Shy and Aggressive: Book 2

by Johng117

Chapter 30: Reinforcements

Malicia stood before a door. It was late evening, thus most of the staff in the citadel had turned in for the night. She herself should have been in bed, but her slumber was ruined because of a nightmare.

The girl had decided to seek the warmth of her parents for comfort. Navigating the dark vast halls to their room was already a challenge in itself for courage. But, she had made it. As young Malicia was about to knock on the door, she heard what seemed to be moans of pain. Her mother was crying out.

Malicia's heart raced in her chest, as the haunting sound filled the air. She dreaded what was happening on the other side. She couldn't hear her father, which made her fear worse.

Unable to take the mystery anymore, Malicia began to quietly open the door. Just a crack. Whatever was happening, the young royal had to ensure that she didn't draw attention to herself.

Malicia began to peer through the crack. While it was dark, her eyesight quickly adjusted. What she saw nearly caused the child to scream. She found her mother pinned to the bed by a man that wasn't her father. The woman's cries grew louder, as she was thrashed forward and back on the bed. Malicia trembled as she saw the look on the man's face. She couldn't describe it. But she imagined it was how predators looked at their prey. Malicia couldn't see what exactly this man was doing, but he was clearly putting her mother into a lot of pain, to the point that blood rushed to her face. This fiend had even removed the lovely silk pajamas that she often saw her mother wore to bed.

During this, Malicia wondered where her father was. Did this horrible man harm him?

Malicia took notice of a man, his back facing her line of sight. From his height, and his hair, she recognized him as her father. He didn't appeared harmed, but like her mother, he too was naked. All Malicia heard were pants and grunts from the man, as he watched as her mother was attacked. Malicia couldn't comprehend what she saw. But, something inside told her that this was wrong.

Of course it was wrong. Her father was allowing this man to hurt her mother. Why wasn't he protecting her? Why?

Malicia's eyes opened. She was staring up at the ceiling. She heard a yawn, prompting her to find a naked man to be stirring. It was one of her 'love' servants. Love. Malicia made a mental note to come up with a different name for the role.

The empress rose out of bed and began to wrap a robe around her own naked body.

"Did I please you, your majesty?" asked the man, with a seductive grin. Malicia began to adjust her hair, not paying him any mind.

"You were adequate," said Malicia. Though honestly, that was a lie. This man may have been the worse she's ever lied with. But, she didn't care enough to give an honest critique.

"Be gone. I have much to do," said Malicia, waving her hand dismissively.

Malicia spent the morning going about her usual routine. First, a hefty breakfast to get her through the first half of the day. Next was meeting with her generals for the war. Then there was the meeting with the Lords of this city to decide which laws to pass or repeal. Many otherwise boring tasks filled her day. There wasn't much to look forward to as of late. What with ceasing her attendance to the gladiatorial games, but she at least had one thing that she looked forward to after a long day of work these days. But even in between hours of tasks, Malicia took the opportunity to indulge in her special guest. Or prisoner was a more accurate term.

Malicia made her way down to the bowels of her citadel. She ventured towards the single dungeon that she locked this special prisoner in. It was perfect. Being hidden away from any sight of the sky and sunlight. A small confined room, that is often cold and lonely to the inhabitant. Just the perfect conditions to break someone, and this guest may have been close.

Malicia stopped at the door, where she slid a panel back. Through the slot, she found Junior to be lying on his side on the ground. His body was covered in the darkness.

"What do you want?" asked Junior, his back facing the Empress.

"I came to talk," said Malicia.

"I have nothing to say to you. You have me now, so just leave me alone," said Junior, his tone mellow.

"You might want to hear what I have to say," said Malicia. Junior kept his back turned to her. He had no intention on paying this woman any mind. He'd rather just rot down here with no contact with anyone for the rest of his life. If it meant that he never had to see her face or hear her voice ever again.

"Eventually, I intend to have your full cooperation. I leave you here to settle and accept the reality of your situation. But that doesn't mean that you don't have the ability to... let's say, 'graduate' in status," said Malicia.

"I don't want status," said Junior. Malicia sighed in exasperation.

"You don't want status, you don't want women, and I doubt you care for money at this point. What is it that you want? I'll grant your wish, so long as it doesn't involve breaking our deal, or the end of your life," said Malicia, a hand on her hip, while she remained close to the view slot. Though as she thought of it, that didn't leave a whole lot of options for the boy. At this point, she was throwing whatever at the wall to ensure that her plans weren't endangered.

"How don't I know that you won't just have me impregnate you and kill me when I'm no longer useful?" asked Junior.

"You don't. But I promise you that you'll have more purpose here with me, compared to your world," said Malicia. Junior scoffed.

"Purpose." Junior said to himself. The empress suddenly entered the room. She looked down at the boy, who remained on the ground, sulking.

"Isn't that what you yearn for? Meaning to your miserable existence? Your empty life."

"I don't care." Junior muttered.

"Oh yes it is. It's so pitiful that it makes me sick," scoffed Malicia. Junior didn't respond.

"All of that power is squandered by a scared child who hates his own self. I thought that I could make use of you here. But you're not even worth my time," said Malicia, kneeling close to the boy. She made certain that her voice trailed directly to his ear, so that no words were lost.

"You're just an insolent child. You have no freedom nor worth. Don't delude yourself," said Malicia. As she spoke, Junior began to lightly tremble in place.

