Legends of the Halcyon Era

Episode 71 - Homecoming, Part 2

---

Previously, in Legends of the Halcyon Era...

Things have been busy for the Diggers from Terra. Nytetrayn was beaten within an inch of his life by the Air Pirate, Trevor Creed, and brought back by none other than his creator, Commander Black Draco, who revealed Nyte's origins and brought the crew back with him to his planet, Avion: A world founded by humans and Reploids thousands of years ago. After a tense beginning, the two got to know each other a little better.

Black Steel regained his lost memories, while Celeste chose not to regain hers, and both reaffirmed their commitment to their significant others. Steel discovered he had nanite-powered healing capabilities and sought to train them so he could enact revenge on the one who had thought to kill him. Celeste looked into the history behind her namesake, Celeste McTreggor, and has begun to aspire to be more like her so she could be of more use to her friends.

As the group prepared to return home, Black Draco asked that they keep Avion's existence a secret to the rest of Terra, to which they agreed. Katrina, an Avion to whom Adam Powers grew close with over the course of their visit, would be returning with them as an emissary of sorts.

And upon their return, Black Draco presented Nytetrayn with a new airship, which he dubbed the Dragon Star II, after the ship he awoke in, before the group set out for Monroe Island. When they arrived, they didn't have to travel far for Nytetrayn to be able to settle his score with Creed, but not before the Air Pirate managed to awaken something sealed away long ago.

"He must be headed back up to the surface," Fenix said after Creed disappeared in a cloud of smoke following his defeat at Nytetrayn's hands. "In the shape he's in, I bet we can catch him if we hurry!"

"Negative," said Black Draco. "We have more urgent matters here, and if this is what I think it is..."

The capsule's heavily-armored exterior began to warp and give way as something on the inside pounded on it.

"...it's going to take all of us to have any hope of stopping him."

Steel moved Janine behind him, and brought out the Soul Sabre he'd acquired only days ago.

Nytetrayn looked to Fenix.

"...alright," Fenix said. "We'll get another chance at Creed, let's just make sure this guy doesn't hurt anyone."

Nytetrayn nodded, and turned his focus back towards the capsule.

After some more pounding, the door of the capsule came flying off, where it hit the opposite wall and left a huge dent before falling to the floor with a deafening thud.

As he tried to peer through the steam emptying out of the capsule, Nyte asked Black Draco "So what's in there, anyway?"

A bestial roar yelled out in anger.

"...Null."

Standing before the group of Terrans and Avions was an enormous beast of a machine, who looked as wide as he was tall – a being whose mass easily made that of MegaMan Magnus or any of the Dragon Knights seem almost diminutive by comparison.

Null looked like a cross between a Reploid and a Reaverbot, perhaps with elements from some other eras thrown in. He was covered in armored plating, with a ∅ symbol on his chest. His arms had chains wrapped around them, leading back into the enormous capsule from which he'd just emerged.

His head turned from one side to the other, looking at all the strangers surrounding him.

"We can't let that... thing... get to the surface," Adam said.

"Looks easier said than done," Magnus noted, his eyes wide at the sight. "I don't think I've ever fought... hell, seen anything like it..."

"Jan, I'm getting you out of here," Steel said. "It's too dangerous for you now."

"No," Janine said. "I'll be okay, you stay here."

"The hell you will. Now come on, let's get the hell out of the way and let our friends do their thing!"

"Steel, can you take Celeste, too?" Nyte asked.

"Of course, Nyte."

"Null..." Black Draco said.

Null let out an ear-shattering roar that shook the room, and pulled at his chains. As freedom beckoned to him, they shattered at their weakest link from the immense pressure he put them under. He reached for a pair of swords on his back, each one similar in frame to himself, nearly as wide as they were long.

Steel snapped his gaze back to Janine and Celeste. "We have to go. Now.."

Celeste was reluctant to leave Nytetrayn as she was pulled along, but relented once Janine told her "Come on, we've got to let them do their thing."

"Null... hurt," said Null. "NULL HURT!"

"Null, stop for a moment, please!" Black Draco said, as he held his hands up, pleading with the monster. "We can help you!"

