Disclaimer: I don't own anything that doesn't belong to me.
…
"Antares, what are you doing?" Aranea asked her bodyguard.
"I want to punch that hippopotamus," Antares said very seriously, glaring at a hippopotamus swimming languidly beside the royal bark.
"Why?" Aranea asked him.
"It's looking at me funny."
Indeed, the hippopotamus seemed to be giving him a particularly smug, taunting glare.
"Antares, you can't punch a hippopotamus," Nushi told him. When he gave her an affronted look, she amended her statement. "I mean, you could, obviously, but you probably shouldn't. I think hippopotami are sacred to the Egyptians?"
"They are," Thotep confirmed. "Then again, many animals are. Crocodiles are actually somewhat more sacred than hippopotami."
"There's plenty of animals that are sacred on my planet, but we still hunt them," Antares grumbled, crossing his arms. "It would be disrespectful to do otherwise! It would be like we are saying they aren't worth our time. They would take great offense."
"Why are crocodiles more sacred? They're, like, big ugly nasty evil lizards," Neycombe complained, wrinkling up her face in disgust.
"Actually, hippopotami are far more violent and dangerous and likely to kill people than crocodiles are," Nushi told her.
The Fangire heiress blinked in surprise. "Wait, really?"
Akilah nodded. "Oh, yes. You'd be surprised by how many people get killed by hippopotami around here. And they put up a bit more fight than crocodiles do, in my opinion."
"Oh, so you do fight them!" Antares cried eagerly.
"Only the ones that kill people," Gozim told him, sharpening his blade. "Otherwise we leave them alone."
Antares pouted. "Does that mean I have to leave this one alone?"
Cleopatra glanced over the side of the boat at the hippopotamus in question. "No, I can sense a great deal of evil intent from this one. If left alone, it'll probably murder a child or something. Go for it."
Laughing gaily, Antares leapt over the side of the boat and immediately started wrestling with the hippopotamus. Several of the children and some of the servants immediately rushed over to watch him fight.
The Egyptrangers and the time travelers were riding the royal bark on the river Nile in route to the capital of Alexandria. As befit a royal vessel, the ship was lavishly decorated, with throw pillows, incense, a seemingly endless chain of servants offering delicious-smelling and tasting food on massive platters, and gorgeous dancing girls as they relaxed beneath a large canopy to protect them from the sun. The interior of the canopy was covered in hieroglyphics Ariel immediately recognized were spells to keep the occupants cool and protected from the elements, with countless other protective spells woven into every inch of the boat, making it a nearly impregnable fortress, which made sense considering its most common occupant. Massive oars protruding from the size of the ship propelled it along the river, rowed by Ushabti in the galley.
"You really replaced your entire slave population with golems?" Galacta had marveled as they boarded the vessel.
Cleopatra had nodded. "Yes, and it was no easy feat. There was a lot of pushback from a sizable percentage of the population, including the slaves."
"I'd have thought they'd be happy not to be slaves anymore," a confused Nushi had argued.
Cleopatra had shrugged. "We Egyptians have a great fondness for a certain aesthetic, and slavery has been a part of it for thousands of years. Many slaves take pride in being able to trace their lineage through countless generations of service to a particular family. The transition was… Difficult, but necessary."
"Because it was the right thing to do?" Philia had asked.
"No, because the Romans have a stranglehold on most of the slave trade in this part of the world, and we felt this was another crucial step to regaining control of our culture from them," Thotep had replied. "Granted, the economy took a sizable hit due to us needing to find a way to feed, house, and pay our ex-slaves, and I was assassinated to try and stop me from accomplishing my goals, but you can't stop progress, only slow it down."
"So… These Ushabti, they aren't… Intelligent, are they?" An uneasy Apista had asked as they watched the ShinLiner be carried to the river.
"Define intelligence," Gozim had asked.
"They aren't… Self-aware. They aren't… People," Apista had said vaguely. "Like Thotep."
Thotep had shaken his head. "No, they aren't self-aware. They are intelligent – they'd have to be to be able to do all the things a human can do – but they are not and never will be people. I am a special case, and I've made certain the method I used to transfer my soul into this body cannot be replicated by anyone else. Cheating death in this manner is very much against our religion, and is not something I did lightly, but only because I felt there was no other way to complete my work. The gods have forgiven me, thankfully, but when I am certain I am no longer needed, I fully intend to destroy this body and enjoy the rest of my afterlife in peace."
