New Beginning 23: One for the Record Books

[Celadon's Penultimate]

Gentleman Vaultboy wrote

The Shadow claps his hands and suddenly a blast of smoke is released, twirling upward and upward, becoming more and more solid, until what extend via trail of smoke from his back is a large imposing Jinni. He looks over the pair of them, and solemnly bows.

"I didn't even know I had this one until a few seconds ago." The Shadow says. "The gamble is this: this Genie will grant only one wish to each of you. But that single wish is chosen at random from one thousand wishes you give him. So each of you have to quickly give this guy one thousand wishes, and if we're lucky the ones it grands will be really helpful."

At the explanation, the two Transformers give what seems like a brief moment's contemplation. In case the great Djinn might have some sort of time limit on the wishes they would be granted, neither Megatron nor Optimus would take up precious time over-thinking.

"We'll take 500 wishes each, then?" Optimus pondered aloud, "Alright, if nobody objects, I'll give my list a go, first. I wish for lawful ownership of Darth Vader's Death Star."

"I wish for possession of the All-Spark." Megatron retorted.

"I wish for complete knowledge of all accurate information possessed on Earth's Internet."

"I wish for the ability to teleport."

"I wish for the ability to see into the future."

"I wish for a forcefield to encompass Earth, protecting perfectly it from all invaders."

"I wish for every injured person on Earth to be healed."

"I wish for all the robo-zombies on Kethencia to be converted back to robots, and turned into our allies."

"I wish for the Technari to forget that Computress ever existed."

"I wish for Thanos' Infinity Gauntlet."

And it would go on for another ten minutes, neither bot missing a beat, until 1000 wishes had been meted out. No matter how big or small--from filling the Internet with all knowledge contained within the Akasha to sending a debilitating virus throughout the Technari ranks--practical wishes were made with daunting swiftness. An entreaty from Megatron to bestow random superhuman abilities on every rightful citizen of Earth would round off the wish list, and with that, it was time to see what fruits would now be borne forth from their risk.

@GV: Please, for the love of goodness, do not grant some wish to nerf the Technari forces.

[Celadon's Penultimate]

The two pursue Suzue, Artemisia, Edelweiss and Kiku with unrelenting ferocity. As the four bound through the buildings, though, the two gynoids realize something that gives the both of them an extra confidence boost. The city is where the other anti-mage bots were attempting to take hold. It wouldn't be long before they were likely to run into reinforcements, to help take down these pesky mages.

Chances of success seemed to be headed for a significant increase.

[Gentleman Vaultboy]

@Wulf: You pick, you know more about the situation than me. You can make an informed decision about what would be most interesting.

[The Narrator]

The five teens pose as the earth shakes from afar. Five machines, dinozords, surround the mechanical menace! 

"Let's show this worm what for!" Tommy screamed. 

The five dinozords merged with the dragonzord to form the mighty Dragonzord in battle mode!  

The Vermix constricted itself around the zord, but it threw it off unsheathing a sword.

"And I know knight you with the decade energy of the 90sto vanquish this energy!" The Narrator exclaimed from the sidelines, streaming a bolt of energy, empowering the zord to destort the vermipede in one foul swoop.

The vermipede writhed in pain, as sparks flew from is midsection causing it to explode. 

"Thanks guys", Narrator exclaimed as the Zord disappeared in the distance. 

--

[Celadon's Penultimate]

His beloved Celadonians tucked away safe and sound within their houses, hostels, hotels and hovels, the Penultimate was free at last to bound across the world and lay waste to the robotic menace with the reckless abandon for which the situation called. Winds whipped up, and the dark sky poured forth all manner of fury. Rain issued forth as a torrent, but the Penultimate was careful; it would be transported back to the clouds as soon as it hit the ground. Setting the rain to a dimensional loop cycle would distract the bots; there was no need to ruin his subjects' world with a flood.

In and of itself, the rain was effective to provide a slight hindrance, but the Penultimate knew that they would find a way to adapt to the weather. The storm clouds rumbled like the growling of monsters chained up within the skies. When the lightning poured forth, it seemed to pick and choose its victims with eerie precision. Those with electromagnetic and positron shielding were avoided altogether, but the greater part of the bots would not find themselves so fortunate.

