The Ancient Ones: Age of Nothingness (IC)

[Prusselanden]

"So what do we do then? Do you have any idea how to seperate you two then, without triggering the breaking of the black hole containment? It can't be that fragile, right?" Possibility asked Virgil,

"Ooooooh, yes it is." Virgil said. "The long fall boots were built to stop the portal device from breaking. After a few... incidents, engineers realised that they were going to have to do something. So they built the boots."
"According to this, the capsule is at 50% integrity." Chell informed Possibility. "It should be fine as long as we're carefull."

"I'm sure the Doctor is a very careful person, and as long as you two stay steady like right now, the desperation will be successful. " Possibility let out a small smile at the cores. His inner dialogue was a lot less happy.

Why am I, a dimensional God, even concerned about this? What is happening to me? Why am I caring about this mortal so much?

[Gurori]

Engineer's Workshop: A Couple Days after Returning

"Alright, I think I should be done here..." Dell said, placing his new creation on his workbench. "Hey Hardhat, dat t'ing yer workin' on finished?" Jeremy entered unannounced. "Doggone it boy you scared me. I could've been working with a highly reactive material!" Dell turned to the Bostoner, sliding his new creation onto his right hand. "Aw, dat is beautiful!" Jeremy looked at Dell's creation, admiring it. "Well, upon doing research into that thing we found in that Aperture facility. What we found was an 'Aperture Science Handheld Portal Device'." Dell said. "What, so it's like some kinda teleporter?" Jeremy asked. "Yes but better. Rather than having to wait for a teleporter to set up and recharge after every use, this thing creates portals which can take you where you need within seconds." Dell explained. "And after many simulations, I can also confirm that if you were to run into a portal on a wall and come out of a portal on the ground you'd be able get some height. If you were to fall into a portal and fly out of a portal on a wall, you'd get some great speed." He grinned, wiping some dust off the device. "But then you'd be left with the problem of fall damage, UNLESS we used this device with one of your many pairs of sneakers."

"What do you mean?" Jeremy looked confused. "Well, those long fall sneakers that you got. They absorb the shock from a fall if I remember correctly." Dell said. "Yea, but I can't find 'em no more." The Bostoner sighed, the Texan on the other hand grinned cheekily. "That's because I borrowed them to make replicas of them that fit our colleagues." Dell chuckled, giving Jeremy his pair back. "Well den, can we test dis baby out?" Jeremy took off his sneakers and put the Long Fall Sneakers on.

"Heck yeah, but unfortunately the portals are most stable of flat surfaces infused with moon dust. Luckily I set up a test room where I can move about the two panels we found. I'll probably ask the boss if we can send mining missions to the moon." Dell fired a Yellow Portal at a Horizontal Panel and a Red Panel on a Vertical Panel. Jeremy ran into the Yellow Portal and came flying upwards out of the Red one, the Long Fall Sneakers rotated Jeremy so that he'd land on his feet and he did so, taking no fall damage whatsoever. "Whoa, that awesome!" Jeremy shouted like an excited child.

[Walrusvylon]

Citadel

The angel looked through the books and responded back while not looking away from the books. "No. I was looking for traps but none of the books are rigged with any traps, so we are safe in this room." The angel moved away from the book shelf. "As for books you can decide on that cause none of these books are about the Citadel."

"If that is the case, then there is no need to look through them," Gandalf replied, placing the book that he had removed back on the bookshelf exactly where he had found it.

When Gandalf began to throw all of the food and silverware down at the floor and offer it to the sharks Marie glared at the man. "I was still eating you damn wizard!" Marie can understand that he wanted to feed the monsters in the floor ocean but did he have to give them everything on the table!

Also I have a high metabolism due to half my genes being demonic so I often require high numbers of calories so even if your bread can fill me with one slice that isn't going to work for me in the long run." the annoyed half blood told Gandalf. She hoped the food would magically reappeared but she doubt it would do so.

Before Gandalf had a chance to respond, Marie was grabbed by the neck and lifted up by Draigo.

Citadel

Marie cursed herself as she was lifted off the ground and being chuckled by Draigo. She forgot that he came from the Warhammer 40k universe where demons were the living stereotypes that people in the past threw at her and made her life a living hell. With her life now in the line and Draigo now ready to kill her should she say anything that would make him think she was like the demons of his world she knew she had to tell him the truth.

"Unfortunately I can't tell you too much about why my demons and the ones from your world are different because I was taken from my world when I was an infant but I do know this. The demons from the world I came from are flesh and blood like you Draigo so they can breed and sire offspring and ancient who was my father did that with the queen of one of the kingdoms the demons have made. Yes I said demons because from what I have figured out those demons are like humans when it comes to morality." she told him, glad that his grip wasn't strong enough to prevent her from speaking.

"If that doesn't convince you then how about this. For a long time I tried to live and fight like a human being and rarely use my powers, sometimes I never used them at all. I tried to be human because I knew how must people saw them and I was in the brunt of many panicked mobs even from people who I saved once they knew I was half demon. The only reason I'm even comfortable to say what I am is because people like James help me to accept who my other half is since rejecting it only caused me more harm." Marie was surprised she was able to speak since she felt like her throat was tightening up and at any moment she would barely utter a word but with her life hanging by a thread she forced out every word that appeared in her head.

"Draigo, you can trust Marie," Gandalf assured the Giant. "Demons have not been good in my experience as well, but Marie is not evil: If she had darkness in her heart, I would be able to sense it. Please, put her down."

[Wheatley Laboratories]

"Ooooooh, yes it is." Virgil said. "The long fall boots were built to stop the portal device from breaking. After a few... incidents, engineers realised that they were going to have to do something. So they built the boots."
"According to this, the capsule is at 50% integrity." Chell informed Possibility. "It should be fine as long as we're carefull."

"I'm sure the Doctor is a very careful person, and as long as you two stay steady like right now, the desperation will be successful. " Possibility let out a small smile at the cores. His inner dialogue was a lot less happy.

Why am I, a dimensional God, even concerned about this? What is happening to me? Why am I caring about this mortal so much?

"Either way, I'd rather be fused than dead." dismissed Chell. Virgil nodded. "Please, please don't take any risks. I don't feel like dying."

[The Intergalactic Russian Empire]

Project X Base, Tokyo

Eric quickly glanced at Ivan "Can you please keep your Commie propaganda out of this right now?" he then turned back to Secesh "Ignore him." As they spoke, Pobeda silently turned and entered the ship, clearly not one for needless conversation. Eric glanced at PB leaving and turned back "Anyways, his name isn't actually PB, it's Pobeda. I just call him PB because it annoys him. He's from a mostly dead race called Trolls, weird name, but still." The Hero of Time then started walking off onto the ship after the Troll, quickly looking back and saying "No more lollygagging, let's go kick some ass."

The Citadel

Draigo listened to what Marie had to say, pausing for a few seconds afterwards before dropping the Halfblood onto the ground "Alright, I'll let you live. But I'm keeping a close watch on you, for now at least. It'll take a lot more than some words to gain my trust." he turned away and scanned the books on the wall for a bit, looking for something that might strike his fancy. After a bit he muttered "How long shall we be here before continuing our quest? I'm not one for standing around."

The Saturn

Kadoor had entered the bridge again to see Octavius in the room, and all the walls covered in sticky notes. There was probably a perfectly normal explanation for this, probably. She walked over to Ignis and Quetz and asked "What is happening now? Why are there sticky notes all over the walls?"

[Prusselanden]

Project X Base, Tokyo

Eric quickly glanced at Ivan "Can you please keep your Commie propaganda out of this right now?" he then turned back to Secesh "Ignore him." As they spoke, Pobeda silently turned and entered the ship, clearly not one for needless conversation. Eric glanced at PB leaving and turned back "Anyways, his name isn't actually PB, it's Pobeda. I just call him PB because it annoys him. He's from a mostly dead race called Trolls, weird name, but still." The Hero of Time then started walking off onto the ship after the Troll, quickly looking back and saying "No more lollygagging, let's go kick some ass."

