Act 2, Chapter 1 - Reunions (Part 1)
'This path began a long time ago. A course paved through human history that took us across continents, oceans, and ultimately... to the stars.'
A footprint on a rocky surface is shown before moving the camera up to show more of them. And then, the camera pans upward, revealing the setting to take place on the moon - where the Earth is shown above in the background. A figure in midnight blueish-black and red armor - bearing the 'N7' insignia on the left side of his chest plate and wearing a bubble-shaped visored helmet with a space scarf(?) around his neck - enters the scene as he takes in the beautiful view.
'For us, this planet is home. It's protected us, challenged us, and provided us the needs to discover intelligent life.'
A female figure in white armor with red accents - almost identical to the N7 Pathfinder armor the male figure is wearing, minus the space neck scarf - walks up and stands beside him on his left, where the two then look at each other and the Earth back.
'But the time has come to prepare ourselves for a future beyond the Sol System. A future that begins from where we stand. In a time and place, among unknown stars, and unseen dangers.'
The two figures then turn around and walk back towards a large ship orbiting the Moon. This was the Absolution MK II.5, originally a broadcast vessel from Earth-99 - otherwise known as the Toonami universe.
'And so we issued this call to the brave; the inquisitive. To the trailblazers of the human race, as an invitation to stand on the shoulders of those who came before and challenge yourself to go further.'
The Acceledrome
Beneath School District 20
August 11, 2026
11:03 P.M.
The scene cuts to black on-screen before a logo appears.
'Begin your journey. Join the Tellus Initiative today.' The narrator concludes, ending the promotional video that was being played in the Acceledrome's briefing room.
Familiar faces whistled or awed in impression at the vid's cinematography and visual effects as the lights came back on.
"That was really good." Hayley admits aloud, clapping and smiling.
Hayley Travis, age 17 and a Precursor-human hybrid. Originally from Earth-2013, she, her older half-brother Taylor, their father David, a young mercenary named Mei, and a Kaiju-human hybrid once called 'Boy' but later renamed 'Bravo', were accidentally brought to Earth-86 in one of Fu's annoying experiments, set during the M.U.T.O. incident back in early November 2023. Eventually, Articho and his friends welcomed the Travis family and Hayley became close friends with the former Time Patroller ever since.
"Sure was, mama." A little girl with black hair and blue eyes - named Mordin - spoke.
"Still can't believe you named her Mordin of all people." Ame shakes his head towards his blonde wife.
Ame Hironaka, age 17 and the husband to Hayley Travis. Shortly after his birth, he and his eldest sister Yuki lost their father in an accident, leaving their mother Hana to raise the two siblings alone. As it turns out, they're humans descendants of a race hailing from the Spirit World - basically the afterlife of Earth-86. Much like their parents. Years later, by the time his sister had started high school, Ame was forced to go back to school by his mother and recently new stepfather - who turned out to be none other than Bardock after his fight against the Evil Saiyan Cumber on one of his Time Patrol missions. It was in Academy City that Ame first met Hayley. Believe me, they got off to a rocky start until they grew close on their own multiversal misadventures and fell in love. Eventually, they got married - by Academy City custom and law - and gave birth to three beautiful children, with Mordin as their youngest daughter.
"Not my fault since he's a role model for Ryouko." She rolls her eyes. "Besides, I don't think I can handle another person fast talking the same way he does. Having one is already enough as it is."
"Had to be her. Someone else might've gotten it wrong." Articho jokes, referring to Ryouko when she tends to over speculate sometimes.
"Will you stop with the Mass Effect memes already?" Kuroko glares at her husband. "It's already getting on my nerves."
"It's a shame Ryouko's not here to see the PV that she, Articho, and I worked our asses off to put together." Kinuho sighs.
Kinuho Wannai, age 16 and one of Articho's three favorite wives. She's even considered to be the second most powerful mortal - and hybrid Saiyan - within Earth-86. As for her backstory? Let's just say that it's something she and her husband refused to talk about, as she tends to leave herself emotionally vulnerable whenever she thinks about her early childhood that still haunts her to this day.
"Something must've caught her attention." Articho shrugs off. "It's probably nothing that we need to worry about."
"Honestly, she really needs to find the time to take a break every now and then." Kazari Uiharu - a Level 1 Esper and another hybrid Saiyan - sighs in annoyance with a facepalm. "Too much work is gonna get her sick sooner or later."
