Element Gang: Battle Force 5, Book 1: Rise of the Battle Force 5

by Element Writer

What would happen if there was actually a team of heroes that were battling the Vandals and Sark before Battle Force 5 even came together? This will follow the story of the legendary superhero team: the Element Gang as they work with Battle Force 5 to protect the multiverse from evil.

2. Chapter 1: Starting Line

Chapter 1: Starting Line

It's been a few years since we started traveling the world to search for storms. As we traveled and searching for storms, we all had our vehicles in camo mode, a special mod that allows our vehicles to appear as normal vehicles as they looked like they were from the future. Each of us had a different vehicle. Mari's Storm Glider was a black raptor jet, Tricha's Torn Jet was a white fastback, Basar's Rockwheeler was a cyan ATV, Trustin's Ice Bike was an apricot cruiser bike, and Jay's Wave Rider was a lemon yellow touring bike. As for my Fire Cycle, it was a black Suzuki GSX-R sport bike. Unlike the other vehicles we got, it haves the ability to transform into a car, a land mode that Dragonis put in for her. Right now, we were in the Salt Flats of Handler's Corner, a desert town in Arizona. After getting some breakfast at the local diner, we left to search for a storm. Though it looked like we weren't getting much luck finding one. Being out here in the heat was getting on everyone's nerves as the AC on Basar's Rockwheeler and Tricha's Torn Jet went out. Here's a little thing about the Torn Jet. Everybody was on edge, Jay the most. Yeah, it's been known in his family that water elementals are weak against intense sunlight, so it make sense that he would be bother by the heat the most out of the rest of us. He even went to the very back of the group to use the wind force created by my Fire Cycle and the other's vehicles like a fan for himself.

"Are sure the storm's out here, Axel?" Jay asked me through the comm unit on his Wave Rider, no doubt unwilling to stay in the heat anymore.

"I'm know it's here, Jay." I said to him, using the comm on my Fire Cycle. "I can feel it."

"We've been out here for hours and haven't seen nothing but desert and this cloudless sky." He said. "Are you sure the heat hasn't fried your brain?"

"Jay, I am perfectly fine." I said to him. "I know that the storm's here."

"Well, I sure hope we find it soon." Tricha said, using her Torn Jet's comm and speaking with some worry in her voice. "This heat is really making a mess of my hair."

"Come on, guys." Mari said, using the comm on her Storm Glider as she flew over us. "The heat's not that bad."

"Easy for you to say, Mari." Jay said to her. "You're up there in your Storm Glider, getting a good breeze."

"Hey, Tricha," Trustin said to my cousin, using the comm on his Ice Bike, "Your car can fly like Mari's jet, why don't you go up there and get that breeze with Mari?"

"Oh, I'd love to," Tricha said to him, "but my Torn Jet doesn't have a camo mode for its flight mode, so I would need to take it out of camo mode to fly up there."

"Does this have to do with the fact that you can't handle flying through a storm, Tricha?" Basar asked her, using the comm on his Rockwheeler.

"Yes." Tricha said to him. "Unfortunately, I still haven't grown accustomed to all the…spinning."

"Keep looking forward, babe." Basar said to him, knowing that she was getting sick from remembering the times she tried to fly through a storm. "Don't think about flying, okay?"

"Right." Tricha said to him. "Thank you, Basar."

"That's what I'm here for." He said to her.

"Man, this stinks!" Jay said, ranting on through the comm link. "How come Tricha and Mari get to fly while the rest of are stuck down here getting the heat? Literally!"

"What are you complaining about, Jay?" Basar said to him. "Your Wave Rider can drive on water while the rest of us can only take dirt roads."

"Yeah, but it doesn't have a roof over it like that stupid ATV of yours, Basar." Jay said to him.

"Hey, this is not just some ATV, this is my Rockwheeler!" Basar said, offended by what Jay said. "It's one of the best all-terrain vehicles there is, unlike that dumb tricycle of yours!"

"What? A tricycle?!" Jay said, offended by that. "My Wave Rider is more terrain than your Rockwheeler! It's all amphibious, down to the suspensions!"

"Suspensions?" Basar said. "You mean that rubber band you have holding your engine together?"

"Oh, why you!" Jay said where I knew those two were gonna start fighting soon.

"Enough! Both of you!" I said to them. "I know you're both annoyed with the heat, it's bothering all of us, but fighting with each other isn't gonna help us right now. You're teammates, not enemies."

"Axel's right." Trustin said to them. "None of us can really afford to make a slip-up, especially when it comes to the Sark and the Vandals. Our ancestors argued like that once and a whole city ended up being destroyed. Plus, all five of us promised Axel that we would help him find his parents when all of this over and it won't if you guys keep arguing with each other. So can you guys just settle down and save your fighting for later?"

After a moment, Basar and Jay sighed in defeat and said "Fine."

"Hey, thanks for breaking those two up, Trustin." I said, appreciative for him helping me back there. "Sometimes I forget that this honesty of yours really does help in a lot of ways. This is why we need a guy like you ʹcause you always…"

I stopped talking at that moment as I sensed the one thing we were waiting for: the storm. With our journey looking for these, we found out that my eyes glow blue for a moment whenever I sensed a storm coming. Still haven't figured out why that happens.

"Axel, what's wrong?" Trustin asked me as he noticed my pause.

"Guys, I got a lock on the storm!" I said to the guys as I then got ready to go even faster. "It's just a few miles ahead of us!"

"Then what are we waiting for?" Basar said, happy that we found the storm. "Let's hit it!"

With that, we all kicked our vehicles into high gear and started heading towards the storm. Mari then flew down and flew behind all of us so the jet repulsion from her Storm Glider didn't blow us away. Yeah, Basar really likes our way of storm-riding. He always gets excited when we're about to do it. The reason for that is because of the Storm Friction. To explain, Storm Friction is an event that only happens in this kind of storm. You see, the storm itself is charge with high quantities of temporal energy, which is why the storm appears in a place with conditions like this. To explain what I just said, temporal energy is the very power of space and time, which is what is used in time-travel and traveling through different dimensions. This storm is special for, when a land vehicle goes into a storm, the temporal energy combined with molecules of the storm's wind structure creates a sort of magnet to the rubber only found on a tire and the contact with said material causes the molecules to condense into a solid material underneath it, allowing the two to create friction, hence the name. Though this is only within the storm, not outside of it. Simplified, the storm's inner funnel becomes like a road for any car that goes in it. Though there are certain conditions that have to be met for the event to occur. Found that out why my grandpa tried to ride the storm in a Benz Patent-Motorwagen. Yeah, it got spat out like in a regular storm. He's fine though. We Fire Dragons are tougher than we look, especially in senior age. Anyway, there are two factors of a vehicles structure that have to be accounted for this event.

The first of the factors is that the tires must have a solid body weigh them down like how a normal car body does to ensure the wheels don't fly off or that said vehicle will not go at an angle when on an uneven path, like a bumpy road. The other factor is that, if the body of the vehicle doesn't do so, then the tires must have their own center of gravity to keep themselves and the vehicle on the ground like the design of Basar's Rockwheeler. The structure of a motorcycle or motorbike must also follows these factors in order for the occurrence of the event. Word of advice, when you use someone else's bicycle for an experiment like that, make sure it doesn't belong to your older sister or someone who lives close by to you. If the vehicle doesn't follow any of these conditions, the event will not occur and will only result in the effect of your usual storm. In other words, if you don't have the right set of wheels, it'll just be just like you think when you drive into a tornado. The only vehicles that have these factors are the models that don't go pass the 1920s. The only other way without the factors is if the vehicle can fly like Mari's Storm Glider. Of course, Tricha can fly with her Torn Jet, but unfortunately maneuvering in the storm like that gives her motion sickness. Found that out when she first tried it. Girl ended up barfing the instant she got out of her jet. You see, the temporal energy within the storm gives off discharges when it moves around, the inner works becoming not that different to that of a large lightning storm. The temporal energy isn't as effective like the one you see in movies, but is as power as a lightning bolt that can interfere with a vehicle's travel. In other words, if you're not careful, then the storm will send straight back out.

While Tricha can't stomach it all, Mari, on the other hand, doesn't really have much of a problem. Yeah, out of the two of them, Mari is the only who can handle all that.

"Okay, guys! We're almost there!" I said to my team as we got closer to the storm. "Just a few more miles and the storm will be right front of us!"

"Uh…Axel?" Trustin asked with worry in his voice.

"Yeah, Trust?" I asked him.

"We got company." He answered.

I looked back to him and saw he was looking to the left of us. When I looked in that direction, I was surprised to see a red coupé car with three white stripes going down the middle of the body from the hood all the way down to the trunk. I had no doubt that the drive of that car saw Mari's Storm Glider and got curious about it. These are time I wish Mari's vehicle had a land camo like Tricha's.

"Oh, we can't deal with this today." I said as I then decided to go over to tell the driver of that car to stop before he accidentally followed us into the storm.

I drove up to the left side of the car and tapped on the window to tell the drive to roll it down so I could talk to them. When they did I saw the driver was a guy about my age with blonde hair wearing a white, short-sleeve t-shirt with red cuffs and collar and a big red star with a white silhouette of a flame in it on the chest.

"Hey, nice wheels!" the driver said to me with a smile. "Where'd you get them?"

"Dude, pull over!" I said to him.

"What? Why?" he asked me.

I managed to get a reason for him to stop when I saw what was in front of us. Anyone reasonable would stop and turn back around if they saw something like that.

"That's why!" I said as I pointed forward before I then drove back to my team.

With that, me and the gang then watched as the car then did a 360 stop a few miles away from the storm.

"Well, that takes care of that problem." I said before I then cracked the speed on my Fire Cycle. "Okay, guys! Follow me! Into the storm!"

With that, we all then cracked it up and drove straight into the storm. While Mari flew up the funnel through the center, the rest of us rode the sides of the funnel. Once we got underneath the storm, the wheels on our vehicles turned red, a sign that the Storm Friction was taking effect. Basar was definitely abuzz from that.

"Whoo! Got to love the Storm Friction!" he said as we all went up the storm.

"Okay, guys! Switch off camo mode and let's ride!" I said as me and the gang turned off the camo on our vehicles.

With this, our vehicles converted and changed color as they switched out of their camo forms. Mari's Storm Glider changed from black to white with yellow lineage, Tricha's Torn Jet changed from white to green, Basar's Rockwheeler changed from cyan to orange, Trustin's Ice Bike changed from apricot to violet and white, and Jay's Wave Rider changed from lemon yellow to blue. For my Fire Cycle, it went from black to red and gold and converted into its true dragon-style body with two green dragon eye style headlights that function as sensors and three gold dragon horns on the hood. With this, I removed the camo on my tail which I made with the metalbending ability on my own tail spikes and the chameleon ability they provided so I could blend in. A guy with a gold spiked, red dragon tail drags too much attention like Mari's jet. You think people would be able to notice the shadow, but, surprisingly, they don't. I did this for I would need it from when we would face either Vandals and/or Sark as no one else from Earth would see it and also because it felt more comfortable. I may not show it, but I really am uncomfortable with having my tail concealed like that. Feels more natural out of that camo. After all that, I then looked and saw the portal at the eye of the storm finally open, which meant only one thing.

"Guys, portal's open! Punch it!" I said as we all drove towards the portal.

