A typhoon of emotions came storming in, interrupting the silence as he slept.

The first voice was gentle, and she sounded so earnest. The presence of a touch on his heart was felt, including a warmth that was just out of reach.

"You will still be my successor, no matter what. It's safe to say, with how much you've done, my sisters and I are very proud of who you've become today."

Another one, friendly and optimistic, broke through right after.

"Stay with me, buddy. We're gonna get ya somewhere safe."

Another voice was added to the other two, one that was strong but attempted to be soft. It was intimate, reaching into his heart as much as the first one.

"I know you're set on taking him down, but don't forget we're all in this together. You're not alone in this fight."

But then, that warmth was interrupted harshly. Instead, it was replaced with something hauntingly cold as a stern voice shrieked at him.

"How dense do you have to be to realize that you can't get everything back? You've lost everyone!"

The emotions fought for dominance now, each one overlapping and clawing just to get on top. The heat struggled against the cold, hope against despair, love against hate. The memories, the faces, the feelings–they all collided, a whirlwind of chaos ripping apart the quiet sanctuary of his mind like paper.

It was too much. His head began aching, his muscles tensing, and his chest tightening as if rejecting all of it. The pressure built up, his heart drumming as if trying to express just how horrified it was.

And then it all snapped.

Niles yelped as he jolted forward with a fierce glare, hurling himself out of the dream. His hand shot out instinctively as if aiming a beam from his palm, the other gripping the sheets tightly.

Then the silence came, but this time it was only the comfort of his room.

He sat in the dim light of the morning sun, peering through the thin white blinds. His breath was fast and uneven, cold sweat clinging to his skin, and his mind was trying to calm itself down. He just sat there, staring at the door beside him with the memory of those voices quickly dying down.

Then, he sighed and lowered his chin. His fingers ran through his hair as he got up and out of bed.

With a throbbing head, he wandered through the dimly lit hallway, greeted by the sound of his home's air conditioning in the background. Flicking the lights on, he squinted at the sudden brightness, a hand shielding his face. Finally, moving to the mirror in front of him, he leaned on the sink as he stared at his reflection.

Wavy chestnut hair fell past his ears, now grown out fuller without a haircut. Bright sapphire-blue eyes looked back, exhausted but confident. His skin, olive under the light, had only a couple of nicks and scars over his body.

The faint outline of his beard was more noticeable now, some areas grown out in patches than others. It made him look closer to his mid-twenties than his actual age. There, underneath the neck hair and collar was his white cotton t-shirt, a classic choice for many sleepless nights.

With a sigh, Niles reached for a small device on the counter–a sleek razor with a faint blue glow instead of a sharp edge. Raising it to the mirror, he turned it on with the push of a button. His wrist aimed delicately as the device shot a hot beam from the mirror, bouncing off and right back on his face. It made quick work, gliding smoothly across his jaw and chin.

Just like that, it was a clean shave. He ran a hand over his jaw just to make sure, and it was just as smooth as marble.

The device was stowed away afterward, and lastly, he now needed to smooth the clump of hair on top of his head. With an actual brush, he swayed and swished as best as he could to handle the mess. Unfortunately, no matter how hard he tried, it was always messy. All he could do was just make it wavier.

Finally, with a splash of cold water on his face from the faucet, Niles gave himself a lookover. He was satisfied.

"Another day, another rising sun," he started. "Time to get out there and do some good."

He started his way out but stopped himself, holding the door frame. He peered back over, gazing at the mirror again.

"But first, breakfast."

Niles cracked another egg in an iron pan, stirring it into the growing heap of other scrambled eggs. A nearby chrome toaster let out a cheerful ding as it popped up with two slices of freshly toasted bread. Quickly, he snatched them, putting them on a small plate next to the eggs before heading to the fridge. Shortly enough, he snatched a premixed protein shake from the door, the bottle refreshingly cool in his hand.

Beep! Beep! Beep!

A sharp alarm interrupted the quiet morning inside his home. His NanoComm, the wrist bracelet sitting on the counter, lit up as the sound went off.

Startled, he quickly reached for it, pressing one of its many buttons to shut it off. He closed it over his wrist, adjusting it snugly to his size.

Clamp!

The screen blinked, scanning his vitals before chiming in acknowledgment. Within moments, a shimmering cosmic energy flickered in the air beside him. Reality bent itself as the corners ripped the edges.

From the blip emerged the familiar alien. He glowed faintly in a mixture of black and white cosmic energy that danced across his tiny body like the sun's surface. His eyes glowed bright green, the symbol of the Omnitrix gleaming on his chest in an iconic neon. Judging by his appearance and three-spiked crown on his head, it was Niles's companion Nano Alien X.

"Good morning, sir," he remarked, holding two white gloves over his chest. He spoke softly yet carried authority as if dramatically addressing something each time he spoke. "You are up earlier than usual."

Niles glanced at him, grinning. He reached a finger, softly scratching on his cheek. "Morning, little guy. Yeah, couldn't sleep. I think I had another Chemical X dream again."

X glided closer, tilting his head as if to study him. "Your vitals are mostly stable, but you appear… restless. Your heart rate is higher than usual."

"It's nothing new," he shrugged, letting out a sigh. "Though I will admit, I'm getting tired of it."

Finally, once they were done, the eggs were carefully scraped onto his plate. Niles carried his breakfast over to the sofa, setting the plate down. The room, much like the rest of the house, was simple and spacious. The sofa was a dull gray in the middle, followed by a couple of jet-black armchairs and a plain white rug.

