BZPB

*At the convention, Blackout hears a familiar voice*

Malygos: It's been a long time, hasn't it.

*He steps up, wearing a lavish black suit, inlaid with silver*

Malygos: I must say, I expected more out of a convention of genius born of madness. But oh well. How good it is to see you, my good friend.

*Malygos grins wickedly* "How is the running of your empire going?"

*Two figures stand next to Malygos*

Malygos: Oh, where are my manners. This is Momir Vig, the visionary inventor of cytoplast technology.

*A stern, bald, wrinkled elf stands next to Malygos. He has a slight green tinge to his skin and a stern expression on his sour face. He is clad in blue, with glass and metal over his shirt in a sort of armor-like fashion, with separate compartments in the piece glowing different shades of green and blue*

Malygos: And this is Jin-Gitaxias, Executor of Synthesis.

*To Malygos's left is a tall, disgustingly thin and bent over figure, with an elongated face and sharp teeth, a metal plate over both jaws. It has long, spindly arms ending in bone-like, elongated hands with almost medically sharp fingers. The being has a Rahkshi-like plate over the top, horizontal portion of its spine, but purely metallic. It has no eyes, and extremely sharp teeth, and seems to be made mostly of metal, with only a few hints of flesh from the greenish substance in his mouth when open, and fleshy indications underneath its chest-plate. It is clad in what appears to be the purple bottom part of a robe, hiding his legs and feet.*

OOS: If that was TLDR, look at my avatar

~*:Scientist Convention:*~

Ferret: Oh! Well I'm Ferret- *Malygos's introduction happens* Uh...should I go?

Calaran: ...Um, I think he ran off. Drat, horns would look good on me, but again mother issues. I have this set of fake teeth she insists on making me wear. =.=

<Mad Scientist Convention>

Blackout: Nice to meet you, Ms. Ferret-

*Malygos' introduction happens*

Blackout: Well, well, well. Look who it is. Come to crawl back into my good graces yet again, Malygos?


*Dr. Nobel quietly sneaks away from the convention and to a payphone*

*He inserts a coin and dials a number*

Nobel: Hello? Mistress? It's me. Nobel. Yes. He's here.

*He hangs up*

-----

*Malygos laughs heartily*

Malygos: Now why would I go and do something like that? Be your toady again? I'd rather serve an intelligent whale on a deserted island.

*He gestures to the beings next to him*

Malygos: I am merely here for the convention. These two gentlemen have told me some...fascinating theories regarding the malleability of life. And,

*He turns to Ferret*

Malygos: Ferret, was it? A word of advice. Do not trust me. I'd betray as soon as it benefitted me. But Blackout's worse. I at least have some honor.

*Malygos turns around, laughing*

<Mad Scientist Convention>

*Blackout glares at Malygos*

Blackout: You? Honour? I assume this is a recent discovery, because I recall no such thing. That said, I'm glad you're enjoying the convention. It's only getting started.

*He turns to Ferret*

Blackout: So, Ms. Ferret, what's your area of expertise?

-----

*Klak turns to Nikolai*

*his eyes suddenly begin to glow*

Me: F-Klak is not the end. He is only the beginning. He is not one with me.

*suddenly, Caiaphus, Figlio, all their living minions controlled by me appear*

*F-Klak stands in front of them, grinning madly*

*Klak and co. take out their weapons*

Nadle: “A final fight? So soon?”

Jortenn: “Anti-climatic, but at least we all go out with a bang.”

*The two armies, one of good and one of evil, fight each other in the forest*

*Heroes and villains alike prove their massive power*

*Many die*

*Swords clang, plasma blasts, gravity, all sorts of abilities clash*

*Caiaphus, F-Klak, and Klak engage in a conflict that will finally end a struggle, which seemed eternal*

*Klak’s keyblade stabs into Caiaphus, while the demonic Makuta’s arm scratches Klak’s eye*

*F-Klak attempts to absorb both of them*

*Jortenn defeats an army of HYDRA, cutting them down, but is killed by Ra*

*Peter and Jinx shot at the enemy, kissed, then went down fighting Figlio himself, injuring him heavily.*

*Rahn suddenly had a heart attack, and died*

*Figlio and Nadle engaged in a massive swordfight, with Nadle being victorious*

*Suddenly, Ultron came out of nowhere, and shot at everyone*

*the Ragnarok unfolding on Malchior IV caused a massive explosion, destroying all the vegetation in its path, miraculously leaving Ferret’s Characters and DRJ’s Characters unharmed*

*Everyone, save for Klak, F-Klak, Ra, Perseus, (who is on another planet) and Caiaphus are dead*

*the latter three are heavily weakened*

F-Klak: “How….how did you know….about Cadmus?”

Me: I figured it out. Deduction.

F-Klak: “Damn you. I have no impediments to my conquest in the future! DON’T YOU UNDERSTAND?! Ynot disappeared, the Users were dead, everyone is either dead or in hiding, only Blackout and I remained. And the universe was our battleground. I played with the past. Why? Because I knew I would win in the end, regardless of what alterations Blackout made in the timestream. My rise is inevitable.”

Me: And so is your fall….which is in the past, before you even rise. Funny how time travel works.

Caiaphus: Good. Good. Two Klaks. Two fight, two die. Chaos wins.

Me: No. Your reigns of terror end today. Both of you must be stopped, even if it kills me. The people of Malchior IV will live in peace.

Caiaphus: You kill me, and Blackout remains. Either way, as long as you live, I will find a way to return and torment you into becoming that. *points at F-Klak*

Me: F-Klak is a clone. He’s not the real thing.

Caiaphus: A self-righteous pursuit will only end in your ruin, and you will come crawling back to me.

Me: Oh no, I’m not perfect. I’m a Makuta. I’m the least perfect thing you can think of. But do you want to know the difference between you, F-Klak and me? I was rescued, you weren’t. You spat in the Hand that rescued you. You went against mercy and all that is good. I was rescued before it was too late. And man, that was a close one. I was an idiot, and I remain an idiot. But if it takes an idiot to stop you two from spreading your evil, then I will gladly be an idiot.

Caiaphus: Insolent….fool!

*he gets up, and flies towards Klak*

*Klak stabs his Keyblade upward, charging it with light energy*

Me: Give….me….strength….

*the light glows intensely as a swirling vortex of energy channels into Caiaphus’s body, making him scream in pain*

Caiaphus: What…NO! NO! I WILL RETURN, KLAK, I WILL RETU-

*Caiaphus is obliterated by the light blast, while Klak collapses*

*F-Klak screams in pain, and disintegrates as well*

Me: This is where the tale ends. And a new one begins.

*Klak dies*

---

*Rainn shakes his head, and shivers*

Rainn: “What…what was that…..”

*Rainn shakes his head*

---

*User MK hands a picture of Perseus, Rainn, Coro, Ra, and a Project Cadmus symbol to Ynot*

MK: Here you go. You and KoN have control now. Tell a good story. As for me, I’m done. *looks at The Architect* This isn’t what was supposed to happen, anyways.

*User MK walks over to a chair, and sits on it, freezing in time until the moment when Ynot will arrive to slay the Users*

*Malygos turns to his companions*

Malygos: Anyway, you were telling me...

Momir Vig: That Cytoplast technology is the future. Once our flesh has been improved, our bodies and minds made perfect, the world will be the greatest.

Jin-Gitaxias: Ha. The not-us would have us wallow in weak flesh. True power lies in the Great Synthesis. Organic shall be replaced with true, pure metal, and all will be one with us.

Momir Vig: Metal cannot evolve! Fool, your synthesis would leave us static! True perfection lies in my cytoplasts. My vision.

Jin-Gitaxias: The not-us will not see truth. It refuses to acknowledge the perfection of synthesis. It would leave us flesh, weak.

Momir Vig: You could be right. Perhaps if we exchanged research note-

Malygos: Would you really think his theories correct? You saw the cytoplasts at work yourself.

Momir: That is correct. And Jin is incorrect.

Jin: The not-us is insolent. If it continues I may feed it to the larvae myself.

*Jin-Gitaxias and Momir Vig glare at each other. Malygos grins inwardly at their conflict*

Malygos: Gentlemen, what is SCIENCE! without experimentation? If there were some way to compare your results-

*The two scientists look at Malygos, an idea clearly coming to both of them*

Jin: Yesss....that not-us has a point.

