The operatives all regrouped at Dies Arch, a canyon that intersected the Elaice Highway, Eagus Wilderness, and Ribbi Flats. The rest of Colony 30 traveled down as well to set up camp and give their heroes a place to rest. The Iota soldiers were bound and locked in cells, but for now, Pochi had no energy left to go after their clock. "I say we made some big progress today, team!" Kansai announced with a scratch of his nose. "Now that we know we can take down those giant robots, we're pretty much invincible!"
"You're spewing jinxes all over us, man." Pochi replied.
"Hey, why you gotta be like that after that performance?"
"Because our enemy will only make things harder for us. We're far from invincible."
"Well, like it or not, you and Yuki are our top players, so get into the spirit!"
"AYE-AYE, CAPTAIN!" Yuki saluted.
"Since we know how to save the Mirans now," Chuko began, "you think we should go back to Colony 9 and save Eunie and the others?"
"Eunie?" Valdi and Nikol perked up. "You mentioned you were in Colony 9 when you landed, but… Eunie was with you?"
"Uh-huh. Noah, Lanz, Mwamba, Joran… why?" Pochi asked.
"Mwamba and Joran were in that sector, sure, but those other three were part of our Top Sector."
"So, they're a pretty big deal."
"She is the princess, after all."
"Huh?" Kansai asked. "Who? Eunie?"
"Yeah. Eunie Antiqua. Did you… not know?"
"Like Queen Melia Antiqua!" Jennu exclaimed. "The Miran member of the Galactic Council!"
"We were friends with a princess!" Chuko beamed. "I was friends with a princess!"
"I'm guessing she's one of those rebellious princesses." Tattsun remarked, thinking of Eunie's strong, tomboyish accent and vulgar phrasing.
"Haha, she almost never goes home to the castle." Valdi laughed. "And you won't catch her dead wearing no regal dress. She just likes chilling with her buds and I can respect that!"
"And Noah… he's my cousin." Nikol changed the subject sheepishly.
"Really?" replied Pochi.
"Yeah. He learned swordplay from Uncle Dunban. That's him over there."
Dunban was wearing an Uncle Sam uniform, pointing at the kids with a strict expression. "He happened to be mixed in with our colony when this happened." Valdi said.
"It's good to have him back." Pochi smiled.
"Huh?" Suna questioned.
"Nothing."
"So, is Lanz also a prince or somethin'? Of the robot race?" Kansai asked.
"Nah, just an average Machina operative." Valdi answered. "The rest of their sector consisted of Mio, Sena, and Taion, but I imagine they'd be on the 'Agnian' side."
"Oh, we know them!" Nyoro lit. "We were in Colony Lambda with them!"
"Sena…" Pochi repeated in a whisper.
"So, tomorrow, we'll save Colony 9!" Chuko decided.
"I dunno." Kansai replied.
"Uh…'scuse me?"
"I mean… who's to say that Sage girl can't brainwash everyone again? Didn't she almost do it to us after Pochi freed us the first time?"
"Then why doesn't she do it NOW?" Suna questioned.
"'Cause Pochi's still here? How do we know these guys will be safe after we leave?"
"They could all travel with us." Chuko reasoned.
"This is WAY too big of a group." Aniki stated. "Even when it was just the…" he had to count a minute, "10 of us?"
"He's not wrong." Pochi replied. "About either."
"But destroying the clocks helps free them." Jennu followed. "So, if they're destroyed, maybe she can't… recreate them?"
"But it makes you wonder where they, or where Sage came from in the first place. There's still a lot we don't know."
"Look, let's just stay in contact." Valdi replied. "We still have our communicators, so we'll make some for you. We'll hold the ground in this region along with Iota, and we'll try to update you if anything happens."
"'kay, but what about Colony 9?" Chuko asked.
"Even if Sage can't re-brainwash them," Kansai answered, "that's still gonna be a long backtrack. I say we press on ahead and try to find Sage's base. She and her cronies gotta have a base somewhere in Aionios. We crush them, we save all colonies at once!"
