Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

*Note: If you're a long-time reader of my works, it's not required to backtrack to Dark Disney even though this takes place after that. I'm treating this as though it's a standalone feature. To anyone new to me from either Blinx or Dust fandoms or just passing by, hello and welcome! :) My name is Frozarburst and get ready for a crossover you didn't expect to get. Happy New Year, 2022!

Dedicated to Nipchipcookies for keeping the Blinx fanbase alive

Based on Blinx the Time Sweeper and Dust an Elysian Tail

"DUST! Wake up, Dust!"

These were the first words the Sen Mithrarin heard following a devastating blow to his two souls. The wolf-like humanoid, laying on the ashy surface of what was his new home village, barely opens his one good eye to the fiery skies above. He turns his head to both sides and realizes his left is only partially visible to him. What he can make out are two soldiers in white armor lying limp on the ground with him, carrying firearms, unlike anything he's seen. Mechanized, otherworldly tools of war are scattered across the battlefield, while Ahrah, the Mitharin's unnaturally forged sword, is half-buried in the sand, having shouted his name. Barely conscious and bleeding rapidly from his shattered chest down, Dust reaches for the ancient blade, grasping the hilt before drifting into a deep sleep as a creature of some kind, humanoid like himself and cat-like, visits him at the site.

What must have been hours of rest feel like mere minutes to Dust when he rises again on a metal desk underneath a bright fluorescent light. Ahrah still sits in his hand. Thin cables coming from large machines on both sides dig into his very flesh, including his arms, legs, and his newly reconstructed chest cavity. It's opened like a double door, exposing metal parts within himself, foreign to him and his talking blade. The now-silent warrior hardly has the energy to react, let alone look long enough to examine his unrequested upgrades.

"Is he awake," asks a curious voice from somewhere nearby.

"Yes, and his vitals are stabilizing," answers another.

"Phew…! Alright then. Let's see if we can finish the rest of him. I don't understand these blueprints to a T, but I'll try and make this work."

Once again, Dust drifts into slumber; last seeing the same feline person stepping into view with a strange round device of some kind. The same size as a slot within his chest. After such an intensive operation, it seems the Mithrarin can finally open his left eye once more. However, he quickly notices his vision is a lot more enhanced, able to see the fine details of his surroundings without straining his sight or getting close. Checking his bearings, Dust notes the operating room's technologies most unusual to Falana. The cables connected to him pop off his skin upon sitting up. His chest is seemingly back to normal. Although the markings along his grey fur at the middle tell him otherwise. Even his stomach, partly gutted from the massacre, is artificial. Ahrah, sat in a comfortable chair next to him, lights back up seeing his bearer fully conscious at last. The same orange and white cat person from earlier steps back inside, giving Dust a better look than before. He wears a blue jacket with a brace over his neck, red shorts, white gloves and boots with a steel toe, and blue goggles over his head. Normally, Dust would be anticipating someone being either afraid of him, extremely humbled, or intending to kill him and his Nimbat friend, Fidget. But this one is different, wearing one of the most relaxed expressions he's seen in a while. It's Dust who starts hesitating, fidgeting back against his pillow with Ahrah back in his hand in case of an attack like the one before.

"Hey dude," says the Cat-Sith. "What's up?"

Dust doesn't reply. Still conflicted, he remains silent and stays laser-focused on the young man, who casually beams a smile and shrugs lightly.

"Not much of a talker, huh?"

Again, Dust keeps his lips sealed whilst pointing Ahrah at this mysterious person.

"Forgive him," says the blade. "He is in shock. He's experienced too much pain and loss for one day."

Very curious, the Cat-Sith looks at Ahrah, tilting his head and raising an eyebrow asking, "Did that sword just talk?"

"Yes I did. I am Ahrah. One of the five blades of Elysium summoned to the Mithrarin to fend against evil. I'm sorry. I didn't know what your purpose was, so I remained silent."

"Ah, that's ok, man," says the feline with a smirk. "I get'cha." He faces Dust, who's convinced to ease the weapon down. "If ya ever need to talk to me, you can. Anytime."

Still no response. Dust continues to wear a stern glare that slowly evolves into sorrow, frowning and watering his right and left ecto green eye. He can only think of the loss of Fidget, his sister Ginger, the children Corbin and Colleen, and his old friend's final words, "Cherish life". He sniffles, losing his grip on Ahrah, fumbling back against his pillow with tears running down his face, when very quietly, this Cat-Sith gets close to the Mithrarin, firmly and politely patting his shoulder with a cool cloth for any excess blood from the operation. He gives Dust the same face he's been giving; a look of pure compassion instead of hate, fear, or indifference.

"Don't worry bro," says the man. "It's gonna be ok."

These simple words drown out the rest of the negatives repeating in his head. Dust doesn't attempt to deny it. He welcomes it. The mysterious man begins to walk away, leaving the warrior to his own devices when he finally gathers the courage to ask, "Who…are you…?" With the same smirk, the Time Sweeper faces Dust and tells him, "The name's Blinx."

DUST AND THE SWEEPER

Many moons ago, there was a great war in the land of Falana between the Moonblood race, and the vast forces of General Gaius. For a time, hope seemed lost as evil began to overwhelm all who opposed them until the merging of two souls: One of destruction, one of good. These two would become the Sen Mithrarin, Dust, who would go on to defeat the general and his army with the help of his fellow Nimbat friend, Fidget, and the ancient sword passed onto him known as Ahrah. What seemed like his sacrifice was felt across the land, with everyone wondering if he would ever return after being consumed by lava at the pit of Everdawn. Instead of being reborn anew, he was rescued by forces beyond his control, only to return to a world that had been bought and ravaged by a universal power.

Time Sweeper #01712, simply known as Blinx, is a Cat-Sith born outside the reaches of time itself. His purpose is to patrol the timeline, clearing it of any and all glitches to keep the natural order of history in check. He along with his fellow brothers at the factory had faced countless battles unlike any within history have seen; often with the displeasure of facing the thievish Tom Tom Gang. However, one day, when their creators felt time was being used unwisely, they insisted on destroying it, along with their creations. Though the Time Sweepers and their enemies put a stop to such a threat, the Time Goddesses would never return, as on one faithful day, the Time Factory was invaded by dark forces within history itself, and the Sweepers were left scattered across space. Blinx was fortunate enough to ally with a resistance against the newly established order, making a new life with them.

These two opposites of different worlds would crossover, toppling the regime and restoring the timeline. With nowhere else to go for Blinx, he chooses to remain where his friendship with the Mithrarin had began while history continues to rebuild with a fresh start…

At the break of dawn, the rising sunlight shines upon a cabin and blacksmithing area by a cliff and a lush red forest. Inside, Dust sleeps soundly next to his loving partner, Haley. A red and cream-colored rabbit woman with fair blonde hair and small patterns on her shoulders. She is first to wake up, nudging her hand gently on the Mithrarin's back to bring him out of his nap, sharing a smile with him. A minute later, Dust sits up, stretching his legs out, putting on his dark jumpsuit starting from the pants to the long-sleeved shirt, buckled by a utility belt. On his way to his boots, he grabs Ahrah leaned upright against the bedroom wall by the handle.

Even without a face, the sword utters "Do not leave me in this room with you two ever again," in a disgusted tone.

"Aw, don't be like that, Ahrah," says Dust. "It could've been worse. We could've roleplayed instead."

"Please don't consider that either," replies Ahrah, as Dust opens the curtains to the wide windows of his bedroom, admiring the beautiful scenery, complete with a perfect view of the forest and the village down from the hills. Haley walks by, putting on her blue work vest and combing her long hair.

"So beautiful…" says Dust.

Haley replies, "Honey, you just woke up," with a smirk. "You don't even have your shoes on."

"Again. So beautiful." The grey anthro turns around to face his wife, giving her one of his widest yet calm smiles with his lips, relaxing his left eye while he's at it. "This is the first time in, like, forever where I can get up, soak in the fresh air, grab a meal, and then get to work. Not get up and immediately go to work."

"Wait, do you mean as Cassius or Jin?" asks Haley, to which Dust nods, "Yes."

Boom

Out in the distance by the edge of the village was an explosion, small yet loud enough to alert the townspeople. Dust doesn't even seem surprised. Instead he cracks his neck and knuckles and equips the rest of his cybernetic suit as though it were any casual day.

"Speak of the devil. Breakfast is gonna have to be postponed," says the young warrior. "But the 'soaking-in' part was all I needed."

He steps over to Haley by the entrance of their home, giving her a light kiss on the cheek before making his way out the front door in a fantastic sprint! As he leaves and the plates on his armor align, Haley cheers, "Go get 'em, dear," waving her hand at him. His speedy run-off into the path downtown gives him a few minutes to reflect on the present moment. Although Fidget isn't with him yet, he feels an energetic rush from head to toe. A euphoric feeling he recognizes in his darker side, Cassius, the assassin. The thrill of going head-first to battle, combined with the compassion from Jin, his peaceful half nearly causes him to chuckle. He leaps over a huge log and darts around trees like a cheetah, eventually grabbing onto a branch and performing a flip from it to a sturdy crimson roof. A quick slide down the shingles leads to the stone walkway, which he hops over to a pole and brick wall, then grinding across cable and their lights to the peak of the mayor's office building. Inside the bell tower, Dust takes note of the northern bridge to Aurora Village, occupied by an army of identically ironclad men. All wearing the purple and gold colors of their fallen leader, General Gaius, slain by the Sen Mithrarin himself. Rather than the citizens cowering in fear from their might, they protest and crowd the bridge entrance in defiance of The Remnant.

"Woah," says Dust with his hat up.

"Yes," says Ahrah. "It's good to see the common folk finally standing up to such evil. If I had eyes, I'd shed a tear."

Dust begins to step down the stairwell when it suddenly occurs to him. "Oh, by the way, if last night was that bad, why didn't you fly somewhere else like always?"

"Once you've seen it, you cannot look away," answers the sword. Dust casually rolls his eyes, replying with a humorous, "Riiiiiiight" on his merry way.

At the bridge, both Moonbloods, reptilian creatures wearing dark armor and wielding spears, and the common anthropomorphic Warmbloods in regular attire back away from the viaduct's entrance as the remnant's soldiers start marching toward them. One of the civilians, Mayor Bram, comes up front and center with Sanjin, straightening his fine jacket and glaring at the commander from afar. Criteous, as he's called, is the only one of his men not wearing a helmet, revealing the scar on his right eye and wild brown hair. More distinctly, his armor's been slightly modified, resembling the two royal sentinels beneath his platform. Two bombers, flying sharp-edged shuttles hovering above the army, stand by along with the massive double cannons beneath them. Any attempt on a single soldier from either side would surely result in chaos. One in which Dust prevents, arriving just in time next to Sanjin.

"How's it looking back there," he asks with his hat up, showing his face.

"Bad news," says Sanjin. "They have weapons more advanced than what I'm used to seeing. No way we're getting past them."

Dust asks, "How about my partners?"

"That's the good news. They're in position, waiting on you."

"Good. You two best get everyone back as far as you can. This'll get messy."

Sanjin and the Mayor turn their attention to the crowd behind them, waving them back to give Dust some space.

"You heard the man," yells Bram. "Let's give him some space!"

While everyone vacates to the far end of the town square, Dust focuses on the war machine on the overpass. He lowers his hat, activating a battle mask that forms over his face. Through its T-visor, he zooms in on the commander and his sentinel guards, then the bridge itself, identifying the trail of gunpowder blending in with the dull gray bricks. The men under Criteous prepare to march for the citizens wandering away when he lifts his hand noticing Dust walking closer to the blockade.

"Hold," says the commander, then pointing at Dust. "I want every gunner to aim squarely at that traitor down there. Await my command."

"Commander Criteous," bursts Dust in an animated gesture. "I thought you all would disband after Gaius' defeat!"

"Of course not, creature" denies Criteous, shaking his head. "You might have murdered our general, but that doesn't mean you've won the war. Our forces are still more than enough to drive your fellow Moonbloods and their sympathizers into extinction!"

"Really?" Dust cocks his head slightly and palms his waist. "That sounds like a challenge. No one here's afraid to take it this time around."

"Perhaps not," Criteous ponders, pausing and scratching his chin. "Unfortunately, they're not the ones with two fully primed turbo cannons and bombers engaged! Each one has the firepower to wipe out two large villages in single stroke!"

Briefly, Dust glances the bombers and gunners at the cannon platforms, noting the cracks on the viaduct beneath it. Looking at the guns themselves causes his mask to identify various weak points, as displayed on his HUD.

"He's not kidding," he says, leaning with his sword. "These are all state of the art. Most likely from Everdawn."

"Do you have any other options," asks Ahrah.

"No. This plan's gonna work. Trust me."

The commander sits up from his post and cockily beams a smirk at the Sen Mithrarin, asking simply, "So, what's it gonna be?"

"You're right." Dust kneels on one knee and drops Ahrah gently onto the ground, holding both hands up to his sides. "I surrender."

Both sides Dust sits between freeze from the sight. On the side of the people, they each raise an eyebrow, followed by a unanimous "HUH?!" While the army of the remnant remains skeptical and continues to await orders from the Commander; equally confused.

"…You cannot be serious," the Commander snarks.

"I am serious, Criteous," Dust rhymes. "Your odds are far greater than mine." He lifts himself from his knee slightly. "Even with my powers and these otherworldly augmentations, plus hundreds upon HUNDREDS of combat experience, I am completely incapable of defeating you out in the open. You even said yourself that your weapons are powerful enough to destroy two large villages like the one we stand upon. So take me in."

"I think not, Dust," finally replies Criteous. "Your people shall be spared for now, but you certainly won't for your crimes!"

With a bark from The Commander to fire all weapons, instantly, Dust is atomized from the ensuing gunfire! Starting from the bombers above, then the heavy turbo turrets rapidly shooting at his position, leaving a huge explosive crater in the ground! The citizens hastily retreat further into the village, witnessing their beloved hero fall so unceremoniously to his demise. As the smoke clears, Criteous brings his attention back to his men, confidently grinning, not noticing the Sen Mithrarin approaching the battlefield.

"And so the mighty have fallen," says Criteous, before turning back towards the village. "The great Sen Mithrarin is no…" He flashes his eyes back open, bewildered by the arrival of Dust once again, completely unscathed along with his blade. He repeats, "Commander Criteous! I thought you all would disband after Gaius' defeat!"

"Wha…" Criteous scratches his fuzzy ears and darts back and forth from every direction. "But, you... Y-you-"

"What's the matter," asks Dust, tilting his head to the side. "You sound like you've seen a ghost!"

"U-um...nothing. Men, fire again and make it count this time!"

The gunners aim, repeating the same process but with more firepower, taking longer to finish firing a shot. The explosions cover more ground than before, leaving behind a larger cloud of smoke, only to once again be baffled by the warrior stepping out of the flames unharmed, wielding Ahrah in one hand.

"Commander Criteous! I thought you all would disband after Gaius' defeat!"

Criteous freezes. His eyes bulge and his ears shoot to their sides. He turns to his men and asks them, "I'm not the only one seeing this, right?"

A gunner behind him speaks for everyone when he says "No. You're not sir, sir."

"Well, what're you waiting for," asks Dust. "I'm all yours!"

Criteous considers the possibilities of such an anomaly. Has the Mithrarin achieved some form of immortality? Is he a spirit manifesting himself from the ashes? In any case, he takes his longsword out from his side pocket and steps down from the command post.

"Alright. Perhaps raw firepower is not the answer," says the Commander. "This requires a head-on confrontation. Sentinels, on me."

Like a blur, the two armored men carrying gold shields and spears run into a formation shoulder to shoulder next to their leader, walking off the platform to confront the cocky masked man. On their walk, they step into a trail of powder leading down the bridge to the side. This seemingly has been here for a while as it's ignored as ash from the gunfire from the turrets. That is until Criteous realizes at a moment's notice that they never had to fire a shot!

FLASH

The concrete of the bridge erupts from a stray shot of fire, collapsing under the weight of the forces above! Each of their armaments fall to their peril; some dying when colliding with the rough rocky terrain, getting crushed underneath the large turrets or being stuck in the waters nearly drowning from their armor's tonnage. Only the bombers remain intact, hovering over the rubble. The two lone ships aim for Dust directly when one of them notices a single familiar orange Nimbat flying up to their targeting beacons, sticking her tongue at them before swooping to the skies. "What the…," asks one of the pilots before their engines are mysteriously blown to pieces! Powder for fireworks had been gathered from the town and stealthily sprinkled onto the ships and across the bridge. But how Fidget wasn't noticed still alludes the Commander. His shock turns to anger, aiming it toward Dust with a menacing glare.

"I'm not sure how else you could've done it, Dust," says Criteous. "But you've made me realize Gaius was a fool. He never had the willpower to do what must be done. And that is to destroy you. Whether or not you're Cassius no longer matters."

"Funny you say that, because he would've said the same about you not having the will to do it too," taunts the Mithrarin.

This infuriates the commander enough that he charges first, locking his blade with Dust's while the sentinels carefully surround the two. Criteous knees Dust's side, pushing him back before giving a good slashing swing at him. It barely grazes his forearm, protected by his gauntlet. He serves backward between a sentinel and his shield, blocking another strike from the Commander, who starts aggressively slashing back at him! In shock but still in the game, Dust responds, "Woah! You're almost as good as the General! Almost."

"Yes, he's doing what you do and spams the attack button," says Ahrah casually.

Criteous delivers a good kick to Dust's knee, attempting to break his leg only to bounce back in pain with a metal CLANG from the cap in his pants, and fumbles to the ground! One of the guards lunges his spear into Dust's back, failing to pierce through him but slows him down. Another soldier bashes his shield against the man, pushing him enough to resort to a devastating whirlwind attack from a twister-like swing of Ahrah! The two guards get knocked back far, but Criteous gets back up.

CLANG

A very heavy upward chop hits the bottom of Dust's helmet, nearly knocking it and his samurai hat off! Though he stumbles, he immediately recovers, blocking against the commander's many sword slashes and kicks! Dust sees an opening as he's walking back from the strikes. He cuts Criteous' dominant hand with the blade, then his shoulder, severing an armor piece very easily. It almost feels one-sided in the favor of the hero until Criteous headbutts him against a boulder!

"Give up, Mithrarin," shouts Criteous, angrily. "I've studied your moves and I know of your upgrades!" The guards return to position, surrounding Dust again. "You can't win this!"

"You know…you're probably right," admits Dust, very calmly. "That's why I brought help."

"Oh, and who will you turn to? Your pathetic little Nimbat friend or the people?"

"They're not pathetic. And they're not alone."

SWOOSH

The swords of the sentinels are mysteriously summoned away! They're swooped into the trees and bushes faster than the men can catch them! One of them asks, "What…?! Who took our swords?!"

"Who's doing this, Dust," demands the commander. The Mithrarin doesn't say a word. He simply nods his head up to an angle behind his opponents. All three of them turn and face the Time Sweeper before them. Armed with his vacuum-like weapon and knelt on one knee on a large rock. With a smirk and tip, he introduces himself.

"Why hello there."

Blinx leaps from the boulder to the ground, tripping over his landing when his boot snags a thorn poking out the dirt. He brings himself back together and aims his Sweeper.

"That was on purpose," he quickly says.

The two guards wielding only their shields now hesitate, backing up and having trouble hiding their fear from trembling. One of them gasps and partially covers their torso.

"It's the off-worlder…," utters one of them.

It was said that ever since the one who fought and slain General Gaius had returned, he and his Nimbat friend were being accompanied by a mysterious ally from parts unknown. His outfit and weapons are more hi-tech than anything they've ever seen; almost otherworldly. And every second he arrives, the remnant never stands a chance.

"Guards," snaps Criteous. "Deal with the alien! I will slay the Mithrarin for good!"

Command is swift for the shielded men. They get close to the Cat-Sith seemingly not making any effort to prepare for an attack. Unbeknownst to them, however, Blinx had already been slowing down time and walked right past them, leading them to collide shoulders first into the thick stone! They recover and reposition themselves, turning to Blinx behind them, prompted when he sucked up the rest of their weapons with his Sweeper. Again, they attempt a head-on attack, charging for him to throw a punch on either side. Yet he's already left the vicinity, having slowed time to a crawl seconds before the sentinels can punch each other straight in the face! With the guards unconscious, the Time Sweeper moves to defend Dust from Criteous; neither one gaining the advantage from spamming attacks at each other. Blinx launches one of the spears at the Commander, striking straight into his shoulder cavity! But the tyrant is already too angry to be stopped from that. He removes it and tries lunging at Dust while blocking another projectile from Blinx! After a swift smack from the side of Criteous' sword, Dust removes his hat and swings it to Blinx like a frisbee. His ally grabs it, hitting Criteous in the back of the head with it and bringing him to the ground! He guards against a good chop from Ahrah as the Cat-Sith tosses Dust his hat back. One good pause in time allows Blinx to suck Criteous' sword into the vacuum. But surprisingly, the Commander takes the spear and smacks the Sweeper out of the alien's hands! Dust gets close enough to hit him again, only for the weapon's sharp tip to pierce through his armor into the center of his chest! He grunts, not in agony thanks to his augmentations, but still wounded enough that he's backed into a corner trying to realign himself. Now that the Mithrarin's been temporarily dealt with, Blinx remains. His Sweeper was knocked too far for him to grab with Criteous already aiming for him.

"You're defenseless, off-worlder," mocks the Commander.

"True. But I'm still standin', aren't I?"

Still having a struggle getting the hatch in his armor shut, Dust lobs Ahrah towards Blinx's direction. He catches the blade, immediately locking with Criteous' spear! Two locked swings and one good kick into his chest leaves the Cat-Sith's opponent baffled at the sight of a different bearer of the ancient blade.

"Another sword-bearer," questions Criteous. "How is this possible?!"

Blinx giggles at his disbelief. "That's the thing, Commdog. I'm lettin' the sword take the wheel!"

One more time, Blinx goes into combat, catching Criteous' blows at will until Ahrah's edges eventually shatter the spear! Defenseless, the Commander is abruptly frozen in time, not by Blinx, but by Fidget barely carrying the heavy Sweeper.

"Uurrgh…! I can't tell if you're real buff or this thing's very heavy," jokes the Nimbat.

She drops it into Blinx's hands after he tosses Ahrah back to Dust, recovered from the wound on his chest.

"You ok dere, sportsy," asks Blinx.

Dust nods but doesn't remove his mask and hat until he's certain Criteous is defeated. "Yeah. Just got a bruised ego. I'll have to change the plating when I head back home. Is Criteous frozen?"

"For now," says Blinx. "He'll unfreeze in a bit. But by the time that happens, good ol' Sanjin's gonna have 'em in jail."

"Then…it really is over." Dust responds with that as he begins wagging his long tail in a gleeful motion.

"Oh finally…" sighs Fidget with relief. "So we got Gaius, the Commander, and their army. I guess all that's left is the giant robot."

"Yes. It's all water under the-" Dust pauses and darts at his little friend. "What...?"

Blinx's ears twitch up to the sky, switching his attention to the clouds blowing away from a strange formation falling to the earth at full speed! A diamond shaped machine, as tall as the nearest bell tower, large enough to stand at the center of the town square, smashes straight into the already ruined viaduct! It's silver hull reflects some of the sunlight down on the trio standing in front of it, almost blinding Fidget but prompting Blinx to put on his goggles. They're relieved the civilians had already cleared seeing the device descend. But only Sanjin returns to retrieve both Criteous and his sentinel guards.

"Ok…" murmurs Blinx, facing his friends again. "Since when were there huge attack droids on dis planet?"

Dust shakes his head in awe, and he tells him, "I…I don't know. I've never seen anything like it out here. Maybe it's new."

"Eeeh, I guess it ain't exactly too far off from those bombers we keep seein'. You wanna pull outta dis, Fidget? Not sayin' you can't handle it, but-"

"Actually, yeah," says the Nimbat. "Hate to have to take another shower for my date tonight."

Surprised, Dust asks, "You have a date?"

"Totally," she answers with a smile. "I mean I do have a life outside of saving your butts, y'know. Good luck!"

Fidget hovers away, heading back to the square along with Sanjin, dragging Criteous and his men. After a good minute of observing the machine, the gargantuan droid deploys its long 6 appendages, lifting itself enough that it casts a shadow over the two fighters and the buildings surrounding them. The front two arms extend outward like a crab's claws ready to pinch at their prey. One good lunge toward them forces Blinx to slow down time for him and Dust to move out, stumbling when the metal smashes the surface and cause a tremor!

YIKES! Blinx jumps, grabbing hold of his Sweeper much tighter now, shooting pieces of debris at the robot. Each shot merely bounces off its tight steel.

"For reserves, this thing's kinda overkill!"

"Kinda isn't even the word for it," mutters Dust, swinging Ahrah in preparation. "What do you say we teach this machine the rules of nature?"

"I was ready to ask you the same thing!"

The machine brings out two rear turrets at the duo, firing one of its explosive rounds. Had Blinx not flinched to the side, it surely would have struck him down. Dust gets in front of him to deflect some of the rapid-fire bolts from the second gun, having his armor pounded a few times while swinging. Being familiar with technology such as this, the Cat-Sith falls back, paying attention to the droid's visor near its peak. Though, there are no visible pilots, nor any point of entry to get inside.

"The way I see it, it's all automated," relays Blinx. "The brains of the thing should be somewhere near that visor in the middle."

"I'll handle that. Just keep it away from the square," Dust yells while running off to the village's bell tower.

"Alright," Blinx nods. He readies his vacuum, sucking up the rapid pellet shots and blowing them back at the robot's machine turrets! It shoots another explosive at him before the weapon is destroyed, knocking the Time Sweeper into a stand behind him! Before another blow could be struck from the droid's claws, Blinx takes a bite out of an apple next to him then triggers a freeze on time only lasting him a few seconds to move out the way. The impact of such an attack trips him forward onto his hands. Amid the assault on his friend, Dust makes his hasty way up the staircase to the top of the tower. But as he sprints, he mutters to himself, "Aaagh, I hate stairs…!"

One fatal flaw in the plan is quickly realized when the robot deploys a longer turret on its side, launching rockets from its 6 large barrels. These heat-seeking missiles return to the bell tower, bursting right through the windows into the edifice as Dust continues to flee! The rest of the rockets explode the lower end of the structure, beginning a steady collapse. Luckily, the Mithrarin makes it to the top and performs a nifty mid-air jump from the roof over to the peak of the titanic machine! He nearly falls off but shoves Ahrah into the metal to keep hold. The tower beside them crumbles in a thick cloud of ash blazing across the square! Blinx's Sweeper clears most of this for a better view, making sure to cover his eyes while he's at it. Seeing Dust up top makes him grin with more confidence than earlier, giving him enough time to keep the droid busy. Soon enough, after much trouble from balancing, Dust's grip prevails. His sights aim squarely at the center of the robot to stab into. It quickly alerts the machine to try and shake the Mithrarin off, smashing into other small buildings close to it when attempting to multitask against Blinx, who uses his Sweeper to hurdle boulders and wood at the other rocket launchers. Before they're all disabled, four of its missiles are fired past Blinx to the rest of the village. Sanjin already has Criteous and his lackeys cuffed when he notices the shots coming his way! Fastly, the Time Sweeper uses the rest of the vacuum's power to freeze reality, sprinting over to the front of the missiles. When resuming history, firing two large chunks of debris is enough to blow up the rockets in mid-air!

After digging into the robot's hull further, Dust finally breaches the central processor, cutting right through it until Ahrah's hilt is the only thing visible from the top. He pulls the sword out, nastily tearing out the loose circuitry from inside! The menacing red glow of the machine's visor fades to black. Very slowly, it shifts to the side, plummeting to where the bell tower's ruins are. Just before it hits the ground, Dust hops onto one of its arms, traveling downward to hop to a rooftop. All is quiet until very suddenly, the remnant's last resort instantly bursts into a loud inferno!

Some of the falling parts are sucked up by Blinx to avoid damage to the city. Citizens start pouring out of their safe zones carefully once the smoke had cleared. Dust meets with him after making his way down the small complex.

"Wow…," says Blinx in astonishment. "That turned out a lot easier than I thought."

Dust replies, "Me too. In fact, we didn't even need to use a checkpoint this time.

"Technically, you have," retorts Ahrah. "Constantly being resurrected each time you were atomized and dropped me. Nevertheless, it was a decent plan indeed."

"Decent…?!" Blinx crosses his arms, scoffing at the blade. "You gotta give us more credit, sword."

Sanjin is fast to greet the men again. He holds Criteous, who's unfrozen and shaken, in custody, making sure to have a few other Moonblood guards with him to see the commander off.

"Thanks for the help, boys," he says. "I don't think I could've done any better myself."

"Don't doubt yourself," advises Dust. "You and everyone else stood up to Gaius' men without me. You should be very proud."

"I am," nods Sanjin. "As for the commander here, we're gonna make sure he stays behind bars for an awful long time. Gaius isn't here to answer for his crimes, but this'll do justice."

Criteous stands bug-eyed, rattling tremendously while staring at the two men who bested him. Deep down, he knew Dust was more likely to kill him or in this case put him in a cold cell. What he hadn't expected most was Blinx. This mysterious creature from beyond the stars came to put an end to what Gaius had begun. Why hadn't he appeared before, and why now? Where is he from? Was Dust restored by him? All these thoughts roll through the once-proud commander's mind as he struggles to process every present detail and his defeat.

"Not possible," repeats Criteous quietly to himself. "N-not…possible."

The Commander is dragged off to his prison. Fidget returns to the boys, brushing her hair with her paw and looking at glass scattered on the ground like a mirror.

"I sure hope that was the last of 'em," she says. "Cause at this point, they're like your average Saturday morning cartoon supervillain.

Dust answers, "It is. Criteous was the only one in a good position to lead Gaius' men. Plus, he knew about the reserves. Without him, anyone left behind are on their own."

"His master must've been pretty sick if he got these folks to do his dirty work after death," says Blinx, turning back to his comrades. "What was his deal anyway? Some sorta population control? …Is it cause hardly anyone out here wear shoes?"

"What's that have to do with genocide," asks Dust.

"I'm just sayin'. Dude sounds like the kinda guy who'd go crazy if he spotted someone's pawprints in the carpet."

In the middle of the crowd of villagers, the elderly Grey Eyes and Jin's orange-haired sibling, Ginger, biologically Dust's sister that is, walk over to the pair. Ginger makes sure to keep her blue dress from getting caught in some of the junk on the ground but stays focused on Dust since the last time a battle like this had happened, he was supposedly consumed by lava before her very eyes. Seeing him alive, along with Fidget and Blinx, brings her visible joy. The elder speaks first.

"Brave warriors, you've made me and the citizens of this land proud. There are no more enemies from the remnant left to follow in their leader's footsteps, thanks to each of you."

"It was rough, but we finished it Elder," says Dust. "Really, we should be thanking Blinx. He's the reason I'm still standing, and there's no telling how much longer the war would've lasted without him."

"Aw, geez," Blinx blushes and scratches the back of his head. "I appreciate it, mac. Just one question. What was General Guy's point in all this? I just assumed he was born evil, but now it sounds like someone pissed in his soup."

Fidget giggles at Blinx's joke.

"I believe I can offer a theory," says the Elder. "In a way, even we Moonbloods were to blame for inspiring Gaius to wage war. People like I had the power to shape societies such as the one he had been a part of, laying out the paths their people would take to avoid a crisis such as this. We preached they could be anything they wanted to be when in truth, we already knew what they were going to be. It would seem Gaius knew that and became fractured by such a system we'd created."

"Soooo it's like if I won a prize I was always meant to have, but the prize wasn't very good," ponders Fidget.

"Sounds about right," nods Blinx. "An' does that mean Cassius was no different from the ol' dude?"

Elder Grey Eyes is quick to respond. "It would seem so. His allegiance with him was nearly indelible. And his taste for destruction was unmatched."

"Please don't remind me," says Ginger, reluctant to remember the attack on her village, and the death of her parents. "It's already kind of uncanny knowing he's part of Dust. But we're getting used to it."

For a second, Dust, underneath the mask, is shocked hearing his sister say that. But he knows she means well and isn't trying to upset him. She still speaks to him as Jin after all.

"Oh, hey Ginga," says Blinx, darting his ears up. "What's up?"

"What's up?" she asks with a tilt of her ear.

"How's it goin'? What'chu doin'? I didn't get a chance to speak to ya earlier."

"I was just about to attend a gardening class with Sarahi when the bridge was crowded. Hehe. You should've seen the Elder. He was about to walk headfirst into combat. It was kinda cute." Ginger folds her arms. "Also, I'm not 'Ginga'. It's Ginger, with an 'R'."

Blinx bows. "Sure thing, Ginger Ale."

The people start crowding the three heroes to celebrate, all cheering them on as Blinx puts his Sweeper back on his back, retracting the suction into the clock. Dust even takes a bow next to Fidget, still keeping his mask on. Amidst the audience, the two teens Colleen and Corbin, light rabbits wearing casual clothes, sneak into the front to see the trio; Blinx being the first one to notice them and tips his head, winking. The Elder steps forward and taps his staff twice on the ground, gathering everyone's attention for the Mayor when he returns to greet them.

"Nice work, you all," says Bram. "You've done it again! And hopefully, this will be the last we'll have to deal with another crisis in our village."

Elder Grey Eyes speaks up, sounding a lot more confident now that the Moonbloods are living in peace with the Warmbloods among him.

"I'm certain if anything happens now, it won't be like the war before. Gaius has been defeated, and we have Dust, Fidget, and the hero from the stars to thank."

"AHEM" scoffs Ahrah.

"Oh right! And Ahrah. The very sword I've forged myself. I remember back when I first came up with the idea…"

Blinx leans closer to Dust and Fidget while Elder Grey isn't looking.

"I can slow things down a little so we can bolt."

"Cool beans," says Dust. "Ahrah, keep the old man company."

"Alright then," answers the sword, pausing for a moment to process his agreement. "…Wait, what…?"

Before he suspects it, Ahrah is left alone with the rest of the audience and Elder Grey Eyes, ready to make a long-winded speech while the trio uses Blinx's Sweeper to exit the scene. He mumbles to himself, "Clever little furries…"

Dust, Fidget, and Blinx wander into the park area past the town square, laughing along the way as they sneak past civilians with ease into an empty seating spot by the pond. Although weirdly, Dust continues to wear his battle mask and hat, looking on at the water as he takes a seat to breathe. Fidget interjects, asking him, "Uh, hey buddy, I'm pretty sure it's safe to take the helmet off now."

Quietly, her friend retracts his mask but doesn't remove his hat; simply stroking his hair so it doesn't get in front of his face.

"I know there's no danger," he replies. "I just didn't wanna look upset in front of Ginger. We're still getting used to things now that the war's over. Especially when the man who killed my parents is part of my soul."

"I wouldn't let it get to ya," Blinx interjects, sitting next to his friend. "You said yourself, you're Dust. You're like a totally different dude who fights rough but ain't a complete sociopath."

"Yeah, Cassey can't come out if you don't like killing," adds the Nimbat.

"I don't think that's how it works, Blinx. And it's not that I'm scared that side of me is gonna take over or something," Dust replies. "It's the fact that he was used to make me…that's what's bothering me." He curves his eyebrows, looking somewhat sorrowful as well as shocked. "I thought the Life Thread would separate me back into him and Jin, or reincarnate me some kinda way. But, that never happened."

"You mean when you thought you were gonna kick the bucket," ponders the Time Sweeper.

"Yes, that. I still have dreams about it sometimes. I don't know why, but it's always the moment when the lava should've killed me. I never even felt a pinch, and everything up to me meeting you is a blur. All I know is it's always at Everdawn seconds after Gaius died, then I met you."

"Well, look at it this way. It's sorta like a….second chance. Er, third chance, dependin' on how ya look it."

"He's got a point, there," responds Fidget. "There's a lotta weird spirit-y stuff that goes on around here. I'm pretty sure it's the same thing with you again. You know how it is."

"I do," Dust nods.

"Plus, this could've been a lot worse. You could've been reincarnated as another sword I'd have to chase."

"If there's a timeline that has me turn into one, I pray for him. All that's left on my mind right now is the robot."

"Oh yeah, that thing," darts Blinx. "Big bub came outta the freakin' sky tryin' to kill us! I dunno what General Gee-Axe-Us had in his wallet, but that looked WAY too advanced for him, let alone the planet. It even had an A.I."

"Ooooooh. Sounds like a big mystery," says Fidget, getting closer to the pair. "…that I can't be in right now. I'm gonna go on that date with Ori. Maybe we can start early" Fidget starts flying away, flapping her wings harder to gain speed. "Try not to go on an adventure without me!" She then soars off into the clouds, already a fair distance away.

"That could be fun," utters the Mithrarin to Blinx, who abruptly cringes in pain, holding his arm with a gash through his jacket into his flesh! He grunts, trying to cover up his wound. Dust calmly asks him, "You ok?"

"Yeah," Blinx replies. "Just got a flesh wound. I'd use my Sweeper to fix it, but it's already low on juice. Think Mordecai got a band-aid 'er somethin'?"

"You know he does."

Chapter Text

Down by the town walls at the village's small marketplace, Dust and Blinx enter the short fine wooden shop with a sign of fruits and vegetables. A stand next to it says its wares are on sale, and that it's open. In the middle of their stroll, the duo is met again by Ahrah, flipping into Dust's hand by the hilt.

"Did Grey finish his speech yet," asks the Mithrarin.

Ahrah answers, "He did. It was very poetic compared to what I expected."

They're met inside the store by its only shopkeeper, Mordecai. A cat-like man in a purple robe wearing a green bean hat. Blinx is the first to introduce himself.

"Ey Mordo" waves Blinx.

"Ah, good morning warriors," says Mordecai, wiggling his fingers. "Another day, another quest!"

"Do you happen to have a bandage or a remedy for Blinx here," asks Dust. "There's a huge gash in his arm."

"Oh, yes." Mordecai already begins searching his cabinets for first-aid. "Let me get that for you. Free of charge."

Curious, Blinx asks the Shopkeeper as he comes back around from his desk, "Really? No tips er anythin'?"

"Why of course not, Blinx," he says, wrapping the bandage carefully around his friend's arm. "You've done so much for the village in fact that I wanted to do you boys a favor before I close down."

"Already," wonders Dust aloud. "It's still morning hours."

Mordecai shakes his head, saying, "No, not like that. Close as in later and forever. I'm going to be funding the project to restore the ruined lands from the great war. The one spearheaded by Mayor Bram."

Stunned, Dust's ears shoot right up. He bears a distinct look of a surprise since Mordecai, while a great seller and dollmaker, never seemed the type to be involved in grand endeavors like this. The Mithrarin relaxes in seconds and tells him, "Mordecai, that's fantastic…and a very heavy responsibility. Do you even have the funds for it?"

The Shopkeeper nods, "Yes, I do. I HAVE supported myself over the years through all my wares. And it's thanks to you and Fidget that I've been able to earn more."

"How exactly?"

"Why the Fidget dolls, of course," replies Mordecai with a chuckle.

"What about retirement though," asks the Time Sweeper. "I-I mean, I'm sure it's enough fer the project. But ain't ya got enough for yourself?"

That's where I come in.

Another voice chimes in, belonging to Fale from outside coming in the shop. He straightens his green tunic and removes a strapped bag from his back full of random goods, sitting it on the table for everyone to look into. The young mouse adjusts his open-toed boots after what seemed like hours of wandering since before the break of dawn.

"Oh, hey Fale," says Dust turning to him. "I didn't know you and Mordecai were working together."

"We are. I'm helpin' him get the funds for when the project's ova' so he can settle down." Fale opens the bag even wider to unpack its contents. "There's a lo'a valuable artifacts out 'dere. And since the war's done with, they're easy pickings."

Ahrah, who normally keeps himself reserved for those closest to Dust, speaks up. "Hmm… If possible, you might actually recover parts from when I was forged, since a lot of it has been scattered over the years."

"You'd be fine if I sold 'em, right," asks Fale.

"Of course. There is no use for any of it now. A-aside from…well…no. No, I'm sure it won't be necessary."

"What's not necessary," ponders Dust to the sword.

"I was considering if the other blades of Elysium could be recovered. But, they function in ways I'm not entirely familiar with myself. I don't know if they're even on this planet anymore, considering their absence during the war. However, if you do happen to see one, I find it best to hold onto it. It could mean something for the future. Something dire…"

"I certainly hope not," interjects Mordecai. "If that were the case, it would be, devastating. I'd hate to have to repair any more damages after all. Haha!"

Blinx, now having a fully wrapped bandage over his wounded arm, sits up and flexes it briefly. "Aaah, there we go! That's more like It! Thanks Mordo."

"You are most welcome!"

"Also, ya might wanna check on Dust's hat fer a sec. It looks a little rough."

"Yeah…," says the Mithrarin in a defeated tone. "Sorry about that."

"Oh it's no trouble at all," replies Mordecai, giving Dust a copy of his hat. "Those hats I keep making for you are another reason why my shop is so successful."

"Wha're ya plannin' on doin' now," asks Fale to Blinx. "Gonna try an' relax now that the war's ova'?"

"Not yet pal. First we gotta figure out what that robot was all about," replies Blinx, folding his arms. "Where it came from an' how was it made, cause it sure ain't tech I've seen in these parts." He faces Dust with a smirk. "I'm sorry, but yer ol' friend, Gauss, must've been real nuts if he had that thing in his garage."

"I can't argue with that," Dust says, putting on his new hat. "And y'know it's pronounced, 'Gaius', right?"

"Yeah, I get how to say it an' what I've been sayin' was disrespectin' the dead. I just know he's a murderer."

"Can't really argue with that either," shrugs Dust.

Back at the town square, the large remains of the giant machine from earlier are hastily cluttered together like a small hill. Avgustin, the large dog-like citizen of the village in an adventurous green jacket, pats his hands over the mess, admiring his handy-work. Blinx arrives with Dust walking next to him, and tells him, "First, let's take a look at the evidence. Maybe it really is just magic stuff like ya said earlier."

"Hey pals," announces Avgustin, patting a metal slab from the robot. "I've piled up all sorts'a scraps for ya! Figured you wanted to investigate."

"Actually, that's exactly what we're here to do, Avgustin," says Dust. "We're trying to see where this machine came from and how it was made. It looked and acted way too advanced for Gaius to understand."

"I LOVE a big mystery," says the large Warmblood, who gets closer to Dust with excitement. "What're we looking for? I wanna help."

"Gathering all this material was more than enough, bud," Dust answers as he begins to look around the wreckage for clues. "But if you see anything…I dunno…otherwordly, then say the word."

"Awesome," Avgustin cheers, grabbing onto a hunk of metal and peeking in the deep parts of the robot's remains. Blinx purrs to himself, scratching his chin while trying to figure out the strangely familiar aesthetics of the machine. The color of the material resembles the walls of the Time Factory. The very same place he grew up in. "Funny," he thinks. "All this junk takes me back".

Dust pulls out a full circuit board barely connected to large wires, examining the fragments closely. He faces Blinx and admits to him, "I have no idea what any of these things do."

"They're like your augmentations," Blinx replies, picking up another piece of circuitry. "They make things move. See any symbols or pieces familiar to you like a bomber part or somethin' magical?"

Dust shakes his head. "Not as far as I can tell. Gotta admit, I'm more into breaking things than examining them when it comes to technology."

"Then what's with all that curiosity from before?"

"I had amnesia back then." Dust grabs hold of a steel pipe, putting his back into it. "I'm gonna be asking…a lotta questions…!" He successfully pries out the tube but ends up causing one of the downed turret mounts to fall next to Blinx, almost hitting him! He's quick to hop out the way without using his Sweeper to slow down time, shielding himself from the impact.

"EY," yells the Time Sweeper. "Watch what you're…" Suddenly, his eyes begin to light up, widening as he sees something he hasn't recognized for a very long time. Dust checks on Avgustin's side to see if he's ok, then turns back to his friend, asking him, "Blinx…?"

He gets no reply. Blinx speechlessly brushes off the dirt from the broken metal frame on the back side. On it is an insignia. The very same one the Time Sweepers used at the old Time Factory, shaped like a golden arrow in a clock. That moment, the young cat-sith shrieks with a loud "RREEEEEEEOOOOOOWRRR" and he collapses onto his back, fumbling away from the fragment of the machine! Dust quickly comes to his aid, kneeling to his friend as he calms down from hyperventilating.

"Blinx, what's wrong," asks the Mithrarin. "You're not usually spooked like this."

Blinx takes up the piece with the insignia on it again, silently showing it to Dust who, even to his knowledge, immediately recognizes the markings from his experience with the Sweeper. He equally stands appalled, nearly covering his mouth when he sits up. Ahrah interrupts, "Your insignia…!"

"The same as the one at the Time Factory," continues Blinx, regaining his breath. "An' now that I look at this junk, the more I can see the resemblance."

Avgustin steps from his end to show the duo a panel with odd alien writing on it. Blinx looks at it closely and then at the Warmblood. "Yer lookin' at the handy-work of a Cat-Sith like me."

Minutes pass and the group are on their way to the cells containing the last of the Gaius Remnant, speed-walking down the first hall past the still unconscious and maimed Anti-Moonblood troops inside.

"When the factory got blown up, all the squads that were deployed across time an' space were left stranded or hunted down. I dunno if anyone survived the purge at the main place, but it wouldn't make sense for them to be here an' make weapons for Gaius."

"Oh hey, you said his name right," Dust interjects. "And you've got a point. Especially when the timeline's been reset to stop a certain future from happening. So why would they go back and fix what isn't broken for a world like ours?"

"Right," points Blinx. "This is probably recent. Not somethin' made for General Gianni."

"And you're back to saying it wrong…," says Dust with a sigh.

"Even if it was made in his time, you don't expect it to be around these parts for the bad guys. It's just not in our character. Heck, not even the Tom Tom Gang had this kinda stuff on 'em unless they stole it. So I don't know how they'd be able to pull it off."

"Well I'd be willing to bet if we ask Criteous about the details, he'd either tell us outright or give us a hint."

The two stop at the last gate to the next cell area where Sanjin comes out next to a Warmblood guard.

"A hint is all we need," Blinx nods.

"If you're planning on giving the commander the good cop bad cop treatment, I wouldn't bother," says Sanjin, removing his helmet and rubbing his head. "He's way out of it now."

Dust asks the Moonblood, "How bad?"

"Let's just say he's been muttering Blinx's name nonstop and he thought he came from the Advanced Regions or outer space perhaps."

"The what now," asks the Time Sweeper.

Sanjin puts his helmet back on and tells him, "Advanced Regions. Some area far from Aurora or just about anywhere you've been, Dust. Criteous sure hasn't been there before. But Gaius supposedly did."

"So he could get the robot?"

"So he could get backup."

In the meeting room of the Mayor's Office, Bram spreads out a long scroll of a map detailing the land of Falana as far as it's been explored. Joining Dust, Ahrah, and Blinx are the Elder, Avgustin, and Sanjin to hear about the plan. The mayor is first to explain. "The Advanced Regions as far as we know are somewhere beyond the Elder's point to the far Eastside."

"That is where the Plains of Elysium are," addresses Ahrah.

"Where I've forged you as well," Grey Eyes replies.

"Strange because I sure don't remember there being a place past that area at all," Dust says while scratching his ear. "Not as far as Fidget and I knew."

"Yer planet's big, so I kinda expected it," nods Blinx. "Then again, if this is all new, chances are this only popped up after the timeline got fixed. That's why everyone else but us know a little about it."

"Oooh. So it's like changing the future," says Avgustin with clear excitement.

"That does sound vaguely familiar, Avgustin…," remarks Elder Grey Eyes, stroking his chin.

"You know something about this, Elder," asks Dust.

"Not so much as I'm used to. It's all a blur."

"Sure sounds odd comin' from you, Gramps," Blinx adds. "Makin' me wonder if ya met a Cat-Sith like me at some point in yo' life."

"Perhaps I have. But I cannot recall that. Only the lead to the atrocities committed by Gaius."

"Now that's really weird…" Dust comments. "You've dumped a lotta lore on me before, but this is the first time you don't remember something. Especially over a personal experience."

"Yes, the war has certainly taken it's toll on my memory, has it?"

Blinx adds, "Actually, since the timeline's been changed so much, you must've forgot some of the deets. It happens if there's ever any contradictions or maybe multiple changes happening at once. Who knows? Maybe my folks made it out here before the war an' established a base. But that still doesn't explain why they'd be helpin' the General."

"Maybe they agreed with his stance on the political side against the Moonbloods," suggests Sanjin.

"Perhaps," says Dust with a shrug. "Still, Blinx knows they wouldn't do this even if Gaius made a good argument. Especially when genocide's on the table."

"Lemme put it this way," Blinx says, putting his hands together. "Mr. McEvil had himself an army already. He had plenty of armor an' weapons for his troops for the war, so there's no need to change all that. Instead we get this giant diamond bot comin' from the sky like a manufactured Gundam kept in storage somewhere in case the head honcho failed. Rarely have we ever built robots for anything outside of cleanin' our livin' space an' the portal conveyors. So why now?"

"I-I'm sorry," Avgustin says, scratching his head. "Can you repeat the question? You lost me."

"Basically, I think my boys are being held hostage to build weapons of war."

"How they established an Advanced Region before all that, we don't know," adds Dust. "But we can figure that out when we get there. It's gonna take a long journey to get to the plains then whatever lies beyond. Not unless one of you guys have any better ideas."

"Ohoho, no," answers Bram. "I'm more like you. I just walk it."

"No teleporters?"

"Oh my, no," replies the Elder, shaking his head.

Sanjin also comments, "I don't remember there ever being any passageways either."

Blinx takes a moment to pause when it hits him. The bombers from the fight earlier. One key detail to save time.

"…I have a thought."

The Mithrarin and Time Sweeper step into a large empty hangar space near the edge of town. When the top shutters open, they shine light onto the long thick tarp covering what looks to be a bomber like the ones Gaius' men use. Blinx walks over to it, uncovering the vehicle from the side to reveal what's inside. An upgraded ship with a stealth black and grey pattern, red visor window from the cockpit, and four turret barrels on both jagged wings. The look astounds even Ahrah, who normally isn't phased by such wonders.

Blinx motions his hand toward the cockpit. "Gentlemen, meet the Firebat!"

"Blinx, you've kept a bomber around and didn't say anything," asks Dust, still in awe.

"Sure did! I was gonna surprise ya. It was Haley's idea."

"Her's…?"

"She said she found this baby crashed near the village an' fixed it up as best she could on her off time. She asked me to finish the rest of it since she's busy."

"Didn't know you were a mechanic yourself, bud."

"Course I am. Gotta be if I wanna keep my Sweeper up to specs." He casually removes his tattered gloves and steps to the worktable off to the side. "Dere should be some parts to your suit in the back."

Blinx gets to work making small repairs to his Sweeper while Dust continues to admire the ship's finish. Ahrah even motion's his wielder's hand to get a better view of the underside.

"Efficient," says the blade. "They've completely rebuilt it. This makes traveling much easier, now does it?"

"It does…," Dust replies quietly. "What I'm trying to figure out is, what was my wife doing with one of my best friends…?"

Blinx overhears his friend's remark and casually tells him while unscrewing his Sweeper's clock, "One, I can still hear ya. An' two, I wasn't workin' next to her. I was just asked to complete it one day."

"Oh," the Mithrarin blushes. "Oh… M-my bad."

"Don't get all soft on me now, sportsy. You really care for her. That's more than what Fidget told me about you an' the signals."

"How was I supposed to know Haley was flirting with me when there was a war going on?"

Blinx just rolls his eyes with a smirk when he turns back to his friend. "Pleeeeease. I went an' saved a whole planet once cause I had the hots for a blonde girl, an' she didn't gimme the signs. Love does stuff to ya like that."

Oooooooooooooh…

Someone with a soft young voice mumbles somewhere behind Dust by the entrance, alerting Ahrah who demands a response. Out comes the two youths Corbin, a scrappy young Warmblood rabbit wearing casual clothes, and his sister Colleen, holding her hands together as if she were Mordecai trying to look humble. She is first to respond, "Good morning Dust and Blinx."

