=CHAPTER 1C: RAGING FLAMES SMOLDER=

=CHAPTER 6B: CRIMSON STRONGHOLD=

~AO v2.0~

((Courtesy of @codedhopes))

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

{The Pentagon}

“This is an OUTRAGE!”

[It was quite the sight to see, though they had ensured that no prying eyes would be remotely capable of seeing it.]

“You call me out here toward the tail end of a crisis you tried to cover up by yourselves, and now you won’t even own admit to knowing about it in the first place!?”

[The Secretary of Defense looked on with a quiet frown as the teacher continued giving a verbal thrashing.]

???: I absolutely REFUSE to believe that NONE of you know ANYTHING about what just happened! TELL ME THE TRUTH!

[The room was silent.]

Des: (Man, I haven't seen her get this angry in years...)

???: Well?!

[Most of his colleagues were doing their best to avoid eye contact, which caused him to narrow his own pair.]

???: Oh for the love of— for Jefferson’s SAKE, people, don’t make me treat you like third graders!

Des: (...But I guess they had it coming.)

[But despite her fiery demeanor, no one was forthcoming. She drew herself up haughtily, now cold and seething.]

???: Very well, then. As the saying goes, “fine, be that way!” This isn’t over. The buck stops here, and so help me if I won’t order it to be traced!

“What do you mean?”

Des: (—Secretary of Urban Development—?)

???: -Tucks a stray strand of hair back into place- What do you think, Secretary O’Hare?

[Her stern gaze spilled over the rim of her glasses as she tilted her head down slightly in a menacing glare.]

???: I’ve just been told about an unauthorized, highly illegal military base with live weapons and warheads. This jeopardized the lives of over half a million people, and is still very much a threat to international peace. This facility was extremely well-maintained and up-to-date, which would require a great deal of money and specialized labor.

???: And absolutely NOBODY here is taking RESPONSIBILITY.

[She bent back the flexible ruler so hard that Desmond Donald was worried that it might snap in half.]

???: Well, I cannot have that. I’m going to find out who is involved, and whether or not there are more bases out there like this. Have I made myself clear?

[There were uneasy murmurs at this.]

???: I said, HAVE I MADE MYSELF CLEAR?

“Yes, Madame President!”

[Minerva Morandi, President of the United States, pushed her glasses up to her face.]

((Pic—Des and Min))

Min: Better. I expect full cooperation and none of your sass when you get the followup from Internal Affairs.

“Internal Affairs?!”

Des: -Looks over at the head of the Department of Homeland Security- : / ?

“Madame President, just think of the scandal—!”

Min: Excuse me?

“If the public found out about this…!”

Min: -SLAPS the ruler down on the table, making a VERY loud CRACK! of displeasure- Then someone would have violated the rules, Secretary Colby Caldwell! And frankly, damn the scandal!

Colby: But Madame President—

Min: -Motions sharply and cuts him off- My duty is to protecting the people, Mister Secretary! To protect the people and keep the peace! How am I supposed to do my job if there are active—or dormant, for that matter!—threats of which I haven’t even been made aware?!

[Desmond sighed and rubbed his chin.]

Des: Speaking of threats… there’s still the matter of the security breach.

[His colleague seemed VERY grateful for the change in subject.]

Colby: We should interrogate Blackwell—

[The Certified Assassins' League representative snorted at this, as did several of the others.]

“Seriously?”

Colby: He’s the only man capable of getting through our defenses!

Min: Fine. It’s always best to eliminate even the most outlandish of possibilities.

[Colby locked his fingers together.]

Colby: Yes, sir. We’ll get right on it—

Min: You will do NO such thing!

[The others were taken aback by this, but Desmond himself was merely puzzled.]

Des: (...Wait, what?)

Min: I’m not going to let this fall into a sea of red tape and paperwork where it will be quietly buried in a shallow grave and left to die! I want someone I trust handling this investigation!

[There was a loud “-tsk-” of disgust from across the table.]

“So you’re sending Secretary Desmond, then.”

Des: (Min—! Me, questioning Blackwell—?!)

“With all due respect, this is not really a good time to be playing favorites again.”

Min: Oh I see. You still think that your colleague is on my good graces because I knew him before I started running for office, is that it? Well too bad, because it just so happens that he’s also been the one who’s been producing the best RESULTS.

Min: Do you have any idea how hard it is to monitor the borders, even in the present age? The fact that this virus hasn’t spread into Canada or Mexico isn’t miraculous: it’s the result of a lot of hard work being done.

Min: DoHS, on the other hand, has done next to nothing for me other than corroborate HHS’s reports on the extent of this disaster! There has been no progress made in finding the source or stopping the major threats: for Madison’s sake, we’ve resorted to relying on civilians for this!

[She slammed the ruler down again.]

Min: Civilians who were put in great danger because SOME people were willing to accept their loss as an “acceptable risk!”

Des: (...God, she's right. How did we ever sink low enough to let a child take on all that danger and responsibility? That kind of burden...)

Min: I’m sending my best man, the person I trust, NOW ALL OF YOU GO AND WRITE AN ESSAY EXPLAINING WHAT YOU DID WRONG OR SO HELP ME GOD—

————————————

{Maximum Security}

Des: (...I'm really not gonna like this. I KNOW you trust me, Min, but this is...)

Des: (This is the man that tried to shut down EVERY robot in America, and did so for Titus...)

Des: -Ghn.-

[The door to the cell opened after a few, tense minutes. It's practically spotless, and had very little features and furniture. A bed, a desk with no drawers, and a single bench in the middle of the room.]

"They told me you were coming."

[Sitting in that bench was a elderly man in his late 70s, dressed in nothing more than prison clothes—and over that, a tattered, black lab coat with some sort of faded coat of arms on the pocket. While his stature seemed frail—or at least that's what the cane he held indicated...]

[His sharp, cold as ice blue hues said otherwise.]

Blackwell: Now I believe them.

Des: ....

Des: (...I feel like I'm being watched under a microscope...)

Des: -Ahem- Doctor—

Blackwell: I have nothing to say to you. Out.

Des: —...

Des: I haven't even—

Blackwell: -Once again cuts him off- You're here to interrogate me, Desmond Donald. Why ELSE would the Secretary of Defense would be in a madman's cell?

Blackwell: You're certainly not the first. Had all sorts of bloody suits in here asking useless nonsense of me, demanding answers even I cannot provide.

Des: ...That remains to be seen.

Blackwell: Hmph.

Des: -Sighs—- Look, I don't want to do this either, Doctor, so can we just both get this over with? =~=

Blackwell: You don't, hm. Interesting.

Blackwell: At the end of your rope, I take it?

Des: ....

Blackwell: How disappointing.

Blackwell: The very same government that has me locked up for life can't even pinpoint the cause of this viral epidemic. Even I'm sorry for you.

Des: Doctor, I didn't come here to listen to you—

Blackwell: I don't care.

Des: (Ugh, he's not budging—!)

Blackwell: What, is that it? You need my help?

Des: =~= You and I both know that isn't possible.

Blackwell: A pity. It would be nice to see how the world has changed outside of this dog cage.

Blackwell: Feh...

Des: Doctor, I agree that this is a waste of time, but I have a job to do, and the sooner you cooperate—the sooner I'll leave you alone.

Des: Okay?

[He STILL seems disgruntled at the idea of it, but—]

[TAP!]

Des: -Winces—-

[The incarcerated Doctor taps his cane LOUDLY on the floor.]

Blackwell: You have five minutes.

Des: —Or?

Blackwell: 4 minutes and 58 seconds.

Des: (For REAL?)

Blackwell: Don't waste your time.

Blackwell: You all already took all of mine.

Des: ....

Des: -Sigh-

Des: The following is classified, Doctor. Do—

Blackwell: 4 minutes and 36 seconds.

Des: =~=

Des: ...There have been a few security issues.

Blackwell: The whole bloody nation is on red alert— isn't that your job?

Des: -...Ignores- One of them is before this, although still relevant to the situation.

Blackwell: ...

Des: ... (He's quiet now. I guess he finds this interesting?)

Des: You're familiar with the Queen's Tournament, yes?

Blackwell: =~=

Blackwell: -We're from the UK, of COURSE we are-

Des: ... -Right-

Des: Concerning the incident in the finals match, there was a breach of security that we feel is within your abilities to... bypass.

Blackwell: Really?

Blackwell: ...Hm.

[... Desmond was expecting Blackwell to feel put off by this, but instead the elder strokes his beard in thought.]

Blackwell: Well, I don't have any reason, nor the means to arrange such a breach.

Blackwell: I find it very... interesting that you come to me and not that mysterious... masked construct that appeared there.

Blackwell: Still having trouble locating him, I presume? I suppose MI6 hasn't tacked on anything yet. Shame.

Des: (...He got all that just from what I said?)

Blackwell: I will take your silence as a yes.

Blackwell: -Tsk- The world's in the hands of a bunch of incompetent morons...

Blackwell: He's not my make, Secretary.

Blackwell: The way he fell in the sands a bleeding mess, which I FULLY blame on the incompetence of the IBCA security department and that WRETCHED team of scrap—

Blackwell: ...would suggest a chassis not entirely suited for combat.

Des: —?

Blackwell: At the very least, not arena combat.

Blackwell: Have you tried looking in the Industrial databases?

Des: I...

Blackwell: ....

Blackwell: I thought not.

Blackwell: Idiot.

Des: (...Min, I really hope you're having better luck...)

Blackwell: 1 minute.

Des: —Gh—

Des: -Talking quickly- There's also—another security breach not too long ago, in a classified location—

Blackwell: Oh?

Blackwell: How classified?

Des: —….

Blackwell: Ah...

Blackwell: One of your secrets. I see.

Blackwell: Hmm. Again, coming to me about this...I assume this also has a high level of security that would be within by abilities to...how you put it, bypass.

Blackwell: What are you hiding, Mr. Donald?

[Blackwell leans in when he says this, making Desmond take a step backwards—his gaze bore holes into him, with a deep scorn and hatred—]

Des: (Gah—)

Des: I'm the one asking questions, Doctor.

Blackwell: ....

Blackwell: I wonder.

Blackwell: -Sits back down- Does your superior know about this?

Des: =~= That's not within my place to say.

Blackwell: No, then.

Blackwell: ...Did you?

Des: Answer the question, please.

Blackwell: Did you?

Des: Doctor...

Blackwell: How about you answer first.

Des: (Ugh...)

Des: =~= I won't.

Blackwell: Fine. Your loss.

Des: (Gh...)

Blackwell: Your time is up, by the way.

Des: ....

Des: Alright, fine.

Des: =~= I didn't know this either.

Blackwell: ....

Blackwell: Ha...

[It's bitter laughter that echoes throughout the cell, low and mocking.]

Blackwell: It's worse than I thought...

Blackwell: Didn't think that was possible.

Blackwell: But here we are, at the edge of total oblivion, and you can't even keep track of your own secrets.

Des: Doctor Blackwell, I am not HERE to play your GAMES!

[At this point, Desmond had lost some patience—he stood up, pointing a finger upwards, raising his voice so loud that a guard had come to look through the small window on the door.]

Des: I have a JOB to do out there—and fine—maybe I can't, but it's not like I WANTED them!

Des: Answer the question!

Blackwell: Hmph.

Blackwell: So the dog does bite.

Blackwell: -Taps his cane lightly- I've been doing nothing but wait for my time to come, Secretary. While it would be fun to poke around where I don't belong one last time...

Blackwell: Don't you think I would have done so by now? Or before?

Des: -Irritated- We figured that.

Blackwell: Then you were right.

Blackwell: =~= This is a complete waste of time.

Blackwell: And all because of Graham...

Blackwell: Even in here, he continues to push sins on me that aren't mine.

Des: (...Debatable...)

Blackwell: Why haven't you yelled at him yet?

Des: =~= Believe me, we're trying.

Blackwell: Try harder.

Blackwell: That monster will hide behind his black, corrupt fortress of his so-called friends for as long as he wills it. You will not speak with him so easily.

Des: ...And how do you know that?

Blackwell: Don't know your history?

Blackwell: Figures you don't...

Blackwell: Why don't you ask your chief replacement for details.

Des: (Don't talk about Min like that—)

Blackwell: I'm sure you'll find something very educational.

Blackwell: -Waves a hand- Is that all?

Des: ....

Des: -Huffs- For now.

Blackwell: Good.

Blackwell: Get out.

Des: (Ugh, GLADLY.)

[Resounding footfalls are the last thing Blackwell hears before the door shuts close, and several locks click into place. He is alone, again, to his thoughts and his thoughts only… at least until the NEXT questionnaire comes up.]

Blackwell: …

Blackwell: -Sighs-

[His cane taps the floor one more time, and something quietly clicks open—a panel to the side slides open to reveal two, small picture frames.]

[Old, wrinkled fingers lightly graze a young woman's face, holding a smiling child with wild hair.]

Blackwell: (...I never got the chance to talk to you again.)

[The next one was of another child, bright eyed and clear minded, next to...]

[...Graham...?]

Blackwell: (...or you...)

Blackwell: (Why did you rat us out, George...?)

Blackwell: (Why?)

Des: -Tired, uuugh-

Des: -Dialing on his phone- That was fun...

Des: (Fun for HIM, I bet...)

[Click.

Minerva responded to the call promptly. She seemed to have been waiting for it.]

Min: Hello, Des. Did you learn anything interesting?

Des: -Tired- Just that Blackwell is really, really good at deduction.

Des: And getting under your skin, yeah, that was real fun...

Des: -Pinches nose- He's been twiddling his thumbs this whole time, or at least that's what he said. He agreed that the whole thing was stupid. Ugh...

Des: He even finished my thoughts before me, Min, no wonder he's in there.

Min: Hmm…. I'm not entirely surprised you did not get much out of him. He probably truly had nothing to say. Frankly, thinking Blackwell was behind it is ludicrous.

Des: -Sighs-

Des: ...He did give us a small tip for the QF, though.

Min: Oh? And what might that be?

Des: He claims the make of the “fan” that appeared in the finals was not Combat orientated, but Industrial.

Des: Worth looking into the Industrial database, he says.

Des: I think it's a good idea, as much as I kinda hate to admit it...

Des: =~=

Min: I endorse it. If that construct had the ability to bypass the tournament's security, it is possible they might have the ability to bypass federal security as well. We need a lead on that boy as soon as may be; Britain wants to extradite Aviator now that it's been proven to the scientific community that he is no longer infected.

Min: I can only stonewall our allies for so long before it goes from rude to confrontational.

Des: -Exasperated- We're STILL in the middle of red alert, don't they know that we can't lift the quarantine--?

Des: -Long sigh- Ugh, no thanks, I'd rather take Blackwell again.

Min: -Amused expression- Well, Donny, he can fly. I'm inclined to think they expect to escort him internationally.

Min: He is an asset who they perceive as having the answers they want. It's as much about protecting that lead as anything else, if one wants to be optimistic.

Des: (Somehow, I doubt that, if Blackwell is anything to go by...)

Des: -Sigh-

Des: How the heck did we get here, Min?

Min: -Sighs, taking off her glasses and putting a hand to her face-

Des: (I can't BELIEVE I'm even asking this...)

Des: Even the Doctor thinks we're morons, even if he IS the Father of Modern Xel Robotics.

Min: We are all but goldfish to the great minds of science and philosophy, Desmond. We may not be morons, but we are being played for fools.

Des: Ugh...

Min: Expect a visit from Internal Affairs once enough staff can be mustered up for it.

Des: (Great...)

Des: Won't that be a barrel of laughs...

Des: But I guess. I don't have any single problem with it, but something's wrong in here...

Des: Very wrong...

Min: Mmm. Well, I trust that you'll be able to find some results. Coordinate with Colby and the other Department heads to make sure that you have enough manpower to look into this. Just because you've been assigned team leader does not mean that they can be slackers on the group project.

