It was a nice, normal, festive night at the piers, the carnival was in and everybody was having their fun. Little did they know that just below a couple of crooks were making their getaway climbing down to a small rowboat as they carried down their loot. "Knocking over that yacht was a piece of cake!" One of the crooks quietly cackled to their partner. However, as they prepared their escape one of the robbers noticed activity under the water. Spotting some bumbles, they looked overboard. However, as they did so they noticed a small green light grow larger and larger, until suddenly, a hand leaped from the water, grabbing the man by the face before yanking him underwater, his partner none the wiser. Eventually pulling himself away from his haul the other crook noticed his partner's sudden absence. Looking around he soon spotted a beanie floating in the water, one just like his pal had been wearing. Before he had a chance to process this he felt a sudden pressure on the boat. Turning around cautiously he hoped to find his partner, only for the blood to drain from their face as they saw the sea monster sitting in their boat, a mermaid more mer than maid, a fish woman with pale grey scales, large green fins, a long blue tail, and a green lure on their forehead, with razor sharp claws and teeth visible as they shot the crook a predatory grin. In a panic, the crook stumbled out of the boat and clambered up the ladder, not daring to look back at the beast. They raced through the fair, yelling their head off as they attracted the attention of passersby. After making a fair enough distance they stopped to catch their breath and finally looked around for the beast. Only as they did so the beast leaped from the water, landing on the dock as their tail turned to a loin cloth as they approached the crook. Fearing for his life the crook backed away, only to find themselves backing into a hot dog cart. An Idea came to him, he went behind the cart and pushed it over, spilling gasoline across the area, as a loose wire fell in, lighting it ablaze. Almost immediately the sea monster fell to their knees as they were dried by the flames. "Gotta love an old-fashioned fish fry!" He cackled in relief. However, the fish wasn't fried just yet. They dug their claws into the dock, and with a heave they pried open the boards, allowing them to dive into the water below.

Down below Sublure catches her breath as she takes in the water. So caught up in the relief that she nearly forgot the thug above her. However, she was quickly snapped back to her senses as she heard the criminal chuckling from atop the docks. Baring her teeth with a snarl she leaped up towards the docks, breaking through the boards, and knocking the thug into one of the game stands.

Eventually, the cops came and began to cart off the thugs, Sublure staying around just to be safe. One of the officers whistles aloud as they look at the damage caused by Sublure and the thugs before they attempted their escape. "Man, we'll need to call in The RoadCrew for this."

"RoadCrew?" Sublure inquired.

"Oh, yeah. They're mechanic repair folk. Here." He replied as he handed her a card with contact information. Sublure was tempted to inquire more but was cut off by the sudden blinking of her Omnitrix.

"Bye!" She yelped as she ran in the fair, eventually detransforming once properly out of sight.

Gears of Fear

Eventually, Gwen managed to regroup with her family. She'd spend the night at the fair with them, enjoying the remaining festivities. Eventually, morning came and the family prepared to continue on their road trip, only they found that easier said than done. Verdona twisted and turned the RV's keys but no matter what the RV wouldn't start. "Blasted thing!" Verdona hissed in frustration, Ben shooting Gwen a taunting smirk as she desperately hid her face behind her LuckyGirl book.

"I didn't do anything this time!" Gwen pleaded, stifling a chuckle as Ben's smirk became only more taunting.

Verdona chuckled as she saw the display, "I know you didn't dear. Darn thing is just an old girl, finally catching up with age I suppose."

Gwen thought for a minute before remembering the previous night. "Oh! I have an idea!" She cheered as she pulled out the card from the previous night.

"Road Crew huh?" Verdona inquired as she scanned the card.

"Yeah, apparently they're mechanics from around here. They were being called to work on the fair, might still be near."

"Hm… well, I suppose it's worth a shot. Good thinking dear."

Gwen beamed at the praise, a refresher from the humbling she'd experienced the past few weeks. However, as she was distracted she felt a sudden ticklish sensation on her hand. She looked down and, "EEEKK!" she shrieked as she spotted a spider on her. She waved her hand wildly while muttering "Ew Ew Ew!"

Ben snickered at the display, "Seriously? You've thrashed a guy with a giant spider head before, and you're scared of this little guy?" Ben questioned incredulously as he lifted the bug in his palm.

