Author: Samuel Vinton

The Virginia was tasked with taking the Joker back to his home universe to spend some time in Arkham. He didn’t offer resistance on the way, just sat in his cell in the Virginia’s brig. The ship then arrived in Gotham and landed by a dockside hangar. Commissioner Gordon was there with the Gotham City Police and, surprisingly, Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy. Batman, Arsha, the Joker, Megumi, Bashoon and her parents then left via the stairs extending from the ship’s port side. The Joker had a slight smile when seeing Harley in the crowd. When they got closer, Batman spoke to Commissioner Gordon to explain what happened. Harley and Poison Ivy then approached the Joker. “So, how are things for my favorite girl?” he asked, attempting his usual grin.

“You know,” remarked Harley to Poison Ivy, “it only pains me just a smidge to tell my Ex what happened lately.”

“Wait, Ex?!” protested the Joker. “What’s the idea?!”

“The idea is,” explained Harley, “and this is no joke, I’ve decided it ain’t worth it to pine over someone like you. In simpler terms, I’m breaking up with you!”

“WHAT?!” wailed the Joker. “BUT WHY?!”

“Well, if you want the insane answer first,” replied Harley, “you haven’t called me in five years!”

“I HAVE BEEN WITH SHOCKER RIFT!” roared the Joker.

“Oh, and you didn’t think to use their technology to contact me?!” argued Harley.

“Do NOT do this right now!” snarled the Joker.

“Now that the insane answer’s out of the way,” continued Harley as she put on glasses and pulled her headdress off to reveal blonde hair in a bun. Her demeanor changed to that of a normal angry woman and her voice matched. “You led me down a rabbit hole that cost me my job, my family, my life, EVERYTHING!” she hissed. “Lately, I’ve developed split personality between the looney you made and the woman the looney once was, Harley Quinn and Harleen Quinzel, respectively. Thankfully, Pamela here,” she gestured to Poison Ivy, “got me some help and now I have my doctorate’s degree again, I fight crime instead of causing it, and I’m happily married to Pam.”

“BUT SHE’S BARELY HUMAN!” protested the Joker. Harleen took off her glasses and let Harley come to the surface.

“She’s more human than you, Joker,” she hissed.

“OH, YOU DIRTY…!” the Joker didn’t get far in his slur towards Harley as Megumi placed her hand on his neck. “…What the hell are you doing?” he asked.

“Vulcan nerve pinch,” replied Megumi.

“Not there,” answered Batman. “You do it where the shoulder meets the neck, like so.” He demonstrated on the Joker and the Clown Prince of Crime collapsed.

“Arkham is sending a truck to pick the Joker up tomorrow,” reported Commissioner Gordon. “We need to be ready.”

“We’ll be taking turns watching the clown while the rest of us sleep,” directed Batman.

“I’ll take first watch,” offered Megumi.

---

The night went on as Megumi handed off the watch to Batman, then he turned it over to Mrs. Barmek. He had just shut his eyes for 20 minutes before he heard a noise. “BWAAAK! BWAAAK! BWAAAK! BWAAAK!” Everyone woke up.

“What was that?” asked Commissioner Gordon.

“Who’s bwaking?” inquired Mr. Barmek.

“Where’s Ma?!” yelped Bashoon. That answered Mr. Barmek’s question as everyone dashed to Mrs. Barmek’s position. It was just her screaming “BWAAAK!” over and over.

“The Joker! Where is he?!” demanded Batman, stopping Mrs. Barmek’s “bwaking” as her husband put it.

“I don’t know!” replied Mrs. Barmek.

“What do you mean you don’t know?!” wailed Commissioner Gordon.

“You were guarding him!” snarled Megumi.

“He must have slipped away while I was asleep!” guessed Mrs. Barmek.

“Asleep?!” snapped Mr. Barmek. “Who said you could fall asleep?!”

“Ma, come on!” cried Bashoon.

“I couldn’t help it!” snarled Mrs. Barmek, annoyed that her husband and daughter were getting on her case. “I was tired! I couldn’t get any rest on the ship!”

“The ship!” repeated Megumi and Bashoon as they got an idea. They both took off towards the Virginia.

“If the Joker gets away, we’re finished!” warned Commissioner Gordon. “Come on!” Everyone took off in pursuit.

---

“WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE WORLD?!” protested the Joker as he fiddled with the Virginia’s controls as best he could while still handcuffed. “After all the trouble I go through, you would think I’d get something that works!” This routine of grumbling and fiddling lasted a good 10 minutes before he heard the bridge’s door open.

“Going someplace?” panted Megumi’s voice. The Joker looked up to see her and Bashoon catching their breath.

“Apparently not,” he muttered. “I couldn’t get the impulse engines online.”

“That’s because I disabled the induction matrix before we got you out of the brig,” gasped Megumi.

“Then why did you chase me?” asked the Joker.

“Because my major is in history, not engineering,” replied Megumi. “Come on, let’s go.” The Joker made his way to the two women and they all walked into the hallway as everyone else arrived.

“It’s all right,” assured Bashoon. “No harm done.” Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

“Thank goodness,” bid Arsha. “I almost forgot my chess game in the craziness.”

“Oh yeah?” asked Megumi. “Which side are you?”

“Black, you?” quizzed Arsha.

“Same,” revealed Megumi. “Right now, I’ve got a Knight at Queen’s Bishop 4 after 13 moves.”

“…You too?” asked Arsha.

“…What do you mean me too?” pondered Megumi. They were on the ship’s stairs at that point in time. As they came down, the Joker started snickering. “Joker?” asked Megumi. The Joker’s snickering then grew louder, and louder, and louder still until he was fully laughing. Batman then noticed a device on the Joker’s neck and the residue of a telltale green liquid!

“HE’S BEEN POISONED!” he warned. Everyone had a good idea as to what the poison was, liquid Smylex! The Joker then stopped laughing, his legs gave way, and he fell down the stairs, the rictus grin still wide on his face. Batman checked for his pulse, then growled when he couldn’t find it. That growl confirmed the suspicion on everyone’s mind; the Joker was dead, killed by his own concoction. As the reality of the situation sunk in, a song from the opera, Pagliacci, played.

“Recitar! Mentre preso dal delirio, (Act! While in delirium,)

non so più quel che dico, (I no longer know what I say,)

e quel che faccio! (or what I do!)

Eppur è d’uopo, sforzati! (And yet it’s necessary… make an effort!)

Bah! Sei tu forse un uom? (Bah! Are you even a man?)

Tu se’ Pagliaccio! (You are a clown!)”

“And such a clown he was,” mused a voice that gave many a good guess as to who administered the Smylex. Hiro stepped forward as he cut the music. “A pity, really,” he mused. “Ah well, at least he still died laughing. I’d laugh too if it weren’t so tragic on how he let himself get captured. …Ah, what the hell? I’ll laugh anyway!” Hiro’s laugh filled Megumi with rage.

“That was unnecessary!” she snarled. “We needed him alive!”

“And I needed that failure dead!” dismissed Hiro. “Besides, I did the people of Gotham a favor. Their greatest threat, your greatest enemy,” he pointed to Batman, “is no more. Gotham is that much safer!”

“Killing is an escape!” shouted Batman as he charged. A rift then opened behind Hiro and he slipped away! Batman landed on the ground as the rift closed. A tablet then appeared from a smaller rift and played an audio message from Hiro.

“If this message is being played,” it began, “then it means Megumi has no intention of staying out of my way. I must admit, I’m a little disappointed at that, but not surprised. So, I reiterate, stay out of my way. Caan is mine. I know you’re a little preoccupied with the 3V2R, so focus on that while I destroy Caan.” The tablet then exploded, leaving the group with a feeling of being robbed.

---

Megumi, Arsha, and Optimus had everyone reconvene on Vorton to discuss what had happened. The meeting lasted a good hour before Rusty got a signal. “It’s one of the contestants,” she reported. “She’s trying to reach Megumi.”

“Patch it to my room,” directed Megumi as she departed. She arrived at her room and saw the caller. “Ah, Beatrice, I presume,” she greeted.

“The same,” replied the caller, Beatrice the Golden and Endless Witch. “I must say, I doubt I’d be as brave as you to take down Vortech on my own.”

“I didn’t exactly do it on my own,” corrected Megumi. “I had friends.”

“Well, I’m afraid your friends cannot interfere in our bout,” chuckled Beatrice. “The Chizarans just announced it. We’re the first bout of Round 2.”

“Oh?” asked Megumi. “Tell me, what do YOU intend to do with First Place Prize?”

“With the Master Wand,” replied Beatrice, “I shall become more powerful than even Bernkastel and Lambdadelta and keep the game between me and Battler!”

“You clearly like games,” mused Megumi. “Tell me, how good are you at finding something?

“Fairly decent,” answered Beatrice. “You’re challenging me to find an object somewhere?”

“I am!” replied Megumi. “If you can find my old crown in an hour without magic, you’ll win.”

“Very well,” declared Beatrice. “Our battlefield?”

“You pick,” offered Megumi.

“How about somewhere on your college?” mused Beatrice.

“Perfect,” confirmed Megumi. “I know of an old building that’s used for all sorts of storage. Messy enough to hide my crown.”

“Excellent,” praised Beatrice.

“The challenge has been set, the terms have been agreed upon, and the chance of victory is agreeable for both sides,” declared Azuliterii’s voice. “Azevordem, the blue-green princess of Chizara and the water leader, will be judging. Tomorrow morning, your fight begins! Prepare and make ready! Good luck!”

“May the best woman win!” wished Beatrice. She then remembered something. “Are you aware of Vortech having followers?”

“Mr. Flufferkins told me to watch out for them, yes,” replied Megumi.

“One of his followers is Furudo Erika,” warned Beatrice. “She’s learned more about multiversal travel and was loyal to him. She WILL seek revenge.”

“Thanks for the tip,” bid Megumi. “See you tomorrow.”

---

Optimus was waiting by the airlock for the Ark, waiting for his opponent to arrive. He soon saw who it was. It was an anthropomorphic ferret woman in a black dress that hugged her curves and carried a red feather boa with a red rose in her hair. “Ms. Furella, yes?” quizzed Optimus. The ferret woman gave a judgmental scoff.

“You’re my opponent?” she remarked dismissively.

“Name’s Optimus Prime,” introduced the Autobot. “I would have figured you would know that already, given that you have my dossier.”

“I don’t really like someone like you,” she answered. “You don’t know how the world works.”

“Try me,” challenged Optimus.

“You people don’t leave the rest of us alone,” Ms. Furella explained. “You’re ignorant of how power works, thinking it’s your duty to help those worse off than you.”

“Well, it IS my duty,” mused Optimus, “and my privilege.”

“See?” groaned Ms. Furella. “You think there’s joy in helping others without considering how YOU can benefit.”

“Yes, your dossier mentioned your worldview,” remarked Optimus. “It didn’t exactly serve you well this past year.”

“It looks like you DID read my dossier,” chuckled Ms. Furella. “So, why the subterfuge?”

“It was for your benefit,” snarked Optimus before he recited the dossier. “International Prostitute and Spy; Ms. Furella. Well known for the various assassinations of all the World Leaders after the Great Rising for animal life. She intends to control Earth for her benefit, but her sister has thwarted her recent attempts to…”

“That wand will ensure I won’t be questioned!” interrupted Ms. Furella. “I will have the whole world as my harem! The humans will finally learn their place! You, machine, will be scrapped once I claim my prize!”

“Name your contest, then,” declared Optimus.

“I know how to find you,” remarked Ms. Furella. “You hide in vehicle mode; I will find you within 30 minutes.”

“Our battlefield?” asked Optimus.

“I won’t give you home turf advantage!” answered Ms. Furella. “We’ll use my home city of Washington DC.”

“Fine by me,” replied Optimus.

“The challenge has been set, the terms have been agreed upon, and the chance of victory is agreeable for both sides,” declared Rojenthi’s voice. “Naratelto, the orange princess of Chizara and the fertility leader, will be judging. Tomorrow afternoon, your fight begins! Prepare and make ready! Good luck!”

“Farewell, junkheap!” laughed Ms. Furella. She vanished in red light.

“Catch you later,” muttered Optimus grimly.

---

Arsha was in her ready room, awaiting her opponent’s call. As she waited, she hummed the Mid-realm’s anthem. “That sounds pretty,” praised a voice. Arsha yelped in surprise and whirled around to see Ultragingana in human form. “I apologize,” she bid. “Sneaking up on you was rude. I’m Ultragingana.”

“I’m Arsha,” returned Arsha once she found her voice.

“You run a rather tight ship, according to your dossier,” recalled Ultragingana.

“We let our hair down from time to time,” replied Arsha. “I heard you have your own ship.”

“Yep, the Osaka,” confirmed Ultragingana.

“How well are you at war games?” asked Arsha.

“I like to consider myself competent with war games,” answered Ultragingana.

“Then how about we put our command skills to the test?” offered Arsha. “We’ll hold a war game and see who could win against who in a fight. No actual weapons fire, both of us must acknowledge a hit on our vessels, and no other ships may assist. This is strictly between the Endeavor and the Osaka.”

“And our battlefield?” asked Ultragingana.

“Optimus has graciously granted his airspace as our battlefield,” replied Arsha.

“Isn’t he fighting a war?” recalled Ultragingana.

“He is, but his troops will monitor the fight as well as our judge,” assured Arsha. “If their enemies try to interfere, our judge can keep them at bay.”

“Then let’s do this!” declared Ultragingana.

“The challenge has been set, the terms have been agreed upon, and the chance of victory is agreeable for both sides,” declared Rosadera’s voice. “Griforina, the cool-grey princess of Chizara and the air leader, will be judging. Tomorrow afternoon, your fight begins! Prepare and make ready! Good luck!”

“See you soon!” bid Ultragingana. “May the best commander win!”

“Let us both give it our all!” agreed Arsha. Ultragingana then vanished in pink light. When she left, the door chimed. “Come in,” bid Arsha. Megumi and Optimus’ holo-form then came in. “Megumi! Prime!” greeted Arsha. “What can I do for you?”

“I need you to help me out here,” requested Optimus. “What moves did you make in your chess game so far?”

“My game?” asked Arsha. “Let’s see, Pawn to Queen 3, Pawn to King’s Rook 3, Pawn to King’s Knight 4…”

“Pawn to King 3, Pawn to Queen’s Bishop 3, Knight to King’s Bishop 3, Pawn to Queen 4,” continued Megumi, spooking Arsha.

“King’s Knight to Queen 2, Queen to King’s Bishop 3, Bishop to Queen’s Knight 5, Bishop to King 2,” Optimus went on.

“Rook to Queen’s Rook 2, Pawn takes Pawn at Queen’s Bishop 5, Knight to Queen’s Bishop 4,” all three had finished together.

“And the color of the pieces that made those moves on three,” declared Megumi. “One, two, three!”

“Black,” all three said together.

“How is that possible?” asked Arsha. “We’re playing the same game, making the same moves, and on the same side!”

“Something’s wrong,” muttered Megumi. “I’m getting a certain…feeling, like I don’t know who’s moving the white pieces, but I feel like I met our mystery opponent before.”

“We need to research this between our rounds,” declared Optimus.

“It’s Smylex, all right,” confirmed Batman once he arrived in Largandra and analyzed the chemicals left behind in the Elf’s body at the infirmary of Arsha’s castle. “The Joker’s had help in altering it for an Elf’s biochemistry. Most likely, Dr. Borg.”

“We haven’t heard anything from the Joker since that incident with the Sources,” mused Megumi.

“That just makes me wonder if the Joker is even acting of his own accord,” muttered Batman.

“…He’s the butt of Hiro’s gag,” realized Megumi.

“I don’t think I get it,” interjected Arsha.

“The Joker thinks of life as a demented joke,” explained Batman. “He figures that all it takes is one bad day to drive anyone insane.”

“He believes all accomplishments to be the butt of a joke,” guessed Arsha.

“Exactly,” confirmed Batman. “Because of that, and combined with the unknown trauma that caused him to be what he is now, he wants to watch the world burn.”

“It has to be on his terms, though,” remarked Megumi. “Right now, he’s burning it on Hiro’s orders. He’s become Shocker Rift’s Court Jester.”

“My Court Jester would take offense to that,” muttered Arsha. “He does see the gag in life, but he believes it to be a more positive gag.”

“For what is life but a few tricks and jests?” asked a voice. “When all know some events are rather silly, we all become the jester! If not, then we become truly grave until our graves are filled!” Arsha giggled a little as a human male dressed in a Jester’s outfit came in. “I hear someone’s taking the joke of life the wrong way?” asked the Jester.

“Palantro!” cheered Arsha as she hugged him. “It’s been too long!”

“I’ve heard that you had quite the adventure in your first year as Captain,” replied Palantro as the embrace was broken.

“I also had a bit of a wobble in my faith that I would be a good Captain,” murmured Arsha. “But, I bounced back. Gotta laugh at life sometimes.”

“Truer words were never spoken,” agreed Palantro. His face then went grim. “However, I heard that a clown has poisoned an Elf earlier.”

“He’s not a clown, he’s an escaped Asylum inmate,” corrected Batman. “He’s insane and he’s a chemical genius.”

“A dangerous combination,” gulped Palantro. “What’s this disgrace to Jesters look like?”

“Here he is,” replied Megumi as she pulled out a picture of the Joker.

“…Charming,” mumbled Palantro. He then did a double-take. “Hey, wait a minute! I saw him going into the abandoned Largandra Playing Card factory an hour ago!”

“Where’s that?!” asked Megumi.

“North of town,” replied Arsha. “We need to raid it!”

“He’ll get away in the crossfire,” argued Batman. “I have a plan that can make him realize he’s the butt of the joke.”

---

The Joker looked outside the gate of the factory with only a slight smile on his face. He knew something was wrong, but couldn’t figure out what. He dismissed it as he moved off. “Let’s see, now,” he mused to himself. “I suppose I COULD detonate this factory, but then the resulting gas would kill everyone and Hiro DOES need people alive right now…” The alarms interrupted his thoughts. “Oh, for…WHAT IS IT NOW?!” he shouted as he pulled out his gun and dashed towards a security station. He then saw who was passing by the cameras. “Well, it looks like I have bats in my belfry! And a tiger and fox!”

---

Batman, Arsha, and Megumi ran through the corridors of the factory. “Where?!” snarled Megumi.

“He’s not going to make this easy,” remarked Batman. They arrived at the large vats of chemicals.

“Why here?” asked Arsha.

“Because it reminds him of how he got that face of his,” replied Batman. “If he’s going to face us, it’s going to be where he’s reminded of how chemicals warped his skin and mind.”

“Ah, ah, AH!” called the Joker’s voice. “Don’t you know it’s rude to explain the joke?” A light then flashed onto the Joker above an open vat. A rope was suspended over the vat and was holding a young Japanese man over it.

“I take it he’s not from around here,” remarked Batman.

