PLDN Chapter 33

"Chapter 33: With an Anniversary and A Goat Turning 118, Big Developments Ensue (Sub-Entries 321 - 330)"

Sub-Entry 321: "Power X-treme Marks the Spot."
Somehow, it just feels right that the entry number of this log is 321.

"Contact!"

But, actually it has nothing to do with that science show reruns Asriel and I learned to love at the museum. I would trade off with Violet on that note; when I treated him to 3-2-1 Contact, she'd take the next museum outing and treat him to the mathe-magic of Square One.

"You are enjoying yourself, Goat Son?"

"This is....amazing......the best...thing...ever!" Asriel was trying so hard to contain his excitement and sound grown-up...

"...I don't think I ever want to leave!"

...and failing.

"Asriel's first spacewalk.  A bit early for a birthday present, but I'm sure he doesn't mind." I grinned ear to ear.

"I don't know how to thank you enough, Dr. Kane."

"Crystal."

"You're too kind.  I don't feel like I've earned a first name basis...but if you insist, Crystal.  Thank you for letting us come aboard Space Station, Sky Vault."

"The Arcade Foundation has been a faithful sponsor since Centrum came online.  And the recent addition of the Tokugawa Family funneling into our budget has helped keep our operation going."

"Arcades protect and serve.  All in the line of anti-terrorism.  And from the looks of things, your team has a doozy of a terrorist to deal with."

"I'll say, partner." Asriel's voice came in. "I mean terror is LITERALLY in his name.  I mean a villain named Doc Terror is almost TOO obvious if not a neon sign over his head.   Cliché much?"

"Point made, Goat Son.  Wisecracks aside, remember...you DO have a mission to complete out there.  The Solar Panels remember?"

"Right, right!  On it!" Asriel made his way to the damaged solar cells and began repair work.

I smiled as I watched him work from the observation deck.

"I admit. I feel a bit wary when I'm allowed to be in my true werewolf form on terran worlds like yours, Crystal.  I mean...as far as your Earth is concerned, werewolves and mutants are just movie and comic book stuff, right?"

"I admit.  It did seem more than a little hard to believe when the true nature of Neo Arcadia revealed itself to us.  Granted it would be an amazing boon to mankind for it to become public knowledge that we are not alone in the universe...

However...the reward versus risk is not something I'm willing to gamble on so frivolously merely for career advancement or some wide-eyed belief that we'd change the world as quickly as the invention of the light bulb, airplane, or automobile. I don't believe it would be a good show of faith to make a media spectacle about something like this. Despite it all...mankind is not ready to learn the truth."

"I appreciate the show of integrity. It's for the best.  And besides...keeping an ace in the hole means that no one knows about it; especially not your enemies.    You keep our secrets, we'll keep yours, after all."

I looked out at the Earth below.

"You know...not that I'm complaining; quite the contrary.  I'm grateful you were able to provide Asriel and I with an off-world outing during a calm between storms.  Semblance of peace time before Doc Terror and Hacker launch another attack. Something like fixing solar panels is a nice change of pace from getting caught up in wild west shootouts, sailing with pirates, and teaming with other people fighting the good fight on other worlds."

"There's a 'but' in there, doctor."

"Read me like a book, you do.  The 'but' comes from the fact that I'm sure Asriel is at least some semblance of disappointed he didn't get to meet your team. Or even get to see them in action. He's been racking up hero encounters like baseball trading cards."

Crystal had a look of amusement at that. "It's just as well."

So here we were--in the "near-future" where Doc Terror and his cyborg companion, Hacker, unleashed their forces to conquer Earth. Only one force can stop this evil--a hand full of brave men. In specially-created Exo-Frames, they can be transported anywhere (via quantum teleportation advanced enough to teleport organic and synthetic matter) to fuse with incredible weapon systems beamed down from the space station, Sky Vault, becoming...Man and Machine; Power X-treme!

I looked over the expanded roster of who was who among the so-called "Centurions".

Taken from the name of warriors from ancient times. Heck, even Palutena's army, once led by Pit, called themselves Centurions; so the name had plenty of pre-standing significance even before coming here. But that detail aside, here was who was standing in the way of Doc Terror's mad schemes for world domination:

Max Ray--'Brilliant' Sea Operations Commander: The calm and collected de facto leader of the team, donning a green exo-frame suit and sporting a fine moustache. His weapon systems are best suited for underwater missions.

Jake Rockwell – 'Rugged' Land Operations Specialist: Donning a yellow exo-frame suit, he has a short fuse. His weapon systems have the most firepower and are best suited for land missions.

Ace McCloud – 'Daring' Air Operations Expert: Donning a blue exo-frame suit, he is a brave but cocky womanizer who is sometimes at odds with Jake. His weapon systems are best suited for aerial missions.

And the two new additions, hence "expanded" roster:

Rex Charger – ‘Expert’ Energy Programmer. Dons a red and pale green exo-frame suit. You'd think as an authority on energy, I'd have correspondence with him. But honestly I didn't know much about the guy even from the bio.

John Thunder – ‘Specialist’ Infiltration Commander. Has a black exo-frame with exposed skin. Native American. Something about him made me think of our own Lupe.

"Well.  Mission or no, we could be watching the effects of zero gravity on grass growing in a bell jar and he'd still be this invested."

"A good student, I would say."

"A rare breed.  Anyway.  Frankly I'm content just enjoying the peace and quiet--"

And that's when the klaxons went off.

"Crystal.  Remind me to kick myself for opening my big mouth." I facepalmed.

"Volt?  What's going on?"

"Spacewalk's cut short.  I think we just had a Doc Terror attack down on terra firma."

"At least it happened right as I finished up.  Solar panels are back on line.  Pull me back in!"

And so...

"I take it the doctor has already made a house call?" Asriel said after getting out of the space suit and heading over.

"Thanks for the assist, Lucy." Asriel thanked Crystal's unconventional companion--a trained orangutan of all creatures. The primate took care of the equipment.

"Reminds me of Clyde back at Vi's lab..." Asriel mused.

I on the other hand was bonding with a different animal companion. Hope Jake didn't mind if I got chummy with his four-legged companion.

* bark bark*

"I hear ya, Shadow."

I petted the Siberian husky. Jake Rockwell's dog was wearing a harness housing some survival equipment and a pair of missile launchers.

"Let me guess.  World-wide transmission on all television stations?" Asriel crossed his arms, wrinkling his snoot.

"See for yourself." Crystal dialed up the live transmission on the video screen.

"Citizens of the world, this is Doc Terror with an ultimatum.  You world is in deadly peril.  And I ALONE have the power to save you.  Submit to me or suffer the consequences!  You have twelve hours to submit a document of unconditional surrender to me!"

Okay. Freaky guy. Black hair. Angry, low, slightly gravelly voice. And clear no sense of humor and very dead serious. But the standout was the immensely bulky robotic exosuit that engulphed literally half of his body on the left side, the entirety of his face on the right side. The rest of him was red and black exo-frame hard suit.

"Mr. Nasty isn't kidding, is he?" Asriel mused.

"Five will get you ten he CAUSED this deadly peril." I paced. "Crystal, do you have anything archived about Doc Terror's previous acts of terrorism?"

"Entries 1 through 60 are available in the auxiliary mainframe on deck 6 of Sky Vault."

"C'mon, Asriel.  We're about to do a cram session so we can reverse-engineer this guy's twisted thought process.

And once there...

"Yikes.  This guy doesn't beat around the bush.  Look at some of these video archive entries: "SVR-C-DT-00A: The Sky is on Fire", "SVR-C-DT-00B: Sand Doom", "SVR-C-DT-002:  Tornado of Terror", "SVR-C-DT-007: Operation Starfall"..."

"This guy had a plot for every occasion." I frowned.

"Maybe we should access his data file and learn more about his operation.

Opening that revealed of course the mad man of the hour but also details on those who allied with him.

Hacker. I could only guess that was an alias, because this guy did not look like a computer hacker even before he was turned into a cyborg. Granted, I knew better than to judge on appearance, but his bio pretty much assured me this was one time I could make an exception. He wouldn't win any awards for intelligence. As far as I could tell, Terror only recruited him on the promise of being powerful. A means to show off his cybernetic technology before the world science council.

"Volt?  Does this scenario seem familiar?"

"Too familiar.  It was down to Crystal Kane's research into the Centurions program and Doc Terror's research into mankind's next evolution being half machine. Guess whose research they funded?"

"Somewhere Dr. Wily  just sneezed." Asriel joked.

"He took it about as well as Dr. Wily, too. But  Hacker took it worse when it became clear that his new form was permanent. His rampage caused an accident which forced Doc Terror to us his own cyberneticizing process on himself to compensate for his serious injuries."

"Yikes."

"Besides Hacker, Terror has one other known ally. His biological daughter, Amber. And she takes a page from Cobra's own Baroness."

"Master of Disguise?"

"Very much so.  Good at subversion, counterintelligence...the whole nine yards. I guess when Doc needs someone to match his intellect, blood is thicker than water."

"I take it he has an army to back him up?"

I folded my ears back as I showed the screen. "Have a look at Doc Terror's own Christmas Catalogue if you dare."

Goat Son looked upon the sets of blueprints.

"Doom Drones.  Come in two varieties.  Traumatizers--walker robots with laser blasters for arms.  And Strafers--flying robots with missiles and lasers.   Seems Doc Terror and Hacker can swap out their cyborg halves with Strafer parts for flight capability.

Ground Borgs. Land-based robots armed with lasers and move on treads.

Cybervore Panther. A robot that is exactly what it sounds like.

Cybervore Shark. Ditto. Has the capability to merge with the Panther to create a mechanical monstrosity."

"Nice ugly list of death machines." I grimaced.

"There are other lesser ones listed like this drone that seems to have a large screen and cannons or this submarine drone."

"He's got all of the three modes of transportation covered."

"So do the Centurions.   Anything that Doc Terror can throw at them, they can match or surpass."

"That's the spirit, Azzy.  But from the looks of this one, they may still be outnumbered and outgunned."

Goat Son paced.

"You know...they don't have to be..."

"You got that look again, Azzy.  You thinking what I think you're thinking?"

"Think we can convince Dr. Kane to let us into the research and development lab and let us have a peek at the Exo-Frame weapon systems."

"You totally are."

"And you've got the electronics knowhow..."

"Say no more.  You don't have to butter me up on this one. But we are so not telling your parents about this one..."

And as time passed....

"Crystal, what's the situation down there?"

"Not good.  It looks like Doc Terror may have finally orchestrated a plot even too much for five Centurions to handle."

"Then might we suggest some basic addition?"

Crystal raised an eyebrow.

And so...

"...I would have waited a lifetime for this victory. The defeat and unconditional surrender of the Centurions."

"You should have picked the winning side when you had the chance." Amber looked down upon the five captured men, directing that little stinger mostly toward Ace McCloud.

"Aw, come on, Amber.  No goodbye kiss after all this time?"

"Ever the joker." Amber brushed him off. Clearly she set him up to shut him down.

"When we get out of this, you're going to be picking your parts out of a junkyard!"

"Shut up!" Hacker backhanded the hot-tempered Jake Rockwell.

"You plan won't succeed.  You've tried to force the world to surrender.  Even if we fall, someone else will take our place and carry on the good fight."

"Your trivial threats no longer amuse me. As the de facto leader, Max Ray, your team's failure falls on you." Terror gloated. "Even now, you are cut off from Sky Vault.  I've made sure you’re Exo-Frames won't have any nasty surprised beamed to them."

That was about the time we beamed down.

"What?!  What is this?!"

"Maybe their Exo-Frames don't work..."

"But ours do." Asriel mused.

"Who are you?!"

"D'aaahh!  What are they, Doc?!"

"Abominations of nature!  Mutants as it were." Amber reached for her weapon.

"Now that's just mean." Asriel shrugged before letting a Taiyoudama fly and strikes the weapon. She dropped it with a yelp before it melted upon impact with the floor.

"Ah-ah-ah!  No touchies the goat son." I discharged a bolt of electricity into Hacker's swivel-blaster end effector arm.

"GAAAAH!"

"Yeee-haaa!  Nothin' like a good old fashioned Texas cavalry to the rescue!"

"Many thanks, our friends!" John Thunder agreed.

"Stop them!  Destroy them all!" Terror commanded as the walls opened up, revealing his Doom Drones.

"You know, I was thinking our new threads could use some accessorizing." I looked to Asriel.

"I was thinking the same."

"Crystal, time to beam in the new stuff!"

"Copy that, Doctor. Sending you the Stormbreaker weapon system and sending Asriel the Sun Vulcan weapon system. Energize!"

"Say it with me, Goat Son!"

"POWER X-TREEEEEEEEEME!"

With that the gear materialized in the wide shaft of light that reached all the way up to Sky Vault. Each part plugged itself into our frames and linked up with our suits' internal systems.

"Nice hardware.  I couldn't have designed a better energy system in a week's time." Rex Charger definitely admired my use of high-yield plasma arc cannons, tesla coils, and lightning lasers as well as the magnet armatures and magnet grenades.

"You wear the weapons of a true warrior." John Thunder had noticed Asriel had taken a few personal liberties with its solar theme but also with its armaments that looked almost Lupe inspired--from the crossbow, tomahawks, and HEAT daggers, to the slingshots and bolos that boasted some fiery ammo.

"Let the sun shine in!" Asriel led off with the flame throwers that drew from his own Quantum Solar powers.

"And lightning doesn't just strike twice!" I lit up as many bots as I could handle.

"All this action and I'm feeling a little left out." Jake grumbled.

"I'm with you, buddy.  I could really stretch my wings."

I headed over.

"I think I can help in that department." I set about unhacking their Exo-Frames.

"You're frame's back up." I finished on Ace's first.

"Fly me to the moon, beautiful!!" Ace contacted Crystal. Even at a moment like this he was flirting.

"Flattery won't get you a date.  But it will get you this.  Now beaming Strato Strike!"

"POWER X-TREME!"

"And for Jake, an old favorite.  Sending Detonator."

"POWER X-TREME!"

"And beaming Cruiser for Max!"

"POWER X-TREME!"

By the time we were turning the tide, Crystal had already sent two more weapon systems, rounding out our force with Rex and John's best gear.

"Grrrrragh!  Blast those Centurions!"

"Doc!  We gotta get outta here!"

"Father!   We must retreat!"

"You have made powerful enemies this day, Volt and Asriel Arcade!"

Terror slammed his fist down on the console of the giant mainframe. It was there that the back half of the command center room seemed to break away and separate before the whole thing lifted off. The open area of the gaping hole in back sealed up with a system of panels.

"That's new." Ace looked on as he hovered.

"It's moving too fast."

"He got away!"

I wrinkled my nose as I looked up at that giant transforming airship.

"Typical."

"Hey, Volt!  KOMMAND just contacted us.  We've got incoming allied science teams coming in to assist with the world disaster Terror caused.   They're optimistic that the process can be reversed within a few hours."

"Excellent.  Chalk up another victory for science!"

And so...

Back on Sky Vault we enjoyed our celebration as well as renewed alliances.

"As far as we're concerned, your both honorary members of the Centurions."

"Well, we already have the Exo-Frames and their first weapon systems.  I'm looking forward to coming back and designing something new."

"Our facilities will be at your disposal, Dr. Arcade."

"Volt.  You've earned the first-name basis."

"Hey!  Tell me you're not getting chummy with the werewolf!" Ace protested.

"Relax, big guy." I pointed to my wedding ring. "Besides.  Our relationship is strictly professional."

"I guess that means he gets to practice his pick-up lines for a little bit longer." Asriel shrugged.

Goat Son was learning. Now if he could only learn to take an interest in a significant other.

"I guess we'll be packing up and heading home."

"But first..." Asriel grinned as Lucy dragged in the Space Suit.

Laughter all around. Go ahead and take another well-deserved spacewalk, Goat Son. You've definitely earned that.

Sub-Entry 322:  "The Founding and Partial Disbanding of the Team We Just Named":
"Just lay back...relax...and I'll do the rest."

"I have to know, Callista.  If this is real or not. Bunnie gave me some insight but..."

"I understand."

"Things like this make me recall the old research from the N-Division days...the Sub-Con file...the Koholint Island incident...that horrific incident on Elm Street that we don't speak of.  They all have one thing in common."

"Dreams.  As well as no way to prove they were just dreams and not something...else."

"Well then. Normally I've let these things happen naturally.  But...maybe this time I can induce my appearance in this...DeltaRune."

"Alright.  But be mindful.  I've explained the nature of the subconscious mind during sleep cycles."

"Indeed you have.  So...I guess there's not much else to say but...wish me luck."

I laid down on the couch. "I feel like this is a psychology session." I muttered.

"Nothing so general.  Do not worry. I am a professional.  I'll help you get to the bottom of this. Besides.  I'm a little curious to know what Asriel's connection to this is, myself."

I closed my eyes as Callista waved her hand over it...and....and....then I wasn't so sure what happened...next...

"Hey. Wake up, ya old geezer."

I opened my eyes. Really wishing it wasn't Suzie greeting me just now.

"Oh. I thought I smelled calcium carbonate." I mused.

"........"

Clearly I made her brain shift without the clutch. My guess is that if she were passing chemistry class, I'd be missing a few fangs for a moment or two.

"Don't spend all day figuring out what that is." I walked past as I kept pace with Kris and Ralsei.

We headed north, passing the fork in the road, initially. But we soon discovered the path ahead lead to a dead-end. A puzzle that we couldn't solve just yet.

"From the bottom, the order of our rooms in Card Castle.  Of course, if you haven't been there, you won't know it."

Before I considered risking another argument with Suzie over just plowing through the death spikes in the road  I deemed that we should probably come back here when we knew the solution...buuuuut...

Darned if I wasn't intrigued enough to give it a try.

After a few permutations I had come up with the following combination:

Red Diamond, Red Heart, Black Club, Black Spade.

I guess it made sense that the spade should be the last one in the list based on how high and mighty Lancer was acting around us. Though that wasn't a guarantee of anything.

Still, we lucked out. The spikes retracted and we got access to the lone treasure chest.

"Looks like...a broken key?"

I reasoned that there were at least two more pieces to it. And since I was a long way from the metallurgy lab, we'd need to find a blacksmith to weld it back together.

Kris put Broken Key C into our inventory, and we doubled back to the intersection. At some point it escaped my attention when we went back to Seam's shop and purchased the Key A fragment...or...did that happen? Did something happen between my dream sequences? For that matter...a more pressing question was...what did this key unlock?

Turning left lead us smack dab in the middle of a group of various guys. Two Rudinns and a Hathy to be exact.

I preemptively warned them to watch out for Suzie's axe. Considering themselves very warned and able to duck her swing, that made it easier to go through the ACTs needed to spare them.

"Woo." That was certainly something.

But I don't think any of us were prepared for the Forest of Hopes and Dreams to suddenly end and the floor to turn from purple grass to red and black checkerboard.

I was also starting to notice the pillars around us that looked like chess pieces emblazoned with a bat-like insignia with a hole in the middle.

Just as suddenly as the music had started once we entered the gate from Ralsei's training area...it just as suddenly stopped and there was an ominous ambiance all about.

The sign gave a cryptic clue.

"When you step into the light, you'll return to where you were before."

What the heck did that mean?

Our answer became clear as we came to large strips of the checkerboard lit up completely white before reverting back to checkerboard and the next row....!...yeah, there was a simple pattern. The rows were flashing bright white from left to right in sequence, 1-2-3.

The moment we stepped on a white section--

"What the...!

We were suddenly a 3 or 4 whole squares back from where we just were. Ohhhh. Of course. These things were a barrier of sort. Any time we landed on the white light, it would move us backward, preventing us from going forward.

After a bit of trial and error and zig-zagging at just the right intervals, we made it to the other side.

Up ahead the checkboard continued...but it began feeling more like an Excitebike track the way it suddenly dropped and raised at 45 degree angle spots...or maybe it was an optical illusion caused by sections of track cut away so that it would appear to be rising and falling from a certain perspective.......wait a minute. I think this floor is starting to mess with my sense of depth and dimension.

But maybe it was the mundane lull all around us that lured us into a comfortable false sense of security. For none of us were prepared when one of the bishop-shaped pillars turned out to be an enemy in disguise.

"Ponmon drew near."

We warned about Suzie and they dodged appropriately then retaliated with diamond projectiles.

"Ponmon listens intently, despite having no ears."

That was when Ralsei diffused the situation by using his magic.

"Ralsei sang a soft and entrancing lullaby!"

Wow. Goat Wizard can sing. In a way...I was reminded of Asriel back home. I think Mitzi had started to give him pointers in being a vocalist.

And with that, the Ponmon fell asleep...as did Suzie.

I almost did as well.

Kris spared one of them. Ralsei pacified the other.

The road ahead was more of the same behind us with the slowly flashing white light sections.

But the next room held someone familiar.

"Ha ha ha... So you've begun to cross the GREAT BOARD... The halfway point to our castle.  Hmm...impressive.  So it's a shame... You won't make it a step further!!!  'Cause my guys are about to smash you into blood!  Lots of blood!  Splooshing blood!  Very gross and bad!"

Whoah. Dark.

And I think some of us about jumped when the sudden bolt of lightning cracked in the background as Lancer suddenly kicked an empty bucket toward us to emphasis as he laughed maniacally!

"Hey, Purple Girl!  Was that scarier?"

"Why are you asking ME?!" Suzie was attempting to look surly, but I'm pretty sure she was a step away from soiling herself.

"Because you're really cool at being terrifying!  I want to be as scary as you!"

Okay...I was at a loss. But not nearly as much of a loss as Suzie. That...really caught her by surprise.

"You...want to be like ME?"

"YEAH!"

A closer look at Lancer made me think he really had kind of a puppy-looking face...just chalk white underneath that spade mask.

"Well, that's stupid.

...

But the new laugh isn't as awful..."  She admitted. "And saying you'd turn us into blood is, uh, cool."

The Hell it is! Stop encouraging his behavior, you hooligan!

"...what the Hell is up with the bucket, though?"

"It's to put the blood in."

"Oh."

"Yeah, I'm not, uh, supposed to make a mess.  Anyway, thanks for your feedback!  I'm really feeling scary!"

"...ummm, no problem, I guess.  Haha.    ...so are your guys going to attack us, or..."

"...Oh!  Yeah!  ...I was so excited I forgot to bring any guys."

WHAT.

"But NEXT TIME, it'll be the END for--"  A pause. "Hey, I've just been calling you guys, CLOWNS...Does your team have an OFFICIAL NAME or something...?""

"Oh, Kris! We should come up with a name!"

"No, we shouldn't."

"Then it's decided!  Everyone puts a name in the bucket!"

"Alright, everyone's put in their entries!  Blue person, you can choose.  Since you look like you don't care."

It was at that moment my "A.E.O.N. Sense", for lack of a better way to describe thinking 5th dimensionally--that thing I do when I couldn't remember which AU something was; like with my mentors, the Ghostbusters. Which continuity were they again? Ahem...I digress.

I foresaw three scenarios, and they went like this:

The crumpled paper:   

"OK!! And your name is...!  ... Hmm.  I don't think I'm allowed to say this one."