Momir: Our testing shall be my augmentation versus your compleation. And mine will win, of course.

Jin: We shall see....

*The two scientists leave the vicinity, each with plans in mind, while Malygos chuckles wickedly to himself.*

-<Mad Scientist Convention>-

Ferret: Me? Oh I do a few things. Flesh golems of various types, alchemical concoctions with transformative effects, dealing with abominations beyond mortal ken...a few other things but those are less interesting. What about you? I assume from that weirdo over there's statement *indicates Malygos* that you're a villain or tyrant of some sort?

-<Malchior IV>-

Mink, K'theenya, Diru, Kithlara: O.o

Mink: ...okay so NOW what.

Kithlara: ...we...kill...plague...zombies?

Mink: : D I like your moxie kid!

Diru: >:C KITH! That's bad!

K'theenya: lol.

[ Mad Scientist's Convention: ]

Serrator: *Has gotten a bowl of fish soup from the concessions stand* What an absurd conglomeration of individuals.

Octoroo: Ooh-ah-oooooh...I don't know which frightens me more, the catgirl with glasses, or that haughty mage!

Merhiem: HEEHEEHEEHEEHEE!!! IT IS CUTE TO SEE YOU BOTH PURRPLEXED.

Serrator: I would ask you to maintain your inside voice, if it weren't such a vain notion to consider.

Merhiem: WHAT!!!???

Octoroo: *Takes out a megaphone* He said to shut your mouth, you unruly lout!!

Merhiem: HEE HEE. *Makes a zipper motion over her lips* (='ω'=)

Serrator & Octoroo: *Unified Facepalm Maneuver*

---

[ Datrio, West City: ]

*Talons clacking, Vanth walks down the moonlit street*

*Hot and torpid, no one is out and about but her; however, little vermin can be seen, their red eyes glowering from the alleys*

*Down one of these alleys, she turns rapidly; she heads all the way down, then turns into a back alley*

*There, she stops at a large wooden door, and raises one wing to gently knock in what must have once been an awkward motion*

*No answer is given, and Vanth sighs tiredly*

Vanth: Dammit, Stringer! Open up the door. I need to talk to you about something.

*She hears nothing, and then, her blood runs cold*

*With a feral screech, her lavender halo lights up, and the door shudders itself to splinters on the floor and street*

*What she finds inside is so terrible, she keeps her halo on and shouts*

Vanth: SLIDGET!! SAFEHOUSE!! SHE GOT TO STRINGER FIRST!! *Her voice echoes all over West City*

*Within, Stringer is up against the wall - Secured by an iron stake plunged through both of his hands*

*His clothes lie in tatters, blood is spattered all over every last inch of his body (as well as much of the walls and floors), and his eyes are staring, unseeing, at a spot above the doorway*

*As Vanth enters, she sees a message scrawled on one wall in blood*

I HAVEN'T EVEN STARTED, VIRIATHUS

---

[ Hei Fon 4, Mountains Outside of Lang City: ]

*Still, Sagihime waits at the exit to the caverns*

*It has been three days, and still, Namah has yet to emerge*

*Next to her stands Qufang, arms crossed in her typical cold way*

Qufang: ...If she doesn't emerge today, I'm telling Zev. I don't care what you do to me, and I don't care how much faith you have invested in her capacity to become a Master.

Sagihime: The Millenium Earl has decided in his whimsical fashion to target the descendants of the Fourteenth. I won't bemoan the fact that my nephew will have to fight that horrid sorceror many centuries too young, yet I will bemoan the fact that a member of our family should have been such a dread reincarnation. In fact, I find it truly terrible that his love for his brother was so very, very strong that it would start such a cascade of misery for both of our families.

Qufang: The Millenium Earl is possessed of terrible abilities, ones which I doubt my Guildmasters could stand against without terrible casualties. It will require all of us to stand up to him; honor has no bearing in such a war. *Looks over to Sagihime, arctic blue eyes softening the slightest bit* I know from experience...A cohesive group, especially not one so centered on a family like yours, can never be built upon half-truths and deceit. You cannot keep lying to your nephew about his heritage. You can't keep Misaki's nature hidden from him, when you're willing to confide in an outsider like me.

*She lightly touches a spot on her side; the fur is pale, and rather thin, enough that the gesture could draw one's eye to a twisted and poorly-healed scar*

Qufang: You think that lying to the boy will protect him from the pain that is his lot in life. It won't. Sooner or later, he's going to come abreast the knowledge of why his path has crossed with so many individuals, and why the Netherworld accepted his power. And if he has to discover you misled him, on top of all of that, you'll only make him suffer worse, for temporarily making you feel better.

Sagihime: ... *Bows her head, eyes closed, and sighs; for a moment, all of her many years show on her face, and she looks almost gray with the weight of forbidden knowledge* ...Doubtless, the Earl will be sending one of his demented family to shatter our ever-brief peace. Then, Zev will be better able to comprehend the beginnings of what - He must...Know...?

*From within the cavern, an ominous wind has begun to pulse outwards in waves*

*Soon, pink-tinged tendrils of transient forces curl their way out, wrapping around rocky crags*

*Then, a thin figure, illuminated by the halo above her head, begins to emerge; leaning against the wall, pulling herself along with both hands, as well as the tendrils which have anchored her to the surface*

*Her clothes are ragged, and barely hang to her emaciated frame; her skin is dry, faded, and she's covered in grime*

*As she totters to the surface, her halo extinguishes; the tendrils dissipate; and she collapses lightly into Sagihime's arms*

Namah: *Struggles to breathe, grasping for something that isn't there* Uuh...Uuhhh...Agh...Uh...

Sagihime: *Removes a soft cloth from her robes, and wipes the grime off of Namah's face* I'm so proud of you. I am so, so proud of you. *Struggles to find the words, looking at what has become of the girl*

Namah: *Opens her eyes, showing them to still be bright, alive, lucid* ...If you cry...I am...Going back in...Until you...Settle... *Wheeze*

Sagihime: *Hmph* Presumptuous as ever, I see. *Smiles, despite herself, and takes out a flask* I'm sure I don't have to warn against shocking your system?

Namah: *Forces herself to take cautious sips, despite how heavenly the cool water is* Would you be surprised...If I told you...I've been in this state...A few times...?

Sagihime: I've heard second-hand accounts of a little excursion you once made on your home planet. The Diony Desert, it was...?

Namah: Your nephew...Is a hopeless gossip. If he wasn't so nice...I'd consider...Slapping...Him...Hmmmmm...

*Between one second and the next, she's completely drifted off to sleep*

Qufang: Your nephew just surrounds himself with phenomenal people.

Sagihime: And half of them have considered killing him before. He is truly Azusa's son.

Qufang: Speaking of which, how does his training with Mikihisa go?

Sagihime: Quite well.

---

[ Meanwhile, On a Plateau Across the City: ]

*Boulders rain down everywhere*

*Piggybacking on Zev, Asabana shouts directions due to a blinding curse on her master*

Tamao: *Maintains the curse* You are hopeless, Brother! Utterly and unequivocally hopeless!

Mikihisa: Imari, Shigaraki, rough him up a little bit. It's time to take the gloves off and treat him as an equal opponent.

*Abruptly, Imari darts in from the left and tackles Zev through the air*

*He manages to regain his footing and do a haphazard roll, just as Shigaraki impacts the ground in his statue form*

Asabana: IT'S OVER!! IT'S ALL OVER!! *Desperately deflects a boulder with her mirror*

*With a sweep of his tail, Shigaraki sends the boulder back at greater speed*

Asabana: Rebounding boulder, six-o'-clock! SPEED!! SPEED!!

Zev: *Darts to the side to avoid, and casts a rapid barrier spell*

Imari: *Snaps her jaws rapidly against the shield, before kicking away*

*The training continues in a state of bedlam*

~ ~ ~

OOS: I've wanted to introduce this diabolical cretin for years.

I don't know how I've forgotten.

... ... ...

IGNORE ME

[The planet Ravnica, a planet covered entirely by a megalopolis, in the Simic Conclave, a section of the city filled with green bio-pods, and living matter interwoven with technology]

*Momir Vig arrives in a teleporter, escorted by a few of his creatures*

Vig: Gentlemen and ladies of the Simic Combine. I have been challenged to prove the correctness of my theories. I know our research has been taking leaps and bounds forward.

