PLDN Prologue

'''This is a direct order from Daimyou to all members of the S.T.C. Council. The following orders are absolute and failure to comply will not be tolerated. The status of former STC founder and field agent, Volt Alessandro Arcade and the issue of Asriel Tobias Dreemurr will be fully and strictly rectified. A full disclosure of the second unofficial incident is to be submitted for a formal debrief and declassification. Details to follow.'''

''Re: Research Mission Logs: XXX-XXX-XXX-UTPR. Codename: Project Lost Dreemurr Next''

WARNING. THIS DOCUMENT IS HIGHLY CLASSIFIED BY ORDER OF THE COUNCIL OF TIME, SPACE, AN DIMENSION. UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS OF THIS MATERIAL IS A LEVEL S FELONY PUNISHABLE BY PERMANENT ERASURE FROM PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE.

STC-COUNCIL DATA LOG 000-ALPHA: "Downward Spiral":
"...this meeting of the Council of Space Time and DImension will come to order."

"You've all been briefed on recent events--"

"Let's not beat around the bush, Councilman.  Furthermore let's dispense with the "old news/new news" cliche and get to the point."

"We all know what this is about."

"Our agency became a laughing stock when A.E.O.N was hijacked from us and the simult	aneous kidnapping of one of our agents--since become a fugitive, presumed to be in league with--"

"And yet our people of interest weren't laughing for long when the impact began to reveal all the skeletons in their closets."

"It has been 1,825 instances--one each day--of not finding him.  That's 1,825 failures for our people to do their jobs."

"Is there any proof to substantiate he's gone rogue."

"Proof?  What more do we need than the influx of data discrepancies.  He's been using STC Resources and harboring a surviving entity of a destroyed timeline."

"And yet it doesn't proove an alliance with our enemy."

"Need I remind the Council's decisions following--"

"A decision which stands."

"Are you suggesting that this isn't a clear case of innocent until proven guilty?"

'He has evaded punishment several times for infractions of the very immutable laws of time we enacted."

"Are we really going to sweep our greatest failure's sins under the run--"

"This council does not see any need to recognize the traitor nor does it reserve any responsibility  for his crimes."

"--and we disgregarded his recommendation against allowing the traitor the Goddess' Contracts--"

"Do not address it by that term so lightly.   We will refer to it as opening the Genie's Lamp and Pandora's Box."

"Let us not forget that our "fugitive" has the only level of success with detering the Traitor's acts of wide-scale chaos and galactic genocide.

The arguing continued back and forth, with no real direction or progress.

"Let me be clear.  We all agree that our common enemy is blame."

"Kommand has made a mockery of our agency and thrown our entire operation into chaos.  For the chronal period in question, our agents have been without assistance and A.E.O.N.'s temporal stream of past, present and future at their disposal."

"Furthermore, the only one who has any chance of restoring the link has disappeared off the face of the InfinityVerse."

"Our investors are pulling up stakes and the multitude of galactic federations and governments are trimming our funding.  Senators are too afraid to step out of their own houses to answer to the media over allegations."

"Suddenly an age of corruption has been exposed, undermining the order and stability we prided ourselves on for eons."

"It's all Agent Volt Arcade's fault!  His maverick behavior is what started this."

"We should put up a mult-dimensional man-hunt.  Find and capture Kommand at all costs and determine the whereabouts of Dr. Volt Alessandro Arcade if they are no longer a hostage of the terrorist."

"IF they were ever a hostage at all."

"I move that since our agents and technicians can't even do the simplest of assignments, we allocate them to scowering the very Axis of Reality until we find where the are both."

"Once in custody, we will pass sentence as intended."

"Let us not forget about the anomaly.  The one he calls "Asriel Tobias Dreemurr-Arcade".

"Agreed.  This life form has no place outside his own timeline, which has since been deleted.  Therefore, to preserve the balance, he must follow in his deletion."

"All in favor?"

"AYE!"

"Opposed?"

A moment of silence before...

"I object." Came the mysterious voice as a massive holo-projection appeared.