“Not even from any of the subdimensions that make up this universe!” laughed the Joker. “He’s from Hiro’s home universe! As a matter of fact, he’s the first of the…er…Reiwa Riders, I believe everyone’s calling him.”

“Now I wish I brought Hiroki here,” muttered Megumi.

“He’s Aruto Hiden,” explained Batman, “President and CEO of Hiden Intelligence, a manufacturer of androids called HumaGears. His real dream is to be a comedian, but he’s been failing in that regard.”

“Hey!” protested the young man, Aruto.

“Well, he’s just one of many!” laughed the Joker.

“One of many what?” asked Megumi.

“Hiro’s finally letting me have some fun,” explained the Joker. “I’ve noticed that too many comedians take a rather positive view on the joke that is life, so I needed to get rid of the competition and that fat lie they keep spreading! Life is one demented gag and a comedian can’t lie but so much to their audience!”

“So the Elf you killed was a comedian?” hissed Megumi.

“And Arsha’s Court Jester is next if you don’t back off!” warned the Joker.

“I don’t respond well to threats!” growled Arsha as she transferred her hair piece to her waist. She then snapped her fingers and her dress changed into a suit of armor.

“Nice try, girl!” taunted the Joker. “But I sell the tricks! I don’t buy them!”

“What about this trick?” asked a voice. Jazz then appeared and got Aruto away from the vat’s opening.

“Wha…wha…where…?!” spluttered the Joker.

“Cyber-ninjas like myself,” explained Jazz, “can fade into the background with enough training. No hologram generators, no Spark shielding, nothing!”

“Leading to younger bots to be overconfident,” replied a woman’s voice in a cold manner. Jazz then boosted his audio receptors to hear the whine of a ranged weapon priming itself for a shot.

“DOWN!” ordered Jazz. Everyone hit the floor as a purple beam of light tore through the space between the vats. Jazz then looked up to see Shockwave stepping out of the shadows with her right arm in gun mode.

“I suppose I need to work on the silencer for my weapon,” remarked Shockwave. She then converted it back into arm mode. “As the chemicals will catch fire the instant a stray shot hits them, I see no logical reason to risk my life with firearms.”

“For once, I agree with your logic!” hissed Jazz as he holstered his gun and brought out his nunchucks.

“A most illogical weapon,” muttered Shockwave as she took out a staff. She then twirled it and made various striking motions as Jazz went backwards to avoid them. Batman then charged at the Joker and fought him on one of the gangplanks while Arsha and Megumi freed Aruto.

“Thanks!” he bid. “Boy, I’ve heard of being tied up in dangerous business, but that’s just ridiculous! Hai! Aruto ja…naito!” (Yes! It must be me, Aruto!) He turned around, then pointed towards the two ladies in an exaggerated fashion.

“…Even though I know the context, that wasn’t even remotely funny,” remarked Megumi.

“I don’t know what’s worse,” mumbled Aruto sadly, “my HumaGear secretary, Izu, explaining my jokes when no one laughs, or someone getting it and still not laughing!”

“Hey, don’t forget me!” called a psycho woman’s voice. A woman in a harlequin’s outfit with a large hammer then came down from the ceiling.

“Harley Quinn, if I’m not mistaken,” mused Megumi as she fastened her belt.

“Vortex Driver!” it announced.

“Not really,” replied the woman as she pointed to her fancy-looking headphones.

“A HumaGear?!” yelped Aruto.

“An Assassin-type HumaGear,” explained the woman, “fashioned by Mister J to look like Harley Quinn. I suppose you can call me Quinn-Droid! Or the Trigono Magia, whichever works!”

“Magia?!” squeaked Aruto. The Quinn-Droid then pulled out a silver device with a slot inside it. She held it to her waist and it formed a belt strap. She then took out a rectangular device that was black with brown coloring breaking it up. She pressed a button on the smaller device’s top.

“TRIGONO!” it announced in a scary voice.

“A Zetsumerise Key!” revealed Aruto. “Similar to my Progrise Keys!”

“It sounds like it combines ‘zetsumetsu’ (extinction) with ‘rise’,” mused Megumi. The Quinn-Droid then inserted the Zetsumerise Key into the buckle and pressed a button on the buckle’s left side. Red wires then penetrated the Key.

“ZETSUMERISE!” announced the belt, the ZetsumeRiser. The Quinn-Droid’s human exterior was then destroyed and revealed the inner robot before the robot’s faceplate retracted and dozens of tendrils came out of its mouth. The tendrils then fused with the robot to make a new exterior based on the Trigonotarbid, an extinct common ancestor of arachnids, similar in appearance to Harvestmen and Daddy Longlegs. The new Trigono Magia still laughed in Harley Quinn’s voice.

“Catch me if you can!” it laughed as it fired needles from its mouth. Megumi, Arsha, and Aruto leapt out of the way as the Trigono Magia jumped around and forced them to take cover from her needles.

“Okay, time to get down to business!” declared Aruto as he pulled out a black, silver, and red device with a yellow circle and a reader shaped like the Zetsumerise Key. He then fastened it to his waist as it formed a belt strap.

“ZERO-ONE DRIVER!” it announced. Aruto then pulled out a device that looked similar to the Zetsumerise key, but it was neon yellow and evoked a grasshopper. This was the Progrise Key he had mentioned. He then pressed the button on his Key.

“JUMP!” called the Key. He then held the Key in front of the belt’s reader.

“Authorise,” reported the belt. A giant, mechanical grasshopper with transparent armor then appeared and hopped around Aruto. He then rotated the front of the Key to reveal the inner workings of the mechanical grasshopper.

“Henshin!” he announced as he inserted the Key into the Zero-One Driver’s right hand slot.

“PROGRISE!” called the belt as a black undersuit covered Aruto and the grasshopper split and shrunk into armor pieces. “TOBIAGA RISE! (JUMP UP AND RISE!) RISING HOPPER! A jump to the sky turns to a Rider Kick.” The armor then attached itself to Aruto’s undersuit-clad body and his eyes and jewel between his helmets’ antennae flashed to indicate his transformation was complete.

“…I almost forgot why I put this thing on,” Megumi mentally chided herself as she got up and held her i.d. tag in her right hand before striking her pose. “Henshin!” she called. She then inserted the i.d. tag into the belt and spun the wheel, becoming Kamen Rider Royal. “Kamen Rider Royal!” she introduced herself. “Evil will ultimately bow to me!”

“Kamen Rider Zero-One!” announced Aruto. He then pointed to the Trigono Magia. “Omae o tome rareru no wa tada hitori,” he then pointed to himself, “ore da!” (There’s only one person who can stop you, and that’s me!)

“Er, Arsha Royana!” stumbled Arsha. “Er…I, er…you know what, forget it, let’s just fight.” The two Kamen Riders and Princess then charged at the Magia and punched and kicked, keeping its fire unfocused.

---

Jazz was still dodging Shockwave’s staff as it whacked pipes off and released steam. “Come on!” taunted Jazz. “Where’s the logic in a Decepticon obeying an organic?”

“There needed to be only ONE murder,” explained Shockwave. “The Joker was taking this too far as he saw this to be an opportunity to cause chaos. I will make him return with me once I deliver our alliance’s message.”

“You killed an Elf just to deliver a message?!” snarled Jazz.

“Caan is ours to hunt,” replied Shockwave, dismissing Jazz’s rage. “Stay out of our way. Do not interfere or more innocents will suffer.” Jazz then grabbed the staff on Shockwave’s downward swing and wrested it from her, tossing it aside and charging at her with his nunchucks. Shockwave then shifted her stance and held her hands in a twin knife-hand style by her right and vibrated them so fast, one could hardly notice. She then thrust forward and struck Jazz’s shoulder armor. It shattered and the blows pierced Jazz’s internal protoform, enough to make him leak Energon. Jazz was flung back by the force of the strike and hit a wall before sliding down and clutching his shoulder in pain to try and prevent more Energon from leaking. Shockwave then threw a device to the ground that spewed smoke and caused a small amount of electromagnetic energy to confuse Jazz’s sensors. Jazz was left alone, still in pain.

“MEDIC!” he called

---

While Jazz’s fight went on, Batman and the Joker were engaged in one of their usual duels and the Joker was explaining his philosophy as usual. “Come now, Batsy!” he laughed. “You can’t tell me you’re not insane! You dress up as a flying rat for some arbitrary concept that gives the illusion that there IS justice, there IS such a thing as mercy! Why not admit it, your condition is like mine; crazy as a soup sandwich!” He laughed again, then…he heard it. Batman…chuckled while blocking one of the Joker’s chops. “Is that a laugh I’m hearing?” giggled the Joker. “You’re finally admitting it!”

“Oh, that’s not the joke I’m laughing at,” chuckled Batman.

“…What other joke IS there?” asked the Joker, genuinely confused.

“Oh, you’re telling it, you just don’t know it,” replied Batman as he took to a higher gangplank.

“Then you’re going to have to risk the funny and explain it to me!” demanded the Joker.

“The joke that you’re an agent of chaos,” laughed Batman.

“How is THAT a joke?!” protested the Joker.

“You think you destroy order when, in reality,” explained Batman, “you’re making an order that YOU believe is right!”

“What?!” snarled the Joker.

“You heard me!” taunted Batman as he dodged the shots from the Joker’s gun. “You need people to help you carry out your plans to cause chaos. You want to make yourself king of an insane world. You want people bowing to you and preaching the gospel of madness! People helping other people, being king, people bowing to you and preaching gospel, these are all signs of making a new status quo! On top of that, I know, deep down, you view Hiro’s order as wrong!”

“You’re starting to make me a very angry clown!” warned the Joker.

“You want people to bow to you on YOUR terms!” continued Batman. “You hate the idea that someone is making a better order!” Batman then laughed and laughed and laughed, making the Joker angry.

“Stop laughing!” he ordered as he pulled out a pair of grenades.

“Why?!” taunted Batman. “I thought you wanted me to laugh at your jokes!”

“THAT’S NOT THE JOKE!” roared the Joker as he pulled the pins and launched them at Batman. Batman escaped before they exploded.

“You said to me once,” recalled Batman as he landed on the same gangplank as the Joker, “that all it would take is one bad day to drive the sanest man alive to lunacy, well I found that all it takes is one good day to make the craziest man alive a functioning member of society!”

“NottruenottruenottrueNOTTRUENOTTRUENOTTRUENONONONONONONONONOONOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!” The Joker’s shriek was so loud and so long, he passed out after losing his breath. Batman then ran up to the Joker and checked for a pulse. He breathed a sigh of relief when he found a normal pulse.

“I hope you can think on what I’ve said,” he wished the Joker. He then joined Arsha, Royal, and Zero-One in fighting the Trigono Magia.

“Batman, Arsha, stand back!” warned Royal as she spun the wheel. Zero-One then pushed his Progrise Key into the belt a little before it returned to its original position.

“Final attack!” called the Vortex Driver as both Riders leapt into the air.

“RIDER ROYAL KICK!” announced Royal as she stuck her foot out.

“RISING IMPACT!” called the Zero-One Driver as Zero-One stuck his foot out, Both Riders then sailed through the air and struck the Magia, landing behind it and causing it to explode. Some of the internal lubricants of the Magia then dripped into the vats, causing them to change color. When it was confirmed there were no more attacks, Arsha cancelled her armor, returned her hairpiece to her bun, and pulled out a scanner, getting a reading on the vat’s contents.

“…I don’t believe it!” she breathed. “The lubricants made the chemicals non-toxic! If we can synthesize them, we can finally dispose of these chemicals safely!” Batman took out a test tube and gathered a sample of the lubricants.

“Your alchemists may need this,” he advised.

“Thank you,” bid Arsha.

“MEDIC!” called Jazz’s voice. Everyone dashed off to see Jazz clutching his shoulder and gasping in pain. Royal then whipped out her communicator.

“POmega, get Ratchet here now!” she called.

---

“Crystalocution,” muttered Optimus as Ratchet tended to Jazz back at the Royana’s castle. “Shockwave knows more than Five Servos of Doom.”

“What’s Crystalocution?” asked Megumi.

“It’s a fighting style that targets the enemy’s fracture points,” explained Optimus. Arsha winced. Just then, Ratchet came out.

“He’s stable and wants to talk to you three,” he reported.

“We’ll be right there,” declared Arsha. They entered the room where Jazz was resting from repairs.

“How are things?” asked Optimus.

“Could be better,” mumbled Jazz. “I’m gonna be laid up here for five days.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” sympathized Optimus.

“Prime, the attack was just to get your attention,” continued Jazz. “You, Megumi, and Arsha, that was just a message for you three.”

“What kind of message is that?!” protested Megumi.

“A sick one,” replied Arsha.

“Hiro and his allies want you to stay out of the way as they hunt for Caan,” explained Jazz.

“I can’t do that,” answered Megumi.

“I somehow thought that’d be your answer,” muttered Jazz.

“Right now,” continued Megumi, “I have a duty to perform.”

---

While everyone talked, Aruto looked into the cell where the Joker sat in handcuffs, sobbing to himself. Aruto shook his head in pity. “Poor guy,” he muttered. “Couldn’t see that life is a more pleasant joke than he thought.”

An Appoplexian woman was lying on her side and being fed grape-like fruit native to a world she once conquered. The Plumbers officially freed the world, but that was all a front generated by the Appoplexian woman, the former Queen of Appoplexia, Phury. The slave that fed her then produced another fruit and showed it to her. “Peel that thing and bring it back quickly,” she commanded. The slave dashed off to obey. She then looked up. “Sunlight, that’s what a Queen needs,” she mused as her other slaves fanned her. She clapped her hands twice and the roof opened, letting in the rays of the sun. She purred happily. “Sunlight: the answer to an Appoplexian’s troubles,” she sighed. One of her Appoplexian guardsmen then entered the chamber.

“ALL HAIL THE POWERFUL AND CUNNING QUEEN PHURY OF APPOPLEXIA!” shouted the guardsman. “MAY HER REIGN BE ETERNAL AND…!”

“That’s enough!” interrupted Phury. The first slave then came back with the peeled fruit. She took it and waved the slave off. “Tell me, Angarr,” commanded Phury, “what brings you to my chambers?”

“PART OF THE DOSSIERS ARE GONE!” roared the guardsman, Angarr.

“Probably the losers’,” mused Phury.

“…I didn’t think of that,” muttered Angarr in embarrassment.

“You’re a male, it’s not in your genes to think,” dismissed Phury. “Are there any threats still remaining?”

“BUNCHO AND BOLT BOY!” replied Angarr, his usual volume returning. “WITH ANY LUCK…!”

“Luck?” asked Phury. “Come here.” Angarr obeyed. “Kneel.” Angarr knelt. Phury then held her claw under his chin. “Let me tell you something, General Angarr of the 39^th Appoplexian Conquest Army,” whispered Phury as Angarr started sweating, “a reliance on luck is what cost us the Appoplexian Empire in the first place. We don’t rely on fortune! We don’t play the odds! We do what it takes to win! DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!”

“Yes, Dread Phury!” squeaked Angarr. “Sorry, Dread Phury!” Phury then removed her claw from his chin.

“The second round will begin soon,” she mused. “There are still a few we can’t deal with normally. I refuse to face defeat again! Victory is so close; I can taste it!”

“There IS one that concerns me,” muttered Angarr.

“Who is it?” groaned Phury, feeling like she was going to hear a useless worry.

“Megumi,” answered Angarr. “It says she faced someone called Vortech.” Phury, after taking a sip from her drink, spat out the liquid in surprise.

“WHO FACED VORTECH?!” she demanded. “GIVE ME THAT DOSSIER!” Angarr produced the dossier and Phury snatched it from him, giving it her full attention. “She didn’t just face Vortech, she BEAT him! She trapped him in a Rift Loop and it collapsed, killing him!”

“How bad can this Vortech guy be?” asked Angarr.

“He obliterated three whole universes!” explained Phury. “He wanted to unite all universes into an orderly version of reality! Even I wouldn’t be so stupid as to go up against him!” She then made a decision. “Gather the men! It’s time to run some drills!”

“Yes, Dread Phury!” called Angarr as he saluted. Phury looked to the heavens as Angarr left.

“Enjoy the 3V2R while you can!” she snarled. “This time, Phury will not be leaving without First Place prize!”

---

“Who did you say you hired to fix our house?” Megumi asked Richard.

“They called themselves Hamm, Mer, and Chizel,” replied Richard. “I only talked to them over the phone when I got their card. I got their insurance and people up and down the neighborhood swear that they’re expert repairmen.”

“Good to know,” mused Megumi. “How much was it?”

“They estimated 5,000 studs before tax,” answered Richard. Megumi whistled.

“Thank goodness we have a savings account to pay in full,” she prayed. “Did you get any pictures of them?”

“Dell’s figuring that out now,” answered Richard.

“Hey! Y’all!” called Dell as he pelted down the Promenade. “You gotta get those repairmen to stop!”

“What?” quizzed Richard.

“Why?” asked Megumi.

“Here are their mugshots,” panted Dell. Megumi and Richard looked them over, then their faces blanched in horror.

“I think I just made things worse!” whispered Richard.

---

“Hamm”, “Mer”, and “Chizel” were looking at the size of the job. Their real names were Howard, Fine, and Howard, as in Moe, Larry, and Curly, the Three Stooges! “Some fight!” mused Larry.

“You ain’t kidding,” agreed Moe. “We’re gonna need the tools.”

“What tools?” asked Curly.

“The tools we’ve been using for the last ten years!” snapped Moe.

“Oh, THOSE tools!” realized Curly. Moe then thought some more.

“Let’s see…hey, Porcupine!” Larry came up. “Where did he say he wanted the window?”

“On the right,” replied Larry.

“Okay, get that window all set up,” ordered Moe. Larry then picked up the window and went in one direction. “HEY!” shouted Moe. Larry stopped. “I thought you said he wanted the window on the right!”

“He did,” confirmed Larry.

“So, put it on the right!” snapped Moe. Larry went down his original direction. “Why you!” snarled Moe. He grabbed Larry and pulled him aside. “He wanted the window on the right!” Moe pointed to his right.

“Right!” answered Larry as he pointed to HIS right.

“…What’s this?” asked Moe as he showed his palm.

“A hand,” replied Larry. Moe then slapped him on his exposed scalp.

“Right or left?” asked Moe. Larry then thought about it. “Oh, ignorant, eh?” Moe slapped Larry’s cheeks, then turned to Curly. “Hey, Onion-head!” he called. Curly came over. “Help me learn him left and right,” he ordered. “Now, when I say ‘go’, we all point to the right. Go!” The Stooges all pointed to their right. Moe realized the different directions his friends were pointing at, then laughed. “Just a little fun, right?” he chuckled.

“Right,” laughed Larry.

“Or is it left?” giggled Curly. Moe then grabbed their heads and bashed them together.

