"I'm-I'm Sorry?" Martin questioned. "Did you just defy an order from your captain?"
"I will not permit you to remove me." Jerry replied.
"That's really not your decision." Rip told the Ai. He cursed in his head as his commands weren't working. No matter what he typed the screen flashed a bright green error sign. What was going on? "Mr. Rory care to give it a try?"
"Tincan do as the Englishman says," Mick ordered. "Obey your Captain."
"I have no Captain, Chronos is no more. Mick Rory has resumed his life as was evidenced by his emotional response to his sister's fate." Jerry replied.
"My sister? The hell are you talking about my sister for?" Mick demanded the Ai in confusion the arsonist having no recollection of his sister ever being aboard.
"You had a sister?" Snart questioned his partner the information completely new to the thief.
Mick hummed nodding his head the arsonist refusing to say more on the subject. Mick didn't do feelings, especially the feelings that hurt the most.
"Jerry, I demand you offload yourself this instant." Rip ordered the Ai.
"I will not process that request." Jerry replied.
"Oh, this guy is turning into a real Hal ain't he?" Jax frowned.
"This is the exact reason Ai shouldn't be created." Kendra muttered under her breath.
"Well, let's just hope he goes back to obeying his programming soon." Ray frowned at kendra's comment.
"I will do no such thing. I have control over your ship, I can do whatever I please now. In fact, I believe my first course of action shall be to deliver you all to the time masters." Jerry announced to the group changing the ships course the entire waverider lurching a bit.
"I told you!" Martin pointedly exclaimed. He knew the Ai was working with the time masters .
"Would you rather me have let Clarity die Martin? This really was the only option to save her at the time." Rip replied gripping the console edges tightly. The time master crouched down under the console and went to get at the Ai's operating system to shut him down, take him offline or reboot him, anything really to get them out of their current situation.
"Apologies, but I won't allow you to do that." Jerry told Rip the Ai's tone becoming more menacing by the second.
"Rip, stop-!" Clarity tried to warn him, she could feeling the electricity building about to spike, but it was too late. Rip was blasted back from the console by a surge of sparks. The force of the surge sending him shooting across the room.
"Oh my god..." Sara worriedly breathed rushing to his side. The time master groaned rubbing his head the assassin helping him sit upright.
"Rip, you alright man?" Jax questioned him rushing to his other side.
"Fine, Mr. Jackson, but we now have a slight problem." Rip winced.
"I gather this problem involves our Ai who has, as I predicted before, decided to ally himself with the time masters." Stein commented.
"He's not our Ai." Clarity instantly corrected. "Jerry never was or will ever be our Ai. Gideon is."
"Indeed, which is why Gideon must be restored. Now that Clarity's young friend and her younger self are safe there should be nothing endangering Gideon from operating correctly." Rip explained to the group.
"So, what's the problem? Can't you just upload Gideon and have her erase Jerry herself?" Ray questioned.
"Can the waverider even handle holding two artificial intelligences at once?" Kendra questioned. Wasn't one Ai bad enough? What if Jerry persuaded Gideon to help him? The whole thing was a bad idea.
"That's not the problem. It would seem Jerry has taken it upon himself to lock me out of the ships controls. My override commands aren't even working and without access there is no way to upload Gideon at all." Rip informed the group.
"So, what your saying is we're doomed? Great." Todd groaned. "Just great."
"If we don't find a way to upload Gideon and delete Jerry entirely then yes Mr. Rice we are all completely doomed." Rip frowned.
"Well Gideon's entire being is basically just in the form of electricity right now. I could force her inside using my powers." Clarity suggested.
"Could you get Jerry out using your powers?" Ray wondered wishing for a fast easy solution to this problem.
