MORTALITY: PART TWO "Reign of Seven" (Scripted Roleplay) (Trisell)

INTRODUCTION
To feel inferiority and be vulnerable to psychological pain.



Seven armored figures, claiming to be the incarnation of the Chaos Force itself. Fynl, the Blue Absorber, Kylun, the Silver Reformer, Syph, the Purple Destroyer, Typher, the Red Mimic, Mynce, the Pink Manipulator, Rynzer, the Yellow Creator, and Kyrax, the Green Leader.



Having exterminated the threat of this Isis Dominion invasion, the group prepared to travel to the home of these Identities. They were at the center of the city they helped prepare.



The pink one, Mynce, arrived to inform your character of the travel, and asked if you wish to come.



Comment with your response and a starter will be made

Mars
 Mars looked at Mynce with a bit of a shrug. "Sure, why the heck not? I took a sword to the gut so might as well go in further~" He said with a smile on his face, the wah he spoke about the sword was honest and calm like getting stabbed through the gut was a bit of a common occurence for him.

 The Pink Chaos nodded, leading him to the others as a portal was opened.

 He walked through with the Pink Chaos, a whimsical grin on his face.

 The seven, plus Mars, arrived at a large empty space: a vast metallic road leading in all directions. It was so reflective that one could assume it was water.

And Mars did, so he attempted to dive right into the road. "Depression~!" He joked.

"Whoa!" Rynzer quickly caught him. "Hey where-"

"Yeah I'm here," Carmen grumbled, waving from behind.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Forward," Kyrax instructed as they walked.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Huh.. Damn I thought I'd get to swim for once." Mars said, following kyrax.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"I can change it into water if you would like," Mynce offered.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Fresh water, no impurities otherwise everyone here ends up with enough electricity coursing through their bodies to power ten cities.."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"I don't think she's gonna turn it all to water," Rynzer noted.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Mars suddenly submerged in room-temperature water.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Yaaaay." Mars was doggie paddling.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">They continued forward, a small current bringing Mars with them. Then, the water began turning into oil. Mynce, noticing this, reached out, stopping the change and reversing it immediately. Suddenly the ground found the area rushing forward as they found themselves all in a massive futuristic city with hundreds of these organic Identities about.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"... HOLY SHIT!!!" Mars shouted in surprise, apparently he had never been zone travelling before.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">(Once again, the forms aren't reversable, they don't go in and out like a super form)

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">(I thought that was with the different stages, not with the orignal appearance.)

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">(What do you mean?)

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">(like the first picture of it, then the second picture, either way I changed the post.)

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">(Mmmmmmmmmm'kay confuzzled Strudel intensifies but moves on @_@)

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Lines of the Identities started up, each with a weaponized limb, preparing to fight. "We are here to speak with your leader," Kyrax called out.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The Gree-tinted one, Device, appeared in front of them.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Mars waved at the Identity. "Haiiiiii o3o"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Why are you with these?" Device asked.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Mars shrugged. "Hmmm.. Aside from getting stabbed in the gut I really don't know. I guess boredom or because these guys know how to get here and I don't." He said, his tail waving around lazily.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"...  This way," She walked toward the center of the district. The Identities remained tense.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Mars remained.. Well Mars, and bounced and fidgeted around a lot as he followed Device. He did wave to the onlookers like some sort of hyperactive child.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">They arrived at the capital building soon after.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"You will wait at the steps," Device instructed.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"We will enter now," Kyrax countered. "Your kind have much to answer for."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Wait, why isn't she all fleshy like the others?" Rynzer asked. Device gave no response, simply walking inside. Kyrax began to follow after.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Uhh.. Ookay.. I would've voted to just stay by the stairs but okay." Mars blinked, following Kyrax.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Inside, they saw her... sitting on her throne as usual: tapping her finger on the marble arm-rest as they approached. "And you are...?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Me or these guys?" Mars asked.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"The power rangers."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"We are the Seven Chaos," Kyrax informed. "We are here to address your actions-"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">'"WAIT!" A rush of black called out. Red hair, blue eyes, grey hoodie, blue pants.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Great, more of them," Virus groaned.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Aww, why can't people waaait theirrrrr tuuuuurn." Mars was rolling around at this point, standing still an impossibility for the wolf.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"What are you doing here, Mars?" Rin asked, now between the groups.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Isn't she are enemy?" Virus asked Device, who nodded. Immediately other Identities began charging toward the red-haired Identity.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"The power rangers brought me..? Look, now I'm just confused again, can somebody explain this..? Preferrably with a voice that sounds like Morgan Freeman?" Mars asked, hissing when he stretched his neck and a few very loud pops occur. "Ohhhh, rolling neck pain.."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"I can do the Mor-" Rin began to offer before having to duck from a blast. Syph stepped forward, sending a purple ring of energy around Rin, blasting the Identities back.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"I'll just end this quickly," Virus stepped forward, forming a metallic blade from her arm.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"I don't think anyone came here wanting to fight," Rin noted.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Too bad."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Every bleedin time I get a hole in my chest! Bad things happen aside from the usual." Mars grumbked to himself before grabbing anything metal that looked like it could be used and running a large current through it but otherwise really didn't do anything.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"This is a three way I am not getting involved in, the pipe is just for protection.."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Uh huh..." Virus zipped forward, dicing at Rin's arms. It seemed that Rin was not as fortunate as these few retaining their metallic biology,as despite trying to form a shield of bone, the blade sliced directly into her, prompting the red-haired Identity to scream.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">... But then there was another scream: louder, and in far more terror. It came from outside, in the city,and already people were coming into the building to report the event.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"What the heck?" Mars just ran outside to see what the hell was going on.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The Seven Chaos decided to foll- no wait, it was just Rynzer. Now Virus was following, and then the other Seven Chaos followed.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The witnesses pointed in the distance still, a trail of red. Strangely it smelled like lead, not blood. "Monster," They kept saying.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Pausing the conflict for the moment, they all walked, with Rin a bit teary-eyed, slowly reforming her arm back to normal. At the end of the trail was a very distinct scent of paint... red paint... on a pile of smoking sand... pouring out of the chest-wound of a dead, mortal, organic, Identity.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Mars just shivered, placing a hand on the identity to try and feel for its core.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Syph reached out to pull Mars back but before she could, he could feel... something. He found his muscles suddenly tensing, a smile forcing over his lips, wide and toothy. He saw half-open, tired-looking eyes...and the smile, before the connection was broken. Just before... a trail, he could see a trail of blue.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"....." He just scampered off, following the blue trail.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"W- hey!" Syph called out. She chased after him, as did some of the other Identities. He went for a few minutes before finding that the trail led to a restricted section, Device appearing in front of it.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">It was... a plot of dirt... just dirt, fenced by some special field. The Green-Tinted woman realized the circumstance. "... You will not disturb anything unnecessarily."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Look, I saw a weird vision and blue trail after I touched that Identity with the hole in his chest." Mars said, he was curious.. But he wasn't really willing to fight anyone over it.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"I'm not going to disturb anything."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"I know," She replied. "I see it," She stepped to the left as the gates opened.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Mars blinked, walking through the gate in pursuit of the trail.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Device followed him through. "This is the plot that this zone grew from.  The soil is rich and fragile.  Act with caution."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">A lake was in the nearby distance. They could hear a quack, repeating in the same tone and tune, like a toy.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"What..?" Mars blinked, following the noise now assuming the blue trail led him in that direction.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">A small duck toy was paddling toward the center of the lake. Device did not appear pleased with this, nor inclined to enter the water... it seemed it was required, however.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"..... Oh dear.." Mars tested the water to see if there were any impurities by placing a finger in the water.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">It was normal lake water, but it was his only option, unless he had another way in.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Shit.." Mars prepared for the worst day of his life, swimming across the lake while electricity arced off his body in a painful manner.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Device simply stood by, waiting... Why she wasn't acting if this was so important was unknown.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">He reached for the duck, just groaning in pain.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">He caught the duck, but as he did, he suddenly saw something in the water, fall below. A body was tied to the lake's floor by chains.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Mars dove under, trying to get a better look to see.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The figure was quite cold, nearly blue from how long they were in, but strangely enough they did not appear to have decayed yet.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">He poked the body, then the chains.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The chains looked strong, the body felt cold. He could see Device above the water, watching, waiting for their surface.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Huh.. Weird.." Mars blinked before surfacing very quickly. "... I hate salt wateeeerrrrr.."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Retrieve it," Device ordered.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Sure.." He attempted to grab the duck and swim away.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">He felt his muscles tense. "The body," She clarified.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Fine.." Mars dived down to the body and looked at the chains, trying to find a weak point to break using a construct of some kind.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Some were in the dirt below but the others seemed only to be attached to the body.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Mars attempted to break the chains with a yellow core construct shaped like scissors

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">They snapped instantly, though the strange vision came again as he did so.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">He shuddered, grabbing the body and attempted to swim upwards while holding it.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">He was soon on the surface, holding the cold still body covered in the remaining chains.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Anyone have a towel?" Mars asked as he swam to shore.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The Seven Chaos and couples of Identities watched with shaking heads at the request. The chains dissolved, and the body... specified.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Now outside of the water, this was a woman... adult in age, thin... a lynx with brown fur, black hair, and black stripes.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Hiiii!" Mars grinned, shivering from the cold.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">She blinked, opening her green eyes. "... Uh..." She looked around. "... You saved me?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"What..?" Mars blinked. "Who are you..?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"We would all like to know that," Kyrax stepped forward, but soon behind, Virus was being carried forward on her throne by other Identities.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"That's not a possibility," The red-striped one peered toward the two. "Step away from her."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Mars blinked and took a few steps back to shake the water off his fur. "Seriously I have no clue what's happening.. I knew shit like this would happen, it always does when I get stabbed through the fucking chest!"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The woman held on to Mars as he went, dragging on the floor a bit. "... Your name is Mars.  You saved me?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Yeah.. I did." Mars blinked. "I guess."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">With them all watching, with the woman in the throne tense, it suddenly became a bit more obvious when the lynx smiled. One word.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Delicious."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">".... Am I getting stabbed through the chest again?" Mars asked everyone when seeing the looks on their face and heard the word 'delicious', worst part was that Mars sounded so bloody plausé about the chest stabbing thing.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Again?" She rose an eyebrow.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"What is this?" Kyrax demanded.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Her," Device informed. "The original... the... one and only."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The Virus on the throne growled, stepping down toward Mars and the lynx.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Is it possible that I get out of this without being stabbed in the chest? Or eaten?" Mars asked, god he was hoping no chest stabbings occur.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"I think the one that's about to get stabbed is me," She noted, slowly standing up shakily.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"She can barely stand!" The Virus growled.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"If the lynx is your actual... Virus," Kyrax began, "who is the current."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Pix," Device informed.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Help me up here, Mars," the actual Virus said.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"To answer the previous question..? The most recent one was because I decided to help the power rangers." Mars said, helping Virus stand by moving her arm by her far shoulder. "If you want I could carry you.. But how did you end up under there..?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Good question... Wait, Pix?" She peered a bit at the new Virus. "... Okay."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"This is your leader?" Kyrax clarified once more to Device.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"She is."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Immediately the Seven Chaos materialized their weapons, blasting the other Identities away. Syph shot a small bolt of purple chaos at the lynx, grazing her cheek. Virus winced at the sensation... then blinked. Her eyes went wide as her hand shook, her fingers touching the blood of her cheek. "... I'm..."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Mars raised a hand and fired a bolt of lightning at Syph in response. "I can understand a fight, but not killing someone while they're weakened like that.. Now what the hell is going on and what was the idea for trying to conquer my world?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"The order came from you, didn't it?" Rynzer called over to the Pix Virus, launching a construct of yellow at her. She braced her hands against it as it rammed her back, her own energy blasting back toward him.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"... She isn't the Elder yet," Kyrax noted, which means she still is," They turned back to Virus.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Virus pulled up a bit to Mars's ear, giving a small nibble. "Are you still yellow?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Y-yeah.." Mars shivered slightly, channeling yellow core energy into a simple rod construct for defense. "For simplicity's sake."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">She whispered a bit more wispy... sweetly, "I'm going to need to use you for a little bit," Her hand went around his chest slowly, the surrounding individuals waiting for Mars to step away.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Go ahead." Mars shrugged, he trusted her and she hasn't stabbed him in the the back yet.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"My blade..." Her hand dug into his chest as he felt his core energy filling up around him suddenly. The others could sense it immediately, and began firing toward the two.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Virus jumped back into the water with Mars in hand, wrapping around him as she pressed her lips against him. He could feel himself starting to transform, as if he were becoming the energy, like his transformation into electricity, but different.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">He just looked at Virus with a look of 'why' on his face. "Why do people always go for the chest?" He asked as he felt the transformation, but otherwise really didn't resist. If anything he just seemed slightly annoyed about the chest thing than anything else.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The water burned, the soil around them pulling in as various colors were still shooting toward them. Mar's body was dissolved at this point, as if he were a blade of negative-core energy, fused to Virus's arm as she pulled in materials around them.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The area shook as metal slammed against them, creating detail and design around the arm and blade. He could feel himsel fin her body, in her movement, as the water rocketed upward, dissolving in an electrical blast of yellow and green.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">'Huh.. You've got to teach me how to turn people into weapons like this, because this is friggin cool.'

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">(Can he actually speak mentally like this?)

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">She didn't repond at this moment as six of the seven immediately charged at her. Syph began immediately with a whipping wave of destruction  chaos. Virus Quickly rushed to the left in the air as she concentrated the water over Syph, disorienting the purple chaos for the moment as the others closed in.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"The pink one needs to feel guilty," Mars heard between the two of them, a charge in his power.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">(Yes)

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Mars mentally nodded before attempting to peer into the pink one's emotions for any preexisting guilt that he could amplify with the charge in his powers.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">They soon saw a figure falling from the sky. With this threat dealt with, Virus charged forward, the Core blade slamming against Rynzer's armor as the yellow chaos formed out his own batons.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The Blue Chaos charged in toward them from behind.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Mars' response if he noted the blue chaos was to briefly split his attention to producing a series of small but concentrated barriers where he predicted the blue Chaos might strike at from behind.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">As the Blue Chaos touched this, the barriers began moving into him. He was absorbing them. With this time, however, Virus immediately launched Rynzer into the blue chaos, the yellow core energy still being developed burning into Rynzer.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">He tried to tap into the blue chaos' emotions, mainly to feed on them and further boost his power if possible.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The Blue felt... irritation at the moment, with Rynzer crashing into him. A blast of purple was forming down at them, and soon Mars was slicing upward rapidly, sending Syph into the air.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">During the brief moment he was in contact with Syph Mars attempted to get a read on her emotions, trying to find a weak point to exploit so he could either puppet her core or burn it out. Whichever was easier for the wolf.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">'Y'know, this feels like a game. All we need are health bars for them.' He mused more towards himself than anything.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">He found that immediately after moving into her mind, he felt a burning himself. Walls were forming around them, bolts circling them.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Mars retreated from her mind, opting to reinforce his own weapony self with his own core energy.. And he poured quite a fair bit of it into reinforcing himself for extra damage.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Virus quickly submerged, sending out bursts from the ground to distort the enemy. Before continuation, however, a green light blew back the debris.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"A battle with these Seven Chaos is for that of the Isis Dominion leader," Device informed. The Chaos paused at this for a moment. Pix stepped forward, and Virus turned to them.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"That's what we're doing, huh?" Virus tensed.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Huh, what's going on?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Shhhhh," Virus ran a finger along the blade.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Begin," Device called. Pix immediately launched a constructed blast of pink chaos energy toward them. Virus developed a small amount of pink energy in response, but it was not nearly enough to combat considering she was in a mortal body, and Pix remained an a metallic Identity one.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">With a silent 'meep' Mars remained silent, though unsure if he was allowed to aid Virus in this battle or even anything about Pix's capabilities.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">It seemed Virus didn't care about whatever the rules were as she immedately slammed Mars forward, stretching the blade as it pierced directly into Pix's chest.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Mars channeled his yellow core through himself and into Pix's core, attempting to puppet Pix and read her mind in order to decide whether or not he keeps her or just assimilates her core.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Pix was not prepared for this, but most-likely from previous training, she began pressing faintly back. With both Mars and Virus pushing against her, however, she was soon dying off... but then suddenly Mars found everything distort, a massive pain as he was torn in two from a strike coming from above.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">'Aaagh!! Godfuckingdamnit!! Bad pain! Not good..!' Clearly he's never been bisected before.. And that shit hurts bad, he honestly felt like he was going to puke from the pain since everything was just sooo spinny.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">His body reformed, turning to its regular... well its state before turning into a sword, though the attack was still enough to cause harm... Virus's arm was chopped off,  as was part of her shoulder, and she was barely standing up.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"You've lost this position, and I've won it," Pix held her hand up, and with a blast of green, the two found themselves being pushed toward a developing portal. Virus pulled Mars over, using him as best as she could, despite his and her own weakened state... but the pressure became stronger as Kyrax walked over, aiding the Identity.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">'Kill kill Kill.. Rend, break, Obliterate..' echoed in Mars' mind, essentially being split in half as a sword triggered a relapse to the fight or flight all cornered animals have.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Mars was soon running out but Virus seemed determined. Apparently it wasn't enough and they both went flying through... and as they went, once again he saw the smile,and the half-open eyes.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">￼"What the hell are you.." He mumbled to himself, referring to the smile and half open eyes he kept seeing. "And why show up in my head.."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Things went black... and when Mars awoke, Virus was still unconscious, and her arm was still gone. They were on the side of a beach rode, in the sand: just next to a city.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"... It'll be fine.." Mars whispered before napping until virus woke up.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">He would find that he'd be sleeping for a while.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Well with his injuries it made sense, sides it's been a while since he got a nap.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">If he were sleeping for more than a few hours, he'd eventually be found, as well as Virus, and the two taken to the emergency room.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">He most definitely was, and eventually he woke up.. If he was greeted with needles then there would be massive discharges of electricity as Mars does not like waking up to needles.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">He found himself suddenly woken up... and... completely healed. A rectangular shadow was smiling at him at his bed.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Huh..? Where are we..?" Mars asked the shadow.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">A low growl sounded... but then came a child's voice... panicked, and calling "Where's Carmen!?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The shadow rushed from sight, but left a trail: making the walls seem to visually vanish. He saw Virus in another room, the remains of her arm in a cast.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"What is going on.." Mars stood up, shaking his head and attempting to find Virus' room to see if she's awake. "Wait.. Carmen..! Damn it where is she?" He asked himself. "I hope she's alright.. I mean she might've had my kid.. I think.. I do express interest in seeing him or her.."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Virus was some doors to the left, as the walls fading out showed.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Mars found the room, opening the door and checking to see if she was awake or not.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">She was not awake, but she was on life-suppo-

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The shadow was looming over her: arched like a tube, like some kind of intestine... it was coiling around her, starring back at Mars with the grin, taunting.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Get off of her!" Mars hissed before raising his hand to fire a lightning bolt at the shadow before pausing. "No lightning.." Instead of a lightning bolt there was a burst of his core energy extending outwards similarly to how he fires bolts of lightning.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The creature's teeth gnashed a bit... and the energy passed through it. It vanished, but then Virus suddenly jolted, screaming out as she suddenly gasped for air as she jirated uncontrollably for a few seconds. Her eyes flashed open as she panted long and hard.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Mars jumped back at the sudden reaction. "Oh thank god you aren't dead.." He mumbled, feeling immense relief. "I saw a weird intestinal shadow thing coiled around you like some sort of constrictor."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"What?" Her eyes narrowed, widened, then narrowed again. Then she looked at her arm and they went wide again.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Okay, things are getting way too weird.. Why're you flesh and blood now? And why am I seeing things?" Mars asked, now just standing next to Virus' bed.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"I wish I knew, but I really don't think I had anything to do with this," She answered. "Somehow I got taken out and now Pix is in my place."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Huh, What's Pix's story anyways?" Mars asked, just awkwardly petting Virus as a means of comfort

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"We recruited her some years back.  She's a militia Identity, high ranking and experienced.  She was also power-hungry, but loyal all the same.  Technically she didn't backstab me, she just took my place... but once this is over, I'm still going to punish her."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Awww, can't I just puppet her? Wait, I still have to find Carmen.." Mars mused. "Yeah I'm attached to her."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Identities aren't as easy as fleshies," Virus replied  "... We need to get out of here."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"You need a piggy back ride?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"I need my arm back," She groaned, starting out of the bed. Immediately when she touched the floor, however, the doctors, nurses, others, suddenly were in the building, and one--looking quite surprised now--in the room.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Mars shrugged. "Well, Anyone know where her missing arm is..?" Mars asked the one that was in the room.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The nearby doctor immediately pressed a finger to a phone to the left, informing them that one of the patients was out of their room.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Virus looked behind herself. "... So they do leave the back open..."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Yes they do, let's go find your arm.. And probably maim anyone who tries to stop us." Mars said, offering a hand to help her up.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">She took his hand, but security stepped in the way of the doorway. "Just pointing out, I think my arm got cut off back in the Dominion," Virus noted.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Does that mean I have to give up an arm...? Eh, not the weirdest thing i've done for people I like." Mars chuckled, raising his free arm to fire a stream of electricity at the guards with the intention of electrocuting them.. Though whether or not that was successful was dependant on how much electricity he had.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The guards were immediately stunned as the two passed them by. "Can't have that," Virus replied. "I like those arms of yours."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">(Now i'm imagining Virus using one of Mars' arms as a prosthesis XD)

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Thanks.. Though do we lay low, try to find a way back to the dominion or..?" Mars asked, he wasn't the type to plan things out. "They said something about a group of people potentially finding me because of my yellow core..? That good or bad?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"I don't know," Virus replied as they rushed through the hospital. "I'm just trying to get out of here right now."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Got it.. Man this reminds me of the first time I got stabbed in the gut, over spoiled meat too.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Wait you-" Her foot stumbled, causing her to fall forward.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Thankfully Mars was quick, and he moved to wrap an arm around the stomach area to pull her back on her feet without really thinking much about it.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Thanks," She grunted. "Really not used to having a body..."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Other security was going after them now as they neared an elevator.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Mars smiled, just firing bolts of electricity at the heads of any security guards that came near them.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The guards ducked and dove for cover, one firing a stun gun and the other realizing the pointlessness of it. This was a hospital, and tranquilizers were around.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Mars absorbed the charge from the stun gun before returning that electricity at one guard in the form of arcs of lightning, all while inching towards the elevator with Virus in hand.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Yes, I've been stabbed in the gut.. By people who I thought wouldn't do it to me because I was close to them.. Boy how wrong I was.."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"I've mentioned before that I find your dark side very attractive, right?" They were in the elevator, heading down.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Oh.. Yeah." Mars sweatdropped, now just twiddling his fingers.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"... You can blast a hole big enough to get us out of here, right?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Of course I can.. I'll just drain the hospital power supply first because I've been running on empty.." Mars said, rubbing his eyes with his free hand.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Do it then."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Yeah yeah.." Mars sighed, draining lightbulbs and the elevator power as the elevator finally reached its stop and the doors opened up.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"... Hm...Can you make this drop more?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"... Yeah, I think I can." Mars shrugged, placing a hand on the elevator and giving it enough of a charge to activate the winch system and force it downwards

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Virus waited until they were at the lowest possible level. "Everything's off?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Yep.." Mars grinned, he was charged up.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Good," And then she promptly shoved him to the wall, kissing him.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"!?" Mars was surprised for all of two seconds before reciprocating.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">She began to reach at his shoulders, hand shaking. Her eyes teared up. "I... think... I think I never want to go back..."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"You don't have to if you don't want to, I'll still be around no matter what you do." Mars shrugged, giving her a comforting hug. "Seriously, I could tell that Pix was a tool."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"That's a nice thought," She chuckled before turning to kissing him, progressing further in this... 'comforting' for about a half minute before they were interrupted.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Maybe it was reassuring to have someone else experience the sensation, but on the other hand, it could simply be more horrifying, because just as Mars suddenly saw the eyes...the mouth, heard the laughing child, Virus staggered back: looking around. The same question played in Mars's head "Where's Carmen?!"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Leave me alone! I'll find her!!" Mars shouted, stumbling backwards out of fright. "Who are you!?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Virus was against the back of the wall now. "You... saw that?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"I've been seeing that.." Mars answered. "Seriously.. What the hell is going on..?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"... We have to get back... Blow open the wall."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Mars nodded, placing a hand on the wall for a few moments before punching it with an electrically charged fist

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The wall blasted open to the side of the building, next to an open parking lot.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"There.." Mars sighed. "You know what's going on with my head?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Same thing that's going on with mine?" she stepped out.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Mars followed after her. "Probably.."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Well first I want to get new clothes," She started jogging further out of the city, quickly discarding the hospital gown.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Mars shrugged. "I kinda like this, all it needs is a hockey mask."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"That's a reference?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"It's me wanting a hockey mask if that counts as a reference." Mars smiled. "And maybe a chainsaw for aesthetic appeal."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"You should take off your gown too," She called back as they went further down the street toward a more residential area.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Fiiine." Mars shrugged, taking the gown off.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Well that was far too fast," she glanced back to him. "Eh, pick a house," She looked about before darting into an apartment community complex: jumping the gate.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Eh." Mars shrugged, he was gonna go for some place on the bottom floor of the apartment complex since it was close by.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Greeeeeat," She dove into the nearest open window: landing in a kitchen.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Mars just knocked on the door politely, posing as a cute lost child with the wide eyes and welling tears.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Some seconds later, Virus opened the door, raising an eyebrow at the expression.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"....." Mars blinked, huffing slightly. "So i'm good at playing the role of the lost kid, no one ever expects it."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Oh... I'm going to look for clothes," She turned back into the house, walking up the stairs.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Don't mind if I do to." Mars followed her, rubbing his eyes.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">They began to hear typing coming from one of the upstair rooms.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Kill or no kill?" Mars asked Virus, whispering as he looked through clothes with Virus.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"I need a new arm so..." She turned to the room, knocking. No response came, but the typing continued.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Well then." Mars attempted to jiggle the door nob to see if it was locked, if it was he'd just punch a hole through the door.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">It opened easily enough, but inside they found a young man--probably in his mid teens--with headphones on as he typed away and swivvled away on an online game. He didn't even notice them till the light came into the room.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">He winced slightly before turning to them: blinking and raising an eyebrow.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">".... Weird request but mind if we borrow some of your clothes?" Mars asked.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"What?" The kid pulled off his headphones. Virus rolled her eyes, walking in.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">".... Welp, screw the politeness and crap." Mars said, attempting to place a hand on the kid's face and puppet his core using yellow core energy. If it succeeded then he would just read the kids mind for amusement really.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">It didn't take long. "Your parents home kid?" Virus asked, going through his closet, then groaning at the obvious line of boy clothes.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The boy shook his head no as Mars just grabbed a pair of blue jeans and a red shirt with the words 'beam me up Scotty' in white lettering. "Heh, I like this shirt."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"... Okay.  Mars, I want this kid to give us some worship for a bit while I do something, okay?" She requested darkly.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Mars looked at the kid. "You heard the lady, do the worshipping thing." Mars said as the kid went through the motions of worshipping the two, mostly Virus because Mars just never really liked the idea of being worshipped at all.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">She smiled at the praise... and then reached over, and tore off the teenager's arm. He immediately fell to the ground. Virus began to demand "No say thank you" but he had already gone into shock. The arm began assimilating into her body: bones growing out from her stub.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Mars sighed at the mess before placing a hand on the kid's head and draining both the core and his bioelectricity. "Must you be so rough with my playthings?" He joked before picking up the body and looking for a window to toss it out of.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"I'm rough with mine, so yeah," She flexed her new fingers as the fur began growing out. "Alright, I'm gonna keep looking for clothes," She walked out.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">".... Beam me up Scotty." Mars chuckled, before tossing the body out a window and playing the game that the kid was playing before he caught a sudden case of the deads.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">A few minutes passed before Virus called from somewhere in the building  "Found some clothes!"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Neat!" Mars shouted. "Charging my ult.." He whispered, currently he was playing Overmeme. "Pepe for best character.."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Are you gonna come check me out?" She called back.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Yeah!" Now Mars definitely wasn't as dumb as people think, and this was one of those cue's even he could pick up what with being around mostly women for most of his life anyways. So he shut off the computer and started looking for the apartment room Virus was in.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">She pulled on some shades just as he located her, tilting them down a bit with a flip of her hair. "How you doin'?" She smirked.



<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"I'm doing great, I like the outfit.." Mars clapped. "These'll probably get trashed soon but it'll do for now." He said, pointing to his own shirt. "Maybe hit up a gun shop and you'd look like a great female bond villain."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Oooooo' that's a plan," She smirked, stepping closer. "Now you can go back to kissing me if you want."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Ooh gunshop, I get to fulfill my long held dream of taking a fully automatic assault rifle and going for the high score~" Mars grinned excitedly before reaching in for a drawn out kiss on the lips.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">She just chuckled as they went on for a while. A brief moment later, she started toward the front door. "We'll pick some up and-" She jumped back. "And now something's coming.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"If it's the kids parent's I'm just going to keep them as puppets, maybe start up a collection of eyeballs for fun~" Mars says, before chuckling for a few seconds.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Not the parents," Virus replied as two bolts of chaos energy shot through the walls toward them.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Mars sidestepped the bolts with a sneer before he subconciously started drawing electricity into himself. "Show yourself..!" He demanded, creating claw like constructs attached to his wrists and ankles as a means of prepping for combat.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Virus stepped to the side. Rapid bolts were suddenly flashing about the area: tearing up the supporting walls of the building.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Mars actually ran for the window, gesturing for Virus to follow because collapsing buildings are no fun.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">She followed as such, the window breaking forward toward them.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Mars covered his eyes to protect them from the glass shards as he jumped through the window, most likely he took the brunt of the shattered glass which would result in moderate lacerations on Mars' part.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Three figures in metal lining rushed around to his front.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Who are you?" Mars asked, bleeding and pulling glass shards out.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"You aren't the target," They replied simply. "Where is she?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Now why would I tell you anything?" Mars asked with a grin.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">They immediately began firing chaos bolts at him once agian: the buildings beginning to collapse.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Mars started dodging the chaos bolts, taking into account the rate of fire while retaliating with bolts of lightning between dodges.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Each assailant could only seem to fire a few every couple of seconds: circling around him as others moved off into the collapsing building.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Mars waited for an opening while dodging before suddenly lunging at any of the three that weren't firing at high speeds and attempting to slash at the neck and upper chest region in a whirling dervish of lightning and the yellow core claw constructs on his arms and legs.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The yellow core was more than enough to tear through the metal armor, sending the melting body to the ground.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Mars turned to the other two and fired massive quantities of electrcity at one of them with the intention of disintegrating one inside their own armor. The last one he would attempt to puppet and read through his or her mind to figure out who they were and why they wanted Virus.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">This individual growled in response. Seemed this one had experience in this area, or all of them did, but Mars did catch that they were coming from the Isis Dominion.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Where's Carmen..?" Mars asked, attempting to slice off the left arm of this Identity as a means of inflicting pain.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The Identity caught the blade...with their arm... which was then cut off. "We don't know who that is," They grunted out.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Now why do you want Virus..? Isn't she supposed to be your ruler?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Not anymore," The hand directed... well the nub directed at Saren, the Identity let out a streaming blast of the chaos energy.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">-somewhere far away, a cat is struck for no reason... Joking XD-)

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Mars was unprepared for that and assuming the beam had enough power to put a hole through him.. For the third time, he let out an unholy scream of pain and attempted to drain the core of this identity in an attempt to heal the wound.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">(Slow violin music)

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The Identity had little amounts left before collapsing. Strangely that was the only one- wait no, one was walking toward him. She took off the metal covering from her face while approaching (no it's not Carmen).

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">So while it didnt put a hole through him, it did push him back a bit. "Alright, who are you.. And where is Carmen..?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"I'm Scarametel," She answered immediately before kneeling. "I do not know where this Carmen is."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Another one walked over, taking off his protective face-guard and kneeling as well.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Eh..? Why are you kneeling..?" Mars blinked.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">(scarametel, scaramouche? .3.)

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">(Oh my goodness X{D THAT WASN'T A REFERENCE!  Rip Scaramouche, died before his time.)

