PLDN Chapter 9

"Chapter 9: Rest Up: Down Time Before Hotland"

Sub-Entry 081: "What Had Long Been Known":
The Time Train squeeled to a stop as it reintegrated on the tracks. The Delorean came to  a stop not far from.

As both vehicles time circuits  powered down; the Delorean's internal combustion engine idled while the boiler and steam-machinery of the E.L.B. time train kept chuffing at a steady rate.

Bunnie cimbed out as I exited the car.

"So."

"So."

A moment of silence.

"She got away again."

"Do not worry.  Our mutual friend...is keeping watch." Any inkling that Bunnie hadn't figured out KOMMAND's idenity had dispelled with that one sentence.

"I guess you know."

"Knowing too much about our futures is a dangerous risk."

I nodded. Time loops were complicated. I suppose this was Destiny working in unconventional ways.

"Has...anyone else figured--"

"No.  Just me."

"How did--"

"A lot of things have her finger prints over them.  The help you've been getting.  It's completely her style.  I mean...come on.  Who else appreciates the nostalgia of the time machines and vehicles you've kept at HQ?  There are other tell-tale signs as well...but I know her.  Her style.  Her mind.  Just things."

A long pause.

"This will likely reshape your future.  And hers."

"Or maybe it was just meant to be.  Anyway...if it is the future, then it can wait.  I think there are more pressing matters, now."

"Right."

"We should keep our stay short and return as soon as possible."

It was logical. But going into Hotland this soon after Waterfall? Could we really shotgun this before New Home?

"Let's find out what Asriel's up to and let him know we're okay.   I'll recall the Time Vehicles." I snt the signal to KOMMAND. And like that, they were out of our care and in hers.

"You still have our supplies from before, right?"

"I do.  I haven't needed them yet...but...you never know.  I still have the blinding powder you gave me five years ago.  It...doesn't have a shelf life does it?"

"No."

"Okay then.  Let us recover quickly.  While your time tools may give us an advantage, it is best to resolve this while our memories are still fresh."

Sub-Entry 082: "Spending Time With Uncle Jonathan":
Sometimes this town has more cinnamon rolls than Hestia's Bakery. But y'know...that's a good thing.

My son-in-law,  Jon Talbain, certainly gave Asriel and Papyrus stiff competition for who was the most "too-precious-for-this-world".

So when cinnamon rolls spend time with cinnamon rolls? Buckle up, everyone. You're in for a detoxifying ride. May the truly cynical curse this union of kindred souls for eternity (Mweh-heh-heh.)

"We've never really hung out before.  You okay with this?"

"Sure, Uncle Jon."

"I mean..."

"We all know." Asriel petted him on the head gently.

For the duration of the day, Jon had let Asriel in on some (but not all) of his guilty pleasures.

"I know these shows are for little kids but...they're quite enjoyable, Jon."

"The best things in life are not only free, they're also simple." Jon wagged his tail.

They had just gotten finished watching Fred Rogers in episodes of Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood and were now into episodes of Seseme Street.

"You know, this is probably the most flatterig portrayal of Monsters I've seen." Asriel mused over Jim Henson's various marionette/puppet (Muppet) hybrids.

I was absolutely sure Papyrus would absolutely love this kind of programming. Sometimes it was just best to tune out the evils and darkness of the real world and remember that everyone was born innocent into this world. Having the heart of a child was something to take pride in; not be ashamed of.

After a bit of TV fit for a pair of cinnamon rolls...

"So...I've never actually seen what you do."

"Well, I might have mentioned before.  I'm a tailor." Jon led Asriel to his shop.

"Talbain's.  Simple.  I like it." Azzy complimented.

"Simple things in life need to be kept simple."

Inside, clothing and textile supplies, and such all around.

"I got a good deal on a lot of the drycleaning equipment that the old Fechter's place was going to get rid of when Mitzi first joined the team and moved in."

"I remember her saying that Rock-Afire Pizza used to be a Fechter's Tropical Drycleaners."

"Even got a few shirts out of the deal."

Jon pulled a couple of loud Hawaiian shirts out of a box and tossed it on over his plain wife-beater shirt that Elektra insisted he at least wear. Going out barefoot, in just your pants only went so far...even if you were covered head to toe in fur.

"Eheheh...nice." Clearly Asriel was too polite to say how obnoxious they looked.

"I figure some day when Gadget gets the rest of the machinery working again, I might expand into a drycleaning and laundry service in addition to tailoring.  Oh, if you want something to eat, there's plenty laying out.  It was fresh this morning.  Probably needs to be microwaved.

No shortage of feeding the tank, Jon.

"I'm good."

"Speaking of clothes, how are yours fitting?  Need to go the next size up on sandals, pants, or shirts yet?"

"Maybe by next year.  I'm still comfy."

"Jolly good."

A big of looking around, Asriel caught sight of some familiar wardrobe. Gi's from Rabbotou Dojo. A set of Gadget's favorite cover-alls. A Black Sabbath shirt that was clearly Violet's...intended as an Avengers' Iron Man reference.

Asriel had a seat.

"Listen...I've gotten to know everyone in town but...you're the only one who hasn't talked about their past.  I mean anything about it.  Miss Felicia wants to tell me but...she's sworn an oath to you or something."

"My young friend...there is nothing for me in the past...nothing worth remembering.  Those times were...dark.  I'm...older than I must seem."

"That's pretty common around here.  Technically I'm speaking from 116 years of experience."

"Stasis in the Core is different from actually living through the years...seeing change.  As opposed to your world staying the same."

"Well...you have a point there."

"Asriel...Darkstalkers have much in common with Monsters.  Humans...feared us.  Maybe for good reason.  Most of us are dangerous.  Some of us even predatory.  You know vampires thrive off of human blood, succubi and incubi thrive by absorbing the youth and vitality of their victims."

Asriel looked meloncholy.

"Can you...at least answer me this...did you...or Miss Felicia...do unpleasant things in your past?"

Jon's ears drooped. He gave a single sad nod.

"I understand.  It's...hard to move on when you have that weighing you down.  I feel like...sometimes I can feel my own weight.  I know she made her own choice...but Chara's death in some way still feels like it's on me.  I gathered the flowers for her and agreed to plan.  I didn't stop her when I should have."

"...I can't account for a number of my memories when my family curse of Lycanthropy first hit me.  I...don't want to think about who I might hurt or...worse before I was able to regain my mind...to be me in this transformed state.  That's...all I'm comfortable about talking about."

"Well.  You're you, now."

"Yes."

"If you really want to keep it under lock and key, I won't pry any further.   You have another shoulder to lean on, you know."

A long pause.

"You know, we should get you fitted for a tux."

"A tux?  Why would I need to be fitted for a tuxedo?"

"You never know." Jon shrugged.

"Maybe another time.  I don't think anyone in town needs to get married.  Certainly not me.  Underage and--"

"Haven't met the right one."

"I...guess a little shy around girls when they're in romantic moods.  It's not bad when it's just family and friends being...family and friends."

"Don't deal well with flirting, huh?"

Asriel blushed hard underneath his fur.

Oh boy. How would he ever deal with Frisk? I mean...Paci-Frisk.

That would be something further down the road. Much further if my instincts were right.

"Jon?"

"Yes, Asriel?"

"I think I will take you up on that something to eat."

Later...

Bunnie and I stepped into the shop.

"Oh.  Hey, guys!" Asriel waved in between bites.

"Lunch?"

"You know it." Jon mumbled, mouth full.

"Jon.  Manners." I protested.

Bunnie cracked a smile.

"Enjoy your time out with Jon?"

"We bonded." His smirk was kinda sly. I knew there was probably something underlying but I decided not to ask.

"Mission?"

"Ongoing.  On hold to get rest up.  I learned it's wise to pace yourself."

"My pilgrammage out of town was enlightening." Technically Bunnie was telling the truth. She just didn't say were were on the same...pilgrammage.