*He smirks a bit*

Vig: The culmination of our research is at hand. Ready Project Kraj into its final state.

*He walks to a large, transparent pod, with purple ooze at the bottom, turning to a younger elf of the same subspecies*

Vig: Is it ready?

Researcher: It is nearing completion, but...unfortunately, it would take years. That is, unless

Vig: Unless we used intelligent testing. I thought the same myself, Otrovac. In that case, it's time.

*He steps onto a podium*

Vig: Gentlemen and ladies, it is time to ready the Goliath Protocol. We are to discreetly kidnap intelligent beings, re-educate them, and apply our cytoplast technology. I have worked with all of you, and I know you will not fail. I have been challenged by a fool who believes mechanical "compleation" is the future. We will prove him wrong. The Simic Combine is the future of the universe, and I will construct that future.

*He steps off the podium*

Vig: Otrovac. This time we will succeed. I need you on double-shifts - Project Kraj must be ready as soon as possible.

Otrovac: Yes, sir.

*Vig smirks at what he has created, then disappears behind a door into his chambers in the organic building*


[Hei Fon 4]

*Loki arrives on-planet, via personal ship, along with a few of Malygos's magical-based forces.*
Loki: A magical artifact is here, according to our radar. And perhaps...*smiles* Find it. Spread out, and see what you can find. Anyone gets in your way, bring him to me.

[Datrio]
*Hydraxis arrives on-planet, with a large platoon of Malygos's elite troops*
Hydraxis: Our master demands we find the high-magic areas on this planet. Find it. Eliminate all opposition you encounter.

[ Datrio, West City: ]

*Unknowing of Loki's presence, Vi, Indigo, and Scinter have gathered in the underground base*

*Sat in a wooden chair is Stringer - Wrapped around his head in bandages, save for his mouth and one eye, with both of his arms in a sling, and one lower-leg twisted oddly*

Scinter: ...Kokonoe's sensors picked up heavy amounts of dark energy in Stringer's home. Correct?

Digo?: Aye. It almost overwhelmed the tech she brought to scan.

Indi?: What do ya think could've possibly caused that kind of reading?

Vi: I don't know, but whoever it was carried a lot of power, to do this to string -

*A light, airy tune can be heard, stopping everyone cold*

*They slowly, slowly look to Stringer, uneasy*

Stringer: *Stares at the ceiling, humming* ...The Lord Millenium...Is in search of youuu...Looking for the heart, now...Have you heard the news...?

*A little trickle of blood streams from his mouth, as his body quakes*

Stringer: ...I was not the one he sought...Maybe it is you...

*Unable to stand it, Indigo, Vi, and even Scinter are forced to leave the room*

*While they are gone, he sighs; shudders; and gives up the ghost*

*He still looks absolutely terrified, in death*

---

[ Datrio, an Island a Ways Off the Coast of West City: ]

*The nearest magical area to Hydraxis's troops is a small, lightly-forested island*

*There, a little under a dozen of some kind of tree-like race of people are lazing about, among little floating motes of light*

*At a wooden dock, an oddly dark-looking wooden ship has come to rest*

*Incredible magical energy ripples from the soil*

~ ~ ~

[ Hei Fon 4, Near Loki's Landing Site: ]

*The group comes across a napping feline, who possesses a potent aura of magic*

Persia: *Yawns, blearily sitting up* Nya~ Hello? Who might you be?

*She rubs at her eye with the sides of her impressive claws*

[Hei Fon 4]
Loki: Well, then, I come here looking for places and artifacts of magic, and I find a person. I am Loki, humble servant of Malygos.

*He bows low, almost mockingly*

Loki: If you could direct me to the nearest place of magic, we would be most pleased.

[Datrio]

Hydraxis: Well, looks like we found it. Set it up, boys.

*Two soldiers plant a machine in the ground*

Hydraxis: This has got to be one of those vergence things the boss told us about.

[ Lang City, Hei Fon 4: ]

Persia: Mrrrw...There's the Conquistadores Guildhouse! Zev would know where to find magical artifacts! I'll lead you to him!

*She languidly stretches, and rises to her feet*

*Gesturing for Loki's men to follow, she begins leisurely strolling along*

~ ~ ~

[ Datrio, Magical Island: ]

*The tree people seem to consider attacking the intruders to their lands*

*However, one by one, they all go back to dozing; even as their home starts to lose its vitality*

*Suddenly, from the dark ship - Nearby Duke Hydraxis's forces - Emerges a man in a 19th century English gentleman's suit, complete with a tophat*

*He's tall and thin, with swept back, unruly black hair; charcoal gray skin; golden eyes with slit pupils; and a row of seven cross-shaped stigmata across his forehead*

???: I can't believe I came all this way for layabout stumpfolk and that mage's cronies... *Sighs, taking out a deck of cards to shuffle* I don't suppose you could tell me how to find West City? I'm already running quite late for my appointment, and when my family gets bored, they tend to raise Cain something awful.

*He patiently waits for any kind of answer*

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

OOS: Hope I haven't missed anything.

[Lang City, Hei Fon 4]

Loki: Zev, eh? Figured someone big would be behind this stuff. Come on, gentlemen.

*The hooded, hunched figures follow their master, heading towards the Guildhouse.*

--
[Magical Island, Datrio]

*The troops train their energy SMG's at the mysterious figure*

Hydraxis: Well, boys, we got a lost one, do we? It's over there.

*He jabs a watery finger in the direction of the city*

Hydraxis: Now get out.

[User HQ]

*MakutaYnot is clearly saddend by MakutaKlak's departure*

MY: KoN...I'll carry on with Ra and Perseus, You take the others. The story will continue. The story MUST continue.

----
[Mad Scientist Convention]

Ynot: I bet they wouldn't look to bad on you, either. Vultran!

Vultran: Yeahmm?

Ynot: Try and whip up a vaccine for these people. One that doesn't result in extraneous mutations. A return to default potion, if you will.

Vultran: That is going to take time...

Ynot: You have five minutes.

Vultran: I will do what I can.

??: And you wonder why people hate you.

Ynot: Oh, I know that irritating voice. Should've known you'd pop up here, Flamel.

*Ynot turns to face who he correctly guessed to be Nicholas Flamel*

Flamel: I am offended.

Ynot: You should be. I was trying to be offensive. Here to steal my life, again?

Flamel: No, no. Just the festivities. I am plenty full of life for the moment.

Ynot: A thief of life like yourself should be slain on sight. Give me one reason I shouldn't this moment.

Flamel: Touchy. You wont kill me because I can undo that concoction in mere moments. With only a piece of chalk and space.

Ynot: And I should trust you why?

Flamel: Because you have no choice. Either I fix these people, or no one does.

Ynot: You have an interesting point. I have a counter point. I can rewind time if you do anything against these people. I can create a memory seal of you, knowing anything and everything you know. I can then kill you, and have him do it to my bidding. So have your fun. Cross the goers of the convention at your peril.

*Flamel is taken aback*

Flamel: You are truely a frieghtening opponent. I look forward to obtaining your powers. But for the moment, you win. I will do as you ask, no strings attatched.

Ynot: Good. *Creates a Megaphone* Attention Convention goers. This man here can return you to normal, one at a time, please form a single file line if you are displeased with these mutations.

*Flamel draws a circle on the ground in chalk with an intricate design within, restoring the patrons one by one*

-<Mad Scientist Convention>-

Calaran: Oooh, ooh! Yay! Thanks Mr : D. *she turns to Ynot* So is this guy a frenemy of yours?

[Convention]

Ynot: I've only met him once before, he tried to kill me in my sleep, I thwarted him. I tend to attract nut jobs like him. It's all well and good, keeps me on my toes, and my body busy. Only thing I ask is that in moments like these, when there are peaceful activities afoot, that they chill until the calm has abated.

*He leans against the stage arms folded, gazing at the ceiling*

Ynot: I'm actually quite content having multiple people try to take me at the same time. I usually do my best work with an audience. But when I SHINE, is when someone posses enough of a threat that I cannot take them alone. When my team over there is at my side, no one stands a chance.

*He returns his gaze to Calaran*

Ynot: So, tell me more about you.

[Convention]

*Malygos casually strolls up to Ynot*

Malygos: Ynot! Sorry to interrupt your conversation, but it is good to see you once again.

*He smiles*

Malygos: So, Ynot, what brings you to this convention? And Vultran, eh? A pleasure to see you again.