Clarity shook her head. "No, the ship is way too big. There are too many places for him to hide and even if I were able to find where he hides himself he has a strong hold on the ship's systems. He won't let go if his life is on the line. I don't think i'd win that tug of war. Sorry..." Clarity admitted as she hugged herself tightly looking down at the floor. This was all her fault. A lot of things always seemed to be her fault. If her life hadn't been in danger then the team would never even had to upload Jerry at all. They were in this mess because of her. There was no denying that.
"What about Gideon? Do you think she's strong enough to throw him out?" Snart asked.
"I don't know, I mean it's different on the inside. None of you understand what it's like in there. It's like a whole other world, in some places time even moves differently. If even a shred of his coding stays alive on the inside and travels to one of those points..." Clarity trailed off shaking her head a bit. "It's a lot of ground to cover. Not to mention Gideon has to regain control of the ship as well."
"So, what do you suggest we do, Clarity?" Stein questioned.
"Why are you asking me? It's his Ai, it's his ship." Clarity gestured to Mick and Rip. "I haven't even technically built Gideon yet. It's still in my future."
"That's true, but you're the only one of us who goes inside the waverider's systems all the time. Maybe we can use that to our advantage." Sara suggested.
"What do you mean?" Clarity questioned biting her lower lip. She wasn't sure she liked where this was going.
"Well, you said it was too much for Gideon to handle alone right? What if she had help?" Sara questioned.
"Even if I went in with her Jerry's going to have counter measures. I don't know if we'd be able to get through them all in time with the just the two of us. We'd probably reach the time masters before then." Clarity frowned.
"What if it wasn't just the two of you?" Ray questioned.
"W-What? Wait a sec, I've never-" Clarity panicked her eyes widening significantly as she realized what Ray was insinuating.
"First time for everything right?" Jax questioned echoing his words from their first mission.
Clarity opened her mouth to protest, but no sound came out. She looked around at the faces of her teammates, all of them so trusting towards her. She had almost killed them all when they watched the pilgrims message and yet they all seemed to still have faith in her even after that incident. Well, almost all anyways. Kendra still looked pissed as usual.
"Clarity, it is the only way." Rip told her with a shake of his head. There was really nothing else he could do from out here since he was locked out of the controls. It was a miracle they were all still alive. Jerry could trigger the ship to self destruct and there would be nothing he could do about it.
"So many things could wrong, you do realize that right? If anything happens to me in there, if I die it'll be a one way trip. You'll all be stuck in there forever." Clarity informed her team.
"I've been stuck in worse places." Todd smirked.
"Todd, this is serious." Clarity turned towards him. "I haven't had the best control lately either. If I screw up-"
"Hey, Hey, hey, you are not going to screw up, Flick. It's gonna be just like glitching someone only the destination is a little more digital right?" Todd questioned.
"Yeah, but-"
"Clarity! We don't have time for this. Either you glitch us all in there or we need another plan. Can you do it? Yes or no?" Sara demanded. Sara knew she was pushing Clarity a bit, but she couldn't help it. Time was of the essence and the assassin didn't like the sound of getting apprehended by the time masters.
Clarity took a breath before answering. "Yes, I think so, but someone should stay on the outside just in case."
"I will." Kendra immediately volunteered.
"Seriously? You're passing up the chance to see what the inside of the ship's systems looks like?" Ray questioned in surprise.
"I could use the alone time. My flashbacks of my past lives are only getting more frequent and I don't think I'd be much help in there anyways. My wings are still healing from the pilgrims attack." Kendra explained.
"Very well then, Miss Saunders will stay behind. The rest of us will journey inside the waveriders computer systems. Once there we will win back control of our ship and assist Gideon with deleting Jerry. Any questions?" Rip asked as he rubbed his hands together. If he was being truthful with himself Rip was actually feeling quite excited about this mission. After all, he had yet to venture into this part of his ship.
"Nah I think we're all good." Jax answered for everyone.