There was at least a mahogany wood coffee table, but everything else looked just as minimalistic and bland as every other house on the block. The walls were a neutral light gray, with no pictures or decorations except for a single shelf with a few books. The blinds on the windows were mostly covered, though opened slightly just in case he wanted to peek out and snoop at Sector V.

The space wasn't much, but it got the job done. It at least felt lived in–a home for someone who didn't need much but had a place to come back to at the end of each day.

Niles sank into his couch with a comfortable exhale, balancing the plate on his knee, and began munching on his breakfast. The blend between the eggs and toast was simple, and all he really needed. Could the toast have used some butter? Sure. But, for some strange reason, he didn't.

Nano Alien X got comfortable by laying out on the top of the sofa like a hammock, his arms and legs sprawled out as if tanning in the sunlight.

In the meantime, Niles decided to check his messages. His fingers pinched the edges of the screen and threw the projection out in front of him using its state-of-the-art holographic technology.

His inbox had blown up with several people, but he first needed to send somebody a good morning message.

The first person he began texting had the icon of a cute girl with short charcoal hair that just went down to her shoulders. She had a cocky smile, holding up a peace sign over her wide emerald eyes. The name of this contact was 'Buttercup', addressed in bold letters.

There was some hesitation while he typed out a message, deleting one or two greetings before finally deciding on the third one. It was just, 'Mornin'!'

By the time he would normally receive a good morning message back, he didn't get it. He frowned, realizing something was off.

Shortly afterward, he looked over his inbox, revealing that he had received five separate messages from others. Although he did get traffic considering the number of people he knew, this was more than usual. The sudden thought of answering each one came into mind, and he decided to focus on breakfast before answering so many messages.

So he ate, resting in the silence and comfortable presence of his nano.

This went by for a few minutes while he enjoyed this momentary state of bliss before it was interrupted by the sound of a xylophone chime from his NanoComm.

His plate was set down, and he tapped on the bracelet. A couple of seconds later, the screen revealed a familiar face to him.

The image of a young woman appeared, both concerned and assertive. Her long, ginger hair was tied back in a high ponytail, with a few loose strands framing her face. A red velvet bow was perched atop her bun, indicating which one of the Powerpuff Girls it was. Her bright pink eyes were focused, holding up her shoulder high with her hands on her hips.

She had no makeup, not even a little mascara since she didn't need it. She wore a fur-lined hot pink coat over her armor with white gauntlets–an updated version of her old uniform, now fitting for the winter season simply for good looks.

"Niles! It's Blossom," she said as if already in the middle of a crisis.

The man raised an eyebrow, leaning back into the couch. "Well, good morning to you too, princess," he replied, full of sarcasm.

The girl didn't flinch. Her lips twitched, either from irritation or amusement (which was hard to tell). "This isn't the time for jokes, Niles," she answered sternly. "We've got a big situation going on right now!"

His little grin was wiped off his face as he sat up straighter, shooting a focused look. "Alright. What's going on?"

X scooted a little closer, giving a friendly wave to the Powerpuff Girl. He watched the exchange with piqued interest, knowing full well that this peaceful morning was about to be interrupted.

"Something happened earlier this morning while most of us were still asleep," she began. "It's safe to say that the second wave has finally arrived, like Sector V speculated."

Niles blinked, tensing his posture. "You mean Fuse regrouping after our assault on the control center?"

"Yes," she replied swiftly. "Nigel told me he got a message from the Moon Base warning us that dozens of Terraformers were headed our way. Needless to say, it's true! Just look outside!"

As he furrowed his brow, he complied and headed to the window.

Opening the blinds, he suddenly held his breath.

Dozens of agents had swarmed the streets of Sector V, shouting orders as nano reinforcements appeared in flashes of light. They were equipped fully in all of their unique guide armors, armed with whatever they could grab to get whatever mission directives they'd been given.

Hoverbikes, boards, and cars all sped down the area going from his left to right, headed toward Pokey Oaks North actively. The entire scene felt like a front lawn invasion (which was common in this case) unfolding right before his very eyes.

It had been a long time since he'd seen such a wide-scale initiative like this. His assault on one of Fuse's control centers had been eight months ago, but this made it feel like it had happened yesterday.

"Yeah," Niles muttered, half-joking but mostly seriously. "I get what you mean now."

Blossom didn't wait any further. "I need you to get up to the Treehouse and help Nigel and I. And Niles?"

He paused, turning back to get himself ready. He glanced down at the video of her, raising an eyebrow. "Yeah? What is it?"

With a firm voice, she declared,

"Get the suit."

He shot her a determined look, and he felt a longing excitement. But before he could respond, Blossom hung up on him, disappearing from view.

X sat up, gently levitating off the couch to go meet him. "I believe it is time. Are you ready?"

Niles turned to look down at his nano, raising his NanoComm, and prepared to send him back in. "Ready as I'll ever be. Let's go."

With one quick scarf of the rest of his eggs, the man snatched a good chug of his protein shake before putting it in the fridge. The empty plate and fork had been dumped into the sink, moving throughout the house at a quick rate. His hand scooped up his snow boots, forcing them on as he hobbled away.

As he stepped through the door at the end of the hall, he closed it with a satisfying click.

It was dimly lit, only for the pale white light that came from the frosted windows. Snow clung onto the edge of the glass, shimmering faintly like glitter. Outside, the muffled shouts echoed faintly through the walls, added by the hums of hovercar engines roaring down suburban streets.

Inside, the air was colder than the rest of the house, including the familiar sight of tools and machinery scattered across the room. A steady workbench was lined up where his old desk used to be, cluttered with Dexlabs brand equipment. It had sleek tools, glowing holographic panels, and tiny gadgets organized on its own wall. It had become his man cave countless times when he wanted time for himself.

