Tracing. That was the word. That was the cue. Guts hadn't been tracked since his run-in with that Holy Army, but the church hired no mages. This was no doubt the machinations of Griffith, and that meant this girl was an enemy.

Gritting his teeth, Guts rushed forward, his pupil shrinking as his hands clamped down over the Dragonslayer's hilt. Several hundred pounds of metal swung all at once in a deadly arc, cleaving through the pyromancer's waist. Just as quickly, Guts's heels dug into the concrete, and the blade swung around the Black Swordsman's head before coming back down, slicing through the pick, and the girl's head and shoulder.

Kanji picks himself off the ground after his rough landing. Looking around it was very easy to see he was inside the TV. The fog was think and blocked him from seeing more then a few feet in front of his face. "Damn it. How did I end up here?" Thinking back he remembered he slipped on something and fell into his TV. Reaching into his pocket for his special glass, that would allow him to see though the fog, he finds that he doesn't have them. I have to find a way out of here and quick before any shadows find me. He slowly makes his way off towards a random direction.

As Gerhardt ransacked this clinic looking for anything useful he really began to regret not leaving one of those men alive. It would have at least made it a little easier to get his bearings, because he couldn't tell what was useful and what wasn't. Until, at least, he stumbled upon the ice box.

There was no ice inside. Damned if he could tell what was actually keeping the contents of this small ice box under the makeshift counter cold, but that wasn't as important as what was found within. Blood. Blood in clear, bag like, sealed containers. Each one labeled in black across the front Yharnam Blood, followed by a number that looked like a date if you really thought about it. He pulled one out to examine, but there were dozens more. More than enough to, say, contain all the blood in a mans body. The multiple dates on the bags confirmed to him that more than one hunter had fallen prey to that bushwhack waiting in the basement. He sat down on the counter to think.

So, they'd ring the bell and summon a hunter from another world. They'd inject him with some sort of sedative, then set about drawing blood from him. Whether they drew enough to kill the hunter or just slit his throat after, death would take him from this world and back to his own. Then they would take the blood, bag it, and use it to perform Ministrations in this clinic. They showed familiarity with the usage of blood but there was one bit of ignorance that gnawed at him: it wasn't necessary to chill Yharnam blood. It would keep at any temperature. Surly anyone who could concoct such a scheme would know that? In addition, why call hunters when there was easier prey out in the city? He looked around at the building again. There were no open windows and yet the room was lit, light coming down from panes in the ceiling. He'd never seen the like of this room in Yharnam. He made his way to the door, weapons at the ready.

He stepped out into a narrow alleyway, stalking down it until he reached an opening and stepped out into what he assumed to be moonlight. This was a mistake, he realized, the moment he stepped felt it on his skin. Warm. Blissfully warm and radiant. This wasn't light given off by the moon. He'd been in the night so long he'd forgotten it. Forgotten what it was like to stand under the sun. He looked up to search for and, when the blinding light allowed him to see once more, found only a city that he had never seen before. A city not swallowed up in a nightmarish eternal night. A city where the sane still walked the streets. A piercing scream alerted him to this fact.

He spun around to look at the woman who screamed, weapon raised just in case she lunged for his throat, only to realize that he was the threat here. He looked down at himself as people started to gape and saw that he was still absolutely covered in blood. If he waited it went away in time, either by dripping off or, knowing blood, finding its way within. It wasn't an unusual sight in Yharnam, but he was beginning to catch on that the bell had led him somewhere much farther from the city than ever before. Him, and the blood. He holstered his weapon, pointed to one of the people on the street, and commanded in a strange accent "Contact the constabulary, there's been a murder."

----

A UMMA bulletin went out to any agent in the area, informing them of a suspicious, dangerous looking character in the lower ward who really didn't look like he was from around here and who was ranting about some sort of disease having been introduced to Yggdrasil.

Had she spent too much longer in the desert? Not that she was sure how she got there in the first place, but knowing a teleporter could do a lot to disabuse you of the notion that suddenly ending up somewhere was impossible. No, what was making her question whether the sunlight had done something with her head was this explanation containing the notion that the small girl in front of her was actually a goddess. The whole idea itself seemed very off the wall, too. Why would all this be happening in a desert?

So she introduced herself, moved into the shadde with the rescued child, and kept sneaking glances at Suwako's hat.

Gintoki closed his eyes to think for a moment before shrugging.

