PLD Chapter 18

"CHAPTER 18: From the Aftermath, Destiny At Last Reveals the Answers"

Sub-Entry 171: "Recovery, Reveals, and Regrets":
CRYPTOSMASHER ONLINE

MAIN LOGGING SYSTEM RESUMING...

"...ASRIEL--!" I suddenly sat up and found myself in a state of deja vu. And not just in the sense of repeating my fall from missing one of my own Yoku Blocks in Waterfall. Once again I was back here. In the Medical Bay.

"Easy, Dad. You've all been through Hell and back."

I heard the distinct crackle of a high voltage plasma energy generation system and the numerous conduits leading into me from the machine. It was pleasant...pleasant like the first sip of water from a man traveling the desert for 10 days in the sun.

"Your powers should reaching equilibrium soon. You'll be able to get up and move around soon."

"Asriel. What about--"

"Dad, don't worry. He's okay. There's nothing to worry about."

"Elektra--"

"If anything...we should have been monitoring you closer."

"What? But there's nothing wrong with--"

"I have the toxicology report. We found something pretty...disturbing that's been floating around your central nervous system for longer than six months. It lay dormant until right about the time you brought Asriel to Miranda."

"...Elektra?"

"Dad...when were your you last assigned to the stable timelines? Not the unstable ones that you're investigating now."

"Well...that's kinda classified. What are you getting at?"

"Did...anything...unusual happen during one of those trips?"

"If anything every last one of them was horrendously the same. Kinda makes me understand the frustration our eighth fallen child must feel with resetting over and over and changing so little."

"What about the last stable timeline you visited?"

"Nothing really different at all. Other than the tech support being their usual idiot selves and dropping me face first into the patch of flowers in front of Asgore's throne. I was coughing and sneezing from the--"

I stopped and my eyes widened. And then I remembered. True to form, those wet-behind-the-ears undergrads they called my transport specialists dropped me from a time gate in the ceiling in a belly flop into the flower patch. But like idiots they beamed me to the wrong coordinates and dropped me in one of the unstable timelines, in the middle of the night, following the day Asriel fell and turned to dust.

While Chara's body had been removed and placed in the coffin, and while a the King and Queen's relationship had begun its self-destruct cycle, the dust and the blood remained on the flowers.

I of course had STC get me out of there and to the right stable timeline to the right place, post-haste. But...the damage had already been done, hadn't it?

"Oh my god..." I was more aghast than I'd ever been. "Are you saying..."

"In so many words... I know it sounds morbid but it's not as bad as you think. We we able to flush your system and filter it out with Sarina's assistance. You've had that combination of blood-soaked dust traces in your central nervous system for--"

And then the cause of all the nightmares made sense. It all made sense. And in my realization...it became heartbreaking. I could only come to one conclusion.

"It wasn't real...it was all just in my head..."

"Dad?"

"All the worry...all my fears...all my loneliness...all my expectations......I should have put them aside. I've been such a fool. I thought...I........"

"Dad...."

"Did I ever really care about him in the first place?" I broke down in tears.

"Was I ever really his friend?! Was everything about me just one big neuro-chemical lie?"

"It's not like that! It didn't affect your--"

"Daughter...I think I just want to be alone for a bit. Guess Madam Fate got me again."

"......okay...I'll...be tending to the other UCIAT. I should probably tell you that all of you were out for a few days. Asriel was the first to wake up with Sally a close second."

That detail about Asriel would escape me for a while while I sunk into self-pity.

"I'll...figure out the timespan when I'm up to it. I'll...page you if I need anything."

Elektra left the room.

"What am I going to tell Asriel...?" I sobbed and laid back and cried myself to sleep. Traces of the dust must still be messing with my head...heh......what an absolute joke...

It must've been several hours later. I'm guessing it was probably late night...

Sub-Entry 172: "Ashes to Flashes, Dust to Trust":
"...who's there?" I opened my eyes. "I know there's someone there in the darkness. Show yourself. You have a lot of nerve for intruding on a bed-ridden--"

"Do you still believe there are things bred in the universe that are terrible that they must be fought?"

"How did--"

"A lot has happened in Jump City since you last visited the Tower." (Music Video Link)

I knew immediately who was in the room. Once he was the ward of the Dark Knight on a different world within the UltraVerse. But then he set out to be on his own, only to lead a team of his own.

"Robin." I recognized the spikey-haired silhouette and the whites of his eyes contrasting against the absolute black of his shadowy form. I could tell he had his cape closed over top of his folded arms. You got that from--

"We have to talk."

I wanted to ask him how he even know about our situation, how he found out, how he managed to activate the gateway between the UCIAT lab and Titan's Tower without my technology but then again...for a moment I forgot who I was talking to...and who was on his team.

"There's nothing to talk about, Robin. I promised to be Asriel's friend and it turns out I'm just a fraud."

"You're dodging the issue."

Robin was unmoved by my self-pity. He was determined to resolve this. Gods, determination was getting to be more universal than I gave it credit for.

"And what issue is that?"

"That I of all people understand what you're going through."

"You can't understand this feeling--"

"Quoting the skeleton isn't going to do you any good."

I shifted.

"How did......right. You and Violet have the same hacker habits, don't you?"

Unlike Violet, Robin didn't use what he learned for his own entertainment.

"If you're going to insist on playing it this way...then why don't we get to the point?"

Touche.

"Do you remember after Terra broke free of Slade and sacrificed herself?"

For him to bring THAT up. I was glad Beast Boy wasn't here; old emotion wounds would be torned open pretty quick. Since that day...no....since the day following the fall of the Brain and all of the Brotherhood of Evil...things changed.

It was the last time I'd return to Jump City. But more that that. From then on, we would not speak of Terra again. So why bring up this story, Robin?

"Evil villains don't usually do well when they fall into molten lava and sink to their demise."

Oh. He was focusing on Slade. Big surprise. *scoff*

Robin unfolded his arms.

"I spent so much time in the evidence archive. Looking through that box of things I had picked up from our encounters with Slade. His mask..."

"Like Cyborg said at the time. That's all that was left of him. Dust and a mask.  But you were right all along.  He did come back.  Annnnd...that's not the point you're making, is it?"

I began to follow where Robin was going with this.

"In the time that followed, I became convinced Slade had returned. His taunts...his attacks...his plots...everything was so real. I dragged my team all around Jump City looking for clues, trying to stop threats that weren't real.

I pushed everyone further and further away and I became a danger to them and myself. So much so that they had to restrain me and confine me to quarters.

But I still broke out and continued obsessively tracking Slade down...convinced he was in the tower. That he was stalking me at ever turn. I believed myself in a battle to the death with him."

"And they had Rachel.......er....Raven try to reach you through telepathy." I corrected myself. I may have been the only one who called her Rachel Roth behind closed doors. Or addressed her friends by their names; Victor Stone, Kori Anders, Garfield Logan, and...Dick Grayson.

