BZPB: Future

Let the games begin.

-----

*Blackout stands upon a cliff face, looking out onto a what was once a city*

*The city has since been eviscerated, most of its buildings lying in ruins*

Blackout: This can't go on.

*He gestures, and a small ship flies up to the cliff, hatch open*

*He jumps inside, and the ship flies off*

Ynot floated in orbit of some planet down below. He has grown much older, his face gaunt and tired. His armor has become much more angular over the years. The threat of the week to the order and balance of the universe was down below. He couldn't even remember the name of it, or what exactly the threat was. What mattered was that it was a thorn in his side, one that he didn't want to remove slowly.

"Going to draw your sword, Ynot?" Sasuken beside him, knowing what he was thinking, "KOS hasn't seen the light of day in months, man. He's getting stir crazy." Ynot shot him a glare, "Do not presume to lecture me on how to do my job, Sasuken. You have grown stronger over the years. Even quashed that Shattered Mirror incident, but this is my job." Sasuken hovers a little closer, setting his hand on Ynot's shoulder, avoiding the spiked points, "Ynot, there ARE innocents down there..." "I gave them a day to give up the fugitives, sunrise is almost here."

Sasuken spins Ynot around, grabs both of his shoulders and stares him down, "YNOT! Listen to yourself! You sound like BLACKOUT! Get a hold of yourself, or you might hurt the ones you love!" Sasuken flies off to the ship, leaving Ynot to think, but it didn't matter. The reaction was already triggered a full day ago. Just as Sasuken reached safety, the planet below cracked, and then vanished in the flash of light associated with a nuclear reaction.

"Then perhaps I have finally seen what Blackout was trying to show me, all those years ago."

On the Magitek wonder of Dominaria, in the throne room that had stood as a symbol of Imperial power for thousands of years, Malygos sat, reading a report. He appeared younger - his face was unlined, almost fey in appearance. His hair had a slight violet hue to it, as it covered one of his brilliant red eyes. He sighed, almost in disappointment, as he dismissed the report off the display.

"My lord," a low-pitched voice said from the entryway. Anzu, Malygos's loyal servant and friend, walked in, his black-feathered wings trailing behind him, matching his long, black hair. "I heard about it."

There was no need to specify what "it" was, as they both knew. Malygos looked to Anzu. "Ynot has become a tyrant." There was disappointment in the mage's voice, as with a heavy heart he stood up. How far the once idealistic Makuta had fallen. Once he had opposed Blackout, as a beacon of freedom. Malygos smiled ruefully, knowing the naïveté of that freedom...but now?

Ynot had become exactly what he had hated.

And for that, Malygos could never forgive him. "He's become corrupt. Power has made him like...like me."

"Malygos." Anzu frowned at his friend. "You would never have murdered those civilians. You are not corrupt."

The mage sighed, standing up from his throne. "I suppose we should have a little chat with the dictator?"

Malygos pressed a square on the display. "Get me Ynot."

On the other side of the multiverse...

Falling to his knees, one leg collapsing with fatigue at a time, a shining gunmetal humanoid exhales heavily onto the ground at the feet of his opponent, though he had not needed lungs for a long time. Looking up to the one standing triumphant before him, Kakamu winces with pain, and looks back down again before seeing his face. What Kakamu saw of his opponent was that he was clad in white armour which was linked together with blue crystals of the highest rarity. The being gives a short cough, taps the device on his wrist, and begins to read out the holographic list that appears above it.

"Kakamu. You are accused of breaking the Universe-Travelling Restriction Act 1999, and by extension the Primary Vow of the Eternal Universe by bypassing our inter-universal borders in order to seek our assistance in a prophesied galactic war in your home reality..."

Kakamu tries to lift himself up, but his legs give way again and he falls back onto the floor. His accuser pauses for a moment, raises an eyebrow to himself, then crouches down so that they can make eye contact. Our hero observes him, and at the sight of the white Kanohi Daran he was wearing, with the same blue crystals embedded in the cheek slits, Kakamu shuddered, wondering how another version of himself could be so incapable of looking past his own cosy reality. He knows what it means to be a policeman... but not a hero.

"What's with the white and blue?" He finds the strength to ask. "You were a lot more... golden and fiery when I visited before, Kakuma."

Filled with self-righteousness, Kakuma ignores him, and continues reading. "The jury finds you guilty, based on overwhelming evidence from the witnesses on our world. You will spend the rest of your life in the underground prison back there, and this planet you call home, your base of operations, will also be destroyed.. effective immediately."

"What... NO! You don't understand... this is where I keep my people's history... and what we will need for the future of the-" Kakamu's plea was interrupted by his pseudo-twin grabbing his jaw and retorting, trying to contain his anger but failing.

"You are a miserable wreck of flawed logic, believing in prophecies and fate! You tinker with ancient works, you steal technology for your own confused gains. As a result, you invaded our home, and could send my universe into war as a result. I can't let this happen again. Brother."

With that, Kakuma turned back to his soldiers, all fully-armed and outfitted aliens of some kind. He points to them, then points to a grey, seemingly unimportant building on the horizon.

"Destroy everything. Quickly."

*User MK stood in front of a prostrate figure. He sighed, and held out his hand.*

User MK: No need for pleasantries, Klakk. I have called you here for a purpose. During the past deca-er....millennia, this multiverse of ours has faced countless threats. Raguel, Uterio, Malygos, Caiaphus, the Undead, Blackout, that eldritch abomination, ZFT, Ravat, Ultron, HYDRA, Cadmus, the Shattered Mirror invasion, the Dark Universe, and many more. Now, it faces Ynot. A hero gone dark. There is only one we know who can counter the spread of both Ynot and Blackout's power and destruction. The nihilistic forces of these....brutal tyrants...can only be countered by something just as dark and powerful. Your abilities have grown exponentially since we last met. Even if you turned to the shadows, you are still brave and heroic enough to do all that is necessary to bring peace and order to this universe, and many others. We, the Users, have entrusted you with this goal, and with the permission to grow your army by bringing many to your side, just as...er...you did so many years ago. Vanquish all threats, and either exile or destroy Ynot and Blackout once and for all. We have even enhanced your abilities a tad. You are the chosen one. The perfect Klak. Arise, and go forward.