"Hell if I know. You take your own combat style and roll with it, I guess. I'm a bit less... You know, invincible than you are, so I can't be as reckless." he said, tapping his fingers inside his sleeve. "But that's less my decision and more yours. Heck, if you can learn it then by all means."

As he finished that statement, Gintoki turned to the left, finding himself facing Saber. Well. That was convenient.

"Oh, you're here. That's nice. We can all head there together then. I guess."


Suwako nodded, smiling as the bowed in return for the thanks that the child gave before taking another sip of the oasis water. Though it was incredibly strange to find herself here in the first place, the subsequent incidents only served to further pique her curiosity. Lately, the only ones who had been going on adventures were the dynamic duo of Gensokyo, with the occasional passerby like Sanae or that vampire's maid or ghost gardener or whatever that rabbit's name was. She could have her own journey here!

...

Of course, that meant that fights might become lethal from here on out. That was what she disliked about the situation- the possibility of her new-found compatriots dying. Though they all seemed to be able to hold their own well enough...

At that moment, Suwako found herself being offered some sort of food rations by the weird soldier person. It didn't look... Well, appetizing, and since gods didn't have a need for food (though a DESIRE did exist), she laughed and turned the offer down before turning to Misaka and the girl.

That hat stared back at Misaka. Every few minutes or so, it'd blink, almost as if expecting her to respond to it.


Kakine stared as 10032 helped Marisa into the suit before sighing. Well, at this point there was no going back at all. If he was in this deep, there was no point in holding either of them back.

"Hold on a moment. I'll give you a bit of help there. Just... Don't try blowing anything up." he said, walking over to the suit and using some Dark Matter to inject into the machinery. The mechanisms didn't seem to be too complex, but the required strength capacity was abnormally high. "Going to see if I can artificially lighten the load. This stuff ignores the laws of physics, so it should work..."

The Dark Matter immediately infused itself into the suit, turning it a few shades lighter. The effects thereof were probably going to be a mystery, but if he could change the base components of the machine without disassembling it this was the best he could do for the moment.

As Kakine stepped back from the powersuit, a large cracking sound entered his ears. Shit.

"Scout Beetle No. 3 down. 7, 12 and 13 also down. We've been discovered."

"Prepare for trouble... And make it d-"
"Dude, there's three of us."

Three more of Shocker+'s agents stood in the museum foyer, looking bored. Two of them were already in costume, one patterned after an ashigaru and the other after some kind of medieval magic-user. They were mostly here to serve as a distraction. And to this end, they were rehearsing the attention-grabbing motto of the pink-haired Rocket Grunt. Or that was the Rocket's plan, anyway. Her compatriots were having none of it.

"Yeah, and this line of work is all about style. You think you get those fancy belts because you need 'em to summon form-fitting spandex? Hell no. Now shut up and do the motto, someone's coming."

"Jeez, fine," the wizard grumbled.

The group formed up, the ashigaru hiding in the shadows and readying his spear. Releasing a strange bipedal frog-creature from one of her pokeballs, the Rocket Grunt began the pose.

"Prepare for trouble..."
"And make it double!"

"To blight the worlds with devastation!"
"To enslave all people within all nations!"

"To denounce the evils of truth and love..."
"And extend our reach to the worlds above!"

"Shadow Eternity! Destroying all in a flash of light... Surrender now..."

The three shouted out in unison, though the ashigaru and mage were noticeably less excited about it.

"OR PREPARE TO FIGHT!"
"TO-XI-CROOOOOOAAAAK!"

Giggling, the pink-haired woman placed a hand on her hip, pointing to some of the civilians making a run for it. "Okay, Sweetie, you know the drill. Clear out the rabble so we can get to searching properly. Gunk Shot."

Sweetie the Toxicroak gave an affirmative ribbit as its cheeks began swelling, filling with a strange purple liquid... shortly before a high-pressure stream of foul-smelling gunk began firing at the museumgoers, pinning several to the floor or walls. The Ashigaru kept his position in the shadow, ready to strike at a moment's notice. The mage, however, placed a ring on his finger and scanned it. CONNECT... NOW! Reaching into a magic circle opening at his side, he retrieved a witch's broom, mounting it and making his way to the ceiling before pulling another weapon. All three watched the entrance with bated breath.

Nono, Elevator, Yggdrasil

Nono listened attentively as Gintoki provided an answer to her question, while the elevator rose at the same time. Not a clear cut 'yes' or 'no', but she would take it into account nonetheless. He seemed supportive, and that was a boost of confidence that would only drive her mood higher. She was smart, she'd managed in the Fraternity, and if it was learning how to use a sword so she wouldn't be a burden on Saber in a close range fight, then she could handle it.