The creepiness of human-animal mash-ups kinda canceled out my arachnophobia." Gwen explained, still cringing as she saw her cousin hold the spider. Ben snickered but after a quick glare from his grandma eased up and dropped the spider out the window.

A large red tow truck pulled up, "Greetings!" A burly voice bellowed as a large red-headed man exited. He had an unkempt mustache, and wore a white shirt with blue jeans and a blue denim vest, along with sunglasses and a trucker's hat. "Names Brandon, tho folks around here call me Brandon Highway." He greeted kindly as he tipped his hat to the family.

He then gestured to his cohorts behind him. "This here is our Miss Tubine." He called as A woman with long raven hair walked up. She wore blue shorts, a black shirt under a short white jacket tied at the ends, and green goggles. She carried over her shoulder a large purple tool bag, bursting at the schemes.

"And this here, hehe, well we just call him RoadRage." And approached came a thin and older-looking man. He had light brown balding hair, blue overalls, and a yellow flannel shirt concealing tattoos.

"Now what can we do you kind folks with!"

"Oh, we're just having some engine issues if you dears would be so kind."

"It'd be an honor mam." Baron replied as he walked to the front of the RV and lifted the hood, revealing a nest of spiders.

"EEEEEEK!" Gwen shrieked as she jumped back at the sight, only back into a wall with a spider on it. AAAHHHH!"

The Tennysons and the crew watch the display with simonatious awe and pity, watching as Gwen kept bumping into spiders. Eventually, Gwen ended up finding herself bumping into Brandon "Hehe, my my, some arachnophobia you got there missy." He chuckled well naturedly before scooping a spider on his finger, "But you know these critters mean no harm, they're friends!" He tried to explain, though his tone was a bit patronizing.

"Yeah, sure." Gwen side-eyed before approaching her grandma. "I think I'm gonna go for a walk, find somewhere less buggy." Gwen half chuckled, trying to somewhat contain her freak out. Understandingly, Verdona nodded. Taking the cue Gwen raced off, leaving her family with The Road Crew.

"Oh! Why does there have to be so many creepy crawly bugs!" Gwen bemoaned as she continued forward, not thinking much of where she was going. Eventually, she made enough distance that she felt comfortable stopping. Though as she did so she heard the sudden sound of smashed glass as pedestrians screamed. Curiosity taking hold Gwen peered around the corner and spotted a swarm of miniature robots scurrying around place, breaking into the shops and ripping bits and pieces out of cars."What the!" As she watched the rampage she suddenly felt something bump into her shoe. "Ghah!" She yelped as she saw one of the little robots scurry around, looking vaguely like a robotic ant. Looking at the bug-bot, then back at the swarm, to her watch, then gained a wicked grin, "stress relief."

The bugs continued amongst their business until suddenly a large foot slammed down on one of them, RicoShell standing proudly "All right bugbots! Ricoshell's gonna turn you into roadkill!" Peeling out, she drove over the bot-bug, many of the ones carrying tech dropping their supplies to assist the ones being attacked by Gwen. With a cathartic grin, Ricoshell rolled up and peeled out, trampling the bugs where they stood with a defining CRUNCH! Some bugs tried to attack from above but any attack Ricoshell only ended with them going the way of roadkill.

The RoadCrew finished their work on the engine and even took a crack at some of the inner apparatuses, Verdona watching from the doorway. Methodically they worked away, scanning the RV and occasionally giving each other looks. After examining the RV's underbelly and a quick review under the hood, the trio stepped back and clapped their hands satisfactorily. "Well, mam that looks to be it. Give us a second to review and we'll give you the bill." Brandon called politely as the crew stepped from the RV, Verdona following to check the RV over herself while Ben went back in.

"So boss, you saw what I saw, right?" Turbine whispered to Brandon.

"If what you saw was an RV that was more than meets the eye, hehe, then I say I do."

"Think we should take it to… them?" RoadRage inquired, his whispers becoming foreboding.

"Hm, yes I think they'll find it quite fascinating, but first we got to deal with the clients.

"Hunting the girl down would take too much time." Turbine noted, "Besides, we've earned enough PR to brush her off as a liar, but these two…"

"I'll handle the old lady." Brandon cut in. "You two can handle a snot-nosed brat. Oh and bring him with us, they might find a good use for him." Nodding, the two ran off back into the RV, while Brandon crept to Verdona, hands in his pocket. "Well mam, I must say, for a girl her age she's an impressive work." Brandon chuckled.

