SZ: Welcome to pt 2 of this world...and its time for the big action!
Z0: ACTION! *grabs and headbuts desk smashing it to pieces*
SZ: 0-0...at least he didn't find the chainsaw sw-oh I jinxed it….*runs off*we don't own anything aside from original content! START!
Z0: *holds up chainsaw sword* VIOLENCE! I have the power!
SZ: AHH! HE FOUND IT! RUN~!
Monokuma: What's g-OH GOD!
Z0: AH! *jumps and swings down the bear that totally has it coming slices to ribbons with one swing*
Monokuma:...dang...it…*screen gets cut in half*ded
"Hmm...soka," Sento muttered as he looked at Gunvolt's gun, "So you fire tagging pins at your target, and channel your Septima into them to deal damage."
"That's right," Gunvolt nodded a bit, "At best I can only fire up to five tags per target. Any more than that, the tags on my previous targets disintegrate."
"Interesting limitation…" Sento noted, "And I assume you have some sort of weakness for your Septima, correct?"
"...water."
"Hmm?"
"I can't get wet," Gunvolt admitted as he turned his head away, "If I get wet, I can't use my Septima for a few minutes."
"Like Static Shock?" Ryuga asked, earning their attention, "You know‽ The cartoon!"
"I don't know what that is," Gunvolt deadpanned..before he held a finger up the moment Ryuga began to exclaim, "This 'Static Shock' I mean."
"Never mind that." Sento spoke.
"Understood."
"...I'd like to know," Joule pouted a bit to herself.
"I wonder what's keeping Ben and Makoto?" Noel pondered as she looked at the front door.
"Maybe something came up," Sari guessed.
"...or maybe they ran into Eden grunts or that white haired brat again," Ryuga frowned.
"If it was the former, my informant would've let me know," Gunvolt spoke as he stood up from his seat, "So it's most likely the latter."
"He really doesn't like people with powers doesn't he?" Rex asked.
"His father was killed by Adepts, so it's understandable," Gunvolt explained.
"Yeah w-" Ryuga began before the door opened, "Ah...there they aaaaaaaaaaarrrreeeeeee!-!-!-!" he screamed as Ben and Makoto walked in...with Acura in tow, "WHY'S HE WITH YOU?!"
"?!" Gunvolt tensed as Sento tossed him his gun, letting him grab it as he took aim.
"Wait wait wait! He's cool! He's cool!" Makoto and Ben exclaimed as they got before Acura.
"What did you do?" Sento demanded as he glared at Ben.
"They encountered Copen, he tried to kill him, his little droid hit Ben and turned him into Clockwork, he saw Makoto, and he burped up this fellow here," Skurd answered as he motioned to Acura.
"Ryuga...get me the newspaper," Sento ordered.
"Not again!" Ben panicked.
"It's fine. It was a situation neither of them had control over," Acura assured as he walked past them.
"Why do you seem a million times better?!" Ryuga asked in shock from the different air around Acura.
"Because I'm not like my other younger self," Acura argued, earning looks from them, "Your comrades told me how you're from different worlds, and it's not that hard to explain given how there are different theories on the multiverse. Rora?"
=Hai~= Rora replied as she moved out from behind him, her optics glowing as she displayed a holographic screen showing a chart.
"See this here?" Acura spoke as he pointed at one part of the lines on the screen, "This is the point Gunvolt went to fight Sumeragi to rescue the Adept Joule…" he stated before he pointed to a fork in the line, "And this is where an unfortunate event happened...I am from what you would refer to as a 'bad timeline' where Sumeragi took over the planet, using their Adepts to hunt down not just humans, but Adepts who went against them."
"?" Gunvolt raised a brow at the unfortunate event part, "...What do you mean 'unfortunate event?'"
"...It's when you and Joule were killed by Asimov."
"?!"
"However, you're alive in this one, meaning you survived and defeated him before anything could start."
"In short…" Makoto began as she motioned to Acura, "This is the version of Mr. 'Kill All Adepts' or whatever from the bad timeline, but he's pretty much matured since that event."
=Yup! Multiverse stuff can be confusing yet tricky at the same time!= Rora added as she dismissed the screen =You just need to be really smart like Acura-kun here to understand it=
"Acura?" Ryuga repeated.
"I haven't gone by my old name in 57 years."
"...eh?!" most of the group exclaimed at that.
"But...you don't even look at a day over 20!" Mai gawked.
"He's a cyborg," Sari realized.
"Correct," Acura nodded, "I had to modify my body in those years to deal with Sumeragi's growing army of Adept soldiers."
"So...did Ben goof up bad?" Makoto asked Sento.
"Can't say, I don't touch that time travel nonsense," Sento admitted as he looked over at Acura, "You however...I like."
"No!" Ryuga snapped, slapping Sento with the newspaper, "You got enough restraining orders against cyborgs! Don't make it weird man!"
"...I ain't touchin' dat one," Bobo muttered as he held his hands up.
"Not what I meant." Sento spoke, slapping Ryuga and sending him flying through a wall.
"I honestly forget the fact these guys are strong enough to tear us apart most times…" Ben chuckled to Makoto.
"Very true," Makoto admitted with a nod.
"Hmm…" Sento muttered as he looked Rora over, "...You made this?"
"Correct," Acura answered.
=Atashi wa Rora!= Rora beamed before she shined a bit, taking the holographic form of a young girl with short mint green hair and blue eyes in a red and white leotard with bits of gold, white stockings with black and red shoes, black gloves with red fingers, and two red disk-like objects floating behind her that were held together by an orange wing displaying a set of phoenix-like wings and tail feathers =Acura-kun's spunky Combat Pod, and The Muse of Hope in our timeline!=
"...Houoh da?" Lambda blinked in surprise.
"It's a form she gained after copying the power of the Muse," Acura explained.
"Shut the front door!" said Muse gawked at that.
=Yup!= Rora beamed before blinking, looking right over at Joule =...ah! You're alive! And so tiny!=
"Their timeline's Joule, Rora," Acura deadpanned, "...though the fact she's small is new to me…"
"You can see her?" Gunvolt asked.
"Part of Rora's programming thanks to the power she copied," Acura explained.
"Yeah well...you need to be careful," Naoto advised, "There's this crazy death cult looking to use that power to exterminate humanity."
=Death Cult?=
"He's referring to Eden," Joule explained.
"Soka...I've heard of them," Acura noted, "...They were terminated by Sumeragi right after Asimov took over."
"What?" Gunvolt scowled at that.
"Th-" Acura explained before the light's began to flicker, "..."
"...what's g-" Rex began before his hand shifted into one of his Slam Fist as he punched at Kazumi, "?!"
"Ahh! The hell!" Kazumi snapped.
"Th-this isn't me!" Rex yelped, his fist now shifting into the BFS as he swung at the others.
"What-'s going on?" Mai began in worry before yelping, barely dodging a swing from one of Lambda's maces, "La-chan!?"
"Systems….h-hacked…" Lambda grunted, struggling to move her body as it forced itself to try and attack the others.
"Ah!" Rook screamed as he ran in, his arm in a sling and bandaged up as he ducked under a laser shot, "My Proto-Tool has gone haywire!"
"..." Gunvolt scowled as he gripped his gun, "I knew it...Zonda is doing what Sumeragi did."
"Lol! Right on the money, buddy!" a voice cackled, making the group tense as the entire shop was suddenly covered in a black and green grid-like substance.
"What's gonig on?" Gentoku asked as the group quickly gathered together.
"One of Eden's Seven...he's been brought back," Gunvolt explained as he and Acura stood side by side.
"Aww~! You rr3m3mb3r3d me, buddy!" the voice beamed as a figure began to appear in a set of one's and zeroes.
Floating there was an armored teen with dark green hair with a long thorny ponytail ending in a drill-like spike at the end, a bang swept over one of his black eyes with the iris green with no visible pupils. He was covered in a black and green armour similar to Tenjian's, with particular emphasis on his lower body. His knees, feet, and elbows had dark green spikes while he wore a black crown that was lined with thorns on top of his head.
"Teseo…" Gunvolt frowned.
"You knows GV...your n3w co-op buddies have caught the big boss' atteni0n," Teseo grinned as he floated around the air, "So w3 decided to hop in for a uninvited visit, ask fer some coffee or energy drinks, and g3t t0 knows our newest buddies~!"
"...his way of speaking annoys me," Gentoku muttered with a twitchy eye.
"As the leader of this group." Sento spoke up.
"What?" several asked.
"I must decline." Sento smirked.
"Too bad…" Teseo grinned as he held his hand out, a small holographic box appearing in it as it showed the multiverse travel device within it, "W3 already helped ourselves~ Oh and your security code for your computer sucked, newbs."
"You misunderstand one thing," Sento smiled, "That I'd be so dumb as to make it so easy to take," he pulled out a trigger button, "I put an old, unhackable simple self destruct mechanism within, you can't take what's mine. Because It will be destroyed."
"...Yo-"
"Oh but I'm not done, that self destruct system will implode this entire universe!" Sento laughed, "Go ahead, take it, I'll take this entire world out if it means defending the greater multiverse...you think I'm joking?"
"...PFFT! ROFL!" Teseo laughed as he rolled around the air, making Sento blink, "You think I'm an idiot, buddy? I knew someone smart like you would try and fake me out, so I used my Septima to go past all your defenses."
"You think I didn't already plan for your world's powers?" Sento countered, "Oh you stupid little brat. The moment I learned how they worked, I made it so your Septima can't detect it."
"What is happening?" Ben asked as everyone hid for cover.
"Battle of the nerds…" Ryuga whispered, "We're gonna die…"
"...hmm...smart of you," Teseo noted, "..oh but wait!" he smirked as the box vanished..and Sento's Genius and RabbitRabbit/TankTank Bottles appeared in it, "I have a retort~"
"?!" Sento's eyes widened as he quickly patted himself over.
"My Septima, Hack the Planet. Basically it lets me shift things around into data and reform it elsewhere, or change it entirely," Teseo grinned, "I read your research notes, so...I took out your best options~"
"...oh I really don't like you," Sento frowned.
"Well…"
"And let me be clear what happens to the people I don't like." Sento cut him off, "You think your power intimidates me, no. What intimidates me is the idea of what your horrible boss will do with my work. I don't give an iota of care for you or your power, you don't impress me, and never will impress me. I only care for the fact you stole my creations with the intent to give them to someone to cause harm." he walked forward, "If you think I'm going to let that happen...without ripping your group apart, think again. I've faced monsters far worse than you. Compared to the things I've seen you don't make me flinch. So if you think you're ready to pick this fight with me..." his eyes glared sharply, making Teseo flinch and tremble, "Be prepared for war…"
"...fine with me…" Teseo grinned as he vanished, "Because unless you relinquish your little multiversal travel device...prepare for war against Eden~"
"Never." Sento firmly stated, "My work will never be used to hurt people again, so I hope you know...you picked the wrong fight. I've faced far worse than you, and won."
"...then we have no time to lose," Acura spoke, holstering his gun with Gunvolt as Rora changed back into her ball form, "Rora, get a read on the whereabouts of Eden HQ, and compare it to the map of our timeline's world map."
=Can do Acura-kun!=
"Oh!" Rex gasped as he and Lambda slumped a bit, "Oh dios mio...I can move again."
"...hate Teseo," Lambda scowled as she gained her armor.
"You and me both," Rook frowned before wincing, holding his injured arm.
"Bobo," Sento spoke up as he began to walk to his lab, "You watch over Rook while we're gone."
"Can do," Bobo gave a thumbs up in response.
"And we're back in another war," Mai sighed, "Only this time it's against a cult with super powered humans."
"It won't last long." Sento declared firmly.
"Oh Sento's in serious mode," Kazumi whispered.
"Never good for the bad guys," Ryuga added.
"Oh ho no...he's outright pissed. Off," Makoto added.
"...There's a chance we might end up getting separated," Gunvolt spoke up as he and Acura walked up to Sento, "Zonda will most likely expect us and have a trap ready."
"Which is best to have a counter strategy ready," Acura argued, "...and we'll have to factor in my younger self arriving as well."
=Eden HQ Located!= Rora declared as she displayed a holographic globe, a chibi version of her pointing to a specific spot =It's located in the capital of Uzbekistan in Central Asia!=
"I'm going to set a distraction as I break in and go for my stuff." Sento spoke, "I'm going to be fast, loud...and flashy. You guys will use that opening to get in and go for the leader, working as a team might be the best."
"...well, I'm already so far in on this, so might as well," Naoto nodded a bit.
"...left behind again," Rook whispered to himself.
"Hmm?" Makoto blinked as she looked over at him.
"It is nothing," Rook assured, "You go on ahead. I need to rest and recuperate.."
"...Ok. You rest up, buddy," Ben nodded with a smile, "And hey…"
"Hmm?"
"We'll talk when we get back," Ben added, walking over as he held his fist out to him, "Can't have one of my partners feeling down ya know?"
"...yes," Rook nodded, smiling a bit as he pounded his own fist against Ben's, "That is most true."
"Lady Zonda! Lady Zonda!" a Pawn troop shouted as he ran into a rather large room, looking on at a figure praying before a large stone cross as they were surrounded by flowers.
The figure was a young girl with long, cream white hair with pink highlights with curls. She wore a smart, sleeveless black and white double breasted dress with magenta tights and black shoes with gold buckles. She also had a black bow tied around her head. She then slowly opened her eyes, revealing them to be a dark pink color as she looked over at him.
"Yes?"
"We're being attacked...by not just the Azure Striker and the Adept Hunter Copen...but other Adepts have joined them!" the Pawn exclaimed, "They're overwhelming our numbers and the mechs…"
"Shh….it is alright," Zonda assured as she stood up, "I was expecting them."
"Eh?"
"It was destiny that led them here...poor lost souls in need of saving," she whispered, holding her hands together as she looked up at the stone cross, "All they need is love to guide them...and wherever they come from, love is what they're home's need as well. Whether they want our help or not...love is a truly powerful force, one that can never be broken."
"And if they threaten you?"
"They will not," Zonda assured, looking back at him with a small smile that seemed reassuring to him, "The Seven will help guide the way for them…"
"Teriya!" Naoto shouted as he did a roundhouse kick on a few Pawns.
"Come on you cult freaks!" Rath challenged as he plowed through a group of them, "Can you smell what Rath is cooking?! It's pain!"
Sento walked through the fighting as he ignored the Pawns. He grabbed one by the collar before swinging his arm and flinging him away, letting him slam into a wall. He then ducked as Rath roared and tackled into a group of them.
"In...coming!" Makoto yelled as she lifted a huge robot above her head, giving a yell as she tossed it into another.
"Why…!" Mai began swinging her spear around as she knocked a few Pawns away, "Do they have mechs?!"
"They're bad guys! What do ya expect?!" Rex shouted, using his Slam Fist to punch one of the robots away as Noel fired on the Pawn Drones in the air.
*SNAP! BZZT!*
"Come on!" Sari snapped as she ended up zapping a Pawn behind her as she stood before a mech, "I should've gotten the hang of this now!"
"You're forcing it."
"Hmm?" Sari raised a brow before a large electric-blue sword stabbed straight through the robot's head, making her tense up as Gunvolt jumped down next to her.
"You're forcing your powers out, hence why you missed," Gunvolt stated, "You need to relax your body and focus on the part of your body you want to channel it through."
"Says the guy who can create a dome around himself and create giant swords of it," Sari countered.
"Practice for the latter," Gunvolt argued, "The former is more or less part of my Septima, but with proper breathing control and training, you might be able to pull it off as well."
"You can do it!" Joule cheered on.
"She can't hear or see you, Joule," Gunvolt deadpanned.
"Focus," Lambda spoke, using her flails to smack away a few grunts as her blades impaled a few arial mechs.
"She's right," Acura spoke, jumping off a robot Pawn as he fired multiple lasers at it, "We should be getting closer to the center."
"Meaning…" Gentoku began, using his gun to pistol whip a Pawn away from him, "We'll be approaching Eden's to officials."
"Just be sure to leave Teseo to me," Sento spoke, the serious tone never leaving his voice.
"Oh he is really pissed…" Ryuga spoke up as he tossed a Pawn into the distance.
"Well of course he is!" Skurd shouted, forming over one of Rath's arms as he formed a layer of crystals over his fist, "He was tricked and outplayed by a….ugh. An Internet troll of all things!"
"And he stole my things!" Sento snapped as he punted a Pawn into the distance.
"And stole his things!"
"Hey Rath!" Makoto shouted, getting the Apoplexian's attention as she ran towards him, "Cannon fastball special time!"
"Gotcha!" Rath shouted as he caught her, the Beastkin curling into a ball as the tiger-like Alien reeled his arm back. With a roar, he tossed Makoto hard into a group of Pawns and mechs, the Beastkin uncurling herself as she reeled her fist back and slammed into the lead mech, the resulting shockwave sending the troops and robots behind it flying as the mech shattered upon impact, "STRIKE!"