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"I can make them do a lot of things," Virus noted, stepping over.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Who are they?" Mars asked, the yellow core constructs vanishing. "Ow.."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"The Identities from the dominion sent to destroy me... that's what they were... Now...well," The hijacked slaves then began kissing at Virus's feet and hands.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Believe it or not, I actually don't really like being worshiped much myself, but I love seeing people just destroying themselves."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"... Huh, They had it coming.." Mars nodded. "Can I haaave their aaarmor?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"We need to move, but sure," Virus walked past the hijacked: them all returning to a kneeling position.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Swwweeeeeet!" Mars grinned, salvaging and equipping the shoulder plates, greaves, helm and chestplate to cover himself with before following after Virus

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Wait a second," Virus turned back to them. "You can bring us there..." She reached a hand into the chest of one as energy began pouring out.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Mars clapped excitedly "Ooooooh, gun store gun store~!"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Right, okay, Mars, you can go to the gun store while I do this.  Hurry, okay?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Yaya!" Mars zipped off to the gun store for a few minutes, though during the time Mars was gone Virus might here a few bangs and an explosion before Mars returned very singed but with a hunting rifle and quite a few boxes full of .308 rounds.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"You've fired those before?" She asked.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Yep!" Mars grinned, doing a field maintenance check on the gun before loading the gun.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Do I get one?" James Bond villain, remember?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Yeah~" Mars tossed her what looked like a Tommy Gun. "Every bond villain needs a Tommy Gun~!"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Cooooool- portal's ready,"She gestured.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Yaya!" Mars skipped through the portal.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">He was in a mountain region, with clouds everywhere.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Mars blinked, taking a few steps to look around and marvel at the sights as electricity occasionally arced off his body. "Ohhhhh, Fuuuunnnnn!"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"One of the districts," Virus noted. "We should be fine.  If they're all organic then they can't sense as well."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Alrighty then~" Mars grinned. "You know this place better than I do."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"You wanna find that girl right?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Well yeah I do, I just do not know this place at all.. Never been, unless there's another trail like how I found you coming along?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"If there is, I don't know about it.  Weird not knowing the big plan for this sort of thing," She looked about. "Well did she betray her team?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Carmen? Ehh, more like those power rangers turned her into a flesh and blood mobian since I recognized her and refused to do anything along the lines of hurting her." Mars shrugged. "She didn't do wrong by me.."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"If she didn't betray them, then she's probably f-... come again?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"In a minute, but seriously, is that in regards to being turned full flesh and blood?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Didn't evenyone get turned like that?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"I think they were vaporized, I don't know."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"... Okay, what happened from the beginning?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Well, at first identities were trying to invade the world in fake Virus's name, then these assholes showed up a little while after a scream elicited and their constructs became mire fleshy like.. Ended up on a wild goosechase to find and fight this commander type I guess and they were all put into a cage or something.. I didnt really see what happened to them." Mars gave a shortish summary of what the hell happened to him.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Were they all fleshy when you first met them?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Yeah, I think so."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Then what makes her different?" She started walking toward a hiking path.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"The fact that something in my head keeps calling for her."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Wait wh- I thought we saw the same things.  I don't even remember what she looks like."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"White wolf, and yeah." He shrugged. "You saw what I was seeing sooo.."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"No, I don't think I did," She called back, nearly out of earshot now.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Mars blinked, running after Virus. "You mean you didnt see the weird ass vision when I hugged you in that hospital..? Eh, I'm probably stressing over nothing."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"I saw a vision, but not the same one as you."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">They were soon in the woods: tall thin trees surrounding them with darkness about with how thick the leaves were.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Sheesh, a forest fire would be wonderful around here."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"For light?" She asked.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Yes, also for barbecue."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Yep we-"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"HI THERE!" yelled a figure before faceplanting on front of them.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"SWEET JESUS ON CRACK!!" Mars shouted, suddenly hopping onto virus for a few seconds before suddenly letting go. ".... Ignore that?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Virus fell to the ground from the sudden weight.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"I'm okay," The Identity noted.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Sorry.." Mars sweatdropped, offering a hand to virus while pointing the hunting rifle at the new arrival. "Who're you?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The Identity's face was a bit bloodied as he stood up, looking at the rifle. "... Wait is that a real gun?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Yes, now answer the question before I reenact my favorite moment in Fallout New Vegas."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"... Is that a game or a mo- right," He shook his head. "Memphis... What's your name?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Mars lowered the gun. "Mars, and i'm sure you know who she is..?" Mars gestured to Virus.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Not really,why?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"... Huh, okay." He shrugged. "But, who are you?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"You already asked that.  I answered.  Wait, you're a fleshy."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"We're all fleshies now," Virus noted.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Good point."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Well.. I guess I'm looking for someone named Carmen." Mars shrugged. "And the sudden case of fleshy identities, because lets face it.. This is already creepy as fuck."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Aw, I thought this felt non-creepy," Virus teased, brushing her arms in a coiling motion under Mars's as she hugged him from behind.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"... Well she's probably not here.  Maybe in the capital district."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Mars jolted slightly. "Overall creepy, what's going on right now is not so creepy." He said with a bit of a smile.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">She began folding her fingers around his while slowly giving bitings to his neck with little growling sounds, which... the Memphis Identity was visibly very uncomfortable viewing. "Okay, I'm just gonna go unless you wanna shoot me or something."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"J-just shoo..!" Mars gestured, shivering slightly when she bit his neck.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The Identity nodded before running off.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"C'mon, gotta get to the water," Virus tugged Mars a bit.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Yeah.." Mars nodded, following Virus while occasionally spinning his hunting rifle. "Since these guys are flesh and blood, does that mean guns work against them?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Yeah, but they can probably still regerenate and morph so not gonna be super easy."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Awww q~q" Mars sulked.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">They arrived at a long beach, the cloudy sky above still looming over them. Virus immediately jumped into the water.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Mars sighed, jumping in after Virus.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The water wasn't particularly cold, but as Virus was swimming toward the bottom far below, the water got darker.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">It wasn't the cold Mars was worried about, it was his own electrical abilities in water that had him worried. Nevertheless, he followed after her.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The swim was long, but they saw something at the end waiting.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Mars looked at Virus before swimming towards it, wanting to get this over with so he could get some air soon, because contrary to popular belief, drowning is not very fun.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">His head popped out and he found himself coming to the surface... of the port to a Venecian Victorian city. It was night... always night, with no stars, but many clouds. Not so many that you couldn't see the sky.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"What the.. Where the hell are we Virus?" He asked, a look of curiousity on his face.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"One of the districts," She informed. "Ventorian District."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Ventorian District? This sounds like a rich district."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"There aren't really poor ones.  Anyway, we'll want to find out where H-... W- what's your girl's name again?" She winced.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Carmen." Mars answered. "Wait.. H what?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Harry... I forgot the name, okay?" She immediately continued through the city toward the buildings with that said.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Mars shrugged. "Okay." With that he followed her without much talking on his end.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">They came across some Identities walking about. Virus walked behind a wall. "Okay, soooo, if I try to say hi to them, I might get attacked.  Maybe you should."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Yay, socialization~" Mars waddles up to the Identities to say hi. "Haiiii .3."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"He- oh a fleshy... a real fleshy," One noted.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Hey there," Another greeted.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Teeechnically I'm made of electricity nowadays, but correct I guess.. But how are you guys doing?" He asked, acting all hyperactive and cutesy for added effect.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Everyone's weirded out by the sudden change," One noted somewhat seriously. "A lot of us can't get into stuff we used to-"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Like our HOUSES!" one stated angrily.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Need any help getting in?" Mars asked. "I'm no lockpick but I'm confident I could slip insode without damaging anything.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"How?  Some are all tiny."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Are your houses tiny..?" Mars asked with a bit of a shrug.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"They're complicated.  Some are tiny and expand."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Oh, well in that case I can't help you." Mars shrugged

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">They shrugged.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Did you need something?" One asked.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Looking for two people, a fleshy white wolf named Carmen and someone named Harry.. You have any clue where either of those two may be?" Mars asked with a polite smile.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"You'll want to use the poles around for that," One informed. "Easy search engine."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"We can't use those anymore, remember?" One recalled.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"... Right," the first sighed. "... I guess you could go to a record building then.  Maybe someone there knows."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Alright then." Mars shrugged. "Thanks for your help."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"No problem," They turned back to each other.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Mars just started looking around for a record building, asking around if he couldnt find it on his own.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The city was incredibly vast, but Virus rushed up to him soon enough. "Know where we're headin'?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Records building."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"... Oh duh, right.  Okay," She grabbed his hand before running forward.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Mars ran at a similar pace as Virus to avoid getting physically dragged along.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">They found the building... mostly because it was being flooded by dozens, if not hundreds, of Identities trying to get inside.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"... Oh christ."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"... I've got an idea," She waved her hand in front of Mars's face a bit.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Yes?" Mars' eyes refocused on virus.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">He suddenly felt a large tear in his chest as energy was pulled out from him: a large glowing yellow orb being thrown forward before exploding outward: eviscerating those in front of them

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"WHYYYY!!?" Mars yowled, shit ripping out of your chest is a painful experience ti say the least, and chestbursters have proven it.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">He was quite drained from the sensation, Virus stepping forward to look over her handiwork.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"I now know what a chestburster feels like, and its a mix of good pain and bad pain.. The CONUNDRUMS~" He leaned on a metal rod he tended to carry around.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Virus was inside the building now.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Mars waited a few seconds, before following after Virus.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Once inside, he saw Virus speaking to a very worn-out Identity at a desk. "Got the names right?" The feline asked.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"I have-"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"All dead, and you are too in about seventeen seconds.  Or can you work faster?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"I-I need at least a few minutes-" The woman tensed.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Okay, Virus, Calm the hell down.." Mars was getting a little bit teed off at this point, he was probably a bit wonky fromwhat happened earlier. "Killing the records clerk isn't a good idea."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"I'm a big flesh bag of hormones that hasn't eaten in quite a few hours," Virus noted. "Shooo," She motioned to the Identity, who rushed to the back.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"I'll get you something to eat then, what do you want?" He asked.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"You feel like spreading out over the counter here?" She replied while hopping over the counter.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"At this point I don't give a shit." Infact, he just spread out on the counter. Not even bothering to numb the pain by shutting off the nerves.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">She cupped his face, giving him small kisses over his face for a while.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Mars just went with it. "Hormones are hell."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"What makes you say that?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"No real reason."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Hmmmm," She started up to the counter to join him as the Identity returned, interrupting the two with a brief "Is this what you needed?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Hand it to me and lets find out." Mars asked, holding a hand out for the documents.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"... Could you please get off the counter first?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Mars rolled off the counter, and promptly hit the floor as he rolled away.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Virus rolled after him, landing atop him. "... Right," The woman scoffed, tossing the document down to them.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"I was gonna roll myself to a higher plane of myehhhh." Mars cracked, reaching for the document.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">An address was made available in a different district.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"The address is in a different district." Mars pointed out. "You know this place better than I do."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Le's go," Virus tugged Mars up before rushing out.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Mars chased after Virus. "Yay, progress!"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">They were running for quite some time toward the next district, but soon they saw hundreds of Identities teleporting away or running away ahead of them.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"The hell..?" Mars blinked, curious as to why the hell they were running away.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">A blast of purple from a massive glowing armored figure destroying a mountain made the threat evident. It seemed that the Seven Chaos had not come to good terms with the usurper Virus. ".... HAHAHAHAHAAA!!" Mars pointed out and laughed. "Cripes this is just bloody hilarious.."

Virus was busy panting from exhaustion. A humming was heard and soon a massive yellow dome appeared around the Identities, Rynzer floating above it as the purple closed in.

Virus chuckled at this. "They're being more destructive than me... idiots are attacking the whole population thinking they're guilty."

"Huh.. Intervene or nah..?" Mars looked to Virus.

"I guess I could.  Save everybody, get put back on my throne... buuuuuuut I've got something else in mind.  We're probably gonna get noticed now though."

"I'll go with what you choose." Mars shrugs. "You tend to pick the more entertaining methods anyways, weird."

"We-"

"Hey!" Rynzer appeared in front of the two, originally holding out his weaponry--the batons--before relaxing a bit. "Mars?  Dude, weren't you dead?"

Mars held up a hand as if to signify for him to wait a few seconds. "No, still pissed off about that and odds are I'm going to stab someone through the chest."

"Didn't she assimilate you or whatever?"

"She turned me into a sword, but eh, I don't know."

"... So she didn't kill you..."

"I'm standing right here aren't I? Why?"

"We th-... Oh boy... When she turned you into... a sword?  Whatever, we thought she killed you so we attacked.  Well that and Kyrax wants her dead anyway."

"Y'know, I didn't send the invasions right?" Virus noted.

"She has a point, I found her chained to the bottom of a lake, no way she would've started the invasions.. Lets try and talk this out.. And no chest stabbings this time." He looked at Virus when he said that last bit.

She started biting him again.

"... Yeah well I don't really know if Kyrax will want to kill her anyway or not, but you two might wanna just run away from here because we're going to level this place.

"Uhhh, why?"

"Ask Kyrax."

Mars just started scratching Virus' ears. "Why in gods name am I being dragged into these things huh, why can't I have a nice normal sunday afternoon spent sleeping or stabbing something with my bare hands..?"

Virus purred... and continued biting him.

"Yeah, okay, if you're peaceful about it, I'll escort you to him and vouche.  You're probably fine anyway it's just her he's worried about."

"Heh, This is right up a fat man's alley.." Mars snickered, referencing someone that the assembled group save for Virus probably don't know, and he still scratched her ears, occasionally wincing depending on how hard she bit.

"That's a...new one on me," Rynzer noted, forming a platform below them.

"So speak to the green leader.. I guess I can't call him the green power ranger since the red one isn't in charge."

"That's what we're gonna do," He rushed back through the district with them on the platform.

"Wheeee!" Mars enjoyed the wind, sue him.

They went past the fleeing horde toward the capital district once more where blasts of energy and constructs flew about the area.

"Oh cool, more pretty lights!"

The city was being destroyed and recreated as massive plants shot upward toward a green light at the center. Rynzer lead them toward that area.

"The hell are they doing?" Mars asked.

"Kyrax is fighting the new leader," Rynzer landed some blocks from the battle.

"You mean the backbiting whore you put into power? The same one I'm going to remove from power and find Carmen?"

"Put int- Dude, we didn't do anything to the hierchy here," Rynzer informed, shielding them as they walked closer toward the capital building. "You were with us, remember?"

"Then how did me and her end up in some portal to another place? This could be pent up frustration talking so dont mind me."

"She sent you away, not us," Rynzer replied. "If it was us putting her on the throne, do you think we'd be trying to kill her right now?"

"Plausibly, I honestly don't know jack shit about you guys.. But ignore my ramblings for the sake of me not sounding stupid."

"Yeah well still can't promise either of them won't kill your girl here," He noted as they neared the entrance.

"Oh well, it'll still be a funny little reunion.. And I get to mock Pix for failing to kill my ass."

The two were encased in a yellow construct as Rynzer stepped through the now open doorway. "Alright, I'm gonna try to calm them down, just stay there till I've got them out."

"Okay." Mars said before turning to Virus. "Sooooo... How are you going to punish Pix and can I flambé her for dinner?"

"I don't really care," She replied. "... Wait there is..." She placed a hand on the construct, slowly turning it to a blue color.

"Found something?" Mars watched.

"Nah, just the law of the Isis Dominion with challenges for rule," She dissolved a part of the shield, her fingers starting to burn a bit as she jumped forward through the hole.

Mars followed after her. "Ooh, that'll be fun to observe. Maybe I'll learn something new~"

"You have to be an Identity to do it," Virus informed. "Then again, she might have changed the rules.

Inside, Pix was doing her best to thwart off Kyrax's approach. He was the only member remaining and his bombardmen tof green light seemed unphased by the various elemental attacks being used by the energy. While formidable. Pix was not an Elder, and could not overthrow the position of this chaos entity.

"Huh, I kinda just want to watch her get her ass whooped before intervening." Mars shrugged, plopping on his ass.

"Y'know they're killing everybody, and that means Carmen," Virus noted. "Better go find her."

"Shit, you're right. Hey Rynzer, have any clue where Carmen is?" Mars stood up suddenly, turning to face Rynzer.

"Eh- Car- the wolf girl?  She went back to the city," Rynzer rushed into the fray immediately after.

"We got her address before we got distracted," Virus reminded.

"So what's the actual address so I can go try to find her?" Mars asked Virus while looking at the paper the records clerk gave him.

"You're reading it right now so don't see why you need to ask me," She noted (aka no actual address listed, maybe later on, just a "And then they went to the place" scenarios.) "Now if you'll excuse me, I've gotta stop a genocide...bleh."

"Fiiine, I'll worry about it later and help out.. As long as I get to fight Pix for a bit I'm happy... Maybe I should take up martial arts."

"Well git' goin'."

"Fine Fine.." Mars shuffled his way towards the fight. Trying to make his presence known for shock value.. And he had a grudge to settle with Pix, that comes first.

Pix saw him... and didn't really care, just continuing to fight.

Mars just created a javelin made of yellow core energy and tossed it at her back, augmenting his throw strength with electricity.

Both her and Kyrax sensing the energy, they both caught it almost simultaneously, looking to Mars a bit stunned. Virus just put her hand to her face.

"There we go, now that I got your attention.. What's with the genocide Kyrax, don't you think you're taking things way too far in regards to the folly of the leader?"

Virus reached over now, grabbing the back of Mars's head-fur. "You've got your lady to save," She whispered. "This, is MY thing..."

Both Kyrax and Pix stopped for the moment, not really having decided who to attack.

"Oh... Sorry, now I feel stupid." Mars shrugged. "Well have at it, I just wanted to imitate a spear chucking monkey anyways." He was not going to admit that he legitimately was not paying attention to anything.. "Well I'm going to go save the lady, you do your thing, then I go on home and take a nap.. Or just sleep in her house." With that Mars waited for Virus to let him go so he could run off to find Carmen.

She did as such and he was soon rushing out of the energy-filled area. Thankfully Carmen's house was actually in that distract, some ways from the more destroyed city.

Mars just kept running towards the address listed on the paper.

He arrived at a white and blue house floating in a plot of land. The door was open.

Mars actually attempted a running jump to reach the door and enter like a gymnast, no real reason other than he was bored.

He was soon inside, though a blast of green came from the... couch, some sort of security system most-likely.

"Oh shit!" Mars had to roll out of the way. "Carmen! It's me! Mars! You here..!?"

No response came but he could hear a banging in the back.

Mars attempted to vault over the couch and reach the back.

He arrived in the kitchen where a hatch was found, flailing open with blasts of energy seen underneath.

Mars attempted to pull open the hatch and jump inside, something wasn't right and against his better judgement he wanted to see.

Blasts of energy were going about the underground room of various constructs from Identities. Only one figure was inside, a bleeding white wolf girl he recognized: trying desperately to dodge all the house's self-defense mechanisms.

Mars attempted to disable these constructs by firing a continuous stream of lightning, that or draw their attention to him so the wolf could exit safetly or something.

The beams were managing now to fire at... both of them.

"Heh?" Carmen looked over to Mars, distracted by his pressence for the moment... and a blast was coming straight for her head.

For once, Mars went with the Paragon route and just ran over to pull her out of the way. "The hell is going on with this crazy house?"

The fire was concentrating on the two of them closer together now. "It doesn't recognize me anymore!" She replied.

"Time to run the fuck awaaaay!" Mars shouted, heffing Carmen over his shoulders and just attempting to exit the way that he came.. Thankfully he doesnt have to rely on the ladder.

They were soon out of the basement but still in the house,still firing at them.

"Ruuuuuun!" Mars was running and jumping with Carmen held tightly in hand, trying to exit the house.

They arrived outside, the house still firing till they were some distance away.

"Well shit."

Carmen held a cut on her arm. "Can't even use my own house and everything's getting destroy- wait... how did you get here?"

"Through a series of fucked up events that I really don't feel like explaining now.."

"We have to get to the spawn quarters," she informed. "I thought I could find the area in my house but... ugh..."

"Then let us go find these Spawn Quarters."

"They could be anywhe- ... W-wait... They might be in this district... but... ugh," She held her head.

"You need me to carry you..?"

"W- Uh, nnnnnnot really, thanks though."

"Fine." Mars set her down. "Lead the way."

"... I mean... if you want to you can."

"Yays! I'm useful again!" Mars picked Carmen up bridal style. "So where to?"

"I think it's uh... a couple miles... west?"

"Alright, we head there now." Mars ran west

It was a while, but they arrived at a massive building with clean red and black arch designs at the front. The doors were glowing, but no one was guarding.

"Well time to go inside the cool looking building." Mars walkded closer to the building. "Any traps?"

"I think we can walk straight in, but I don't know how we'll get to the chambers without the scan ID," She followed.

They entered unharmed,with a front desk and four doors at the sides. Design, Growth, Mental Development, and Administrations.

"Weird.. Which door do you think the spawn room is?"

"Growth," She tried to enter but immediately was knocked back as the door remained stiff.

Mars tried Mental Development, if he dodnt find what he wanted there he could probably enhance himself somehow so its a win win.

'''Thunder strikes. The Yes senses you.'''

The door refused to open for him as well. "Where's the staff!?" Carmen yelled, quite frustrated and... nearly panicked. She looked around the front desk. "Maybe... maybe I can..." she kept searching.

Mars got frustrated and attempted to bypass the lock by disrupting it using the tried and true method of shooting lightning at it

'''Such horrible grammar. For shame.'''

The door reacted with a glow before a red light blinked across it.

"That's an alarm," Carmen sighed. "Honestly since nobody can do anything about this, we don't have anything to worry about... until we smash through or something."

"Well, time to smash through the doors then.." Mars shrugged, looking for something to smash in the doors with.

"Can't you blast it open or tear it apart?" She asked. The room was fairly clean. Perhaps the desk could be used but it appeared quite part of the floor.

"Yeah, I could." Mars shrugged, placing a hand on the mental development door and attempting to discharge a continuous stream of electricity with enough watts to power a city.. Well, into the door itself.

The door reacted with a surge back toward Mars, but with no one piloting, it just exploded eventually.

"Boo yah!" Mars cheered and did a little dance

Carmen rushed inside.

Mars was doing the cha cha, though eventually he waddled inside and looked around the room.

The hall had massive rows of various capsules of various sizes. "ZZF12," Carmen identified. "That's the one we're looking for.  It should be labeled with a sign reading 'Special Handling', all green-colored."

"Which one of these things boost natural ability..?" Mars asked.

"Uuuuuuuh I guess Mental Development or Design?  This place isn't really for that I don't think," she walked forward, still searching.

"Awww, okay .3." Mars assisted in searching the room with her.

Many of the pods had their labels, with red being the majority. Some were green but didn't have the label. There were a lot of completed ones... neglected.

There were thousands, but as Carmen was rushing toward the back, the letters "ZZF" seemed to make more of a mental hint as to how far back the pod would be.

Mars followed after Carmen. "Blehhh."

They were in the ZZ section now, with many green labels around. "What's wrong?" Carmen looked back.

"Sooo much, stuuuuufffffff!" Mars grumbled.

"Yeah?  They're babies."

"... Wait what..?" Mars blinked. "So I'm guessing you're not just kidnapping some random kid? Or am I wrong?"

"I'm getting our kid," she informed before muttering out "before all this gets destroyed..." Her ears sagged for a moment... Behind Mars, he heard a distinct 'ts'-like snicker... and saw a shadow growing over him.

"The actual Virus is dealing with Pix and the weird people I came with." Mars blinked and glanced up, prepared to jump towards Carmen at a moments notice.

The smiling shadow was there again, watching them, snickering. Mars felt his core getting...stronger suddenly, his emotions getting pressed further up.

"ZZF!" Carmen announced as she neared the section needed.

Mars had been feeling hesitant anger at the smiling shadow.. Now it was straight up rage. In response to the sudden outburst of rage he attempted to climb towards the shadow, metal pipe in hand.

The closer he got, the more he felt his rage grow. He struck at it, but it was but a shadow... But he could feel them now, the babies in the capsules... their own cores responding to him. He could taste the reactions, most of fear, but a select few neutral.

"I f- Mars?" Carmen turned back to him.

Angry he may be, but he was no child murderer for that was considered a special sort of evil.. He tried to calm down and send a calming wave through the cores as a means of reassuring them that he had no real intention to harm them.

"Hey!  Handsome!" Carmen waved over, walking toward him. "What's wrong?"

Mars hopped down. "Dunno, I saw a shadow and felt angry all of a sudden, then I could feel fear from most of the cores here.. This is confusing."

"Hm..." She craned her neck around his, letting her soft fur rub against his cheek as an attempt of comfort. "C'mon, I think I found it."

Mars rubbed his eyes. "Yeah, this place kinda creeps me out anyways.. Obvious Matrix reference aside."

"Is that a movie?" she asked, tugging him through the hall toward a set.

"Yes it is, the comparison being humans in pods used as batteries while identity babies are in pods for what i'm guessing is incubation or development.." Mars blinked, trailing alongside Carmen. "Hopefully I can nap after this, I'm kinda sleepy."

Carmen shot him a brief playful smirk at the comment but her expression was swiftly turning serious again. "Here it is," She reached out to a green pod, tapping away at a keyboard. "For once something actually works through passwords."

The pod moved outward, with a smaller pod being pushed up and detached. It looked like a gooey flower bud with metal linings around it to keep it together.

"This just went from Matrix to aliens level creepy.. Bloody facehugger eggs."

"It's not- they don't do that," Carmen started jogging to the exit.

Mars followed after her, glancing back to see if the shadow was following him.

He didn't see the shadow, but then he didn't see Carmen. He didn't feel her hand holding on to his... then he saw her ahead of him, screaming with glass-shards bleeding her hands: liquid spilled to the floor as a a small incomplete body--shrivelling and recoiling--with each minor spasm of its brief and ending life being the only sign of consciousness by means of the yellow sparks keeping it breathing for seconds left.

Then... the flooded liquid, there in its reflection... he saw not a shadow, but a face.

Mars saw a plastic, almost complete circle of a face, with defined cheeks, ears stiff upward, a jagged triangle-tooth grin, and half-open... half-awake eyes. A yellow, grinning, rabbit.

(the wabbit, you must really want to try and kill Mars. XD)

"You killed her..?" Mars was quite numb, probably because this was indeed something out of a horror movie.. But the numbness gave way to anger and fear.

"You killed her.." He intoned with a his, generating a yellow core construct six inches taller than he was in the form of.. A bident.

The wabbit started to sway back and forth, bouncing in place. He was giving a happy little dance. One could almost imagine some comical trumpet music playing as he did so but it was doubtful that it would help, especially now that Mars could hear the unborn wailing alongside its dying mother.

Mars tried to slide past The Wabbit and reach Carmen and child, still keeping his eyes on this abomination.. Odds sre there wasn't anything he could do for the two so he just hugged them close before attempting to absorb their core.

As he began to feed off of what remained, all he could feel was a numbing cold... a chill. Then the creature cackled, and it echoed as the area flashed...

Carmen was standing to his right, leaning against one of the containers. All things considered, she looked more confused than surprised or scared. She still had the intact pod in her hand.

The cackling shadow wasn't there anymore... but there was one last trick it had in store.

Mars heard a click, then a slide. One of the other pods suddenly opened up ahead of him. One of the children was being let out.

Mars jumped and gathered a lot of electricity in his left hand, glancing in the direction the pod opening sound came from. His heart rate was increasing and his natural paranoia started ti take root.

An Urd man appeared above Mars, giving him a comforting pat on the head. "... SALUTATIONS!"

"I'm getting you out of here," Carmen said, moving forward slowly as she waited for Mars. Then she saw the open pod, and walked toward it.

Mars glanced up at Urd, then followed after Carmen. He was taking deep breaths to try and calm down. "I'm still seeing things.. I really am going crazy, fuck."

"What events currently ill you, Sir?" Urd inquired, handing down some herbal tea. The room was starting to shake a bit from the fighting outdoors.

"I'm seeing some crazy rabbit that looks straight out of a terrible horror video game series crossed with Edgar Allen Poe books.. Who also happens to be shadowing me.." Mars said, sniffing the herbal tea for any irregularities.

"There's a baby!" Carmen pulled out the pod. "... We have to leave before this place gets destroyed!" She started running out.

The tea smelled of honey and peach.

"... Shouldn't we just leave that one behind Carmen..?" Mars blinked, following after her while downing the tea. "Bear man you better not be that creepy rabbit thing.. I swear to god."

"I am no bunn- Oh," Urd gave a sheepish chuckle. "Preface: I am no bunny outside of my GLORIOUS pajamas!"

Carmen was already out the door by now.

Mars exited not long after, having followed her while talking to Urd. "I want a nap after this is over, with no rabbits staring at me creepily."

"How does the Mars Barsian enjoy his new fatherhood?" Urd inquired as they exited. The city was going crazy with blasts of energy and constructs flying everywhere.

"I don't know really, I'm kinda scared that I won't be a good parent.. I don't like staying in one place for long and I'm not that good at handling children."

"What doth your wife think of this?"

"I really don't know, haven't asked her.. Cripes I am not very good at relationships.. Or feelings, its probably the feelings bit.." Mars was now going on a tangent, someone ahould slap him.

"So who is the imp guy?" Carmen asked.

"His name is.. I'unno, never really met him before.. I think."

"FOUL!" Urd yelled out, offended at the statement.

"We have to get somewhere safe," Carmen noted, trying to get away from the approaching chaos.

"His name is Foul, got it.. And yes, we should get somewhere safe."

"You cannot leave now!  The largest event occurs!" Urd informed.

"What would that be mister Imp?" Mars asked with a curious expression.

Urd pointed ahead as the violence suddenly stopped. With a blast, the area was being reformed, growing large circular walls.

"I want to be anywhere near there why..?" Mars asked.

"The role of the Isis Dominion's ruler will be decided there."

"Hmm, fine.. If it means I can stab Pix in the back."

"All will be attending!  Farewell!" And then Urd poofed away.

Large rows of red spread down the roads, leading to the newly-cofmed colliseum.

"Well, you coming with Carmen..?" Mars asked her.

"Well I don't have anywhere else to go, I can't use any chaos powers, so yeah, guess so," She started down the road, carrying the two children.

"As the man in the comics would say.. Allons-Y!"

"What?" She called back.

"I'm hungry qwq" Mars playfully whined, following after Carmen.

They soon came to the stands where literal thousands of others were crowding in now. Pix was standing at a booth with Device next to her. The seven chaos stood opposite to her. Judging by their tension, it seemed they were barely keeping from leveling the place.

At the center of the area, five Identities arrived to participate in combat.

"What's with the lack of violeeeeence!"

"Are there snacks?" Carmen looked around.

"The battle has yet to begin, Sir Mars!" Urd informed, pointing at Pix, who sent out a burst of sound to silence the crowds.

"Ohh-" He was interrupted by the sound and covered his ears. "could really use some earplugs."

"These are those who challenge my reign as leader of the Isis Dominion," Pix yelled out. "They will battle for the right to challenge me.  Should they fight as organics, or as true Identities?"

The crowds roared their replies, varying results coming in.

Mars took a deep breath, inducing static in his throat to distort his voice to make it notable through the crowds jeering and insults. "FIGHT AS TRUE IDENTITIES!!"

It was clear what the public wanted. With a ding, the bodies lit up at the center, a sudden explosion of metallic send flying through the crowds before slowly centering back in on five spasming entities of energy.

"Do I jump in or not?" Mars asked.

Carmen shook her head, coughing a bit. "Have to be an identity.  Do you want to rule?"

The five figures reformed, and a dome formed to block the audience from the immediately battle as they began blasting at each other, various constructs forming in massive and miniature size.

"I would say yes but Virus would kill me, and I very much like the idea of staying alive and not mangled up.. Do you think I should remove my hair dye?" Mars asked, well he trailed off at the end and stopped at the question.

"What's your hair color normally?"

"I'm an albino, almost snow white fur and red eyes sorta deal." Mars sweatdropped. "I just dyed my fur green and wore contacts because looking in the mirror kinda creeped me out."

"But you'd look all vampire-like," She replied.

"I would..?" Mars blinked.

"Yeah... plus it would look pretty hot," She nudged him teasingly just as a loud CRAKOOM sent two of the Identities flattening and fissuring out against the barrier.

Mars blushed and rubbed the back of his head. "G-guess i'll do it."

"A battle is going on!" Urd interrupted. "Are you not entertained?!"

"Of course I am."

"You are talking about hair styles!  Fashionable indeed, though we do have energy beings destroying each other."

Carmen growled a bit, sulking her head between her shoulders.

Mars gave Carmen a hug. "Is this what i'm supposed to do?"

She chuckled a bit, not growling now. "Just ticked that I don't have my chaos powers anymore."

"I'm sure there's a way to fix that, considering all of the weird and sometimes illogical stuff that occurs." Mars reassured, watching the fight to see who was winning.

"Depends on who wins... I didn't betray anybody so they'd better give it back to me."

Another shock sounded that there was only one contestant left now.

Mars looked at the contestant, he was kinda hoping it was Virus so he could get some measure of peace and quiet after this.. Or so he hoped.

The contestant wasn't particularly recognizable. It was a rabbit at least judging by the tall ears. If this was Virus, she must have changed when the nanites activated.

Pix was coming down from the balcony now, the arena turning red.

"The final battle?" Mars asked. "... I kinda wish I had a laser sword for some reason, or a gun powered by my electricity."

"To shoot them?" Carmen asked.

A countdown started as the two stood at attention to each other.

"That and other things."

The countdown ended and the two began circling on the arena. Pix struck first, sending a blast of air upward. The rabbit was knocked almost into the barrier but she teleported, appearing just beneath Pix and immediately molding around her opponent.

"Hmm..?"

The two went on with various combative moves, disappating, turning into various elements, but at one point, the challenger began spraying a dense energy-infused acid around. It was strong enough that it started burning the barriers away.

"Wonder what Pix's gonna do..~"

Carmen started backing up, Urd... shooting popcorn around.

The two ended up locked together, and then froze. They weren't moving.

"Okay, what the heck? Why are you all frozen..? Does this mean I have to do something?"

"I think they're in each others' psyches," Carmen observed. "Trying to take over each others' minds."

Mars rubbed his eyes. "I might as well use this time to catch up on some Z's, I'm sleepy."

"You'll wake up with a cramp if you sleep like that," Carmen noted.

"Q~Q" Mars gave her puppy dog eyes in response.

She shrugged. "... You want my permission?"

"I guess? Mainly to nap on your lap..?" Mars rubbed the back of his bead with a sweatdrop.

"Oh... I... guess so."

With that, Mars ended up resting his head on Carmen's lap and dozing off for he was tired as all hell.

The she-wolf petted his head slowly as he dozed off, her tail slowly wagging a bit as it brushed his side here and there.

This lasted a minute or two before a crack was heard from the battle. One of the two had fallen.

Mars opened his eyes groggily. "Mmm.. Did someone win..?"

The crowds were silent... then they were cheering. The rabbit contestant walked past the pile of sand behind her, stepping through a doorway and soon reappearing at the balcony where Device waited.

"Oh cool, Pix lost, but I couldn't smack her around a bit for splitting me in half, that shit hurts qwq"

"Hey guys," Virus called while walking over.

"Hey Vi-... Wait, who's the bunny?" Mars asked. "I thought you were going to compete?"

"Couldn't," Virus replied. "Not an Identity anymore.  ... Might want to pay attention to the new leader though," She smirked.

Mars looked at the new leader curiously, wondering what Virus meant.

The ears suddenly... enlarged before him: the figure... modifying to something he found more familiar. The hair, the eyes, the body. Perhaps the confident smile as she addressed her new populous could have set him off. Carmen didn't seem to recognize who this big bunny girl was, but this was the new one.

This was the new leader of the Isis Dominion.

"What the.. Why does she look familiar to me..?" Mars asked, preparing to get a closer look the only way he knew how. A flashy entrance and looking at her from up close. "It better not be Pix."

"Oh my-" Virus yanked Mars over, whispering "Starts with an M..."

"Masuko?"

"Big bouncing bingo," Virus replied, letting him go.

"...." Mars blinked. ".... Isn't there another thing that usually hangs around her..? Some eldritch abomination or something?"

"Yeah but he's for later... I mean, he could come noooooow but it's best to wait till she'd done getting settled in."

Surprisingly no rifts or unnatural feelings of doom or terror purveyed the area, perhaps the abomination was waiting.

"... I'm wondering if the rabbit stereotype is true now.." Mars shrugged.

"Whatcha mean?"

"The good luck one and the other one." Mars shrugged. "Something to do with having lots of kids or something."

"As if you don't know anything about that," Virus smirked.

The seats began to empty as the speech was over, and things were being restored. It seemed that the Seven Chaos were appeased by Masuko's position, no longer comitting genocide against the species.

"... I wanna get my chaos powers back.  Mars!" Carmen called for him to follow as she started toward the balcony.

"... Uhhh, shit.. Is now a good time to mention that the bunny may have it out for me?"

"Please," Virus dismissed. "That was taken care of before all this craziness even happened."

".... What did you do..?" Mars asked, before following after Carmen.

"Talked with her.  We're buddies don't you know?" Virus then paused, looking over to Carmen. "Wait..."

Carmen froze, then looked away, ears drooping.

"If you can make her all Identity again that would be greeeeat~"

"Yeah, I can't.  The Chaos guys probably can.  C'mon let's hurry," she charged out.

Mars waved for Carmen to follow them. "The power rangers can help you Carmen."

"The power rangers did this to me," She growled. "That and I don't think it's safe having these kids near them."

"Well apparently they're the only ones who can change you back, look.. I'll keep the kids on me, odds are they wont try to kill me or them."

"... Alright..."

They were soon at the main capital building once more. The door was fixed and Masuko didn't seem to be in sight but the Seven Chaos were inside.

"Oi, think you guys can do me a liiiiitle favor and Fix what you did to Carmen earlier?" Mars asked the Seven when he entered the Capital building.

"Hi," Carmen greeted, though her tone was rather cross. "While you're at it can you turn everybody back to before?"

"We didn't do that," Rynzer spoke up. "... Well we had Mynce change you, but we didn't cause all the rest of it."

"Are you going to change me back?" Carmen prompted again.

"...She was one of the invaders, right?" The red one asked, turning to Kyrax.