"Those people never loved you. They only loved the entertaining violence that you brought. You have no talents. You are a killer," said Malicia. Junior began to hold his head, as Malicia leaned closer. She suddenly felt a growing anger beginning to rise from deep inside. It didn't come from out of nowhere. It was the kind of anger that had been around for as long as she could remember. Malicia began to tremble herself.

"You are nothing!" Malicia yelled. The empress was breathing heavily, and the boy remained silent. Malicia held a hand to her throat, a pale look on her face. For a moment, she swore that another person's voice was speaking through her. She hardened her expression. Malicia grabbed Junior by his neck and forced him to look her way. Junior met her with a cold look, but appeared to show signs of struggling as the air was cut from his throat.

"You. Will. Be. Mine." Malicia growled.

---

Meanwhile...

The dungeon was cold and dark as usual. In spite of the atmosphere that threatened to crush their spirits, the Rescue Team endured. Though Inoue was another story.

As of now, the prisoners were now spread out into different cells. The adults were still separated from the children, though the teens were now divided and locked up in cells once occupied by other prisoners. Their fates are unknown. This was to allow more room for the cells. While prisoners, the Dogomites intended these ones to be alive as long as possible. This includes granting them more space as to reduce potential of infections. At least that's what they gathered, when Maximilian joked up prisoners dying of 'excessive waste' from a bug some time back.

"Come on, think. We have to think of a way to get the remote back," said Aiko.

"First we need to figure out how the hell we're gonna get out of these cells," said Baragon. Inoue shook her head.

"What does it matter? There's no way we'll survive," said Inoue, her tone filled with defeat.

"What was that?" questioned Aiko.

"We've been hoodwinked. The base was taken over by Purists and Revolutionaries. The DT Archway is compromised," said Inoue, sitting against the wall. Everyone bore incredulous looks. Though some, mainly Koizumi and Aiko, appeared skeptical.

"Kid, I think that whatever those guys did to you may be messing with your head," said Koizumi. Inoue glared at him.

"It's the truth!" said Inoue.

The dungeon door suddenly opened. The prisoners found a group of guards to be marching in with three familiar individuals. Scar, Dreadnought and Adrian. The three Purists were forced into a cell, near the adults. They were met with looks of shock.

"Wow. Small world," said Rodan to himself.

"Hmph. At least they're where they belong. In cages," said Rarity with disdain.

"Too bad we have to be in the same dungeon," said Sunset.

"Hey, it looks like your little alliance with the Dogomites back fired," said Koizumi with a smirk.

"God, shut up." Adrian sighed. She noticed Battra in the cell next to her. With only bars separating them.

"What happened to your teeth?" asked Battra incredulously. He had just noticed the gummy surface within the woman's mouth as she spoke. Adrian growled, her expression having darkened.

"If I had my full strength, I'd strangle you right now," said Adrian. Battra met her with a casual shrug.

"Well, you'd save me from another torture session with Kenra," said Battra. Adrian's expression soured at the casual response. Just this bastard acting friendly with her made her sick.

"Hey, do us a favor and strangle yourself so you can spare us from your bigotry," said Aiko. Scar hardened his eyes as he turned to meet the woman's eyes.

"You're just as torturous as those Dogomites," remarked Scar.

"Hey Riku, how about you pipe down? You're the reason we're in this mess," said Koizumi. Aiko recoiled.

"Wha-"

"Maybe if you'd stick with the plan that we had, and not attacked an old geezer with a breathing problem, we'd be home by now!" said Koizumi. Aiko glared at the sergeant.

"Hey! You are out of line, sergeant! You best watch it!" said Aiko.

"Oh what? You gonna court martial me? Or maybe you'll pull a gun on me like you did with your fucking kid!" said Koizumi. Aiko gasped, her face growing red with rage.

"Koizumi, I swear to Christ!" Aiko growled.

"I get that we have duties and shit, but my God," said Koizumi, shaking his head. Angirasu scoffed.

"Yeah, 'duties'. You guys can't even keep down a few terrorists, let alone treat a mutant like it isn't a ticking time bomb," said Angirasu.

"Speaking of terrorists, you guys are lousy at keeping to your 'non mutant' philosophy when you go after a bunch of high school students!" said Rainbow.

"Yeah, how many non-mutants that you guys try to 'protect' get killed because of your actions?" demanded Twilight.

"And why is MONARCH only focused on Revolutionaries? People are more likely to get killed during a Purist's rampage," said Rarity.

"God, you guys just remind me how I've pretty much been afraid of both MONARCH and the Purists for most of life. And I'm sick of it!" said Manda.

The entire dungeon suddenly escalated into a loud argument. Everyone on every side yelled at each other. The arguments became mostly incoherent. The only ones silent were the denizens of Equescidar, who were forced to listen to the discord.

"I miss being alone in the dungeon," said Callous in dismay.

The argument ceased as an insanely loud laugh filled the air. Maximilian stood in the doorway of the dungeon, with Megaguirus at his side. Both villains had vile looks of amusement.

"Oh look! The children are fighting again!" said Max. The two villains approached the cells.

"What the hell do you want?" growled Aiko.

"Just to make sure that you guys are still alive after our torture session. I'm sure glad that you are!" Max giggled manically. Megaguirus then turned to the Purists.

"Hey, is your mouth feeling better?" chuckled Megaguirus. Adrian's eyes widened.