"You flatter." Verdona teased, her eyes not leaving the RV, "So how much do I owe?"

"Oh for you?" He slapped his hand on the back of her neck, causing her to scream in pain as her body began radiating with electricity, until he eventually moved his hand away, causing her to pass out. "Let's just say it's on the house."

"Alright whose next?" Ricoshell boasted as she uncurled, lording over the metal massacer she created.

[I believe that would be me] A hushed voice called from behind as a large shadow loomed over Ricoshell.

"Oh yeah, and who would you b–b-be?" Gwen responded, loosing her bluster as she bore witness to the behemoth. What she saw behind her was what she could best describe as a giant robotic spider. A rust-like green, the robotic arachnid had a large yet hollow body, gear, and engine visible inside, they had large and powerful legs as sharp as a spear, and their face was adorned with pincer-like clamps and large eye-like lights. "Sp-Sp-Spider." Ricoshell gasped as she tripped over her own two feet.

[I detected a disturbance in my swarm] the Robot explained. [Only to find second-rate Roly-Polyrunning amuck] They tisked as they raised one of their legs, aimed directly at RicoShell. [What a waste]

Fortunately, just before she could be finished off, the RV sped over, skidding to a stop nearby. Only, when Riccoshell saw into the RV it wasn't her grandma in the driver's seat. "Enough playing with you're food! We got a real appetizer for you!" Brandon called from the window, and just as he said that she saw her cousin leaning forward, visibly bound by ropes with a mask covering his mouth as he sat unconscious.

[Stay out of my way, I would hate to harm a specimen such as yourself] the robot hissed before batting Ricoshell away. The RV then sped away as the Robot Spider followed.

With a daze, Ricoshell stood, but as they looked around they found the RV and robot out of sight. Until suddenly she remembered "Grandma!"

Racing back to where the RV had been earlier parked Ricoshell came to a stop just as she transformed back. "Grandma?" Gwen called as she saw her grandma lying on the ground limply.

"Grandma!" Racing over, she witnessed Verdona groaning in pain, flinching every few circuits.

"Grandma? What's wrong with you?" Gwen asked as she sat Verdona up. As she did so she noticed a small circular chip on the back of her neck. Curiously, she peeled the chip off the back of her neck, leaving an electrical spark as it lifted shocking Gwen slightly and causing her to drop it. "Ow!" Gwen yelped before stepping on it determinedly.

"Uugh, G-Gwen?" Verdona awoke groggily, clutching her head. "Where-Where did everybody go?" she asked as she looked around, till suddenly her eyes shot open in realization. "Ben! They-They took Ben!" Verdona exclaimed as she attempted to stand up, only to fall on her butt.

"That chip I plucked off your neck must have sent some sort of electric pulse through your body, rendering you unconscious and still leaving you with some sort of temporary paralysis." Gwen deducts as she helps Verdona sit back up.

"I think you're right dear." Verdona confirmed as she recollected what happened before she passed out. "Don't worry hun. We'll get 'em." She tiredly tried to encourage, tho any efforts to rize were in vain.

"You're not in any shape to do anything. I'll get Ben." Gwen ordered as she helped Verdona make her way to a nearby bench. Though Verdona was quick to notice as Gwen's expression turned guilt-ridden.

"What's wrong dear?"

"This is all my fault. I'm the one who recommended The Road Crew and I'm the one who ran away because of my stupid fear of spiders!" Gwen exclaimed in frustration.

"We're all scared of something sweetie. You with spiders, Ben with clowns, heh I'm scared too, I was scared to call that crew. That something like this could happen."

"What do you mean? You expected something like this"

"Yes, I was worried they'd discover… that they would discover…" But before she could finish she passed out, leaving Gwen confused and uneasy. Still, she had nowhere else to go, pulling out the business card from Verdona's pocket she read the address printed and raced to save her cousin.

Following the address, Gwen soon found herself at a nearby but out-of-the-way car shop that bluntly looked like it hadn't been cleaned in a decade. Baron Highway stomped out of a building carrying crates nearly half his size. Turbine and RoadRage following. Careful to stay out of sight, Gwen hid behind the side of the building. However, as she does so she spots a spider climbing around on the wall. Though she suppresses the urge to freak out she does accidentally back into some boxes, knocking them over. "Who goes there!" She hears Brandon call.