The Citadel

Draigo listened to what Marie had to say, pausing for a few seconds afterwards before dropping the Halfblood onto the ground "Alright, I'll let you live. But I'm keeping a close watch on you, for now at least. It'll take a lot more than some words to gain my trust." he turned away and scanned the books on the wall for a bit, looking for something that might strike his fancy. After a bit he muttered "How long shall we be here before continuing our quest? I'm not one for standing around."

The Saturn

Kadoor had entered the bridge again to see Octavius in the room, and all the walls covered in sticky notes. There was probably a perfectly normal explanation for this, probably. She walked over to Ignis and Quetz and asked "What is happening now? Why are there sticky notes all over the walls?"

"Octavius here has a plan to use zhe Void Dagger to free Jacob from Infinity. I'm not certain she'll agree to it, zough. She has made it pretty clear zat she is not going to follow his plan from earlier." Ignis crossed her arms, looking at the two.

"The Notes are how to use the Void Dagger." Quetz answered Kadoor, reading the sticky notes with great interest. "It's interesting, how the dagger functions."

[The Palmetto]

Project X Base, Tokyo

Eric quickly glanced at Ivan "Can you please keep your Commie propaganda out of this right now?" he then turned back to Secesh "Ignore him." As they spoke, Pobeda silently turned and entered the ship, clearly not one for needless conversation. Eric glanced at PB leaving and turned back "Anyways, his name isn't actually PB, it's Pobeda. I just call him PB because it annoys him. He's from a mostly dead race called Trolls, weird name, but still." The Hero of Time then started walking off onto the ship after the Troll, quickly looking back and saying "No more lollygagging, let's go kick some ass."

The Citadel

Draigo listened to what Marie had to say, pausing for a few seconds afterwards before dropping the Halfblood onto the ground "Alright, I'll let you live. But I'm keeping a close watch on you, for now at least. It'll take a lot more than some words to gain my trust." he turned away and scanned the books on the wall for a bit, looking for something that might strike his fancy. After a bit he muttered "How long shall we be here before continuing our quest? I'm not one for standing around."

The Saturn

Kadoor had entered the bridge again to see Octavius in the room, and all the walls covered in sticky notes. There was probably a perfectly normal explanation for this, probably. She walked over to Ignis and Quetz and asked "What is happening now? Why are there sticky notes all over the walls?"

Secesh gripped his rifle firmly, staring at PB "A troll? I reckon I best he careful around you." He looked around at the base, trying to learn his surroundings, "So where are we headed? To kill someone, I know, but you'll have to be more specific than that. I'm only doing this in return for a favor, it'd be nice if you could tell me where I'm risking my life."

[Walrusvylon]

The Citadel

Draigo listened to what Marie had to say, pausing for a few seconds afterwards before dropping the Halfblood onto the ground "Alright, I'll let you live. But I'm keeping a close watch on you, for now at least. It'll take a lot more than some words to gain my trust." he turned away and scanned the books on the wall for a bit, looking for something that might strike his fancy. After a bit he muttered "How long shall we be here before continuing our quest? I'm not one for standing around."

"Indeed," the wizard agreed, climbing onto Shadowfax. "There is no need for us to linger here. Let us continue!"

[Mundeo]

The Citadel

A break? An actual break? This had to be a gift sent from the Ancients themselves! Comfortable couches, good food, and not a single Troll in sight! Now, Draigo asked for everyone to introduce themselves to him.

"The name's James Butler. Half Timelord, half Ancient. If you don't know what either of those exactly are, let's just say I'm tough to take down"

And yet, not all was good. Gandalf cared more about the sharks than the others, tossing all of the food to them before James can get a proper fill. And then Draigo attacked Marie...

The next moment, James had his sword drawn. "I don't have to explain myself. Eridan thought that he can hurt her without repercussions, and well... you know how things turned out for him. Put her down. Now"

Luckily, Draigo stood down, but James didn't. The Halfblood drew closer to the knight, to the point that the tip of his sword pressed against Draigo's armor. A familiar fire burned in his eyes. "You're not going to lay another finger on her. Maybe you understand what that first half of me was? I can go anywhere in time. I can take a visit to you as a baby, or to your most ancient ancestor if you ever, ever threaten her again! Trust me, you wouldn't want to get on her bad side either"

James sheathed his sword and turned his back to the knight. "We've spent enough time here. Let's go"

[Prusselanden]

"I'm sure the Doctor is a very careful person, and as long as you two stay steady like right now, the desperation will be successful. " Possibility let out a small smile at the cores. His inner dialogue was a lot less happy.

Why am I, a dimensional God, even concerned about this? What is happening to me? Why am I caring about this mortal so much?

"Either way, I'd rather be fused than dead." dismissed Chell. Virgil nodded. "Please, please don't take any risks. I don't feel like dying."

"I sense that the Doctor has quite a low probability of taking such risks, so you two should be safe on his operating table. Do not worry, you two also have a high chance of living from being fixed by the Doctor." Possibility did an analysis of the probability energy around he area and formed the diagnosis that Virgil and Chell were most likely going to be alive and perfectly fine.

[Legokiller]

Saturn

Serena groaned and patted her head, her mind wasn't taking so well from the surge of information. Serena carefully stared down at Octavious. “Ugh, why am I so pathetic right now. I spent a lot of willpower and mental thought on conjuring up psychic storms my mentors and teachers told me not to because I’m not ready, and after pulling off a draining beam of love, Samael have to be critical. I mean, it’s wasn’t a fairy tale or something childish I aimed to planning. It’s something else. If something can resonate with the possessed person, like an emotion to a loved one, it will draw Jacob out and struggle against Infinity over control. But there an unbalance in the personalities, and it’s like Jacob is watching all the horrors Infinity had done and feels powerless. A loss of control over his own body. Poor Jacob.”

Serena faced Elizabeth and Reaper, frowning. “I hoped Clauris could evoked a special feeling from Jacob, giving us the chance for our battle to be far more successful. Not something I wanted to be the hero, and achieve a fairy tale happy ending like a princess from a Disney movie. Besides, I didn’t even want to be such things when I was younger. Instead, be a normal girl looking for a life’s purpose and destiny so I can be something better. Look where that led me. Not only am I a champion of Kalos, but a world leader fighting for a future everyone depends on us to succeed. And I have to make decisions now while my mind is just exhausted.”

Serena made a half-joke. “Guess that’s the price to pay as a psychic girl. Don’t go crazy with magic, or else your mind degenerates and become unstable. Just imagine Professor Xaiver got a seizure and couldn’t control his powers, causing everyone to be frozen. That’s honestly scary.” Serena looked at Papyrus with confusion, wondering how a skeleton can get a bruise. Besides that, she carefully levitated him to her side, and shed a single tear for him. When she placed the drop of tear on Papyrus, it healed his wounds.

“It’s okay Papyrus.” Serena gently patted Papyrus.

Commander Shepard crossed his arms, and looked at Octavious with a skeptical eyes. He wasn’t please, and didn’t took it so well from the telepathic link. In fact, he was sympathizing with the poor girl, and what it meant to be a psychic and why she made such decisions. “I believe you failed to inform everyone here about the origins of this Void, and related Particles and items. Surely, this kind of resource you and your associates can utilized for its full effect.”

“Honestly guys, I saw those void particles killing angels and other things effectively.” Calem then sighed. “And to be honest Elizabeth, that mission was out of control and I couldn’t stop it. Because there was one troll who will murder me if I even begin to try to put some leadership into that unprepared party with tagalongs.”

Star then added. “I have overheard details of Octavius fight with Eridan’s…” Star found herself confused. “Kinda, sort of girlfriend who mind controlled Eridan, maybe, named Vriska who was in this ship before. My data and observations have contractions that wants me to pull my own tail off! Regardless, Octavius and his people faced the Ancient Ones before, and the Void are likely used to combat the gods. Sadly, while I understand your distrust against him, this might be the only way.”

“I honestly have a bad feeling about this.” Serena muttered.

“May Terra helps us all.” Alice then took a deep breath, and patted Serena’s head. “If we accepted this dagger Octavius, is there any precautions we must take, and would Infinity be aware of the power of the Void? I highly believe this is the case, considering Infinity used to be made up by many Ancient Ones.”