One after the other, the lightning bolts zig-zagged across the world, and conducting across any unfortunate bit of exposed metal it could find. Yet the Penultimate remained unsatisfied with the assault.Too many bots remained standing. He had to kick it up a notch. With barely a thought, he sloughed off the small bit of psyche that was Wulf. As the shadow-black construct fought the bots of its own volition, the Penultimate raised himself up to the sky.

His eyes lit deep green, and he called up a power that had long laid sleeping within the world. Not simply the capacity to sustain life, but now the ability to itself act as a living thing. Mountains tremored and shook with wrathful outrage. Seas and oceans and lakes tossed and turned, restless with fury. The trees swayed, tossed, turned and swiped at whatever bot might happen into their path. Volcanoes, valleys, rivers, waterfalls, all arose in riotous uproar. If the world was going to be attacked, the Penultimate figured the least he could do was allow the world to defend its inhabitants and itself.

[Celadon's Penultimate]

Hearing the last of the wishes from the two Transformers, the Djinn crosses his arms, with a look of smug disdain that its race had long made famous. His eyes flutter, and a glittering bluish energy courses about him.

The words of the wish to be granted are made plain, vibrating through astral space: I wish for every living victim of the Technari to be restored to peak health.

With all the spectacle befitting such a wish, energy shot forth in a wave, an inescapable permeating veil across the vast corners of the cosmos. It would be no permanent fix, but it would at least give the young and the old and the ill another fighting chance. Bones mended, muscles firmed, skin sealed closed, blood filled in from where it once had been spilled. Stamina filled desperate bodies and minds anew. For however short the span might last, even the needs to eat and sleep were sated, allowing every living thing something of a grace period to flee the chaos as best they could.

As his effects finished working their way through the fabric of this reality, the Djinn spoke not another word, but just looked to either side of him, at Optimus, at Megatron, and at the Shadow. His work was done. He was gone with a flash of surging power as spectacular as that in which he arrived.

[Celadon's Penultimate]

When Professor Utonium arrived back from remote controlling the Powerpuff Dynamo, he found himself dismayed with the state of Nano's condition. His body was fast repairing, but his mind was in a state of alarming disarray.

"I won't beat around the bush", Utonium shook his head slow and solemn, "You made a foolish--albeit brave and admirable-- choice, and that's what's got you in the situation you're currently in. Your name, from what we know is Aaron, but you go by Nano. The others will introduce themselves to you, and see if that brings back any memories. Otherwise, though, we've got to find a way to get your capabilities back to fighting fit."

[Philote]

I step through Celadon's Haven Gate and reappear in SPL space alongside Wulf.

"Hey, I'm reporting in to help set things right."

[Celadon's Penultimate]

"I suppose now is as good a time as any to commend you for your own precautions." the Penultimate snarked, "The rest of us little piggies should have built stronger houses, no?"

Though, it seemed to go without saying, Philote's presence was appreciated to the utmost.

"I sent Wulf out to take down as many bots as it could find. And Fighter X and the Heroes of Celadon are out in teams across the world. Computress is working alongside my staff; the manors are defended. The only real problem now is securing the hidden places, the mana wells, the ley lines. I think The Hub's connection to the other dimensions may have to be shut off, for the moment, too. Goodness, we'd get this done much quicker if the others were here. Then we could help cover them all, too."

[Philote]

(Who am I talking to if it is not Wulf?)

"I have some experience with Interdimensional Hubs. Point me in the direction and I'll work on getting it sealed up safe for you."

[Celadon's Penultimate]

(It's still the Penultimate: Wulf, at the moment, is distinguished as just the huge black wolf shadow construct)

The Penultimate cast his perceptions about, but the weather and the psychic chaos made his perceptions hazy, "The Hub is on Lethe Island. It was placed within a dormant volcano, an extradimensional corridor, leading downward for lightyears. The doors are not infinite, but numbered somewhere around a googolplex. You'll have to seal every door, otherwise, the slightest aperture could let in yet another onslaught of bots."