"I was just following orders, and you've got a new- ugh!  You tell them, Mars," Carmen folded her arms in frustration.

"Yeees, she was.. She was following orders from an imposter. You gonna blame her for that?"

"... You want to return to the form of the others?" Kyrax asked.

"That'd be nice, yeah.  Especially seeing as I was attacked by my HOUSE!" Carmen fumed.

"... Mynce," Kyrax called over. The Pink Chaos led Carmen to a different room.

"I was honestly half expecting to have to persuade you to do so, its nice to have things go my way so easily for once."

"This... country has a new ruler, and so we will respect its people in a new light until a new problem occurs," Kyrax replied. "Is there anything else you wish of us?"

"Well, I would love to know how to raise kids..  Because like it or not, I'm going to end up raising kids."

"Wait, really?" Rynzer stepped forward, noticing the baby pods. "Dude, congrats... right?"

"We're soldiers, not parents," Syph stated bluntly.

"You asked if there was anything else I would like, maybe you should specify hmmmm?"

"Not in the slightest," Syph replied bluntly. "We asked if there was- Kyrax asked if there was anything else you wanted to ask.  You did.  We answered, so you can your foolish attempt at a witty misplaced retort and-"

"We just made peace here," Rynzer interrupted. "Let's save the next big battle for some other time... Also where's the other cat lady?"

Surprisingly Mars bit back his retort on Syph's speaking skills with a lazy bored look. "Probably doing.. Whatever it is she does."

"Well seeing as she isn't the ruler here anymore, what she does is probably different."

Carmen walked back out with Mynce.

Mars just hugged Carmen. "Are you all alien again?"

"I'm like... well, I'm closer I guess.  I think I'm back to how all the others are now... Still no nanites but I got my chaos powers back," She hugged back.

"That's good.. I just hope I can actually do a good job with those kids, make sure they don't turn into a pair of hot messes like me." Mars ran a hand through his hair.

"I'm sure we can handle it," Carmen replied, ruffling his hair as she walked out.

"Yeah.. I hope so." Mars shrugged, following after Carmen.

They were some ways out down the streets now. Most people were... quiet. The architecture was being repaired swiftly but there had been damage to the occupants more than the buildings.

Even if they all retained a connection to the chaos force, the Identities were different now. Their original leader was usurped by a mysterious force, and now not even one of them anymore, and who this new leader was to them was undecided.

"Hey," Virus casually greeted as she strolled toward the two.

"Yo." Mars returned the greeting with a lazy smile.

"So... I'm... no longer the boss here... I'm gonna go see what Xan's doing.  Got my business done here."

"...Why didn't you fight to get your title back?" Carmen asked.

"Because for some reason, I can't turn back into what I was," Virus replied. "Tried already, something's blocking it."

"Weird.. Oh well, have fun~"

Virus gave a salute to the two of them before walking onward.

Carmen and Mars were alone with the two kids. The one that was Mars... and the other.

"We... should probably get to my house to...er... hatch the kids," Carmen noted.

Mars nodded. "Alright then.. Let the facehugging and chestbursting commemce~" Mars joked, referencing the Aliens franchise.

Carmen, having not being familiar with those movies, shot Mars a very interested but surprised expression, taking it a very different way.

It was... comical. There was a bit of laughter, some tired smiles as they went, all four of them. Even the shadow to Mars's left was smiling at them... Still smiling.

Mars glanced to his left, his eyes widening a fraction before sighing. "Can't you at least wait a few years until i'm almost dead to haunt me?" Mars mumbled to himself.

The shadow inched closer, and as it did, a pigment began on it. It was no longer a shadow by the time it reached Mars. A plastic yellow bunny.

"Happy Perfect Special Day."

And then Carmen froze... for a moment she screamed, and Mars was no longer the only one who saw the wabbit.

Mars stood infront of Carmen, and while thos was overall a terrifyingly terrifying situation Mars couldn't help but say something ironic. "Told you I wasn't crazy.." Mars chuckled nervously.

"W-" She looked over to Mars. "What is...h-he?  She- it?"

The wabbit's face leaned forward, toward the children. Carmen immediately backed up.

"It's a rabbit, a really creepy yet kinda cool looking in a horrid monstrosity sorta way.. It also needs to stay away from the kids.."

The wabbit reached forward, almost as if about to bite one of the children... and then it was gone.

"I need a nap, but that thing is stalking me.. Or us now."

"... Let's... go faster..." She took hold of Mars, teleporting them to the house.

To be continued...

Everything before Mortality Part 3 will be happening in PMS and other minor rps.

Asonja
Asonja, looking away promptly before looking back at Mynce, replies, "It honestly depends on where we're going, so I suppose I'll take the risk."

The Pink Chaos nodded, leading him to the others as a portal was opened.

Asonja, calmly and carefully, went through behind her.

The seven, plus Asonja, arrived at a large empty space: a vast metallic road leading in all directions. It was so reflective that one could assume it was water.

This made Asonja jump for a moment, only to realize it was solid. "Pretty empty in here...where do we go?"

"Forward," Kyrax noted. "We can sense the energy," and so they did walk forward. The energizing feeling in Asonja was growing.

This made him clench his fists like he was feeling...confident. His confusion made his outside appearance look mixed.

They continued forward, but then suddenly the ground found the area rushing forward as they found themselves all in a massive futuristic city with hundreds of these organic Identities about.

This made Asonja jump a little bit, seeming to keep silent for a while on the walk. He was just taking all of this in casually, but also in a confusing manner. He looked at several of the people, not even questioning that they were different.

The Identities weaponized themselves as best that they could. Kyrax appeared unphased, stating "We are here to speak with your leader."

Device appeared in front of them.

Asonja still did not say a word. He had his hands behind his back like he was being held captive.

"You," Device snapped her fingers, teleporting Asonja over immediately. "Your body is unstable."

"Are you going to take us or do we have to push through you?" The purple one, Syph, asked.

"This way," Device gestured, walking down the road.

Asonja had jumped when he was teleported over to her. Again, he said nothing and only followed Device's instructions.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">They arrived at the capital building soon after.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"You will wait at the steps," Device instructed.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"We will enter now," Kyrax countered. "Your kind have much to answer for."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Wait, why isn't she all fleshy like the others?" Rynzer asked. Device gave no response, simply walking inside. Kyrax began to follow after.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Asonja nods at the instructions as sat on the steps, waiting nervously.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The others entered... and then Syph began dragging Asonja in.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Whoa, hold on, I thought I was told to wait at the steps..." Asonja protested, rather weakly.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Hush," She growled as they went in. With the others inside, they saw the woman on the throne: same as always. Red stripes, black and red outfit. "... What is this?" Virus peered at the group.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Oh boy..." Asonja muttered in the back.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"You were the one who ordered the invasion on the world this one was from?" Kyrax inquired.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Asonja, you can go," Virus immediately stated.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Did you order the attack?" Kyrax demanded.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Yeah, I did... and you're here to get revenge?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Asonja was blinking a few times at Virus' command, but he didn't quite move. "W-wait wait, hold on, why was I involved in this?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"You aren't, now step away," Virus repeated.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"He will stay," Kyrax countered.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"And you will die."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">He wasn't sure who follow, but he sighed after making a quick decision; he went to leave.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">And Syph once again held him in place.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Asonja groaned a little bit, trying to move away. "You heard what she said, I'd die if I stayed here. I'm getting out of here."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Shut up or she isn't the one who you'll be worrying about."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Hold on!" Came a voice from outside as a red-haired black-skinned female ran in.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Asonja stopped what he was doing, seeing that it was both useless to run and seeing the new female run in. "Who're you?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"I'm Rin," She informed, turning to Virus immediately after. "I'm here to-"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Kill her," Virus called out immediately, and thus the Identities charged, with a purple barrier forming instantly around the group, destroying the attackers.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"What?!" Asonja jumped. "Hold on, what's going on here?! Can someone please give me a minute to figure out what the heck is happening here?!"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">(The wall was formed at Rin's defense, Rin who is inside of the wall with Asonja.)

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Virus reached out, teleporting Asonja to her far back as she started firing at the defended group.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">He stabilized himself afterward, looking away from what was happening. Of course, he tended to ignore the things he didn't like.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">With this strange conflict, a sudden interruption came from outside. A scream, then another scream, then the doors blasted open as some Identities rushed in "MURDER!  MONSTER!"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Wait, what? Murder?" Asonja jumped a bit at the Identity bursting in

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Virus growled. "Of course," She looked crossly at the Seven Chaos. "Nice."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"We arrived to speak civilly, not to be violent," Kyrax defended. "We have caused no death here."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"We'll see," She walked out, others beginning to follow. Syph lowered the barrier.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Asonja followed in the back, hoping he wasn't looking suspicious by doing so.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">They soon were led down the road to a body... an organic Identity body: dead, with black sand in the wound, pouring with red paint.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Asonja went up to it and examined it. "Hmm...this seems almost fake to me. Is anyone else getting that vibe?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"The body is real," Virus replied immediately. Asonja could see a trail of paint going away from the body.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"It looks like paint though..." Asonja states. "Blood is thinner than paint and would be flowing a lot faster than it should be...but no matter about that; there seems to be a trail as well." He looked at the trail and wishes to follow it, but not immediately.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"The paint is real and the body is real.  There is no flowing," The Pink one replied as Asonja walked.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Right..." Asonja continues walking. "Wherever this goes, maybe it'll find our 'murderer' "

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Where ar-"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Kyrax followed after Asonja, calling for the others to remain as he went.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"No, hold on, I'm on to something..." Asonja held up his index finger for a moment as he continued to follow the "trail" of paint

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">He eventually found himself at a large energy and metal gate.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Hmm...Could I open this?" He reached out to the gate.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Device appeared in front of him.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"WHA-" Asonja stumbled backwards, landing on his back. He groaned a bit and rubbed the back of his head. "Jeez...!"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Do not disturb the inside," She opened the gates.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Right, right..." He gets up, groaning a little bit in pain before stepping on through the open gates.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">He saw a long... plot of rich soil, as far as the eye could see.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Whoa...is this farm land?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"No," Device walked inside.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Then...what is this?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"The original soil of this zone."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"It's...rather big," Asonja crosses his arms as he states the obvious.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"... Are you going inside?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Perhaps," Asonja says as he makes his way inside. "I was about to do that but I was too appaled by the soil."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">She did not respond to this, but Asonja did hear water lapping in the far distance.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">He tried looking for the source, just now hearing it. "Is there a river nearby or...?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Device was no longer with him it seemed but Kyrax was walking forward regardless.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Ohhhkay. Never knew who that was..." Asonja muttered and followed Kyrax.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">They soon arrived at a large lake... a small duck toy was waddling toward the still quiet center, quacking repeatedly.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Asonja couldn't help but laugh a little bit. "Well, isn't that random..."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"The trail leads here..." Kyrax noted.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Pft, are you joking? It's just a rubber duck!" Asonja went closer to it as much as he could, crouching. "What could possibly go wrong with a duck toy?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"... Would you like to find out?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"What's it gonna do, suddenly vanish?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"You may find out."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">He began a mocking dance and said, "Oh boy, I'm so scared about a freakin duck toy," and reached out to it.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The duck toy was quite far away at this point, toward the center.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Oh dear..." He grumbled. "How're we gonna get to it now?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"You swim."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"....Swim?" Asonja blinked a few times. "I'm not swimming in potentially dangerous waters..." He crossed his arms, embarrassed. It's not that he was stalling to not go; he probably just doesn't know how to swim properly.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Then you will not progress."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">He grumbled a bit to himself and slowly put his feet in the water, shivering. "Is this water freezing cold? It feels like that to me..."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"It feels rather timid," Kyrax then shoved the hedgehog into the water.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">He yelped and flailed on the surface for a moment, his hair and spines pelted down. "Was that necessary...?" Kyrax can see him...doggie paddling to keep him afloat.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The green chaos said nothing, simply pointing to the duck.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">He grumbled and swam at an unbearable small speed, trying to catch up with the duck.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The duck stopped in the center of the lake, giving one final quack before vanishing in front of Asonja as the hedgehog arrived next to it. He saw a flash of the half-open eyes... the smile... then, under the water, a body: held down by chains.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Asonja made a scared yelp as he saw the image, the afterimage burned in his retinas for a moment before looking down seeing the body. "Oh dear. Noooooooo thank you." He began swimming backward, keeping an eye on the body. "This is like one of those creepypastas that I do not wish to be a part of..."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Kyrax stared on at Asonja as he swam. "What is it?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Well, call me crazy, but I saw a body in the water in chains. And a familiar face..."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Go after it."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"But I just-..." He groaned and swam all the way back to the center, panting. He found himself somewhat sinking under the surface because of how exhausted he was from swimming.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Below, the body laid unmoving.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">He took a quick deep breath before closing his eyes and going below the surface. He was unfamiliar with leaving his eyes open in the water, and the darkness made him worry more. This made him come back up to the surface and cough a bit of water from his lungs. Even if he says he's tough, he's quite the coward...

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Better think of something else then..."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"What happened?" Kyrax called over.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Nothing happened!" He called back. He turned his head away from Kyrax and sighed. "Except for the part that I'm being a total wuss about being in this dang water..." He muttered only to himself before he quickly dives back under and, with only his eyes closed, tried finding the chains to break off.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The chains were heavy, but not tight, and soon loosened.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Asonja struggled with the chains, mainly because of their weight. He found himself losing air and went back up to the surface to take another deep breath.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">(Without the body?) (Yeah, without the body to get a quick breath and then get back in to get the body.)

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"And now?" Kyrax asked.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"I got the chains out," Asonja says as he goes back under to get the body.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Kyrax waited above the water.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">He had gotten the rest of the chains off and reappeared over the surface a few seconds later, with a bit of a struggle while carrying the body. He was coughing a bit. "Alright...I got the body."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Kyrax helped him off of the water with the body, patting his shoulder for a moment. The others had arrived now.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Asonja sat there, coughing a bit more water from his throat. "Argh...my legs hurt."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Then rest," He encouraged.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Both of you move away from that," Virus ordered.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Why? I just touched it so...I guess I'm infected with whatever this body had."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Sh- wait," Kyrax looked over to the body. It had suddenly changed, or perhaps it was like this already. A young adult lynx, with brown-orange fur, black stripes, and black hair.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Who's this?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Kyrax turned to Virus. "Are you responsible for this?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">She didn't answer at first, but eventually shook her head.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Asonja had his arms crossed, trying to piece it together. "I have one suspicion though of someone else. I've met him before..."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Who?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"The half-closed eyes, that accursed smile..." Asonja was stuttering a little bit with his words. "I'm not sure what his name is but...I know his face."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The lynx blinked, opening her green eyes weakly as she looked at Asonja.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Asonja was standing, crossing his arms. "I fought him once when the timelines were in danger. I don't want to explain too much as I'd be afraid to cause some sort of paradox. But I think it's his doing. What was his name...? He looked like a rabbit..."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"That does not seem familiar to any of us," Kyrax noted.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"... Wait," The lynx spoke up, looking to Asonja. "You saved me?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Asonja nods. "Yeah, I saw you in the water, chained down practically."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">She looked to the others, then back to him... replying with a simple "Delicious."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">He blinked a few times, looking at the lynx. "What's your name?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"What, you don't recognize me?" She smirked... then she looked at her hands. "... Okay never mind."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Enough," The angered Virus grew out a large blade, charging forward toward the two.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Woah, hold on a second!" Asonja shouts and grabs the lynx who he just saved, attempting to quickly dash away from the attack.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">A yellow construct formed to divide the two sides. "Okay, what is this?" The Yellow Chaos demanded.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"The original," Device informed.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Wait...you mean the one I'm carrying now is...her?" She points to Virus, the one who was standing.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Pix," Device clarified. "The one you are holding is the original Virus. The one standing here, is Pix."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Ah..." Asonja puts Virus down. "But wait, I thought Virus was standing and...I was carrying a different version of Virus.."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Yeah, no, I'm Virus," The one he was carrying noted. "The other one is Pix... and why does she look like me?  Why do I look-"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Who was responsible for the attack on the city?" Kyrax demanded.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Me," The Pix Virus answered bluntly.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Right..." Asonja carefully and respecfully put Virus down to her feet. "What's your motive...?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"My motive isn't your business, now move away."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Asonja put his hands together, causing his knuckles to pop. "I don't think so, lady...Anyone who causes harm to others are automatically on my hitlist."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Alright," A blast of energy began swirling around. Virus pulled Asonja back... the actual Virus, causing them to fall into the water before the energy hit them.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Asonja gasped a bit and accidentally got some water into his lungs. He brought his head out of the water and coughed out the water. "That was close...thanks for that..."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">He had little time to hear a response as he was soon pulled back in as blasts were shot once again toward them. He felt a charge of energy going through his body as he was being pulled toward the bottom of a lake where a light was waiting.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Asonja wasn't sure he'd make it to the light in time, but tried anyway. He swam as fast as could, puffing his cheeks as well to save some air.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Virus had become deadweight by now: having passed out. They fell through the light, arriving in the air: plummeting toward a beach.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Asonja yelped and flailed a bit, falling. He wasn't sure how to stop the fall.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">He would soon find himself slamming into the sand, along with Virus.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Asonja groaned loudly on impact, on his back. He groaned again after, rolling to his side near Virus. "I feel like something broke...but at that height I should've broken my spine..."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Virus... wasn't answering: halfway into the sand herself.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Asonja struggles to get up and grabbed Virus to try to pull her out.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">She was... quite bloody, her nose broken along with her arm.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Oh jeez..." Asonja jumped a little bit, letting go of Virus for a moment. He panicked for a moment, not knowing exactly what to do. He was gripping his head, but was in too much pain himself to even move his arms up.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">They were near a city at the edge of the beach. Not many people were around.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Perhaps help will be in there..." Asonja picks up Virus, as carefully as he could, and rushed over to the city. He didn't exactly run as far as he would've, since he was not that much of a healthy guy.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Some people soon took notice of the two, some approaching, others dialing 911.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"P-please help her, I have no medical experience..." Asonja states during this.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">One, in particular, rushed over, examining the issue. "... She's breathing but we have to stop the wound from bleeding," He removed his jacket, wrapping it around the main wound at the arm. "Keep her on her side or she'll suffocate in the blood in her nose."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Asonja nodded worriedly and placed her down carefully, doing as instructed. "O-okay, I think this is good..."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"There should be someone here soon.  How did this happen?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"We fell from a height, I'd assume 10 stories or more just over that beach over there," Asonja points behind him. "I'm not sure how it happened, but I'm a little skeptical that I made it unharmed."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Nothing's broken?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">He shook his head. "Nope. I landed on my back, and I should've broken my spinal cord but I'm still here."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"... The ambulance will be here shortly."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Good, thank you for your assistance."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">They were soon taken into the ambulance, with Asonja being asked his relation to the woman.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"I've only known her for a short while." He answered. "The first time I met her was only months ago, and today was the day I saw her again. It's more like an acquaintance kind of relationship I guess you could say. I wouldn't hurt her anyway."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"So you're a friend?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Yeah, preciesely."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"And you both fell from... ten stories."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"I think so. Maybe more."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"At the beach?  What were you doing?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">He shrugged. "From what I remember I was in the water dodging some attacks and then I saw some light at the bottom of the water. Once I got there with her along, we started falling. Then we landed here. I do not have the slightest clue on what's going on here."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"You were being att- who was attacking you?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"I don't remember her name, and it's almost impossible to describe her."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"What do you remember outside of that?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"I do remember seeing this...this weird face of someone not too long before I landed here. It had like...half-closed eyes, and a really creepy smile. That's all I can remember. I'm not good at recalling information very well..."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Sounds like the water must've knocked you out.  We'll give you a full exmaniation at the hospital just to make sure."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Okay...thank you."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">They soon arrived at the hospital. Virus was brought into a room, and Asonja was examined in a separate one.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Asonja didn't seem to trust doctors all that much, so he was quite squemish. He wasn't too squemish to where he was becoming out of control, but was just scared.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"You seem fine," They informed.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"But I'm just concerned though.." He replies. "I should've broken my spine and died right then and there. But I'm fine. Why?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"We don't know."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Huh..." Asonja continued to lay there. "Well, that's weird..."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">They let him up. "You're free to go.  If you want, you can wait for your friend outside."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Alright," he gets up and casually walks out. He stayed inside because he doesn't like being in the sunlight.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Some hours passed in the consessions room before he was told he could see her.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">He nods at this and follows the doctors to Virus' recovery room, my ears flicking a few times when he came inside.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">He saw something... coiling around the unconscious figure in the bed. Half-open eyes... and the smile. A child's laugh called out "Remember... you..."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Asonja's eyes narrowed, his heart racing and his fists clenching. He was trying to stay tough, taking deep breaths. His look gave a "Yeah, and I remember you too" statement silently.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The shadow coiled further around Virus's body... nearing the neck.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">His right eye twitched for a moment, a dark purple aura going around him like slow motion fire. He suddenly sprung at the shadow, swiping only once at it. He barely missed Virus' neck too.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The shadow vanished as Asonja swiped, giving a hissing snicker as it left.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">His hand twitched for a moment when the shadow vanished, looking around the room for it. Though, he forgot about his surroundings except for Virus and himself.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Some minutes passed before Virus groggily woke, leaning forward a bit as she looked around.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Asonja looked over to Virus, still in a slight panic. "Are you alright?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Feelin' woozy, why?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Because...I think something happened to you. I think your Identity powers are gone."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Yeah, I noticed," she sighed. "Weird."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Asonja went a bit closer to her, kneeling a bit. "And...when I walked in here, I saw this shadow of someone familiar that seems to have a grudge against you. Call me crazy if you will but...I'll protect you with my life if need be."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"So sweet," She smirked. "What kind of shadow?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Half-closed eyes, crazy grin. It makes me tense up whenever I see it like I should be mad at it. I'm hardly mad at anything."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Weird.  Well I've got a lot of people who have grudges against me so makes sense.  We gotta get out of here."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Agreed." He held out his hand for her to take, that is if she needed help getting up.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">She took it, wobbling a bit as she sat up. "Looks like I'm not restrained so they probably think I'm not gonna do something crazy."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"But boy won't they be wrong later. Now lets go." He motioned for the exit of the room they were in and headed for the main exit.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Virus more or less flopped as she tried to step forward. "Kinda...drugged up."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Here, I'll help you." He took her right lower arm and guided her out of the hospital room.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Immediately a doctor approached in their way. "What do you think you're doing?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Sorry Doc, but we've overstayed our welcome. We have to get out of here and attend to some business."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"I'm not going to let you just walk out of here with a patient who hasn't fully recovered."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Excuse me but her life is in danger here and it's my job to protect her," Asonja retaliated, proceeding to pick up Virus and hold her bridal style. "I have no reason to deny who she says." With that being said, Asonja pushes past the doctor and runs in the direction of the exit as fast as he can.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">An alarm went off as security began chasing them as Asonja neared an elevator.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">He began to glow a very faint red as he ran faster into the elevator. He slid and turned so his back would hit the elevator. He rapidly pressed the "close door" buttons.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Virus plopped next to him as the elevator started downward.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Phew...we got away..." He wiped his head.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"You know they can just turn off the elevator, right?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Don't jinx it please..." Asonja says softly as he was laying on the floor.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Right, that's what I'm doing."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The elevator did stop immediately.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Dang it, why do you do this..." Asonja stood up, sighing and cracking his knuckles. "I guess I gotta pave a way through again?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Or we could blast a hole in the building and run off... or something."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"You're probably gonna have to do that; I can't do any of that magical stuff."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"I'm going to slap you when I have the strength if you don't drop the wuss act," She replied sharply.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">He grumbled a little bit and stood there for a moment. "Well, we gotta start somewhere...and it's already getting boring in here."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The elevator started to go up. "So you're not gonna use all that experience here?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"What experience?" Asonja asked, hiding his denial.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">She couldn't move much, so she simply growled.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Look, I'm gonna get you out of here anyway, with or without it," Asonja replies, keeping her in his arms. "I'll start bashing heads if need be, and if that'll make you feel better."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Didn't you get turned into a dragon thing last time?" She noted as the doors started to open.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"What?" Asonja asked, actually looking confused before looking at the open doors.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Security immediately stepped in to grab them.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">He looked back and immediately jumped through them, splitting them up and continued running with Virus in his arms.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Tasers were fired toward him as others were waiting at his front.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">He jumped over and kicked a table back to make an attempt to stop the tasers' paths and continued on while tightly holding onto Virus.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">They were back near the original room now, windows at the far left.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">He quickly took note of the windows' presense after noticing the security guards at the front and changed his course to the left. "Hold on tightly!"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">She did so... sort of.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">It was good enough as Asonja jumped toward the windows with his back turned. The windows had shattered before Asonja made impact to make it seem like he had actually hit the windows with his back.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">They were now falling from the third story.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">He tried to slow the fall a little bit by bringing his feet to the outer wall to create some form of friction, except gravity was still accelerating them down. He decides to take all of that increasing energy, plus the added weight of both Virus and himself, to his legs and push out at the right moment to land normally. He was...sort of successful but his landing was a bit sketchy as he almost tripped, but stabilized in the end.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Phew...we made it out.." He panted a bit, looking back at Virus. "You doin' okay? You look slightly pale...or have you always been that pale?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Virus would have responded but she was suddenly throwing up.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Oh...O-oh dear, uhhh..." Asonja stuttered just a bit, a little glad he wasn't getting thrown up on. He sets her down on her side, completely urked and nonetheless worried. "...You...You've never thrown up before. Now I'm starting to wonder about your condition further now..."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Yep, brand new experience," She groaned out.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"How're we going to turn you back anyway?" Asonja asked, crouching behind her and resting his arms on her raised-up knees. "Or, better yet, who turned you like this?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"I dunno, maybe whatever that shadow thing was you mentioned," She noted. "... We have to get away from here."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"I agree fully. But where do we go? There's so many places to go, we won't know where we'll end up," Asonja looked worriedly at Virus, as if he was scared for his life.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The rest of the city was available to them but they wouldn't be safe for long.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">He sighed and grabbed Virus' arm again. "Come on, we gotta get moving again. Can you run or should I carry you again?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Uh..." She stood up. "I can... walk."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Unfortunately, walking is going to get us caught, so, sorry about this." Asonja scooped her up again and began running in a random direction that he thought would be away from harm.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">They were soon in the city's more densely populated sections, though not many people were out and about. Some restaurants were around, with an apartment complex to the left, and a clothing store to the front.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Asonja slowed down to a stop and brought Virus back on her feet. "Good...we should be able to cover ourselves in this crowd. We can relax for a little bit."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"We need a change of clothes," Virus noted.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"...A change of clothes, you say..." Asonja repeats, rather unenthusiastically. "I'm not getting rid of my trench coat, you know that, right..."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Okay, I need a change of clothes," She held up a part of her hospital gown.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">He winced a little bit, as if looking away. "Yes, yes, right...don't have to go further than that...I mean, even I'm still wearing a hospital gown but I'm glad they kept my trench coat. Jeez, this is going to be nothing but an embarrassing mess for the both of us if we were to go into a clothing store with no money and hardly any clothing to begin with..."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"We could sneak into someone's house?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Sneaking into people's homes is my middle name," Asonja says, though he begins to reconsider. "Though, that's not exactly my middle name...I don't even know what it is...but, regardless of that, I'm the best at stealing clothing."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Really?" She rose an eyebrow.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"...Well, not specifically clothing. Many things."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Well let's get in a house then," She started toward the apartments.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">He nods and follows. "The top floors are usually the ones with better clothing."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Alright then... uh..." She walked to a door, trying to open it but it was locked.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Observe." Asonja then went into his trench coat and pulled out a pick-lock and began to manually pick the lock. "Hmm...this'll take a moment..."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"I wanna break it open though," She noted.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Fine, fine.." Asonja got up and kicked the door down rather easily. "You're so impatient..."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"But'cha love me anywaaaaay," She teased before walking inside.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Yes, of course I do..." He shrugs and walks inside. "Pick out your favorite. Of course make sure it's not skimpy..."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">She stopped, turning slowly back to him with a still-growing smirk that read Now you gave me that idea.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"..." Asonja grew slightly paler and backed up, with a slight blush as well. "...No...don't..." he says weakly.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"What exactly were you thinking of?" she prompted, eyebrows rising.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"N-nothing! Nothing...!" Asonja waved his hands frankily over his face. "That's over! Can we just focus on getting some clothing on now and not make this anymore awkward? Please? For me?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">She chuckled, turning back as she started up the stairs. "Well let's hope for your sake then we've got a good modest family here."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"I hope it's not mine..." Asonja muttered, looking at a wall for a moment which whispering this and followed Virus.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">She arrived in a bedroom soon after, holding a hand out for Asonja to wait outside till she was done.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">He did as he was silently instructed, sitting by the wall and looking away.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The door closed and locked... then he heard a sound back downstairs... another door opening at the back of the house.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Shoot..." Asonja grumbled and tried to hide in another room, if there was one.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">There was, across the hall from the one Virus went into. Seemed to be a bathroom.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Guess I better take my chances..." Asonja muttered and rushed into the bathroom, hiding in the shower curtains.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Footsteps were heard going about the house, a man's voice, talking to themselves a bit. The sound of keys jangling, getting closer to the stairs with the steps.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Asonja made sure he stayed quiet and hidden. And if in anyway he was found, he knew how to silence them for a while.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The footsteps passed the stairs... then stopped some distance away... near the front door.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Asonja continued to observe from behind the curtains. He seemed to have a good eye for where sounds are, as if he could see them from behind the walls...

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The figure made a "Wh- he-" sound... he noticed what happened to the door. He rushed toward the kitchen.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Darn it, he's onto us..." Asonja thought to himself, still keeping a good eye on his surroundings.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The sound of phone-buttons being pressed. Only three. Then it began to ring.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Shoot...!" He got out as quietly as he could and looked to the other room where Virus was in, either to make sure that she was either aware or not.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The door was locked, but Virus was heard inside moving about.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"''I hope that she's aware of the situation. I'm going to have to stall for time." ''Asonja thought this to himself as he quietly looked for the man.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The man was talking to someone as he walked toward the back of the house.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Being as sneaky as he could, he walked behind the man and then quickly grabbed him into a half nelson while also putting his hand over his mouth. He also disabled the phone, as it somehow completely shut off.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The man kicked back at Asonja, biting at his hand.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">He groaned a bit and pinned the man down, keeping his legs down and arms down. "Hey, listen, I'm not going to hurt you any further, I promise! I don't mean you any harm whatsoever, but I'm kind of in a desperate situation right now!"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The man didn't believe him, trying to head-butt Asonja.

Xan
Xan chuckled lightly at this question. "It's funny because you make it sound like I have a choice." He frowned. Like the words left a bad taste in his mouth.

"You do have a choice," She answered. "The other is being kept here in a cage I think."

He face palmed. "No thank you. Let's get it over with." He sighed.

She led him to the others as they formed a portal. "Are we prepared?" Kyrax asked.

"Mmmmhm." Xan said, eyeing the portal.

The seven, plus Xan, arrived at a large empty space: a vast metallic road leading in all directions. It was so reflective that one could assume it was water.

He silently marveled at the shiny floor. Occasionally poking its surface with a toe.

It was cold and metallic: incredibly smooth. He could almost smell the metal itself. "We are moving," Kyrax noted, stepping forward, as did the others.

Xan reluctantly followed along.. Brushing his tail along the surface has he moved with them.

They continued forward, but then suddenly the ground found the area rushing forward as they found themselves all in a massive futuristic city with hundreds of these organic Identities about.

He mentioned nothing of his previous visitations to Identity cities. Instead, he took a moment to observe the not-normal-people. "Hm."

"Xan," Came a familiar dronish voice as a pair of green snake-like eyes appeared in front of him.

"Oh. Device." Xan responded, half-surprised to see her.

"Who are these?" She asked.

"Would-be attackers. I assume they are here to..'Question' your leader. Though really it's a strong word." He informed.

"... Very well, this way," She gestured,walking down the road

Xan glanced around, then promptly followed Device.