Robin paused a moment.

"You were the only one we let call us by our real names as long as it was in the privacy of the tower."

I tried to avoid the nostalgia of watching them outside of time and space during their origin adventure or when I revealed myself during the clash with Overload. As curious as I was about Cyborg building his first T-Car, I was more concerned with making sure the demonic circuit board wasn't going to cause problems again.

"I always had that effect on people...somehow you always knew you could trust me with your darkest secrets. I mean...isn't that why you're telling me this now?"

"A part of it. But my point is...I was so convinced it was real, I was injuring myself. Just the same as you're doing."

"Robin, I'm an immortal werewolf. I think I can--"

"No. I mean emotional. You tortured yourself over this from the very beginning. Unlike me, you were afraid of acting out and hurting your friends...so you withdrew those feelings inside. I on the other hand was a real jerk to the other Titans. Even to Starfire and she didn't give up on me."

"Yeah...I kept it bottled up.  The Major and I have that in common...bottling things up.  And really...I kept it all to myself pretty well, considering... Save for that blowup where I almost electrocuted Violet..."

"Breaking points are normal. But listen. I realized almost too late that despite how many bruises and injuries I had...I hadn't made a scratch on Slade. I realized he was in my head. I let my friends help me when I needed it. Cyborg discovered the chemical reagent in Slade's mask that was causing the hallucinations."

"...seems...we both had a bad time because of dust. Asriel's kept such a bright, and sparkling attitude since he started opening up at Lupe's sanctuary. I didn't see him suffer any kind of emotional pain and torture until Chara-Wraith found him and played head games with him that whole time. Those nightmares and premonitions...I was connected to the Asriel that took his place in the new timeline. The one that Chara couldn't save all over again."

"Volt. The dust only passed on fragments of their memories, their fear, and their loneliness. It only affected your subconscious mind with nightmares and anxieties. It amplified things that were already there. You are empathetic. And you do care. You've always been his friend. Don't forget that."

"But..."

"Volt. The only thing that this changes is that you'll continue a healthy relationship with him. You'll be the big brother he needs...but without the nightmares and obsessive-compulsiveness. You'll still worry about being a responsible friend, parent, or whatever...but now it won't take over your life. Just like Chara...you're free. You're finally free."

"I guess I have to thank you for getting my head on straight. So...thanks...Dick Grayson."

"That name doesn't leave this room, you know." Robin narrowed his eyes.

"I understand." It was moments like this I understood why Violet got a rise of of doing and saying things like that just to push people's buttons.

"I was talking to both of you..." Robin suddenly pulled back the dividing curtain and I could see Asriel in the bed next to me.

"Oh my gods...!" All the color drained out of my face. He heard everything...or at least most of it. Didn't he?

"Asriel...I..."

"He's right."

"Azzy?"

"You ARE still my friend."

"But...!"

"I don't...understand any of that neurotoxin stuff...or all that psychology stuff...but you came to my rescue. I'm alive because you came when I needed you. You've always believed in me. You've always loved and respected me. I can see that. I've always seen that.

And I've seen how much pain you've been in. I've seen you suffer. I've seen you worry. I know. I know you've had more nightmares than the one during my first lunar cycle cookout. And now I know it's not my fault. Or yours."

"Asriel, I--"

"I don't understand all that timeline stuff. And right now I don't want to. There's about a million questions that opened up. It would be easy to ask question after question about my real home...my real parents...and......things I probably shouldn't have heard.

But Volt...keeping those questioned saved for the proper time...when I'm all grown up and stuff...that's going to be hard. It's going to be challenging. But it's going to be something I think I can do. It's a life's test for both of us.

Right now...I just want to leave the past behind and come back to it when I'm ready. When I'm old enough to actually call it a past."

Who didn't deserve who, Asriel? Gods....every response you've given me. Every time you kept your curiosity at bay...you were doing the opposite of what I expected from kids your age. Why? Why were you so well-behaved? Why were you so mature for your age? Why...why were you so...darn...perfect?!

"Asriel...just when I thought you couldn't sound more mature...you go and grow up on me even more. You might not be even an inch taller, but you're gotten to be so many years wiser. In only six months you've become a real wonder child. Things like this aren't supposed to happen in life. Kids are supposed to talk back...be rebellious...get into so much trouble. Lupe says I'm the godsend but...I think you're the real angel here."

"Aww, come on...don't make me start crying. I cried enough that day for both of us. For all of us."

Robin cleared his throat.

"I didn't get a unanimous answer from the both of you. My identity stays a secret."

"Understood."

"I promise, Mr. Robin, sir."

"Then my work here is done. Dr. Coleman-Talbain and Dr. Lynx will be in here soon with Sarina. I think Asriel is in for a lot more revelations than you...Neil."

"Hey. Just because turnabout is fair play, Dick..."

Robin stepped back and folded his arms under his closed cape for a moment then he cast down a smokebomb.

* BAMF!!! *

And he was gone.

"Whoah..."

"Yeah. Pretty amazing for a superhero without superpowers." I couldn't resist the jab.

"I heard that..." Robin's voice echoed in the room before the smoke was completely dispersed. And sure enough Elektra, Nikita, Megami, and Sarina all entered the room, turning the lights on.

Sub-Entry 173: "Asriel's Metamorphosis Has Completed":
"I heard voices...who were you talking to in here?"

"Uh..."

"No one, Doctor Elektra." Sorry, Toriel. But this was one case your son had to lie. Robin would know if we ratted him out. Believe me. He would know.

"....right." Welp. We were both liars now.

"Your response is highly unlikely. But trivial at the moment."

"We have...your tests back, Asriel...you're already sitting up so..." Elektra started. "You'd better lead off, Nikita. Megami."

"Miss Kobayashi. If you will..." Nikita then said something in Jangese I didn't quite catch.

Megami began tracing hand signs and such. Then she approached Asriel and hovered her hands over his chest.

"I feel...something warm...in my--!" Asriel started before I saw the glow...and then I saw it rise from his chest. It was his soul but...

"No way..." I murmured.

"That's...that's not right." Asriel's eyes widened. "Why is my soul...?"

We all saw it. Monster souls were white, heart-shaped and upside-down. Bunnie had proposed the theory that they were white because they had small amounts of all seven virtues in perfect balance with one another. Amounts so small that any presence of Determination was almost unnoticeable as were the other virtues. But it was still enough for a far weaker monster soul to still feel those things.

Asriel's soul was larger than it should have been...and right-side-up. Like a human's. But unlike a human's...this one was pulsing. And each time it beat, it cycled through one of the seven colors of virtue. And really...each color change, it lit up pretty bright. Almost as neon as Sally's OGPX gear. Each time it changed, Asriel's eyes would change to the matching color.

"It's like...like a human's...!"

"If anything it's more like a Hybrid's. Or an Ecotropian Lycan's. Megami has said that it may be as powerful or more so than Dad's."

