Legends of the Halcyon Era

Episode 61 - The Avion Adventure: Arcade Anarchy

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Previously, in Legends of the Halcyon Era...

After arriving on Avion, Nytetrayn and Black Steel ventured out to test Nytetrayn's new upgrades, and Steel discovered he'd somehow acquired a new talent of his own: a self-healing factor. Meanwhile, Adam explored Avion City and met an intriguing female Reploid named Katrina, who he started to hit it off with – before getting hit by an air bus.

Commander Black Draco and the Dragon Knights invited the group to a special dinner to get to know each other's parties a little better, and when it was revealed that both Celeste and Steel had been dealing with issues of memory loss, the Avion Commander offered a possible solution – albeit one with certain risks involved.

The two both jumped at the chance to regain their lost memories, and when Steel came out of it, he snapped, and tried to attack an unseen enemy. After he came to his senses, Celeste went to take her turn, and as she was being seen, tensions brewing beneath the surface finally came to a boil as Nytetrayn verbally lashed out at Black Draco before departing the scene.

It would turn out that Celeste declined the treatment, ultimately deciding that whatever life she had before, she wasn't willing to risk losing the one she'd since built, ultimately accepting who she is now and setting out to find Nytetrayn.

Following on the promise of checking out a nearby arcade, Fenix led the way for Celeste and MegaMan Magnus, and they arrived at their destination.

"Here we are!" he proudly proclaimed to the others. "Saint Alphonso's Pancake Breakfast!"

Celeste and Magnus looked up at the sign, then at each other, and back up at the sign, which confirmed that yes, this was inexplicably the name of the video game arcade.

"Oh-kaaaaaay..." Celeste said.

"Do they actually serve pancakes here?" Magnus wondered out loud.

"Sadly, no," Fenix said. "They do have some good tacos, though!"

Magnus asked Celeste, "Is it just me, or does it feel like our very presence somehow manages to warp all normalcy around us, like some sort of black hole of strangeness?"

Celeste shrugged. "Seems that way. To be honest, I always kinda thought that this sort of thing was just normal for you guys."

"Hey, don't try to pin this on me! I joined the group after you did, remember?"

"Oh, yeah..."

"Well, don't look at me!" Fenix protested. "It's not as though I'm the avatar of some omnipotent god who exists in another dimension, dictating our fates as a Games Master would the players of a role playing game!"

Magnus lowered his head to Fenix's and raised an eyebrow at the masked Digger. "...or are you?"

"Actually, I think that'd be Celeste. Dunno what that says about god, though."

Celeste coughed. "So, shall we go inside?"

"Oh, yeah, sure."

Celeste took one last look out into the city and wondered how Nyte was doing before she entered.

***

Inside the quarters of Black Draco, the Avion Supreme Commander was sitting behind a large desk, seemingly at work on something. He looked up as his guest entered.

"Nytetrayn..."

He rose from his chair, and the two walked towards each other, stopping at a respectable distance apart midway.

"So you've come..."

" Yeah... I'm here," Nytetrayn replied. "Celeste really wanted me to talk to you."

Black Draco nodded. "I'm... sorry. About last night. I wasn't trying to hurt you. Or the others. I had hoped to..."

" ...help. Right, I got that."

An awkward silence followed, as the two searched for what to say next.

Finally, Black Draco broke the silence. "I'm sorry, this is all just new to me."

"Yeah," Nyte agreed, "I know what you mean."

Another awkward silence followed.

This time, it was Nyte who broke the quiet, as he rubbed his arm and looked around the room. "So... this is where you work, huh?"

Black Draco started to say "yes," but looked like he was fighting back some sort of urge, before replying with a somewhat more casual "Yeah..."

Following a less-awkward pause, he continued. "So... how are the upgrades handling?"

"Not bad..." Nytetrayn told him.

From there, the two made some small talk for a bit.

***

Inside the hospital room of Adam Powers, Katrina sat in a chair next to the bed, quietly tapping away at a laptop.

Adam groaned a little as he fumbled around blindly, trying to locate his sunglasses. After a moment, he managed to find them on the table next to his bed, and put them on.

"Morning, sunshine!" Katrina said with a slightly-teasing cheer in her voice as she put her laptop aside. "How are you feeling?"

"Well, I don't feel like my head was used as a drum at the Tropicana, if that's what you mean."

"The doctor wanted to see you once you woke up, so I'd better go let him know."

As she departed the room, Adam removed his shades for a moment and rubbed his eyes before putting them back on. He took a curious look at Katrina's laptop. "I wonder..." he said to himself, before shaking off the notion and looking around his room while he waited.

Meanwhile, Katrina reached the nurses station and they paged a doctor to Adam's room, and she stopped at a vending machine long enough to grab a soda. "Oooh, rackleford ale," she noted. "Haven't seen that in a while."

She returned to the room just in time to follow the doctor in.

"So, you're the one who brought him in last night, yes?" the doctor asked her, as he looked up from his pad.