With that, everything stopped.

STC-COUNCIL DATA LOG 000-BETA: "Order":
The Council fell quiet.

"Daimyou."

Whispers of the dreaded name echoed around the council chambers until--

"SILENCE."

The holo-image flickered.

"Daimyou, we were...unaware that--"

"A state that is common with all of you as of late." The appearance of the armored form of Daimyou appeared. The samurai helmet covered their head completely and the metal shogun-esque face plat obscured their identity completely.

"For years I have watched this Council lose its way.  For decades...centuries...millenia...eons, the entire STC-Agency has been on a decline, but never so disturbingly as these five cycles."

"Daimyou, we are doing all we can--"

"Lies." The unrelenting burning eyes pierced through the Council member unapologetically.

"Perhaps we shouldn't be focusing on our shortcomings and  review out strategies for dealing with the fugitive."

"Explain."

"Well, as you know--"

"Explain to me why STC's founder...it's heart and soul is now a wanted criminal?"

"We have the list of charges--"  The council woman held out the long scroll of crimes.

Daimyou snatched the scoll, glanced at it...then rolled it up and gripped it tightly...before it completely burst into flames. Gasps went around.

"You would have me believe these allegations are worthy of such punishment?"

"With all due respect, he has altered the timeline--"

"Perhaps you wish to explain why your other agents were specifically asked to alter the timelines of certain key members of government?  I believe Tarquin had you remove the deceased "exhibitionist" he was caught with in order to not only prevent the divorce but also ensure another term in office?"

"Uh...well, you see--!"

"I am very...very...VERY not impressed."

"Now hold on on there, missy.  By what right do you have to bring your oriental style into this council and carry on like some kind of buckaroo banzai---"

At that moment the image melted/collapsed down until it formed a humanoid shape in samurai armor. In seconds the warrior performed several sommersaults across the table and her blade flashed.

"...!!!"

"As the high empress reigning over all aspects of time, space, and dimensional justice, law, order...ensuring the balance in this InfinityVerse, I value each and every one of your opinions.  My ear is open to all who have objections.  So I would trust you would extend me the same courtessey.  On that note.  The nexts time someone brings my ethnicity, origin, judgement, or my very authority into question..."

Daimyou removed the blade from where it had struck, grazing the temple of the Texan-accented councilman.

"...you don't even get an honorable death.  But you will forfeit at least a piece of yourself.  Do I make myself clear?"

"C-Crystal."

The sword was slid back into the sheath.

Daimyou walked across the table to the lone empty chair  at the table.

"You all remember, don't you?"

The darkest of disgraces. Where one of their own had once sat; erased from past, present, future and all manor of memory to everyone but the council.....for the very treasonous crime that had nearly ended Volt Arcade during the End Game of Mobius; for his collaboration, giving forbidden technology to Dr. Ivo Robotnik.

"I have given you many chances to redeem yourselves from this.   You continue to fail me...you continue to fail time itself.  Every life extinguished because of your selfish acts and disregard of "insignificant" worlds and dimensions is one more disservice to the very InfinityVerse.  Peoples' lives are not negotiable for your own agendas, profit, and recognition."

The figure remained standing, facing the council.

"I will make this abundantly clear.  You will cease your pursuit of Volt Arcade.  Furthermore, the charges against him are to be dismissed."

"But...these infractions!  The rules--"

"You have written a rule set that no longer protects those that need it.  You have forced him to adhere to limitations which are inadequate in many situations.  All of you are directly responsible for Universal City."

That brought a hush to the council.

"How many galaxies...entire universes within that pocket dimension were extinguished because of your incompetance?  Now and forever, Adonis is on your heads.  He is your priority.  Not Volt Arcade's tendency to...adapt and remaster timelines."

More silence.

"I will also address your illegal usage of Interceptors.  I hold this council responsible for the pico-machine virus colony that was used on Volt Arcade as well as the defection of Dr. Archimedes."

And the silence continued. At this point, the Council was completely buried under their own screw-ups. What Dr. Volt Arcade had done, by comparison could be considered...legit.

