=CHAPTER 3A: VOLTAIC DYNATRON=

=CHAPTER 8C: TRAPPED BY LASER LIGHT=

~AO v2.0~

((Courtesy of @codedhopes))

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[C R A A A C K!]

[THUD—]

[The door came down, Shade was over Cardinal's broken form, rifle pointed right at his chest—!]

[Vrrrrrrr...]

[THREAT IDENTIFIED.]

[XEL OVERRIDE SEQUENCE INITIATED.]

[COMMENCING WEAPON LOCK.]

Beck: STOP!

[Shade looks up from his target, just in time to see Beck's outstretched hand glowing a deep green, his eyes reflecting the same glow. Or perhaps they were glowing themselves?]

[WEAPON SYSTEM LOCK ENGAGED. TARGET: MN.8.]

Shade: —!

[Shade suddenly felt his rifle grow heavy, and the laser from his scope died out—]

Beck: NNGH—!

[Whatever it was that Beck was doing, it seemed to be very taxing on him—it was like he was holding something in place, but he didn't know what that was, or how he was doing it, exactly—]

[All he knew was that it was stopping Shade, which was what he had to do.]

Beck: S-Shade—!

Shade: ....

[The weapon lock didn't do much about Shade's current state of mind, however, and he sneered.]

Shade: So the Lil' Doggy thinks he can bite back, eh?

Shade: Heh. That's c u t e.

Beck: Nnngh—!

[Shade doesn't look too concerned despite being essentially disarmed at the moment. He turns his attention back to Cardinal, who...]

[Wasn't...moving...]

Beck: --!!!!

Beck: C-Cards—!

Shade: Looks like you get to fly another day, Songbird.

Shade: -GRIN-

Shade: That is, if ya can even WALK after this! HA!

Beck: That...

Voice… voices…

> Procc…essin…g…

Beck: THAT'S ENOUGH—!

Beck: WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS—?!

Shade: Feh—ya haven't figured it out yet—

Beck: I'm not TALKING to you.

> Proccess…ing…

Shade: —....

Beck: Yeah. That's right.

Beck: You.

Beck: I KNOW you can hear me.

Beck: And—And I know—at least...I think I know.

Beck: I know—you're like ME.

Beck: I've felt it ever since all this started—!

> Proccess…ing…

Shade: … …

Shade?: Like...you—?

Beck: I don't—it's just a feeling, but it's THERE and I know—

Beck: I know that somewhere in there—there's something else, something that knows all this is WRONG—!

Beck: So...

Beck: ...So please.

Beck: I'm begging you.

Beck: There...There's still time.

Beck: No more.

Beck: Just...no more.

> Proccess…ing…

Beck: No more pain, no more...of this.

Beck: I don't want to fight.

Beck: I...

Beck: I don't want to fight anymore—

>WARNING: POWER SYSTEM FAILURE IMMINENT: CORE HAS BEEN DRAINED IN OVERDRIVE CONVERSION.

Beck: —!

[Beck's attention snapped to Cardinal, who—oh, no, why is there so much oil and—]

———————————

Beowulf: Surge conversion is great, but energy cores weren’t built to function as first-aid reserves. They just aren’t meant for that. They’re there to provide a long-term internal energy supply to keep you running, like a heart does. You have a heart, but you still gotta eat and stuff.

Beowulf: Do that too many times, and the next bits of damage will stick, because there isn’t enough energy left to fix it.

——————————————

[Oh no—]

[PING!]

[TRIGGER SIGNAL LOST. XEL OVERRIDE MODE DISENGAGED. WEAPON LOCK WILL NOW BE LIFTED.]

Beck: -Blinks—- ??????

Beck: (Wha—)

[BANG!]

Beck: Guh—!

[A bullet found mark on Beck's shoulder—the assassin wasted no time once the weapon lock vanished.]

Shade: Alright.

Shade: While the lil' dance with the bird was FUN while it lasted...

Shade: It's time we settled this like robots.

Shade: Heh. Ya know what Ah'm talkin' about, don't ya?

Beck: —Shade, wait—!

[Too late. The hunter vanished without a trace, soundlessly making his escape.]

[...Leaving the mangled mess that was Cardinal behind.]

Beck: Cards--

[Beck came closer—he could smell oil and coolant— familiar smells—]

Beck: C-Cards...

Tired…

> Analysis complete. 1 Match found: MNN-009.

Cardinal: …

[To say he was in bad shape would be the understatement of the decade. He was too tired to even try and hide the damage—and there was only a faint humming noises coming from his unprotected eyes. They flickered dimly, sporadically—

—…no, wait, that wasn’t random, that was Morse…]

{Go… on… 9.}

Beck: —!

Beck: ....

[His vision began to grow out of focus.]

[...Oh, no. It's...not that.]

[Those were tears.]

Beck: N-No—

[Beck fell to his knees next to the First, but didn't dare touch him—not....Like this.]

((Pic—Beck crying over Cardinal))

[Flashes of something—someone. Red. Hurt.]

Beck: I...I can't—I can't leave you here—!

[Whether Cardinal didn’t hear him, or else didn’t care… that was hard to say.]

{Go… now…}

{SAVE… HIM…}

{Save… 8…}

{Go.}

Beck: I—I—

[His eyes darted erratically—flicking between a glowing intensity to a dulling light--]

[He promised, promised to save everyone, but Cards—but—Shade—]

[Cards was so hurt, but Shade was so close to losing himself—]

Beck: -Hurts—-

[Shade—his brother—]

[And Cards, Shade's best friend—]

___________________

"Beck."

___________________

Beck: —!

[A voice...]

_______________________

"Ow...yeah?"

"Why do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Putting yourself...Putting yourself up like you MUST prove something."

"Uh...I don't get it."

"Bah, of course you don't..."

"I'm saying...you always put yourself in a position where...where you WANT to be something greater when you're not READY for it."

"I..."

"You help others, sometimes out of your own expense—you give and give and give and give—"

"Until WHAT, Beck—?"

"I..."

"Why do you have to feel like you have to help...help EVERYONE in YOUR world—?"

"Um...Because it's the right thing to do?"

"Oh, don't give me THAT. That's cliché and you know it."

"Well, there's nothing wrong with wanting to help people, right?"

"...No, but it's dangerous to feel like you have to help everyone you meet."

"Hey, what do you mean by—"

"You can't help everyone, Amadeus."

"Wha—yes, I can—!"

"No. You can't. You're just one person. And we all have our limits."

*"I hope that one day even YOU can figure that out..."*

"...Mighty No. 9."

___________________________

Beck: .......

Beck: . . . .

Beck: (...I...)

Beck: (I can't help everyone...)

Beck: .......

>Shutting down…

Beck: . . . . .

Beck: O...Okay.

Beck: I'll go.

Beck: I'll...I'll save Shade, Cards, like I promised...

Beck: And...

Beck: I'll...I'll bring him home...

Beck: ...

Beck: Promise.

-Ping-

<RMDC>: >Signal identified: DLN-000.

<RMDC>: > Processing…

<RMDC>: > DLN-000 is now Offline.

Beck: ....

[It was quiet, save for Beck's small, retreating footsteps. Far too quiet.]

[Beck had come to HATE this kind of silence. It was unnerving, and too heavy for his... smallness to bear.]

[As much as it pained him to leave his friend like this, Beck...Beck just didn't have the heart to go on without some solace that Cardinal would be okay.]

[PING!]

[MN.9] //: G...Guys...

[MN.9] //: I...I'm going after Shade...

[MN.9] //: But—C...Cards...

[MN.9] //: -PLEADING data—- Help—I can't help him, please, someone help him soon, please—

[It seems forever before there’s an answer.]

<MC005>: > Can’t bring Robot Masters back Online. Xelbots can’t go until area is secured.

Beck: ......

[Which means...]

[Until Shade was saved, no one would help Cardinal get out of here.]

[MN.9] //: ...Yes, sir.

[.....]

[There was...no other choice.]

[He had to move forward.]

Beck: . . . .

Beck: (Cards...)

Beck: (I'll finish what you started.)

Beck: (I'll save Shade—for both of us...All of us.)

[REXELECTION: BRANDISH.]

[A flash of red and yellow, and Beck zoomed out of the foyer.]

[This was far from over.]

[Just because Shade had effectively incapacitated Cardinal and THEN some—]

[There were still many infected robots in the building, and who knows what kind of secrets were hidden in the White House that Shade could use to spread pandemonium across the nation.]

[Not to mention, the fact that they seem to follow Shade to an extent—he had no doubt that Shade was stalling for time back there just to ambush Cards at the right moment.]

[Eight could very well mount a invasion like had Five nearly done, and then there would be no stopping the government from utterly destroying the place.]

[...The more Beck thought about it, the more he could see why Cards wanted him to leave him behind. In a way, it lessened the sting of just abandoning him there—]

[...But only a little.]

[SHING!]

[Shade was still hiding, even after all this.]

[SHING!]

[But where...]

Beck: SHADE!

[PING!]

[MN.8] //: Lost, Lil' Doggy?

Beck: I THOUGHT you wanted to settle this like robots.

Beck: So where ARE you?

[MN.8] //: Ah' could tell ya. But that wouldn't as fun...

[MN.8] //: Ah' think ya have more worries t' attend to.

Beck: Besides YOU? Oh, come on—

[MN.8] //: Haven't ya heard the commotion outside?~

Beck: —Huh?

[Beck skidded to a stop, looking out to one of the broken windows overlooking the White House Lawn, and the gates beyond it.]

[There was...A lot of police. The kind that you see in... riots—? ]

Beck: What...?

[MN.8] //: See? I'm not the only robot tired of the status quo.

[MN.8] //: Even the meat-sticks don't want anythin' t do with the system!

[Indeed, it...It looked like there was a large, angry crowd outside—Beck could make out mostly humans, but also some Xelbot Civilians that didn't seem to be infected—]

[Some were cheering, others screaming bloody murder, and still others were trying to get inside—]

Beck: I...What is...?

Beck: (I don't understand...)

[MN.8] //: Lemmie ask ya a question, Lil' Doggy.

[MN.8] //: What are we REALLY built for?

Beck: ....

Beck: You're not going to get at me with this.

[MN.8] //: Not even gonna humor me, eh? Alright, that's fahn. I'll TELL ya.

[MN.8] //: All we were built t' do is fight in the Battle Colosseum, plaaain an' simple.

[MN.8] //: Don't seem so bad on the SURFACE, right?

[MN.8] //: W r o n g.

[MN.8] //: Humans can talk 'bout 'containin' violence' all they want, but that don't disguise what they REALLY want.

[MN.8] //: Entertainment, Lil' Doggy. We're just playthangs t' them. We dance and sing and fight and die just t' give them somethin' to fill the void in their PATHETIC Lil' lives.

Beck: —......

[MN.8] //: An' Combat Models have been doin' it fer YEARS an' no one' bothered t' do ANYTHIN' 'bout it.

[MN.8] //: We're givin' our spot in the limelight until they decide we're old news. And then they throw. Us. OUT.

[MN.8] //: Would've happened to One, eventually. Would've happened t' all of us. Would have happened t' YOU.

[MN.8] //: Heh.

[MN.8] //: Lucky for yew, lil' Doggy, Ah' plan t' make a few...changes t' that.

[MN.8] //: If ya manage t' SURVIVE, that is.

Beck: ...What are you getting at, Shade?

Beck: What's your plan?

[MN.8] //: Ah' really gotta spell it out for ya, don't Ah'?

[MN.8] //: Mah' first executive order as the first robot president is to set ALL robot FREE.

[MN.8] //: An' t' do that, I'm gonna abolish the International Battle Coloseeum Association. Permanently.

[MN.8] //: By FORCE.

Beck: —!!!!

Beck: Y-You can't do that—!

Beck: The IBCA isn't EVIL, Shade—!

Beck: Don't do that—

Beck: -PANIC-

Beck: PLEASE—!

[MN.8] //: Oh?

[MN.8] //: —Ooooh, that's right...yer off the team, ain't ya?

[MN.8] //: No IBCA, no tournaments, no more team.

[MN.8] //: You'd be useless, Lil' Doggy. Everythin' ya worked for--

[MN.8] //: --Kaput. See what Ah' mean, nao?

Beck: --........

[MN.8] //: Heh.

[MN.8] //: Truth hurts, don't it.

[MN.8] //: I'll be waitin' in mah new office, Lil' Doggy. If ya wanna file a complaint!~

[KSSSSSST--]

Beck: . . . .

Beck: (Those words...)

Beck: (I...I've heard those words... before...)

Beck: (I didn't understand then, but...Now...)

Beck: (You...)

Beck: (Has it been you...I've been sensing all this time...?)

Beck: (Are you the one behind all this...?)

Beck: (Have you...been hurting...this whole...time...?)

Beck: .......

Beck: (No...)

Beck: (Why didn't you tell me--?)

Beck: (Y...You could have...told me...)

Beck: (I...All this time, I could have helped you too...)

Beck: (How...how could I have been so blind--?)

Beck: (...Am I really that much of an idiot after all...?)

Beck: --........

[MN.9] //: -Erratic, sad, self doubt, empathetic data--

Beck: -Ngh--

Beck: (No, stop that--)

Beck: (If...If they knew...)

Beck: ....

Beck: (I have to keep going.)

Beck: (I can...think..about it...later...)

[His new office, Shade said.]

[Taking into account what Shade came here to do in the first place...]

[Beck knew exactly where to go.]

Beck: . . . .

[Soon, he came upon the large doors adorned with the Presidential Seal on them--The Oval Office.]

[Sunny sat to the side, hopping over to the small, discouraged hero with a worried look on her face.]

Sunny: D:

Beck: ...Hi, Sunny.

[Sunny opened up her compartment to give Beck some much needed Xel Cubes and Stocks--]

Beck: --?

[...Some other things tumbled out too.]

Beck: !

[A care package, of sorts, hastily thrown together.]

[Some cool water from Cryo, and cookies from Pyro--power nodes from Dyna and what looked to be a shiny rock from Mic...]

[A small coin from Bat--...Sadly nothing from Avi. He must be still out cold...]

[...A origami crane from Brand...His star projection toy he got on his second birthday from Will...]

[And some marshmallows from Sanda.]

[…!]

[And a note!]

Beck: ...?

“{LAST NIGHT—FOUND WORKING REPLACEMENT.}”

Beck: Working...Replacement...?

[.....]

Beck: --!!!!!

[Cardinal's core. He had all the parts, thanks to Beck, except for a working power core replacement. Something he could run on that wouldn't cause him to overheat--]

Beck: (He...They...)

Beck: (They did it--?)

Beck: ....

[And just like that, with that one note, with those seemingly few items that wouldn't have mattered to anyone else...]

[...There was hope.]

Beck: (I get it now...)

[There was a chance--!]

Beck: (I gotta save Shade--)

Beck: (So Cards can get help--)

Beck: (So he can be SAVED--)

Beck: (So he can live--!)

Beck: (Don't worry, Cards--)

Beck: (I'll save Shade for you--so he can live, right by your side--!)

[Strength returned to him suddenly, as he absorbed the Xel Cubes into his frame and put the power nodes away. He shoved the rest of the care package back into Sunny--he didn't have time to keep it all on him.]

[...The cookies and marshmallows stayed with him, though.]

Beck: (Alright, Shade--)

[Beck stood in front of the doors, and pushed them both open with some effort.]

Beck: (Let's end this.)

[CAPITOL BUILDING: OVAL OFFICE...]

[The office had seen better days. It was completely trashed. Even the chair in which the Madame President sat in was thrown across the room, the desk scorched, the tables turned sideways and riddled with bullet holes.]

[As expected...Shade was nowhere to be seen.]

[But he was here.]

Beck: (...Yeah...)

Beck: (He's here, I can feel it, somehow...)

Beck: (Is this how you tell he's near, Nii-San?)

Beck: ....

Beck: I kinda expected to be shot the second I came in.

Beck: That's what you did when I got here.

"Heh."

[The cowbot finally revealed himself, lazily leaning against the side of the desk, head down so that his radar hat covered most of his face.]

Shade: So ya do learn.

Shade: Okay, nao, Lil' Doggy...

[His head lifts just enough to reveal a single glowing violet eye, and a twisted smile.]

Shade: Let's see if you're all bark...or if you got some b i t e.

[A pair of bright, emerald hues meet his in defiance. Then Beck shook his head.]

Beck: Listen to me, Shade: you're malfunctioning! You're SICK! You're not THINKING straight!

Beck: Didn't you feel anything at all--ANYTHING--when you saw Cards--?!

[Shade pauses at that for a moment, as if thinking back...]

Shade: …

Beck: Please...

Beck: All this--freeing robots, us being just tools and playthings--

Beck: ....

Beck: I won't disagree with you.

Beck: ....

Beck: I've seen...and heard...what happens...when people see us like that...

Beck: Even when I shouldn't have...I did. I heard.

Beck: And it is nothing LESS than horrifying and wrong.

Beck: And...I won't deny that...

Beck: There are bad things, bad places, and...Yeah... really bad people in the world.

Beck: That being said--

Beck There are people that don't see us like that--!

Beck: Like Dad, and Uncle Sanda, and Mikhail--!

Beck: Mao, Felix, Piers--

Beck: The people that look up to us--

Beck: The people that we FIGHT for--!

Beck: The people that know what REAL freedom is, and try to protect it--!

Beck: Freedom doesn't require all this SUFFERING--!!

Beck: You're only going to make things WORSE, if you shut down the IBCA--! Not just for me--forget about me--! For EVERYONE--! What are you trying to ACCOMPLISH, getting rid of something that gives so many people so much HOPE?!

Shade: Tch.

Shade: Humans have fought over freedom an' hope with WAR for centuries. Your damn point? S'moot.

Beck: --!

Shade: Emancipation is worth ANY price...

Shade: Even at the cost of human lives.

[SCANNING.....]

[SCAN COMPLETE.]

[MODEL: MIGHTY NO. 8. CODENAME: COUNTERSHADE.]

[HEIGHT: 193cm WEIGHT: 273kg XEL COUNT: 54,600,000]

[CLICK.]

Shade: Or yours.

[BANG!]

[Beck saw that coming--he vaulted over a table on its side, the energy bullet seating the expensive furniture instead.]

Beck: I don't want to FIGHT you, Shade--!

"Bit late for that line, ain't it?"

[A quick peek over the table. Shade was no longer there.]

Beck: (Argh...)

[Countershade. The 8th in the Mighty Numbers, with state of the art technology that was only surpassed by Beck's own. The Teal Silence, the Mighty Assassin, intangible as a ghost...]

[Shade was synonymous with all of these titles and sayings and then some. He was able to pick his foes off before they even knew they were being hunted, and had many tricks and traps at his disposal--even with the lack of a right limb, that didn't slow him down in the slightest.]

[The world's greatest assassin robot ever built, and he had turned for the worst. He had pushed his inborn abilities of Radar Detection and Active Camouflage to greater heights, placing him squarely as the team's Sniper. It was often Shade that dealt the final blow against particularly strong teams, and often Shade that made sure that they had a ace in the hole in case things ever went...]

[...Wrong.]

[Against the strongest member of their family...]

[Beck had to be prepared for anything.]

Beck: (At least we're in an enclosed space--Shade's area of excel is long-range, not close quarters combat. I got the advantage there.)

Beck: (...But Cards had that too, and...)

Beck: (...And I DON'T want to taunt Shade into a rage--that would suck--)

Beck: (--I could use his weakness, I have Dyna's form...)

Beck: (--...But that isn't really going to deflect his shots, so...)

[REXELECTION: SEISMIC]

Beck: I hope I got Mic's bulkiness too...

[Beck took a deep breath and ZOOMED out of his cover--]

[BANG BANG BANG--]

[Bullet holes chasing his tracks, unrelenting in their pursuit of the smaller Mighty Number.]

"That's right--RUN."

Beck: -WELL, WHAT ELSE DO YOU EXPECT US TO DO--

[Shade still had his Camo online, even if Cardinal had done a number on his cloak...]

Beck: (Where are you--)

"Here."

Beck: --!?

[He looked up--]

[BANG--!]

Beck: --?!?

[Dizzy--]

[ERROR--GYRO SYSTEMS OFFLINE.]

Beck: Wh--Whoa--!

Shade: Heh! DANCE, Lil' Doggy!

[The world suddenly turned upside down, and his motor controls were reversed--]

[WHAM--!]

[He crashed into the desk so hard he reverted back to default, the ground and ceiling spinning at dizzying speeds.]

Beck: @~@!

Beck: (Can't tell what's up or down--)

[BANG!]

Beck: NGH--!

[Trying to move his right arm only moved his left, and vice versa--same with his legs--]

[BANG!]

Beck: OW--

[After some doing, he DOES manage to get on his feet--]

[But he's stumbling and tripping up, all sense of balance lost.]

Beck: (I've never--seen Shade do this before--not with Cards or anyone--!)

[THUD--]

Beck: (Ugh, I can't even walk straight, LET ALONE SHOOT--!)

[BANG--!]

Beck: ARGH--!

"Havin' fun, Lil' doggy?"

Beck: NO!

"Heheh."

Beck: (I gotta get normal mobility BACK--!)

[RUNNING XEL_FILTER.EXE...]

[NO MALWARE FOUND.]

Beck: (Wha--then how--)

Beck: !

[There--there's something caught in his shoulder's armor--]

[A purple dart--?]

Beck: --!

Beck: (Of course, Shade can detect signals--there's no reason why he can't also transmit jamming signals with his radar too--!)

Beck: (I gotta get this thing off me--)

[Left moves right, and vice versa--]

[So moving his right arm should--!]

Beck: (There--Ow, OW THAT HURTS--)

[BANG BANG BANG--!]

[The shots hit him squarely in the torso, knocking him away to the middle of the room--]

Beck: Nngh...

Beck: (Need a...good grip...!)

[SMACK--]

Beck: Mmmph--!

[His face meets the carpet--something big and heavy was planted right on the back of his head--]

((Pic—Beck pinned))

Shade: S'that ALL?

Shade: Ya didn't even last HALF of what the Songbird did. An’ HE was as soft as the sap he choked on!

Shade: How ya managed t' fell the rest of our kin is beyond me. Maybe it was all dumb luck, huh?

Beck: (Nngh--)

[... Amazingly, Beck raised his head even with Shade's weighted boot on his helmet.]

Beck: Sh... Shade--!

[...?]

[...Why...Why was this part of the carpet red--? ]

[Yes, it was faint, but he can make out the beginning of the letter H in...]

[Cardinal's handwriting...]

[HOPE LIVES.]

Beck: (H...Hope...Hope...)

Shade: Ah’ll make this short. After ‘m done with yew, ‘m gonna make SURE that birdy hasn’t pulled one last trick out of his arsenal. So.

Shade: Any last words, Doggy?

[CLICK.]

Beck: --Shade--

Beck: Cards--there's--there's a new source--

Beck: They did it, Shade--!

Shade: --!

[It was as if a switch had been flipped.]

[The sick, purple glow left him completely, for a moment--]

Shade: -Blink-

Shade: R..Really--?

Beck: Yeah--

[YANK--]

[GYRO SYSTEMS RESTORED.]

Beck: So you need to COME BACK HOME WITH ME--!

[REXELECTION: DYNATRON.]

[BZZZZZZZZZRT!!]

Shade: MOTHERSCRA--

[Shade screamed as pure high voltage surged up his leg, considerably damaging him--enough so that some of the infected Xel glowed around him!]

[XEL ABSORBED.]

Beck: So you and Cards--

[BZZZZZZZZZRT!]

Beck: --can get better--together--!

Shade: Ngh--!

Beck: So you can laugh and smile and be silly and get into trouble--

Beck: So we can all Live—together--!!

Beck: IT'S JUST YOU LEFT--!

Beck: SO JUST LET ME--

[Beck dashed into Shade, he needed to end this quick, end this now before Cards--]

[Fzzt!]

Beck: --?!?!?

[....Did...]

[Did he just go... through Shade...?]

[He skids to a stop, turning on his heel, bewildered.]

Shade: -GRIN-

[Shade was... flickering red...]

Shade: What's wrong, Lil' Doggy?

[And then he just disappeared.]

"Ya look like ya just saw a GHOST, HEH HEH HEH!"

[BANG!]

Beck: Gh--

[The shot came from what seemed like above--he rolled and shot straight at the ceiling ledge where Shade was really perched--had be been there the whole time--]

Shade: That damn annoyin' Songbird fell for it more than ONCE, ha!

Shade: Half of the tahm he was chasin' mah Phantom instead of me.~

Shade: Did ya really think ya can win against ME, mutt?

Shade: Just like that?

Beck: --Ngh...Okay...I might have gotten...Carried away...

Shade: Heh.

Shade: So--will the humans give ya a SPECIAL treat for betraying yer own KIND, Lil' Doggy? Is Dad gonna put ya on a pedestal b'fore everyone?

Shade: S'just like them, huh?

Shade: T'covet what they hold DEAR--

[VRRRRR....]

Beck: !

[Several dark orbs fly out from under Shade's cloak--some create a shield around him, while one started to glow... bright red--]

Shade: T'WORSHIP UNTIL THEY GET BORED!

[BANG BANG BANG--]

[Strange visual glitches appeared in the air, but there were OTHER things to worry about—]

Beck: --?!?!?

Beck: (HOW IS HE DOING THAT--)

[Diving behind a table once more, he could only watch in absolute horror as Shade shot off bullets towards him--off of something that made some very familiar warping--]

Beck: (T..That shouldn't be possible--!)

[BANG BANG BANG!]

[Beck winces at what sounds like glass breaking, Shade continuing to shoot wildly--he managed to get around his cover a few times, but--]

Beck: Shade, I have no idea what you're doing but you have to stop it--

Beck: --?

[What's this--?

The visual glitchy cracks in the air were suddenly filled with a dark, pulsing energy...

That's funny, for a second he thought he heard...Voices...]

Beck: (What the heck...)

Beck: (Ugh, I don't know what's going on, but it isn't good--!)

[REXELECTION: CRYOSPHERE]

[PEW PEW PEW!]

Shade: HGNN--

[Pelting Shade with a few ice shard filled snowballs was enough to get him to stop making more of those strange glitches--but it did also made him angry.]

Shade: Freakin' MUTT!

Shade: I'll show ya EXACTLY what yer dealin' with--

Shade: Les' play a GAME, Lil' Doggy.

Shade: S'called--

[FZZT!]

[Shade vanished once more--only to reappear at Beck's left...AND right--!]

Shade and Shade: Which is it?

Beck: !

Beck: -DUCK--

[Both Shades fired at him, with those annoying purple darts--Beck could NOT afford to get hit with one of THOSE again--]

[SCANNING...]

[ERROR--MN.8 SIGNAL NOT FOUND]

Beck: (I can't tell which one is the real one--!)

Beck: (UGH--)

[PEW--!]

[He fired at one Shade, but it just went right through it.]

Beck: (Aha!)

[Fzzt!]

[No cigar--as soon as Beck figured out which was which, both Shades had vanished--and once again reappeared in different locations, as if in a game of shuffle.]

Beck: (No--!)

Shade and Shade: Heh, it hurts t' be seein' DOUBLE, ain't it?

Beck: (Nnngh, I even hear two voices overlapping--)

Beck: --?

[--? What was that--a light dangling from one of the Shades’ neck--?]

Beck: --!!!

[--Wait--that was a dog tag, with a red frayed thread around it--!]

[PEW!]

Shade: --?!?

[XEL ABSORBED.]

Beck: (Thank you, Cards--!)

Beck: (It must have gotten loose during the fight...)

[REXELECTION: DYNATRON.]

Shade: Nngghr--...

Shade: Ya need t' be put DOWN, Lil' doggy, so sit STILL--!

Beck: I'm not a DOG--

[BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZT!]