*Klakk stood, and nodded*

Klakk: "So be it. The universe must be saved. I shall do what is necessary."

*he bowed, and exited the dark temple. He looked into the starry night sky, and into the distant mountains that were blanketed by fog. Klakk grinned. The odds were now in his favor. Every single one of those stars would soon belong to him.*

---

*Meanwhile, on Vizima*

*Turaga Perseus looks into the sky, and begins to feel a sense of dread. Someone was coming.*

<Kakamu's location>

As Kakuma and his soldiers carried on their business, they heard the roar of engines approaching them. A shuttle was coming towards their location at high speed. It stopped directly over them, and a hatch opened.

Blackout leaped out, drawing his Master Sword in mid-air. He landed among the aliens, and quickly chopped down two of them before they could react. One powered up his weapon and fired, hitting the Makuta right in the face. He stopped, but didn't fall. The Makuta, his face transformed into a melted mess, stabbed his sword into the ground. Clouds gathered over the battlefield, and it began to rain. A lightning bolt came down from the sky, and struck the alien who shot Blackout. From him, the lightning hopped to the others, frying them all.

The rain stopped, and the clouds cleared away as quickly as they came. Blackout ripped his sword from the sand, and walked over the corpses towards Kakuma, who had now dropped Kakamu and removed his cannon from his back. "I'm sorry. I have no quarrel against your kind." Blackout said in an apologetic tone. "You're just in my way."
Kakuma attached his cannon to his right arm, and prepared to fire. Blackout, however, was too quick. He summoned a shadow hand, which quickly flew towards the Eternal and locked around him. It reversed course, and flew back to Blackout. Kakuma screamed as he realized what was about to happen. He heard a swish. He saw something gleaming in the air. And then his head fell and rolled away.

Blackout had to stop himself crying out. Even after so many years, the absorption process was incredibly painful. That's why he preferred to kill his victims beforehand: at least then there was definitely no will left to crush. A shadow aura swirled around him, then slowly dissipated, at the same time as the pain. He felt stronger now. A vague memory of a human saying related to his situation floated to the top of his mind.

He walked over to Kakamu, and helped him up. "It's been a long time, Kakamu. I need your help."

Ynot has returned to his ship, after destroying the planet below. A shiver runs through his core, as if all eyes were on him. "You feel that, gents? It seems I've taken center stage again. They are coming for me." Most of Ynot's crew are at their stations, doing their jobs, listening to what Ynot says, but not responding. The exception, as usual, is Shaern, leaning on the door frame at the entrance of the bridge. "You sa that like you were ever out of the limelight, metalhead. I would bet my heartlight there was a small crowd watching you at all times. Probably seven or eight enthralled souls."

--Elsewhere in the Universe--

The body of a Toa named Socah shivers, but has long since gone inert.

--Back aboard Ynot's ship--

Ynot gets up from his chair and saunters over to Shaern, hugging her slightly, her draping her arms over and behind Ynot's neck. "You are one to speak, fire spitter. You destroyed that entire space station because ONE guy hit on you. I'm sure you are on several watch lists." He rests his chin on her forehead, her resting her head on his chest. "You know there will be a fight. This wont be one of your sparring matches, either." Ynot laughs a little, "Let them come. I haven't had a real challenge in years. Probably the Nephilim or Unicron." Shaern takes her turn to laugh, "Yeah, no. We both no nothing has been a challenge for you since Blackout."

<Vizima>

A Toa of Stone approached Turaga Perseus. His armour bore the marks of countless battles. A long scratch was apparent on his Sanok Mask of Accuracy. His name was Praxter. He had been a Knight of the Keruvim for 100,000 years now, but he'd never seen Perseus so concerned before.

"What is it, Turaga?" he asked. "Do you think something's coming?"

-----

<Klakk's location>

A portal opened before Klakk, and a man walked out. He was clad in purple robes, with a gold pattern on them that glowed as bright as fire. Unusually, he carried his sword on his back. He had a name, but most knew him simply as Mirage.

He kneeled before Klakk. "What is thy bidding, my liege?"

<Kakamu's location>

Adjusting his balance, Kakamu coughs a small amount of dust and dirt into the ground, before looking up to meet his saviour eye-to-eye. His face was distorted by the damages of the skirmish, but it was still instantly recognisable due to the burning yet ancient eyes sunk in. Gasping and choking some more, and his own eyes widening with fear as he backed away, Kakamu realised who he faced. He would never forget those eyes.

"It... it was right... we would meet again." His mood quickly changed to curiosity, as he entered some sort of trance and inspected Blackout's latest form. "Our meeting was foretold..."

Blackout frowns at Kakamu's nonsense. Seeing this, he snaps out of it and continues. "But not the subject of it. I suppose I should be grateful, though, without your intervention all my work would have been lost, and probably my life. It seems... for better or worse... I am indebted to you, Blackout of old. Tell me, what do you require of an old fool like me?"

Turaga Perseus: "An old enemy, and an even older friend. He will arrive riding on the horse of fate. Prepare yourself, Praxie. I'm only letting you defend me. The rest of the Knights are either too old or not nearly powerful enough to take on him. Plus, it's not in their destiny. Not yet, anyway."

---

Klakk: "Mirage! How's the going, old fellow? I've just been promoted. After we leave, we should contact all of our friendly planets. It's time to win influence in this galaxy. We have an assignment that will take some time."

---

*Meanwhile, a familiar Makuta walks out of a warehouse laboratory on a distant planet*

Me: It's the only way....all these years of waiting....

(OOS: Dreadwind and Darkwing look like this. Dreadwind's on the left, Darkwing's on the right.)