"This council will be expected to reinstate Dr. Arcade when he turns up again.  And he will turn up again.   And once reinstated, you will allow him to resume his research on the unstable timelines.  Lastly...the lifeform known as Asriel Tobias-Dreemurr is to be granted a full pardon.  He is not to be harmed.  He is not to be erased.  His well-being is not up for debate.  Any infraction upon these decrees will be enforced...strictly enforced with EXTREME prejudice."

"...understood, Daimyou."

"One last thing."

"High Empress?"

"Abandon the hunt for Kommand.  I will take care of this cyber-time-terrorist...personally."

Gasp all around the room. It feel silent again as soon as Daimyou made a move toward her sword.

"I will take my leave..." Daimyou drifted out of existence like sand in the dessert wind...

STC-COUNCIL DATA LOG 000-Gamma: "Kommand":
"Now that's entertainment." Kommand mused. "The Council of Space, Time and Dimension...I didn't think they were still around anymore.  What with their operation being so crippled and all.  They really shouldn't misplace their boys and their toys.  You just never know when things can go zippity-doo-dah."

Kommand tossed the empty ramen container into the trash behind her.

"Oh how tragic.  Without their golden boy, the STC-Agency has fallen on hard times.  Isn't it just sad?   Sad how you  don't know what you had until it's gone.

Kommand rubbed her chin.

"Now this is interesting.  Daimyou is personally going to handle little old me?"

The rabbit grinned ear to ear.

"How ever will I get out of this one." She chorted. "I'm sorry...I just can't keep a straight face on this.  I mean, really.

I stay 10 steps ahead of STC. That's how I "does dat"."

What a horrid, and deliberate butchering of the English langauge.

Kommand suddenly swiveled the chair around and came face to face with...nothing.

"Ahhhhh." She said with a very smug tone.

Kommand strolled over to the doorway to the next room.

"Oh look!  I'm defenseless and headed to the kitchen to get a smoothie and snacks.  I hope no one's behind thiiiiiiiiiis....DOOR!"

The door swung open. Again nobody.

"It's fun to troll Fate." She mused as she got her stuff together.

A return to the main room.

"Nothing but me, myself, and my collection of sexy maid resin kit models and stacks of naughty mangas."

Kommand propped her sandaled feet up on the console and grinned at the computer's image of Daimyou.

"Imma gonna boop your snoot." She reached out and booped the image. "Boop."

The projection rippled a little.

"Boop." Again.

"That's what I thought." Kommand switched off the monitor.

She stepped away from the computer and headed to the doorway, grabbing her Reaper outfit.

"Welp.  Time to--"

She opened the door. "Huh.  Nothing."

Kommand closed the door again--

"..."

"...I set myself up for this, didn't I--"  Suddenly Kommand was grabbed by the throat and slammed into the opposite wallk as Daimyou charged forth.

Kommand coughed a bit before chuckling. "Too much?"

"..."

"Not feeling like talking, eh?" Kommand soon found her arm yanked behind her and put into a hold.

"You know the snoot boop was like a compliment you know--"

And then Kommand found her legs sweeped out from under her.

"Oww.  Okay.  Even, right?   You got that out of your system.  So let's--"

Then next few moments were a blur of getting picked up and judo thrown into a nearby holo-chalkboard, completely fritzing it for a moment as the hard-light projection distorted for a moment.

"Okay, now you stopped getting even and started getting ahead.  Kind of a drag--"

And with that Kommand found herself face down with Daimyou's heel dug into the back of her neck.

"You really want me to say it?  Wow.   I didn't think you kept a grudge for this long."

"Discgraceful."

"Yeah, I think this cybersuit kinda clashes with my eyes--"

"You've been beaten in five moves.  Your ancestors weep hot tears for how far you've fallen."

"You know if you wanted to say hi, you could have just...y'know...said 'hi'?"

Kommand chuckled.

"Well.  I guess you've caught the big bad Kommand.  So...what now, Daimyou?"

"..."

"Y'know...not even A.E.O.N. can monitor what's going on in this room.   So let's drop the act."