"It's PRONOUNCED   The $!$? Squad."

"Woah I'm not allowed to say Tier-TWO swear words.  Wow . You three's collective dad must be very cool."

"Er could we PERHAPS consider a DIFFERENT name?"

I think I need a censor for this dream sequence...

The neat paper:  "The Legendary Heroes The Herald of Fun and Friendship"  

"Oh oh!  That's mine! See  I think it's the perfect name...  Because we're all friends  That like to have a lot of fun."

"Okay first.. . jeez  that's a mouthful  dude.   Second what are our enemies gonna think? That we're gonna be BUDDIES with 'em? Let's change it to something SHORT ! INTIMIDATING!  Something PUNCHY ! Something BAD-ASS!"

"... like what?"

"Well uh.. .  Y'know  for starters...  How about...  JUST  uh... The Fun Gang.  Ya know just  uh  concentrating on the  Fun part."

"It's perfect!!!"

"Well see ya  Fun Gang!  I've got to osmose my afternoon milk!"

* The power of ~ shines within you. *

Okay then...

The Lancer paper: 

On the inside it also read "Lancer". To which I guessed Lancer would respond  "Wow, who did that one?  It's really good." And then a convolution which somehow ended with the name being "The LANCER Fan Club". Oh brother...

So which one did Kris choose?

Did their choice really matter at all? Take a guess and whatever you guessed is probably right. Moooooving right along...

Proceeding on, more sections of the Great Board unfolded before us and the patterns were familiar but varied. By the time we got to something new we were being crowded out by a mob of Ponmen threatening to overtake us.

But we outdistanced them and managed to talk to the statues in the next room;  the first resembling a hedgehog-looking rabite perched on a pair of bellbottom pants? Whaaaat?

"Woah there, horsie.  Ponmen're scary,  but all they're doin' is following the King.  Us on the Great Board used to have our own boss... those'n were peaceful times. But now, even the boss's been reduced to the King's peon...

The other statue looked like it had a diamond for a head, a set of choker beads around its neck and was in what could be described as a matter-of-fact kind of pose...or maybe someone trying to Walk Like an Egyptian from the 1980's?

"Fear not - we, unlike the simple Ponmen, possess FULL faculty over our actions. I, Mr. Society, am far too intelligent to ever bow down to such a tyrant!  ...Unless he asks me.  He's very scary, you see.  What? You think you have the power to topple that brute???  Yes! Yes!  Yes!  I'm sure everyone will support you!  Go for it! Just as long as I don't have to participate!"

Oh brother. Double-talk much?

And ahead...

"Hohoho... Well STEP on my BOOTS.  If it isn't the ."

Huh? I was only joking earlier about needing a censor for my dream sequence. Our team name didn't REALLY need to be redacted...

"You boys or girls had better turn back while you can."

"Lancer!  What is it this time?"

"Hohoho...I'm simply warning you...!  Something EXTREMELY dangerous is lying ahead!  Hohoho!  It's actually really inconvenient!  I can't go home at all because I'm so scared!"

Every time Lancer finished a sentence he advanced closer to us. And...for some reason when he did there was the sound of an ominous orchestra hit.

"Wh...what is it!?!" Suzie actually sounded rattle.

Lancer stepped aside and let us pass. And standing in our way was... C. Round. Really. Really? C. Round. That was the scary thing? A puppy-faced red checker chip with legs?

I can't even.....!

Ralsei, answer on my behalf...

"Oh! Hey, little guy..."

"THAT!?!  That's what you're afraid of?!" Suzie's surprise actually overrode her anger.

"W...wow, purple girl!  You aren't scared!?"

"Heh. Why would I be?   What's it going to do?

"Hmm....well, normally--"  Lancer started as the thing walked to the very end of the Great Board just as the tiles lit up. And with that something lowered down from the sky onto its head. A crown? Wait...checkboard...checker chip. When you got to the last move...wasn't that where the losing player has to "King" the winner?

Moments after landing on top of the C. Round...it suddenly grew a feeeew sizes with a familiar sound I remember from the archives of the Mushroom Kingdom data.

And AIYAIYAIYAIYAI! Those LEGS!

It took a stance toward us, actually shaking the ground.

"It crushes people to death, I think." Lancer finished.

So. Battle time.

I wasn't comfortable sitting this one out, so it was actually four on one. Yet, why did that not feel like it was enough?

"K. Round.  Attack: 9.  Defense: 3.  Check?  That's Chess, not Checkers!"

Suzie didn't even wait for Ralsei to warn and chopped with the axe.

In retaliation, it jumped and stomped and jumped and stomped a few times, shaking us to the floor.

"K. Round shuffles furiously."

Another chop with the axe and K. Round retaliated with spark-like diamond sprays....or something like that.

Ralsei wrapped his scarf around himself as Kris got an idea and suddenly bowed to "his majesty".

In response, K. Round returned the bow several times. As it did, its crown loosened a little...

"That's it, Kris!  If we can get its crown off, it should turn back into a little guy...  Suzie, help us bow at it!"

"Nah.  It's crown will come off...when I smash this guy into the GROUND!"

"For the love of...!" I facepalmed before putting up a magnet barrier around us the moment Suzie chopped yet again! And low and behold that stressed K. Round out, yet again. But this time it applied Self-Care magic. Its HP restored and its attack went up as a result.

"Suzie, stop attacking it!  You're making it stronger!"

"Psh! And let it think I'm afraid?  No way!"

"The crown is 15% loose."

Apparently warning it about dodging Suzie's attacks didn't do any good. It didn't understand.

The three of us (minus Suzie) attempted a deep bow. That raised the crown to 35% loose. Keep it up, you two!

Another deep bow loosened it to 55%. But of course that traded off with Suzie chopping another piece of its HP.

We kept this up, knocking it loose to a factor of 75%.

We were also taking damage from its stops and its sparks.

"Oww." I rubbed my head.

It reached a fever pitch at 95% loose. The next one would decide it.

One more deep bow and sure enough the crown fell off...and K. Round shrank with an all too familiar pipe noise...huh.

With that... C. Round simply rolled away. We won and received no XP but 25 dark dollars.

"We...we did it?!" Suzie seemed surprised the pacifist method worked.

"Wow! You CLOWNS really are heroes!  You saved the next twenty minutes of my life!!"

"Yeah, yeah, I am pretty great, huh..?"

"Uh, Suzie...?  Not to downplay your contributions, but...   You...  didn't actually help at all.  You only made everything WORSE by attacking it.  `If you  had only acted nice in the first place...  We could have avoided that entire battle."

You tell her, Goat Wizard.

"Huh? Are you for REAL?  That thing was BLOODTHIRSTY!!!   The only thing keeping it at bay was my AX!"

"And earlier, you terrorized those troops..."

"Those guys were ENEMIES!   They're FOR terrorizing."

"Yeah! She's right!"

Not helping, Lancer.

"And before that...you ate an innocent person's cake..."

"Cakes... are also my enemy."

W.T.H.

"Suzie...whether you like it or not, you're a hero.  One with power to bring peace to the future.    Could you please start... acting like one?"

"Yeah, when you lay it out like that...  I have been acting like a pretty bad hero, haven't I?

...

Alright, Ralsei. You got it. I'll change my ways. From now on I won't be such a rotten hero anymore."

Finally--

"I'll just be one of the  BAD GUYS instead!!!"

"WHAAAAAT?!?" My jaw dropped. "You unbelievable...!!!"

"R...really?!" Lancer delighted. "You're going to be on MY team?"

"Yeah, sounds way easier, honestly."

"Suzie, you can't just--"

"Quiet, Toothpaste Boy!  Suzie is MY comrade now!"

"Hahahaha, yeah, Toothpaste Boy!"

"We're going to have monogrammed track jackets!"

"Yeah!"

"And sleepovers where we tell each other secrets!"

"Umm....yeah?"

Getting more than you bargained for, you little traitor?

"Anyway...see you guys NEVER."

"Haha!  If you can even last that long!"

"Smell you latter, geezer wolf!"

"G-G-G-Geezer wolf?!?" I was flustered by something so juvenile? What the Hell?! What the ACTUAL Hell?!

And then the three of us were alone.

"Kris... Perhaps I shouldn't have been so hard on her."

Sad Goat Wizard was sad. And that was making me sad. Was I...getting drawn into this?

"... But I just worry that if Suzie is too eager to fight..  Then... well...  Let's just be kind to her, Kris.  I'm sure Suzie will come around, soon!"

"She doesn't deserve it.  But okay.  Two wrongs don't make a right so...what else is there?" I shrugged and shook my head.

We headed to the next room where Kris found a SAVE marker. And Mr. Elegance and Puzzle Guy were there.

"Hey, kid. We managed to fix up this old thingamajig for you.  It's some kind of door.  It can take you anywhere you want to go in the world! ...as long as that's one of two locations."

Ugh. That's kind of what a regular door does.

Strange...this door...it looks...too familiar. With the way those rainbow flames are pouring out from under the gap between the door and the floor--

...waaaaaait. Where have I see this before...? And why do I feel like using it will lead to a bad time...?

"Anyhoo, we'll keep working on it...  Anything to help you out, kid."

"Woah there, horsie.  Mr. Society and Puzzle Guy fixed that door.   Since it was just the three of us, it should work without any issues.  Anyhow (ha hah) hope'n it helps you deal with the King!  Now don't tell anyone Mr. Society helped.  He doesn't want none of that.  I'm watching ya now... with my nostrils."

And that was right about when my slumber started fading and...

"..."

"Commander..."

"Callista."

"You have...been having one very strange ordeal."

"Tell me news not history."

"What you're experiencing...I feel like there is some sort of astral projective echo somewhere out in time and space.  Your soul hasn't left your body nor has your mind.  But somehow you're connected to...somewhere else.  And when you wake it's like--"

"Like that world pauses. Yeah...kinda like the flash memory feature in the Virtual Console service and the recent online gen 3 and gen 4 console emulations of recent years."

"Your experiences are indeed being conserved, somehow."

"We haven't learned that much more about the mechanics of this misadventure, though."

"Regarding...the events of your experience.   I'm sorry about--"

"She made her choice." I growled looking away and down at the ground. "Time will tell which of us will regret it."

"How much more of this world do you think there is?"

"The Great Board was said to be the half-way point.  So...we're past, now.  There's a forest ahead...I think.  And don't forget that Card Castle we're looking out for.  Plus...that key...it leaves me with questions."

"Indeed.  Well then.  I take it you don't want to involve Asriel?"

"And complicate matters even further? How do I in good conscience involve him in something that I don't understand myself.  Besides.  No way I'm risking any chance of compromising our promise."

"I understand."

"This does bring about a question of whether or not I can enter this dream world at will...or if this was just a fluke."

"For now, give your mind and soul a rest. It'll unfold in time."

"Yes it will.  It has to.  I now believe I have to see this all through.  And maybe it'll give me answers to questions I haven't thought to ask."

I hope that was indeed the case.

Sub-Entry 323:  "Pit's Birthday Marks the 30th Anniversary of the N-Division UCIAT":
September 9th. Thirty years to the day. Garfield Arcade founded the N-Division prototype of the Ultra Crew and its Game Master was chosen.

At the same time in another parallel AU,  VideoLand had suffered 7 years of war under the siege of Mother Brain and the united forces of Videoland's villains. And at the darkest of hours, the Prophecy revealed the powers greater than anything their world had known as it opened the Ultimate Warp Zone and brought forth from Northridge, California their Game Master.

In both realities...the one chosen to be Captain N was Kevin Keene. While the situation between our two AU's may have been similar, the details and situations were unique.

"I never thought we'd actually go through with this."

History had told of our Captain N's victory and return home. The Videoland that Asriel and I visited.

"it seems only right.  Thirty years is a special occasion, when you think about it. A generation or two has gone by since the time of." Bunnie observed. "Anniversaries should be observed.  Let we be doomed to repeat the past we chose to forget."

"Heh.  Age-old advice."

I looked on.

"After all this time...KOMMAND finally looked down the coordinates and gained access to the Ultimate Warp Zone.  Between them...and us...we're really bringing it all...them all together."

"What better way to cement this auspicious occasion into this timeline." Bunnie mused.

Pit was the first the land in anticipation of waiting for the invited guests.

"Hey, Pit. Happy birthday."

By this point we'd gotten beyond the whole "it's not really his birthday" just a day we set aside to celebrate and occasion near and dear to his heart.

Pit never got any less overcome with emotion when we hosted these.

"Commander...everyone....thank you so much."

"Aww. Little guy's blushing!"

"Vi, no picking." Bunnie warned.

"It's okay. I'm used to it.   I was the little brother of the team."

Asriel nodded before checking in with me.

"He suspects nothing?" I whispered.

"Not a thing." Asriel confirmed.

"It's going to be quite a surprise." I rubbed my chin.

Across the square, in the park; facing Rock-Afire Pizza...

"Last wire's soldered." Odie raised his laboratory goggles.

Garfield gave a thumbs-up.

"No way are we missing out on this auspicious occasion.  But more importantly...no way are our honored guest."

"KOMMAND has forwarded the coordinates to each and every one.  And all have been asked to stand by for the signal."

"On this day...thirty years ago..." Garfield prompted as Odie locked in the first set of coordinates.

"First location is..."

Back at the party...

"Such wonderful gifts, everyone!  Thank you all!" Pit smiled again. Then he seemed a little puzzled. "But I can't help but feel like the scope of this celebration is larger than usual. I mean...you didn't have to go through all this trouble for just a little birthday celebration."

Huh...he really doesn't know.

I kept forgetting Pit's perception of time was different than mortal begins. Heck. I of all people should understand. It never occurred to him that there was something special about this time compared to the last shy of three decades worth.

"How long until he gets suspicious that there are more guests due here?" Rotor muttered to me.

"Hopefully after Garfield and Odie manage to get everyone here.

And sure enough...

"On behalf of our world...welcome." Odie extended the laurel branch.

"I can't believe you actually came."

Their silhouettes emerged as the Ultimate Warp Zone had brought them to their destination.

"Well then. Are you ready to join the rest of the arrivals and officially ring in this auspicious occasion?"

"And party with the best of them?"

A grin from the leader told all.

The countdown to big reveal began with that moment.

"I just don't know how this day could get any better.  I know you've all put so much into this but...I have this strange feeling...I sense that...you're holding something back."

Asriel and I looked at each other.

The facade of playing dumb and keeping it a secret was starting to show cracks. If they didn't arrive soon, he'd figure it out and the surprise would be ruined.

That was about when the door opened.

"Welcome to Mitzi's Rock-Afire Pizzeria."

"Hmm?  I thought you rented the pizzeria just for us on this event." Pit cocked his head.

"We did. We rented it for all the guests we invited..." I said with a smile.

"The rest of the guests just happened to be...fashionably late."

"Well.  Better late than never." Came the familiar voice.

Pit slow turned and recognized the form of.

"You...you were there during the invasion of.....wait...you resemble...!...it can't be!"

"Oh yes it can-icus." The familiar, rhythmic flapping of Kid Icarus' wings brought it up.

And then there was the barking of the dog in the bandana.

"Wow. I can't believe we're back here again. So much happened the last time, I didn't have time to take in how much it felt a little like home.  Except for all the people around who aren't human and parts of the city kinda look like Final Fantasy...."

"Are you...really Kevin Keene?" Pit asked. "...you are...but you're not our universe's Game Master. He went home a long time ago. He'd be--"

"Pit, don't overwork your mind on it. And just appreciate that they're here." Asriel smiled.

I stepped forward.

"Welcome to our humble home, your highness." I bowed a little to Princess Lana.

"I'm so flattered you thought of us on this day.  Back in Videoland this same day was the day that Kevin came to our world and the tide finally turned."

"Yes...well I suppose the Prophecy had to run its course and all." Simon Belmont. Downplaying his friendly rival's accomplishments to fuel his own ego.

"This isn't about you, Simon.  This mega-anniversary is about the entire N-Team!" Yup. Aqua-green Mega Man was here, too.

As was Game Boy.

"You all planned this?"

"And it's STILL not done yet." I winked and gave my best Nester "star-pointing" pose. Level 9 is under a rock in the sixth screen from the left on the top, indeed.

"Commander...what did you do?"

I gave the most smug, most tell-tale grin I could.

"So this is what angels do with their retirement after teams disband."

I didn't even hear the door open. But there she was leaning up against the door frame, arms crossed.

"My...first partner."

"Whoah!  You're Samus Aran!" Kevin blurted out.

I thought I saw the briefest moments of jealousy in Lana's eyes as Kevin looked upon the blond, blue-eyed, slender but athletic form of Samus Aran. It was weird just seeing her in her Zero Suit.

"But...how?"

"Super Smash Bros. Ultimate exhibitions are starting up.  More new-comers.  You won't believe this but there's a Piranha Plant entered.  And a guy in a mask who has this ghost thing...think he called it a Persona."

"Oh wow!" Pit marveled at it. "And?"

"And a bird and a bear."

"Banjo and Kazooie?" Bunnie raised an eyebrow. "Huh."

"Also various iterations of that hero from the Dragon's Quest video world.  And still more who haven't answered their invites yet.  I've heard rumors of this guy...Bogart or something--"

"Terry Bogart?" Bunnie raised an eyebrow. "This is getting interesting."

Kevin and the others looked at each other and shrugged.

"The future is something else."

"Which we agreed on the terms."

"Aww, do we really have to forget-icus?"

"Sorry.  But the rules are the rules.  Your timeline can't be corrupted by too much information about the future. Even possible or theoretical ones. I can't guarantee your Videoland and your Earth will follow the path of the Ultraverse, but...in all seriousness, S.T.C. can't allow the risk. Selective neuralization when you return to Videoland."

I explained.

"But...until then..."

That was when more of the UltraVerse's N-Division started showing up.

"Pit!"

"Rock!"

A mutual tacklehug from both.

"It's so good to see you!"

"Likewise, best friend!"

"I guess the more things mega-change..."

"The more they stay the same-icus."

A momentary pause.

"Even if he is tall and blue." CN Mega Man crossed his arms.

"And even if he's all spikey-haired and a pretty-boy." Kid Icarus did the same.

"Well. What are you standing around here for? Have a seat and join the group!"

And more arrived.

"So. You're a Link, too." CN Link wrinkled his nose at his counterpart. "You don't say much do you?"

"I know you're not hassling your counterpart, Mr. Hero!"

"HEY!  Well excuuuuuuuuuuse me, Princess!"

And a meeting of Light and Wright.

"...and I had to scrap Garbage Man.  He ate too much of my lab."

"It reminds me of my own mishaps when building Bond Man.  I never finished him, though."

And of course there were some things that were overdue.

"Oooh. I finally get to try one of those...pizzas you called them, Kevin."

"Even if it won't be a Captain N special."

"Oh yeah.  N for nuts, N for nectarines--"

Pit and Asriel looked at each other and shrugged.

And of course as more of the town joined in the celebration, practically packing Rock-Afire Pizzeria to its maximum occupancy...

There was plenty of nostalgia.

"...and we wiped out TWO Ironknuckles!  Lana was awesome!"

Plenty of mishaps...

"You lost the bet, Simon.  Do the dare."

* SMOOCH*

"Gaaaah!" Simon ran to the bathrooms to wash his face.

"What is it with Simon and a history of kissing werewolves?" Violet mused as she high-fived Vidian.

"Totally worth it." Vidian chuckled, shamelessly.

Some head-scratching moments...

"You want me to say what?" Simon asked before Violet whispered in his ear.

He cleared his throat and turned to Lana and proclaimed  "Yoo-hoo!  Princess! It's Simon Belmont!  I'm here to be your pimp-daddy!"

Lana arched an eyebrow before she and Kevin turned to each other and shared a confused look.

Kevin shrugged and shook his head with his eyes closed.

"Thank you." Violet waved before heading off.

"HEY! What was that even all about.

Some laughable moments...

"I will have you know that Antoine D'Cooliette is no stuffed shirt--"

"But for a guy who falls in the fountain all the time, he's sure a wet blanket!" Sally mused as she crossed her arms with a smirk.

And some details we probably could have gone the night without knowing.

"So Simon-ius screamed at the top of his lungs: "Where's my rubber dickie?!"

"We didn't have the mega-heart to tell him that it wasn't a formal event."

"At least until Duke bit the rear out of it."

I could have gone my entire life without knowing that Antoine and Simon both wear heart-covered boxers.

"Eheheheh...maybe you shouldn't be telling them this story, Mega Man...Kid Icarus."

"Payback for the haircut and shoe-shining?" I asked.

"Oh yes."

And there was all kinds of celebration.

Duke happily barked as he gave a ride to the Rabite Trio.

"Say cheese--"

"MAMA MIA!"

I don't think any of us were prepared to be photobombed by--

"Holy schnikees, bro!" Skeeter gasped.

"Is that really...?!"

Pit smiled ear to ear. "They really showed up." He looked at the familiar brothers in the red and green overalls, respectively.

Yeah. I think we know who they are.

By the time the party finally dispersed it was so late it was practically early. Mitzi had kept the shop open well past closing time.

Garfield made sure everyone got back home--either to Videoland or back through the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Nexus to their respective times and places. And yes. There was neuralization involved for the former.

When all was said and done...

"Happy 30 years, N-Division." I grinned as we took one last full group photo in the highest of resolutions for the high definition portrait we'd have.

"Commander. Asriel.  Everyone.  Thank you."

Pit was actually drying his eyes and sniffling.

"I guess you could say the Angel was touched by us?" Violet shrugged.

Ugh. Dated reference...but not the worst Vi had ever made. I'll allow it.

"To another thirty years, Pit." Asriel one-arm hugged him.

Happy 30th Anniversary, Captain N the Game Master!

Sub-Entry 324:  "The Big Guy and Rusty":
 Pay close attention to the theme here; specifically the giant robot not so much implied but said completely straight out. Why? I will say...because this theme will be revisited down the road. To preserve some semblance of surprise, I will not say to what it relates to or how.

Just bear in mind...that this begins a prelude of sorts. A prelude, mind you, that will lead to big changes about to unfold as I look to the horizon and see the light at the end of these Crossover Wars. But also solid advice from one Viewtiful Joe about the definition of plot twist. There's no resting on your laurels.

That bit of drama done with...yeah. I'm going to shift gears to match the tone of this world.

Large scale and epic...but boy does it play tropes and clichés completely straight with 1950's sci-fi overtones and bigger and bolder clashes against monumental threat levels.

Threat levels that even Coop at his most out of nowhere moments of super dumb luck couldn't scrape victory off of the ground at the expense of everything but a single frozen slush machine (after destroying pretty much every convenience store, the factory, and the distribution center in the process).

I adjusted my glasses. Yeah. It's one of those humans only Earths. Well...mostly humans only if you count Lucy, the talking, genetically enhanced spider-monkey that sat on the shoulder of Dr. Axel Donovan--the C.E.O of the very company--I was requested to for a joint research venture.

"I'm flattered you requested my correspondence for this, Dr. Slate.   But it seems like Quark Industries has all their ducks in a row.  More than that it seems like you have true artificial intelligence on lock.  Don't tell anyone back home, it's still restricted by the Science Community until we can deem it reliable enough to let trickle into the private sector and eventually the main stream domestic and industrial settings."