"Perfect 10!" Makoto whooped as she landed.
"Yeah!" Rath cheered.
"Well...that was effective." Naoto muttered as he backfisted a Pawn.
"You should see them on bowling night," Mai muttered, using her spear to smack away a Pawn.
"They make a cute...yet scary combo," Noel admitted.
"We're thinning their numbers at least, so let's…!" Rex began before the Pawns began to run, "?"
"...something's wrong," Gunvolt frowned.
"Agreed," Acura agreed as he moved next to him, "This feels too easy…Rora?"
=Detecting incoming enemy, Acura-kun!= Rora called out =Estimated arrival...3 seconds?!=
"Three s-" Makoto began before something flew overhead, "?!"
Landing right before the entrance was yet another large mech-like robot. They were purple and looked like a tank that had decided to stand up. It had large reverse jointed legs, ending in landing skid like front toes for balance and wheels on the heels for mobility. Their legs were also decorated with missile launcher payloads on the 'hips'. The upper torso was smaller with a singular angular head unit with a multi piece visor for vision, and a aerodynamic forward pointed head, and each arm as a form of railgun like cannon.
"...GV, starting to get flashbacks to that one robot Teseo sent after us," Joule whispered.
"But this one feels more complete compared to the other," Gunvolt noted, "Be cautious. It might have..."
"RAAAGH!" Rath roared as he leapt at the robot, only to grunt was he bounced off something invisible.
"...some defenses…" Gunvolt facepalmed.
"Rora?" Acura spoke.
=Scanning….done! Strengths: high powered plasma cannons, barrier penetrating missiles, protective barrier around the head -aka its weak point- and can separate into the two components that make it up= Rora answered =In short...big deadly robot, but glaring weakness in the head, making it a glass cannon=
"She was able to get all that?" Gunvolt raised a brow at Acura.
"This is basic in the timeline I'm from," Acura answered as he prepared his gun, "A strong enough force should destroy the barrier, giving us the window of opportunity to destroy the head..." he looked back at the others as Makoto helped Rath up, "Any volunteers are welcome."
"Right, a heavy hitter," Makoto muttered as she pulled out the remote, "Maybe…"
"What are you planning, Makoto Nanaya?" Rath asked before she grinned and pushed a button on it before Rath was replaced with FourArms, "FourArms?"
"Skurd, care to add a bit of extra 'oomph' to his namesakes?" Makoto asked.
"Well since you asked nicely~" Skurd grinned as he spread out across FourArms' arms, "Let's see now...Some Pyronite, a mix of Talpaedan, a pinch of Opticoid, and-oh what the hey?-let's add in some Prypiatosian-B for a kick!"
"Oh now we're talking!" FourArms grinned.
"Now we need someone to take the shot at the head," Acura stated before holding his hand out to Gunvolt, "We need to conserve as much power as possible, so hold off on using your Septima."
"..."
"...Is there a problem?"
"No. Just...the fact that I'm fighting with you is a bit of a shock," Gunvolt admitted...before he held a hand up to Joule, "And no. That was not meant to be a pun."
"I wasn't thinking that," Joule whispered.
=You totally were, girl= Rora deadpanned.
"Mmm~"
"Hmm...our best options would probably be Mai and Noel," Sento spoke up, already formulating calculations in his head.
"Agreed, but at best, it'll defend itself with its weapons," Acura stated.
"Meaning we'll have to disable those as well," Sento muttered, "...Rex."
"Que?" Rex blinked at that.
"...Nanites?" Acura guessed, making Rex double take and look at him, "Rora scanned you when we entered your base of locations...she detected robotic lifeforms in your bloodstream."
=Sorry. I tend to do that on pure instinct nowadays= Rora apologized, making her hologram form appear to sheepishly rub the back of her head with a sheepish, apologetic smile.
"Uh...it's fine, but what does…" Rex began before it dawned on him, "...Oh~ Heh…" he smirked as he cracked his fingers, "Leave the weapons to me, amigos!"
"Good, because it's about to attack," Gunvolt spoke, looking to see the robot preparing its rail cannons as it took aim at the group.
"That'll be your cue, Ben!" Makoto shouted as she and most of the others stepped back.
"Got it, babe!" FourArms grinned, pounding his fist together as he charged at the robot, which began to release a series of missiles at the group.
"I got 'em!" Mai shouted, reeling her spear back as she tossed it at one missile, causing it to explode as the weapon deflected off of another, and then another, and another as a chain of explosions went off around the area.
As the robot prepared to fire the cannons, FourArms shot out of the resulting smoke cloud as he punched forward, causing a hexagonal barrier to appear before the large machine as he punched it. Sparks of electricity came off of the barrier as bits and pieces of the barrier began to break off.
"Not yet...not yet…" Acura whispered, holding a hand up as Noel converted her guns into a rail cannon while Rex stood ready. He kept his eyes focused on the barrier until it shattered, "NOW!"
The Robot was about to disengage and shoot at FourArms, only to suddenly stop as it felt its weapon systems beginning to shut down.
"Sorry, amigo. You're experiencing a bit of a bug," Rex grinned as he stood on top of it, holding his hands on top of the machine before he hopped off.
"FIRE!" Noel shouted as she pulled the trigger, unleashing a massive laser shot that tore right through the robot's head.
=Direct hit!= Rora cheered =And holy cow! That was a clean shot, too. Cut through that head like a thousand degree knife through warm butter!=
"Best shooter on the team," Makoto grinned as the robot collapsed into pieces, "Just don't harm anything cute around her...or Lambda."
"Never harm the fluffy," said sisters spoke in unison.
"Least our way is clear now," Ryuga spoke up.
"Agreed..now let's go," Sento ordered as he began to walk off, "I got a snot nosed troll to deal with."
"Agreed," Foruarms nodded as he changed back into Ben, "Let's go guys...we have a genocidal cult to stop."
"That's probably a normal thing with you guys, isn't it?" Naoto asked as he and the others began to walk off.
"More than you'd think," Gentoku admitted.
"...Hold," Acura spoke, making the others look back at him, "You go on ahead...there's something I need to take care of."
"...Understood," Gunvolt nodded, faintly noticing Copen poking out the corner.
Once he and the others left, Acura turned around to look over at Copen just as he stepped out of his hiding spot, "How long were you standing there?"
"...Why are you working with Adepts?" Copen demanded.
"Why not? We're all the same deep down. We have our hardships, our struggles, our pleasures," Acura replied, "The endless battles and rare lulls in them I've experienced helped me to see what you currently can't."
"What do you mean?" Copen scowled as he took aim, "If you're really me...you should know we're nothing like those monsters! The same monsters that killed our father...that took Mytyl from us!"
"...I knew it," Acura whispered to himself.
"You should be helping me…" Copen spoke as he approached Acura, keeping his gun aimed at him, "If you really are me...we should work to rescue her...and terminate Eden, Gunvolt...and those other Adepts with him!"
"Let me ask you something as a counter," Acura sighed, "In your vision of a world where Gunvolt is gone, what does the world look like?"
=...Oddly specific question, boss= Lola muttered as she floated out from behind Copen.
"...A free world and to show that Adepts…" Copen began.
"If you think it's any better...you are a fool," Acura cut him off, "Which is easy to confirm since I used to be you. The world where the good Adepts are gone is a world where we fail and lose even more. And yes, there are good Adepts just as there are evil humans. The world I came from, my future, it isn't the world you imagined. It's worse, beyond whatever you can imagine."
"...Then you should've made sure to have humanity…"
"Only 10% remained...with most of that being children orphaned by Sumeragi's forces."
"?!" Copen tensed up a bit at that.
=Ten…Ten percent?!= Lola gawked at that.
=Yeah...trust us. It's...it's not good= Rora added.
"...Then what of Mytyl?" Copen demanded as he glared at Acura, "What happened to her?"
"..."
"ANSWER ME DAMN IT!" Copen snapped, "WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR SISTER?!
"...I killed her," Acura replied in a neutral tone.
"...What?" Copen asked in shock.
"The truth is better than telling you a lie," Acura spoke, "I failed, because I went down a wrong path and realized too late that I couldn't do it alone."
"...Tch…." Copen gave off a shaky pant, gritting his teeth as he began to shake in anger, "You...killed her?"
"I don't expect you to understand. Just know...I did it out of love," he replied simply, "But...you will never understand the pain of my choice...or the pain she went through."
=...Wow….boss, I think we sh-= Lola began before Copen shot at Acura, barely grazing his cheek =HAH?!=
"You could've saved her…!" Copen growled out, snarling in anger as he glared at his future counterpart, "You call what you did love?! How is that love!? No...Why would you kill her?! She's not an Adept!"
"...You're wrong….She is an Adept."
"RAAAAAGH!" Copen roared in rage as he charged at him.
"...It's quiet...too quiet," Gunvolt frowned as he and the others walked through the main halls.
"He's right...where's the other guards? The robots?" Naoto asked as he looked around.
"...It's a trap," Sento spoke, making the others look at him, "It's a good guess that Zonda's waiting for us...no. More like...waiting for the chance to separate us."
"Wouldn't put it past them," Gunvotl frowned, keeping his gun ready.
"Ahh….so you've arrived~" a voice spoke up, making the group tense up as they looked around until what looked like a rectangular barrier-like mirror appeared in the air.
Floating there was what appeared to be an adult man with long white-pink hair and his eyes black with the pupils red. He wore a grey jumpsuit on top of black and hot pink armor with a rather...noticeable pink crystal jutting out from around his waist area.
"Zonda…" Gunvolt frowned.
"We were waiting for you to…" Zonda began.
"AH DUDE! PUT THAT THING AWAY!" Ryuga snapped as he and the others looked away.
"I do believe he is compensating considering that's made of solid cr…" Skurd began.
"Not now, Skurd!" Makoto and Ben snapped, covering each other's eyes.
"I thought it was big the first time we…" Joule began.
"Joule!" Gunvolt hissed.
"Hmm~? Is this form too much for you all~?" Zonda questioned before a hexagonal mirror appeared before him, spinning until it showed a fully developed woman in armor almost similar to Zonda's, only she sported a long tail with the crystal at the end of the tip, "Is this form better~? Because I have more than enough love to share with you all~"
"...Love?" Noel repeated.
"Yes…" Zonda smiled as she hugged herself, "It is through love that Eden has come this far...Love is truly a strong force, and through love...we will help people like us obtain a true utopia...one where the old humanity will be purged, because they can never understand love like us~"
'For some reason...I feel many a woman feel insulted and infuriated at your definition of 'love,'' Ben mentally deadpanned.
"Oi, that ain't love," Ryuga noted with a frown, "That's being delusional...and probably being a yandere. Oh god...We're not in the world where that game's real, is it? Someone call the police on that psycho schoolgirl!"
"Not the time, Banjou," Kazumi deadpanned.
"Zonda!" Gunvolt shouted, earning the attention of Eden's leader, "What are you planning to do with Joule's power?! What are you planning with the Shards?!"
"...Let me answer that...with another question…" Zonda began as she floated onto her back, "Do you recall...Sumeragi's Diva Project? How they sought..." she paused as the mirror returned, changing her into her male form, "To use her power to control all Adepts? It's not a bad plan….which is why I took it for myself."
"...You want to enslave all Adepts?" Gunvolt questioned.
"Oh no no no no no…" Zonda shook his head before changing back into the female form, "I merely want to take the Muse's true power source and...well…" she paused as a grin grew on her face, "You've seen the effects of it on My Seven…"
"...?!" Gunvolt's eyes widened in realization.
"You're catching on...by combining the Muse's Song with Sumeragi's tech...and borrowing the technology of your new friends, I can spread out Project Diva to not just the Adepts of our world…" Zonda began as she 'stood straight' in the air, "But I can spread it across the multiverse...bring a new form of evolution to people with special gifts like us. Even a few empowered Adepts could enslave humanity, but if I use the Muse's song on non-Adepts with special powers…"
"...So that's why she needs our machine," Ben realized, "She's planning on taking over the minds of heroes and villains alike in other worlds…"
"And using them to wipe out humanity," Rex finished.
"..." Sento took a deep breath, "Sorry to disappoint, but that won't be happening." he spoke up loudly, his sour mood vanishing as he put on a more confident and happy attitude, "I think we've come to...an impasse here. You see those are my inventions! What's that...you want them? Well sorry but if you want my work you gotta pay my price, and that would just happen to be...everything you own." he nodded.
"Hmm~?" Zonda blinked at that, "...so you would go against love itself? The unity of people like us everywhere?"
"I think you got it wrong. See, I fight for something important itself!" Sento declared, "Love and Peace!" he shouted, holding up his hands as peace signs. He chuckled as everyone fell over from his antics, "I believe very strongly in the ideals of love and peace." he smiled, "And what you're spouting...that isn't love."
"...Pardon?" Zonda narrowed her eyes at that.
"Love is a wild and untempered emotion, it's like a roaring flame! It can unite people, but...it can also hurt, cause if you love enough, losing that love is the worst burning pain you can ever feel." Sento began, "That's why you need peace, a calming cool emotion, soothing and tempering love. Without both...the world would fall out of balance. But what you don't understand...is that no matter how badly you want to...you can't force your ideals onto others. You can fight for them as passionately as you want, but there will always be people who oppose them." he sighed, "All you can do...is fight for a world where people are free to choose love and peace for themselves. There is no perfect world where you can get all you want, you have to have faith in other people to make the world become what you dream, together." he frowned.
"He's right," Ben nodded as he looked up at Zonda, "Sorry, lady...sir...er...whatever you refer yourself as, but we're not helping you wipe out humanity everywhere 'in the name of 'love.'"
"...A shame then," Zonda sighed as she rested on her side...before a small smile formed on her lips, "Perhaps The Seven will ease your minds into it~"
"...?!" Makoto tensed up at what she meant, "MOVE!"
"Wh-" Ben began before Makoto pushed him out of the way, one of Zonda's mirrors passing over her as she vanished from sight, "?!"
"Mako…!" Noel began before she was engulfed by a mirror.
"What's ha…!" Mai began before one engulfed her and Sari.
"NOEL-T-!" Kazumi began before a mirror engulfed him and Rex.
"Gh?!" Gentoku grunted as he was engulfed by a mirror.
"Oh you've…!" Ryuga and Naoto began before they were engulfed by a mirror as well.
Before Sento or Lambda could speak, a mirror soon engulfed the both of them as well.
"Guys!" Ben shouted before he and Gunvolt glared at Zonda.
"Where did you take them?" Gunvolt demanded.
"To meet The Seven of course," Zonda argued as a grin grew on his face, "But...I suppose I have enough love to share with you both...now come…" she began as various mirrors surrounded her, "Let me show you...what love truly is~"
"Gh!" Naoto grunted as he and Ryuga landed into some snow, "Gah! Jeez, that's cold!"
"Oh don't tell me…" Ryuga groaned while pushing himself up, steam coming off his body, as if he was heating himself up.
"...Wait...Gunvolt said that Zonda did something to bring back that Teseo guy...which means…" Naoto began as he and Ryuga looked to the side, seeing an already armored Tenjian glaring at them.
"You…" Ryuga growled.
"You took me by surprise before…" Tenjian began, bringing his blades out as a blizzard began to whip up around them, "I will not make that mistake again…you..." he glared over at Ryuga, "Transform...I will prove my ice is stronger than your heat."
"Heat…" Ryuga smirked, "Don't get it wrong, you Sub-Zero wannabe...it's not heat...it's MAGMA!"
"Noted...and I will freeze your body solid for Zonda," Tenjian countered.
"Dude...why are you even fighting for that crazy guy/chick anyway?" Naoto asked as he stood ready while Ryuga brought out his belt and MagmaBottle.
"...heh. Well…" Tenjian began with a chuckle, "A brother has to look out for their sibling after all."
"...I-I'm sorry. Wh-" Naoto began.
=BOTTLE BURN!=
"Henshin!" Ryuga shouted as magma poured over him, the magma forming into eight dragon heads, as the magma around his body hardened into obsidian stone, the dragons followed suit as the air hissed with steam around him.
=CROSS-Z MAGMA!=
The volcanic stone shattered as Cross-Z roared, his armor heating up brightly.
"Chikara ga minagiru…" Cross-Z Magma spoke, "Tamashi ga moeru…" he growled as he cracked his knuckles, "Ore no magma ga hotobashiru!" he roared, magma spurting out of the dragon heads on his armor.
"Nevermind..guess we're fighting now," Naoto whispered as he stood ready.
"Heh...good. Then come at me," Tenjian challenged as he and Cross-Z charged at one another.
"...He's here," Sento whispered, he and Lambda standing in a room that looked like digital space...covered in the same type of wall that Teseo covered the group's temporary home in.
"Scanning...sc-" Lambda began before her visor changed green...and she turned her attention to Sento.
"...Really? Doing this again?" Sento sighed.
"Heh...well not my fault you got a robot girl with ya I can hack!" Teseo's voice laughed as he appeared in the air, his fingers flexing as a holographic keyboard floated before him, "Sup, newbuild~?"