<Kakamu's location>

Blackout laughed. "You're right, you have become an old fool. But I have need of you. A great evil is coming. In some ways it has already come. You must come with me. Only united can we stop it." He waved, and the shuttle set down near them. Two Cybertronians walked out, followed by a Vortixx.

"You won't remember Dreadwind and Darkwing. But you will remember the other guy. BoM_Master, say hello."

"Hello." the Vortixx called BoM_Master said.

-----

<Vizima>

"Very well. I shall go train." Praxter said, and walked away. He didn't let himself show any emotion.

-----

<Klakk's location>

"As you command." Mirage stood up. "Where shall we start? And what do we do with the other Klak?"

<Kakamu's location>

Kakamu, about to respond with an arm outstretched, recognises the figure of BoM_Master. Pausing with a still-open jaw, he stares for a few long moments before adjusting his planned speech.

"As if this day couldn't get any stranger. But it could not... this must be some sort of trick!"

His palms ignite with blue flame, and he raises his hand at the group again, but this time in a more threatening manner. "Stay still", he mutters, and closes his eyes, lifting his head towards the sky, apparently deep in thought. Then his meditation is over as quickly as it began, and he snaps back to attention.

"My Kraata power of mind-reading either tells me that I've gone insane due to years of recluse, or that you are legit. Possibly both." The flames retreat back into his arm, and he steps closer to BoM_Master.

"You. How did you survive the destruction of our homeworld ages ago? I'm not good at digging far beyond the surface of the mind, you know."

*Perseus shakes his head*

Perseus: "*whispers* Nothing...nothing we trained for prepared us for this. Nothing."

*several hours later, a portal opens several miles above them in the sky*
---

Klakk: "That impostor? I will deal with him on my own. And another thing, Mirage, no one must ever know about him, or that he is a clone. Ever. I must go now, Mirage. Good luck on your mission. *salutes Mirage, and walks into a portal*"

---

*Back on Vizima, Klakk crashes onto the ground*

Klakk: "Perseus...I sense you."

<Kakamu's location>

BoM_Master shrugged. "It's easy. I wasn't there at the time. Blackout sent me on a mission. Nothing you need concern your pretty little head with."

Blackout stepped in. "He'll be very helpful where we're going. In this fight, we need all the allies we can get. Tell me, have you heard from Ynot lately?"

-----

<Klakk's location>

Mirage nodded. The time for revenge had come at last. He turned, and opened his own portal.

-----

<Vizima>

Praxter looked up, and saw the portal in the sky. He grabbed his axe, and ran away.

Perseus. He had to protect Perseus.

-----

*Klakk walks towards Perseus's hut*

Klakk: "Turaga!!! TURAGA! Come out! I'm in a cleaning mood."

*sees Praxter*

Klakk: "Oh, guard dogs. What fun."

*Klakk fires a blast of plasma at the Toa, grinning madly*

<Kakamu's location>

Giving his fellow ancient warrior a blank look, Kakamu responds with a dismissive "No", turns away, and starts rummaging among the bodies of the alien soldiers. After a few seconds, he picks up one of the soldiers' laser rifles with a triumphant "Ah-ha!" and proceeds to aim it into the sky, pulling the trigger. Brilliant blue bolts hit the clouds far above in rapid succession, prompting a smile from the weapon's wielder. "Yes, this should do! I would have preferred my counterpart's heavyweapon, but I don't think I'd fancy pulling it out of your insides, Blackout."

He turns back to the group. "If the multiverse really is calling upon me to fight again, I'll need to take more supplies than just this, and secure my lab. Come!"

With that, he slaps Blackout's arm and prances off towards his brick building on the horizon, only looking back for less than a second. "Come on, you might find something nostalgic here too!"

<Kakamu's location>

Dreadwind and Darkwing looked at Kakamu's new weapon. They glanced at each other, shrugged, and took laser rifles off two other dead aliens. Blackout looked at them strangely.

"What? Our standard-issue guns suck and you know it." said Dreadwind.

"Another word out of you, and I'll cut your pay. Now let's go." the Makuta replied. The group walked off after Kakamu.

-----

<Coridan VI>

It was an ordinary day on Coridan VI. People saw, walked, slept, bought, sold, loved, and died. The planet was universally considered to be the most boring in the universe. This reputation was not terribly exaggerated, but even so, every once in a while, something would happen that disrupted the rhythm of life. Many wished one of these events would come one day, but when it did, they universally regretted it.

One of these events happened a hundred-and-fifty thousand years ago. A ship appeared in the sky, and rained death upon the inhabitants. A quarter of the population fell instantly, and millions more perished in the aftermath. They survived against all odds, and built a new civilization, one just as boring as the last.

Now, another one of these events was about to take place, and it began in the office of the local Burgermeister.

Moribund was filling out some paperwork, when he heard a crackling sound across the office. A portal opened up right in front of the door. There was a howling noise as air rushed into the hole in the fabric of reality, taking many of Moribund's papers with it. Mirage stepped out, with a form stuck to his face, and the portal closed. He tossed the form to the ground, and bowed. "Confound you, Mirage," the Burgermeister screamed. "Why can't you just use the door like a normal person?"

"My apologies, Burgermeister. But I come here with an urgent matter. The mandate has been issued at last. You must summon the Party immediately."

Moribund immediately reached for his phone.

-----

<Vizima>

Praxter dropped to the ground, avoiding the plasma bolt. He got back up, and focused. A boulder promptly materialized by his side. He gestured, and it flew towards Klakk.

This enemy seemed familiar somehow. But how?

*Klakk grinned as he saw the Toa flinging a boulder at him with the greatest of ease. A Toa of Stone, just like his master.*

Klakk: "Toa! I welcome a challenge."

*Klakk materialized a blade in his bare hands. He looked down at it. It was still incomplete, and needed refinement, but it was a symbol of how he had grown in the past millennia, and how he had the Users' favor.*



*Klakk slashed into the boulder, cutting it like butter. The two sides of the massive rock fell near him.*

Klakk: "Approach me, and die like your master will."

