hysteric, and grabbed hold of Eli's arm with her free hand...]

[...For the other was busy carrying some... precious cargo.]

"Waaaah!"

Jack: ....

Jack: oh my God is that a baby.

Eli: YOU STAY BACK--

Jack: DUDE I WAS ONLY ASKING--

[T H U M P.]

[A deep, LOUD, primal ROAR cut through the atmosphere, and the building shook once again, swaying, the sounds of metal groaning all around them--]

"WAAAAAAAH!"

Gwen: Shh, shh, it's OK, Lily--!

Eli: Gwen--Stay back with the rest of--

[T H U M P.]

"OH MY GOD WE'RE ALL D E A D--"

[The screams of terrified humans--plus one infant child--resounded once more as the building swayed again.]

Jack: (What the HELL--Plume can't be doing this--she's not--)

[The changing angle of the ground made the CDN lose balance--sliding over to another window, and making the rest of the trapped tourists follow suit. They grabbed onto whatever was bolted down and held on for dear, dear life...]

Jack: Aaarg--...

Jack: --!!!

[When Jack's gyroscopic systems recalibrated, his eyes caught sight of the cause of the sudden tremors through the window beneath...]

Jack: ....Oh no...

Jack: Landcrusher...

Jack: Of ALL THE BOTS IN THE WORLD--

[Landcrusher--the latest member of Germany's combat team--had also been visiting America from overseas when the Virus struck, turning him from a once kind, caring soul into a rampaging beast, intent on toppling the Space Needle--just for the sole purpose of it's fall.]

Landcrusher: {RAAAAAAAGH!!!}

[T H U M P--!]

[His HUGE arms and hands were tearing away at the Needle's base, causing it's structure to bend this way and that--any further, and the landmark would crumble.]

Jack: (He's gonna bring this whole place DOWN--with all these people in it--!)

Jack: (Damn it, I can't take that guy on--he'll WRECK me, and--)

Eli: Goddamnit where's the gun--

Jack: (THIS guy's on the verge of putting one in me--)

Jack: (FRAG--this CAN'T get any worse--!)

{"YOU BIG LUG--"}

[C L A N K!]

Jack: oh sweet lord--PLUME?!

[The fiery Hawaiian had returned--and it was clear that she was NOT in a very happy mood with what she saw.]

Plume: {STAY--}

[A fireball was launched--]

[C L A N K!]

Landcrusher: --ARGN--!!

[--right at Landcrusher's face--!]

Jack: ?!

Plume: {--AWAY FROM MY DANCE PARTNER!!}

[Landcrusher's response was another berserker roar--he SWUNG his massive frame one final time at the Needle before turning his attention to the IKN--]

[Who, with a war cry, launched herself at the larger Xelbot with no fear whatsoever.]

Jack: What....

Eli: That...that's not right...

[Needless to say, the trapped humans were completely horrified at what they saw.]

Jack: (Jeezus, they look ready to TEAR into each other--...)

Jack: ... .....

Jack: (I can't stay here.)

[A glance at the small family. The trapped tourists.]

Jack: (Neither can they--and who knows how long those two are gonna go at it...)

Jack: .......

Jack: Hey.

Eli: --!

Jack: CDN.7037. Call me Jack.

Eli: --You're a Cherry?

Jack: YES I'm a Cherry but that's not the point--

Jack: None of us are gonna make it if we stick around here.

Jack: So does ANYONE have any ideas to get outta here?

Jack: Plume and Crusher aren't gonna fight forever--now's a better chance than any.

Eli: God, I don't know--

"I'M NOT GOING DOWN THE STAIRS, THEY'RE BROKEN--"

"Elevator's out too."

"CAN'T CALL FOR HELP--"

Jack: (.....There really IS no way down from here...)

Jack: (...Not through normal means, anyway...)

[The entire building was now leaning to one side, like some ripoff of the Tower of Pisa--but it did allow it be closer to some of the smaller buildings--Jack could easily swing across...]

Jack: (...There are, what, like more than 30 people here?)

Jack: (Swinging across back and forth would take WAY too long...)

Jack: (There's GOTTA be another way to get these people off...)

Eli: ....Hey--you...you swung up here, didn't you?

Jack: Yeah, I did--

Eli: Can't you--lower us down somehow?

Jack: . . .

Jack: (Lower...)

Jack: --!!

Jack: Eli--I need a wheel--and something long and flat, like a table or something.

Eli: --! You got a plan?

Jack: Yeah...half of one, at least. (I just hope it’s enough!)

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

FIGHT! Jack Vs Kate!

KATE VS JACK

Intro Quote(Versus): ‘bout tahm we had a proper fight, you an’ I. Let’s give ‘em somethin’ t’ talk about~

Intro Quote(Team Up): Ha! They’ve got no idea what’s comin’.

Taunt: Ya gotta FOCUS, Jackie!

Special Attack: Watch yer step!

Assist: FREEZE! ((She’s talking to Jack, since some trick shots are about to be put into play.))

Ultimate Attack: Take a cue from the music, Parker!

Ultimate Team Attack: DANCE for me, boys! 

Win Quote(Versus): [She gives an EXTREMELY mischievous shark grin.] || You know, normally, Ah’ have a certain dart I use here, but for you, Ah’ think a more direct approach is in order…~

Win Quote(Team Up): Well done! -Happy ping-

Lose Quote(Versus): Alright, alright already—you win! A girl’s gotta know when she’s beat. Boy, ya sure gave ME a workout! Hope ya had some fun. 

Lose Quote(Team Up): Bah, we’re gonna have t’ regroup an’ rethink this…

Knock Out Quote(Team Up Self): 

Knock Out Quote(Team Up Partner):  || Imma count t’ THREE, an’ y’all better SCRAM, OR ELSE—!

---

=BONUS CONTENT: BONUS SCENE #2=

~AO v2.0~

((Courtesy of @codedhopes))

((Prewriting: Desmond and Minerva question Tobias (who has Avi present for support) ))

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

{July 3rd, 20XX}

[Tobias fidgeted in his seat, sparking up a bit every now and again. He kept his head bowed, looking down at the ground.]

Tobias: …I’m in big trouble, aren’t I…

[He was waiting in a conference call with Sanda Enterprises, with Avi sitting on the other line.]

Avi: ((Words of encouragement, as best as he can muster, but internally all AAAAAA))

[After breakfast, Avi had been pulled aside by Desmond Donald, who wanted to speak with him….]

-=-=-=-=-

Des: Six, can I talk with you for a moment?

Avi: ((Asks how he can help/what’s going on))

Des: We need to speak with Tobias Wily.

Avi: —…Uh…

Des: We need to clear up some of the finer points of what happened at the Queen’s Finals and the White House. It’s important.

Avi: ((Expresses uncertainty that he’ll be able to convince Tobias to come over))

Des: Just talking would be a start. Do you think you can arrange that?

Avi: I can… tryyyyyy…? (If Nico will even let me get through to him, oh man…)

Des: Great. We’ll be right with you as soon as we get a moment.

-=-=-=-=-

Avi: Just a little chat, right? -Thumbs up- You can handle that, no problem-o!

Tobias: I guess…. I’m just. I dunno, Avi, I’m scared.

Avi: Don’t worry there, Toby! ^.^ I’ll be right there with you.

Tobias: Thanks, Avi. … You don’t… don’t have to do this…

Avi: ((Oh nonsense, happy to help, etc.))

[The door opened, and Tobias just about jumped to his feet. His eyes did flicker a bright green in alarm, and he jerked back, recoiling a bit.]

Des: ((Internal commentary reaction to seeing Tobias on the screen in person for the first time, with the boy clearly nervous))

Avi: ((Internal commentary on both Des AND Minerva coming in))

Min: Good morning, gentlemen. We’ll get right to the point.

[She didn’t sit down, but instead took some file folders from Des and placed them down on the table.]

Des: Mr. Wily, you have been involved in a number of high-profile incidents pertaining to matters of national security… in more than one country.

Avi: ((Reaction to this starting off not so well))

[Minerva took out a series of photographs, data logs, news articles, and audio transcripts, laying them on the table. The pictures from the Queen’s Finals depicted Tobias grabbing Bladeblaster and preparing to strike him. Tobias gave a sullen expression to see the face of his enemy again.]

Des: You have been visually identified as the intruder who interrupted an international sports event to assault one of the participants, and a witness claims that you were also responsible for bypassing security to get there.

Tobias: -Cringes, squinting his eyes shut-

Des: We need you to tell us exactly what happened, how, and why.

Tobias: …

<DLN-008>: > A-Avi—!

[MN.6] //: ((Words of encouragement))

Avi: Mind if I jump in for a moment here?

Des: -Slight frown- -Looks over at Min-

Min: -Unmoved- If you wish. Do try and keep it brief, Aviator.

Avi: :’ D;;;

Avi: ((Stressed punning as he gives his summary of the end of the Queen’s Finals, emphasizing on how OTHER people were behaving, and how Tobias got the short end of the stick))

Des: ((Reaction to all of this, asking further questions as they come up, before stating that they still needed to hear Tobias’s side of the story))

Tobias: Isn’t there an Amendment against this?

Min: -Adjusts her glasses, giving him a look- …You may choose not to answer the questions, true. I must warn you, however, that doing so will leave us no choice but to draw our own conclusions from the evidence, and those conclusions may be incorrect. -Looks down at one of the data logs- We have evidence that you were there, but only guesses as to your motives. There may be mitigating circumstances we haven’t been told about, things that only you can tell us.

Tobias: Wh-what do you mean?

Min: -Folds her hands together over the documents, looking up at the screen- Well, there is the matter that you are a construct, for starters. If you were ordered to do this, then your Doctor would be held responsible, not you. If you were malfunctioning, that would be another example of a mitigating circumstance. Good intentions may also lessen the charges levied against you, though they won’t make them go away entirely. There’s also your background and circumstances to consider.

Tobias: I see…

Des: Were you ordered to attack Bladeblaster?

[Tobias looked up, alarmed.]

Tobias: N-no! Please, don’t get angry at Dr. Cossack!

Des: …

Tobias: It’s not his fault!

[MN.6] //: ((Tries to help calm him down))

Tobias: I…

Tobias: -Meekly, looking down at the ground- I hit him because I was scared and angry…

Avi: ((Wehhhh, poor friend))

Min: Can you explain that a bit further?

Tobias: I thought he was going to kill her!

bzzZAP.

Tobias: He…!

Tobias: He said he was going to kill her…

Avi: ((Bleh, internal displeasure re: BB ))

Des: (So far this is matching up to what Cossack had to say…. Let’s see if he takes it the next step farther…)

[Tobias gave off a lot of very depressed data.]

Avi: ((-Abyss feelings, oh no—-))

Tobias: …

Des: ((Reflection on how troubled the kid seemed, how that compares/contrasts to his expectations/what they know about his temper))

Tobias: …

Tobias: -Whine-

Tobias: I wanted to stop that. She didn’t deserve… didn’t deserve to die. No one should have to go Offline… -Trails off- (Not like that…)

Avi: -Tooooobyyyyy- :<

Tobias: -Bows his head, shoulders sagging- No one was stopping him. I couldn’t… just sit there and wait.

Des: How did you get into the arena?

Tobias: -Grumbles- That was kind of easy…

Des: (…Well that’s not a good thing to hear on a matter of security…)

Tobias: There’s an emergency protocol that allows medical staff to get onto the field. I activated that so I could get in.

Des: How?

Tobias: …

Tobias: -Looks up- I’m not even sure if I CAN explain that. It was like turning on a switch. Not active, active. I turned it on.

Des: No one else was able to get onto the field due to interference. How did you manage to get through?

Tobias: I… don’t know. I guess the matter only disrupted Xels or something.

Des: -Taps his fingers against the table, frowning- What did you intend to do when you got there?

Tobias: …

[He suddenly glared and gritted his teeth, sparking up as his eyes began to glow in anger.]

Avi: ((Quickly says something to calm him down or at least snap him out of a budding rage mode))

[The glow left, and he hesitated for a moment. Then he crossed his arms, hunching his shoulders up.]

Tobias: I don’t know. I just wanted to beat him up a lot.

Des: Were you trying to kill him?

Tobias: -Looks up, both alarmed and dismayed- !

Avi: Woah there! Toby may be a bit of a live wire, but he’d never try and kill somebody!

Tobias: I…!

Tobias: -Looks down again, very troubled- I just wanted him to stop…

Des: But you tried to keep going even after Dynatron got free.