"So they can't develop souls of their own?" Ariel had asked. "Because that was kind of a thing that happened back home. A company built… Well, something like the Ushabti, but a lot more advanced, but they eventually became so intelligent they grew self-aware, gained their own souls, and then a lot of ugly questions about what sort of rights and privileges they should be afforded and whether or not they counted as people cropped up, and there was nearly a horrible uprising and war with humanity with terrorist attacks and a malicious intelligence that sort of evolved into the God of malice, and it was this whole big thing."
"It was a typical year, really," Shin had commented when the Egyptrangers had stared at them dumbly. "Never a dull minute in our time."
Thankfully, Thotep did manage to convince them that the Ushabti were not and never would be able to develop souls and were intelligent tools, but nothing more. "I thought it unethical to create a species solely to press them into servitude," the scholar had explained, making more than a few of the up-time humans feel somewhat uncomfortable.
The ShinLiner was being carried on a string of barges towed behind the bar, numerous spells of lightening cast on them to keep the massive Time Machine from slowing the more primitive vessel down or sinking into the river. Cart was already hard at work inside the train, doing repairs with help from some Ushabti, steadfastly refusing to look outside last she blow a gasket at how there were far more villages dotting the riverbanks at a higher level of technology and standard of living than should exist in this time period.
"You guys sure do seem to have a higher level of technology and standard of living than you'd expect from this time period," Nushi observed as some boats passed by, some of them moving as fast as a motorboat while hovering inches over the water, with sails made of shimmering energy curtains covered in hieroglyphics. Fishing boats seemed to be using mechanized cranes and nets made of light to pull in higher catches, and several of the towns had windmills that looked like they were generating electricity to power the surprising amount of lights and other devices that probably shouldn't have been invented yet. Holographic displays sprung up all over the riverbanks, advertising restaurants, wares, and performances, while large projections of deities, animals, and other mythical figures decorated temples being constructed by massive stone blocks carried on hover sledges pulled by Ushabti. "Or is that magic?"
"It's a bit of both," Thotep informed her. "Since the return of Lady Isis, Egyptian magic has been revitalized, and we gotten a bit of a technology boost thanks to reverse engineering as much as we can understand from Akilah's ship." He made a face. "Which isn't as much as I would like, because while we can understand the theory quite well, we lack the tools or resources to put all that into action."
"You guys lack the tools to build the tools to build the tools to build the tools to make even a quarter of the stuff on my ship," Akilah said apologetically. "Of course, it's not like tech is my strong suit, anyway. I just take things from one place to another, and punch the lights out of anyone who gets in my way."
"What's this about Isis?" Ariel asked, ears twitching.
"She's the ancient Egyptian goddess of magic, right?" Luna recalled.
"Modern Egyptian goddess of magic," Cleopatra said sternly. "We may seem ancient to you, but for us it is still the present."
"Oh, sorry."
"What happened to Isis? Where did she go and why did she come back?" Philia, always eager to learn more about magic, asked excitedly.
"Up until recently, Egypt has been in a bit of a decline," Thotep explained. "It is how we were conquered by the Assyrians, then the Persians, then Alexander the Great, and our great civilization went from a mighty empire to a province of Rome."
"When I took the throne, I had hoped at first to reverse this trend and restore Egypt to its independence and former glory," Cleopatra added. "But… Well, political realities turned out to be not quite what I'd hoped, and…" She blushed. "I met Julius Caesar, and we… Well…"
Mibojin raised a disgusted eyebrow. "Really?"
"According to historical records of our time, Cleopatra and Caesar did have a relationship for a time," Shin reported. "They even had a son."
Cleopatra rolled her eyes. "Yes, we almost had one in this timeline as well. Caesar kept obsessing over how I would have a son, and he would be named Ceasarion, and he would be his heir, and all that."
"Why would you hook up with Caesar?" Asked a confused Ariel. "Isn't he the bad guy?"
Cleopatra sighed. "As I said, political realities were not quite what I'd hoped. And…" She blushed again. "He is a very ambitious and charismatic man. He has… Many fine qualities."
"That's one way to put it," Nefer grumbled jealously.
"While the Cleopatra of our timeline eventually had a falling out with Caesar, somehow I doubt the reason for it was the same here," Shin intuited. "And I'm guessing it's something to do with Isis?"