After getting through the portal with Mari parking her Storm Glider in front of us, we all parked a yard away from the portal and looked around at the Battle Zone we were in. Looked like a fire-element Battle Zone with rock tracks over a pool of large pool of lava.

"A fire Battle Zone?" Jay said, surprised by this. "We just got out of the heat to get into more heat? Sometimes I think the multiverse hates."

"Well, it's not that bad." Basar said as he looked around. "Look at all this stone tracks. They'd perfect for racing."

"Hey, you're right." Trustin said where I knew those two would want to come back to have a little race.

Yeah, Trustin and Basar have this sort of rivalry to see who's the toughest guy around. They never pass down on any challenge that can prove it.

"Okay, enough sight-seeing." I said to the gang as I got ready to ride. "Let's just find the Battle Key and…huh?"

Before any of us could get moving, we heard something come through the portal and looked behind us and we all gasped in shock by what came through. It was that coupé car from before. We then watched as the guy got out of his car and looked around with confusion and shock while the rest of us looked with worry.

"Where in the world…" the guy said as he looked around at the Battle Zone scenery. "Uh…where in the universe am I?"

"Uh-oh." Trustin said, just as worried as the rest of us.

"Sir, calm down. Take a deep breath." I said to the driver as I got off my Fire Cycle and walked over to him. "I know this may seem crazy, but you got to listen to me."

"This can't be real." the guy said to himself as he laid on the side of his car. "You're dreaming this, Vert. just dreaming." He rubbed his eyes and only looked to see he was still in the Battle Zone. "No, it's real."

"Sir, listen to me. We don't have much time. I need to…" I then looked and saw the portal was beginning to close. "Go now! The portal's closing!"

"What?! Oh, no!" the guy said as he then got up and then jumped towards the portal. "No, wait! No!"

But, by the time he got there, it was already too late. The portal close before he got through it.

"Oh, great. Just great." I said in exasperation as I faced my team. "Now we're stuck with this hotshot."

"Send me back!" the guys said to me as he grabbed me by the shirt. "I need to get back there!"

"I can't." I told him.

"What do you mean you can't?" the guy said.

"I really mean I can't." I said to him. "Once the portal closes, there's no way back. Even it did open up again, there's no guarantee if it'll lead back to Earth."

"You better send me back there or I'll…" the guys said as he tighten his grip on my shirt with a threatening glare before Basar got a hold of his wrist after getting out of his Rockwheeler.

"Let him go." Basar said as he and the others got over to us with glares of their own.

After a moment, the guy sighed in defeat and let me down.

"I'm sorry." The guys said with depression and shame. "I just want to go home.

"It's alright. I understand. Just glad you didn't push me to the ground like the last guy who did it." I said to him after dusting myself off. "Though I got to ask, why did you follow us? You're supposed to drive away from something like that, not into it."

"Well, I saw you guys go into that strange storm and thought it might be fun." The guy said with smile.

"Never think before you leap, huh?" I asked him.

"I consider myself as more of a risk taker." The guy said. "Okay, now to answer my questions. Who are you guys? Where did you get those vehicles? And where are we?"

"Guys, show him." I said to my friends.

They all looked at me for my approval and I did. With that, each of them showed their powers, surprising the guy. After seeing that, my tail, and looking at our vehicles, he finally pieced it all together.

"Wait…you guys…are the Element Gang?" the guy asked us.

"Yep." Trustin answered him.

"Whoa!" the guys said, amazed by this. "That explains those sweet rides."

"Yeah, they were a gift from a personal friend of ours." I said to him.

"That's cool." The guy said. "So where are we?"

"Oh, this place?" I said to him, motion to the Battle Zone. "This is a Battle Zone."

"Battle what?"

"A Battle Zone." I said to him as I explained things. "A planet-like dimension, one of many known throughout the multiverse."

"Multiverse?" the guy asked. "So we're in another dimension?"

"Well, yes. But the Battle Zones are more of an intersection between inhabited dimensions like Earth. These places are used for combat, hence the name 'Battle Zone.' That storm you just went through was the only way here. Sometimes gateways to the Battle Zones open up to the inhabited dimension of the multiverse. It might be an amazing sight, but the Battle Zones are also dangerous. See why I wanted you to stop?"

"Yeah, I see that. But, if they're so dangerous, why are you here?"

"Because the Battle Zones aren't the only danger around here. There are other threats out there that put the Earth in danger and it's up to us to stop them."

"How long have you been doing that?"

"Couple of years. Listen if you want to get back home, then you're gonna have to help us find the Battle Key."

"Battle Key?"

"It's an artifact that can open up portals to different parts of the multiverse. Every Battle Zone haves one. It's the only way to get that portal open. So you in?"

After a moment, the guy gave a smile and said "Well, if it means getting out of here, then I guess I have no choice. Plus, it's not every day you get to help the Element Gang save the universe."

"Great! By the way, my name is Axel. These are my friends: my cousin Tricha, her boyfriend Basar, Mari, Trustin, and Jay." I said to him with a smile.

"Vert. Vert Wheeler." The guy said to me as he offered me a handshake. "Nice meet you guys."

"Nice to meet you too, Vert." I said to him as I shook his hand.

"Help!" a voice called out as me and Vert broke the handshake and we all then went over to the side of the bridge and looked to see someone running.

As we watched and looked carefully, we saw it was a girl, only it wasn't one from Earth. She was some sort of blue, robot-like being, but without the armor and a more humanoid frame. She then tripped and dropped something on the ground. When we looked to where she was running from, we saw why she was running. Right there behind her stood three Vandals, three me and the gang already got to recognize. We all spoke quietly to make sure they didn't hear us.

"Vandals." Jay said as he glared at them.

"You know them?" Vert asked.

"Yeah." I said to him. "They call themselves the Vandals, a group of savage conquers. They're one of the threats I was talking about. We know these Vandals very well. That shark goes by the name Sever. His wit isn't as sharp as his teeth. The crocodile is Krocomodo, second-in-command of the Vandals. And the roach right down there is Hatch. He's some kind of voodoo witch doctor in the group. The Vandals might be primitive, but they are pretty dangerous"

"But what are they doing to that girl down there?" Trustin asked.

"And what kind of girl is that?" Basar asked.

"I don't know." I answered them. "I've never seen anything like her." I then looked at the ground as Krocomodo picked up the one thing we were looking for. "Though I do see why they were chasing her. Look!"

When the guys looked where I was pointed, they all saw that croc was holding the Battle Key.

"The Battle Key!" Trustin said as he and the others realized why the Vandals were chasing her.

"So that's it, huh?" Vert asked as he saw it.

"Yeah. That girl must've found it before they did." I said. "But I wonder why she wanted it for?"

"Get your claws off, Krocomodo!" Sever said as we looked back and watched as he took the Key from his superior.

I heard the girl gasp as Krocomodo took the Key back before Hatch took it from him. The three of them went silence when a roar came through, a roar I knew anywhere. We then looked as the owner of that roar came in on his chariot, the armored lion roaring out to end the squabble. He parked in front of the three Vandals and walked out of it to approach them.

"Kalus!" I said as I glared at that lion.

"You know that furball?" Vert asked.

"All too well." I said to him as Hatch gave the Key to Kalus. "That's Captain Kalus, the warlord of the Vandals."

"Give me back the Key, Kalus!" the girl said after she got back on her and glared at the Vandal warlord.

"The Battle Key belongs to me!" Kalus said to her as he roared.

"Hey, Vert." I said to our new companion. "Ever done a rescue before?"

With that, he got the idea and we all moved to get to our vehicles so we could go down there, get the Key, and save that girl before Kalus turned her into his next prize. I was able to hear what was being said as we all got ready to drive.

"I will not allow you to destroy any more worlds." The girl said.

"You are the last of your kind." Kalus said to her. "You can do nothing to stop me."

"She might not be able to stop you!" I yelled out as me and the others drove towards the Vandals. "But we can!"

"The sub-creatures!" Kalus said as he glared at us.

Our appearance made the perfect distraction as I then watched the girl jump forward and take the Key from Kalus.

"Basar, Vert, cover me!" I said as I then drove to get the girl.

"You got it!" Basar said as he and Vert drove forward. "Ready for a little drifting, Vert?"

"Oh, yeah!" Vert said.

With that, the two of them did a drift turn and kicked up some dirt right at the Vandals, making the perfect smokescreen for me to get the girl.

"Get on!" I said to her as I grabbed her and got her behind me on the Fire Cycle.

With that, we all then drove out to get some distance from the Vandals, who were undoubtedly chasing us. When we got some distance from them, we decided to split up to take on the Vandals separately and they fell for it like always. Basar and Tricha took one road, Trustin and Mari took another, and Jay was just left on his own this time while I stuck by Vert. We all kept the comm link on for this one. Vert just rolled down his windshield so he could listen in.

"We must flee to the portal that brought you all here." The girl said to me as we drove.

"We're working on it." I said to her. "But first things first, who are you and why were the Vandals chasing you?"

"I am Sage, a Sentient." The girl said to me. "The Vandals were after me because they wanted possession of the Battle Key and the knowledge that I hold."

"What knowledge is that?" I asked.

"I fear that they might use it to bring harm to others." She answered.

"Well, then hold on tight!" I told her as I cranked the speed on my Fire Cycle. "This is gonna get rough!"

I looked behind us and saw that Kalus was right on our tail. He shot arrows at us, but I managed to dodge them. Vert on the other hand got some stuck in the trunk.

"Hey, I just had this thing painted!" vert said to Kalus.

Before that lion could do anything else, I drove off and rammed into the side of his chariot.

"Leave my friend alone, Kalus!" I said to him as he looked at me.

"This has nothing to concern you, sub creature." He said to me.

"It does concern me whenever I see your ugly mug." I said as I turned my right hand into a gold whip. "Try hurting him again or even lay a single paw on this Sentient here, you're gonna get a metal whip right to the fur patch!"

"You may have thwarted me before, little one," Kalus said to me, "but this time, the Vandals will be victorious!"

"Ha! Fat chance!" I said to him. "Me and the gang have been kicking your furry behind for years and not once have you gotten close to beating us! Besides, you're chances at even leaving a scratch on us has been left to none, seeing how you're Dark Gang bodyguards aren't around!"

"Oh, I think not. Kaze has added a little surprise just for you." Kalus said before he tossed some metal balls at my Fire Cycle. "Here. These were made just for you."

I was confused by this and even more when those balls somehow magnetized to my Fire Cycle. I then watched as part of the ball on the hood lifted up like some kind of visor and revealed a face. I realized it was a robot when it opened two big red eyes. I then watched in shock and horror as it opened its mouth, revealed a set of teeth made out of razor blades, took a chunk out of the hood, ate it, and started eating the rest. I looked around and saw it was the same as those robots began eating at the spots they were on.

"Aah!" I yelled as those things kept munching on the Fire Cycle's casing. "They're eating my Fire Cycle!"

With those little monsters eating my vehicle, I was having problems keeping it under control. I then tried to do my best to get them off before they bit into something important. While I did that, I managed to see Kalus shoot the large central spear on his chariot and impale the trunk of Vert's car. All the way, I could still hear what was being said.

"Now you're starting to make me mad!" Vert said before he floored on the gas and dragged that chariot so hard it launched Kalus out of it.

Seeing how his chariot no longer had a drive, I found a way to get rid of these metal pests.

"You want something to chew on?" I said as I grabbed the one in the front before I tossed it onto Kalus' chariot. "Well, bon appétit!"