"Who the hell are you?" Asked Dreadnought, cocking a brow. Megaguirus giggled.

"Maybe if I had a deeper, husky voice, you'd recognize me," said Megaguirus with a smirk.

"What?" asked Dreadnought, puzzled. Megaguirus sighed, holding a hand to her hip. A metallic harness was worn. From the harness, a mechanical scorpion-like tail swayed.

"That's just like Stinger's weapon. Where is he?! What did Malicia do with him?!" demanded Scar. Megaguirus broke into hysterical laughter. Scar and Dreadnought met each other with odd looks.

"What's so funny?" asked Scar, narrowing his eyes.

"This is Stinger! You've been duped, Scarface!" cackled Max.

"Bullshit," scoffed Dreadnought.

"How about I grab your neck again? See if that convinces ya," said Megaguirus, popping her fingers. She had a cold look in her eyes. Dreadnought felt a familiar chill in his spine as he gazed into the woman's red irises. These eyes were indeed familiar.

"Oh shit. It is Stinger!" said Dreadnought, slack jawed.

"It's Megaguirus, hun." Megaguirus corrected.

"You were a chick the whole time?! But... How?!" exclaimed Dreadnought.

"No. No, no! You're lying! Stinger was a loyal man! He had been one of the few who had been by my side for years! We killed mutant crime syndicates and even Revolutionaries together!" said Scar. He was enraged. The audacity of this woman to slander a valuable comrade in his moments of failure as a leader. Megaguirus sighed.

"You'd be surprised with what you can pull off by binding breasts and wearing magical garbs designed to create a convincing illusion," said Megaguirus.

"Then you did something with the real Stinger! I swear, I'll-" Scar grabbed the bars with a snarl.

"Scar, don't you get it? There was never a Stinger! It was a mask I wore to keep an eye on you. Every moment we interacted, it was me," said Megaguirus. Scar narrowed his eyes.

"Just who the hell are you? Who are you working for?" demanded Scar.

"The same man you're working for," said Megaguirus with a smirk.

"I know you." Adrian suddenly spoke. Megaguirus turned to meet Adrian's gaze. The Purist looked to have been in shock.

"Oh? Well you have to refresh my memory. I've ran into a lot of people," said Megaguirus.

"You're the mutant who killed my family," said Adrian. Scar and Dreadnought bore looks of shock. The Rescue Team who had been listening were no less surprised themselves.

"Ah now it's coming back. My, you've grown to be a pretty thing," said Megaguirus, a malicious smile growing on her face. Adrian felt herself beginning to tremble. She thought that she would be able to express some kind of rage at this person. But, she only felt a growing sense of dread.

"All this time... You were right there..." said Adrian.

"No. No, now I'm certain that you're lying! Why would a mutant- How could Crimson-" Scar was interrupted as Max cackled. His laughter was chilling, like a clichéd manic villain from a comic book.

"Crimson knows, Scar. In fact, he's the reason why we're here," said Megaguirus. Scar's eyes widened.

"The Purists and Revolutionaries have the same master. Always have," said Megaguirus. Senior gasped.

"Stop lying! You would know that the Purists belonged to a group comprised of human and mutant couples whose children suffered from ailments and died! It wasn't until after that Revolutionaries started terrorizing the streets that..." Scar trailed off. Megaguirus smirked.

"You just realized something, didn't you?" asked Megaguirus.

"What?" asked Dreadnought.

"Do you know what's profitable? War. You can gain money, land, influence and political power with it. Crimson knew this. And he knew that you need soldiers for a war. And you reap more benefits if you can control multiple parties in a war," said Megaguirus as she began to lean against a wall.

"To start, Crimson needed people who were broken and 'evacuated'. If you have that, then you can have them march into a town and indiscriminately kill anyone in sight," said Megaguirus. Scar began to shudder. The mutant's words were beginning to trigger old memories. His days in Solgell, where he was met with horrors that others like him faced. Then, he recalled his days returning to civilian life. How he struggled to adapt. He was on the verge of ending his own life. Then, he remembered a call he received, promising him vengeance. But, he never took that offer. Not until his beloved Roxanne had died.

"The Revolutionaries were the perfect catalyst to create two factions in a new war. MONARCH and the Purists. These human centered factions both share a personal vendetta, but they still oppose each other. Both came to be in response to the war in Solgell and her neighboring islands. But the Purists were much easier to control when they comprised of a bunch of pissed off and broken Vets that hijacked the name from a group of parents who were sad that their children died," said Megaguirus in a mock pout.

"The hell? That's not where the Purists came from!" scoffed Rainbow.

"No, she's right," interjected Miwa, drawing everyone's attention.

"I remember that there was a group of people who thought it was better to keep mutants and non mutants separated because of health risks to the mother and child," said Miwa, appearing gloomy. "I started looking into them when Junior started having health issues."

"Mrs. Takeshi." Fluttershy's eyes widened.

"Anyway. Crimson kept to the shadows. He had the early Purists take on mutant crime syndicates that plagued your town, Scar. But, they were merely competition to his plans. With them out of the way, and the fear of vigilantes killing mutants, things were falling to place. To guarantee more soldiers for this war, there had to be more trauma," said Megaguirus, locking her eyes dead with Scar. The man felt his heart sink.

"Roxanne..." Megaguirus met him with a smirk. Adrian suddenly dropped to her knees, her eyes running with tears. Max began to cackle, as Megaguirus joined in.