Gadget entered the shop at that point. "Welcome back, Big Brother!"

"Getting to be a bit of a gathering here." Jon observed.

Asriel rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, wearing a silly grin.

"Anyway...Violet wanted to see you and Asriel on her sub-lab."

A long-forgotten fear had resurfaced at that moment.

Asriel thought for a moment.

"Does it have anything to do with this?" He suddenly brought up his H.U.D. interface.

"I think it does."

"Vi stopped examining it after she had collected enough data to confirm Elektra's and Nikita's tests."

"That...I...stopped being a Monster and had become a Hybrid.  That I adapted to this world."

"Yes."

"But we never found out the scope of what it can do."

"Things like this..." Asriel flipped the interface over revealing what looked like a load screen. There was his name. There was his location. There was a chronometer log. And there...was his LV...and it was stuck on zero? There was also an option to Continue...and to Reset.

Suddenly seeing that me about jump out of my flesh and fur. As much as I tried to cover it up...he could tell I was scared. That I knew something. That I was protecting him from soemthing.

"I...haven't touched any of this...nor have I fiddled with any of the other features besides the ITEMS one.  And...this is still broken."

He flipped it back over, pointing to the missing FIGHT option.

Things just became a lot more complicated. I had old worries in new forms. Could he...Reset in this world? If he could, what would that do? Would it return him to the very moment Frisk's code embedded in him in the core? Would that mean he'd...wake up back in the Void? Would it roll everything back? I couldn't allow him to undo that. Not even accidentally.

"Yeah...I think it's time we examined this again."

Sub-Entry 083: "Violet's Sub-Lab":
Gods. Not this again.

Asriel rang the doorbell and we were greeted by the sounds of the New Day's Entrance...which suddenly stopped in midplay. There was the sound of a rewinding tape-recorded followed by the sounds of the entrance music of Randy Orton.

"Huh.  I guess she was in the middle of updating.  A bit late from the last PPV event, though.  H-word in a Cell was a while ago." Azzy observed. He still sugar-coated swear words, even though he was in his teens. Such a cinnamon roll.

I facepalmed. "Somehow this theme feels really appropriate for Vi." I made a jab at her insanity.

The door opened and there was Vi knee deep in nostalgia.

"Before you--"  I started. I didn't get a chance to finish because Vi had fired up her bank of keyboard synthesizers. With that she cranked up the Echoes Remix of Brinstar from Metroid Prime 2.

"Not even going to let me stop you there.  Swell."

I sloooooow turned to Asriel, who was already dancing.

"...not okay?" He stopped, landing in a dab.

I shook my head.

"Ohhh..." He hung his head and let his shoulders go slack.

"Also, it's like this." I showed him how dabbing was done.

"Ohh!"

...wait a minute! Dammit, Vi, your antics are rubbing off on us, now.

"You know you love it."

ALF waddled past at that moment.

"Hey.  Gotta anything for these all-white-meat chicken nuggets?  We ran out of the usual toppings."

"Yeah, there's a bottle of that Szechuan Sauce from that 1998 Mulan promo in my mini fridge.  It's to die for."

My jaw dropped and I pointed skyward...then let my finger droop. This was familiar.

"What?  We met while you were out.  Somehow he rewired his ship to be a two-way portal between his time and ours.  Seemd like a cool guy.  Someone appreciates my attention to 80's detail."

"While your at it, could you ask the tuxedo guy with the crescent moon for a head to keep it down?  His piano playing keeps interrupting me while I'm watching TV."

"I figured you'd complain about the red-head in the pigtailes and the blue-and white stripped outfit."

I was seeing a pattern of outdated restaurant mascots this time.

"Nah.  She's cool.  Those other kids with that kids klub of theres...especially the one in the weirdo sunglasses with the TV remote.  Those guys are annoying.  I took one of their paper crowns."

Okay. So somebody remembered them.

"Tell them to hang out with that other group of kids.  The ones named after VCR functions.  They've been out of job since video rentals closed down."

Wow. What a blockbuster of a reference.

"Violet are we going to waste time piddling around here for your LULZ?"

That was when I heard the crash in the back of her laboratory. I whirled in time to hear--

"Did I doooo thaaaaaat?"

"You have Urkel Bot in here?!  Of course you have Urkel Bot in here..." I rubbed my temples.

"You should have seen him absolutely PWN Nester in the simulator." Vi smirked as she guzzled down a Crystal Pepsi.

"Care for a soda, Azzy?  I only have the regular stuff left, though."

"Nah.  Too much sugary drinks aren't good for you." Asriel replied.

"You sure?  If it's irresistably sippable, uncontestably tasteable, imminantly wonderful...you got the right one, baby!  UH-HUH!  UH-HUH!"

"Violet..." I growled. When did she get into Ray Charles impressions?

"Hey.  The kid's got talent.  I think you should book her on Star Search.  They still have in this time period, right?"

I crossed my arms.

"Not getting a sign of reassurance here.  What about the Gong Show?"

"Oh!  They're actually rebooting that one--"  Vi spoke up.

"What is WRONG with you?" I whirled in Vi's direction.

"You sound upset.  I recommend a nice long binge of ice cream and a tape of Howard Cosell doing sports commentary.  That always puts me right to sleep."

"Gordon, can you not?" I pleaded.

"Okay.  I get your message.  We'll catch up later.  But if it's all the same I'd prefer you not spoil Dynasty for me.  Vi tells me there's a pretty big twist I won't see coming.  I want to retain 100% of the element of surprise for that moment."

Asriel looked at me and shrugged. "What's Dynasty?" He said with a shrug.

"It will blow your mind if you like adult drama."

ALF got a container of the Szechuan Sauce out and headed out into the hallway. Felicia gave an angry yowl as he shuffled past.

"Cool your paws, Michelle Pfiefer.  I'm begrudgingly agreeing to their no-eating-cats rule around here.  This makes me the worst kind of Melmac-ian you know.....a CAT-LOVER.  If I have any of my kind out there, I'll be marked for life."

"Michelle Pfiefer, Violet?"

"I may have shown him the Tim Burton era Batman movies......and the Batdance video by Prince."

"Violet.  Take us to the Supercalculator.  That is an order."

"Okay, okay.  You've made your point."

"Actually, no.  I'm waiting outside in the lab until you get done with Azzy's tests." I stepped  toward the doorway.

"Yeeeeah.  About that?"

That's when the entire room, Violet included started to static up and break away into binary code and wireframe.

"What the...!"

"No.  NO.  NO!  NO!  NONONONONO!!" I whirled as reality itself changed around us. "You--!"

Sub-Entry 084: "More Than Zero":
Asriel's eyes snapped open.

"Ahhh!  What...what happened?  Huh?  Wha...?"

Asriel looked at himself. "What is this...metal body...why do I have a long, blond ponytail?  I mean...I know Dad...Asgore was blond but this...?"

A mix of red, black, and white

He looked down.

"Ugh...why does this robotic body come with a white Speedo.  This is really embarassing."

That's when he realized...

"VOLT!"

"You can relax, kiddo.  I'm right here."

"Where?!"

"Look.  Above.  Your.  Shoulder."

That's when he turned to the tiny form of the hovering faerie-sized--

"Volt?"

"You might want to cover your floppy ears underneath that helmet, Azzy.

"Uhh...?" Asriel did so.

"VIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIOLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET!!!!!" I screamed as loud as my virtual lungs would allow.

A holo-window opened up.

"Mmmnyeeeeeeeeeeeeeeesss?" Violet smuggly mused as her image appeared.

"Is this your idea of a joke?!?  A CYBER-ELF?!  And did you seriously simulate your entire sub-lab, ALF and yourself just to make sure we'd walk right into this?"

"Nah.  ALF was real.  And Felicia.  As was the fridge and the sauce and a few other sparce items around.  I just had to wait for him to leave the room to spring this on you.  I had to fool him as well to make it all the more convincing."

"Cyber-Elf?" Asriel asked.