I did it to the rest of them and drove up and cut the cable to the spear as me and Vert drove off, leaving the chariot as those bots' snack.

"So long, furball!" Vert said as the spear fell off the trunk.

"I've never seen Vandals in possession of such technology." Sage said, looking at the damage those bots did to my Fire Cycle.

"That's because it's not their tech." I said to her. "Looks like Kaze and the Dark Gang gave them an upgrade. Hope the others are okay."

I got the stories from the others from when they handled the rest of the Vandals. They didn't actually do so hot.

With Trustin and Mari, they were dealing with Hatch and he was trying to use the stinger on his car to impale Trustin.

"Uh, Mari?" Trustin said, using the comm to call for help. "Mind squashing this bug?"

"You got it, Trust." Mari said as she got the Storm Glider's weapons ready. "Say your prayers, roach boy!"

"Oh, I think not." Hatch said as he pushed a button on his car and the sting transformed into a cannon, shocking Mari. "Feel the sting of my Scarab!"

With that, the cannon fired. Mari tried to dodge it, but the cannon managed to his the left wing.

"Mayday! Mayday! I'm going down!" Mari said as her Storm Glider crashed into the ground.

"Mari!" Trustin said with worry before the back of his Ice Bike got impaled by the Scarab's stinger.

"I'd worry more about yourself than your friend, sub creature." Hatch said before he lifted Trustin up and tossed him away with the stinger, laughing as he did.

Trustin was depressed that he got his bike trashed by that bug, but he managed to land close to where the Storm Glider crashed.

"Mari!" Trustin said as he then went over to get Mari out of the trashed jet.

When he got her out, she had soot on her face and was unconscious.

"Mari, are you okay?" Trustin said as he tried to wake her up. "Please wake up!"

After a moment, Mari finally opened her eyes, looked up at Trustin, and said "Trust?"

Trustin sighed in relief that she was okay and the two hugged.

"Oh, my Storm Glider!" Mari groaned as she saw her completely wrecked jet.

"Well it did better than my Ice Bike." Trustin said as he motioned to the trashed back of his bike. He then used his wrist communicator and said "Basar, we're stranded and our vehicles aren't gonna be rideable anytime soon. Mind giving me and Mari a tow?"

"In a minute, Trust." Basar said over the comm. "I'm having a bit of trouble myself."

"What's the problem?" Trustin asked.

"It's Krocomodo." Basar said. "Seems like Kaze gave his ride an upgrade."

"Him too?" Trustin said, surprised by that. "Hatch shot Mari down with some kind of cannon on his car's stinger. What's he exactly does he have that's giving you trouble? I thought Tricha was with you."

"I still am." Tricha said. "Unfortunately, that croc clipped my Torn Jet, so I needed a tow too."

"Yeah, Kaze went British sci-fi on this one and gave Krocomodo never-ending saw cannon." Basar said as he drove to lose Krocomodo, the Rockwheeler with a damaged body case dragging the Torn Jet on one of its back cables and Tricha riding in the passenger seat. "He already tore through the Rockwheeler's casing."

"We'll that's better than what I'm getting." Jay said over the comm. "Sever has some new grapplers and is trying to turn my Wave Rider into a snack!"

With Jay, the grapplers he was talking about had already punctured through the casing of his Wave Rider and were starting to pull his bike closer to the rotor blades in Sever's car, the Vandal laughing as it happened. What those didn't realize that their little fishing game led them to be on the same track as Basar, Tricha, and Krocomodo.

"Jay, look to your right." Basar said after he and Tricha saw Jay and Sever pulling up.

Jay looked and saw them before Basar said "I think Krocomodo can help cut you lose."

With that, Jay got what he was planning and decided to hit the throttle on his Wave Rider and started moving towards Basar and Tricha as Basar drove closer to them and getting some distance from Krocomodo.

"End of the line for you, sub-creatures!" Krocomodo said as he fired some saw blades at them.

Before the even landed on the Rockwheeler, Jay came in and, right at that moment, used those blades to not only cut himself free, but get one of those blades on Sever's car. Only one of them hit the Rockwheeler and it was just on the roof. Another effect of this was that it caused the two Vandals to crash into each other, giving my teammates a chance to escape.

"Later, alligator!" Basar said as he and Jay drove off and away from those Vandals.

"Thanks for helping me back there." Jay said before he looked at the damage done to the Wave Rider. "Though I'm definitely gonna have long time on repairs."

"Same here." Basar said as they drove. "Krocomodo took out both the Rockwheeler and Torn Jet's weapons. Not to mention that it can't keep going for very long."

"Yeah, I don't think my Wave Rider has much mileage left from what Sever did to it." Jay said.

"Well, we'll worry about that later. Right now, we need to help Trustin and Mari. Hatch just stranded them." Basar said as they drove off towards Trustin and Mari.

When I checked in on the others, I found out that Basar, Tricha, and Jay got over there, attached the Ice Bike and the Storm Glider to the Rockwheeler, and drove off to meet up with me and Vert with Trustin and Mari riding in the back. When they finally met up with us, me and Vert were experiencing some difficulties of our own.

"Oh, great!" I said as the Fire Cycle experienced some backfires. "Those bots damaged the hydraulics while they were pigging out on the Fire Cycle. It won't be able to get to the portal unless I get some repairs."

"Yeah, my ride's not doing so hot either." Vert said after his car started experiencing its own backfires and rolled down his window to talk to me before he spoke to Sage. "Do you know a good garage we can do some repairs at?"

With this, Sage presses some kind of switch on her forearm and we all watch as a large, white vehicle that looked like a rover-class tanker and a tank combined and then upgraded by the future. All of us were surprised and amazed by it. Can't say that I didn't want to cry. It's was just so amazing. It had six huge wheels, four in the back and two in the front, and missile launchers on the sides of where I believed to be helm of it. We watched as it opened a hatch at the front and we all got into it. Seeing the inside of was even more amazing.

"Whoa!" I said as we all got out of our vehicles and were amazed by the place. "I've been to tons of Battle Zones, but never once encountered anything like this."

"Yeah, this is one sweet ride." Basar said.

"Sage, where are we?" I asked the Sentient.

"A Mobius Command Center." She answered me. "It functions as a mobile repair station, a storehouse of knowledge, as well as a power source for me."

"Why don't we ride this beast out of here?" Vert asked her.

"It is damaged beyond repair." Sage said as she move to stand in front of our vehicles. "Let us hope it has enough energy to perform one last function."

We then watched as she floated about a few feet off the ground before platforms formed beneath us and raised us up to about her level.

"Whoa! Hey, hey!" Vert said as the platforms we were on began floating. "What are you doing?"

I looked over and watched as a few holographic screens appeared in front of Sage and she placed her hands at the sides of the center of her chest and seven small triangular items popped out of there. Two were red, one was orange, one was yellow, one was green, one was blue, and one was violet.

"Sage, what are those?" I asked her as those items floated in front of her.

"These are self-contained power cells that contain blueprints to upgrade our vehicles." She said to us. "These devices will analyze you and customize the capabilities of your vehicles to your personalities."

"Okay, you lost me after 'analyze'." Basar said to her.

"She's saying that those power cells are gonna scan our personalities and then imprint them to the upgrade on our vehicles." I said, simplifying what Sage had said.

"If it means a free paint job, knock yourself out." Vert said to Sage.

"A personality scan with a vehicle to match?" Tricha said, getting excited by this. "Now that is wonderful to hear. A car just as fabulous as me."

"It is more than that." Sage said as she held up six of the seven power cells. "These power cells have been customized to your specification. In other terms, your powers."

"Wait, are you saying those power cells are for us?" Trustin asked. "Why? And does how could someone know about our powers do that?"

"It is because you six are the Element Gang." Sage answered, surprising us. "As such, it is essential for you to have the power to combat against any threat that wish to do harm to the multiverse."

"Wait, you know who we are?" I asked her.

"Of course. Amongst my people, the Element Gang have always been known throughout the multiverse. The secret of their true identities known only to us." Sage said as she explained. "There are even legends of how some managed to protect us in our times of need. Your appearance here in the multiverse cannot be a coincidence. In return for you and your ally's assistance in rescuing me, I shall give you the ability to combat against the foes you will meet."

"Sounds good to me." I said to her. "Where do we start?"

"I'll began with the six of you." Sage said. "Unfortunately, all other systems will need to shut down. Including the cloaking device."

"Then let's cross our fingers and hope the upgrades get complete before the Vandals get here." I said as Sage began the upgrades.

"Along with these upgrades, each of you will be assigned a role based on knowledge of your powers and your own personalities." Sage said, taking the yellow power cell first before speaking to Mari. "Mari, you hold the power of lightning and have a way of finding the light in the darkest of times. You will be the Element Gang's artillery expert."

With that, we then watched as she placed the chip on a hexagon on the screen. We then watched as manufacturing machine arms came down from the ceiling and began working on the Storm Glider. Though we all ended up being confused when it changed the body to look more like a car than a jet.

"Uh…Sage?" I asked as those arms got ready to place wheels upon it. "What exactly is that cell doing to Mari's jet?"

"The blueprints within the power cell have been customized to her personality and shows the designs of giving it the ability to change from an aerial form to a land form vehicle." Sage said, surprising us all.

"Wait, it's giving Mari's vehicle a land mode?" I said, realizing that Mari was gonna be able to drive like the rest of us before I looked to Tricha. "Looks like you're not gonna be the only one with a mode change, cuz."

While the upgrades were being down we watched as some tubes appeared around Mari from the ceiling and began shining some light on her. We watched as the light began changing her clothes into what appeared to be race track uniform-like suit. Those beams even morphed her communicator into her suit. On the left side of her chest, over her heart, was the Element Gang symbol.

"Whoa!" Mari said, amazed by her new look.

"A high-impact, g-force resistant battle suit." Sage said, explaining what she was wearing.

Though we were amazed by this, what confused us was what was on the shoulder pad of that suit. It was this strange symbol that looked like a circle with a lightning bolt going through it.

"Hey, Sage." Mari asked the Sentient. "What's with this weird mark on my shoulder?"

"That is the symbol for 'lightning'." Sage said to her. "It is in the language of my people."

"Cool." Mari said and we all looked to see that the upgrades were done.

We were all amazed by what her Storm Glider had become. It still had its colors, but was now in land mode in the form of a futuristic sports compact car. Mari squealed in excitement as she hopped over to her newly upgraded vehicle.

"To complete the upgrade, the bond with your machine, you must name the vehicle." Sage said to Mari.

"It's already got a name." Mari said before she struck a pose in front of her Storm Glider. "The Storm Glider."

"Tricha, with the power of air, always willing to sacrifice and give to help those in need, and great marksmanship skills, you will be the Element Gang's special operations officer." Sage said to my cousin as continued with the upgrades, taking the green power cell and placed it in the hexagon.

For each of these upgrades, we each got a battle suit similar to Mari's, each with an individual color and a different symbol on the shoulder. Tricha was now wearing a green battle suit with the symbol that looked similar to a wing which had to be Sentient for "air".

She struck a pose beside her Torn Jet and said "The Torn Jet!"

"Jay, with the power of water and kind heart to help others that need it along with your quick thinking, you will be the Element Gang's striker." Sage said to Jay as she took the blue power cell and placed it in the hexagon.

Jay wore a blue battle suit with a water-drop like symbol which had to be Sentient for "water".

"The Wave Rider!" Jay said as he stuck a pose beside his bike.