"Yes...?" Katrina replied.

"If you could please wait outside for a moment. I'd like a moment to speak with the patient alone."

"Oh... okay," she said, as she went outside. Once the door was closed, she leaned in, trying to listen as she drank her soda.

"Good morning, Mr. Powers. How are you feeling today?"

"Better, now. I should probably be careful about this not-being-in-excrutiating-pain thing, I might get to like it."

"And are you still experiencing any symptoms? Headache, double-vision, nausea, or dizziness?"

"A little bit of a headache, but none of the rest."

"Follow my finger with your eyes," the doctor said, as he moved it left and right, up and down, in and out. After reluctantly removing his sunglasses, Adam followed the movement with no trouble.

After punching in some data, the doctor told him "Well, it looks like you're clear. I've not detected any abnormalities, so you ought to be good to go. Just make sure not to do anything too strenuous for a couple of days. If the headaches intensify, take a couple of these..." he said, handing Adam a small bottle, "and if they don't start to fade, or if you start seeing double, be sure to come back here straightaway, okay?"

Adam nodded. "Sure thing, doc."

As the doctor opened the door, Katrina quickly stepped away from the door and pretended to act casual. He stopped to tell her "Watch him, just to be sure. I don't see any problems, but you can never know for sure. Bring him back if it looks like he's relapsing."

Katrina nodded. "I can do that. Thank you, doctor."

As the doctor walked off and Katrina entered the room, Adam was already up and getting his gear on, shades back in their rightful place. He picked up his backpack, and didn't seem to be having any troubles with his balance.

"Wow, I guess you're feeling a lot better now, huh?" she asked, as she went to close and pick up her laptop.

Adam picked up his sword, a massive weapon that contained a refractor possessing another soul – that of a Purifier Unit named MegaMan Blade. He looked it over for a moment, then slowly placed it on his back.

"So..." she began.

"Yeah?" he said, looking over.

"Oh, er, nothing."

"Um..." he began.

"Yes?"

Adam paused. "Uh, nothing."

After an awkward pause, Katrina once again broke the silence. "Oh! Um, if you're up to it, I was thinking... would you like to go for a walk? With me?"

"Uh... sure?" he said, a little confused about the nervousness behind such an innocuous question.

"Great!" she said, as she grabbed Adam's wrist and dragged him out the door. "Come on!"

"W-w-wait!" Adam said as he stumbled after her.

Outside of the hospital, she finally let him go. He smirked as he rubbed his wrist.

"What's the rush? I thought we were going for a walk, not a run!"

"Sorry, I just kinda got caught up in the moment. But come on," she said, starting on their way again as he followed alongside her. "I know a nice park near here..."

***

Back at Avion Command HQ, Nytetrayn and Black Draco continued their conversation.

"So, you say you live in a 'run-down' apartment?" Black Draco asked.

"Yeah, basically. I mean, there's worse," Nyte told him. "You ought to see the one we passed on. But at least it keeps the rain out. Anyway, it's only temporary; we're looking to get our own ship someday. It would make digging on other islands easier than bumming rides with Adam, at any rate."

Nyte paused. "Well, at least, that was the plan, before Fenix went off on his paternal pirate hunt. Now... hnn. I mean, I guess that's still a goal for the rest of us... we haven't really talked about it much. Guess it feels kind of pointless, since so much of what we get goes into keeping the place we've got."

Nyte sighed. He was really making himself look good.

"I see," Black Draco said, as he stroked his chin in thought. "Maybe I can help you out. Come with me," he said as he started for the office door.

Confused, Nyte followed. Black Draco's sister and bodyguard, the shadow Mechadrake Shuri, emerged from the shadows of the room, and silently went along with them.

"And maybe later," Black Draco continued, "we can help you better adapt to your new upgrades."

Nyte considered this. "That might be good."

Later that day, the three arrived at a shipyard, filled with numerous different spacecraft, ranging from the futuristic to the downright alien.

"Er, what are we doing here?" Nyte asked as he looked up at the sign, and then around the interior of the lot, where various types of craft were at rest.

"You did say you wanted a ship, right?"

"Well... yeah, but... I mean, you don't have to – isn't this a bit...?"

Black Draco put a hand on Nyte's shoulder. "Nytetrayn, I realize I've made mistakes," he told the young Digger. "But if you'll allow me... it sounded like this is something you really do want, and I hope it can serve as some small means of atonement. It's not much, but it's a start, right?"

Gobsmacked, Nyte just gave a quiet nod.

"Alright. I'll try to get something fixed up for you that will function well on your planet."

Black Draco went to speak with what looked like some sort of supervisor. It was hard to tell, but the strange Reploid he spoke to, whose appearance looked like some sort of manta ray crossed with an eagle, seemed to be in charge.

Soon, Black Draco and the eagle-ray saluted each other, and the black Mechadrake returned to his waiting companions.