Min: With the last known member of Greater Dusk still missing, that boy is the only real lead we have on the Finals, which is where something much like the virus was noticed. (I know the CAL reports from Kate Fletcher pointed to the possibility of a CherryDynamics connection, but that investigation was never completed. I suppose she went missing in infection, just like many of the other members…)

Min: We need something that gets us somewhere without jeopardizing the relationship with or the safety of our only confirmed chance of fixing this mess.

Min: We're just lucky that he was there and kept the situation from becoming so much worse…

Des: Yeah, got it. I'll see what I can do...

Des: Speaking of that...

Des: What about Sanda Enterprises?

Min: -Looks up, putting her glasses back on- Hmm?

Des: MN.9's been a big help, that I can completely agree with.

Des: Cleaning up our act is going to take time...

Des: And with how the military base incident was handled, well...

Des: >>;; I'm inclined to think that they have concluded they're on their own.

Des: -Which isn't true—or at least we don't WANT it that way—-

Des: On top of that—

Des: We don't exactly have any updates on the virus cure, if any.

Des: Wasn't Dr. White on that?

Min: So the press release says, and I have no reason to doubt it. Even the most cynical person has to recognize that without order and healthy opponents, his family would be put out of work. He has every reason to see an end to this mess, and does have the ability in at least one form.

Min: I want full cooperation extended to Sanda Enterprises, as I promised. We can pull from HHS's budget if necessary, as this does qualify as a resource to combat a plague outbreak.

Min: The man wants his children home first, and apparently has been making more progress in studying the virus as more of them come home. So it's in everyone's best interest to help him reach that point first, to allow him to focus on other things.

Min: With Battalion returned home, that just leaves two more to be found, correct?

Des: Right. Mighty No. 4, Seismic...

Des: And Mighty No. 8, Countershade.

Min: …

Des: (Dear God, I hope Four isn't in this state..)

Des: (And Eight...he's a whole other story...)

Des: So far we haven't gotten word from CAL—it's a mess, according to the representative.

Des: ...A number of them were confirmed to be infected.

Des: The good news, though, is that a good ratio was also confined in their posts when the outbreak started...

Des: So there’s that.

Min: I'm glad that not EVERY assassin in the States has gained bloodlust. Though it will be difficult to follow one trail of death out of hundreds.

Des: Needle in a haystack.

Des: A burning one, at that.

Min: A needle in a stack of needles would be more apt, but yes…

Des: -Mph...-

Des: ...There's one more thing I need to ask you...

Min: Go on.

Des: Doctor Blackwell showed a lot of disdain towards Graham.

Des: It sounded to me like it went beyond just the fact that he pointed the finger at him.

Des: ...Said I didn't know my history, so any idea why?

Min: Well, Dr. Blackwell used to work for CherryDynamics back in happier times. I'm sure that the change between now and then has some part in it, though there are likely motives that we can only guess at.

Des: He did?

Des: ...Bad blood, huh. That's worth looking into at a later date.

Min: …Possibly. One of the CAL agents on the QF case believed that it was worth investigating CherryDyn.

Des: ...If we can even GET a hold of CherryDyn...

Des: I'm still getting stonewalled at that front. Lawyers, representatives, not the man himself.

Des: I can't even get him on the phone!

Des: Busy signal, and it's gotten to the point where I think it's actually the voicemail recording.

Min: Peh. Irresponsible panderer.

Des: I don't think CherryDyn has been doing anything besides not letting the virus spread overseas...

Des: It's impossible to tell, other than it hasn't happened yet.

Min: Mmm…. what a mess…

Min: Well, he's made his bed, now he has to lie in it. Let him hide, then, so long as he doesn't get in the way of real progress. Like he tried to do earlier.

Des: =~= Can't we arrest him on grounds of suspicious activity against national security?

Min: It's honestly very tempting at times.

Min: But stupidity isn't illegal.

Min: I'm sure Sanda Enterprises will sue for libel once they're no longer busy with more pressing matters.

Min: I want everyone to be on the lookout for leads for the remaining Mighty Numbers. Any potential tip should be passed along to Sanda Enterprises.

Des: You got it.

Des: ...How are things going on your end?

[Min rubs her face a bit, giving an exasperated sigh.]

Min: No one's owning up just yet.

Min: We've gotten some promising words of support from France… they are most definitely willing to help rebuild infrastructure…

Min: … after this is over.

Des: ....

Des: -Long groan and the sound of his head hitting the wall-

Min: HHS isn't making much headway in finding a way to reverse the effects. Right now, the Whites are our only hope in finding the cure. Even finding the source will not necessarily give us that much.

Min: -Siiiigh-

Min: Come home, Donny. I don't think you'll get any more answers there for now.

Des: ...yeah.

Des: See ya soon.

{Meanwhile…}

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

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

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

<MC005>: > I’m… better, certainly.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[DR.WHITE] //: !

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

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

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

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

[There’s a thoughtful silence.]

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

[DR.WHITE] //: ...

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

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

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

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

<MC005>: > …

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

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

[DR.WHITE] //: !!

[DR.WHITE] //: Oh thank God—

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

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

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

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

<MC005>: > …Er…

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

<MC005>: >He’s probably still in one piece, and seems to have stopped fighting, for now.

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

<MC005>: >But as for Four—

<MC005>: >My dear Will.

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

[DR.WHITE] //: —!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

<MC005>: >I’m sorry, but it’s just…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Beck: —? (Dad—?)

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

Beck: Dr. Cossack...?

Mikhail: -Softly- Good afternoon, Number Nine.

Mikhail: -Offers marshmallow bag-

Beck: ...um.

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

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

Beck: .....

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

Mikhail: Trouble resting?

Beck: ....Um...

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

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

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

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

Too many worries.]

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

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

Beck: .....

[...Oh.]

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

Beck: … …

Beck: … …Doctor Cossack?

Mikhail: да?

Beck: Are…

Beck: … …

Beck: Are they afraid of me?

Mikhail: -Blinks at this-

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

Beck: I… Nico was… really angry—and Shadow...

Beck: I… I didn't mean…

Beck: … …

[…He falls silent.]

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

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

Beck: ....

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

Beck: I...I just...

Beck: ....

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

Beck: ......

_________________

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

"...What does that mean--"

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

_______________

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

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

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

Mikhail: Shhhh…

Beck: .....

Beck: (What if they're right?)

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

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

Beck: -We're scared.-

((Pic—Beck and Mikhail))

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Beck: … …

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

Beck: -Nods-

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

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

Beck: ....He… he does…?

Beck: .....

Beck: (Jaden, you...)

Beck: .....

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mikhail: They really do believe that.

Beck: ......

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Beck: ...!

Beck: (The Russian Incident...)

Beck: .....

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

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

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

Mikhail: Yes…?

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

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

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

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

Beck: Heheheh...

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

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

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

Beck: ....

Beck: -Sighs-

Beck: I'm worried...

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

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

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

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

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

Beck: ...?

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

Beck: —??

Beck: They did?

Beck: (But how would they...)

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

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

Beck: ....!

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

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

Beck: . . . .

Beck: Shade...

Mikhail: You must understand…

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

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

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

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

Beck: .......

Mikhail: … (Even if it meant…) …

Mikhail: …

Mikhail: …He does not expect to cure. He knows that much by now beyond all doubt: his actions in Kansas City prove that much. He just seeks to bring Shade back to those who can.

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

Beck: (Cardinal...)

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

Beck: ......

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

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

Beck: ....

Mikhail: Yes.

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

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

Mikhail: And Beck…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Beck: ......

Beck: Dad's probably worried about everything too.

Beck: -We're similar like that-

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

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

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

[Mikhail sighed.]

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

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

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

                              “It’s really rather a long story…”

                                                  Rules || Profile

Independent Felix from the Golden Sun series, set post-Golden Sun: The Lost Age

15+ years overall RP experience; 5+ years as Felix on unluckyadept

Crossover friendly

OC friendly

Flexible writing style

—T.

---

=CHAPTER 9D: HAZY SUSPICION=

~AO v1.0~

((Courtesy of @limitbreakers))

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

[The air of despair was suffocating. Even Desmond could feel it as he shut the recorder off.

It just didn’t sit right with him—none of it did.]

Des: (Those scars are real, if nothing else. …If it IS a front as part of a cover, he’s sure hellishly dedicated to the job. And if not…?)

Des: (What is he so intent on hiding that he’ll be willing to suffer so much?)

Des: …—! (Oh, right…)

Des: ...You have a daughter.

Des: If everyone is Offline, like you said, who's going to take care of her?

Mikhail: …

Des: ....

Des: If there's no one else, Doctor, I'll have to call Social Services.

[Mikhail opened his eyes again with a stern frown.]

Mikhail: …

Des: ...

Des: Do you at least have anyone that can tell her where you're going?

Des: .....

Des: -Sigh-

[He seemed to be thinking on this as Desmond opened the door to take him out into the hall.]

Mikhail: …I didn’t bring her with me. She’s with a family friend where she’ll be safe.

Des: ....Who?

Mikhail: I won’t talk about that right now. I don’t want anyone else knowing where she is. I don’t know who else is listening or who will be told, and we just had a call from CherryDyn—

Des: -Freezes- What?

Mikhail: -Dryly- Remember what I said about trouble with public relations? I’m afraid I lost my patience when the CEO called, after all the grief he’s caused this family. He knows that I’m aware of the link and trying to prove it. Given that Greater Dusk itself has been all but eliminated, I would not put it past him or his subordinates to go after my daughter before/as part of going after me. The danger may persist for some time yet.

((Des reaction))

Mikhail: It’s very important to me that she stays safe, but it is easily a secondary importance that you are able to have access to the truth. So… we should go pick that up, at least. My notes are in the lab. Do try not to bother the others at their work. If we’re quiet, we should be able to leave without raising up a panic.

[His expression softened.]

Mikhail: …There’s someone you need to see there anyway.

Des: (...DLN-000...)

Des: (...Why would Graham call Sanda Tech, at a time like this--)

[CRASH--]

Mikhail: ?!

"AH' SAID LEMMIE GO--"

[Just down the hallway's intersection was Shade, struggling to push himself forward despite Avi and Beck clinging to his legs, and Pyro trying to restrain him--the other Mighties were worryingly trailing behind.]

Avi: BRO COME ON STOP IT--

Shade: -In near hysterics- AH' SAID NO, UNCLE MIKHAIL'S IN TROUBLE--

Des: ( “Uncle”? And how—)

Beck: But he's right there--

Beck: --!

Beck: H...Huh?

Mikhail: Countershade Arthur White! You should BE IN BED! =__=

[It was clear Mikhail was not happy to be seen in his current condition.]

Des: How did he--

[SLAM--]

[At the opposite end of the hallway, a door is heard slamming shut, and a rapid pair of footsteps following suit.

Soi had just enough time to yank Will back by his lab coat into a restraining hug, who looked absolutely livid.]

Will: YOU'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE HIM AWAY--!

Soi: WILL CALM DOWN--

Des: ???????? (How is it they all KNOW?!) -Looks back and forth- (...Crap wait the Mighties are behind us and the Doctors are in front of us--)

"ENOUGH."

Beck: --!

Beck: Felix--?

((pic))

[FELIX used HALT!]

Shade: --?!

Des: (What the--I can't move--?!)

Will: --!!

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

Des: (How in the world--I can't even look to see who did that, what is--??)

Dyna: -BZZ BZZ, HEY, CAN'T MOVE--

Cryo: -YO WHAT THE GLITCH IS GOING ON, WHY IS UNCLE MIKHAIL IN HANDCUFFS, WHY DOES DAD LOOK REALLY TICKED OFF, WHY CAN'T WE MOVE-

[Felix strode into view. He looked annoyed.]

Felix: I want answers as to why I was told to deliver medical aid, and ended up arriving on a developing fight scene. And no violence.

[He released Desmond, Mikhail, Sanda, and Brandish from the Halt.]

Felix: Talk.

Soi: --Oof--

Brand: -We are honestly just as confused as you are-

Des: Ngh...

Felix: -Glares!-

Des: --!

Des: (What the...Who IS he?)

Des: -Ow-

Des: Doctor Cossack is being brought in for more questioning--

Beck: (What--?!)

Soi: But--weren't you just--

Mikhail: … -Looks away and sighs-

Will: -ATTEMPTS TO STRUGGLE, nope, can't move--Mikhaaaaaail--

Brand: . . .

Brand: (...No wonder Father is so worked up.)

Brand: Can you not question him here further?

Des: -...Looks at Mikhail-

Des: ....

Mikhail: …It doesn’t appear that is going to be given as an option.

Des: There's still things he needs to answer for.

Des: (And THEN some.)

Brand: .... -Also glares-

Brand: And you expect to leave this building without some kind of explanation to us?

Des: --....

Mikhail: -Warning tone- Brandish—

Brand: Besides.

Brand: Cardinal still needs repairs. You are quite literally taking away the help he needs.

[Mikhail scowled as he scolded Brand.]

Mikhail: Shame on you, Brandish. You know full well that Nineteen can handle the rest of the repairs. Do not try to guilt trip the man, it's already hard enough on the both of us as it is.

Brand: ....

Brand: >>

Mikhail:  There are consequences to keeping secrets. This is one of them.

Will: (Ngh--)

Mikhail: Given what probably would have happened if I had told the full truth before he met Felix, I prefer this option. -_-;

Des: (The full truth?)

Brand: ....

Brand: ...I apologize for my deceit, it's just...

Brand: >> (Seeing you like this is rather...hurtful...)

Des: This--

Soi: Er--

Soi: I--I hate to interrupt, but we REALLY don't have time to talk.

Soi: There's a situation that requires all hands on deck--

Beck: (--?)

Mikhail: -Looks over at Sanda- So you really are sending them out? : /

Brand: --?

Soi: ....Do we really have a choice? We do not want the city or the lab overrun with infected robots again--

Brand: What?

Beck: (--!!)

Mikhail: Then... Felix, I need you to go back to the Meadow. Have Jaden and Carlos sent over.

Felix: ... And your sons?

Mikhail:Let them rest. -Looks over at Des, then down at his handcuffs briefly before returning his attention to Felix- I don't want them getting angry.

Des: Wait--

Soi: Er, Felix, before you go, uh...

[He gestured to the Halted others with a tilt of his head.]

Shade: B /

Felix walked over to Shade and looked at him with a frown.]

[His thoughts went back to the visions he had suffered—the agony he had seen.]

Felix: . . .

[But he knew better than to bring that up, especially now.]

Felix: ... Don't do anything too rash, Countershade.

Shade: -We thought he was in danger, alright, can ya please let us go, we're gettin' uncomfortably stiff here-

Brand: How did you even know?

Shade: -Watch signal-

Brand: --....

Des: ....Watch? -Aaaand looks at Mikhail-

Des:

(I thought I completely disarmed him--)

Des: (He's in his PJ's, for crying out loud--)

[Mikhail was equally surprised.]

Mikhail: ...It does that?

Shade: -Data- -Sends distress signal t' the server and me if heart rate is above normal stress levels for too long-

Shade: -.....-

Shade: -In hindsight Ah' should've given ya a rundown of the functions, sorry 'bout that-

Brand: -______-;;;;;;

Des: .....

Des: (What is going ON around here??)

Des: (I thought the Doctor said they were just his children's friends, yet...)

Beck: -Nnnngh, Feeeeliiiix can you please let us go, it sounds like there's trouble--

[Felix releases them.]

Mikhail: Thank you. Now Desmond, please, my notes are still in the lab, and we have a power core to deliver.

Will: .....

Will: (Mikhail...)

Will: ....

Des: ....

[As much as Desmond wanted answers, he knew he wasn't going to be getting any right at this moment. Especially with Dr. White silently glaring at him like that.]

Des: ...Fine...

Soi: R-Right--Mighties? We need a quick briefing. We don't have a lot of time.

Soi: Come on, Will...