Tobias: I was angry! I guess I got… a bit carried away….

Des: So you’re saying that you bypassed security of your own accord, with the intent to assault a combatant because Dynatron was in danger.

Tobias: -Opens his mouth a little, but still can’t vocalize words- … I…

Tobias: -Bows his head again- Yes…

Avi: ((Says something in Tobias’s defense))

Des: I find it very interesting that you are speaking up in his defense, Aviator. He tried to send you crashing down into concrete while you were sick.

[Both Tobias and Avi cringe at the reminder. Tobias looks particularly upset. He puts his face in his hands, shaking.]

Avi: ((Weak comeback))

Tobias: …fault…

Des: …?

Tobias: -Sparking up erratically, causing the comm lines to flicker with static- Always my… fault…

Avi: ((Tries his best to comfort Tobias))

Tobias: No…

Tobias: That was my fault…

Des: ((Some sort of reaction to this))

Des: …You said—

[Tobias held his hands up near his face in aggravation, his eyes clamped shut as he LOUDLY interrupted, vocalizing for the first time.]

Tobias: I KNOW what I said!

Tobias: Please…

Tobias: Please don’t remind me…

[He put his face in his hands again, his voice muffled.]

Tobias: It’s all my fault…

Avi: Toby…

Tobias: I…

[His fans gave a wheeze that sounded like a heaving sob.]

Tobias: I’m sorry, Avi…!

Avi: ((Some sort of reaction to this))

Tobias: I’m sorry…

Des: ((Internal commentary on the matter)) …

Des: -Looks over at Minerva- (According to Felix, “good cop” works better than “bad cop” on these guys…) -Gestures for her to step in-

Min: You care very much for your friends and family, don’t you.

Tobias: -Whiiiine-

Min: Is that why you agreed to help out at the White House?

Tobias: I don’t want to talk about it…

Min: This is very important. We need to know what happened… for Dr. Cossack’s sake.

Des: He said he ordered you to bypass security. Is that true?

Avi: Woah woah wait—he said that—?!

Des: Yes, during our last interview with him. He said, quote, “I made the decision to bring Tobias back Online. And I ordered him to go into the Cloud, force his way in there, give us the feeds, and disable it or turn it off.”

Avi: ((Slight internal anxiety/panic, this explains why he was sort of arrested the other day))

[A pause.]

Tobias: …

Des: Is that true?

Tobias: -Whiiiiine!-

<DLN-008>: >-AVI HELP I DON'T WANNA BE ERASED—-

[MN.6] //: -Um, uh, IT'S OKAY BRO I GOT THIS—-

Avi: (Oh crap I might not got this, WHY THIS—)

[Avi seems at a loss for words, and Tobias was silent.]

Des: (This isn’t going to get us anywhere…)

Min: Keep in mind, Mr. Wily: you won’t be held responsible for carrying out direct orders you could not disobey.

Tobias: I…

Tobias: I don’t want anyone to die…!

((Some sort of reaction from Des and Avi at this))

Min: Neither do we, DLN-008.

[A pause.]

Tobias: -Peeks through at them- R-really…?

Min: Dr. Cossack was under a lot of stress when he made his statement. We want to verify the accuracy of what he said before we make any judgments.

[Tobias seemed to think on that.]

Tobias: … S…sort of…?

Min: Would you please elaborate?

Tobias: -Hides his face again- …

[He was quiet for some while.]

Tobias: -Timidly- We wanted to get him out of there… before he ended up destroying himself…

Tobias: We were all so angry and scared…. He said that they couldn’t access the feeds in the White House, that something was wrong…

Tobias: He ordered me to get in there and try and get the feeds back, and disable the malfunctioning security so it wouldn’t hurt anybody…

Des: What specifically did he tell you to do?

Tobias: He said not to get out of hand, and not to try and use the security myself…

Min: Oh?

Tobias: …

Tobias: I… I’m sorry, Avi…. I was so angry…

Avi: ((Tries to comfort him))

Des: That seems to happen a lot with you. : |

Tobias: …

Min: What happened when you got to the White House?

Tobias: Hnnn… The Cloud… it was full of fire…! Monster…

Tobias: There was… there was something keeping the fires from working. I… I tried to make it work right, but it hurt—it hurt a lot. So I tried to make it all stop, but I… I couldn’t do it, it was too powerful…!

Des: ((Some sort of reaction to this))

Min: How did you get past the cyber security?

Tobias: It wasn’t working properly. There were a couple of people trying to get in, but I tore up the programs to make them go away. I had to go through a hole the virus left, and there was so much noise everywhere…

Des: What would have happened if you HAD gotten full access to security?

Tobias: Turn it off so that it wouldn’t hurt anybody…. We… we would have taken Cardinal out of there.

Tobias: Just…

Tobias: Just wanted to save him…!

Tobias: Please… please don’t be mad at him…

[Minerva took in a deep breath and let it out as a sigh. Desmond tapped a pen against the table.]

Des: ((Notes (again) that Tobias seems to lose his temper a lot, and starts getting very violent when that happens))

Des: Is this something that is going to keep happening with you?

Tobias: -Whiiiine…-

Des: Felix suggested that you wanted to break into the CherryDynamics servers as well, because you were angry at them.

Tobias: -Somewhat confused- What? No.

Tobias: I mean…

Tobias: I sort of WISHED that I could do it, but I knew it would be wrong… so I didn’t.

Des: The Mighty Numbers are a combat team. The top ranking one in the world. They’re going to be in dangerous situations every now and then—it’s bound to happen. You can’t keep hacking your way through to assault anyone who threatens them.

Tobias: I… I know. I’m sorry, Avi…

Avi: ((Encouraging words about how things are better now, and how he can tell how hard Tobias is trying, and he’s proud with how far he’s come))

Des: Have you breached any other security systems in this world in the last few months?

Tobias: No.

Des: So you didn’t infiltrate to retaliate against Battalion?

Tobias: -Looks up- What?

[He looked genuinely puzzled.]

Tobias: What happened with Battalion?

Des: …You don’t know?

Tobias: Nobody said anything about Bat. It wasn’t in any of the data logs, either.

Avi: ((Remarks that Mikhail ran off and they had to keep it a secret anyway))

Tobias: No, I don’t know about any secrets.

Min: (He seems calmer now, at least.)

Min: Well, Mr. Wily… Nero expressed that none of you meant any lasting harm, and were not truly a threat to the nation.

Min: You acted decisively during emergency conflicts… which is not in and of itself a bad thing. You meant well, which counts for a great deal. And you only entered through legitimate channels, rather than breaking things yourself.

Min: Your temper and self-control, however, need a good deal of work. You need to learn some discipline.

Min: Do you intend to behave yourself from now on?

Tobias: Y-yes, Madame President, I want to be good—to be good from now on!

Tobias: I just…

Tobias: I’m sorry…

Min: You have my pity, young man. The circumstances are mitigating, and we can work with what’s left.

Tobias: R-really…?

Avi: ((Reaction to this!))

Tobias: I… you’re not going to erase me…?

Min: Good heavens, no. However, we can’t just turn you loose, either.

Min: You should really undergo some behavioral and socialization therapy. Learn how to interact with people, and how to control your temper. You should have that chance, at least. Consider it your conditions of parole. However…

Min: You’re going to need to put in some effort.

Tobias: I will, I will…! I’ll…

Tobias: I’ll try…

Avi: You can do it, buddy! : D -Thumbs up- And I’ll be there to help you every step of the way!

Min: Good! That would be beneficial. Perhaps you can mentor him in later stages.

Tobias: -Ping of hope and approval-

((Concluding remarks))

<<—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.))

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((Buffer post; what follows is v1.0))

---

=CHAPTER 8B: TRAPPED BY LASER LIGHT=

~AO v2.0~

((Courtesy of @codedhopes))

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

{Washington, D.C., Shortly Beforehand…}

Cardinal: FINALLY…

[He was only a few blocks away. He could see from here that there was a crowd gathered some ways away from his target—

—just outside a clearly defined radius.]

Cardinal: (Ugh…)

Cardinal: (I’m going to have to go right through a window.)

[He yelled over the wind. They were going to come in fast.]

Cardinal: Looks like I was right, Scout!

Cardinal: Hang on, okay?! This is going to be a really rough ride!

Scout: Rarf!

[He tossed a dual-colored sphere in the air, releasing a burst of red light. This materialized into a bird, which caught said sphere before it fell.]

Cardinal: Baron, it’s confirmed. FLY.

[The robin shot off at an astounding speed, almost as if it had teleported itself.

There was a grated rumbling noise.]

Cardinal: Sorry, Jazz. Get somewhere safe—the roof, if you insist on sticking around. I won’t let you crash-land.

[He leaped out of the transformed flying panther…]

[CARDINAL used ITEM-2!]

[…right onto another gadget. He held out his shield in front of him, angling down at one of the windows that looked out into the sky from a roof.]

[MISSION DETAILS: MNN-008, COUNTERSHADE AURTHUR WHITE, HAS TAKEN THE WHITE HOUSE HOSTAGE. AN UNKNOWN NUMBER OF OFFICIALS AND STAFF ARE TRAPPED INSIDE.

MISSION OBJECTIVE: EVACUATE THE BUILDING OF ALL PERSONS WITH NO CASUALTIES. RESCUE COUNTERSHADE.

SUB-OBJECTIVE: PRESERVE CULTURAL ARTIFACTS AND STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY.]

[SYSTEMS READY?]

[GO!]

Cardinal: We’re going in!

Scout: Rarf! -LET'S GOOOO—-

[He didn’t really hear the shouting from the crowd in their surprise, but he sure felt their “welcome party” favors. It hurt, but it didn’t phase him one bit. Even when he started taking fire from the White House security system as well.

He did leap down off of the ITEM-2, and there was a VERY high pitched whine noise as his blaster primed.]

BLAM!

[Top of the line security, down to bullet-proof windows? Yes.

Able to withstand a charged shot from a plasma blaster designed to take out tanks—as in plural, multiple at once?

Nooot quite so much.

The sound of glass shattering mixed with that of a starting fire. There was a click and a whirr, the barrel of Cardinal’s weapon changing as he fired again, just as they were landing.

It started to rain.]

Scout: -OOO I DIDN'T KNOW HE KNEW RAIN DANCE-

WHAM.

[They landed down in a hallway hard, the rain putting out the fire.

The security countermeasures started to go berserk, and Cardinal was forced to put up a wall of razor sharp leaf-shaped projectiles to give him time for his next move.]

Scout: -AND Razor Leaf, ooooo-

Scout: Rarf!

[There was a rotating noise and another click, and then…]

Ptew pew pew pew pew!

[…Dozens of tiny snakes—they looked like little mechanical coral snakes.

Then he stood to his full height and blasted a tune.]

Cardinal: (Ready or not, Shade, here I come!)

[The White House was indeed large and vast--finding Shade in this mess was to prove difficult, even with the Search Snakes.

....But it wasn't long before they found traces of his obvious presence.

There were strange, gray orbs floating around the hallways and entrances, glowing a strange, greenish color.

At first, they seemed to be dormant—

...Until they turned red when the Snakes approached...]

————————————

"—?"

"Motion? Thought Ah' told them flesh wastes t'stay PUT. . . Lessee here. . ."

————————————

[The Search Snakes were spread out, but Cardinal had remained where he was.

He was in full armor—something he hadn’t done in real Combat since the last time he fought his brother. Because of this, his whole face was covered, and his expression was impossible to read.

Despite this, his fierce green eyes burned with a fire that pierced even his shades, visible to not only a sensitive camera, but also to the naked eye.

After a moment…]

SHING!

[The leaves that had shielded him scattered, slicing everything in their path as they moved down the hall.

This included, among other things, a security camera.

The feed went down immediately, followed by several others in the same hallway.]

KSSSSSSSS—

[Cardinal had created a small blind spot.]

————————————

"—!"

"Sonofva . . ."

"Who the hell IS this guy. ..?"

"Thinkin' he can come inta' MAH new home. .."

————————————

Scout: Rarf! -NICE SHOT-

Cardinal: Scout, we’ve got a problem. There are people trapped in here.

Scout: —!!

Cardinal: I’m going to have to start breaking down doors.

Cardinal: (If Shade were in his right mind, he’d want me to do this first.)

Cardinal: (And if the President THEMSELVES is here, nnng…)

[His fans whined even louder at the surge of compulsion to follow out a military-grade order.]

