=CHAPTER 9D: 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—>>

Goose: I TRAVEL THE W—

[Oh.

WELP—]

<FMN-006 has entered Sleep mode.>

[There was a loud WHONK as he crashed onto the floor of Shade’s room, snoozing LOUDLY, as only a plane with engines can.

Great. Now not only is he STILL making noise, he’s not awake enough to leave.]

((NJ, SHADE, BWAHAHA—))

😪 Goose —> Shade, re: Jingle Bells

[ VIII ] - “Nnngh, ya dang pun plane AH’M TRYIN’ T’ SLEEP–”Cue Shade aiming his rifle–and a second later a dart whizzes past Goose to lodge itself in the wall. Looks like Shade didn’t take so well to be awoken via bad Christmas caroling–“Next one’s goin’ right where the sun don’t shine if ya don’t shut up and GIT–”

=CHAPTER 7C: RUSH INTO THE MINE=

~AO v2.0~

((Courtesy of @codedhopes))

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

{Titus}

[It was early in the morning when Cardinal finally reached the destination he’d been looking for.]

Cardinal: This is it, then? You’re sure of it?

Scout: Rarf!

[After leaving Sanda Enterprises the day before, he had spent some time hiding in the streets. He’d taken refuge in an abandoned structure that was not quite stable, preferring to take the risk of structural collapse over the risk of being caught.

He was still on a mission, and he’d fight to the last rather than be taken off duty. He just couldn’t afford that, and he really didn’t want to have to pound any of his friends into submission for trying to “help”.

As he cooled down—literally and figuratively—from his encounter with Call, he was able to think more clearly and come up with a new plan.

He’d tried to find clues by searching Shade’s city. He’d walked all over town. He’d tried to search near Shade’s family: in his private retreat he called home. None of that had been helpful, which left him with only one option. The option he had always known, in the end, that it would come down to….]

Cardinal: -Somewhat darkly- (So this is what your other “office” looks like…)

[…to find the place where ”Radar” did his other work. ]

Cardinal: …

Cardinal: (I pray to GOD that this WORKS…!)

[He was truly miserable, feeling naught but despair.

Even with Graham beaten back, the threat of Monstropolis still wasn’t over. It had been narrowly avoided too many times already—he was certain that the destruction Avi and Bat could have caused would have tipped the scales over the edge of what would be forgiven.

Their manipulation of forces that targeted the general public had placed tens of thousands at risk, and would have had very high casualty reports if they’d been carried out to their fullest. And if that had come to pass, he knew that the military—which he always knew HAD to be alive and well, despite what the Mighties believed—would not just sit and watch.]

Cardinal: (I have to find you, Shade…)

[And if that held true for the other Mighty Numbers, it most certainly held true for Shade. Other robots might cause destruction on the scale of a single building, or even hold a massive monument hostage… but they were second rate when compared to the Teal Silence.

It was one thing to try and curtail the average fighter with a show of force.

It was quite another to go up against the world’s deadliest assassin.]

Cardinal: (…before they reduce your core to nothing but ashes…!)

[He couldn’t bear to see his mission fail in any form or another.

If he failed to find Shade in time, then the Mighty Number would only be found AFTER he had already caused massive damage. Maybe even casualties. If he failed, innocent lives would pay the price.

If he failed to stop Shade in time, then his best friend would be deemed a threat that was too great of a risk. There would be no mercy shown by those ordered to carry out the order with extreme prejudice. If he failed… then the price of justice would be the life of the man who was all but his brother.

He’d lose Shade forever, and no force in this world could ever bring him back.]

Baron: -Twittercheep!-

Cardinal: -Brought out of his thoughts- …

Cardinal: Good work, Scout.

[The happy Zigzagoon gave a yip and wagged his tail, looking more like a bristle brush than anything else. He seemed pleased to have been of use to his short master.]

Cardinal: -Crouches down- Now let’s see what we’re dealing with in here…

[Cardinal used SEARCH SNAKE!]

[He returned to his feet, taking a few steps back as the explosive camera slithered inside.]

Cardinal: (Come on…! Please let this be…!)

[There was a creepy skittering noise just before the feed suddenly cut out.]

Cardinal: !

[His face split into a grin.]

Cardinal: There’s someone inside!

[Hope. A mere flicker, less than a spark, but it was there nonetheless. There was still a chance.]

Cardinal: Finally…. We’re actually getting somewhere….

He held out his finger to invite Baron to come off his shoulder, allowing him to better look him in the eye.]

Cardinal: This is going to be it, guys. I’m going in.

Scout: Rarf! -Eagerly runs around in a circle, battllllllllllle-

Cardinal: Sorry, Scout. But this will be too much for the both of you, I’m afraid.

Scout: —rrrrr?

The Zig merely tilted his head in confusion, but Baron puffed up in indignation before taking alight and flapping his wings in Cardinal’s face.]

Baron: -We are a battle beast, excuse— -

Cardinal: Heh. Think you can take on a den of assassins, do you?

[The bird gave a fiery huff before landing on the ground and strutting haughtily, beak in the air.

Cardinal smiled sadly, reminded of gentler days when hope was young.]

Cardinal: I guess they’re right in what they say… you really ARE a bird version of me…

Cardinal: -Of course, that’s why I chose you, in the first place-

[He shook his head.]

Cardinal: Neither of you have enough levels to take this challenge on. I’m sorry, but you’ll have to stay behind.

Scout: -Whine of protest-

Cardinal: I know, I know… but there’s more to it than just that. It’s really cramped in there. When things start going south…

Cardinal: I don’t want to have to worry about trying not to hit you. Because that’s probably something that would happen.

Cardinal: So. I’m going to need the both of you to stay behind. Stay out of sight. And…

[He hesitated, not really all too eager to think on the matter he was about to bring up. But given the circumstances… he didn’t have much of a choice.]

Cardinal: …if there’s a big explosion…

[He turned to look away.

This was going to be dangerous. Almost certainly more dangerous than his last battle, but probably more so. The chances of him not making it…

…They were not something that could be ignored.]

Cardinal: -CLEARLY unhappy-

Scout: -Wha— why are you sad all of a sudden??-

Scout: -Whiiiine, no don’t be saaad—here have some kisses on your hand–

[Cardinal sighed and gave the thieving ‘coon some scritches.]

Cardinal: …Well, if that happens, then just get out of there and head to Sanda Enterprises. Just… just do it, okay?

Scout: D: > -Whiiiiiiine, no, we can't leave short master behind— -

Cardinal: …Scout… -Sighs, putting a hand to his face-

Scout: -Will Dig out if needed, not leaving behind--

Scout: -Sits stubbornly- -Whiiiine-

Cardinal: (No! I—!)

Cardinal: (I can't let you be the one to find out…!)

Cardinal: -Struggles to come up with a plausible lie- You…

Cardinal: …you'll probably… probably want help from Mic. Or Digger or something.

Cardinal: (If he could somehow communicate what had happened, I'm sure Diggs would know that I'm gone…)

Cardinal: So just. Go home, if that happens. Okay? Both of you.

Scout: -Whiiiiiiine...-

[Scout STILL seemed very sad and displeased at the command, but in the end, he gave a sad 'Borf' of confirmation.]

Scout: -Rarf.-

Baron: -Huff- -Puffs up into a borb, shrinking down in on himself to indicate he'd stay put… for now.-

Cardinal: Good. Thank you.

[He returns his attention to the entrance.]

Cardinal: All my efforts have led me here. I always knew in my heart it would come down to this….

[There was a mechanical whine as his blaster began priming for a charged shot.]

Cardinal: Time to end this.

<DLN-000 has entered Lethal Combat mode.>

Cardinal: -Rushes through the door-

[He stood ready for the first obstacle—the Search Snake hadn't made it very far inside, after all, before—]

[SSSSPPPT!]

[There's a shot of sticky strings that shoot out from one shadowy corner of the ceiling—a humanoid spider bot with beady, sickly, magenta eyes, fangs glinting in the low lighting. She has many legs to move around with—but the strings seem to come from her fingertips.]

Arachnia: -Mine—!-

Cardinal: !!

Arachnia: Stupid fly, walking into our web—

[She YANKS at where she had aimed, which propels her in a savage POUNCE for Cardinal himself—]

Arachnia: MINE—!

Cardinal: Not likely—!

BLAM!

[He aimed right for the abdomen, releasing the charged shot that had been building up the whole time!]

Arachnia: -SCREECH—-

[She skids away across the room, her many legs failing to find perchance in anything as she flails in pain where she landed—]

[He began preparing another charged shot, but this time, it appeared as a flaming orb.]

Cardinal: -Eyes taking on a more nasty red color, almost visible behind his visor-

Cardinal: You know what the only way to be sure is when exterminating pests?

Cardinal: TO KILL IT WITH FIRE!

[Cardinal used ATOMIC FIRE!]

[The spider assassin SCREAMS in agony, flailing harder as the fire spread to the area around her, and desperately rolls put it out. There's movement from somewhere deeper in the den, and—]

[BANG BANG—!]

[Shots expertly fired from the main room up ahead, although these are merely standard bullets.]

[KTING! KTEOW!]

[The shots bounced harmlessly off of Cardinal's shield, and he openly blared his thoughts on the source: unamused, and very unimpressed.]

Cardinal: You PUNKS! What is this, amateur hour?!

[He fires a non-charged blast of Atomic Fire right down the hallway before charging for the source, shield-first.]

[The temperature in here was quickly rising—]

"HISSSSS—"

Cardinal: ?!

[He couldn't FEEL that specific signal, but if he had turned off his transceiver…]

Cardinal: Viper, I swear that IF THAT IS /YOU/—

"Stop STRUGGLING."

[Coils of something long and slim circled fast near the First, a hooded figure rising rapidly with venom dripping fangs not unlike the spider bot before her.]

Tanith: I HATE men that only spout nonsense!

Tanith: DIE!

[Okay. Not QUITE what Cardinal had expected. Being crushed to death by a fetching snake woman had not been on his list of things he anticipated with dealing with that day.]

Tenith: -Hissss— -

[Panels that looked like her hair at first extended outward, giving her the appearance of a cobra hood. She sashayed from left to right, before LUNGING for his neck—]

[Cardinal used LEAF SHIELD!]

[A swirling cloud of ceratanium death enveloped them both, originating from within the coils. It was like a rain of daggers and shrapnel, carried upon violent winds.

Rather than getting a mouthful of his cabling and wires, she ended up getting her mouth impaled with such force that it effectively was like hitting a solid wall. That was on top of the dozens and dozens of cuts all along the underside of her lower half that had been coiled around her prey.]

[BWIP!]

[To add insult to injury, the short intruder was suddenly gone, causing her to fall into a heap when that solid support was no longer there.]

Cardinal: I’ll give you this, /Lady/…

[Since when was he several feet back near where he’d started from?]

Cardinal: Unlike my brother, at least you’re no COWARD!

[Cardinal used NEEDLE CANNON!]

THOOM! THOOM! THOOM!

[The Needle Cannon made a deep booming noise, firing at a relatively slow rate compared to a normal plasma blast. It was still fast enough, especially with the first impalement pinning her into place.]

Tanith: NHAAAAAA—!

[Her tail wildly destroyed the environment around her as she wailed, trying to yank the needle out of her--but it was far too wedged into the concrete.]

[—?]

[...Why was her tail going through the wall?]

Cardinal: (Hologram? Ugh, Xel technology must be so advanced for me not to notice!)

[He huffed and turned his back to her, pinging for Jazz to come on inside.]

Cardinal: (Whatever. I don't have time for…)

Bzzzzzzz…

Cardinal: …?

[He quickly brought up another Leaf Shield, trying to identify where he’d heard that noise before. It wasn’t long before he found out.]

BZZZZZZZZZ!!

[A swarm of wasp-like drones zoomed into view, bearing down on him with surprising speed. Most of the swarm got shredded up by the shield, but there were still dozens left over. Dozens that tore into him mercilessly, clearly meant for the kill.

The stings, however, had no effect. Most did not even manage to get past his armor. The few that went for his neck and audio cables merely caused small puncture wounds that were very cheap to heal over. He could tell by the chemical analysis that there was some sort of toxin in them: something lethal to Xelbots (and maybe also humans), no doubt. But on him, it had no effect at all. No effect except to make him annoyed, that is.]

Cardinal: (Ugh, what a bunch of pests…)

[While they didn’t really cause any major damage, they were a distraction that he didn’t particularly care for. And not necessarily one easy to get rid of, either. If he were in a more casual setting, he would have admired the genius of it; using a swarm of unassuming, small, fast moving, hard to hit, toxic drones may or may not be as effective in the arena against bulky opponents like Mic, but they would be terrifyingly effective against the average civilian, human or Xelbot.

Sadly, he didn’t have the time or inclination to make an a deep analysis of the situation.]

<DLN-000 to CSU-001>: > JAZZ—!

<DLN-000 to CSU-001>: > Time to shine!

[He teleported out of the swarm of wasps, leaving them a prone and concentrated target. His (ultimately) faithful support unit came charging down the hallway.]

Jazz: HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHSSSSSSS…!

[There was a brief clicking noise, followed by a stream of fire. The drones got burnt into a crisp.]

<DLN-000 to CSU-001>: >Well done, Jazz!

<DLN-000 to CSU-001>: > Now let’s go say hello!

[The two of them ran down the open hallway. More shots were fired, prompting him to bring up the shield again.]

Cardinal: (This is very odd. Shade had his own ROOM rigged with traps. But other than the false wall, I haven’t run into a single one so—)

SHUNK!

[As Cardinal entered into the main room, a solid square foot of wicked looking spikes shot up through the floor with such force that they would have impaled a lesser man. They crackled with strange energy that seemed to try and shake him to the core, sending a wave of odd sensation all through his body. It was as if it were trying to thrash him on a much smaller level, until he flew apart into a pile of pieces, but it wasn’t even close to working on him. Thanks to his armor, he didn’t get impaled, either…]

Cardinal: Woah—!

[But it WAS enough of a sudden change in his footing to cause him to stumble and nearly lose his balance.

As it turned out…]

BZZZZZZZ BANG BANG BANG—

[That was all the time that the assassins needed.]

Cardinal: -More out of annoyance than anything else- Gah!

[With the shots coming in from a corner rather than head on, he took some minor damage from the bullets. The stings were even less effective, though the cloud of insect signals was making it harder to focus on the other signals in the background. The room was starting to grow even hotter…]

Cardinal: -Starts charging his blaster- (Not THIS again—)

[Before he could even finish that line of thinking, there was a static-riddled roar, sounding almost like the rage of the ocean. There was a blast of cold air and a strong force that pushed him back, causing him to trip backwards over the spikes.]

Cardinal: -Oof— -

[Just as he was getting to his feet again, still under fire, there was a loud grinding noise to his right. He became alarmed as he heard the noise of loud and heavy footsteps bearing crashing down in his direction.]

Cardinal: !!!

[He turned and shielded just in time to prevent a large and heavy sword from slamming into him.]

[It was at this point that he noticed his blaster had been frozen over.]

Cardinal: Glitch!

[He didn’t think on it long, instead switching to something that didn’t require use of a blaster to work.]

[Cardinal used SUPER ARM!]

WHAM!

[He turned and hit the knight so hard that he was sent soaring across the room and slamming into the wall… which was dislodged by the application of force and spun around, continuing the knight’s path into the wall on the side of the other room, too.]

Cardinal: (Secret passages? Of COURSE there would—)

[He was slammed to the ground from the left.]

Cardinal: !!! -Brings up Leaf Shield-

[Once again, his attacker got nothing but a mouthful of leaves for their trouble—though THIS time, the opponent in question appeared to be a massively buff, anthropomorphic shark.]

Riptide: -Gives off a staticky ROAR again-

<DLN-000 to CSU-001>: > STALL FOR ME!

[Cardinal used SKULL BARRIER!]

HHHHHHHHSSSSSSSS CLICK FOOOOOOOOOOSH—

[Both of them were blasted by fire, though Cardinal was unaffected by it. Riptide gave glitched roars of pain, lashing out at Cardinal in a frenzy. Cardinal responded by using a self-defense move carried out to flip off an attacker that was on top of you—]

Cardinal: -Shatters the half-melted ice against the spikes-

[—and then tossing the marine predator across the room, slamming him into the marksman that had been pestering him the whole time.]

???: -Muffled cursing-

[He smirked to see that the marksman wasn’t strong enough to move his massive coworker, though he didn’t have long to gloat on it.]

BZZZZZZ…

[He was swarmed again, his time by a cloud so thick that he couldn’t even see—though he had seen enough in the split second to find out where they were all coming from. There was an unassuming, gardener looking fellow standing in the hallway opposite the entrance, looking very out of place in a den of ruthless killers and spies.

But then again—just as with the unassuming nature of their weapon of choice—that’s probably what made them so successful, wasn’t it?]

Cardinal: Buzz off!

[Cardinal used FIRE STORM!]

[He dropped the Skull Barrier for the time being, becoming engulfed by a protective shield of flames. This also fired a sizable fire charge in front of him, roaring across the room to blast the unfortunate nature assassin in the face.]

Vera: -SCREEEE, PAAAIIINNNN— -

[He could hear her running off—likely to go out some secret exit that led around to the holographic wall from earlier—but he didn’t care at this juncture. All the battle, the frustration, the annoying fights— it was starting to feed into an aggressive frenzy of his own.

He may not be infected with a virus that corrupted his free will, but he was damn well cursed with the sin of Wrath, especially when worked up into such a state.]

Cardinal: I’m GOING TO GET INFORMATION TONIGHT! I won’t stop until I do!

Cardinal: If you know what’s good for you, you will TELL ME ABOUT RADAR!

[His eyes were becoming a deeper red in rage, the heat starting to become quite uncomfortable.]

Cardinal: Someone will talk, and I don't care who—even if I have to BEAT you within an INCH OF YOUR LIFE!

[He was hit square-on with a blast of ice, which melted upon contact with the Fire Storm. The water did put his shield out, however, leaving him back to normal again.

This minor setback was nothing compared to the searing beam that followed.]

"Radar is LONG gone, Mr. Light."

Cardinal: -Pain-

[He suffered under the intensity of the scorching light, the likes of which he could only remember fragments of—the smallest snippets of memory of his life as a newon, in decades long past.

The searing of the mechanism that had branded his serial into his shoulder, leaving it neatly engraved.]

Cardinal: -It burns-

[Light seems to shine from the construct who's voice was as perfect as her appearance—one is lead to think that she had chosen this time to shine so brightly, as there was no indicator that she was even there.]

Diamond: -Grabs one of her prism floating near her, still smoking-

Diamond: You're almost too pitiful to even think about. Did you really think Radar would come back here?

Diamond: If he did, the lot of us would be Xel stains on the floor.

Cardinal: Nnn…

Cardinal: Who are you?

Diamond: -Gives a look-

Diamond: Really.

Diamond: ...Well, I suppose he wouldn't have mentioned my name, even in passing...

Cardinal: …

Cardinal: …!!

[Wait.

Those prisms.

They almost looked like… diamonds…]

>1 CROSS REFERENCE IDENTIFIED

[It led to nothing but a blank file. Nothing but a name, one mentioned months ago in passing.]

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

“Don't wanna ruin this lil tour here for ya, so I'll chime ahead to Diamond and tell her you'll be there tonight. Could really use your help.”

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

Cardinal: Sh-Shade’s boss…?

[Her lips curl into a cruel smile.]

Diamond: Oh, so he did? I wonder, how much he actually told you…

Diamond: Given that you two are so close, despite circumstances.

Diamond: -Tch- Stupid cowboy can't keep his mouth shut, huh.

Diamond: Idiot.

[This insult might as well have been aimed at him instead, for the effect it had on Cardinal. He felt a burning need to defend Shade’s honor, even with the situation being what it was.]

Cardinal: -Annoyance data, speaking aloud now- No!

Cardinal: Bladeblaster was the moron who opened his mouth!

Diamond: Him? He was always a troublesome little flaw…

Diamond: Absolutely obsessed with the Mighty Numbers ever since he ditched us for whoever had offered him that new leader position.

Diamond: Good...

Cardinal: —?

[Three of the floating prisms suddenly make a triangle formation, and—]

Diamond: RIDDANCE!

Cardinal: !

[He brings his shield out in front of him out of instinct.]

[Another searing laser shoots out of the prisms, and Diamond herself seems to—fade?, No, wait, it was the LIGHT around her that was fading—]

[Cardinal was not amused to be fighting another invisible opponent.]

Cardinal: Are you kidding me?!

Diamond: Thanks for the bonfires, Cardinal Light.

Diamond: Plenty for me to work with.

Cardinal: (I was WONDERING what sort of things his BOSS would be capable of…)

Cardinal: (But if she's his boss… that means she knows what I need!)

Diamond: -Snaps fingers, making a perfect ringing tone- Riptide.

Diamond: Tear him apart.

[Riptide laughed at this before charging across the room. Somewhat to his surprise, Cardinal responded by charging forward, himself.

While Riptide leaped at him, Cardinal dropped down to a slide, using his shield to vault the shark over him. Jazz snarled and leaped onto the shark, digging into him with claws and teeth.

This placed Cardinal right at the edge of the room, next to the marksman.]

BANG!

[There was a slight chipping and shattering noise as Cardinal's visor crumbled where it had been shot. Cardinal growled.]

Cardinal: I've had enough of you!

[Cardinal used ICE SLASHER!]

[Six rounds of ice blasts were fired off in extremely rapid succession.

Any soul unfortunate enough to get caught by such arrows found themselves impaled by blades of ice -200ºF.

The marksman was abruptly rendered inactive, the cold that seeped throughout his body making it too hard to breathe, let alone to fire.]

Cardinal: -Hmph-

WHAM!

[He turned his attention to Riptide, who was trying to pull Jazz off of him. When that hadn't worked, he'd tried ramming her against a wall. She was more nimble than that, and had landed on top of his head.]

Cardinal: (She seems to be doing fine, but where is—)

[BSSSSS—!]

[Pain, searing pain, another beam of searing LIGHT had hit him square on his back—]

Cardinal: -OW-

Diamond: Sturdy thing for someone that's not even Xel.

Cardinal: (How much does she KNOW?)

[He vaguely knew that he'd already survived things that would have more than disabled a Xelbot in the past few minutes in the den, but still—]

Cardinal: Yeah, that's the general idea!

Diamond: No Xel signal, no previous data—I thought something seemed wrong when he pulled some favors...

Cardinal: (That's it, keep talking…)

Diamond: And look where THAT brought you.

Diamond: Looking for the second highest kill count in CAL behind me.

Diamond: But that's not gonna stop you, isn't it?

[Cardinal didn't answer right away, instead firing in the direction of the sound: this time, using two Power Capsules at once.]

[Cardinal used METAL BLADE! Cardinal used THUNDER BEAM!]

Diamond: -HNK—!-

[The Metal Blades were avoided, but she wasn't fast enough to dodge the lighting—she was thrown back enough to hit the wall and convulses for a moment from the volts of electricity wracking her frame.]

Cardinal: -Eyes starting to creep into a full green- (Ha! Not impervious!)

Diamond: You....

[Her head is low, but the aura she's emitting suddenly flares, and several virus alarms once again silently blare in response.

When she raises her head, it's jerky and unnatural.

Her once golden hues are now a sickly mixture of a chilling, icy blue and an all too familiar magenta.]

Cardinal: (What the hell…? The Prairie Kings weren't like this…)

Diamond?: Go home, Songbird.

Diamond?: This burning world has nothing to do with you anymore.

Cardinal: !!!

[Her voice isn't... it's not just hers...]

Diamond?: This isn't your FIGHT.

Cardinal: Seeing as I'm here fighting right now, that appears not to be the case!

[He began cracking with electricity again.]

Cardinal: There are only three things that happen now! Either I go home once he's there, I bring him back myself, or I die trying!

Cardinal: There are no other options!

[Diamond—or whatever was controlling her now—seemed very tired at that sentence, which bled away into annoyance.]

Diamond?: Moron. Then D I E.

[She raises her arm again, and another beam fires at Cardinal. By the end of the attack, her aura dies down, and Diamond seems to not have noticed what just had occurred, herself.]

Diamond: They don't call Radar a ghost for nothing!

Cardinal: …

[He decided to shake it off, focusing on the present.]

Cardinal: Even ghosts must materialize somewhere eventually!

Cardinal: You’re the one who has the answers, Diamond!

Cardinal: ANSWERS I NEED!

[Cardinal used THUNDER BEAM!]

Diamond: -HN—-

Diamond: CINDERUS! Check him!

Diamond: Riptide, for Xel's sake, I told you to TEAR HIM APART!

Diamond: SOMEBODY KILL THAT MAN ALREADY!

[There was a large crash and Cardinal had to whirl around to face the knight that was bearing down on him. Meanwhile—spurned on, perhaps, by the fear of the boss—Riptide finally threw Jazz off of him and rushed from the other direction.

Cardinal was clearly caught between the hammer and the anvil—]

[BWIP!]

[He teleported across the room, causing Riptide to fall over. Cinderus dodged to the side, jumping over him quite easily.]

Jazz: RRRRRRRRREEEEEEERRRRRRRRRRNNNNGGGHHHHH…

Jazz: HHHHHHHHSSSSSSS…

[Click FOOOOOOOOSH]

[This time, she set the floor on fire as well.]

Bareeeeeeeep! Bareeeeeeep!

[Fire alarms starting going off, followed by the sprinkler system. The water was black from being dirty, as was prone to happen with sprinklers.]

Cardinal: Game's over, Cinders!

[He was not about to let this drag out any longer in such a way than he had to. When his two opponents turned to rush at him again, this time he stood his ground.]

Cardinal: CHECKMATE!

[Cardinal used METAL BLADE!]

[He absolutely spammed the attack, deadly saw blades spinning through the air. They went right into the armor, which was nothing compared to what they did to Riptide's face. The shark roared in pain, starting to gush infected Xel.]

Diamond: —!!

Diamond: Glitch—

[One of them nicked her legs, and another her arms—which only enraged her further.]

Diamond: You ruined me—

Diamond: I'm going to BURY you so deep NO ONE will EVER find you!

[DOZENS of her prisms suddenly materialize, the room becoming ever darker by the second. Diamond was hard to see, but one could still make out her outline.]

Cardinal: You wouldn't be the first to TRY—

[Cinderus let out a battle cry and rushed at him, forcing him to turn his attention elsewhere.]

Cardinal: !

[He pivoted to the side, but the black knight was quick on his feet. He, too, stepped in turn, bearing his sword down on Cardinal's shield. Cardinal shoved him off, doing a backflip to give himself a bit of distance.]

[Cardinal used NEEDLE CANNON!]

[The attack served as a lance, piercing the knight right in the shoulder. By now, the room was so dark that Cardinal had switched over to night vision.]

[BSSSST—]

[There was a priming noise—and then a blast of blinding light—!] Cardinal: -PAIN— -

>WARNING! INTERNAL TEMPERATURE HAS EXCEEDED SAFE LEVELS!

[He couldn't see anything. Not anymore. His visual receptors had been overflooded. All he could feel right now was the baking heat of his core, roasting away at his insides.]

Cardinal: -Hot, too hot to move-

Diamond: Gnh…

Diamond: Took us long enough, damnit…

Diamond: You're beyond stupid to even THINK about coming here and coming out alive.

Diamond: -Prism in hand, pointing right at Cardinal's face—-

Cardinal: Hhhh…

[Was this to be the end? He was too hot to teleport safely. And he didn’t want to.]

Cardinal: -Coughs on the heat-

[He wasn’t sure whether the next blast would prove fatal. He was strong, but his body was old… and she was powerful, and exacerbating his weakness.

But there was one thing certain.

If Diamond truly dealt a killing blow…]

Cardinal: Say your goodbyes too, then, Diamond…

[…They’d both be vaporized in the ensuing explosion.]

Diamond: Please.

Diamond: Why do you think they formed CAL in the first place?

[There was a priming noise, and Cardinal gave an aggravated sigh as he stared at the prism.]

Diamond: For the bots too dangerous, too volatile, too much for anyone out there!

Cardinal: (I can move quickly—my shield—)

Diamond: They send us into the dark to take care of problems they've lost the NERVE for.

Cardinal: (But not at the speed of LIGHT…)

Diamond: Because they're all too scared to clean up their own me—

[SHNK!]

Diamond: GHAAAAAAAAAAAAA—!

Cardinal: —?!

[That hadn't been him. And it sure wasn't Jazz.]

[The assassin leader SCREAMED as Xel ran down her face, from the metal arrow that had found it's mark—right in her eye.]

"Score!"

Cardinal: -Vents enough heat to turn around somewhat quickly- ?

[SHNK—]

Cardinal: AUGH!

[Maybe moving in the process was a bad idea.]

[Out from the shadows, the first thing one would see is two glowing, yellow eyes. A wolf's head...]

((Pic—Howlstriker))

[—But as the new construct quickly came into view, it was merely a very convincing headdress. A young woman with facepaint and many feathers, beads, and such on her person, grinning with cheerful glee as she aimed a longbow at Diamond.]

???: Hi, boss!