"You give me too much credit, Dr. Arcade.  There's still much we have to learn about artificial intelligence. Especially given the nature of our world."

We both looked to the side of the windows, giving us a look at the city...windows which something big, slimy, tentacled and covered in blast marks and the shrapnel of explosive ordinance was being painstakingly cleaned off and removed by the building window washers.

"Yeah...I'm...starting to get that." I looked down below at the massive destruction in the surrounding streets and buildings. Then at the titanic form of the massive super robot returning to its aircraft carrier way out in the harbor on the outskirts of the giant city.

"So. B-G-Y-11's reputation precedes it. Rather..." I slid my gaze to the side, almost expecting the person in question I DIDN'T want to be let in on the big secret.

"How did you figure it out?"

"Cobalt/Thorium G power core. Pretty sure those haven't been used in Technopolis for 50 years.  Based on that, I'm guessing that the Big Guy has been in service for decades.  And based on technological evolution on this or most other words?  Yeah. You're advanced but I know Cold War era technology when I see it.

In an era before the integrated circuit, I'm having trouble believing that even at THAT size, you would still not be able to fit enough computer hardware in there to house enough software for an onboard A.I. to do much more than respond with "Thursday" when prompted for its primary directives."

"You are as good as they say."

"No.  Violet's the software genius.  I can build the body, but she'd be the one to build the mind.  That said, Doctor...you didn't call me over here to discuss matters with B-G-Y-11.  No...this would be more relevant to his R-E-P-L-A-C-E-M-E-N-T."

And there was the big secret. Though big...is only relative.

That was when the sky light opened and who should drop down but...

"Did you see us out there?!  The Big Guy and me totally kicked that space creature's butt!"

I looked upon the shiny, orange-haired form of the pint-sized android kid.

"Welcome back, Rusty.  You did well."

"You mean it?!"

"He's a class act, Volt." Asriel hovered down and hopped off his hoverboard. "I tagged along and made sure not to get in the way of the hero in training."

Asriel was only telling a half-truth based on the whole truth. But only as a means of encouraging our little robot boy wonder to be all the hero he could be. The reality was...he was inexperienced and incredibly naive.

"Just stick with me, Asriel.  I'll show you everything I know about being a hero!   I learned from the best!  One day I'm going to be as great a robot as he is!"

I happened to notice Lieutenant Dwayne Hunter slip into the lab, unnoticed by everyone else. I gave a nod while Asriel kept Rusty occupied.

And there it was. The big secret. Rusty could NEVER know that underneath all that hardware, the Big Guy was a human pilot strapped into a giant mech suit. The truth was...Rusty was already as good or better a robot than Big Guy. He could think for himself. He could feel, emote, make his own decisions. Yeah...he was the equivalent of human.

Even with this unusual setup...it seemed like a pretty ideal defense against the strange, weird, and otherworldly Avenger-level threats that constantly rained down on this world.

At least it would be if not for the complications I had come to know as mixing science...with business. And as far as business was concerned? Money talks.

"Uh-oh. Pucker up." I muttered to Slate as I saw the curly-haired boss enter the room with a dour look and a primate on his shoulder. "Here comes the Finger..." muttered, not really implying the rude gesture, but making an obscure reference to the fascist police force from V for Vendetta.

Axel Donovan. Poster child for the corporate upstart, born with a silver spoon in his mouth, and handed everything to him on a silver platter without actually earning the position. The very definition of corporate greed and moral cowardice. Unfortunately he was the guy in charge and the guy who paid everyone's salary. I'm pretty sure even his PhD was dipped in gold. For that matter...as someone who was in the know of the scientific community on and off world...I had to ask...what was this guy a doctor of again?

"Oh boy...he's crossing his arms.  That's not good..." I groaned.

He cleared his throat deliberately with a scowl toward Asriel, who quickly stowed his hoverboard, feeling the eyes practically burn into him.

"Is it just me or is fun outlawed around here?"

Dwayne's expression wasn't any more thrilled than my own. I could tell Dr. Slate was going to be the path of least resistance in this conversation when trying to defend us. Would you dare to even nip the hand that feeds you let alone bite it out right? It's not that the guy was intimidating...it's just that I had the same begrudging vibe from Erika Slate around her boss that I got from Callie Briggs around Mayor Manx. You did what you had to do...but no one said you had to like it.

"I'm only allowing you on this premises out of protest.  Joint ventures are fruit are invitations to industrial sabotage."

"I assure you this benchmarketting session is very one-sided.  Quark Industries will hold all the cards on this one.  Ultra Crew Institute is also represented by a non-profit organization."

"Spare me the lecture on the Arcade legacy.   It's called nonprofit because it doesn't make a profit.  You'd understand that if you knew what was best for business."

I rolled my eyes.

"Wouldn't hurt if he slapped some deodorant on, too.  He smells like wet dog." Lucy taunted.

Okay that was just mean.

I thought I saw Asriel glare for a moment. I gestured for him to cool it...I'm sure Destiny would find a way to even the karma imbalance.

"I assure you; Dr. Arcade's credentials are impeccable.  It's absolutely vital for him to collaborate on this project." Slate spoke on my behalf.

"They're really cool!" Rusty followed up.

"Let me make it clear.  You're on my dime.  So any setbacks will be reflected in an official conference with the board of trustees. And if we don't like what that report says, you can expect your rating at the better business bureau will be rightfully downgraded."

"Oh yes, sir..." I smoldered as he left the room.

Once I was sure he was out of even MY hearing range...

"Idiot."

"You have the patience of a saint, Dr. Slate.  Sorry...little unintended rhyme there."

"I could do without the stress."

"it'll be okay, Dr. Slate!  We just need to show him that the Ultra Crew is awesome!"

"If you’re suggesting we go rushing into battle, I'm going to stop you there, Rusty. Pretty sure none of us have nucleoproton powered weapons or titanium shell.  And unlike you, we DO have pain receptors." I gave a slight tap on his metal hair with a reverberating clang of metal.

"Not to say we haven't had our fair share of adventures, partner." Asriel gave a wink as he headed over to Lieutenant Hunter. "So. As the Big Guy's...chief mechanic. How'd you say he left the battle field."

"Aside from cleaning the goop off, just a few scratches on the paint and a few dings to buff out.  The damage that doesn't just gives him more heroic...battle scars."

Asriel and Dwayne were choosing their words very carefully around Rusty. All while leaving the conversation with the Doctor, her creation, and myself so that the two of them could converse man to goat man about the real story behind the recent battle.

Honestly, as things were, I thought we were in the clear for any further excitement what with the Big Guy and Rusty wrapping up their battle with whatever abomination it was they faced outside that we wouldn't be dragged into anything unexpected for the rest of our time here.

But as always...Madam Fate just couldn't help herself over taking that as a challenge or a slight against her. And when she does that...we learn to regret our feelings of security in a big way. We pay for it. Many a time this was clearly 'open mouth, insert foot'. And then have a headache in what ensued.

In a mysterious location, whereabouts unknown...

I'm sure Chaopolis would like to think their little terrorist cult was pretty original.

But that's a pretty bold-faced lie to themselves. So when another shadow group, granted with different goals in mind, shares disturbing numbers of similarities and methods...it's only a matter of time before Newton's Law of Gravitation Force applies to the concept of two equal and evil entities. In so many words, gravitation is a force equal to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between their centers.

In lamens terms, as this applies to crossovers? Yeah. Bad guy meets bad guy. Enter...Legion Ex Machina. In Latin, it means:  "Many from the Machine". They are an enigmatic group of six very advanced robots who aim to destroy humanity and create a robot-heaven of "Robotopia". Their origin? Unknown. But their design and function? Eerily similar to the Big Guy. For the longest time, clues to this and their creator had slowly revealed over the course of time. And the coincidences leading back to the lead designer of Big Guy only proved...there ARE no coincidences.

In total, their numbers were six...at least that's what our intel lead us to believe until an eventual future revelation of a seventh.

Let's run down who's who.

Number 1 - The leader of the group. He was the first of the legion to come online and can create complex tactics very quickly. He and the others would not hesitate to execute one of their own should one of them be inefficient or defective.

Numbers 2 and 3 - Since they both lacked emotions they are nearly identical other than their looks. They often agree on the same things that usually contradicts #1. They are completely loyal to Legion Ex Machina #1 and would respect him, although they are always seen as equals.

Number 4 - He is The only one to develop an emotion grid. Legion Ex Machina number 4 has apparently had a number of strange encounters involving switching protocols with Rusty. And then later down the road switching minds, completely. That's a story I'll have to ask about some other time.

Number 5 - The first Legion member to meet the Big Guy. Very similar to Legion Ex Machina #2 and #3.

Number 6 - Also known as Dr. Gilder, #6 was the only member whose emotion grid was fully intact. However his emotions are highly exaggerated and are considered by his peers as a weakness. He was sent to Quark Industries as a spy to gather blue prints and information on various Quark staff. He was first portrayed as a shy, weak scientist but was soon revealed as a Legion Ex Machina member. His emotions also changed to a sadistic and psychopathic killer.

And number 7? At large. And unknown.

Before I get too far off topic. what does that have to do with--

"Allow me to introduce myself.  Dr. Allouicious Adonis."

...never mind.

"Your correspondence is irrelevant, organic."

"But my proposition is not.  You seem to have an...unexpected detriment to your plans, yes?"

"That is none of your concern."

"Would it be your concern if that detriment were to gain additional alliances that might upgrade a detriment to a full threat to your plans?"

A moment of deliberation.

"I can see I have your attention..."

And in due time...

The call went out to Big Guy and Rusty to deploy.

"What kind of bad guys are we gonna stop this time?"

"Your guess is as good as mine, Rusty. By stepping foot on our home turf and waving the flag of war?  They've made a biiig mistake."

"Oooh!  I hope it's some kind of alien space bug that we can give a major beat down to!"

As the skylight closed, once Rusty had been deployed and met up with BGY-11...

"Hmm..." I rubbed my chin and narrowed my eyes.

"I know that look, Volt.  That's the look of someone who feels like he's trusting his gut when he senses something's wrong."

"I think we may need to step out of think tank mode and into action team mode. Call it a hunch."

Asriel nodded and converted the NX Switchboard while I took a page from one Virgil "Static" Hawkins and borrowed a little piece of disc-shaped tech from the good Dr. Slate.

"I'll return this as soon as possible, doctor.  With your permission."

"By all means."

Asriel raised an eyebrow.

"Volt?  Does she know about...?"

I gave a brief smirk, indicating it was okay for Azzy to deactivate the Unitrix once we were outside. And once we were...

I stowed my glasses and morphed, hopping on the disc and putting my own spin on Static Shock's favorite mode of transportation.

Asriel switched off the Unitrix and we both jetted after Rusty.

"Level with me.  She knows, doesn't she?"

"You ever ask  yourself how many colleagues I had while advancing my education and conducting my first space/time research?"

"She's definitely not on the scientist blacklist." Asriel mused.

"So...anyone else?"

"In time...you'll eventually meet them all."

"Still want to see that list of who's *NOT* invited to your science symposia."

"Curiosity is a dangerous thing, Goat Son."

"Okay. Serious talk.  What kind of trouble do you think they're in for?"

"The kind where Chaopolis has been too cooperative for too long.  They haven't rattled our cage since the night of the Mutant Megamix."

"Felt like we kinda Deus Ex Machina'd that with a simple call to Optimus Prime."

"Why, Goat Son. Are you calling out our own methods as being too conveniently out-of-the-hat?" I jabbed. "And don't think I didn't notice the subtle pun you made with the D.E.M. there."

"So you think that's who Adonis contacted, too?" Asriel narrowed his eyes.

"Good man accessing A.E.O.N. to peek into this world's rogue's gallery." I nodded. "While Adonis may be random with what he does and the chaos he sows, I'm pretty sure he wouldn't be able to resist manipulating a hive-mind archetype society.  And then leaving them high and dry when whatever he provided them in their deal falls flat."

"We're almost on the scene."

"Weapons hot."

To Big Guy' and Rusty's horror.

"Wait a minute!  We already destroyed all these guys!  How are they back?!"

"That's not the only thing concerning me. The question is why?  It goes against the Legion's M.O.  They dispose of anything that fails them."

I narrowed my eyes as I overheard the conversation. This seemed more like a page out of Dr. Wily's playbook. Backup clones.

"A.E.O.N.'s got electronic I.D.'s up. I've got a real ugly rogue's gallery here.  For your approval, meet:

'''Argos. '''His archived file reads as follows:  Two robots created by the Legion. The first was used as a weapon to attack the Legion's enemies. It was the first encounter with the Legion, and it tried to turn Big Guy and Rusty over to the Legion's.  They totally turned him down. Powered by nucleoprotons and destroyed by Rusty when tricked into taking his overloading powerpack.

The second was a several stories tall version. This one was so powerful it could take the best Big Guy and Rusty could hit it with and come out without a scratch. Due to Big Guy and Rusty getting its left hand, it was missing a hand. Inside the hand was a 500 megawatt Vortex Cannon. Was sent out to get New Tronic City's Micro Fusion Generator to power a new assembly line for Legion robots. Was destroyed by Joe who fired the Argo's own Vortex Cannon into it once Rusty retrieved the firing mechanism in the left wrist."

And both the small and the large version were very teamed up.

"The Eliminator - A heavily armed Quark Industries robot that Dr. Gilder/#6 hijacked in an effort to eliminate Donovan in revenge for the destruction of various robots he had created for Quark. It was subsequently defeated by Big Guy and the control drone implanted by Gilder discovered."

"Oh boy."

"Project Nova - A large three-legged robot armed with a powerful energy cannon; it was apparently designed, and its development intended to be overseen by #4. However, during a mission to acquire fuel for its cannon, an attempt by Rusty to download information from the Legion's systems resulted in him and #4 switching some programming. As a result Rusty drew up schematics for and built his own Nova, which came under the control of the Legion. It briefly engaged Big Guy but was later taken out of commission permanently by Rusty after he and #4 swapped their entire programming set, resulting in them switching bodies temporarily."

"Again I'm going to have to ask for details on that brain-swap..." I mused.

"And finally, Bad Guy - A fully robotic clone of Big Guy also known as the BGY-11X. Created to take Big Guy's place to infiltrate the military and Quark. It fights it out with Big Guy who proves to be no match for it although both robots take heavy damage in the fight. It was destroyed when it tried to use a massive cannon-a feature Big Guy lacks due to its cockpit-to destroy Big Guy and Lt. Hunter fires Big Guy's hand into the cannon, blocking the shot and causing an explosion that destroys Bad Guy."

"We're coming up on Rusty's hearing range.  Cool it on BGY-11's true nature."

A nod as we got in range.

"Big Guy! I think I see Asriel and...Dr. Arcade with him?  And flying too?"

"Doctor!  You and your partner should leave the area.  We got some nasty kids in need of a spanking and we're about to dish up..."the Candy"."

"I know!   Something's off about this!"

"Besides the fact that the Legion suddenly decided to resurrect robots that have already failed them for no apparent reason?"

"I think there is a reason.  And some enemies of ours might have a stake in this--"

"Asriel?  You're all...fuzzy!  And your ears got long!  And why do you have horns."

"Eheh...we can explain...later."

"Why is Dr. Arcade a big puppy dog?"

"Be glad you're not here, Jon..." I muttered.

Bad Guy was first to attack. A counterattack soon made it very clear what Adonis had done.

"That's...new...!"

"Are those...the N.E.R.D.'s?"

"I thought that nanotechnology was destroyed."

"Worse." I narrowed my eyes. "That's PicoBoost Virus.  The sister virus to the PicoDrive virus.  It does the same thing to synthetic materials that the PicoDrive virus nearly did to me!" I growled.

"Avoid contact with it at all--"  I already saw it reacting with BGY-11's fist.

"Jettison that hand, quick!" I hollered.

And there went one fist.

"Big Guy! You've been--"

Don't say it.

"...disarmed!"

"Goat Son. Don't laugh at that."

Asriel just shrugged and grinned.

"So I guess projectile weapons are out, too.  That just figures..."

"Let's try Nucleoprotons!" Rusty pointed and fired off a potent beam of green energy from his finger.

Argos-1...or rather Argos 1.5 retaliated with a stronger Nucleoproton blast.

"Oh right...he has Nucleoproton powers, too."

"We're kinda running out of viable options, here." Asriel went to evasive maneuvers to avoid the Eliminator."

Project Nova was even absorbing my best lightning attacks.

"I think they're moving in for the kill." I growled as we were surrounded.

Asriel's eyes flickered between yellow and orange.

"Til the very end.  If we go down we take them with us...somehow.  We can't let the Legion win this!"

Admittedly I caught myself nearly confusing this Legion with the theoretical hordes of Fate Wraiths that Gaster had discovered somewhere deep into the dimensional depths of the CORE.

"YO! Spark Wolf and Goat Son!"

"Big Guy!  I'm picking up a weird transmission in my head!"

"I'm getting the same "collect call", too.  Who is this? Identify yourself!  Friend or foe?"

"Relax.  I'm with the wolf and the goat out there giving you a hand!  But do you mind?  Private conversation.  S.T.C. classified material and such.  Gonna need you to turn your com systems off if you can?  Thaaaanx."

Rusty shrugged and clicked on something in his ear as Big Guy shut down his communications hub.

"KOMMAND, there's nothing you can say that you can't share with our partners.  What gives?"

"You know it's funny Goat Son called you out on convenient McGuffin, because I'm about to deliver one into your laps riiiiiight abooooout..."

And that was when I saw something bright piercing through the clouds above us.

"Oh crap...you guys!  Scatter like your skid plates are on fire!" I grabbed Asriel and flew as fast as we could out of there.

Big Guy fired up his rocket jets as Rusty did the same, leaving our opponents at the epicenter as the shaft of light pierced through the sky and swallowed up everything at ground zero.

"KOMMAND! WHAT THE HECK?!?" I screamed. "What was that?!

I watched as we barely escaped the shockwave and the skull-shaped mushroom cloud.

"You remember when the Justice League dismantled the Binary Fusion Cannon after that whole incident with Luthor hacking it to destroy CADMUS headquarters and get them at each other’s throats?"

"I thought that thing was dismantled and melted down for scrap!"

"Yeah, well...I get my hands on the assets and recommissioned it and combined it with a nice little vaccine I spent the last seven years developing to work on both the PicoDrive and PicoBoost virus in case Adonis ever used them again.  So even if the picomachines SURVIVE ground zero, they're pretty much infected with a cure that it can't evolve an immunity to."

"Thanks for telling us AHEAD of time.."

"Sooooooo...does that mean we won?"

"Oh yeah.  As sure as the colors of the red, white and blue wave true, we'll stand and salute Old Glory in victory."

Really, Hunter. I'm all for Patriotism, but were you reading these lines off of 1940's and 50's propaganda films shown classrooms of the day? Patriotic, yes...but also a little dated.

And so...

"I suppose you weren't a waste of company resources.  But I still don't like you bench marketing Quark Industries technology."

"We'll keep our noses clean."

"Right now I wish mine weren't.  Get a shower, you two.  You smell like wet dog and a farm animal." Jenny sneered.

"Maybe so. But at least we had the decency to put clothes on." Asriel grinned. "But I guess that's something we...evolved into."

Nice burn, Azzy.

"We'll be in touch, Erika." I shook Dr. Slate's hand.

"Contact us if you ever need assistance.  She responded.

"It was great working with you." Rusty "We gotta do this again."

"I'm sure the Big Guy would agree." Hunter nodded.

I recognized the glance in my direction, emphasizing the secrecy.

We both waved goodbye as we headed out of the building and caught the first warp back home.

Sub-Entry 325:  "The Best 118th Birthday Goat Son Could Ask For":
"...he suspected nothing?"

"Not a thing.  He has no idea.  You're good to go.  Proceed."

"We're on our way to Rock-Afire Pizza, now."

"He'll be on route.  I've secured the items."

I'd been both planning...looking forward to...and dreading this at the same time...for a long time.

So here it was. That day. That day he was no longer a kid.

"So. You really think we can get away with a surprise birthday party?"

"He'll see the surprise party coming. But he won't see--"

"Yeah.  So.  I guess Kisuke finally kept his end of the bargain.  It'll be so worth it when..."

"Yes.  When."

"I guess we begin the countdown to destiny.  And Destiny is a doozy this time around."

"Volt.  You know it's up to him where to go from here.  It can't be helped."

"If I'm lucky...we can wait another three years.  If not...well...I really don't want that big a reveal at a time we're still at war. It's too much complication.  Too many variables--"

"Too many people to learn the truth."

"Yeah.  And besides...Frisk hasn't--"

"I know.  But she will."

"Which we'll have to synchronize our clocks...our timers with them as they--"

"Yeah. It's even more a critical part of the timeline than the one we're at now."

"That's why we'll be expecting it. Expecting him.  And expecting even ONE thing out of place." I pounded my fist in my palm.

"We're NOT losing the timeline.  I swear it." I growled, baring my fangs.

"Yo, Spark Wolf!  You better start counting down from another timer.  Because he's approaching the square and by extension, Rock-Afire Pizzeria."

"Places everyone."

Everyone got into positions.

"The package?"

Bunnie cocked an ear toward the back room.

"If all has gone well, package has arrived.  Now it's up to me to open the door."

Bunnie headed back. "We'll take...that route."

"Ohhh. To ensure maximum effectiveness. Sly rabbit, you."

Bunnie smirked.

I signaled KOMMAND to open the gateway to Karakura town. It was a quick jump across time and space and we soon found ourselves in front of the infamous candy shop in question.

"I'll leave the negotiations to you, Major."

"To avoid the incident when you were last here?"

"I don't know who's shrewder. Kisuke or you." I lowered an eyebrow.

It didn't take long for a certain, hot-tempered, unruly brat to confront me; I recognized the feel of the tip of his baseball bat in my back.

"Jinta." I said dryly.

"What business do you have with the dirty old man?"

"Refreshing to see that your demeanor hasn't degraded." I said as sarcastically as possible. Reeeeeally wanted to morph back to werewolf form. I'd decided not to risk it in case anyone from the surrounding world of the living happened to catch it. This town already had enough weird things.

Before Jinta could answer, he was immediately shut down when Bunnie came up behind the boy and pinched the nerves in his collarbone, putting the fear of the gods in him.

"We have business with former captain Urahara.  So unless you want me to discipline you for bullying Ururu Tsumugiya, I suggest you leave the Commander alone.

Speaking of the meek, black-haired little girl known for being consistently melancholy if not a little monotone. There she was...hefting the multibarreled shoulder cannon that should be impossible for someone her size and strength to wield.

"Ah!  Ururu-chan.  Jinta was just greeting us before we conduct business with Urahara-sama.  Is that not right?"

A little more pressure on the shoulder quickly convinced the Jinta to back off of me.

"I did not mean to keep the two of you from your chores.  Please return to what you were doing."

"Yes, Miss Bunnie."

"Grr...fine."

"You have a way with kids, Major.  Even the ones that probably need a good spanking."

