Pronto's worry transformed into a prank war that raged for the better part of the week, with Trixie, Eli, and their slugs having to plan around every possibility from both sides.

One of thoseslugs was a green slug Eli had rescued after Billy tried to kill him in sheer terror. As they'd ridden back home, he took this time to get to know this unfortunate Darkened slug and his Slinger.

This is very strange. The Darkness inside isn't corrupting you so much as it… Loosening your restrictions. Both good and bad.*

That rang alarm bells in the minds of all members, both Slinger and Slug. Unfortunately, when Trixie blasted the self-identified Healer slug at Eli and Burpy so they could say they tried everything, nothing occurred.

During the rare downtime Kord's planning afforded him, Pronto saw a commercial for a weekend camp promising to teach anyone's slugs new and better moves in a few hours without lifting a finger. Making a silent, one-sided bet with Kord that his slugs could learn more moves and seeing the chance to relax, you can guess what happened next.

"I see we have a Shane in our midst. Good to see you, son."

"The pleasure's mine, 'father'."

"Hah! A Shane with a sense of humor, I love it! Hm, those are some mighty powerful slugs you and your Gang have. Any family secrets you can give away?"

And indeed, they were slightly Darkened and much stronger, despite not having left the Hideout and only having dueled Eli's.

"That's why they're called 'secrets', sir. What good are they if you let anyone know them?"

"I respect that, 'son'! Now, let me show you all what you're here for!"

In the end, it was a combination of Burpy's telepathy, Eli's leadership, and his skill with his new blaster that put Club Slug out of business and made Pronto the winner of the prank war and "bet".

As they return home, Kord tiredly asks, "Next time, Pronto, tell us before you think of doing anything close to this stupid with our gold."

Opening his mouth, his favorite slug, Stinky, interrupted and utterly tore into him for what he experienced in the Slug Club, Pronto clamping his hands on his nose and falling to the ground as his other slugs joined in. While Burpy and Eli were tempted to stop them, they could tell this was something they needed to get out. In the end, the bowing molenoid trembled as he apologized, promising to treat them more equally.

You'd fuckin' better, Mole. Otherwise, we'll stay with Eli, and you'll only ever handle us while Slinging.*

Standing, he nervously mounted his Mecha as they continued the ride back, slowly becoming more and moreconfident as they got closer, much to everyone's curiosity and the slug's happiness. Entering the Hideout, the first thing he did was gather his apologetic slugs outside and ask after they nuzzled his face.

"What do you like?"

"… If no one else will say it, then I will. Bro, you're nuts, you know that? You've only been riding that mecha of yours for a few months now, and you expect to survive… THAT?!"

With the last word, he grabbed Eli's head and forced him to inspect the race's map and the dangers he'd be facing.

"You'd be lucky to survive with only a limb or two missing, never mind your life!"

Glaring at Kord, Burpy forced him to nervously release his Slinger, who didn't look too bothered at the breaching of his personal space.

"Come on, Kord! It's a once-in-a-lifetime chance to grab a once-in-a-lifetime slug! Besides, it'll give me the chance to get more in touch with my mecha skills."

"I swear, the only thing you're going to get in touch with is the afterlife! I beg you, reconsider! Think about your slugs! Think ab-!"

LAY OFF HIM, KORD! I'm in full agreement, as are the rest of us!*

Eli's and Pronto's slugs squeaked and shouted in agreement, causing the rest of the Gang to rub their temples from the number of voices drumming in their heads before giving in.

On the day of the race, the entire gang came to support Eli as he and Burpy inspected the competition. When the 'No Slugging' rule was announced, Eli's slugs weren't too happy, with Burpy mumbling the most.

"Burpy, not everyone would have the same slugs. Even if they did, it's likely they wouldn't be at the same levels of experience for the race to be fair."

… I get it, I get it. That doesn't mean I have to like it, though.*

"Who knows? This track is dangerous, so maybe I'll need you guys eventually."

At that moment, a late-comer to the race showed up, riding a Darkened mecha horse and positively full of himself.

"There's the competition. And funded by Blakk, of all people. Now we've got to win!"

