"Colorman has been deleted."

"You serious?"

"Yes. It was instant as well. Something ambushed him. Thankfully I still have one backup of him left..."

"Can you find out where his last location was?"

"In the Transmitter room. Something's there. We should lock the area down."

Aboard the Arcadia, on the bridge of the ship, was Maddy, Kei, Mr Match, Dark Rich, Roll and Shademan.

"We need the transmitter active though. Not just for those of the Hero Base, but if we were to encounter another vessel, we need a way to hail them." Kei folded her arms, looking at the others, not sure how to really approach the situation at hand.

"I'll go and handle it." Dark Rich finally spoke up after, what felt like, several moments of silence.

"You wanna see what hellspawn killed him?" Mr Match was looking at the clone like he had a death wish.

"I have a feeling I know it. Kei, make sure you and the others remain safe. Lock the area down once I get inside." Dark turned to his captain, who nodded, but was showing she was hesitant with the idea of him going alone.

"Promise me you'll be fine."

"I won't." The clone didn't even wait for a response from Kei, departing into one of the corridors.

"He's a goddamn hothead ain't he?" Maddy folded her arms.

"He knows what his doing...at least I hope he does. Maddy, Mr Match, get back to monitoring the systems, keep an eye on Dark. The moment he enters that section of the ship where the transmitter is...do as he said. Lock it down."

Kei soon returned to her seat along with her crewmates, leaving Roll and Shademan alone. Shademan had been listening to what was going on...while Roll appeared to be distracted, constantly looking out the windows into space. "Roll, is there something on your mind?"

"Hm?" She quickly looked at him, seemingly forcing a little smile to make it look like there was nothing wrong. "Not much. Just want to get back to the base that's all. I'm worried about Chad and the others."

Chad meanwhile, had returned to his room, and without bothering to remove his clothes, flopped down on his bed and closed his eyes.

'Man, feeling battered and bruised still never felt this tiring before.' Chad thought to himself. 'Maybe it's just fucking up in front of Chaos and getting almost burned alive by my own goddamn power is the reason. Why did that happen? The Life Soul was fine before. Why did it fuck up then? I had to watch Anna get choked...I could've had him. I could've made him suffer...'

He rolled onto his side, looking over towards his door. 'That boost of power though. That was like a new me. I suddenly knew what my sword was capable of, and I felt...alive, almost. Like every moment was my last. God, I hope I can pull that off again. I need to in order to stop Chaos next time. Him, and Unicron.'

He closed his eyes...and he felt something inside him. Something tugging. He tried to ignore it, getting himself comfortable, but it was persisting.

Then he heard a voice, in his mind.

'We need a master, to survive. We need one. We must have one. Created to serve, cannot, no voice, no order, no master.'

'Huh? Hello?'

'Let me handle things. I'll find us one. I'll make us complete again. You will get the power you want.'

'It is power you want, isn't it?'

Whatever this voice was, it was easily alluring, and convincing. 'Yeah, I, I do. I want Chaos to pay for what he did.'

'Sleep. Sleep until morning, tell them, avoid Unicron. No need to go. I need to look around tomorrow.'

'No need...gotcha. Alright. Sleep...sleep...'

The lights in this part of ship were dimmer. The sounds of the ship's engines were faint. There didn't seem like anyone else was here.

Dark Rich knew there was another. After the door behind him closed and sealed up, he had been slowly going around this segment, looking into every room, looking at every gap he could see, for any evidence of an intruder.

The transmitter room itself yielded no results. The remains of Colorman had only shown that it was a beast that assaulted him.

Soon though, Dark had found his target, more precise he found that it had been following him, as silent as possible. What gave it away was the heavy breathing it started to emit as the clone slowed down and listened out.

Once he heard that, he spun round, holding his sword out towards the creature in the darkness, as he saw two slit glowing red eyes looking back at him. "You're good. I nearly didn't pick you up."

It didn't respond, it just seemed to stand there. It had to be about nine feet tall, it's eyes were close to the ceiling of the corridor they both were in. He then noticed there was a clicking sound coming from it.

"A Zerg huh?...No, you're not a normal one. I can already tell."

It finally spoke, a voice deep, echoey and animalistic sounding. "We are the same. You and I. I smell it in the air."

Dark Rich gave a small chuckle, lowering his sword. "That's why you haven't jumped me the moment I turned. That's why you've been following."

"I demand safe passage."

"You don't get to demand anything, whatever the hell you are. How about a name first?"

"I am the 8th."

Dark Rich was, for once, quite surprised. "The 8th? As in...the 8th clone? There is no 8th."

"I am the 8th. Call me...Zasz."

The 7th clone fell silent. He didn't feel endangered, his Zerg genes told him Zasz was not being aggressive, but he wondered what to do with Zasz now. "You attacked Colorman. Will you attack anyone else on this ship?"

"If they stay away, I shall not. I do not require nourishment for some time. The humans on the space station fed me well enough." The 8th's mandibles could just be seen in the light, the sharp teeth that riddled them seem to gleam ever-so slightly.

"Then you can have safe passage, for now. We need to fix the transmitter system. I want you to go to front of the vessel, the extra storage areas, and stay there."

"...I shall agree." With that, the large shadowy figure of Zasz seemed to slowly fade from view, is it moved backwards, before it eyes soon vanished from sight.

The clone waited for a moment, before getting on his com-link. "Kei. The area is clear. Single Zerg, dealt with. We can get the transmitter repaired now."

The voice on the communicator was certainly relieved. "Thank goodness you're alright, I was starting to worry. I'll get the doors unlocked now. Come back up to the bridge and I'll send Mr Match and Zap to handle the systems."

"Understood." With that, he departed, heading back up to the bridge...and was sure he had heard Zasz follow him once again for a little while more, before it went its own way.

At least he now knew who that hitchhiker was that jumped on the ship back at RE886.

Darkmega had woken up, grabbed some breakfast, and was heading to the main room. During the night, he couldn't help but wonder about if Chad was okay. The feeling that he got was too familiar when Chad refused to go to Unicron's head.

Still, he can always probe Chad when he wakes up. For now though, it was time to do a looking around on the net, then go and visit Medi.

When he arrived in the main room, he encountered Lan Hikari and Hub. He tensed up on looking at Hub. "Oh, hey guys…"

Hub was the same, just staring at Darkmega, while Lan answered. "Hey Darkmega. How are you? Been up to much?"

"No no, lazing around…" he rubbed the back of his helmet. "So uh, got any plans for today you two?"

"Well we're gonna go and do some net battling in the hologram room! Gramps got us a few hours booked this morning!" Lan sounded really excited about that…then again net battling was the reason that he managed to beat Wily back on Earth X.

"Sweet. Hopefully you both enjoy yourselves."

"…Yeah…Lan, let's go." Hub then began walking off, making sure to go down the other corridor from where Darkmega came from. Lan was a little baffled at Hub's…unusual reaction, but followed him regardless.