The others followed as well, with the Identities remaining tense but not attacking.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">They arrived at the capital building soon after.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"You will wait at the steps," Device instructed.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"We will enter now," Kyrax countered. "Your kind have much to answer for."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Wait, why isn't she all fleshy like the others?" Rynzer asked. Device gave no response, simply walking inside. Kyrax began to follow after. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"...Curious, isn't it?" He said thoughtfully. Waiting a few moments before following behind the grumpy green one. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Inside, she was there, red stripes, red and black outfit... and the first thing she did was ask "What is this?" <p class="MsoNoSpacing">".....Uh.." Xan was relieved, but also slightly puzzled by her reactions. "The Seven Chaos."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"What, like the chant?" She scoffed. "What do you... power rangers want?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"We are here to discuss your actions of invading a remote world, and your position as the Chaos Incarnation... you are not the Chaos Incarnation."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"... Uh huh- Okay, are you with them or are you just here?" She looked to Xan. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">His head tipped slightly. "...A..combination of both." He answered, watching the feline carefully. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Alright, well," She scoffed, "just, move aside," She waved her hand at him to go to the left. "everyone else, kill these guys." <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Lines of Identities stepped forth, but a voice called out "HOLD ON!" <p class="MsoNoSpacing">A red-haired black-skinned figure ran into the room <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Xan's suspicion and confusion grew. "..And you are...?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"She's the enemy, and now that she's in that body, I can kill her," Virus jumped off the throne immediately, forming a flaming and smoking metallic blade out of her arm... She wasn't... organic like the others.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"I came here to talk about wh-" The red-head didn't finish the statement, she had to block the hit: forming a sort of bone shield that by the expression on her face, was not pleasant to feel. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"You're not Virus..." Xan realized suddenly. "You took on her appearance." He said to no one in particular. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">(Is he talking about the one who attacked or the one who defended, because the one who's defending is Rin) <p class="MsoNoSpacing">(I knows. He refers to the atttacker. Sorry for not being clear)

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"And how would you k-"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">A scream came, stopping the violence suddenly. Another scream followed, and another, then suddenly the doors blasted open. Identities ran in yelling "MONSTER!  MURDER!" pointing outside. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"...What?" Xan asked, turning to see what all the commotion was about. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Grumbling, Virus dislodged her blade from Rin, walking out. The Seven Chaos looked to each other... then followed. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">The man glanced back to the red head identity, then turned to the exit.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing"> Pausing the conflict for the moment, they all walked, with Rin a bit teary-eyed, slowly reforming her arm back to normal. At the end of the trail was a very distinct scent of paint... red paint... on a pile of smoking sand... pouring out of the chest-wound of a dead, mortal, organic, Identity. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"..Must be a busy day for the Identities." Xan murmured. Scanning the area for the possible killer. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">He saw a path of the paint suddenly appearing... and a pair of half-open eyes staring for a split second, at him. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Xan tensed. His hands stiffening in case he needed to defend himself.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"What are you looking at?" The Purple Chaos asked. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"The thing.." he murmured, looking to the purple one, then back to the place he saw those eyes. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"... There's nothing but a body," She scoffed. ... He was the only one who saw the eyes... and the path. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">His eyes narrowed as he put two and two together. "..Just my imagination.." He muttered. Eyes wandering briefly to the path he had seen.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">It led down the ways... Soon the massive green cloaked figure was next to him. "You see it..." <p class="MsoNoSpacing">At this point he made no attempt to lie. "Indeed." He frowned. "You as well?" <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Of course," He started walking after the path. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Xan also followed the trail. Cautiously glancing around for any signs of trouble.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The others were distracted by the body at the moment, allowing Kyrax and Xan a headstart down the road as the trail went on. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Keeping a comfortable distance away from the green one, Xan tried to look ahead to see where the trail lead. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Eventually they saw a large gated section made of metal and energy. Device stood in their path. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Device. What is that over yonder?" Xan inquired, pointing his tail to the gate.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"The original soil of this zone.  Do not disturb anything," She warned, opening the gate. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Original.. what?" He peered over Device to inspect the land beyond the gate. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">She did not answer. He could see a long plot of undisturbed rich dirt. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"...So.. I assume this isn't for a little gardening." Xan arched a brow.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"It is for preservation." <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"..But why does the trail end here..?" He muttered. "What happens if this is disturbed?" <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Walk lightly," She instructed. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">He gently set foot inside. Careful to keep his tail from dragging around.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Soon he was going through the way, hearing the faint sound of water ahead. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">The puzzled Xan continued creeping forward. Trying to locate the source of the trickling. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">(Didn't say it was trickling ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) ) <p class="MsoNoSpacing">He eventually found a large lake in the middle... pure still water, save for faint ripples... a small duck toy was paddling toward the center, quacking repeatedly. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">(IT IS WHAT IT IS) <p class="MsoNoSpacing">He was quite bewildered by this. Afte a few moments, Xan threw his hands up in the air. "..Oh great squeaky toy! We are deeply sorry to disturb your muddy sanctuary." Xan exalted the rubber duck sarcastically.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"... What?" Kyrax looked over to Xan. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"..There's a toy duck in the wa- You can't see it can you?" He said, pointing to the middle of the lake. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"The duck," Kyrax nodded. "Yes, I see it... You will retrieve it." <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Bu.. ugh." He let out an exasperated sigh. "Device. Is it safe to swim?" Xan asked, glaring at Kyrax.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"It was." <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"...Was?" He repeated. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"I am not aware of the context that has brought us to this location, nor was it by my doing that this toy was placed." <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Greeeeat." Xan half-groaned. Wading into the water before he had any more time to overthink things. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">The water was fairly cold, but not particularly uncomfortable. The duck had stopped at the center. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Xan easily swam through the water. Cutting through at impressive speeds. "Come hither, fowl beast." He quipped to himself.. Swimming closer to the duck. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">He reached the duck... and then with a flash of those half-open eyes, it vanished. Below in the water, however, he saw a body, held down by chains. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Hm.." He dove under the water, descending into the depths to reach the strange body. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">The chains, some of them, seemed to go underneath the dirt below, but the body was not moving... yet. It appeared to be a woman. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Xan extended a blade from one arm, and used the other to take hold of the chains. He carefully sliced through the metal, trying not to disturb the dirt below. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">The chains fell, some lying atop the body still but being of no concern. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">He picked some of the chain off the person, and took hold of the body. Bringing it to the surface. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">The others had arrived by now, watching as they surfaced. The body seemed to become more noticeable in its details. A young woman, adult. She was a lynx, with orange-brown fur, black stripes, and black hair. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Xan was quick to get her to shore. Checking for a pulse to see if the body was even alive. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">She was thankfully, breathing slightly now strangely enough. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Move away from that," Virus demanded,stepping forwar.d  Kyrax stepped in her way. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">The purpley one ignored Virus completely. Trying to check the body for any signs of injury. "She was chained to the bottom of the lake." <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Despite being quite wet, no bruises were located. Her eyes flickered open, blinking as she looked up with green eyes at the parasite. "... You... saved me...?" She tried to focus in one the person she was looking at. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Indeed. Do you remember what happened?" Xan inquired to the woman.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"No."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The red-striped woman formed a blade, itching to get closer.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"... But you saved me?" The woman asked once more. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Xan arched a brow. "Yes. I did.. Possibly in shock." He muttered that last part. Shooting a look at the armed Virus. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Perhaps it was obvious before, but it was placed in perfect perspective when the woman rescued by the parasite simply replied with "Delicious." <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"...Ah. Virus." Xan grinned, standing to his feet. "Can you stand?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"For some reason no.  Also, why am I like this?" She blinked.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"What is this?" Kyrax demanded.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"The original," Device informed. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Not a clue. Add it to the list of oddities for today." Xan simply shrugged. "Why is she in your place?" His tail pointed to the other Virus. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"This is Pix," Device noted, pointing to the current Virus. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"I earned this position after she vanished," Pix glared. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"How long was I gone?" Virus asked. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"That is unknown," Device replied. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"... Well okay then." <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Aha. Explains the grumpy personality." He chuckled slightly. Though it lacked any real humor. "..So you disappeared. Then wound up here. Which begs the question.. Where did you go, and why the trail lead here."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Good question.  No idea."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"That's doubtful," Pix glared.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"They are both the chaos incarnations responsible?" Kyrax inquired.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Responsible for what?" Virus rose an eyebrow. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"..The attack on the city. Identities were trying to siege the town. Which is why Greenie is here." Xan explained briefly. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"... Huh." <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"I'm done waiting," Pix teleported next to Virus to strike at her, but the Silver Chaos took hold of her arm to stop her. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Xan arched a brow. "You seem ever so eager to eliminate Virus." He observed. "As the stand-in during her absence, you hold command over the people of this dominion." He began to lean in closer to Pix. "..Making it quite easy to hold you responsible for the attack."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Of course I'm responsible," Pix scoffed.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"That is enough for us," The Silver Chaos stepped aside as the Blue Chaos blasted his energy at the new Dominion leader: who of course immediately teleported to the side. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">He snorted and backed away from the fight. "..You are of flesh?" Xan asked Virus as he bent down to pick her up. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Apparently," She replied. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">A battle exploded in front of them as the two forces began colliding. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Well. We wouldn't want that pretty face bruised, would we?" He half-joked. Quickly scooping her up and carrying her away from the fight.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Just because," Syph stated, now at their front: hand out to have them stop, "we are after her, does not mean we are letting this one get away either."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Who are you people again?" Virus blinked. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">He rolled his eyes. "The Power Rangers," Xan said sarcastically. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"It's funny cause the black guy died first in that mo-" Syph interrupted this as a purple blade stretched out toward Virus's neck. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"So touchy." Xan sighed. Scooting away from the blade.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Virus wrapped her arms around Xan, diving into the water. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"?!" He was suprised as he hit the water. Getting pulled down with the feline. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Various blasts of energy shot down toward the two as Virus weakly began swimming back. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Xan bit his lip, and ended up taking hold of Virus. Then with a few forceful kicks in the water, he swam for the two. Following her previous direction

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The water was soon transforming into magma behind them. A small light began appearing below at the base of the lake. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">He began to recognize what was going on. He then promptly started taking long strokes in the water to reach the floor.. Now swimming with a goal. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Eventually he reached the light. Right before they both fell through, he saw the face once more: laughing at him. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Knock it off." His thoughts growled. His annoyance growing for the random visions. When they fell through, Xan was quick to check his surroundings.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">He was falling through the sky toward a beach... as was the unconscious Virus. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Xan gritted his teeth. Trying to look for a water source to hit instead of the ground. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">The water was nearby, though they were nearing the sand section. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">The best he could do was hold Virus and try to lean towards the water. Tucking his tail in as he braced for impact.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">They landed in shallow water, crashing into the sand below the water. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Dazed from the impact, it took him a few moments to realize that he was under water. When he did, Xan resurfaced. Dragging himself and Virus to the shore. "Ugh." <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Virus was... not as fortunate at the moment. Her face was quite bloodied and she wasn't waking. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Xan winced at the sight of her face. "Brilliant." He sighed. Forcing himself off the ever so welcoming ground to get some water. Promptly washing some of the blood off the woman's fur.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Her nose was broken, bleeding out some still. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Hm.." He tucked some sand under her head to keep it elevated. Then he tore a few small strips of fabric from her outfit to staunch the blood flow. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">The bleeding was kept at bay for now, though no one appeared to be nearby. They were at the bay of a city next to the beach. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Xan scooted away a few feet from Virus to give her some space to rest. He then remained there. Sitting on the sand for awhile to let himself recover while he surveyed the area.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Some time passed as the tide started to come in. A few surfers were coming out, and noticed them. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">He stared at them blankly, watching them walk the bay. Xan made no move to call out to them, but he did inch closer to Virus. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">They looked at each other for the moment, then two began walking toward them. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Whenever they got close enough, Xan finally spoke. "Where are we?" He rasped. "What is this place?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"... The beach.  Westside Square?" The surfer noted before noticing Virus's partial condition. "What happened there?" <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Had a terrible fall." He answered briefly, checking under the fabric to see how her nose was doing. "Ice would be appreciated." <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"We do-" The man immediately pulled out his phone, starting to dial 911. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Xan narrowed his eyes, standing up suddenly. "What are you doing?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Calling 911?  Y'know, for an ambulance?" <p class="MsoNoSpacing">A confused look passed over his face for a moment, until he finally understood. "Ah. Medical assistances." Xan glanced at the unconscious feline. "Mm. Apologies. Continue." <p class="MsoNoSpacing">The surfer nodded, and was soon calling. Once he hung up, he turned to Xan. "So you were together when it happened?" <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"...Yeeeeees. Is there any other way it could have happened? Eh. Don't answer that." Xan held up a hand to shush any further remarks..

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"How did it happen then?" <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Xan arched a brow. "We fell from the sky. What's new with you?" He stated. It would have sounded quite sarcastic to strangers. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Knowing how it happened can help you know." <p class="MsoNoSpacing">He rolled his eyes. "Fine. We were swimming and a wave smashed her head into a rock. Sound more believable for you?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Is it what happened?" The surfer folded his arms. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"No. We fell from the sky." He repeated. "..But that's simply nonsense." Xan edged on a mocking tone. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"You actually- so you were-" He looked around. "Was that sky-diving?" <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"I'm afraid it's a bit more complicated than that.. How long before the medical staff arive?" He suddenly changed the subject.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"They'll be here in five minutes." <p class="MsoNoSpacing">He nodded and glanced to the woman briefly. His tail was fidgeting around, but he forced it to still. "..Westside Square is a part of what country?" Xan asked out of the blue. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Estopolis," The man answered immediately. "Why?" <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Because... Reasons." Xan frowned, unfamiliar with the land.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"You're from somewhere else then?" <p class="MsoNoSpacing">He only nodded, looking around the beach for the umpteenth time. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Police vehicles and an ambulance soon arrived. Xan was asked the same general questions as Virus was led into the car. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Xan answered the questions with exasperation. Then requested to be escorted to the hospital Virus would be taken to.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Yes, though we do need to know your relation to the woman." <p class="MsoNoSpacing">He cleared his throat. "We are partners." He answered quickly. "Aaaanything else..?" <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"What kind of partners?" <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Use your nosey imagination." He jabbed, crossing his arms over his chest.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Sir, if you want to be able to see her, then you'll give us the answer in detail." <p class="MsoNoSpacing">He looked as if he was about to kill the man for a split second. But the tension changed into a more relaxed manner. "I'm sorry, sir. All the stress is getting to me.'" Xan apologized. "We're dating. I'm her.. Beau." <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Thank you," The man nodded before leading Xan into the ambulance just before they drove off. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Xan was mostly checking out the gear inside the ambulance and asking obscure questions about their medical procedures as they drove to the hospital.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">They gave him few answers, but eventually they did arrive to the hospital. Virus was carried to a room. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">He followed closely behind. Curious to see how they dealt with her injuries. "I know her nose is broken, along with the possibility of a concussion. Was there anything else I missed..?" He inquired to no one in particular. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Her lungs were starting to inhale some of the blood but that's taken care of.  Right now, we just keep her sedated while we clean up and get a broken arm in a cast." <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Supplies was coming in as they spoke. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Hm. Seems about right." He murmured, stepping out of the way of the people.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Xan himself was reexamined before brought out of the room as they went to work. Just before they closed the door, however, he saw... the eyes, again, except now they were part of some rectangular shadowy body... and it was slowly slithering between the doctors, toward the body. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Alarmed by this, He practically slammed the door open. Looking about for the creature. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">As the door opened back up... the creature was gone. The staff looked to him startled. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Checking around the room a few more times, he sighed and left the room once more. Closing the door behind him.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Hours passed... then he was told he could go inside. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Well then." This time he entered the room in a much more calmer fashion. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Her arm was in a cast with a white covering on her nose. She was asleep for now, with one of the doctors in the room writing on a clipboard. Something black was lying on her lap... then it began to move... then it began to coil. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"..Hm?" Xan's pace quickened as he moved to investigate the black strangeness.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">It faded from sight as he approached.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"She'll be fine," The doctor noted. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"...Riiiight.." He narrowed his eyes. "Did anything unsual happen when your team was.. 'patching her up?' " <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Not that we know.  Why?" <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Xan pinched the space between his eyes. "Ugh. It's nothing. How long is she expected to remain here?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"A few days until we know she'll be stable enough to walk around.  Would you like some time alone?" <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"No I.. Well. Actually." He paused, recalling the previous shadow creature visits. "..Yes." Xan answered decisively. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">The doctor nodded, remaining about a half-minute before walking out. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Xan roamed the room for a while before taking a seat in a chair that was situated further from the bedside. He ended up fidgeting around and reading the magazines the hospital provided.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Psst," Virus whispered, not moving. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Mm." He looked up from the paper he was reading. "Aha. Hello." <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Drn't rct lrk wr trkrn," she grunted out quietly. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">He chuckled at her muffled speech, returning to stare at his news paper. "..I would have expected you to be out cold considering the sedatives," Xan said quietly.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Was at first," She whispered. "We gotta get out of here." <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Thought of that. However, you aren't exactly fit as a fiddle." He breathed, shifting in the chair. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"So we can't smash though all crazy-like, slicing up people in our way?" <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Oh I could. The issue is you." He reminded. "Can you move?"

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"I don't think my legs are broken.  I feel reeeeeeeeeal' wooszy though." <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Xan glanced up at her for a few seconds before returning to his paper. "Then I'll just have to carry you out." He murmured, getting up to look at the room's window to see how high up they were. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">They were a few stories up, about four. There was a camera but Xan didn't recall seeing security outside before entering. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">(The camera is in the room. right?)

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">(Yes) <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"..Aha." Xan smirked, pulling the window open as far as it would go. Moving suddenly from his post to tear the camera off the wall. "Time to get 'a moving." He announced, at Virus's bedside in a matter of moments to remove the several medical attachments from her body. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">She shakily stood up before collapsing toward the ground, eyes quite wide. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Hm. Perhaps we will be taking a different route.. " He frowned, simply picking her up and walking right out the door to the hallway.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Immediately the doctor from outside began toward them. "What are doing?" <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Xan walked right up to the man and rested a semi-free arm on his shoulder. "You informed me that we needed to escort the patient off the premises." He suggested to the man. More or less putting the doc under a hypnotic trance with the physical contact he had managed. "You will bring us to the main floor. Will you not?" <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"... Of... course," The man loosened a bit, starting to walk toward the nearest elevator. Unfortunately security was nearing. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Unfazed by the security, Xan simply followed the doctor like nothing happened. Even though he and the guards knew this was false.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">They arrived at the elevator just as the secuirty went to grab them. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">He ended up having to throw Virus over his shoulder to have better mobility. In two quick strokes, Xan stabbed the closest guard in the shoulder then kicked him down. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Virus reached over, pushing the elevator button as more ran over, one firing a taser. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Xan quickly pulled another man into the taser's line of fire. "...Tasers?" He murmured as he moved away from the elevator door. Occasionally glancing to see if it would open.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The door opened long enough for them to get through just as a guard tackled at Xan. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Nooooope." The purply one stabbed the man in the gut and threw him off elsewhere before he could lose his balance. Setting Virus down on the floor of the elevator, Xan then moved to push the close door button. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">The guard's body fell back as others tried to get into the elevator, but the doors closed and they were on their way down. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Tense, Xan watched the digits slowly change on the little black screen of the elevator's wall. "..They are either going to deactivate the elevator. Or will be waiting for us on the main floor." He breathed, suddenly looking about for a camera.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"I've always wanted someone with a British accent to remind me about how elevators work," Virus teased as they went downward. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">The corners on his mouth twitched into a hinting smile. "Nnnyeees. Let my smooth and melodious voice wash over you like a summer breeze.~" Xan added. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">She purred a bit before the elevator suddenly stopped. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"On cue." He commented, feeling around the ceiling and walls of the cramped room for a panel of some sort. "Unfortunately there is no droid to blame for our transportation misfortune." Xan attempted at a joking reference.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The release panel to climb upward was available, but judging by the positioning, they weren't fully at another level. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Xan pushed the panel open and to the side. "I'm going to see if I can turn the generator back on manually to get the cart moving again. If even for a moment. Stay here." He instructed, climbing up through the escape hole to the outside of the elevator. Once up, he briefly surveyed the small area of the elevator shaft. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">They were between two levels, the door closest below them. The hud box atop the roof of the elevator was connected to the cables and such above and below, but the elevator was slowly starting to rise now. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Shifting into a liquid, Xan snaked up the cables into the hud room. Immediately going for the generator once inside, he reversed the motor's pull to have the cart go down instead of up.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">(Hold on, hud room?) <p class="MsoNoSpacing">(Most elevators have a generator in a room above the actual shaft of the cart. I was trying to get him up there, but if preffered I can do something else :/ ) <p class="MsoNoSpacing">(The generator room part I got, I was just making sure since it's not usually called the "hud room".) <p class="MsoNoSpacing">(Pardon the confusion. I described this wrong x'D ) <p class="MsoNoSpacing">As Xan started reversing the elevator, the doors below opened as security started looking about. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">He made his way back down the line. Solidifying halfway at the doors to swing from the cables to kick a man in the face.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The guard was not prepared, falling back as the elevator continued down, electricity flowing about. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Xan jumped from the open doors to the cable once more. Sliding down to the top of the elevator cart with a light thud. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Sounds like you're having fun," Virus called up. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"All in a days work I suppose." He replied, slipping back into the box with Virus. Xan changed the selected buttons on the elevator wall to Level 2 instead of the Main floor.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">They were going down, with a thud heard from above. Virus hugged Xan's leg. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Xan glanced up to the ceiling briefly. "..Those cheeky little flesh-wads had enough sense to.. -Virus dear, get off me please." He requested to the feline, shaking his leg slightly. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">She grumbled but did as such. The door opened up. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Heeeres our stop. Somewhat. Come along now." The parasite announced, picking Virus up and stepping out to the new floor. The first thing he did was check around for stairs.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Stairs were to the left, a door signifying it with a symbol. The intercom was coming on, only beginning to announce the situation to the others. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Xan moved to head down the stairs quickly, ready to strike if the need arose. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">No one was coming up the stairs that he could hear, giving them the clear for this hall. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">After checking around, He continued down the stairs with Virus in tow.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">They could see through a small window at the next level, with another set of stairs next to this going lower. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Pausing to peek through the window, he looked around to see what was surrounding the window outside. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">The staff was listening to the intercom speaking, not moving at the moment. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Hm." After seeing this, Xan silently descended down the next set of stairs.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">They arrived in a parking lot, mostly empty with many cars around. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">After shifting Virus around in his grip, he began to cross through the lot. Glancing around for cameras and the exit. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">There were various exits and road exits around though there were also cameras. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Avoiding the camera's range as much as he could, Xan selected a half-decent vehicle to break into. Checking the door to the pale car to see if it was locked.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">It was indeed locked.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"We drivin'?" Virus asked. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Xan set her down on the hood of the car so he could pop the door open. "Yes." He answered simply, checking out the door lock. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Virus arched a leg over on the car, giving a weak chuckle. "I'z like the magazines..." she mumbled out half-awake. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">The lock was fairly standard, a keyhole on the side of a rectangular handle <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Don't push yourself." Xan shot her a warning look. Looking around the car for a crevice to fit himself into, like cracked windows.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">The windows weren't particularly cracked.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Push it... down a bit," Virus hinted. "Windows do that." <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Down.." The puzzled Xan muttered, doing as he was told. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">The window went down about an inch, a small bit of space between the top and the window now available. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"Well. Huh.." Xan liquified and fit himself through the window with ease. In a couple of moments, the doors were unlocked and Xan was sitting inside hot wiring the car.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Virus got inside soon after. They heard doors slamming open from far behind, echoing in the lot. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">The car had already been wired and started up by then. Xan put his foot on the gas and the car jolted off towards the closest exit ramp. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">They were soon on their way through the rest of the city. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">Xan's driving was.. Less than graceful but they were both alive. He made occasional glances to Virus as he steered the vehicle. "I take it you're feeling better."

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"I can feel my toes again," She noted, wiggling her digits. "Weeeeee need clothes." <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"You need clothes. I do not." He corrected, his tail tapping the hem of her hospital gown. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"I wanna put you in a... tux.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Xan rolled his eyes. "I'm sure you do." They eventually pulled over to a chain of stores, i nf ront of a small clothing boutique.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"I'm dressed not appropriately," Virus noted without thinking. "This' gonna be weiiiiird." <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"You're not going in. Remain seated." He told her as he left the vehicle to enter the store. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">After awhile he returned with a bag. Which was promptly tossed at her lap. "That should be adequate." <p class="MsoNoSpacing">"... Kay," She immediately started changing. <p class="MsoNoSpacing">For some reason this was unnerving to Xan. The grown man awkwardly shut the door to the car and waited outside for her to finish.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">She soon walked out. "Whatcha think there?" Xan turned around so he could see Virus. "...It suits you." He answered. Nodding his head approvingly. "Now let's get out of here before people begin to notice the shop keeper." Xan said as he got back into the car.

"I'm hungry, you hungry?" She asked, buckling up after hopping to the front passenger seat.

The parasite didn't bother buckling as he pulled the car out of the parking lot. "Probably." He frowned. Looking around for a fast food joint or something similar to it. "Identities usually do not need to consume anything unless it's for amusement's sake. Right?" Xan asked out of the blue.

"Nope, but I'm not an Identity anymore looks like it," She noted, flexing her arm out before leaning against him. "Hope a scary parasite man doesn't take advantage of that."

"That is a hope I do not share." Xan smirked. He made no move to get her off, but that was mostly because he was driving.

"Does that mean I can't watch you drain somebody else? ..." Her smile faded a bit. "I actually am really hungry the more I think about it.  It's like my stomach's inflating then growling back down."

"Mmmhm. That's hunger pain." He skipped question #1 and answered something else. They eventually pulled into the 'drive-thru' of some generic burger chain. "I cannot believe I'm sitting here." Xan muttered, fighting the urge to facepalm.

"What's wrong?"

"This is.. Cringeworthy." He frowned. Eyebrows bunching together as he gestured to the menu sign. "If you don't select something I will pick for you." Xan said impatiently. He was ready to get out of there.

"What's so cringe-... I'm driving," She tried to climb over.

"Alright then." He slipped behind her and exchanged seats. Putting Virus in the drivers seat.

She drove off from the Drive-Through (because Thru is no), looking around back and forth as they went further into the city. Her expression appeared a bit more serious now.

(spelt that way by thousands. ;D )

Xan was mostly staring out his window. "..If the Chaos are smart they'll be tracking us." Xan said thoughtfully.

(AND WRONGLY SO! @_@)

"The Chaos?" Virus asked, making a curving turn.

"Hn!" Xan's face smushed into the window glass since he wasn't paying attention. "The Seven chaos." He mumbled as he peeled himself off the doorside. "Aside from them. Theres the issue of that reoccuring shadow creature. Along with that annoying grin." He frowned.

"Seven Cha-... As in..." She shook her head, not finishing. Apparently the shadow creature didn't concern her until five seconds later of silence when she processed "A grin... and this was back at the hospital?"

"More around the time I found you in the lake. And again when we fell from the sky. The shadow has been following you around since then." He arched a brow.

"So it's interested in me, huh?"

"Well apparently." He remarked. "I don't recall encountering such a thing. What about you?"

"I haven't encountered it yet," She answered before parking outside of a small line of stores and restaurants.

The purple one thrummed his digits along his armerest for a few moments before he exited the car.

Virus followed out as well, walking into the restaurant. It seemed to be some kind of darkly-lit soup plantation-like establishment.

"Hm." Xan was checking the place out. The only thing he seemed interested in was the layout of the restaurant.

Rows of counters with various soups lined some of the areas. Virus walked to the registration desk, asking "Any available talbes?"

"We have some, yes," The employee pulled out a digital pad, showing the remaining tables. Three were in the back, with two in the center.

Xan would have preferred a table further back, but he left the final decision to the feline.

She ended up taking a back table, not that she knew what he wanted, and the two were led to their place.

Before he sat down, Xan took out one of the chairs and gestured for the feline to sit.

She did as such, flattening her dress before pulling up a menu.

Xan took the seat across the table and folded his hands over the table top. He was alert and constantly scanning the area despite the lack of a threat.

"You can't eat like all the fleshies, right?"

"Right." He nodded. "However I still need to feed. One of these civilians will be fine. For now I will remain here." Xan said with a grin.

"Can't you drain lifeforce from food?"

He arched a brow. "One, It would have to be alive. And two, it would take copious amounts to equate to that of a single person. It's just more work."

"That is soooooooooo boring," She groaned, limping back in her chair. "Why couldn't we both get turned into fleshies?" She stiffened. "Wait, does that mean you hate me now?"

"Oh yes. Buckets of distaste." Xan teased, his tail was swishing around under the chair. "I'm more tempted to drain you than anything else, hun. Other than that the new body doesn't change my opinions." He shrugged.

"It's too bad this won't last," She sighed.

He leaned in closer to the table. "Why? You prefer the new form?" Xan questioned.

"Much more interesting and creative," She replied. "People are always more impressive and creative when they're more limited... Plus I mean just all this ... not what I've been doing for so long."

"Mm. I suppose the change in pace would be refreshing." He nodded, sitting back in his chair once more.

A waiter did eventually come over. "Are you two ready?" He asked in a perky tone. Virus just looked over to Xan. "You ever done the waiter role before?"

He paused to think about it for a moment. "I.. Haven't actually. Though I'm sure it won't take much effort if I tried.." Xan trailed off, grinning at the waiter.

"Would you like me to get you an application?" The waiter asked. Virus gave gave a prompting wave of her hand toward the waiter.

"It won't be needed. I'm already on the job." Xan patted the man on the shoulder, before changing his form and rippling into the man. "So. WhatwillitBE, dearie?" The waiter asked briefly in a ridiculous transatlantic accent.

"There's a potato soup apparently, so I'll get that.  I think those counters are for adding toppings."

"Potato soup you say?" The man nodded, jotting something down on paper. "Just a moment." Xan left the table to navigate around the resteraunt in search of the kitchen.

Virus just muffled a chuckle as Xan found the labeled area awaiting him, various other waiters either ignoring him or giving small nods. The occasional customer would call out "Excuse me" as he passed, mostly for refills and the like.

He passed the others by as he had no intention of serving them. Xan walked up to the labeled place and looked around for a bowl as well as the potato soup.

Thundering hits, shaking Xan's hips for a moment fabulously.

GNNNNNNNN

The soup vats were lined up in the back, heated as new batches were prepared and distributed regularly. The dishes were around but the chefs only asked "What's the order?"

"A bowl of potato soup." The waiter informed the cooks.

"Alright, how large a serving?"

"...The standard portion." He guessed.

"Just tell me the serving," The chef replied, becoming irritated.

Xan bit back a cutting remark and attempted to remain calm. "What are the different sizes again? I've been having an off day."

"Is it one serving or two?" The chef tapped his fingers on the counter.

The waiter rolled his eyes. "One serving.. My goodness."

"Charge it up and it'll be ready soon."

"Mmmhm." He wandered away from the kitchen to presumably ring up the order.. Though he had no intention to pay it whatsoever. Xan was mostly just waiting for the food.

The soup was on the way, within a minute drizzled with some small veggie flecks atop for decoration before scooted carefully across the aisle toward Xan.

Lifting the dish with care, the waiter turned back and returned to the table towards the back.

Virus was waiting, still in her seat. Her hands were just beneath her chin. Her eyes were narrowed, looking toward the table: pondering.

Xan took note of this as he approached the table. "I've heard soup is good for the soul." He commented as he set the dish down.

"Oh really?" She started blowing on the soup to cool it.

"Reeeally.." He paused to leave the waiter. Poking the man's body with a toe when he returned to form. "I do not envy you, good sir." Xan informed the unconscious waiter.

The waiters moan of headpain didn't seem to imply he could acknolwedge this in his passed-out state, but it was a nice fantasy.

"Aren't you going to drain him dead like a life vampire or something?" Virus asked.

"..Couldn't stand his bubbly personality. Reminds me of an unpleasant encounter with an idiot feline." He frowned, taking hold of the guy's head to drain him. "What else needs to be taken care of within the city?" Xan asked as his markings momentarily flared.

She didn't immediately answer, instead just watching as he drained the body.

Xan arched a brow but remained quiet. A few of his markings transferred to the paled waiter as the man's body sort of.. Lost its color. Then Xan released the man, leaving him to lay dead on the floor. He then turned expectantly to Virus.

Virus gave a small "Hmh," before sipping down her soup.

He sat back down in his chair and stretched his arms into the air. Creating a few popping sounds as he went. "Mmm~hm. And so.. I wait. Is the soup any good?"

"It's pretty great," She replied, coming back up for air. "First thing I've ever actually tasted so..."

"Huh.. You could previously eat things but not taste?" He inquired, taking interest in her statement.

"Well kind of.  We could always build bodies to use, and make real organics to the best that we can, but actually having a real one... there isn't any substitute."

Xan crossed his legs and leaned back into his chair. Studying Virus's features and motions. He seemed amused by her current predicament. "Then perhaps the new body is good for you."

"For however long it lasts.  I'll probably get turned back and things will be back to normal," she sighed, slouching down at the table. The wall ceiling began shaking.

"Gee. You seem so excited.." He trailed off, glancing up to the walls.

The ceiling started to crack. Virus ears shot up. "... Oh great," She jumped toward Xan immediately as the cracking continued.

"Oh yes indeed!" Xan took hold of her and moved away from their table. Intending to exit the building through the nearest window.

Four figures crashed down, bouncing waves of chaos energy blasting tables and chairs around the restaurant. "Ingrate traitors," Virus noted as she ran toward the exit with Xan.

"When the leader is away the mess makers play.." Xan jumped to the exit doors, practically shoving Virus out of the building to make an escape.

The hooded assailants were quick to chase after them, one jumping ahead of them with a blade grown out from his arm. His eyes were pulsing a slow red, going in and out with his toothy growling. "Parasite... step awaaaaaay..." He called in a misty hiss.

The others behind remained in position, not striking just yet.

"I vaguely remember something like you.." Xan recalled. "Very well then.." He took a single step forward and directed a head-splitting mind blast at the one in front. He wasn't exactly sure if it would work. But he was trying regardless.

A blast from the eyes of the front-speaker retaliated toward Xan, aiming to singe and/or knock back the purple man. Virus stepped forward to intervene but she was not nearly at the speed of either opponents.

He was sent backward with multiple burns along the chest. "Yeeeep. I remember this too." He wheezed, extending both of his blades. "What are these things again?"

"Did you really just jump at me while I'm standing here ready?" The assassin peered. "Last cha-"

"They're Identities," Virus informed, interrupting the man. "And looks like they're fleshy too," She tried to pull Xan upward as two from behind began running toward them.

"Pardon me in advance." Xan jumped off Virus and landed on one of the two from behind. Attempting to make a stab at said person's chest.

The wound hardened immediately after penetration, blood dripping down as the two tried to pull him down. The first knew they wouldn't last now, so they just tried to hold on and harden enough to delay him, almost as if a suicide bombing mechanism was triggered.

The one at the front went after Virus immediately: the side of his blade hooking on to her left shoulderblade, with her now reaching over behind herself to his neck

"Sneaky little.." Xan made several yanking motions before he made any attempt to drain their life. "Release me!"

They may have been Identities, but they weren't as they were before, and the two slowly began weakening, collapsing, draining.

When they were weakened enough, he tore his arm free of the first one and escaped their grasp. Immediately turning to assist Virus.

Virus currently had her teeth locked in the front lobe of her attacker, a blue light slowly leaking out from the body with her wound bleeding down.

"Uh.." The urgency of his movements lessened. But he still paced over to check Virus's latest wound. "We need to get moving." Xan frowned.

Virus eventually let go of the assailant, gasping as if having taken a large drink. The man was still now, not dead, but... unresponsive.

"Where?"

"We will work with the basics for now. Away from here." Xan responded, glancing to the attacker's limp body. "..What did you do?" He gestured with hinting curiosity.

The body leaned forward and began peppering the feline with kisses along her face before moving downward and kissing at her feet. "In my experience, experience tops birthright any day," Virus replied before kicking her subordinate slave squarely int he jaw. He sludged back, doing his best to remain upright, though some of his teeth were quite shattered now.

"...Indeed." Xan nodded slowly, eyeing the assassin cautiously. "Sooo.. Are you going to kill him now or do you intend to leave it here?"

"Are the others brain-dead?" She asked.

He glanced back to the other two and shook his head. "I don't recall the sensation of their death. Though they both are close to it."

"Then we'll find out what we need from their heads.  You can do that, right?"

"Certainly.." He returned to the othe two attackers and bent down over the one he had stabbed. "What will I be sifting for in specific?"

"Perhaps how many more there are after us right now.  I'm going to have a private interrogation with this one," She hopped atop her new slave, who forced himself to his feet as he held her up. "Police will be here soon seeing as the roof was blasted through, so best hurry up, Favorite."

"..." Xan seemed to be musing but he didn't mention anything to Virus. He eventually leaned in to the identity and touched his face with a hand. Reaching out into the man's mind to see what might be hiding.

Twelve others were in the city still looking for them. Pix had ordered that Virus be killed as soon as possible. Briefly he saw that the Identity had noticed a brief conversation between Pix and the Seven Chaos, as if discussing terms.

Without hesitation, he pressed the memory to see if he could catch what was being exchanged between the group.

The conversation overheard was very brief. Pix had said "You're the incarnations of chaos energy?  I'll pretend to believe that while we figure out if we're all going to waste our times killing each other or not."

Then Kyrax spoke... and he was booming in his candid statement. "Your entirety will know what we are if terms are not met.  What ar-"

and that was the last.

He was dissatisfied with the results but he knew it was all he was going to get. Xan then back tracked to see if the identity was aware of the other twelve and their locations.

They were told to scour the city but all he could see was an imagined picture of them all scattering outward from a mid point of the shore, with some turning away from the water and some going further into it.

Xan checked if there was anything else note worthy within the man's mind before he would leave.

Nothing else appeared of interest... except, the coordinates to the Isis Dominion.

...Which sparked intrigue in Xan. He had been in the city a few times but did not know how exactally to get there. So he checked the coordinates then left the identity's psyche.

Sirens were faintly heard as he left. Police cars were in the far away sight, nearing.

Xan cleared his throat as he stood back up to his feet. "That would be our que to leave. Are you done?" He announced, turning to Virus.

Virus was... elsewhere.

"....Aaaand she's gone." He arched a brow as he looked around for where she might have gone.

He saw a small blood trail leading out to the left, but the police were closing in on the location now.