"There, it's done," he said. "Now we just have to wait and see what they come up with. I told them it should have an aesthetic suitable for Terra, but with a few extra... features."

"Features?" Nyte asked.

"Well, using the data we gathered from our visit, we should be able to replicate the tech used in the ships on your world for refractor power. And just in case, since it's so abundant, we've added a hydrogen skimmer to make use of all the water there."

"There will probably be some other odds and ends added, too," he noted. "We'll go over them when it's finished. For now, let's leave them to do their work, and we can do something else."

Nyte nodded and they went on their way, with him giving a look back, wondering what this would bring.

***

Inside Saint Alphonso's Pancake Breakfast, Celeste, Fenix, and Magnus were stunned as the space sprawled out before them, with all sorts of lights and sounds penetrating the dim ambiance from every possible direction.

Games of every imaginable type were on display, from vintage cabinet-styled rigs with joysticks and buttons to interactive vehicular experiences with force-feedback and moving gyroscopic seats, touch screens, interactive holographic inputs, virtual reality, holodeck-like booths with external displays showing what was going on within, and more. Other amusements abounded, too, from variations on air hockey, pool, skeeball, foosball, and more, all interspersed and spread out across multiple levels.

It seemed like if there had ever been a style of video game made, it was represented here. One could easily be spoiled for – or overwhelmed by – the sheer amount of choices.

As the three walked through, trying to take in everything, they passed one game called Dead or Alive, which featured life-size holographic representations of the fighters, though the kids playing it seemed content to just make their chosen fighters duck and stand repeatedly until the time ran out.

Witnessing this, Fenix said "A thought just occurred to me."

"This truly is the age of miracles," Magnus said.

"Quiet," the masked Digger told their Reaverbot companion. Returning his attention to Celeste, he continued. "Cel, I strongly suspect that many of the folks in here have never seen a woman of your hotness in person before. I strongly suggest you keep close to us, and if it doesn't look like it's bathed for a week, then don't touch it."

"Er, okay."

"Alright then!" Fenix said, clapping his hands together. What are you two into? Me? I'm a fan of shooters, myself."

"Um, I dunno," Celeste said. "I've... never really played."

"Oh yeah, right. Well then, what do you like to do in real life, Cel? Whatever it is, I bet they have a game based on it. Look, they even have one where you serve people beer by sliding it down the bar!" Mock-wiping a tear from his eye, he said "The imagination truly is a limitless thing."

Celeste had to think for a moment. She hadn't really developed much in the way of hobbies since being brought out of her coma.

"Well, let's look around, then. Hey, here's one called Donkey Punch! Looks like he and Shrek had a real falling out."

"...pass."

"Alright, well, there's a shooter, there's a fighting game, and there's a snowboard simulator..."

"Um, I guess you guys can choose," Celeste offered.

"They have DDR," Magnus pointed out.

"Dude! Don't get her started on that!" Fenix said. "It's like a potato chip, you can't stop at just one! She'll keep playing until she dies! And then Nyte would have to get on with me, or something."

"I think my optic sensors just shorted out," Magnus sighed at the thought of the imagined sight.

"DDR?" Celeste asked.

"Dance Dance Revolution," Fenix explained. "It's a game where you step on buttons that correspond with icons that scroll by on the screen. When you get going, it's like you're dancing."

"That sounds like it might be fun, but..."

"Well, now seems like a good time to try it. There's no one on the machine, as everyone seems to be preoccupied with Dead or Alive."

"...okay, sure," Celeste said with a smile, relieved no one would be watching.

Fenix whipped out a card and the three of them stepped onto their respective spots. The pads were large enough to accommodate even Magnus, with the inputs scaling to match their respective sizes. "The controls are simple, it's getting into the beat that's the tricky part," Fenix explained. "Watch and learn!"

As the music began, various arrows started to cascade down the monitor like a waterfall as colorful visuals ran in the background.

Fenix did reasonably well, though he had a harder time with some of the multi-steps, but the song was slow enough for him to manage.

Meanwhile, Magnus got his tail caught up in his legs. "Aah! Treacherous appendage! Back, you cursed thing! Back, I say! Time out! Time out!"

As the music sped up, Fenix and Celeste picked up the pace, breaking a sweat but keeping up, while Magnus fell off with a curse. Meanwhile, people started to take notice and gathered around.

When the set ended, Fenix exclaimed "What the hell?!"

Celeste asked between heavy breaths, "...how'd I do?"

Fenix pointed at the screen, which displayed their scores. Celeste's was almost twice that of his.

"Is that good?"

"It means you'll get enough tickets for the wax lips at the prize counter!"

"Oh, well isn't that a lovely way to put it?" Magnus said as he dusted himself off.

"But accurate!"

"Hrmm. I suppose."

***

Elsewhere in the city, Nytetrayn, Black Draco, and Shuri were preparing to enjoy a meal on an outdoor patio, where an electronic solar shade blocked out some of the brighter and more intense rays of the sun overhead. Nytetrayn and Black Draco continued their talk from earlier over some colas, while Shuri simply listened while drinking a boba tea through a straw.