<Kakamu's location>

After a few minutes of walking across the barren landscape, the group of five reach the seemingly bland brick building. What the newcomers notice though is that up close, it seems a lot taller, and a lot longer. The whole complex is essentially a rectangular cuboid, measuring around 50 by 100 by 50 feet, with another section branching off the side of it, adorned with grills and vents, letting steam escape from the interior. Dreadwind and Darkwing also do not notice a door. Kakamu pauses at the wall, turns round and lays a finger on his chin.

"Hmm. Sorry, I never built an entrance, I just teleport in and out. I'll show you how, eh?"

He places a hand on BoM_Master's shoulder, and triggers his Kraata power over him and the Vortixx before he can protest. Quickly dematerialising, the two vanish from view and reappear... somewhere dark. Their surroundings are only illuminated when Kakamu casts his arm across it, setting the floor ablaze with fire, and tossing his new laser rifle to one side. Unless Kakamu lived in a forest, this was definitely not where he said he'd be teleporting him.

Long before he'd finished contemplating all this, Kakamu grabs him and slams him into the ground. Pinning the Vortixx down with both hands, razor-sharp silver tusks grow from Kakamu's face and inch towards BoM_Master's.

"I have studied the universe in these millennia, researched every possible way that I could bring the people of my planet back, or find survivors. I found a way to find survivors. And you were not one of them."

Kakamu pauses his babble to flip BoM_Master over and push the side of his face into the dimly-lit grass. "I will know how you survived!", he exclaims, and then activates his Kraata power of mind reading on his victim...

<Kakamu's location>

"Gah! I already told ya! I was on a secret mission!" BoM_Master hissed. His hand seemed to melt, and shifted into a hammer end. He slammed it into Kakamu's chest hard.

"Get. Off. Me."

-----

<Vizima>

Praxter shook his head, and focused again. A stone fist rose out of the ground behind Klakk, and took a swing at him.

"You'll have to come to me." he said.

-----

<Coridan VI>

Mirage and Moribund walked into a conference room. About a dozen men and women in business clother were sat around a wooden table. They were all leading politicians and industrialists, and they had one goal: to make Coridan VI great.

They sat down. "Ladies and gentlemen," Mirage began. "your work can begin at last."

*The massive stone fist slammed into Klakk, knocking him into the nearby trees*

Klakk: "Gaah."

*Klakk stood up, and walked out*

*He pointed his finger at Praxter, and grinned, hands forming into a fist.*

*A fist of shadow launched itself at Praxter, jettisoning towards the Toa at break-neck speeds*

In the User HQ, LM sighed, looking on upon a holographic display of Klakk's battle. Foolish, he thought, dismissing the display. Klakk was fighting random foolish battles, to get to a long ago powerless servant. The threat was Ynot - would this simpleton just allow the madman to run rampant? LM dismissed the display, standing up. He had grown older, more mature. His face was angular and mousy as always, a pair of rectangular glasses perched on his nose, and his brown hair was the same as ever, but he was clearly older. His shoulders were visibly broader on his wiry frame, and the expression on his face was one of disappointment, instead of childish smugness. He shrugged on his brown jacket, and left his room.

---

"User MK" he said, in his unexpectedly baritone voice. Three red-eyed drones followed him, floating around him playfully while keeping their central eyes open for any threat. "I still do not believe you made the correct choice with Klakk. This wasn't what we had in mind, was it? He called up the display from the AI core. "Whatever old grudges he has are not helping us fight Ynot in the slightest - and I am still not convinced it is necessary for us to use him."

<Vizima>

The shadow fist struck Praxter hard, sending him flying into a tree. The tree broke when he hit it. He reached for his axe, and struggled to get up.

-----

<Coridan VI>

"This meeting of the Party is open." one man said.

"Why do you bother? This isn't exactly a formal battle." Moribund responded.

"To business. Klakk has received his mandate from the Users. You can now begin. I understand that you have been building warships." Mirage began.

"Yes, but not nearly enough for the campaign we're planning. We need more time!" a woman fired back.

"You want to make your planet great. We will help you do so on the condition that you stand with us in the coming war. Our forces will join you, and in return, your forces will join us later. Are we clear?"

*User MK shook his head. He glanced at the projected image, and shook his head.*

User MK: You're interfering. I know its been years, but you're interfering. Perseus himself asked us to leave Vizima. It's an autonomous sovereign now. He even said we couldn't watch his area unless he asked us to. But you....you couldn't resist, could you? You paraded yourself as the one who would never interfere..but once the temptation came up, you did. You sent drones to spy on an autonomous area. And now you're salivating at the chance to send someone after Klakk. I have no idea what Klakk is doing on Vizima. As far as I know, though, he could be training. It doesn't look like an attack. He needs to prepare for the fight ahead. Need I remind you that one of your most important characters is quivering in fear of Ynot. The fight will not be easy.....Now call off your drones. Leave them be.

---

*Klakk teleported, appearing in front of Praxter*

Klakk: "No, no. Checkmate. Not check. You stay down."

*Klakk swings the back of his keyblade towards Praxter's head*

*Meanwhile, Perseus stares out his window, nodding*

Perseus: "It has to be like this...The only way...."

---

*Klak walks back into his laboratory*

Me: The only way....

*he looks at an operating table, where a masked droid is sitting, grinning*

Me: Hello...my son.

Ynot has directed his ship into orbit of a Planet devoid of life and atmosphere, being close enough to it's star that most life would boil away if they got to close. Most does now include Ynot. He stands on the planet, bemused. So many times has this armors innate immunity to heat served him well. The others are back on the ship, knowing what will come next. Ynot always picks places like this for his showdowns.