Null looked at the Avion commander with a cold stare, and Black Draco could feel a presence in his mind. It was a heavy presence, as all of the anger and turmoil Null was projecting was almost overwhelming.

Black Draco tried to use his mental abilities to get past the surface, to reach Null's inner-mind. "Please, don't fight us. We can help you. We can fix whatever has been done to you..."

"Hate. Suffering. Null know nothing else... always made to fight..."

"No," Black Draco said with his mind. "We can take you away from that, to a place where there is no more war. To let you be free, to let you live your own life--"

Null threw his head back in an anguished howl while projecting a painful, agonizing mental message that all those still present could hear in their heads. "ALWAYS WAR. ALWAYS FIGHTING. ALWAYS NULL!!" roared through the Reploids' minds in a manner that was enough to twist their very souls.

The howl was nearly enough to break Black Draco's concentration, but he fought to remain in contact.

Meanwhile, Adam tensed up. The runes on his sword began to glow, as did a pair of red lights from behind his ever-present shades.

"I'd better take it from here," said MegaMan Blade, now occupying Adam's body.

"Then don't be a part of it," Black Draco told Null. "We've never forced anyone to fight who's never wanted to..."

As Nytetrayn, Katrina, and the Dragon Knights staggered, grunted, and rubbed their heads due to the pseudo-telepathic message, the others took notice.

Nytetrayn in particular was stunned by the words, and the sense of pain being projected. It was unlike anything he'd ever known.

"What's happening?" Fenix asked. "Why are you guys acting like me on a Saturday morning? And why is the Commander staring at him like that?"

"It almost feels as though I can hear this whispering in my audio receptors," said Magnus. "Like a spectre trying to make itself known."

"I don't know all the details," Katrina said, "but the Commander has this telepathic thing he can do. I heard he used to be able to do it with Celeste – I mean, our Celeste – too."

"Wait," said Magnus. "This thing is a telepath?"

"Ugh... sure feels like it."

"Please, just come with us," Black Draco continued to implore. "We can fix whatever was done to you. You won't have to be anyone's tool ever again."

"Never been anything but tool. Not know HOW..."

Null looked at Black Draco. "End it."

"No... we can help you, teach you. It doesn't have to be this way!"

Null ignored the black Mechadrake's plea, as he brought down one of the massive blades he'd pulled from his back, unleashing a massive wave of energy that tore the ground apart as it raced towards the Avion leader, who leaped clear.

"Well, looks like diplomacy failed," Fenix said, as he drew his plasma caster and inserted a round.

Black Draco tried something else, as he closed his eyes and transmitted images of his homeworld, now at peace. He sent images of people being happy, and tried to make Null feel a part of that.

Null stopped in his tracks, lowering his swords as he considered the images. In particular, he took notice of a dark haired Reploid woman. Black Draco sensed this, and tried to work with it.

As he did that, Magnus asked "So, just how strong is this guy?"

MoonRazor completed a diagnostic scan. "Let's just say that his creators did some really good work."

The visage of the dark-haired Reploid woman shifted, and became more like one he recognized. His mind then conjured another Reploid next to her, a tall centipede in purple armor.

Null's eye flashed red. "Mag... na..."

MegaMan Blade held his sword at the ready, the blade and its runes glowing bright blue.

Black Draco tried to regain some control and shift Magna Centipede out of the picture, but it was too late. Before he could respond, Null charged at him, his swords creating gusts of air from the lethal force generated by the way they swung while he ran.

Black Draco was smashed by the attack, and sent flying back into the wall. The impact caused his camouflage unit to flicker until it failed completely and left him as a Mechadrake again. He pulled himself to his feet as pieces of the wall crumbled down around him, some pieces bouncing off him harmlessly. "Dammit..."

Null raised his swords over his head, ready to cleave the black Knight in two. "Puny lizard try confuse Null! Null only made for one thing, fighting! So Null fight!"

"Oh hell," said Edge.

"Oh yeah," said SunFlame, an eager grin on his face.

"Sorry, Adam," Blade said, as though talking to himself. "This might leave a mark..."

Nytetrayn and Fenix opened fire at Null's back, though the massive Reploid didn't seem to notice nor care. The blasts themselves barely even singed his armor, as the Reploid brought the blades down.

