Chapter 14: Of houses

07:14 AM (Honolulu Time), Wednesday December the 6th…

"… Good news, Twilight – sama. I found out in the alien databases after translating them that Duo's Crest can serve as biometric password."

"Oh yeah? How funny that I've never noticed despite having had them for years… Can you figure out how to see that biometric data?"

"I think so. Allow me to try."

"Fine. Give it a try, Zoan Gate Man."

"Roger."

"Biometric? Couldn't we turn that into a business? Biometric security is on the rise… And a lot of corporations would love to sell this "exclusive private security key"… Maybe they could link it to credit cards or something like that as well."

"Ah! My lady. It is a good idea yet… It's too easy to copy."

"For someone like you. But I don't think just anyone would realize it can be so easily copied."

"Now that you mention it…"

Zoan Gate Man had been reporting to Twilight as he sat in a revolving chair behind a desk in a windowless room somewhere that only had a desk lamp as lighting: his usual laptop was set atop the desk and Anaya was leaning over the back of the chair (she kept on sporting that armor of some days ago): she looked interested while Twilight seemed to be thinking of the possibilities as he rubbed his chin with the right hand: Anaya began to snicker as she pictured the profits of that idea.

"This is Freeze Man. No abnormalities. Over."

"Cloud Man reporting… No abnormalities. Over."

"Swallow Man… No abnormalities. Over."

"Hum! Here is Yamato Man… No abnormalities. Over."

"Cosmo Man: on the scene… No abnormalities. Over."

"Good. Return to the central section and shift the passwords." Twilight calmly ordered.

"Roger."

"My lady. The morning tea." Izono called out from outside the room.

"Open it up." She ordered Twilight.

"Roger."

He pressed a button underneath the desk's outer edge and an unseen door opened: Izono (wearing butler clothes) stepped in while carrying a tray with a teapot and a teacup plus some cookies: he placed it atop the desk since Twilight withdrew his laptop to hold it up: he stood up and bowed as Anaya nodded and sat down in the chair.

"You can leave, Marco. Good job."

"My lady." He bowed as well.

He calmly left the room while Anaya sipped some of the tea.

"Earl Green is good. As usual." She muttered.

"Twilight – sama? Success. I've found the directory where the DNA data is stored at… Complete data, indeed…" Zoan Gate Man reported back.

"Oho. Let's see. Miss Yuriko… Colonel Barrel… Dark Miyabi… Charlie Airstar… Miss Magnets… The spoiled kid…"

"Ahem, ahem." Anaya complained.

"I mean… Ijuuin Junior, Laika, Miss Sakurai, Miss Jasmine… Rokushakudama Nenji… Princess Pride… Dingo… Hikari Netto…"

"I grew bored of the nickname mania. Just call them by their names and that's it. Get it? This is an order." She glared at him.

"Roger." He quickly replied.

"What we're pending, though… Is finding a way to create new ones."

"One should think there would be a record about that if it was something they used in their daily lives…" Twilight muttered.

"Hum? Please excuse me… Ah! I found what seems to be the beginning of a file about it but it's only 10% translated. I'll need some time to fully translate it." He reported.

"Good. Focus on that."

"Roger that. To work, Legion 64!"

"Metto~!"

"I see. You use them as additional translators?" Anaya guessed.

"Correct, my lady."

"What about Bapgei? Nobody's located him again, I take it?"

"I did search his clothes the day I rescued him and there was no transmitter or anything. He was conscious the whole time so they couldn't have injected him anything without him knowing. I guess that they already knew where our hiding place was at by then and thus that's why they didn't bother to bug him." Twilight grumbled.

"Hum. I see. By the way. Regarding my previous order…"

"Yes, my lady?"

"Instead of saying "the leech" say Solidus and that's it. Understood?" She ordered him.

"Understood."

"Hmmm… I'm starting to get an idea." Anaya snickered.

"Is that so?"

"Tell your men to be ready for a sortie."

"Roger."

"Don't forget to make it look like they departed from Melbourne for their target. We need to make them believe we're there."

"I understand, my lady."

"By the way… Did Opoulos say something?"

"He's taken refuge in Athens using some connections. He's stirring up ruckuses there and there to keep the local authorities busy and unable to help the "Committee"… And with their limited staff there's a limit to what they can do in the terrain sans "official" permits." Twilight explained with a grin.