"Alright" she agreed with a nod, rising on her toes in the process as she displayed her excitement. This was going to be interesting, though it would have to wait until after the briefing had concluded.

Her attention turned back forward as the elevator came to a stop, doors sliding open to reveal a familiar figure, and Nono shifted to accommodate Saber as the King of Knights entered the elevator. "Wow Onee-sama, that was really fast," she said, more as a note than a compliment, though she certainly meant it to be both. At the same time, the elevator would get moving, and she kept silent as they headed for the briefing. For the moment, anyway.

---

Cinder Fall, Museum, Client World [???]

With everyone out of the way and a response surely coming, Cinder set to work on her primary mission. Collapsible metal stakes were produced, placed around the throne as she prepared to teleport it away to the Shadow Eternity base. It was a more reliable method, developed from old technology that was not as valuable as some of the other things that civilization had, and it had certainly proved it's use in cases such as this.

The arrival of the new group was met with annoyance on her part as she straightened up, glancing over at the group. "You're a bit late," she commented with more than a bit of dry sarcasm as she gestured about at the currently burning fires. That should have been an obvious sign that they wouldn't find anyone worth shooting.

As she turned back to what she had been doing, a thought caught in her mind. Why were they here? Did the Leader really trust her so little that she would send backup before any request for assistance, or before any fighting had actually begun? No, that wasn't how she operated. Something was up, and her guard rose in return.

Because of that, the attack aimed her way bought a quick response as she dodged out of the way. Coming up from her roll, a hand waved over her dress, opening Dust pockets and leaving them to hang in the air. The free Dust formed into crystals, and a push of her palm sent them flying at back at the Snakeman who had shot at her. A hit would be good for her, since it wasn't as if Dust was a normal material, and she was confident in her chances.

That manifested itself as a smirk, eyes flaring orange as she eyed her attackers. "You've made a big mistake," she told them, as more Dust was liberated and crafted to form dual black blades, her standard weapons. If they thought they could beat her, they would be in for a rude surprise.

---

Misaka 10,032, Client World Macross

Misaka walked about the power armor after Marisa had been suited up in it, goggles fixed in place to examine everything she could and to take in all relevant data. It was certainly interesting, and she could see several developments that Academy City could derive from this design. Not everything, of course, but that was to be expected with how things currently were.

She watched calmly as Kakine wen about altering the metal making up the suit so that Marisa could move in it as it was, before she provided her input. "'This would be more efficient,' Misaka noted as she fiddles with the device," Misaka said as she moved around to the back, activating a inset that she had noticed previously.

The reaction would be noticeable as the visor lit up, providing a targeting reticle, other data input on the visor over Marisa's vision, and providing the motor support for the limbs that she had lacked before. It also activated the flight functions, though she would have to figure out how to extend the wings to do any flying on her own.

Her attention returned to Kakine as he informed them that they had been discovered. "'Time to make our escape,' Misaka notes with a lack of fear or sympathy," Misaka said as she moved over, unpacking her own suit. Well, if they were going to get out then flying would be the best way. And she still wanted to est this for....scientific purposes. Honest.

Saber gave a swift nod as she stepped into the elevator. There had been no time to waste, and so the King of Knights had moved swiftly to her destination. Soon enough, the elevator began moving, smoothly gliding to the top floor of the immense tower that was Yggdrasil. Here and there, windows now dotted the sides of the elevator. This was the thinnest portion of Yggdrasil and the final stretch to the top itself. Outside, there could be seen the vastness of the space between worlds. It was a strange, nebulous backdrop of shifting dark colors and distance lights. These lights corresponded with 'entry points' to other universes, but were poorly understood. They seemed like markers, as they were not the entrances themselves.

As they neared the top, each Agent would receive the bulletin. A murder in one of the lowest wards? Saber frowned. It was too late for her to arrive there after being summoned for the briefing... The coordinates, too, were provided. The lowest wards of Yggdrasil, while certainly not slums, were far more difficult to police even for the standard law enforcment agencies patrolling the immense tower. While they were not, at least, infested with crime, they were far more likely to experience serious criminal offenses then the higher levels. An agent, or at least local law enforcement, would be there shortly, Saber was certain.

It was around then that the elevator doors slid open, revealing the triangular hallway that lead to their destination. I was wide, wide enough to house a planter with small shrubs placed every few feet along the center pathway.