[XEL ABSORBED.]

Beck: --So stop CALLING me that--!

[Shade growled at his smaller brother, and sent out--a LOT of orbs--!]

[Shade--the REAL Shade--flared a bright violet aura, anger and wrath radiating from his frame in visible waves, distorting the space around him--]

Shade: You...

Shade?: You IDIOT.

Beck: --?!

Shade?: I have no qualms with you, NINTH!

[CLICK.]

Shade?: LET ME HAVE THIS!

[VRRRRRRRR--!]

[BANG BANG BANG BANG BANGBANGBANGBANG--!]

[It was just like the first fight Shade had had against Cardinal, where he’d taken out all the lights. The fixtures shattered.

Bullets and darts fly absolutely EVERYWHERE, leaving Beck with no room for cover--]

[REXELECTION: SEISMIC]

[The only thing he COULD do was shift into Mic's form and tank what he could...]

[But...]

[WARNING: XEL LOSS DETECTED.]

Beck: --!!

Beck: -Gnh--

[His leg armor was breached, and blue began to flow out of the wound from it...]

[ACCESSING XEL STOCK 1...]

Beck: (Ow...Can't move...)

Shade: Gah, sloppy--

Shade: Hate it when it takes more than one bullet...

Shade: Heh, oh well. Funny, that ya bleed b l u e....

Beck: Ngh--

Beck: How many times do I have to say it--

[REXELECTION: DYNATRON]

[Bits flew around the room, dangerously sparking up--]

Beck: You got it all WRONG! I'm here because I want to HELP you!

Beck: I AM NOT--

Shade: --!!!

Beck: LIKE THAT--!

[C R A C K !!]

[A brilliant flash, the room turns alight with the brightness of the sun-- ]

[K-ZAP!]

[Well THAT was certainly stronger than expected—!]

[...The room was covered in black soot, though, Shade and Beck included.]

Beck: ....

Beck: -cough, ugh--

Beck: (Dizzy...I feel all tingly...)

"N...Ngh..."

[Shade was on a single knee across the room, twitching slightly in some places...

The glow that surrounded him earlier had faded to a dim, but the assassin was not completely spent...]

Shade: A Mighty...doesn't lose...On their KNEES...

[Slowly, with some effort, he rides to his feet--]

Shade: This tahm--gonna kill ya DEAD--

Beck: --!

Beck: SHADE WAIT--

[ZZT.]

Shade: OW--

Shade: -Nnmmgh that smarts, what the hell--

Beck: -...We're on carpet, haven't you ever rubbed socks on one--

Beck: (This is perfect--all I have to do is get closer--)

[ZZZT.]

Beck: OW--

Beck: ......

[ZZZT. ZZZT. ZZZT.]

Beck: Ow ow ow--

Shade: Wh--

Beck: Ow OW OW, that hurts, ow--

Beck: @-@

Beck: Ow.

Shade: -GROWLS, DON'T YA DARE, WE /W I L L/ BEAT YA WITH OUR GOOD ARM IF WE HAFTA--

Beck: Okay, Shade...

Shade: Ya don't know what yer doin', Lil' Doggy.

Shade?: This is something you cannot even begin to fathom.

Beck: .....

Beck: No.

Beck: I think I do.

Beck: I think I have all this time.

[XEL ABSORBED.]

[XEL QUOTA REACHED. XEL PURGE ONLINE. XELFILTER.EXE IS PRIMED AND READY FOR OVERDRIVE.]

Beck: I...just didn't want to believe it.

Beck: I know you're listening.

Beck: ...

Beck: Everything is going to be okay.

Beck: I will help everyone.

Beck: ...I'll keep giving, if that's what it takes.

Beck: And, Shade...

Shade: --?

Beck: Cards is going to be okay.

Beck: He's hurt, but he's going to be okay.

Shade: .....

Shade: C... Cards...

[XEL PURGE INITIATED!]

Beck: I think we've stayed here long enough...

[.........]

"What are ya doin' in mah room, Beck?"

"WAAH--I--I thought no one was in here--"

"Heh. Hidin' from Dyna's wardrobe game again?"

"...Yeah. >//> I hate being in a dress..."

"Alright, ya can crash here fer a bit."

"...Y...You're not mad?"

"Beck, Ah've known those two fer longer than ya have been alive, Ah' get it."

"Oh...Okay."

"... Penny fer yer thoughts? Ya seem distant."

"Um...I... was...just wondering."

"Mm?"

"...People say... that... you...."

"...you hurt people. B...Bad people, though."

"But...why? I...I mean, isn't violence only confined to the Battle Colosseum--and why do you have to--"

"Hush, nao..."

"When did ya start thinkin' like that, huh...Eh, you're gettin' older, Ah' bet..."

"Listen t' me, Beck, an' listen well."

"Dad's taught us that there is good in everyone, an' he ain't wrong 'bout that. There is a light in all thangs..."

"... But there is also darkness. Evil. Sometimes...Sometimes good people don't come back once they let themselves go too far."

"An' as much as some would like nothin' more than t' get them back..."

"Sometimes, it ain't enough. An' someone has t' stop them b'fore they hurt even MORE people. Good, innocent people."

"...People like the ones we see on the street..."

"...An' sweet lil' kids like you, Becky, come 'ere!"

"Ack--! Shaaaade, that tickles--!"

"Heh."

[.......]

"But...Dad also taught us that..."

"... Sometimes, good people do bad thangs, but that don't make them bad people. It takes a strong heart t' tell the difference, Beck."

"...?"

Shade: B...Be...ck...

Beck: --!!!!

"Just remember this."

"There is such a thang as second chances."

"Few, an' far in between..."

Shade: Ah'....

"But they're there."

((Pic—Shade’s purging))

[XEL PURGE COMPLETE. ALL HARMFUL MALWARE HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM MN.8]

Shade: Ah' owe ya one, don't ah', Beck...?

[THUD.]

[MN.8 IS NOW IN DEEP SLEEP MODE.]

Beck: Shade--!

-PING!-

<MC005>: > {Please tell me I didn’t just imagine that—}

<MC005>: > {Beck! Are you ready to return?}

Beck: ! Yeah, but Shade--

Shade: .....

Shade: Zzzzzz....

Beck: . . .

[…

Mikhail laughs.

It is clearly influenced by stress, and you could almost hear him crying in relief—his voice was kind of shaky.]

Beck: ....

Beck: Heh...

[He is soon joined by Beck, after a while. It...

It was almost like a great weight had been lifted up from his small shoulders...]

Mikhail: They’ll…

Mikhail: They’ll be fine, Beck.

Beck: -Sniff- Y...Yeah...

Mikhail: I can’t… I haven’t had the chance to talk to your father yet, but I know a way to even minimize the impact of this…

Beck: !

Beck: R...Really?

Beck: -Sniff- Th... That's great...

Mikhail: I’ll need to have a lengthy private conversation with him first, but…

Mikhail: He’ll be alright.

Beck: Heh...

Beck: (I...)

Beck: (I did it. I saved my whole family.)

Beck: (They're...going to be fine...)

Beck: ^^ M'...M'kay...

[...Oh, poor boy. He looks ready to keel over, but he's keeping himself awake through sheer willpower.]

Mikhail: I’m going to bring the two of you home. Try to get some rest once you get here, Nine.

Beck: -Sleepily- Mmm mmm...

Mikhail: Call, if you please…

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

=CHAPTER 9C: HAZY SUSPICION=

~AO v2.0~

((Courtesy of @codedhopes))

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

{Several Hours Later…}

[Mikhail sat back with a sigh.]

Mikhail: {Finally, I’m done…}

[Coding the summary condenser had taken longer than he would have liked. However, it seemed to be working—he couldn’t say for sure until Felix came in with the temporary power core.]

Mikhail: -Stands, taking off his glasses to pinch the bridge of his nose- Ugh… {I hope he comes soon, or at least calls—}

[PING!]

[CALL] //: Doctor, there is a call on our emergency line–

Mikhail: ({Perfect timing!}) -Interrupts- Patch him through, Call.

[He stood, gathering up his supplies with his back to the monitor.

Jack, meanwhile, was helping around with minor chores, like sweeping up after the good Doctor—he briefly flicked his gaze to the monitor when he heard Mikhail accepting the call, and…]

Jack: …..

Jack: Doc?

Jack: Why is the CherryDyn logo on the big screen…?

Mikhail: What?

[He turns around just in time for the call to come through.

He was immediately disappointed. Rather than a message from Felix in the Meadow, it appeared to be from none other than CherryDyn’s chief executive officer.

His expression quickly changed to being cross.]

Mikhail: {Computer, end call!}

[The call shut off before the man on the other line could even say a word.]

Jack: –Dude–I mean, Doc–

Jack: That was Gregory Graham–

Mikhail: -Crossly- I don’t have time to deal with CherryDyn and their dragons. Things are bad enough as it is without him making them worse.

[PING!]

[CALL] //: Attention–we are once again receiving an urgent call from CherryDynamics.

Mikhail: =___=“ -Frustrated- -Motions for Jack to move out of sight- Put him through.

Jack: (…This cannot be good.)

[As Jack quietly makes himself scarce, the CherryDyn logo once again fills the main monitor for a few seconds, before cutting to a man in a sharply dresses purple business suit, bright violet eyes, and neatly combed blond hair–save for one strand that seemed to stick out rather largely.

Needless to say, Gregory Graham looked less than pleased.]

Graham: You don’t just hang up on an emergency line, you know.

Graham: And who are YOU supposed to be–I would think that Sanda would be more aware of who was handling his feeds!

Graham: Where is he?

Mikhail: Doctor Sanda is currently otherwise engaged.

Graham: Tch.

Graham: (The nerve of this…)

Graham: I demand to speak with him. This is an urgent matter that I MUST discuss with someone that, at the very least, can provide some actual assistance.

[Mikhail listened quietly as Gregory Graham began to rant. The lights of the lab gave his glasses a sinister glare.]

Mikhail: …

Graham: Did you not hear me?

Graham: Stop muddling around and go GET him!

Mikhail: …Hmm.

Mikhail: No.

[The screen blipped back to a screensaver as he hung up a second time.]

Jack: (Oh my God–)

Jack: -Whispers, even though the call is not active- Doc, I don’t think this is a good idea—

Mikhail: -Still honestly doesn’t care- I have worse things than him to worry about. -Sits down, pulling over a notepad- He honestly doesn’t scare me, not in the slightest.

Jack: But—

[The door to the lab suddenly lurches open, revealing Soichiro walking inside with a breakfast bagel in his hand. Either he was still in the process of waking up or he didn’t exactly care for the lab rules at this point either.]

Soi: -Yawn- But what…?

Soi: I heard talking… was someone calling us? Who was it?

[Mikhail was at a counter, writing out a note by now.]

Mikhail: -Without looking up- No one important.

Soi: Oh–

[PING!]

[CALL] //: Doctor, we are receiving another urgent call from CherryDynamics.

Soi: ….

Soi: …

Soi: -Whirls around- No one important?!

Mikhail: -Grumbles- {The man is a liar and worse, so no, not worth our time.}

[He seemed more engaged in his note writing than anything else.]

Soi: For Tyson’s sake, Mikhail, I KNOW, but he’s still–d'oh, never mind–!

Soi: Patch it through, Call– -Tosses bagel at Jack- And make sure the others don’t hear this–

[CALL] //: Yes, Doctor.

[The line fizzes once again.]

Graham: Sanda–Sanda?!

Graham: Ah, Sanda–thank goodness. Greg Graham here.

Soi: -Ahem-

Soi: Mr. Graham. What a…  pleasant… surprise… to hear from you…

Graham: Drop the act, Sanda.

Soi: –….

Graham: You don’t like me and I do not like you–we can at least agree on that much.

Soi: (No kidding.)

Graham: You need to get a better handle on your interns. The nerve of that one…

Soi: (Cripes, Mikhail…)

[Mikhail tuned them out. While Sanda attempted to calm Gregory down, the Russian Doctor stepped aside out of sight and walked over to Jack. He had the note in his hand—and an amulet.]

Mikhail: Jack Parker?

Jack: –?

Jack: Y–Yeah, Doc? What is it?

Mikhail: You mean, why are we being called? I’m not entirely sure myself. But I am fairly certain about one thing.

[He glanced back at the door to the lab with a faint grimace.]

Mikhail: …

[He returned his attention to Jack.]

Mikhail: You won’t want to remain around here for much longer. The Secretary of Defense is in the building.

Jack: … ….

Jack: Fraggin’ hell…

[Mikhail holds up a hand as if to stop him from letting panic build any further.]

Mikhail: He doesn’t know you’re here. There are no records of you entering, since you came by the teleporters.

[He handed over the amulet.]

Mikhail: This is a teleportation amulet. It will take you directly to the Meadow.

Jack: !

Jack: (…He wants me to leave before…)

Mikhail: Once you get there, there are a few things I need for you to do.

[He handed over the note.]

Mikhail: I’ve written them all down in here. Just follow the instructions, and tell Felix to leave the swords behind, if you see him.

Jack: ….

[Jack glances down at the note, giving it a quick read–and confusion fills his face.

There were instructions to see to Kalinka, and to start up the database—to send over one singular set of files for printing, and then to cut the communication off again.]

Jack: But, Doc—

Mikhail: It will make more sense once you get there. Just… please do this for me, alright? It’s very important. For Tobias, for Cardinal, for you—

[By now, the conversation was once again getting louder.]

Mikhail: …You should go.

Jack: ….. (I shouldn’t leave the Doc like this, but…)

Jack: (I can’t help from behind a cell, or worse.)

Jack: Okay.

Jack: …Good luck, Doc.

[Jack looks reluctant as he dons the amulet.]

Jack: Tell the Xel kid I said bye for now or something.

Mikhail: I will. I’m sure you’ll get the chance to speak soon enough. -Frowns, looking in the direction of the yelling- Stay safe.

[Pressing the center of the amulet transported Jack away to safety in the characteristic swirl of 0s and 1s associated with the Ambassador’s magic. Mikhail stepped back into view of the screen, his expression becoming sullen again.]

[To his annoyance, Gregory Graham clearly still hadn’t reached a point, and was still complaining, not even letting Sanda get much of a word in.

Seeing his friend and colleague treated such a way after all they had been through was starting to make the Russian feel exceedingly nasty—it wore right past his submissive baggage of the past and to his protective, fatherly nature.

There’s a saying that applies to people when they’re frustrated, and it was oh so apt for him—

Don’t poke the bear.]

[Mikhail sighed and walked over to the console again. He looked very annoyed.]

Mikhail: If all you’re going to do is insult people, then you can do it on your own time. We have more important things to attend to.

Graham: Grr–

Graham: This doesn’t concern you! What is this upstart even doing in this room, Sanda, I don’t even see any staff identification on him!

Graham: I doubt you even know the gravity of the situation–

[Mikhail slammed a newspaper right into the screen.]

[His glasses slid slightly, causing the glare to leave to reveal an even fiercer glare beneath them.]

Mikhail: On the contrary, Graham—I know a great deal more than you think. You want gravity? You want to play serious? Fine—try THIS on for size. I know you are ultimately behind all of this, and someday I will prove it. Do you understand me?

Graham: Excuse me?!

Soi: (Baaaah, I can’t handle this anymore–)

Soi: (I’ve got to get Will–!)

[Mikhail slapped the newspaper down, paying no attention as Sanda hurried out of view to find Will.]

Mikhail: Do everyone a favor and go away. We have more important things to deal with than your mind-boggling incompetence.

[He ends the call abruptly.]

[MEANWHILE, WILL’S OFFICE.]

Soi: WILL–!

[Soi knocked on Will’s office door as hard as he could, until the Doctor abruptly opened it with a panicked whisper–]

Will: Shhht–!

Will: Do you WANT to let Mr. Donald know I’m here–Hey–!

[Sanda didn’t waste time pushing Will inside, locking the door behind him.]

Will: Soi–?

Soi: Will–

Soi: Graham is on our emergency line.

Will: –!?!?

Will: Wh–What…?

Soi: Will–

Soi: Mikhail is dealing with him right now, but I don’t think they’re–

Will: YOU LEFT MIKHAIL ALONE WITH GRAHAM?!

Soi: He just–sort of–uh.

Soi: (…Oh dear–)

Will: Nononono–

[Will paces around the room in a clear panic, biting his nails and holding onto his hair with a grip that threatened to tear a good chuck of it off.]

Will: (Why why why, why is HE calling, why did Mikhail have to answer, why is this HAPPENING AGAIN–)

Will: Soi–

Will: Wh–What if he–?!

Soi: No, Will–

Soi: G-Graham hasn’t mentioned you yet–and all Mikhail is doing is scolding and hanging up on him, at best…

Soi: I…It’s kind of getting worse, though, and–I…I don’t think I can handle it, Will, I’m sorry–

Soi: He–he listens to you, Will, so–m-maybe–

Will: NO!

[Soi is taken aback at Will’s sudden outburst, full of fear and guilt–]

Will: I can’t–

Will: I can’t ever face Graham again, Soi, you know that–!

Will: I don’t…

Will: I…

[……]

Will: I don’t trust myself.

Will: I don’t…I don’t have the strength t-to…

[Will shakes–his entire body is shivering as he sits on the ground, one hand covering his face.]

Will: A-All this time…

Will: I…I thought…

Will: I thought that part of my life was over and DONE with, Soi…

Will: Why–Why is it happening again–?

Soi: Will…

Will: What if he…

Will: What if he recognizes me?

Will: Right there, in the open, where Mikhail is?

Will: What if my façade is not GOOD enough?

Will: …What if I’m not good enough?

Soi: Will–

Soi: Come on, Will.

Soi: You even fooled me, at first.

Soi: And I’m sure I’m at least twice as smart as Graham ever will be.

Will: —….

Soi: ….

Soi: Listen, Will…

Soi: I…I can’t imagine what you’re going through right now. I mean, I can, but…

Soi: …I haven’t been through what you have. Not then…

Soi: But…

Soi: I’m your friend, remember?

Soi: No matter what happens.

Soi: And no matter what the world thinks.

Soi: I’ll always be in your corner.

Soi: And that’s a fact.

Will: ….

Soi: Whatever we have to face…

Soi: We’re doing it together.

Soi: I know you…

Soi: The REAL you.

Soi: Better than anyone else.

Soi: So believe me when I say that you are good enough, Will!

Soi: If you can fool me, and the entire world…

Soi: Then you can fool someone like Graham.

Soi: And…

Will: ….

Will: But what about Mikhail?

Will: And my own children?

Soi: …..

Soi: Mikhail’s been working non-stop trying to fix Cardinal, and the Mighties are all asleep.

Soi: We… we can worry about them later. (Assuming Mikhail survives this, even…. Oof…)

Soi: Right now…

Soi: Right now, I…

Soi: We need you, Will.

Will: …

Soi: I promise–

Soi: The second things go south, I’ll cover for you.

Soi: And we have the Meadow, if we need to run.

Soi: I promised I wouldn’t let anything happen to you, remember?

Will: …..

Will: Yes…

Will: I…remember…

Will: All those years ago…

Soi: Hmm-Hmm.

Soi: I know things seem bad, but…

Soi: Nothing is ever going to hurt you like that again, Will, I’m going to make sure of that–!

Soi: So don’t you worry about a thing, okay? ^^ Mikhail and I got your back.

———————

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

Mikhail: I intend to keep to that.

———————

Will: ……

Will: …

-*-*-*-*-

Mikhail: I’m sorry, Will…

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

[…]

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

Mikhail: I am willing to pay.

[…]

Mikhail: Such… such an action is…

Mikhail: …not something easily forgiven.

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

Mikhail: I’m sorry, William…

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

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

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

[…]

Mikhail: But you…

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

-*-*-*-*-

Soi: Where would you be without me, eh?

Soi: Up the creek with no paddle, that’s what! ^^

-*-*-*-*-

Will: ……

Soi: –…Um. W-Will?

Soi: (He’s not moving…Oh, God, did he pass out from fright–?!)

Will: No.

Soi: –?

Will: No…

Will: N-No more running…

Will: I…

Will: I can’t stand this anymore.

Soi: Will–?

Will: Watching you and Mikhail take so much for my sake when…

Will: Standing up FOR me…

Will: I…

Will: I can’t watch you do that for me, Soi.

Will: I can’t–it…hurts.

Will: Because YOU don’t deserve that, and neither does Mikhail–!

[There’s a strange, sharp edge to Will’s voice, one that doesn’t quite belong in his tone, yet it oddly fits…rather unnervingly.

And it’s all too familiar to Soi.]

Soi: –!

Will: You…you and Mikhail…

Will: You’ve given up so much for my sake…

Will: It’s…

Will: Unfair.

Will: I can’t do this anymore.

Will: I can’t watch both of you take blows just because I cannot.

Will: I…

[He stands.]

[There is a familiar fire in Will’s eyes, one that Soi hadn’t seen in…]

Will: I can’t let that…that wretched excuse of a human being hurt anyone like HE hurt ME–!

Soi: !

Soi: (You…?)

Will: I can’t run from this anymore…

Will: I might as well start now rather than never.

[Will’s voice drops to a growl.]

Will: Starting with Greg.

Soi: ……

[Soi seems kind of…bewildered, for a moment.]

Soi: ….

Soi: Eheh…

[But then he begins to laugh a little.]

Soi: Ooof…

Soi: I forgot how scary you can be when you get like that…

Soi: Jeez…

Will: –…..

Will: I…

[Once Soi said that, all traces of darkness left Will’s gaze, replaced with a sheepish uncertainty.]

Will: I–I’m sorry–

Will: I…didn’t mean to lose it like–

Soi: -Laughs-

Soi: Aw, it’s okay. At this rate, I almost feel sorry for Graham!

Soi: ….

Soi: Almost. ^^

Soi: Heh.

Soi: I’m proud of ya, Will.

Will: –…

Soi: Now, uh…

Soi: We should probably get back before Mikhail sends one of his kids after him or…something…

Soi: Unless you need a–

Will: No.

[Will straightens out his hair and his lab coat, taking a few deep breathes.]

[This would be the first he’s faced Graham in…not enough time.]

Will: ….

Will: I’m ready.

Soi: Good!

Soi: I’m right behind you. ^^

Will: Heh…

{Soon…}

[As Soi and Will bustled into the lab, they could hear what was clearly the tail end of a conversation.]

“Learn to take responsibility for your actions.”

[Mikhail wasn’t even looking at the screen, instead checking stuff off a clipboard.]

Mikhail: Listen to a word of advice from a SCIENTIST, Graham—do NOT experiment with things you cannot personally control. This is your fault.

Graham: My fault?!

Graham: You think I would put this great country of ours at risk like this?! You listen here, you idiotic–

Mikhail: Not interested.

BLIP!

Soi: (….Whoa. How many times has he done that now?)

Will: …..

Will: (You haven’t changed at all, have you.)

Will: What is going on?

Mikhail: -Dryly- I’m still waiting for Felix to call back, but the line appears to be busy.

Will: …But…Soi told me that CherryDyn is calling–?

[PING!]

[CALL] //: Correct, Doctor. CherryDyn’s CEO Gregory Graham is calling our emergency once again as we speak.

Mikhail: Tcheh.

[He walks over to wait by a printer.]

Will: Mr. Graham?

Will: What could he possibly want from us?

Mikhail: Good question. He keeps being very vague. I fear his screeching may break the delicate instruments here if he keeps jumping pitch.

Will: …..

[That gets Will to lighten up a little, hiding his smile behind his fingers.]

Will: Was he really screeching?

Soi: You have no idea.

Will: Heh.

Will: I see.

Mikhail: Do you mind if I use the printer?

Will: Oh, not at all, Mikhail.

Will: -Ahem-

[Will smile fades off after a moment, though, and he squares his shoulders back, his body facing away from the screen.]

Will: Unfortunately, I doubt Mr. Graham will give up so easily.

Soi: Oof…Yeah…

Soi: Um, I–

Will: Don’t bother, Soichiro.

Will: Allow me to handle him.

[Prinz… prinz… prinz…]

[Call once again patches the line though, but Will doesn’t even turn around.]

Graham: Bah, finally–

Graham: Sanda, If this call cuts off one more time, I’ll–

Will: No need.

Graham: –?

[Prinz… prinz… prinz…]

[Will’s voice is….]

[…Unusually pleasant, yet with a hard undertone to it. As if he was restraining something.]

Will: Good day, Mr. Graham.

Will: I’m ever so terribly sorry for all that. Right, Dr. Sanda?

Soi: –! Oh, yes! Sorry, it’s just been… so stressful as of late, some of our staff’s been, uh… moody.

[Mikhail has to smile a little at that from his position near the printer. He uses sign language to speak in Russian.]

Mikhail: “{‘Moody’ is certainly one way to put it. A TRUE bear could hardly be more ready to bite the man’s head off.}”

[It nearly takes all of the Doctors’ willpower to keep from snorting at that.]

[Prinz… prinz… prinz…]

Graham: Tch.

Graham: At least SOMEONE has some decent manners.

Will: (Ha. That is funny coming from you, you monster.)

Will: Again, I do ever so apologize.

Will: What seems to be the problem, Mr. Graham?

[Prinz… prinz… prinz…]

Graham: More like crisis.

Graham: It’s our factory.

Graham: It’s out of control!

Graham: It’s cranking out hostile, infected robots and we can’t STOP IT!

Will: …..

Soi: W-What?

Will: (And you didn’t mention that the very first thing.)

Will: (How strange.)

Will: Hmm.

Will: That doesn’t sound good.

Graham: You THINK?!

Mikhail: -Narrows his eyes- …

Will: If I recall, CherryDyn’s factory’s are all mostly automated, yes?

[Prinz… prinz… prinz…]

Will: If that’s the case, I’m afraid your own servers might be affected with the virus as well.

Graham: I KNOW that!

Graham: Our security measures have all failed! Every Xel-Robot in the building has gone insane, and to top it all off, they’ve blocked all the exits in the building!

Mikhail: -Snorts at this- “{Those measures were never very good to begin with, if what happened in April is anything to go by.}”

Will: ….

Soi: So… you’re trapped?

Graham: All of my staff and YES, myself as well!

Graham: Our HQ’s been locked down, but if you and the Mighty Numbers do not hurry–

Graham: Those infected robots will FLOOD the city, and the rest of the United States!

Will: …..

Mikhail: ({A bit late to cry wolf.})

Mikhail: -Russian- {Is there ANY other option? The children are asleep, they NEED rest.}

Soi: {Well…I…I don’t think so. CherryDyn’s robots are mostly flimsy compared to ours–No offense to you know who, of course–but a whole army—}

Will: Call.

Will: Confirm this.

Graham: Wha–!

Mikhail: -Pinches the bridge of his nose- {Gah… if only I weren’t in—…} …

Mikhail: (I can wake up the Rebel Angels, but not my own sons…)

Mikhail: (Once they hear about what I’m going through, they’ll go RIGHT into Defense mode…)

Graham: Are you even LISTENING–

[CALL] //: Confirming…

[PING!]

[CALL] //: Confirmed. Defective CherryDyn robots are rampaging throughout the city, coming from one local source based on local reports.

Will: (So you aren’t lying.)

Mikhail: —! {Wait—flimsy, right?}

[Prinz… prinz… prinz…]

Soi: {Yes–don’t get me wrong, some of them are a pain to deal with, but Beck got through them no problem!}

Soi: {In sheer numbers, however, they’ll cause enormous amounts of destruction…}

Mikhail: -Turns to face him- {More or less destruction than those using explosives to stop them?}

Soi: {I honestly do not know.}

Soi: {CherryDyn is the world’s–the WORLD’S, Mikhail, top robot manufacturer. If this is already in their servers, who knows how long before it spreads off the country?}

Mikhail: {Dammit.}

Mikhail: {Ugh… very well then…}

Mikhail: {You might consider calling the Second Generation.}

Soi: !