"Oh hey, kids," Dust says with a grin.

Ahrah darts, "Do not forget about me!"

"Sup man," says the young boy. "What're you up to?"

"We're just fixin' things up," Blinx replies. "How bout'chu?"

"Just visiting. Thought we'd hang out for once."

"Not sure if you'd really want to considering we're about to go on a rather important mission to do with Blinx here," says Dust with a shake of his head. "Plus, Gianni would burn my hide if he heard we flew you two across Falana."

Corbin shakes his head. "No he won't. He's not here anymore."

"He's not," Dust wonders tilting his ear.

"Remember the prank we pulled on him? He ran away thinking everyone was out to get him."

"Moska and Sarahi take care of us now," adds Colleen.

Dust is taken aback, raising in eyebrows in shock since he and Corbin were responsible. "Huh… I had no idea it was that bad."

"That's what happens when you act on vengeance, you two," snarks Dust's sword.

"Hey, it was just a rash," Corbin retorts.

"Definitely. They wear off," adds Dust with a nod.

"I don't think that's why he's gone," Colleen interrupts. "He said something about Blinx. He thought he was out to kill him."

Blinx darts, "Aw, whaaaaaaaaat? Me? Pssssh!" He waves his hand outward, brushing off the comment as though it were a joke. "I wouldn't hurt a fly!"

As quickly as Blinx speaks about himself, he is bitten by a mosquito, which he promptly smacks from his hand commenting, "Dag, mosquitoes…"

"Wow…," Dust moans. "Um…sorry to hear that kids."

"Sorry," asks Corbin. "No way! We're thrilled to death! He's been a pain in our butt for years!"

"Mainly his," snarks Colleen.

Blinx straightens out the suction end of his Sweeper and starts adjusting some of the wiring to make room for a new attachment to his side when he asks Corbin, "Shouldn't he at least get some credit? I mean, he's the dude who took care o' yas."

The boy simply answers, "Nope. Moska's way better. I mean granted, he's a bit of a wuss sometimes, but I'll take him and Sarahi over Gianni. By the way, you know we're not kids anymore, right?"

"Wait, ya ain't," asks Blinx. "I thought y'all were 12 er somethin'."

"No no, SmoBop was 12. We're 19."

"Definitely sounds like another time discrepancy to me," tells Dust. "Which is why we're about to go on this adventure to solve it."

"Since you two're grown ups, you ever thought about takin' up some gigs," Blinx asks the twins.

Colleen, with sparks in her eyes, is first to reply, "I wanna be a stylist. I feel like I could really help spice up our outfits. Maybe make them like yours, Mr. Blinx. You too Dust. It's so modern."

"That I was not expecting coming from you, but we could really use a fashion expert right now. Mainly Mudpot," Dust says.

"What about you Corbin," Blinx wonders while putting the last piece of his Sweeper together.

"I mean…I thought it was obvious. I wanna be like you two. I wanna go out and do something awesome!"

Dust quickly throws caution telling him, "It'll be dangerous".

"I AM danger," says Corbin with a vivid leer.

"Well let's start'chu off with some basics," Blinx says as he equips his Sweeper, this time as an attachment to his right arm, easily hooking itself on. "If you wanna understand how we do things, ya gotta know some science. Y'know why? Cause it's awesome."

With a press of a button and a swift gesture, the modified Sweeper weapon releases a long blue energy blade of some kind out the cartridge Blinx added onto it. Both Colleen and Corbin's eyes glimmer and their jaws drop, being careful not to get close to the sword while admiring its craftsmanship. Likewise, Ahrah nearly jumps up from the work table he's leaning against, amazed at the Time Sweeper's handy-work. At that moment, Dust finishes replacing the broken pieces of his armor, aligning his chest plates along with his jumpsuit underneath.

"Alright. I think it's time we get to work," says the Mithrarin.

"It's still pretty early," Blinx nods as he deactivates his sword and turns his attention to the young ones. "With any luck, we'll be back by sundown. If anyone asks, especially Ginga', tell 'em it's a man's day out."

"I can't tell whether that's a joke or not," says Colleen.

"It's what you make of it," Dust marks, giggling under his breath.

Both the Time Sweeper and the Mithrarin begin exiting to the Firebat shuttle, which automatically opens its side door for them to climb in. Ahrah is wisped over to Dust's grasp and Blinx unequips his Sweeper, placing it on his back. The three are interrupted when Corbin wants to know, "Hey, think maybe we can hitch a ride with you one day? I mean it's too good to pass up!"

Blinx especially is eager to let the two Warmbloods come aboard, but he understands he and Dust could be in for more than they anticipate. All he can say to them is, "Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh, on your next b-day," before shutting the door.

The ship's wingspan carefully lowers down to its sides. Weapons are locked and the highlights are lit. Inside the spacious interior are multiple seats replacing the bomb rack of the bomber's old form, and a computer terminal to the sides and the cockpit controls. Blinx takes the helm while Dust takes a seat next to him.

"Wait," Dust interrupts, "Have you ever flown a shuttle like this before?"

Blinx simply shakes his head and puts his goggles over his eyes, "Nope. But how hard can it be? Fasten your seatbelts."

With the press of a button, the onboard computer announces, "DEPLOYING WEAPONS."

"NONONONO," shouts both Dust and Blinx frantically pressing the same switch! "WEAPONS DISARMED," says the computer again, relieving the duo and the sword. Blinx presses the third switch in front of him colored red, engaging the ignition sequence. The thrusters in the back hatch start to boot up, prompting Colleen and Corbin nearby to stop to the side by the worktables. The large hatch doors at the front of the hangar automatically open, and the Firebat rises upward from the lower thrust. And with a 3 second countdown, the ship takes off, shooting out of the chamber over the cliff in a straight path above the village below! The sheer force of the rockets nearly send the two Warmblood twins into a wall, which humorously makes them shout a bombastic, "YEEEEAH!"

In the town, citizens walking by notice the old bomber jetting overhead, which causes some of the market stands and trees to shake but not break. Haley, wandering towards a nearby fountain with her short brother Matti doesn't even look up to know that the shuttle she was rebuilding is rocketing above her as her long ears harshly wiggle in front of her. Even Matti's wood-like haircut is blown into a flurry, making it resemble more of a palm tree.

"Thanks for stealing my husband, Blinx…," mutters Haley with a sigh, lowering her ears in disappointment. Likewise, Matti utters his usual barbaric growl.

In the Firebat, Dust puts his hand on his chest taking a deep breath while Blinx continues to steer, and he tells the Mithrarin, "See, that wasn't so tough."

"Yeah, that wasn't scary at all," mutters Dust sarcastically. "Haley's totally gonna be mad at us."

"So'll yer sista'," Blinx adds. "She's the one with the feet big enough to kill me fer this. But like I said. We can get this done today!"

"And it'll be worth it to give you closure with your brothers, like you did bringing me home." Dust nearly frowns whilst leaning forward putting his hands together. "I just hope what sounds to be the case isn't true."

"Ya mean the part with 'em workin' for the General's army? Nah. I doubt that. It just ain't in our character. An' frankly, it wouldn't make sense considering we've dealt with powers that wanted to exterminate an entire timeline once. Hate to imagine us workin' to take out an entire species."

"Patience boys," Ahrah calmly says. "We will soon discover the truth. You're already headed in the right direction. All we can do now is wait…and try not to crash."

Blinx lifts his ears and darts at the ancient sword, "Eeeeey, no one's crashin' anything! Besides, we're in clear skies an' this planet ain't got planes an' air traffic laws...I think."

"Well in the meantime, you or Haley add a cooler or something for drinks," asks Dust to his friend.

"What'chu thought I'd let us get dry-mouthed? Course we got somethin'. It's uuuuh…on yo right."

Dust opens a slot next to him by the controls to look into the cooler and Ahrah leans himself more firmly next to his wielder.

"Oh, an' check this out!"

Blinx pulls up a playlist on the screen beside his control stick and clicks one of the tracks. It plays "On My Mama, On My Hood, I Look Fly, I Look Good"

Dust turns to his friend with a curious look on his face, tilting one ear and wrapping his long tail against his stomach.

"What," asks Blinx. "I like Charlie Boy. Classic. Kept some tracks on me since before I even moved here."

"Hm," marks Ahrah. "I prefer orchestra…"

Chapter Text

After a successful launch, the Firebat performs its first flight above the land of Falana, beautifully soaring through the mountains and clouds, past nearby villages where some Moonblood archers reside. But unlike most days where they're used to seeing the familiar-shaped bombers, they all watch calmly knowing the war has ended after a transmission from the Elder confirmed such news. These snowy cliffs and rising sun give off a vivid hue of pinks and blues. All Dust can do in response is soak it all in alongside both his sword and shield, in a manner of speaking. He almost forgets the radio is still on, tuned to a playlist Blinx saved during their time in The Underground. One such track perfectly fits with the scenery, playing warm orchestral music suited to Ahrah.

"Told ya I could fly this thing, didn't I," says Blinx steering with one-handed.

"You did prove yourself, along with having orchestra like I prefer," Ahrah returns.

"It's gorgeous up here…," Dust mutters to himself, unable to look away from outside the windshield. "I-I mean it's not the first time I've seen anything like it, but…I never had a chance to take it all in. Told Haley that before we left."

Blinx chuckles, "Beats light blue corridors, abstract planets, dank basements, an' HUGE corporate castles any day!"

"As well the advertisements you couldn't avoid," Ahrah replies.

"Wasn't the first one to do with the Time Factory," Dust asks.

"Yep! The rest of the planet was more creative, but we spent most of our days in the main building. Could never get tired o' those huge chrome walls, conveyors, an' clock-themed pajamas." Blinx turns to Dust grinning. "Makes you feel like yer takin' the bed wit'chu."

"Cozy," Ahrah says back.

"What else can you tell us about the forge, Ahrah," asks the Mithrarin.

"It was divine intervention. The war with Gaius hadn't started at the time I was created. But Grey Eyes knew of a coming threat that required my expertise. When you reach the sanctum, I will show you."

"Good," Blinx says stretching his arms, "cause I might need to stretch my legs, an' I hate to let go of the controls since this is technically a beta flight."

Dust quickly turns to his friend asking, "Wait, you and Haley never tested this?!"

"I mean, she probably did but not me. I just thought, y'know. It's prebuilt, just patched up an' modified a little."

"Still, that's like the first rule of any science project. You always test your stuff!"

"Well we're doin' it now! Hol' on fer some turbulence!"

Dust holds on tight to the arms of his chair as the fur on his tail shoots up! The ship tilts, coming around a large mountain peaking through the haze. Blinx almost hits a tree on the way, but his quick reflexes keep him from crashing while flying through a small forest.

"Oh dear…," bemoans Ahrah.

By the garden area of the main village center, the Nimbat Fidget hovers around the now bustling district alone, clearly in search of someone. On her way, she's met by the locals and cheered on as a hero for her part in helping Dust end the war. Some Moonbloods even kneels as she passes by out of respect, albeit awkwardly thanks to their digitigrade legs.

"Hey Fidget," announces one of the soldiers, then another, who attempts to kneel like the others but stumbles backward along with them!

"Geez, talk about publicity," Fidget says to herself on her way to the courtyard. There, she encounters Reed, the timid Warmblood rocking back and forth by the fountain with a strange wooden box in his hands.

"Heya Reed," Fidget says.

The trembling man leaps shouting "THEY'RE GONNA EAT OUR MINDS ALIVE! The menace from the stars sees all! A trio of fallen angels will make their second coming and destroy all sinners!"

"Happy to hear that, bud!"

Just like that, Fidget keeps floating along her merry way. Minutes later, she comes across Ginger, sitting on a bench fiddling with a strange rectangular device big enough to fit in her palm. With its touchpad, she tries contacting Blinx, only to get no response.

"Come on Blinx… Why aren't you answering already?"

"Hey, Ginger. You see Hat Wolf and future Garfield anywhere," asks the Nimbat.

"No," Ginger replies. "Colleen told me they left a few minutes ago. Apparently, they're on sort of a men's day out, and I can't call Blinx to shout at him for leaving without telling me." Frustrated, the Warmblood starts to clench tightly on the device. "What's the point of giving me this weird transmitter if he isn't gonna pick up?!"

Equally mad, Fidget tugs lightly on her pointy ears, "Daoow, I KNEW they'd do something cool without me!" Knowing full well what they're doing, all she can do is fold her arms with a pouty face, saying under her breath, "I like fun too…"

Ginger simply shrugs, though smirking from seeing Fidget cartoonishly annoyed. "Hmhm. Boys will be boys, I guess."

"Oh well. At least there's you. I just wrapped up my date, and we saw something preeeeetty weird out there. Kinda alien looking like my pal's ol' planet. Figured Blinx knew, but, you like gardening, so, you're the next best thing."

"Oh," Ginger says, lifting her ears in surprise. "Ok. Let's see what it is then."

Fidget tilts her head wondering, "You sure sound surprised."

"Well, you never really ask me to do anything with you," Ginger notes, lowering her ears. "You usually stick with the men, mainly Dust."

"That's cause we keep going on quests that I'm pretty sure you'd get wrecked in." Fidget quickly raises her hands up to her chest. "No offense."

"Hey, I ran up an active volcano to find Dust," Ginger says with a chuckle. "I'm pretty sure some alien plants aren't gonna scare me."

Minutes later, both Ginger and Fidget find themselves at the entrance to the forest on the outskirts of Aurora Village, visibly less pleasing to look at compared to the lush vegetation in the main district. The trees have been blackened and thorns are sprouted around the opening path. Oddly alien-like formations hide behind shrubs along with glowing objects poking from the dirt.

With her eyes widened, Ginger replies, "Fidget, I'm scared."

"Aw, don't be such a baby," the Nimbat responds, rolling her eyes. "It's just a few thorns and weird gooey things. I'll bet it's nothing and it just looks creepy."

"Sure says a lot coming from you. You hesitate sometimes."

"Normally I would, but Ori and I stepped in earlier and we were just fine. So I'm guessing there's nothing to worry about. Let's go!"

As Fidget flies inside, Ginger looks on nervously, picking up a stick next to her and keeping it close as she begins to follow the Nimbat.

Elsewhere, Haley along with her brother come to visit Mordecai's shop, stepping past Sereth, the mysterious cloaked Moonblood vender wandering out the store with what seems to be a smirk on his shaded face. Strangely, the shopkeeper isn't even inside. Instead, Fale is, stocking a few potions and herbs for him. His big round ears twitch hearing the rabbit Warmblood step toward the entrance.

"Ah, hey," he says aloud. "Fancy seein' you two aroun' here. Out lookin' for your man, I presume?"

"I was. But then I saw my science project fly overhead with him and Blinx no doubt inside. So, I guess you can say I'm pretty peeved about now."

"Grrr….," Matti groans in his usual self, though it's hard to tell whether he's annoyed over Dust and Blinx suddenly leaving, or that his hair now resembles heavy leaves on a plant.

"Lookin' good dere, Matti," nods Fale, tipping his hat to him. In response, Matti, perhaps a first for him, actually smiles at him, albeit painfully trying to. "Sorry to hear your boys leavin' so soon. Last I checked, they said they needed to go investigate that robot from earlier an' see where it came from. Sounds like they might've found where to look."

Haley lets out a long sigh and slouches against the counter behind her. "Ugh…! Tried to tell 'em to let me help on these missions. If I was with 'em, Dust wouldn't be coming back from getting blasted by a missile telling me, 'Blinx's Sweeper ran out of batteries. Could you fix this for me please', like I haven't done that before. All because he doesn't want me to get hurt?" She reaches behind her and pulls out her heavy iron mallet. "Dude, I've got a hammer! Let me use it!"

"Girl power," Mordecai cheers in another room!

"YES, that!" Haley takes a quick moment to pause and puts her hammer away, then straightens her hair to relax. "Anyway, what're you doing here?"

"Just helpin' the shopkeeper get his stuff togetha'," Fale says. "He's in the backroom stitchin' up his hat. Ya need anything?"

"No, I just came to vent and see how you two're doing."

Mordecai steps out the backroom putting his hat back over his head, poking his ears out the holes up top. "Why that's very thoughtful of you, Haley! Honey and I are doing just fine!"

"Say what now," Fale asks immediately in astonishment.

"In fact, Sereth just visited to let us know something very special. A cave was exposed where bridge detonated. And upon first glance may lead to something of interest to us. The old tunnel systems of Aurora contain many artifacts some may find valuable. A special mission for Fale and any adventurers in town."

"Well, I've gotta head home to wrap up something I was working on," Haley says scratching her head. "But hey, maybe Matti can come with you."

"Grr…," Matti grunts in an unusually confused tone.

"What? You've got a hammer. I figured you could be like Fale's backup or something."

"Grrrrr…"

Haley nods to Fale, "He said ok."

"Sounds good. I'm about ta head over dere right now." Fale kneels to Matti bringing his back forward. "Hop on my back, partner."

The short Warmblood jumps on, grabbing firmly onto Fale's shoulders like a backpack. He straps a pouch around his waist and straightens the rest of his attire for the quest.

"Well, good luck," Haley says before stepping out the shop. "Hope you have a fun trip, Matti!"

Soon as Haley leaves and Fale begins to exit himself, Mordecai interrupts. "Be careful out there you two. Dust and Blinx aren't here to help after all."

Fale turns back to his friend, telling him, "Ey, can't always rely on them for everything we do. We'll be back in a jiffy."

"Of course Fale. Love you."

The Warmblood cringes in response not only unexpectedly but also because Mordecai's lifted Matti's curiosity. After a brief pause, he quickly turns back around and hastily tells the Shopkeeper, "Iloveyoutoo." He rotates himself back to the entrance, trotting with his arms saying, "OOOOKAY, let's go Mate!"

After what must've been another hour, the two men aboard the Firebat had fallen asleep along with the playlist, which has run out of tracks and isn't on loop. Blinx still holds onto the joysticks in a straight path, keeping his body from moving any other direction while he's in a deep slumber. Dust, however, is leaning against the Time Sweeper with one hand on his lap as if it were a pillow. Hilariously, Blinx purrs as if he were snoring until Ahrah barks, "BLINX, BIRDS!"

Both Blinx and Dust fumble awake and flip the ship several times in a straight line before they're able to maintain balance! "HAHAHAHAHA," the old sword laughs, annoying the two who both glare at him.

"Yeah, keep laughin', granddad!"

"I didn't even know you were capable of cracking a joke," Dust adds.

"I am," answers Ahrah. "I just never had an opportunity to. The forge should be just beneath us. By that boulder up ahead."

Blinx slows down the shuttle. It begins its descent to the grey grassy fields of an ancient battleground. Only a few stones and small broken towers remain, covered in moss. Nearby a fair distance away is what looks to be an open village, close enough that Dust and Blinx can wheel the ship to it. Soon the Firebat makes a steady landing with its jets, touching down next to a large boulder. The lower hatch opens, lowering the staircase for Blinx and Dust, whose carrying Ahrah. The Time Sweeper in particular begins stretching and bending to loosen his joints.

"Yep. This is exactly what I needed." He says this while shifting to the side, then arching his spine so far that his hands touch the ground from behind. "Aaaah, that's good."

"Behold boys," Ahrah announces. "The Plains of Elysium, where all 5 ancient swords were forged over the eons! I was the last to be constructed and bestowed upon you, Mithrarin."

Blinx leans closer to the blade grinning widely. "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand…?"

Of course Ahrah was never meant for Blinx. But he has wielded him multiple times now and has mastered his mechanics in his own way. With a pause, Ahrah answers, "…And you, Time Sweeper."

"See, I'm part of history too!"

"I remember Elder Grey Eyes said he built you," Dust replies. "But he never told me where until now."

"A matter of coincidence I'm afraid," says Ahrah. "He had planned to, but the battle at Everdawn put a dent in things. He didn't know you had survived until our return, nor did the legends prophesize it. Only that the future would be changed forever."

Confused, the Cat-Sith interrupts, "Wait wait. You guys knew the regime thing would happen?"

"Not necessarily. We merely made a prediction. A certain hindsight Moonbloods happen to possess. You can see for yourselves in the cave underneath that boulder next to the ship."

Getting closer to the large rock, the men can see carvings of familiar symbols very much akin to Ahrah and ancient Moonblood language. The sword's markings shine as well as the ones on the stone, causing it to shift slowly to the side like a sliding door, exposing a passageway in the ground. Not too deep down the concrete staircase into a small cave, candles automatically light a blue flame shining on the worktables and cabinets inside. One huge slab sits at the center of the room with an aqueduct system where lava or water is meant to pour in. And on the walls, some symbols depict a scene of some kind. These crudely drawn figures, a bat-like person and a shaded feline surrounded by the representation of a heavenly light, stand face to face with one another, before the scene shifts to the shape of the universe where Falana rests at the center of it all.

"Ey, check it out over dere," Blinx says pointing to the wall art. "Those markings on the walls kinda remind me of Max! Good ol' bat kid!"

"And look," replies Dust, peeking at the sketches on the table. "There's some drawings of you here, Ahrah."

"Those were my design drafts," answers the blade. "Some of them are copies of what the other blades look like. But unlike them, I'm the only one that's sentient. A sort of backup of one's soul with a strong will was necessary to give me life."

On the surface, a lot of the swords drawn resemble Ahrah, but with different patterns and colors. The largest one, Aquatus, is even depicted as a staff instead of an actual sword. Behind it, there's a familiar, properly shaped blade sketched out, spelling "Final Magi" before it's cut off from a stain.

"No offense," Blinx responds, "but I can't imagine why anyone would wanna do that. Yer an object."

"Oh, but it's quite simple, Blinx, because it was necessary for the threat I mentioned earlier. Not to do with Gaius or the alternate future. Look around."

The two admire the rest of the cave, observing its craftsmanship and the languages written on the walls. Some art displays a scene in detail. One about an army of Moonblood soldiers face to face with a massive ethereal creature with three slanted eyes and a wavy, almost ghostly physique. Its many long tentacles stretch across the plains, devouring the land and turning its riches against it.

"These caverns were carved in preparation for a battle with an ancient creature from the stars. She plunged many worlds into chaos and had arrived on Falana to do the same. Before she could achieve her goal, the one called Grey Eyes, with the strength of a thousand men, had used my power to seal her into a deep slumber, of which she remains to this day. All the other blades forged to fight her had been lost to time, while I was left waiting for the next sword-bearer to arrive. What you see before you is what we believed would be inevitable. A tale of misery and despair at the hands of a threat not unlike the one we've faced until a certain warrior would arrive from nowhere and restore order to the universe."

Hearing all this, Blinx's ears had dropped as he scratches his head juggling through Ahrah's speech. "Sheeesh…! Not to throw pressure on the poor kid! That's definitely the burden of knowin' someone's destiny."

"Precisely why I never spoke of it so as to ensure that destiny comes to fruition."

"I see," says the young Mithrarin. "Lots to unpack there, even for us. Nothing to do with where we're going either, huh?"

"No. Not at all."

"Damn…," Dust cringes. "So this is new to Falana. Which way were we supposed to be going anyway?"

"Well the Mayor said it was over to the…the far East," Blinx pauses, stroking his chin and curling his tail. "…No. That's this place. We're talkin' about the advanced states we're lookin' for. Nobody said which way to go aside from 'em being past this point. Never said any specific directions."

"So how do we know where to look," asks Dust.

Ahrah interjects, "If I recall, there is a village nearby. Perhaps the locals might know of this."

"Good eyesight, Ahrah!" Dust squints. "Er…not really eyesight. More like… Ah nevermind".

Down near one of the entrances to Aurora, Fale and Matti stumble upon the farm belonging to Geehan, whose on one knee investigating a strange trail of vines in his traditional blue robe. Oneida in her cream-colored outfit is with him, holding a pair of clippers and a shovel cleaned and ready to go.

Fale approaches the couple, introducing himself with a tip of his hat. "Ey Geehan. How's it goin'?"

"Could be a little better," says the farmer. "You're going in that cave, are you?"

"Yep! Mat an' I're already geared up for it!"

"That's good," he replies. "Because something's been sprouting these weeds around our farm and we don't know how to kill them."

From first observations, the weeds resemble long thorned vines shooting up from the dirt, sprouting odd alien plant-life dark in color and glowing.

"Never seen somethin' quite like this before," says Fale.

"Geehan's tried whacking them with clippers, but they keep coming up," Oneida replies. "It's been happening for some time now."

"Well, the cave leads underneath the town. Maybe we'll find somethin' about all this."

"Grrr," Matti hums.

"If you do, that'd be superb," says Geehan. "I'd ask Dust or the other two to handle it, but I think they deserve a break."

Fale gives a firm thumbs up and winks, "Don't worry mate. You can count on us."

In minutes, the Sen-Mithrarin and the Time Sweeper stand at the entrance of a scattered village with sparse old-west style buildings and wide open dirt streets. The front sign isn't any more prestige, simply being a tacked on wooden sign reading "Half and Half. Population: Half a Grand." They come across both Warmbloods and Moonbloods when heading deeper into the village. But some civilians seem out of this world. Creatures from other games, Blinx adds, from strange lion-like aliens, elf-eared humanoids, a few friendly dragons, and an assortment of unique robots hovering around town.

"Ok," Dust responds. "Now it's definitely obvious the timeline's been altered."

"Half an' Half Village," Blinx wonders aloud.

"Not the kinda name I was expecting either."

"N-no, it's not that. There's a world named Half an' Half, but not a village. Maybe this is just another thing my boys messed with."

"Why call it Half and Half though," asks Dust.

"Stuff was divided." Blinx puts on his goggles, scanning the place. "See any spots that look important?"

The mouth part of Dust's masks automatically unlocks giving him room to sniff around. His nose leads him towards a small tavern where a dog Warmblood is walking in without a shirt, exposing his tattoos.

"How bout that one," he suggests.

"A tavern is not the first place I'd think to ask for information," Ahrah says.

Dust removes his mask and hat and brushes off his hair. "Well I don't see any signs that read, 'Information Center' anywhere."

"Ey, y'know what," Blinx speaks, "We should totes run in dere an' act like we own the joint so we can find their boss faster. The head honcho always knows somethin'."

"I'm sorry, but how is that not gonna get us in trouble," protests the Mithrarin.

"Think about it," says Blinx. "We're in the middle o' nowhere, no map, no ID's, an' we both look outta this world. In fact, I am from outta this world! Least we can do is show some swag so they know we mean business. Not lookin' like Elder Grey walkin' in the girl's room."

Dust quietly shrugs the idea and nods his head. "Ok…but I'm a little shy when there's too many people I don't know. So I'll let you start us off."

Blinx winks, "Wise choice, fox-wolf."

In seconds, Blinx kicks the old gates open into the bar, drawing the customers' immediate attention, even pausing people's drinks as they're being poured in their glasses.

"Whaddup, boys," Blinx shouts with a smirk. "Me an' my pal 'ere were lookin' for some fancy territory out dere, and we figured we'd stop an' ask for some directions in this cute little joint o' yours!"

Dust grabs Ahrah and waves the sword around. "If any of you is the owner, show yourself less my friend gives the final say!"

One man silently steps up to bring them an answer from the back of the tavern. Towering over them is a Nimbat with a heavy resemblance to Fidget but having dark patterns on his fur a broad stature. This older gentleman spreads his huge wingspan ever so slightly so as to not hit anyone seated next to him. Probably an intimidation technique in case his mere presence wasn't enough. Both Blinx and Dust are left speechless at the man's physique, unable to shake the thought of a Nimbat being this large. Dust, perhaps out of shock from the resemblance to his friend, casually brings the tip of Ahrah to the man's chest, poking it quickly to hear a sharp DING! Afraid, he sinks his neck down to his collarbone staring up to the Nimbat, blushing and darting his eyes around, then towards Blinx for an answer.

"...Eeeeh...hi," says the Time Sweeper. "Soooooo, my name is Blinx, this is Dust. We were just lookin' around for a particular place, and uh, we figured you know where it is. It's supposedly fulla cat-people who mostly look like me. Course we apologize 100% if there's a problem. We don't wanna start any trouble, an' we'll see ourselves out if ya want us to leave for, uh, disruptin' your business here. Eheheh."

Blinx backs off, lowering his ears and sinking his knees down, putting his hands together the same way Mordecai would, albeit in a humble yet pathetic posture.

"…I got just one question for you young men," answers the Nimbat in a deep voice.

The two boys silently await their question, holding tightly on their weapons while staying as low to the floor as possible, nearly shaking like leaves.

Suddenly, the titan perks up and asks, "How's my baby girl doing?"

Stunned, Dust backs off a step and asks back, "Y-your baby girl?"

"Yes, my daughter, Fidget." He leans forward, brushing off the two's clothes. "Sorry, I forgot my manners. Name's Gareth. Also sorry if she talks a lot. But she's so cute you can't get mad at her. Always breaking the fourth wall an' stuff."

"OH," Blinx shouts. "Y-yer her Dad. She is doing just fine. Fantastic even!"

"Really I should be apologizing for putting her in danger so much," Dust adds, removing his hat and hastily bowing.

"No no, it's fine. She LOVES it," shouts Gareth as he slams his fist on an empty table! Dust and Blinx laugh nervously along with the titanic Nimbat. "Anyway, you said you were looking for directions?"

"Yes sir," answers Blinx. "Somewhere called the Advanced Regions."

"Well, I'd love to help you boys out, but I don't have a clue about that." In thought, Gareth strokes his chin, twitching an ear. "Except…"

"Yep…?"

"There may be someone who does. Think he knows you two actually. His name's Gianni."

"GIANNI?!" Nearly every activity in the bar freezes from hearing Ahrah scream the name of a former resident of Aurora! "Er...excuse me. Him?"

"That's right whoever is talking," Gareth confirms. "He's over at the club down the edge of town to your left when you step out. Real spooked about a ton of things though."

Dust has his hand clenched tightly on Ahrah's hilt, gritting his teeth. "Oh, he'll be even more spooked when we're through with him…"

"Erm…thanks for the tip, Mr. Gareth," Blinx says. "We're just gonna get out your wings- U-uh…hair. Hair!"

"You two sure look like you've never seen another Nimbat before."

"NOPE," barks Dust!

Blinx adds, "Not wit' your beef. I-I mean physique. I mean-"

Gareth rolls his eyes, giggling over the two dribbling their words. "I'm just kiddin' around boys. Titans like me are rare. I was even guarding your sword before I let Fidget take over for a bit. I just never imagined it'd lead to her meeting you."

"Apologies by the way," says Ahrah. "I hadn't spoken until Dust arrived after this man and his daughter attempted to steal me."

"You got a gig cause you tried stealin' the sword," asks the Time Sweeper.

The Titan Nimbat gets closer to Blinx and yells, "Damn right, an' I'll do it again!"

Afraid, Dust drops Ahrah and holds Blinx with both hands, nearly hugging the Time Sweeper who hugs back with a light "ah" from him mouth.

"Just messin' with'cha! Just, uh…try not to make a scene like you did a second ago. It's pretty quiet around here."

"Whoops," Dust says as he lets go of his friend. "Apologies sir. Thanks for the tip."

"Yeah," Blinx nods. "We'll head on out an' find Mr. jhiaxus."

"Don't you mean Gianni?"

"Bless you."

Chapter Text

Dust is first to enter the next building this time around; likely to keep Blinx from starting a scene like the one a few moments ago. They stand amidst a booming crowd of party goers from all shapes and sizes over beats almost identical to something electric. Everyone happily cheers and dances around while those who don't sit at the bars taking shots to their heart's content. Nervous once again, Dust's ears flop down and his mask automatically realigns itself to hide his face.

"OK. Now this is an even worse situation," he mutters aloud.

"What, ya don't like the music," asks Blinx.

"No, I can't dance."

"Course ya can. It's easy." Blinx begins demonstrating, swaying his hips back and forth as the next track starts up. "Just let the tracks tell you the moves."

"What does that even-"

An announcer interrupts, "LET'S GIVE IT UP FOR DJ VEGAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

Though there's no visible DJ at the mixers, the controls automatically adjust giving off a medieval and modern mix of sounds that begin to make Dust bob his head to it. While trekking through the crowd and the busy lights; with everyone being too focused dancing to care for the Mithrarin's looks, he and Blinx groove with the rhythm, facing different directions to find their target: Gianni. The snobby and rather jerkish one from Aurora, born in a wealthy family and being the caretaker of both Corbin and Colleen. That is until recently with the end of the war. He's easily recognized by his familiar blue robe, dark pants, and fancy hat, as well as his sharp mustache.

Perhaps by luck, this hasn't changed as Dust easily spots him a fair distance from where he stands; sitting at one of the bars with a glass in his hands, darting at multiple angles as if he's on edge. Blinx is first to take notice, telling Dust "Ey, look. That dude, over dere looks pretty fancy."

"That's him," Dust nods. "He's even wearing the same clothes from when we met. Looks like he's worried about something, or someone."

"Nice guy approach?

"Yes. Nice guy. "

Carefully, Blinx and Dust walk to the Warmblood, taking different sides of him. With the music so loud, he doesn't hear the duo walking towards him. Dust starts off.

"Gianni, right?"

"The one and only," says Gianni rotating his seat. "How can I help…you…" His eyes bulge when he comes face to face with Dust, whose removed his mask for him to see his confident grin. The same kind he's given when Corbin pranked the man.

"Hi again," Dust nods. "It's been a while since we've seen each other face to face, has it? We need to ask you a few questions. "

Blinx takes a seat and leans against the table, stroking his finger across it. "See, we heard of a certain advanced city out here somewhere. An' well, we wanna see if we can ask fer some directions if you don't mind."

"Oh, pfft," scoffs Gianni. "That's all? Directions? All you have to do is move straight to the North East through the Grey Valley. I take it you came from Aurora? Same path. You will be there in less than a day on foot."

"Guess that means we're the lucky ones," says Dust. "Now what do you know about the place?"

"What do I know? I-I've never been in there. Only heard stories about it. You may ask me anything."

"Ok," Blinx beams. "There any Cat-Sith in there?"

"You may ask me anything except that."

Gianni rises from his seat before being rewinded back down by Blinx's Sweeper.

"Oh, but we insist," Blinx says as he puts on his biggest smile with his teeth.

Shocked, Gianni stumbles his words, "How'd you…? How…?"

"You're tough if you made it this far, right," asks the Mithrarin cockily. "Why don't we go somewhere…private?"

"Uum…" Gianni looks to the side of the bar at a small doorway to an empty hall with other rooms to go to. "Y-yes, yes of course. In here."

As the Warmblood leads the pair inside, Blinx casually leans close to Dust to whisper in his ear, "This dude sounds more twitchy than the guy obsessed with a box an' toothbrushes."

"I don't think anyone's worse than Reed."

Down the hall, Gianni has a small room of his own. A rented venue meant for businesses and professionals that overlooks the basement of the building. He only has a bed, a desk, and a dresser with him, as well as an extra hat and robe hanging on the wall.

"I see you've rented yourself a nice place" Dust says walking in. "Going for the minimalist approach since last time we met."

After taking a few deep breaths, Gianni finally faces the two travelers again, gathering as much courage as he can to look Dust, and especially Blinx in the eyes. He straightens his tie and begins with an explanation.

"Alright, listen boys, I know what you're really here for. You're wondering why I left Colleen and the bratty one behind."

"Corbin," Blinx notes, folding his arms. "His name's Corbin."

"R-right. But I assure you, it was never my intention to abandon them like a neglectful parent. I did it because…" Suddenly, the Warmblood pauses, facing multiple directions as if he were being detected. He leans close to the pair, whispering to them, "Because I have learned things about you and the suppliers of Gaius' Remnant."

Ahrah, perhaps tired of staying idle when listening to him asks, "And these suppliers are...?"

"The Cat-Sith. Time Sweepers," the man erupts. "That's why I thought your partner was here to assassinate me. After my pesky rash, those hardy soldiers raided my home for information on the Moonblood Camp. Without their leader, they were petty enough to accept bribes and provided rumors about a utopian society living on the outskirts of the land. No one knew where it was except Gaius. And thanks to them, he had backups for his war machine."

Such news brings Blinx aback. He freezes, silently questioning how all this is possible and the logic behind such a shift for the Time Sweepers. How they would go from maintaining peace in history to helping a madman kill billions in a mindless war.

"So yer tellin' me that my own people're out in these parts buildin' junk for a dead man and sendin' literal attack robots after us?"

Startled and twitching uncontrollably, Gianni replies, "I-I'm afraid so. Yes. But it is not their fault. I've seen through the walls out there. They seem to be under new management…against their wishes."

Nearly exhausted, the Warmblood sits in a chair beside him, taking another deep breath before continuing. "I could have returned to Aurora to warn everyone about this personally. But I just couldn't bring myself to do it knowing these assassins are still out there."

"I'd say you're missing out, but I feel like Corbin would be the one taking action instead of you," Dust says.

"Is he safe? Are him and his sister alright?"

"Actually, they're doin' just fine," answers the Cat-Sith. "Even asked if they could ride our ship earlier. Just wish they knew where ya went to get some sorta closure."

"I…think I'd prefer they don't know, Time Sweeper."

Dust removes his hat, straightening his hair. "Alright then. I guess now we know what we're up against, huh Blinx?"

"Finally…" sighs Blinx. "That doesn't explain who's dumb enough to take over the Time Sweepers an' sink to war profiteering."

"You don't think it's someone next to the CEO, do you?"

"Ah, Nah. Not at all. They swore an oath never to fall down a dark path. Not since that time we had to form a union from low pay."

Dust darts, "You get paid?!"

"How else did ya think we kept the lights on?!"

BANG

A large object crashes outside the building, enough to shake the interior! An immediate siren blares on que, alerting all in town besides the party goers, assuming it's just part of the music.

"Hm. Perfect timing," says the sword in a pleased tone.

"Aw shoot," Blinx barks while equipping his Sweeper. "We gotta skedaddle, D! I'm allergic ta sirens!"

"Right," nods Dust, turning around. "Gianni, you'd better…"

Dust and Blinx were so distracted by the alarm and the sudden boom outside that they didn't even realize Gianni had fled as fast as anthropomorphically possible! The Mithrarin even takes a few quick looks to see if the Warmblood is hiding in the room somewhere, but there's little to no sign of him anywhere.

"…hide."

"At least he's still true to his principles," says Ahrah. "Being a coward."

Blinx is first to exit the room down the hall to the outside where groups of people are already scurrying away from the strange diamond-shaped machine lunged into the ground. Oddly enough resembling the last mech the pair had fought in Aurora just hours ago.

"Another machine," Dust wonders. "What's it doing out here?"

If it wasn't odd enough, the sounds of two more of the same kind of mechs slowly rise in the sky. Both machines rocket in a straight line, though one of them passes over the village while the other makes a sharp landing next to the one on the ground! Slowly, the sides of the two diamond pods fold open and slide inward like large metal doors, unlocking four different racks holding what appear to be seated soldiers of Gaius, each with similar shaped armor, curves and royalty. But the comparisons end there. Not only is their armor colored black with white patterns, the areas meant for traditional clothes underneath the plating are hard and metallic. Clearly a robot wearing an exoskeleton. All of the troops shine the visors from their helmets in a beading red light then take a stand in unison, marching until they get into a neat formation around the four angles of the pod. The two groups on Dust and Blinx's end scan the area for lifeforms, instantly picking up on their heat signatures; especially the battery type of Blinx's Sweeper and Dust's pacemaker in their database.

[THREATS DETECTED. TERMINATING TARGETS]

Already having Ahrah drawn, Dust bemoans to Blinx, "Just when I thought it was impossible for our worlds to share any connection with each other."

The robots aim their wrists forward, each shooting tiny missiles at them like machine guns! Before they even fired, Blinx had his Sweeper set to slow, causing reality to come to a crawl for Dust to swing toss Ahrah at them as he and his friend duck underneath the bullets! The sword slices through 3 of the droids and into the ship they came from, bursting out the other side and smashing a few more on his way back around like a frisbee in Dust's hand! With only a few seconds to spare, they split up and hide behind two alleys before the onslaught continues. The shots burn into the wall the duo stood in front of, leaving hundreds of smoking holes in one take! Seeing that their targets are missing, the squads take fan out, still able to detect the Sweeper devices.

"Looks like they know about the pacemaker too," Blinx says to himself.

Looking around the corners and up above, he notices a small water tower sitting atop one of the complexes. The moment the droids get near, Blinx shoots one of the struts down, causing the tower to lose balance, toppling and splashing into the robots marching beneath it! Those still walking into the waves keep balance and fire at the Time Sweeper, forcing him back in the corner. One of the attackers leads the charge, getting close into the alley when out of nowhere, Blinx lunges his saber mod into its chin! Grabbing onto it from the sides, he turns the wrist guns against its comrades, easily smashing their armor with their own weapons until another group is forced to mow the robot down from their bullets! By then, Blinx had already let go, using his Sweeper to speed himself up by 200%. Now that his path is clear, he makes it to one of the small ships, lobbing a micro missile from the droid into the generator in the middle of the exposed interior, instantly nuking it from the inside out!

Dust, on his end by a different building, sees a few metal trash cans sitting next to him. Curious, he tosses one of the lids out in the open where one of the droids can see it, which immediately blasts it. The bullets don't penetrate it all the way, however. Only enough to heat the surface. Taking note of this, the Mithrarin grabs two more round lids using them like shields as he makes a dash for it. The squad rapid fires at him, even striking his head, which is also shielded by his hat and mask. Some of the bolts burn through the fabric covering his armor when he gets near one of the bots, smashing its head off with the shield! He kicks into two more, then blocks more shots from his left before ramming into the guard, throwing it off enough that it shoots into the sky and at the ground while tumbling down! A single shot manages to graze Dust's leg, not seriously wounding him but making him grunt from the heat! He kneels down as 3 more goons charge for him, shooting their guns while he's shielding himself until he drops one of the lids to use Ahrah, quickly jumping back up to spin slash the robots starting from their legs to their heads!

Behind him, two more of the droids get close in preparation to shoot. But just then, one of them gets stabbed through the back by Blinx's saber, then he grabs the other one's hand, aiming its gun at its chin to blow through the robot's circuitry! Once again, the remaining bots form up in preparation for another lined offensive maneuver, switching their gun modes to rockets. Bigger missiles packed in their shoulders deploy and launch simultaneously. Luckily, Blinx stops time quick enough that they barely reach him and his friend.

"All yours, sportsy," says Blinx, allowing Dust to deliver a final blow. A full force whirlwind from Ahrah's swing sends all the rockets back at the robots, exploding all the machines!

"Hmph," scoffs Dust. "I was expecting a lot worse."

Blinx snarks, "Buddy, you keep sayin' that an' it just might come true."

Soon as the smoke from the battle clears, a smaller pod, this time rounder and lighter in color, descends near the second deployment shuttle, landing a lot more smoothly than the rest. Its hatch doors slide open. However, only one passenger steps from inside. A tall anthro wearing armor similar to the droids but with Gaius' purple and gold colors, not wearing a helmet but instead a mask covering all but his eyes and the rest of his dome.

"Speak of the devil," bemoans Blinx before he pauses, looking closely at the intruder's head, noticing his cat ears and eyes like his own.

In a deep bass tone of voice, this mysterious man utters one word, "You…"

Confused, Blinx looks at Dust then Ahrah, then back at the trooper asking, "Me…?"

"You were always his favorite. When the factory fell, he put faith in you and left us all to die...stranded. Alone." He stops pacing, standing firmly in place with his arms at his sides. "I am here to return the favor and prove you to be disposable, Time Sweeper."

Very fastly, this masked man pulls out a Sweeper of his own the second Blinx does, freezing him in place while Dust is free to jut in front of him! With his other hand, the rogue Cat-Sith locks blades with the Mithrarin, using a dual-edged energy sword from his wrist! After a while, Blinx is finally released from his frozen state, stumbling forward.

"Ugh…," Blinx groans, shaking his head. "You…You paused me…!"

Dust and the enemy keep swinging at each other; the rogue Time Sweeper going in furiously with parries and blows stronger than the Mithrarin's! He switches tactics, spinning to lock a blade with Ahrah again, then using his Sweeper to freeze Dust in place, kicking him into the side of one of the buildings enough to break through the wood walls! Blinx, testing this man's prowess, uses his Sweeper attempting to slow him down, but the mystery marauder easily sets himself to fast forward, keeping himself from getting affected. Stunned, Blinx resorts to a different strategy. He speeds up Dust's recovery while the enemy's looking away from him. The two Cat-Sith meet face to face; Blinx guarding himself with his saber mod as the man deals heavy chops during his run into him! Blinx walks him down into an alley, pushing his next blow with his blade, which slices off a lot of the tiles next to them. Seeing the rubble, Blinx quickly sucks it up in the vacuum, shooting it back at the marauder, who pauses time fast enough that none of the debris comes near him! He counters it with a move of his own, showering his foe back, forcing him to duck behind a dumpster!

This, luckily, gave Dust plenty of time to speedily come back with teeth. He starts by surrounding the man in a whirlwind of smut from the ground then cuts his back in the confusion! During this stun period, the Mithrarin tends to his friend, helping him up to combine another gust of wind with both their weapons, throwing the rogue Cat-Sith out the alley across the street into his pod!

"Another Time Sweeper," Dust ponders aloud.

Staying focused, Blinx quietly puts on his goggles and nods, "Sure feels like it."

The soldier, laying against his ship takes a moment to consider a new tactic. After a while, he rises up, switching his Sweeper with more weapons of his own. Dual-Wielding whips, electrified, he walks back to his starting position, then swings one of the lines onto Blinx's Sweeper, frying some of the circuits from the voltage! Dust cuts off a piece of the whip but doesn't jump into combat yet, waiting for Blinx to respond. He's only able to activate the sword mod while the vacuum and time functions of the weapons are broken.

"Damn, it's busted! Not that it would work on this guy."

"Can you still fight normally," asks the Mithrarin.

Blinx braces himself, readying his saber. "Gonna have to."

The marauder sprints for them striking down with one whip at a time. Both Dust and Blinx charge as well; each slicing a line on their way, eventually giving Dust clear enough room to kick the man against the ship again! When he chops down, the soldier activates a diamond-shaped shield from his wrist, shocking Ahrah! The symbols on the sword's sides randomly flash before going dark. When Dust pauses to look, the enemy elbows him back and shields himself again when Blinx comes in to slice him! He manages to strike the wrist device at the right time, causing it to fail to deploy. He pulls out another saber for the other hand, dual-blocking and slashing at Dust and Blinx when they bring in the heat! Both of them perform parries, upward swings, punches, and kicks, but neither does any damage, apart from one punch from Dust. Now down on his knee, the marauder grabs his Sweeper, slows down Blinx's movements and sucks Ahrah out of Dust's hands, then launching the blade by the hilt back into the Mithrarin's chest! He's sent rocketing down the street into the Firebat's hull, slamming back first then dropping to the ground along with Ahrah!

Blinx, still slowed to a crawl, gets cut across his left arm, but retaliates by splitting one of the enemy's swords! The two clash blades again before Blinx elbows the man in the stomach then gets knocked in the dome down to his face! Easily, the marauder picks up the Time Sweeper, slamming him back first into the pod's hull! He prepares to stomp on the Cat-Sith!

FOOMP

He misses. Blinx had rolled over and opened the casing of his Sweeper battery, looking at the burnt wires inside. One of them is only partly fried, so he hooks it to the unaffected one, causing a spark that activates the slow down function before the enemy gets close to him. Seizing the chance, he jumps up and cuts off the marauder's mouthpiece with his saber, exposing the rest of the Cat-Sith's familiar face. Time resumes as Blinx quickly recognizes by the stripes and his mouth the name of the man.

"Duke…?!"

Blinx is kicked straight in the mouth down into the dirt, dropping his Sweeper beside him. The shock of seeing such an old friend taller and trying to kill him is enough to keep him from even thinking of picking up his weapon. Duke, still wearing a stoic face, lowers his Sweeper and gets close to the helpless Blinx.

"My squad was lost out in space because of him," he grunts in his normal voice. "He had such confidence in you saving this nowhere timeline that it seemed foolish to have the rest of us follow in your footsteps! I could have prevented the Time Factory's fall if that old man hadn't been so blind!"

Blinx quickly sits up, telling him, "If you're talkin' about the CEO, he never intended to get us killed. Never has a day in his life! No one could've predicted the mission would've gone that badly!"

Duke doesn't buy it. He silently aims his Sweeper straight at Blinx's face, close enough that he can't miss with time set to slow.

Still able to talk, Blinx shouts, "Please Duke…!"

"He had my entire squad killed, and he treated you like a son when you were just as important as any other Time Sweeper. If he's up in Heaven with all the fallen from the war here, he won't be missing you any long-

BANG!

In a flash, Duke is blown into gibs by a single rocket! As the smoke clears, Blinx, still in shock from Duke's speech, quickly looks behind himself, noticing the Firebat with its weapons deployed and aimed at his direction. Dust, coming out lower hatch, runs over to his comrade, helping him up from the dirt.

"I'm so sorry," Dust says, lifting Blinx by the hand. "I didn't know what else to do with Ahrah knocked out."

"N-no no, it's ok," Blinx replies, picking up his Sweeper. "I wouldn't have known any other way."

He looks on at what remains of the fallen Time Sweeper, removing his goggles and taking a moment of silence to honor him. He only kneels down to grab Duke's Sweeper, attaching it to his back and bowing his head.

"Duke was the leader of his own squad in the whole Big Crystal fiasco. Took the Scissor Demon. Some uber strong monster made to erase reality." He turns his attention back to Dust. "Basically a hard reset when the Goddesses thought time wasn't bein' used wisely."

"Not the first one we've been through."

"I was beginnin' to think we'd see a Tom Tom or someone else from Gaius. But now it's personal. We need to take out whoever brainwashed my boy today!"

Dust puts his hand on Blinx's shoulder very solemnly, easing his nerves. "Right after we give him a proper burial."

Minutes pass in what feels like hours and the two finish honoring the fallen Cat-Sith outside of the village. Ahrah by then had been re-energized and even Gareth, the titanic Nimbat, came to give his blessing to them. After another kneel from Blinx, he sits up and shakes Gareth's hand, smiling back at him.

"Thanks for comin' man."

"No problem, kid," says Gareth. "Just glad I could support my girl's heroes. You said you had to leave too, huh?"

"Yes," Ahrah speaks up, albeit exhaustedly. "And hopefully we can solve this mystery as soon as we get where we need to be. Even I have questions for whoever is responsible for making rune-proof weapons."

"For once we can thank Gianni for giving us the directions," Dust says. "Speaking of, where is he?"

The Nimbat darts his ears with a pep in his voice. "Oh, I think I know where. I'll tell him you said thank you. That is if he doesn't give himself a heart attack from looking at me."

"Heheh, don't worry," Dust chuckles. "I'm pretty sure Blinx's Xbox grin was enough already. Thanks again."

"Now then, the plot thickens," Ahrah says. "Let's get back onboard and finish this mission. You don't want to return to Aurora too late, now do you?"

At the entrance to Aurora by the exposed caverns, Avgustin stands alone, waiting for Fale and Matti to arrive. He only wields a pair of hedge clippers and a shovel he used to dig his way past the weeds growing around him. So much that they've already broken through the rubble from the bridge. Eventually, his friend arrives, carrying Matti on his back.

"Looks like ya know about all the weeds too," Fale starts.

"Yep," says Avgustin. "One of them shot up an' poked my foot! So I brought a shovel and some hedge clippers."

"Iiiiii don't really think that'll be enough considerin' what we're dealin' with. They just sprout back up."

"Exactly! But hey, we can still keep moving, right?"

"Gonna have ta." Fale brings his hand forward. "Clip me"

Avgustin hands the clippers to Fale, who holds the tool forward as he takes the first step in the cave. Matti pulls out his trusty mallet while their large comrade brings his shovel near his chest in preparation to whack something. Though his giddiness for an adventure forces a comically wide smile on him.

"This is gonna be so cool!"