Diamond: Howlstriker—!

[SHNK—]

[Another arrow flew through the air, catching Diamond off guard as it dug into her shoulder.]

Howl: -Drawing another arrow- Ha, I've always wanted to do this.

Diamond: You—You stupid mutt—

Howl: Wooow, I'm so offended.

[SHNK—!]

Jazz: RRRROOOOOOOWWRRRR!

[Cardinal winced as he used Super Arm to pull the arrow out of his shoulder, where it had impaled him. Oil and coolant flowed out onto his armor, and crackling and other noises from broken mechanics could be faintly heard.]

Cardinal: (No—! I NEED HER ALIVE TO TALK—!)

[As the last arrow struck Diamond in her abdomen, Howlstriker's wolf ears twitched at the faint crackling from Cardinal. She turns.]

Howl: ...

Howl: O.O

Howl: .....coooool.....

[As they were talking, the wound was glowing with a white light. Frayed wires were wrapping back together, bent fan blades straightening back into shape, punctured plating sealing over.

Within mere moments, the damage was undone completely.]

Howl: O . O !!

Howl: -GAAAASP-

Howl: You!

Howl: You you you, I found you—

[Cardinal was alarmed at this.]

Cardinal: (She's been HUNTING me?!)

Howl: : D!! You made me go in a big huge circle! Usually, I'd be mad, but you're too good.

Diamond: Gh....

[Cinderus moves from where he had fallen—]

[SHNK—!]

[—Only to fall unconscious once Howl fires another arrow at his hip.]

Howl: -Sniff sniff- You smell like barbecue. C:

Cardinal: —… (Augh, she must be like Jazz…)

[Spending several days in Kansas City without washing his scarf had undoubtedly led to it getting infused with scents from the local culture.]

Howl: -Takes a step forward--

Cardinal: -Shifts his arm back into a blaster- Stay back, hunter!

Howl: —?

Howl: -Whiiiiines- Awwww...

Howl: I was only trying to help? Was it because I shot you?

Howl: I mean, in my defense, you kinda got in the way, dumbass. : /

Cardinal: I have enough hunters looking for the prize as it is!

Howl: ....

Howl: -Aaaand it clicks- Oooooooh....

Howl: -Laughs- Oh my gaaaawwwd, you're funny—

Howl: If I wanted you dead, I would've tried harder, duuuuh.

Cardinal: Not if you wanted to toy with me first!

Diamond: Howl...

Howl: -Ignores- Nah, wolves don't do that.

Cardinal: Not NORMALLY, anyway…

Howl: Come oooooon, I'm not crazy like everyone else—I was taking a nap when everyone went insane.

Howl: Which I don't mind! : D I never liked anyone down here anyway!

Howl: Especially Refractor, maaaan that felt good.

Diamond: -Grumbles of protest-

Cardinal: (She… she's not sick? But…)

Cardinal: (But if she touched the Xel—)

Cardinal: (She has to get out of here, it's not safe— but I still need—!)

Cardinal: Howlstriker, was it?

Howl: Yuuup. c:

Howl: That's my name, don't wear it out.~ -Wink-

Cardinal: I need data. I need to find Radar—!

Howl: Radar...?

[It takes her a moment to think, crossing her arms and then--]

Howl: Diamoooond, I forget, who's Radar again?

Diamond: -Coughs- Are you kidding me, he's talking about Bullseye—

Howl: OH, okay—

Howl: Sorry, that guy has, like, a bajillon different names—

Cardinal: I need to know what sort of access he had to top-secret information and restricted entry in matters of national security!

Howl: Uuuuh.

Howl: -Thinks again-

Howl: ...I guess since everything is pretty much borked right now, I guess I could tell you...

Diamond: You will do no such—

[SHNK—! Another arrow to her leg.]

Diamond: -NNH—-

Howl: Well...

Howl: Bullesye, Radar, I dunno, I'm just gonna call him Shade, he's pretty much the favor guy.

Cardinal: (The… huh?)

Howl: You need something done, Shade can get it for ya.

Howl: Like, every single time.

Howl: Papers, info, stuff that ya don't have clearance for?

Howl: Shade got it all cuz he has access to it. Kinda like how Diamond does?

Diamond: You useless blabbermouth—!

Howl: -Yet again ignores- I haven't seen him have any trouble with clearance or anything like that.

Howl: He's great! : D I like him.

Cardinal: He… he really is, but… Augh…

[He started pacing a bit.]

Jazz: Ree-ow.

Cardinal: (I'd… really hoped that learning these things would narrow it down for me, would give me a clue…)

[Jazz came over to sniff at Howlstriker, flicking her tail as her master paced around.]

Howl: Kitty! :D

Jazz: -Prrrr-

Howl: Oh gosh I love cats—

Cardinal: (Come on, Cardinal, THINK…. He could be ANYWHERE…)

Diamond: -Nnnh...- -Fading in and out of consciousness, why this-

Cardinal: (What did the virus do to you, Shade?)

Cardinal: (What would it do with someone who can go just about…)

Howl: -Scritches for them- Hey, so, you're looking for him?

Cardinal: Need, need to find him…

Cardinal: Need to find him before the—

Cardinal: —!!!

Howl: o.o?

[There was a painful SCREEEEEEEEE noise from his fans grinding in alarm.]

Howl: -Ooow ears—-

Cardinal: OH GOD, SHADE—

Howl: ???

[He needed to find him before the feds did, before they turned him to cinders…

But if Shade got to THEM first… ]

Cardinal: Howlstriker you need to leave it's not safe you'll get sick dunno if Beck should know where this is there's no time to debate JAZZ WE'RE GETTING OUT OF HERE—

Howl: Huh—

Howl: Sloooow down, you're talkin' way too fast—

[He grabbed his cat, prompting her to turn into her Civvie form so she could be carried. Cardinal was blaring data that screamed alarm and near panic.]

Cardinal: Can't tell them 'til I'm sure, too early in the morning, they'd take me away—

[He was already halfway down the hall at this point.]

Howl: Hey wait I want answers, HEEEEY—

[Howl gave pursuit, leaving Diamond to bleed there along with the rest of the constructs in the assassin den.]

Cardinal: DON'T HAVE TIME, NEED TO LEAVE—

Cardinal: HE'S HEADED FOR THE WHITE HOUSE!

Howl: Wha—RADAR?

Howl: -But that doesn't make sense, when everyone went crazy we all went after targets we were already assigned to, unless—-

Howl: ...unless someone else gave him a...?

Howl: -...Oh, oh that ain't good—-

[He didn't bother keeping quiet as he exited back into the dark pre-sunrise air.]

Cardinal: SCOUT! BARON! WE'RE LEAVING!

Scout: RARF—

Howl: —??? -Dog bark but that's a raccoon—-

Baron: -Flies over to sit on Cardinal's shoulder-

[Cardinal used PROTO JET!]

[A windsurfer that looked a great deal like his shield appeared. This one was larger than normal, set to accommodate several additional little passengers.]

Cardinal: -Scoops up Scout- Bye, Howlstriker. Give my regards to Sanda Enterprises if I don't return!

Howl: D:>??? -I'M STILL SO CONFUSED-

Howl: WHAT EVEN ARE YOU, THOUGH—

Howl: HEEEEEY—

Cardinal: Ask Brand or something if I don't make it back! I'll explain it myself someday if I do!

Howl: BUT—

[With that, he took off to the skies.]

Howl: I looked for days and you just fly away—

Howl: D |< What kind of chase was that?! Uuuuugh...

Howl: ....

Howl: (...Didn't he say something about Sanda Enterprises?)

Cardinal: -Calls out- Hopefully one with a happy ending! Sorry, gotta jet!

[He took a sharp turn just out of sight, but when one followed him around the corner… he was gone.]

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

{Washington D.C.}

[Cardinal kept an impressive degree of balance as he took out an E-tank and a W-tank, downing them one at a time as they raced through the wind. He would need all his energy in the upcoming fight.

He was glad for the company, here at the end of his journey—and now, Baron would be crucial to communication, should his guess prove right.

He honestly wasn’t sure what he hoped for more, or dreaded worse… that he might have guessed wrong (and thus traveled all that way for nothing, with Shade still at large…)

…or that he would have guessed right, and things were about to get so much /worse./

A soft whine reminded him that he wasn’t the only one worried about the matter.]

Cardinal: We’ll be there soon, Scout. …Baron, you know what to do.

[ALMOST THERE.

He had to make it, he had to— he was going as fast as he possibly could, now was the time—]

Cardinal: (Hang in there, Shade…)

[From this height, he could see a few of the numerous iconic buildings and structures that served as blatant landmarks for his destination.]

Cardinal: I will stop you!

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

=CHAPTER 5A: DESOLATE HIGHWAY=

~AO v1.0~

(Courtesy of @limitbreakers)

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

[SANDA LABS...]

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

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

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

Beck: Hey, buddy...

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

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

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

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

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

Beck: ......

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[Panic. Sheer panic. Terror. Trapped.]

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

[A loud click noise.]

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

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

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

Beck: -Sighs-

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

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

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

[For another...]

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

[XEL OVERRIDE INITIATED.]

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

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

[What in the WORLD was that...?

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

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

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

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

[Was this something more?]

Beck: Ugh...

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

[Still.]

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

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

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

Beck: ...-Sigh-

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

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

Beck: Thanks...

Beck: .....

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

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

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

Beck: Heh...

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

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

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

Beck: Buddy it is, then!

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

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

[CDN.502] //: -PING-

[...COMMAND CONFIRMED.]

Beck: ...!

[CDN.502 IS NOW IN SLEEP MODE.]

Beck: ....

Beck: Okaaaaay...

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

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

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

[LATER, UPSTAIRS...]

[PING!]

[CALL] //: Xel Assimilation Data ready for analysis, Professor.

[DR.WHITE] //: Hm—Oh, thank heavens. Send that over to my terminal while I work with Mikhail—and continue scanning for the other Mighties, please.

[CALL] //: Right away, Doctor.

<MC005>: >I should love to look at that data at some point. I’ve never really gotten any readings for when someone with Universal Adaptability uses a new Power Capsule for the first time…. Are you getting any cross references popping up right now?

[CALL] //: None, Dr. Cossack.

White: (Thank goodness...)

[CALL] //: The samples from Mighty Numbers 1, 2, 3, and 6 do not seem to show any similarities aside from causing extreme changes in behavior and the urge to cause destruction.

[CALL] //: I have yet to have found any logical pattern in the virus code. I apologize.

[DR.WHITE] //: No, no, Call—you've done so much for us. If it wasn't for you, finding my sons and daughters would be much more difficult.

[DR.WHITE] //: ...Thank you.

<MC005>: >I’m sorry that I couldn’t give much more to your assessment of the virus, my friends—I got rather sidetracked sorting out Tobias’s new coding instead. -Sighs-

Mikhail: (…) -Clearly uncomfortable about something-

White: ....

White: Mikhail?

Mikhail: -Looks up- Mmm? Sorry—did I miss something?

White: ....

White: Er, nothing...

[CALL] //: ....

[DR.WHITE] //: Call, has Beck finished with self-repair?

[CALL] //: Yes. He informed me he was going to check on the condition of the Round Digger model downstairs.

[DR.WHITE] //: That was a while ago, though...

[Mikhail had to smile a little.]

Mikhail: My older son was very disappointed to be left behind, once he heard about your oversized industrial drill-puppy.

White: Ah...I can imagine...

White: -mutters- I still don't know how he got down here in the first place, but he IS a demolition model...

White: I have absolutely no idea what we're going to do with him... (He's a CDN model, there is a VERY good chance we'll have to...return him.)

Mikhail: What do you mean?

White: Round Diggers are mass produced industrial models made for demolition work, mainly in construction.

White: ...Made by CherryDyn.

White: From the data we received from Beck, it's Model Number 502 of it's make, one of the older kinds. They're built to last for heavy duty work, quite sturdy.

[Mikhail blinked and raised an eyebrow at this. After a moment, he frowned, placed his hands behind his back, and turned to face one of the computer screens.]

Mikhail: …Mmm. -Seems to be thinking how to word what’s on his mind-

Mikhail: I can’t help but be drawn into my own field of “cross-references,” as it were. CherryDyn in general has been on my mind lately, for many reasons.

[He puts a hand to his face and sighs, covering his eyes.]

Mikhail: Tobias Wily and his history are rooted deeply in the works of LightLaboratories, Incorporated. The connections with CherryDyn have always troubled us, and we had hoped… -Trails off-

White: .....

Mikhail: …I suppose I’m just distracted by thoughts of my youth. I used to work for LightLabs, you know? When I was just a boy.

Mikhail: I had high hopes for the project, but I didn’t really understand the work I was doing until the very end.

White: . . .

Mikhail: I saw, ever so briefly—that the code was alive…! It reacted to me trying to reach out to it, to find it, to contain it—

Mikhail: (Much like… much like that virus did when it infected the RMDC and I fought back. I swear the thing got angry at me…)

Mikhail: (With how advanced Xel coding is, it certainly was high enough out of my full understanding to come off as alive.)

Mikhail: Dr. Light had been very much against advancing full realization. What I did when I made the AI_DCN_OS… well. I liked Iceman very much, and he was dear to us, but still…

[He sighed and shook his head before taking off his glasses to clean them.]

Mikhail: Forgive me. So much has happened lately that makes me think of the past, of Tobias in his first life. Pieces here and there, echoes of a time ages past.

Mikhail: I suppose that it is on my mind largely because understanding the virus is out of my ability at the moment. I’d need to know more about Xel coding, and you don’t have time to teach me.

Mikhail: This leaves me with Tobias, mainly, and also just… looking forward, long term.

Mikhail: This digging Industrial of yours…

Mikhail: If things continue in a tragic parallel, perhaps it would be scheduled for demolition simply because it were too old, or advancing in Awareness.

White: -wINCE- (Ngh...)

Mikhail: For that is the fate of Industrials in my world. Even my own sons would be subject to the ten-year warranty, were it not for the fact that I have full legal rights, and can choose not to follow that regulation.

Mikhail: At first it was merely out of a business mindset—depreciation of property, expenses, etc. But after Tobias, animosity grew, and it became born just as much of fear as anything else.

[He put his glasses back on and frowned.]

Mikhail: I’m afraid it won’t be long before we’re called to give an account of ourselves for judgment, William.

Mikhail: Now that Aviator no longer has an Iron Curtain to stifle the media, it won’t be long before it takes a sharp turn from practicality into “here be dragons” water.

[He looked away, narrowing his eyes a little.]

Mikhail: I refused to tell you before, because I felt it was… crazy, to be honest, but. For some time now, Cardinal had been of the opinion that CherryDyn was responsible for a number of… unpleasantries.

[....Oh, dear.]

[Will kinda looks like he's going to be sick just from thinking of the implications of all that...]

White: . . .

Mikhail: He believed that the things that happened were the result of plans being put into action too early or the like—things going wrong without the careful orchestration to make it only /just/ wrong enough to be visibly stopped, and in turn causing REAL damage.

Mikhail: I feel the same way, but I do not think it to be so—I tell myself that is being overly cynical.

Mikhail: But I think one thing is certain. We must be prepared to say something. Aviator’s interference was public, and…Tobias was involved, and if anyone were to somehow realize he were the same as the mysterious intruder at the Finals…

Mikhail: -Bows his head- The lift of the blockade will allow us to work much faster and more efficiently, yes—but the same applies for our foes as well.

Mikhail: I fully expect CherryDyn to make some noise and raise a fuss very soon. …I just suppose I feel I must arrange the chess pieces to counter it, since that’s the only thing I can really do, and you’re so busy with deciphering the code…

Mikhail: To be fair. It has a direct impact on us, too. If things follow the lane of Monstropolis, Tobias may have to remain Offline indefinitely.

White: ......

[Will takes in a long breath and pinches the bridge of his nose, shutting his eyes close very tightly. Mikhail was right, of course, he wouldn't put it past CherryDyn to make some sort of comment or whatever ELSE they have planned--if any, that is, if Cardinal turned out to be right after all.]

[And Graham...]

White: God, what a mess...

Mikhail: We have too many moving parts in this matter…

[His gaze became thoughtful, and after a while, he reached over and put a gloved hand on his friend’s shoulder, squeezing it slightly.]

Mikhail: But there is hope. We must hold onto that.

Mikhail: Of course we would never ask you to turn your back on the world, but remember—your children are your true priority, and if the worst WERE to happen, you could seek shelter elsewhere. Focus on getting your family back together. I can work with the Sandas in figuring out how to fight the dragons.

Mikhail: We’ll make it through this.

[After a moment, he broke into a warm smile.]

Mikhail: Remember, my friend—I have tread these waters before, and worse.

[This, alas, was true. He had, at one point, had the entire world against him.

And yet he had arranged things so that his sons were allowed to live and work and he got to live in protection and privacy, despite things being so grim at one point.]

Mikhail: I won’t let you get dashed upon the rocks.

White: ....

White: Heh...

[Will returned the smile, although it was a bit weary.]

White: Thank you, Mikhail. Really...

White: (What would we do without you...)

Mikhail: Ah, my dear William! You have been very good to us, and personally have given great hope for my family’s recovery. Of course I would help you in the recovery of yours.

Mikhail: …Heh.

Mikhail: This is where the others would remind us not to overwork ourselves. Or me, at least. -Laughs- I’m not as young as I used to be. Professor, now, not student. I can’t pull those all-nighters anymore!

[THAT gets Will to laugh. Oh, yes, the all-nighters...]

[...He should probably not mention he's been doing that as of late. He's very sure Mikhail would have a fit—]

[CALL] //: ...Contradiction: Yet you both seem to overexert yourselves as if it were the default.

[...Oh. Call was still listening.]

Mikhail: -Wryly- Ah, we are caught! Oh dear.

White: Eheh...

[He turned to look in the direction of one of the speakers by habit.]

Mikhail: You’re right, of course. And if it would put you at ease, I can take a short rest. But I would like to take care of a few matters first, if you can help me. I’m afraid I’ve been rather single-focused on Tobias and Avi to learn how everything else is going. Has your father contacted his brother? Or vice-versa, perhaps?

[CALL] //: Yes, Mr. Sanda contacted us as soon as we had a firm connection. They have been speaking privately for the past few hours.

White: (Possibly bringing Seijiro up to speed on everything...)

Mikhail: I see. I would like you to alert your father that we have fixed the matter of the RMDC for now—no more sudden nightmares for your database. (And again, I apologize.) I should like to speak with them both after they have concluded their private discussion—which I expect will be some while yet. In the meantime, I shall rest.

<MC005 to DSN-000 [CALL]>: >Oh, and Ms. Sanda? May I make a suggestion in your search for the rest of the Mighty Numbers?

[CALL to MC005] //: -Ping!- Yes, Dr. Cossack?

<MC005 to DSN-000 [CALL]>: >One of the contributing factors to the… difficulty of the current situation, shall we say… is the large number of variables involved.

<MC005 to DSN-000 [CALL]>: >We have removed one variable—Aviator’s interference—but it’s not enough. We will need to remove several others as soon as possible if we are to have the best chance of success in concluding this manner with as little predation from CherryDyn as possible.

<MC005 to DSN-000 [CALL]>: >It is confirmed that Fighting Mighty Number Eight is at large, and the current theory is that she is in this world, on a hunt. Likewise, Dencerjack is searching for her—and he has his own set of complications, since he knows too much, so to speak. We need to find him posthaste.

Mikhail: (There’s also Cardinal, but trying to stop him would not be a good use of resources given the current state of affairs…)

<MC005 to DSN-000 [CALL]>: >From what I have been told, MNN-007 may be the subject of FMN-008’s attention, for… reasons.

<MC005 to DSN-000 [CALL]>: >Finding Brandish’s location may allow us to remove several dangerous spanners in the works all at once.

<MC005 to DSN-000 [CALL]>: >So, unless there are clearer leads… my suggestion would be to focus on him, first.

Mikhail: (Removing Cardinal’s impulsiveness would be nice, but I’m not so optimistic as to think we’ll find Shade before we find Brand. Not when Brand’s been giving off data from the beginning, and Shade hasn’t.)

[CALL to MC005] //: -PING-

[CALL to MC005] //: I understand, Dr. Cossack. I will commence my search posthaste. Thank you for your input.

<MC005 to DSN-000 [CALL]>: > You’re welcome.

Mikhail: -Turns to face Will- I’m going to rest for a while, but I’ll be just a notification away. Sorry to be leaving you on your own like this—I just feel I’d be more useful to you combating one of the other problems. -Encouraging nod- You can do this, alright? Try to keep calm.

[With that, he walked out of the room, lost in his own thoughts.]

White: ....

[After Mikhail leaves the room, Will slumps back into a chair and lets out a long, quiet sigh, staring into the ceiling as if it held all the solutions.]

White: .....

White: (...Should I...)

White: .....

[He sharply inhaled and didn't let that thought finish itself--couldn't.]

[...Perhaps, he was being cynical and paranoid himself.]

White: (Greg...Greg doesn't know, does he?)

White: (If he does...)

[He felt that sick, dreading feeling all over again, and got up to fix that with a glass of water.]

White: (...No, stop it, Will—)

White: (Get it together...)

White: (It's not going to come to that if he knows what he's doing...)

White: .......

White: (This had...had BETTER not be you that's behind all this, Greg...)

White: (You'd better not...)

White: .....

[Shoving all those negative thoughts aside for now, Dr. White washed up and rolled his lab coat's sleeves down.]

[There was still much work to be done, and Avi was going to be needed for the troubles that lay ahead.]

White: (I wish it wasn't this way, Aviator...you, out of all of us, need your rest...)

White: (At least, after this...I hope we can all just...take things easy...)

[PING!]

[MN.9] //: Dad?

White: —! Oh. Beck. There you are.

[MN.9] //: Sorry for taking so long... Buddy was, uh...kinda antsy.

White: ...Buddy?

[MN.9] //: Yeah, uh. The Round Digger?

White: (...He already named him?)

[MN.9] //: He's asleep now. He's still OK, I think. I guess he's kinda bored, just sitting there.

White: Oh dear...

[MN.9] //: I don't know how long we can keep him cooped up? I'm kinda concerned that he'll start crushing things or something cuz, ya know—that's what he's built for.

White: Mmm...

White: We can't do anything about it now, but we'll need to move him out at some point...

White: (The Meadow would be nice, but not anywhere in the lab, for sure...)

White: We'll think of something, Beck. For now, let him sleep.

[MN.9] //: ...Okay.

————————————

{Meanwhile, in the Meadow…}

[Digger felt impatient.

Everyone was off DOING something— those that were awake, anyway.

His father was over in California with Tobias—and Snowcone, for that matter. His other siblings seemed to be settling things down and helping send things over.

Cardinal was gone, and Shadow was Offline—Siam had more or less locked himself in the lab, and Felix was still asleep (as far as he knew.)

Nico had finished talking to Ky—and the Second Gens were only just now returning and getting up.]

Digger: {So. Twelve. What did your brother want?}

Speedy: He wanted a favor.

Digger: …???

Speedy: I’m… honestly too worn out to explain right now, okay? Just tell your dad that we’re gonna be having some new guests.

Digger: {Wait, what?}

[But the Texan racer was already walking out of sight.

It didn’t take too long for the meaning to be made clear, though.]

Digger: …!!!

[It was Pup—the counterpart to Nine, Beck’s mirror—and he was carrying in a very exhausted lady. In the background, Nico could be seen hovering above the trees and using his magnetic powers to drag something very large and heavy into view.]

Digger: Beck?? What’s going on here?

Pup: Oh, hi Digger, can you—uh… can you call someone with hands over to help—

[Before Digger could inquire further, one of his younger brothers came over to help.]

Skull: {Easy there… we’ll have someone take care of you. Right this way to the lab, please…}

-PING!-

<FMN-001>: >So that’s where you went off to—mind explaining yourself?

Pup: After I get back from helping save Sis, okay?

<FMN-001>: >Fair enough.

Digger: Wait—

<FMN-006>: >Hey, wait for me—!

Digger: —do you even know where she is—

<FMN-009>: > -Trailing off into the distance- Working on iiiiiiiiiiit!

<FMN-003>: >Szztay still, you dum-dum—

Digger: -Kind of just. Stands there, confused- ({I guess I’ll have to wait for anything remotely resembling an answer.})

<DCN-003 to MC005>: > {Father? FMN-009 brought back some strange ‘bots to the meadow…. They look like they need repairs.}

<MC005 to DCN-003>: > {What’s their condition?}

<DCN-003 to MC005>: > {Stable, but exhausted? Fairly severely injured.}

<MC005 to DCN-003>: > -Sigh- {Is it something Siam can deal with?}

<DCN-003 to MC005>: > {…Possibly? But Father—}

<MC005 to DCN-003>: > {We are seriously going to start needing assistants in the lab at this rate. I’m sorry, son, but I really need to remain here at least until it’s clear how the whole emergency will be played out. For one thing, Will may need my advice. And for another… depending on the result, Tobias…}

<DCN-003 to MC005>: > {Father, Nineteen does not want to leave his work. …I think he may become aggravated if—}

<MC005 to DCN-003>: > {One moment.}

[There is a long pause, as if he’s talking to someone else on a different line.]

<MC005 to DCN-003>: > {Tell your brothers to follow Paige’s instructions. There should still be enough Xel left in the first aid kits to at least stabilize them—the rest will have to be purchased through Nighthawk Industries. Pay extra for the instantaneous delivery. Nico should be able to handle the rest—he’s almost as good around a lab as his brother. I’m going to have to stay over here.}

[Digger vented a sigh as the feed closed.]

Digger: ({I get the feeling this is going to be a very long day…})

————————————

[SEVERAL HOURS LATER...]

[KSSSSST!]

[CALL] //: -VERY LOUD PING-

[CALL] //: Attention—

[MN.9] //: -JERKS AWAKE, SORRY, WHAT, WHAT IS IT--

[There’s the sound of someone falling all over a table or something, followed by others coming Online.]

<DWN-018>: >Geez! Are you okay, Gemini?

<DWN-019>: > -MUCH DISGRUNTLED TO BE STARTLED SO-

<DWN-012>: >Has something happened, or?

<DWN-018>: >Hang on, I’m gonna go make sure Siam didn’t hurt himself jumping into the ceiling…

<DWN-018 has left the channel.>

[MN.3] //: -Ouch...-

[MN.1] //: Call?

[Call doesn't answer back, but instead shifts the feed to a radio channel...?]

"—Highway Alpha 6 is under attack, I repeat, Highway Alpha 6 is under attack--Eyewitnesses have spotted a rouge robot destroying vehicles with no regard to innocent life—"

"We have reports that the rouge robot is armed with bladed weapons and is currently in the Four Corners area—"

<FMN-006>: >AHA!

<FMN-001>: > Avi no flying in the house— GET BACK HERE—

[MN.9] //: —!!!

[MN.1] //: Brandish—?!

[DR.WHITE] //: Highway Alpha 6—Call!

[CALL] //: Scanning...

<DWN-011>: >Welp. Gonna get complicated pretty quick, I bet. …Hope he doesn’t run into Cardinal.

<DWN-019>: >THAT would end poorly for both of them.

<DWN-013>: >What makes you think—?

<DWN-019>: >It’s not the statistical likelihood that’s bothersome… more the fact that Cardinal is known to have prepared to travel by highway—he took Shadow’s light cycle with him.

<DWN-019>: >And he won’t have any patience for anyone who tries to interfere…

<DWN-013>: >Well, I’d think we’d have more DEFINITE concerns to worry about.

<FMN-006>: > -Just let us scan the news feeds, please-

[MN.9] //: -Already suiting up and getting ready, listening over the feeds.-

[MN.1] //: -Gah, we have no immediate modes of transportation...- Beck, you're going to either need wheels or use Aviator's form to catch up to Brandish.

[MN.9] //: -...Lost all of my forms when I got reset, Avi's is the only option.-

<DWN-013>: > ... I'd offer my light cycle, but I think flying will be faster.

<DWN-019>: > -Scowls- If only Cardinal hadn't taken ITEM-2 as well...

<DWN-019>: > I don't understand WHY he did that, he has his OWN windsurfer...

[MN.9] //: ....

[MN.9] //: (Mic's form would have helped too, Brand's weak to it, but...)

[MN.9] //: What's Brand's status?

[DR.WHITE] //: Still the same as ever...Full Combat Mode, no restrictions...

[DR.WHITE] //: (But a highway...)

<DWN-019>: > I still wonder what he and Shadow said to one another.

[MN.1] //: .....

[DR.WHITE] //: (It was...certainly enough to shut him down, from what I know...)

[DR.WHITE] //: (Brandish...what are you doing...?)

-PING!-

<FMN-006>: >Knew it.

[MN.9] //: Yeah? Got something?

[CALL] //: -Ping of inquiry-

<FMN-006>: >Yeah. Pretty sure it’s confirmation she’s on the move.

<DWN-013>: > …Out of curiosity… what makes you so certain?

<FMN-006>: > Food’s involved, Jayjay.

<DWN-013>: > -Please don’t call me that-

[MN.1] //: (...Even in her state—??)