"Let's just pick up the item before we head to the Rukon District."

Fast-forwarding through the quirky banter and dealings with Kisuke Urahara...

Bunnie knocked on the door. It opened and we greeted the occupant.

"It's time."

And so, back at Rock-Afire Pizza...

"He's coming!  He's coming!" Pit came down from his perch and reported like the good scout he was.

"Okay! Places, people!  Let's get this set up quick!"

We turned the lights out and got into our hiding positions.

Asriel's car pulled up and parked.

"Heh.  An old-fashioned surprise party.  This probably would have gotten me good when I was in my single-digits.  Really have to appreciate the thought, though." Goat Son mused.

"I guess it's their way of welcoming me into adulthood.  I'll do my best to act surprised."

Asriel headed up to the door before checking the calendar on his smart phone.

"...One-hundred nine or so years since we first met...my big day was the day you fell into the underground.   How did we ever become so inseparable in only a year?  Well.  I'm sure sensei will take me to the Soul Society later today so we can spend some time together."

A deep sigh.

"Welcome to the rest of your life, Asriel Tobias Dreemurr-Arcade.  It's only going to get better from here."

Optimistic as always.

This time, he had a right to be.

He opened the door and walked in. He could definitely hear our movement and our attempts to keep quiet.

Okay, we weren't really trying that hard. But we were trying not to make the surprise that obvious.

"Surprise!"

The lights when on and we all jumped out.

"Oh golly! I wasn't expecting this!  What a complete and total surprise to me!" Azzy tried to play it cool.

"Wow, we've really outdone ourselves." Violet mused, being just as coy with the banter.

"However will I calm down from all this excitement?" Goat Son bantered back.

Okay. Time for us to go in for point and match...because if you haven't figured out? This was the decoy surprise.

That was when he felt the hand on his shoulder.

"Oh my. A goat monster seems to have fallen down.  Your name is Asriel, isn't it?  That's a nice name.  My name is...!"

Asriel's eyes widened so much I was actually worried they'd pop out of their sockets.

"Ch-Ch-Ch..!"

He turned around in a moment that went in slow motion.

"You should see the look on your face, right now."

Asriel was completely speechless.

"Am I going to have to snap you out of it with the creepy face?"

That made him take a step back, completely by reflex."

"Your reaction was totally worth it." Chara's grin was impressive even for her. There she was in plain but nice clothes. Honestly...I never expected her to wear a dress. As tomboy-ish as she was the image of Chara being effeminate in any way had completely escaped me. But here was the reminder. Yeah. She was a young woman.

"CHARAAAAA!!!!"

"Oh no...oh no...here come the waterworks..." She rolled her eyes.

Asriel tackle hugged her.

"But...how...you're...you're--"

"Allow me to explain." Bunnie put the soul candy back into her hammer space.

"First. No.  She has not come back to life.  What you see here is a faux body called a "gigai".  It's what full Soul Reapers wear around their soul to interact with the world of the living."

"Like...a space suit of sorts?"

"Jeeze, you just can't get enough of the stars and the heavens, can you, Azzy?" Chara teased.

"Well, it's more like what Captain Atom and Major Force have to wear...minus the whole being made of pure, explosive energy thing." I tried to come up with a comparison.

"Actually..." Bunnie clarified. "It's more like how ghosts possess an object and become corporeal."

"Ohhhh!" That makes perfect sense, sensei!"

Huh. Really should have went for the Mettaton explanation...minus actually name-dropping him.

"It's only fair, Azzy.  You came to my home  a year ago. Now I get to come back here. Though in all honesty...I still feel wary.  I still feel like I'm not...completely welcome." Chara looked off to the side.

"Because of the faker, right?" Asriel frowned. "He's stirring up bad memories and smearing your name."

"Part of it, yeah...but a lot of it...I just feel like--"  Chara felt a presence looming over her shoulder before turning around.

"Do continue." Queen Brooke stood in the doorway.

"Queen Brooke!  I didn't expect you to show up." Asriel rubbed the back of his head, nervously...before realizing what had escaped him.

I think what was in Chara's eyes right now was doubt, fear, and guilt.

"I...I guess I knew this day would come."

"I did not believe this would be the last I had seen of you." Brooke remained stoic.

"Are you...going to judge me?"

Asriel clutched Chara's arm, worriedly.

"There is no judgement I could give harsher than your own, Chara Dreemurr.   I see it in your eyes, and I see it in your soul. You have paid for your crimes."

"Have I?  I haven't exactly done much to make amends for what I've done."

"Intention tells me everything.  But do not believe that you will find redemption so quickly.  It is a building process.  Right now you have not even been issued your...?"

"Zanpakutou.  It means soul slayer.  It's the weapon of a Soul Reaper.  I...have my doubts about that too.  I feel like it's the only path for me...but it's hardly ideal.  But maybe it's still better than I deserve."

"Chara Dreemurr.  This whole conversation could be considered a test. I believe you have passed your probation period."

"Well.  If you're sure."

"I am.  Asriel, I wish to speak privately with your sister for a moment. I won't keep her long."

"Yes, your majesty." Asriel bowed quickly and rejoined the party for a moment; the noise covering up the conversation as Brooke and Chara stepped outside.

Outside...

"You may now say what you can't in his presence."

"Very well.  If you are sure, your highness...then I suppose I am only banned from one kingdom now.  At least...I would be if the timeline hadn't been reset.  The Toriel and Asgore that were my adopted parents are long gone with the Genocide Timeline.  The ones that I...the Wraith, rather...controlled like puppets are rolled back and replaced with the new time line.  The new Monster Bosses of the Underground wouldn't recognize me."

"You give yourself too little credit. I believe there will come an opportunity to meet them and they will recognize a part of you.  At the very least find something...familiar about you."

"Well.  I guess with that out of the way.  About my "faker"..."

"Anything you presume might as well be taken factually.  He is truly a scourge and I will see him cast down to the Pit of Eternal Flames and his soul feasted upon by ever devil in Gehenna."

Chara sighed. "Do whatever it takes to keep Asriel safe from him."

"I will.  However.  When the time comes, you can protect him, yourself.   But..."

"I know.  I won't be alone in protecting him.  It's all I've ever wanted; all I've ever dreamed of since getting this...second...or is it third chance?  I don't know.  All I know is.......I'm missing my brother's birthday!"

"Good answer.  Run along now.  And keep your nose clean."

"You going to join us?"

"I will later.  Once I finish up certain affairs to formally reinstate your..."travel privileges" between the Soul Society and here.  Let's just say it will be inscribed into a secret charter, kept off the books, but still law by silent royal decree."

Chara nodded and headed back in.

"What kept you, sis?"

"Oh.  Things.  Boring things.  Now. What do I get for the goat that just turned legal?  Granted, it's kind of hard to bring anything to the World of the Living...and even harder when you're dirt poor--"

"Are you reverse-guilt tripping me on my birthday!  Wow, you have not gotten any less mischievous."

"And I wear it like a badge." Chara booped Azzy on the snoot.

"Chara.  Don't worry about it.  You coming here and being here in the flesh...or reasonable substitute...is more gift than I could ever want."

"Admit it.  It's what you were going to wish for when you blow out your candles."

"Now if I tell you that, my wish won't come true."

"Yeah.  But your dreams clearly have." Chara sighed.

"Hey. You still have dreams.  They're still there for you to live out, even if it's in an afterlife."

"Right. That whole new saying of yours. What was it again?"

"In Jangese...Yume wa eiendesu."

"Right.  You may eat a tofu...or something."

"We'll work on your Jangese, sister dearest.  But yeah...it means dreams are forever.  New personal motto, I guess."

"It's nice. But I hope you didn't throw your old one away." Chara joked. "I kinda liked that one."

"Yeah.  Houpu wa kesshite hitori de aruku koto wanai.  That is...hope never walks alone."

"Well now, you two have certainly had some catch-up.  You ready to really celebrate this?"

"We're not going to sing happy birthday, are we?  That trope is so overdone." Chara crossed her arms and stuck up her nose.

"What's wrong with happy birthday?" Asriel shrugged.

"Well, they wouldn't let me sing the one that Master Shake wrote up with Zak Wyld--"

Bunnie thwapped her. "You swore and oath not to bring up purple or black listed worlds, Vi.

"Well, that version by Weird Al Yankovic isn't too terrible." Chara suggested. "So what kind of cake and ice cream are at this shindig.  If it's anything other than chocolate--"

"Hey, whose birthday IS this again, Chara?" Asriel prodded.

"It was worth a try."

A moment of grins then silence before it was addressed.

"So. One-hundred eighteen.  I guess that makes you legal now.  Welcome to adulthood, Asriel.  You got there before I did." Chara looked at the ground.

"The grass is greener...at least it feels like it.  When I think deep about it...it just feels like my childhood has finally...ended.  And now..."

"Asriel." I stepped in. "The good times aren't coming to an end.  They're just changing.  Yes, as an adult you'll have expanded responsibilities.  Your live will get busier.  People will expect more from you.  You may find less time for the things you enjoy.  You may even outgrow things.  But adulthood isn't an end to the fun.  It isn't going to be working yourself to the bone while becoming an empty shell of broken hopes and dreams; not if you don't want it to be.

Life is like this war we're in. There's two approaches. Those who can and those who won't.  I know you won't give up on trying to find the perfect balance the works for you and only you. I know you're in for an even brighter future."

"I just see the end of high school coming and...I don't know if I'm ready to move out and leave Mom and Dad behind. I have so many memories and so much about Miranda that keeps me tied to it...but I could easily make new memories and start a new life beyond Fontraile."

Scott and Callista were standing by and listening in...but deciding not to enter the conversation.

"And that will be your choice, Azzy."

"And you know whatever you decide, we'll be behind you all the way." Chara followed up.

"Now for the big question.   What's your poison for the after-party?" Violet grinned. "You're legal, now."

"Sorry, Aunt Vi.  No alcohol for me."

"Aww come on!  It's a rite of passage."

"I'm too much like Volt.  Sobriety now and forever." He fist-bumped me.

"Well, if you're not going to..." Chara's eyes were hidden under her bangs as she grinned that creepy smile.

"Gaah! Don't do that!" Asriel jumped back.

"I'll show you the best spots in town.  Maybe I can convince Buns to let you try that sake that Brooke loves so much."

"Do not hold your breath." Bunnie said flatly.

"Subject change!  Please!" Asriel and I said in unison.

"Right. Well.  Let's get to some proper celebration." Mitzi said as she brought over the pizzas.

"Now this is something I hope I never outgrow any time soon."

"Heh.  Still such a kid, Azzy."

"Like you're acting any more grown up, Chara."

Asriel had outlined some things I'd been worried about, myself, for a long time. With only one more year of being a teenager...though technically he'd passed that point a hundred years ago...with only one more year of it left, he'd be an adult in the coming decade.

I'd been wanting to say something profound about this in Miranda City...in this time period out of all the innumerable ones I've been to...every moment I've reflected on where and I when my family, friends and I were at that point.

I've been looking for the right words to say for eighteen years, now. But I've never found them. Nor have I had the resolve to say what I wanted to say if I ever found the right words.

Well. No sense in regretting the past. No time like the present. As the offspring of Pink Diamond put it:

Here we are in the future.

And it's bright.

''Happy 4th Anniversary, Undertale! Happy Birthday, PLDN's Asriel Tobias Arcade!''

Sub-Entry 326: "The Test of Apathy vs. Perseverance in a Clash of Giant Robots and Mechs":
Pop quiz time again. Remember what I said about a certain theme that we'd been seeing a lot of lately? Even as early as that goof from Jersey some 7 or 8 years ago after Violet took liberties and most recently ones that helped us...dig...our way out of a tight spot surrounded by endless ocean and of course the recent cross rift that gave my mentors something to think about.

We'd gone this long without Evil-Chara even considering that this was an opportunity to take advantage of.

Well...this was probably the closest he'd get to actually taking this city and everyone in it down. Need I remind which two virtues Asriel still lacked? If you need a hint, I can tell you which vice was NOT the one that Evil-Chara brought to the table.

But I was about to get a trip down memory lane when I thought back to how Chara-Wraith first reunited with Asriel. And he was not in a good place at the time.

History repeats again. Goddammit, history repeats again.

When Evil-Chara came to town this time? He came in a big way. And for the first time...it seemed he didn't sacrifice anything to get his reward. At least that's what it seemed like on the surface.

But what set THIS attack apart from the other five? He finally saw the value of the old wisdom: strength in numbers. And then he coupled that with  size matters.

By that extension, the bigger they are, the harder they fall.

However...I'm getting far too ahead of myself. The point that lead up to that was going to suck. A lot. For the whole town.

Explosions. So. Many. Explosions. So many even Michael Bay would ask us to tone it down while looking up from a Work in Progress script of Transformers 6 that hadn't been green-lighted yet.

And boy oh boy did he pick a rogue's gallery. In case you haven't figured it out, yet? Yes. Evil-Chara digs giant robots...and monsters.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHA!  Perish, organics!"

Sigma-02. Yup. Adonis went so far as to awaken Sigma's giant form and pull him out of the Worlds Unite incident. Somehow, despite ACM-002 and ACM-001 not existing anymore, he was able to reach into Abel City of Mega Man X's timeline and awaken a residual chronal memory in Sigma's program allowing him to have total recall of his plan to use the Unity Engines to consume all of the dimensional energies of all worlds and ascend to a god.

But The Freedom Fighters, Light Family, Maverick Hunters, and too many heroes from too many Sega Nebula and Capcom Galaxies banded together to put a stop to it. However they were too late to stop the time space continuum from collapsing upon itself.

Spoiler. Xander Payne hit the reset button by opening a time-space gate back to the moment the Sigma Virus first entered AMC-002 and arrived on the Lost Hex...and shot his program, causing it to be deleted again.

Yet, somehow he was back in that form that made his X7 Final Form look like a flea on the back of a dog.

Gamma. The giant robot stolen by Dr. Wily after pretending to reform and work with Dr. Light. Who was piloting it now that Dr. Wily was on the run back on Capcom world?

* KABOOM *

Of course. What's a giant mech army without a Zion mobile suit. Considering it was blood red in color...I had a good idea who was piloting it. Though why fight for Chara-Wraith was a question I couldn't answer.

The next two were pretty much a duo. The Ecto-Morphicons controlled by Ivan Ooze. Ohhhh boy. Six thousand years of imprisonment wasn't nearly enough. And yet despite the fact that he had met his end after impacting Ryan's Comet, Adonis found a way to bring him back from the Power Rangers' rogues gallery of defeated or destroyed enemies.

And they were joined by the T-1,000,000 sent to us courtesy of SkyNet. The smallest of the bunch but easily the most maneuverable and most versatile. It was like dealing with Chara-Wraith's stolen shapeshifter form again. You know what? I'm going to treat this and the previous two as a trio and count all three as one entry.

Number five headache...NBE-1, himself...Megatron.

"I claim this primitive dirt ball in the name of the Decepticons!  Will that, I take my rightful steps to cull the herd of organic germs on this world!"

Brooke was going to have someone's soul dragged down to Gehenna for this.

But out of all of them? Evil-Chara had the biggest, baddest and nastiest mech for himself. It looked like a conglomeration of several giant robots I'd seen in the past. Definitely parts from both Big Duo and Big Fau from Paradyne City's own Big O.  An equal number of parts from torn-apart jaegers from Pacific Rim. Pieces of Mecha-Godzilla tossed into the mix. Sections borrowed from both Cyclopsis from the Power Rangers universe and patchworks from scrapped Evangelion armor. And even a little of King Blue from Viewtiful Joe just to top it all off.

He wasted no time in zeroing in on Asriel and isolating him from us.

"Wow...you're a BIG time villain, now!" Asriel backflipped away as the punch cratered the street.

"Look around you, Asriel.  This is your swan song.  This is the end of everyone you know and love."

"Dark.  Darker, and Darker still, No-Name!"

"STOP CALLING ME THAT!  IT'S CHARA!"

"And you stop using her name in vain! It's a jerk move from a moving jerk!"

"Finally started using insults?  Am I finally getting under your skin, Azzy?!"

"As if!" Asriel backflipped onto the NX Switchboard and dodged the blows left and right.

"That's not going to help you for long."

Asriel realized he wasn't wrong about that.

Man, oh man. How'd it get this bad?

"You've inspired me, you little turd! All this time you've relied on so many friends and family.  While I've stood alone.  Well now I have strength in numbers  And you're the one alone!"

"Really. What did it cost you this time?"

"Even if it did cost me something, you think I'd tell you?"

"So Adonis switched it up by not taking something from you.  Alright. I could believe that.  I could also believe you didn't pay in cash...you just charged it."

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

"Better watch the interest on that debt, No-Name.  It'll come back to bite you in the butt!"

More punches, stomps and weapon fire to try to squash the bug that dared to insult him.

"I'm bringing your corpse back home and sticking that soul of yours in a bell jar! A fitting end...considering...!"

If there was any danger of Chara spilling the beans, it was at an all-time high red flag, this time.

"You're delusional!  You're living in your own world!  Stop it, already!  You're just hurting yourself.  And if you keep on hurting yourself, you're going to end up breaking yourself!"

"You foolish, naive goat!  How can you be so clueless to what's really going on?!"

"How can YOU be so clueless as to keep working for Adonis?"

"Shut up!  Can't you see I'm only using him the same way he's using me?!"

"You really thing that's the case. Now which of us is naive?  What you think you're going to do?  It won't go the way you think it will!"

"Big and bold talk for someone who's ignoring the fact that he's being backed into a corner!"

Crap. That was a valid point. Asriel was being backed into a corner. And at this rate, it would be only a matter of time before that became literal.

Asriel's eyes flared up to neon blue as he turned to the OGPX suit.

"You're seriously going with the Clone Jutsu when faced off against a freakin' titan?"

"Dude.  I've faced off against REAL titans with the Scouts in O.D.M. gear!"

The punches and missiles came in flurries. But each hit came a microsecond after each clone was out of phase. The beast's size was working against him.

"HAH!" Asriel whirled as his eyes blazed yellow and his weapon forged into a mace that scattered star-burst bombs in a cluster of explosions, blanketing Chara's mech with ordinances.

"You can't escape!" The lasers pierced out.

"Pssht. You've been hanging out with the Maverick, Vile, haven't you?" Asriel joked. "Guess I can't expect you to take a...DiVE?"

Somewhere inside the mech, Evil-Chara's eyebrow twitched.

"You...and your damn...PUNS!!!"

Out came the sword...er...make that swords."

"That's how I know you're just the world's lousiest sibling impersonator.  Chara at least had a sense of humor."

"Annoying Goat!"

Asriel quick switched back to Integrity and ran up the blade after a missed swing.

"Take THIS! DARK MATTER CANNON!"

That on the other hand caught Asriel by surprised as he was engulphed by the black spheroid.

"Finally, I beat--"

A quick change to Bravery burst the bubble as light beams pierced out of it. One orange beam managed to even find its way down the barrel of the cannon, rupturing its internals.

"You think you're so hot!  I'll you!"

Chara's backup, however, was dealing with us in ways that threatened to overwhelm.

Chameleon had chosen a blue dragon form, hoping its electricity would be able to overload his opponent. Sure enough Evil-Chara wasn't finished with calling in backup. And now it looks like he had the Beast-tector from Mischief Makers on his side as well as the "The Fairy of Love and Dreams", D'Etoile--the super robot of the Peach Mountain Shogun.

"I'll make a bowl out of that brat's skull..."

Elsewhere, Prince James was finding his latest mech pushed to the limits by yet another of Evil-Chara's cronies. Vanessa perched on top of James' mech, attempting to snipe with her rail cannon.

And still elsewhere something else had been brought to our world that didn't belong. Evil Chara was quick to bring in the Nemesis from GenLock.

When I really got down to it, Adonis' plots were getting thinner but the scale of them were getting bigger. Like with the Mutant Megamix, he wa really scaling up how much crossover he could throw our way. But the elegance and thought his followers were putting into it? Each one was getting more and more phoned in. Almost like the very "bigness" of the attacks were to cover up how little imagination and creativity he was throwing into it.

"It's sort of like a Michael Bay film out there, huh, Boss?" Violet joked.

No comment.

"Violet, you shouldn't be so quick to judge.  A lot of continuing series tend to do the same thing when they run long enough. I mean, not to name-drop but how long have those misadventures in Quahog and Springfield been going on?  Or a certain Colorado mountain town?" Rotor landed from his Thwomp Stomper jump.

"Longer than the ones in Stoolbend and Langley Falls?" Violet joked back.

"This banter is definitely keeping us on our toes, but it's not getting us any closer to joining up with Asriel and the Commander."

"Yeah...hate to say it but Evil-Chara's definitely divided us up pretty well.  He wants to back Goat Son into a corner and overwhelm him once his forces regroup."

"Ganging up on Asriel?  Is there no line he won't cross?!" Jon landed."

"If we don't get help soon, we're going to face early cancelation, ourselves." Violet sneered. "Frankly I'd rather be in another crossover with our favorite ducks.  Especially now that my intel points to F.O.W.L. beginning to mobilize."

"You'll never get the chance because you're dealing with me!"

Okay, so it looked like Dr. Wily was going to get his revenge for the Double Gear incident. He'd completely rebuild Gamma and actually thought to weaponize him, this time.

"Definitely salterier than Baldy McNosehair." Vi joked.

"You shouldn't bring up the Vortex Lab director so casually, Rotor scolded.

"Who? I was talking about Dr. Eggm--"

"Never mind." Rotor grumbled moments before Gamma snatched the rabbit and the walrus up.

"Any last words--"

"Just this: pizza-wrapped-ham."

"What is that supposed to--" Wily was cut off as something grabbed Gamma from behind.

"FIST TO THE FACE!" And the giant mech went flying, dropping Rotor and Violet.

"Right on time." Violet grinned as she looked up at the form of M.E.G.A.S. XLR.

"Okay! You come to my friend's town!  You made a mess of it!  You caused millions in damages, threatened innocent lives and worst of all...YOU'RE MAKING ME MISS THE PAY-PER VIEW WRESTLING MATCH!" Coop challenged.

"Glad to see he has his priorities in order." Rotor said dryly.

"Time to put the smackdown on the bad guy."

"Grrr...you think you can match the genius of Dr. Wily?!  I'll--"

And surprise R.K.O. out of nowhere.

"W-W-wait!  What are you---!!!"

"And I named this one after my favorite hot dog combination!  The HEARTBREAKER!"

There came the elbow drop to Gamma's sternum. A move named for Coop dropping a hotdog into a bucket of butter and drinking the whole thing. Ugh. An aptly named move. How is this guy still alive?!?

"Time to finish this chump off with the appropriate level of power." Coop said smugly as he adjusted M.E.G.A.S.'s power output, the readout changing to reflect the setting.

* First Gear *

* Second Gear *

* Drive *

* Overdrive *

* Maximum Overdrive...someone pay Stephen King royalties, please *

"Uhh...Coop?" Jamie said nervously.

* Super Maximum Overdrive *

* Over the Limit *

* Whoah, there! *

* Okay, Time Out! *

* Seriously. What are you thinking? *

* WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?! *

"Coop!" Kiva started freaking out a little.