He had to admit, any other encounter with Hub seemed to end like this too. It was strange, of all people he'd expect to have a problem talking to, the other version of himself is not one of them. He decided that perhaps a quick visit to the labs and a chat with Dr Light may help.

Darkmega had entered the labs, spotting Dr Light right away. "Doc?"

Dr Light had just finished a call to Rufus, confirming permission for them to send people to Unicrons head when Chad was ready, and was about to check over the data files when Darkmega arrived. He looked over to him, smiling. "Darkmega, hello. Is there an issue?"

"Yeah, a minor one. It's about Hub. I, I can't seem to communicate with him normally. The moment I see him I just, don't feel right."

Dr Light's smile faded. "That's because you're programmed to kill him. We set the Dark Souls up to destroy their 'light' counterparts. Hub knows about this."

"Why set us up like that?"

"You need a simple 'go to' instinct if you had nothing else."

Darkmega seem baffled by that. "An instinct?"

"A programming requirement. You need a reason to exist Darkmega if you could not figure out anything else. It's also a useful safety feature."

"How?"

Dr Light looked back at the computer and began going through the files. "We set up a program in Hub so that the moment you were fully made, a connection was established between the two of you, a faint signal to one another. Upon the total termination of your light counterpart, the signal stops, your Navi programming will self-terminate, destroying the Dark Soul. I suggested it to Wily after we used it a previous time, and we planned to use it on any possible experiments requiring it. " He then returned his focus to the lab computer.

"Wait, so if Hub dies-"

"You die too." He flatly responded.

"...That's why you guys weren't too concerned about me once you lot and Hub had left Earth X. You still had the kill switch. Would you have killed him if I had run rampant to the point of getting into here?"

"..." Dr Light didn't answer, though Darkmega could see, just barely from the reflection on the computer screen, Thomas had stern, determined look etched on his face.

"...You would've."

"Then let's be thankful it never came to that. Now, did you want anything else?"

"No. I'll, I'll just be going…" Well, it wasn't the news he was expecting. His never seen Dr Light react so…coldly to him before, then again his never seen Dr Light without Dr Wily being around. Maybe he didn't like Darkmega as much as the Navi thought. He decided to just head off to the labs and have a talk with Medi.

Annoyingly for him, Richard was in there, along with Medi, as well as Dr Wily.

"So what if I don't want my Zerg powers removed? They grant me more strength then I ever had before. I'm not giving it up!"

"Richard we still don't know what the side effects could be!"

"I'll manage!" Richard was focused on Wily for a time, but as one of claws seemed to move in the direction of Darkmega, he looked at the Dark Navi. "Now if you excuse me, gramps, I'm outta here." With that, Richard walked past Darkmega and departed.

Wily nodded at Darkmega, and departed himself. Medi was just focused on her work on the computer nearby, not even noticing the conversation that had been going on between the two family members.

"Hey Medi."

His voice got her attention. "Oh, hey lover boy. What is it?"

"Just wanted to know if you wanted to go on a little holographic trip this evening. Zelda suggested a lovely land spot to upload and enjoy."

"That sounds wonderful. Certainly be nice after all the information I'm going to have to sort out today."

Darkmega went over to her. "Information?"

"Wily wants me to check across the net to see if there is any known cases of Zerg infestations. If there are any risks to a host that becomes an Overmind."

"Doesn't trust Richard or something?"

Medi chuckled a little. "You should've heard them early this morning. If you didn't know Richard was his grandson you'd think he was arguing with a mortal enemy. He clearly isn't a fan of him."

"…Wow, He dislikes Richard, and I think Light dislikes me…"

Medi turned to him and gave a little reassurance. "It's okay. You're both Dark Souls. They'll trust you both eventually."

That didn't help him. "Well thanks for putting me in the same position as Richard. If I recall he hasn't gone into a Planet Eater and stopped it."

Medi sighed. "That's not what I meant…I mean I trust you, and Wily does. But Light, you're a copy of one of his family. Richard isn't trusted by Wily for the same reason."

"Well at least Richard isn't tied to his light counterpart by a kill switch."

Medi stared at him, shocked. "Excuse me?"

"Oh doc just said me and Hub are tied. If he dies, I die."

"…" Medi just seemed to go quiet, looking down at the keyboard, before looking at the computer screen.

"…Did you know about this?"

"No. I recall seeing a restricted program in your system before, but this? I didn't think such a thing would be legal, that's like putting a bomb in a person…maybe because you're a Dark Soul, but then that wouldn't explain Hub having the program as well unless, he agreed to it."

"But I didn't." Darkmega pointed out.

"I know honey. Look, I'll chat with both of the doctors later, okay?" She looked at him, before standing up and embracing him. "Let's just leave it for now…I've been missing something anyway."

Darkmega looked at in wonder. "Huh?"

She stared at his face, smiling, before kissing him for a few moments. "We need to have some fun in the hologram room this evening, okay?"

The Navi just nodded, the feeling she gave him easing away his worries.

Chad meanwhile had only bothered to wake up when he received a call on his com-link. He grumbled, weakly moving his hand around to try and feel for the device, before managing to grab it and bring it over to himself. "It's too early. What is it?"

"Chad it's Albert. We've confirmed the location of Unicrons head and made sure with Rufus that it's fine to go over to it."

"That's good and all doc, but I suggest we leave it till tomorrow, ya know…" Chad yawned, rolling over onto his back, looking completely tired out. "I'm not, fully energised yet. And you need me in the group to handle the head."

"Well, I'm sure whoever we send might not encounter too many dangers."

"But you don't want to take that risk, just hold on, and I'll handle it in time. One more day."

Wily was now worried over this behaviour. "Chad…are you okay?"

"What? Am I not allowed to have a day off or something? I want to have a bath, grab some food, chill out with Anna, and just not worry, alright?"

"…Alright. We'll wait for a day. But tomorrow—"

"We'll get to it yeah yeah yeah." With that Chad dropped the com-link off the side of the bed. "Grumpy old geezer. I had to deal with a horde of Zerg yesterday. I need this break."

He looked over to his clock nearby and noticed it was 11:30 already. He yawned once again, before forcing himself to sit up, scratching his head. "Man, I haven't slept in like this for a good while either…Welp, time to move."

He got out of bed, ran his bath, and soon was within it, sinking slowly into the water, sighing with content. "Now to just let the natural fluids wrinkle my skin…"

"We still need to look around, Chad…"

That voice in his mind from last night. "Huh? Why?"

"A master is needed. We will find one."

"Yeah, sure whatever." Chad didn't feel concern about it, heck all he could seem to think about right now is that he was hoping Anna would do what Roll did once…sneak into his bathroom and have a good look at him.

After another hour in his bedroom, he soon came out, dressed and ready for what remained of the day, as he ventured off to the dining hall for lunch. But as he walked along, he was sure he could hear whispering at times, in his mind, as he looked at each person he passed. He felt like he was judging them almost.

Then he saw Anna and Zhang He, as both were just leaving the dining hall. "Hey you two!"