"Sounds to me like we have a rat!" Turbine hissed, RoadRage cackling in agreement. Silently they approach the corner, Turbine and RoadRage giving wicked grins as Brandon reaches for a largebox. With a heave, he throws the box to the side revealing… nothing. The RoadCrew stares in confusion and disappointment. However, just then they notice a pink flash illuminate behind them, followed by a whooshing sound.

"What the?" RoadRage questioned as he snapped around.

As he turned, he witnessed as a blue blob morphed around a gas pump. When it finished it was adorned with pink circuitry with four pink eye circuits. "You guys need serious tech support!" Gwen taunted. She then lifted a blue gas pump with the Omnitrix on it and, from it shot a beam of fire. The Turbine and Roadrage easily leaped out of the way, but Brandon didn't bother to try, taking the flames head-on. "Whoops!" Gwen yelped as she hadn't expected him to just stand there.

Her panic was however only temporary as Brandon almost casually stepped from the flames. As he did so Gwen noticed that while his clothes were obviously burnt his skin seemed torn, with… brown metal underneath? "That's a real nice trick you have there… my turn." Brandon flexed his arms causing the skin and shirt to tear off, revealing a large bronze metallic body under his vest and large robotic arms with large furnace-like vents.

TechSupport gasped at the sight, "You're cyborgs?"

Tubrine chuckled as her eyes glowed blue and with a wave of her hand bits and bobs from her tool bag began to float out as if being affected by some form of ferrokinesis. "We're all that and more baby."

RoadRage cackled beside him, "I don't know what this thing is," He pulled a tow chain from his belt. "But this just got interesting." With a crazed smirk, he raced for the living gas pump, Turbine launching bits and bolts ahead of him. Dodging the swing of the hose as it tried to block him and the bolts he got a flurry of cuts into the metal beast before he was inevitably snagged. However he was not out, holding the hook with his free hand his torso turned unnaturally, as if not attached to his head or legs, he then spun his body background, using the momentum to slice through the hose.

TechSupport yelped in pain as the pump fell away from the pump, its portion of TechSupport's body sliding off and back to the main body, allowing the Omnitrix to reemerge on her side. "Oh, that's it!" Aiming the now gunless hose at the trio she fired and ignited the gasoline again, only for Baron Highway to step in front of his team tanking the flames. That was frustrating enough, but Gwen didn't even have time to dwell on it as she was suddenly lifted into the air. "What the? Hey Hey!" Looking down she saw as Turbine, her hand pointed at her.

"Sorry sweetie, but this is a big girl's game. Now do us all a favor, and scrap! She then slammed the gas pump into the ground. When the dust cleared the Road Crew got a look at the machine, and to their surprise the blue coating and pink circuitry were now gone, replaced with a simple old and rusted pump. Turbine smirked to herself, thinking she had one, only to be cut off as the blue mass returned, now surrounding the Baron. She attempted to pull them off but they were too bonded to the Baron that any efforts to pull them off risked tearing his arms off. Soon enough, TechSupport fully encased Brandon's body, the Omnitrix now on his chest right under her eyes.

"Now this is real firepower!" Gwen cheered as she pointed Baron's large arms at Turbine and RoadRage. Morphing his arms into giant cannons, she shot an inferno of flames at the duo. Turbine blocks the blast by summoning a piece of scrap in front of her, superheated she throws the scrap at TechSupport. And while Gwen is able to catch the scrap with ease it does grab her attention for long enough to give Roadrage the opening to take a stab at the TechSupported Baron Highway. Brandon yells in pain as Gwen reflectively retracts from the stab wound.

"Sorry boss!" Roadrage yelps realizing what's done. However, in his distraction, Gwwen took the opportunity and allowed herself to create an electrical discharge around her body. Normally this discharge would be able to do much, but as RoadRage held tightly to his chained hook the current went through the change before culminating at the wild man, rendering him unconscious in a thump.

"You'll pay for that brat!" Turbine yelled as she levitated a bunch of screws or a scrab from her bag before shooting it at TechSupport, only to once again be dodged as TechSupport retracted from the impacted parts of Baron Highway's body.

"Big mistake!" Gwen taunted as she pointed one of Highway's arms-turned canons at Turbine before shooting above her, causing that part of the ceiling of the pump station to fall on top of her, knocking her out.