While Philote went to work on those, the Penultimate would go about finding all the other secret places, pocket dimensions and magic hideaways which lay all across the land. If he was fortunate, it wouldn't be long before the others reported, and joined in the effort.

[The Narrator]

The Narrator hummed the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers theme song when a
small creature poofed beside him.

The creature, resembling a large troll doll, tapped him on the leg.

"King SillyHeart, the Variorum has been stolen sir...."

"Yes, I figured as much.  Thanks Sir!" Narrator send Sir away and teleported to PenUltimate's side.


"Let's do this Penny!"

[Celadon's Penultimate]

Three would be more than enough for the task at hand, and so the Penultimate was off. At lightning speed, his power thrust him across the whole of Gandrei. Casting his hand out, fairy rings, elemental mounds, witches' circles, wizards' towers, all shut up, their magic cut off from pouring forth into the world. Every magic object had its mojo turned off and was rendered no more than an ornament, a decorative bauble.

The mana wafting through the skies was caught up into semi-tangible winds, and thrust back into the footholds from whence they came. The magic which coursed through the lands were driven back far, deep down, into the core, and back further, until it no longer penetrated the veil between dimensions. The magic within each of the waterways was laid to a perfect standstill; not a ripple would be tolerated; all life and motion and energy within it was suspended.

Wide swaths of coursing psionic energy were doled out, this way and that, and when he had finished all the countryside, the Penultimate projected his voice back to his comrades.

"Okay, then, that's all of Gandrei. I'll start next on Illyrion." He sighed, "Narrator can cover the desert land Mygea, Phi can cover the wilderness of Safaria."

[The Narrator]

"Well great", he said watching PenUltimate fly off, "Already we're separated again."

He snapped his fingers and was instantly in the desert land of Mygea.  Now sporting shorts, a tank top, and sun glasses, he reached in his pocket pulling out a fold of paper.  He continually unfolded it, it becoming an ever expanding sheet of paper.  

"Hopefully this map can help me learn this place, and find these doors." he mumbled to himself, continually unfurling the paper.  

Now the size of a basketball court, he pulled out a pen and a magnifying glass.

"Now, where's the legend on this thing,..  A ha!  Three doors!"  He reached back into his pocket, a variety of random objects flying out behind him.

"Mjolnir, my ranger coin, the blue lantern ring, my golden magic helmet, the flying nimbus, a Dragonball."  He turned his pockets inside out, more items falling around him. "Sword of Omens, Book of Shadows, Omnitrix--I gotta get that back to Ben, come on, it's gotta be here..."

He pulled off his socks, shaking them with more items.  

"Map to El Dorado, lots of sand, an Infinity Stone, the looking glass, a couple of cookies from Ms. Cuzzins....oh wait."

He grabbed at his waist, pulling his keychain.  He grabbed a small key, it glowed in his hand, and was replaced by a keyblade. 

He tapped the blade at the three doors, and they were sealed.

"That wasn't at all convuluted!"

He snapped his fingers again, back to PenUltimate. 

"Ok, where to next bossman?"

[Philote]

With the Penultimate and the others on their way, I teleport over to the volcano's summit to interact with the Hub.

 "If he thinks I'm going to shut every door manually, then he has lost his mind. Coding should have loops like these covered easily enough. Let's start by find exactly what range I'm working with."

<Overdrive: Marksman>

A silver high tech sniper rifle forms in my hands and I set it to rest on the side of the volcano facing down. I replace the deadly philotic web piercing bolt with a tracer round for the purposes of this mission. The rifle itself is incredibly long, taller than myself and nearly reaching down to the first row of doors within the Hub. Along the barrel are a series of focusing lenses inscribed with a spiraling pattern that bends space inwards and focuses it in the direction of the barrel to extend my range beyond my normal means. I pull the trigger and the tracer is shot down silently, the opposing force being absorbed by my Lock of the Body which stops the recoil from shattering the mountain and several continents beyond.

"Well he wasn't kidding. This hallways is definitely on the larger side of the googolplex scale."

I take a moment to stretch and collect some null Philotic particles to use for my upcoming project. The great thing about my Overdrives, they are designed to be powerful extensions of my abilities but their intended purpose is for the quick pace of reality bending fights. When they are faced off against a non reactive state of space, extra time can be applied to their coding to make them suitable to overcoming the obstacle.