Anna was smiling at seeing him, and hugged him as he got close. "Hey Chad, how do you feel today? I haven't seen you around this morning."

Chad made her gently let go of him. "Eh, slept in. You know how it is when you tired. I'm surprised Charlie didn't bother knocking on my door to wake me up."

"He did Chad, you decided to tell him where to go." Zhang He pointed out.

"…I did?" Chad didn't recall saying anything or even hearing Charlie.

"A few nasty words. Nothing major." Anna quickly dismissed it. "Anyway, you just off to get a bite to eat?"

"That I am."

"We'll come and sit with you."

All three had easily found themselves a table together, but it was after Chad had got himself a bacon sandwich, sitting with his girlfriend and her bodyguard, that another person walked in that seemed to take his complete focus.

"—And I told Keira that Samus can drink anyone to the ground, but she still wants to try and see if she can beat the bounty hunter—" Anna was waffling on about.

Zhang He had noticed though. Chad was staring…no, glaring, at Richard. The human Overmind had grabbed himself several pieces of beef, pork and lamb, before sitting by himself, and ripping into the pieces of meat with his teeth. The fact they appear raw made Zhang He's stomach turn. "Ugh, such an animal, why are you watching him?"

"He is another. Competition. Be mindful of his presence here." The voice in Chad's head was warning him.

Chad kept staring at Richard, as Anna had now noticed. "…Chad?"

"I'm just keeping an eye on him Anna."

"His eating, Chad...like a pig, but his just eating."

Richard must've overheard that, looking over after swallowing down a mouthful of flesh, his mouth blooded with drips of liquid going down his chin. "I prefer eating like a 'Zerg' Anna. Overminds need supplements. I'm doing just that. If you all don't like it, go somewhere else."

The Overmind then noticed the way Chad was looking at him, and seemed to stare the boy down, both remaining silent.

"He detects us. What we are."

Chad quickly stood up, looking agitated. "Listen I need to go and visit the hologram room, use a good run around Green Hill zone. I'll have something later."

Anna was surprised. "Huh? Why? You've only taken a bite out of your sandwich."

"I'll speak to you later." With that, he was gone, quickly walking out of the dining area.

Richard meanwhile watched him leave, then slowly turned back to his food, and continued eating.

Zhang He leaned over to Anna a little, speaking to her quietly. "I'm really concerned now about your boyfriend. He has not been his...annoying self."

Anna had to agree, something was off...and Richard, once again eating like an animal, had something to do with that, that much she was sure of.

Chad was in his mobian form, which gave him a feeling of freedom, racing around the hills, glancing at the blue sky above, zig-zagging between the human-sized flowers, enjoying the experience of the loops in this place...

It just made him feel like he was home again. Back to when life as he knew it was a little more to his own. Hearing stories of Sonic battling Robotnik, meeting the said blue hero, fighting Robotnik with the others, Chaos becoming his own enemy after turning against Robotnik, then going to visit the human settlement on the world, Station Square...Where Anna lived and stayed at. Knowing her at a very young age, he quickly taught himself to be able to switch between Human and Mobian forms with shocking ease, whereas others on that world took years to master such a feat, having to go through what is known as the 'Halfian' stage, a sub-group that are often shunned and frowned upon if they choose to remain as that by both Humans and Mobians alike.

Then during one of Chaos' little bit of villainy, one of Anna's human friends gave her the number to Dr Light to gain assistance to crack through an energy shield Chaos had created. The Hero Base eventually came into Chads life. He learnt to keep his human form much more then his Mobian, and ventured off into the stars.

Sometimes he does wish, he didn't. That he said no, and wanted Anna to stay on Mobius with him. Then again Chaos might've just targeted them anyway over and over, and if he plotted for Unicron...well, things would be much worse.

He then thought back to the one time he was off-world before leaving for the hero base…When he was taken by a certain group, toyed and experimented with, before managing to escape back to Mobius… the Drakon Empire. He remembered the pain they put him through, the amount of Chaos radiation they exposed him to, to see what would happen he assumed.

He amused himself with the thought that if Unicron was allowed to run rampant, those assholes would get what's coming to 'em. Even they wouldn't be able to stop the planet eater.

He continued to run around, letting time fly by, impressed with the fact the hologram room was able to keep up with his constant speed to load up the world-space. He recalled the sun was going down, as he slowly came to a halt on top of one of hills, sitting down and looking over the landscape when he heard another voice.

"Oh, hey Chad. We were wondering who was still using this room. Kinda got it booked for ourselves and all…"

Chad looked over, and saw, a little bit down the hill, was Darkmega and Medi, with her carrying a metal basket, with by the looks of it, an assortment of snacks and drink. "Sorry, I was just enjoying the view." He got up, and ventured down to where they were, but, as he got closer to Darkmega, the voice within spoke.

"A weaker target…perfect. Remove him. He will only be an issue later once we have a master."

Chad tried to ignore it. "So, a date in the holo room huh?"

"Yep." Medi smiled. "Darkmega has the computer on standby to load up Hyrule field. It's suppose to be quite a warm and…isolated area. No disturbances and all."

"oh…OH." Chad figured out what she meant. "Well don't you mind me, I'll let you guys enjoy yourselves." With that, he went by them, but couldn't help himself to stare at Darkmega as he did…glaring almost.

Soon he had left, and was heading down the corridors back to his room, changing back to his human form. "Man, that running took it out of me suddenly. I swear I didn't feel this exhausted a few minutes ago..."

Chad soon found himself back in his room, and landed on his bed, on his back, feeling like he hadn't been on here for weeks. He closed his eyes, letting himself drift off. He didn't bother to try and think about the strangeness of it all anymore.

It wasn't until what felt like hours later, that he heard that voice again, disturbing his rest.

"We have an idea."

"Hmm?"

"There are two others here, free. One is that weaker one, the other is of mixed power. He is a match, of equal ability. We shall ally with him, and destroy the weakling."

Chad sat up. Against his own will. "W-what the!?"

'Sleep. Sleep and let me go. I will do what we need, to do. Destroy the inferior, work with the one of the same kind. With him on our side, we will hunt for a master, and we will become stronger, greater. That's what you want, don't you?'

Chad could feel himself slowly black out, his view of his room going dim. 'I, I want to stop Chaos, for good. End Unicron.'

'One we cannot...but one we can. Let us go.'

All Chad saw from there on, was blackness. There was silence all around him, and he could not move. He tried to speak, but it felt like something was forcing his mouth to remain closed.

He then began to recall where he heard this voice from within before. He remembered now. It was weaker, easier to subdue...Traverse Town, when he couldn't focus. He attacked Darkmega, he was trying to kill him, and when he tried to force his will back on his body, the voice tried to lure him into submission.

The Dark Soul.

That got alarm bells ringing with him. It was back inside him? How? When? Didn't Unicron dispose of it? Didn't he get rid of it in exchange for what Chad had done for him before?!

