Ray enters Lucy's lab to find her typing away, "Hey, Lucy."
Lucy continues to type without looking away from her computer.
"Hey, Lucy," Ray approaches her. "Hello? Earth to Lucy!"
"Huh," Lucy looks away from her computer. "Oh, Ray, sorry, didn't hear you come in?"
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm just having trouble programming a new Data Key," Lucy says, as Ray notices videos of a shark next to lines of code.
"I thought the data from that circuit board was supposed to help with new Data Keys," Ray says.
"I'm just having trouble getting around a programming bug," Lucy rubs her temple.
"Perhaps Albert could help?" Ray suggests. "Speaking of which, I was looking for him. Where's Albert, I thought today supposed to be his day off."
"I'm not his keeper, Ray," Lucy says, as she moves around her mouse and clicks.
"Since he has the Zero-1 Transbelt, perhaps you should be," Ray says.
"Speaking of that, the Transbelt had been activated," Lucy realizes.
"Is there another attack?" Ray asks.
"No, I set up an alert when something like that happens," Lucy starts to type.
"Then why would he use…?" Ray starts to ask.
Suddenly, camera footage pops up on the screen, showing Zero-1 Rider standing in the middle of a crosswalk, holding up a hand, with a car parked in front of him, as he waves another car by, before waving the first car through. Then a NG Bot crossguard approaches him, as the camera zooms in on the pair.
"Thanks so much for helping me while I get a quick recharge," the NG Bot crossguard says.
"My pleasure," Zero-1 Rider responds, rubbing the back of his head.
"What does he think he's doing?" Lucy asks, angrily.
"VALKYRIE20"
Albert enters Lucy's lab, approaching her, seated at her computer.
"Hey, Lucy, what's so important that I have to come here right away?" Albert asks.
Lucy turns in her chair to face him, with her arms crossed, "Oh nothing, I just want to know why are you using the Zero-1 Transbelt, the most powerful weapon in the city, to play crossing guard?"
"Oh that," Albert scratches the back of his head.
"Yeah, that," Lucy uncrosses her arms. "I hope you have an explanation."
"I do, I do," Albert quickly says. "You see, I had this theory that by showing kindness to NG Bots, we could prevent them from getting infected and turning dangerous."
"Show kindness?" Lucy asks, with Albert nodding his head. She sighs. "Albert, you are just too native."
Ray arrives at the port, next to a railing overseeing it, checking his smartphone, when he looks up and sees a small fishing boat coming toward port.
On deck is a fisherman who calls to someone, "Hurry up, Scale, we have a large haul to bring in."
Then a NG Bot, Scale, dressed very much like the fisherman, comes onto the deck, approaching his boss, "Yes sir."
"A NG Bot acting as a fisherman," Ray says, before he shakes his head slightly. "There's too much NG Bots in Neutron City."
Meanwhile, seated against a railing on the port is Tye, watching the boat approaching and grinning.
"Albert, a NG Bot's programming is very complicated," Lucy starts. "It can't be affected by something like kindness."
"With all due respect, Lucy, you can't actually know that for certain," Albert says, before he starts to turn away.
"I can, I used to work for Nexus Technologies," Lucy says, stopping Albert from turning.
"You, worked for Nexus Technologies?"
"Yeah," Lucy starts, leaning back in her chair. "I joined years after the original development on the NG Bots had started, but I did aided in the late-stage programming…"
From a NG Bot's POV, Lucy is typing at a computer, with Markus standing behind her. Then on the POV the words "Installing Programming" with a bar quickly filling up, before the words changed to "Programming Installed".
"There, the programming finished installing," Lucy says.
"Excellent," Markus says.
Lucy turns to the NG Bot's POV, "Okay, tell me, what's your purpose."
"My purpose," the NG Bot starts, using a purely robotic voice. "Is to aid humans and to better human society."
Lucy smiles, "That's good, very good."
"Good, yeah," Markus says, with Lucy turning to him. "But is it good enough."
Lucy turns back to the NG Bot's POV.
"Markus believed that NG Bots can be more than just tools to aid people, and admittedly, I admired him for it."
