Dark Order Castle-

2 hours after the panic began

"What do we do?!" Miranda speedily paces about the office without much notice to the things around her. "I think I'm going crazy! I hear whirring and I don't know where it's coming from!"

65 floats beside Komui who is still weeping, but he's suspiciously quiet. "Please, Ms. Miranda, we can't lose our composure!" 65 reminds as he systematically enacts his cleaning routine.

"I know, but something's gonna go wrong, it always does with me! Will that whirring ever stop...?"

"Don't worry! The SDEF should be here any minute to take ovvvuurrr." His automated vocals lower until eventually dropping off. His eyes close as he droops his torso like he started to doze. Miranda halts her pacing, wondering what happened. She comes to him and rests a hand on his almost nonexistent shoulder. Her first intent is to talk to 65 to ensure that he is still responsive, but something jars her from trying. The chord tube at the end of his tail is detached and nowhere to be spotted. 65 is utterly inactive.

And she knows it was sabotage.


Science Division Emergency Formations

Unit 4: Cellars and Docking Area

Tapp heads a team of four down to the boating dock in little to no time. It was dire to make sure there was no unauthorized deployments and confirm the Komurin didn't hitch a ride during its rampage. Once they reach their destination, they almost succumb to the calm of their surroundings. Instead of the group anxiety and constant fear of the Kom-Spider above, this place seems as if a haven from it.

"Egh, I can still hear the Chief wailing in my head..." A young scientist complains.

"Forget that! How many boats left earlier?!" Another more seasoned scientist quizzes him firmly.

The younger boy makes a quick count of the remaining watercraft and estimates from the appointment documents. "Before the Kom-Spider? T-Two! I guess we made it in time! All the other boats are here! Though...Hey, Tapp, are you sure the Section Leader said this thing was water intolerant?"

Tapp turns with a thumb upright from his clenched knuckles. "Yep! Leader Reever said the Chief only thinks about making his machines to be greatly 'useful' and doesn't bother with immunity."

"So, are we done here?" The young lab-coat asks, half expecting relief.

The older man pushes the boy's head down in a hair shuffle. "No, now come on! Think like a scientist! What would it have done if it had already came down here?"

"Like, what if a boat came in then it took ahold of the passenger and left? Or even if it crawled on the corridor walls out-" The boy quickly falls into a string of mortifying elaboration, "-and forever causing turmoil wherever it steps its ugly foot?! All that bedlam would help the Akuma against us!"

"...Sorta like that."

Near the edge of the dock walkway, Tapp notices the arrival of several finders from the field.

"Hey, there!" A middle-aged male finder shouts as he comes up to the platform towards them. "I'm surprised to see some Science Division faces out and about, let alone without papers." He jokes with a warm smile.

Before the four thought to reply, their attention adverts to the boat. Visually inspecting it, all the Finders are drenched, along with the supply bags.

"Why're you guys wet? Were you capsized in the route?" Tapp questions.

"You don't know? There's a huge storm outside! It's even hailing out there!" The finder exclaims.

"Oh, so it can't go out even if it wants to, huh?" The boy known remarks.

The older, more rugged scientist realizes from the boy's statement just how dire it was they have to hurry as he states his concerns.

"Which means we only have until the weather lets up to find and neutralize it."


Stepping out onto a unfamiliar dock, Lenalee lets out a sigh. "Finally. Back in Europe. That mission took longer than I thought it would."

An accompanying finder hops off the boat after her. "I'm glad I found you on your way back! I wasn't looking forward to being sent on the long trip alone."

"Me too. Now, I just have to get to the tower and find out what my brother made."

The finder gives her a slightly confused glance. "Are you sure it's something he made, Miss Lee? The commotion could've just been them trying to catch the Supervisor."

"Oh, you don't have to call me 'Miss'. 'Lenalee' is fine." She happily mentions with a wave of her hand. "And I'm pretty sure it's some sort of catastrophe because I tried to call again and they told me to call back later. They sounded like they were in a rush and furthermore, the Black Order's phone lines aren't allowed to be denied."

"Oh, when you put it that way, I guess it's a little hard to put down. But Mis-uh, Lenalee, it'll take almost a full day to get there. Things would most likely be cleared up by then." He replies sheepishly.

"I sure hope so!"


Science Division Emergency Formations

Unit Head: Electrical Outlets, Gate and Medical Vicinities

This team has four members checking the Gatekeeper and the surrounding walls for any signs of the Kom-Spider, and two others are with Reever, the head of all the Units. He's currently putting together a shield talisman in hopes of affect on the Kom-Spider. Johnny engages in building another for backup. The third scientist waits behind them anxiously. "Section Leader Reever," he starts, "I hate this. It's too stressful for me. I mean, what if we don't find it and just keep going around the castle?"

Reever murmurs with his concentration lodged on the makeshift equipment. "Oh, we will, that's for sure. If it has Komui's obsessive mind, it'll be begging for the spotlight of our attention. I'm only worried about what happens after we find it."

Each of the other four finish, all of them without evidence of the enemy. Ergo, the current vicinity is considered cleared. Next target area: Sick Bay. They travel up a massive flight of stairs before taking a quick breather in the continuing hallway.