"What a hilarious twist! All this time, MONARCH, Purists and the Revolutionaries inflicted a viscous cycle on each other for years! Not knowing that it was one mutant who was playing everyone for his own scheme!" said Max with a crazed look in his eyes.

"It's as you say. Life's a big joke." Megaguirus began to settle down. She leered at Adrian, who cowered before her.

"Everything that you worked and lived for was for nothing," said Megaguirus. She then turned to the Rescue Team.

"The same goes for all of you. Everything you believed and everything you fought for was all built on lies. Give up. Abandon all hope. Because it's not there," said Megaguirus, tauntingly.

"You're wrong."

Megaguirus turned to find Battra rising to his feet. A defiant look was on his face.

"We may have been deceived. There may be forces that we don't understand. But even in the darkest times, there's always hope. And when people are united under a common goal as we are, we can do anything," said Battra. Megaguirus bore a neutral expression. She then cracked a malicious smile.

“You know, your parents said those exact same words to me. And they were wrong. Dead wrong."

Battra gasped. The words just stuck to him, playing in his mind in an endless loop. He then began to recall the sight of his late parents, and the desecration of his childhood home, where a skull was marked. Then, he began to recall the words that Megaguirus kept repeating. Trauma. Control.

Battra's breathing hastened. His eyes began to flicker violet, as sparks barely managed to start. He is unable to control his power. Both out of his chaotic state and these chains attempting to keep his power down. This began to take a toll on the young mutant. He groaned before collapsing to the ground.

"BATTRA!" cried Mosura. Megaguirus merely shrugged before walking out of the dungeon.

"I'd love to stick around and laugh at your meaningless lives, but I have to make some appointments. But I have a special appointment planned for you, young Riku~" Maximilian giggled. Aiko snarled as she grabbed the bars to her cell. The mad dentist cackled as he left the prisoners alone to allow the revelation to sink in.

"You mean... We've all been falling for a trick?" asked Manda, appearing shaken.

"Like I said. We've been hoodwinked," said Inoue, her tone melancholic.

The silence was pierced by heavy breathing. Everyone took notice of Scar to be violently trembling as he stood at the door of his cell. He began to mutter to himself.

"All this time. All this time. All this time." Scar repeated over and over. He recalled every decision that he made. Every action that he took. All of it was because of a lie.

"Scar?" Dreadnought called hesitantly.

Scar suddenly dropped to his knees, clutching his head. He let out a primal scream of anguish that echoed through the dungeon, startling everyone. He then fell over on the ground, beginning to weep. His weeps escalated to giggles. Those giggles grew into laughs of hysteria. Everyone just watched, as this man broke down before their very eyes. His manic laughter carried through the halls of the citadel.

---

[

b]Equestria

By now, the military base that housed the DT Archway had been completely overtaken. Both Revolutionary and Purist have asserted their dominion over the entirety of the base.

Xenjira gazed upon the distant city that had been attacked the day before. Things had gotten more tense since then. The mutant began to head back inside of the base, where he passed men clad in the armor of MONARCH. In fact, he spotted many others as well. Since the capture of the base, the Revolutionaries and Purists took on the uniforms of the soldiers to pose as MONARCH personnel as to keep up appearances, though they wouldn't be able to keep this charade up for too long. They will need to reconnect communication and act as though the base is running as normal, especially when the current Director was in. How long until someone outside will begin to take notice?

Xenjira soon made his way to the brig. He found the cells to be crowded with several surviving soldiers and other personnel. In one smaller cell, Hayato Yoshi sat alone. He sat against the cell wall in silence, as the Xenjira stood before the window. Xenjira knocked on the glass, catching the man's attention.

"How's it feel to be locked up in a cage?" asked Xenjira. Hayato sighed.

"Well, it's a rotten way to go," said Hayato. His voice crackled as it traveled through the speaker to bypass the sound proof cell.

"Now you know how it feels to be thrown into the Vault, while the Purists run off scot free," said Xenjira, coldly. He leaned against the cell with a tired sigh.

"That's how it's always been when it comes to institutions like yours. You never protect the real victims. You persecute them. You never protect those like me when we needed you. Not when they came for me. Not when they came for my mother," said Xenjira, reminiscing what he had been through throughout his years.

"You can't even protect the ones you swore to. It's just empty words and promises, guided by false hopes. Even with the old guard gone, with you at its place, nothing has changed," said Xenjira. Yoshi stared down at the floor, briefly closing his eyes.

"Takeshi-"

"That's not my name. Never call me that," said Xenjira, his eyes burning with hate. Hayato briefly paused.

"Have you ever read The Jungle Book?" asked Hayato. Xenjira cocked a brow at the man's off topic question.

"What the hell does a Disney movie have to do with what I just said?"

Hayato briefly chuckled in amusement.

"I'm referencing the original book. Not the Disney movie. In the original story, the tiger sets up a coup to overthrow the leader of the wolf pack by making him look weak. The tiger promised to give the lesser members of the pack more food than their previous leader ever did. But in truth, the tiger had his own agenda," said Hayato.

"Where are you going with this?" questioned Xenjira, impatiently.

"There are people who side with the Purists who believe that they'll be protected from hostile Transmutants. Some Transmutants siding with the Revolutionaries believe that they'll be protected from hostile non-mutants. But in reality, neither care about those who support them. All they care for is their own gain," said Hayato. He then looked Xenjira dead in the eye, with confidence and unflinching resolve that Xenjira had seen in few.

