(I return from St. Louis with a big smile on my face)
Me: I'm back!
Felix: Welcome back, man!
Brittany: How was St. Louis?
Me: Awesome! I went to a casino for a New Year's party and we celebrated until the countdown!
Judy: That's great!
Me: I assume you had a lot of fun without me.
Brittany: You could say that.
Me: Good. Now, if everyone will excuse me, I have a lot of catching up to do on most of my stories.
Heroes Unite!
Chapter 27: Vortech Appears, Part 1
In the Oakton Penitentiary, Mayor Muldoon, clad in a navy blue prison suit, is in his cell reading a newspaper article. The headline reads "Liberty Land Shut Down, Park Rebuilt". His face turns red with uncontrollable rage and he rips the paper to shreds.
"I had everything! Money, power, the people's support, but that squirrel ruined everything!" Muldoon seethed. "Once I get out of here, I'll mount his head on my wall!"
"Muldoon!" He hears a guard open his cell door. "You and your pal have a visitor."
"I'll bet that squirrel sent him to laugh at me." Muldoon deduced. He exits his cell. He eyes Gunther, whose cell is three cells down from his. They are led by the guard to the visiting room. They look around and see several other inmates who are visited by their friends and loved ones.
"There he is. Table 4." The guard pointed to a classy gentleman seated at the table.
"Uh, do you know who that man is?" Muldoon asked.
"I asked for his name, but he opted to remain anonymous."
"Right…"
"Whatever he wants you for better make it fast. Visiting hour's almost up." The guard then left them to speak with the gentleman. They have a seat in front of him.
"Greetings, gentlemen." The gentleman spoke to them.
"Have we met before?" Gunther questioned him.
The gentleman let out a low chuckle. "We have not, but I can help you achieve your dream."
"How do you know so much?" Muldoon asks.
"Let's just say I travel the world seeking knowledge. Speaking of, word on the street is that your dream of opening an amusement park was thwarted, and by a purple squirrel of all things."
"He's good." Gunther commented. Muldoon responds with a firm backhand to Gunther's chest.
"So, gentlemen, I have been working on a… project that requires your help. Do this for me, and I will gladly give you what you want, no questions asked."
Gunther and Muldoon look at each other. They smirk with a hint of malice in their eyes. "You have yourself a deal!" They seal their partnership with a firm handshake.
The gentleman laughs. "I'm glad we could do business, Mr. Mayor." He raised his head, revealing a disguised Lord Vortech.
Back with our heroes, they casually walk along the streets lining Liberty City when Judy sees something forming ahead.
"What is it, Carrots?" Nick asked.
"Are you guys seeing what I am?" She asked. A circular portal opens in front of them.
"Isn't that Bunnyx's Burrow?" Ladybug asked. Her answer came when a woman in a baby blue and white bodysuit appeared from the portal. Her bodysuit has pockets at her stomach, which has a black turtleneck with a white cotton ball attached. Her blue and white mask has small sapphire-colored circles at the corners. She has black-lined white rabbit ears that are baby blue on the inside. On her back is an umbrella, which is white on the outside and baby blue on the inside with a white handle.
"Yeah, you're right, Ladybug." Cat Noir confirmed.
"I take it you know her?" Red asks.
"Her name's Bunnyx. In the future, she uses the Rabbit Miraculous, giving her the power to travel through time." Ladybug explained. "The last time I met her, she brought me to a future where Cat Noir was akumatized, turning him into Cat Blanc."
"She's right." Cat Noir nods. "In the future where I became akumatized, I ended up using my Mega Cataclysm to destroy most of Paris, as well as the moon. Ladybug and Hawk Moth were caught in the blast and the city was flooded. But Ladybug… well, Past Ladybug saved me, not just by purifying my akuma, but also erasing her mistake."
"But how did all that happen?" Obi-Wan asked. Ladybug blushed with embarrassment, hesitant to explain. Bunnyx stepped forward.
"I'll take that question. Mini Bug signed her own name onto a gift she left for Adrien." Bunnyx explained. "When she did, Adrien put the pieces together and found out Ladybug's true identity and he confessed his love to the girl behind the mask. Now, history appears to have repeated itself. I saw it from inside my Burrow."
Scarlett glanced at Ladybug and Cat Noir. They give her a confirming nod. She approaches the rabbit superheroine. "Bunnyx, right?"
"And you are?" Bunnyx asks.
"I am the Scarlet Warrior. I just want to inform you that while your future is unchanged, you have nothing to worry."
"What do you mean by that?"
"You probably didn't know this, but Cat Noir and I promised that once the masks go on, our relationship is strictly professional." Ladybug told Bunnyx.