I looked around. "Well.  Memory's rusty...but I know where we are, Asriel.  Megaman Zero 2."

"Mega Man...Zero?  Like...Pit's friend?"

"It's...complicated.  We're in a timeline about 200 years into Rock's future.  I'm guessing Violet hasn't had you play this in the simulator, yet.  You've taken on the form of Zero, the Legendary Reploid and Maverick Hunter.  Remember our first simulation outting in Magna Centipede's Central Computer?  Similar rules.  But new twists."

"New twists?"

"I'll explain on the way."

"So...where in the game is this?"

"Power Room.  A power plant 100 kilometers away from the Resistance Base; good guys, FYI.  We're fight against...get this...Neo Arcada.  Different one, by the way."

"Alternate universes sound complicated.  So this Power Room?"

Asriel was probably closer now than ever before to the truth about his world. He was mature enough that he could put two and two together. But my comfort was that he didn't yet have the working knowledge of chrono-science and quantum theory. Plus the nature of his world was not something that would just come to him in a thought by chance. While he might one day figure out the theoretical physics, the truth was still something I safeguarded. He was still not yet of age.

"It powers an Arms Factory supplying the enemy troops with weapons.  The power plant is guarded by a nasty pseudoroid-predecessor called Phoenix Magnion.  Nasty robotic creature.  It has a lot of abilities, including the power to supposedly read into his opponents' past and turn their darkest memories against them."

"Well...that's scary."

"Well.  You're armed with a Beam Saber and a Buster.  Use them wisely.  I'll make up the difference with my own abilities."

We were outside the building, amongst chain fences, oil refinery tanks, piping, and towers.

Asriel-Zero sighed. "So.  Challenge level?"

"Much harder than Quick Man's stage and Magna Centipede's stage.  There are four reactors and a boss to offline."

"Well.  I guess I should learn to love challenges." Asriel charged ahead while I kept pace.

"Just like Kendou practice...right?" Asriel's Beam Sabre cut through a Pantheon trooper.

"Volt, those things up ahead look familiar.  Are those...Telly drones from Mega Man 2?"

"Sort of...but with a slightly more explosive twist."

"When you say..?"

"Yeah."

* KABOOM*

Asriel had skillfully knocked the bomb bot into a suspicious wall by a shed. "That looks important." He said as he grabbed what was inside.

"Cool.  You got Cyber-Elf Stocttus."

"What's it do?"

"Small hacker class.  Stopwatch type.  Temporarily stuns enemies.  One-time use."

Asriel took a moment to examine his blade. A handle-grip. The blade itself was like a super-streched directional arrow made of neon blue electromagnetic plasma. He took a moment to switch to his Buster. Definitely pistol-like gun with a unique slingshot hammer mechanism. Fired those familiar "lemon" bullets. Both the saber and the buster could be charged up.

In no time he hurtled into the building's entrance and dove, cutting through the defenses and enemies. He leaped down the ladder access and blew open the next wall with another Tellybomb. Once he landed at the bottom.

"Standard platforming in a foundary with overflowing moltan metal magma." Asriel seemed unphased.

With a combo of slide-dashes, jump-shoots, and saber swings, the defenses in his way didn't even stand a chance.

"First reactor." Asriel opened the gate and looked up at the huge pillar with the reactor in the center. It resembled a flattened metal ball encircled with gun turrets.

"Unleash H-word, Asriel!" And he did. He didn't even wait around for the explosions and was soon deeper into the power plant.

"More lava, more platforming...and this is new.  Death spikes.  Like a bad penny in gaming." Asriel rubbed his chin.

"Don't do anything fancy.  Quick and clean." I cautioned.

A bit more searching around led him to an area with...

"You got Cyber-Elf Culoppe.  Small nurse type. Drops energy refills.  One time use."

"In other words...health.  Very useful."

We hurtled up a couple ladders and across collapsing walkways. The plant's inners were blue metal, broken up by visible machinery between the paneling.

A nasty miniboss got in our way.

"Whoah.  This thing an upgrade to Crab Puncher from Mega Man 10?"

Azzy scooted between its spring-punch claw attacks, bubble shots, and its short "walks" down the ladder, pinning him into confined space. He fired back with charge shots unitl it dropped to its death. A dash toward the left and a drop down led us to the second reactor core and its inevitable destruction.

"Halfway there." I noted.

It was a short dash through an automated door into the next reactor room.

"More than half." Asriel's Z-Sabre blazed repeatedly until it too was down. "Only one more to go."

The mixes of blue sheet metal, gun metal machinery, small sections of mauve metal sections, light blue walls, and silver trim wrapping around sections. It reminded the both of us a lot of stuff we had seen in other Mega Man related simulations we had done in the course of five years.

A drop down a couple more ladders finally got us to the last reactor. But as soon as it was toast...

WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!

"Guess we triggered the boss battle.  I guess we should be ready--"

All of a sudden we were blinded by a swooping ball of flame...like a miniature sun. The glare it gave off produced a bloom effect.

As soon as we could see.

"What are you doing here?" Phoenix Magnion demanded. "How dare you fool around in my area!  I am Phoenix Magnion.  Well, you'll pay for this insult...  with my Phoenix Flame!"

"Villains sure don't have much original dialogue in 2 centuries after Rock's time, do they?"

"Nope." I frowned.

"I shall purify your evil mind with my flame..."

"He thinks we're the evil ones?  Oh brother...not this old story again."

"Careful, Azzy.  He's a teleporter and a trickster.  He'll use illusionary clones among other things.  And his fire is no joke."

Sure enough, Phoenix went on the attack with flaming torpedo flights, teleports, and illusions of himself, boxing us in squeeze plays and forcing us to be mobile.

"Moeru!" He yelled. Asriel had learned form experience that was the Jangese word for "burn".

Flame eruptions spewed up from the grates in the floor.

"Watch his ringed tendrils--"  I warned too late as Asriel was grabbed. And then he was attacked by said illusions from his past...and some from other timelines.

"CHARA!" He gasped as the glowing cyan ghostly form of Chara cut through him with the Real Knife. Kinda predictable move, Violet. But that caught him off guard, nonetheless.

"MISS UNDYNE!" Asriel floundered as the ghostly image of Undyne charged and impaled him on her spear from the other direction. Okay. I can imagine what his training sessions were like as a little prince.

"G-GASTER!" Asriel felt himself crushed between the ghostly disembodied hands with the holes through them while the ghostly form of Gaster hovered with his arms behind his back, in an one-his-high-horse manner.

Asriel gasped whent he finally illusion struct. A silloutte of a familiar photoshop nightmare I had fought.

"That one was a little too close to the line, Violet!" I growled while Asriel was recovering on the ground.

"How's he going to learn to overcome if he doesn't come face to face with adversity?  If he can best his inner demons, then he can face anything."

While she was technically correct...I didn't like it.

"I'm...I'm okay.  I don't know what that last one was, but it was nasty.  Violet creates some messed up stuff to fight.  How'd she come up with this?"

"Yeah...she really does..." I narrowed my digital eyes. "Who can say." I looked off to the side, trying to hold back the memories.

"Here.  Use this." I released Culoppe from earlier.

Asriel closed his hand around the Cyber-Elf and soon life energy pellets were granted to him. "Time to get back in this."

As Magnion's own life ticked down he grew more desparate, lighting up his armor with red hot heat. He attempted to grab Asriel and power drive him into the floor from a great height.

But eventually...

Asriel's final Z-Sabre slash cut Phoenix Magnion in half...literally. A clean cut through his body and mechanical innards. With the last of his strength...

"...I am...a Phoenix...  I will be back..  Again and again...  Until you pay for your insult..."

With a wail, followed by a death rasp...Phoenix exploded in a fireball, scattering parts.

As the world turned white...

Sub-Entry 085: "Return to LYOKO":
The world faded away to an empty room. A series of lightup directional areas lit up in sequence leading us to the doorway. Inside...