<FMN-001 to MNN-001>: > -Well what else did you expect, really… this is SHADE we’re talking about here-

<DCN-007>: > …So you’re saying that now we have an assassin AND a sword master to worry about? At the same time?

<FMN-006>: > -Well you don’t need to put it like THAT…-

<DWN-012>: >No offense, but could she REALLY catch up to him? She’s not built for speed.

<FMN-007>: > … Do not underestimate the willpower of an angry woman.

[MN.3] //: -He'szzz got a point-

[MN.9] //: -...WELP, NOW THINGS ARE JUST BAD AND WORSE-

[CALL] //: ...MN.7's transponder signal is moving at extremely high speeds. I am also receiving reports that the remote controlled vehicles on site are behaving erratically on the next sections of Highway Alpha.

<FMN-009>: >I can help! I’ll handle my sister, you focus on your Seven!

[DR.WHITE] //: That's—

[MN.9] //: —the best thing I've heard all day, PLEASE.

<FMN-009>: > ^^;;7

[DR.WHITE] //: -But—-

[MN.9] //: -TWO OF ME IS BETTER THAN ONE, DAD.-

<DWN-019>: >Um. Won’t that cause problems if you’re seen…?

<FMN-006>: >I can handle that. Leave that to me.

<DCN-003>: >Perhaps oldest cousin will show up near Lady Shade, yes?

<MC005>: > …I must admit that IS a possibility, though not very likely…

<MC005>: >Regardless of who else may or may not be there, it would seem that you both have to start preparing, Number Nine.

<FMN-009>: > Yes sir.

[DR.WHITE] //: -...Kinda just gives up trying to argue because what is the poooooint--

[CALL] //: Xel Transfer will be delayed, as it is difficult to teleport upon a moving object....

[CALL] //: ...but not impossible.

[MN.9] //: -—Wait what-

<DWN-012>: > GOOD LUCK, DUDE 8’D

[MN.9] //: -I thought the cars were—I mean—oh man—-

[MN.3] //: -BZZZT, PLEASE BE CAREFUL, BECKY—-

[CALL] //: Dr. Sanda, I have calculated that it would be wise to cut off Brandish by teleporting Nine to a further section of the highway.

[DR.SANDA] //: Oof...just make sure that you get him on something big...

<FMN-006 to DSN-000 [CALL]>: > -Ping- Hey—I’ve heard you lend a hand sometimes by getting people out and about unseen?

[CALL to FMN.6] //: That would be correct, No. 6. It is illogical that certain measures of action are deemed too dangerous when the probability of success would be increased otherwise.

<FMN-006 to DSN-000 [CALL]>: >Well, I may get back to you on that…

[CALL to FMN.6] //: ...Acknowledged.

[DR.WHITE] //: We're going to have to time the cut off very close...

[CALL] //: Yes, Doctor. Preparing Xel Transfer.

[MN.9] //: (...Hang in there, Nii-San...)

[While Call calculated the coordinates, Beck does a final check of his various forms, going in numerical order until...]

[REXELECTION: AVIATOR]

<DWN-013>: > …

<DWN-013>: > wELL looks like you’re ready GOOD LUCK my friend

<DWN-013 has left the channel.>

[MN.9] //: .....-sigh-

[MN.9] //: ....

[MN.9] //: (...I...I never really got the hang of flying...)

[MN.9] //: (I sure hope some of Avi's experience got assimilated too...)

<MC005>: > … -Sighs- Don’t mind him. Are you ready?

[MN.9] //: Ready for the runwa—

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

[MN.9] //: —I—I mean the HIGHway—

[MN.1] //: —???

<FMN-006>: > -THUMBS UP-

<FMN-009>: > Let’s just cruise on over—

<FMN-006>: > -APPROVAL PINGS FOR DAAAAAYS-

[MN.2] //: -YEAAAAAAAAH—-

[MN.1] //: -Just—confused, since when was—-

[MN.9 to FMN.9] //: -you can't stop either can you-

[MN.9 to FMN.9] //: -what is happening with uuuuussss-

<FMN-009 to MNN-009>: > -IT’S A THING WITH AVI’S FORM, OOPS- -This happened last time, too- -Normally I just don’t say as much so it took forever to notice-

<FMN-009 to MNN-009>: > -Makes him really high spirited, though—GAH, even thoughts, this is worse than I remembered-

<FMN-009>: >Need to hit the road and make tracks… -Has given up trying to make it stop-

[MN.9] //: -YEAH let's just jet before Brand—DANG IT- -CALL PLEASE HURRY UP-

<FMN-001>: > …?

<FMN-009>: > Looks like there’s a bit of a delay on this end—you go on ahead. Need a more precise location for Sis—lemme know if you see sign of her.

[CALL] //: ....

[CALL] //: Coordinates set.

[MN.9] //: Roger that— -Oh man this IS worse than last time-

[DR.WHITE] //: Please be very careful, Beck—!

[MN.9] //: Yeah, we will.

[CALL] //: Xel Transfer initiated.

[MN.9] //: {I'm coming to save you, big brother...!}

______________________

[MISSION DETAILS: MIGHTY NO. 7, BRANDISH, HAS BEEN SPOTTED ON THIS NEW MEXICO HIGHWAY, CAUSING RECKLESS DESTRUCTION AMONG THE MALFUNCTIONING AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLES. FIGHTING MIGHTY NO. 8, COUNTERSHADE 'CARMEN' WHITE, IS ALSO MOVING TOWARDS THE OBJECTIVE.]

[MISSION OBJECTIVE: PURSUE AND RESCUE MN.7, PURGE ALL HARMFUL MALWARE FROM SYSTEMS.]

[SUB-OBJECTIVES: IF POSSIBLE, LOCATE FMN.8 AND RELAY TO FMN.9 FOR SYSTEM XEL PURGE, MINIMIZE RMDC IMPACT.]

SYSTEMS READY?

GO!

[As Beck fully materialized into the moving rig, the heavy wind and rainfall splattered across his armor and face, causing him to shiver slightly. Buildings with holographic adverts were nothing but blurs, the speed of the vehicles almost making him dizzy.]

Beck: (Fast—WAY too fast—!)

[By his internal instruments, the rig was going at LEAST 90 miles per hour—!]

Sanda: Great Scott, Mother Nature is NOT kind today...!

White: -Oh no no please don't slip, please--

-PING!-

<DWN-012>: > Easy guys, easy!

<DWN-012>: >Beck—try adjusting your visual processing speed. It’ll help a lot.

[MN.9] //: O-Okay...

[After fiddling around with some settings, he blinked, and visibly relaxed as his optics adjusted, the blurs now becoming readable and not as disorientating...]

Beck: (Oh, man, that's MUCH better...)

[MN.9] //: Thanks, Speedy!

<DWN-012>: >No problem. Glad to help. Now, remember—your vision speed is going to be faster, so adjust to how your vision and motor systems coordinate before jumping off into the air. Try it out—once you get used to moving while seeing at that speed, it’ll be easier to move around.

<DWN-012>: >Remember, you’re just SEEING faster, not necessarily moving faster.

[MN.9] //: -Got it, gonna try that out now--

[PING!]

[CALL] //: Warning--! Contact in--

[SHING!]

<DWN-012>: > -DATA—-

<DWN-012>: > -I KNOW THAT SOUND, THAT IS THE SOUND OF LETHAL BLADED WEAPONRY-

[Even with Beck's vision processing at higher speeds...--]

[He still couldn't identify what had split the falling raindrops just mere inches from his face.]

[Beck stumbled backwards, and the red Mighty Number seemingly falls from the sky, as if he had either teleported--]

[Or...]

Beck: Brand!

<DWN-012 to MNN-007>: > -PING PING PING PING PING PING PING PING PING—-

<DWN-012 to MNN-007>: > Brandish! You’re alive—!

<DWN-012 to MNN-009>: >Something’s off here, Beck—

<DWN-012 to MNN-009>: >When people with our power and speed move just short of hitting you in the face, we’re missing on PURPOSE!

<DWN-012 to MNN-009>: > [sub]trust me on this, I’ve DONE it before with my own [color=blue]brother[/color]…[/sub]

Beck: --!!

[On...on purpose...?]

Beck: Brand...?

Brand: . . . .

Brand: N-Ngh...

[Brandish's arms shake ever so slightly as he stands firm across from Beck, a death grip on either of his blades. His eyes are shut tightly--]

Brand: ...O...Otouto...--

<DWN-012>: > …

Beck: --!!!

Beck: Nii-San--!!

<DWN-013>: > -SUDDENLY, ABRUPTLY- BRANDISH!

<DWN-013>: > Keep fighting it!

<DWN-012 to MNN-009>: > We… recognize this…!

<DWN-012 to MNN-009>: >Jaden… Jaden was this same way!

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

[DR.SANDA] //: Seven--!

Brand: --!

Brand: {F...Father...Uncle...}

<DWN-012>: >Hang in there, Sev—

[PING PING PING!]

[MN.1] //: Brand--!!

[MN.2] //: -LITTLE BRO, YOU CAN DO IT--!

[MN.3] //: -BRAAAAND--!

<DCN-008>: > {Brandish, Shadow is here—he will want to see you. You have to keep resisting!}

Brand: Ngh--!!

[His head turns to one side, and for a moment he looks as if he is about to collapse at any given moment...]

Beck: Hang on, Nii-san, just sit still for a--

[SHING!]

Brand: NO!

<DWN-013>: > -Harsh warning data- Beck—to your aid, an unlikely friend, indeed…

<DWN-013>: > But it’s a constant struggle, fraught with pain, and there are limits…

<DWN-013>: >We might purposefully miss, but that doesn’t mean we won’t make a strike!

[He turns back, slashing in a wild angle so that Beck would stop in his tracks. His eyes snap open, and they are a deep, deep violet color.]

Brand: KEEP--KEEP AWAY--!

<DWN-013>: > -Oh, Brandish, we are INCREDIBLY empathetic and I, personally, am really feeling rather wretched in the cross-references this brings to me-

Beck: --!!

[It fades off, however, to his normal blue, and he recoils back, away from his brother.]

Brand: I'm warning you, Beck--

Brand: Stay AWAY--Ngh!

<DWN-013 to MNN-007>: > Brandish…!

<DWN-013 to MNN-007>: > -We understand-

<DWN-013 to MNN-007>: > Fight it. Fight it! You are stronger than I could ever have been. Do not let it take you without a fight to be told for years to come!

[Despite the pleas, he retreats, impressively jumping two cars ahead to another rig, and before long, he disappears into the rainy haze of the night.]

Beck: BRAND--WAIT--!

Beck: I'm going after him, Professor--!

[DR.WHITE] //: Affirmative, Beck--just be sure to mind your step transversing those vehicles. Keep in mind what Twelve has told you!

[MN.9] //: Got it!

<MC005>: > -Sighs- His control truly is incredible.

<MC005>: >Forgive the metaphor, but—

<MC005>: >Just because a horse rebels against the reigns does not mean the bridle isn’t there.

[MN.9] //: -Yeah...no kidding...-

<MC005>: >There is a directive—

<DWN-013>: > -Ping-

<DWN-013>: >When…

<DWN-013>: > …

<DWN-012>: > …

<DWN-012>: > -We are here, brother-

<DWN-013>: > …

<DWN-013>: >When…

[He seems to be struggling to keep it verbal, rather than abstract.]

<DWN-013>: >It… was easier to fight if. I could… take an option that would… trick it by seeming, possibly, to obey…

<DWN-013>: >We… he will… aim to miss, if he can, but it is easier to do that than to hold back entirely.

<DWN-013>: >But you must be quick if you corner him, Beck. Or…

<DWN-013>: > …

[He gave off data of pure dread and hopelessness, almost an intense kind of cold in quiet despair.]

<DWN-013>: > (In the end… his will overcame the program…)

[MN.9] //: .......

[MN.9] //: Where's he heading?

[CALL] //: Due southeast, towards Alpha 1. Proceed with caution.

[Beck nodded, and quickly dashed forward. It was a little dizzying given that he was seeing faster, and therefore made his Dash feel a bit strange--]

[But, after jumping over a few cars and trailers, he picked up the motions fairly quickly.]

Beck: (Think I got it...)

[....Strangely, all is...almost quiet, other than the sounds of rain and engines and his own feet against metal.]

[It was...kinda desolate--were there no people on this highway?]

Beck: (But these cars are automatic, either they should be stuck or...--)

Beck: (O...Or...)

[CALL] //: ...I am receiving distressed signals from Nine. Are you well?

[MN.9] //: -Just--had a really nasty thought, ngh--

<DLN-005>: >What’s that?

<DWN-011>: > “Distressed” means—

<DLN-005>: >No! I mean, why is the car squished.

<DWN-019>: > …What ARE you looking at?

<DLN-005>: >I saw it! It was squished.

<DWN-019>: >Well it’s not there now—

[MN.9] //: -Nope, nope, he gonna forget he ever thought that and just keep going--

<DWN-013>: >Uh… Beck?

[MN.9] // --?

<DWN-013>: > Are those signs supposed to be moving like that?

[BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEEEEEEEEP!]

Beck: --WAAH!

[The Mighty Number was swarmed by a group of thin, floating display screens, which were switching different images of road signs and signals on their front and back. They rammed themselves into Beck, who raised up his arms in defense!]

Beck: SIGN BOTS--?!

Beck: -UGH, OW, STOP--!-

[REXELECTION: DYNATRON]

[BZZZZZZT!]

[Taking advantage of the wet weather, Beck shifted into his sister's form and let loose a strong electrical discharge, which fried the sign bots and their Xel Structures. They turned a deep blue, much to Beck's relief.]

<DWN-013>: > … Iiiiiii will take that as a “no."

[XEL STOCK 1 QUOTA REACHED.]

[MN.9] //: Ow, that hurt...

[MN.9] //: Please tell me those were the only sign bots on this highway---

[CALL] //: This is a major interstate. There are many Sanda sign bot models across th--

Beck: Dad DESIGNED those??

Sanda: Eheh...n-no. I did...

<MC005>: > …I am utterly fascinated but I won’t go off on that tangent at the moment…

<MC005>: > Though I find it curious that they seem not to have tried to swarm Brandish. Either they can tell he is infected, or he was too fast for them, I suppose…?

<DLN-005>: >Look! See, there’s another one!

<DWN-019>: >What ARE you looking at, how can you see anything through this RAIN…

<MC005>: >I designed him to perform almost exclusively outdoors, Siam.

<DWN-019>: > … -Oh, right-

[Beck absentmindedly wondered what in the world Snow was talking about as he transverses the highway, switching back to default to shoot the sign bots before they swarmed him and dashed to collect their Xel.]

[He came upon another rig, which was--]

Beck: --!!

[--filled with strange, round, green robots?]

Beck: Whoa--!

[They rolled around the rig to and fro, dangerous spikes around their rims, and...]

[...They had the trademark eyesets and logo of none other than CherryDyn.]

<DLN-005>: >Uncle Will?

White: ....??

<DLN-005>: >Why do they have a big power button on them?

<MC005 to DR.WHITE>: > Congratulations, you’ve been promoted. -Amused-

[DR.WHITE to MC005] //: --Mikhail please--

[MN.9] //: Dad--Dad, what ARE these?

White: I...I have no idea--!

Sanda: I've never seen this model before... What in the world--there are dozens of them...!

[MN.2] //: -WHO CARES, SHOOT IT, BRO.-

[MN.9] //: -Does it even take damage, I mean it has SPIKES so I don't wanna touch it--

[MN.2] //: -SHOOT IT OR I'LL HIT YOU.-

[MN.9] //: -OKAY OKAY JEEZ--

Mikhail: Sanda, I’m rather confused about something.

Sanda: --? Yes?

Mikhail: Why would CherryDyn make something like that? I can’t think of an Industrial use for it, and it is rather impractical as a Combat construct, save perhaps as target practice…

Mikhail: Unless they’re capable of more than they appear…

Sanda: Good...question...?

Sanda: Strange...

Beck: (Weird--they don't even SEEM all that practical...?)

[Beck raised his arm cannon and took careful aim, and then fired a few shots at the strange CDNs...]

[WRRRRRRR!!]

Beck: --!?

[...They did NOT like that.]

[They didn't even FLINCH, though they did indeed take damage--]

Beck: --oh NO--

[They sped up--faster, and faster, causing Beck to jump erratically to avoid them--what's more, they didn't roll off the edge, but rather changed direction back towards Beck.]

Beck: --They're CHASING me??

<DWN-011>: > … -Welp. Run.-

<DWN-012>: > -SEE NOW, IF YOU HAD /MY/ FORM YOU COULD PROBABLY JUST RUN THIS WHOLE OBSTACLE COURSE INSTEAD OF ALL THE JUMPING, BUT- 8’D

<DCN-003>: >HMM MAYBE LEAVE NOW THEN YES GOOD

<DCN-007>: > Da, they don’t look like they’d be able to jump…

[MN.9] //: -YUP, WE'RE JUST GONNA DASH ON OUTTA HERE--

[There were several crates that could be climbed on near the end of this rig--Beck wasted no time shifting to Avi's form and hovering over to the top most one.]

[WRRRRR--!!]

[...The wheel-like CDNs did not like this either.]

Beck: --?!?

[They backed up, and gained enough momentum to hop the first crate--then the second--]

[MN.9] //: -UUUUUGH--

<DWN-012>: > ARE YOU KIDDING ME, THEY DON’T EVEN HAVE ARMS—

<DWN-013>: > -sNORTS-

White: (What strange models--they're clearly CherryDyn, but something is... off... )

[Frustrated, Beck decides to just abandon the rig altogether, and favors for another moving vehicle--a car-- and gently sets down on it's roof.]

[The wheel models, of course, try to follow--]

[SCREEEEEECH!!]

Beck: GNH--!

[The car he was standing on lurched forward, picking up more speed—]

Beck: -WHOA BALANCE, WHERE ARE YOU—-

White: BECK!

[With the car far too out of reach, the wheel models end up jumping right into the speeding asphalt, a horrid crunching sound following suit. ]

[Beck ends up falling backwards into the car--]

[Hard.]

[CRRRSHH--]

Sanda: --??!

<DWN-019>: > …That. <DWN-019>: > Didn’t sound good.

[...The roof caved in, and Beck's backside met luxury leather.]

Beck: --Oof--!

[MN.3] //: --He'szz in the CAR??

Beck: Ow...

Beck: ....???

Beck: Huh...?

<MC005>: > …

[Mikhail had to quietly turn aside to maintain his composure. Despite—or perhaps because of—the serious situation, it was just too much, and the image of Beck in a luxury vehicle was rather ridiculous.]

White: E...err...

Sanda: -SILENTLY PANICKING BECAUSE BECK DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO DRIVE-

Beck: Uuuuuh...

[...The inside seemed...nice.]

[...If it wasn't for the fact the displays and lights were all a sick purple, and no one was at the wheel.]

[There was a slight groan.]

<DWN-019>: > …?

<DWN-019>: >Beck? Are you alright?

Beck: Y-Yeah? For the most part--everything in here is all--a weird purple-- and the radio is--

“Ugh… what the glitchfrag hell—”

<DWN-019>: > ?!

Beck: --it's all static but I...--

Beck: --?!?

[And then, as if a vision of a (very disgruntled) goddess of old…]

[The cowgirl decloaked.]

Beck: --!!!

Beck: Carmen--?!

Carmen: Beck?

Carmen: What in th’ nine hells are ya DOIN’ HERE of all places?!

Beck: .....

Beck: Enjoying a nice driiiiive--?

[She pushed him aside to take the driver’s seat, shifting into her civvies.]

Carmen: We’re fraggin’ lucky this ain’t a stick-shift, ya runt of a twit… -grumble-

[--OW--]

[The car did not like this, and only sped up.]

[And then she growled and GLARED at it.]

[…it immediately changed its mind and obeyed.]

Beck: --!!

[MN.9 to FMN.9] //: ME--UH. I FOUND CARMEN--AND WE'RE KINDA IN A CAR--

<FMN-009 to MNN-009>: > YOU’RE WHAT

[MN.9 to FMN.9] //: THE ROOF FELL--

<FMN-009 to MNN-009>: > AAAAH SHE DRIVES WORSE THAN DYNA [sub]but better than Cryo, don’t tell her I said that[/sub]

[MN.9 to FMN.9] //: SHE WHA T--

[Oddly enough, Carmen seemed to be handling the car just fine—especially considering she was simply using a left hand to steer and use the signals. She’d turned on the wipers and the brights, and was signaling to veer off the highway to another exit.]

Carmen: You need to get out of here. It’s much too dangerous for you.

Beck: Uuuuh...

[Oh, now they had a problem--if he told Carmen he was going after Brand too, she's definitely not gonna like that...]

Beck: But--what about you, I can't just LEAVE you here--!

Carmen: Oh yes you can.

Carmen: Cryin’ out loud, Becky—Ah’ thought you a’ ALL people ‘ld have a bit of FAITH in me…

[She growled again, though this time it was almost a wolflike snarl.]

Carmen: Unlike SOME people.

Beck: --Wha--?

Beck: -Baaacks away as far as he could-

[...OK, that was freaky scary....]

<FMN-009>: >The best you’re going to get out of her is to stall her—just get her off at the nearest exit and sneak off when she’s distracted!

[MN.9] //: -Stall, stall...-

Beck: (Ngh...)

Beck: Carmen--Sis, I DO, I swear, but--I don't want to see anyone get hurt over all this--!

Carmen: Get hurt over what? -Clearly grouchy- Ain’t got a clue what yer talkin’ about.

[She had somehow woven her way seamlessly through the cars to pull off at the next exit—which thankfully was a rest stop and not more highway.]

Beck: THIS! -WAVES ARMS AROUND TO SIGNIFY THE SITUATION THEY ARE IN-

Beck: (Come on, think, think--!)

Beck: (I'm just making her angry, maybe...)

Carmen: Then what are you doin’ out here? -Snorts- Of course yer gonna get hurt if you go out in a thunderstorm with a lightnin’ rod, Lil’ Nine! -Applying the brakes- I can secure the area for ya, but you’ll have t’ call Daddy on yer own. Ah’ ain’t comin’ back with ya. Not yet.

Beck: Ngh--!

Beck: (I'm not getting through to her--)

Beck: --!

Beck: (But maybe...maybe--!)

[She pulled the car to a stop and got out.]

Carmen: Stay put, Pup.

[SLAM!]

Carmen: Ah’ve got a /job/ t’ do still, and ya /don’t/ wanna be in mah way.

Beck: ......

Beck: -Pretends to pout and sit in the seat.-

Beck: .......

[MN.9 to MN.3] //: Psssst!

[MN.3 to MN.9] //: --!

[MN.9 to MN.3] //: Dyna--I need you to distract Carmen--!

[MN.3 to MN.9] //: Wait, what--how?

[MN.9 to MN.3] //: Just--talk to her, maybe she doesn't know you're cured--or--I don't know, just stall!

[MN.3 to MN.9] //: OK OK, um--

[MN.3 to MN.9] //: Here goeszz nothing--

[PING!]

[Carmen was already making her way back to the highway, but she raised an eyebrow in acknowledgement before pinging back in response.]

[MN.3 to FMN.8] //: ...Zzsiiisszz?

[MN.3 to FMN.8] //: --?? Woooow I hear a lot of background noiszze, what ISZZ that--? Zzsoundszz annoying--

Dyna: -Jeezz Beck I zsswear I'm gonna get you back for thiszz--

<FMN-008 to MNN-003>: >Oh, hai sis!

[She seemed perky, in a good mood.

<FMN-008 to MNN-003>: >Gonna have t’ pick Becky up from daycare. The noise is traffic.

<FMN-008 to MNN-003>: >Ah’ got a bit… heh… DERAILED.

[She sighs, pausing and looking to the sky thoughtfully. The purple glow of her eye faded for a moment.]

<FMN-008 to MNN-003>: > -Softly- …He woulda liked that, Ah’ think. …

[MN.3 to FMN.8] //: Iszz that right...?

[While Dyna conversed with Carmen, Beck scooted out of the his seat and looked for a way out of the car--maybe he can climb out the hole in the roof? He'll have to be quick...]

[MN.9 to MN.3] //: Whatever you're doing, keep it up--

<FMN-008 to MNN-003>: > …He said some real mean thangs, Sis.

[MN.3 to FMN.8] //: --!!

<FMN-008 to MNN-003>: > N-nrrghh… It hurt so bad…!

[MN.3 to FMN.8] //: ....

[MN.3 to FMN.8] //: Izz that so... -BZZZZT, static-y angry sounding buzzes--

[Beck silently grabbed the edge of the hole and hoisted himself up, over and on the other side of the car so that he could hide behind it.]

Beck: (Gotta make a break for it...come on, sis...)

<FMN-008 to MNN-003>: > He said all ah’ was good for was bein’ a nightmare… that Ah’ was built that way…

[She was… clearly genuinely hurt over this.]

<FMN-008 to MNN-003>: > Ah’ don’t understan’, Sis.

<FMN-008 to MNN-003>: > He… he’d always stood up f… for me…!

[MN.3 to FMN.8] //: ....I--

[ACXELERATE DASH: MAX OUTPUT REACHED.]

[A blur of blue and white suddenly sped out from behind the car--!]

[Carmen didn’t notice.]

<FMN-008 to MNN-ALL>: > AAAAUUUGH—!

<FMN-008 to MNN-ALL>: > WAI DOES EVERYONE THINK AH’ CAN’T DO NOTHIN’ AN’ AH’M JUST GOOD FER LOOKS?!

<FMN-008 to MNN-ALL>: > AIN’T FAIR!

<FMN-008 to MNN-ALL>: > -Searing bitterness directed specifically at Pyro for all to feel-

[MN.1] //: --Nnngh--!

[There is the sound of someone collapsing over the feeds--]

[MN.2] //: BIG BRO--!

[MN.3] //: -sHRIEKS--

<FMN-008 has blocked MNN-ALL.>

[She vanished from sight and was gone.]

[Meanwhile…]

[MN.1] //: -w...we're fine--it's...argh--

Mikhail: Pyro! Are you sure you’re alright? -DAD MODE ENGAGED, it’s not normal for him to just collapse like that, never seen it before-

White: -RUSHES OVER TO SON'S SIDE--

[MN.1] //: I...

[MN.1] //: -Shifts to abstract, we're just-- overwhelmed, it was all mostly directed to us...-

[MN.1] //: ....

[MN.1] //: I...she...

[MN.1] //: I didn't...but...

[MN.2] //: -FLAILS, LAY DOWN BRO, PLEAAAASE--

Mikhail: Easy… easy…

[There’s the patter of small feet. And suddenly, a Snowbab.]

[He was playing some music over broadcast.]

Snow: -Climbs on top of Pyro to clinghug, you can’t stop him-

Snow: -Softly- Mister Pyyyyroooo…

Snow: Let’s go make rice balls an’ such for when Mister Brandish an’ Miss Eight are rescued.

[The music certainly helps, and the Leader's breathing slowly evens out...he manages to sit up a bit, Cryo already on Pyro's shoulder while Snow clung to the other.]

Pyro: ....Mng...In a moment, Snow, let me catch my breath...

Pyro: .....

Pyro: (Carmen...)

White: --Soi--

Sanda: -Already doing scans to make double sure Pyro's OK, we got you-

[MN.9] //: Pyro--you OK?

[MN.1] //: -Been worse, we'll be OK-

[MN.1] //: -Focus on your mission, we can handle things here.-

<DLN-005>: > An’ there will be food when you finish! : D

[MN.9] //: Roger that. Heading back into the Highway--

[Back at the Highway…]

[There was no sign of Carmen.]

Mikhail: ... You're going to just have to go on regardless.

Beck: Figures...

[A quick Dash and a well timed jump, and Beck was back on another rig. The rain was finally letting up now, thankfully...]

[...But no sign of Brand...]

Beck: (He's probably WAY up ahead...)

Beck: (I gotta get moving before Brand gets too far--)

[CRUNCH!]

Beck: --?!?

[Beck whirled around to look behind him, and heard a loud crashing sound way off in the distance...]

Beck: (What was...?)

"AAAAAAAAAAA--"

Beck: --???

Beck: (That...sounds really familiar...)

[CALL] //: Attention--I have picked up another model's signal.

Sanda: Huh?

[CALL] //: Verifying...

[Beck continued onwards, once again shifting to Avi's form to fly over the larger gaps between the moving cars, and just narrowly avoiding another swarm of sign bots.]

Beck: Starting to really hate those things...

[PING!]

[CALL] //: Signal verified. The unit is Cherry Dynamics Number 7037.

Beck: 70--WAIT--

All: JACK?!

Mikhail: Dear heavens.

Speedy: Duuuuuuude he actually MADE it this far??

Siam: Well THAT Gemini: will certainly Siam: keep her attention Gemini: for a Siamini: while!

Beck: --But--! Jack could--!

[MN.1] //: --Ngh--Beck, if Jack made it all the way here on his own, then he can handle this. You need to keep moving!

<DCN-008>: > You must continue. For their safety.