"You haven't changed at all, Violet."

"Like you're one to talk..."

The pressure on Kommand eased for only a moment but that was enough for her to reach up and grab the face plate.

"...Bunnie."

Bunnie Rabbotou glowered down at the ageless form of Violet Tokugawa.

"You know by this point I would have expected like a scar over your eye or one of them being cloudy.  Or you'd just be blind and have a headband around your eyes all Sasuke Uchiha and all--"

* THWAP*

"I warned you not to make references to bad ninja anime...'best friend'."

Bunnie offered a hand and helped Violet up.

"How scandalous.  The big, bad boss that has the STC-Council by the collective genitals turns out to be Volt Arcade's former second in command.  And the terrorist who kidnapped him is his former third in command.  Remnants of the Ultra Crew Institute, am I right?  Aged not even a day.  Whatever would they think if they knew that the woman upstairs is the biggest collaborator with a fugitive on the run?"

"He risked a lot for us to follow in his footsteps into immortality; he wasn't completely careless or reckless when the Council got out of his control.  We're his life lines.  Never forget that.  The three of us are not like the other STC-Agents.  We retain our pasts.  We have our freedom.  We're unplugged."

"And yet, not the only ones within the operation.   He stuck his neck out for a circle of allies around him; other travellers such as himself.  Dr. Persephone and Dr. Nicodimus to name a couple."

"This walk down memory lane is fine and all.  But let us not forget the reason we are both here."

Kommand/Violet sighed and shrugged. She began rooting around in a box full of hardcopy folders until she found what she was looking for.

"Right.  I guess you want this..."

STC-COUNCIL DATA LOG 000-Delta: "The Lost Dreemurr Project":
Kommand handed over a folder marked "Project: Lost Dreemurr", #HopeNeverWalksAlone

Daimyou looked it over.

"It...really is a huge chunk of nostalgia, isn't it."

"It's also a crucial step in all our lives."

"I feel guilty about what happened..."

Daimyou/Bunnie raised an eyebrow. "Do my ears deceive or have you grown a conscience."

"Amusing."

"In all seriousness, this represents one of the three cruical points of his lifetime.  ANd that impacts all of us.  He survived for this long as a kid.  Now he's hitting his teen years.  You remember, don't you?"

"Remember?  How could I forget?" Kommand narrowed her eyes....then suddenly turned to Daimyou. "Was that too cliche a reply?  I mean yeah, it's--"

"Stop trying to be witty when you make a transition just to break up what you consider a dramatic moment."

"Sorry, sorry.  Anyway..." Kommand rubbed the back of her head.

"Okay, totally serious.  *ahem*  Look.  The hornet's nest was kicked when we busted Archimedes.  You-know-who has let us go for a spell.  He set the timer on a metaphorical time bomb.  The moment we bring him out of retirement, the Deadman's Switch goes off.  We'll be in for an even bigger storm."

"A storm which has already happened...that lead up to us."

"You're too smart for that, old friend.  You know how when true chaos incarnate is involved...when the Black Knight of Madam Fate starts tugging on the strings, what once was destiny becomes fate."

Daimyou raised an eyebrow. "You've been practicing your poetic speeches."

"You like it?  It only took centuries of listening to you for it to sink in."

"You finished with your diversion?"

"Look, Buns.  Fate knows for a fact that Destiny comes from the word Destine.  To carve a path to a given end.  And let's face it.  When either of the sisters drops a prophecy on the world of mortals, it's too darn easy for that prophecy to be--"

"Misread.  Misinterpretted.  In short...a mistake."

"And what they thought was a definite outcome...meant something completely different.  And in that difference--"

"The future changes."

"We're vulnerable you know.  In past, it's still possible for--"

"For these layers of time-loops to be undone.  Yeah."

"It's a real Terminator Genesys situation, ain't it?"

"Vi.  Don't."

"I bet he never imagined that this would be the end result."

"About that..." Daimyou pulled off the rest of the helmet and shook her hair out, letting her ears unfold from where they had been carefully tucked in to hide her identity as a rabbit hybrid.