The chatter was mostly idle, reaching a pause, which Nytetrayn broke when he asked...

"So... why 'Nytetrayn'?"

Black Draco stopped mid-sip, and put down his beverage.

"Hm, I suppose it is time you knew more about your namesake..."

As Nyte looked at his creator with an intense stare, Black Draco tried to determine the best place to begin.

"You already know about the Maverick Wars," Black Draco said, prompting a nod from Nytetrayn. "Many, many years ago, back on Earth, there was an organization formed during this time of upheaval called the 'Inheritors of Eden.' They were an extremist group who sought to erase Reploids from the face of the planet, so that humanity would once again reign supreme."

"Ironically, the group used Reploids to facilitate their plans – Mechadrakes, paired and bonded with humans through a shared mental link called 'Mindspeak'. Among other things, if developed, the bond allowed a pair to fight through battles in tandem with a level of performance not seen in normal pairings. For an exceptionally synchronized duo, it could almost be like being in two places at once.

"I was one of those Mechadrakes. They called me 'Nytetrayn,' though for reasons unknown. My partner, as you know, was Celeste McTreggor. Or at least, that was intended to be the plan, before her father spirited her away in the night. Left alone with the Inheritors, I was able to hone my heightened mental abilities in other ways –"

"Wait, you were a part of some kind of anti-Reploid Maverick group?" Nyte asked.

"Not by choice," Black Draco assured him. "Suffice to say, their agenda didn't exactly sit well with me. For one thing, it's rarely a good idea to trust someone with animosity towards your kind, even when they imply you're the exception.

"Nevertheless, they were the ones who created me, and at the time, my other options were... limited. I had some plans I'd set in motion, though they wouldn't come to fruition until after their operation had been destroyed."

"Okay," said Nyte, "but I don't get it. You said that 'Nytetrayn' was your name, yet everyone calls you 'Black Draco'."

"Well, yes," Black Draco continued. "Not everyone who was a member of the Inheritors were necessarily on their side, and when the time came, we helped bring them down.

"For our role in helping stop the Inheritors from carrying out their plan, some of us were given amnesty, and a fresh chance to start anew. It was at that time that I chose a new name for myself: 'Lord Black Draco'."

Nytetrayn raised an eyebrow at this.

"...the titles of 'Lord' and 'Lady' were a common custom among Mechadrakes, at least among the Maverick Hunters," Black Draco explained. "I later dropped it when I was given command of the Ark, and the title that went with that role.

"Incidentally, there had been another Mechadrake among the Hunters prior to my arrival there – a 'Lady Red Draco'. For some reason I've never fully understood, some would think us to be the same person."

Black Draco shook his head. "Anyway, that's where the name came from. And when it came time to name you, I did so in the hopes that perhaps you could..." He paused, and Nytetrayn gave him a curious look.

"I had hoped you might be able to... redeem it. Bring honor to it."

"Wow..." Nytetrayn said. "No pressure or anything."

"I'm sorry. Looking back at it now, I suppose it was wrong of me to place that weight upon you," Black Draco said with regret in his voice.

Nyte looked disappointed as he lowered his head. "I guess I... haven't really been living up to the family legacy, then, huh?"

"On the contrary," Black Draco said, "from the things you've told me... making it on your own, fighting the Reanimator and Trevor Creed, helping your friends, giving up that hard-earned refractor to bring Celeste out of her coma and taking her in..." He placed a large hand on the young Digger's shoulder. "I couldn't be more proud to have you carry the name."

Nyte smiled.

Just then, the waitstaff appeared with their food, placing the plates before them. Nytetrayn opted for a large Avion club sandwich, filled with a variety of meats both known and alien to him, while Black Draco had settled on a large roast of some kind. Shuri opted for what at first appeared to be a simple sushi tray, though some of the components didn't look like any sushi Nytetrayn had ever seen before.

"After we eat," Black Draco said, "perhaps we can see about testing out those new upgrades of yours."

"Sure," said Nytetrayn. "I just have to swing by the hotel to get my gear, and I'll be ready to go!"

"Hmm, yes," Black Draco said. "About that..."

As the waitstaff departed, the three dug into their respective meals, while also sampling some of each other's dishes.

***

"So," Celeste said, smiling as she wiped some sweat from her forehead. "What's next?"

"We can go another round," Fenix suggested, "unless you want to try something else."

"I'll let you pick," Celeste said.

"Uh, guys?" Magnus interrupted, while looking the other way. "Look behind you."

As Celeste and Fenix turned to see what he was going on about, and were faced with a horde of pimply teenagers, all staring at Celeste.

"By Cranky Kong's beard!" Fenix shouted.

"I'm impressed, Cel," said Magnus. "It would seem you are a good dancer. Very good."