Cleopatra nodded. "That is part of it, yes. When Caesar and I were about to… Well, conceive Ceasarion-"
Quite a few of the listeners, especially children, made grossed out faces at this.
"I received a vision from the gods."
Aranea immediately looked interested. "Oh? Do tell."
"They told me that the root of our centuries-long decline was a grievous betrayal at the hands of the wicked Set," Cleopatra told them, lip curling in disgust. "In yet another of his schemes to undermine his brother Osiris and cause the downfall of Egypt, he abducted Isis and sold her to the gods of Greece, who, eventually, became the gods of Rome, after the Romans incorporated Greece into their empire and adopted their pantheon. Without Isis's magic to protect Egypt, the kingdom became more vulnerable to invasion, plagues, and other disasters, and our civilization began to rot away."
"How ghastly," a shocked Neycombe cried.
"Why would this Set do that?" A confused Apista asked. "To his own sister-in-law?"
"Why would your own sister try to kill you and destroy your empire?" Mibojin pointed out. "The love between siblings can often turn sour indeed. I have seen it many times."
Apista made a face, but could not refute this.
Ariel's face paled. "Wait, she was given to the Olympians… Isis is supposed to be an incredibly beautiful goddess, so… There's no way that Jupiter wouldn't try to…!"
"He never laid a hand on her," Cleopatra assured the sorceress, much to her relief. "Jupiter is a powerful God indeed… But Isis is older, and wiser, and she would allow none other than her husband to lie with her."
Nushi took Ariel's hand and smiled. "Just as your magic wouldn't allow anyone other than someone you truly love to lie with you."
Ariel giggled and kissed first her cheek, then Aranea's, to the spider's pleasant surprise. "Which will always be you."
"The gods, weakened by Isis's absence, were unable to prevent Egypt's decline," Cleopatra continued. "They tried to speak with the pharaohs, with the priests, but… So long as the Olympians held Isis hostage, there was only so much they could do. I was the first Pharaoh in a very, very long time with the strength of will and connection to the divine to do what had to be done, to rescue Isis, shatter Egypt's dependency on foreign powers, and allow us to once again be a great empire, the envy of the world. It was my destiny to restore us to our former glory."
Aranea smiled at this. "A monarch after my own heart."
"You seem to have done a fine job with that so far," Apista noted, glancing at another village they passed, full of happy, smiling people. Her face fell. "… Better than I have, anyway…"
"Don't worry, your Majesty, we'll fix things somehow," Goro reassured.
"And at least you've done a fine job establishing a Hive presence on Earth," Nushi added. "Hive City is a wonderful place to live."
"Thank you for that, Nushi," Apista said gratefully.
"Of course, this new destiny came at a price," Cleopatra said sadly. "It meant that my time with Caesar had to come to an end, something a part of me will always regret, even though I understand it had to be done. Just as I had been chosen by the Ennead, he had been chosen by the Olympians. It was their hope that the son he bore from my loins, heir to the thrones of both Rome and Egypt, would allow the empire to fully incorporate us, reducing us to nothing more than just another country under their yoke. The power of our gods would diminish, and Isis… Jupiter would finally be able to…"
She clamped her mouth shut and glanced away, clearly unable to finish the sentence. Nefer nuzzled her sympathetically, Aranea and Nushi hugged a pale Ariel, and Goro quickly put an arm around his trembling wife.
"Back in our timeline," Shin said slowly. "Isis did eventuallybecome a member of the Roman Pantheon. She… May not have been as lucky as yours was."
Ariel gasped. "We should… We should look into that. When we get back."
Her friends nodded in agreement.
"In the vision, Isis managed to tell me the locations of these Gokami Bracers," Cleopatra continued, raising her left arm to show off her transformation device, her comrades doing the same thing.
"They're very nice, but I think we are much prettier and powerful," Lepidoptera quipped.
"Lepidoptera! You shouldn't say things like that!" Coccinella hissed.
"Why not? She's right," Caelifer pointed out. "We are better."
"Yes, but that doesn't mean she should say it!"
"Well, it's not as if the Egyptians can hear what we're saying anyway, we are communicating through the Buzzing," Manti pointed out.
"Guys, quiet, we're trying to pay attention," Goro said.
"Sorry," they all said.
"She created them a very long time ago, anticipating that one day a group of chosen warriors would need them to save Egypt from great peril," and oblivious Cleopatra continued.
"Prophecies are reliable that way," Aranea said confidently.