Lucy is typing at a computer, with the screen showing the wireframe of a Data Key, with the image of a DNA helix next to it.
"I was then assigned to work on special made Data Keys that utilize the abilities of animals and insects. And while I never saw the tech for something like it, at the time, I was impressed."
Lucy holds a hand to her chin, "But overtime, I eventually grew suspicious."
Lucy is watching a TV screen, as a human reporter appears on screen, "Just a few minutes ago, reports came in that the NG Bots of Proto City went crazy and just started attacking everything."
"Not too long after that, what became known as the Proto City incident happened, and everything changed."
"It's fortunate there weren't any humans there," Lucy says.
Lucy is talking with Markus.
"Mr. Tan, we need to double check all NG Bots' programmings to make sure another Proto City won't happen," Lucy says.
"Proto City was an isolated incident, it won't happen again," Markus tells her, starting to turn away.
"We can't take that chance, it's too risky," Lucy says.
"The NG Bots are fine!" Markus turns back to her. "We are moving onto the next stages."
Markus walks away with Lucy watching him.
"No matter what I said, Markus refused to bulge on the matter, so I decided to take matters into my own hands."
From a NG Bot's POV, Lucy is typing away at a computer, with the words "Muted" appearing on the top of the POV.
"While I was investigating I found a closed-off programming code that seems to hold malicious data."
"What is that…?" Lucy says, before continuing typing, then takes a closer look at the screen. "Oh no…"
"Then while checking it, I discovered the code was created by Markus."
"So I confronted Markus about it," Lucy tells Albert. "He claimed it was to teach NG Bots the worst of humanity so they can be better prepared to handle any situation. But I didn't believe him. The more I looked into it, the more I became suspicious, so I decided to disappear."
Lucy holds up her hands, "Which brought me here. I then crossed paths with Ray and together, we kept an eye on Nexus Technologies and prepared to handle any situation that might arise."
"So you developed the TransBlasters and their Data Keys from what you learned while working at Nexus Technologies?" Albert realizes.
"Plus what I learned while studying the Zero-1 Transbelt," Lucy adds. "Anyway, that malicious code I told you about, that's what unlocked when a NG Bot is infected. So, simple kindness can't change a NG Bot's programming."
Albert looks away, starting to think.
Back at the port, Scale is mooring the boat to the pier.
"Are you really satisfied with this labor?" Tye asks, as he approaches Scale.
Scale turns to face him, tilting his head slightly, "I don't think I understand the question."
"Perhaps this will help," Tye suggests, before he places a Viral Encoder on Scale's waist, with a belt stretches around the Viral Encoder and Scale's eyes give off a small glow.
Tye then holds up a Virus Key and inserts it into the Viral Encoder.
"Squid Key! Corruption!"
Scale surges with energy, with him flickering before his real NG Bot appearance is revealed, and then cables shoot out from the Viral Encoder and cover him. The cables start to retract, revealing mostly white armor, with a squid-like helmet, which includes a pair of tentacles hanging off his head and several large tentacles hanging from his back.
"I am Tentaclebot. Ready to terminate."
"Hey, what's going on here?" the fisherman starts to walk off the boat, when he sees Tentaclebot and gets startled.
Tentaclebot turns away, "Consider this my two weeks notice."
Ray starts to walk past the pier, when he hears a scream and turns to see the fisherman running from Tentaclebot, who is slowly walking toward him, and a hooded man walking in the opposite direction.
"I should know," Ray pulls out a Data Key, holds it in front of his belt buckle, which glows and extends, shifting into a TransBlaster.
He then opens the Data Key, inserts it into the TransBlaster.
"Accessing Wild Wolf."
Ray holds up the TransBlasters, aims it with both hands, "Access Code: Vulcan!"
Ray fires a wolf head projectile, before lowering his arms, with the projectile flies back at him, turning into energy that forms his armor.
Vulcan Rider then turns and starts to walk along the railing, while pressing the side of his helmet, "Lucy, another NG Bot is causing trouble."
"Okay, got it," Lucy says, before pressing her ear piece, then turns to Albert. "Albert, you better go and help Ray."