For (i = 1, i < hallLength, i++){
          For (i = 1, i < rowDoors, i++){
                   lock = <Overdrive: Glowstorm>;
                   lock.fuseOverdrive(<Overdrive: Gravmetal>);
                   lock.execute();
          }
}

A storm of light and metal forms in my hands over my head and I throw it down into the hallway. The particles of light grown and split, carrying the metal particles to cover the passageways of the Hub. The Gravmetal travels as a weightless material until it reaches its destination through the Glowstorm, at which point it activates and locks as an immovable object barring the doors shut. Potentially easy to remove from this side, but a strong barrier for any forces looking to invade from the other side in the future. With the Overdrive combo working its way down the Hub, I leave off to face the next phase of the invasion just as it passes its first billion doors.

[The Mediocre Gatsby]

[Hours Later]

 Aaron was in disbelief. It took a bit of time, but Tasha, the red-headed girl with the mask, managed to explain to Aaron what was going on. As it turns out, Aaron was one a child of two of Eath's most prominent scientists. While he was still in the womb, Aaron's parents made a massive discovery, a meteorite made contact in Antarctica. Within this meteorite were what appeared to be two gemstones. One a brilliant blue color, and the other a deep Crimson. Once Aaron's father came in to contact with one of these gems, he began to have images flash into his head. Images of what appeared to be flash drives using the gemstones to power them, and the instructions on how to build these drives. There were also images of time robotics. Small enough to bond with a human cell. Eventually, Aaron was born and his father had completed his primary experiment. The Alpha and Omega drives. The Alpha Drive harnessed the power of the blue gemstone that was found in the meteorite, and the Omega Drive harnessed the power of the Crimson gemstone.

 The drives were initially created to power something. A larger device for a mysterious purpose, perhaps for Cold Fusion or even intantaneous space travel. However, Aaron's father and mother began to build the other devices that flashed in to the head of Aaron's father, the tiny robotics. The drives were sealed away so that they would not fall in to the wrong hands. After a few years, the work on the tiny robotics were complete. The robotics would then be known as "Nanocytes" for their ability to bond with human cells. All of this, before Aaron was even five years old.

 When Aaron was fifteen years old, the Nanocytes were already proving that they had the potential to change the world. Due to their robotic nature, they could be programmed into forming whatever construct was needed. From steel support beams, to fully operational  bionic limbs. Due to their ability to bond with human cells, these limbs could attach themselves to an amputee or disabled individual, and grant them back what they had lost.

 A newer batch of Nanocytes, a batch that was supposed to be able to even  bond further than just the face-value cellular lever were being created. This batch would have been able to form new organs based on the genetic information of the Nanocytes host. However, tragedy struck. S.T.O.R.M, a terrorist organization had been in league with Aaron's sister, Alice, had raided the lab in which the Nanocytes were held. Instead of allowing S.T.O.R.M to take his life's work, Aaron's father sealed Aaron away in a pod and started up something called the "Backdoor" Protocol. The Backdoor Protocol was what, as Aaron found out, bonded each of his Nanocytes to his cells. Both versions from the first, and the second generation of the robotics.

 [Now]

 Still reeling over all of this new information. Aaron looked at Tasha in front of him. In her hands, she held a small briefcase. "In this case" she said, "Is the Alpha Drive. It'll almost be like a System Restore disc. If there's anything wrong with your cells or your Nanocytes, this thing should clear you up. Once I attach this to you, there's no going back."

 "What do you mean, 'no going back'? Are you implying that I could have went back to being a normal human being this entire time? I could have just opted to remove this tech from my body?" Aaron said. "Well, technically, yes. However the process would have killed you. Most likely." Tasha answered. "But anyways, like I said. This thing is going to insert itself inside you. It'll rid you of any sort of technological imperfections or foreign components that might be in you. It'll be constantly inside you, and upgrading your powers. However, it's going to permanently bond your cells to that technology. Meaning things that only would've hurt you before, say and EMP blast..."