"Trustin, with the power of ice, strong faith in others, and incredible skill in stealth, you will be the Element Gang's scout." Sage said as she took the violet power cell and placed it in the hexagon.

"The Ice Bike!" Trustin said after he struck a pose beside his bike, the snowflake-like Sentient symbol for "ice" on his violet battle suit's shoulder.

"Basar, with the power of earth, your outstanding loyalty, and excellent combat skills, you will be the Element Gang's combatant." Sage said as she took the orange power cell and placed it in the hexagon.

Basar, with the shield-like Sentient symbol for "earth" on the shoulder of his battle suit, struck a fighter pose beside his vehicle and said "The Rockwheeler!"

"And you, Axel, with the power of fire, great knowledge in strategy, and displaying qualities of bravery and fearlessness, you will be the Element Gang's leader." Sage said as she placed the red power cell in the hexagon.

With the upgrades done, my Fire Cycle looking brand new and me with my new red battle suit and the flame-like Sentient symbol for "fire" on the shoulder along with my new high tech red specs, I stuck a pose with my arms crossed beside my vehicle and said "The Fire Cycle."

"And now for you." Sage said to Vert as she took the other red power cell and placed it in a pentagon on the holoscreen.

He got a red battle suit and specs like mine, but the suit had a V-shaped symbol on the shoulder and there wasn't an Element Gang symbol on the chest like the rest of ours, but a pentagon with the number five on it, which confused Vert. His confusion was put to a halt when the upgrade to his car was done. With this upgrade, his coupé car got turned into a red, thin body, large wheeled supercar, the body looking like the blade of a sword. It also had 3 small wings on its sides and spikes on the side of the rear wheels.

"Ah! Cooler!" Vert said, gazing in amazing at his new car.

"So what are you gonna call it, Vert?" I asked him as he placed his hands on the hood.

"The Saber." He said, which made the perfect name for the vehicle.

We then heard an alarm and I asked "What is it?"

"Kalus and his Vandals are near." Sage said as she then came back down with the Key in her hand. "The Key will signal you when you get close to the portal."

She then placed it near my Fire Cycle and the Key somehow magnetized to the hood. That actually surprised us.

"What the…?" I said as I spoke to her. "How did you do that?"

"Your vehicles have been upgrade with magnetic cables that will allow you to seize and carry the Battle Keys along your vehicles." Sage said to us.

"Oh. That's handy." I said before I turned to the others. "Sage, can you be able to come with us? You'd be safer with us back on Earth."

"I can, but I need to travel in hibernation mode to conserve energy." Sage said as her body glowed in a bright blue light.

When the light faded I saw she transformed into a pentagonal cube and caught her.

"She's an energy form being." I said as we were all amazed by this. "Fascinating."

"Cool." Vert said. "Alien to go."

"Vert, take Sage. Keep her safe." I said to him as I gave Sage to him before speaking to the whole group. "Okay, guys. You know the drill. Head to the portal, get back to Earth, and close the portal before the Vandals have a chance to get through." We all then got on our vehicles and got ready to ride. "Element Gang, rev up and roll out!"

With that said, we all left the Mobius Command Center and headed off to get to the portal. After getting some distance, we heard a horn and looked to the left to see Kalus following us on a nearby track with Hatch right behind him. I saw that his chariot got chomped by those bots, but it wasn't so damaged that it lost any speed. He fired arrows at us, but we dodged them.

Kalus laughed a little before he said "Hatch, move in!"

With that, Hatch drove over and got on the track we were on and tailed us.

"Feel the sting of my Scarab!" Hatch said as he got that stinger ready to stab us.

Because we were still trying to figure out how the new upgrades worked, we weren't sure how we were gonna fight back. While that bug tried to stab us, I overheard an explosion, no doubt the Mobius Command Center. Sage had no doubt set it to self-destruct so the Vandals couldn't salvage its tech. At one point of Hatch's stabbing, Vert used a rock as a ramp and did a full on flip. The Saber's cockpit even switch to be underneath it. The girls jumped the rock too and switch their vehicles into flight mode. While Hatch stared at them, me and the guys looked forward and saw a rock wall up ahead and pulled back so we didn't ram into it. When Hatch finally looked, we all watch as he crashed into it.

"So long, roach boy." I said to Hatch as me and the guys drove off and rejoined Vert and the girls.

As we drove down the track, Kalus caught up to us and was soon right beside us.

"Do you think you can insult me and get away with it?" Kalus said to us. "This ends now!"

He then began driving into Vert, trying to push him into the lava. With all that, I couldn't really get passed them. I knew it was a long shot, but I tried to figure out how to use the upgrade on my Fire Cycle. I managed to find an analyzer on my specs and used them to scan the Fire Cycle. With this, I found out it could create an energy blade and decided to activate the weapon. With this, blue energy came from the horns on the Fire Cycle, formed a triangular formation at the tips and then spread to the front of the hood to form a curved, blue energy blade. With this, I saw how I could help. So I drove up and rammed Kalus from behind, pinning him as he turned around and growled at me. I then watched activated the weapon systems on the Saber and its front transformed into an array of powerful blades with buzz saws and a chainsaw. When I saw him drive towards Kalus, I pulled back and watched as Vert sent that overgrown cat spinning. I then decided to take my turn and rammed into the side of his chariot, pick him up, do a spin, and toss him away. Can't say I didn't enjoy that. I rejoined my team and took the lead as Vert switch off the weapon system on the Saber and I did the same.

"Okay, guys! Here we go!" I said as I then sent the Battle Key forward to where the portal was and opened it back up.

After getting through, I then went back and closed the portal before Kalus could get through. With closing portals, all you have to do is put your hand put towards the portal and the Key comes to you, closing it.

"We made it! Whoo-hoo-hoo-hoo!" Vert cheered as we all got out of our vehicles. "We did it! So long, Vandals!"

"That was awesome!" Basar said as we did a group huddle.

"We showed those guys!" Trustin said.

"It was a group effort. We took all of us to get the job done." I said to the team before speaking to Vert. "You did great out there, Vert. Not bad for your first try."

"Thanks. Glad I could help." Vert said to me.

"Hey, Axel," Jay said as we all looked to him. "How did you and Vert figure out those weapons on your vehicles?"

"Oh, I figured mine out thanks to these specs." I said, pointing to my specs. "Looks like these were adjusted to analyze anything they see and diagnose their functions. These things just showed me the upgrade to my Fire Cycle."

"Same here." Vert said as he spoke to the others. "Hey, maybe you guys got something like that in your rides too."

"Well, whatever they are, we'll find out what they are, together." I said to my team. "All seven of us."

"Seven?" Vert asked, confused by this.

"Yes, seven." I said to him. "We all saw how you were able to handle yourself out there. Not many people can say they faced the Vandals and survived or knock Kalus out of his chariot. You obviously show that you got the making of a true warrior. The Saber is proof of that. We need people like you out there in the field. As you saw, our enemies are getting stronger, so we need all the help we can get." I then offered him my hand for a shake. "What do you say? Want to help us save the multiverse?"

I took a moment of thinking, but Vert then said "Well, this beats having to drive through the salt flats and arguing with a cop." He then smiled and shook my hand. "Alright. I'll team up with you guys."

"Great." I said after we broke the shake and we all smiled at him. "Vert Wheeler, welcome to the Element Gang."

"Welcome Noogie Patrol!" Basar said as he got Vert in a headlock and began noogying him, Vert laughing as he did and me and the others joined him.

This moment was cut short when we saw Sage reform, groan in pain, and feel to her hands and knees on the ground, her body glitching. Basar broke the head as we all got worried for her.

"Sage!" I said as we all went over to her. "Sage, are you okay?"

"Each time I go through a Stormshock, it weakens me, erases part of my memory." Sage said to us. "I have traveled far. Perhaps too far. I…must…hibernate."

With that, she then transformed back into that cube and I caught her.

"She's got to teach me that trick." Vert said with a look of curiosity.

"Vert!" I said, glaring at him. "Didn't you hear her? The portal weakened her. Which means she took a risk at her own life to travel to Earth with us. We need to get her somewhere safe until she's back to full strength. Know anywhere we can go?"

"There's the parking garage I own around here." Vert said to me. "Hardly anyone goes there."

"Then that's where will head for." I said to him. "Hope you don't mind us crashing there for a while."

"Don't worry, I have plenty of space." Vert said. "We are a team now, so spend as much time as you like."

"Thanks, Vert." I said to him before speaking to the rest of our team. "Element Gang, roll out!"

With that, we all got back to our vehicles and followed Vert to the garage. As we drove, I thought about what Sage had said about what the Stormshock did to her. That she loses a part of her memory whenever she goes through. I wonder how much memory she lost traveling through the Battle Zones. It had to been a while of traveling if she knew Kalus.

After getting settled in the garage, we all began our training to master our vehicles. Luckily there was a race track for us to practice on. Me and Vert found out that the Saber and the Fire Cycle had swords onboard, Mari found out her Storm Glider had all new electro-cannons for both the flight mode and land mode with the cannons coming out of the hood of the land mode form, Tricha's Torn Jet had a new sonic air cannon, Basar's Rockwheeler climber mode had new spiked claws and saw blades for the wheels, Trustin's Ice Bike had a new hover mode that he can use to freeze the ground beneath it, turning it into an icy surface, and Jay got an all new hydro-cannon on his Wave Rider that packs a punch. Left a dent in the garage wall when he accidently fired on it.

It had been weeks since Vert joined the team and we all mastered our vehicles and, within those weeks, Sage had recovered and had been working on something in the garage. When we got there, we had a power surge and the lights went off.

"Sage?" I said as we all looked to where the Sentient was. "Sage!"

"I am in the lower level." Sage said, which confused us.

"Um, we don't have a lower level." Vert said.

"You do now." Sage said and we all looked and saw an elevator.

We took it and were amazed by what we saw. It turned out that Sage had built us a whole new base underneath the garage.

"So this is what you were working on. A new underground base." I said to Sage as we walked over to her and the center of the base's main floor. "How did you make all of this?"

"With Sentient face nanotech." Sage said as a new structure formed right behind her.

"Amazing." I said.

"Creating this was simple compared to creating the multiverse." Sage said, surprising the seven of us.

"Your people created the multiverse and all the Battle Zones?" I asked her.

"Yes." Sage said as she then brought of a new screen showing different images. "But everything we have created is under attack."

"Let me guess: by the Sark and Vandals." I said, me and the gang already knowing what she was talking about.

"Yes." Sage said as she continued. "The Sark and Vandals destroyed my home world, each taking one of the twin planets."

"I'm sorry that happened to you." I said to her, feeling sorry that she had to lose her home like that.

"It does sadden me, but I'm glad to have met you all." She said to me.

"We're glad we met you too, Sage. I'll take things from here. Me and the gang already have experience dealing with the Vandals and Sark." I said as I began explaining the situation to Vert as he was still knew to this, the screen behind me showing the images of the Vandals and the Sark. "The Vandals and Sark are two major groups of conquerors in the multiverse, each settling in a world they control. The Vandals are a tribal dictatorship led by Kalus and the Sark are cold, calculating, and deadly robots led by their master Zemerik. For as long as we've known them, the Sark and Vandals have always been at war with each other, taking control of other worlds and making them their personal territory, leaving only destruction in their wake. It's only a matter of time before their war spreads to Earth." After detailing that, the screen faded away as I continued to speak. "That's where we come in. As this world's protectors, it's up to us to fight against the Sark and Vandals and end the war once and for all. Which means we're all in this together. We'll do anything to ensure the safety of our home, no matter the consequences. You understand the responsibility you're taking, Vert? Once you take it, there's no turning back."