STC-COUNCIL DATA LOG 000-Epsilon: "Legacy"
"Bringing Asriel into our lives changed the future.  This is the positive side of the coin."

"While you-know-who is most certainly going to upset the harmony...the balance that his contribution gave to the greater picture."

"Sometimes it feels like a risk even bringing it up, even when you know the walls have no prying eyes or ears."

"You always had the right balance of paranoia and preparedness.  You didn't let worry get the best of you like the Commander."

"Do not mistake it for an easy task."

"Who, me?"

"Violet."

"Right.  Moving on, Daimyou dearest.  What's past is prologue to the next story.  Asriel has no idea what's in for.  And after being unplugged so long, neither does his best friend."

"By making him safe from the Council and from Adonis...we've set him up for an entirely different danger."

"The danger of losing our collective legacies and the fall of not only STC...but also a whopping seven other--"

"Now is not the time discuss that.  When the zero-hour comes, it will be up to them to resolve a threat far greater than they can imagine."

"You know how spooky it is when you use that Sixth Sense of yours for clairvoyance?"

"It's time we alerted the others. The ones who also opened the Genie's Lamp and Pandora's Box."

STC-COUNCIL DATA LOG 000-Zeta:  "Getting the Band Back Together"
"...Rabbotou Dojo.  Sensei Mozzarella speaking."

A gasp.

"S...Sensei?"

Elsewhere...

* sigh*

"I really miss you girls." The 8 x 10 glossy in the frame was placed on the shelf next to the wall of OGPX trophies.

Elsewhere...

Sally sighed as she downed her Arnold Palmer--tea and lemonaide--and re-tied her bathrobe's belt before having a seat.

The holo-visor chirped moments before Sally Acorn put it on and answered.

"Acorn residence."

Suddenly she put her drink down on the table. Almost too hard, splashing it.

"...what?"

Off world, in a holy realm...

"Commander Pit?"

"Enter."

Centuries had likely passed. Millenia. Who could say on this world. But the Archangel known as Pit hand finally grown into a full adult. At least by Celestial standards.

"It would appear that a message has come in from Daimyou herself.

"!!!"

"It appears to be a request to meet at these coordinates in secret.

Pit finished scripting on the scroll and rolled it up. "Have the librarian file this away.  Inform the Elder Gods I am returning to the Mortal Realm."

"Understood, Commander."

"It's been too long..."

All over the map, former Ultra Crew Institute--the ones who chose to follow their ex-leader into immortality had placed themselves in certain positions to assist him off the record, off the books, and offline from any records monitored by A.E.O.N. or rather its supporting systems that were still online or in hybernation, pending the restoration of its core galaxy circuit colonies. A network that went beyond planetary...beyond planets within a solar system linked together. But an entire galaxy of artificial planetoid quantum computers arranged in a hive awareness that could see the past, present and future at all times.

STC-COUNCIL DATA LOG 000-Eta:  "Unfinished Business and Loose Ends":
"We know why we're here.  The threat to everything we've built to this point has stayed under the radar for many years now.  Striking from the veil of his cloaked reality like the coward he is. "

"If he's still dormant why--"

"He has been letting the chaos incubate.  Giving our past lives a chance to settle back into normal lives and into the pretense of law an order.  THe time has come where his chances  to resume his twisted schemes have become golden opportunities."

"I think I follow.  It wouldn't happen to have anything to do with...his coming of age?"

"All this time...who knew Cinnamon Roll would become as important as he is to our future, now?"

"Now is not the time to reflect on how the past shaped our present.  What matters now is that a critical point has opened up."

"So...yeah.  Unfinished business, right?"

"The hornet's nest was kicked.   We managed to put it under "Za' Warudo".  Well.  The Time Stopper is about to run out and the bee bombs are about to sting."

"How big of an end game are we talking?"

"Universal City was the tip of the iceberg.  He's going for--"

"The whole taco.  The big enchillada."

"Wait...you're not actually suggesting...?"