Will: .....

Will: -Sigh-

{Sanda’s Labs}

[While Will, Sanda, and the Mighty Numbers walked off, Mikhail motioned for Felix and Des to come with him to the labs.

Felix looked a lot better than he had previously, but still harrowed by a normal person’s standards. (That tended to be a side effect of living off the land even under the best of circumstances.) Once he saw that Mikhail was bound, he wasted no time silently expressing his displeasure with a vicious glare. However, he chose not to say anything, and not to act on it.]

Mikhail: This won’t take too long. Mr. Desmond, this is something that will be important for you to see. Open the door, please.

Des: ….

Des: -Opening door- (Is that other guy his bodyguard or… or what?)

[The lab inside was quiet now; Shadow, who was still locked away in technological isolation, remained asleep. And as for Cardinal…]

Felix: … -Walks over to look down at the repair table- …

[He turned away, closing his eyes in regret and placing the hand which held the Psynergy Stone core over his heart.]

Felix: … (I saw this. I saw it, I foresaw it, and I couldn’t stop what was meant to be.)

Felix: (How much more suffering will I be powerless to prevent? Results of things done at my hands?)

Des: –….

Des: (…Is that…)

Mikhail: …

Mikhail: -Turns to look at Desmond- Remember when I told you there were things only you should see and hear? What you are about to see is one of those things. Please brace yourself—we’ve cleaned him up, so it doesn’t look quite as… macabre… but it’s still unpleasant.

[He pushes his glasses up his face before gently leaning down and pulling the sheet back.]

[Cardinal was almost just how they had found them—he had been cleaned up and his eyes had been closed, so he almost looked like he was asleep. That is… until you quickly noticed the cavity in his chest.]

Des: –?!??

Des: Wha–….?

Des: (That…)

Des: (That is NOT a Xel structure–)

Mikhail: I think you can see why I didn’t want one of your State Doctors working on him. Now are you starting to see why it’s so important you’re careful who gets to hear all of the answers?

Des: But….

Des: How–?

Des: (There hasn’t been a robot like this in–literal centuries, if the old records are anything to go by–!)

Mikhail: That’s a truth you need to reach on your own based on what you’ve seen and will see. It cannot be forced upon you.

Des: (With all due respect, Doctor, that cryptic response didn’t help much.)

Des: …Just…

Des: ….

Des: How old is he?

Mikhail: He’s as old as Doctor William White. Which is very, very old by his kind’s standards. Most are destroyed by their brother, DLN-001, before they reach three years of age.

Des: (…His–wait, that makes NO sense, how–?)

Des: …His kind?

Des: Are all the DLN and DWN series–and yours, like….?

Mikhail: Yes.

Mikhail: They are the Robot Masters, and that is as close to a species name for them as there is.

Mikhail: The DLN, DWN, DCN, and SWN series are all built like this.

Mikhail: But he was and is the first of them all—

Mikhail: DLN-000: Protoman.

Des: I….

Des: (What in the world…)

Des: … .

Des: (….W…Well, this sort of explains why he’s covering for them so much…)

Des: ….

Des: (How am I going to explain this to Min?)

Mikhail: Felix…? How long do you think the core will last?

Felix: -Shakes his head, turning around- If he doesn’t exert himself, it should allow for the repairs to finish, and for him to wake up, talk with other people, think, and discuss for two months. I condensed it the best I could, but outside of Weyard…

Mikhail: -Pushes his glasses up again with a small sigh- I rather expected as much.

Des: (Weyard–? What?)

Des: … .

Mikhail: Would you be willing to install it? I understand you’ve had some relevant experience with artifacts… I’d do it myself but— -Gestures to handcuffs- —I’m not able to move as precisely as I need to.

Felix: Yes, of course.

[He took a few steps back.]

Des: –?

Des: (What–why is he–)

[Felix used LIFT!]

[The stone began to float in the air.]

Des: –…??????

Des: (What.)

[Felix himself seemed to be glowing with a faint gold outline.]

[Felix used CARRY!]

[The stone was moved over in the air in a precise line, and then gently lowered into place.]

Click.

[A small object tucked behind the energy heart began to glow…

Energy seemed to surge through Cardinal’s body, and right before Desmond’s eyes…]

[…the fans and wiring started to repair themselves.]

Des: ?!?!??

[There wasn’t any words–what could Des say to something like this?]

[What was there TO say?]

Des: (This CANNOT be happening–)

Des: (But–)

Des: (It REALLY is–)

Des: (Mother Almighty, what did we uncover?)

Mikhail: Only once you accept this reality…

[The repairs went faster, entire portions of the mobility rig manifesting into being. The inner armor started to hem its way in, closing up. As it did so, Cardinal began to breathe on his own. The monitors were displaying rapid lines of code, flashing with a red screen for a moment before continuing in what looked like a DOS startup.]

Mikhail: …can I begin to finish telling you the full truth.

Des: …..

Des: …….

Des: …..

Des: Why…

Des: Why are you showing me this?

Des: I mean…

Des: I’m the /Secretary of Defense./

Des: There ARE people I have to… try to explain this to.

Des: You were already covering for them, so…

Des: Why?

Mikhail: … -Puts a hand to his mouth in thought for a moment- …

Mikhail: Well. -Places his hands down, gesturing as best he can with them cuffed- Simply put, I trust you.

Mikhail: I always wanted to tell YOU the truth—you and your superior, and the tech department have all been helpful to our friends during this trying time. Shown to be reasonable, trustworthy people.

Mikhail: And you do need answers. I judged that you could handle them, and thus deserved to have the truth.

Mikhail: I believe you are capable of making what decisions you need to with this information, and that whatever they may be, they will be just and for the good of your people. It’s the right thing to do.

Des: ….

Des: So, in other words…

Des: You had a gut feeling, and with the facts, decided to go for it?

Mikhail: Something like that.

Mikhail: The truth, Desmond?

Mikhail: The truth is you will never find records of us newer than five months ago. They don’t exist because we didn’t exist here until that point.

Des: …?

Des: …Here, as in…? (As in…What, the country?)

Des: And how does he– -points to Felix- Fit into all this?

[Felix turned to face Desmond, looking at him with an alpha stare.]

((pic))

Felix: I am Lord Felix of Vale, Proxan Warrior, Dragon Slayer.

Felix: Like the Doctor, I am another traveler through reality.

Des: ….

Des: (I did not hear that right–)

Des: (Another–another reality?)

Felix: Think for a moment before you protest that, Master Desmond. You slept just fine, I can see that much. You don’t seem like the kind of man to drink heavily or engage in other vices that cause illusions.

Des: …..

Des: And…Dr. Sanda and company knows all this?

Mikhail: Yes.

Mikhail: …Well.

Mikhail: His daughter knows. The Whites know. I’m not entirely sure if his brother knows, and to be honest… I’m not sure who else works in the company, if anyone. -Awkwardly scratches the back of his head- Only Dr. Sanda, Call Sanda, and the Whites know for sure.

Des: …

Mikhail: If we had told you this up front, you surely would have declared us insane.

Mikhail: Or, even worse, those listening might have believed it, and thus sought to take advantage of it for malicious purposes.

[His voice dropped to a tired, soft tone.]

Mikhail: Given what could happen to the boys… what may happen in your world if they knew…

Mikhail: ({And what you might do to them and to Will if I did not come forward at all…})

Mikhail: I could only say part of the truth. I was—and still am—prepared to pay the price for silence.

Des: ……

Des: -Deep breath-

Des: (Christ…)

Des: …..

Des: So…

Des: Let me… -runs hand though hair- Get this straight…

Des: Somehow, you and Dr. Sanda and Dr. White met up five months ago…

Des: From another world…

Des: …

Des: …. I assume somewhere in between all that, someone forged papers for you, so it wouldn’t seem as strange as you and your patients suddenly appearing out of thin air, which…

Des: …Which is kind of what sort of happened, from our perspective…

Mikhail: We hoped to prevent inquiries from reaching a federal level by having something there to FIND in checks and references.

Mikhail: The boys getting themselves DIRECTLY involved on a federal level was not something anyone had anticipated or wanted. They’re not innately aggressive or out to harm others, I swear—

Mikhail: They’re used to hiding, being hunted just for existing—

Mikhail: Left to their own devices, they just want to be left alone and allowed to walk around like any other normal Xelbot or human being.

Des: … .

Des: >> -Looks at Cardinal-

Des: I can see why.

Des: (…This is honestly way too crazy to make up. It…It just is.)

Mikhail: -Looks down at Cardinal with a smile, placing his hands on a shoulder in a comforting pat before pulling the sheet up to be like a bedsheet this time- Though Cardinal and Shade in particular have grown incredibly close. They all have their own close friends…

Mikhail: Tobias and Dyna, David and Cryo, Jaden and Beck—Beck with everyone, really. Shadow is Brand’s student, Digger likes being with Seismic… -Looks up, amused- And with Felix.

[By this point, the Adept in question had already quietly made his exit, presumably to get the help that Mikhail had requested earlier.]

Mikhail: I could go on for some while, but… yes. I imagine in your background checks, you found out about Cardinal’s visit to the arena, hmm?

Mikhail: Since then, he has had dreams. Dreams of combat in competition. But I suppose that can be expected when you are made for Combat but spend your life in hiding, only to meet and befriend people who make such a thing their livelihood as celebrities.

Mikhail: Now that hiding is no longer an option…

[He shakes his head with a gentle smile, closing his eyes.]

Mikhail: …But that’s enough of idle chatter. I suspect we have to go soon. Mmm….

Mikhail: -Looks up- Ready when you are. The notes are by the door just as we exit.

Des: …..

Des: <<

Des: (Questioning him further seems, uh…kind of useless at this point, all things considering, but…)

Des: Yes, of course…

Des: -Picks up notes as they walk by- I’ll see if I can’t have an escort waiting outside the–

[PING!]

[WARNING. WARNING.]

Mikhail: -Looks up- ???

[CITY AREA IS NOW IN CONDITION RED. CITY AREA IS NOW IN CONDITION RED.]

Des: What–?!

[PING!]

[CALL] //: Attention: All individuals in the building please report to the main lab. Attention: All individuals please report to the main lab.

Mikhail: …

Mikhail: -Starts to work up to a run- WILL?! WILL, WHAT’S GOING ON—

<<—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 2C: BEYOND THE WATERY VORTEX=

~AO v1.0~

(Courtesy of @limitbreakers)

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

{SANDA LABS, LATER....}

[Cryo was met with welcoming arms and tears of relief, both from her father and her Uncle Sanda. A good while had passed before Will was reminded by his best friend that he couldn't repair his daughter while he was constantly hugging her--]

[And so, just as before, everyone got to work. Sanda was left to repair Cryo while Will went to work analyzing the virus sample from her.]

[...This time, however, Pyro took it upon himself to explain what the situation was.]

[It wasn't very long before...]

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Cryo: I'M SORRY--

Pyro: I know.

Cryo: I DON'T HATE YOU--

Pyro: I know.

Cryo: BECKYYYYYYYYY--

[Beck, of course, took a moment from self-repair to come and comfort his sister.]

[--He couldn't get one word in before hose arms started to wrap around his neck and pulled him in an embrace.]

Cryo: I'M SOOORRYYYYYY--

[Beck...well, at first, he was quite taken aback--he's never really SEEN his sister cry like this.]

[...But the surprise is only there for a moment.]

Beck: It's OK, Big Sis...

Cryo: -WAILS-

[Pyro simply rubs the top of her head, twangs of regret and pain in his optics. Eventually he had to call Father to help calm her down.]

Cryo: -SNIFF- daddyyy...

White: Shhh....it's alright, Cryo, everything will be fine...

Cryo: ...B--...but--sis....and...

[And then another wail escapes her.]

Cryo: AVIIIIII--

White: I know, I know--I....

[......]

White: I know....

Beck: Cryo--

Beck: Dad's working on finding a way to beat this virus--and I'm gonna get everyone back.

Cryo: ...-sniff-

Beck: You'll see--

Beck: We're all gonna be back together soon. We just gotta tough this out, OK?

Beck: So no more waterworks. ^.^

[......]

Cryo: ....-snort-

Cryo: G...Good one, bro...

Cryo: -SNIFF-

White: Rest while Sanda gets to work on repairing you and your tank--I need to get back to analysis.

Cryo: -sniff- OK, Daddy...

Pyro: I'll look after her.

[White nods, and hurries back to his terminal. A few ticks of the keyboard brings up the still-working analysis programs...]

White: Call, transfer the assimilated data over to me.

Call: Yes, Dr. White.

White: Now that I have two samples to compare, this will hopefully give us some more insight--

[PING!]

"DAD?? I THINK IT'S HAPPENING AGAIN--"

[ASSIMILATED XEL DATA SCAN COMPLETE.]

[REARRANGING XEL STRUCTURE...]

[REXELECTION: CRYOSPHERE]

"WHOOOOOA THAT WAS AWESOME--"

"That was...much more...different than the first time she gave it to you--"

"YEAH IT WAS WITHOUT THE LIGHT SHOW."

Cryo: BRO--BRO WHAT'S WITH THE FANCY LIGHT SHOW--

Beck: I--well...

[As Beck begins to explain his newfound abilities--much to Cryo's delight--White hums deeply in thought.]

[It was true--the lights that emitted from his Xels were not present when he acquired his siblings' powers before.]

White: (Interesting...)

White: ....Hmm.

Call: Dr. White.

White: Yes, Call?

Call: I detect a significant rise in your heart rate and vitals. Is something wrong?

White: .....

White: I'm just...nervous. Given the situation.

Call: ....

Call: Acknowledged. I will adjust the room temperature and atmosphere so that you may calm down.

White: ....Thank you, that would be nice.

White: ........

White: (Could Beck...)

White: (No--he CAN'T be. Not THIS soon...)

White: (He's not NEARLY as ready...)

White: (....Though...)

White: (The better question would be if WE would be ready...)

White: (...Gah, I shouldn't be thinking like that NOW, of all times...)

White: (I've GOT to crack this code--before it's too late...)

[MEANWHILE....]

"Phone call for you."

"......"

"Hey. PHONE CALL--"

"I heard you the first time."

"Tch. Jeez, old man. Don't think anyone would be using THIS frequency ever again..."

".....So it's him."

"Yup."

"Do you wanna answer...?"

"......."

"Uh....P-2045453?"

"I have a NAME."

"Sorry. Warden's orders."

"...Hmph."

"Hang up."

"That's gonna waste your one phone call for the day."

"I do not care. It's not like anyone calls me besides conspiracy theorists and crazed lunatics."

"....Yeah, you do get some loonies over the phone, huh..."

"But--I REALLY don't think you wanna hang up on the president of CherryDyn."

"........."

"Do I need to tell you twice?"

"......Oookaaaay, but I'm pretty sure he's gonna call back regardless--and I gotta come back here every time to let you know, so."

"........."

"....Uh--P-20--"

[A low, grating growl.]

"UH--I--I-mean--D-- Dr. Blackwell..."

"........"

"....Doctor...?"

"........."

"........I...I'm just gonna leave--uh, last meal of the day is in half an hour."

"............"

".......Soooo....bye. [sub] man, I hate this job...[/sub]"

[CLICK.]

"............"

"............."

"........Greg."

"You obsessed fool."

"You've DOOMED us all."

"......"

"I knew I should have taken...."

".........."

" . . . ."

"M-...My Ray of Hope..."

"....Forgive me..."

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

=CHAPTER 8B: TRAPPED BY LASER LIGHT=

~AO v1.0~

((Courtesy of @limitbreakers))

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

{Early that morning…}

Cardinal: FINALLY…

[He was only a few blocks away. He could see from here that there was a crowd gathered some ways away from his target—

—just outside a clearly defined radius.]

Cardinal: (Ugh…)

Cardinal: (I’m going to have to go right through a window.)

[He yelled over the wind. They were going to come in fast.]