Ynot looks off into the distance, wondering who will come for him first, when a familiar voice in his head speaks up, "I bet Klak comes first. He's so high and mighty." Ynot is not surprised at Ynohtna's assumption, "I swear, Hollow, you talk to much." HY cackles a bit, then retorts, "You and I are almost one and the same, Makuta. You used to be a lot more chatty. Especially during your fights." Ynot mentally gut punches HY, "Yeah, then I realized I could do more good by cutting out banter. As for who comes first, my widgets are on one of the Users Lapdogs. The Lanterns have been licking their wounds for some time."

<Vizima>

Praxter rolled out of the way at the last second, and the Keyblade instead hit the tree. He then slammed his axe into Klakk's leg, and ran away, towards a forest.

"Come and get me," he thought.

-----

<Coridan VI>

As the meeting came to an end and everyone made their way home, Moribund approached Mirage.

"Are you sure your forces will come to our aid? We're taking a huge gamble here. It can either end in triumph or a bloodbath."

Mirage sneered. "You will have help." He then walked up the stairs to the roof of the building and opened a portal. It was time to beat the drums of war elsewhere.

<Kakamu's location>

Feeling the blow of the hammer-hand, he jumps back up and steadies himself. Regaining his balance, he bares his short, enclosed mechanical teeth at BoM_Master.

"Well, I can't be here too long. We'll finish this later if you want to fight," he retorts, grabbing his laser rifle with his right hand and the Makuta's leg with his left. Concentrating, the two warriors feel themselves fade away... before reappearing in another black place, but this time one that was not lit by Kakamu's flames. Letting go, he teleports away again, and returns with Blackout, Dreadwind and Darkwing one at a time. The only thing piercing the darkness now was each character's glowing eyes.

"Welcome to my lair." Kakamu mutters.

<Kakamu's lair>

Blackout looked around. "Nice place." he said. Dreadwind and Darkwing, meanwhile, both banged their heads on a piece of machinery attached to the ceiling.

BoM_Master coughed, and got up. His hammer-hand melted away, becoming an ordinary limb again.

"Can we hurry up, please?" Blackout asked Kakamu.

-----

OOS: Waiting on a PM from Kon for Mirage.

<Kakamu's lair>

"As you wish", he says with a smirk, flipping a switch on the wall. Immediately a strip of 20th-century style lightbulbs across the ceiling lights up, revealing a dusty, dirty corridor with odd artefacts scattered about up ahead for at least ten metres. Kakamu leads the group forward, giving the occasional "watch out for that" and "you really don't want to get your leg caught in that thing" along the way. They take a turn left, continue for another few metres, then enter a grilled door into the already-lit main complex at the end of the hallway.

"Magnificent, isn't it?" he says proudly as they enter the the much larger room which gave the feel of being a secret military base of sorts. Various technologies were fixed to the walls, which were painted in whites and blues unlike the walls of the hallways branching off from the complex. Mechs and engines were suspended from the high ceiling, and many jars with unknown biological contents sat on shelves. What looked like an incredibly advanced (and so juxtapositional to the rest of the complex's design) supercomputer lay against the far wall, with different coloured screens orbiting the central one. Still, this was not the most noticeable of the contents of the room, for against the right wall hovered a ghostly, beaming... mask.

It was in the shape of the ancient Kanohi mask that Kakamu used to wear millennia ago - the Kanohi Daran, Mask of Confusion. This mask, however, was around ten foot tall, could float on its own, and was somewhat transparent. Kakamu walked past it, oblivious to its appearance, and pulled a lever on the wall, which prompted the bricks behind the mask to collapse in on themselves, revealing another room which was comprised of all sorts of alien weapons. However, it made a loud noise, which seemingly awoke the mask. The eyeholes narrowed and the previously open mouth closed, giving the appearance of anger. The mask then gave off a piercing flash of light, and turned towards the group.

"INTRUDERS. WHAT BEINGS DARE TO DISTURB THE SPECTRAL DARAN?"

<Kakamu's lair>

Blackout narrowed his eyes. He wasn't sure what he just saw.

"Spectral Daran? Kakamu, is there something you'd like to tell me?"

-----

<Teruga Prime>

A portal opened on the main square on Teruga Prime, and Mirage stepped out. Nobody noticed him in the crowd: people were always coming and going through portals.

Teruga Prime was the center of the vast network he had established on Klakk's behalf. His allies were waiting for him, and the government was just waiting for Klakk's support to set their plans in motion.

He headed for the parliament building.

<Kakamu's lair>

Realizing its mistake, the huge, ghostly mask gives an expression to reflect this. Raising a shadowy eyebrow, it turns around to observe Kakamu, who steps into the room behind it and begins admiring the various alien weapons.

"I'm sorry, the what?" Kakamu replies to the group whilst bending over a cabinet, with a look of hopeless confusion. "This is my armoury, though I haven't used most of them. I think. Come and take a look, see if you'd like to borrow anything here for usage in your intergalactic wars."

At this, the Spectral Daran turns back to face Blackout and his three allies. Smug, it gives the reply that Kakamu should have. "He doesn't notice me anymore. I'm but another voice in his head, another echo of times long past. Do you know of my kind? What they can do to a consciousness if exposed to it for millennia? Not inflict madness, but rather... rob him of his direction. I stole his path. Kakamu is but an aimless wanderer now, stuck in a circle of nothingness. Even so, the Kestora would be so proud that one of their creations had survived so much torment, so many wars... and that I saved them from him."

<Kakamu's lair>

Blackout turned, sadly smiled, and nodded at the Daran. He could still remember the old Kakamu, the keen mind who had helped him get as far as he had. Why did he have to go so wrong?

BoM_Master, Dreadwind and Darkwing went right for the weapons. They quickly dug up several old particle magnums and Vrai EMP cannons. "Um, you wouldn't have a box somewhere round here?" Darkwing asked.

-----

<Teruga Prime>

Mirage entered the parliament building. When a guard tried to stop him, he waved his diplomatic passport at him, and the Terugan automatically moved aside and asked "May I help you, sir?"

The assassin smiled. "Why, yes" he said. "Where can I find the Speaker? I have a meeting with him."