There, standing in the middle of the slightly cooler room, was his familiar piece of tech.

It was the one thing that had so much meaning to his past life, now standing in front of his eyes, fresher than ever. The titanium surface was polished, yet the paint was weathered from the many fights he had been a part of. The red that was once bright was now battle-worn, degraded from the trials he had faced.

The 2.0 Blossom Dynamo Suit stood upright in its power station, its broad shoulders imposing. The lines of its chest plate protruded out like flat pecs, fitting the style of a muscular metal man ready for battle. The dark superhero cape, usually unraveled, was rolled up and clipped to its neck. The helmet, with its narrow neon yellow eyes and menacing glare, stared at the garage door like a statue eager to get up and get back into the fray.

Niles took a few prominent steps forward as he took in the sight. For some odd reason today, it felt just as brand new as when Blossom had first introduced it to him. There was admiration on his face, while Alien X hovered nearby out of curiosity.

A hand reached out to press on the chest plate, and it slid open with a metallic hiss, revealing the internal padding from inside. It blossomed like a flower, dozens of plates revealing the comfortable interior.

"Alright, into the NanoComm," Niles ushered X as he stepped inside, raising his arms to meet the pose. X gladly slipped inside, disappearing in the device on his wrist in a blur.

The plates shifted, each piece folding and clicking into place like putting together a satisfying puzzle. First, the arms extended outward, wrapping around his forearms like protective gauntlets. Next came the legs, encasing him in layers of reinforced metal that slid perfectly on in shape. The chest plate locked in with a sharp clink, hugging his torso snugly. Then, with a smooth hiss, the cape unfurled down his back, the edges swaying slightly as if catching a little bit of wind.

"You look… prepared," X said, tilting his head in admiration of the transformation.

Niles flexed his fingers, getting adjusted to the feeling of the suit from inside. "I guess prepared is the word," he glanced at his reflection from one of the windows, his eyes staring back at him. "It's time to show off what we practiced."

But then, as he turned to move, his eyes caught something on the workbench behind him. For a moment, he stopped, his breathing slowing. Resting there in its own corner was a framed photograph.

The picture was a little faded but still clear–Blossom. Her smile was tired but loving, her posture slightly faltering from the fatigue. Beside the photograph, carefully laid out as if it hadn't been touched in months, was the black superhero mask she'd given him.

His hand twitched toward the mask and picked it up, wrapping it over his face. He tilted his head upward as the visor descended, encasing his face in metal. His grin faded, replaced with a determined glare as firm as the suit's face.

The helmet was sealed shut, and the two glaring yellow eyes came to life. The suit's systems all started in synchronization, showcasing important health and battery vitals by scanning not only Niles' physical condition but also the energy status of the suit. Appearing on the yellow-hued screen was a tiny icon of Nano Alien X, looking at Niles like a desktop assistant.

The garage door groaned as it slid open, blinding the room in the cold light of the early morning. Niles stepped forward, the crunch of snow beneath his boots muffled by his bold feet.

The outskirts of Sector V were a complete mess. Dozens of teens and young adults were rushing forward onto the newly founded battlefield, clashing line-for-line against the onslaught of the approaching fusion menace. A cold wind blew over the suburban neighborhood, harassing both sides that were already fighting through several inches of snow.

Those who were mostly spared were the ones holstered behind the towering protective wall that surrounded the settlement, held up in powerful turrets manned by two or three KND members. Vibrant blasts from powerful barrels struck into upcoming enemies, narrowly missing their fellow allies with a hazardous but effective accuracy. The lines continued to be held back steadily but only for now.

On foot, members of both the Kids Next Door and the Senior Urban Rangers fought side by side. With both funky laser rifles and razor-sharp chocolate swords, their wits and desire to live kept them up and going. For the commanders, nanos of familiar people and creatures they knew were giving them the upper hand. They used their group abilities to either heal, empower, or protect groups that charged together.

Meanwhile, on the other side, the newly manifested hordes of Fuse were absorbing whatever they could to build themselves up. What would start off as freshly born spawn from the arrived Terraformers would assemble their way up into horrific fusions between living things and robotic nightmares, eager to drive down the approaching armies and sate their endless hunger for the world.

Creatures and men fell side by side, either mauled to death or blasted down by a barrage of gunfire. Thankfully, the Grim Reaper had their side. For every person who had fallen in battle, portals projected from the Underworld brought them back with fatigue but life. These swirling vortexes conveniently placed were one of the only aspects keeping this team alive from crumbling apart.

"Out of all days… this is the one that calls for Sector V?"

A young bald guy lowered a pair of tactical binoculars from his sunglasses, biting his lower lip at the onslaught past the walls.

Beside him, his chubby partner on the wall latched his gloved hands onto his suspenders from underneath his fuzzy coat, his hot breath misting in the air as he sighed.

"More like calling for everybody. I can't think of a single base right now that isn't under heavy fire!"

The taller and lankier guy stowed the binoculars, stowing his gloved hands in the pockets of his large, hot red coat. He shook his head, his mind calculating his next move in this brand-new game of chess.

"What alarms me above all else is the absence of our Moon Base. Without contact, we don't have any warnings before any more of Fuse's Terraformers crash down. This is getting worse and worse by the day."

Numbuh Two lowered his head a little, wincing at the notion. "No kidding. Here's hoping we're ready."

"Oh, I think we're ready!"

Both boys lifted their heads and spun back. Numbuh One smirked, while Numbuh Two smiled and waved.

Strutting confidently up to the two of them, her movements were deliberate yet reserved. Her hot pink eyes gazed between the two, determined but clouded with caution. Each step made her ginger hair sway from left to right, the signature red bow bouncing lightly with each foot.