Cardinal: Looks like I was right, Scout!

Cardinal: Hang on, okay?! This is going to be a really rough ride!

Scout: Rarf!

[He tossed a dual-colored sphere in the air, releasing a burst of red light. This materialized into a bird, which caught said sphere before it fell.]

Cardinal: Baron, it’s confirmed. FLY.

[The robin shot off at an astounding speed, almost as if it had teleported itself.

There was a grated rumbling noise.]

Cardinal: Sorry, Jazz. Get somewhere safe, I won’t let you crash-land.

[He leaped out of the transformed flying panther.]

[CARDINAL used ITEM-2!]

[…right onto another gadget. He held out his shield in front of him, angling down at one of the windows that looked out into the sky from a roof.]

Cardinal: We’re going in!

Scout: Rarf! -LET'S GOOOO--

[He didn’t really hear the shouting from the crowd in their surprise, but he sure felt their “welcome party” favors. It hurt, but it didn’t phase him one bit. Even when he started taking fire from the White House security system as well.

He did leap down off of the ITEM-2, and there was a VERY high pitched whine noise as his blaster primed.]

BLAM!

[Top of the line security, down to bullet-proof windows? Yes.

Able to withstand a charged shot from a plasma blaster designed to take out tanks—as in plural, multiple at once?

Nooot quite so much.

The sound of glass shattering mixed with that of a starting fire. There was a click and a whirr, the barrel of Cardinal’s weapon changing as he fired again, just as they were landing.

It started to rain.]

Scout: -OOO I DIDN'T KNOW HE KNEW RAIN DANCE-

WHAM.

[They landed down in a hallway hard, the rain putting out the fire.

The security countermeasures started to go berserk, and Cardinal was forced to put up a wall of razor sharp leaf-shaped projectiles to give him time for his next move.]

Scout: -AND Razor Leaf, ooooo-

Scout: Rarf!

[There was a rotating noise and another click, and then…]

Ptew pew pew pew pew!

[…Dozens of tiny snakes—they looked like little mechanical coral snakes.

Then he stood to his full height and blasted a tune.]

Cardinal: (Ready or not, Shade, here I come!)

[The White House was indeed large and vast--finding Shade in this mess was to prove difficult, even with the Search Snakes.

....But it wasn't long before they found traces of his obvious presence.

There were strange, gray orbs floating around the hallways and entrances, glowing a strange, greenish color.

At first, they seemed to be dormant--

...Until they turned red when the Snakes approached...]

_______________________

"--?"

"Motion? Thought Ah' told them flesh wastes t'stay PUT...lessee here..."

[The Search Snakes were spread out, but Cardinal had remained where he was.

He was in full armor—something he hadn’t done in real Combat since the last time he fought his brother. Because of this, his whole face was covered, and his expression was impossible to read.

Despite this, his fierce green eyes burned with a fire that pierced even his shades, visible to not only a sensitive camera, but also to the naked eye.

After a moment…]

SHING!

[The leaves that had shielded him scattered, slicing everything in their path as they moved down the hall.

This included, among other things, a security camera.

The feed went down immediately, followed by several others in the same hallway.]

KSSSSSSSS—

[Cardinal had created a small blind spot.]

"--!"

"Sonofva..."

"Who the hell IS this guy...?"

"Thinkin' he can come inta' MAH new home..."

________________________

Scout: Rarf! -NICE SHOT-

Cardinal: Scout, we’ve got a problem. There are people trapped in here.

Scout: --!!

Cardinal: I’m going to have to start breaking down doors.

Cardinal: (If Shade were in his right mind, he’d want me to do this first.)

Cardinal: (And if the President THEMSELVES is here, nnng…)

[His fans whined even louder at the surge of compulsion to follow out a military-grade order.]

Scout: -RARF-

Scout: -WE KNOW HEADBUTT-

Scout: -WE CAN HELP--

Cardinal: You might need to save that on the people inside, my friend. I’ll explain in a moment—

[He hit the floor to avoid a sudden stream of mixed projectile weaponry.]

Cardinal: Some cover, if you please? -Scout, use Sand Attack.-

Scout: -Rarf!-

[Scout used Sand Attack!]

[Scout didn't need to dig--he simply shook himself VERY rapidly, dust and sand scattering EVERYWHERE.]

[...He was apparently very dirty.]

Cardinal: Heh. -SMIRKS-

[He starts shouting in a taunting tone.]

Cardinal: HEY SHADE! Too bad your glasses got all dusty. Better wipe the dirt out of your eye!

__________________

"Grrrr..."

"Just keep talkin', Birdy, see where THAT gets ya..."

__________________

[.......]

[VEEEEEEEEEEEEE--]

Cardinal: I don’t think so.

[CARDINAL used FLASH STOPPER!]

[WOW, everything is hit not only with BLINDING light, but whatever is in those intangible waves of data is enough to STUN everything in the hall.]

Cardinal: >B]

[There is a HUGE clattering somewhere deeper in the house--it sounded like something very heavy just fell--]

_________________

"AUGH MOTHERSCRATCHIN' CHEATER--!"

________________

Cardinal: -Speaks in a low voice- Scout, when I break through the door, the people inside are going to be terrified. Someone IS going to start shooting. Try and stun them, or at least get their aim off.

Scout: -Rarf!- -Nods-

[Another click.]

[Cardinal used SHADOW BLADE.]

[There was a hissing SHUNK noise as he cut RIGHT into a triple-reinforced, double-locked door of something much stronger than steel.

Another rotating click, and he stuffed a Crash Bomb into the hole the acid was eating away—he didn’t have time to wait.

It blinked and beeped a few times before…]

CRASH!

[Cardinal slammed through the opening shield-first.]

[Bullets start FLYING the second he does, and yes, there is much screaming--]

"GET DOWN--"

Scout: RARF!

[Scout used Tackle! ]

[One of the men in black goes down, gun clattering to the floor. Two more follow suit--It seems like Scout has gotten quite good at dodging incoming fire from his journey with Cardinal.]

[Scout used Growl!]

Scout: -GRRRR, STAY DOWN-

[Cardinal doesn’t make any witty comments this time. He just goes into a full-on tackle of his own. He grabs one man in one arm, another after dropping his shield—

And as soon as he rams into the third…]

[CARDINAL used TELEPORT!]

{Outside…}

[Cardinal reappears inches from the crowd outside the kill zone, dropping the two men he was carrying to the ground. The third, already on the ground, had also been taken with him.

This caused no small amount of panic, and he was lit up with half a dozen sniper scopes. A few even got off fire, hitting him square in the left part of his chest.]

Cardinal: -Huffs- (Are you kidding me?)

BWIP!

[He disappears, only to reappear a moment later with two other people, holding them by their wrists. One of them was shrieking and trying to mace him. Again, no effect.]

Cardinal: No offense, but I’ve been through worse!

Bwip!

Paramedics rushed over to the vic—]

BWIP!

[—ooooor not—]

Cardinal: -Drops the guns onto the ground with a clatter- DON’T shoot Beck if he shows up, officers!

[He also tosses over a file folder of notes someone had been working on, hiding behind his shield to better withstand incoming fire.]

Cardinal: Still—you guys might need those!

BWIP!

{Inside}

"HEY--THAT'S MY TIE--"

[One more man in black snuck in while Cardinal teleported back in--]

Scout: GRRRRR--

[Scout used Headbutt!]

WHAM!

[The security man skidded across the room and hit the back of his head with the wall, knocking him out instantly.]

Scout: -GRRRR-- -SHAKES HEAD AND TIE AGGRESSIVELY BEFORE SPITTING IT OUT-

Scout: | [

[Cardinal picks up the man, pausing for a moment as he hears the security out in the hall recovering from the stun he had put on them earlier.]

Cardinal: This is going to be a long day.

Scout: --!

Scout: -SNIFF SNIFF-

Scout: -NOSE IN THE AIR, COULD IT BE--

[BANG!]

Scout: -YELPS-

[A red laser appears on the ground near Scout's feet, followed by a energy shot, scaring him out of his wits and causing him to run behind Cards.]

Scout: -Whimperrrrr-

Cardinal: -OW, that was loud- Gosh dangit, Shade!

[He grabs Scout with his other arm—]

BWIP!

Scout: --???

[—and when he reappears inside, it’s without the officer…

…and also out in the hallway, yards and yards from where he had ever set foot.

As long as he could see it, he could go there.]

Cardinal: You’re going to have to do better than that, KID!

Cardinal: But if you insist on playing hide and seek…

[Cardinal used SCREECH—]

[He briefly stopped the mufflers on his fans, causing their overworked whine to get broadcast over his speakers.

It was worse than metal grating mixed with fingernails on chalkboard.]

Scout: -WHIIIIINE-

___________________

"AAAAARUGH--!!!"

"Goddamn BUCKET OF BOLTS--AH'VE HAD IT UP T' HERE!"

"Fahn, if ya wanna DIE SO BADLY--"

________________________

[....Oh dear.]

[All of the orbs go active.

And there were red, red lasers, reflecting off of them all at once--which was real, which one was SHADE--]

Cardinal: Oh, please.

[He laughs as his arm shifts again.]

Cardinal: Guess what, Shade?

Cardinal: Two can play at this game.

[Cardinal used GEMINI LASER!]

[Aaaaaand suddenly, the hallway was filled with death laser ping-pong.

And Shade’s were NOT the only ones bouncing at angles!]

[BANG BANG BANG--]

[It was truly a sight to behold.

It was like watching a game of chess, except the pieces were far more deadly.

Gemini Lasers met energy shots, with every red laser changing to accommodate the angle and trajectory.]

[Cardinal didn’t stick around to watch the lights and display contest.

He had already grabbed Scout with one arm, running right into the fire shield-first. About partway through, he leaped and slid down the rest on his back, with his shield out in front.]

Scout: -RARF RARF-- -WEEEEEEEEE-

[Cards was moving too fast for the lasers to lock onto him correctly--and once the one behind him figured this out--

...They all vanished.]

_______________________

"Oh, Ah' see what yer goin' for, Birdy..."

"Can't have that, no sir."

___________________________

[--This area seemed to be more decorated...]

[Cardinal barely noticed, and almost didn’t care. He got up to a knee.]

Cardinal: Scout, I need you to do something for me. Find a rope or a cord of some sort. Even a curtain tie will do if it’s long enough.

Scout: -Rarf!-

[He sets the Zig down.]

Cardinal: Please, be careful…

Scout: Rarf! -Sniff Sniff-

[Cardinal took a moment to take in his surroundings.

This looked like a historic display of American History.... Medals, paintings, photos of past presidents...]

Cardinal: …

Cardinal: (Nnngh… I can’t do anything too dramatic in here, I need to move out of this place…)

Scout: Rarf!

Scout: -HOLDS UP A FANCY MILITARY ROPE THING-

Cardinal: !

Cardinal: Thanks, Scout. Now let’s get out of here—

Cardinal: Before Shade does something stupid!

Scout: -RARF!-

Cardinal: (What I wouldn’t give for backup from Tobias right about now…)

Cardinal: (At least that office was one of the only places with anyone inside of the work quarters. It must have been horribly early in the morning when Shade took over—only the skeleton crew.)

Cardinal: (Looks like there’s different kinds of rooms over this way—man, I wish that I could have seen the White House back at home, I’m going into this totally blind—)

[A low noise and a rotating click.]

Ptew ptew pew!

[Another nest of Search Snakes slither on their way.]

Cardinal: (THIS room must be horribly dangerous. This much priceless history? That’s a screaming neon sign for “DEATH TRAP SECURITY” if I ever heard one.)

Cardinal: (I’m going to have to tank some hits, probably…)

[He looks around the room skeptically.]

Cardinal: …

[He grabs Scout and holds him directly between his shield and his body, and makes a run for it.]

[BWAAAAN--]

[Something from the ceiling unlocks--]

[Oh dear THOSE ARE VERY MUCH MILITARY GRADE MACHINE GUN TURRENTS--]

Cardinal: (Aw glitch.)

[There’s a whine as he holds up his free arm, it shifting to have a wrist launcher.]

KTANG KTANG!

[Cardinal used MAGNET MISSILE!]

Cardinal: -EVEN MORE RUNNING FOR IT—-

[The missiles lock onto the turrets, attaching to them before exploding. Unfortunately, while this takes SOME of them out…

…some of them merely malfunction, firing at random.]

Cardinal: DAMMIT—

[CARDINAL used METAL BLADE!]

[He took some hits protecting older paintings from the unfriendly fire, but his shield held firm.

The same couldn’t be said for the turrets that were introduced to one of THE most deadly Power Capsule weapons known to man.

They crashed down to the floor. And as Cardinal approached the end of the room—]

Cardinal: GOSH DANGIT!

[…Locked doors barred his way.

And he could hear the whine, feel the psychological heat of lasers lighting up his back for long ranged target sights.

He whirled around, back pressed up against the surface, taking the incoming fire to his shield.]

Cardinal: (WHY are there locked doors in here?!)

Cardinal: (Augh…)

[To the unfamiliar observer, it would appear the bird had been cornered.]

[VRRRRRRRR...]

[A laser.]

[A very familiar one.]

[PING!]

[MN.8] //: Not so sassy nao, are ya.

<DLN-000>: >Shade.

<DLN-000>: >This is stupid floor design, Shade.

<DLN-000>: >I’ll have to have a word with your brother about this after I haul your chass out of here.

[Oh, he was rushing robodrenaline, alright. “Heart” rate had increased, his fans (while thankfully muffled) were louder, giving off more heat than earlier.

There was also that clicking and whining noise again…]

<DLN-000>: >Your desire for sass is very important to us. Please hold, and the next available representative…

[Cardinal used DRILL BOMB!]

[He shoved something very much like a Crash Bomb into the door behind him. It ground away at the metal as it tunneled in, embedding itself in the door before exploding.]

<DLN-000>: > —WILL GET BACK TO YOU!

[Cardinal used FLASH STOPPER!]

[AUGH, again with the BLINDING light—]

[MN.8] //: --GNGH-

[There was a deep growl on the other end before it cut out--clearly Shade had not been pleased with that.

Not at all.]

[Cardinal didn’t waste a moment. He turned his back to Shade—he had no choice—and his arm shifted again—]

[CARDINAL used SUPER ARM!]

WHUNK!

[He punched a bigger opening through the thick door where the Drill Bomb had made the first breach.]

WHAM!

Cardinal: -IN YOU GO, SCOUT—-

Scout: RARF!

"WHAT IS THAT--"

Cardinal: Tie them up for me— OW!

Scout: ! D:

???: Please stay behind me--

???: TAKE ANOTHER STEP AND I WILL OPEN FIRE--

Scout: -GRRRRR-

Cardinal: Go ahead, it’ll just put you in the hospital! Metal ricochets, genius!

[He squeezed his way through, hearing things becoming active again behind him.]

Cardinal: I don’t have— ouch! —time for this—

[He grabbed one end of the rope and then—]

[Cardinal used TOP SPIN!]

bbbZZZZZZZzzzKT—

[The top clattered along, circling and snaking around the people in the room. The rope he had tied to it followed after.]

Cardinal: -YANK!-

[WHAM.]

[The sound of multiple human beings hitting the floor at the same time follows suit.

Cardinal used the Super Arm again to sort of push them all into one pile of disgruntled, frightened, aggressive humanity.]

BWIP!

{Outside…}

[Cardinal jumped off and did a backflip out of the way off of the piled people, bringing his shield out in front of him.]

[.......]

[That's weird.]

[No sniper fire?]

Cardinal: -Takes a moment to catch his breath- (Ugh… I can feel the slugs embedded inside me. I’m going to need to shed this armor before too long, at the rate this is going—)

[It took him a moment to realize he wasn’t being shot at.]

Cardinal: …???

Cardinal: -Peeks out behind his shield- ,’B/?

[Vrrrrrrr...]