[Naval Monte]

Citadel: The Metropolis

When Draigo finally let Marie go the half blood landed on her feet and jumped away from him, taking out her sword encase he decided to attack her. But even as he told her that he will let her live but keep a close watch on her. Soon James joined her side and warned the knight to stay away from her.

"I can understand that demons have done plenty of evil to earn your hatred and distrust but instead of attacking me like a blind zealot give me a chance to prove to you that I'm nothing like those demons. And James is right, you had the element of surprise on your side but with that advantage gone the next time you attack me I will not be so hapless." she threaten as she turn her attention away from the knight to find a door out of the room.

Marie began to look for a door but found none, even the door used to enter the room was gone. "Oh no, I think we fell for a trap guys." The room was too good to be true. Now instead of dying from deadly traps and monsters they would starve to death in the room. Marie walked up to the wall. "I'm not going to die in this room like a trapped rat." Marie raised her sword and cut through it with her blade.

Yet as the blade slice through she heard what sounded like paper being torn in half instead of the wall being sliced in two. Indeed the large hole resembled that of a hole made on a piece of paper, Marie can feel a draft coming from the hole. Curiosity getting the better of her she touched the corner of the tear and even pulled on it, making the tear larger. Soon the draft turn into a powerful suction as she and everyone in the group along with many of the furniture was pulled into the tear.

With the group now gone the tear began to close and the room was back to the state before they arrived, with the books back in their shelves, the furniture in place and fresh food on the table. The door was wide open for Eridan and his newly acquired army of himself to enter the room.
However with the others they would wake up to the ruined halls of a secret underground facility.

The room reeked in the scent of gunpowder and blood, the walls were covered in bullet holes, pieces of the ceiling was falling apart as the LED lights hanging loose along with wires or repeatedly blinked on and off until finally they gave out. On the floor were the corpses of both men and strange beasts along with greyish white dust. Marie was the first to get up and from her pouch she took out some course paper and rubbed it on her blade, igniting fire on it. Using the flames as illumination she began to lead the group through the darken hallway.

"What is this place?" she asked. Jephet shivered. "I don't know but this place reeks of abyssal energy. I have a feeling this place may have existed at one point but not anymore since we are now in the abyss." The news that they are in other areas both surprised and irritated Marie. "I shouldn't have messed with that stupid tear! Now we're trapped in the abyss." Before James or Jephet can try to cheer Marie the group heard a bloodcurdling screech from in front of the group. The group would begin to flee but as they do they would hear the screech again and the thing that makes them chasing after the party, they would hear many things breaking apart as the unknown thing chased after them.

As the group fled through the halls the group would eventually find an elevator and as someone tried to get it to come to them they would hear the screech once more and the thing approaching them, getting so very close to the group. Marie turned around and walked forward with her flaming sword, almost three dozen metres forward already, their lights illuminated a large eye, staring directly in her face.

The being was was massive, one elongated arm and two stubby legs. It was an aberration to be sure, its enormous jaw, angler-fish like teeth, monochrome eyes like enormous beads, blinking in Marie's face. A thin line of slobber fell on the floor, and the creature's hair were like steel cables. "What the fuck is that!?" the startled half blood shouted as the creature screeched, reaching out with the elongated arm before Marie sliced it's paw, unleashing black, thick, blood on her and the floor.

The beast tried to crush her with it's fist but Marie dodged the strike, the impact of the fist caused the metal of the floor to groan loudly as the floor now had a massive fist shape dent on it. Marie summon several phantom swords and had them stab the beast. Before the beast can attack Marie began to use a soul offering spell that she gain from the fire wraith souls that she got from her first adventure through the multiverse. Her hands were covered in third degree burns as they combust into flames. She thrust both of them forward and the beast exploded into roaring flames, the creature screaming in utter agony as the hair began to being burn off it's body.

"Is the elevator there yet?" Marie asked as the creature let out another screech, only this time the pitch was so high it caused Marie to turn off the fire spell she was using to cover hear ears due to the pain. Using the distraction to it's advantage the beast punched the half blood, the blow connected and soon Marie was sent flying to the elevator door where she made an obvious dent on it, the door being knocked loose but luckily for Marie it wasn't so loose that it would break off and plunge both it and Marie to a long fall. Marie fell off the broken door and let out a groan. Marie used her sword to help her get up.

"Well now I know what it feels like to be hit by a speeding truck." she replaced her sword and took out a black staff with golden lines at the sides. She extended the staff to be taller and with the press of a button blades emerged that resembled the head of a dragon while the bottom end discharged sparks of electricity. With her new retractable Electric Trident out Marie began to run to the beast and while holding it with both her hands she jumped up, screaming loudly as she brought the blades down on it's head as she also landed on the beast. The blades of the trident went through the beast's head and from the other side blood, skull fragments and grey matter came bursting out.

The beast however lived and thrash around as it tried to get Marie off but she held strong, Marie took out her gunblade while it was in gun mode and began to fire several shots at the beast's head which left many holes through it's head and more blood and brain matter splattered at the floor. Jephet turn to James. "Out of curiosity how is dating a woman like Marie is like?" the angel asked, wondering if James is either a lucky bastard or a poor sod.

Vs Rampant:
The Beast of a Thousand Souls That Never Was

---

Saturn

"Even though Jacob acted like our leader he wasn't always bright when it came to certain things and he let his emotions take control over him on critical moments." Both Cade and Aja made no comment on their mother's retort on Jacob letting his emotions control Jacob on critical decisions because he wasn't the only one that let's their emotions make decisions on important matters. The twins can see that their mother was involved in a huge mess with Infinity, honestly they have to wonder if this was how all of her adventures through the multiverse was like?

Reaper soon spoke. "Next time instead of hoping that the idiot who is being possessed would respond to useless emotions like love and do the reasonable thing and blow his head off." Elizabeth rolled her eyes at his comment. "Spoken like a true edgelord." Elizabeth suddenly had her staff pointed at Reaper. "And I haven't forgotten that you are after my kids due to this bounty on their heads." she had her eyes on her kids, they knew she wanted them to tell her what happen on Earth later.

Reaper had his shotguns on Elizabeth. "Step aside witch. I'm not afraid of you or your hocus pocus magic." Yet before they can fight the two of them were lifted off the ground by Sans. "you two can fight later, right now we have infinity to deal with." Sans slammed the two on the ground. He knew they would walk it off. As the witch got up she heard what Serena said about her she had to make decisions while her mind was still exhausted.

"Welcome to my life love. Folks like us often have to deal with many curveballs that life loves to throw at us but what I learn is that it's best to adapt to whatever is thrown at your way." When she mentioned Professor X the witch looked to the soldiers present. "Has anything like that happen back in Gnosis cause I never dealt with a case like that." A female Latino soldier gave the witch a so-so gesture. "There was a professor who had a psychic meltdown that caused people in the university to suffer from different mental ailments ranging from hallucinations, nausea, nightmares, paranoia to some suffering from seizures to others just passing out. That one was pretty easy to cover up and the professor we had to take him out of the university and keep him in a contaminate unit that acts as a medical room." the soldier explained, she was there to deal with that incident.

When Frisk asked what caused the professor to have a meltdown the soldier admitted that she never got a reply on that one when she asked her superiors on it, all she was told was to go after her next target which was a barn infested with intelligent cockroaches. When Calem told everyone what he saw the void particles can do Elizabeth and the soldiers were disturbed by the news, angels weren't easy to kill and hearing the particles taking them out like they were just your typical video game mooks was troubling. When Calem told the witch the condition of the party and how the troll would not let him take control without threatening her life Elizabeth sighed.

"So this Eridan is just an arrogant dick who thinks that him being a noble means he is a walking god who can kill whoever he wants?" Cade turn to Aja. "Would you object if I try to kill that guy if he comes back?" Aja put her fingers on her chin as she thought about the question. "if he causes us trouble and threaten to kill either us, mom or her friends than you can go nuts on him dear brother." Cade let a smirk form on his lips, glad that he can have someone to fight against even if they are annoying.