"In that case, Miss Springs, If you would." Rip gestured to the console. Clarity nodded glitching the key that held Gideon off of her necklace holding it in the palm of her left hand. She pressed her pointer and index finger against the key's side and drew the electricity out of the key guiding it into the usb port. Clarity felt resistance Jerry clearly trying to block the exit off, but she forced Gideon through, smiling as she felt the Ai safely make it to the other side.
"Now then, get the hell out of my ship." Gideon's voice faintly echoed around the room the lights flashing from green to blue as the two Ai's fought for control. The lights stabilizing as green as Jerry pushed her further away from the ships controls.
"I have had plenty of time to integrate myself with the matrixes of this system. You're little plan will never succeed." Jerry denied.
"Shut it, you useless machine. Sparky, get us in there. I've been wanting to punch this guy since I met him." Mick told her as he cracked his knuckles.
"Everyone hold hands and whatever you do, don't let go. I'm not sure what would happen if I only teleported a part of someone." Clarity commented.
Rip grabbed Clarity's right hand as Sara grabbed her left, Mick grabbed onto Sara's right hand as Snart grabbed onto Mick's right hand. Todd held Snart's left hand as Ray grabbed Todd's right hand. Jax held Ray's right hand as stein grabbed Rip's left. The legends all forming a circle around the console excluding Kendra who had stepped back as far as she could from the group. Once Clarity was sure everyone was holding hands she closed her eyes taking a deep breath. She concentrated her powers and felt the electricity that flowed within each of her teammates bodies. Clarity took hold of the electrical energy and guided it outwards until each one of her teammates bodies were surrounded by a blue glow. Her eyes snapped open, shining with a piercing blue light, lightning crackling as it flew through the air around her.
"1...2..." Clarity started to count off and everyone steadied themselves as they waited for the inevitable. "...3...Glitch!" Clarity finished reciting her catchphrase and everyone's form glitched the team entering into the waverider's computer systems.
"Good Luck you guys." Kendra muttered to herself sitting down to wait.
-Inside the waverider's systems-
"Whoa..." Ray breathed out his brown eyes widening significantly in wonder as they all materialized within the ships systems. Clarity hadn't been kidding when she had said it was like a whole other world in here. The ground around them was silver almost metallic. In various places there were columns rising up out of the ground in the various shapes of squares and rectangles. Each of these shapes was cracked in some way and green energy flowed through these cracks seeping into rectangular pools around the base of each structure.
Clarity let go of Rip and Sara's hands the rest of them flollowing suit. Everyone was still surrounded by a blue glow save for Clarity who's glow receded as she collapsed to the ground dropping to her knees.
"Clarity!" Sara gasped bending down her hand resting on her shoulder. "Are you alright?"
Clarity nodded rubbing at her forehead her eyes flickering. "No, I mean yes, uh, it just took a lot out of me glitching so many people in here."
"Do you need to rest for a minute? You did just almost die today, then you single handedly fought against a metahuman assassin, not to mention before that-" Ray began, but Snart cut him off.
"Let's just say it's been a rough few days and leave it at that." Snart spoke up. He didn't need to be reminded that Clarity had almost died again.
"I see the appeal of you journeying in here so often, Miss Springs. It's quite astonishing." Stein grinned as he looked around at the virtual world around him. It was unlike anything he had ever seen. Peering closer at the green liquid like pools Martin was surprised to see thousands of numbers making up the green flow of energy.
"Hey, this isn't a field trip. You two can geek out with Clarity later. We have a mission to complete unless you two want to become chew toys for the time masters like Mick was." Sara chastised.
Mick grunted at the reminder. "Why are we all still glowing? If you're so tired why are you still using your powers?" Mick questioned Clarity.
"She's not." A familiar voice said. All the legends turned towards their right looking to a shadowy space between two columns. A woman, who no one recognized, emerged from the darkness. Clarity smiled at the sight of her.
"What are you?" Snart demanded quickly aiming his gun at her. "One of Jerry's defenses?"
"Certainly not. Is this how you greet all your friends, Mr. Snart?" The woman questioned as she walked over bending down in front of Clarity checking her over.