"It would take a while to try and save every single colony." Pochi agreed.
"But it's still good to have as many allies available, right?" Suna inputted. "Especially if they're a Top Sector! Let's craft another buggy or something and speed on to Nine!"
"The faster we get off this planet, the better." Aniki said. "I say we press on and find the enemy base."
"But won't having more allies help us beat the enemies faster?" Vanilla inquired.
"Kind of seems like Pochi's sword would do the job enough." Tattsun figured.
"If I might intervene," Valdi spoke, "there are three possible areas the enemy base could be: the Cent-Omnia region in the center of the continent, at Colony Command, Supreme Commander Zeon's base, or even at Swordmarch, the great sword mountain. Or at some other hideout we don't know. Aionios is massive, after all."
"That's where Ghondor's school was." Suna said. "Swordmarch…"
"I just wanna know where the rest of my sector is." Mowchan said.
"I wouldn't know of any other giants." Nikol replied. "Though you said you wanted to meet Chef Manana. She's on Lambda-"
"I say we go ahead to Lambda!" The giant's mouth was watering in hunger.
"For Pete's sake!" Chuko stomped.
"Valdi, could you show us that map again?" Pochi requested.
"Sure!" He handed them a small device that would project a holographic map. "Just keep it, we have a copy."
"Hmmm…" Pochi zoomed out from the Fornis region, which already had a spot marked for Iota's clock. Colony Command and Swordmarch were close to each other. "Honestly, I say we keep going. Freeing Command would be a huge bonus if we could manage it, plus Suna's sister might be on Swordmarch. All in favor?"
"Yeah/Sure/Here-here." The kids chorused different responses. Only Chuko and Vanilla didn't agree.
"Majority rule, we're good." Kansai affirmed. Chuko huffed and turned away.
"Well, okay…" Vanilla shrugged.
"Let's get some sleep for now." Nikol said. "Poppibuster, keep watch on the prisoners and alert us to any danger."
"Of course, young master."
"I'll stay up, too." Vanilla offered. "I don't gotta sleep like this!"
"Hmm…" Nyoro sighed in worry.
Mowchan tucked under his sleeping bag as some of the ops rested on his cushy belly. This time, even Kansai snuggled on him just to sleep next to Yuki… while Chuko, even more frustrated, decided to sleep on her own mat. She was too angry to even cover up as it only made her suffocated, hoping the cool air would lull her into slumber. Eventually, it did… but as she remained uncovered, a small baby Scorpox crept up to her. It stabbed Chuko in the ankle with its tail before wandering off, the girl stirring as her leg twitched.
Yuki fell into a warm and pleasant sleep… but as quiet and darkness enveloped her, something begun to take form: a heart. No, two hearts. One was bright white and easily noticeable, and the other a grayish-black. "Strange…" a deep voice spoke as two, clawed hands reached for the hearts. "I thought they would be removed of their conscience… and yet, there is something inside them…" A silver mask took form, a single red eye glaring through it.
Who are you?
"Ah! So, it can speak…"
What can speak? What… am I? Who are you?
"…I lost my name long ago. Now I am nothing. I once served a man for whom I held great admiration… but now he's gone. Every battle I've endured has been for nothing."
Nothing?
The voice let out a chuckle. "And I am not the only one, it seems. I merely resigned myself to wander this planet… looking for a place to die. Did I find you by chance? Or did you call me to you?"
I called you? I didn't even know there was anyone to call.
"You and I are both nothings. But, perhaps…" The hands softly embraced the hearts. "Perhaps, together, we can be something."
How does nothing become something?
"Hmm…good question. I suppose it starts with… a name. I suppose I could give you one…"
Even though you are nothing?
"Heh heh heh. Then I'll give you something to call me. Since you are a new conscience, and I am bringing you into conscience… you may call me Father."
"Father?" Yuki murmured in her sleep.