<DCN-008>: >If she were to catch up to Brandish…

<DCN-008>: >If they get too close, it is not certain he would hold back: for she has been rude to him, and Jack was his opponent who delayed him in a time of crisis—and since the virus exacerbates all grievances…

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

[He was right. He had to go save Brand...]

Beck: (Ooooh...please be careful, Jack...!)

[MN.9] //: --...Yes, sir...

[Forced to leave the CDN behind, Mighty Number Nine climbed another set of crates, blasting away at the flying models that cluttered the brightening overhead...]

[CALL] //: Warning--I am receiving reports of Seven destroying several vehicles in the road ahead. Incoming debris is a certainty.

Beck: --He's...?!

Sanda: There's a tunnel coming up ahead too--it may affect visibility, so be careful!

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

White: ...? What is?

[CALL] //: By my calculations, he is aiming for another exit to Highway Beta. This route leads to no major cities, while Highway Alpha does.

[CALL] //: It is illogical that the virus would not lead him to where he would cause the most destruction...

White: ....

White: Unless...

<DWN-013>: > -Sadly- To your aid, an unlikely friend…

Beck: ....

[CALL] //: There is a chance that Seven will overshoot the exit and proceed onwards. I suggest you stop him before that moment, Nine.

[MN.9] //: Got it...

<DWN-012>: >Wait a minute. What were you saying a second ago about a tunnel—

[CRRRSHHH!!]

Beck: WHA--

[Was that the front half of a car FLYING TOWARDS HIM--]

[MN.1] //: MOVE, BECK!

[He didn't need to be told twice. His feet seemed to move on their own as soon as he spotted the debris, and using the rig itself as a springboard, LEAPED over to the opposite lane!]

Beck: -WHHOOOAAA--!

[THUD!]

[...Unfortunately, he crashed right into the side of a van--but his hands found perchance on the rails above it!]

Beck: -AAAAH FACE, my FACE really hurts, and I think--I think I broke my nose--

[...He felt something sticky and wet trailing down his lips-- oh he was bleeding Xel-- ]

White: -Oh--oh dear is that--??!?

Sanda: -and we feel faint now, gotta take a seat--

[MN.2] //: -BEEEECK, ARE YOU OK--?!

[MN.9] //: -No but that's OK--we can use a Xel stock, we'll be fine--

[ACCESSING XEL STOCK 2...]

[XEL ABSORBED.]

[The pain subsided, and he was fully invigorated once more, hanging onto the side of the van for dear life. With a grunt of effort, Beck planted both feet on the door--]

[--and pushed, launching him up and backwards in a flip that ended up landing him perfectly on the roof!]

White: --!

Beck: --Oh--

Beck: -oH HEY LOOK THAT WORKED!-

<DWN-019>: > … WAIT A MINUTE

<DWN-019>: > Are you saying you weren’t sure it would?!

Beck: Have YOU ever been on a highway with crazy cars and had to jump across lanes and do backflips and stuff?! -WE'RE TRYING OUR BEST HERE-

<DWN-019>: > …

<DWN-012>: > …

<DWN-012>: > :’D;;; uh

<DWN-012>: > [sub]we plead the fifth on this one thanks[/sub]

<MC005>: > I think he was just confused as to why you would try something you didn’t know would work.

Beck: .....

Beck: Oh. Well...uuuuh.

[MN.2] //: -BECK'S BEEN DOIN' CRAZY STUFF SINCE FOREVER AGO, AND IT'S STARTING TO CONCERN US-

Beck: .... ^.^;;;

<MC005>: > You what? ?__?

[CALL] //: Warning--multiple incoming robots heading for your location.

[MN.9] //: -nOT AGAIN--

[REXELECTION: CRYOSPHERE]

Beck: Stop SWARMING me--!

[A blast of icy wind dealt with the sign bots quickly--but they fell as their systems shut down, shattering into a million pieces before Beck could absorb their Xel.]

Beck: ...Oops.

Beck: (O...Kay, not doing THAT again...)

<MC005>: > …What was that about the stunts, again—

Beck: --Uh--

White: --!! DUCK!

[MN.1] //: --?

Beck: --Wait I don't see a duuUUUUOH--

[NOW ENTERING HIGHWAY ALPHA 1.]

[...That was what the large overhead sign said as Beck ducked at the last possible second, narrowly avoiding giving himself another broken nose--and possibly worse.]

Beck: (Oh man that was close--!)

[There is a strong fuzzing noise of static.

It’s not coming from nearby, but rather over the feeds.]

Beck: !

[MN.3] //: --Wha--that'szz not me--

<FMN-006>: > OOOO—

<FMN-006>: > -OW, CAR RIGHT TO THE FACE-

<FMN-006>: > -Well not LITERALLY her face but man that had to have hurt-

<FMN-009>: > Aaaaaa I’M GOING AS FAST AS I CAN BUT THERE ARE CRAZY SIGNS EVERYWHEEEEEEEEERE—

[MN.9] //: What's--!?

[MN.1] //: -PING PING, IS SHE ALRIGHT--

White: --Just--extremely so very worried with so many of his--and not his but his children AAACK--

<FMN-006>: > Her camo’s gone—

<FMN-009>: > -WHICH MAKES IT A LOT EASIER TO CATCH UP TO HER, DAD—-

<FMN-006>: > …She’s standing on her own, now—

<FMN-006>: > SHEEEE’ll be fine, Beckaronidoni, GO ON AHEAD :’^D

<FMN-006 to MNN-001>: > -UH. SHE’S KINDA GETTING AGITATED, IT SEEMS, STANDBY FOR DEVELOPMENT-

[MN.1] //: . . . .

Beck: -Whew, OK...-

[CALL] //: Contact with tunnel entrance in three...two...one...

Speedy: -OH GEEZ, DUCK, MAN!-

[THUD--!]

[Beck just dropped down to lay on the roof and held his head down--]

[--and saw the world turn much, much darker, illuminated only by pale, yellow lights that lined the walls--the emergency lights.]

[Beck lowered his visor for Night Vision before he deemed it safe to raise his head again.]

Beck: --In the tunnel--! It's...pretty dark but I got my Night Vision--

<DWN-011>: >Welp. Just keep an eye for the exit, too.

[Nine pinged back in confirmation, readying himself briefly before jumping to another car, and another. The traffic was more condensed here, so it was easier to jump from one vehicle to another.]

Beck: Lots of rigs here...

[With LOTS of malfunctioning robots...]

Beck: (No other way—I'm gonna have to fight through them!)

[....It wasn't long before the malfunctioning robots spotted him, and moved to converge on his position.]

[Beck narrowed his eyes at them, and—]

[REXELECTION: PYROGEN]

[—FILLED his fists with fire, and CHARGED at the CDNs in his path!]

Beck: Haaaaaah—!

[MN.1] //: .... -We taught him that, you know—- -HEH, THAT'S HIS BROTHER-

[MN.2] //: -Yeah well DUH-

[BAM—!]

[A few of the robots are knocked off the rig, while others either blow up or are absorbed on contact with his Dash, giving him some Absorption Boosts--and refilling his previously used Xel Stock.]

[XEL STOCK 1 QUOTA REACHED.]

[MN.3] //: —He'zzz really mowing those thingszz down, huh...?

[MN.2] //: -IT'S GLORIOUS, GO BECK GO-

Beck: —NNGH—!

[One by one, the robots are broken and beaten down before him, their components being drawn into his being as both Xel and Fire danced to his will, a strong green glow casting from his optics.]

White: (....!)

Beck: Get out of the WAY—!

Beck: (Gotta—get to Nii-San—!)

[SCREEEEEEEEEEEEEEE—!]

Beck: -cOVERS EARS, O W—!-

White: What in the world was—?!

<FMN-006 to MNN-001>: > -NOOOOOOBODY PANIC, UH— -

[MN.1 to FMN.6] //: -SIX, I DEMAND TO KNOW WHAT IS—-

<FMN-006 to MNN-001>: > SHE'S KINDA, UM

<FMN-006 to MNN-001>: > TIED UP AT THE MOMENT--

[MN.1 to FMN.6] //: -NOW IS NOT THE TIME FOR PUNS, AVIATOR--

<FMN-006 to MNN-001>: > NO BRO

<FMN-006 to MNN-001>: > I MEAN IT FOR REAL

[MN.1 to FMN.6] //: —!

<FMN-006 to MNN-001>: > -also, we pun when stressed, you know this, aaaaand thIS IS KINDA STRESSFUL TO WATCH-

<FMN-006 to MNN-001>: > Get Nine moving, this isn't something he should see!

[MN.9] //: Guys—?!

[MN.1] //: Keep GOING, Beck! NOW!

[MN.9] //: But what was—?!

[MN.1] //: N O W!

<FMN-006 to FMN-009>: > Hurry uuuup

[While Beck made a worried break for it, Goose suddenly gave off a blip of surprise and concern.]

<FMN-006 to MNN-001>: > Uh-oh—

<FMN-006 to MNN-001>: > oh geez, she took out one of my cameras— I've lost visual—

<FMN-006 to MNN-001>: > -But not audio, at least-

[MN.1 to FMN.6] //: —Augh, of all the times—!

[MN.1 to FMN.6] //: What about Jack? Is he injured? Did you see before you lost the visual?

<FMN-006 to MNN-001>: > ... Have you ever needed to wrestle your Shade? Or just lug him around in general? Tony's not exactly a heavyweight-- aaaand don't tell her I said that or she'll shoot my propellers off 8'D;;

<FMN-006 to MNN-001>: > Noooot so much /injured/ as out of his league in trying to reign in a bucking bronco-- though he's doing REAL well, all things considered— …

[... But then he falls uncharacteristically silent.]

[MN.1 to FMN.6] //: .....? Avi—?

[MN.9] //: --Eeep--Cars, more car debris, DODGE DODGE DODGE--

[More silence.]

<FMN-006 to MNN-001>: > …

<FMN-006 to MNN-001>: > . . .

[MN.1 to FMN.6] //: -OK we have never EVER heard you be this quiet for this long, please say SOMETHING—-

<FMN-006 to MNN-001>: > -Swallows- She's not gonna be happy when she wakes up from this...

<FMN-006 to MNN-001>: > ... And hears what she's saying.

[MN.1 to FMN.6] //: —.....

[MN.1] //: . . . . .

[MN.2] //: ...Bro?

[MN.1] //: .......

[MN.1] //: ...Beck?

[MN.9] //: —KINDA BUSY—! -SOUNDS OF METAL CRUNCHING-

[MN.1] //: ...Ngh...

[MN.1] //: (Curse this wretched virus—!)

[MN.9] //: How long until the tunnel exit?!

[CALL] //: Contact in 4 minutes, Nine.

<DWN-019>: > Wait. Where are Jack and FMN-008?

<FMN-006>: >Working on getting the visual back up, guys— lost sight of them, that may be a moment—

<DWN-019>: > … You are an aerial ‘bot, how could you lose sight of them—

<FMN-006>: >She spotted one of my cams and wasn’t too happy about it, okay? D: [sub]Charlieeee… why do you always have to go after Charlie, Siiiiiis…[/sub]

[MN.3] //: (...Charlie??)

[CALL] //: Contact in 3 minutes.

Beck: Whoa—!

[REXELECTION: AVIATOR]

[More strange wheel bots had materialized--and learning from the previous encounter, Beck chose to avoid them altogether and and hovered just out of their reach.]

<DWN-011>: >Wouldn’t stay in that form too long.

<DLN-005>: >Why?

<DWN-011>: >Exit. Too tall.

[MN.9] //: OK, just let me find a place t—

[...A pause.]

[MN.9] //: .....Uh.

<MC005>: > …What is it, Beck?

[MN.9] //: UH, GUYS...

[BEEEP BEEEP BEEEEEEEP!]

[MN.1] //: -...oh no-

[MN.3] //: -HOW MANY OF THOSE THINGS A R E THERE??-

[MN.9] //: A LOT—!

<DLN-005>: >Can you slow ‘em down by freezing them? o:

[A swarm of sign bots—much MUCH bigger than anything he's seen so far.]

[MN.9] //: There's WAY too many, I don't think I can get them all—!

[MN.1] //: If you can't slow them down, can you disperse them?

[MN.9] //: Uuuuh...

[MN.9] //: I can tryyyy??

<DLN-005>: >Yaaay, Beckyyy~

-PING!-

<DCP-001>: >You can do it, Beck! ^.^

Beck: —!

Beck: ...Linka--!!

<DCP-001>: >You can do it! Beck is hero~

[...Nine's optics seemed to flare a touch brighter the moment he heard Kalinka's voice.]

[After landing on a car, Beck took careful aim at the mass of sign bots ahead, the propeller that replaced his hand spinning faster, and faster—!]

[—ZING!]

[The propeller unlatched and whizzed through the air vertically, splitting the large group of sign bots in half—!]

Beck: —Hah—!

[And he didn't stop there—a moment later and another propeller was launched, and another, and another—]

[CALL] //: Contact in 2 minutes.

[It took almost exhausting all of this form's energy—but he managed to completely disperse the swarm, quickly shifting back to default to shoot at the ones that lingered.]

[REXELECTION: AVIATOR//RECHARGING...]

[DR.WHITE] //: You're almost there, Beck—!

[MN.9] //: —! I see the exit! (It's really bright—...is it dawn already--?)

[CALL] //: Contact in 1 minute.

[Disengaging his Night Vision, Beck lowered his body as the car he stood on sped towards the light ahead...]

[CALL] //: Contact in 30 seconds.

[There was a sudden PING of alarm.]

<DWN-019>: > WAIT WAIT WAIT—

<DWN-019>: > PISCES WHAT WERE YOU SAYING ABOUT “TOO TALL”—

[MN.9] //: -What, but we're fine—-

[CALL] //: Contact in 3—2—1—

[The world was thrown back into light, and the first reddish sunbeams of daylight filled the sky over a brown desert, rock formations scattering their shadows against the hot sands of New Mexico.]

[There was a loud sound that echoed down the tunnel, bouncing off the walls.]

WHANG!

WHANG!

[Beck only had a second to stare in awe of the beautiful scenery when he heard the sound of something crashing against metal. He turned around back towards the tunnel in confusion.]

Beck: —?? What was that?!

<DWN-012>: > -Whine noise- x.≤;;; The sound of something running into a wall really, really fast…

[MN.1] //: (Something tall...)

[MN.1] //: .....!!!!

[MN.1] //: No—!

<FMN-006>: > … … … -We can’t do anything now until they come out on the other side, bro-

[MN.1 to FMN.6] //: —I know that and it's—Ngh!

[MN.2] //: SIS--!

[MN.3] //: -BZZZZZZZZZZT!!- -Stressful and worried static across the feeds-

[MN.9] //: What--did something happen to Carmen and Jack--?!

[CALL] //: -LOUD PING-

[CALL] //: Warning: Erratic movement detected in several nearby remote-controlled vehicles.

<FMN-006>: >Listen, Beckaroo!

<FMN-006>: >The best thing you can do is to save the day by rescuing Sevvie, ‘kay? </punning while stressed again> Trust me on that. You can do it!

<FMN-006>: >This is a teamwork sort of rig— I mean, gig—

<FMN-006>: >So just do your part and Pup will do his and it’ll all work out, a’ight? ;D ;;;;

[MN.9] //: —...

[MN.9] //: —I read you, Avi...

[...He just couldn't help it—there were so many people he cared about on this dangerous highway, and he worried about everyone.]

[But at least they were there to remind him what he needed to do.]

<FMN-006>: >Oooof course you do! : D Because the alphabet starts with “A” for “Avi!” ^^

<FMN-006>: >Now go get ‘em, Champ!

[MN.9] //: —R...Right!

[Another large rig backed up, allowing Beck to jump across and head out further into the highway.]

[CALL] //: Warning—I am detecting a buildup of erratic signals near your location.

<MC005>: > …? What does that indicate?

[CALL] //: Analyzing...

[MN.9] //: —...? Huh?

[DR.WHITE] //: Beck—?

[MN.9] //: The cars are...?

[The smaller vehicles were weaving around in seemingly random patterns, honking and trying to get in front of one another...]

Beck: It...kinda looks like they're freaking out...?

Beck: But why would--

[SHING!]

[There was a blur of--of a dark, violet blue flame—

And one of the cars was CLEAVED in half.]

<DWN-012>: > !!!

<DWN-012>: > oh gosh is this where the car halves were coming from?

[MN.2] //: HOLY--!

Beck: --!!!

[Moments later...]

[A red armored figure landed on the other lane, slamming a blade down on the car on which he landed.]

Beck: Brand--!

[MN.1] //: Brandish--!

[Brand's breathing sounded labored, wrenching his blade out of the car and staring across the lane at his little brother.]

Brand: Gnh...!

<DWN-013 to MNN-001>: > … We may have a problem…!

<DWN-013 to MNN-001>: > If that really was CND-7037 and FMN-008 hitting the tunnel that made that noise—

<DWN-013 to MNN-001>: > They might not be conscious enough to evade if Brand goes after the car or rig they’re on top of!

[MN.1 to FMN.6 and 9] //: You two had better hurry when they get out of that tunnel--!

<FMN-009>: > YES SIR—!

Brand: I...I told you...

Beck: Brandish--!

[Before Beck could say anything more, however--]

[A surge of dark, violet flames burst from Seven's body, across his arms and blades, and he raised his head to scream-- ]

Brand: I TOLD YOU TO STAY AWAY!

<DWN-013>: > Yes, you did. But he won’t.

Beck: HANG ON, NII-SAN--!

[Brandish let out a cry of anguish, leaping towards another car as Beck chased after him from his own lane--]

[SHING--!]

[Another car was sliced, and it's parts were swept across the road--Beck was forced to jump from car to car to avoid both his brother's wild attacks and the results of his reluctant rampage.]

[SHING--!]

Beck: {Big brother, please--}

[SHING--!]

Beck: {--you have to--}

[SHING--!]

Beck: {--FIGHT THIS--!}

<DWN-013 to MNN-009>: > …He is, Beck. … -Augh, it is so hard, and so painful- He’s trying as hard as he can. But you’ll need to make the final moves to overcome what’s in place.

[Brandish's answer to that was another slash in his direction, but easily avoidable. As Nine leaps over to a larger rig, the Xel-ninja speeds on by a set of trucks--]

[...But doesn't reappear once they pass.]

Beck: No--!

Beck: (Where is he, where is he--)

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

[DR.WHITE] //: (I can't help but wonder...Brand's fine control over his art allows him to achieve a greater focus than any of the others...)

[DR.WHITE] //: (But he's not like Beck in the sense that...)

[DR.WHITE] //: (....)

[DR WHITE] //: (Brandish...son...)

[Beep!]

Beck: ....?

[The rig was larger than the others--and it was carrying many other cars on it's trailers. Once Beck climbed over the roof, and to the floor below, he was greeted by none other than Sunny the Patch Bot.]

[DR.SANDA] //: --? Will--Did YOU send Sunny down there?

[DR.WHITE] //: No--?

Sunny: ^.^

[CALL] //: -Ping of admittance, we had concluded Beck needed medical assistance once Brandish was spotted again-

<DWN-019>: > -Ping of approval-

[Sunny chirped pleasantly as Beck patted their head, unloading it's cargo and preparing to fly off...]

Beck: Wait, Sunny--!

Sunny: ?

[MN.9] //: Call--Xel Transfer him back to the lab right now, please.

[...He didn't want to add Sunny to the things Brand already cut up so far...]

[CALL] //: Acknowledged.

<DWN-013>: >Good luck, Beck. And remember…

<DWN-013>: > …

<DWN-013>: > (“In the end… his will overcame the program…”)

<DWN-013>: > Remember what I told you.

Beck: ......

Beck: Yeah...

[Sunny was teleported off, leaving Beck to venture forward on his own. There were less and less cars on the lanes, he noted...]

Beck: ....!

[At one end of the trailer, there were more cars, stacked one on top of the other.]

Beck: (They're not moving...so they must have been turned off when the virus hit...?)

[DR.WHITE] //: Any sign of Brand?

[MN.9] //: Not--

"HAAAAAAAAAAH--!!"

[SHING SHING SHING SHING SHING--]

[B O O M!]

[Without any warning, the cars were sliced--and they all exploded, knocking back the smaller Mighty Number off his feet and rolling across the trailer floor--!]

Beck: Gah--!

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

<MC005 to DR.WHITE>: > Careful, Will! With Brandish as his opponent… Beck will need all the concentration he can muster!

[Black smoke choked his throat, and he coughed, his vision straining to see the familiar figure that had appeared through it.]

[The smoke cleared, the rising sun over the now desolate highway....]

Beck: -COUGH-

Beck: B--...Brand...

[Screams of surprise and alarm in the far distance.]

<FMN-009 to MNN-009>: > Got them! I’m closing in!

[MN.9 to FMN.9] //: --... -PING-

[Brandish fell into a offensive stance, yet he was trying to draw AWAY from his brother at the same time, so it looked as if he was just a tense coil...]

Brand: Beck--!

[Beck gathered to his feet. Brand wasn't running anymore, but it sure LOOKED like he wanted to.]

Beck: Brand...

Brand: GNH--!

Brand: GNAAAAAAAAAAAAH--!!

[The dark flames enshrouded, engulfed, and for a moment, Brandish was not there—lost in the virus's grip—and then—!]

Brand?: WHY--?!

Beck: --!

[That voice--it was completely different, twisted, and demonic--it was not his own--]

Beck: (Is that...the virus...?)

Brand?: WHY, BECK--?!

Beck: ?!?!?

[--It said his NAME.]

Brand?: WHY WON'T YOU. GIVE. UP?!?!

[.........]

Beck: A...Ah--

[Those--those words--]

Beck: (W...What...)

[It was clear that Beck was completely unnerved, and found that he could not move at all. He stared, fixated, horrified and in disbelief all at once--]

<RMDC>: > -PING!-

<RMDC>: > UPDATE COMPLETED.

<RMDC>: > REBOOTING AI_DWN_024…

Beck: --!!

Brand?: RAAAAAAAAAAH--!!

[An unnatural groan of pain, and the flames die down to their original height, causing Brand to fall to a knee.]

Brand: Ngn...

Brand: S...Shadow....?

<DWN-024>: > -LOADING…-

<DWN-024>: > -Loading…-

<DWN-024>: > -Loading…-

[There was a broadcast… memory, almost—like looking across the Milky Way at endless streams of stars, clearer and more magnificent than any telescope could ever capture.]

[And then a feeling like some ancient thing that had long been asleep was about to stir…]

<DCN-007>: > -Much more presence than usual- {The student hears the voice of his master, no longer lost, but found again… and he will waken.}

<DCN-008>: > {You have been long missed and longed for, Brandish Atomo White.}

<DCN-008>: > {You don’t need to keep running from your family any longer. They think no less of you for what has happened. Do not fear their judgement—for they do not carry it!}

<DCN-007>: > Remember what you told him.

——————————

<DLN-000>: >But living life as a Wilybot… it’s always in the back of your mind— <DLN-000>: >What if… what if something, what if /next/ time—there’s ALWAYS a next time—what if it really makes us… what if we become monsters? [MN. 7] //: Then I will do everything in my power to save you WITHOUT taking your life. <DLN-000>: >Sometimes people don’t get a choice. <DLN-000>: >Rock didn’t get a choice. [MN. 7] //: There is always a choice.

——————————

<DCN-007>: > {THERE IS /ALWAYS/ A CHOICE!}

<DCN-008>: > {Even if the only choice is to resist.}

<DCN-007>: > {What do you think we did, Brandish? When we were enslaved like this?}

<DCN-007>: > {MAKE YOUR CHOICE! CHOOSE TO /FIGHT/ IT!}

Brand: {I--!}

[The Mighty ninja recoiled once more, groaning again, the virus within him refusing to let go, to ensure that it completes its purpose using him as its host.]

Brand: --N...ngh...

Brand: T...here is...a...ch-choice...

Brand: B...Beck...

Beck: It's gonna be OK--!

Beck: I'm here to help--I've come to SAVE you, Brand--!

[Beck carefully tries to approach, but--]

Brand: N--No closer--!

Brand: O-One more step--and my blades will have their way with you--!

[His head jerked to one side, as if he didn't mean to say what he just said.]

Brand: It...it...

Brand: It...doesn't--KNOW--!

Beck: --what?

Brand: It....it CAN'T know--

Beck: Brand--what--tell me what's happening--! What are you--

Brand: I can't--control myself--! It--

Brand: It doesn't--know--what--

Brand: It--will not--STOP--until everything--is GONE--!

<MC005>: > …!!!

-*-*-*-*-

-PING!-

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

[.......]

[MN.1] //: RRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!

[Mikhail was quite taken aback.]

Mikhail: ?!

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

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

[MN.1] //: BUUUUUUUURRRN!

-*-*-*-*-

<MC005 to DR.WHITE>: > Will, there’s something I need to show you…

Brand: It—will—stop at NOTHING—

Brand: It—will use—WHATEVER MEANS—!

[DR.SANDA] // : Saints preserve us...

Brand: It will use ME—until I BREAK—!

Beck: —!?

Brand: If—if you want...to SAVE me...!

[SCANNING...]

[SCAN COMPLETE.]

[E N C O U N T E R.]

[MODEL: MIGHTY NO. 7. CODENAME: BRANDISH.]

[HEIGHT: 167cm WEIGHT: 187kg XEL COUNT: 37,400,000]

Brand: YOU MUST DESTROY ME!

[This phrase was dramatically emphasized by a sudden flash of lightning in the distance out of nowhere.]

Beck: —!!

Beck: NO—!

Beck: I don't want to do this—I don't want to hurt you anymore than I have to—!

Brand: RARGH!

[Beck's rebuttal fell on deaf ears—Brandish could no longer hold back. He lunged—!]

[REXELECTION: CRYOSPHERE.]

[Beck leaped backwards, switching his form into something he thought would slow Brandish down at least a little—]

Brand: Predictable!

[SHING!]

[...The wall of ice that was between them was cut to pieces.]

Beck: Gnh—!

[REXELECTION: PYROGEN.]

Brand: Always so VERY predicable...

Beck: Burning—gACK—!

[Beck was hit with a flying kick, sending him tumbling over to the ground—]

Brand: You—you expect to kill ME with such PREDICTABLE skills—?!

[A blast of disapproval across the feeds, directed RIGHT at Brandish.]

<DLN-005>: > N O.

<MC005>: > …!

<MC005 to MNN-001>: > I thought you were keeping him busy in the kitchen—!

[MN.1] //: -Snow—argh, tiny bots are always hard to keep track of—-

<DLN-005>: > N O, NO, /NO!/

<DLN-005>: > Beck isn’t like the monster—

[You could actually hear his budding arctic tantrum—the winds were howling with ice in their voice!]

<DLN-005>: > BECK /SAVES/ THE DAY!

Brand: —ngh—!

[He falters at the sound of Snow's voice...]

Brand: I—I can't—control—

Brand: AAARGH!

[There was an incredibly intense blast of disapproval, but this time, it… didn’t seem to be specifically directed at… Brandish…?!?]

<DLN-005>: > YOU!

<DLN-005 to ???>: > You meanie.

<DLN-005 to ???>: > You’re trying to make more like the blue monster.

<DLN-005 to ???>: > YOU TRIED TO MAKE /US/ LIKE THAT MONSTER!!!

<DLN-005 to ???>: > -SCREEEE, SHRIEKS OF RUSSIAN WINTER-

<DLN-005 to ???>: > MONSTERS NEVER WIN!

[At the sounds of the howling winds of icy fury—]

Brand?: -UNHOLY DEMONIC SCREEEEEEEEEEECH OF RAGE-

[This tantrum was abruptly cut short.]

<MC005 has sent DLN-005 Offline.>

[Apparently Mikhail had taken the matter into his own hands to prevent Snow from hurting Pyro with his abilities, as the little ice ‘bot used them recklessly when throwing a tantrum.]

[MN.1] //: Snow—!

[…Uh-oh.]

<DWN-011 has entered Alert Combat mode.>


<DWN-012 has entered Alert Combat mode.>


<DWN-013 has entered Alert Combat mode.>


<DWN-018 has entered Alert Combat mode.>


<DWN-019 has entered Alert Combat mode.>


<DCN-003 has entered Alert Combat mode.>


<DCN-007 has entered Alert Combat mode.>


<DCN-008 has entered Alert Combat mode.>

[MN.3] //: -Ooooh, that's not good-

Beck: BRAAAAAAND—!

Brand: RAAAGH—!

[Brandish flourished his blades in parallel position, arms stretched out wide to either side—!]

Beck: —!!

[Seven spun around on the spot, becoming a spinning blur of DEATH that soon sped towards Nine—!]

Beck: —aaAAAH—!

[Recognizing this move and what it can do, Beck had one option—]

[REXELECTION: AVIATOR.]

[Take to the sky.]

Brand: Ngh—!!

[Beck sighed in relief as he watched Brand simply glare at him after he came to a stop. Brandish could jump fairly high, but as long as he—]

[SHING!]

Beck: WHA—?!

[Brandish...threw his own sword at him?]

[Beck had to bank harshly to the right, the blade narrowly missing his side. He stared in confusion for a split second—

A pale cloth of what appeared to be the 'bandages' that decorated the hilt was now stretched out, and seemed to retract back to Brandish, returning the weapon to his hand.]