Scout: -RARF-

Scout: -WE KNOW HEADBUTT-

Scout: -WE CAN HELP—-

Cardinal: You might need to save that on the people inside, my friend. I’ll explain in a moment—

[He hit the floor to avoid a sudden stream of mixed projectile weaponry.]

Cardinal: Some cover, if you please? -Scout, use Sand Attack.-

Scout: -Rarf!-

[Scout used Sand Attack!]

[Scout didn't need to dig--he simply shook himself VERY rapidly, dust and sand scattering EVERYWHERE.]

[...He was apparently very dirty.]

Cardinal: Heh. -SMIRKS-

[He starts shouting in a taunting tone.]

Cardinal: HEY SHADE! Too bad your glasses got all dusty. Better wipe the dirt out of your eye!

————————————

"Grrrr. .."

"Just keep talkin', Birdy, see where THAT gets ya. .."

————————————

[.......]

[VEEEEEEEEEEEEE--]

Cardinal: I don’t think so.

[CARDINAL used FLASH STOPPER!]

[WOW, everything is hit not only with BLINDING light, but whatever is in those intangible waves of data is enough to STUN everything in the hall.]

Cardinal: >B]

[There is a HUGE clattering somewhere deeper in the house--it sounded like something very heavy just fell--]

————————————

"AUGH MOTHERSCRATCHIN' CHEATER—!"

————————————

Cardinal: -Speaks in a low voice- Scout, when I break through the door, the people inside are going to be terrified. Someone IS going to start shooting. Try and stun them, or at least get their aim off.

Scout: -Rarf!- -Nods-

[Another click.]

[Cardinal used SHADOW BLADE.]

[There was a hissing SHUNK noise as he cut RIGHT into a triple-reinforced, double-locked door of something much stronger than steel.

Another rotating click, and he stuffed a Crash Bomb into the hole the acid was eating away—he didn’t have time to wait.

It blinked and beeped a few times before…]

CRASH!

[Cardinal slammed through the opening shield-first.]

[Bullets start FLYING the second he does, and yes, there is much screaming—]

"GET DOWN—"

Scout: RARF!

[Scout used Tackle! ]

[One of the men in black goes down, gun clattering to the floor. Two more follow suit—it seems like Scout has gotten quite good at dodging incoming fire.]

[Scout used Growl!]

Scout: -GRRRR, STAY DOWN-

[Cardinal doesn’t make any witty comments this time. He just goes into a full-on tackle of his own. He grabs one man in one arm, another after dropping his shield—

And as soon as he rams into the third…]

[CARDINAL used TELEPORT!]

{Outside…}

[Cardinal reappears inches from the crowd outside the kill zone, dropping the two men he was carrying to the ground. The third, already on the ground, had also been taken with him.

This caused no small amount of panic, and he was lit up with half a dozen sniper scopes. A few even got off fire, hitting him square in the left part of his chest.]

Cardinal: -Huffs- (Are you kidding me?)

BWIP!

[He disappears, only to reappear a moment later with two other people, holding them by their wrists. One of them was shrieking and trying to mace him. Again, no effect.]

Cardinal: No offense, but I’ve been through worse!

Bwip!

Paramedics rushed over to the vic—]

BWIP!

[—ooooor not—]

Cardinal: -Drops the guns onto the ground with a clatter- DON’T shoot Beck if he shows up, officers!

[He also tosses over a file folder of notes someone had been working on, hiding behind his shield to better withstand incoming fire.]

Cardinal: Still—you guys might need those!

BWIP!

{Inside}

"HEY--THAT'S MY TIE--"

[One more man in black snuck in while Cardinal teleported back in--]

Scout: GRRRRR—

[Scout used Headbutt!]

WHAM!

[The security man skidded across the room and hit the back of his head with the wall, knocking him out instantly.]

Scout: -GRRRR—- -SHAKES HEAD AND TIE AGGRESSIVELY BEFORE SPITTING IT OUT-

Scout: | [

[Cardinal picks up the man, pausing for a moment as he hears the security out in the hall recovering from the stun he had put on them earlier.]

Cardinal: This is going to be a long day.

Scout: —!

Scout: -SNIFF SNIFF-

Scout: -NOSE IN THE AIR, COULD IT BE—-

[BANG!]

Scout: -YELPS-

[A red laser appears on the ground near Scout's feet, followed by a energy shot, scaring him out of his wits and causing him to run behind Cards.]

Scout: -Whimperrrrr-

Cardinal: -OW, that was loud- Gosh dangit, Shade!

[He grabs Scout with his other arm—]

BWIP!

Scout: —???

[—and when he reappears inside, it’s without the officer…

…and also out in the hallway, yards and yards from where he had ever set foot.

As long as he could see it, he could go there.]

Cardinal: You’re going to have to do better than that, KID!

Cardinal: But if you insist on playing hide and seek…

[Cardinal used SCREECH—]

[He briefly stopped the mufflers on his fans, causing their overworked whine to get broadcast over his speakers.

It was worse than metal grating mixed with fingernails on chalkboard.]

Scout: -WHIIIIINE-

————————————

"AAAAARUGH--!!!"

"Goddamn BUCKET OF BOLTS--AH'VE HAD IT UP T' HERE!"

"Fahn, if ya wanna DIE SO BADLY--"

————————————

[....Oh dear.]

[All of the orbs go active.

And there were red, red lasers, reflecting off of them all at once--which was real, which one was SHADE--]

Cardinal: Oh, please.

[He laughs as his arm shifts again.]

Cardinal: Guess what, Shade?

Cardinal: Two can play at this game.

[Cardinal used GEMINI LASER!]

[Aaaaaand suddenly, the hallway was filled with death laser ping-pong.

And Shade’s were NOT the only ones bouncing at angles!]

[BANG BANG BANG—]

[It was truly a sight to behold.

It was like watching a game of chess, except the pieces were far deadlier.

Gemini Lasers met energy shots, with every red laser changing to accommodate the angle and trajectory.]

[Cardinal didn’t stick around to watch the lights and display contest.

He had already grabbed Scout with one arm, running right into the fire shield-first. About partway through, he leaped and slid down the rest on his back, with his shield out in front.]

Scout: -RARF RARF—- -WHEEEEEEEEE-

[Cards was moving too fast for the lasers to lock onto him correctly—and once the one behind him figured this out—

...They all vanished.]

————————————

"Oh, Ah' see what yer goin' for, Birdy..."

"Can't have that, no sir."

————————————

[—This area seemed to be more decorated...]

[Cardinal barely noticed, and almost didn’t care. He got up to a knee.]

Cardinal: Scout, I need you to do something for me. Find a rope or a cord of some sort. Even a curtain tie will do if it’s long enough.

Scout: -Rarf!-

[He sets the Zig down.]

Cardinal: Please, be careful…

Scout: Rarf! -Sniff Sniff-

[Cardinal took a moment to take in his surroundings.

This looked like a historic display of American History.... Medals, paintings, photos of past presidents...]

Cardinal: …

Cardinal: (Nnngh… I can’t do anything too dramatic in here, I need to move out of this place…)

Scout: Rarf!

Scout: -HOLDS UP A FANCY MILITARY ROPE THING-

Cardinal: !

Cardinal: Thanks, Scout. Now let’s get out of here—

Cardinal: Before Shade does something stupid!

Scout: -RARF!-

Cardinal: (What I wouldn’t give for backup from Tobias right about now…)

Cardinal: (At least that office was one of the only places with anyone inside of the work quarters. I guess most people managed to evacuate.)

Cardinal: (Looks like there’s different kinds of rooms over this way—man, I wish that I could have seen the White House back at home, I’m going into this totally blind—)

[A low noise and a rotating click.]

Ptew ptew pew!

[Another nest of Search Snakes slither on their way.]

Cardinal: (THIS room must be horribly dangerous. This much priceless history? That’s a screaming neon sign for “DEATH TRAP SECURITY” if I ever heard one.)

Cardinal: (I’m going to have to tank some hits, probably…)

[He looks around the room skeptically.]

Cardinal: …

[He grabs Scout and holds him directly between his shield and his body, and makes a run for it.]

[BWAAAAN—]

[Something from the ceiling unlocks—]

[Oh dear THOSE ARE VERY MUCH MILITARY GRADE MACHINE GUN TURRENTS—]

Cardinal: (Aw glitch.)

[There’s a whine as he holds up his free arm, it shifting to have a wrist launcher.]

KTANG KTANG!

[Cardinal used MAGNET MISSILE!]

Cardinal: -EVEN MORE RUNNING FOR IT—-

[The missiles lock onto the turrets, attaching to them before exploding. Unfortunately, while this takes SOME of them out…

…some of them merely malfunction, firing at random.]

Cardinal: DAMMIT—

[CARDINAL used METAL BLADE!]

[He took some hits protecting older paintings from the unfriendly fire, but his shield held firm.

The same couldn’t be said for the turrets that were introduced to one of THE most deadly Power Capsule weapons known to man.

They crashed down to the floor. And as Cardinal approached the end of the room—]

Cardinal: GOSH DANGIT!

[…Locked doors barred his way.

And he could hear the whine, feel the psychological heat of lasers lighting up his back for long ranged target sights.

He whirled around, back pressed up against the surface, taking the incoming fire to his shield.]

Cardinal: (WHY are there locked doors in here?!)

Cardinal: (Augh…)

[To the unfamiliar observer, it would appear the bird had been cornered.]

[VRRRRRRRR...]

[A laser.]

[A very familiar one.]

[PING!]

[MN.8] //: Not so sassy nao, are ya.

<DLN-000>: >Shade.

<DLN-000>: >This is stupid floor design, Shade.

<DLN-000>: >I’ll have to have a word with your brother about this after I haul your chass out of here.

[Oh, he was rushing robodrenaline, alright. “Heart” rate had increased, his fans (while thankfully muffled) were louder, giving off more heat than earlier.

There was also that clicking and whining noise again…]

<DLN-000>: >Your desire for sass is very important to us. Please hold, and the next available representative…

[Cardinal used DRILL BOMB!]

[He shoved something very much like a Crash Bomb into the door behind him. It ground away at the metal as it tunneled in, embedding itself in the door before exploding.]

<DLN-000>: > —WILL GET BACK TO YOU!

[Cardinal used FLASH STOPPER!]

[AUGH, again with the BLINDING light—]

[MN.8] //: -—GNGH-

[There was a deep growl on the other end before it cut out--clearly Shade had not been pleased with that.

Not at all.]

[Cardinal didn’t waste a moment. He turned his back to Shade—he had no choice—and his arm shifted again—]

[CARDINAL used SUPER ARM!]

WHUNK!

[He punched a bigger opening through the thick door where the Drill Bomb had made the first breach.]

WHAM!

Cardinal: -IN YOU GO, SCOUT—-

Scout: RARF!

"WHAT IS THAT—"

Cardinal: Tie them up for me— OW!

Scout: ! D:

???: Please stay behind me—

???: TAKE ANOTHER STEP AND I WILL OPEN FIRE—

Scout: -GRRRRR-

Cardinal: Go ahead, it’ll just put you in the hospital! Metal ricochets, genius!

[He squeezed his way through, hearing things becoming active again behind him.]

Cardinal: I don’t have— ouch! —time for this—

[He grabbed one end of the rope and then—]

[Cardinal used TOP SPIN!]

bbbZZZZZZZzzzKT—

[The top clattered along, circling and snaking around the people in the room. The rope he had tied to it followed after.]

Cardinal: -YANK!-

[WHAM.]

[The sound of multiple human beings hitting the floor at the same time follows suit.

Cardinal used the Super Arm again to sort of push them all into one pile of disgruntled, frightened, aggressive humanity.]

BWIP!

{Outside…}

[Cardinal jumped off and did a backflip out of the way off of the piled people, bringing his shield out in front of him.]

[.......]

[That's weird.]

[No sniper fire?]

Cardinal: -Takes a moment to catch his breath- (Ugh… I can feel the slugs embedded inside me. I’m going to need to shed this armor before too long, at the rate this is going—)

[It took him a moment to realize he wasn’t being shot at.]

Cardinal: …???

Cardinal: -Peeks out behind his shield- ,’B/?

[Vrrrrrrr...]

[...? Wait, that sound—those sound like propellers—]

Cardinal: …

Cardinal: -Looks uuuuuuup—-

AviCam: -FLOATS IN-

Cardinal: …

Cardinal: … -COCKY GRIN BENEATH MASK-

Cardinal: Smile, you’re on candid camera!

AviCam: -MAKES SOME LETTERS IN THE AIR-

[G O F O R R E S C U E—G L.]