"As for your name…hmm…perhaps…"
Cyberspace
Sage gazed upon Fusion RP with only mild satisfaction. She detached them as they landed in a dizzy manner. "Well, it felt like we were tastin' each other's spit… but I think we have a good kinship." Mumkhar smirked at his comrade.
"An adequate first test… but these alone won't be powerful enough to stop them."
"And whose fault is that?" J inquired. "You're the all-powerful being who rules this world."
"It's taken most of my power thus far to maintain control! Only by adapting to this planet that I'll be ready for more."
"Leave it to a child to use the same old excuse. 'Wah, wah, my powers haven't yet returned to me, but maybe they will when I reach puberty, then all the boys will love me!' Wait, what're we talking about again?"
"SILENCE, J!" Sage electrocuted him, though J seemed more elated by the sensation. "It's one thing to lose your armor, but you could've done more than redecorate that forest!" She released him.
"Oh, I, I…" J sighed. "You just don't understand. Messing with these kids is fun and all… but it's just not the same." He bowed his head glumly. "I thought I would be happy committing crimes for all eternity… but it's empty without him to share it with."
"No doubt that's why our Fusion didn't hold long." Enforcer O replied. Clothed in mechanical soldier's armor, he was twirling four revolvers on his indexes and pinkies. "Seeing those visions of you and that bat… your heart is closed to anyone else."
Snapping his head to O in offense, J whipped out a gun and shot—it only stuck out a pole with the 'POW' banner. "Don't even PRETEND to think you understand me!" J thwacked O over the head with it.
"I'll accept no excuses from you either!" Sage stated. "Now, go and practice your Fusions out in the field. We must get this situation back in control. That boy and his Blade… I need to ask the doctor about them. Begone."
"Heh, you better." J turned and exited the room, his arms flittering about. "Or else that kid will be in control, and you'll be obsolete!"
Sage grit her teeth as the clown exited in that manner. His fellow Enforcers followed, Mumkhar sparing a snicker. Once they were gone, another entered, ghostly white-dressed girl holding a mirror. "M…" Sage addressed in a more soothed tone.
"We've been unable to retrieve L. There is more security than expected of her prison."
"Hmmm…" Sage was saddened. She cherished those rest periods of her and M trying to cram into L's tiny bedroom, being served cake and tea that Sage couldn't stomach. "At any rate, perhaps you could retrieve the doctor for me."
"The Genius is-"
"No. I meant Dr. Omelette. Ask the Heroine if she's available."
Sage?
"Yes. It's a name for one with profound wisdom. In some cases, it's for those who achieved enlightenment or balance. And I…heh, have never been worthy of the name. But perhaps you might."
But how does one achieve enlightenment and balance?
"How indeed. I suppose one must find a purpose. I had one, once. Let me tell you about the man I served…"
Fornis Region
Colony Iota's Life Clock was hidden in a small, but deep pond at the end of the Tepnos Heights canyon. A spirit tree was growing from it. Pochi and Yuki dove and swam to the bottom of the pond, finding the clock under the tree's roots. They destroyed it and returned to the surface to use Restore on the Iota agents.
One of the C-30 operatives reported a large red axe stuck in the ground at the Sage's Balcony, a cliff with twin trees overlooking the sky. (Seriously, this is a location in the game, perfect coincidence.) "Hey, that's the axe from the Aion's tail." Pochi recognized.
"NO WAY!" Kansai exclaimed, running up and raising his bat to the axe. "This would be a PERFECT fusing weapon! Hit me, Pochi!"
Pochi shrugged and fused the axe onto Kansai's bat, shrinking it to fit. "Can't be actual size, huh? Well, still good!" He slashed it about the air and sliced the trees.
"Hey, don't be mean to the trees!" Vanilla scolded.
The operatives approached a flight of tall ledges that would ascend the rest of the great cliff. Chuko, falling behind the others with a sore ankle, was first to hear Valdi's call behind them. "Heeeeeey!"
"Valdi!" Chuko's alert drew the others' attention.