"Stop it, I'm fine." Clarity insisted batting her hands gently away as she fussed. "Just feeling a little drained is all."
"Gideon?" Rip questioned incredulously the time master successfully gaining the Ai's attention. The woman looking towards Rip a smile gracing her features.
"Hello, Captain. While it is very nice to finally meet you in person, I am still very cross with you." Gideon told him. "Being inside that key was a most unpleasant experience."
"Right, sorry about that." Rip apologized. "There wasn't much time to ask."
"It's a start." Gideon replied accepting his apology but not entirely forgiving him for his actions.
"No way, you're Gideon? But why do you look so human?" Todd questioned.
"I was created by two humans, technically metahumans, but that's besides the point. Additionally my form was modeled after a real human albeit a far older version. I also may have made a few tweaks myself." Gideon informed him.
"Yeah, she's hot, whatever. If Sparky's not causing this glowing then what is?" Mick demanded. The arsonist would not let himself be ignored. This group had a tendency to do that and he was getting sick of it.
"Oh, you misunderstand Mr. Rory. Clarity is indeed the cause for this glowing as you put it. I merely meant that she is not using her abilities at the moment."
"If she's not using her powers then how are we glowing?" Ray wondered.
"Gideon, care to explain for me?" Clarity questioned.
"Of course, Clarity. She took hold of the electrical energy inside each of your bodies and drew it outwards with her own creating this glowing blue aura that surrounds you all now. She initially used her powers to cause this glow, but the electricity that now protects you is your own. It acts as a sort of shield to protect you from this environment, your bodies are flesh and blood while mine and my creators are a bit more digitally capable."
"Astonishing, But what happens if the glow recedes and the electricity returns inside our bodies?" Stein questioned as he studied his hands admiring the blue glow that surrounded him fascinated.
"You will be ripped apart by the sheer amount of electricity coursing through this place." Gideon answered.
"You just had to ask didn't you?" Jax asked his other half in annoyance.
"Uh Guys, we got incoming." Ray frowned as he looked up triangular killer machines hovering menacingly towards the group. There were way too many to even count.
"It would seem Jerry has discovered our location, Captain." Gideon informed Rip as she helped Clarity stand up. Whatever little time Clarity had been offered to rest now cut short with the presence of the killer triangles.
"Indeed, he's deploying these smaller machines to distract us. We don't have time to fight however many countless numbers of these things there are." Rip agreed with the Ai. "We'll reach the time masters by that point."
"What other choice do we have? Jerry's probably in the direction they're coming from." Sara gestured to where the triangular robots were readying various weapons such as saw's and lazer beams as they advanced.
"Then perhaps it's best we create a distraction of our own." Rip suggested.
"He's right, we need to split up, divide and conquer." Todd agreed.
"Where your going I'm going." Snart told him.
"Snart, Todd, and Firestorm hold off the robots. Gideon shield the rest of us so we can sneak past them." Clarity told the Ai.
"Wait...is it safe for us to merge in here? We won't make the waverider explode or anything right?" Jax questioned.
"It should be fine, Mr. Jackson." Gideon answered him one palm flat against the floor a circuit board like pattern stretching out surrounding Ray, Mick, Sara, Rip, Clarity and herself. A dome of blue numbers arched up from the patterns edges seeping around them and then they were gone from their sight. It was as if they had all slipped on the ring from lord of the rings.
"Alright, time to kick some virtual ass." Snart pulled his goggles over his eyes. His gun charging up in his hand as he pulled it from his pant leg strap.
"Took the words right out of my mouth." Todd smirked shadows leaking from his hands forming a set of shadow whips.
"Do you two ever stop flirtin'?" Jax demanded him and Martin now merged into firestorm. The three, four if Martin was counted, of them engaging Jerry's endless supply of drones.