A flash of light, and in an instant, a gold Mechadrake was behind Null, having split his large double-bladed axe into two singles and used them to hook the swords and keep them from coming down on Black Draco. In front of Null, MegaMan Blade stood, his sword raised to help stop the fall of the giant Reploid's twin weapons.

"Sorry, fugly," said SunFlame, "but dragon wings aren't on the menu today!"

"You..." Null said, looking behind him. "Null know you! You mad dragon!"

"Great," said SunFlame, straining against the giant's massive mechanical might as Black Draco rolled clear. "All these years, and that's how I'm remembered?" After a beat, he looked at the others. "...what?!"

Null growled, and a blast of kinetic force burst outward all around him, tearing the ground apart and sending Black Draco, SunFlame, and MegaMan Blade flying.

"Listen up, Knights!" Black Draco began upon landing. "We have to bring him down, but try to avoid using lethal force!"

"Damn!" SunFlame and Shuri exclaimed simultaneously.

"Sorry," said Magnus, as he rose into the air while his fusion cannons emerged and began charging. "I'm not called an 'Annihilator' because they wanted anything to be left." He turned to Null, and shouted "PREPARE YOURSELF!"

MegaMan Magnus unleashed twin streams of energy upon the ancient Reploid, engulfing him in light that obscured him from view and forced the others nearby to shield their eyes.

"Whew," Magnus said as he landed, making a gesture of dusting off his hands. "That ought to take care of that."

As the burst of light from the attack dimmed, Null stood before them, slightly singed, but otherwise none the worse for wear. Magnus's eyes widened in disbelief.

"You... you weren't supposed to take the 'prepare yourself' part literally..."

Null let out a roar that practically shook the room. "Puny bot," he bellowed as he unleashed a cross-energy wave from the blades of his swords. "Make bright light stop now!"

The cross-wave of energy slammed into the still-stunned Magnus, throwing him into the wall with great force.

"Oh, hell," Katrina said, as she brought her hands up overlapping in front of her, and released a stream of fire at Null's head.

Meanwhile, Shuri moved in to attack, quickly striking at various points across the massive Reploid's body in the hopes of finding a weakness to exploit, and Edge pulled out his massive pistol and followed her attacks up with some explosive shells. While the beast was distracted, MegaMan Blade recovered from where he landed, and rushed in alongside Katrina with the blade of his sword glowing, blasting off with the jets in his boots to slash at Null's armored face as Katrina tried to blind him with another burst of flame. Crossfire summoned his Cross Punisher, a massive multi-weapon armament, and swung it like a giant hammer into the giant's midsection. MoonRazor broke out his arm-mounted blades, and alongside SunFlame's axe, the two aimed attacks for the back of his legs in the hopes of bringing him down. After picking Magnus back up, Nytetrayn and Fenix joined him in delivering a three-pronged shoulder charge aimed at Null's chest.

Struck by the barrage of attacks, Null staggered back a step, before dropping to one knee. As Black Draco tried to reestablish mental contact, Null slammed both swords into the ground, sending a shockwave outward that sent ripples of debris flying into the air and scrambling the gathered Terrans and Avions, tossing them this way and that. Despite this, Black Draco strained to maintain mental contact in the hopes of being able to subdue him.

"DO IT," the giant told him mentally.

"Do... what?" Black Draco asked, wanting to be sure there was no mistaking his intent.

"Finish it... end Null now... please..."

"You... you want to die?!"

"Blood no go away... screams not stop... Null always feeling, hearing them... please make them stop..."

Black Draco hesitated, then told him "Very well. Bear with me, please." Concentrating deeply, he probed Null's mind, ultimately hoping to find a way not to kill him, but switch him "off", to put him into a sort of stasis mode until they could more sufficiently and properly help him.

The inside of Null's mind was like a twisted, torn landscape. Black Draco's stomach turned from the immense senses of pain and self-loathing that seemed to emanate from every direction, like an attack on all of his senses. He had seen a lot in his many years of fighting, but even this level of agony and torture was enough to surprise him. This wasn't his first rodeo, but that didn't make it any easier. Once he gained some semblance of his bearings, the Avion leader pressed on.

