"What the hell," Kevin randomly commented as they stared at the exploded mess of cake batter and frosting.
"The fuck," EightEight cursed, stepping away slightly from the mess. One of her sides was completely covered in the mess, dripping onto the floor.
Goowash, who had taken the brunt of the explosion, just looked at them with an expression of pure disbelief. His goo body, which was normally green, was now a mess of pinks and yellows and reds.
"Vell that vent off the rails quickly," the Omnitrix-made Transylian commented.
"No kidding, Leigong," Kevin muttered.
"Why the hell did that happen?" EightEight gawked.
"I have… no clue," Kevin answered, getting noises of agreement from Goowash and Leigong.
An odd beat of silence passed before Goowash said, "So… we're just going to ignore that Miss Infer pulled off her skin?"
"Anodites, I guess," EightEight replied.
"You know, I'm glad ve're not related to one," Leigong said.
"Imagine if you are," Kevin replied. Goowash shrugged as Leigong just glared at the maybe-human.
EightEight let out a gurgling sigh. "Why do I have a feeling we'll encounter the damned Anodite again?"
-()-
"Is it just me or do you also have a feeling we'll encounter the Omnitrix wielder again?" Benwolf asked.
M disconnected the smaller machine from the larger one and answered, "Just you."
"O-Ok…" Benwolf replied, ears moving back.
M looked towards the main console, staring at the part that showed a map, then stated, "Viktor is almost at the village Lord Zs'Skayr was at when he sent the message."
His ear flicked slightly. "Already?"
"That would be the easy part," M said. "The hard part is finding him."
-(…)-
The village was much smaller than what Viktor expected. At least, given the fact he came from Anur Transyl, which 'village' clearly meant something different. He glanced at the device on his wrist again before looking back up. He walked in front of the metal pole and stared at it briefly. Viktor hummed, the device was working as it should. No reflection stated back at him.
The Transylian walked up to one of the buildings and looked through a window. It was blocked via semi-transparent curtains, but he was able to make some things out.
"Should we be concerned?" asked the tallest figure. Viktor wasn't able to pick out the exact species, but he guessed it was either a Florauna type, Pyronite, or Zaroffian.
"This planet doesn't have that bad of history with species from Anur," a different voice answered. Based on the tone, most likely a Galvan.
"I did notice a small trend," another somewhat similar voice added. "They tended to land either here within this country, the United States, or within a completely country called Egypt." Viktor bit his lip lightly. Two Galvans.
"Huh, I didn't know that," the smaller figure he could make out commented. "Still doesn't explain why they're here." It appeared to be either a Fulmini, Loboan, or Galilean.
"There was that Ectonurite thing," a tired voice replied. Viktor blinked, but didn't move. He could question why there were three Galvans here later.
"Why were the Ectonurite neutralizers there in the first place?" the smallest asked, looking towards the largest. No reply, but it seemed like the tallest figure shrugged.
"Overall, nothing to really worry about," the first Galvan voice said.
"Unless they came for the Ectonurite EightEight threw down the river, but," the second Galvan added, finishing with silence.
One of them said something, but Viktor just started to walk away. Call it luck, but he got what he needed. He just needed to find the river.
After a bit of walking, he managed to find said body of water. He looked down the river, seeing it flow down like on a well trodden path. Viktor stared at the water. No reflection. He began walking next to the river.
…
Viktor stopped, then stared into the water. The sun had reached its highest point in the sky and was beaming down upon him. He growled, seeing messy color splotches for a reflection. He looked around the area of the river he was at before pausing, looking at some rocks. The water flowed into them, but something was stuck between the rocks. He came closer to the water's edge, looking at the bin. Was it a bin? It clearly wasn't a rock…
The device in his hand beeped slightly as he attempted to step into the water. Viktor looked at the device, then at his feet. The light-refractors laid on top of the water, making his feet visible through the water. He sighed and tapped the device, making the refractors flee back into said device. The Transylian put the device in his glove before continuing over to the rocks.
Viktor picked up the bin and looked at it. He moved it slightly and what seemed like ashes shifted within it. A smile appeared on his face and he began to get out of the river.
He found Zs'Skayr's ashes.
-()-
The drug ran rampant through her body, taking control with no way to fight against it. She whimpered, curling up as Mid-Sotoricity, Glasses, and Mouthguard looked down at her. They were talking about something, but she couldn't tell what.