He then remembered what Unicron had said to him right after, one thing he had forgotten, above all else.

He then felt a sharp pain in the back of his head, and in a flash of light, he found himself seeing and hearing things again, as he found himself slump against a wall in one of the many corridors of the Hero Base.

He was looking at the ground, his head was in agony, as if he slammed it several times into the steel wall. He looked around a little, dazed and confused, before he found one person standing before him, looking down at him, with the Dark Wolf pointing at his face now.

"I have you this time, Chad."

Chad weakly looked up to the owner of the blade, Richard, unable to move or even fight back, as his body was taking time to respond, Richard raising the weapon up...

"RICHARD! STAND DOWN! You've subdued him! That's enough!"

Richard looked over to Dr Light, before slowly lowering the Dark Wolf. Despite his acceptance to listen, another figure came up, with his own sword ready, and placed it between Chad and Richard. Xiahou Dun was now near him, glaring at Richard. "Just a precaution, boy."

"What, what's going on?" Chad mumbled, shaking his head, relieved he could now just try to get himself get together, slowly standing up, leaving the Blade of Darkness on the floor, as he only now noticed it was right beside him.

He then saw who else was here, as Dr Light was coming up to him with Rock and Blues at his side.

On the other side of the corridor, with a broken Dark Cyber sword on one arm, leaning on the wall, exhausted, was Darkmega. He didn't appear injured thankfully, but he seemed like he had been in quite a struggle just now.

Dr Light was soon there, looking towards Chad, as he slowly got up. "Chad, what the hell has got into you this time?!"

Chad knew now. "...'Then I shall silence it. Seal it inside of you. So long as I remain, it will no longer torture you.'"

Chad was sitting in the hospital room of the base on one of the beds. With him, was Dr Light, Regal, Yuichiro, Wily, Darkmega and Medi, who was checking him over once again. Rock and Blues were both waiting outside, should anything happen, and Richard was quickly dismissed to the main room and being watched by the two robots, as Wily wanted him monitored when out of his sight for the moment.

Chad had seemingly rushed out of his room, and as he did, Keira had been watching him throughout the last few days, and informed Darkmega, who had only just got back from his evening of fun with Medi, leading him to stop Chad before he got to the main room of the base. The Navi tried reasoning, but it failed, so had to defend himself while trying to figure out a way to stop Chad. It was as his sword was broken and Chad was moving in to kill Darkmega that Richard, who so happened to overhear the fighting, joined in and seemed to bash Chad around, before finally knocking him down next to the wall, and the rest happened.

"Medi?" Dr Wily looked at the nurse Navi, as she moved away from Chad.

"It's there alright. It wasn't evident in the previous scan, but this time..."

"Goddamnit, I should've remembered his words. I knew Unicron would fuck me over." Chad bitterly remarked.

"Unicron was smart enough to have it as a backup plan. Though I can't see what would the benefit of attacking Darkmega would be. Perhaps to stop the cross fusion you two did before?" Light was suggesting.

"I don't think that's it. I remember this voice talking to me before, while I tried to sleep. It said about destroying the inferior. It wanted to help make me stronger...it said it needed a master."

"A master?" Darkmega looked at Chad oddly.

"I don't know exactly, but it feels like it's...lost."

"Darkmega? Do you ever feel like that?" Wily turned to the Dark Navi, who shook his head.

"No, I'm quite content being myself without a master."

"Hm..." Wily walked over to the Hospital computer, looking at its green glowing screen. "Darkmega, I need you to hook yourself up to the computer. Use one of the quick access wires. Medi, get a blood sample from Chad."

"Albert?" Light was now next to his friend.

"I just want to compare something."

Soon, Darkmega was sitting on a bed next to Chad, with a white, decent sized wire stuck into his shoulder, which had a fairly large needle at the end of it, now deep into his arm. The access wire was made to allow the medics of the base to quickly get into the Navi's body, check it over, and heal whatever damage there was, it could also be used to take several samples from them, copied data, if need be.

Wily began to explain what he was trying to look at, while putting the small blood sample from Chad into a nearby machine, along with some blood of his own, which baffled Chad. "Though a blood sample and a piece of Navi data aren't easy to compare, the Dark Soul, in both Navi form and blood form, have similar patterns and reactions. We gathered this much during our research into it. Whatever the host, it would be the same, it would adapt."

Soon two images popped up on the screen. One was Darkmega's data, which Wily tried to make it visually represent blood. The dark purple part of the blood was the Dark Soul, which was dominant compared to the amount of red, which, as Wily explained, was Navi data he had put in with it. The Dark Soul was slowly converting the red 'blood' around it, and destroying old, dead purple blood in the process. "The Dark Soul, as the main host or even infected into others, is a slow convertor, it's calm and methodical. How we created it to be. We didn't want it to stand out, or make itself known untill it had a fair degree of control over it's target."

The other image had Chad's blood, mixed with Wily's own. Chad's blood cells were becoming a purple hue like Darkmegas...but as they reached Wily's they were viciously consuming and spreading like wild fire...soon enough, Wily's blood was now the same colour as Chad's.

"...I know what he has now." Regal suddenly had spoken up. "I know that reaction. It used to be like that, before we tamed it. It seemed to have a vicious hunger, it caused alot of damage to the subjects we tested it on."

Yuichiro knew as well. "This isn't good then, it's going to do more and more damage the longer it stays with him."

Darkmega was a little confused. "What do you mean 'before you tamed it'?"

Wily explained. "The Dark Soul as you are, is the final product of our testing with what we first found years ago, a powerful object that, when we took thin slices out of it, created you, the souls. What Chad has, is you, in a very basic primitive form, with no restraint or sense of right and wrong. It would trick, deceive and slaughter without care or feeling. It would act with false concern, and attack the moment your back is turned. It would eventually consume and kill it's host."

Chad didn't like the sound of that. "Can't you guys fix it? You made the Dark Soul of Darkmega right?"

"It's...possible. I mean, with what you are..." Regal looked over to his father and Dr Light, who both seemed to have glared at Regal for a moment, at least Chad was sure they did, before Wily shook his head and turned back to the computer, while Dr Light seemed to move away, looking at the medical cabinets. Yuichiro decided to answer for them. "To be honest, you have only tamed it while it's within a Net Navi Regal. He is a Mobian. You've never managed to salvage a Dark Soul from a real being before. Any you tried it on, had to be put down."

Chad guessed the glares must've been from the fact they didn't want to risk it. "So, what then? I'm slowly just gotta let it eat me bit by bit and go insane?"

Wily seemed to then think something up. "If I recall during our experiments, when we divided a Dark Soul in it's raw state from one creature to another, then allowed it to take over it's new victim, terminating the first one led to the other one quickly perishing. Unicron may class as a being it was within before. So if it were to be destroyed entirely, it may kill off your Dark Soul before it becomes fatal to you." He walked over to Chad. "This is just a theory though. But it's all I have right now on how to save you."

"My only chance might be within the floating head of a dead planet eater."