"Oh, hey!" Pochi called. "Did you forget something?"
"I thought I'd leave you a little gift before you go. Introducing… Mechafriend!" He stepped aside, presenting a child-size, skinny, humanoid Levnis.
"Oh, the robot I practiced my possession on!" Vanilla chirped.
"Can he shoot lasers or rockets?" Kansai asked.
"He's not designed for fighting, but he can project a small shield like Pai, can lift tons, and help you with little chores if need be. I suppose he can tackle enemies if you want him to… and he throws like a dream."
"That all? He'll make a good baseball buddy, I guess…"
"I guess it wouldn't hurt to take him." Pochi approached. "Huh?" A new yellow light appeared on his glove: Customize. "A new power?"
"Oh, wow! We're growing every day!" Yuki cheered.
"Hmm…" Pochi shined a light on the robot: a menu of various accessories appeared, including eyes. He gave the robot some big anime eyes like some of them. "Okay, this is cool!"
"So, you're gonna dress him up?" Valdi asked.
"No offense, but the base design is… a little plain."
"Oh." Valdi drooped. "Well, I'm giving him to you, so I suppose you can make him however you like."
"Give him a hat!" Kansai shouted. "A baseball cap like mine!"
"Ugh!" Chuko scoffed. "At least give him a different hat!"
Pochi settled with a yellow and green baseball cap. "How about shorts?" Tattsun requested. "Then he'll blend in with most of us." Pochi went with dark-teal shorts.
"Give him a band-aid!" Kansai suggested. "To show he ain't afraid of gettin' bruised." Pochi added two blue band-aids crossed like an "X" on his right knee.
"A watch! Give him a cool watch!" Tattsun pled. Pochi put a dark watch with a green clock on his left wrist.
With a bit more thinking, Pochi added on a light-blue shirt with thick yellow stripes, similar shoes, and light-brown hair. He made the ears larger than normal, and made the eyes match his hair and hat. For one last touchup, he turned the pockets yellow to give them emphasis. With the design complete, the kids looked upon the creation in awe. "Wow…" Valdi smiled. "He really looks like one of you."
"I love him!" Vanilla jumped.
"Now he needs a name!" Kansai said. "Hmmm…" He studied him intently trying to think of one. "Well, the ears and hair make him kinda seem like a monkey. Kong? Chimpy? Reichourui?"
"Eh?" Yuki questioned the word.
"Japanese for primates."
"Why not Reycho?" Pochi asked.
"Yeah, that works! Reycho!"
"Okay!" Pochi held a thumbs-up. "From here on out, you're Reycho!"
Reycho smiled and thumbed back! "Haha!" Valdi laughed. "You have fun with them, friend! Keep in touch!" He raced back to his colony.
"Hang on, can you customize any of us?" Suna wondered.
"Huh, maybe. I guess it's similar to how Sage put us in those uniforms." He aimed at Kansai and changed him to swim trunks.
"WHUH?!" He crossed his arms over his torso in shock, his teammates giggling. Pochi then changed Jennu into a fur coat with a feather hat.
"Hmhm, not a bad power! But I think I'll keep my normal look for now. We probably couldn't use it for disguise options if the soldiers see us as monsters, anyway."
"True." Pochi changed them back. "Welp, welcome to the club, Reycho."
"The GO-GETTERS CLUB!" Kansai cheered. "Hey, hey, HO!" And he thumbed up with a big grin. "…" He looked around at his teammates, "Why aren't you 'hey hey ho'ing?"
"I wanted to be Zodiacs." Tattsun huffed.
"And we're not chanting a silly catchphrase." Aniki stated. "Now let's quit wasting time and get climbing."
"Killjoys."
Though Jennu's power could help them traverse up easy, they gave her bending a break and gave their muscles a workout by climbing the purple vine walls up each ledge. They reached the top and viewed the Rae-Bel Tableland, an upper valley with more grassland, river, and creatures. A split mountain loomed in the distance. "The map reads that's the New Urayan Mountains." Pochi said. "Based on how they resemble the Titan, Uraya."