*Ynot sighs*

Ynot: Ah, hello Malygos. We were just talking about the numerous people that have tried to kill me. This is decidedly not MY convention, but I'm here to look at the new technologies, and Vultran and Trixitin do love showing off their efforts. Mostly Vultran.

Vultran: Can't talk, busy doing SCIENCE!.

*Vultran mixes beakers and vials together, stirring, then shaking*

[ Datrio, Magical Island: ]

???: Thank you. Please, allow me to do you a favor, in repayment.

*He suddenly disappears into the ground, and doesn't reappear again for a while*

???: *Rises out of the ground again, in the middle of the tree people* Without your Queen, you Sadida are hopeless layabouts. Killing you is a woeful waste of any civilized being's time. *Stops to light a cigarette*

*Suddenly, out of his arms, from his wrists up to his biceps, start to unfurl the black-and-purple wings of large butterflies*

???: Thankfully, I need not lift a finger to kill you. *Takes a drag on his cigarette, then blows out a plume of smoke* Teez.

*The butterflies flit with unnatural speed and precision, each finding one of the Sadida*

*Screaming, trying to escape, the men, women and children are burrowed into by ravenous jaws*

*As soon as the Teez reach their hearts, they begin to give up the ghost; it's not long before they all lie dead*

???: *Welcomes the Teez back into his form* Please, carry on, gentlemen. *Disappears into the ground, once again*

*He reappears a minute later, hovering out of the water beside his ship; he uses the air itself as a stairway up onto the deck*

*Moments later, the uncanny ship silently sets off; against the tide, devoid of sails*

~ ~ ~

[ Lang City, Hei Fon 4: ]

Persia: Yes, he's very influ - ... ... ...Hrrrrrggghhhh... *Mouth spreads into a feral grimace, as she lowers herself into a combat stance*

*Suddenly, a thick fog rolls over the area; possessed of such a surreal density that it physically presses against Loki and his men as it rolls down the street*

*From nearby, clanking footsteps can be heard approaching*

*In the sound's general direction, a couple of narrow, glowing maroon eyes become visible*

*The figure is mechanical, with bronze-silver armor, laced with maroon piping. His face has vaguely skeletal, glowing maroon features, as well as a pattern of swirled lines resembling a brain. His armor is built-in with a tyrian red longcoat, as well as matching boots and gauntlets. Lastly, trained on Persia is some kind of schizo-tech blunderbuss, with five vials of seething magenta fumes sticking up from the back*

Persia: Heathcance, you parasitic, mechanical swine!! I told you to never come to ANY PLANET UNDER MY PROTECTION!! *Screeches loudly, causing frightened passersby to crumple*

*Anyone without a strong mental/sorcerous resistance is waylaid by horrific visions - Their loved ones being slaughtered, terrifying distortions of their worst memories*

*Suddenly, Qufang flickers into the fray (cringing with her ears folded back), and clamps her paw over Persia's mouth in the most direly-needed hushing of a screaming fit in Hei Fon 4's history*

Qufang: Guildmaster, stop. There's no truly organic portions of him left. His brain can't be put under by your Horror. *Keeps Persia from struggling away* You're going to cripple valuable help in defeating him!

Persia: *Fights her way out, transformed into a horrible caricature of herself* I offer multitudinous and heartfelt apologies. *Whirls on Heathcance*

Heathcance: *Has had his blunderbuss trained on her the entire time* Are you quite finished with caterwauling like a ninny? I'd like to know where Raregroove is.

Persia: Hee hee hee hee hee...You're a dead man, Heathcance. There's bound to be help on the way. You're going to be scrap metal on the streets. Just like I did to your - WRAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUGH!! *Is hit by an explosive shot of magenta energy, sending her flying through a storefront*

Heathcance: *Constructs a gun on top of his other wrist, so that he can keep a bead on both Qufang and Loki* I suppose introductions are in order, for those of us who are capable of appreciating etiquette. I am Heathcance von Selvenstricker, 17th Baron of the Frayborg Horde. I am here to find a source of magical energy large enough to convert into energy for a new Horde, seeing as how that devil cat tore my entire Horde to shreds. She really should learn not to throw a hissy fit over trivial matters. Now, who is it that I must kill before Raregroove will be convinced to hand over Rule Breaker?

*Suddenly, he freezes, and both of his guns disappear. Summoning a huge warhammer, he slams the ground with such force that he's propelled to safety*

*That is, safety from the screaming crimson projectile that explodes into the street - Shattering every window on the block and dissipating the thick fog*

Heathcance: *Summons his blunderbuss again* Hmmmmm...My scanners detect the energy signature of a high-level magical artifact. This planet seems to be a treasure trove.

*Suddenly, a swift shape darts from above, and in a screeching storm, begins clawing at him*

Persia: ALWAYS WATCH OUT FOR DEATH FROM ABOVE!! *Gnaws on his head, notching the metal with her fangs*

Qufang: *Closes the distance in an instant, and begins thrusting her palms into Heathcance's chest rapidly*

*Suddenly, a thick, tyrian red cloud hisses out of the gaps in the machine's armor, causing the two females to cough and wheeze weakly*

Heathcance: Gaseous stasili oxide. Those two will be down for a while. Now, *Turns to Loki* What say you?

*He levels his blunderbuss with Loki*

[Hei Fon 4]

*Loki waves his hand, and the gun promptly explodes*

Loki: Manners, eh? Interesting coming from someone pointing such a barbaric instrument at me.

*Loki smirks, throwing off his hood and revealing this underneath, then without warning tossing a lightning bolt at Heathcance, throwing him a few feet back, shorting out the cloaking device and causing electrical discharge, putting some craters in the ground*

Loki: My name is Loki, Lord of Devils and bound to Emperor Malygos.

*Loki waves his hand and a surge of energy blows up the ground under Heathcance's feet, launching him into the air*

Loki: I personally don't give a damn who you are, but Malygos told me to kill anyone who'd get in my way.

*He smirks*

Loki: This qualifies. I've been waiting for a good fight.

*Loki launches a barrage of firebolts at Heathcance*

--

[Datrio]

Hydraxis: ...What the hell was that? Ah, well, none of my business. Get this done, boys.

*The machine starts to hum softly.*

Hydraxis: Anticlimactic.

--
[Convention]

Malygos: Same old has been happening here. Foiled plots, false leads, getting greater magical power, whatnot. Anyway, I was-

*Doctor Doppler strolls casually up to Malygos*

Doppler: My lord, why are we wasting our time with this nons-

*He sees Vultran, and snarles.*

Doppler: YOU,

*Doppler leaps forward and barrels Vultran to the floor, using an energy field*

Doppler: You drowned me, in the guise of an experiment! You're a disgrace to SCIENCE!!.

*Doppler holds a plasma pistol to Vultran's jaw, snarling as he does so*

[Convention]

*Vultran snickers*

Vultran: You don't do your research!

*Vultran forces the Plasma pistol to backfire, but is unphased, kicking Doppler off of him*

Vultran: That's my element. As for you accusations, I do remember you. You dared interfere in my calculations. The vary calculations I was doing were for this debacle here. Sreda, pass me my sidearm!

*Sreda tosses a slick red revolver, with which he takes aim at Doppler and fires*
---

Ynot: Ah, that would be the vary fellow I was speaking of. The one Vultran was testing on.

[ Hei Fon 4, Lang City: ]

*Tumbling through the air, Heathcance trails smoke*

*However, he rights himself, and fires twin jets of maroon fire out of his palms*

*He rockets down the ground, where a small machine detaches from a protected compartment in his side*

*It hovers down to the ground, and unfolds into a small disc*

*From two alleys, a pair of rails connect to it, as Heathcance touches down*

*Wordlessly, he constructs a large turret around himself, which slides away on the rail*

*He retreats into the alley, facing out*

*To cover his path, he fires a missile which forms into a barricade across the alley*

*All is eerily quiet, for a while*

*Suddenly, a fiery missile is spat from within an alley, causing a blaze to engulf the ground around Loki and his troops*

*It quickly discolors into an unnatural maroon, with pixellated fumes coming off of it*

*These unnatural flames possess a quality which is entirely unlike any kind of earthly fire*

Heathcance: *Shouts, obscured* Did you think I would face a True Vampire, a Devil, and their respective servants unprepared, within five minutes of arriving?