"Th-thanks," Celeste said, still off-guard by the horde around them. As they began to close in like a mob of zombies, arms outstretched, she froze up, unsure of what to do.

"There's only one thing that can be done in a situation like this!" Fenix declared. "Celeste! Avert your eyes!"

"Should I look away, too?" Magnus asked.

"No," Fenix told him. "You watch."

Celeste did as she was told, and a moment later, a loud scream echoed out amidst the sounds of panicked teenagers scrambling to get away.

"Okay, the coast is clear," Fenix told her.

Celeste opened her eyes and looked over to see Magnus down on his knees, clutching at his eyes, while the mob that had previously surrounded them had dispersed.

Unsure how to react, she placed a hand on Magnus's shoulder and asked him, "Are you okay...?"

"IT BURNS. WHY DOES EVERYTHING BURN?! MY EYES. MY BRAIN. MY... OTHER STUFF."

"Oh, for – c'mon, man, it wasn't that bad," Fenix protested indignantly.

"What did you do, Fenix?"

"Not much. Just flashed them."

Celeste, sorry that she had asked, decided to change the topic. "Um, so, what now?"

"How does Soulcalibur 900 sound to you?"

Celeste had no idea what that was.

"Sure!"

***

"So, how is the Emergency Acceleration System handling?" Black Draco asked, as he prepared a handheld practice blaster.

Nytetrayn, now armored up, stopped the stretches he was doing a short distance away in the training facility they'd gone to, different from the one SunFlame and Steel were using. "The what, now?"

"The dash boots."

"OH!" Nytetrayn replied. "Yeah, they're... uh, they're taking some getting used to."

"Don't worry," Black Draco told him. "We'll be sure to get you up to speed."

Nytetrayn paused again. "Wait, did you just...?"

Black Draco allowed himself a slight smirk. "This exercise is simple: I shoot, you dodge. But you need to use your EAS to evade the shots."

"Got it," Nyte said.

Black Draco took aim, and fired the first bolt from the practice blaster. While its shots wouldn't do any damage of note, they could still be felt, as well as registered on a nearby scoreboard.

Nytetrayn used his new equipment to easily dash out of the way of the bolt, but stumbled a bit when it came time to stop, leading to him getting hit by the second bolt fired from the blaster.

"The key is to fire it off in quick bursts," Black Draco explained. "Use it for a quick burst of speed, but before it runs out, be ready to pull yourself back up to a standing position. Let's try again."

He fired off another blast, and Nytetrayn dashed out of its path, pulling himself up to his feet as his momentum began to halt, just in time to nearly evade the second shot, which grazed his armor.

"Better," Black Draco said. "We'll keep it up until you get the hang of it."

"Sure," Nyte replied, dodging yet another shot. "Hey, what if I wanted to dash for longer? Like, I dunno, across town or something?"

"It's doable," Black Draco said, as he continued the exercise. "But without a dedicated energy source with enough output, you'd risk overexerting the system, and that would require a proportionate amount of cooldown, which could leave you vulnerable. Fast, repeated bursts are usually more efficient, and also allow for better mobility and flexibility."

Nytetrayn nodded, at least as much as he was able to perform the gesture before dashing out of the way of the next shot.

After a few more repetitions, as he was starting to get more comfortable with the exercise, Nyte decided to finally ask, "So, how did someone like you wind up with a spaceship, anyway?"

"I assume you mean the Dragon Star," Black Draco said, without breaking his stride.

"Is that what it was called?" Nyte thought to himself, evading another shot. Thinking back, it seemed to fit with the garbled words the onboard computer managed to churn out before its power gave out. "Yeah, I guess so. The one I woke up in."

"Hmm, that's... yes, I suppose I owe you that much," Black Draco said, apparently a little hesitant to talk about it. "I had it constructed to my personal specifications, and it served as the mobile headquarters for myself and the Dragon Knights. I had hoped it would one day get to venture into the stars, and it was meant to come with us." He paused. "I guess, in a way, it finally has."

"Okay, sure," Nytetrayn said. "That's why, but I'm more curious about how. You said you were created by the Inheritors of Eden, and they don't sound like the sort that would let you just walk off and do all of that."

Black Draco chuckled at Nytetrayn's reasoning. "Very true. You might recall that I had mentioned other plans set into motion before their fall," he said. "My access to the outer world was limited, but I had managed to poke some holes through.

"I crafted – or rather, cobbled together a Mechaniloid from spare parts that was able to serve as my eyes and ears out into the world. I was able to use it to... invest, which helped me gain the funds needed to carry out my plans."

"Invest?" Nyte asked. "You mean, like at a bank?"

"Affirmative," Black Draco said. "In particular, I was able to get in on the ground floor of a new enterprise before the Maverick Wars properly began."

"What could you invest in that would bring you that kind of cash flow?"

"Beam weaponry. It was a hot, relatively new technology at the time. But upon seeing the then-leader of the Maverick Hunters, Sigma, wielding a beam saber, I knew interest would be high. And it was, but I never expected what would happen next."