She definitely didn't recognize the drug. All she could tell before they suddenly put it in her was that it was a liquid of sorts. Even then, it definitely didn't feel like a liquid, it burned her skin for pups's sake. The effects were worse, paralysis mixed with artificially induced fever.
She felt herself being picked up and carried. Bones clanked against the ground as they left… wherever they were. The drug burned through her system, causing her pain and blurring her vision.
When it was more clear, she noticed she was somewhere else. They continued to talk, but it was clearly behind something, then footsteps getting further and further away until nothing was there. She looked around, before the weakening drug bit her again. She winced, but did the task. A cell of some sort, chains attached to the ground, bars marking the only entrances of light. The door opened.
Mouthguard returned, along with an armored figure and-
A Piscciss Premann?
-()-
"What do you want us to consider?" Tetrax asked, silently glaring at the so-called knight. Tetrax and Kraab followed the knight, who according to itself was Discroll.
"The main goal of the Forever Knights is to kill the Dagon permanently, but Sir Enoch's sector also believes off-worlders should be purged from the Earth," Driscoll said.
Kraab made a noise. Tetrax recognized it as the cyborg's noise of general disappointment. As for himself, his buried emotions were more between anger and annoyance.
"You'll have a few weeks to consider our request, but we do hope you help," Driscoll continued. Driscoll came to a stop and he opened the door, allowing them to look in.
A Sotoraggian, clearly on the younger side. They were chained to the ground and were curled up in pain. Her head moved- yes, the Sotoraggian was female- to look at them.
He blocked out the human's voice, staring at the Sotoraggian. Some part of him told him that the poor girl was in pain, but Tetrax couldn't tell right away.
Kraab, in Petron, suddenly clicked, "I don't like this."
"I don't either," Tetrax replied in the same language. Driscoll paused when they spoke as Tetrax added, "Remember what SixSix said was a reason he accepted coming to Earth to find the Omnitrix?"
"To find his younger sister FiveFive, yes," Kraab nodded.
A beat.
"You are suggesting what I am assuming you are?" Kraab asked.
"Won't surprise me," Tetrax replied. He looked at Driscoll, whose eyes read confusion. Tetrax, in English, asked, "By what time do we have to decide?"
"By the end of August," Driscoll replied. "Come to the front when you're ready." He walked off.
"Hello?" the Sotoraggian gurgled as soon as Driscoll was gone.
"Are you ok?" Tetrax asked, and the Sotoraggian moved slightly.
"You know my brother?" she asked.
Kraab looked at Tetrax. The cyborg nodded.
"Can you help me?" she asked, voice small.
Tetrax glanced at Kraab before answering, "I don't know." Tetrax turned and said, "Let's go, Kraab." He began to walk off, Kraab following him.
"Why?!" FiveFive screeched, followed by the sounds of chains. "Come back!"
"We're sorry, child," Kraab said, somewhat loudly. "It's too dangerous right now."
Silence followed.
-(…)-
The sun was beginning to set as he made it back to the ship. Viktor entered the vessel, causing Benwolf and M to look over.
"I found his burnt remains," Viktor stated, holding up the bin.
Benwolf's ears perked up more than they already were and M seemingly smiled.
"Then all we need to do is complete the setup and turn it on," M stated. Viktor nodded.
"Let's get started, then," Viktor said.
-(…)-
Maxwell sighed, rubbing his face. The only good thing about tracking the Omnitrix this way is that it gives exact locations. The problem was that the Omnitrix signal was popping up all over the place. He typed out another command before staring at the screen. The map changed to show an overlay of known alien settlements. None of the signals were near one.
Maxwell shook his head slightly. If only Xylene was here to help. She knew how to predict patterns like no one else he knew except for Galvans or Cerebrocrustaceans.
Something popped up on the screen and he looked at it. He blinked, staring at the screen.
Why were there two Omnitrix signals?
-()-
The pod cracked and steamed rolled off. Snow suddenly dropped onto a limb, causing an unholy screech and a flurry of motion.
She scrambled and pressed herself to the back of the pod, forcing herself to calm down. She breathed, then looked at the situation. A growl form in her throat.