"Yeah, I got it." Vert said to me. "Don't worry. Those guys aren't getting anywhere near Earth on my watch."

"Good." I said before I turned to Sage. "Sage, I know I can't do anything to change the past, but I promise you I'll get you your home back."

"I am grateful to you, Axel." Sage said to me before speaking to all seven of us. "You're all formidable warriors, but you all need help in order to succeed. Which is why I have contacted the rest of your team."

"The rest of our team?" I said to her as we were all shocked by this. "You're bringing civilians into this? What for? There's already seven of us."

"I understand your concern, but this is the only way for you to face the Vandals and Sark." She said as she explained. "The legends told of the Element Gang before you fighting for my people along with five other warriors who fought alongside them. The individuals I have contacted will be part of a separate team that will work alongside you as you travel to the Battle Zones."

"A group of allies helping the Element Gang." I said before I realized it. "You're creating a faction of allies to help us, like in those legends."

"That is correct." She said.

"Is Vert one of them?" I asked her.

"Oh, whoa! Hold on!" Vert said to me. "What makes you think I'm a part of this team of sidekicks?"

"It's a faction of allies, Vert. we're all equals here in the Element Gang." I said to him. "There were only six power cells customized to me and the others. Yours is the one that wasn't. Plus your suit haves different markings than ours. It obvious your part of the faction."

"If I wasn't part of this team, I would've said I worked alone." Vert said, not liking the idea of being part of the faction.

"Vert, the fist is made up of five fingers." Sage said to him. "Just as the Saber is one of the five forces required to assist you and the Element Gang save your world."

"She's right, Vert." I said to him. "We need all the help we can get if we're ever gonna beat the Sark and Vandals. And I'm not just agreeing because it's a way to follow my ancestors' footsteps. We don't know what kind of advances our foes have gotten, so we need to be prepared for those."

Speaking of which, what exactly was with those Vandals?" Vert said to me. "I thought you told me those guys were too stupid to make something like that."

"They might, but Kaze isn't." I said as I began to explain.

"Who's Kaze?" Vert asked.

"Kaze Shutzman, one of our greatest foes from our past. You might also know him by another name: Dargon." I told him.

"Wait, Dargon?" Vert asked. "As in leader of the Dark Gang? What's he doing working with the Vandals?"

"It's a long story." I said as I began to explain what the connection to Kaze and the Vandals was. "Years ago, a Stormshock appeared and sucked the six of them into it. We believe that whatever Battle Zone they were in, they ended up encountering the Vandals. The two made an alliance and began working together to conquer the multiverse, becoming a bigger threat than the Sark. When he tried to get to Earth, he managed to gather those that remained of the Shadow Warrior armies of the past, the descendants of those warriors who were loyal to the Dark Gang. Though we managed to defeat them, it didn't stop them or the Vandals from trying to get back. They sent in a man named Specter who was born with a rare fire elemental power and someone who tricked me into get him the Battle Keys we collected. Luckily, we were able to trick him into taking a fake that reveal his intentions of taking all the Battle Keys and taking control of the multiverse by himself. That led him to become rogue with five other followers, those who abandoned the Dark Gang to follow Specter. Within this, it wasn't long until Specter aligned himself with Zemerik, him and his followers becoming the new members of the Sark. Even though this even the scale between them and the Vandals, it still creates a problem for us. Because these guys are from Earth, both the Vandals and Sark can adapt and develop new strategies. After our last encounter with the Vandals, it's obvious we need help in order to beat them. This will only be until after we save the Earth. Can you just try and get along with them until then?"

"Fine." Vert said in defeat.

"Good." I said to him. "Come on, we haven't even met them yet. How ad could they be?"

"Hey, Sage." Trustin said to the Sentient. "You practically know everything about the multiverse, right? Mind telling us how Axel is able to sense Stormshocks?"

"For the time being, no." Sage said to him. "While it is quite the extraordinary phenomena, I'm sorry to say that not even I have come to answer for his sensitivity to Stormshocks."

At that moment, me and Sage sensed a Stormshock and our eyes glowed blue at the same time.

"I sense a Stormshock opening." Sage said after our eyes stormed glowing.

"I sensed it too." I said to her. "We're on it. Vert, Basar, Trustin, and I will head to the Battle Zone. The rest of you stay here and meet up with our new recruits. Guys, let's rev up and roll out!"

With that, me, Basar, Vert, and Trustin got our battle suits on and then drove off to catch the Stormshock.

"Remember, once you enter the Battle Zone, you must secure the Battle Key, return to Earth, and lock the portal behind you." Sage told us over the comm.

"Got it, Sage." I said as we then drove out into the salt flats and head straight for the Stormshock.

When we got through the portal, we saw that we were in some kind ruin city-based Battle Zone with two moons in the sky. After getting through, we looked as another portal opened up and some Sark came through. They didn't notice us and just drove off.

"It's the Sark." I said as we watched them drive off.

"Oh, man. Wait till they get a taste of my Rockwheeler's upgrade." Basar said, excited to fight those tin cans.

"Let the battle begin!" Vert said as we all then drove off to fight the Sark.

There were five them. I could tell by the cars that these were Zurk, just simple drones that work for Zemerik.

"Okay, Vert." I said to our rookie, using the comm. "Looks like you got an easy day for your first Sark battle. Those guys up ahead are Zurk, mindless drones who's own purpose is to follow Zemerik's orders. So they aren't known for figuring things out. Think you can handle them?"

"Just watch a master at work." Vert said as he drove towards two of them.

He got in between them and the Zurk saw him and tried a pinch maneuver on him. While he did that, me and the guys took on the rest. Basar toyed with the Zurk he got, making it try to knock him away, before he used the Rockwheeler's claws to grab it and smash it. Trustin did the same and actually tricked it into getting under the Ice Bike while it was in hover mode, freezing the bot and causing it to crash into a support beam of one of the bridges above us. With me, I just did a simple hook from the back with the energy blade and sent that Zurk flying off the road with a 360 toss. With Vert, we all managed to see him use the Saber's blades to cut and wreck one of the Zurk he was dealing with. With the way it looked, I'd say he pulled back to get out of the pinch, got the Saber's blades out, and rammed right into the Zurk. After that, he pushed the Zurk to where it hit a large rock and started flipping around until it hit the support of a nearby bridge. With that, we all regrouped and put our weapons away.

"Not bad." I said to Vert.

"Was there any doubt?" Vert said, undoubtedly smugly before speaking in amazement about the Saber. "Man, I love how this baby shreds!"

"Yeah, that shreds through Sark like there's no tomorrow." Trustin said, just as amazed as Vert.

"We can complement Vert's ride later." I said to the guys over the comm. "Let's just find that Key before the Sark do."

"Battle Key, 12'o'clock!" Basar said after we made a turn and saw the Battle Key right in front of us.

"Want to do the honors, Vert?" I said as I moved over to let Vert take the lead.

"Do mind if I do." Vert said as he drove ahead of me and then got the Key. "Got it!"

"Great!" I said as we all gathered around Vert. "Now let's shut this Battle Zone down and head home."

With that, the four of us then began to head back to the Earth portal. Though we weren't even able to get halfway there until we saw a Zurk blockade right ahead.

"Oh, great!" I said as we all stopped before those Zurk saw us. "That's too many Zurk for us to fight. Better lay low and wait until they leave."

With that we all went off to hide in some of the wreckage of an old bridge. After we did that, we all looked and saw a familiar steel blue, red-eyed mug rip the head of a wrecked Zurk and began examining it. The Zurk he was examining was no doubt one of the Zurk me and the guys wrecked just now.

"Zemerik." I said as we all glared at the Sark leader.

"And looks like he brought Zug with him." Basar said as we all saw he was right as that muscle head bot walked up to his master.

"Zug?" Vert asked as we remembered he was still new to this.

"Second-in-command of the Sark and Zemerik's personal bodyguard." I said as I explained things to our rookie. "Not the brightest tool in the shed, but that wit of his is matched only by his loyalty to Zemerik."

"Think we can take him?" Vert asked me.

"Probably." I answered him. "Our chances are high as long as he didn't come with…"

"Uh, guys?" Trustin said as we all looked him, him pointing nervously towards Zemerik and Zug.

We all looked and saw the only people I knew were gonna decrease our chances of getting pass the Sark as I saw the leader of those six with a blue flaming head and all. With these six, they were all given Sark armor that were designed for their specific roles based off their skills.

"Specter!" I said with a little worry.

"And the rest of Terror-kinetics!" Basar said, just as worried as we were.

"So that's Specter, huh?" Vert said to me as he looked at Specter. "Thought you said he was from Earth."

"He is. All six of them are." I said to him. "But when they aligned themselves with Zemerik, he mechanized them with Sark upgrades that make them a match for the entire Element Gang."

"You beat them before, right?" Vert asked.

"Yeah, but it takes the whole team just to beat them. Each one had been given upgrades designed to counter each of us." I said.

"Yeah, separately they're strong, but put them all together and they can take down just one of us for good." Basar said. "It would've been easier if it was just Zemerik and Zug or just the Terror-kinetics. But all of them together along with all the Zurk will be too much for us."

"Now chances of us making out of here with the Key is now down to 50/50." I said.

"Still better than none, right?" Vert asked.

With our position, we were able to hear what was being said over there.

"The damage to these Zurk are still fresh." Arachna said after she examined the Zurk wreckage. "The cause of it has left the Battle Zone yet. Judging by the damage, I say the Element Gang have already arrived."

"Which means they might have the Battle Key." Specter said before he spoke to Zemerik. "Don't worry, master. My Terror-kinetics and I will retrieve the Battle Key."

"Wait, something is different." Arachna said as she examined some damage casing of a Sark vehicle. "Three of them have damage similar to the effect of an Element Gang attack, but this one has received damage from…an unknown assailant."

With that, we were all shocked as she found out that we had Vert along with us. I really hate those perceptive eyes of hers.

"Can you tell how many there were?" Specter asked her.

"The ice dictates that the ice elemental was here." Arachna said as she motioned to the fragments of ice on the ground, before she began examining the road. "And the tracks indicate only four vehicles. I have identified three drivers as the fire, earth, and ice elementals. The fourth set belongs to vehicle of unknown origin."

"Only three of them?" Specter said. "It would appear that the Element Gang have found themselves to join their cause."

"Those vile organics…" Zemerik growled as his minions look to him. "No matter. They shall be dealt with soon enough."

"What are my orders, my lord?" Zug asked his master.

"I want you and the Terror-kinetics to find the organics, neutralize them, and bring me the Battle Key." Zemerik said to Zug.

"Yes, Lord Zemerik." Zug said as he bowed in compliance.

"Is that understood, Specter?" Zemerik said to the Terror-kinetic leader.

"It shall be done, my lord." Specter said as he did the same.

"Maybe Sage was right." Vert said as he got worried too. "Some more help would've been good right about now.

"Hope the others are doing better than we are with the recruits." I said, wondering how the rest of our team was doing.

[Earth]

Jay's view

Back here on Earth, me and the girls sat there at the coordinates Sage gave us, waiting for the recruits to get here. We were wearing our regular clothes so we didn't drag attention to ourselves. While I was just lying about on my Wave Rider, the girls decided to pass the time by painting their nails, both finger and toes. We had been waiting out there for hours and haven't seen a single bit of them. Sage said she had made some calls to give them rides, but we haven't even seen them. Right there, I would rather be stuck in a dog pile of Zurk than waiting out here in the sun.