"You are aware that for all the times a prophecy has come true, there are at least as many where they were averted?" Mibojin pointed out.
"Oh, I'm well aware," Aranea replied.
The ninja raised an eyebrow. "So how do you reconcile that with your belief that destiny is absolute?"
"There are many ways to predict the future, some more reliable than others," the spider mage explained. "The Magitopian Book of Prophecy, for example, is accurate 100% of the time, just like the methods used by my people. The rate of accuracy for prophecies made by others varies depending on the Oracle in question and the method used." She shrugged. "As far as we're concerned, a prophecy cannot be averted, so if it is, that means it was never a real prophecy to begin with and the method used to make it therefore is suspect."
"That seems rather simplistic," Goro commented.
"It's worked for us for millions of years," Aranea pointed out. "Numerous times in our empire-building days a warrior arose who some prophecy or other claimed was destined to stop us. All such heroes failed, while so far none of our prophecies ever have. Remember, we are the ones who invented destiny to begin with."
Nefer blinked. "Wait, what?"
"It's a whole thing, don't get her started," Kari said.
"If I recall, wasn't there some prophecy or other foretelling that the Ascendancy would win a great victory over the Hive?" Apista needled her daughter.
"You never defeated us," Aranea said quickly. "We simply decided there was no point in continuing to fight such a long, protracted, pointless war. Peace can be a victory for both sides."
Apista smirked. "Of course it is, sweetie."
"Prophecies don't always mean what people think they mean at first glance," Aranea insisted. "Or need I remind you who's won the most Pan-Galactic Bugball Games in the last century?"
All of the natural born members of the Hive grimaced at this, shame and indignation flooding the Buzzing.
"We'll get you next time!" Coccinella swore. "Well. When we have time for a next time. After this is all over."
"We'll be there to cheer you on," Kagami assured her, to her delight.
"So, wait, if Caesar has been chosen by his gods to take over the world, but Cleopatra and her friends have been chosen by their gods to prevent it, then which destiny is the right one?" Asked a confused Mira.
"Whichever one wins," Aranea replied.
"Seriously?" Kari asked skeptically.
"No, she's right, that's an empirically proven and tested method," Ariel spoke up. "After all, a lot of the prophecies which do come true are self-fulfilling in nature."
Aranea nodded. "For example, when I say it's my destiny to rule over the universe, I'm not saying it just because it has been foretold since ancient times. I will become the ruler of the universe because I am going out there and putting in the hard work to claim my throne rather than simply sitting and doing nothing and expecting the gods to hand it to me on a silver platter. I am confident in my future because I refuse to allow it to be otherwise."
"So, anyway, you got the Bracers, and then…?" Nushi prompted, deciding they didn't really need another argument about fate right now.
"We were able to sneak into Olympus by breaking into Pluto from the Duat," Gozim rasped. "They are both underworlds, so a connection of sorts exists between them."
"From there, we managed to rescue Lady Isis and made it home, but not before I clawed up Jupiter's chair and marked my territory on his bed," Nefer said smugly. "He did not like that."
"Which is weird, considering the sorts of things he gets up to on that thing," Akilah commented, causing everyone to grimace in disgust.
"My brave, clever little kitten," Cleopatra cooed, scratching Nefer behind the ears and causing her to mewl happily.
"… Can I…?" Coccinella asked Mira hopefully.
The zyuman immediately pushed her head into the ladybug's claws and started purring.
Kari gasped. "Mira! In public?!"
"Hey, mom, can Philia-" Mei started.
"NOT UNTIL YOU'RE 16!"
"With Isis returned to her proper throne, Egypt's magic was reinvigorated, and we were able to kick the Romans out," Akilah said with relish. "All five of us were greatly rewarded by the gods as thanks, our places in the Field of Reeds are assured, and, in time, we may become gods ourselves."
"Well, I'm already a God," Cleopatra pointed out. "Pharaoh and all. But now I'll become even more of one, and so will my closest friends!"
"Speaking of which, lovebug, you really need to work on your own godhood," Ariel urged her girlfriend. "You got a ways to go if you're going to catch up with Aranea and me!"
Nushi sighed. "It's a work in progress."
"Wait, you're going to the Egyptian afterlife? How's that work? You're not, um, from around here," Goro asked Akilah.
"Their gods talked it over with my people's gods, I think I'm going to be able to travel back and forth between mine and theirs," Akilah said vaguely.