Xan wasn't even sure if he was hallucinating anymore or if the trail was real. Either way it was a better lead than anything else, so he melted down and snuck away before the police could notice him.

The police did in fact notice him as he was some half a dozen yards away after the blood trail, leading back toward the beach it seemed.

He didn't really care that he had been seen, and shot forward after the trail. Moving faster than the officers could. Though he knew they would probably follow the trail like he was.

He found himself arrivng between two stores where Virus was using her new slave to form a portal.

Xan reformed and glanced back a few times. "..Where to?" He inquired.

"This is a portal to the Isis Dominion," Virus informed.

"The Chaos and Pix struck some sort of deal. It is uncertain what exactally however it's a safe bet that it involves you." Xan informed Virus as he got closter to the portal. He wanted to ask is she was even ready to return, but the man left that out for several reasons.

"Great," She replied sarcastically before jumping in.

"That's the spirit." Xan responded. Slipping into the portal after her.

They arrived in a familiar foggy mountain area.

Xan surveyed the area. "Well then." He said simply.

"Good starting point.  Low population, plus with everyone being fleshy, we have more of a chance."

He nodded, his tail swishing behind his body. "Then let's get started." Xan grinned.

She started walking down the hill toward the woods, sighing out "Let's see... Well if I want a chance with this, I'll have to get the favor of the chaos people: convince them I'm better than Pix, and of course public popularity is probably on my side in some places."

"Which.. Shouldn't be a problem considering you were already ruler previously." Xan said briskly as he trailed along. "If I have to start passing out 'vote for me' buttons..You can count me out." He teased as the thought came to mind.

She snorted. "Not the most flattering of positions," They soon entered the woods. "I've got something I gotta find first though.  You'll probably be left alone."

Xan touched the bark of the trees as they went. "Splitting off? Is that really a good idea?" He shot her a questioning look.

"I was talking about the others not attacking you but we will be splittng off for a bit.  Not yet though.  That's later," she kept looking about the area: the dark wood of the trees.

This seemed to appease him.. For now. Xan fell silent shortly after, surveying the woods as he seemed to be lost in thought.

They were silent for a while longer until the sound of something brushing down the trees froze the feline mid-step.

Having snapped out of his daze, Xan was already peeking around the trees to see what had made the sound. He seemed ready to kill anything that moved.

A figure fell in front of them on the floor. His hood was made of leaves. His skin was white. He was some kind of white-scaled lizard it seemed. He groaned.

He arched a brow. His first instincts was to scan the man for a wound, and the trees for a possible attacker.

He had bruises, but there didn't seem to be anyone else about. He rose up, giving a casual "Hi."

Xan seemed a bit puzzled. "..Who are you..?" He demanded.

"Who are you?" He asked, glancing between the two. "... Oh hey, you're organics!  Cool!"

"... Right," Virus rose an eyebrow.

He looked to Virus for answers, then back to the strange lizard boy. Xan was tempted to gut the kid and move on, but he opted for the more subtle route. "..Indeed. Did you just fall from that tree?"

"Yep," He cracked his back a bit. "You guys look focused on something.  Trying to figure out why everyone's different?"

"One might say that. Yes." He was still trying to figure out why some random stranger was making conversation. Xan had a difficulty wrapping his head around it.

"... So... nice weath-"

"Yeah, bye," Virus continued onward to the ocean ahead.

Xan's tail swished behind him as he followed Virus' lead. The kid was definitely a waste of time.

A thundering sounded followed by another splat as a crowned imp-creature plopped on the ground in front of them.

I can't tell if you're serious

"Wh.." Xan looked up to the sky then back to the fallen imp. The purple one had to stifle a grone when he realized who had fallen. "Ugh. No.."

"EXCELSIOR!" The midget man called from the muffled below.

"... Well looks like I found a plot Mcguffin," Virus noted.

His tail had scooped up bits of dirt and flicked it on top of the midget. "Mhm. The most amazing discovery." Xan said distastefully. In the back of his mind he wondered if the creature could be buried.

Urd pulled his head from the ground, standing at attention to the two. "Salutations!  And how are we today?"

"... Wait, can you just send us to the capital district?" Virus asked.

"It is within my abilities."

Xan let the two talk, picking a plant out from his tail spikes. Mostly because he wanted to avoid conversing with Urd.

"Well are you going to help us?"

"I believe my aid has been used up in recent events, would you not agree?"

"Oooook. Then why are you here in the first place?" Xan couldn't help but ask.

"I was summoned by poor grammar and spelling!" He informed.

Several tomatoes smacked Urd upside the head from out of no where

"..That's.. Well ok then." The baffled Xan sighed. "If he's not going to help then I suggest we get moving, Virus."

"Good idea," Virus started jogging across the shore toward the water.

He took long strides to keep inpace with the feline. Barely leaving a print in the sand.

Urd shuffled after them, becoming submerged in the sand after a few seconds. Virus gave a little teasing flip of her hair before diving into the water.

Xan glanced back to make sure the midget thing did not follow. Soonafter the feline, he dove into the water.

They were soon to the other end, though this time, Virus was gasping for air immediately after surfacing.

"The swimming takes some getting used to." Xan said mildly. Wiping a bit of water off his face so he could better see his surroundings.

They were in the Vicotrian-like district now. Virus swam over to underwater steps before stepping to shore. "There... should be a post... to teleport us to the... main district," She panted.

Owl cackles in the distance

Xan had no problem cutting through the water to the steps. "Looks like someone needs a breather." He observed as he stepped to shore.

"I have a solution!" Urd declared, popping out of the water in a doctor's coat, rubbing together some defibrillator paddles.

"Wh.. Of course you did." Xan face palmed. "Go back to your hobbit hole, Urd." He jibed.

Urd landed on the streets in a coat with a handkerchief in his hand.

"I'm just going to keep walking," Virus noted, stepping ahead.

"Is there any way to get rid of that thi-..Er. Him?" Xan corrected himself, keeping in pace with her.

"He thinks I'm his daughter-in-law.  I have no idea," she replied."

Various Identities in more organic forms were seen ahead, a few flooding in at various buildings.

Xan snorted, finding it hard to believe. "You must be joking.. Oh. What's going on here?" He looked about.

The main building being invaded had a sign... covered up by the crowds. "An archive building," Virus noted, turning to the left... and then freezing in place. The teleporter pole was broken.

His wandering attention was drawn to Virus' sudden hault. Leading him to also notice the broken pole. "Mm. That's not good. Perhaps that is why the crowds gather.." Xan muttered mostly to himself. "I take it that this wouldn't be a quick fix.."

Virus growled, storming over to one of the Identities and yanking them over. "What happened to the pole?"

"It wouldn't work.  People that tried to use it just exploded," The Identity replied, yanking himself free. "They broke it so people wouldn't keep killing themselves."

Xan seemed more amused than distressed. "Ehehe. Killer pole." He had his giggles, now he moved to solve the problem. "Is there another way out of here besides the teleporter?"

"Walking," Virus groaned, sliding down against Xan's front with hands up. "Feet hurt... hold me," She whined.

"Aww. Kitty can't handle a little exercise?" He teased, making no move to pick her up. "How far is our alternate destination from here on foot?"

"Miles," She groaned. "Barely had any soup.  Low energy.  Nnnnnnnng."

The scaly one let loose an exasperated sigh. "Is there some form of transportation that could get us there instead?" Xan probed as he rested an arm on Virus' fuzzy head.

"I dunno... we gotta get in that archive building."

He glanced to the building and hummed a few notes thoughtfully. "I can slip by the crowd but you can't.. What's a good way to scare off a bunch of Identities?"

"... Hm... can you steal me one?"

Xan nodded, the weight of his arm lifting as his form shifted. A stream of purple darting forward to jump the closest civilian in the back.

It wasn't the most pleasant takeover, what with the chaos energy coursing through them, but he managed in.

Turning briskly around, Xan marched the man to Virus and left the body post-haste. Leaving the man to collapse to the ground.

Virus grabbed hold of the man, and began filling him up with a yellow light. He screamed, spasming almost out of the feline's grip.

Xan reshaped, eyes wide as he watched the commotion with mixed interest.

Virus then took the man and urged him back to the others before running in the opposite direction.

Confused, Xan didn't move from his spot. "Shouldn't we be going the other wa.. Oh. I see." He figured that whatever was going to happen.. Wasn't good. So he darted off after Virus.

A blast went off, singeing the ground and sending them both forward against the ground.

After a few moments, he grunted and pushed himself partially off the ground. Looking back to check the damage.

Bodies lined the roads. It was silent now. No one was in their way now, and Virus still walked with a glare at the sight as she approached the half-caved-in building, so perhaps she wanted a bigger result.

"Explosive entry." He chuckled as he jumped to his feet to further survey the damage. "Don't we need something inside that semi-collapsed building?"

"As long as the inside is fine," Virus replied as she squeezed her way through the remains of a window.

Slipping inside the building, Xan briefly glanced about the area.

The inside of the building was fairly unharmed, save for the entrance. A very exhausted woman stood frozen at the desk.

Taking notice of the woman, Xan smirked and began to walk closer. "He~llo there. Was wondering if you could perhaps spare a few moments of your time. Seeing as you are not currently busy." He gestured to the missing collapsed entrance.

The woman was still in shock, not responding at first.

"... Okay, I'm just going to find it then," Virus hopped over the desk toward the halls behind the woman. "Anything you want found, Xan?"

Snorting, he too jumped the desk. "..Would like to see things for myself." Xan answered, flicking his tail at the woman as he passed her by to enter the halls.

They got about four feet down before the woman stuttered out "T-tell me if..." then she just stopped.

The files were like hard-drives with little ports to put one's hand. Virus winced as she went through different ones. "Why won't this-"

"Y-y-you need a port..."

" 'A port.' This contains all the data?" He arched a brow, leaning over one of the files to take a closer look. "Do you upload the information into your memory..?"

"Yes," The woman answered, seeming to calm a bit more. On her arm they could see a sort of implant, veins showing off from the port.

"Interesting. In that case.. Virus that probably won't work for you anymore." Xan stated, looking to Virus with hinting sympathy.

Virus turned back to the two of them. "... You!" She walked over to the woman, dragging her to the back. "You're helping me find it then!"

"You know it would be easier for the woman to do her job if you weren't pulling her around like a sack of sand." He chuckled as he strolled around through the room. "Just how much information is stored here?"

"It's connected to all registered history--at least what's not highly classified," The woman informed.

Virus pulled the woman to the H-files, and told her to start getting addresses, whispering something to the woman. The woman nodded and placed the port into one of the archive ports. She winced immediately, her hand shaking at first.

Xan's gaze shifted to the woman. Doing little more than murmuring and observing.

Virus forced the woman to go through each one. The information was causing the woman to become more and more overwhelmed as she went.

After a few more tries Xan sighed and approached the two.. "Virus don't break her.. Yet. We can't access the information as we are now if she were to snap. Now can we?" He reasoned.

"Don't tell me not to break people, Xan," The feline replied back in a tuned tone, though her frustration was evident. Something was going on beyond just petty annoyance. The woman started limping.

His eyes narrowed. Reaching out to touch Virus to see if he could sense the emotional problem. "Viiiirus..." Xan warned.

There was a lot of frustration, though who it was positioned at seemed to keep changing. It only focused on Xan for a split second as he touched her before constantly flashing to different faces,as if trying to figure out who to go after. The parasite kept getting a flash of frizzy purple hair, flopped on a table before feeling a sudden pain in his stomach.

Virus was tolerating his action, still forcing the woman to find more people, so it wasn't her intentionally, but the pain felt like a sudden growth in his lower stomach, like a large bulge.

Xan flinched away from the feline, clutching his abdomen as if the pain had been real. "A person." He winced, shaking his head a few times to clear his mind. "...Who are you looking for?"

"Do you have it?" Virus demanded, lifting the woman up. The woman nodded weakly. Her face was green. Virus placed her hand into the woman's mouth as she began pulling out a blue light from the woman.

"..." He frowned. Remaining rooted to the spot where he stood. Xan composure had straightened, though his hand still rested over his stomach.

Virus finished draining the woman, hissing as she suddenly bit into the woman's forehead and kicked her back. The woman fell limp to the ground. Virus turned past Xan, walking toward the exit before pausing. "... What's going on with your stomach?"

"..I was about to ask you the same thing." He arched a brow. Glancing to the fallen woman briefly then back to Virus.

"What?" She rose an eyebrow. "Nothing's goin-" She looked down at herself, feeling her stomach, then back up at Xan.

He sighed, dropping his hand. "A memory then. Let's go." With that he started down the hall.

Virus followed swiftly after. "Alright, we're gonna have to split up in a second."

Nodding, Xan didn't argue with the concept. "What am I to do and where will I be doing?"

"Find out what Pix and the Chaos people are doing.  They should be fine with you if you're not with me.  They're in the capital district.  Fifty miles that way," she pointed.

"Well now. I'd better get going then." He smirked. "Anything else noteworthy before I set off?"

She pulled him over and kissed him.

Xan had been surprisingly prepared for that one. He let this go on for a number of moments before the man playfully nipped her lip. “Noteworthy indeed." He commented, slipping away from the feline.

At the moment her original personality slipped through, prompting a smirk as the parasite slipped away. She soon dashed in the opposite direction as they parted.

Following in the direction Virus had pointed out, Xan departed for the capital.

He found himself going through a desert where dozens of Identities were battling... now undisguised. Most were ignoring him. Some were taking interest in the non-Identity.

"Hm." He grunted, continuing along to the capital. Trying his best to avoid the battles and the nosey Identities.

It was at least twenty more miles in this district and there were some getting closer, trying to brawl with him.

A bit amused, he slowed down for a moment to communicate with the others. "I'm not here to train, boys and/or girls." Xan called.

One of them actually stopped at this, but the other two didn't seem to care. Seeing how many limbs were torn off from others, it became apparent just how chaotic the area had become. It seemed Virus wasn't the only one with little care about her kin's well-being after this... event.

Xan began to notice all the chaos.. His amusement evaporating under the sun. "..Weeeeell then." With that he kicked up a mess of sand into the air, and liquified under the cloud of dust to dive underground.

His pursuers began blasting small bolts at him as he went, gaining the attention of followers, but also opponents. Xan's enemies changed rapidly.

In a blast of sand he surfaced behind one of the identities and wrapped around their leg, leeching whatever energy he could.

The Identity was fading fast, but in retalation, he began molding around Xan, using any remains of his power to try and surge Xan.

"Hn. Nope." The twitching Xan used this opportunity to see if he could puppet the fading Identity.

He could, though the body was deteriorating and others were charging.

Jumping up, he sent the Identity head on to one of the attackers. Almost throwing the guy on the challenger. Xan himself kept behind the puppet and used it as a distraction to get closer to this new person.

Various bolts and fists were coming toward him, with the closest attempting to ram at him.

Xan let the Identity charge him. Morphing around the man's body and constricting air flow around his neck.

Xan was indeed constricting the Identity, but the various charges of energy going through the many bodies around him, plus the piling of bodies, were not boding well in his favor of being in one location.

The liquid took hold of the man's head and swiftly snapped his neck. From there Xan slipped off to see if he could make an exit while the others were distracted in their killings.

With burning bolts of energy bombarding or grazing Xan as he slipped through, he found himself just outside this dog pile.

The shots certainly hurt and had burned off sections of the purple matter. But it could have been worse. Once he was out of the pile he weaved around the commotion and darted away from the feild.

Others trailed him as he went, but eventually lost interest as they returned to each other. Xan could see a barrier wall in the distance, with buildings lining its sides like a mountain village.

He eventually solidified and took to walking across the sand. Arching a brow as he checked his surroundings.

The barrier to the next district was some hundred yards away at this point.

Uncertain wether or not the barrier was dangerous, Xan took a handful of sand and approached the wall. Prompty throwing sand at the grid.

The wall didn't react to this. Once close enough, however, automatic doors opened up.

Snorting, the man dusted his hands off as he moved to pass through the doors.

Xan was soon inside in time to feel a shaking coming in from further in this new district. Structures of vast creativity were everywhere in an organized manner, but a storm of purple was destroying those in the far back. The public was running madly about.

Pace quickening, he took care to avoid being even remotely near said purple energy. Xan's attention flitted about to the citizens, the destruction, and everything inbetween. "What are they doing?" He asked himself.

A giggle was heard to Xan's rear, just behind him. A rectangular shadow was looming over him as one of the Seven Chaos rose up to the sky, spreading the destructive storm over the public.

Twitching, he instinctively turned to check behind himself before he did anything else.

The shadow, massive in size now. This rabbit shadow chomped down suddenly toward him.

"Gah!" With a jolt, Xan twisted out of the way to the shadow's side. Somewhere in that movement he had extended his blades, lunging forward to attempt a stab at that thing.

The blade passed through the strange shadow creature: a fire-like sting coming from it just before the entity vanished again. Xan saw a flash in his mind... some kind of murky grey figure: with no face, a large circular head, and tendrils going down the side of its face like spider arms.

His hand retreated back to his body. The man letting out an exasperated sigh. "Typical." He muttered. Looking back up to the skies to check where the Chaos had gone.

The purple one was walking through the streets, evaporating everything near her, but then there was the yellow one--Rynzer--who was nearing. He seemed to notice Xan and immediately zipped over to him. "Whoa, how'd you get here?... er, back here?"

"I clicked my feet together three times and ended up here." He smirked.. Not really answering his question. "Do they throw tantrums like this often, or is this some sort of clean up duty they were assigned to?" Xan gestured to the purple Chaos.

"Oh that," He groaned. "No we're committing genocide... well inadvertently.  Kyrax wants this whole place leveled to punish them for the invasion.  Basically anyone who gets in the way gets destroyed.  Great plan, huh?" His tone sounded rather sarcastic.

"You're.. Not joking." He arched a brow. "..And the new fangled Leader is doing nothing about said genocide?"

"She's trying.  Kyrax is fighting her off.  If she surrenders or changes her tone, apparently this place gets left alone."

Xan noddeed slowly. "I see.." he muttered. "Rhyme not intended."

"... Wh-" He slapped himself. "I just got that.  So what are you doing now?"

"Came to see the lovely town before it gets bulldozed apparently. Mostly just here to watch your group 'handle' the situation." Xan clearly didn't have much faith in the Chaos. It was either that or he was just pulling faces to get a response.

"Yeah, not buying that.  Where's your lady friend?"

The scaley one made a vague gesture to the great beyond. "Off to take care of business. Aside from that I haven't a clue."

"So why are you here then?  For real.  Because unless you've got a good reason for me, not much I can do to stop the others from frying you."

He sighed dramatically. "Look. In short I'm here to passively observe the happenings between The Chaos and Pix."

"Doing a good job so far.  So you want a free ride to the main fight?"

"..I suppose it will get me there faster. So why not?" Xan shrugged.

"Alright, hop on," he formed a platform next to Xan.

"Righty o'." He jumped aboard the platform and waited for the next move.

They were soon rushing forward to the capital building. Green and Pink were clashing inside, shaking the area with intense pressure seen from the conflict. Rynzer formed a set of walls and roof on the platform as they got closer. "Best keep you from getting flattened," He noted.

"Gratitude." Xan said flatly. Peering down below to see if he could make out the battle.

As they arrived closer to the entrance, Kyrax could be seen pressing the advance toward Pix, who remained just a few inches from the throne itself.

"So you just want to watch, huh?" Rynzer asked.

"I doubt I would be of much use to this situation. Unless someone feels like forgetting where their car keys are."

The violence stopped for a moment as Pix's voice called out "Bring him inside."

Xan arched a brow. Glancing to the Yellow one questioningly.

"... Guess you get a say," Rynzer shrugged, leading Xan inside. Pix and Kyrax stood still in opposing positions, but they were no longer blasting at each other.

"Where is she?" Pix immediately demanded.

Xan lightly smirked. "Certainly not here. She's away to tend to a personal matter. Please leave a message after the beep.." ..Except there was no beep following that sentence.

"I can completely restructure your biology, parasite," Pix threatened.

"Yeah, we're still in the room," Rynzer reminded. "Unless you can do that before we jump back in, probably not going to happen."

"Didn't we all want to know where she is?" Pix retorted. "She has to be the cause of all this."

"Didn't you drop her in a lake?" Rynzer retorted.

"I'm not underhanded.  That wasn't me," She peered.

Kyrax spoke up, turning to Xan. "Do you at least have any indication or information to give us?" It was as they forgot that the other Chaos were levelling the whole dimension.

"..You.. You People are just so.." Xan chuckled softly, pinching the space between his eyes. "Look. She wasn't very detailed in her explanations. You know just about everything I do."

"We'll find her soon enough," Pix noted.

"People outside that want to speak to you," The Red Chaos infromed, stepping inside. "... You being the uh... cat lady here... or liz-"

"Shut up," Pix walked past the Red Chaos, going outside.

"... So you're not killing her now?" Rynzer asked Kyrax.

The Green Chaos just looked on silently.

"Yeeeeah the silence isn't helping." Xan sighed. "Destroying the capital? Is that really the best idea you could come up with?"

The green figure let something slip at this, the slightest little laugh, but he did not answer Xan's challenging remark. Eventually he followed the others outside instead.

"Ugh." He too wandered outside.. Since he didn't get a straight answer from before.

"By law, challengers may rise to make claim to the throne," Five Organic Identities were standing in front, seemingly unphased by the chaos behind them. The speaker--some tall rabbit-looking woman--continued, saying "Unless that fact has changed, it is mandatory to respect it."

"We have no time for that," Pix replied promptly. "I know it's easy to miss, but there are people trying to level the empire."

"Precisely the point," another of the challenging Identities replied. "It has been a short reign, and yet you have already led the Dominion to ruin, making enemies we cannot hope to oppose."

Someone tapped Xan on the shoulder.

Arching a brow, Xan looked around to see who had tapped him. "What?"

A random Identity. "You are needed at this address," They held out a paper.

Snatching the paper, he briefly looked over it before glancing back to the Identity. "Anything eeeelse?"

"Yes.  A strange Imp man had a warning: don't listen to the rabbit."

Xan rolled his eyes. "Of course." With that he promptly took a few steps back, and slipped away from the group. Seeing as following the address was more productive than standing around.

Rynzer wasn't one not to notice, and followed after. "So where we heading?  Pal?"

"You'll be off to Wonderland, Buddy." Xan fired back. "Seems you're heading in the wrong direction. The rabbit is back there." His tail pointed back to the group.

"Can't see it," He replied, a small disc forming just below Xan's feet as he was shoved suddenly back a bit. "Get a closer look and let me know."

Xan's body shifted off the platform in one fluidy motion, clicking his tongue in disapproval. "Might need to get your vision checked." Tutted Xan. "I'm needed elsewhere. Is that a problem?"

"Nope, as long as I get clued in and get to follow.  Of course I could just tell the others that you're sneaking off instead of being nice."

"The Yellow Chaos resorting to tattletaling? For shaaame." He openly teased. "I was given an address that apparently requires my presence. Now. You don't quite look like a charming purple parasite, but I suppose you can come along." Xan vaugly motioned for Rynzer to follow.

"Why thank you, Sir," Rynzer bowed dramatically before following after. "What's the address?"

Xan passed the paper from his hand, to his tail, to Rynzer. "Writen down on that. Feel like transporting us there?"

"Sure, pal," He soon rushed them forward through the district till they arrived at a large offspring development center. The doors were smoking.

"...Well that can't be good." The reptilian commented as he took a few steps towards the door. Surveying the damage as he went.

Rynzer stepped quickly through. "Smoke doesn't bother me, so I'll just lead ahead... unless it doesn't bother you either in which case, do whatever."

The sound of dripping liquid was heard. A desk with a dead woman at the front. Three doors were seen, two blasted open with the dripping coming from them. The third appeared untouched.

Xan didn't seem to have a problem with the smoke.. He was more interested in the third door as he entered. "Hm."

The door gave a weak beeping sound, not opening immediately.

"Here, I got this," Rynzer reached over to pry the door open but before his fingers touched the metal, they were both slammed into the door, a high-pitched cackle sounding.

Grunting, Xan slid off to a side of the door. Twisting around to scan the room for the unknown attacker.

One of the Identities had followed them: a strange wide grin on their face as they began turning their hands into long bladed claws. Rynzer stiffened. "... I should've been able to sense that..."

" 'Should have' does not help." Xan said flatly. His own blades extending out from his arms.

The Identity jumped at them, with Rynzer choosing to step to the side rather than attack.

Xan had decided to do the same, swiftly moving out of the way of the Identity.

The Identity tried to turn at them, but Rynzer quickly tripped them, sending them hurdling across the floor. "This one's not acting right," He started a small cage around the Identity. "Maybe they took in the fumes in this place..." He seemed concerned still, but went back to forcing the door open, a slam going off as the darkness ahead opened up.

"Perhaps.." Xan muttered. Switching between warily eyeing the now-caged Identity and the door. "This can't be good."

"You wanna interrogate this one or get insinde?" Rynzer started into the hallway. "Your lady friend might not be a happy camper."

"I will trust that your construct can hold this.. person until we return." Xan flicked his tail, following Rynzer through the doorway.

"Should unless they've got a trick up their sleeve," Rynzer lit up the room. Small chambers were about, most destroyed with bits of incomplete bodies hanging inside. A lump was seen at the far back.

Xan took cautious steps towards the back, peering around to see if he could get a better view of the area.

"... These are... dead kids..." Rynzer noted as they went, his steps slowing. The body at the end was one they both immediately recognized. One of her ribs was visible and her arm was nearly torn off: shredded. Blood flowed across the floor from her, and she had a shard in hand.

Pace quickening, Xan reached her side in a matter of moments. Taking a few moments to check her breathing. "There should be some form of medical first aid around here." He murmured to himself, glancing to the shard.

"I found... this," Rynzer held up some kind of glowing blue syringe.

Xan looked up from his searchings to briefly see said object. "..And what would that be?" He arched a brow.

"I think it's a core drive," Rynzer examined it. "... Must be their version of a first aid I think, since they're not usually all... flesh-like... Or it could be something else, Mynce is the biologist of the team."

"Mmm. Makes sense. However considering her new biology.. Would that even work?" Xan frowned, glancing around the darkened room.

"Well do you have any healing powers?  Otherwise, this seems about it."

"Not much for the 'giving' aspect of life. So I suppose we must go with that. " Xan motioned for Rynzer to bring it to him.

Rynzer handed it over.

Sighing, he took the syringe and chose to inject it into the base of her shoulder.

Her body was ignited with blue veins stretching about. Her skin boiled as a tumor growing out like a massive glove over most of her body. Screaming, she tore at it, drying and vaporizing puss and muscle dropping off as her body was forming back to a healthy regular state.

"Great, she's alive.  What happened here, lady?" Rynzer asked impatiently.

Virus was still clutching and tearing at herself from the spasming pain, too much so at the moment to answer despite being healed.

A low growl rumbled in Xan's throat. "You are not helping. Kindly keep to yourself." He warned the yellow one. Resting a hand on her forehead, he flooded her senses with what could only be described as white-noise. Cutting off her pain receptors and dulling most all feeling.

Her arms went numb after a short while, falling back as she... sort of relaxed, shaking slightly on the ground as the new scratches healed a bit.

"... I'm going to check on our little friend," Rynzer noted, walking to the exit. "Probably shouldn't stay here long."

"Duly noted." Xan responded. After a few moments of silence, he shifting around to a better kneeling position. Hand remaining over her head as he reached out to probe her memory. To check what all she remembered of the previous events.

She had walked into the building, forcing her way through. She killed the Identities who were guarding it, turning their bodies to opening the doors... and then she had begun destroying every capsule and every unborn inside.

... Then the shards and bodies began to rise... then they butchered her.

Then they left.

"...Well then.." Xan murmured. Gently prompting Virus to stir. "..Can't leave you alone for half a day. Can I?"

She just groaned back.

"The... uh... Identity's still here.  Hurry out, dude," Rynzer called.

He moved to pick Virus up and carry her out of that gloomy room. "You sound surprised." Xan commented as he entered the previous room.

"Just trying to figure out what to call them like this," He looked away from the still smiling figure who just stared at them.

As Virus came out with Xan, the Identity started repeating "Didn't work, she failed".

"Yeah that's not normal." He arched a brow, setting the feline down against a wall so he could approach the cage. Eventually reaching to make contact with the Identity to sift through their mind.

The Identity tried to bite Xan.

"Careful, man," Rynzer warned, stepping over to keep an eye on Virus.

"..." Xan didn't flinch. A hand promptly expanded over the Identity's face, sicking to them like a constrictive mask to prevent further movement. "If I didn't know any better I'd say they were possesed."

"What tipped you off?"

The Identity kept shaking, trying to free herself but as Xan started getting into her head, the smiling started seeping back, and that was all to be seen.

He attempted to cut through. Trying to manuver around into the Identity's mind. "Back off."

"Happy Perfect Special-" The Identity was cut off as Xan's hand and the Identity's face were severed from each other.

With the sudden change he was jolted back to reality. Letting out an annoyed growl as he pulled back.

"Sorry," Rynzer apologized before shoving the Identity back into the cage. "You heal fast, right?"

Xan didn't respond. But considering the regenerating material pulling together at the end of his arm-nub, it was safe to say that he was fine. "There was some strange haze blocking me out.. If I was given more time I could have accessed their memory." He announced sharply.

"Maybe, but let's handle that when we know we're in a less of a hurry."

Rolling his eyes, Xan grudgingly stepped away from the cage. "Then let us be out of this place." He sighed.

Rynzer took the Identity out with him as he rushed to the outside.

After returning to pick up Virus, Xan also moved to exit the damaged building.

They were met by a giant collesium having been constructed where the city was. Rynzer froze for a moment. "... Fast work."

"What's all this?" Xan inquired as he was inspecting the collesium.

"They're gunna fight..." He heard Virus weakly note as she stirred.

"Aaaah. The challengers from before." Xan realized. "..It's an admirable law.. But is this massive construction really nessesary?"

"I'm hearing scraping inside, so they might be fighting already," Rynzer replied. "... The winner gets to be the ruler, right?"

"M'hm," Virus weakly cradled up in Xan's arms, smiling a bit while still half-asleep.

In subtle response, Xan quietly pet the feline's hair. "Shall we head in to further investigate?"

"Guess so.  Syph's not wrecking the place anymore so it must be settled... or paused," Rynzer strolled forward to the entrance way. A few Identities stood guard, but they were currently grumbling between each other about how there was literally no reason to stand guard since no one there really needed to be checked before entry and there was no entry limit.

He too took steps toward the entrance. Absent minded for a number of moments until he eventually snapped out of the daze to better pay attention to the suroundings.

Seats were filling up fast. Five contestants were seen having been transformed into true Identities for the moment. Only two of them seemed strong enough to keep fighting while the other two were recovering.

"Hm." Xan grunted as he observed.

A rabbit woman seemed to come up on top now: making certain to take down the others so they couldn't recover.

His tail made a pointing gesture towards the rabbit. "..Who is she?" Xan questioned.

"Dunno," Rynzer shrugged. "Cute though."

As there was only one left now, Pix lowered to the arena, getting into a stance as the two prepared to clash.

The two went on with various combative moves, disappating, turning into various elements, but at one point, the challenger began spraying a dense energy-infused acid around. It was strong enough that it started burning the barriers away.

"..." Without much word, Xan moved around to get a closer view of the fight.

It didn't take long for the two to give up on physical attacks, now joined at the arms into their own mental psyche archives to tear each other apart. In the physical frame, their bodies began to vibrate in spasms.

He shifted Virus around in his arms as the spectacle continued. Perking ever so slightly as his own intrique piqued by the change of pace. "..Has your rule ever been challenged in times past?" Xan quietly asked the feline.

"Of course.  Anyone's is."

"..Rule with an iron fist or don't rule at all." He muttered. "If this occurs once a year, recovering your throne will be difficult.."

"Maybe I don't want it back," she replied.

Xan paused to look down at Virus. "Really now?" He pursed his lips together, then returned to watching the battle with a shrug. "Very well then." Xan said coolly.

She started giving him small kisses, yawning a bit before jumping at the sudden CRACK of someone shaking the stadium.

A smoking pile of sand lay on the ground, strewn about, and standing was the rabbit.

"And so. The victor emerges." Xan observed. His tail unconciously coiling and uncoiling. "Actually. How are you feeling?" He suddenly inquired, attention returning to Virus.

She was quite asleep now. Rynzer looked her over. "... Okay she just killed a bunch of babies, we're not talking about that?"

"...One less child for me to deal with." Xan grinned darkly, gaze flicking to Rynzer. "So. New leader. Less Pix. Would your little mission be over now?"

"Depends on how she handles her role, and why are you here again?" Rynzer snapped back.

Xan gasped. "You're so right. Why AM I here?" A hand reached to cup the side of his own face. "..Was just minding my own business when.. Oh. That's right. I was yanked out of a host and dragged to the Identity capital. By a bunch of Power rangers." He leaned forward slightly, squinting at Rynzer. "It's so strange. For a moment you almost looked like one of those men."

"Yeah, and didn't you leave and come back?" Rynzer replied short and sweet.

"..Had a valuable reason to return." Xan stated. A period of silence following before anyone spoke again. "What now will you do?" He gestured to the area in general.

"Depends on what Kyrax says.  We'll be keeping an eye on these 'Identities' for a while before moving on.  You?"

He sighed briefly. "Do a bit of reaserching for the causality to all this.. And tend to this kitty." Xan listed off.

"Well looks like it kind of happened in the entire multiverse so you've got your work cut off for you," He cleared his throat. "Any ideas at the moment?"

"Ugh." He pinched the space between his eyes. "...Working on that."

"Hm," He tossed him a gold band. "Think it'd be best if we kept in touch then, what with the whole dead babies and that possessed Identity I still have locked up."

Xan caught it reluctantly. "Fine." He grunted, eyeing the band in his hand.

"You wanna check on her before you head?"

"She should be fine." He replied briefly. "..Unless we are refering to another."

"The creepy one we captured."

"Ah, Actually. Yes. I would."

"C'mon," He walked out.

Xan promptly followed behind.

They were soon outside where guards were trying to get the Identity out of the container. Rynzer immediately knocked them away from the cage with an apologetic "Don't get too close, guys, it's for your own safety."

The Identities did not appear convinced: staring at the two for an explanation, but not being foolish enough to try to attack.

"..Would appreciate to be left alone this time. " Xan stated, setting down the sleeping feline.

The Identities moved away but they didn't leave completely. Virus was soon waking up a- wait no she fell back asleep.

The Identity was sleeping on the floor of the cage. Rynzer stepped forward, pushing the Identity upward. "Alright, Xan.  Wanna try that mind thing again?"

"Indeed." The man stepped up to the cage. Ignoring the other present Identities as he reached into the cage to connect to the girl's head.

The Identity immediately woke from this, but the sensation was mostly terror. Flashes of... extacy started flooding in toward Xan, with a pai- no... more like an itch. The Identity had been at the Academy District in combat practice. She had been temporarily defeated when things got blurry, before returning to a closer-to-present moment.

She remembered... waking up for a moment... with red paint spilling out from her chest, then falling asleep... then waking up in the cage.

"Hm.." He grunted. Eventually releasing the girl from his grip.

"... Oh, well that's a good si- wait," Rynzer yanked Xan out, looking him over. "You're not like, possessed now, right?"

"...."