"You're one to talk, Kazari." Ruiko Saten - the older twin sister of Arisa in whom they were separated from birth - snorts at her best friend's hypocritical statement. "When was the last time you ever had any food or rest, now that Judgement has been disbanded ever since?"
"Not the point, Ruiko." The flower-headed hacker frowns.
"Still, that was quite the speech, Articho." Mikoto Misaka - another one of the boy's wives and another hybrid Saiyan - admits, clearly impressed.
"Perhaps our husband is starting to act less like a Saiyan and more like Commander Shepard." Maaya teasingly suggests, making the boy's face turned red.
"Maaya." Articho groans in embarrassment.
Maaya Awatsuki, age 16 and the youngest shinobi princess of the Arashikage Clan. Orphaned as a hybrid Saiyan infant, she was found and taken in by the clan leader, raising her as his own. Then during her early childhood, she had an argument with her adopted father and then ran away from home - where she spent a few months living on the streets of Tokyo before being found by the Wannai family's valet and taken in as an apprentice maid. It was on that day, she met Kinuho and the two quickly grew close as if they were sisters. As for her shinobi family? She eventually moved on, thus making peace with her foster father's murder that took place a few years after she left her old home.
"Actually, he acts more like Wrex." Hayley smirks. "Knowing these last three years, he does love to fuck with all of you girls that's married to him."
"Now wait a damn minute!" The Pathfinder angrily slams his hands on the table, as he blushes deeper. "We are NOT the same!"
Soon, most of his wives started giggling at his reaction.
"You're funny, Papa." His eldest daughter Febrie giggles as well.
Articho groans again, dropping his head on the table with a loud crashing sound.
'I think I'll have that bag of ice now.' He thought, having regrets towards his decision in having a harem in the first place.
"Ahem!" Shutaura interrupts the room. "If you perverted girls are done embarrassing my brother, we should talk about the elephant in the room."
"That would be best." Junko Hokaze - same age as her Pathfinder husband and another hybrid Saiyan like him - agrees, immediately getting straight down to business. "So this initiative that Ryouko came up with. We're not going to be using the Gate then? We could simply either ask the JSDF to let us pass or sneak past them."
"Too many people on the streets, especially with the small garrison they've sent out there to secure it." Articho explains. "Sorry, Jun. No way we're getting in there, unless you wanna start a firefight on a street crowded with innocent people 24/7."
"Worth a shot." The lavender haired girl with ringlets shrugged, completely understanding him.
"I still don't see how we're getting to our so-called 'golden world'." Misaki Shokuhou - age 17 and Touma's first wife - says, stroking her blonde hair that she had cut down into a messy-styled bobcut with her hairbrush.
The Pathfinder's friends all stared at him, confusing their leader.
"What?" Articho questions, raises an eyebrow.
"Why 'Tellus'?" Hayley curiously asks.
"It's Latin for 'earth'." He explains. "And Tellus is the Roman goddess of the earth - the ground, not the planet - and protectress of marriage, fertility, and the dead. She's also the Roman counterpart of the Greek goddess Gaea."
"Gaea?" Junko questions. "Like Dark and Light Gaia when we were all on Mobius together?"
"Gaea with an 'e', not an 'i'." He facepalms. "And no, this has nothing to do with those two."
"I miss him." Maaya says in a sad tone. "Chip would've loved exploring the multiverse."
"We all miss him." He sighs. "But he would want us to move on and live our lives."
"I suppose you're right." The girl with long indigo hair nods.
"There's gotta be another reason why you gave the planet that specific name." Kuroko suspiciously glares toward her husband. "Everyone knows you suck at naming things, Articho. Now spill it."
"Maaya's the reason I named it 'Tellus'." Articho admits.
"Me?" Maaya questions with a raised eyebrow.
"Yep." He nods.
"I don't quite understand." His indigo haired wife tilts her head innocently.
"It's a secret." He crosses his arms with a prideful smirk and eyes closed.
"No fair." Maaya cutely puffs her cheeks.
"Alright, I think I've gone on long enough." He says, deciding to change topics. "So Kazari, did you find any connection regarding our otherworldly visitors?"
"There were complications." Kazari says.
"And?"