 "How did you know I was weak to that?" Aaron asked, shocked. "You're my boyfriend, you told me this. Also you're part robot, robots are weak to EMPs. Try and keep up, babe. But anyways, those things won't just shut down part of you and make you lose your memory. It'll kill you. I don't mean kill as in 'hurt really badly' either. I mean they'll kill you, kill you. Six feet under. You get that, right?"

 Aaron nodded and extended his arm to Tasha. "I'm ready." Tasha nodded and opened the case. In it, was what looked like a large USB Drive with a gemstone inside of clear blue plastic, or a material a lot like it. It gave off its own light blue light, and made almost a slight humming sound.

 "Not going to lie to you, babe, this is going to hurt." Tasha said, driving the device into Aaron's forearm. Aaron felt a burning sensation in his arm. The drive slowly began to sink deeper and deeper inside of his arm, turning his veins a glowing aqua color. Aaron began to scream, as the rest of the veins in his body began to glow, Aaron noticed that specs of red began to force their way out of his body, collecting into a puddle of what appeared to be a metallic liquid on the ground, however, Aaron paid it no mind. The burning in his body was unbearable. The drive was no completely gone from his arm. His body began to reshape itself, his core and arm muscles begining to sculpt themselves, becoming more and more defined. Aaron's eyes glowed a deep navy blue, and he screamed as a navy blue character for the Greek "alpha" burned itself over his left pectoral. A light blue circuitry pattern began to cover his body from that location onward. With a final scream, all of the patterns and lights disappeared, nothing except the alpha on his chest remained.

 "Aaron, can you hear me?" Tasha asked. "How do you feel?"

 "Amazing. I feel like I'm at the top of my game. Better than ever before, my masked speedster." Aaron said. "Wait... How did I remember to call you that? Why am I remembering all of this information about you?!" he asked. "The drive! It must be repairing your memories! Aaron! You're back!" Tasha yelled, pulling Aaron in for a deep embrace. Aaron looked over at the puddle of red metal. A quick scan revealed that they were not his Nanocytes. They belonged to someone, or something, sinister.

 They were Technari cells.

[Celadon's Penultimate]

Witnessing the massive robotic attack from the comfort of her quarters, Motherboard Prime found herself feeling something close to the robot equivalent of 'pleased'. Things were going about as well as expected. The Forum was keeping on its toes. Though, she had to admit...numbers of robotic forces were dwindling far quicker than originally anticipated. Their minds extended this place and that, Prime figured the flesh-bound would have to exert a bit more force than they were.

Whether she had overestimated her own forces, or underestimated their retaliation, Prime knew for certain; it was best, at this point, to give the robotic forces time to refuel and regroup. Fuel would have to be restocked, batteries would have to be recharged, repairs would have to be made.

It started slow, but before long, the retreat was all too apparent. Robots were turning tail. Those large enough blasted off on their own, while others were gathered up by their carrier ships and dispenser drones. Even right in the middle of attacking and assaulting civilians, or fighting off this hero or that villain, robots would just put up a defense as best they could muster, and make for the nearest exit or escape. There were even drone emissaries sent forth with Technari-attuned tractor beams, zooming this way and that, gathering up every bot, droid, drone and mech they could find.

All across the Solar System, Celadon, Cykosha, Run O'Mill, Gude and other Forum-friendly space, there was a massive wave of Technari force, swarming the starways, like an unimaginable locus pestilence off to terrorize greener pastures. Time from the start of the departure to its end would be just over an hour. The very few who had managed to avoid or ward off cybernetic attack watched with dumbfounded awe, as the final bots blasted off, the final carriers launched back into the sky and the final battleships shifted into warp drive.

When all was said and done, only massive dead and disabled ship hulls remained, strewn about with the smaller broken forms of bots here, droids there, and the living they had managed to conquer.

[The Mediocre Gatsby]

As Aaron continued to look at the metallic crimson puddle, he noticed something peculiar. The puddle wasn't remaining stagnant. The Technari cells that made up this odd sight began to float up into the air, as if they were trying to go somewhere.