Graham: -Annoyed- What are you two nattering on about—

Mikhail: -Dryly- Business.

[Prinz… prinz… prinz…]

Will: …Mm.

Will: Well, this is a predicament…

Mikhail: Will—

Mikhail: {Jaden and Carlos together can truly handle themselves.}

Mikhail: {They’ll be awake by now. The only reason it hasn’t shown up is because I disconnected the servers.}

Mikhail: {This… this is the sort of thing they were made for, you know. To cause destruction. To channel that in a positive way…}

Mikhail: {It would really help the stress they’re going through right now.}

Mikhail: {Please at least consider? Your sons and daughters are so… tired…}

[The poor man looked exhausted himself.]

Will: …..

[Will doesn’t quite answer back, but he nods, as if to acknowledge it.]

Will: Mr. Graham.

Will: Do you not have any countermeasures yourself?

Graham: Did I NOT just say–

Will: It’s just a little odd to me.

Will: Surely, you know how tiring this has been on everyone.

Will: Did you not say yourself that you and your company would be doing EVERYTHING they can to help with the situation at large?

Graham: I–

Will: Yet…

Will: We seem to be doing all of the legwork, so to speak.

Will: Is there a reason for that?

Mikhail: {Excuse, you mean?}

[Prinz… prinz… prinz…]

Graham: How dare you—

Graham: We’ve been doing all we can to help CONTAIN the virus from spreading to our other servers!

Graham: We’re not just twiddling our thumbs here!

Will: I see.

Will: I suppose I should thank you, then.

Will: In any case…

Will: I suppose there is no choice. Lives are in danger.

Graham: Finally, you get it—

Will: However…

Will: I ask that you do not disturb us after this.

Will: My children are quite tired.

[Will’s hands ball up into fists.]

Will: And I will not have anyone asking for any more favors like this. For a long time.

Mikhail: {Good for you, Will!} -Clearly quite pleased-

Soi: Eheh…Er. Yes. We all need a…a break, eheh!

Graham: …..

[The CEO narrows his eyes at Will’s form for a moment.]

Graham: So you’re William Apollo White.

Will: Correct.

Will: And you’d do well to remember that name.

[Graham looks over at Mikhail again with derision.]

Graham: And him?

Will: He’s going to chew off your DAMN head off if you don’t MIND yourself!

Soi: –! Will…

Graham: (What the…)

Mikhail: -Grabs a file folder to put his notes in- A question, Graham, if you would.

Mikhail: The virus broke out over a week ago.

Mikhail: Why is this only now becoming a problem? Did something happen that changed things?

[He sounded genuinely curious.]

Will: That’s a rather good question.

Graham: (I can’t believe this–)

Graham: We’ve been TRYING to contain the virus all this time, like I have said.

Graham: At first, we stopped it from spreading to our factory branch–until now, that is.

Graham: We only had so many left in our Tech department after the virus struck.

Mikhail: (So it CAN be manually combated on Xel-based coded servers… that’s important information.)

Will: (Nggg….You don’t care, you don’t care–)

Soi: Ah– (Oh, man–)

Soi: E-Er, we’ll send help right away, Mr. Graham! Yes, we’ll do that, don’t you worry–

Soi: Right, Will–?

Will: …Yes, of course.

Will: …

Will: One more question, if you would.

Graham: -Exasperated- I do not have time to play 20 questions, White–

Will: What makes you so sure Dr. Blackwell is behind all this?

Mikhail: -Freezes- …

[He clutched the printed notes in his hand. His hands were shaking as he simmered in anger. He seemed… hurt.]

((Pic—Doctors & Greg))

Mikhail: (Will…)

[His expression became cold as he forced this anger inward, leaving his face as untelling as stone.]

Mikhail: (William…)

Mikhail: (Why!?)

Mikhail: (I told you, I…)

Mikhail: (I thought I TOLD you, twice—we talked about this, PLEASE, you—)

[His mind was drawn back into a deep memory…]

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

“You can end this, Doctor! Just surrender!”

[Mikhail looked down at the blue robot from his position in the Mecha. He spoke hotly, his voice thick with despair.]

Mikhail: That has never been an option, MegaMan! You are wasting your time!

[The combat robot fired.

The blast was powerful—the force from the blow was enough to unsteady him, and he lurched—]

((Pic—Mikhail captive (flashback) ))

[There was a harsh rattle noise from a chain that was shackled to his ankle and bolted to the floor of the construct.]

Mikhail: -Hisses- {Dammit!}

“I’m being serious! It doesn’t have to end in violence!”

Mikhail: {You… Rock, how dare you, you miserably sheltered boy…}

[He spoke in a private monologue, growling as he clawed his way back to the controls.]

Mikhail: {If there is even a slight chance for her to survive, I must END all that is you…!}

[He lashed out verbally and physically, crying out in emotional suffering.]

Mikhail: You, of ALL people, would say such a thing?! You killed your own brothers, Rock, when they only wanted your help! You could have avoided all of this if you just hadn’t killed his sons!

“What… what are you talking about?! What does that have to do—”

Mikhail: {ENOUGH!}

[The fight continued, more intensely.]

“You made your point, sir! The whole world now knows of your genius! Now just stop before you get yourself hurt!”

Mikhail: You cannot end this, boy! You don’t even have the slightest idea of what I fight for—you are not going to be able to turn me aside, for you have chosen to see it through this way to an end!

[Suddenly, PAIN.]

[His head hurt SO bad, he could feel glass shards embedded in his arms, the sick smell of burning electronics made him want to get ill—]

Mikhail: ({Get up… move, you forsaken bastard, Mikhail— get UP and FIGHT until your bioreadings are gone, you have to save her…})

[He staggered back to the console, ignoring the stinging pain all over his upper body.

The American combat construct seemed happy, confident that the fight was over.]

Mikhail: ({Idiot. You let your guard down.})

WHANG!

[His opponent was knocked back against the wall by the force of the attack, stunned ever so briefly.]

“Wha…”

[Mikhail brought the mecha down hard in an attempt to crush him, but it failed. And even worse—moving the damaged parts of the mecha was causing the electrical fire to spread. It was growing UNBEARABLY hot in the cockpit.]

“Doctor! What are you doing?!”

[No response but another attack—but his prey rolled aside and fired again, trying to immobilize him.]

“Are you insane?! A few more hits and your cockpit will be on fire! Surrender, already!”

Mikhail: YOU CANNOT TURN ME ASIDE! (I will get her back or DIE trying!)

“Doctor, /please/! What you’re doing is causing more trouble than you realize—”

[He interrupted via another attack. Mega was getting fed up and losing patience, however, and began to go at the motors.]

“There are too many lives at stake, Mikhail! Don’t make yours one of them!”

[The floor suddenly gave way, while at the same time, a massive force slammed him into the back of the cabin. The NOISE as the mecha crashed to the ground was deafening, and everything hurt so bad…!]

[Anything that wasn’t screaming in alarms at the damage readings was on fire, or broken.]

Mikhail: (N… nngh…!) -Coughing through haggard breaths- (I can’t…)

[…]

Mikhail: (…The weapons… they’re still… Online…)

Mikhail: …

[He screamed in pain as he thrust his hands through the fire, grabbing at the weapon controls and fired—!]

“Are you kidding me?!”

Mikhail: -Coughing more than breathing now- ({Damn it… the smoke is…!})

[A yelp of alarm.]

“Your cockpit is on fire! Get out of there!”

Mikhail: ({Not… not much time!})

[The cannon turned again, blasting and taking out a chunk of Mega’s shoulder.]

“P…please…”

[Fire… everything was fire…

He uses the last of the strength he has to hit the weapon controls again, but—

Overcome by the smoke, the heat, the dozens of open wounds, jagged from glass shards—

Everything went dark.]

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

[Will didn’t seem to be faring so well either, and if he did notice, he certainly didn’t let it stop him. His emerald eyes flared with what could only be described as burning hatred.]

Will: You first claimed that he was the cause of all of this.

Will: And then you wasted no time claiming that Dr. Sanda and myself were his cohorts.

Will: Why.

Will: I want to know why you did that.

Will: Why you’re so keen on shifting the blame to everyone but y o u r s e l f.

Graham: You–! WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?!

Graham: It’s OBVIOUS! That–that smelly old FART is out for REVENGE! Not only is the Blackwell name PROOF ENOUGH–

Graham: He’s outright INSANE, and nothing SHORT of a complete MONSTER! Now stop asking STUPID questions and SEND HELP!

[That was the last straw.]

Mikhail: (You…)

Mikhail: -Visibly grits his teeth-

Mikhail: (How DARE you.)

Mikhail: (You would MOCK that kind of SUFFERING!?)

Mikhail: (Will I can overlook, but YOU…)

Mikhail: (You MISERABLE bastard…)

Mikhail: (I wish I had let Tobias FRY your damn servers after slashing my way into them myself!)

[Mikhail abruptly put the call on mute from his location.]

Will: –!

Soi: (Oh no–)

Mikhail: Let me tell you something, Mr. Graham.

[He turned to face the terminal. The way he held his glasses against his face made him look incredibly sinister—a presence which was only amplified by his frightfully calm tone.]

Mikhail: When a genius suddenly loses it and makes the world burn, there is always something…

[He looked up.]

Mikhail: Or someONE…

Mikhail: … that pushed them there.

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

Shadow: If Doctor Blackwell has been stripped of all rights and is out of public sight, with restricted access to his person, then that means that there are—forgive the cynicism—fewer people necessary to bribe, blackmail, or distract in order to get at Blackwell himself.

Shadow: When one is kept on a tight leash, be wary to be sure the leash stays in the hand of the right master.

Shadow: …If he IS involved, he may have been for—

Mikhail: {ENOUGH.}

Will: –!

Will: (Oh dear–)

[He was hugging his daughter tightly. She was silent and cowering, with her face turned away from the camera. She was shaking slightly.]

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

Will: …….

Mikhail: You are very fortunate that William is a man of incredible integrity with a hero for a son, or else you might have more than Doctor Blackwell to worry about.

Mikhail: (I only kept back from the temptation of RIPPING the dark veil he’s kept that hides the TOXIC corruption that the Angels and I know to be there…)

Mikhail: (…out of respect and protection of YOU, WILL!)

Mikhail: Assuming you aren’t lying— again.

Soi: O~O;;;;;

Soi: (Jeez, I…It’s like looking into a mirror…)

[Mikhail leaned forward, looking over his glasses in waaaaaaay too calm a manner.]

Mikhail: You will address the Doctor— ALL the Doctors, but ESPECIALLY William—

Mikhail: —in a POLITE manner from here on out…

Mikhail:  …or you will discover how unpleasant a Russian can be to a rude American.

Mikhail: Good day.

[BLIP!]

Will: … .

Soi: ……

[Mikhail turned to face Will.]

Mikhail: It’s up to you whether you want to get middled in with his mess, and whatever trouble he wants us to drag him out of.

Will: …..

Will: Right.

Will: (Ngh...that was my fault, I...I needed to ask, but I didn't mean to push him over the edge like that...)

Will: (Mikhail, I...)

Will: (I just needed...to know...)

Will: ….

Will: Mikhail?

Mikhail: -Walking over to the door- I’m listening.

Will: …..

Will: I’m sorry.

Will: >>

Will: Please remind me to never get on your bad side again.

Soi: -… Quiet snort-

Mikhail: -Snorts-

Mikhail: I just can’t stand the topic Will, I’m not going to lie about that.

Mikhail: Blackwell is only a darker variation of me, the man I could have been.

Mikhail: -Places the file folder into a plastic tub near the door- I have never forgotten that. And I never will.

Mikhail: So. I’m leaving before I risk the temptation of doing something that will only make my situation even worse.  =_______=

[He shuts the door loudly on his way out.]

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

=CHAPTER 5D: DESOLATE HIGHWAY=

~AO v2.0~

((Courtesy of @codedhopes))

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

{THE NEXT MORNING…}

[June 27th 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 Kate 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…]

[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 analyzing 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: All 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 anyone 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, Kate, 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--!

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: ...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... ^^;;

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 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. And they probably work better for him, since he runs a DWN_OS, not a DLN_OS.

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 preempted.]

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] //: -Kate, 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.]

<MC005>: > I had to sedate Lady Kate.

<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.

<MC005>: > ... 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 hope you can stop by over here sometime, that would be great--"

Will: --!!!

[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 Kansas City—with a familiar voice on the line.]

“I just spent the last few days traveling around the whole damn city with someone who believed that Beck could do it.”

Pyro: That’s the man who was with Cardinal when we called him!

“He said that the one group who could figure this stuff out was Beck and his family. He risked his life more in a few days than probably Graham’s whole office will ever do in a LIFETIME, this man has NO right to go around saying such sh—”

[The call was cut short. 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 DIS 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.

Beck: H-huh? Oh, uh… yeah, sure!

[He could just hardly believe it.

People were taking their side.

Maybe it WOULD turn out to be alright…!]

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=BONUS CONTENT: BONUS SCENE #3=

~AO v2.0~

((Courtesy of @codedhopes))

((Prewriting: Min and Des talk on 07/03/2016T about celebrations for following day; Felix converses with them))

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

[Dinner that night was a pleasant affair. It was the happiest they had had in a long time—they were all together again, their family and friends were safe, they had allies to help them through the dangers that still lurked ahead, and they could finally have a bit of peace.]

((Dinner scene optional, but could be nice as it would give more meat to the chapter and—as always—is a great chance to show character interactions))

[Minerva Morandi and Desmond Donald continued working after dinner, just as they had done the day before—though they seemed to be in a fairly relaxed mood.]

Min: Is everything ready for tomorrow?

Des: Surprisingly, yes. The venue’s been chosen: we got RSVPs from everyone. Most are at the hotel that was reserved, though a few will be driving in tomorrow morning.

Min: Good. What about the catering?

Des: Your secretary said that was taken care of.

Min: All the paperwork has been completed?

Des: Yes, Madame President. It’s all ready… again, surprising for such short notice…

Min: I think everyone was happy to contribute to the occasion. Seeing the evidence submitted must have been like watching a series of “restoring faith in humanity” videos.

Des: You’ve got a point there…

[There was a soft knock at the door.]

Min: -Closes a folder- Enter.

[Somewhat to their surprise, it wasn’t one of the residents who walked in. Instead…]

Felix: I hope I’m not interrupting something?

Des: ((Expresses his surprise and asks what they can do for him))

Felix: Not much. I just wanted to talk.

Min: … -Looks over at Des, and back at Felix- What about?

Felix: I wanted to hear it from you. The Mighty Numbers and those close to them… they are really all free and safe?

Min: Safety is a relative term, Lord Felix. They all have their enemies: and very dangerous enemies they are, too.

Felix: Safe from you, then.

Min: -Looks over the rims of her glasses, giving him a look- …

Des: ((Internal commentary))

[Felix did not waver under her slightly disapproving gaze. Eventually she pushed her glasses back up.]

Min: Fortunately for everybody… yes, they are safe.

Felix: -Looks immediately relieved-

Min: What would you have done if I said no?

Felix: -Glancing down and to the side now- I would have been troubled, and asked if there was something I could do to speak on their behalf. -Looks up and over again- I do not wish for us to be enemies.

Min: Neither do I. -More gently now- You were a great service to us the other day. Thank you for that.

Min: Though I’m afraid that your bravery shall go unsung here, except between those that keep the secret.

[Felix gave a somewhat sheepish smile, looking down again at that.]

Felix: Ah—no, that is fine. I am used to it.

[There was a slight pause.]

Felix: What will you do now?

Des: What do you mean?

Felix: Much has been lost or destroyed…. Your world relies heavily on machines, but even your machines are made with other machines. Without the means to produce them, what will you do?

Min: Why do you ask?

Felix: Because I care for the plight of others?

Min: A fair answer.

[She interlaced her fingers.]

Min: If you must know… the means to build quickly is granted in part by the aid of our allies across the seas. We have good friends—and others, like you, are moved by suffering. These allies… unlike us, they have known wars that ravaged their entire nation. They have experienced the need to truly rise from naught but ashes. They sympathize with us, and will help us in our time of need.

Felix: Oh… good.

Min: Very.

Felix: …

Des: Something else on your mind?

Felix: I was wondering if I may be of assistance to you.

Des: What do you mean?

Felix: I can help rebuild places, as much or more as the likes of Mic can. And there is more than that alone in the damage and what I can do to heal it—I would very much like to heal the land of the desolation. Like I did here in the city, with the gardens.

Des: ! ((Internal commentary))

Felix: I know that your home has been badly damaged, and you all have mentioned the great cost of repairs, and the delay it will cause to approve of these costs. If I could reduce those costs, then it could be repaired sooner…

Min: Only if you were very subtle about it. I hardly need hysterics about aliens (re)building the White House.

Des: -sNORT-

Des: Well… it might distract from everything else, heh.

Min: -Laughs at that-

Des: -Grins, putting his hands behind his head- Wait, here's an idea—maybe someone could film it, and people would think it was special effects. No one pays attention to what really happened because they think it’s a movie.

Min: That actually might be crazy enough to work, if handled correctly. It would have to be done under secrecy and with the help of some sort of construction company—you'll have talk with the rest of the staff to find out if there’s a Department that has a particular company under contract.

Min: Given that secrecy, the only person who could be trusted to film it would be Avi.

Felix: I’m sure he’d love to make an upbeat documentary about repairs and rebuilding life after crisis.

[She seems pleased with this.]

Min: Yes… yes, that just might work. And it would be the perfect message, too…

[She held a hand off to the side, her smile fading.]

Min: Even with deception and diversion, repairing the White House would take at least five months… though it would be nice to have one less thing to worry about given other problems that must be dealt with in November. The sooner we all move back in, the better.

Felix: Just direct me, and I will help as I may. After that, I will wander through the countryside, purging the land of poisons and encouraging new life to replace what was lost. There will not be a famine, not if I can help it.

Des: I hadn’t even thought about averting the aftermath crises…

Min: Yet, you mean. We were all so focused on getting over the initial disaster, first. But yes… yes, averting famine will be critical in ensuring stability as we recover. I’m inclined to see that as a greater priority, to be honest…

Felix: Well, I can clear away rubble and Move things wherever you see fit, as a start.

Min: That alone could save dozens of thousands of dollars…

Min: We’ll have to speak more on this later.

Felix: Ah—I understand. Sorry for disturbing you, but thank you for your time.

Min: Not at all. Though… Felix?

Felix: Yes?

Min: There’s going to be a ceremony tomorrow in the late morning and early afternoon. You’re invited to come, though you should wear different clothes.

Felix: A ceremony? Why?

[At that, the other two only smiled.]

Min: Oh… you’ll find out…~

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=CHAPTER 5B: DESOLATE HIGHWAY=

~AO v1.0~

(Courtesy of @limitbreakers)

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

[INTERSTATE ALPHA 2, FOUR CORNERS BORDERS...]

[Night. Night as night can be, in the pouring, pouring rain...]

[The wipers didn't work, so Jack had to make do with the weather. The radio was set to a news channel tracking the 'rogue robot's merciless rampage' across the state.]

Jack: Stupid RAIN...

"The armed robot is currently moving into New Mexico, on Interstate Alpha 1--"

Jack: ...--!!

[SCKREEEEEEE--!!]

“Local pizzeria reports theft of entire stock of cheese pizzas, police confirm unrelated to the current rampage—”

Jack: --?!

Jack: --What the--?!

[Jack swerved left and right, nearly causing himself to flip over several times--]

[These cars--they were going the other way in the wrong lane--!]

Jack: (GREAT, THIS IS ENGLAND ALL OVER AGAIN--)

Jack: --FRAG--

[He needed to get to the other lane--]

[A digital sign overhead blinks in the misty glow of the building's nightlights...]

[NOW ENTERING INTERSTATE ALPHA 1.]

Jack: --!

Jack: (I can switch lanes on the ent--)

[HOOOOOOOOOOOOOONK--]

Jack: !!!!

Jack: Oh, SH--

[The truck interior was flashed with the bright overhead lights of an entire semi-cargo truck on a dead set collision course with Jack...!]

Jack: (CRAP--)

[Jack knew he couldn't avoid something like that.]

[Grabbing the magic Weyard bag he was given from across his seat, he kicked open the driver's side door--]

[ZIIIIIP!]

[His wires attach themselves to a street light and he is pulled away moments before the truck was overtaken by the semi with a loud, sickening CRUNCH.]

Jack: AAAAAAAAAA--!!

[He swings to the other lane and onto a passing car, right onto the hood. The windshield mostly cracks under his weight as he slams into it with a sharp yell.]

Jack: Ow...

[The car, however, still keeps going with little to no resistance with the road...]

Jack: .....?

Jack: Huh...?

[After sitting up with a groan, he realized he was on one of the fancier, newer hover models--the ones that floated above the ground and were MUCH faster than those with wheels.]

Jack: (Wait--if this is one of the new models then--)

[He looked into the car.]

[There was no one inside. The car was driving itself, and WAY too fast for any human or bot to control.]

Jack: (The...the cars ARE infected too...!)

[At the speed they were going, if one of these cars went off road...!]

Jack: This is a giant Highway Delta just WAITING to happen...

Jack: (But where is...?!)

[…Wait.

There was something… odd… about the cars below.]

Jack: ....??

[There were large dents along the roofs of the cars, where something several hundred pounds heavy had landed hard.

With the chaotic nature of the highway, they didn’t show a direct line—but they did give a general direction.

Almost like footprints.]

Jack: .......

Jack: Oh no way--

[Up ahead in the distance, another large dent appeared.

Silently.]

[She wouldn't--SHE IS--on a highway--?!]

Jack: God, you're REALLY putting me through the wringer, Miss Eight--

[Carefully, he rose to his feet, trying to maintain a good balance before putting on his goggles and looking for another street light--fortunately, they were placed evenly over the interstate.]

[ZIIIIIP!]

Jack: Ngh--

Jack: CAAAARMEEEN!

[There was an abrupt and sudden ping.]

<FMN-008>: > Jack?

[CDN.7037 to FMN.8] //: MISS EIGHT--!

[CDN.7073 to FMN.8] //: Oh man finally--FINALLY found you...!

<FMN-008>: > What the hell…

[She seemed… confused, somehow. Surprised.]

<FMN-008>: >Jack— what are you DOING here? For God’s sake—

<FMN-008>: >You need to leave— this is no place for a Civvie!

[CDN.7037] //: OH JEEE, YA THINK?!

[CDN.7037] //: KINDA FIGURED THAT OUT A WHILE AGO, THANKS.

[CDN.7037] //: This isn't any place for YOU either...!

[Carmen was clearly growing impatient. When she spoke again, her voice seemed…

…darker.]

<FMN-008>: > I’ve got business to attend to.

[CDN.7037] //: ......

Jack: (.....n....no...)

[....So...she was...]

[CDN.7037] //: .....

[CDN.7037] //: ....Figures you do...

<FMN-008>: > Augh— INCOMING!

[There was a swarm of sign bots headed his way. As if infected cars weren’t enough—!

At this speed, they could—]

<FMN-008>: > Stay…

<FMN-008>: > AWAY FROM HIM!

[Shots were fired, and bounced crazily off of incoming reinforcements and into the foes that had already swarmed the Cherry Number. Bits and pieces fell away, the parts going flying as the whole thing continued to speed along at over ninety miles an hour.]

Jack: HEY--!!

[Jack covered his face as parts and Xel flew away, nearly falling over on the current vehicle he was on--]

[CDN.7037] //: YA COULD HAVE SHOT ME--

<FMN-008>: > Nnngggh…! N-no…

[Her voice was dark again—but also strained, as if she were struggling against something painful.]

<FMN-008>: > Augh… Get out of here, Jack, before—

[There was a horrific sound up ahead—followed by a fast approaching large metal object—]

WHANG!

[There was a loud thud as something tall and teal appeared out of nowhere and fell to the surface it was standing on.]

Jack: --!!

Jack: MISS EIGHT--!!

[ZIIIP!!]

[He swings over closer to her, to get a better look at her condition--]

Jack: ARE YOU OK--?!

[The Fighting Mighty Number Eight wasn’t out of the fight just yet—but the hit had done quite a lot of damage. She couldn’t resume her Active Camo anymore—no matter how much she tried.]

Jack: (She doesn't have her invisibility...)

Jack: MISS EIGHT--?!

[A low growl.]

Jack: --!

[The lady hunter staggered to her feet, a demonic purple aura about her. Now, she spoke aloud—and there was a clear overlay to her voice, as if it were being applied through a filter.

…A disturbingly familiar one.]

Carmen: I don’t need your help.

Jack: --!!

___________________

"FORFEIT, OR THE ELECTRIC MAIDEN'S HEAD ROLLS!~"

____________________

Jack: (I....no...it can't be...!)

Jack: (She--the...)

Jack: (The crosses....)

Jack: CARMEN--LISTEN TO ME--!

Jack: There's something--something in your head that's making you angry--and it's not your fault...!

[She hissed as more sign bots approached. She shot at an angle off of a car in a different lane, the shots making wild pinball-like bounces to tear them to pieces.]

Carmen: I don’t need protecting. I /REFUSE/ to be put on a leash and shut in a tower! I’m no damsel in distress— AH’ AIN’T MADE A’ GLASS, Y’ALL—

Jack: CARMEN--!!

Jack: FOR LIFE'S SAKE--STOP--

[He ducked as more debris flew over his head, avoiding the edges of the vehicle as he swung on after her.]

[It was as if she’d never heard him.

She lifted her head, her one eye glowing a violent hue the color of blood. Now her rifle was pointed in Jack’s direction.]

Carmen: -SCREAMS- AH’ NEVER HAVE BEEN!

Jack: --!

[.....]

[When he saw her pointing his weapon at him...]

[He froze.]

[The deadly cowgirl would have none of it.]

Carmen: Back off, Puppetdancer! Ah’ have no quarrel with y—

[She wavered, as if she were going to fall. The color of her eye briefly went from crimson to yellow.]

Carmen: A-ah…!

[She was forced to a knee to steady herself and keep her balance. She turned her head to the side, the purple aura fading for a moment.]

Jack: Carmen--I don't want to fight you either--CRAP--!

[Zip, swing, land, repeat--don't fall--]

Jack: I JUST WANT TO TALK--

Carmen: (Everything hurts…! Everything… HURTS!)

[Aaaaaaand then she was not only back on her feet… but also on the move!]

Jack: MISS EIGHT--aw, come on, really?!

[ZIIIIIIP! ZIIIIIIP!]

Jack: STOP--!

[There was a LOUD thud as she leaped over to the truck in front of them.]

Carmen: -Yelling over the whistling wind- Get somewhere safe, Jack! I don’t want you in the way.

Jack: I CAN'T--!

[Another loud thud.]

Jack: You think I'm gonna TURN BACK after all I've gone through just to FIND YOU?!

[Carmen wasn’t about to stay put for anyone. She jumped through the air, landing hard on the vehicle in front—which happened to be a big rig.

And the Spider Puppeteer only followed suit.]

[ZIIIIP!]

Jack: Carmen, PLEASE...!

[Carmen looked angry again, the demonic aura returning. Once again, her rifle was pointed at Jack.]

Carmen: What is it with men and directions? WAI DO YA /NEVER/ LISTEN T’ REASON?! Ah’ SAID that Ah’ have a job t’ do—an’ I won’t let ANYone stop me! So… BEGONE, Dencerhound, a’fore Ah’ show you what Ah’ DO to men who try to chase me—!

[THAT made Jack take a couple of steps back.

His hands shook, his face twisted in a expression of concern and fear.]

Jack: . . . .

[She turned to leave again.]

Jack: ......

Jack: . . .

[No one has greater love than this...

...Than to lay down one's life for his friends.]