Inside, Fale slides down a small slope to the main floor, thankfully tiled by old bricks. He's bumped into by Avgustin, who practically rolls down. Thanks to light from above, they don't need a torch to see their path, which is murky. Several roots of the weeds aboveground have sprouted in eerie formation, aligning with the cave walls. The cave itself is already filled with cobwebs and abandoned architecture; broken stone walls and pipelines, to glowing fauna lighting more of the way. Not unlike that of Mudpot. When passing one of these webs, Avgustin almost runs into a large spider crawling down with a bug caught for a feast, startling him.

"Eeeeew…," he mutters to himself.

"Watch our backs, Mat," says Fale. "There's no tellin' what's in here."

"Grr," grunts the Warmblood.

"If I rememba' correctly, this part used to be connected to the caverns leadin' to Mudpot. Heck, we might actually see Tethys around here."

"The water lady," asks Avgustin. "I sure hope you're right. I heard she was pretty!"

Fale clips through several of the vines in front of him on his way into a darker hall in the cave, tight enough that he has to squeeze in while making sure Matti isn't crushed. Inside, he lights a stick from his pocket to see, illuminating the familiar symbols of Moonblood language as well as a Warmblood's.

"See anythin' in there," Avgustin asks.

"Just some ancient Moonblood text. I reckon I can translate it. It's uh…Beta Arceus…? N-no it's…Aquaritus or somethin'."

Abruptly, the ground rumbles under Fale's feet. It crumbles, sending him and Matti splashing into a pond! Avgustin, standing above them, sees another entrance near him, climbing down the wall with one of the vines into the next cave. The two Warmbloods shake themselves off and examine their surroundings, thankfully lit by the auras of the mushrooms around them.

"That's one way to make a discovery, ey mate," Fale asks Matti.

Matti merely grumbles again in his usual barbaric tone. Looking at the center of the room in the middle of the pond, they notice a few details. A heavenly light shining down on it unaffected by the weeds growing inside, and a strange yet awesome find. A blade much like Ahrah with a fork at the end in the style of a golden trident shoved into the stone rock! Its symbols on the sides are almost identical to ancient Moonblood text, along with some aqua themed shapes.

"An' here I thought Ahrah was all that's left," says Fale beaming a wide smile as he walks closer to the sword. "This looks like an actual Blade of Elysium!"

"Can it speak," asks Avgustin. " Hey sword! How ya doin'?"

Pause. No answer.

"Not talkin', huh?"

"Maybe it's dormant till Dust finds it. Y'know. For the worthy."

"Aaaaw," Avgustin whines. "Why can't any of us be just as cool as him?"

"Well there's Fidget an' Blinx. And we're already explorin', so we're cool in our own...way."

While talking, Fale notices another oddity in the cave with them. Avgustin tries prying out the sword himself but finds it difficult to even bend it. His friend walks further away from him at peak curiosity, seeing all the roots connecting to one another in this eerie formation.

"Uh...Guss," Fale calls nervously.

"Just a sec. Gonna try an' push it outta the thing!"

"Grr..." Matti's grumble isn't even that aggressive this time. He looks at the display in horror, shaking his lips and ears.

Behind them, Avgustin rams himself shoulder-first into the sword, but it doesn't budge. The weight of it is enough to knock his bones out of joint!

"OUCH," the Warmblood shouts holding his injured arm. "Urgh... Gonna have to try that again later. What's the problem pal?"

Now even Avgustin is stunned when he looks at the shape of a late Moonblood soldier turned psychopath, literally fused to the heavy roots of under Aurora's streets. His light armor is still perfectly intact. However it's edges are sharper, more in line with a modern design. Both arms and legs serve as appendages for the vines sprouting out the surface. But the most striking part on him is his mask. Instead of his glowing yellow eyes going horizontally, they're ordered vertically and are much wider than their original size.

"Crikey," says Avgustin, taken aback.

Fale backs up and marks, "So this is the cause of the weed problem. Whoever or whatever this is looks like it's been stuck here for a long time."

"Kinda reminds me of that Fuse guy Elder Grey brought up once."

"Correction..."

All three of the Warmbloods freeze from such a deep voice, first looking at the Aquaritus blade then back at the rooted figure, now sat up staring at them.

"I am him," Fuse answers.

Chapter Text

"I anticipated the gates of Hell to welcome me into its flames," Fuse says. "But following my demise, I somehow awoke in this very room connected to the roots of the village underbelly."

"So you're the culprit behind the whole weed infestation," Fale asks.

"Indeed, Warmblood. I was beginning to think you wouldn't figure it out. How observant of you."

"Grrr..." Matti growls, holding his mallet close.

"What's the purpose of these things," questions Fale. "To prick people with thorns?"

"I'm using these plants to grow fruits and vegetables for the village."

"Wow," Avgustin replies. "You're doin' Geehan an' the gardening club a favor."

"Then when everyone has consumed them, they will instantly turn on each other, carrying the same hatred I have for the race that took my family."

Avgustin's jaw drops. "Oh…"

"I hoped the Mithrarin and his pet Nimbat, or perhaps the alien would have come to greet me by now. But since you're here, I may as well enjoy the company."

The entrances cave in from the vines folding back in the chamber! Several more appendages grow from the ground and the ceiling, complete with razor-sharp thorns. Fuse, Matti, and Avgustin ready their tools, surrounding the Elysium Blade as they prepare for what's quite possibly a horrific battle.

"Make yourselves at home, Warmbloods."

"Maybe next time," says Fale.

A single vine snaps at the Warmblood, who swiftly sways with his torso and slices it with his clippers. A purple blood-like liquid spews out the harsh vegetation as it smacks Avgustin against the sword. He again tries to lift it but to no avail. Instead he takes his shovel, swinging it into the other two thorns coming for him at both sides!

SHING

Fale's slit in the shoulder by another plant, nearly missing Matti's ear. The blacksmith lets go of him to fight better, smashing the vine that struck Fale against the ground with his hammer, upward swinging into another beside him, and splattering another behind! A window of opportunity presents itself as Fuse remains unguarded. Perhaps occupied concentrating on the taller Warmbloods in front of him. Without a second thought, Matti rushes at him prepared to bring the hammer on his dome when he is grabbed by the ankles by two vines from above, flipping him while in the air! A few new oddities sprout from the water. Five glowing mushrooms with spikes at the tip and tentacles extending out from their roots, grabbing onto Avgustin's ankles and tripping him down before he can skewer one of them!

"Ow," he yipes, reaching for the shovel he dropped. It's swooped before he can even grab it, broken into pieces by the arms from the ceiling! He slams his fist into the dirt, "Agh, no fair!"

It's not long before he too is lifted next to Matti. Only Fale remains to clip as much as he can, shooing most of the fauna away when his tool is taken away. He's grabbed by the arm, but he pulls hard enough that the vine pops out the root from the wall! However, it's at the cost of causing him pain as the thorns pierced his flesh! He's forced to kneel over holding his injury. All the corrupted plants circle around him and his allies, with Matti still whacking some of them with his mallet.

"Yeah, get 'em Mat," Avgustin cheers upside down by the legs! "He'll have to quit eventually!"

"I give you my congratulations, specs," says Fuse. "You three had the most fight compared to all the others of your kind that I've faced." His head droops, giving off a furious gaze. "Unfortunately, it wasn't enough. And without my slayer…you are finished."

FLUSH

The mushroom enemies shrivel and shrink into the purple water. The vines converging on Fale turn their attention like Fuse towards the front of the room where 4 green humanoid shapes begin to emerge from the ground. They each take on an alien appearance, wearing a light green dress from neck to toe, ending in a purple hue. Their hair, if you could call it that, stretches upward like a curved needle, and each one where's a grey crown and an Atlantean frame hovering behind them.

"Woah," shouts Fale. "Lady Tethys?!"

"Wooowee," Avgustin flirts. "She sure is somethin' else! Er, rather they're somethin' else, and right on time!"

Both groups of two shift to either side making room for another figure rising in the middle. It's another identical creature, but this one now wears more makeup, spicing up her appearance. What was thought to be her hair had separated into two curved horns of sorts, letting loose a white flame of some kind from her dome.

In a stern tone, the real Tethys glares at Fuse and tells him, "I should have known a being such as you would interfere with the waters during my slumber. Your reckless crusade against Warmblood kind must end, or you will be doomed to repeat the atrocities of the one responsible for all people's suffering."

"I do not fear you, Tethys," Fuse replies, unphased by such words. "Not when you too have once been corrupted from war. Let's see just how powerful a goddess really is when their environment turns against them."

Haley comes home stressed. She barges in the now empty hangar seeing Blinx's phone left on a worktable, which already went to voicemail 5 times Ginger called. As easy as it is to blame the Time Sweeper for swooping her husband away, she's less irritated over him and more to do with Dust repeatedly leaving her on missions where she could be of use to them. With the exception of this morning where the extra help wasn't necessary. Is it out of fear for her safety? Most certainly. But has there ever been a day where it wasn't safe? Is she defenseless? Dust knows she can defend herself, so why not let her join him? Thoughts like this continue to dance around Haley's mind as she opens one of the closets, containing a near-perfect copy of Dust's original outfit, fashioned by Moonblood sorcery with only his hat and pants being related to the assassin Cassius, while the rest is purely Jin's. Humorously, this makes her consider if he fancied himself a superhero with the cape and vest.

"Someday hun," Haley smirks, "you're gonna need me out there and you're gonna like it."

She shuts the door and, CRASH! Haley quickly leans forward from getting startled and carefully brings herself around towards the entrance. Outside, yet another shuttle, the same one that passed Half and Half Village, has landed nastily, smashing through the side of the Warmblood's home where the forge is held. The hot liquid poured from above spills against the metal of the ship as its hatch doors slide open. The squads of sentinel bots are deployed and march outside, lining up in perfect formation in front of Haley. Behind them, another pod descends next to the diamond atop the rubble, opening the hatch to let out the marauder inside. A Cat-Sith like Duke.

He says in a deep voice, "Soldiers, bring this town to its knees."

Elsewhere, in the deep forest slowly succumbing to corruption, Fidget leads Ginger down a redwood path past the sharp thorns and dark shrubs. On the way, they look around finding insects already at work trying to quell the outbreak, such as a masked hornet using two needles like hedge clippers against a tentacle-looking vine. The rest of the way leads to exposed roots poking out the ground, enough to topple the largest tree the two have seen thus far.

"Ok, so, what exactly are we looking for," asks Ginger.

"Nothing especially," answers Fidget. "I just wanted to show you what I meant by 'alien-looking' stuff. That tree was sitting up last I was here. Figured you knew something about it."

"Not really." She touches the closest vine next to her, feeling how hard it is. "But if I had to guess…this is a bad case of photosynthesis. Probably from acorns."

"I don't think seeds can make roots big enough to bring down the largest thing here in a few minutes."

"Fidget, this world's magical. I thought you'd know stuff like this happens all the time."

"Eh, I just go with the flow with that sorta thing."

Ginger lets out a brief sigh, not at Fidget but over something else when she turns away to look at another glowing melon.

"Guess this is something we'll need to consult the Elder about then…"

"Hate to keep bringing up the obvious," says Fidget, "but something's bugging you, am I right? You told me you were OK, and here you are still sighing and it's getting to me."

The Warmblood turns back to her little friend, walking up to her. "Sorry, it's nothing to do with you. It's about what I said earlier about half of Dust being Cassius, and the other half being Jin. I said it was uncanny knowing one soul belongs to the one who killed our family and so much more. I'm just worried I might've upset him and I wish he was here so I could apologize."

Fidget tilts her head and puts her hands together, almost smiling, "Aaaaw, I'm sure he understands. He felt the same way when I spoke to him last." The Nimbat rotates back to the uprooted tree, examinine the bottom of the stump. "I still dunno how half this spirit-y stuff works, but as far as I'm concerned, Dust is still the same good ol', edgy self as Jin."

"Well, I don't know if I'd say that," Ginger replies with a smirk. "He was more of a nerdy goofball than anything."

"Wait, you mean Jin or Dust these days?"

"Yes."

SPANK

Ginger's abruptly struck in the back of the head by something light.

"Ow," she yipes while feeling her neck.

Again, Fidget this time is hit from behind, bopping her in the tail.

"OUCH," Fidget yells turning back to Ginger. "What was that for?!"

"I didn't do anythi-he-hehehehehehehehe!"

The Warmblood stumbles back feeling her barefoot being tickled by one of the ferns, startling her when she realizes its been slithering like a tentacle towards her from the start of the trail. She's again smacked in the back of the head, then so is Fidget who quickly takes notice of multiple vines descending towards them from the trees above.

Now more worried than ever, Ginger starts to shake like a leaf and asks her friend, "Did…did those plants just…?"

"Whip us? Yep. Am I gonna kill 'em? Heck yeah!"

Fidget angrily spawns two large fireballs from her palms and launches them at the plants advancing toward them, only for the flames to do nothing at all. Several more appendages sprout from the surface, beefier and larger than the last.

"Oh poop…," says the Nimbat, lowering her ears.

Ginger quickly grabs Fidget, tucking her against her and bolting as fast as possible, almost faster than the Nimbat can fly! She leaps over a fallen tree then slides underneath another one as its collapsing, along with larger creatures sprouting and crawling after them! Fidget doesn't even question her friend's sudden skill buff. She just hopes they can make it to the village in one piece.

Underground, meanwhile, Fuse advances on Tethys using the elements around them to his advantage. The rocks form into huge stone golems while the shrubs around them crawl and try biting at the Goddess' minions. Each one possesses her abilities, so they easily swipe water sabers at them, mowing the creatures down! But each time they attack or flood corners of the room, several more oddities pop up. Suddenly, the waters start separating and one side flows underneath Fuse, occupying him from executing Fale, Avgustin, and Matti, who fall back down to the floor. One of the golems tries stepping on the three of them, but Avgustin braces himself against its sole, back first!

"Not as heavy as it looks," he says confidently, allowing Tethys to blast it to pieces with a single charge shot from her palm! One more comes around, which is smashed when Matti leaps from a stone into the creature's head, bringing his mallet down! This whole time, Fale's been gathering the wood and webbings from the walls and scattered shrubs to make a bow, testing the web's strength by tugging it a few times.

"This'll do," he says with a nod.

One of the golems comes crumbling next to him from a brutal assault by one of Tethys' clones. He takes a sharp rock from it, aiming and shooting at Fuse's head! No luck. A vine quickly grabs the arrow before it even reaches the Moonblood and tosses it to the side. Suddenly, Fuse's area shakes as he begins rising from his position with his knees, forming his arms from the rocks and tentacles around him, then shaping the grey plating on his shoulders and forearms. Now fully formed, he flexes his collarbone, cracks his neck, then lifts both hands to summon two large stone arms from both sides! They slam down crushing two of the clone Tethys' while another two blast the enemies apart! This was only a distraction when Fuse sprints towards them in a circular path, effortlessly pulling the Elysium Blade Aquaritus out from its resting place and chopping them from top to bottom! Even another clone is skewered when she tries bringing a tsunami behind him!

"GRR," Matti growls, busting one of the shrub monsters and seeing the sword in Fuse's hands!

All the Goddess clones and others that were spawned had been destroyed, leaving only the original herself to fend with Avgustin and Fale, who're both slammed towards Fuse's resting spot by one of his waves!

"No fair," Avgustin yells! "You mean to tell me the bad guy's worthy for the thing but not us?!"

As Lady Tethys brings forth lightning bolts and heavy tsunamis at Fuse during his sprint at her, she focuses solely on the sword, attempting to smack it out of the Moonblood's hand!

"Aquaritus was created using Moonblood design," Tethys says while attacking. "One he is familiar with. But it-"

SLASH!

The Goddess interrupts herself. Her arm morphs into a sharp thorn that she uses to sever Fuse's sword arm as he gets inches from her face! This forces him to stumble past her, but he uses his other hand to launch a huge red beam into her back, sending Tethys across the chamber, tumbling over the floor! Seeing this, Matti hammers into the Moonblood's legs, bending them awkwardly to the side! This doesn't stop him from backhanding the short Warmblood into the water behind him and realigning his limbs, making him stand firmly in place again. With all the others down, Fuse walks over to the downed Goddess who flips herself over weakened and bruised.

"Not even a God can stop me now" says Fuse. "Soon your waters and this land you so cherish will be left in shambles, like the village I once loved."

"I see now that your second coming hasn't changed your outlook on life. You've become the very thing that almost brought your kind to extinction…!" As Tethys talks, her voice begins to distort into something rougher than her own. A distinct, fiery effect mixed with her usually calm demeanor. "When you die once more, you shall be plunged down the path of eternal damnation…"

"Not before you're sent there with me!"

BOP

Fuse responds from getting hit in the back, shooting an energy wave at Fale who runs for him with his crossbow! The Warmblood easily flips over the attack, landing firmly on his feet.

"Was that really the best you got?"

"No. THIS IS!" Not thinking, Fale grabs hold of the Elysium Blade, easily lifting and lunging it into the heart of Fuse before him! To everyone's shock, the sword's symbols activate and a heavenly blue aura briefly bursts around the Warmblood like a shockwave! All three of Fuse's eyes shrink as he wordlessly starts panicking, trying his hardest to shift himself out! Eventually, he releases Aquaritus and stumbles away from Fale and Tethys, struggling to keep his purple blood from spilling out! Quickly, he spawns two more stone golems to aid him. They corner Fale, but he calls upon the water around him to grab hold of them, giving Matti the chance to come back and hammer them down! Fuse makes an attempt at a sword fight when his arm reshapes itself into a sphere-like form, coming to blows with Fale when they lock blades.

"W-what's happening…," asks the Moonblood aloud. "Only the Mithrarin and a Moonblood wield a Blade of Elysium! Unless…" Fuse leaps backwards far across the room, getting his bearings and facing Tethys still lying on the ground. "Unless this is divine intervention. …Yes…" Fale comes over to chop him but gets brushed to the side by a tentacle from the ground! With Tethys weakened, all that's left for the Moonblood is to take aim for a charged shot from his palm. "If I destroy you, a so-called deity, even Dust's sword will fa-"

SLING!

Suddenly losing control of his body, Fuse witnesses himself flying off his neck into a wall! His vision fades thereafter into a thick haze of smoke billowing from his mask until there's nothing left of his head. The rest of his form collapses, separating the armor as his physique begins to dissipate. Matti, having been tossed by Avgustin, straps his hammer back on, quietly brushing his hands off.

"Crikey man," says Fale. "You straight up killed 'im!"

For once, Matti beams a smirk, though again, he responds with the usual, "Grr."

"I knew Dust wasn't the only cool guy around," Avgustin cheers. "That ol' jerk didn't stand a chance!"

"I'm afraid it's not that simple, my friends," Tethys says solemnly. "I can still sense his presence nearby."

"I was beginnin' to think the same thing," nods Fale. "Contrary to the damage, I can tell he wasn't givin' his A-Game. But how did-"

SLAM, and even larger appendages from before burst through the ceilings and the walls surrounding the four of them! Though, a water shield from Fale's sword easily repels them from attacking.

Avgustin falls back saying, "Woah! Vines of death're back!"

"Fuse's definitely still aroun' here somewhere." Fale darts around the room, still keeping the creatures back while helping Lady Tethys back in the air. "How're we supposed to find him now?"

"He has moved aboveground. Hurry. We must act before it's too late!"

Out at the marketplace, Ginger still holding Fidget against her stomach comes to a halt when she reaches the town square, seeing some of the stone structures crumbled and tilted.

"Thank goodness the square doesn't seem all that corrupted."

"Great," Fidget says. "Now could ya let go of me? Every stomp you made started making me gag."

The Nimbat's released when from the other end of the area, Corbin, as well as Sanjin take notice of them as they're tending to any wounded from the buildings. Among them is Mordecai, wandering beside them looking calmer than anyone else around him.

"Ah, Ginger, Fidget, thank God you're alright," says the shopkeeper.

Fidget hovers over to him, circling the Warmblood. "Mordecai? Man, I think this is the first time I've ever seen your legs."

"What're you doing outside the shop," asks Ginger. "And is everyone ok?"

"It was terrible. A chunk of the ground was uprooted and took the market area with it!"

"We've evacuated as many people out their homes as possible in case it happens anywhere else," Sanjin adds. "But without Dust and Blinx, we don't know what we're in for!"

"I'll tell you what we need," Corbin replies. "We need an army of hedge clippers, or better yet, a flamethrower!"

Fidget shakes her head. "Nice one, but nope. We already tried that. Mordo, do you have anything magic-based in stock like an ice bomb or acid?"

"Ahahaha," he laughs. "No, I'm afraid not. But may I suggest asking the Elder about that? He is a mage himself."

"Oh, I already asked him," Sanjin answers. "He can't figure it out either. None of our weapons work, and this ain't quite something a Moonblood's seen before."

Everyone silently ponders, but Mordecai breaks the silence. "…Another thought."

…

Ginger and Haley are joined by Corbin and Sanjin on their way to Haley's shop based on Mordecai's suggestion. Seeing she's the last option left for an outbreak like this, they eventually reach her place, however Ginger's late to notice the onslaught before her and everyone else's eyes.

"Haley," Ginger starts, "please tell us you have a weapon that can… Can… O_O"

BLAM! One of the sentinel droids comes flying into a wall, bursting on impact! Metal limbs scatter across the ground as Haley tears into the lot of them with both a large mallet and a saw blade! She grabs a trooper, slashes it in half then kicks the torso into another guard! She takes its legs, separates them with her hands and smashes them into two other soldiers! One of the bots even gets its face melted into the molten pit at the workstation when it tries flanking the Warmblood with a shield! She's struck once by an energy bolt in the back, but all it does is inch her slightly forward. Haley rips off the downed droid's arm, using its turret to mow down several of the advancing bots in a circular motion! When the marauder, already damaged from a rough fight and missing his Sweeper, attempts to ambush her, she switches to swinging her hammer deep into his stomach area, forcing blood out his mouth as he's falling backward! Again, Haley switches her arsenal with the chain gun, shooting rapidly at the Cat-Sith's armor till it quickly pops off his body! Instead of killing him, she just tosses the gun away and punches him in the nose, instantly knocking him out!

"Oh hi there," Haley says when she notices the group staring at her.

Corbin's smiling but everyone else's eyes bulge out of shock.

"Wow…," Ginger moans. "A-anyway, Haley, all those weeds we've been seeing around town are overgrowing and can't be stopped with clippers, even flames anymore! Do you and Dust have anything we can use to stop them?"

One quick glance at the fallen Time Sweeper and robots and Haley's immediately given an idea. With a smile, she says confidently, "I think I got just the thing."

As the environment around the village begins to warp in gruesomely unnatural ways from the corrupted fauna, citizens panic and gather at a safe zone. Colleen stands near the front looking on at the now gargantuan tentacles sprouting from the dirt, as well as the thorns shooting up. It seems all of Aurora will soon be overrun by the plague Fuse had unleashed. His final scheme to bring Warmbloods to damnation.

It is then that a familiar female voice shouts, "STAND BACK EVERYONE!" Haley, Ginger, Corbin, Fidget, and Sanjin wield the tools of the robots fought before. Including dual wrist guns, shields, a beam saber, and several arrows crafted from scrap metal.

"Be afraid, evildoers, because you're about to face the WEED EATEEEEERS!"

Nearly all glare at Haley, who's got so excited she raised her mallet to cheer.

"It sounded a lot cooler in my head."

Whatever sentience these rogue plants have causes a loud roar at the town square! The Weed Eaters as Haley calls them spring into action immediately! First starting with Haley, who brings her hammer down so hard that it causes a ripple exposing the roots of a lot of the tentacles sprouting up. With a chainsaw, Ginger slices through them like a warm knife through butter! And every time she passes one, she slowly wears a smile. Sanjin and Corbin shoot at the shrub creatures coming toward them in hordes, then blasting those going for the civilians. Seeing them defenseless, Fidget drags a cart over to them full of more equipment.

"Hey, if you wanna have some fun and not sit around like an NPC, now's a good time!"

Silence. Then… "GET 'EM" from Colleen, shouting and grabbing another beam saber! Soon everyone joins in, grabbing whatever equipment is available and mowing down the creatures Fuse left behind! Colleen even joins her brother in a game of gun and sword, slicing and shooting at the many monsters zooming around them! On the other end, a vine darts at Geehan, whose stalling even though he has a wrist gun. That is until Oneida moves him out the way and easily blows the plant to pieces with one of the micro missiles! All she does is look at him and simply calls him, "Wuss."

One of the Moonblood guards grabs a shield, slamming it into a vine crawling toward him!

"Soon the Gods shall walk amongst us," Reed mutters aloud whilst aiming a mobile turret. "But not today!"

He shoots and scores, cutting up several of the shrubs, while Fidget's flames are amplified by the strength of a beam saber on the ground, burning the corrupted grass by the farm area. One tentacle gets close to flattening her. But fortunately, a shot from an arrow made of light pierces through it and kills it! From a distance, Ori, the short white imp, was watching over their Nimbat friend, winking when she notices. At the entrance of town, even the trees start to gain sentience, angrily growing legs and bending their limbs until they tower over everyone in front of them. But behind them, the river starts to rise. Tethys and Fale with their powers lift the water so high that it completely drowns the monsters before they try to strike! Fale himself runs through the waves, slashing more of the limbs while Avgustin and Matti follow doing the same. In short time, it's clear that the villagers had won. Sarashi, Moska, Bram, as well as Corbin and Colleen are the last to fight; all five stabbing and shooting at one of the wood large creatures until it stops moving!

Ginger, in a fit of excitement, raises her weapon and begins to shoot in the air while howling. It almost confuses Haley but everyone's so in the zone, it's hard to acknowledge. One last attempt is made on Mordecai, however, Two rock monsters form behind him, but Fale quickly tosses his sword at them, slicing them instantly as it travels back towards him like a boomerang!

"We got the sword, Mordecai," Fale answers. "And…did y'all just whack those weeds?"

The shopkeeper replies by hugging him tight. A bit too tight while shaking him. "Ooooh, I knew you could! You have just as much potential as Dust and the Time Sweeper after all!"

"That's not all. Fuse is back!"

"Yeah," Avgustin starts. "He ambushed us! Almost killed Tethys too!"

Overhearing this, Ginger's ears shoot up and she almost looks insulted at such a notion. "Fuse…? But…Dust killed him."

"It's thanks to mysterious intervention that he's survived," Tethys answers. "We can only hope that he appears before us so that we may finish him. I do hope that is soon - my skin dries so quickly in the sun."

"A goddess is worried about their skin," Fidget snarks. "Heh. Who would'a thought."

As if in response, Fuse's body materializes out of the metal and dark vines around him, reforming his three eyes and the shape of his armor. He stands atop a large rock before the entire crowd of Moonbloods and Warmbloods; the latter the very enemy he sought to kill.

"If I could only crush each and every one of you Warmblood scum in single stroke…!"

"Everyone you say?"

Such a familiar soft voice out of Ginger causes the mutated Moonblood to freeze like never before. He slowly brings his vision over to the Warmblood, almost shaking as he does so, seeing her armed and angry; probably still pumped from the fight.

Suddenly, Fuse's voice no longer has the bassy effect from before. He speaks naturally, looking at her and asking, "Ginger…? You helped them thwart my plans? If I had known you were here, I would have spared you."

"You would spare me, but I'd expect the same for everyone else." She aims the severed wrist rocket at Fuse, calmly telling him, "Guess that was never an option."

BANG!

In one shot, Fuse from head to toe is completely atomized, leaving only his mask and the rest of his armor plating again. Nearly everyone besides Ginger and Haley cheers, seeing the corrupted vegetation returning to its natural colorful state.

"Well, that happened," Haley casually marks. "Sorry you had to do that, Ginger."

"Actually, that kinda helped put a bow on things," says Ginger with a slight smirk. "It's sad how he turned out, but it gave me some closure."

"I'm just confused why he's back unless he's another robot," Fidget wonders.

You're still not sure how he could've returned," Fale asks Tethys.

The Goddess simply answers, "No. That I am trying to figure out myself. He was resurrected during my hibernation and has avoided all my searches before now. I must investigate to learn if this was of a God's doing or not. In the meantime, it seems Dust was not the only one worthy of wielding a Blade of Elysium."

Fale silently examines his new weapon, trying to process the craftsmanship and how he could have possibly been considered worthy of it. Though, he doesn't ask any questions aloud. He considers saving whatever he needs to be answered for the Elder next time he arrives.

"Now that the Moonblood has fallen, the land will restore itself back to normal. And hopefully, we'll have answers for whatever caused all this. Until then, I bid you all farewell."

Like the wind, Lady Tethys hovers backward to the river, descending down into the water beneath her in a practical dramatic fashion.

"What a doll," says Mordecai, putting on a slight accent.

"Phew... That's a relief," says the Mayor. "Now I'm parched."

He reaches for an apple that fell from one of the corrupted trees, but Fale immediately stops him. 

"WAIT WAIT! Don't eat that! Fuse infected 'em too. I'm guessin' he wanted people ta eat 'em when they're exhausted from running from all these plants."

"Ooooh. Glad you said something."

"It's a good thing Ori and I exist," says farmer Geehan. "We'll have new ones grown in no time!"

"Guess this is one story to tell the buddy cop comedy when they get back," Fidget jokingly remarks.

"I sure hope they do," says Ginger. "Or else I won't know if Dust wasn't eaten up by me talking about Cassius again."

Haley doesn't say a word this time. That name alone almost immediately rings a bell. Could he have been the reason Dust went with Blinx so quickly without consulting her? Is there more involved, or was it just the two being boys? Either way, she's hoping for the best, that eventually they'll return in one piece and won't keep them in the dark.

Chapter Text

Such a short but brutal battle had left Blinx and Dust speechless. The Time Sweeper continues to pilot the Firebat up high in the clouds; anger tucked in the back of his mind from being forced to fight and eliminate his comrade. Dust, on the other hand, lays in his arms folded, trying to juggle between helping his friend while an inner voice nags at him, repeatedly asking why he fired the gun at Duke. Was it the only way? What would Haley, Fidget, or Ginger have said about it? Would Cassius have done it?

"I get Duke was tryin' to kill us, but I know this wouldn't 'ave happened otherwise," Blinx growls. "Soon as we get 'dere, I'm gonna start interrogatin' people! Gonna find out one way or another why he turned into a Doom knockoff!"

"…"

"Y…You alright, sportsy," Blinx asks his friend.

Dust lifts himself. "O-oh yeah, sorry. I'm just…thinking."

"About what?"

"…Lots." Dust rotates his chair towards Blinx. "I just killed one of your old friends, Blinx. I could've found another way, but I didn't. Ginger was right to be cautious about me knowing Cassius is a part of my soul..."

"Eeeeh, I wouldn't take it that far," answers the Cat-Sith. "Dude was about to kill me an' probably would'a done the same to others if you didn't pull the trigga'."

"Blinx is right, Dust," Ahrah agrees, strapped to the Mithrarin's back. "I feel you've had no choice in the matter. Anyone would have done the same if they were put in your position. That includes Jin."

"I guess so," Dust sighs. "This is exactly why I didn't wanna bring our folks today."

"Trust me," Blinx interjects, "If that Cassius dude is that big a deal, you best bet I'll take care a' him. Nothin' that a good rewind can't fi-"

SHOOOOOM!

Two planes similar to their own rocket past the Firebat, with enough force to push some of the clouds to the side!

"WOAH! The Hell was that?!"

"It looked as though it was another bomber squad," answers the sword.

"That must mean we're close," Dust cheers. "Can you lower the ship now?"

Blinx nods, "Lemme check."

As Blinx lowers the ship's altitude, they notice the shape of what looks to be a tower shaded behind the clouds. Once low enough, soon the rest of the city is visible. Not just any, however. Starting at the entrance is a vast empty gray field leading toward a huge sprawling shield wall surrounded by gargantuan diamond-shaped cruisers in circular formation. Past them, however, and they're met by the sight of a grand chrome metropolis, complete with an array of cube-looking factories and moving structures as far as the eye can see. Almost as if the place itself were alive. Clocks, or something else related to time, brand much of the buildings. But the most telling one out of all of them is the largest piece of the town. A massive tower at the heart of it all with a clock at the top in the exact style as the one at the Time Factory.

"…Yep," Blinx says with a crack in his voice. "This is the place alright."

"It's massive…," exclaims Ahrah, enamored by the city's beauty.

The Mithrarin asks still staring at the marvel, "The Time Sweepers could built all this?"

"Hey, our engineerin's a lot faster than folks on this planet. That's fo' sure" Blinx brings the ship past several other towers into a narrow air street where a few more bombers fly in front of them. "Plus, if we had the Mother Computer booted up, we wouldn't need to lift a finga'."

Dust points to the diamond-shuttles by the shield walls while they're still in view. "How bout those things over there? I'm guessing they're ships and not giant robots, right?"

Blinx nods his head. "Totally. Old cruisers in fact. There wasn't a need for 'em since we had teleporters, but we kept 'em just in case"

"Ah, then perhaps they were used for evacuation during the raids," Ahrah ponders.

"You could fit pretty much all our species in there if ya wanted. Guess that's the case here."

"Hard to believe we're on the same planet anymore," Dust replies.

Carefully past some patrol shuttles nearby, Blinx squeezes the Firebat into a docking station filled with other shuttles in a neat row. Finding an empty spot, he lands it. Scanners indicating no sign of anyone close to them.

"Looks like a good place ta land," he says grabbing his Sweeper. "Hopefully, no one's gonna ID the ship since it looks like the rest."

"Yeah, except for the fact that it totally doesn't," Dust sarcastically answers.

"Bro, we've seen ships of different kinds in Half-an-Half place too. I'm sure it's fine. What isn't is the fact that yer taller than me an' clearly not a cat…or sith."

"Not like I can shave my tail and say 'meow' all the time. Where do we go from here anyway?"

"Good question." the Cat-Sith scans his surroundings using his goggles and quickly catches heat signatures leader to the doors at the end of the garage. "Eh, maybe dere's someone who can point us to the right direction."

"Won't that just give us away?"

"Well, we're gonna get noticed eventually. Just didn't wanna park in the towa' if it meant us walkin' in a hornet's nest."

The two step out the Firebat, making sure to lock the hatches behind them when they make their way to the end of the room through two automatic doors. The next hall, blank and metal, leads them into a security terminal that automatically scans them, suddenly starting a quick alarm as security bots, two hovering diamond-shaped machines, deploy from the walls and aim their twin turrets.

"Oooh boy," Dust rolls his eyes. "Looks like we already did."

A few cameras in the corner of the walls take photos of Blinx and Dust from every angle, while the door to the left slides open revealing another Time Sweeper very much the same as Blinx. A tall, purple jacketed white cat with a black patch of fur comes out with a tablet in his left robotic hand, asking them in a bland tone…

"Ok, state your purpose and identifi- BLINX!" The Sweeper grabs his friend's hands and bounces repeatedly, nearly shaking him! "YOU FREAKIN'…! YOU SON OF…!" Eventually, he quits hopping, trading that for a nice warm hug, patting Blinx's back.

Blinx responds, "Woah, hey Picaro! How it do?"

"How it do? What's goin' on wit'chu?!" Picaro takes a peak at Dust, who has his hat lifted up from his face. "And isn't that the Mith-guy?"

"Dust, I'd like ya to meet one a' my buds, Picaro. He was my backup back in the day."

Picaro tips his head. "Hey man."

"Hey hey! Glad to meet you," says the Mithrarin. "U-um…are we in any trouble?"

"No way buddy. I'm just acting undercover."

Picaro takes a wire out of his left arm and hooks it to one of the robots, causing it to short circuit. He repeats it with the other drone and immediately shoots all 4 of the cameras when his hand folds back, transforming it into a cannon!

"But not anymore," he continues. "Follow me while we're undetected."

In the security room, Picaro slides open a vent door that they can walk in, making sure to shut it behind them as they enter and continue to follow him.

"Since when didja get yerself a fancy robo-arm," asks Blinx.

"Ya like it? My real one got crushed so Catherine made this for me," says Picaro. "Said the design came from an Agent Black."

"Tell her to tell them to come to Aurora sometime," Dust replies. "Haley's always looking for inspiration."

"How's life treatin' you two since the old days anyway?"

"Pretty good till recently," says Blinx as they keep moving down the path. "We just found out about this place!"

"And we had close encounters with the machines here," says Dust. "Plus another Time Sweeper."

"That's not good," Picaro answers back, pulling open another grate into a maintainance hall. "I heard about some units being deployed, but I didn't know it was meant for you."

"An' I thought we were the ones figurin' things out," adds Blinx.

Seeing out the windows, the duo following Picaro catch no sign of activity from the streets far down below. Only a few patrol ships swoop by shining spotlights down in the darker corners of the factory walls.

Dust asks, "How come no one's around? The streets are empty?"

"Workin'," says Picaro. "Everyone's in the factories now. I'd say it's like old times, but I think I'd beg to differ."

He slides open a segment of the dark metal wall hidden behind an array of cables leading to a double-entry lift. One that was sealed off following construction of the building. They climb inside, pressing the only button going down several flights. From what they can make through the transparent steel, they themselves are in the middle of a large facility, emitting flames from heavy machinery that burn scrap metal. Another level brings them close to a production line, where the bombers, albeit visibly more advanced than Gaius', are being constructed. A handful of Cat-Sith workers observe and perform maintainance on each ship. Though, almost all of them look very unhappy. Some even darting back and forth at the iron guards along the walls, afraid of messing up. None of these former Time Sweepers have their vacuums equipped, and what they do have, are generic tools used for everyday adjustments. The bare minimum required for the ships. Others down the next floor are positively pale while monitoring automated machinery and security screens with no sign of food or drinks to keep them going.

"Y-yer kiddin' me…," Blinx stutters aloud. "All my brotha's an' sista's out here like it's the regime all over again…!"

"It's a good thing you're here, then," assures Picaro. "Today's the day we finally put an end to it!"

After a minute, the elevator stops and makes a quiet chime, alerting those on the other side. As the doors slide open, the few Guard Sweepers ready their rifles, mere inches from pulling the trigger. Among these men are Chron and NecoJi; one short with flopped ears, the other taller wearing a battered green jacket and cap. Seeing Picaro, they lower their weapons but don't immediately catch Blinx and Dust behind him.

"Bloody…it's you," says NecoJi to Picaro. "You're not one to take the elevator."

"Yeah, but I was close by, so, figured I'd use it. But look who I found wandering the garage!"

"Oh great," snarks Chron. "It's another showoff, isn't it? Who's gonna get themselves killed this…time" He freezes. Blinx's smile was more than enough to leave him speechless.

Suddenly, other Time Sweepers around them begin to gather in the lift room, lowering their guns when the famous hero of B1Q64 smiles at them. Dust removes his hat, looking at all the soldiers with him and thinks to himself, "These are Blinx's brothers, alright." The feminine yellow-jacketed Pelon comes close to the two, using his goggles to scan their heat signatures.

"It really is you…," Pelon says with excitement in his voice.

NecoJi comes over and nudges his friend's head, patting his back so hard, it almost knocks him over!

"Blinx lad, I KNEW you couldn't have kicked the bucket! Where've ya been, buddy?"

"On an adventure," he says, rubbing his spine and giggling.

Nearly everyone inside starts laughing in unison and lifting Blinx in the air while Dust and Ahrah simply watch. Although they're still thinking of the mission, the Mithrarin can't help but feel joy seeing his friend reunite with his family as the Time Sweepers cheer for him.

"What a lovely, lovely sight," says Ahrah.

"Good to have ya back, but now we've gotta tell the head honcho about you," Picaro interrupts.

"I was just getting ready ta ask about that," Blinx nods. "Is it the CEO or maybe the Operator?"

"No, they…," Picaro pauses and scratches his right, organic arm. "Eeeeh…It's pretty rough too. Here, let me take you to 'em."

"Good to have ya back, pal," says Jimmy, the tall curly-haired Cat-Sith walking by.

"Good ta be back!"

Deeper in the tight, low-ceiling bunker, they pass by rooms of weapons and retired Sweeper gadgets with empty battery slots. Some Cat-Sith Blinx doesn't know wave at him while others look closely at the Mitharin, whom they've only heard stories about. Based on the dire tale of Falana in the war, none had imagined their hero would be allying with him. But it's a welcomed partnership. They enter a small control room filled with rows of monitors, seeing a single older Time Sweeper watching the activity. The green suited Aniki, wearing some special mechanical braces over his legs. Likely the result of an injury.

"Look who it is, big boss," Picaro announces.

"Seriously," Aniki sighs. "All that commotion outside almost made me panic. What's…"

Like everyone else, Aniki stops, nearly stumbling back against the keys of the control panel behind him.

"Why hello there, old boss," Blinx comments.

"Blinx… I knew you'd come…!"

Aniki nearly collapses to his knees, caught by Blinx and Dust. As he comes to, his former cadet says, "Woah...! Easy dere, man. You look like you've seen better days."

"You're damn right about that. Good thing I have these here crutches on me." He takes both hands, gently feeling Blinx's cheeks. "Just look at you... You haven't aged a day!"

"That's what happens when ya mess with the timeline too much."

"You guys age," asks Dust.

"Oh sure," Blinx answers. "We can live for eons an' stay young. Y'know, like Fidget an' whatnot."

"And you must be the one named Dust, right," asks the old Sweeper.

"Yes sir. Pleased to meet you."

"It's a pleasure. Heard a lot about you and your sacrifice. Shame you gotta put up with this fella's crap."

"EY," Blinx snaps.

"Yep, he's definitely something else," Dust chuckles. "But believe me. Fidget's much worse."

Blinx grumbles to himself and folds his arms. But he's clearly blushing while looking away, pretending to be annoyed as he wraps his tail around his waist.

"Listen, I'm sorry we couldn't find ya," Aniki apologizes. "Since the factory fell, we were stranded and trying to regroup as best we could. If we knew you came ahead of time, we would've tried to help."

"Ey, no biggie," Blinx grins. "Ya couldn't have known. It was a pretty messed up situation, an' I got on my own mission. You guys all that's left?"

"No, a few of us are scouting around. Mick's even undercover as a marauder at the tower. He's the reason we suspected you were still alive with all the intel he's been getting."

"Good ta know. Cause we've got a bunch'a questions. Like, who the Hell's in charge of the whole remnant production? An' how come Duke tried to kill us?"

Surprised, Picaro's ears dart up and his eyes widen. "Duke?! Oh, right…Gonna be a tough pill to swallow."

Aniki even looks away at the group, back at the monitors for a moment trying to collect his thoughts. His face strains, clearly from stress over his history.

"First of all, the Chief's…not with us anymore," Aniki bemoans, barely looking Blinx in the face. "He died during evac at the factory… Stayed behind to make sure no one was left before the bombardment. His last order was to have everyone transfer to this world, saying it was top secret in the event of an emergency."

"He knew about Falana," Dust asks.

"Definitely. It's one of many places sighted for evac. He tried his best to keep it to himself so the Tom Toms wouldn't find out and steal from the place. That's why this area was cleared when we arrived."

Blinx sighs with a clear pain in his tone, "Had a feelin' my ol' man got iced. Just didn't have any confirmation."

Dust questions one more time, "If your leadership's gone, then, whose in charge of all this?"

"That's especially the tough part," Aniki gulps, then shuts his eyes in preparation to say, "It's Benito."

Silence. Not a word from anyone, especially Blinx who at first looks surprised till he begins giggling to himself. "Meahehahaha! Eeey, props to ya fer tryin' to crack a joke, ol' man. Com'on. Try harda'."

But again, nothing. Aniki continues to scowl while Picaro scratches the back of his head and gulps, but Dust simply stands confused knowing the bare minimum there is about the notorious Tom Tom Gang's leader. Reality eventually sinks into Blinx's head as his grin fades into a deep fit of disbelief, only mustering enough energy to ask…

"…What…?"

"Hard to process, I know." Aniki replies. "That bad piggie's stolen the Big Crystal and used it to negate all our Sweepers. Now he's got us workin' for him. Soon as our ships touched down, he was there waiting for us, planning on using us to build the factories to make all those robots."

"Those robots…," Dust wonders aloud. "You mean the ones that were launched in Half and Half Village and Aurora?"

"Yes," he confirms. "See, Benito met Gaius sometime before the war here. Said he could provide a backup army should his plans fail and kept them in storage for as long as everything went down till recently. This is so he can profit off all the fighting, like the no good trog he is…"

"How could he have known about all this," asks Blinx.

"Simple," says Picaro. "Remember the time the Tom Toms assaulted the factory head-on before the Crystal fiasco?"

"Yeah?

"That's why. That whole operation was a set up. The Mother Computer was compromised, giving him perfect access to our records."

"Too bad I didn't notice when I tried to fix the damn thing," Aniki grunts.

"So he went back an' used the BC," ponders Blinx. "I thought that thing was tucked back where it came!"

Picaro immediately tells him, "It was. But then we learned the Time Goddesses vanished when the regime became a thing. So he had his best boys steal it again."

"Somehow, he found a way to reverse engineer it," Aniki adds. "That's also how he was able to get in touch with Gaius. As long as he's got the thing in his possession, he can keep with his time-bending shenanigans."

"Wouldn't be the first time we've dealt with a time manipulator," says the grey fox.

"Yeah," Blinx agrees. "'Cept the last one actually had powers. Benito's got nothin' without that crystal. If we can get ta that, he won't stand a chance…unless he's got more marauders on 'im."

"Those poor men…," Aniki sorrowfully mutters. "We tried to convince them not to take the easy path as he did. But they felt abandoned and wanted to send us a message. We heard it loud and clear."

"So it were the Tom Toms who found them," ponders Ahrah.

"Does this mean you're the only ones fighting," asks Dust.

"Yep," Picaro says. "The rest're civilians or workers for the factories. Save for the main one next to the tower. Benito's flagship. Everything there's automated."

When Picaro finishes, the door to the room opens and another Time Sweeper steps inside with a taller individual wearing pink armor beside them. This tail-less, masked woman wearing a helmet shaped the same as Gaius' men with a double visor doesn't even notice Blinx nor Dust in front of her.

"We've found a good entrance, Aniki," says the woman in a distorted voice. "But if we're gonna strike, we'll need to…"

Seeing Blinx beside Aniki, she pauses. The masked figure removes her helmet, revealing a Caucasian human face. She brushes her short blonde hair and stares blankly at the Time Sweeper, beginning water her eyes. Recognizing her by her face alone, Blinx's ears lift and he stutters…

"P-p-princess…?!"

"Blinx? Can't say I was expecting to see you again," she says, in a soft-spoken voice with the helmet removed.

"Blinx, you know this one," Ahrah asks.

"She, uh…she was my crush back in the day." Blinx blushes and brings his tail to his chest, grasping it nervously. "Aaaaand she's pretty much the reason I got famous…"

"You mean she's the one you saved the world for because she was hot," Dust slips.

"That was your motivation," asks the princess raising an eyebrow.

"Whaaaaaaat?! Noooooo. Are ya kiddin'," Blinx darts at Dust and snarks, "Way to go, sportsy…"

"Didn't you know I was little when I met you?"

"So was I! Y'know how long it takes for us to get past age 15? It's like Nimbat years out 'ere!"

"Well, this is awkward," Picaro interrupts. "Next thing you're gonna say is you still wanna go out with her someday."

"Oh nah. I'm already into a certain bigfoot my boy knows." Blinx nudges arm. "Ain't that right, D? Hehehehe!"

Dust smacks Blinx upside the back of his head head, making everyone bust out laughing!

Lena, also giggling, tells him, "Glad to see you haven't changed then from what little I saw of you."

"Talk about changes," Blinx comments, scratching his head. "I ain't had a clue you joined the Sweepers! I thought you'd still be on your planet!"

"You could call it a change of pace. I got the job when the regime took over. Some Sweepers were deployed at my place, and I helped them reunite with the rest of the survivors."

"You like the gig?"

"Well…", she shrugs and smirks. "It's a living. I'd love to play catch-up, but we've got more important things to worry about now that I've found an entrance to the tower."

"Oh good," Aniki remarks. "Security won't give us Hell, will it?"

"A little, but not a lot." Lena addresses both Blinx and the Mithrarin directly. "Blinx, for a few months, Benito's been doubling down on defenses. We thought it was all meant for Gaius' army, but now that you're here, it's proof enough that it's to deal with you and your friend."

"He may've found out thanks to the remnant and their bribes with Gianni," Dust suggests. "After all, they were in contact with each other."

"I'm guessin' once we get 'dere, it's gonna be nothin' but bad piggies left an' right, right," Blinx questions.

"Not really," Picaro shakes his head. "Burrito's mostly using droids to do his dirty work since they're way more efficient."

"We've already fought a platoon of them," Dust recalls. "But a city's worth…?"

"Sounds like overkill fer us," Blinx chuckles. "I'm startin' to feel flattered."

"So you two know how to fight these guys," questions Aniki.

"Not really a how. More like when," Dust replies. "Do you want 'em cut up now or a bit later?"

"That's what I was hoping to hear." The older Time Sweeper strokes his chin and nods. "Ok. I feel like now's a good time to plan our method of attack."

"Good," says Blinx. "Cause we promised ourselves we'd head back home before bedtime."

"Make it before evening then," Aniki winks.

In the briefing room, a small chamber with only one light on the low ceiling and a single projector displaying footage of Benito's tower on the wall. Every Time Sweeper gathers around in anticipation for their next move, led by Aniki, Picaro, and Lena up front.

Lena begins the meeting, pointing to the display. "Benito's main base of operations lies in that tower at the center of the city. He has factories all over the place powered by a central server. "

"Benito's place is the only one that's fully automated, acting as the brains of the operation," Aniki adds. "If we disable it, everything'll shut down, including the robots."

"Pretty stupid that they're all powered by wifi," snarks Blinx. "What about the workers?"

"Glad you asked. I'm taking a squad to go rescue them. When you shut down the server, we'll have them gathered out the buildings as fast as we can."

"You can do that," Dust asks.

"Aye," NecoJi nods. "There's not a lot of us, but we have a strategy called, 'Causing a Scene'. Soon as they hear Blinx is back, everyone's gonna riot!"

Aniki faces the Mithrarin. "Dust, we know we just met you, but your expertise against Gaius' men is exactly what we need against those robots. We need you and Blinx to be there to lead the charge to the tower."

"Understood sir," Dust nods.

"The place's defenses by now are at an all-time high," says the Princess. "The only entrance I've seen that isn't covered are the canals of New Momentopolis."

"Heh," Blinx chuckles. "Nice touch."

"We don't know where exactly the server room is, so we're gonna need to go by intel once we get inside. All that's left to worry about is Benito cause, remember, he has the Big Crystal with him. Until that thing's brought down, Blinx is the only one with a working Sweeper on him."

"Lucky me…"

"Knowing the big guy, he's probably gonna wanna see you two face-to-face," Picaro adds.

"Probably. But I'm sure we can handle 'em so long as we catch him while he's low. Besides, we've made it dis far, right?"

The crowd behind the young Time Sweeper excitedly cheers, rallying themselves toward Dust and Blinx as if ready for their command.

Picaro steps up to Blinx and shakes his hand, saying, "Well let's do this. Get yourselves prepped and grab plenty a' grub. Operation: Doozy's gonna live up to the name."

All goes according to plan. Every Cat-Sith has assembled, gathering their supplies for the upcoming battle. Regular firearms and goggles are all they have while Blinx continues using his Sweeper. Some finish eating dry food stuffs, others head to the entrances back outside. Dust, meanwhile, continues to look around amazed that the family of Blinx had in fact survived. In addition to Lena, the only human, joining their ranks as a commander. She's the first one to notice Dust wander through the bunker.

"So, you're the legendary Sen-Mithrarin," she asks.

Dust faces her, "O-oh! Yeah. Naturally."

"Glad to see you're on our side. A lot of people we've been in contact with were Warmbloods siding with Gaius. I almost felt bad over how committed they were when his goals never really added up."

"Not sure if it's any secret, but part of me was the General's best friend at one point. Almost a brother. But I don't remember any of this."

An all-white Cat-Sith, a shopkeeper with a nurse uniform, quickly addresses him.