"What happened?" Nyte asked.

"Zero started carrying one. That's when business exploded. It seemed like every Reploid who specialized in combat wanted one, and some humans, too." Black Draco lowered the blaster. "Looking at your friend, Fenix, it would seem that their popularity on Terra has endured."

"I don't know about that," Nytetrayn said. "I made my own in my Buster," he said, as he demonstrated the blade formation, "since it just seemed practical. I think Fenix said his are some sort of antiques, and his dad has that big one, but... I don't think they're as commonplace now as in your day."

"I see," Black Draco said. "Perhaps it's for the best."

"Yeah, I'm kinda surprised," said Nyte. "I didn't think you would be... what, a war profiteer? Arms dealer?"

"It's not an investment I'm proud of," Black Draco admitted. "But seeing where things were headed, it seemed like the best way for me to be able to fight fire with fire, to turn the money that would go into exploiting the conflict back towards trying to end it."

"Frankly, if I'd had my way, I'd rather have funded some humanitarian efforts, or the arts, like video games or movies – I've always been fond of tokusatsu. Maybe even furthering space travel – hence the Dragon Star. Though I suppose ultimately, most of it did wind up going into the latter."

"I see," Nytetrayn said. "So how did you make that initial investment? The Inheritors don't sound like they'd be the type to give you an allowance."

Shuri let out a small laugh at that, and though she tried to catch herself before it drew any attention, she failed.

As Black Draco and Nytetrayn turned their attention away from her and back towards each other, the former lowered his head and quietly said, "Salami slicing."

Nytetrayn raised an eyebrow. "You worked in a deli?"

Shuri kept her laughter in check this time, while Black Draco patiently explained. "It's a term for hacking into financial transactions and diverting incremental amounts of money to a separate account. I made sure to be careful in which accounts were hacked, how much – usually percentages of a cent – and how frequently. With the sheer number of transactions taking place electronically back then, it was like collecting water from the ocean; it went largely unnoticed, and with enough time and patience, I had what I needed.

"I stopped once I had enough to work with," he continued, "and returned the money later, with interest, which was likely chalked up to a minor banking error in their favor."

Black Draco sighed. "It's nothing I'm proud of, let me assure you of that."

"Well, it looks like things worked out pretty well by it," Nytetrayn said, looking around.

"Perhaps. Still, while I felt the ends seemed to justify the means at the time, sometimes I look back, and wonder if I should have done things differently. Either way, it's now my sin to bear."

As Nytetrayn looked on, Black Draco lifted his head again. "Now, let us continue your training."

Nytetrayn nodded, and the exercise began again.

***

Elsewhere, Katrina led the way, albeit in a calmer fashion now than when she and Adam had left the hospital. "...and that's when their Colonel said, 'That was no MacGuffin! That was my rubber ducky!" she said, and the two laughed.

After they settled down from the laughter, Adam asked, "So, question: What's the deal with the laptop?"

"Oh, you mean this?" she said, holding the device up. "Just been working on some data."

"Data?"

"Yeah. See, I've been researching new energy sources. It's... I mean, the work is okay, I guess," she sighed. "Not the most exciting thing in the world," she added, as she looked skyward, "but you know. Needs to be done, and I need something to do."

The pair stop, as they notice they've wandered into a large, verdant area of the park. Pathways lead to and fro in various directions, with benches, shrubbery, and trees all around. The sound of children playing could be heard echoing throughout.

"Wow," Adam said, as he took it all in.

As he did so, a large, robotic wolf trotted past them in a leisurely fashion as a small child seated atop grasped at its ears like reins. The wolf not only seemed unbothered by this, but actually quite happy.

"Hey, wait a second," Katrina said. "I recognize that wolf! If he's here, then that means – Adam, c'mon! There's someone I want you to meet!"

She grabbed Adam by the hand and dragged him off again, this time in pursuit of the lone wolf and cub, as the Digger tried his level and dazed best to keep up.

"It's been so long... I wonder how that old codger is doing!" she said with a sharp-toothed grin.

"Hey, Katrina! Slow down!" Adam shouted, to no avail, as her head seemed to be in another place entirely while dragging him on towards their destination.

***

Fenix led the way to the Soulcalibur 900 machine, which featured a standing podium featuring two sets of joysticks and buttons in front of a large holographic field, through which the game was displayed. He and Magnus opted to go first, so they could show Celeste how the game works.

Magnus chose a knight-like character with a large sword named "Siegfried," while Fenix chose a strange-looking guy in what looked like some sort of bondage gear named "Voldo." The two engaged in virtual battle as their holographic avatars clashed and Celeste watched, carefully noting as best as she could what they were doing.

Ultimately, victory went to Fenix, who raised his arms in the air triumphantly. "Woo-hoo!" he shouted, before twerking his hips in Magnus's general direction.