"Nothing, I'm afraid." She shakes her head disappointedly. "I even checked through Aleister's classified documents if he knew anything about the Gate during his time as a magician or later on as the original Superintendent when the Windowless Building was still standing before it was destroyed and replaced with the Capsule Corp building."
"I get the feeling that the Precursors are somehow involved in this." The Pathfinder deadpans. "They always do prefer to remain anonymous after all."
"Kinda like you?" Mitori Kouzaku - another one of the Pathfinder's hybrid Saiyan wives and around the same age as him - cheekily grins.
"Really, Mitori?" Articho blankly questions.
"What? It's true." The purple haired girl defends.
"He's likely right." Ryouko agrees, entering the briefing room. "Their science and magic was so advanced that they were right about lesser species not fully comprehending the knowledge they possess; completely untraceable, I might add. We know that the Precursors can take on any form they choose, so what if they have intended to leave behind a clue only one of us can see? You've met them face-to-face as the Accelerons and they gave you a cryptic warning about Unicron."
"You're late." Articho says.
"I'm here now." She crosses her arms.
"Of course." He nods.
"If they left a clue for Articho, we all would've known by now." Kuroko rolls her eyes.
Everyone in the room sighed, either with their arms crossed or their hands on the table. Looks like they all reached another dead end it would seem. But suddenly, something piqued Articho's suspicions and uses his Omni Tool to search through Aleister's classified data.
"What are you doing?" Mikoto questions her husband.
"What if we're looking at this the wrong way?" Articho suggests. "Our secret history tells us that the Precursors are an enigma alien race throughout the multiverse, and no one's ever seen traces of their magic or science. But then, I just remember one of my small run-ins during our multiversal road trip that led me into finding and safekeeping the Wheel of Power that was in the hands of the most evil and short-lived regime in all of human history."
Everyone turned their heads toward the screen, as Articho got out of his chair. Their expressions turned into surprising ones.
"The Nazis?!" His friends exclaimed after recognizing familiar insignias on the digital scans of old documents and photos.
"I hate Nazis." Hayley and Ame said in unison.
"You can't be serious." Kuroko blankly remarks.
"I know, I know, but just hear me out." Articho defends his theory as he begins to explain. "During the second World War in '43, Hitler realized that the Allies couldn't be held back for much longer after his forces suffered a crushing defeat from the Soviets at Stalingrad. So he tasked both his Nazi's intelligence and science divisions in looking for more 'unconventional' solutions."
"Like chemical weapons." Shutaura chimes in.
"But those take time to develop, and Hitler wanted quick results over safety." Her half-brother points out. "Because of this, he turned his attention towards the supernatural. Or in this case, the magic community."
"Hitler was into the occult?" Touma raises an eyebrow. "I know that he's infamous for the mass genocide of most Jews across Europe, but-"
"We're lucky that they didn't try to side with a fanatic." He says. "We would've been living in a different world than the one we're in today."
"Does every madman we've faced in these last three years have an obsession over immortality and godhood?" Mikoto deadpans. "They really could use some major therapy."
"More like they should burn in hell for eternity." Ame snorts, earning a few chuckles and laughs from the other girls in the room.
"Articho, what do a bunch of fascists have anything to do with all of... this?" Kuroko questions. "I've seen a lot of insane shit with you as your wife, but Nazis? Come on!"
A large book drops down in front of the Teleporter on the table.
"Does that answer your question?" Her husband deadpans, as she picks the book up and opens its pages.
"A Guide to Nazi Pseudoscience and Mysticism? Volumes 1-8?" She reads aloud with a disbelief look. "Where the hell did you find these?"
"The internet." He bluntly answers.
"Duh." Kazari chimes in with an eye roll.
"Any idea on where to start?" Shutaura asks.
"Good question." Her half brother starts brainstorming before grinning sheepishly. "Honestly, I'm not really sure."
His half sister and friends all sighed.
"Rotten luck." Touma utters.
"Yeah, we kinda saw this one coming." Maaya admits with an awkward smile.
"Buuuut." He adds, getting everyone's attention once more. "It looks like we need someone with a sophisticated mind."
"Like Ryouko?" Misaki raises an eyebrow.
"Not just any sophisticated mind." He corrects her, smirking. "A sophisticated mind with teeth."
"You're not suggesting who I think you're suggesting..." Ame mutters, not liking who his distant relative is referring to.
"I know he's a little weird-" Articho begins explaining but was abruptly cut off.