The disturbing path before him was coated in red liquid, flowing like a shallow river, while the sky above swirled and swept by like a storm, complete with bolts of lightning crackling across the atmosphere. The sensations brought about by Null's mind had a pulsing effect, some larger than others. As he delved further, though, the overall feeling grew stronger, the pulses pounding harder. At one point, it was enough to bring Black Draco down to a knee. He'd never made an attempt like this before.

As he again struggled to maintain his bearings, an image formed before him. The twisted visage revealed a purple and yellow Reploid with six arms, and a long, protruding tail with pincers at its end. ";His mind belongs to me,"; its raspy, electronic voice said through clicking mandibles.

";...Magna?";

Back in the material plane, Nytetrayn and the others had gotten to their feet, and were now watching the effort. ";Is... is he going to be alright?"; the young Digger asked.

";Don't worry, kid,"; said Edge. ";Your dad can handle himself better here than anyone else.";

";The Commander isn't going down without a fight,"; Katrina reassured Nytetrayn.

Back in Null's mindspace, the warped image of Magna Centipede continued. ";In all this time, he's never come back to what he once was. For years, I tormented him, abused him... made him something lesser-than, with no self worth. And yet, he never stopped worshipping me as a god. This poor, dumb beast is still haunted by it, even now. Nothing can reach him now.";

";There must be a way,"; Black Draco pondered.

";Perhaps there was, once. But now that he's spent thousands of years trapped in that black abyss that is his own mind, trapped with nothing to keep him company but his own thoughts, thoughts I molded and placed there..."; Magna chuckled. ";Not once did I ever think he would dream.";

Outside, Null began to tremble, causing some of the group to tense up, ready to spring into action if needed.

";I hardly think this is amusing, Magna,"; said Black Draco. ";That is, if that's really you.";

Magna chuckled once again, which prompted Black Draco to ask ";So, which is it? Am I speaking to the Centipede himself, or merely some sort of recreation within Null's mind?";

";Null's perception of Magna.";

";I see.";

";A cold, unfeeling monster who smacked away every attempt made at forming a relationship. The only one who ever tried to form any sort of connection with him was that girl...";

";Why? Why do that to one of your own?";

";Null doesn't know, so therefore I don't know. But it doesn't make a lot of sense, from how he treated others. Maybe he never knew that Null could feel.";

";Perhaps. I wonder if he has since realized his mistake...";

";It matters not. The damage has been done. No one has given this poor, pitiful fool a kind word in millennia. Can you even fathom living multiple lifetimes, all without receiving so much as an embrace?";

Back in the physical world, Null has dropped to his knees and begun clutching at his head, shaking it back and forth.

"If we only had a way," said Black Draco, who was now down to one knee himself, his hand on his head, eyes closed as he tried to maintain the connection. "A way to get through to him... to show him the compassion, the understanding he needs to feel... it could be his only hope."

Out in the tunnels, Steel continued leading the way back to the surface for the others.

Celeste stopped. "Do you guys hear that?"

Steel stopped. "Hear what?"

"Quiet..."

"Quiet isn't necessarily good. Do you think they all killed each other?"

Celeste's eyes widened a little. "No," she said, as she turned around to head back before Steel stopped her.

"Wait, at least let me go first," he said, drawing his Soul Sabre. Celeste nodded, as he hurried back, with Janine and herself close behind.

As they made their way back, Celeste stopped when she saw the plaque they'd passed by earlier. She looked down the hall at Steel and Janine making haste, then back to the plaque. She felt compelled to take it, thinking that maybe seeing a familiar face would help somehow. After grabbing and pulling at it with minimal luck, she planted her foot on the wall to give herself more leverage, enough to finally free the surprisingly-sturdy mounted decoration.

With the plaque firmly in hand, she hurried to join the others.

Back at the lab, Steel entered, blade ignited and Janine right behind. "Is everything okay in here?!" he asked, looking around those gathered frantically.

Null's eye lit up, as though he was coming out of a trance. Spotting the newcomers, with one brandishing a weapon, he let out another roar, this time powerful enough to force Black Draco from his mind like a torrent sweeping away a hapless swimmer, back into his own consciousness.