"Good, good. As expected of Opoulos. The guy knows the stuff. We should take some lessons from the guy, for real."

"Indeed, my lady. Mr. Opoulos is an excellent ally."

"Heh! Sometimes the Goddess of Luck smiles on me. One day I'm gonna turn the Golden Goddesses into the Pink Goddesses. Nyah, hah, hah, hah, hah!" She suddenly laughed.

"I… see." He found it lame.

"Oh yeah! I've got another idea!"

"Yes, my lady?"

"Become Twin Light! Nyah, hah, hah, hah!"

"Sounds like a pun Vincent would do…" He sighed and looked elsewhere, defeated.

"By the way! How about you turn Gorilla Man into an IQ 180 genius and have the guy revive King Kong? Nyah, hah, hah!"

"M-my lady…!" He groaned.

"I feel inspired! They should invent a Goddess of Inspiration!"

"M-maybe so. Oh man." He sighed.

"What. Too heavy for the kiddies? Kiddies go broom! Leave the dancing floor to the real though gals! Nyah, hah, hah!"

"M-my lady… I give up." He sighed.

He walked out of the room laptop on his left hand while Anaya kept on laughing aloud and banging the table out of unstoppable laughter: she then looked up and giggled.

"Twilight, Twilight… Cha still too soft… Cloud Man!"

"Yes! Here I am, my lady!" Cloud Man materialized and saluted.

"Tell me something."

"Yes, my lady?"

"Are you a man or a mutant?" She grinned.

"Huh… I should be a Net Navi in the shape of man, no? My name is Cloud Man, my lady…" He slowly replied, unsure.

"Hum! A philosophical question indeed!"

"E-excuse me?" He didn't get the point.

"Tell Vincent to send evil, blessed and repulsive packages to those heretics out there! They'll end up meeting Satan's second nephew! And in the cauldrons along with Calderón!" She laughed again.

"That of "heretics" is SO stupid… Vincent… Someone who's against the revolution is a counter-revolutionary… Heretics are those who challenge religious beliefs, man…! Ever read a dictionary…? And always using late Reverend Matías' name…! The guy was the source of Vincent's lame humor to begin with…" Cloud Man began to mutter under his breath with obvious frustration and annoyance, for once.

"Tell the legion that they're promoted to vice-legion! Heh!"

"… Yes, my lady…" He sighed and dematerialized.

"And soon… Some "houses" will shake and rumble and crumble! Did ya hear that, Marco~?"

"I did, my lady, but I fail to see the point. My lady." He drily replied.

"Heh! Dry Man returns from the past! Alright then… It's about time for the show… It's show time! And surprise, surprise… Here we go~! Heh!"

18:39 PM (London Time)…

"… But I insist. The government is moving according to the interests of the continent… We should prove we're not part of the continent!"

"Times have changed, my fellow."

"You needn't tell me."

"And with this new crisis… I hope Cameron, our top man, wins the next year elections. We'll do things right!"

"Were it so easy, sonny, were it so easy."

"Brown is too soft."

"It's very easy to criticize when you're not part of the government, my fellow Commons."

"Hmpf!"

Some members of the London Parliament's House of Commons from both the ruling party and the opposition were having discussions after a session in the corridors: some opposition members were critizing the current government and one of their members walked past them while leaving them a message: one of the opposition members fumed.

"What bothersome hypocrisy… How about we shatter it to pieces and start anew?" A familiar voice asked with some irony.

"Who…?"

TCHAC!

"Uwah! A k-k-knife~!"

"What!"

A knife suddenly flew past the head of one of the opposition members and over his right shoulder to hit a nearby wall: the "Talon" suddenly dropped from the ceiling and drew two short blades.

"Get out." He ordered through a voice distorter.

"Uwa~h! Security! A terrorist!"

"What!"

"Hmpf. Come, bobby. Let's see what stuff you're made of."

"Who the hell? Call for reinforcements! This is no ordinary man!"

"Neo Gospel."

"The terrorist org!"

"No way! They've decided to hit the Parliament?"

"Indeed. Time to show those hypocrites what fear means…"

"What do we do, Sergeant?"

