Optimus and Nemesis continued their duel, with Optimus striking fast and Nemesis blocking every blow. Optimus then swatted Nemesis\u2019 knife-hand chop and made something fall out of his arm and crash onto the floor. A purple liquid spilled out of the object. \u201cHuh, I\u2019m out of fuel,\u201d muttered Nemesis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAnd I\u2019m out of patience for you!\u201d snarled Optimus as he decked Nemesis. Nemesis ended up sprawled on the floor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou REALLY know how to spoil a coming-out party!\u201d he grunted. \u201cHow am I supposed to spread the gospel of darkness if you destroy any and all Dark Energon deposits and take away a proper hideout for me and my associates?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou\u2019re sick!\u201d hissed Optimus. \u201cYou need mental help fast!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWell, maybe I DO feel a little\u2026off.\u201d Nemesis then slammed his foot into Optimus\u2019 chest and sent him to the floor. \u201cBut being sent to Hell will do that to you! You think it\u2019s all about demons constantly whipping you and pouring lemon juice on the wounds for all eternity?! No! It\u2019s being crammed into a damn cul-de-sac with no privacy, no space to call your own, and constant sharing circles with two dress-wearing Oni that can make multiple copies of themselves, one of them being a damn transvestite! Well, not this time! This time, Khan\u2019s brought us back to life AND with bodies like Megumi\u2019s! Immortal AND invulnerable!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYet she could still fell pain!\u201d Optimus then got back up and went on the offensive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou know,\u201d Nemesis quipped as he blocked the blows, \u201cI think Plumber HQ would be a great set of digs! Our current hideout\u2019s a shanty in Under-town, right below Bellwood!\u201d Optimus then drove an uppercut into Nemesis\u2019 jaw. Nemesis rubbed his chin. \u201cAll right, you win this fight, but not the base! Mark my words! Bellwood\u2019s gonna be shrouded in darkness for eternity unless Life comes with us!\u201d Nemesis pulled his gun out and fired. Optimus dodged the shot and Nemesis took that opportunity to transform and get away. Optimus briefly considered pursuing him, then he recalled that his friends were fighting the Lords. He then made a call.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMegumi, this is Optimus. My evil twin, Nemesis Prime, is escaping. Be advised, he\u2019s unhinged.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cRoger that,\u201d replied Megumi. She ended the call. \u201cSuit up! Arcee, have you met Optimus\u2019 evil twin?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNo, but I know about him,\u201d replied Arcee. \u201cHe\u2019s actually two evil doubles in one Unicron-worshipping package. The Optimus Repaint exterior is piloted by an evil cyborg version of Tails.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTails\u2019 smarts, Optimus\u2019 powers, and a wicked streak the size of a single universe. Lovely,\u201d grunted Megumi.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cVortex Driver!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cCrysta Driver!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHen-!\u201d Disruptor shots then hit the pavement near them. The Lords then surrounded them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat in-?!\u201d spluttered Xiomara. A few Lords then appeared with a woman in their grasp. The woman had obsidian skin and wore white.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOne false move and Life gets it!\u201d warned a Lord.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cShe CAN\u2019T get it,\u201d remarked Kaede. \u201cShe\u2019s an immortal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOh, she doesn\u2019t need to die, but she\u2019s gonna wish she can!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cY\u2026You can\u2019t!\u201d gasped the woman, Life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOh, but we can!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat did the Author say about them?\u201d snapped a voice. Everyone turned to an alleyway to see a woman come out. The appearance of the woman made Arsha freeze in terror. The woman was cyan-skinned, had moth antennae sprouting from her hair, insect wings on her back, cybernetic legs, a cybernetic arm, and a prosthetic right eye. The talons of her feet created holes in the pavement as she came out of the alley. Arsha\u2019s terror was palpable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2026Borg!\u201d she whispered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDOCTOR Borg, Arsha,\u201d corrected the woman, the cyborg Sprite, Dr. C. Y. Borg. \u201cThen again, for you, it\u2019s been 15,000 years, so you\u2019re bound to forget things about enemies you\u2019ve killed. I take it you\u2019re ruling the Realms?\u201d Arsha said nothing. Dr. Borg then turned to the Lords. They all had their disruptors pointed at Life. \u201cOnly the ones holding her need to keep their weapons on her,\u201d she said. \u201cThe rest of you, keep your disruptors trained on our adversaries. If they even blink in a fashion that indicates they\u2019re going to do something, open fire. Oh, and avoid the Transformer\u2019s chest. Yes, that\u2019s where their Spark is, but that also means that\u2019s where their armor is the strongest. Aim for the metal that matches the face\u2019s color, then coordinate fire at the points where the armor overlaps the skin.