"But Elektra...this much virtue...all in one "smol" body...how is he not...er..." I was hinting at the Determination above all others. However...

I caught myself before I could bring up the Amalgamates or Undying Undyne.

"Your zealousness for answers is reassuring. But exercise patience." Nikita scolded.

Megami reversed the ritual and returned Asriel's soul back into his body. Asriel's eyes returned to their dark copper red default.

"I should chime in next." Sarina said, setting her cornocopia hat aside.

"I did a thorough check of your magic. And...it's gone. It's completely gone. You...are completely inert."

"Then how is--" I started.

"Let me finish. It seems that...a combination of things are at work here. Our...world's magic doesn't seem to work with yours. We tried infusing you with it for so long but...your body has slowly been rejecting it...and rejecting the magic that was already in you. It seems...whatever happened to you in the Core, young Asriel, put your existing magic under tremendous pressure. Think of it the same way as an oil vein deep in the ground. One hundred years of pressurizing your magic...then suddenly you come to our world and it's forced out but at a controlled rate over more than half a year. Asriel. You've been leaking magic all this time."

Sarina's explanation certain gave me some insight what must've happened to Gaster. But at an EXPONENTIALLY faster rate. I wonder if given enough time, Asriel might actually started to cease to exist. I wonder if he would have become distorted and mishapen just like Wing Dings Gaster?

But if this was the case...why was he unique? He was much smaller; only a child. What allowed him to hold onto his shape and form and just be...stuck in a weird stasis where his magic was like coal being compressed into diamond.

In his case it was more like it had been compressed and ground up into diamond dust then swept away once he arrived in our world....oh gods...that image was not something I wanted in my mind. Not after knowing what happens to Monsters when they die. And it brought up another point with which Asriel followed Sarina's explanation up.

"But...if that's true...why do I still exist?"

"Because something else has been taking its place at the exact same rate." Elektra started up. "Here is...your X-Rays from when you first arrived...and your X-Rays, now."

Elektra held them up to the light so we could both see.

The first one was...rather nebulous inside. Semblance of a few things like a digestive tract. I had become aware that the more humanoid, more developed monsters in the underground had digestive tracks and other things of sorts. I guess that magic doesn't show up so well on an X-Ray. It was definitely the "unknown component" that had been said in the past.

But the other photo. Definite skeleton. Definite vascular network. Definite organs, glands, tissues, muscles, and such. Beating heart and breathing lungs.

No monster in the underground had internals THIS developed. Not Toriel or Asgore or Undyne or Alphys. And OBVIOUSLY not the skeleton brothers since they had no innards to speak of at all. I could almost swear I set myself up for a skeleton joke followed by a hearty "Yo-ho-ho-ho-ho! It's a...SKULL JOKE!". And then I'd have to smack Violet.

"What...what is all this?"

"Perhaps a more direct approach will shed a little more light on things..." Nikita siezed Asriel's wrist and traced around until she found the spot then swabbed the area with rubbing alcohol. Bedside manner, Doctor! I swear, Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy was less abrasive.

"What's that? It...smells kinda strong."

"Sterilizing alcohol."

"Asriel...maybe you should hold my hand for a moment." Elektra grasped his other hand.

And then Asriel's eyes widened as Nikta produced the empty syringe. I could see the feer in his eyes as he locked onto the needle.

He instinctively tried to scoot back.

"Don't fidget. This won't take long."

"You'll feel a little prick but I promise it'll be okay."

Nikita inserted the needle and I saw Asriel's eyes widen further and his expression turn to terror.

Nikita drew back the plunger...and suddenly I was the one whose eyes were bulging.

"But...that's...that's not...! That's not...!" I hung on the words. "That can't be...that's IMPOSSIBLE!"

Asriel watched as the syringe filled with a thick red liquid.

"Monsters don't bleed...monsters don't HAVE blood!" I finally got the words out.

"B-B-Blood?! I have...blood?!" I saw Asriel sway a little, looking a little faint.

Nikita capped the syringe and labeled it.

"This wasn't there to begin with." Elektra clarified, unnecessarily.

"What's....what's happening to me?" Asriel looked at his hands, flexing his fingers.

"素晴らしいもの." [Subarashii mono.] Megami smiled.

"What...what did Miss Kobayashi say?"

"She said...something wonderful." Nikita clarified.

"By now you're already figuring it out. You and Dad both. But...we're going to leave it to Violet to conduct the final test. Both of you are cleared to get dressed and meet her in her sub-lab--"

"For one last trip to LYOKO." I finished. "The others are waiting for him, I presume?"

"Yes."

I sighed.

"Asriel...are you ready to do this?"

"Y.....yeah...I...guess we'd better get it over with, huh?"

"The sooner we get down there the sooner we can get through her antics and get you tested out."

Sub-Entry 174: "Things Come in Threes. Violet's Distractions Are No Exception":
We had gotten dressed. Bunnie had sent Asriel a new shirt to replace the one Chara slashed. This one had the characters for Junketsu but this time under a miniature Rabbotou Dojo emblem.

On the back was the Delta Rune with the words "Hope Never Walks Alone" in a half circle arc above it and its Jangese translation, "一人で歩くことはありません願っています" under it in an upside-down half-circle arc, completing the ring around the Delta Rune. It was actually pretty colorful and elaborate.

"Nice threads, Azzy!" I heard Felicia say as she passed by us. "Inspirational quote?" She pointed to the back.

"Family motto." Asriel replied.

We reached Violet's door.

"So. Taking bets on what it'll be this time?"

"Probably another of her sweaty wrestlers. I don't think I'm lucky enough to get Mr. Cena's music again."

"Heh. You really like him, huh?"

"Hustle, Loyalty, and Respect!" Asriel proudly quoted with a salute from the brow.

"Nice words to live by."

And so we opened the door...and got Dean Ambrose's entrance theme. I wasn't surprised. Last time it was Roman Reigns' theme music. And the first time was John Cena's. At this point I lacked the energy to chastice Violet about fake sports.

As soon as the music cut out, there was Violet, about to have a jam session with Jon. Jon was cradling what looked like a guitar that Gadget makeshifted.

I could make out the piano keys, and the doorbell buzzer, and the length of pipe for the neck that read "Tasmanian Electric", and pieces of what I identified as a broken violin and hundreds of throwaways and a red delicious apple with a bite taken out of it shoved onto the tuning pegs at the top of the neck. Wait a minute...

"Violet...is that the guitar from Young Einstein?"

"A working replica, my good zappy pappy." Jon replied.

"Ugh...she's got you doing it, too." I moaned.

"Hold on, I gotta get this..." Violet turned to one of her computer monitors and answered a video conference.

"Listen you guys, I'm not going to moderate your Pokemon Go flame war so just solve it on your own time..."

The trio  procoeeded to argue back and forth.