"Welcome, welcome!" Violet's voice rang out cheerfully as she laid back in her seat, propping up her bare feet on the console of the Supercalculator.

"You're the only one who can raise the bar and lower it at the same time." I crossed my arms.

"Nice gaming back there, Goat Son."

"Uh...thanks."

"Some of those cut a little close to home." I narrowed my eyes.

"I won't pretend she didnn't do what she did...but...I forgive her, Volt.  Maybe it's a sign that I'm not as balanced as I thought.  Maybe I need to meditate for a bit.  Think about the ghosts of adversity's past.  And...get better at fending them off."

Still too good for this world.

"Well.  Let's not put this off any longer." Asriel headed to the Scanner. "Solo or the others coming?"

"Solo is good enough for now.  If I need to run another test down the road, we'll have a reunion."

The doors closed as Asriel stepped in.

"Hope you updated my Avatar."

"You'll be pleasantly surprised."

I looked at Vi dubiously.

"What?"

"I'm...not going to have to watch you install that software to your cerebrum again, am I?"

"It's already loaded.  Don't worry about it." Vi bit on her V.R. Gear and plugged into the Supercalculator.

"Okay.  Scanner: Asriel." The chamber lit up inside as Asriel lifted off the floor and slowly spun as he was scan.

"Transfer: Asriel."

The bundle of cables and hoses pouring out of the top of the cylinder lit up with red electricity.

"Virtualisation."

Once inside...

"Hmm!  Nicely done, Aunt Vi!  I like the new revisions." Asriel admired the tweeks to his outfit.

"I feel like a real ronin in this.  Really gotten to like the feel of sandals in five years.  Going barefoot is still nice but a good pair of sandals feels good."

"Violeeeet!  You got him talking about sandals now!"

"Don't get bent out of shape.  I'm not being pervy about it like Aunt Vi."

"Hey!  Betrayal, Cinnamon Roll."

"Lighten up.  You know I didn't mean anything by it." Asriel said slyly. "Riiiiight?"

"Too clever for your own good, eh, Violet?" I relished the situation.

"Hmmph." She pretended to pout.

"Anyway.  The place looks the same.

"Yeah...it's probably never going to be patched or get service packs, let alone a new graphics package.  Even when the rest of the computer world has quantum-leaped.  This cyberspace will stay the same.  It probably has to."

I had to give Vi props. Even though she had thoroughly pissed me off and annoyed me back there.

"Jeremy would be proud."

"And by extension Franz Hopper." VI noted. "Anyway.  You could probably use a lift to the Forest Sector.  How about a ride?" A few keystrokes. "Your chariot awaits, your highness."

"Viiiii.  Cut it out with the "your highness" thing." Asriel whined moments before his vehicle materialized. Looking kinda motorcycle-ish but with only one giant wheel. Like a mix of a motorcycle and a unicycle.

"Sweet." Asriel climbed aboard. It maintained its balance...somehow.

As Asriel took off and sped out of the mini hub Violet had arranged to link the various sectors together, Violet began her tests.

As she did, she began to sing. Greanted she was no Mitzi but...she could carry a pitch-perfect tune.

"There is a world...that is virtual and different.  It can be so cold.  It makes us stand up for what's right.  Our hope through the life...if we reset it to the start..."

Reset. That word again. And yet here it held a different meaning. A better one.

I guess I was a little surprised when Asriel began to sing along as his vehicle reached the narrow path leading into the Forest Sector...a land of trees above a bottomless drop. Who could say how far down the trees trunks went.

"Here we are.  Going far.  To save all that we love.   We give what we got. We'll make it through.  Here we are.  Like a star.   Shining bright on your world.  Today.  Make evil go away."

"Code Lyoko!  Will reset it all!  Code Lyoko!  Be there when you call!  Code Lyoko!  We will stand real tall!  Code Lyoko!  Stronger after all!" The two of them chorused together, united in song, separated by the division between the real world and the virtual world.

I smiled as Asriel got to the starting point and left his vehicle, charging forth to attack the X.A.N.A. virus creatures.

"A world of machines.  It can shadow the human nature.  And all that we need...is the way to find the answer.  And one thing is for sure.  You can count on us for good."

"Here we are.  Going far.  To save all that we love.   We will give what we got.  We'll make it through.  Here we are.  Like a star.   Shining bright on your world.  Today.  Make evil go away."

"Code Lyoko!  Will reset it all!  Code Lyoko!  Be there when you call!  Code Lyoko!  We will stand real tall!  Code Lyoko!  Stronger after all!"

"We'll do our best.  To never let you down.  We're up to the test.  To turn his world around."

"Here we are.  Going far.  To save all that we love.   If we give what we got, we will make it through.  Here we are.  Like a star .   Shining bright on your world.  Today.  Make evil go away.  Here we are.  Going far.  To save all that we love.   If we give what we got we'll make it through.  (Evil go away)  Here we are.  Here we are.  Like a star .   Shining bright on your world.  Today.  Make evil go away."

And before I knew it, Asriel had cut through everything and landed at the tower.

"You're something else." I mused.

Asriel entered the tower, stepped on the elevator. It rose to the top and Azzy stepped out, approached the terminal and entered L-Y-O-K-O.

With that the red glow around the tower subsided.

"Mission accomplished, Aunt Vi."

"You're as sharp as ever.  Come on home." Violet logged him out.

Sub-Entry 086: "The Test Reveals...":
"So.  how is it, Vi?"

"His code's the same.  But I was able to dig deeper this time.  See more of the rabbit hole."

"Can you not say rabbit hole?  I can't tell if you're being gross or if you just mean rabbit hole."

"Do you want it to mean something else?" Vi mused.

"No.  Double.  Entandes."

"Right, right.  Well.  I didn't find a program core yet, but...I did mange to trace the interface of the...Reset."

"And?"

"Five years ago, Asriel and I had a talk about it.  We agreed that if I ever found anything dangerous in his code, I should try to delete it.  Failing that, lock it down or disable it."

"And?"

"The first option is not happening.  That code is in there permanently as far as I can tell.  If there is a way to remove it, it's beyond my knowledge."

"I see."

"Second, I tried locking it down.  That didn't work either.  So finally I found a way to disable it...seal it in a manner of speaking.  If anything...it's more like.......well...Alien X."

"Alien X?"

I looked to Asriel. "Your friend, Ben Tenneyson has...been through his own trials and such.  One of his new aliens, simply called Alien X, has...a bit of a double-edged sword.  And a doozy.  One so serious that it can warp time, space, and reality itself.

There's no limit to its power but...how that power is used comes with a MASSIVE restriction. Imagine not being able to move because its mental core is divided into two equal and opposite personalities. One female, compassionate and understanding. The other, male, angry, and bullheaded. And Alien X can't do anything...not even MOVE without the two of them agreeing on the deliberation of any issue."

"I get the feeling I know where this is going."

"Yeah.  Their last deliberation was saving the dinosaurs from extinction.  STILL ongoing argument."

"Ouch."

"So try and imagine selecting that alien by accident during a situation where the whole planet is about to be destroyed?  You get the nature of Alien X now?  Why Ben's team mates each keep a key to the Ultimatrix?"

"Annnd...Aunt Vi created a lock-out just as the Plumbers did for Alien X?"

"Yes.  Which requires a pretty sizeable override."

"And let me guess.  We're going to bury that override deep."

"Exactly."

Asriel called up his H.U.D. and flipped it over. The RESET was wrapped in neon chains made of binary and matrix code with a conspicuous padlock binding them all. The letters had completely dimmed to dark grey. Almost black.

"That's  load off my mind."

"I think that's enough excitement for one day.  I suggest you guys take an adventure or two off world.  You know.  Do the ole Rick and Morty thing."

"Please don't bring that up again.  That's a Purple Level universe and you know it."