[...? Wait, that sound--those sound like propellers--]

Cardinal: …

Cardinal: -Looks uuuuuuup—-

AviCam: -FLOATS IN-

Cardinal: …

Cardinal: … -COCKY GRIN BENEATH MASK-

Cardinal: Smile, you’re on candid camera!

AviCam: -MAKES SOME LETTERS IN THE AIR-

[G O F O R R E S C U E--G L.]

Cardinal: See ya later, Hoverbrother. Send my love if things…

Cardinal: … blow up in my face ;D

[He takes the moment to take off his helm entirely. Man, he looks exhausted.]

Cardinal: I can only assume you’re keeping them from crowding around with questions—thanks, because—

[He pulls out what looks like a miniature oil can and douses himself with it. And then another one. Oddly enough, he seems bone dry after. Huh.]

Cardinal: -Puts his helm back on- —I gotta scram!

Bwip!

{Inside}

[He reappears back inside.]

Cardinal: …

Cardinal: …???

Cardinal: (Where the heck did Scout go?)

[The happy Zig was nowhere in sight.]

Cardinal: Nnnngh… (I told him what would happen, so… I guess something went wrong. I hope I run into him on the way rounding up stragglers…)

[There was a buzzing noise as he was lit up with lasers again.]

Cardinal: …

Cardinal: Really, Shade? This is SO boring.

[Buuuuut then they… start spazzing out?]

Cardinal: …?

Kkkkk…

Cardinal: !

Cardinal: (Wait a second—music?)

[Not just any music…]

Cardinal: Eight!

[PING!]

[MN.8] //: Well, well, well.

[MN.8] //: If it ain't the infernal Wily child and the Lil' doggie.

[PING!]

[A surprisingly firm voice echoes though the comms--]

[MN.9] // COUNTERSHADE!

<DLN-008>: >Shut up, Shade.

<DLN-008>: >The only reason I haven’t fried you to a soot speck is because Beck’s my friend and Cardinal would kill me. |[

[The whole building abruptly seemed to fill with harsh static. Not just the noise—the electricity itself. And, as Tobias had predicted, Cardinal was NOT pleased.]

Cardinal: Cut that out, Eight.

Cardinal: Is there anyone else in here?!

<DLN-008>: > Yes—

Cardinal: Then cover Beck and STALL for me, dammit!

[He takes off.]

Cardinal: (With Tobias messing with the security system, that should make it marginally less deadly by making the systems cut in and out—)

Cardinal: (And there’s two of us, he can only be in one place at a time, he’s not Siam, after all—)

[BANG BANG BANG.]

[Crack!]

[Cardinal’s armor had finally taken too much damage from energy shots. It shifted away into his normal gear.]

Cardinal: Fantastic.

Cardinal: -RUNNING FOR IT AGAIN-

[Lasers in all directions--]

[Wait--no...It couldn't be.]

[That can't be him just down the corner.]

Shade: Boo.

Cardinal: Shade, I’m not—

[CARDINAL USED RAIN FLUSH!]

[It was raining indoors and now EVERYTHING was wet—]

[His other arm turned into a blaster.]

[Cardinal used SPARK SHOCK!]

Cardinal: —IN THE MOOD FOR THIS!

[He suddenly was surrounded by live electricity.]

Cardinal: Out of my way or I swear to God I’ll fry you to a core.

Shade: ....

[He stands there for a moment, looking as if he is complimenting the threat.]

[Then.]

Shade: -grins-

Shade: Alright.

[BANG--]

[--???]

[Wait, that shot came from behind him--

And where did Shade go?!]

Cardinal: -Ow-

[In the bad mood he was, he jumped up onto ITEM-2.]

Cardinal: I told you I’ll get back to you, you impatient brat.

[BZZZRRRRRKKKZZZZZGGGHHHHHHHVVVV—]

[…Well.

THAT hallway and everything in it was sure toast.

Various spheres dropped to the floor, but no sniper (or core thereof) was among the casualties.

Cardinal shot on down the hall, following flashing static panels along the way. Left, right, right, left, up a flight of stairs, down stairs—

He was suddenly thrown off his wind surfer when everything began to float and hold in place. And an object in motion…]

Cardinal: !

WHANG!

Cardinal: OW!

Cardinal: Tobias, what the frag was that for?!

[Disgruntled, he didn’t wait for an answer. Left, right—]

Cardinal: -Comes to a screeching halt- …

Cardinal: … And I thought the last room was a death trap…

[Standing before him were two more impressive looking doors. They were more grandiose and obviously stronger than the last. And… the Presidential Seal was in proud, bold colors right in the center.]

Cardinal: (That’s gotta be the way to the Oval Office!)

Cardinal: … (But… Tobias led me hear, so that means…)

Cardinal: (Oh hell…)

[VRRRRRRRR--!!]

[There was a wave of UFO-like Xelbots that flashed into view--before vanishing into thin air, barreling themselves straight into Cardinal's path--]

Cardinal: -NOPE-

TSSSSEW!

[Cardinal used Rolling Cutter!

It’s super effective!]

Cardinal: Hey, Area 51 called! They want their rides back!

Cardinal: Hope those came with a warranty.

[VRRRRRRRRR!]

[Oh, lovely, more turrets--]

[VVVVRRRRrrrrrrrr....]

[....They...powered off?

Suddenly, the lights flickered.]

Cardinal: …

[And dimmed. ]

Cardinal: ?

[To his slight surprise (and fair annoyance), Cardinal began floating again.]

Cardinal: Tobias, for the LAST time—

[PING!]

[MN.3] //: Oooooh, Shaaaaade!

[MN.3] //: BIG ZZZSISTER WANTSZZ TO HAVE A TALK WITH YOU.

[MN.8] //: -Oh, bite me, witch hag.-

[MN.3] //: YOU CAN'T PLAY HIDE AND ZZZSEEK FOREVER--

Cardinal: … Dyna?

[MN.3] //: Go on now, Becky, I got thiszz, I KNEW thiszz place had it'szz own power grid, yum.~

[MN.9] //: Hookay, thanks, Dyna! c:

Cardinal: -Aaaalrighty then- (I better hurry up before the whole gang arrives.)

Cardinal: -Bounces through the lower gravity before it abruptly changes-

[He takes one look at the door.]

Cardinal: (How am I going to—)

[…But was interrupted by the sound of the security systems starting up again.]

Cardinal: .___.

[CARDINAL used SKULL BARRIER!]

[He was just in time to prevent becoming an energy and lead pincushion. Still under fire and holding up the shield, he rotated through his capsules until…]

POW!

[He lowered his hand, turning off the Thunder Beam.

He had managed to blow the fuse, which turned off the security in the hallway…

…and the lights…

…and the air conditioning.

It was starting to get very hot, and things smelled like burnt electronics.]

Cardinal: Man…

[He takes out the Shadow Blade again.]

Cardinal: I feel sorry for whoever holds the homeowners insurance on this place.

[He sliced at the door repeatedly in intersecting diagonal lines. This time, he let the acid eat away at the door.

He didn’t like how unnaturally silent it was now that he had put the whole hallway into radio silence. Only the windows brought any light in at all.]

Cardinal: (Here’s to hoping I’m not too late… not for them, OR for him…)

[Cardinal used HARD KNUCKLE!]

C R A C K!

[Cardinal used SHIELD BASH!]

[And burst RIGHT into the Oval Office!]

[There were only three people inside, all standing around the desk, as if discussing something. The ladies had looked up sharply at the noise, and had backed away before he came crashing in.]

???: Crap--

[The only other male in the room pulls out a firearm and pulls the trigger--]

[BLAM!]

[A moment of silence.]

Secretary: -Oh thank GOODNESS—-

Cardinal: -Looks up with a slight smile-

Cardinal: Nice headshot, sir.

[The secretary shrieks.]

Secretary: OH MY GOD IT’S IMMORTAL—

???: .....

???: Or he just has a very good helmet.

Cardinal: Sorry to crash the party, Mister President.

Cardinal: But we do need to evacuate before my best friend does something he regrets when he gets over his hangover.

???: .......

???: What?

???: I'm not the president--

???: I'm Secretary of Defense.

SoD: -What made you think I was POTUS.- : /

Cardinal: …

[Cardinal was on his feet now, standing at attention, very military in posture.]

Cardinal: You’re standing behind the desk, sir.

[The other woman rolls her eyes.]

SoD: And...?

SoD: -It's 20XX, doesn't everyone know who POTUS is--

Cardinal: And I don’t have time for this. We’re leaving now—

BZAP!

Cardinal: -Baaaacks away from the stern looking woman, okay, she’s got a taser, that gave us pins and needles-

SoD: Nice shot.

[She looks down at Cardinal with disapproval. Humorously, her heels made her slightly taller than him.]

Cardinal: >_>;

Cardinal: …Madame President, I presume.

POTUS: Why should we believe you? You broke into the White House, through several top-notch levels of security, disengaged a good portion of the defenses in more than one hallway, and just mentioned your alliance with the terrorist who put us here to begin with.

Cardinal: …

Cardinal: Because I’m not shooting right now?

POTUS: You didn’t think this through at all, did you.

Cardinal: No sir, I did not.

[The secretary snorts a little at that. The poor woman looked like she had seen better days, especially before her sudden promotion after the whole mess had started.

The SoD, on the other hand, seemed to be unsure of whether to be impressed or just incredulous.]

SoD: Wow.

SoD: He has guts, at least? (Or no forethought.)

Cardinal: Thanks, but we’ve got to—

[He saw a tiny, TINY red light.]

Cardinal: !!!

[He does a teleporting tackle to slam the President to the floor. Fractions of a split second later, there’s a VERY strong shot that leaves burn marks around the wall right behind where her head had been.]

Secretary: -STRAINED NOISES, TRYING NOT TO SCREAM-

[PING!]

[MN.8] //: Tch!

[MN.8] //: Keep gettin' in mah way, Birdy, and Ah' WILL make ya regret it!

Cardinal: I could say the same to you, pal.

SoD: -ARE YOU OKAY--

[She was fine. Shaken, perhaps, but didn’t show it.

Then she became cross, and started to speak to the silent hunter.]

POTUS: This is your last chance— hand yourself over to the authorities, or you will be facing the consequences—

Cardinal: NO!

Cardinal: Leave him alone!

[For the first time since he had come in…

He actually SOUNDED scared.

Desperate, even.]

[MN.8] //: Heh.

[MN.8] //: Was that ya soundin' desperate there?

[MN.8] //: -LAUGHTER-

[MN.8] //: Ah' hate t' disobey a lady, but m'afraid yer term is up.

[MN.8] //: Now.

[CLICK.]

[MN.8] //: R u n.

[For a brief moment, silence.]

Cardinal: …

Cardinal: …Heh…

[He starts laughing.]

POTUS: ???

SoD: ....-Whispers- Um I don't think this guy is all mentally sound--

Cardinal: Shade, Shade, Shade…

Cardinal: You know what?

Cardinal: You’re right.

Secretary: ?!

[MN.8] //: -Ooooh, now ya got his attention-

[MN.8] //: Somethin' change yer mind, Birdy?

[MN.8] //: Was it the fact that yer doin' this all fer nothin'?

Cardinal: Hardly.

Cardinal: More like…

Cardinal: I don’t have time for this, Shade.

Cardinal: Guess I’ll have to make my own!

[He turns and FIRES—]

[Cardinal used TIME STOPPER!]

POTUS: ???

[Cardinal waltzes over toward the door, grinning.]

Cardinal: Now then…

Cardinal: Judging from the trajectory of the shot…

Cardinal: -ELBOWS, hard-

CRASH!

[Cardinal pulls a nearby curtain down and tosses it onto… well. Now that it was given form, it was clearly the fallen sniper.]

Cardinal: -Pulls something out of his traveling bag, shaking it- ~

Cardinal: -PSSSHT!-

[After spraying his own symbol on the cape once he found it, he quickly tagged “HOPE lives” on the floor. Then, and only then, could he relaxed and be satisfied.]

Cardinal: B]

Cardinal: -Tosses empty paint can behind him, looking down at the time-frozen sniper- Looks like you lost hide-and-seek, kid.

Cardinal: Too bad.

POTUS: -Just. Stares- o_o

POTUS: What… did you do? -Okay his methods are VERY strange but that was rather impressive-

SoD: -...What DIVISION is he in is the better question--

POTUS: -Starts advancing- Who built you?

Cardinal: —

[She grabs at his scarf and yanks up a metal bit that glitters in the light.]

POTUS: -Dog tags, SoD.- Is there something ELSE you need to tell me about, Desmond?

[Cardinal forces her hand away, holding (gently but firmly) onto her wrist.]

Cardinal: As charming as it is to have conversations with you…

Cardinal: -WHISTLES SHARPLY, SCOUT WE’RE LEAVING—-

Scout: -RARF RARF RARF--

Cardinal: That effect kinda won’t last forever, we really do need to get out of here—

SoD: .....Is...Is that a raccoon--

Cardinal: Close enough. Group hug, everybody!

Scout: -BOUNCES INTO POTUS ARMS-

Scout: -HALLO NICE LADY-

POTUS: ! Oh goodness— Now wait just a—

[Nope, he’s already scooped her up and grabbed the others by their jacket fringes.]

Byewbyewbyew…

{Outside}

SoD: --?????

SoD: -He can TELEPORT--

[Cheers erupt from the crowd, with the recovered Secret Service members forcing their way through, hemming out reporters and warning back drones with sniper lasers. One camera WAS allowed to come in closer.]

Cardinal: Heh…

Cardinal: Hello again, Avs.

Cardinal: -Puts Madame President down- I see you’ve upgraded this to include a speaker now. Your faith in me is reassuring. B]

[Avi’s voice crackled through the speakers.]

Avi: Bro, you do realize you can't hide from this, right--

Cardinal: Sadly. That’s a cost I’ll have to carry.

POTUS: (…Hide? Cost?)

Avi: OKAY GOOD JUST CHECKING.

Avi: Because sometimes you kinda just let these things fly WAY OVER YOUR HEAD--

[The vague, stressed pun didn’t seem to have any effect… other than making Cardinal’s shoulders sag with weariness.]

Cardinal: …

Cardinal: -Quietly- I’m sorry, Avi. I’m not done yet.

Avi: --....

Avi: Dude, Beck's in there now, just-- come on, man, can't ya believe in him too--?

Cardinal: Six, this is about a lot more than believing and proving and anything else, and quite frankly—

[He douses himself in those strange cans again.]

Cardinal: —I’m tired of seeing my brothers die. I won’t risk any chance of that happening again.

POTUS: Where do you THINK you’re going—

Cardinal: Here, take this, it may help you on your journey— -SHOVES SLIGHTLY SINGED SCOUT-

Scout: -LICKS FOR NICE LADY-

POTUS: -Ackpth—-

Scout: ~ < 3

Avi: --.... (I guess I tried...)

Avi: [sub] please don't hurt him too bad. [/sub]

Cardinal: I don’t have time for this. You saw the file extension, you know my intentions.

[He gritted his teeth. It hurt, again. Hurt because there was all this pressure, and nowhere for it to go.

Hurt because he couldn’t cry.]

Cardinal: …See you in clearer skies, Avs.

Cardinal: Goodbye…

BWIP.

POTUS: —…

POTUS: …Get me Sanda Labs on a secure line. -Stop wriggling, strange raccoon thing—- NOW.

{Back Inside…}

[Cardinal chose not to reappear in the Oval Office, but instead in an open room he had passed through on the journey. From the looks of things, Beck and Dyna had been through not long ago, themselves.]

Cardinal: -Takes in a shaky breath, hoo- (…Okay. Orders… orders over. Good… good, now—just need to find either Eight or Nine…)

Cardinal: (Can’t turn on my transceiver. They know I’m here and they want me out. But I can’t just stand by and let those two slice each other up and stain the rug with their Xel.)