"So, that could've been a living thing, huh?" Mowchan whimpered. "Sure makes a guy feel small…"
The sky grew glum with clouds and rainfall seemed imminent. The lone Saffronia tree provided beauty to the area, a tree consisting of lush orange-pink leaves. Vanilla glitched her way up the tree to pick some nuts growing from it. "Aniki, Nyoro, doesn't it match my hair?"
"It sure does, Vanilla!" Nyoro supported.
"Huff…hoo…" Chuko panted. "Let's take a break under it. I'm kinda beat."
"We barely got anywhere." Kansai said. "Let's keep movin'."
"But it might rain! This makes good shelter!"
"We'll find another tree if it does. I feel more energized than ever, so get with it, team!" Kansai marched forth.
"Jerk…"
"I'll carry you." Mowchan offered. "Nyoro, can you make me big?"
"Sure!" Nyoro blew the giant back up to size.
Mowchan scooped his little friend up. "I got tiny legs too, so I know how it feels."
"My tiny legs aren't the problem! A-And they're not tiny! I've been walking around so much lately that my leg feels numb… and my heel's itchy. I think it's starting to tear the padding off my shoe."
The ops had practice on the aggressive animals on their way up Dow Dolmen, a small canyon road that would lead to the Urayan Trail. Left of the trail was a ledge over the abyss, and they could make out the bridge to an ancient city overgrown with trees and moss. "Hey, Mr. Pochi?" Yuki spoke. "Last night… I think I had a dream."
"Yeah?"
"I saw two hearts… a white one and black one. There was a man talking, and… someone was talking back. And I think that someone was Sage."
"So, you remembered something?"
"Maybe. Because it felt like I was there, too. And that man said… to call him Father." Yuki looked around at her curious friends. "You know, lots of you guys have sisters or brothers… so, you think Sage could be my sister?"
"That explains a lot!" Chuko shouted. "I KNEW I didn't trust you!"
"That's sort of what I guessed in the first place." Jennu said. "We have the 'good twin, evil twin' trope."
"But Pochi awakened Yuki from a Core Crystal and became her Driver." Tattsun reminded. "Does that mean… Sage is also a Blade with a Driver?"
"I never suspected her as the true mastermind." Pochi replied. "After all, she looks like a Program. That means she has a creator. Even if she's also a Blade, neither she nor Yuki are ordinary ones."
"I wish I could remember more…"
"You remembered something, so I'm sure it'll become clearer soon. But I'm sure you'll still be our friend when you do."
"Hahaha!"
"Or maybe she'll become an even greater evil force than Sage!" Chuko argued.
"Chuko, will you just drop it already?" Kansai said, stopping to look up at her. "The only reason we have a shot at beating Sage is 'cause of Yuki, so why don't ya show a little gratitude?"
"Excuse me?" Chuko forsook her fatigue and jumped down from Mowchan's hand, stomping up to Kansai. "Ever since this started, you haven't thanked or praised me for anything! 'Gee, Chuko, thanks for drying us off, thanks for making us an awesome Fusion,' did that ever cross your mind?!"
"Maybe it would've if you didn't whine about everything!"
"I have every right to whine! I'm stuck on an alien planet where everyone wants to kill us, walking so much that my ankles hurt, and having to follow a poophead leader who doesn't care if I scrape my knee!"
"Do you know how many times I scrape myself in baseball? A little scratch is nothin' to cry over. And if ya bothered to eat healthier, ya wouldn't be so tired now."
"We've all been eating Mowchan's cooking, so I should be as healthy as the rest of you!"
"Yeah, but you're still full of them spicy chips ya keep fartin' out."
"UGH! I can't take it anymore! I'm just… gonna sit by the wall!" She stomped toward the cliffside and sat. "I'm done following you!"
"Yeah, well I'm done puttin' up with you!"