With no desire to delay further, Saber stepped off the elevator and headed down the hall.



Marisa wasn't entirely sure what Kakine had done, but the suit seemed a little lighter. And then, when Misaka fiddled with the back, everything noticeably lit up and provided her with all kinds of readouts and stuff! That was awesome, way too awesome for sure! Testing the motions, she now discovered she could freely move! Turning on her heel, and using the suit to point to Kakine, she stuck her tongue out with a smile.

"And you don't get one!" she declared, cheerfully, "That's what you get for dragging the mood down!"

... Well, the whole 'they've been caught' thing kinda made things a bit hard, too. But it looked like the suit had some kind of flight function... not exactly as easy to utilize as simply flying by herself, but it was something, wasn't it? Besides, it'd be fun to try! ... Of course, the big problem was figuring out how to turn it on. Marisa found herself fiddling with the controls and attempting to activate the wings.



Black Rock Shooter glanced back at those around her. There was no immediate danger, now that the attackers had fled entirely. There was simply a need to escape this desert world, wherever it was. This, too, was an objective that the Otherself shared. Turning entirely towards the others, she approached, quietly shaking her head to the soldier's offer. She did not require any food. She approached Suwako, the brunette, and the little blonde girl, then turned to face all of them and the soldier.

"We must leave the desert," she stated, plainly, as if it was some great revelation or announcement. To her, it was. She had not entirely realized they had a unified objective until now, though likely it was for different reasons that they shared it.

The blonde girl, relieved that she had been moved into the shade, looked up and smiled at Mikoto, at least until Black Rock Shooter ade her announcement. "... Well, of course, this place is too hot, and it's... it's..."

She trailed off for a few minutes. "... There's... a gate...? Somewhere... there's..."

She frowned. The memory was hazy, but... there was a way to leave... somewhere close by..."



Dlanor was not the one suited to the managing of civilians. While she cared about their safety, it was, fundamentally, something she was did not exist for. Ten Wedges to Pierce Witches. That was the existence of Dlanor A. Knox. The Executioner of Heaven, the Angel known for the seemingly-emotionless, doll-like slaughter of those who used magic pursue evil, who used violations of Knox's Decalogue to their own benefit. She paused at the entrance, her head turning to face Blake.

"Belladonna," she began, "Ensure all civilians escape SAFELY. I will proceed inside in order to locate further civilians and confront the ATTACKERS. You may proceed in AFTERWARDS."

With that, Dlanor hurried inside. As she sprinted down the halls and deeper inside, it was rather easy to discern that the commotion was coming from the the exhibit that seemed to be displaying the strange mechanical throne advertised in a few locations, alongside other thrones that had been linked to various civilizations across the known multiverse. It seemed as if the civilians had already fled.

The Red Key sprang to life with a hum and a flurry of rose petals as she approached the room. She paused for only a moment, raising it. There were a series of attackers, who seemed at odds with one another. The woman and several others... regardless, she held the Red Key at the ready.

"Dlanor A. Knox is my NAME," she began, "I am an Angel of Heaven and an Agent of the United Multiversal Moderation AGENCY. Stand down and you will not be HARMED."

Outside, it seemed as if the local authorities were already appearing in force to assist in the evacuation of the civilians. It was likely Blake could place her faith in them and proceed inside to assist Dlanor, if she so chose. Or, perhaps, help search for civilians inside. As quick as Dlanor was it was not impossible for her to miss someone who had become trapped.



"... My name is Bullet..." the pale girl said, staring downwards. There was a faint whirring as her prosthetic arm, or rather what was left of it, twitched. The damage appeared to be a clean cut at the joint, as if a knife have jammed itself in and sliced through the internal components. It was unlikely anyone would be able to discern that it was self-inflicted without Bullet's testimony on the matter. "... I am United Multiversal Moderation Agency Agent G-Five-Six-One-One-Five... I must... I must report..."

She attempted, once more, to rise to her feet. It was also at this moment that the bulletin for the murder in the lower wards arrived, as well as a series of medics. Dressed in white, the varied from grown men, to beings who looked inhuman, at least one robot, several women, and what appeared to be a little girl with a a medical laser.

The volume of medics seemed to suggest they had expected the worst from a portal malfunction, and several seemed visibly relieved that the girl was still breathing and intact, aside from her damaged prosthetic. They quickly began to get out their supplies.

"Ah-hah," declared the knight, "I am not versed in medicine, but I will do all I can to assist!"