"Genetrix, forced hybrination," she growled. She stepped forward, clawed feet stepping into the soft snow. A purple glow surrounded some pieces of the pod and chunks of snow, floating them out of the way.
She stood on the snow, three purple eyes looking around. A snow storm raged around her, causing her to shiver. As far as the eye could see, it was just white and grey. She turned back to where her pod was and went back within it. She pressed something, making a holographic screen pop up. However, it was all static and not all of the screen formed. Another growl filled her throat as she stepped back out.
Her eyes glowed and the snow was pushed out of the way. A bit of snow moved, revealing a piece of slate blue metal. She stared at the piece of metal before using her telekinesis to move snow out of the way of the machine. As more was moved out of the way, she began to notice how much it looked like a pod. A second pod.
As she finished moving the snow, she observed the pod. Other than its slate color, the only other things of note were two symbols. The larger symbol was of an empty circle with four prongs from it, one downwards and the other three upwards with the outer two curved. The smaller symbol was barely visible, but she did manage to look at it closely. A somewhat messy symbol within a circle that depicted teeth clamping down on something red.
She ran a handclaw over the pod and went through her mind trying to remember what the larger, seemingly more important symbol was. Her hand went over the smaller symbol and something was pressed. She paused, then removed her hand. The red of the symbol suddenly turned green and it clicked who this pod belonged to and who it most likely contained.
The pod doors suddenly opened, clean and swift. A small spark of electricity danced around slightly, herself looking in. Once the spark died down, her eyes glowed and she stepped away.
Carried out by telekinesis was a large crustacean-like just under the height of an average adult human. Its head was massive and the shell that allowed access to the brain was opened a bit, revealing said brain. The skin of the crustacean-like was an odd bluish purple color with highlights of pale purple. Branded on the creature's left shoulder was the same symbol as what most prominently shown on the pod. In the back of her mind, she noticed how the skin around the symbol was scarred, though she ignored it.
She placed the crustacean-like on the snowy ground and rubbed his right shoulder with her handclaw. The Cerebrocrustacean groaned, the brain-shell closing and hiding the brain away from the snowstorm. The Uxorite repeated the action and the Cerebrocrustacean's shining blue eyes opened.
-()-
"Everything is ready," M stated. Viktor nodded. The machine whirled, the Omnitrix energy flowing through it, the Corrodium source glowing brightly. Benwolf held out a bowl specially designed for Ectonurite revival and Viktor opened the bin. The ashes were poured into the bowl. The Loboan carried it over to the machine and placed the bowl within it.
The ashes began to glow as Benwolf stepped away. The Corrodium pulsed with energy as the Omnitrix energy continued to flow. The machine continued to do its work, repairing the ashes.
A sudden crackle and light filled the room. They looked away as the DNA reformed into its natural body. A chill surrounded them as the machine put back together their lord.
The light faded and the three looked back. Benwolf grinned and wagged his tail like mad as Viktor just smirked and M looked on.
The Ecto Lord Zs'Skayr was back.
The Ectonurite collapsed to the ground in a heap. Benwolf quickly came over to him, picking Zs'Skayr off of the ground.
"Lord Zs'Skayr, are you aware?" M asked as Benwolf guided their lord over to M and Viktor.
When no reply came, Viktor said, "Is your DNA repaired?"
"Overwhelmed," Zs'Skayr suddenly said. Benwolf's ears pinned themselves back as the Ectonurite shook and continued, "Not enough… not enough… takeover… takeover…"
"Lord Zs'Skayr, focus on m-" Viktor started, before Zs'Skayr suddenly came to life and slashed his claws at the Transylian. Benwolf backed away quickly as M recoiled.
"Takeover," Zs'Skayr growled. M glanced at Benwolf, whose ears were pinned to his head completely.
Insanity is a harsh mistress.
Viktor lifted himself to one knee, ignoring the freezing blood dripping to the ground. Zs'Skayr looked at M and Benwolf, causing Benwolf to lower himself to the ground with a lifted claw and M to bow his head.
"This is what will happen," Zs'Skayr growled.
Before he could continue, something smashed into the ship.
"Who dares!" Zs'Skayr roared, snapping towards the noise. A surge of green light, then the sound of tearing.
Ushi: 1- No opinion. Personally, I'm more of a brooken shipper, though OSAP won't go in that direction.