//------------------------------// // Episode 8: Hax // Story: EoH Evolution: Season 6 // by Bahamut0 //------------------------------// A poorly maintained basement laboratory in Castalot A lone figure scurried about the poorly maintained lab within his house's basement. It was poorly lit in the lab, but the sparks ringing out from the young man's tools provided the briefest instances of illumination. As the young man worked on his creation, the light from the sparks produced silhouettes of his finished product, a small army of robots. "Soon. . . " The young man pulled the goggles from his face. He was an earthbound with pale grey skin, greasy black hair, and pale yellow eyes. "Soon I'll get even with that punk! He fixes one little mishap with my project, and everyone calls him a big hero! Well, Nightfall, you day has come!" The young man flipped on a swtich to his basement's lights! Revealing his robot army! "Now, I will have justice against him! Him and the school that dared to expel me!" The young man flipped a switch, and an elevator to the ground floor of his derelict-looking lab! With a few keystrokes on his computer, the robots switched on! Marching with a mechanical step on Castalot! The young man stepped outside with a smirk, but his eyes burned at the sunlight and he coughed on the fresh air from the outside! "Blasted outdoors!" The young man hissed as he agonizingly adjusted to the outside world! Muttering as he retreated back inside! "I'll just send a drone to record it. Better picture, anyway!" Unityville, Nightfall Silver's Workshop/Lab Section of the Castle of Friendship Nightfall was pensive as he performed a mandatory check-up on his suit of hi-tech armor. He'd been a member of the Elements of Heroism for a good while now, and he had seen his fair share of battles. However, when the big threats had manifested, Nightfall's suit always seemed to be outclassed. But that was not the only thing troubling the Element of Heart 'I know that the guys accepted me onto team.' Nightfall thought sadly. 'But I still can't help but feel like a bit of an outcast. All of them earned their Duelist Arms upon awakening as Elements of Heroism, and Spike even manifested his own. Me? I didn't get any of that, I had to make my own weaponry. I take pride in the armor I made, but I can't help but feel like I'm always playing a really long game of catch-up with the rest of the guys.' Nightfall sighed as he reflected upon his doubts, and was prepared to spend a minute or two mulling his troubles over. Fortunately for him, a visitor to his lab and workshop wouldn't give him the chance to be sad about things. Namely a certain princess of friendship who wished to see her hi-tech knight. "Feeling a bit heartbroken?" Twilight teased as she snuck up behind Nightfall and pulled him into a loving embrace. "Maybe there's something I can do to help mend you." "Twilight?!" Nightfall sputtered as he realized his girlfriend was now hugging him from behind! "How come I didn't hear you knocking on the door?" "You left it open." Twilight giggled. "No need to get bent out of shape over it. Even us eggheads make simple mistakes!" "Wasn't that much of a problem to begin with." Nightfall smiled as he put he took Twilight's hand in his own. "But I am a bit bothered I'm the only one on the team without a Duelist Arm. I heard from Spike that one of the dragon knights that revived created the Duelist Arms." "So are you thinking of seeking him out to forge your own?" Twilight asked as she directed her gaze to Nightfall's suit of hi-tech armor. "Nightfall, I don't think you really need to do that. Your armor is something you've poured your heart into." She then tightened her hold on Nightfall. "The last time you overhauled it, we both put so much work into its upgrades. Those were some of my favorite moments. You don't need a Duelist Arm of your own to be a hero. Besides, you'll always be my knight in shining armor." "You know, the sparkle in your eyes is really infectious." Nightfall chuckled as he rose from his seat. "I think I've been inside for a good while. Care to go on a lunch date?" "I'd love to." Twilight smiled lovingly. However, her smile faltered when she heard Nightfall's computer beeping! "Uh, you didn't have anything scheduled for right now, did you?" "No. No I didn't!" Nightfall immediately picked up his computer, and saw the alert icon for the sensor he'd activated a little while back that would alert them to any threats to Unity! "But it looks like I'll need to take a raincheck all the same! There's trouble in Castalot!" "You go and suit up." Twilight said as she powered up her magic! "I'll teleport over to see what's going on, and try to keep it contained so no civilians get caught in the crossfire!" In a flash of magic, Twilight was whisked away to Castalot! "Well, who am I to refuse a command from my princess?" Nightfall thought out loud as he equipped his armor! Blasting off towards Castalot thanks to his rocket boots! When he arrived on the scene, Nightfall's eyes widened behing the visor of his helmet! An army of robots was marching through the streets of Castalot! "Looks like I'm not the only one who's a bit of a tinkerer." Nightfall landed immediately, and set to work dismantling the marching mechs! While Twilight crushed, hurled, and blew apart the robots with her magic, Nightfall sent out two barrier drones to quarantinve the combat zone! "Looks like another one of my new gadgets are doing their job." Nightfall said as he fired a strident blast from