*Suddenly, a shot launches out that sends Persia's prone form bouncing across the pavement*

Heathcance: I've been here, preparing, for twenty minutes under that cloak.

*The sound of a rail grinding away can be heard*

*However, faintly, a very powerful presence can be felt approaching*

Persia: *Singed, paralyzed, coughs weakly*

~ ~ ~

[ Datrio, Magical Island: ]

*As the magic drains away, the plantlife withers and dies*

*The motes of lights slowly die, as well*

*Even the Sadida are wilting to nothing*

[Hei Fon 4]

*Loki rubles out of the explosion, falling to the ground, unhurt by the heat*

Loki: Using unnatural fire-like technology! This might be fun!

*Loki laughs maniacally as he stands up.*

Loki: Gentlemen, let's show this machine the true power of devilkind,

*Smiling madly, Loki's arms spark with red energy, and he then slams his hands against the ground, causing the ground in a mile-wide radius to crack and fire to violently issue forth, covering the area in thick, black smoke.*

Loki: Fire at will!

*As devils can see through smoke, the lesser devils under Loki unveil themselves, and hurl a barrage of fire and lightning at Heathcance, as Loki disappears into the smoke, only to reappear somewhat later behind Heathcance and launch a gout of white-hot flame at point blank range at him.*

Loki: Burn, baby!

--
[Datrio]

Technician: Fascinating, we have an environment depending entirely on the d-

Hydraxis: Save it for later. The boss's work here is done.

*Hydraxis opens a communicator*

Hydraxis: This is General Hydraxis, requesting a shuttle out of here.

--
[Mad Scientist Convention]

*The plasma gun's explosion disrupts the shield, allowing the shot to go through. Doppler is knocked back*

Doppler: Hmph. I apologize - that was rude. Using a pistol against a scientist such as you? I should be ashamed!

*He smirks, the light glinting off his glases, as he hits a button on a holographic projection on his forearm*

Doppler: Allow me to introduce my latest war machine. The VX-001 Anti-Materiel Assault Cannon.

*A massive, gold-plated, stationary turret warps in behind Doppler, bristling with missiles, machine guns, and other such weaponry. Doppler teleports into the closed cockpit and turns on the display*

Doppler: You might want to take cover.

*The VX-001 spins up and fires a massive barrage of arcane missiles from both Gatling-gun-style main machine guns, straight at Vultran*

[Convention]

*The shot that impacted Doppler sends off a cloud of pink smoke, and when it clears, a human girl is where he once stood*

Ynot: Oh not this again.

Vultran: HA! Shoot me if you want, I'll heal. I'm putting this on the internet.

*Vultran gets knocked on his a$$ by the volley in a smoking, smoldering heap*

[ Hei Fon 4, Lang City, Desolation Row: ]

*Masonry crumbles and falls, leaving scorched, twisted metal grids*

*Heathcance avoids the lesser devils, until a stray shot causes his turret to shatter*

*Landing handfirst onto the rail, he attempts to Ollie Outtie by flipping into a rail grind*

*However, Loki's attack sends Heathcance sprawling - but not before a spray of dark brownish-purple sludge from his back sprays out; meets the fire and flames; and blows up in Loki's face*

*Suddenly, if it's even possible, the area's blasted heat rises even hotter, and a huge, glowing red shape looms over head*

*The Spirit of Fire floats lazily overhead, feeding into and off of the fiery devastation until it is as big as a zeppelin*

Namah: *Sits crosslegged on its head, staring down flatly* My, another horned one who enjoys racking up collateral damage, and I wasn't invited to the neihborhood rumble.

*She looks back; specifically, on the Spirit of Fire's back, Sagihime has used Zenki and Kouki to rescue most of the humans in the area, including Persia and Qufang*

Namah: Get them out of here, Heron. Tell Zev I blew off our first date to save his city. That'll be sure to raise my Flighty Broad Horseshit-o-Meter.

Sagihime: Just don't increase the radius of devastation, or I shall be forced to take a switch to you.

Namah: ...Yes'm. Please go.

*In an instant, the bystanders have disappeared*

Namah: O.S.: Mountainfire Brave. *Springs off, falling towards the ground*

Spirit of Fire: *Explodes into flames, curling around her in a vortex as she descends*

Heathcance: No no no, not quite so easily. *Presses a button on his gauntlet*

*Atop the last intact building in the area, a child-sized machine resembling Heathcance raises its cycloptic eye*

*It charges up purple energy, then launches a beam that splits the sky towards Namah*

*However, she instantly throws a spinning, five-pronged projectile of flames*

*As her OverSoul's armor forms, her attack splits the beam down the middle, causing its redirected halves to cut a line across the mountains and to disappear over the other horizon*

*It slices straight through the machine, slices through the shack atop the building behind it, pummels through an already half-crumbled building, and erupts with flames out the far side*

*As the small robot explodes with such force that the building it stands on drops, Heathcance points at Namah the moment she alights*

Heathcance: Overpowered. I call hax. *Forms a double-barrel blaster on top of his hand*

Namah: Hey, I got the character development. I earned my hax. You just stepped off the bus and thought you could play hardball in my hood. Pink Menace represent.

Heathcance: You're a chatty one. *Blows up his own blaster, propelling him safely back onto a section of railing*

*Strafing Namah and Loki with energy blasts, he successfully Ollie Outtie on a railgrind*

Namah: *Takes the hits, even as cuts open on her cheek and shoulder* I just got out of my training with hell, and I didn't even get to pull the recovering badass card to take a day off. What is this, Power Rangers? I have to show all my new powers in the same episode I get them? *Looks to Loki* Don't you think that's unfair?

*Her pale pink halo gleams to life, as the rail's grinding can be heard*

[Hei Fon 4]

*Loki dodges some of the energy blasts, intercepting others with energy bolts of his own, but taking one full in the chest and staggering back a bit*

Loki: Namah, eh? Things just got a lot more FUN!

*Loki unleashes red lightning striking all over the field and electrocuting both Namah and Heathcance*

Loki: Sorry, Namah, but I couldn't RESIST an opportunity to fight someone so powerful. Malygos wants the same item you're defending, so I have an excuse to FIGHT! Against Heathcance, I had to handicap myself merely to provide myself with a challenge....but with you, I can fight with NO RESTRAINT!

*Laughing insanely, Loki launches a barrage of flame blasts to destroy the rail Namah was standing on, launching him back.*

Loki: Ha!

*Loki vanishes in a flash of red flame, teleporting behind Namah*

Loki: A fire specialist like myself? I have just the thing!

*He slams Namah with a lightning-charged glove strike, using the leather to build up static electricity and horribly shock Namah, teleporting away before Namah can react, then exploding the ground under both other combatants, knocking them together.*

Loki: Let's see if you can withstand this!

*Loki uses high-powered fire jets to rocket into mid-air, and uses chaos magic to rip a huge chunk of earth, crack it and fashion it into a massive meteor, then sets the entire thing on fire and slams it at high-speed into the ground on top of Namah and Heathcance.*

Loki: Hehehehehehehehe...HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

*Loki laughs maniacally, shocking the area with powerful lightning for good measure while unleashing his hideous laughter*

--
[Convention]

Doppler: Ha! Teach you to deal with-

*He looks down*

Doppler. Aw, crap! *He quickly uses his holo-comp to fashion a hologram around him, so he looks like himself again.

*Doppler emerges from the turret*

Doppler: (in high voice) So that's-

*He quickly amends that with a voice modulator*

Doppler: So that's why he didn't bother with even fighting back. How...bothersome.

*Malygos lets out a loud laugh and claps Ynot on the shoulder*

Malygos: Just like old times, eh?

[ Hei Fon 4, Lang City: ]

*Suddenly, a pair of Ether Tendrils lash out, and punch Loki right in the gut*

Namah: *Calls them back in an instant, singed all over, but somehow disregarding the pain* Thank God. I thought there was no way to shut you up.

Heathcance: *Lifts a huge chunk of earth off of himself, nochalantly brushing off his shoulder* Holding back? Now, I'm hurt by that statement. *Presses three more buttons on his gauntlet*

*Suddenly, from three undamaged junctions in the rails, more child-sized automatons rise up and charge beams up in their eyes*

*They fire on Loki from far apart, trying to pen him in*

Namah: *Halo glows brighter, as pink flames snap around her hands* ...Not yet? ... I'll trust you, Augustus. For now, we can use our own tricks.