* STAAAAAAAHP!!! *

* YOU'RE GONNA DESTROY US ALL!!! *

* GAME OVER, MAN! GAME OVER!!!! *

* OH MY GODS, YOU'RE BREAKING THE INTERNET! THIS ISN'T FUNNY ANYMORE! *

"One more." Violet gave a thumbs-up.

With a ratchety click that finally broke the dial the display stopped at:

* BEYOND WHAT MICHAEL BAY CONSIDERS OVERKILL!!! *

Wily's eyebrow twitched as he saw it coming.

"I should have gone with Spiked-Wall Man......"

The skull-shaped cloud of smoke pretty much told all.

"I...surrender..." Wily lay face down, away from his crashed escape pod.

Elsewhere...

"SEVEN SWELL!!!!"

KOMMAND had even brought in the likes of Eureka Seven and Renton Thurston. We were starting to push them back. But still no sign of getting to Goat Son.

Fortunately Asriel had managed to buy some time and get some breathing room, leaving Chara to search for him. Unfortunately...

"I recognize your life signature, puny organic germ.  You've made a powerful enemy of the Decepticons and now you will feel the wrath of Megatron!" Megatron pointed his fusion cannon to where his sensors had locked on.

"if it's all the same, I'd rather not feel that wrath.  Don't take this the wrong way, Megs, but I kinda have a foe I'm already dealing with.  Could you wait your turn and we'll have a proper rematch another day?"

"You dare insult me with your cowardice?!?"

"Actually...there's something I'd like you to meet--"

Megatron turned the corner and looked upon the form of--

"We have some unfinished business, Megatron."

Asriel waved as he perched on top of Optimus Prime's shoulder.

"I hate long good-byes. Sooooo...buh-bye." Asriel waved as Prime's buster rifle pointed and fired.

A short battle later...

"Thanks for the assist, Optimus."

"We're all in this together.  Keep fighting the good fight, hero."

"You too.  Til' all are one."

Asriel was set down gently where he ran off deeper into town. It was about that time he ran into Bunnie, Red, Marcel, and me.

"Glad you could make it to the party, Goat Son.  But seriously.  It's not looking good!"

The Ecto-Morphicons had flanked the T-One Million. Three giant-sized shape-shifting beast creatures made of nanotech-like substance and armed to the teeth. And it looked like Evil-Chara had somehow managed to get a telepathic mind-link chip into all three machines and was controlling it remotely. This had to be Dr. Eclipse's doing. I just had to wonder how many evil scientists Adonis had swayed by this point.

"It seems he's been looking for a rematch for a long time." Bunnie growled as she was starting to run low on weapon energy and her nanites had been pushed to their limit.

"Dang...he fried the grind blade, too." Red tossed away the weapon.

Those damn machines of his are taking out undead faster than I can bring them in from De Midian."  Marcel watched dismally as Sarina couldn't maintain the portal any longer.

"All it takes is for me to kill even one of you and I'll crack Azzy's confidence. Then it's a matter of time before I break his spirt completely.  He'll have to submit to save your sorry hides!"

"You don't know him well, demon." Bunnie attempted to harness the last sparks of Mojikara.

"Maybe you'll feel differently when I infiltrate your cybermorphic system with some much more savage nanotech beasts.  How much will it break you being my little puppet and forcing you to kill your partners?"

"No...!" Bunnie braced as Red started to charge forth and protect her.

One of the Ectomorphicons quickly blasted him with purple flames.

"OH HELL!  WHY IS IT ALWAYS FIRE?!?"

The other grabbed Marcel with its tail stinger.

"And now for YOU!" The tendrils came for Bunnie, swarming with nanotech while sprouting countless jacks, plugs, and electrodes.

Bunnie braced, knowing she couldn't stop them all.

* SHIIIIIIIING*

* CRACKLE*

"Huh...what the...?!"

"Dr. Lynx?!"

"Yo, Nikita!  What are you doing here!"

"Never mind that.  How did you do that--"

Nikita was grim.

"Doctor?" Asriel cocked his head.

I on the other hand recognized that what had happened had far more serious implication than we were prepared for.

"Asriel.  Go." She warned.

"But--"

"I will not ask again."

I noticed the gradual shift from normal fur to a silvery mirror metal as well as a change in mass and volume.

"What the Hell...?!" Red raised an eyebrow.

"All these years...and this is what uncovers my secret.  So be it."

In that moment it hit me that for decades she hadn't shown any sign of having a hybrid ability. But I could tell this was no hybrid ability. And Bunnie's expression confirmed it.

"You couldn't leave well enough alone.  You have forced me to intervene.  How unsightly.  This will bring about irreversible repercussions. Well then.  Be witness to my displeasure."

And that's when the extreme shape-shifting began as Nikita's liquid mercury form went through an impossible number of permutations, the fabric of reality almost seeming to warp around her immediate vicinity as she mercilessly attacked the Ecotmorphicons and SkyNet's experimental Terminator.

By the time she finished, the nanomorph known as Nikita Lynx quite literally devoured all three, in much the same way I had seen both Conti and Haruko Haruhari devour and assimilate.

"What the absolute Hell...?!" Red's jaw hit the ground.

"What...are you...?" Marcel let slip.

"Doctor." Bunnie's expression was as stone-faced blank as a refrigerator door. But I could see the questions spiraling in her eyes.

Asriel on the other hand.

"Dr. Lynx...I--"

My glare unfortunately couldn't have been worse-timed.

Nikita turned away...before deconstructing into a nanite cloud that dispersed to a state unable to be perceived by the naked eye.

Asriel sighed and turned tail and headed off, hoping to avoid the possibility that Chara would track him down and attack us in the process.

By this time, Chara's army was falling apart. But his mech was as powerful as ever. And he eventually did corner Goat Son...in the same dead-end that Chara-Wraith had cornered him in years ago.

"So. You know where this is, Azzy? Adonis said that you'd know it quite well if I managed to trap you in this spot."

"Not a lot of good memories, if that's what you want to know." Asriel backed away.

"Just give up.  Or don't...which means I get to grab you and beat you within an inch of your life.  I owe Asriel Dreemurr a lifetime of beatings."

Was Evil-Chara so depraved he'd punish an innocent Asriel for what he considered unforgivable acts by his own Asriel? And for that matter...what did any Asriel do that was so wrong? He chose not to be a murderer in so many AU's, including Undertale Prime. So why...why was he taking it this far?!

"You don't have to do this."

"I've heard that CRAP for so long. It's not because I have to...it's because I WANT to!  The plan is everything!  It will succeed!"

"You're hopelessly brainwashed. Adonis can't give you want you seek! He's only going to hurt us both if you keep this up!"

"Hurt?  You don't KNOW what hurt is!  I've been so damaged for so long, a naive little prick like you can't possibly understand my pain!"

"Then what?!  What do you want me to do?!  You won't let me help you!  And you just fighting when I try to stop you from going down this path!  There's no other answers!  Just stop."

"I won't stop.  I can't stop.  The only thing left is to press forward.  Listen and listen well, Asriel.  I don't CARE what happens to this world.  I don't CARE what happens to you.  I don't care about a goddamned thing.  I just want to end humans and monsters once and for all.  Then this world...this whole universe can be reset! And I can finally know peace!"

"You...?  But that's...that's so dark.  That's so sad.  Why would you wish for that?  There's too much to live for."

"All I know is apathy.  Now crumble before the power of apathy and present yourself to be exterminated."

"No, Chara.  I won't do that.  You've pushed me into a corner and put me into the tightest spots without anyone to call for help.  My hope is dwindling but I won't abandon it.  In times like this when you're pushed to the very edge, the difference between the two of us is that you give up too easily.  Me?  I'm too determined and too stubborn to quit.

When things are at their darkest? You find a way out. You analyze. You hold onto hope. You think your way out of a situation. And even if you can't do that...you improvise. Either way. Surrender is not an option. Do you know why?"

"I don't care!"

"Wrong answer.  What I just described...was the definition of Perseverance!" Asriel's eyes lit up bright neon purple as purple circuit overlays and machinery began to form around him; unpacking and assembling.

"No! Not another power!"

But it was true. Asriel had unlocked Perseverance. And with it seemed that he had gained the power to manifest...!

The machine came crashing down. I had managed to make it to the roof tops in time to see it.

"Whoah. What a call back."

I recognized the form of the exo-frame that snapped around Asriel as the same loading mech I had used years ago, based on the one used by Ellen Ripley when fighting the Alien Queen. And this one, too, had plenty of upgrades.

What I was really seeing was like a conglomeration of Rotor's and Gadget's powers. I could feel both their influence strongly in them.

"No-Name......just who the HELL do you think I am?!?"

Okay. Red-letter date. Asriel just dropped the H-word. I think swearing was a first for a goat who was hesitant to use the word "butt" in a sentence and cringed whenever someone mentioned "fart". Well. He was eighteen now. It wasn't like he was going to stay a clean-cut kid forever.

"Oh no. You're not going to--"

"Who the Hell do you think I am KIIIIIIIIIICK!" He sent the machine rocketing up before plowing both of its feet into the left eye shield of Evil-Chara's mech, causing damage to Chara's visual sensor array.

"You little--!!!"

"Hands off my beloved family PUUUUNCH!!!"

This one stabbed into a weak spot between plates connecting the neck to the body, causing sparks and large malfunctions in the gyros.

"You can't hope to beat me with something so--"

Asriel landed a long ways back before he invoked the Perseverance power again.

"I choose the form...of a GUNDAM!"

"Way to go, Goat Son." Violet fist-pumped as she landed, recognizing the Ready Player One moment.

And with that he drew the buster rifle and leveled it, blasting Chara's mech in the heart of its chest before following up immediately with the saber slash.

Evil-Chara went flying back but didn't have time to recover for in that moment, Asriel had managed to slip behind and pick a different towering mechanical form. This one? The Iron Giant.

"SUPERMAAAAAAN!" He said as he torpedo charge-punched into Evil-Chara Mech's back.

And then a jump before his mech form switched out for of all things...Vehicle Voltron's form.

"No no no no no!  How do you keep coming up with a counter to everything I've thrown at you?!  It's not fair!"

"Fair?  Fair is the greatest lie villains ever tell to themselves before losing." Asriel shifted forms again, this time to that of Fortress Maximum of Cybertron's legendary titans. A two-fisted hammer to the skull was immediately followed up by another mech switch-out. This time to the Beast Morpher Power Rangers' own Ultrazord and laying into Evil-Chara with everything he had.

"How...can you...do that?!?" Chara's screens were filling up with CAUTION, WARNING, and DANGER messages.

"From hundreds of hours of watching Tokusatsu TV series and movies with Aunt Vi. You'd be surprised how many giant robots I've memorized by now.

Another shift into Servo A.K.A. Gridman. Then again into Gigantor. Then again and again and again. It was like this ability went hand in hand with the Bravery power...but on a whole other level. And not only that, Asriel seemed to be able to switch-out and modify any part of it on the fly. If he could remember it or imagine it, he could command an unlimited number of transformations to it.

And that was when he made the switch to Big O.

"In the name of good--"

Yeah, I know what it's supposed to say.

"...in the name of good, YE GUILTY!" Asriel let fly with the massive Hydraulic Punch, exploding the head off the mech while sending the cockpit flying out of the chest cavity as its back tore open.

"Nooooooooooooooooo!!!"

The cockpit came crashing down in an open area of the town. Chara struggled to get out, the emergency eject systems failing.

Before he knew it, the fingers of Asriel's mech wrapped around the heavy shield and tore it away, exposing Evil-Chara inside. He quickly scrambled out ad tried to get away...only to find every last one of us and every last one of our robot or mech-piloting friends crowded around.

He dropped to his knees and slugged the ground.

"It's over." Asriel's voice called down to him.

Without a word, Chara slipped into the Cyber Gate back to Chaopolis. This has REALLY hurt his pride.

Asriel shook his head as he dissolved his powers and landed on the ground before us.

"Brooke's going to crucify us..." Rotor panicked over the damage.

"We'll just have to deal with it." I sighed. "But that's not the only thing we'll have to address..." I looked in the direction of UCIAT headquarters.

Meanwhile...

"I thought this day would never come.  I hoped it would not.  But now...I believe I am at a crossroads.  What to do. What would you all have me do...?" Nikita accessed her true lab and disappeared into the liquid metal Cyber Gate. Once on the other side.

"Is this a sign that you're already to live again?" Nikita looked into the darkness...slowly but surely the impossibly big area...easily big enough to be a city...lit up little by little until even the main pyramid structure at the center came to life.

"We agreed. We would not rise again if it meant..." Nikita didn't finish her thought. "...I only hope and pray this isn't prelude to those times.

Forgive, me, Sally. But this goes back far, far before even Ecotropia. With any hope or luck...you will be at my side for this. I have...much to answer for..."

But that wasn't the only thing happening at this moment.

"So."

"Nope.  You don't get to explain yourself.  Failure is failure.  Reflect on it.  And know this...you've had six chances.  Do you know how many you have left?"

"Grrr..."

"Punishment time." And the trap door opened and Evil-Chara dropped and his torture began.

I think this was a sign that things were coming to a head. What lie ahead for us when Chara would come back to seek his revenge this time? And with only one virtue left?

The answers would come soon.

Sub-Entry 327: "The Secret of Dr. Nikita Lynx. The Dormant New Lemuranopia Revealed":
 Nikita had raised a few eyebrows to put it very gently. But she had revealed herself as something that wasn't Hybrid. Something way too familiar when we considered both Prince James and our shapeshifting friend, Aiden from all that time back.

No.  She seemed to actually exceed both of their morphing abilities and maybe even Chara-Wraith's as well. And despite this...my gut told me it was something far more familiar than that. The way she shapeshifted may have been nothing new. But the arsenal that she shapeshifted...that looked far more familiar. After all...I'd seen that kind of cybermorph before.

I think out of all of us...Bunnie was the most surprised. But out of all of us...Sally was definitely the least. I think it was time she came clean about this.

Little did we know just how big a secret Nikita had been hiding from all of us...even Sally...all these decades. The shear scope of it? Was practically impossible. But she did it. Not overnight. Not within a year. This was real. This was big. And this had...ramifications I couldn't even begin to figure out. The question was...was this something that the kingdom of Miranda needed to know...?

"Red, maybe we should rethink this."

"And I think she owes us an explanation. Unless you want to drag Sally out of Technopolis, I don't think we're going to get answers unless we go right to the source."

"But...no one's found Dr. Lynx's true lab. And besides...we're trespassing in her sub-lab."

"I've known for a long time her sub-lab is just a decoy lab where all of the stuff she's finished working on is on display.  Somewhere in this building is a place she does her real research."

"You can't be okay with this, Volt."

"Honestly...I don't know what to be okay with, anymore."

"But Volt...she save us from the T-1,000,000.

"Yeah...but clearly that wasn't a Hybrid Ability.  The moment she shapeshifted, Bunnie couldn't sense her life energy anymore. Almost like she dropped a facade. One she's been keeping up for years. Hell...if she is what I suspect she is, it explains that load of bull explanation she gave all the way back with our collaboration with Providence."

"She's our friend.  Isn't that enough?"

Honestly...this was the first time in ages that Goat Son and I had been at odds with each other. That we disagreed on a matter.

Well. No going back now. We'd already broke into her sub-lab and were looking around for clues or at least a secret entrance to her real lab.

But nothing was standing out.

All around us were familiar projects she had been working on for the last couple of decades. A number of unfinished Support Units in air-tight capsules.

Modest supercomputers but nothing as elite as the Quadrumvirate. Really, Vi had better hardware and software. I expected something far more advanced coming from Nikita.

All in all...to the untrained eye everything in this room was what you'd expect her lab to look like. But to the rest of us? Yeah. This was a clear case of her holding way back. This was her working on a budget. This was......a decoy lab. One which kept even her friends from knowing what she was working on. What she was REALLY working on.

"Okay. Answer me this.  What do we do when we catch up to her?"

I sighed.

"I don't know." I was wrestling with the Scorpio in me that did not forgive and forget when it came to betrayal. I mean...it's not like I was holding a grudge. Really. I mean, technically it wasn't a violation of trust meant to hurt us. But seriously...you think you know someone but...

"Volt. I'm going to make this real simple. At what point did Dr. Lynx ever do anything meant to sabotage or inflict physical, emotional, or mental harm on us?" He crossed his arms.

"Never."

"Then why punish her just for lying about her identity?"

"I think this hits a little too close to home with the last person under UCIAT's employ that lied about their intentions and technically kidnapped my mother." Red crossed his arms.

"Dude!" Violet snapped.

"I get it. Jack Hanos was a big deal." Asriel dissuaded. "But he had his reasons.  And I'm sure Dr. Lynx has hers." Asriel defended.

"Either way. This isn't something we can sweep under the rug." I frowned. "Sooner or later the truth has to come out.  Whether it's from her or from Sally."

"Bunnie.  Chime in, already." Violet turned to her.

"I am a neutral party here.  Do not involve me in what I understand no more than the rest of you."

A wise move, honestly.

"What kind of disciplinary action are we talking if we do catch up with her?" Violet asked.

"I don't know.  Depends on what we find.  There could be inquiries and tribunals.  Honestly, security has ramped up since Hanos.  And Sarge has ensured that it'll only get tighter with more incidents like this."

Asriel sighed as he looked upon Nikita's desk.

He picked up the miniature globe of our planet.

"You know, Volt...Garfield risked his career and Neo Arcadia's reputation by illegally entering Vorostov, raiding a military lab making bio-weapons out of Edoropian refugees, shut the place down, and flew an undisclosed number of refugees out to a secret underground medical facility.

Then some eight years ago, Queen Brooke waived the rules to allow a certain goat son citizenship in this country."

I face-palmed.

"When did you get so good at debate?"

"I suppose that's what happens when a village creates prodigy." Asriel replied. "Hmm?"

He raised an eyebrow as his thumb clicked on something on the globe.

"What's...?"

"A three-dimensional puzzle?" Goat Son still couldn't resist puzzles. Papyrus be proud.

Violet had often described Nikita as being a level 13 intelligence. So if this puzzle was her design, there was no one in this room who had any chance of solving--

*CLICK*
 * BEEP*

"What in the name of John Parker Hammond...?!" I gasped as the orb nano-morphed into some spherical machine the likes I'd describe as alien or beyond futuristic. And it was lit up like...well...a pinball machine having a seizure for lack of better description.

Asriel reluctantly replaced it back into its holder.

That's when it appeared in the room. Giant. Spherical. Like mercury. And...something within.

"What...what is this?"

Violet looked it over.

"It's a Cyber Gate.  But one far, far more advanced than anything I've ever seen."

"Jeeze. It's big enough for Valerie to go through in her massive dire wolf form and then some."

"Could this be it...?"

"Wait. Let's not do anything rash.  We should think this over before we--"

"GERONIMO!!!" Violet dove in.

"Violet!!!!" I screamed.

"Well. When in doubt, follow the white rabbit down the rabbit hole!" Red grinned, without an ounce of fear before following.

"This is really bad idea." Marcel warned.

He'd only think so until it occurred to him there might be something worth looting. He could always sell it back to Nikita if her story was good enough. Nikita wasn't exactly described as a likeable person and Velaska never got along with her so....there was that.

But still...maybe Goat Son had a point. If I were to think logically instead of how butthurt I was over another UCIAT lab employee turning out to not be who they said they were...

"I believe in Dr. Lynx." Asriel went in next.

"Hmm." Bunnie entered behind, arms crossed but otherwise giving no indications if she was for or against this.

I guess...I was the last one through.

"Okay. I guess we're doing this. So.  What has she been--"

After a momentary bright light and a sensation I couldn't describe. As my eyes adjusted...they quickly widened.

"...hiding?!?"

"Whoooooooooh." Asriel exclaimed.

"I think the Doctor has outdone herself." Red observed.

"Oh man.  I am NEVER going to let her hear the end of this." Violet said with an open grin and a look of being dazzled. And if she was impressed...

Bunnie raised an eyebrow.

"What is this place...?" I gasped as the massive city-scape spread before us.

As soon as I looked at Marcel.

"I know that look."

He had the dollar signs in his eyes...and reasonably so. We all noticed it before long.

"I've heard of the streets paved with gold but...not so literally." Violet mused.

Sure enough...we'd seen something like this on a smaller scale.

"It's like El Dorado...what Esteban discovered...the Mysterious Cities of Gold. But..."

"Yeah...gold isn't usually etched and embedded with circuit paths and quantum conduits." I knelt down and put a hand to the surface where trillions of light pulses were chasing in circuit patterns all throughout the dividers and the intricate runes.

"What...language even is this?" Asriel looked at some of the etchings and strange calligraphy.

"No language I've ever seen.  And I've read deep into both Ecotropia's ancient tomes as well as what is claimed to be genuine artifacts of Ancient Arcadia.  No match among any of it." Bunnie crossed her arms.

"How...how....just how?!?" I managed to gasp.

"I think the question is where did it come from and how long has it been down here." Marcel managed to suppress the moment of avarice.

"There isn't a speck of dust around." Violet wiped the various surfaces. "It's all clean as a whistle.  In fact..."

Violet lowered her visor and scanned.

"Except for what I touched, there isn't a single fingerprint around."

"Not even Nikita's?"

"Pssht.  I'm beginning to believe she doesn't HAVE genuine fingerprints." Violet waved it off.

"You're thinking that she built this." I asked Goat Son plainly. "In the decades she spent with us, she built this from the ground up."

"It's...not unthinkable." Asriel suggested. "I mean when you look at it all...everything looks just like the Solaris...and the Golden Condor.  And also...there's this." Asriel pulled Esteban's medallion out. It was reacting to everything around it.

"That settles it.  This is her tech.  But...if that's true...then why DOES her technology resemble artifacts like the Solaris and the Golden Condor?"

"We can ask her when we find her."

Reluctantly I agreed to let the group split up. Each of us when his or her own way...that included Asriel.

I think...maybe the two of us felt it was the right thing while we weren't on the same page about her.

The scientist in me was saying this:  This entire city violates the glass ceiling we set for technological progress back in Neo Arcadia. It rushed ahead too far and disregarded too many limits and restrictions. And the more I saw, the more this was confirmed. There was both gravity era and energy era technology levels here. I definitely saw servitor robots around.

After a while of exploring around...

"Find anything?"

"Residential area is empty.  And unfurnished, too." Red shrugged.

"Nothing in what I think is a commercial district." Marcel huffed. I could tell he was looking for something of value. It occurred to him, without knowing what any of this tech even was, what was the point of selling it if no one else could likely figure it out, either. Maybe a handful of silver pieces for the world's shiniest paperweights?

"Industrial sector's pretty impressive.  But nothing's running and there's no manifests or anything else to tell what any of its meant to make.

"Come to think of it, there's next to no scents around here." I noted. "Not even a sign of food--processed or natural.  There seemed to be the makings of bio-domes; possibly hydroponic research areas, but they're spotless and empty as well.

"It reminds me of one of those City of the Future things that were made in the 50's and are now abandoned.  But without the dust, cobwebs, and anything else that suggests it's 20 years old let alone 50 or 60." Violet raised an eyebrow.