"If I may, that's because you weren't there," Catherine suggests. "His armies were deployed for combat by the time he met Benito."

"Oh, that answers that."

"Just be glad we did our homework before we came to this place," says the Princess. "I struggled a bit since I'm no Time Sweeper, but everyone else, especially Catherine, got it down pretty easily with prior knowledge."

"There's so many new things we've learned ever since we arrived," Catherine continues, leaning closer to Dust out of excitement. "Like, did you know supposedly eons ago, humans used to live on this world before they were eventually phased out by anthros like us?" She backs off, gesturing with her hands like she's telling a story. "The Moonbloods call it...TwoKinds."

"I wasn't there at that time, so I wouldn't have known either," mentions Ahrah.

Suddenly, Catherine darts up, "Wait, I know who…!" She stops herself and sits back on the bench behind her. "Um…sorry. You just sounded like the CEO. A bit softer than him."

Another conversation takes place beside the group between Picaro and Blinx leaning against the wall, admiring all their siblings getting to work.

"I just can't believe, the gang's all here besides Mista' Chief," he says before lowering his head. "Good times, huh…?"

"You miss him, don'chu?"

The young Sweeper hum. "Totally. He was my ol' man. Not literally my dad, but he damn near was one."

"Well…take it from me," Picaro comments patting his friend's shoulder. "He had confidence in you. Said if anyone could get the job done, it's you. As far as I'm concerned, you're just about finished."

"Aw, thanks man," he grins, shrugging off his woes. "Ey, maybe when this is over, I can take some o' ya to Aurora fer a visit. Sure the people 'dere would wanna see what we were after."

"I'm glad ya said that, cause Mick told us another ship passed by Half-And-Half, an' we dunno where it's going." Picaro replies with worry in his voice. "I was thinking it was headed to your place unless we shut the servers down before it lands."

"Can do, but…does Mick know how they knew my boy an' me were there?"

"He didn't." Picaro dismisses. "In fact, no one knew. Half an' Half was just a field test for the droids. And the bigger robot earlier was already in the remnant's possession. This is gonna be a big surprise when he sees you."

Dust soon comes over to the two, tilting his head in curiosity.

"Hey, Blinx, exactly what was Benito's deal back in the day," he asks. "You said he was a thief but I didn't think he was a tyrant."

"He's kinda both, actually," he answers, folding his arms. "I mean, granted, he ain't a General Get-on-Us, but…well, yeah. What he's had us go through was basically him."

"Let's not forget when he captured the Princess and almost doomed the whole universe with the BC," Picaro recalls.

"So he's impulsive, then," Dust replies.

"Pretty much," he nods.

Seeing Dust with just a sword, Pelon walks over curiously to the Mithrarin with a second Sweeper in his hands. In a soft voice, he asks, "Need a peashooter, Dust?"

"Oh no thanks," answers the swordsman. "As long as I've got Ahrah on me, I'm good."

"Greetings, ma'am," Ahrah responds.

"I'm a dude."

"O-oh, my apologies," he quickly stutters.

"Woah, check out the sword 'ere makin' a goof," mocks Blinx.

"You do not need to rub it in."

"Heehe," Pelon chuckles. "I'm just glad you're working with us. The famous Sen-Mithrarin gets to team up with the Time Sweepers!"

Dust starts pondering, "Is there like a procedure I'm gonna have to follow or…?"

"Not when you're workin' with us," Blinx comments. "Sportsy, yer about to watch how we do things…the hard way."

Chapter Text

Beneath the tramlines is an access tunnel blocked off by a hatch door, opened from the inside. One train car passes by before Aniki, along with his and Lena's squad, crawl out. Seeing they're behind one of the factory walls near the underside, entering the lower paths of the canal system, stretched by rows of large pipelines leading through the curved walls and tunnels toward the gargantuan tower ahead. NecoJi is the first to exit the shaft, monitoring the area whilst helping people down onto the first maintenance catwalk. Underneath it is the main winding pathway where Dust, Blinx, and Picaro enter via another access door with a bolted ladder down. Lena, as well as Pelon and Chron follow suit.

With everyone in place, Aniki taps a communicator on his wrist, followed by a beep.

"Alright, Jimmy. We're outside. Just make sure the bunker's secure and listen out in case we need backup."

"10/4 Big Boss," says the shopkeeper on the other end.

Lena's quick to get started, grabbing two plasma pistols strapped to her belt.

"Ok guys," she starts, putting on her helmet, facing Dust, Blinx, and Picaro. "We need to make this as quick as possible. Pelon and I are gonna help you boys get to the tower unscathed. With any luck, there won't be any security there waiting for us."

"Sounds good, Princess," Dust nods.

"Since we're heading in the main walkways, there's bound to be robots on patrol. So we'll need to make a run for it."

"While you're at it, we'll be getting in the other facilities to do some real damage," Aniki adds.

"Hopefully with a scene like that, those blokes'll be comin' for us," says NecoJi.

"Nuff chit-chat then. Let's get it," Blinx proudly announces.

Those up above Blinx's team charge for a different direction across the catwalks. Those below move forward, quietly sprinting on a bridge across a wide river. Once the group's on the other side, Picaro activates the river console, raising the lift and smashing the controls with his metal arm should any bots come after them now. Lena's front and center to observe the next area where several of the pipes converge into a large pool to dump a constant stream of water. Only one bridge connects to the side where they need to be, into a short tunnel toward Maintainance guarded by two security droids. With her HUD, Lena's helmet zooms in on the door to the next room.

"There," she points. "Across this pool."

"These waters seem cleaner than expected," Ahrah comments.

"Oh it's gonna get a lot worse from here," smirks Picaro, flexing his wrist.

Lena borrows a strange ball-like device from Pelon, lobbing it over the pool toward the tunnel.

FLASH

It bursts an EMP disabling the bots at the door! As the team makes it there, a small aircraft hovers above the pit toward the catwalks, deploying a squad of troops from its lower hangar. These machines press immediately with heavy fire from the other side, forcing Dust to shield some of the shots with both Ahrah and his hat! As they sprint for it, Dust flings his sword to the side so fast it spins and slices the machines in a circular path back to the user! Blinx stops some of the shots from coming by pausing time on them, giving Lena enough time to shoot them back! Two of the robots fall, and another two are blasted by Pelon's rifle! Seeing more of the droids blasting from above, Picaro's metal hand folds back, deploying a gun barrel with a laser scope. He puts on his goggles, targets the back end of the bridge, then launches a single blast powerful enough to break the hinges leaving the droids to fall into the water beneath them! Another dropship hovers above with more robots coming down to the platforms while the teammates retreat toward the exit door. Picaro aims backward as the rest of the team proceeds into the large maintenance hall surrounded by one wall with several computers along a row of open windows revealing the rest of the waterworks. Over in the distance up high, Aniki's squad blast their way through a line of metallic soldiers, using an array of energy shields to charge at them with maximum force like a rampaging bull knocking them off the bridge! Said bridge takes them around one of the factory towers setting off an alarm. To continue, Picaro heads to the terminal controlling a lift lowering down to the end of the hall, doubling as a walkway.

"This oughta take us right where we need to be."

In seconds, the lift is shot to pieces by another dropship on the other side!

"Or not…"

Pelon looks around for another exit as more enemy units arrive from the entrance and the ceiling openings. To his surprise, another catwalk stretches over the waves toward a small dam and pumping station. He leaps out the gap to safety, landing perfectly on his feet with his Sweeper firmly grasped.

"Over here," he barks to the team, who each follow his movements only to be met with more gunfire from above. Picaro rapid fires at the attackers on the roof of the hall one by one while Pelon shoots another precision bolt at the dropship behind him, hitting one of the turbines on the sides! It comes plummeting into the waves below when another ship is sliced in two by Dust lobbing Ahrah at it. Though the shots from the shuttle travel to the team, Blinx vacuums all the bolts then sprays them all over the maintenance tunnel walls! The support beams attached to it break apart, and the entire foundation comes crashing onto the droids inside!

"Not bad," compliments the princess, who shoots twice at the troopers at the end of the catwalk to another exit point. The team's path is clear and they head back inside a smaller facility where the stench of toxic sludge and heat of molten metal clash in an array of heavy machinery, from huge pistons to acid pits.

"P.U, shouts Blinx," covering his nose with his neck brace. "What kinda place is this?"

"Well all the waste had to go somewhere," Picaro shrugs. "It's from processing the same material the droids use."

"Sure we're going the right way," Dust asks Lena.

"We are," she nods. "So long as we don't veer anywhere but North." Lena pulls out another pistol aiming for one of the waste carriers. "Start running."

In a single shot, the waste barrel's ingredients spark a flame that erupts across the lower deck! Soon several hundreds of the containers around the facility begin to burst into an inferno, forcing everyone outside the other end of the building. Any sentinels inside are blown to pieces along with the toxins, and those that aren't are deployed from another shuttle before the group at the balcony of the burning complex.

"Wait for it…"

The walls behind the team crumble and begin falling forward toward another rooftop above a huge gap! All but Lena start screaming on the way down but manage to leap off onto the platform in front of them at the last second! The collapse of the building leads to a huge explosion that burns the dropships above, but they continue to shoot, forcing Blinx to pause time once again. Only this time, Dust uses a strong whirlwind to blowback the bullets on both cruisers, grinding them to pieces!

"Oh yeah," Lena cheers. "I've been planning that one for a while!"

"So yer both a Princess and an expert in physics," Blinx snarks. "Heh. Go figure."

"I thought we were trying to head to the entrance undetected, not causing a scene," worries the Mithrarin.

"We are," the Princess nods. "All this is part of the distraction. They'll be so occupied with repairs, they won't have enough men to cover the main canals."

Looking forward, the tower's path is still clear, distant but traversable through the rest of the walkways beneath the complex.

"That way."

Elsewhere, within one of the factories run by waves of distressed Cat-Sith working on war machines like hover bots and dropship parts, guard droids, the same diamond-shaped robots floating above the floor with their guns aimed for the workers, monitor the progress of every operation. That is until one of them gets disabled by a precise bolt to the processor from behind. Chron, with but a pistol, strikes the rest of security very quickly, allowing NecoJi to come in front and center before a large audience of his brothers and sisters.

"Hey everyone," he announces, "BLINX IS BACK!"

Immediately, one of the workers pushes over a robot's body and trades for their guns. Everyone else does the same, taking up arms as they begin cheering loudly throughout the production line. Some in other rooms even hear the news, taking the Sentinel Bots watching them and tearing them to pieces when their guard is down!

"That went by a lot easier than I thought," Aniki says walking in. "Hope it doesn't mean security's moving to Lena's team."

Back down the winding walkways of the canal, Dust and Blinx fan out on either side to examine their surroundings, coming across no droids but a sizeable raft used for quick passage over the river.

"Good, there's still a raft here," Pelon says, beginning to man the controls to the side. "This oughta get us to the place quicker."

Everyone hops on board for their next move and the ship begins veering forward down the steady stream of sludge. On the way, swerving left and right through each curved path like a tube, another hovercraft, this time a bot on its own, arrives far behind them pointing its guns toward the raft. It rapidly shoots at it, almost hitting the hull when Dust deflects a bolt with his sword! In a single shot, Picaro completely explodes the ship from the gun barrel to the rest of the droid!

"MAN! Y'see that shot," Picaro gleefully remarks just before flinching from almost getting hit in the shoulder by another bolt! On the walkways, squads of the flying turret droids form up and shoot away at the raft, even after it picks up speed! Blinx slows down time long enough that Lena can fire back at the interlopers. However, she only manages to take out a few before more soldier types arrive. Very swiftly, Dust leaps off the raft onto one of the walkways, running straight into the smoke from the burnt turrets! He lunges Ahrah through an enemy aimed for the vehicle, then hides in the thick shades to half another! One by one, the robots are torn to pieces, and the few that attempt to focus on the raft are easily disabled by Lena's sharpshooting! Eventually, the Mithrarin hops back onto the barge the further it gets from the connection locks. To their left is another station connected to the floodgates, shielded by more soldiers. Pelon stops the barge to get two shots in on them, while Blinx fast forwards Picaro on his way to the heavy metal door. The cyber-armed Time Sweeper plugs a cable in a small control panel.

BUZZ

The entrance opens and everyone on the raft vacates and gets inside. They're met by more security; this time in the form of other Time Sweepers. At first, these people hesitate believing it to be the machines barging in. But Blinx, Picaro, and Pelon together quickly become the center of astonishment.

"Blinx," shouts the tallest worker. "You're still alive?!"

"In the flesh, Ian" he replies. "We're tryin'a get to Benito. Aniki's got his own team raidin' the other factories an' there's plenty o' broken droids outside if you wanna borrow their guns."

"Cool beans! But just be careful. Reports kept denying you even exist and alarms are going off left and right!"

"Wait, Burrito's gonna act like I'm dead, but he'll increase security lookin' for me?! He really does want'chu all in check."

"Walkway's downstairs if you wanna take it. It'll lead to the tower directly."

"Exactly where we're going," Lena nods.

She takes the steps down in the control room to a door outside where another set of long catwalks runs beside the wall of the canal over a deep dark pit where the pipes go down. At the end is the gargantuan Time Tower, larger from the perspective of those looking at it the closer they get. Right when the team is ready to sprint through, yet another dropship arrives from the pit and shoots the bridge into pieces! Blinx attempts to reset the damage with his Sweeper, but it's too much! Everything crumbles right before he can finish! The robots onboard deploy from the racks with jets and meet the group directly. Suddenly, Lena puts away her guns, strapping them to her sides in favor of putting her fists up at the first droid in front of her. She easily ramps her fist right through its head, then kicks another one so hard it falls into the trooper falling in behind it! Dust halves two more of the robots then flings Ahrah toward the ship before it takes off, severing the right turbine, sending it careening into the shield wall and into the darkness below!

"Agh, those damn droids blasted the bridge," Lena growls. "We'll have to take a more creative approach."

"No…," bemoans Ahrah. "Please don't. The last time someone said that, Dust and Fidget started an avalanche!"

"Don't worry, it's easy." she darts toward the sets of tubes under where the catwalks used to be. "Blinx, you and your squad're gonna have to head the rest of the way. Get on those pipes and head to the tower through there. You'll find a hatch that'll take you inside."

"Ok. But don't the pipes eventually go dow-"

Before the Time Sweeper can finish his sentence, she and Pelon had already ran back into the control room behind them.

"Try not to fall, guys," says Pelon as the door shuts automatically.

"Well…guess I'll go first," Dust nods, carefully sitting on the edge of the broken catwalk. He puts Ahrah back behind him and slowly brings his legs down to make the drop the pipes beneath him. He sticks the landing, and Picaro, only slightly taller than Blinx, motions for Dust to help him down. Lastly, he and Dust grab onto Blinx's sides when he drops, helping him stand upright while balancing. There's very little gaps between the fives tubes, but each one eventually bends straight into the pit the closer it gets to the huge facility at the end.

"You two don't need to hold onto me for balance, do you?"

"I'm gonna assume yer serious an' say nah," Blinx replies.

"Should be ok so long as there's no more robots," Picaro says, beginning to walk carefully. "And here I thought this would've been easy."

Very slowly, the three men begin their way across the deep pit making sure not to look down, which Blinx has serious trouble with. The path is long and treacherous, having the group balance between the lines by planting both feet with each step should they ever start to fall.

"Careful not to look down, men," Picaro suggests.

"Thanks, I wasn't tryin' to," snarks the fellow Cat-Sith.

HOOOOOOOOONK

Prompted by a loud siren from above, the facility's walls eerily begin to shift both upward and to the sides. The clock up top dings once it hits another hour, and from one of the hangars hundreds of feet high, swarms of machines, all shaped like diamonds, launch around the environment like a beehive! From this swarm, several drones descend toward the pit, unlocking their side gun barrels to fire immediately! They end up hitting the pair on the pipes, though each shot only stings slightly, not enough to kill or fully maim unless more bots arrive. However, some shots hit the ducts below, denting them; nearly leaving holes in the foundation!

"AH SHIIOOOOT," Blinx screams as he quickly brings out his Sweeper to shoot back at the machines!

Picaro joins in, switching his robotic arm to full auto for but a moment as the force of each shot throws off his balance! He almost falls down from blasting a droid when he's caught by Dust with one hand.  

"God, would it kill ya to not burst the pipes," Blinx yells, firing the bullets back at the drones!

One of the bots aims for the conduits from the back, causing a burst in the water pumps. The dents in the metal start breaking open, spurting fluid out around the trio!

"OH NO," they scream, immediately bolting through the enemy in a mad dash forward! Two of the tubes end, going down to the abyss, leaving them with only three to run on, concentrating on the tower at the end of their sprint as the pipes begin to bend and snap out of place! One of them explodes, collapsing and forcing Blinx to continue running on the remaining two before they're met with only one; a fair distance away from where they started and near the facility. As the pipes burst behind them one by one, one of the drones comes down shooting rapidly at Dust, who deflects each bolt the closer it reaches him! But when he's about to slice the droid in half, he's struck against the hull! The bot rams into his stomach, carrying him into the air away from his allies! It's then that he holds on tight; his weight somehow not causing the bot to falter.

"GUYS, THEY'RE STURDY," the Warmblood shouts before swerving upside down!

Picaro pulls out a chord from his metal appendage and blasts one of the drones down in front of him. "Aw, screw this!"

He gets on one knee, opening a piece of the hull to plug the chord in. Soon the robot is reactivated but only responds to Picaro's commands, hovering upward so he can hold on. He tries to take Blinx's hand, but another robot shoots at them from above, causing the Cat-Sith to fall over! Right behind him, though, things go from bad to worse the more the conduits come apart!

"GRAB HIM, BLINX," Dust shouts, zooming past the two Time Sweepers!

Seeing the pipes exploding is enough for Blinx to try again, successfully catching Picaro's hand and flying with him. Albeit carried in the air over the abyss! The tubes finally collapse, leaving the men zipping and barrel-rolling out of control! Some drones nearby attempt to shoot, but Dust ends up crashing into them when he loses his grip! He falls onto another robot, which throws off its aim, shooting at yet another machine close to it!

"OH, WHY DIDN'T I JUST BRING THE SHIP," Blinx asks himself loudly, holding tightly onto his friend's arm.

Soon, they're sent hurdling onto the platform against the tower wall where the hatch door is lit by one LED. Dust is first to land, crashing the drone he's piloting onto the catwalk and disabling it with a lunge from Ahrah! Picaro and Blinx, thrown off by one of the shots breaking their robot's gravity, come flying at full speed!

"Let go on 3," Picaro says, lowering Blinx. "1…2…"

"THREE"

Both Cat-Sith release themselves from the drone right when it nears the tower for a brutal collision! They end up falling onto the catwalks, but Blinx lands scarily close to the edge. Luckily, he's rescued by Dust once again, who grabs his boot and drags him forward. The Time Sweeper, very much thankful for the save, gets up and hugs Dust and Picaro tightly when another two robots miss him. Picaro easily blasts them down with two shots of his own.

All their enemies so far have fallen and hordes of the mechanical monsters continue to sweep the city. Fortunately, the entrance to the big facility is clear. Only difficulty is that Blinx won't losen his grip on his two colleagues.

"…Dude, I get you're glad for the save, but you can let go now," Dust says as he pats Blinx's back.

"Mm-Mmm," he shakes his head. "I ain't doin' it till ya open the door."

Picaro reaches his metal hand backward to the door's control panel, palming the scanner and frying it, causing the hatch to open automatically. Finally, Blinx releases the pair, and they prep their weapons into the small underlit passageway to a ladder at the end.

"Gotta admit, I love watchin' you two work," Picaro compliments.

"Aaaw, all I did was reverse an' freeze stuff like always," Blinx replies, patting his foot.

"Yeah, but with this guy," he counters, patting Dust's shoulder. "We're steppin' in a hive here. We're not gonna be trapped with them."

"They'll be trapped with  us ," the three announce!

Chapter Text

Deep in the recesses of the gargantuan facility, Dust, Blinx, and Picaro wander onto a balcony displaying a technical marvel. An entire factory self-automated, constantly shifting structures like a giant machine, folding the panels in to make roads for the security robots to walk on. Dozens of patrol ships hover through the deep corridors lit by large open windows displaying the sprawling cityscape outside.

"Man," Blinx wonders. "I keep forgettin' the World Ships could take all this."

"The ships," Dust asks.

"They each had a subsection where they held parts for the tower," answers Picaro. "It's like one giant Lego set!"

"How do we know where to go?"

"Lemme check."

Next to the boys is a small computer terminal along the wall which Picaro can plug into. In the meantime, Blinx veers his sights away, monitoring the small camera drones flying overhead in case he ever needs to shoot. Dust keeps Ahrah in hand, flipping the sword around in preparation for another attack, having already dealt with crowds of malicious machines on the way here.

"Be very mindful everyone," Ahrah advises. "I sense a familiar presence nearby."

"What in this tip could be familiar to ya," questions Blinx.

[ALERT: UNAUTHORIZED BIOLOGICAL FORMS DETECTED. SCANNING NOW]

"Aw man," Picaro shouts and transforms his arm to its gun mode. "That's what I was afraid of!"

Another panel above the terminal opens up. A small scanner begins examining them, picking up on their weapons and identification. Though there's no record of Dust, Picaro and Blinx are spotted, causing a freeze in security.

[TIME SWEEPER, DESIGNATION #01712….]

Another ping comes on after a few seconds for the main computer to process. Instead of the usual cold automated voice on the loudspeaker, another one comes on. This time, a softer, somewhat organic male pitch saying to them…

"Hello again. I am Aegis, the former administrator assigned to the Time Factory. I believe we have met before, Blinx and Picaro."

Stunned, Blinx harks back darting his sights to every corner, instantly recognizing the friendly administrator's voice, but with no sign of him anywhere.

"Aegis," Blinx stutters. "You're still here? Where are ya?!"

"Oh, right," Picaro palms his head. "Did I forget to mention he's the AI for the tower and production line?"

"Correction: Sentient Intelligence," Aegis responds. "Around the time of the attack on the factory, I uploaded my consciousness onto the central server of the World Ships to transport them to the planet where we currently reside. Afterward, I was transferred to this facility and reprogrammed to maintain production of the war droids."

Blinx strains, "Ya dumped yer brain in a computa'?"

"It was the easiest way for me to coordinate every vessel since the Mother Computer's commands were insufficient for such a task. As well as it being shut down during the incident."

Picaro adds to this. "Truth is, we would've got the Chief to do it instead, but he planned on going down with the ship. Sure, Admin's got no body, but the CEO pretty much saved his life."

"So if you're still here, you can help us bring down Benito, right," asks Dust.

"Yes and no," answers the system. "Benito has tampered with my programming to prevent me from retaliating against him. However, I can guide you through the process of disabling the security grid for me to regain my full faculties and override his commands."

"Okie doke," Blinx nods. "But where're we supposed to go?"

"INCOMING!"

Picaro shouts as a dropship arrives right above them, launching two rockets at the balcony they stand on! Blinx slows down time fast enough that Dust uses a whirlwind to hurl the missiles back, easily blowing the ship to pieces! But another squad of combat robots rolls in from a lift on the far end of the chasm to the main walkways! A magnetic bridge is activated from the trio's end to the other side for the soldiers to cross. One of them gets shot down by Picaro, but the rest continue to blast at the group from afar; one bolt grazing Dust's armored shoulder and forcing him to deflect with more concentration! It takes Blinx slowing down the bullets again to give Picaro wiggle room to bring the heat on the droids marching over the gap, dismantling them with heavier rounds. The mere push from the mod forces him to stop to cool his gun down while Dust sweepers through the squad, cutting down each trooper on his way to the elevator!

"You can use the lift in front of you to reach the terminals," Aegis answers. "I will mark the right floor for you."

Blinx steps into the elevator, noting the floors for the grid are already set on the many hundred button prompts. Soon as all three of the team walks in, the lift begins to head down, albeit rapidly thanks to the advanced hydraulics. Going down, the men can see through the transparent walls the huge gears of the clocks outside the tower slowly turning, along with several flying drones zooming out the hangars. A sigh of relief comes out of Blinx's mouth, listening closely to the silent radio.

"Oh thank God," Blinx sighs. "There's no elevata' music."

Ahrah, with humor in his voice, scoffs at him, "We are on a quest to bring a dictator to justice and you're concerned about the music?"

"When you've heard 'Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer for the umpteenth time, you'll know the struggle. Anyway, which floor're we headed to first?"

"You are now arriving at Level 128 A," Aegis replies.

"What about Mick," asks Picaro. "Where's he at?"

"He is currently guarding my central processing core. But he is unable to assist you at this time so as to not give away his role here."

"Forgot he's spyin' fer us, I hope," Blinx says, prepping his Sweeper again.

The elevator's sound system makes a light ping when it reaches it's floor. The doors slide open, but outside is a forked corridor where the paths are blocked by ray shields. Behind them, a hatch from the low ceiling folds outward, lowering two large objects; same royal colors as the previous metal troopers, but bulkier and tucked with their arms crossed against their knees.

"Ey, what's the deal with these guys," Blinx asks the admin.

"Security Defenses Stage 1 has been activated," he answers.

While the shields are still up, these sturdy robots transform into their actual shape of a near-identical replica of the mad General Gaius; just with the same helmet and visor as the previous models slightly modified. Unlike their template, however, they have no swords and seem to be lacking hands to carry any weapons.

"Heh. That's funny." Blinx nods his head at the droids behind the shields. "Kinda looks like yer description of General-"

BLAM

"OH MY GOD!"

Blinx falls back barely dodging a shot when the rays are lowered! He and his partners are forced into the corners beside the door as the heavy units spray a scarily strong array of rounds per shot, rapidly firing until the lift nearly comes apart! Blinx slowly down time by 50%, giving Picaro enough time to shoot back, only to find that the armor on the bots is impervious to simple shots. He's forced to switch to his explosive rounds, aiming for the joints and firing at both metal troopers! Finally, they're dismantled; though not without difficulty. The three men rush out the lift before it begins crumbling under its own weight from the damage!

"Damn, those guys got us good," Picaro shouts!

Blinx barks, "I thought this was security stage 1, not stage 100!"

"It is stage 1," Aegis retorts.

"O-oh…," he whimpers.

"Ahrah comments, "Don't give up now. We're already in the thick of this mission. And the worst -getting here- has come to pass."

"Right. Uh, let's see…"

The Time Sweeper investigates the broken remains of the battle robots, finding that one of their guns is still intact. With his saber, he removes the weapon from their arm, then notices the slots from the inside matching that of his Sweeper's. By swapping its vacuum with the gatling gun, Blinx has successfully created a new mod!

"HA! I knew it," He grins. "The inner workings of these parts match our Sweepers!"

"Cheap Tom Tom engineering," says Picaro wandering into a hall. "And if that's the case, then some parts of this tower weren't that well organized. Which means the console should be behind one of these walls…"

Dust wanders into one of the labs off to the side where automated arms experiment with an inert shard of a Time Crystal using tiny lasers. Being careful not to bump into the equipment, he taps his gloved hand onto the wall at the end, feeling the creases around a certain spot he can open, revealing a small control panel.

"You have found the first terminal," confirms the Administrator.

"Awesome," Dust says lunging Ahrah straight into the computer! However, this causes the lights the flicker and Aegis' voice to distort from a high to low pitch randomly while responding.

"thERE Is a sEcond elEvAtOr to the end of the hallway."

Concerned, Blinx asks, "Woah, Aegis, you alright?"

"I am fine. That was only part of the shutdown."

Relieved, Blinx continues with his teammates to the turbolift. But just as they begin to exit, Dust stops in his tracks when his attention is caught on one of the lab rooms. Inside is a strange dark object. Metal in nature yet somewhat organic at the same time with the tentacles protruding out the satellite's lower end. It's being scanned and studied by the several x-rays and video cameras circling it on a rotating rack. Whatever it is, the object is identified as foreign on the monitors, which link to its systems to scan for a signal somewhere on the planet. Dust's helmet captures a good image of the scene on his way in the elevator with his buddies to dissect later. In the meantime, he focuses back on the mission.

In the next level going down, a holographic display of some kind of creature pulls up as the robot arms align the floors for entry. It seems to be a briefing room of some kind, giving a good look at this hybrid monstrosity. A strange mix between a regular Gaius soldier's torso -that isn't an android counterpart- and an entirely mechanical lower half balanced by wheels for feet and digitigrade legs.

"Hate to see that thing in person," Picaro winces.

One of the walls pulls up to unleash its complement of heavy gunners already having Dust shield his friends with a spinning deflect of his sword! Behind them, another set of droids, now regular troops, charge for the Time Sweepers. But with Blinx's modifications to his signature weapon, he burns through them like a shower of molten lava! The mere intensity and vibrations of the mobile turret cause him to lose control for a moment when he rotates toward the Gaius-like units, countering their attacks with their weapon! Dust even has to duck underneath the storm of bullets, watching as they cut the men down and ruin the wall and ceiling panels, exposing the mechanical arms and catwalks behind them! With how effective it is, Blinx turns off the mod when it begins to overheat.

"WHOO," he cheers. "This thing got BITE!"

Dust snarks, "Yeah, just be careful not to point that in my breathing space."

Picaro notices that behind the broken barriers, the catwalks leading up takes them to an array of fluid tubes and a control station. Heading inside, what seems to be the security box is there front and center, locked but unguarded.

"That must be the next console," Dust says.

He simply cuts off the lid and shoves Ahrah into the controls like before. Normally, this would call for confirmation from Aegis, but nothing comes from him. The lights in the room they're in abruptly come off and backup power is administered to the fluid pumps outside. As well as starting an alarm triggering the red spotlights.

"Asking Aegis for confirmation would be the wisest move," scoffs Ahrah.

"Yes, thanks Dad," Dust quips. "That would've never occurred to me."

"A small deployment has been dispatched for your location," Aegis advises. "I would advise using their platform to reach the next console."

Right on time, the next wave of sentries arrives with their weapons primed. Seeing the fluid intakes next to them, Blinx shoots at one of them to cause a small flood, thinking they would short circuit the droids like before. Though it does make a single unit fall down the pit, the rest keep standing firmly on the pad and shoot! The trio now crouches under the desk in the small station.

"I thought they weren't waterproof," Blinx panics.

"Improvements were required after the destruction of the first batch of soldiers on Half and Half Village and Aurora," Aegis answers. "Each unit radios feedback on their performance."

"They got shipped to our place too?!"

"If they did that after a fight, they might be disabled," Dust hopes. "But we'll have to worry about that later. How're we supposed to get past those guys?"

"Stay here," orders Picaro, who crawls from the floor to the walkway. Surprisingly, despite the risks, the robots couldn't detect him. Their lack of night vision keeps them from seeing the Cat-Sith soldier snipe them from behind! The two heavy androids are easily taken down from a new weak spot detected in the back. Blinx raises his Sweeper in a lopsided fashion to shoot back while crouched, successfully blowing the rest of them to pieces. Picaro hops on the platform kicking the mechs off as Dust and Blinx follow along.

The lift takes everyone up to a much wider area still shrouded in darkness and emergency lights, and surrounded by a platoon. Those that can see the team from the walkways and terminals fire away immediately, almost striking the makeshift elevator's hydraulics. But Blinx's new modifications easily mow them down by collapsing their flooring into the railway beneath them. It thankfully doesn't take long for the elevator to finish rising to the next wire-filled substation that thankfully isn't guarded.

"There it is," Aegis confirms.

Blinx clicks his Sweeper again. It switches to its regular setting to launch one of Picaro's rounds at the target, instantly sparking an explosion destroying the whole room and breaking off the cables!

"Now where're we supposed to go," asks Blinx.

As if in response, Aegis sends the platform moving backwards toward the walls of the tower floor. It comes to a stop at another catwalk by the windows, when at the corner of Blinx's eye, he sees something strange moving about in the distance where they came. It's an almost similar shape to the schematics on the hologram from earlier, skating with the wheels and hopping up with boosters in its back to hop on another floor into the next room. Right before a transport, a tram ride, zooms into a tunnel below, crushing the debris in front of it!

"What was that?"

"That was a train," answers the voice. "A connected line of railroad cars with or without a locomotive invented in 1804."

"I think he meant the weird creature that skated above it," corrects the Mithrarin.

"I believe that was part of an emergency response team. It's a new unit to replace the marauders."

"Whatever that was, I sure as Hell don't wanna bump into it," says Picaro. "Definitely not worth investigating."

Two more groups of robots take the lifts on either side down to the trio, then use their heavy gunners to dismantle the elevators!

"Aw crap," shouts Blinx as he sucks up the incoming bullets with his Sweeper. "They've blown up our exits!"

Outside the windows, a dropship built for 4 descends with yet another set of droids ready for deployment. But as they get closer, Picaro hatches an idea.

"Wanna help a brother out," he asks Dust. "Shoot me up there."

Confused, the Warmblood does as he asks and pushes him up to the shuttle's roof with a strong wind from Ahrah. Using the chord in his augmentation, Picaro plugs into the ship's computer through a panel up top, toggling a few settings to take control. He unloads all the droids inside, but does so out the window above the huge drop outside to send them plummeting to their destruction!

"Hop on," he yells, giving Dust and Blinx ample time to get on board the carrier from the sides as Picaro takes off. "Aegis, patch yourself in so you can guide the ship."

"Affirmative."

While getting higher to the side of the huge tower, the only thing on Dust and Blinx's mind is the titanic drop. Even going upward feels as if there's no end as they can't see the top of it. It's not long before Aegis tells them to stop and head back inside, crashing through the glass into a small computer room where instead of robots, they're met by members of the original Tom Tom Gang! These muscular Pig-like humanoids don't even get enough time to aim their pistols at the duo when Picaro starts shooting the dropship's guns at them! He doesn't kill them, however. Merely shooting at the floor to trip them up and knock them out.

"Man, I love this thing," he cheers as he squeezes the shuttle further inside, knocking over several of the big terminals hooked to the ceiling!

Curious, Blinx examines the unconscious pirates, seeing that their red goggles had been cracked but inside display a string of text detailing different corners of the level they're on. Including Blinx identified as a target.

"Can't say I was lookin' forward ta seein' these guys again," mocks the Time Sweeper.

"These are members of the Tom Toms," asks Dust.

"In the flesh. At least it's better than those gatlin' robots."

BZZZSSHRRK "The main members of the Tom Tom Gang are centered in the highest levels of the facility," Aegis explains. "This is where they run tests on their latest droid models and various objects. The final console should be located up ahead."

With the directions, they proceed into the next hallway filled with blocks of workstations on the sides leading into the main server room. A bigger, constantly shifting chamber where it is especially cold to keep the hardware cooled down. There's already a wave of troops standing idly by waiting to attack; now including melee users. A few of them descend from the balcony above the squad for a sneak attack, but Blinx puts them on pause long enough for Dust and Picaro to tear them apart! Those off to the end of the room begin their assault. Like many times before, Blinx sucks up the shots and launches them back. But this time, the droids are shielded! The shots bounce off an invisible barrier around the heavy gunners!

"Crap, they're shielded," Blinx shouts right when one of the metal men launches a missile at him!

The Time Sweeper slows the speed of reality just enough that it gives him and his partners ample time to leap back from the blast. However, when Blinx attempts a reverse or pause, his weapon stalls.

"Aw nuts," he grunts, hitting his Sweeper. "Batteries're dead! Guess I've been usin' this a Helluva lot, huh?"

"There are a few Time Crystals available to use in the next room," Aegis suggests.

Dust swing tosses Ahrah so fast that the sword goes flying across the room like a boomerang, spinning and slicing through the guards like a hot butter knife! Only the two gatling bots keep firing with their shields up until Picaro sees an opportunity. Blasting a girder up top to collapse it onto them! Though the machines barely stand, the shields are down and give Blinx a chance to bring the heat with the last of the bullets stored in the Sweeper!

"That was a close one. Now where do we go," he asks.

"The console is just above you," says Aegis.

"Where? I don't see it."

"It is within the ceiling. I will lower a lift for you to enter."

One part of the roof comes down with an arm, small enough for only one person to hop on.

"Lemme take this one," Picaro says stepping onto the platform. "Goin' up!"

While Picaro exits into the ceiling, Blinx and Dust examine the servers and notice they're all labeled differently. These once belonged to the Mother Computer of the Time Factory, indicated by their messages saying such. Once Picaro takes out the last computer, Aegis pings and tells Dust…

"Dust, turn off your browser immediately. Your antivirus has detected a malware-infected download."

"Huh," Dust pauses.

"I apologize. Each terminal is connected to my processing core. Please disregard the previous statement."

"Hey bro, you ok up there," Blinx loudly asks Picaro.

No luck. He's too high up to hear anything, and the lift that brought him there is jammed.

"He is trapped in the maintenance sections of this room, Blinx," Aegis responds.

"Damn… At least he's safe up there. Better go find me some goodies."

Next door, the duo is greeted by another odd find. A smaller room where several Time Crystals are packed in containers while strange blob-like specimens are being prodded at on the worktables by automated units. To Blinx, they vaguely resemble creatures he's seen countless times in the past. However, they lack any physical features that suggest they were even alive like eyes or a mouth. Not even antennae.

"Um…Aegis, not to change the subject, but what exactly is Benito experimenting with here," Dust asks.

"Mysterious objects that descended with us when we arrived on the planet, as well as remnants of other Time Shards. It seems this area we've landed on also contains its own plentiful supply of Time Crystals beneath the world's surface. However, records of these crystals' formation trace back to an era where current society was at its prime."

"That sounds…confusing."

Blinx smashes open one of the crates to grab himself a replacement shard, red. With a few adjustments to his Sweeper, it automatically comes back online, instantly reversing the box being opened.

"That oughta do it," he grins. "Good as new!"

Dust beams another smile at Blinx, saying, "Just a thought, but it's a good thing Fidget's not here. Or else she would've screamed, 'OH NO! GAIUS IS BACK FROM THE GRAVE! HE'S MULTIPLYING,' over all the stuff we've been through so far."

"Yes…," Ahrah replies. "And you do a surprisingly decent impression of her. Now, where do we continue from here?"

"W-while Picaro remains in the maintenance hall, you must reach me at the heart of the tower," Aegis says before he glitches. "I have maaaaaaaaaaaaaaarked an exit point."

"Hearing him talk like that will never stop freaking me out," Dust comments. "Let's keep moving."

It doesn't take very long for the duo to make it to the next elevator used for limited access deep near the core of the facility. As it ascends at a fast pace, Blinx and Dust notice the number of wires traveling up with them outside. Steel beams separate the floors of the heavy machinery beneath a sprawling room where the floor tiles flash red as if an alarm is going off. At the center going upward, each cable converges into a massive, bulbous machine surrounded by tracks and computer stations. Eventually, the lift comes to a stop and opens its other door, giving the pair time to marvel at Aegis' form.

" ̶͖̇Y̵͙̽-̶̹̌y̵̯͂-̴̹͊y̸͍͘-̵̫͂ẏ̶̱o̷͂ͅù̶̻'̶̺͘r̵̡̐e̶̟͑ ̶̩͘n̷̮͛-̸̙͝n̶̖̉e̸̱̚a̷̪̅ŕ̵͖i̶̠̽n̸̙̆ğ̵͍ my central processing core," he glitches. "E̷n̵g̵a̷g̶i̴n̷g̶ autoturret defenses… A-a-attempting shu-u-u-utdown…"

Blinx, beginning to sprint from the brain assures the administrator, "Don't worry boss! We're almost there!"

"Why would they make this machine so huge if it's the only thing controlling the building," asks the Mithrarin as he runs with his partner.

"Well a person's brain is a lot more complex than a tiny computa'!"

BLINX!

An older, rougher voice over by Aegis' terminal belongs to Mick. A greenish Cat-Sith sporting the same attire as a marauder. However, his waving at the Time Sweeper reminds him he isn't a threat. Mick comes over to the computer with a grin on his face, coming to give Blinx a bro hug.

"Mick ol' pal! You good?"

"I'm just fine," he nods. "I already took out the robots here when I heard you were coming. Aegis' terminal's right there."

"Awesome," Blinx smirks as he walks over to the station. "Let's-"

BANG

At the blink of an eye, all three men are met by an explosion big enough to send them flying off the balcony onto the walkway behind them! Blinx even drops his Sweeper and Mick pulls out his energy axe from his own in preparation for a fight. Dust barely recovers when Ahrah shouts, "DUST, GUARD UP!"

Dust brings the blade up to his face, and right on time as a chainsaw as big as himself clashes with Ahrah, coming from the mismatched creature patrolling the tower! This cybernetic monstrosity with a mono-eye and a pig-like torso, clearly a malformed Tom Tom member, grits their teeth at him while wheeling itself back toward the computer. And just above him on the next balcony is the leader behind the chaos. Benito, very much on the heavy side sporting his red and white outfit, fancy boots, a cape, and a golden crown with a crystal embedded in it. He straightens his silver and red lenses, strokes the hair under his chin and smirks at the Time Sweeper and Mithrarin beneath him.

"Well, well, well! Look who the

Cat dragged in," he snarks. "Looks like all those reports were right."

Blinx casually rolls his eyes, "Oh wow! If it isn't Dr. Piglet. Am I still way past cool for ya?"

"Blinx," he shakes his head. "Why am I not surprised? Ya screwed with me an' my boys before, but now this? With the ninja fox on your side?!"

Dust replies, "Actually I'm more like a wolf. But that ninja's name is-"

"Yeah yeah yeah," the tyrant interrupts. "Dust, killer of my ol' client an' protector of the innocent. Two sides of the same coin. I got the whole scoop since before I even came to this planet an' got stuck in the timeline."

"Somebody's been doin' their homework," Blinx smirks.

"Won't lie. I had a feeling the General guy would fail. But that's coo. I've got other arrangements for you boys as you can see. Y'like Ugo's makeover? He calls it, Time Hunter."

"Dat's Ugo…?" Blinx takes a moment to examine the cyborg's look and scowls realizing what it is. "…Eh. Could be worse. Could be like how he used'ta look."

"Never underestimate Tom Tom engineerin', son," Benito grins as he fiddles with Aegis' systems. "Take 'em out, and leave the leftovers to me!"

[WARNING: SECURITY PROTOCOL STAGE 3 IS ACTIVE]

As Ugo begins to zip toward the group, blasting his heavy gun at them, drone defenses ascend from the pit along with two of the Gaius Gunners, switching from gatling mode to full siege barrels! Blinx, seeing the explosives coming their way, slows time long enough for Dust and Mick to rolls from them before they land! Mick joins the Mithrarin in slicing the first wave of hover bots surrounding them and firing pellet shots, which Mick can deflect with his shield. While they're busy, the Time Hunter focuses on attacking Blinx head on, slicing a piece of his Sweeper barrel when he swerves from a swipe from the chainsaw!

"A little much fo' someone plagiarizin' from Doom," Blinx grunts while running backwards and shooting.

When he nears the lift, he notices the two heavy gunners still launching four martyr shells from the walkways on either side meant to land where he's standing. Once Ugo gets close to him, Blinx stops shooting and sets the Sweeper to pause, freezing the Tom Tom in place moments before he's shelled! The explosion throws Blinx onto his back wondering if it succeeded. Unfortunately, even with chunks of his flesh scorched off exposing the augmentations underneath them, the Time Hunter keeps trucking. His attempt at decapitating the Cat-Sith leads to him slicing the elevator in two when he ducks under him, rolling between his metal legs! Ugo's torso quickly rotates to whack him in the back of the head, knocking Blinx against a guard rail and dropping his Sweeper! He just misses his chance to grab it before it plummets into the chasm!

"Son of a-"

WHAM

Blinx barely dodges a slam from the cyborg! It catches Mick's attention from afar while he's in the middle of protecting Dust from gunfire.

"Blinx, catch," he barks when he tosses his Sweeper at Blinx a good distance away! Ugo even attempts to slice it on the way toward him, but Blinx easily hops past him and grabs it with enough room to slow down the Time Hunter!

"Thanks, but what about'chu?!"

"Don't worry," Mick nods. "I got this!"

Now without his signature weapon, Mick books it with his shield still up, circling down the platform's path toward the Gaius Gunner who turns their attention to him when he shoves the shield in the middle of one of their gun barrels! When it fires, nearly half the robot combusts whilst its right side keeps shooting! It still has just enough control for Mick to steer the cannon away from Dust and right toward the drones bombarding him with lasers, then the other martyr robot, then Ugo! The Tom Tom's leg is struck hard, bending it at an awkward angle and causing his movement to stagger and rotate as he moves forward! An electronic screech is let out from him when Benito yells, "This was supposed to be an upgrade for ya, Ugo, not a downgrade! Hit 'em harder!"

Prompted, the Time Hunter's back opens to unload another turret mount. This one launches shells up top that descend to the platforms like hail fire! As they come down, Dust looks up and mutters to himself, "You've gotta be kidding me…!"

He's nearly blared by nothing but explosions around him when he leaps and rolls across the floor! Blinx himself pauses the shots and reverses them back at the Time Hunter, but he's already on his tail. When Dust gets near his friend, they're both clotheslined into a wall away from the brain of the tower!

When Mick comes to assist them, preparing to throw a bunch on his way to the giant, he's struck from a swift backhand that throws him off the walkway into the gap, just barely catching himself with one of the huge cables leading to Aegis! Still pinned to the wall, Dust pulls out Ahrah, severing the chainsaw from Ugo's arm to free himself! Backing up, the cyborg aims directly at the Mithrarin for a charge shot from his cannon. But just as he prepares to fire, Blinx deploys the Sweeper's axe, ramming it into the weapon to overload it from the inside. The resulting blast blows both the Time Hunter and Blinx back, but Ugo's sent falling off the balcony! What seemed like a swift victory turns into horror as the monster launches two tethers from his back into the ceiling high above to slowly lift himself. But fortunately, Mick notices. Seeing that he's closest to the creature, the Time Sweeper removes his gloves, sharpens his claws, and quickly severs the two lines, sending Ugo down into the grave as he screams in both an angry and horrified tone!

CRASH

"Klonoa, there is a shutdown button nearby," the Admin stutters. "Press it and the 501st Legion can continue."

"Damn," Benito shakes his head. "That's what you call wasted. Time to up the ante."

Just as Benito starts to modify the security again, Blinx switches to a scope mode and snipes the control panel! All of a sudden, Aegis's gargantuan structure begins to spark electricity from its cables and computers as if it were going critical. Random hover drones and soldier bots pour in from different openings in the room, yet they don't seem to attack anyone but themselves! One by one, they collapse or shoot in random directions right before shutting down completely when Aegis returns to his faculties to calmly say…

"Thank you. The Security Grid has been disabled. I will be offline temporarily to reboot the system. Commencing s-s-system…shutdoooown…

[THIS, SYSTEM, IS NOW, UNDER, BACKUP MAINTENANCE]

With a sigh, Benito quietly applauds Dust and the Time Sweeper, nodding, "Bravo. Veeeeery impressive. Couldn't have done better myself."

"Nice job sendin' yer boys to do yo dirty work, Big Ben," says Blinx, cracking his neck. "Why don'cha come down 'ere an' show me you got ba-"

BOP

A strange bubble is formed around Blinx and Dust from the crystal in Benito's crown, like a miniature cell. Not even Blinx's attempt at disabling it with his Sweeper has any effect on it, negating all his methods from reverses, freezing, or fast-forwarding the barrier. Scowling back at the Tom Tom Leader, he folds his arms and tells him, "That still doesn't answer my question."

"You boys up for some roast beef," asks the pig. "Come with me to my office."

Two Tom Tom guards with tattoos on their arms come from the elevator with two security drones still intact for escort. Mick, attempting to climb up to the wire to the bridge, sees his comrades being taken away, unable to be rescued in time when Picaro busts down a wall panel to find them. By the time he catches sight of them, it's too late. Benito has both the Time Sweeper and the Sen-Mithrarin in his custody, quickly sending them up a lift with him and his men.

Chapter Text

Powerless. Neither Dust nor Blinx can free themselves from their bind on their way to Benito's throne room. Once they get up the lavish elevator, they're pushed by Tom Tom Guards into the long glass chamber where a dinner table built for 20, maybe 30 people is filled with an assortment of dishes. Some exotic, some familiar to Dust. Seeing how everything is for his enemy, Blinx struggles not to give him the satisfaction of seeing his hunger. Just when they think they can escape somehow once the shields are dropped, they don't. Instead, they merge with the objects in front of them as they're seated. Benito, perhaps to humiliate the two men, sits at the furthest end of the desk about to chow down.

"Don't be shy," Benito smirks. "There's plenty to go around."

"Seems awfully generous fo' someone who's askin' to get their snout pushed into their skull," scoffs the Time Sweeper.

Unphased, Benito takes a bite out of a piece of well-done steak. "Well, you're on death row. May as well give you a full buffet instead of a can of spaghetti-o's." He doesn't even face the Cat-Sith. He just gets to work prying off a piece of a huge turkey.

"To think the dude who went an' stole my bride once has been hanging out with some confused assassin and a sweet-obsessed bat thing."

"Dust ain't just some confused assassin," Blinx says. "He's my confused assassin. Right dog?"

Not hearing his friend speak, Dust focuses on the pieces of ham in front of him and asks, "Isn't it bad to eat a member of your own species? I mean, this is ham and bacon."

Quickly, the guards are mortified, facing each other along with the security drones.

"I'm guessin' your folks told you all about what I did, huh," Benito assumes.

"Yeah. They did." Blinx takes a bite out of the ham and scares the guard behind him so much that he immediately faints against one of the robots. "Gotta say, of all the dastardly plans ya went through, this is probably yo' dumbest one yet. How didja get the Big Crystal without the Time Momma's knowing?"

Benito hunches his shoulders. "Heh. I don't even know, man. I say it's my lucky day. Wanna know my guess? The whole regime thing probably kept 'em busy." After taking a bite out of his food, he pats his lips with a napkin.

"What about Gaius? What made you wanna capitalize off him," the Mithrarin asks.

"Oh, that's right. You weren't there. Well, I don't really know why he wanted to wage war in the first place. In fact, I asked him myself and his answer was 'Because…"

"...Cause what?"

" Exactly. But I knew you two would be back eventually. It's no secret. So I made a deal with him through your transmitter doodads. Right before I taught him what a cell phone was..."

"Cut 'em some slack," Blinx shrugs. "We're on a different planet."

"I told him about the things I could be supplying him if he just played the waiting game. Ya took out a lot of our products already, but we've still got plenty to go around, even if Aegis isn't able to turn 'em on for me."

"Oh, ok. I get the picture," Dust smirks. "You're a politician. I guess great minds think alike between you and the General."

Benito casually brings his fist to the table, clenching his fork. "Well look at this guy! The serious one's got jokes too, huh? Y'need to take some notes from him, Meow-Meow."

"No time fo' jokes when ya almost killed some hundred people with the first robot ya sent," Blinx retorts.

"You think I don't know that," Benito chuckles. "Unless a chick's involved, nothin's wrong with crackin' a few eggs. Hell, with all the treasure we've looted over the years, none of it compares to the Big Crystal and a world like this. It's LOADED with resources."

He leans over to his side to drop the remains of his food in a shoot opening from the floor, among other holes forming around the table big enough that a person could potentially fall in. But some of them don't close. Including one behind Blinx and Dust unknown to them.

"An' I'm guessin' yer enslavin' my brothers and sisters partly cause you couldn't figure it out?"

Taken aback, Benito hunches his seat backward. "Now that's a strong word there, Blinx! I prefer the term...uuuuuuh…confined. Because at least you know they're not stuck in the same position as last time. Besides, I'm the only leader they got now that your boss is iced. And my boys're still kickin'! Right guys?"

Even the guards hesitate. One of them gulps and quickly nods his head while the other mouths the word "No" at Dust and Blinx.

"I'm still at a loss," Dust says. "You have all these resources, but what is your objective? To conquer the world?"

"Conquer," the pig laughs loudly! "AHAHA! I already did, Dust! Look around you. I've got me a castle, subservient workers, and troops to send out on a dime. I have everything…except you two."

Blinx raises an eyebrow and folds his arms and Dust squints.