"Of course, Set was not pleased that we foiled his plans to ruin Egypt, and we have been battling his forces ever since while doing our best to help rebuild Egypt and restore it to its former glory," Thotep finished.
"Then why were we attacked by Romans out in the desert instead of the minions of Set?" Mibojin asked. "I thought you'd said you banished the Romans from your land."
"Well, you have to remember, at this point in time Rome has the biggest and most powerful army in the world," Shin reminded her. "And given that they probably weren't happy that they got kicked out in the first place, I'm sure they were itching for a chance to retaliate in full force."
"Actually, the Romans aren't here to try and conquer us again," Nefer spoke up, to their surprise. "At least, not yet. I mean, they definitely want to, but at the moment, Caesar has his sights set on something else."
"Really? What?" Asked the puzzled Apista.
"We are not currently the only ones resisting the Roman Empire," Cleopatra explained, looking serious. "While we are the first to completely evict them from our nation, there are still others who fight back. The greatest force of rebellion besides ourselves is a small village in Gaul. Years ago, Caesar made a name for himself by conquering the country and forcing the great chief Vercingetorix to submit to him, but one brave, foolhardy, and practically invincible tribe have managed to successfully repel the Roman legions ever since the occupation began. They are constantly surrounded, by armies and at least four fortresses, but are so powerful they treat them as more of a nuisance than anything else, routinely beating them up for fun and treating smashing through their blockade as nothing more difficult than going to the market."
Ariel sat up at this. "Wait… A village of indomitable Gauls… Do they happen to have a magic potion that grants superstrength and invincibility?"
Cleopatra's eyebrows rose. "Oh, you've heard of them in the future?"
Ariel nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! That magic potion is one of the greatest mysteries in the history of magic! The Druids of this time were incredibly secretive, refusing to write anything down and passing down their knowledge through word-of-mouth from master to apprentice. It's said that a master druid once came up with a potion that can make one man strong enough to defeat entire armies! Unfortunately, the recipe has been lost to time, and all attempts to replicate it have failed."
"I've heard of this potion as well," Luna commented.
Aki nodded. "Yeah! The village where the druid who came up with that potion lived was able to repel the Romans for years, until they were eventually worn down by time and gradually incorporated into the Empire like everyone else."
"Aki! You remembered history!" Luna remarked, impressed.
"Actually, I read a comic about it," Aki admitted sheepishly.
"Me too! It's a good one," Ariel recalled fondly.
"I don't suppose there's any way we could get some of that potion?" Apista asked hopefully. "Due to our hive mind, if we learn how to make it, then our forces scattered across the universe will be able to replicate it, use it to fight back against the Swarm-"
"The druid will never tell you the recipe," Thotep said flatly. "The only one he will ever tell it to is his apprentice, or carry it to his grave. He claims it is far too dangerous to let fall into the wrong hands. Maybe any hands."
"We have asked him, more than once, if he would share it," Cleopatra lamented. "But while he has been willing to lend a limited supply to his allies, he will never allow anyone to know the recipe. And… I suppose I can't fault him. Any nation that knew how to make it would have a hard time resisting the urge to use it to take over the world."
"And the Hive is already a lot bigger than any Empire on Earth," Akilah pointed out.
"But we would never abuse it," Apista protested.
Shin snorted. "Yeah, history is full of people who said that. Guess what most of them did?"
"Indeed. The temptation to use a weapon that powerful is hard to resist," Gozim argued.
"He's right, mother," Aranea said. "I know my people would've gleefully abused a power like this in the past. And… Well. The Hive are conquerors already, in a sense, dedicated to expanding across space and incorporating civilizations they encounter into themselves, albeit peacefully. While you may intend to only use the potion to win the war with the Swarm, it doesn't take much to start being tempted to use it to win all wars. Maybe even start a few of your own…"
"That's… Not incorrect…" Apista murmured unhappily. She sighed. "I suppose I have had to re-examine our ways of doing things already…"
"If it's any consolation, there's no guarantee the potion would work on your biology anyway," Nefer said gently. "It was intended for human consumption, and nonhumans… Well. There are certain unpleasant and unpredictable side effects."
"That was a very uncomfortable couple of hours," Akilah murmured, shuddering in recollection.
"I do not follow. If I recall my geography, Gaul is very far away from here, across the Mediterranean. If they are such a thorn in Caesar's side, why is he here in Egypt instead of over there?" Kagami queried as she gave a purring Mira scratches.