Brand: You cannot stay up there forever—!

[There seemed to be a buzz for a moment.

And then, suddenly…]

<RMDC>: > -PING!- COMMAND ACCEPTED. AUTHORIZATION: DWN-019

[There was a flurry of notifications as the remainder of the Rebel Angels went Offline.

All but one, anyway.]

<DWN-024>: > -Loading…-

[SHING!]

[SHING—!]

[There was a far-off flash of green that lit up the dawn sky.]

[MN.1] //: —!!

[MN.3] //: —Waszz that—?

[Beck landed quickly, and shifted his form again—]

[...to default?]

Beck: (Brand has a counter to everything I got—)

Beck: (He keeps saying I'm predictable—)

Beck: (So--I gotta come up with something he WON'T expect—!)

Beck: (...I am so glad the others won't see this...)

[MN.9] //: DR. COSSACK—!

[MN.9] //: I'm sorry—but I have to ask you to—!

<MC005>: > …

[There was a pause.]

<MC005 has sent DCN-003 Offline.> <MC005 has sent DCN-007 Offline.> <MC005 has sent DCN-008 Offline.>

<MC005 to MNN-009>: > {Do what you have to… but understand that you may not be able to keep this secret all the way through.}

[MN.9 to MC005] //: ...I understand.

Beck: (Sorry about that, guys...)

[REXELECTION: DYNATRON]

[MN.3] //: —?!? BECK—WHAT ARE YOU DOING—?!

Beck: TRUST ME, SIS—!

[Brandish seemed unfazed, but leaped into a front flip, using his blades to hack at anything that dared to come close--

Beck sparked in panic and threw large, glowing purple bits up in a make shift shield--they didn't hold up to Brand's swords, but it did give Beck enough time to roll out of the way, summoning more bits to his side.]

[There was a clattering sound as Mikhail hastily left the room he was in to make his way to the emergency bay.]

Brand: Fool...!

[He lands, and once again charges for another slashing attack, unrelenting in his efforts to cut Beck down to nothing but Xel.]

[Beck's bits are wildly thrown this way and that while he avoids and dodges and--]

[MN.3] //: --!!

Brand: Must slice--must DICE--!

-PING!-

<RMDC>: >PROCESSING NEW DATA…

<RMDC>: > UPDATING SERVER…

<RMDC>: >UPDATE COMPLETE. STATUS UPDATE: FMN-008.

<RMDC>: >XEL PURGE COMPLETE. ALL HARMFUL MALWARE HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM FMN-008.

[MN.1] //: --!!

[MN.2] //: -ALRIGHT, MIRROR BRO!-

Brand: --n-ngh--?

<RMDC>: >ALERT!

<RMDC>: >SIGNAL ERROR: FMN-008 NOT FOUND

<RMDC>: > SCANS INDICATE FMN-008 HAS SUSTAINED SYSTEM-WIDE CRITICAL HARDWARE DAMAGE. DATA SOURCE: FMN-009

Brand: C...Carmen--?!

[Brandish...stops.]

Brand: Ack--N...No...!

Beck: --Sorry, Brand--!!

[BZZZZZZT--!]

[The whole floor was suddenly electrified, the bits that had been thrown earlier sending strong currents across the metal flooring--!]

Brand: --gNAAAAAH--!

[He was covered in a purple glow--!]

[XEL ABSORBED.]

[The bits dissipated into loose Xel as Brand twitched and jerked, the currents wreaking havoc on his systems...]

Brand: Nnnggh...

Beck: {I'm sorry--!}

-Ping.-

<AI_DWN_024 SYSTEM UPDATE COMPLETE. REBOOTING…>

Brand: Gnh--

Brand: Y--Yes....

Beck: --!

Brand: You...you are...

Brand: Going to...break me down...right into Xels...

Beck: No--! That's not what I'm--!

<RMDC>: >ERROR: EMOTIONS.EXE ERROR DETECTED. DWN-024 REBOOT FAILED. RETRYING…

<FMN-009>: > -PING!-

<FMN-009>: > UM

<FMN-009>: > UHHH

<FMN-009>: > GUYS THERE’S A PROBLEM

[DR.SANDA] //: -Oh dear Asimov why now--

[MN.1] //: What is it?

<FMN-009>: > -HOW AM I GOING TO GET THEM OFF, HELP—-

<FMN-009>: > -EVEN IF I COULD LIFT SIS IN AVI’S FORM (WHICH I /CAN’T/, SHE’S TOO HEAVY—) I ONLY HAVE ONE ARM IN THAT FORM, WE CAN’T LEAVE JACK BEHIND—!-

<FMN-009>: > THEY BOTH HIT THEIR HEADS REALLY HARD AND AREN’T GIVING OFF SIGNALS I THINK THEY BROKE THEIR TRANSCEIVERS AAAAAAAAAA—

[MN.1] //: Calm DOWN, Nine--! We'll think of something--!

<FMN-009>: > BUT SHE HIT HER HEAD REALLY HARD, LIKE YOU SAID AFTER THE INCIDENT THERE’S XEL EVERYWHERE SOMEBODY HELP—

[MN.1] //: Beck--!

[BZZZZZZT--]

[DR.WHITE] //: -GAH THERE'S NO WAY TO GET THEM OUT OF THE HIGHWAY AND--

<MC005>: > -PING!-

<MC005>: > Has anyone seen Aviator??

[ALL] //: --????

[MN.3] //: He should zzstill be--

[MN.2] //: Uuuuh...

[MN.2] //: Are my four eyes seeing things right or am I seeing double--?

<MC005>: > {What??}

[P I N G!]

[MN.6] //: Diiiiiiid someone call for...

[MN.6] //: ...air support?~ ; D

[MN. ALL] //: AVI!

<FMN-006>: > You know what they say, Avi!

<FMN-006>: > Two heads are better than one!~ ; D

<FMN-006>: > It helps to have friends in… HIGH places~

[MN.6] //: You said it, Avi!

[MN.6] //: And they're only just a--CALL AWAY. ; D

[MN.1] //: --oH--

<FMN-006>: >Breaking news!

<FMN-006>: >Two handsome airplane rescuers stop highway chase from ending in tragedy, while everyone’s faaaaavorite underdog SAVES THE DAY— -Background flying noises-

[MN.9] //: AVI!~

[MN.6] //: Heeeeey, T-Becks, love to chat and catch up but I got a car-jack to get to and you got a bro to save!

[MN.6] //: You're doing great--so don't give up now!

[MN.9] //: Roger that, Avi!

<FMN-006 to MNN-007>: >EYYYY, LUCKY SEVEN THERE— I know you can hear me.

[MN.7 to FMN.6] // -low growls in response-

<FMN-006 to MNN-007>: >Enough of that doom and gloom nonsense, lil’ bro—

<FMN-006 to MNN-007>: > She’s pretty banged up and is gonna want you to help out again.

Brand: --!

<FMN-006 to MNN-007>: > -She needs you, so—if I hear more of this despair stuff I’m going to hang you up a flagpole by your fancy Japanese silk robes, snap out of it-

Brand: C...Carmen--

<FMN-006>: > -Cheerfully- See you guys soooon!~ Avi, over and out!

[MN.9] //: Good luck, guys--!

[MN.6] //: You too, little Champ!

Brand: Nngh--!

[He convulsed, and the virus tightened it's reigns—but still, he was suppressing his urge to attack--!]

Brand: I...ngh--!

[BLAM!]

[XEL ABSORBED.]

[Beck did not let the opening go to waste.]

[BLAM!]

[XEL ABSORBED.]

Brand: NNNAGH!!

[The ninja suddenly screamed into sunrise, his blades raised in front of him--]

[--clicking into place as he brought them together--]

[DR.WHITE] //: --!!! BRANDISH, NO--!!

[PING!]

<DWN-024 is now Online.>

<DWN-024>: > -Very, VERY disoriented data- … Sensei…?

Brand: M--MOVE, BECK--!!

Brand: M-my body--my BLADES--They have a will all of their own--!

Brand: RAAGH--!

Beck: Brand--wait--!

[SHING--!]

Beck: aCK--!

[He backed off, but--pain, across his shoulder--]

<DWN-024>: > —!

<DWN-024 has entered Non-Lethal Combat mode.>

[Uh-oh.]

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

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

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

Skull: …At least, until Brandish is better…

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

[SHING SHING SHING SHINGSHINGSHING--]

[Other shoulder--leg--]

[There was a whistling noise.]

THUNK.

Ssssss…

[A shuriken was sinking into the rig by Brandish’s left foot, hissing as acid ate away at the metal.]

Brand: --?!

[Beck stumbled, and fell in shock--Xel beginning to bleed from the gashes his brother had inflicted--thankfully not deep enough to sever anything immediately important, but OW--]

[Shadow seemed to melt out of his namesake, rising like some sort of ghost. His eyes were glowing a solid green.]

<MC005>: > I thought the Meadow teleporters were Offline!

<FMN-001>: > THEY ARE! He just—! MELTED into the darkness!

[He flicked his wrists, and two more shuriken appeared.

This time, he aimed for Brand’s hands.]

[Brandish did not linger--he avoided the projectiles altogether by flipping backwards, his eyes switching from his own blue to a monstrous purple...]

Beck: Sh--Shadow--!

Brand: You...

[Shadow did not respond at all. He was silent.

And relentless—melting suddenly into the shadows again, vanishing from sight.

Only to reappear—]

[SKLRRT!]

[APPARENTLY UNDERNEATH THE RIG AT BRAND’S FEET AND STABBING UPWARDS—]

Beck: --!!!

[ACCESSING XEL STOCK 1...]

Brand: Gnh--!

[He jumped, but the acid beneath splattered and hit bits and parts of his leg armor, eating away at the paint and the trade-mark '7' that adorned it.]

[It wasn't long before the acid was slowly eating away at the armor itself, though at a slow pace. Brandish HOWLED in pain--!]

Brand: INSOLENCE--!

[SHING--!]

[The slice cut through the rig like butter, and there were some very troubling noises from whatever piping he had cut into.]

[There was a clattering sound, as if something had fallen down.]

[XEL ABSORBED.]

Beck: SHADOW--?!

[Silence.]

Beck: SHADOW--?!?

Brand: Nggggh....

[Brand’s shadow… rippled.]

Beck: --?!?

[Brandish didn't seem to notice, now turning his blade back to Beck--]

Brand: You--...

Brand: .....

[Until he sensed another presence--]

[Shadow sprang up out of Brand’s cast shade, grabbing him by the scarf and yanking HARD.

At the same time, he slammed his foot against Brand’s ankle, where the leg armor had been eaten away.]

Brand: --Hrk--

Beck: SHADOW, STOP--!

Brand: -UNHOLY SCREECH OF PAIN-

[Shadow let go of the scarf, but he wasn’t quite done—that much was clear, as he had another shuriken in his hand a second later.

His expression was void, and he didn’t seem moved by mercy whatsoever.

However…]

<DWN-024 has entered Defensive Combat mode.>

[The green glow subsided, and his irises and pupils slowly came back into view—though his irises were still glowing the same shade of green.

He slid further back, bracing himself against the driving cabin.]

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

Gemini: There is already so much suffering and anger and fear and hardship that we put up with and deal with… that it really doesn’t drive us mad. The Awareness function cannot be overridden that way, and so there is no loss of control.

Gemini: -Dryly- You could say we’re permanently infected, in a sense.

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

Beck: --!!

[Brandish winced in sheer pain, but his head turned to GLARE at Shadow with violet orbs of rage, unlocking his blades to separate and--]

[BLAM!]

Beck: NO YOU DON'T--!

[Shadow crouched down, bringing out some sort of… strange but familiar item…]

Beck: --Ah--!

[His visor goes down--]

[And darkness covers… everything.]

Brand: --!?!?

Beck: (I--STILL CAN'T SEE, WHAT--?!)

[It is no ordinary darkness—not as if night had fallen—but as if light had ceased to exist at all.

It was as if it had smothered out everything else in the world, creating a void of NOTHING.]

[There was a firm grip around Beck, suddenly—]

Beck: --!

[In reaction to the darkness, Brand wildly slashes to where he last saw Shadow, and prepares to spin in place with his blades--]

Beck: Wha--!

[And then a tap on the side of his visor.]

<DWN-024 to MNN-009>: > -Data, brace yourselves-

Beck: --!

[Beck instantly tucks his head in, and tenses up in brace for whatever Shadow was talking about, his Xel Filter going online automatically--]

[The darkness lifted as suddenly and completely as it had come.

Beck was now standing in a different position than before, one with more favorable ground. Shadow was right beside him.]

Brand: --Aah--!

[Blinded by the sudden light from the sun, Brandish hissed and whirled around--where are they--?!]

Beck: (How did...?)

Brand: RRRNGH--!

Beck: (--Never mind--Brand's open--!)

[REXELECTION: AVIATOR.]

[Shadow side stepped and jumped up to be on the hood of the rig’s driving cabin, and thus out of the way.]

[ZING--!]

[The propeller whacked Brand SQUARE on the back--]

Brand: NGH--!

[Beck backed into a running start and LEAPED--!]

Beck: Haaaaah!

[ACXELARATE DASH: MAX OUTPUT REACHED.]

[CLANK--!]

[XEL ABSORBED.]

[There was the sound of something cracking--]

[XEL ABSORBED.]

Brand: B--BECK--!!

[XEL ABSORBED.]

Beck: FIGHT IT, BRAND--!

Beck: I'LL SAVE YOU--

[XEL QUOTA REACHED.]

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

Beck: --I PROMISE--!

[XEL PURGE INITIATED!]

[........]

"Again."

[THWACK!]

"Again!"

[THWACK!]

"--You're still holding back, Otouto."

"...Ngh..."

"I can tell when something is troubling you, you know."

"...."

"It is better to clear you mind than let it rage like a rushing current. There is no proper flow then. Only chaos."

"....."

"What is wrong, brother?"

"I...Brand?"

"Yes?"

"...Am I ever gonna get back on the team? I'm...not, aren't I?"

"....."

"I...I try--and I try--but I'm...I'm still SCARED, and I...I'm not getting any better--I do these practices over and OVER, but--!"

"...Seed."

"--? Wha?"

"You are a SEED, Beck."

"--....uh...?"

"You have yet to realize what you can accomplish with your abilities, and have yet to explore it. Like a seed planted on this earth, you need time."

"...Time...?"

"Time to GROW."

"You will need time, and guidance, and yes, much practice. You will need plant yourself firm once you discover your own way. You will need patience, focus...and above all--"

"--love?"

"...Yes. Love. Very good."

"I...heh..."

"...I can see it, Beck. Your potential. It is vast, and it is endless. You will become greater than the sum of all of us..."

"R...Really...?"

Brand: ......

Brand: --mn--?

"Yes. Of course you will."

Brand: B...Beck...

"You're a Mighty Number."

[....]

[XEL PURGE COMPLETE.]

[As the last of the green glow died off, cleansing away all of the sickly violet curse, Brand found himself staring into a blue, cloudless sky...]

[...As well as his brother...]

[ALL HARMFUL MALWARE HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM MN.7]

Beck: Brand--? Brand--?!

Brand: . . .

Brand: I....

[A hand weakly reached out to rest on his shoulder.]

Brand: I...thank...you...

[MN.7 IS NOW IN SLEEP MODE.]

Beck: Nii-San--!

[There is the sound of something collapsing across the feeds.]

[DR.SANDA] //: --Will?!

[MN.3] //: --Daddy??

[MN.2] //: -GONNA GO GET OUR LIMP NOODLE DAD SOME PILLOWS AND MAKE AN ICE PACK-

Beck: Ooooh--!

[Beck winced as some of the cars ahead all BLARED their horns at once, as if they were angered at his victory...]

Beck: Shadow--I could use a hand with Brand--!

[At first, Shadow was nowhere to be seen.

Then, it became clear he was standing at the very back of the rig. …He seemed to be in some sort of defensive stance.]

Shadow: . . .

[He was not so tense as to be frozen in place, but he seemed just one slight move away from a sudden and dangerous strike from the ENORMOUS shuriken in his hands.]

Beck: .....

Beck: How are you carrying that huge thing--?

[No response.]

Beck: Um--? Shadow? We're-- kinda still on a crazy speeding highway...

Beck: I can't carry Brand all by myself...please...?

[Shadow looked up.

His eyes were still bright green— he hadn’t left Defensive mode.]

Beck: --!

Beck: Sh...Shadow...?

[Beck collected himself up against his brother, eyes widening in slight surprise and fear--]

Beck: Ah--

Beck: G--Guys--!

[MN.1] //: Shadow! STAND DOWN--!

[DR.SANDA] //: Oh, dear--Mikhail--! -HELP-

[Shadow took another step back, holding the shuriken out like a shield by gripping at an edge of the opening in the center. He was at the very back of the rig now, and it was a wonder he hadn’t fallen off.]

[A soft ping.]

<MC005>: > -Quietly- {He’s afraid.}

<MC005>: > {He’s in Defensive mode because he is afraid of what is going to happen to him.}

<MC005>: > {He is… attempting to protect himself.}

<MC005 to MNN-ALL>: > {Keep in mind he’s been asleep since before we regained contact with you for the first time.}

<MC005 to MNN-ALL>: > {He has no idea what Beck is capable of, or what just happened.}

<MC005 to MNN-ALL>: > {All he knows is that he has acted aggressively and against the wishes of his superiors, having injured his teacher—who then was overpowered by one with a Universal Adapter and then sent, for all he knows, Offline.}

<MC005 to MNN-ALL>: > {Additionally…}

<MC005 to MNN-ALL>: > {All the other AI&A signals from the server are Offline as well.}

<MC005 to MNN-ALL>: > {What do you THINK he has concluded?}

[MN.1] //: --!!

[MN.3] //: -oh no--

[MN.2] //: --BECKY--SNAP OUT OF IT--!

Beck: .......

Beck: Sh...Shadow--

Beck: --P-Please--we--we gotta out of here--and get Brand help--

Beck: Please--I just SAVED him, I--!

[HOOOOOOOOONK--!]

[Shadow seemed to be struggling, very hard, but he remained silent.

Finally, he reached into his scarf with his other hand…]

[And in a flash, tossed something that clattered at Beck’s feet.]

Beck: --!! It's--!

[HOOOOOOOOOOONK--!!]

[The loud horn came from a huge eighteen wheeler--on a dead-set collision course with the rig they had battled on--!]

[HOOOOOOOOOOONK--!]

Beck: !!!

[Shadow made a sudden dashing leap, bounding up to the top to the rig, and then—]

<DWN-024 has entered Lethal Combat mode.>

[His energy readings spiked, and there was a whine that stuttered.]

[He hurled the massive shuriken at the road ahead, causing part of the road to get sliced away and the metal star to spin and clatter across the road. At the same time, he crouched down, and—

The whole rig began to sink into the shadows, falling—]

[Beck snatched the Amulet, held on to it and his brother tightly...]

[And screamed.]

Beck: AAAAAAAAAAAAAA--!

[The world around them was darkness, like before—except softer, somehow, like the haziness of dreams.

And then back into the sunlight in the desert, emerging from some cast shadows off-road—into the dust and sand.

Shadow swung down and grabbed at the side of the access panel to the fuel tank.]

[SKLORT!]

[He cut it open so that said fuel began rapidly draining away into the sand.]

[When the rig finally settled, that was when Beck stopped screaming.]

[He was hyperventilating, blinking weld up tears away as he held onto Brand's limp arm with a death grip, still processing what the heck just happened.]

Beck: (Highway--dark--sand--bright--what--)

<DWN-024 has entered Defensive Combat mode.>

[Shadow lept down from the rig and into the sand.]

[And then he made a run for it, summoning, of all things—a giant frog to ride.]

Beck: . . . . .

[MN.9] //: -Did--did I hit my head too--guys--what happened---

[MN.1] //: . . . .

<MC005>: > …

[A long pause.]

<MC005>: > …That… is a very good question.

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

Mikhail: (I’ve NEVER seen him use most of those techniques before.)

<MC005>: >I think it would be best to bring the two of you back to the lab, now…

[CALL] //: Preparing Xel Transfer...

[MN.9] //: -- W-Wait--Carmen, Jack--

<MC005>: >They’re waiting here already, Beck.

[MN.9] //: -sigh-

[MN.9] //: Good...

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

<MC005>: > Just try to rest. Things will be alright.

[CALL] //: Xel Transfer in progress...

_______________________

[SANDA LABS...]

[Mikhail sat back into his chair with a large sigh at last, groaning and putting his face in his hands.]

Mikhail: {What a mess…}

[He had tried to talk with Shadow to get him to calm down, but Shadow had turned his transceiver off, much like Cardinal had. He didn’t wish to risk trying to teleport him off despite that, since the ninja was at the edge of the vehicle and clearly poised to jump off or lash out at the first sign of something that startled him.

And now he had run off. Again.

The Russian Doctor had a fairly good idea where the wayward DWN would ultimately end up, so he didn’t find it urgent to initiate a chase.

…Besides, that would only make things worse.

No, he was more concerned about the psychological impact this would have on Beck (and Brand) in the long term.]

Mikhail: ({At least… as long as he keeps his transceiver off, he won’t upload his fear to the RMDC. Small blessings, I suppose…})

[The rescued Mighty Numbers all clamored and gathered around the injured pair, Pyrogen helping his unconscious brother to the emergency bay, with the rest smothering Nine with worried chatter and tight, loving hugs.]

[White was still passed out on his chair, a pillow propped up against his head and a white blanket over his form, a soothing ice pack lovingly crafted and placed on his forehead.]

Beck: . . . .

[Beck did not say a word, although he did return the hugs.]

Sanda: Hoooo...

Sanda: (These things just get worse, huh...)

Sanda: (...But at least everyone's...sort of alright.)

Sanda: (Goodness, Will, you REALLY can't just fall over like that..)

Sanda: I--b-better get to repairs on Brand...Call, could you watch Will?

Call: Yes, Doctor.

Mikhail: …

Call: I will also watch over Dr. Cossack, as I am also detecting unhealthy stress levels.

Sanda: Er...right...you...do that...

Mikhail: Mnnn…

[He waited until after Sanda left before he turned to type at the console.]

<MC005 to CALL>: > I am admittedly concerned for Number Nine’s well being.

[CALL] //: .....

<MC005 to CALL>: > He has been very withdrawn as of late, and has taken to secluding himself for long blocks of time.

<MC005 to CALL>: > He seems to be concerned what the others will think of him, and enforces the secrecy out of a kind of desperation—and I don’t think that what happened today will help matters.

[ANALYZING...]

[CALL to MC005] //: What do you propose, Doctor?

Mikhail: -Leans against a hand, seeming tired-

<MC005 to CALL>: > I’ll need a little time to think on that. He needs someone to talk to, that much is certain.

<MC005 to CALL>: > I’d like to talk to him myself, just to try and understand the situation better, so I can figure out how to calm down anyone connected to the RMDC server.

[CALL to MC005] //: ......

[CALL to MC005] //: Acknowledged.

[CALL to MC005] //: I suggest you also rest, Doctor.

[He was thoughtful for a moment.]

Mikhail: …Is there a piano anywhere around here, I wonder…?

[CALL to MC005] //: ...Beck plays.

[CALL to MC005] //: There is a keyboard in his room.

Mikhail: Ah, thank you. …But I suppose you’re right. Rest, for now. ({I’ll play the song later.})

Mikhail: Shadowman will be heading toward Texas. There are three possibilities: either he will continue travel within this world, end up in the Wilderness, or make it to our own world’s Texas. He should make contact once he figures out his brothers are alright and are still alive.

Mikhail: Make sure to keep an eye on Wily Eight’s isolation.

[CALL] //: Understood, Dr. Cossack.

[With that, the Russian reluctantly relocated somewhere that was conducive to sleep.]

____________________________

[MEANWHILE, AT CHERRYDYNAMICS...]

[...The sound of a phone ringing.]

[Click.]

"Mmm. Oh yes, yes, Senator. Our FULL resources our dedicated to resolving--"

[A pause. Some calm chatter from the other side.]

"...Mm. Yes, yes--Oh--yes, very wise of you. I'll speak with--yes, that too--Oh, no, thank YOU, sir. Hmm. Alright. Stay safe."

[SLAM.]

[A tall, lanky, blond haired man in a sharp, purple business suit slammed the landline phone down—HARD—on the receiver, nearly breaking the thing in his fit of rage. Violet eyes furrowed in both frustration and fury.]

Graham: IDIOT!

Graham: Argh, that aggravating MORON--!

Graham: Fine--FINE! If you want to be that way, friend, then you can go throw yourself to the bots-- see if I care.

Graham: I don't NEED you...

[He began pacing around his office, grumbling angrily under his breath...]

Graham: Why are they hounding ME about the problem, and not torturing BLACKWELL to get the answer?!

Graham: This is TWICE--

Graham: TWICE that old goat and his WRETCHED FAMILY have made me--MADE US--LOOK LIKE A FOOL--!

Graham: RrrrrAAAGH--!

Graham: Rrrgh...

Graham: You--You and that TOY of yours...

Graham: And HIM.

Graham: I should have just taken HER later when I had the chance--!

Graham: But you just had to INTERFERE, didn't you...

[...There are several files on his desk...]

[All stamped as confidential.]

[DEMONSTRATING INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY IN THE BATTLE COLOSSEUM.]

[PROJECT TRINITY--CDN.1201]

[CANCELLED.]

[--REASON: STAFF COMPLICATIONS AND RESULTS OF CDN.1101.]

Graham: ......

Graham: At least I still HAVE her...

Graham: That's the one saving grace you didn't TAKE from me...

Graham: Rnnngh...

Graham: I hope you BURN in hell for what you've done, wherever you are...!

[Riiiiing...]

Graham: Uuugh...

[With a harsh sigh, Gregory picked up the receiver, and cleared his throat. His tone turned pleasant and cheerful.]

Graham: CherryDynamics, CEO Gregory Graham speaking--oh, OH! A pleasure to hear from YOU, sir, yes! My goodness, I was starting to fear the worst--! Are you and your wife and children--?

Graham: That's wonderful--yes, of course, but I have--oh, no, there's no need--I have to stay here, you know...

[Pause.]

Graham: ....No. There's no one--no, I'm not MARRIED, you silly--

[Another pause.]

Graham: I said there is NO one, sir.

Graham: ...Just me.

Graham: --Oh no, of course. Thank you for your concern, though.

Graham: I really do appreciate it...

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

=CHAPTER 2B: BEYOND THE WATERY VORTEX=

~AO v1.0~

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

{In the Meadow…}

[The days seemed to go on forever. It had gotten very dark and cloudy outside, blending day into night.

Cossack and DWN-019 worked almost non-stop on Doctor Light Number Eight—with the Doctor’s sons enforcing mandatory mental and physical breaks to prevent burnout.

Getting to Tobias’s actual coding was not easy. Offline or not, he was highly defensive—and Snow wasn’t exactly able to help, being out cold, himself.

And when they did find him…

It was just a mess. There were errors all over the place, and clearing them up would take quite some while. Sifting through the error report from the last system crash alone took DAYS.

And now, they were finally getting past the system reports and into the base data.]

Mikhail: …

Siam: Doctor?

Gemini: Is everything alright?

Mikhail: Mmm? Oh, yes… I’m fine.

[…But it was a lie.

A lie so as to not distract the twins from their analysis on the data they had got from Avi as part of the ordeal—for that information could prove quite enlightening.

But no…]

Mikhail: Just… a little weary, I suppose.

[…He was concerned.

Inspection of the Awareness code had showed that it had changed. Crucial components had changed—rewritten themselves.

Somehow, the encounter with Avi had prompted (or, more likely, FORCED) Tobias to rewrite himself.

What worried Mikhail the most was that some of the coding was beyond what he could recognize.]

Mikhail: (-Groooooaaan- {Will… I wish you were here…!})

[He still had the few fragments of notes that his best friend had given him regarding coding with Xel. That was a lifesaver—it told him that some of this seemed to be connected to functioning within a Xel chassis.

It may just be junk data, useless without the proper hardware. (Which, of course, would mean it would need to be pruned somehow, or else it would cause perpetual system errors.)

But he couldn’t say for sure what it would do, yet. He needed to go through the rest of the code to be sure—

He needed to know for sure that Tobias’s self had not been torn apart by being fused with Avi.

Sure, they had a back-up, but…

He dreaded the thought of being forced to resort to using it.

But if it turned out that this damage was beyond repair… he would have no other choice.]

Mikhail: (Oh, Avi…! What did you DO to him?)

———————————————

{Elsewhere…}

[Cardinal forced himself to physically relax.

He had taken shelter in a cooled, dark, abandoned basement. The sun beat down mercilessly outside— 102ºF, and that was WITHOUT the humidity.

He had retreated there as much for safety as for the isolation.

He needed time to think.]

Cardinal: …

[Everything was dead ends. His attempt to get news on the situation ended with hearing Aviator talking in a cheerfully sadistic manner about his latest caller.