Asriel learned not to ask about those kind of worlds. The last time Purple Level World was brought up involved worlds such as the one those two boneheads in Highland that worked at Burger World and watched a lot of music videos while laughing obscenely. I put the "Fractured But Whole" file under lock and key because of another similar universe with four foul-mouthed fifth-graders.

"Okay okay.  Something from the G or PG rated catagory.  Don't stay out too late now.  The Council will want an update on your ongoing mission."

"Noted." I led Asriel back upstairs where Gadget and Mitzi were waiting.

"Well.  We celebrating your birthday or not?" He prodded.

"November 20th already?  Huh...I'm getting slipshot in my immortal "non-age" forgetting my own birthday."

"I remembered.  And so did everyone else.   I promise.  No surprise parties."

"Yeah...KOMMAND really put one over on me then.  As did all of you."

"You know it was because we care." Mitzi smiled.

"I know."

"C'mon, big brother!  Your Boston Creme Pie is waiting!"

"You didn't put candles on it, I hope.  THere's not enough in the world by this point to put my real age on there."

"We saved you the embarassment." Mitzi smirked.

"Not to mention the pain of the smoke alarm going off." Violet called back from the Supercalculator room before the door shut.

"Couldn't make it through the day without an age joke, could ?" I rolled my eyes.

"Come on, best friend.  Your low key party with family and only your closest friends awaits." Asriel tugged on my arm like a little kid.

I couldn't help but smile.

"Chocolate ice cream with cookie dough, too." Gadget beamed.

"Your favorite." Asriel reminded.

What would I do without you guys?

I locked the security doors and headed out to Rock-Afire Pizza with the Twice-As-Nice-Mice and Asriel.

Sub-Entry 087: "The Power is Yours...Again":
"...this is really embarassing." I muttered as I found myself chained up with five other captives.

I had to give Dr. Barbara Blight credit on this one. Neutralizing my electric/magnetic powers and making sure I couldn't use my S.T.C. hardware or call for help."

"I am sorry we got you into this mess, Dr. Arcade."

I turned to the speaker.

"It's okay, Kwami.  Getting into trouble just seems to be a talent of mine.

"Heck of a talent to have, Sparky." Came the irate Brooklyn accent of Wheeler.

"You know I always wanted to visit this incarnation of Earth but not under these circumstances."

"You will not be getting away with this, Dr. Blight!" The cold sting of the Soviet accent of Linka cut into our captor.

"An illogical assesment." I turned in the direction of the A.I. inhabiting Dr. Blight's giant mainframe

"Yeah, logic is my third in command's  specialty." I retorted toward the snotty computer.

"Don't bother associating with the lower lifeform, M.A.L. baby." Dr. Blight remained smug and coy. "Before long they'll have an up-close and personal look at the fallout of a nuclear warhead."

"Nuclear?!" Came the gasp of Asian, Gi.

"Even if you launch it into an unpopulated part of the world, the fallout will exist for hundreds if not thousands of years!" Came the protest of South American, Ma-Ti.

"Quite a spike in surviving real estate values, wouldn't you say?  And Duke Nukem will reap the atomic fallout from ground zero.  "

This would be the part where Violet would ask if it was time to chew bubblegum and kick a-- (FLOWEY CACKLE) and we're all out of bubblegum. And someone would have to thwap her and tell her "different Duke Nukem". But distractions asside...I wasn't keen on the idea of seeing how my immortality withstands a nuclear chain reaction or copes with the radiation.

"Only you would be so twisted to find a way to profit off of a nuclear weapon." I glared. "This ranks up there with trying to sell one to the Furher himself."

"I see you've done your homework on me, dear doctor." Blight ran a gloved finger across my muzzle. I snapped at it viciously. Of course I'd take offense to being treated like a dog.

"Struggle all you want.  You're not escaping.  Especially since you seem to have lost your powers." She tapped on the device she had strapped to the chains.

At that moment the silo gates opened and the missile began its launch sequence.

"Time's finally run out of on you Eco-Brats.  No one to save you this time--

"Voooooolt!"

"What?!"

Asriel charged into the room.

"What?  I thought I got rid of your livestock sidekick."

"Why does everyone call me livestock?  That's a lot more offensive than being equated to a sidekick." Asriel wrinkled his snoot.

"Planeteers!  Look!" Kwami poined to Asriel's hand. Somehow he had fit all five of their rings one each digit. The up side to having really skinny goat fingers and thumbs.

Huh...did he always have five fingers on each hand? He still has three toes on each foot...wait a minute, the Planeteers and I are still in trouble!

"This is too much power for one person to have.  I'll be glad to give these back to their proper owners." Asriel looked at his knuckles.

"Yo!  Az!  You're going to have to make the call yourself."

"Me?  But I'm not a planeteer!  I'm just holding these for you."

"You'll never get them to us in time!" Gi advised.

"Look out!" Linka warned as Blight pointed a modified rifle equipped with pressurized glass vessels of toxic waste.

"Yaaaah!" Asriel threw down his NX Board and took to the air not a moment too soon. The ground sizzled where the blobs of goop landed.

"I apologize in advance for using your powers!" Asriel called down.

"WATER!" He cried out and pointed his fist. The blue ring lit up before a gushing stream of water sprayed out toward Blight.

"Grrr!  Annoying  sheep!"

"Hey!  I'm a goat!" Asriel pointed again. "WIND!" The tornado threated to sweep up the tight-rubber-suited scientist.

The acid kept coming.

"WATER!"

"Hey!  Watch where you shoot, bovine beast!  You'll short out my processors!" M.A.L. cried.

"FIRE!" Asriel cried out.

"You...you almost ignited my hair!"

"Sorry!"

"Don't be sorry.  That eco-terrorist had it coming!" Wheeler sneered.

"EARTH!"

"Don't bother using Heart.  Babs would have to HAVE one for it to have any effect." I sneered.

"Flattery will get you nothing, mutt!"

That was when the launch pad began to rumble. The countdown had already reached zero?

"Oh no!"

Screams of panic went up among the Planeteers.

"You're too late, goat boy."

"No.  I am NOT." Asriel pointed his fist skyward. "The situation is more than any of us can handle.   With that...LET THEIR POWERS COMBINE!!!"

"No!"

"EARTH!  FIRE!  WIND!  WATER!  HEART!"

All five beams seared into the sky before combining.

"I'm your powers combined...I AM CAPTAIN PLANET!!!" the voice boomed with an unexplainable echo.

"GOOOO, PLANET!" We all shouted, despite being inconviniently tied up. Literally.

There he was. This Earth AU's greatest champion. I wasn't sure what his composition was. While he looked humanoid, it was like he was made out of the pureest metal. Green hair, red gloves, underwear-thing, boots, and chest guard with the yellow geo-globe.

"You're not stopping anyone, Captain Planet!" Blight aimed the sprayer.

"Oh no you don't!" Asriel pulled his NX JoyCons and switched them to Buster mode. He fired back at Blight, forcing her to retreat behind the consoles. "Curse that fuzzy freak!"

"Captain Planet!  The Planeteers need your help!"

The missile was starting to lift off.

"Now this is one skyrocketing problem!" Captain Planet flew down and grabbed hold of the chains. "Nnngnh..."

* SNAP*

"AhhH!"

"Don't worry, I got this!" With the ciains gone, so was the device suppressing my powers.

Magnet Beam slide away!

Once we hit bottom.

"We're okay!  You can't let that warhead detonate!" Ma-Ti warned.

Captain Planet soared off into the sky after the rising rocket.

"I think this atomic problem requires a magnetic solution!" Captain Planet suddenly U-turned and dove into the earth's crust and tunnled.

A moment or two later he burst forth from the earth carrying the mother of all ferro-magnetic mineral deposites.

"Take one core of iron..."

A swoop back to the lab complex and a round-up of high-tension industrial cable.

"Add a lot of turns of wire...and do a little work on them both." The superhero spun into a frenzy, adding fire, wind, and water until he had changed his creation into...

"And add one thundering powerful energy source!" He flew into the clouds. They darkened then they rumbled with thunder. And then finally...