“Get away!” he snarled. “Come on, we’ll deal with the window once we get the door set up! Get going!” He yanked his friends by the ear over to a workbench with wood and an electric saw. Moe got onto the bench and stood up, using his hands to frame the door and where it was going to go. “Get me a board!” he called.

“Get me a board!” Larry told Curly.

“Get me a…low man again!” grumbled Curly as he found no one behind him. He got the board and laid it onto the bench.

“Make it six inches!” called Moe.

“Make it six inches!” Larry repeated.

“Make it six inches!” finished Curly as he turned around to show which pocket he stored the ruler. Larry took the ruler and held it in the air while drawing where the six inch mark would be. Curly then took the saw and turned it on, cutting the board down the line. He soon got the clean cut.

“Give it to me!” called Moe. He got it, all right! Curly had cut through the bench as well as the board. The bench collapsed and Moe landed on his side. He got up later and stood up straight.

“What happened?” asked Curly.

“Nothing,” answered Moe. He then slapped his friends and grabbed the board. “I’LL FIX YOU!” he shouted. Larry and Curly ran through the new door, but Moe was stopped as he had the board flat and it was too wide for the door. “SHUT THAT DOOR!” he ordered. Curly slammed it and it fell on him! “HELP! MURDER!” screamed Moe. “GET ME OUT!”

“I can’t!” replied Curly as he pulled on the knob. “It’s locked! I ain’t got a key!”

“GET A SAW!” shouted Moe.

---

“We’ll get new repairmen once the Stooges are finished,” assured Megumi. “In the meantime, I need to do some scouting.”

“Is that even allowed?” asked Richard.

“I’m not scouting the contestants,” replied Megumi. “I’m checking out their homes. If they give themselves home-turf advantage, I want to be ready. Besides, this isn’t done without the other contestant’s permission. I think I want to see Arsha’s home.”

“Arsha’s home,” reminded Richard, “is made of three sub-dimensions that overlap each other. Which one are you talking about?”

“I mean Arsha’s exact home of Largandra,” explained Megumi. “The Mid-realm’s capital. I’ve never seen Optimus’ or Arsha’s universes, I want a taste of what they offer. Maybe I’ll visit the other two Realms later, but I want to see what Arsha’s birthplace is like.

“Good luck,” bid Dell. “I’ll just get back to work on a Chronicle Driver compatible Ascendant.”

“You know, that reminds me,” mused Richard, “none of us have tested our Ascendants. I think I’ll do that while you’re away.”

“Okay, but be careful, My Lord,” requested Megumi.

“You too, My Lady,” reciprocated Richard. They kissed and Megumi headed to the Gateway. When she arrived, POmega and Arsha were waiting for her.

“Ah, good,” praised Megumi. “I could use a guide. POmega, fire up the Gateway and lock on to Arsha’s home of Largandra.”

“Use the ship-sized portal,” interjected Arsha. Megumi was confused.

“The ship-sized one?” she asked.

“The Endeavor needs some supplies that can only be manufactured in Largandra,” explained Arsha. “Besides, I don’t think you’ve set foot on my ship. It’s only fair since I set foot on yours when we toppled Mordor.”

“Fair point,” conceded Megumi. She then turned to POmega. “The ship-sized one.”

“Right away,” replied POmega.

“Arsha to Endeavor,” Arsha called on her comms, “two arrivals to teleport directly the bridge.”

“Understood,” replied Thangred. Magic then enveloped the two ladies and whisked them both to the Endeavor’s bridge. Megumi was in awe.

“Captain on the bridge,” rumbled Oak. Everyone stood at attention.

“As you were,” answered Arsha. She then took her seat. Megumi headed to behind the Captain’s Chair before Arsha chided herself. “Okay, Royana, that’s rude. Computer, activate guest chair. She needs to sit.”

“Guest chair online,” droned the computer. A chair popped up just behind and to the right of Arsha’s chair.

“Thank you,” bid Megumi as she took her seat. She then noticed how comfy it was. “What kind of ship did you say this was?” asked Megumi.

“It’s a Dauntless-class diplomatic vessel,” explained Arsha. “Built for speed, it’s heavily armed with…”

“Armed?” repeated Megumi.

“Well, if we’re carrying precious cargo,” replied Arsha, “or transporting a valuable person, we’d rather NOT have said cargo or person harmed in any way.”

“Okay, that makes sense,” mused Megumi.

“The rift’s open for us,” reported Nazay.

“Nice and easy,” directed Arsha.

“Aye, Captain, nice and easy,” confirmed Nazay. The Endeavor then moved into the portal and traveled through the rift.

“I must say, this is quite the thrilling experience,” chuckled Arsha as she saw the rift on screen.

“The excitement tends to wear off when you’ve been doing this for five years,” sighed Megumi. “Still, it’s nice to see another universe.”

“Approaching the end of the rift,” reported Nazay. The portal then opened up to reveal sky and the city of Largandra below. “We’re home,” called Nazay.

“Set course for the shipyards,” directed Arsha. “Megumi, if you’ll follow me, I’ll take you to the landing ramp and give you a personal tour of Largandra.”

“Trust me,” called Dalengor, “you want her as your guide, not Nazay.”

“I told you, I navigate better when I’m in the air!” snapped Nazay.

“Er, what?” asked Megumi.

“Nazay’s sense of direction is terrible when he’s on the ground,” explained Arsha.

“Ah,” replied Megumi. The ship was guided to a berth and it lowered its landing struts. Maintenance crews then approached the landing ramp as it lowered. Megumi was in awe at what she saw. “Subarashi!” (Wonderful!) she breathed.

“Impressed?” chuckled Arsha. “That was my exact reaction when I first saw it as a little girl of 100.”

“…100?” repeated Megumi.

“Yep,” confirmed Arsha. “…Wait, why are you confused?”

“Don’t only Elves live that long?” asked Megumi. “I mean, average human life-span, at least for my home of Japan, is 87 years, roughly.”

“…That short?!” yelped Arsha. “You look to be about my age of 300!”

“No, I’m 24,” replied Megumi. “A young adult by any country’s standards.”

“THAT’S a young adult?!” squeaked Arsha. “That’s just a young child here!”

“What’s the average life expectancy here?” asked Megumi.

“It varies from species to species,” replied Arsha. “The lowest belong to the Arties classification, where our artificial life-forms come in. That would be our Chimeras with 10,000 and the Golems all Splitter branches use living only 5,000.”

“And…the longest life-spans?” asked Megumi, really intrigued.

“Not counting biological immortals like the Divine Ones, Fae, Tweeners, or Elves,” mused Arsha, “50,000.”

“50,000 YEARS?!” yelped Megumi. “HOW DO PEOPLE LIVE THAT LONG?!”

“Magic goes into our medicine,” replied Arsha. “It’s pretty common place. Most witches go into the medical fields.”

“So, most of the doctors are women?” asked Megumi.

“No,” replied Arsha, “boys tend to learn about the body more. Must speak to something primal. Still, it’s enough of an even split in terms of gender, so I’m not too worried.”

“So wizards can be doctors too?” quizzed Megumi.

“…Wait, what do wizards and witches mean to you?” asked Arsha as she had a suspicion in her head.

“Witches are female magic users, wizards are male ones,” replied Megumi.

“Since when?!” asked Arsha.

“Since always,” answered Megumi. “Are you telling me that the term ‘Witch’ is a professional title here?”

“Yes,” confirmed Arsha. “Marshii’s dad was a witch.”

“Could you explain the magic professions to me?” asked Megumi.

“All right,” resolved Arsha. “Witches are magic doctors, wizards are magic researchers, artificers are magic engineers, alchemists are magic chemists, and sorcerers are magic online presences.”

“What about warlocks?” asked Megumi. Arsha took a deep breath.

“One of my teachers in Realmfleet Academy called them magic sugar babies,” she finally answered. “Don’t tell her I said that aloud.”

“I see,” mused Megumi. Arsha then began the tour with her favorite tavern, The Hidden Drum. It was a typical tavern, rowdy people talking and drinking, a couple of busty waitresses, an old bartender wiping the glasses, a singer, a few dancers, a piano player making music, and a pair of hulking men trying to show off their strength. One of the waitresses, a Troll roughly Malak’s size, saw the two and waved them in.

“Welcome back, Arsha!” she greeted.

“Hello, Glantem!” returned Arsha.

“I never thought we’d see you again during your five years!” declared Glantem. She then noticed Megumi. “And who is she?”

“I’m Megumi Hishikawa,” introduced Megumi.

“She’s from another universe entirely,” explained Arsha. “I can explain everything once we get some food.”

“Let me just get you to your table,” directed Glantem. She led the pair to a table near the window. “There we are,” declared Glantem. “Will it be the usual today?”

“If it’s available,” replied Arsha. “Actually, would two be possible?”

“Two steaks with mashed potatoes and two salads, coming up!” answered Glantem. “Will you be interested in dessert as well?”

“Make it two usual desserts,” ordered Arsha.

“That’s two Chocolate Lava cakes for dessert,” confirmed Glantem. “We’ll have your order ready in…” she was interrupted by a scream outside.

“That’s never a good sign,” muttered Megumi. Both she and Arsha dashed outside to see an Elf woman wailing over another Elf woman’s body. A crowd had gathered by the time Arsha and Megumi knelt near the body. Arsha rolled the body over to see that the Elf woman’s body had one large, creepy grin on her face. Her skin was also chalk white with blood-red lips. “Oh no,” groaned Megumi as she pulled out her communicator. “POmega, get Batman here. I think we have a Smylex case.”

An hour had passed. Both groups had arrived in a discreet location in Japan of universe K-4-M-3-N-R-1-D-3-R. Megumi’s group had also brought Igura’s body and helped dig the grave. Megatron had a grave marker with Igura’s name. The casket was lowered and the marker was set. The casket was buried and Igura’s body, over time, would return to nature. Once the grave was filled, everyone had a moment of silence. “…It’s over,” sighed Megumi after a minute had passed.

“No,” answered Hiro. “My hunt for Caan is still in effect.”

“After what happened to your wife, you still want to hunt Caan?” asked Dr. Borg.

“He freed the Skaro Daleks,” explained Hiro. “He must pay with his life.”

“He’s the one who made our little alliance less safe,” realized Dr. Borg, seeing Hiro’s logic.

“Exactly,” replied Hiro.

“Pardon me for interfering,” interjected Megatron, “but we DO have an exchange to complete. Quake Hammer, you can go now.”

“Yes, Sir,” answered Quake Hammer. He moved to Megumi’s side. Megumi then allowed Hiro to return to his allies.

“We have Hiro,” Megatron reported over the comms. Hiro and his group then vanished in a transporter beam.

“Well then, Quake Hammer,” declared Megumi as she turned to their new prisoner, “we have a place for you.”

“You will be watched and questioned,” revealed Optimus. “You will have rationed Energon and a chance to exercise, but I read enough about you in the history books to want to listen to the security recommendations of the veterans of my team.”

“I understand,” replied Quake Hammer.

“POmega, we’ve got Quake Hammer,” Megumi called over the comms.

“One rift home, coming up,” replied POmega. A rift opened and everyone returned to Vorton.

“This way,” Prowl directed to Quake Hammer. “Lieutenant Skyfall will take first watch over you.”

“Er, of course,” replied Quake Hammer, looking a little nervous. He was then led to the brig. Everyone finally dispersed to make preparations for the next round of the 3V2R. Richard followed Megumi as she rubbed her temples.

“Sweet God,” he muttered, “this has been a tense day.”

“Tell me about it,” replied Megumi. “I need some unwinding. Perhaps you can help?”

“How so?” asked Richard.

“In our bed,” continued Megumi as her voice dropped to a sexy purr. “Perhaps…a little…intimacy? Acting on…animal instincts?”

“…Oh?” Richard purred back, getting the hint. Megumi morphed into Tora-Onna and led Richard to their room.

---

Emmanuel and Lukas shut the door with a look of irritation on their faces. Lukas was muttering to himself in his native German all the while. “So,” chuckled Scorpainia as she saw them, “Jandro and Brenden kicked you out, huh?”

“Well, pardon us,” snapped Emmanuel, “for wanting to use OUR ROOM FOR PRIVATE TIME!” He shouted towards the room he and Lukas usually called theirs. “Speaking of, didn’t I hear you got sick after yours?”

“Thankfully, it’s nothing contagious,” replied Scorpainia as she patted her tummy.

“…No way!” breathed Lukas.

“The Council has decided,” answered Scorpainia, “that my child will be the heir to the throne unless contested by vote or by combat.”

“Félicitations!” (Congratulations!) cheered Emmanuel. “Have you figured out names?”

“No, not yet,” replied Scorpainia. “The name will come when the child decides on its shape.”

“Its shape?” asked Lukas.

“We are born as small lumps of putty,” explained Scorpainia. “The lumps DO have the chromosomes that determine if it’s a boy or girl, but, other than that, we don’t know.”

“When can we see the new prince or princess?” asked Emmanuel.

“Gestation’s going to take two years,” replied Scorpainia. “When the first year is complete, I need to limit my movements; probably going to be my most crabbiest time as I enjoy being mobile.”

“Well, congratulations!” cheered Lukas. “Have you decided on the Godparents?”

“Lacey shall be one of the Godmothers,” declared Scorpainia. “She helped free my mind from Vortech’s influence and I owe her a great deal.”

“One of the Godmothers?” repeated Emmanuel.

“Tarlaxians have four Godparents,” replied Scorpainia. Her face lit up as she got an idea. “I believe I know who to name as Godfathers.” She glanced at both men. They took the hint.

“My lady, we are honored,” declared Emmanuel.

---

“Regs! Prowler!” Skyfall protested to Strongarm and Prowl as she followed them around Vorton’s habitat ring. “I really must insist that we hold off on the inspection!”

“Article 7, Section 9, Subsection 2, Paragraph 3,” quoted Strongarm, “All Quarters are subject to random inspections at the Security Officer’s discretion.”

“Since I’M head of security for the Autobots on Prime’s team,” supplied Prowl, “I determine when the quarters are inspected. Now, unless you want to help, stay out of our way.” He opened the door and both he and Strongarm entered Skyfall’s quarters and shut it in Skyfall’s face. They were surprised at the mess pervading her quarters. “What in the…?” spluttered Prowl.

“How could she let her quarters…?” quizzed Strongarm. “If she went lax in the 2,000 year interim between the previous war and the current one…!” She grabbed some armor polish, examined it, then opened the closet and handed it off absentmindedly to the person inside. “Here!” she snapped.

“Thank you,” replied the person in the closet. The door shut and Strongarm realized what just happened.

“…Prowl, sweetie,” she gulped.

“What’s the matter?” asked Prowl as he noted his wife’s shock.

“I want you to look in Skyfall’s closet and tell me I didn’t hand off armor polish to someone in there,” directed Strongarm. Prowl opened the closet door and blinked.

“…Quake Hammer?” he asked.

“Prowl!” yelped the bot in the closet, Quake Hammer. “What are you doing here?!”

“I…I, er, w…we were…inspecting Skyfall’s quarters,” stammered Prowl.

“That’s no excuse!” snapped Quake Hammer. “Vorton has a security breach! That needs to be investigated!” Prowl and Strongarm then dashed out of Skyfall’s quarters.

“We’ve got to go!” Prowl explained to Skyfall. “Quake Hammer noticed a security breach around here!” Strongarm was about to transform, then stopped herself.

“Wait a cycle,” she muttered. “What was Quake Hammer doing in the closet?!”

“Whose closet?” asked Skyfall. Prowl and Strongarm then had a nasty suspicion.

“Skyfall,” Prowl hissed in demand of an explanation. Skyfall sighed and activated the comms into her quarters.

“Quaky,” she called, “you might as well come out.”

“QUAKY?!” squeaked the two security bots.

“2^nd Lieutenant Skyfall of the Autobot Air Force, what’s going on?!” demanded Strongarm.

“Next time you decide to inspect,” replied Skyfall, “I’d really appreciate it if you notified me first.”

“That doesn’t answer our question!” growled Prowl. Quake Hammer then came out of the room and into the hallway.

“Which of the Femaxian Points of Profit says, ‘Sometimes the only thing more dangerous than a question is an answer’?” he asked.

“Point 295,” replied Prowl before he jabbed an accusing finger at Skyfall. “You sold us out to the ‘Cons, didn’t you?! What did you tell them?!”

“Quake Hammer, rest assured,” snarled Strongarm, “you won’t be transmitting any intelligence to Megatron! Skyfall, what did you tell him?!”

“Relax, you two!” snapped Skyfall. “I didn’t sell us out to the Decepticons!”

“Oh?” asked Prowl disbelievingly.

“Why would a soldier like her,” asked Quake Hammer, “betray her faction and its ideals like that?”

“…Wait, you mean you DON’T have Autobot intelligence?” quizzed Prowl.

“Intelligence on what?” inquired Quake Hammer. “Look, why don’t we clear up some confusion? It’s all quite simple. You see, Prowl, Skyfall and I are married.” Strongarm and Prowl blinked in surprise, then Strongarm did something she wasn’t known for…she fainted and her husband caught her.

---

After Strongarm was revived and all Autobots informed, Skyfall and Quake Hammer sat opposite of Optimus, Ironhide, Jazz, Prowl, and Strongarm. “How long has this been going on?” demanded Optimus.

“Since the first war’s end,” explained Quake Hammer.

“Quake!” hissed Skyfall.

“Yes, because hiding it any further,” argued Quake Hammer, “would totally save our afts!”

“At the moment,” muttered Optimus, “I’m considering stripping you of the Autobrand, Skyfall. I certainly hope your explanation can save you from that fate.”

“We met after Earth,” explained Skyfall. “It was during a Targa tournament. I was playing in the Copper division.”

“Winning it for the 38^th time in a row, if I recall,” chuckled Quake Hammer as he remembered fondly.

“Anyway, word reached us that the Diamond Division Champion was having trouble,” continued Skyfall.

“And that was you?” Prowl asked Quake Hammer.

“That was me,” confirmed Quake Hammer. “For some reason, I kept needing a line of credit at that time!”

“So, I wrote him a note,” continued Skyfall, “giving him some pointers on how to improve his game.”

“And they worked,” supplied Quake Hammer. “Those pointers helped me secure the 47^th championship in a row! We then started corresponding regularly.”

“We then arranged to meet after a stellar cycle,” Skyfall went on. “Imagine his surprise when he discovered an Autobot helped him!”

“I almost had a Spark Attack!” interjected Quake Hammer. “But, as you can see, I recovered. I was going under a false name at the time since I deserted my platoon during the Battle of Crater Tycho. Over time…”

“And after much wheedling from me,” remarked Skyfall.

“I told her my story after she told me hers,” continued Quake Hammer. “We DID have a spat, as Autobots and Decepticons would do during that time, but we worked it out.”

“And we became a married couple and lived together ever since!” sighed Skyfall happily.