Jack: No.

[ZIIIIIIIIP!]

Carmen: —?!

[Carmen found herself held fast with wires. …Unusually strong wires—not so much the strength of steel as of… spider silk?!]

Carmen: What the—

[He yanks her backwards--which took quite a bit of effort, given her weight...]

Jack: I can't let you DO THIS--!

Carmen: GIT OFFA ME—

[She bared her teeth at the former Civvie, her eye displaying cross-hairs over the blood red color.]

Carmen: AIN’T GOT TIME FER THIS, M’ TARGET MOVES FAST AS FRAG, HE’S GETTIN’ AWAY!

Jack: THAT'S--

[Yank--!]

Jack: --A GOOD THING, MISS EIGHT--!

[Carmen screeched in a seething disgust.

She fired off a trick shot which bounced off of the big rig into the sky, hitting a camera drone. She started yelling—and then screaming— skyward…

…as if it wasn’t really Jack she were talking to anymore.]

Carmen: AAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUGH—!

[She thrashed.]

Carmen: You never wanted me. NEVER! /You think I’ve forgotten that?!/ If they’d had your way, /I NEVER WOULD HAVE EXISTED—!/

[There was horrific screeching over the feed along with her shouting.]

Carmen: -Enraged- You lock me in a cage and treat me like glass. ME, the gal BUILT for things more dangerous than you could EVER imagine!

Jack: --?!

Jack: (What...)

Carmen: When Ah’ came back that night with m’ arm missing, did you even try to help me get back on my feet?

Carmen: NO! You blamed it on ME, you said I’d been CARELESS, that I couldn’t HANDLE going outside by myself—

Carmen: YOU PUT ME UNDER PERMANENT PAROLE, /YOUR OWN SISTER—!/

Jack: (I...)

Jack: M...Miss...Eight...

[The aura was now almost like a consuming fire, flaring more intensely in this rage.]

Carmen: You, who were supposed to be BETTER! Supposed t’ see I wasn’t just a number, not just the youngest! Not just a GIRL! You’re no better than the scrap that clogs up the arena, calling me names and spreading those lies—!

[.....]

[Lies--lies and slander...]

Jack: . . .

[His core lurched in sympathy for her, his heart cracked with every pained word, every agonizing sentence...]

Jack: (God, Miss Eight, no...)

Carmen: I hate you.

Carmen: I HATE YOU /BOTH/ SO DAMN MUCH—!

[The aura died down. Carmen’s breath was ragged, and her readings were low.

But she looked up with a glare. Her eye changed from blood red to the same demonic purple as the aura that surrounded her.]

Carmen: Grr—! …I’ve got no quarrel with you, Cub—so let go!

[YANK.]

Jack: I--I CAN'T!

Jack: YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING--!

Carmen: Don’t know what I’m doing? DON’T KNOW WHAT AH—

Jack: FOR GOD'S SAKE, CARMEN, SHUT U P FOR TWO SECONDS--!

Jack: YOU'RE THE ONLY PERSON THAT C A R E S ABOUT ME IN THIS LIFE!

Jack: I'M N O T GONNA LET THAT GO!

[A pause.]

Jack: .....

Jack: Carmen?

[…Uh-oh.]

Carmen: Oh, so you wanna play NOW then, do ya—

[HER EYE DISPLAYED CROSS-HAIRS CENTERED OVER JACK’S SPIDERWEB SYMBOL.]

Carmen: You wanna DANCE, do ya?

Jack: (Oh--OH SCRAP, I'M DEAD.)

Jack:

U-Uh--!

[Carmen suddenly dashed forward and RAMMED right into Jack.]

Jack: OOF--!

[Jack was tackled RIGHT off his feet and onto the rig, with the wind knocked out of him. He was a wheezing mess for a couple of seconds--]

[But he still held fast.]

Jack: N-Ngh...

[Carmen stood, glaring down at Jack—or so it seemed, given her menacing stance. The places where eyes would be in the face of any other Xelbot were cast in a deep, dark shadow.]

Carmen: Tch.

[She sounded unimpressed.]

Carmen: If ya won’t let me go… Ah’ll just have t’ bring you with me! Now be a good boy… an’ HEEL.

Jack: N...

Jack: I can't...do that...

Carmen: Ah’ said HEEL, not SPEAK. Now get yer act t’gether, we’re goin’ hunting. MOVE IT!

[.......]

______________________

"For [Frag's] sake, Den. I'm starting to wonder why I even picked you off the street in the FIRST place."

"I--"

"You can't even DODGE or take a hit right--you're NEVER going to survive out in the arena if you keep being WEAK!"

"B-Boss, it's ju--"

"I don't want to HEAR it."

"Now be a GOOD boy and do as I say."

"But--"

"MOVE IT, PUPPET!"

__________________________

[That was it.]

[He was SICK and TIRED of this.]

[Sick and tired of being treated as a throwaway mutt--!]

[When Jack raised his head, his eyes were GLOWING a bright purple. Not at all like the virus's evil glow--this was strong, and defiant, and angry.]

Jack: THAT'S IT--YOU KNOW WHAT?!

Jack: I'M NOT GONNA LET YOU BOSS ME AROUND--NOT Y O U!

Jack: NOT ANYMORE--!

[...Strange...he...didn't seem to be talking to Carmen...?]

Jack: I'm NOT backing down--

Jack: And I'm NOT going anywhere with you--!

Jack: No...

Jack: NO WAY, MISS EIGHT.

Jack: YOU WANNA DANCE?! FINE!

[A HARSH YANK.]

Jack: LET'S D A N C E.

[She gave a wicked grin. …A shark grin that was disturbingly like her vampire witch sister’s—Dyna’s.]

Carmen: Thought ya’d NEVER ask~

[She YANKS hard, moving quickly to the side. It becomes apparent why soon enough—there are more debris headed their way, and she was trying to get the wires right between them!]

Jack: --!!

[Was she--well, yes, actually, she WAS crazy.]

[His arms swing backwards, so that the strings straighten out like fine lines, almost invisible to the naked eye...]

Jack: (Can't let them get tangled...!)

[It…

…didn’t work out the way Carmen had hoped.]

Carmen: ?!

[She just STARED in astonishment as the debris cut cleanly through the wires—as if it were cheese run through several dozen slicers.]

Carmen: -Meepface- . . .

Jack: .....

Jack: Woah.

[Jack seemed to be as EQUALLY surprised...]

[And THEEEEN she surged with panic.]

Carmen: (OH M’ GOD THEY’RE ALL AROUND ME /HE COULD SLICE ME RIGHT IN HALF WITH THOSE GAROTTES—/)

[.......]

[She....wasn't the only one going into panic.]

Jack: (OH GOD--OH SCRAP IF I EVEN M O V E WRONG I COULD TURN HER INTO RIBBONS OH MAN OH NO--)

Carmen: -Glitched screeching- AH WON’T LOSE ANY MORE LIMBS, DAMMIT—!

Jack: NO--I SWEAR I WON'T HURT YOU--!

[She moved in closer in her long strides, but it was clear from the fluid motion and calm control that she just wanted to slack the lines a bit. She pivoted aside to look at him, a loading icon displaying on her eye as she tried to think of something—anything— that would work here.]

Carmen: (Glitchfrag it…!)

Carmen: (Ah’ know…)

Carmen: (Ah’ KNOW I’ve lived through missions in situations just as bad or worse—)

Jack: OK--um--uh--I...OK just don't move--

Jack: I swear I'll get us out of this--!

Carmen: Why…

Carmen: Why can’t I remember…?

Jack: ....!

Jack: (Remember...?)

Jack: C...Carmen...!

Carmen: Nnngh…!

[And again a semi-collapse to her knees, her head turned to the side.]

Carmen: (Lord help me, the HEADACHES…)

Jack: Carmen...!

[The aura surged again, and she looked up, angry.]

Carmen: Grrrr…!

[She returned to her feet.]

Carmen: A Mighty NEVER loses on their knees!

Jack: --!!

Jack: Eep--

[He backs up again, careful to not tug on his wires too harshly now--]

[He didn't want to hurt her that way...!]

Jack: C-Carmen...please....

Jack: Don't....don't you remember me?

Jack: I--I don't want to hurt you, please, stop...!

Carmen: Jack…!

[The virus wasn’t ready to give up such a prize. The aura surged again—and again, the demonic overlay.]

Carmen: I remember a terrified civvie in way over his head who ran t’ mah heels from just a few /words/.

Carmen: I remember someone who… who DIDN’T have th’ strength t’ face the forces of darkness…!

[A glare.]

Carmen: /I don’t recognize this—this steadfast WARRIOR in front a’ me—!/

Jack: .......

Jack: Well, to be honest--I don't really recognize the women in front of me either.

Jack: But I KNOW that isn't your fault.

Jack: .....

Jack: I'm no warrior.

Jack: I'm just a normal guy trying to save his friend with what he's got.

Jack: I'm just a guy with REALLY bad luck and way too many regrets and mistakes on his head.

Jack: .....

Jack: But I'm not gonna let that stop me.

Jack: Not you, Carmen...

Jack: And certainly not YOU.

[A glitched screech at that.]

Carmen?: WHY, CDN-7037?

Carmen?: YOU. CANNOT DEFY FATE!

Carmen?: YOU KNOW. TOO MUCH!

Jack: --???

Jack: What are--

[Carmen paused to take a firmer stance, but then, suddenly—

The aura faded and her eye turned a pale gray.]

Carmen: Aw glitch—

[Jack tuned around to see what Carmen was more concerned about--]

[...That...was his mistake.]

[WHANG!]

[…Carmen had seen it coming, and had even tried to duck.

But she was tall, injured, and neither of those things made it easy to dodge in close quarters.

She hit the entrance to the tunnel head-on.]

WHANG.

[Jack's systems were jostled, and he could see nothing but static for a good half minute.]

[Pain, dizzy, what, where is...]

Jack: Aaaaaaawfraaaaaaaag....

Jack: Can't...

[Bright, dark, bright, dark...]

[The static finally clears out...]

Jack: A-Ah...

Jack: What...was...

[Though he was still seeing stars, he could tell from the orange glow of lights that they had entered...a tunnel?]

Jack: (Did...did I seriously get hit by...?)

Jack: Ah--!

Jack: (Can't...hurts to...think...ow...)

Carmen: J-… Jack…

Jack: ...!

Jack: C...Carmen...?

Jack: (Miss Eight...is she...?)

[The aura was still there, but very faint. …It wasn’t hard to see why.

She’d hit the overpass SO hard that it had cracked her radar dish—and maybe even the rest of her skull. There certainly was a lot of sickly-looking Xel pooling beneath her head.]

Carmen: -Weakly- Jack…?

Jack: .....!!!

Jack: (X-Xel--she's...no...)

Jack: M...Miss...Eight...!

[With some reserved strength he never knew he had, he crawled his way towards her, and pushed himself up on his elbows to get a better look at her.]

Jack: Oh no...

Carmen: …Can’t…

Jack: Miss Eight...it--you're gonna be OK...

Jack: If ya can't move--

Carmen: Can’t… see…

Jack: ....!!!

Jack: Y...You can't...?

[Back into the glaring light of the setting sun.]

Carmen: He’s going to get away…

[Her anger couldn’t sustain her through the damage.]

Carmen: Can’t… can’t see… ANYTHING… can barely hear, so fault…

Jack: Carmen...

[Jack placed a shaky hand on her shoulder, so she can at least feel his presence somehow, with her sight and hearing so shot...]

Jack: I-It's OK...I'm...here...

Jack: (Everything hurts, ow...)

[She tried to get to her feet. When it didn’t work, she shifted into her civilian form. This stopped the Xel loss, but didn’t help the pain.]

Carmen: God help me, this headache…

Jack: Y-You and me both, ow...

[She suddenly pushed herself to her knees—but the eighteen wheeler LURCHED.]

Carmen: -YELPS-

Jack: WHOA--!!

[Jack saw why—there were bits of wreckage EVERYWHERE in the road ahead. And they were approaching cars that had been literally sliced in half.]

Jack: Oh FRAG...

Jack: WE NEED TO GET OFF THIS RIG N O W--

[There was a rough and violent bit of turbulence before the truck briefly went flying and then tipping over—]

Jack: AAAAAAAAH--!

[At first, the only thought on his mind was Carmen.]

[So the first thing he did was grab her.]

[And the next?]

[ZIIIIIIP!]

[His wires wrap around another street light, and the two of them are sent swinging onto another passing rig on the opposite lane.]

[....There wasn't as much grace in the landing, though.]

Carmen: Hrgh…

Jack: C-Crap...

Jack: OK...ah...um--ow...

Jack: Gotta...get...

[A faint, choppy noise seemed to cut through the ambience of the highway.]

[…

…Seemed to be getting louder…]

Jack: .......?

Jack: (What...what is that noise...?)

Jack: (S...Sounds...like...)

“FINALLY!”

Carmen: …Th’ hell—Beck…?

Jack: ....!

Jack: K...Kid...?

[There was a slight THUD as Fighting Mighty Number Nine landed next to the beleaguered Cherry.]

Pup: Man, you are HARD to find!

[Carmen shifted back into her combat form.]

Carmen: You…!

Jack: --!!

Jack: Carmen, no--!

Carmen: You’re here on One’s orders, to drag me back to confinement—!

[Beck didn’t seem fazed. He shifted forms—]

[ZZT.]

[…It was almost comical how that tiny zap put her back down.]

Carmen: OW—

Pup: No more hide-and-seek, Sis!

[He shifted back to his default… glowing… green, now?]

Jack: ....!

Jack: Wait, what are you--

Pup: TIME TO COME HOME!

[There was a bright green flash as he thrust his arm forward—causing Carmen to glow as well—]

Carmen: G…GYAH—

[… … …]

“Come on out, Pup. No need t’ hide from me.”

“S-sorry—”

[He stepped out from behind a street sign that Carmen had in her room for some reason. His sister was polishing her boots, humming a song.]

“What’s on your mind?”

“… … …”

“C’mon, now.~ Yer alright.”

“…Sis…”

“Mmhmm?”

“Why do you make up those stories?”

[Silence.

Long, awkward silence.]

“S-… a-ack, I-I— I’m sorry—”

[A pulse of relaxing data.]

“…Easy now, hon. …Ah’ ain’t mad at ya.”

“…Y-… you’re… not?”

[She clicked her tongue.]

“Yer the most honest soul on God’s green earth. ‘Course ya can’t understand the workings of lies.”

[Another pause.]

“…Y’ know… I don’t know if I’ll ever tell anyone what happened.”

“Not… not even Dad?”

“No.”

“But—but it’s Dad—”

“Shhh…”

“Lemme tell you something, Pup. When you go through that kind of darkness, there are only so many things you can do with what’s left, after.”

“You can choose to let it haunt you. To define you. To become your obsession. You can go off the deep end into denial, even more of an obsession. Or you can just say, ‘I don’t like talking about that time’ and take things in your own control.”

“People are never gonna stop asking, hon. Never. Even if I ever were to be made whole. Maybe Ah’ COULD tell the truth every single time—maybe, maybe not. For all you know, I’m sworn to secrecy.”

“You… you could tell US if you were, though… right?”

“Heh… not the point, Puppy. The point is… the answer doesn’t change what happened then. So I choose not to give that answer any power.”

“I shall defy it, mock it, scorn it— Trivialize it, so that it’s not in control. No room for self-pity—not at work, and not at m’ other job, either.”

“But…”

“You know the kind of people I work with. And you know that sometimes, I meet people who are really scared. Why focus on what you don’t have—what you’re not— When instead you could be movin’ forward with a healing touch with the vast strength you DO have?”

“Helpin’ others means putting them, first. Whether yer scared, or troubled—”

“We don’t have to be in the spotlight, Beck, to make a difference. Sometimes, the most important things are done where only Heaven can see.”

[… … …]

[XEL PURGE COMPLETE.]

[ALL HARMFUL MALWARE HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM FMN-008.]

Carmen: Nnnn…

Jack: !!!!

Jack: (What in the world was that...green...?)

Jack: Carmen...?

Carmen: …What… what…?

Carmen: Jack, is that you…?

Jack: Y...Yeah...?

Jack: Are...is...oh my God...

[The lady assassin felt very out of it. Everything was darkness… but she had to reach out for that voice, confirm that it wasn’t all a dream…]

Carmen: -Reaches up with her hand to touch his face- Ah’—Ah’ can’t see you right now—

Jack: Y--You...it's...

[.....]

[Were....those...tears she felt on her fingers...?]

Jack: It's...it's you...!

Carmen: …

Carmen: …Are we… what…

Jack: Oh God it's really you Miss E--

Carmen: Where are we? Avi’s wind tunnel or somethin’?

[HONK HOOOOOONK.]

Jack: ...!!!

Jack: oH--

Pup: Yikes!

[…Oh. RIGHT.

They were still in the middle of a pack of crazed cars heading who knows where at over 90 miles an hour.]

Jack: Kid--We gotta get off this crazy--

Pup: UH—

Pup: UM

Pup: -AAAAH I CAN’T CARRY YOU /BOTH/, SIS IS SO—uhhhh… TALL.-

Jack: FRAG--!

Jack: UH--UM--

[A search light suddenly illuminated the area around them.]

Jack: --Wha?!

“YOOOOOOO!”

"HOW'S IT HANGING, BROS?"

Jack: ....?!

Jack: SIX?!

Carmen: AVI!

Pup: TWO AVIS—

Goose: -Swoops in closer to perform a cursory check on the stability of the platform- Well, Avi, looks like Spiderman and Wonderwoman landed in a… sticky situation!

Carmen: …

Maverick: Ooo, looks like you're right, Avi--it's a real TANGLED MESS.~

Carmen: . . .

Pup: But—I thought One told you to stay behind—

Goose: AW, C’MON, BECKY

Goose: DID YOU REALLY THINK I WOULD LET THIS CHANCE

Goose: PASS UP? ; D

Carmen: . . .

Jack: ......

Maverick: HA! I get it!

Carmen: (Lordy Ah’ musta done somethin’ horrific t’ suffer THIS as my punishment—) -Weakly- Goose, ain’t… got th’… energy t’ yell at ya properly fer that right now…

Goose: I know, right :^D

Maverick: Heheh...

Maverick: Hate to cut this short--but we REALLY need to make an exit, don't ya think? ; D

Jack: (Wow...they are REALLY showing no mercy...)

Maverick: Any longer and we'll have to ride them up for going over the speed limit--

Jack: UM, GUYS--

Jack: NOW'S NOT THE TIME--

Goose: Truuuuue enough! Time waits for no one! 8^D

Carmen: -Faintly- Lord help me but He sure knows ah’ve earned this sufferin’…

Goose: Seems like you guys could use a LIFT out of here! ^.^

[The chipper plane scooped his solid younger sister right off the roof of the rig.]

Pup: —! WOAH WOAH WAIT—

[Oops.

The strings were still attached.

Jack got yanked along about a foot, like a pull toy.]

Jack: FRAG FRAG FRAG S T O P--!!

[There was a sudden red blur.]

-SHING!-

[THUD.]

Jack: Ow...

Ninja!Pup: Whew…

Goose: … -Just kinda. Blinks for a moment-

Goose: …Um.

Goose: WELL! If everyone’s checked in, time for Avi Airlines to get you out of here!

Carmen: Uggh…

Carmen: Ah’ suppose Ah’ deserve your puns. But no weight jokes or Ah SWEAR Ah’ll take ya down with me, got it?

Goose: Love ya too, Sis! ^.^

Jack: Ha...

Jack: Oweverythinghurts....

Maverick: I got ya, Jackie!

[Rick hovers over Jack as he grabs both of his arms to lift him up, then hoists him further into the air with relative ease.]

Maverick: All set, yo! Let's hit it!

[Pup shifted into Avi’s form to follow after them, the three fliers headed off away from the highway.]

Goose: -Touches down gently- Theeere we go.

-Ping!-

<MC005>: > Augh, why is there still no signal?

<FMN-001>: > This IS Shade we’re talking about…

Carmen: -Groans- (…Brother?)

<DWN-011>: > …think it is more that her transceiver is damaged…

Maverick: Yeah, you guys don't look so good...

Jack: Tunnel...

Maverick: ???

Jack: Didn't...see it...

Maverick: OW...

Jack: ...Mng...

<MC005>: > …I have an idea…

<MC005>: >Will, you don’t mind a lot of sand near the teleporters, do you?

[DR.WHITE] //: Er, no--why?

<MC005>: >I’m going to do a spherical transportation.

<MC005>: >Call, if you please…

[DR.WHITE] //: Ah--! Yes, that will do the trick...

Jack: ...Is that Doc White...?

Maverick: Yup. And Dr. Cossack. Say hi, Jackie!

Jack: Heh...hi...sorry I don't look my best right now...

<MC005>: >Heh… don’t worry about that.

Carmen: Daddy…

[DR.WHITE] //: It's alright now, Shade.

[DR.WHITE] //: You'll be home soon.

Carmen: … ‘kay, Dad.

Carmen: I’mma… I’mma just…

Carmen: …sleep, nao—

<FMN-008 has entered Deep Sleep mode.>

Jack: . . .

Jack: H...Hey...Docs...

Jack: She's...she's gonna be OK now, right? Dunno...dunno what the kid did but...

Jack: She's...not crazy any more, right...?

Goose: Bro. Bro.

Goose: Not in the way you’re talking about, no.

Goose: But… her being okay eventually means being back to doing her crazy, ridiculous stunts. …Just part of who Eight is.

Jack: Heh....

Jack: Wouldn't...have it any other...way...

Jack: Just...wanted to...make sure...

Jack: So tired--

[INSUFFICIENT POWER SUPPLY. SHUT DOWN INITIATED.]

[CDN.7037 HAS GONE INTO DEEP SLEEP MODE.]

Goose: …

Goose: [sub]Looks like Mister Sandman paid them a visit[/sub] :’^D

Maverick: You said it, mirror...

Pup: -Sighs inwardly- (Yep. Definitely back to normal.)

{Later that Night…}

[Having delivered Jack and Carmen to the emergency bay, Maverick and Goose made a swift exit stage left, in an attempt to avoid Pyrogen’s wrath.

However, their plan to vacate to the Meadow instead…

…didn’t work as well as they might have hoped.]

Bonnie: You are all okay AVI DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW WORRIED—WHAT IF SHADE HAD HIT YOU— -Seems to be talking to both-

[…Oops. The OTHER Pyro was there waiting for them.]

Maverick: 8' D (Hoooo boy...)

Bonnie: -Pulls Rick into a half-hug… aaaaand Goose in a headlock-

[…One gets the impression Rick is not in a headlock because he currently lacks a civvie form.]

Rick: ^.^;;;;; (Man I am so glad I do not have a squishy form at the moment--)

Bonnie: -BIG BRO IS SO GLAD YOU ALL ARE OKAY—but you’re still in trouble, especially you, Rick-

Rick: -WAT WHY ME--ooooooh wait-

Rick: ehehehehuuuuuh... 8' D

Bonnie: You might have at least TOLD your Pyro BEFORE suddenly abdicating the emergency bay…

Goose: Aww, but then he woulda said no. D^:

Rick: Yeaaaaaaaaaah he would--in my defense I knew Goose needed help so???

Bonnie: | [

Rick: IIIIIIII am so dead when I get home aren't I--

Goose: MAYBE but I’ll help take the heat— gak!

Bonnie: -Loosens his grip, because he was just giving a warning- If this was your idea, then you’d better own up to it.

Goose: YEP MORE OR LESS—I mean I tried to tell you, Beck only has one arm in that form, the other is used for flying, no way he could carry ‘em both—

Bonnie: How did you even know where to start looking?

Goose: WELL. There was this news report about a pizza robbery—

Goose: Didn’t realize Jack was there too until my cameras found them. Uh… she shut that down pretty quick, though, so… had to go in in person.

Rick: Yeah, she was REALLY letting those bullets fly...

Rick: -Totally intended pun by the way-

Rick: And then Jack was zippin' and zoomin' all over the place, and the debris, whew!

Bonnie: -Small sigh- Alright, you two. Time to get started.

Goose: Uh…?

Bonnie: You. You are going to help with the cooking.

Rick: . . . .

Rick: Uh, BOTH of us or are you talking to Goose-- (Gosh sometimes it's hard being mirrors--)

Bonnie: No, I’m sure your eldest has something else in mind. What might that be, MNN-001?

[And then there he was—the one figure they had been trying to evade in the first place—arms crossed and everything.]

Pat: HE is going straight home and helping Father with data analysis.

Rick: (WHEEEEEERE DID YOU COME FROM--)

Pat: And to help track down our last three kin, Call could use the assistance.

Rick: Uh....sure...yeah... (No seriously where did Bro come from--)

Goose: H-hi bro :’D;;;

Bonnie: (I’ll admit… I was hoping they’d see Cardinal on the highway, but of course not…) -Lets go of Rick-

Goose: Um… is this really the time for baking, though—

Bonnie: Have you been paying any attention?

Bonnie: There are now 33 people to feed. And more will be coming.

Bonnie: ONE of those is COUNTERSHADE.

Goose: -Hrk—!- Okay okay I get it—

Bonnie: Besides, I think CDN-7037 deserves some sort of reward, don’t you? I’ve heard he’s quite the carnivore…

Rick: Yeah, real meat lover...

Pat: If that's the case, I'll assist with food whenever possible. We should ask Nico too, he's also quite the cook.

Goose: I thought he was playing Doctor while Nineteen sealed himself in his room and Doc C was in Cali?

Bonnie: Well, Captain Piers has come over to assist in the healing process. It helps that Felix has been stable for a while and they have another Healer there… and that Plume and Landcrusher are also stable…

Goose: -Sudden lightbulb- Uh. Patrick? Y’ might be busy just keeping an eye on the three of them for a while…

Pat: . . .

Rick: Y...Yeah, I think we all gotta just keep an eye on everyone that's still recovering for now...

Pat: (...Shadow can stay with Brand, that will help...)

Skull: {I’m sure he would like that.}

Rick: Gah--

Pat: Skull.

Rick: (How does he DO that???)

[The soft-spoken skeleton was finally up again. He had come back Online as soon as Brandish had been brought to the lab, as he was needed to help run things in the Meadow.]

Skull: Apologies, MNN-006. It was not my intention to startle you.

Rick: Eheh--noooo problem, bro... : ' D

Skull: {We are incredibly glad you are well, Aviator. We missed you.}

Rick: Eheh...

Rick: Y-Yeah...good to be back...

Rick: .....

Rick: -scoooots behind big bro nope we're not hiding at all.-

Rick: : ' D

Skull: …? ({Am I missing something?})

Rick: Um--

Rick: I'm just gonna--go now--sorry--

Rick: -FLEES-

Pat: ......

Goose: BEEEE RIGHT BACK— -Hovers after-

Bonnie: … : / (Poor Aviator.)

{Meanwhile…}

-Ping.-

<FMN-006 to MNN-006>: >Brooooo. Broooooooooooooooo—

[MN.6 to FMN.6] //: sorry man I just--couldn't stay there--

[MN.6 to FMN.6] //: not after you know what--

[MN.6 to FMN.6] //: -nnnnngh, guilt, so much guilt--

[Goose is clearly catching up. He’s flying upside-down now… very Echo-like, honestly.]

<FMN-006 to MNN-006>: > I know, man. I know.

<FMN-006 to MNN-006>: > -Man, I can’t even REMEMBER everything, but-

MN.6 to FMN.6] //: I just--man they must HATE me--

[MN.6 to FMN.6] //: I mean I know I was screwy and everything but STILL--

<FMN-006 to MNN-006>: >Duuuude… let’s just. Just fly now, ‘kay? Catch some thermal from the plains.

[Indeed, the Wilderness was shifting into open, expansive prairie, in a state faaar away. The night air was clear, and it was silent and free.]