"Right," Albert turns and starts to leave, before stopping. "I'm still not too convinced." Lucy turns to face him. "That kindness won't have an affect on NG Bots."
Albert then runs off, with Lucy turns back to the computer, pressing a key, showing what she was working on earlier, then sighs, "I better get this Data Key working, we might need it soon…"
Tentaclebot is blasted in the chest, taking a couple steps back, before Vulcan Rider jumps at him, pulling Tentaclebot over to the side, with the two rolling across the ground. They return to their feet, with Vulcan Rider blasting Tentaclebot, before he kicks aside the TransBlaster and then swipes his arm through the air. Vulcan Rider then kicks Tentaclebot, forcing him into a spin.
Zero-1 Rider is running ahead, before he jumps up and over a railing with the Case Saber in hand.
Zero-1 Rider lands on the ground as Vulcan Rider kicks Tentaclebot, before he runs ahead and jumps toward the two, currently struggling, with the Case Saber raised high and strikes Tentaclebot as he lands, with Vulcan Rider spins away. Zero-1 Rider runs at Tentaclebot, striking with the Case Saber again, as Vulcan Rider watches.
"I didn't need any help," Vulcan Rider says, as he holds up his TransBlaster.
Vulcan Rider blasts Tentaclebot in the back, before Zero-1 Rider strikes with the Case Saber and Tentaclebot rolls to the side to avoid.
"You're welcome," Zero-1 Rider says.
Vulcan Rider aims his TransBlaster, "I'm serious."
"Listen, Lucy sent me…" Zero-1 Rider starts, when Tentaclebot hits him in the back.
Zero-1 Rider is forced ahead a couple steps, as he holds onto his shoulder and turns to see Tentaclebot turns around and stretches his tentacles at him, "Don't mind me, I'll just put the squeeze on you."
Zero-1 Rider moves to the side, as the tentacles continue to stretch toward Vulcan Rider, as he fires at them.
"Keep your tentacles off me," Vulcan Rider says, before the tentacles manage to reach him and strike him, with Vulcan Rider rolling to the side.
Zero-1 Rider returns to his feet, as he closes the Case Saber, "Let's try that again."
He opens the Case Saber back into saber mode, before he presses a trigger on the handle. Zero-1 Rider swings around the Case Saber, as tentacles extend to him, "Rider Strike!"
Zero-1 Rider releases a large energy strike, which flies pass the extended tentacles and hit Tentaclebot, knocking him onto his back and cuts off his two tentacles.
The severed tentacles land on Zero-1 Rider, sticking to him, "Argh! Gross! Get off."
Zero-1 Rider spins around, trying to pull the tentacles off him.
Tentaclebot returns to his feet, bringing his arms up, "They're not gross, they're elegant. And I'm gone."
Tentaclebot lends forward and spreads out his arms, as he releases a dark smokescreen, which gives off a slight glow, covering the area.
"I can't see anything," Vulcan Rider holds up his arms. "Even my sensors can't break through this."
"He's gonna get away," Zero-1 Rider says, with the severed tentacles stuck to him, before the smokescreen dissipates and he looks ahead. "Never mind." He looks around, as Vulcan Rider runs ahead. "He's already gone."
"Yeah, I can see that," Vulcan Rider says, lowering his TransBlaster.
Zero-1 Rider manages to pull the tentacles off him, "Ah, finally." He then looks up at Vulcan Rider, looks down slightly, and then back at him, "Hum, has Lucy told you about her past, with Nexus Technologies?"
Vulcan Rider looks ahead, before turning to look at Zero-1 Rider.
Lucy leans back in her chair, "Kindness affecting a NG Bot. Argh, why can't I get his nonsense out of my head."
Lucy looks at her computer, "Even after I told him about that malicious code I found…"
Lucy leans back forward in her chair, "Wait, that not all. The Data Keys work, I also noticed a piece of read-only code. Now, what was that…"
After a moment of hesitation, Lucy types on the screen, "Drx-95".
Lucy presses enter, and after a few seconds, the words "N2 satellite access available" appear on screen.
"That's it, I got it," Lucy says, before starting typing.