"Elaborate."

"Did it ever occur to you why I kept sendin' soldiers your way? Blinx, I already knew you had to be out there somewhere. But Dust, you shouldn't even be alive! Definitely not like this."

"Gee, thanks sir," he scowls.

"I can't keep my business afloat with you two in the way. So I had all this set up just for you and your fancy sword. And here I thought you'd be happy I put this much thought into everything."

"Oh yeah," Blinx rolls his eyes. "I'm impressed that'chu practically imprisoned my brothers, put an entire village in danger, an' robbin' the planet of its stuff."

"There you go with the enslavement an' junk," Benito huffs. "Look, I already got you where I want you. I'm not gonna kill anyone per se. More like, changin' management once we figure out what to do with your new home, and whatever other towns there are out there. Turns out the Remnant's been comin' from a capital city that could use a new boss like me. Pretty soon, the whole planet's gonna be under one roof!"

"Definitely a wide one," Dust snarks.

"Besides, it's the least I could do for 'em after tippin' the Mouse about that old factory. Plus the-"

BANG!

Enraged, Blinx shoots up from his seat and rams his fists against the energy shield gritting his sharp teeth and sharpening his eyes! It startles both Benito and his Tom Tom guards, and Dust, equally angered, sits up glaring at the conqueror!

"You'll be a plate of honey-glazed ham and bacon when I'm done with you," Blinx growls.

"Oh, you didn't know," Benito mockingly asks. "When I heard there was a corporate empire in the works, I wanted them off my territory. So we struck a deal. I tell them about the kittens so they don't start any trouble, and they let me take over this place." He claps his hands very casually with a smirk. "See? It all comes full circle, doesn't it?"

"You allowed the deaths of trillions of innocent people," Dust snarls. "And for what? Because you got some intel about a backwater planet?!"

"Well, what can I say? For an indie game, it's full of untapped potential," Benito nods. "Speakin' of, where's that weird fork-sword you got? I haven't heard it talk yet."

"The sword," Blinx asks lowering his lips.

"Oh yeah," the wolf palms his face. "I must've dropped him when the Time Hunter exploded."

"That'll do it," the Cat-Sith nods. "Guess yer gonna have to go check on it, Ben."

Benito squints his eyes and says in a serious tone, "…You're hiding it, are you?"

"What," Blinx shakes his head. "No, how can I even do that?"

"With your Sweeper."

"Ahrah can't fit in dere!"

"Bullcrap, cat," the pig snaps! "You know it can hold anything. Even something bigger than itself! Give it here."

"No."

"Give it here!"

"Nyo!"

"GIVE, IT!"

Blinx steps back, putting his seat in front of him and holding Mick's Sweeper against his chest. "First ya almost drive my family extinct an' now yer accusin' me of lyin' to you?! You're outta yer- MEEEEOOOOOW!"

Instantly, the Time Sweeper exits down the shoot behind him, not knowing it was even there! He falls so fast, Dust doesn't have time to react! Soon as Blinx screams his way down, the floors close.

"Drat," Benito shouts, balling his fists! "Almost had him…! Knew I shouldn't have connected this room to Aegis!"

Deep into the recesses of the tower, the Cat-Sith plummets through the dirty shaft for what must be miles, bumping into the garbage and plates of rusted metal, ruining his already tattered clothes. The stench forces him to dig his lips into his mouth and avoid using his nose, shutting his eyes in a vain attempt to ignore the fall. That is right until he comes slamming down into a pile of old pillows amidst the rest of the hills of steel, bones, and mud. Or at least what he hopes is mud. Getting his bearings, the Time Sweeper tears off his ruined jacket revealing his t-shirt and searches for his borrowed weapon containing Ahrah, finding it severed next to a pink RC car with a plastic flower on it.

"Aw dang," Blinx bemoans, lifting the cartridge of the Sweeper. He presses the eject button to shoot out Ahrah, grabbing his hilt in the air.

"Even I can't stand the stench here," says the sword.

"Benito got us good, Ahrah. I think Dust is still up there, but at least you're outta his hands. Last thing we need is fer him ta use you as a carving knife."

"We must act quickly if we are to rescue our friend, Blinx. Can you locate an exit?"

Blinx scans the dumps surrounding him, trying to find a single exit point in the room when he notices the large roof and wall compactors moving to crush the metal. One of them slowly comes near him and Ahrah, forcing them away from their position before they get mashed! Suddenly, a voice beams through the comm unit on the busted Sweeper, barely removed from the rubble.

"Hey Mick, y'there," asks Aniki on the other end. "Did Blinx make it?"

Blinx quickly responds, picking up the device, "I'm here Ol' Boss!"

"Blinx? Oh shoot, we never gave you a commlink! Are you ok?!"

"Could be better. I lost my Sweeper so Mick lent me his."

"Woah, what" Pelon beams from his own channel. "How'd you lose that?!"

Blinx, still looking around sighs, "Got knocked out my hands. Anyway, look. Benito's plans're a lot bigger than we thought. I've been separated from Dust, but I still got Ahrah with me."

Lena chimes in, "What did you learn?"

"Benito's the guy who told the regime about the Factory. An' they let him takeover Falana so he could have all their Time Crystals!"

"That son of a…," Aniki growls. "It's even worse than any of us could've imagined!"

"He's plannin' on expandin' to the rest of the world once he's sure we're all dealt with."

"That won't happen," Lena reassures him. "We are going to make sure he doesn't even have a chance to take off! Which way are you now?"

"I'm uh…," Blinx continues to scan his surroundings. "I'm in some sorta trash pit. I dunno which floor I'm on an' Aegis is still out."

"Hang tight, Sweeper," Aniki says. "We'll come find you. For now, just find an exit so the stench doesn't kill ya."

"Easier said than done," Blinx snarks before he hangs up.

"Blinx…I'm sensing a life nearby," alerts Ahrah.

"Where…? Is it a trash-monsta'? I don't wanna go through what Luke Skywalker did."

"No. To your right."

Seeing a gap toward a rusted wall and a strange tubular device at the end, Blinx carefully takes large steps to examine it before the compactors to the side can close in. Looking at the glass, ventilation, and the Sweeper insignia on it, he instantly realizes…

"A stasis pod." He braces his spine against it from behind. "Gonna need to put my back into it!"

With one push, he knocks the machine down to the front, then pushes it out before they're crushed by the walls beside them! All that's left is to open it, flipping it to the front so the Cat-Sith can use Ahrah to break off the locks. But inside is not another Time Sweeper, but instead a bearded member of the Tom Tom Gang without their traditional red goggles, wearing a tattered striped shirt, torn green shorts, and boots.

"Now why would one of Benito's own men be discarded like this," Ahrah ponders.

"Probably disposable," Blinx shrugs, right before getting choke held by the pig!

Blinx grasps the Tom Tom's arms, pulling him back as he gags!

"I WARNED YOU I WOULD… Wha…?" He loosens his grip and falls against the pod trying to process what he's seeing. Blinx, still alive and well, standing before him not with anger but concern in his eyes, missing his Sweeper but holding a sword instead.

"Hey, buddy," Blinx says stroking his neck. "What's up?"

"I…I don't understand. I thought you were…" Very quickly, the realization strikes him like lightning. "Oh God, Benito really did put me away! You and I haven't spoke to each other I don't think. I'm, Cino, Benito's right-hand man, who considering we're in a waste dump, isn't exactly appreciated."

"You were his partner," Blinx asks leaning back. "Least you didn't end up like Ugo with the whole cyborg thing. What happened?"

"I was supposed to design new robots before Benito locked me in here when I was done. It doesn't take a genius to know he's full'a crap when he says it's for my safety. Probably took all the credit, as always…"

Blinx nods, "Eh, it does sound like him." He reaches his hand for Cino's and lifts him up.

"How're you still alive, and what're you doing here," the pig asks. "I heard you were sent to deal with the regime and never came back."

"I joined a resistance an' helped take the joint down. Turns out my pal from dere's also a resident of this planet. The Mith guy."

"Mithrarin," Ahrah clarifies.

"Yer boss is still in charge an' got my boy with him. Those robots you built're off, but they're still waiting for deployment. Since the Remnant's gone, Burrito's plannin' on takin' over for himself."

"Well…let's get to work cleaning his mess."

Shocked, Blinx's eyes widen and he asks the Tom Tom, "You wanna help me out, even though I'm a Time Sweeper?"

"You may not believe it, but I've always felt Benito's methods were unwise, like his leadership. See how he treated me? I don't care if you're a Cat or a Warmblood. I'm gonna get him for this, and I have a pretty good idea how. But first…we need to get our butts outta here."

Ahrah asks, "You haven't had any luck finding an exit yet, have you Blinx?"

"Not yet. Y'got any ideas Cino?"

"Should be an emergency hatch door along the walls. Judging from where I've landed, it should be right…" Cino circles his sights around the room to the far corner where a hill of trash blocks the path. "There!"

Swiftly, Blinx takes a swing with Ahrah, releasing a powerful wind gush that scatters the mound away from the door, even breaking the locks off!

"You're a sword-bearer too," Cino asks in astonishment.

"Well it's kinda Ahrah doin' the work, but I'm practicin'."

Right before the next piston can smash the three, they exit through the hatch and climb up the ladder to the main halls of the facility at the bottom deck. Backup power keeps the red spotlights on, though it's very hard to see what's behind the dark gaps between them. Blinx, fortunately, can see through them with his goggles, recognizing Aniki and Lena's teams coming to their aid. Mick and Picaro accompany them, and Mick cheers

"BLINX!"

Picaro reaches his friend, patting his shoulder saying, "Phew! Thank God, you're…" He freezes and covers his nose. "Woah, you really did fall into the pit, didja?"

"Yeah," Blinx nods. "I suppose I have."

"Is that a Tom Tom," Pelon asks.

"Don't shoot gents. Cino here wants Benito brought down as much as us."

"There is a way to disable the Big Crystal without getting to him directly," the pig says. "But we'll need the Administrator's help."

"But he's not done rebooting," Mick counters. "Been like this for an hour now."

"Don't worry. That's part of the plan," Cino smirks. "See, his brain is connected to everything in the tower, including the Big Crystal. Backup power from the mines below keeps it running in case he goes offline. But what it can't do is protect it from a power surge. And you know how much processing it takes to keep Aegis going?"

"Yeah…," Aniki begins to agree. "Yeah, I see what you're getting at…!"

"You'd just better not be lying," Lena warns. "You're one of the lackies who took me hostage one day and now's definitely not the time to get on my bad side."

"If I wanted that, I wouldn't have been stuck in that garbage dump," Cino replies. "The boss knows what we could do if word ever got out about that one overlooked detail. And don't worry. The surge won't hurt Aegis. But it'll definitely hurt the boss's operations."

"Well in that case, we can knock two birds with one stone," Blinx grins. "Get rid'a that crystal and go save my bro!"

"Good. NecoJi, Chron, Picaro, on me," Lena commands. "We'll go with Blinx to rescue Dust. The rest will head to Aegis' brain and help Cino sabotage Benito's plans. Sound good?"

"You read my mind," Aniki winks. "Let's do this."

"Just don't do nothin' funny, y'hear," Blinx orders Cino.

"Like I said, I've got beef with the boss too," Cino says back. "You go ahead and save your friend. I have a feeling he's in hot waters."

It doesn't take long for Blinx's team to reach the other end of the building where several large machines remain frozen without Aegis online. The conveyors have stopped moving, but the giant gears moving the clock outside continue to function. Soon the squad reaches a tram ride docked and ready to go. Curious, the princess taps her commlink on her wrist.

"Mick, did you have any intel on Benito after Blinx's capture?"

"Nata," he replies.

"Oh Hell…," she sighs. "Guess we'll have to do this the old-fashioned way. We'll need to make our way up the tower again. Find out where Dust is ourselves."

"Last time we were here, the elevators got blown up," Picaro says.

"Good thing I picked out the tram then," Chron smirks. "Beats running through corridors every time."

"This baby goes up? Not just in circles," Blinx wonders.

Picaro tells him as he enters the ride, "Think of it as a beefy roller coaster. We'll be up top in no time, so long as there're no…"

Opening the sliding doors, the interior lights up and Picaro comes face to face with two rows of deactivated combat robots sitting in the racks to the sides.

"…droids…"

"S-should be fine so long as no one touches anything," Chron stutters.

WARNING, AEGIS CENTRAL PROCESSING REBOOT AT 80%. RE-ESTABLISHING DROID CONNECTION

Blinx's ears flop down. He anticipates an attack the second the warning was told, but nothing happens. The tram ride starts moving and quickly picks up speed when it enters the tunnel, heading upward. Carefully, the squad walks to where there's more room when the racks move, blocking the exit. Knowing the machines will respond to noise, they listen out for the ones reactivating in preparation for an ambush. In moments, the tram passes several pillars, scratching the rails with a loud squeal as it makes a steady turn. In the middle of that squeal, Blinx catches wind of a clicking noise, slowly turning his gaze at one of the robots moving its gun barrel. Lena had heard it too, quietly putting on her helmet and nodding.

All is silent. No sudden movements. No signs of tension apart from Chron's sweatdrop. With one final click of a blaster barrel, Blinx slices off the nearest robot's head so quickly it didn't even have time to shoot when it aimed for his chest! NecoJi's mobile turret easily grinds the reactivating machines into scrap metal, shattering the windows and floor panels while Chron ducks beneath him to shoot the legs of the droids! One of the bots gets a hit on Picaro's bionic shoulder when he turns and blasts through its torso! Lena, on the other hand, goes full hand-to-hand when her two guns are shot out of her palms! She dodges one of the shield robots, punching so hard half its face is ripped to pieces, then she back kicks into another coming in behind her! Close to Blinx, a few of the sentinels activate their sabers to attack head-on. But Ahrah's whirlwind easily blows them to the back of the train car and crumbles them on impact! Right on time, the door there opens revealing more enemy passengers about to flood in. NecoJi and Picaro begin mowing them with their guns but slowly, more of the units start crowding the room as the squad's pushed back. A few shots from the attackers are blocked by Blinx, albeit clumsily, seeing as even the other car behind him has droids there too. They're all boxed in, but Chron notices an escape hatch above them that they can jump through. He shoots the locks off, causing the door to pop open for Lena to hop and climb up. While maintaining her balance from the speed of the train, she grabs NecoJi, the second tallest one, who then lifts Picaro, who then holds Chron along with Blinx with both hands as a blaster bolt strikes Chron's leg!

"OUCH," he shouts, holding his shin!

"Chron," Blinx panics!

"Don't worry. I'm not dead. That's the important… LOOK OUT!"

Chron points to the other train car where one of the bots gets out of the roof and shoots at Blinx's foot! The shot barely misses him, but it makes the Cat-Sith lose his balance off to the side. Unable to plant himself against the speeding tram, he goes falling off the roof just before Lena could grab his hand!

"BLINX," she screams!

While falling, Blinx's claws scratch out his cloves when reaching for the panel to the side of the roof, only to break it off and release the cables inside! Within an inch of his life as he comes milliseconds away from death via tram ride, he grabs hold of the wires, using Ahrah on his back as a shield when he lands on the tracks! Looking around while holding on back first, the Time Sweeper notices the line extending as the panels break off, bringing him closer to the end of the attacker's car. The middle portion between each room gives him enough wiggle room to motion himself underneath it, further scratching Ahrah's finish! Letting go with one hand, he grabs onto the locks, lifting both himself and Ahrah from imminent doom. That is besides the other robots already training their guns on them from behind the door of the car beside them. Blinx springs to the safety latter to the end, narrowly avoiding the bullets flying out the windows, still shielded by Ahrah on his back. Quickly, he cuts off the locks connecting the tram to push the enemies back further down the track! As he climbs back onto the roof, a saber shoots out from inside right next to him! Another one pokes from behind, then another in front in vein attempts to stab him! Seeing his friend in distress, Picaro cocks his weapon, shooting down through the hatch with full auto on! Up ahead, however, a post just barely above the roof slowly comes into view!

"DUCK," NecoJi shouts!

Immediately, everyone gets down on their backs and stomachs narrowly avoiding the parts above them! So close that it misses Blinx's nose by centimeters, causing him to sneeze when it passes by! When he lifts himself up and brushes off, one stray shot from the car ahead strikes him in the shoulder and almost throws him off the roof again! Lena responds firmly with a blaster shot directly at the face of the soldier blasting at them! Another panel, this time a wall, comes to view, forcing everyone to sway to the other side. Again, the Princess shoots at the attackers toward the end of the train and keeps her eye on any more obstacles.

"Anyone got a clue which floor we're on now," she asks.

"40," Ahrah answers.

"40?!"

Once again, everyone ducks under a huge sign above the ride!

"Now it is 41," the sword snarks.

"I'd hate to speed this up any more than it's going knowing how much of the same enemy npc's we've been fighting are in this building," Chron remarks with worry.

"Dust's a pretty tough dude," Blinx nods. "I'm sure we can make it to him in good time. If only I had my sweeper to speed things up without-"

The sounds of bullets patting on the metal get closer from behind everyone, coming from the rocketing security drones! Without a second thought, Blinx unleashes storm-force winds from the sword so powerful they slice the machines in half!

"Pretty handy with that thing, lad," NecoJi cheers, patting Blinx's back.

"Thanks! Learned it from the best in the biz."

"Look," Chron points with his gun. "There's more!"

A swarm of robots come floating toward the tram, already training their guns on the Sweepers on the roof!

"Off the car," Lena yells!

Starting with Blinx, the whole squad makes a mad dash for the front of the tram ride, not even thinking to jump back into the cars knowing the possibility of there being more droid soldiers still online. As the hover bots get closer and their shots align to the front of the track rather than the middle of it, eventually one lands at a crucial component. The locks. Blinx is almost struck when it passes by when he leaps to the other side. Soon, the train separates itself, and Blinx opens the hatch door. He summons a gush with electricity from the wires inside to disable any troops lingering about, then hastily climbs down.

"Phew! That was a close one, right Picaro? …Picaro?"

The huge rush of the action was so much for Blinx, he didn't even realize his allies were still on the other train car when it separated! Seeing through the window of the control booth door, Blinx is forced to watch as the rest of the ride falls into darkness while he continues to ascend up the ginormous tower.

Feeling a wave of shock, Blinx mutters to himself, "Oh slag…"

"Do not worry Blinx," Ahrah calmly voices. "We've all survived a lot worse. Now we must complete our mission."

"Yeah…I guess yer right," the Cat-Sith says with a sigh. "Let's go."

Many floors pass until the hazardous journey up top finally comes to an end. Not quite the upmost level of the facility, but still a good place to stop. Blinx exits the ride with Ahrah in his hand and quietly gets back on track. Inside the port, multiple security drones continue to monitor the corners as the Time Sweeper calmly sneaks past them. A holographic sign marks the direction to Benito's office, guiding Blinx into another elevator room where he can take the lift upward. When he begins his ascent, however, a familiar once computerized voice asks in a much less artificial tone…

"Hello? Are you there?"

"Aegis, there y'are," Blinx grins. "Hang tight. There's gonna be a squad comin' for ya soon. We're just gonna go find my wolf pal."

"How are you?"

Since the lift is still taking a while to get to the throne section of the building, Blinx finds it a good time to let out his burden. "…Mixed feelings. Dust told me he didn't wanna bring his folks out here if it meant they got hurt. Startin' to think maybe they should've come. Help us out a little. I messed up royal…"

"What will you do?"

"I'll do what I told'ja. With any luck, Dust got away from Big Ben an' is out lookin' fo' me. Don't worry about it if yer still bootin' up. I'll get him soon."

"I understand, Penelope."

"I'm Blinx," he chuckles. "Heh. Guess we're still getting' usta names again, ain't we?"

"The throne room is just above the next floor."

The elevator comes to a halt in a wide room fashioned to something of royalty. A combination of the Tom Tom Gang's original pirate-themed technology and the purple and gold metals of General Gaius' forces. Perhaps built after the tower's construction with parts from the Anti-Moonblood capital. Strangely, in this gorgeous section of the facility, there doesn't seem to be anyone here. No one besides the Cat-Sith and the blade of Elysium. Though the rest of the tower is still put under backup power, this area is firmly lit by large windows, mosaic glass, and chandeliers. Perfect for displaying a stone bust of Benito, portraits, and various valuables behind see-through casings. While looking at the statue of the Tom Tom Leader, Blinx gets a message from the intercom, seemingly coming from the statue itself.

"So there you are," Benito announces. "You've been keepin' me up when I got the itus, Blinx. And I don't like it when I don't get my beauty nap!"

"What'd you do to my boy?!"

"Nothing crazy. In fact, he's especially happy to be out of a bind now. We had a really good conversation about his business with you and Gaius. And he's on his way to come see ya."

"I swear, after all the things you said, an' if you hurt him, I WILL turn you into tonight's dinna'!"

Then you won't have to look far.

Hearing Dust's calming voice behind him, Blinx quickly faces back to the largest window at the end of the corridor and finds his best friend standing firmly, unharmed and ready.

"DUST!"

Overjoyed, Blinx trots over to the Warmblood who still keeps himself planted where he stands, getting hugged tight by the Time Sweeper who keeps Ahrah strapped to his back.

"Ol' Sport, I knew ya had ta be ok! An' sorry bout the smell. Got trapped in a trash pit. Ya hurt?"

The masked warrior chuckles, "I'm perfectly fine Blinx. In fact, I think I'm feeling better than ever seeing you again!"

"Aw, quit it sportsy," Blinx blushes. "You can just have yer sword back an' we can get down ta business."

"That won't be necessary."

"…Huh? Why not?"

Dust pulls out another sword from behind his cape. One closely familiar to him, fashioned like Gaius' blade, but much older in age with a different fiery color scheme.

Left utter surprise, Ahrah musters up the name, "Fafnir…!"

"Did you say FNAF," Blinx asks in a snarky tone.

"Of course not. Fafnir is another Blade of Elysium. One that I never would've guessed would be out here!"

"Benito found it deep in the mines beneath this place," the Warmblood explains. "Guess he felt it right to give it to me."

"Yeah, sure, give it to ya," Blinx rolls his eyes. "All he did was give you a way to fry him into a thick piece'a bacon. Can't wait to make it happen."

"I can't either. But priorities always come first. Especially now that we have a rather fair fight ahead of us, Time Sweeper."

"Ohoho, totally." Suddenly, the Time Sweeper freezes. This doesn't sound like the Dust he knew at all. Surely it isn't an illusion and perhaps he's simply joking, or stunned from the experience. Just to be sure, Blinx asks, "A fair fight, y'said…?"

"One that is long overdue, Blinx. Consider it…a change of plans."

"…Yer not Dust," the Sweeper squints, tightly gripping Ahrah's hilt. "You're like a clone of him or somethin'."

"I'm afraid he is, Blinx," Ahrah somberly says.

"Say again, boss?"

"Indeed, this is Dust's body. But his mind is…fractured. I can sense it. Who you're speaking to isn't whole, and nor is it Jin. …This is Cassius."

Chapter Text

"That's crazy talk," Blinx denies. "You're my buddy, Dust. Cassius is just anotha' part o' ya. Not the whole body."

"I was," says the assassin. "Without that child's side, this body is mine now. All it took was a simple rewind to bring me back in physical form."

"Is that even possible…?"

"It is from the looks of it," Ahrah answers. "If what I've gathered is true, that means Benito's grip over the Big Crystal allowed him to rewind Dust's memories to a time long before he became who he is. Cassius was older than Jin, so memories predating his may have been accessed and reacquainted with current events."

"Very good, Ahrah. It's a pity I'll need to discard you along with the Time Sweeper. First, I will cut you both into pieces the same as the youngling who challenged me. Then, I will offer a quick death to the man who resurrected me."

The intercom pings and Benito hops online from his seat in the throne room. "Gee, I bring you back to your old self an' this is the thanks I get? Well have fun trying to catch me after you bump off goggles over there!"

"Benito…," Blinx grunts, "I ain't plannin' on lettin' him take ya down. I'll do it! Soon as this mook's done here, you're next!"

Shocked at such claims, the tyrant's chuckle quickly turns to a fit of hysterical laughter! "AHAHAAAA, Blinx! If you really wanted to kill me, you could've done it when I stole your girl all those years ago! Unless you pull the trigger on your friend there, you can kiss this mission goodbye."

Blinx looks to Cassius, whose already preparing a swing, motioning his new blade leaving two lines of fire on the floor like a hunter issuing a challenge to its prey.

"Please Cassius," Blinx quietly pleads. "I ain't exactly well-versed in spiritual stuff like Granddad an' Ahrah here, but I know Dust's memories are yours too. You took down your ol' boss even when he tried to bring you back to his side. You met so many good people like Fidget an' yo' girl Haley. That's something the whole anti-lizard war couldn't give ya. Why don't we at least take out porkchop togetha' like pals? Besides, ya like me, dot'cha?"

For a moment, the assassin pauses and bows his head. "I do. Which is a shame I have to deliver you to the gates of Elysium, or wherever your kind goes. You, as well Fidget and the Underground, have been wonderful allies. However, you're also the very same people who have held this part of me back from doing what must be done. Disposing of that wretched abomination of a species who've dictated everything we've done in our lives…! Such kindness can no longer be permitted. I will continue Gaius' quest. And with all these resources your kind has provided, nothing will stop me from finishing it."

Stunned, speechless, and conflicted, Blinx feels sandwiched between trying to save his friend and kill the part of him that helped make him who he is. He isn't even certain who Dust is anymore, not even if the man he was partnered with all this time ever had these thoughts in the back of his mind. If so, he thinks, Dust, or in this case Jin, are truly remarkable heroes. Whatever happens next, either way, Blinx will have to fight for them. At the ready with Ahrah held tightly in his grip, he sighs…

"Well at least I know where the stubbornness came from."

SWOOSH

Blinx unleashes a whirlwind so powerful that it blows back Cassius until he reaches the large window behind him! Before he can crash through, the strong currents pull him and his sword forward, struggling to keep hold of the ancient blade. From a few darts for his surroundings to the ceiling, one good flame wave melts the hinges of the chandelier bringing it down when Blinx takes notice and hops backward before it crashes onto him! His wind gush from Ahrah pushes the structure toward the assassin, only for him to slice it in half on his way to perform a direct chop, which Blinx guards against! Each heavy swing forces the Time Sweeper back until he's back first on the statue of Benito. Cassius' next slice with enough speed to completely sever the stone nearly connects to Blinx's ears when he ducks and trips the assassin. Again, Ahrah blasts him with a full brunt of storm force air pinning him against the floor! However, they're interrupted when the statue begins sliding forward, almost crushing the lot when they roll out the way! The dust from the broken stone makes it hard for Blinx to even see where he is until he puts his goggles on just when Cassius comes swinging at him with flames spreading around him! He leads him back into a narrow corridor where each slash breaks the electronics along the walls, including the lights. Once outside on the catwalks, Blinx swerves from against the guard rails to the walls, then hops over a flame wave, then another to the side, carefully walking backward toward the elevator behind him. He trips as Cassius comes close to slicing his head off, held back by the legendary sword locking with the other.

"What feels worse, Blinx," Cassius asks. "That you have to kill one of your closest friends, or that he wasn't your friend to begin with?"

To answer his question, Blinx kicks him in the stomach away. He crawls into the lift, reaching Ahrah forward to press the down button. However, as they descend, Cassius sabotages the elevator, melting the magnets holding it together. The more it goes down, the more the struts come apart like celery. Blinx can easily feel the structural integrity loosening. So he tears open the doors and jumps out onto the next catwalk while the lift's still at a steady pace. After a few glances, he keeps his pace to a different area, only for Cassius arrive, melting through the platforms above to slam down to his floor, bashing the Time Sweeper in the nose with an elbow flipping him against the surface! While dazed, Ahrah takes control over his movements to guard against the flurry of attacks coming at them at full speed! With three strokes, he carves out a makeshift slope under Blinx's footing, sliding him down to the next level onto his face where worker Tom Toms are startled and scurry into the rooms.

"Ouch," Blinx yipes! He's almost pinned between the metal grating and Dust's foot when he comes down. The two of them are forced in the middle of the gap as the first catwalk collapses under its own weight. Then another. Then several more until they form a stack snapping off the hinges on the walls, all while Cassius continues to swipe at Blinx in their descent! As they freefall deep into the tower, they notice Aegis' core at the very bottom beginning to reactivate. The path down there gets narrower the further they get, allowing Blinx to grind between his boots on the thick cables leading to the brain. Cassius follows him, barely avoiding the walkways crashing around them!

Just beneath the battle overhearing the commotion, the Time Sweepers accompanying Cinolook up and find Blinx struggling against the brainwashed Mithrarin as he continues to summon flame after flame to burn him, whirled back by Ahrah. One of the grates smashes next to the soldiers as Cino gets Aegis to reactivate with a surge.

"Guys…Dust…was brainwashed," Blinx yells as he ducks, bobs, and weaves from each flame wave!

"I'm about to start a power surge," Cino announces. "Get ready!"

With the press of a button, backup power underneath the tower kicks into high gear, lighting up the rods from the bottom to the top of the core of the facility! Seeing all the wall panels folding and flickering at once, Blinx leaps off the main processor, followed by Dust jumping onto the walkway neighboring the Time Sweepers. Knowing he's being manipulated, Aniki uses non-lethal means to stun him, firing his cannon with very minimal force to at the very least blow off Fafnir. Yet every shot is deflected and an inferno is sent the Cat-Sith's way! Blinx, meanwhile, had barely caught onto a loose cable that snaps off. Luckily, he lands gut first on one of the wires, which also comes apart and swings him deep into the lower levels under the huge machine until there is pitch blackness.

He's flung off onto the floors where he drops Ahrah and takes a moment to recover, barely lifting himself from such a landing. The floor tile he rests on lights up when enough pressure is applied, giving him just enough vision to grab the sword in front of him next to the corpse of the Time Hunter, mangled and bloodied in his own crater. Suddenly, all the lights flash around him, including those far above him to the upper levels. In Benito's throne room, doubling as a control center for the Tom Tom Gang, the computers begin to flicker and the Big Crystal, the star-shaped mineral behind their leader's chair, is electrocuted and cracked! Parts surrounding it break down instantly from the surge!

"What was that," barks Benito.

"There's been a power surge from the central processing chamber," says one of the workers. "We can't get a connection to the Big Crystal without Aegis."

"Those kitties aren't slick. We'll handle 'em the ol' fashioned way."

He flicks a switch in the arm of his chair, descending down a lift with shifting walls and arms to bring him safely down to the core of the building. Cassius is forced back toward the elevator where he jumps down in his hunt for Blinx while the Time Sweepers who attempted to stun him have their attention pulled to Benito. Wordlessly, he brings his head down to aim the crystal shard in his crown, sending a pulse wave that instantly freezes everyone in the vicinity besides Cino, still operating at the controls!

"YOU," the engineer shouts as he pulls his gun and shoots at Benito's head, only for it to get frozen from another wave along with himself! Cockily, the tyrant gets out of his seat to look at Cino face to face.

"Looks like God was on your side too, huh," he chuckles. "Just another mistake comin' back to haunt me."

Just then, he's grabbed tightly by the throat from the one he mocks who faked his pause and tells him, "You got that right, boss!"

He punches his former leader in the dome where the shard rests, cracking it and sending a shockwave that unpauses all the Time Sweepers and missiles headed toward the wall! Cino keeps punching Benito in the face against his chair when he presses the up switch to send the two of them back to his office! The engineer flies upward from the velocity of the lift, then plops onto his stomach before the crowd of Tom toms staring down at him in confusion.

"Well don't just stare at 'im," Benito orders. "Kick the traitor's…"

But just when he's about to order execution, the door to the control room bursts open where Picaro, Lena, Chron, and NecoJi are marching out! They set their weapons to stun, knocking out all the men as soon as they unholster their weapons! Cino of course gets back on his feet to deliver another blow to Benito's chest until they're both locked in an evenly matched fistfight! They wail at each other before the so-called "traitor" is rewound to his starting position on the floor. Luckily, Picaro had cocked his launcher arm, shooting right at the pig, who casually tilts his head to the side dodging the shot.

"Heh. Great shootin'," he says with a smirk. But at that moment, he overhears a loud crack behind his shoulder. The Big Crystal's been breached with a bright shining glow now emanating from the chink in the material! While he's distracted, Lena bolts to him and speed kicks his side, sending him straight into his prized possession, shattering it to huge pieces! Even bigger than the power surge, the destruction of the Big Crystal sends a time wave so massive that it breaches the outside of the tower and across the valley! Past the city walls toward Half and Half Village, the vibrant colors of the spike give the civilians outside something pretty to look at. While further towards Aurora, the animals all look up at once and the birds are startled.

Eventually, in the main town, the Elder drops his staff and his jaw, leaning against the wall and breathing heavily as the memories flood back to him. The memories of Cat-Sith appearing on the planet before and him battling an ancient creature alongside them and the Chief Executive, who at the time was relatively young. Corbin's nearby taking notice of the old man hyperventilating and asks him, "You ok, Grandpa?"

"…Y-yes," the Moonblood nods then smiles. "Yes, just…startled from the show in the sky."

Benito barely recovers from getting knocked into the crystal that hard, but he's not giving up. His shard is still active and he uses it to pause everyone in the room while attempting to rewind the Big Crystal back in place. But it doesn't work this time. He grabs whatever pieces of it he can before getting back in his chair and descending, making sure to shut the hatch while he's at it. Thankfully, the people in the control room don't stay frozen now that his gadgets are fried.

"Blinx's in trouble," says Cino. "Benito must've rewinded him to when he was an assassin."

"WHAT," Lena shouts in disbelief!

"He went in the shaft beneath Central Processing. We'll find 'em there."

Looking around the pitch dark chamber, Blinx gets his bearings with each lit step from the pressure plates. Somewhere far beside the tubes at the center though rests his Sweeper, still intact and putting weight on the floor pad in perfect view.

"Your Sweeper seems to be intact," says Ahrah.

"Let's hope it's got enough juice to…"

CLANG

Somewhere above the Cat-Sith and the sword is Cassius lurking about in the shadows. They hear him landing somewhere, but there's no indication as to his precise location. The Sweeper is perfectly reachable, however. If Blinx can just sprint for it without stopping, or at the very least not deviate from a straight path, he can grab it and use it to revert Dust to his proper self. He knows it'd be much easier since the pacemaker within the Mithrarin was modeled after a Sweeper. Perfectly functional. "Only way to find out," he thinks to himself.

Listening out with Ahrah held tight, making sure not to shake or make noise with his breath, Blinx takes a few measly steps forward; each tap causing a light to shine not only helping him see but also signaling Cassius to his exact position. Luckily, Blinx knows the same will happen to him too. Even though he can easily sprint for it in a few seconds, this takes ages for him to get halfway with him needing to stop every few moments to monitor his surroundings. All is quiet apart from the hydraulics used for the plates, adding to his signal.

At that moment, a flurry of fire comes breezing past him! He doesn't know which direction it came from, but it was so close he knew Cassius had to be near him. Frozen, he listens again, then abruptly, he swings Ahrah behind him! A loud CLANK between swords echoes across the room, and the assassin strikes a few times before he leaps back into the dark. Blinx, not even thinking, sways a gust of wind his way, smashing the platforms but not hitting Cassius in time! Again, he freezes, then after a few moments continues onward. Every now and again, the light from Fafnir taunts the Time Sweeper from a distance, and each step on the plates keeps informing the assassin where he is. The least he can do is keep moving and pray he isn't caught. Once he's close enough, he can use a whirlwind to drag the Sweeper with a strong current.

"You can't fix what isn't broken, Blinx," the hidden Warmblood taunts.

Multiple waves of fire come hurdling around the Cat-Sith as Cassius comes from out the darkness into the circle to attack him! He twirls his blade around in a disorienting way, striking only when it seems Blinx is unfocused, but he's still paying attention. Every time either of them bring in a slash, they lock swords. Each one leaves a spark from the ancient metals clanging until Blinx can't stall any longer. With one huge swing, Ahrah unleashes a storm around them that blows away the flames and shatters the platforms, leaving them in absolute darkness the rest of the way He pushes Cassius back into total blackness to make his way to his gear. Unable to see but hear his steps, the assassin channels as many fire bursts from where he was standing; some of which successfully landing near him to light the path. Luckily, Blinx's memory serves him well. He quickly makes it to his Sweeper, strapping Ahrah on his back, then turning a hard 180 to pause Dust on his way to chopping him in half!

"YES," Blinx shouts as he leaves his friend stuck in mid-air. He prepares to rewind time, targeting only the Warmblood to ensure he's physically and mentally whole. But nothing happens. Not even going forward helps as it only inches Cassius further to kill him.

"No…," he moans.

"I don't understand," says Ahrah. "Why can't you revert him? Unless…"

"Unless it's cause he's already rewinded!"

Unfrozen, Cassius finishes his chopping motion but misses on the way down! He nearly singes Blinx's stomach when he swipes at him with Fafnir, but the Time Sweeper kicks him back in the chest!

"Like I said. You can't fix what isn't broken," he barks with a smirk.

"Ok. Can't rewind him since he's Cassius," Blinx ponders. "Can't fast forward cause he'll just move fasta'. Dere's gotta be some spiritual mumbo jumbo, or…"

At a quick glance, it seems there's no way of stopping the Warmblood when he notices his chest cavity is partly open from the kick. Then it dawns on him. "The Pacemaker…," which itself is a Sweeper battery, like a memory card. As outlandish as it sounds to him, if Blinx can reset or disable it somehow, surely it would work to bring his friend back to normal. Or at least he hopes it will.

With no other options, he keeps swinging to tire the Mithrarin out, whilst the chamber floor is set ablaze by the fires of Fafnir! At this point, not only does the Cat-Sith need to concentrate on guarding from the attacks, but now he has to avoid stepping in the flames. Everything rides on his and Ahrah's synergy. They send the broken tiles Cassius' way with a flurry of wind, yet the firestorm he creates melts them! Seeing the loose cable still hanging by a thread above him, Blinx tosses Ahrah to sever it and drop it on Cassius, but he sees it and leaps to the side! Switching to his Sweeper, the incoming debris from the crash is vacuumed and launched at the assassin, yet even with a good number of hits landing and damaging his armor, he doesn't stop. Indeed, when Jin fought this warrior, it was a great feat to overcome, only strengthened now that Cassius is using augmentations.

[REACTIVATING MAIN GENERATORS]

All of a sudden, the room begins transforming around the duo, rotating the wall panels and shifting the floor panels. Every step becomes a lopsided mess as Blinx ties to get to better ground, reaching a raising platform while Cassius chases after him! They're taken to a deeper end of the facility where the mechanics of the station continue to stretch, bend, rotate, and fold as if Aegis' brain is regaining its thoughts. Some Tom Tom guards nearby at the control stations witness the changing environment and the two duelists duking it out on a sliding floor panel. Close to them, one of the pistons nearly comes to slam into them, forcing Blinx to slow down time itself to avoid the connection. He ducks and weaves through several rods coming his direction, then steps over a pipe while everything is slowed down, reaching another conveyor. He resumes time itself expecting Cassius not to follow him, yet even with everything moving at a regular pace, somehow, the assassin avoids all the machinery, leaping, flipping, and bending over each piece until he reaches Blinx!

After a few quick swings with Ahrah for the legs, Blinx kicks Cassius in the chest again, further loosening the plating around it! He attempts another strike at him while he's stunned, but his leg gets grabbed and he's swung back-first against a girder beside them! The Time Sweeper collapses to the floor, barely able to move from the pain in his spine. As if mocking him, the Warmblood kicks him off into the catwalk underneath them. He follows swiftly to keep toying with him, not content with finishing him off with Fafnir. He lifts the cat by the shoulders, slamming his head into the wall, then the metal railing of the walkway, then tossing him further in front of him! Blinx almost loses Ahrah with such a drop, though he thankfully uses his Sweeper to rewind him back in his grasp. And just in time as Cassius comes inches away from chopping him, blocked by the Cat-Sith's saber mod. He backs up, slowly standing up as they come close to the large window at the end of the room. With a roar, Cassius leaps and comes down to lunge into him when Blinx swerves to the side and bats him in the neck with his Sweeper, sending him through the glass to go flying outside!

"OH NO," Blinx screams, rewinding time so that Dust and the window are rewinded back in place. In those precious seconds, however, he forgets his friend is trying to kill him, giving the assassin enough time to snatch Ahrah from Blinx's back and wind push him out instead!

"AAAAAAGH," he yells as he falls out the gigantic tower! Luckily, he's just close enough to the slanted roof at the side of the building to slide and keep himself steady by digging his saber in the metal! Seeing him down there only annoys Cassius, who starts sending more flame ways his way to whack him off or burn him alive! While held, Ahrah attempts to resist Dust's commands and force his way into his mind to piece him back together, but the killer is so fixated on Blinx that the sword can't fully communicate.

"Ahrah, can't ya resist him," Blinx asks loudly.

"I cannot! This is still the body of the Mithrarin!"

Cassius forces himself out after the Time Sweeper, sliding down to smack him off with his boot, but misses. They both soon go falling down the roof against their backs; the assassin constantly trying to slash at the Cat-Sith with two swords while Blinx keeps his guard up with his saber! Once they reach the end, it'll be game over for both of them. Fortunately, as luck would have it, there's a sky roof towards the edge of the slope! Blinx braces himself and readys his Sweeper saber to crash into it; both him and Cassius bursting into a lounge with a few more guards vacating their desk when the two smash down! Everyone but them retreats, and the Time Sweeper tries to get up from the sheer dizziness of it all, only to get lifted by the tail and slung into the cabinet!

"Take pride in your final moments knowing you're the bravest and most challenging opponent I've ever faced, Time Sweeper."

One wind burst from Ahrah throws Blinx across the room, slamming so hard into the metal door that he dents it!

"It's amusing. For someone so small, you have accomplished more than the General in such a short span. He so eagerly thought we were family. And yet he was too stupid to see, I only took pity on him and let him succeed so he could be rid of those reptiles."

Blinx tries to get back up, but he can't. His spine is in so much pain he can no longer bear to stand. Cassius takes a swing at him, which his partner blocks, yet he holds it at a bad angle. The clock where the main batter is hidden is chipped and pulled apart, then struck again as the capacitors starts leaking and cause a small fire from the tip of the Elysian blade. He pats his arms and rolls to his side trying to put out the flames when he notices the crystal from his weapon is out; just barely keeping the saber mod online.

"I enjoyed this exchange while it lasted, Blinx," Cassius gloats. "But I'm afraid this is where it ends. Truly, you've been a great friend. You've upgraded my body and told me there's an entire universe out there worth exploring. For this reason, I grant you a quick death."

He raises the hilts of both Ahrah and Fafnir with the wind sword unable to will itself free.

"BLINX," cries the blade!

"Die well, Time Sweeper!"

And with one final motion of both blades, Dust comes inches away from murdering his own friend when Blinx, out of desperation, without thinking, grabs the crystal with his tail and lunges it deep into Cassius' chest! The assassin drops his swords and screams out in horror and agony as electricity begins to burst from his augmentations! He rips out the crystal, tearing open his chest, exposing the broken pacemaker inside! And after leaking enough blood and getting shocked so much his new eye goes from warm green to black, the battery explodes blowing him away from Blinx into the rubble behind him! His hat splits in half, and his helmet breaks apart when it crashes to the ground!

Quickly, Blinx forgets his pain from the attack and scurries to his friend's aid, hooking the remains of his Sweeper into the nodes of the pacemaker.

"Oh no, I didn't mean all this, Dust," Blinx panics. "Com'on! Get up!"

He starts up the gadget like a power box to jumpstart the Mithrarin's heart. No luck the first time but he keeps upping the settings to be sure.

"Com'on, com'on Dust," he mutters with a tear. "You've gotta be in there, man! Think what Fidget would say if she knew you were dead for real this time! Haley needs ya! Ginger would think she's lost ya again! Please!"

Still no answer. Not even Ahrah is responding, but he gives Blinx an idea. The Time Sweeper wires the sword with a separate cable, then starts the process all over again. The divine energies of the blade emit an aura that flow into Dust's cavity, yet still no pulse. In just an hour, the Cat-Sith not only fended against the darkness within what could be considered a brother from another world, but it seems he's killed him too. With tears in his eyes, perhaps for the first time in his life, Blinx sets his head on Dust's mangled chest as one final goodbye...

Cough Cough

The Mithrarin coughs, barely opening his eyes. The Sweeper stops working and Ahrah gravitates back up. To Blinx's surprise, he's pat on the back and greeted by a smirk.

"And I thought crying wasn't in your vocabulary," Dust says.

"DUST," Blinx cheers, hugging him tightly!

"OK. You can loosen up a little. I'm in a lotta pain right now."

The Time Sweeper wipes his tears and helps the wolf up. "Phew… That was a close one. Ya had me goin' for a sec."

"It seems destiny is still on your side after all," Ahrah says as he rests on Dust's back.

"I remember all my thoughts going backward and then nothing," Dust exclaims holding his wounds and barely standing straight. "Benito tried to rewind me. How'd you even stop me?"

"Dumb luck," Blinx shrugs. "I was more worried if you'd even survive. I thought I could fast-forward or rewind ya, an' Ahrah tried to get in yer head, an' we just couldn't…"

"You're crying again."

"No I ain't…," he sniffs. "These are manly tears. I'm just real happy you're back someh-OW!"

Blinx nearly collapses to his knees trying to hold his back.

"I guess Cassius really had you going for a ride, huh," Dust smirks kneeling to the Cat-Sith.

"Cassius is a piece'a work. You'd know that. Half'a you literally is him."

"Doesn't feel like it anymore. In fact, I feel better, apart from my exposed ribcage."

"…You do…?"

"I see," Ahrah ponders. "It seems Benito hadn't just reversed Dust to a previous stage in his life. He has somehow disabled Jin's soul to allow the assassin's to take hold. Your final strike may have, in technical terms, shut him down."

"Is that even possible," Blinx asks.

"Well it happened," Dust answers. "I don't pretend to know how any of this works, but it sounds reasonable."

The dented door to the lounge opens where Picaro, Lena, and NecoJi enter, immediately stunned at the damages and the bloodied fighters before them. Lena herself bounces seeing how injured they are, quickly asking, "What the Hell happened here?!"

Blinx simply responds with, "If I tell ya now, you'd better grab some popcorn from that cabinet ova' dere."

"No time for that now," Picaro says. "Benito's escaping. We gotta find him."

"Princess," Cino calls from Lena's communicator. "Our guy's heading to the weapons factory! You can still make it if you hurry up!"

"Copy that," she nods. "Blinx, Dust, can you still…"

Right when she turns to face them, they've already left, somehow slipping by her and their allies with the remains of Blinx's Sweeper going with them.

"Oh yeah," NecoJi grins. "They're good."

Chapter Text

The Mithrarin and Cat-Sith wasted no time getting to Benito. Despite their injuries, the two bolt down the nearest exit to the hangar areas, dramatically scowling on the way to the factories towards the lower levels. With a limp in his run, Dust asks, "We're going the right way, right?"

"I think so," Blinx replies. "I mean the factory was to the right, right?"

"Right."

"Right!"

Just when they turn the corner to the factory segments of the tower, they're greeted by a squad of heavy droids with their guns trained on them. Shocked, the two put on brakes, prepping Ahrah in Dust's hand and Fafnir in Blinx's for another fight.

"Shucks, I knew they'd be back," Blinx grunts.

Before any bullets can fly, all of a sudden, a group of the pig workers ambush the bots from the sides, using conventional tools to dismantle them at their vital areas from necks to arm joints connecting the gatling guns! It wouldn't be the first time Blinx has allied with the Tom Tom Gang. But he's never seen them cooperate on their own terms. One of them, an older blue-shirted one named Caio, faces Blinx and says, "Believe it or not, some of us don't agree with the old boss' methods either. Not after what he did to Ugo."

"Pretty screwed up, wasn't it," Blinx gestures. "We're tryin' get to him. We goin' the right way?"

"Yes, the back entrance is just behind this door. But it's manual only."

Towards the end of the room is a giant metal door that Blinx tries opening with the press of the keypad to the side. No dice. It's overwritten to keep anyone from getting in or out.

"Wouldn't ya know," Blinx hunches. "Big Ben's so spooked he overrode the doors. Good thing I've got me a nifty lockpick."

Forcibly, the Cat-Sith lunges the Fafnir blade into the barrier, using its molten heat to carve an entrance that when marked Dust blasts open with a wind burst from Ahrah! On the other side, the walls of the gargantuan war factory begin shifting up and down as thrusters underneath start to activate. Up above at the balconies, Aniki and his squad arrive as well, breaking the doors down and spotting their allies beneath them.

"There they are," Mick points.

Blinx looks up and asks, "Big Boss, you see an entrance?"

"No," Aniki replies. "It's blocked off. The only other option is through the exhaust port underneath us." He taps his commlink. "Princess, can you and your team reach the lower deck of the factory and take the rear tubes?"

"Yeah," she answers. "I'll see if we can slow it down from there!"

As the factory begins to rise, the Princess along with NecoJi and Picaro reach the ventilation shafts beneath the docks while they're still connected. Only Lena manages to hop on quickly while the rest can't make the jump. They're left watching and attempting to shoot the rear engines' vital spots, hoping to cripple the cruiser's mobility, while struggling to avoid getting blasted by the scorching heat and gust of air!

"Goodness," Ahrah comments. "Neither of you mentioned the factory doubled as a carrier vessel!"

On the intercoms, Benito casually announces, "Well it's been fun, kitties. Ya really had me goin' for a loop, but I'm a man of many ideas. I've still got my own Time Crystals, I've got a town of fuzzies to cap, and General G was kind enough to sell his property to me. Have fun tryin' to catch me without your Sweeper do-dads or lady Gods! Heheheh!"

When Benito seems to be at his most cocky, the vessel comes to an immediate halt in pre-flight! The clamps holding it in place fail to detach and the turret defenses of the hangar come online, pointing at the ship's sides.

"Agh," Benito shouts! "What the…?!"

"Administrative Commands Enabled," Aegis confirms. "Defenses Activated. Priority Target…Benito the Conqueror."

"AEGIS," Blinx celebrates! "LET'S GO!"

Even with the machines betraying him, Benito still gawks at the sight of resistance from his private command bridge, overlooking the footage from the cameras.

"Think I didn't account for you," he mocks. "I'm the captain of this ship!"

Suddenly, the thrusters of the ship begin to boost even higher and slowly pull away from the arms, along with the defense turrets activating to blow away at the guns of the tower. But it's just enough time for everyone to assess the exterior for an opening.

"Shucks, he's blasting everything down," Aniki grunts. "I don't see an opening form this height and Lena's still in there."

Just then, a quiet humming of an engine gets louder from the other hangars nearby. The bombers, remote controlled by Aegis, descend to the squads below, along with some ships from outside the tower rocketing over to whoever wants to pilot them. And over in the distance, flying closer is the Firebat, rotating to let Blinx and Dust inside from the lower hatch.

"Your modified bomber should suffice," Aegis says.

As the two enter, the other Time Sweepers grab a shuttle and take off to intercept the cruiser's engines, making sure not to strike where Lena may be standing inside.

"All personnel, man your nearby defenses," Aniki announces. "We can't let that warship leave our airspace!"

Around the city near the hovering factory, the Time Sweepers close by activate the defense turrets from their stations, launching the heavy guns at the ship's engines! Those in the skies swarm the hull, blowing up the lasers. Jimmy's hit a critical area from the hideout guns to the lower deck of the cruiser as the Princess makes her way to the upper levels, avoiding what few robots are being deployed to apprehend her.

"Princess, where are ya," Picaro asks.

"I'm making my way to the bridge now," she replies in her sprint. "It's concealed within the ship itself. Benito's not getting away that easily!"