At that a large mechanical robot arm dropped down from the ceiling with a weird dark orb monitor for a face and weird framework around it that popped out form the sides like wings.

"The lady said she's busy!" The machine said in a voice sounding exactly like Pee-Wee Herman.

"Oh sh--(FLOWEY CACKLE)!!!"

* CONNECTION TERMINATED *

"Well THANKS FOR NOTHING!" It said with a pouting tone. "Were those geeks, Violet?"

"Yes, Max. Those were geeks."

Max then swung around to the other part of the lab as the sounds of the Beach Boys' "I Get Around" suddenly played from him on a radio station.

"Flight of the Navigator." I said arms crossed. "Is there no movie seen you WON'T set up?"

"Come on. You KNOW I'm that awesome."

"Oh-oh-oh-oh r-r-r-r-really?!" Came the stuttered voice of yet another computer monitor. I immediately recognized the shape and form of Max Headroom.

"Yes, r-r-r-really. You got a problem with my l337 style?"

"Your st-y-y-y-yle needs a bit less b-b-bowtie and more M-M-Mac Tonight, if you know what I'm sayin-n-n-n."

"Maaaaax!"

"Him or me?" Both Maxes said in unison.

"Yes." Violet crossed her arms and smirked. "Anyway...I need me something to get my sugar levels up. Yo, JINX!"

At that I immediately saw the form of Space Camp's spherical spider-like orb robot roll its way into the lab.

"Yo, VIOLET!"

"Jinx, get us a round of Ecto Cooler's from the fridge, m'kay?"

"Getting Ecto Coolers." The robot headed toward the fridge.

"Oh my gods..." I rubbed my temples."

He soon rolled back and handed Violet a can with his end effector then went back and got one for Jon and then one for me and one for Asriel.

"C'mon, Jinx, shake a leg."

And with that the robot raised one of its spindly wheeled legs and shook it underneath its chassis.

Asriel muffled a chortle with both hands.

"You have got to be kidding me."

"Don't you mean you have GOAT to be kidding me?" Asriel elbowed me. At least he was in a better mood thanks to Violet's idiocy.

"Asriel..." I whimpered.

"Hey are we still doing this?" I saw the unmistakeble form of Taco Man on yet another monitor.

"You had your chance back in the aughts, meat-hair-man!" I whirled to see Strongbad on yet another one.

"Oh it is totally on, you big red wrestle man!"

"Don't make me get dangerous on you...in fact I might even say...Dangeresque...5!"

"Hey, can I say something?" Came the form of Gaijin Goomba on yet another monitor.

"NO!" Both of them said in unison.

"It was just a question."

"I'll listen to you!" Asriel waved.

While Asriel conversed with the Goomba in the glasses, goatee, and Pixel Sword, Violet at that moment was already showing Jon something in the corner of the room. It looked like she has talked Gadget into makeshifting a spaceship or something out of a Tilt-a-Whirl car........wait a minute. Of course. Another of her movie props she got her hands on. It looked like this was the rig from Explorers.

I sure hoped she wasn't tryting to convince Gyro and Gadget to build the oxygen-generator and the antigravity field engine--

"C'mon, Vi. I can't hang around here all day with all your cool stuff. Elektra will get cross if I don't come home in time for dinner."

"Wait, Jon, we're still in the air--"

Jon reached over and flipped the switch.

"Okay field off!"

* CRASH*

"You IDIOT!" Violet snapped as Jon had managed to unceremoniously drop the machine onto the floor, causing an ugly crater.

"Violet, will you please shut off all the distractions! Asriel's waited long enough for answers and so have I."

Violet rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Glitter, you take care of this for me. I gotta go down to the Supercalculator. again."

"On it, Violet!"

Kuma chittered as he scampered across some of the keyboards.

"I know it's not going to do any good but this time you're sticking with us when we go down the hallway."

"Okie-doki-doki-panic!" Violet grinned cheerfully.

"And already I can tell this was a futile move."

We walked down the hallway to the doorway...and I was surprised to see a ladder leading up.

"...you got everything figured out, don't you?"

VIolet just grinned.

I climbed up first, with Violet climbing up second and Asriel climbing up last. We all disappeared into the darkness...

Sub-Entry 175: "Battle. On a Network. By a Man. As an Executable."
Asriel opened his eyes.

"Huh? What kind of game is this? I'm lying down on a bed...in a room that isn't mine...huh? What's this bandana I'm wearing on my head and this vest-garment over top of a long sleeved shirt? And shorts. At least I'm still wearing my sandals."

Asriel looked around the room at the posters, the book shelf, the soccer ball, and action figures.

"Nice room." He shrugged. Then he realized. (Music Link)

"Volt? Volt?! Where are you, Volt?"

"Over here!" My voice had an electronic reverb to it.

"Where?"

"Check the computer desk!"

Asriel hurried over to the computer and saw nothing of interest.

"Wh...where?"

"Over here. Check the charging unit to your right."

And there Asriel saw it. On the Personal Exploration Terminal in the recharging bay.

"Volt?" He looked at the portable computer's screen.

"Right here." My form sighed as I found myself reconfigured into a robotic wolf form in a Tron-esque suit. My boots were open like a pair of spats so my toes could at least breath. Kinda Naruto-esque. My body armor and addons looked similar to Elec Man's but updated. There were sets of spark coils and neon tubes criss-crossing my legs, arms, and back. And the helmet left room open for my ears to pop out of.

"Volt..." Asriel covered his mouth, trying not to laugh.

"I'm going to kill her." I said as flatly as possible.

"What...what is all this?"

"Apparently Violet put you in the role of a Net Battler and me as your Net Navi."

"Net Navi?"

"Network Navigator. The operating system of your Personal Terminal there. Can you move the unit around a bit? I can't move the camera on my own."

"Sure." Asriel removed the unit from the charging bay and pointed it around the room.

"This looks like Lan Hikari's room. But I'm sure not in Megaman EXE's boots. Check my file name. What does it say?"

"Uh...Volt Wolf EXE."

"Terrific. I'm a knockoff ElecMan EXE. At least she kept it tasteful."

"So...how do we...play this game?"

"Well it's a J-RPG done in real-time strategy action battles so...yeah.  Role-playing games were never my forte.  This isn't going to be as cut and dry as the last two simulations. But it's still the Megaman Battle Network series so.......oh yeah, that's right. I don't know which game we're in. There were six of them for th--"

"Six? Were you...any good at them?"

"Conquered the whole series a long time ago but..."

"You're a bit rusty?"

"In so many words. It would be nice if we had a clue to which--"

Suddenly we hear a scream from the next room.

"Someone's in trouble!"

"Sounded like a woman. We better find out what's going on."

Asriel tore down the steps and his eyes widdened as he came face to face with the form of...

"M...MOM?!"

It wasn't Callista...but Toriel. Dressed as Haruka Hikari from the outfit down to the sandals. And then the PET's camera came into view of the flames pouring out of the oven.