"I'm not sure, for once."

"Hmpf. While you go through the bureaucracy… I'm going to shave some heads…"

The "Talon" jumped into the ceiling and attached there using some special suction pads: he began to move deeper inside across the ceiling just as a SWAT team ran in and pursued him while having their shields ready to block any knife-throwing: a chuckle rang out and Cloud Man suddenly materialized there.

"My bad, my chums. Dead end."

"Careful! That's a Darkloid!" A captain warned.

"What do we do, sir?"

"We're no match."

"Hmpf! So you had to stir up trouble in our pal's home, huh?"

"Lucky Luke! About time. The public was starting to get impatient."

Lander showed up behind Cloud Man while having two short blades on his hands as weapons: Cloud Man turned around, amused, and faced him while the squad withdrew.

"But this corridor is a bit too narrow… Let's go have fun in the homepage, shall we? Laugh and grow fat!"

He dematerialized so Lander cursed and did the same: the squad took the chance to head further in and found that the doors of one room had been stuck close with a knife from the outside: cries of panic rang out inside so the squad formed two rows to leave a central corridor for evacuation: they pulled open the doors after removing the knife and several members of the House of Lords rushed out: they all had cuts on their clothes or wigs: the squad rushed in to find the "Talon" wildly jumping around and brandishing the blades: two policemen charged in from the sides and caught the "Talon" on the middle but he merely shrugged and slid upwards to then use his feet to push them backwards and form enough space to jump off and resume running wild.

"Mwah, hah, hah! Not so fast, College of Davidson!" Swallow Man's voice rang out from a nearby room.

"Shit. Not you again." Davis grumbled.

"Homepage!"

"Wait!"

"Heh, heh, heh. Come, decaying pawn. I shall turn you lowlife into spatial dust!" Cosmo Man taunted someone.

"Mugro~h!" Balrog grumbled.

"Heh, heh, heh… Foolish ronin! Such tactics won't work on me!" Yamato Man taunted next.

"That's to be seen, man." Destruction Man fumed.

"Hmpf. So you're fighting me, huh?" Axe Man wasn't impressed.

"Indeed! I'll freeze you from the insides!" Freeze Man chuckled.

"You won't be able to keep up with my speed!" Zoan Gate Man boasted to someone.

"I don't need to." Annihilator Man drily replied.

"What's going on, Captain?" A member asked.

"It'd seem some Net Saviors and collaborators have come to help only to find each of the Neo Gospel Darkloids forcing them to fight them. And that means that we'll surely have to deal with this madman by ourselves, somehow." The Captain grumbled.

"Dang."

"Hmpf. You will try…"

The "Talon" ran off in another direction and the squad gave chase until it entered the now empty room where the House of Commons held their sessions: they began to jump around using the seats to do so and throw knives that ended up stabbed into the shields of the squad: there was a familiar grumble of annoyance and the "Talon" gasped as Omega showed up behind it with a pretty much annoyed face.

"About time you showed up, clown! I was fed up with having to beat pawns." He grumbled.

"Hmpf. I got a gift."

"What "gift"?"

"I think it's better for us to pull out, Captain." One of the squad members suggested.

"You're right. It could get ugly. Pull out!"

The squad quickly pulled out and other squads closed the doors to make sure the fighting didn't spread past the room: the "Talon" suddenly jumped into the air and Omega followed.

"Mutually screaming magnetisms, attraction that bursts open… Desire it all wish it all… Deprive… Rise… Grand arms… Super Heavy Magnetic Exploding Star!"

"Shit."

The "Talon" formed that sucking sphere of expanding energy and Omega quickly dived into the ground using his saber.

"Die."

"What!"

The mass reached its critical limit and imploded causing a shockwave across the middle of the room: the shockwave hit Omega when it was still strong and sent him flying across the room, hitting the stone wall right of the doors: the "Talon" rushed towards him but Omega growled and quickly drew his gun: he began to shoot plasma rounds at wild so the "Talon" used a Dream Aura to shield himself while the rounds bounced off and partly melted the spots on the walls where they impacted: Omega recovered and rushed for the "Talon": he swung the saber and shattered the Dream Aura just as 10 knives flew for him and hit his shoulders, upper chest, elbows, hips and the knees: Omega's body seemed to get stuck but he merely closed his eyes and he suddenly materialized behind the "Talon" who had to dodge Omega's attempt to hit his head with the saber's hilt.

