Simon's gaze into space was broken when Amber's alcohol wipe went over an open wound on his face.
"YOW!" He heaved.
"Sorry, just cleaning the remnants of me whooping your ass off of your face." Amber snorted.
Simon frowned, but didn't reply.
"I guess I could have dismissed that little fight scene earlier." Amber admitted.
"No, it was my fault." Simon admitted as well, "I was mad, was all. Between you leaving, the blast, and anything else, I've been overwhelmed without even being here. It's funny, I worried about you, but you're completely fine. Guess three years really emphasizes how much you care about somebody if you're willing to spend it with them."
"Meh. I actually thought to just walk away, but my head hasn't been in the game. Not since… a lot of things…"
Simon stood and turned to Amber.
"Either way, in a sense, it's great to be back. Even if doomsday is possible with the snap of a finger."
"HOLY SHIT WHAT THE HECK IS THAT?!" 3 shrilled from the drive chamber.
Simon and Amber ran in to see Billy's ghost with strange cracks extending from the edges from his mouth.
"I thought that Travis would have stopped you. Clearly not." He began, before descending into maniacal laughter. The cracks opened and revealed a demented smile that extended ear to ear. After he finished cackling, he floated backwards, into the drive core.
3 hurried to her feet.
"What in the world? Billy's stupid ghost just went into that thing!"
Simon turned to find Cleats, but was shoved out of the way by him.
"NO!" Cleats yelled, "We're so dead…"
The shutdown procedure stopped and Billy's human form climbed from the drive core, chrome arms replaced and all.
He looked around the room.
"I bet you weren't expecting me to show up, right?"
"No." Everyone said in unison.
"Right. And this drive… you didn't even bother to tell me about it, Cleats? All that time you worked for me and I never heard about this beauty." Billy motioned toward the drive. "But all is still okay. I've found it and regained my handsome form."
Brittany, Alph and Luigi entered the room.
"What's going on here?!" Brittany gasped.
"Wait, I thought we got rid of you!" Alph gasped as well.
"Not the guy I wanted to see right now…" Luigi sighed.
Billy laughed as four chrome arms spread out.
"I've seen things you wouldn't imagine. Did you know that none of you are real? I know! Cool, ain't it?!"
Billy dodged a bullet.
Luigi cocked his laser pistol.
"We can't let you use the drive."
As if Luigi were the leader now, everybody else did the same as Luigi and drew their weapons.
Billy scoffed.
"Seriously? Just… draw the guns and swords on me, I wasn't done monologuing- WAIT!"
Everybody charged at Billy, causing him to retaliate violently.
Meanwhile…
Travis snuck through the halls, looking for the drive or anybody he could find. A footstep behind him caused Travis to fire a lightning bolt behind him. 3 sidestepped said bolt and pinned Travis to the wall.
"What are you doing here, don't you know what's good for you?!" 3 threatened.
"I know what's good for me, that's why I'm here." Travis replied, calmly.
"What?"
"I feel like I have another personality. It's weird, the other one just really enjoys your company." Travis chuckled, "He wants me to give you this, by the way."
"Give me what-"
Out of nowhere, Travis lunged forward and kissed 3. They sat like that for what felt like hours as 3's face didn't change from a surprised gasp. Finally, 3 grabbed Travis and they did it again. Again, for what felt like hours. Finally finally, Travis pulled away.
"And I'm giving you this."
Travis let go of 3 and she fell to the floor, unconscious. He shook the PSI sparkles off of his hands and turned to leave. Before he could react, a kunai buried itself in his shoulder.
Mick strolled in.
"So, you enjoy that little kiss? I remember when I had my first kiss. It was trash. But the second first kiss was heavenly. Anyway," Mick beamed. "I think some payback has been way overdue."
Travis pulled the kunai out and scowled.
"What did I ever do to you, anyway?!"
"You waved your little baton at that octarian march and kidnapped my wife. Or so I believe."
Travis blanched.
"I forgot about that..."
Mick darted over and kicked Travis square in the face, sending him to the wall, where Mick pinned Travis to the wall.
"What, are you gonna kiss me too?" Travis taunted.
A knife kissed Travis's leg. Before he could shriek in pain, Mick jabbed Travis's diaphragm. He followed up with a swift face kick, painful body slam, and slightly enjoyable limp-body-kicking.
Travis's limp body now sat beside 3's limp body. Mick laughed.
"What a nice way to go out," He chuckled to himself as he took Travis's brainwashing glasses and snapped them in half.
Drive chamber…
Billy also lay on the floor.
The crew looked around, before Simon piped up.
"I wish we could just get rid of him! The little pest just appears over and over!"
Cleats looked at the drive, before looking back to Simon.
"The drive is the only way we'd be able to pull off such a feat… but exposure to the drive's power creates corruption in the mind. It could turn you in seconds. We don't want you turning evil, would we?"
Simon bent over at the helmet in control.
"What if I did it? I mean, it can't be that bad, right?"
Cleats thought for a moment, before walking off.
"I'll talk with the group about it." He said, his voice trailing off.