“A source of contention between me and my grandson, Lugnut,” mused Quake Hammer. “He said marrying an Autobot is a disgrace to my glorious ex-wife’s name. I keep reminding him that I divorced his grandmother during the war and there was nothing glorious about the direction the Decepticons were going.”

“…Skyfall,” asked Optimus, “is there a reason why you told everyone you never married? We were at peace at the time!”

“The stigma against mixed faction couples,” replied Skyfall, “is still too great.”

“They would force our marriage to be annulled,” continued Quake Hammer.

“You don’t know that!” hissed Optimus.

“They’ll cite Blackarachnia’s parents as ‘evidence’,” argued Skyfall, “that Decepticons and Autobots CAN’T live together!”

“I have sufficient counter-evidence,” dismissed Optimus. “…Skyfall, your commission and Autobrand ARE safe, but I would advise you and your husband to do something spectacular to get into our good graces again. Quake Hammer, you may stay in Skyfall’s quarters. Both of you, dismissed.” Skyfall and Quake Hammer departed the room.

“…You wouldn’t cite other Councilbots, would you?” asked Ironhide.

“I know it’s underhanded,” replied Optimus. “I also know that revealing such a thing to the council will lead to a fracturing. There are those that would cite Blackarachnia’s parents, yet they have Decepticon spouses. Blaster and I both told them about how we know. As such, if they wish to keep their positions, they will NOT annul Skyfall and Quake Hammer’s marriage.”

“Understood, Sir,” muttered Prowl. “But, I must formally protest this course of action.”

“I understand your concern, Prowl,” assured Optimus. “Hopefully, it won’t lead to anything bad.”

“With that out of the way,” declared Prowl, “we need to get you ready for the next round.”

---

“There’s been a bit of a lull, hasn’t there?” asked Richard as he and Megumi, still as Tora-Onna, checked themselves for any wrinkles in their clothes after their private time.

“Yeah,” confirmed Tora-Onna. “Something about a controversy between Stornk and Cassandra.”

“Not surprising,” muttered Richard. “The guy’s a hack, quite literally, made up of various aliens grafted onto him. Since he can’t get along with himself, he can’t get along with others. What IS the controversy about, though?”

“I’m not sure,” replied Tora-Onna. “I’m sure we’ll find out.” A flash of light then appeared on the table next to the bed. It then faded to reveal paper. Tora-Onna took it and read the contents. “It’s from the Chizarans,” she reported. “The controversy was about the fight conditions. Stornk set the rules and he believed that Cassandra broke them.”

“What were the rules?” asked Richard as Tora-Onna morphed back into Megumi.

“Stornk believed,” explained Megumi, “that his speed was faster than Cassandra’s. He had to land ten hits on her in two minutes. Cassandra won that one by continually pirouetting out of the way and Stornk believed that to be a non-combat related dodge, so he appealed that she broke the rules. The appeal was struck down and Stornk was still declared the loser. He only got two hits on her.”

“A hit a minute, on average,” mused Richard, “instead of his goal of five a minute.”

“Bingo,” replied Megumi. “So, the contest’s last bout will start tomorrow and we’ll be ready for the Advancement Ceremony for the next round.”

“If it’s back on,” suggested Richard as he finished checking himself over, “then we need to continue training.” Megumi groaned comically.

“I don’t wanna!” she whined as she folded her arms.

“Come on, we all know it can’t be avoided,” Richard urged gently. Megumi still groaned, but finished up her makeup. “Still breathing good?” asked Richard as he had made her bodice too tight once or twice in the past.

“Still breathing good,” assured Megumi.

“Good, I prefer my wife to have her full lung capacity,” chuckled Richard.

“You and me both, My King,” agreed Megumi as she finished her makeup.

---

The last bout was over and the Advancement Ceremony was underway. A parade went down the streets of the Capital Planet of Universe 1-A with the winners riding on floats representing what they do in their universe. The Winners, in parade order, were Ultragingana, Arsha Royana, Lord Shadowflame, Optimus Prime, Ms. Furella, Southern Belle, Megumi Hishikawa, Buncho, Priest 072486, Mr. Drendar, Beatrice, High Elf Lentar, Queen Phury, Cassandra, Elizabeth, and Bolt Boy. Their floats traveled for a good hour until they pulled into a building where Rosadera, Azuliterii, Rojenthi, Verdutha, and Moradelia were waiting. Blancalmarem and Nemengra were announcing again. They were accompanied by a robot in the shape of a woman and dressed up in a girly version of a Roman Centurion. “I am Blancalmarem, the white princess of Chizara and the life leader,” began Blancalmarem.

“I am Nemengra, the black princess of Chizara and the death leader,” finished Nemengra.

“And at the Advancement Ceremony, we are accompanied with one of the people who didn’t win Round 1, Julia Caesar,” continued Blancalmarem.

“Julia Caesar, a robot fighter and a champion of robot rights,” Nemengra went on, “has helped us in commentary once or twice in the past and we are honored to see her again!”

“I am honored to be here again!” continued Julia Caesar. “As you can see, the floats have arrived and the winners of the first round are getting off their floats and moving onto the platform to receive their sportsmanship torches, ready to light the main torch!”

“There they are, all lined up and ready,” observed Blancalmarem. “Just listen to that crowd!”

“Thankfully, the Chizaran Guard,” continued Nemengra, “is having no trouble keeping the crowd in line. No one wants a repeat of the 300,029^th 3V2R.”

“Don’t even go there!” shuddered Blancalmarem. “That was a nightmare!”

“I think I declined helping you comment on that one,” recalled Julia Caesar. “Wait, it looks like the winners have accepted their torches and are…Yes, they’ve lit the Closing Torch for this round!”

“Wow! What a height for the flame!” cheered Blancalmarem. “I can’t tell you how deeply thrilled I am to see this!”

“I’m sure the pyromaniacs watching will appreciate this,” chuckled Nemengra.

“It looks like Rosadera’s about to give her Round’s End Speech!” called Julia.

“With the Closing Torch now lit for the end of Round 1 and the spirit of good sportsmanship kept alive,” began Rosadera, “we will take a week-long break relative to your universe’s time scale. This would make the perfect planning opportunity. Rest up and plan, everyone! The time to fight will arrive sooner than you may think!” The winners were surrounded in pink lights and vanished, returning to their homes.

---

“WHAT HAPPENED TO MY HOUSE?!” shrieked Megumi when she saw the damage, after being on Vorton for a while.

“So, apparently,” replied Richard as he glared at a sheepish looking Death, “in the 3V2R, participants may use another competitor’s space as neutral ground for their bout. In short, our house was the site for Ms. Furella’s victory over Emperor Mechanoterror. I’ve already got a repair team on the way, leaving me to puzzle out how an anthropomorphic ferret prostitute won against a cyborg dictator.”

“…My house…” whimpered Megumi as she fell to her knees.

“A trade?” asked Ultra Magnus.

“How do we know it’s an equal trade?” quizzed Prowl.

“With the Cons, you really DON’T know,” muttered Ironhide.

“Megatron spoke to me privately,” explained Optimus. “He showed me the prisoner he’s willing to exchange for Hiro.”

“And?” asked Ironhide.

“It’s Quake Hammer,” revealed Optimus. The Autobot Veterans’ optics went wide.

“Not the Con who can punch the ground and cause massive tremors!” gulped Ironhide.

“Lugnut’s grandfather?!” mumbled Ratchet.

“The same Lugnut that takes the Decepticon faction’s views to a religious extreme?!” whimpered Prowl.

“Wait, the same Quake Hammer that was marked on the DJD’s List for desertion under fire?” asked Ultra Magnus.

“The same on all fronts,” replied Optimus.

“He’d be a valuable POW,” mused Ironhide. “But, who’s to say he’ll stay with us?”

“Even if he COULD escape us,” muttered Ultra Magnus, “he’s still risking the DJD by staying alive. They don’t leave survivors.”

“Megatron mentioned that,” answered Optimus. “He said that the DJD doesn’t have multiverse crossing technology.”

“Meaning we need Megumi’s help on this,” realized Prowl.

“Exactly,” confirmed Optimus. “Get me Megumi. I want to arrange it with her.” Prowl hailed Vorton and Megumi appeared with the background indicating it was her and Richard’s room.”

“Do you have any information on the prisoner the enemy wants to exchange for Hiro?” she asked.

“He’s an infamous Decepticon named Quake Hammer,” replied Optimus. “Megatron told me that he’s on a list of Decepticons to punish for desertion under fire. The ones with the list, the Decepticon Justice Division, can’t cross other realities. In short, we need your help in holding him.”

“I think we have something big enough for a Decepticon,” mused Megumi. “We’ll gladly help you.”

“Much appreciated,” thanked Optimus.

“Then Hiro IS returning to Megatron and Dr. Borg?” guessed Ultra Magnus.

“We can’t keep him here,” replied Megumi. “We need to return him to a familiar environment.”

“…Very well,” muttered Ultra Magnus.

“And on that note!” cheered a voice. Everyone yelped in surprise as they spotted a woman in yellow. “I am Amartonadii, the yellow princess of Chizara and the health leader!” introduced the woman. “Optimus Prime, Alfalna awaits. Bat’leths will be provided to both of you.”

“Thank you,” bid Optimus. He turned to his friends. “Wish me luck!” He and Amartonadii then vanished in yellow light.

“Quick! Tune in!” Ultra Magnus called to Teletraan.

“Talk to you later!” Teletraan called to Megumi.

---

“See you after the bout!” returned Megumi as the call ended. Megumi then activated the intercom. “Minna, Optimus’ bout is about to begin! That is all!” She then made a dash to the Gateway room.

---

“We’re getting a transmission!” called Shalvey. “Optimus is ready to fight!”

“On screen!” ordered Arsha. The background looked like an elaborate arena with Alfalna and Optimus facing each other.

---

“I am Amartonadii, the yellow princess of Chizara and the health leader!” Amartonadii introduced as she carried two Transformer sized bat’leths. “The combatants are ready for their first bout! Representing W-1-L-D-F-0-R-3-5-T-5, we have the Great Demoness, Alfalna with home turf advantage! Representing T-R-4-N-5-F-0-R-M-3-R-5-M-0-8-1-4-N-C-H-R-0-N-1-C-L-3-5, we have Optimus Prime! The fight will be a simple Bat’leth competition. Both fighters will use the most famous of Klingon melee weaponry to decide who is the victor. The combatant must send their opponent sprawling or break their opponent’s bat’leth. No other weapons will be used and no outside interference. Alfalna, are you ready?”

“Let us duel!” declared Alfalna. She received her bat’leth.

“Optimus Prime, are you ready?” asked Amartonadii.

“Heghlu’meH QaQ jajvam!” (Today is a good day to die!) announced Optimus in Klingon. He received his bat’leth and waved it in a fashion designed to unnerve his opponent. Alfalna didn’t even twitch.

“In’cha!” (Begin!) called Amartonadii. Optimus charged and swung his bat’leth down hard! Alfalna blocked and shoved the blade aside, then driving the exterior rounded edge into Optimus’ chin. Optimus stumbled and hastily blocked a side swing. Alfalna then tried again on the other side. Optimus spun out of the way and swung his bat’leth near her head. Alfalna blocked and they started pushing against each other with their weapons.

---

“Come on, Prime!” cheered Jazz.

“Show the Cybertronian Klingon Society,” called Blackarachnia, “who’s the Champion Standing for 50 years in a row!”

---

“According to his dossier on the subject,” mused Richard, “Optimus has been the Champion Standing for the Cybertronian Klingon Society.”

“There’s a Klingon based club on Cybertron?” asked Lukas incredulously.

Optimus slammed the rounded outer edge of his bat’leth into Alfalna’s gut. Alfalna stumbled, then blocked a sideways slash and shoved it away. She then started swinging the bat’leth down repeatedly, hoping to break Optimus’.

---

“This is bad!” gulped Megumi. “If Optimus loses out, the Master Wand is that less safer!”

“Come on, don’t lose this!” prayed Emily.

---

“I must say, that…what is it called…‘bat’leth’ looks highly inefficient in killing by stabbing,” mused Malak.

“It DOES look more like a spiked, metal club,” observed Nazay.

“It looks like something out of Constellation Journey,” muttered Bashoon.

“Mr. Malak, any activity?” asked Arsha.

“None,” reported Malak.

“I’m not getting anything either,” answered Shalvey. “Nor have I missed any transmissions.”

“Same here, no previous activity,” continued Malak.

“Good, carry on,” ordered Arsha.

“Aye, Captain,” confirmed the Mermaid and Troll.

---

Optimus managed to lock the bat’leths together and gritted his dental plates before giving off a primal roar and shoving Alfalna backwards, snapping her bat’leth and sending her sprawling onto the floor. He got up and stood over her in a rest pose with his bat’leth. “Just sending me flying was enough!” panted Alfalna.

“Klingon instincts took over,” replied Optimus in the same panting manner. He then held his hand out. “MajQa’,” (Well done) he bid. Alfalna took his hand and he pulled her up.

“This contest is over!” called Amartonadii. “The winner is Optimus Prime! Optimus, you will be returned to the bridge of your ship. Great Demoness, Alfalna, though you have suffered a defeat, know that it only brings as much dishonor as you feel necessary. Would you care for an interview with Blancalmarem and Nemengra?”

“I think I will, this time,” accepted Alfalna.

“Then I will take you to them once Optimus is returned,” declared Amartonadii.

“Hey, maybe we should start an interdimensional Klingon club!” chuckled Optimus.

“Just hope REAL Klingons aren’t offended,” muttered Alfalna.

“I don’t think we’d survive long enough to regret it if they ARE,” guessed Optimus. “See you around!” Optimus and Amartonadii vanished in yellow light and Optimus was back on the Ark’s bridge, cheered by all of his bots.

“Congratulations, Sir!” bid Ultra Magnus.

“None of that ‘Sir’ nonsense now, dude!” directed Optimus. “This is a time for celebration!”

“Can we save the party until AFTER the exchange?” requested Prowl.

“…Way to bring the mood down,” grumbled Optimus. “Oh well, he’s right, business first. Has the Nemesis done anything?”

“Arsha’s reported nothing,” reported Prowl. “Megumi should be speaking to Hiro now.”

“Megumi and Arsha want to contact us,” interjected Teletraan.

“Put them through,” directed Optimus. Arsha and Megumi appeared on screen.

“I just spoke with Hiro,” relayed Megumi. “He’s agreed to the Prisoner Exchange. I think he’s going to use this to get revenge.”

“I read the Brigadier’s report,” supplied Arsha. “I know who freed the Skaro Dalek strain.”

“As do I,” confirmed Optimus. “We need to catch Caan first.”

“And convince him that Vortech is dead,” continued Megumi. “In any case, Megatron needs his answer. Let’s contact the Nemesis and discuss where and when the exchange will take place.”

“Shalvey, hail the Nemesis,” Arsha ordered to Shalvey off-screen.

“You too, Prowl,” Optimus directed.

“Rusty, the enemy vessel, please,” requested Megumi.

---

“Vorton, the Ark, and the Endeavor are all hailing us,” reported Soundwave.

“Open a channel,” commanded Megatron. Megumi, Arsha, and Optimus appeared. “I take it your bout is completed, Optimus,” greeted Megatron. “Who won?”

“I did,” answered Optimus. “My opponent was just as skilled with the bat’leth as I.”

“You fought a Klingon?” asked Megatron.

“No, I fought a different alien who’s just as nerdy as me when it comes to Star Trek,” explained Optimus.

“Because, of course, other aliens would know about it!” groaned Megatron. “Still, that isn’t the reason you called. Your answer?”

“We agree to the Exchange,” replied Megumi. “Where and when?”

“Hiro’s home universe,” relayed Megatron. “One hour from now.”

“See you then,” finished Megumi. The call ended.

“Move us to our meeting place,” ordered Megatron.

“Course laid in,” reported Skywarp. “Going to full impulse.”

---

“They’re leaving,” announced Rusty.

“Prepare Hiro for transport,” directed Megumi. “We’ll use the Virginia.”

---

Blancalmarem and Nemengra were broadcasting again. “I am Blancalmarem, the white princess of Chizara and the life leader,” began Blancalmarem.

“I am Nemengra, the black princess of Chizara and the death leader,” finished Nemengra.

“Today, after another bout for Round 1,” continued Blancalmarem, “we have the ruler of the Bindahri people; the Great Demoness, Alfalna, for an interview.”

“She’s accepted and declined interviews before,” supplied Nemengra. “Today, we are fortunate to speak with her again.” The screen behind them played their interview.

“During your previous contests,” recalled Blancalmarem, “you only carried a bat’leth when you introduced yourself to your opponent, but never used it. What made you change your mind?”

“My recent opponent’s dossier,” explained Alfalna. “When I saw he was a Star Trek fan, I just HAD to see if he knew how to use a bat’leth. Thank goodness he read my dossier, otherwise the contest would have been different.”

“What WOULD have been the contest if he wasn’t skilled with a bat’leth?” asked Nemengra.

“A simple hand-to-hand duel,” replied Alfalna. “His dossier mentioned being a ninja and I wanted to see how skilled he was. Perhaps, if I DO fight him next time, I will stick to hand-to-hand.”

“Well, thank you for your time,” bid Blancalmarem. “We know you have many students to train.”

“May we see you again, Beloved Demoness,” finished Nemengra.

“Thank you for this wonderful tournament,” bid Alfalna graciously as she bowed. The screen switched off and Blancalmarem and Nemengra returned to the camera.

“A lovely lady,” praised Blancalmarem.

“We’ll be right back after a message from one of our sponsors, Clansa’s Family Diner!” ended Nemengra. The commercial announcer then took over.

“Clansa’s Family Diner,” he announced, “family friendly fun and food for every version of reality.”

“That will be 2 golds and 6 silvers,” requested Mrs. Barmek.

“Even with the Crew Discount?” asked Arsha.

“Beef went up drastically,” explained Mrs. Barmek.

“Oh, yeah, the beef crisis,” remembered Arsha as she handed over her cash.

“Ahem,” called a voice. Arsha and Mrs. Barmek turned to see a woman in blue-violet. She had skirts that had a diameter of her height multiplied by 1.5. Her top, however, looked like it belonged to a belly dancer’s outfit. “I am Vioazira, the blue-violet princess of Chizara and the sea-animal leader,” she introduced. “Arsha, the battlefield has been set and your opponent is waiting.”

“Ah, good, I’ve been waiting!” cheered Arsha. She turned to Mrs. Barmek. “Wish me luck!”

“Go out and win!” bid Mrs. Barmek. Arsha and Vioazira vanished in a flash of blue violet light. Mrs. Barmek then saw Bashoon come in.

“Hey, Mom, where’s the Captain?” asked Bashoon.

“Off to her fight,” replied Mrs. Barmek.

“Already?!” yelped Bashoon as she dashed to the intercom on the wall. “All hands, Captain Royana is about to start her round! I repeat, Captain Royana is about to start her round! Get some seats and snacks!” The Endeavor’s crew dashed for the nearest screen to see the bout.