As she gets closer to the center where the defenses are at maximum, Lena dodges gunfire from the gatling gunners and the standard soldiers. Using the factory's interior crane she swings across the platform, smashing the machines and leaving an opening for her to get in the bridge. Once done, she leaps out the control booth into the station where Benito's operating. …Or at least where he was. When she shoots his chair, it swivels around with no one sitting on it. Just a beeper that indicates a self destruct sequence was activated. Luckily, Benito isn't that slick as he's left his escape hatch open. With just enough time to escape, Lena gives chase into the tubes to the smaller shuttle as the tyrant begins to run for the controls. He immediately boosts the engines, which propels Lena back near the hatch door as they leave the doomed war factory, which begins combusting from the bombs and engines. It crashes into the smaller facilities and through the city wall, nearly colliding with the World Ship next to it!

Still aboard, the Princess battles gravity trying to steady herself mid-flight while shooting at the pig, who quickly activates the ejector to separate the shuttle until only his pilot side is flying! The strong force of the split pushes her far to the exit, almost falling outside when she grabs onto both sides of the plane's interior after shooting and missing Benito. The separated half fumbles in the air, spinning around as Lena tries to escape, looking for an opening. She flushes herself out when her path is clear moments before the passenger section can make a nasty crash into a pool atop a skyscraper! As she falls, the Firebat swoops by and catches her with its wing.

"Need a lift," Blinx snarks.

"Benito needs a turbo ring by the walls to get outta dodge," she explains while getting in from the side hatch. "If he activates one…"

"He'll get away," Dust finishes. "But not this time."

As the ship continues after him, Dust mans one of the turrets for a scope. Though it's a first time for him, the Mithrarin's aim is focused enough for him to blast to where Benito is going instead of where he is. The pig wrongfully assumed the shot was meant for him as he strafes away from it. But to his fear, it destroys the large turbo ring ahead of him. As he phases through the remains, he only boosts forward by a few feet. It'll have to do though. He's already breached the city walls and has enough fuel to make it to the nearest town; albeit without his factory in tow. Luckily, the Firebat's also passed the ring's energy field to catch up to him. But it seems every shot fired simply bounces off the transport.

"Oh of course he'd give his escape the most armor," Blinx bemoans as he gets out of his seat. "One a' you, take over an' get me over that thing."

"What do you think you're doing," Dust asks manning the controls.

Instead of Fafnir, Blinx reaches for a crowbar in the tool cabinet then motions for Lena to take a seat next to Dust while rooting himself at the center where a safety lock is on. When he turns the gear, it unlocks another seat with what appear to be handles for some kind of motorbike along with a button to activate it. Suddenly, he's blown from the bottom hatch down onto the surface of Benito's craft, flailing around for control briefly until he turns on the wheel's grips!

"Getting himself killed apparently," Ahrah answers the wolf.

The force of the motorbike falling onto the vehicle caused it to plummet slightly towards ground level, barely touching the stone and metallic structures poking out of the dirt. With enough traction, Blinx grips the hull with his claws, making sure to avoid the bike when it rolls off the ship saved by auto piloted air control. Using the crowbar, he crawls to the roof entrance, locked but easy to pry open thanks to damage from the Firebat's missiles. Soon as the door snaps from the hinges, flying the distance behind Blinx along with the tool, the Cat Sith throws himself inside, landing perfectly on his feet and lunging for Benito to throw a punch! But he doesn't get that chance. Anticipating him, the Tom Tom Gang's leader had set his sights to freeze him in place with the Time Shards!

"Heh," Benito chuckles. "It's funny. You actually thought you could pull a stunt on me, didn't you?"

Snapping his fingers, Benito triggers the crystals to steadily increase the ship's speed and reverses the damages done to the hull. The back hatch folds open, but Blinx and the shards don't get sucked out from the wind, giving enough time for the pig to gloat as he circles the Cat-Sith with his hands behind his back.

"I wouldn't 'ave thought you were this crazy if I hadn't given ya a chance." He pats Blinx's shoulder, "Ever since day one, you've been a pain in the ass for me and my crew. But mostly me. Sure, ya didn't always pop up to deck my snout, but'cha sure inspired people. And inspiration's a powerful thing, y'know that? Even after everything I did, even with time literally on my side, your boys STILL thought you'd come back for 'em on some random, dysfunctional backwater planet! An' as much as I'd hate to admit it, they were right. All the more reason for me to end this little trilogy of ours the best way I know how."

Benito circles back to Blinx's eyes, beaming a cocky smile with his teeth as he gets closer to him.

"Just be glad I even remembered your name, Blinx. An' just you wait. It's a helluva lot easier this way to reunite with your boss than to wait for your expiration date." He grasps the Time Sweeper's shoulders and tells him, "Game Over."

WHAM!

Benito's snout is socked so quickly, he couldn't even see it! His neck twists in such a way that it's unnatural! At this moment, Blinx has broken the limits of the tools manipulating reality, furiously throwing his fists into the tyrant's torso, drawing hints of blood as the man fumbles hard into the controls! His weight crushes the navigation equipment, leading to the shuttle veering straight down the path to the top of an abandoned structure. A large stone tower. It's clear as day to Dust, who hastily removes himself from the bridge, handing the steer over to Lena. Not thinking, he jumps from the bottom of the Firebat lowered enough at ground level to the motorbike still on autopilot but heading the wrong way. Eventually, the speed of Benito's escape launches Blinx outside right before it collides with the empty building; such an impact causing a massive explosion from a mix of the ship and the crystals onboard! As Blinx dives down squirming in the air, Dust gets close enough to catch him, completely forgetting to steer the motorcycle while breezing through the underbelly of the collapsing tower! They just barely avoid the debris raining down from the other side till the bump into a mech's hand sprouted from the ground, hurdling them across the dirt like ragdolls!

They had won. As they regain their bearings, both the Mithrarin and Cat-Sith stare at the carnage before them. No sign of Benito escaping before the crash. Blinx had knocked him unconscious when he was ejected from the back. Quietly while the Firebat hovers down to recover the pair, they look at each other and Dust breaks the silence.

"We have a lot to explain when we get back."

Blinx nods, "Yeah…"

Chapter Text

Peace at last. With Benito's death, the enslaved Time Sweepers and Tom Tom Gang celebrate with a booming cheer loud enough to cover the entire metropolis. The once oppressive tower at the center of the megacity now shines as a beacon of hope, dinging the grand bell and shining a light from the highest floor stretching far out the atmosphere. A clear sign to any remaining Cat-Sith among the stars that it's finally time to come home.

By the city walls, those in attendance with Dust and Blinx made swift repairs to the Firebat and patched up the Mithrarin wherever they could. Aegis even provided them with parts from the research facilities to make a suitable replacement for Dust's eye -with the right color- and Blinx's Sweeper.

"Not much really needed fixin' boys," says Picaro. "You're all set!"

"I've even added an extra fuel canister if you need it," says Cino.

"Ey, thanks guys," Blinx grins. "Couldn't have done it without'chu. I'd love to stay but I've got someone back home who's reeeeeeeeeeeally gonna be mad at me fer takin' her bro."

"We're on the same planet Blinx," Aniki nods. "We'll still be in touch."

While shaking his old commander's hand, Blinx spots Dust standing idle at the launch bay looking on at the distant valley. There's an obvious aura of sorrow coming from him, but it's one that Blinx can solve with confidence.

"Gimme a minute. I'mma talk to my boy."

Coming over to the wolf, he asks him "Ey, you good sportsy?

"Yes and no," he replies. "I just tried to kill you, Blinx. I had every intention and I could've done it had you not been fast enough. I just…"

"Yeah…?"

"I just don't wanna end up killing another friend of mine," Dust says with pain in his voice.

"Well there sure ain't a reason to. Not only do I know how to beat yo cyber tail if need be, but I'm sure that Cassius side's put back in check after I went an' fried him. Besides, you were brainwashed. I know you'd never wanna kill me fo' real. Eheh… Right?"

"Right," says Dust.

"Right. Don't beat yourself up, ol' sport."

"I don't know if I can… It's very hard to when your old life keeps cropping back up every time you wanna move on."

Very casually, Blinx pats fingers Dust's patched chest and smiles, "An' deep down in dere, that old life belongs to Jin. Sure is a good pal to me."

The Mithrarin doesn't say more. Looking away, he sniffles and a tear runs down his cheek, much to Blinx's surprise.

"Erm…you alright man?"

"Y-yeah," Dust says wiping his eyes. "Yeah, I just…I got something in my eye."

Following a few more conversations and farewells to their fellow Time Sweepers, the two step foot at the side hatch of their shuttle for launch. The day is saved and the last thing left to do is make amends wherever possible. Coordinates are set for Aurora and the gates of the shield walls are open for a boost. Before they leave, Princess Lena walks over to them with her helmet tucked to her waist, putting it down to give her old rescuer a warm tearful hug. They embrace for a good few seconds which feel like an eternity before she lets go and shakes Dust's hand with a tip of her head.

"Thank you, Mithrarin."

"You're welcome Princess," he salutes.

Blinx follows along and gives a salute to the rest of his men who proudly do the same. Their final goodbye.

Thanks to the boosters at the shield walls, it wasn't long before the Firebat made it back to the village in record time. 9 o'clock sharp back in the hangar they exited from. Soon as it touched down on the main floor, Dust leaped from the cockpit with Ahrah in tow while Blinx shuts everything off, carrying Fafnir on his back along with his new Sweeper.

"You take Haley, I take Ginga'," Blinx asks.

"Yeah," Dust nods. "Just make sure to let Mordecai in on the sword later."

"Got'cha." Just before they walk out the door, Blinx stops the wolf. "Oh an' sportsy..."

"Yes?"

"I love ya, bros."

"…"

Ahrah breaks the silence. "Much appreciated."

While on his way to his home, Dust made sure to pay everyone in his path a visit to check up on them. Moska was the first to comment on the plants going mental thanks to Fuse. Reed even continued to rattle and ramble over the fight not being finished despite Fuse's death. Fidget, by now, should still be with Ori if she hasn't already, so Dust decides to get back on track to his house where Ahrah tells him, "Just leave me by the forge."

He said so a second before he gasps seeing the huge mechanical diamond smashed through the workshop! Thankfully, given everyone's comments on the fight that ensued, the Mithrarin isn't worried. He knows Haley's safe but no doubt shaken by all this right in the middle of her space. After setting the sword down and stepping in the entrance, shutting the front door and putting what's left of his tattered cape away, he's confronted by the scolding eyes of his wife sitting with her legs crossed in a chair with a single light turned on. Dramatic, but definitely gets the point across. Haley wants an explanation.

"O_O," Dust silently stared then gulped.

"Well, you made it back before midnight," says Haley. "That's a good sign."

"Heheh," he chuckles timidly. "I've got a lot of explaining to do."

"Not entirely." Haley unfolds her legs and stands up to Dust. "I figured out what was going on earlier. Question is, why not tell me and your sister about it?"

"We've fought a giant robot this morning and there turned out to be rogue Time Sweepers and thousands of soldiers out there," Dust fends. "What could you have done?"

"Why don't you ask everyone else since I was out there fighting Fuse's army of plants while you were gone? Not to mention that one guy who I think was some jealous friend of Blinx."

"Wait, so, Reed wasn't crazy when he said Ginger used a chainsaw for a weed whacker?"

Getting straight to the point, Haley pressures the wolf. "Dust, just save it. You're not really scared of someone hurting me. It's you, or more specifically, Cassius, is it?"

And no words have ever been spoken more truly than this. She knows him better than he gave credit for even as a married man. Letting out a sigh, he admits to her, "…Yes. That's exactly what happened to me and Blinx out there. I was manipulated and I almost killed him. I didn't want to invite you because…" He pauses to swallow from a crack in his voice. "…Because I don't wanna be the gun that kills you. I just wanna make sure you, Ginger, and the rest of the villagers are safe because I can't lose any of you to another Gaius war."

Haley's stern face doesn't budge. But her ears have flopped up from listening attentively. Now closer than ever, she warps her arms around Dust's shoulders and presses her lips against his. Like Blinx and Lena's warm hug, this gentle kiss lasts for, in Dust's head, hours, substituting for tears as far as letting go of his pain is concerned. Letting go of him, Haley says, "That's why I'm with you. Why else do you think Fidget, Blinx, and the rest wanna help so bad? We understand the risks, but you're not a one-man army. Together, we're a lot stronger than Gaius. And we're all here to remind you that."

Quietly, the wolf blushed and struggled to turn away to hide it. He asks, "You remember what your Dad said about me on our first date?"

"How could I forget? He said you're a nice guy, but you got a bad case of the Two-Face."

"Sure what I've felt like for a good while now."

"I know I've said it before, but as cliché as it sounds, I really wish I was there for Everdawn. I couldn't stand hearing you fought Gaius practically by yourself, and Fidget and Ginger came back in tears. One whack with the mallet doused in lava and it's over!"

"Tss," Dust cringes. "You really sure about that? Gaius was no joke."

"This coming from the guy who got bodied and almost killed by Blinx and a marauder. The same kinda guy I brought down in 12 seconds."

"12 SECONDS," he shouted when he turns back muttering, "That is pretty impressive…"

Lifting an eyebrow, Haley smirked, "Was that a compliment?"

"Haley, you're right about me. And I seriously mean that in the best possible way. This whole time, I've been thinking about how much you've done for me back home that…well…what can I do for you?" He stutters, "A-apart from me chopping down a dead, abandoned tree or getting groceries that is."

"Everyday you keep helping me with my job. But y'know what I really want?"

Dust thinks to himself, "Please don't be a baby. Please don't be a baby."

"I want you to try out your old suit."

"WOOHOO," Dust cheered than paused. "Wait…my old one? But it's gone, isn't it?"

Next to Haley's chair is a box she presents to the Mithrarin, taking out and unfolding an exact replica of his old attire, right down to the fabrics and the colors.

"I made it with some help from the Elder," she explains. "He said it's a perfect copy, just with some parts missing like your hat and boots since you already got 'em."

"This is all you want from me," Dust asks.

"All I ever wanted was to be right by your side and feel like I'm contributing. I think you've already taken care of that."

And holding the outfit gifted to him, Dust looks back at her and he smiles. Elsewhere in the village, Fale and Mordecai share a bench and look up at the moonlight with the shopkeeper leaning against the mouse.

"Is it just remarkable," Mordecai asks him. "So many stars out there, yet no matter how far, they always feel within our reach."

"Neva' took ya for a star-gazer, mate," Fale comments. "Blinx must be rubbin' off on ya."

"He sure is. You know, you certainly aren't Dust, but if I were Lady Tethys or the Elder, I would say you deserve that blade. I see no reason to sell it or let it rest as a stage prop. It seems to me the swords are finding their wielders after all."

"Been itchin' to bring that up too," says Fale. "Chum's got Fidget an' the cat-guy. Sounds like I could make my own trio with Guss an' Matt."

"That would be…interesting, if I do say so myself."

"An' hey…we've found Aquasword here. I only count two'a these things, not all five."

Mordecai rests his leg over the other and says to Fale, "Like I said, I'm certain they'll find their wielders soon."

Chapter Text

It's been less than a week since the Time Sweepers were freed from the grasp of Benito and Fuse's short-lived invasion of Aurora. In the village, all is quiet as the people stay indoors from the rainfall. The only one out is Dust in his classic attire, who's happily slicing an old tree to take back to Haley in chunks. Fidget, visiting him with a tiny umbrella in her paws, takes note of his peppy demeanor.

"You sure look happy," she comments.

"I am," the Mithrarin replied. "And what about you?"

"Ori and I are engaged!"

"No wedding," Dust asks.

"Y'know how expensive weddings are around here? No way! It gives me anxiety. By the way, you see Blinx anywhere? I had a joke only he would get."

"Good question," he answered. "I haven't seen him in a while, but the other day, he explained where the howling was coming from. I thought he was talking about me, but it was my sister after she tore him a new one that night."

"Right. Howling," Fidget smirked.

Looking through the fog blocking the scenery close to the village walls, Dust notices Blinx standing idly by with his hands in his pockets from afar. Even from this distance, he can tell it's his friend based on his height alone.

"There he is" Dust points. "Job's done here so I'll just visit.

"Works for me," Fidget agrees.

In the pouring shower, Blinx puts on his goggles and looks up at the sky even while getting drenched. His ears twitch as if he's listening to something when he catches Fidget and Dust's attention. They walk up to him and Dust asks, "Blinx…?"

"Oh, hey sportsy. Ey Fridge."

"I'm gonna pretend I didn't hear that and ask what you're doing out here in the rain," Fidget replies.

"Just listenin' to the music. I keep hearin' weird noises every time I step outside. Like somethin's growin' somewhere."

"Can't imagine what," said Dust. "But if it's anything like last time, better grab some weed killer."

"I ever tell y'all how little it rained back home," asked Blinx. "When it did, me an' the boys would stand out there an' get poured on. Felt good an' still does!"

"I thought cats hated water," says Fidget.

"Eeeh, some of us do," the Cat-Sith shrugged. "But the rest of us love it. It's one of the few times I got to hang around my Da…erm…the Big Boss."

"Did you just call him Dad," asks Dust.

"Well he was the closest thing I had to an ol' man. Otha' boss said his ship never got a chance to take off when the explosions started like he knew he wasn't gettin' out." Blinx smirked. "That guy was the first face I've ever laid eyes on. The only thing I have to go by now is his example…and his mustache."

"Wow, I…never heard you talk about him like that," Fidget says.

"Me neither," Dust adds.

"I didn't know if he was even alive or not, so now that I got an answer, it gives me closure. Not what I would'a hoped, but better than nothin'. Still feel like he knew what was comin' cause he gave me a salute an' said I was the best of the best an' that he was proud o' me. Course I thought it was just some optimism for a pretty average day, until…"

For a moment, it sounds as if Blinx is about to shed a tear when he catches his breath and looks away for a brief second. "Well, y'all know the rest."

"Glad you trust us to hear that," Dust comments.

"Makes us three even, does it?"

"Make it four," Ahrah finally spoke.

"Oh dang, I didn't even know you were there!"

"Yeah, we were chopping down an old sturdy tree to patch the hole in our house," says Dust.

"I visited the cells earlier," Blinx replied. "Still shocked that anyone would wanna work with a bastard like Benito. You'd think you know a guy…"

Before he can keep going, Ginger trots her way to the group, beaming specifically at Blinx.

"Hey hun."

"Eeeey," the Cat-Sith nods slowly.

Quietly, Dust and Fidget turn their heads to Blinx and stare at him for a few seconds before he breaks the silence, "…What?"

"Mordecai wants to see you all," Ginger said. "Haley and her brother are already at the shop."

"Huh," Dust chuckles. "Y'know what, I think that might be the second time Mordecai's asked to see us."

"What happened the first time," asked Blinx.

"The first time was when he lost his hat, and fellow hat-wearers need to look out for each other."

"And I thought my identical plush was weird," Fidget scoffed.

At the marketplace, all the shops had closed down for maintenance following Fuse's attack. Avgustin, Fale, Haley, and Matti attend the entrance to Mordecai's abode where the sign is already removed by Moska; same as before when he accidentally knocked it over with a ball. Dust and the rest head over there to visit.

"Hey Moska," Dust says. "Haven't seen you in a while. How're the kids…er…your step kids?"

"Oh, they're alright. Colleen's still talking about that ride you gave her and Corbin."

"I thought he Corbin was gonna be the one geekin' out over it," Blinx replied.

"He is, but he got sick from the loopy loops. Can't blame him though. I always wondered how it felt to be a Nimbat but I kinda don't wanna experience it."

"Trust me. You get used to it," Fidget added. "Where's the hat geek?"

"Nya," Matti grunts, pointing to the shop.

Haley noted, "Dunno why he asked for us specifically."

"Ah, there you are," the shopkeeper announced as he walks out with Fale. To the side of the building, Avgustin steps away and gives them a thumbs up. "And just in time to celebrate."

"Celebrate what," asked Blinx.

With a snap of Mordecai's fingers, what remains of the empty shop suddenly bursts into a loud inferno behind him! Everyone else besides him and Avgustin flinches from the sight!

"My retirement."

"WHOOO," Avgustin cheered!

"You've just wasted a well-constructed building," says Ahrah.

The shopkeeper rolls his eyes with a smirk, "Oh babe, it really wasn't. Fuse already took out most of the supports. Wasn't gonna last much longer.."

"Whaddya gonna do now," asked the Nimbat.

Mordecai rolls his eyes to the Warmblood next to him, "Fale…"

Fale answers, "Mordo here is gonna to do what he said he would an' start on dat reconstruction effort!"

"Finally," Moska jumped!

"Hell yeah," Blinx smiled! "Just wait till I tell my ol' sports about it an' they'll save you millions!"

"Betta'. Billions," Fale winked. "Millions is so passe."

"With Ori and the Time Sweepers, everything's going to look greener than ever," says Ginger.

"That won't be necessary," Mordecai calmly replied.

"Oh…?"

Mordecai takes elegant steps in a pacing motion. "It's true. Fuse and Benito derailed my plans significantly. But, thanks to y'all, I can move on with mah next step."

"Did he just magically gain a Southern accent," asked Fidget.

Blinx also adds, "I don't even remember tellin' you about Benito, man."

"O-oh! Sorry Blinx," says Mordecai as he removes his hat, letting loose his short wavey hair. "I was eaves dropping when Fale informed me of your return. And I'm just excited and a bit nervous about this, Fidget. After all, I did bring that edgy Moonblood back the grave to screw with 'im, but I never told him to pull a Mr. Bloom on the joint. That's on me."

"What," Fale said surprised.

"What did you say," asked Ahrah in a horrified tone.

"Yer friend Mordo did his part. NOW IT'S MAH TURN!"

VWOOOSH!

The Warmblood's arms burst into several dark tentacles, extending outward to grab hold of Fale, Dust, and Ginger and Haley with enough force to knock Ahrah out of the Mithrarin's hands, missing Blinx, Matti, and Fidget entirely! He pins them against the nearest stone wall behind them!

"WOAH," Blinx shouts!

Fale struggles, "Mordecai! What're ya doin'?! A-and when did you get super powers?!"

"Y'didn't hear me," the corrupted shopkeeper scoffed. "He's fast asleep! He ain't gon' talk!"

Luckily, the Time Sweeper came prepared. He steps in front of Moska and Avgustin, pulls out his traditional TS-1000 for an attempted reset, but to no avail. Mordecai keeps hold of his friends as if no one is around to help.

"What on my three mother's teeth is goin' on 'ere?!"

"Gee, gotta put me in a retort like that," asked the Warmblood.

Me. Why would he say that, he wondered.

…

"So he went back an' used the BC," pondered Blinx. "I thought that thing was tucked back where it came!"

Picaro immediately tells him, "It was. But then we learned the Time Goddesses vanished when the regime became a thing. So he had his best boys steal it again."

…

" I anticipated the gates of Hell to welcome me into its flames ," Fuse says. " But following my demise, I somehow awoke in this very room connected to the roots of the village underbelly. "

…

You're still not sure how he could've returned," Fale asks Tethys.

The Goddess simply answers, "No. That I am trying to figure out myself. He was resurrected during my hibernation and has avoided all my searches before now. I must investigate to learn if this was of a God's doing or not."

…

"These caverns were carved in preparation for a battle with an ancient creature from the stars. She plunged many worlds into chaos and had arrived on Falana to do the same. Before she could achieve her goal, the one called Grey Eyes, with the strength of a thousand men, had used my power to seal her into a deep slumber, of which she remains to this day."

…

"Is it just remarkable," Mordecai asks him. "So many stars out there, yet no matter how far, they always feel within our reach."

…

It all clicks.

"IT'S YOU," shouted Blinx, Dust, Ahrah, and Fale!

"BINGO," the Goddesses winked. "Y'all get three thumbs up now!"

"Wait, who's who," asked Fidget holding her head. "My head is spinning!"

Ahrah answers as Matti lifts his hilt, "This is the creature the Elder sealed all those years ago…"

"Who just so happens to be the mother of time an' space," Blinx realized. "THAT'S why you guys weren't there when the timeline was screwed over!"

"You just keep on impressin' me, doll," said the trio. "Guess you can call us a…dynamic Trio."

"But why," asked Ginger still pinned to the wall. "The Time Sweepers needed you."

"I know. I tried to prevent all that way before y'all were conceived. I went an' made all sortsa stuff like them Spirit folk 'er those satellites to make sure everythin' fell into place!"

Mordecai's body regenerates his hand underneath one of the appendages to floof his hair.

"An' because I just looove seein' interestin' things happen. I was gonna show the mouse who's really in charge. But then came the lizard folk an' the ol' boss ruinin' my fun. Speakin' of…"

Trio rotates Mordecai's head a complete 180 to zap Sanjin sneaking up behind her to strike back! This does, fortunately, give Matti time to use Ahrah to sever the tentacles gripping his friends and allow Avgustin to try to hit the creature with a boulder!

"I'm sorry Mordo!"

But he doesn't get close when he's zapped by beams from his possessed friend's eyes! Moska even braves up and tries to hit Trio with a plank, but he's smacked into Matti by another tentacle regenerating! The two of them are knocked out and Avgustin's face is planted into the ground, unable to remove himself.

"Ugh," Sanjin moaned, struggling to move. "Anyone wanna tell me what's up with Mordecai?"

"I'll tell you myself," Trio says. "I'm makin' good use of the environment."

In a single bound, Mordecai's titanic leap sends him backward to the top of the tallest structure, sprouting cables from behind his robe that dig into the ground. A faint rumble grows into an earthquake, shaking the village as its people begin curiously wandering outside trying to work out what the ruckus is for. Over by the crops, Geehan and Oneida assume it maybe another tremor from Fuse's rampage and prepare their hedge clippers when a bulbous metal hand slowly breaks through the dirt in front of them. A decayed mech of sorts reactivates and thrusts upward with its old rockets.

Elsewhere, even the Time Sweepers can feel it as the Time Tower supports crack and rattle. Cino in one of the labs drops his tea, horrified at the analysis conducted by Aegis as the satellites within the facility rise from their decks and burst from the walls! On top of the tremors, however, around the metropolis, the gargantuan World Cruisers begin popping online, carefully rising from the tubes they're held in.

Very shortly, strange jagged formations sprout and bend as if the world is being terraformed along with the plants rapidly overgrowing into odd alien fauna. Dust and his allies watch helplessly as the village around them is terraformed into something otherworldly.

"Bet'cha didn't expect all that, huh," says Trio.

Dust grabs Ahrah and blares a whirlwind at the tower Trio stands on, but she gently descends to the surface and pauses the both of them. Fidget flies over to intervene, but she's engulfed by one of the tentacles and slammed against a metal bar! She falls, unconscious, but Blinx unfreezes quick enough to catch her.

"Serves ya right fer makin' hard mode the new easy wi'chur fireballs," the Goddess mocked!

Dust launches a piece of debris at the Warmblood but she rewinds it into him and nearly hits Blinx! His Sweeper is knocked off and misfires, shooting out the Fafnir blade in front of the Cat-Sith.

"Is that another Elysian Blade," Fale asks him.

"Oh snap! I forgot to give it to Mordo!"

"Well it's a good thing you didn't," says Dust.

The town guards arrive, starting with Calum and even the Mayor with an axe; all worried at the sight of Mordecai becoming an eldritch creature.

"Oh look at dat! More folks decided to show up," Trio announced! "Lemme go ahead an' introduce myself."

She pauses everyone in place, but while occupied, it gives Blinx time to slice at her limbs with Dust providing support! She tries to regenerate, but Fafnir's flames combined with the wind from Ahrah summons a flaming twister around her that partly scorches Mordecai's robes and darkens his fur before Fale can douse it with Aquaritus' waves!

"Forgive me, pal," Fale says preparing to make a tidal wave before he hesitates.

"Quick, do it!" Mordecai's voice chimes in and his face reverts to that of utter terror. "You have to finish it, boys. It's agonizing, but I've held her back for as long as I could. I wish I could have told you sooner when she escaped from Everdawn. Please, do it for me!"

"…Mordecai…?"

"I-It sounds so much like him," says Ginger.

"Don't worry Mordecai," said Dust. "We'll find a way to bring you back as soon as we-"

"SIIIIIIIIIKE!"

More appendages in the form of mechanical arms and wires sprout from beneath the ground, grabbing hold of the three, including the blades!

"HEHEHEHAHAHAHAHA," Trio laughed! "Looks like I went an' mastered his voice an' speech patterns, huh?"

STOP

Her attention is given immediately. Trio turns back half expecting another Time Sweeper when she's met by Lady Tethys hovering over the frozen crowd of fighters with a tidal wave flowing beside them.

"That's quite enough, Mother. Your reign of evil ends now!"

Nearly the entire ensemble, including Fidget waking up hearing what Tethys said ask the simple question. "MOTHER?!"

"Well hi, baby doll," Trio said wiggling her fingers. "We need to talk about your prank with them lizard folk puttin' me to sleep."

"That was not intended to be a joke," the Goddess growled. "It was to prevent you from causing anymore chaos. Whether or not Gaius or the Regime rose to power, your very nature is a threat to the entire cosmos."

"Couldja talk normally please? You sound like an ol' fashioned Disney princess."

Tethys hunched back. "First of all, I only speak this way from listening to you when you were separated. And second, I am not a princess. I am a queen!"

Summoning the tidal waves beside her, she blasts them into Trio while releasing the group and surrounding them in a bubble to protect from the carnage unfolding as the two Goddesses battle it out in the center of town! Trio pauses time on Tethys, but the water being suddenly unfreezes herself and fasts forward to deliver an uppercut! Her mother is sent hurdling through a statue, then into a fence, only to slingshot herself with it to bring a flurry of swipes with her many wires at Tethys! One of them cuts deep into her cheek, exposing another layer of flesh underneath lighter than her normal green color scheme. The skies instantly turn dark and a piece of it literally breaks off like glass, revealing a hint of an empty skybox behind it. The chink is split into several pieces and shower down on Trio to try and bludgeon her, yet she slows the motion to slide to the side as they stab the dirt. She grabs one of the projectiles, flinging it at Tethys, tearing holes in her skirt, then her arms. She's propelled back before Trio leaps at her and knocks her around a bit while being drowned in a pool of water engulfing the two of them!

Speechless, Dust, Blinx, Haley, Fale, Ginger, and especially a slack-jawed Fidget can't help but stare and follow the deities' movements.

"So uh…any explanation for this, Ahrah," Dust asks.

"None."

"That's what I was afraid of."

Trio guards herself, atomizing the water around her in a swift wave of her hands. "You always were the type to bolt the moment somethin' went wrong. Always getting' somebody else to do yer dirty work."

"This coming from the one who programmed me to simply watch as countless civilizations died by your hands," Tethys barked! "I've besieged mortals to prevent their annihilation. But now, I see this matter requires a direct course of action! I will see your imprisonment, personally!"

She comes close to attacking her mother from behind by summoning a thorn behind her, but it ends up striking herself in the face when Trio fast forwards herself to the side! The empty space where Tethys' mouth should be is torn open revealing her true face underneath. Even her eyes go from its green tone to a menacing red and yellow as she turns back to Trio and roars!

"RAAAAAAAGH!"

"OH NO," Fidget points! "SHE'S LOST ALL HER MAKEUP!"

"If she's the Time Lady's daughter, then she's gotta be Mina," Blinx realized. "Boy, small world."

"Who," asked Dust.

"Mina's the angel chick who kept sendin' us messages when the Big Crystal exploded. Guess we know where she's been hidin' out the whole time an' why. Wouldn't be the first time she's protected us against the motha' of all omelets."

Tethys Mina continues to claw at Trio as the Goddess stretches her hand to palm her face, holding her back. "I will NOT let you destroy this world just as you could have destroyed the Time Sweepers'!"

"Mina, honey, who says I wanna destroy anything?"

While holding her face, Trio's hand begins to form ice around it, nearly putting out her flame-like hair as she plummets to the muddy ground next to Sanjin's weakened form, unable to free herself as more tentacles sprout to grab her arms and bare legs.

"Now where was I?" The possessed one cracks as he turns his spine then his legs completely around to face the group. "Oh right!"

Unable to break free from the bubble, Dust and Fale try prying their blades through the material, only to bounce onto their backs and into Ginger and Haley's grip.

"Yer crazy," Blinx grunted at the Goddess. "An' to think me an' the boys practically worshipped'chu. You're basically our Momma!"

"You think I'm crazy," she tilted. "Wait till ya hear what's goin' on outside the Toonverse. Streamin' companies be axin' their catalogues of shows left an' right, an' no gals with wide hips in some cross game gonna save 'em."

"And she's breaking the fourth wall," Fidget noted. "She really is pure evil!"

"What do you want with us," Ginger demanded.

"I don't think y'noticed, but all them swords keep comin' to y'all fo' a reason. An' we can't have that get in the way, now can we? Nah. I've got a particularly special solution to this problem."

"You're gonna kill us," the Nimbat panicked!

"No. Y'all too cute fer that."

She sighs of relief, throwing her arms down. "Phew…! Good. So you're just gonna imprison us, right?"

"Better! I'm gon' take you on a trip!"

Suddenly, a Time Portal forms around them. Everyone in the bubble panics trying to brute force their way out in unison as they're slowly pulled in. This method works, surprisingly, dropping them into the dirt. But they're still being sucked into the wormhole. They grab onto each other; Dust prying Ahrah in the ground for support, but they're all still being dragged.

"I know it's takin' a while," says Trio. "I'm a bit rusty, y'know?"

"NO," shouted Fale as he fails to pull himself forward! "I'm not givin' up on Mordecai!"

"Don't do this, Ma," Blinx said. "You can still be the master of time an' space an' we can fix up the Time Factory togetha'!"

"You kiddin'," she retorted casually. "That ship already sailed since the original Xbox. Yer used to time hoppin', so you got nothin' to be afraid of. And this time, you get to bring yer lady friends along fer the ride! Have fun in the year 30 TRILLION!"

Quickly, with the last of his strength, Sanjin breaks Mina out of her bonds with his dagger, giving her enough focus to reverse the portal as the Warmbloods, Nimbat, and Time Sweeper are all sucked in!

WWWOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAGH!

They all scream, and before they can try, the gate shuts in front of them. Beaten, Tethys collapses into Sanjin's arms, but she's thankfully breathing. Avgustin managed to pull himself together to help the Time Daughter be carried to the side.

"Y'all do what'chu want, ol'bloods," Trio smiled. "I've got work to do."

Chapter Text

EMERGENCY! The Time Sweepers and Tom Toms make their escape from New Momentopolis as it crumbles under its weight from the tremendous earthquakes! Megastructures already fail to stay afloat but were thankfully the first to be evacuated. The World Ships, having risen from their bonds, slowly exit the world's atmosphere. And the rest of the city is emptied of all personnel. All apart from three in the rapidly shaking tower. Together, Picaro and Princess Lena head back to Central Processing where Aegis' brain awaits a transfer.

"All personnel have been accounted for," said the program. "I am unable to reacquire access to the World Ships at this time. Beginning transfer…"

"I sure hope this works," Picaro said, placing an orb into the power module.

In a few seconds, Aegis is uploaded while one of the automated racks in the chamber with them unloads an endoskeleton of one of the drones from the factories below. Very little time is left to complete it, so Lena inserts the makeshift brain into its cranium, immediately activating the Administrator's new droid body. Though flimsy, he steadies himself enough to quickly pull himself along with the duo to the exit where one of the dropships is waiting. As the facility shuts down without Aegis to operate, all the supports to the main brain come asunder, sending the supercomputer plummeting floor by floor deep into the tower! Lena, Picaro, and the rebuilt Administrator get onboard the ship just in time before the entire factory leans, making a nasty crash on its side large enough to break through the city walls and into the wastelands! The citizens evacuated watch as, yet again, they have to say goodbye to their home, coupled with an explosion engulfing the metropolis.

"We just can't get a break, can we," Chron bemoaned on the radio.

"Do not fear," assured the Admin. "There are two more locations where we can re-establish command. I believe Blinx can help us when we arrive in Aurora Village."

"Yeah, and Half and Half is right around the corner," noted Jimmy over communications.

"Then we'd better make sure they're accounted for," said Aniki. "Cino said the tremors stretch across the whole world. There's no telling what's going on with the ships and mechs reactivating."

Catherine in the ship with him and NecoJi nods, "Veeeery spooky."

"Let's hope young lad's still out there to greet us."

In a desert, Trio's time portal spawns where everyone can land, starting with Dust, then Blinx, Fale, Ginger, and Haley. They sit up, trying to get their bearings when Fidget is last to be launched like a projectile into each of them before the gate closes.

"Uuugh," Blinx moaned as he shook his head. "That's the last time I'm hoppin' through history."

Helping Ginger up and Haley up, Dust asks, "You two alright?"

"Arm's hurt, but I'll live," Haley replied.

"Least ya don't have a cracked spine like I do," Blinx smirked as he turned pulling up his jacket to show the brace on his back.

"I should have foreseen this," says Ahrah. "I've felt a disturbance since our previous adventure. But I could never pinpoint what it was."

"Neither could we," said Fale. "Sure, Mordecai said a few odd things 'ere an' there, but he's like that sometimes. Where are we anyway?"

"Good question," Blinx replied. "I thought she said she'd take us to the year 30 trillion. But it feels like…I dunno. Same time, different place?"

He checks his Sweeper clock and Fidget observes the land.

"She also said she's rusty," Fidget added. "Maybe she messed up."

"I…don't believe that is the case," Ahrah thought. "By the terrain, it almost feels like the plains where I was forged, long before your time."

Ginger asks, "You're not saying she's thrown us back in time, are you?"

"Evidently."

"He ain't wrong," answered the Time Sweeper. "My Sweeper's been messed with. The parameters were set too high like she wanted to knock us forward, but we went backwards."

"From what I glanced, I think Teth…or…Mina, had something to do with it," said Dust.

"Exactly how far," asked the Nimbat.

Blinx replied, "200+ years."

"Oh, that's not to bad. WAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!"

"Ey, chill! I can get us outta 'ere. Just as long as I can find a new time crystal…in the middle of a desert...on a hot sunny day."

All in attendance stand in absolute silence.

"You can scream."

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!"

"ENOUGH," Ahrah shouts! "You must conserve your energy. Don't waste it here."

"Well, what're we supposed to do," Dust asked. "Search all day for parts that aren't here?!"

Fidget panicked, "I'll never get to see my Ori again!"

"We'll die from heat exhaustion," Ginger yelled.

Out of nowhere, Fale whines, "I'm gonna lose my husband to an evil space witch!"

That immediately gets everyone to stop and question him by looking at his face curiously.

"What…? We ain't allowed to be honest?"

Haley is the only one who hasn't bothered to breakdown from the situation. Her attention is drawn to the vastness of the desert when she spots a cloud of smoke from the mountains far from view.

"Hold on," she pointed. "See that smoke where I'm pointing? If nothing's out here, there wouldn't be any. There's probably a village someone in those mountains."

"Like a beacon," Dust realized. "Haley, that's perfect! How'd you know that?!"

"Uh, hello? I'm a blacksmith. You think you'd know a thing or two from living with me."

"So we just run over there and find help, right," asked Ginger.

Her brother nodded, "Yep."

"Great! Let's go!"

Ginger takes a step and quickly bounces back, barely cutting her sole when it touches Fafnir lying on the ground!

"OW!"

"Right. Fafnir's here," Fidget said. "And Fale, you still got the water sword on you!"

"Hey, yeah," he smiled. "Get ready!"

With a wave of Aquaritus, Fale attempts to summon water for the gang. …Nothing. All it does is puff droplets from its tip.

"Aw, what gives?!"

Ahrah explains, "I'm afraid it won't function without any form of liquid around to bend."

"That's crazy! I did it just a minute ago! Plus wata's scientifically in the air!"

"Y'probably got away with it cause it rained," Blinx shrugged. "But that's aight. We'll just keep swingin' Ahrah around to keep us cool."

"I am not a fan," the sword groaned.

"And Fafnir's not a heater," Dust smirked.

The entire village of Aurora continues to shape itself into something unholy. While not every home is ruined, nearly everyone has been evacuated, journeying to the entrance of the outskirts where the Mayor is regrouping the guards and prisoners. Commander Criteous is among them, still shaking more than Reed surprisingly about Trio's return. And some of the Moonblood soldiers along with Colleen tend to any wounded, like Matti and Sanjin.

"YOUCH," Avgustin winced from the pain in his cheek!

Colleen rests a cloth over his bruise. "Aw, don't be such a baby. It's just a little blister."

By the exit, the Elder observes the now purple skies and alien fauna wrapping around the trees and stone.

"So she has returned," the Elder gripped his staff. "I've dreaded this day. If only we knew where the Mithrarin and Time Sweeper were taken."

"Tethys said she rewound that time portal," Sanjin replied. "Passed out before she could tell me the rest."

"Even she's no help now," Avgustin worried.

"Not that she isn't any. Her Mom's stronger than all of us, including her. I know Fale's right there with her on how upset they are."

"Nya," Matti agreed.

Confident, Bram says, "I've got a feeling they'll be back before we know it. Not the first time they disappeared. We just need to work out what to do next while they're gone."

As if on cue, a swift wind breezes over the crowd, followed by a SHOOM from a dropship! So many ships rocket into the village so fast the people barely have time to react. Each shuttle is painted with a Time Factory insignia, letting everyone know they aren't affiliated with Gaius despite using some of the same technology. The one in command slowly hovers down in front of the exit for its leadership to greet the civilians.

"Sorry if we scared anyone," Aniki smirked. "We're…"

"The Time Sweepers," the Elder finished and smiled. "It's good to see you all together again."

"Great to be together, sir," he replied, shaking the Moonblood's hand.

"I take it we're on the same page to do with Trio," Bram asked.

"Trio," Lena wondered.

"Blinx and our local Goddess knew her. She said she was the Goddess of Time and Space."

"They're HERE," Picaro barked! "For real?! Last time we heard from 'em, they almost had the universe deleted cause of Benito's mess. And she's back doing this?"

"That would explain the weird satellites and time crystals buried here," Cino said stroking his beard.

"We've got a lot to catch up on," said the Mayor. "But first thing's first. Our town's got a weed infestation. We're headed to the isle for now. Maybe we can all set up shop while we're at it."

"Sounds like a plan," the Princess nodded. "The last place we could've stationed in was totaled."

She turns on her communications from her wrist gauntlet. "I want every engineer in the isle across that bridge. We'll work closely with the people to make sure everyone's accommodated."

It's been two hours and a half since the gang started wandering through the scorching desert yet they've hardly reached the mountain border.

Dust grunts as he walks, "So…much…sand! The one thing Gaius could take but not me."

"This makes me wish I wore shoes today," Haley confessed.

"Surprisingly, it's not my feet that burn," said Ginger. "It's my head..."

Abruptly, Ginger collapses into Blinx's arms! Her weight causes even him to fall on one knee trying to steady himself.

"Ginga'?"

Dust starts waving Ahrah around to generate some air but she's out like a light.

"She's exhausted," the sword said. "We'll need to carry her as we go. Thankfully, it seems we're almost there."

"He's right," Fidget sighs while slowly hovering down. "Only a few more…hours…"

PLOP!

Even the Nimbat passes out from heat exhaustion, landing firmly atop Dust's hat.

Ahrah corrects himself. "Alright. We'll need to carry both of them."

Fale helps Blinx lift Ginger and asks him, "Can ya fast forward us a little, mate?"

"Not when my battery's melted. The lady got us good, I'll give 'er that."

"Just remember," Haley said. "When we get there, Fidget won't smell like roasted Nimbat and we'll have food and…water. Fale, you really sure you can't give us at least a drop?"

"I can try again. Hold on."

Fale whips out his sword again, and with a few waves is able to generate only a few drops of water from the cutting edge of it. Blinx, Dust, and Haley open up so it lands on their tongues, but when Fale gets the chance, he finally succumbs to the heat and collapses.

"Gee, an' I thought he was more prepared than all of us," Blinx snarked.

The remaining two Warmbloods faintly land on their knees, steading themselves before Haley falls asleep. Dust keeps Ahrah planted in the ground to keep himself up, but not for long now. Blinx holds him by the face and says, "Don't tell me I gotta carry all'o you to safety."

"To think the mother of the entire universe was hiding out here the entire time," Dust sorely spoke. "I-If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't exist."

"Neither would I, mac. Guess she wasn't kiddin' when she said she's a force o' nature. Doubt the timeline goin' bad's been the only thing keepin' her busy though."

"It's not," the wolf coughed. "Sounds to me like she would've done all this…either way. Sounds insane but…I'm beginning to wonder if she had something to do with the war here too."

"Well, I dunno if I'd take it that far. I'm convinced Garry was just crazy."

"Gaius…"

"You call him one thing, I'll call 'im anotha'," Blinx grinned.

"…"

"Sportsy…?"

Dust finally faints into the sand, dropping Fidget beside him. All that remains is Blinx, still stood firmly from the shock of his friends giving up so soon. The heat is unbearable, but the Cat-Sith is able to fan him and everyone else with Ahrah as best he can for the journey ahead.

"Looks like it's all on us, huh sword?"

"It won't be 5 more hours judging by the sunlight before nightfall," said the blade.

"Well, I guess I'll have ta get creative. Maybe with enough wind we can make a fort, or…"

As the Time Sweeper faces the cliffs, he spots something dark speeding across the plains like a motorcycle, leaving a trail of dust behind. Blinx's eyes widen and he yells, "Hey, someone's over dere!"

"I see them too!"

Blinx waves his arms, "HEY! HEEEEEY!"

Realizing they can't hear from his distance, he combines the powers of Ahrah and Fafnir to launch a fireball near the speedster's line of sight. Fortunately, they've noticed and proceed to turn to the gang's direction!

"YES! We're gonna make it, sportsy! We're go…" His jaw quickly hangs. The rocketing Nimbat makes it to him in a few moments, then leaps in the air for a punch!

Chapter Text

Chapter Text

"I can't believe it's really you, Elder! Erm…Gray," Dust fidgeted.

"I just thought you'd be shorter than this," Fidget commented. "Not gonna lie."

"Age before beauty," said Gray. "Now, I feel like you know what's gonna go down, right?"

Fale nods. "Yeah. You're gonna forge Ahrah an' seal away some ancient evil who just came back an' sent us here."

"That's too bad cause it means the creature's still gonna be active when they're locked up. These swords are supposed to put them to sleep, not create a minor setback."

"Swords," Ginger pondered. "You mean you already forged the other 4?"

"Just three," Gray explained. "I'm getting help for the 5th, but I took it upon myself to work on Ahrah here. I already got the resources. Just need to get started."

"And yer usin' Time Crystals to build him too," Blinx asked. "Never would'a crossed my mind."

Gray motioned to another part of the cave, "Well there's that. But I'm saving a majority of the crystals for a little…cross-promotion. Lemme show you somethin' real quick."

He motions over to the metal door behind him, grabbing it with both hands to slide it open, putting all his weight into it. Inside the room is a facility, well constructed like the Time Factory, able to be navigated by catwalks stretching across a huge cavern. Along the walls, lines of pods in the thousands rest in sleep mode, clearly built with the Cat-Sith in mind but fit for taller creatures such as Dust to remain in.

"Stasis pods," Blinx was shocked!

"Blinx, your boss contacted me not long ago," said Gray. "We struck a deal to make an evac site in these regions."

"So ya met my ol' man an' didn't say anything in the future?! Wait. Nah, that's right. Y'probably didn't remember cause of the mess Benito was up to."

"Him again, huh?"

Dust shook his head, "Not anymore since we took him out earlier."

Gray Eyes nodded, "Good. I heard he was scum. Can't have him finding out about our little backup project."

Ginger asked, "He knew about the Advanced Regions but not this?"

"No one does besides us, plus the Administrator."

"Guess there wasn't a need to break the ice on his part," Blinx shrugged.

"When I forged the blades, they provided power to these pods like a generator. One of them's even used as such right now, but it needs extra juice to remain fully operational. That's where Ahrah comes in. Every strike with my hammer will spike the energy output to keep you all in stasis for however long you'll need until you're back in the present."

"It ain't gonna hurt, will it," Fale wondered.

"No," said Gray. "You're just gonna be frozen for a few centuries. Think of it like an extended beauty nap."

"Yikes…!"

"Well I'm still a little groggy from being in the desert for a few hours," Fidget rolled her eyes. "May as well get used to it."

Gray explained, "Stasis isn't uncommon in Falana's history either. But the Time Sweepers know what they're doing. If you want to, you can hang out for a little while before you get some sleep. You think the desert's harsh? Wait till you return with that beast in control."

…

Hours pass as the group split to explore different sections of the stasis chamber and the workshop. Blinx even sits with the Nimbats and Moonbloods arriving with supplies and discussing future events.

Blinx tells the tale with excitement in his voice. "And there we were, completely screwed, face ta face against an elder cat God. Which I guess is kinda like me, but point is…we were about to be dead meat had it not been for our bestie usin' a magic sword. Er, Magisword I guess. He tapped into the afterlife just to get the lady's soul back. And thanks ta that, she brought us all back to where we needed to be."

"Wouldn't that cause you guys to disappear cause of the change in history," asked a Moonblood drawing Blinx's story on the wall.

"Nah. I'm born outside'a this timeline. An' Dust an' co were basically back where they left off."

"Oooooooooh," everyone nodded.

"Sportsy had unfinished business since he quote on quote died. I had a bunch'a crap I needed to get done with my boys. All kinds'a goofy things."

In the back by the open dojo, Fale fashions his crossbow to take with him to the present, strapping arrows made from runes based on Gray's advice. Not a second goes by where he isn't thinking of how he could possibly save Mordecai from possession. But for the time being, he'll make sure to make each shot count for what's to come.

Meanwhile, Haley and Dust sit in a prayer position meditating in front of the young version of the Elder, guiding them both in a sort of harmonic trance while Fidget introduces Ginger to the art of fire. She waves small flames around with her paws like a magic trick, which Ginger tries and fails to emulate with Fafnir, accidentally turning a trashcan to ash.

"Focus my student," Fidget smirked.

"I am focused, master," Ginger whined. "I just have trouble getting used to the swing. You know I'm not a fighter."

"This coming from the gal who smiled while shooting man eating plants at one point."

"I was in the moment."

"Sure gonna be a lotta that coming up."

The bulky Moonblood accompanying the rabbit and wolf opens his eyes

"Yes, I can feel it," he said. "There's a lot of potential in you both. But it's not time for you to claim your sword, Haley. Not until you awaken in the future."

She bows, "I understand, Elder. I mean Master."

"You're eager to go out and fight alongside the Mithrarin, I see."

"Sorry, I just never had the chance to do stuff like this with him. And I'm worried about Matti and everyone else."

"Once you're in the rhythm of it, it'll all come together," Dust assured her. "You already got the skills for it. Plus, I know Matti better than to back down. We'll see your brother again. Now Trio on the other hand…I'm not sure how we'll get her."

Haley nudges his shoulder, "Hey, you're Dust. You've been through stuff like that already, right?"

"Well yeah, with Tethys and Baron Kane. But her... The way she fought and the fact that Mordecai's in there... I'm not sure how this is going to turn out."

"It's never certain what the future will bring," said the Moonblood. "But we mustn't fear it. All that matters is the moment. You have the chance to take matters into your own hands. Trio doesn't control that." He pauses and faces Haley with a smirk. "And when she tries, there's always someone to help circumvent it. After all, how would you know how things will play out if you do not try?"

He sits up, stretching his arms and summing Ahrah over to judge the two Warmbloods. They both bow with Gray tapping their shoulders lightly with the blade.

"Arise, knights of Elysium," Ahrah said.

Knighted, they stand and Ahrah is given to Dust for his next mission: Go to stasis and return to the present day to defeat the Goddesses of Time and Space. They along with their allies are guided to the rows of pods in the long stasis chamber where the Nimbats and Moonbloods accompany them.

"Once I forge Ahrah, the pods will activate immediately," said the master Moonblood. "Then it will be up to you when you wake up."

"You're gonna remember we came here, right," asked Fidget.

"Knowing what you said about me in the future, probably. But you can't expect me to learn how to fly a ship to come pick you up at my old age."

The Nimbat sighed with a slouch. "Agh, I figured you'd say that…"

Fale joked, "Let's hope if Trio found out about this place, we don't get buried 100 feet unda'."