As he’d made his way toward the highways, he saw that they were still in complete chaos. Going anywhere was going to be time consuming and dangerous. He couldn’t afford to just go running around blindly, even though he had no current leads.

He was going to need some sort of focus…]

Cardinal: …

[He visualized the situation like a strategy game board. All the pieces in play… including his own.]

Cardinal: (Now if I were Shade, where would I be…)

[He was hitting a mental block, Shade shrouded in darkness.

He knew that this was because he was unwilling to consider the worst.

He forced himself to remember his own advice…]

-*-*-*-*-*-

“Remember, you aren’t really fighting them—their physical form, perhaps, but you’re actually up against the parasite.”

-*-*-*-*-*-

Cardinal: (…Right. The parasite. Focus on the virus, Lou…. What do you know about it?)

-*-*-*-*-*-

Jack: I think...whatever was in those crosses just...

Jack: Pulled out all the... bad parts of me...

-*-*-*-*-*-

Cardinal: …

[He forced himself to continue this line of thought, despite the cold pain it was making him feel.]

-*-*-*-*-*-

Shade: ...Bein' an assassin, Cards?

Shade: It's hard.

Shade: It's hard because...I'm so good at it.

Shade: Sometimes that even scares ME.

- - -

Shade: ...At the very least, Ah' can give them a quick death.

Shade: ... ... ...Never really felt the need to make someone suffer before.

Shade: At least, not like...ya know.

Shade: With malice and all that.

Shade: ...Ah' hope Ah' never do.

Shade: Because the minute ah' do? I'll be no better than Viper.

-*-*-*-*-*-

[Cardinal sucked in air through his teeth, pain stinging at him. He wished—not for the first time—that he could cry, just to have some way to relieve this stress.]

Cardinal: (Feeding what is already there… already there…. …)

[It was too much for him.

His Emotions.exe program was becoming exacerbated. He couldn’t continue this right now—not in this heat—without consequences.]

Cardinal: G-gghhh…

[He stood abruptly.

He was going to need to get somewhere with working air conditioning if he were to have any hope of finishing this process any time soon.

And time was not on his side.]

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

=CHAPTER 2C: BEYOND THE WATERY VORTEX=

~AO v2.0~

((Courtesy of @codedhopes))

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

{Meanwhile, in Kansas City…}

[Cardinal and Drake had worked through the rest of the afternoon and evening, and into the morning hours.

It had been hard on them both, and they were both very tired. The blazing heat of the summer sun beat down with a merciless 102ºF.

Drake had valiantly pulled an overnighter as they went around from landmark to landmark; after their help at the zoo, word had started to spread about their actions. Not all communications were down for the count, though they were pretty limited to specific radio frequencies.

Cardinal was grateful that security officers, policemen, and employees were no longer hostile to him. He really preferred working WITH people, rather than having to deal with (un)friendly fire and explain after the fact.]

Cardinal: You holding up there okay, Drake…?

[He was starting to get concerned for his human travel companion. The only rest he’d been able to get was here and there while Cardinal was out in the field, fighting infected Xelbots. For the most part, he had refused to rest, instead helping out with evacuations. Cardinal had more or less forced him to rest at their last stop, as he knew he’d be in the museum a while. He was pretty sure that the man hadn’t eaten, either.]

Drake: You're asking me if I'm okay? You're the one doing all the fighting. I can handle this, don't worry.

Cardinal: (Uh-huh. And I’m… … I’m too tired to think of an analogy, ugh…)

[As much as Drake’s presence helped things go smoothly, though, he was relieved that their time evacuating the landmarks was just about at a close. While things were far from safe in the city, all the forces he had helped free up were spread out and assisting in curbing the damage. Things were almost stable… for an apocalypse, that is.

And not an hour too soon.

While Cardinal didn’t need to eat or sleep the way a human would, and could handle the heat a lot better… he still required energy, and was really prone to wearing himself out the longer he engaged in combat. Especially in the sweltering summer rays.

He was getting uncomfortably hot, and perilously close to overheating.]

Drake: ...You don't look so good either, friend. Don't you think you should take it a little easy? You're gonna burn yourself out at this rate.

Cardinal: Ha… I’ll be fine, I’ve been through much worse than this…

Jazz: Ree-owwwr…

[Cardinal looked down at his cat. She was staring up at the arena they had teleported to, tail twitching in anticipation of battle.

Cardinal put his hands to his hips and vented a deep sigh and as much heat as he could rid from his system.]

Cardinal: …I keep forgetting how big these buildings are. I’m used to an aerial view…

[Technically true.

But it was more that in his world…

…Arrowhead Stadium wasn’t a battle arena.]

Cardinal: Well, no time like the present. Do the people inside know we’re coming?

Drake: They know YOU’RE coming. There’s apparently a recruiter trapped in the basement who’s very curious about where you came from.

Cardinal: They wouldn’t be the first. I got that the last time I visited the arena in Titus, too, heh… though I left before the recruiters showed up.

Drake: I still can’t believe you’re friends with the Mighty Numbers. -Shakes his head- Crazy world…

Cardinal: -Looking up at the sky- About to get crazier….

Drake: …Heading on in?

Cardinal: Yeah. This time, though, Jazz stays with you.

Drake: …? Are you… sure about that?

[Cardinal turned and looked over his shoulder with a frown.]

Cardinal: There are a number of Combat ‘bots around here that have gone crazy. You’ll need the protection.

Drake: …Truuuuuue…

Cardinal: …

Cardinal: “But…”?

Drake: …But you’re…

Drake: Kinda going into the middle of a lot of high- and mid-ranking battle ‘bots…

[Cardinal put on a cheeky grin.]

Cardinal: Nothing I can’t handle.

Drake: By yourself?

Cardinal: Just long enough to get backup from the security people once the building is evacuated. So, what… fifteen minutes?

Drake: If you’re sure.

Cardinal: I’m very sure. However…

Drake: Yes?

Cardinal: -Points- After this, you should go home. I’m afraid I can’t teleport you there without exact coordinates, but…

Drake: -Handwaves it- I’ll get a ride or crash at somebody’s place or a church or something. What about you? Will you head back to Titus?

Cardinal: -Shakes his head- I wish. If I go home, or to Sanda Enterprises, they’ll make me stop. I can’t go home until my mission is over. (One way or another.)

[Cardinal used ITEM-2!]

Cardinal: See you as soon as things get under control.

[With that, he took off into the sky. It wasn’t long before he was looking down at a familiar scene of chaos—]

KKKKKWWWWWWHHHHHHHH!

Cardinal: !!

[He was suddenly hit by a blast of turbulence. He had to overcompensate for it—]

WWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHH!

Cardinal: Gyah—!

[Another blast!]

Cardinal: (These aren’t random! They’re—)

[There was a deafening noise as he was caught up in a blast that had also sent dust and debris flying. Blinded by the grit that slammed into his vents, he couldn’t see well enough to combat the next blast.]

Cardinal: AAAAAAHHH—!

[He was knocked from his windsurfer and sent crashing to the sands below.]

Cardinal: (Not this time!)

[He immediately teleported to the ground. The momentum he had gained in that brief moment still traveled with him, and he hit the ground hard enough to really feel it.]

Cardinal: (Ugh!)

[Just as the dust was clearing up, there was a loud whipping noise and something snagged his left ankle.]

Cardinal: !

“Got the little blaster!”

Cardinal: -More than a little aggravated- Oh do you really?

[YANK!]

[He was dragged a good yard upon the sands.]

Cardinal: Hey! -Reverting to heat vision- Cut that out!

[Cardinal used QUICK BOOMERANG!]

“AUGH!”

[His aim held true, which wasn’t hard—he just had to follow the trajectory of the rope tied around him, and the sharp projectiles found a score deep in the Xel of the ‘bot trying to wrangle him. Five shots, all fired in extremely quick succession. The rope went slack.]

“Get your act together, Cassidy!”

[Cardinal could now make out what appeared to be a rancher-themed Xelbot, seething as he tried to minimize the Xel loss from the wounds. One of his hands had been badly gashed, and a couple of the boomerangs had nicked his abdomen.]

Cassidy: Easy for YOU to say, Laura!

[Cardinal took the chance to cut himself loose and spring to his feet.]

Cassidy: [Glitch—]

[BANG!]

Cardinal: -Glares- Are you seriously—

[K-ZAP!]

[Cardinal’s words were stolen by a bolt that jolted through him like white fire.

While he wasn’t really particularly vulnerable to electricity, he was running hot. It didn’t help, and he felt seared by the heat.]

Cassidy: HA! Good one, Jones!

[The female voice called out again.]

Laura: Get ‘im, Dell!

[Cardinal had to roll to the side to avoid an incoming throwing axe. He scrambled to his feet, but…]

Dell: Yer gonna be nothin’ but Xel stains, city slicker!

[Cardinal leaped into the air, jumping to avoid shots from Cassidy as another axe came bearing down on where he was. It was only then that he noticed it.

The sands were covered in piles and puddles of sickly looking Xel, with some cores scattered here and there.

Whatever had been going on before he turned up… it hadn’t gone well for a loooooot of people.]

Cassidy: Regular jackrabbit, aincha!

Dell: Oi, Laura! This one’s puttin’ up a fight! You want in on the fun?

[When the lady turned around, Cardinal got a sinking feeling.

She must look fair enough on a normal day. Dirty blond hair done up in pigtails, with freckles and a big smile. Sturdily built—strong and stocky enough to wield her weapon of choice effortlessly.

But with the infected glow in her eyes and the Xel that covered the wicked scythe she was holding—not to mentioned splattered all across her overalls—she looked axe-crazy.]

Laura: He’s not going anywhere! Strike him!

[Cardinal teleported across the sands to be closer to her, and not a moment too soon. Another bolt of electricity zapped the spot where he had been.

Getting closer also proved to be a bad idea. He was immediately forced to shield against a threshing blow.]

Laura: Bah! Think you’re all that with that trick of yours? You must be—

[Cardinal dropped to the ground and gave a low kick, knocking her off balance. He teleported rather than scrambling to his feet, opting to stand against a wall with his shield out in front of him.

As the team gathered out together, he could finally make out who they all were.]

((Pic—Cardinal v Prairie Kings))

[There were five of them, mostly the size of an average human person. They all seemed to carry a farming and ranching theme, though the enormous wind ‘bot in the back stood out.]

[KRAK—]

[This time, he shielded against the bolt that came hammering into him.]

Cardinal: (Augh! I’ll have to keep moving around as long as they keep throwing lightning at me! Who is even doing that? I don’t see an electric ‘bot out there!)

[He didn’t bother thinking on it much.]

[Cardinal used MAGNET MISSLE!]

[The three homing shots zoomed off to their different targets. Cassidy tried to dodge, only to find that they were HOMING shots. Dell tried to axe his, causing it to explode on impact. As for the third…]

The path was disrupted and the ground shook as a fierce wind ripped up the sands. It was a stronger wind than the Magnet Missile was meant to handle, and it exploded harmlessly in the air. The same could not be said for Cardinal, however.

It was all he could do to keep ahold of his shield. He WAS, however, tossed a good few yards before the wind subsided.]

Cardinal: (Gaaahhhh…! I can’t fly in this, and I can’t use homing shots either! If those don’t work, there’s no way any of the other projectiles would, either! And I can’t use fire here… there are people’s cores in the sand!)

Laura: Got you on the run, do we, ya big wannabe? What’s the matter, at a loss for words?

Cardinal: Who are you people?

Laura: Boy, you must really have your self-important big-city head up your chass, or live under a rock so primitive it’d make the Flinstones ashamed. -Holding her hand out in a “stop” gesture at the one with a pitchfork- You really ARE a special kind of stupid to come challenge us without even knowing what you’re dealing with! But then again…

[She flared up with aura, bearing down in his direction with surprising speed.]

Laura: Nobody out there CARES as they should about them “flyover” states!

[Cardinal turned to shield it, using the small port at the top of the shield to open fire.]

[BLAM!]

[The short range plasma blast only seemed to serve to make her angry. Cardinal moved quickly on his feet, turning to teleport out into the open where could fire out of her range.

Doing so earned him another blast from the wind, kicking up Xel and sand in his face. Momentarily blinded by the Xel interfering with heat signals, he was easy prey for a merciless lightning strike. This time, it left behind persistent static in his audio receptors.]

Cardinal: (NO—!)

[The farm girl fighter laughed to see his predicament.]

Laura: Sturdy for something your size, aren’t you? Well! You sure still can’t keep up with the Prairie Kings, that’s for sure!

Cardinal: Grrr…!

[He refused to be taunted like this. It set off something deeper within him—a resentment, a malice—a wounded sense of pride.]

Cardinal: If I can handle the Mighty Numbers…

[He abruptly teleported atop the wind bot.]

Laura: ?!

Cardinal: I can certainly send you lot PACKING!

[Cardinal used CRASH BOMB!]

[The wind bot whipped up a violent gust as drills bore into it, the bombs flashing.]

Laura: JONES! COVER FOR ALLEY!

[Cardinal used LEAF SHIELD!]

[The sudden swirling cloud of ceratanium leaves served as a shield against the lightning strike that followed.]

Cardinal: -Broadcasts his whistle, LOUDLY-

[The piercing tones seemed to cause as much pain and discomfort as they did for Shade. It was the few second distraction Cardinal needed.

He vaulted off of Alley’s back and cast the sharp cloud of leaves behind him.

There was a satisfying grinding and scraping noise, followed by broken squeals. Just then, the bombs went off as well, causing the massive fighter to sway in pain.]

Cardinal: Sorry to ruin your slaughter show, Miss Laura!

[BWIP!]

[Cardinal used SUPER ARM!]

[WHOOMP!]

[The wind generator was knocked over onto his face by a powerful punch from behind. When Cardinal emerged again, he was using another windsurfer. He shot up into the air.]

Cardinal: But your fun and games are OVER!

Laura: GET HIM!

[Cardinal shielded to avoid a lightning bolt from frying his systems. He took comfort in the rush of movement, which served to help cool his systems.

It was now a matter of time that would determine if he could last, more than anything else. If he didn’t wrap this up before his core got too hot, then…]

Cardinal: -Shakes the thoughts off- Time for a lesson in versatility, Prairie Kings!

[Cardinal used MAGNET MISSILE!]

[Without Alley to sweep aside projectiles with gusts of wind, the missiles could not be prevented from reaching their targets. Cardinal didn’t wait in the same spot, instead increasing his speed to head right for Cassidy.

The ranch hand cursed and fired at him, but Cardinal shielded that easily.]

Cardinal: Sorry, kid, but it’s time you moseyed on home!

[Cardinal used QUICK BOOMERANG!]

[Abruptly making a sharp bank, the veteran turned and fired at the team member with the pitchfork.

Dell tried to take advantage of the opening to hurl an axe at him, but Cardinal had teleported out of the way in plenty of time.

He chose to land right by his target, lashing out in a new cast.]

[Cardinal used TOP SPIN!]

[The sharp wires ensnared the pitchfork and recoiled, whirring mercilessly as they cut their way right through it with a satisfying SNAP!]

Dell: By George, he’s stolen Jones’s thunder!

[Ah. So THAT’S where the lightning had been coming from.]

[BLAM! BLAM BLAM BLAM!]

[His quarry was not very defensive based, despite his stocky build. Jones swung to box at Cardinal, but the latter just dropped to the ground and rolled aside. He grinned as he looked up on his back, and—]

Jones: -PAIN!-

Cassidy: Damn bastard! That there’s fightin’ DIRTY!

[Cardinal laughed mercilessly as he sprung to his feet and vaulted over Jones, pushing him face-first into the sands.]

Cardinal: All’s fair in love and war, kid!

[He teleported during his flying leap, bearing down on the ranch hand with the full force of the tackle. The two of them hit the sands.]

Cardinal: Game over!

[Cardinal used QUICK BOOMERANG!]

[He riddled his opponent with boomerangs, causing him to cry out in pain. Cardinal gave a ping of sympathy as he teleported off of him, leaving him to bleed out into the sands.]

Cardinal: (I’m sorry, Shade!)

[Cardinal used MAGNET MISSILE!]

Cardinal: (But…! There’s still a chance for these people to be detained, if they’re hurt badly enough! If I have to, I’ll put them out of their misery, but…)

Cardinal: (If it comes to that, grant me your strength of nerve!)

[He turned his attention to Dell, who did not seem to be pleased to deal with a flying opponent. Cardinal couldn’t help but smirk a little—it was obvious to him that as a close-combat type of fighter, he relied on Alley to knock opponents out of the sky and keep them grounded.]

Dell: Ugh, condescending punk! Get off your high horse, ya big coward!

[He tossed a throwing axe at the windsurfer, but Cardinal swerved aside to avoid it.]

Cardinal: Time’s up, Dell.

[Cardinal used QUICK BOOMERANG!]

[A stream of the projectiles littered the sands in a straight line before finding score on the infected fighter. He gave a glitched screech of pain, becoming frenzied.]

>WARNING! WEAPON ENERGY LOW: QUICK BOOMERANG

Cardinal: (Ugh, great—)

[He quickly set the hardware that held additional capsules to switch out that particular Power Capsule for the one containing the Ring Boomerang.]

[WHUNK!]

[This time, the windsurfer was hit. Cardinal gave off an annoyed buzzing sound, impatient for the capsule to load into place.]

Cardinal: Send my regards to dreamland!

[Cardinal used RING BOOMERANG!]

[A direct hit, right to the collarbone! Cardinal grimaced at the damage, infected Xel beginning to seep out of the wounds.

He didn’t get long to dwell on the carnage, though.]

WWWHHHKT!

[He abruptly fell over backwards off of the windsurfer as a rope of sorts suddenly ensnared him by the neck. As he hit the sands, he was dismayed to see Cassidy back on his feet, hellbent on destruction despite his heavy injuries. He was flared up with the infected aura, and gave a hard yank on the noose.]

Cardinal: HNNN—!

[The crushing bind caused fraying in his audio cables, deafening him entirely. It was also crushing parts of his coolant system and mobility rig, causing oil and other fluids to build up at his jaw hinges and leak out the sides of his mouth.

Heat was also starting to build up in his skull, and he felt disoriented by the system-wide warnings that he was approaching dangerous temperatures. If he teleported while running this hot, he would definitely overheat and start taking damage to his mobility rig and processors.]

[YANK!]

[Cardinal dropped his shield, grabbing at the rope as he used some surge to repair the audio cables.

It was lucky he did, or he might not have heard the two other fighters bearing down on him.]

Cardinal: !!!

[Cardinal used SKULL BARRIER! Cardinal used SUPER ARM!]

[He flared up with ghostly flames and pulled on the rope with all his might, pulling it right out of the rancher’s hands. The knot of the noose was sliced clean through as Laura’s scythe came down right on his throat. There was a shrieking noise as the blade clashed against the barrier protecting him from getting beheaded.

It also served to bounce off the broken pitchfork that had been slammed into his left foot in an attempt to pin him in place.]

Cardinal: This ends NOW!

[Cardinal used THUNDER BEAM!]

[Shrieks of pain as an extremely powerful bolt of lightning shot out in three directions. Laura was caught directly in the crossfire of the tri-directional beam.]

Cardinal: Shoulda brought candles, Laura!

[Cardinal used SPARK SHOCK!]

[He immediately followed up with another electrical attack, broadcasting his quips over the blast of electricity.]

Cardinal: It’s LIGHTS OUT for you!

[Cardinal used SUPER ARM!]

[He grabbed the fallen leader and slammed her into Jones, who was still trying to skewer him with what was left of his pitchfork. The two were sent flying into a wall.]

[Cardinal used NEEDLE CANNON!]

[He quickly turned and fired at Cassidy, impaling him dead-on with an enormous needle. The rancher staggered back and fell to the ground.]

Cardinal: So STAY DOWN!

[Cardinal used HYPER BOMB!]

[He hurled the massive explosive right at the two of them, as well as one at the fallen wind ‘bot.]

<DLN-000>: >EVERYONE TAKE COVER!

[He grabbed his shield and braced himself.]

[The explosion was a deafening roar of fire, and there was a great crashing noise as parts of the stadium seating were sent flying. Even with his shield taking the brunt of the blasts, he was still slammed into the wall.]

>WARNING! INTERNAL TEMPERATURE HAS EXCEEDED SAFE LEVELS!

[It was only when the debris finally stopped falling that he finally dared to look out from behind his shield, gasping for air.

There was no sign of his opponents, nor of their weapons. Sand had been kicked up everywhere, covering up the cores that had been scattered throughout the field. Not surprising, considering he’d used explosives that were designed for flattening buildings. Rather excessive.

No kill like overkill.]

Cardinal: (No… where IS everybody…)

>WARNING! INTERNAL TEMPERATURE HAS EXCEEDED SAFE LEVELS!

[Cardinal fumbled for an E-tank. It was a precious resource to use, but he had to do his best to heal all the damage done before anyone tried to give him medical attention.

The high dose of concentrated surge was like a refreshing plunge into warm water—he felt revitalized, and no longer as thirsty. All the beating he’d taken melted away, leaving him whole…]

>WARNING! INTERNAL TEMPERATURE HAS EXCEEDED SAFE LEVELS!

[…if on the edge of blacking out.]

Cardinal: -Staggers to his feet, venting heavily- (Need to at least make it into the shade…)

[He only made it to the entrance before the heat became too much.]

>INITIATING PROTOCOLS…

>POWERING DOWN…

[He didn’t even have time to respond to the incoming radio messages before dropping down to the sand.]

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

=CHAPTER 1A: RAGING FLAMES SMOLDER=

~AO v1.0~

(Courtesy of @limitbreakers)

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

{MEANWHILE, BACK IN SANDA LABS....}

[After speaking with Seijiro… Beck, Soichiro, William, and Call did a thorough search of the lower levels of the building Soi was sealed in. To their surprise, they had found a couple of uninfected Patch bots that were busy recharging their energy--their systems also had to be shut down to do so.]

Sunny: D: -BEEP BEEP I AM SCARED WHAT IS HAPPENING WHY ARE THERE EXPLODING NOISES -

Beck: Sunny! : D -shhhh it's OK everything is fine--or will be--

White: (Interesting...these Patches are also fine, like Call...)

[Meanwhile, Call had moved her usual terminal to the lab, and began bringing back the labs systems one by one with her father.]

Sanda: If we can just get this one back up, we can start looking for the rest of the Mighties...

[Beck perked up from his spot on the floor, a bit busy consoling about six or seven different colored Patches.]

Beck: ...How are we gonna do that?

[White frowned and put his hand to his chin, thinking.]

White: Hmm...

Sanda: ...! Ah! That should do it--for now, at least. At any rate, the lab is all set for any repairs Beck and the others might need.

White: Good, good...

White: . . .

White: We can still read most of their statuses, yes?

Sanda: Hmm, yes...

White: Can we trace back their transponders?

Sanda: We can give it a try, but with Avi messing around with the signals...

Call: Tracing...

[A map of the US comes up.]

Call: .......

Call: Transponder found.

White: --!!! Whose?

[A marker appeared right smack in the middle of the State of Louisiana.]

[A symbol. Pyrogen's. ]

Beck: ! Big Brother...!

Call: Comparing location to local database....

Call: .......

Sanda: Well?!

Call: ....

Call: It appears that Mighty No. 1 has retreated to an oil refinery.

White: An OIL--?!

Sanda: Good God--He's going to blow it all up to kingdom come--!

White: Quickly--there is no time to waste! Beck, Call, prepare yourselves for the mission--Sanda, find another signal frequency for Xel Transfer, something we don't use as often so that Avi won't pick it up at first--I'll set up encryptions to hide it from him in the meantime from my own terminal!

Beck: Yessir!

Call: Affirmative.

Sanda: You got it, Will.

Beck: (Don't worry, big brother...)

Beck: (I'm coming to save you...!)

__________________________________________________

[COORDINATES SET.]

"... Beck..."

"Yeah?"

"...Please...please be careful. Please."

"I know, Dad."

"We're all counting on you, Beck--promise me you'll come back in one piece for your uncle, eh?"

"I promise, Sanda."

"Good luck, No. 9. Now preparing Xel Transfer..."

"Dad?"

"Yes?"

"...I love you."

"...I love you too, Beck...pass that on to Pyrogen for me..!"

[XELS TRANSFERRING...]

[MISSION DETAILS: MIGHTY NO. 1, CODENAME: PYROGEN, HAS BEEN SPOTTED IN A LOUISIANA OIL REFINERY. STATUS: INFECTED WITH HARMFUL MALWARE, FULL COMBAT MODE ENGAGED.]

[OBJECTIVES: RESCUE MN.1 AND PURGE HARMFUL MALWARE FROM SYSTEMS, PREVENT A LARGE-SCALE INFERNO. ]

[SYSTEMS READY?]

[GO!]

[Once Beck had fully reconstituted, Xels clicking into place as his form settled, the first thing that he felt was the heat.]

[The second was the smoke filling the air, and the third was the distant sound of crazed, infected robots just up ahead--Pyrogen was not the only one given free range of the place. Many industrial, non-sentient CherryDyn and Sanda models were running rampant...]

[Beck's comm line crackled to life.]

Call: No. 9, do you read?

[Beck lifted a hand to the side of his helmet.]

Beck: This is Nine--I read you loud and clear! I've made it to the Oil Platform...

[He pauses.]

Beck: No sign of One yet...and the place is just...it's chaos...

[Soon enough, Sanda could be heard over the line as well, along with White.]

Sanda: A fire wielding robot running wild in an oil refinery...I don't like the looks of this at all.

White: Not exactly ideal conditions, I'll grant you that...

White: Quickly now, Beck--Locate Mighty No. 1!

Beck: On it!

[Beck sprints forward...]

[...And slips.]

Beck: Whoa-!

[CLANK.]

Beck: --Ow--

Call: It appears No. 9 has encountered an oil spill. From my scans, several major pipelines of the refinery have burst.

Beck: That...would have been helpful two seconds ago...

Sanda: Shake it off, Beck! And be careful if the other robots in the area set it on fire--!

Beck: -Slowly picks himself up- Got it....

[VERRRRRRRRR--]

Beck: --!!!

Call: Incoming hostile robots.

[It was a forklifting robot--carrying a crate full of explosives, no less! And once it saw the young Mighty Number, it wasted no time revving it's engine and charging at full speed--!]

Beck: aHHH--

[Beck didn't roll out of the way--he jumped, and let the robot pass under him.]

[MN.9 HAS GONE INTO COMBAT MODE.]

[He shoots, and once the robot's Xel Structure was disrupted, stunning it in place, he AcXelarates into it in a flash of white--absorbing its Xel and leaving behind only it's cores.]

[XEL ABSORBED. ABSORPTION BOOST: ONLINE.]

[A green sheen of Xel encircles Beck--the same feeling of power flows through him like before--but this time was...different...]

Beck: ....?

[LAST time, the color was RED, wasn't it...?]

Call: Warning, multiple incoming CherryDyn robots detected.

Beck: Uh oh—

[Yes, now there was more--in addition to several furnace type robots that shot fire balls out of their tops, and other flame based models.]

Sanda: There are so many fire based robots WHY ARE THEY ALL HERE?!

White: Good question...perhaps Pyrogen led them here...?

[...As Beck transverses forward, he seems much quicker in this powered up state...]

[...But soon enough, the green Xel fades, and he returns to his normal speed.]

Beck: ...?

[THIS happened last time too--whenever he got one of those...absorption boosts, he got a little stronger somehow...so green makes him a little faster...?]

Beck: (Huh...when I saved the Round Digger, he turned purple---these guys either turn red, blue, yellow, or green...)

Beck: (If green makes me faster, then what does the rest do?)

[He decided to take a moment to figure it out--there were plenty of enemies to absorb, and certain models turned into one of those colors.]

Beck: (OK...Green makes my reflexes faster...)

Beck: (Red boosts my shot output--I can even shoot through certain walls for a while...)

Beck: (Yellow makes me jump higher...)

Beck: (...And blue...)

[XEL ABSORBED. CONVERTING...]

Beck: Huh?

[XEL STOCK 1 FULL.]

Beck: (Xel Stock? I can STORE extra Xel?!)

Beck: (Oh man--I can use that to repair myself on the fly! At least minor injuries...)

[Then--Suddenly--!]

[A familiar figure stands out against the clouded night...]

Pyro: Rrrrr.....

Beck: PYRO!!

[The Mighty Leader was standing atop of a ruined oil truck, surprisingly unlit...]

[Green eyes flickered towards his brother--]

Pyro: ......

Pyro: ...You...

Beck: --! YES! It's me, big brother--It's Beck! You remember!

Pyro: ...BURN....

Beck: !!!

Pyro: THE WORLD MUST...

[In a sudden fierce motion, Pyrogen quite literally EXPLODED into flames, becoming twice his own size as he HOWLED into the flame lit horizon overhead!]

Pyro: BUUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRN!

[...However...]

[...Instead of attacking Beck...]

[He...leaps away?]

Beck: PYRO, WAIT!

[Beck, after recovering from the sheer, uncontrolled rage his eldest brother had just unleashed, dashed forward to give chase--]

Call: Warning: Multiple incoming robots detected.

Beck: Wha--where?!