"Oh, come on!" I yelled out with no patience left in my body, scaring the girls. "We've been waiting out here for hours and haven't seen a single one car. Where are those rookies?"

"Geez, calm down, Jay." Mari said to me. "Sage didn't when they would get here."

"I still don't understand why she told them to meet us here." I said to her. "Couldn't we have waited for them back at the garage?"

"Jay, you know that Sage is just taking precaution for all our safety." Tricha said to me. "Having them meet us at that garage would drag too much attention to us, especially when it is the location of our base. Just try and wait a little longer."

After seeing there was no point in fighting that woman as I knew I wouldn't win against Axel's cousin, I sighed and said "Fine."

But, just after 3 minutes, we all heard some engines revving and looked to see three black limos drive over and pull over to us.

"Oh, finally!" I said as the rookies finally got here.

We watched as the first door opened, but we were shocked to see who stepped out in a green jacket with a red shirt underneath, a tribal necklace, black pants, and that stupid necklace Axel gave her before she left. I thought working with Axel was bad enough, now I find out his African girlfriend is joining us. She was confused by this. I bet all of these guys were. Sage did tell them all lies just to get them to come here. Though when she looked at us, she actually smiled. While the girls were excited to see her, I, on the other, was just down right disappointed for this. We all looked and saw the next rookie step out, this time an unfamiliar face. He looked like a Chinese guy with black hair wearing a red bandana and a yellow short-sleeve shirt with some weird star symbol on the left sleeve and a regular red shirt. The two began walking over to us as the last limo unloaded. This one actually had both of the last recruits in it. One was big, strong guy with combed black hair and the other was this string bean guy with spikey black hair. The big guy was wearing a short-sleeve white shirt with this blue fan-like symbol on the left sleeve and the other was wearing this blue button-up shirt.

"This is not a video game convention." The string bean said as he got a look around.

"No, it isn't." I said to him after I straightened up and walked over to speak to the limo driver. "Thank you, boys. We'll take it from here."

With that, we all watched as the limos closed their doors and then drove off for us to take care of things with the recruits.

"Uh, no, no! Wait! Come back!" the string bean said as he tried to get the limo drivers to turn around. "You dropped us off in—ah-hoh!"

"Sorry, those guys aren't coming back." I said to him. "They had one job: dropping you off here."

"Agura!" Tricha and Mari said as they hugged Agura and she hugged them.

"Though I wish one of them would take her back." I said, pointing to Agura with my thumb and not wanting her to be here.

"It's good to see you too, Jay." Agura said to me with sarcasm.

"Wait, you two know each other?" The string bean asked me.

"Yeah. We're classmates in high school while she was dating a certain friend of ours." I said.

"It's been ages since we've seen you, darling." Tricha said to Agura as the three of them broke the hug.

"Yeah, how you've been?" Mari asked her.

"I've been great." Agura said to them. "Though I'm kinda confused right now."

"I'm confused by this too." I said to her.

"I'm not gonna get Wi-Fi out here." The big guy said.

"Hey, big guy!" I said as I walked over to him. "What's up with you sharing a limo with the string bean there?"

"Hey!" the string bean said as he heard what I said.

"Oh, that's my older brother Spinner." The big guy said, shocking me.

"Wait, you're the little brother?" I asked, still surprised that this guy was younger than the string bean ʹcause it looked like it was the other way around.

"Well, we're actually fraternal twin brothers and he was born first." He answered me.

"Oh." I said, getting the jest of this.

"I was going with him to see the video game convention we were told about." The big guy said. "I'm Sherman by the way."

"Name's Jay. Nice to meet ya." I said, not really caring about this and getting the jest of it before I looked to Agura. "I know what brought the twins here, but what got you here, Agura?"

"I was told there was an off-road race." She answered me.

"Should've known." I said before I spoke to the Chinese guy. "And you?"

"Um…the world's mixed-martial arts championship." The guy said to me before doing some kung fu moves and doing that freeze chop at the face thing at Spinner.

"Sorry, guys." I said to our four rookies. "But this isn't a kung fu tournament, an off-road race, or a gaming convention."

"Is this a scam?" Spinner asked.

"Let me guess: need some help again like last time?" Agura asked me.

"Yes, and that was one time and you know it, Ibaden!" I said to her. "Never mind. We got all four, so now we just…huh?"

We all looked and saw that there was another limo driving in and moving pretty fast.

"Oh, what now?" I said as it seemed like I was getting much of a break today.

We then watched as the limo did a hard turn and launched its rider right out of it along with a sliver and purple boom box. With that, the limo just drove off in an instant.

"Ow!" I said as that boom box hit me in the face and sent me to the ground. "Seriously?"

"Oy! Now that's just plain rude!" the passenger said in an accent I actually knew.

"Wait! I know that accent anywhere!" I said as I got up and looked to see a redhead with a mohawk I haven't seen in a while wearing a black jacket with a purple shirt underneath. "Stan…"

"Stanfy!" Mari said as she ran over to her.

"Mari!" Stanford said as he caught her in a hug, the girl nuzzling him joyfully. "I guess it is a party with you around."

"Oh, Stanfy, I missed you sooooo much!" Mari said as she continued to nuzzle him.

"Didn't think I'd see you here, Stanford." Agura said as Stanford looked up and saw her and me.

"Agura? Jay?" Stanford said as he saw us and then saw Tricha. "Tricha? What are you all doing here?"

"Same reason for all them to be here." Tricha said as she motioned to the twins and the kung fu guy. "But what exactly got you to come here?"

"Well, like I told you lot, I've become a DJ and I was told I was needed for a party." Stanford said. "Though I must say this is the strangest place to have a party."

"Well, that explains why this thing hit me in the face." I said as I held up the boom box.

"Oh, sorry about that." Stanford said as he took it.

"No problem." I said before I realized it. "Wait a minute." I then did a head count of all who showed up. These guys make five and, with Vert, that made a total of six. "That's six. Why are there six? I thought there supposed to five of them."

"Jay, what are you talking about?" Agura asked me.

"That I can't explain." I said to her. "We're gonna have to wait for when Axel and the others to get back."

"Axel? Where is he?" Agura asked, wondering where her boyfriend was.

"Your boyfriend's at work." I said to her. "He told me and the girls to stay and wait for you guys. Now that we're all here, we just have to wait for him and the guys to get back here. He'll tell you the whole story."

"Well, while we're waiting…" Stanford said as he put down his boom box and turned it on, playing what I had to guess was a mix he prepared for the party. "Let's get our own little party going, shall we?"

With that, I then watched as he and Mari began dancing while the rest of us just watched them.

[In the Battle Zone]

Back with us, we were still in hiding, trying to figure out a way to avoid being detected by the Sark.

"Some backup would be nice right now." Vert said. "Someone to do a little recon, someone with ranged attacks, someone with a little muscle."

"Yeah, a little more muscle would be good right now." Basar said. "I hate to say this, but, even with my strength and the Rockwheeler there's no way I can get take on Zug and Vetto by myself."

"Same here." Trustin said. "I can handle Mars pretty easy, but I'll never be able to make it with Fana and Arachna firing at me."

"Would you guys be quiet?" I said as I began using my specs to see if I could find a way out of this situation. "They'll hear us. I know that we're outmatched here, but we can't call any backup right now. We're gonna have to improvise and try to avoid them this time."

It was going great until Arachna said "Lord Zemerik, I'm detecting something."

"Can you identify it?" Zemerik asked her.

We all looked and saw they were looking straight at us.

"Four organics: three identified as the fire, earth, and ice Element Gang elementals, one unknown." Arachna said as she was no doubt analyzing us right before she yelled out "They have the Key!"

With that, all the Sark turned and looked directly at us.

"Uh-oh!" trustin said.

"So much for avoiding them." Basar said.

"Vert, remember when I saw this was 50/50?" I said to our rookie. "Well, now those chances of getting out of here are looking very slim."

"Stop the organics!" Zemerik said.

With that, two Zurk came at us, but, when those two got close enough, Vert put out the Saber's blades and sent them flying.

"Element Gang, rev up and roll out!" I said as the four then drove off and starting to the portal.

We managed to get to the bridge where the portal was as Vert put the blades away, but he ended up getting Zug on the hood.

"Zug will smash will smash it!" Zug said as he got ready to smash through the canopy until Vert opened it up and caused the windshield to push Zug clear off a windshield wiper to a bug. That drill head ended up rolling all the way back down.

"See ya later, bolt brains!" I said to Zug as we kept on driving.

Though we made it to the portal, but some Zurk decided to hit a ride on the Saber. So we ended up dragging them with us.

[Earth]

Jay's view

With us, we were still waiting for Axel and the guys to get back and Stanford and Mari tried to get the rest of us to dance. We were waiting for so long that it was already night. Stanford got out some light sticks and he and Mari went dancing with them to "keep the party going."

It wasn't long until we saw a portal open and Axel and the guys came through. We all moved out of the way as they drove by and we saw they also brought some extra company that Vert tossed off. The four came right at us and then…

Axel: Okay, Jay. That's enough.

I can take it from here.

Jay: Oh, come on, Axel.

Axel: Nope, I know you're just gonna make it look like you did all the work.

I'm going to say what really happened.

Now sit back and let me tell this.

Jay: (Annoyed) Fine.

Axel: (Clears throat) Ah-heh.

Okay, so anyway…

After getting through the portal and stopping about a yard away from the group with Vert knocking those Zurk off the Saber, we got out of our vehicles and ran over to group as those bots chased us.

"Hey, who wants to help us destroy a pack of killer robots?" I said as we ran over to the group. "Show of hands?"

With that, me, Basar, and Trustin got busy dealing with the Zurk that went after us with Jay and the girls joining in. While that happened, Vert got tackled by one of the Zurk. We would've help but had our hands tied with these Zurk. After trying to melt the one I was facing, I found out that this one was made with Vengestone-embedded armor. Vengestone was the only thing that was stronger than me and the gang's elemental powers. We all found out the ones we were facing all had it. Guess Specter and Zemerik managed to find some and upgrade their forces with it. Which meant that the Sark were now immune to our powers. With this discovery, we all decided to go old school with this. I then watched as one of the members of the group who I knew was one of the new recruits came flying in, kicked a Zurk in the face, and began fighting with it. Vert tried to head-butt the Zurk that was on him before he realized that it was a robot that wouldn't feel that.

"Hey, metal head!" said a British voice I knew anywhere, the one who owned it holding a boom box in swinging position. "You went to slam-dancing?"

With that, he slammed the Zurk twice in head with the boom box, which just wrecked the boom box. The Zurk got up and grabbed him by the shirt, but the big guy that was in the group rammed right into it, sending the Zurk flying.

"Hey, bro, throw me!" a skinny guy said to the big guy as he jumped at him.

The big guy caught him and spin-threw him right at the Zurk with him landing on it and knocking it down.

"Bull's-eye!" the guy said after he landed on it.

We managed to dismantle most of the Zurk, all but one which was right behind me. I was gonna deal with it, but one of the recruits beat me to it as she jumped on it, ripped its head off, and kicked it into the portal. With that, I then went up and closed the portal before any more Sark came through. I turned to thank the recruit who helped me, but I was shocked by who it was.