The N2 satellite floats in space.
"Remote access established. Data Key configuration commences."
Lucy looks from the computer to a blank Data Key inserted into a large connector, with the Data Key giving a slight glow.
Lucy starts to smile.
Albert is walking down a street, with his hands in his pockets.
"I don't believe she told you…"
"Lucy's usually very tight lip about her past," Ray says to Albert.
"It's very surprising that she had anything to do with the development of NG Bots," Albert says.
"Yeah…" Ray starts. "You see, Lucy once believed highly in the potential for NG Bots to be equals with humans, very much like you."
"That's great…" Albert starts.
"But, after Proto City," Ray interrupts. "And the discovery of the malicious data, she no longer believed that."
Albert stops walking, looking down at the ground, "There's got to be a way to show Lucy that the relationship between NG Bots and humans isn't a lost cause."
On a rooftop, Tye approaches Tentaclebot, "You know what to do?"
Tentaclebot turns to face him, nodding his head, "I do."
Tentaclebot takes a couple steps ahead, holds out his arms, before tentacles shooting out and stretching into the city, "Let's make some Corrupbots."
A NG Bot chauffeur is holding a door open for a man and woman, when a tentacle hits the NG Bot, who transforms into a Corrupbot, startling the man and woman.
A man and female NG Bots, assistant to lawyers dressed in business suits, are walking with their bosses, a man and woman, dressed the same way, when tentacles hit the two NG Bots, turning them into Corrupbots. The Corrupbots then start to chase the man and woman.
A NG Bot salesman is outside a store, with a crowd gathered in front of him, which included a couple NG Bot shoppers, when tentacles hit all the NG Bots, turning them into Corrupbots, starting to scatter the crowd.
A Corrupbot is approaching a fallen man, when suddenly Albert grabs the Corrupbot from the back, holding it back.
"Quick, run!" Albert calls out, with the man managing to get up and run off.
Then the Corrupbot forces Albert off him, before turning to face him.
"I don't want to hurt you," Albert says.
The Corrupbot tilts its head slightly, before starting to lunge at him, when it is blasted and falls down.
Albert looks down at the Corrupbot, before turning to see Lucy approaching him with her TransBlaster.
"You better get over that before you get hurt," Lucy tells him.
"I've never liked fighting them," Albert says.
"Fighting them is the only option when they are like this," Lucy says, before handing him the new Data Key. "Here, take this and find the Bot behind this, I will handle the Corrupbots."
"R-Right," Albert says, before he runs off.
Lucy then holds up her Data Key, opens it, and inserts it into hers TransBlaster.
"Accessing Rushing Cheetah."
Lucy stands sideways and aims the TransBlaster with one hand, "Access Code: Valkyrie!"
She fires a cheetah head projectile, before standing straight and lowers her hands, with the projectile flies back at her, turns into energy and forms her armor.
Valkyrie Rider looks to the side to see the NG Bot crossguard waves to signal people to go pass him, "Quick, there's an emergency shelter nearby that is safe. Be careful but hurry."
After a few seconds, Valkyrie Rider looks back ahead and starts charging.
Valkyrie Rider rushes ahead, before punching a Corrupbots in its abdomen, then turning and back elbows another Corrupbot. She spins and ducks to avoid a Corrupbot's arm swipe, then sidekicks the Corrupbot, sending it flying backward and into a pile of trash bags. More Corrupbots then rush forward.
Valkyrie Rider spins to avoid a couple Corrupbots' daggers, then catches a Corrupbot's arm and punches it in the chest. She then knees another Corrupbot in the chest, before roundhouse kicks a third Corrupbot.
Ray is walking down a street, when he sees a group of people running away in fear.
"What's going on?" Ray asks.
"More infected NG Bots are running wild," a panicking woman explains as she continues to run.
"Of course," Ray starts to run in the opposite direction as the hurrying people, holding up his Data Key.
Valkyrie Rider jumps and split kicks two Corrupbots, before landing and pushes aside a charging Corrupbots, then dodges a Corrupbot's dagger strike. She spins away from another Corrupbot's dagger, as Tentaclebot approaches them, swinging one of his tentacles.