"Never will I understand how you can do that," the giant said.

"You mean beating your ass like a government mule?" the masked Digger replied.

As Magnus continued to watch Fenix's display with mild revulsion, he soon said "...sure."

"Anyway," Fenix said as he straightened himself up, "it's your turn now, Cel. You can play Magnus, because he's a wimp. And probably easier than the computer."

"Screw you," Magnus muttered under his breath.

"Er, okay," Celeste said, as she stepped up to the controls. She looked them over; the four buttons were clearly labeled, and seemed simple enough.

She scrolled through the characters, and stopped once she highlighted one that caught her eye. It was a young, blonde woman wearing long white gloves and boots, who wielded a sword and shield. Celeste couldn't quite put her finger on it, but there was something about this young warrior woman that she liked. "I think I'll go with this one," she said.

"Cassandra" boomed a voice from the machine as she made her selection.

As the match got underway, the two fighters squared off in the holographic arena before them, the projections panning and zooming around in a way that made it feel like they were themselves hovering around the fighters throughout the match.

Celeste gave it her best shot. The first round was touch-and go, but by the second round, she'd gotten the hang of it. By the end of the final round, she wound up besting Magnus, whose shoulders slunk upon the computer's declaration of his defeat.

Celeste tried to put a sympathetic hand on the giant MegaMan's shoulder, but just wound up settling for whatever she could reach as she apologized. She hadn't meant to make him feel bad.

Magnus gave a small wave of his massive hand to dispel the notion. "No, no, it's okay. I was just... er, distracted. That's all." He offered his hand to the victor for a sportsmanlike handshake. "You sure you've never played before, Cel? So far, you seem to have all the makings of a hardcore gamer."

"Oh, uh... I can't be that good yet," she said, turning a little red as she accepted the handshake.

"You show great potential. I would bet that Fenix could show you the ropes."

"Hmm," Fenix said. "I cannot teach her. The girl has no patience."

"She will learn patience," Magnus replied.

"Much anger in her, like her father."

"Was I any different when you taught me?"

Celeste's gaze ping-ponged back and forth between the two throughout the exchange, and once they finished, asked them "What the hell are you guys talking about?"

"See?" Magnus said. "She's totally ready."

While Fenix and Magnus bounced back and forth with several oscillating, high-pitched "hmm" sounds, Celeste looked around the arcade to see if there was anything else that caught her eye.

"Hey, can we try this one next?" she said, interrupting the two.

The two stopped their hmm-off to look over and see Celeste pointing at what appeared to be some sort of mech simulator. "This looks fun," she told them.

"Sure, I'll be your opponent!" Fenix told her, as he took a seat inside the mock-cockpit. "You know, I'm something of a mech pilot, myself."

"Really?" she asked, as she took a seat of her own.

"Nah," he said. "I think mechs are more Nyte's thing, with that one he's been working on forever. I like the more intimate approach," he added, as he cracked his knuckles. "Though let it not be said that I'm not open to experimentation."

"And double-negatives," Magnus added.

"Dude, you are such a wet blanket. Now, Celeste, prepare to suck missiles!"

As Fenix let off a barrage of missile fire, Celeste jetted over the attack, and retaliated with her own rockets. Fenix dodged and fired his plasma cannon at the posterior of Celeste's mech, to which she responded by firing her own plasma burst. The two colliding blasts exploded, throwing both mechs backwards.

"Gnya!" Fenix grunted, as his mech rolled over a few times before he got back to his feet, and fired off another volley of missiles.

Celeste got her mech to its feet, right as the missiles found their mark. She managed to regain her bearings, and made a mad dash at Fenix's mech, using her weapon to snag it, lifting and tossing it into the air before following it up with three more plasma blasts.

"What the hell?!" Fenix exclaimed. "You can do that?!"

"I guess?" Celeste said, as she focused more on the fight than on Fenix himself.

Fenix took the first two blasts, but dodged the third, as he rocketed down and behind Celeste's mech, and started to enthusiastically make a twerking gesture. Magnus facepalmed.

"AAH!" Celeste yelled, before freeing her mech, turning it around, and nuking Fenix's right in the face. "Sick," she said.

"It was worth it," Fenix said, as the words "Game Over" scrolled across his screen.

"Fenix, just how long has it been since you were with a woman?" Magnus asked.

"You mean with, or with?"

"With."

"Oh, I'd say it's been about a month. Why do you ask?"

"...no reason."

Celeste looked at the time, and said "We should probably get back."

"Sure thing!" Fenix said, patting her on the shoulder as they started heading towards the exit. "So, what did you think?"

"That was fun," Celeste said with a smile.

"Great! We'll have to do it again sometime!"

"Minus the humping," Magnus added.

"What?! But that was the best part!"

"Speak for yourself," Celeste said with a dissatisfied look.

"Awwwww, come on, now," Fenix said. "It was all in good fun! Like teabagging, or insulting one's mother!"