Cardinal: See ya later, Hoverbrother. Send my love if things…

Cardinal: … blow up in my face ;D

[He takes the moment to take off his helm entirely. Man, he looks exhausted.]

Cardinal: I can only assume you’re keeping them from crowding around with questions—thanks, because—

[He pulls out what looks like a miniature oil can and douses himself with it. And then another one. Oddly enough, he seems bone dry after. Huh.]

Cardinal: -Puts his helm back on- —I gotta scram!

Bwip!

{Inside}

[He reappears back inside.]

Cardinal: …

Cardinal: …???

Cardinal: (Where the heck did Scout go?)

[The happy Zig was nowhere in sight.]

Cardinal: Nnnngh… (I told him what would happen, so… I guess something went wrong. I hope I run into him on the way rounding up stragglers…)

[There was a buzzing noise as he was lit up with lasers again.]

Cardinal: …

Cardinal: Really, Shade? This is SO boring.

[Buuuuut then they… start spazzing out?]

Cardinal: …?

Kkkkk…

Cardinal: !

Cardinal: (Wait a second—music?)

[Not just any music…]

Cardinal: Eight!

[PING!]

[MN.8] //: Well, well, well.

[MN.8] //: If it ain't the infernal Wily child and the Lil' doggie.

[PING!]

[A surprisingly firm voice echoes though the comms—]

[MN.9] // COUNTERSHADE!

<DLN-008>: >Shut up, Shade.

<DLN-008>: >The only reason I haven’t fried you to a soot speck is because Beck’s my friend and Cardinal would kill me. |[

[The whole building abruptly seemed to fill with harsh static. Not just the noise—the electricity itself. And, as Tobias had predicted, Cardinal was NOT pleased.]

Cardinal: Cut that out, Eight.

Cardinal: Is there anyone else in here?!

<DLN-008>: > Yes—

Cardinal: Then cover Beck and STALL for me, dammit!

[He takes off.]

Cardinal: (With Tobias messing with the security system, that should make it marginally less deadly by making the systems cut in and out—)

Cardinal: (And there’s two of us, he can only be in one place at a time, he’s not Siam, after all—)

[BANG BANG BANG.]

[Crack!]

[Cardinal’s armor had finally taken too much damage from energy shots. It shifted away into his normal gear.]

Cardinal: Fantastic.

Cardinal: -RUNNING FOR IT AGAIN-

[Lasers in all directions--]

[Wait—no...It couldn't be.]

[That can't be him just down the corner.]

Shade: Boo.

Cardinal: Shade, I’m not—

[CARDINAL USED RAIN FLUSH!]

[It was raining indoors and now EVERYTHING was wet—]

[His other arm turned into a blaster.]

[Cardinal used SPARK SHOCK!]

Cardinal: —IN THE MOOD FOR THIS!

[He suddenly was surrounded by live electricity.]

Cardinal: Out of my way or I swear to God I’ll fry you to a core.

Shade: ....

[He stands there for a moment, looking as if he is complimenting the threat.]

[Then.]

Shade: -Grins-

Shade: Alright.

[BANG—]

[—???]

[Wait, that shot came from behind him—

And where did Shade go?!]

Cardinal: -Ow-

[In the bad mood he was, he jumped up onto ITEM-2.]

Cardinal: I told you I’ll get back to you, you impatient brat.

[BZZZRRRRRKKKZZZZZGGGHHHHHHHVVVV—]

[…Well.

THAT hallway and everything in it was sure toast.

Various spheres dropped to the floor, but no sniper (or core thereof) was among the casualties.

Cardinal shot on down the hall, following flashing static panels along the way. Left, right, right, left, up a flight of stairs, down stairs—

He was suddenly thrown off his wind surfer when everything began to float and hold in place. And an object in motion…]

Cardinal: !

WHANG!

Cardinal: OW!

Cardinal: Tobias, what the frag was that for?!

[Disgruntled, he didn’t wait for an answer. Left, right—]

Cardinal: -Comes to a screeching halt- …

Cardinal: … And I thought the last room was a death trap…

[Standing before him were two more impressive looking doors. They were more grandiose and obviously stronger than the last. And… the Presidential Seal was in proud, bold colors right in the center.]

Cardinal: (That’s gotta be the way to the Oval Office!)

Cardinal: … (But… Tobias led me here, so that means…)

Cardinal: (Oh hell…)

[VRRRRRRRR--!!]

[There was a wave of UFO-like Xelbots that flashed into view--before vanishing into thin air, barreling themselves straight into Cardinal's path--]

Cardinal: -NOPE-

TSSSSEW!

[Cardinal used Rolling Cutter!

It’s super effective!]

Cardinal: Hey, Area 51 called! They want their rides back!

Cardinal: Hope those came with a warranty.

[VRRRRRRRRR!]

[Oh, lovely, more turrets--]

[VVVVRRRRrrrrrrrr....]

[....They...powered off?

Suddenly, the lights flickered.]

Cardinal: …

[And dimmed. ]

Cardinal: ?

[To his slight surprise (and fair annoyance), Cardinal began floating again.]

Cardinal: Tobias, for the LAST time—

[PING!]

[MN.3] //: Oooooh, Shaaaaade!

[MN.3] //: BIG ZZZSISTER WANTSZZ TO HAVE A TALK WITH YOU.

[MN.8] //: -Oh, bite me, witch hag.-

[MN.3] //: YOU CAN'T PLAY HIDE AND ZZZSEEK FOREVER--

Cardinal: … Dyna?

[MN.3] //: Go on now, Becky, I got thiszz, I KNEW thiszz place had it'szz own power grid, yum.~

[MN.9] //: Hookay, thanks, Dyna! c:

Cardinal: -Aaaalrighty then- (I better hurry up before the whole gang arrives.)

Cardinal: -Bounces through the lower gravity before it abruptly changes-

[He takes one look at the door.]

Cardinal: (How am I going to—)

[…But was interrupted by the sound of the security systems starting up again.]

Cardinal: .___.

[CARDINAL used SKULL BARRIER!]

[He was just in time to prevent becoming an energy and lead pincushion. Still under fire and holding up the shield, he rotated through his capsules until…]

POW!

[He lowered his hand, turning off the Thunder Beam.

He had managed to blow the fuse, which turned off the security in the hallway…

…and the lights…

…and the air conditioning.

It was starting to get very hot, and things smelled like burnt electronics.]

Cardinal: Man…

[He takes out the Shadow Blade again.]

Cardinal: I feel sorry for whoever holds the homeowners insurance on this place.

[He sliced at the door repeatedly in intersecting diagonal lines. This time, he let the acid eat away at the door.

He didn’t like how unnaturally silent it was now that he had put the whole hallway into radio silence. Only the windows brought any light in at all.]

Cardinal: (Here’s to hoping I’m not too late… not for them, OR for him…)

[Cardinal used HARD KNUCKLE!]

C R A C K!

[Cardinal used SHIELD BASH!]

[And burst RIGHT into the Oval Office!]

[There were only three people inside, all standing around the desk, as if discussing something. The ladies had looked up sharply at the noise, and had backed away before he came crashing in.]

Des: Crap--

[The only other male in the room pulls out a firearm and pulls the trigger--]

[BLAM!]

[A moment of silence.]

Maid: -Oh thank GOODNESS—-

Cardinal: -Looks up with a slight smile-

Cardinal: Nice headshot, sir.

[The maid shrieks.]

Maid: OH MY GOD IT’S IMMORTAL—

Des: .....

Des: Or he just has a very good helmet.

Cardinal: Sorry to crash the party, Mister President.

Cardinal: But we do need to evacuate before my best friend does something he regrets when he gets over his hangover.

[The older lady gave a very puzzled expression.]

Min: …

Des: .......

Des: What?

[Despite the situation—even with his weapon still aimed at the intruder—Des couldn't help but press the subject. It was all as if something out of a surreal dream.]

Des: I'm not the president--

Des: I'm Secretary of Defense.

Des: -What made you think I was POTUS.- : /

Cardinal: …

[Cardinal was on his feet now, standing at attention, very military in posture.]

Cardinal: You’re standing behind the desk, sir.

[The older woman rolls her eyes.]

Des: -Narrows his eyes a little- And...?

Des: -It's 20XX, doesn't everyone know who POTUS is—-

[While he appreciated he wasn't still being shot at, Cardinal was losing patience. They were wasting time, when Shade was still out there.]

Cardinal: And I don’t have time for this. We’re leaving now—

BZAP!

Cardinal: -Baaaacks away from the stern looking woman, okay, she’s got a taser, that gave us pins and needles-

Des: Nice shot.

[Minerva looks down at Cardinal with disapproval. Humorously, her heels made her slightly taller than him.]

Cardinal: >_>;

[It didn't take long for Cardinal to realize where his mistake was. He spoke with begrudging respect.]

Cardinal: …Madame President, I presume.

[Minerva Morandi was not pleased. She sparked the taser again for emphasis, speaking sternly to the intruder that had broken past the last of their defenses.]

Min: Why should we believe you? You broke into the White House, through several top-notch levels of security, disengaged a good portion of the defenses in more than one hallway, and just mentioned your alliance with the terrorist who put us here to begin with.

Cardinal: …

[Cardinal had to admit she had a point. A point he hadn't even considered before.

He wasn't like his brother. Not like Beck. He wasn't a sanctioned hero, with the recognition and support of the masses. No, he was a nameless vigilante, and all he had was his honest answer.]

Cardinal: Because I’m not shooting right now?

Minerva: You didn’t think this through at all, did you.

Cardinal: No sir, I did not.

[The maid snorts a little at that. The poor woman looked like she had seen better days, especially before her sudden promotion after the whole mess had started.

Desmond Donald, on the other hand, seemed to be unsure of whether to be impressed or just incredulous.]

Des: Wow.

Des: He has guts, at least? (Or no forethought.)

Cardinal: Thanks, but we’ve got to—

[He saw a tiny, TINY red light.]

Cardinal: !!!

[He does a teleporting tackle to slam the President to the floor. Fractions of a split second later, there’s a VERY strong shot that leaves burn marks around the wall right behind where her head had been.]

Maid: -STRAINED NOISES, TRYING NOT TO SCREAM-

[PING!]

[MN.8] //: Tch!

[MN.8] //: Keep gettin' in mah way, Birdy, and Ah' WILL make ya regret it!

Cardinal: I could say the same to you, pal.

[Des had abruptly changed his aim toward the direction the shot had come from, even knowing that he was outmatched to handle such a foe. He was defending not just two innocent women: he was defending his President, and his long-time friend. If someone was going to try and take them out, it wouldn't be without a fight from him first.]

Des: -ARE YOU OKAY—-

[She was fine. Shaken, perhaps, but didn’t show it.

Then she became cross, and started to speak to the silent hunter.]

Minerva: So, you've finally shown yourself, have you? Such actions will land you in a great deal more trouble than you can hide from, Radar. This is your last chance— hand yourself over to the authorities, or you will be facing the consequences—

Cardinal: NO!

Cardinal: Leave him alone!

[For the first time since he had come in…

He actually SOUNDED scared.

Desperate, even.]

[MN.8] //: Heh.

[MN.8] //: Was that ya soundin' desperate there?

[MN.8] //: -LAUGHTER-

[MN.8] //: Ah' hate t' disobey a lady, but m'afraid yer term is up.

[MN.8] //: Now.

[CLICK.]

[MN.8] //: R u n.

[For a brief moment, silence.]

Cardinal: …

Cardinal: …Heh…

[He starts laughing.]

Min: ???

Des: ....-Whispers- Um I don't think this guy is all mentally sound—

Cardinal: Shade, Shade, Shade…

Cardinal: You know what?

Cardinal: You’re right.

Maid: ?!

Des: (What—?!)

[MN.8] //: -Ooooh, now ya got his attention-

[MN.8] //: Somethin' change yer mind, Birdy?

[MN.8] //: Was it the fact that yer doin' this all fer nothin'?

Cardinal: Hardly.

Cardinal: More like…

Cardinal: I don’t have time for this, Shade.

Cardinal: Guess I’ll have to make my own!

[He turns and FIRES—]

[Cardinal used TIME STOPPER!]

[There's a harsh KFLSHK! noise and the very dust itself seems to hang suspended in the air, frozen in time.]

Min: ???

[Cardinal waltzes over toward the door, grinning.]

Cardinal: Now then…

Cardinal: Judging from the trajectory of the shot…

Cardinal: -ELBOWS, hard-

CRASH!