"Destoroyah doesn't care about you. You're just a means to an end for him," said Hayato. Xenjira merely scoffed.

"Like I'd listen to the word of a foolish man who reads foolish fairy tales. You don't know what my life has been like. I've learned to adapt," said Xenjira as he turned to leave, but he found Destoroyah to be standing in the doorway of the brig, just barely able to stand. Xenjira would never get used to the grotesque appearance of this man. The way his human flesh parted and only left a scarlet carapace to cover what may have once been wounds or how his beady yellow eyes stared with little sign of humanity. Sharp fangs that protruded from the left and more grotesque side of his face.

"There's to be a big battle tomorrow, Young Yamada. I'll be leaving soon to gather my troops. I leave you, Natas and Lucien in charge," said Destoroyah. Xenjira wasn't fond of the idea of having to stay with two men who were apparently Purists. But, if Destoroyah trusted them, then that may put him at ease a bit.

"Understood," said Xenjira. Hayato's eyes widened. He quickly stood and rushed to the cell window.

"Wait! What are you planning?!" exclaimed Hayato. Destoroyah merely gave a devilish smirk before turning to leave, with Xenjira following in suite.

After seeing Destoroyah off, Xenjira wandered back to the hangar bay. Here, he noticed that members of the 'Defected' Purists and some of the stronger Revolutionaries were lined up in front of the portal.

"You know your orders. Follow them to the latter. Now move," said Lucien, pointing to the DT portal, which swirled as normal. The Purists and Revolutionaries began to make their way through the portal, disappearing from sight.

"What's going on?" asked Xenjira, making his way to Lucien and Natas, who watched the portal.

"This particular group is going on a small recon mission to warm up for the coming battle," said Natas.

'Just what kind of battle is Destoroyah gearing for?' thought Xenjira.

"You just sent out some of the strongest mutants we brought to God knows where," said Xenjira, pointing to the portal, incredulous. "How long until MONARCH wises up to this base and sends in a battalion?"

"Relax. Destoroyah will come back with more Transmutants. Stronger ones compared to the ones we had moments ago," said Natas in reassurance.

"Just what is this upcoming battle that I'm hearing about? Who is it that we're going to be fighting against?" asked Xenjira.

"We'll be fighting the whole world," said Natas. Xenjira felt a sudden churn in his stomach. That answer wasn't one who took well.

"What? You're not being literal are you?" asked Xenjira.

"Don't worry. It'll be just like the time you murdered those two men on camera," said Natas.

"Those were Purist supporters. Hell, they were pretty much fledgling Purists given their history," retorted Xenjira.

"It doesn't make a difference. Whether it's human, mutant, MONARCH, Purist... Everyone deserves death," said Natas coldly. Xenjira took a step back, discomfort rising from this man's words. There was no way that he was serious. He had to be kidding. Maybe he was just exaggerating, thought Xenjira.

"Right. A-Anyway, even if Destoroyah comes back with more men, we still won't stand against the full military might of MONARCH," said Xenjira.

"Have you forgotten about the portal?" asked Natas. Xenjira's stomach was in knots, turning his attention to the portal.

"You'd be wise to just follow Destoroyah's orders, instead of questioning them."

Xenjira immediately thought back to Hayato's words. He might have been right after all. The mutant now began to dread just what he had gotten himself into.

---

Equescidar...

Kenra stood against a wall in silence. She twirled her pistol in her grip. Sigyn stood, filing her nails with a sigh. She then perked up as the sound of the portal before them began to distort.

From the portal, the group of Purist Defectors and Revolutionaries emerged from the portal. They began to eye their surroundings in fascination.

"Bout time," said Kenra, before placing her pistol back into her holster.

"Welcome to Equescidar, gentlemen," greeted Sigyn.

"Damn. Check out this nice piece of ass," whispered a Purist.

"What's with the ears?" whispered another Purist.

"Now, would you 'Purists' be kind as to follow my colleague, Kenra? She will escort you to theTtraining Hall to set you up. As for the 'Revolutionaries', follow me to see her majesty for an alliance of sorts," said Sigyn.

"Alright enough gawking boys. Let's move," said Kenra, sternly. She began to lead the Purists away.

"Lucky muties..." muttered a Purist in annoyance. The men were led by Kenra to their destination. They found themselves in a great room, filled with training equipment. From weights, to punching bags, to hay filled dummies, and weapons on racks. In the room, the saw a feminine figure clad in armor that resembled Dogomite armor.

"Alexandra, they're here," called Kenra. The woman and turned to face the men with a smirk. On her breastplate was an emblem that was reminiscent of the Purist insignia.

"So you're the one we're supposed to meet?" asked one of the men.

"What's with the getup?" asked another.

"Oh this? I just got a new gig. Still killin' muties," chuckled Alexandra.

"Gods, that word sucks," said Kenra to herself.

"What the hell are you guys doin' here anyway? Kenra mentioned I'd be getting visitors," said Alexandra.

"Crimson found out about your predicament. He sent us as a rescue party," said one of the men.

"Finally! I can now get out of this hell hole!" said Alexandra in relief.

"We were told that Scar and a few others were with you. Where are they?" asked one of the men.