"Huff Huff, Just you wait missy." Baron Highway puffed, exhausted from having his body controlled. "The master has told us much about you. Do you think you're safe? Do you think we're defeated? This ain't the end of the Roa-" And he was cut off as TechSupport knocked him out with his own fist.

"I think you need to chill dude, big time." She taunted as she slopped off the fallen baron TechSupport reshaped to their usual shape. Trepidatously, she walked into the auto shop, it was grungy and looked well battle-worn. As she looked around she noticed a nearby cupboard that seemed to have a hole behind it, spiders crawling out. Somehow gulping despite lacking a mouth, TechSupport grabbed the cupboard and loved it out of the way, revealing a tunnel that went deep underground "You can do this girl They're just bugs and bug bots, nothing TechSupport can't handle." Gwen muttered to herself. BEEP BEEP BWOOSH. "...Why do I even bother."

Cautiously, Gwen made her way through the tunnel, wires lining the walls as bulbs lit the way. "It's just a cave Gwen, nothing you can't she made her way through she anxiously passed bugs and bots that kept ever so far from her. [Well hello there] A voice rang from a speaker, the same she heard as the bug bot had fled. [What's a small thing like you doing here?]

"I'm-I'm here for my cousin!" Gwen yelled, steeling her nerves. "And our RV!" Though even she had to admit that she wasn't putting up a good front, her voice cracking as fear sunk in.

{RV? Cousin? I see] The voice rang. [I'm afraid I can't allow you to do that. The boy is important for my plans. And that…RV, tell me what do you know about this RV?]

"What are you talking about it's just an RV and it's ours! Who do you think you are?" Gwen shouted as she kept cautious of the Robot Spider.

[I am the Constructive Logistic Astrological Networking and Computing Artifical Ineligence. But you can call me C.L.A.N.C.A.I. As for that RV though, hehe, oh you sweet child, the secrets within it.] C.L.A.N.C.A.I. cackled as Gwen came to the end of the tunnel.

Exiting Gwen found herself in a large cave, wires stoned around like cobwebs, cars ripped for all their worth, the Rustbucket at the center, looking gutted. Gulping at the sight Gwen tried to keep calm. "Where, is my cousin!" Gwen managed to grit out. Suddenly a spotlight shown down revealing an unconscious Ben lying on the ground. "Ben!" she cried as she raced forward, but as she did so a giant insectoid leg stomped down causing Gwen to skid to a stop.

[I'm afraid I can't let you take him] C.L.A.N.C.A. as they stepped from the dark, their insectoid form causing Gwen to stumble and fall in fear.

"What do you want with him!"

[I want what anyone wants, Freedom!] C.L.A.N.C.A.I. replied with a hiss as they circled the cousins. [I was made by brilliant minds, but when I fell I was disconnected from creators. But then some lovely mechanics found me, and I found them. I made them my replies, my progeny, but they are not enough] Bug bots began crawling from the darkness and to the unconscious Ben. [Your cousin will be next to find me. To be my disciple. To join the hive, to join the crew. I'll scoop him of his organs, and fill him with my hive and he will be new]

"Fat chance." Gwen huffed as she shakingly lifted Omnitrix and slammed down almost unthinkingly.

Gwen's skin becomes made of pure electricity in as her eyes became large and bulbous, white electricity tracing around her face

Eventually, her body became engulfed in electtiy as it began to morph into a white and blue jellyfish-like alien.

When all was said and done she floated as a small white and blue jelly fish like alien with six tentacles with bulbous cyan eyes. The Omnitrix sat on her face where her mouth should be.

C.L.A.N.C.A.I.'s fixed their eyes on Ampfibian who returned the glare. After a moment of silence they C.L.A.N.C.A.I. let out a heinous barrage of high-pitched chirps that seemed to be its way of laughing. "All that power, only to end up a bug underneath my heel!" As they said that they lifted a giant metal leg before bringing it down on Ampfibian, the impact shattering the ground where Gwen had stood.

"However suddenly an electric charge snaked around the leg before reaching the top, once there it suddenly zipped up and through his head before forming into a floating Ampfibian. "Nice try techno-bug, but I'm more scared of than a giant Spider-Wannabe like you." Electricity surged through their tendrils before shooting forward zapping C.L.A.N.C.A.I., eliciting a cry of pain.