"Dropping the troll talk I see," Sento noted.
"Yup...because it's so rare I find someone so intellectually smart as me!" Teseo grinned widely before he typed away, causing the Genius and RabbitRabbit/TankTank Bottles to appear in a box floating in the center of the room, "You want these? You're gonna have to fight not just robo girl there...but go through my own puzzles, too! A battle of the nerds! Bottles...against my Septima!"
"This really won't be enjoyable…" Sento sighed, putting his Driver on and slotting two Bottles, "But I prefer it this way to a bare knuckle brawl like some kind of idiot with no common sense…"
"Then come at me, bro!" Teseo challenged as various bits resembling pins floated near him as Lambda held her weapons up, "Let's see who's the better genius here!"
"Cannot...control...body…" Lambda grunted, her visor flashing between its normal color and Teseo's green, "Sento...go...men…"
"Leave it to me, Lambda. I'll deal with this; it'll just take me a few steps to get there." Sento assured, cranking his BuildDriver.
"Oh? Such a bold claim~" Teseo grinned.
"Oh it's not a claim…" Sento began.
=Are you ready?=
"It's a promise," he finished as he stood ready, "Henshin!"
=HAGANE NO MO~ONSAULT! RABBIT TANK! YEAH!=
"Heh...Game Start!" Teseo cheered.
"...Okay. Where...in the heck am I?" Makoto pondered as she looked around, seeing the room she was in was covered in various crystal formations.
"Ow~! There's an audience in place! Gotta let 'em see my face!" a voice rapped as Makoto swore she saw something skate nearby before it skidded to a halt, kicking up diamond dust near her in the process.
Standing there was a tall teenager with long, wild dark purple hair and black eyes with purple irises. He was covered in black and white armour, with purple highlights, large purple crystals sprouting from his knees. His feet also resemble high heels.
"Oh! Oh hey mama! Sweet sexy mama! You come to behold the beauty of Prism Master Ghauri's sweet beats, mama?!" the teen rapped as he spun in place, "Zonda must've sent ya to me for my treat, or she sent ya for me to teach ya on…" he paused before he did a quick pose, "Love and peace!? Ow!"
"...I have a boyfriend," Makoto stated.
"Aw bummer! So it's Love and Peace for this wild runner!"
"...Okay, you are getting annoying with the rhyming raps."
"Oh don't diss my beats for they are my procreation, or else you will feel the power…" Ghauri began as the crystals on his knee glowed, forming into a crystal ball in the shape of a disco ball, "Of my Septima, Prism Cataclysm!" he laughed as he kicked the ball right at Makoto.
"Woah!" Makoto yelped as she stepped to the side, the crystal ball shattering itself as a pillar upon impact, "...Ok. That is some leg strength."
"Well I ain't no prancer, but back home in the United States…" Ghauri began as he swung his legs around like a breakdancer, "I was the best street dancer!"
"You are officially a pain…" Makoto sighed.
"Ow baby don't talk that way, accept Zonda's love and you won't be led astray!" Ghuari wrapped as he began to skate off at high speed, "Purify those that have lost their ways and terminate people who deserve to pay!"
"So this is happening…" Makoto muttered before banging her gauntlets together, "Alright Notorious An-Noy-Ing, let's dance!"
"...I swear we better not run into any zombie robots here," Rex whispered as he and Kazumi stood within a room with various metal and robotic parts lying about.
"No...This seems more like a manufacturing plant," Kazumi noted with a frown.
"Hmph...Rather astute for a primitive," a voice scoffed, making the two turn to see someone walking out.
The figure was a teenager with bright orange hair while his eyes were black with the pupils an orange color. He wore black armour with gray and orange highlights with a large piece of hat-like armour on his head. The armour on his upper body resembled the top half of a robe, and he wore a long loincloth on his lower body.
"...Let me guess, one of Eden's Seven?" Rex guessed.
"Correct…" he noted, a bit of a french accent in his as he crossed his arms out, his fingers acting like he was controlling a puppet, "I am Asroc...and it's time to prepare the feast."
"Feast?" Kazumi repeated.
"Sometimes in order to prepare a meal, you need to prep the proper ingredients," Asroc stated as bits and pieces of the parts and metal around the area began to float up, "And then there is the meal itself. The main course…" a large metal sphere stopped midair, "The entrees..." a pair of large metal arms attached to the sphere, "The side dishes…" a pair of small metal legs attached the bottom of the sphere, "A side salad," a pair of large metal hands with the fingers sporting gun barrels attached to the arms, "And finally…" he paused as a robotic head in the shape of a cone attached to the top, its eyes flashing as its entire body took the same color as Asroc, "The dessert."
"...You're a puppet master," Kazumi realized.
"Correct, plebeian," Asroc Noted as the two faintly saw a pair of orange strings coming from his fingertips, "My Septima, Puppetmaster, allows me to control and manipulate any machinery around me...as long as my strings attach to said machinery. I can create many a dish...a masterpiece such as my Gallete Krone."
"This bit is gonna get old fast," Kazumi sighed.
"And making me hungry," Rex admitted, "So let's beat this guy up, tear down this place, and get some food?"
"I'm all for that," Kazumi admitted, bringing his belt out as he prepared to transform, "You take care of the big bruiser...cook boy is mine."
"Oh? You wish to partake in my feast?" Asroc asked in amusement, "Very well...Then let us begin the meal!"
"As a farmer, I only eat food I've grown myself," Kazumi replied as he pulled the crank, "Henshin!"
=ROBOT IN GREASE!=
"...Mmm," Gentoku frowned as he walked through a dark room, passing by various glass tubes with a red liquid-like substance within them. He took a stop for a moment when he saw a bit of the liquid on the ground, putting a pair of fingers in it as he rubbed it between his fingers, "...blood...and plenty of it."
"Tch...You're not Gunvolt."
Gentoku said nothing as he stood up, not looking at the small young teenage girl standing behind him. She had bright blood-red hair with her eyes-much like the rest of Eden's Seven- were black with the pupils a blood red. She wore a black and grey bodysuit with red highlights with large wing-like pieces of armour attached to her shoulder, covering her arms as she wore an armored hood over her head.
"What is this place?"
"My torture room, geezer," the girl frowned as she glared at him, "Gibril of Eden's Seven..and your in one of my torture chambers."
"Oh...I get it now...you're creepy," Gentoku bluntly stated, "Like Stalk...but a creepy girl…"
"Gh…!" Gibril growled at that, "...Watch your words carefully, you geezer…"
"I…" Gentoku began before wincing, a circular axe-like disk shooting past him as it cut his arm, "Gh!"
"My Septima, Metallon, lets me control metal.." Gibril stated as the disk turned immediately into blood, "That includes the metal found in your blood."
"That feels like a rip off of a popular manga about weird powers and bizarre adventures…" Gentoku spoke up, making her twitch, "Look, I don't care for the geezer comment...but you're probably so young anyone over the age of 18 is old to you…"
"I'm 14, asshole!" She snapped.
"Yeah, I figured it would be some annoying barely into the teens sort of age…" Gentoku sighed, "Kids are such a pain...Why can't I ever be stuck dealing with mature people…"
"Watch your tongue…" Gibril growled as the blood within the tubes began to bubble up, "Otherwise I'm gonna make you see a bloody hell."
"I've been through hell," Gentoku countered, making her further growl in annoyance, "I'm not impressed. Anyone can do evil and hurt people, it's not special, it's not amazing...it's just sad."
"...Fine…" Gibril scowled as one fo the tubes shattered, the blood within it forming into a large series of razor sharp arrows, "Then I'll just have to cut you up! Die!" she snapped as the arrows were let loose.
"Henshin."
=CROCODILE IN ROGUE! BURRRAH~!=
A purple flash went off as Rogue swung his arm and let the arrows clash against his armor to little effect.
"Shouldn't kids like you be in school or something?" Rogue sighed as he dusted his armor off, "I swear if I wasn't already all sorts of messed up, I'd need therapy for all this blood…"
"GAAAH! I'm gonna skewer you like a stuffed pig!" Gibril snapped as she flew up into the air, changing the blood on the floor into large razor sharp discs as they flew towards Rogue.
"Ah crap...I know that tone...I've pissed off enough women to know that tone…though at least it was actual women..." Rogue grumbled.
"...Where am I?" Noel whispered as she looked around, seeing the room looked almost like a large star map...almost like she was looking at the night sky itself, "It's beautiful…"
"It is my sanctum...It helps me to focus on the stars for my fortunes."
Noel looked to the side to see a rather...well endowed female teenager as she stood on what appeared to be a yellow tassel. She had black eyes with bright yellow irises with thin, matching hair. She wore a slender black and gray armor with yellow areas on her cleavage, neck, and feet. Floating behind her was a large hoop attached to the back of her head, sprouting four long, ribbon-like pieces of hair.
"Fortunes?"
"I am a Seer of the Stars...I use them to help determine someone's destiny," she stated as she lowered down from on top of the ribbon, "I am Desna...and I can see where your future lies." she stated as she looked up at the 'sky', "...I see pain...suffering and despair in your future. You will face a great ordeal soon...one that will result in a battle within your mind...with one taking over as the dominant one."
"..." Noel said nothing as she stepped back from her a bit.
"You should not worry…" Desna assured as she stepped forward, "If you accept my help...Lady Zonda's love, we can assure none of you will face an unneeded end...a future where pain, suffering and hate will never happen...a world of true love."
"That again…" Noel muttered with a sigh, "I'm really getting tired of hearing that...ironically enough…" she muttered mostly to herself.
"Your friends will soon think the same way," Desna stated as she stepped up to Noel, "I've seen their stars...and how their destinies end...we...I can assure you that will never come to pass..." she assured in a calm...reassuring voice, almost alluring in how assuring it was as she placed a hand on Noel's cheek, "I can help make it..so the stars of your loved ones will never be snuffed."
"...N-No…" Noel shook her head as she forced herself back from Desna, "I won't join in harming humanity."
"...I see...so that is how it should be," Desna noted with a whisper, "...Fine. I tried to help...and you spurred it."
Noel was about to fire before one of the ribbons wrapped around her leg, making her tense before she was tossed into the wall, making her grunt out in pain as she fell onto her feet.
"Splitting Ends...my Septima allows me to use my hair as my weapon," Desna stated as the rest of her ribbons came to life, "I truly tried to give you an out...but I will sadly have to fight you to make you understand one's destiny."
'Oh this is not good…' Nole cringed before readying Bolverk and narrowed her eyes.
"BWAGH!" Mai and Sari gasped out, surfacing from a large body of water as they climbed onto a large circular platform.
"Why did that…!" Sari began in her coughing as the two girls collapsed for a moment, "Stupid mirror...drop us here?"
"I don't...ack! Know!" Mai coughed, wringing the water out of her hair as she stood on her knees, "Most likely...something's waiting for us here."
"You feel we're gonna get the weird one of the bunch?" Sari asked.
"Proba…" Mai began before a splash went off, prompting the two to look up as a figure landed before them.
Standing up was a young man with black eyes and pink iris', his hair a pale pink and swept back. He wore black and white armor with pink highlights, giving him the appearance of a merman as he wielded a white trident with the two side prongs being black and pink. Attached to his hip was a harp in the same color as his armor, the strings barely visible to the two girls.
"So...I'm weird, huh?" he asked, a bit of an Australian accent to his voice as he swung his trident a bit.
"...let me guess, one of Eden's Seven?" Sari guessed.
"Correct. I am Milas...but unlike my fellow Eden brethren, I have no interest in building a utopia for Adepts," he stated, making the two blink as he frowned, "Human, Adept...it's all the same. All they do is pollute Earth's oceans, tainting its beauty and splendor."
"...you're some environmentalist aren't you?" Mai cautiously asked.
"Admittedly I was, shiela," Milas chuckled a bit as he rested his trident on his shoulder, "I only joined Eden because the group I was part of wasn't bold enough in their actions, and because our goals intertwined. But…" he paused as he looked at the water surrounding them, "One day...I'll see to it that the Earth becomes one big beautiful blue globe...covered in the ocean's splendor."
"..." Mai gave Sari a deadpan look, "Weird doesn't begin to describe this guy."
"Agreed," Sari deadpanned in agreement.
"Normally I don't like to fight a pair of fine sheilas, but…" Milas paused as he took a stance, swinging his trident as a pir of water tendrils began to rise up from the water, "Anyone that's my enemy...and enemy to the ocean itself will face me and my Septima, Ichor."
"...because of course the water lover has water p-AHH!" Sari yelped as she and Mai avoided the twin streams of water fired at them.
"I feel like he's so lost in himself, the talking bit won't work here…" Mai muttered.
"Yup, so…" Sari began as the two got up, pulling out their weapons as they stood ready, "May as well defend ourselves."
"Hah!" Zonda laughed as she fired off a few energy spheres at Gunvolt and Jetray, the leader of Eden being seen within a floating mirror as the two rolled out of the way of the energy spheres.
"Your gonna have to come out sooner or later ya know!" Jetray shouted as he fired a laser from his eyes, only for Zonda to dodge it.
"Hmm...your right. Let's fix that~ Over…" Zonda began, moving out of the mirror as she jumped into another, coming back out as theri male self, "Gender!"
"Oh not again!" Jetray complained.
"The overcompensating form!" Skurd added.
"It just shows all the love I can give~!" Zonda-M laughed before snapping his fingers, causing a trail of moving mirrors to appear above them, "Falling Love!"
"?!" Gunvolt tensed before rolling out of the way of a large shard of glass in the shape of a heart, "Stay away from the mirrors' reflection!"
"No offense, GV...but I really am starting to hate your world!" Jetray spoke as he began flying faster, avoiding everything in his path.
"Honestly..none taken!" Gunvolt replied, firing a few shots at Zonda-M as he quickly jumped up into the air.
"Heh...Behold! The mirror's images of our love! Lust Doppler!" Zonda-M declared as he posed in the air, four sets of mirrors with his reflection appearing before the two.
"Gv...this m-ahh!" Joule yelped as one of the reflections burst from the mirror, Gunvolt dodging out of the way of its kick as it went back into the mirror.
"Ben, you focus on Zonda! I'll take care of the mirrors to give you an opening!" Gunvolt shouted, firing a few shots at the mirrors as the tags hit them.
"Easier...said than done!" Jetray grunted, barely blocking a thrust from one of the clone's kick as he flew up to Zonda-M.
"Over...!" Zonda-M began, hopping into the mirror once again as he came back in theri female form, "Gender! Leap o-"
"FLASH FIELD!" Gunvolt shouted as he summoned his barrier, sending out waves of electricity that shattered the four mirrors there.
"Hm...you think that trick will work? I…" Zonda-F began before a flash went off, "?"
"Surprise!" Feedback shouted as he kicked Zonda-F, pushing her through the air, his head tendrils shot out and jammed into her back, "You gotta have some form of massive energy in ya letting you do this nonsense...how about you let me borrow some? You're all about sharing right?"
"Over…!" Zonda-F began before she winced as Feedback's Tendrils jabbed into her, "Gh!"
"Hoo nelly!" Feedback shouted as he felt a massive power surge in his body.
"HOO WHAT A RUSH!" Skurd shouted, his body a hot pink color.
"Get..off me!" Zonda-F demanded as she forced Feedback off her.
"Aw come on? Take a little love…" Feedback began before firing a blast of energy at her, sending her flying right into a wall, "Give a little back!"
"...this form can absorb energy?" Gunvolt guessed as Feedback jumped back and landed near him.
"Oh yeah, as a kid I figured it was only electricity, but really I can take in just about any type and convert it into electrical energy." he explained, "Ooh...combo move idea!"
"I'm sorry?" Gunvolt blinked.
"You need those darts to aim your super powerful electricity power, well...what if I was the dart?" he smiled.
"...let's do it," Joule whispered to Gunvolt with a excited grin.
"...you sure? You got a rush from Zonda's Septima alone…" Gunvolt stated to Feedback, "I'm afraid of what'll happen i-"
"Let me stop you right there buddy. Trust me when I say, I know this form better than any other one I can turn into. I spent an entire year just turning into this guy as a kid. I caused a lot of rolling blackouts, but as a result, I know how to take in a lot...and send it out even stronger."
"...Fair enough. No time to argue, so…" Gunvolt began.
"Over Gender!"
"...charge away," Gunvolt offered, holding his arm out as Zonda-M appeared from the smoke cloud, an obvious bruise on his cheek while a bit of blood dripped from his lip.
"I suppose that is my fault for taking you ever so lightly," Zonda-M spoke, wiping the blood away, "But I will not be taken surprise like that aga-"
"Yeah…" Feedback smirked as his antenna tendrils and tail were taking in a large amount of Gunvolt's electricity, "Trust me...this is gonna be so big...surprise is the last thing to hit ya," his eye began glowing bright with energy. He raised his arms and cupped them together before aiming as a massive orb of blue electricity formed in his hands, "Fair warning...I have no idea how big this is gonna blow...so...stay behind me buddy!"