Goose: -Inverts and does a corkscrew in one direction, then the other-

<FMN-006 to MNN-006>: > -Hums Let’s Go Fly a Kite-

Goose: (Gotta let him wear off the Xeldrenaline, that’ll probably help. Flying always helped with that for ME me, anyway…)

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

[This DOES seem to help significantly, the very warm night breeze blowing over into the prairie and up to a starry sky...]

[MN.6] //: . . .

Goose: -Sways contently by banking very slightly from one side to the next- (Ahhh…) Home, home on the range…~

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

[MN.6] //: -Siiiigh-

Rick: -turns over so that he's staring at the stars-

Rick: (What am I gonna tell Toby...?)

Rick: (What can I even SAY?)

[Goose does a lazy loop-de-loop before resuming his swaying.

He then comes up so he’s in wingman position near Rick. But he’s still quiet, mostly just… there, for his Other.]

Rick: . . .

Rick: -Sighs once more and rubs eyes-

Rick: I reeeeeally messed up, didn't I...

Rick: Like... Super MAJOR big time messed up.

Goose: …

[He seems really thoughtful.]

Goose: …I try to always put things in a positive outlook, you know? Saying something like that outright isn’t really my thing…. Brand’s a lot better at that sort of stuff. [sub]too good, sometimes…[/sub]

Goose: I honestly… don’t really know what happened? Because… I can’t /remember/ what I did—which is pretty scary, really…. And… we couldn’t get ahold of you guys until later.

Goose: But even though I can’t remember, I know it was… definitely not cool, what I did. Yeah.

Goose: But… there are a couple of things about what happened, you know?

Rick: Yeah, I get that...

Rick: .....

Rick: (I...I can't really see a BRIGHT side to this--which tells me just how BAD things got--)

Rick: .....

Rick: I...oh man I'm SO glad Toby is--well...for the most part, OK again...

Rick: . . .

Goose: Yeah, see—that’s the thing—one of the things.

Goose: Remember what the Robin told you guys before you fought YoYo Hippie? About how possession wasn’t really them you were dealing with?

Rick: .......

Rick: Y...Yeah...

Rick: (You're not fighting the person, but the parasite...)

Goose: Man, we know it’s true, because attempts were made to fight back.

Goose: How could that happen unless there were something else— something the REAL YOU didn’t like, didn’t agree with—were there to fight against? Yeah, it doesn’t really help a whole lot, maybe, but it is really important.

Goose: And as for the Wily Numbers…

Goose: Duuude, they…

Goose: …

Goose: …I…

Goose: …I heard you… -Trails off-

Rick: . . .

Goose: (…heard you saw what happened…)

Rick: .......

Rick: I...

Rick: . . . .

Rick: Yeah.

Goose: …

Goose: …They’ve been there, man. Especially the little spark dude.

Goose: But know what?

Goose: Even though maybe someone could try and argue that everything is Tobias’s fault—HE sure seems to think so, himself—

Goose: His bros just plain love him, bro.

Goose: You’re part of their family now, dude. …Like, REALLY part, now, even. Blood Xel brothers, uh, something like that.

Goose: …You know how it is with bros. If something’s going wrong, of course you try to stop it—like with squishies, if someone’s drunk or whatnot—

Rick: ....

Goose: But you don’t hate on a bruthuh, ya know?

Rick: .....Yeah, heh... (I hope not, at least...)

Rick: .....

Rick: I guess I'm just--scared...?

Rick: I mean WILY BOTS, man. Tempers. Nothing against that, no, I mean...

Rick: (I really wouldn't blame them if they really wanted a go at me anyway...)

Goose: Well, that’s the THING, man—these guys—their experiences made them really empathetic. …Well, I mean, other than their Ninjabro, he’s like Blondie—still trying to learn about feelings and stuff.

Goose: Iiiiii think if it’s their temper you’re worried about? Yeah… maybe you’re right.

Goose: because DUDE they hate Cracker Snack so much, Toby would TOTES take a crack at them if he were let looooooose :’D;;;

Rick: Oh bro you're so right--jeez louies, tHAT would be so bad--

Goose: YEAH BRO KINDA.

Goose: …They have tempers against… well… people that cause those close to them to suffer. Like. Man, if Yoyo Hippie had REALLY tried going against them, that wouldn’t have gone well—because he threatened Robin to the point where he was paranoid more on the side of cray-cray, and then the whole deal with Queen Bee came… (Man, don’t even WANT to think about what woulda happened if Cossack hadn’t shut the others down after they sliced poor Toby open…)

Goose: They honestly think CherryDyn’s behind all this. Some think it more than others. It’s them they’re angry at.

Goose: You?

Goose: They’re SO happy you’re okay, they feel awful about…

Goose: …

Goose: …the whole cross-reference thing.

Rick: Ya know--I wouldn't be very SURPRISED if Cherry was behind it at this point...

Rick: But....

Rick: . . .

Goose: WELL, YA SEE

Goose: Here’s what Siam said—

Goose: Basically he didn’t think Cracker Snack was smart enough to think something like that up, let alone pull it off? :’^D

Rick: -SHRUGS-

Rick: He's REAL bent on putting blame on someone else. Done it with the VD and now with Doc Blackwell, and the guy is in PRISON. Seems like he's running out of options at this point and just...grasping straws...

Goose: …Did he really? Man, Siam was right—getting real un-creative with his content.

[The chipper plane snorts.]

Goose: He’s so lucky that the Angels really like YOU guys. And that Robin is busy with more important things right now. I mean, really—

Goose: THE DUDE WENT AND TAGGED THEIR HQ, AND THAT WAS ON A PRETTY GOOD EVENING

Rick: -SNORTS-

Rick: Yeah--who knows WHAT they'd do if pushed far enough and left unchecked... (…Pretty scary thought right there…)

Goose: … -Seems thoughtful about this-

Goose: …I think they don’t really know, themselves? Wasn’t that why Toby was so scared?

Goose: That’s why they are the way they are. Determined not to let that happen. No matter how hard they’re pushed.

Goose: It would take something REALLY bad to… well. Yeah, we kinda saw that already at the Finals. (They’ve just lost so much already. Really scares them when they’re about to lose even more.)

Rick: .....

Rick: -Sigh-

Rick: .....

Rick: Sis is probably gonna zap me, though. I'm, like--85% sure she is.

Goose: Bro, that’s Sis for you. Isn’t that something Electric ‘bots do when stressed, anyway?

Rick: Yeah, energy buildup, their systems release it to avoid overcharge— (Dyna's gonna be soooo angry at me I can tell--)

Goose: I knew it was her way of showing affection~

Rick: -SNORT-

Rick: Ya think? Heh...

Goose: Sure! You know, the whole “tsundere” deal.

Rick: HA! Oh, man, I knew it--

Rick: I bet it's the same for Cryo too--she fights Big Bro all the time even in a good mood--

Goose: Yeah! All the sisters are like that—

Rick: I mean SURE we do talk an earful but it's our job as little brothers to annoy big sisters, right--

Goose: -Gleeful swaying again- Something like that! More like there’s just a lot to saaaaay~

Goose: -Imitates Carmen- “C’mere a lil’ closer so Ah’ can make ya go into Airplane mode.”

Rick: -LOUD SNORT-

Rick: Oh dude I'd hightail out the window SO fast if she said that--BUT THAT IS A G R E A T PUN THO--

Goose: I TAUGHT HER WELL -So proud-

Rick: NICE, BRO. -THUMBS UP-

Rick: Wish I had an apprentice, heh...

Goose: Duuude—you DO!

Goose: : D

Rick: ....

Rick: TOBY--

Rick: I CAN TEACH HIM SO MANY PUNS--

Goose: IT’LL BE GREAT

Rick: The fact that there are so many electric/lighting puns already is also perfect--

Goose: Well yeah—he’s a real

Goose: LIVE WIRE~

Rick: And a real--

Rick: SHOCKER!~

Goose: -LOOP-DE-LOOP- Wheee!

[Yep. The lovable goofball was just a big kid at heart.]

Rick: : )

Rick: -Yeah, why not, LOOP-DE-LOOPS FOR DAAAAAAYS-

Rick: Wooooo!~

Rick: -Content data, we feel MUCH BETTER now, thanks, Goose--_

Goose: -Anytime, me-

Goose: Hey—Hey… thanks for helping out today. Really. -REEEEEAAAALLLY means it, so grateful-

Rick: Oh...yeah, no problem, dude. ^.^

Rick: Carmen's just as much a sis to me as you guys are--and Mighties always gotta stick out for one another, ya know?~

Goose: Yeah… and Tony, man… -Vents a sigh- MAN, is he gutsy for a Civvie—she’d have been really panicked if he didn’t come along.

Goose: Firebro wants me to stick around and help with cooking for everyone so the Docs can focus on their work and you guys can do your thing, and not have to worry about food. We all know how Daddo gets when he’s focused on a project, and I hear Cossack is even worse… >.>

Rick: ...Soooomeone's gonna hafta keep an eye on the Daddos so they don't overclock themselves...

Goose: Well, I think Blondie helps with that—something about the sprinklers—

Rick: -....Oh she has control over the sprinkler system, welp--

Rick: : ' D

Goose: …I won’t be able to come over there for long. Just. You know. Just in case someone stops by the lab. At least Shade is in her civvie form, no one will recognize her as Sniperbro like that… but the rest of us, ehhh, best not push our luck…

Goose: But she’s gonna be there for a while, I think. Man, face-first into concrete at 110 mph, ow.

Goose: So… she just. Might need you, since I can’t be there… ‘kay?

Rick: Yeah...I'll cover, bro. Promise.

Rick: ...Though she's probably gonna wanna be around Brand and Jackie, at first...

Goose: Oh, yeah, definitely Brand. …

Goose: … … …

Goose: … … … … … … … … … … …

Rick: .....

Rick: Uh...Goooooooooose?

Goose: -Blinks, coming out of it- Hmm?

Rick: ........

Rick: Iiiii....uh. (OK is it just me or am I really disturbing when I DON'T talk?)

Rick: Anything that Car will wanna hear from me--like, stories, stuff that'll get her to calm down and stuff?

Goose: …

Goose: -Fairly seriously- When she came back. That night.

Rick: (oooooh this does not sound good--)

Goose: She. She looked real beat up, man. Like… like this, but worse, because… it was just so sudden, and there was a good chunk of her just plain GONE—it was so wrong, somehow— “it just ain’t right” as she would say.

Rick: . . . .

Goose: She… was having trouble recovering, she wasn’t healing right, you know? Probably because of such an important thing like a core being missing.

Rick: (S...Sis...)

Goose: She’d wake up, man—but only sorta—all panicked and incoherent and man I think Pyro said she was all “Five Nights at Freddy’s 4” in her incoherent abstract data.

Rick: Oh, jeez...

Goose: And then… she got well enough to not be all “loopy in fever”, basically—

Goose: And she asked for Brandish.

Rick: ......

Rick: Little odd that she would considering their relationship before...

Goose: I know, right?

Goose: …I mean…

Goose: … Man I hope Brand doesn’t hear about what she said, not for a LOOONG time…

Rick: . . .

Goose: Brand, uh. Well. I’ll play you the clip of what we explained to the others later. But basically she thought he didn’t believe in her at all. Aaand she was vocal about that.

Goose: Everyone was kinda expecting her to ask for me, you know? No one was more shocked to hear the request than Sev himself.

Rick: Wow...

Goose: But.

Goose: She wanted him to tell her stories.

Goose: …She couldn’t stay at rest because she still felt in danger from… whatever happened, I guess… or those FNAF nightmares.

Goose: So she couldn’t get any better, because her body wasn’t recovering.

Goose: But having him around, verbally walk her through a meditation and stuff… just knowing he was there…

Goose: She got better. She slept and got better.

Rick: ....Huh...

Goose: There’s a chance something like that might happen again with this—I mean, Dad DID change the flow between the remaining cores, but she got banged up pretty bad, might need to redo that. -I don’t know, I’m not a medical genius like Siaaaaaaaam-

Rick: -wince-

Goose: As long as you, he, Jack, and Pryo are around, though, she’ll be docile and compliant.

Goose: With Jack it’s a case of him being her last mission objective—something about protecting him from CherryDyn loose-end “fixers,” dunno if that was actually a thing or just a concern, but. She’d think “OH CRAP STILL ON A MISSION” but if he’s right there, it’s all “oh okay mission accomplished, everything’s okay now” sort of deal. [sub]she takes her work super seriously[/sub]

Rick: Yeaaaah, Jack...Jack's pretty banged up too, so he'll DEF be there with her in repairs...

Goose: We’ll bring her home as soon as she can handle it—or at least to the Meadow, I mean—Dad DOES want to work on her, after all. But yeah, they’ll probably be there for a while. :’V

Goose: You’ll know she’s gotten over the worst when she becomes absolutely ravenous. [sub]she might start sleep-eating at that point tho[/sub]

Rick: Oof--she's gonna clean out our FRIDGE--if Cryo isn't sleeping in it already but I mean--

Rick: --Oh man Jack--Jack's gonna be hungry too, man no wonder Big Fire Bro asked you for cooking help, so many hungry people...

Goose: …

Goose: Did—I mean… Does Shadebro eat a lot, too?

Rick: Well--I mean, no? Sort of? His hunger is REALLY weird--

Rick: Like, sometimes he'll not eat for a day and then suddenly he does and then he doesn't and it's just--

Rick: Iiiiit's become a fact that if he says he ain't hungry, he ain't.

Goose: Huh. Weird…

Goose: …

Goose: Ten credits says Sis challenges him to an eating contest. :^D

Rick: Noooo bet, she's so going to at some point--!

Goose: Awwwww…

Rick: But--

Rick: I bet 20 that Shade bro will lose SO HARD--

Goose: DOUBLE DOWN SAYS JACK GETS HIMSELF INVOLVED—and that Firebros do a simultaneous facepalm :^D

Rick: DEAL--

Goose: ^.^ C’mon, Rick. Let’s head on home. |D

Goose: Home is where the heart is. < 3

Rick: Yeah-- -Yawns-

Rick: Home sweet home...

[And so, Goose takes flight lead and guides his mirror home…

Ah… home at last, indeed.]

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

=CHAPTER 8C: TRAPPED BY LASER LIGHT=

~AO v1.0~

((Courtesy of @limitbreakers))

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

[C R A A A C K!]

[THUD--]

[The door came down, Shade was over Cardinal's broken form, rifle pointed right at his chest--!]

[Vrrrrrrr...]

[THREAT IDENTIFIED.]

[XEL OVERRIDE SEQUENCE INITIATED.]

[COMMENCING WEAPON LOCK.]

Beck: STOP!

[Shade looks up from his target, just in time to see Beck's outstretched hand glowing a deep green, his eyes reflecting the same glow. Or perhaps they were glowing themselves?]

[WEAPON SYSTEM LOCK ENGAGED. TARGET: MN.8.]

Shade: --!

[Shade suddenly felt his rifle grow heavy, and the laser from his scope died out--]

Beck: NNGH--!

[Whatever it was that Beck was doing, it seemed to be very taxing on him--it was like he was holding something in place, but he didn't know what that was, or how he was doing it, exactly--]

[All he knew was that it was stopping Shade, which was what he had to do.]

Beck: S-Shade--!

Shade: ....

[The weapon lock didn't do much about Shade's current state of mind, however, and he sneered.]

Shade: So the Lil' Doggy thinks he can bite back, eh?

Shade: Heh. That's c u t e.

Beck: Nnngh--!

[Shade doesn't look too concerned despite being essentially disarmed at the moment. He turns his attention back to Cardinal, who...]

[Wasn't...moving...]

Beck: --!!!!

Beck: C--Cards--!

Shade: Looks like you get to fly another day, Songbird.

Shade: -GRIN-

Shade: That is, if ya can even WALK after this! HA!

Beck: That...

Voice… voices…

> Procc…essin…g…

Beck: THAT'S ENOUGH--!

((pic))

Beck: WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS--?!

Shade: Feh--ya haven't figured it out yet--

Beck: I'm not TALKING to you.

> Proccess…ing…

Shade: --....

Beck: Yeah. That's right.

Beck: You.

Beck: I KNOW you can hear me.

Beck: And--And I know--at least...I think I know.

Beck: I know--you're like ME.

Beck: I've felt it ever since all this started--!

> Proccess…ing…

Shade: ......

Shade?: Like...you--?

Beck: I don't--it's just a feeling, but it's THERE and I know--

Beck: I know that somewhere in there--there's something else, something that knows all this is WRONG--!

Beck: So...

Beck: ...So please.

Beck: I'm begging you.

Beck: There...There's still time.

Beck: No more.

Beck: Just...no more.

> Proccess…ing…

Beck: No more pain, no more...of this.

Beck: I don't want to fight.

Beck: I...

Beck: I don't want to fight anymore--

>WARNING: POWER SYSTEM FAILURE IMMINENT: CORE HAS BEEN DRAINED IN OVERDRIVE CONVERSION.

Beck: --!

[Beck's attention snapped to Cardinal, who--oh, no, why is there so much oil and--]

——————————— Forte: Let’s say you get hurt. Like, Death comes up and starts whaling on you with your weakness. We don’t go out in a single hit, ya notice that?

Cryo: ....Yeah.

Beck: ....Mm-hmm.

Forte: Even if it’s like. You’ve gotten your arm cut off or got set on fire or whatever. We still keep going for a while before the big kaboom.

Forte: How?

Forte: The energy-matter converter goes into some sort of hyper mode, dude. Completely repairs the damage, even ongoing damage.You can regenerate whole systems and stuff that way.

Beck: -....Whoa....-

Cryo: -Dude, gotta admit that is amazingly sick- ....But...doesn't go on forever, right?

Forte: Right. Doing that requires energy to draw from.

Forte: There might be some sort of rechargeable battery like a stomach of sorts—actually yeah, we do have one, I remember now; at least, 3rd Gens and later do— But mostly you’re draining directly from your energy core to do that.

Forte: Energy cores weren’t built to function as first-aid reserves. They just aren’t meant for that. They’re there to provide a long-term internal energy supply to keep you running, like a heart does. You have a heart, but you still gotta eat and stuff.

Forte: Do that too many times, and the next bits of damage will stick, because there isn’t enough energy left to fix it. ——————————————

[Oh no--]

[PING!]

[TRIGGER SIGNAL LOST. XEL OVERRIDE MODE DISENGAGED. WEAPON LOCK WILL NOW BE LIFTED.]

Beck: -Blinks-- ??????

Beck: (Wha--)

[BANG!]

Beck: Guh--!

[A bullet found mark on Beck's shoulder--the assassin wasted no time once the weapon lock vanished.]

Shade: Alright.

Shade: While the lil' dance with the bird was FUN while it lasted...

Shade: It's time we settled this like robots.

Shade: Heh. Ya know what Ah'm talkin' about, don't ya?

Beck: --Shade, wait--!

[Too late. The hunter vanished without a trace, soundlessly making his escape.]

[...Leaving the mangled mess that was Cardinal behind.]

Beck: Cards--

[Beck came closer--he could smell oil and coolant-- familiar smells--]

Beck: C--Cards...

Tired…

> Analysis complete. 1 Match found: MNN-009.

Cardinal: …

[To say he was in bad shape would be the understatement of the decade. He was too tired to even try and hide the damage—and there was only a faint humming noises coming from his unprotected eyes. They flickered dimly, sporadically—

—…no, wait, that wasn’t random, that was morse…]

“Go… on… 9.”

Beck: --!

Beck: ....

[His vision began to grow out of focus.]

[...Oh, no. It's...not that.]

[Those were tears.]

Beck: N--No--

[Beck fell to his knees next to the First, but didn't dare touch him--not....Like this.]

[Flashes of something--someone. Red. Hurt.]

Beck: I...I can't--I can't leave you here--!

“Go… now…”

“SAVE… HIM…”

“Save… 8…”

“Go.”

Beck: I--I--

[His eyes darted erratically--flicking between a glowing intensity to a dulling light--]

[He promised, promised to save everyone, but Cards--but--Shade--]

[Cards was so hurt, but Shade was so close to losing himself--]

Beck: -Hurts--

[Shade--his brother--]

[And Cards, Shade's best friend--]

___________________

"Beck."

___________________

Beck: --!

[A voice...]

_______________________

"Ow...yeah?"

"Why do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Putting yourself...Putting yourself up like you MUST prove something."

"Uh...I don't get it."

"Bah, of course you don't..."

"I'm saying...you always put yourself in a position where...where you WANT to be something greater when you're not READY for it."

"I..."

"You help others, sometimes out of your own expense--you give and give and give and give--"

"Until WHAT, Beck--?"

"I..."

"Why do you have to feel like you have to help...help EVERYONE in YOUR world--?"

"Um...Because it's the right thing to do?"

"Oh, don't give me THAT. That's cliché and you know it."

"Well, there's nothing wrong with wanting to help people, right?"

"...No, but it's dangerous to feel like you have to help everyone you meet."

"Hey, what do you mean by--"

"You can't help everyone, Amadeus."

"Wha--yes, I can--!"

"No. You can't. You're just one person. And we all have our limits."

*"I hope that one day even YOU can figure that out..."*

"...Mighty No. 9."

___________________________

Beck: .......

Beck: . . . .

Beck: (...I...)

Beck: (I can't help everyone...)

Beck: .......

>Shutting down…

Beck: . . . . .

Beck: O...Okay.

Beck: I'll go.

Beck: I'll...I'll save Shade, Cards, like I promised...

Beck: And...

Beck: I'll...I'll bring him home...

Beck: ...

Beck: Promise.

-Ping-

<RMDC>: >Signal identified: DLN-000.

<RMDC>: > Processing…

<RMDC>: > DLN-000 is now Offline.

Beck: ....

[It was quiet, save for Beck's small, retreating footsteps. Far too quiet.]

[Beck had come to HATE this kind of silence. It was unnerving, and too heavy for his... smallness to bear.]

[As much as it pained him to leave his friend like this, Beck...Beck just didn't have the heart to go on without some solace that Cardinal would be okay.]

[PING!]

[MN.9] //: G...Guys...

[MN.9] //: I...I'm going after Shade...

[MN.9] //: But--C...Cards...

[MN.9] //: -PLEADING data--Help--I can't help him, please, someone help him soon, please--

[It seems forever before there’s an answer.]

<MC005>: > Can’t bring Robot Masters back Online. Xelbots can’t go until area is secured.

Beck: ......

[Which means...]

[Until Shade was saved, no one would help Cardinal get out of here.]

[MN.9] //: ...Yes, sir.

[.....]

[There was...no other choice.]

[He had to move forward.]

Beck: . . . .

Beck: (Cards...)

Beck: (I'll finish what you started.)

Beck: (I'll save Shade--for both of us...All of us.)

[REXELECTION: BRANDISH.]

[A flash of red and yellow, and Beck zoomed out of the foyer.]

[This was far from over.]

[Just because Shade had effectively incapacitated Cardinal and THEN some--]

[There were still many infected robots in the building, and who knows what kind of secrets were hidden in the White House that Shade could use to spread pandemonium across the nation.]

[Not to mention, the fact that they seem to follow Shade to an extent--he had no doubt that Shade was stalling for time back there just to ambush Cards at the right moment.]

[Eight could very well mount a invasion like had Five nearly done, and then there would be no stopping the government from utterly destroying the place.]

[...The more Beck thought about it, the more he could see why Cards wanted him to leave him behind. In a way, it lessened the sting of just abandoning him there--]

[...But only a little.]

[SHING!]

[Shade was still hiding, even after all this.]

[SHING!]

[But where...]

Beck: SHADE!

[PING!]

[MN.8] //: Lost, Lil' Doggy?

Beck: I THOUGHT you wanted to settle this like robots.

Beck: So where ARE you?

[MN.8] //: Ah' could tell ya. But that wouldn't as fun...

[MN.8] //: Ah' think ya have more worries t' attend to.

Beck: Besides YOU? Oh, come on--

[MN.8] //: Haven't ya heard the commotion outside?~

Beck: --Huh?

[Beck skidded to a stop, looking out to one of the broken windows overlooking the White House Lawn, and the gates beyond it.]

[There was...A lot of police. The kind that you see in... riots--? ]

Beck: What...?

[MN.8] //: See? I'm not the only robot tired of the status quo.

[MN.8] //: Even the meat-sticks don't want anythin' t do with the system!

[Indeed, it...It looked like there was a large, angry crowd outside--Beck could make out mostly humans, but also some Xelbot Civilians that didn't seem to be infected--]

[Some were cheering, others screaming bloody murder, and still others were trying to get inside--]

Beck: I...What is...?

Beck: (I don't understand...)

[MN.8] //: Lemmie ask ya a question, Lil' Doggy.

[MN.8] //: What are we REALLY built for?

Beck: ....

Beck: You're not going to get at me with this.

[MN.8] //: Not even gonna humor me, eh? Alright, that's fahn. I'll TELL ya.

[MN.8] //: All we were built t' do is fight in the Battle Colosseum, plaaain an' simple.

[MN.8] //: Don't seem so bad on the SURFACE, right?

[MN.8] //: W r o n g.

[MN.8] //: Humans can talk 'bout 'containin' violence' all they want, but that don't disguise what they REALLY want.

[MN.8] //: Entertainment, Lil' Doggy. We're just playthangs t' them. We dance and sing and fight and die just t' give them somethin' to fill the void in their PATHETIC Lil' lives.

Beck: --......

[MN.8] //: An' Combat Models have been doin' it fer YEARS an' no one' bothered t' do ANYTHIN' 'bout it.

[MN.8] //: We're givin' our spot in the limelight until they decide we're old news. And then they throw. Us. OUT.

[MN.8] //: Would've happened to One, eventually. Would've happened t' all of us. Would have happened t' YOU.

[MN.8] //: Heh.

[MN.8] //: Lucky for yew, lil' Doggy, Ah' plan t' make a few...changes t' that.

[MN.8] //: If ya manage t' SURVIVE, that is.

Beck: ...What are you getting at, Shade?

Beck: What's your plan?

[MN.8] //: Ah' really gotta spell it out for ya, don't Ah'?

[MN.8] //: Mah' first executive order as the first robot president is to set ALL robot FREE.

[MN.8] //: An' t' do that, I'm gonna abolish the International Battle Coloseeum Association. Permanently.

[MN.8] //: By FORCE.

Beck: --!!!!

Beck: Y--You can't do that--!

Beck: The IBCA isn't EVIL, Shade--!

Beck: Don't do that--

Beck: -PANIC-

Beck: PLEASE--!

[MN.8] //: Oh?

[MN.8] //: --Ooooh, that's right...yer off the team, ain't ya?

[MN.8] //: No IBCA, no tournaments, no more team.

[MN.8] //: You'd be useless, Lil' Doggy. Everythin' ya worked for--

[MN.8] //: --Kaput. See what Ah' mean, nao?

Beck: --........

[MN.8] //: Heh.

[MN.8] //: Truth hurts, don't it.

[MN.8] //: I'll be waitin' in mah new office, Lil' Doggy. If ya wanna file a complaint!~

[KSSSSSST--]

Beck: . . . .

Beck: (Those words...)

Beck: (I...I've heard those words... before...)

Beck: (I didn't understand then, but...Now...)

((Flash backs to when the cross was revealed in the Queen's Finals, the Highway Accident when Shade is investigating the CherryDyn delivery truck, and times when Beck worried about Ray--))

Beck: (You...)

Beck: (Has it been you...I've been sensing all this time...?)

Beck: (Are you the one behind all this...?)

Beck: (Have you...been hurting...this whole...time...?)

Beck: .......

Beck: (No...)

Beck: (Why didn't you tell me--?)

Beck: (Y...You could have...told me...)

Beck: (I...All this time, I could have helped you too...)