Her body was covered in a spectacular set of power armor, reasonably bulky for defense but also curvy to bring out her frame. She wore accents of cream white, pastel pink, and jet black, a distant memory of an old set of armor she had worn a long time ago. Over the breastplate, she had her fur-lined hot pink coat. Lastly, to protect her soft ears were a pair of earmuffs that were miraculously hidden behind her straight and fiery hair.

"If Fuse wants to give us an unwelcome surprise, we're going to make sure to hit him back twice as hard."

Blossom put both of her pure-white gauntlet hands on her hips, tilting her head to the side.

Numbuh One nodded his head in admiration. "Good morning, Blossom. I presume we're ready to wrap this up? I'm not sure how much more the Resurrect'ems can take."

Their gaze all flickered toward one, occasionally sputtering in and out as the next dozen fallen members collapsed on top of one another. Shortly after, they all would climb up and weakly shuffle back toward the battlefield, lifting their weapons and letting out tired but determined cries.

"Yeah, I think another hundred more and they just might go on hold until Grim does his maintenance check," Hoagie chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck.

Blossom nodded her head sternly, looking back out toward the fight. "Yep. Just need to wait until the other help gets here."

"Speaking of, where is he anyway?" Two asked, his eyes scanning the sky and his ears listening intently.

That was when he saw him.

Coming down from the sky at an alarming speed was Niles in his suit, already bracing his legs and preparing for the landing. The thrusters underneath his palms and his heels blasted brightly, easing his descent until it was a smooth and feather-light landing.

The first layer of snow melted, and the grass underneath flattened from the heat. His armor landed with a loud thud, and he lifted his shoulders as he looked down at all of them. With the push of a button, the suit's helmet slid over his neck as he revealed himself, his wavy hair fluttering messily in the wind as he eyed all of them. The cool breeze made his straight cape flutter just a little, furling behind him.

"Morning, team," he greeted, his fists clutching at his sides. Immediately, his eyes locked onto the conflict in front of him, and a deep urge called him back into the action again. "Didn't think I'd start my morning off like this."

Hoagie snickered, fist-bumping his gauntlet. "None of us did, man. Go out there and kick some butt!"

Niles softly grinned, then went serious as he turned to both Nigel and Blossom.

"Now remember Supa Team: we don't need fancy tricks; we need results," Numbuh One began, holding his gloves tightly behind his back. "Numbuh Five reported a group of lost Plumbers approaching the sector, and we need to get them into our walls before their conditions get worse. Some of them have gotten poisoned from fusion matter."

"And remind me again why we can't just wait until a Ressurect'em gets them here?" Blossom asked matter-of-factly, turning to Niles as if it was more addressing him.

One clicked his tongue, shaking his head. "While the portals are incredibly effective, we don't know what conditions that kind of travel may bring if they've been overused to the point of malfunction. We have the capability of delivering them here, and we don't need to be taking any risks we don't know the consequences of."

"Understood," Niles firmly nodded his head, crossing his broad arms. He turned toward Blossom, giving her a look like he was going to get to it. "Looks like that'll be a question to ask Grim whenever he gets here."

"Excellent," Nigel nodded. "Numbuh Two and I will be behind the walls cleaning up this chicken run. The others are already out there helping out."

The second Sector V agent lifted his pilot goggles, rubbing his eyes with a glove as he sighed. "This is going to be a long day."

With slight concern for his friend, Niles lifted a strong hand and put it on his shoulder, grinning. "You've handled worse, Hoagie. You guys got this."

"Well, good luck to both of you!" Blossom responded politely, gently levitating a foot off the ground now.

Numbuh Two gave Niles another quick fist bump before slipping away, following beside One before nodding them away. "Thanks! Good luck to you guys, too!"

The two KND members swiftly made their way down, turning their attention to the bustling streets of Sector V. From behind the walls, several heavily armed KND members rushed past, throwing their weapons over their shoulders. One by one, unique vehicles in their respective hangars would start up as the engines roared, scooping up as many willing participants as possible.

As they started clearing out, a group of exhausted Urban Rangers stumbled into the base. Their armor had been torn to bits, their faces caked in dirt and dried blood. Field medics were already on hand to help them, guiding the team toward a makeshift infirmary setup.

Blossom and Niles both watched them go before turning toward each other.

"So, are you ready to get back into it?" she asked with an encouraging smile.

Niles nodded, turning to face the battlefield, and folded the helmet back over his face. His voice spoke up from the speaker, teasing, "Yeah. Don't hesitate to call for help if you get in trouble!"

She raised a curious eyebrow, guiding her way forward as she looked back. "Right, and try not to miss your landings like last time's practice!"

Although he smirked behind the helmet, he shook his head at her as he kicked up snow behind him. The warrior then soared into the action behind her, splitting up and going his own way to help out the effort.

The air seemed a bit chillier than usual, adding a dreadful feeling to the destruction. Through it all, a figure was seen blinking in and out of reality with strange warping teleports, weaving around fallen lampposts and crushed hovercars.

She was a young girl, her wavy blonde hair tied in a swaying ponytail that flew with each warp. Her violet eyes scanned the path ahead with desperation, just as horrified as the look on her face. Her outfit–a bright green jacket with white stripes and jeans–seemed both practical and oddly reminiscent of a particular alien-wielding human hero. Her feline tail swishing behind her added a unique aspect to her, making her feel something less than human.

She glanced at the holographic map laid out in front of her, detailing her location to the Sector V Treehouse. She was close, but every step felt stiff as the frostbite was beginning to get to her.

Then, she froze.