The color of Xan's eyes disappeared into a blank white stare. The man's face twisting far too wide into a smile to be natural. He leaned in closer to Rynzer.. Only to flick his head. "Of course not, genius." Xan then reverted to normal, the smirk however, remained.

"Well better check either way," Rynzer then smirked back, holding him like a coat as he started marching toward the colliseum again

He soon lost grip of the parasite as he had slipped out of Rynzer's reach. "I am fine." Xan stated, arms crossing over his chest.

Rynzer chuckled. "You sure? ... Yeah, anyway, find anything?"

"I believe this was the Identity previously found painted and dead. The rest of her memory is vague." He glanced back to the cage. "It seems that whatever had a hold on her has passed. However it would be best to keep an eye on her just in case."

"Well that's at least partial go-"

The Identity banged on the cages. "Can I get out now?  I need to go."

He waved his hand about vaguly. "..I don't care. Talk to cage boy."

"Pretty sure you need to get scanned or whatever first," Rynzer noted.

"But I have to go!" The Identity yelled, banging again on the cage.

"Too bad."

"Let me out!"

Rynzer stopped at this. "... Okay, yeah something's still wrong with this."

"What's the urgency?" Xan prompted the girl.

"I have to find someone!" She winced a bit.

The man found himself wandering over to the cage again. "Y'know. DETAILS would really help. Whom do you seek?"

"I can't tell you!  Let me out!"

"... I'm gonna go tell the people in charge of this," Rynzer started back to the colliseum.

Xan rolled his eyes as his tail reached through the cage to coil around the woman's leg. "Doesn't work that way, sweet cheeks." He grinned, promptly checking her thoughts for straight answers.

He saw a bright light and a... smile...

The image was waved away as Xan checked or any other memories. He decided to mimic the creepy smile he had been seeing for awhile. Just to see how the girl would react.

The girl shrank back. Her body was... shivering... but she was smiling back.

"Not one to chat, are we now?" Xan rumbled. Speaking to the girl, though the message was not intended for her.

The Identity stared off past Xan... toward the half-asleep feline, then back at Xan again. "Failed..."

Xan glanced back in the direction then returned the Identity's stare. "You've mentioned this before. Why has she failed?"

"You saw it..."

"Mmmhm. But what was wrong with those children?" He arched a brow. "I'm assuming Identity spawns don't usually come out swinging like that."

The Identity just looked back to Virus.

Xan stared at the Identity. Prodding around the girl's mind to see if he could draw less cryptic information from.. Whatever was inhabiting her body.

There was a sort of pulsing coming from her as she began to whine from the invasion. It just kept coming back to the day she was in combat.

"The Academy District. You are trying to return there, correct?"

"A- no..."

He sighed impatiently. Eyeing the cage for a door. " Right."

The cage promptly then picked up Xan and gently put him outside before patting him on the head.

"......" ಠ_ಠ

Needless to say he was less than thrilled. The man immediatly taking a stab at the object.

The stabbing did nothing to the cage itself but it did close up again as the Identity jumped at Xan. Rynzer was walking back.

"Ugh," Xan grunted with distaste. The man directing a nasty glare to the yellow one.

"You look happy," Rynzer noted.

"Pure joy." He responded with a hinting growl.

"You're angry I pulled you out?  Looked like you wanted out."

"You two are boring," Virus noted, now fully awake as she stood up.

"I have legs. I can walk. Thank you." He enunciated. "Ah. She's up."

Virus immediately began hugging Xan again. "Favorite..."

"... Okay, well are you guys sticking around or...?" Rynzer asked.

"There is nothing that requires my attention, so that would be a no. Can't say the same for my dear feline."

"I'm gonna go hang out with you at your world," Virus stated.

The lizard was a touch surprised. "Oh..You.. -ahem-. Very well then. We both will be leaving."

"Kay... uh- wait I've got one more question here," Rynzer turned to Virus. "The... uh, Pix lady, she looked like you.  Think you can tell me she didn't get her idea of attacking all these zones from you?"

"... Well I didn't give her the stupid part. Byyyyyy'eeeeeeeeeeeeeeee," she waved before tugging at Xan to follow her: dashing off toward the nearest teleporter station.

Xan wordlessly smirked at Rynzer as he set off after Virus.

To be continued in part three.

Summer
Summer glanced back for a moment, a bit paranoid. To get rid of her paranoia, she told the group that she would take one final swoop of the area before agreeing to come along with them.

"Would you like company?" The Pink Chaos asked.

"If you would like to, sure," she politely responds, beginning to float.

The Pink one floated as well, following after.

As Summer moved at a casual speed to look for more aliens, she turned to the chaos. "...Who exactly are you guys?"

"We are the Chaos Force incarnations," She informed. "My name is Mynce."

"Nice to meet you then, Mince..." she notes. "I'm guessing you were chasing these guys for a while?"

(Y not I)

"N-no actually.  This is something new for me."

"Really? You seem pretty professional.."

"I...thank you."

"Youre welcome," she chirped, taking one last glance at the city before turning back. "I just want to say, in case something bad happens, thank you for helping protect this planet."

She nodded. "We... we should be going back soon.  The others will become impatient."

"Right.." Summer picked up the pace back to where the Servers were last seen.

They soon found the others: a p ortal having been developed in wait.

Summer gently lands, her glow disappearing. "Remind me where is that headed to again?"

"Wherever the invaders came from," Rynzer--the Yellow Chaos--informed.

After a deep breath, Summer relaxed, perking up. "Let's not wait any longer then.."

The Seven went into the portal.

Summer gazed around her environment to see where they were.

The seven, plus Summer, arrived at a large empty space: a vast metallic road leading in all directions. It was so reflective that one could assume it was water.

Summer looked at this water with skeptical eyes. "...is this.. One of their ships we are in?"

"Ships?" The yellow one asked. "There were ships?"

"..they had to get to this planet somehow, right?"

"Eh, sounds like something that could happen,but they probably just teleported.  A lot of chaos-users do that," he chuckled.

"That works as well, I guess.." she thought to herself. "..so then where exactly are we, and what is this... Liquid?"

"Feels pretty solid," The Yellow Chaos noted, kicking the ground a bit. "Shiny though.  We're walking forward."

"Alright then..." Summer began walking along the path, letting the chaos servers lead the way.

They continued forward. Suddenly the ground found the area rushing forward as they found themselves all in a massive futuristic city with hundreds of these organic Identities about.

Summer let her eyes wander around the sights. "Reminds me of home..."

"What is your business here?" A green-tinted Identity in a black suit demanded, appearing in front of them.

Seeing the suit made Summer think this was a professional at work. She glanced at the servers to see if the Identity was specifically talking to her or them.

"We are here to speak to your leader on the matter of a recent invasion," The Green Chaos informed.

"... Do you bring violence here?"

"We"re trying to bring an end to the violence," Summer spoke up.

"... If that is found to be otherwise, you will expect retaliation," She walked down the path, leading them.

Summer had nodded in approval, then felt kind of silly since the identity already turned around, walking behind them.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"...  This way," She walked toward the center of the district. The Identities remained tense.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">They arrived at the capital building soon after.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">"You will wait at the steps," Device instructed.

Summer nodded, and then after a moment looked at the identity for just a bit longer. "..Do I... Know you from somewhere?" she asked.

(I knew this was Device, I just thought if I was wrong I would feel like an idiot .n.)

(Pffffffft X{D)

"Yes," Device answered bluntly.

The Seven Chaos decided to ignore the demand and went inside.

Summer was initially going to redo her greeting, but noticing the servers, her prudeness took over. "Hey! She said we were supposed to wait here!"

They ignored her, with Device doing nothing against them, but silently following inside.

Summer glanced back and forth for a moment, grudgingly forcing herself to follow behind the group.

Inside was the red striped leader, sitting on her throne, and looking particularly cross before demanding "Who are all of you?"

Summer was quick to speak up. "A-apologies for interrupting you, madam," she apologizes, for both her and the servers for practically trespassing.

"We are the Seven Chaos," Kyrax informed. "We are here to confirm if it was you who ordered the invasion of this woman's planet."

"Yes.  Why?"

The chaos members immediately lit up their respective colors.

"Why did you invade?"

"....wait... You really are the invaders?" Summer's eyes widened with shock and disappointment, but what really worried her was if Stiper really was a sleeper agent.

"Yes, we invaded.  If that's all you're here for then-"

"You are going to pay for what you have done, just as the hundreds of your invaders we destroyed did," The silver one hissed back.

"Right," She snapped her fingers, the Identites in the area immediately turning with glowing weaponry.

Summer's hands brightened with heat. She glared at the leader. "Explain yourselves!"

"I have no need to explain myself t-"

"Wait!" A voice called as a grey-hooded girl rushed into the building. She had red and orange hair, like a lizard with blue eyes.

Summer toned her fire down a tad, turning towards the lizard. "Who are you?"

"I'm R- (And yes this is set long after Multiforce)" hugging of Summer ensued.

(Oh. Okey. .3.) Summer hugged back with a small smile on her face. Her flames were doused for that moment.

"Rin," Virus stood up. "Kill her," The Identities immediately began firing, and the Yellow Chaos sent up a golden shield in front of them all to block the hits.

Summer looked back at Rin, letting go immediatley and looking at her with fear. "You wouldnt do that, would you?" she asks, assisting in stopping the onslaught with fireballs.

"W- no, I'm their... enemy," Rin informed.

"Yeah, good luck breaking this," The Yellow Chaos teased. The bombardment continued with others going forward, trying to manipulate the yellow chaos energy.

"She ordered you to kill me, Rin, as if you work for her." Summer didnt say this in an interrogating tone, rather a concerned one. "Is there something youre not letting me know?"

"I think she was talking about me."

"Right, Rin do that kill thing we talked about," Virus called over.

"You're not hel-"

Then they were interrupted by a scream... and another scream, then the doors broke open as Identities rushed in yelling "Monster!  Murder!"

Summer gave a glance in the direction of the chaos. Too much was going on at the same time.

Virus growled a bit before calling off the attack, walking outside with the others. "If you idiots want to attack me, go ahead."

Summer glanced at Virus, then at the server, and finally at Rin. She certainly wasnt attacking Virus if she wasnt going to be backed up.

"... I came here to be all diplomatic and stuff," Rin noted as the Yellow Chaos took down his construct, the others walking outside to see what happened.

Summer just sighed. "This is twice in one day I had to question a friend's trust." Summer sighed, punching herself. "Forgive me... A lot is going through my head..." she walks behind the others.

They were all soon looking at the body of an organic Identity. A large wound at the chest, torn open, with sand and red paint dripping from it. Summer saw a trail of the paint leading out through the city.

"Do they.. Want us to follow the trail?"

"What?" Rin asked, walking over to her. "What trail?"

Summer casually pointed the paint trail that she saw. "This red... Paint, I'm hoping."

"... I don't really... I don't see it, Summer... maybe it's something special for you?"

"You don't.. See it?" Summee blinks, kneeling by to touch this substance.

She could feel it on her fingers.

"Nope..." Rin looked about. "If you can, you should find out where it goes before the others notice.  Probably gonna get more fighty soon."

She nods in response. "I'll be back," she says, flying just over the trail.

Rin decided to follow after, the two nearing a large gated section of the city.

Summer peers to see if the paint led further in. "Are we supposed to go in there?"

"Guess-"

Device appeared in front of them.

"...So."

Summer steps back a bit in surprise. "U-uhmm... We're following a trail," Summer responds.

"I have noticed," Device noted. "You are permitted.  You will not disturb anything inside without permission."

"Understood," She responds, then remembers something.

"...and as for what happened those months ago with the Vlasephs, thank you." With that being said, Summer flew over the gates.

Rin followed after. "Vlasephs?!"

It was a large dirt field, going on for miles it looked like.

"I don't think you'll have to worry too much, Rin," Summer said, in an attempt to calm Rin down. "This was months ago." Summer scanned the odd red paint, seeing if it traveled for miles as well.

It kept going forward. The dust was quite rich, kicking up from any slight wind... but water was heard ahead,as well as a strange faint sound that they couldn't quite recognize yet.

Summer kept on her guard, picking up the pace.

They eventually arrived at a large clear lake, a small duck toy waddling and quacking toward the center.

Summer blinks for a moment. "This cant be what I was tracking," she thought out loud, glancing around.

"What can't?" Rin asked. "The lake?"

"That toy... It just... seems too suspicious," she pondered, floating over the lake to follow the duck.

The duck eventually stopped at the very center, vanishing as she went above it. She saw half-open eyes and a long smile for a second... then she saw something in the water: bound by chains. A body.

Summer's eyes widened. She couldn't help diving in the water to break the chains and pull the body out of the water.

The chains were nothing to her, snapping instantly as she pulled the body to the shore. She saw back on the shore that the others had picked up on the situation and now they were all waiting.

Summer laid the body on the ground in front of the others, listening for a pulse rate. If there was a pulse, she would attempt CPR, else she would look to the others for help.

The body was a brown-orange female lynx, young adult, with black stripes and black hair. Her lungs were waterlogged, not breathing but there was a pulse.

"What is this?" Virus looked over it all, peering.

"I don't know... I just found her," Summer said inbetween the process to get her lungs working again.

"Another victim of yours?" Kyrax looked to Virus.

"I don't know what this is," Virus replied with a huff.

"The paint led us here," Rin informed. "And the toy!... Was there anything else?"

"There was... Some kind of face." she noted, giving the body more air once more.

The body jerked a bit, coughing out the water before gasping a bit.

"A face..." Virus shook her head. "We'll find out from... wait..."

The green eyes of the lynx girl opened up, peering a bit as she focused on the area, looking to Summer. "... You saved me?"

Summer gives a small nod and a smile. "Are you alright? How is your memory?"

"... I-... " she looked about at everyone, leaning her head back at the sight of the Seven Chaos. Then she looked to Virus, then back to Summer.

Then... a smile began to grow. A smirk began to grow. Things fell slightly into place with a single description. "I feel... delicioussss."

Summer glances up at everyone else, slowly rising up and a bit away from this lynx. "W-what do you mean?"

"She is the original," Device informed.

Rin tensed, stepping back from the lynx.

"What do we do with her?" Summer asked, eyes alert for sudden movement.

'''The typo diety senses your typos. Thunder strikes.'''

"You could start by telling me why that thing's in my skin," The lynx instructed, pointing to the Virus.

"Pix," Device informed.

Silence, waterhorse

Summer looked at Virus, arching an eyebrow, before returning her attention to Device. "Pix?"

The lynx started to laugh. "I got replaced huh?"

Summer got in a defensive position. "What's going on?" she asks, ready to act if needed.

"She vanished," Device informed. "A tornament was held for the new leader.  Pix won."

"Then why was she here in this lake?" Summer asked.

"I don't know but now I'm going to maintain my position," The Pix-Virus noted, forming a blade from her arm. The Seven Chaos immediately stepped to intervene.

"... This lynx was your original leader?" Kyrax asked.

"She was," Device answered.

Summer turned her head towards Virus. "You know something about this, I presume."

"Not a thing," The lynx chuckled. "Wish I did though."

Her eyes narrowed, ears flicking towards the servers for answers.

"We had no part in this," Kyrax replied. "If this is the original ruler, however, then we have two enemies to bring to justice this day."

The lynx... Virus, looked to Summer, inching a bit closer as more hostile air grew around them.

"I know you had no part in this..." Summer notices the approach. "Keep your distance," she warned.

(idk I'm rushing rn, I'm busy)

(Don't be Russian.  Be Murican. @_@)



Pix struck down toward them, with the Yellow Chaos stepping in front, creating a barrier in front of Summer and Virus. At the same time, Virus grabbed hold of Summer, jumping back into the water as energy started blasting about above and at them.

(y u alwez du dis)

Summer attemped to squirm out of Virus's grip, not exactly trusting her at the time being, especially if she was being dragged underwater.

Virus's grip was not particularly strong, loosening instantly to the tugging. Regardless, she started weakly trying to swim back toward the water herself as blasts of energy went toward them both in the water.

Summer attemped to grip Virus to pull her out of the water herself. At the same time, she was attempting to dodge the energy blasts that were unfortunately out of her eyesight.

Virus fought against the pull... very weakly, a light forming at the bottom of the lake.

"We're not done with you yet," Summer states to Virus, continuing to pull her out of the water until she noticed the light underneath the lake. She watched it warily, momentarily distracted.

Metallic vines began wrapping around Summer and Virus, teleporting the two of them above. "Trying to save us, you idiot," Virus faintly noted, half-conscious.

"How can I trust..." Summer notes the condition of Virus. She checks to see if Virus was shot.

Virus was not shot, but she had now fallen unconscious. A blast of purple ripped through the vines as the Seven Chaos, Pix, and Rin were all fighting over Summer and Virus.

Summer placed her aura around Virus, deciding to gently place her in a not too distant area from the fight. She wasn't gonna just sit there and let this happen.

Rin immediately teleported next to Summer, forming a long line of blue, but the Seven Chaos were going after Virus's body as was Pix.

(The adventures of Tin Tin and Long Long)

Summer picks up Virus and moves behind Rin, especially watchful over Pix. She charged a fireball that she had in store for her.

Pix caught the fireball, manipulating the element into a freezing matter. Before she could launch it back, the Pink Chaos dissolved it.

Rin's movement was already slowing. She looked about before forming a glowing disc in her hand.

Summer rested a shoulder on Rin, nodding to her in a way to say that she should take Virus from here.

A blast of purple went across toward them both, Rin's hand moving in place as the blue ring absorbed the energy. Immediately a portal appeared below the three, pulling at them to enter.

Summer hoped the portal was a friendly one, as she already began pulling Rin in quicker to get out of gunfire.

The portal closed immediately after all three got through, a small explosion being left behind. They were all falling from hundreds of feet in the air toward a beach, with Rin and Virus unconscious now.

Summer hugs them both tightly around her and she plantd her feet to the ground. She glanced at the area for to see if it was safe before placing them down.

The shop district area of the city, just at the edge of the beach. They seemed to mostly be alone.

Summer rests the both of then against the wall. She knew Rin overexerted herself, but she wanted to check if it was the same or different for Virus.

Virus didn't appear particularly exhausted, but she had just recently recovered from being underwater for... however long. Rin seemed to have recovered almost immediately, however, as she was soon panting a bit, eyes looking about. "Eh?"

Nonetheless, Summer habitually checks for vitals for a moment. Once done, she turned to Rin. "Are you alright?"

Virus's muscles were not responding much, still recovering. Rin got up, wobbling a bit. "Not used to using that much in this new body and all..."

"New body?" (did I miss something?)

(Depends on how you look at it.)

"Yeah, like everybody else," She cracks her back a bit. "All fleshy and non-nanite-like.  I thought everyone WAS like this but Pix and Device seem fine... Then... she was in the water," She looked over to Virus.

Summer walks over and checks on Virus again, looking closely at her to see if Virus was fleshy or nanite. "And that question still remains... What was the point of that water?"

She didn't feel metallic... then again normally Rin didn't either, but they also didn't normally have pulses or heartbeats. She could hear the breathing and feel the lungs going up and down.

Summer sighed, deciding to set her priorities. "I am so confused right now, it's frustrating. I came here for assistance in stopping an invasion and instead I'm checking to see if someone was made out of nanites or not... Are you sure you don't know anything about the current situation?"

"I mean, it happened ot just the Identities I think," Rin half-winced. "Could be a Reality-Changer... Or just Melcro or something.  Maybe she did it just for fun."

"Melcro? Who's that?"

"Evil scientist guy," Rin replied. "She's partnered with him actua- Can we wake her up now?"

"Um.. Right, right," she nods, shaking the shoulders of Virus.

Virus groaned a bit, but wasn't stirring much for a while. Eventually her eyes batted open a bit. "Eh?"

"Enjoy your nap? We need to talk."

"...Okay, shoot."

"The invasion," she asked, "why?"

"Ask the new leader," She answered before shuffling on the ground a bit to relax, grunting once as she laid her hands behind her head. "I partnered up with your world last time I checked...from the Vlasephs."

"New leader... Melcro, if I'm not mistaken?"

"Wha- No," She scoffed, peering. "... Wait, was Melcro there?"

"I don't... think so," Rin noted.

"I'm talking about Pix," Virus informed. "Y'know, the one who looked like me and was ordering me killed and all?  Kind of easy to put together."

Rin opened her mouth to comment on the brashness of this statement but... didn't. She just... stepped back once.

(They're twin sisrers @-@. Also im rereading and I realized all of my responses were sleepy and bad responses .n. I'm heading to sleep after this.)

"I.. Sorry, my mind was elsewhere," Summer sighed, thinking this through again. "Why does she want you killed in the first place?"

(X{D Pat pat)

"So I don't take my job back probably."

"hrmm.." Summer takes this answer in, weighing its credibility. "Either way.. I'm stumped at what to do other than to find Pix, but I'm more worried about the fact that a planet was threatened with invasion."

"I'll help," Rin volunteered. "I've got a ton of my own people that can work with you."

"I'm going to go... get some water," Virus slowly stood up.

"Thanks, Rin," Summer slowly nods as she glances at Virus for a second. She wanted to watch her just in case, but her priorities were already set. Nonetheless, Summer couldnt help herself. "Can't I just bring you some water?"

"Probably," She slowly started walking up toward the city, her knees shaking with each step.

Aand now Summer's request was sincere after watching this. "Relax, really... I don't want you overexerting yourself." It doesnt take long for Summer to walk beside Virus.

"... Why are we helping her anyway?" Rin asked.

Summer turns to Rin, hating herself for her actions. "I just... I can't leave someone when I know theyre in this sort of pain," she says, tilting her head to Virus's legs. Summer moves Virus's right arm over her right shoulder to help Virus in walking.

"I'll get her to some water, then I'll be on my way."

"Ah, but then you won't get to see the end," Virus smirked.

"What... What are you talking about?" the concerned vixen asked.

"Her killing me... or them all killing me... and then a multiverse wide ragnarok and stuff."

"This... Tell me how to stop it!" Summer was starting to change her decision.

"Guess you could find out who did this to begin with... Anyway, I've got some new priorities first, and that's new clothes."

Summer's eye twitched a bit in frustration. She glanced at Rin to see if Summer should just let Virus go or drag Virus with them.

Rin was tense, her head turning about with strain constantly. "We'll just... follow her for now," She grumbled out.

Summer internally groans and then looks at Virus. "People's lives and your life are being threatened.. And you care about clothes?"

Virus chuckled, still stumbling forward. "Hasn't she told you?" She whispered out "I'm the baaaaad guy."

Summer was just going to ignore this, but then she remembered something. "... So why did you help me then?"

"A biiiiiiig stroooooooong bodyguard," She replied. "Plus I can't really get around as is too well."

"... Yeah, no. If i'm going to be used, it's going to be for saving lives rather than going clothes shopping... Or looting."

"Well I'm not walking everywhere naked so suit yourself," She started up an incline of the sidewalk. Rin just covered her head in her hands.

"....once this is done, youre coming along with us." Summer grudgingly assisted Virus in climbing up the hill.

"What if I fight you?" Virus asked casually as they went up the line of stores.

"Let's not." Summer walked towards the closest clothing store.

Rin was right behind them, though constantly looking around tensely. Her shoulders were risen and she was uncharacteristically quiet. Virus was... smugly calm and strolled right into the clothing store.

Summer pretty much sat at the entrance, tapping her foot away with impatience. Since she had time, she glanced to Rin. "...is there something wrong?" she asked.

"She's the devil," Rin winced at her own words. "... and every time I see her, I keep remembering it's my fault..."

A glorious thundering was heard.

"What do you mea--" Summer's ears twitched in the direction of the sound, and Summer turned to see the source of it.

...Giddy owl laughter echoes in the distance as Summer does not realize she has been Urd'd.

"Nevermind," Rin groaned. "She's already back..."

Sure enough, out strolled a posing figure, very pleased with her new threads.



(.n. away, foul demon)

Summer turns her head back and notices the dress. She gave a small smirk, as if she reluctantly admitted that it was a nice dress. "Okay, we did what you wanted.. er, needed... and now we go find Pix."

"What, you're not hungry?" Virus smirked. "Could get something to eat."

"Some of us don't want everything getting destroyed out of some crazy war here," Rin stated.

"Oh is that supposed to mean you?" Virus shot back.

"Are you going to fight us if we force you?" Rin asked.

"Probably could, but I've got my own things to deal with."

"Virus, that's enough," Summer states. "We're looking for Pix, period. And you're not exactly off the hook."

More thundering sounded, gloriously.

"Okay, what is that?" Rin looked about.

"Iiii knoooooooooow," Virus tuned. "Thing is, I don't have my chaos powers, and even if I did, Pix has probably already blocked off anyone from entering the Isis Dominion without special clearance.  We'd need someone who has it."

(SILENCE)

Summer's ear twitched in frustration. "Well then... who can we find who has clearance?"

"I could try to find some," Rin nominated. "I still have my chaos powers, but, I'm not really... at enough power for that right now."

"What if I were to lend you some of mine?... I can spare my energy."

(totally not trying to nerf Summer)

"... I'm just gonna keep walking while you two figure that out," Virus started forward again. "I'm starving!"

"What kind of energy is it?" Rin asked.

"...Life Energy? No, it won't hurt me, though I will feel a tad weaker for the momen--" Summer turned towards Virus and sighed with frustration. She wasn't used to people acting like this towards her, and she tends to try and not to be cruel.... unfortunately, her patience was getting tested.

"Uh... Okay, we could try it, yeah."

Summer kept a close eye on Virus for a moment. "Let's do this quick," she states, extending an arm. Summer's hand glew orange in color, brightest at her palm.

Rin blinked. "So do I just hold still?"

She smiles a bit, an orb of her life energy forming within her palm. "All you have to do is take it," she states.

"... Oh core energy, okay," Rin nodded.

While she waited for Rin to take the energy, Summer turned to see if Virus had gotten away.

Virus was in fact out of sight by now. Rin began to absorb the energy, though as she did, the pull seemed to start coming from more than just the ball of energy.

Summer scowled at seeing Virus vanish from sight, hoping to be able to find her agai-- she winced a bit as she noticed more energy was being taken. "Uhh... Rin?"

"Sorry!" Rin jerked back. "Didn't mean to- oh she's gone..."

Summer flexed her hand for a moment in consideration. "It's fine, I think... Are you alright yourself?"

"Yeah I'm good," Rin turned her face away.

"...you're not trying to keep me from being worried, are you? It's just that you don't seem like alright." As Summer said this, her hear tilted back in the direction where Virus last went, considering her priorities on where to go next.

"Gotta find Virus before she tries to kill somebody," Rin deflected before dashing after where Virus ran off toward.

Summer ascended to the sky, getting a bird's eye view of the situation. She scanned for heat signatures that are similar in shape to Virus's body.

A restaurant seemed to be the accurate location.

Summer floated down beside Rin, pointing to the direction where she think she saw Virus before travelling in that direction.

Rin dashed after her. Nothing seemed to be harmed, but they saw further back in the restaurant, Virus sitting in wait at a table.

"...is she really..." Summer shakes her head as she began walking to Virus. "We have too many things to do for you to just... Wait for a meal..."

Thundering sounds.

"Imagine never having been able to taste something in your life," Virus replied as they approached.

"It means you can wait one more day," Summer responded, standing by Virus at this point.

"Oh, I'm sorry, did you pay for a table?" Virus replied, blinking at the vixen. "Want a drink or something?"

Summer's eye twitched for two seconds as she remained silent. "You're stalling. We have places to be. Now."

Virus took a sip of some water, keeping her eyes fixed on Summer. "You gonna do something about me then?  Miss Timid sure won't."

"Don't be so sure," Rin peered.

Summer turned towards Rin, her facial expression asking, "what are my chances of bringing Virus along against her will?"

Rin sighed, her shoulders dropping before she started walking up to the feline, arm ready to grab her if needed.. The waiter just behind them asked "Are you all together?"

"I hope so," Virus smirked.

"Though we'd love to stay and enjoy this restaurant, we actually have somewhere to be right now..." Summer says in the most polite way possible, slowly nearing Virus's seat at this point. It was pretty obvious that she was going to make a move, but whether or not it would be calm or forced was up to anyone.

"You ever eat stuff?" Virus asked Summer as Rin took hold of her shoulder. She of course jerked back.

"U- ladies, please-"

"You got lasagna, right?" Virus asked.

"Excuse our friend here," Summer tells waiter. "She's a bit... quirky."

"They don't like Italian food," Virus whispered.

Rin started dragging Virus off the chair, with Virus squirming.

Summer politely pushed the chair back before grabbing Virus's other arm. "Have a nice day," Summer told the waiter as she tried to pull Virus out of the building.

Virus was not able to resist much. She still wasn't at full strength, and even then, it was questionable if she even had some form of supernatural strength in this new body. She just tugged repeatedly as they dragged her onward before Rin suddenly jerked then both forward, through the doorway.

Summer, being caught off guard and not exactly heavy herself, was pulled as well.

"W-what is it?" Summer asked panicky, worried that they were under some form of a time restraint.

Before Rin could respond, the ceiling broke open as five figures dove into the restaurant.

Summer turned around to see who exactly had made their grand entrance, glancing around to make sure the waiter was okay.

(The five figures...who dove into the restaurant.)

(Edited)

The waiter had fallen to the left with the debris having destroyed the table. The figures were immediately charging at the three girls.

"They don't look friendly," Summer thinks out loud as she heats up the air molecules to make a form of a "heat wall".

Rin formed a field of energy around the three of them, teleporting the small group some yards outside the restaurant. She then let go, gasping a bit. "That... takes more than normal."

Summer kept one hand gripped around Virus as her other hand reached over to Rin with care. "Do you have the energy to keep going on your own?" she asks.

"I'm good," Rin nodded.

The five figures were ripping through the restaurant, outside to them. Their arms were morphing into blades.

"Seems like these guys wont stop unless we stop them soon... I'm still okay with the retreating option if you don't have the energy to fight.

Midway through Summer's sentence, the figures were already in their faces, various slices and small bolts of energy going about.

Summer instinctively gripped both Rin and Virus, backing up hopping about a tenth of a mile. She placed Virus down, hoping she would stay still long enough as Summer began floating upwards.

Rin held her hands out, glowing red trickles forming out into energy-lined blades. Virus just... sat there, grumbling about dinner.

The attackers circled into a consuming formation, two hopping up toward Summer while the others kept firing from the ground, all charging forward.

Summer wasnt hesitant to keep them at bay this time, forming her fingers into mock guns as she fired intense beams of heat aimed to sever arms. The heat was equal to the sun's surface temperature.

It wasn't long before the immediate attackers were burned to a crisp. Rin kept mostly inactive, constantly keeping track of Virus. She deflected the shots toward her way as the remaining three closed in further.

As the first two came closer to Summer, she attempted to sap the heat from them in order to render the both of them nearly completely frozen.

The remaining attackers combusted from this, falling like dust in the ground. "I don't think they were prepared for you," Rin noted.

"Duh," Virus replied. "Pix had everyone attack your world randomly.  She's not going to look up sun-girl's file like I would.  Just sending in some assassins.  Please."

"Speaking of which... We could probably get intel from the last one," Summer states, nodding her head in the direction of the last enemy she didn't attack.

Rin went over, restraining the remaining assalaint. "I'll block the chaos in this one but I can't really mind-read him."

"He works for Pix... think he has special entrance to the Isis Dominion, or at least know someone who does?" Summer asks, floating towards the enemy.

"Probably but I don't know how to take him over with everything being new," Rin replied.

Virus just looked to the two with a smirk.

Summer glanced towards Virus. "Is there something you know that we don't?"

"Oh was that a secret?" She taunted. "Well yes, but in this case, more something I'm willing to do that you two aren't."

"Talk," Summer says, not bothering to turn towards Virus, focused on the restrained one. It was a way to attempt to get either of the two to talk.

Virus stepped over to the fox, leaning over to her ear as she placed a hand to her shoulder, whispering "I break and take over his core...hisssss... soul..."

Rin wasn't changing her tense expression, but the silent captive was wincing now as her hand squeezed on him a bit more.

"What'll it do to him afterwards?"

"Use your imagination."

"I'm not playing games, Virus," she states, looking at the captive. "I really don't know what this woman has in store, but you can save yourself if you talk now."

"Ah yes, the traitor has loyalty for some reason does he?" Virus shot at the captive.

The Identity remained silent still. It took a few seconds but with closed eyes, Rin blurted out "I'll... do something... j-just... I'll need to be... alone with him..."

Summer looked at Rin for a moment, and then Virus. It was obvious who she trusted more.

"..alright... I'll keep an eye on Virus," she noted, standing beside Virus as she said so.

"I'm starving," Virus restated as Rin vanished behind some buildings with the captive.

Summer sits down and sighs as she looks to Virus. "...I have to admit, no one has ever ticked my nerves so much as you before... is that your real goal here?"

"Maybe I just like seeing how the gears turn and the clocks tick.  Like so," She then kissed Summer's ear while poking her on the cheek.

Sumer backed off with a major blush. "Y-You're one step away from me killing you here!" she bluffed.

Virus just smirked. "I'll take that bet.  Priceless that expression.  I'd call it delicious, but the more I think of that word, the more I realize the next time I do that, I might try to eat your face," Her stomach grumbled at this.

Hearing the sound of Virus's stomach and realizing she was genuinely hungry made Summer regret not allowing her to eat earlier. "...what do you want to eat that will take me less than a minute to get?" she asked, checking her pockets for her snacks.

"Who's to say I don't want to just gobble you up," She smirked with a wink. "The restaurant's riiiiiight back there, so I'll be riiiiiiiiiiight back?"

"Can't I walk riiiiiiiiiiiiight behind you?" She responds, crossing her arms with a smirk herself.

"Sure.  Just let that lingering suspicion of if you can trust Li'l Miss Perky burrow in your head while we're walking away from her," She started back inside.

"I can trust her a lot more than you,"  she states confidently, albeit a tad worried on the inside. "We don't have to go now, you know..."

"No you can't, and sure we don't, but I'm hungry and the only one who doesn't want you grabbing me and dragging me places is you so..." She stepped over some broken glass.

Summer scowled, but unfortunately slightly agreed with Virus in that she held herself back a lot. "...Fine then. We head back within five minutes, or maybe you'll be lucky to have more time if Rin appears right beside us.." Summer lands on the ground, walking beside Virus as she looked up to the relatively tall feline.

The now black-striped feline in red garb strolled straight toward the kitchen, with some of the employees starting toward her, calling that she shouldn't be in there with the damages that happened. Police sirens were heard approaching in the distance.

Summer stopped where she was, her ears flicking as she listened to the sounds in the distance. She eventually looked back to Virus. "Why exactly did you decide to come back here again?" she asked.

"FOOD!" Virus yelled back as she was currently trying to get the staff away from her while reaching for a plate.

"Virus, there's like, ten other places you can go for food other than one that just got destroyed."

"And?" Sploooooooooooosh "... UUUUGH!" Virus then began outright attacking the employees with whatever energy she retained having now dumped an entire massive container of soup she was trying to reach into during the scuffle.

The sound of tires screeching slightly upon arrival were heard just behind Summer.

Summer dived to tackle Virus to the ground behind the counter, both to prevent her fro attacking any more employees and to hopefully not lose Virus to the cops by letting Virus being seen.

Virus squirmed a bit but then just stopped, asking "What now?"