"Caesar has tried for years to defeat them, but to no avail," Cleopatra explained. "With each setback, he grows ever more obsessed with crushing them and salvaging his reputation, since Rome cannot claim to be the most powerful force in the world when a tiny village on the coast routinely gives him a black eye. He has called upon the powers of the Roman gods, created an army of the undead and mythical beasts, and scoured the world for weapons and magic that will finally destroy that village once and for all. So far, nothing has worked."
"Then he learned of the Eyes of Alexander, a weapon purported to be used by Alexander the Great, who conquered Egypt a long time ago and laid some of the foundations for what would one day be the Roman Empire," Thotep said solemnly. "He is convinced that, since they made Alexander into one of the greatest conquerors in history, with their power under his control he will be able to finally defeat the Gauls once and for all."
"And reconquer us," Nefer added.
"Yes, that too."
Ariel frowned and glanced at Shin. "The Eyes of Alexander… You don't think…?"
"The Alexander Eyecon? It's possible, though I thought there was only one of them," Shin murmured.
"You've heard of the Eyes in the future as well?" Thotep asked in surprise.
"Maybe, maybe not. We might be thinking of different things," Shin said.
"Are these Eyes really that powerful?" Mibojin wondered.
"We don't know, but Caesar certainly seems to think they are," Cleopatra pointed out. "And is willing to hurt a lot of innocent people to find them. Regardless of whether or not the Eyes are the ultimate power he thinks they are, we cannot let him find them."
"You can't ask the Gauls for help?" Nushi asked. "Not to say you can't handle them yourself, of course, but if they're really that strong…"
"Oh, they are," Gozim assured her. "Especially their two greatest warriors."
"Especially especially the fat one," Akilah grunted. She glanced around fearfully. "Though don't ever let him hear you call him that!"
"While they have helped us a few times in the past, we cannot rely on them for everything," Cleopatra said firmly. "There are many places throughout the empire and beyond that need their help, and they can't be everywhere, not without leaving their village at risk."
"We have sent a message for their aid," Thotep confessed. "But the two warriors who have helped us in the past are currently on a mission far from home, and the village can't spare anyone else to help us right now. They will try and send help when they can, but… Until then, we are on our own."
"Not anymore," Goro said confidently. "You've got us to help you now! With our two teams combined, there is no way Caesar can stop us!"
"Oh, darling!" Kari swooned.
"Is that a good idea, though?" Apista wondered uncertainly. "Haven't we already changed the timeline enough already?"
"As I've said before, I'm pretty sure this isn't our timeline, so it's probably fine," Shin assured her. "Especially since no time police or King Tokiwa-"
"May he reign forever," almost everyone droned.
"-Have shown up to tell us to cut it out or drag us to time jail," Shin continued. "And I haven't seen any signs of a temporal parapox, so we should be okay."
Veila frowned, trembling. "What exactly are the symptoms of a parapox?"
"I think I might have it right now," Jun said anxiously.
"Kids, trust me, if you had the parapox, you'd know it," Shin said flatly, which didn't entirely reassure them.
"We have to attack Caesar's camp anyway to retrieve Masaru also," Mibojin pointed out. "It would be efficient to deal with Caesar as well while we are there."
Cleopatra frowned. "Well that is a very generous offer, I cannot ask you to do that. This is not your fight, and you came here for vacation-"
"Your Majesty, in our line of work, something like this always happens on vacation," Ariel assured her.
"If we turned our backs on someone in need, we wouldn't be able to call ourselves Super Sentai," Goro said firmly.
"We have been brought here for a reason. Perhaps this is part of it?" Aranea suggested.
Cleopatra gave them a wondering look, then broke into a warm smile. "Thank you. All of you. And… While I know it is unlikely, given that our lands are separated by the gulf of space and time, know that if there is any way we can repay the favor, we will."
"Thank you, your Majesty," Nushi replied.
"So, just where are the Eyes of Alexander, anyway?" Ariel asked.
"And are they actually eyes? Because that would be pretty rad!" Cutaros remarked.
"I'm sure they aren't actual eyes," Galacta refuted as Jun and Veila turned green.
"Alexander was buried with the Eyes, and his tomb has been lost to time," Thotep said. "Only a handful of Gods know it's location, though there is supposed to be a map to its location hidden somewhere in the library of Alexandria."