"Don't worry, Fale," said Ahrah. "This area is magically sealed. She might spot it but she won't get in."

"All the better," Dust said holding Haley's palms. He opens one of the pods next to him and together with the blacksmith steps inside.

"Mushy," Blinx snarked.

"Like you're any different," Ginger smirked.

Stepping into one of the capsules with Ginger, he retorted, "Yeah, well when I get flirty, I don't make it look like fanfiction."

"I was about to say that," Fidget replied, getting in with Fale.

Slowly, the pod doors begin to shut as Gray returns to the forge. "Prepare for stasis, and good luck out there."

"See you on your birthday, dear," Gareth said to Fidget.

"You already di-"

Fidget's cut off immediately from the doors shutting over her. With a slam from his magic-infused mallet, the young Gray Eyes prepares the very sword that would become legendary over the forge in the great plains. The skies begin to darken as the clouds roll in signaling a storm where lightning shocks the stone above the cave. Through the narrow tunnels underground, the electricity is summoned around a blade shaped very much like Ahrah but with sharper edges like a tuning fork. Soon the capsules containing the warriors activate and obscure whoever's inside, sealing them in for long hundreds of years…

As Blinx opens his eyes from freezing mid-blink, he overhears a light click from the inside that carefully opens the hatch in front of him and Ginger, whose still in stasis. Once unlocked, he steps outside to stretch but the Warmblood collapses into his arms, not used to a prolonged nap like he is. Likewise, Dust, Haley, Fale, and Fidget fall to the metal floors. But the clang of Ahrah slamming down grabs their attention as Blinx grabs his Sweeper and helps everyone up from their daze.

"Not use'ta a good ol' stasis lock, are ya?"

Dust groans holding his head, forgetting his hat was destroyed. "Ugh… I feel like my legs turned into water."

Fidget added, "I feel like my whole body's turned into an orange slushie."

"How come it feels like we've only been in there for an hour," Haley asked while fluffing her long hair.

"Stasis basically keeps us frozen while the rest of the world moves on without us," the Cat-Sith explained. "Think of it as puttin' a pause on our internal clocks."

"Then…why do we look slightly different now," Ginger questioned. "Haley's fur is darker and her hair's longer, so is mine. And Dust has bangs."

"Maybe it's to compensate for the lack of hat," the Nimbat joked.

"Just a side effect," Blinx shrugged. "There's some parts that age, albeit at a snail's pace."

"Then if we're up and about now, we should be back in our time, right," Fale asked.

Blinx motioned for the exit, "Why don't we head outta this joint an' find out?"

"Wait, before we leave," Ahrah stopped. "Haley, I believe there is something that belongs to you."

"In a place like this," she wondered.

"Remember that sword," Fidget asked her.

"Oh right. Um…which way do I find it?"

Ahrah answered, "Like Dust, you must let the blade find you."

"That's not fair," Fale barked! "Me an' the boys found Aquaritus, an' Blinx gave Fafnir to Ginga'!"

"Some swords honor warriors differently than others, Fale."

"In other words: They're lazy," said Fidget.

"Alright alright, lemme concentrate for a sec," Haley interrupted.

As she shuts her eyes and takes a deep breath reaching her hand away from the rest of the group, Dust holds her shoulder and guides her through the process.

"You're the expert, hun. Tell me what to do."

"It's not that hard," Dust said. "Think of what you want and it'll come to you. Don't overthink it."

Her mind is clear. All she focuses on is the name that calls to her. Shocktra. The spotlights in the corridor shut off one by one as the blade travels into her palm, jolting her with an aura of electricity as her eyes shine blue from the rush! She is worthy.

"Haley, you are worthy of the 4th blade of Elysium...Shocktra," Ahrah announced.

Blinx added, "You also went an' took out the lights."

"I got it," she replied.

Waving the blade into the air, the spotlights jolt back on from the shock of the lightning crawling around them! With them, the exit is clear. A hidden hatch opening from the side into the workshop still intact like Dust and Blinx had seen from their first visit. All is quiet and extra supplies have been left behind, including engineering boots and gloves for Haley to wear, as well as combat garments for Ginger.

"Hey, Gray and the others must've remembered we'd come here," she said.

"Good thing too," Dust replied. "I know you don't have combat gear like us."

Blinx in the meanwhile checks the front door to the outside at the stone stairwell. Arming his Sweeper and putting on his goggles, he slowly opens the gate only to stare in absolute silence at the sight of a few apparent oddities. One, whatever vegetation the plains had has grown, transforming the empty land into a meadow. Two, past the clouds is a nebular void with abstract stars in the night sky.

"Uh, guys… Are we sure we're on the same planet anymore?"

Baffled, Dust checks to see what his friend meant by that statement. Sure enough, even he's left speechless along with everyone else facing the skies and the land they're on.

After straightening her dropped jaw, Fidget remarks, "Welp, I guess we're screwed, huh?"

Chapter Text

"Geez. Trio's managed to fix the world faster than Raya," Fidget joked. "Also, the air tastes funny."

"I'd say it's beautiful if we weren't in any trouble right now," Ginger said. "Just how much of the land's been transformed, and how do we get home?"

Dust remembered, "If I recall, there were a bunch of ships down in Half and Half Village. Right Ahrah?"

"Correct," the blade responded.

Blinx also confirmed, "I saw 'em too. It's only at walking distance 10 minutes from here. Can't miss it. Pretty small but spacious little joint. We even found that Gianni guy hangin' around there."

"This is where he's been the whole time," Ginger said shocked!

"Gee, I knew Corbin said he was mean, but what a sellout," Haley said.

Dust answered, "He told us he fled to prevent any spies of the remnant from tracking him, and by extension the children."

"Sounds to me like an excuse to save his skin. But, I didn't know him personally. Maybe he did have a soul."

"I'll tell ya. He sure was scared o' me," Blinx grinned wide with his teeth. "An' I don't get why. Who could be afraid of a face like this?"

"Everyone. That's the answer," Fidget mocked.

"Hey, maybe he's still out there if the place hasn't been corrupted yet," Dust suggested. "We can just ask what he knows while we're out looking for a shuttle. I-if we're even on the same planet."

A few minutes pass and the gang reaches the open area Blinx and Dust previously arrived on. But it's terrible news. Parts of the village are left burnt and smoking from fires. Organic masses have formed into the buildings creating horrific melds of flesh and infrastructure. Large tentacles have sprouted blocking some sections of the place, leaving only the entrance and recreational square to traverse.

"What at Elysium's gate is all this," Dust shouted!

Ahrah answered, "It seems we are looking at the dark side of Trio's terraforming process."

"Dark side? You make it sound as if she's capable of good."

"Nah, he's right," Blinx replied. "If it wasn't for her, we probably wouldn't exist. An' hey, there's Duke's transport ova' dere!"

He points to the diamond-shaped shuttle still stuck into the ground from landing.

"I'll go check it out. See if it still works."

"Do you think there's any survivors out here," Haley asked Dust.

"Not by the looks of it," he replied. "But if Sarahi's any example, there could always be one."

Peeking around the once lively space of the town, avoiding the stench of the mounds of flesh, Fale examines a few of the shops and huts with what little openings they have left. Nothing.

"Empty..."

Nextdoor, Fidget flies over to the mouse with a familiar blue hat in her paws. "And look what I found. Another dumb hat!"

"If you're suggesting I wear it after my last one broke, I refuse," Dust grunted. "It's Gianni's."

Fale noted, "And I ain't seein' any bodies or signs of a struggle either."

Relieved, Ginger let out a sigh and smiled, "Thank goodness… That means there's hope everyone made it out safely."

"So many beings have died by Gaius' blade," said Ahrah. "It truly is remarkable to see that history hasn't repeated itself."

"I'm seein' tracks along the side where we came," Fale spotted. "Maybe they're headed towards our place too."

The Nimbat chuckled, "Hoo boy! Can't wait to see how pissed Sarahi's gonna be when Gianni gets back to see Corbin and Colleen grown up!"

Returning to the pod, Dust snaked, "I'd be more surprised if it was Moska getting angry. The ship good to go, Blinx?"

"Nah," he answered as he got out the cockpit. "Forgot the ship's eject only. But, there were plenty of other weird folks out in these parts, so there's gotta be another one layin' around."

Very easily, Haley spots one along the end of the village to the west of them. A small but spacious carrier normally used for cargo in Gaius' forces.

"How bout that one?"

"Let's give it a try," Dust shrugged.

Hopping on, Haley presses one of the buttons at the control panel starting the engines. The transport hovers up a few feet aboveground, and the joystick swivels the Warmblood around very sensitively!

"WOAH," she screamed before swerving and losing her balance! "OOH!" Eventually, she comes to a stop and rests against the side door, giving a slurred thumbs up. "It works..."

"Sweet," Fale grinned.

"YAY" cheered Fidget! "I can fly while I'm sitting!"

Haley opens the door, "Then hop aboard the…Knights Express? Yeah."

With enough fuel, the knights make it across the vibrant blue grass and shrubs of the meadow into the deep forests by the mountains. Based on Ahrah's directions, they're able to clear through more traversable sections of the map doubling for a chance at admiring the scenery. While flying through the path of trees and vines, Fidget takes note of the comets flying across the sky, along with a halo in the vastness of space visible to the naked eye. Truly a magnificent sight for an otherwise awful situation.

"Even with all her evil, Trio is still capable of producing such wonderous sights," Ahrah remarked.

"Hm. Kinda reminds me of Mordecai's vision," said Fale. "Only there's no infrastructure."

"Perhaps he is influencing her in some ways."

"I dunno," Fidget leaned. "Kinda looks like Ori's place from their description."

Toom! Toom!

The engines begin to putter and the craft starts to dwindle to ground level, carefully slowing its speed to a crawl until it makes its stop at the cliffside in view of the vast open world.

Haley snarled, "Aw man! We're out of fuel!"

"Well at least we're in a good place to stop," Dust looked as he got up from his seat.

"Yeah, if you ignore the scary parts," said Ginger with a worried face.

Blinx shrugged, "Ey, it ain't that bad. Besides the flesh pit, we ain't seen anythin' yet."

Fidget nodded, "Yeah, we haven't been shot at or infected by poison ivy so far. Plus, I'm kinda used to living in places like this. Y'just find a place to sit and chillax."

"Good call," Haley smirked. "That spinning and swiveling earlier has my gut churning."

"Last time we were out in these parts, we were flying with the Firebat," said the Mithrarin. "Never been on the ground before."

"I have," Fale tipped. "These used to be passages our early ancestors took to get to Aurora. Should take us right to it if we keep goin' South. Bout another 2-3 hours on foot."

"Not bad Fale!"

"Thank ya! But lemme stop an' rest me legs first. Still need ta readjust after a hundred-year nap."

Ginger stretched her arms and flexed her toes in preparation. "I'll find food."

Using flames from Fafnir, Ginger had made a small campfire to light the circle and give her something to cook a few more potatoes with. Fale finishes washing off another with Aquaritus' water and hands it to her while Haley, Fidget, and Dust lay against each other half asleep having already eaten. Blinx sits on a log with his Sweeper propped on his lap for adjustments until he's alerted by a distinctively quiet, alien tone. His ears dart up and even Dust opens his eyes from the noise.

"You heard that too, right," he asked the Time Sweeper.

"Yeah. Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm hopin' it's a deer an' not…"

Out of the bushes behind Blinx's spot, a strange spider-looking creature with three legs and two small pincers on the side of its face greets the squad in a curious manner. It's two stacked eyes peek in different directions trying to process who these people are.

"That…"

Surprisingly, Fidget's not too concerned, simply saying, "Well, it's not charging at us, so…"

SPAT

The creature spits at Fidget and misses. But the acid burns through the branch, transforming it into mush in seconds!

"I stand corrected."

It keeps spitting rapidly, to which Dust slashes through the globs and Haley shoots a spark at the monster, not harming it but striking the ground to scare it away. It makes a feral noise and quickly flees into the dark of the forest.

"Looks like we'll have to eat the leftovers on the way, huh," Dust said.

Stunned for a moment, Blinx comments, "That thing looked weirdly familiar…"

"Think it came from a planet you've been on?"

"It could have. Either that or Momma's messin' with evolution out here. Good thing Gray had some time crystals, 'cause I feel like I'm gonna need to use 'em soon."

Getting up from her seat and taking a bite out of a potato, Ginger asked him, "When have you not is my question."

Looking at the stars and the perfect view of the land, Haley wondered, "You know, I can't tell what time it is anymore. I know the stars are out, but the sun's up like it's the afternoon."

"Ain't the first weird place I've been too before, said the Cat Sith." I remember it being like that on World E10+. Didn't need a spacesuit either."

"I just hope whatever time it is, we're not too late."

"Actually Haley," Ahrah said, "I have a feeling we'll be right on queue."

Surprisingly, it wasn't long before the team had gathered at the ruined bridge to Aurora Village. Like Half and Half, the town's been corrupted with demonic, organic figures overtaking the construction of some of the buildings. Luckily, it's only near the outskirts that the terraforming has taken full effect. The rest of the place's color had been muted as if the now empty village is metaphorically dead.

"And I thought we were done with Baron Kane's spooky mansion tour," said Fidget trying to make light of a tense situation.

Upset, Haley mentioned, "And we just took out all the weeds out here!"

"So where's the old dino who exposition dumps on us," asked Blinx.

Dust suggested, "Could still be at the mayor's office. It's pretty secure in there after all."

"Against all this," darted his sister! "Let's hope…"

As they cross the wooden replacement bridge to the dusty streets of the square, Haley spots the pathway in the distance to the hills where her and Dust's home resides along with her workshop.

"I see the path to our house looks ok," noted the rabbit. "Really praying the Firebat's in one piece too."

Knocking on the front door of the cracked mayor's office, Blinx barks, "Ey gramps, open up! We're still here!"

"I don't find it wise to demand an entrance, Blinx," the sword advised. "They'll think you're an enemy."

"Oh right. It's us! It's the handsome time cat an' the feminine wolf missin' his hat again!"

Fale, looking through the windows into the room closest to him noted, "Not seein' anyone through the windows either. I think we're all alone."

"God, where did everyone go," Dust wondered. "Bram had an escape plan mapped out, but I can't remember… Ah!"

The Mithrarin's stunned when he spots a familiar humanoid figure hovering towards him and his friends. A tall, lengthy creature of light gray metal wearing a long red skirt, a clock buckled along the waist, and a mask with a single diamond optic. It has its arms to its sides like a gesture of peace and wags its cat-like tail, interested in the group.

Fidget screams, "AGH," and hides behind Ginger! "It's Fuse again! Shoot him! SHOOT HIM!"

"Yeah, if it was, I feel like he would've shot us by now," said the Warmblood.

"Do not be alarmed," said the soft-spoken lifeform. "I am the Administrator of the Time Factory. I believe we have met before, Blinx and Dust."

Surprised, Blinx examined further, "You are…? …That voice!" He jumps back, "Holy ssssssssssssssssh- it really is you! That scarily soothing voice…!"

"Thank you."

"Oh. Phew," Fidget sighed in relief. "Sorry for shouting at you. You look way too much like a scary guy from earlier."

"Apology accepted," Aegis said with a chuckle.

The Mithrarin asked, "How'd you get your body back"

"Yeah and how'd ya come all the way out here," Blinx seconded. "I thought you were just a metal ball in the tower."

The Administrator explained, "I have transferred my consciousness into the same device as the one which gives Ahrah life. Apologies for my appearance. The Elder created my outer layer using armor parts similar to the Moonblood Fuse. The rest of my shell is comprised of the materials used for Sentinel Droids."

"Not a problem for me," Ginger grinned and interlocked her fingers. "You're angelic compared to him…apart from the face maybe."

"Thank you. But this is only a mask."

His exterior piece clicks and separates from the hidden seams, sliding to the back of his head to reveal a much less angelic face. It is both that of a Cat-Sith and an alien of sorts, having four red eyes with yellow irises and a jagged mouth.

He answered with, "This is my face," and all but Haley stare at him speechless for what feels like a minute.

"Kittydemon. I like it," Haley smirked.

"All will be revealed when we arrive at the isle," Aegis said before he turns and hovers to the west of the village. "This way please."

"And ya float too," Blinx said in astonishment!

Fidget snarked, "You're doing a pretty good job making me think of Lady Tethys."

"I have encountered her as well," the Admin replied as he hovered. "She is the one who sensed your return and I volunteered to greet you here. Though she is still weak from her battle with Trio, she should be in proper working order very soon."

"Good. That's who we're gonna see then," Dust smiled. "Gotta say…it's good to be back in the present."

Chapter Text

"We have arrived."

The now occupied Isle across the river has been shielded by the sea walls. The tall thick trees hollowed to make a natural watchtower lead back into the forest via the wooden bridges. Time Sweepers and Moonbloods walk along the patrol path scouting their surroundings when above the wall, Picaro spots the Administrator along with Fidget hovering beside him. The rest of the team follow behind appreciating the defenses installed in short time. Yet another fine melding of Moonblood and Sweeper engineering.

"Gee, I thought this was a tourist spot, not the national guard," Fidget commented.

"HEY, BLINX," Picaro yelled from above! "UP HERE!"

Blinx waved, "YO PICARO!"

"HOLD ON! WE'LL OPEN THE DOOR!"

Very slowly, the shield gates fold back into the other side where Pelon and Ori armed with a crossbow stand guard when they notice the gang approaching. Unannounced, Fidget tackled the Spirit for a hug, twirling around as if they were a stuffed animal before pressing her lips into theirs. How they missed each other. Ori almost cried from joy.

"Oh my God, Blinx," Pelon shouted! "Where've ya been?!"

"Had a run-in with our new supervillain," Blinx explained. "Good thing Aegis was still in town, or else we wouldn't know y'all were here."

"And just in time," said Picaro facing the sky. "I think we've got company."

The HUD of his goggles zoom closely to a dark tantacle-like figure descending from the clouds. It's lower claw pinches while its cables thrash around as if it were searching for pray.

Fidget scratched her chin. "So what's that supposed to be?"

"A dark satellite," Aegis answered. "One of the physical ways Trio can monitor our progress."

"Need a shuttle in the air," Pelon said to someone behind the gate.

Just a sec!

In moments, much to the surprise of both Haley and Dust, they bear witness to the Firebat rising from behind the walls training its guns on the target from afar. In a single shot, the creature is instantly atomized, turning it into a falling ball of fire!

"That's all! Thanks!"

Curiously, that voice that responded to the Cat-Sith sounded familiar. The ship slowly comes down to Earth as everyone enters the main gate and windshield of the cockpit slides open. Dust and Blinx are stunned to find not a soft-spoken pilot but Corbin at the helm saluting them.

"Hey Dust! Hey Blinx!"

Taken for a loop, Dust went, "Corbin…?! I knew you wanted a ride, but I didn't think you wanted it THIS much!"

"Not my idea."

Beside him, Colleen shyly poked her head out.

"Sorry Dust and Haley," she apologized. "We needed a place to hide when those monsters arrived."

Haley smirked, "Hey, I'm not complaining. You're a better pilot than these two."

Both Blinx and the Mithrarin scowled with their mouths. "Bruh…"

Overhearing the commotion, right on schedule, the Moonblood Elder along with the human Princess arrive in relief seeing everyone together after a while away. Lena, nearly in tears, ran over to Blinx and hugged him tight.

"Blinx," she cried. "You had me worried, but I knew you'd come back!"

"Y-yeah, me too," he chocked. "Think you can loosen up a little, Princess?"

"Never."

Ginger's ear twitched, "I'm sorry. Did you say, Princess?"

"What about it," Blinx asked before he realized, "Ooooh, yeah! I forgot. Lena, this is Ginga'. Ginga', this is Lena. You met?"

Palming her hips at the Cat-Sith, Ginger replied, "We have now."

Lena folded her arms, "Care to tell her how you know me, Mr. Time Sweeper?"

He stuttered, "Well, I uh…rescued her back in the day…" Bowing his head he admitted, "I thought she was hot."

"Literally the same happened to me," Ginger smirked.

Shaking her head, Lena joked, "I am so sorry."

"No no, it's fine. Now I know he wasn't lying when he said he likes to impress.

Blinx interrupted, "ANYWAY, Lady Mordo sent us to the distant past, some 200 years back."

"Ah, yes. I remember now," the Elder nodded then smirked. "And I also couldn't help but notice your astonishment over my appearance back then."

"Oh my God, yes," Fidget confessed.

Not even Dust was able to hold his tongue. "Even I gotta admit, you were shredded and yet here you are."

"Age before beauty," Gray cracked his neck. "Now, as you can see, the Time Sweepers have come to aid us after your takedown of Benito."

"Y'guys went an' brought all the goods, huh," Blinx said to Picaro.

Picaro grinned, "I mean, it is our planet too. Plus Trio's completely destroyed our factories with giant tentacle things and goop."

"Ew," Fidget scowled. "Goop…"

"Lady Tethys," Lena paused, "Er…Mina's still in recovery, but she's up and about at the lake. We should go see her when we're done getting reacquainted so we can form a plan."

"Right," Dust agreed. "I wanna see what we have right now. From what I gathered, we may need more than we're equipped."

The rest of the isle has been converted into somewhat of a safe haven and operation for the people of Falana. Empty plots have been converted into med bays retrofitted with mobile ready-made stations by the Time Sweepers who've helped set up shops along the paths around the park circling the main pool, all while paying respects to the wonderous environment they inhabit. Over by the observation deck at the riverside, Haley reunites with Matti sat on a boulder sharpening a dagger with a rock, greeting him with a huge hug from behind.

"MATTI," she announced jumping him up and down! "YOU'RE HERE!"

"Grr…," he grumbled, but with a smile.

Blinx visited the station to be met by Jimmy and Aniki monitoring the tremors and satellites around the planet from their computers when Dust nearly tripped on a log.

"Careful," Lena said. "Some walkways need to be cleared."

"It's a good thing I'm wearing shoes," Dust smirked. "Or else that step may have made me hit a high note."

Fidget joked, "And I thought it was to give Haley something to clean with her tongue."

"Uncalled, Fidget," Haley shouted! "Uncalled!" Haley flipped over to Dust and whispered, "But you still owe me the same thing later."

Her husband whispered back, "I didn't forget."

"Blinx my boy," Aniki smiled. "I knew you wouldn't disappear on us again!"

"Glad we won't have to go through the same song and dance like last time," the Cat-Sith replied shaking his old commander's hand. "What's the situation now?"

Jimmy directed their attention to one of the monitors displaying a map of Falana. "We're trying to track down Trio. It's like she's everywhere all at once."

Aniki explained further, "Tremors, terraforming, alien invaders, all kinds of crap's been happening since she arrived."

"Well she is a God," Blinx shrugged. "She can do anything and be anywhere liceity split."

Fale walked in the room and suggested, "Maybe she's taken shelter in the most corrupt location on the planet. Like those roots me an' the boys trailed back ta Fuse the otha' day."

"Aegis can help with that," Jimmy agreed.

The Administrator quietly hovered to the terminal to remotely access the controls. Using his cosmic awareness thanks to access to Elysium, he traces every possible area Trio has confined herself in. Being a Goddess, she theoretically cannot be traced to a single location. However, with Fale's suggestion, he approximates a single destination lit entirely in red on the computer.

"The current most corrupt area of Falana appears to be Edinmire. A former human-populated megacity along the edge of Seadale. Or as it was named prior to its fall, Airdale."

"That place's just Southeast of our airspace," Jimmy replied.

Haley paused, "We just came from the Northeast."

Dust's eyes widened, "And the only place through the South is…"

"Everdawn Basin," Aegis confirmed. "The former stronghold of General Gaius."

Jimmy pointed to all the red marks throughout the area, "And it looks like it's the second most dangerous place out there!"

So ya figured it out, huh?

Another voice chimed in, fittingly Southern but spelling bad news to Blinx and Dust's ears. Both of them looked at each other trying to work out where it came from when they realize Ori, stood next to Fidget, was staring them in the face. All besides Aegis have been frozen in time as Trio spoke through the Spirit.

"Looks like the Time Kitty an' the Blade Wolf's back in town! You an' yer folks make fer some bang-up detectives, I'll tell you what!"

Dust growled, "Trio…!"

"Who else, mah daughter? How's she doin' by the way? I didn't whoop her tail too bad, did I?"

"She's indisposed cause'a you," Blinx grunted. "Now you're turnin' the world into an alien cesspool an' talkin' through Ori?! You've lost my respect!"

"It ain't that bad son," Scoffed Trio. "I'm just doin' some redecoratin'. Besides, Whateverdoom Basin's a pretty messy place. An' Edinmire's fulla' General Garry worshippers. Lotsa smoothbrained furries up in there. Hell, didja know the island nextdoor usta float? The more ya know."

"Well tough love," Dust replied. "Now we know where you're hiding and we're coming for you."

The possessed Ori hopped on the Mitharin's chest and held on with his cape to grin close to his face. "I'm countin' on it, hun. Come visit me any time." They let go and drop down, but before cutting off, Ori darted back. "OH! An' F.Y.I…you might bump into a little bit of traffic on the way."

Trio let out a bouncy laugh before disconnecting from Ori and resuming time. The Spirit fell over landing on their hands disoriented.

"Ooow," they murmured.

Fidget flew into Ori and helped them up, "Ori…?! What was that?!"

"Trio has spoken through them and confirmed her location," the Administrator explained.

Ginger froze, "It really is through Everdawn, isn't it…?"

"It's the only way, sis," Dust said quietly. "Everywhere else is corrupted unless…maybe we go around?"

Jimmy checked the radar and saw footage of every alternate route from their position. "Nope!"

"Ok," the wolf frowned.

"Aight, look," Blinx said, "I wasn't there at the time, but Everdawn's gotta be different now than it was when General Gamma was around. Sure there's a lotta mushy…fleshy…alien junk out there probably. But nothin' we can't handle, right?"

"There is a considerable number of enemy forces staged in Everdawn," Aegis replied. "Followed by three times as much stationed in Edinmire from the skies to the surface."

Blinx shut his trap almost immediately. "…Oh." He shook his head. "But still, we got this! We made it this far on our own. But the Moonbloods, the Warmbloods, Ori, the Nimbats, you, me, the rest of our bros, Trio wouldn't stand a chance!"

He's right.

At the door, Tethys hovered over to the team with her mask missing. Her true alien-like form with a jagged mouth and a third eye on her forehead between her horns was there for everyone to see.

"My three mothers have tried everything to keep mortals like you in their place as tools. What truly baffled them was when you had worked to rebuild and when others had rose to such cosmic heights that not even they could control it. You cannot afford to let doubt take over."

"Speak English, ma'am," Fidget said.

Tethys paused and let out a quiet sigh. "…I just wanna fight."

"Shoot dude," Blinx smirked. "That's all ya had to say!"

Fale added, "And good timing. I still wanna save Mordecai, same as I thought I'd have to save Ori dere."

"And I know you're scared Ginger, but I kinda do wanna go out there to make up for not being on the field against Gaius," said Haley. "

Ginger took a moment to think. She feared going back to Everdawn, afraid to see her brother die a second time. But she brushed her hesitation aside and proudly said, "You're right. The blades chose us for a reason. We need a plan!"

Underneath the mask, Aegis grinned. "I believe we might already have one."

At the pool in the middle of the isle, now crowded with soldiers and civilians listening at the lake, both the Administrator and Lady Tethys/Mina arise from the water. The Elder stood near the water's edge along with the Princess and Commander Aniki.

Aegis began the briefing promptly, "As you all know, the former Time Goddess, Trio, has terraformed the planet by 88.6%. The current most corrupt location on the surface has been marked for Edinmire."

Aniki added, "From what we've gathered, our world ships were transported there as well not long after Trio made contact. But we're completely in the dark on what it's all for. Best guess is she's trying to use them to send entire armies from here to other corners of the universe. Probably cause she's still a bit weak compared to her usual self."

"If we cannot stop her in time, she could regain control of reality unless we confront her directly at her stronghold," said Tethys. "But we must journey through Everdawn to reach it."

"Could you rephrase that," Sanjin asked. "I only got about 60% of it."

The Elder Moonblood clarified, "The only viable path we can take in short time is through the ruins of Everdawn."

"That's what I was afraid of…"

Lena motioned to Ori and smiled, "Ori's charted a path through the basin's outskirts. They haven't been fully corrupted and it's a lot quicker to go through than anywhere else right now."

Fidget bounced, "That's my pal!"

"Just one problem…"

The Nimbat shouted, "AAW, WHAT NOW?!"

"Guns. Some of our ships were shot by an array of antiaircraft cannons, including mechs from below ground. They say they were retired for ages, but we're starting to see them rise up again."

"Woah, hol' up. Dere's mechs out here," Blinx nearly barked! "I thought they were from other planets er somethin'."

The Elder stood up and explained, "Eons ago, our ancestors used advanced machinery for combat and enforcement. They've long been deactivated. However, with Trio's return, she's begun to mutate them with organic matter to increase her numbers. Even young Ori recognizes much of the creatures sprouting from the surface."

"Damn…"

Dust asked, "And those are the only things keeping everyone from traveling in one piece, right?"

Aegis confirmed, "They are."

"Great… Guess it's up to us to take care of it, is it?"

"You will not be alone, Dust," Tethys chuckled. "Surely you and Fidget would know that by now."

Picaro stepped forward from the crowd. "I'll be goin' with for support. But we gotta figure out how to deal with those mechas, cause they were tough! Took us almost an hour to deal with one that was missing an arm!"

Haley stopped to think. "Y'know, this is sorta stretching it, but the Firebat's using mech parts too. That's how I was able to fix it so quickly."

"What's that have to do with," Dust silenced himself realizing, "Wait. The computer…! You borrowed one of the mech's systems, didn't you?"

"Yep! What, did you think I knew how to program everything? I needed something to teach me and that was it."

"I can confirm that the Firebat shares the same interface as the assault crafts," said Aegis. "You should be able to bypass their security. But I am uncertain if you can make it with your shuttle."

"Why not?"

Lena answered, "The monsters. You can't hack into those things."

"Oh… On foot then?"

"Again… But we're not going out there right away. We're still gathering our supplies. And I've got a feeling Haley there's got an idea."

"I do," she said. "I just need to remember who we're fighting for. That's what's keeping me going."

"She's right," Dust stepped up. "Mordecai believed in us and there's so many worlds in danger. We can't let them down. As much as I don't wanna go back to the place I could've died in, it's the only way, and I'm ready whenever everyone else is."

The crowd let out a brief cheer!

"Then I say we get ourselves prepped for an Endgame-level crossover fight," Blinx grinned.

Aegis noted, "Judging by the percentage, I would estimate two more days before complete corruption."

"Two days is all we need," said Aniki. "Everyone, eat up, get some rest and get to work as soon as possible! We have a universe to save!"

While everyone began to let out a long battle cry in their excitement, even the women and children, Dust and Haley faced each other longingly. Haley seemed less worried now like Ginger. She held her husband close and asked, "We're gonna be ok, right?"

He responded in kind, pulling her close to embrace, kissing for a long period of time as the troops surrounding them continued to chant. Pulling away, he told her, "We will."

Chapter Text

All was quiet at the border of the isle. Chron stood atop a boulder in the middle of the river with a low tide. Low enough that the rocks are clear to traverse through to the other side past the isle headgate. Those at the command station reported in, monitoring the rest of the area from their computers with Blinx, Aniki, Dust, and Haley at the helm.

"Everything's clear here, sir," said the observer over the radio. "Just seeing a lotta purple hues in the sky and the rest of outer space."

"It wasn't like that hours ago," Aniki replied from the portable station.

Blinx faced the commander, "Nah, but it was when we were out dere traveling. Guess that means it's not safe here anymore…"

"Has it already been two days," Haley asked.

"Eh, it sure feels like it's been a lot longer…"

SHOOM

All the monitors displayed a warning of an impending storm the instant the earthquake began. A Time Wave started distorting the environment from across the river to the isle, causing aspects of time itself to warp! Suddenly, parts of an old civilization began reappearing and clipping into forest areas, from golden arches meshed with trees to giant gears merging with stone! The Time Sweepers quickly used their Sweepers to try and protect everyone from the effects, with even some Moonblood mages taking a stand to use their magic like a shield. However, it was Aegis who showed the most capability. The Administrator hovered from the isle pool and rewound time on the clock on his waist. Reality slowed to a crawl, then rewound back to before the spike by a few hours. But with such an act, he had also fallen into Trio's trap.

She watched over the planet from his lair, shrouded in darkness, and commented, "Shoot. You went an' did exactly what I wanted you to."

Suddenly, the energy spike seemed to repeat itself, and the Administrator shielded the isle from the Time Wave. However, his clock's constant slowing and rewinding quickly drained his usefulness as he descended back to Earth. Fortunately, the power surge stopped, and he continued to stand upright, healthy but spent. Blinx and the others arrived just outside the station to check on him, aided by Ori, Fidget, Ginger, Fale, and Princess Lena.

"Yo boss," Blinx called out. "You alright?"

"I am," he answered. "But I am unable to use anymore of my Sweeping abilities until I can fully recharge."

The Princess' eyes lit up. "Trio must've done all that to keep you busy. Guess she knows about your upgrades, huh?"

Ahrah further explained, "Since Aegis uses the same material as an Elysian Blade, he has access to divine abilities many of us do not. Along with Lady Tethys, he is as much of a threat to Trio as we are."

"And Tethys still ain't 100%," Fale added.

"Sounds like if we're gonna get everyone to Edinmire soon, we're gonna have to get a move on, won't we Aegis," Dust asked him.

The Administrator nodded, "Correct."

"There's a  loooooootta  people out here, y'know," Fidget retorted.

"And plenty of targets for Trio, yeah," Dust agreed. "That's why we're going out there first to destroy those heavy cannons."

Hearing that and agreeing with the rest of the crew, Aniki got on the radio from his wrist communicator and announced...

"Alright, men, listen up! Change of plans. Trio's drained the Admin and we've still gotta gather our resources for the upcoming trip. The Knights of Elysium're gonna head out and destroy those antiaircraft guns. I want a small squad to go with 'em to help. The rest of you, get to work finishing our equipment. You got that Time Sweepers?"

Those nearby and around the forest simultaneously went, "GOT IT!"

"Hm, Knights of Elysium ain't half bad," Blinx commented.

"Better than the name I came up with," said Fidget. "I called us the Barefoot Six but you and Dust wear shoes."

HEADS UP!!

The whole group's attention was abruptly shifted towards the entrance to the base. Several Guard Sweepers and Warmbloods scurried away from the sea wall as an ominous black void formed at the center of it. Dust and Blinx immediately readied their Sweeper and Elysian blade when they noticed a familiar sight. The tentacle-like cables replacing the arms of a once living, breathing feline slithered out of the darkened time portal. Slowly, the decayed face of the great warrior from another universe pulled out, along with her tattered cloak and oozing torso, overlayed by a starry void.

Mortified by the sight of the being's exposed teeth and hollow black eyes, Blinx nearly uttered, "What the…?!"

"WHAT IS THAT," Fidget screamed and pointed!

Dust explained, "That's what we had to go through to reset the timeline so we could stop the regime from happening. But she should be back in the Toonverse…!"

"Perhaps Trio extracted her from another timeline," the sword suggested.

"Precisely," said Aegis.

Ginger faced the rest of the gang with her fists tightened in anticipation, asking, "Do you know what she does other than looking scary?"

"She'll explode and take the universe with it," Blinx answered.

"…Oh."

Haley put away her hammer and wondered, "So uh… How do defuse the living bomb? We can't just hit her or she'll go off. Don't do anything and she'll still go off."

"Last time we fought, our boy Max put her soul back in her body," said Blinx.

"What…?"

 "Too much to get into. But I got an idea. Picaro, Chron, Aniki, you got yer sweepers ready?"

Aniki pulled his off his back and said, "Right here."

Likewise, Picaro readied his and replied, "On it!"

"This better be good," said Chron.

The morbid entity rose further and lifted its wires off the ground. The black hole in its torso started glowing into an eerie bright red, and what remained of the beast's eyes lit up. The wind picked up, and the time sweepers all prepared their sweepers, aiming at her with a countdown.

"3…2…1…REVERSI!"

With the time guns going off simultaneously, reality distorted, and the creature returned to ground level, deactivating as it lowered its arms and rested against a nearby tree. Its tiny white pupils power down, and it lowers its head.

Picaro smirked. "Did you just yell, 'Reversi?"

"I'm tryin' to add some humor, man," Blinx answered. "That thing's freaky."

Suddenly, the void in the corpse's stomach started echoing. A familiar, accented voice spoke through, alerting the rest of the gang.

"Shoot…! I was startin' to think that was overkill, but…I'm surprised y'all actually did it!"

Ahrah verbally scowled, "I thought you said you were looking forward to seeing us…!"

"I did. That was just a warmup. An' Aegis, looks like you already got acquainted with yer new form if you could tell what's goin' on with the corpse here. I don't even know where it came from, but it's a good lil' taste for what's gonna go down in a bit."

Fidget screamed, "You're gonna throw zombies at us?!"

" Eeeeeh ... You'll see."

As the goddess' voice faded, the lot could finally approach the vessel's body, keeping their guard the closer they got.

"She's treating this like it's a video game," Picaro commented.

"Well...it is," said the Nimbat.

Mayor Bram, having seen the action from a safe distance, walks up to everyone and tells them, "If she isn't a threat anymore, we can hold her here. Just, uh…gonna be sure to stay fifty feet away from her."

Fale said, "I'm just surprised Trio's pluckin' folk from other universes now."

"Wouldn't be a first," Aniki explained. "We once sent a Time Sweeper to observe what sounds like the same place this critter came from, but they never reported back. Probably got assimilated into the universe. Can't let that happen again."

Dust nodded, "We won't. Time to go through with the plan. Is the ship ready?"

Haley smiled, "It sure is!"

Chapter Text

At the makeshift hangar underneath the overpass, the Time Sweepers and Moonblood engineers completed the finishing touches of exact copies of the Firebat. Most of them had been recolored to distinguish them from the original, and each was converted into their DAHAK mode. A particular function originally meant for mechs now reconfigured for tank traversal.

Dust admired the work on display and asked, "You guys copied the tank in a few hours?! How's that possible?"

"Did you forget we're the masters of time an' space," Jimmy smirked and held out his star-shaped Sweeper.

"The Sweepers, of course!"

As the crews make their way to their stations, one of the Warmbloods passing by, the elderly Oneida, came up to the furthest tank with an odd shape. It was sharper and had covers resembling something from the future or perhaps the past.

She felt the hull at the front and was alerted to Fale asking her, "What's that supposed to be Oneida? An' what's with the outfit swap?"

"Oh, just a little surprise I've been saving for this occasion. You'll see."

Fale grinned, "Well then."

Aegis pulled up a holographic display of the battle plan.

"Your path should be clear. The only danger spotted is a cautionary degree of seismic activity around the first minute you leave the Isle. Fortunately, it should only be a few light tremors."

"For our sake, I hope you're right," said Ahrah.

Outside at the Isle walls, Haley, Dust, Ginger, Fale, and Blinx hopped in the tank-formed Firebat with Avgustin at the gun and Cino at the rear, while Ori, Aniki, Picaro, and Sanjin took the front tank with Pelon and Matti at the turrets.

"It's good to be doing something again," said Cino.

Avgustin smiled, "Sure is! I never thought I'd be part of the team!"

"When ya got a bunch'a little cat people walkin' around, you're bound to do some crazy crap eventually," Blinx said.

Haley faced the gunner's seat and asked her brother, "You gonna be ok back there, Matti?"

He grumbled, "Grrr…"

"That means he's rea-t-go," Picaro grinned.

Fidget hovered in front of the tanks, partnered with NecoJi, using his goggles to zoom in on the path ahead, surveying the road.

The Nimbat said, "I'm sure seeing...nothing. A lotta nothing."

"All clear, sir," NecoJi radioed.

"Alright. Then let's give 'em a show," Aniki replied. "We're comin' for ya, Trio!"

At the gate, Bram yelled, "Calum, lower the drawbridge! Time for the superheroes to get to work!"

As the gates unlocked and the bridge folded into place, the heavy vehicles began to roll out while the civilians and Time Sweepers waved on their way to combat. Among the people, Elder Gray Eyes said a prayer to himself, accompanied by Lena and Catherine saluting NecoJi and Fidget riding along the side of the tanks.

The bridge was raised once they exited the area, and Haley announced, "This is it, everyone! We're going in!"

"Y'got it, Master Lop," Blinx replied with a thumbs up.

"Who's Lop…?"

"Someone cool. It's a Jedi Master. Er, a…a Knight."

"Huh… Neat."

The journey ahead was lengthy and quiet, overwhelmed with fauna of extraterrestrial origin. But strangely, the path was perfectly laid out for the tanks to roll through. NecoJi and Fidget remained outside, observing the vibrant yet hostile plant life. Avgustin, at the turret, couldn't help but notice the skies still hued by a blue and purple haze.

"Man, look at this," Gus commented.

Sanjin agreed, "It's hard to tell we're on the same planet anymore."

"Ori, this kinda looks like one of your worlds," said Cino. "Could Trio be trying to make Falana into something like it?"

Ori casually shrugged while making a cat-like squeak in response.

BOOM!

The first explosion goes off in front of the frontmost tank!

"MOTHA'S BOOGA'," shouted Picaro, who hopped back inside!

A storm of projectiles came pelting the vehicles, forcing Fidget and NecoJi into the cockpits the closer the missiles landed. Not far from where the tanks were rolling, Dahaks, an ancient mecha from Falana's early civilizations, began sprouting from beneath the ground like zombies, clearly decayed yet still functional thanks to their organic matter beating like a heart. The ones armed started adding fuel to the fire as the tanks retaliated by launching a few missiles at them. They instantly burst into bits and parts, but several more came from the skies above for a bombing run. Before they could reach them, Ginger spotted the machines on the radar. Avgustin immediately took to the upper turret to fire a single shot at them. They both fell in a blazing inferno while another wave took their place. Cino and Matti, in their vehicles, used the rear guns to easily dismantle the incoming drones before they could drop the payload. All apart from one which managed to eject a bomb before it was destroyed. Ori popped out of the upper hatch to deliver a small arrow with their bow to the package, which generally wouldn't have done anything but managed to explode the weapon mere seconds in the air before it could land! The blast threw the Spirit back in the tank as Sanjin and Picaro gave them a stroke on the head.

NecoJi at the cockpit fired several lasers at the debris for a clear path, leading straight to a horde of creatures combined with scrap metal. Seeing things worsening, Haley fiddled with the controls and said, "Ok baby. Do your thing."

Just when she began activating the extra defenses, another of the ancient vehicles ahead launched a shell at the tank, not exploding it but causing an electric shock, killing the power to the interior. Dust and Ginger were startled, bringing their swords up to their person as Haley, confused, couldn't get the controls to work.

"RATS," she shouted! "The controls are jammed! Good thing we've got ourselves a nifty backup system…"

The rabbit reached underneath the control panel, opening a cover for a hidden switch she flicked on. Corbin heard a ping on the monitor beside him in the security room back at the Isle. He unfolded his legs and scooted to the desk as the screen pulled up the tank's feed from the front.

Over the radio, Haley said, "Corbin, Trio's taken away my driving privileges! Time for you to take the wheel!"

He rubbed his hands together and grinned, "Finally!"

"An' please don't get us killed," Blinx added.

"Gee, thanks dad!"

The guns quickly went into manual while the vehicle proceeded forward, blasting in nearly every direction for cover. Avgustin added fuel to the fire by launching shells at the furthermost mech close to the first vessel. As the path began to widen, both parties joined side by side only to get swamped by hordes of crawling zombified machines. Aniki and Blinx slowed down time for Picaro and Dust to hack, slash, and shoot their way through while Ori hopped off the ride to reach another one of the Dahaks. This towering, deformed robot was nearly ready to bring its melded tree limb down before the Spirit climbed to sever it by the joints and hopped onto Haley's tank to let Corbin finish it.

"You're doing it, guys," Aniki announced. "Keep it up!"

More shots blazed the forward path as the dark creature only grew stronger in numbers. Once again, they began to surround the rides. And by now, Dust had enough. He stepped outside from the hatch along with Ginger, and the two combined their whirlwind and flames, letting out a swirling burst of fire that cleared the enemies, smoke, and debris. But just as the last ground Dahak fell, Matti and Sanjin focused their shots on the flying ones shelling the surface.

"YEAH," Sanjin cheered as he blew one out of the air. But when he and Matti celebrated, the ship veered to their location! It crashed into a greenish explosion in front of their tank, spawning dozens, if not hundreds, of smaller, parasitic abominations that crawled along the hull and began devouring it.

"Eugh," Picaro cringed while arming his machine gun. "Are you serious?!"

Suddenly, the ground began to crumble, sending the front of the tank into a boiling hot ditch that steadily melted the metal. As it began to tip forward, Cino aimed the main gun at the debris from the downed Mecha to clear a way for the opposite group, who continued ahead. But as they departed, Haley yelled for her brother.

"Matti!"

"Aniki, you're cornered," Blinx cried.

In a shooing motion, Aniki ordered, "Don't worry about us! You keep going! We'll catch up!"

But more monsters arrived in droves when Blinx's crew left the vicinity. The last thing he saw before leaving the haze were NecoJi, Matti, Aniki, and Picaro hopping outside to deliver round after round to Trio's forces while their ride continued to sink.

Chapter Text

The rest of the way was brief. The further into the heavy shrubs the tank went, the gang reached an impasse. Beyond a small ravine ahead were the partially volcanic ranges of Everdawn Basin. At the top of the hills were multiple gargantuan turrets on standby. Seeing this, Haley said over the radio, "Ok Corbin. You can stop now. I don't wanna get blasted."

"Whaddya see," the Warmblood asked on the other side.

Fidget answered, "Corbin, if I had a diamond for every description of what I'm looking at, I'd be one rich plushie.

"I'll say," said Fale, removing his hat. "I thought there were one or two guns- not eight of 'em!"

Suddenly, the radio stuttered as Trio chimed in, announcing to the group, "Oh yeah! Did I forget to say...? While y'all were takin' yo sweet time gettin' here, I kept rewindin' back to the Big G's days an' borrowed more guns from him."

In abject disbelief, Ahrah and Haley yelled, "SERIOUSLY?!"

Ori sighed and lowered their head with a first muttered, "Oh my god..."

Ginger moaned, "There's no way we can stop them in time!"

"We could always split up, but I don't think we'd be fast enough for that either," Dust pondered. "This isn't exactly something we can afford to mess up."

While everyone thought aloud, Haley tapped her foot and stroked her chin when she suddenly asked, "Wait…do the guns swivel?"

"Yeah, from what I remember," her husband said.

"And they're manned right," Haley asked again.

"They can be. Why...?" That moment, Dust quickly froze and raised his ears, widening his eyes with, "Ooooooh!"

Fidget hovered beside his ear and asked, "Are we on the same brain cell?"

"The better question is, who isn't?"

Smiling widely, everyone slowly faced Avgustin, coming down from the gunner's seat, asking the group, "Hey, why's everyone lookin' at me like that? …Are you coming onto me?"

Deep in the caverns underneath the occupied camps of zombified Gaius soldiers, the Knights began to trek their way close to the large guns at the end of the tunnel, with Blinx slowing down time long enough for Ori to snipe the two guards simultaneously with a single light arrow. While stepping over the monsters, Dust took note of the familiar faces from Cassius' time, having been transfigured into a somewhat cybernetic version of their former selves, melded with their armor along with natural rock and wood—the result of Trio's meddling with nature.

Along with the chaotic beings they've encountered, the cave contained objects from earlier points in Falana's history, including old turrets, a downed police mech, and metallic walls with ancestral writing painted over them.

"Oh wow… More ancient junk," Fidget mocked.

"I wouldn't call it junk," said Blinx. "I can tell most of it was worth big bucks back in the day."

Ginger closely studied one of the downed robots and remnants of a minor, cat-themed carrier. She felt its rusted hull, careful to wipe the grime off the police star on the side of it.

The Warmblood commented, "I know we're on a mission, but some of this is giving me serious déjà vu…like I've seen it before."

"Maybe ya had an ancestor who piloted one of the mechs," said Fale.

"It wouldn't be far off on my end either," Haley noted. "My Dad said that our family closely descended from canines instead of rabbits like us. And their ancestors could've been riders too."

When she felt the closest barrier, a click pushed the false wall open, exposing the service ladder to the main gun.

"Oh! And here's the spot!"

Dust spoke, "Ok Gus. We'll keep 'em busy while you and Fale get inside. Figure out the controls and start blowing things up."

Avgustin fist-pumped saying, "NOW you're talkin' my language!"

Before going up the tube, Fale turned back after his partner and said, "Don't let anyone come find us."

As he left, Dust looked toward the way they came, overhearing the clanging footsteps from the walkways above and tightening his grip on Ahrah.

He worriedly said, "And still no word back from Matti and the others..."

"Don't worry," Haley spoke. "My brother lives for times like this. It's everyone else I'm not sure about."

Blinx tipped his head and snickered. "Time Sweepers're tough kitties, Haley. They'll make it."

Soon, the footsteps got heavier, and a sword cut through the ceiling, carving a hole for the minions to climb down from. Ori assumes the rear close to the gunner entrance, sniping with their crossbow while Fidget flies next to Haley, combining their powers to launch an electric fireball. One of the mecha in the room quickly reactivated and began spraying its payload at the Knights, forcing them behind cover before Blinx set time to freeze, running up to the machine and saber-slicing the lock on its machine gun. Once time resumed, he pointed the weapon at the soldiers crawling in, grinding them up and leaving room for Dust and Ginger to fuse their powers to blast the remaining men with a flaming whirlwind.

Meanwhile, Avgustin and Fale climbed to the main deck of the cannon, surrounded by shell tubes and a tight catwalk to the manned gunner's seat. Fale opted to step in first, carefully tiptoeing to the lone troop. But just as he raised his sword, Trio called in from the viewport, shouting, "BEHINDJA!"

With a loud WHACK, the gunner backhanded Fale hard enough to knock him against the catwalk bar by the forehead! The trooper sprinted for Avgustin, who leaned back from one punch and struck back with a hook. He was kneed in the stomach and pushed against the wall, repeatedly punched in the face before he kicked the man off him. Fale recovered and swiftly decapitated the trooper along with a spray of water. What he accidentally did, however, was spray the control panel and cause a short circuit.

"OOOOH NO," the two Knights screamed!

Underneath the cannon, the situation worsened as more creatures descended to the lower levels. With the downed mecha as cover, the group launched as many attacks as possible, but more troops would continue to crawl in one after the other. Eventually, Haley switched to her hammer and said, "Screw it! I'm tired of going in ranged!"

She turned and brought the mallet down on one of the support beams, causing a small cave-in blocking the service entrance.

"Let's tear these cyber zombie things into scrap metal!"

Dust hip-bumped along with her and let out an enthusiastic, "Sounds good to me!"

The rabbit jumped first, slamming the surface and letting out a shockwave that knocked the soldiers back. Then Dust unleashed a wind gust, halving the men from the torso. Ori and Fidget met more with the Nimbat amplifying the arrows, creating small explosions, and setting the remaining zombies ablaze. Blinx fast-forwarded Ginger, who instantly cut them down with the flames of her sword, providing a beading red aura. Blinx smirked at the sight and overheard the massive gun up top finally rotating.

Fale had jammed his blade into the control module, allowing Avgustin to aim the cannons at the opposite weapons. With the gun's fire button still intact, Fale launched the shells, instantly nuking the turrets.

Fale cheered, "YEAH!"

"Take that, Trio," Avgustin yelled, raising his fist.

But as they turned their barrels to the other side, they found that the neighboring cannon was already aimed at their viewport.

"Oh…"

BANG

The enemy guns instantly exploded the weapon, scattering debris across the site and into the battlefield! Fortunately, among the wreckage, the two Warmbloods crash-landed beside their team under a protective aquatic bubble. Seeing the twin barrels pointing at them, Ori concentrated on shooting an arrow at a precise angle, amplified by Fidget's fireball, causing the interior of the gunport to burst into flames. The heat created a chain reaction, setting off each of the shells wholly and destroying the last turret in a flaming inferno!