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDon\u2019t do this!\u201d warned Life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDid you say something?\u201d asked Dr. Borg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cLeave her out of this, Borg!\u201d snarled Arsha, coming to her senses. Dr. Borg smirked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNot even questioning why I\u2019m here before you! You guessed who brought me back and how by virtue of learning about my colleagues\u2019 return. That\u2019s what I like about you, Arsha, you make decisions based on the facts. It\u2019s because of that that you\u2019re predictable! That\u2019s why victory is assured for us! We\u2019ve read up on you and your activities! We know your every move! We know how you think!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDo you know what I\u2019m thinking right now?\u201d Dr. Borg chuckled at Arsha\u2019s question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYes. You\u2019re thinking \u2018What\u2019s my arch nemesis\u2019 grand design this time?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSomething along those lines. I\u2019m also thinking about who to take out first.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTake them out? What would your family say, dating one of the Lords behind their back?\u201d Dr. Borg laughed at her crass joke. \u201cJust so we\u2019re clear, I fully intend to present your corpse to the Realms, but you need to suffer first!\u201d Kaede looked at one of the Lords holding Life down, then her eyes widened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2026Mr. Wayne?\u201d she said. Dr. Borg smirked again. Megumi saw who Kaede was talking about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBruce, what happened to you?! When did you get assimilated?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt was during a Parent Teacher conference with Damian\u2019s boarding school headmaster,\u201d explained Dr. Borg. \u201cHe\u2019s remained silent since his assimilation. Through that, we\u2019ve learned about his Agamemno Contingencies. Did you know he was so paranoid that he made one for himself if he turned rogue? I remember how it goes, the file was called \u2018Detective\u2019 and it read \u2018While Batman is a master strategist and combatant, he is only human. The best way to disable his strategic abilities would be to distract him, his parents are an excellent blind spot as is his endless crusade to protect the innocent, taking hostages is a good distraction, particularly if they\u2019re friends or family.\u2019\u201d Megumi smirked this time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou didn\u2019t read it all!\u201d she said. Dr. Borg looked offended.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat\u2019s THAT supposed to mean?!\u201d she snarled. \u201cI recited it word for word!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou missed a sentence in that one.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cOh, really? And how does that sentence go?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBruce, wanna explain or should I?\u201d The Bruce Wayne Lord glared at Dr. Borg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2018Think carefully before you do this\u2019!\u201d he said. He then decked his fellow Lords and tore the disruptor off his arm. The armor on his head then lowered to give the illusion of his usual appearance as Batman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe Bat\u2019s betrayed us!\u201d called a Lord.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cGet rid of him!\u201d ordered Dr. Borg. She then shrunk to the size of an insect and flew off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cStop them!\u201d ordered Megumi. This time, the transformation was uninterrupted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHenshin!\u201d called the Riders. They then adopted their Rider personas as everyone, even Life, got ready to fight. Sora was alarmed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMa\u2019am, please get to safety!\u201d he urged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI appreciate the concern,\u201d replied Life, \u201cbut I wear flats for a reason.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTATAKAE!\u201d called Royal. Everyone went on the offensive, with Batman taking out the most Lords. It became a source of light contention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBatman!\u201d protested Seeker. \u201cThat was mine!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou were about to kill him!\u201d snarled Batman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThey\u2019re too far gone, unlike you!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNot what you think! We do! Not! Kill!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBatman\u2019s right!\u201d called Shade. \u201cThe Lord Collective is nowhere near as oppressive as the original Borg Collective. Just knocking them out for a bit is enough to bring them to their senses.