With the blast of a slug, the race was off. As Eli focused on racing, Pronto was rather amusedly focused on trash-talking another molenoid called Sedo. His slugs were pitching in their own sluggish insults, which Sedo quite literally brushed off. At a certain moment in the race, 'the competition' went off course, with Chiller gasping at the apparently insane racer.

What the fuck is he doing, Burpy?!*

I've given up ever trying to figure out humans apart from my Slinger, my friend!*

"He is the three-time champ… Screw it, let's go!"

When people say 'practice makes perfect/progress', they usually know what they're saying. In the Slug Run, they have to know what they're saying. Eli learned that the hard way, using Chiller to create a ramp to safety.

"You may be a hotshot, but you have got to teach me those moves!"

"Ask me after we're out of Shadow Clan territory, kid!"

When the Clan themselves stumbled upon them, they visibly recoiled in fright from Eli and his growling slug, fleeing in puffs of 'smoke'. The duo quickly shoved the event to the back burner, as there was still a race to win.

A couple of weeks after, Eli, while attempting to capture a Hoverbug, was also practicing some moves Bolt had taught him and trying out a new upgrade from Kord. Centimeters from grabbing the infuriating and playful thing, his mecha suddenly gained a power boost. He used the boost to grab it as the increased speed sent him and his terrified slugs straight into a canyon. The rest of the Gang's mechas rapidly followed, with Trixie's Attacknet saving their asses right when the mechas calmed just as quickly. The Hoverbug struggled in Eli's grasp and was about to bite him when Burpy hit her with a subduing mental pulse.

As the rest of the Gang hung around their home and Eli got Bugsy acquainted with the rest of his slugs, Kord came in with a befuddled and cautiously hopeful expression.

"Don't ask me how, but our upgrades were, upgraded!"

After a beat of silence, Eli replied.

"Uh, how's that possible? You said the Forge doesn't do more than one upgrade at a time, right?"

"Don't look at me, I'm not the one with the blueprints or advanced knowledge of these things. Something inside the Core must be amplifying the mechas' power. That means upgrading the frame to handle the increased power or adding more tech to reduce strain. Of course, I could do both, but that'll take months for all of them."

Before Pronto could open his mouth, his slugs spoke up, and he listened.

"The Great and Humble Pronto, having listened to his wonderful and-."

A trio of voices halted him in his tracks.

"PRONTO."

"All right, all right. The slugs suggest enforcing the exoskeletons and increasing the speed would help stabilize the Core, thus preventing this morning from ever happening again."

Trixie was appropriately skeptical, while Kord quickly dove back in after grabbing a meal replacement bar.

"And they would know this how?"

Eli, on the other hand, instantly understood.

"Their connection with Kord's slugs, of course. Whatever he knows, they'll learn, and vice versa."

As weeks passed, the news was bombarded by reports of people's mechas malfunctioning, causing 24 deaths and driving people to take Blakk's Slugterran Express more and more, allowing it to expand.

"… Damn it."

"What happened, Kord?"

"We should've gone to the Beast Forge. I suspect that everyone else's mechas were also upgraded, but they weren't able to handle it for whatever reason and we were the sole exception."

Pronto's and Kord's slugs were speechless before they horribly cried, gathering together and comforting each other. Burpy hopped in and also comforted the leaders of each group, nuzzling them.

"We need to make sure no one else's mechas malfunctions. Kord, lead the way."

As expected, the new overseer, Darius Yorman, was denying everything inside out and upside down, while also presenting convincing proof they had nothing to do with anything outside.

Well, convincing proof to anyone other than the Shane Gang, and while Pronto was still wanting that dessert, he was kept in line by his slugs, who easily convinced him to follow Eli in investigating the factory. Quickly finding the imprisoned Cave Trolls and freeing them, they led the charge to take back the Forge. Getting back to the other two members of the Shane Gang, they found them kicking ass and taking names, eyes literally aglow in determination. Trixie's eyes were starting to glow a darkened burned orange, Kord's eyes a vivid, slightly darkened red, and covertly inspecting Pronto's eyes revealed the start of black and purple...

"The same color as their favorite slugs…"

Turning as one to each other, they realized the same thing simultaneously.

Well-*

"Shit."