"Asriel! I was trying to make hotcakes and look what happened!" She looked as if she recognized him as Lan Hikari, but was addressing him by his name.

"The repairman said it was fixed but now it's on fire!"

"Asriel! Let's jack in!"

"Jack in?" Asriel questioned.

"See the ribbon cable on the side of the PET? Yank that out and plug it into that weird socket on the oven!"

"Okay...anything else!"

"Yeah. Say something really cool when you do it." I said, mostly hoping to calm him down a little. He was more scared than me, I could tell.

"Er...okay...uhhh....Jack in! Volt Wolf EXE transmit!"

And then the next thing I new I was barreling through waves of code as a sphere of digital data wrapped around me and rings of fractiles and numbers spun around m like a gyroscope.

I touched down in the center of the oven network. (Music Link)

"Whoah...I can see you, Volt! I can see the inside of the oven's circuits and software! It looks so cool!"

"That's great, Azzy. Get ready to focus on virus busting. I'll walk you through it. I know exactly which game we're in and where."

I looked off into the distance at the main platform, a maze of honeycomb bridges leading to it in a maze. I could see Fireman EXE setting the code ablaze...looking for something. Obviously it was the fire super program needed to forge the Life Virus. World Three (WWW) was up to its old tricks. I'd have to have it out with Mr. Match...that is if it weren't all just a simulation.

I'd also have to have words with Violet over using Toriel's image so callously.

I formed my arm weapon. Looked like a modded version of Bunnie's Tesla Drive.

I noticed the Mr. Programs around me. Green, hovering entities which resembled USB charger adaptors for use in cigarette lighters in a car--small round body, drum-shaped head, electric prongs for legs, flat top, tiny radar ears and emoticon faces.

I talked to them and got the scoop on what was going on.

"I'll scout around but if we run into a virus, I'm counting on you to operate me, Asriel."

"Operate?"

"Don't worry. I'll be doing the fighting. But you will have to handle sending me weapon data and keeping an eye on my stats and HP."

"Oh no...what...what if I mess up! What happens to you if I let your HP empty out?"

"...I won't lie to you. I'll be deleted."

"D...DELETED?!"

"It's just a simulation, remember? The most we'll have to do is put up with Violet being smug about us needing to learn teamwork."

"Oh...okay."

"Okay. The network's circuit paths are blocked off by firewalls...in this case literal walls of fire. My skills may be a little rusty but my memory is still sharp as ever. We need to find the thawing module of the oven network and access the "IceBlock" data. We can use it to put out the flame barriers. But watch out when you navigate me. Viruses are all over the network and they're invisible until they actually attack my program. That's when we have to do some virus busting."

"Okay. I think I got all that."

And so I set out, talking to programs, and fighting viruses.

"What is that?"

"Mettaur virus. Low leve. Easy target. I'll soften it up with some Volt Buster shots then we'll nail it with battle chip data. Check your sidepack in the real world. There should be a holder with a folder containing 30 battle chips of various types."

"These?" Asriel, opened the case and looked over them all. "Wow. They look so...collectible."

I dodged their Shockwave attacks and fired back with a few normal shots.

"Okay, find the chip marked "Cannon" and plug it into the chip socket that says "Battle Chip In".

"Here goes something...Cannon Battle Chip...slot IN!" Asriel shoved the chip into the port and my right arm was enveloped with a cumbersome arm cannon that resembled a square blow drier. The blast that seared out had a nasty recoil on it but it reduced the Mettaur to 1's and 0's pretty quick.

"Nice."

"Okay...this is easy enough."

And the virus busting kept going and the ice block collecting went smoothly. At each fire tower, I loaded the data and extinguished the barriers.

"Knock on wood but we're doing A-okay." I smiled.

I should have known better than to tempt Fate.

"YEOW!" I took cover too late. A rain of fireballs crashed down around me before knocking me across the circuit paths into the previous platform. And the explosions inside just barely compared to the ones outside.

Toriel/Haruka shrieked as the whole oven threatened to explode. Asriel backstepped.

"Volt, what happened?"

Static. The transmission got cut off but fortunately I remained jacked in.

"Volt's trapped in the oven circuits with the net on fire.  I have to put out those flames...but how--" Asriel then remembered glancing in the toy box in Lan's room. "That's it!" He dashed back into his room and looked all over until he found the water gun. (Music Link)

"Help's on the way, Volt!"

"This seems like a really bad idea shooting water into an electric oven...but I have to do something...I'm not losing my best friend!"

Asriel darted back into the kitchen and opened fire, snuffing as many flames as he could before he could reach his PET he left a safe distance away on the kitchen floor.

"Better?"

"Much." I got back up and charged ahead. THe virus busting and the flame snuffing contintued until I arrived at the main control center where Fireman EXE was spraying solid wands of fire from his Fire Arms.

Sub-Entry 176: "Burn, Baby, Burn!"
"Who in blazes are you?"

"Well, I COULD say I'm just a hero for fun but then I'd have to shave my head and put on a cape and--"

"So you think your kid operator can beat me and Mr. Match?"

At that Mr. Match's vid window opened up and I did a double take.

"What? Grillby?" I furrowed my brow. Violet was really pushing it this time.

"Guess we'll just have to find out. Azzy, get our chips ready."

"You made it this far, but now it's war! Like Fireman says, we're strong! Let's burn!"

"We're not going to back down." Asriel's eyes seemed to alternate between yellow and orange. It looks like he was embracing two virtues at the same time.

"Battle routine set!" Asriel beckoned, beginning the net battle operation. (Music Link)

"Execute!" I followed up. And then it became full-scale digital war.

As the battle went on, I coached Asriel on strategy; which chips to use to alter the battle field, which ones could protect me, and which ones could put the hurt on Fireman. But sure enough Fireman had tricks of his own. And I hated to say it but they burned pretty bad.

Asriel got a little nervous as my HP ticked down slightly faster than my opponents. His eyes turned purple as he felt the squeeze. And then it came to him when he saw it in his pack.

"Bubbler, slot in!"

And I let Fireman have it. The water type was just the thing to really mess him up.

"You'll pay for that!"

"Someone's getting burned up." Asriel joked.

Asriel's confidence was finally starting to take shape. But before long he was running out of decent chips to us.

"I don't know what to do. All I got are close combat types left." He looked dismally at the array of swords.

Seeing my HP drop into the danger zone, without thinking he plugged in the sword then the wide sword.

"Well...you can never have too many swords...I guess." He plugged in Long Sword last and the screen lit up with bright light.

"What?! What's happening? What did I do? Volt? What's going on."

"What's going on...? Why...we just won this battle, Asriel. You just pulled off a one-in-a-million move out of nowhere. Because now I just got..."

The brilliant blade formed in my hands.

"LIFE SWORD!" I brought it down on Fireman's head, slicing him from torch to legs.