Beck: (How...how could I have been so blind--?)

Beck: (...Am I really that much of an idiot after all...?)

Beck: --........

[MN.9] //: -Erratic, sad, self doubt, empathetic data--

Beck: -Ngh--

Beck: (No, stop that--)

Beck: (If...If they knew...)

Beck: ....

Beck: (I have to keep going.)

Beck: (I can...think..about it...later...)

[His new office, Shade said.]

[Taking into account what Shade came here to do in the first place...]

[Beck knew exactly where to go.]

Beck: . . . .

[Soon, he came upon the large doors adorned with the Presidential Seal on them--The Oval Office.]

[Sunny sat to the side, hopping over to the small, discouraged hero with a worried look on her face.]

Sunny: D :

Beck: ...Hi, Sunny.

[Sunny opened up her compartment to give Beck some much needed Xel Cubes and Stocks--]

Beck: --?

[...Some other things tumbled out too.]

Beck: !

[A care package, of sorts, hastily thrown together.]

[Some cool water from Cryo, and cookies from Pyro--power nodes from Dyna and what looked to be a shiny rock from Mic...]

[A small coin from Bat--...Sadly nothing from Avi. He must be still out cold...]

[...A origami crane from Brand...His star projection toy he got on his second birthday from Will...]

[And some marshmallows from Sanda.]

[…!]

[And a note!]

Beck: ...?

“{LAST NIGHT—FOUND WORKING REPLACEMENT.}”

Beck: Working...Replacement...?

[.....]

Beck: --!!!!!

[Cardinal's core. He had all the parts, thanks to Beck, except for a working power core replacement. Something he could run on that wouldn't cause him to overheat--]

Beck: (He...They...)

Beck: (They did it--?)

Beck: ....

[And just like that, with that one note, with those seemingly few items that wouldn't have mattered to anyone else...]

[...There was hope.]

Beck: (I get it now...)

[There was a chance--!]

Beck: (I gotta save Shade--)

Beck: (So Cards can get help--)

Beck: (So he can be SAVED--)

Beck: (So he can live--!)

((pic))

Beck: (Don't worry, Cards--)

Beck: (I'll save Shade for you--so he can live right by your side--!)

[Strength returned to him suddenly, as he absorbed the Xel Cubes into his frame. He shoved the rest of the care package back into Sunny--he didn't have time to keep it all on him.]

[...The cookies and marshmallows stayed with him, though.]

Beck: (Alright, Shade--)

[Beck stood in front of the doors, and pushed them both open with some effort.]

Beck: (Let's end this.)

[CAPITOL BUILDING: OVAL OFFICE...]

[The office had seen better days. It was completely trashed. Even the chair in which the Madame President sat in was thrown across the room, the desk scorched, the tables turned sideways and riddled with bullet holes.]

[As expected...Shade was nowhere to be seen.]

[But he was here.]

Beck: (...Yeah...)

Beck: (He's here, I can feel it, somehow...)

Beck: (Is this how you tell he's near, Nii-San?)

Beck: ....

Beck: I kinda expected to be shot the second I came in.

Beck: That's what you did when I got here.

"Heh."

[The cowbot finally revealed himself, lazily leaning against the side of the desk, head down so that his radar hat covered most of his face.]

Shade: So ya do learn.

Shade: Okay, nao, Lil' Doggy...

[His head lifts just enough to reveal a single glowing violet eye, and a twisted smile.]

Shade: Let's see if you're all bark...or if you got some b i t e.

[A pair of bright, emerald hues meet his in defiance. Then Beck shook his head.]

Beck: Listen to me, Shade: you're malfunctioning! You're SICK! You're not THINKING straight!

Beck: Didn't you feel anything at all--ANYTHING--when you saw Cards--?!

[Shade pauses at that for a moment, as if thinking back...]

Shade: ....

Beck: Please...

Beck: All this--freeing robots, us being just tools and playthings--

Beck: ....

Beck: I won't disagree with you.

Beck: ....

Beck: I've seen...and heard...what happens...when people see us like that...

Beck: Even when I shouldn't have...I did. I heard.

Beck: And it is nothing LESS than horrifying and wrong.

Beck: And...I won't deny that...

Beck: There are bad things, bad places, and...Yeah... really bad people in the world.

Beck: That being said--

Beck There are people that don't see us like that--!

Beck: Like Dad, and Uncle Sanda, and Mikhail--!

Beck: Mao, Felix, Piers--

Beck: The people that look up to us--

Beck: The people that we FIGHT for--!

Beck: The people that know what REAL freedom is, and try to protect it--!

Beck: Freedom doesn't require all this SUFFERING--!!

Beck: You're only going to make things WORSE, if you shut down the IBCA--! Not just for me--forget about me--! For EVERYONE--! What are you trying to ACCOMPLISH, getting rid of something that gives so many people so much HOPE?!

Shade: Tch.

Shade: Humans have fought over freedom an' hope with WAR for centuries. Your damn point? S'moot.

Beck: --!

Shade: Emancipation is worth ANY price...

Shade: Even at the cost of human lives.

[SCANNING.....]

[SCAN COMPLETE.]

[MODEL: MIGHTY NO. 8. CODENAME: COUNTERSHADE.]

[HEIGHT: 193cm WEIGHT: 273kg XEL COUNT: 54,600,000]

[CLICK]

(((SHADE BOSS PIC HERE--))

Shade: Or yours.

[BANG!]

[Beck saw that coming--he vaulted over a table on its side, the energy bullet seating the expensive furniture instead.]

Beck: I don't want to FIGHT you, Shade--!

"Bit late for that line, ain't it?"

[A quick peek over the table. Shade was no longer there.]

Beck: (Argh...)

[Countershade. The 8th in the Mighty Numbers, with state of the art technology that was only surpassed by Beck's own. The Teal Silence, the Mighty Assassin, intangible as a ghost...]

[Shade was synonymous with all of these titles and sayings and then some. He was able to pick his foes off before they even knew they were being hunted, and had many tricks and traps at his disposal--even with the lack of a right limb, that didn't slow him down in the slightest.]

[The world's greatest assassin robot ever built, and he had turned for the worst. He had pushed his inborn abilities of Radar Detection and Active Camouflage to greater heights, placing him squarely as the team's Sniper. It was often Shade that dealt the final blow against particularly strong teams, and often Shade that made sure that they had a ace in the hole in case things ever went...]

[...Wrong.]

[Against the strongest member of their family...]

[Beck had to be prepared for anything.]

Beck: (At least we're in an enclosed space--Shade's area of excel is long-range, not close quarters combat. I got the advantage there.)

Beck: (...But Cards had that too, and...)

Beck: (...And I DON'T want to taunt Shade into a rage--that would suck--)

Beck: (--I could use his weakness, I have Dyna's form...)

Beck: (--...But that isn't really going to deflect his shots, so...)

[REXELECTION: SEISMIC]

Beck: I hope I got Mic's bulkiness too...

[Beck took a deep breath and ZOOMED out of his cover--]

[BANG BANG BANG--]

[Bullet holes chasing his tracks, unrelenting in their pursuit of the smaller Mighty Number.]

"That's right--RUN."

Beck: -WELL, WHAT ELSE DO YOU EXPECT US TO DO--

[Shade still had his Camo online, even if Cardinal had done a number on his cloak...]

Beck: (Where are you--)

"Here."

Beck: --!?

[He looked up--]

[BANG--!]

Beck: --?!?

[Dizzy--]

[ERROR--GYRO SYSTEMS OFFLINE.]

Beck: Wh--Whoa--!

Shade: Heh! DANCE, Lil' Doggy!

[The world suddenly turned upside down, and his motor controls were reversed--]

[WHAM--!]

[He crashed into the desk so hard he reverted back to default, the ground and ceiling spinning at dizzying speeds.]

Beck: @~@!

Beck: (Can't tell what's up or down--)

[BANG!]

Beck: NGH--!

[Trying to move his right arm only moved his left, and vice versa--same with his legs--]

[BANG!]

Beck: OW--

[After some doing, he DOES manage to get on his feet--]

[But he's stumbling and tripping up, all sense of balance lost.]

Beck: (I've never--seen Shade do this before--not with Cards or anyone--!)

[THUD--]

Beck: (Ugh, I can't even walk straight, LET ALONE SHOOT--!)

[BANG--!]

Beck: ARGH--!

"Havin' fun, Lil' doggy?"

Beck: NO!

"Heheh."

Beck: (I gotta get normal mobility BACK--!)

[RUNNING XEL_FILTER.EXE...]

[NO MALWARE FOUND.]

Beck: (Wha--then how--)

Beck: !

[There--there's something caught in his shoulder's armor--]

[A purple dart--?]

Beck: --!

Beck: (Of course, Shade can detect signals--there's no reason why he can't also transmit jamming signals with his radar too--!)

Beck: (I gotta get this thing off me--)

[Left moves right, and vice versa--]

[So moving his right arm should--!]

Beck: (There--Ow, OW THAT HURTS--)

[BANG BANG BANG--!]

[The shots hit him squarely in the torso, knocking him away to the middle of the room--]

Beck: Nngh...

Beck: (Need a...good grip...!)

[SMACK--]

Beck: Mmmph--!

[His face meets the carpet--something big and heavy was planted right on the back of his head--]

Shade: S'that ALL?

Shade: Ya didn't even last HALF of what the Songbird did.

Shade: How ya managed t' fell the rest of our kin is beyond me. Maybe it was all dumb luck, huh?

Beck: (Nngh--)

[... Amazingly, Beck raised his head even with Shade's weighted boot on his helmet.]

Beck: Sh... Shade--!

[...?]

[...Why...Why was this part of the carpet red--? ]

[Yes, it was faint, but he can make out the beginning of the letter H in...]

[Cardinal's handwriting...]

[HOPE LIVES.]

Beck: (H...Hope...Hope...)

Shade: Any last words, Doggy?

[CLICK.]

Beck: --Shade--

Beck: Cards--there's--there's a new source--

Beck: They did it, Shade--!

Shade: --!

[It was as if a switch had been flipped.]

[The sick, purple glow left him completely, for a moment--]

Shade: -Blink-

Shade: R..Really--?

Beck: Yeah-- [YANK--] [GYRO SYSTEMS RESTORED.]

Beck: So you need to COME BACK HOME WITH ME--! [REXELECTION: DYNATRON.]

[BZZZZZZZZZRT!!]

Shade: MOTHERSCRA--

[Shade screamed as pure high voltage surged up his leg, considerably damaging him--enough so that some of the infected Xel glowed around him!]

[XEL ABSORBED.]

Beck: So you and Cards--

[BZZZZZZZZZRT!]

Beck: --can get better--together--!

Shade: Ngh--!

Beck: So you can laugh and smile and be silly and get into trouble--

Beck: So we can all Live together--!!

Beck: IT'S JUST YOU LEFT--!

Beck: SO JUST LET ME--

[Beck dashed into Shade, he needed to end this quick, end this now before Cards--]

[Fzzt!]

Beck: --?!?!?

[....Did...]

[Did he just go... through Shade...?]

[He skids to a stop, turning on his heel, bewildered.]

Shade: -GRIN-

[Shade was... flickering red...]

Shade: What's wrong, Lil' Doggy?

[And then he just disappeared.]

"Ya look like ya just saw a GHOST, HEH HEH HEH!~"

[BANG!]

Beck: Gh--

[The shot came from what seemed like above--he rolled and shot straight at the ceiling ledge where Shade was really perched--had be been there the whole time--]

Shade: That damn annoyin' Songbird fell for it more than ONCE, ha!

Shade: Half of the tahm he was chasin' mah Phantom instead of me.~

Shade: Did ya really think ya can win against ME, mutt?

Shade: Just like that?

Beck: --Ngh...Okay...I might have gotten...Carried away...

Shade: Heh.

Shade: So--will the humans give ya a SPECIAL treat for betraying yer own KIND, Lil' Doggy? Is Dad gonna put ya on a pedestal b'fore everyone?

Shade: S'just like them, huh?

Shade: T'covet what they hold DEAR--

[VRRRRR....]

Beck: !

[Several dark orbs fly out from under Shade's cloak--some create a shield around him, while one started to glow... bright red--]

Shade: T'WORSHIP UNTIL THEY GET BORED!

[BANG BANG BANG--]

[Strange visual glitches appeared in the air, but there were OTHER things to worry about—]

Beck: --?!?!?

Beck: (HOW IS HE DOING THAT--)

[Diving behind a table once more, he could only watch in absolute horror as Shade shot off bullets towards him--off of something that made some very familiar warping--]

Beck: (T..That shouldn't be possible--!)

[BANG BANG BANG!]

[Beck winces at what sounds like glass breaking, Shade continuing to shoot wildly--he managed to get around his cover a few times, but--]

Beck: Shade, I have no idea what you're doing but you have to stop it--

Beck: --?

[What's this--?

The visual glitchy cracks in the air were suddenly filled with a dark, pulsing energy...

That's funny, for a second he thought he heard...Voices...]

Beck: (What the heck...)

Beck: (Ugh, I don't know what's going on, but it isn't good--!) [REXELECTION: CRYOSPHERE]

[PEW PEW PEW!]

Shade: HGNN--

[Pelting Shade with a few ice shard filled snowballs was enough to get him to stop making more of those strange glitches--but it did also made him angry.]

Shade: Freakin' MUTT!

Shade: I'll show ya EXACTLY what yer dealin' with--

Shade: Les' play a GAME, Lil' Doggy.

Shade: S'called-- [FZZT!]

[Shade vanished once more--only to reappear at Beck's left...AND right--!]

Shade and Shade: Which is it?

Beck: !

Beck: -DUCK--

[Both Shades fired at him, with those annoying purple darts--Beck could NOT afford to get hit with one of THOSE again--]

[SCANNING...]

[ERROR--MN.8 SIGNAL NOT FOUND]

Beck: (I can't tell which one is the real one--!)

Beck: (UGH--)

[PEW--!]

[He fired at one Shade, but it just went right through it.]

Beck: (Aha!)

[Fzzt!]

[No cigar--as soon as Beck figured out which was which, both Shades had vanished--and once again reappeared in different locations, as if in a game of shuffle.]

Beck: (No--!)

Shade and Shade: Heh, it hurts t' be seein' DOUBLE, ain't it?

Beck: (Nnngh, I even hear two voices overlapping--)

Beck: --?

[--? What was that--a light dangling from one of the Shades’ neck--?]

Beck: --!!!

[--Wait--that was a dog tag, with a red frayed thread around it--!]

[PEW!]

Shade: --?!?

[XEL ABSORBED.]

Beck: (Thank you, Cards--!)

Beck: (It must have gotten loose during the fight...)

[REXELECTION: DYNATRON.]

Shade: Nngghr--...

Shade: Ya need t' be put DOWN, Lil' doggy, so sit STILL--!

Beck: I'm not a DOG--

[BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZT!]

[XEL ABSORBED.]

Beck: --So stop CALLING me that--!

[Shade growled at his smaller brother, and sent out--a LOT of orbs--!]

[Shade--the REAL Shade--flared a bright violet aura, anger and wrath radiating from his frame in visible waves, distorting the space around him--]

Shade: You...

Shade?: You IDIOT.

Beck: --?!

Shade?: I have no qualms with you, NINTH!

[CLICK.]

Shade?: LET ME HAVE THIS!

[VRRRRRRRR--!]

[BANG BANG BANG BANG BANGBANGBANGBANG--!]

((FLASHBACK TO ROUND ONE WHEN SHADE KNOCKED OUT ALL THE LIGHTS,))

[Bullets and darts fly absolutely EVERYWHERE, leaving Beck with no room for cover--]

[REXELECTION: SEISMIC]

[The only thing he COULD do was shift into Mic's form and tank what he could...]

[But...]

[WARNING: XEL LOSS DETECTED.]

Beck: --!!

Beck: -Gnh--

[His leg armor was breached, and blue began to flow out of the wound from it...]

[ACCESSING XEL STOCK 1...]

Beck: (Ow...Can't move...)

Shade: Gah, sloppy--

Shade: Hate it when it takes more than one bullet...

Shade: Heh, oh well. Funny, that ya bleed b l u e....

Beck: Ngh--

Beck: How many times do I have to say it--

[REXELECTION: DYNATRON]

[Bits flew around the room, dangerously sparking up--]

Beck: You got it all WRONG! I'm here because I want to HELP you!

Beck: I AM NOT--

Shade: --!!!

Beck: LIKE THAT--!

[C R A C K !!]

[A brilliant flash, the room turns alight with the brightness of the sun-- ]

[K-ZAP!]

[Well THAT was certainly stronger than expected—!]

[...The room was covered in black soot, though, Shade and Beck included.]

Beck: ....

Beck: -cough, ugh--

Beck: (Dizzy...I feel all tingly...)

"N...Ngh..."

[Shade was on a single knee across the room, twitching slightly in some places...

The glow that surrounded him earlier had faded to a dim, but the assassin was not completely spent...]

Shade: A Mighty...doesn't lose...On their KNEES...

[Slowly, with some effort, he rides to his feet--]

Shade: This tahm--gonna kill ya DEAD--

Beck: --!

Beck: SHADE WAIT--

[ZZT.]

Shade: OW--

Shade: -Nnmmgh that smarts, what the hell--

Beck: -...We're on carpet, haven't you ever rubbed socks on one--

Beck: (This is perfect--all I have to do is get closer--)

[ZZZT.]

Beck: OW--

Beck: ......

[ZZZT. ZZZT. ZZZT.]

Beck: Ow ow ow--

Shade: Wh--

Beck: Ow OW OW, that hurts, ow--

Beck: @-@

Beck: Ow.

Shade: -GROWLS, DON'T YA DARE, WE /W I L L/ BEAT YA WITH OUR GOOD ARM IF WE HAFTA--

Beck: Okay, Shade...

Shade: Ya don't know what yer doin', Lil' Doggy.

Shade?: This is something you cannot even begin to fathom.

Beck: .....

Beck: No.

Beck: I think I do.

Beck: I think I have all this time.

[XEL ABSORBED.]

[XEL QUOTA REACHED. XEL PURGE ONLINE. XELFILTER.EXE IS PRIMED AND READY FOR OVERDRIVE.]

Beck: I...just didn't want to believe it.

Beck: I know you're listening.

Beck: ...

Beck: Everything is going to be okay.

Beck: I will help everyone.

Beck: ...I'll keep giving, if that's what it takes.

Beck: And, Shade...

Shade: --?

Beck: Cards is going to be okay.

Beck: He's hurt, but he's going to be okay.

Shade: .....

Shade: C... Cards...

[XEL PURGE INITIATED!]

Beck: I think we've stayed here long enough...

[.........]

"What are ya doin' in mah room, Beck?"

"WAAH--I--I thought no one was in here--"

"Heh. Hidin' from Dyna's wardrobe game again?"

"...Yeah. >//> I hate being in a dress..."

"Alright, ya can crash here fer a bit."

"...Y...You're not mad?"

"Beck, Ah've known those two fer longer than ya have been alive, Ah' get it."

"Oh...Okay."

"... Penny fer yer thoughts? Ya seem distant."

"Um...I... was...just wondering."

"Mm?"

"...People say... that... you...."

"...you hurt people. B...Bad people, though."

"But...why? I...I mean, isn't violence only confined to the Battle Colosseum--and why do you have to--"

"Hush, nao..."

"When did ya start thinkin' like that, huh...Eh, you're gettin' older, Ah' bet..."

"Listen t' me, Beck, an' listen well."

"Dad's taught us that there is good in everyone, an' he ain't wrong 'bout that. There is a light in all thangs..."

"... But there is also darkness. Evil. Sometimes...Sometimes good people don't come back once they let themselves go too far."

"An' as much as some would like nothin' more than t' get them back..."

"Sometimes, it ain't enough. An' someone has t' stop them b'fore they hurt even MORE people. Good, innocent people."

"...People like the ones we see on the street..."

"...An' sweet lil' kids like you, Becky, come 'ere!"

"Ack--! Shaaaade, that tickles--!"

"Heh."

[.......]

"But...Dad also taught us that..."

"... Sometimes, good people do bad thangs, but that don't make them bad people. It takes a strong heart t' tell the difference, Beck."

"...?"

Shade: B...Be...ck...

Beck: --!!!!

"Just remember this."

"There is such a thang as second chances."

"Few, an' far in between..."

Shade: Ah'....

"But they're there."

[XEL PURGE COMPLETE. ALL HARMFUL MALWARE HAS BEEN REMOVED FROM MN.8]

Shade: Ah' owe ya one, don't ah', Beck...?

[THUD.]

[MN.8 IS NOW IN DEEP SLEEP MODE.]

Beck: Shade--!

-PING!-

<MC005>: > {Please tell me I didn’t just imagine that—}

<MC005>: > {Beck! Are you ready to return?}

Beck: ! Yeah, but Shade--

Shade: .....

Shade: Zzzzzz....

Beck: . . .

[…

Mikhail laughs.

It is clearly influenced by stress, and you could almost hear him crying in relief—his voice was kind of shaky.]

Beck: ....

Beck: Heh...

[He is soon joined by Beck, after a while. It...

It was almost like a great weight had been lifted up from his small shoulders...]

Mikhail: They’ll…

Mikhail: They’ll be fine, Beck.

Beck: -Sniff- Y...Yeah...

Mikhail: I can’t… I haven’t had the chance to talk to your father yet, but I know a way to even minimize the impact of this…

Beck: !

Beck: R...Really?

Beck: -Sniff- Th... That's great...

Mikhail: I’ll need to have a lengthy private conversation with him first, but…

Mikhail: He’ll be alright.

Beck: Heh...

Beck: (I...)

Beck: (I did it. I saved my whole family.)

Beck: (They're...going to be fine...)

Beck: ^^ M'...M'kay...

[...Oh, poor boy. He looks ready to keel over, but he's keeping himself awake through will.]

Mikhail: I’m going to bring the two of you home. Try to get some rest once you get here, Nine.

Beck: -Sleepily- Mmm mmm...

Mikhail: Call, if you please…

[SANDA LABS....]

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

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

Beck: Zzzzz....

Shade: Zzz....

[Peacefully asleep.]

Pyro: -I am hardly surprised at this-

Will: Shade...

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

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

Mikhail: …I’m going to need you to do something.

Pyro: --?

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

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

Will: Not yet...

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

Will: ...

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

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

[Mikhail pinched the bridge of his nose.]

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

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

Will: But with the Robot Masters offline...

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

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

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

Mikhail: Will…

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

Mikhail: That’s what he would have wanted.

Mikhail: But I know you’re still busy…

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

Will: .....

Will: I...I know.

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

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

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

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

Will: Once Shade wakes up....

Will: ......

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

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

Mikhail: Will.

Mikhail: You don’t look very good.

Will: I--

Soi: Will had a panic attack.

Will: --....

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

Will: (Soi...)

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

Soi: Both of you. <<

Mikhail: …

[The older man doesn’t even argue.]

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

Call: Yes, Doctor Cossack.

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

Mikhail: Good day.

Soi: See you later, Mikhail.

Will: .....-Waves-

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

Writer Journal Entry

{Wednesday, September 25th 2019T}

//This blog is going to be repurposed to be a story-oriented blog. The characters from sirensniper will be moved over to join the crew on @mowseries.

This is a placeholder style announcement. Proper explanation and frills will come after I have things set up.

Not sure how much good this will do, given it’s about to be buried under nearly 200 more posts.

—T.

=CHAPTER 9D: HAZY SUSPICION=

~AO v2.0~

((Courtesy of @codedhopes & @super-tired-robot))

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

{Outside the Lab…}

[Mikhail scowled as he closed the door behind him.]

Mikhail: {I don’t have time for that miserable excuse of a—}

"Ahem."

Des: Dr. Cossack?

[Mikhail looked up in mild surprise.

He was too tired to be properly surprised—he had been working on Cardinal almost all night and for over six hours since the date rolled by.  Then he had worked on writing a code that would allow the boys to come back Online—something that would be needed, especially if he didn’t make it through.]

Mikhail: ({No… I can’t think like that. I can’t… mustn’t give in to despair.}) …Mr. Desmond. Good morning.

[The man was in sad shape, that was for sure. He looked like he hadn’t eaten or slept much for a long time—a kind of exhaustion that would make most other people collapse onto the floor.]

Des: .....

Des: (...He looks ready to fall asleep any second.)

Des: (I wish I could postpone this.)

Des: I heard a lot of yelling. Is something the matter?

Mikhail: …

Mikhail: Just some trouble with public relations, that’s all. People are very stressed right now.

[He paused, standing up straight and letting go of the door. He adjusted his lab coat—stained with oil and coolant—and looked at Desmond with an air of authority and command.]

Mikhail: I’ve finished the first stage of repairs on DLN-000. I need to wait on the delivery of a specialized core in order to continue. I’m afraid you won’t be able to talk to him until much later. …

Mikhail: Is there something I can help you with?

Des: ....Yes, actually.

Des: It's been a little longer than others can wait, Dr. Cossack, and I'm afraid we can't procrastinate on this any further.

Des: You've got some explaining to do.

Mikhail: …

[His eyes seemed to dull at that, but his expression otherwise didn’t change.]

Mikhail: …Yes, of course. …That was the agreement, after all.

Des: ....

[Desmond Donald was quiet.

It had indeed been the agreement. They had been looking for leads on the Queen’s Finals scandal for months, and that had only intensified when the same madness took a grip on their home soil. They needed a proper explanation for what had happened—back in the tournament, throughout the last few weeks, and the day before.

Here was a man of mysteries. A Russian Doctor with American patients and no passport to speak of—the only active link between many otherwise unexplained incidents…

…Besides the fact that Mighty Numbers were ALSO involved in each incident.

And yet… it didn’t quite make sense to pin him as the source. And he knew Minerva agreed on that point, or she would have been much less merciful. MUCH less merciful.

And seeing the man now—now, after so much time spent on a tragic task—he was not all that convinced the man was a sleeper agent. The way that he had behaved around the Mighty Numbers, how he had behaved in regards to DLN-000… it didn’t lend itself to the feeling that he was putting on an act. He wasn’t going to discount it, of course… but it seemed…

…it almost seemed like they were just dealing with something that got out of hand only because it was connected to people who lived larger than life. All these things had only started happening after they were seen interacting with the Mighty Numbers. And if THAT were the case, then…?]

Des: …

[…Then it would mean that they were chasing a dead end that would only give them even more work, from the sounds of it. After all, DLN-008 WAS still very much wanted by British forces for his stint at the Battle Theatre.

The main thing he couldn’t understand was—regardless of whether or not he were ally or agent—why he seemed to be the only provider for nearly twenty robots. If he really were single-handedly providing maintenance and direction to that many on an individual basis…]

Des: (…then it really would be enough to make him legitimately exhausted.)

[He could only hope that it was worth it to bother someone who seemed in such a bad state. It was one of the more distinctly unpleasant aspects of the roles he’d been forced into as of late, but it couldn’t really be helped.

The Doctor, for his part, seemed to have spent those few moments gathering the nerve to stay cordial. It was almost as if he were trying not to panic, which was admittedly suspicious… though not unexpected, given he had dealt with governments before, apparently.]

Mikhail: -Swallows once- …Very well then. Do you have a room ready?

Des: We've just finished setting up a room under Dr. Sanda's permission. It'll be a floor above us--a meeting room that's used by the other business men of Sanda Tech, I believe.

Mikhail: …Very well.

[He placed his hands behind his back and walked past Desmond.]

Mikhail: I know where that is; I’ve used that room before, myself. Let’s not put this off any longer.

[LATER...]

[There are several portable cameras placed around the hall, to monitor the two actually entering the room for questioning.]

[Des takes a large white tub container from a folding table placed by the door, holding it out to Mikhail.]