"And I am just done with both of you." Nyoro said, her brow twitching. "All in favor of leaving them behind?"
She, Aniki, Jennu, Suna, and Tattsun raised hands. "…Unfortunately, it seems we're outvoted." Tattsun said. "Come on, Reycho, be our victory!" The robot shrugged.
"Come on, we can't really leave them behind?" Vanilla reasoned.
"Just Weenify them like you suggested before." Aniki said.
"Let's just… take a break." Pochi sighed. "A separation break. Some of us can stay here with Chuko, the rest of us…hmm, that spot looks good." He pointed to the top of a tall, natural platform along the cliff. "Could give us a good view of the area."
"I don't mind a good climb!" Kansai marched toward the platform with gusto.
Only Mowchan, Pai, Reycho, and Vanilla stayed with Chuko while the others climbed the vine walls leading onto the Clifftop Pillar. There, they sat and rested, except for Kansai on his back. "But if we're being honest, I get where she's coming from." Suna said. "You're gonna apologize after this, right?"
"And why should I? With how she's been treating Yuki?"
"She just wants appreciation. Just thank her for all the things she mentioned and promise you'll do it more from now on. You can't keep fighting like this."
"Even if I start doin' that, she'll keep acting snotty and entitled. Prob'ly more so. We might as well just boot her from this team and send her back to Valdi."
"That's fair." Tattsun said. "Having 13 members in our group just bothers me. Someone has to go."
Suna bashed his head. "The only odd one out here is you!"
"Moving on…" Nyoro sighed. "This is where Lambda was based before we headed down to ambush 30. I don't see their Ferronis now, but that bridge is swarming with Agnians."
"There's even a Keves base there." Pochi pointed to the camp stationed outside one of the ancient buildings. "They're so close, so why don't they fight?"
"Could it be that… they have no reason to?" Nyoro wondered. "When we fought Valdi's team, there were a bunch of cloned soldiers spawning in. Some of these people could just be extra backup Sage creates. And she could have them stationed at places like these."
"But the clones wouldn't yield EXP, so they don't fight each other." Pochi deduced. "They're probably meant to be safe places for the real soldiers. And Colony Command is over that bridge."
"Then we steamroll straight across." Kansai proposed. "And not just with Mowchan."
"Actually… looking at that layout, I might be able to 'Metal Gear' my way across."
"Huh???" Yuki had no idea what that meant.
"It means I sneak across and K.O. every soldier. I'm the sector's spy, so I do this all the time. And if they aren't real people, I could probably just… derezz them."
"Let us come, too." Nyoro said. "If you get caught, you'll need help in the battle."
"I can walk under the bridge and help in a pinch." Jennu offered.
"That'd be good. And, Kansai… why don't you go let the others know?"
"You ain't the boss here." Kansai scoffed.
Pochi sighed as Jennu proceeded to float him and Yuki down. Yuki would stay close as Pochi snuck his way around and behind the available crates and storage chambers. He materialized Lucky's incomplete aura form, leapt to cup the mouth of every soldier from behind, and impale them as their bodies derezzed, dropping only the guns and other items. "Heh, really just like a videogame." he whispered.
Chuko's group watched as the other party climbed down the pillar and made their way to the bridge. "I guess break time's over." Vanilla said. "Should we catch up?"
"Just let 'em go ahead…huff…" Chuko panted. "Who cares… about…"
"Are you okay… Chuko?" Pai asked.
"Just… a headache… stupid Kansai… I'm so sick of…huff…"
Pai placed a hand to her forehead. "That doesn't feel like just a headache."
"?!" Reycho noticed the hint of purple on Chuko's left leg, near the edge of her shoe. He grabbed and hastened to pull it off. "Hey, what're you doing?!" Chuko shouted. "Whuh-?!" Her foot was dotted with purple spots, with the nastiest one around the wound at her ankle. "A-a-a…AAAAAHH! What happened to me?!"
"It looks like you were bit by something! Mowchan, where's that med kit Valdi gave us?!"