\u201d To prove her point, the Lords she already knocked out woke up and looked around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat the?\u201d stammered one. \u201cDowntown? I was in the financial district!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWait a minute, these are Bellwood citizens?!\u201d yelped Sora.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThanks for the tip, Batman!\u201d called Life. Everyone dialed it back and knocked their enemies out. Once the fight was over, everyone was panting. Royal turned to Batman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019m immortal, yet I\u2019m getting too old for this,\u201d she joked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou\u2019re out of practice,\u201d remarked Batman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou\u2019re no spring chicken yourself, Bats,\u201d observed Shade. \u201cYour kicks weren\u2019t getting high enough, even with all that Borg kit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI\u2019m aware. It\u2019s why my new daughter\u2019s taking up the cowl and modifying her batsuit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2026Daughter?\u201d asked Royal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDiana and I married and had a kid,\u201d explained Batman. \u201cDamian constantly reminds me I have two blood children now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAnd he approves of Wonder Woman as a mom?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHe and the rest of the\u2026\u2018Batfam\u2019 insisted I marry her. I was surprised she gave up her own immortality for me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI guess she figured a life without you would be empty.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c\u2026That\u2019s the most plausible theory.\u201d Royal and the rest of the Riders then ended their transformations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cGood to see you again, Batman,\u201d she said as she shook his hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAnd you, Megumi. Thanks for giving me an opening to betray the Lords.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cGlad I could help. Come on, Bats. We better get that Borg junk off of and out of you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe only place that could do that safely would be Plumber HQ. It\u2019s currently occupied by the enemy, even when Nemesis Prime got away from Optimus.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhat about the rest of the team?\u201d asked Arsha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThey\u2019re safe. Magister Max Tennyson got them out of there and this world\u2019s Phury is being taken care of.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat still leaves our Phury,\u201d muttered Arcee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBatman,\u201d said Megumi, \u201cdo you know who else the Author brought back? We know Hiro and Nemesis Prime are with Dr. Borg.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHe\u2019s brought back Dr. Borg\u2019s spouses and councilors, a former wraith known as Intrag, Nemesis Prime\u2019s fellow Terrorcons, and Hiro\u2019s wife and daughter.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHis daughter? I thought she was still in Igura\u2019s womb.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cShe was born in Hell and made to suffer like the rest of the damned.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHold on, she was punished for sins she didn\u2019t have a chance to commit?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou can guess that the experience made her insane.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNo kidding. We better regroup somewhere.\u201d Megumi activated her communicator. \u201cMinna, we gotta meet up elsewhere. Guess who\u2019s back?\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Optimus and Nemesis continued their duel, with Optimus striking fast and Nemesis blocking every blow. Optimus then swatted Nemesis\u2019 knife-hand chop and made something fall out of his arm and crash onto the floor. A purple liquid spilled out of the object. \u201cHuh, I\u2019m out of fuel,\u201d muttered Nemesis. \u201cAnd I\u2019m out of patience for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":6283,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[754,880],"tags":[14,130,482,9,146,337],"class_list":["post-6287","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-journey-through-wonder","category-story-journey-through-wonder","tag-batman","tag-ben-10","tag-fantasy","tag-kamen-rider","tag-sonic","tag-transformers"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6287","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6287"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6287\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6289,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6287\/revisions\/6289"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6283"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6287"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6287"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/samueljvinton.com\/wordpress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6287"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}