[SECONDS later, more furnace type robots materialized, as well as a whole SLEW of enemies--both that were from the city AND the fire based models! It was an ambush!]

White: Beck!

Beck: NGH--!!

[He was trapped on all sides, and with nowhere to hide, he was pelted with enemy fire-- both of energy shots and actual real fire. ]

Sanda: MOVE, BECK!

[He's faced Pyro in battle before--in spars. He can handle a little heat, but this--]

Beck: HothothotHOT--

[There was nowhere to go--nowhere but UP, that is...]

[In the midst of quite literally being roasted over an open flame, Beck had to JUMP to avoid the heat from damaging anything important.]

[...REALLY jump.]

Beck: aaaAAAAAAAH--

[Fortunately, gravity and trajectory was kind enough to drop him atop of one of the flying enemies--who was none too pleased to have an extra passenger onboard.]

Call: .........

Call: Inquiry: Why do these kinds of events seem to always happen to No. 9?

Sanda: I...don't know...

Beck: Nice CDN GOOD CDN PLEASE DON'T--

[Too late--Beck was now on a VERY wild rodeo ride with the cargo carrying robot, trying to shake him off by flying erratically--and into other robots.]

Beck: -SCREAMING-

White: Hold on, Beck!

Beck: WHAT DO YOU THINK I'M DOING--?!

Call: Beck, you have a acquired a higher vantage point. I suggest using this to your advantage.

Beck: I WOULD IF THIS GUY WOULD HOLD STILL FOR TWO--

[VERRRRRRR--]

Beck: --AwNO--

[B O O M!]

[The flying CDN had collided with another forklifting robot--which was carrying another crate filled with explosives. The resulting explosion lit up the evening, temporarily obscuring all with the smoke that rose from it.]

White and Sanda: BECK!!!

[......]

[MN.9 STATUS: ONLINE, COMBAT MODE ENGAGED, DAMAGE REPORT: GYRO BALANCERS CRITICAL, ARMOR PLATING HAS BEEN BREACHED.]

Beck: .....uuuuugh....

White: Beck! Do you read me?! SAY SOMETHING!

Beck: ....hurts...ow....can't....

Call: No. 9's Gryo systems have been damaged. His mobile systems are shot.

Sanda: --That's it--I'm pulling him out of there! This is way too-

White: Wait!

White: Beck--there is another ability that I designed you with! Can you access your Xel Stocks?

Beck: nnngh...

[USE XEL STOCK 1?]

[COMMAND//: YES.]

[ACCESSING INTERNAL XEL STORAGE...]

[A relieving burst of light blue light seemed to pour out of the ports on Beck's back, wrapping him up in a healing sheen. The cracks on his armor were being sealed, while most of the Xel was released internally...]

Beck: --!!!!

[SELF REPAIR COMPLETE. ALL SYSTEMS NORMAL.]

[Beck shot STRAIGHT up into a sitting position with a small gasp, feeling reinvigorated--renewed, even! He was thrown into alertness, looking around this way and that...]

[...It seemed the resulting explosion from the CDN crashing into the forklift robot had cleared away the rest of the ambush. Place was a MESS, however--some of the oil piping had burst as well, and it's flammable contents were now spilling forth EVERYWHERE.]

[...Beck was not spared from it--he was more or less splattered with oil now, tainting his pristine white armor.]

Beck: Ew...!

White: -SIGHS WITH RELIEF-

Sanda: No time for a bath now, Beck--you gotta keep moving!

Beck: ...Right... (Wouldn't mind one from Cryo right about now...)

Sanda: My...did you SEE all those bots? And such power...

Sanda: ...These designs of yours in our models are something ELSE, Will...

White: ....

White: Yes, well, under the circumstances--that hardly feels like a compliment. -_-;;

[Beck only had one way to go, and that was forward...]

[...Over a flaming floor of burning oil, that is--and above?]

Beck: .....

Beck: Are those electrified spikes.

Call: Warning: It is not just electricity, but energized signals on the ceiling. They have been modified to disrupt Xel Structures. Proceed with caution.

Beck: Wait wait wait--

Beck: Are you saying that if I touch it I'LL JUST EXPLODE.

Call: That is correct, No. 9. Your core, however, would be intact, although--

White: I--I think he understands the concept, Call.

Beck: Right--don't touch the purple things, don't touch the purple things--

[Dashing across the suspended platforms was the only way across--along with absorbing other robots along the way. Using the green Absorption Speed Boost he acquired from them, he was able to quickly get by the hair-raising corridor...]

[...And into the Oil Silo field.]

Beck: I still don't see Pyrogen yet...

Sanda: He must be somewhere up ahead, he couldn't have gone that far...

[No. 9 was really starting to get the hang of his AcXelarate Dash--it was almost becoming second nature, actually. He could use it as often as he wanted--there seemed to be no limit, and it didn't expend any of his energy at all.]

[Which was a very good thing for what came up next.]

[C R A C K L E.]

Beck: --?!

Sanda: BECK! LOOK OUT!

[The lower half of the Silo in front of him was damaged--and began to topple over directly overhead.]

Beck: WHOA--

[Beck immediately started to floor it, becoming merely a white blur among the grey of smoke--the Silo crashed behind him with a loud rumble, missing him by only mere inches.]

Call: Heat has compromised the integrity of near by structures. Please proceed with caution.

Beck: NO OFFENSE, CALL, BUT I'VE BEEN CAUTIOUS THIS WHOLE TIME--

[C R A C K! C R A C K!]

White: BECK--IN FRONT!

[...It was sort of like watching some supped up version of dominoes.

The silos were perfectly aligned in such a way that they toppled over in Beck's path, forcing him to sprint and dash for his life. The malfunctioning robots around him didn't seem to care--they were only concerned on destroying the Mighty Number--so they retaliated by shooting up fireballs into the air to rain down from above.]

[And if that wasn't enough, the floor beneath began to give away under his feet--no, the PLATFORMS were.]

White: DON'T STOP!

Beck: AAAAAAAAAAAAA--

[It seemed like an eternity. It was, in fact, about 20 seconds, but those nail biting seconds seemed to stretch into forever as Beck barreled forth without pause, destruction and fire raging around him, smoke stinging his eyes and throat.--]

Beck: WHAT THE--

[The path suddenly ended.]

White: NO--!

[It just--ended. There was only a sudden drop into a pit of fire, an inferno flaring so high, it was impossible to tell if there was anything on the other side.]

[But he had no choice.]

[He had to jump.]

Beck: HUP--!

[Out of the frying pan...]

[ACXELARATE DASH: MAX OUTPUT REACHED]

[And into the fire.]

[DATA LOSS.]

White: Call--!!!

Call: Searching...

Call: ..........

[.........]

[..........….............]

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

[SIGNAL FOUND. MN.9 STATUS: ONLINE.]

White: YES...!

Call: Re-syncing feeds...

"--can't get a good grip on--!!"

[--Beck had made it!]

[...But only barely. He was grabbing onto the ledge with everything he had, trying to hoist himself up--but the oil wasn't making things any easier.]

Beck: Arrgh--

[FINALLY, his feet find some perchance, and he pushed off of the wall--and front flipped over, landing firmly and safely on the other side of the pit.]

Beck: (--! Hey--I did it! I DID IT BRAND--)

[It looks as if some of that acrobatics training paid off--]

[....Too bad said brother in question wasn't here to see it.]

Beck: (--.....Oh....right....)

White: --......!

Sanda: ? Will?

White: I have an idea--Can we send one of the Patch bots to his location?

Sanda: --But--whatever for?

White: I want him to be in the BEST condition possible before he faces No. 1...

[Will's green hues stare intensely at the screen, at his son.]

White: Pyrogen, while not being made with the latest Xel technology, has the most experience out of them all. If they ARE to battle...

White: He's going to need all the help we can offer.

White: We can send a Patch Bot with some Xel Storage Cubes for him to either store into his Xel Stocks or use right then and there for self repair.

Sunny: -BEEP BEEP- (-_-)7

Call: Commencing Xel Transfer....

[XEL TRANSFER COMPLETE.]

[Beck almost very nearly shot Sunny in her display--but lucky her unique coloring was enough for him to recognize the Patch Bot.]

Beck: Sunny?!

Sunny: -BEEP BEEP-

[Sunny's stomach compartment opens, and out tumbles several Xel Storage Cubes ready to be absorbed.]

Beck: !

White: Beck, these should give you enough to normalize your Xel Count. Call has confirmed that No. 1 is in that destroyed building wreckage ahead...

Beck: .......

[No. 9 takes a deep breath...]

Beck: (OK, Pyro...here I come...)

[After dropping down to a partially collapsed room...]

[Once again standing atop of a pile of debris was the fire-powered leader himself.]

Beck: Pyro--! Finally...

Pyro: Hnrrrrrr...

Beck: Pyro--come on, big brother-- I KNOW you're in there SOMEWHERE! We don't have to--

Pyro: You....

Pyro: ...Why...?

Beck: ...!!

Beck: Because you're my BROTHER! I DON'T WANT TO FIGHT YOU, NO. 1!

Pyro: ......

Beck: Just--PLEASE hold still for just a few minutes and I SWEAR I can fix this--I can SAVE you!

[With dark, glowing emerald eyes, the leader stood. Unflinching.]

Pyro: ......

Pyro: No....

Beck: Pyro--!

Pyro: Why...

Pyro: Why you not burn...?

Beck: Wha--?

Pyro: WHY YOU NOT BURN?!

Beck: PYRO--

Pyro: WHY...YOU...NOT--

[FOOOOM!]

Pyro: BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRNNN?!?!?!?

[As Pyrogen fully ignites his body in flames, HUGE pillars of fire explode on either side of the room--effectively trapping both Mighty Numbers within.]

[Almost as if this was to be a cage match...]

Beck: Uh-oh...

Pyro: Burn...

Pyro: The world must BURN...! ALL MUST BUUUURN!!!

[MN.1 HAS ENTERED FULL COMBAT MODE. RESTRICTIONS: NONE. ]

Beck: NO--!

[SCANNING...]

[SCAN COMPLETE.]

[ E N C O U N T E R ]

[MIGHTY NO. 1-- MODEL CODENAME: PYROGEN]

[HEIGHT: 223cm] [WEIGHT: 236kg] [XEL COUNT: 47,200,000]

Pyro: PYRO CRASH, AND YOU...BUUUUUUUUURRRN!

[Pyrogen was a close range combat model, excelling in melee-style combat.]

[He wasted no more time with any more words. A distorted yell of RAGE accompanied his first attack--a headlong, full bodied tackle!]

Beck: Gh--!

[Jumping over was the logical choice--]

Beck: AAAH--!

[...But not the best one, as Pyrogen ALSO left a trail of arching fire in his wake. Beck had jumped RIGHT into them, sustaining burns across his armor plating.]

Pyro: Yes--BURN! BURN LIKE THE REST! B U R N!!

[Flaring, No. 1 changed direction--his arms ignited to TWICE their original output, allowing him to gather his flames up for another attack.]

Pyro: BURN M O R E!

[He thrusted his arms forward--and a burst of fire shot out, threatening to engulf Beck in it's hellish range!]

Beck: PYRO--STOP IT!

[The youngest Mighty had no time wince at pain--he forced himself to roll away, the blaring heat reminding him to be weary of the fire walls that soared to the sky.]

[His default weapon was drawn--but he had not fired yet.]

Beck: I DON'T WANT TO FIGHT YOU, PYRO!

Beck: PLEASE! S N A P OUT OF IT--!

White: It's no USE, Beck!

Beck: --!? Dad?!

White: HE IS TOO FAR GONE!

White: You have to stop him by FORCE--!

White: ONLY THEN CAN HE BE SAVED!

Beck: .....

Pyro: B U R N, MOTH! B U R N!!

Beck: . . .

[MN.9 HAS ENTERED FULL COMBAT MODE. RESTRICTION: PRESERVE MN.1]

Beck: I'm sorry, Pyro...

Beck: But if I have to do this to get you back...!

[BLAM!]

Pyro: --?!?

[Bright orange dematerializing shots pierce through the flames--nailing Pyro right in the chest, who seems VERY confused as to what just happened--]

[--...But the confusion didn't last. It quickly bled away to anger. ]

Pyro: RAAAAAAAAAAAGH--!

Call: Warning: I detect a buildup of energy from Mighty No. 1.

Beck: Energy--?

[FWOOOOOM!]

[Pyrogen's flames...changed color. They were no longer just a bright yellow and orange.]

[They were purple. A sick, sick shade of purple and blue.]

Beck: ---????!?

[And that's when it hit him.]

[He's SEEN this before.]

[The Greater Dusk team--at the Queen's Tournament--Bladeblaster--!! ]

Pyro: BURNING...BURNIIIING...

Sanda: -ACTUALLY SCREAMS-

Beck: --!!!!! (Nowhere to HIDE--!!! GOTTA THINK FAST--)

Beck: Ah--!

[ACCESSING XEL STOCK 2...]

Pyro: SPIRIT!

[B O O O M!]

[DATA LOSS]

Sanda: oh GOD WHAT HAPPENED WHAT HAPPENED--?!?!

Call: .....Mighty No. 9's signal has vanished--as has Mighty No. 1's. The likelihood of their transponders ceasing to transmit due to excessive heat damage is--

White: PLEASE, Call--! No more of that--ARE THEY ALIVE?!

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

Pyro: Hah...hah....

Pyro: ........

[There was no sign of Beck at all...]

Pyro: ...........

Pyro: Yes.....YES! LIKE A MOTH TO THE FLAME--!!

[Victory was his. A familiar feeling--he couldn't place why, but it FELT good--]

[So good that he started to laugh, distorted chortles reverbing around the Oil Platform...]

[There was nothing but the crackle of fire...and screams...]

[.....]

[… … …]

[Wait.]

[All the humans had fled.]

[So WHY--]

".........aaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAAH--!"

Pyro: WHAT--?!

[C L A N K!]

Beck: NOT DONE YET--!

[Seemingly dropping down from NOWHERE, Beck landed on his elder's back--forcing him to buckle from the force of the fall and the added weight--]

[BLAM!]

[XEL ABSORBED.]

Pyro: RRAA--ACK--!!

[Flames attempted to flare on his back--they licked at Beck's form, scorching his armor black.]

[The pain--it was almost unlike anything he's ever felt before.]

[The only thing that came close...was...]

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

"Yes...! That's it, my better incarnation--FIGHT LIKE YOU ARE ABOUT TO DIE!~"

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

[Beck gritted his teeth.]

[He couldn't let go--can't, not for anything, ANYTHING!]

"Remember. Beck--Physical pain....is MENTAL. In the arena, you will learn how to push PAST it."

[BLAM.]

[XEL ABSORBED.]

"But--Big Brother--"

[BLAM.]

[XEL ABSORBED.]

"What if it hurts too much...?"

"One of these days, Beck--how much physical pain you feel won't matter in dire situations."

"Are you going to let a few deep scratches come between you and what you care about the most?"

[BLAM.]

[XEL ABSORBED.]

[XEL QUOTA REACHED.]

"N-No, sir, No. 1!"

"Good!"

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

"Now--Show your big brother what you can DO!"

Beck: COME ON, PYRO--!

[XEL PURGE INITIATED!]

Beck: WE NEED OUR LEADER BACK!!!

[FILTERING.....]

[A blinding flash of green surrounds the two, expelling all of the infected purple Xel in Pyro's frame, running it THROUGH Beck himself, who expelled it right back at One, returning the Xel back to it's rightful owner.]

Pyro: --!!!!

[The Mighty Leader stood rigid, frozen in place as the Xel was simultaneously pulled and put back into him--with little to no pain whatsoever. ]

[In fact...]

[It felt...warm...]

"..........I can see you, you know."

"Eep--!!"

"Now, now, don't be frightened--you have nothing to fear, Beck. Not in this place."

"But...you...and everything else...is so...so much bigger than me..."

"Heh..."

"Good things come in small packages."

[......Small....]

"TRY AND CATCH ME, NO. 1!"

Pyro: ........

Pyro: B...Beck...

[THUNK.]

[His knees give away.]

[FILTERING COMPLETE.]

[ALL HARMFUL MALWARE HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM MN.1]

Pyro: Is that....you...?

[There is only harsh breathing in his ear--but...]

Beck: ....

Beck: B...Big...Brother...

Beck: Pyro...I...you're OK...

Pyro: I...what...where...?

[-PING!-]

Call: Connection reestablished. Mighty Numbers 1 and 9 are online.

White: Beck--! Beck--are you--

Pyro: ....F...Father...?

[.....]

White: S...Son...?

Pyro: Father--...what...what happened? I...don't....remember...

Sanda: He...WILL-- WILL HE DID IT HE DID IT--!!

White: Pyrogen...! You're...alright...!

Pyro: Not--...not exactly...Ngh...

Pyro: I....

[SCANNING...]

Pyro: ......????

Pyro: Beck--What...why do I smell...oil?

Beck: Long... long story, bro...ohmanI'msotired...

Pyro: You're...? I...I don't understand--

White: ......

White: Call...prepare for Xel Transfer. Pyro...

White: Everything will be fine, son...I promise. I'll explain it when you're well rested enough.

Pyro: ........

Call: Xel Transfer in progress...

{SANDA ENTERPRISES, LOWER LABS...}

[Will never thought he would be so close to having a heart attack at the age of 25, and today had been eventful enough to garner that reaction on more than one occasion.]

[But the feeling of relief he felt when he saw his eldest carrying his youngest on his back...]

Call: Xel Transfer complete. I suggest not drawing too close to No. 1--he is still radiating fairly high temperatures.

Sanda: Hoooof--it DID just jump a couple of degrees in here, didn't it...

Beck: Uuuuuugh I've never been so TIRED can I take a nap...

[Beck was certainly quite talkative in his complaining...]

[...But Pyrogen remained silent....]

Pyro: . . . .

[Beck slowly climbs down from Pyrogen--he feels QUITE strange at the moment, as if his systems were preoccupied with something else, and leans against his brother for support.]

White: ....

Pyro: Father...

Pyro: ...Beck has burns. All over.

Beck: . . .

Pyro: There was OIL.

White: Son--

Pyro: What happened to us...?!

White: ......

[Will tries to collect his thoughts--how will he tell him--how will he--]

Pyro: Where is Cryo? We NEED to cool him off--

Call: Mighty No. 2's location is unknown. As are the rest of the Mighty Numbers.

Pyro: --?! WHAT?!

Call: I will now connect you back to our systems. Standby.

[RE-CONNECTING...]

White: .......

[CONNECTION ESTABLISHED. UPDATING....]

Pyro: ...........

Pyro: NO--

[RECEIVING RECENT STATUS REPORTS...]

Pyro: NO!

Pyro: OUR FAMILY--!!

[Pyrogen attempts to stand--but his damaged frame does not quite agree with him.]

Pyro: Ngh--!!

Beck: Bro--bro, don't strain yourself--

[-PING!-]

Beck: ----!!!!

[FORM DATA ANALYSIS COMPLETE.]

[XEL TRANSFORMATION ENGAGED.]

[Beck's Xels suddenly start to re-arrange themselves, glowing with a bright white light...!]

[NEW FORM SET.]

[REXELECTION: PYROGEN.]

Pyro: .....!!!

Pyro: Beck...?

Beck: .......

Beck: Big brother...

Beck: I...need to explain some things...

-PING!-

<RMDC>: >REQUEST FAILED. DISPLAYING PREVIOUS STATUS UPDATE…

>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

Pyro: What--

Pyro: Lethal Mode--?!

>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

>Loading…

Pyro: Why...WHY ARE THEY ALL...?!

Beck: Pyro--

Call: I suggest updating MN.1's memory files with Beck's own.

White: .....

White: Sanda...prep the lab.

White: Beck--help your brother. There is much to go over...

[Indeed… most of the line was in Lethal.

…

…With two EXCEPTIONALLY notable exceptions.]

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

>ERROR: DLN-000 SIGNAL NOT FOUND.

Pyro: Toby--CARDINAL--?!

Pyro: (What...what...)

Pyro: (What sick, twisted darkness has befallen us...?!)

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

CHAPTER 10C: SNEAK INTO THE PRISON

~AO v1.0~

((Courtesy of @limitbreakers))

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

{Meanwhile…}

[Felix looked up from the console as shouting intensified.

He had been focusing on analyzing his own notes on the whole matter, but now…]

<DWN-019>: > GRAH! Why won’t you LISTEN to me!?

<DWN-013>: >No offense, bro, but if that’s all—

<DWN-019>: > IT’S NOT, YOU TWITS!

<DWN-019>: >There are some temporal anomalies and you’re all getting caught up in it! It’s not just you, it’s Mikhail as well—and do I need to remind you, YOU SPECIFICALLY, TWELVE, of how dangerous that could be to YOU, personally?

<DWN-012>: > -Mnnrrgh…!-

<DWN-019>: > Where is Mikhail?!

Felix: -Narrows his eyes a little- -Out loud even though Siam can’t hear- He’s resting— you shouldn’t even be calling, there’s a reason he told me to keep it quiet…

<DWN-019>: >I need Cardinal over here to properly oversee the updates, and I need his help with—

<DWN-013>: > Ugh—

<DWN-013>: >I’m SORRY, Gem, but— -BLAM!- 000 is still processing everything, we can’t move him yet, and it seems there are other problems—

<DWN-019>: >HOW can this possibly get worse?

<DWN-013>: > -Irritable- I think Mikhail is under arrest, Gemini!

Des: --....

Des: (Damn it...)

Des: (Ugh, with the way the Doctor and the Mighties reacted to that, I don't even want to think about how THEY will...)

<DWN-019>: > …

[The feeds were slammed with acerbic data.]

<DWN-019>: >  -PANIC DATA-

<DWN-019>: >   -PANIC PANIC PANIC-

<DWN-011>: > …

<DWN-011>: > …Joking, right?

<DWN-011>: > Right?

<DWN-012>: > He was IN handcuffs, brother—

<DWN-019>: > Nnnnnnnn-nnn-nnn-noo—

<DWN-019>: > Stars above I don’t think I can do this—

<DWN-018>: >Look, I doubt that if—

<DWN-019>: >IT DOESN’T MATTER! NOT WHAT YOU THINK!

<DWN-019>: > I DON’T HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO KEEP THAT DATA FROM REACHING THE COSSACK NUMBERS!

Felix: ?!

Des: --...

Des: (Son of a...)

Des: (This is exactly what the Doctor said before...)

<DWN-018>: > Are you serious.

<DWN-019>: >I’m not the Admin, Nico! I don’t have that kind of power!

<DWN-018>: > That’s it. As head of the family, I’m intervening. Dealing with our dysfunctions is plenty; I am not going to put up with fighting the Russians.

<DWN-018>: >Siam, there’s got to be SOMETHING you can do—

<DWN-019>: > Well I’ll TRY to stall—I think I can by changing the data Snow gets— but hurry up as much as you can, I need the rest of the family back as soon as possible!

[MN.6] //: Roger Dodger–

<DWN-018>: >Fine, do it. Gem, get that guy on the line. We’ve got to talk this out before it gets out of hand. And as for you two…

<DWN-018>: >Speedy, Jaden, you guys were BUILT for Combat, can’t you work ANY faster?!

<DWN-013>: > Grrr…

<DWN-013 has entered Lethal Combat mode.>

[MN.1] //: –!!

[Jaden began to glow white.]

Felix: -Stands, raising an eyebrow- ?

Des: What in the--?

Des: (What is this bright LIGHT? It's almost like...Nine's...?)

Felix: !

((pic))

Jaden: I DON’T HAVE TIME FOR THIS!

[MN.1] //: ??!?

[Jaden had changed. The was larger now, and bulkier—and based on the energy ratings from him, he was packing some SERIOUS heat.]

Felix: Well this is new—

Des: (These Robot Masters can change forms too?)

[Hatches popped open.

YEP. Those were some sort of missiles inside.]

Jaden: WE’RE TAKING A DETOUR!

Felix: Goodness. I wasn’t aware they had this capacity.

Des: (...For some reason, that doesn't comfort me in the slightest.)

Des: (Do they ALL have this level of form shifting...?)

[He wasn’t given much time to think on it. A notification opened up a third window in the screen.]

[INCOMING CALL]

Felix: …

Felix: I… I’m not sure how to answer that, but I think we really should.

Des: (....)

[After a brief glance at Felix, Des himself walks over to the terminal and presses a single button, accepting the call.]

Des: (I got a good guess who this is...)

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=BONUS CONTENT: BONUS SCENE #7=

~AO v2.0~

((Courtesy of @codedhopes))

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

((Excerpt: Ch. 8B, en español))

Shade: Bah, por el amor de— no me deseo escuchar su histerismos, Pájaro Cantador, no es como serás capaz de cantar nunca más.

Cardinal: (Pero...)

Cardinal: (Pero tengo que, ¡tengo que decirte...!)

[CLIC.]

Cardinal: ¡—hghkkt!

[Él conocía ese ruido.]

[Él CONOCÍA ese ruido, y le llenaba de pavor.]

Cardinal: (No...)

Shade: Jejejeje...

[Una sonrisa sádica se unió a la risa que escapó de Shade—el dardo que normalmente estaba en su boca se había ido…]

Cardinal: (Shade, oh Dios no, por favor— no, no— no debe que no hacer esto a ti mismo...)

Cardinal: -sonido débil corto y metálico de protesta-

Shade: Te lo DIJE ... no puedes engañarme.

Shade: ¿Tengas miedo ahora, Pájarito?

Cardinal: -sonido de desesperación de los ventiladores-

[Estaba angustiado, eso estaba seguro. Un dolor desgarrador estaba socavando la fuerza de voluntad que estaba manteniendo los humos decrecientes de fuerza en su cuerpo.

Shade se inclinó, apoyando el brazo del rifle sobre la rodilla izquierda mientras ponía su peso en el hombro de Cardinal. Su ventiladores chillaron cuando fueron aplastados por el peso considerable del francotirador.]

Shade: Perfecto.

[El dolor cegador estaba aliviado a medida que el peso fue removido. Cuando Cardinal pudo ver de nuevo, vio de espaldas a su amigo delante de él.]

Shade: Te daré esto...

Cardinal: …

[Un zumbido bajo...]

Cardinal: ... -sonido corto y metálico aun más débil-

[Él no podía ocultarlo. Cuando Shade se dio la vuelta, Cardinal no pudo evitar dar una señal débil de desesperanza—

Shade estaba usando un alcance de francotirador para iluminar su núcleo como un objetivo, puramente para burlarse de Cardinal por rencor.]

Shade: Fuiste mejore que la mayoría. Maldita enojoso, también. Deberías haberlo sabido mejor que venir AQUÍ, a mis terrenos de caza. ¿Tienes un deseo de muerte, pájaro cantador? ¿Huh?

[Dio un paso adelante, dejando que sus espuelas tintinearan ruidosamente mientras caminaba a través del piso ...]

[Despacio.]

[Fue tentador. Muy tentador.

Él estaba cansado. Él estaba herido. Él estaba asustado. Si ... si él entregase, el dolor se detendría, no dolería nunca más... Podría descansar, podría irse, antes ...]

Cardinal: ... (No... no puedo...)

[Cardinal tomó una respiración temblorosa, desesperada mantenerse con vida, a pesar de que su núcleo de energía...]

Cardinal: (No puedo dejar que termine... así...)

[... estaba empezando a convertirse en frío.]

Shade: -Datos-

Shade: -Bueno, si insistes, podemos CONCEDERLO para ti.-

Cardinal: (¡No puedo...!)

Cardinal: (¡NO PUEDO DEJAR QUE TERMINE ASÍ!)

[Cardinal se esforzó por enfocarse a pesar de su mal funcionamiento de la visión, para mirar directamente a ese ojo amenazante rojo-violeta con su propio par moribundo verde.

Apagó todo, excepto sus ventiladores de masa central para obtener la energía para hablar.]

Cardinal: - resuello muy distorsionado- Shade...

Shade: —....

[...No está seguro si debiera estar enojoso ni impresionado.]

[Cardinal volvió a hablar. Había un claro pero tranquilo, sumiso sensación de desesperación en su voz frágil.]

Cardinal: Countershade, por favor...

[Oh.]

[Dio un paso adelante ...]

Shade: ¿Qué fue eso?

Cardinal: No… no me hagas esto…. Rogando … estoy rogándote misericordia, por favor…

Shade: …

Shade: -SONRÍE MALICIOSAMENTE-

[Él sonrió cruelmente ante esto, ante la vista y los sonidos de la mendicidad de Cardinal, suplicando por su vida, por la misericordia. ¡Ja! Finalmente, después de toda su charla y bravo!

Qué sensación tan deliciosa.]

Shade: ¡Jejeje!

[Otro paso adelante.]

Cardinal: Por favor…

Shade: (Eso es, Pájarito. Ruega por la misericordia hasta que mueras.)

Cardinal: Esto sólo… sólo causaráte…

Shade: …?

Cardinal: … causaráte sólo a g o n í a…

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=CHAPTER 5D: DESOLATE HIGHWAY=

~AO v1.0~

(Courtesy of @limitbreakers)

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

{THE NEXT MORNING…}

[June 28th opens with a press release from Sanda Enterprises.