"Ohh you." I looked on and admired.

"Is he...?"

"Totally." I nodded.

* CRACKOW*  The lightning strikes were pretty sizable.

Captain Planet emerged, and soared after the nuclear missile, already in flight.

"Time to change your trajectory!"

I could see the massive magnetic field around the giant electrogmagnet. Definitely powerful enough to pull the missile off course.

Captain Planet continued pulling it up and up and out of Earth's atmosphere.

"Now that it can't endanger any lives,  let's put it in a place where nuclear reactions can do some good!" Captain Planet uncoiled a section of the cable and launched the magnet itself onto the missile as its thrusters burned out from the oxygen-less void of space.

He let off some slack and began swinging the WMD around and around and around before swinging it and letting it go toward the direction of the sun.

"Not to speak out of turn...but didn't Superman kinda do that in--"  Asriel whispered.

"We do not speak of part four.  Also, Violet is not allowed to put you up to making references while we're on an adventure off world."

"Sorry."

Moments later, Captain Planet returned to earth. Asriel and I had taken care of Dr. Blight for the authorities while Link did a little bit of work shutting off M.A.L. and kicking him out of the missile base's systems.

"It's been a real pleasure helping you put the brakes on another Eco-Emergency, Cap." I shook the hero's hand.

"We've all got to do our part to save the Earth.  Glad to have you on our side, Doctor."

"Oh hey.  I think these all belong to you." Asriel took each of the rings off and handed them back to their owners. "I know there's no "I" in team so...hope you're not sore at me for taking on too much responsibility at one time."

"All is forgiven my friend." Kwami and the others put their rings back on.

"Yeah, you're an alright dude, Az."

"Come visit us again some time." Ma-Ti offered.

"Maybe next time we can hold the getting captured and strapped to a rocket."

"Or have our human disguised knocked offline by a mad scientist and cause a panic, letting her get the upper hand." Asriel chuckled.

Laughter.

"Well.  I guess we better get back home, Azzy."

"Yeah.  Guess the Unitrix is a moot point now."

"Opening the Cyber Gate back to the lab."

"Until next time, Planeteers and new friends...the Power...is YOOOURS!" With that Captain Planet separated into the five elements and returned to the rings.

We waved and headed off.

Sub-Entry 088: "Institute For Future Technology":
"Thanks again for understanding, Gadget.  But my mentor is very careful about his secrets."

"Don't worry.  Asriel and I will keep ourselves occupied."

"Sure.  No problem, Gadget."

"Race you to the theater!" Gadget transformed RBT-Beta from his bat-themed key-tar mode into the hoverbaord.

Asriel did the same with the NX Board.

I fired up the Delorean and set the coordinates. "Next xtop, Hill Valley."

Eighty-eight miles per hour speed and a flash later...

"Back here again." I reappeared. It was 1 am in front of Lone Pine Mall. But it was most certainly not that date.

"Brings back memories." I drove off and into town. Past the Clocktower Courthouse.

I stopped and looked up at the spire at the top of the clocktower.

"Five years ago in Mirandian time.  You came back here 31 years ago to fix Adonis' little taunts throughout 1955.  That psycho must be crazy if he was really willing to risk undoing his own immortality and powers."

I took my time touring the town. Familiar places.

I took a moment to stop by...that place. Yup. The one up by the Burger King.

I unlocked the door and walked in.

* sniff sniff*

"Ugh.  Again, Emmett?  Jeeze." I pinched my nose.

"Einstein, you have the patience of a saint putting up with his absent-mindedness."

I looked around.

"I don't know why I didn't just borrow Asriel's." I picked up the JVS cam-corder.

"Let's document history in the making."

I piled back in the Delorean and headed out of town to the location I'd been provide. Actually. I knew it like the back of my hand. Its founding and creation was a pivotal point in my life and my mentor's life.

"Let's do this."

I drove on and on.

Soon...

By the time I neared my location, dawn was starting to break. It was a miracle I was still in California. But, given the size of the state...

"There it is."

That building.

"The Institute For Future Technology.  Here it is.  Your brain child, Emmett.  And so the time-loop begins."

* bark bark*

"Einsteeein!" I exited the Delorean and hustled up to greet Emmett's trusty 4-footed companion.

I knelt down and petted him. He returned the affection with licks. Yeah. I might be annoyed at being compared to dogs, but I still had a warm spot for getting affection from them.

"Yeah.  I missed you, too.  Keeping Doc and Marty out of trouble?  Thought so."

I turned toward the building.

"The Institute For Future Techology.  Not officially unveiled to the public or the scientific community, yet.  This place is going to change everything."

I headed in and unlocked the front door with my keys.

I headed in and took my time checking on the various parts of this laboratory complex.

I checked downstairs, passing by the eight-passenger Delorean work-in progress. The cover story was that it was for a futre attraction at Disney Land and Disney World. But I knew what Doc was really going for. Some day...he hoped this would be used by responsible parties for space-time research. But that was another story.

I felt like I had to check up on hi every so often. Especially since the...Tanen incident. Biff had made off with said prototype and took a joyride through time. Thanks, however, in part to me lending a hand to my mentor, having been trapped by Biff's antics, I was able to take the standard Delorean and go after him.

"What a ride through days of future and past."

Disable his vehicle by bumping him while we were both synced at 88 MPH. The resulting shock would send us back to our original place in space and time.

I headed over to the where I could here work underneath another Delorean prototype.

I cleared my throat.

The occupant on the mechanic's creeper rolled out.

"Volt!  You made it!"

"Good to see you again, Emmett.  We doing this thing?"

"You brought the camera?"

"Let's document this.  For SCIENCE!"

"For SCIENCE."

Into the morning I recorded as Dr. Emmett Brown explained the Institute For Future Technology. its purpose. Its aims. Its goals.

It's projected output capacity. Its hope for integrating information and time technology under one roof.

"...it's amazing, Mentor.  Truly amazing."

"We're pioneers, Volt.  Advancing our understanding of the universe in the name of science.  In the name of progress.  For the greater good we dare what we do.  And do what we dare."

"Interesting word-play.  It's going to be big.  Bigger than you can imagine."

"Great Scott.  It's a work of art."

"Yeah."

We had a seat at an unused table.

"Asriel is making progress?"

"More than I ever dreamed."

"You seem at ease...but still concerned."

"The Council came for me again.  I'm back on the job."

"I know you are sworn to withhold a lot of information that may affect my future and the Institute's.  What can you tell me?"

"Asriel's home world opened up again.  A new timeline formed.  I'm back on the case."

"So...this is...a bit of a complication isn't it?"

"A complication with complications.  I'm going to have to prepare things to run their course.  If I can get one True Happy Ending to run its course and not reset....well...that's a future project."

"I know where you're going with this.  Better cross that bridge when you come to it.  Lest you copletely overload your emotional state with unnecessary anxieties."

"I hear you loud and clear, Mentor."

I looked over his work.

"Still building them with style."

"Indeed."

"Gotta love that stainless steel construction with aluminum shell.  Lightweight and easy enough on the eyes."

"But necessary for the flux dispursal--"

"Well aware."

I looked on.

"So.  Family?"

"Clara sends her best.  Jules is maintaining his studies.  Vern is...well...Vern."

"Takes after Marty, you know."

"I know."

"Well.  Not everyone can be successor to the Von Braun name."

"We haven't gone by that name since migrating to Amerca."

"Definitely after the 1800's." I noted, grazing a rather morbid history rewrite. But I guess since the gravestone was erased with the bad memories of the death of a blacksmith over a matter of eighty dollars...it was a fair thing to bring up.

"Water under the bridge."

"You mean...hydronium hydroxide?"

A rare chuckle.

"I'm awful.  I know." I shrugged.

"You are the student that every teacher wishes for, Volt."

"I'll just settle for "not sucking"." I modestly replied.