"Could be worse Chad, could be a living planet eater." Darkmega pointed out.

"Technically he is alive, just not in the machine part-oh whatever fine. Docs..." Chad was about to say something, but he paused. That feeling from before, that demand to refuse the idea of going there was quickly trying to force it's way in.

"Chad, what is it?" Light asked him.

"I...I don't want to go. I think it's the Dark Soul or whatever. It's telling me not to go."

"Probably we're on the right track then. It's afraid it'll be terminated." Wily summarized.

"I know I have to, but...damn it's hard to try and shake this off." Chad was literally shaking his head now and then, as if trying to keep himself focused.

"There's no real choice here. Listen, I'll quickly form up a team that'll prove useful, hopefully, to you inside the head of that machine. Thomas, call Rufus and inform him we wish to make an expedition to Unicron's head. It will include it's destruction, tell him to contact any ships nearby it to steer clear."

Dr Light nodded, and left the hospital, heading to the labs. "I'll go and get a group ready." Dr Wily was about to leave himself, but Darkmega stopped him.

"I want to go too ya know. Chad's a friend of mine."

Albert refused. "No. He attacked you previously. I recommend you remain here." With that, he went towards the hospital door, opening it, to find Richard standing there, glaring straight at him.

"I want in on this myself gramps."

Wily took a few steps back, as Richard walked in, his claws fully open. "R-richard. Stand down! I will not allow you to go with Chad to Unicron!"

"Actually it would be a smart idea. I can contain him if his version of a dark soul goes rampart. It's cautious around me." Richard walked past, pushing Wily a little to make him stand aside, heading towards Chad, only to be stopped by Darkmega who got in the way, readying his dark buster. "Relax Darkmega. I don't intend harm."

"Forgive me if I struggle to believe that shit." The Dark Navi responded.

Richard then turned his attention to Chad. "Chad you allowed me to come back. You gave me a chance to work with you to deal with Chaos. He could be a part of this, and might be using the head of Unicron."

"You weren't willing to help out before, if I recall in the tavern back on Traverse Town. I could've used your help against him and Unicron's brain body, Diamas—" Chad was answering with before Darkmega suddenly yelled his name, making him look at the now-horrified face of the Navi, before he clicked on what information he just told Richard.

"Unicron is still alive?" Richard was surprised at this.

"Yeah. It's him in a mortal body. That was the brain of the operation."

"So if you blew up the head of 'Unicron', he would still be alive. You will still be infected, and will eventually die."

"How did you hear what we were talking about?!" Dr Regal quickly asked.

"My hearing is much more sharper. All I had to do was lean on the wall next to the hospital door to overhear everything. Still, I think it's a good idea going to the head of Unicron…his brain might still be attached to it."

"…You mean he might show up if we threaten what's left." Chad figured out.

"Precisely. I'm glad you do have some brains."

Chad thought about this for a little while, then focused on Wily. "Richard is coming with me. Chaos might come along again and this time, I'm not going to let him take me down."

Wily sighed. "Fine, but if his going, then I must allow Darkmega to go with you as well to keep him in check, as you two can combine together. The others I'm going to get to come with you will be there to keep Richard in check too." The doc finally left the room, ignoring Richard's little triumphant smirk.

"Heh, thanks Chad. I'll try to avoid hanging back and watching you die—" Richard was about to start with, when he noticed Chad was aiming a battlechip cannon at him, his face showing he was pissed off.

"I don't trust you yet. I haven't forgotten what you said before Dr Light stopped you. I'm sure as hell if he wasn't there you would've killed me. Nor have I forgotten your plan of payback after Chaos is dealt with…you better keep it to after, because if you try to even turn on me before Chaos is gone, I'm not going to be so nice as I was on the Arcadia." Chad made sure he was clear as anything.

"Damn…that Dark soul in you is really making you into an asshole." Richard acted defensively. "Alright Chad, I'll be a good little Overmind. I swear."

Chad lowered the weapon, but didn't keep his eyes off Richard.

Dr Wily meanwhile, made his way over to the labs, and found Dr Light speaking to Rufus, who seemed to be unhappy with the arrangement that Thomas just explained to him. "A risk to destroy such a unique piece of salvage…who knows what that part of Unicron might have for us to look into."

"I understand. I feel the same. I want to spare it, but it's letting the risk to Chad's health get worse."

"One person's health for the technology it could hold."

Wily decided to step in. "Chad is in invaluable member of our base. I want him to be in his best condition Rufus. I'll send people able to check around, see if there is anything salvageable."

Rufus thought about this for a little while. "…For you Wily I'll allow it. Very well I'll inform all nearby vessels to steer clear." With that, he disconnected the call.

"It'll be destroyed." Wily quickly informed his friend.

"Well of course. If he was told that, he might've outright refused." Dr Light explained. "So, I noticed Richard was trying to stay as close to the hospital as possible when I left, what did he want?"

"His joining the mission. Chad wants him in. Darkmega is going as well."

"Both are Dark Souls Albert. That's dangerous when we already know Unicron has some knowledge of them."

Wily agreed with that, walking over to one of the chairs whilst nodding. "Yes, but while Darkmega was inside Unicron previously, the lad was in control of himself, able to help Chad deal with the machine planet." He sat down, holding the top of his walking staff with both hands.

"The same can't be said for Richard."

"You seem more relaxed about him though, compared to Darkmega now his more freely able to go about his business."

Dr Light countered with "And you are very alert and wary of Richard while treating Darkmega like his a normal Navi."

Albert Wily looked away for a moment, frowning a little. "He's got that feeling around him. He's been blessed by our old friend. I've always trusted that deity. While Richard feels like what Darkmega was when he first returned to the base. Darkmega has earned his place here in my eyes."

Thomas sighed, a little annoyed, before focusing on the computer. "If that's how you feel about it. I just don't agree."

Soon, Chad, Richard, Darkmega, Samus, Link, Rock, Xiahou Yuan and Mr T all gathered into the main room, the group who were to venture into Unicron's head. Dr Wily wanted to keep the group to a minimum. "I trust you lot can go in, find what you can, and then find a way to destroy that abomination as quickly as possible. I don't know if Rufus will keep his nose out of our business if we take too long. I know Little Ru, and his curiosity can be quite powerful."

"Understood old timer. We'll be back home as quickly as possible." Mr T responded with, the others agreeing with that.

"Yeah, not like we actually want to be in that place again…" Darkmega added.

Dr Wily then got on his com-link. "Thomas, send them to Unicron."

"Understood."

In a collective wave of blue lights, all of the group vanished, and as Dr Wily was ready to turn around and head to the labs, Dr Light called him. "Albert, Keira just received word from Roll. She wants to know if Chad is ok, and if a ship named the Arcadia is allowed to dock near the base. The ship hasn't got an SF or GF signal emitting from it. Shields are active. Could be a pirate vessel or one from another force."