"Ah. Them? Well, it seemed that Scar wasn't able to cut it with his so called 'leadership'. Dumb bastard was starting to turn. So, I had to make an executive decision and bring him down," said Alexandra.

"I see. That's unfortunate. Crimson won't be happy to hear that. But, he might be pleased to hear of you. Your loyalty may gain you favor with him. Hell, maybe even Scar's position as second in command," said one of the men. Alexandra grinned.

"You think so?! Well, I mean... it's about time my devotion to the cause is recognized," said Alexandra, smugly.

Kenra was fascinated how this woman didn't think to question how these men were able to locate her, let alone how this 'Crimson' character was able to know that she was marooned to this world. But, she seemed to be blinded by her ego, especially now that one of these Purists seemed to be feeding it.

"Hey, save the celebration for later. You still owe me a mission to be done. Kill the one they call The Oracle," said Kenra.

"Right, right. Kill another Mutie. But I got a request before I go," said Alexandra.

Meanwhile

...

The dungeon was cold and dark as usual. But, it was far from quiet.

Aside from Rainbow's futile attempt to bust free from the cell that confined her and her friends, Inoue was in the middle of conversing. Surprisingly, to the now imprisoned Purists.

"So you're saying that this... alternate version of MONARCH is somehow involved with the Dogomites. And that some organization called The Shadow's Hand is what's pulling the strings, and their goal is to take over the world?" asked Adrian.

"Yeah, that sums it up," answered Inoue.

"Jesus. That's a lot to take in. It's so unbelievable, yet..." Adrian growled. The sound of the dungeon door being opened snapped the woman out of her train of thought.

Alexandra entered the dungeon, with a troupe of Purists flanking her. Adrian hardened her expression.

"Oh great. This bitch again," scoffed Dreadnought. Scar leaned against the wall of his cell, not acknowledging the presence of the new Purists.

"The hell? There's more of you guys here?!" asked Koizumi.

"Heh. This is fitting. Muties in cages. Like the animals you are," said Alexandra, looking to the cells with disdain. Everyone met her with glares.

"What do you want?" asked Adrian, harshly.

"I just wanted to see how you guys are settling in. You know, Crimson sent us a rescue party? But, it looks like I'll be the only one returning home. But I'm not sore about it. In fact, I may be a shoe in for your position, Scar," said Alexandra, tauntingly. Scar said nothing.

"If all goes well, I can keep climbing the pyramid. Hell, I can even be the top dog who calls the shots for all of the Purists!" laughed Alexandra. Adrian snarled, while Dreadnought gritted his teeth.

"It doesn't matter. Nothing matters," said Scar, his tone mellow. All eyes fell on him. He coldly stared at the stone ground, appearing to have lost all energy. It was like staring at a corpse.

"Everything is a lie," said Scar. Alexandra snorted.

"The hell are you talking about, old man?" asked Alexandra.

"The Revolutionaries were running the Purists. From the beginning, they've used us for their own gain," said Scar. The Purists behind Alexandra remained stoic, but shared glances. Alexandra hardened her eyes. She slammed her hand against the cell.

"You better watch it! Don't put that bullshit in anyone's head! If I still hadn't have an ounce of respect for you, I'd kill you now for putting doubt in our cause!" said Alexandra.

"Cause? You're just a pawn in a bigger game. Just like I was. I'm telling you this because I want you all to turn away from this life before its too late," said Scar.

"God, these mutie loving pussies polluted your mind! Did their bleeding hearts of treating these monsters as equals finally break you?!" shouted Alexandra, angrily. Scar bitterly chuckled as he made his way to the bars.

"Honestly, I wish they did a long time ago," said Scar, without an ounce of hesitation. Alexandra looked at the man, appalled. The sight of him was sickening. This was certainly not the same man she worked for.

"We're leaving," said Alexandra, before storming off. The rest of the Purists followed in suite. However, one stopped, before turning to face the man.

"You shouldn't spread rumors like that, Scar. You wouldn't want to end up like Roxanne... Would you?" The Purist smiled as he raised his hand, which morphed into a reptilian claw, structured almost like a scorpion's. Scar felt a jolt of emotions inside him. Adrian gasped in shock, while Dreadnought recoiled.

The 'Purist' chuckled wickedly, before leaving Scar to sink further into despair.

---

Later that Day...

Alexandra was standing tall in the middle of a jungle. She turned to find her team of Purists to be joining her side. All the while, a platoon of Dogomites assembled. A soldier approached her.

"This is the place?" asked Alexandra. She found herself staring into a dip, large hole in the middle of the jungle. A primitive lift remained present.

"We've confirmed it based on rumors and the observation of Lady Sigyn's familiar. This is where the Oracle dwells," said the soldier. Alexandra rolled her neck.

"Alright. Move in," said Alexandra. The soldier nodded before turning to face the other Dogomites.

"Let's move out!" said the soldier. The Dogomites scrambled to the edges of the hole. They began to secure rope, which they used to climb down into the unknown territory. Alexandra sighed.

"Problem?" asked a Purist.

"Just pissed. But, this will lighten up my mood," said Alexandra, before loading up her rifle.

The Purists and Dogomites soon descended down to the aquifer. The subterranean lair of the Oracle was filled with loud hissing. Water splashing echoed out into this deep cavern.

"The hell is that sound?" asked Alexandra.

"Giga Boas," said a Dogomite soldier in dread.

"Stand fast. For we are prepared for this battle," said a soldier.