We spent our time together until we couldn't keep our eyes open any further. We dozed off on the few pieces of furniture handy. Roll-away beds in some sofas that I had arranged. Once we had gotten enough rest, I finished documenting Dr. Brown's progress and made a copy of the tape.

"I need to be getting back home.  Bunnie, Violet, and I need to prepare for Hotland."

"Imaginative name."

"Asgore can't name worth a darn.  But I suppose there's beauty in simplicity."

"Do what you have to do my boy.  And be mindful of how you treat the laws of time.  It may have a more durable timeline chronostructure than most, but..."

"It may still be possible for a major paradox to occur.  I'll reenforce that thought if I should examine the before-times.   The "red zone" of the timeline.  it is still unstable."

I pondered something.

"Although...I haven't seen any microglitches.  I wonder if my influence over the RESET might be the reason?"

"Hard to say, my boy.  Hard to say."

A long pause.

"Happy birthday, by the way.  Belatedly."

"Thank you, Emmett.  Asriel and I kept it low key.  I think to make up for the surprise party 5 years ago.  November 20th keeps coming sooner and sooner."

We finished up our business and I took the Delorean back home. For the rest of the day and night I packed it in and slept. Tomorrow would be another day.

Sub-Entry 089: "Thanksgiving Is Here Again":
"Someone's in a good mood." I watched Jon sharpen his carving knife as he gazed longingly at the turkeys that he had hand picked for this year's Thanksgiving.

"Why wouldn't I be?  It's only my second favorite holiday of the year."

"Second to Halloween."

Jon toiled away in Hestia's kitchen. She had loaned Jon and and Mitzi and company the use of her restaurant to cook everything.

"Anyway...the others?"

"They'll be on their way.  Sally won't be able to make it this year.  But she sends her regards."

"It happens ever other year or so.  So where's Violet?"

"Piano lessons.  Asriel's probably finishing up."

"Al Dente?"

"Wellllllll..."

At that moment, elsewhere.

"...i-i-is this n-n-necessary, V-Violet?" Alfred looked dubiously at the pipe organ he was seated at. Made of bones, skulls, and such. He then glanced at he floor around him. The section that had crumbled away a little revealed a sizeable drop into a chasm below. While he couldn't be sure he could swear he saw bony spines or spike...and a skull impaled on at least one of them.

"If you're ever going to start making progress, I'm going to have to take drastic measures." Violet's image on the holo-screen from the drone glared at Al Dente, arms crossed.

"Where did you even GET this thing?!" Al whined, eyes darting around the dark, dank, spooky, cob-web-covered room.

"I'm sure if I dropped a name, someone would thing I was deliberately using an innuendo.  Let's just say there's a dead pirate aboard who made sure his treasure was well-guarded.  Well...except to some kids.  Oh and a crime family gang."

"What?!"

"C'mon, Al.  Chop-chop.  Oh, and if you screw up too bad, there are consequences."

Al gulped hard. He read the sheet music. Part of the title was smudged from an ink stain.

"Ges Are Good Enough...by Cindi...La-oo-per?" Al scratched his head.

"Wow.   I think I heard 80's music just roll over in its grave." Vi facepalmed.

"Get started."

Al started playing...slowly and carefully.

"You're going to have to pick up the pace if you want a passing grade."

That was when Al hit a wrong note and--

A piece of the floor suddenly collasped. Al yelped.

"That's a strike." Violet filed her nails and looked on.

"Princess Viiiiii!" Al curled into a ball on the seat.

"Get cracking, Al.  Or I have this big guy in a Superman tee-shirt who really likes candy bars who's just dying to meet you.  Isn't that right, Sloth?"

Back at the kitchen.

"...no way, Jon.  She wouldn't really do that to him?"

"I doubt the spikes are real.  In fact I'm pretty sure she's trapped him in a simulation like she does with you and Asriel whenever you go to LYOKO.  About the only thing real in the room is the pipe organ.  But Al doesn't need to know that, right?"

Jon checked on the mashed potatoes.

"Besides, if she REALLY ended him, she'd just be miserable after a while.  She needs Al to be a lightning rod for things, y'know."

"Al Dente's usefulness in this world is up for debate.  But if you say so."

"Don't get me wrong.  I don't like him either.  Heck, if Asriel of all people doesn't like him, that's a pretty good indication that there's very little redeemable about him.  And Asriel is friends with Antoine.   ANTOINE, Volt."

"Noted." I shook my head.

"The stuffing is coming along great!" Mitzi waved from the other stovetop. "I made two extra large batches of two different kinds.  The traditional one with celery and one with raisins like you like, Commander."

Yeah, it was a weird combination but I wasn't a fan of celery. Besides, I loved raisins.

Asriel entered. "Need a hand with anything?"

"Azzy!  You got here quick."

"Vi says I aced my piano lesson.  So she turned me loose to check on everyone here."

"Good, good."

"Fair warning she is bringing over her Blu Ray copy of Planes, Trains, and Automobiles."

"Joy." I rolled my eyes again.

"It's really not that bad once you get past all the gastrointestinal humor, the really inappropriate moments, and the 18 F-bombs."

"The good, old, unofficial movie of Thanksgiving." Jon mused with a grin.

"If you say so."

We all pitched in with the preparations.

Once we were at a point where we could leave Mitzi and Jon to handle things, we headed to the reserved section of the restaurant.

Sure enough Violet had set up some distractions ahead of time.

"So she's already upgraded to 8K Ultra Televisions." Rotor sweatdropped at the needlessly lavish flat panel Violet had hung up in the room.

"There are limits to keeping up with the Joneses." He said offhandedly.

"As if that would deter her from being as absolutely showy and attention-seeking." Bunnie said, arms crossed.

"But you have to admit...it is an incredibly good picture."

While everyone else was distracted with that...

"You know...we never really had a talk about..." I closed my eyes as Bunnie joined me.

"Yeah.  That place."

"So.  What did you think of Toriel?"

"She is...truly a tragic soul.  I suppose her Hell is much worse because she's completely commited to her convictions.  But...those convictions are working against her.  She does not fully grasp forgiveness."

"But you saw the cracks."

"Yes.  You have...put the essence of doubt in her beliefs."

"As I had in the previous timeline.  I believe...in time she would have forgiven him but..."

"I suppose there is nothing left to do but see how this plays out."

Momentary silence.

"Papyrus?"

Bunnie smiled, closing her eyes.

"So familiar.  He really is a lot like Asriel."

"But...?"

"Far more...excitable.  Far more...ambitious.  And...noticeably more naive.  But that is its own double-edged sword."

"You understand why Undyne cannot allow him into the Royal Guard."

"Better than anyone, probably."

"Sooo...?

"Details another time." Bunnie mused. "I assure you it was...enjoyable, spending time with him."

"And Undyne?"

"Rough around the edges.  Just as you described.  Good-intentions.  Strong bonds of friendship.  Definitely a true hero.  But..."

"Rude manners and course language fit to compare to Violet?"

"Difficult to say who is a greater danger for Violet to meet...Undyne or Alphys."

"Let's not go there." That much weeaboo gathered together? The Underground is not ready for that.

We pondered further.

"It seems we don't really have a plan for going back in."

"Nope.   Our plan last time only worked thanks to luck; if the goal was to protect the Boss Monsters.  But if our plan was to catch Frisk?  Then we failed."

"No sense in dwelling on the past, Commander.  If a plan isn't viable, we improvise."

I nodded.

"So.  Thinking of checking in on Undyne again?"

"It's a possibility.  I sense you'd like to reconnect with Toriel once more.  Perhaps that would explain the saxophone you've packed?"

"You read me like a book.  Well.  Whatever happens...let's make the most of it."

"Agreed.  For now..."

"Everyone start gathering at the table.  We're about to start."

And so...

"For peace." Jon offered.

"For love." I followed up.

"For prosperity." Mitzi continued.

"For family." Gadget sniffled.

"For passion." Antoine for once sounded noble.

"For fun times ahead." Violet grinned.