With that, he turned to keep the crowds back as the medics arrived, spreading his arms and assuring that the girl would be alright 'as long as the light of the sun shined upon her'.



Only, the first blow never hit.

The girl had been unprepared, that was for certain, and so her only counter was to swing her pick in the way of the first blow. In spite of appearances, it did not give way, standing up to the attack handily. Still, the force of the blow sent her tumbling across the ground, rolling for a few moments before placing a hand down to stop herself and push herself back to her feet. As she got up, the redhead narrowed her eyes.

"... Oi, is that any way to treat a girl?" she began, raising her pick. "Especially when I'm just trying to help. What are you, paranoid?"



"You need not be concerned about any form of retaliation for failure, the Leader began, still facing her consoles. "It would be foolish to do any such thing for a retreat I ordered. There was little way to predict you would be outnumbered."

She turned, fully, to face Kiba. "That girl is an important component of the UMMA's destruction. However, she can be obtained at a later date, when we are able to compose a more effective plan to capture her. For now..."

A device was raised, and offered to Kiba. It was a square panel with a screen on it. "Cinder Fall requires assistance at these coordinates."

The Leader - Shadow Eternity Headquarters

"You need not be concerned about any form of retaliation for failure, the Leader began, still facing her consoles. "It would be foolish to do any such thing for a retreat I ordered. There was little way to predict you would be outnumbered."

She turned, fully, to face Kiba. "That girl is an important component of the UMMA's destruction. However, she can be obtained at a later date, when we are able to compose a more effective plan to capture her. For now..."

A device was raised, and offered to Kiba. It was a square panel with a screen on it. "Cinder Fall requires assistance at these coordinates."

He takes the device and leaves without saying a word. However, Kiba first heads for his quarters. He sees that its door has been fixed during his absence, which is admirably efficient of them. He enters his room and grabs a spare set of his dark grey armor, since the one he's wearing now is all cracked from the previous battle. After changing, he heads for the teleportation chamber, has the operator enter the desired coordinates, then arrives at his destination.

Kiba arrives at some sort of museum and heads towards the source of the commotion. Pushing his way through evacuating civilians, he arrives at the scene, seeing Cinder Fall facing off against some snakeman and some woman with a longsword was also there. He didn't know who that woman is, so he attempts to gauge whether or not she's an enemy by saying, "I'm Shadow Eternity. Anyone else here who isn't can feel free to either retreat right now or die by my hand." Kiba's right hand is then wreathed in a dark red blade made from his inner power, since he's likely going to need it.

"Oh, well when you put it that way, I guess I really sho- Sweetie, Gunk Shot the little brat. We can't have her getting in the way of our plans."

Sweetie, once again, blasted out with a tremendous stream of toxic slime, this time aimed for Dlanor. Angels were pretty close to fairy-types, the Rocket Grunt figured, so it couldn't be too far off to assume that the dragon-felling poison of a Pokemon she raised like her own child would work wonders. As the toad fired, the Rocket Grunt tossed two more Pokeballs into the air.

"Don't worry about making it double... I'm gonna provide THREE times the trouble! Shedinja! Babs! It's time to party!"

SOIYA! PINECONE SQUASH!

Meanwhile, the Kurokage Trooper jumped from the shadows, flourishing his spear at as a tremendous pinecone formed of destructive energy formed on the end, leaving a trail of missing ground as he continued his flight towards Kiba.

CONNECT... NOW!

All of this was a distraction, however, as a golden magic circle opened beneath the throne, which fell through from a tremendous suction before the gate shut.

---

The throne, like anything traveling into this universe, landed with a thud on the floor of the men's room handicap stall. A number of Shocker Grunts stood ready, pulling the throne out and putting it on the stage- where the animatronics surrounded it. There was going to be a meeting very shortly after this.

---

The fights... were looking pretty grim for the Black Mist Federation. Red Bloody Hell was caught in Boaconda's coils, and they were only drawing tighter. Sunshine chuckled, leaning back in his seat.

"You know, old man, maybe it's best to just throw in the towel. Boaconda's really putting the squeeze on your boy, and I don't think he can take it at his age."

"You're one to talk, Sunshine. My Red Bloody Hell... is about to show you his TRUE POWER!"