"Trust me…!" Gunvolt grunted, his barrier out as Joule was holding her hands on his shoulders, "I can...take it!"
"Oh you have got to be…" Zonda-M began.
"FIRE!"
A powerful thunderclap filled the air as a beam of blue electricity shot out the side of the building and into the horizon.
=Woah! Acura-kun, I just sensed a huge spike of electricity go off!= Rora exclaimed as Acura hid behind some cover.
"...must have been Gunvolt or one of B-" Acura began, poking out form his cover before moving back to dodge Copen's gunfire.
"MURDERER! LIAR!" Copen snapped in pure anger, "MYTLE'S NOT AN ADEPT, AND YOU KILLED HER!"
"I had no choice!" Acura argued, moving out of his hiding spot Rora shifted into a green color and summoned a large pair of green discs to block the incoming waterjets, "If I didn't...she would've suffered even more!"
"And yet you claim she's an Adept!?" Copen snapped as he charged and threw a jet-powered kick at Acura, he moved to the side to dodge it, "That's a lie!"
=Boss, please calm down!= Lola begged.
"Lola, don't you dare defend this murderer!" Copen snapped at his AI.
"It was not murder! It was mercy!" Acura snapped.
"Adepts killed our father and they didn't show him any mercy!" Copen snapped as he and Acura fired at one another, "You killed our sister and called it mercy?! How...how could you forget the pain caused that day when father…!" he began before he tensed up, sensing a mass killing intent coming off of Acura.
"I advise you choose your next words very carefully…" Acura warned in a very...very dangerous tone, "Otherwise you'll force me to use something I use only as a last resort…"
"Tch…." Copen gave a shaky breath as he kept his aim on Acura, rage still within the Adept hunter and yet….he could feel something...dark within his future self.
"Do you want to know what Sumeragi did to our sister?" Acura asked, the serious tone never leaving his voice as he glared at Copen, "They took her brain out..and attached it to a machine to use her Septima..to control and bring back Adepts Sumeragi found useful from the dead...with no free will."
"...what?" Copen whispered with wide eyes.
=Y...you're joking…= Lola whispered in disbelief.
=He's not…= Rora added in an equally serious tone.
"There was no fix, no happy ending, there was nothing to be done that could save her the way I so dreamed. You have no idea the hard choice I made at that moment." Acura continued, "...and do you know what she said to me when I found her like that?"
"..."
"'Please….kill me,'" Acura responded, giving his own shaky breath as his hand balled up into a fist.
=?! Oh...my god…= Lola whispered in horror.
"...She….begged for it?" Copen whispered, his rage slowly dying down as he began to lower his gun.
"You act like I did it gladly. It will haunt me...but I take what little solace I can...that if there is an afterlife...she finally has peace." Acura stated.
"...That...I...n...no...but..Adepts...but...then...Mytel…" Copen whispered, panting as he began to shake, "But...that would mean...then...oh god…"
"You're realizing it, aren't you?" Acura spoke as he put his gun away, "Just as there are good humans out there...there are good Adapts out there..like Mytel, who stilled loved us...no matter how much of a monster we became."
"..."
"Well...I guess you're better off dealing with this. I serve more use helping deal with Zonda," Acura stated as he began to walk off.
=When and if you decide to finally grow up out of this edgy emo phase...go help your Gunvolt= Rora added, looking back at Copen as she followed Acura.
"..."
=...boss?= Lola spoke, changing into her Holographic Diva form as she looked at Copen in concern =A...are you okay?=
"...damn it..DAMN IT!" Copen snapped as he began to punch the ground. Since his father died, he swore..no. He made an oath to kill all Adepts, but now….knowing that his sister was an Adept...after being hit with that realization by his future self...his conviction was slowly fading. He lost...not by smarts, bullets, or Septima….but by words.
Tenjian and Cross-Z grunted as they clashed blades, resulting in a massive shockwave of heat and ice as the resulting steam began to disperse the part of the blizzard around them.
"Ha!" Cross-Z roared punching Tenjian across the face, "Oi tell me asshat...what do you get out of killing people like this? And I mean really you...what does it get you? Besides turning you into the monster of the story?"
"Because humanity cannot be saved," Tenjian countered as he turned, using one of his blades to block Naoto's energy sword, "The bad truly outweigh the good...all humanity has done is invoke wars, spread famine, harm the planet itself...and rather than helping those in need, they'd rather attack and kill those they deem as different."
"I'm not gonna stand here and act like the human species hasn't messed up a lot. Oh we most certainly have, but you just talk like someone who's given up." Cross-Z sighed, "If you can't fix the world, tear it down...that is the most bratty thing I've ever heard! You can't change the world...so you want to tear it down. I know a man a thousand times stronger than you, and I owe him for showing me, I can be someone's Hero."
"And you're supposed to be Zonda's brother right?" Naoto asked he he pushed back, "Isn't it a brother's job to call out on their siblings BS!?"
"...what's wrong with wanting to create a utopia given by her love?!" Tenjian snapped as he pushed him back.
"What your sister is spewing out isn't love! It's psychotic!" Naoto snapped, "Love is what you share with friends, family...the people you love and want to protect with everything, even if your body is wracked with pain and turmoil!"
"When you love someone you'll do anything for them, but you never do anything that hurts others. Love comes and goes in life...the person you love can be taken...that pain...the memories...it should drive you to be better for that person even still! You don't know a damn thing about love! You're just a bunch of dumbass kids using a word you don't even understand!"
"...tch. It would seem you fail to understand...to accept Zonda's ideal," Tenjian frowned as he jumped away from a kick form Cross-Z, "Fine...then I won't hold any remorse in killing you…" he whispered as he crossed his arms, the blizzard picking up as it became more and more fierce, "In the frozen skies, the Alcor shines bright. With the seven blades drawing the slashes' trajectory, none shall remain after the snow thaws! Rakshasa...Seven Stars!"
Both Cross-Z and Naoto grunted as the blizzard got more and more fierce with each passing second, up to the point that ice began to form on their bodies as Tenjian began to vanish from sight.
"Where…" Naoto began before grunting as a blur shot by, leaving a cut in his shirt as some blood was spilt.
Cross-Z turned to kick at the blur, only to grunt when it shot by him as sparks came off his armor. Both heroes grunted as the blur struck them two more times, causing the ice growing on their bodies to grow..almost encasing them in it as it was getting hard for them to move.
"Grr…" Coss-Z grunted as the ice grew, he went silent for a moment, the ice fully encasing him...until, "LIKE HELL!" his body began glowing from within the ice, the ice causing the glow to become so bright it made Tenjian stop, "You think I don't know what it means to love...you think I don't understand!? Fuck off! I have suffered worse than you can understand! So don't try and make me seem like the bad guy!" with that the ice vanished into steam, "You can take all your bullshit...!" at that he stomped the ground lightly...before taking off into the air and striking Tenjian out of the air, "And shove it up your ass!" he roared slamming him face first into the ground, "Just cause your life sucked doens't mean you get to take it out on people! Don't give me your bullshit! You don't know what it means to love, if you did, you'd be protecting people! You have all this power...and all you can freakin say is kill and kill...you're the kind of person I can't stand...power doesn't give you any right to be cruel!"
"Agreed…." Naoto grunted, his hair flashing into white as blood-red energy began to surround him, "Someone like you...someone who kills for some warped ideology...to suppress others because of what somebody did to you?" he began as he began to form a nodachi made of blood-red energy, "No way will we let you or your sister's death cult ruin humanity!"
"Give it your best shot Frosty! You failed once, what makes you think trying the same nonsense again will change anything!" Cross-Z challenged as he jumped away and stood opposite of Naoto as his armor was glowing like actual magma.
"...fine…" Tenjian scowled as he took a stance, "I'll bring you both along to my grave...now shatter and become one with my snow!" he roared as he charged at Naoto.
"HAH!" Naoto shouted as he slashed down, making Tenjian grunt as he staggered back...feeling something binding him down as Naoto began to create a large blood-red energy scythe as a symbol begna ot faintly appear behind him, "Astral...Heat!"
'Wait...he can pull one off?' Cross-Z thought upon hearing that, only to shake his head as he prepared his own finisher.
"Where you're going...you'll wish you were sent to hell," Naoto stated as he slashed at Tenjian multiple times with his scythe, breaking parts of his armor each time as blood-red orbs began to go into the currently white-haired teen, "Edge of…!"
Cross-Z removed the Magma Knuckle from his belt before smashing it into his hand. He growled, rearing it and his arm back as flames formed into a large dragon head around his arm.
"Eternity!" Naoto shouted as he thrusted his scythe forward just as Cross-Z was closing in on Tenjian.
"...hmm.." Tenjian said nothing as he closed his eyes, prepared to accept his fate just as he was impaled by Naoto's weapon, "Gah!"
"HA!" Cross-Z roared, punching his knuckle duster weapon into Tenjian, the resulting impact causing an explosion as a dragon made of fire was launched out. Both Cross-Z and Naoto left on the ground as the dragon flew up into the sky...before arching down and slamming into the ground in another massive explosion.
Both said nothing as the smoke began to die down, showing no trace of Tenjian..or even his ice and snow nowhere in the area...only a large burning crater with bits of blood red energy crackling off it.
"And this time…" Naoto began as his hair changed back to normal, "Stay dead, you cold hearted bastard.."
"Ah...I hate winter now…" Cross-Z complained as his armor fell away, leaving a literally steaming Ryuga.
"Same...don't want...hoo boy," Naoto panted as he and Ryuga fell onto their butts, "WAnna see...anymore snow...for a long while…"
"I want to go back to the Hawaii world with adorable little alien pets…" Ryuga groaned.
"I think...I appeared in that one once…" Naoto muttered in his panting.
"How ma...ahh. Too tired to ask at the moment…" Ryuga groaned.
"Let's rest up...and try and find...the others," Naoto sighed as he plopped onto his back.
"I'm good with tha-...ah…" Ryuga groaned, falling over.
"Come on come one!" Teseo laughed as Build jumping out of the way of Lambda's weapon as he was surrounded by her..and hard light copies of her, each one carrying hard light copies of his weapons while each held a lone green key on their hips, "YOu wanna open the box, you gotta find the correct set of keys, Build Blocks! Just be careful...even one wrong key..." he began as Build grabbed a key from one of the copies and jumped up to the box holding his Two Bottles, slotting the key into one of three slots...before he grunted out in pain as a pair of missiles sent him crashing back into the ground, "Can prove harmful, and resets the combination! Oh and look…" he grinned as he looked at a nearby screen, "YOu got some laughs from that toal failure!"
"A...are you...streaming this?!" Build grunted as he forced himself back up.
"Yup!" Teseo grinned, "What better way to show my genius by defeating the so called smartest genius in the multiverse!"
"How exactly are you beating me anyway?" he sighed, "I mean...technically you're not beating me."
"What?"
"I mean...I bet if you look at the comments they'd go like: LOL this loser thinks he's winning when that girl is doing all the work~" Build laughed as he jumped away again.
"Not if I told them like the copies, she's currently a tool I'm using to beat ya," Teseo countered, making Build tense up at that.
"Wow...he totally hacks, can't win on his own, what a loser." Build spoke up, mockingly once again, "Dude probably has 0 skills and has to cheat to win at anything~" he chuckled as he jumped away.
"I know what you're doing…"
"Hey this weird guy is funny, he gets us," Build went on, "Oh how many just commented Burn? Is it more than ten?"
"Shut up!" Teseo snapped a bit.
"I mean...you admit you're a troll, that's how the internet works, no one cares for your accomplishments. You're just a kid. And Kids are so fun to watch go nuts, like adorable little monsters." Build went on, "I mean...how many of your own likes gotta be bots?"
"Hey! I'm just providing the people of hte net with what they want!" Teseo argued as he typed away at hsi keyboard, causing his bits to fly out as they began to construct a series of cannonballs that flew at Build, "I'm trying to cheer people up by entertaining them!"
"And yet I'm sure they're only watching 'cause of me. Your welcome internet, even you trolls, come on and hate me! You know you wanna~" Build cheered as he kicked one of the cannonballs away, "I mean I'm half rabbit and half tank, there has to be some stupid joke from you losers in ya! You have to have some better zingers then Jr. up there."
"Sh-" Teseo began before he saw a few comments popped up...a grin growing on his face, "Hey Build...here's something I know you won't enjoy!"
"Oh please...like anything…" Build began as he prepared to jump.
"You're nothing more than a ripoff of a Power Ranger...no...Even worst...a Masked Rider."
"..." he tilted his head, "Nope...sorry your reference is lost on me man. I have a life."
"And I happen to be an internet god!" Teseo declared as Lambda and her clones focused all on Build, "The mere fact you think you're smarter than me is laughable!"
"Well I'm glad something's funny around here…'cause it sure ain't you." Build laughed as he avoided all the Lambda attacks, "I mean...how funny is the internet troll bit honestly? I mean...do other trolls like it? Or do they find it so cringey they realize the error of their ways and change who they are?"
"I do not...understand what...a troll...is…" Lambda grunted as she swung one of her maces at Build, "Are they not...creatures that live under bridges?"
"Yes...but in regard to what I mean...those are better looking." Build joked.
"...you're not getting to me, buddy," Teseo stated with a grin, "You're hoping I slip up so you can grab the real keys for the box...well tough news buddy! You're not gonna out-annoy Teseo-sama!" he laughed, 'Besides, the keys you're looking for aren't even there~ You're gonna be stuck in an endless loop of hurting yourself while trying to open the box!'
"...it...is...a tr-" Lambda began before wincing in pain, green electricity crackling off her for a moment, "Gh~!"
"Nuh uh~! No spoilers!" Teseo laughed.
"La-chan?" Build blinked, "Soka…" he paused as he crossed his arms, "So there are no keys." he sighed, making Teseo's eyes widen.
"Wha-what? How did…"
"I already had the idea it was something you'd pull." Build sighed, "I already ran this through my head a couple hundred times, not gonna lie...odds are not in my favor." he chuckled, "You are an annoying cheater."
"...oh buddy…" Teseo began to grin as he began to type away rapidly, "I've just begun! Boundaries of worlds, wavering codes. The throne of the cybernetic dominator is an impenetrable fortress, allowing no approach! Impregnable Fortress!"
Build blinked behind his helmet before he was surrounded by floating laser cannons..with the laser parts pointing the wrong direction as the cannons seemed to close in on him. He then quickly dodged a cannon ball aimed right at him as the backs of the cannon kept firing the cannonballs at him..all while the lasers began to destroy the clones of Lambda as the original struggled to free herself.
"I guess the only plan I can use at this moment...is no plan." Build spoke as he rushed forward and used his body to cover Lambda.
"?!" Lambda's eyes widened behind her visor as she looked up, seeing Build grunting as he took the full brunt of not just the cannonballs, but the laser fire as well.
"Hahahaha! Look at you! Hurting yourself for a robot!" Teseo laughed as he forced the cannons' lasers to aim at Build, "You're gonna lose totally badly buddy! That's what happens when you co-op with a scrub!"
'...Sento-san...is hurt...because of me…' Lambda though, guilt growing in her body as she looked up at Build taking on the full brunt of Teseo's attack, 'I am being used...to hurt him...people...are mocking him for it...no...unify...people...against...Teseo…' she thought as she looked back at the cackling Teseo..and then at a nearby pillar, '..one shot...to hit...him…'
"And now for the finale…~!" Teseo declared, flexing his fingers as his cannons began to charge up, "SA...the e-"
*CRACK!*
"?!" Teseo's eyes slowly widened, feeling a massive pain in his hands as he slowly looked down...seeing his keyboard broken and his hands completely mangled up...with the energy rope of Lambda's mace laying across them. He then slowly looked back at the box holding Build's other bottles, completely shattered as the two objects began to fall down towards Build, "...h….hah….h….how..my hands...i...ITAI~!" he cried out in pure pain as he fell from the sky, "My hands! I can't feel my hands!"
"Target...get," Lamda whispered, using the claw of her mace to grab the falling two Bottles as she pulled it back and presented them to a heavily panting Build, "Yours...Sento-san."
"How...I had you completely hacked, you cyborg!" Teseo snapped, "How did you…!"
"Pillar…" Lambda stated, pointing to the now destroyed pillar near him.
"..wait...the angle you were in...the rebound caused by it...the strength of it," Teseo whispered, calculating the odds and maths in his head before it dawned on him, "...a one in a million impossible shot...a crackshot!"
"I figure this is the part where I say something clever, but...I didn't do much…" Build groaned, "La-chan did...that's why I like people like her," he chuckled while holding up Genius, "It's the people you can't account for that bring the most chaotic element into play. From my experience, girls tend to do that the best, which is why man probably will never understand them."
"Ah...ah...ah…" Teseo gasped softly in disbelief, his eyes widening in horror for the first time as he began to stagger away the best he could.
"What's wrong, 'god'? Scared now are you?" Build taunted as a blinding flash replaced him with his white Final form.