When Calem mention Vriska was present everyone can sense the tension in the air as Elizabeth and Sans were the most furious with the news, Papyrus and Frisk were both scared when they heard the female troll was there. "that horned bitch was there! oh she was glad i couldn't fight because i would have made sure she had an especially bad time." any hint of humor was gone in Sans voice as his sockets were empty voids. Mercy gulped as the skeleton and witch didn't bother to hide their rage towards the troll called Vriska.

"What did this troll do to make you hate her so much." Both Sans and Elizabeth told Mercy and the others who Vriska tried to sabotage their game of Shrub to make it an unwinnable so she can try and become as powerful as some being called Lord English, how she beat up and tried to use Frisk as a hostage, mind controlled Papyrus so she can try and make him and Sans leave the game and make it hard for the group who agreed to the game to win and finally tried to kill James by distracting him long enough so a meteor that was heading to the planet where they started from hits it and destroys both the planet and James.

"So besides wanting to control her boy toy was Vriska after anything else?" Elizabeth asked, during the whole event she was more focused on Kether than the troll. "Honestly at this point the only real question would be is what does Infinity not know in the multiverse." Elizabeth said, letting fatigue show in her face. Aja appeared by her mother's side and gave her a pat on the shoulder, getting her to give the young woman a small smile and a thanks.

[Kaidou]

Manichean Plane
Realm I

"It's definitely felt like a long time", Henry replied, gesticulating wildly with his hands. "We were watching that stuff unfold; it was terrifying. Believe me." Eyjuin, chuckling softly to himself, sipped at his coffee and continued eating his pâté.

Then the alarms went off.

Barely had the Aquila left the orbit of the Hiborall System when, from the darkness, a gigantic burst of bright red light exploded, so bright that it temporarily stunned the cameras of the Aquila. A second later, and the light had faded away, leaving only the massive figure of the Chimaera Prognosticator, that most massive of warships, each of its fearsome radon cation cannons half as long as the Aegis ship itself.

Without warning, the Chimaera Prognosticator charged one of its cannons and fired upon Hiborall. A significant portion of the dwarf planet's surface was incinerated, not a single sound reaching anybody on either of the ships. In barely a few seconds, the fires had engulfed the entire dark half of the planet, rendering it bright after 7 years of darkness. No doubt, most of the atmosphere had been incinerated, too; it was hard to imagine anybody anywhere surviving the blast. According to Nekoma's calculations, at least.

Matoba, silently watching the scene from a TV screen, brought his palms together and closed his eyes thoughtfully.

"Amitabha."

"Attention, crew of the Aquila. I am Sugou Tenti Gies Byeujce, Senju of the Chimaera, and commander of the Prognosticator, the greatest warship in the Chimaera fleet. You are to hand over Arjun Singh and Junichi Nekoma within the next ten standard minutes. If you do not comply, we will send a boarding party..."

"For God's sake", Nekoma groaned, rolling about restlessly on the sofa, having been woken up by the announcement. Aside from tweaking about with his prosthetic arm, the former Japanese spy had also done up a little set of calculations. "We can make the jump to Realm II if those green lights are signs of weakened dimensional walls. We should just jump, and then decide what to do on the other end."

Jan-ci, looking out of the ship through a screen, was dumbfounded. Never before had she seen such immense power as encapsulated by the Chimaera warship's one blast.

"I vote to jump too", said Ceiji, her tone still military in its demeanour. "That's the best chance we've got."

It was at that very moment, however, that a second warship was spotted cruising along the other end of the burning planet, having recently exited a portal. A warship belonging, in fact, to the Niril Republic.

...

Manichean Plane
Realm I
Emergency HQ of the Niril Republic

"The Manichean Plane... do you know why it is called that?"

The emergency headquarters, set up just shortly after the battle between the Chimaera, the Republic forces, Avku the Seraph's crazy cults, and the IGSE ghouls had blown the Hall in the Sky into rubble, was overrun by the forces of Ayevaku Yangau, one of three commanders of the nigh omnipresent corporation from Realm II. With the entire line of succession eliminated, the Supreme Chancellorship had been bestowed upon nobody in particular; the remnants of the General Staff had declared martial law, and had all retreated to an unnamed planet, where an immense bunker awaited them.

This, too, was not enough to hold back the IGSE, an organisation nobody but Ionian had ever heard of. And with Ionian suddenly disappearing off the face of existence very much intentionally (even going so far as to spike the late Chancellor Nasse's drink with a mind control drug, getting him to act as Ionian), nobody knew how to fight back against the technologically superior IGSE troops.

Yangau, ever the sadist, had killed off the entire security entourage, and had resorted to questioning the 33 generals and admirals (mostly middle aged men and women of greying and thinning hair) who survived the destruction of the Hall. As if to rub more salt into their wounds, he had them stripped completely naked, and was interrogating (or tormenting) them in the sub-zero outdoors.

Already, six of them had frozen over and died, the long strings of letters after their names counting for nothing as they squatted in the ice stark naked.

"It is because", said the scientist, "of what happens in Realm II. There, the wars fought are beyond your imagination."

He took out a whip, encrusted in ice crystals, and lashed it at a general who was sobbing very loudly. It struck the man in the eyes with a horrible cracking sound, sending him flying backwards and skidding through the snow, his face split open.

"The Manichaeans were an ancient sect which believed in the ultimate dichotomy", Yangau declared. "They believed that black and white could never mix. That what has been divorced may never marry.

"So it is with technology and magic. You have committed the ultimate sin of fusing the two!"

...

[Naval Monte]

Manichean Plane
Realm I

"It was just a day in there." Strange weakly said before a group of soldiers came over to take him to the infirmary to have him treated for his injury. Seeing the sorcerer in such a state made Hex feel guilty for shooting at the man even though at the time she wasn't of sound mind. However she didn't linger on her thoughts for long as the alarms began to blare out, signalling the arrival of a massive object heading towards them.

"Fucking hell I forgot that FTL doesn't have the same drawbacks as back home." the woman angrily said as the massive warship appeared before the ship. As the Chimaera Prognosticator fired it's shells and set the darken half on fire Hex knew that there was no way the Aquila can win in a fight against the ship. Soon the captain began to demand them for the other two men or else they would sent a boarding party.

Hex began to think on what to do even as she was told the green flash was the dimensional walls weakening. "That is a good idea and we will go to that flash but I have a plan to get that ship to leave us alone for good." Before the others can ask what she meant by that she said. "We are going to hand over Arjun and Nekoma."

Hex was not surprised that the people in the ship would be furious at her for suggesting the idea and just as it was going to result in someone wanting to fight her she explained herself. "The healing vats in the infirmary can create clones, you saw them back in my little stunt with the supposed traitors that I killed. They were clones of dead agents. We can create clones of Arjun and Nekoma and have those clones be shipped to the Chimaera so they will think that they found the two men they are searching for while the real ones are safe here with us." she looked at the two men.

"However if we go with this idea you two will have to assume new identities so they won't know that we gave them fakes." She told the group that during their check ups and medical attentions in the infirmary they have enough genetic samples to begin creating clones but she needs Arjun and Nekoma's permission before she can give the order to create the clones.

[Prusselanden]

Aquila
"Never!" Ackerman shook xer fist at the voice of Sugou angrily. "You can count your chances Sugou and find out you are dirt poor in them."
When he mentioned that Chimaera was sending a boarding party in, Ackerman went to load up some of Xer weapons to confront the afromentioned party. Xe brushed past Frederick without much of a glance in his direction.

Fred shook his head. "What's up with xer? I finally tell xer the truth and she reacts like this. I should have just kept cover..."

[Prusselanden]

Saturn
Ignis listened on to the conversation that the main crew had, noticing some of them were reacting negatively to the name of a troll. Whoever the troll was, she didn't want to know. She turned into her snake form and skithered over to the group, listening along curiously.

"Und I know nozhing about all zhis. So much happened vhile I vas fighting Savarang." shd sighed, hopelessly confused.

Quetz stuck with Kadoor, not wanting to cause a commotion. He recieved a letter that appeared out of thin air.
It said
"I know of a way.
He wrote back: "What way?"
Seperatoon of their collective subconscious.
...tell me.