A roar echoed in front of her as she was abruptly stopped by a creature blocking her path, her tail stiffening in response. Standing before her was a four-legged beast made from living concrete and ice. It had a wide jaw full of icicle teeth, including a pair of narrow red eyes that seemed to stare at her like fresh food.

The girl took a step back as a chill ran down her spine, her heart beating in her chest. She raised her wrist, low and behold revealing her own NanoComm as she desperately prepared to draw out her trusty nano sidekick.

The beast was about to hurl itself toward her, lifting its two front feet, when suddenly a deafening crash shook the ground in front of her.

BAM!

The girl shielded her eyes, blocking herself as the dust settled. Then, she blinked in disbelief at the sight before her.

What was once an icy Mean Behemoth was crushed beneath the weight of a powerful figure, its limbs reduced to rock on the ground below. Standing atop the remains of this beast was Niles after having made a rough landing. One hand rested against his knee while the other hung loosely at his side, reminiscent of the classic superhero pose: iconic and intentional.

He brushed some ice off his shoulder as he stood up, looking down at her with a menacing metal glare.

"Are you alright, miss?"

She paused, finding the confidence to speak before muttering out sheepishly, "U-Uhm, yeah, I am. Thanks."

Niles could tell she was nervous and offered to speak up. "What's your name?"

"L-Liz," she hesitated, unsure of whether or not she felt safe around him.

"Alright, Liz, get out of here and get to the Treehouse! " he urged with a friendly gesture, pointing toward a street behind him. "There are a couple of KND agents that are getting others to safety! They'll help you!"

The way he spoke to her was not like barking an order, but shooting her in the right direction. Swiveling her head a little in confusion, she recovered and finally replied, "Oh… okay. T-Thanks."

Within seconds, before the Iron Warrior could say anything further, she had disappeared in the blink of an eye. After taking a moment to search for her, Niles already saw her blipping between reality, cutting street block corners just to save time.

He did a double-take, but not before getting back to work.

He turned his attention to the street ahead, now a wide-scale battlefield. SACT agents, Urban Rangers, and KND operatives were scattered in the suburban area, fending for their lives. Some of them carried injured comrades while others fired off potshots with weapons ranging from candy-themed batting sticks to alien tech.

Rushing after them were more hulking Mean Behemoths, fists slamming into sidewalks and buildings. Smaller, floating octopus-like monsters made from tangled electrical wires ominously glided toward their prey, outstretched wires to tangle and electrocute them to death.

A SACT agent dressed head-to-toe in black pressed a gloved hand against his earpiece, screaming, "Sector V, we need the southern streets cleared, now!"

Charging their way together were two familiar agents, tearing monsters down with amazing expertise. Both of them wore a set of padded KND armor that fit snugly against the biting cold, 'KND' graffitied on the front like spray paint. The first of them was spraying razors from his freshly polished S.H.A.V.E.R.A.M.A., while the other was firing off supporting shots from her lemon-flavored pop gun, spinning it over and over in her hand like it was a fidget toy.

Numbuh Three and Numbuh Four were already in the middle of it, leading a team of five brave KND teens together.

"Watch my six!" Four barked back, getting hit by a Behemoth. In a fit of aggression, the agent climbed up its rugged back and shot out its eye, twisting its neck until the entire body crumbled into icy concrete. "These ugly mugs don't know who they're messin' with!"

"I'm watching! I'm watching!" Three called back, ducking low to avoid a tentacle trying to whip her. "We've got more Shock Tanglers incoming!"

She scooped up a wounded agent, her cheerful voice shining through as she encouraged the poor boy. "Hang on! You're going to be okay!"

A streak soared across the air amidst the chaos. A handful of creatures all stopped and lifted their heads, noticing that the sun was blocked out by some unseen force.

Niles was coming in hot, his fist held out in front of him while the other was held in his chest. His flashing neon eyes honed in on his first victim.

SLAM!

A crater formed as the Behemoth from underneath him exploded into a pile of ice and rubble. Niles' form was flawless; the pose, the hit, the landing. It was all in motion.

A guttural screech came from another Behemoth as if answering a challenge, and the others followed like a pack. Like bulls charging a toreador, the herd of frost-covered beasts raced toward him.

A bolt of hot light streaked from his hand, slicing the first Behemoth in two. Without missing a beat, he charged them all head-on, slamming a fist into another creature's chest with a thunderous crack. It staggered, then fractured into bundles of ice and concrete soon afterward.

Niles then grabbed its arm mid-fall, spinning it around and using its weight to knock an oncoming Shock Tangler onto the ground.

The third creature, another Tangler, outstretched its spindly arms to grab a hold of him. Niles ducked, skidding under it while shooting another beam from below. It split its head open as sputtering goop came pouring out of it, collapsing into a heap of wires.

"Oi, tin man!" Numbuh Four shouted from behind a broken hovercar, taking a moment to catch his breath. "Save some for us, yeah? No need for the fancy tricks!"

Niles shot him a quick grin behind the helmet before quick-drawing one of his cherry red pop guns, shattering another Behemoth that was about to crush a wounded Ranger. "No promises!"

"Three, flank left!" Four then screamed, planting his S.H.A.V.E.R.A.M.A. on the car hood, and began mowing them down.

"Got it!" Three replied, then turned to her group. "Let's go, team!"

The group let out a unified cry as they charged into the fray, adopting scattered groups into theirs to save more people.

Niles turned his attention to the remaining Behemoths. There were fewer now in this area, but no less dangerous. One of them charged at him, roaring as it swung its massive arm downward in an attempt to crumble him. He sidestepped it with ease, catching the arm mid-swing. With a sharp twist and a burst of adrenaline, he used its momentum, flipping the monster over his shoulder and slamming it into the ground.