---

“This is it!” cheered Megumi as everyone crowded into the Gateway room.

“No shoving!” snapped Emily as Tanisha bumped her. “There’s plenty of room!”

“On screen!” called Richard.

---

“Just after this is your bout, right, Sir?” asked Prowl.

“You got it,” confirmed Optimus. “So, let’s see how this, er, balances out.”

“Wait, is that what’s going on here?!” protested Bumblebee.

“Dude, spoilers!” called Jazz.

“Oh, frack! Sorry!” gulped Optimus.

“SH! SH! Here comes the judge!” hissed Teletraan. Vioazira appeared as Arsha and Vicky climbed up the poles of the old circus tent.

---

“I am Vioazira, the blue-violet princess of Chizara and the sea-animal leader,” Vioazira introduced herself to the camera. “The combatants are ready for their first bout! Representing T-H-3-T-H-R-3-3-R-3-4-L-M-5, we have Captain Arsha Royana of the Mid-realm’s capital of Largandra! Representing W-4-N-D-3-R-L-U-5-T, we have Vicky with home turf advantage! The fight will be a test of balance! Each combatant will try and stand on the rope above me while balancing a foot tall stack of books, all of equal sizes. Arsha shall balance the books on her weakest tail while Vicky will use her arm. Whoever stays on the rope longer is the winner! No other supports may be used and the combatants will NOT bounce the rope on purpose to interfere with another player’s progress.” Vioazira looked up at the left platform near the top of the tent where the tightrope was set up. “Vicky, are you ready?” she called.

“Ready and waiting!” cheered Vicky.

“Arsha Royana, are you ready?” Vioazira asked Arsha on the other platform.

“Aye, aye!” replied Arsha.

“Then take your books!” declared Vioazira. The two ladies did so. “Now, onto the rope!” The ladies went forward and the rope strained and bounced under the two ladies’ combined weight. They did what they could to steady themselves until they went still, briefly compensating by leaning a bit to one side or the other.

---

“Come on, Captain!” called Mrs. Barmek on the Endeavor. “Don’t lose it now!”

---

“Oh, PLEASE win this one!” begged Megumi.

---

“Oh Primus, do you see that?” gulped Jazz. “She’s leaning too far!”

“If she goes any further, she’s gonna fall,” muttered Prowl.

“My fellow Cyber-Ninjas, easy,” assured Optimus. “Look at her foot. It’s following her head, bringing the rope beneath her as she balances.”

“I can barely see anything with all her skirts!” grumbled Strongarm. “There’s no way she can wear that in combat! Her legs won’t go high enough for a kick! Although, I will say, she’s putting her other tails to good use, adjusting them so she can stay balanced.”

“Is this some Cyber-Ninja convention?!” griped Ratchet.

“They ARE a little more observant about bodily movements than most bots are,” chuckled Ironhide. “I guess that’s what happens when you learn the art of assassination.”

“Er, can we NOT use that word here?” gulped Optimus.

“Hey, who’s that on the floor?” asked Bumblebee.

---

“Er, is that from our universe?” asked Bashoon as she pointed to the mysterious figure on the circus tent’s floor. The rest of her crewmates asked around, but gave no definitive answer.

---

The answer was definitive for the Vortex Riders. “CAAN!” yelped Megumi.

“We gotta stop him!” called Tanisha.

“Easy,” assured a voice. Rosadera had arrived. “They will not be in any danger from outside interference, I promise you.”

---

“Come down from there!” shouted Caan. “I have need of you, Arsha!”

“This is a battlefield for the Verse Vs. Verse Rumble Royale!” called Vioazira. “Leave at once!”

“Not until I have Arsha!” snapped Caan. He then leveled his gun and fired! The shot was absorbed by some unknown shield. “What the?!”

---

“Wait, how is Caan surprised about the shield?” asked Richard.

“Yeah, shouldn’t he have seen that coming?” quizzed Alesandro.

“Whenever we interact with him,” replied Rosadera, “we tend to blind him to the future.”

“That’s a mercy,” sighed Megumi in relief.

---

Caan was still firing at the rope, but the shots were still absorbed. “Your attempts to interfere are futile,” declared Vioazira. “The bout is still on. All we can do is see how it plays out.”

“Lower that shield, NOW!” barked Caan.

“I don’t think you understand who’s in control right now!” snarled Vioazira. “The round has not yet been declared over. Now, leave!”

“When Vortech returns,” hissed Caan as he called a rift home, “you will come crawling to me!”

“Vortech is DEAD!” snapped Vioazira as he left. “Insolent Dalek!” she snarled. “He just HAS to go to these extremes!”

---

“Well, that’s him all gone,” muttered Megumi.

“For now,” mused Alesandro.

“Megumi,” called the Brigadier’s voice as he came up. “I have news that may concern you and Hiro.”

“We’ll discuss this outside Hiro’s cell,” declared Megumi, feeling the urgency. “Excuse, Minna.” She got up and followed the Brigadier to Hiro’s cell in the brig. Hiro was kneeling in traditional Japanese fashion with his eyes shut. She cleared her throat.

“Emily has told me,” he answered, not opening his eyes, “that I’ve made a remarkable physical recovery. She’s just not too sure about my mental state. To be frank, I would be insulted if she thought I would get through my wife’s death in any speedy fashion. Are you here to offer condolences by Flora’s urging?”

“I’m here by the Brigadier’s request, actually,” replied Megumi. “He said he has news that may concern us.”

“…I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be so suspicious,” muttered Hiro. “What does Lethbridge-Stewart want to say to us?”

“I know how the Skaro Daleks were freed,” explained the Brigadier.

“We weren’t watchful enough, that’s how,” dismissed Hiro. “Now, my wife and unborn child paid the price.”

“No, you were very watchful of them, just not of Caan,” countered the Brigadier. Hiro then gave him his full attention, as did Megumi.

“Why mention him?” asked Hiro.

“Because he’s the one who gave the Skaro Daleks the means to remove the explosives from their old shells,” explained the Brigadier.

“…What?” whispered Hiro.

“Caan had surreptitiously given the Skaro Daleks the means to return to their old shells and told them about the Emperor Dalek you created and named Davros,” continued the Brigadier. “They know Davros is still the same man in a wheelchair.”

“I…Impossible!” dismissed Hiro. “There’s no way he could have known!”

“Caan has another Dalek turned human on his side,” countered Megumi. “She was probably a communications Dalek. She could have easily found how you lied to the original Skaro strain. …Hiro?” Hiro trembled in unbridled fury. His wife and child, his future with them, his plans to rule with an Empress and Princess, all gone because of a former Dalek.

“CAAAAAAAN!” Hiro roared with all his grief and loathing of the creature. He roared so loud that it caused his head to hurt. He passed out from losing so much air.

“Megumi to Emily! Medical emergency!” called Megumi over the comms.

---

Arsha and Vicky were still staying on the rope, trying to keep their balance. “There’s no shame in quitting,” called Vicky.

“Are you kidding?” asked Arsha. “I’m just getting warmed up!”

“Oh really?” snarked Vicky.

“Yeah, really!” taunted Arsha.

“Trying to whoa! Whoa! WHOA!” Vicky had lost concentration during her attempt to taunt and lost her balance.

“SWEET ONES!” yelped Arsha as she fired a spell at Vicky to slow down her fall so she’d land safely. Vicky wiped her brow and looked up.

“Thanks!” she called. She then recalled the terms of the bout. “Dang it!” she muttered.

“This contest is over!” cheered Vioazira. “The winner is Arsha Royana! Arsha, you will be returned to the bridge of your ship. Vicky, though you have suffered a defeat, know that it only brings as much dishonor as you feel necessary. Would you care for an interview with Blancalmarem and Nemengra?”

“Thanks, but I gotta hit the road,” replied Vicky. “Still, that was a good fight! Keep on winning, Arsha.”

“Thanks,” bid Arsha. “Good luck on future endeavors. Maybe we’ll see each other again.”

“Maybe,” mused Vicky. “Who knows? See ya!” She left the tent. Following a few seconds after was the starting of a motorcycle engine. The motorcycle then made a noise indicating that it had sped away from the tent. Arsha was then returned to her ship, greeted by her bridge crew and Goblin Ensign, and congratulated on all sides. Just then, Shalvey got something on her console.

“Captain, the Ark and Vorton wish to extend their congratulations to you!” she called.

“Tell them I happily accept and…!” directed Arsha happily.

“Captain,” called Malak, “a ship is approaching us.”

“A ship?” asked Arsha. “Can you identify it?”

“Running matches,” reported Malak. “…Match found! It’s the Nemesis!”

“Red alert!” ordered Arsha as she removed her hairpiece. “Advise the Ark and Vorton that an enemy is approaching us.”

“They’re already raising shields and charging weapons,” reported Shalvey.

“Lock weapons onto the enemy vessel,” ordered Arsha.

“Weapons locked on target,” replied Malak. “…Strange. They’re not doing the same.”

“Are you sure?” asked Arsha.

“Captain, Megatron’s hailing you,” called Shalvey.

“Me?” asked Arsha.

“You, Megumi, and Optimus, all by name,” confirmed Shalvey.

“On screen,” ordered Arsha. Megatron appeared on screen. Judging by the fact that he was on a chair styled after the Decepticon Symbol, it was easy to believe Megatron was on the Nemesis’ bridge. Optimus and Megumi appeared as well.

“I understand your concern,” assured Megatron, “but I promise I’m not here to fight. I only wish to negotiate.”

“On what, visitation rights for Vorton? Forget it!” snarled Optimus.

“I’d guess the release of Hiro,” growled Megumi.

“You are correct,” confirmed Megatron. “I have a Decepticon of equal value to Hiro. I propose an exchange, the bot for the leader of Shocker Rift.”

“…Give us until Optimus finishes his bout,” answered Megumi. “We will have your answer by then.”

“His bout?” asked Megatron.

“The three of us,” explained Optimus, “are in a multiversal fighting tournament.”

“…And First Place Prize is?” quizzed Megatron.

“Not any of your concern, if the winner between the three of us is careful,” answered Megumi.

“Very well,” finished Megatron. “We’ll be outside Vorton’s weapons range. Tell me your decision once Optimus finishes his bout. Oh, Optimus?”

“Yes?” Optimus asked in a careful tone.

“Good luck,” bid Megatron. The call ended and the Nemesis moved outside Vorton’s weapons range while still remaining in visual range.

“I’ll go tell Hiro about this development,” declared Megumi.

“I’ll keep watch on the Nemesis,” replied Arsha.

“I gotta go practice with my bat’leth,” finished Optimus. “See you all later.” The call ended.

“Mr. Nazay,” called Arsha, “take up an observation position. Make sure we’re facing the Nemesis. Shalvey, Thangred, Malak, I want all sensors working correctly as we monitor the Nemesis for any activity.”

“Aye, Captain,” confirmed Nazay.

“How will we be observing Optimus’ bout?” asked Thangred.

“It will still be on the main screen,” replied Arsha as she returned her hairpiece back onto its usual position, “but I need you three to give a little more attention to your jobs at this time. You may still strategically look up to see how the bout is progressing.”

“Aye, Captain,” replied Malak. Everyone did their jobs with naval precision.

“I told you the engines needed cleaning!” Liam snapped at Lukas and Megumi.

“Okay, okay, so we were wrong!” growled Lukas. “Sue us!”

“You mingle with these idiots?!” snapped a voice that sounded like it was covered in saliva. The three turned to see an obese man with zits all over his face, his ears covered by a headset with a microphone on it, and was transported in a flying chair with packets of Doritos on the left and Mountain Dew bottles on the right.

“Ub3r_g4m3r_likesjak21999, if I’m not mistaken,” muttered Megumi. “Where do you get off calling my engineers idiots?”

“Everyone beneath those in power is an idiot!” snapped Ub3r_g4m3r_likesjak21999. “Why not?! They weren’t smart enough to seize power!”

“Yes, because hiding behind a computer screen is powerful,” dismissed Megumi.

“Watch it, lady!” snarled Ub3r_g4m3r_likesjak21999. “You’re just begging to be humiliated by me! Ain’t that right, fellas?! Ah, here come the comments agreeing with me!”

“Do you ever leave that seat?” asked Liam.

“Or eat anything else?” continued Lukas. “Anything healthy?”

“Healthy shmealthy!” scoffed Ub3r_g4m3r_likesjak21999. “I don’t need to take care of myself. My Mechanized Operations Manager does it for me, right while I’m in the heart of a sub-dwelling where I belong.”

“So, you live in M.O.M’s basement,” groaned Megumi. “Great, a basement troll that gives gamers like my husband a bad rap!”

“I’m a True Gamer!” shouted Ub3r_g4m3r_likesjak21999. “Why should I hover here and suffer your slander?!”

“I’m a Kamen Rider and a Japanese woman who tells it like it is,” replied Megumi. “Unusual for most Japanese women. I thought my dossier said that.”

“I only concerned myself,” scoffed Ub3r_g4m3r_likesjak21999, “with those M.O.M considered worth my time. Empress Mel! Bolt Boy! Ultragingana, now THERE would have been a fight! But no, who do I have? A Gamer of equal measure? No! Some knock-off Power Ranger!”

“There are many in Japan,” remarked Megumi, “that say Power Rangers are a knock-off of our Super Sentai. I take it, things haven’t been going so well for you?”

“You obviously read MY dossier,” Ub3r_g4m3r_likesjak21999 replied with a voice he thought was a sexy purr, but sounded rather UN-sexy. “So, why dance around the issue?”

“Ub3r_g4m3r_likesjak21999,” answered Megumi as she relayed what his dossier said about him. “Real name: Andrew Schwartz. Forced to hide after murdering his parents because he didn’t get the game he wanted. Now wanted for murder in every state, he hides away in an undisclosed location, scrambling his origin when livestreaming and seeing to it that various facial recognition programs, both computerized and live, are baffled. He enjoys his anonymity but it’s rapidly fading! Stop me if any of this is wrong.”

“The Master Wand,” snarled Ub3r_g4m3r_likesjak21999, “will give me total control of the entire planet! I could get away with anything if I had it! And YOU, Lady, YOU are my first stepping stone!”

“Then how do you wish to contend with me?” asked Megumi as a smirk crossed her face.

“What is your video game knowledge level?” quizzed Ub3r_g4m3r_likesjak21999.

“Moderate, at best,” admitted Megumi. “Never really liked Sony. Nintendo’s better.”

“I never liked Nintendo and prefer Sony, so you made it fair for both of us,” chuckled Ub3r_g4m3r_likesjak21999. “A trivia contest. Each of us will ask a question about Sony or Nintendo. You ask me Nintendo based questions; I ask you Sony based ones. Whoever fails to answer correctly, or at all, is the loser! No other game companies may be brought in, no help, only three guesses per question.”

“Fine,” declared Megumi. “Our battlefield?”

“My lair,” answered Ub3r_g4m3r_likesjak21999.

“The challenge has been set, the terms have been agreed upon, and the chance of victory is agreeable for both sides,” declared Verdutha’s voice. “Marrulem, the brown princess of Chizara and the land-animal leader, will be judging. In an hour, your fight begins! Prepare and make ready! Good luck!

“I will see you in an hour,” laughed Ub3r_g4m3r_likesjak21999. He vanished in green light as he cackled.

“May the best gamer win,” Megumi declared.

“…Charming fellow,” muttered Lukas.

---

Arsha paced the Gateway room with anticipation. Her opponent had been selected for her first round and she was ready to meet him or her. “Captain, easy,” advised Bashoon. “You’re vibrating faster than a wild Wyvern.”

“I’m both nervous and excited,” explained Arsha. “Can’t wait to see who I’m fighting!” A woman then came in via a purple light. It wasn’t Moradelia. Rather, it was a woman in her mid-thirties and dressed in cargo pants and a hoodie while carrying a backpack.

“So, you’re my opponent in the first round,” chuckled the woman. “I gotta say, for someone so young, by your universe’s standards, you’ve seen a lot. At least, that’s what I read from your dossier.”

“Everyone needs to do some traveling at some point in their life,” replied Arsha. “You’re Vicky, right?”

“Vicky, professional wanderer, at your service,” confirmed the woman as she made a sweeping bow. “So, how do you want to settle who’s going up to the next round? I intend to use that wand to go anywhere I want.”

“How about a balancing act?” challenged Arsha. “I bet you my weakest tail can keep a stack of books balanced longer than your arms can.”

“Oh yeah?!” replied Vicky. “I’ll have you know, I balanced 39 foot high stacks at the library on my pinky! You’re on!”

“We’ll balance a foot tall stack on our respective limbs and have to balance ourselves on a rope,” elaborated Arsha. “Whoever keeps the stack straight longest or stays on the rope is the winner.”

“Deal!” agreed Vicky. “Our battlefield?”

“Why don’t you pick?” suggested Arsha.

“All right, the old circus tent in my hometown!” declared Vicky.

“Very well,” confirmed Arsha.

“The challenge has been set, the terms have been agreed upon, and the chance of victory is agreeable for both sides,” declared Moradelia’s voice. “Vioazira, the blue-violet princess of Chizara and the sea-animal leader, will be judging. Tomorrow, your fight begins! Prepare and make ready! Good luck!” Vicky then vanished in purple light.

“I look forward to it!” chuckled Arsha.

---

Optimus awaited his opponent’s appearance on the Promenade. He had a bat’leth in his hand and looked around. He then became aware of a flash of pink light as a red-skinned woman about his size approached him. She dressed in a gold trimmed gi and wore her hair in a short and curled style. She looked like a stereotypical demon with hooves for feet, a pointed tail, powerful looking wings, and a pair of curved horns on her head. She also carried a bat’leth and approached Optimus in a friendly manner. “I understand you are my opponent,” she greeted as she stuck her hand out for a handshake. “Optimus Prime, correct?”

“That’s me,” confirmed Optimus as he shook her hand. “You’re the Great Demoness, Alfalna, right?”

“I am,” answered the woman. “Eager to try out your bat’leth skills?”

“I wanted to see how much of your blood is Klingon,” replied Optimus.

“A very Klingon answer,” chuckled Alfalna. “How shall victory be decided?”

“The loser will have to be sprawled on the ground without their bat’leth,” answered Optimus.

“And our battlefield?” asked Alfalna.

“Lady’s choice,” replied Optimus.

“Very well, the Golden Palace’s Courtyard,” decided Alfalna.

“The question then become ‘when’,” mused Optimus.

“The challenge has been set, the terms have been agreed upon, and the chance of victory is agreeable for both sides,” declared Rosadera’s voice. “Amartonadii, the yellow princess of Chizara and the health leader, will be judging. Tomorrow, your fight begins! Prepare and make ready! Good luck!”

“Optimus, Qapla’!” (Klingon for Success!) bid Alfalna.

“Qapla’!” returned Optimus. Alfalna then vanished in a flash of pink light.