Dr Wily wasn't happy with the idea of an unknown ship. "Deny the request to let the ship come here. Inform her that unless the shields are dropped or they move off the vessel, we cannot teleport them home. Tell her Chad…is well enough, but busy."

Chad and the others soon found themselves inside a very cold, dim lit location, machinery covering the walls, black wiring cluttering the ceiling as it went behind them, towards a huge, thick, green glass wall, which as they took a step back, was shaped into an eye.

Samus quickly activated her scanner visor. "There's very few active systems in here. I'm assuming the head is keeping the energy output to a complete minimum."

"But enough to keep the air flowing to sustain life…which means it might be visited often." Richard looked over at Chad, who just started to walk down the darkened hall, away from the eye.

He didn't feel comfortable at all. It felt like the walls were much closer than they actually were. And seeing the eye, that gave him shivers. He knew the voice within was begging him to leave, he could feel hesitance in his footsteps. But he had to push on, he wanted it out of him. "You're not staying asshole…you're not welcome." He spoke to himself, as everything got darker and darker around him, barely able to make out the walls with such little light.

Link and the others were soon keeping up with him, noticing Chad turned down one pathway when the hall broke into two directions. "So, do we have any idea which way we need to go to get to the brain?"

"No one's been inside Unicrons head before Link, doubt there's any maps of it." Mr T felt like they were being watched, as they found another split in the path, and Chad once again, without even thinking, picked a route and continued on his way.

"Well I was hoping it would be simple enough that the eye socket is connected directly to the brain. But since it isn't, we'll just follow Chad. He seems to know where his going." Rock said.

"I don't." The mobian answered with.

Darkmega looked to Chad. "He does though Chad. He doesn't want to, but since his a part of you, he has to divulge on that information."

Chad didn't answer, he didn't want to. All he focused on was getting to wherever he...it was going, and getting rid of the dark soul inside him before it changes him.

"I'm surprised Unicron never let you come up this way Richard. Weren't you suppose to be his little loyal servant?" Darkmega questioned aloud.

Richard gave the Navi a rather nasty glare. "Though I was, his loyal servant, I was confined to his body segment. He obviously feared the idea of someone tampering with his mind, no matter who they were."

Soon, they all saw light ahead, and as they reached the source of it, they entered into the main chamber of Unicron. His mind. The device that once held it's organic captive still open, and empty. Around it, the computers humming and active. There was four different metal doors around the room, leading to other parts of the head, or, one assumingly, leading to where the body once was.

"So, this is where Diamas had been sleeping..." Chad led them into the room, slowly looking around. Now the dark soul within seemed to just release it's control over his direction. Whatever he wanted must be in here.

"What kind've strange language is that on the computers? I can't make no head nor tail out of it." Xiahou Yuan ventured over to one of the machines, looking at its screen, baffled. Mr T took a look with him. "Huh, ain't no Chozo or nothin'."

"It isn't even Hyrulian. Kinda expected that from the fact it's Diamas." Chad joined looking at the screen as well, as well as Samus, who seemed to look at the, what seemed to be, gibberish on the screen.

"I do recognize it...I haven't seen it in ages but I think it's-" She started with, before Link interrupted. "Wait Hyrulian?!"

Chad slowly looked over to the hero of time. "Ah...right...yeah I kinda expected Wily to give you lot an update of Unicron before we came here. Anyone else knew about it?"

There was a collective shaking of heads besides Richard, who was busy checking out Diamas' chamber, and Darkmega. "Well, yeah, his a Hyrulian. Least he looks exactly like one, I mean you, Link. He looks like you. Carries something that looks like the Master Sword but, to put it simply, seems evil, wears black, and claims his from your world from ages past."

"Wh-why would he destroy his own homeworld? Why did he consume it?" Link was just, stunned by the news.

"I don't know Link. Maybe he was tossed off your world for being a dick and wanted payback. Maybe someone just ticked him off, maybe one of your people mooned Unicron, whatever the case, he'll hopefully be here soon...when we start wrecking this place, he's bound to come. When he does, you can ask all the questions you want, because if he brings Chaos...I'll be getting some due payback." Chad was angered, the thought of Chaos infuriating him.

Samus, while Chad was talking, had used her visor to scan the writing, and it had matched one she knew. "It's Luminoth."

"Lumin-what?" Xiahou Yuan looked at her oddly.

"The Luminoth...but that can't be right..." Samus begun pressing buttons on the console, and soon enough, an image of several worlds were popping up across the screens of the computers, one even showing what looked like the blueprint of Unicron.

This seemed to have attracted everyone's attention, bar Richard, all gathering around Samus, as she was busy reading what she could with the translator she had. "This Unicron. It was created around three million years ago, precisely 3,112,988 years. It's been made to handle a specific threat to...the Multiverse?"

The images then changed to Unicron...him and seven different ones of shapes and sizes. "Eight Unicrons exist. All having the same initial objective. Destroy a mutation, a species that should not exist...the, Ing?"

"The hell is the Ing?" Mr T looked to the bounty hunter.

"I only know them from my encounter a few years back. They came from a dark version of the planet Aether. They were creatures that were beast-like, and could latch onto other lifeforms, making them into a parasitic host for them. Think of the Zerg, and you'll have the idea. I just assumed they were an isolated case, much like the fact the world of Aether was divided into two, light and dark…and oddly enough, the Luminoth were on that planet at the time, before they were eventually forced into exile to the Farside by the Galactic Federation…according to this, the Ing are a much bigger problem than just one world."

"According to the star charts here—wait…" She seemed to stop for a moment, before typing away on the computer again. "That's very unusual."

Chad went next to her, looking at the data now covering the screen, getting rid of the image of Unicron. "What is?"

"I've got two star charts. Both mapping out our section of the galaxy but… One of them lack the Galactic Federation or even Shinra Federation territory borders. According to one chart, there is no border, and on the planet known as Earth X, it's Ing infested. Gaia VII, Gaia IX, Mars III and Merdian II, populated worlds that are close to Earth X, are all in a 'lockdown' state until further notice."

On the screen appeared the two star charts, first was the one that correctly resembled theirs, then, overlapping it, was the one Samus was talking about. "Granted there is a major time difference, the star chart here is over 3 million years back but the thing is, both are labelled different, despite being the exact same area. This one here is named by Unicron 'S8U10-N'. Our one is labelled 'S8U10-P'…According to a machine of this size and intelligence, the difference is enough to label ours as a different section of space."

"Lemme get this straight…Unicron has made two star charts of the same spot, but thinks their different enough?" Darkmega questioned.

"Enough that the N one hasn't been updated all this time, but it's been constantly updating the P one just fine. If I could find out what the labels meant…I need to download all the data I can before we destroy this place." Samus turned to Chad to gain his approval.

"Hurry it up Samus. Sooner you get what you need the sooner I can get rid of the Dark Soul…you don't want to know how much it feels like it's worming around inside me right now." Chad turned away, and noticed then that Richard was gone. "Oh fuck! Did anyone see Richard go off anywhere!?"