"Uh, ooo, uhh…" Mowchan fished around in his pack for the kit. "Here!" He lowered it for Reycho. "You must know what medicine to give her, right?"
Reycho nodded, grabbing a vial of medicine and pouring some over the wound. He then poured some down Chuko's throat. "Let go of me, ya slimy octo!" They turned and saw Aniki dragging Kansai.
"The sooner you get this over with, the better! Just say you're sorry and…? What're you guys doing?"
"Aniki, Chuko's sick! She's got these purple spots!"
"Huh?" Kansai looked. Chuko was in a mix of panic and exhaust, breathing heavily with a red face and a dotted leg.
"Let's call Valdi and ask what this is." Pai suggested. "Aniki, what were those guys doing?"
"Th-They're going to take out the guards on the bridge with stealth. Hold on, I'll call Nyoro."
Pochi's stealth wasn't perfect as the last four guards spotted the spies, but Jennu would arch up from beneath the bridge and kick two in ambush. They would hand the Agnians a swift defeat and make the bridge almost clear. The exception was the large floating mech in the bridge tunnel; a Levnis of the Ulula brand. "We should get everyone else before we take that one."
"Guys, there's trouble!" Nyoro rushed over. "Aniki just called, Chuko's sick! She looks like she was poisoned by something!"
"What?! Then let's head back-"
"Leaving so soon?" (Play "Encounter" from Metal Gear Solid!)
They knew no good could possibly come from hearing a strange voice ask that question. It took a moment to notice the helicopter-bicycle above them… but it wasn't J's escape glider, nor was that his voice, because it sounded like an adult male's. Also, the "wheels" of the bike looked more like… guns? And so did the small propellers keeping the bike afloat. "That was impressive espionage… but you should know by now, in this world, there's no hiding from us."
"Another of Sage's cronies?" Pochi glared.
"Cronies? Pah. Here, I am known as Consul O, but if that's too simple," he withdrew two revolvers on each hand, alternating and twirling them along his fingers, "then you children may call me," he began juggling two of those revolvers at a time while still twirling the others, "Consul…" he halted pedaling and began spinning another one between his shoes, "Ocelot!"
"So, are all you consuls circus freaks then?" Suna asked.
"Guys, just check on Chuko." Jennu said. "I'll kick him off his high horse!" She fell upward, heel aimed at O, but as the force pushed him, he would push out from her leg and deliver a swift punch to the heel. O would land on the bridge while Jennu felt heavier. "What?! A chi-block?"
"Gravitybending is focused in the feet, I believe. Some call them gravity-connectors."
"Taste THIS gravity-connector!" Suna switched to her sled shoes and threw a kick, but though O reeled from the first three kicks, he grabbed Suna's leg on the 4th kick and pulled her over before chi-blocking her stomach. Jennu pulled Suna to her level with gravity—"OUCH!" but both girls were shot by lasers.
"Hey!" Tattsun pointed in panic. The guns that were dropped by the soldiers were floating and shooting the ops, Tattsun drawing in their energy with his bending. "This guy's a psychicbender!"
"Then why isn't he grabbing us?!" Pochi and Yuki surrounded either side of him, landing cuts with their aura swords while avoiding O's swift gunwork. "YUKI, BEHIND!" The Blade screamed and dodged the smashing hand of the Ulula guarding the tunnel. O took control of it and willed it to fire its arm lasers, the duo blocking some with their swords while still being grazed in the sides.
"I has given me authority over this world's guns."
"I? Is that what you call her? Wait…" These people used letter names, just like the Kid Council discussed. This was no coincidence.
Harpoons latched onto the bridge, the kids startled into alert. The rails connected to them fixed their selves straight as a group of Agnians grinded over; and certainly not cloned soldiers. "A colony!" Nyoro exclaimed, shooting ink on the ground where they landed. "They weren't in Lambda!" A green-haired Indoline, Selin cast energy from her staff, Nyoro retreating in her ink to counter with F-Bombs.