Black Draco stood, unsteady, and breathed heavily as he continued to hold his head. Edge and Shuri came to help him keep his balance. "No good," he said.

Null looked from one face to the next, as if trying to see where the next attack would come from. What he didn't see was the young woman who'd entered and dared to approach the manic mechanoid.

"M-Mister Null...?" she said, holding the plaque up before her, almost like some kind of shield. Immediately, she felt silly. "Mister"? What was she, nine?

Nevertheless, Null stopped dead in his tracks as his eyes fell upon the picture adorning the plaque...

***

"Mister Null, it's time for your next diagnostic."

"'Mister' Null?" Magna Centipede practically spat the word in her direction as he spoke. "What are you, nine?"

"I simply think he should be allowed some semblance of dignity," Ariel retorted. "After all, he is one of us."

"Pah!" Magna practically spat out. "He's nothing like us. He's a monster, a perfect engine of destruction, all by design! You'll ruin him with talk like that!"

The two continued to bicker as they walked away, leaving Null alone in the room.

***

Null had sunk to his knees, delicately taking hold of the plaque Celeste had held. He looked at the picture, then at Celeste, and again at the picture. There was no mistaking the two, but just the same, something about her reminded him of the small kindness he'd once been shown long, long ago.

Gently taking the plaque from Celeste, he said "Ar... ri... el..." in a voice so small, it betrayed his massive size.

Seeing what was going on, Janine's bureaucratic instincts kicked in, and she stepped forward next to Celeste and held a gentle hand out, causing Null to flinch. "It's okay, you're among friends," she reassured him, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder when he seemed ready to accept it.

Katrina joined in as well. "We can help you, take you to where you'll never be treated as a weapon ever again, if you just let us. Please, come with us."

Celeste nodded in agreement.

Katrina turned to the others. "I think he'll be okay, once we get him away from all this and give him a chance to recuperate." She turned back to Null. "Don't worry, we know a place where no one will do anything like this to you ever again."

"That's great and all," Fenix said, "but how do we get him back through the hole?"

Magnus slapped his forehead.

"We might be able to teleport him to the surface," Edge suggested.

"Do your teleporters work here?" asked MegaMan Blade.

"We don't have a network set up yet, and of course, all the old satellites' orbits have long since decayed, but we do have a short-range P2P setup. MoonRazor, why don't you head back with a beacon, and give us a reading on the distance to surface, so we can use that to go by."

"Right, I'm on it," the silver Mechadrake said as he took the beacon from Edge and made haste back the way they came.

Black Draco turned to Shuri and said "While he's doing that, we could do with some quick reconnaissance, to make sure that Magna didn't leave any other surprises lying around." Shuri nodded silently, and departed to investigate the area.

A moment later, Null set the plaque down, and suddenly reached out to pull Celeste, Janine, and Katrina in for a hug. Nytetrayn flinched, but held back. Despite his enormous size and strength, he proved surprisingly gentle. Once the women got over their surprise, they – with some reluctance from the shock – returned the gesture.

Then, as suddenly as he'd grabbed them, he let go and picked up the two large blades he'd wielded just moments before as he stood up to his full height. Celeste and the others backed away, not sure what was going on until the weapons began to bend before shattering into pieces, the metallic scraps raining down to the floor below.

"Null hate stupid swords," the giant muttered.

"I think he's going to be okay," Celeste said, while Katrina and Janine just smiled at the sight.

The others began to relax a little more, with MegaMan Blade returning the body of Adam Powers back to its original owner, who placed the enormous sword on his back.

"Go now?" Null asked, after picking up the plaque.

"Yes," said Black Draco said, as Shuri returned and gave a nod. "We go now."

"Receiving transmission from MoonRazor," Edge said. "Alright, I think we can do this now. You guys ready to beam up?"

"Beam me up, Spotty!" said Fenix, and most of the others agreed, including Celeste.

"...pass," said Nytetrayn.

"I'll leave with Nyte," said Steel.

After giving her boyfriend a quizzical look, Celeste said "I'll go with Nyte, too."

"Alright, then. Everyone who's going, partner up, activate your camo, and let's get outta here!" Edge gave the proper data to those who had teleporters, and they beamed out with their respective partners, Null included.