Several releases, actually.

While most of the two families had gathered in the large living room to watch the TV coverage, there were a few notable exceptions.

Tobias was still Offline, of course—and as such, Snow was still waiting on the other side of the barrier, watching and praying his brother would wake up.

Shadow was still attending the repair bay, where Brandish (and Jack and Carmen as well, for that matter) were still recovering. Dr. Cossack was in the lab, but working on his own personal project.

Siam, to no one’s surprise, remained shut up in the Rebel Angels’ personal lab, which was elsewhere.

Battalion and Seismic were still being sought; Call was sorting through the data by herself at the moment, since Dr. White was working on the virus and both Avis and the Sanda twins were busy with the news coverage.

As for Beck?

He’d asked Jaden to talk with him outside—and after the conversation started focusing on his immunities to certain weapons, Jaden began to get a bit suspicious…]

Jaden: Uh, Beck? .-. Do you, uh… need my form for something?

[Beck paused for a moment, considering what he knew about what had happened to Bladeblaster. If he was right…]

Beck: yes please

Jaden: Well, um. Okay…

[He sits down somewhat awkwardly, due to his size.]

Jaden: You’ve… never really used one of our Power Capsules before, have you?

Beck: ...Mmm...Nope. The closest thing I've seen is the replica you guys gave us.

Jaden: Okay. Well, to put it in your terms… that’s the hardware that holds our Weapon Data. The data is only compatible with specific hardware. Since you’re set up to be adaptable, I think your system will automatically shift to match that, if it can read the data. What with how you work, you’ll probably end up being more like me than say, Cardinal. That’s my theory, of if we try going about this straightforward.

[He holds his left arm at an angle and concentrates. After a moment, an access panel becomes visible, and it opens.

There’s an active Power Capsule inside. It looks kind of like…]

((Pizzazium Infinianite!))

[It has orange light in the coils but overall gives off a white glow, somehow.]

Beck: ...That?

Jaden: …I don’t have hands, so, y-you’re… gonna have to rem-move it yourself. Gently, please.

Beck: Oh, um--uh...

Beck: Are there any--like, screws or...? -We don't wanna hurt you so how do we take it out?-

Jaden: N-no, uh. It’s like a… an old school battery. It just latches into place. Lift the latches and you’ll be fine. I’m in my repair settings, so they aren’t locked down.

Beck: A battery--OK, got it...

Beck: -If I'm doing something wrong you can stop me OK?-

[There was a slight hesitant pause before Beck gently grabbed hold of the Capsule, and lifted the latches as he was told to.]

Beck: --!

[Click.]

[The glow faded somewhat as it was easily removed. Jaden looked a little relieved, though.]

[Beck started blinking rapidly as he held the now free Capsule in his hands...]

[NON-XEL WEAPON DATA DETECTED.]

[BEGINNING ANALYSIS.]

[ACCESSING XEL STOCK 1.]

Beck: --????

Jaden: -Just watching, though gets puzzled at Beck’s sudden, unexplained surprise-

[A flurry of loose Xel appears in Beck's hands--]

Beck: -UH--

[...and starts to cover the Capsule?]

Jaden: -Okay, this is new- ?__?

Beck: -I'M NOT DOING THIS I SWEAR--at least I think so--

Jaden: Easy, easy—just relax, not everything that any living creature does is conscious effort, you know. It’s okay.

[ANALYZING DATA...]

Beck: ....?

[His eyes glow green as his systems receive the data from the Capsule, and his uneasiness suddenly gives way to curiosity.]

Beck: I--oh. Huh.

Beck: -.. OH OK I THINK I KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON--SORTA-

Jaden: ?

Beck: I... think my systems are trying to read the data from the capsule first--it recognized them as not Xel-data right away, so I...guess it's using one of my Xel Stocks to analyze it?

Jaden: That makes sense. Those things are usually part of the system when being used, anyway.

Beck: -...We're kinda getting a garbled mess right now, though-

Beck: -Like--it makes some sense but not really-

Beck: ...This needs some serious data sifting, I think...

Beck: -Maybe sending this assimilation data to Dad or Call can help clean it up and read it better?-

Jaden: Well, your Dad might ask why you were poking around with the power capsules, so.

[He sighed.]

Jaden: Man, I wish Toby were Online. I’m sure he could translate if he worked at it hard enough. What with the side effects of the fusion and all. But he won’t get Online, even if we keep him isolated, until we’re sure he won’t… well.

Beck: ....Yeah.

Beck: . . .

[ANALYSIS COMPLETE.]

[The Xel around the capsule slowly, but surely, turned into a bright orange color...]

Beck: --Oooooo...

Jaden: -Brightens up a bit at that-

[It then returned to Beck via his assimilation ability.]

[XEL ABSORBED.]

Beck: --Whoa--

[ERROR: NON-XEL DATA CANNOT BE READ. FORM UNAVAILABLE.]

Beck: --...Aw...

Beck: ...Well, I kinda expected something like that...

Jaden: Mmm.

Jaden: Man, if we could just bring Toby Online…

Jaden: I’m sure Siam could make some progress at it, but he’s busy with something else right now. Dr. Cossack seems to be working on some sort of analysis… he’s been very serious about it. And of course, Dr. White is working on his own analysis… -Sigh-

Beck: Oh...yeah, Dad's working on analysing the virus...and Sanda's busy with his twin.

Jaden: I get the feeling this would be easier if Cardinal were here, but of course he’s gone. >__>

Beck: ......

Beck: (I...I kinda wish he was here too. I really could use some of his advice...)

Jaden: If you think it would help, you can keep the Power Capsule to study it when you’re not on missions. You built a magic mirror out of Xel, I’m sure you’ll come up with something. | )

Beck: ...!

Beck: Oh--no, I...

Beck: -...Don't you need this, though--?-

Jaden: To do what, exactly? We’re in enforced lockdown mode, especially after what happened. I can’t leave the Meadow even if I wanted to. And I know better than that. Until something changes, there’s not much any of us can do…

Beck: ...Oh...right...

Beck: ....

[Jaden seems to be distracted, his gaze distant.]

Beck: ......

Beck: Jaden?

Beck: -...is something wrong?-

Jaden: Hmm? Oh, I’m just reading through the news reports that were put out.

[He smiles a little.]

Jaden: Mr. Sanda was very succinct in talking about the virus and the effects that it has, and describing the analysis process that’s going on. He mentioned how and why not everyone got infected—so that should allow for those that aren’t to be able to move about without being attacked all in a panic. The symptoms were listed and all that.

Jaden: The Related Links talked about several instances, like Jack’s adventure, where non-infected Xelbots were doing good.

Jaden: Both of those link to the one about what you’ve been up to and how you and Dr. White are going to use the data to figure out how to stop this.

[His smile falters a little, becoming sloppy, and leaving his eyes entirely.]

Jaden: …It mentions that [color=brick]anyone[/color] with information should contact the company but not engage. Colors and all… (That… that isn’t going to necessarily work.)

[He pauses.]

Jaden: It looks like there are some bloggers commenting on all this, but… that’s more data than I can sort through. Avi promised to help with crowd control if it does come up…

Jaden: (Though he DID say that he kept Toby and Shadow out of the submitted footage…)

Beck: Mmm...

Beck: ......

[Jaden seems somewhat troubled.]

Jaden: …I do wish he were awake. If he…

Jaden: If he were in the right frame of mind, I’m sure he could help analyze data, whether that be social data, coding data, or just plain finding our brother.

[Then he perks up a bit in a grin.]

Jaden: Until then… c’mon, let’s go to the living room. Everyone’s watching the Beck Show~

Beck: Eheh....

Beck: -We're just gonna--yeah follow/hide behind Jaden--

{Living Room}

[Many of the repaired Mighty Numbers (and some of the Angels) are there watching the footage. Siam, Snow, Tobias, and Cardinal were all gone, of course—and Shadow, Brand, Carmen, Jack, Plume, and Landcrusher were still in recovery. There were cheers when Beck entered.]

Goose: -SCOOPS UP OTHER!BRO- SUPERBECK TO THE RESCUE, BA BA BAAAA!

Cryo: -BRO YOU'RE ON TV--

Beck: Whoaa--!!

Pyro: -The bIGGEST BIG BROTHER SMILE ON HIS FACE-

Dyna: -BZZZZZZZ, LOOK AT OUR BECKY~~~-

Kalinka: Hero, herooo~

Digger: Yes good~ : DDD

Avi: -HEH, DID ANYONE EXPECT ANYTHING LESS THOUGH--

Beck: ^///^;;

[Aw, look, he's turning red--]

Beck: I, uh--heh...um...

[...and at a loss for words, it looks like.]

Pisces: If 000 were here, he’d be playing that one song from Hercules. -Gives Beck a thumbs up-

Speedy: Well, he’s just missing out. His own fault. |V

Goose: Nah, bro, he’ll hear this. ;D We made sure of that, didn’t we, Avi? ^.^

Avi: Eeeexactamundo, Avi! ^.^

Beck: ...?

Jaden: I still don’t think you should expect much results.

Goose: Bro, you gotta learn to be more optimistic!

Jaden: No, I mean—gah, never mind, we’ll probably discuss it at a family meeting or something later.

Nico: …? Beck?

[He’s looking right at him, and not at the TV or any of the others. After a moment, ALL the DWNs and DCNs do the same.]

Nico: .__.; Beck?

Nico: Why exactly are you holding Jaden’s Power Capsule…?

Beck: ....?

Beck: ...! Oh--!

[...Whoops. He forgot to put that away.]

Beck: Jaden let me borrow it.

Nico: -Looks over-

Jaden: -Ping of confirmation, calm-

Nico: -Oh, okay then- -RELIEF-

Pyro: ...So that's what it really looks like...

Cryo: -oooooo, coooool-

Beck: Yeah, I tried to assimilate it's weapon data--

Nico: —?!

Dyna: -Wait you did what--

Beck: -KEY WORD 'TRIED'-

Beck: ...But all I got was unreadable data. So no Jaden form yet...

[Nico scowls at his brother for a moment, and pulls him aside. The two make soft pings and eye glows every so often as they become engaged in a private conversation…]

Goose: -Sets Becky down- Cool. Looks like a neon light or something. :V

Speedy: -Reachy reachy for favorite bro’s hardware- Yyyyeah, nobody try eating it or I’ll sock them to the face. >.>

Pisces: -Lazily grabs Speedy’s wrist before he invades Beck’s personal space-

Pyro: Hmm...

Beck: I didn't try to eat it--!

Beck: ...I did have to--well, my systems used a Xel Stock to analyze it.

Pyro: ...Your systems? You mean it was automatic?

Beck: Yeah--kinda freaked me out a bit at first, eheh... ^^;;

Speedy: -Then obviously I wasn’t talking to YOU, was I-

Beck: Uh...

Dyna: | T -We THOUGHT it was a power storage thing, let it go, jeezzz-

Beck: A-Anyway...I think the data has to be organized and sifted through before I can use it...

[…Man, Nico and Jaden are starting to bare their teeth at each other. Clearly Nico isn’t too happy about this development, for some reason.]

Beck: ....?

Pyro: ...What's going on over there? | [ -Uh oh, big bro mode on-

Avi: -UM--HEY BRO LOOK I’M FLYING IN THE HOUSE-

Pyro: --! Avi--NO FLYING IN THE HOUSE--

[Nico throws his hand outward.]

WHANG.

[…Avi is now stuck to the ceiling.]

Jaden: !

[Aaaaand the other one.]

WHANG.

[Jaden is stuck to the wall.]

Pisces: …bro, that was harsh.

Beck: --!

Avi:

-OW--that kinda smarts...-

Nico: Enough.

[He lets them both drop to the floor, hovering and shifting to his armor, sans helmet.]

Avi: -FACEPLANT-

-Muffled ouch noises-

Beck: . . . . .

Nico: Jaden, you shouldn’t have done that without asking first.

Nico: Nobody else in this family better try that without approval from myself, Siam, AND Doctor Cossack, got it?

Speedy: Whaaaaaaatever you say, bro.

Beck: . . .

Beck: I...

Beck: . . .

[...Uh oh.]

Nico: Beck, do not toy around with Power Capsules, okay?

Nico: They /don’t/ act the same way for secondary users as they do for their primary users. The differences are entirely unpredictable until you’re actually out using them in battle.

Goose: Wait, wat .-.

Beck: .....

Beck: Oh...

[...He didn't know that...]

Pyro: ...How so?

Nico: -Turns to face Pyro- They aren’t fully functional when used with hardware that doesn’t match the specs they were designed for. For example. There’s one defense-related one? When our brother had used it, it defended him from everything. But if Cardinal or the Menace used it? Only from close-range physical attacks.

Nico: Not knowing what you’re dealing with there is a deadly mistake to make in situations like this. Don’t do it. -Plus, we do not approve in general-

Goose: Bro, then why did Robin take all your stash?

Nico: Because he knows how they work.

Pyro: Hmm...you do have a point. I suppose it's lucky that Nine can't read the data.

Beck: .....

Nico: -Warning glare at Beck, eyes flashing with a glow for a moment-

Beck: --!

[--He backs away, and there is a slight fearful look in his eyes--]

Avi: --Hey, bro, don't do that, you're--

[...He did something--something wrong, didn't he?]

[He messed up again--]

<DWN-018 to MNN-009>: > -I WILL protect this family… even if it involves protecting from YOU!-

Beck: -SUDDEN ERRATIC DATA-

[Suddenly, Kalinka yelled.]

Kalinka: {LOOK!}

[She was pointing at the television. For some reason, the broadcast seems to have been pre-empted.]

Pyro: --??

Kalinka: {Aviator, I thought you said it was going to play all day!} D:

Avi: --? What...? But...!

[Nico and everyone else look over, also puzzled. Speedy turns up the volume.]

Beck: --.....?

[The new development seems to have snapped Beck out of his panic, and he quietly moved behind Pyrogen.]

Avi: -The heck is going on, I thought for SURE it would be a continuous broadcast--

Avi: ....Unless...

Skull: ???

Goose: Unless someone paid a lOT of money to say something else--

Avi: --But someone with that kinda cash--

Avi: ....

Avi: -AW NO-

Avi: -PLEASE LET IT BE THE PRESIDENT OR SOMETHING--

Speedy: The President? oh geez, I swear if the Feds show; I'm gonna bolt--

Beck: --!!!

Keltso: {What?!}

Goose: AW COME ON MAN, ARE YOU FOR REAL—

Avi: YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING ME--!

Pyro: --Father--! -and now we're running to get Dad--

Dyna: -BZZZZZZZZZZ WITH A N G E R-

Cryo: THAT'S IT LEMMIE AT HIM--

Beck: ......

Beck: -Confused as all heck- (I...Graham's blaming Dad now?)

Beck: (But why?)

[The Angels were just shocked into silence. Nico in particular seems to have taken it rather hard.]

Nico: ...

<DWN-018 has entered Defensive Combat mode.>

[The others quickly follow suit, with Skull taking Kalinka and warping off without another word. His older brother looks TICKED, though!

Nico hovers off to go get Siam. Meanwhile, Speedy is calling Dr. Cossack to check on Tobias.

There is a ping.]

<DWN-024>: > -HELP, LADY EIGHT IS AWAKE AND GETTING VERY ANGRY-- -

[MN.7] //: -Carmen, please calm d--

<FMN-008>: > -SCREE, SCREE, HE TRIED T’ KILL ME AN’ NOW HE WANTS T’ FINISH THE JOB /AND/ COMPLETE THE SET, AH’ SWEAR I’LL DRAG HIS SORRY CHASS TO THE COURTROOM AN’ THROW HIM IN THE JAIL CELL /MYSELF/ IF I HAVE TO FER THIS—-

[CDN.7037] //: -MISS EIGHT IS ANGRY AS F R A G--

[Soon enough, Will comes in still putting on his lab coat, an expression of confusion on his face.]

Pyro: It's all over the news--

Will: .....

[He takes one look at the screen...]

Will: .....

Will: ....

Will: ...Hmm.

Will: ...That's a bit unorthodox.

Beck: --???

Avi: -Uh, Dad, the prez of CherryDyn is accusing you and Sanda Man of cyberterrorism-

Will: I can see that...

Will: (...This is...a little too desperate--)

Will: (What's your game, Greg...?)

Will: (Why this, and why now? You could have done this from the start, so...)

Will: (What changed--?)

Beck: ...Dad--?

Will: --Mm? Oh, sorry. Got a bit lost in thought, there.

Will: I don't see how this will hold water if they don't have proof...

[Another ping.]

<MCN005>: > I had to sedate Lady Carmen.

<DCP-001>: > {Papa, I'm scared...!} D':

<MC005>: >Now would someone please explain to me why my children are afraid and agitated?

[PING!]

[DR.SANDA] //: WILL--!!

[DR.SANDA] //: YOU NEED TO TURN ON THE TV--

[DR.WHITE] //: I already know, Soi.

Keltso: {Dad, we're looking at a second Monstropolis possibility here!!!}

<DWN-024>: > -Honestly, I am surprised THIS has not provoked a response from our brother, normally he would disrupt this sort of broadcast with a sardonic bit of humor-

<MC005>: > ... Will? What is going on over there?

[DR.WHITE] //: ...It seems Graham has turned his blame game towards us now.

[....Strange, why did Will sound so... dull?]

[DR.WHITE] //: Take a look.

<MCN005>: > ... This is very bad. Augh, I can't risk moving Tobias like this, but he shouldn't be here if it continues like this...

Digger: {Father, we should go home. It's not safe for you there. What if they try to storm the place?}

<DWN-019>: > That's it.

<DWN-019>: >Nico and I are withdrawing everyone home. Doctor, please prepare Tobias for transportation.

Goose: -woah woah wOAH WAIT WE KINDA STILL NEED DOC C AND SHADS AROUND-- -

<DWN-019>: > Don't make me bounce a Gemini Laser all the way from the lab, Six.

<DWN-018>: > -We will keep the family ALIVE and protect it from /all/ threats- </aggressive data that seems primarily directed at Pyro and... Beck?>

[DR.SANDA] //: -WE'RE GOING TO CALL OUR BROTHER--HE CAN SAY SOMETHING, MAYBE--

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

Beck: . . . (Wha....)

Goose: Guys, GUYS let's just nOT PANIC, OKAY--

<DWN-019>: > “Panic”? I beg your pardon, but we've seen where this trail leads before. Dying once was enough, thanks.

Avi: ---.....

Avi: -N...Ngh--

Cryo: --?? Avi--?

[They all falter a moment when they remember.

Avi knew EXACTLY what they were talking about.]

Avi: -Nngnngh it hurts--

Dyna: Avi--Avi breathe--

[And what's worse...

"I can't let you repeat my mistakes...!"

... Tobias had even tried to warn him.]

Avi: I can't--we--we can't let it END LIKE THAT--

Beck: Avi--!

Avi: -WE GOTTA DO SOMETHING--!! -

Pisces: ...

Pisces: ... They're taking callers now.

Pisces: I wonder who it is--

Speedy: Wait a second--

Speedy: --Isn't Washington the state where Seattle is?

[The voice that came on through the chatter was… not unknown to them all.]

"....Excuse me--yeah, I got something to say."

[PING--!]

[CDN.7037] //: --!!!

[CDN.7037] //: E-Eli...?

<DWN-019>: > ...???

Goose: ... The Cherry KNOWS this guy???

<FMN-008>: > -Waking up again, but distinctly less hostile- ...???

Goose: -tHIS I gotta hear- -Aaaand we reach over and turn up the volume more-

"I just wanna say..."

"What the HELL is that corporate moron thinking?!"

[There’s a brief shout from Snow over the feeds about bad words, but no one really pays attention.]

"Does he really expect us to believe his load of malarkey? For God’s sake, isn't that No. 9 trying to SAVE us?"

Digger: -PING, we like this guy-

"My family and I nearly DIED more times than I can count this week--does he even CARE about what he's sayin' will DO to other people? Is he STUPID?"

Speedy: {MORE OR LESS—}

"I don't know about you, but there's no way on God's good earth that that boy and his father are out to get us. Of all the damn BULLSH--"

[...He's cut off before he can continue.]

[CDN.7037] //: -ELI'S ALIVE-- LILY IS OK, THEY MADE IT--

[The next caller is from... Missouri!]

"Dude."

[... They sound like a college student. A very, VERY tired college student.]

Beck: ....?

"Is this guy high?"

Speedy: -Snorts-

"Weren't we talking a few months ago about how his own security system couldn't stop him from getting his HQ vandalized?"

Will: -...snorts softly-

[A PIC OF THAT POPS UP ON THE SCREEN as he continues--]

Beck: -snICKERS--

"And didn't he get hacked and stuff? I bet he just wants attention because he can't do his job right. CherryDyn can’t even look after their own ‘bots, anyway—I mean, just look at what happened over the summer. Why should we believe they know anything about OTHER people’s bots if they don’t even take care of their own models?”

<DWN-024>: > -That is an exceptionally good point…-

“Anyway, right on, little dude! I think your red fan wanted us to talk and stuff, uh, so if you station guys could give me the number to the lab, that would be great--"

Will: --!!!

[Digger looks thoughtful and serious for a moment, and then quietly slips away.

The next call is from...Minnesota?]

Cryo: --!

"H...Hello?"

[A young woman, it seems like...]

"I...I just want to thank M...Mr. Pyrogen--he...he saved me and all my coworkers..."

Pyro: !

"I...I don't think I would be alive I-If it wasn't for him and his brother...I don't think it was her fault--she was sick, right? I...I hope she's okay..."

Cryo: .....

"T...That's all..."

[Click.]

Jaden: -Surprised- ... We never got told about that. o.o

[The next caller was from...Indiana.]

"I SAW HIM, well sort of I was kinda hanging upside down but I SAW HIM IN THE POWER PLANT I WORK AT, HE WAS SO COOL--"

Beck: ....!

"I thought that I was gonna get fried but the power came back on and I guess he fixed his sister--I mean, come on, the REAL Dynatron wouldn't do that to her fans, she's amazing!"

Dyna: -Oh my God he's one of our fanszz--?-

"I just don't see how No. 9 was doing anything wrong? What's your deal, CherryDyn?"

Pisces: Insecurity, I bet. Among other things.

[He's cut off as well, and the next is from...Cali--!

...it seems to be...a male, but there were other voices in the background as well.]

"Look, I work at the mine Mickster comes and helps us with, that guy wouldn't hurt a fly, let alone someone else--!"

"YEAH THAT CORPORATE MOOK CAN SUCK IT--"

"MIC'S OUR FRIEND, YA CAN'T JUST DISS HIM AND HIS FAMILY LIKE THAT--"

"Berry, we're on the phone--"

"OI MIC IF YOU CAN HEAR US WE GOT YOUR BACK--"

[Another call, from New York—though it sounds like the girl is from California, herself. Another college student, it would seem.]

"Hi. I, like, take a Logic class and stuff?"

"And my roommate’s boyfriend is this huuuuge Avi fan--"

Avi: --!!

"He also likes Morse code and just-- it doesn't make sense?"

Jaden: —! (Uh-oh—!)

"If White really were working with the bad guys, why would his kids need to be 'saved'? You know, whole 'house divided can't stand' and stuff. Like, Avi was saying during his broadcast to 'save us' in Morse code and stuff, so-- he's just got it all wrong."

Nico: … Looks like they thought Toby was your “inner/true self” fighting against the virus. ?__?

Avi: .....Oh...

Goose: -Well, I guess they aren’t completely WRONG, so-

"And I hope his lawyers are well paid because that was a dumb thing to overlook. So I wouldn't be surprised if Sanda Enterprises sued or something."

"Anyway, we liked that cool new music when Beck was saving you, Avi! Get better soon, your show is really funny."

[Next caller--Japan.... There are translated subtitles on the screen with a second or so of delay.]

{"My disciples see No. 7 as a sort of role model--I just don't see how a noble and decorated swordsman of his caliber would suddenly turn his back on everything he stands for--not willingly. He was clearly struggling against whatever was ailing him, anyone can see that--!"}

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

{"This must be so very hard on him--and his family. My thoughts go out to them."}

Beck: They....

Beck: They...they're taking our side....

[Click.]

"I think it's just--just awful what CherryDyn said just now--and Beck's just way too cute to be bad, ya know? I mean--come on, how can something THAT adorable be evil??"

[Click.]

"Hey, here's a thought--maybe CherryDyn should fire their whole social department because what the heck?"

[Click.]

"The Mighty Numbers are HEROES, man! Heroes! Just wait, they're gonna fix this any second somehow, they gotta--!"

[There is one final call--]

"Hi, I work with an emergency response group, and... I just wanted to thank the Mighty Numbers. I know Seven was sick and all, but he was fighting really hard—and that made a big difference. The thing a lot of people don't know is that most self-driving cars that were on the road when this started were on their way to pick people up-- empty. If... If he hadn't stopped as many as he did, there would be a lot more injuries along the roads right now, because they would have ended up driving uncontrollably through narrow city streets or small towns. Even while sick, he still saved lives."

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

"And we've gotten a lot of help from the healthy Xelbots-- one of my coworkers said that the one helping her right now said that it was 'what Bat would have wanted me to do.'"

"You guys just inspire people to, you know, go out there and be Mighty!"

"We believe in you!"

Beck: (They....)

Beck: (They believe...in me...?)

Will: Ah...

[DR.SANDA] //: -WILL--WILL YOU'RE HEARING THIS, RIGHT--

Beck: (People believe in me?)

Cryo:

-...NO WE'RE NOT CRYING, YOU ARE--

Dyna:

-We MAY be letting our mascara run--

[CDN.7037] //: -HEY--GUYS YOU'RE BLOWING UP ON ALL THE SOCIAL SITES, PEOPLE ARE TALKING, YO--

Avi: -RUNS TO CHECK THAT--GOOSE WE COULD USE A HAND--

Goose: -ON IT, ME-- -

Beck: I...I don't...know what to...

[...He's mostly shocked--he wasn't used to this much positive reception, and about HIM, of all people--!]

[There's... a faint humming noise. Followed by...

...

... Static?]

Speedy: …!

[It's not coming from the TV, but rather, over the feeds!]

-Ping.-

<RMDC to ALL>: > DLN-008 is now in Sleep mode.

Dyna: --! TOBY--!

Avi: -TOBY--DOES THAT MEAN HE'S GONNA BE OK--??-

<DCN-008>: > {Father has a message.}

<DCN-008>: > {Things are… different than how we feared they might be. We now know there IS hope—and that it is real, and not a dream.}

<DCN-008>: > {Wily Eight will still need to be contained in isolation for some while, due to his… developing self control…}

<DCN-008>: > {But it is no longer necessary to keep him Offline.}

<DCN-008>: > {We will explain more soon. Father requests that we have a family meeting later today.}

<DCN-008>: > {And he wants everyone to participate.}

<DCN-008>: > -Yes, that means you MNNs and FMNs, too, you are family-

Pyro: ....That sounds like a good plan.

Beck: -Primarily watching the news as it unfolds...-

Avi: -Bro look at this feedback, man, it is MOSTLY GOOD--

Will: (...Just as I thought...won't hold water.)

Will: Alright--Soi, can you keep an eye on the situation for us?

[DR.SANDA] //: Can do, Will!

<MC005>: >Thank you, Soi, we appreciate that.

<MC005>: >Oh, and Beck? Could you come see me at the lab for a moment? Not necessarily right this second, but later today would be nice.

{Meanwhile…}

[Cardinal—still somewhat out of the loop due to radio silence—was on the highway, traveling as fast as his light cycle would take him—and as safely as he could, amidst the chaos.

He was going about 120 mph, weaving his way through infected self-driving cars, headed out of the city. The radio he kept on, now—he would need that, for the highway reports. Now that people could communicate, the world would slowly start cobbling together.

He jumped the cycle up and used the wreckage in his way as a ramp to soar into the air, returning the cycle to bar form and taking flight on his wind surfer for the next stretch of highway.

He couldn’t ride like this the whole way, not if he wanted to keep some charge in it.]

Cardinal: _(Glitch glitch glitch—!)_

[He opened fire on some rogue sign ‘bots that were starting to swarm, ducking to avoid crashing into an overpass.

He was VERY glad that only the self-driving cars were on the highway at this point—he knew how badly the highway crash had been—how long it had haunted his friends—when there had been people involved.

He was very glad Brand hadn’t been on the highway he was traveling—he had nothing personal against the clearly infected ninja, but he’d have sooner throw a car in Seven’s face than let the swordsmaster slow him down.

Because now he was REALLY on a time limit.]

>DISTANCE REMAINING: CALCULATING…

[He felt panicked the moment he realized it.

He could still hardly believe it, and _REALLY_ hoped he was seeing the situation wrong.

But if Shade were waiting to ambush prey, his target wasn’t an old grudge or a Mighty Number—or else he would have gone off and done that by now.

He was waiting for something _bigger.]_

Cardinal: _For the love of all that ever mattered, Shade—WAIT FOR ME!_

>DISTANCE REMAINING: 1,000 MILES

_* >LOADING…*_

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