Amazed at the accuracy, Ori palmed both sides of their head, their jaw agape, and Fidget twirling around the gang celebrating.

Suddenly, Ahrah shouted, "YEAH! LET'S GOOOOOOOOOOOOO," along with the lot freezing and staring at him. The blade quickly cleared his non-existent throat and said, "U-um… Impressive work, everyone."

In the meantime, Ori immediately healed Avgustin's injured eye, and the remaining monsters were dealt with.

Gus pat the Spirit's back. "Thanks buddy! I sure took a beating there!"

"And you handled it like always," said Fale.

Through the chaos of the fight, all the walkways had collapsed. The ravine blocking the tank had expanded, leaving a huge distance from the team to the vehicle.

"Great. Now we just gotta get back to the tank and turn it back into a space shuttle," said Ginger.

"How're we supposed to get through now," Fale wondered.

Fidget joked, "Don't look at me. I'm not carrying you all like I do with Ori."

Stepping up, Dust announced, "Allow me!" He looked at the nearest abandoned watchtower and let loose an intense whirl, pushing the structure. However, it barely touches the other end of the chasm, smashing at the bottom of it.

After a moment of silence, Fidget asked, "So...mind telling us what you tried to accomplish?"

Embarrassed, the Mithrarin explained, "I figured...if I just pushed the building towards the ship…we could use it as a bridge to get across the gap."

"That thing was way too short for that to work," said Haley.

"Yeah… I might need to start wearing glasses."

Chapter Text

The rest of the journey was smooth, taking the Knights safely through the clouds above the winding rivers and forests leading to a vast plain of ash. In the distance, the enormous World Ships could be seen floating in a clock-formation above the sprawling metropolis ahead, surrounded by its encompassing shield walls. Dust quickly recognized this place as the Warmblood-only capital where Gaius and Cassius led their forces. Now, evident by the gloomy atmosphere and lack of lights, a nest of cultists following a fallen would-be dictator.

As they approached the cityscape, Haley announced, "Ok, we're getting there. Once we get past Prairie, we'll be right at Trio's doorstep."

Dust said, "I guess before we get started, if you're still listening, did you have anything to say for yourself, Trio?"

The disembodied voice of the goddess replied, "Nnnnnnope."

"No tricks?"

"Naw."

"You didn't cut off our gas tanks while we weren't looking or make it so that Corbin was adopted by someone else when his comms cut off earlier," Blinx asked.

"Nope," said the goddess in a pleased tone of voice. "Just come right on in. I want y'all to see something."

"….Ooookaaaay."

Ginger nervously clenched her fists against her lap and said, "It's not that simple. It never is. Something bad's gonna happen again."

"Aw, relax GF, Blinx smirked. "We've already made it through worse. What surprise could Ma pull out her tail now?"

Trio suddenly chimed back in and replied, "Good question. Remember when I went back an' got me them turrets earlier? Well, I got the next best thing to go along with 'em."

Now close to the huge metal gates, the engines came to a screeching halt. The ship hovered in place before it could proceed further, and Fidget asked, "Hey, why're we stopping?"

The unthinkable became morbid reality as in this distance at the sword-shaped tower at the center of the megacity, a doorway at the highest balcony opened with two malformed Warmblood guards stepping side by side with their once lost leader. To Dust's utter horror, General Gaius stood firmly with his men, completely intact with virtually no changes to his physique from before. He scowled at the sight of the lone vessel staring him down while Blinx eagerly pointed saying, "Eeeeeey, it's that guy!" He quickly corrected himself with, "I mean, yikes! It's him!"

The Mithrarin grit his teeth, growling as he spoke. "Trio…you have officially gotten on my LAST NERVE!"

"GOOD," said the goddess. "Now use that anger to put the work in! HAHAHA!"

Trio laughed very briefly before the rest of her forces arrived. The World Ships surrounding the fortress city began to shine. A portal the size of the land beneath it shrouded the edge of reality. Several alien machines of dark origin descended from the depths of space, slamming to the surface in a defensive formation. Huge spider-like walkers known as terraformers stood at the back behind dozens more techno-organic war machines. Hundreds of deactivated DAHAKS suddenly burst from the ground with organic matter fused to them. Heavy turrets deployed from the shield walls along with hundreds of thousands of Gaius loyalists pouring out of town completely deformed from Trio's influence. Even some creatures from a world familiar to Ori arrived from the space portal like a swarm descending to the surface. But the most striking of all were the Time Monsters. Bouncy, typically blobby creatures spawning randomly across the field and into the city.

Outnumbered, both Blinx and Dust dropped their ears and gulped. Fidget got close to Ori, putting her paw on their shoulder while Avgustin straightened his collar nervously. Fale, Haley, and Ginger each grit their teeth with their eyes wide, understandably shocked at the odds before them. The Knights of Elysium would surely stand no chance alone…

That was until another shuttle took position next to them. Aniki stood up at the neighboring viewport, looking straight at his fellow Time Sweeper with a smile on his face. Matti reached to get a better look out, waving at his sister on the other end who waved back with a tear being shed along with a grin. Soon beneath them, motorcycles started rolling in, manned by the Tom Tom Gang with Time Sweepers and Moonblood archers riding behind them. Tanks and bomber dropships flew in to deploy more Cat-Sith, Warmblood, even aquatic Mudpot citizens and fighters, each armed with weapons and conventional tools. Even one mecha in particular, a fully armored, cat-themed robot, was operated by Oneida, carrying Lena and Jimmy along the shoulders.

The last to arrive were Tethys and Aegis, descending from the clouds with a heavenly light shining down on them, along with the reanimated form of the warrior from another world. Both sides of the field stared each other down, roaring in unison while Gaius scowled from his ivory tower.

"Just who do these people think they are," he asked as he drew his broadsword forward. "I tried to liberate them from those abominations and here they stand against me…!"

Even from this distance, Dust knew what his old friend was saying. He held onto Ahrah and said over the radio for all to hear, "I am Dust… And we…are the Knights of Elysium."

"An' we're bringin' it back," Blinx cheered!

The battle has begun…

It started with a full-frontal charge towards the city walls, led by the Knights piloting their shuttle. As the enemy machines took aim, the Time Sweepers at ground-level paused the flow of time, allowing for Haley to carpet bomb a path ahead. The Army of Elysium didn't stop their assault, sprinting for the gates with Oneida's mecha right behind them. From the back, she launched two cat-themed missiles, destroying the gunners at the top of the walls. The pig men of the Tom Tom Gang easily ran over the zombified troops with the Time Sweepers and Moonbloods riding at the back of their motorbikes, shooting arrows and sucking up nearby debris to launch back. Face to face with the two, towering Terraformers, Aegis and Tethys lifted their hands, raising the water surrounding the city border, freezing the techno-organic machines in place to lunge a liquid rod through them! They both collapsed, smashing through Edinmire's entrance where the rest of the monster horde began pouring out. Quickly, Blinx from above reversed the sequence for his men to break in, catching Gaius' forces by surprise with an overwhelming first strike.

At the streets, the Tom Toms drove in first, keeping the corrupted DAHAKs trained on them. Mayor Bram at the front hacked through the malformed soldiers with his axe, partnered with Aniki suppressing fire with a heavy cannon of his own. Nearby, getting dropped off by Oneida, Lena and Pelon aligned cut through the zombies on the rooftops and decimated the autoturrets with the reversal of their own shells. Back beneath them, Cino set fire to an alleyway, burning the time monsters storming outside. The regular Warmblood villagers, like Sarahi, Moska, Geehan, and even Reed used conventional tools against the disturbed creatures. Blob-like enemies hopped around them attempting to bite when Sanjin and Calum filleted the anomalies. Sanjin lobbed his sphere at an incoming DAHAK charging for him, smashing its only working visor. It fired wildly, almost hitting someone when Mick intervened. He slowed the robot long enough for the Tom Toms and Moonbloods to smash it to pieces with a combination of hammers and gunfire. More mecha came crashing through civilian infrastructure as the Time Sweepers increased their rate of fire, rapidly blasting the reanimated machines with nearby debris.

Surprised over the ensuing chaos, Trio commented, "Oh...! They ain't playin' no more, huh?"

General Gaius saw the direction of the battle well from balcony at the palace, commanding the World Ships at sky-level to bombard the land with intensive hailfire. Tom Toms were thrown off their bikes mid-run, and some of Gaius' men were caught in the crossfire. Luckily, Chron, slowing the speed of the lasers, makes a run for cover while rescuing the injured pigs.

Up above, the Firebat barely avoided the missiles spraying the fortress city when it suddenly had its left wing shot off! Haley held tightly onto the controls along with her friends grabbing their seats as well as Dust catching Fidget tumbling around. Their ship was saved by it being frozen by Aegis who gently gravitated them down to a rooftop near Gaius' tower. Tethys accompanied them, descending to shield them from the corrupted, crawling citizens with a hydro barrier. Stepping out and seeing the creatures spawning in, Blinx yelled, "Holy crap! They're zombies! It's like System Shock all over again!"

"It seems Trio has converted Gaius' loyalists into time monsters," the Administrator theorized.

"Yeah, it seems," said Fidget.

Dust asked, "If Trio's already opened a portal, how're we supposed to stop her?"

"I kinda figured we just go up dat tower and smash through things till we get to her," Blinx shrugged. "It worked with Benito."

"I'm afraid it's not that simple, Time Sweeper," Tethys said. "I cannot sense my mother's presence here. She must have already retreated to a different plane of reality."

Aegis nodded, "Indeed. My scans indicate a unique set of coordinates for exactly that. And the only accessible route is through the rift."

Worried, Ginger flinched and asked, "Wait, we have to go through that?!"

"Yeah, not to complain, but that thing's about the size of the city," Haley replied. "And I'm pretty sure we can't survive the vacuum of space."

"Not to worry," said the Administrator. "We can protect you and send you directly to Trio's lair. But first, we will need to disable the central World Ship to shut down the other's defenses."

Haley took a moment to think over the mission when she quickly responded, "That gives me an idea. Fidget, hop back inside."

"Wait, wha…," the Nimbat stuttered as she was pulled by Ahrah's wind back in the Firebat. The hatch door shut behind her when Aegis began repairing the ship with his reversal abilities, and activating an untested feature: The Nimbat Interface. The cockpit began to shift around Fidget, removing the seats and circling her with a holographic control panel. Its HUD sprung online, giving her a perfect view of all the vessel's surroundings.

"This vessel's DAHAK mode has been mapped to your movements, Fidget" Aegis explained. "This should most certainly even the odds."

The Nimbat said not a word. She only grinned with her teeth and began to ascend.

Chapter Text

It wasn't long before the tower was breached by swarms of Cat-Sith and Moonblood guards led by Picaro and Matti. While Matti smashed the legs of the mutated troops in the halls, Picaro blew chunks out of them with his heavy gun. Once inside the weapons depot, the dwarf blacksmith unlocked the shell cache for a quick, easy blow to the defenses. The explosions in the building burst outside, where the rows of guns began to shut down. Aboard the Firebat's hull, the Knights stood tall as it ascended to the upper floors of the palace. They hopped onto the balcony the General stood upon before he fled deeper into the complex.

Dust observed his surroundings and speculated, "He's in here somewhere. Either that, or he's with his  master ."

"On your left," Fale screamed as gunfire burst from the side!

Dust and Ginger launched a whirlwind combined with the flames of Fafnir to atomize the incoming zombies. When more charged from the hall, Haley and Fale let loose a watery shock that fried the troops from the bottom up.

Victorious, the blacksmith said to herself, "I…am a Jedi!"

Blinx cheered, "YEEEAH! NOW YA GOT IT," as his Sweeper sucked up debris.

"Fidget, you take out the lead World Ship," said Dust. "We'll take care of Trio!"

The Nimbat announced, "HAVE FUN," over the speaker of the Firebat and took flight. Immediately, the heavy cannons of the nearest World Ship began to pepper the air with massive balls of fire. Fidget, however, was nimble. She had already gotten used to the controls, gracefully spinning and rolling through missile after missile. But with the sheer size of the cruisers, it would take ages for her to stop them. Fortunately, Ori hopped back inside the Firebat and manned the rotating defense gun. Even with the assistance, they would surely be overwhelmed. Made worse when hovering, bulbous robots spawned from the hangars around the transforming cityscape. Buildings that had once been part of a titanic mecha began to open hidden compartments containing search drones which attacked on sight. On the streets, they turned the tide to the side of Gaius as they shot down some of the Tom Tom Gang's motorcyclists and showered the other non-Time Sweepers with energy missiles.

That was until a sudden roar of millions erupted near the entrance of the fight. A rainbow swarm of Nimbats of varying sizes shredded the approaching drones, shrouding the sunlight with their numbers before separating into groups from the roads to the skies. One of those in the air was Gareth, zooming next to his daughter's shuttle to wave back at her.

"I've gathered every family I could," said her father.

"YAY," Fidget cheered!

They took to the cruiser in the middle of the formation in the sky, rocketing into the hangar with thousands more Nimbats following them. Fidget ejected from the cockpit of the Firebat, zooming next to her father through the corridors, causing sheer mayhem with an aura of flames surrounding them. The other critters tore through the foundation of the superstructure like a warm knife through butter, smashing all its vital components with ease before they found themselves breaching the cruiser's back. The large vessel quickly began to crumble out of the air as the Nimbats swarmed through its interior over and over, ending with an explosion that sent a shockwave through the cityscape. All the other ships shut down their defenses, lowering their guns while maintaining formation.

In the tower, deep in the halls displaying busts of Warmbloods and paintings of historical figures, Blinx slowed time for Ginger to set the rooms ablaze. The zombies around them were instantly burned while time monsters spawned in front of them. These blobby creatures bounced atop Fale and Haley, attempting to crowd them when the rabbit summoned lightning, frying the monsters into nothing. Fale and Tethys hovering in flooded the floors ahead as Aegis gently floated his way to the meeting hall, clearing the room of its guards with a single push.

At the end of it, Gaius steps into an exposed opening for a portal ring. He knows his enemies aren't far behind and quickly walks through the gate as Dust shouts for him. Even with Aegis' reversal abilities, the portal shuts down thanks to Trio.

"Ah-ah- aaaah ," the goddess mocked. "Can't be that easy."

"IF YOU DON'T STOP THAT," Haley shouted!

"Fortunately, I have a practical solution to this problem," said Aegis.

He hovered quietly over the gateway's control panel, examining the machine in great detail. A mere kick instantly jolted it back into place, booting it up long enough for Tethys to maintain it with pure magic. Suddenly, behind her, the undead creature from before, the Nekravol, returned. She brought herself towards the device and plugged her cables into its ports, keeping it turned on.

The goddess said, "As promised, we will protect you while you journey to face Trio. We will remain where we are and maintain the portal until you reach her."

"Brave Knights, are you ready to face this great challenge," Ahrah asked.

Blinx answered, "I think I speak for everybody when I say, let's get it!"

"It's the war to end all wars, I hope," said Dust. "We're going to take the fight to Gaius and the Goddesses of Time for Mordecai and the Time Sweepers!"

"Couldn't have said it better myself," Ginger smiled.

"Then it is time," said the Administrator. "Come and finish this fight!"

Aegis went in first, then Avgustin with a dramatic salute and backward leap, followed by Fale, Ginger, and Haley. However, Dust and Blinx stood silent, looking at each other for a moment before the Cat-Sith broke the silence.

"Just like he said. Let's get it done!"

The Mithrarin smirked, "You got it, sportsy!"

Finally, they both gave each other a fistbump and leaped in.

Chapter Text

Dust bounced off nonexistent walls through the wormhole in space and time, dropping Ahrah and fighting gravity to catch him. When he succeeded, the two were thrown onto a gravelly surface, rolling next to the rest of the gang already standing in awe at the sight of what lay ahead.

As the Mithrarin recovered, he remarked, "Of all the other jumps, that was a much smoother ride than last...time..."

Silenced by the view, Dust walked up to his little feline friend whose jaw was agape, dropping his Sweeper. Even the administrator remained speechless, recognizing their old home. The Time Factory. This once proud megastructure now lay in ruin. Much of its foundation was smashed open, exposing some of the inner workings of the facility, and its gears were no longer turning. The angelic clouds and nebulas surrounding the building were gloomier and menacing, shrouding any neighboring stars in an eerie gray mist. The only sign of life left in the forgotten land was perhaps its most dangerous. A bright light flashing like a beacon where, according to the layout, is where the Mother Computer remains. The birthplace of the Aegis AI.

Seeing Blinx with mixed emotions and a lack of commentary, Ginger quietly asked, "Blinx...is that what I think it is?"

"...Yeah," he finally said.

Pulling himself together, the Administrator announced to the team, "Welcome to the Time Factory. Or as your world knows it as...Elysium."

Caught off guard, Haley quickly whirled her head back to face the android and yelped, "E-Elysium...?!"

Avgustin seconed, "Now  that's  a mind blow."

"From what I heard, this ol' crib fits the description," Blinx said. "An' I kinda thought about it since...well…I'm technically a fairy. No, I don't grant wishes."

"Dang..."

"But I thought that Elysium was Heaven or something," Fale assumed.

"Yes, you assume correctly," said Aegis. "This realm borders your timeline and the spiritual plane. And in Trio's hands…"

"No one can rest," Ahrah finished. "I can sense it. We must hurry inside and end this before the Goddesses of Time interfere with all of creation."

Blinx said, "Too bad all the lifts're out. Fortunately, I've got a nifty band-aid for the wound."

He activated his sweeper and aimed it forward, reversing time so the gravitating lift can rebuild itself. The group enters, and the machine hovers to the gargantuan facility as they gazed at the sight of it. Inside, the docking platform was blown apart by hailfire. The control terminals were mangled beyond repair, and the conveyors transporting Time Sweepers from different areas of the factory were decayed and inactive. Dead vines and moss broke through the metal foundation, and the tattered clothes of long-dead Time Sweepers littered the massive, boxy halls. As the Knights trekked deeper inside, they went silent just as Blinx had. He kept his eyes hidden under his goggles and obscured his mouth with his jacket's collar, refusing to let his friends see how he felt returning home. Even the Administrator seemed disturbed and saddened at the misery of it all, solely focusing on the destination and not the journey.

At that moment, Blinx spotted a familiar place. Past the huge open doors knocked down by a collapsed roof, memories of jumping in the portal for World B1Q64 began flooding his mind from the large warp drop at the center of the chamber.

He began to say, "Hey...the warp room's still in good shape! Er…at least as good as its gonna be."

Standing near one of the terminals to the portal at the bottom of the pit, Fale triggered the motion sensor activating its monitors. Though fuzzy, it displayed the status of the core controlling the machines, which Avgustin took notice of.

"And look," said the tall Warmblood. "The thing's tellin' us stuff!"

Curious, Blinx took a look as well. " Whaddya know…! Of all the things that got nuked, the reactor's just fine!"

"Then this factory is still operational," said Aegis.

Haley asked, "Sure, it's not because Trio's involved?"

"At this point, I think she'd make it pretty clear if she was," her husband replied.

The Administrator stroked his chin under his mask, "I wonder… Avgustin, I could use your assistance, if you would please?"

Gus stuttered, "Really…? I mean, yeah! Let's do it!"

"Blinx, I might have an idea in regards to the facility and the portal to Falana. But you must reach Trio. My scans indicate she is located in the main control room."

"Back in yer ol' work station, huh," said the Cat-Sith. "Consider it done, an' maybe we won't have to go with Plan B."

 Dust asked, "What plan B?"

 "Oh, just a hypothetical where we move to a different multiverse where Trio never existed. Just hard to really do that when she's got your timeline on lockdown an' this place is a mess."

 Surprised, Ginger also questioned with, "Wait, so there's alternate Time Sweepers too?!"

"Yeah. I mean, we exist outside your history, but that doesn't mean we don't have our own. It's like layers of universes stacked on top of each other." Blinx dropped his tail and lowered his ears. "And I just realized I probably shouldn't have said that if Trio's listening…"

"No, you shouldn't have," Dust snarked as he proceeded down the broken walkway.

The team continued on their way towards their fate, leaving Avgustin and Aegis behind in the warp room. What little humor Blinx was able to get out of this situation quickly faded again as he guided the gang through the furthest section of the base. With several floors having collapsed atop each other, makeshift paths had to be taken, coming across different rooms like lockers and shops smashed together, and whatever remained of the Mother Computer. Its LED blinked a menacing red as if it were still in alert mode, perhaps the only structure in the room holding the busted ceiling together as the group came close to the control center.

"We're gettin' there," said Blinx. "Trio ain't said a word since we got here."

Dust sighed, "Guess that means we're close."

"And Gaius is in there with her," Ginger added.

"Each of you wield a Blade of Elysium," Ahrah began to say. "Use them and both the General and Trio will  never  stand a chance."

"Only one thing to do," said Blinx.

Very soon, the Knights found themselves standing in front of another large decorated door. Perhaps the most clean piece in the entire facility. It was locked by heavy pistons hooked to the center mechanism with a slot wide enough for Ahrah to slide in.

"Crap… I forgot to ask Aegis to unlock the door. It's a security thing."

"Kinda shady that the most secure place in the factory is the boss's office, " Haley commented.

Dust thought to himself aloud, "Here's an idea…"

He shoves Ahrah in like a key, carefully turning the handle along with the mechanism and slowly unlocking the pistons. As he did so, Ahrah commented, "Truly, you are the Nimbat's  greatest  ally ,  Mithrarin ."

Dust asked, "You ok, Ahrah? You sounded kinda funny."

WELCOME BACK, CEO

The mother computer announced the founder's title as the doors ominously folded open. The flashing lights of the thousands of monitors in the next chamber nearly blinded everyone. But just then, Blinx instinctively slowed time significantly just as Gaius came charging at them. He brought his sword crashing into the floor and removed it while smacking the Cat-Sith out the way and swiping at his former assassin. Ginger almost immediately blazed a flame at the General's face, shielding himself with his cape before he paused to regain his composure in front of the warriors. And behind him in the control room was Mordecai, albeit in a monstrous form. Trio's influence created tentacles underneath the Warmblood's robe that stretched and connected across several panels and wires drawing off the facility's power. With Mordecai's face, Trio smirked, and Gaius stood between her and her enemies.

The General said with his blade to his side, "Dust… We finally meet."

"General Gaius," Dust growled. "And here I thought you'd change by now!"

"Change…? You could say that about yourself. I never had the chance to face you personally for helping the enemy."

Blinx's tail dropped. "Aw shucks. Guess Trio snagged him from before his boss fight, sportsy."

"And that still doesn't tell you anything," Fale asked the mad one.

Gaius argued, "What it tells me is that the war was lost and that I would have died had she not intervened."

Trio finally spoke very casually, "I dunno about that. There's plenty o' timelines where you get off yer high horse and pull yerself up to face punishment."

"I'm hoping it's a life sentence," Ginger said.

Haley stepped up, "You'll pay for all those people you've killed, and for what you could've done to Dust."

The General rolled his eyes at the threat. "Oh, don't pretend you know him like I do. He's but a soldier."

"Don't you ever talk to my wife that way," Dust snarled.

"Wife...?"

Trio chimed in, "You gotta accept that times 'have changed since your days, Big G."

"This coming from the demon who turned me into one of your monsters!"

"No I ain't. I just spectated while you took the genocide route. I'm only back cause of your stupidity."

She grew haughty, bringing some of her tentacles closer to the Warmblood. "Matter of fact, I oughta bust yo' head open again just fo' that! But I'll tell you what. Take on these folk fo' me and I'll give you a place at the table. Or, you do the sensible thing and help your boyfriend out. Fair warnin'. I can throw a  mean  left hook."

Dust lowered his sword. "Gaius...if you have any ounce of goodness in you, please, help us stop her! It's what Cassius… It's what I want."

Gaius spent a moment in thought, lowering his guard. Quietly, he shook his head, closed his eyes and said, "...Cassius is dead. I've accepted that by now."

In a flash, he swiped his sword, letting loose a wave of energy that nearly sliced the gang! Dust kept his defense up as Blinx froze time briefly before Trio could resume it.

Dust said to the General, "I guess the only thing that's changed is your sword. Time to end your reign…again."

Both Fale and Blinx made a run for the mad one; Fale using water from a leaking pipe close by to summon it like a spear, which Gaius shields himself against. This left room for Blinx to launch a heap of trash at him, dirtying his suit. But another slash from Gaius forces the Time Sweeper to drop to his back.

"Begone, off-worlder," said the General.

Blinx snapped, "I'd rather think you should get off  MY  world!"

He rolled aside, making way for Ginger and Dust to bring their swords onto the evil Warmblood, which he clashed with. But just then, the siblings stepped aside for Haley to send a beam of electricity his way. He was being fried, but another slash of his sword sent the lot flying across the room! Fale rose again to intervene, failing to see one of Trio's appendages approaching him, grabbing him by the leg and throwing him around like a toy.

"Na-a-aaaah," said the Goddess before she slammed him into the ground! "Don't worry. In a few minutes, I ain't gon' need yo' boy with how much rage I'm feedin' off GG over there."

Dust launched a whirlwind combined with Ginger's flames nearly scorching Gaius before he sprinted at them through the blaze, smacking the sister away and chopping at the Mithrarin. Each clash released a spark that started small blue fires as Haley joined in to successfully land a hit on the General's shoulder! Her sword broke through his armor and dug into his skin, but just barely as he shoved her aside. Dust angrily slashed at Gaius' chest only to get kicked back just as Blinx arrives to pause him from delivering a fatal blow. He just barely pushes Dust out the way when Trio deactivates his Sweeper clock. Instinctively, he shields himself with the saber mod as Dust recovers to strike at the General again.

"Let's go, sports," the Time Sweeper announced.

Together, the pair wailed on Gaius. Blinx freezes and slows down reality in short bursts while Dust delivers blow after blow on the Moonblood's armor. Using more debris in the room, combined with a whirlwind from Ahrah, the Cat-Sith showers the General with random objects, including a huge monument clock which seemingly buries him. He pushes it off, separating Dust and Blinx, focusing his efforts on the alien feline. Dust tosses his, and Blinx catches it just in time to shield with both his saber and Ahrah from Gaius rapidly bashing him to the floor!

That moment, Ginger and Haley struck the General from both sides! His armor was pierced, and he shouted in shock as he flexed their blades off him! Blinx prepares to launch Ahrah with his Sweeper, only for another one of Trio's limbs to snatch it out his hands and drag the Cat-Sith from under Gaius.

Blinx yelled, "EY," struggling to avoid getting peppered with rubble while being brought deeper in the control room.

Trio slammed him against the wall, sending more tentacles his way as he joined Fale in trying to fend them off using their sword and floor tiles.

The Goddess snickered, "Oh, nononononoooo. You stay right there."

Seeing the Sweeper flung into the floor, Haley rushes over to it just before Gaius and stomp it to pieces. She fumbles and holds the vacuum tightly as the mad one prepares to cut her down. But Ginger and Dust combine their powers again to generate a cyclone around him, practically frying him alive! Haley joins them by sparking electricity around the whirlwind, choking and burning the man when he slams the floor and sends a shockwave that knocks everyone down!

Ginger quickly stands back up and angrily hacks and slashes at Gaius, shouting, "This is for my brother, our family, and all the people you and your forces have killed!"

BANG

Gaius bashed her with the side of his sword and said, "It wouldn't be the first I've been told that."

Dust screamed "GINGER," snarling as he advanced on his old foe. Behind him, Haley took a look at the Sweeper's back. Instructions were written on its functions, and each mode could still be activated. One of these settings was "Record," which the Warmblood hadn't seen being used. But once she read its description, she knew what she had to do.

Eventually, both Dust and Ginger were overwhelmed and sent side by side into a mound of metal when Haley told them, "Honey, I'm about to do something very stupid."

The Mithrarin stuttered, "Wh...what...?!"

She activated the Sweeper's saber mod and sprinted for Gaius with Dust pleading, "Haley, don't! He's stronger than you!"

But she didn't stop. As the General approached, the blacksmith leaped straight at his face, intent on sending the energy weapon through his skull. But that moment, she found his sword driven straight through her stomach! Dust and Ginger fell silent in horror at the sight of their kin being slaughtered and the sheer anger in Gaius' face as he stared back at them.

"This is what happens to traitors."

REVERSE

She activated the Sweeper's saber mod and sprinted for Gaius with Dust pleading, "Haley, don't! He's stronger than you!"

But she didn't stop. As the General approached, Haley leaped straight at his face, intent on sending the energy weapon through his skull. But that moment, she found his sword driven straight through her stomach… At least what he thought was her. Haley's digital form dissipated, before Gaius' eyes as he bafflingly barked, "WHAT?!"

Immediately, he was stun-locked, electrocuted like a storm from behind by the real rabbit! He just barely manages to turn around from sheer pain as he lifted his sword to attempt a fatal blow. But just before he could, Ahrah was run through his back! He couldn't see Dust but knew it was him. His life flashed before his eyes as his body combusted into pure energy! The result of Trio's added power and the electrical storm he endured. Haley and Dust were thrown across the floor, looking around for the General, anticipating him to be reset or respawned. But he never would.

Ginger could sense it, seeing only his broken blade and tattered cape left in the wake of the blast.

"He's...he's gone."

Dust lamented, "All that talk of freedom and peace…wasted."

"Only one more supervillain left to deal with," said Haley.

Suddenly, Fale was thrown between the trio, sliding across the floor when he told them, "Yeah… About that."

Trio stepped away from the center control booth, approaching the group as Blinx backed away and joined the team. The Goddess confessed, "I thought yo' boy was just playin' if I'm bein' real, Dust. I ain't think he was actually dropped on the head!"

"That leaves you as the last loose end, Trio," said the Mithrarin. "Just give up or we'll have to do you like the ancients did on Falana."

"Nuh-uh," she shook. "The Big G already gave me enough hatred to bring me to full power. An' I'm much more jacked here than I am in the mortal realm. Pretty soon, the whole universe'll be my oyster, an' no timeline's gonna not have me around callin' the shots."

All her appendages converged towards the Knights as she threatened them with, "Any last words before I send y'all to the realm of endless ticklin' or the world of Doom?"

Blinx replied, "Yeah I got some. DUCK!"

Everyone but Trio did so as the Firebat bursts into the center chamber! It smashed through the debris behind them and crashed straight into the Time Goddess, destroying the computers and booths inside, burying her under the weight of heavy machinery! Just at the entrance, Tethys hovered in, using her hidden abilities to reset the ship back to its original state while Ori stepped out the cockpit completely intact. Still inside, Fidget said over the ship's megaphone, "Sup?"

"Um…Fidget, you remember we're trying to save Mordecai too, right," Dust asked.

"Yeah, but I figured Admin and Miss Water Queen could just reset him or something."

Speaking of, Aegis arrived along with Avgustin while the facility began to rattle. What remained of the factory's infrastructure started coming apart at the seams as the super portal between its realm and Falana's malfunctioned. It shrunk and swelled spastically, sending lightning down to the surface, frying Time Monsters and nearly singing those battling the creatures. Elder Grey Eyes, overlooking the chaos with the Nekravol, saw the tattered factory and clenched his staff nervously as the portal only grew worse by the second.

Calmly, the Administrator informed the Knights, "Good. I have set the warp station to a new destination. With the central World Ship destroyed and the portal collapsing, the storm will send Trio to a universe that has yet to be made. One where the resulting big bang will assimilate her into its Canon."

Ginger asked, "Canon...?"

"I think he means she's gonna start her life over in wherever she ends up like she's a new OC," the Nimbat explained.

"Correct," said Tethys. "There is not much time before this place is consumed. So we must free your friend and…"

CRASH !!

From the wreckage, Trio shot up to gargantuan proportions, thickening Mordecai's body and expanding her tendrils across the room, surrounding everyone.

"Aight. Time to learn y'all a lesson."

She lasered Aegis with her eyes and grabbed Avgustin along with Ori, who aimed their crossbow straight at Trio's eye. She slowed time and reversed the arrow back at the pair, striking Gus' leg.

"OW, my tibia," he grunted.

Those still on the floor sliced through the tentacles coming at them from every angle while Tethys confronted her mother, summoning water and lightning which merely bounced off her.

While getting blasted, Trio casually stood firm and said, "Eventually, yer gonna run outta gas an' drop to yo' knees. An' no amount of red bull is gonna save ya."

"Oh, I know better than to sacrifice my liver...if I had one," said her daughter.

Trio smacked Tethys back, but Aegis caught her and froze the evildoer in place. Unfortunately for him, her tendrils were still active and struck his face! His mask came apart and a piece of his endoskeleton was exposed as Trio's arm morphed into a hammer and slammed him and Tethys into the floor! Blinx reversed time again to keep them healthy, but all it did was irritate the Time Goddess who aimed her hand at the Time Sweeper, burning the crystal in his clock! He tried clicking the fast forward button, but instead sparks would fly out the seams from internal damage as Trio approached to crush him underfoot! Blinx barely lifted himself with his arms and knees while the monster poured her weight into him. Luckily, Fidget sent a rocket at the giant and a flurry of bolts, drawing her attention. Before either of them could make a move, the entrance exploded and the foundation began to get sucked into the deepest parts of the factory towards the warp room. A black hole of sorts had formed inside and only began to grow as all nearby objects were sucked in.

In the back of the room, the walls collapsed and the outer portal between worlds was exposed, still struggling to maintain itself.

"Yeah… I think this is our cue to leave," Fidget advised.

Soon, the Firebat started to slip towards the black hole before the Nimbat activated the boosters. While continuing to fend against Trio's multiple arms, the Knights climbed aboard the ship with Fale remaining on the wing to lure the Goddess. Tethys freed Avgustin and Ori from her mother's grip by slicing the tendril with vines before she and Aegis used a strange technique. They caused the gravity around Trio to harden, combined with the force of wind from the super portal to fizzle the Goddess' form. She felt herself slipping out of Mordecai's body yet refused to let go, freezing both entities and almost sending them into the warp room! Avgustin carried Ori into the Firebat as it prepares to take off back to the mortal plane. But just as the ship enters through the portal, Trio sprints towards the edge of the facility, leaps down and smashes into the shuttle's hull! Her massive size and weight almost crushes the passengers while Fale held onto the wing, shielding himself while they plummeted to the surface! They crashed into a tower and slid onto the plains past the city walls, fumbling out the ship while Trio fumbled off.

For a moment, her voice was replaced with Mordecai's in a menacing tone as she said, " Neat trick, everyone , but I can still fix this once I'm done wit'chu!"

Fale pleaded as he prepped his sword, "I know you're in there, Mordecai! Fight it!"

"That was just me puttin' on a voice. He still can't hear ya now that I'm in his system!"

Seeing water from the aqueducts still running along the city walls, Fale uses his blade to gravitate it over, splashing Trio relentlessly until she shrunk to the Warmblood's height. But in doing so, she only got closer to him, grabbing him by the throat and slamming him to the ground!

"You ain't gotta worry about yer date's vision not happenin'. But neither o' you will be around to see it!"

She tosses Fale to the wrecked ship, spine-first, into its wingtip while Haley and Ginger ran over to send fire and lightning into the monster. Trio dashed about the ground towards the two women, getting between them and pausing time to mosey out their path before they found themselves shocking and burning themselves! They both fell in a daze while Dust ran over with Fidget and Ori, launching a whirlwind, arrows, and fireballs at the Goddess. But Trio's tentacles spun like a shield, deflecting everything back at them! Ori was knocked out by fireball to the noggin while Fidget's wings were pinned against the ship by darts. Dust was planted into the dirt, barely getting back up when the Goddess morphed her arm into a mallet, attempting to crush the Mithrarin who used Ahrah like a shield.

Only this time, a crack would form. The next strike was even harder, breaking off another bit of the sword, then an even bigger piece. Then nearly breaking the hilt! Trio's thrashing eventually knocked Dust back down to Earth when he suddenly shot up attempting to lunge at the Goddess. But Ahrah wasn't long enough. The sword was shattered! He stared at the sword, horrified at what Trio had done to the living weapon! And that moment, she knocked him into submission!

Swelling to titanic size once more, she yelled, "Y'all really want yo' man this bad? Take him!"

And as quickly as she grew, the monstrous, almost ethereal form of Trio, light like Ori and shaped like a squid, ejected from Mordecai's back and blew a horrifyingly gaping hole through the Warmblood as he collapsed onto the Knights! Each of them fell unconscious as the shopkeeper's body reverted back to normal. But they failed. He laid there with them lifelessly while Blinx and Avgustin remained standing. The two were left speechless, and the Goddess in all her splendor spread her limbs and rose to tower over them like a creature raised from the depths of the underworld.

This monster announced for the world to hear, "SO WHAT'CHA GONNA DO NOW, YOUNGBLOOD?! HAHAHAA HAHAAAAA!!!"

But to her amusement, Blinx gripped his sweeper even tighter, activating the saber and Avgustin balled his fists ready to fight to their dying breaths.

I've got an idea!

Coming from behind the ship, Picaro hopped to the roof and readied his Sweeper as more Time Sweepers and Warmbloods arrived around him. Together, him, Aniki, Pelon, Chron, and even Colleen and Corbin combined whatever Sweepers they had on them to reverse the damages. Instantly, the Knights stood back up healthier than ever, and Mordecai's body was healed, sat against the hull when he snored and abruptly awoke with, "Hm…? Fale, honey, why is everybody here? It's not my birthday."

Joyously, could only smile and shake his head in relief along with his friends who all rallied together with their swords in-hand. Though Ahrah was repaired, the light that shined from his symbols dimmed. Though it scarcely mattered now. Virtually all the Time Sweepers and citizens of Falana came together, confronting the Time Monster that stood between them and their planet. And if it couldn't get any better, both the Administrator and Tethys returned, accompanied by the Nekravol from the skies, retrieved by Nimbats.

"Just cause the factory's gone doesn't mean we're out of the picture, Trio," Mick yelled!

"You mess with the Time Sweepers, you mess with all of us," Corbin shouted!

Very casually, Trio rolled her alien eyes and said, "Well yeah. That's kinda the point."

Cino picked up his rocket launcher asking one of the citizens, "Anyone want the honors?"

Without a second thought, Connie of all people said, "Why I would be delighted," and fired a missile straight at the giant before them! But nothing would happen. Everyone but the Knights, including the rocket, instantly froze, and Trio rotated it back at the crowd. Panicked, Blinx jumped onto the roof of the ship, using Picaro's Sweeper to reverse everyone out the vicinity just in time before the missile struck the Firebat, exploding the roof and sending Blinx into the ground! He patted his scorched uniform, and Trio prepared to advance when Mordecai's hand burst into a tendril that dragged the Cat-Sith back to the gang.

"Woah," Blinx said. "You still got some of Trio's powers!"

Mordecai tilted his head, asking, "Who…?"

"That freaky Cthulu-lookin' alien…thing," Fidget pointed.

Dust announced, "Come together, Knights!"

Despite Ahrah's condition, wind could still be generated. Dust blasted the creature with a rapidly expanding tornado, followed by Ginger projecting flames, then Haley sending electricity, Fale's water, fireballs from Fidget and Ori, and Avgustin using the Firebat's working turret to shoot endlessly. Mordecai found that he could raise the intensity of the attack, shrouding the Goddess in the most powerful cyclone she's endured. Aegis and Tethys watched as the Knights of Elysium poured their hearts into what should've been a killing blow when Trio, hurt but functional, began to manipulate the environment. The ground started crumbling as dark, jagged structures broke from the Earth. More deactivated DAHAKS were suddenly resurrected and morphed into almost alien machines that gravitated around the gang, spraying them with lasers which Aegis shielded them from with a force field.

Even with this successful distraction, Trio was weakened, and what little of her angelic form was made even more horrifying. Her teeth were exposed, eyes darkened and her physique became almost demonic. The heavenly aura around her turned into a fiery blaze as she barked, "MAN! Y'all almost had me fer a sec! You keep forgettin' I'm the master of time an' space fer a reason! I was gonna send y'all someplace else, or just mess with'cha while I do my thing. But I guess that ain't happenin' now! Have fun not exist-iiiIIIIIIIIING!"

Trio lost her balance. The super portal combined with the black hole had grown to such lengths that it completely consumed the Time Factory! Soon, the megacity of Edinmire began to come apart, taking the tower and various buildings with it, alongside the Time Monsters, zombies, and corrupted machines. The Goddess rooted herself with her tendrils deep into the Earth to prevent herself from being dragged while everyone else held on for their lives. Seeing an opening, however, Blinx activated his Sweeper and Picaro's and set the vacuum mode to its highest level. He broke the controls, keeping its suction on, and tossed the weapon into Trio, beginning to suck her in! As he ran out the force field, Dust in shock called out, "Blinx, what're you doing? It's too dangerous!"

With his saber, he began slicing through her tentacles, to which she said, "Quit that, Blinx! You got no idea what you're doin'!"

"Yeah, I do," he yelled. "If I'm goin' out, I'm takin' ya with me!"

One more slice and the last of Trio's appendages were severed, sending her flying into the Sweeper as its being gravitated towards the warp in the sky! Despite her size, she was sucked completely into the vacuum, disappointingly sighing, "Ah, dern it…"

But upon her defeat, the ground had risen and the Time Sweeper began to gravitate to the air, shutting his eyes, and accepting his fate…

In those last few seconds, he felt his hand being grabbed. It felt strange to him, however. Within nanoseconds, he thought it was Dust or either of his friends reaching for him in spite of the force of the portal. But something told him it was neither. He opened his eyes, turned to this familiar all-white cat in professional attire who stared back at him. An older man with a bushy mustache that fluttered with the wind and an always stern look on his face.

"Dad…?"

Firmly planted to the surface, the CEO reached for Dust's hand, along with Haley, Ginger, Fale, Avgustin, and even Mordecai all lined one behind the other.

Dust cried, "Hold on Blinx! I'm here!"

 "All of us," said Ginger.

 "And we're not leaving you behind," Mordecai announced.

Everyone tugged and pulled towards the Firebat, which activated its engines softly, keeping them on the Earth as the portal started to shrink. Blinx's form began to change colors from oranges to purple and blues to red as he held on, fighting the wind which distorted reality. Together, Aegis and Tethys combined their powers with haste, reducing the warp to nothing upon the Time Goddess being consumed by it. Each of the Knights fell, exhausted while Blinx kept standing, speechless over the sight of his boss face to face with him once again.

Slowly, the rest of the populace returned to the field, putting the Time Sweepers and the Tom Toms in a stunned gaze. The CEO looked around and asked, "You all look as though you've seen a ghost."

Even to Ginger's surprise, she realized, "That voice...!"

Scrambling to process this, Lena wondered, "But…isn't that supposed to…?"

"You boys and girls have certainly taken your sweet time trying to figure it out, have you," said the head of the Time Factory.

Fidget tugged her ears, and Ori comforted her with a humorous pat on the back. "AAAAGH, my brain hurts!"

Dust's jaw was agape, understanding while looking at his deactivated sword. "It all makes sense… The CEO's death, Ahrah's soul, the seal on Trio… You've been mentoring us all along?"

"I was," said the man. "And now that the sword has been broken, the rest of my spirit can return to the stars as all things have."

With tears flowing in his eyes, Blinx walked closer to his boss, his father, and could barely muster the words, "Boss, I…I…!"

He couldn't hold it in anymore. He embraced the man, holding him tight, and sobbed over him, getting a pat on the back while he said, "Why didn't you say anything?! The factory, the regime…! I could have done something if I stayed!"

"Oh no. You shouldn't blame yourself for what happened," said his father. "I gave you an order and you followed it well, no matter the risk. I failed to anticipate exactly how dire things would get. But I knew better than to have my best man die with me. Each of you have gone above and beyond the call of duty to make this happen. And for that, you are truly the finest men I have ever had the pleasure to serve with. Especially you, my boy."

He faced Dust and his family. "Dust… I should have told you when I had the chance, but such information is delicate in the timeline. All of you have shown me there is more to life than the factory and my duty. No wonder my men grew so fond of this planet. And I thank you. …Of course, I would have preferred not to be a sword used to fight in a war that made no sense. But, what can you do?"

"I…guess we both had two lives to remember, did we," the Mithrarin remarked.

Avgustin asked, "So… What happens now?"

Abruptly, the clouds began to separate. A beam of light shined down from the heavens as angels descended from it. Beings from the world's past arrived in beautiful robes. Some hailing from previous generations centuries before Warmbloods and Moonbloods were distinguished like the famous inventor Merveille, along with some more familiar to the present like Cora. The Administrator, Tethys, and the Nekravol accompanied them, hovering over to the CEO who calmly said, "This is where I get off."

He tucked his hands behind his back and walked over to the beings ready to pick him up. Aegis said, "Before the factory was destroyed, I set the coordinates to a universe currently experiencing a sort of big bang."

"As such, we agreed to go there to ensure Mother never rises again," Tethys added.

The CEO nodded, "Very good. I cannot thank you enough for this, Aegis, and you too, Tethys. Or, should I say, Lady Mina?"

She chuckled, "Hahah. I have no idea what will become of us. But I know it will be grand."

"Aaaw, you guys're goin' too," Blinx asked.

There is another.

From the crowd, Elder Grey quietly walked over to the CEO. They both stared at each other till suddenly…

BOP!

Grey boinked his friend's head with his cane and the CEO said, "OW! What was that for?"

"I'm not tall enough to give you the friendship headbutt anymore."

"So you switched to boinking men on the head?"

"It's done wonders for Reed."

Overhearing this, Moska said, "So that's why he's less jittery these days…"

"Hmhmhm," Matti chuckled.

Lena approached the CEO with a smile. "Well, I guess it's only fair to say thanks for training a clown like this."

Embarrassed, Blinx barked, "Hey…!"

The chief laughed, "Haha! Much obliged."

"I'd say there's so much to catch up on," said Picaro. "But, considering you were the sword, I guess we already know."

"So yer goin' for real this time, huh," Blinx asked.

"Yes," his mentor nodded.

Silently, Blinx took a stance, bringing his feet together and saluting the man. The rest of the Time Sweepers and even the Tom Toms followed swiftly. The titan Nimbats bowed while Dust tipped his head and his sword. Seeing all his men together again, the CEO wore his trademark serious-face, and saluted with them. As he turned to the angels with the Elder by his side, he stopped and said, "Ah yes. I have one last objective for you all."

He turned and ordered, "Live life."

He and those beside him all ascended to the clouds. Blinx, trying not to get emotional, continued his salute with the rest of his family, watching his father, the Administrator, the Nekravol, the Elder, and Lady Mina all leave for Elysium and the rest of space.

The war was over…

Chapter Text

A planetary reconstruction effort had been underway since the great siege. It was spearheaded by Mordecai, Cino, Ori, and Aniki, who all contributed wares, materials, and manpower to rebuild the most damaged areas of the world quickly. Technologies unique to the Time Sweepers had been integrated organically into Falana's society, teaching even its more primitive people how to use computers, operate shuttles, and train with Sweepers. Nimbats flock freely with the larger ones, and the Tom Toms take up jobs carrying supplies from town to town.

Celebrations were held from Aurora to Half and Half, which had expanded its population now that the off-worlders were new residents. Even Edinmire, after all the action it endured, was restored and made into a metropolis for all people, surrounded by the World Ships the Time Sweepers had converted into new areas of the megacity.

Dust and Blinx, in particular, decided to celebrate the best way they knew how, back home, being embraced by Haley and Ginger. They overlooked the rest of their village from the new lookout balcony at the hills, watching the stars at night. Matti, Ori, and Fidget sat together at the trees, seeing a comet fly by. And Fale and Mordecai at the center of town danced with the pigs and cats who joined the citizens in the occasion.

After much smooching, Ginger stopped to ask Blinx, "How do you feel?"

"Like someone's watchin'."

The Warmblood turned around, spotting Corbin and his sister, putting on a smug face and seeing everyone together before Dust said, "Oh hey. Did you enjoy the ride?"

"Yeah, we did," said Corbin. "It's a lot more fun getting in the ship than piloting it remotely."

"You fly it a lot slower than me," said Colleen.

"Well, y'know. First time. Also, Blinx, why'd you go from tangerine to aubergine?"

Blinx answered, "No clue. The portal sucked my colors up. But hey, I ain't complaining. It does well with the ladies, am I right? Heheheh."

Ginger tried looking away as she blushed and wrapped her tail around herself.

"Somewhere in the starry night sky, Ahrah is looking down at us judgingly," said Dust.

"That's what'cha get for leaving him in the room with you two," Fidget mocked.

Haley said, "I'm just glad he and Elder Grey are gonna be ok."

"And let's not forget Aegis and Tethys," Blinx added. "Admin really couldn't catch a break till now. Hopefully, Trio ain't a big deal, wherever she is… Er, whatever she is."

Dust shrugged, "Well, I guess if she ever comes back, for whatever reason, we'll be ready for her."

"Really," his wife asked.

"No, I'm tired. That's gonna have to be someone else's problem."

"Dust…"

"Heheh, I'm just kidding. But considering the beatdown she gave us, we'd definitely need the help. Or, y'know, someone else takes up the mantle."

Corbin turned around, "Oh yeah. About that…"

He picked up Dust's sword and said, "This thing started glowing when I stepped on it. Is that normal?"

Despite there being no soul to power it up, Ahrah was reactivated. All its symbols lit while in Corbin's grip, surprising the Mithrarin and his allies.

Dust commented, "Huh… Colleen, does it work for you too?"

"Yes," she answered. "But, to tell you the truth, I kinda like using a Sweeper a bit more..."

That gave Blinx and Dust an idea. They looked at each other and made a broad smile.

DUST AND THE SWEEPER

A Fan-Based Crossover by Frozarburst

Inspired By

Dust: An Elysian Tail

Blinx the Time Sweeper

Ori and the Blind Forest/Will of the Wisps

Doom

Halo (Bungie)

Little Tail Bronx

Jak and Daxter

Ratchet and Clank

Sly Cooper

Years have passed and Aurora had evolved from a small village to a city blending organic and futuristic styles. Cat-Sith and pigs have been naturally integrated into society. And overlooking it all was Corbin, who ran across the rooftops with his Elysian blade in hand. He made flips from flag poles, jumped over alleyways, and hopped aboard the roof of a familiar ship. The Firebat opened its upper hatch for the Warmblood to enter, greeted by his sister who carried a Sweeper on her back. She removed her goggles, commenting, "Do you really need to do that every time?"

"Yes I do," Corbin grinned. "Anyway, what's the gist?"

"Lena said there's time monsters on her homeworld that got smarter. They're planning to invade other planets."

"Not on my watch. Take us away, SmoBop!"

The Mudpot pilot gave a thumbs up with her stubby hands and replied, "You got it!"

With their objective in mind, the Time Knights set about the journey to deep space, admired by Fidget, Blinx, and Dust from their lookout at their middle-age.

Dust straightened his glasses and uttered with Fidget, "Wow…"

"Yeah, I dunno how SmoBop became a pilot either," Blinx replied.

Previous Stories

Nicktoons Wrath

Nicktoons Consumed

Magiswords: Fusion Wars

Nicktoons Saga

Gumball Saga

Samurai Jack Saga

Magiswords Echoes

Toon Wars: Shorts

Turbo Your Fellow

Toon Wars: The Final Days

Toon Wars Legacy: Crossover Forces

Toon Wars Legacy: The Watterson

Toon Wars Legacy: Dark Disney

Toon Wars Legacy: Venomous Syndicate

Tail Reverso

The Sting

Tales of the Gameverse: Ori

Dragon Ball Ultra Army/Ultra Army Reimagined

...

Special Thanks To

NipChipCookies

RoseThornArt

MiniKoontzy

DinoZotty

CuteXiora

ZampNoxis

Mepwep

RicoWolfDog

CabiMangaka

And Many More!

"This has been an amazing few years since I released Dust and the Sweeper! It's taught me a lot and introduced me to many games that continue to inspire me as I move forward to newer things. Thank you all so very much for reading!" - M Lee, Frozarburst