"The Axis of Reality itself."

"But...that would wipe out a lot more than one universe.  That would--"

"End all realities."

"I think we better address the loose ends.  What became of Dr. Archimedes?"

"Total memory erasure.  And dumped into a...ahem...whimsical world."

"Not the Teletubbies one..."

"..."

"Goddammit, Kommand."

"You have a sick mind, you know that."

"Any real loose ends to think of?"

"The Wraith has been sitting in the Containment Unit for five years now and it hasn't been responsive in any way.  Like it's waiting for something."

"A.E.O.N. remains broken to this day.  You need to put it back online, Violet."

"What?  And do those Council jerks a favor?"

"Not for their sakes.  His."

"Oh.  The elephant in the room."

"Which we'll get to."

"What about...?"

A silence.

"Chara remains in the Soul Society."

"No, not her.  I'm talking about the other one." Another ominous silence. "The new Chara soul.  The one that was pushed out of time and space so the previous one could have another go at getting to Asriel."

"Unfortunately there's no way to account for this new Chara."

"Records show they were a significant threat."

"Which will have to be dealt it.  A wild card that will create problems for--"

"Ah ah ahhh.  Spoilers, Buns."

Daimyou lowered an eyebrow.

"Any other loose ends?"

"The Unstable Times."

"A viable one hasn't been generated in 5 years.  But...you know, don't you?"

"All of us know.  History has told."

"Which is why we need him.  We need him back."

"They must return in order to fullfill...his real destiny.  Facing Chara was just the initiation.  When the time comes he'll decide a lot more than the fate of his sister's soul."

"Which brings us to the threat at hand..."

STC-COUNCIL DATA LOG 000-Theta:  "He's Out There":
Adonis already stole UTPR-3224 from us...from...our ex-commander. Now he's ready to take Volt's home away from him. OUR home."

"That menance."

"Can we confirm that he was directly responsible for the reset of UTPR-3224."

"We can."

"It was filtered out from A.E.O.N.'s systems.  The council blamed me for the incursion.  But this wasn't my handy work.  Adonis wanted to make sure we couldn't place him anywhere near the Underground."

"I bet we could find a connection between him and Chara-Wraith if we searched long enough."

"And a connection between him and Flowey."

"But the one we need confirmation for is him talking to Frisk at any point.  A point they convinced Frisk to reset."

"Thus taking his first down payment out of Volt's fuzzy hind quarters."

"He's out there.  Somewhere."

"What sucks is that even working together, we haven't been able to track this idiot down."

"He made enemies of us all that day."

"I know...forcing us to choose between abandoning our ex-commander or letting our ex-commander unknowingly pull the trigger on what could have been a city-wide apocolypse in one of several possible forms."

"Yes.  But...I was referring to..."

Ominous silence.

"We vowed not to speak of this."

"But we cannot ignore it.   What he did."

Mitzi covered her heart. Sally slugged the table...hard. Pit wrapped his wings around himself.

"I want his head as  much as you do, Sal." Kommand thrust her Vibra-Blade spear into the table.

"It all hinges on whether that...event can be stopped before it becomes no-longer reversible...for all those it affected.

"Volt's name-dropped him so many times in his report.  And yet, the Council hasn't taken any action."

"Would you act against someone so recklessly who effortlessly unleashes horrifying catastrophies every time someone even tries to get close to him let alone arrest him and bring him to justice? Someone who can easily bribe or threaten anyone close to you and sabotage you from within?  Face it.  The entire council has a RIGHT to be scared spitless."

"One monster did all that?" Pit asked.

"And more." Kommand looked up.

"He's had his fun with the "pranks"." She followed up.

"If you can call turning an entire world--us included--against Volt, temporarily, and then stripping him of his position and life's work, AND undid all his work in the Underground a "prank"." Sally folded her arms.

"He's out there." Daimyou stated simply. "His real torture and mind games are about to begin.  He'll take charge of this personally.  He's discarded his minions and followers after they served their purpose.  He wants his enemy to suffer first hand."

Mitzi finally spoke up.