* FIREMAN DELETED *

And with that the flames in the oven and in the cyber world snuffed.

"We won!" I hollered moments before the simulation dissolved and I was standing just a few feet in front of Asriel, both of us back in our normal clothes.

"Well. You two sure gung-ho'd like bosses. I knew you had it in ya, kiddo."

I looked to Asriel and he looked back before we approached Vi.

"Hey...no hard feelings, right?"

"No...I guess not..." I looked off to the side sounding disappointed.

"It's okay, Aunt Vi...but you should be careful. Your sandals came unbuckled."

"What...?" Violet bent over and looked.

And that was all the time for the two of us to walk behind her, grab her by the back of the kimono and YANK upward as hard as we could.

"Melvin!" We said in unison as we gave her the worst permanent wedgie we could pull off.

"GAAAAAAAAAH!!!!" Violet's eyes must've pentupled in size as she was caught completely by surprise.

"Oh. My. GOD. Asriel...you set me up?!?"

"Sorry, Vi. We agreed on this long ago that you'd be taught a lesson next time you pulled this on us. Don't call it revenge...call it...karma. Right, Volt?"

"Right. Because revenge is only fair game for Smash and Water Fights."

"Why you little sneak! You are the rudest, most deceptive, troublemaking ball of fluff I've ever met...." Violet wiped a tear. "You've done me SO PROUD!" She followed up.

I rolled my eyes.

Sub-Entry 177: "The Final LYOKO Area, The Volcanic Zone":
By this time it had become a regimen for Asriel and his team. He knew it would be a different kind of war. He knew it would be their greatest challenge yet.

Slabs of obsidian and blackened stone comprised the majority of the terrain. What of the atmosphere that wasn't pitch black was illuminated with eerie reds, oranges, and yellows from the flames, magma, and sudden lava geysers that shot completely into the sky.

From the moment they crash-landed the skid, they were in for the highest level monsters such as the Vulcanoids.

It called for them to use every one of their powers.

"I'll keep them off you! Go, Gadget!" Pit unleashed waves of darts

Gadget used her Petrification to freeze enemies and drop them on switches.

"You're good to go, Mitzi! Go for it!"

Mitzi carefully tight-rope walked across the very narrow pathways between areas.

"I got this!" Skeeter did some heavy-duty landscaping with his blade.

"You're up again, Mitzi!"

Telekinesis to move boulder barriers soon gave way to...

"I'll fly over to the next island and activate the teleporter for the rest of you!" Gadget loaded her wings and took a flight across the hovering platforms.

"Your turn again, Pit!"

"Okay!" Pit triangle jumped his way to the top and activated another teleporter.

"We've got heavy resistance up here!" Pit sprayed darts, to keep them at bay. Mitzi and Gadget quickly joined him with use of the Tessans and the Energy Orbs.

Asriel struggled to catch up to the more nimble members of the team.

"Triplication to the rescue!" He and his clones soon evened the odds.

And then it was back to Pit using his Time Control to slow time down in order to cross more disappearing platforms.

And the virus creatures just kept coming.

"There's no end to this!" Skeeter was already to his limits. Every swing of that sword was too much for him to keep dishing out until his life points ran out.

Skeeter's scanner doors opened with a release of steam. "Sorry guys, I'm going to have to sit this one out." He trudged out of the machine.

Now it was down to the four of them. Asriel deflected and reflected as many shots as he could, trying to keep them off the mice. Pit handled the offense.

After a barrage of endless enemies and obstacles, the four of them finally had a breather as they rode the hover platform in a downward spiral...suddenly getting a view of the sea of control towers.

"So...that's what X.A.N.A.'s "heart" looked like?" Gadget asked.

"As accurate as it gets to the real thing." Violet responded, continuing to scan Asriel's quantum code.

As soon as they got to the bottom.

"Alright. You guys ready for a Final Boss? This is your last test and you'll master LYOKO."

"Bring it on, Aunt Vi!" Asriel challenged, his eyes blazing neon red.

And that was when the massive virus creature rose out of the lava. Resembling a black brimstone grub of sorts, it spewed fire lava and spawned waves of virus creatures from its giant rune-covered eye.

"Keep strafing and focus attacks on its weak spot!" Asriel kept his blades on the minor enemies with help from Pit's darts. By then Pit was starting to run low on HP.

"Keep up the pressure!"

Mitzi kept the flurry of Tessans coming and going like boomerangs as Gadget charged up for the large energy balls.

"Pit, switch out with me! I'll handle defense for a bit!" Mitzi traded places with him as they kept circling around hte mini islands around the main core.

Pit opened fire, raining down attacks in tandem with Gadget.

"We're almost there!"

Pit suddenly took a shot and was quickly de-virtualised.

"Oh no!"

"Keep the pressure on!"

"On three!"

"One!"

"Two!"

"THREE!" All three leaped at the same time and each attack followed up the other. Gadget was devirtualized first. Then Mitzi. And the the final attack came from Asriel. It landed as a fire blast grazed past his nose,

And with that the boss was finished off as Asriel took off running back to the Skid.

Finally...Asriel was the last one out of the scanner capsule.

"Congratulations. You won!" Violet gave a thumbs up.

"This win is Asriel's.  He was the last to stay in the game."

"Nah. We were a team...let's share the victory.  I would've been devirtualised without everyone here.  I won't forget your sacrifices.  When I won the game...WE won the game.  All of us."

Good speech.

"Well one thing that is definitely yours, Cinnamon Roll, is the results of the final scan."

A moment of silence.

"Okay...I'm ready to know."

Sub-Entry 178: "Asriel is...!"
"Okay, little guy. You've heard all of the medical mumbo-jumbo and all the magic and science gobbledy-gook. So here it is. The unabridged truth."

"Aunt Violet?"

Violet spun the monitor around as the Supercalculator finished its calculations having read the numbers Violet crunched with her Hybrid Power from her cerebrum.

"Final analysis in progress...final analysis complete. Subject: Asriel Tobias-Dreemurr-Arcade." The computer speed through a set of complicated numbers and equations and various graphics and cut-away views of Asriel.

"Test confirmed. SUBJECT IS GENETIC HYBRID."

The last two words spelled out in big bold letters.

"I'm a...a...a..." Asriel could only stare at the screen and hang on his words.

"Asriel..." I started.

He started sniffling...then the tears started running down his face. It...must've been harder for him to take than I had thought.

"Asriel, I know it must be...hard on you but--"

"No. You don't understand...."

"Asriel?"

"These aren't tears of sadness...they're tears of joy." Asriel looked up...crying but wearing such a big smile.

"I'm one of you." He said, his voice breaking. And then he tackle-hugged me.

"I'm a Hybrid! I'm a Hybrid! I finally belong here! Isn't it wonderful? I'm a Hybrid! I'M A HYBRID!" He sounded so incredibly happy.

"But...how? How is this possible? What happened, Violet? What did this to him?"