Pochi clashed his sword with that of Carson, a tan Gormotti boy, but Yuki would punch him from behind with her gauntlet, leaving Pochi to bash him to the ground. Between the consul, the Ulula, and now these soldiers, Pochi was still concerned for Chuko. "We can't deal with this now, pull back!"
"On it!" Jennu dropped down and drew her friends into her gravity to "fall" back down the bridge, but their speed was a little slower. Tattsun continued to protect them from the floating guns, but Imogen, a Wrothian warrior, lunged at Nyoro with a lance. A boulder would fly and send Imogen away, thrown by Aniki: the ops reunited with their friends at the bridge's entrance.
"Where's Chuko?" Pochi asked.
"R-Right here." Mowchan held her in his hands. "Reycho gave her medicine. We called Valdi, he said she might have Scorpox! It's a sickness you get from the Scorpoxes out there."
"I guess she got stung by one…"
"Hmm…" He must not've seen it happen, Tattsun thought.
"OW!" An arrow pierced Mowchan's arm, causing Chuko to slip from his hands.
"HEY!" Kansai hurriedly ran under and caught her. They looked to where the arrow came from, above the building beside the bridge.
It was fired by a green-haired Gormotti wielding a large, Luminescent Bow. "Consul O, we have the trail barricaded!" said Ghostbow Juniper, commander of Colony Tau. The ops saw the platoon of Levnises and cloned troops up the Urayan Trail. Juniper shot another arrow at Mowchan, Aniki throwing Pai up to shield her brother. Reycho, meanwhile, picked up a rock and threw it up to bonk the Gormotti's head.
"G…Guess we'll have to fight our way through." Kansai stuttered.
"Not until Chuko is healthy." Pochi stated. "Up there! We'll run into that Kevesi building!"
"How is that any better?!" Aniki questioned.
"Because they might fight each other! We'll cut through and fly out the other side!"
The band of 13 charged for the building where the Kevesi were based, only briefly knocking the troops aside. The Colony Tau agents were forced to fight the Kevesi in their attempts to pursue, allowing the Go-Getters to reach the opposite balcony of the building. They overlooked the Maktha Wildwood, the ancient city overgrown with greenery standing over a misty abyss. "Jennu, fly us!"
"Can you guys shrink first?"
"No time, just get us to that building!"
"Ugh!" Jennu hated carrying so many people at once, especially with her chi half-blocked. It felt like lifting 200 pounds as she willed them all to float and fall toward the nearest building; though it sure didn't help it was mostly windowless with branches growing from the gaps. She focused gravity as they maneuvered around the corner of it, another of Juniper's arrows missing and piercing the wall between them. They saw another nearby building as Jennu floated them to it.
"Just about out of range." Pochi said. "That building over there looks like a good rest spot. Just one more push, Jen…" a huge pair of eyes shone from the lower point of the building they were just on, "…nu?"
"NAEUUUU!" A gaping mouth opened in thin air below the eyes, its sound like that of cattle. A beam fired, so Jennu quickly pulled her friends off before their foothold exploded, the force knocking them dizzy.
"W-Whuh, wah…" Tattsun flailed his limbs as he slowly sank.
"TATTSUN!" Suna tried to reach for him, but it was too late.
"AAAAAHHH!" Their spectacled friend was gone below the abyss.
"NO!" Jennu tried to refocus her gravity to pull him back. "NAEUUUU!" The invisible force spewed a storm of saliva, thick and fast as it trapped and sent most of the kids flying across the ruins.
Pochi, Jennu, and Yuki were the only ones remaining, seeing the creature's camouflage falter as its chameleon shape became obvious. "It's an Aion!" Pochi gasped.
"Agh! We're going down!" Jennu lost her grip and plummeted down the abyss with her two friends.
Consul O watched the endeavor with a satisfying twirl of his revolvers. "A beautiful conclusion. Now… I suppose she'll want this chance to speak with him. I'd better let her know."