"I guess the main pyramid is the last place to check." Asriel shrugged as he hopped on the NX Switchboard.

"Wow...the board really performs down here.  It almost feels like it was MADE to be used in this city." Asriel cocked his head.

"You know...most of its build did come from Nikita.  I just dressed it up a bit, all paid disclosure."

"I have a feeling Chameleon is missing out down here." I muttered.

"Well, Tithius isn't.  There's nothing to eat." Red wrinkled his nose.

We climbed the staircase and entered.

"Whoah. Bright."

"No way Asmirus would come down here." Vi prodded. "Though I gotta say...this is definitely how you make a foyer."

It was beyond mansion and beyond super skyscraper inside.

"Well, young padawan.  You ready to upgrade to a bigger temple?" Violet joked to Asriel.

"Cute, Aunt Vi.  But this place is massive.  We're not going to find Dr. Lynx at this rate."

"Especially since none of us can translate." Vi crossed her arms and sulked.

Asriel looked toward me.

"Please don't give me that look."

"Volt.  You haven't stopped thinking about what action to take against her. I'll condone this is some serious violations and I'm sure Queen Brooke would have more than a few questions. But don't we get to hear her side of the story?"

I hesitated for a moment.

"You really championed the debate team during your senior year, didn't you?"

"National championship." Asriel replied. "I had a good teacher."

Drew was good with that sort of thing. In fact that's how he made his first impression with a public forum debate.

Bunnie stopped at what we soon identified as some kind of elevator. At least we thought it was.

As it turned out, it was a teleporter.

"Wha...what?!" I would have protested how Nikita could have this technology, but if Sky Vault could beam us anywhere in the world as well as Dr. Light's satellite network for beaming Mega Man and other robot masters around the world...then the tech wasn't that original. But teleportation on this scale and with this many numbers and this quickly and efficiently?

Searches through the pyramid structure yielded discoveries that invited more questions.

"Well, everyone?  Don't all answer at once.  What did you find?" I asked."

"The thing is...none of us are really sure what to say.  I don't think anyone knows what exactly we've seen. "

"I agree with Marcel.  There's no describing the indescribable."

"We could be searching for ages and not find anything."

"I guess the last place to go is straight down." Asriel suggested as he tried to make sense of the hololyth controls.

Lucky goat. He got it on the first try. And that's how we found Nikita's True Lab.

"Oh." I started

"My." Violet continued.

"Goddesses." Asriel finished.

"Duuuuuude." Red looked at the rows and rows of capsules containing working support units.

For whatever I had seen in Galvan Enterprises...for whatever Violet had observed in Mainland...for whatever Technopolis had on its best days...

This place was trumping them all. By quantum leaps. In fact I was sure that this place was filled with quantum computers.

I whirled in the direction of the heavy steely crashing and noticed the most red, silver-limbed and headed robot that looked...familiar. Vaguely gorilla-ish. It was like Guts Man before Guts Man was Guts Man. But Asriel recognized him as--

"Torr?"

That jogged my memory. One of Rob Simmons' creations.

Elsewhere in the lab I noticed a mostly blue, taller, lankier robot...consistently changing shape into countless other unidentifiable machines carrying on assortments of tasks that involved lasers, microwaves, and other forms of energy, chemical, electronic, and mechanical manipulation.

"That's Bort!" Asriel recognized yet another of his creations...at least...the record showed they were his creations.

In another of the five major sectors of the vaguely star-shaped lab an orangish, female robot seemed to be cycling through various elemental abilities to do a variety of tasks--from stress testing materials to heating and cooling various devices.

At the exact opposite end, a yellow female robot seemed to be manipulating holograms and illusions. Each one became more and more convincing, until it became difficult to tell reality from synthesis.

"Bo and Boo." Asriel recognized them, too.

And in the last part...a black and silver robot...rather stocky at that...with a beer-belly...? Er...yeah. Ahem...it was literally shoveling scrap parts down its throat. A waste disposal robot?

I noticed the cables plugged into its back.

It was recycling scrap metal and producing electricity from it?

"And that's Crunch!  Volt...do you know who they are?"

"I know.  There the--"  I got cut off as we were suddenly approached my a small, child-like robot with an angry expression.

"Do you have authorization to be down here?"

"Well...uh...you see--"

"Why suuuuure!" Violet tried to lie her way out of it.

"Oh no you don't!" The robot wasn't buying it. She quickly turned Violet around and tried pushing her out the door.

"You're intruders entering private property!  While I don't have the authority to detain you!  I can make you leave!"

"Whoah.  Bossy bot." Red whispered.

"But, we're looking for our friend!  Maybe you've seen her?" Asriel tried to negotiate.

"This facility has no time to waste on friendships!  Now scram!  Get out! Move it!"

"I know who you are now..." Asriel scratched his head a bit. "You're...Ohno!"

"Ono? That sounds Jangese if I ever heard--"  Violet joked before Bunnie whapped her with a Tessan Fan.

"Enough." We all heard the voice in the center of the room. "This was bound to happen.  I did not project it so soon.  But it would appear to be time."

Dr. Lynx stepped forward...the garments were different...and ancient.

"Doctor." I looked her dead in the eyes. "You've got explaining to do."

"Indeed." She closed her eyes and hung her head.

"Dr. Lynx..." Asriel started. "I just want to understand."

"You always did.  You of all people were the most likely to solve the puzzle of entering this place."

"What is this place?  I have so many questions." He followed up.

We all started to ask questions, overlapping each other and bombarding the doctor with more than she could handle.

A shrill whistle snapped us out of it.

"Best sit down, everyone..." I recognized that voice.

"Aunt Sally?  What are you doing here?  I thought you were in Technopolis."

"I'm between races.  But you're right.  Sally Acorn is making a number of guest appearances and doing TV interviews and all that stuff that comes with fame.  Things that don't require me being on the track and in my gear."

She tuned to Nikita.

"In other words...a standing created from the same nanites you're made of...right, Dr. Lynx?"

"If you're going to address her...you might as well call her by her real name.  I'm sure you of all people know it, Commander."

A long silence.

"Nicole." I finally spoke.

"Correct." Nikita...rather Nicole lifted her head. I could see the green matrix code filling her eye-whites.

"So...the rumors of the Royal Portable Mainframe were true.  You weren't deleted, after all." Bunnie opened her eyes.

"No. Just...reborn." Nikita shapeshifted her hand to mercury.

"Nanoplasma Strain X." Sally confirmed. "What was meant to be infused with my cell structure...gained a life of its own; able to exist without a host body.  Able to make a body on its own.  And with my biometrics, my brain scans and brainwaves...everything the machine tore from me, it carved into the contents of that storage tank.  Until it ruptured and took on a life of its own.  My DNA and everything about me recombined until it stopped being an "it" and became a "she"."

"Whoah.  That means...you're beyond a V.I. and a true A.I.  You're..."

"Something this world doesn't have a name for."

"But something I've seen in comic books and stuff.  You're like Nano from--"

"I'd appreciate you do not draw comparisons to juvenile literature, Asriel."

That was when Bunnie called her out on one more thing...

"Nicole isn't even your true identity, either.  Is it?"

Nikita shook her head.

"Wait, I'm confused.  Is she Dr. Lynx  or some portable mainframe thing?" Red asked. "Now you're saying she's something or someone else?"

"Alright, Doctor.  Who are you really?" Marcel put his hands in his pockets and stared her in the eyes.

"She doesn't know." Sally looked off to the side. "She's spent so much time in that pocket computer body, her past life has...faded."

"But being in this nanomorphic form...things have...awakened."

A dead silence.

Bunnie finally broke the silence.

"Judging by everything we've studied and from hints you've left every so often that I never picked up on...I can come to one conclusion.  You are....a Lemuranopian."

"A say-what-a-what-pian?" Red asked.

"Major. That's just a myth." I shook my head. "You're talking about a fable."

"Isn't that how Ancient Arcade is described these days?"

"But we have proof.  Proof Ancient Arcadia existed before Project Exodus tore it apart and re-christened it."

"Lack of evidence is so easily written off as the way to disprove something ever existed." Asriel spoke up. "Just because you don't see it, doesn't mean it's not there.  After all...we didn't see this city for years.  We didn't even know about it.  But it was here all along."

I decided not to argue.

That was when Red and Violet zeroed in on the countless capsules in the walls.

"Are these what I think they are?"

Nicole/Nikita nodded. "Genetic and mental backups of the lost civilization of Lemuranopia."

"And they're waiting to be revived. Aren't they?" Red asked, narrowing his eyes a little.

I saw Violet begin to scowl.

"You're the last survivor of the old civilization of Lemuranopia.   This lab...this city.......it's Noah's Ark. And you're Noah.  Aren't you?"

"..."

"You know how I feel about cloning things back to life.  After all the lectures you gave me--"

Asriel suddenly placed his hands on Vi's shoulders, looked her in the eyes before shaking his head...then pointing.

Bunnie's gaze actually widened as she saw it too.

A drop on the floor. And then another. It was coming from...

"Is...Nikita...Nicole...crying?" Violet was completely taken by surprise. Bunnie shushed her before she could follow up with "I didn't know Nikita COULD cry."

"How much effort has it taken you to reach this point, old friend." Sally comforted. "You have the quantum computing power to exceed genius level intelligence, several times over...yet you never figured out emotions.  You've tried synthesizing them based on algorithms and A.I. frameworks for so long...and now they're finally coming back.

"So that's it." My ears drooped. "You've decided."

"Decided?" Asriel asked.

"She has." Sally nodded.

"Nicole...has decided...NOT to bring her people back." Bunnie closed her eyes and bowed her head.

"But...why?" Red asked.

"Because...her people were supposed to be revived in a time after the end of the world...they were meant to restart it.  At least that's what they hoped they'd do after the last days...whenever that may be.  But things happened...somehow Nicole...whoever she was...ended up with her mindset but not her memories transferred into a powerful bioware processor that ended up in a portable mainframe.  It was handled down through the ages; down the Acorn family line...and the rest is history." Sally answered.

"That doesn't tell us anything." Marcel growled. "Just give us a straight answer."

"What she's really trying to say is that if the Lemuranopians were awakened now, they wouldn't blend in with our culture.  They'd overwrite it.  Like the Gems' home world.  Like Phaaze and its Leviathan Seeds."

Asriel immediately got the picture.

"You mean..."

"Yeah.  The point of bringing back civilization means that there's no civilization left on the world.   You plant a seed in barren ground...not clustered in with other plants.  For lack of a better Lupe metaphor.  And even if she brought them back, think about it....all the civilizations and species that have come AFTER their time?" I sighed.

I think Red and Marcel were starting to get the picture. Violet had long since caught on.

"The Lemuranopians don't have any of that on file.  We came after their research came to an end.  It would get complicated.  If they kept us alive, they'd study us the same way we'd study a moth under a microscope.   I don't know...there are too many unknowns to consider what would happen.  And I'm sure Nicole is overwhelmed by all of the possibilities...all of what she'd be expected to do."

"Right now...humans, non-humans...everyone up there is the dominant species.  We'd only be and invasive one if reintroduced.  It's better if this seed stays in its time capsule.  At least if I'm still around after the Judgement Day...I'll be able to get everyone up to speed on everything this world had."

"This whole thing has gotten super heavy duty." Red shook his head. "It's a textbook of ethics that's giving me a headache.

"There's another reason why." Sally looked off to the side.

"It's because...I have chosen to live for the present...not for an unknown future."

I has so many echoes of the "Carbons" of Terra; of the Master...of the Mother System. Everything I had learned about Megaman Volnutt/Trigger's world. Technology that wasn't theirs to begin with. The same was true for Neo Arcadia and probably every civilization on this world. And here we had people who were waiting to become "Carbon" copies, someday.

Nikita...Nicole...whatever we were going to call her now...approached. She slipped her high-heel sandals off, simply by morphing her feet and legs so they'd fall to the floor. She approached me...then dropped to hands and knees, hanging her head. She held up her wrists.

"I resign myself to your mercy.  By your laws; try me, convict me, and sentence me as necessary.  I have...failed as my people's shepherd."

And she continued to weep. I know that her nanites were producing the saline secretions by means of nanochemical recombination and such...but it seemed...just too real to be the actions of an android.

"Well, best friend?  What's it going to be?" Asriel asked.

I sighed and hung my own head for a good moment...before raising it.

"You were right, Asriel.  My father taught me better than this.  Nicole...you're free to go."

Nikita raised her head and looked up at me.

"There will be no punishment.  I'm going to look the other way.  Just as Brooke did for Asriel.  Just as the science community did for Gadget.  Just as the Arcade Industries and UCIAT founders did for me.  Just as Grandpa Giovanni Arcade did for Odie. Welcome to the family.  Welcome to our friendship."

"As you wish.  But please...continue to address me as Dr. Nikita Katherine Lynx. Nicole is...just an acronym for a computer...and a placeholder for a name and an identity that has been...dead for a long time."

Echoes of Asriel at the end of the True Pacifist timeline.

"You're free to return to your lab and conduct your research as you see fit. We'll..decide what to do with Neo Lemuranopia...another day."

And so we all followed our way back to the portal and the rest of the day was...uneventful.

It was just as well.

Sub-Entry 328:  "Seeing the Past For Myself":
 I had giving this thought for years, now. Ever since Asriel came into my life...I wanted to know more about the past...his past.

But that ship had sailed. Hadn't it? The Genocide Timeline I hadn't even really given a designation to...so let's just call it UTPR-2012. Hope that's not too subtle a reference, but I'm sure the Mayan Calendar implication is a clear indication of why I assigned this number. A world might as well have ended with that number tied to it.

That outdated reference aside (and the movie made around its controversy)...this timeline was completely eradicated. I rescued the one flower from a field of dying weeds.

Then the next timeline to sprout up (sorry, Flowey) that was unstable was UTPR-3224. And it was a good surrogate...or so I thought. In the end I let it slip through my fingers.

Now I was wrestling with the very reasons why I should even bother returning Asriel to Undertale when the timeline that now existed was UTPR-3235. Everyone and everything in it was a copy of his timeline in some way...but reengineered and remixed. And if it wasn't already altered by Destiny and Fate into this alternate universe iteration, my team's and my interactions with this world had completely thrown this timeline in a new direction but with the same end game in sight.

I had to see this through. We all had to see this through.

Yet...I was compelled to know...where was the point of origin in all this.

I'd observed countless stable timelines in order to even become familiar with the background information and briefings I needed to even embark on the research missions in the unstable timelines in the first place. But every last one of them had the same thing in common. I could only observe from the point Frisk arrives in the underground.

I never once observed the events that led to Monsters being sealed away. I was never privy to Chara's arrival in the underground. And really...the tapes Alphys had in the True Lab only told so much. What little I did experience was a fragment of UTPR-2016's timeline just before its death rasp. One hundred years may sound like a lot but compared to the span I had to observe ACM-001 after aliens reformatted the planet with their bombs? That was only less than a tenth of what I had to sit through on the sidelines.

What happened in the beginning?

I'd never be able to answer that for our Asriel. But maybe if I knew more about Flowey/Asriel's past, it might be at least some indication of an echo that would bring it all together. At least in my mental space. Now that Asriel and Chara were reunited and the Plan was completely irrelevant...at least to them, it only made sense to see the beginning.

"You know this won't tell you what you really want to know." I said aloud, while looking into the Delorean's side mirror.

It was true. I wasn't going to see our Chara's past. I was going to see Evil-Chara's. That's how it worked. UTPR-3235 was the active timeline. The one existing int he UltraVerse at this moment.

I had kept the cruise control going as I had the time machine pretty far up in the clouds and away from any aircraft flight patterns. I doubt passenger or military craft would spot me. Plus the flux diffusion through the whole framework would also keep me off of radar and satellites. No space administration that I knew of would detect me.

"Well then. Let's begin."

I let the autopilot take over for a moment while I opened the case in the front seat and pulled out a spare SPECTRE Hazard Card. Then I installed it into the interface on the dashboard.

I would now reappear outside of space and time but still existing in my SPECTRE from--both myself and the time machine. I had to keep the "red zone" part of UTPR-3235 pristine. This was non-negotiable. This was not up for debate. Even the slightest particle off could impact anyone's future in the Underground.

Here was where I put my money where my mouth was; here was where I proved that I knew what I was doing.

"Well. Point of no return." I watched as the speedometer had just hit the 80's...and climbed to double eight.

And in a flash... I reintegrated.

And sure enough I was  years into the past.

As I confirmed, the barrier did not exist, yet. Monsters were still on the surface. The war had not yet begun.

"So. What makes our AU unique?

The question I was asking was in direct response to all the AU's I had observed which had varying starting points to their timelines. Some even started before the events of "Undertale". By that logic they all had their own unique genesis to what started the war between humans and monsters. But the vast majority of them had the same thing in common. Someone had to lose the war and be sealed away.

Of course that was including the AU's where the roles were flipped, like that one where humans were sealed away and Asriel was the monster to fall into the underground...can't remember the dimensional designation. But that was just one example.

I piloted the Delorean toward the surface, piercing the clouds. And what a different world lay beneath. I could tell how much progress had been rolled back. The technological level of Earth had slipped from 2 (as Asmuth would put it) to 1 pretty easily. But that was human progress. Depending on how much the Royal Scientist had made this point in his life...well...any speculation was just that. Speculation with no hint how far off I was.

"Speaking of which...where are you, Dr. Gaster?"

I wasn't really that intent on finding him. Just curious.

What I did surmise was that if Monsters weren't trapped in Mount Ebott, yet, then the CORE didn't exist, yet.

Maybe the activation of the core might be the prelude to the point in the Time Line where the "red zone" began to come to an end. Or maybe Frisk really was the tipping point for his unfinished research into Determination. I knew Gaster was researching it. Alphys didn't build the D-T Extractor, after all.

I could still never get over its goat skull appearance. Or how much Hyperdeath's special move before unleashing his True Power resembled it. It sent the same chills up my spine that Andross' telekinetic amplifier did when it inhaled all the debris around before unloading.

"Huh...it's been so long since I got this analytical."

I wasn't kidding. Back in my original Project Lost Dreemurr logs, I'd made so many personal lab reports drawing comparisons to everything I'd observed in Undertale to things that seemed remarkably similar. Like how the CORE reminded me of what I'd archived from the Dimension W incident. How I'd put Frisk's code under the microscope to illustrate just what it did. Or even a candid review of some of my favorite Underground consumables.

Well. The world was coming into view. There was definitely more forest land and greener--a testament to how mankind's deforestation would be a looming danger to the planet in years to come. Seeing it this unspoiled was a sight I wished I could share with Lupe.

I got as close to the ground as I dared to. Not that it would make a difference. I could just simply phase through anything if I wanted. But I was superstitious about monsters with additional abilities...like Sans' eye and his ability to converse with "the other Sans'es." making him aware of other timelines. Even Gaster seemed to have a sixth sense about him I couldn't explain. If anyone was sensitive to time anomalies, I didn't want to risk it.

Hell. I was still keeping Frisk as a basis for why I needed to play it safe. Way back then Frisk's unique sixth sense had revealed my presence; just moments after dueling with Undyne.

"I wonder if Frisk represents the peak of evolution for the power of human Determination? I mean...to even outlast Omega Flowey's multiple save files.....Hyperdeath's last ditch effort to take their HP all the way done to the very last decimal place...?"

My mind was going a million miles per second with all these questions and no one around to answer them. No one around who COULD answer them. No one around who SHOULD answer them. Again. No interaction with the past. Just observe, Volt.

I eventually had to land the Delorean and park it at a hiding spot. The fuel tank, the acid-plate battery, and Mr. Fusion's chamber weren't limitless. While filling the last one wasn't a problem and recharging the battery was as simple as using my powers...I was definitely not in an era that had refined petroleum into usable gasoline.

I parked, locked it down and kept it cloaked--both in space and time...and obviously from all manner of conventional perception. I just hope there wasn't anyone who could see beyond the veil of the space time continuum, or I was up the creek.

I went out and explored on foot.

What started as observations for minutes became hours...then days...then weeks...months.

Yeah. This was like one of my Stable Timeline observations. Not just Undertale but everything from Inuyasha's feudal era to watching the time before the colonization of Trigun's own planet Gunsmoke. I was serious when I said I'd been contracted by the Council, many a time, to just watch grass grow.

This was one of my more stimulating observations. Over time I was beginning to record factions within both the human civilizations and the monster civilizations. Just when I thought I wouldn't see anyone familiar...

"Well I'll be.  Do my eyes deceive me or is that the Hammer of Justice himself, Gerson Boom?"

It was the turtle monster, all right. Dressed a lot differently and moving a little more spry. And his eye didn't seem to be as messed up as it was in the Underground.

I recorded conversations and sure enough it seemed like negotiations with the humans were steadily breaking down. And the one common factor in it all was...the Monsters' ability to take and absorb human souls. No one had actually done it. But the fear was everything. The fear was enough.

With this much chaos about to erupt......or rather once it did, I had a play-by-play blueprint for what would happen next.

Suspicions become arguments. Arguments become conflicts where resolutions could not be achieved. In this heated pressure cooker, someone--doesn't matter which side--will end up doing something stupid. That leads to a skirmish that turns violent. That leads to protests that become riots. The first casualty or casualties ignite the powder keg. The declaration of war becomes official. Then it's survival of the fittest.

"Goddammit. This is as bad as watching the Genocide Run play out.  No. It's actually worse." I watched the dust pile up on the battlefield.

I couldn't bring myself to write down details in these logs. Peoples' names...situations...what led to what...granted, I'm sure anyone reading these logs is dying to know what made our AU's Great War between humans and monsters unique. But all I could see was what made them the same. And not just within Undertale AU's...but other worlds...other completely unrelated planets and situations.

The biggest echo of them all? The Great War of ACM-001 between the Overlanders and the Mobians. The one that Julian Kintobor led the path to victory against his own kind...then betrayed the Mobians he'd pledged his loyalty to. No matter how much I tried to bury my old assignment in the past, everything just kept stirring up the same echo over and over. That echo of a timeline...an entire universe which rendered itself out of existence in a natural cosmic phenomenon. Unfair. But part of the life of an immortal to see people, places, and events come...and go.

As time went on, I began to see more familiar faces or at least ancestors of familiar faces. Eventually I hit the jackpot with the Dreemurr family. Fluffy buns himself--looking more prince-ly than king-ly and recently wedded wife. As far as I could tell, they were still too young for their first born.

At least...I thought it was Asgore and Toriel. But...maybe it was their ancestors? I tried scanning them but...for some reason the visor wasn't showing anything.

One thing I learned quickly...A.E.O.N. was going to be no help. Simply because there was no data to be accessed. What I was exploring really was unknown territory.

"Well this tells me something that should be obvious.  Of course Asriel and many others would never have been born on the surface."

So maybe it wasn't such a jackpot. I guess I'll--

I almost gasped.

"Gaster." I recognized the complete form of the Royal Scientist. Guess he did wear glasses. But...still that was this iteration. Maybe he looked different in the previous timeline. I'd never know. No one would. Maybe Gaster himself didn't even remember.