"Servants of Malicia..." a deep, feminine voice growled. Everyone froze, searching for the source of the voice.

"I knew that you'd come. Have you come to kill me?" asked the voice.

"You the Oracle?" called Alexandra.

"I am." The voice responded in a growl.

"Then you're the mutie we're looking for. Come out now and we'll make it quick!" said Alexandra. The Oracle chuckled.

"If Malicia feels the need to slay other Demi-Titans, then she is a bigger coward than I thought," said the Oracle, as the sound of rocks falling filled the air. Landing in the water below the ancient bridge that the soldiers stood on.

"I will only warn you once. Leave my domain now, or die," said the Oracle. Alexandra raised her rifle.

"Come out, freak!" shouted Alexandra. There was a moment of silence. Everyone scanned their surroundings, in search of their target.

"So be it," said the Oracle.

From the edges of the bridge, multiple Giga Boas rose up. The soldiers gave panicked cries as they attempted to flee. They were crushed or eaten whole by the great serpents.

"ATTACK!!" A soldier shouted, as he swung his sword at a nearby serpent, which was beginning to slither onto the great stone bridge. Other soldiers did the same. They stabbed and slashed at the creatures that attempted to climb over. However, there were too many giga boas to handle at once. They ate and killed any soldier that may have been distracted handling another.

Some soldiers, clad in robes and lighter armor, began to summon their magic. They launched beams that forced the serpents back. They created flames from their magic, freezing streams of frost, and lightning bolts.

Meanwhile, the Purists were firing off their more modern weaponry at the creatures. Bullets tore through scales and muscle with ease.

"Sending in the pets to fight! Where is the bitch?!" shouted Adrian.

From the ceiling, a great grey serpentine dragon dropped down on great stones near the bridge. The dragon snarled and furrowed her brows.

"Right here," hissed the Oracle. She screeched as she lunged from her rock. Her forelimbs reached out and allowed her to land on the bridge, cutting off the exit. The Purists began to fire off their weapons at the Oracle. The bullets managed to penetrate the hide of the Oracle, but did little damage.

The Oracle began to swipe her paws at the Purists, who evaded the attack.

"We need more fire power! Hey, magic users! Offer some support!" called Alexandra as she reloaded her rifle.

"They're the only thing keeping those snakes back!" shouted a Purist. Alexsndra looked back, finding his words to be true. The elemental magic was the one thing that kept more of the giga boas from slithering up onto the bridge. Taking that away would quickly overwhelm them.

"This will be your tomb!" The Oracle opened her jaws and spewed forth her flames. Alexandra narrowly avoided the flames, but felt her armor beginning to heat up. Another close call like that will cook her alive inside of the armor. Dropping down into the water below the aquifer was out of the question at this point.

"Time to use the trump card. This better work," said Alexandra, before drawing out a couple metallic pieces. She forced them together, which resulted in a loud click and a hum. The object she now held appeared as a grenade launcher-like weapon. She aimed for the dragon, as she came lunging for her.

Alexandra cried out as she was knocked off of the bridge. She fell, with the Oracle climbing down after her. During free fall, Alexandra fired off the weapon, launching a grenade sized rocket. The head of the rocket comprised of a drill, which spun as the projectile soared towards the dragon. Alexandra fired a few more rounds, before falling into the water below.

The rockets struck the Oracle in different segments on her body. Mainly around the upper region of her neck and fore limbs. The rockets began to drill into the hide of the dragon, who shrieked in pain. As the rockets drilled into the softer tissue beneath the scales, they stopped and detonated. Chunks of flesh burst from the explosions, leaving deep gaping wounds in the Oracle. She wailed as her tail and hind legs loosened, allowing her to fall into the water below.

Alexandra gasped as she burst out of the water. A cloud of red gradually began to form around her. She found the mortally wounded dragon to be attempting to slither onto the stone that stood above the water, but her wounds made that task impossible. Alexandra swam to a dry piece of land, with her weapon in hand. She turned to find the Boas still preoccupied with the Dogomites. Though a few began to turn their attention to her.

"I'll make this quick," said Alexandra, before loading in a couple more rockets. The Oracle turned her head to the Purist with a wheeze.

"Your hatred for the Demi-Titans blinds you. It and your arrogance will be your demise," said the Oracle. Alexandra scoffed before aiming at the head of the dragon. The rocket launched and drilled into her skull, before exploding. The Oracle fell limp, as her glowing white eyes went dim and then dark. Adrian turned to find the Giga Boas to all be dropping from the bridge and into the water. They hissed and shrieked, snapping their jaws in rage. But, the serpents began to slither and dive under the water, disappearing from sight. Alexandra sighed in relief.

"Quick! Get down there!" shouted a Dogomite soldier. A few magic users dropped down to the body of the Oracle. They began to make their way below her neck. One drew a dagger and drove it inside. As the flesh was cut open, another one of the soldiers reached in and carefully drew out a bloody heart. The organ was the size of man's torso. Alexandra looked on at this oddly.

---

Malicia's Citadel...

Onyx was walking down the halls of the great citadel that resided in Lur's center. He was escorted by a few Dogomite guards. Onyx himself was flanked by his MONARCH soldiers. Their faces were obscured by the blue visors of their helmets. As of now, things were beginning to unfold for his plan. While it was a chore to jump between realms to ensure that this relationship with the Dogomites lasts, it would soon all pay off.