[Cardinal pulls a nearby curtain down and tosses it onto… well. Now that it was given form, it was clearly the fallen sniper.]

Cardinal: -Pulls something out of his traveling bag, shaking it- ~

Cardinal: -PSSSHT!-

[After spraying his own symbol on the cape once he found it, he quickly tagged “HOPE lives” on the floor. Then, and only then, could he relaxed and be satisfied.]

Cardinal: B]

Cardinal: -Tosses empty paint can behind him, looking down at the time-frozen sniper- Looks like you lost hide-and-seek, kid.

Cardinal: Too bad.

Min: -Just. Stares- o_o

[The President was both grateful and impressed.]

Min: What… did you do? -Okay his methods are VERY strange but that was rather impressive-

Des: -...What DIVISION is he in is the better question--

Min: -Starts advancing- Who built you?

[Cardinal had not been expecting this sort of response at all.]

Cardinal: I—

[She grabs at his scarf and yanks up a metal bit that glitters in the light.]

Min: I thought I saw a glint of these. -Shakes them once- -Dog tags, Des.- Is there something ELSE you need to tell me about, Desmond?

Des: Min, I swear I don't know about this—

Cardinal: (Uh…)

[It was then that Des noticed the serial number branded into Cardinal's shoulder.]

Des: Wait a second—! You're DLN-000?

Min: ! Seriously?

[Cardinal had had enough. He forces her hand away, holding (gently but firmly) onto her wrist.]

Cardinal: As charming as it is to have conversations with you…

Cardinal: -WHISTLES SHARPLY, SCOUT WE’RE LEAVING—-

Scout: -RARF RARF RARF—-

Cardinal: That effect kinda won’t last forever, we really do need to get out of here—

Des: .....Is...Is that a raccoon—

Cardinal: Close enough. Group hug, everybody!

Scout: -BOUNCES INTO MIN'S ARMS-

Scout: -HALLO NICE LADY-

Min: ! Oh goodness— Now wait just a—

[Nope, he’s already scooped her up and grabbed the others by their jacket fringes.]

Byuubyuubyuu…

{Outside}

Des: —?????

Des: -He can TELEPORT--

[Cheers erupt from the crowd, with the recovered Secret Service members forcing their way through, hemming out reporters and warning back drones with sniper lasers. One camera WAS allowed to come in closer.]

Cardinal: Heh…

Cardinal: Hello again, Avs.

Cardinal: -Puts Madame President down- I see you’ve upgraded this to include a speaker now. Your faith in me is reassuring. B]

[Avi’s voice crackled through the speakers.]

Avi: Bro, you do realize you can't hide from this, right--

Cardinal: Sadly. That’s a cost I’ll have to carry.

Min: (…Hide? Cost?)

Des: (They're talking like they know each other…!)

Avi: OKAY GOOD JUST CHECKING.

Avi: Because sometimes you kinda just let these things fly WAY OVER YOUR HEAD--

[The vague, stressed pun didn’t seem to have any effect… other than making Cardinal’s shoulders sag with weariness.]

Cardinal: …

Cardinal: -Quietly- I’m sorry, Avi. I’m not done yet.

Avi: --....

Avi: Dude, Beck's in there now, just-- come on, man, can't ya believe in him too--?

Cardinal: Six, this is about a lot more than believing and proving and anything else, and quite frankly—

[He douses himself in those strange cans again.]

Cardinal: —I’m tired of seeing my brothers die. I won’t risk any chance of that happening again.

Min: Excuse me—! It's too dangerous to go back inside, and we have some questions for you, 000! Where do you THINK you’re going—

Cardinal: Here, take this, it may help you on your journey— -SHOVES SLIGHTLY SINGED SCOUT-

Scout: -LICKS FOR NICE LADY-

Min: -Ackpth—-

Scout: ~ < 3

Avi: --.... (I guess I tried...)

Avi: please don't hurt him too bad.

Cardinal: I don’t have time for this. You saw the file extension, you know my intentions.

[He gritted his teeth. It hurt, again. Hurt because there was all this pressure, and nowhere for it to go.

Hurt because he couldn’t cry.]

Cardinal: …See you in clearer skies, Avs.

Cardinal: Goodbye…

BWIP.

Min: —…

Min: …Get me Sanda Labs on a secure line. -Stop wriggling, strange raccoon thing—- NOW.

{Back Inside…}

[Cardinal chose not to reappear in the Oval Office, but instead in an open room he had passed through on the journey. From the looks of things, Beck and Dyna had been through not long ago, themselves.]

Cardinal: -Takes in a shaky breath, hoo- (…Okay. Orders… orders over. Good… good, now—just need to find either Eight or Nine…)

Cardinal: (Can’t turn on my transceiver. They know I’m here and they want me out. But I can’t just stand by and let those two slice each other up and stain the rug with their Xel.)

Cardinal: -Grumbles- Where are you, Shade…

[He walks through several halls. Everything was dead silent. The expected countermeasures of security never came.]

Cardinal: …

[He was beginning to get very puzzled.]

Cardinal: (Did Beck already get to you? …And wow, I seriously made this big a mess?)

Cardinal: -Crosses his arms absentmindedly as he enters the secretary’s office- Come on, Shade, I said I would get back to you—

________________

Thaaaaat's it, just a lil further…

______________

[He held his shield loosely by his side as he meandered the halls for another good five minutes.]

Cardinal: …

Cardinal: …I guess Avi was right?

Cardinal: Maybe I should turn my transceiver back on, find out if they’re outside…

[He goes over to look out a window that faces the lawn, scanning the crowds for signs of his energetic young counterpart.]

Cardinal: Just my luck to miss out on the party…

_________________

Heh. Stupid bird.

Should've paid attention t' where you were goin'…

________________

[He turns away from the window, glancing at it over his shoulder.]

Cardinal: I should probably apologize to the President—

[CRUNCH.]

Cardinal: (What—? That doesn’t sound like glass—) -Looks down-

[What Cards saw on the ground--

A dart.

Several.

In the shape of a figure eight, all black as night.]

Cardinal: …

Cardinal: (Wait a dAMN SECOND HE SAID ALL HIS DARTS DO SOMETHING—)

[BANG!]

[The darts all exploded into shrapnel, sharp, dangerous pieces flying everywhere, breaking pottering and lights and anything else that was in its radius.]

[Cardinal wasn’t shielding, so he took a direct hit.

Now, he was made to withstand exactly this sort of thing. To take it and tank it.

Didn’t mean it didn’t hurt.]

Cardinal: -GAH—-

[He staggered back, disoriented by the damage.]

[BANG--!]

[Red lasers fill the room, reflecting off of various objects to keep Cardinal guessing--]

[BANG BANG--]

[--With two more ACTUALLY aimed for him--]

[He took the hits, but answered back with a vengeance.]

KTANG!

[Leaping onto the walls and vaulting onto a statue, he peppered the room with high speed Quick Boomerangs.]

Cardinal: |[

Cardinal: You clearly haven’t learned I don’t go down so easy, Counter.

"Haven't ya heard of try, try again?"

[BANG--]

[A dart this time, yellow--]

[Cardinal used METAL BLADE!]

[The net was torn up even as it came onto him. He leaped onto a chandelier.]

[Cardinal used RING BOOMERANG!]

Cardinal: Haven’t you ever heard “Doing the same thing twice and expecting different results is the definition of insanity?”

[Laughter.]

"Look who's TALKIN'!"

"Ya sure are persistent."

[Cardinal was beginning to lose patience.

He was tired. He felt tired and old.]

Cardinal: Countershade, I have been chasing after you for over a WEEK now. I’ll hardly give up because you’re throwing a temper tantrum.

Cardinal: Get a grip, Shade— Snap out of it! This isn’t like you!

Cardinal: -Crossly- WAKE UP ALREADY!

"Temper tantrum? Boy, ya must be a real antique by now. Seein' as ya ain't made of Xel."

"Who even ARE ya, anyway?"

Cardinal: You can’t be serious. You recognized my brother and you don’t know me? That’s not a funny insult. -Actually sounds rather put out-

"Nope. Ya don't ring a bell."

Cardinal: Are you REALLY that out of it? That’s honestly just pathetic. The “sad, pitiful” kind.

"Gotta hand it t' ya, Birdy, as ya are annoyin', yer good. Heh."

"And Ah' do so love a good challenge."

Cardinal: Fine then.

Cardinal: I’ll make you remember—I’ll bring you out of this, I am going to snap you out of this if it’s the last thing I ever do!

[Cardinal used DUST CRUSHER!]

[All the shrapnel and debris that had been created by Shade and others before him was kicked up in a whirling cloud of sharp death that enveloped half the room, shredding everything in its path before getting embedded into the wall.]

"--Ngh--!"

[There is some painful data, but it is quickly snuffed out by something other than Shade.]

"Oh, it WILL be--ya can't keep flyin' FOREVER, Lil' Birdy..."

Cardinal: Try me.

[…Not his best choice of words.]

"Heh."

"Since ya ASKED so nicely!"

KSSSH!!!

[The chandelier came crashing down, with him inside it.

Even though he teleported away, he still had the force of momentum, and crashed down into the ground pretty hard.]

Cardinal: Hggghhhh…

Cardinal: (Gah… hate HATE falling from heights, come BACK, vision—)

[BANG!]

[Countershade took this perfect opportunity to fire off another shot--it was so easy, once he was blind--]

Cardinal: AUGH!

[Cardinal counteracted with a spam of Metal Blades that went in ALL directions, embedding DEEP into wherever they found score—

And there is a LOT OF rolling around and taking cover--seeing the saw blades stirred up something...Something that made him even angrier. ]

"MOTHERSCRATCHIN'--Ah' HATE when it takes more than one bullet!"

Cardinal: See now, if you REMEMBERED anything, you’d KNOW I don’t go down to one hit!

"Goddamn waste of mah TIME--"

Cardinal: Tch.

Cardinal: Anything you don’t have time to do right the first time, you’ll need to have time to do over.

Cardinal: And I’ve put a hell of a few lifetimes more into this than you.

[BANG BANG--]

[The explosive darts were out now, but single striped instead of the deadly double. Perhaps Shade didn't want to ruin his new 'Home' anymore than it already was. Cardinal tanked the hit with his shield.]

[The Proto Shield held firm as ever, though he moved aside to avoid being backed into the wall.]

Cardinal: -Gets back to his feet, shifting his weaponry again with another click.-

Cardinal: This is not the first time we’ve done this song and dance, Shade!

[Cardinal used BUBBLE LEAD!]

[The acid pellets burst upon contact, hissing and eating away at the floor and various high ground on the other side of the room.]

[SSSSSSSS...]

"Aw FRAG IT--"

Cardinal: You forgetting?! Just means I have ALL THE MORE ADVANTAGE OVER YOU!

[Cardinal used TOP SPIN!]

kzzzZZZZZZZZGGGVVVVGGGHHHTTTT—

[Marble columns were sliced clean through and brought crashing down.]

[CRASH--!!]

"--!!!!"

[There was a few moments of scrambling and--]

[--Silence?]

Cardinal: Nice try, but I know you’re fine. Your camo goes out if you’re not.

Cardinal: And if you want to play this the hard way, I’ll do just that. >B |

[....]

"Alright."

[Click.]

[That came from RIGHT beside him!]

Cardinal: (Glitch—)

[Cardinal used ICE SLASHER!]

[It wasn’t fast enough to prevent the shot that seared through his right shoulder, but. It was enough to send the whole room about ten degrees below zero, and send icicle spears flying.

There was a HISS of pain and a grunt, Shade's camo flickering for a moment--

--Before returning to normal, and the lasers that herald his presence once again came from a completely different direction--

Cardinal ends up backed against the wall, having no other option besides his shield at this point. The Skull Barrier and the Leaf Shield had both been spent during the rescues.]

Cardinal: B[

[Cardinal used ITEM-1!]

[He jumps onto a hovering platform to gain height before firing off some plasma blasts at strategic surfaces—places where he would go if he had that side of the battlefield.]

[BLAM!]

[BANG BANG BANG--]

[As if in response, Shade shoots at the ITEM-1 before unleashing a trio of--oh, no, double stripped darts--!]

Cardinal: !

[Cardinal used WIRE!]

ZZZZZZZIP!

[A grappling hook shot out of his arm, bringing him up toward the ceiling and away from the explosion.

Unfortunately, this position offered him no cover whatsoever, except for his shield—which, as always, remained squarely over his central mass.]