"...I can't believe I'm doing this," she whined, performing the same invisible trick she once did with Stiper, rendering them both hidden from visible light. Summer picked up Virus and attempted to take her out of the building.

Virus groaned, hugging Summer with the rest of her body. Her stomach continued growling as the police stepped into the area: addressing most of the public, including Summer and Virus.

Summer stayed still, listening to what they were going on about that involved the two.

It didn't seem to matter as the two were then teleported some blocks away as Rin was standing next to a portal. The Identity stood next to her.

Summer returned to view, letting go of Virus."How was the talk?" she asked Rin, looking at the identity.

"Let's go," Rin stated, not answering the question before stepping through.

"Rin?" Summer questioned, but didn't push onward. She began walking into the portal, of course gripping Virus again in the case that she attempts to run.

They all arrived at a large foggy mountain field. The air was brisk and clean, the sky a grey-blue. "... I don't really want to talk about it," Rin whispered.

Virus started laughing. "I KNOW WHY!" she boasted loudly.

"You're not exactly a credible source," Summer responds, though secretly she really does want to know. Nonetheless, she examined the area more for anything.

"Have I lied to anybody here?" Virus taunted further.

Mountains were seen in the distance but there weren't any people that they could tell.

"..." Summer clenched her fists. As much as she hated to admit it, Virus was right. She simply looks at Rin at this point to keep herself distracted. "Where are we headed to?"

"This is the Dominion," Rin informed. "So... we have to get to the new leader and... stop her... somehow."

"Anything we should know before going in?" she asked.m Rin, still very concerned with the topic earlier.

"I'm not really familiar with this place," Rin noted.

"Why don't you ask me?" Virus prompted. "I didn't used to rule this whole place or anything."

Summer considered her options, and reluctantly agreed. She turned towards Virus. "Okay. I'm listening."

"We're heading to a forest, then a beach," She started walking down the mountain.

"...that... Doesn't sound tough..." Summer began following along...

Rin followed just behind, constatly looking about. "Still haven't gotten to eat anything," Virus complained as they soon neared thick dark woods ahead.

"If we finish this with a happily ever after at the end, I'll guarantee you a four star meal."

"That sounds rather win-lose," The feline noted as they entered the rather thick woods.

"What's a win-win your eyes?" Summer asked Virus, glancing up at the now covered sky. She looked around the dark environment, feeling uneasy.

"Good question."

Rin lit up the area a bit with some energy, but it didn't change much. They couldn't see far in any direction with how thick the trees were, and they didn't hear anything but themselves and the ground... and the swaying wind.

Summer noticed that Rin couldnt see, and as a result, cranked herself to about 150 lumens, the amount of light from the average household flashlight. Her ears flickered through the wind, listening carefully.

(That is... actually less than the brightness Rin would be giving off.  It's not that it's not bright enough, it's that the woods are too thick to see anything because of the trees.)

(My bad, Lol)

If that is the case, Summer ends up walking guided mainly by her hearing, though it was a habit that Summer still kept a flashlight glow in the palm of one hand. "Are you sure this is the only way to our destination? Summer asks about halfway, pondering over just burning a pathway for the threem

"It's usually really peaceful and non-threatening," Virus noted. "It's not long to the beach.  Swimming."

"...wait, beach? What do you mean swimming?" Summer hoped that this wasn't another one of Virus's 'going off tangent' moments.

"Don't worry, hun, I'll protect you," Virus winked as they went onward.

"I can maybe do something to help," Rin noted.

Summer perks her ears at Rin, the look in her eyes being more than enough to show that she's curious.

"I could teleport us closer to where we need to go if needed," She informed. "How far is it?"

Virus didn't answer as she was running toward the clearing where the foggy blue sky was seen again, and the silver sand beach greeted.

Summer flew right beside Virus, crossing her arms. "Are we even going to find Pix here?" she interrogates.

"There are sixteen districts in the Isis Dominion, and we're not in the Captial one, so no," Virus then dove into the water, swimming downward.

Summer gripped the ends of her hair and tugged it, counting to ten. She then dove below and tried to grip Virus's ankle to tug her out of the water.

Virus let out some air with a blurp of surprise, turning back to Summer as she tried to kick her off.

Summer raised her hand to keep her face from being kicked. "Just point us to the Capital already!"

Virus let out her air, panting lightly before sighing. "Where do you think I was going?"

"...it's underwater? Like the Atlantean empire?"

"How about you let me go and let me show you?" Virus grumbled back, squirming again. "Whichever way gets me to food faster."

"We can... take care of her if she tries something," Rin noted. "We're the ones with power after all..."

"...okay then." Summer gently let Virus travel underwater, slowly taking her time to sink under as well. She likes swimming, but never went diving before.

Rin went after them, keeping the rear. The water was very deep, and very dark, but Virus kept swimming down.

Summer slowly glew the deeper she went. However, this was not to be able to glow and see in the dark, this was because as she slowly began running out of oxygen, her solar energy was taking control, being used as an alternative source for making oxygen. Summer peered into the distance to look for signs of civilization.

Eventually there seemed to be a light ahead. Virus was starting to jerk a bit. She was not in the best condition to hold her breath over long periods of time.

Summer moved to Virus's side, wrapping an arm around her. She slowly increased the pace of their swimming towards the source of the light. (Sounds like they're dying .n.)

They sprang out suddenly to the surface of a shore... of the port to a Venecian Victorian city. It was night... always night, with no stars, but many clouds. Not so many that you couldn't see the sky.

Summer looked up with some major hesitation after enjoying the view of the city. "Okay... Wherr to now?"

'''A thundering sounded... and then an Urd splatted down on the shore in front of them.'''

"... Well that's an omen," Virus then passed out. Rin floated up a bit, boosting up to the dock. "This isn't the capital... maybe we got closer now?"

Away, foul demon.

Summer held Virus into her arms. "Hopefully... I feel completely lost, and these darks skies are not on my side..." and with that, Summer slowly began walking forward.

"... I think I know a plot device that'll help with that," Rin strolled over and lifted up the Urd.

Summer's eyes narrow at Urd. Rin, if you don't put that bloody thing back where it came from, she thought, tilting her head at the creature.

The Urd yawned as he awoke. "What ho?"

"Hey," Rin greeted. She then saw Summer's expression and cowered slightly. "Wh-what?"

She blinks back at Rin. "N-nothing... If he can help, so be it," she resignedly agrees.

"Greetings, fair ladies," Urd gave a bow, tipping his... crown.

"Can you show us the Capital District?" Rin asked.

"But of co-"Urd then saw Virus unconscious with Summer. "GREAT SCOTT!"

Summer looked back and forth for a second, worried. "W-what?"

"What has transpired?!"

"I... She's... Just tired, sir," Summer eventually settles on saying.

"She passed out from swimming," Rin added.

"... Ah," Urd cleared his throat. "Yes, to the Capital you wish?  Whatever for?"

"We need to meet someone in particular... Pix is her name."

Urd reached up, placing a period in the quotation.

"Ah yes.  Onward!" Urd began bouncing off into the city.

Begone .n.

Summer tightened her grip around Virus as she jogged behind, conserving her energy.

Rin followed after as they strolled forward across the district. "If I had a bunch of chaos energy, like an emerald or something, I'd just teleport us all," Rin noted.

"What ho?!" Urd turned to a vast amount of Identities crowding an information archive building.

"Where do you even find chaos... Emeralds..." Summer tried to see what the commotion was all about.

"They're kind of scattered... ev... whoa..." Rin paused as well. "Must be... actually wait, is this important enough to stop for?"

"Not at the moment," Urd replied.

"Then we can just keep going?"

"Affirmative."

"...okay then... Shall we pick up the pace?"

"Verily," Urd began blasting off forward into the city.

"W- Get 'im!" Rin dashed after.

"Finally, progress," Summer states, increasing her running speed to keep up with Urd, ready to find Pix and get this over with.

Urd continued speeding up as he bobbed and weaved through the district. They were soon at the barrier of the district, at the edge of a massive desert.

Summer took a gaze at the desert for a while when she caught up to Urd. "I was expecting to run into a palace of some sort... Or is that further away?"

"Tis across this dangerous desert!" Urd declared. "PREPARE FOR COMBAT!" He slammed a green hard hat atop himself, flattening into the ground.

Summer... Wanted to question it, but she has seen too much for it to surprise her. Instead, she closed her eyes and listened intently for the sounds of incoming attackers. If she heard none at the moment, she would begins trotting at a quick speed, though anxious.

She could hear sounds of screams, clashing metal and flesh. It about around maybe a hundred yards ahead.

"... Wait... I think this is the... combat district..." Rin recalled.

She shudders at the sound for a moment before looking in Rin's direction. "A combat district? For what purpose... Other than fighting?"

"I guess training?" Rin shrugged. "We should hurry through."

"Right..." hurry Summer did, running across the field at an even faster pace than before.

At first they didn't come across anything, then a bolt zipped past them. Then five different figures rushed past, locked in combat. They were soon in the middle of a warzone.

Summer's pace slowed a bit, taking the moment to scan her environment for the safest path to take. At this point her patience was thin.

The skies appeared to be the safest. Very few were battling there, or even had the ability to.

Summer regrettfully began to fly in order to keep Virus out of harm's way. She already wasted her energy into helping Rin, and she is now wasting more to fly without sunlight to restore it.

Rin backed them up as they went. They were close to the end of the battles soon, but Rin was getting dog-piled behind them.

Summer looks back behind her, charging a laser in her eyes as she aimed at Rin's attackers.

Rin seemed not to be as spaztic or effective in the battle. Her movements were slower, even though her reactions were on-point. Yes, she was limited but so were all of them, and she should have had an experience advantage. This wasn't her abilities or stamina causing her to get overpowered.

Summer floated beside Rin's side to assist her in moving through the crowd of foes, taking a few more potshots. "Are you alright there, Rin?"

"We need to get through," Was all Rin replied with. Some of the attackers were changing positions, going after Summer and Virus now.

I'll give them a distraction, Summer thinks, moving behind Rin. "Shield your eyes," she warns seconds before increasing her lumosity to dangerously high levels.

Rin turned away as the Identities around stiffened, jumping away.

Summer used one arm to hold Virus while using the other to help guide Rin away from the area. She was trying to cover as much distance as possible.

The three were soon away from the battling. They stood at a massive stone barrier with building balconies sticking out. Large doors began opening to them, showing an organized mess on the other side. The Capital District was filled with random designs for buildings, but each placed in lots in rows, neat... except for now there was a purple storm above it, destroying the city with the Identities panicking and fleeing about.

A glowing purple figure was just above. The Purple Chaos.

"They're here already?" she pondered, moving forward toward the Chaos. She paid attention to the stormy environment to understand exactly what was going on.

Every building was being erased as the energy went. Rin immediately rushed toward the chaos: jumping up toward the Purple Chaos.

(I SWEAR THIS IS ATTEMPT THREEJEJDIXJXNCI)

If there was anyone Summer trusted right now, it was Rin over the random stranger. If Rin viewed the Purple Chaos as a threat, so will Summer. She began flosting a safe distance to the side of the Purple Chaos, thinking that she may want to attack Virus of all people.

Rin was close enough to the Purple Chaos to be considered a threat: prompting a blast of energy toward her. Rin teleported immediately just in front, taking hold of the Purple Chaos's wrists, but not retaliating in battle. She was trying to talk her down.

Summer slowed her advance not to seem as threatening when she caught up. At the same time, she looked down to see what exactly the Chaos was trying to erase.

"Hey, you guys," A man's voice sounded. The Yellow Chaos floated up toward Summer.

Summer turned towards the Yellow Chaos with a look of confusion in her eyes. "...what exactly did I miss?"

"Kyrax and the leader of this place aren't getting along, so the whole dimension is getting destroyed."

"... what?!" She exclaimed in shock. "But what about the innocents here?"

"We were given orders to avoid the people here, but a lot seem to have a problem with their home getting destroyed."

"We can simply target the leader and his allies, right?"

"Kyrax is trying to subdue the current one right now.  He doesn't want her killed yet because... well... we're all still trying to figure out how all this happened."

A crack went off as the peaceful negotiations failed. The Purple Chaos was drilling into the ground, taking Rin with her.

Summer, discouraged and frustrated, went along with the Purple Chaos at the moment. Right now, she was her main lead to this topsy-turny adventure.

The two were going through the ground, erasing it as they went. Rin couldn't do much more other than teleport randomly about with the Purple Chaos following.

Summer followed the Purple Chaos, slightly discouraged by her erasure.

The area continued to become erased as they went, with many of the people inside getting caught in the conflict.

Summer flew ahead, trying her hardest to move civilians out of the way from the Purple Chaos's... aura(?) of erasure.

It took a moment or two, but eventually Rin--who during this was trying desperately to counter and slow the entity--yelled out "HELP PLEASE!"

Summer was torn between helping the civilians and Rin... She eventally couldn't resist the helping the moment Rin began pleading, and Summer instantly darted for the Chaos, hoping to survive the erasure powers.

Immediately the Purple Chaos aimed her weaponry--two pistol-looking tools--at Summer, firing rounds of the energy.

Summer attempted to avoid the attacks. She had already gave up most of her energy to Rin, and being in a sun-lacking environment didnt make it better.

With the Purple Chaos distracted for this moment, Rin reached in, putting a hand against her neck as the two suddenly plummeted, crashing and bouncing off the ground.

Summer landed beside the two, her first worry seeing if Rin was alright, which was what all of her attention was focused on.

Rin's arm was half scraped off across the ground but outside of that she seemed unharmed. Her other arm detached from the Purple Chaos: the red-haired Identity gasping for air as the armored individual fell quietly to the side.

Summer immediately picked Rin up, worried about her first. If she's gasping for air because of how deep the hole is (since it wasnt elaborated), Summer would float up to give her the necessary oxygen.

"GREAT SCOTT!" The Urd man commented, having returned from sensing such horrible spelling.  "It was clearly stated that her arm was scraped off, not punctured! ... Oh yes, also how upsetting that she is hurt."

Rin's hand claws at the ground, slowly breaking it down, still gasping, nearly in shock.

(I remember this being the last thing I did before I fell asleep on my phone immediately after .n. I had no idea I was that tired, so I didn't read too clearly.)

Summer began looking at the wounds, trying to stop the blood from escaping. She didn't want to cauterize Rin so soon, so she at first placed her aura over Rin's wounds to make a 'detour' for her circulatory system.

"Rin, please don't die now!" she begged, lifting up the identity.

Rin's head nudged back toward the ground, her fingers twitching back a bit.

Summer hugged Rin tightly. It's all she knew to do. She glared at the purple chaos now, hoping she could heal as well as she could erase.

The red-haired girl eventually stopped...spasming as the stubs of her arm detached and then began regrowing. Her breathing stedied.

Summer's eyes slowly widened with gratitude, hugging Rin almost too tightly now before she remembered the situation she was in, returning her gaze to the Purple Chaos. "You were here to help stop an invasion. What good are you if you're risking the lives of innocent people, of Rin, in the process?"

The purple figure didn't reply. "She's not conscious," Rin informed. "I... kind of turned her off for a second.  Elder powers still work I guess even if you're not in Elder form."

Summer sighs and picks up the Purple Chaos in one of her arms. "I'm sorry about your, uh... Predicament. It seems that I'm too scared to act a bit faster in situations."

"I'd advise not touching her, unconscious or otherwise," Rynzer warned as he floated over. "Purple Chaos.  That's the power of destruction.  Think of it like Anti-Matter except destroying Anti-Matter too."

At that, Summer reeled her hand back. She knew that could heal fast, but her healing wasn't on the tier to regenerate limbs like Rin. She looked to Rynzer. "What exactly happened with the leader for... This to happen?"

"Well let's see... The previous leader vanished from sight, then the new one pops up,we find the old one in a lake, and the entire species gets sent out to go and exterminate--not conquer--at least a dozen zones in the multiverse," He replied with a hint of tension in his voice. "If you had the idea that just your world was hit... well, there you have it.  Right now, I'm probably the most reasonable member of our team."

"I am going to eradicate all of you," Syph hissed as she woke up. Rin jumped back, but the Purple Chaos wasn't jumping at anyone just yet.

Summer instinctively flared, but noticed that her aura was smaller than usual. "Well, saying it like that, it has some coverage to the story... What's our next move?"

"Your move is to go home," Syph sternly answered. "If it weren't for you, the original woman wouldn't have escaped."

"... That was me actually... the escaping them... part," Rin corrected.

"Alright, looks like none of us really have all the answers here, so-?" Rynzer was interrupted as Syph spoke up again "You are delaying my orders, Rynzer."

"Well then you can talk to Kyrax soon enough, we're about to see him now," He turned to Summer. "He's fighting the new leader to get her down."

"Do you know where she is? I've came this far for her, and I'm not stopping now." Summer looked down at Rin, occasionally checking her vitals now and then during the chat.

Rin's body was tense, as it was still repairing, but she was stable enough.

"Yeah, I'll take you guys," Rynzer agreed.

"You-"

"What, you think they'd be too powerful to stop you?" He cut Syph off, who silently growled as a platformed was created.

Summer looked down on the platform, walking over it. She cradled Rin in her hands for a moment, knowing that she wasn't in condition to go out there if Kyrax is involved in conflict. "Unless you can accelerate her healing, I'd suggest finding a place for her to safely rest first.."

"... Actually, might be best to have her come with," He counter-suggested. "The boss doesn't have a beef with her.  Might be able to spare-"

"THE WABBIT APPROACHING!" Urd yelled out, causing Virus to wake up, looking around.

"...the what?" At the sight of Virus moving about, Summer shifted a bit. "...welcome back, Virus."

"What happened?" She asked.

"Long story short, we're going to the leader of this place right now," she replies, glancing at Rynzer for a confirmation.

"Yep, everybody got on board?" Rynzer asked.

"This is everyone, as far as I know," Summer answers back, making sure Virus is on board.

They were soon rushing off to the Capital building: a high concentration of green and pink shining through the doorways.

She took the time to use her infrared vision to see any heat source within the building. "... Either we're walking into a party or I'm assuming that is one of the causes for those lights..."

She could see Kyrax pressing the assault toward Pix, who was trying to manipulate his energy back at him with Type Pink. Neither was making headway, but Kyrax did not appear to be straining. Device stood at the left of them both...

then she turned to Summer and was immediately in front of her.

Summer immediately flares up and stumbles back, her fists tightly clenched. "... Jeez, give me a warning when you do that."

"Clarification: The invasion upon your world was entirely by design of Pix, and not does not receive my personal support."

"Not that I would believe you doing this to begin with," the vixen replies, cooling down. "Pix seems to be held up by Kyrax... can we take her by surprise from behind to quickly pin her down?"

"She is highly experienced in the Type Pink Chaos Energy.  This Kyrax only wishes to hold her at bay until either she admits defeat and agrees to end her other invasions throughout the multiverse, or-"

"Why aren't you changed?" Rin interrupted sternly. Pix turned immediately to the red-haired Identity.

"Has it spread enough already?" Device vaguley replied.

"Has... Has what spread enough?"

"That does not concern you," Device replied.

"Are you ladies here for the original reason you're here?" Rynzer asked.

"I'd still like to know why you aren't okay with us destroying these heartless invaders," Syph added.

Device simply looked back to Summer again, a brief glint shimmering over her before stating plainly. "Result: Stiper, will, die."

In response, her eyes narrowed. "Result: Stiper will not die. There has to be another way around it, there always is."

"... I have... an idea..." Rin answered reluctantly before floating down toward the battle.

"Rin, wait-- ah crap..." Summer floats down not to behind Rin, combat-ready. (Also I forgot to make Summer react to Rin regaining consciousness BUT LET'S IGNORE THAT! .3.)

(All has been seen. All will not be forgotten)

(Doodles watches)

Rin stepped close to Kyrax, who immediately recognized her energy signature, a green wall of energy moving toward her. Rin pressed her hand to the wall, a slow form of blue turning over it just slightly as she pressed close enough to move an opening inside it. "Let me speak to her."

Kyrax turned to Rin for a moment... then slowly the energy holding Pix back reduced, though it did not fully stop.

Summer walked beside Rin as a form of encouragment. She wasn't sure of what Rin was exactly doing, but if Rin thinks she can talk out the situation peacefully, then she was all in. Regardless, a little voice in the back of her head told Summer to follow Rin in case Pix makes any move.

"What do you want?" Pix demanded finally.

Rin took a breath, then turned to Device, who was now next to Pix again. "I call the challenge for leadership of the Isis Dominion."

Summer turned her head towards Rin, as if she had been slapped. "You're serious?"

Her attention then turned towards Device. "What does that mean?"

"Once a year, contestants may battle to challenge the current ruler for the throne," Device informed. "It is not negotable."

"Except we already did that a week ago," Pix retorted. "How do you morons think I got where I am?"

"There was no leader to usurp at that time," Device noted. "Thus, it is void."

Kyrax turned sharply to Rin, then the others. "... What say you, Isis Leader?"

Pix was nearly beaming red at this, but despite it all, she forced out "If the law says it, then I will... comply," growling lowly as a shaking grew outside.

Summer crossed her arms. "What is the outcome of the loser?"

"They step down," Device replied.

Summer sighs in relief. She was hoping the fight wasn't anything to the death. Regardless, she looked to Rin. "Are you sure you want to go this route? You'll have a major burden on you."

Rin didn't respond verbally. Her face was a cross between cold terror and exhaustion, which seemed to indicate her opinion on the matter, but it was now too late as the room expanded rapidly: sand growing over as Rin and others having arrived being rushed back into chambers.

"It will begin shortly," Device informed as she formed a rising platform which she and Pix stood upon. A gigantic arena was being formed: a stadium. A colliseum.

Summer backed away, eyes wondering at the supernatural construction being built. She quickly followed Rin, trusting an identity of all people in knowing what to do.

Device appeared at Summer's side as she went, extending an arm out to block her. "Unless you intend to also battle for rule, it would be best, as my advice, to not follow."

With reluctance, Summer watched Rin as she walked into the chambers. "... Is there really nothing else I can do at this point?"

"There are infinite things you could do," Device replied before getting out of earshot... or eyeshot.

"... So anybody want popcorn?" Rynzer asked.

Summer scratches her head in trying to understand Device's statement as she began walking to the others. She wanted a better view of the situation, and a coliseum does have a spectator area.

Rynzer strolled up the stairs lining the seats toward a booth near the top. Syph just walked away. She was clearly not interested or pleased.

Summer's eyes narrowed for Rin, wanting to make sure that there was no trap set up.

Rin, alongside other Identities who chose to fight for the throne, were seen appearing in the center. Device announced that they would be battling as a countdown began. Rynzer was complaining lightly that there weren't any snacks.

For the time being, Summer was ignoring Rynzer, hoping Rin would be fine. She wasn't sure how brutal these matchups were, but at the same time,bshe wasn't going to do anything stupid. She instead got as close as she could to see the battle from the spectator view.

A blast of green formed around each as they were suddenly restored to their previous Identity forms, and immediately five massive constructs formed about, and the clash began. Rin had formed two jack-hammers next to her arms,  diving in a twirl to the nearest opponent.

Summer clenched her fists tightly, angty at herself for just realizing an idea. "Is it too late to join the battle?"

"You want to try disrupting this?" Rynzer asked, gesturing the twisted bodies destroying each other.

Summer knew that her energy was much lower than normal, but she felt she had the energy to last long enough. "... Less so disrupt, moreso join as a new contestant."

"Don't you have to like... be one of them or something?" He looked up at the balcony where Device stood. "... Guess you could go talk to her."

Summer looks at Device, then nods in Rynzer's direction. "Thanks for the tip," she states, running up to Device to save energy from flying.

The balcony Device was atop wasn't exactly in range in terms of walking. Being far up, the only way there would be a nearby guarded coridoor.

Summer headed up the coridoor, hoping the guards would let her pass by rather easily.

The guards were not keen on allowing her to pass as it turned out, making sure to block the way and demand to know what she was doing.

"I need to speak with Device," she states as boldly as she could. "I'm a late contendor for this battle."

"... No.  You are-"

"Actually," The other guard interrupted. "... Let's see how this goes."

"You want to get on Device's bad side?"

"They were talking before, can't be that bad."

"... Fine, you do it.  I'm steering clear."

The second guard stepped to the side.

Summer gives off a nod as a thank you as she began heading towards Device with her plan halfway there.

Device turned to Summer as she approached once the vixen was at the top. Pix turned as well, a blade forming in her arm already.

"... Yes?" Device held her arm out to calm Pix.

"Is it too late for me to join the battle, Device?" she asked immediately, not sure how long Rin had.

"... You desire to rule the Isis Dominion?"

Glancing away for a second, Summer bit her lower lip as a sweatdrop appeared on her head. She looked back to Device and slowly nodded.

"She is not an Identity," Pix growled. "It is too late."

"... Processing..." Device walked past Summer, motioning for her to follow.

Summer follows along, letting out a small sigh. So far so good.

They came to a corner of the hall, at which point Device turned back to Summer. "You cannot interfere with the current tournament as a new entry except under specific circumstances.  You are not an Identity and while possible to rule without being one, you must be one to take action in the tournament.  If you were to undergo the transformation currently, it is at a 79% probability that you would not succeed in defeating the more experienced competitors, and you could potentially die."

"Is death an optional way out?"

"... Clarify."

"You do not have to kill anyone to win this battle, correct?"

"Correct."

"... Then may the odds be ever in my favor."

"... Acknowledge: You are willing to submit to a biological transformation?"

Now at this point, Summer was going through some major hesitations due to it being repeated and the knowledge finally sinking into her head. "...what... exactly will happen when I become an identity?"

"Specify."

"What alters to my body will happen... and is it reversible?"

"Your body will be converted to a nanite form: a specific strand to your frequency that are powered by the Chaos Force--or possibly powered by Solar Energy depending on which is more effecient--and if you defeat your opponents, you will retain this form.  If you fail--without being killed--you will be transformed to the current state of the Identities without the nanite-format but with the mutating ability and Chaos-Force connection.  Your ability to return to your original form is dependent on what the Chaos Force changes in your core.  It can be arranged with Him."

"Who exactly is.. Him?"

"Melcro."

"...oh.. him..:" Summer wavers her options. She is risking a possibly permanent change of her life. Eventually, Summer's final decision would be decided by what she saw as she looked upon the battlefield to see how well Rin was holding up.

Rin was indeed surviving: currently locked with another Identity as another began spraying an acidic rain over the grouping opponents.

Device noticed this and informed Summer "You do not want her to win."

She shook her head no in disagreement. "It's not that... if she wants to be the new ruler, so be it... it's just..." Summer sighed. She might as well spill the beans now that she was convinced not to go in.

"... I don't want her to risk death just for this role... I wanted to help her chances of surviving."

"... Clarification," Device responded, inflecting purposefully now. "You do not want her to win". This was no longer a commentary on Summer's opinion, but... a warning perhaps.

"... Wait... what?! What's going to happen to her?" she said in a pleading tone. The sudden turn of events now made her go back to a wavering decision to join the battlefield.

"It is not what would happen to her that is of concern."

Summer let out an exasperated sigh. "Before I make my choice, is it possible for me to get the non-cryptic answer?"

"I assumed you do not wish to have your relationship changed."

"... I'll keep her from winning then," she hesitated to say after wasting more time thinking about it. The fox began gripping her hands tightly, as she was heavily on the fence for this idea, and the slightest tilt of thought could easily change her mind.

"What is your resolve?  You are running out of time and unless you act now, Pix may belay your request."

Summer weighed her odds once more, then wish a silent wish of regret, nods her head. "I'm going forward with this plan."

"You have decided to undergo the transformation?"

"I don't want to.. but if it's the only way I can prevent Rin from winning, then I shall."

"... Acknowledged," A burst of silver went through the area, freezing everything around them as Device formed a portal to her left. She then stepped forward into it.

Summer shuddered with a gulp. "I hope I can change back to normal if I don't die from this stupid plan..." she though to herself before following Device through the portal.

They arrived in front of a building in a very... unpleasant city. The sky was constantly grey with clouds over, but no rain or snow. Dirt everywhere despite the city being quite advanced technologically. The only people about were in groups to avoid being attacked.

Device and Summer stood in front of a black box of a structure. It was at least four stories tall and sleak. No visible doors or windows.

A shiver ran down Summer's spine in an environment like this. "... What exactly is this thing, Device?"

Device just walked forward. It was almost impossible to tell that as she walked forward, a door had opened up. It looked like she was just shrinking but she was just walking into a dark dark hallway.

Summer hesitated, then followed."... Vantablack was never a good color for buildings..."

Their steps echoed a bit before suddenly arriving, only after a short few steps, at the end of the long hallway. They were now inside a large... it looked like a control room but there were some tables about without computers.

"Could you tell me exactly what is happening here?" Summer asked, glancing about the room.

"You wish to have a chance at winning this battle, you will need specific modifications," Device answered.

"...Right... Where do I start?"

"On the operating table," came a deeper voice... a much deeper voice. He was at least 7 feet in height, with a frame nearly as wide with those shoulders. An almost tight dark-grey cloak of a coat, held together at the middle line to his mid-side. Gloves, but his feet were covered by the bottom of the clothing. His skin was pale, his hair was light grey, and his face was square. His eyes were red spirals...

...and he was directly behind her.

Summer flinched, turning around to the relatively large giant. "Who... who are...."

The built human made a slow gesture to one of the tables. "If you would please..."

"Melcro," Device informed.

Summer let out a small gulp, severely underestimating her thoughts on him prior to actually seeing Melcro. She slowly nodded and made her way to a table to sit upon. "...I'd never thought I'd run into you anytime soon..."

"Few do," He replied. "Once you are ready we will begin.  I suggest you become ready very soon."

Summer closes her eyes and steadies herself, preparing for the worst. She was mentally thanking everyone she knew in case something goes wrong in the next few events. Once she finishes, she opens her eyes again. "I'm ready to begin."

There was a low humming, the table warming to a comfortable temperature... and then she felt something stab into her from the back: into the middle of her chest. It was pointed and seven inches in radius.

She instinctively lurched as she yelped in pain, gritting her teeth. She was caught off guard by this experiment and would be instantly regretting it if her mind wasn't focused on the pain.

A sudden cold feeling swepted over Summer as she found herself being yanked back into the air... except she could... see her body on the table in front of her.

At this point, the tiny fox was panicking, looking down to see what had happened to her, since her body is apparently on the table.

Perhaps more horrifying was the sudden liquifying of Summer's body into a white fluid being drained below the table as Melcro promptly asked "Have you any experience with Identities?"

"What... what are you doing to me?!"

"Your body's material is being stored, not destroyed.  It is simply a more effecient form of containment.  You can relax," He assured in a slightly irritated but relaxed tone.

And after some hesitation, she eventually did. "...N-no... I don't have any experience with Identities, unless you mean if I have observed or met one before."

"... This will be a situation," He sighed. "Do you prioritize strength, durability, or creation?"

Summer knew that she wasn't the combatant type. It's not that she has plans to win, only to keep Rin from winning.

So far, strength was out of her mind, and it pained her that she couln't have it. "... could you elaborate on creation?" She eventually asked. She hoped this ability would suit her fighting style.

"Your ability to manifest detailed and useful constructs in quick moments and under pressure."

"...if it is impossible to have an all-around option, I'll prioritize on durability."

Immediately after giving this information, Summer felt a vast shock throughout herself before things went black. When she woke up agian, she was given a very odd sensation tingling throughout. She could suddenly see from every part of herself, but her vision started out in just layers of what seemed to be light. The bulking human figure was very noticeable in a sort of white aura, with Device in green. The building they were in was barely recognizable.

She couldn't feel her fingers, but she felt her body there in... some different form, like a grain or sand had replaced all of her.

"w... what happened to me," she barely whispered. She was too scared from all of this sudden sensation and different environment to move at first.

"That is a rather pointless question to be asking," Melcro responded. "Give us a demonstration will you, of your movement?"

Summer took a moment to breathe in slowly, then tried to sit up. The first thing she wanted to look for was a reflection.

A low chuckling came from the giant man. "Oxygen..."

There seemed to be a reflective enough screen nearby, but soon all the screens were turning on, showing Summer's current state as a floating pile of black sand.

"What is this?!" Summer begins panicking.

"You say that as if no one has told you what Identities are composed of," Melcro noted. "... That's what happened, isn't it?"

"I..." she tries to relax. "...I didn't know the process would be like this, is all... sorry."

"Move about."

Summer pauses for a second, then tries to shift herself off of the table.

She found movement to be quite easy. She felt nearly weightless, floating about but also feeling parts of her drifting away.

She shuddered at this feeling, hating it completely. She looked at her hands to see what she looked like offscreen.

A sort of floating pair of hands grew out as they were pulled in front of her, but again, she could see with her entire body. Her subconscious began forming her figure to a more familiar state, even a sense of color starting at her fingers.

Summer watched in curiosity and surprise. The vixen remained silent, for she had no words.

She soon enough looked to be her normal self, but she certainly didn't feel the same. She didn't feel any form of exhaustion, like a steady flow of energy kept her constantly at a peak.

"I feel as if I could sprint forever," she exclaims. "What alterations actually occurred?"

"How shall I put this... forget everything you could do in your old body," He clarified.

Device finally spoke up now, having been standing some feet away. "Suggestion, approach."

Summer nodded, beginning to approach Device. As she did, she started comparing her height and weight, and due to habit, initially tried to float to Device.

Her height seemed the same as before, but her weight was... fluxcuating, as if going in and out between a general thirty pounds.

Summer eventually realized this body was adjusted for the gravity, so she resumed a calm walk before standing before Device, looking at her hands. "... What now?"

"A brief test," Device threw a fist at Summer.

If Summer's speed was shrunk down to a level where Device could keep up with her, Summer would not be able to react quick enough and pretty much gets hit directly.

(Odd way of wording it without prior knowledge of Device's speed.)

The fist was coming about about thirty miles per hour.

(I said "if", fite me .n.)

Summer flinched, and barely had time, if any, to raise up her hands to block the punch in an unprofessional manner.

She felt her nanites compressing from the pressure. "... What combat experience do you have?"

"N-- not much... I'm used to being a ranged fighter, or being somewhat stronger."

"You did specify defense... " She looked to Melcro.

"I can... modify," Melcro informed.

"To help out with my disadvantage, correct?"

"I will not give you construct designs.  I will, however, program combat."

"... He can do that?" Summer exclaims in shock. "That's almost unreal to think of..."

"If there is anything you need, Melcro can do it," Device informed.

"With case-by-case formats of payments," Melcro clarified. "which brings me to my condition.  I do not know who you are, but I do know that you need something I can provide, so I will be making that same request one day, and I expect it to be met."

Summer nods her head in agreement. "I understand fully, sir."

He nodded and handed forward a small disc.

Summer held the disc in her her hand curiously. "What is this?"

The disc dissolved in her hand, a tingling going through her as she suddenly felt an overload of information rushing through her.

With a yelp, the fox stumbled backwards and fell on her bottom in response, clutching her head.

"Give that a few minutes unless you are in a hurry."

"What was it? What did you do to me?"

"Instinct.  I gave you knowledge of various combat techniques.  I made certain to remove the Identity-based movesets.  Until you are more comfortable in this form, it is safe to assume attempting to transform your body into a concentrated gas capable of producing a microscopic black hole would turn for the worst, particularly seeing as your new information is reflex-based mostly rather than actual immediate memory."