*Suddenly, she throws her hand up above herself*

*Streams of fire course from the area, and begin to transmute into raw aether*

*Soon, it begins to spark into Namah's upraised hand*

*Meanwhile, pale pink streamers of energy surround her form*

Namah: *Calmly watches the results of Heathcance's attack*

[Convention]

Ynot: Yeah, old times. Kurenitsu, Sreda, Sonia, help Vultran to a medical station. Those burns are going to need tending.

Kurenitsu: Sure, come on girls.

*They gather up Vultran on a stretcher and take him away*

Ynot: So, Malygos, you know why I'm here, what brings you around to the Blue Planet?

[Convention]

Malygos: Oh, I heard about this place, had nothing going on, and I just had to drop by. Most of my plans have fallen through so far, so I thought I would take some well-earned rest.

*Malygos smiles at Doppler*

Malygos: And it seems to be providing some level of diversion.

Doppler: *Sighs* Yes, my lord, I suppose it has. At least I got the chance to show off my new turret design. XT-001 is, of course, only a prototype.

--
[Hei Fon 4]

*Loki is slightly grazed by one beam, but mostly unhurt, acrobatically dodging or deflecting each*

Loki: Don't flatter yourself. You are certainly a capable fighter, and you would provide me some diversion, but you're not quite as interesting a fighter as this woman here.

*Loki launches a powerful lightning spell, ricocheting off the automatons, shorting them out, and slamming Heathcance in the face, knocking him to the ground, then nonchalantly blowing up the spot where he is.*

Loki: You, my dear, shall provide me far more engagement than this automaton.

*Loki suddenly surges with crackling red energy, launching a disjointed attack that seems to inexplicably ricochet into Namah, disrupting her energy and pushing her back a foot or so, causing intense pain.*

Loki: That was what we devils call chaos energy. It is exceptional at disruption and destruction, and posesses enough raw power to destroy any lesser who tries to use it.

*He grins wickedly, showing pointed teeth*

Loki: I, of course, am more than capable. Well, milady, shall we dance?

*He launches two more bolts of chaos energy on a fast, disjointed path towards Namah*

*Xeno approaches the turret with what appears to be a tablet, and quick scans it*

Xeno: Oui! Dees teen be reven two cycles a parasec to queeck.

*Ynot speaks up before Doppler can take offense *

Ynot: The is Xeno, he is my teams munitions expert. He tends to assume all firearms not designed by him are flawed. I have never met someone to prove him wrong.

Xeno: Bareels ta lung, too.

Ynot: Shut up before the mad scientist with the magic turret turns you into slag like Vultran.

[ Lang City, Hei Fon 4: ]

Namah: *Folds her hands, allowing the chaos energy to hit her*

*The aether continues to surge into her, but forms a calm, rippling aura*

*As the ripples concentrate, the chaos energy is expunged, and fades away*

*However, Namah still has two burned spots on her abdomen*

Namah: *Moves hands apart, fingertips glowing* ... *Halo glows blindingly bright pink*

*With a flicker of movement, she lashes out towards Loki*

*Two Ether Tendrils scream towards his chest*

Heathcance: I'd best make myself scarce... *Prepares to retreat on a rail*

*However, he finds himself stopped short*

*An Ether Tendril's end has been anchored to his lower back*

Namah: *Has nonchalantly raised her free hand to grab him*

*With a flick of her wrist, he is thrown high*

Heathcance: Oh, bother. *Crashes through a scorched building's window*

*That bit of force is enough to send it crashing down*

Namah: *Doesn't even look*

*Loki blocks one tendril with a disruptive chaos bolt, but is knocked sprawling by another.*

Loki: Impressive! Absorbing the force of the energy, a clever move. Though it seems you couldn't prevent the burning from the power of chaos.

*Loki grins, quickly teleporting behind her and thrusting a dagger of chaos energy into her back*

Loki: Though if you concentrate that much energy to the front, your back is unprotected. Clever move, though.

*Loki laughs, unleashing a couple more lightning bolts at point-blank range*

--
[Convention]

Doppler: Well, Xeno, I don't expect you to understand the workings of magitek, as the rules it follows are rather different from conventional technology.

*Malygos chuckles a bit.*

Malygos: I'm siding with Doppler for now, but who knows? Xeno could be right. Though, as you say, it is Doppler who has the blasting power at the moment.

[Convention]

*Xeno reaches into his cloak and pulls out a small pistol, aims it at Sasuken and fires. The pistol stutters off a single bolt of pure magical energy. Sasuken is knocked back, leaving a scorch mark on his armor, but is relatively alright*

Xeno: Chu were sayeen? Meh expuhtees ees een weepoons. Mageec, sceence, don't mattah. Aye mach teens go BOOM, and aye be da beest at eet.

*Ynot sets his hand on Xeno's shoulder*

Ynot: Except me. This guy spent three weeks trying to blow me up. Three WEEKS. The best of his arsenal, too.

Xeno: Don't remeend meh. Aye 'ad an oof day.

*After Sasuken cleaned himself off, he walks up behind Ynot, whispering*

Sasuken: Don't want to be a nag, but I know you felt it.

Ynot: (Also in hushed tones) Yeah, Klak's gone. Didn't want to start a scene. We will hold a service for him later. (Back to normal voice) So, who's demonstration is next? Blackout? I know you have some trick up your sleeve for coming here. Or perhaps... *turning to Calaran* You?

[ Hei Fon 4, Lang City: ]

Namah: *Dodges the dagger, but takes the hits of the lightning strikes to roll away*

*She springs into the air, and throws her hand out; launching an Ether Tendril to lash onto a flagpole across the street*

*Whirling up high, then around, and around, and around, she finally wrenches the flagpole free*

*Then, she launches an Ether Tendril from her other hand to a statue, once again crossing the street, and whirls herself around*

*When her body can stand no more forces exerted on it, she reels herself into the statue, and uses the other Tendril to launch the flagpole at Loki*

*It screams through the air, and actually releases a sonic boom as it shoots towards him*

Heathcance: *Rises from the rubble* ...My sensors tell me that an angry woman is here to enter this Battle Roy - AUGH *Finds a snapkick sending him skidding across the pavement*

Aisha: *Hic* Mrrrwww... *Sways on her feet, having sprouted a tail from using her Beast Strength* Grrrrr!!

Heathcance: Miss Ctarl-Ctarl officer, ma'am, are you drunk?

Aisha: ...Drunk enough to kick your ###!

*She pounces towards him with a spear tackle*

Namah: *Crouches atop the statue's head* Thank you, that robot was a douche bag.

*Now, she peers down at Loki*

[A Space Station]
Entering the space station, a small, raggidy, fighter with only two pilots entered into the docking bay of the space station. The side opening up and a staircase unfolding out, two aliens stepped out. They were both some odd aliens - somewhat bipedal, but possessing four arms. They resembled dragons in some way, the Red Dragons of DnD, but not by much, perhaps only facially and the wings. The rest was quite alien. They had whiskers, three eyes or more, scales, odd flesh, looking kind of burnt, and very carnivorous, spiky teeth, kind of like a shark. The oddest part was, by far, the fact they weren't wearing space suits, and almost no armor. Both of them had breather tubes to their neck, and both carrying rifles.

Walking around, they went up to the man with white skin, a loincloth, and red tattoos. The man was Kratos.
"Wheresss leader of station?! Need speak to it!"

[Hei Fon 4]

*Loki is slammed right in the face, knocking him to the ground and causing intense pain*

Loki: Well done, Namah! That really hurt! This is more diversion than I've had in years!

*Loki's body sparks with red chaos energy as he stands up*

Loki: And a battle of this caliber requires a far greater stage than a mere city.

*Loki launches a gout of energy at the ground, violently opening a massive gash in the ground, which Loki then teleports himself and Namah into*

*The two find themselves in an ash plain with solidified magma pillars, surrounded by fire, lightning and raw chaos energy*

Loki: This is the Elemental Chaos. Home to Devils and other creatures of chaos. Very few opponents deserve being shown this - you should be grateful, and proud!

*Loki then draws energy from the chaos surrounding them, using it as a gout of white-hot flame launched at Namah's face, then teleporting above her to trap her in a cage of lightning, as she dodges the flame*

Loki: But this is the end! In this plane, chaos is paramount! Please at least give me a good fight before falling into the flame!