"Agura?" I said to make sure I wasn't seeing things.

"Hey, Axe." She said to me with a smile.

With this, we ran up to each other and grabbed her into a hug. I guess it might have confused Vert ʹcause he didn't know much about my life before I met him besides what I decided to share him.

"You have no idea how long I wanted to see you again." I said to her as we held each other in each other's arms, our eyes locked into a loving gaze.

"I told we would see each other again, didn't I, my mighty Axe?" She said to me.

With that, we then closed our distance and had our long overdue kiss. With that kiss, I had no doubt Vert got the jest of it. I'm pretty everyone saw it for I did hear Trich and Mari "aw" from seeing it. Neither of us knew how long our kiss lasted and neither of us cared. I knew that both of us were just so happy to be together again. We eventually broke the kiss and hugged each other once again.

"What are you doing here?" I asked her.

"Same as these guys." Agura said as she pointed to the group with her thumb as they walked up to us.

"I'm guessing she's the girlfriend you've been talking to for the past few weeks?" Vert asked, surprising me that he knew that.

"Who told you I was talking to her?" I asked him.

"Trust." Vert answered, pointing to Trustin with his thumb.

"Trust!" I yelled at him for I was gonna leave my relationship with Agura a surprise for him to find out.

"Sorry, it slipped out." Trustin said with a nervous grin.

I sighed in annoyance before I recollected myself and decided to do some introductions.

"Yes, this is her." I said as I started to the introductions. "Vert, this is my girlfriend Agura Ibaden. Agura, this is Vert Wheeler, our new Element Gang recruit."

"Nice to meet ya." Vert said as he and Agura shook hands.

"You too, Vert." Agura kindly said before she broke it and looked at me with a raised eyebrow. "New recruit? Since when are you okay with rookies?"

"Since a few weeks ago." I said as I explained what happened. "Dude followed us into a storm and actually helped us get a Battle Key from the Vandals. Not unlike you did the last time we saw each other."

"Obviously." Agura said, know from experience before she pointed to the Battle Key in my hand. "That today's Key?"

"Yep." I told her. "We just got it from battling the Sark and the Terror-kinetics."

"Speaking of which, what the heck is with these Vengestoned Zurk?" Jay asked as he motioned to the decapitated Zurk on the ground.

"It would appear that Zemerik managed to find a supply of Vengestone back in his world." I said as I looked at the robot's body. "Now he's made his army immune to our powers."

"Let me guess: something he learned from Specter?" Vert asked me.

"No doubt." I answered him. "With upgrading him, Zemerik no doubt got the information from Specter's memories."

"First Kaze upgrades the Vandals' weapons, now this." Basar said. "Man, these Battle Zone have been getting harder ever since the Terror-kinetics joined the Sark."

"Well, we can worry about this later." I said before looking to the other four recruits. "Let's just get this sorted out first."

[In the Battle Zone]

Specter's view

As the portal closed, I watched as a Zurk head came through and landed at my feet.

"It would appear that the new armor wasn't able to give the Zurk a fighting chance." I said as my master came up to me.

"Revealed to me what has stored within this Zurk's data banks." Lord Zemerik said to me. "It might've gathered some important information."

"Yes, Lord Zemerik." I said as I then activated its video display and revealed what it had seen, only to see that it had a few moments on Earth and seeing that Fire Dragon right before it had its own head removed. "It would appear that the Element Gang have gathered more allies than we thought."

"It does not make any difference." Lord Zemerik said as he took the head from me after the recalled memory was finished. "They will soon fall and Earth will belong to the Sark."

With that, Lord Zemerik crushed the head and then ordered us all to head back through the portal.

[Earth]

I then watched as the recruits surrounded me and the guys.

"Everyone okay?" I said to everyone.

"Yeah, we're good." Trustin said to me.

"Okay, who are you and what in the world were those things?" the skinny guy asked me, talking about the Zurk.

"Where did you come from?" the big guy asked me, talking about when me and the guys came through the portal.

"More importantly, who's going to reimburse me for my boom box?" Stanford said to me as he held up his broken boom box.

"Nice to see you too, Stanford." I said to him with a hint of sarcasm.

"You know him?" Vert asked me.

"Unfortunately, we do." I said as I began the introduction. "Vert, meet Stanford Isaac Rhodes IV, a British royal me and the gang met back in high school."

"You went to high school with him?" Vert asked me, surprised by this.

"He was part of a foreign student exchange program." I answered him. "Same goes for Agura. How else do you think I was even able to meet her?"

"Yeah, I can see that." Vert said, getting it. "I see how Stanford got there, but how exactly did Agura get to your school?"

"Well, the truth is that Agura is royalty too." I said to him.

"Wait, seriously?" Vert said shocked by this.

"Yeah, she's a tribal princess that was sent to our school so she could learn how to cooperate with others." I said. "She's also one of the best hunters back home and the greatest one I've ever met."

"Axel, stop it." Agura said, getting a little embarrassed by the praise. "You're making me blush."

"Well, it's true." I said to her. "If it wasn't for your excellent tracking skills, the Vandals would and Sark would've overrunned the Earth."

"Don't forget about my brave Stanfy." Mari said as we all looked her hold onto Stanford by the arm. "If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be here right now."

"Oh, Mari." Stanford said, touched by what she said.

"'Stanfy'?" Vert said, confused by what Mari said.

"That's the nickname Mari gave him when she got Stanford as her boyfriend." I told Vert, the answer shocking him.

"Boyfriend?" Vert said as he looked at Mari and Stanford as they looked at each other like all couples do. "No way! He's dating living lightning bolt?"

"Oy! That's my girl you're talking about, you bloat!" Stanford said, offended by that.

"Okay, calm down, everyone!" I said to everybody. "Now before we can give you any answers, let's get to know each other." I then looked to the martial artist, the big guy, and the skinny guy and said "Starting with who you three are."

"I know them." Trustin said as he walked up to us. "Hey, guys."

"Trustin?" all three of them said.

"Trust, you know these guys?" Basar asked, confused by this.

"Base, you know these two." Trustin said, motioning to the skinny dude and the big guy. "Don't you remember that gaming tournament we went to?"

Basar gave it some thought before his widen in realization.

"Sherm? Spin?" Basar said to the two, looking at the big guy before looking at the skinny dude.

"Hey, Basar." The skinny dude said to who I guess was Spin.

"It's been a long time." Basar said as he and Spin fist-bumped. "How you've been?"

"Still the best gamers there are, right, little bro?" Spin said to the big guy, who I guess was Sherm.

"Got that right, big bro." Sherm said to him.

"You know these guys too, Basar?" I asked my earth elemental friend.

"Not with the guy with the bandana, but I know these two." Basar said, motioning to Spin and Sherman. "Axel, meet fraternal twins Spinner and Sherman, or as we call them, the Cortez Brothers. Couple of brainiacs like you we met at that gaming tournament me and Trust competed in back in Ronan. Remember that?"

"Oh, yeah." I said I finally remembered them. "It's been so long that I forgot." After that, I then decided to talk to Trust about our foreign recruit, pointing to said recruit with my thumb as I spoke. "So, I get how you and Base know those two, but how do you know this guy?"

"Oh, right. Sorry." Trustin said as he began to explain. "When I started my elemental training, my dad took me to Asia to learn under the teachings of Master Takeyasu."

"That old coot?" Basar asked in surprise.

"Hey, he's a great ally of the Element Gang, show some respect!" Trustin said, offended by that.

"Sorry." Basar said. "Yeesh! Touched a nerve."

"Though that explains your ninja stealth." I said to Trustin. "Master Takeyasu is a great ninja master. That's the reason why he's the head of the Order of the Flying Fists. He's tough, but wise."

"You're telling me. That man scares my dad." Trustin said to me.

"Wait, the Order of the Flying Fists?" Stanford as he walked up to Trustin with Mari. "You were a member of the Flying Fists?"

"You know them, Stanford?" I asked him, surprised by this.

"Of course. I have all their albums." Stanford said. "But how do you know about them?"

"Stanford, the Order of the Flying Fists is a great ally of the Element Gang." I said to him. "Why do you think I meditate from time to time?"

"Huh. I guess that makes sense." Stanford said, finally getting it. "I guess it was awful strange that the covers all had those strange symbols."

"So I'm guessing this is a student from there?" I said to Trustin, talking about the martial artist. "Did you meet him when he was little? ʹCause he looks kinda young."

"When I met him, he wasn't a student." Trustin said as he explained things. "Master Takeyasu took him in before I got there. He was lucky I showed up to keep him out of trouble."

"But, if he wasn't a student, then how exactly do you know him?" Basar asked and it was a good question.

"Guys, I like you to meet Zoom Takazumi, my little brother." Trustin said, shocking us all.

"He's your brother?" Basar asked.

"Adopted brother, really." Trustin said. "He didn't have a family so my dad decided to make him a part of ours. Where did you think my mom had been for the past few years and who I've been sending those letters to?"

"But why didn't you just tell us you had a brother?" I asked him.

"Well, I had to keep it all a secret." Trustin said. "You know how the Order is."

"Guess that makes sense." I said.

"Glad to see me, Zoom?" Trustin said to his little brother.

"You bet, big bro." Zoom said to him. "But mind telling me what exactly is going on here? You told me you were traveling the world and stuff, but nothing about fighting killer robots."

"Okay, we know you all have questions and we'll answer them later." I said to them. "Let's just head back to Vert's garage, grab a few sodas, and Sage will fill you all in."

"Sage?" Agura asked me.

"Yeah, that answer is back at the garage." I said. "Everyone, take a vehicle and let's get going."

With that, me and the team got to our vehicles and the group then picked their own rides. Agura rode with me, Zoom rode Trustin, Stanford rode with Mari, and the Cortez Brothers rode with Basar. With that all settle, we all drove back to base.

After getting back to base, Jay and the girls changed into their battle suits to make this a special event. After that, Sage filled in everything for the recruits and so did me and the gang on how this all happened.

"So you tricked us into coming here because you need us to help the Element Gang save the universe from those killer robots and mutant animals?" Stanford asked Sage after she explained the situation.

"That is correct." Sage answered him.

"Here's a question, Sage." Jay said to the Sentient. "Why did you picked five recruits when we only need four of them?"

"Jay, she said that we need five forces in order to defeat the Vandals and Sark." I said to him, explain what Sage meant. "The Saber being one of them means that there are five others like it. It doesn't mean there are just five members of the faction."

"By why us?" Agura said.

"Because Sage saw that the five can be able to help us." I said, already knowing the answer. "Each one of you brings something unique to the team and you're the best of the best. Right, Sage?"

"That is correct." Sage said.

"So…we're like superheroes?" Zoom asked.

"Exactly." Vert said to our new recruits. "And if we don't work together, our homes and everything we believe in will be destroyed."

"And with our enemies growing stronger by the moment, the Element Gang needs all the help we can get." I said.

"You all are civilization's last and greatest hope." Sage said.

"So who's in?" Vert asked the group.

"This means saving the planet and work my friends again, I'm in." Agura said.

"We're in." the Cortez Brothers said.

"Totally! Especially if it's with my big bro!" Zoom said, excited about it.

"Uh." Stanford shrugged, not really thrilled about it.

Can't say I blame him. Not many people are willing to thrust themselves into danger like that.

"You get a cool car." Vert said to him.

"Uh." Stanford shrugged again until Mari came in and elbow him. He then sighed in defeat and said "Fine. I'm in as well."