"Right this way." the Terugan directed him to a conference room.

Mirage walked in to find five eyes looking at him. The Speaker spoke first. "Good morning, Mirage. We have a problem."

*User MK shook his head, and clenched his fist*

*Suddenly, LordMalygos's robots began to experience interference, and could only see bits and pieces of what was occuring on Vizima*

User MK: Call them off, or I will crush them.

---

*Klakk grunted, grasping at his leg. The Toa had escaped. But he was not here for him, no.*

Klakk: "I have no time for games, dog."

*He turned towards the hut, grinning. This will draw him out, he thought.*

*Klakk walked towards Perseus's hut.*

<Kakamu's lair>

The Spectral Daran continues. "I know who you are, too. All of my kind, the Spectral Kanohi created by the Greatest Being, can cross between dimensions. I have observed Kakamu in many, and the one of this reality was just too dangerous to be left to his own devices. So I stayed... I waited... and in time my natural power of confusion started to take effect upon his mind. There is no way to reverse my influence now, but, I will tell you... that his makers still hold his destiny. Find the Kestora blacksmiths through the one they call Klak, take Kakamu to them, and they will give you his original consciousness to command. I would not deem it wise, but then again, who am I to tell the almighty Blackout what to do?"

Without further ado, the Spectral Daran disappears in a brilliant white flash. At this, Kakamu looks up and shields his eyes. "Sorry, really need to get the lights fixed in here!" is his response, before remembering that Darkwing was trying to tell him something.

"What? Boxes? Oh, right, yeah I might have a couple of crates out back." The weakened warrior walks out of the armoury and into another room to the right. He comes out a few moments later carrying a few boxes. "Lovely, aren't they?" He grins.

[User HQ]

*MY comes upon LM and MK, several reports in his hands, obviously distracted*

MY: Leave 'em alone, LordMalygos. Those floating eyes of yours creep everyone out. And I will smash the next one that tries to come in my domicile.

*Flips through his reports*

MY: Also, yes, I am now aware of Ynot's...misbehavior. From what I've gathered, he's waiting on anyone to oppose him on an abandoned planet. This lull in contact will probably embolden him, so I would recommend addressing him curtly, and with haste.

*He waits half a second, making the others think it's their turn to talk before continuing*

MY: Yes, I should have taken care of Ynot sooner, but you try managing this group and Ynot at the same time. My systems are still damaged from... the last time I looked away...

<Kakamu's lair>

Blackout smiled. A plan began to form inside his head. This madman was unlikely to be turned, but if he could get the old Kakamu back.....

Meanwhile, Dreadwind grabbed one of the boxes, and started stuffing it with handguns and grenades. "Hurry up. Ynot won't be waiting forever." Blackout said.

-----

<Vizima>

Praxter turned his head, and realized Klakk wasn't following him. He silently cursed his stupidity. This man was here to kill Perseus, and he wasn't going to be distracted easily.

He focused, and a giant boulder began materializing before him.

-----

<Teruga Prime>

Mirage sat down. "What's the issue?" he asked.

"We need a pretext to justify the campaign. A provocation, if you will. A high-profile terrorist attack that we could blame on the aliens." the Speaker explained. "Too many in parliament are clinging to pacifism. We could never convince them as things are now, but if everyone thought we were the victims, they'd surely vote for war."

"Alright." the assassin smiled. "Will there be anything else?" Silence met him, so he got up, bowed, and left the room.

User MK: You heard the man..

*He paused, and shook his head.*

MK: We're getting too damn old for this....aren't we....?

---

*Klakk stopped 2 meters away from the hut's entrance, and turned towards the forest. He sensed some sort of energy. Was the Toa going to use an attack? It didn't matter. He was only a distraction.*

*Klakk formed a fireball in his hand, and threw it towards the forest. The cackling flames began to lick at trees, spreading slowly*

Klakk: *whispering* "Come on....come on....where are you....come out....come out...."

---

*Something appears in front of Ynot, resembling Nadle*

Nadle: "What have you been up to?"

<Kakamu's lair>

Kakamu picks up a chunky laser rifle with green light emanating from the centre of the barrel. "I'll take this lava lamp", he says, and grows clips out of his back to hold it with. He then mounts it there, grabs a crate, disappears and reappears a few moments later without it.

He raises a metallic eyebrow. "That's a nice ship you've got there. Should be able to fit quite a few more boxes on it. Shall we teleport?"

<Kakamu's lair>

BoM_Master and the Decepticons had stuffed all of Kakamu's boxes with weapons. They looked disappointed to not be able to bring more.

"Yes, we shall. Sadly, I don't actually know where this is, so I can't do that. Care to do the honours?" Blackout said.

-----

<Vizima>

"Crap." Praxter thought as the trees began to burn. He tried his hardest to concentrate on creating the boulder.

-----

<Teruga Prime>

Mirage strolled onto a train. It was forever a mystery to him how he was allowed on with a sword on his back.

Two stops later, he got off, and walked to what looked like a shady bar.

-----

<Kakamu's lair>

The biometal warrior pauses for a moment, then gives an enthusiastic nod. "Sure! Hold on," he says, before grasping Dreadwind and Darkwing by the forearms and disappearing from view with a flash and a  fwash. The three reappear inside a dark, damp cave, in front of a large polygonal spacecraft with a wing pierced by a stalactite protruding from the ceiling.

"Whoops! Wrong cave!" He shouts, before he teleports the two again. This time, they find themselves in front of the spacecraft they arrived on. Kakamu then vanishes and rematerialises with Blackout, BoM_Master, and their cargo.

"It's been a while since I've had a holiday." Kakamu says, and boards the ship.

<Blackout's ship>

BoM_Master dashed into the cockpit, and piloted the ship into space. Dreadwind and Darkwing lay down on the ground and fell asleep, and Blackout sat down cross-legged next to them.

"What have you been up to, Kakamu?" he asked.