Cardinal: This is getting a bit old.

Cardinal: I’d rather light things on fire, but that wouldn’t be being…

[He smirked.]

Cardinal: …a good House guest~

[BANG--]

[CRASH!]

[He had the wind knocked out of him again, but…

Judging from his wheezing and shaking laughter…]

Cardinal: -Worth it-

[CLICK.]

[....Uh oh.]

Shade: Was it?

Cardinal: Yup.

Cardinal: Too bad it didn’t…

[Cardinal used AIR SHOOTER!]

[STRONG gusts swept across the room, moving EVEN the fallen marble slamming into the wall!]

Shade: --!!!

Cardinal: BLOW YOU AWAY!

Shade: Ngh--

[Shade loses his footing and is forced to back up a ways in order to keep Cardinal in front of him--and on his sights.]

Shade: Enough of this--

[CLICK.]

[...Not even Shade could make a shot in these kinds of winds--]

[...Right?]

[BANG!]

Cardinal: -OOF!-

[Okay. He was really taking a beating now.]

Cardinal: (This has got to stop. Man… haven’t even knocked out his active camo yet, lame. I wish I could use more explosions and fire, that might have helped…)

Cardinal: … (Then again, not being in such a cramped space would have helped anyway.)

Cardinal: Hoo… man, you do hit hard…

[BANG--

BANG BANG BANG--]

[...Shade doesn't answer back.

He just keeps shooting.]

Cardinal: It really is too bad Round Two had to be like this—nngh!

Cardinal: I think you would have preferred remembering!

Shade: Hey.

Shade: Birdy.

Cardinal: What.

Shade: Do me a favor.

[--Wait--why was his voice coming from behind, Shade was right in front of him--]

Shade: Stop yer PRATTLE.

[BANG--!]

[Cardinal was put to the floor, dizzy from being shot in the back. His fans were buzzing a bit, and he had to prop himself up with an arm.]

Cardinal: -WHEEZE- Now that was beneath you, my friend.

Cardinal: You’re an assassin, not a traitor.

Shade: Not my fault yer bein' difficult, Birdy.

Shade: All yer...

[BANG.]

Shade: Sass, all yer brave front--

[BANG!]

Shade: Ya don't fool ME.

[He had to deflect the shots with his shield, but his arm was starting to tire from taking the shock of the blows. He gritted his teeth.]

Cardinal: Is that supposed to mean something, Shade? I’m honestly—nnn!—confused.

Shade: It does. You'll get it REAL soon.

[BANG--]

[...???]

[That's...that's a red dart.]

[Completely red, stuck to Cardinal's shield.]

[--And then it started to glow RED, RED HOT, OW--]

Cardinal: AUGH!

[He could NOT handle that much heat, not so close to his core!

He was forced to drop it to the ground and roll to the side.]

[Cardinal used NEEDLE CANNON!]

[Needle shaped spears skewered anything and everything in sight…

…and some things out of sight.

A slight rip noise betrayed that Cardinal had scored a hit and pinned the sniper’s cloak to the wall.]

Shade: TCH!

Shade: Oh, that is IT.

Shade: -LOCK ON TO CARDINAL'S SYMBOL--

Shade: Yer SCRAP.

[BANG BANG BANG--]

[Cardinal hit the floor, hard.

Silence.]

Shade: -That was mah CLOAK, FRAG YA-

[…But after a moment, he did manage to sit up again, coughing a bit.]

Shade: Fer the love of--

Shade: Ya just don't DIE.

Cardinal: -Raspy- So I’ve been told…

Cardinal: (Great… all I have left is fire…)

Cardinal: You…

[He spoke seriously now.]

Cardinal: You’ve… got to stop, Shade.

Cardinal: You’ve… got to stop…!

[He staggered to his feet.]

Cardinal: This isn’t you. It’s not your fault, but you need to stop—

Cardinal: Don’t you remember who you are?!

Shade: — . . .

[Who...]

[Cardinal grabbed his scarf and shook it. The dart there from Shade, a gift from so long ago, stood out in sharp contrast.]

Shade: ......

[Why did he have his...]

Cardinal: PLEASE! Don’t you REMEMBER me at ALL?!

_____________________

"Yer stuck with me. B]"

___________________

"Catch me if ya can, hunting doggie!"

_________________

[Memories, as if from some far off forgotten dream...]

Shade: --...

Shade: -Confused--

Shade: The hell...

[Cardinal took a quiet step forward.]

Cardinal: Shade!

Cardinal: You’re my best friend.

Cardinal: We TRUST each other, remember?!

—————————————————

“Being able to trust someone and want to be around them, miss them if they’re gone… That’s its own vulnerability, in a way.”

—————————————————

[Another step.]

Cardinal: (Just…)

Cardinal: (Need to get close enough…!)

[Trust...]

Shade: -Blinks--

[The purple and magenta fade from his eye for a second--]

Shade: (What...)

[....And then.]

[....A name.]

Shade: . . .

Shade: Cardinal...?

Cardinal: !

Cardinal: -Another step- YES! I’m here, Shade—

Cardinal: I promised nothing would make me give up on you, and I mean it.

Cardinal: -Another step- You’re sick, but we can fix that— come home, Shade, before you do something you can’t fix.

[…

…Fix…?]

—————————————

[An admission of weakness.

His core was messed up so badly, that…]

[From a powerful enough opponent, a direct hit at full charge, if exposed, would cause him to explode.

And no armor in the world would ever fix it.]

—————————————

Shade: ...ngh...

[The assassin staggers, as if something dull was pressing on his mind, something that was NOT a part of him, something that didn't want him to--]

Shade: !

[Something within screamed--]

[--But then, it all became clear.]

[Clear to the virus, that is.]

Shade: ... ...

[Cardinal was reaching out his hand to touch him. If he could just get a hold of him, he had just enough energy to get them out of here. Away from this place—if not to safety, at least where he couldn’t do any more damage.]

Cardinal: Shade…?

Shade: . . .

Shade: Songbird...Eh...

Shade: Well, that explains the bird part.

[CLICK.]

[There was an unsettling PREDATORY grin on Eight's face, as his rifle was pointed DIRECTLY AT CARDINAL'S CORE--]

Cardinal: !?

[He was too shocked, totally blindsided, taken completely off guard—he didn't even have time to get scared before—]

Shade: Adios, Songbird.

BANG—

[The direct hit from such a close range— point blank range—had done massive amounts of damage.

He didn’t really feel hitting the floor, no…

It was all lost in a vast sea of white-hot pain that engulfed his senses, enveloped his whole body—

He couldn’t even say for sure if he screamed.]

Shade: That hurt, Birdy?

Shade: Ah' BET it DID.

[Cardinal had to turn to his side to avoid choking on oil. Now he felt sick, shivering from the pain and errors that were wracking his body.]

Shade: Oh, Ah' remembered ya, yes—ah' sure did... -GRIN-

Shade: Ah' remembered how t' finally KILL YA.

[Cardinal could hear the words, but they just wouldn’t register— but if they had, he would have been crushed not just in body, but also in soul.]

Shade: That was STUPID, bah the way.

Shade: What were ya even thinkin', huh?

[Even if he wanted to run now, there was no way out. He didn’t have the energy to teleport—he barely had enough to move.

Move he did, though, at least enough to get to his knees.

…]

[…relatively speaking.]

Shade: Eheh...

Shade: Looks like yer wings have been CLIPPED...Lil' Birdy.

Shade: Nowhere t' RUN, nao, is there. Even if ya COULD move....

Cardinal: Hnnnghnnnnnggh…

Cardinal: … (Can’t… can’t move…)

Cardinal: (Need… need repairs…)

Cardinal: (N-need to partition energy into repairs—)

Shade: Still breathin'?

Shade: Ya really ARE persistent!

[The world became a white void of pain as he was kicked in the side, hard. He fell over, and Shade forced him onto his back with a bit of pressure. His vision started to come back in, but—]

[CRUNCH--]

[A boot crunches on top of Cardinal's chest--]

Cardinal: (AUGH!)

[He couldn’t breathe.

He couldn’t. Breathe.

The weight was crushing him, breaking him, threatening to put pressure on his core—his constant massive conversion of energy into matter to save him was only intensifying the pain.]

Cardinal: Ghhghkk—!

[He was too badly injured to move. He was using all of his power just to stay alive, now—he could barely hear, barely see—]

>ERROR: HARDWARE DAMAGE CRITICAL

Cardinal: !

>COMPLETE SYSTEM FAILURE IMMINENT

Cardinal: (nnnONONO—)

>INITIATE SELF-DESTRUCT SEQUENCE

Cardinal: AAAAUUUGH!

[Cardinal gave a choked cry of despair as the countdown began— audibly, no less—]

>TEN…

Shade: -Ooh, now... What is this?-

>NINE…

Shade: Oh, right...

>EIGHT…

Shade: Ya Wily constructs go up with a bang when yer too helpless t' RUN.

>SEVEN…

Shade: -Chuckles.-

>SIX…

Shade: Nao ain't that somethin'...

>FIVE…

Cardinal: (No…!)

>FOUR…

>SYSTEM OVERRIDE

>THREE…

>RUN PROGRAM: FINAL_DAYS.EXE

>TWO…

>WARNING: FINAL_DAYS.EXE IS AN UNAUTHORIZED PROGRAM. USING THIS PROGRAM WILL PREVENT COMBAT.EXE INITIATIVES OR SYSTEM MAINTENANCE FROM RUNNING NORMALLY. CONTINUE?

>ONE…

>YES

>DON’T ASK ME AGAIN

> -PING!- COMMAND CONFIRMED.

>SELF-DESTRUCT SEQUENCE HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

Shade: ....

Shade: Tch.

Shade: Was hopin' t' see fireworks. Oh, well.

>EXECUTING PROGRAM: FINAL_DAYS.EXE

[He became limp and weak as the program went live.

He was no longer burdened by instincts meant to preserve him to be fighting fit later, or to continue fighting on.

All the energy that had been spent toward those goals was now going into extensive repair, to keep his vitals up and his senses working. This process would not be interrupted, no matter how much energy it drained from him.

…But as a result…]

Cardinal: -Rattled wheezing from shaky, submissive gasps for air-

Shade: Heh... -Smug smirk-

[He was now completely helpless.]

Shade: Look at ya...

[Everything felt faint. It hurt, and yet…]

Cardinal: -Hazily- (Can’t even move…)

[He felt so tired. So tired.

He wanted nothing more than to close his eyes and get his rest….]

Cardinal: (C-can’t…)

Cardinal: (So… so tired…)

Shade: Just look at ya, ya waste of scrap.

Shade: All yer talk and sass and comebacks and fancy display...

[CRUNCH--]

Cardinal: (-PAIN!-)

[Cardinal became briefly blinded by pain, his eyes glazing over. His fans wailed in protest at the crushing weight put on his chest.]

Shade: --And all it took--

[His armor—!]

[SNAP--!]

[His inner plate armor split open—]

<DLN-000>: > -PAIN!-

[With his transceiver off, no one could hear him— no one could hear his anguished data streams—]

Shade: --Was a few shots, from one bot--

C R A C K—!!

[He jerked sharply, almost convulsing as the armor clattered, giving way to expose the energy core within. It was glowing like a small sun—white hot, too.]

Shade: - T'prepare ya t' meet yer Maker. That is... Assumin' there's an afterlife for ya pathetic box bolts...

[Cardinal gave off bleak rattling noises as his coolant system attempted to draw air over broken fans.]

Shade: Best start prayin', lil' Birdy. Yer gonna learn the answer t' that question the hard way.

Cardinal: -Repairs, need… need repairs…-

[His vision came back to him as the conversion went into overdrive, desperate on keeping the fans running, to keep him alive.

This allowed his eyes, dulled before, to resume their green spark—his sunglasses had been knocked off long ago, and so there was nothing between the green fire and the sickly purple gaze.]

Shade: --?

Shade: What in tarnation--

Cardinal: Hnnnnggghh…

Shade: --....

[Wait a second...

There was something just right of the power core, mostly tucked behind it. As it glowed, the mobility rig seemed to just… rebuild itself.

Enough for Cardinal to grasp at something, clutching it with a stubborn resignation.]

[.....]

[Two and two were put together within a second, and the Teal Silence let out a dark chuckle.]

Shade: Stubborn jackass! So THIS is how ya kept yerslef goin' so long, hmm?

Shade: Real clever...