The one thing that was certain, thus far.

Inevitability came in the day that the war came to an end with the unconditional surrender of King Dreemurr...somehow STILL couldn't determine if he was Asgore or an ancestor. Maybe it was a side effect of the red zone in the timeline.

What was pretty universal was the human army ensuring every last surviving monster was led into Mount Ebott. At least...ever one accounted for. I could make out the faint scents of a few that had escaped prying eyes. How convenient that this set up our cover stories for the underground.

I looked about and eventually identified the color-coded mages of the human King's royal court. Green, cyan, blue, orange, yellow, purple, and red. Why was I not surprised? Seven souls. Seven attributes. Seven-fold barrier.

"I think I may lose my lunch..." I grimaced as I watched the spell being cast and the barrier coming into existence. When the last of the humans had left the area, having decided that this cursed place was to be forgotten...

"Your barrier isn't so fool-proof." I simply walked through like it was just thin air. Aside from the fact that my soul was powerful enough to do so, I was existing outside of time and space. Double circumvent, as it were.

"Now. Let's see what we'll--"

A moment to realize the folly of my statement.

"Right.  Of course it would be dark in here." I waited for the Dreemurrs to use their fire magic to light the way.

"Hmm.  A little thread-bare...but familiar."

So given time to get their bearings and time to set up the various essentials, their monarch named this new place..."Home".

I sighed.

"That's Asgore alright.  He can't name worth beans." I folded my arms.

From there the days passed and the exploration continued. Most set up in what would become the RUINS. I started recognizing the pillars and stonework as it took shape. And of course the puzzles that became the door keys to keep the Monsters safe and out of trouble.

Though I felt...what I was seeing was only the top level. I'd had theories that there was...more underneath the floor. Other AU's like that UTPR-Y...or as I called it "Undertale Yellow" seemed to reveal there was more underground than what was...well...underground. I'd have to research more on that bat monster. But if I was still this far back in the timeline, that was as much an alternate future as it was an alternate universe. Besides...Flowey didn't even exist. Asriel hadn't even been born yet.

So let's jump cut a bit. I'd been observing Gaster and his research staff hard at work with those that Asgore had designated as engineers and builders for the new kingdom.

This gave me a chance to peek at Gaster's notes.

...or so I thought. Of course the Man that Spoke in Hands wrote in that language I'd--

"Hello, Megan!" I slapped the heel of my palm on my forehead as I quoted Miss Martian of Young Justice.

I dug the same tablet out I had used when I first met Gaster...and Asriel. And sure enough I finally got answers to the innerworkings of the CORE.

Years passed. Decades. Centuries. Who can say? By this point anyone who HAD seen the sun and the surface probably completely forgot.

The kingdom flourished once it had electricity, light, and heat and other modern conveniences. And the beginning of TV but before the Mettaton era. This coincided with what Asriel had said about having TV in the underground in his time.

That was about the time I hit the first checkpoint--or rather the first of the tapes which would occupy Alphys' True Lab someday.

Enough time had passed for Gaster and his research staff to completely reinvent the underground. I'd estimated it was probably nearing the end of the 20th century outside the barrier.

It's here where my guilt was at an all-time high. As a time traveler, you never shake off how much of a creep you are watching people sleep...or attempt to. Just because the job requires it, you never feel any less like a peeping tom. Why, oh why, did I ever let the Council deem this was acceptable and necessary practice?

Historical accuracy sucks.

"Pssst. Gorey, wake up.

"Mmm? What is it, dear? ... er, and why do you have that video camera?"

"Shush! I want to get your reaction. Gorey, dearest. What is my favorite vegetable?"

"Hmmm... Carrots, right?"

"No no no! My favorite vegetable is... Eda-MOM-e. ... get it???"

Subtle, Toriel. Anyone else would have figured out what you were trying to tell them.

" ... Go back to bed, dear."

"No no!! Not yet! Hee hee hee. Now, If I were a dog, what breed of dog would I be?"

"Hmmm... I don't know, honey. What kind of dog would you be?"

"I would be... A MOMERANIAN."

Yup. Asriel definitely got his sense of humor from his mother--

"Hohoho! You sure are excited to have this child. You know, if you keep making jokes like this... One day, you could be... ... a famous MOMedian."

Or...did he?

"... Well, I am going to bed."

"Hey! Come on Tori! That one was funny!"

"Hahaha, I know. I am just teasing you. Goodnight, dear."

"Goodnight, honey."

"... Oh dear, perhaps it is too dark in here for the video to come out."

I rolled my eyes.

"Well. It wasn't terrible, Asgore...but points go to Tori." I shrugged.

Asgore was more clever than I gave him credit for. But he still couldn't name for beans.

The next several years were something else. I felt I was meeting Asriel for the first time. But it was a one-way meeting. Plus it wasn't our Asriel. It was the future flower prince and the one I still didn't know if I could trust.

I watched his birth with tears in my eyes.

I watched his first steps, feeling pride in my heart.

I heard his first words with a smile on my face.

I wasn't even a parent, but I'd known him...well...the other him for short of a decade. Yeah, I wasn't counting the one-hundred years. I'd discovered him after that century had past.

"Why are you avoiding this, Volt?" I asked myself the question that was a real downer. It was that I knew his fate. And the next five tapes would spell it out. But first...I needed something answered that was more pressing.

I headed to the entrance of the RUINS. It was that date. A little before the fated hour.

I wall-kicked my way up some quick magnetic plates I'd formed with my powers and exited the mouth of the mountain.

It was quiet...up until a point when I heard an angry mob. And they were chasing someone.

"And the brat of the hour is about to arrive." I narrowed my eyes.

"Get that brat!"

"You'll pay for what you did!"

"Your own parents!  You monster!"

"How much did you burn down, you little freak!"

"When we catch up to you, we're gonna use that knife you got to carve a mark of shame into you!  Let everyone know what horrible things you did!   All without remorse!"

"Kids like you should be b--" The rest of the saying got drowned out by the overlapping shouts.

I shook my head. Two wrongs don't make a right but at the same time...Chara would get no sympathy for the karma he must have racked up with his past deeds.

"Well. Showtime." I arc-ed back down to the flowers below and waited. And sure enough...

I saw him fall down the mouth of the mountain and impact the flower bed with an angered, but painful yell. There were some growls and attempts to fight back the pain...but eventually he passed out.

"Hello, Evil-Chara." I glared down at him.

I was feeling the temptation to end him and stop the game entirely...but that's not what I do. That's not the shortcut I could ever take. it would be easy. That was the problem. It was TOO easy. I wasn't the player. I wasn't going to be a dirty hacker. I had to allow this.

I twitched my ear and I could hear it from the mouth of the cavern.

"He's done for."

"Shouldn't we warn the next village over?"

"Warn them about what?  A corpse that deserved their fate?  What's that Hell spawn going to do from beyond the grave."

"I'm just saying--"

"Even if he did survive...what's waiting for him in that cave is better than he deserves.  They'll eat him alive.   Face facts...Chara is never coming back to the surface world."

"But what if one of them takes his soul--"

"You believe that stupid legend? Our ancestors were very clear that not a single human soul was ever taken.  I'm starting to think that whole absorbing souls was just a crock of crap. But anyway...good riddance to old fairy tales.  Real or not, they deserve to be down there."

As for Chara? What's one more demon to add to the pot? Daylight's burning. Let's get back alright. I'm not going to be stuck up here when it gets dark."

"Why? You afraid the monsters that didn't get rounded up centuries ago will get you?"

"Don' t make me kick your * FLOWEY CACKLE * !!!"

I was beginning to see how devious the Plan was from the start. it wasn't his home village...but the one that hadn't been told of his murderous spree and wave of terror he had spread through his home village. That's how he knew his Plan would work. That's how he knew the villagers would come to fear a monster with the power of a god. That's how he would trap Prince Dreemurr in a situation where he had to fight back...and he couldn't even do that.

"...It sounds like it came from over here...  Oh!  You've fallen down, haven't you...  Are you okay? Here, get up..."

Chara swatted Asriel's hand away.

"Are you sure?"

Even Chara's rudeness went over his head. He was too pure for this world.

Chara looked up at Asriel. I could almost see under his bangs...see into those eyes.

The coldness I was feeling...yeah...that was a calculating stare. The stare of someone weighing their options.

His greeting was lukewarm. But I could tell he was struggling to be...nice.

"...Chara, huh?  That's a nice name.  My name is......."

I let out the deepest of sighs.

"...Asriel." I finished as I walked away at the point Asriel led the injured Chara back to Asgore and Toriel's house back in "Home" of the Ruins. Yeah. Definitely seemed like a "summer home".

In time I watched Chara be welcomed into the Dreemurr Family. I watched him spend every waking moment possible with Asriel.

And in observing...I saw what no one else did: deceit. Chara was quite the con-artist. He had wrapped all three of them around his finger.

I had a feeling if Soul-Reaper Chara saw this, she wouldn't be able to contain her disgust or her rage.

I was having trouble doing that as it was.

Time continued to go by. I wasn't sure if it was a year or more but...then came checkpoint number two.

"Chara, are you ready? Do your creepy face! AHHHHH!! Hee hee hee! Oh! Wait! I had the lens cap on... What!? You're not gonna do it again...? Come on, quit tricking me! Haha!"

As Chara was turned away, there was no way Asriel saw the devious grin.

When he wasn't in range of his voice...

"Too easy. It's disgusting how they accept me. I guess that makes him some degree of more redeemable than worthless humans.   You're going to be an excellent pawn, Asriel.  But..how to get out of this damn prison and reap my terrible revenge?"

I hovered over him and glowered. He passed right through me as he chased after Asriel.

Checkpoint three...and the knot in my stomach was continuing to tighten.

"Howdy, Chara! Smile for the camera! Ha, this time I got YOU! I left the cap on... ON PURPOSE! Now you're smiling for noooo reason! Hee hee hee. What? Oh, yeah, I remember. When we tried to make butterscotch pie for Dad, right? The recipe asked for cups of butter... But we accidentally put in buttercups instead. Yeah! Those flowers got him really sick. I felt so bad. We made Mom really upset. I should have laughed it off, like you did... Um, anyway, where are you going with this? Huh? Turn off the camera...? OK."

I listened...and grew uneasy as Chara began to lay the foundation of the plan. Now I know why he had Asriel turn the camera off. This was as good as a confession. And if Asgore or Toriel ever saw it, then the plan would be for nothing. Even if it failed, Chara was sure it would at least start the spark of war. Then it was just a matter of Monsters not being above crossing that line humans crossed so easily.

Bunnie had always warning me that the Jangese considered the number four practically cursed. After all, the Jangese word for four was also phonetically the same as the word for death.

"I... I don't like this idea, Chara. Wh.. what? N-no, I'm not... ... big kids don't cry. Yeah, you're right. No! I'd never doubt you, Chara. Never! Y... yeah! We'll be strong! We'll free everyone. I'll go get the flowers."

You had made him an accessory to your own suicide, you horrible demon.

Checkmark five. And the final tape.

"Chara...Can you hear me? We want you to wake up...

"Chara! You have to stay determined! You can't give up! You are the future of humans and monsters..."

No good. They were in a coma. Their death was imminent. Even with UCIAT's science...no...even with Mainland's...Renalia's...or Appra's science medical knowledge. There was no curing death. While Asgore and Toriel were left to be tormented by grief and give Asriel his space with his sibling...

" ... Psst... Chara... Please... Wake up... I don't like this plan anymore. I... I... ... no, I said... I said I'd never doubt you. Six, right? We just have to get six... And we'll do it together, right?"

There was no going back from this point.

From this moment...the moment Chara's soul left his body...from the moment Asriel decided to go through with it...I knew what would play out.

I'd see it play out...but stop when our Asriel was sucked into the Void and thus into the heart of the CORE.

As I watched I could see the heart-shaped entity rise from the departed child. I heard the young goat-like boy utter "I have to keep my promise...for Chara." I held my breath, my gaze sharpened, and I counted the seconds...the milliseconds...the microseconds...and then...

I wanted so much for it to not happen. But it happened.

Asriel cupped his hands around it. And brought it to his chest. I could see his own soul emerge.

And then I saw him pull them into himself...and the magic began to overflow and pour out. And then I saw the transformation...I wish I hadn't. Gods. I wish I hadn't.

The aura had intensified so much...and I saw his silhouette grow...I saw the shapeshifting...the morphing. Every detail became that of the one being I had promised myself would never return.

The one-soul version of the God of Hyperdeath. I'd seen the six-human-soul-and-every-monster-in-the-kingdom's soul version before. This one may have been only a seventh that power level. But really...even I could sense the power of a demigod. And it was beyond belief. He could easily slaughter that village if he wanted.

And with that I also know that control over the body was now split between Asriel and Chara. Chara took control of course.

I watched. I followed. I followed through the barrier. I'd thought that Chara would at least allow Asriel to revel in the surface world for a bit. But no.  Straight to business. Carrying his body to that village. The one that if they had only been warned...maybe it would have turned out differently.

Every step was a countdown.

"Why...why does this have to be...?" I was fighting back my own tears.

And then the fated moment came. He laid his body in the bed of flowers. A moment of tranquility.

A moment which was shattered by the screams and the panic.

All they saw was a monster outside of the barrier...with the body of a child. How could they know what the situation was? They should have known what the situation was.

There was no use blaming Chara's people for not informing this village.

With very blow...ever weapon...every shot...I stood aghast, unable to intervene. I had the power to stop this from happening, much as Asriel had the power to smite everyone in the village. But as he just took every attack and didn't fight back...I watched every moment, feeing dirtier and guiltier by the moment.

So. He picked up Chara's body and went back home through the barrier.

I wanted to crumble to dust for what I had no choice but to do. I hated myself. I could change history. But if I did that? Lady Destiny would forfeit the game. Evil would win. And whatever future came of this...it would be on my head. Wisdom and experience had proven time and time again...even with the best intentions, this would not go the way I thought I wanted it to. This was why we don't cheat the game. This is why we struggle. This is where the balance comes. Through tragedy, eventually good things will come about, but only if we let the natural course of time allow them to.

"Enjoy your temporary moment, Madam Fate.  I'm going to see this pain and misery wiped out when I finally break the game." I declared. Yeah. It was a declaration of war, too late. We were still at war, even now.

I followed Asriel back to the throne room where he collapsed...and turned to dust, dropping Chara's bleeding body onto the flowers. Dust and blood. Blood and dust.

This was the very moment my heart had completely broken. I could bear no more. But I forced myself to watch the tragedy continue to unfold. Even seeing Undyne's expressing didn't help.

The wailing...the sobbing...the melancholy. Everyone's hopes and dreams were broken into millions of tiny shards.

Things only got worse as I watched Asgore address his people...and his declaration of war on the humans. I watched Toriel's expression turn to disgust.

"Hang on. Both of you.  Just...don't give up."

That night, Toriel left New Home with Chara's exhumed corpse, wrapped in a tarp.

From there she disappeared into the ruins and the gates locked behind her.

"Enough. I know where it goes from here. Mostly."

I couldn't bring myself to see more of this. Even though it could tell me how Adonis slithered into UTPR-3235 and revived Chara...I couldn't stand any more. Maybe...another day.

I drifted through the Barrier and made my way back to the Delorean, where I had kept it in total stasis lock. Outside of time and space, it wouldn't succumb to oxidation...to chemical age. To battery life and other processes that would cause it to break down into nonfunctional.

I got in and set the return coordinates...and left that infernal time period behind me.

When I returned to town and parked in the UCIAT garage, Asriel...our Asriel was there to greet me...and quick to tell how much this mission had cut me deeply. While he had no clue where I had been...he stuck by his guns and left me to my privacy.

"Everything is temporary, Volt.  Even bad assignments.  Hey. The sun will come out tomorrow, like the song goes." He held a small Taiyoudama in his grasp for a moment to emphasize before snuffing it out.

"Thanks, Goat Son." I gave him the longest, most heart-felt hugs I could manage for the longest time.

"It's all just a bad dream." That was the last thing he said to me before heading off.

Yeah.

Just a bad dream.

Sub-Entry 329: "One and a Half Genie Heroes in Agrabah Against Too Many Pirates":
 It was a clerical error in S.T.C. Really. This was Dr. Persephone's assignment. It was her jurisdiction. So how did I end up crossing paths with a world so steeped in ancient magic?

More than that...how was it that her assigned territory had made its way into that world?

"Not that I'm not grateful we ended up some place warm...but seriously?  I'm not the one to be handling a world of Arabian Nights...or is it Knights?  Hmm..."

"Easy, Volt.  We'll get this mess straightened out."

"I get it, Azzy...but really.  Am I the go-to guy when worlds collide?"

"Hey, you should be proud you get to have so many crossover adventures with so many unique places and time periods."

"Seems more like a burden with the Council breathing down my neck."

"Don't worry.  I've been researching various kinds of magic, sorcery and superstition from around the world with Sarina.  Just because I'm not magic anymore, doesn't mean I can suddenly become ignorant to it.  Trust me. I can handle magic for both of us.

So why not just sit back and enjoy the ride  And you know...look up info on our two separate worlds combining."

I rubbed my temples.

"Okay. Our current location is a few clicks away from the kingdom of Agrabah.  A world straight out of 1,001 Arabian--"

"You mean like Ali Baba and the Fourty Thieves, Sinbad and--"

"Yes.  That one."

"Aladdin and the Magic Lamp?"

"Had to say it, huh?"

Asriel grinned.

"And the one that doesn't belong?"

"It appears to be pirate forces belonging to an antagonist named Risky Boots.  They hail from a world under Persephone's watch--"

"No way!  We're going to be crossing over with Shantae?"

"Shan-what now?" I raised an eyebrow.

"C'mon.  You know?  The Half-Genie Hero?  Through her magical belly-dances, she can transform?  Friends with Rotty Tops and--"

"Okay, okay.  I get it.  I guess I'm deferring to you as knowledgeable authority."

"Nice!"

"I guess we should seek out whoever's in charge and warn them.  Persephone passed along a message indicating that Risky Boots may have crossed paths with a different world before coming here."

"In other words, she may have partnered up with someone?  Triple crossover!"

"Contain your excitement, Goat Son. That just makes it more complicated. Anyway...the fact that I don't know anything about either of these worlds makes me nervous.  Too many unknowns to juggle."

Asriel shrugged. "Don't sweat the small stuff.  We'll do what we always do in these situations.  Never give up and do our best!"

Cookie cutter advice...and yet that doesn't change the fact that it's no less true than any other trope and cliché we've come across.

"Something else to consider.  We're strangers in a strange land.  And even if we maintain human disguise?  We're going to stick out as odd, unusual or just plain weird..."

Hold that thought.

"...!"

"So...you're...definitely eating your words from earlier, right?"

"Rubbing it in, Goat Son?"

"Just calling it as I see it."

"Well that answers my question whether it was Williams or Smith."

"You just had to tag along, didn't you, Violet?"

"Hey, Aunt Vi."

"What, Commander?  Thought I'd lead off strong with a good one-liner."

I facepalmed. But she didn't give me chance to protest.

"Soooo.  We going to address the big, blue, shapeshifting elephant in the room?"

"You mean Jinn." I crossed my arms.

"Actually, I think he prefers being called Genie."

"Right. But the fact that he's a...how did you put it again, Vi?"

"Semi-phenomenal, nearly-cosmic powered being?"

"Right.  That's the least of my concerns.  There's THIS little twist."

I pointed over to the purple-haired, pony-tailed, impossibly hourglass-figured form of the girl I the gold tiara and arm guards, red parachute pants, pointy shoes, red bikini top, and gold hoop earrings. The ears were kinda elf-ish, too.

And she was being...entertained for lack of better word by the blue genie in question...who, yeah...was sounding very Robin Williams-ish.

"Asriel...correct me if I'm wrong...but does Genie have a crush on....Shantae?"

"Oh my...!" Asriel blinked after a few moments of deer-in-headlights.

And maybe it wasn't my imagination...but there was no sign that she was shutting him down, either...

"This would be that complication you mentioned earlier?"

"Oh yeah.  Sometimes it's not the villains that throw you for a loop...but unexpected situations among heroes and bystanders."

That was when the Royal Guard arrived and...suffice to say their rather large captain...or...whatever the appropriate rank was....was intent on crowding us out and finding just one excuse to put us in the dungeon.

"Volt...?"

"Just don't say it--"

Leave it to Destiny to throw us a bone. Not to mention the cavalry. Enter...the hero.

"There you are.  The Sultan's GUESTS...should not keep the Ruler of Agrabah waiting!"

Black-haired, fast-talking, and definitely a con-artist that I'm sure would be Marcel in another lifetime. Wearing an open vest; white, flaring parachute...garment with a patch stitched to it, and a fez. And barefoot. And in the company of a small monkey.

"Psst. Volt!  That's him!  Just like the 1001 Arabian Tales described--"

"Him?"

"You know?  Rub the lamp, three wishes, magic carpet?"

"You've got to be kidding me..." I muttered as I was hurriedly rushed into the throne room with Azzy.

"Why'd you help us out?" Asriel asked after we were out of range of the fuming guard.

"You owe me an explanation.  And maybe you can tell me who's got Genie acting weird."

"It's a long story.  You and anyone you trust in the Royal Court should probably hear what we have to say." Asriel picked up the ball.

One, long and unbelievable explanation later...

"Oh my!" The Sultan was rather...smallish...and a surprisingly naive man-child in personality. And while we had his attention, I think it was his daughter, Jasmine who was giving the situation the gravity it merited.

"You mean you believe us?" I scratched my head.

"I'd like to think Raja is a good judge of character." The princess replied as she watched Asriel give the oversized tiger belly rubs.

"I've had the practice with big cats at Lupe's nature preserve.  They can sense someone with a good heart, right?"

"Still.  What you're telling us is that enemies are coming to invade but you're not sure what their plan is?" Aladdin questioned.

"Bah! It sounds as fishy as this kid's breath!" the red-feathered form of the parrot, Iago brushed it off.

"Huh? Why does this bird sound like Gilbert Gottfried?"

"Never heard of him!" Iago held up a wing in a "talk to the hand" gesture.

Somehow....this feels like a meta joke.

"And this person with Genie is a--?"

"Half-genie.  Shantae.  Don't worry. She's pretty awesome."

"You just met her, Goat Son."

"Goat son?"

"Strange nickname for your friend."

"Volt...maybe we shouldn't bother with the human disguise on this world.  Too many things that suggest it may have seen more than its fair share of things that aren't exactly human." Asriel questioned.

"Your call, Azzy."

Asriel switched off the Unitrix as I demorphed.

"Ohhhhhh...now it makes sense." Aladdin rubbed his chin, looking off to the side.

Meanwhile Iago was in a private conversation with Abu, the monkey.

"You know what I'm thinking, monkey boy?  I'll be their pockets are deep with stuff that's worth a small fortune on the black market."

Abu chittered, scolding accusingly.

"What do you mean we should mind our own business?!  This is a golden opportunity--"

"I agree with the simian.  Don't touch what doesn't belong to you." Asriel looked over his shoulder, eyes turning yellow.