"Huh. Guess I must've missed that part." Bunnyx sheepishly admitted.
"Since you're here, Bunnyx, we could use your help." Sonic offered.
"I'd love that, but I can't." Bunnyx turned it down. "If I were to make any changes here in the past, my future would be in jeopardy. I better jet. Oh, and BT-dubs, Mini Bug, don't let Hawk Moth find out who you and Kitty Noir are."
"Like that will happen again, Bunnyx." Ladybug agrees.
"I'm counting on you. All of you." Bunnyx wished them the best as she turned towards her Burrow. She then remembers something. "Oh, before I forget, keep your eyes open for a large man named Percival Muldoon. If I know my history of Oakton, he has a bit of a reputation." With that waring, she leaves through her Burrow.
When the heroes continue, they see Vortech ahead, still in his gentleman disguise. "Do you think it's that Muldoon guy Bunnyx mentioned?" Rena Rouge asks.
"It's hard to tell. He's a lot thinner than I imagined him to be." Knuckles commented.
Tails' scanner starts beeping erratically. Fox glanced back at the gentleman. Suddenly, an explosion is heard. The heroes turn and see a large chunk of the security wall around the Oakton Penitentiary is blown off. Several of the inmates rush out to freedom. Among them are Muldoon and his cohort Gunther.
"Did you miss me, people of Oakton?" Muldoon smirked. The people respond with panic and run in several directions, some past the heroes.
"Well, whoever he is, he's the source of the energy signature." Fox confirmed.
"Yeah… I can sense it." Shadow agreed.
Gru and Lucy stepped forward from the group. "Who are you and where have you taken my daughters?"
"That's for me to know, good sir." Vortech told him. "Not that you'll get the chance to save them. This universe isn't big enough for all of us."
"What does he mean by that?" Gru asks.
"I think he's asking for a major butt-kicking!" Rainbow Dash challenged.
"I couldn't agree more." Knuckles cracked his namesakes.
Suddenly, Vortech pulls his staff out and raises it. A rift then opens and a red barn drops down, blocking the way.
"That was too close." Carapace sighs.
"Hey, isn't that my barn?" Applejack asks.
"There's no mistaking it." Twilight confirmed. "How can we get through?"
"Uh, guys, I think the barn's the least of our problems. Look!" Obi-Wan spoke to gain their attention. They find themselves surrounded by Egg Pawns.
"Egg Pawns!" Knuckles confirmed.
"They're not so tough." Anakin said as he brandished his lightsaber. Everyone else pulled out their melee weapons.
The Egg Pawns charged at the heroes. Cat Noir struck an Egg Pawn with his staff. Obi-Wan and Anakin slice two more with their lightsabers. Tails blasts another with his Wrist Cannon. Carapace blocks an attack from an Egg Pawn with his shield and smashes it to pieces. Falco blasts the last one with his Blaster.
"That takes care of those guys." Sonic said.
"Now we just have to get through Applejack's barn." Sofia agreed.
"Easier said than done, little Princess." Applejack spoke up. "While you were fighting those robots, I looked inside and I saw that some of the support beams are blocking the door."
"Then how are we going to open it?" Rarity asked.
"I have an idea. Locate Keystone!" Fox uses the Locate Keystone. A rift opens and the Landmaster comes out of it.
"A tank?" Queen Bee asks.
"Not just any tank. This is the Landmaster." Slippy confirmed. "It can shoot down any enemies from the air. And its heavy armor can withstand enemy attacks."
"Can it blast open my barn door?" Applejack asks.
"You're about to find out. Stand back." Fox boards the tank and aims its laser blaster at the barn. Everyone else stands clear as the laser blast blows the barn doors wide open. The blast also made a large hole at the very back of the barn. He turns to Applejack. "Sorry about the barn."
"No harm, Fox. I can always build another after all this." AJ shrugs.
"I see him!" Knuckles reported.
"We're splitting up," Scarlett stated before looking to Lucy. "Lucy, watch over Sofia for me."
"Are you sure?"
"Hey, I gave you your engagement ring from my treasury. This is the least you can do to pay me back."
"You're right." Lucy nods as she proceeds with the group. Scarlett breaks away from the group and contacts some people to provide assistance.
Me: And done. Man, time sure flies when you're busy. I don't mind another visit to Kawawii Island.
(I hear a knock at my door.)
Me: It's open.
Pac-Man: What's up!
Me: Pac! I haven't seen you since Pacopolis. Where are Spiral and Cylindria?
Pac-Man: We split up when we arrived. I saw Cyli go somewhere on the second floor and I think Spiral's in the arcade.
Me: Well, you came at the right time. I was just finishing an update and I'm about to upload it now. Reviews are appreciated. Excelsior!