[Osnil Returns]

Flames Rekindled
Act 1-the Relics
Chapter 1-the Box

Sine
Sine stopped herself from laughing at Omni's conversation with Richard. This was not laughing time. This was serious time. And she was seriously wanting her box back. Granted, she did know literally nothing about what it did, but she would figure it out someday. She walked back to the table, impatiently wondering to herself when Jackie would lose control to the darkness. Then she thought, "Maybe if he's drunk, he'll lose control."

She took her seat and asked, "Jackie, do you know any good wines?"

Utozai
Utozai nodded off after hearing that Codex and Patron would keep watch. What seemed like an instant later, but was in actuality several hours later, thunder cracked, pulling Utozai wide awake. Just in time for pouring rain to soak him and everyone else. "Just great," he muttered to himself. Seeing as how the rain already woke McCree, he said, "We should probably find shelter. I noticed some large structures in the west earlier. There might be something there."

[Taigawa]

Fleetmaster Sylvia Xi Leng
The Xen'long Shipyards
City of Numara, Path to Shangri-La
Ecumene Verse
January 15th, 2240, 1600 hours

The vulpine looked about the efforts being taken to rebuild their military. If she was to be confined to the home system, it was only right that she be assigned here. Numara, capital of the Micro-Dyson Sphere and Shield-World known as the Path to Shangri-La was her home town, and thus, she wanted to be here to help defend it. Her presence here was an exchange- for her to have left Thessia, her sister Kyra, the wolven commander of battlegroup Hammer in the Home Defense Fleet was grounded on Thessia at Armarli. Her mother was here also, but she wasn't here to see her family, no, she was here to oversee the construction of ships meant to replace those that had been destroyed during Neyla's failed attack on Gnosis. She didn't care much for the surroundings, as Numara had changed little since she'd left to join the Imperial Navy at 18. She huffed as she stared off into space, lost in idle thoughts and longing to once again be free to leave her natal world.

[Kaidou]

Manichean Plane
Realm I
Aquila

"Simple", said Nekoma, standing up and brushing his hair (the parting of which he had changed during the one day the ship had been in orbit). "Just take a fingernail or something and go clone me. From now on, I shall be known as... um... Masahiro Shinagawa? I don't know."

"Masahiro Shinagawa"
「品川　正弘」

Avoiding Ackerman (given that the bodyguard was armed to the teeth and ready to slash people open), Arjun hobbled over to the place where the majority of the crew had gathered, shaking his head. Samuel, sitting on the sofa with his cello case resting across his lap, silently watched the nerve-wracking scene unfold alongside Yotsuha, who, too, remained silent.

"Let's not be too hasty here", insisted the old lawyer. "I'm all for creating clones, but we have to make sure they don't have much propensity to think. Otherwise, who knows what sort of inhumane things they'd-"

"Bull", Nekoma shot back. "They're clones. They live to die. They don't have the same experiences as we humans do."

"But-"

"Shut it." The spy hushed the lawyer, not fiercely or aggressively, but simply firmly, with the air of an ultimate pragmatist. "Or would you rather turn yourself in to save the lives of two meaningless, mindless clones?"

Arjun kept silent.

...

"I've done a little bit of calculation", said Eyjuin, emerging from an adjacent room after going in (having finished his meal), holding a large stack of papers crudely stapled together. "There's no way those green lights are portals; by space-time curvature, they would not appear the way they do."

"Then just what are they?" Both Henry and Nekoma exclaimed in unison, whirling about to face Eyjuin.

"My theory", said Eyjuin, "is that those green lights are attempts by the IGSE to open up a permanent tear in the boundary between Realm I and Realm II of the Manichean Plane, for one reason or another..."

"This is Sugou. If you bastards don't hand Singh and Nekoma over, we'll fucking send a boarding party."

Samuel got up, sighing tiredly and slinging his cello case across his shoulder, hunching over slightly and thrusting his hands into his pockets. Yocchi, sitting on the other side of Yotsuha, reassuringly curled one arm round the trembling girl's shoulder.

Nekoma, grinning with a wildness never before seen, flexed the fingers of his mechanical left hand, picking up a yoroidōshi.

"Fertig, los", he said to Ackerman, in perfectly accented German. "Wenn ich mit dieser Arbeit fertig bin, ich hätte sehr gerne ein kaltes Glas Bier, Frau Ackerman."

Then another green light boomed, brighter than anything either of them had ever seen. The Niril Republic warship, apparently greatly distracted by the flash, lost its course and entered the gravitational field of Hiborall, spiralling out of control. The Chimaera Prognosticator disappeared. And the Aquila jerked, and then fell still.

...

- Stephen Vincent Strange
- Samuel IX
- Hex
- Cain
- Henry Donald Saladass
- Junichi Nekoma　猫間　順一
- Arjun Singh
- Yotsuha Ikegami　池神　四葉
- Ackerman
- Frederick II
- Sora Akita　秋田　天空
- Seishirō Akita　秋田　世志郎
- Ceiji
- Eyjuin
- Alpha
- Beta
- Omega
- Wong Tjin-fei　黃錦飛
- Lam Jan-ci　林恩池
- Kureto Matoba　的場　呉都

Manichean Plane
Realm II
Sreskolyan / Kishō

The first sight that the Aquila was treated to once the light had cleared was a large, endless green field. The ship's engines were off, and the blue, clear skies rained beautiful, blissful sunlight upon the ship, now sitting quietly in the grass. Neither the Chimaera Prognosticator nor the Niril Republic ship were anywhere to be seen.

"Seems like a pretty nice day", said Henry, flexing his immense muscles. "My headache's cleared; I think I'm gonna go out."

"Something doesn't quite feel right", Eyjuin remarked, wrapping a dark green scarf round his neck and stepping out of the ship's door, along with Henry. "The air of this dimension feels... amalgamated, somehow."

Both Yocchi and Yotsuha followed them, with Sora Akita silently sitting inside and watching the two.

They were old enough to take care of themselves, he reasoned; besides, he wouldn't be around for much longer. Yocchi had to learn, not just to protect himself, but those whom he cared for too. There wouldn't always be Sora Akita around to care for Seishirō Akita. The boy had to learn, yes.

In the distance appeared the figure of a man, bloodied and dishevelled, and clearly very out of sorts. He was wearing what appeared to be a military uniform, though it was tattered, the medals hanging off limply and stained in blood and vomit. One of his eyes was swollen badly, and his mouth was surrounded in a five-o-clock shadow.

Evidently, he recognised Henry, for the moment he spotted the orange-skinned man, he charged up anxiously and eagerly, waving a piece of paper in his hand.

Henry was taken aback.

"Who are you?" he asked.

The man skidded to a halt just in front of Henry and the rest, just as Samuel exited the ship carrying his cello, his unruly hair covering his eyes partially. He scanned the faces he recognised, then those that he didn't, then held out the paper.

"I... am Captain Akio Takasaki", he panted. "I have a letter for you."

"Wait", Samuel interjected, clutching the strap of his cello case as Yotsuha quietly looked on. "What are you doing here? How did you get into the Manichean Plane?"

"No idea", the captain replied, thrusting the paper forward. "But please read this letter! I protected it with my life..."

- Confidential -
By Appointment
of the
President of Japan

[Transcript of handwritten message]

Samuel and Company,

By the time you receive this letter, I should already by on the way to the gallows, by order of Emperor Kōhei, formerly known as Prince Ryūsuke Asano, my former liege lord; however, you should not mourn for me, for it is in the interest of a greater good that I am sacrificing myself, one that transcends the cheap boundaries of a human life. For what is a life? A mere ninety years of breath, created from the water and snuffed out by disease or by the sword; what meaning does it bear, if lived solely in the relentless pursuit of glory? For we can only leave things behind, as we bring nothing with us, in our passing on to the higher dimensions.

Perhaps, however, it would be timely for me to provide you with details of what has transpired in the months that you have been sealed off in that most horrifying of dimensions.