[He suddenly JABBED right at it with his rifle-- which was a VERY bad mistake…]

Shade: ARUGH--!

[…as far as the sniper was concerned.

The tip of the rifle had been vaporized, and Cardinal was filled with a jolt of energy that the conversion provided. From the strength Shade had unwittingly donated, he knocked the rifle out of the way to prevent his friend from losing balance, and possibly ending up losing the rest of his arm to the power converter.]

Shade: NGH--

Shade: Little goddamn bastard--should've known ya had 'nother cheap shot like that up yer sleeve...

Cardinal: -Irratable snort- (Oh please, that’s just how I’m BUILT—you wouldn’t go sticking your hand in stomach acid, would you?!)

[There was still enough strength left from that for him to regain some focus. It took effort, and he struggled to reallocate repairs to non-vital systems.

Like… talking, for example.

Cardinal vented a bit and scrunched his eyes in a grimace, trying his hardest to work up the energy to talk.]

Cardinal: Nnnngh…

[…But he could only groan. The pain was so heavy…]

Shade: Bah, for the love of— spare me yer theatrics, Songbird, S'not like ya can sing anymore.

Cardinal: (But…)

Cardinal: (I’ve GOT to, I need to tell you…!)

[CLICK.]

Cardinal: —hghkkt!

[He knew that noise.]

[He KNEW that noise, and it filled him with dread.]

Cardinal: (No…)

Shade: Heheheh...

[A sadistic smile partnered the laugh that escaped from Shade--the dart that was usually in his mouth was gone...]

Cardinal: (Shade, oh God no— please… no, don’t… you can’t do this…)

Cardinal: -Weak ping of protest-

Shade: Ah' TOLD ya...Ya can't fool me.

Shade: Ya scared now, li' Birdy?

Cardinal: -Strained fan whine of despair-

[He was in distress, that was for sure. A heartbroken dismay was sapping away at the willpower maintaining the diminishing fumes of strength in his body.

Shade leaned over, resting his rifle arm on his left knee as he put his weight on Cardinal’s shoulder. The fans there screeched as they were crushed beneath the sniper’s considerable weight.]

Shade: Good.

[The blinding pain lifted as the weight was drawn away. When Cardinal could see again, he saw his friend’s back facing him.]

Shade: I'll give ya this . ..

Cardinal: …

[A low hum...]

Cardinal: … -even weaker ping-

[He couldn’t mask it. When Shade turned around, Cardinal couldn’t help but give off a faint signal of hopelessness—

Shade was using a sniper scope to light up his core as a target, purely to mock him out of spite.]

Shade: Ya were better ’n most. Damn freakin' annoyin’, too. Shoulda known better ’n ‘’ta come HERE, t' mah huntin' grounds. You got a death wish, songbird? Huh?

[He took a step forward, letting his spurs rattle loudly in his stride across the floor...]

[Slowly.]

[It was tempting. So tempting.

He was tired. He hurt. He was scared. If… if he just let go, the pain would stop, it wouldn’t hurt anymore… he could rest, he could leave before…]

Cardinal: … (No… can’t…)

[Cardinal took in a shaky breath, willing himself to stay alive, even though his energy core…]

Cardinal: (Can’t let it end… like this…)

[…was starting to turn cold.]

Shade: -Data-

Shade: -Well, if ya insist, we can GRANT it for ya.-

Cardinal: (Can’t…!)

Cardinal: (I CAN’T LET IT END LIKE THIS!)

[Cardinal struggled to focus through his failing vision, to look that menacing red-violet eye directly on with his own, dimming green pair.

He shut down all but his central core mass fans to get the energy to speak.]

Cardinal: -Very raspy, distorted gasp- Shade…

Shade: --....

[...He's not sure if he should be annoyed or impressed.]

[Cardinal spoke again. There was a clear but quiet, submissive air of despair in his frail voice.]

Cardinal: Countershade, please…

[Oh.]

[He took a step forward...]

Shade: What was that?

Cardinal: Don’t… don’t do this…

Cardinal: …beg… begging you, please…

[.....]

Shade: -GRIN-

[He smirked cruelly at this, at the sight and sounds of Cardinal begging, pleading for his life, for mercy. Ha! Finally, after all of his talk and bravo!

What a delightful feeling.]

Shade: Heheheheh!

Cardinal: please…

Shade: (Eso es, Pájarito. Ruega por la misericordia hasta que mueras.)

Cardinal: …it’s only… only… g…going to…

Shade: --?

Cardinal: …going to hurt y o u…

Shade: --. .. . ..

[For a moment, that makes Shade pause.

The sick, purple aura left him, the malice, the evil that had dug it's way deep into his core was lifted for just a brief moment—]

Shade: -N-No—-

Shade: (No, no, no…!)

Shade: -Straining- M-must… fight… the power…

[He, too, seemed like he was in just as much pain as Cardinal was.]

[…]

[CLICK.]

[...But the moment... Passed.]

Shade: Enough!

[He spoke with a firm, authoritative command of finality.]

Shade: I don’t have time t’ waste on you. Obviously ya ain’t gonna stay out of my way while ya still runnin’.

Shade: An’ as we’ve already established, ya have this fraggin’ annoyin’ tendency to keep hangin’ on. Fahn, then—I’ll give ya the honor a’ takin’ ya out myself!

Cardinal: (No…)

[Cardinal gripped his hand tighter, as if bracing himself.]

Shade: An’ just tah make SURE you don’t get out of sight at the last second. ..

[He lowered his gaze, and his aim, right down to Cardinal's exposed core.]

Shade: This'll be the last bullet Ah' waste on ya.

[Cardinal forced himself to maintain eye contact, even as Shade lowered his rifle to point directly at the exposed core.

He didn’t… feel scared anymore. Just… defeated.

Hopeless.

…Accepting of his time, resigned to his fate… even as he dwelt with lingering, final regret, on his failure and shame.]

Shade…

[Darkness overtook his eyes.

His power was nearly entirely depleted. He would only last a few minutes longer, at most—one way or another, he had reached, at last… his final day.]

[Vrrrrrrr...]

Oh, Shade…!

[He could faintly hear the sound of Shade’s deadly aim setting up. It seemed… so far away…]

I…

[He heard a faint fizzling and hissing noise as the energy converter fell silent.

There could only be one reason for that—

No more energy left to convert from.

He could feel his heart becoming as cold as i c e …]

I’m… so sorry…!

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

=CHAPTER 4B: AVI'S NEWS REPORT=

~AO v2.0~

((Courtesy of @codedhopes))

<<—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 Mikhail 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 while they were gone, 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.

Will: (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-

Will: ....

Will: Mikhail?

Mikhail: -Looks up- Mmm? Sorry—did I miss something?

Will: ....

Will: 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.

Will: Ah...I can imagine...

Will: -mutters- I still don't know how he got down here in the first place, but he IS a demolition model...

Will: 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?

Will: Round Diggers are mass produced industrial models made for demolition work, mainly in construction.

Will: ...Made by CherryDyn.

Will: 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-

Will: .....

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.

Will: . . .

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.

Will: -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...]

Will: . . .

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.

Will: ......

[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...]

Will: God, what a mess...

Mikhail: We have too many moving parts in this matter…

Mikhail: At least it should be easier to find the others, now. Now that Tobias is no longer interfering and Avi will be able to help Call sort through the data.

Will: Mmm…

[That may work fine for the rest of his children out there, but they weren’t the only ones missing…]

Will: What about Kate and Cardinal?

Mikhail: Mmm.

[The Russian leaned back, crossing his arms and looking up at the ceiling.]

Mikhail: Well, Kate’s brothers have been trying to find her for several days, from what I’ve been told. I didn’t hear the full story, but they’ve probably been trying to follow Jack’s trail.

Will: Jack? You mean he’s not still with you?

Mikhail: No. He went missing a while ago, I’m afraid. Shortly after we first lost contact, actually.

Will: (Adding even MORE to this mess…)

Mikhail: Fighting Mighty Number Nine DID somehow get into contact with Doctor Wily Number Nine, and the other day they brought back some Combat Xelbots from your world, but… Jack was not among them.

Will: Metalman? What does he want with this? Is he working for Wily? -Ugh, one disaster at a TIME, please— -

Mikhail: It was apparently a personal matter. We may hear back from him later after the others have recovered, but… for now, it appears we’re being left alone.

Will: Small blessings, at least….

[He sighed, scratching at his head a bit.]

Will: What about Cardinal, then?

Mikhail: I… I don’t know. I was hoping you might have something to tell me, to be honest. He wouldn’t have been able to contact us, but…

Will: ! Oh, right! I almost forgot!

Will: Beck managed to call him the night Pyro was rescued, and he answered his cell phone!

[Mikhail suddenly became alert at this.]

Mikhail: What did he say?

[Will’s mood fell.]

Will: …He said he wasn’t coming back….

Mikhail: -Sighs, pulling his hand down his face- Why am I not surprised…

Will: He said it was… complicated, somehow, but… Avi cut him off before he could finish….

Mikhail: …

Will: Then I got a text message from him later… it said “John 15:13″…

Mikhail: -Winces- Agh, Cardinal… you shouldn’t be risking yourself like this…

Will: S-sorry I didn’t mention it earlier, I… I guess it must have slipped my mind.

Mikhail: Oh, don’t be so hard on yourself. You had more immediate concerns to deal with at the time we got back in touch. So did I. You’re under a great deal of stress right now—don’t berate yourself over missing small details that slip under the radar. Alright?

Will: I’ll try, aheh…

Mikhail: I suppose it is worth a try….

Will: Hmm?

Mikhail: Let’s try calling Cardinal’s cell phone. I think he’d be more likely to answer a call from you than from me, though.

[Will pulled out his phone, grateful that it wasn’t infected and still worked.]

Will: -Dialing the number- Do you think he’ll change his mind?

Mikhail: That might be expecting a little much…

[To their surprise, the phone call was answered. Much to their further surprise, it wasn’t Cardinal who answered the phone.]

“Hello? Is this really Sanda Enterprises?”

Will: ! (I recognize that voice! He was with Cardinal earlier!)

Mikhail: -Nudges Will to answer-

Will: -Eep— - Er— y-yes, it is! This is Doctor White speaking. May I ask who this is?

[It seemed the other man also recognized his voice from somewhere, because he took the answer at face value.]

“My name is Drake Dawson, sir. I’m a staff member at the Union Station in Kansas City.”

Mikhail: (Of COURSE! I should have known he would go there!)

Will: We’re looking for Cardinal. Is he… is he nearby?

[There was a long sigh.]

“Cardinal split a while back. He gave me his phone and said to call you guys, but uh…I figured you’d be busy right now, sorry…”

Mikhail: Mr. Dawson, did he saw where he was going?

“Not really…. We traveled around KCMO and KCK for several days before he crashed and burned. Not sure where he is now, but he said he wouldn’t go back to Sanda Enterprises until his mission was over. He was really adamant about that…”

Mikhail: -Sighs-

“He did have a couple of messages, though…”

Will: Oh?

“Said he wanted you to know he was ‘in one piece’… which he was, last I saw him. And, uh… hang on, lemme think on this, put it down somewhere so I wouldn’t forget…”

[There was a rustling noise.]

“He said he wanted Beck to come down and help out with the cores they recovered from Arrowhead Stadium, if he had the chance. To consider it a ‘personal favor.’”

Will: (Mnn…. I suppose we’ll be getting requests like that more often now. But Beck is already so worn out from working in Titus and then fighting Avi…)

Mikhail: -Catches onto the hesitation- We’ll pass the message along, but we can’t make any promises.

“Yeah… I can get that.”

Mikhail: Was there anything else? Anything at all?

“Something about focusing on the threats in the middle? It seemed pretty important to him. He wouldn’t really explain much… said that it would have to wait.”

Will: ( “Threats in the middle”? Middle of the country? Middle of the family? I suppose he means the family, but…. Would that be 4,5, and 6? Or 5, 6, and 7?)

Mikhail: Well… I’m afraid he’s right, there. I’m sure you have a lot of questions, but…

“Nah, it’s okay, I get it. I just hope he manages to come back to pick up his phone later. He did mention his idea was ‘stupid dangerous’, which doesn’t surprise me that much, given how he tackled all those enemies by himself…”

Mikhail: It would be for the best right now that you keep the phone with you. He’ll know where to find you, and… if he’s unable for some reason, we can trace his cell phone and send someone to pick it up, after this is over.

“Gotcha. Anything else I can do for you?”

Mikhail: Give us a call if he comes back. Other than that… stay safe.