[Planet Vandal]

Kaze's view

As the twin sun of Vandal were close to setting, me and Kalus kept on practicing to keep up on my training. To be honest, I really didn't mind being trained by him. He actually reminded me of my dad was in my elemental training back on Earth.

"Strike harder, Kaze!" Kalus said as we kept on training.

"Yes, sir." I said to him.

But, after I said that, he managed to trip me and got me pinned.

"You still have much to learn." Kalus said to me. "To live amongst us is to be a Vandals. And it is only through combat that a Vandal becomes stronger."

"Yes, Captain Kalus." I said to him as he had bested me once again.

"Captain Kalus!" Hatch yelled out as he ran over to us, Kalus lowering his weapon to let me get up and that roach carrying that interception device he was telling me about. "I intercepted a Sark transmission emanating from…a new world."

With that, he turned it on and it showed that rat in a desert back on Earth.

Kalus gasped before he said "The sub-creature!"

"That transmission is coming from Earth!" I said to Kalus. "I recognize that landscape anywhere.

"So this is your home world." Kalus said. "Then, once we retrieve a Battle Key, we shall ravage it and make the sub-creatures pay for trying to interfere!"

With this, Kalus then punched Hatch's device, breaking it.

"I spent years building that." Hatch said, depressed that his little machine was destroyed.

[Earth]

After getting everyone's agreement, Sage got to work on getting our recruits ready, summoning four more power cells. When each of them went through the process, they each got a battle suit like Vert, each with its own individual color and symbol on the shoulder.

"Four vehicles with four functions remain." Sage said as she brought up that pentagon from the Mobius Command Center or Mobi for short (Basar came up with the name), the pentagon still possessing the Saber's power cell in it.

"Okay, guys, here's how it works." I said as I began to explain what would happen to our new recruits. "In each of those four power cells Sage's got is special blueprint for a vehicle designed to play a certain role in the team. You will be scanned and have a vehicle formed from the blueprints and customized based on your personalities, making the vehicles a great match and capable as you are. To bond with the vehicle you get, you need to name it, any name you want. Ready for this?"

They all agreed and Sage began the process, taking the yellow power cell and placing it in the pentagon.

"Zoom, you are nimble and an expert Muay Tai fighter." Sage said to Trustin's brother as the process began, those mechanical tubes and the manufacturing equipment getting to work while the rest of just watched as it happened.

Zoom got a yellow battle suit with a five-point star shuriken-like symbol on the shoulder and a yellow motorbike with blue wheels it had handles similar to the ones on Trustin's Ice Bike and Jay's Wave Rider.

"Awesome wheels!" Zoom said as he saw his new vehicle and before he jumped up, landed in fighting stance, and then posed in front of his bike. "The Chopper!"

"You will be the team's scout." Sage said to Zoom, making Trustin smile as his brother was a scout just like him. Sage then looked to Agura and said "Agura, you possess great hunting skills. You will be the team's special operations officer."

With this, Sage took the green power cell and placed it in the pentagon, starting the process with Agura. When it was done, Agura got a green battle suit with a symbol similar to a toxic warning label except with a fourth ring in it on the shoulder and a high-tech green ATV. If I was a car's guy like Basar, I wouldn't know which was be hotter: the vehicle or my beautiful Agura. When I saw Agura in that battle suit, I literally blew out steam from my nose. That happens when a Fire Dragon like me gets excited or is embarrassed in a situation that involves their true love.

"The Tangler." Agura said as she took pose in front of her new ride.

"Sherman, you possess brains and brawn." Sage said as she spoke to the Cortez Brothers, both who accepted the compliments. "And Spinner, unparalleled hacking skills and hand-eye coordination. You both will be the team's strategic tactical and tech support."

The twins high-fived each other as Sage placed the blue power cell into the pentagon, beginning the process with them. When it was done, the two were wearing two blue battle suits, Sherman's being a dark blue and Spinner's being a darker blue, with the symbol that looked like two gears together on the shoulder and a big blue, three-wheeled tank.

"The Buster!" The twins said as they posed in front of their tank.

"Stanford," Sage said as he looked at her with an uninterested look, "your expertise in sound and deadly accuracy makes you the team's artillery expert."

"Hey, that's what I am!" Mari said, excited from hearing that. "Is that great, Stanfy?"

We looked and saw that Stanford was beginning to like the idea. I would enjoy it too. Artillery expertise is important for a team in combat. Sage then place the purple power cell, the last of them, into the pentagon and the process began with Stanford. When the process was done, Stanford got a purple battle suit with a symbol that looked like a speaker being struck by three lightning bolts on the shoulder and a purple sports car which didn't look half bad.

"The Boomer!" Stanford said as he started trying to come up with a name for his new car. "The—the Pulsator! Hang on." None of us were crazy about those two names as they didn't slip off the tongue. It took him a moment before he took a pose and said "The Reverb! Yeah!"

"And Vert," Sage said as she looked to our first recruit as he stood in front of his Saber. "Like Axel, you display qualities of bravery and fearlessness. You will be the team's leader."

"Now we have everyone's roles in these two teams." I said to everyone in the room as my Element Gang teammates stood before their vehicles. "For my team, Mari, with her armed Storm Glider, is the artillery expert. Tricha, with the air support of her Torn Jet, is the special operations officer. Jay, with the quick capabilities of his Wave Rider, is the striker. Trustin, with the agile Ice Bike, is the scout. Basar, with the might of the Rockwheeler, is the team's combatant. And me with my Fire Cycle as the leader of the six." The six of us gathered together as stated of who we were. "Together, we are the Element Gang." The six of then looked to our new faction as they all gather together with Vert. Now for you guys. Like with all the ally factions before, your team will have a name that we shall use for you as you help us defend the Earth."

"Axel is correct." Sage said as she spoke to Vert and the others. "And so, you shall be known as…"

"The Battle Force 5." Vert said as they all took pose in front of the Saber after he put on his specs.

"Battle Force 5. Nice!" Basar said, giving Vert a thumbs-up.

We then watch as Spinner did a head count on everyone on the team before he said "Um…there are…six of us?"

Thanks to my super-hearing, I was able to hear Sherman whisper to Spinner.

"He's counting vehicles." Sherm said to his brother.

"Ah! I knew that." Spinner scoffed, pretending he didn't just realized that.

Basar laughed and said "Classic Spinner! Ha, ha!"

After that, I then gave Zoom, Spinner, and Sherm special EG communicators so they could keep in touch with us. To wait for the next Stormshock, we all switched to our normal clothing and decided to celebrate to our new faction at a local diner called Zeke's Diner. Vert recommended it as he said it had the best pizza in town and me and the gang knew that he said the magic word to get Mari to go. We managed to get a booth and got some pizza and soda. Well, we had to get some chairs from the back so we could all sit down. Vert, Sherm, me, Agura, Basar, Tricha, Mari, and Stanford took the booth seats while Trustin, Zoom, and Jay took the chairs. Spinner decided to sit on the back of the booth seat beside Sherm.

"So…let me get this straight." Spinner said as he ate his slice of the pizza. "When we're not fight evil creatures from other dimensions, we pretend to be test drivers for spectrum motors?"

"That's the cover story." Vert said to him.

"But seriously? Test drivers?" Jay said, not really thrilled about the cover we had. "Couldn't we have a better cover than that?"

"Hey, you try coming up with a cover for people driving those vehicles out there." I said to Jay, a little ticked for him complaining about it as I did try to come up with good cover of us.

"If Mari wasn't a part of this, I would take my sweet, new ride and hightail it out of this dead-end town." Stanford said.

"You don't really have much a choice here, Stanford." I said to him. "Right now, we're all in this together whether you like it or not."

"Axel's right." Agura said, agreeing with me. "The Sark and Vandals are tyrants and tyrants must be stopped."

We then heard the bell on the door ring and looked to see a cop coming in here.

"Speaking of tyrants…" Vert said as he looked at the cop, who walked over to us.

"Vert Wheeler." The cop said as he no doubt glared at Vert under those shades.

"Ouch!" Stanford said as he got smacked in the head by the cop.

"We're not here to cause any trouble, Sheriff Johnson." Vert said right before our communicators beeped and I sensed the Stormshock.

"Stormshock opening in T-minus 3 minutes, repeat." Sage said over the communicator, which was bad timing as now we had to come up with an explanation for that.

"What was that?" The sheriff asked us, talking about our communicators.

"That there's an alien communicator." Zeke, the owner of the diner, said.

Yeah, Vert told me he was one of those alien hunters. Though he wasn't that far off. The communicators were a combination between Earth tech and Sentient tech.

"Relax, Zeke." Vert said, using his spat to come with an excuse.

"Yeah, these are just some high-tech watches from Japan." I said as I tried to help with the excuse with a nervous chuckle at the end as the sheriff looked at me.

He looked at me for a while before he backed away and said "Let me guess: your last name is Frank?"

"Yeah, my name is Axel Frank." I said, surprised he knew I was a Frank.

"You wouldn't happened to be related to a Jamey Frank, would you?" he asked me.

"Yeah, that's my dad." I said, just even more confused by this. "How did you know that?"

"Huh! You kidding me?" The sheriff scoffed. "You have the same mug as him. That's one face I can never forget."

"Hey, yeah." Zeke said to me. "Now that I got a good look at ya, you're a spitting image of old Jamey."

"You guys knew my dad?" I asked them.

"Knew him? He used to live around here." Zeke said to me, shocking me even more.

"My dad lived around here?" I said.

"Hey, Axel, we got to go." Vert said before the sheriff got up in his face.

"You better not be up to any funny business, Wheeler." The sheriff said.

"Yes, sir. No funny business." Vert said as he saluted to the sheriff. "Guys, let's jet!"

With that, we all left the booth, got to our vehicles, and headed off to get back to base, that alert about the Stormshock going off again as we went out the door.

"The invasion has begun!" Zeke said and we chose to ignore him, no doubt not believing our story about the communicators.

[Planet Sark]

Specter's view

As the Stormshock appeared out in the distance before us, me, my Terror-kinetics, and Lord Zemerik were ready to enter the Battle Zone, claim the Battle Key, and then conquer Earth.

"Prepare to attack!" Zemerik said as all the Zurk behind us advanced towards the Stormshock.

[Planet Vandal]

Kaze's view

Me, the Dark Gang, Hatch, Sever, and Krocomodo stood alongside Kalus as he spoke to the army of Vandal warriors and Shadow Warriors bellow us.

"Vandals!" Kalus said as he got all of their attention before he motioned to the storm outside the city. "Follow me to the portal!"

[Earth]

After getting back to base and changing into our battle suits, we got to our vehicles and got ready to move out to the Stormshock.

"I wish you all had more time to prepare." Sage said to us. "Do your best to retrieve the Battle Key and seal the portal from our enemies."

"Nothing like on the job training." Vert said as he got into his Saber.

"Element Gang, rev up and roll out!" I said as me, the gang, and Battle Force 5 head on out to catch the Stormshock.

"Okay, Element Gang!" I said as we got closer to the Stormshock. "Into the storm!"

"Battle Force 5," Vert said as we drove to the Stormshock, "it's storm-riding time!"

This was how it was gonna be from now one. The eleven of us against armies of mutant animals and killer robots. Typically day for us. No matter what, we will never give up. We will fight to protect the Earth. We will fight to protect its people. We will fight to protect our home. For we are the Element Gang and Battle Force 5!