In Alph's room, Alph hid with Shallows and Marco.
Cleats entered and turned on the light.
"Hey. Hand man is gone, but we need to talk."
Shallows went to leave, but Cleats grabbed his cloak and yanked him back inside.
"The team talks about using the drive to reset everything. What are your thoughts?"
"What are we, the drive committee?" Shallows snarked.
"Ooh, that sounds like a fun name!" Cleats began, before quickly getting back on topic, "Your thoughts?"
"I think it's a wonderful idea!" Alph cheered.
"Doesn't sound like a bad idea." Agreed Marco.
Shallows stomped his foot.
"No! That can't happen."
"What do you mean, "that can't happen," we were just-"
"Listen, if they carry that out, carnage will ensue!" Shallows interjected.
"Whoa, calm down, they just want to see their families again!" Marco pleaded.
"No, you don't see it. If they bring back Michael, he will know how to use the drive. You know what he did while he was in power. Think of what'll happen with us if he comes back!" Shallows protested.
"What'd he do?" Alph asked.
"He was killing crew members. He'd sold you out to Billy to save his own skin. He'd drain their oxygen supply, siphon their gas supply, and purposely give them little rations. Eventually, they'd end up like Captain Russel did. Split from the MVPs or permanently out of commission."
Alph closed his dropped jaw.
"I… didn't know that…"
Shallows turned back to Cleats.
"They're not using that drive. If they think they'll end up doing it, they're going to have to fight me."
Cleats shrugged.
"Masky makes a good point."
"WHO?!" Shallows screamed.
"I just call you Masky. I don't know your real name anyway." Cleats explained.
"For future reference, Gramps, it's Shallows."
Cleats grunted, but left the room anyhow.
"We've reached a pact." Cleats announced, "We can't risk bringing everyone back. It could cause so many things."
Amber scowled.
"You can't risk it? You can't risk it?! You are keeping so many people dead because you can't risk it?!"
Cleats squinted, before turning away.
"Do what you must, but I don't think everybody agrees with you."
Right as Simon put on the helmet, Shallows stormed in.
"Everybody stop! We are not doing this!"
Amber stepped forward.
"No! Simon, keep going. Do you know how crushing it was to see my own brother's corpse, knowing I couldn't help it?! And when I get the chance to save him, you're telling me I can't?!"
"Yes! He sold you out to Billy to kill you! Imagine what happens to you once he realizes he doesn't need you anymore!"
"He will need me, I'm his sister!"
Shallows sighed.
"You just don't understand, do you?! He's a corrupt being who only cares for himself! We can't just bring him back and tell him there's a freaking god machine here!"
"He cares about me! And that's enough!"
"You're risking everybody. The entire multiverse… just for him? Is it worth it? He'll just make himself god and ditch everybody else. Maybe it sounds delectable to you," Shallows drew a hunting knife, "but I'm not gonna let this tyranny descend."
Amber didn't reply, she just ran in.
Simon watched them fighting, as he hooked himself up to the machine.
Somehow, Amber had begun to best Shallows.
One last strike to Shallows' gut sent him doubling to the floor.
"You… y-you'll…" He panted, "You're m-making a grave mist-take, hah…"
Amber yanked the mask off and grabbed Simon's sword.
"So are you!" She cried as she swung the sword into Shallows' neck.
Simon gasped. With a sickening noise, Shallows' body hit the floor and his head rolled away.
Amber slowly turned to Simon, blood all over her face.
"Do it." She demanded, "DO IT!"
Simon blanched.
"M-maybe this isn't such a good idea-"
"I said, do it!" She snapped.
Simon quickly began to think, but fear and anxiety began to cloud up his thoughts. He closed his eyes to focus.
"What's going on- HOLY MACKEREL!" Marco hollered, "You killed him?!"
Amber turned slowly.
"Do you want to be next?!"
Marco scowled.
"Simon, stop. Don't."
Simon paused, but something happened. A searing headache throbbed and reality flickered in and out.
Marco ran forward, throwing Amber out of the way. She reached for Simon, but a flash of white light came in.
The next thing they knew, they were falling. Amber leaned forward to fall faster, but something caught her eye as they fell. A black suit and reflective face mask, to be precise. She waded through the air to reach Michael. She didn't notice the other masked figure between her and Simon.
Simon felt himself losing consciousness, but woke himself up as he heard a familiar voice screaming for him.
"Simon! Wake up, this is your captain speaking!"
"C-captain?" He breathed.
Alph felt a huge weight leave his body. He looked around and what he saw just warmed his heart. Arris and Marco held each other tight as they descended. And to add to the beautiful reunions, Mick held Gary tight as well.
Cleats looked around. Land finally came into view. As did a purple hoodie with a green omega sign on it. Cleats blanched as the realization came to. Everybody who died was here.
But they couldn't do much else as the ground hit them.
You might be wondering where the crossover went. It's a shame I have to stop because of a painful self-esteem drop. It will return, but I had different plans for MVPs season four, sooo... don't be pissed at me, see you soon.