Cardinal: -Grumbles- Where are you, Shade…

[He walks through several halls. Everything was dead silent. The expected countermeasures of security never came.]

Cardinal: …

[He was beginning to get very puzzled.]

Cardinal: (Did Beck already get to you? …And wow, I seriously made this big a mess?)

Cardinal: -Crosses his arms absentmindedly as he enters the secretary’s office- Come on, Shade, I said I would get back to you—

________________

(Thaaaaat's it, just a lil further...)

______________

[He held his shield loosely by his side as he meandered the halls for another good five minutes.]

Cardinal: …

Cardinal: …I guess Avi was right?

Cardinal: Maybe I should turn my transceiver back on, find out if they’re outside…

[He goes over to look out a window that faces the lawn, scanning the crowds for signs of his energetic young counterpart.]

Cardinal: Just my luck to miss out on the party…

_________________

(Heh. Stupid bird.)

(Should've paid attention t' where you were goin'...)

________________

[He turns away from the window, glancing at it over his shoulder.]

Cardinal: I should probably apologize to the President—

[CRUNCH.]

Cardinal: (What—? That doesn’t sound like glass—) -Looks down-

[What Cards saw on the ground--

A dart.

Several.

In the shape of a figure eight, all black as night.]

Cardinal: …

Cardinal: (Wait a dAMN SECOND HE SAID ALL HIS DARTS DO SOMETHING—)

[BANG!]

[The darts all exploded into shrapnel, sharp, dangerous pieces flying everywhere, breaking pottering and lights and anything else that was in it's radius.]

[Cardinal wasn’t shielding, so he took a direct hit.

Now, he was made to withstand exactly this sort of thing. To take it and tank it.

Didn’t mean it didn’t hurt.]

Cardinal: -GAH—-

[He staggered back, disoriented by the damage.]

[BANG--!]

[Red lasers fill the room, reflecting off of various objects to keep Cardinal guessing--]

[BANG BANG--]

[--With two more ACTUALLY aimed for him--]

[He took the hits, but answered back with a vengeance.]

KTANG!

[Leaping onto the walls and vaulting onto a statue, he peppered the room with high speed Quick Boomerangs.]

Cardinal: |[

Cardinal: You clearly haven’t learned I don’t go down so easy, Counter.

"Haven't ya heard of try, try again?"

[BANG--]

[A dart this time, yellow--]

[Cardinal used METAL BLADE!]

[The net was torn up even as it came onto him. He leaped onto a chandelier.]

[Cardinal used RING BOOMERANG!]

Cardinal: Haven’t you ever heard “Doing the same thing twice and expecting different results is the definition of insanity?”

[Laughter.]

"Look who's TALKIN'!"

"Ya sure are persistent."

[Cardinal was beginning to lose patience.

He was tired. He felt tired and old.]

Cardinal: Countershade, I have been chasing after you for over a WEEK now. I’ll hardly give up because you’re throwing a temper tantrum.

Cardinal: Get a grip, Shade— Snap out of it! This isn’t like you!

Cardinal: -Crossly- WAKE UP ALREADY!

"Temper tantrum? Boy, ya must be a real antique by now. Seein' as ya ain't made of Xel."

"Who even ARE ya, anyway?"

"Gotta hand it t' ya, Birdy, as ya are annoyin', yer good. Heh."

"And Ah' do so love a good challenge."

Cardinal: You can’t be serious. You recognized my brother and you don’t know me? That’s not a funny insult. -Actually sounds rather put out-

"Nope. Ya don't ring a bell."

Cardinal: Are you REALLY that out of it? That’s honestly just pathetic. The “sad, pitiful” kind.

Cardinal: Fine then.

Cardinal: I’ll make you remember—I’ll bring you out of this, I am going to snap you out of this if it’s the last thing I ever do!

[Cardinal used DUST CRUSHER!]

[All the shrapnel and debris that had been created by Shade and others before him was kicked up in a whirling cloud of sharp death that enveloped half the room, shredding everything in its path before getting embedded into the wall.]

"--Ngh--!"

[There is some painful data, but it is quickly snuffed out by something other than Shade.]

"Oh, it WILL be--ya can't keep flyin' FOREVER, Lil' Birdy..."

Cardinal: Try me.

[…Not his best choice of words.]

"Heh."

"Since ya ASKED so nicely!"

KSSSH!!!

[The chandelier came crashing down, with him inside it.

Even though he teleported away, he still had the force of momentum, and crashed down into the ground pretty hard.]

Cardinal: Hggghhhh…

Cardinal: (Gah… hate HATE falling from heights, come BACK, vision—)

[BANG!]

[Countershade took this perfect opportunity to fire off another shot--it was so easy, once he was blind--]

Cardinal: AUGH!

[Cardinal counteracted with a spam of Metal Blades that went in ALL directions, embedding DEEP into wherever they found score—

And there is a LOT OF rolling around and taking cover--seeing the saw blades stirred up something...Something that made him even angrier. ]

"MOTHERSCRATCHIN'--Ah' HATE when it takes more than one bullet!"

Cardinal: See now, if you REMEMBERED anything, you’d KNOW I don’t go down to one hit!

"Goddamn waste of mah TIME--"

Cardinal: Tch.

Cardinal: Anything you don’t have time to do right the first time, you’ll need to have time to do over.

Cardinal: And I’ve put a hell of a few lifetimes more into this than you.

[BANG BANG--]

[The explosive darts were out now, but single striped instead of the deadly double. Perhaps Shade didn't want to ruin his new 'Home' anymore than it already was. Cardinal tanked the hit with his shield.]

[The Proto Shield held firm as ever, though he moved aside to avoid being backed into the wall.]

Cardinal: -Gets back to his feet, shifting his weaponry again with another click.-

Cardinal: This is not the first time we’ve done this song and dance, Shade!

[Cardinal used BUBBLE LEAD!]

[The acid pellets burst upon contact, hissing and eating away at the floor and various high ground on the other side of the room.]

[SSSSSSSS...]

"Aw FRAG IT--"

Cardinal: You forgetting?! Just means I have ALL THE MORE ADVANTAGE OVER YOU!

[Cardinal used TOP SPIN!]

kzzzZZZZZZZZGGGVVVVGGGHHHTTTT—

[Marble columns were sliced clean through and brought crashing down.]

[CRASH--!!]

"--!!!!"

[There was a few moments of scrambling and--]

[--Silence?]

Cardinal: Nice try, but I know you’re fine. Your camo goes out if you’re not.

Cardinal: And if you want to play this the hard way, I’ll do just that. >B |

[....]

"Alright."

[Click.]

[That came from RIGHT beside him!]

Cardinal: (Glitch—)

[Cardinal used ICE SLASHER!]

[It wasn’t fast enough to prevent the shot that seared through his right shoulder, but. It was enough to send the whole room about ten degrees below zero, and send icicle spears flying.

There was a HISS of pain and a grunt, Shade's camo flickering for a moment--

--Before returning to normal, and the lasers that herald his presence once again came from a completely different direction--

Cardinal ends up backed against the wall, having no other option besides his shield at this point. The Skull Barrier and the Leaf Shield had both been spent during the rescues.]

Cardinal: B[

[Cardinal used ITEM-1!]

[He jumps onto a hovering platform to gain height before firing off some plasma blasts at strategic surfaces—places where he would go if he had that side of the battlefield.]

[BLAM!]

[BANG BANG BANG--]

[As if in response, Shade shoots at the ITEM-1 before unleashing a trio of--oh, no, double stripped darts--!]

Cardinal: !

[Cardinal used WIRE!]

ZZZZZZZIP!

[A grappling hook shot out of his arm, bringing him up toward the ceiling and away from the explosion.

Unfortunately, this position offered him no cover whatsoever, except for his shield—which, as always, remained squarely over his central mass.]

Cardinal: This is getting a bit old.

Cardinal: I’d rather light things on fire, but that wouldn’t be being…

[He smirked.]

Cardinal: …a good House guest~

[BANG--]

[CRASH!]

[He had the wind knocked out of him again, but…

Judging from his wheezing and shaking laughter…]

Cardinal: -Worth it-

[CLICK.]

[....Uh oh.]

Shade: Was it?

Cardinal: Yup.

Cardinal: Too bad it didn’t…

[Cardinal used AIR SHOOTER!]

[STRONG gusts swept across the room, moving EVEN the fallen marble slamming into the wall!]

Shade: --!!!

Cardinal: BLOW YOU AWAY!

Shade: Ngh--

[Shade loses his footing and is forced to back up a ways in order to keep Cardinal in front of him--and on his sights.]

Shade: Enough of this--

[CLICK.]

[...Not even Shade could make a shot in these kinds of winds--]

[...Right?]

[BANG!]

Cardinal: -OOF!-

[Okay. He was really taking a beating now.]

Cardinal: (This has got to stop. Man… haven’t even knocked out his active camo yet, lame. I wish I could use more explosions and fire, that might have helped…)

Cardinal: … (Then again, not being in such a cramped space would have helped anyway.)

Cardinal: Hoo… man, you do hit hard…

[BANG--

BANG BANG BANG--]

[...Shade doesn't answer back.

He just keeps shooting.]

Cardinal: It really is too bad Round Two had to be like this—nngh!

Cardinal: I think you would have preferred remembering!

Shade: Hey.

Shade: Birdy.

Cardinal: What.

Shade: Do me a favor.

[--Wait--why was his voice coming from behind, Shade was right in front of him--]

Shade: Stop yer PRATTLE.

[BANG--!]

[Cardinal was put to the floor, dizzy from being shot in the back. His fans were buzzing a bit, and he had to prop himself up with an arm.]

Cardinal: -WHEEZE- Now that was beneath you, my friend.

Cardinal: You’re an assassin, not a traitor.

Shade: Not my fault yer bein' difficult, Birdy.

Shade: All yer...

[BANG.]

Shade: Sass, all yer brave front--

[BANG!]

Shade: Ya don't fool ME.

[He had to deflect the shots with his shield, but his arm was starting to tire from taking the shock of the blows. He gritted his teeth.]

Cardinal: Is that supposed to mean something, Shade? I’m honestly—nnn!—confused.

Shade: It does. You'll get it REAL soon.

[BANG--]

[...???]

[That's...that's a red dart.]

[Completely red, stuck to Cardinal's shield.]

[--And then it started to glow RED, RED HOT, OW--]

Cardinal: AUGH!

[He could NOT handle that much heat, not so close to his core!

He was forced to drop it to the ground and roll to the side.]

[Cardinal used NEEDLE CANNON!]

[Needle shaped spears skewered anything and everything in sight…

…and some things out of sight.

A slight rip noise betrayed that Cardinal had scored a hit and pinned the sniper’s cloak to the wall.]

Shade: TCH!

Shade: Oh, that is IT.

Shade: -LOCK ON TO CARDINAL'S SYMBOL--

Shade: Yer SCRAP.

[BANG BANG BANG--]

[Cardinal hit the floor, hard.

Silence.]

Shade: -That was mah CLOAK, FRAG YA-

[…But after a moment, he did manage to sit up again, coughing a bit.]

Shade: Fer the love of--

Shade: Ya just don't DIE.

Cardinal: -Raspy- So I’ve been told…

Cardinal: (Great… all I have left is fire…)

Cardinal: You…

[He spoke seriously now.]

Cardinal: You’ve… got to stop, Shade.

Cardinal: You’ve… got to stop…!

[He staggered to his feet.]

Cardinal: This isn’t you. It’s not your fault, but you need to stop—

Cardinal: Don’t you remember who you are?!

Shade: --.....

[Who...]

[Cardinal grabbed his scarf and shook it. The dart there from Shade, a gift from so long ago, stood out in sharp contrast.]

Shade: ......

[Why did he have his...]

Cardinal: PLEASE! Don’t you REMEMBER me at ALL?!

_____________________

"Yer stuck with me. B]"

___________________

"Catch me if ya can, hunting doggie!"

_________________

[Memories, as if from some far off forgotten dream...]

Shade: --...

Shade: -Confused--

Shade: The hell...

[Cardinal took a quiet step forward.]

Cardinal: Shade!

Cardinal: You’re my best friend.

Cardinal: We TRUST each other, remember?!

—————————————————

“Being able to trust someone and want to be around them, miss them if they’re gone… That’s its own vulnerability, in a way.”

—————————————————

[Another step.]

Cardinal: (Just…)

Cardinal: (Need to get close enough…!)

[Trust...]

Shade: -Blinks--

[The purple and magenta fade from his eye for a second--]

Shade: (What...)

[....And then.]

[....A name.]

Shade: . . .

Shade: Cardinal...?

Cardinal: !

Cardinal: -Another step- YES! I’m here, Shade—

Cardinal: I promised nothing would make me give up on you, and I mean it.

Cardinal: -Another step- You’re sick, but we can fix that— come home, Shade, before you do something you can’t fix.

[…

…Fix…?]

—————————————

[An admission of weakness.

His core was messed up so badly, that…]

[From a powerful enough opponent, a direct hit at full charge, if exposed, would cause him to explode.

And no armor in the world would ever fix it.]

—————————————

Shade: ...ngh...

[The assassin staggers, as if something dull was pressing on his mind, something that was NOT a part of him, something that didn't want him to--]

Shade: !

[Something within screamed--]

[--But then, it all became clear.]

[Clear to the virus, that is.]

Shade: ......

[Cardinal was reaching out his hand to touch him. If he could just get a hold of him, he had just enough energy to get them out of here. Away from this place—if not to safety, at least where he couldn’t do any more damage.]

Cardinal: Shade…?

Shade: . . .

Shade: Songbird...Eh...

Shade: Well, that explains the bird part.

[CLICK.]

[There was an unsettling PREDATORY grin on Eight's face, as his rifle was pointed DIRECTLY AT CARDINAL'S CORE--]

Cardinal: !?

[He was too shocked, totally blindsided, taken completely off guard—he didn't even have time to get scared before—]

Shade: Adios, Songbird. BANG--

[The direct hit from such a close range— point blank range—had done massive amounts of damage.

He didn’t really feel hitting the floor, no…

It was all lost in a vast sea of white-hot pain that engulfed his senses, enveloped his whole body—

He couldn’t even say for sure if he screamed.]

Shade: That hurt, Birdy?

Shade: Ah' BET it DID.

[Cardinal had to turn to his side to avoid choking on oil. Now he felt sick, shivering from the pain and errors that were wracking his body.]

Shade: Oh, Ah' remembered ya, yes--ah' sure did... -GRIN-

Shade: Ah' remembered how t' finally KILL YA.

[Cardinal could hear the words, but they just wouldn’t register— but if they had, he would have been crushed not just in body, but also in soul.]

Shade: That was STUPID, bah the way.

Shade: What were ya even thinkin', huh?

[Even if he wanted to run now, there was no way out. He didn’t have the energy to teleport—he barely had enough to move.

Move he did, though, at least enough to get to his knees.

…]

[…relatively speaking.]

Shade: Eheh...

Shade: Looks like yer wings have been CLIPPED...Lil' Birdy.

Shade: Nowhere t' RUN, nao, is there. Even if ya COULD move....

Cardinal: Hnnnghnnnnnggh…

Cardinal: … (Can’t… can’t move…)

Cardinal: (Need… need repairs…)

Cardinal: (N-need to partition energy into repairs—)

Shade: Still breathin'?

Shade: Ya really ARE persistent!

[The world became a white void of pain as he was kicked in the side, hard. He fell over, and Shade forced him onto his back with a bit of pressure. His vision started to come back in, but—]

[CRUNCH--]

[A boot crunches on top of Cardinal's chest--]

Cardinal: (AUGH!)

[He couldn’t breathe.

He couldn’t. Breathe.

The weight was crushing him, breaking him, threatening to put pressure on his core—his constant massive conversion of energy into matter to save him was only intensifying the pain.]

Cardinal: Ghhghkk—!