***

A short time later, as they walked through the tunnels, Nyte put an arm around Celeste's shoulders and said, "You know, you really saved the day back there!"

Celeste blushed a little. "I mean, I didn't reall–"

Removing his arm, Nyte interrupted her, gesturing with his hands as he spoke. "No, I mean it! We weren't putting a dent in that guy. The Commander was having to wage psychological warfare – the literal kind, doing the whole mental thing – and I think Null kicked him out by the time you came back. And you just walked right up to him and ended the whole thing in one shot!"

"Wow... for real?" Celeste asked, unable to believe that she was able to make that much of a difference.

Nyte gave Celeste a sideways-hug and kissed her on the forehead. "You were awesome."

Celeste blushed again, but didn't say anything.

***

As Nytetrayn, Celeste, and Steel emerged from the crater where the others were gathered around, with no Nemesis in sight, the latter glanced back at the hole they'd come from. "Is it safe to leave that there?"

"Wouldn't bet on it," said Adam.

"Don't worry," said Black Draco. "We're one step ahead of you. Crossfire, if you please?"

"On it," said the blue Mechadrake, as he stepped over to the hole with his Cross Punisher slung over his shoulder like a bazooka. He took aim down the shaft with the short end, and let several rockets fly. Soon, they exploded, annihilating the shaft. "Better stand back, folks. It's about to get hot up in here."

The others do as he says, and soon, a pillar of explosive flame shoots out of the shaft they'd just ventured through, shaking the ground close by.

"All of that history," Steel lamented.

As SunFlame clapped a hand on the Digger's shoulder, he told him "It's for the best."

"Indeed," said Black Draco. "Creed's kind is one reason I felt Avion should remain a secret for now."

"It just seems wrong, in a way," Steel continued. "Why should only we be privy to the culture that led to the creation of our own?"

"Because everyone else isn't ready for this kind of thing," Adam said. "Heck, we're still coming to grips with the ones we know."

"I don't disagree, but... just... oh, never mind."

"Besides," added MoonRazor, "there wasn't much down there worth keeping." As he looked at Null, still holding the plaque with Ariel's picture on it, he added "I think we got all the important stuff."

"I understand what you mean, Steel," said Black Draco. "But at the same time, as long as there are those who would abuse this knowledge to subjugate others, it is perhaps for the best if no one knows for the time being. You have our trust. It's for those without that we do this, but I'm sure a day will come when all is revealed."

"What I want to know is, how did Creed know that was down there?" Nytetrayn asked.

"Hm, that is cause for concern," said Black Draco.

"They wouldn't have put a town here if scanning were enough to pick it up," said Adam. "Someone must have given him the information."

"That sounds like bad news for us, Commander," said Katrina.

"Indeed. Which is why I'd like you all to keep an eye on things, and let us know if any further incidents like this should occur. With any luck, this was perhaps by some sort of chance."

"Yes, Commander. I'll keep my eyes peeled," Katrina said with a salute. The others concurred.

"Nyte," Steel said, drawing the young Digger's attention. "Nice job down there. You held your own, and then some."

"Heh, thanks," Nytetrayn said sheepishly, as he rubbed the back of his head.

"Yeah, guess you've got what it takes, after all," SunFlame added as he extended his hand. "It was an impressive show. Y'did good."

Nytetrayn accepted the handshake, and said "Thanks, SunFlame."

Then Fenix grabbed Nyte in a headlock and gave him a noogie. "Aww, lookit that! He's all groweded up!" Nyte yelped while the others looked on and chuckled.

"We should get Null out of here before the townsfolk return," Black Draco said. "We'll still be here for a short time before we leave, so let us know if you need anything."

"Roger that," Katrina said.

Black Draco nodded and activated his communicator as he turned away from the group. "Wavelength, please dispatch a transport to pick us up at these coordinates..."

"I hope to see you all again before your departure," Steel said to the Avions, before turning to the others. "But if you'll excuse me now, I need to get back to my ship." He threw one last look over his shoulder at SunFlame, and decided it would be best if he saved his parting words for now.

"Bye, Null," Celeste said with a wave. "Take care of yourself!"