"Wait...you understand what he's--"

"Also, he's right.  You're being a bit feather-brained."

"Now, just a minute!"

I was sure I heard Raja laugh...or whatever the tiger equivalent was.

"You stay out of this, furball!"

Brave little bird talking back to the beast that could swallow him in a single gulp.

At that moment Bunnie BAMFED into existence.

"Scouting report complete.  The enemy most certainly has help.  They attempted a partnership with one of this world's villains, but they double-crossed him."

"Villain?  Which one?" Aladdin asked.

Elsewhere in the ruins of the workshop of one mechanical genius named Mechanicles...

A moan as he climbed unceremoniously out of the pile of gears and scrap. Back to the drawing board it would seem?

Back at the palace...

"I'm certain they have problem relieved him of some of his possessions."

"They could have dangerous weapons and machinations under their control." Jasmine pondered. Princess was a sharp cookie. Definitely not the damsel in distress archetype. This girl's got spunk. Though...why she was hanging out with a street rat like Aladdin?

Come to think of it...I hadn't thought to download information about this world off of A.E.O.N. yet. How slip shot of me.

One catchup later...

"So they're definitely headed toward Agrabah."

"Though how they're going to get here? I mean there's nothing out there but sand." Jasmine questioned.

"Oh, they'll find a way." Asriel assured.

That was when Genie and Shantae entered--one in a poof of blue smoke, the other running in like wild fire.

"Al, I think we got company!  In stereo, even!"

Stereo?

We rushed out of the palace and say both pirate ships on the horizon, sailing on... a self-contained wave? It was like the ocean had come with them.

"I recognize the first ship, but who's the other one?" Asriel raised his visor after taking it out of binocular mode.

"Oh crud..." I muttered. "It looks like Risky Boots found her way to Neverland.  That's Captain James Hook."

I recognized the black-hearted pirate with the hook hand. Yeah...I was familiar with the world colloquially known as  Peter Pan and the Pirates. Rather, Neverland as it was known as.

"Let's not let this get back to Violet.  Pretty sure Glitter won't forgive us that she didn't get to meet Tinkerbell."

Just our luck that it wasn't the Disney universe Captain Hook. No. This was the Fox Network version. Darker. Dramatic.

Oh boy.

"C'mon. Let's intercept them before the ram the city!"

"I'm guessing Risky promised to split the royal treasury 50/50."

"If there's one thing you can't trust a pirate on...it's sharing equally." I grumbled.

"Right. Let's go!" Asriel unfolded the NX-Board.

"Wait, shouldn't we--"  I started.

"I think they've got their own ride." Asriel pointed as Aladdin gave a loud whistle. And low and behold an ornate carpet actually flew into the room...almost like it had a life and mind of its own.

Aladdin pulled Jasmine and Abu onto the carpet.

"Wait for us!" Shantae hollered after them.

I blinked for a moment before KOMMAND's hologram projected from my bracer.

"Don't be glum." She shrugged as she held up her iPod. "We have jams--"

"We're not doing that joke." I brushed away the hologram, as if I thought that would do any good.

"But...so many...jams!"

"KOMMAND.  Move.  Away. From the jams." I grumbled before electrokinetically forcing my bracer's holo-projector and com link to shut down.

"Spoilsport!" her image cut out.

I hurried after them before bumping into Shantae.

"I thought you would have already caught up to them by now."

"Yeah, well...y'know...I was thinking that maybe I should be calling in reinforcements....at least get some advice from my uncle."

A call for backup? All the way to Sequin Land?

I'd already met the acquaintance of Rotty Tops...and vowed NEVER to let her show up anywhere near Chameleon on the grounds I'd forever earn his wrath. Still a grudge against the undead.

"Well. If you think you can turn to some kind of help, I'm all for it.  But you know...maybe you have a point.  Maybe we do need some reinforcements..."

So I put in a call to S.T.C. and had Dr. Persephone contact some recent allies of ours--first on Mer...then to somewhere near the Grand Line...and finally to Neverland itself. After all, it was only fair that their hero come and collect their trash.

And sure enough, KOMMAND did deliver. But she also decided to throw in some twists I wasn't ready for.

"...you called in the Megaforce Rangers." I looked up at the flying pirate ship zord.

"Of course you did.

Maybe this was more of a Pirate-pocoypse than the previous encounter with the Pirates of Dark Water.

And of course meetings went about as well as I expected them to when the crossovers hit an all-time high.

At some point during our misadventure, our Half-Genie Hero had used her transformation magic to use her monkey transformation...which got Abu's attention...and thusly Genie's ire.

"Heeeeey, I know you're not making eyes with the girl I just met."

Which was promptly answered with angry chittering from the monkey.

At another point, Iago got into a beef with Niddler.

"As a bird I would be obligated to respect a fellow avian.  But you had to go and be half monkey, too!"

"And you look small enough to be a snack.  And guess who HASN'T eaten in a while."

"Hey now...isn't that like...y'know--"

"The rabbit told me chicken wings are a delicacy.  I'm sure parrot isn't too far off."

Oh brother. Fast forward to confrontations, already.

"Do you know who you are dealing with, street rat?"

"No.  But I'm sure it would be...handy for you to give me a hint!"

"Oooh!  Good one, Al." Genie cheered on.

"I'm with you!" Ren prepared, blade in hand.

"Your mockery only increases my ire!  I will keelhaul you, boy!"

And Risky Boots had unknowingly brought the Pirate's Curse back in a big way as the remains of Jaffar's lamp provided the spark to revive the Pirate Master in all of his giant skeletal wraith infamy.

"You're crazy if you think we can take that down--"  Ioz warned.

"Heh.  I'm gonna knock the crap out of it." Luffy cracked his knuckles.

"That's the spirit!  Let's have us an adventure he won't forget!" Peter Pan pointed his own cutlass.

"Good to work with you again, Tula."

"As is to work with you again, Lupe."

Suffice to say it only became more convoluted. But even that had a threshold before everything eventually worked out.

"You haven't seen the last of us, Peter Pan!"

"But this world has, old man!"

And so the ship sailed back into the gateway.

"Should never have trusted that scum." Risky pouted before turning to Shantae. "This changes nothing between us.  I'm not going to become a goody two-shoes.  We just happened to have--"

"A common enemy.  Yeah, I get it.  We did this song and...dance before." The half-genie couldn't resist a little hip shake.

"Too soon." Iago complained.

"Ooooh. Now those hips don't lie." I could practically hear Genie pant.

I shook my head.

"C'mon. Let’s get things cleaned up around here before KOMMAND contacts us and asks something stupid like--"

And KOMMAND's image appeared, in yet another cosplay. Looks like she borrowed one of the costumes off the set of the Masked Singer.

"So.  Quick poll.  Williams or Smith?"

"KOMMAND, my KOMMAND!  Let's rap a little more about that some time!" Genie quickly zeroed in on the conversation.

"Violet, can you not bombard us with old memes?"

"Oh no.  I'm digging out memes that are plenty na-nuu na-nuuuuu!"

Asriel snickered.

"Dammit, Vi." I facepalmed.

Asriel gladly shook hands with Aladdin. "Well, we saved Agrabah.  And it's thanks to teamwork and phenomenal cosmic power."

"Hey heeeey!  SEMI-phenomenal, NEARLY-cosmic power!" Genie corrected.

Laughter all around.

"C'mon. Let's go home, team.  And don't forget to shake the sand out of your sandals, everyone."

This was nice. Hopefully we'd get another chance to tell another tale of another Arabian Nights.

Sub-Entry 330:  "The Greatest Thief in Two Worlds?  Carmen Sandiego vs.  Lupin III":
Bunnie approached the man in the samurai robes. His arms were crossed, and eyes closed. His expression? Dour. Hers was equally stoic.

Goemon Ishikawa. Thirteenth generation samurai. Descended from the legendary troublemaker and sharing a name with another Goemon Ishikawa in our own Konami galaxy in the flower city known as Oedo. The things he did with his blade were downright impossible; like cutting entire cars apart with a single slash.

Uncrossing his arms, the man turned to Bunnie and opened his eyes.

Both shared a bow of respect.

"Ishikawa Goemon."

"Rabbotou Bunnie."

A moment of silence.

"He'll see you, now."

Bunnie grunted in response before turning an opening the car door for its passengers.

Out stepped Gadget Hackwrench. Spritely as ever. Definitely not the first person I would have asked on this mission.

Then Marcel Gilneas. Might as well have someone with expertise in THIS infamous field.

Next up were Ivy and Zack from the Acme Detective Agency. Ohhhhhh boy, this was a bad idea.

Next up was Violet. Honestly? Not my idea for her to tag along. The group was already cumbersome and by this point overshadowing the group we were meeting with.

Finally there was us. Asriel and myself.

So where were we? A run-down shake in a shady part of town, off world, that wouldn't draw any attention.

If I told you this adventure would boil down to a clash between the two greatest master thieves on two different worlds, would you believe this was where one of them was making residence? Well...don't judge on appearance--

"GRRR!  What do I look like?!  An ATM?! In case you haven't noticed things are a little tight around here!"

"Do you expect me to keep doing all these favors out of the goodness of my heart?!"

"Your toothache suddenly got better!"

"Maybe you've forgotten how much you owe ME over the years!"

"Oh jeeze, Fuji-cakes!  Not you, too!"

...don't judge on appearance or demeanor. As tempting as it is."

I sighed and facepalmed before Goemon allowed us entry.

To the left in a dark suit and hat that fell between 20's mobster and private eye was our contact's right-hand man and hired gun--the notorious Daisuke Jigen. A drinker and a smoker. He was already in a foul mood. And not just because I had put my foot down about the no-smoking rule if we were going to meet.

To the right, arms crossed, nose in the air, and back turned toward the man of the hour in a snooty, stand-offish pout was the on-again-off-again main squeeze of our contact. Beautiful Fujiko Mine. Mistress of disguise, able to wrap any target around her finger for information, and master of many talents putting her on equal footing with our contact. And definitely not to be trusted. Take your eyes off her and she'll split and run with more than her fair share.

In the corner of the room was a new face to the group and whom I deemed as not an official part of Lupin's crew, but she definitely crossed paths with Lupin and company in some sort of misadventure too big to be believed. Violet had got into  back-hacking back-and-forth with her, finding her to be on par with her level of programming prowess. Rare for her to meet her match. But sure enough, the rabbit princess came up with name--Ami Anan. When I sounded her last name out, I couldn't help but feel like it was a play on "anon" as in anonymous. As in a ghost in cyberspace. Currently she seemed to be net-diving with a custom laptop. That earpiece device though. I had the sneaking suspicion she had access to a system much more powerful if she could go toe-to-toe with Vi in cyberspace.

And there at the center of it all in a blue jacket with a shirt and tie; and possessing what I'd describe as a monkey face. As he currently was...it was not easy to believe he sported a brainpower of 300 and had the title of greatest thief in the world. Described as a "foreigner" descended from Japan's legendary Arsene Lupin--the Thief among Thieves.

I cleared my throat loudly.

"Huh? Hey, Lupin...there's no way these could be our contacts.  A lab coat and a high school kid and a rag-tag motley crew."

"Excuse me?!" Ivy snapped. "Don't lump us in with the rest of them.  I'm only here under protest."

"Aww come on, sis.  The UCIAT are great!  The Chief personally selected them to assist with this mission."

"He could have at least assigned actual ACME detectives to us instead of the glorified tank!"

"Sounds like our contacts have as much disunity as our little gang." Fujiko sneered.

"Depends if anyone in their group has ever stabbed another in the back." Jigen sniped.

"This whole discussion is counterproductive." Goemon interjected, offhandedly.

"May I?" Marcel rolled his eyes.

"By all means." Asriel waved him over.

Marcel headed over to Lupin, who was about to lose it. I couldn't make out the conversation. I'm sure whatever he was negotiating was brilliant. It would most certainly get control of the situation--

* BANG*

"Dude! What the Hell?!  How did you get shoot a gun to get everyone's attention out of that?!" Marcel shouted.

"Will you relax.  It was blank. I had some left over from the last time I needed to pull a bluff."

"Seriously?!  What the Hell--"

"Your way was too slow. Besides.  it worked didn't it?"

"I have having a VERY hard time believing you're as great a thief as you claim you are!"

"Now that's just rude.  And if you're thinking about testing my skills I don't jump through hoops just to prove my reputation.  A professional artist like myself has nothing to prove by demonstrating his craft on a whim. By the way, you'll be a bit disappointed if you open that."

"Damn. He made us, Josquin."

The drake slime coughed up the wallet into Marcel's hand. Sure enough a little card on a spring popped out. On it was a caricature of Lupin giving a trollface with a peace symbol. Beyond that, sure enough...Lupin was quite broke.

"I know you're holding back so no need to prove it with amateur level parlor tricks."

Marcel tented his hands.

"Challenge accepted.  You won't see it coming."

Lupin chuckled a bit. "Now that's the proper attitude."

I slow turned to Asriel. Oh yeah. He totally knew this would happen.

"Okay, we're listening, boss man."

The option to retract my earlier statement is long overdue.

"Can we get to the point already?" I growled, tempted to morph.

"Well, since we've kept the good doctor waiting, might as well get straight to the point.  What we have here...is a declaration of war."

That shut everyone up very quickly.

"That's a pretty bold statement to make, Lupin."

"What do you mean by--"

Lupin held up what looked like a business card...no...this was more like a calling card. The kind lefty by--

Ivy stood up, slamming both palms down on the makeshift table.

"Carmen!" She snapped.

"You remember that little job we pulled a couple months ago."

"I remember.  An unusually easy heist for us."

"The payoff wasn't that great, but small victories keep our pockets lined.  At least they would if we all only took our fair share--"

"What are you saying?" Fujiko wrinkled her nose.

"Not the time, you two." Marcel snapped.

"Seems we stepped on the toes of competition we didn't know we had.  Or rather someone who doesn't belong in our neck of the woods."

"And that's where ACME and UCIAT come in." I put my hands on my hips.

"Well, in retaliation, she snatched up this month's score.  I had my eye on a certain valuable artifact for a while now, you see."

"Yup.  Carmen does enjoy a challenge." Zack shrugged.

"And that's why we don't even have enough for candy cigarettes, let alone real ones." Jigen growled, still incensed about the no-smoking policy.

"My reputation as the greatest thief in the world is on the line.  And I'm not about to hand it over to some off-worlder. Frankly I'm dubious about working with off-world detectives on this, but--"

"Is that an admission that you're in over your head?" Goemon asked rather frankly.

"Ouch. You wound me, old friend.  I'm just thinking practically."

The heck he was. Those flushed cheeks were telling a different story. That was the look of a man with wounded pride and frustration fueling it.

"So what's the plan?"

"I have no interest in your petty grudge, Lupin."

"What you REALLY mean to say, Miss Mine is that you have no interest in a grudge that doesn't have a payoff." Marcel mused with a smirk.

"And a point goes to the promising rookie."

Marcel scoffed. "I'm going to take that as a slight on my skill."

"Respect in due time."

"So what's the plan?"

"The basic play is that we trap our red-coated, fedoraed vixen onto ACME's doorstep.  But if you want details..."

And beyond closed doors we discussed things.

Eventually...

Goemon and Bunnie remained on standby in the shadows.

"It goes without saying but I intend to keep this partnership strictly business and respectful." Bunnie assured.

"I can tell by your blade you are a noble warrior.  I need not question your motivations.  Rest assured I will not betray you.  However, understand my loyalties lie with Lupin."

"If it comes down to it, I will look the other way."

And...

"Grrr...why did I have to get stuck with the kid."

"You're not mad at me, are you, Mr. Jigen?"

"Tch...listen, kid--"

"Gadget." / "I know we were assigned based on our skill sets...but around you, I feel like someone's parent or uncle."

"I promise I won't get in the way! Really!"

Jigen pulled the brim of his hat further down over his eyes.

And still..

"Hmmph.  Of all people, I get stuck with the detective."

"This is no picnic for me, either, sister. If it were in my jurisdiction, you'd be behind bars."

That made Fujiko chuckle a little. "You're like the female version of Zenigata, aren't you?  No wonder why Lupin's okay with having you tag along."

"If you’re trying to get under my skin, it won't work!  I would think a woman of your age would know better than to--"

"You shouldn't make assumptions about a girl's age, little private eye.  You might find yourself outclassed by experience.  I mean...that is why this Carmen Sandiego keeps escaping you, isn't it?"

"Why you...!"

Oh boy. Cut away to someone else.

"Wow, you've definitely taken the top prize for most introvert." Violet mused.

"Your observation, while astute, has no bearing on this situation." Ami brushed it off, her voice rather monotone in the delivery.

"I think what she's really saying is, you gotta lighten up a little.  We brainy people gotta stick together, right?" Zack rolled around on his skateboard.

"Your habitual practice of localized locomotion seems like it would be a distraction."

"If you're saying my skate boarding’s bothering you."

"I think jet pack trumps skateboard."

"Easy for a rich girl to say."

And the banter went on.

Which left Goat Son, Marcel, Lupin and me at practically ground zero, ready to spring the trap.

However...

"Huh?  A decoy?!" Lupin seemed a little ticked. Rightfully so, as he yanked off the fedora on the mannequin.

"Wait. What's this?" Marcel picked the pockets and found a clue.

"Marcel, hold that up to the light.  I'm going to send a high definition image to Ami and the tech support.

After a bit of analysis.

"This is definitely a Carmen clue." Ivy glared at the item. "But what's it mean?"

"I can answer that." Bunnie appeared with Goemon. "On my world it's Jangese but here it's Japanese. Specifically it's a game piece from a shogi set."

"Now this is getting interesting." Lupin rubbed his chin. "If I didn't know better I'd say she wants to get caught."

"You're not that far off.  But she's not going to surrender.  She has a habit of getting away even after recover whatever her primary target is."

"Like some sort of game?" Fujiko's voice came over the com.

"All that for a wild goose chase." Jigen's voice came over his com set.

"The race isn't over, Davey." Violet chuckled.

"Hey!  Where do you get off giving me a nickname like that?!" He roared.

"She does this to everyone.  Don't take it personally." I crossed my arms as observed from the surveillance van.

"I do know where this clue is going to lead us.  And if I were a bettering woman, I'd wager Goemon knows where I mean."

Goemon shifted his gaze to Bunnie, briefly.

"And we're going to have to get there without the C-5 tunnel."

"Not...necessarily." Vi sheepishly grinned as Zack kind of rubbed the back of his head.

"Little brother...what did you do?" Ivy glared, hands on hips.

And so...

"Guys? Carmen left us some company!"

"Agents of V.I.L.E. I presume?"

"Worse than that the C-5 split us all up and not one of us landed at the target."

"It seems that conflict is unavoidable." Goemon lifted the hilt of his sword out of his scabbard with his thumb as Bunnie did the same.

"Might as well get in some target practice." Jigen said as he drew his hand gun and shot to disarm or wound, taking out a lot of agents' weapons in the process.

"C'mon. You guys aren't even carrying real guns. How are any of you a challenge--"

That was when he whirled at the sound of several blasts going off.

"Wha...?!"

Gadget let her armaments cool down.

"How'd you learn to shoot like that?"

"I don't know.  No one really taught me." Gadget rested the makeshift crossbow laser, upside-down, over her shoulder, squeezing off a final shot and taking out a sniper in the roof.

"Heh. Guess I was wrong about you, kid." A momentary grin.

And of course...

A pair of simultaneous jump-kicks felled the last of the agents ganging up on Fujiko and Ivy.

"Not bad for a brat."

"Coming from a middle-aged crook, I'll take that as a compliment."

This of course led to another Carmen clue and a chase around the world. This happened a couple more times until...

The spotlights centered on the lady of the hour, Carmen Sandiego. She gave a smug grin as she tipped her fedora toward us.

"So. We finally caught up with my competition.  Have to say you're easy on the eyes."

"Flatterer." Carmen nonchalantly held onto the landing gear of the chopper in the air.

"Give up, Carmen!  We've got you surrounded!" Ivy had wasted no time in getting top side with us.

"You know I can't let you walk away from the prize." Lupin trained his weapon on her. "I'd say this game of cat and mouse is about over."

"On the contrary.  It's about to go for another round." She mused as the doorway to the rooftop was suddenly kicked up and a single name was bellowed at the top of the kicker's lungs.

"LUPIIIIIIIIN!!!!"

"Aww jeeze.  Really?  You had to go and bring Pops in on this?" Lupin shrugged with a disappointed look.

"It's over, Lupin!  You and your entire gang are going away for a long time!" Inspector Koichi Zenigata of Interpol. Hot-tempered, hot-blooded, and just overall hot-under-the-collar when it came to his obsession--catching Lupin the Third and slapping the cuffs on him. Not that would make a difference as Lupin could easily slip out of a pair of handcuffs with no problem.

"Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.  You did, after all, send my favorite ACME detectives after me.  So I returned the favor."

The helicopter began to lift off. "I can have my cake and eat it too.  And the title of greatest thief on two worlds is quite the delicious icing."

Carmen climbed into the chopper.

"I believe we'll be leaving now--"

"We will be."

"But it won't be back to V.I.L.E. headquarters."

Marcel mused as Violet and Asriel had taken over the pilot and co-pilot controls.

"Well now. Isn't this a surprise."

"Not half as surprising as a slight of hand and retrieving this little gem." Marcel held the priceless artifact.

"Don't take it personally.  But like Mr. Lupin says...there's no honor among thieves."

"And no escape, either." Violet held up the handcuffs as Asriel took over the controls.

"I wouldn't say that." Carmen tipped her hat again as the floor underneath her suddenly opened up and she plummeted straight down...before the jet glider wings unfolded from her hidden backpack.

"Huh."

"Yup..  She's got a budget." Violet shrugged as the secret escape door closed back up.

"She's getting away!" Ivy tightened her fists.

"She got away." Zack put his hand on his sister's shoulder. "But at least we returned what she stole."

Carmen gave a smug salute to Lupin as he smirked back.

"Guess I get to keep the title after all." He mused as Carmen vanished into the cyber gate.

"Stop! Stay where you are, Lupin!  I'm bringing you in!  And the rest of you are under arrest for aiding and abetting!"

"Parting is such sweet sorrow.  Cherish these reunions of ours, Pops, while you still can!  You're getting up there in years!"

"WHY YOU--!"

"Heheheheh..." Lupin took a leap off the roof before firing his watch's grappling hook and swinging his way down until he was able to land in a get-away car that the rest of his crew had secured.

Later on Marcel managed to get his hands on the reward for the artifact...while also leaving a fake in its place. Double deal? Double payoff.

At least it would have been if...

"Hope he likes apples.  I got his big score and the reward money in one swoop. How bout' them apples?" Marcel mused as he petted Josquin.

Marcel held up the priceless artifact. It would be easy for him to sell this sucker on any world for a steep price.

"And add that to--"

The briefcase with the reward money was opened...but...!

"To Marcel.  Let's call this one a draw, shall we?  - Lupin III."

Marcel shook his head and chuckled.

"For now."

The rest of us just shrugged.

CRYPTOSMASHER LOGOFF

END TRANSMISSION...

PLDN Chapter 34

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