Des: First things first, Doctor. Any electronics and other personal belongings in here.

Mikhail: …Yes, of course.

[He gave a bit of a wry smile.]

Mikhail: Though you don’t need to use excuses with me. I know this is all about disarming. So with that in mind…

[He pulls his lab coat out to the side.]

Des: --!!

Des: (I had no idea he was armed this ENTIRE time--)

Des: (And with a pistol, no less...)

[Mikhail didn’t really seem fazed at this reaction. It was almost as if he had anticipated this.]

Mikhail: You know, Mr. Desmond, you’re free to take it from the holster. I would have done so myself but I didn’t want to get shot due to a misinterpretation. I know you’re under a lot of stress right now.

Des: ....

Des: (This really isn't his first time dealing with armed agents, is it.)

[Des carefully takes the gun out of the holster, and unloads it, dropping the bullets into the tub first before the firearm itself.]

Des: ...Alright...

Des: Anything else that you have hidden away?

Mikhail: Yes. No more firearms. However…

[He digs into his pocket and pulls out a Swiss army knife. He tosses that into the bin.]

Mikhail: …there are a few other things.

[He reached into his other pocket and pulled out a switchblade.]

Mikhail: -Tosses that in as well-

Des: .....

Des: (This guy is armed to the teeth.)

[He then undid a taser from the belt, which had been on the other side from the pistol, and placed that in.

Finally, he pulled off what seemed to be an alert button on a lace string, lowering it carefully.]

Mikhail: Be sure not to touch that one.

Des: ...Is that some sort of panic button?

Mikhail: Yes. It’s designed to stun attackers through sensory perception. It’ll affect the user, too, if used improperly.

Des: .....

Des: (Useful for both human and robotic attackers, I'm guessing.)

Des: Do you even have your phone with you, Doctor? (Because you clearly don't need it for help if you have all this.)

Mikhail: Of course I do. I have family, you know.

[Then, and only then, did he place in his cell phone and a pager.]

Des: ....

Des: So that's it.

Des: Is that really it.

Mikhail: Other than a good number of ballpoint pens. I’m afraid I tend to lose them all over the place.

[Aaaand he drops a few handfuls of those in as well for good measure—whether out of sarcasm or just being tired is hard to say.]

Des: ....

Des: Doctor...

Des: You're almost as armed as when I was just starting my military career.

Des: No offense, but I can't help but be skeptical about questioning you with so many pockets at your disposal. =.=

[Mikhail couldn’t help but laugh at that.]

Mikhail: If you want to interrogate me in my pajamas, I suppose that’s your prerogative. But if you insist—

[He takes off his glasses to clean them, shaking his head and smiling.]

Mikhail: I don’t actually mind too much. I’ll be honest…

[He spoke with no small degree of weariness.]

Mikhail: I’m very tired. And if I’m given the blessing of being given peace and quiet once I’ve said what there is to say, I would desperately like to go to sleep.

Mikhail: I’ll go change.

Des: ....

Des: (I didn't really mean in his pajamas, but... whatever will make this go faster and not be quite so dangerous, fine.)

Des: …Suit yourself, but don't take too long to do so.

[When Mikhail returned once more, he looked significantly different. He had taken the time to wash up a bit and groom his hair and his beard. He’d grabbed a new pair of glasses and a new pair of gloves.

It also appeared that he was being literal about being questioned in his pajamas, but he hardly looked ridiculous—

He was wearing novelty pajamas designed after the Starfleet uniforms from Star Trek: The Next Generation. Specifically, the Captain’s uniform.

It seemed to fit him well, and he had a certain kind of commanding dignity.]

Mikhail: Alright, Mr. Secretary. Let’s begin.

[A recording device was placed in the center of the room. Desmond took the seat across from Mikhail and pushed a button on it to start the recording.]

Des: (...Something tells me this is going to be a lot different than other times.... He didn’t even consider bringing lawyers into this.)

Des: (Granted, he's clearly not American, so that might have something to do with it? I wonder.)

Des: Alright.

Des: Let's start simple.

Des: Who are you?

Mikhail: I am Михаил Сергеевич Казак. I am the Doctor for my sons, the Doctor Cossack Numbers Industrial series. I also serve as the Doctor for the Rebel Angels, a group comprised of seven of the Doctor Wily Numbers Combat class constructs from two different series, and two of the Doctor Light Numbers from two additional different series.

[He paused for a moment, before adding thoughtfully—]

Mikhail: And I suppose I would be willing to serve as the Doctor for the one member of the Special Wily Numbers series—although he’s a bit of a stubborn brat, and too proud to ask for help.

Mikhail: (…And there is Nero, but that would be quite the stretch to explain…)

[He paused for a moment before looking Desmond in the eyes.]

Mikhail: My wife is Светлана Казак.

[…But then his gaze shifted down a bit, weary and sad. Seemed to be fiddling with his wedding ring, even though it was covered by his gloves.]

Mikhail: God granted us a wonderful… such a beautiful child…. Калинка Казак, my daughter.

[He closed his eyes, as if to shut out pain, and was silent for a while.]

Mikhail: …I lost her… she was taken from us several years ago. …Since then, I’ve raised my daughter on my own.

Mikhail: ({Oh, Beloved…. I fear I have never done as good a job of being a father as when I had you at my side to be my better half…})

Mikhail: …

Mikhail: -Looks up again, eyelids half closed in faint disapproval- …But you already know all of this, don’t you.

Des: … …

[That was true enough. He had read up on the files given to him pertaining to the Doctor. And so far, everything matched up just as it was in the file.]

Des: (At least this is starting off better than the talk with Blackwell...)

Des: Fair enough...

Des: But I find it strange that a Russian Doctor is caring for American constructs--and a mixed bag of industrial and combat class, at that.

Des: How'd you come to be their Doctor?

Mikhail: …

[He seems thoughtful, but not at all bothered by the question. It's a while before he speaks up again—using a tone and pace that suggested he was telling a condensed version of a very long story he had told many, many times before.

Mikhail: My oldest son, Дэвид Казак, was originally designated as DLN-005 —designation “Iceman”. I wrote DCN-000 while I was just a boy, really—it was a very long time ago.

Des: A boy?

Mikhail: Heh. Well, legally speaking, yes—I wasn't even old enough to drive.

Des: What??

[THAT took him off-guard. It was not what he'd expected to hear, not what was on file, and an awfully bold claim to make, true or not!]

Des: When WAS this??

Mikhail: Oh, I was fourteen at the time. This was over two dozen years ago.

Des: -A little speechless-

[He had a hard time believing it; there were not many child robotics geniuses, and beyond that—]

Des: -Looking through the papers- How in the world did you get access to that kind of technology as a teenager?

[Mikhail runs his fingers through his hair with a sigh.]

Mikhail: I was working under Dr. Wily at the time. He and Dr. Light were working together to make the Doctor Light Number Industrials—their first AI&A Industrial series. Dr. Wily was originally personally in charge of two projects—the DLN-005 project… and the DLN-008 project.

Des: ....

Des: (That's the serial of that other mysterious DLN...)

Des: (What exactly is going on here?)

Mikhail: He had to drop one of them for health reasons, so I was placed in charge of the DLN-005 project, despite only being an intern at the time.

Des: -Flips through the notes- …DCN-000 was DLN-005?

Mikhail: Yes. That's a different story. I'm glad to tell it, but I get the feeling that's not what you're after, is it?

Des: … (…Not that hard to figure out, I guess.)

Des: …You said “at the time.” Did something… happen?

Mikhail: Yes. -Gravelly sigh- Ugh… Sadly, there were… complications, in the end. Dr. Light and Dr. Wily got into a terrible row when Dr. Light discovered that his colleague had given DLN-008 an emotions program.

Des: DLN-008 wasn't built with emotions? ,': /

Mikhail: Quite the opposite. He WAS built with emotions and full Awareness, and that was what they argued about. Dr. Light was outraged, and wouldn't listen to Dr. Wily's answers and defense of the poor being.

Mikhail: Instead, he ordered DLN-008 to be erased.

Des: What?!

Des: (That is already at least 7 kinds of illegal—!)

Mikhail: DLN-008 overheard this. Practically the whole lab did—I certainly remember it, even to this day.

Mikhail: He was terrified. So… he ran away.

Mikhail: In the end… all the members of that series were given full Awareness, and chose to flee for their lives. But it didn’t last long.

Mikhail: They were hunted down and destroyed, one by one.

[Mikhail closed his eyes and rubbed his face with his left hand.]

Mikhail: I didn’t become involved with the family after the entire DLN Industrial series was completely destroyed, David and Tobias and all—not until a short while ago, when my daughter and I were kidnapped by my old mentor, Dr. Albert Wily… and one of his most dangerous constructs—DWN-022, Viper.

[He clenched a hand into a fist, brooding at the memory.]

Mikhail: As part of that series of events, DLN-005 and DLN-008 came back Online after having been sealed away for about two decades. David managed to get into contact with me, and he and Tobias helped Cardinal Light to find my daughter and deliver her to me. Cardinal arrived just in time to prevent his younger brother, DLN-001—Rock Light—from ending my life entirely.

Des: ....

Des: (I can't even...-- I haven't even heard of something like this taking place, why isn't it on some kind of record--?)

Mikhail: After I recovered and was eventually cleared of charges, I was contacted again by Cardinal Light. I did some extensive repairs on him, and tried to get him to replace his core.

[He sighed, closing his eyes.]

Mikhail: It was his decision not to do so. I respected this decision; I firmly believe in allowing constructs to make such a choice, even if I don’t agree with it.

[He crosses his arms.]

Mikhail: Since then… because Dr. Light is so dangerous to them, and Dr. Wily is insane, that family has come to me. Cardinal Light is in charge of that family—he put them together, rescuing them from death at the hands of their brother.

[He lifts his gaze back up to look Desmond in the eye, even though his head was still bowed.]

Mikhail: So that is how I came to care for them. It has not been easy, but I am the only one they can turn to.

Des: . . .

Des: (What do I even say to that?)

Des: (Like hell there's any protocol for that.)

Des: ....

Des: -Deep breath-

Des: ...

Des: All of this...

Des: If this is true, then why isn't it on record?

Mikhail: …There’s a good reason for that.

Des: ....

Des: And that iiiis...?

Mikhail: …For one thing… after THAT whole incident, I was placed in a variation of witness protection. My daughter and I were actually given new identities not that long ago. There’s a general desire on a number of levels to prevent the incident from happening again, either with Wily or any other person or persons of ill intent.

[His tone was shifting, starting to suggest that he was taking charge, and would not be denied.]

Mikhail: You might as well ask a different question, sir. Details beyond that aren’t something I am willing to discuss on the record, so they’ll have to wait if you want to press further. I’m sure you have other things on your mind to discuss.

Mikhail: What’s relevant to this conversation is that because of all that had happened, what Dr. Albert Wily made me do while I was being blackmailed… it was enough that very, very serious charges were brought against me.

[At this point, he stood up, looking at Desmond with a rather cold and unsympathetic stare.]

Mikhail: It appeared very much, for a time, that Cardinal had rescued me from the flames only for the world to throw me to an even greater fire. I was forced to talk about the matter with my little girl, as I feared and believed she would be left an orphan. Do you understand?

Des: ....

Des: (This is outrageous. If this is a sob story, then he's chosen a poor one by making it too out-of-the-box. I wish that DLN-000 were Online—I get the feeling he would be honest AND more forthcoming. If this is true, though…) -Presses his mouth together in a thin line- (We have to get the FBI on this--something this big just can't have been ignored or missed--)

Des: (Then again, we had a entire military base not in our banks...)

Des: Doctor. Sit down.

[Mikhail silently refused.]

Mikhail: I am done talking about the distant past. What else did you want to know?

Des: ....

Des: (I'm getting nowhere with this. Are all Doctors like this, or am I just unlucky that way?) -_-;; (Time to change angles.)

Des: How did you come to know Dr. Sanda?

[At this, Mikhail did relax just a bit, happy to talk on a more pleasant topic.]

Mikhail: Ah, yes… that was in February, I believe.

Des: ....

Des: Five months ago?

Mikhail: Heh. I know—it feels like it’s been a year, really.

Des: (Something about that seems a bit off…)

Mikhail: It came as quite a surprise, and we were very nervous at first. You see— -Takes off glasses to clean them, smiling and shaking his head- —Carlos—or DWN-012, if you’d rather—Carlos Gonzales was the first one to meet them.

Mikhail: He accidentally wandered in on one of Countershade’s training grounds.

[He had to laugh a little at the memory.]

Mikhail: Poor Shade accidentally scared him witless! But once we came into contact once again, Shadow decided to take a chance, and Brand made the choice on their end.

Des: Hold on. “Shadow”?

Mikhail: DWN-024. He had a hard time understanding why Countershade spared his brother's life, so he went to see for himself what had happened. But instead of meeting Shade, he encountered Brandish.

Mikhail: I've heard it wasn't the most ideal of first impressions they made on one another, but that changed rather quickly. Quickly enough to gain Shadow's respect and Brand's courtesy.

Mikhail: They helped arrange for some meetings, to discuss a truce of sorts with one another. It was tense work for a while, but once we understood one another…

[He gave a happy sigh and sat down to relax again.]

Mikhail: You’d never seen the boys so happy. So hopeful. And it wasn’t long after that… around March 8th, I believe, that is when Countershade and Cardinal became such good friends, too.

[He seemed wistful, now.]

Mikhail: They grew very close. You could hardly separate them at times. Cardinal… he lost so much of his bitterness…. You didn’t know him before, Mr. Desmond, not like how he was when I first met him.

[He sighed and looked away.]

Mikhail: He’s had a faulty core due to shoddy coding for a very long time now. He didn’t have very long left in which he was expected to stay alive. Between that and dealing with Dr. Light and Dr. Wily… he had become a very weary man. He lived without hope.

[He looked up, his gaze distant.]

Mikhail: That’s why it meant so much to him, to all of them, when he really felt that Hope LIVES.

Des: (...Hope Lives...)

Des: (Isn't that what he tagged in the Office...?)

Mikhail: And that’s what you want to know about, isn’t it? Part of your main reasons for asking, since you can’t ask him yourself?

Mikhail: Yes, he and Countershade are very close. Countershade is his only long-term friend, the only one who’s stayed for so long. That is why it was so hard on them when the Mighty Numbers left in the spring and into the summer, to fight in the Queen’s Tournament.

[He paused for a moment, frowning and turning to look at Des.]

Mikhail: …But there’s a lot more to the story than even what happened in the Finals.

Mikhail: They became worried, especially after Bladeblaster threatened Cardinal’s life. Cardinal was sure that Bladeblaster was going to try and assassinate him in order to get at Shade.

Des: (Greater Dusk's leader? What?)

Mikhail: Cardinal was sure—and he's not a man to mentally commit to very many certainties, mind you— that Bladeblaster was going to try and assassinate him in order to get at Shade.

Des: --?! (Well THAT escalated quickly—!)

Mikhail: I assisted in a strategy session—in this very room, actually—regarding trying to figure out how to handle the overall situation… and to try and learn more about CDN-7037: Dencerjack. Or, as we know him, Jack Parker.

Des: (That CDN unit was sorta like their mascot...)

Des: (Just how intertwined IS all this?)

[Mikhail interlocked his fingers and leaned forward, speaking more factually now.]

Mikhail: At the risk of sounding like a conspiracy theorist, I believe that Cherry Dynamics is directly involved in Greater Dusk, which in turn served as an experimental “Patient Zero” for the virus in its current state. We have a paper trail that links CherryDyn to the funds that paid for Greater Dusk’s business expenses.

Des: Wait--

Des: CherryDyn was their sponsor?!

Des: (Oh--Oh, man, a paper trail, if we can get our hands on that, that'll send their lawyers scrambling--)

Des: And you can prove this?

Mikhail: I can’t prove the company as a whole, but I can prove a link. But yes, I can prove it. I told you, we have a paper trail—we found it months ago! I always keep my own copies of important files on an isolated server. I’ll get them for you after this is over. For now, though, I need you to listen.

Des: ....Right.

Des: I'm listening...

Mikhail: Jack Parker was originally a Civilian model, showcased to display new advancements in CherryDyn technology. He was neglected and abandoned, and fell onto very, very hard times. He was repeatedly mistreated and abused by employers and landlords, including some downright illegal situations. One day, he was attacked by Bladeblaster and his gang, and subsequently was pressed into service.

Mikhail: He was made to sign a contract without being allowed to read it, and was forcefully converted from a Civilian model to a Combat model.

Des: (...That's...)

Des: (I can't even count how many laws were described as being broken in that spiel.)

Mikhail: After that, he was physically and psychologically abused by his team leader. Repeatedly. It is for that reason that he resisted orders in battle, and even fought back when the infected crosses tried to take control. A cross he had been forced to wear.

[He leans back, drumming his fingers.]

Mikhail: Bladeblaster didn’t tell him what they did, but he felt it once it began to happen.

Des: ....Infected...

Des: (So the whole Queen's Finals fiasco was a trial run, of sorts?)

Des: (With live test subjects, funded by CherryDyn. The same company whose servers were the first ones infected, who have the most robots worldwide…)

Des: (I do believe we got a prime suspect in our hands. Certainly more believable that a large company like CherryDyn could be infiltrated or just go plain wrong, and have the resources to procure something like this…)

Des: (Now, if only we can actually TALK to that CEO...)

[Mikhail sighed and shook his head.]

Mikhail: And here we begin to reach one of the other main things you wanted to know about, if I’m not wrong.

Des: —… (Oh, right—almost forgot. Mmmn…)

[Mikhail looked up.]

Mikhail: …Tobias personally heard his favorite brother die. My son…

Mikhail: … Light Number Eight himself was killed in a manner tragically similar to what happened again. When he saw Jack being attacked, saw him go down in the sands…

[He closes his eyes.]

Mikhail: …

Mikhail:  … … …

Des: . . .

Mikhail: …

Mikhail: -Slowly and hesitantly- …Dr. Wily was not exactly a man with great self-control. Even… even back then. He was… he was very zealous. And his sons… they all reflect that streak of impulsiveness and unbridled fire.

Des: (...!)

Des: (So that's why...)

Mikhail: -Opens his eyes- When he saw that happen, especially after Dynatron was taken hostage…

Mikhail: He just couldn’t stand by any longer. He had an overwhelming directive to save her, to stop Bladeblaster from killing her, or killing Jack.

Mikhail: He made his way through on his own accord—and as you undoubtedly saw, paid the price for his insolence.

Mikhail: …Tobias had no intention of doing anything but stopping the measure, preventing loss of lives. He used force because at that level of Combat, he was willing and permitted to use whatever means necessary to stop her—to stop her from dying. He had no personal intent of compromising the security for the sake of malice.

Des: . . . .

Des: (So all he wanted was to save the Electric Maiden.)

Des: (That makes a lot of sense, given the Doctor's answers so far, and that both of them seem to be lighting-based bots. Looking out for one another...)

Des: (Still...)

Des: What about Bladeblaster?

Des: What was “Tobias” he going to do to him, exactly? He used enough power to send several blocks of London on the fritz, and EVERY witness account indicates he was pulling back for another strike. Was he going to kill him?

Mikhail: …

Mikhail: (As much as I want to vehemently deny it, I…)

Mikhail: (I can’t, not knowing how CLOSE he and his derivative have come to such a thing in the past when in such a state of wild, enraged despair…)

Mikhail: (Even so…)

Mikhail: (They ARE pacifists.)

Mikhail: …He needed Dynatron safe, and he had never fought before except in self-defense. -Hesitant kind of thoughtful- I don’t think he knew or realized what could happen—not on a conscious level—to him or to Bladeblaster. …If you need those notes and logs to clear him, I can provide those as well.

Des: ...Fair enough. (…Not as if we have anything else to go on at this rate, without talking to the Mighty Numbers directly.)

Des: ....

Des: -Shuffles through his notes with a frown- (Okay. We've covered this and that, and we got some important info out of this. Here comes the hard part.)

Des: This brings me to the other issues about DLN-008.

Des: As well as DLN-000 and the White House. We'll start there.

Des: What EXACTLY happened?

Mikhail: …

[He looks to the side again with a tired frown. His gaze seems to be glazing over, weary at the memory.]

Mikhail: …

Des: Doctor.

Des: You need to answer this. Now. It's a matter of national security, and the President herself has made it clear she's tired of being stonewalled. Trust me, you wouldn't want me to escalate this to my superior. So answer the question, WITHOUT any more stalling.

Mikhail: -Pinches the bridge of his nose- Yes, yes, I understand. I rather DID get that impression with the not-at-all-veiled death threat that she leveled on me.

Mikhail: It's just…

Mikhail: -Sad sigh- You're asking me questions to which I can only speculate a large portion of it.

Des: “Speculate”?

Mikhail: -Sad expression- We had almost no contact with Cardinal throughout this entire nightmare. And now… now it's too late to try and get his side of the story.

Des: “Too late”? I thought you said—

Mikhail: His body is fixed, but his mind… that's not something that will take the burden so easily.

Mikhail: I digress. Who do you want to hear about?

Des: …

Des: I asked you to be precise, not to summarize.

Mikhail: Who do you want me to discuss first, then.

Des: …

Des: You tell me. What happened first?

Mikhail: …

Mikhail: -Crosses his arms and shakes his head- | / …Cardinal was the first of anyone to get news of what was going on in your capital city. So I suppose I'll start with him. He would…

Mikhail: He would appreciate that, anyway, for reasons which… if we all live, perhaps someday you'll want to hear of them.

Des: …

Mikhail: …Cardinal Light…

Mikhail: …

Mikhail: …When all of this happened… Cardinal had been so desperately looking forward to being reunited with his best friend. They hadn’t seen—and had barely heard from—one another since the tournament began. He wanted to hang out and have fun, like old times again. …

Mikhail: -Closes his eyes, his face twisting to show heavy sorrow- …Instead, he was faced with the potential loss entirely.

Des: ....

Mikhail: …

Mikhail: … -Swallows- …He probably didn’t have much time to react. But once he could see and process what had happened and what was going on…

Mikhail: He saw the danger. And he had to stop it.

Mikhail: That much I'm sure of. Afer all… he was made as a military robot: made to defend and to give his life for the lives of others on the front lines in war.

Mikhail: With this… he saw the potential for something much worse than just chaos and war.

[He looked up.]

Mikhail: He saw the potential for genocide.

Des: --...????

Des: What?

[Mikhail was NOT pleased at the tone of this response, and he grew bitter, almost angry in a “mild disdain and disgust” sort of way.]

Mikhail: You know exactly what I’m talking about, Mister Desmond. And it almost happened more than one time in the past week.

Mikhail: When faced with the prospect of uncontrollable robot masses, to some it may seem that the only way to cease the madness would be to kill everything with fire. To obliterate the threat so badly that it was stopped completely.

Mikhail: But that would come at what price, if you destroyed all of the Artificial Intelligences and Awareness in your nation in your world, infected AND healthy?

Mikhail: Would the remaining humans be enough to support themselves, to grow food, to give medical care, to risk lives at dangerous jobs?

Des: ......

Des: (.....Gh...)

Des: (It's almost too horrifying to think about...)

Mikhail: This threat, for him, was on the level of a nation. It was about more than his friends. And he knew that his friends, now lost to the virus, could very easily make it a reality.

[He scowled.]

Mikhail: He was already in the thick of it before we could stop him. He made his way to the one place he ever felt at home, and from there acted upon his need to protect the people. Once things stabilized, he set out to follow Shade’s trail. He must have become truly desperate, for he even came to the lab and nearly got cornered.

Mikhail: After that, he must have determined that the one place Shade could do the most damage was the White House. And that is why he went there.

[He looked up again, tired.]

Mikhail: I’m sure you must be worried about security. That’s why you’re asking me this, isn’t that what you were saying?

Des: --....

Des: (...Well, it doesn't help that a total of only four to five or maybe MORE robots were enough to interfere and bypass our entire security system, even if it WAS malfunctioning...)

Mikhail: Well, I assure you that very little short of a well-armed squadron could have prevented Cardinal from entering. He was made to take out armored tanks, and he was willing to take the hits if it meant getting in.

Des: (...So that explains the well-made helmet.)

Mikhail: And as much as he wanted to rescue his friend, his overhanded, commanding priority in a military-grade order was to evacuate the White House and save the President.

Mikhail: And that is why he risked and GAVE everything to save you. ((pl.))

Des: .....

Des: And where does DLN-008 fit into all of this, Doctor Cossack? He isn't military, I assume.

Mikhail: … -Painful expression- ({This is going to hurt…}) -Looks away-

Mikhail: ({I knew…})

Mikhail: ({I knew in my heart, in that moment, that there would be a price to pay…})

Mikhail: ({And… and I accepted it, when it came to find me, but…})

Mikhail: ({That does not make this any easier…})

Mikhail: …No, he’s an Industrial. Built to handle power plants.

Des: Then?

Des: In the past year, he's broken into two top-level security establishments--the Queen's Finals, okay, that I can understand. But that's just me.

Des: I'm sorry, Doctor, but there are consequences for--

Mikhail: (Ghhkt—) -Interrupts- No, Desmond!

Des: Doctor--

Mikhail: Leave him alone.

-*-*-*-*-*-

Min: This is your last chance— hand yourself over to the authorities, or you will be facing the consequences—

Cardinal: NO!

Cardinal: Leave him alone!

[For the first time since he had come in…

He actually SOUNDED scared.

Desperate, even.]

-*-*-*-*-*-

Des: --......

Des: (This again...)

Mikhail: …Tobias is hot-blooded, but he did not—I… repeat, he did not…

[He’s VERY clearly uncomfortable.]

Mikhail: ({There’s… there is no other choice…!})

Mikhail: …You have to leave him alone.

Mikhail: He didn’t go after your security systems on his own initiative.

[Little did he realize…

…the watch he was wearing was the one Countershade had given him for his 39th birthday earlier that year. He’d completely forgotten about that, especially since he’d never had the chance to get the rundown on what it does.

But one of those functions was to report his condition if his heart rate were to rise high enough to show he was in danger.

And this was one of those times.]

Mikhail: …That was my fault.

[PING!]

[HEART RATE ABOVE NORMAL STRESS LEVELS. SENDING DISTRESS SIGNAL...]

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

Will: --...? What...?

Soi: What is it--

Will: --....It...It's Mikhail--?

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

[MN.8 IS NOW ONLINE]

Shade: Mngh....

Shade: Mikhail's...

Mic: ?

Mic: -Go back to sleep--

Shade: Mikhail's not...Mgh...okay...

Beck: Huh?

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

Mikhail: Mine and mine alone.

Mikhail: Do you hear me?

Des: --?!

Des: (Wait, what?)

Des: (HE told DLN-008 to...)

Mikhail: When we saw on the news that he was there, we quickly deduced what had happened. And I knew he was going to die, going to get himself killed if I didn’t intervene. I’m his Doctor, I know what his limits are— you and your people were going to destroy him out of panic, or weaken him enough that Shade, controlled by the virus, would do so himself.

Des: Then WHY didn't you call ahead, or at least--

[Mikhail stood, looking a kind of bitterly frustrated just short of angry.]

((Pic—Mikhail & Des (argue) ))

Mikhail: Called? Do you honestly think that after what happened with Battalion, I could have called!?

Des: What?!

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

Soi: Will, you shouldn't--you CAN'T hack into their camera's--

Will: Like HELL I can't--

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

Pyro: Shade, sit DOWN--

Shade: Mikhail's in trouble--

Brand: He's in the same building, Shade, he's not--

Shade: Ya don't get it, I'm gettin' a distress signal from the watch--

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

Des: How do you KNOW about that?!

Mikhail: Your people called Sanda’s labs directly. I vacated the premises, but once I got back… Battalion was home and everyone involved had been sworn to secrecy on a governmental, military level.