Samus activated her visor, placing her hand on the console, and begun trying to download the data...which didn't work, as a sudden shockwave of energy surged through her chozo armor, causing her to stumble back, her hand twitching slightly for a while. "Ah goddamnit that stings like all hell!"

While the others were busy with Chad as they quickly began looking for the Overmind that's gone astray, Darkmega noticed Samus' reaction. "Huh? What's up?"

Samus shook her hand, looking at the computers. "I, I don't think I'm compatible to download it. I bypassed the system easy enough but, it's like it's using a different sort of energy from mine. My suit's system just refused to connect any further."

"Different sort? What? Like plasma?"

"No, like our actual produced energy. It's using a different type, one that my suit isn't made for. My suit picks it up as an unknown, which has only happened during...my visits to Dark Aether..." She seemed to be thinking that over. "First the Luminoth, now possibly the same unknown energy from the dark world...Why?"

Darkmega ventured over to the computer. "Should I try and download the data?"

"Be my guest, but I wouldn't suggest it. I'm protected from surges. You might get alot worse than I did." Samus warned.

The Navi tried it anyway, placing his hands over the keyboard, the moment his fingers touched it, his eyes began showing lines and lines of data, images flickering by, as he was downloading what he could, surprising himself momentarily, before his body focused on the task at hand.

Samus was genuinely surprised, stepping over to Darkmega, looking at him, noticing he was doing what she could not. "...You're adapted to the energy it uses?"

"I, I'm not sure. Alot of the information I'm getting is heavily encrypted, but, yeah, I'm able to copy and transfer, no problem-Primus?"

"Hm?"

"Sorry, I just got a bit of information on the hero Primus...and Diamas." Darkmega's eyes returned to normal for a moment, as he focused on Samus. "It's just, Samus, has there been any recorded images of Primus?"

She shook her head. "Besides we know he wore red and wielded a powerful sword? No. No images of him exist to this day. Only thing about him is the stories and the images embedded on the walls of some Chozo ruins about his adventures."

"Well it's just, the images of Primus. He looked, familiar to me...as did the girl I just saw with him."

Chad meanwhile, along with Link, had just gone through one of the doors leading away from the brain room, into a hall, filled with at least three dozen golden pedestals that all had glass chambers surrounding them, protecting some sort of precious items at one point. Right at the back of the hall, dimly lit by the lights on the ceiling, was a round circular glass orb, about six times the size of Chad, connected to a tube running down from the ceiling.

Or it had been, if it was still intact.

Richard was close to it, the glass of the orb shattered around him, as he just seemed to stand there, looking towards it, his back to Chad and Link, his claws extended and stiff.

"Richard?" Chad called out.

The Overmind seemed to take a few deep breaths, before turning around to face Chad. "Ah, there you are." He gave a rather, creepy smile to Chad's point of view. "It's, good, to see you again. I think I found the solution to your problem."

Chad started to venture his way over to his ally. "Did you really have to sneak off to look around? Most people could easily mistake it as a sign your scheming something." He soon stopped before him, glaring a little, while Link was now starting to make his way over. "Which I hope, you are not."

Chad didn't react quick enough to what happened next. One of the claws had shot forward, stabbed itself into his left shoulder. Link quickly got his sword and shield ready, running over as Chad grabbed the claw, feeling it digging into his flesh. "You, bastard!"

"I'm almost done." Richard answered, still keeping his smile, he raised his hand, and firing out of his wrist, were several Zerg veins, quickly forming together into a mace-like object, and striking Link, sending him backwards and smashing into one of the glass chambers. Chad felt something flow into his body from where the claw had dug in, and despite trying to yank it out, couldn't move it.

As Link got himself up and readied his bow, Richard removed the claw, a little drop of blood leaking from the wound he had made, before it stopped, and for Chad as he quickly noticed, there was no pain from that spot now, either. "There, I've dealt with your Dark Soul." He began to retract the cluster of Zerg veins, which returned into his hand.

"W-What?" Chad was dumbfounded.

"I've purified it. That's what was in this chamber. I didn't want you finding it for his-my, sake, as you said you wanted to do once Chaos is dealt with, so I destroyed it, and only took enough for you to use into my claws...trust me when I say it's been a painful experience to hold for this short amount of time, but it's gone now." Richard motioned around the room. "I believe these once held the Sigil Shards that carry Dark Souls, and Unicron had this on standby should he need to get rid of them. I could smell it was a cure as I got close to it." He looked disdained when he said that last part.

Chad wasn't sure if he should believe it. Link had lowered his weapon, and joined up with the Mobian lad. "Chad? Are you okay?"

He wondered if it was still within him. He tried to let himself relax, let it take control...it wanted off this place, so it should make him try and escape...But there wasn't a feeling anymore, another will trying to make its own way, only his own now.

Had Richard just, helped him? "I don't sense it anymore...That means if I use my Life Soul...it should function right?"

"I don't know. Let's find out."

That wasn't Richard.

Chad and Link quickly turned, and at the door, which just closed behind him, stood an angry Diamas, holding his version of the Master Sword. "Looks like someone is pissed off." Richard pointed out the obvious.

Link just stared at the newcomer in total silence. It was like looking in a mirror, one that showed a version of him if he twisted and evil.

Diamas had spotted Link, but was focused on his main target. "So, you intrude into my home, you find my collection of shards, and now, they are all gone. I knew I should never have let you slip away, both of you. Chaos should've let me kill you Chad...and you Richard..."

Richard moved himself to stand near Chad, while the mobian was confused with the shards part. "Unicron. We meet. Are you going to try and get in our way?"

"To my great annoyance, I am denied such a wonderus idea. I am to simply delay you until Chaos is ready to send what remains of my machine body to its new location, to be restored. He wants all of you spared, I would strongly suggest you do not even attemp-"

"Diamas! The blade you carry is the blade of evil's bane! Why do you side with such villainy!? Why are you Unicron!?" Link had his own sword ready, his master sword looking pure, while Diamas' was dark and tainted.

Diamas chuckled. "'the blade of evils bane'? What tripe do you speak of descendent? Our sword is nothing like that. Mine is not. It was a gift to me, from the dead body of my most hated foe. A power much the same to the blade that I lost, that I believed was shattered...the one you now carry Link."

Link stepped forward, keeping his sword ready. "You abandoned the master sword because it was broken!?"

Diamas' features seem to soften, looking at Link. Something inside him, ages past, memories, were resurfacing. The memories of Hyrule, of the travellers from another world he had met, the boy who seduced his loved one, who he had worked with to slay Demise...

"PRIMUS!"

"Oh look, the hero has arrived..."

He glared darkly at the hero of time. The memories fading out, and his present knowledge of who he is, returning in force. "I...became one with heaven's judgement. I am, heaven's judgement! Any blade is worth nothing compared to what I am now!" He readied his own sword. "Come and face me! Let me show you how much that sword is truly worth!"