In the weeks immediately after your departure, the Asano Clan was strengthened by the pledges of over thirty warlords who had been scattered following the destruction of the Old Empire's capital; at the same time, the Chimaera, weakened severely by the absence of two Senju and several ranked commanders, was forced to retreat to its lair, providing the Clan with the respite it needed to organise its new soldiers.

During this time, Tadashi Sakakibara, the highest ranked retainer and the de facto head of the Secret Police, committed seppuku, over what he deemed to be a mistake deserving of the highest punishment for an honourable oriental gentleman like him. His vacant position was promptly filled by his son, General Kōtarō Sakakibara, an unscrupulous man with no regard for anything but his own betterment. Enraged with this development, one Lieutenant-Colonel Hanbē Ono plotted to assassinate Asano, his clandestine movement gaining the support of several other members of the general staff, including the retainer Kensaku Tsuji (whom I believe you met during your meeting with me).

The assassination was, ultimately, unsuccessful, and LTC Ono was captured and hanged (with, according to several sources, piano wire, so as to prolong his pain). Subsequently, several high ranking members of the general staff submitted their resignation letters to Asano (then recuperating from his injuries in hospital), before leaving the Japanese Empire's military and forming a Japanese Confederation, of which Tsuji was the public leader, but of which I was also a private stakeholder.

Enraged by this open rebellion, Ryūsuke Asano had all the Priests throughout his territory arrested and tortured till they finally agreed to relinquish their authority over the Chrysanthemum Throne; following this, he crowned himself Emperor Kōhei of All Japan, before proceeding to marry 19 of the warlords' and generals' daughters, forming the new Imperial Family in the process. Simultaneously, Emperor Kōhei reorganised the entire military, placing it directly under his control and relieving the Sakakibara Family of its influence. (In the postscript, I have attached an overview of this organisation structure alongside several key personnel.)

In response, the Japanese Confederation restructured itself into what we now know as the Republic of Japan, with several generals relinquishing their power in favour of civilian positions.

It was around then that I, till then still a General of the Japanese Empire, was arrested by the Secret Police, now under the control of none other than Takekai Sangū, my former colleague; an inside man within the Republic, planted by the Empire, had leaked this information to the Emperor, who wasted no time in taking action against me. It was only by the hand of a prison captain (whom I shall not name, for his safety) that I am able to tell you the rest, and even write this letter at all.

Following my arrest, the Republic experienced yet another split; Lieutenant-General Atsushi Hōjō, disillusioned by the perceived disunity of democracy, split from our Republic and joined forces with Hisashi Kurōmasu of the Second Kurōmasu-gumi Yakuza, the greatest of the Yakuza families, in the interest of establishing a totalitarian state beyond any horror Asano could ever have thought up.

And thus, what was once one had become three, under Emperor Kōhei, the democratic rulers of the Republic, and the autocracy of Hōjō.

It is with this final request that I end off my letter to you. Should you wish to carry on this Mission in the interest of creating a better future for the people of Greater Japan, despite our inability to pay the trillion yen you were promised, then I will pray in my final moments that the heavens shower unlimited blessing upon you all for your altruism. If you choose not to, neither I nor my comrades shall hold any grudge against you, for we know how regretfully unreasonable our request is; our only request is that you do not compromise any of the information enclosed within this letter, for many have sacrificed themselves just so these words may reach your eyes.

I salute you all,
Shirō Matsushita
松下史郎

PS: Structure of Organisation

Japanese Empire
Emperor: Emperor Kōhei (神平天皇)
Personal Secretary of the Emperor: Takekai Sangū (三宮　武介)

Chief of Military: Takekai Sangū (三宮　武介)
Chief of Intelligence: Takekai Sangū (三宮　武介)
Chief of Police: Takekai Sangū (三宮　武介)
General: Kanji Nekoma (猫間　幹次)
General: Yukihiro Yukimura (雪村　行裕)
General: Miki Numasawa (沼沢　美曦)
General: Yūri Ikari (碇　有力)
Retainer: Hideyoshi Matsui (松井　英吉)
Retainer: Noboru Katō (加藤　昇)
Retainer: Takehiko Shimada (島田　武彦)

---

Republic of Japan

President: Kensaku Tsuji (辻　研作)
Prime Minister: Shūichi Arima (有馬　秋壱)
Chief of Military: Gōemon Nishio III (三代目　西尾　吾右衞門)
Chief of Intelligence: Sen Hayami (速水　宣)
General: Kōki Saitō (斎藤　鋼機)
General: Kiyomi Yanagisawa (柳沢　清実)
General: Tōru Nagakawa (永川　亨)
Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry: Shū Nakamura (中村　周)
Foreign Minister: Hiroki Ishii (石井　弘貴)
Interior Minister: Yui Okada (岡田　ゆい)
Minister of Justice: Kiichi Kobayashi (小林　貴一)

---

Hōjō-Kurōmasu Coalition
Atsushi Hōjō (北条　敦)
Hisashi Kurōmasu (黒尾鱒　飛屮誌)
Sōsuke Sangū (三宮　奏介)
Jirō Ihei (生丙　二郎)

[end of transcript]

...

[Naval Monte]

Manichean Plane
Realm I
Aquila

One of the soldiers begin Nekoma stepped forward and before he can respond the soldier restrained him before a syringe was pierced through his skin, taking his blood. Once the syringe was filled another soldier force him to open his mouth and used a cotton swab to take silva. Other soldiers took skin samples and another a fingernail. The invasive process would eventually be done and Nekoma, or should we say Masahiro Shinagawa. Soon Arjun would go through the same process but due to his age the soldiers show more care so not to harm him.

Hex watch Ackerman and decided to give the woman a wide space since she was armed to the teeth, most soldiers and agents did the same. When the old lawyer began to say that the clones should think Hex was interrupted by Nekoma who show that he was willing to use the clones while the old lawyer was histanant. Hex sighed at the scene.

"The clones have to think like you people because if they are mindless than they would suspect them being fakes. They have to think and act like you, they have to feel like human beings and behave as such." she said, knowing that Arjun would not like the news. When Eyjuin arrived to tell everyone some new information Hex welcome it since it would take her away from the clone topic.

When the ghoul revealed that the green flashes were actually spacetime curves and that the ISGE may be creating them to create a permanent link between the two realms. "That is a risky plan since that is asking for would be rebels to enter their realm and attack them on the homefront." she said, at least with their gate tech they can close the gates instead of leaving them open so the enemy can use it to flee or worse invade their home universe.

When Sugou told them to give him the two men or else the boarding party would enter Hex angrily responded back with. "Oh shut the hell up you bastard." Hex reach for her pistol just encase the commander couldn't wait and send the party. Suddenly the next flash appeared and the Aquila was jerked before it became still.

Suddenly the next thing Hex knew the day was bright and clear, the ship's engines were off, and they were the only ship visible in the whole area. Hex followed the man out and like him she too noted that the air feels... off. When a man was running towards the group Hex was going to take out her gun but when she saw his state she decided not to, the man look as though he may die from his wounds or from infection. He recognize Henry as he gave him a note that he claims is important.

Hex looked at the letter and her harcontacts and cybernetic eye began to record everything written down to be saved on a private document. "Destroy the letter Henry. I have the contacts of the letter saved in a file back in the ship." Hex turn to the group. "So all of you are now pretty much screwed out of getting payed. As much as getting involved in this whole mess sounds like the nice thing to do I rather have an army on my side and that is something my organization can do but that would mean I have to go and tell them about this development. However I can't promise that they would care enough about getting involved in this mess unless they stay to gain something from this."

[The Dark Brotherhood of Deros]

Saturn
Octavius wasn't amused by Elizabeth's antics, narrowing his red eyes at her. "Oh just shut up Ms Ashwood!" He told her, sighing. As the group started to talk about several different things, Hana and Hanzo felt lost. They had both only encountered Vriska briefly in that twisted version of heaven, so they had no clue about the history the rest of the group had with her. Octavius in the meantime seemed bothered by something Star said. "Faced zhe Ancient Ones... Ve vere massacred! by zhe Ancient Ones!" The prime shouted, the air around him suddenly dropping several degrees. "Zhey reduced our number from millions to mere thousands! Do you finally understand me? I have more reason to kill zhis freak of nature zhen all of you do! Vill you really deny my right of vengeance?!"