"Same trick doesn't work twice! Bludger!" He growled.

"Damn it." He cursed.

Omega suddenly noticed something and quickly spun around to intercept a bullet that was heading for his head from behind using the saber on his right hand while he drew the gun with the left one and aimed it at the "Talon" who didn't dare move with the gun being so close: it turned out Anaya (with her armor and having a Navi helmet and mouth-guard) was standing atop a Dash Condor and holding a PSG – 1 sniper rifle on her hands: she cursed under her breath.

"So the bitch in purple armor comes out, huh?" Omega taunted.

"Sheesh." She complained under her breath.

"If you try that again then I'm going to get annoyed for real."

"Oh yeah? And what'll cha do? Break his bones?"

"Guh." He growled as if he realized she had a point.

"Phew." The "Talon" sighed in relief.

"Don't be so impatient."

"Damn it."

Blood Shadow suddenly showed up behind the "Talon" and pressed his shotgun barrels against his back to warn him not to move: Anaya was cursing under her breath because the situation was apparently escaping her control.

"Commander Omega." Blood Shadow whispered.

"Gotcha."

Omega jumped into the air and landed further in to aim his gun at the wall opposite that where Anaya was at: he shot a round that missed in purpose and Izono was forced to reveal his position there having an RPG-7 on his hands loaded.

"Don't move."

"Shit." He lost his composure, for once.

"The flashing lightning is the guidance of counter-attacking… The roaring thunder-roar is the bloody proof… The piercing thunder is the reason of the Universe… Voltic Chain!"

"What!"

That "Voltic Chain" attacked happened but this time around the chains coiled around Omega and Blood Shadow before electrocuting them: they growled and collapsed once they dissolved so the "Talon" and the villains ran off towards another door that Twilight had opened: Sigma, however, appeared there and began to chase them.

"Shit! The brute! Twilight! Do something!"

"Zoan Gate Man! C Plan!"

"Roger! Come out! "Sealed One: Exodia"!"

The "Exodia" monster (at a lesser scale to fit in the corridor) came out of the Remote Gate and stood on Sigma's way.

"Gruoh!"

It suddenly raised the right foot and landed it back with force on the ground followed by the left one.

"What? Sumo Exodia? How lame. Got not time for crap! You want piercing thunder? I'll give ya piercing blade! EAT THIS!"

Sigma thrust his blade forward and it pierced through Exodia: he let go of the blade and began to hit Exodia with the fists and the feet to stun it and, at the same time, damage it using a mass of plasma surrounding them that easily broke away the armor: Exodia's eyes glowed red but Sigma merely snapped his right hand's index and middle finger to make it "drop" into the ground all of a sudden: he resumed the chase but found the "Blue-Eyes White Dragon" waiting for him: Sigma seemed to get a twitch over his right eye.

"Gonna take forever…! Your turn! Blues! Search Man!"

"Roger!"

Blues and Search Man materialized behind the dragon and ran into a hall just in time to see a large hole in the wall caused by one Landmaster tank: three "Wolfen" units were present as well and the villains had already jumped into their cockpits: they ignited and shot away crossing the Thames next to the now cut-off Westminster Bridge: the Landmaster raced away and both nodded to each, deciding to chase it due to its slower speed: it began to roll across the Westminster Bridge once it blew up the barricade at the start of it: wild shooting in all directions ensued while the "Wolfen" ships used their maneuver capability to dodge attacks from the Royal Air Force airships and choppers.

"Shit. It looks like a war has begun!" Blues cursed.

"This will have repercussions. Serious repercussions." Search Man grumbled next.

"Sonic Boom!"

"Scope Gun!"

"Got no time for small fry! Play with these!" Twilight roared.

Two "Blue-Eyes White Dragon" formed in front of each of them and they quickly shot their "Burst Stream of Destruction" at their feet, opening holes in the bridge's structure: both cursed and focused on fighting them as the Landmaster kept on advancing.

"Super Vulcan!"

"Needle Cannon! Random Shoot!"