 "Tasha, quick! Run and grab something to contain these things! I want to try and get a good look at them." Aaron said, before he could blink, Tasha had run out of the room, and then back in with a petri dish. Aaron stood shocked for a few moments, however, the Alpha Drive had ever so conveniently restored the information that Tasha, along with being a spy who can disguise her entire appearance with "Mission: Impossible" style suits and masks, was also capable of superhuman speed.
 
 "Alright, you little buggers, let's see whats up with you." Aaron said, creating a sort of tractor beam in the palm of his hand, and slowly moving a large portion of the cells into the petri dish. He held up the dish and looked closely at the crimson cells. He stared closer at them, until his brain began to analyze them. Running calculations and downloading massive quantities of information from the internet at paces faster than Aaron could ever had DREAMED of in the past, or at least, he might have dreamed of in the past, he wasn't done restoring all of his memories yet.

 "It looks like, you're all trying to go somewhere... but where exactly? Oh, that's the question isn't it." Aaron said to himself, a grin appearing on his face. He had, quite literally, forgotten how much fun it was to get in to this state of mind. "Those people... the reality benders, oh what did they call themselves again? Eh, doesn't matter. One of them seemed to know quite a bit about the Technari... THE PENULTIMATE! That was his name! Oh yes..." as Aaron trailed off into a seemingly nonsense rant, filled with technobable and what sounded like made-up words, Tasha looked at him. One of the test sisters leaned over and asked "So, was he always like this?" Tasha giggled. "Only when he gets his mind dead set on something. It's actually pretty funny to watch. I have a few videos about him going on about TV shows. THOSE get interesting."

 "and FURTHERMORE!" Aaron shouted. "I know exactly what I need to do! If I just sort of use these..." he said, opening the dish in his hand and dipping his finger into the material. "Then I can attempt to contact him on Celadon..."

 Aaron closed his eyes and focused on trying to establish a connection to Celadon. Normally, it would just be as simple as a video call, or simply sending his brainwaves like an electrical wave across a distance. However, Celadon wasn't exactly close by. It would take a bit more than what Aaron's body was packing if he wanted to reach the Celadon, and it's Penultimate, which currently resided in another dimension. Suddenly, Aaron had an image in his mind, fuzzy but getting clearer. As the connection grew stronger, Aaron could make out more features of this figure. With a smirk on his face, Aaron prepared to contact with his ally in Celadon.

[Celadon's Penultimate]

Features were revealed bit by bit in Aaron's mind, and there before him was a dark-skinned male, tall, thin. Aaron reached out with his mind, attempting to broaden the link through space-time. The male before him seemed to acknowledge his presence, turning around to face him. The sight was a shock; it wasn't the Penultimate, but a servant?

No, Aaron had linked to Computress' networks through the Penultimate's manor, and caught sight of the Penultimate's old friend, Reggie Walker, Forecast of the hero team Fighter X. And he wasn't turning to acknowledge Aaron; his eyes lighting white, he set his arms forth and rose into the air. The skies turned, their fury seeming to be assuaged as the Technari forces departed, but the weather remained gray, as though to denote Walker's cautious optimism.

He alighted back on the ground before long, and spoke into a communicator.

"I took a quick look from higher up, and it's not just this wave. Far as the eye can see, the Technari are turning tail."

In response, Reggie would hear a female voice, "Indeed. I'm seeing the same here. Try another once-around-the-manor, and then come back inside--grrzztt--I can attempt to contact him on Celadon..."

"What was that...?" Reggie puzzled, "Contact who on Celadon? Techne, I'm gonna get off the line, see if you can source that transmission, will ya? If it's stragglers from Prime, I think Computress would want to handle them personally."

Techne confirmed Reggie's request, and the two ended communication. Aaron would know what that stray transmission was, though. His own thoughts had reached Reggie's communication. He had broken through to Celadon.

[The Mediocre Gatsby]

He had done it! Aaron had managed to contact another dimension! Normally, he would have been jumping up and down for joy over his accomplishment. But he had to focus.

 "Hello? Hello! Hello! Oh man I did it! My name is Aaron of Earth. However, the person I'm trying to reach, The Penultimate, knows me by another name. Nano. The Technari had been lead an assault on my home planet. However, they have begun a massive retreat. I don't like the looks of it. I'd like to request a meeting with The Penultimate."