"Thankfully, there is no way Caesar will ever be able to get into the library to find it," Gozim bragged. "It is the greatest repository of knowledge in this part of the world, and its defenses are impregnable."
Ariel and Shin cringed. "Oh, you did not just say that…" The sorceress groaned.
The mummy blinked. "Why? What did I say?"
"You just about guaranteed that Caesar is going to break into it and find the map, probably right around when we get to Alexandria," Shin told him seriously.
Gozim scoffed. "Don't be preposterous-"
"They're right."
Everyone started at the unfamiliar voice. Goro, instinctively moving to protect his wife and children, immediately drew his gun to fire at the stranger that had appeared standing on the boat's railing, but Akilah quickly grabbed his hand. "Wait! He's a friend! More or less."
"Indeed," the newcomer, a being wearing silver Centurion armor with blue accents and Eagle motifs, a blue cape hanging down his back and blowing in the wind, and a helmet resembling an eagle's head with feathery wings growing from the side covering his head, declared. "I am the Silver Centurion, and I am no enemy of the Egyptrangers or their allies-"
"Hi Mark!" Nefer interrupted.
The Centurion started. "What? I mean… That's not my name. I am the Silver Centurion-"
Nefer rolled her eyes. "Come on, Mark, we know it's you under the armor, you really don't need to keep up these silly games anymore."
"I am not Mark Antony!" The centurion shouted, stamping a foot on the railing. "I don't even know who that is!"
Nefer smirked triumphantly. "I never mentioned the name Antony."
The Silver Centurion swore.
Nushi blinked. "Wait. Mark Antony is a Ranger?!"
"And a silver one at that," Ariel muttered in disgust.
"What's wrong with silver?" Philia asked Ariel.
"My dad is a gold Ranger! I am therefore obligated to prefer gold over silver," Ariel sniffed.
"Well, if Cleopatra can be a Ranger, I see no reason Mark Antony can't be one either," Goro pointed out reasonably.
"Actually, I think he might count as an Extra Hero, since there isn't an 'Egypt' in the name and his suit doesn't really resemble the Egyptrangers at all," Shin pointed out.
"Who is Mark Antony?" A confused Apista asked.
"Not me!" The Silver Centurion said quickly.
"He's Caesar's nephew and Cleo has a crush on him," Nefer gossiped.
Cleopatra blushed. "I do not!"
"Wait, you do?" The centurion asked in surprise, a hint of hope in his voice.
"What's it matter to you? After all, you aren't Mark Antony," Gozim sneered.
"… Oh, right…" The Centurion murmured, shoulders slumping in disappointment.
"Yeah, I ship them," Neycombe commented.
"We all do," Nefer whispered very loudly.
"Wait, don't they have a tragic romance-" Aki murmured.
"Don't tell them that, you might screw things up!" Luna hissed.
"But this isn't even our timeline, shouldn't we tell them?" The other witch argued.
"No, because I love tragic romance!" Luna gushed, eyes sparkling.
Aki blinked, somewhat discomfited. "Wait, what does that mean for us-"
"When they happen to other people!" Luna snapped.
A worried Aki glanced at Nushi and Ariel and Goro and Kari.
"Who we aren't personally acquainted with," Luna groaned. "Just leave it, okay?"
"This Centurion is… A friend?" Mibojin asked doubtfully.
Thotep nodded. "Yes, he is a member of the Roman legions-"
"And absolutely not Mark Antony," the Centurion insisted.
Thotep rolled his eyes. "Who is loyal to the Empire and Caesar, but disagrees with how they have been handling things lately, and has been giving us intelligence on Caesar's operations and helping us in battle."
"Centurion, what news do you have for us today?" Cleopatra asked seriously.
"And is Masaru Aso all right?" Shin added.
"Your friend is safe and sound, but currently a prisoner of Caesar," the Centurion replied.
"He's not my friend, but that's good to know, I guess," Shin said.
"Unfortunately, he has told Caesar everything he knows about you visitors from your future and your Time Machine," the Centurion continued.
Everyone gasped and Shin swore. "That rat bastard! I can't believe he'd sell us out like this! I know he hates me, but this is too much!"
"Maybe they forced him to talk?" Ariel offered.
"They did, Caesar invoked the power of Veritas to force him to tell him everything he wanted to know," the Centurion confirmed.
"Oh, yeah, that would do it," Ariel realized.
"It would?" A confused Aki asked.