"I think there's a question we need to ask before we focus entirely on the enemy."

"What's that, Mitzi?"

"..."

STC-COUNCIL DATA LOG 000-Iota: "Where is Arcade?":
The question was asked at the same time, by different people in two different places.

The Council chairman asked it. Mitzi asked it.

"Where is Volt Arcade?"

Silence gripped both rooms.

One room was filled with accusing glares. The other with meloncholic regret.

On one side...

"Will none of you speak up--"

"What would we have to say?"

"Don't play innocent.  You know as well as I do--"

"This council voted unanimously to strip him of everything and instate the maximum sentence."

"You question why we would bring the full weight of the Council down on lesser offenses rather than the traitor--"

"You walk a fine line.  How many times has that been since you've brought up that dark spot in our past?"

"Oh come off it.  You're just as scared as the rest of us.  We are the Council of Space, Time, and Dimension.  When did we become so cowardly we were afraid to say a name?  Alloicious Adonis.  There.  I said it--"

"Are you having second thoughts about disavowing responsibility for his actions?"

"No.  It is for the good of all--"

"Stop this.  It's obvious that members of this Council are not remaining adamant about removal of Volt Arcade from our organization.    To even admit that such a black stain on our record--"

"It's all Kommand's fault!  Ever since they intruded upon the sanctity of this council, they threw our operation into chaos, exposed our very existence to--"

"Nevermind that we parade our operation around the Galactic Senate on the grounds that they keep it classified in exchange for the favors we need to keep our funding--"

"I have had about enough of your complaints!"

"Order!  Order!"

"We're getting off target!  Arcade is the focus of this.  He disappeared with Kommand."

"We're assuming that he's been her hostage for--"

"Hostage?  You man COHORT."

"It doesn't matter!  What matters is that Volt Alessandro Arcade dropped off the Axis of Reality since that day."

"Bull.  No one "drops off the Axis of Reality".  He no more ceased to exist than any of you have.  He's HIDING."

And on the flip side...

"HIding?"

"But...where?"

"We all know where.   Especially after..."

"After I relocated its coordinates to elsewhere in the Axis of Reality.   As a preventitive measure to prevent Adonis' followers from finding it again.  Dr. Archimedes got lucky when he tracked Volt to the our world."

"I gotta know.  When?  When did it happen?  When did he--"

"..."

"That far back?"

"Wait...I don't get it.  What are they talking about, sensei?"

"ACM-01.  Sub-Entry 247." Daimyou crossed her arms and bowwed her head.

"The...day ACM-01 came to an end and--"  Kommand started.

"World Collide began.  When Volt learned of the Second Genesis Wave...he was so preoccupied with the huge mess that Mobius had spiraled into...what with Sally's counterpart being...*sigh*...and mine losing..." Daimyou finished. "Even now I still can't believe she married Antoine's counterpart.  But...in another lifetime things...really are different.  Things..."

"Things we were never meant to learn about." Sally frowned. "It's not just...awkward.  It makes you think that...those things could have happened to us in this universe if things were different."

"And yet the similarities...the things that happened in both of our universes make you wonder about Fate and Destiny." Daimyou acknowledged.

Silence.

"And now he's gotten another world involved.  The unstable "Undertale" Timelines that have intersected our UltraVerse." Mitzi reasoned.

"He didn't do anything.  Dr. Adonis just won't leave well enough alone.  It doesn't matter what world our King of Crossovers winds up on.  His failed protogee will follow him into wherever he winds up and launch unprovoked attacks on anyone and anything he even remotely cares about.  Resetting the Timeline was just his way of carving his heart out." Sally growled.

"When the AU's started rising, it was inevitable that one of them would branch out and intersect the UltraVerse.  And that led to..."

"Volt being assigned to them.  Starting from observation int he Prime Universe and then following it until he was back home here.  Where its AU had manefested."

"And that's why Asriel..."

"Shhh.  Let us not speak of the Present."

"You know...before the timeline diverged for the...well...a number long since forgotten number of times...we lived in this time without an Asriel.  This is...one of those anomalies he speaks of that changes the world...reality itself?"