The man in the suit designed to mimic the veins of the human body grunted, as he strained against the snakeborg's coils. Slowly but surely, they were pushed apart, and Red Bloody Hell jumped out, grabbing a folding chair from ringside and smashing into Boaconda's face when the snake made a move to strike. While the snakeborg was still stunned, Red Bloody Hell grabbed him by the throat and performed a devastating Back Breaker... one so devastating, that Boaconda's tail came lose with a sickening sound of wrenching metal. Oil and serpent's blood poured out onto the mat as Sunshine gasped in horror. Red Bloody Hell wasn't finished, and he was lifting Boaconda's torso overhead.

"I don't believe it! That move... It's not possible! Not even the BMF would do something like that!"

From the announcer's booth, Mack Metaphor stared in terror.

"Doc, I don't think I believe my eyes! It's... It's... horrifying! And he's not even done yet!"

"I'm afraid not, Mack. I almost feel sorry for Boaconda- this isn't a move you can walk... er, slither away from."

Soon, however, Satan Demon was standing, cackling and pointing to the arena with his swordcane.

"BEHOLD, SUNSHINE! GAZE UPON BLACK MIST EXECUTION #7: THE BURNING HAMMER!"

Red Bloody Hell proceeded to jump towards the ceiling, leaning towards his side as he dropped a full six feet, driving Boaconda's head into the canvas... and repeating the move, again and again, before with one final crack, the snakeborg's head was driven through the mat. Letting out an evil laugh, Red Bloody Hell raised his sword and glared at the camera. Boaconda's body sparked for a moment before violently exploding... his head landing in the lap of a very nervous sunshine.

"Perhaps, you sandy septuagenarian... It is time YOU threw in the towel."

The Museum

Meanwhile, the Kurokage Trooper jumped from the shadows, flourishing his spear at as a tremendous pinecone formed of destructive energy formed on the end, leaving a trail of missing ground as he continued his flight towards Kiba.

Well, I guess we are doing this. More fun for me.

As the spear-wielder speeds towards him, Kiba readies his blade and charges towards him in kind. As both came closer and closer towards each other, Kiba sidesteps to his right at the last moment and turns his body so that he faces his left somewhat, not meeting his opponent's charge directly. He then brings his energy blade down at his enemy's neck, aiming to behead him.

The Snakeman, seeing Cinder Fall for who she was, hissed in pain as the crystals shattered in his thick, augmented hide. Having been bred en-masse for combat and augmented far beyond the level of any normal human, the Snakeman felt neither pain nor fear enough to falter at his job. His muscles undulating rhythmically, the Snakeman fired off a carefully-aimed Heavy Plasma bolt straight at Cinder. The bolt crackled with searing energy, ensuring that even a miss would not go without incurring painful burns on its target's form.


Sindibad chuckled lightly as yet more reinforcements arrived for both the Shadow Eternity dog and the UMMA civilians' forces. Gritting his teeth in mock anger, he opted to go for a bald-faced lie to further add confusion to the situation.

"Did you think Shadow Eternity could forgive your betrayal!? You're gonna pay for what you did! UMMA or no, we're gonna teach you not to abuse The Leader's good will!"


Seeing Sindibad engage in foul subterfuge was infuriating to the proud Trandoshan, but tolerable. The exhibit room had become a quagmire in just a few seconds, but it was easy to see who was on whose side.

That grunt with the uniform and the two combatmen in the gaudy armor were obviously with Shocker+, judging by their confident and cheerful demeanor. The smug-looking thugs wearing medieval armor and a pink hoodie respectively were obviously rubes who still hadn't realized what Shadow Eternity had planned and how unprofitable it was. The... good lord, who is that?! The girl wearing a crude, poofy mockery of a bishop's uniform without any leggings had to be either UMMA or else a stripper who had gotten lost on their way to a very suspect party. Either way, she was a low-priority target.

Currently, it appeared that one of the Shocker+ minions was in danger! With practiced precision, the Trandoshan set his blaster to its 'less-than-lethal' setting, and aimed at Kiba while he was focused on the Kurokage Trooper.
With a fearsome "P-KREENG!", a neon-blue ring of paradoxically unheated directed plasma shot forth, aiming straight for Kiba's unguarded backside!


Good lord, this transformation was taking its time! Last time he'd tried this, he had the legs out within seconds! The Roidmude greatly regretted leaving that Viral Core in his pockets on Cleansing Day; it had apparently lost most of its power in the wash! Though he was confident he'd be relatively safe while transforming (after all, nobody, not even villains, would attack someone mid-transformation), he did worry that, by the time he finished, the battle would be over!