"Veritas is the Roman goddess of truth," Luna explained. "That's literally what her name means in Latin, 'truth.'"
"Ohhhhh."
"If Caesar gets his hand on the ShinLiner-" a worried Nushi started.
"It'll do him no good, because it doesn't work without either Cart or myself on board, and Cart is programmed to shut down if anyone other than myself or someone I have designated as an alternate pilot tries to seize control the train," Shin interjected, much to everyone's relief. "And even if that weren't the case, do you really think a guy who lived thousands of years before the combustion engine will have the slightest clue on how to operate a time train?"
"Couldn't Masaru tell him how?" Goro suggested. "I mean, the drive system for the train is installed in your bike, and he knows how to ride a motorcycle."
Shin burst into laughter. "Trust me, driving a time train is a lot harder than riding a motorcycle. I had to get a certification and everything."
"Does Den-O have certification?" Mibojin asked skeptically.
"He does now," Shin assured her. "Kind of astonishing they didn't get in trouble for not having one sooner, really. Then again, I'm not sure the TTA existed when they were starting out… Except it did… But also didn't… Time can be confusing that way."
"Oh. That's good," the Silver Centurion said, a little disappointed some of the urgency of his warning had been. "But that's not all! Caesar also has a spy in the Library of Alexandria!"
The Egyptrangers gasped. "Impossible! There's no way a spy could get in, all the visitors and staff are vetted very thoroughly!" Thotep protested.
"And the security protocols are impenetrable, Akilah, Thotep and I made sure of it," Gozim agreed.
"Be that as it may, a spy has somehow infiltrated the Library," the Centurion insisted. "I'm afraid I do not know any more than that. You must hurry to Alexandria to stop him before it's too late!"
Cleopatra nodded, a severe expression on her face. "Thank you for the warning, Mark-"
The Centurion cringed.
Cleopatra rolled her eyes. "Silver Centurion. We'll get to Alexandria immediately."
The Centurion nodded in relief. "Thank you for believing me, your Majesty. I'll go on ahead and see if I can sniff out anything about the spy."
Cleopatra smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Silver Centurion. You're always there when I need you most."
The Centurion bowed gracefully. "I live to serve, your Majesty." He dramatically turned away, cape billowing behind him. "Be well, Queen Cleopatra. I will see you soon."
"Bye, Mark!" Nefer cheerfully waived him farewell.
"I told you, I'm not Mark-" the Centurion snapped, only to scream and fall off the boat in alarm when a very large, very dead hippopotamus was launched out of the water and landed on the deck, startling everyone.
"What the-" Thotep shouted.
The surface of the river erupted as Antares leapt out of the Nile and landed on top of the dead hippo, carrying another dead hippo on each of his shoulders. "I am victorious!" He bellowed. "Witness me!"
The children cheered.
Aranea smirked. "Ah, I see my champion has vanquished another beast."
Cleopatra's jaw dropped. "Did you just slay three hippopotami barehanded?!"
"I think I'm in love," Akilah moaned.
"Antares, you were only supposed to kill one hippopotamus!" Nushi yelled.
"I only intended to kill one," Antares insisted, stomping on the head of the hippopotamus on deck. "But then his friends wanted to pick a fight with me, and, well, what kind of warrior would I be if I didn't slaughter them for their audacity?"
Gozim nodded in approval. "No warrior indeed."
Antares dropped the other two hippopotamus carcasses on the deck, causing the entire boat to grown and sink a little into the water, flexing his muscles to the adulation of the children and the swooning of more than a few of the servants. "We must have a feast to celebrate my triumph and to honor my prey, for, as wicked and irredeemable as they may have been, they were worthy adversaries! We shall sacrifice one of these beasts to the gods of this land, one to the gods of the Ascendancy, and the last we shall eat ourselves!"
Shitsuki immediately produced their axe. "Shitsuki shall help prepare the meal. Shitsuki has always wanted to eat a hippo."
"Why?" Their siblings asked.
They shrugged.
"Splendid!" Antares bellowed jovially. "So, anything interesting happen while I was gone?"
Everyone stared at him.
The Silver Centurion, forgotten by everyone, frantically tried to swim for shore, his irritation at his dramatic exit being ruined mitigated by his frenzied attempts to keep from sinking due to his heavy armor while trying to outpace the hungry crocodiles drawing near.
Also, he wondered, as always, how Nefer seemed to be able to guess his secret identity. How could she tell?! He was always so careful!