"Yes."

"Back on track, everyone.  We, Volt Arcade's loyal underground circle, have  a lonng road ahead, running parallel to this new era that's about to unfold for our former commander and his protogee."

Pit looked on. "So.  Why do we not remember so much about this?"

"With two forces opposing each other with greater frequency, histories are becoming less...solid.  With STC so severely weakened to prevent outside forces from making dangerous alterations to the past...the Ripple Effect has been spreading for the five years that Volt has been gone.  It's affected the present and the future.  What Volt started was the dam meant to hold back a deluge and now the Council's foolishness coupled with Adonis' followers of Chaopolis has more than just cracked the dam.  At any moment it could give way."

Kommand explained.

"I've kept a leash on the Council as long as I could.  I had to deliver an ultimatum to prevent them from ending the last hope we have to keep it all intact."

"And I've been setting up everything I can in the background to give us the best possible chance to keep Adonis from changing our Destinies into his intended Fates." Kommand followed up.

"So...what about the rest of us?  What can we do?"

"You'll know in time." Daimyou assured.

A moment of silence.

I have...stretched my Sixth Sense as far into the past as I can...I sense Volt is no longer on our homeworld. He is...somewhere...else. Do you records show where?"

STC-COUNCIL DATA LOG 000-Kappa: "Next":
"I have been decoding what I've been able to extract from A.E.O.N.  Without his main presence in the core solar system, the rest of his surrounding planet computers are deaf, dumb, blind, and without its own sixth sense.  I just can't run it in an environment even close to the capacity it would need to discover that info in our lifetimes.  I've been able to collect quantum bits which hint at...clues to his path within that five-year span...but...I can only speculate based on so little info."

"Without the Ex-Commander, this all falls apart."

"Can he be ready for what's coming?"

"No one will be ready for what's coming.  I promise you.  It is far too soon for us to intervene.  Any action on our part risks exposing us to the Council."

"And it's also holding up a sign and saying "here we are, Adonis. Come hunt us down any time."  to the whole space-time continuum."

Another round of silence.

"Well." Kommand placed an old box on the table. She reached in and pulled out a dusty, cob-web covered folder marked "Project: Lost Dreemurr".

She dropped it on the table.

"This is where it all began."

"Such memories." Mitzi lamented.

"Heh.  Good times.  Good times."

Pit nodded...then he saw it in the box.

"What's this?"

Kommand reached into the box and pulled it out. Another folder. Less dusty. No cobwebs.

It bore the words: "Project: Lost Dreemurr NEXT".

"I...don't remember this...I've seen the Ex-Commander update that folder...but I never saw this one."

"It's the followup reports that are to be filed during this crucial point in his history."

"This can't just be data pertaining to Miranda City, Fontraile, or even the entire planet itself.  Are you saying...?"

"This is exactly why Volt Arcade needs to resurface."

"Then...he has a second chance?"

"It will not be the same one.  But...it reconstituted from the last one..."

"Yes...yes, then it's all unfolding as fortold."

"Do not give your hopes up.  Both of you.  It is also the most vulnerable time for him.  For them.  For us all."

"Do we know whether it is a...?"

"We do.  Which is why it is his best chance."

Pit hovered by, looking into the box where a mound of research and pieces of equipment were buried.

"Hmm?" He cocked his head. He wasn't sure but...he caught a glimpse of a third folder. While most of its words were covered up...he caught sight of the last word.

"...Final?" He thought to himself.

"Our memories are still faded and uncertain.  The uncertainties caused in that era have obscurred our pasts.  Even though we lived those lives an incalculable amount of time before now...we will not be able to assist him as directly as we would like to."

"And until I restore A.E.O.N. he's flying blind without a guide into past or present cases.  And he doesn't have A.E.O.N.'s insight to future events as they have already transpired by this point in time."

"It will be a much more uphill battle this time around."

"Yet that still doesn't answer the question at hand."

"So I guess the question is...where in time, space, and dimension is Volt Arcade...?"

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