Currently, it appeared that one of the Shocker+ minions was in danger! With practiced precision, the Trandoshan set his blaster to its 'less-than-lethal' setting, and aimed at Kiba while he was focused on the Kurokage Trooper.

With a fearsome "P-KREENG!", a neon-blue ring of paradoxically unheated directed plasma shot forth, aiming straight for Kiba's unguarded backside!

As he brings down his blade for the killing blow, something struck Kiba's back, staggering him and obviously halting his attack as a result. He turns around to the probable source of the blast and lets loose a blast from his left palm, pointed towards that general area. The energy blast isn't intended for the one stupid enough to shoot him, however, at least not entirely. The blast hits the floor, resulting in a large explosion, hopefully wide enough to flush out anyone else in that spot.

Kanji is traveling though the Shadow World fighting off any shadows that attack him. Meanwhile on the UMMA Vessel Tanngrisnir all the TV screens start to act up. The screens image flicker and change to a place full of yellow fog. A figure, with a steel plate, is wandering around a set of what appears to belong to some kind of game show with a giant TV in the center.

"TEDDIE! TEDDIE! ARE YOU IN HERE! Where are you when I need...you?" Kanji squints though the fog towards the TV in the middle of the room. "Looks like I don't need you Teddie." Kanji starts making his way to the tv when a Shadow moves between Kanji and the TV. The Shadow starts to transform when a steel plate slams into it destroying it. Kanji go's to the plate, that he threw, and picks it up like it is nothing. "No way some piece of shit Shadow is gonna stop me from leaving this place."

As Kanji approaches the TV all screens on the UMMA Vessel Tanngrisnir, except the tv in the lounge that now has a hand reaching though it, return to normal. The hand grabs onto the side of the tv as the person pulls the rest of his body though and falls on the floor with the steel plate landing near by with a load clang.

Cinder Fall, Client World [???]

Cinder spun out of the way of the second volley, grunting at the burns left behind from it's proximity. The healing process began courtesy of the Dust in her body, but that would take time to finish, and for now she merely had to ignore it. It was certainly doing a good job of annoying her.

She glanced over at the arriving UMMA agent, otherwise ignoring her. It would prove a useful distraction. Of more concern was the throne, which vanished through a portal and earned a 'tch' from the hybrid. Someone really was going to pay for that. At least she had reinforcements.

"You talk too much," she said, reaching down to flick open a new vial. This was not red, or blue, or yellow, but rather an undulating black, overflowing with the corruption of the human soul itself, all it's grief and despair. She let it pour free, forming into creatures that Blake would have found quite familiar. Beowolves, a trio of them, snarling and angry with bright red eyes.

A gesture sent them charging at Sindibad, jaws snapping and claws flashing, as she moved in to engage the Snakeman at close ranges, blades flashing through the red light of the burning museum. It was a good thing that she was no normal human as she launched a trio of stabs and slashes aimed at disarming him of his plasma weapon, because it made her all the more confident in her success. She would not let them interfere with her plans.

"Your... hat..." Mikoto said after some time, unable to keep quiet any longer. It was blinking at her, she was sure it was; the adorable froggy hat was quite definitely blinking. This was interrupted by the other child--the one that hadn't been throwing around metal and rock at an impressively high level, making Mikoto wonder exactly how someone like that could be totally unknown. Something about a gate?

"Do you know if the gate is metal?"

If it was, finding it would be a lot simpler: just walk around and pay attention.

Arragoz Plizgin - 'Ome Base

Having thoroughly sated his hunger for the time being, the Greenskin attentions were turned to another matter. Said matter was his supply of explosives, the more 'organic' varieties in particular. While most Stikkbombs could be slapped together with some readily available materials, Buzzbombs and the like required gubbinz that had to be grown or bred, rather than found. However, the emergence of lesser Orkoids in the bunker had provided exactly what the Kommando needed. Leaving his now empty plate and mug, Arragoz returned to the kitchen, withdrawing a rectangular object from his pack as he walked over. Grabbing the first Gretchin in sight, the Ork handed the object to him, said 'You'z gonna be needin' dis," and plodded off.

The object just so happened to be a book, bound in incredibly thick squig-hide. Upon its pages were scribbled several Orkish glyphs, a written language that bore a vague resemblance to Egyptian Hieroglyphics. Of course, the runes were far more crude, and due to being written in the Blood Axe dialect, completely illegible to all but the aforementioned Greenskin clan, and the insane. For those that could read it, it provided a surprisingly comprehensive guide to raising and harvesting the various Squigs and Fungi needed to manufacture the more specialized ordinance employed by the Green Tide. Arragoz himself had written it, after nicking the designs off another Ork, something he was incredibly proud of.