*Loki then unleashes a wave of chaos energy, which homes in on Namah and then explodes into raw chaos*

Loki: Hah! Get over here and FIGHT!!

--
[Convention]

Doppler: Excuse me! This is my-

Malygos: Not now.

*Malygos grins, whispering to Doppler*

Malygos: One player is out of the way. I suppose I have to thank Klak for removing himself- we no longer have need to worry about him.

OOS: yes I finally posted

-----

<Mad Scientist Convention>

Blackout: *to Ferret* Interesting, interesting.....

*He walks away, apparently oblivious to everything going on around him, until Ynot calls him out*

Blackout: Glad you asked, Ynot. I have something to show you all.

*He strolls onto the stage, and turns on a TV screen*

*The screen shows an astronaut in space working on a satellite*

Blackout: Please observe.

*A black cloud begins to engulf the astronaut*

-----

<Malchior IV>

*Amy and Nikolai look at each other*

Amy: What the hell just happened?

-----

<User room>

The Architect: This must be done.

*He walks into what appears to be a closet, and locks it behind him*

-----

[ Chaos Plane: ]

Namah: *Falls facefirst out of the smoke and flames, burning all over*

*Suddenly, she smirks up at Loki, and rips off what remains of her scorched shirt - revealing some kind of skintight, armored vest underneath*

Namah: Thanks. *Spits out a tooth into her palm* That shock was just enough to wake up Mastema Dolkeem, the lazy jackass. *Tosses the tooth up and down, as the flames turn ethereal and pink* I haven't gotten a molar knocked out since Sagihime's training. Good thing Hilda keeps a few synthetic ones in the Desperado's med bay.

*She suddenly throws the tooth off to the side, where it punches holes in three lava pillars and embeds itself in the fourth*

Namah: Funny story about that. Mastema Dolkeem is meant to be paired with a berserker-kind of warrior. He only awakens to fight with his medium when they've, say, been burned over a majority of their body. Now, it's time that you put on your make up and a nice clean dress, expletive referring to a female dog, because I'm about to take you on a ballroom blitz.

*Without warning, Namah's position is veiled by explosions of pale pink flames*

*They burn in the air, on the ground, and soon, whorl in on her position*

*She emerges garbed in a heavy silver mantle, boots, and gauntlets, and her entire body is covered with circuit-like lines of pink light; as well, her halo is fully-lit, and her eyes have turned pink-on-pink*

Namah: O.S.: Mastema Dolkeen. *Holds arms out to the side*

*Six flaming Ether Tendrils spear out, and drag down magma pillars*

Namah: Now that the theatrics are out of the way, it's time for a spell that has been looong overdue. *Summons several huge spheres of pink fire* Time for a spell that even Zev doesn't know about. In case we both die, Loki...I want to thank you for this amazing fight, and for everything you have given me. From here on out, you will see nothing but my all. No mercy.

*She throws both hands forward, and the balls of fire begin to give a sound like screams of the dying and joyous laughter and pealing bells, rolled together*

Namah: Heaven's Feel: Uria Metria of the Holy Grail. *All of her 'circuits' glow blindingly bright*

*The spheres of fire circle in on Loki from all directions, burning magma pillars way and calling down lighting from the sky*

*As they converge on him, the explosions that go off send Namah flying back*

*She crashes straight through five pillars, and is forced to right herself*

Namah: ... *Blows a lock of hair out of her face* Okay. Never at that range. Ever again.

*She stops to recuperate*

Calaran: Oh you know, space princessing, blowing things up, delivering innocents from the hands of tyranny, hitting things with a comically large hammer, surviving family reunions-Oh here specifically? Um, well I was supposed to be helping with a panel on how to improve starship engines. But I think some of the people got killed in a coup to use the panel room for 99 ways to improve your culinary experience. Uh, I heard something about 'so you've raised your zombie dinosaur army, what do you do with it?' but I'm pretty sure that was an excuse to feed the girl's zombie t-rex a captive audience. A couple of my friends ran off to some panel on cybernetics, but my bodyguard was with them, and in the interest of there still being a convention center I'm trying to avoid her.

[Space station]

Kratos: I know not the owner of this place. I have been marooned here myself.

*He checks his near dead ring*

Kratos: I have not the energy to make the trek back whence I came. Per chance would you two be willing to lend me your ship?

---
[Convention]

Ynot: Oh, dear. Sounds like quite an agenda. What do you make of Blackout's... demonstration? Personally, it looks to be all smoke and mirrors to me.

<Mad Scientist Convention>

Blackout: Oh, do give it a moment.

*The cloud disappears into the astronaut's spacesuit*

Blackout: Any minute now.....

*The astronaut lets go of the satellite and begins to drift off into space*

-----

<User room>

*There is much noise, smoke, and light*

*Finally, the closet opens, and a woman emerges*

-----

[Space Station]
"Yess, Take ship you can, but do not break! Go with Vauer, he is on ship."
The two odd aliens, who are so alien nobody even knows how they got there, move through the space station, interrogating anyone about the possible owner of this place.
"No leader here it seems, brother. Must find map for leaders."

Is it self-contained? Is it open to the public?

Well, why don't you be the judge?

~ ~ ~

[ Mad Scientist Convention: ]

*Serrator, Merhiem, and Octoroo are all thoroughly and inhumanely bored out of their minds*

Merhiem: ... (=^~.~^=)...So...Sleepy... *Does not have the energy to yell, anymore*

Octoroo: Oooh...Ah... *Yawwwn* ...Master...Remember when we...Were a real threat...?

Serrator: *In a shocking twist, does not blow Octoroo up* Yes...I remember a time...When Yosho Raregroove...Involuntarily #### himself...At the sight of me...Now what? *Looks at Octoroo blearily* Am I...Am I still a villain, Octoroo? I don't feel like a villain...

Octoroo: ...It's okay, master...Our day...Shall come...Yes... *Nods off*

Serrator: *Happens to glance over at Blackout, then, on a strange impulse, to a figure in a long coat and a mask* ...?

*This figure more wears a shrouding black cape, and has an almost mosquito-like steel mask, with glowering red eyes and a bladed proboscis over a tube*

*Hunched over, he is silently drawing nearer to the group; as his hand pulls aside, a small, spherical object with a crank on top can be seen*

Serrator: ...Decrepit Subject, Loudmouthed Subject, this is not a drill. *Teleports*

*Just as the figure goes for the bomb, he's spun away by a cyclone*

*The cyclone hovers into the air, then carries him away*

*They end up in an open area, separated from the convention, where the figure is hurled into the floor*

???: Scrabbles to his feet, revealing metallic ribs and armored claws*

Serrator: Hmmm...I do not recognize you, but you have an aura of death and ruin about you. Would you care to join me?

???: ... *Flips Serrator off, then throws his cloak through the air*

*An emaciated, gangrenous group of men appear, all wielding guns and weapons from widely-varied eras and civilizations*

Serrator: Rude, rude, rude. *Swings his twin rods, unleashing a wave of black lightning*

*The figures are blown to pieces, which revert into a dark mist and return to the unknown figure*

Serrator: ...Octoroo, Merhiem, tell Lord Blackout that I became preoccupied with a hellish figure of death. It won't take long.

*As the two run off, Serrator levels his twin staves with the figure*

Serrator: Is there anything I can call you, oddball figure?

???: ... *Kneels down, and begins to scratch in the floor*

*It has been inverted for Serrator to read*

"They Call Me The Bogeyman."

[Elemental Chaos]

*Loki dodges most of the spheres, but one explodes too near him, throwing him directly into the path of another, which hits him dead-on. Loki is sent sprawling and slides to the edge of the arena, his body charred.*

Loki: Ugh...

*He obviously struggles getting back up, but rises to his feet*

Loki: Normally that sort of thing'd beat me. But there are advantages to being a Devil in the Elemental Chaos. Advantages such as THIS!

*Loki laughs, charging his body with chaos energy from the surroundings, searing some of his wounds shut and causing his eyes to glow red, arcs of energy flaking off him.*

Loki: Now let's do this! I'll show you the true power of chaos!

*Loki slams the ground, with a supercharged blast of chaos-lightning, forking and jerking around as it gets closer to Namah. As that happens, Loki attempts to enclose Namah in a wall of flames taken from the edges.*

Loki: And time for the finishing touch!