Now any trace of Octavius's jocular nature was gone, replaced only by anger as smoke billowed out of his hooded face. "I vill give you zhe dagger, und you vill destroy Infinity, und save your friend. Zhat is zhe vay it must be!" Octavius looked at Alice when she asked if precautions had to be taken. "I cannot join you in zhis fight. If I vere detected by him, Infinity vould surely know vhat you vere planning. Zhat is zhe only precaution you need to take." He told her.

Unknown Planet
McCree had been sleeping peacefully, but then rain started to fall, and lightning flashed in the sky. The former Overwatch agent sighed as he straightened his hat. "Aww... Come on! You had to start rainin' now?!" He shouted up at the sky, grumbling as he stood up. One thing that both McCree and Utozai would notice is that both the Codex and Patron were sitting together with their arms around each other looking up at the sky in wonder. "Storms are so very fascinating, are they not?" The Codex asked his female companion, who nodded at him with a pleasant smile on her face.

Both androids didn't seem to notice McCree's outburst, and the two were simply huddled together talking in hushed voices. McCree rose an eyebrow at the two, and then he turned to look at Utozai. "I think that those two are a lot more than just companions..." He said to the younger man. Romance with robots was something that McCree wasn't shocked by, as that existed in his world with the Omnics. He had even heard of humans and Omnics becoming couples, but that was especially rare.

When Utozai suggested that they find shelter, McCree nodded. Then he walked behind the two androids and cleared his throat, startling both of them. "Alright lovebirds. We need to find shelter from this here rain." He told both of them. The two androids both looked embarrassed, and to McCree's surprise both of them were blushing shades of blue and orange respectively. "Oh! Y-yes, of course! I... We... We didn't know you were awake." The Patron stammered out, earning laughter from McCree. "There ain't no use in being embarrassed! Love's a wonderful thing! You'll get no teasin' from either of us." The man assured both androids, who simply nodded.

"Yes. Of course." Said the Codex as both androids stood up. McCree looked back to Utozai again. "Now, where were those structures you were talkin' about?" He asked the man.

[Prusselanden]

Manichean Plane
Realm I
Aquila

"Simple", said Nekoma, standing up and brushing his hair (the parting of which he had changed during the one day the ship had been in orbit). "Just take a fingernail or something and go clone me. From now on, I shall be known as... um... Masahiro Shinagawa? I don't know."

(Image)
"Masahiro Shinagawa"
「品川　正弘」

Avoiding Ackerman (given that the bodyguard was armed to the teeth and ready to slash people open), Arjun hobbled over to the place where the majority of the crew had gathered, shaking his head. Samuel, sitting on the sofa with his cello case resting across his lap, silently watched the nerve-wracking scene unfold alongside Yotsuha, who, too, remained silent.

"Let's not be too hasty here", insisted the old lawyer. "I'm all for creating clones, but we have to make sure they don't have much propensity to think. Otherwise, who knows what sort of inhumane things they'd-"

"Bull", Nekoma shot back. "They're clones. They live to die. They don't have the same experiences as we humans do."

"But-"

"Shut it." The spy hushed the lawyer, not fiercely or aggressively, but simply firmly, with the air of an ultimate pragmatist. "Or would you rather turn yourself in to save the lives of two meaningless, mindless clones?"

Arjun kept silent.

...

"I've done a little bit of calculation", said Eyjuin, emerging from an adjacent room after going in (having finished his meal), holding a large stack of papers crudely stapled together. "There's no way those green lights are portals; by space-time curvature, they would not appear the way they do."

"Then just what are they?" Both Henry and Nekoma exclaimed in unison, whirling about to face Eyjuin.

"My theory", said Eyjuin, "is that those green lights are attempts by the IGSE to open up a permanent tear in the boundary between Realm I and Realm II of the Manichean Plane, for one reason or another..."

"This is Sugou. If you bastards don't hand Singh and Nekoma over, we'll fucking send a boarding party."

Samuel got up, sighing tiredly and slinging his cello case across his shoulder, hunching over slightly and thrusting his hands into his pockets. Yocchi, sitting on the other side of Yotsuha, reassuringly curled one arm round the trembling girl's shoulder.

Nekoma, grinning with a wildness never before seen, flexed the fingers of his mechanical left hand, picking up a yoroidōshi.

"Fertig, los", he said to Ackerman, in perfectly accented German. "Wenn ich mit dieser Arbeit fertig bin, ich hätte sehr gerne ein kaltes Glas Bier, Frau Ackerman."

Then another green light boomed, brighter than anything either of them had ever seen. The Niril Republic warship, apparently greatly distracted by the flash, lost its course and entered the gravitational field of Hiborall, spiralling out of control. The Chimaera Prognosticator disappeared. And the Aquila jerked, and then fell still.

...

- Stephen Vincent Strange
- Samuel IX
- Hex
- Cain
- Henry Donald Saladass
- Junichi Nekoma　猫間　順一
- Arjun Singh
- Yotsuha Ikegami　池神　四葉
- Ackerman
- Frederick II
- Sora Akita　秋田　天空
- Seishirō Akita　秋田　世志郎
- Ceiji
- Eyjuin
- Alpha
- Beta
- Omega
- Wong Tjin-fei　黃錦飛
- Lam Jan-ci　林恩池
- Kureto Matoba　的場　呉都

Manichean Plane
Realm II
Sreskolyan / Kishō

The first sight that the Aquila was treated to once the light had cleared was a large, endless green field. The ship's engines were off, and the blue, clear skies rained beautiful, blissful sunlight upon the ship, now sitting quietly in the grass. Neither the Chimaera Prognosticator nor the Niril Republic ship were anywhere to be seen.

(Image)

"Seems like a pretty nice day", said Henry, flexing his immense muscles. "My headache's cleared; I think I'm gonna go out."

"Something doesn't quite feel right", Eyjuin remarked, wrapping a dark green scarf round his neck and stepping out of the ship's door, along with Henry. "The air of this dimension feels... amalgamated, somehow."

Both Yocchi and Yotsuha followed them, with Sora Akita silently sitting inside and watching the two.

They were old enough to take care of themselves, he reasoned; besides, he wouldn't be around for much longer. Yocchi had to learn, not just to protect himself, but those whom he cared for too. There wouldn't always be Sora Akita around to care for Seishirō Akita. The boy had to learn, yes.

In the distance appeared the figure of a man, bloodied and dishevelled, and clearly very out of sorts. He was wearing what appeared to be a military uniform, though it was tattered, the medals hanging off limply and stained in blood and vomit. One of his eyes was swollen badly, and his mouth was surrounded in a five-o-clock shadow. ?"

"No idea", the captain replied, thrusting the paper forward. "But please read this letter! I protected it with my life..."

- Confidential -
By Appointment
of the
President of Japan

[Transcript of handwritten message]

Samuel and Company,

By the time you receive this letter, I should already by on the way to the gallows, by order of Emperor Kōhei, formerly known as Prince Ryūsuke Asano, my former liege lord; however, you should not mourn for me, for it is in the interest of a greater good that I am sacrificing myself, one that transcends the cheap boundaries of a human life. For what is a life? A mere ninety years of breath, created from the water and snuffed out by disease or by the sword; what meaning does it bear, if lived solely in the relentless pursuit of glory? For we can only leave things behind, as we bring nothing with us, in our passing on to the higher dimensions.

Perhaps, however, it would be timely for me to provide you with details of what has transpired in the months that you have been sealed off in that most horrifying of dimensions.

In the weeks immediately after your departure, the Asano Clan was strengthened by the pledges of over thirty warlords who had been scattered following the destruction of the Old Empire's capital; at the same time, the Chimaera, weakened severely by the absence of two Senju and several ranked commanders, was forced to retreat to its lair, providing the Clan with the respite it needed to organise its new soldiers.