=BUILD GENIUS!=
"Hah...in the end, I can't bring myself to hate you...it's your power that made you like this," he raised his glowing hand, "Maybe it's time you spent some time walking the human path again."
"Wh...what does that mean?!" Teseo exclaimed before his eyes widened, "You...you have something..that can take away an Adept's powers?!"
"My form before you can control and alter DNA in any way I desire," Build explained, "I use it to save people from mutations that would cost them their lives. But I've also used it to strip power from others." he put his hand on Teseo's head, "It's my way of ending a battle. Even people like you deserve to live, but you don't deserve powers," a blinding flash went off as he worked his magic, "So...I give you life as a normal person." he moved his hand back and began walking away.
"?!" Teseo's eyes widened as he looked himself over, his hair a lighter green and now wearing a white coat on top of a green shirt and a pair of jeans, "My...My Septima...I...I can't use Hack The Planet anymore!?"
"Nope, I burned your power out of your DNA...and repaired what it held together. You're just a kid now." Build replied.
"Ah...n...no! No! No!" Teseo shouted, "You can't do that! I...I need my Septima! Without it, I...I'm...I'm n-"
*CLANG!*
"You talk too much," Lambda whispered, her visor off her face as Teseo collapsed on the floor...all while the room began to change into a normal looking one.
"You okay?" Build asked with a smile behind his mask.
"...happy we won...and yet...I feel guilty," Lambda admitted, lowering her head in shame, "I tried to harm you...you got harmed defending me…"
Build chuckled putting his hand on her head, "I did that cause I'm a Hero. Besides...it's okay that you feel that way. Those feelings are proof your heart is good."
"...good…" Lambda whispered as Build helped her up, "...unify."
"Hmm?"
"When this is over...and back home, I want...to think of a way to...unify people...to make them happy," she explained before shooting a look at the knocked out Teseo, "Not like his way...but different."
"That's good." Build nodded, "There is a good way to bring people together. It has many forms, some people misunderstand, and some people don't see." he used his thumb to tap his chest and point at it, "You'll find yours if you follow that good heart of yours. This...this is my way. I'm sure you can find your own La-chan. I just hope yours isn't as crazy as mine. Trust me... this is not the most normal of lives."
"...hm. Fair…." Lambda whispered with a soft smile. She then began to look around before spotting a set of stairs, "...exit. Hopefully...find the others...and sister."
"I suggest we get on that...most of our friends are idiots," Build sighed, picking up Lambda and exiting as a white blur of superspeed.
"Ow!" Ghauri whopped as he did a kick split, doding Makoto's punch as he did a swift kick to her legs, "Kiss the floor!"
"Seriously, you're pissing me off with that lingo!" Makoto snapped as she jumped up and punched downward, only for Ghauri to roll back as he got up and skated away, "GAH! Stand still!"
"Come on, Mama, put up a faster fight! Now's here's a little…" Ghauri began, creating a row of sharp diamonds before him before he kicked it towards her, "Prism Strike!"
"GH!" Makoto tensed as she jumped to the side, wincing when the diamonds cut up the side of her arm, 'Damn it...I can't even get a hit on him, and he keeps kicking diamonds at me! Seriously, what is with that?! It's like I'm fighting Diamondhead mixed with Kickin' Hawk here!'
"Come on, baby! My beast be da bomb, so here's a little Tornado Bomb!" Ghauri wrapped as he skated by her, summoning a few crystal spheres as they flew right towards her.
"And his rapping is annoying!" Makoto snapped out loud, punching a few of the spheres away before gasping out when one hit her square in the gut, knocking the air out of her as she staggered back, "Ah...and I think he broke a rib there…"
"Ooh~! Need some healing there? Well I can provide ya there!" Ghauri stated as he skated by, "All ya need to do is accept Zonda's ideals of Love and Peace, and pain will be the last thing on your mind at least!"
"I feel like you are just reaching for bars by this point," Makoto complained, "Besides...not interested in the creepy cult type deal you guys are selling…"
"Why not? I bet you dealt with haters because of what you are," Ghauri noted as he skidded to a stop, "Once humanity has become extinct, your options for people like us will go near and far!"
"Yeah…" Makoto began before coughing a bit, wiping a bit of blood from her lip, "Sorry, no. I have a boyfriend and he accepts me for who I am."
"And how long will that last, lass?" Ghauri questioned, making Makoto raise a brow, "Humans promise things all the time, but they'll turn their backs on ya eventually. Put your faith in Zonda...and you will be loved for all eternity!"
"...You know...if I had been my old self, I'd accept possibly," Makoto admitted as she hung her head down, "I hated humans with a passion...but...soon I met people that are now precious and dear to me...my friends, my family….my goober of a boyfriend…" she listed as she lifted her head, a serious frown on her face, "And you guys want to terminate humanity? Well..what about Adepts or people with powers who want to protect humanity?"
"We weed 'em out, gather 'em together, and like humanity..we purge 'em!" Ghauri rapped as he spun in place, "That includes the families of those who side with us, but go against us!"
"..."
"But now is the time to get off track, and now onto my ultimate attack!" Ghauri grinned as an aura began to surround him, "Hearts racing fast with the flashing PRISMS, with the sky-rising, towering PRISMA. Nobody breaks free from this PRISON! PRISM PRISMA PRISON!"
With that, he became a blur, crystal pillars beginning to fall down from above as they began to surround her with beams of light shining through them. Yet Makoto...she didn't seem phased by it.
"Ow! Bling bling, let's dance baby! My Poetry Slam will knock ya the distance, then we can purge yer mind of this fake love for humanity!" Ghauri wrapped as he became faster and faster, Makoto starting to grit her teeth as her fist balled up, "Even ask Zonda to terminate that human boyfriend and get ya some better fly guy!"
"...You got powerful kicks, huh?" Makoto whispered, slowly lifting her fist up as she stood there.
"Let's dance...buckle up!" Ghauri shouted as he charged right at Makoto, becoming a spinning tornado as he held a leg out, "POETRY SLAM!-!"
As soon as he got close, Makoto slammed her fist hard into his face, driving him so hard into the ground it caused the entire building itself to shake while cracks began to grow around the room...and within a matter of moments, all the crystals covering the room shattered completely as Ghauri's armor shattered into pieces.
"Nice to know, because I've got powerful punches," Makoto stated, glaring coldly at the downed Adept, an imprint of her gauntlet's fist embedded on the side of his face as he laid there motionless, "Your first mistake was trying to get me to join ya...your biggest mistake? Threatening not just my boyfriend….but also my family in a way." she took a deep breath as she began to walk off, "Ok...now to find an exit and meet back up with the others...and hope they have some medkits on them...ow…"
"Gah!" Mai yelped as she barely blocked a kick aimed at her, quickly moving herself around as she swung her spear..only for it to be blocked by Milas' trident.
"Hm...you're not so bad with that weapon," Milas noted before he jumped back, stabbing his trident into the ground as he got into a running stance, "But do you have the skills to avoid this? Splash Dash!" he shouted before he rushed off, resulting in the water near them to splash up and slam into the bluenette as he shot past her.
"And you left yourself open!" Sari called out as she rushed over at him with her sword reeled back, only for Milas to jump into the air as he pulled his harp out, "...oh now what?"
"Hydro Zapper!" Milas declared as he strummed the strings of his harp, causing balls of water to appear in toe air before they fired off pressurized streams of water at the two girls.
"Oh sh…!" Mai began before Sari tackled her and caused the streams to go over them and hit the wall on the other side of the flooded room, "Gah...He's using that water like he's Overflow, but with a harp."
"Okay, think. What do we have on hand that could…" Sari looked at her shield and sword and then to Mai's waist where she had a few of the elixirs on it, "...Mai, you may want to drink that cold one."
"...Yhy?" Mai cautiously asked before Sari whispered something to her, "...You sure that'll work?"
"Yeah, because I fear if I attempt to use it...it'll shock us too."
"...Fair point," Mai muttered, grabbing one of the elixirs as she began to take a sip.
"Wh….blood hell, are you drinkin' in a fight?" Milas blinked as he landed, grabbing his trident as he focused on the girls.
"Ugh…" Mai shuddered as her nose and cheeks started to turn red, "I hate this one…my nobe feels stubby..."
Milas swung his trident at her, only for Mai to huff and puff. Just as he neared her, she let out a large sneeze. Milas's eyes widened as he was dropped into the water by the sudden shift in weight with the large chunk of ice he was now partly trapped in.
"What? This is…" Milas began, grunting to try and free himself from the ice, "Did she copy Tenjian's Septima?!"
"Ah….dunno...who that is…" Mai muttered, yawning a bit as her voice sounded...chilled and relaxed.
"Is...is she…"
"Yeah, this is a thing with her..." Sari muttered, "...oh. And by the way…"
"Eh?" Milas blinked before Sari's shield hit him against the face, "Gh!"
"Left yourself open!" Sari grinned as she caught her shield.
"Nice...ahh~ Catch…" Mai noted with a yawn.
"This trick is gonna be a real pain for you, isn't it?" Sari sighed.
"What trick?" Mai asked.
'...Okay. So ice makes her dozey and forgetful,' Sari thought, '...Hate to see what the fire one does to her.'
"Gh…!" Milas grunted as he jammed his trident down, breaking apart the ice he was trapped in as he pulled himself out, "I got reckless…"
"Yeah you guys...kinda don't know what to do with people stronger than you," Sari bluntly replied, "Which might speak more of your ego...and how strong you think you are…'cause trust me...I've seen scarier..."
"So...have I~" Mai yawned.
"...Then you haven't seen the wrath of the seas," was all Milas said as he dove back into the water, "My copies, reflected by the water's surface...and the current, raging to swallow everything shall cleanse the Earth from its filth! AQUA AVATAR!"
'How do these guys come up with names for moves on the fly?!' Sari thought before several large currents of water rose out and crossed above the arena, the form of Milas being seen within each one.
"That can't be good," Mai muttered as a water clone of Milas dove right at them, prompting Sari to move her out of the way in time of the downward stab...until twin water spikes shot out of the ground and hit them both.
"Gh!" Sari grunted as her arm was cut up from the attack, the half-Cybertronian quickly moving back with Mai to avoid another downward stab from another water clone.
"You cannot stop this raging current!" Mials declared from one of the currents above as more appeared, "Soon the Earth will be cleansed and its oceans free of pollution!"
"Okay Sari...think. The real one has to be in one of these," Sari whispered, putting Mai down as the bluenette plopped onto the currently wet floor, 'And I gotta be careful in using Lady Urbosa's Gift….wait. What did Gunvolt say about it...something about relaxing and focusing it on a part of my body I want to use it with…wait…' she paused in her thoughts as she looked at Mai, "Psst! Hey Mai!"
"Zzz…" Mai snoozed softly as she laid there.
"You gotta be kidding me…" Sari groaned before giving a silent apology and slapped her repeatedly.
"Snkr! Whuzzat?" Mai muttered as she woke up, "I'm awake...coffee…"
"Mai, can your spear conduct electricity by any chance?" Sari asked before quickly moving her and herself out of the way of another Milas Water Clone, "Because I think the trident belonging to 'Aquaman' might be resistant to something like that."
"Huh? Uh...spear? Oh, yeah...it…" Mai paused to yawn as she fell onto her back and avoided a surprised Milas duplicate before it ran face first into a wall, "Meant for a combo with Ben's zappy aliens...heh-heh...I said 'zappy'."
"Perfect. Hope you don't mind me borrowing it then," Sari said, putting her sword and shield away as she took Mai's spear, Okay...just gotta relax myself and channel my power into Mai's spear...then hopefully time the throw…'
"It's been fun, sheilas...but it's time for you to plunge into the ocean's embrace!" Milas declared as he and his clones began to diverge as the currents began to combine into one.
"Almost...almost…" Sari whispered as she waited for all the Milas' to converge in the same spot, 'Ok...almost there...wait. WHat should I even call th...nevermind. Just wing it like Ben and Makoto would.'
"End of the line!" Milas declared as he was the first to hop out of the current, only for his eyes to widen as he saw Mai's spear-which glowed a neon electric-green color- poised straight at him.
"Storm Lancer!" Sari called out as she threw the spear with all her might, the spear becoming faster and faster as the electricity began to surround it.
"?!" Milas' eyes began to wide as the electricity kept growing and growing to the point he couldn't dodge, "I...I hear it…" he whispered, closing his eyes as he prepared to accept his fate, "The roaring sea...it's calling me back…"
With that, the spear stabbed right into him and forced him back into the conjoined currents…
*CRACKLE! BZZZT! BOOOOOM!*
"AH!" Mai yelped as she and Sari were nearly blown back by the massive electric explosion, the electricity crackling through the water surrounding them as it shot up into the air. A moment passed as the water began to rain down, further dampening the girls as the explosion began to die down...revealing no trace of Milas left as his harp and trident fell onto the arena.
"...Holy crud, I did it," Sari whispered with wide eyes.
"Ugh….it finally blew through," Mai muttered, rubbing her eyes as she stood up...and saw Milas' weapons on the ground, "...did...did we win?"
"Yeah..and I think I can finally get a hang of using my powers," Sari nodded before tapping her cheek in thought, "...What if..." she pondered before gripping her fist, causing her energy blades to pop out as they took on a neo-green tint, "Yes! I knew…!"
*BZZT! POOF!*
"...We have afros, don't we?" Mai asked, not even bothering to check her hair.
"..."
"...why did you have to try that?"
"It's a work in progress," Sari replied as Mai picked up the two items, "Huh?"
"Maybe you and Sento can do something with them," Mai replied...before holding up her spear, parts of it melted and the pole part mangled and warped, with a deadpan look, "Like upgrading this."
"Whoopsie," Sari sheepishly rubbed the back of her head, "Guess I channeled too much into it…"
"Ya think?" Mai deadpanned.
"Gah!" Gibril screamed as she was sent crashing into one of the glass tubes, shattering it as more blood spilled onto the floor.
"Finally...got a decent hit on that armor," Rouge panted a bit, lowering his gun as he looked at the young girl.
"...gh….grr...Who do you think you are?!" Gibril snarled out as she shot up, her armor flying off her as it began to float up into the air. Parts of it began to connect to her, two parts attaching to her shoulders and back to give the impressions of quills and spikes while a pair of armored gauntlets with blood-red claws attached to her arms. Her eyes then snapped open, revealing them to be slit.
"Creepy…" Rouge muttered, "I swear it's like the idea of cool is getting so weird with brats these days…"
"Dance of Death!"
"And too f-" Rogue began before grunting, the unarmored parts of his suit torn up by a red and black blur as a bit of blood was spilt. He then quickly turned as shot at the blur, only for it to dodge to the side and slashed across his armor as it passed, resulting in sparks coming off him.
"You're going to regret pissing me off!" Gibril snapped as she skidded to a stop, her claws against the ground as she did a rising uppercut, unleashing a large blood-red cutting wave at Rouge, "Childhood's End!"
"Gh!" Rogue grunted as he crossed his arms to block, the cutting wave making impact as it sent him crashing through a few glass tubes of blood, "...okay. This brat is tougher than I realize…"
"That's what you get for underestimating me, you old fuck!" Gibril snapped, "And your blood is gonna replace all the blood you made me waste!"
"GH...listen…" Rogue grunted as he forced himself up, "A kid like you...you shouldn't be doing crap like this...your parents are probably worried sick."
"?!" Gibril tensed up at that...before a snarling scowl grew on her face, "My parents are dead."
"?!"
"My father-who cared more for our family's reputation- killed my mother thanks to him pushing her to treat me 'properly', and I killed my father using my mother's blood!" Gibril snapped, "I got sent to a counselling at the orphanage I got sent to, but I fled the next chance I got and joined a gang before joining Eden!"
"Alright...I'm not gonna preach that things with parents are easy…" Rogue sighed, "Lord knows I had my own problems with my old man. But then again...I guess I got off lucky...mine was a good person...and I was a horrible son. All my old man ever tried to do was keep peace...I just wanted to go to war to prove dominance..." he raised his hand and closed it into a fist, "I thought that violent path of sacrifice was right...now I know...the only one who has to sacrifice anything...should be yourself for others." his eyes began glowing, "This world has a long way to go before it can find peace...just like mine. But I know what I must do for it...stop you and your gang. I accept you have suffered...and I won't think less of you...but understand...for the sake of many innocent lives...I have to stop you."
"Good. I was tired of hearing you preach on," Gibril snarled as a blood-red aura began to surround her, the back forming into a wolf's tail as the spilt blood on the ground began to bubble up, "The beast's instincts have begun to sprint…Countless steel blades pierces its flesh…A paradise reached by overcoming pain…IRON MAIDEN!"
The blood shot up into the air as it began to form into a giant steel cage, dropping down around her and Rogue as Gibril got down on all fours, snarling like a wolf ready to strike. She then shot forward, shooting past Rogue as she hopped off the cage, leaving a puddle of blood in her wake as she began to bounce around the cage like a wild beast.