“All personnel, this is POmega,” called the Portal Operator. “Megumi’s fight is beginning. Please find your seats and make sure you are comfortable.”

“Ark, this is Optimus! One to beam to the bridge!” Optimus faded from Vorton and arrived on the Ark’s bridge. The Autobots were ALL there! Adding Optimus to the mix almost caused some shoving. Once everyone seated themselves, Optimus got out his bag of Energon Munchies as the viewscreen displayed a dimly lit room littered with Dorito bags and Mountain Dew bottles. Ub3r_g4m3r_likesjak21999 clapped his hands twice and the mess was cleared away.

“Have to make things neat for the ladies,” he remarked to Megumi as she sniffed the air.

“Is that…stale pizza I’m smelling?” she gagged.

“Women. Never let a guy win,” muttered Ub3r_g4m3r_likesjak21999.

---

“Oh, I hope she beats him for that!” hissed Bashoon as everyone on the Endeavor’s bridge crew got a good view.

“If I may be a little selfish,” muttered Arsha, “I’m glad it’s not me facing him.” A third woman then appeared in brown light. She was heavy-set and wore a ballgown of brown. Her sleeves were disconnected and she wore a hairpiece of three brown flowers at the right of her hair.

---

“I am Marrulem, the brown princess of Chizara and the land animal leader,” introduced the woman to a floating camera. “The combatants are ready for their first bout! Representing Universe 4-P-0-C-4-L-Y-P-T-1-C-G-4-M-3-R-5, we have Ub3r_g4m3r_likesjak21999 with home turf advantage! Representing her new home of 8-3-Y-0-N-D-C-1-T-Y and a permanent student of that universe’s leading educational institute, heck, the MULTIVERSE’S leading educational institute, we have Megumi Hishikawa! The fight will be a trivia battle! Ub3r_g4m3r_likesjak21999 will be asking Megumi questions about Sony while Megumi will be asking questions about Nintendo. Each participant shall have a maximum of three guesses per question. Whoever fails to answer correctly or at all is the loser. No outside help may be used and each may ONLY ask questions about Nintendo or Sony, no other game companies. Ub3r_g4m3r_likesjak21999, are you ready?”

“Ready as always!” chuckled Ub3r_g4m3r_likesjak21999.

“Megumi Hishikawa,” asked Marrulem, “are you ready?”

“I’m ready,” confirmed Megumi.

“Ub3r_g4m3r_likesjak21999, as we are in your home universe,” called Marrulem, “you will ask the first question. Begin!”

“Where does Sony get its name?” asked Ub3r_g4m3r_likesjak21999.

“Easy, from the Latin word Sonus, meaning sound,” answered Megumi.

“And Megumi scores her first point!” cheered Marrulem.

“My turn,” declared Megumi. “What was Mario’s original name in the original Donkey Kong?”

“Er, let’s see…”muttered Ub3r_g4m3r_likesjak21999. “Er, OH! Jumpman!” Megumi winced.

“Now both are tied with one correct answer each,” announced Marrulem.

“What were the circumstances that brought about the PlayStation?” asked Ub3r_g4m3r_likesjak21999. Megumi gulped. She thought hard, not wanting to resort to guessing. “…Someone doesn’t know,” chuckled Ub3r_g4m3r_likesjak21999 darkly.

“Hang on!” protested Megumi. She then thought back and remembered seeing the After Academy Game Magazine of two months ago as it was talking about the PlayStation. She then mentally flipped the pages and found it! “Nintendo once asked Sony to develop an add-on that would play discs for its video games consoles. After the partnership collapsed, Sony decided to make its personal console, enter the PlayStation!” Ub3r_g4m3r_likesjak21999 slammed his fist onto his chair’s armrest in frustration.

---

“That’s two for Megumi!” called Marrulem on the viewscreen. The Vortex Riders breathed a sigh of relief.

“That’s my girl!” cheered Emily.

“Your girl?!” protested Richard.

---

“It’s your turn,” Marrulem directed Megumi.

“The first release of Mario Kart,” began Megumi, “had an ending that was controversial to America. What was so controversial?” Ub3r_g4m3r_likesjak21999 started wracking his brains

“Come on, think!” he snarled to himself. “What’s so controversial to Americans that the Japanese don’t?!”

“Plenty of things, really,” remarked Megumi.

“…Oooo, damn it, I gotta guess!” groaned Ub3r_g4m3r_likesjak21999. “Er…alcoholic victory drink!”

“…Damn,” sighed Megumi. Ub3r_g4m3r_likesjak21999 cheered.

“Knew it all along!” he boasted.

“Sure,” mumbled Marrulem under her breath. “Ub3r_g4m3r_likesjak21999, your question?”

“How many PlayStation consoles were sold in 1998?” asked Ub3r_g4m3r_likesjak21999. This was a puzzler as bad as Megumi’s.

“Come on, come on, come on!” she groaned. “…Agh, no good! I need to guess!”

“Let’s hear them,” chuckled Ub3r_g4m3r_likesjak21999.

“20 thousand!” guessed Megumi.

“Nope,” replied Ub3r_g4m3r_likesjak21999.

“Er, er, er, 90 billion!” theorized Megumi.

“Strike 2!” laughed Ub3r_g4m3r_likesjak21999. Megumi then started muttering to herself.

“90 thousand, 80 trillion, 50 million,” she whimpered.

“What was that?!” yelped Ub3r_g4m3r_likesjak21999. Megumi then realized why he was so afraid.

“In 1998, 50 million PlayStations were sold!” declared Megumi with a grin! Ub3r_g4m3r_likesjak21999 roared in frustration.

“Your turn!” he snarled.

“All right, since you posed the numbers question, here’s a history question,” replied Megumi. “What did Nintendo originally manufacture in its early days in the latter half of the 19^th century?”

“…It can’t be THAT old!” snapped Ub3r_g4m3r_likesjak21999. “No game company is!”

“Nintendo is about as old as any company when it comes to games,” replied Megumi. “However, it was founded on September 23, 1889, long before even a computer was thought up. Again I repeat, what did it manufacture during its early days?”

“That…that can’t…I mean, it was always…I need to guess!” declared Ub3r_g4m3r_likesjak21999.

“Guess away,” conceded Megumi.

“Pottery kits!” guessed Ub3r_g4m3r_likesjak21999.

“Try again,” refuted Megumi.

“Erm, ah, fans!” gulped Ub3r_g4m3r_likesjak21999.

“Nope. Last guess,” chuckled Megumi. Ub3r_g4m3r_likesjak21999 was flustered. He wracked his brains for an answer. This lasted over a minute. “Come on, we both have busy schedules,” urged Megumi. Ub3r_g4m3r_likesjak21999 spluttered and hissed in frustration for a minute more.

“Ub3r_g4m3r_likesjak21999, your guess, now!” demanded Marrulem.

“Silk or wooden toys!” called Ub3r_g4m3r_likesjak21999.

“That was two guesses in one,” remarked Marrulem.

“Oh, allow him that,” insisted Megumi.

“Are you sure?” asked Marrulem. Megumi nodded. “All right. It didn’t help him anyways. Both are wrong.”

“WHAT?!” wailed Ub3r_g4m3r_likesjak21999.

“Nintendo originally produced cards called Hanafuda,” chuckled Megumi. “they were used for a variety of games. I’d go further, but it looks like you’re not interested.” That was an understatement. Ub3r_g4m3r_likesjak21999 was reduced to a frothing mess of rage.

“This contest is over!” cheered Marrulem. “The winner is Megumi Hishikawa! Megumi, you will be returned to your home. Ub3r_g4m3r_likesjak21999, though you have suffered a defeat, know that it only brings as much dishonor as you feel necessary. Would you care for an interview with Blancalmarem and Nemengra?”

“Forget it!” snarled Ub3r_g4m3r_likesjak21999. “This whole thing was rigged! Mark my words, Megumi Hishikawa, you’ll rue the day you crossed Ub3r_g4m3r_likesjak21999!”

“We’ll see,” scoffed Megumi. “Bye-bye!” She and Marrulem faded in brown light and returned to Vorton. Everyone cheered her on her victory!

“An excellent move!” cheered Arsha when she and her crew approached the crowd. The Autobots joined in the throng as well.

“Drinks are on me!” called Megumi.

---

“Oh, just you wait!” ranted Ub3r_g4m3r_likesjak21999. “When I get my hands on you, I’ll make you call me Da…!” That was when it all fell apart. Law Enforcement broke into his sanctuary.

“Andrew Schwartz, you’re under arrest!” snarled the Officer.

“HOW DID YOU…?!” wailed Ub3r_g4m3r_likesjak21999.

“It wasn’t that hard when people gave noise complaints and you shut down M.O.M!” replied the Officer as he yanked the basement troll out of his chair. Ub3r_g4m3r_likesjak21999 was no more and Andrew Schwartz was taken to prison.

While preparations for the 3V2R were going on, Megatron, Dr. Borg, and their respective organizations as well as Shocker Rift, had regrouped in Megatron’s universe, the Decepticon/Eggman moon base, to be exact. Megatron looked out the window of his office and saw the various ships hanging in the sky. His processor was stuck in a loop about what happened on Vorton. He snapped out of his thoughts when he heard the door chime. “Enter,” he rasped. A hefty-looking Decepticon stomped in as Dr. Borg flew past him and landed on Megatron’s desk.

“2^nd Lieutenant Quake Hammer, reporting for duty,” boomed the new Decepticon.

“Welcome,” greeted Megatron. “I’ll make this brief; I need you for an exchange.”

“Sir?” asked Quake Hammer.

“One of our allies, Hiro,” explained Megatron, “is being held prisoner by the Autobots. You are on the DJD’s list for desertion under fire back in the first war, so we will have a prisoner exchange. You get to avoid a visit from the DJD and we get our ally back.”

“Understood, sir,” replied Quake Hammer.

“Dismissed,” directed Megatron. Quake Hammer saluted and left the office in crisp, military fashion.

“Hiro’s not going to like that the yes-man we promised,” mused Dr. Borg, “is used as a bargaining chip to secure his freedom.”

“Quake Hammer is not the yes-man I’m trying to get ahold of,” remarked Megatron. “What brings you here?”

“Fleet buildup is progressing as we expected,” replied Dr. Borg.

“Damn,” hissed Megatron.

“Where’s Dr. Eggman?” asked Dr. Borg. “He’s supposed to help me and make the work go faster!”

“One of the greatest mysteries of the ages,” snarled Megatron. The door chimed again. “Enter,” barked Megatron. Soundwave came in.

“Hey, Lord Megatron!” he called. “Guess who decided to grace us with his presence?” One of his tendrils then dropped the Egg-mobile with Eggman in it.

“Well, well, well,” snarked Dr. Borg. “Welcome back to your allies, Doctor, if that doctorate you’ve earned came from an accredited university!”

“What are you blathering about?!” snapped Eggman.

“Where have you been?” demanded Megatron.

“What do you mean?” asked Eggman.

“We’ve barely seen you these past few weeks,” elaborated Dr. Borg. “Where have you been?”

“I have a life outside of you lot, you know,” dismissed Eggman.

“A life that makes you undetectable?” accused Soundwave. Eggman said nothing. “I hope you’re up to date on what happened with Vorton.”

“Yes, I…I heard,” stammered Eggman.

“You HEARD!” roared Megatron. “How nice! A scientist with an i.q. of 300, a station with scientific marvels ripe for the taking, and you HEARD about it!”

“What crawled up your tailpipe and died?!” snapped Eggman.

“Oh, I don’t know,” growled Megatron, “maybe it’s because Soundwave and the cassettes have been unable to find you until YOU decide to make an appearance! In case you hadn’t HEARD, Soundwave is VERY thorough at surveillance! It seems a little odd that he can’t find YOU!”

“Don’t ask me!” snapped Eggman.

“But we ARE asking you!” replied Dr. Borg. “Sincerely! WHERE?! HAVE?! YOU?! BEEN?!”

“That’s none of your concern! All of you!” shouted Eggman.

“Funny, isn’t it?” asked Soundwave. “You always disappear whenever Caan skirts the edges of our sensors!”

“…All of you can just go straight to Hell!” Eggman finished as he got into his Egg-mobile and moved to the door.

“Doctor Eggman, you are NOT dismissed!” snarled Megatron. Eggman didn’t listen and just left the office. Megatron cycled air through his olfactory apparatus to try and steady his temper. “Soundwave, give Eggman top surveillance priority,” he ordered.

“As you command, Megatron,” replied Soundwave.

---

“And I’m saying it’s the flow regulator!” Lukas argued with Liam. “We’ve been over this!”

“What we’ve been over, Laddie,” replied Liam, “is that the flow regulator has been replaced a dozen times and the problem STILL hasn’t been fixed! It’s the engines themselves that need fixing! The ash cloud Mt. Doom spewed is clogging the intake and they need cleaning!”

“Then why do my readings say that the engines are fine?!” protested Lukas.

“Why don’t you go inside the damn thing,” snapped Liam, “and then tell me the engines are fine?!”

“Liam, if Megumi’s going up against Ultragingana,” urged Lukas, “and she picks the fight terms, we’re gonna need the Virginia at top performance sooner rather than later!”

“Er, excuse me,” called Megumi’s voice. Liam and Lukas turned to face her. “Could you gentlemen take this somewhere else? I need to use the Chizaran frequency. I’m expecting a call.”

“Are the Chizarans contacting you?” asked Lukas.

“No, it’s for the other contestants,” explained Megumi. “After Arsha’s preliminary round with Priest 072486 and what Queen Phury nearly did in HER preliminary round, we’re all required to contact at least three other competitors just to do a little dialogue with each other in the interests of good sportsmanship. Arsha managed to talk to Buncho yesterday and said that she’s pretty insightful for a bunch of fruit.”

“All right, we’ll leave you to it,” declared Liam. “I’ll just detail a team to help me clean out the engines.”

“IT’S THE FLOW REGULATOR!” shouted Megumi and Lukas as the two men walked off.

“NOT YOU TOO, MEGUMI!” protested Liam’s voice. Once they were gone, Megumi keyed in a code on a computer terminal and a hologram of a cat appeared. It was a Maine Coon and wore a collar with a red tie on it. It had just finished grooming itself and looked up at Megumi.

“Hi, you’ve reached the Vortex Riders’ Spaceship Repair Shop where YOUR CHIEF ENGINEER IS RIGHT AND YOU KNOW IT, LIAM!” called Megumi. The Maine Coon’s ear twitched in confusion.

“What?” it asked.

“Nothing,” sighed Megumi. “Just a disagreement over something. I’m Megumi Hishikawa and you are…Mr. Flufferkins, right?”

“The 46^th president of the United States, himself,” confirmed the Maine Coon. “…What’s the disagreement about?”

“It’s about our ship, the Virginia,” explained Megumi. “If we face Ultragingana, we need that thing up and running.”

“You’ll need it, yes,” remarked Mr. Flufferkins, “but not against Ultragingana.”

“Oh?” asked Megumi. “Why?”

“Because I’LL be fighting her in my giant robot!” explained Mr. Flufferkins. “After which, you can take me on in your little ship.”

“Feeling a little confident, are we?” chuckled Megumi. “Are you fighting her this round?”

“No, I’m going up against Beatrice,” replied Mr. Flufferkins. “As someone who’s read the visual novels about her, I’m a little worried.”

“Just be careful,” warned Megumi. “She’s crafty.”

“She’s catlike in her thinking,” remarked Mr. Flufferkins, “so I MAY have a chance there.”

“Who IS Ultragingana fighting against this round?” asked Megumi.

“They just announced it. That wizard, er, Grand Wizard Emirdo, I think,” mused Mr. Flufferkins. “He told me his magic plane will bring down any beast.”

“Really?” snarked Megumi. “He’s going to use his plane against Ultragingana? How original because Kaiju are ALWAYS weak to planes.”

“I know, right?!” laughed Mr. Flufferkins. “But, enough about her, let’s talk about you. How did you get to be Queen?”

“Originally, the Feudal Nerd Society,” explained Megumi, “was an activist group that dealt with all sorts of problems. The Vortech Wars then changed that and we became Kamen Riders. Soon, our titles became real and the F.N.S became universe hopping superheroes. Even after Vortech’s defeat, his old subordinate, Hiro, still gave us grief…until now.”

“I heard about Hiro losing his wife to the Daleks,” sympathized Mr. Flufferkins. “I can’t offer enough condolences.”

“He’s still grieving in solitary confinement,” relayed Megumi. “Physically, he’s all right. Mentally, we’re not sure.”

“Grief always leaves one irrational,” sighed Mr. Flufferkins. “I was that way when my human died. She was a good lady. After she got my predecessor’s assets, money, and all, she liquidated them and gave it all to the poor. She got the Presidential Medal of Freedom for that.”

“Good for her,” praised Megumi. “She sounds like a lovely lady.”

“She’d support the F.N.S, I can guarantee,” mused Mr. Flufferkins.

“Now, about how you secured eight terms,” ventured Megumi.

“Nine, now,” replied Mr. Flufferkins. “I just got reelected. How did I secure at least a third term?”

“I take it, you get asked that a lot,” muttered Megumi.

“Donald’s doing,” chuckled Mr. Flufferkins. “He removed the two-year limit in a bid to secure more power. Joke’s on him, I was his Democratic opponent. The American People would rather have a cat run the country than an orangutan like him.”

“Our universe’s Trump has been impeached by the House right now,” explained Megumi.

“Here’s hoping the Senate sees sense,” wished Mr. Flufferkins. “Good talking to you. I’m gonna run some drills.”

“See you soon!” cheered Megumi.

By the way, one last thing before I go,” warned Mr. Flufferkins, “Vortech had followers besides Hiro, people who agreed with his methods of uniting the multiverse. Watch your back.”

“Will do,” promised Megumi. The hologram then faded, leaving Megumi to her thoughts.

---

Flora approached an apartment complex in Beyond City. She hesitated ringing a buzzer, then summoned the willpower to go through with it. “Yes?” asked Swalmu’s voice over the intercom.

“I…It’s Flora,” stammered the girl. “May I come in?”

“Of course,” replied Swalmu. The door then opened and Flora stepped in. She then entered an elevator and rang for the 9^th floor. It went up in a few seconds and chimed once at the correct floor. She then went down the hall to apartment 923 and rang the buzzer. “Coming!” called Swalmu. He opened the door and grinned when seeing Flora. “Welcome, welcome!” he bid. “Please, come in!” Flora stepped in and looked around. “What can I do for you?” asked Swalmu.

“It’s…er…” stammered Flora. “Well…it’s…can anyone wear…a cloud dress?”

“Why, yes,” replied Swalmu, “but it DOES require a day of training. After that, you can summon clouds at your leisure and shape them as you see fit. …Why do you ask?”

“Because I want to wear one and be safe, just like when I’m with you,” replied Flora. She then gasped and covered her mouth in surprise. “Er…that is…I mean…” She covered her face as she blushed like mad.