As if right on cue, a pink blip zipped between buildings. Coming down toward the group, Blossom appeared with practiced ease. Her arms picked up several of the wounded and, smiling warmly to the rest, flew away back toward the treehouse.

"Thanks for the help!" Kuki's smile reached the corners of her face as she waved a hand wildly toward the two. "Be careful, guys! Something big is heading our way!"

Although the Powerpuff Girl was gone, Niles gave them a thumbs-up before heading to the next area.

By now, the agents had been rescued by a handful of more KND operatives, taking them behind the treehouse's walls safely. For them, the fight was over, defended by at least a dozen turrets and a hundred more armed kids and teens ready to defend their home.

Over at another section of the battlefield, a cluster of Plumbers crouched behind the rubble of an overturned building, torn apart by encroaching monsters. Tanglers menacingly floated closer, stretching their tendrils as they hunted for an opening.

Numbuh Five was in the center of it all. Her hat was tilted low as she weaved through the carnage, dodging arcs of electricity and hurling fusion blobs. Her dual-wielded, scoped pop guns unleashed a fury on those who came near, gunning them down before they even had a chance of getting close.

A weakened Plumber was lying down on the ground, clutching his side where a mark from a viscous fusion attack spilled through his armor. Blood seeped between his fingers, and his breathing was heavy. Another agent knelt beside him, lowering his PM-1 Energy Rifle. "You're gonna be alright, buddy! We're close to Sector V!"

"This hurts so bad-" the man grunted in pain. "You have no idea!"

"Five! Fall back! We've got this!" A plumber provided some potshots toward advancing creatures on Numbuh Five's back, watching the plasma rounds crackle and melt the fusion creatures into crumbling goop.

She ducked under another tendril, shooting the monster point-blank in its head. Sparks violently shot out of it as it let out a weakened screech, crumbling into another heap of wires. "Ain't no time for fallin' back, especially with y'all sittin' ducks out here! Numbuh Five didn't run this far just to drop y'all now!"

The girl was agitated, sweat running down her temple as she managed to hold them off. Two empty cartridges slid out as she reloaded another pair, spinning the pop guns in her hands with ease.

The agents continued providing cover fire, their shots picking off the smaller ones. But even with their support, the Behemoths supporting them just didn't stop coming. They were getting sluggish, their weapons overheating and sparking from the non-stop use.

"Reloading!" one Plumber shouted, ducking behind a corner as the rifle hissed. The cartridge was fried, now completely useless.

"I'm out!" he called out, panicked.

Five gritted her teeth, spinning around to gun down an approaching Mean Behemoth headed her way. She glanced toward the injured agent, puffing out her bottom lip with a hardened resolve. "C'mon, guys! Just hold out a little longer! Numbuh Five ain't lettin' nobody die today!"

Despite the words of encouragement, she was clearly pushing herself past her limit. She was panting, slowing down from the relentless approach. Still, she managed to hold off against a significant amount.

A particularly large Behemoth lumbered toward the group, acting as an alpha for the rest. Its icy feet glowed faintly as the beast began to coat the ground around it. Five planted her boots in the snow firmly, locking it in her sights.

WHOOSH!

Just as the Behemoth raised its humongous limb to strike, a streak of hot orange sunlight sliced the limb off clearly.

"I heard you needed some firepower!" Niles quipped, landing beside her just in time. He tripped a little bit, though he corrected his stance.

Five gave him an appreciative glance before focusing on the fight. "Bout time you showed up," she said, breathing in and out. "Numbuh Five was already gettin' tired of these fools."

"Well, guess I better pull my weight then," Niles commented. "X! Do your thing! "

A ripple of light appeared over his shoulder, and within emerged Nano Alien X. His tiny eyes surveyed the battle they were in the middle of, fixating on the group of Plumber men and women who were stressed and hurt.

X floated closer above the injured group, raising his tiny arms wide as he declared in a booming, otherworldly voice,

"CELESTIAL LIGHT!"

A radiant beam of white light erupted from his body like a wave, soothing their wounds and recharging them. The injured agent slumped against the wall let out a relieved sigh as the burns on his side visibly healed, though not completely.

Seared flesh knitted itself back together, cold spirits were warmed, and morale was boosted.

Numbuh Five felt her fatigue melt, her body no longer pushing itself. She twirled a gun in her hand with renewed vigor, her grin widening on her face. "Oh yeah, that's the good stuff. Thanks, little star man."

Niles gave X a nod in quick appreciation. "Nice work. Now, let's finish this."

The tiny Celestialsapien gave a dramatic bow before retreating into the NanoComm, allowing them to continue.

Together, onward. Niles fired precise blasts from his palms, picking off the Tanglers and keeping them off Five's back, while she used her dual pop guns to tear down the larger threats. They moved in sync, covering each other as the tide of the battle shifted.

Behind them, Blossom reappeared in another pink flash, swiftly evacuating the injured Plumber and a couple of unarmed ones to safety. The remaining agents, inspired by the sudden reinforcements, continued to provide cover fire with confidence.

Within moments, the street was cleared. All that was left was crumbled concrete, ice, and tangled messes.

As the snow settled, Five blew the icy steam from a pop gun barrel, holstering it. "You sure know how to be convenient."

"Comes with the suit," he replied nonchalantly, though it sounded like he was smiling. "You good to keep going? "

"Psh. Numbuh Five's always good," she said, straightening up and adjusting her hat. "Don't go too crazy out there."

With a nod, the two of them turned and bolted their separate ways.

After a few bold steps forward, Niles stopped.