-----

<Teruga Prime>

Several beings stood around a pool table. When they heard the door open, they whipped around, and sighed with relief when they saw it was Mirage.

"Good evening." said the assassin.

"It's not the evening. It's the morning." a Skrall replied in a hoarse voice.

Mirage laughed. "You've been sitting in here too long. It's almost sundown. But that's not important. Get your gear, folks. Our friends in the government need us."

As Nadle arrives, Ynot opens his eyes. "Ah, Nadle. It has been some time since I've heard from you. As for what I am doing, I am waiting. I have just destroyed a planet full of innocents, and know I will be apprehended for it soon. That is not to say I will be going without a fight, so I am here, in a place to fight with out haring other innocents."

Raising his fist to his mouth, he coughs a bit, "I am getting too old for this." In this moment, Ynots face shows much age. He has grown tired of the wars that wage, and he can seemingly do nothing to prevent, only end. "When I was young, I dreamed of peace. Then I wished for friendship. Now. Now I only want silence."
----

MY regaurds MK fondly, "We are, aren't we? This game has been going for some time, now."

*Klakk grinned, watching the fire blaze.*

Klakk: "Come on. Do it. You know you want to. Hit me. HIT ME!"

---

Nadle: "Yes, I felt that desire years ago. But I also learned that killing innocents is no way to achieve it. Silence is best achieved through isolation. I then outgrew the desire for silence. So...the universe is descending into chaos now. I'm starting to regret going into slumber."

---

MK: Yes, and there's always something. Maybe this will finally end it, and we'll just...move on.

<Vizima>

Praxter gave up. He activated his Sanok, then just launched the boulder, which had to be the same size as one of the trees, at Klakk.

-----

<Teruga Prime>

Four individuals stood around the bar as Mirage explained the plan. There was the Skrall, whose name was Evelin (he received much mockery for it), Nemesis, who looked like a cloak which had somehow developed the ability to hover, a purple biomechanical being bearing a resemblance to an Earth angler-fish called Barnax, and finally a blue-and-grey boxy robot called Catalyx. Nobody was sure exactly who Catalyx was, not even he. They found his remains in a junkyard, and did a pretty good job repairing his body, but his memory banks were badly corrupted. Barnax, the only one of the group who knew anything about robotics, uploaded a standard battle-droid software package into his positronic brain, which seemed to work rather well.

"So, what we're supposed to do, is just blow up a government building and let 'em say the aliens did it?" Evelin slurred. "Won't they notice we're not aliens?"

Nemesis raised his hand, then realized no one could see it. He picked up an empty beer can and waved it around. "I could cast a spell, to make us look like aliens!" he suggested.

"Excellent. You do that. In the meantime, we should probably get some explosives." the assassin said.

-A pocket dimension commonly referred to as The Place That Wasn't There Yesterday, or simply "the Place" for short-

Over the milennia Sanya had long since attained the status of a kyuubi no kitsune. Her fur had grown more golden in color, her formerly navy markings were now ivory to reflect this, and when untransformed her eyes and wings appeared to be made of flame. Of course constantly being on fire wasn't exactly practical so her eyes were usually still a soft green. So...basically she normally looked pretty much exactly the same. Exciting I know. It's not like immortal kitsune/werewolf/crow demons age much. 

The Place had been doing well. The more troubled the times, the more people wanted an excuse to escape from it all and if they found that excuse in the bottom of a bottle, well who was she to argue. Not to mention the sanctuary aspects of her realm. Destruction of any of the entrances didn't mean anything considering the Place itself existed in a separate dimension entirely.

This meant refugees could easily enter, buy a few drinks, and shuffle out whenever they paid off their bar or boarding tabs either with money or labor. If all else failed they could fight in the arena downstairs, but usually refugees were the people who didn't have the guts to stay back and fight so that option was more limited than she liked lately. Fighting matches seemed to oddly enough be more popular in peaceful times when the fighters had a lack of socially approved places to vent their aggression.

Of course, some people snuck out before paying no matter how powerful she was. As irksome as it was she couldn't just let them get away. That set a bad precedent and if everyone took goods and services without paying, well then what state would the world be? Okay any worse than it was was unlikely, but hey enforcing order where she could was a hobby of hers.

Unfortunately the person who currently owed the most money, was someone she couldn't reliably send others to capture. This person was a criminal on as many worlds, and that was only what she'd been caught doing. Sandra, her beta had come back ears down after announcing her failure to capture the cat. Sanya hadn't held it against her. Sandra was excellent within her scope, it was hardly her fault if Blue was just that much more clever. Sanya had no doubt in her own abilities. Cats may be wily but she was a fox.

"Yo Sandra, I'm going out, watch the place while I'm gone would you?" She pocketed the list as she decked herself out in enchanted chainmail and selected an appropriately imposing array of weapons including a battleaxe as long as she was tall. A girl just has to go with the classics sometimes.

"But, what if something turns up? Like the crazy frost witch?" Sandra looked around trying not to let any worry show on her face. Unlike her boss she was not both a magic user and physical fighter of high power but rather a rather large wolf who tended to either approach problems with guild, foreknowledge making sure they never occurred, sitting on them, or simply becoming mist and floating away. Tundra, a former member of their pack had instilled some nerves in her by freezing her in a chunk of ice until Sanya had time to thaw her out. It had been awhile, and they never did catch the white wolf sorceress.

"Pft, you'll be fine I'm sure. If not then I'll just have to bash heads until you are again! Now hand over that list. It's been a long time since I've gone out in the wide world, and I plan to enjoy myself."

"Yeah, yeah...", Sandra muttered not even bothering to look at her customary clipboard before taking out a clump of papers. "Here they are, try not to cause any interplanetary incidents."

Sanya couldn't help the fanginess of her smile as she took the list. "Oh, come now, that was one time and if they didn't want that to happen they shouldn't have stuck a charlatan in command of their economy."

Sandra's ear twitched a bit. "Yes, I'm sure the universe at large appreciates you proving once again that magic 8 balls make poor systems of government." 