"...What's she d-" Rogue began before he quickly rolled out of the way of a sword shooting out where the puddle of blood was. He then looked up, seeing a bit of blood spilling from Gibril's arm as she bounced around the cage, leaving more puddles of blood in her wake, "...you're using your own blood…"
"I normally use this move as a last resort, but you had to go and piss me off about fathers and stuff!" Gibril snapped as she jumped onto the ground, slamming her claws down as the puddles of blood formed into multiple swords, shooting straight towards Rogue with the intent of impaling him, "Now die!"
"Hah…" Rogue sighed as he pushed down on the lever of his belt.
=CRACK UP FINISH!=
Rogue began a rising yell as he charged through the swords, grunting a bit each time a blade slashed against his armor and tore bits of his suit. He then jumped over one as he began to run along the edge of the blade, surprising Gibril for a moment before she leapt right at him, a look that promised death on her face as she prepared her claws. Rogue roared as his legs began glowing with energy, he skipped a step, and crossed his legs before jumping, twisting his body around as he aimed his legs forward. His body began rolling around, the image of a crocodile head forming around his legs as he turned into a giant purple drill of energy. The two collided and, for a brief moment, the two were even in power before Gibril's claws shattered and Rogue slammed into her stomach.
"Guh~! This...pain…!" Gibril gagged out as Rouge kept the kick going against the steel cage's wall, his legs slamming down onto her beach time as the crocodile head bit down on her each time, "It….It's too much!"
"Unlike my friend...I don't know when to hold back against something that is a danger to innocent lives. So as selfish as this sounds...for the sake of this world...you will be sacrificed," Rogue said sadly.
"F...Fuck you, you bastard!" Gibril managed to spit out before he tore through her and the wall, causing her to explode as he skidded to a halt in a crouched landing.
Rogue said nothing as he began to stand up, the cage beginning to rattle until it changed back into blood once more. He shook his head before going off to find the exit, wondering if in another life, she'd have a better life than what she had been dealt with in this one.
"Woah boy!" Rex yelped as he ran from a rain of bullet fired coming from Gallete Krone's fingertips, "Uh Kazumi, I can use some help here!"
"I think not…" Asroc whispered, moving his hands around as his robotic-golem tucked its arms, legs, and head into its body as he began to spin rapidly at high speed as it headed towards Grease, "Le-Le Schneeball."
"I am getting tired of this shit!" Grease roared as he caught the Robotic-Golem, sparks coming off his armor as he lifted it up, "HA!" he roared, slamming it down into the ground before proceeding to punch it repeatedly.
"Preheating done…" Asroc whispered as he moved his fingers upwards, causing Gallete Krone's stomach to open up as a bright light was seen inside, "Furnace of Inferno…"
"Gh!" Grease grunted as he was sent flying back by a beam of condensed heat, sending him crashing into a pile of parts as the heat began to melt the metal around him.
"Bake until a golden brown, then serve with proper side dishes," Asroc stated before he jumped up, dodging Rex's Slam Fist before he held his hands out to them before his strings attached to them.
"...Ay bas-" Rex began before his own Slam Fist began to punch him repeatedly in the face.
"You two were unfortunate to go up against me," Asroc stated, moving his hands about as the strings kept moving Rex's Slam Fist, "As long as you two provide me metal with your powers, I will be able to properly prepare you."
Rex grunted as he shifted his arms back to normal, "Because of course we get the metal controlling guy…"
"HA!" Grease roared as he forced himself free of the melted pile of metal, his armor burning a bit as he quickly grabbed the incoming fist of Galette Krone, "Grah...What a pain…Always hated puppet shows!"
"Hmph," Asroc scoffed as he moved his hands back, making Galette Krone move back to him, "That's because you have poor taste, plebian..."
"Really hating this guy talking down to us," Rex muttered, "And the worst part...we can't get close to him without him making us hit ourselves, and teh moment we do get close to him, that stupid robot will hit us…" he frowned before whispering to Grease, "Got any ideas?
"I'm not an idea guy…" Grease admitted, "I've always just been a 'hit it till it stops moving' kind of guy. All I know how to do is knock out anyone who pisses me off...be that asshole military police harassing nice folks working on a farm...to evil alien apocalypse bringers snake thing...so...my idea is I'm gonna just get pissed off...and Hit it Harder!" he shouted, "BRING IT ON!" he roared at the top of his lungs as he rushed in.
"Huh...so this is how Six feels...I owe him a big apology…" Rex muttered in relaziation.
Grease roared as he punched the robot, each time his hits...seeming to push it back a little more. He roared as he punched again...denting it.
"Wh-what?" Asroc asked in shock.
"HA!" Grease roared, punching again as his helmet's eyes lit up, "HA!" another punch dented it in further, "Ah...I can feel the blood pumping...the adrenaline...my heart is on fire...it's time for the festival to begin!-!-!" he punched as his fist tore through the robot's entire body, "The fire of my soul will burn you down! Come on! Don't you got anything that will satisfy me?! I am Kamen Rider Grease! I won't stop till I've had my fill and kicked ass!"
"Y-you got stronger...how?" Asroc asked.
"Because…" Grease gripped his hand tightly, picturing something held within them, "I'm fighting for people who can't fight for themselves! I don't care how much pain I endure! I'm the man who keeps fighting till his last breath! What can you hope to understand of a soldier like me!? You fight to hurt...I fight to protect! You can never understand the power that gives me to get back up after any ass kicking!"
"...hm…" Asroc began to frown at that, moving his hands as Gallete Krone gto behind him, "I used to be an optimistic fool like you...I had a mother and young siblings I wanted to protect at one point...but because of my Septima…" he continued as he began to scowl, the wall beginning to open up behind him, "Because of humanity...they took them from me...so I will burn humanity until there is nothing remaining!"
"What's happening…" Rex whispered as the walls opened up, revealing a massive mech colored in the same colors as Asroc.
"My masterpiece recreated...Gran Torta," Asroc stated as Gelle Kron opened up its stomach, letting him hop in as it began to float up to an opening near the mech's head, =Originally it was destroyed by the Adept Hunter Copen, but I was able recreate it...so I can exact my revenge on humanity=
"Why does everyone go to the same conclusion…" Grease spoke, "Lots of people are bad...even evil...but that doesn't make everyone the problem. I know how bad it hurts...to see the people you cared for...to see them die...to lose them even when you swore to protect them. But...I know who to hate...I hate the ones who made the events that led to their deaths...and him alone...but I am still a protector...that's what this armor is meant for. And I can't betray the trust of the guy who made it...and beat me fair and square...so I'm going to take you down!" he shouted as he rushed forward again.
"Kazumi, wait!" Rex shouted.
=Glazer Laser!= Asroc shouted as Gran Torta's chest lightened up, unleashing a massive beam at the Rider.
"Gah!" he cried as the blast enveloped him, Rex flinching from the flash as it blinded him for a moment.
=Your foolish sentiment amounts to nothing in the end…= Asroc spoke as the light died down, =Hm?= he blinked as Grease still stood his ground with his arms raised up.
"If you think that much pain will put me down...think again!" Grease grunted.
"...so much determination…" Rex whispered in awe, "...wait..oi, amigo!" he shouted, getting Grease's attention, "I think I know how we can beat this guy."
"Hmm?"
"We just gotta aim for that core and head," Rex explained, pointing to the core Asroc was in and Gran Torta's head before bringing out his cannon, "I'll give ya a boost, and you go in for the finisher!"
"Right…" he nodded.
=Time to complete the main course= Asroc stated as Gran Torta began to prepare its laser attack again.
"Sorry…" Rex began as Grease hopped onto the front of his cannon, "We'd rather skip to dessert, and today's specialty..." he began as Grease pushed down the lever of his Driver.
=SCRAP FINISH!=
"Is a nice Greasy churro with Jelly!" Rex shouted as he launched Grease at the giant robot.
=Ce que le?!= Asroc exclaimed in surprise just as Gran Torta unleashed its laser.
"HA!" Grease roared as his shoulder armor twisted and the jets activated, with his leg extended out, golden liquid energy formed around his leg as it formed around him the energy blocking the laser as Grease seemed to cut through the energy beam, he roared as his kick struck the chest of Gran Torta...it struggled for a moment before his shoulder thrusters let out a larger burst of energy as he tore through robots chest.
=GH!?= Asroc tensed as the giant robot began to spark =T-too hot...am I…= various explosions began to go off on the robot as it began to glow in a bright heat =Being roasted?! Non….NON!= he screamed as Gran Torta exploded.
"Woah!" Rex yelped as he was nearly sent flying back by the resulting shockwave from the explosion.
Grease flipped through the air as he landed near Rex, steam coming off his body as he panted a bit.
"Mmm…" Grease grunted, "My insides are steaming…" he fell over.
"Least...we beat him," Rex grunted as he helped him up, carrying his arm over his shoulder, "Still….I honestly feel sorry for him…"
"It's what happens when other people become the bad guys…" Grease sighed as his armor faded away, "Someone always gets hurt…" he frowned, "The least we can do for the people who suffer from these conflicts, is take down the one who set this into motion."
"Agreed," Rex said as he began to walk off, carrying Kazumi as they began to look for the exit.
Noel panted heavily as she hid behind a pillar, bits of sweat coming off her as her outfit sported a few cuts. She tried to look for an opening in Desna's attacks, but...everytime she shot at the Adept user, her shots were blocked by her hair acting as a shield.
"There has to be a way around it…" Noel whispered to herself, about to move before she felt something moving behind her, "?!"
"Grunge Wave." Desna's voice spoke before the 'pillar' Noel was hiding transformed into a large drill made of hair, prompting her to quickly roll away as it began to spin wildly.
"Okay...I don't think Hair can do that...so is there any kind of rule for this...or is it just borderline magic!" Noel complained as she flipped away further for more distance from her enemy. Once she landed she aimed and began shooting forcing Desna back on the defensive, "I really have to ask cause frankly Gunvolt at least it sounds like a sciency thing...this...well...this is just kinda silly…"
"When it comes to Septima, the bounds of what is possible and what isn't is thrown out the window," Desna countered, using her hair tassels to block each shot fired at her.
"Oh...you don't know either do you…" Noel muttered.
"...admittedly no…" Desna admitted before blocking another shot.
"Well guess that makes this conversation somewhat moot doesn't it?" Noel muttered.
"Somewhat…"
"...I don't understand though," Noel spoke as she quickly dodged a 'drill' shooting out the ground she was standing on, "Compared to...well who you work with, you don't' seem all that..violent. Why even work with Eden?"
"...because the stars told me to help guide oppressed Adepts," Desna admitted, looking up at the 'night sky' above them, "I belonged to a wealthy family in my home land of Russia, and I was adored for my abilities to read the stars...but one day, a riot led by an Adept broke out, causing my family to lock me within my own home...but one day the stars spoke to me,, giving me my destiny...I ran from my home to travel the lands, guiding lost and oppressed people...and they all saw me as a goddess."
"Then why join Eden?"
"A dream," Desna answered as she looked back at Noel, "While I was sleeping in a stable, I got a message within the realm of dreams, telling me to join the Adept union of Eden to save my fellow Adepts…"
"But why do you need to hurt innocent people?" Noel asked, "And don't give me some excuse like your dream or your boss said so. If you really wanted to help, you could have done it a dozen different ways, and no one would need to get hurt."
"...if only it were that easy," Desna sighed, "This world..is too tainted to be saved...and Zonda….you have no idea how strong she truly is."
"...what do you mean?"
"Simple…" Desna spoke as she held her arms out, "Shoot me…"
"?!"
"Do you want your answer or not?"
"But…" Noel began before one of Desna's tassels jabbed into her, making her eyes widened and yet….there wasn't' any blood. In fact...the part she stabbed herself in practically shattered like glass, "?!"
"Desna...the real me is dead," Desna explained as her tassel moved away from the now opened wound, "The me you see before you is a mirror copy, created by Zonda's Septima...I share her powers and memories, same for the other members of the Seven your friends have faced. Even the Zonda you all saw before hand...was a clone."
"...then...that means…" Noel began in realization.
"The real Zonda is within her sanctuary in the center of Eden's HQ," Desna finished, "Even if I could go against her...she could end my life before I could even protest against her will."
"But...then…"
"Yes...if you want to pass and find your allies...you must kill me," Desna explained as she closed her eyes, "This...is the end of my destiny, as told by the stars…"
"...No...no. I...I can't…" Noel whispered, shaking her head as she shook a bit, "That's just...too cruel…!"
"You must…" Desna stated with a sigh, "It is part of your destiny as well…this is part of the pain I foresaw in your future, so you must accept it regardless."
"..."
"...then I'll have to force you," Desna frowned as a yellow aura began to surround her, "Endlessly branching golden locks, with the girl's life shining bright,...hall become a tower to pierce the heavens! ENTANGLED STRANDS!"
With that, Desna's hair shot out, practically covering the entire room as a tornado of hair began to surround her and Noel. A pair of hands made of hair shot out the floor, grabbing onto Noel's legs to prevent her from running.
"?!" Noel's eyes widened at this as she tried to free herself, only for another hand to grab her midsection, wrapping around her as she was bound in place by the hair.
"You must make a choice, Noel Vermillion! Kill me…" Desna began, the tornado around them getting more wild and violent as she began to form a drill of hair before her, "Or die…"
Noel said nothing as she shook, her hands shaking as she struggled to hold onto Bolverk. Desna was right...if she didn't kill her, she'd die right there and yet...she barely showed any ill intent. Even during the fight...her blows weren't fatal to her or anything. And learning that she wasn't the original, but a clone that didn't have any choice...no choice or even defy the person who made her...it was just too cruel. It was as if she had been brought back from the dead to be used as a puppet to block the heroes from advancing.
"...fine...then feel the stars lam-" Desna began.
*BANG!*
"..." Desna said nothing as she floated in the air, pieces of her falling to the ground as a sizable hole was seen within her forehead. She then looked down at Noel, who gave a shaky breath as the barrels of her guns were smoking, "..."
"I...I'm so sorry…" Noel whispered, tears trailing down her cheeks as she let Bolverk drop to the ground, the hair surrounding them beginning to fade as more cracks began to appear on Desna.
"...do not be...this is the fate I...the fate Desna accepts," Desna whispered, giving a soft smile as a faint light began to glow from the cracks on her, "...hm...I just had another prophecy…: she whispered as she looked up at the 'sky', one of her eyes beginning to fall apart, "An indigo destiny...between the Azure Dragon who fights for love...and the Crimson Tiger whose revenge is faltering, shall combine to defeat the corrupt angel...all while a new muse sings…"
"..."
"...do not cry for me…" Desna said as her body began to fall apart, "Now...I can truly be with my family...dasvidaniya...Noel Vermillion…"
"GH…" Noel sniffled, the tears never leaving her face as the last of Desna faded away, along with the 'night sky' above as it showed a nearby doorway. She then wiped the tears away from her eyes, taking a deep breath as she stood up. This world is truly a cruel place...but she had to go help her friends, otherwise...Zonda will harm innocent people...manipulate others under the guise of love.
"GH!" Ben grunted as he shot up.
"Not so loud…" Gunvolt grunted as he sat up, the two getting up as the former rubbed his head.
"Okay...that...was easily one of the biggest explosions I've ever caused...on purpose…" Ben muttered.
"Ohh~" Joule groaned as she dizzily floated near Gunvolt.
"...ok. Never doing that again…" Gunvolt muttered, "Your form using my Septima's electricity must've been too much for either of us to handle…"
"Hey...at least we beat Zonda," Ben argued with a chuckle as the dust began to settle.
"...No. That honestly felt...too easy," Skurd admitted.
"Really?" Ben complained.
"Shh boy! Listen to the wise ones, like me and Mr. Volt," Skurd cut him off, "Think, if this lady...man...thing...this thing had so much power...and mirror themed at that, who's to say she can't make a duplicate with almost similar powers? You!" he pointed to Gunvolt, "Didn't you say someone you bested already came back?" he pointed out, making his eyes go wide.
"...A mirror copy," Gunvolt realized.
"Aw~ Man!" Ben groaned, "We were getting our butts whooped by a copy?!"
"He tries really hard not to curse." Skurd explained to Gunvolt, "Mostly from being a hero."
"Noted…" Gunvolt muttered, "...still, if Zonda is capable of this much…" he paused as he looked away, "...we better be careful. The real one…"
"Might be up ahead," the two turned to see Acura walking towards them, "I overheard your talk...did not expect Zonda to be this powerful when I first fought them in the past."
"...let me guess, your younger self?" Gunvolt guessed as he looked at Acura.
=We hit him with a REALLY heavy truth bomb= Rora explained.
"Eh?" Joule blinked at that.
"What he'll do with it...we'll see," Acura stated as he began to walk ahead, "Come...most likely the others are waiting up ahead...and most likely the real Zonda."