“Roger that. Good luck with everything. We’re all rooting for you over here.”

[Click.]

Mikhail: …

Mikhail: -Turns to Will- Kansas City. I should have expected that.

Will: Isn’t he from there?

Mikhail: No, I think he was built somewhere in the West, but that is where he grew up. It’s too bad we missed him.

Will: I wonder what he could be doing…. I would love to get any ideas for leads on Shade, too…

Mikhail: I suspect he didn’t tell Mr. Dawson for the man’s own safety.

Will: Oh, you’re probably right….

[Mikhail’s 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.

Will: ....

Will: Heh...

[Will returned the smile, although it was a bit weary.]

Will: Thank you, Mikhail. Really...

Will: (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.

Will: 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.

Will: (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 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 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 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 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 CALL>: >From what I have been told, MNN-007 may be the subject of FMN-008’s attention, for… reasons.

<MC005 to CALL>: >Finding Brandish’s location may allow us to remove several dangerous spanners in the works all at once.

<MC005 to CALL]>: >So, unless there are clearer leads… my suggestion would be to focus on him, first.

Mikhail: (Removing Cardinal’s recklessness 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 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.]

Will: ....

[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.]

Will: .....

Will: (...Should I...)

Will: .....

[He sharply inhaled and didn't let that thought finish itself--couldn't.]

[...Perhaps, he was being cynical and paranoid himself.]

Will: (Greg...Greg doesn't know, does he?)

Will: (If he does...)

[He felt that sick, dreading feeling all over again, and got up to fix that with a glass of water.]

Will: (...No, stop it, Will—)

Will: (Get it together...)

Will: (It's not going to come to that if he knows what he's doing...)

Will: .......

Will: (This had...had BETTER not be you that's behind all this, Greg...)

Will: (You'd better not...)

Will: .....

[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.]

Will: (I wish it wasn't this way, Aviator...you, out of all of us, need your rest...)

Will: (At least, after this...I hope we can all just...take things easy...)

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=CHAPTER 3C: VOLTAIC DYNATRON=

~AO v2.0~

((Courtesy of @codedhopes))

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{Kansas City

June 23rd, 20XX}

Rebooting…

Running Diagnostic….

SYSTEM REPORT Power Network: Online Internal Fans: Online Neural Net: Online RADIO System: Online WiFi System: Online Audio System: Online Tactile Senses: Online Visual Sensors: Online Motion Sensors: Online Motor System: Online Primary Weaponry: Online: ENGAGED Secondary Weaponry: Online: ENGAGED

>WARNING: THIS SYSTEM IS ENGAGED IN LETHAL COMBAT MODE.

PROGRAM DIAGNOSTIC RobotWhiteCell Firewall: Running Artificial Intelligence and Awareness: Online BetaEmotions: Online Battle Tactical Sequences: Online: ENGAGED Non-lethal Battle Sequences: Online

Diagnostic complete.

<DLN-000 is now Online.>

[Cardinal’s eyes wavered as his visual processors slowly flickered to life. He found himself staring up at an unfamiliar ceiling.

Everything was quiet, other than the whirring of a nearby fan.]

Cardinal: … (Wait…)

Cardinal: (That’s…)

[He turned his head and looked over at the base of the bed he was in. Sure enough, there was Jazz, curled up in her Civilian form. Purring.]

Cardinal: …

Cardinal: (I’m in a hospital of some sort, but… where am I?)

Cardinal: … (What TIME is it???)

[He sat up immediately, feeling alert again.]

“I was wondering when you’d wake up.”

Cardinal: ?

[He looked over, and to his surprise, saw Drake sitting in a chair, folding up a newspaper.]

Drake: You were out of it the rest of the day and then all day today.

Cardinal: Where are we?

Drake: We’re at the closest functioning hospital near the arena. The arena hospital got pretty trashed, I’m afraid. A lot of fighters went berserk in there, apparently.

Cardinal: -Puts a hand to his face, giving off a brief data burst of frustration and resignation- I don’t even want to begin to think on the casualties…

Drake: They actually handled it pretty well. The security system against violent patients is separate from the main grid, and only activates with manual application.

Cardinal: …I guess it makes sense they’d have a back-up plan. … …I’m glad….

Drake: After you passed out, a couple of guys went in to get you. They asked me to meet up with you here. Once we got here, though…

Drake: Your cat kinda drove them off. : / They thought that she’d been infected too, but…

Cardinal: Damn, I’m sorry. -Puts both hands to his face now, venting a sigh- She gets like that when I’m unable to defend myself. She IS my support unit, after all.

Drake: …

Drake: But why was she acting so aggressive against the medical team? She was fine with me.

Cardinal: Heh. Oh, if only you knew.

Drake: I don’t suppose it has something to do with why you were covered in oil stains and didn’t show any injuries?

Cardinal: …

[He was admittedly impressed.]

Cardinal: That’s… pretty observant of you.

Drake: Hey, I work with pointing out features of the stars for a living. You pick up a thing or two… especially when you have to keep an eye out for anyone trying to sneak food in to the planetarium.

[Cardinal chuckled at this, and then rummaged through his reserves. He pulled out a W-tank and popped it open.

There was a refreshing surge of energy that pumped him up, bringing the weapons up to full strength.]

Cardinal: Well, guilty as charged. I brought snacks in with me.

Drake: -Points- What’s in that stuff? Soda?

Cardinal: It’s… it’s a formula designed to work with someone of my specs. That’s really all I can say.

[He flipped back the blanket and swung his feet over the edge. Jazz looked up from her nap.]

Drake: What even happened in there? You’ll tell me that much before running off, right?

Cardinal: -Adjusts his scarf- Well, I do owe you one for staying with me. It’s… something I can’t really explain, but it was really important that the medics didn’t look me over too closely. If you kept them off my back… I really owe you one.

Drake: Let me guess. You’re a secret military project?

Cardinal: …

Drake: I saw the dog tags.

Cardinal: …Technically yes? I confirm or deny nothing, Mister Dawson.

[He went over to a window, looking out into the hallway.]

Cardinal: You know by now that I am pretty close to the Mighty Numbers. I know them personally. They’re… honestly my best friends.

[He looked down at his scarf with a sigh, staring at the dart pinned to it.]

Cardinal: I… knew that if you keep the central core intact, you can restore someone later. And that as a virus corrupts the core, it becomes harder to remove it.

Cardinal: -Tilts his head back, closing his eyes- It was easier with the Industrials that were in all the museums. I’ve… seen enough of war machines that it didn’t bother me too much, once the initial shock and dismay wore off at Liberty Memorial.

Cardinal: Fighting crazed Civilians was harder. Much harder. Most of them would run off, though, once they realized they were going to take a beating if they kept trying to attack. I couldn’t really let it get to me… and I still have to remind myself that it’s a price of war. I’m just… just one person, powerless to help against the virus.

Cardinal: -Almost bitterly- I’m… I’m not like Beck.

Drake: …

Cardinal: -Vents a sigh- But… if we all just gave up because we couldn’t save everybody, then nobody would bother to save anybody. I had to… do what I can. With what I have.

[He clenched a fist in determination.]

Cardinal: I have a directive to help the people first, Drake. So that’s what I did. And with the Arrowhead Stadium… that meant taking on Combat ‘bots.

[He crossed his arms, tapping a finger.]

Cardinal: We were a little late to the party. I’m going to hazard a guess that most of the Combat ‘bots that had been there turned on one another pretty quickly. And probably on infected Civvies, too. There was… a lot of Xel down there.

Drake: -Yuck-

Cardinal: The only ones left standing were a group called the “Prairie Kings”—

Drake: What?

Drake: You fought the Prairie Kings? Alone?

Cardinal: -Looks up- ? Oh, you know them?

Drake: Dude—they’re one of the highest ranking teams in the Midwest! With all that you know about KC, how can you not know them?

[Cardinal laughed a little at that.]

Drake: Seriously. Sometimes, you just really don’t make sense.

Cardinal: Well, to answer your question: yes, I did. It wasn’t exactly the easiest thing, though.

Drake: Well I’d imagine NOT! How are you even in one piece?

Cardinal: -Holds up fingers as he counts- There’s the formula I told you about. But I’m humble enough to admit that the fact they’d been fighting for a day or so by the time I got to them had something to do with it.

[He shook his head.]

Cardinal: They insisted on fighting to the dissolve. It wasn’t pleasant for either party involved; they would have been better off if I’d used the stronger weapons and put them out of their misery more quickly. I’m sure Shade would have preferred that, but… (I need to save those. I only brought one other W-tank.)

Drake: Holy [glitch], man. I can’t believed you reduced the entire team to their core state all by yourself. No wonder you got to know the Mighties personally…

Cardinal: -Weak smile- It’s a little more complicated than that. If you really want, maybe someday you could hear the whole story. It would be getting into a bunch of secrets you’d have to keep from literally everyone else you know… and that even if you did tell, no one would believe you. But if you wanted to…

Cardinal: Maybe. Until then… catch.

[He tossed his cell phone to Drake, who only just caught it.]

Drake: You’re giving me your phone? What if someone calls you?

Cardinal: No one’s going to bother until after Beck rescues Avi. And that’s when, not if… but hopefully next, that would be good.

Cardinal: When that happens, you’re gonna want to call the Mighty Numbers yourself.

Drake: Me?!

Cardinal: They’ll recognize the number and pick up the call pronto.

Drake: But—but why me?

Cardinal: You heard my last conversation with them. They’re going to trace the call’s location. I wouldn’t put it past the Doctors to try and teleport me out against my will, and I just can’t have that. I can’t let anyone jeopardize the mission.

Drake: But… what am I supposed to say?

Cardinal: Well, let them know I’m still in one piece, for starters. You might want to see if you can get Beck to come over and help purge the Kings and everyone else who was down in the sands. I’m sure they’re going to be getting requests like that from all over the country, but Beck might take the time to do it anyway as a favor to me.

Cardinal: I won’t tell him how to go about healing his siblings. (It should be pretty obvious they need to focus on Bat, anyway.) I trust him to have good judgment in the matter. Though… if they insist, my advice would be to focus on the dangers in the middle.

Cardinal: (I really hope they go after Avi next, or he’s going to wind up getting wrecked by the Air Force.)

Drake: …You keep going on about your “mission”. If you aren’t gonna say where you’re going… can you at least say what that is?

Cardinal: …

[His expression becomes grim.]

Cardinal: I need to find Countershade.

Drake: You’re going after Eight? I thought you were just exaggerating!

Cardinal: I can’t sit back as long as he’s still out there. I just can’t.

Drake: -Sighs- Why do I even bother? You’re crazy enough to go through with this no matter what I say.

Cardinal: You get points for effort, Drake. But yeah, I’m afraid this is where we part ways. Stay safe, alright?

Drake: …

Drake: …Try to come back alive, okay…? If you get wrecked out there when no one can trace your signal…

Cardinal: John 15:13, my friend. It’s a risk I knew I’d be taking. I’m willing to accept the price.

Cardinal: Not going to lie to you… my plan is stupid dangerous, but it’s the best chance I’ve got. The only way that could generate reliable leads… before it’s too late. I won’t promise that I’ll make it back.

Drake: …

Cardinal: …But I’ll make an effort. I’ll try.

Cardinal: If I’m still in one piece after Shade gets rescued—trust me, that stuff will probably be making headlines as soon as Avi snaps out of it—I’ll call my phone so we can arrange for me to come pick it up.

Cardinal: If not, well. -Bleak data despite a forced, brave smile- Consider it a memento?

Drake: …

Drake: Any other messages?

Cardinal: If the PKs get restored, tell them that it wasn’t their fault. That it was the parasite, not them. It still won’t be easy on them, but it’s something they need to hear. It’ll be easy for people to forget that, with the amount of damage this has caused. I’d be happy to meet them in the arena again someday—they put up a hell of a good fight, and really gave me a run for my money. But let them know next time, they won’t be taking me by surprise, heh…

Cardinal: Anyone else and you say you don’t really know me. I’m not really interested in solicitors.

Drake: -Holds out his hand- I’ll do my best.

[Cardinal clasped his hand in a firm shake.]

Cardinal: That’s all I’ve ever asked. It was an honor, Drake Dawson. You did the city proud with how much you’ve helped out over the last few days.

Cardinal: -Lets go so he can pick up Jazz and his shield- I hope we meet again someday. I really do.

[With that, he set his sights back to the heart of the city.]

Cardinal: Farewell.

Byuubyuubyuu…

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