The ground rumbled beneath his feet, a deep tremor shaking the area around him.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

A massive shadow appeared over the battlefield, growing larger with each step. The creature tore through the street like a living earthquake, its body a disgusting amalgamation of rock, earth, and hardened fusion matter. Its long, crustacean-like legs crushed anything in their path–a car bursting into pieces, a streetlamp falling over, and even entire buildings being reduced to rubble.

THUD. THUD. THUD.

Niles stared wide-eyed at the giant foe in front of him, lumbering into view. It was like a twisted leaning tower of Pisa. A pair of unnervingly squinty black eyes hid behind its rocky body, firing off laser beams in unpredictable bursts. Bit by bit, some of them would strike buildings, blasting them into pieces just to cause more damage and trouble for the cleanup later.

A Don Doom.

Surrounding it was a swarm of metallic Pesky Ponies, sculpted out of a child's nightmare. The herd charged ahead like a tidal wave, letting out metal-screeching neighs as their disfigured horse toy bodies cluttered together like a broken merry-go-round.

His fists clenched so tightly that his fingernails dug into his palms, breaking the skin. His breath turned ragged, and his muscles clenched up tightly.

"No," he whispered hoarsely behind the helmet, barely audible. Then, with a fierce grunt, he stood his ground. "I can do this."

The ice beneath him shattered as he drove his foot forward, getting into a battle-ready stance. His veins throbbed, glowing faintly with the recognizable energy of Chemical X coursing through him, driving him past the point of no return. His head pounded, his mind turning into a recognizable storm.

There was no one else. Just him. His rage, fear, and determination would be turned into his only chance of soloing this horde.

With a feral shout, Niles surged forward, tearing into the charging herd of Pesky Ponies. His fist strike was so powerful that a pony exploded into literal mist, its armor clattering onto the ground. Another was hurled into a pony's head, sending it flying into the air, followed by a roundhouse kick that shattered another into fusion goop.

The swarm closed in, but the Iron Warrior pushed on. Every hit he landed was impactful, his mind becoming an unaware mess. His moves weren't as coordinated and now raw, furious, driven by strength rather than precision.

As he barreled deeper, the fusion creatures clawed and snapped at him. The roar of the Don Doom pulled his attention back to the biggest threat in front of him, its jagged body seeming to shift and groan like an unbalanced lighthouse.

Without hesitation, Niles reeled toward a limping pony fleeing from his carnage. He grabbed the shattered creature by its hind legs, snarling.

"Get over here, you little freak-" he barked under his breath. Then, with a yelp, he used every ounce of his strength to hurl the metallic horse straight at the Don Doom's nearest leg.

CRACK!

The Pesky Pony collided with the massive crab limb, shattering it with a cringing crunch. The Don Doom let out a thunderous shriek, its body tilting as it buckled under its damaged leg.

In retaliation, its squinty black eyes fired off two searing green beams. They struck dead-on, the force of the blast sending Niles hurling backward like a ragdoll. He collapsed into a destroyed building with the wind knocked out of him, but the armor remained intact.

Dust and rubble flew everywhere, and Niles was the wrecking ball to bring it all down. He coughed, pushing himself and a large piece of concrete off of him. Still, he pressed on, weaving out of the building and back.

The iron warrior, huffing angrily, lifted a huge chunk of a cement wall. His boots kicked up, and moments later, he ascended to meet the creature's eye level.

He began spinning himself around rapidly, picking up the momentum. Spin after spin, he readied himself until he finally let go.

CRASH!

The chunk catapulted into the creature, causing its upper body to crumble a little bit. The beast roared, swaying as it struggled to regain balance.

But Niles wasn't done. He hit the ground hard, cracking the ice and pavement underneath. In his adrenaline-fueled rage, he surged forward like a cheetah to a gazelle, curling his hands around the nearest Pesky Pony he could find. Then, with a feral grunt, he spun and launched it straight at the Don Doom's face.

Then another.

And another.

Pesky Ponies shrieked in fear as they became living projectiles, their numbers dwindling quickly. The Don Doom retaliated, firing off rapid bursts of more beams. Each shot obliterated every pony mid-air, reducing them to smoldering pieces of metal debris.

Within the heat of the battle, the suit's HUD faintly began flashing an attentive red. His focus was driven heavily enough by the sight of the low battery icon on the top left, realizing he was already getting low on power and fast.

Niles didn't have enough time to react as a massive leg slammed into the ground, scooping up a mangled hovercar in its claw-like grasp. Then, it hurled the vehicle at him like a gigantic rock.

SWISH!

He stepped back, lifting his palm to fire off a beam of light. From one clean down-to-up motion, the hovercar was sliced in two. Both halves skidded past him, crashing into the snow in erupting flames.

He barely had time to celebrate as the Don Doom came rushing up to him, lifting its remaining legs to crush him. Niles leaped out of the way, frantic and erratic like prancing prey.

Landing hard, he lifted a hand as he focused on one of the creature's vulnerable legs. The heat began to build up from his palm as he let out a sadistic smile.

"Kneel."

A beam tore into a vital joint like a knife to butter. The fusion matter sizzled and bubbled, spewing out in disgusting arcs. The Don Doom let out an inhuman screech as it collapsed uselessly beneath its weight.

Niles' blood pumped with fury, the Chemical X driving him past exhaustion into malicious willpower. He kicked off the ground once again, the palm cannons glowing brighter than ever.

Hovering mid-air, he extended both arms, aiming each cannon at the Don Doom's squinty black eyes.

"X! " Niles hollered. "Set this thing to the max! Now!"

Reluctantly, the nano obliged and adjusted the controls. By now, he could feel the heat radiating from his palms, almost peeling his skin off from inside the metal. But that didn't matter. Both cannons fired off like pure radiant lights, striking their designated targets.