Link charged, yelling out as he swung his blade down, easily blocked by Diamas, who parried it away and tried to strike Link's arm, to be blocked by the shield. Link used this to shove the weapon back and was about to try and strike again, but he found Diamas' fist meeting his face to knock him back a few steps.

Chad pulled the Blade of Darkness out, and wanted to step into the fight, but he suddenly felt his brain go to mush. Everything went blurry, as he stumbled, and before he knew it, he blacked out.

To the others, Chad stumbled for a moment, then stood back up, watching the fight continue on. "It's best we don't interfere. Link wanted this." Richard idly suggested, as one of his claws were pointed towards Chad.

Chad nodded in agreement.

Link meanwhile, was struggling badly, having his tunic damaged across his stomach and torso, and his left arm had a gash across it. Diamas was untouched, able to dodge whatever Link was throwing at him, and his attack style was switching between two, as he turned out to be ambidextrous, able to masterfully use the dark version of the master sword with resounding ease, switching between his hands every few strikes.

Then as Link tried to thrust his blade into Diamas, the old Hyrulian dodged to the side, grabbed the wrist that held the master sword, and twisted it, causing Link to drop his sword. "And now, this ends." Diamas was ready to finish the job. But Link simply went full lunge on Diamas, using his shield to ram into him, shoving back towards the door slamming him into it, just before it opened up, letting Diamas fall through back into the central room, and Link falling down on top of him, only to be kicked off by his enemy, landing next to him.

Link was recovering from his momentary disorientation, when he noticed Diamas was already on his feet. He dropped his shield, and quickly aimed his bow, ignoring the pain in his wrist pulling back with the arrow and fired without really aiming for anything specific. It got Diamas in the waist...something he ignored, as he swung his blade, and struck Link across the face diagonally, the hero of time screaming out in pain as he fell back as his blood splashed across the floor, dropping his bow and holding his hand over his face, his eyesight still thankfully intact as he notices blood leaking down onto his hand.

Diamas was going to finish it, but noticed someone watching him. "...Let me guess, not even this one?"

Chaos stood there, near one of the computers, with no sign of the others that came with Chad were around anymore. "In time Diamas. I've already locked onto him, Chad and Richard. Let them go while we move your precious remains. Earth V awaits it."

Link tried to focus, ignoring the pain ripping through his head as he grabbed his bow again. "I, I won't let you, get..."

A blue light covered him, and before he knew it, he found himself on the floor of the main room of the base. From there he found Ryu and Jak were both helping him up and moving him into the hospital, while Wily was quickly demanding what exactly happened to Richard and Chad, as Darkmega, Mr T, Samus and Xiahou Yuan all suddenly returned, baffled as to what sent them off of Unicron.

Chad was just as confused for a moment. "What? What happened? We were just watching Diamas and Link fight when we came back!"

Richard seemed to be just as confused. "I think someone knows how to easily work a teleporter system."

"What of Unicron's head? Did you manage to find a way to destroy it before you were sent out? A self-destruct system even?" Wily asked.

Chad shook his head. "N, no. Richard found a cure for my Dark Soul issue, and that's when Diamas jumped me, him and Link. What about Darkmega and the others, are they alright?"

"Mr T and Xiahou Yuan are fine, and Darkmega and Samus are currently in the labs with Thomas, saying about gaining information from Unicron."

Dr Light then entered the main room from the labs, looking serious. "Keira and Yuichiro are both attempting to access what Darkmega managed to download off Unicron's databanks. My son is also going to tell Rufus to get his ships back to Unicron ASAP."

"Good move Thomas, hopefully if there's any signs of activity from it, they can handle it." Wily then focused back to Chad. "You said you've been...cured?"

Chad nodded. "I don't feel like there's anything else within me now. I don't feel like something is, telling me what to do. He helped me." Chad actually felt good being able to say that for a moment, before he remembered what Richard did. "But he destroyed the rest of the supply. He...doesn't want to be cured."

"...A pity." Was all Wily said, before he turned to head to the labs. "For now get some rest Chad. Be yourself and enjoy it. I bet Anna missed you. Richard...Stay out of trouble." He walked off.

Chad turned to Richard, giving him a weak smile. "Thanks, I guess..."

Richard begun walking away down one of the corridors. "I just need you ready to fight Chaos. Remember why I'm helping."

Chad nodded, understanding, before looking over to the hospital, deciding that he should at least go and check on Link first.

Richard meanwhile, as he was walking down the corridor, had one corner of his mouth curled into a smirk, as his claws were making a clicking sound, while he looked down to his hands...looking at numerous small, purple scarred over cuts, which were slowly fading away. "It's so good to be back..."

Diamas had returned to the hall that once contained his Sigil Shards. Chaos was busy handling the head. Readying to trigger an energy discharge to stop any pursuers.

Diamas had come to this room for a reason, seeing it on the floor.

The Master Sword.

He slowly bent down and picked it up by the hilt, looking at it carefully as the door behind him closed up.

"...You feel the same. You haven't changed at all over the time we've been apart. When we, took down Demise. When we fought the Deity Chaos. You don't reject me, you remember...I wonder, are you still awake? Or did you fall into an eternal slumber like Ghirahim after he was killed by Primus?"

He sat down, placing the master sword before him, and next to it, placing his version of it. "Fragments of him remain. They have little moments of words, but no more than that. What of you? Are you still here? Or has been the blade really been dulled?"

A voice spoke to him, a voice that came from the master sword itself. A feminine voice he knew. "I have slept many years master. But recently, I woke up. The three golden goddesses made me. They knew the world they treasured has been consumed."

Diamas grimaced a little, thinking of his home, the weak whispering screams from its residents as they were swallowed up. "Hyrule...I do not expect forgiveness for that action. That world was dead to me. Skyloft was long lost."

The voice in the blade expressed no emotion in its voice. "I am not here to forgive you master. It has happened. Nothing more. But I was awake when you fought with the great hero of the stars. You used another blade as I was broken. You vowed revenge, and as a machine planet was to pass our world, you lured it in using the very thing you despised remaining on our home. It came, and took you away, destroying Skyloft with it."

Diamas remembered his past like a nightmare... His venture into another Universe, to stop a great evil.

Primus and those beyond his world.

Zelda.

Demise and his followers.

And then...as all was won, something changed.

And in the rage he experienced he found himself within the mind of the machine, and before he knew it, it had him.

"I didn't expect it to. I didn't know it would destroy to cleanse and remove the item of evil."

"Yet now thanks to you, it supports such. An interesting change over time. What will you do? Will you destroy me?"

"..." Diamas stood up, grabbing his master sword and putting it back in its casing. "No. I will not Fi. I will return you in time, to the hero you now follow. We will cross again. I hope he proves himself worthy of your presence."

"As you once did, master. Goodbye."

Diamas knew Fi would no longer speak. He left the sword on the ground, returning to Chaos.

He was such a proud hero before he became the will of the heavens, before he was Unicron... Inside, he felt a longing he was sure was dead millions of years ago.

A longing for home.