Prism Man and Needle Man appeared in the bridge next and attacked the Landmaster, inflicting some damage to it: it quickly used the hover function to fly over them and then dropped down a bit ahead: both kept on attacking the rear but, suddenly, the "Summoned Demon" showed up and attacked with an electrical arc: both dodged.

"Shah, shah, shah! I'll take on this guy! Ya go on ahead!"

"I owe you one."

Prism Man rushed forward and quickly jumped atop the Landmaster: he combined his spears to form a one-piece spear and began to pierce the tank with it: the tank frizzled and malfunctioned and it suddenly exploded yet Twilight wasn't inside by then: he quickly turned around to block Twilight, who'd tried to stab his swords into his back: Twilight hissed and jumped back some distance.

"Lightning that vibrates and rinses like the heavens… Smash all that you meet across your path… Lightning Sphere!"

He formed those spheres of electricity around him and they hit Prism Man, momentarily stunning him: he lowered the guard and received several shots from Needle Man that momentarily stunned him as well.

"Needle Man! You rascal! I freed you from jail two and a half years ago and this is how you reward me?"

"Shah, shah, shah! Speak for yourself! You told me and Yuriko to go challenge Rock Man knowing in advance we'd lose and be captured: ya wanted to get rid of us to begin with! Hmpf!"

"Sheesh." He grumbled.

"Giga Cannon!"

"Shit! That wasn't enough to beat that fool?"

Twilight dodged the attack by Prism Man and grumbled as both faced him but then the Wolfen wings began to bombard the area: Twilight jumped and gripped into Anaya's Wolfen right wing while both Navis collapsed from the bombing damage.

"Shit. One after the other!" Twilight cursed.

"Damn. Looks like we underestimated their mobilization capability and they've all come for us." Anaya cursed.

"Freeze Man! What's the status?"

"No good, sir. We had to pull out but we managed to inflict some damage: Annihilator Man and those annihilating beams are too dangerous and I didn't want to risk any man's deletion. At least we detonated our bunshins so that did some damage to the area. I'm quite confident that scale of damage will make them shiver in the days to come." Freeze Man reported to him.

"Fine. Did you shake them off?"

"So it'd seem. We'll be hiding in different nations for some hours until things cool down and then use our disguises to get to the HQ."

"Alright. Try going to Brazil and then materialize to hide inside of the Amazon jungle: they don't have enough manpower to search through the whole of it. And they won't expect it, anyway."

"Roger."

"Master! I'm fighting Isaac: the rascal's come to mock us and brought an Arwing along!"

"Wha~t?

"I suspect Vadous!"

"Kyoudai~!"

In effect: Bapgei's Wolfen was engaged in an aerial duel with an Arwing piloted by Isaac: Twilight gasped and turned around when he heard another one's hum and this one was piloted by Rock Man: yet another was piloted by Shadow Man.

"Shit. I'll draw their attention! My lady! Mr. Secretary! Head to the D Point and use the portal to escape!" He told them.

"Alright! You heard it, Marco! Let's go!"

"Roger!"

Both Wolfen ignited their main engine and shot away at quick speed while Twilight materialized a squad of 10 Wolfen: 9 of them were piloted by standard Navis while he entered the pilot of the last one: he headed for Rock Man's Arwing and began to exchange shots with him: Rock Man countered and the aerial battle continued.

"Bapgei! Use your jet: run for Isaac, he'll dodge and you drop a bomb. Then go assist Lady IQ and Mr. Secretary! I'll get back to the HQ through another route myself." He ordered.

"Roger."

Bapgei did as told: he sped up at max speed for Isaac, who gasped and quickly had to dive below the Wolfen to dodge yet a bomb was dropped from the Wolfen's underside: it hit the engines of the Arwing and he lost control as he ejected and the Arwing crash-landed in the midst of Westminister Bridge: Isaac growled as the Wolfen escaped while Twilight focused his attention on Rock Man and Shadow Man.

"All units: fly towards them and then self-destruct! Hah!"

The units did so and, since the other 2 didn't see it coming, they were knocked out of the aerial fight: Twilight laughed under his breath and also flew away while Rock Man looked from the bridge and clenched his fists in frustration: his irises glowed with determination.

Twilight... I'll bring you down with my own hands! Just you wait…!