[He was too badly injured to move. He was using all of his power just to stay alive, now—he could barely hear, barely see—]

>ERROR: HARDWARE DAMAGE CRITICAL

Cardinal: !

>COMPLETE SYSTEM FAILURE IMMINENT

Cardinal: (nnnONONO—)

>INITIATE SELF-DESTRUCT SEQUENCE

Cardinal: AAAAUUUGH!

[Cardinal gave a choked cry of despair as the countdown began— audibly, no less—]

>TEN…

Shade: -Ooh, now... What is this?-

>NINE…

Shade: Oh, right...

>EIGHT…

Shade: Ya Wily constructs go up with a bang when yer too helpless t' RUN.

>SEVEN…

Shade: -Chuckles.-

>SIX…

Shade: Nao ain't that somethin'...

>FIVE…

Cardinal: (No…!)

>FOUR…

>SYSTEM OVERRIDE

>THREE…

>RUN PROGRAM: FINAL_DAYS.EXE

[The countdown stopped, briefly.]

>WARNING: FINAL_DAYS.EXE IS AN UNAUTHORIZED PROGRAM. USING THIS PROGRAM WILL PREVENT COMBAT.EXE INITIATIVES OR SYSTEM MAINTENANCE FROM RUNNING NORMALLY. CONTINUE?

>YES

>DON’T ASK ME AGAIN

> -PING!- COMMAND CONFIRMED.

>SELF-DESTRUCT SEQUENCE HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

Shade: ....

Shade: Tch.

Shade: Was hopin' t' see fireworks. Oh, well.

>EXECUTING PROGRAM: FINAL_DAYS.EXE

[He became limp and weak as the program went live.

He was no longer burdened by instincts meant to preserve him to be fighting fit later, or to continue fighting on.

All the energy that had been spent toward those goals was now going into extensive repair, to keep his vitals up and his senses working. This process would not be interrupted, no matter how much energy it drained from him.

…But as a result…]

Cardinal: -Rattled wheezing from shaky, submissive gasps for air-

Shade: Heh... -Smug smirk-

[He was now completely helpless.]

Shade: Look at ya...

[Everything felt faint. It hurt, and yet…]

Cardinal: -Hazily- (Can’t even move…)

[He felt so tired. So tired.

He wanted nothing more than to close his eyes and get his rest….]

Cardinal: (C-can’t…)

Cardinal: (So… so tired…)

Shade: Just look at ya, ya waste of scrap.

Shade: All yer talk and sass and comebacks and fancy display...

[CRUNCH--]

Cardinal: ( -PAIN!-)

[Cardinal became briefly blinded by pain, his eyes glazing over. His fans wailed in protest at the crushing weight put on his chest.]

Shade: --And all it took--

[His armor—!]

[SNAP--!]

[His inner plate armor split open—]

<DLN-000>: > -PAIN!-

[With his transceiver off, no one could hear him— no one could hear his anguished data streams—]

Shade: --Was a few shots, from one bot--

C R A C K—!!

[He jerked sharply, almost convulsing as the armor clattered, giving way to expose the energy core within. It was glowing like a small sun—white hot, too.]

Shade: - T'prepare ya t' meet yer Maker. That is... Assumin' there's an afterlife for ya pathetic box bolts...

[Cardinal gave off bleak rattling noises as his coolant system attempted to draw air over broken fans.]

Cardinal: -Repairs, need… need repairs…-

[His vision came back to him as the conversion went into overdrive, desperate on keeping the fans running, to keep him alive.

This allowed his eyes, dulled before, to resume their green spark—his sunglasses had been knocked off long ago, and so there was nothing between the green fire and the sickly purple gaze.]

Shade: --?

Shade: What in tarnation--

Cardinal: Hnnnnggghh…

Shade: --....

[Wait a second...

There was something just right of the power core, mostly tucked behind it. As it glowed, the mobility rig seemed to just… rebuild itself.

Enough for Cardinal to grasp at something hidden below his scarf, clutching it with a stubborn resignation.]

[.....]

[Two and two were put together within a second, and the Teal Silence let out a dark chuckle.]

Shade: Stubborn jackass! So THIS is how ya kept yerslef goin' so long, hmm?

Shade: Real clever...

[He suddenly JABBED right at it with his rifle-- which was a VERY bad mistake…]

Shade: ARUGH--!

[…as far as the sniper was concerned.

The tip of the rifle had been vaporized, and Cardinal was filled with a jolt of energy that the conversion provided. From the strength Shade had unwittingly donated, he knocked the rifle out of the way to prevent his friend from losing balance, and possibly ending up losing the rest of his arm to the power converter.]

Shade: NGH--

Shade: Little goddamn bastard--should've known ya had 'nother cheap shot like that up yer sleeve...

Cardinal: -Irratable snort- (Oh please, that’s just how I’m BUILT—you wouldn’t go sticking your hand in stomach acid, would you?!)

[There was still enough strength left from that for him to regain some focus. It took effort, and he struggled to reallocate repairs to non-vital systems.

Like… talking, for example.

Cardinal vented a bit and scrunched his eyes in a grimace, trying his hardest to work up the energy to talk.]

Cardinal: Nnnngh…

[…But he could only groan. The pain was so heavy…]

Shade: Bah, for the love of— spare me yer theatrics, Songbird, S'not like ya can sing anymore.

Cardinal: (But…)

Cardinal: (I’ve GOT to, I need to tell you…!)

[CLICK.]

Cardinal: —hghkkt!

[He knew that noise.]

[He KNEW that noise, and it filled him with dread.]

Cardinal: (No…)

Shade: Heheheh...

[A sadistic smile partnered the laugh that escaped from Shade--the dart that was usually in his mouth was gone...]

Cardinal: (Shade, oh God no— please… no, don’t… you can’t do this…)

Cardinal: -Weak ping of protest-

Shade: Ah' TOLD ya...Ya can't fool me.

Shade: Ya scared now, li' Birdy?

Cardinal: -Strained fan whine of despair-

[He was in distress, that was for sure. A heartbroken dismay was sapping away at the willpower maintaining the diminishing fumes of strength in his body.

Shade leaned over, resting his rifle arm on his left knee… as he put his weight on Cardinal’s shoulder. The fans there screeched as they were crushed beneath the sniper’s considerable weight.]

Shade: Good.

[The blinding pain lifted as the weight was drawn away. When Cardinal could see again, he saw his friend’s back facing him.]

Shade: I'll give ya this...

Cardinal: …

[A low hum...]

Cardinal: … -even weaker ping-

[He couldn’t mask it. When Shade turned around, Cardinal couldn’t help but give off a faint signal of hopelessness—

Shade was using a sniper scope to light up his core as a target, purely to mock him out of spite.]

Shade: Ya were better ’n most. Damn freakin' annoyin’, too. Shoulda known better ’n ‘’ta come HERE, t' mah huntin' grounds. You got a death wish, songbird? Huh?

[He took a step forward, letting his spurs rattle loudly in his stride across the floor...]

[Slowly.]

[It was tempting. So tempting.

He was tired. He hurt. He was scared. If… if he just let go, the pain would stop, it wouldn’t hurt anymore… he could rest, he could leave before…]

Cardinal: … (No… can’t…)

[Cardinal took in a shaky breath, willing himself to stay alive, even though his energy core…]

Cardinal: (Can’t let it end… like this…)

[…was starting to turn cold.]

Shade: -Data-

Shade: -Well, if ya insist, we can GRANT it for ya.-

Cardinal: (Can’t…!)

Cardinal: (I CAN’T LET IT END LIKE THIS!)

[Cardinal struggled to focus through his failing vision, to look that menacing red-violet eye directly on with his own, dimming green pair.

He shut down all but his central core mass fans to get the energy to speak.]

Cardinal: -Very raspy, distorted gasp- Shade…

Shade: --....

[...He's not sure if he should be annoyed or impressed.]

[Cardinal spoke again. There was a clear but quiet, submissive air of despair in his frail voice.]

Cardinal: Countershade, please…

[Oh.]

[He took a step forward...]

Shade: What was that?

Cardinal: Don’t… don’t do this… beg… begging you, please…

[.....]

Shade: -GRIN-

[He smirked cruelly at this, at the sight and sounds of Cardinal begging, pleading for his life, for mercy. Ha! Finally, after all of his talk and bravo!

What a delightful feeling.]

Shade: Heheheheh!

Cardinal: please…

Shade: (Eso es, Pájarito. Ruega por por la misericordia hasta que mueras.)

Cardinal: …it’s only… only… g…going to…

Shade: --?

Cardinal: …going to hurt y o u…

Shade: --.........

[For a moment, that makes Shade pause.

The sick, purple aura left him, the malice, the evil that had dug it's way deep into his core was lifted for just a brief moment-- ]

Shade: -N--No--

Shade: (No, no, no…!)

Shade: -Straining- M-must… fight… the power…

[He, too, seemed like he was in just as much pain as Cardinal was.]

[…]

[CLICK.]

[...But the moment... Passed.]

Shade: Enough!

[He spoke with a firm, authoritative command of finality.]

Shade: I don’t have time t’ waste on you. Obviously ya ain’t gonna stay out of my way while ya still runnin’.

Shade: An’ as we’ve already established, ya have this fraggin’ annoyin’ tendency to keep hangin’ on. Fahn, then—I’ll give ya the honor a’ takin’ ya out myself!

Cardinal: (No…)

[Cardinal gripped his hand tighter, as if bracing himself.]

Shade: An’ just tah make SURE you don’t get out of sight at the last second…

[He lowered his gaze, and his aim, right down to Cardinal's exposed core.]

Shade: This'll be the last bullet Ah' waste on ya.

[Cardinal forced himself to maintain eye contact, even as Shade lowered his rifle to point directly at the exposed core.

He didn’t… feel scared anymore. Just… defeated.

Hopeless.

…Accepting of his time, resigned to his fate… even as he dwelt with lingering, final regret, on his failure and shame.]

Shade…

[Darkness overtook his eyes.

His power was nearly entirely depleted. He would only last a few minutes longer, at most—one way or another, he had reached, at last… his final day.]

[Vrrrrrrr...]

Oh, Shade…!

[He could faintly hear the sound of Shade’s deadly aim setting up. It seemed… so far away…]

I…

[He heard a faint fizzling and hissing noise as the energy converter fell silent.

There could only be one reason for that—

No more energy left to convert from.

He could feel his heart becoming as cold as i c e …]

I’m… so sorry…!

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

=CHAPTER 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—>>

<FMN-008>: > -GWARGH-

<FMN-008>: > RICK YA DANG BIPLANE, AH’ SWEAR AH’LL SWISS CHEESE YER PROPELLORS—

🎼 Avi

[ VI ] - “JINGLE BELL, JINGLE BELL, JINGLE BELL ROOOOCK–~”The screeching sounds that came from the plane bot could barely register as singing, but sing he did regardless. Complete with jester hat. Avi, you glorious goofball.

---

=CHAPTER 6B: CRIMSON STRONGHOLD=

~AO v1.0~

((Courtesy of @limitbreakers))

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

{Meanwhile, at the Rebel Angel residence…}

[Siam was starting to feel very tired.]

>RUNNING ANALYSIS…

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

He spoke aloud.]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Siamini: -Sighs-

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

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

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

[He spoke up in objection to this.]

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

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

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

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

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

[He sighed.]

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

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

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

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

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

PING.

[There was silence. Siam rolled his eyes.]

>ANALYSIS COMPLETE

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

>RESULTS: POSITIVE.

Siamini: …

Siamini: ?!?!

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

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

Siamini: (NOW!!)

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

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

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

He needed to be RIGHT.]

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

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

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

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

…

…Tonight was one such night.]

<FMN-008 is now Online.>

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

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

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

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

-Zzt.-

Carmen: Ow!

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

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

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

"....?"

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

Jack: ...Uh oh...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[A few soft pings.]

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

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

<FMN-006>: > —

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

[Carmen felt so dazed.]

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

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

[MN.7 IS NOW ONLINE]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[CDN.7037] //: --!

<FMN-008>: > Brand—

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

<FMN-007>: > Shhhh…

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

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

<FMN-008>: > Can’t… remember…

<FMN-007>: > …

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

<FMN-008>: > Okay…

<FMN-008 has entered Sleep mode.>

Jack: . . . . .

Jack: (Them?)

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

<FMN-007>: > …

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jack: (--Holy shit--)

<FMN-003>: > Uuuuugh you loszzzerszz.

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

Jack: .....

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

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

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

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

<FMN-002>: > ;; 3

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

[And then…]

-Ping-

<DWN-024>: > ???

<DWN-024>: > Sensei?

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

[He seemed rather surprised, almost incredulous.]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[PING!]

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

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

[MN.7] //: --!

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

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

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

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

<DWN-024>: > ...

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

[MN.7] //: Please.

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

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

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

<DWN-024>: > The PENTAGON called!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[MN.6] //: Pretty sure.

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

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

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

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

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

[MN.7] //: Avi--

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

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

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

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

[MN.7] -Point...-

[There was a delay.]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

<DLN-005>: > ~

<DLN-005>: > -You’re back!-

<DLN-005>: > -Yaaay~-

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

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

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

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

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

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

<DLN-005>: >Didja see Cardinal?

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

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

<DLN-005>: >Aw…

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

<DLN-005>: >Oh well… maybe next time.

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

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

<DLN-005>: >Well, yeah—

[PING!]

<DWN-013>: > -SIR—-

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

<DWN-013>: >…

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

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

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

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

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

<DWN-013>: > …

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

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

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

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

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

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

<DWN-013>: > …

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

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

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

[MN.5] //: . . .

<DWN-013>: > …Battalion…

<DWN-013>: >I do understand.

<DWN-013>: >Really.

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

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

I just had to make sure he didn’t.

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

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

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

[i]No…! Not yet![/i]

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

[i]Come on, kid… make it quick…[/i]

“You… you’re Crashman, right?”

I turned to face him with a frown.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“…You…”

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

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

<DWN-013>: > … I do.

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

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

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

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

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

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

[Jaden seems… broody.]

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

{Later…}

Bonnie: How’s Five doing?

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

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

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

Bonnie: Any sign of the three still missing?

Pyro: .....

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

Pyro: -Rumbly grumpy data-

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

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

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

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

Pyro: !

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

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

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

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

{Meanwhile…}

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

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

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

<MC005>: > I’m… better, certainly.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[DR.WHITE] //: !

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

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

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

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

[There’s a thoughtful silence.]

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

[DR.WHITE] //: ...

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

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

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

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

<MC005>: > …

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

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

[DR.WHITE] //: !!

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

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

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

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

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

<MC005>: > …Er…

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

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

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

<MC005>: >But as for Four—

<MC005>: >My dear Will.

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

[DR.WHITE] //: --!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

<MC005>: >I’m sorry, but it’s just…

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

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

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

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

text

text

((Bat and Pyro convo goes here))

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

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

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

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

Beck: --? (Dad--?)

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

Beck: Dr. Cossack...?

Mikhail: -Softly- Good afternoon, Number Nine.

Mikhail: -Offers marshmallow bag-

Beck: ...um.

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

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

Beck: .....

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

Mikhail: Trouble resting?

Beck: ....Um...

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

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

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

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

[Too many worries.]

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

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

Beck: .....

[...Oh.]

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

Beck: .....

Beck: ....Doctor Cossack?

Mikhail: Da?

Beck: Are...

Beck: ......

Beck: Are they afraid of me?

Mikhail: -Blinks at this-

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

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

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

Beck: .....

[...He falls silent.]

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

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

Beck: ....

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

Beck: I...I just...

Beck: ....

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

Beck: ......

_________________

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

"...What does that mean--"

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

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

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

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

Mikhail: Shhhh…

Beck: .....

Beck: (What if they're right?)

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

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

Beck: -We're scared.-

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Beck: .......

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

Beck: -Nods-

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

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

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

Beck: .....

Beck: (Jaden, you...)

Beck: .....