"Weird?!" Kuroko exclaims.
"No, no way." The wolf boy quickly objects.
"He's a complete historic whacko!" The brunette girl argues.
"But he's open-minded." He calmly defends. "He knows a lot about alien culture and the supernatural as much as we do. Besides, Kinuho and I owe him that much in pulling both our asses out of the fire."
"I cannot believe you want to involve that loser." Kuroko grumbles.
"Deal with it." Articho smugly grins. "I'm so definitely gonna ask for his help."
"Pathfinder, I'm afraid Mr. Simmons is a bit tied up at the moment." A female voice calls out to the boy.
This is the Doppelganger. Originally created as a robotic copy of Ryouko, she ended up inside her creator's mind for some time until the day Ryouko used what was left of Academy City's advanced cloning tech to transfer her creation's consciousness through cloned brain tissue. Thus, she successfully created Doppelganger as the first human AI in existence. Without suffering any 'complications' that other AI experienced on Earth-343, AKA the Halo universe where it used to serve as the birthplace of the Precursors.
"What are you talking about?" Articho questions in confusion.
"You may wish to check the news." Her voice suggests.
Articho pulls up a small, projected screen on his Omni-tool to reveal that his and Kinuho's old friend is being interviewed on live television. He then puts the news on the bigger screen, replacing the stuff Aleister had on the Nazis.
"My next guest is a former American intelligence operative who has dared to speak out regarding our alleged military alliance with what many describe as a group of extraterrestrial mercenaries." Bill O'Reilly, host of the O'Reilly Factor - announces. "He is the author of the bestselling book, 'Code-Name Hero.' Former special agent, Seymour Simmons."
"Bill. Big fan. Great to be here." Seymour Simmons - retired field agent of the now disbanded Sector Seven and a great friend to Articho and Kinuho - greets in his Italian-Brooklyn accent with a casual smile.
"Now Agent Simmons, you would have us believe that it is in our best interest to formally take sides in this so-called alien civil war?" O'Reilly begins interviewing.
"Well, the other side wanted to spank us for breakfast, so I wouldn't exactly call it a toss-up." The former US government agent answers. "These Decepticons are lethal."
"But polls show half the world would feel safer with the Autobots and Decepticons completely gone, now that a temporary ceasefire between the two factions has been declared by both of their opposing leaders." The news host argues. "Get them out of here! We don't need them here!"
"I feel safer when I sleep with a hand grenade." Simmons assures him. "Doesn't mean I'm always right. Besides, both the Autobots and Decepticons already lost their homeworld. Not much we can do about it, unfortunately. As for the AllSpark's whereabouts? That's classified."
"Now, agent, here at the Factor we have obtained documents that show you were fired by the intelligence committee-" O'Reilly begins explaining.
"Chaz, I'm doing an interview." Simmons glares at one of his mansion's staff, who accidentally dropped a small hammer outside of the camera's view on the side.
"Sorry, Mr. Simmons." Chaz apologizes as he picks up the hammer and walks across between his employer and the camera.
"Downsized, Bill. Budget cuts." Simmons explains before pointing his finger to the side for the elderly man. "Chaz, out."
"Your psych evaluation reports severe delusional tendencies!" The news host exclaims in an accusing tone.
"This is ambush journalism." The former agent scoffs at the betrayal of his favorite news host.
"Look, I'm not-" O'Reilly tries denying but his guest saw right through his lie and starts losing it.
"You want the truth about the alien alliance?" Simmons questions before grabbing a hardcopy of his published autobiography. "Buy my book! Buy my book! Before it's too late, people! You want a piece of me, Bill? You want to get naked?! I'm ready!"
"Wow." Was all that Articho said at what has transpired on-screen before pulling out a burnt smartphone and begins trying to reach Simmons' cell number, while his friends and wives all blink their eyes in disbelief at the news interview going wrong.
"So the US government has finally thrown Simmons under the bus, huh?" Kinuho sighs disappointedly at the actions of her home country. "Come to think of it, he did say something about writing a book when he lost his job."
"Interview is over!" Simmons yells at the news crew inside his study, getting out of his sofa chair. "You, out- of- my- house."
"You're sounding like a pinhead, agent." O'Reilly deadpans at the ex-agent's behavior. "And I've got a suggestion for you..."