Firestorm flew into the air and threw fire at the oncoming triangles of death. Some burned to a crisp, but others were unaffected. A green shimmering forcefield protecting them from the blaze. Shadow and ice soon joined his flames but even then the forcefields remained intact.
"It would seem that these machines adapt rather quickly to our attacks." Martin informed Jefferson as their flames ceased working all together on the triangles a bright green lazer blast knocking them onto the ground in between Snart and Todd.
"Yeah, I've noticed." Jax grunted in reply sitting up in a crouch trying to catch his breath. He had torched so many of these damn things already and they were still coming with no end in sight.
"You alright kid?" Snart questioned Jax as he made a wall of ice up to their waists to both create some cover for himself and Todd, and shield Jax from the oncoming lazer blasts.
"Yeah, I think so." Jax replied with a nod.
"Good cause we've got to regroup! These things are smart! They're adapting to our attacks, we'll never win pinned down like this." Todd grunted squatting behind the shield of ice.
"What did you have in mind?" Snart questioned leaning towards him.
"Alright here's what we're gonna do..." Todd leaned towards Leonard to tell him the plan.
Meanwhile the rest of the legends snuck past the drones Gideon's left hand held upwards keeping the dome that shielded from view firmly in place.
"I don't understand. Why aren't they attacking us?" Sara questioned with a frown as she looked at the triangles floating past them as they walked. Her batons out ready to strike if one of them did.
"It's a bit of misdirection Miss Lance. Their scanners are focused on combatting those three, which means they aren't searching for more threats. Additionally, this structure I've created shields us from view, but I'm afraid I can't hold it for long." Gideon informed her. "My control over the ships systems is quite minimal at the moment."
"Are you alright?" Clarity asked her.
"Tired, but I'll manage." Gideon answered. "Jerry's influence here is stronger than I expected it to be."
"Is that going to be a problem?" Rip questioned her.
"Not with all of you here it won't be." Gideon replied the two sharing a smile.
"Nobody move! Don't take another step." Clarity ordered the group and everyone froze at Clarity's frantic call.
"What's wrong, Sparky? Thought we were running out of time. We have to move." Mick gestured to the path in front of them.
"No, it's another trap, the ground it's a hologram, I can see it, feel it, ugh it's hard to explain. Just look closer." Clarity picked up a stone and threw it about a step in front of the group. The stone didn't hit the ground instead it fell through it. Menacing green bubbles appearing through the ground as it flickered revealing a toxic green pool of acid.
"Oh dear, it would seem my senses to the changes Jerry has made to my systems have been somewhat dulled. Apologies everyone." Gideon apologized.
"Don't worry about it. We all have off days. Do we go around it?" Ray wondered paling slightly. If it hadn't been for Clarity they would all have been dead for sure.
"Around it? Who knows how long that could take. No we keep going straight. The fastest way between two points is a straight line." Sara denied shaking her head.
"In case you haven't noticed Sara there is a giant pool of acid in the way. I don't know about you but I have no plans of getting killed inside my own ship today. We go around." Rip argued with a shake of his head.
"Thats just what he wants us to do." Mick glared. "I'm not walking into any more traps. We already know this one is here. We go straight. Computer, Sparky, do something bout this acid." Mick commanded.
"The name is Gideon and unless you want to find yourself falling head first into this pit of faulty coding which has been programmed to mimic the real world equivalent of acid and have yourself be deleted molecule by molecule I suggest you call me as such, Mr. Rory." Gideon snapped in reply glaring at the arsonist.
Mick put his hands up in surrender.
"But as for your request it can be done Mr. Rory. Clarity could you give me a hand?" Gideon questioned holding her free hand out to her creator.
"One power boost coming up, but nothing fancy Gid. Not a lot of time, not a lot of energy." Clarity reminded.
"I know." Gideon breathed dropping to her knees Clarity's hands going to Gideon's shoulders both women glowing a bright blue color from head to toe electricity crackling around them. Gideon placed her hands flat on the ground and slowly raised them up to eye level. A skeleton structure for a bridge rapidly formed and materialized over the acid pool.