"For awesome!" Ripper one-arm hugged Valerie close to him.

"For less headches." Chameleon crossed his arms, keeping his eyes closed.

"For all life." Lupe added.

"For justice." Pit raised a class.

"For heritage." Bunnie acknowledged.

As we all went around the table, we offered something we were thankful for.

"For hope...dreams...and wishes.  Maybe I should just say...for everything." Asriel finished.

A moment of silence.

"I know we're...keeping it simple...but...I guess after everyone congratulated me on an epic speech five years ago...I guess I should say something that feels a little more complete.

I've lived five years among you. I feel like I truly belong in this world. You've given up so much for my sake and made sacrifices and even risked your lives. I can do no less to earn all of that.

A half decade ago, someone wise at this table related to me the meaning of Thanksgiving. That strangers in a strange land, in their time of need, were welcomed with open arms by the natives of that land. Like those settlers, I too was a stranger in a strange land.

You opened your bounty to me. You asked for nothing in return. But I gave to you my all--my kindness, my patience, my bravery, my sense of justice, my perserverence, my integrity, and all of my determination. I gave back in little ways...in little moments...because it was the right thing to do.

I stand before you now as one of you...no longer a prince...no lesser, no greater than anyone here. I thank my lucky stars than we live in these times.

May another five years be as blessed as the last five. Let us be thankful for what has, what is, and what will be by the grace of the powers that be. Happy Thanksgiving, all of my family, friends, and fellow Mirandans."

Only a moment of silence separated the end of Asriel's epic speech and the thunderous applause we offered in return.

"Whoever eats the fastest gets the most-est!" Violet and Jon said in unison.

"Oh, you two..." Asriel  laughed. "Well...go ahead and start passing it around.  There's plenty for everyone!"

And so we feasted hearty.

Sub-Entry 090: "Hotland Awaits":
"Well.  We spent more time on this than I thought."

Bunnie and I piled into the Delorean. It had become our standard method to the Underground. The Phone Booth was too cramped. The Time Train was too big. The Epoch wasn't something I could borrow all the time from Lucca. And there were other issues with the other time machines in our inventory.

"We've had plenty of time to strategize."

"And we have plenty of tools and advantages to fall back on."

"What I'm not looking forward to is Sans.  The first thing he's going to tell me is that Frisk hit Strike 3.  We're in for a race to get to her before he does now.   He knows he still has a role to play based on the...game's "script".  That is...how the timeline is supposed to progress according to history."

"I encountered him.  I understand your apprehension.  He hides a darkness in his soul that even I wasn't prepared for."

"It's from all the resets.  Not just Frisk's but Flowey's.  Maybe even Chara's, too.  Who can say how much he's seen...what he sees.  Even I'm not certain of his origin.  The shop keep says that he and Papyrus just appeared in town one day and asserted themselves.

My suspicions are that their origins are just as varied as the timelines. The only thing I can be sure of is...I didn't notice a hand-plate on Sans' right hand so I know this timeline doesn't parallel one of the other AU's I've come across on the secret mainframe. I'm sure if Papyrus took his mitten off, I wouldn't find one on him, either.

So...what Gaster said certainly makes sense. I know this time around the two of them aren't "things" to him. But family? I don't have enough info to speculate on that."

Bunnie pondered, not really knowing what I was talking about but she was definitely trying to speculate based on what info I had given her.

"So.  Alphys-hakase?"

"I should handle her.  You should be ready to intervine if we have to deal with Mettaton.  Chances are they'll be tied up with putting the kid through several TV and movie star tropes that they won't be that much of an obstacle."

"Perhaps Alphys' security systems might prove to be an effective tool."

"Perhaps.  Right now Frisk is really got us scrambling and searching.   Even with the two of us..."

"We can't watch every inch of the Underground."

I nodded.

"There's also Muffet.  I...might have some unexpected debts to settle."

"Greedy spider." Bunnie mused.

"Oh yeah.  Anyway...I think I've covered all the bases."

"I should check in on Undyne.  May sure she recovered well."

"And be ready in case the kid doubles back to her place.  Papyrus will try to get her to befriend the kid.  I mean...she's already in her debt for saving her life in Hotland.  I also can't take the chance that Real Knife-wielding Frisk might try to finish the job.  So far they haven't make second attempts on Toriel or Papyrus."

"It's not worth the risk of leaving things be."

"I might also want to check back in town or Waterfall, depending on how things go so..."

"We can switch locations if we have to."

"You know where to find the River Person, right?"

"Yes.  If you wish to visit Toriel, you should.  I am quite glad I've had the chance to meet her."

There was a bit of silence.

"Miles will mind things in our absence.  Asriel knows to go to him if there is a problem."

"Winter's about here.  OGPX Season will be ending soon."

Bunnie smiled. "Having my old friend back full time will be a breath of fresh air.  And on top of that, Asriel will get to spend time with his first hero."

I laughed good-naturedly. "And she'll be glad to spend time with him for longer than holiday appearances."

I got back on task.

"Be careful in there, Major.  I may thrive in this kind of climate, but not everyone is me.  It's volcanic temperatures in Hotland, plus it's a maze of steam-powered jumps, conveyor belts, lasers, and Mettaton's crazy TV show scenarios.  Not to mention Muffet's little web trap to catch unsuspecting customers/prey.  Granted, there's no telling which of us will end up running into her first but...just be mindful if it's you."

"Igumo..." Bunnie rubbed her chin. "If she is as you described then I will carry a supply of Gold.  Bribery is a desperate and lowly thing to resort to, but whatever it takes to avoid confrontation.  When comparing falling to the sword to begging for your life?  Only one option lets you redeem yourself in the face of defeat."

"If she offers for you to play with your pet...decline.  For your own sanity."

"What about Mettaton?"

"As long as he's in his "sexy rectangle" form--not my words, mind you--he's indestructable.  Not even Yellow Attacks work on him.  But they will make short work of his drones and bombs.  When his switch is flipped, the best way to deal with him is to out-shine him as a star.  Do whatever it takes to drive the ratings up and drain his battery until his arms and limbs self destruct from overuse.  His battery will die and he'll shut down.  But his ghost soul will live on."

"I see."

"As for Alphys?  We shouldn't have to fight her now that Chara-Wraith is no longer an issue.  But...be mindful.  She has severe guilt and depression over her choices...the things she's done and tried to do.  She's harboring a lot of secrets and has a lot of weight on her shoulders.  She's a big time weeaboo--"

"Bordering on hikikimori."

"Come again?"

"Not just forsaking culture but forsaking living life itself.  Quitting job, staying in your room, withdrawing completely into a world of fiction and multimedia.  Barely surviving just to be in your good place at all times."

Now that was a scary thought. And accurate. I'd never thought of Alphys in that extreme before. But maybe I should have. Maybe it would have helped me help her in the last timeline.

"We'll both get her the help she needs."

"All three of us know a lot about keeping secrets.  Your mind is a fortress.  I tend to forget things I'm not supposed to hear...and I usually know how to keep my mouth shut about criticial things.  And Alphys?  Her fear is basically a cork, keeping the bottle closed.  Until she faces her fears and parts with her secrets of her own volition..."

"I understand."

Silence between us for several moments.

I set the coordinates on the Dimensional Axis Rig and the Time Circuits.

"Well.  No sense putting this off."

I piloted the car to the city border and into the outlands, far from prying eyes.

"TIme Circuits on.  Dimenional Apparatus active."

Hover conversion kicked in and I piloted the car into a 45 degree angle until I reached the calculated mark. Then I floored it.

"While we have most certainly covered our bases...I cannot help but feel like we are forgetting something."

"Heck of a time for you to say that now, Major..." I quipped as the Speedometer advanced from 87 to 88 MPH. The Flux Capacitor lit up with a bright white light as the piping around the car turned cyan and the wormhole-emitter projected the portal tear in space-time.

And with that...

Chapter 10

Back to Part 1

Back to Project Lost Dreemurr Next