Equescidar proved to be valuable by setting up a facility for further research and experimentation for his own realm. Not to mention that this will allow MONARCH to conquer not one, but two worlds. So long as he kept the Empress satisfied, then progress will continue smoothly.

Onyx was led to the throne room, where the guards opened up the doors. Upon opening, everyone was met with a shocking sight. They found bodies to be littering the ground, with ghastly wounds and blood staining the floor. They found Malicia to be behind a Revolutionary, with her arms wrapped against the back of his neck, as her teeth were sunk into his flesh. She whipped her head away, tearing off a large chunk of flesh, leaving him to collapse to the ground with a wound that bled profusely. Malicia sighed, as her reptilian eyes reverted to normal. Her mouth and clothes were coated in blood.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!" Onyx exclaimed in alarm.

"Ah. I wasn't expecting you so soon," said Malicia, as she wiped her mouth and hands over the clothes of one of the dead men.

"Those Demi-Titans could've been useful!" said Onyx in exasperation.

"Onyx, I am very territorial woman. I approve of which Demi-Titans may be in the same room as I. I already have the boy. I will not need their strength, nor their assistance," said Malicia, dismissively. Onyx groaned in frustration. Meanwhile, Malicia prompted the trap door to open, revealing the Skull Walker den. She motioned for her guards, who began to drag the bodies and dump them into the pit.

'I could've used their DNA for more templates,' thought Onyx in dismay. He sighed.

"I came to inform you that your new Demi-Titan will be ready in the morning. Since you've been such a... generous client, I thought I'd throw in a battle airship as a bonus. As appreciation for your business," said Onyx as he held up a disc, which projected a holographic image of a zeppelin-like vessel, which bore the MONARCH infinity symbol displayed proudly on the side. The balloon carried a metallic structure, resembling more of a sea faring ship being carried by a balloon.

"An enormous mobile flying fortress, armed with magic infused cannons, capable of bombarding the earth below or shooting down aerial targets. With this, you'll be able to destroy vast armies from a distance and deliver additional ground forces. I've already have a team assembled and ready to maintain the airship. They're under your orders," said Onyx. He turned to find the Empress to be sitting on her throne, not paying attention. In fact, she seemed troubled.

"Is something the matter?" asked Onyx.

"It's the boy. I can't seem to get a firm grasp on him. I've tried every manipulative tactic in the book and nothing works. I'm at the point of locking him up. I hoped that the death of that girl and infecting him with the sap of the Specter Trees would be enough," said Malicia in frustration.

"Perhaps you aren't hitting the right buttons. But I think I can help. Has he any traumatic memories that involved the death of a loved one? Aside from the gladiator girl" asked Onyx.

"No," said Malicia.

"That explains it. You see, I had my men terminate the loved ones of my original subjects to instill trauma, rage and grief. This makes it easier to control them, whether they know it or not," said Onyx.

"Should I kill his parents and friends?" asked Maslicia, cocking a brow.

"I'd advise against that. You've already dirtied your hands plenty when forcing him to kill that gladiator. Going that far may actually backfire worse than that last incident already has," said Onyx.

"Then what should I do?" Malice sighed in exasperation. Onyx began to reach into his pocket.

"When magic fails, science triumphs. I thought that this may prove useful to you," said Onyx as he drew out a penny sized bullet from his uniform pocket.

"What is it?" asked Malicia, eyeing the bullet.

"This is an experimental Inhibitor Bullet. Just one of several ways we thought of controlling our experiments. Originally this was a sort of capture asset, where we'd use it on subjects that escaped," said Onyx as he showed Malicia the round.

"If this bullet were to be shot into the subject's spine or the back of their neck, then they'd be under the control of the shooter. Of course, it would require data on the master's DNA in order for it to work properly," said Onyx.

"Wouldn't something like this kill him?" asked Malicia.

"Not at all. It was designed with a special type of gun to offer enough fire power to penetrate flesh, but not deep enough to cause severe damage. Think of it more as a bee sting. The bullet deposits an inorganic chip that will manipulate the subject's mind," said Onyx. Malicia grinned, her spirits rising.

"With this technology, I can finally make him mine!" said Malicia.

"I have to warn you. That bullet is the only one of its kind. It was deemed inefficient to use since it was impossible to make a clean shot on a moving target. It got worse when they transformed. Whatever you do, don't miss," said Onyx, as he placed the bullet into the chamber of a small pistol. Malicia smiled sinisterly as she held the cold metallic weapon.

Onyx was soon making his way back down the hall to the DT Archway. He turned to one of his soldiers that escorted him. He stopped as he found Megaguirus to be approaching his way from down the hall.

"Do you have it?" asked Onyx. Megaguirus nodded as she held out a drive to the man. Onyx took it and inserted it into the slot of his disc. A holographic image of equations appeared, along with a rendering of an atomic bomb.

"As Destoroyah promised. An edge for you in your world. Follow everything on that drive and you'll be splitting atoms like no one's business," said Megaguirus.

"Why is the file labeled, 'Big Boy'?" asked Onyx, oddly. Megaguirus shrugged.

"Some folks just like their codenames."

"Well, thank you for the parting gift. I will be returning to my world. Have all Zeta Operatives and those Purists return to the Archway to prepare for the invasion," said Onyx, his brows furrowed

Comments

[ponyreader11]

I can’t wait for the next chapter!