"Should we look for the others?" Ben asked, "Me and GV struggled that hard with a copy, and I'm sure we're among the heavier hitters if we're being generous."
"Given that explosion...it's a fair point." Acura muttered.
"He's not wrong, numbers could favor us." Gunvolt added, "All these fights were hard on my own, but together we might stand a greater chance."
"Also Ben is deathly worried and missing his significant other half…" Skurd bluntly spoke up.
"Admittedly, I am and I will beat the ever living snot out of Zonda if they did anything to my squirrely gal," Ben admitted.
"That...That is some seriously dedicated love," Joule blinked.
"Yeah, w-" Ben began before blinking...and slowly looked at Joule, "...wait. A…"
"We'll say it's because of my Septima and your earlier form," Gunvolt muttered.
"...It saves us a headache," Ben muttered as the trio was about to take a step..before a mirror suddenly engulfed them, "?!"
"?!" Gunvolt and Acura tensed as they and Ben were suddenly dropped off within the inner sanctum of Eden HQ.
"What just…" Ben began before more mirrors appeared, dropping off Makoto and the others as they dropped onto the ground.
"Oh now what?!" Naoto complained before he quickly noticed the others, "Ah! Guys!"
"What on Earth just happened…?" Mai whispered to herself.
"I think those mirrors appeared and dropped us off….somewhere," Sari muttered as she looked around.
"Saves us in searching for you guys," Makoto admitted, "...But it also means someone brought us all together for a reason."
"Correct," a new voice spoek up, making the group look at the center of the room.
Standing up from a prayer position was a young girl, seemingly no older than 11 years old. She had long, cream white hair with pink highlights with curls, her dark pink eyes showing a rather..calm expression within them. She wore a smart, sleeveless black and white double breasted dress with magenta tights and black shoes with gold buckles. She also had a black bow tied around her head.
"...Zonda," Gunvolt frowned.
"Wait...That's the real Zonda?" Ben blinked in surprise.
"Eden's leader...is a kid?" Makoto blinked, "...wait. Real Zonda?"
"The one me and GV were facing was a copy," Ben explained.
"And the Seven we fought...were copies as well," Noel whispered, looking down sadly for a moment.
"We were struggling against copies?!" Rex gawked.
"I thought I felt something amiss when I was battling Teseo," Build whispered with a frown behind his helmet.
"I didn't think my copies would be up to your standards…" Zonda admitted with a calm smile, "But..you all have proven yourselves exceptionally worthy of taking the Seven's place, and Gunvolt...other Copen, I am glad the both of you are here."
"?" Acura raised a brow at that before Rora nudged him, making him look behind Zonda as he noticed a younger girl floating within a green sphere in the center of the room, "?!"
"GV...That girl…" Joule began, earning Gunvolt's attention as he took notice of the young girl imprisoned within the sphere, "Isn't she the one Copen is after? ...Wait...this sensation..."
"I would've waited for the real Copen to arrive, but...thanks to you and your friends, GV...I can use young Mytyl here…" Zonda began as she looked up at the unconscious Mytel, "...To tear the power of the Muse from your bodies."
"Wh-" Joule began before she began to phase out, "Ah...AHHH!"
"Joule!" Gunvotl gasped.
=Acura-kun...something's...wr-bzzt!-wrong…!= Rora grunted in pain, flashing between colors as her optics struggled to stay on.
=NGHG~! B...boss…!= Lola grunted in pain, earning Copen's attention as he stood within the halls of Eden HQ, =S...something's..pulling the shards away from me…!=
"What?" Copen whispered, ruminating on that information for a moment before it dawned on him, "...Zonda…she wanted this to happen."
=Wh...wh...AHH~!= Lola cried out as shards of light flew out of her and shot off into the distance.
=E...e...rro...can't...keep…!= Rora began before different colored spheres of light flew out of her, causing her optics to go black as she floated there =Please insert commands…=
"?! Rora...Rora!" Acura called out before glaring at Zonda.
"Hmm...interesting…" Zonda whispered, looking at the spheres floating around her before the shards that came from Lola began to go near her, "The Adepts who's power you stole here...they gave their very lifeforce to fight you...such powerful Septima as well…"
"Mmm...What was that?" Noel mumbled, a hand to her head.
"Aching…" Lambda mumbled, holding a hand to her head as well.
"Noellie? La-chan?" Makoto spoke, the group looking at the two in concern.
"Oi! What are you doing to them?!" Kazumi snapped as he glared at Zonda, "Stop it, gaki!"
"It was not my intention, but...I feel something...strong within them as well," Zonda noted, "A powerful force….hm hm...Oh, what a wonderful gift you all have brought for me."
"G...GV…" Joule panted, almost practically vanishing from view as Gunvolt looked at her in concern, "You...can beat her..without me…"
"But...Joule…"
"My song...will be with you…" was all Joule said before she became several shards of light that floated towards Zonda.
"Now…" Zonda began, moving her hand to the sphere containing Mytyl as the shards and spheres of light began to float around it, "Let me show you...What this young girl is truly capable of…"
"It...it hurts…" Lambda whispered as she and Noel fell to their knees.
"St...stop it…" Noel winced as she held her head with both hands.
"Seriously, what's going on with them?" Sari asked in worry before the room began to darken, making the group quickly turn to look at Zonda, who was now covered in a dark pink aura as Mytel was lying on the ground.
"Ah….such amazing power…" Zonda whispered, hugging herself as the aura began to turn brighter, "My new power...it's overflowing...so amazing~!" she gasped out as she began to float up.
"Oh that can't be good," Ben whispered before a bright flash of light went off, causing the group to shield their eyes. As they opened their eyes..they noticed the room was now dark wit various mirrors floating around the area...with a now transformed Zonda floating above them.
Her hair had become a vivid pink and elongated to the point it was able to spiral above her head, forming a 'bouquet' of 'roses' made from her hair. Her outfit had been replaced with a white leotard that exposed her navel with a piece of black armor on the center of her chest. More black armor coated her upper arms from the shoulder to just past the elbows where it was replaced with bulky white gauntlets with claws over her fingers. Black leggings covered her legs with glowing pink gems on the upper part of the leggings while the rest were engulfed in white armor resembling spikes with black blades emerging at the tips and pink gems making a sinister 'face' on both legs on the white 'spikes.' The whites of her eyes bled into black as her irises had become a glowing pink. Black fabric donned her head, shaped into a pair of rabbit ears and two long tassels, the underside of the fabric a bright pink that seemed to glow. Large gold guard floated inches off her hips with a pink gem in the center of both, all connected to two large white armored skirts with black armor and pink detailing. Two long white tassels emerged from the back ends of the skits, ending in black spikes. Finally, four large pink hearts made of energy floated behind her, making her look like a humanoid white butterfly of sorts.
"Fusing with the power of two Muses has amplified my power by not a hundredfold...but more than that…" Zonda whispered, her voice echoing throughout the area as she floated high above the group, "With Reverie Mirror...I can fill not just our world with love, Gunvolt….but I can tap into other worlds...and fill them with my love as well."
"Tch…" Gunvolt growled out, shaking as he aimed his gun at Zonda, "Give her back!"
"Hm...this is not like with Nova, Gunvolt...your voice can no longer reach her," Zonda chuckled, "Your loving words can't reach her...she is now part of me forever more, along with the love of my friends that gave their lives...along with my former comrades of Sumeragi, and…" she paused as she looked at a glaring Acura, "The power of the other Sumeragi form his timeline…" she then looked back at Ben and the others, "And I meant what I said...about you being replacements for the Seven...their wills will live on inside you all...if you accept my love and join me in my conquest to fill the multiverse with it…"
"...Sorry, but like I told your copy...my answer is still no," Build spoke.
"...What makes you think you now have a choice?" Zonda countered as she lifted her hand up, causing energy constructs in the shape of tarot cards to appear before her, "All I need to do is weaken you further...then I can cleanse your minds…and fill them with my love."
"You can't handle my mind," Build countered, "I am the greatest genius alive, my greatness is unmatched when it comes to the power of the brain! I'm amazing~!" he laughed as Ryuga grabbed his head, "Eh, you'll be fine. She can't handle yours."
"Then please...try and beat me if you can," Zonda challenged as she threw her hand out, causing the cars to shoot out at the group. She then vanished from sight just as Build got behind her, making him miss his kick as she appeared further away, taking on a blue color as a large group of energy swords floated above her, aiming down at the group, "Gladus...Caelum."
"Gh…" Build blurred away as he stopped next to his friends, he held his arms up a bright blue flash went off as suddenly a giant wall of diamonds protected them.
"Yeah...This form can do a lot…" Ryuga explained as Build vanished in a burst of speed again.
"Hmph," Zonda scoffed as she vanished once more, making Build miss again as she reappeared nearby, now a yellow color as she was surrounded by a diamond-shaped barrier, "Obis Animus...and…" she paused as she vanished once again, making Build miss as she appeared above them, now a dark green and black as she tossed out a dark green and black card to opposite ends of the room, "Cactus Hastas...Nero."
"?!" Ben tensed as he quickly activated the Omnitrix, turning into Diamondhead as he created twin walls of diamonds to block the twin large dark-green and black drills that tried to crash into the group, only for the walls to shatter like glass, prompting him and the others to quickly roll out of the way as he grabbed Lambda and Noel before they could get hit.
"This is impossible...she's got so many abilities…" Build skid to a halt, "Even Genius is having trouble keeping up…"
"Tch...I should've seen this coming," Acura whispered with a frown, keeping Rora close.
"H...how...how can we win…?" Gunvolt whispered, looking at his hands as he panted, "I...I can't fight without Joule…"
"There has to be something we can do," Naoto whispered.
"Who's Joule again?" Ryuga whispered to Diamondhead.
"A tiny fairy girl only he and, for a little bit, I could see," Diamondhead whispered, "She got turned into those shards and said her song would be with GV."
"Ah," Ryuga nodded...before smacking GV upside the head, "BAKA!"
"!? Wh…" Gunvolt began.
"Saying you can't fight without her...But she is with you!" Ryuga barked, "She said her song is with you, didn't she? Then that means you still have her with you!"
"But…"
"He's right…" Acura spoke up, earning Gunvotl's attention as he stepped forward, "A piece of her power should still be deep inside you...you need to try and tap into it…we'll keep her distracted while you do."
"Wh...what do you mean?"
"Most likely, she has the ability to heal herself," Acura stated, glaring at Zonda as she dodged another hit from Build, "I can try and damage her long enough to give you all an opening to attack."
"Uh...newsflash! She's practically a god right now!" Makoto argued, "How are you…"
"A power I prayed I wouldn't use...one that might cost me my life," Acura stated as he stepped forward, "...Rora, if you can hear me...initiate Darkness Trigger."
"Darkness what?" the group minus Noel and Lambda repeated.
=Warning...if used, there is a 95% chance you will not survive…=
"...Wait. You're not gonna…!" Rex began.
"I don't know if I'll be able to return to my world, so...I may as well give you all the chance to save yours," Acura stated as Rora floated up, "Rora...I know it will hurt, but...if Zonda is let loose, then we might face an even worse future...again, initiate Darkness Trigger."
=...Affer...mative…= Rora whispered, sparking as she began to take on a pale-dark purple and grey color, pale purple flames coming off of her as a faint image of her appeared, her armor inverted in placements aside from two bits cupping her chest as it turned pitch black and dull gold while her six wings turned into two large pitch-black bits of armor billowing out purple flames while her hair had turned a pale purple and resembled flames; in short, she had changed from a phoenix motif into a dark dragon motif =DARKNESS TRIGGER!=
Acura grunted as his armor began to glow in the same colors as Rora, the dark flames coming off him as he gripped his gun tightly. Music started to come out of Rora...before she began to start singing, her ringed purple eyes shining as they locked on Zonda. Before anyone could say anything...he suddenly vanished as a blur, the resulting gust nearly knocking the others over as he crashed into Zonda's barrier, nearly cracking it from the impact alone.
"?! What…" Zonda began as Acura jumped off her barrier, firing a few dark purple shots as each laser shattered a piece of her barrier. Before she could teleport, Acura shot past Zonda, who cried out as sparks appeared on her armor for a moment as she tried to send out the energy swords at him..only for him to shatter them with each laser shot.
"Holy…!" Mai gawked.
"He's making her look like a chump!" Sari added.
"...Something's not right," Gentoku frowned, "Rora said he'd most likely won't survive if he used it…it can only mean one thing..."
"...It's burning away his life," Build realized as he stopped next to the others once more.
"He's giving us a chance to get a big enough blow that'll take her down," Rex frowned, gritting his teeth as he glared at Zonda, "He's willing to stake his life on the line for that and like hell I'm letting that kinda effort go to waste. Ben, care to help me suit up?"
"...With pleasure," Diamondhead nodded, tapping the Omnitrix symbol as he was replaced with Upgrade =Skurd, get ready for a lot of mixing up those DNA samples=
"Oh-hoo-hoo," Skurd chuckled, rubbing two tentacles together like hands, "I have an idea of what you're both doing and I relish it."
With that, Upgrade jumped onto Rex, melding over his body until forming a pitch black jumpsuit with a white center sporting the Omnitrix with a gear design around it while Skurd nestled in the center of the emblem. Rex lowered his goggles over his eyes before Upgrade upgraded them as well, engulfing his head in a stylized masked helmet with the goggles acting as 'bug eyes' all while glowing green circuit lines shined on his body.
"Wait...What did he just…?" Naoto began.
=Makoto...you and the others stand back= both Upgrade and Rex's voice spoke up =Sento...you and your fellow Riders good enough to help?=
"...One hit, and we should be able to finish her," Build nodded as he walked up next to him.
"Good..I think I got enough for one more anyways…" Ryuga grunted as he, Kazumi, and Gentoku walked up, pulling their Drivers out once more and loaded them with their respective Bottles.
"That brat's gonna pay for what she's doing to Noel-tan…!" Kazumi growled.
"Let's put an end to this cult," Gentoku frowned as the three pulled their respective levers on their Drivers.
=WAKE UP BURNING! GET CROSS-Z DRAGON!=
=ROBOT IN GREASE!=
=CROCODILE IN ROUGE!=
"Gh….This...What is this?" Zonda grunted as Acura shot past her once more, causing more sparks to come off her chest.
=ALL GENIUS/DRAGONIC/SCRAP FINISH!=
=GALACTIC FINISH!= a robotic version of Skurd's voice called out from the Omnitrix.
"?!" Zonda turned as she looked at the four Riders and the combined Upgrade/Rex jumping right towards her, their legs stretched out as energy formed around them, "..."
"Get him, guys! Y-" Makoto began before her ears twitched, "Eh?"
"Let the Song of Diva ring and may it offer this lonesome warrior...at least the sweet release in death…"
"...?!" Gunvolt's eyes began to widen in realization, "STOP! She's going to…!"
"Paradise Lost…" Zonda whispered as her wings became pointed and pitch black while her wounds vanished. Just as Upgrade Rex and the Riders got near her...they suddenly phased right through her as their attacks crashed into the currently berserk Acura, making him grunt out in pain as a large explosion rocked the area.
"Gh!" Acura grunted as he was sent flying back...now missing his lower legs and right arm as sparks came off his exposed wounds, the right side of his face missing and showing the robotic eye.
"What j-" Cross-Z began before he and the others suddenly found themselves forced onto the ground, "GH!"
"It was a nice attempt...but it's no use…" Zonda stated as the group struggled to get back up, "Paradise Lost...protects me from all forms of attack while my song renders both your bodies...and minds."
"Gh...What's...happening…?" Sari whispered, holding her head as her eyes began to flash between their normal color and a dark pink, "My..my head…"
"My mind….starting..to go…" Mai whispered.
"I...can't think...I...who do I...love again…?" Makoto whispered.
"So her power is so strong she can do things…" Build grunted.
"Uh…" Cross-Z muttered, "I feel fine…"
"You're part Blood Clan…" Build realized.
"This again!?" Cross-Z snapped, glaring at Build.
"Idiot...you're part alien...an alien race that travels the multiverse...your brain is, like literally, alien to her!" he snapped.
"Are you calling me an idiot again?!" Cross-Z demanded.
=He means...you're immune...idiot…!= Skurd grunted.
"Yeah, well what can I do with that?!" Cross-Z complained, "Sento is the one who can take her powers away...we'd need to do...that again." he shivered.
=That?= Upgrade asked.
"Th-that?!"
"Fusion!" Grease shouted.
"Whatever you are planning...it is no use," Zonda stated, the force keeping the group down increasing as they were pressed down further, "The only thing that can harm me is the Muse's song...and you no longer have it…"
"Banjou!" Build complained.
"No way! I am not sharing a body with you again!" Cross-Z snapped, "It's creepy!"
"Oh get over yourself and do the thing already!" Build barked.
"Tch…"
"...Joule...w-" Gunvolt began, a look of worry and sadness on his face before a punch snapped him out of it, "?!"
"Pathetic…"
"...Copen," Gunvolt whispered as he looked over, seeing Copen glaring at him.