"Yeah, and I hope you enjoy your new life," added Katrina. "It's going to be great!'

"Thank you..." Null said, as he gently gave each a pat on the head.

"So, Katrina, guess this is it for now?" said MoonRazor.

"Yeah. You take care, okay?" she said, before adding in a whisper "And be sure to scare the crap out of SunFlame sometime for me!" MoonRazor nodded and gave her a thumbs up, and the two delivered a fist bump.

Nytetrayn and Black Draco faced each other for a moment, not sure what to do at first, but ultimately deciding a handshake would suffice. "You did well today," the black Mechadrake told the young Digger.

"Ah, thanks," Nytetrayn said.

Black Draco led the others as they moved out for the beach, and Katrina said with a wave "Bye, guys! I'll be in touch!" Most of the others joined in the waving as well, shouting out their own farewells.

Adam nodded to the departing Dragon Knights and Null, and contacted Alpha-Red to bring his own ship, the Sky Shark, on over to pick himself and Katrina up.

Nytetrayn rejoined the others as the Avions departed. "Wow," he said.

"Well," Fenix said with a stretch and a yawn. "This has been a fun day, but I'm pooped. Who else wants to crash for the night?"

"It's only half past noon," said Nyte.

Fenix looked up. "Whatever. I just need a nap. Your place, or your place?"

"Let's do the apartment one last time, for old time's sake," Nyte said, punctuating it with a yawn of his own. "Besides, it's closer."

As the Sky Shark set down and Adam and Katrina headed for it to board, Adam called out "Give us a call when you're all packed up!"

Nytetrayn nodded, then pulled out a walkie-talkie to notify the GunRobos aboard his new ship, the Dragon Star II, of what was up, and to keep it secure until later. With that taken care of, the remaining group head back to their apartment. "I'm going to sorta miss the place," Nyte said.

"I know what you mean," said Celeste. "This was the first place I ever got to call 'home'."

"Me too."

"Home is where you hang your helmet," Fenix said. "Or your shotgun."

"So, what's next for you?" Nytetrayn asked his oldest friend.

"Back to business, traveling over the horizon to wherever fate takes me," Fenix said with a grand, sweeping gesture. "The sooner, the better. If I can catch Creed while he's playing one-armed bandit, maybe he'll be a little easier to beat the hell out of."

"Oh, so you're leaving again, then..." Nytetrayn said, some disappointment evident in his voice. "Guess I can't blame you."

Celeste just frowned.

Fenix hugged the pair around the neck. "Hey, chin up! Don't you worry your pretty little heads, boys and girls. I'll be sure to visit often and unexpectedly!"

"Oh, joy," Magnus said dryly.

"Quiet, you."

"Heh, you'd better," said Nyte. "Else we'll have to hunt you down."

As they reached the apartment, Nytetrayn opened the door. "Well, let's nap now, then maybe grab a farewell dinner later, yeah?" He yawned, and powered down his armor.

"You betcha," Fenix said.

"Sounds like a plan," said Janine.

"We can tell the landlord we're outta here later," Nyte said. "G'ni– well you know what I mean. Don't be too noisy with your foreplay, now."

Nytetrayn and Celeste headed to their room, while Magnus and Janine went to theirs, and Fenix got settled in on the sofa. Or at least tried.

After much tossing and turning, he admitted "Nyte really must be from another world, if he was able to put up with sleeping on this thing for so long..."

***Epilogue***

Steel made his way back to his ship in silence, reflecting on the journey that had just concluded before turning his thoughts to the mission he was preparing to undertake. The sun was still high overhead, and the wind seemed to be picking up.

He started up his ship and it rose into the sky, a little shakily, but steadily. He swung it around and prepared to head north as he gazed at the land below, hoping to spot something moving. What he was looking for, he didn't know, but the lack of anything more than a few small animals disappointed him just the same.

Steel didn't sense the presence behind him until it was already too close to defend against. He only had time to utter the words "What the he–" before receiving a blow to the head, and all he saw was something grey and red before the blackness consumed them both.

The ship, now without a functioning pilot, began to cascade to the ground and slam into the forest, plowing up trees and kicking up dirt before finally grinding to a rest.

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