his suit's hands! "Now to take another new toy for a test drive!" Nightfall flicked his wrist, and a lase blade ingited from his wrist! Wasting no time, Nightfall cut the mechs down to scrap metal! However, he and Twilight soon had unwelcome company in the fight. "Castalot is under our jurisdiction." Blitz Surge announced sternly as he effortlessly walked through the army of robots! Cutting them down without a care! "And right now, you are infringing upon the Lancers' territory." "And if we'd waited for you and your gang to show up, some civilians could have been hurt!" Nightfall snapped in response as he sliced apart another robot! "If you're such a great 'hero', then why'd you show up only after everyone thought Burst was gone for good?!" "I was waiting to get involved when things were at their worst." Blitz replied calmly. "My brother's departure just so happened to fit within that category." "Don't give me that!" Nightfall cried out as he fought his way through another squad of robots! "That doesn't excuse you sitting out! Just hearing you say that proves you're no hero! You would've let evil triumph just to make yourself look more heroic?! If Burst was here right now, he'd deck you hard!" "And yet he's playing catch-up in high school right now." Blitz remarked as he sent out an energy slash at the mechs marching towards him! "It appears that my brother is a slacker in addition to being a false hero." "Watch yourself, Blitz." Twilight warned. "You forget, I could use my authority to get you and the Lancers benched again. Or have you gone stir-crazy from your last suspension and don't care?" "But Princess Twilight, I haven't lifted a finger against you and your companion." Blitz Surge smirked. "In fact, I'm starting to feel a bit threatened by your behavior. I just might have to defend mysel-" "You're not getting an inch closer to her." Nightfall said coldly as he broke off from the robots he was engaging to stare down Blitz Surge! "And even if you do, it'll be over my corpse!" "A knight protecting his princess, eh?" Blitz Surge chuckled. "It seems we have something in common, Nightfall Silver. Perhaps there is a place mong the Lancers for you after all. We could use some good tech support." "Not on your life." Nightfall snapped. "Besides, I can clearly tell by who you've accepted that your team's junk. Kinda like these robots Twilight and I have been scrapping." "So you show yourself again, Nightfall Silver!" A voice broadcasted from the drone observing the fight! The combatants turned their attention to the drone hovering above the battleground! "This is the second time you've wrecked my plans!" "That voice. . . " Nightfall said in realization. "Hax! You're the one that sent out these robots to attack?!" "You bet I did!" Hax screeched into his microphone back at his basement! "This was supposed to be payback for the science fair all those years ago!" "You've got a grudge against me for an accident you caused?!" Nightfall retorted! "Hax, the robot that you built would've destroyed the school! If I hadn't stopped it, people could've gotten hurt or killed!" "And because you stopped my creation, you prevented me from evaluating the true capability of my genius!" Hax spat back! "Today makes the second time you've wrecked something of my creation!" "Yeah, well, it's been nice catching up with you, too." Nightfall quipped dryly. "In fact, I'll be paying you a face-to-face visit soon. This little chat's given me enough time to trace your call. You always were reckless, even when we were students at Castalot Prep all those years ago." "GAH!" Hax screamed as he recalled his drone and slammed his keyboard in rage! "It's HIS fault I'm in my current position. . . " And he immediately set about frantically packing whatever was lying around. "It appears that the perpetrator still walks freely." Blitz Surge scoffed before glaring at Nightfall. "If you'd kindly divulge Hax's whereabouts, I'll personally see to it that he faces justice." "Are going to put him in a cell, or in the ground?" Nightfall asked coldly. ". . . Let's just say he has to live with the consequences." Blitz Surge scowled before Nightfall provided the address of Hax's whereabouts. The leader of the Lancers teleporting right into Hax's lab! "Hello, Hax. Despite your choice of lifestyle, you seem to be one who is up-to-date with the current state of affairs." "Y-You're Blitz Surge. The leader of the Lancers." Hax shook in place as he noticed Blitz calmly clutching his katana! "T-Take me in, but don't kill me!" "Kill you?" Blitz smirked. "Why would I kill you when you sought out justice today?" Seeing Hax's surprised reaction, Blitz began to stroll around the basement Hax called home. "You have great talent, Hax, and it has been constricted and denounced by those who have wronged you. But me? I see what you could offer." "Go on. . . " Hax requested. "The Lancers are indeed a formidable group." Blitz Surge began. "However, we are fewer in number than the Elements of Heroism. Good help is so hard to find these days. So," Blitz picked up the head of one of Hax's robots. "Why not make it instead? Besides, we could use some to help give us a cutting edge." ". . . Is this a job offer?" Hax asked. "You could say that." Blitz chuckled darkly. "And as a chance to prove yourself superior to Nightfall Silver." "Where do I sign up?" Hax asked with a malicious grin! "You've already made your allegiance known." Blitz smirked. "And I have a few designs in mind for the army you'll forge for us. . . "