Mikhail: What else would any SANE Russian conclude given those facts?!

Des: --....

Des: -Grits teeth- (Damnit, he has a point!)

Mikhail: The constructs went where they could cause the most damage, Desmond! Battalion is a walking tank built as a homage to the military!

Des: ....

Mikhail: Besides, we DID call! We spoke to someone, but they could not help us—and I could not and would> not wait!

Des: (Grr… I’ll have to follow up on that and see who he spoke to about this! In the meantime—)

Des: If you were there, at the time we called regarding Battalion, at least for a while--

Des: Why didn't you say anything?

Mikhail: Why do you think?  I left PRECISELY to avoid THIS conversation, Mr. Desmond. =____=;;

Des: Then were YOU responsible for the security breach at the base THEN?

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

Will: --! No--!

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

Mikhail: -Leans back a bit and blinks, clearly taken off-guard regarding something he did NOT expect- ({What—?!})

Mikhail: ({There…})

Mikhail: ({There was a security breach?!})

[Mikhail looked over, confused. He seemed to be trying to process the information, unsure whether to ask for clarification or not.]

Mikhail: ({What happened, is this—})

Mikhail: ({Is this some sort of trick, is this a trick question, or—})

Mikhail: ({Was there really a breach, is he just trying to catch me in a lie and use that to say I’m covering for people, or—})

Mikhail: ({If I say the wrong thing, are they going to blame Will and Sanda for this?})

Mikhail: ({I can’t…})

Mikhail: ({I can’t risk asking for clarification…. If something really DID happen, and it’s obvious I don’t know, then Will and Sanda would be their next guess…. If it was someone else, I’m confident they’ll find out in due time. I can’t risk putting Will through…})

Mikhail: ({…He’s been so terrified this whole time, he fled any time someone from the government contacted us. I don’t think he could take the kind of questioning the feds give you…. And I certainly don’t want him to have to be put through that.})

Mikhail: ({Oh, Will…! If only you hadn’t been sworn to secrecy, maybe you could have told me what really happened back there!})

Mikhail: ({I can’t…})

Mikhail: ({…If I say nothing…})

Mikhail: ({…Nothing can be held against you.})

[Eventually it faded to just a frown.]

Mikhail: …

Des: (.... Wasn't expecting that response...)

Des: ....

Des: Alright, then. You don't know. Sit down, Doctor.

[Mikhail didn’t sit down.]

Mikhail: Mnnn. Anyway. -Crosses his arms, tapping his fingers and looking to the side-

Mikhail: After all of that, do you honestly think I could rely on anyone to LISTEN to reason, to stop shooting just because some Doctor nobody told them to, especially me—a Russian?

Mikhail: Tsk. Don’t patronize me. I knew at once that it wouldn’t work, and I was proven right when I called ahead anyway. Perhaps it would under normal circumstances, but everyone was in panic. You didn’t know his intentions, and you were under attack—the logical thing would be to fight back against those not under your control. And so, he would be damaged. And he was! By the systems, by your security outside—

[He puts his hands behind his back and looks at Desmond coldly over his glasses.]

Mikhail: You yourself even SHOT him in the cranium, you TOLD me that YOURSELF in our last brief interview.

Des: --....

Des: (Ngh, he's right, we would've...)

Mikhail: Do you remember the state he was brought in to me? If it had been any worse, even the SLIGHTEST bit worse, Nine would have been too late and 000 would have died— permanently.

Des: (Gh...)

Des: (Having the core exposed like that...Yet another point for the Doctor. Bah...)

Mikhail: I refused to let that happen, I refused to make that risk! And not just the risk to him, to his friends— Cardinal Light was running on nuclear power—

Des: Nuclear?!

Des: (That doesn't make SENSE, there's no Xelbot online that runs on nuclear--they don't NEED to--)

Des: (Great, NOW we have to go through a radiation check!)

Mikhail: —if the virus had forced Shade, if Shade in his unwilling madness had, in that last moment, shot him—

Mikhail: -Clearly a bit worked up- Cardinal would have exploded, we would have lost him—!

Des: Doctor!

Des: Calm. Down.

[Mikhail exhaled sharply, but didn’t budge—even continuing to glare for a few tense moments.

…But then that cold fire slowly died down, and he began to look exhausted again. He sat down heavily, bowing his head.]

Mikhail: …I got desperate. …I refused to allow that to happen.

[He put his head in his hands.]

Mikhail: …I had sent all of my patients into an emergency lockdown that placed them Offline. But once I saw what was going to happen unless Cardinal was helped— I wanted to take him out of there, but his transceiver had been off for a long time. Only a positive visual lock can compensate for the lack of a signal. I needed visual. The only way to get visuals was through the security system… where they were currently under the virus’s control.

Mikhail: I saw no other option but to bypass or at least mitigate the malfunctioning security, since feeds could not be negotiated from the Pentagon…

Mikhail: ({I TRIED, Will, I swear—Call contacted them, but they were BLIND, they had no control…!})

Mikhail: …can’t negotiate what you don’t have in your possession to offer…

[His heart was racing.]

Mikhail: I made the decision to bring Tobias back Online.

[He curls his hands into fists and places them down on the table, his miserable gaze still cast downward.]

Mikhail: And I ordered him to go into the Cloud, force his way in there, give us the feeds, and disable it or turn it off.

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

Will: NO--!!

Will: (No, Mikhail, NO--!)

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

Cryo: MIC SIT ON HIM OR SOMETHING--

Mic: -But we don't want to crush him--

Beck: Shade, calm down--!

Shade: Lemmie GO--!

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

Mikhail: I knew it was wrong, yes, and I did so anyway. That is what matters here, justified or not.

Mikhail:   ({I’m so sorry Will…! But… if I don’t accept this, then it’s only going to bring the axe down on Tobias or you, and I just can’t allow that! This is not your fault and Tobias—he’s just a scared child, he doesn’t deserve such a fate—})

Mikhail: ({If… if someone REALLY has…  has to pay…})

Des: ....

[The Secretary of Defense slowly exhales, pinching the bridge of his nose. He didn't expect things to turn out this way.]

Des: (This is a huge complicated mess...)

Des: (If HE ordered DLN-008 to infiltrate the White House security...)

Des: (Under the circumstances...)

Des: (I have to assume he's also acting under orders.)

Des: So you ordered him to do it.

Mikhail: Yes.

Des: ....

Des: And whose orders are YOU acting under?

Mikhail: Nobody’s.

Des: .....

Des: Doctor Cossack.

Des: Your files and that of your patients didn't even exist in the last year.

Des: I can only assume someone else FORGED your papers.

Des: Who?

Mikhail: -Somewhat shaky but VERY firm- I won’t answer that.

Mikhail: ({Shade’s ALREADY in a bad enough position as it is.})

Des: Then what ELSE do you want me to think?

Mikhail: -VERY uncomfortable expression- ({I can tell that’s going to cost me…!})

Des: And how much do Sanda and his employees know about this?

Mikhail: -ANGRY- again- ({For the— NO! Please! Leave them all alone, WHY haven’t I been able to make that clear by now?!})

Mikhail: ENOUGH! I told you, no, I’m NOT a spy—

Des: Then WHO are you WORKING for, Doctor?!

Mikhail: I don’t work for anybody, Desmond! Before Wily nearly completely massacred my family, I built my sons within an LLC that was privately, personally funded! I’ve never let anyone be able to claim ownership over my sons—no one tells me what to do, I’m my own boss!

Mikhail: Do you have children, or at least know the lives of parents?

Des: --..... (Min…)

Mikhail: Can you expect to know everything that your children’s friend’s parents are and know?!

Mikhail: No! Doctor Sanda and his children are the friends of my children, of my nephews— we too, in turn, are friends—that’s IT!

Mikhail: So— with all due respect, Mister Secretary—

[He gestures at the camera.]

Mikhail: I’ve told you all I have to say within the hearing range of other listening ears! Anything else will have to be for you alone, and only then can you decide whether it will or can be added back into an official file.

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

Will: --.....

Will: -Admittedly kind of freaked out how he worded that, how does he know--

Soi: o______o;;;;

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

Mikhail: …If that’s not good enough to work off of…

[He forces himself to look up, to look Desmond in the eyes with great effort.]

Mikhail: …you’ll just have to… -Takes a breath- …make your decisions… based on… based on what I’ve told you thus far.

Mikhail: ({God—if it really comes to that, please have mercy on me; let it be quick—! I don’t know if I could stand the waiting, I’m not strong enough for that!})

Mikhail: And you can question me again and again, but forevermore, the answers will not change.

Des: . . .

Des: . . .

Mikhail: That is all I have to say.

Des: (....)

Des: (He's not going to talk any more, is he...)

Des: (And this STILL isn't enough to go on. There's still too many questions left unanswered, and he's dead set on keeping that under lock and key--not to mention taking any blame thereof.)

Des: (If nothing else, he's covering for that boy, I know he is.)

Des: ....

Mikhail: …

Des: (...At least we have some very useful leverage against CherryDyn now.)

Des: (Maybe we can even have some kind of breakthrough--and a lead on Dencerjack, if he's still alive...)

Des: .....

Des: You said you printed off those files you said you'd provide.

Mikhail: Yes. I printed them off in advance, as I anticipated that they would be needed.

Des: Fine, but I'll have to take a look at the original files myself.

Mikhail: Very well, I may be willing to grant you access. That would have to be done at a later time, though. The server that hosts the files is no longer accessible via the Cloud. It has to be visited in person.

Des: ...In Russia? Somewhere off country? (Am I going to have to travel half way across the world?)

Des: ...And why?

Mikhail: No, not in Russia. -Sighs, shaking his head and closing his eyes- I don’t live there anymore. Not after what happened. We had to move as part of the protection program.

Mikhail: As for why…

Mikhail: Among other things… data in the Cloud still isn’t safe, even on isolated servers. In order to keep the files intact, I’ve removed all possible access to the server for this time. Sorry.

Des: .......

[Desmond takes out his phone and begins texting.]

[D.D. to M.M.]//: ⚠️: 🔬 🔗 ✅.

[D.D. to M.M.]//: 🔬 🔇 ⛔️ 🔍 re: L008, et. al, etc.

[M.M. to D.D.]//: USE Ɑ STAT?

[D.D. to M.M.]//: 🔂 👀 ABOVE.

[M.M. to D.D.]//: ⚖?

[D.D. to M.M.]//: ❌— 📰, 📁, ANY?

[M.M. to D.D.]//: ❌ re:🇷🇺, 🇯🇵

[M.M. to D.D.]//: ⏱ ⌛️?

[D.D. to M.M.]//: ❌—💬⛔️🔇

[M.M. to D.D.]//: 🎬🔍— ⏲ @ 0

[M.M. to D.D.]//: PROTOCOL?

[D.D. to M.M.]//: 💬

[D.D. to M.M.]//: ⛓🔬🔐

[M.M. to D.D.]//: ∴ ⛓🔬🔐

Des: (....Damn it.)

Des: (...I'm sorry, Doctor, but if you're going to be like this...)

Des: ....

Des: We're going to need you to discuss the matter further until you give full explanations.

Mikhail:  ! -Winces- ({I’ll—!There’s no way I’ll—!}) -Breathing a bit heavier now, a dismayed kind of terrified- ({I’ll never make it out of that alive!})

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

Soi: WILL—

[Soichiro had always felt bad whenever he had to use his larger stature against his leaner friend--but Will was determined to get his hands on the lab controls, desperately trying to lock down the lab in a panic.]

Will: THEY'RE GOING TO TAKE HIM, SOI—

Will: I can't—I won't—! NOT AGAIN!

Will: I won't lose another—!

Will: I won't lose another FAMILY—!

Soi: Will—Will, please, you can't—I know this looks bad but don't do anything rash—WILL!

Will: Then I'll stop them MYSELF!

Soi: WILL, ARE YOU INSANE, GET BACK HERE—!

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

Bat: STAND DOWN, PRIVATE—!

Shade: Somethin' WRONG! He's—he's in danger, Mikhail's in DANGER, the watch says so—

Avi: -Does anybody have any idea what the HECK IS HAPPENING—-

Brand: {Don't you DARE TURN INVISIB—SHADE!!!}

Shade: Gotta go--gotta go check--

Pyro: Don't worry, I got his cloak--EIGHT! DAMN IT, STOP DRAGGING ME--

Cryo: YO, WHAT WAS THAT ABOUT UNCLE COSSACK THO--

Beck: Mikhail is in danger?!

Mic: D:

Dyna: -BZZT, SHADY WOULD YOU STOP DRAGGING EVERYONE OUTSIDE--

Pyro: SHADE!

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

[Mikhail was well aware of what that would mean for him. Well aware.

Linked directly now to two rounds of cases involving the virus, to multiple constructs with security-breaking capacities, all under constructed credentials, with a staunch refusal to divulge his true origins, or to grant access to said constructs… as a non-citizen…

With stakes that high, denial could only earn him treatment as a very well planted spy.

And spies were not granted the dignity of decency that had been established under treaties which protected prisoners of war.

Interrogation, and then enhanced interrogation—but when both of those revealed nothing…]

Mikhail: -Clearly scared and hopeless- … ({This is really it, then…. This is where it will end for me…. Alone, in captivity, not even within my own time. That… that’s really how… how I’m going to die?}) -Swallows- …

[He was becoming enveloped by a sense of despair. It was dragging him down, slowly, into the familiar terrors of waiting nervously for the final judgment made on his case.

It would appear that there just wasn't any way for him to escape this fate. He had been spared once, but for it to happen again—

It would appear that his time in the mortal world was just about over. Just as he had feared… it would all be over, very soon.

Very, very soon.]

Mikhail: … -Swallows again- ({Then…})

Mikhail: ({So be it.})

Mikhail: -Russian- {…I…. I understand.}

Des: ....

[Mikhail struggled to get his breathing under control, and to stop the swallowing, but it wasn’t easy to put a forceful end to the instinctive physical response to panic.

[Despite an incredible amount of effort to regain his composure, Mikhail fell short of achieving a stoic demeanor. Far from it.

He bowed his head, as if it were being dragged down by the weight of his fear.

And though he tried, so very hard, to once again regain a front of calm patience…

This time he broke entirely, once and for all.]

((Pic—Mikhail’s despair))

[Tears.

Tears of despair.

They were silent, at first, but the sharp hiss of erratic breaths through clenched teeth betrayed what cowering brokenness he was trying to obscure from view.]

Mikhail: ({I can’t be sure… what will happen, with me belonging outside of this time…})

Mikhail: ({But… if it must… be this way, then…})

Mikhail: ({My dear Sveta…})

Mikhail: ({I didn’t… think I would be seeing you again so soon…})

Mikhail: -Grits his teeth hard- ({And with so little dignity left in the matter…})

Mikhail: ({I can’t even keep myself together when I knew this would happen!})

Mikhail: ({I…})

Mikhail: ({I’m so sorry…})

Des: -Quietly, with a sense of respect- I don't like this either, Doctor.

Des: (...You seem like a good, if highly troubled man, in my opinion. And my gut's usually right on things like this.)

[Mikhail didn’t respond. Not right away. He seemed to be slipping into a deep sense of regret, based on how his body language began to change from the tense cowering of cornered prey to the exhausted submission of a lifeless prisoner.]

Mikhail: ({I’m sorry, Will… I’m sorry…})

Mikhail: ({Please…})

Mikhail: ({Please don’t hold this against him…. This is his job, and…})

Mikhail: ({I am but a man, and equal before the law means that there shall be no special treatment.})

[He heaved a shaky breath, trying to blink away the tears.]

Mikhail: ({Oh, Nero…! I cannot ask for mercy, and there is no hope for salvation…. If this is to be the end of me, please…})

Mikhail: ({Please, Enigma… take care of my daughter…})

[There was another shaky breath, though his breathing was becoming slower and more regular as the initial shock wore off and acceptance began to creep in.]

Mikhail: … {Do what you must.}

Des: ....

[With a sigh, Des reached around to pull out a pair of steel handcuffs. Unfortunately, this was protocol.]

Mikhail: -Flinches SHARPLY at this- …

Mikhail: -Strained groan- ({Oh, not THESE again…})

Mikhail: (At least…)

Mikhail: (At least THESE ones… don’t have spikes in them…)

[He didn’t say anything. He just looked incredibly defeated.

He started to pull off his left glove silently, hesitating for a moment before letting the silk slide.]

Des: --...!

Des: (What in the...)

[His hands were covered in burn scars. It was clear he’d had some skin grafting done. One could see the edges continued all the way to his arms.

…Looking closer, one could also see such scars beneath the beard on his face.

There were also other scars around his wrists—as if he had been bound there and struggled against it for months.

He really had seen hell before…and he’d actually been speaking literally when he said Cardinal had rescued him from fire.]

Des: ..... (Scars…)

[He hesitated briefly—he wasn’t sure if those scars were prone to sudden pain via pressure. They looked incredibly nasty—and also fairly recent.]

Des: (…I don’t have a choice.)

[Desmond took great care as he closed the restraints around Mikhail’s wrists. There was a cold, somewhat jarring clicking noise as he locked them into place and reluctantly tightened them.

Mikhail bites back a whimper of anxiety, gritting his teeth in silence instead. His heart was still pounding—he almost felt dizzy in the fear… but he was determined not to give in to it.]

Des: (…This is going to suck.)

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

=CHAPTER 3C: VOLTAIC DYNATRON=

~AO v2.0~

((Courtesy of @codedhopes))

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

{Kansas City

June 23rd, 20XX}

Rebooting…

Running Diagnostic….

SYSTEM REPORT Power Network: Online Internal Fans: Online Neural Net: Online RADIO System: Online WiFi System: Online Audio System: Online Tactile Senses: Online Visual Sensors: Online Motion Sensors: Online Motor System: Online Primary Weaponry: Online: ENGAGED Secondary Weaponry: Online: ENGAGED

>WARNING: THIS SYSTEM IS ENGAGED IN LETHAL COMBAT MODE.

PROGRAM DIAGNOSTIC RobotWhiteCell Firewall: Running Artificial Intelligence and Awareness: Online BetaEmotions: Online Battle Tactical Sequences: Online: ENGAGED Non-lethal Battle Sequences: Online

Diagnostic complete.

<DLN-000 is now Online.>

[Cardinal’s eyes wavered as his visual processors slowly flickered to life. He found himself staring up at an unfamiliar ceiling.

Everything was quiet, other than the whirring of a nearby fan.]

Cardinal: … (Wait…)

Cardinal: (That’s…)

[He turned his head and looked over at the base of the bed he was in. Sure enough, there was Jazz, curled up in her Civilian form. Purring.]

Cardinal: …

Cardinal: (I’m in a hospital of some sort, but… where am I?)

Cardinal: … (What TIME is it???)

[He sat up immediately, feeling alert again.]

“I was wondering when you’d wake up.”

Cardinal: ?

[He looked over, and to his surprise, saw Drake sitting in a chair, folding up a newspaper.]

Drake: You were out of it the rest of the day and then all day today.

Cardinal: Where are we?

Drake: We’re at the closest functioning hospital near the arena. The arena hospital got pretty trashed, I’m afraid. A lot of fighters went berserk in there, apparently.

Cardinal: -Puts a hand to his face, giving off a brief data burst of frustration and resignation- I don’t even want to begin to think on the casualties…

Drake: They actually handled it pretty well. The security system against violent patients is separate from the main grid, and only activates with manual application.

Cardinal: …I guess it makes sense they’d have a back-up plan. … …I’m glad….

Drake: After you passed out, a couple of guys went in to get you. They asked me to meet up with you here. Once we got here, though…

Drake: Your cat kinda drove them off. : / They thought that she’d been infected too, but…

Cardinal: Damn, I’m sorry. -Puts both hands to his face now, venting a sigh- She gets like that when I’m unable to defend myself. She IS my support unit, after all.

Drake: …

Drake: But why was she acting so aggressive against the medical team? She was fine with me.

Cardinal: Heh. Oh, if only you knew.

Drake: I don’t suppose it has something to do with why you were covered in oil stains and didn’t show any injuries?

Cardinal: …

[He was admittedly impressed.]

Cardinal: That’s… pretty observant of you.

Drake: Hey, I work with pointing out features of the stars for a living. You pick up a thing or two… especially when you have to keep an eye out for anyone trying to sneak food in to the planetarium.

[Cardinal chuckled at this, and then rummaged through his reserves. He pulled out a W-tank and popped it open.

There was a refreshing surge of energy that pumped him up, bringing the weapons up to full strength.]

Cardinal: Well, guilty as charged. I brought snacks in with me.

Drake: -Points- What’s in that stuff? Soda?

Cardinal: It’s… it’s a formula designed to work with someone of my specs. That’s really all I can say.

[He flipped back the blanket and swung his feet over the edge. Jazz looked up from her nap.]

Drake: What even happened in there? You’ll tell me that much before running off, right?

Cardinal: -Adjusts his scarf- Well, I do owe you one for staying with me. It’s… something I can’t really explain, but it was really important that the medics didn’t look me over too closely. If you kept them off my back… I really owe you one.

Drake: Let me guess. You’re a secret military project?

Cardinal: …

Drake: I saw the dog tags.

Cardinal: …Technically yes? I confirm or deny nothing, Mister Dawson.

[He went over to a window, looking out into the hallway.]

Cardinal: You know by now that I am pretty close to the Mighty Numbers. I know them personally. They’re… honestly my best friends.

[He looked down at his scarf with a sigh, staring at the dart pinned to it.]

Cardinal: I… knew that if you keep the central core intact, you can restore someone later. And that as a virus corrupts the core, it becomes harder to remove it.

Cardinal: -Tilts his head back, closing his eyes- It was easier with the Industrials that were in all the museums. I’ve… seen enough of war machines that it didn’t bother me too much, once the initial shock and dismay wore off at Liberty Memorial.

Cardinal: Fighting crazed Civilians was harder. Much harder. Most of them would run off, though, once they realized they were going to take a beating if they kept trying to attack. I couldn’t really let it get to me… and I still have to remind myself that it’s a price of war. I’m just… just one person, powerless to help against the virus.

Cardinal: -Almost bitterly- I’m… I’m not like Beck.

Drake: …

Cardinal: -Vents a sigh- But… if we all just gave up because we couldn’t save everybody, then nobody would bother to save anybody. I had to… do what I can. With what I have.

[He clenched a fist in determination.]

Cardinal: I have a directive to help the people first, Drake. So that’s what I did. And with the Arrowhead Stadium… that meant taking on Combat ‘bots.

[He crossed his arms, tapping a finger.]

Cardinal: We were a little late to the party. I’m going to hazard a guess that most of the Combat ‘bots that had been there turned on one another pretty quickly. And probably on infected Civvies, too. There was… a lot of Xel down there.

Drake: -Yuck-

Cardinal: The only ones left standing were a group called the “Prairie Kings”—

Drake: What?

Drake: You fought the Prairie Kings? Alone?

Cardinal: -Looks up- ? Oh, you know them?

Drake: Dude—they’re one of the highest ranking teams in the Midwest! With all that you know about KC, how can you not know them?

[Cardinal laughed a little at that.]

Drake: Seriously. Sometimes, you just really don’t make sense.

Cardinal: Well, to answer your question: yes, I did. It wasn’t exactly the easiest thing, though.

Drake: Well I’d imagine NOT! How are you even in one piece?

Cardinal: -Holds up fingers as he counts- There’s the formula I told you about. But I’m humble enough to admit that the fact they’d been fighting for a day or so by the time I got to them had something to do with it.

[He shook his head.]

Cardinal: They insisted on fighting to the dissolve. It wasn’t pleasant for either party involved; they would have been better off if I’d used the stronger weapons and put them out of their misery more quickly. I’m sure Shade would have preferred that, but… (I need to save those. I only brought one other W-tank.)

Drake: Holy [glitch], man. I can’t believed you reduced the entire team to their core state all by yourself. No wonder you got to know the Mighties personally…

Cardinal: -Weak smile- It’s a little more complicated than that. If you really want, maybe someday you could hear the whole story. It would be getting into a bunch of secrets you’d have to keep from literally everyone else you know… and that even if you did tell, no one would believe you. But if you wanted to…

Cardinal: Maybe. Until then… catch.

[He tossed his cell phone to Drake, who only just caught it.]

Drake: You’re giving me your phone? What if someone calls you?

Cardinal: No one’s going to bother until after Beck rescues Avi. And that’s when, not if… but hopefully next, that would be good.

Cardinal: When that happens, you’re gonna want to call the Mighty Numbers yourself.

Drake: Me?!

Cardinal: They’ll recognize the number and pick up the call pronto.

Drake: But—but why me?

Cardinal: You heard my last conversation with them. They’re going to trace the call’s location. I wouldn’t put it past the Doctors to try and teleport me out against my will, and I just can’t have that. I can’t let anyone jeopardize the mission.

Drake: But… what am I supposed to say?

Cardinal: Well, let them know I’m still in one piece, for starters. You might want to see if you can get Beck to come over and help purge the Kings and everyone else who was down in the sands. I’m sure they’re going to be getting requests like that from all over the country, but Beck might take the time to do it anyway as a favor to me.

Cardinal: I won’t tell him how to go about healing his siblings. (It should be pretty obvious they need to focus on Bat, anyway.) I trust him to have good judgment in the matter. Though… if they insist, my advice would be to focus on the dangers in the middle.

Cardinal: (I really hope they go after Avi next, or he’s going to wind up getting wrecked by the Air Force.)

Drake: …You keep going on about your “mission”. If you aren’t gonna say where you’re going… can you at least say what that is?

Cardinal: …

[His expression becomes grim.]

Cardinal: I need to find Countershade.

Drake: You’re going after Eight? I thought you were just exaggerating!

Cardinal: I can’t sit back as long as he’s still out there. I just can’t.

Drake: -Sighs- Why do I even bother? You’re crazy enough to go through with this no matter what I say.

Cardinal: You get points for effort, Drake. But yeah, I’m afraid this is where we part ways. Stay safe, alright?

Drake: …

Drake: …Try to come back alive, okay…? If you get wrecked out there when no one can trace your signal…

Cardinal: John 15:13, my friend. It’s a risk I knew I’d be taking. I’m willing to accept the price.

Cardinal: Not going to lie to you… my plan is stupid dangerous, but it’s the best chance I’ve got. The only way that could generate reliable leads… before it’s too late. I won’t promise that I’ll make it back.

Drake: …

Cardinal: …But I’ll make an effort. I’ll try.

Cardinal: If I’m still in one piece after Shade gets rescued—trust me, that stuff will probably be making headlines as soon as Avi snaps out of it—I’ll call my phone so we can arrange for me to come pick it up.

Cardinal: If not, well. -Bleak data despite a forced, brave smile- Consider it a memento?

Drake: …

Drake: Any other messages?

Cardinal: If the PKs get restored, tell them that it wasn’t their fault. That it was the parasite, not them. It still won’t be easy on them, but it’s something they need to hear. It’ll be easy for people to forget that, with the amount of damage this has caused. I’d be happy to meet them in the arena again someday—they put up a hell of a good fight, and really gave me a run for my money. But let them know next time, they won’t be taking me by surprise, heh…

Cardinal: Anyone else and you say you don’t really know me. I’m not really interested in solicitors.

Drake: -Holds out his hand- I’ll do my best.

[Cardinal clasped his hand in a firm shake.]

Cardinal: That’s all I’ve ever asked. It was an honor, Drake Dawson. You did the city proud with how much you’ve helped out over the last few days.

Cardinal: -Lets go so he can pick up Jazz and his shield- I hope we meet again someday. I really do.

[With that, he set his sights back to the heart of the city.]

Cardinal: Farewell.

Byuubyuubyuu…

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This is a beautiful train wreck of dramedy. As some a’ mah friends say, “this can only end well.”