*Loki summons a scythe made of pure chaos energy and charges forward, slamming it into Namah*

---

[Convention]

Malygos: My, my, aren't we dramatic toda-

*He sees another spectator, a machine-augmented Agori in the audience, colored black and white, with a scoped mask.*

Malygos: Xavalis.

*Malygos teleports to him and lifts him by his neck*

Malygos: I thought I killed you for your treachery. Must have been a decoy. Oh well. Be glad this convention is a neutral zone. If I see your face again, I will kill you.

*Malygos drops him and walks away*

*Xavalis would smirk, if it were possible given his machine-augmented anatomy. But that is impossible. Regardless, he stands back up, gears quietly whirring inside his joints*

Xavalis: Blackout, eh? Perhaps I should consider a partnership - that tech seems interesting...

*His voice is computerized and emotionless.*

Calaran: Well I dunno where he's really going. I mean no one's been stabbed or blown up or turned into a robotic beast from the inside out via nanites (yet anyway). So far it just looks like I don't even know. Mind control? That's pretty boring, you don't even need technology for that, and then you're stuck with meat puppets to take care of and nobody has time for that.

[Convention]
Ynot: Knowing Blackout, either bones, or nothing will be left of the man.

*Ynot sees Serrator attack the Bogeyman*

Sasuken: Uh, You aren't about too..

Ynot: Can't stop me.

*Ynot flies into the crowd, burying his knee in Serrator's face*

Ynot: You DARE defile this peaceful collection of scientific minds!?!?

----
[Space Station]

*Kratos ducks into the ship to bump into Vauer*

Kratos: The two outside said I may commandeer this vessel for transport. Will you comply?

[ Elemental Chaos, Namah v. Loki: ]

*Suddenly, Loki finds his scythe caught*

*It quickly bites through Namah's gauntlet, before said gauntlet begins to seethe with aether*

*The rocket of aether sends Loki rocketing away, before the other gauntlet explodes into another stream of aether*

*The second attack inundates itself into the flames and lightning, weaving into them and paralyzing their approach*

Namah: Hmmm...This won't do. I can't maneuvre in this bulky garbage of Dolkeem's making.

*Suddenly, her armor shatters, and spins around her hovering form within the flames and lightning*

*The aether reshapes Loki's attack into Namah's defense - save for an occasional arc of lightning that her armor primarily deflects*

*When the armor has refit to her, her breastplate now resembles the Spirit of Fire's face, and she has twin long blades for wings*

Namah: A.O.S.: Girafalte. *Flexes her wings outward* Rrrgh...This is gonna hurt you just as much as it hurts me, Loki.

*She screams, a somehow guttural and wailing sound, as her wings seem to breathe out huge, slicing shockwaves of aether*

*They lash out wildly, putting a network of shallow cuts on her arm, before ripping out of her prison/shield*

*Each one goes in a different direction, lascerating whatever is in its way*

Namah: Dammit. Mastema Dolkeem still has to be mastered. It's a good thing that old Heron taught me how to subjugate unruly spirits.

~ ~ ~

[ Convention: ]

Serrator: *Rubs his jaw* The monstrosity in the cape started it.

Bogeyman: ... *Still holds the bomb, but seems to be distracted by something* ... *'Sniffs' at the air with the tube hanging from his mask*

*In one movement, he has landed crouched atop the open exit ramp of a small ship*

*A girl screams, just as the Bogeyman rips the crank off of the bomb and tosses it in*

*He backflips off, and kicks the ramp up so hard that its braces crumple out to the sides*

*With three swings of his arm, he has sealed the ship with strips of a tar-like black substance*

*In the next moment, there is one last cry for help, and the bomb goes off*

*Then, the voice within is silenced*

Serrator: ...Can we kill the death entity slash terrorist or assassin now? Please?

*Suddenly, with an earsplitting scream, a figure lunges out of nowhere*

*She slams her hand down as she falls, ramming the Bogeyman into a dent in the ship's ramp*

Merhiem: YOU IDIOT!!!!!!!!! YOU RUINED IT ALL!!!!!!!!! *Proceeds to slug him repeatedly around the face*

Bogeyman: *Kicks her off with both legs, his proboscis snapped and barely hanging on, one of the glowing red lenses on his mask cracked*

*Afterwards, he's caught in a sphere of crimson energy, which levitates into the air*

*A smaller shot detonates it, sending the Bogeyman's smoking form smashing into the upper-rear edge of the ship*

*His back is bent double, the wrong direction, and he falls facefirst onto the floor*

Octoroo: *Levitates down to Serrator's side, staff still crackling*

Serrator: Thank you for making yourselves useful, minions!

*He makes a sweeping gesture to the Bogeyman, who is groggily getting up*

Serrator: It seems we have a new sport: kick the Bogeyman!

Merhiem: TRY TO GET HIM TO THE WASTE DISPOSAL AREA!!!!! (=>3<=)

[Convention, Upper balcony]

*Michael Westen leans on a railing watching the chaos below, blue tooth headset active in his ear*

MW: Just as you thought. He can't resist the urge. He will play right into your plans.

*With a turn and a step, he vanishes*
----

[Convention floor]

Ynot: I apologize for attacking you. The circumstances weren't what they appeared.

*Sasuken walks up behind Ynot*

Sasuken: He still doesn't trust you, but will most likely call on you as an ally later.

*Tosses Serrator a com link*

Sasuken: When that thing beeps, clear your calendar, you'll be in for a wild ride. You will probably proceed to call me insulate for speaking to you in this manor. The other way to go about it is for him to just appear at your door step and drag you along. Your next thought is that no one can match your abilities, and Ynot here would then take that as a challenge to prove you wrong. Destruction follows in the wake, making us even more enemies.

Ynot: Speaking for me? How unbecoming of you.

Sasuken: Yes, well, you beat around the bush, and I want to see what happens to the man in the black cloud.

[ Convention: ]

Serrator: Thank you, I am always on the lookout for exotic coasters for my drinks. Now, are we going to let my minions have all the fun?

Octoroo: *Is darting around up above, unleashing screaming streams of black-and-red energy down on the Bogeyman*

Bogeyman: *Narrowly avoids them, before he finds himself caught in a wide ring*

Merhiem: I HAVE YOU NOW!!!!!!!!! *Takes out a large, slender, elegant vial* TIME TO GET BEASTLY ON YO ##### ###!!!!!!!!! *Rips the top out, tosses it away, and chugs the vial*

*With a growl, she crushes the metal in her hand; the bottom actually banana-peels out*

*Suddenly, thick, bristling, olive green fur sprouts from her body; her eyes turn black with white circles in the middle; and she gains a mouth full of huge, shark-like teeth*

*Meanwhile, her tail gains a large tuft, and her forearms expand dramatically; across her form, her musculature is enhanced*

Serrator: I knew that making her my Chief Alchemist was a worthy decision. *Summons a crystal chalice, filled with worms* What fun. *Pops one into his mouth*

Bogeyman: ... *Swings his cloak again, as horses neighing can be heard*

*Out from his form ride four horsemen; one carrying a sword, one a scythe, one a bow and arrow, and one a set of scales*

*Meanwhile, the Bogeyman himself rides a half-dead looking donkey*

Merhiem: *Screams at the top of her lung, and leaps forward*

*She delivers a clothesliner that decapitates the sword-wielding horsmen, causing him to collapse into black mist*

*Jumping into the air, a roundhouse kick splinters the next one's scythe, and causes him to dissociate as well*

*Suddenly, two arrows pierce the back of her arms, and as she rumbles, she goes to her knees*

*With an explosion that shoots the arrows clear out of her wounds - thus ripping them more seriously - Merhiem drops to the ground, half-curled up, tears streaming from her eyes*

*The two remaining horsemen draw closer, cautiously*

Octoroo: Ooh-ah-ooh! I wouldn't trust it, if I were you!

*Suddenly, he opens a path for Ynot to enter*

Serrator: I insist! There's nothing like a good lopsided massacre to darken my day so nicely. *Dangles a worm over his rows of razor teeth, listening to it chitter in terror* Hahahah. You poor thing. Here, let me end it. *CHOMP* Mnch, mmnch, mnch, ulp. Nearly took my own hand off. *Conjures a cloth to wipe his mouth*

*The bow-wielding horseman is ready to shoot an arrow into Merhiem's head...*