"*huff* Why aren't we just asking the Exorcists to deal with it?" The third scientist from before, inquires.

"Because Miranda hasn't gained an offensive ability as of yet and the Head Nurse has Krory locked in a sick bed." Reever explains without much trouble.

"*huff huff* And why can't we just call the Exorcists to come back? *huff* "

Reever makes the team resume their movement forwards, though at a walking pace. "They're handling more important stuff than this. When they're done, we'll tell them to come back as fast as pos-" As soon as he says that, their hearing is bombarded by the sound of the side of the corridor wall bursting behind them. From the now gigantic hole in the wall emerges a cobalt shadow, three times their size and settles among the active debris.

"HELLO, my little-"

"YOU?! How'd you escape?!" Reever screams to the figure atop the metallic shape.

"Where my hands fail, my spirit shoves on!" Their apparently fugitive Supervisor declares dramatically.

"But we left you without your mechanisms! You were out of reach of anything else! Miranda and 65 were watching you!"

Komui ignores him. "Now, listen here!" His voice raises with his arm waving fully, "I will bring my long-lost child back! While I do so, I have chosen to use my most recent family addition in my place."

"...Do you hear that whirring? Anyone?"

Johnny indulges the topic, " You mean that same whirring around the Supervisor's head? You don't think...that's how he escaped?!"

Reever continues off of Komui's announcement, "What the heck does that mean?! And why do you talk like you have a stock of them?!"

"Oh, dear Reever, how naïve! Do you honestly think I introduce EVERYTHING I create? Of course I have a few set aside for emergencies..."

"Apparently, that beret is proof of that! We always suspected there was something inside!" Reever snaps back.

The new, bipedal Komurin cracks its maw open and booms its given voice: [GREETINGS. I AM KOMUI LEE JR. I AM CURRENTLY TASKED WITH PAPuurrpPER WORK [AGGRAVATED SIGH]]

"...Well, that's new."

The Chief scratches his head, "Oh, dear. I think I might've transferred my contempt for paperwork by mistake. I'm absolutely clueless at how he got that attitude, though. Perhaps Kanda was nearby while I was recording...?" Komui mutters, "Ah, but no matter, he'll still do it for me just fine."

As each step of the Komurin blows particle debris over the unit, it slowly hangs its head down above them. Multiple steel plates slide back until they lock in place on each side of its head. The interior plates and wires make a horrific collage of teeth in a almost hysterical, demented sneering smile. But it was the same. The same as the Kom-Spider, copied from their own Chief's frightening curling lips.

The unit huddles together as one of them tries to break the tension subtly, "W-Why does it always have to look so much worse when its mouth is the same size as us? Why cant it be just cute instead?"

A high-pitched tone rings from the monstrosity's head plays until it ends in an abrupt overlap of storming, maniacal laughing. Its head smoothly bounces about on the springs in its neck. Gears in the back of the mouth can even be seen spinning furiously. Retargeting its stare to Reever, it uses its voice once again: [FACIAL RECOGNITION...COMPLETE. REEVER WENHAMM...] This makes the small group fall silent.

[...MY FLUNKIE.]

"Your-Your WHAT?!"

"Oops," Komui peeps, "I-It was just to test him out, that's all!" He confesses with his trademark goofy grin.

The Section Leader clenches a fist towards Komui, "TESTING?! That's the kind of thing you say when you're 'TESTING'?!"

"You're a scientist; you understand!" Komui reasons weakly, "Anyhoo, what do you think?!"

"I HATE IT!"

"*Gasp* "

Once again, interrupting them, a desperate message blares out from their communicators:

[SECTION LEADER! SECTION LEADER, THIS IS SQUAD TWO! THE CHIEF IS GONE! WE FOUND 65 DEACTIVATED AND MS. MIRANDA IS...WELL, FINE BUT SHE'S HYPERVENTILATING. HE MIGHT'VE WENT TO GET ANOTHER ROBOT TO STOP YOU! PLEASE, BE PREPARED!]

Reever lowers his brow and mentally facepalms. "Too late! We already found him. Do you have anything on the Kom-Spider?!"

[ER, YES! HE-I MEAN, 'IT'-IS HACKING INTO OUR ELECTRICAL DATABASE. WE TRIED TO CATCH IT, BUT IT WENT INTO THE MONITIOR BASE DOWN HERE!]

"Damn!" The Australian scientist curses while he's scanning around to pinpoint the Supervisor. "Where the hell did the Chief go now?! And why did he leave his dang metal doppelganger with an attitude problem here?! We don't need it!"

Komui calls out to his second-in-command cheerfully, "I'm right here, Reever. If I just take out the bait, then I'll get his attention!" Komui pulls a controller box out of his coat and shines it in the light before preceding to stride over to an outlet and hooking it into the wall.

"Wait! Chief, what are you doing?! Stop! Chief, NO!" The entire unit joins in the Australian's fight of prevention.

He presses a few buttons and every single light, elevator and everything electric in the entire tower falls dead and, with the storm outside coating the setting sun, they are cocooned in absolute darkness.

A glint of last remaining light glares across a pair of glasses devilishly.


Author's Note:

I'm happy I got to post another chapter!

FYI, Koumi wasn't recording in his lab, so, it was possible for Kanda to be there.