The Don Doom's pained roar turned into sheer misery, a sound so loud that it echoed across the entirety of Sector V. Buildings trembled, and loose debris rattled as the monster squirmed in its agony, unable to do anything since it was disabled.

The beams kept going, melting through the hardened rock until its eyes were nothing but steaming empty sockets.

Fusion matter poured out from it like blood spilling from a fatal wound as it tumbled, breaking apart like a set of toy blocks. Its legs curled inwards, and its torso split, turning into a wave of more fusion matter that flooded the street.

Then finally, with a deafening crash, the Don Doom's body shattered into just a pile of rubble. The battlefield was now much quieter than usual, except for the hissing and the steam from the melting debris.

Niles' power flickered in and out as he suddenly hit the ground hard, his boots scraping against the concrete as he dropped from mid-air. His knee and fist pummeled into the dirt as he steadied himself. His chest rose and fell, each breath long and drastic.

Sweat trickled down the sides of his face as the adrenaline finally began to wear off, including the suit's power.

"X," he started, falling on his butt. "Switch the shoulder and arm panels so we can start charging."

From underneath the helmet, X affirmed, "Yes, sir."

Then, stiffly, his arms braced as the vibrant panels folded like origami. A reflective matrix formed on each arm and shoulder, replacing his colors with crystalline glass panels that began sucking up as much sun as they could. The icon of a charge popped up on his HUD, revealing that slowly but surely, he was coming back.

Niles sighed as he leaned back, taking a second to rest.

However, the crackle of his voice communicator startled him out of his haze.

"Niles, it's Blossom," The girl's voice came through, mixed between concern and urgency. "Are you alright?! I just saw the Don Doom go down! Do you still need help?"

He shook his head, swallowing a dreadful feeling in his chest. "I'm fine. It's done. It's down. I'll head back to the Treehouse soon."

There was a pause, long enough for him to feel her hesitation.

"Alright," she said finally, still worried. "Be careful and come find me."

The line went dead, and Niles let out a huff. He pushed the button on his neck to retract the helmet, the winter air hitting his face like a bucket of ice water. He placed a hand over where his heart was, shutting his eyes.

Slowly but surely, the remains of the Don Doom's fusion matter began slinking its way toward him. His suit reacted instantly, small vents along his arms and legs opening up to siphon in the excess energy. A low hum resonated through his body as the absorbed fusion matter reinvigorated the suit's core. The battery gauge on his HUD flickered, then surged upward, from dangerously low to nearly full.

Despite the rush of energy, his limbs still felt heavy. He steadied his breathing as his mind felt clearer, though the strain of battle was already pressing on his muscles. His eyes couldn't help but wander down toward his arm as his hand flexed, seeing small bubbling green wires trail underneath the armor.

The last traces of fusion matter disappeared into his suit before exhaling sharply. The essence of the Don Doom had been fully absorbed, powering and strengthening the suit beyond its typical limit.

"Hm, I don't remember seeing that before," he muttered. "Regardless, that was a lot."

In a shimmer of light, Nano Alien X appeared beside him in his usual form. He floated closer, speaking in a friendly tone. "Sir, are you alright? I believe you may have gotten a little carried away."

"I'm alright," Niles reassured, flashing his nano a grin. "Just need a little rest, is all."

X nodded, offering him a small bow. "I understand."

The little alien remained by his side, giving him enough space to breathe while being close for comfort. He placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, patting the plate in a pitiful attempt to reassure him.

It didn't do anything to help, but it was still cute.

Niles reached out, lightly rubbing a finger on his head just as his breath was catching up to him. "I'm good now. I was just... a little angry. That's all."

He pushed himself up to his feet, pressing on and closing the helmet over his face again.

"Please be careful, sir." X shimmered before vanishing back into the suit. He reappeared on his screen, holding a finger up. "Now, I believe Blossom needed you?"

Niles nodded, tapping his boot heels. Within seconds, he launched into the air, zipping through the cool breeze with an outstretched arm pointing forward. "Yeah. Seems like this day is just getting started."

His heart still beat faster than he wanted, and his mind wasn't fully clear, but he didn't have time to dwell on it.

Somewhere, Fuse's forces were regrouping, and he needed to be there before it was too late.

4/24/25
Thank you for reading!

There was a lot to get through in this chapter, and just like the last one, I decided to cut down on some of the descriptions so the action could say more. Is this how the storyboard and animators for Samurai Jack felt?

I wanted to write a good starter chapter for Niles and show off some of his skills. If you felt a little disoriented, that's alright. There's a lot of battle (and plenty more to come after this). It's been a while, so I figured I'd give Niles a bit of the spotlight.

A lot can happen in eight months.

If I didn't hold back on the other segments with the Kids Next Door, this probably would've easily been like 11k words for this chapter alone, and I'm already pushing the length here. The only times I need to save sizable chapters like that are for moments that really matter in this story, I'd wager.

The scene where Niles shaves his face is a subtle reference to how Superman shaved.

I had a blast reintroducing the suit. I also figured that in the last fic, Niles lost a lot (for a good reason), so I'm not holding back with him anymore. He's earned it.

The girl who had the feline tail and could teleport is Liz Mutantseamus, ScroogeyTurtle's OC from EVOlution. You should check out their fic!

Originally, this chapter was going to be 'Niles and the Raging Don Doom', but the fight only took a part of the work so I scrapped it. The emphasis was to put the spotlight back on anyway.

The characters mentioned were Blossom and Buttercup (PPGs), Numbuh One through Five (KND), Nano Alien X and Plumbers (Ben 10: AF), and another OC.