"In a word? We did. We did this to him. From the moment he set foot on our world. From the moment he breathed our air, drank our water, ate our food, every emotion he felt around us, every virtue he gained, every life's lesson and every fact he absorbed. Everything we immersed him in.

It's what's slowly been replacing the magic he's lost. Over a period of six months his body and his soul have adapted, evolved, and become accustomed to our world. He's right. He belongs here now."

Admit it, Violet. You waited a long time to use a modified version of the Morgan Freeman narration from the War of the Worlds reboot.

Asriel was too busy celebrating with Mitzi, Gadget, Pit, and Skeeter to notice the private conversation Violet pulled me into.

"But...will he ever be able to...go back to his world? To his Undertale?"

"Volt. If you didn't have any problems surviving on his world...if the humans didn't have any problems living in the underground up until the met up with Asgore...why would Asriel be any different if he comes back some day as a full grown adult Hybrid."

"Okay. You answered that much. But now...maybe you can explain the code...and his powers."

"Well. The code seems to be completed minus the FIGHT interface you described. It's become interwoven with his body and soul. It just might be a permanent part of him now. And from the looks of it it's driven by virtue. His emotions...his inner self seems to influence which virtue is dominant at any given time. And that is reflected in his eye color. As far as what it can do, we've already seen it.  Who knows.  Maybe when he gets older and matures, he'll be able to "

"But...what about the Reset?"

"I don't know yet."

"So...his powers. If they're not magic--"

"Commander. You're disappointing me. What do you THINK they are?"

"..."

"That's right. It's a Hybrid Ability. Somehow his quantum code's solar computing nature manifested itself as a replacement for his magic. And it's quite a doozy. When that power is in effect...it's like he's a living, self-sustaining solar, impossibly-stable fusion reactor.

In other words...those fireballs and fire he makes are like miniature solar flame and solar fire. Like micro-sized suns. And his time outdoors is constantly feeding him a solar charge so...he's always got a massive amount of it pent up but usually at rest. Until something like Chara came around and pushed him into a situation he needed that power to become kinetic.

But I have to say...it's the strangest, yet purest form of solar reactions I've ever seen. It's like nuclear fusion minus the nuclear part. There's almost no detectable radiation at all, which is a complete violation of the laws of physics.

And the way it's self-sustain is also very strange. It's a stable, controlled chain reaction that seems to oscillate between fusion and fission. It fuses atoms together to generate energy, then it splits them back apart again to recycle the base elements.

So in short...he's almost as miraculous a living quantum computer as Scott with powers that may one day become just as strong...or stronger."

"Amazing."

"That sounds so cool, Aunt Vi!" Asriel rejoined the conversation, having missed what I had said about his home world and the reset.

"Well. Now that we've pretty much covered all the revelations about you and Azzy...now what?"

"We still have unfinished business to take care of." I turned dour. "Where's the Ghost Trap?"

"It's at your station, on a constant charging feed, to keep its muon field active until..."

"Until we put her to rest." I nodded. Then I turned to Asriel.

"I thought I could put this off until you were older, Asriel...but Chara has forced my hand. I'm afraid I'm going to have to start easing you into things sooner than later. Starting now. We have to take Chara-Wraith to her final resting place. A prison where there's no escape. I have to go back."

"Back?"

"Back to another of my mentors...off world. The two of us are going. Together."

"Going where?"

"To the only place where there's no escape for her. To the place where my mentor and his collegues went into business for themselves. Home to where professional paranormal investigation and elimination was invented."

I looked on.

"Home...to New York City..."

Sub-Entry 179: "To the X-Vault"
Back at UCIAT HQ's vehicle bay. I looked dismally at the damage to the Time Machine.

"Chara really didn't think this through did she?" Violet crossed her arms.

"Emmett's going to kill me." I hung my head.

"At least it's in better shape than the original Deloreon after returning from 1885 back to 1985."

"Yeah...there's no repairing what got hit by a diesel locomotive going in the other direction as it crossed Eastwood Ravine."

"So...now what?  Do we take that strange time train from months back?" Asriel asked as he cradled the Ghost Trap.

"That won't be necessary." I said as I clicked on the beacon for Command. "We'll take a shortcut to get there."

And then the portal opened to Mobius.

"You ready, Asriel?"

Asriel took my hand and nodded, keeping his other hand gripped around the handle of the trap. I had disconnected the hose and pedal just so we wouldn't have a mishap of accidentally opening the trap.

"Hold down the place, Violet. Okay, hit it, Command!"

"Wait...who is this Command?" Violet asked.

I didn't answer...but she didn't see me smirk as we walked through the gate...and reappeared in front of the gates to New Mobotropolis on the fractured reality I now called "Mobius Null".

"Where...are we, Volt?"

"This is a place...a planet where all of its lifeforms have been taken away to a new dimension. This one is barely holding together. The Council doesn't know it exists so...it's become a repository...a storage depot for all of my technology and vehicles and momentos of the various cases I've worked...the various worlds and dimensions I've been to. The points in time--past, present, and future I've seen."

I led him through the nanomachine-comprised city, past the old homes of the Freedom Fighters. Past Castle Acorn. And eventually to Tails' hanger.

"Here is. The former hanger of another universe's Miles Prower. But I call it...the X-Vault." I opened her up and led deep inside to the lab tables.

"Wow..." Asriel looked all around. "Look at all this!" He said as he stopped in front of a gizmo that looked like a plasma globe sandwiched between two alien machines.

"Careful. Some of it is dangerous. That thing you're looking right now is a time space warp engine recovered from an alien crash site that was covered up. It was found by a high schooler named Michael Harland. He tried to pass it off as a science project so he wouldn't flunk out of school. But the warp got out of of control and pulled things out of the past and the future into his high school. It was a pretty wild adventure." (Music Link)

"Oh!" Asriel jerked his hand back from the machine.

"Nothing quite turns a town upside-down like fighting a T-Rex in your gymnasium with army issue machine guns."

"Sounds uh...dangerous."

"You've no idea." I searched the lab tables until I found it.

"There it is." I smiled and unlatched the case.

"If we're going to be doing this...we're doing this right. I have a gift for you, Asriel. One you're going to need if we're going off world to see my mentors."

"What is it?"

I opened the case and revealed a bracer...almost exactly like mine.

"This bracer...belonged to a former partner...but...he's not going to be needing it. It's not a story I feel comfortable telling. Pretty painful."

"Oh....I see..."

"But...if he were of sound mind and body, he'd probably want you to have it. So..."

I helped fit it onto Asriel's arm and it auto-adjusted to his size.

"I've added something special to it. Something you'll need to use if you're going to visit terran worlds in the future. Chara may have told a jaded truth about humans...but it isn't a total lie either. On some worlds monsters or hybrids don't exist as commonly. So..."