During this time, Tadashi Sakakibara, the highest ranked retainer and the de facto head of the Secret Police, committed seppuku, over what he deemed to be a mistake deserving of the highest punishment for an honourable oriental gentleman like him. His vacant position was promptly filled by his son, General Kōtarō Sakakibara, an unscrupulous man with no regard for anything but his own betterment. Enraged with this development, one Lieutenant-Colonel Hanbē Ono plotted to assassinate Asano, his clandestine movement gaining the support of several other members of the general staff, including the retainer Kensaku Tsuji (whom I believe you met during your meeting with me).

The assassination was, ultimately, unsuccessful, and LTC Ono was captured and hanged (with, according to several sources, piano wire, so as to prolong his pain). Subsequently, several high ranking members of the general staff submitted their resignation letters to Asano (then recuperating from his injuries in hospital), before leaving the Japanese Empire's military and forming a Japanese Confederation, of which Tsuji was the public leader, but of which I was also a private stakeholder.

Enraged by this open rebellion, Ryūsuke Asano had all the Priests throughout his territory arrested and tortured till they finally agreed to relinquish their authority over the Chrysanthemum Throne; following this, he crowned himself Emperor Kōhei of All Japan, before proceeding to marry 19 of the warlords' and generals' daughters, forming the new Imperial Family in the process. Simultaneously, Emperor Kōhei reorganised the entire military, placing it directly under his control and relieving the Sakakibara Family of its influence. (In the postscript, I have attached an overview of this organisation structure alongside several key personnel.)

In response, the Japanese Confederation restructured itself into what we now know as the Republic of Japan, with several generals relinquishing their power in favour of civilian positions.

It was around then that I, till then still a General of the Japanese Empire, was arrested by the Secret Police, now under the control of none other than Takekai Sangū, my former colleague; an inside man within the Republic, planted by the Empire, had leaked this information to the Emperor, who wasted no time in taking action against me. It was only by the hand of a prison captain (whom I shall not name, for his safety) that I am able to tell you the rest, and even write this letter at all.

Following my arrest, the Republic experienced yet another split; Lieutenant-General Atsushi Hōjō, disillusioned by the perceived disunity of democracy, split from our Republic and joined forces with Hisashi Kurōmasu of the Second Kurōmasu-gumi Yakuza, the greatest of the Yakuza families, in the interest of establishing a totalitarian state beyond any horror Asano could ever have thought up.

And thus, what was once one had become three, under Emperor Kōhei, the democratic rulers of the Republic, and the autocracy of Hōjō.

It is with this final request that I end off my letter to you. Should you wish to carry on this Mission in the interest of creating a better future for the people of Greater Japan, despite our inability to pay the trillion yen you were promised, then I will pray in my final moments that the heavens shower unlimited blessing upon you all for your altruism. If you choose not to, neither I nor my comrades shall hold any grudge against you, for we know how regretfully unreasonable our request is; our only request is that you do not compromise any of the information enclosed within this letter, for many have sacrificed themselves just so these words may reach your eyes.

I salute you all,
Shirō Matsushita
松下史郎

PS: Structure of Organisation

Japanese Empire
Emperor: Emperor Kōhei (神平天皇)
Personal Secretary of the Emperor: Takekai Sangū (三宮　武介)

Chief of Military: Takekai Sangū (三宮　武介)
Chief of Intelligence: Takekai Sangū (三宮　武介)
Chief of Police: Takekai Sangū (三宮　武介)
General: Kanji Nekoma (猫間　幹次)
General: Yukihiro Yukimura (雪村　行裕)
General: Miki Numasawa (沼沢　美曦)
General: Yūri Ikari (碇　有力)
Retainer: Hideyoshi Matsui (松井　英吉)
Retainer: Noboru Katō (加藤　昇)
Retainer: Takehiko Shimada (島田　武彦)

---

Republic of Japan

President: Kensaku Tsuji (辻　研作)
Prime Minister: Shūichi Arima (有馬　秋壱)
Chief of Military: Gōemon Nishio III (西尾　吾右衞門　三世)
Chief of Intelligence: Sen Hayami (速水　宣)
General: Kōki Saitō (斎藤　鋼機)
General: Kiyomi Yanagisawa (柳沢　清実)
General: Tōru Nagakawa (永川　亨)
Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry: Shū Nakamura (中村　周)
Foreign Minister: Hiroki Ishii (石井　弘貴)
Interior Minister: Yui Okada (岡田　ゆい)
Minister of Justice: Kiichi Kobayashi (小林　貴一)

---

Hōjō-Kurōmasu Coalition
Atsushi Hōjō (北条　敦)
Hisashi Kurōmasu (黒尾鱒　飛屮誌)
Sōsuke Sangū (三宮　奏介)
Jirō Ihei (生丙　二郎)

[end of transcript]

...

Ackerman had put a hand on xer gun when the Captain walked towards him. Luckily for him, xe saw he was too injured to be a threat, but still kept xer guard up as he delivered the letter to Henry.
"What does is basically say, Henry?"

"Totalitarian government is threatening Japan. They can't pay us. But they request us to restore Japan back to democracy." Frederick rubbed his hat.!"Even if I wanted out, I couldn't turn down this job. Lady Time would want me to fulfill this."

"..I never asked you." Ackerman glared at Fred and shifted over to Yocchi, handing him a weapon-a hand firearm.

"Use this for protection. With so many people on our tail now, you'll need it."

[Prusselanden]

Saturn
Ignis felt weakened as the temperature cooled around Octavius, her being a snake and all. She had to lean against a wall for support as Octavius ranted to Elizabeth about Infinity killing off his peers.
Mustering her strength, Ignis slowly sluthered forward to the Prime.
"Ve need to kill him und safe ze Multiverse, I agree...but you are lerfti g hate und vengeance take over your mind, Octavius. It's not zhe right vay to end Zhis, being so bent on using zhe Void dagger like zhis..."

[Wheatley Laboratories]

Aquila
"Well... This is random." remarked Beta as the foxes exited the ship.
"Helpful though." Omega said, smiling slightly. "A few moments there and who knows what could have happened?"
He looked around.
"I don't see what we could do here though."

[Osnil Returns]

Unknown Planet
McCree had been sleeping peacefully, but then rain started to fall, and lightning flashed in the sky. The former Overwatch agent sighed as he straightened his hat. "Aww... Come on! You had to start rainin' now?!" He shouted up at the sky, grumbling as he stood up. One thing that both McCree and Utozai would notice is that both the Codex and Patron were sitting together with their arms around each other looking up at the sky in wonder. "Storms are so very fascinating, are they not?" The Codex asked his female companion, who nodded at him with a pleasant smile on her face.

Both androids didn't seem to notice McCree's outburst, and the two were simply huddled together talking in hushed voices. McCree rose an eyebrow at the two, and then he turned to look at Utozai. "I think that those two are a lot more than just companions..." He said to the younger man. Romance with robots was something that McCree wasn't shocked by, as that existed in his world with the Omnics. He had even heard of humans and Omnics becoming couples, but that was especially rare.

When Utozai suggested that they find shelter, McCree nodded. Then he walked behind the two androids and cleared his throat, startling both of them. "Alright lovebirds. We need to find shelter from this here rain." He told both of them. The two androids both looked embarrassed, and to McCree's surprise both of them were blushing shades of blue and orange respectively. "Oh! Y-yes, of course! I... We... We didn't know you were awake." The Patron stammered out, earning laughter from McCree. "There ain't no use in being embarrassed! Love's a wonderful thing! You'll get no teasin' from either of us." The man assured both androids, who simply nodded.

"Yes. Of course." Said the Codex as both androids stood up. McCree looked back to Utozai again. "Now, where were those structures you were talkin' about?" He asked the man.

Utozai became very confused upon realization that the Codex and the Patron were both lovers. He was too embarrassed to ask how two machines could be in love, especially when they lacked certain parts that he didn't want to bring up. "We're having this discussion now?" Utozai asked, throwing his hands in the air.

He hated storms, but that comes with being a firebender. Water is the natural opposite of fire, which made him dislike it all the more. He pointed to the west. "The structures were over here. Hopefully, they'll provide shelter from this downpour." Another lightning flash lit the sky in blue.