"It's over! Understand?" Simmons continues to yell, ignoring O'Reilly.
"...damage control." O'Reilly finishes.
"Dutch!" Simmons calls for his German accent bodyguard, also a former S7 agent.
"You have obviously upset Mr. Simmons!" Dutch says, walking inside his boss's study off-camera as his voice was heard on live TV. "You have twenty-three seconds to leave the property, I have called the police! You are peasant people throwing rocks at a giant!"
Kazari shuts the screen off, awkwardly laughing due to how the interview went completely wrong and felt sorry for the fired agent.
Albany, New York, USA
August 10, 2026
10:03 A.M. (Eastern Standard Time)
"Now with that out of the way, what's the status on me and my parents' stuff?" Simmons asks his longtime bodyguard and friend, as the news crew have already left his mansion.
"Everything's loaded up in the truck, sir." Dutch reports, checking off his datapad. "Just say the word, and we can be off towards the private jet in your family's private hangar here in Albany."
"Good." Simmons nods. "We'd rather not be here before the CIA's attack dogs show up on our doorstep. I'm telling ya, I've had it with these people! The same kind that I've been loyal to for how many years, and now I've been discarded because I knew too much?! Unbelievable, Dutch!"
"Not to be rude, but I have this, um- um- Artichoke, who keeps calling me, five times today." His bodyguard snaps his fingers in trying to memorize the Pathfinder's name.
"Kid? What's he want?" Simmons perks up and snatches Dutch's smartphone from his hand to talk to the 18 year old boy. "Yeah?"
"It's been awhile, Simmons." Articho greets through the speaker.
"Good to hear from you, old timer!" Simmons greeted back. "How're you doing?"
"Swell." The Pathfinder deadpans. "The phone I'm using now is burnt, so I'll keep it brief. I need your help. One you can't refuse."
"I'm listening." The former S7 agent says.
"Like I said, this phone's burnt." The Pathfinder reminds him. "It's probably better that I explain it to you face-to-face."
"As much as I want that, kid, you've caught me at a really bad time." Simmons says in a nervous tone.
"Why? What's wrong?" Articho questions.
"Saw the news lately?" Simmons asks.
"Yeah?" Articho answers in a suspicious tone. "From what I just saw minutes ago, the American government has thrown you under the bus for knowing too much about classified documents on anything Cybertronian-related."
"Well, you better get your ass over here in Albany right now." Simmons requests. "If you want my help, then you better hurry before the CIA gets to me."
"Alright, you got yourself a deal." The Pathfinder accepts. "Just hang tight, and I'll get you out of there in one piece. See ya soon."
"It's Cemetery Wind." Articho frowns, hanging up the burnt smartphone and removing the SIM card before dropping and crushing it on the floor with his boot. "They're on their way to arrest him for committing treason against the United States."
"Treason?!" Kinuho exclaims in shock and disbelief. "That's ridiculous! I've known Simmons since he got me out of the States when I was just a child! He's not a traitor, Articho, I swear!"
"All the more reason that we need to act now." He points out. "We can still save him, Kinuho."
"Then there's no time to lose." His light chestnut haired wife nods seriously before standing behind him and grabs onto his shoulder with her hand. "Get us there now!"
"Wait a sec, you two can't do this by yourselves!" Hayley exclaims. "Let us go with you."
"No." The Pathfinder says with a serious face. "I need all of you to begin making preparations for the Tellus Initiative. Find me people who stick out from the rest of the world. Anyone."
"If that's the case, then I should be off." Touma nods as he gets out of his seat and walks toward the door leading outside the briefing room.
"And where exactly are you off to?" Mikoto asks curiously.
"We need Index back." The Imagine Breaker explains. "If anyone that's an expert in analyzing and identifying different types of spells with a photographic memory alone, it's her."
"I'll go with you." Shutaura offers, getting up from her seat. "Last I heard, she left to undergo some special training from the Amakusa."
"Thanks, Shutaura." Touma smiles at his black haired wife.
"Then everyone has their assignments." Articho concludes. "We'll be back soon."
"Good luck to you both." Maaya nods with a serious face of her own before softening into a concerned expression. "Just be careful out there."
Articho and Kinuho nodded back without a word before disappearing in thin air without a trace via the Pathfinder's Instant Transmission technique, off to rescue the man who helped sneak her out of America back during her early childhood.