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mikhail: They really do believe that.

Beck: ......

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

((Cardinal pic))

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

Beck: ...!

Beck: (The Russian Incident...)

Beck: .....

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

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

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

Mikhail: Yes…?

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

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

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

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

Beck: Heheheh...

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

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

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

Beck: ....

Beck: -Sighs-

Beck: I'm worried...

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

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

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

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

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

Beck: ...?

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

Beck: --??

Beck: They did?

Beck: (But how would they...)

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

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

Beck: ....!

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

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

Beck: . . . .

Beck: Shade...

Mikhail: You must understand…

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

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

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

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

Beck: .......

Mikhail: … (Even if it meant…) …

Mikhail: …

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

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

Beck: (Cardinal...)

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

Beck: ......

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

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

Beck: ....

Mikhail: Yes.

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

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

Mikhail: And Beck…

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Beck: ......

Beck: Dad's probably worried about everything too.

Beck: -We're similar like that-

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

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

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

[Mikhail sighed.]

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

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

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

=PROLOGUE A: IT ALL BEGINS NOW=

~AO v1.0~

(Starring @limitbreakers)

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

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

It is the present year.

“C-Coming, Cryo!”

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

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

“WE KNOW, Pyro. Jeezzz, calm down.”

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

“TOO RIGHT, Brand!”

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

“…Avi not focused.”

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

“YES SIR NO.1!”

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

…when suddenly…

….

BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAN–

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

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

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

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

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

“PYRO! BRAND! SHADE! GUYS! S T O P!”

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

“GUYS–NO–NOOO–!!”

[....]

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

[REBOOTING...]

[MN.9 IS NOW ONLINE]

Beck: ....Uuugh...

Beck: What...what happened...

[......]

[At first...nothing.]

[Then....]

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

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

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

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

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

Beck: What...?!

Beck: Why would... They...

BOOOM!

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

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

Beck: !!!

Beck: N...No...!

[Screams. Fire.]

Beck: What....

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

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

Beck: .....!!!

Beck: DAD!

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

[He was somewhere in this madness...]

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

Beck: PROFESSOR! DAD! WHERE ARE YOU?!

Beck: DAAAAD!!

[......]

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

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

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

Beck: Dad!

White: Beck!

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

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

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

Beck: I am so glad you're OK—

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

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

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

[Tears filled his emerald green eyes.]

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

White: What?!

White: Why on...

White: . . .

White: oh God—nononoNO—

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

[...His suspicions were confirmed.]

[The status of all Mighty Numbers...]

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

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

White: NO!

Beck: .....!!!

Beck: INCOMING!

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

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

White: ooF--

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

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

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

White: Ngh...

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

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

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

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

White: ...

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

[Sands Enterprises.]

White: ........

White: .......

Beck: Dad...?

[His expression hardened.]

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

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

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

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

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

Beck: ...!

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

White: ........

Beck: ....

White: Beck...

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

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

Beck: --!? Wha--

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

White: Do you think you can do that?

Beck: ......

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

[But Dad...]

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

[MN.9 HAS ENTERED COMBAT MODE.]

Beck: Yes sir!

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

White: Alright...

[...There was hope.]

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

White: Let's move!

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

[SYSTEMS READY.]

[....INITIATING COMBAT PROGRAMS.]

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

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

Beck: ....!!

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

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

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

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

Beck: ....!!

Beck: Professor! Look!

White: !

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

[Gregory Graham.]

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

[…!

Faint!

But there!

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

Beck: !!!!

Beck: Toby!

White: Tobias?!

Beck: I felt his signal!

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

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

[KKKST!]

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

Beck and White: WHAT?!

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

Barely noticeable, given the matter at hand.]

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

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

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

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

Graham: That this isn't our fault!

White: ....!!

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

Beck: What the--is he SERIOUS?!

[…Oddly…

…nothing, from their otherworldly friends.

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

But it seemed Graham wasn’t done yet…]

[Graham then composes himself...]

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

[KKKKKKSSST!]

"Heeeelllloooo! Is this thing on?"

Beck: ...Avi?

[PING!]

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

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

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

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

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

Avi: "EVERYWHERE! BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!~"

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

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

Avi: THE END OF THE WORLD, BABY!~

White: MIGHTY NO. 6! STOP THIS IMMEDIATELY!

Beck: A…Avi…

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

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

[.......]

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

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

White: We're almost there...!

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

White: ....!

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

White: Dr. Sanda's calling...

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

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

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

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

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

[DR.WHITE] //: And yourself?

[…Yep.

He was his usual self, alright.]

[Dr. Sanda, however…]

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

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

[DR.SANDA] //: ohmyGod

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[BANG!]

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

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

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

[...Sanda Enterprises.]

[The front door was completely blown open.]

White: Oh, no...

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

White: ......

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

Beck: Yes sir!

Beck: ......

Beck: This way!

[BWAN BWAN BWAN BWAN--]

Beck: nEVER MIND THIS WAY--

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

White: --!!!

[...Sanda Models.]

[Heading this way...]

White: BECK!!

Beck: !!

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

Beck: Uhoh--

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

White: --!!

White: They're locked onto me--!

Beck: NO!

Trash Bots: -GLITCHED BEEPING-

[.......]

[ANALYZING.]

[EMOTION MATRIX RUNNING...]

[THREAT CONFIRMED.]

[ACTIVATING WEAPON SYSTEMS.]

Beck: STAY AWAY FROM HIM!

[WEAPON SYSTEMS: ONLINE.]

-*-*-*-*-

Felix: Let me tell you something, Master Beck. It is your heart and your build, your purpose, to help others. That is where your greatest power, I think, will always lie.

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

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

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

Felix: I can tell you THAT from experience.

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

Felix: Of course.

Felix: And after all.

Felix: You /are/ MIGHTY.

-*-*-*-*-

[XEL ABSORPTION SYSTEMS....

ONLINE. ]

[BLAM BLAM BLAM!]

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

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

[ZOOOOM!]

[ACXELARATE DASH: ONLINE. ]

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

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

[ABSORPTION BOOST: ONLINE. ]

Beck: --!!

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

Beck: Ah--

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

Beck: .....

Beck: WHAT THE HECK JUST HAPPENED.

Beck: -pANIC-

Beck: W HAT WAS THAT?!

White: .......

White: Beck...did...

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

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

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

Beck: .......

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

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

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

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

White: ...And Xel Assimilation.

White: ....But...

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

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

White: .....!

White: (Of course...)

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

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

White: (In an effort to protect me.)

Beck: .......

Beck: Whoooooa...

White: ....!

Beck: .....

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

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

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

Beck: --!!

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

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

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

Beck: OwowowowlASERSHURTOW--

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

[DR.WHITE] //: Sanda?

[.....]

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

[.......]

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

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

[MN.9] //: DAD--

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

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

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

[There was a LOUD scream across the feeds.]

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

[B A N G.]

Beck: ?!?

Beck: What was THAT...?!

[The door opened...]

[WWRRRRRRRRRRRRRR--]

White: --?!

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

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

Beck: Oh C RUD--

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

Beck: DAD!

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

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

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

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

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

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

[MN.9 HAS ENTERED FULL COMBAT MODE.]

Beck: I'msodead--

[SCANNING...]

[SCAN COMPLETE.]

[ E N C O U N T E R ]

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

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

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

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

[SPLAT.]

[A little...too fast.]

Beck: O-Ow--stupid wall-

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

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

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

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

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

Beck: Crudcrudcrudcrud--

[WRRRRR...]

[BLAM BLAM BLAM!]

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

Beck: -nOT AGAIN--

[ZOOOM!]

[...And yet another splat.]

Beck: OW--

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

Beck: NO IT'S NOT WORKING--!

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

Beck: Aim and shoot, joints, head--

[WRRRRRRRRRRR--]

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

[Bombs!]

Beck: --oh NO--

[Of course, it was a demolition unit!]

[BOOM!]

Beck: AAAAAAAAAAH--

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

Beck: -SCREAMING-

Beck: DAD HELP ME--H ELP ME!

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

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

[BOOM! BOOM!]

Beck: -I'MGONNADIEOHMAN-

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

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

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

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

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

[As soon as Beck saw it...]

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

[As if the thought was there all along.]

Beck: Here GOES!

[ZOOOM--]

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

[WARNING! WARNING! VIRUS DETECTED!]

Beck: --?!?

[RUNNING XELFILTER.EXE...]

[XEL FILTERED. ALL MALWARE HAS BEEN NEUTRALIZED.]

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

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

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

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

Beck: ....???

[A panel UNDERNEATH it unlocks and--]

[PSSSSSSSSSH!]

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

Beck: AAGH!

[DR.WHITE] //: BECK!

Beck: Uuugh....

Beck: ...Ooooowww...

[...? What's this?]

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

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

[PISSSSSSSSSHHH!]

Beck: -gARBLING NOISES-

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

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

Beck: sTOOOOOP--

[.....]

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

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

[...Right?]

[…]

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

[…Wrong.]

Beck: WHAT?!

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

Beck: NONONO!

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

[ERROR....]

[ERROR...]

[ERROR...]

[...Gone.]

[They were all gone.]

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

Beck: NO!

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

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

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

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

[DR.WHITE] //: USE THEM!

Beck: .....

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

Round Digger: -R O A R S-

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

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

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

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

[XEL ABSORBED.]

[XEL ABSORBED.]

[XEL ABSORBED.]

-PING-

[XEL QUOTA ACHIEVED.]

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

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

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

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

Beck: Come on--

[His arms started to shine a pure white!]

Beck: SNAP OUT OF IT!

[XEL PURGE INITIATED!]

Beck: NOW!

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

[........]

Round Digger: ....????

Round Digger: -BEEP-

Round Digger: -BEEP BEEP-

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

Beck: ...!!

Round Digger: -DISTRESSED BEEPING-

Beck: Hey--Hey...

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

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

[Closer...Closer...]

Beck: Hey....Are you OK?

Round Digger: -BEEEEEEEEEP!-

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

[...Pat. Pat...]

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

Round Digger: -SAD BEEP-

Round Digger: -BEEEEEP-

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Round Digger: -PING-

Round Digger: -DIRECTIVE RECEIVED. COMMENCING DEMOLITION.-

Round Digger: -WARNING BEEPS, STAND CLEAR-

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

[WRRRRRRRRRRRRR--]

[C R A C K!]

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

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

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

[MN.9] //: Yes Sir!

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

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

Round Digger: -BEEEEEEP-

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sanda: Will!

White: Soi!

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

White: Hurk--! Soi--!

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

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

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

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

Sanda: Great Ceaser's Ghost, Will--you look like you've just been put through the wringer...!

White: That's...not wrong, Soi...at all...

Sanda: ...I can only imagine--I could hear everything from down here...

White: ....Did...you hear the broadcast...?

Sanda: Broadcast--?

White: ...Right, the systems are still scrambled—you wouldn't get anything...

Sanda: —…. Well—I… /did/ hear.... screaming—

"Dr. Sanda!"

[Passing through the crumbling wall, Beck reappeared, his pristine white armor slightly singed in several places--probably from laser fire.]

Beck: Dr. Sanda—!

Sanda: Beck--! Come here, you--!

[In a well meant hug of his own, Beck latched on to Sanda's leg, burying his face into it. Muffled cries of 'I'M SO HAPPY TO SEE YOU'RE OK' and 'SANDAAA' were heard while the Doctor fondly gave Nine a noogie.]

Sanda: Ha Ha! I KNEW you could do it, Mighty No. 9!

Beck: -MUFFLED NOISES-

White: Yes--well done, Beck...but, I'm afraid we still have work to do--have the other robots been taken care of?

Beck: I...did my best--some of them went outside, but I managed to absorb most of the ones on the upper floors...

White: That will do. Come on, Soi, let's TRY and get this lab running again--

Sanda: W-Wait a minute--

Sanda: I see here that BECK is functioning normally...

Sanda: But what happened to the OTHER Mighty Numbers...? Are they still OUT there...?

[........]

[… … …]

White: ....Sanda...

[...Will sighs...and takes up a straighter posture.]

White: Based on empirical evidence...I believe that they might be suffering from this... robot affliction that's been going around--and causing all this chaos...

Sanda: W-What--?!?

Sanda: You mean--Pyrogen, Cryosphere...

White: ...Yes, Soi...they've been infected with a virus. I saw the status of all of them on my laptop...

Sanda: No...!

White: ...Have a look...

[MN.1 STATUS: ONLINE, FULL COMBAT MODE, -VIRUS DETECTED- ]

[MN.2 STATUS: ONLINE, FULL COMBAT MODE, -VIRUS DETECTED- ]

[MN.3 STATUS: ONLINE, FULL COMBAT MODE, -VIRUS DETECTED- ]

[MN.4 STATUS: UNAVAILABLE.]

[MN.5 STATUS: ONLINE, FULL COMBAT MODE, -VIRUS DETECTED- ]

[MN.6 STATUS: ONLINE, FULL COMBAT MODE, -VIRUS DETECTED- ]

[MN.7 STATUS: ONLINE, FULL COMBAT MODE, -VIRUS DETECTED- ]

[MN.8 STATUS: UNAVAILABLE.]

[MN.9 STATUS: ONLINE, COMBAT MODE, CONDITION: NORMAL.]

[After a moment…]

-PING!-

<RMDC>: >REQUEST ACKNOWLEDGED. SENDING STATUS UPDATE TO MODERATOR DR.WHITE…

[…! Data from the RobotMaster Database (Cossack Server) in the midst of this—?!]

White: It's...!

Sanda: The Robot Master Database--we're still connected--!

>DCN-008 STATUS: LETHAL COMBAT MODE

>DCN-007 STATUS: LETHAL COMBAT MODE

>DCN-004 STATUS: LETHAL COMBAT MODE

>DCN-003 STATUS: LETHAL COMBAT MODE

>DCN-000 STATUS: OFFLINE

[oH WAIT THEY’RE IN /LETHAL/—]

[...!!]

Beck: But--They're in--!

>Loading…

>DWN-024 STATUS: OFFLINE

>DWN-020 STATUS: LETHAL COMBAT MODE

>DWN-019 STATUS: LETHAL COMBAT MODE

>DWN-018 STATUS: LETHAL COMBAT MODE

>DWN-017 STATUS: OFFLINE

White: Oh God... Don't...tell me they...they've...

>Loading…

>DWN-013 STATUS: LETHAL COMBAT MODE

>DWN-012 STATUS: LETHAL COMBAT MODE

>DWN-011 STATUS: LETHAL COMBAT MODE

Beck: Speedy....Siam...everyone...

White: -PALES, THINKING THE WORST-

>Loading…

[…]

>Loading…

[…There seemed to be a delay…]

>Loading…

> -PING!-

>DLN-008 STATUS: OFFLINE— CRITICAL AI_OS DATA ERROR

[…well that might explain the screaming from earlier…!]

Beck: TOBY...!

White: No!

Sanda: T-...Tobias...

>Loading…

>Loading…

>Loading…

>Loading…

>Loading…

>Loading…

>ERROR: SIGNAL NOT FOUND. SEARCHING…

[…This did not look good. Everyone who wasn’t in LETHAL Combat mode was OFFLINE. The whole series—! Even the Awarenesses who didn’t have rebuilt chassises yet!]

Beck: Nononono--!

White: Not them too!

Sanda: Oh no MIKHAIL AND KALINKA-

[MN.9 HAS GONE INTO COMBAT MODE]

Beck: -sCREECH- LINKA!

-PING!-

White: --!!!

Sanda: -jUMPS-

Beck: !!!!

<MC005 to DR.WHITE>: > -PING!-

White: MIKHAIL! IT'S HIM! HE'S ALIVE--!

Sanda: WELL DON'T JUST STAND THERE, WILL, ANSWER HIM--

[DR.WHITE] //: MIKHAIL--!

<<—Previous——————Table of Contents——————Next—>>