With that out of the way, the Kommando decided to pay Da Boss a visit. He'd never met 'im face-to-face, and the Ork could use another mission to pass the time. "'E must be proppa 'Uge, wot wiff all da gitz workin unda 'im. Prolly as big as Ol' Ghazghkull 'imself, or maybe even bigga." Little did the Greenskin know that he was setting himself up for one of the biggest disappointments in his lifetime.

"Gentlemen, I've got to get some things in order. You have five minutes to think of a way to convince me that I should NOT destroy this throne that Shadow Eternity wants for their plan to destroy the multiverse."

Takahara called out to the remaining mooks in Freddy's motioning for Kuros, Helgasts, and other footsoldiers armed with ranged weapons to take a place on the curb in the parking lot. As they formed up in ranks as a firing squad, Takahara reached down, popping open a lockseed depicting a warrior with a golden helmet. As the lock cried out "GUREIBU!", he placed it on the Sengoku Driver's reader and brought down the knife.

"Henshin."

GLAIVE ARMS! ACE OF KER-BER-OS~!

As the armor's accompanying sword fell into his hand, he took one of the cards that fanned out from the hilt- a playing card depicting a bat.

---

CONNECT... NOW.

A magic circle opened before the leaping wolves, a second one opening directly above Kiba- so close that some of his hair could be seen on the other side- and dropping the snapping wolves on her. Kurokage took advantage of the distraction to bury his spear into the ground and flip back to his feet before unleashing dozens of lightning-quick jabs with his energy-coated spear.

In the main hall, behind the smokescreen of afterimages, the Rocket Grunt was unloading a large supply of Pokeballs as she made her way towards the two Riders. From within these balls came a series of smaller blue bats, each shrieking out 'ZUBAT!' as it tried to find its way around.

Kurokage called out to Cinder Fall and Kiba.

"Hey! Either of you dumbasses part of the Battle Fight?"

Dlanor decided there was little else she could have expected. But that didn't bother her, oh no. For a brief moment, a catlike smile flashed across her face before her stoic expression returned. The targets varied in their immediate danger and she did not know their individual combat capabilities. However, the moment the armored man made his attack, he became her prime target. He had used a technique that threatened the widest amount of area, and as such was logically the first target for her to eliminate. The others could be judged as they made their moves. Dlanor stepped forward, one boot placing itself against the floor. The Red Key hummed as she lowered it, and lowered her shoulder. She was briefly aware of the long, crimson blade slicing the tiled floor with a hiss, but that was the least of this museum's worries at this point.

There seemed to be some sort of dispute within Shadow Eternity, but that matter could wait.

A reddish light formed around Dlanor's feet, and suddenly she was lifted from the ground and the air burst around her as she erupted forward. The wind produced by the speeds she was moving at whipped against her face and caught her hair drills, carrying them behind her as she jetted towards her target, aiming to slam her shoulder into the armored man.

The Museum

CONNECT... NOW.

A magic circle opened before the leaping wolves, a second one opening directly above Kiba- so close that some of his hair could be seen on the other side- and dropping the snapping wolves on her. Kurokage took advantage of the distraction to bury his spear into the ground and flip back to his feet before unleashing dozens of lightning-quick jabs with his energy-coated spear.

After unleashing his blast, Kiba immediately finds a bunch of wolves dropping from above him. He immediately dodges the falling beasts and sees a portal, which is likely where they came from. However, the wolves weren't immediately attacking him. They must be Cinder Fall's then, and the other side probably used that portal trick to drop them here. This might get a bit annoying.

Kurokage called out to Cinder Fall and Kiba.

"Hey! Either of you dumbasses part of the Battle Fight?"

"What the hell are you-"

Dlanor A. Knox – The Museum World

A reddish light formed around Dlanor's feet, and suddenly she was lifted from the ground and the air burst around her as she erupted forward. The wind produced by the speeds she was moving at whipped against her face and caught her hair drills, carrying them behind her as she jetted towards her target, aiming to slam her shoulder into the armored man.

Before he could finish his sentence, he notices in the last second that the one armed with a longsword was attempting to shoulder tackle him. Kiba side-dashes to his right to avoid it, refusing to be caught off-guard again.

"How about you all just save yourselves the trouble and come at me all at once?"