"So another Rider interloper," Tentaclebot says.
Albert is helping a woman up, "You'll be okay." He watches as the woman runs. "Remember, it's not NG Bots' faults."
Albert then sighs and turns, "Now to go to my other job."
Albert holds up his Data Key, holds it in front of his belt buckle, which glows and extends, shifting into the Zero-1 Transbelt. He then holds the Data Key in front of the Zero-1 Transbelt.
"Accessing…"
Albert crosses his arms, opens the Data Key and then slides it into the side of the Transbelt, "Access Code: Zero-1!"
"Rising Hopper."
The mechanical grasshopper lands in front of Albert, before turning into energy and flies onto Albert's body, as a black suit appears on him, transforming him into Zero-1 Rider.
Zero-1 Rider opens up the Case Saber, "I'm your opponent."
He charges ahead and brings down the Case Saber, with Tentaclebot tries to block with a tentacle, but it is swiped away before he blocks with another tentacle. Zero-1 Rider then spins away, as Tentaclebot brings down a tentacle like a sword. Zero-1 Rider strikes with the Case Saber, which Tentaclebot tries to block and is forced back a step, before managing to block another strike, forces Zero-1 Rider to the side and pushes him backward.
Valkyrie Rider steps to the side, sidekicks a Corrupbot, before swings her leg to knock away a Corrupbot's dagger arm and then pushes a charging Corrupbot to the side. She then grabs another Corrupbot, uses it as leverage to spin herself through the air, kicking away a Corrupbot, and forces the grabbed Corrupbot to the ground. Valkyrie Rider then performs a handstand to kick away a charging Corrupbot, sending it flying backward, with four other Corrupbots barely able to get out of the way.
The four Corrupbots then start firing their blasters, with Valkyrie Rider running to the side to dodge them and roll to behind a large box for cover.
"You want a blaster fight, you got it," Valkyrie Rider looks over her shoulder, as she removes her TransBlaster from its buckle.
She then back kicks the box, sliding it across the ground and then runs after it, using the sliding box as cover from the continuing blaster fire, then fires her TransBlaster, blasting two of the Corrupbots, knocking them onto their backs. The box stops between the remaining two Corrupbots, with Valkyrie Rider jumping to the side, blasting them in midair.
Zero-1 Rider falls onto a shallow river, with tentacles wrapped around his chest, pinning his arms.
"I'm really getting tired of this," Zero-1 Rider starts to return to his feet. "Hopefully this will help."
Zero-1 Rider tosses up the new Data Key high into the air, catches it and spins around.
"Fancy tricks won't save you," Tentaclebot says, standing on the other end of the shallow river.
"Then about a treat, for me," Zero-1 Rider holds up the Data Key, presses the button and holds it up to the circular part of his TransBelt.
"Accessing."
A beam shoots from the N2 Satellite and down to Earth.
A blue light shines down on Zero-1 Rider, before a blue mechanical shark flies down and into the river in front of him, breaking off the tentacles as it passes. The mechanical shark then jumps out of the river and high above Zero-1 Rider.
Zero-1 Rider holds up the Data Key, with the key flipping out, before he inserts it into the side of his TransBelt, with the circular part slides over.
"Biting Shark!"
The mechanical shark dives back into the river and starts to circle around Zero-1 Rider, as his yellow armor glows and rearranges itself around his body. The mechanical shark then jumps out behind him, breaks into pieces and turns into blue energy which flies onto Zero-1 Rider, forming new blue shark-like armor.
"I won't allow you to harm anyone, human or NG Bot," Zero-1 Rider holds up an arm, before pointing at himself.
Zero-1 Rider then holds back his arms and charges.
"New armor won't save you either," Tentaclebot charges.
Zero-1 Rider spins pass Tentaclebot, as he spins to face him, and then Zero-1 Rider blocks a tentacle swipe, before grabbing his arms and spins him around. With them releasing, Zero-1 Rider punches Tentaclebot, knocking him back a couple steps.
"Let see you handle this," Tentaclebot says, before he jumps up and launches a headbutt.