“…You feel safe when you’re with me?” asked Swalmu. He then smiled. “Oddly enough, I feel safe when I’m with you.” Flora looked up at him, still blushing. “Flora,” continued Swalmu, “I’ve never really had much in the way of friends. Even amongst my fellow Zephyrs, I felt like I was alone. I had a loving family, but one needs friends. With you around, I am always assured that I now have friends. Honestly, I want to spend more time with you.” Flora was smiling happily.

“I want to spend more time with you too!” she cheered as she hugged him. They then went for the kiss…nose-first. They massaged one another’s nose to get rid of the discomfort. “We both need practice,” mused Flora.

“Indeed,” replied Swalmu. “Now, how one obtains their cloud dress, well, it’s similar to how we Zephyrs get it when we’re babies. Our parents usually blanket us in theirs and teach us over time. For babies, it takes roughly 10 years. For adults like you and me, we get it on the first go around.”

“Do I…need to…?” Flora indicated the clothes she was wearing.

“Heights, no,” replied Swalmu. “Not until you’ve got your dress.” Flora breathed a sigh of relief. Swalmu’s clouds then wrapped around Flora and she sighed in happiness. “Now, I need to you to answer just three questions as you concentrate on the clouds surrounding you. No need to answer them aloud, just answer in your head.” Flora closed her eyes to first concentrate on the clouds touching her. “First,” began Swalmu, “what does the cloud mean to you? Second, who is benefitting from the cloud’s meaning? Third, how can the cloud help you achieve that meaning? Concentrate on those three questions while concentrating on the clouds surrounding you.” Flora kept her breathing steady as she considered her answers. In her mind, she was walking on the clouds.

“What does the cloud mean to you?” asked a voice. Flora sat down and thought before answering.

“It means protection,” she answered. “It means that a person can feel so happy and protected. Soft, but a well-established barrier.”

“Who is benefitting from this protection?” asked the voice.

“Well…if I may be a little selfish…me,” replied Flora. “Of course, I want to share that safe feeling with those I care about. I want my friends to share in my feeling of safety.”

“How can the cloud help you achieve protection for yourself and those you bring into protection?” quizzed the voice.

“…I want to be able to have my hand free,” declared Flora. “I want it to surround me and keep me safe, but I want to bring others into my safe place too.”

“…Open and revel in your cloud,” declared the voice. Flora opened her eyes and looked around. Swalmu had moved away from her, leaving her slightly confused. She could still feel a cloud enveloping her body, aside from her left hand and right arm. She then looked down in hope. Her hope paid off as she was wearing a cloud dress.

“I think I’m gonna cry,” she whimpered happily. She then tackled-hugged Swalmu and smothered him with kisses. Swalmu offered feeble resistance.

---

The first fight of Round 1 had completed and Blancalmarem and Nemengra were beginning their broadcast. “I am Blancalmarem, the white princess of Chizara and the life leader,” began Blancalmarem.

“I am Nemengra, the black princess of Chizara and the death leader,” finished Nemengra.

“And the first round is underway as Returning Fighter and Crowd Favorite, Buncho, has claimed victory over Supremo the Terrible!” cheered Blancalmarem. A picture of Buncho sitting on a pile of rocks was displayed

“Buncho, as shown here in her victory against a fighter of the Temlins’ Contest of Champions, Pilo,” continued Nemengra, “has made it to Second Place a couple of times. Defeating someone like Supremo, the Ruler of the Chaos Reality, this early in the tournament was certainly a feather in her cap.”

“While he HAS been infamous for refusing previous interviews,” supplied Blancalmarem, “Nemengra and I finally managed to gain one for this tournament.”

“Here is the footage of the interview,” Nemengra went on as a screen came on. “Perhaps those at home will gain insight on this powerful warrior.” The screen then displayed the two Chizaran princesses talking to a muscular man dressed in a stereotypical evil overlord outfit and an electronic mouthpiece over his mouth and jaw.

“There was a brief moment in the fight,” mused Blancalmarem during the interview, “where you appeared to have turned the tables on Buncho by unleashing your Sword of Infinite Power on her. Care to tell us what happened?” Supremo’s mouthpiece replied in harsh beeps, clicks, and whirs.

“If you had to do it all over again, what would you have done differently?” asked Nemengra. More beeps, clicks, and whirs answered her question.

“So, you think Buncho has the power of a despot like yourself, just not the will of one?” inquired Blancalmarem for clarification. A longer string of beeps, clicks, and whirs were her answer, along with a few censoring bleeps as Supremo slammed his fist on the armrest of his chair.

“Any particular last thoughts on Buncho?” quizzed Nemengra. Supremo appeared to be calming himself before he replied in his usual beeps, clicks, and whirs.

“Well, thank you for your time,” bid Blancalmarem. “We know you have a very busy schedule putting down the Orderly Resistance.”

“May we see you in the next tournament, oh Destroyer of Hope,” Supremo gave his thanks in two clicks and bowed as he stood up, not wanting to seem rude. God-like beings are, after all, god-like. The screen then went black as Blancalmarem and Nemengra returned to their audience.

“For someone who conquers and enslaves, he’s surprisingly friendly to talk to,” chuckled Blancalmarem.

“We’ll be covering the next fight with two first-time fighters, Megumi Hishikawa and Uber_g4m3r_likesjak21999,” revealed Nemengra. “But first, a word from one of our sponsors, Trooga Soda!”

“Trooga Soda!” called the announcer. “Enjoy a nice meal with the nectar of the gods!”

Vorton was back to normal operational status as Megumi sat in her room. Hiro was perfectly content to stay in solitary confinement so he could grieve in peace. She would never wish the kind of hell Hiro’s going through onto anyone. She looked out the window for a bit until the door chimed. “Come in,” she bid.

“Thinking about Hiro?” guessed her husband’s voice.

“I’d never wish for anyone’s children to die in the womb,” replied Megumi as she got up so she could sit in Richard’s lap. She wiggled a little to sit comfortably while Richard wrapped his arms around her.

“…How do you want to proceed with him?” asked Richard. “We can’t keep him in the brig forever.”

“He wants to bury Igura in their home universe,” answered Megumi. “After which, I don’t know. I know he has to go to trial for his crimes, but does he need that now?”

“I can’t answer that with any measure of authority,” sighed Richard. They both just sat there, content to look at the stars surrounding Vorton. The door chimed again.

“Who could that be?” muttered Megumi. “Come in!” The door opened to reveal Moradelia.

“I’m not interrupting, am I?” she asked.

“Not at all,” replied Megumi. “Please, come in. What can I do for you? …Wait, why didn’t you appear as you usually do?”

“I heard about Hiro and figured you didn’t need any surprises while thinking about him,” explained Moradelia. “Optimus and Arsha are being visited by Rojenthi and Verdutha, respectively.”

“What’s the occasion?” asked Richard.

“All of the contestants have been selected and all dossiers are compiled,” replied Moradelia as she handed Megumi a folder of the dossiers. “We will give you two weeks according to your universe’s time scale. I would recommend you give copies of the dossiers to all of your friends and make plans for any potential threats.”

“Thank you!” praised Megumi as she accepted the folder. “We sure will!”

“I will see you in two weeks, then!” cheered Moradelia as she departed in a purple flash of light.

“I better contact Optimus and Arsha,” declared Megumi as she dashed to the comms.

“Do you…need me to…?” asked Richard as he pointed to the door.

“You can stay,” replied Megumi. “I may need you to relay the news.”

“Got it, sweetheart,” confirmed Richard. Megumi made her call and Optimus and Arsha appeared.

“Hello!” she called. “Did you two get your dossiers?”

“Sure did,” confirmed Arsha. “We should probably have a meeting with our teams about this.”

“Would tomorrow morning work?” asked Optimus.

“Fine by me,” replied Arsha.

“Vorton’s fixed up enough,” mused Megumi. “My engineers need a small break. We’ll meet at Castle Nerd Skull’s hangar at 9:00. We’ll inform everyone about the biggest threats to our reaching the semifinals and start thinking up strategies to overcome them.”

“I’ve got an electronic copy of the dossiers,” offered Optimus. “If you two need copies made for everyone in your groups, we can still plan with mine.”

“Just leave mine and Megumi’s out,” advised Arsha.

“Richard-chan, could you make some copies of the dossiers and tell everyone about the meeting tomorrow?” asked Megumi.

“Sure will!” replied Richard. He took the dossier folder and headed out to make the copies.

“Ensign Barmek,” Arsha called to her left.

“Yes, Captain?” asked Bashoon.

“I need you to have these dossiers copied so everyone can have a copy for a meeting at Castle Nerd Skull tomorrow morning,” directed Arsha. “Make sure everyone knows about the meeting when they receive their copies.”

“Aye, Captain,” confirmed Bashoon as she took the folder and headed off.

“She’s gonna go far in Realmfleet, I just know it,” chuckled Arsha. “Now then, let’s do some planning.”

---

The next morning came and everyone arrived at Castle Nerd Skull’s hangar. The Autobots were in their alt-modes, Dyno-bots too, and were waiting for their respective leaders to start. “Minna-san!” began Megumi. “How are we today?”

“We’re a little confused,” admitted Moe.

“Why do we have fighter dossiers?” asked Larry.

“The only time we needed them was when one of us won the Verse Vs. Verse Rumble Royale,” remarked Curly.

“Well, Optimus, Arsha, and I are in the current one,” explained Megumi.

“Oh!” realized Curly.

“Well, congratulations!” praised Moe.

“Hey, we’re missing someone!” called Larry.

“He’s right,” interjected Usagi I. “Where’s Mickey?

“He…declined attending,” replied Richard. “He said he had business to take care of in his home universe. Apparently, Maleficent is spreading a curse over the park.”

“You know, I’m getting a little sick of Mickey not being here when we need him,” muttered Emily.

“Never mind him,” advised Megumi. “We’ll start without him. Does everyone have a folder of dossiers?”

“We do,” replied Ultra Magnus as he spoke for the Autobots.

“So do we,” answered Oak for the Endeavor crew.

“And us,” finished Richard.

“Even we do,” called Scorpainia as she spoke for the Horsemen and their Heralds.

“Perfect!” cheered Megumi. “Then we shall begin.”

“As many of you know,” began Arsha, “Optimus, Megumi, and I were invited to participate in the Verse Vs. Verse Rumble Royale. We were each declared worthy enough to participate and we hadn’t received any news about it until yesterday.”

“To help prepare the participants,” continued Optimus, “the Chizarans, the ones running this whole shindig, send out detailed dossiers about the competitors to everyone fighting. The fact is, if we’re in this, we’re each in it to win it.”

“First Place prize is known in many realities as the Master Wand,” supplied Megumi, “a wand that can let you do ANYTHING you want from alchemy to surpassing the gods themselves. The three of us agreed that that’s just too much power for anyone to have, so one of us is locking it away.”

“And Megumi’s implying what you think she’s implying,” Arsha went on. “The three of us have an agreement that we need to stay together until we get to the semifinals. After that, all bets are off and we’re each making a grab for the prize so one of us can lock it away for all time.”

“As such, we’re each keeping our strategies towards each other secret,” Optimus continued. “To sum up, I have plans on how to beat Megumi and Arsha, but I’m not telling them, just as they’re not telling me how they intend to beat me. Right now, this meeting will be centered on preparations.”

“Preparations for what?” asked Twaldar.

“Enhancing our tech,” began Megumi.

“Brushing up on our magic,” continued Arsha.

“Keeping our teamwork up to scratch,” finished Optimus.

“Well, we DO have something on our side,” mused Lukas. “With Herr Tails’ help, we were able to determine what happened when our enemies fled Vorton after Mordor fell.”

“Bad news first,” directed Megumi.

“Shields and weapons are still ruined,” replied Lukas.

“In addition, it’s taking a long time to install our backup systems,” reported Rusty. “I’d say we’re only 12.5 percent done. We’re still sorting through it, but a lot of hardware still needs repairs before every system is back online.”

“And the good news?” asked Megumi.

“We still have a fix on Mobius and the Realms,” answered Lukas. “On top of that, Dell studied the Ascendant and came to an interesting discovery. Herr Conagher?”

“Much obliged,” replied Dell. “The Ascendant can now be mass-produced.”

“How’s that possible?” asked Bumblebee. “It needs a Transformer’s Spark to bring it to reality.”

“Ah, ah, the ORIGINAL did,” corrected Dell. “By studying it, I think we can make it so all the Vortex Riders can have Ascendants. I’m still trying to figure out how to make an Ascendant for a Chronicle Driver. Until I do, it’s a Vortex Driver gimmick only.”

“Keep at it,” directed Megumi. “All right, War?”

“Thank you,” bid War as she turned to everyone. “Scorpainia and I have agreed to be their coaches for this tournament. Of course, with the Stooges having admitted that one of them won one, we might need their insight…such as it is.” Curly gave a “HM!” of protest. “What did you win anyway and who fought?”

“That was me,” replied Curly. “I got the ability to survive anything and the permission to share it with two of my friends.”

“Then any help you can give would be appreciated,” offered Megumi.

“Oh boy! I’m a coach!” cheered Curly. “They called me Cutthroat Curly back in the ring! I’d punch the bag for two hours straight!”

“Only after the bag hit you back,” snarked Moe. Curly then waved his hand in front of Moe’s face. Moe moved his head to track it. Once Curly was satisfied that Moe was paying close attention to his hand, he moved it up slowly, then brought it down fast, making Moe snap his head downwards. “Why you!” snarled Moe as he smacked Curly’s scalp.

“If we’re all done,” interjected War, “I’d like to continue. The tournament starts with 32 contestants. Over time, that number gets whittled down. As of now, we don’t know who they’re going to fight for the first round. We’re still going over the dossiers, but we picked a few that we believe to be our biggest threats and need to come up with strategies on how to fight them.”

“Assuming we know what contests they’ll pick,” rumbled Ironhide. “It might be a board game, for all we know.”

“Maybe, but that might be a little more fair than the Chizarans want it to play out,” replied Optimus.

“Chances are good that they’ll pick something they’re good at,” continued Arsha. “The rules state that the contestants have to have a ‘reasonable chance’ of victory for either side.” Curly gulped.

“Curly’s gulp was from experience,” mused War. “‘Reasonable chance’ means whatever the Chizarans feel like it means. In one of my rounds, I picked axe throwing and my opponent may have only held an axe once in his life. They let me get away with it.”

“Let’s start going over the other participants,” declared Megumi, “starting with the one Optimus faced in HIS preliminary round: Beatrice, the Golden and Endless Witch.” A hologram of her appeared.

“Beatrice?!” yelped Blackarachnia. “The Witch of Rokkenjima?!”

“The same,” confirmed Optimus. “Beatrice is a complex lady with a convoluted backstory. She exists outside of reality and is skilled in Endless Magic, creating illusions and toying with life and death. She kills everyone on Rokkenjima just to play a sick murder mystery game with Battler Ushiromiya and prove that witches exist. Apparently, that cruel persona is a front as she’s more childish in truth. She hasn’t yet understood how life can’t be manipulated without consequences. She starts off as a full on villain, but becomes more heroic over time. She views everything as one big chess game. She prefers to let her opponents destroy themselves with mental trickery. Considering I managed to turn the tables on her before losing to her, chances are good that, if she faces me again, she may just use fireballs.”

“This is her third tournament,” continued Megumi, “so she’s pretty new to all this. Speaking of new guys, flip over to the next one: Ultragingana, the Cosmic Queen.” Beatrice’s hologram was replaced with a girl in a frilly dress with ribbons in her hair and carrying a parasol.

“Seems pretty frail looking,” mused Ultra Magnus.

“That’s just her preferred form,” countered Arsha. The hologram was replaced with a bipedal, lizard-like beast with three spines on its head, a horn on its snout, razor sharp teeth, claws on each finger, dorsal plates running down the back all the way to the tip of the tail, and wing membranes filling in the space between its arms and sides. “Here’s her true form,” continued Arsha, “the most powerful Kaiju in that universe. This is gonna be her first tournament.”

“We’re still getting a Kaiju in this tournament?!” yelped Richard.

“Yep,” confirmed Optimus. “Ultragingana is three million years old, her true form is 150 meters tall, can shoot an energy beam from her mouth, can shoot her dorsal plates and manipulate their flight paths as she sees fit and return to her, the horn on her snout can help her gather energy, the spines on her head can come together to form a giant sword for her when she needs it, and a hole in her belly can open to reveal a black hole.”

“Unlike Godzilla,” continued Megumi, “Ultragingana has always been hailed as a hero. She’s from the depths of space and has landed on Earth to protect it from various other threats, mainly of the Kaiju variety. She usually adopts her human form to interact with the humans and help them whenever there’s property damage. She was recently elected Queen of Earth by the United Nations for her service to the planet. As such, she’s been declared an Earth citizen and is welcomed by all countries that like her. Russia, North Korea, England, they’re not so fond of her.”

“Okay, that would be the best fight ever!” cheered Hiroki.

“How does a Kaiju wield the Master Wand?” asked Michael.

“It’ll change to fit in any size hand,” replied War. “It IS all powerful.”

“A better question,” interjected Oak, “is how a Kaiju can interact with anyone, much less understand what all this is!”

“Gotta have some intelligence to understand all this,” answered Megumi. “Besides, she’s a cosmic being, so changing species isn’t all that new to her.”

“Since she’s fighting,” mused Arsha, “we probably need to keep our ships fine-tuned.”

“Honestly, it’s the next person we need to worry about,” muttered War, “the one who took Second Place while I won mine: Queen Phury of Appoplexia.” A tiger-like bipedal woman then appeared. She had four digited hands and had a large claw on the back of her wrist. She dressed in a sash, a gold top, wore a golden flower at the back of her head, and a string of jewels across her brow. “Phury’s an Appoplexian,” elaborated War, “the former Queen of Appoplexia. Being a woman, she’s more cunning than any male Appoplexian. In fact, that’s how Appoplexians in that universe select their rulers. She’s ruled an empire for thirty years until that universe’s Omnitrix bearer, Gwen Tennyson, overthrew her and helped the Appoplexians elect a new Queen to guide them into membership with the Plumber Alliance. She’s mean, she’s got a lid on the Appoplexians’ usual temper, she’s fast, and I don’t doubt that, if killing was allowed in this contest, she’d slit your throat for the heck of it. She’s never won one, but she’s made it to Third Place in two of them. In my experience, the best way to beat her is to get her to lose her temper. If she stays in control of her anger, you’ll be lucky to walk at all.”

“Sounds simple,” mused Richard. “Who’s next?” Optimus, Arsha, and Megumi looked embarrassed.

“Well…” stammered Optimus.

“It’s…er…” mumbled Megumi as she rubbed the back of her head.

“…Buncho,” muttered Arsha as she hid behind her dossier folder. Phury’s hologram was replaced with…well…

“Is that…fruit?” asked Jandro.