"You've become to reliant on the Muse's power...and yet you don't realize what you're truly capable of," Copen frowned, grunting as he fell to a knee, "Look...at the idiot...he's immune and yet...he and his comrade...are going to do something to try and hurt her…"
"But…" Gunvolt muttered.
"Banjou, peoples lives are at stake! Swallow your stupid pride!" Build complained.
"Grrr...Fine! I'll do the stupid fusion form!" he grumbled, taking his Dragon bottle out of his belt as it turned from Blue to Silver.
"Was that so hard?" Build grunted as his Rabbit bottle changed from Red to Gold.
"...Joule's Song...it…" Gunvotl began before his eyes widened, recalling her last words, "...That's right...her song..is inside me...but..h-" he began before he felt a pair of hands on his shoulders, making him look to see Noel and Lambda at his sides, "..."
"The….song... " Noel whispered, her eyes an azure color.
"To protect...to unite…" Lambda whispered as her visor fell off.
"What a…" Gunvolt began before a faint light caught his attention, "?"
"Hmm?" Zonda raised a brow as she looked down, seeing Mytyl's body beginning to float up by a pair of energy wings that seemed to be a combination of Joule and Lola's wings, "...Wait...what…"
Twin trails of energy began to float towards Noel and Lambda, their eyes closing as the energy went inside them. A flash of light began to come off them, breaking the darkness that seemed to surround the area...much to Zonda's shock.
"...Could it be possible that…" Copen began in realization as Noel and Lambda began to float up, their eyes closed as a pair of azure butterfly wings appeared behind Noel while a pair of Crimson phoenix-wings appeared behind Lambda...and soon the two began to sing.
(Cue: Indigo Destiny Duet Version)
"The skies fall, there's a fuss, and, at a corner of the world…" Noel whispered as she began to sing, a pulse beginning to form in the others.
"A string silently weaves the indigo and is sewing life itself…" Lambda continued as a rainbow aura began to slowly engulf both Gunvolt and Copen.
"Their fates, which are being reborn as we speak…Will continue until the day that they decay and vanish…Even if I'm suffering and I can't see them now!" the two sang in unison as the aura began to appear on Cross-Z, Build, and Upgrade Rex.
"Woah! What the heck..?!" Rex exclaimed.
=Woah nelly~! What is this...this rush!?= Skurd exclaimed in excitement.
=Whoo! Feels like when I drank coffee when I was XLR8 when I was 10!= Upgrade added.
"This must be...the Muse's Song," Build whispered as he pulled himself up.
"It feels so...calming…" Cross-Z whispered.
"..." Gunvolt said nothing as he and Copen looked at one another...not as rivals or enemies...but as one person to another...as people who want to protect the world from evil.
"...You two," Copen spoke up, earning Cross-Z and Build's attention, "Hurry and use whatever it is you are planning. This is our shot to take Zonda down once and for all."
"Yoink," Build spoke, taking the Silver Dragon FullBottle as he held it and the Gold Rabbit FullBottle up to Genius, the three items flashing before merging together into a new item. It was a large black bottle with what looked like the left half of Build's and the right half of Cross-Z's masks merged together, "Build up!" he declared slotting it into his belt.
"Oh no not again…" Cross-Z complained as two sections holding their armors formed in front and behind them before Cross-Z sighed, slumped, and held up his arms, "Build up…"
With that the two sections suddenly slammed both Riders together. A flash went off as the new form looked like Build, with the same asymmetrical half and half theme. His right arm and left leg were covered in red armor resembling his RabbitRabbit form, but the springs now colored in gold, the left arm and right leg had Cross-Z blue armor with the flame patterns on his left arm now silver. Half of Cross-Z's armored shoulder went over his left shoulder, as the center of the conjoined chest plate had Build's gear symbol in the center. The mask was red on the left half with a golden rabbit optic, and blue on the right with a silver dragon optic, a part of Cross-Z's dragon head piece melded with a golden crest coming from the left half of the mask, the form also had a waist cape fluttering around his legs.
=Rabbit! Dragon! BE THE ONE! Cross-ZBuild! Yeahhh~! Yeahhh!=
"...Oh that's so cool~!" Makoto awed with stars in her eyes, "They pulled a W!"
"HA!" Cross-ZBuild shouted in both voices as he flew off into the sky.
"What?" Zonda gasped before she cried out when Cross-ZBuild kicked her back, causing her to stagger in the air, "?! I...I was harmed?!"
"Luxcalibur! LAUNCHER!"
"Wh-?!" Zonda began before she cried out, being slashed by Gunvolt's giant electric energy sword as it shot past her. She was about to move before Copen crashed into her, firing a few close range shots into her before he hopped off. A moment passed before an explosion went off, causing her to cry out as she was sent flying back, "I...Impossible…"
"Ha!" Cross-ZBuild roared as he rushed and punched Zonda again, blue fire coming off his left arm as he sent her flying back, "This does make things a lot easier…" he spoke mostly in Sento's voice as he floated in the air, "I still hate this!" Ryuga's voice took over, "Shut it, Banjou…" Cross-ZBuild turned his head so the rabbit side pointed forward, "Oh shove off, Sento! You know this feels weird as hell!" he turned his head so the dragon side pointed forward.
"Ah! He is like Kamen Rider W in this form!" Makoto beamed.
Cross-ZBuild suddenly flew to the side as Zonda got back into the air. He flew around in a large arc as he circled around, blue and silver fire forming around him before it took the form of a massive dragon. The dragon roared before it tackled Zonda, and began grinding her against a wall. Cross-ZBuild jumped out of the flames before snapping his right hand's fingers. He looked up and saw what looked to be a golden mechanical rabbit running along the opposite end of the wall. The rabbit began picking up speed as it turned into a golden streak and aimed to collide with Zonda and the Dragon.
*BOOM!*
"KYA!" Zonda screamed as she flew out of the explosion, sparks coming off her as she was missing pieces of her armor, "This...this is impossible...the Muse's song should…"
"OI, CHICA!" Zonda looked up to see Upgrade Rex above her...while aiming a plethora of rocket launchers and laser blasters at her, "Open wide!"
"?!" Zonda tensed, attempting to vanish before she was suddenly wrapped up in azure-electricity made chains, "GH?!"
"Voltic Chains...Roaring Thunderfall!" Gunvolt shouted as azure thunder crashed down on the leader of Eden, making her cry out as she was shocked by the blast until she was bombarded by the flurry of lasers and missiles from Upgrade Rex.
"Gh….Sa-" Zonda began.
"Greed Snatcher!" Copen shouted as he zipped by her, firing a few dark energy spheres at her wings, shattering them upon impact as she struggled to stay in the air.
"Wh...what is happening?!" Zonda gasped out, panting heavily as she was starting ot get nervous, "Our Utopia...our Paradise! It's fading...Th-This should be impossible! The Muse's power and I...we were one! We were compatible!"
"Maybe Zonda…" Gunvolt spoke as he floated up next to Copen, "But Joule...Copen's sister is still a person...not a thing for you to control."
"My sister...She would never want to help create the world you envisioned!" Copen added, "I see now...that there are good Adepts out there, willing to protect humanity...and your world...your so-called paradise will never come to fruition!"
"Your mistake was thinking we haven't fought things way stronger than us. We've done that more times than we can count!" Upgrade Rex declared.
"Any world where people aren't allowed to be themselves has no love!" Cross-ZBuild spoke, "Life is made up of those small little moments with the people you care about...that's the love I fight for!"
"No...what we fight for!" Copen and Gunvolt declared as their auras flared.
"...Hmm…" Acura smirked a bit at that, looking on at his younger self before began to fall unconscious.
"No...no...I...I've suffered so much...lost so many...I carry the hopes and dreams of all of Eden…" Zonda whispered, trying to reform her wings, "Heed me o fallen. Heed this love deep, pure and true...and return to us…!"
=Time for the finisher guys!= Upgrade declared.
"Time to end this!" Cross-ZBuild shouted, cranking his belt.
"Time to end this nightmare!" Gunvolt and Copen declared.
"E...EDEN'S PRESENCE!" Zonda declared as energy constructed versions of the Seven, along with other evil Adepts Gunvolt and Copen recognized, appeared and flew towards the four heroes.
"DO IT GUYS!"The others cheered on Gunvolt and the others as Noel and Lambda continued their song.
"HA!" Cross-ZBuild roared as silver and gold lines formed a double helix through the air and pushed the copies away before slamming into and trapping Zonda, the Fusion Rider aimed his leg forward as gold and silver flames formed around it.
=ARE YOU READY?!=
"HA!" Gunvolt and Copen roared as they shot forward, forming into a large energy Azure Dragon and energy Crimson Tiger as they began to combine into one.
=NOW ONCE MORE, GALACTIC FINISH~!= Skurd declared.
"HA!" Upgrade Rex shouted as they shot forward, jet turbines shooting him forward as he aimed his foot at Zonda, covered in emerald green energy that began to focus on his outstretched leg.
"GH...n...no…" Zonda whispered as she struggled to free herself, looking up as the finishers began to heard her way, "O...Our utopia...it's...falling apart...B...brother…forgive me...k...KYAAAAAAAAA!"
"Love and Peace Finish!" Cross-ZBuild shouted as the kicks connected, shooting right past Zonda as a clap of thunder could be heard.
Zonda just floated there, an empty look in her eyes as she looked up...soon she began to split down the middle, multiple cracks forming on her as the area around them began to crack. Within a matter of moments, she was soon engulfed in a massive explosion as the area shattered completely, the group once more back in Zonda's sanctuary within Eden HQ as the four heroes landed before the others.
Noel and Lambda gasped softly as they fell back to the floor, Kazumi and Gentoku quickly catching them before they could hit the floor. The two sighed in relief, seeing no injuries on them aside from what they had gotten in their fights.
"Ugh…" Upgrade Rex groaned as he fell over before a red flash went off and Ben was lying beside Rex, his Omnitrix's green swapped for red.
"Note to you both…" Skurd noted, looking more like a puddle on the Omnitrix than a booger, "...train."
"Ha! Weak," Cross-ZBuild laughed in Ryuga's voice as he floated down slowly, Gunvolt and Copen under his arms, "Shut up Banjou." he spoke in Sento's voice, "Don't tell me to shut up, I did the fusion thing you should thank me!" Ryuga complained, "Hmm...valid point...but we could have won faster if you weren't such a stubborn jackass…" Sento countered.
"At least...things a-" Mai began before she heard a whimper, "?"
"My….head…" Mytyl whispered, earning Copen and Gunvolt's attention.
"Mytyl!" Copen shouted, getting out of Cros-ZBuild's arm as he hurried over to her, "You..you're okay."
"...who…" Mytyl began as she opened her eyes, looking up at the relieved look on Copen's face, "...Who...are you?"
"?!"
"Amnesia?" Gunvolt whispered, "...No. It could be possible when she was forced to use her power...she ended up regaining Joule...so it might be possible…Copen. We need to get her to a hospital."
"But…"
"You don't want them to look her over incase they figure out she's an Adept," Cross-ZBuild noted in Build's voice.
"Dude...just do something smart here, will ya…?" Ben groaned.
"I am trying to," he replied as the place shook, "Mainly for the fact that the more we talk, the more likely we'll fall since the impact actually hit with enough force to break the support beams on the ground floor."
"Then we better hurry out of here!" Makoto shouted, running over and picking up Ben and Rex while Gentoku picked up the unconscious Acura and Rora .
"...After we drop Mytyl off at the hospital, you can use my place to recover until you're ready to leave," Copen offered, earning a look from Gunvolt, "...What? I'm tired, and I technically have a future self to repair. This is the logical option."
"..." GV nodded before a large chunk of the ceiling fell behind them all.
"Less talking, more escaping," Gentoku ordered, quickly turning into Rogue while picking up Lambda, "Everyone still able to stand, grab someone who can't."
"IKE!" Kazumi shouted, currently holding Noel as they all began to run out.
"I was about to say 'not you, creep'!" Rogue snapped.
"Less arguing, more running!"
"I can do both!" Rogue argued.
"Ahh~ ow ow ow…." Naoto winced as he sat down, the group back at their temporary home after resting at Copen's mansion for a few days...possibly a week, "Everything still hurts…"
"Oh don't be a baby," Sento spoke as he walked around, "Here." he pricked Naoto's arm with a needle.
"Ow! Stop p-" Naoto began before blinking, "...Hey...I don't feel anymore pain…"
"In layman's terms...I gave you a healing potion," Sento smirked.
"...Ya know what? I'm afraid to ask what you really gave me, so I'll just nod and accept that as an answer," Naoto muttered.
"Good…" Sento smiled, "That is a smart boy response." he smirked, "Ah right. While I have you, I finished up something for you." he pulled out a smartphone, "I've determined where you need to go."
"?!" Naoto's eyes widened at that, "S...seriously?"
"I keep telling you I'm amazing," Sento smiled, "It would seem whatever displaced you has a special energy signature. Right now it's pointing to the world…" he motioned to Ben, who was resting his head on Makoto's lap, "...The world those idiots come from. It seems something...or someone wants you to go to their dimension for some reason. I double checked the odd fluctuations in your dimensional biorhythm. It matches their world at the moment. It's why you keep going to random worlds; something happened to mess up the Dimensional map." he explained, "But the short of it is...just follow them for a while."
"...That simple, huh…" Naoto noted.
"Hey...we can give you a place to stay once we're back in our world," Ben offered from his resting spot, "Can help ya find whoever your looking for and...well could use more guys in the house."
"I'm sorry I can't drop you off where you belong as a side trip." Sento sighed, "But this is where you're needed to be it seems. Destiny lead you to them for a reason, so may as well crash on their couch for a while 'till you find who you're looking for."
"We need to replace that thing before you can," Makoto noted.
"So what do ya say? Wanna join the Omni Team?" Ben offered.
"...know what? After fighting alongside you guys on this crazy adventure...sure. I'll crash with ya," Naoto replied with a grin.
"Sweet. Welcome to the team for now, buddy," Ben replied.
"Just glad we're done with this place," Makoto spoke up, "But...kinda sad for GV. Sure J...er..Mytyl finally got a body and is living life as a normal girl, but...it means GV won't be able to see her as much anymore, living that whole loner style."
"Eh...I give it a week." Kazumi muttered.
"Two weeks…" Gentoku muttered while enjoying a cup of coffee.
"I give him four days…" Ryuga spoke up.
"Smart money is on the only guy in this room to have had a fruitful romantic relationship," Sento chimed in.
"Wonder what's gonna happen to Copen and….well, his future self?" Sari pondered.
"Well bluntly...there's two of them now." Sento spoke up, "We summoned him from A future...and now that branch of time is lost to him...so…"
"He cracked time travel theory too…" the other three Riders explained.
"...Pfft…" Skurd snorted a laugh, "Our good friend Gunvolt is in trouble. He now has to deal with two brothers in his attempts on courting the fair Mytyl."
"If they're anything like the defensive brother I know...I wish him luck." Sento smiled as Ryuga and Gentoku looked at Kazumi.
"Oh screw you all…" Kazumi frowned.
"Let's just pray the next world is somewhere relaxing," Rex groaned from his seat.
"Well I feel like I owe you all some form of treat after all this nonsense…" Sento spoke, typing into his phone, "Ah perfect. A branch world I can reach from here. This one should be perfect, a chance to relax...and cut loose on idiot pirates."
"Beg pardon?" Rook blinked at that.
"Did youse just say pirates?" Bobo asked.
"Fair warning to all men in the room besides me, the alien country boy and the simian...your nose shall bleed." Sento smiled while wagging his eyebrows.
"...eh?" the boys all blinked at that.
The sounds of footsteps echoed within the area as a lone figure ebgan walking up a set of golden stairs, snapping their fingers every few moments as they held what looked like a golden microphone. Once they reached the top of the platform, they began to step towards the middle, gripping the golden microphone with both hands...before the bottom began to spring to life as it began to mold into a long, pointed stick.
"Heh…" the figure smirked, swinging the microphone around before aiming downward at a spot on the platform, "Show...time."
SZ: Finally...this...world...ish….*plops onto the couch*Zzzzzzz….
Z0: *walks in and puts blanket on him* Well this world is done folks...but trust me...you will enjoy the next one. It shall be amazing. If you are still not getting the hint to what world...and let alone what event it's happening in…*pulls out straw hat and puts it on SZ's head while drawing a little scar under his eye in marker* Hang on…*walks off and drags in GT as he holds three swords with one in his mouth* Get it now? *motions to both of them while spray painting GT's hair green*
GT: I am really liking this. *closes one eye* Especially the green hair. My favorite color, too.
Z0: If you can't figure this out, you are most likely dangerously dense…
GT: Oi...Ah well, read and review, folks! *slashes the screen with the swords, destroying it* GAH! SONUVA! YOU GAVE ME THE REAL ENMA?!
Z0: Yeah...duh...It has to be accurate. Oh wait...right...whoopsie~ Good night everybody~!