Losing my family to some eight-legged freak!" Ampfibian hissed "In other words…" Ampfibian contrived, their voice "I'm zapping this bug, permanently." With a rage, C.L.A.N.C.A.I. swung their sets of legs at Ampfibian stabbing at them wildly only for Ampfibian to dodge past their legs with ease. As they dodged the jabs Ampfibian fired bolts back causing C.L.A.N.C.A.I. to cry in pain each time.

Eventually, it became too much and C.L.A.N.C.A.I. fell to their knees, "I-I-I Yield." They relented, their voice glitching.

Ampfibian lorded over their opponent in silence, their cyan eyes glaring down with an almost empty stare, "I don't." Their voice was cold and empty, startling C.L.A.N.C.A.I. who looked up pleadingly. As they did so they saw as Ampfibian's tendrils began to grow, becoming nearly ten times larger than Ampfibian themself.

"Wait… WAIT!" C.L.A.N.C.A.I.'s cries however went unheard, Ampfibian plunging their tendrils into C.L.A.N.C.A.I.'s head, electricity surging through as C.L.A.N.C.A.I.'s eyes flashed and their legs attempted to scurry them away, to little avail as another set of tendil wrapped around those legs. "Please! Merc-" Their pleas were cut off as the computer in their head exploded, their metallic body falling to the ground.

Ampfibian floated there, overlooking their carnage, their eyes narrowing for a moment as a look of distress crept its way to their alien face. "Wha"

"Over there!" Baron Highway bellowed as he and his crew stomped down the tunnel and into the cave. In less than a minute the RoadCrew arrived, just in time to see the remains of their master, their computer brain still smoking. They gasped in shock, Baron grits his teeth before aiming his furnace arms at Ampfibian. "What did you do!"

But this threat was for not as Ampfibian's tendrils wrapped around them, "Same thing I'm going to do to you."

Gwen awoke with a splitting headache, her energy completely sapped as she leaned against a wall. As she came to she realized she was seated beside a similarly drowsy Ben. "Ben?" She groaned as she let out a yawn.

Ben gave a tired smile, "Hey Dweeb." He winced as he massaged a red mark on his temple, likely from a taser button like Gwen had found on Verdona.

"Doofus? What happened?" Gwen groaned, she tried to think back. But after going Ampfibian everything went…. fuzzy. She looked around and what she saw was what seemed to be the reminisce of her battle, though, why were the RoadCrew here? Hadn't she handled them up top?

"Not sure. I remember them grabbing me and tossing me into the RV, after that, I got knocked out. Next thing I knew we were laying here." Ben answered, however, he quickly noticed Gwen's despondent expression, "I gotta say though, looks like you really showed these crooks whose boss! Wish I was awake for it."

Gwen smiled at the clear attempt to cheer her up, he may be a doofus, but he was family. "Oh, hey, where's grandma?"

As if on cue, Verdona stepped out of a repaired RustBucket, patting her hands as she took a pair of gloves off. She walked over to the kids as she gave a kind smile. "How you feeling kiddo?"

"I'm good." Gwen replied with a wince, "How's the Rustbucket?"

"Ah a couple bits and bobs yanked out, but nothing I can't handle," Verdona replied, though her tone was unease and her gaze never quite held on Gwen's. "Well you kids just sit here, I'll get everything into top shape in no time."

As her grandma marched off Gwen couldn't help but feel uneasy. While her memory was fuzzy, she still remembered quite a bit. She remembered her grandma saying she was scared that Gwen would find something in the RV. She remembered C.L.A.N.C.A.I. saying he found something in the RV. It was a headache thinking about it. Suddenly though she felt a pressure on her arm. Looking down she saw Ben's hand on her shoulder, and for a second she thought it was a display of affection, until he lifted his hand, revealing a large spider. Only, she wasn't scared now.

"Come on. Nothing?" Ben jokingly whined at the nonresponse.

Gwen held up a finger and let the arachnid climb on her finger, looking it dead in the eyes, and still just felt content. "Sorry doofus. Gues after fighting a giant robot spider, these little guys just don't seem so bad." She then let that spider down, before it scurried away.

And as they joked amongst each other, if they had paid the fallen foes the time of the day, they'd hear as they whispered a silent plea, "no more… no more"