Hearing this fact did make Summer incredibly weary of using the ability. "._: Ohhhkaaaaay... Thanks, I guess?"

"Flattered," he replied flatly. "Now you can leave."

Summer found that she was suddenly outside the building, thought Device wasn't with her quite yet.

Having been teleported and not sure how to get to the coliseum Device, Summer took the quick moment to test her abilities to see what exactly could she do. The first things she tested, of course, was her ability to fly and cast flames, considering those are her main two attributes.

She found that levitation was quite simple: energy flowing through her in a charge as she went upward. When attempting to create flames, however, she found that only a sort of green energy was coming out.

Questioning this energy, Summer let it dissipate to wait for a better opportunity to test it out. Next on Summer's list was strength, in which she looked for the biggest object in the nearby environment to see if she could lift it with ease or not.

The largest object nearby would be... one of the many buildings. As she was alone, she was getting attention, but as she was right in front of the Melcro building, she was not approached.

The city was very barren in terms of wildlife or plants: very concrete and damp.

Unfortunately, Summer wasn't paying too much attention to her environment around her. Unless her senses were heightened, she wouldn't think to. Instead, she was simply looking for an abandoned building to test herself.

She was soon approached by Device from behind, who inquired "Your current objective?"

For once, the vixen wasn't surprised. "Trying to figure out what I can do, and how much I can do... The explanations I got were pretty vague, so.."

"What did you decide what vague?"

"Well... 'forget everything you could do in your old body' doesn't really tell me what I can or can't do..." Summer's eyes widened as she remembered what she did this for. "Is there still time to join that Battle?"

"We will return the moment we had departed.  You posses Chaos Energy channeling and manipulation.  Your body is composed of metallic nanites which can be used to shift your shape to any form."

Summer intentionally poked herself in order to feel her skin. "... Like an android? ...I signed up to practically become a robot," she mumbled to herself.

"Clarification," Device stated as a series of no less than five instances in Summer's past stating either her interest in Rin's biology and abilities or the outright statement of "I want your powers" played through the green-tinted one's mouth.

Summer awkwardly scratched her head. "I mean... I didn't think it would happen like this... Fair point nonetheless."

"You have Level 19 durability, and extensive combat reaction programming.  Your output is significant.  Additionally, you can grow stronger.  However.  Your immediate mission is still needing your presence."

Summer nodded, mainly because she had no idea what level 19 meant and because she wanted to get back to Rin before it was too late.

"You are prepared to return?"

"I'm more than ready.... I-- I think..."

They were immediately teleported back to the tower. Pix was standing there with arms folded. She didn't like this idea clearly, but she didn't intervene. Device gestured to the ledge of the balcony. "I advise a different appearance."

Summer made her way towards the balcony, though she looked at Device. "How will that happen, exactly?"

"Your biology is transformation.  Use it," with that, Summer felt a burst pushing her off the balcony and down to the arena.

With a panic, Summer tried  to fly to stop her fall... At least hover.... hold her hands out and brace for impact.

The Urd has googled "oanic" and found no definition.

She felt her energy building at her hands and feet as a pressure sent a spread of energy fuming down: leaving her in the air.

-~-

Once done, Summer lands gently and observes her environment. She checks to see if the battlefield had any form of cover for the likes so that she may attempt to use this ability.

The arena had originally been rather flat, but with how the five battling Identities were going at it, various structures--pillars, spikes, swirling plains--were lining and filling the area.

Some rabbit Identity was dealing with two of the Identities while Rin could be seen attempting to restrain another.

Summer sat down and closed her eyes. She tried to concentrate to change her appearance, having no clue how to do it and being indecisive on what to appear as. She eventually opened her eyes to see what she ended up appearing as.

(So I should just decide on what she ends up as? X{D)

(Yeee .3. I want Summer to appear as if she has no idea what sheś doing, lol)

Summer currently looked like a base-Identity: black nanite scales about her body with a blue glowing eye tint.

With that done, she sat up and surveyed the situation. Initially wanting to help Rin win this challenge, a sudden change of plans made her reconsider. She didn't know who to strike first, especially hesitant about striking Rin, so the first thing she did was try to launch chaos energy at the person Rin was struggling with, to mae it seem as if she wants to form a temporary truce with her.

The opposing Identity was stunned to a small extent by the bolt, stretching out a nanite-lined bolt at Summer while continuing to struggle against Rin.

Summer attempts to leap out of the way, resorting to hovering if she does dodge it. She tries to charge up her chaos energy for her next strike as she moves in somewhat closer.

The Identity jumped back from Rin, preparing to counter if needed. Rin was quickly cycling through construct options with this time given.

It qas obvious that Summer was trying to get in for close quarters combat. The energy she had charged up remained in her fists, as if she had used it to increase the damage output she placed in her punches.

The Identity jumped at Summer as the punches came forward, putting an emphasis on a laying set of arms that molded into an energy cannon poised at Summer's face: their head and stomach getting broken up from the punches.

Summer let her head turn and her body roll back in order to minimize the amount of damage she took, tumble-rolling backwards to gain some distance.

The blast soon followed after her: a concentrated blue light. It only lasted so long before Rin took hold of the Identity, sending a small burst through them that caused them to collapse.

('them' as in Rin and the other opponent?)

(Just the opponent.)

Summer took a moment to catch her breath, charging the energy in her hand for more energy. She knew she had to make sure Rin doesn't win, but she was hesitant to make the first move.

Rin focused on keeping the enemy down but her attention was definitely on Summer now. She didn't do anything aggressive yet, but was most-likely waiting for Summer to act first

Summer took a quick glance around the area to see how many people remained before returning her attention to Rin. She took the moment to see if her charge had any form of limit, as she was planning on ending this is one strike.

She could feel her nanites tensing as the power grew larger, but with how much durability she had, she would be able to store quite an amount.

With a shaky sigh, Summer began taking a few slow steps forward in Rin's direction.

Rin took this as an offense, and immediately teleported upward: a growing mass forming just above Summer.

Summer's eyes widen, and she knows that she is on a time limit for this now. She begins dashing, planning to hop off the ground to close the gap before the mass grows too large.

Rin swung the construct into the air, looking onward at Summer with a perplexed expression as she turned to the next opponent. Summer was being met now, however, by the other three remaining.

This was not to Summer' plan at all... she reorts to try to land immediately in the hopes that she had not attracted all three at once.

Random bolts of energy were going about toward her but most seemed occupied with each other. The now massive construct was starting to land toward... everyone.

Summer had no intentions on losing this battle without Rin going down with her. She manages to evade the random bolts heading her way as she tried to form her charged chaos energy into a sort of shield.... Summer was pretty much assuming it worked that way.

She indeed had an energy-based shield around her now, but the massive construct was pressing on everyone now, a charge in it, ready to explode.

Summer looked downwards, kicking the ground to cause a crater. Still having fox ideas in her mind, she resorted to making a quick den to hide in that will absorb most of the shockwave from the explosion.

From her crater, she could feel the blast of energy burning at the various enemies and nanites around.

Summer tries to focus on where Rin is at the moment, desperately hoping that she isn't killing anyone with this attack in the meantime. She began using her chaos energy as she would use thermal vision.

She could sense various figures about, two of which who were burrowing down toward her immediately.

Summer panicked a bit. A den was supposed to be a fox's safespot. If the energy outside was gone by now, she ould leave the crater. Else, she would begin moving in a direction to get the other two the follow her and hopefully converge paths.

Two massive beams of energy were coming through some holes now, one being interrupted immediately after as a cracking noise sounded.

Summer turned toward the noise, freezing to stay still and make no movements. She wanted to figure out what kind of danger she was running from.

One of the Identities dropped into the hole, lighting up a purple tint as they looked at Summer.

At the same time, Summer started to feel a change in her hands.

Summer held up her hands to fire a a blast of energy defensively, thinking she can't miss from such a straight tunnel, but she hesitated by the feeling in her hands.

A blue light was sent out from her hands: causing the Identity to crumble into nanite sand. The construct covering the burrow was now crumbling as well.

Summer's eyes widened in shock at the crumbled identity. She sensed for any sort of chaos energy from the identity, her heart racing in fear of what she had done.

Only the faintest traces of vanishing energy was sensed coming out from the Identity as the others now narrowed in on her.

She regretted what he did immensely, but she couldn't o anything at the moment..For now, she decided to dig out of the ground.

She soon hit a surface she couldn't dig through, a voice stating in her head "Directive: Win."

"..?" Summer freaked out a bit, backing downwards. She was more worried about warding the others into each other so they themselves could fight rather than her risking having to kill them herself.

She ended up firing energy in the walls of the tunnel in order to connect the whole underground system.

She felt a tension grow in her as her body was being pulled up from the tunnel. The ground transformed around her as one of the Identities was swiftly converting it. She was being yanked upward until the Identity doing it was interrupted.

Grabbing towards anything to try to slow the pulling until it was interrupted, Summer began locating said identity and heading straight for it.

The Identity was spinning backward as the rabbit Identity was currently taking them out. Rin was keeping her distance.

With the two going at it, Summer relaced a bit and backed away. She tried to return her attention to Rin and make her way towards her, knowing that talking her out of it would be out of question, but she wanted to make sure that if Rin has to lose, she doesn't have to die or get permanently injured for it.

Rin noticed this sudden attention and teleported behind Summer.

Summer blinked in a confused response, putting her guard up wearily. After a brief moment, she turned around to become face to face with Rin.

"Who ARE you?" Rin peered. Summer found her arm was moving on its own again: a sort of syringe-like construct being thrusted at Rin. The red-haired Identity quickly shifted back before this could get through, however, he expression remaining confused.

Summer gripped her syringe arm with the other arm, trying the form the syringe into any other form so long as the end was blunt. "Just your rivalling neighborhood Identity," she lies as she begins charging chaos energy into her foot and shifting it back.

"No you're not," Rin's hands began thinning into strange blue-tinted knives. The others were distracted with each other at this moment. "I recognize your core type."

Summer hesitates, not sure what this means. She makes it seem like she is ignoring Rin, and feigns a kick.

Rin immediately moved to the side, but another pointed syringe-like construct appeared, coming out from Summer's foot.

Summer, of course, feigning the kick, was able to reel back her foot in time. She tried to think the syringe away, having no idea what she was doing.

Rin kept her attention on Summer, but this left them both open for attack and immediately one of the Identities lunged into Rin.

Summer, of course, naturally took the moment to close the gap between the three of them, aiming a kick for the new opponent.

The opposing Identity took the kick into themselves before immediatly spreading their nanites over the leg.

With a gasp, Summer pulled her leg back, beginning to stomp the ground to try to shake the nanites off, while at the same time, grazing herself with small chaos energy blasts from her hands.

Rin shifted back as the Identity attempted to rush over Summer completely during her stomping.

Summer notices the Identity at the last second, attempting to hop to the side to dodge.

Summer found herself teleported to the left, the repeated statement "Directive" as she felt movement and change going throughout her body.

Summer decided to remain still eventually, letting her body take over to see what exactly was it trying to do.

Blue scale-like appendages grew out from around her body as she found herself being sent back into the fray.

With a shudder, Summer tried to see if these extra limbs could prove useful, planning on grappling the enemy from behind.

As she launched one, a crackling blue and black construct shot outward: like a form of alien technology. It... consumed one of the opponents.

Summer froze in her spot out of shock, leaving her vulnerable. She watched the construct, assuming it was some trap box, or anything like it. She just hoped it was doing anything but something as extreme as dissolving it.

Summer distracted, another part of her body was active as she heard a sudden gasp from behind her, from Rin.

She quickly turned around to figure out what the reasoning for Rin's gasp.

Rin was currently attempting to dislodge another of this strange construct now inside of her chest.

Summer's eyes widened in panic. She tried to slowly thin the construct before pulling it out of Rin's chest.

It was soon retracted, but the hole seemed to remain inside of Rin.

Summer was no healer. She had no idea what to do nor how to act, and the first thing that came out of her mouth was "Are you alright?"

Rin didn't move, but was immediately taken... elsewhere in a blue light. At this same moment, Summer felt the sudden strange constructs vanish as the rabbit Identity prepared a blast of a green light at Summer.

Summer planted her foot on the ground and lunged herself towards the rabbit with a haymaker.

Before impact could be made, Summer felt a burning throughout her nanites from the sudden green light, like an acid seeping into her: the rabbit stepping back.

"Objective completed," Summer heard in her head as her body began to slowly glow a red color.

Sumemer looked at the palm of her hands surprise. Unless this happened during her lunge, she would take a step back from the rabbit to take time to figure out what just happened.

She felt herself start to stiffen as she was slowly forced into a liquified state.

At this point.... a load of things have happened within the past hour. As shocked and as frightened as she was, Summer decided to go with the flow, no pun intended.

Summer found herself soon reappearing next to Device, who was in a separate room.

She glanced around and takes five seconds to recover. ".... what's happening to me? Where is Rin?"

"Rin is in a catatonic state where she will remain until the battle ends," Device explained. "Afterward, she will be restored for her own preservation.  You are to be restored to your original state with conditions."

Summer relaxes a bit, thinking that Rin is safe for the moment. "...what conditions?"

Summer felt lungs growing out in her body as she was reformed to her normal state. "You are to answer when called."

Subconsciously taking in a big breath of air, Summer takes a moment to breathe normally. Right now, she can only hope her deal was not someething she would regret. "... I understand... may I see Rin?"

"You may, but you must wait."

"I have to wait?"

"Rin must appear defeated until the battle ends."

She crosses her arms and sighed. "Fair enough."

...of course, being a tad paranoid about herself now that Rin seemed fine, Summer tried to see if she could heat herself up to a comfortable temperature.

She felt little to no difficulty returning to her normal abilities.

"Reminder: Unless others have specified, your government has yet to be informed that the invasion is discontinued."

Decisions were being weighted. With Rin hopefully safe for the time being, and the risk of many lives during this invasion, as much as Summer longed to stay until she knew for sure that Rin was fine, she needed to prioritize.

"I understand," she reluctantly states. "...Could you help me get back?"

And then she was back, just outside the bunker from the first part.

".... ohhhkaaaay..." She takes the moment to recollect her thoughts, then she sighs. With her hearing hopefully returned, she tries to listen and hear aif there is any sounds of explosions or the likes in the distance that could be related to invasions. This was priority number one.

The area seemed calm enough, at least in terms of the invasion being over.

Summoned by a spelling mistake, Summer was greeted by a dapper imp man.  "SALUTATIONS!" The Urd greeted, floating at her side.

go away, you demon.

"... oh... it's you again?..." Summer notes as she was walking towards the bunker. Priority Number 2 was checking on Stiper.

Go

"I have returned post-adventure!  Did we enjoy our time?" Urd floated after her as they approached the bunker. "Would the world leaders be in this bunker still I wonder..."

"You're.... interesting to say the least," She admits, looking ahead. "I'm equally worried about the leaders as much as I am about Stiper... from what I remember, they said she was a um... would 'traitor' fit?"

"Well we will not know until we enter the bunker."

"Then I guess we shall know now, won't we?" she replies, stopping at the entrance. The fox takes in a deep breath and slowly lets out a sigh as she makes her way in, hoping that nothing has gone wrong while she was gone.

Unless the leaders did otherwise, Stiper would be sitting about in a corner somewhere in wait.

At most, the leaders would've probably have given Stiper her own room, watched by guards until Summer's return. And the way Summer flew into the room in an attempt to hug Stiper pretty much meant she was glad to have found the identity safe and sound.

Stiper hugged back immediately. "Is it over?"

She let out a small sigh. "Dunno for sure, but as far as I can tell, it is quiet," she answers. "... I got a bit sidetracked."

"What happened?"

"I entered... I guess the world of the Identities to find the cause of this... ran into someone named Virus... aaaand long story short I got stuck on a long roller coaster of running around the place and even momentarily becoming an identity."

"Y-you met Virus..."

She gives a shrug as if it's no big deal. "She's a pain to deal with, but I think her supposed evilness was overexaggerated."

"... How did you get back?"

"Teleported back by our old friend, Device... has anything happened to you here?"

"No.  They didn't destory it all, did they?"

"That's what I'm going to check out right now," she notes, floating back up. "I just had to check up and make sure you were safe."

"Th-thank you... I... I guess I should go back and see how it is..."

"Alright then...."

Summer instinctively extended her hand, as she is used to carrying people from place to place.

Stiper looked at her hand. "You're... going with me?"

"... we are going to the city, right?... or did you mean back to the identity world?"

"The... Identity world?"

Summer gives a shrug. "Dunno what else to call it... though I do have to go back and make sure the invasion is truly over, so if you really are heading out there... stay safe, Stiper."

"... Can you come with me?!" She suddenly bursted out. "I- I mean, just until I know it's okay?"

"Oh.. s-sure." Summer states, surprise at the sudden outburst, but happy to help nonetheless.

"Thank you..." She stood there for a bit before realizing "Oh, Uh, I can't really... teleport... that far.  Do you know how to get back?  No one's... come back for me yet..."

Summer crossed her arms in thought. "....well... those servers of chaos got me to the area, so I'm not too sure, myself... it's not like I could do it," she thinks, pondering about the identity powers she had a while ago. "....there was a portal. A portal brought me there. I could see if it's still open," she thinks out loud.

"W-well sometimes, you can still like... catch the remaining energy from a portal before it dissolves all the way."

"I can?..." Summer ponders about it, then begins floating in the direction of said portal. "It's worth a shot."

She felt a faint energy as she got closer. Perhaps something left over from her... situation.

Upon reaching the the portal, the thought had finally came to her head. Questioning it, Summer extended her arm to see if she could still do something that she normally wouldn't be able to do.

A rip of energy appeared in front of her. This was immediately brought with the start of a Device recording, demanding who was attempting access, strangely familiar to the first meeting the two had, but this soon was interrupted as it realized this was Summer, and the portal widened.

Reeling her hand back, Summer glanced at Stiper and nodded, as if to let her pass first.

Stiper walked forward through the portal.

Summer made sure to check behind her to make sure she wasn't being watched before following behind.

They were back at the middle of one of the districts. Stiper looked about, seeing how the place wasn't... dying. "... So it's safe..."

"Hopefully it can stay that way," she sighs, looking around the area herself. The thought of Rin came back to her mind, and Summer gets twitchy as a result.

"Are you okay?" Stiper asked.

"Now that I'm back here, I had  a thought about a friend," Summer begins to explain. "The only way I can tell if she's okay is at the end of a tournament... which I have no idea if it's still going or not."

"A tournament?"

"Something about fighting to rule over the identities, if I remember correctly."

Asterisca
Few minutes had passed as a five-foot, nine-inch dull-green-haired man dressed in an off-white robe with a curved scabbard on his left side. A pair of lightweight yet durable gauntlets were equipped on his hands. He bowed before Asterisca. "Milady, I have come to serve. Your vassal is ready for the special operation you have personally requested."

"T-Thank you for lending arms to our cause..." Asterisca replied in gratitude. "And thank you, Aelie... You are still there to support me... What should I give you in return?" she thought before looking at Mynce. "W-We stand ready."

Mynce nodded as they soon joined the others and entered through a portal into what seemed to be an endless white void, though they could feel a sort of barely sandy floor below their feet.

Asterisca's escort followed behind her, looking below if there really was a sandy floor beneath their steps.

Small bits of white were below, grain-like. "The area is far ahead," Mynce called about to the group. "This must be an area not constructed yet."

"Or under construction," Rynzer replied.

Asterisca and her escort looked around to take note of their current environment. "T-This is it...?" asked the female android, unsure of what to say about the new place.

"She just said it's ahead," The red one called over. "Can't we all just run or blast off there?"

"It's getting closer," Mynce informed. Indeed it was getting very close now as they were suddenly in the middle of a city street: as if the area had moved to them, yet with no sign of reverberation damage about.

The buildings were incredibly varied in format, as if every single one was made by a different version of what a "house" would be to someone, but that was hardly the most important aspect compared to that of the growing dozens of these strangely fleshy Identities quickly surrounding the groups: poised to strike at any moment.

"I see... These creatures are the same as the ones we met at war," Asterisca thought.

"What's the plan, milady?" the duelist asked his liege.

"I-I am redirecting that question to... our spearhead," Asterisca said, implying that he should be asking Kyrax. "H-He knows these entities better than us."

"Their energy and biology is the same," Kyrax informed. "They are no threat at these numbers.

This was very evident. Flesh, bone, muscle, and charges of chaos energy, but only in small amounts. They were channeling the energy but they were not giving off anything individually concerning. It would be messy, but it wasn't expected that any difficulty would be had...

Then a spike came directly in front of them. It was a short and incredibly thin feminine figure in a black hood-helmeted suit with a pointed heat at the back going upward. Green tints were at her feet and cuffs of the wrists. Her black scale-like skin was only contrasted by the slit-green eyes. This one was not made of flesh, and there was a definite surge of energy coming off from her.

A monotone question exited the figure. "Your purpose?"

"That entity... It's giving off that strange energy spike," Asterisca thought as her Astral Vigilance did not miss the information that is really before her.

The duelist glanced at Asterisca, who was observing the entity. Peering through the light in her eyes, he turned to the figure. "Who must you be?" he asked.

"Quid pro quo.  Clarification, I asked first," She responded.

Kyrax stepped forward a bit as if he were going to speak, but as if out of courtesy, he turned his head to Asterisca, granting her the honor if she preferred.

"W-We came to investigate... w-w-why one of our territories were attacked... by your kind," she spoke with utmost honesty.

"... Opportunity presented: Accuse of race-based pre-judgement. Statement is pointless. You may follow to speak with our leader," She informed, turning around toward the rest of the street.

"I-I see... I-If that would be the case... the attackers are rogue. Their army of a size of a standard battalion... It's plausible."

"Milady, should we consult the ruler of this area?" the duelist questioned.

"Y-Yes, but we still need to be vigilant..."

The Seven Chaos were already walking forward now, following the woman in black and green.

As did Asterisca and her escort... They were yet to find out who their leader is.

They were all taken through until arriving at a white pillared building. The structure looked very... Roman or Grecian perhaps. Inside as they were brought through the massive doors, at the far back of the room on crimson throne was a murky-brown lynx with red stripes, black hair, and a black and red outfit.

"I presume that is their ruler, milady," the escort told his liege.

Asterisca nodded as she faced the lynx from afar as they drew nearer with every footfall.

"That's close enough," The woman warned as they got closer. The Seven Chaos looked to Kyrax for his response, and he did indeed keep walking a few steps before stopping, and then so did the others.

"... So I'm being invaded by the Power Rangers and... Cyberpunk," She categorized.

"Funny word coming from the invaders," The Red Chaos chuckled out.

"Invaders...?" Asterisca thought. "I should not have reconsidered my conjecture then."

"Oh is that what this is about?  Well now we know why they're all dying," The woman noted before looking to Asterisca. "So it was your world or the fabulous ninjas? ... Or both?"

"You dare mock my liege?" the duelist prepared to quickdraw his sword from his left side while assuming a dangerously looking stance. His rear left foot was charged with wary as he--

A flash of deep pink light emanated from Asterisca's eyes. "Stand down!"Asterisca demanded."We came here to have peaceful negotation, not exchange blows."

The duelist stopped as he straightened up. "Very well, milady. My apologies."

Asterisca then turned to the lynx."Yes, the surface of Regigyrev has been under attack by your kind. What is your goal in doing this?"

"I think we're all missing the part where I decide if I want to entertain this," The woman noted. "What's to stop me from just having you all destroyed and continuing on with the invasion?"

"The part about your units getting easily taken out might be a good reason," Rynzer scoffed in a humored tone. "I mean, if you want to send more over to get blown up, go right ahead."

"Whatever," The woman rolled her eyes before looking back at Asterisca. "You're here for a peaceful negotiation, right? Fine. What exactly would you have in mind to stop the Dominion from attacking? You can skip whatever the threat is and get to alternatives."

"You have not answered my query yet, Asterisca noted. "Before we jump to such, what is your purpose for attacking Regigyrev? Is it for mere sport? Or is it for the need of materials or territorial area?"

"Good question. You're in my territory so I'm not going to answer it until you answer mine," she replied bluntly.

"... Very well," Asterisca complied to the apparent hierarchy, without having to resort to unnecessary violence. "We have intel of uninhabited territories. We also have resources to provide you if you need any. What more do you need?"

"... I'd say that's actually a pretty reasonable start," The woman nodded.

"I would say otherwise," Kyrax replied in a dark tone. "Our intention upon arrival was out of good will but this confirmation of a knowing invasion by this... 'Dominion' has weakened this restraint."

"Say what you will," The woman sighed, "but if it's not your world then it's up to them, and if this is the deal they're offering, I'm more than willing to follow through with this idea."

"I confirm your approval to this peace treaty then. The Empyrdom will provide you supplies and intel. However, if your forces lay a finger on any of our territories, this deal will be vanquished... And we will show you no mercy."

"Had it not been for milady's mercy, my blade would have swiftly rent your throat in shreds..." the duelist told the lynx in warning. "Now that I answered your question as territorial hierarchy demands so, it is your turn to answer my one question," Asterisca reminded the lynx, telling her so from the latter's own condition. "Why did you invade Regigyrev?"

The lynx sighed, her somewhat more snarky attitude fading away for the moment as she looked somewhat crossly to the side. "We're not mobian, or overlander, or human, or anything of the like... At least we didn't used to be.  We're still trying to find out what, but something suddenly changed and now just about every Identity got turned into... some fleshy mortal version of their original selves.  We've got enemies, so the logical conclusion is to bolster our ranks and grow as fast as possible before said enemies realize what's happened.  Even now we are a force, but this is a set-back."

I realize your need for the growth of your forces but the lives of the people you have taken during an invasion is irreplaceable," Asterisca replied. "As the ruler of what you call 'Identities', you know this full well."

"And you just said I know this full well, so you should know well that I considered that when I made that decision," she replied bluntly. "Either way-"

"HOLD ON!" the doors were forced open as a grey-hooded figure ran in. It was an adult woman... or teen girl, hard to tell, with black scaled skin and blue eyes.

The duelist faced whoever just barged in. He prepared his sheathed sword should unfortunate circumstances arise. "Who's there?"

"Who let her get in here?" The red-striped feline peered.

"Hold on- hold on," The girl kept replying as the guardians Identities poised weaponry at the girl. "I'm here for a truce, so we can figure out whatever happened!"

"... Who i-"

"This is Rin," The leading Identity informed. "She is the figurehead-leader of our number-one enemy faction."

"Enemy faction..." Asterisca thought as she faced Rin. What was the latter trying to tell them...?

The duelist stood firm and moved his right hand from his scabbard, sighing in relief. "What do you have in mind, Miss Rin?"

"W-" Rin looked confused at the duelist, but soon got her bearings. "O-oh, well this was mostly for Identity people with all the... weird changes, but we could get some kind o-"

"Alright, if we're allies now, how about we kill the leader of our enemy?" The red-striped one suggested impatiently before looking to the Seven Chaos. "You have anything to contribute, Voltron?"

"Something is happening outside," Kyrax replied as a scream rang out outside the building, followed by other screams.

Asterisca equipped her sword handles in preparation for a potential skirmish. "Let us inspect the situation at once then."

The duelist walked behind Asterisca. "I have your rear, milady," he affirmed, preparing to draw his sword.

The entire congregation found themselves going out to inspect: Identities yelling out that there was a murder and a monster. They looked to Asterisca's group at first--particularly the Seven Chaos--but these hinted suspicions were already fading.

What the panic seemed to be centered on was a body with the chest torn open, filled with a metallic sand and red paint. Asterisca would specifically notice the red paint was leaving a trail further down the road, but no one except Kyrax seemed to notice it. The thin Identity in black and green had left.

"... A murder with an unknown murderer, inferred Asterisca, looking at the trail that the paint left. Her escort was just behind, gripping on his sword should challenging circumstances arise.

Kyrax was going down as well, the three following it further down the city. The others were examining the body.

Asterisca followed the trail along with her escort-- slow wary footfalls forward... Who exactly committed the murder? They were yet to find out as they pressed on, readying their armaments.

Eventually they arrived at a gated section of the city, where the green and black Identity stood in front.

Asterisca and her escort stood behind Kyrax from a fair distance, observing what is transpiring in the vicinity.

"This area is restricted," The green-tinted woman stated.

"And do you believe that will stop us?" Kyrax replied.

The woman stepped to the side, but gave a warning "Do not disturb the soil."

The gates began to open out showing a plain of rich dirt on the other side.

"Do you have an idea as to what this area is?" Asterisca asked Kyrax, as a means of familiarizing her surroundings better.

"A wild-life reserve maybe," He theorized while walking onward.

Asterisca and the duelist followed suit. Who knows who they will encounter on the way...

They heard a repeating quacking up ahead...and soon after, they found a clean lake ahead with a single toy duck waddling toward the center. The water deeper below was too dark to see what was there.

The hue of Asterisca's pink eyes faded back to blue. "H-Huh...?" was her reaction to the toy duck floating atop the water. To her, this does not seem to be a place for personal leisure... Otherwise, it would be strange.

"This is not of my knowledge," the Green-tinted woman informed as she was suddenly next to them now. The large green-cloaked man reached outward at the water, but then paused as he then turned to Asterisca. "You are not an entity of chaos as we are, and yet you were one of the few able to witness this."

"... I-I see... W-What of it?" Asterisca asked, as the duelist were observing the two mysterious entities.

"I think you are the intended party to fetch the duck."

"V-Very well... I-If you don't mind," Asterisca responded, drawing nearer to the lake, about to jump in. The duelist watched over her liege.

Kyrax nodded. "I will aid if needed."

The female android began jumping into the lake and swimming towards the duck. She was not powered by electricity so it was safe for her.

She soon caught up with the duck, and immediately as she did, it let out one last quack before vanishing: its last echoed sound being the only thing heard save for Asterisca's swimming. One could assume this to be a trap, and perhaps it still was, but now as she was in the center, she would suddenly notice something at the bottom.

There was a body at the bottom.

Asterisca then swam towards the body while the duelist observed the lake.

It was covered in strange rotting chains but the chest was puffed out slightly, like there was still air in the lungs.

She then attempted to carry it to the surface by using her hands to support its back and its legs.

The chains were a nuisance at first, but with how rusted they were, they soon cracked off and the two surfaced. Kyrax now floated over the water, reaching out to aid them upward. "We are no longer alone," He informed. The leader and the others were now at the shore of the lake, watching them.

Asterisca jumped out of the water, carrying the corpse on her arms and leaving a wave of water as she emerged. The wave was not strong enough to reach land. However, Asterisca was able to land safely on the ground with both feet.

At this, Kyrax simply turned as Asterisca arrived back at the shore, his hand slowly retracting and closing. He said nothing more at this moment.

"You... fished out a person," Rynzer noted. "... That's a thing- did you put 'em in there?" He looked to the red-striped leader.

"Why do you people keep forgetting I don't answer to you?" The woman snapped back.

"Okay, I'll take th-"

"No, I have no idea.  You can leave now."

The figure on Asterisca's arms seemed to be that of a young adult: a female lynx in orange-brown fur, black stripes, and long black hair.

Asterisca then slowly let go of the body, gently placing it on the grass with her sturdy yet delicate hands. She stood firm. "W-Who might this be...?"

"That would be the original," The Green-Tinted one informed.

"O-Original...? A-An Identity, perhaps?"

"Whatever or whoever, we should wake her," Kyrax insisted.

Asterisca began removing the chains wrapped around her and observed the body. Its chest seemed to be puffed. "Hm..."

The yellow chaos stepped forward with a blunt "Alright, moving along," before pressing his hands down on the chest of the woman, prompting a very large belch from the body along with inhaled water.

She continued removing the remaining cracked chains as the belch began to subside.

Eventually the water was replaced by gasping air as the woman jumped slightly, looking about with wide green eyes.

"W-We have a response...!" Asterisca took note.

"Y-yeah... hi-..." The woman narrowed her eyes a bit as she looked over at Asterisca. "You saved me?"

"W-We did..." Asterisca replied. "A-Are you all right now?"

"Depends on the intention of the angry person behind you."

"... W-What." Asterisca then turned her head to see who was behind.

The other woman, the leader, had weaponized arms with pointed blades now.

The duelist stepped in between and reached for his sword. "Milady, kindly step back. I have this one."

"B-Be careful..." she replied to her escort.

"What is this?" Kyrax demanded.

"The original," the green-tinted Identity gestured to the lynx. "Virus," She then gestured to the current leader. "The... current... Pix."

"What are you trying to do?" the duelist interrogated, preparing to take arms all for his liege.

"Preserving my position," The now known "Pix" replied.

Rynzer decided to take action at this, forming a yellow glass-looking wall between Asterisca's group and Virus, and the Identities.

"You can all leave or remain without any harm as long as you stay out of my way against this... problem," Pix offered.

Asterisca submerged herself into thought... This confused her pretty quick. Who is Virus? Who is really Pix, even? And what are the Identities up to now? She might be getting her answers in the right time, as her escort stood firm and let out a slight "Tch."

She heard a voice whisper "You don't have a good reason to trust me, but I want to live soooooo, please don't mess this up, please?" as this "Virus" was suddenly attempting to submerge herself and Asterisca into the water as a bolt of blue appeared at their left: teleported to strike at the lynx.

Asterisca scrambled at the front of the lynx as an external astral shielding surrounding her soaked the bolt upon contact. The duelist assumed a quickdraw stance, preparing to strike back against the assailing Identities. "Prepare yourselves... for you have attacked my liege."

The lynx immediately fell off as Asterisca stepped forward, choosing to jump back into the water.

Pix dismissed this threat from Asterisca's allies as she was much more preoccupied, but they were still in the way, and thus small circular discs began to form just below their feet, multiplying at the specific gravity beneath them.

"I'm only after the lynx, so stay out of my way," She repeated, but the Seven Chaos were also still in her way, and Rynzer had yet to lower the yellow shielding.

"What do you want with her?" the duelist was about to draw his blade... pulling back as soon as he gets a sensible answer.

"I want her dead.  Move."

"Hold on," Rynzer dove into the water after the lynx, prompting a sudden barrage of blue energy bolts raining down into the lake. The matter it touched seemed to dissolve upon contact.

Asterisca glanced towards Rynzer diving into the lake. "What is he doing?" she thought as she turned back straightforward.

Thirty of the mortal Identities teleported above the water, diving after the bolts, Rynzer, and the lynx called "Virus".

The Green-Tinted woman turned to Asterisca. "Preference query: Preservation of Virus or Preservation of Pix?"

"Hm... D-Do not let the Dominion kill what we have saved. Preserve Virus!" she demanded, spinning the handles of her rapiers as antimatter blades emerged from their hilts.

"As you wish, milady," the duelist affirmed, ready to attack together.

"That's unfortunate," Pix stated bluntly. "I run all space in this place. Device."

Device nodded, but as Asterisca and... everyone nearly it seemed that wasn't an Identity, began feeling a flickering around them with the Dominion locking in to send them elsewhere, Asterisca could hear the Green-Tinted woman's voice stating "Clarification and Suggestion: Do not resist. You are not in danger. Further explanations to follow."

Asterisca and her escort ready their blades should Pix or Device attack them... The green-tinted woman might be lying to them so they have to brace themselves for an impending event.

The Dominion flickered out of sight as Asterisca, and her aids found themselves reappearing some couple hundred yards in the air above some mobian city beach below: the lynx falling some yards ahead of them.