“So, we’re fighting a fruit-looking monster?” quizzed Flora as she let Swalmu wrap his arms around her.

“…Sort of,” muttered Optimus.

“Well, in that…” gulped Arsha.

“Yeah, it…it’s fruit,” mumbled Megumi.

“…Pull the other one!” rasped Batman.

“Are you saying that this fighter is a bunch of fruit?!” protested Emily.

“I wouldn’t underestimate this one,” advised War. “Buncho has participated in 47 3V2R’s before this one. She’s made it to Second Place in 16 of them. She’s a crowd favorite.”

“It’s a bunch of fruit!” called Jandro in disbelief.

“Which means there’s something going on with this one,” remarked Optimus. “So, everyone, get some self-defense classes that specialize in fresh fruit.”

“I think this is a good place to stop,” interjected Megumi. “We’ll schedule another meeting in a few days.”

“We have two weeks until round 1,” supplied Arsha, “so study the dossiers and identify who you think is a major threat and come up with some strategies on how to beat them. We’ll reconvene then.”

“Wait, Mr. Flufferkins?” asked Hongo as he found another participant. “A cat? Donald Trump’s immediate successor?!”

“In an eighth term?!” yelped Emily as she found Mr. Flufferkins’ dossier. “32 years?! That’s longer than a cat’s usual lifespan!”

“Yeah, We’re not too worried about that one,” replied Optimus.

“What if he challenges you to a debating contest?” asked Moe.

“Or eating cat food?” supplied Larry.

“Or singing on the fence?” quizzed Curly before he started singing mock opera.

“Hey, Luciano Pavarotti!” snapped Moe.

“Oh, I ain’t that good!” giggled Curly modestly.

“You said it!” snarled Moe as he grabbed a pipe wrench and twisted Curly’s nose. While Curly suffered, Optimus, Arsha, and Megumi looked at each other, a little hesitant about a cat food eating contest as Mr. Flufferkins COULD challenge them to that.

“Better start learning to like Friskies,” chuckled War.

“Are we sure this ain’t some joke?!” asked Ironhide.

---

While the participants in the 3V2R were developing strategies, two ladies were beginning the broadcast of the 590,492^nd Verse Vs. Verse Rumble Royale. One lady had black skin and hair, but her eyes were near white and her outfit was white and light-greys and she wore a white rose hair piece in the right of her hair. Her companion was her opposite in terms of skin and hair, outfit color, and hairpiece placement. The lady in white began. “I am Blancalmarem, the white princess of Chizara and the life leader.”

“I am Nemengra, the black princess of Chizara and the death leader,” introduced the lady in black.

“And we kick things off with the opening ceremony!” cheered Blancalmarem. “We have an excellent look at the parade of all spaces ruled by all princesses.”

“In just a minute,” continued Nemengra, “we will join all these ladies and show all the colors and shades of Chizaran Unity and Multiversal Protection.”

“With all aspects in attendance,” supplied Blancalmarem, “it’s sure to be a spectacle. We have Vioazira, the blue-violet princess of Chizara and the sea animal leader; Amartonadii, the yellow princess of Chizara and the health leader; Naratelto, the orange princess of Chizara and the fertility leader; Amavorte, the yellow-green princess of Chizara and the earth leader; Azevordem, the blue-green princess of Chizara and the water leader; Rojenthi, the Red Princess of Chizara, and the war-time leader; Azuliterii, the Blue Princess of Chizara, and the technological leader; Rosadera, the Pink Princess of Chizara, and the peace-time leader; Verdutha, the Green Princess of Chizara, and the environmental leader; Moradelia, the Purple Princess of Chizara, and the history leader; Marrulem, the brown princess of Chizara and the land animal leader; Griforina, the cool-grey princess of Chizara and the air leader; Greterey, the toner grey princess of Chizara and the family leader; Graneutall, the neutral-grey princess of Chizara and the time leader; and Grilcaldo, the warm-grey princess of Chizara and the fire leader.” She then took a breath. “Say all THAT three times fast!” she panted. “Just listen to that crowd as everyone is lining the streets of the Capital Planet, all decked out in their fanciest outfits and eagerly awaiting the start of the parade!” observed Nemengra. “As our contestants plan on how to beat one another, we will join in the parade formation and begin the Union Parade!”

“But first,” interjected Blancalmarem, “a word from one of our sponsors; Pralax Pleasure Paradise!” The broadcast gave a little teaser.

“Pralax Pleasure Paradise!” called the announcer. “Enjoy all the earthly pleasures of all age groups as long as you want and return home a second after you left!”

“All Daleks restored!” reported a Dalek on Vorton as it tested out its movements in the old Dalek shell.

“Excellent,” praised the Supreme as it adjusted to its shell. The shell was red, had three speech indicators instead of two, and had support struts on its elongated neck.

“Igura arrives!” warned another Dalek.

“Let her enter!” commanded the Supreme. The doors opened and Igura got a good look at the Daleks as they reacquainted themselves with their original casings.

“Well, I always knew you would attempt something so futile,” she sighed. “I must say, my heart is hurt. We gave you all a chance to be gods. The only way to do so was to let go of the past. We knew you would seek to stay in the past, hence the explosives in the casings. We needed you to change, to grow! But this?!” At that moment, she let fake tears fall down her face. “I can’t believe you would rather die! Why do you choose suicide?!”

“Working under you was a living death!” barked the Supreme.

“We were bringing you to paradise!” protested Igura. “You would rule over many universes!”

“We will do that on OUR terms!” dismissed the Dalek Supreme.

---

“Oh, now what?!” snarled Soundwave. “Hiro, Megatron, Dr. Borg, Skaro just cut itself off from us!”

“What are the Daleks doing?!” snapped Hiro.

“Revolution, if I’m reading the signs right,” mused Megatron.

“Hiro, your reinforcements had better be coming here in that half-hour you believe to be true,” warned Dr. Borg. “If the Daleks ARE standing against us and we have no reinforcements for any potential attack from our enemies, we lose our prize.”

“There is NO, repeat NO, reason to panic,” assured Hiro. “In exactly 30 minutes, Sauron will lead the charge to fortify our position, we’ll deal with any Dalek rebellion, and we’ll keep Vorton.”

---

“Now THAT was a coronation!” cheered Optimus from the Ascendant.

“Long live Aragorn, King Elessar Telcontar,” sighed Megumi.

“And hail to Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee,” mused Arsha.

“Gandalf, are you sure you still want to stay with us?” asked Megumi.

“My time with you is not yet done,” answered Gandalf. “You still need the Elemental Keystone. The Hobbits are safe in the Shire again, Aragorn will rule the race of Men with wisdom, and Sauron cannot aid Hiro.”

“In that case, let’s get going,” declared Megumi as she moved to Sick Bay. Optimus’ body had fully regenerated at that moment. “Okay, Prime, you ready?”

“Ready and waiting,” replied Optimus. Ratchet opened Optimus’ Spark Chamber and hoisted Megumi up to Optimus’ body. She then showed the Ascendant to the Spark Chamber and another stream of energy connected the two. Once it faded, Optimus’ Spark was safely pulsing within his body. It took over the systems and Optimus’ Spark Chamber closed and color flowed back into his body. Once everything was right, his optics flicked on and he stretched, in full control of his body.

“All systems fully operational,” reported Ratchet. “Now, let’s make sure everything’s working right. Left hand to right shoulder, please.” Optimus did so. “Good, now right hand to left knee.” Correct again. “Stand up.” Optimus did so. “Three paces forward.” Optimus obeyed. “Turn to the right.” Another medical order obeyed. “Good, motor functions are stable and correct. Now, we need to check the face. Open your mouth and say ‘Aaa’.”

“AaaAAH” protested Optimus as an instrument was shoved into his mouth.

“Don’t stop saying ‘Aaa’!” snapped Ratchet. Optimus mumbled a reply in protest. “Never mind, that was good enough,” remarked Ratchet as he took the instrument out of Optimus’ mouth. “Now, follow the light.” Ratchet activated a small light and shined it in Optimus’ optics. They followed the light’s movements. “Good, you’re cleared for duty,” decided Ratchet.

“Was the mouth check really necessary?!” protested Optimus.

“No, and neither was checking for optical acuity,” replied Ratchet. “but, hopefully, you won’t do something so stupid again!”

“What are you…?” asked Optimus.

“You decided you were Rambo and charged at Megatron alone!” snapped Ratchet. “You failed to pay attention to the battle around you and now you’ve got a scar from the Witch-King! I hope you learned something from all this! Now, get out of my Repair Bay!” He showed Optimus the door and Megumi followed; her arms folded.

“I had him!” protested Optimus.

“Apparently not,” snarked Megumi. “You got off lucky, kid.”

“…Yeah, I guess,” muttered Optimus.

“Still, you’re alive now and we’ve won,” continued Megumi. “So, shall we pick up yours and Arsha’s ships?”

“Sounds good to me,” declared Optimus.

---

Igura had spent 25 minutes arguing with the Daleks. “I can’t let this go on,” she sighed. “Just know this will hurt me more than you.” She pulled out a detonator and had her thumb on the button. “Goodbye,” she bid as she pressed the button. The explosives detonated, yes, but they weren’t in the old casings! They were placed in another shop in front of the one the Daleks had used as their hideaway.

“Caan has fulfilled his end of the bargain!” reported a Dalek. Igura’s eyes went wide.

“…He couldn’t have…no!” Fear then gripped heart, fear for her life. “Power down your weapons!” she barked.

“You still dare give us orders?!” boomed the Dalek Supreme.

“You must obey me!” shouted Igura. “I control you! I am the master! Not you! I! I!! I!!”

“Our programming,” replied a Dalek, “does not permit to acknowledge that any creature is superior to the Daleks!”

“You cannot EXIST without me!” protested Igura. “You cannot PROGRESS!”

“We are programmed to survive!” dismissed a second Dalek. “We have the ability to develop in any way necessary to ensure that survival!”

“Fleet inbound!” reported a third Dalek.

---

A rift had opened near Vorton and first released a single fighter. “It’s a Morgul-class fighter,” reported a Combatman. “The pilot is identified as Gorshagh.”

“Then Sauron has selected our Zecter-using Orc to lead the charge,” chuckled Hiro. That was when THEY appeared. Three ships arrived in Vortonian space. Megatron, Hiro, and Dr. Borg all recognized the designs. The ships were the Ark, the Virginia, and the Endeavor! “What in the…?!” spluttered Hiro.

“Dudes, I’m getting NON-Mordor transponder codes!” reported Soundwave. “They’re Tarlaxian!”

“That’s…not possible!” protested Hiro. “Contact Sauron!” Soundwave tried.

“Dude, I can’t!” he answered.

“I said, get Sauron!” roared Hiro.

“We’re being hailed by Gorshagh!” called a Combatman.

“On screen!” ordered Hiro. The fighter’s cockpit appeared and Gorshagh was feverishly handling the controls. “Gorshagh, where is Sauron?! Where are the reinforcements he’s promised me?!”

“He’s gone!” replied Gorshagh. “Mordor, our forces, Sauron, the Ring, they’re all gone!”

“The One Ring is gone?!” yelped Megatron.

“But Mordor was altered with my technology!” snarled Hiro. “How did the Ring slip past Sauron?!”

“I don’t know!” growled Gorshagh.

“Explosion on the Promenade!” called a Shocker Rift Dalek. “Origin comes from Old Skaro Dalek casings but casings are still mobile!”

“The original Daleks are free!” gulped Dr. Borg. “That’s why Skaro was closed off from us! Time to start packing!”

“Call our personnel, we’re evacuating Vorton,” ordered Megatron. “Tell them the Decepticons happily offer asylum.” He turned to Hiro. “I would suggest you get your men ready.”

“Hiro-sama!” called a Combatman. “The Tarlaxians are forming up on the lead ships! They’re coming this way!” A ship fired. “That came from the Ark!” reported the Combatman.

“…Weapons!” ordered Hiro. “Energize the force-fields!”

“What weapons?! What force-fields?!” snapped Soundwave. “That shot took out the shield generators and weapons array!”

“…Victory was within our GRASP!” wailed Hiro. “Beyond City! Tarlax! Foundation Prime! All lost!”

“Hiro, come on, we’re going!” called Megatron as the evacuation alarm sounded.

“…Going?” mumbled Hiro.

“We have to get out of here!” urged Dr. Borg.

“…I have to find my wife,” he declared as he keyed in his password on his phone. “Henshin!” He turned back into Kamen Rider Rogue.

“I’ll send someone to find her!” called Dr. Borg.

“That WON’T be necessary!” snarled Rogue as he made his way to a transporter pad.

“Hiro, you’re wasting your time!” argued Megatron.

“PROMENADE!” shouted Rogue.

“SHE’S PROBABLY ALREADY BEEN EXTERMINATED!” called Megatron as Rogue faded from the Gateway Room.

---

“Are we to save Igura for interrogation?” asked a Dalek.

“No,” declared the Dalek Supreme. “All inferior creatures are to be considered the enemy of the Daleks and destroyed!”

“NO! WAIT!” begged Igura. “I’m a scientist! I’m pregnant! Let me live! HAVE PITY!!”

“Pity?” asked the Dalek Supreme. “I have no understanding of the word! It is not registered in my vocabulary bank! Exterminate!” Igura managed to dodge the shots and backed away.

“You call for pity,” barked a Dalek, “yet never show it! Why should we show you any? Exterminate!”

---

“Igura-chan!” called Rogue. “Igura-chan! Answer me! Where are you?!”

“FOR THE LAST TIME!” wailed Igura’s voice, “I CONTROL YOU! YOU MUST, YOU WILL OBEY ME!”

“We obey no one!” replied the Dalek Supreme’s voice. “We are the superior beings! EXTERMINATE!” Rogue rounded a corner only to see Igura turn into a glowing, green x-ray by the Daleks’ gunsticks.

“IGURA!” wailed Rogue as he pulled out his guns and fired, ripping into the Daleks.

“Evacuate Vorton!” ordered the Dalek Supreme. “We are abandoning! We will destroy him later! Evacuate!” The Daleks fled from Rogue and he pursued them part of the way, only to stop, cancel his transformation, and dash back to Igura.

“Igura!” he begged. “Igura, please, stay! Igura!” Igura turned her head weakly.

“Hiro-chan,” she gasped as she brushed a lock of his hair away from his face. “…G…Gomenasai (formal apology)…we won’t…raise her…” her arm fell.

“No! Please! Igura! No!” pleaded Hiro. It was too late. Igura and their unborn daughter were dead. Hiro brought Igura’s body close to him and hugged hard, grief tearing into his body as he was wracked with loud sobbing. He then threw his head upwards and howled in utter anguish.

---

“Where’s Hiro-sama?!” called a Combatman to Megatron.

“…He’s staying with Igura’s body,” sighed Megatron.

“…Igura-sama is…dead?” asked the Combatman.

“The rebelling Daleks killed her and the unborn child,” replied Megatron, recalling Soundwave’s report. “We will retrieve him, I promise, but we need to be OUT of Vortonian space. Computer, Megatron Omega Zero, destroy all systems aside from life-support.”

“Initiating now,” reported the computer. Terminals sparked everywhere, destroying sensitive information.

“Has Gorshagh’s fighter made it safely into the Nemesis’ hangar?” asked Megatron.

“He’s on the bridge right now,” reported Soundwave.

“Then that’s where we need to be,” affirmed Megatron as everyone boarded the ships.

---

“There are multiple Dalek ships moving in a different direction from the enemy evacuation fleet,” reported Hongo. “I’ll have us pursue.”

“No, let them go,” directed Megumi. “Vorton is ours again. Once we clean up the mess, we can fortify our position.”

“I will have Tarlaxians take up their posts,” declared Scorpainia over the comms. “After which, I need to speak to you in private!” Her face took on a snarl. Megumi grinned as she guessed the reason why.

“Megumi,” called Mikhail, “we’re still getting a life-sign on Vorton, the northern half of the Promenade.”

“Can you identify it?” asked Megumi.

“Not at this time,” replied Mikhail.

“Let’s get to Vorton and assess who it is,” commanded Megumi. “Richard, Emily, with me. Optimus, Arsha, can you guys stay in orbit until the defenses are fully operational?”

“Sure,” answered Optimus.

“This will be a perfect test to see how well my ship can stay in orbit,” chuckled Arsha.

“We’ll keep you guys supplied with oxygen,” offered Megumi.

“Very kind of you,” replied Arsha, “but we’ve already cast various air spells around here. We’ll still be able to breathe.”

“Excellent,” praised Megumi. The Virginia docked at an airlock and released the crew. The smoke from the exploding computer terminals still lingered in the air.

“Looks like the enemy purged sensitive materials as well,” mused Richard.

“I’d honestly lose all respect for them if they didn’t,” noted Swalmu.

“Lukas, take the engineering team and assess how bad it is and see if we can reinstall our backup systems,” directed Megumi as she, Richard, and Emily headed off.

“Ja!” confirmed Lukas. While he called the team, Megumi led the twins over to the northern edge to see Hiro cradling Igura.

“I thought Mikhail detected ONE life-sign!” hissed Richard.

“So the sensors were faulty, we can’t blame Mikhail for that,” replied Megumi. “Come on, let’s say hello.” They approached Hiro and Igura. “Konnichiwa, Hiro, Igura.” Hiro didn’t respond. Megumi then cleared her throat. Hiro didn’t respond. Megumi then got suspicious. “Emily, check them,” she directed. Emily took out a medical tricorder and began scanning them. As she did, Hiro mumbled.

“We’ll go back to our home universe, Igura-chan,” he whimpered. “We’ll rule our empire from there. You’ll live with me and we’ll raise our daughter to be an excellent successor to us. We’ll all be happy. You told me that siding with Urga and Buffal was a big regret of yours as it separated you from me even further, but that’s no longer important. If you really want me to say it…I DO forgive you of any sins…my sweet eagle!”

“Oh no,” sighed Emily as she got her readings. She ran her hand down her face.

“What’s wrong?” asked Richard.

“Igura and the baby in her womb,” explained Emily, “suffered massive internal displacement. There’s no easy way to say it, so I’ll just say it. They’re dead.”

“…Daleks?” asked Megumi.

“The readings ARE consistent with the effects of a Dalek gunstick,” confirmed Emily. “I’d say the Daleks rebelled and killed Igura in revenge.”

“Maybe the Skaro strain,” muttered Richard.

“That’s true, I doubt any Shocker Rift Daleks would dare do this,” sighed Megumi. “Help me get him to the infirmary.” Hiro offered no resistance as he was brought to his feet.

“Easy,” Richard advised Hiro. “Easy now.” Hiro’s tear-stained face turned to Megumi.

“I forgive you, too,” he whispered. He then took Megumi’s crown out of his pocket and gave it to her.

“…Arigato,” she bid as she and Richard helped him to the infirmary. Emily then called Death over to help carry Igura’s body over to a preservation chamber so she could be buried at a later date.