Asriel nodded, understanding where I was going with this. Chara had opened his eyes to a darker world out there. He'd have to be ready to adapt to it. Or hide in plain sight in some cases. This was the thing to do it with.

"Okay. See that dial on top...with the hourglass icon on it." I pointed to the Plumber's Insignia. "Click on the side."

Asriel did so and the whole thing popped up revealing the complicated cylinder of circuitry and such underneath that glowed with an ominous green light.

"What is it?"

"This is a Unitrix core. I...kinda repurposed one of them from the last time I had a "talk" (and by talk I mean a condescending lecture) with its creator, Asmuth." This was also a bit of payback for him being on his high horse all the time.

"What does it do?"

"Turn the dial until it clicks. There's only one setting in it now. But that's all you'll need."

"Okay? Now what?"

"Now...push the plunger down...and hold on. This will...feel very strange."

Asriel took a deep breath and slapped the plunger down and there was a massive release of green light and energy. I could see his silhouette...alter slightly. When the light cleared...

"That was...weird...what was--" Asriel gasped as he looked at his hand. The white fur was gone and so were his claws. Pink flesh and smooth nails. He hyperventilated a bit as I held out the mirror for him. He grasped it and looked and his eyes just widened.

He felt the rather the long lengths of white hair that went down to his shoulders...and the ears buried underneath them. He felt his face...not finding his white fur or his snoot nor his fangs.

"I'm...hu...hu...."

I nodded.

"Human?!" Asriel felt his face. Then his arms. Then he looked down at his feet and wiggled his ten toes. He looked behind himself to see no poofy goat tail.

"It's only a temporary form for use on worlds like this. It'll last a lot longer than the usual ten minutes unless you switch it off manually." I pointed to the plunger unit.

"This is so cool!"

"But it's not a toy and shouldn't be used irresponsibly, Azzy."

"Right. I understand." He nodded. Then he repeated the process and returned to his goat hybrid form.

"Over time I'll walk you through the STC functions such as the Hazard Card and the Specter function and a few other tricks it can do. I'm counting on you not to abuse this power, Asriel."

Asriel nodded again.

"Okay. You're good and equipped. Now we just gotta find our ride off this world and to my Mentor's world."

"But...can't we just beam there like before?"

"Not this time. We have to be careful about unauthorized beaming across worlds. Miranda City and the X-Vault are two worlds that exist under the Council's noses. But they'd notice if we suddenly went to New York, off world, using the official transport system."

I'm sure some day he'd figure out what I was doing was a bit...outside of regulations. But if I did things the Council's way? Well. The last time I did things their way? There was a reason my old partner no longer had this bracer. The same reason I was a field agent and not the top of the ladder. But worst of all...an entire universe had a VERY bad time...

"Oh.  One of those things you'll explain to me later...when I'm old enough to know about it."

"Yeah.  We'd best be on our way.  But...this place is so big we're going to need to turn to help to find what we're looking for."

Sub-Entry 180: "No Secret Word to Scream Real Loud Over/When There's Something Strange in the Neighborhood...":
I searched around a bit until I found the tarp covering it. And then I yanked off the over, revealing the mechanical being underneath. Comprised of a large phonograph for the wheels and lower torso, a boom box radio for the upper torso and chest, a cash register for a head and twin old-timey flashbulb cameras for eyes.

"Welcome back to the world, old friend." I located the cord and unplugged it from the wall and yanked it, retracting it back into its compartment. And then I pulled the switch in back and the machine started up with a series of bloops, blips, electronic noises, whirs, and backfires before speaking in a stuttering voice.

"C-CONKY Two-thou-thou-thou-thou-thousand! Re-re-ready to assist you, Volt Arcad-d-d-d-de."

"Morning, Conky."

"G-g-good morning, Volt-t-t-t."

"Wow! A real robot!"

That's right. Asriel never met Mettaton. And the robots he HAD seen were mostly UCIAT support units and servators. Violet's toys of Johnny Five didn't count. M.A.X. didn't count...did he? Nah.

Quick Man was only a simulation and hardly a friendly automoton at that. He had briefly met the VARS sisters but at the risk of pulling an FLCL reference out of my non-existent hat...cyborgs are different than robots.

"Conky, this is Asriel. A friend. A best friend." I hugged him briefly.

"Greetings, Asriel-l-l."

"Conky, we need help finding a particular item. Catalogue number E-M-B-1-JL5-2020."

"Acknowledged-d-d-d. Now commencing search and r-r-r-retrieval."

And Conky zipped off, going up and down rows and looking through the quadrants. It seemed like several minutes passed until.

"Item located-d-d-d."

"Excellent."

I found the large vehicle in question.

"Ready to be amazed, Asriel?"

"You bet! Let her rip!" He said with excitement in his eyes.

I yanked off the tarp revealing the form of a converted white 1959 Cadillac Meteor ambulance, modified top to bottom with hardware. and bearing the familiar No-Ghost logo. On its New York license plates it bore the vanity plate ID: "ECTO-1A" with the silhouette of the Statue of Liberty.

"Wow!"

"I know. Pretty cool, isn't it?"

I got the keys out of my pocket and opened the passenger's door for Asriel and then I got in the driver's seat. I started her up with minimum backfiring and smoke so that was a good sign. Asriel personally held onto the Ghost Trap.

I drove it toward the entrance of the hanger.

Once we were at the starting point, I picked up my remote and typed in the coordinates as the palm trees parted to the sides on the runway. But this time a set of O-ring gateways formed a tunnel form the door of the hanger to the ramp at the edge of the cliff.

"Okay. External time gates on. Now entering the space coordinates and calculating for Heisenburg Compensation. Wouldn't want to land in the middle of something solid like a building or another car or something. Now setting the time coordinates."

The time, day, and date and year were obscured by the burnt out LCD I had yet to replace. But I was sure which of the different iterations of the world in question we were headed to. Not the XGB era, nor the GB 2016 era. We needed the classic era. Chronal contamination was unavoidable but A.E.O.N. had green-lit the temporal buffer around the point I had chosen to arrive.

The gates, now resembling something Gadget had shown me from Lego Dimensions all lit up in sequence.

"Fasten your seatbelt, Azzy. Doesn't matter the year, it's still the law."

Asriel did so as I fastened mine.

As a final after note, he switched his Unitrix to human form while I de-morphed to my human form.

"Gateways ready. Ectomobile revved. Are you ready for your first off world adventure?"

Asriel nodded with knuckles under the chin and determination in the eyes.

"Go ahead and hit that switch right there on the consoles."

Asriel obeyed and soon Ecto-1A's entire array of lights and flashers on the roof came to life with the most annoying but recognizable siren in existence. The L.E.D. Panels cycled through the messages "Ghostbusters! We're ready to believe you! and the phone number.

"Let's run some red lights!" I shouted as I stomped down the the accelerator.

And we barreled down the track through the gateways until we hit the last one and were pulled from time and space to a place off world...

Chapter 19

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