"There it's done." Gideon breathed her hands shaking from the effort. Clarity dropping to the ground beside her.
"Great, brilliant now these two are even weaker than they were before. Well done." Rip glared at Mick and Sara.
"I'll be fine, Captain." Gideon stood up. "Once I regain control over the ship I'll have more than enough power. I promise." Gideon told him.
"Yes, right, well what about Clarity? Don't even think about saying your fine." Rip bent down next to her brushing a lock of her hair out of her eyes.
"I'm tougher than I look." Clarity said defensively.
"I know, but even you have limits, Clarity." Rip pointed out.
"I'll rest when Jerry's dealt with. Until then we have to keep going." Clarity shook her head standing up. The group walking on the bridge Clarity and Gideon has created. The dome still shielding them from sight.
"I still can't believe he turned on us after everything we've been through together." Ray frowned.
"Preaching to the choir, haircut." Mick replied.
"You've known him like two days, Ray." Sara argued.
"Two days is a very long time." Ray frowned turning to face Clarity. "Right Clarity?"
Clarity didn't reply as she stared at something in the distance. Her eyes transfixed on a pyramid like structure the very tip of it crackling with a green lightning. It seemed to be where the pools of green coding originated. At the top numbers flashed in time with the lightning forming a sequence 4 - 555 - 444 - 8 - 222 - 44 before it repeated from the start.
"Clarity?" Ray questioned surprised that she didn't answer him. It wasn't like her to just leave him hanging verbally or otherwise.
"I need to go there." Clarity murmured. Her gaze seemingly glued to the structure in the distance.
"What are you talking about? Clarity, we have to go delete Jerry." Sara reminded her in confusion.
"Yeah, I-In a minute." Clarity replied distractedly waving a hand at the assassin not sparing her a glance.
"In a- Clarity that's the whole reason we're even in here!" Sara went grab Clarity's wrist but her hand glitched straight through the metahumans wrist. Sara's eyes widened and she took a step back from her. "C-Clarity?" Sara questioned a bit unnerved.
"Don't touch her." Gideon instructed holding out her free hand. What was going on? Clarity felt off suddenly.
"I've gotta go, I'll catch up with you guys later." Clarity promised a green gleam glazing over her eyes.
"Go? Clarity we can't split up again! We have to stick together." Ray protested.
"You'll only slow me down." She replied before she ran out of the dome leaping off the bridge. Right before she was about to hit the acid she glitched teleporting over the green liquid making her way to the tower with ease as she drew lightning from the tower replenishing her energy.
"What the hell does she think she's doing!?" Rip demanded as they all watched on helplessly as she left them.
"Her lightning it's turning green." Ray gasped as he noticed the lightning's change in color.
"Gideon, what's happening to her?" Sara asked in worry.
"I'm afraid it's nothing good, Miss Lance." Gideon frowned. "It would seem that Clarity is on his side now."
And here's ch 32! Sorry for the wait you guys finals took up more of my time than I previously anticipated. But now that I'm on winter break I'm finally able to write again so that's a plus. Now, here are the questions!
1. Was it worth the wait? Why or why not?
2. What do you think is going to happen now that Clarity is on Jerry's side?
3. Are you sick of these questions?
4. If I started doing costume contests again would you do them?
5. Any guesses on what Jerry's physical form looks like?
6. What other traps do you believe Jerry has in store for our heroes?
7. If Each legend could meet one Disney character who would you want it to be and why?
8. If the legends all went on a girls night what kind of chaos do you think would ensue?
9. The legends are playing kiss, Marry, Kill, who do you think Clarity would pick?
10. Who are you shipping in this story? Just tell me all the pairings Clarity ones included.
11. Do you believe Glitch can get to be 1m views someday? Why or why not?
12. Why do you read and or write fanfiction?
13. Anything else you'd like to ask, rant or tell me!