Sanya left the pocket dimension giggling appearing in a dingy alley of a world she wasn't sure of, except that at least one of the targets on her list was there. 

Surely there was no way a foxgirl adorned in medieval weaponry would look out of place wherever this was.

<Blackout's ship>

Kakamu sits down and crosses his legs too, observing Blackout carefully before responding. "Well, I'd just finished running around in that other dimension before you came to my rescue on the surface. Been out of the war business for a while, though. You?"

-----------

<The Place That Wasn't There Yesterday>

Two shadowy humanoid figures can be seen hunched over a table against the wall, parallel to the bar counter. Both wear black hoods and capes, and they speak in a tone so low only neighbouring customers would have a chance at hearing.

The first figure's head is visible under the hood, with a single eye scanning the environment for any bar staff that might suspect that he wasn't intending on paying for his tall, glittery drink.

"You're not gonna pay for that, are you?" the second figure whispered to her companion. The response was a husky "no".

"For the gods' sakes, can't we just go somewhere and behave like decent people, just for once? Nobody wants your eye on a pike in this dimension. You could even pretend to be a model citizen in here and no-one would bat an eye-" she starts, but is cut off, frustrated.

"I know, Yun. But there's one reason I can't." the male clears his throat, and awaits the question.

"Why, Zax?"

"Because I'm broke." at this, Zax gives a loud, wheezy laugh and chokes on his breath again. 

Yun puts a hand over her face. "I may be your sister, but I can't bail you out forever..."

<Blackout's ship>

"Oh, same old, same old. I push Klak or Zev or whoever it is this week on the defensive, then they push back, over and over again, for the last 100,000 years. Nothing ever changes. I've missed you." said Blackout.

The ship dropped out of hyperspace near an Earth-like planet. In orbit of said planet, there was a black sphere, with countless tendrils sprouting from it, each with one or more smaller spheres attached to it. 

Blackout got up and stepped into the cockpit. "This, my friend, is the Sabre."

The shuttle headed for the main sphere.

-----

<Teruga Prime>

The scene was perfectly ordinary. Five alien tourists wearing backpacks, heading for the City Hall, the place of residence for the Mayor of Teruga Prime's capital city and a thousand other officials. The Hall was open to the public (at least, most of it), and thousands of people went on the paid tour every day. The ideal target for a terrorist attack. 

The group entered the building. Mirage nodded, and each of them went in a different direction. 


Barnax quietly dashed into an empty office. He opened up his backpack, and took out a silver canister. He put it on the windowsill, then ran away. 

This was going to take a while.....

-----

-Barren Planet Ynot is on-

Deep within the core of the planet, a lone screen flickered to life, as a result of the ship landing upon what used to be the main solar array for the facility buried underground.

System.View::FifthWall.User=true wrote:init.system=>Osseron.soul

...

done

...


query::survey.range?::system


scanning...done

Contact=>K667:\Memories\Ages\ExileAge\None-User\Ynot.info=>corrupted

query=standing::current


accessing...done



Standing::Current=Neutral{decayed}

...

deploy.assets.proxy::access=>full::Daughter

...confirm access=>full y/n?

y

...confirmed...deploying.


system.hybernatemode::true=>Osseron.soul


...saving::status?::world+powering::down

On the surface of the barren world a door cracked into existence a short distance away from where Ynot had landed, dust bursting outward from pressure difference and revealing a dark corridor, walks made from a strange plastic grown dull and brittle from extreme age. From the darkness a Young woman walked out, seemingly more annoyed by the condition of the hallway she was walking out of than the infernal heat caused by the sun a scant hundred thousand kilometers above them.

She took a moment to brush off some dust off her clothes before crossing her arms and looking at Ynot in a slightly bored style before simply asking.

"So, you lost or do you simply enjoy standing on barren worlds a meteorite-impact away from falling into the star?"

If any efforts were made to survey the woman it be demonstrated that she was actually a full robot, although one that was a perfect replica of a human being, down to the smallest details.

Ynot considers Nadel's words, "Then perhaps, when I slumber, I will waken to a universe in order...." He is cut off as the woman addresses him. Tapping his foot against the ground twice, as if checking something, he replies, "Actually, despite your sarcastic tone, I do. Enjoy it, I mean. Very little can approach me here, and it's the quietest place I've been able to find in my long, long life."

He draws his sword, inspecting it, "Sasuken was right, I need to clean my blade." With that, he throws KOS toward the star, but forces the blade to stay just out of range of slagging, causing it to super heat, burning off dust that had collected, then has it return with but a flick of his wrist. Blade back in had, he inspects it again, " I will never get over how wonderful a smith that Zev is. 150,000 years of fighting and this blade barely shows a scratch."

*Klakk smiled like a maniac.*

*The boulder smashed onto him, creating a crater. Perseus's hut shook, but was largely unfettered. Perseus emerged, his eyes like large emeralds, and gaped at the rock.*

*There was a rustling sound, and the massive boulder began to move entirely on its own.*

*Mentally, Praxter began to hear a voice so horrifying, so depraved, that it was beyond any redemption.*

Klakk: "Always remember that I am fear. Always remember that I am PAIN."

*The rock began to lift itself in the air.*

Perseus: "FINISH IT, PRAXTER! FINISH IT!"

---

*Meanwhile, at The Place That Wasn't There Yesterday a Liquid Metalliconite sipped a strong ale. He looked towards Yun and Zax, and spoke. His reptilian breath a gaseous reminder of his stupor.*

Barsu: "You two togeth....together could be two eyes!"

*He cackled madly, and looked at Sanya*

Barsu: "You know....my ancestors were once feared pirates. Maybe I can....*burp* help...help you."

---

*Nadle whispered to himself* 

Nadle: "Be careful what you wish for." 

*He then noticed the third being after Ynot cleaned his blade.*

Nadle: "Oh, don't mind me! I'm just your friendly neighborhood projection!"