"If you insist," Zero-1 Rider catches Tentaclebot, before the two spinning around and Zero-1 Rider slams Tentaclebot into the river water.
Zero-1 Rider pulls Tentaclebot back onto his feet and kicks him, flipping Tentaclebot back.
Zero-1 Rider tabs the side of the inserted Data Key, before holding out his arms in the shape of a shark mouth, "Don't worry, you will be restored as you meant to be, a friendly NG Bot."
Zero-1 Rider places his right leg back, as an image of a shark appears for a second.
Tentaclebot returns to his feet, "Friendliness is overrated."
Tentaclebot holds out his arms, as several of his tentacles stretch out. Using the fin-like armor on his arms, Zero-1 Rider swipes one arm to sever two tentacles, then swipes the other arm to sever the other two. He then kicks away a couple of the damaged tentacles, and roundhouse kicks to knock away a couple more. Now in front of Tentaclebot, Zero-1 Rider uppercuts him, sending Tentaclebot flying into the air, with red electricity surging around him.
Zero-1 Rider holds back his arms, as glowing, shark teeth-like objects fly off his fin-like armor. He then brings his arms closer, before jumping up with them separated.
"Rider Jaw Slash!" Zero-1 Rider reaches Tentaclebot and brings his arms together, striking him with the glowing objects like a shark bite.
The objects fade away, as Zero-1 Rider comes down and Tentaclebot is falling downward, sparking. Zero-1 Rider lands in the shallow water, with Tentaclebot falling a couple feet behind him and is consumed in an explosion.
Two Corrupbots roll across the street, toward three more Corrupbots.
Valkyrie Rider holds up her TransBlaster, as on an adjacent street, a Corrupbot falls back with Vulcan Rider flips toward it, before he holds back another Corrupbot's arm, swipes it, and then grabs a third Corrupbot's arm and holds it down, while Valkyrie Rider presses the back of her inserted Data Key.
"Accessing Rushing Cheetah."
"Lucy?" Vulcan Rider realizes, before he releases the Corrupbot and kicks it, then looks ahead.
Valkyrie Rider's TransBlaster's barrel is glowing, before she swings the TransBlaster and lowers herself slightly.
"Rider Rapid Fire!" Valkyrie Rider then charges ahead at the five Corrupbots, running around them and firing repeatedly at a spot between all five Corrupbots, creating a massive energy ball, with energy surges around the Corrupbots.
Valkyrie Rider continues to run a complete circle around and blasting, before coming to a stop on a knee, with her back to them, before the energy ball explodes, blowing apart the Corrupbots.
Valkyrie Rider stands up and turns, before looking over to Vulcan Rider, "And that is how it's done."
"Mhm, show off," Vulcan Rider responds.
Later at the pier, Ray is watching from a distance, as Albert is talking with the fisherman.
"I kinda like sushi, I guess," Albert says, with the fisherman showing a small grin.
Then Scale approaches the pair, "Captain."
"Scale," the fisherman approaches him, shaking his hand. "You're as good as new." He smiles, which Albert shares. "I'm so happy to see you again."
"And I'm happy to be back at work," Scale respons.
"Mmhm," Ray crosses his arms. "Can a NG Bot even get happy?"
At Lucy's lab, she is typing at her computer, looking over CC camera footage, showing the NG Bot crossguard at a crosswalk, when a tentacle hits him, before retracting. The NG Bot stands wobbly, as his image flickers, before the image stabilizes itself and he stands straight, shaking his head slightly.
"The crossguard wasn't infected," Lucy leans back in her chair. "Could Albert be right… then, there's still hope…"
In their hideout, Tye is pacing in front of the computer.
"Another ally was destroyed, and all those Corrupbots…" Tye says.
"Be at ease, my friend," the mysterious partner says from the computer. "Our latest endeavor wasn't in vain." At that moment, the computer screen shows Zero-1 Rider with severed tentacles wrapped around him. "During their first fight, Tentaclebot's severed tentacles managed to insert a nano-chip onto Zero-1 Rider."
The image disappears from the screen as Tye watches.
"Giving us a complete battle analysis going forward," the partner continues. "Meaning, we're almost ready for the next step."