"I guess..." Celeste said.

"Besides, if I had done that for realsies, you'd still be writing on the floor in pleasure."

Before Celeste could even say anything, Magnus had already whacked Fenix across the back of the head.

"If you'd done that in real life," Celeste said with a nonplussed look, "Nyte probably would have broken your neck by now."

"Eep! I mean, ack! I mean, yes, you are absolutely right, Cel. That display was shameful, and we should never, ever speak of it again. To anyone else, or each other."

"Agreed," she said.

***

After walking for about ten minutes, Adam and Katrina came to a clearing, where what appeared to be a Reploid lion sat on a bench. He sported a color scheme of mostly teal, white, and grey, though his colors were faded. He sported his share of dings and battle scars, and was older looking than some of the other Reploids Adam had seen around.

"...and that's how we left Earth," the old Reploid said in a slightly-deep, raspy voice. As he looked over at the newcomers, he exclaimed "Ah! Hello there, Katrina!"

"Lion-L!" she replied. "You're looking well, old-timer."

"You too," he said with a grin, as he noted Adam studying him. "And who might this be?"

"Ah, my bad. Lion-L, this is Adam Powers. Adam, this is Lion-L, the strangest Reploid I've ever known."

Lion-L laughed. "It's a pleasure."

"Likewise," Adam replied, as he looked around at the children. "What's with all the kids?"

"Ah, I'm an old sucker for children. When I'm not on duty, this is where I like to come and tell stories and play with them."

"Yeah, about that," Katrina said. "I thought you were away on reconnaissance?"

"Eh, we got back early. Nothing out there to report."

"Ah, I see."

While Katrina and Lion-L caught up and conversed, Adam looked around, and noted that the child they'd seen riding the wolf earlier was now playing near a tree, while the wolf itself sat nearby, happily being the subject of affection for many of the children.

"So, how is the research going?" Lion-L asked Katrina.

"Slow," she said, letting out a frustrated sigh. "Too slow."

"Here," he said, scooting over on the bench a bit. "You two sit."

As Adam and Katrina accepted the offer, one of the children approached Lion-L with what appeared to be a toad in his hands. "Lookit what I found, Unca' Lion-L!"

"Ah, that's great, Judd!" he said with a sage smile. "Why don't you see if you can find some crickets for him to eat?"

Adam looked around, and spotted a nearby ice cream vendor. After taking a quick headcount, he quietly got up, a smirk on his face.

"Hey, where are you going?" Katrina asked.

"Don't worry, I'll be right back."

Moments later, good to his word, he returned, now with enough frozen desserts for all the kids – as well as himself, Katrina, and Lion-L, and he passed them all out before returning to his seat.

"Thanks!" said the old lion, as did many of the children.

Soon after, as the day began to wind down, some of the kids began to take their leave. By the time Adam, Katrina, and Lion-L had finished their ice creams, they were all gone, with the wolf sitting alongside Lion-L, sharing the remainder of his cone.

"Guess it's about time we were on our way, too, huh Katrina?"

"Yeah, it's getting late, and you need to get your rest!" she said, pointing a finger into Adam's breastplate.

Lion-L stood up and stretched his arms upwards with a bit of a yawn. "Yeah, it's time we got going, too. Good to see you again, Katrina! And a pleasure to meet you, Adam."

After saying their good-byes, Adam and Katrina parted ways with Lion-L, and soon, each other, as they all headed back to where they would be staying for the night.

***

Elsewhere, Nytetrayn, Black Draco, and Shuri decided it was high time they got back as well.

After summoning a ride, the three make the journey back, talking all the while as the sun began to set overhead.

"...and as I made my escape from the Inheritors' base," said Black Draco, "that was when I discovered a capsule. Inside that capsule was another Mechadrake, who would come to be known as Shuri."

Shuri nodded, as Nytetrayn listened on.

"I freed her from the capsule, and brought her with me, keeping her presence a secret until – oh, it looks like we've arrived."

"Oh, dang," said Nyte. "Guess we'll have to finish this another time."

"Indeed," said Black Draco. "You should rest up for now, though. Perhaps we can continue your training tomorrow?"

"Yeah," Nyte said, before even realizing it. "I think I'd like that. I'll see you then!"

With that, he got out of the vehicle, tipping his hat to the two Mechadrakes and heading into the hotel.

"I think that went well," Shuri told Black Draco as the vehicle sped along its way.

"Much better than last night," Black Draco admitted.

"The kid is sharp. He's progressing with the new abilities faster than I expected."

Black Draco nodded. "It's good to see. Without knowing what he would be awakening to, I knew he might have to adapt. I'm glad to know that facet has held up."

Back at the hotel, Nytetrayn checked in on the GunRobos, who seemed fixated on the television in their room. He let them be, and entered the room he was sharing with Celeste, only to find no one else was there.

"Guess she's still out with the others," he surmised.

Worn out from his training, he ditched his armor and collapsed on the sofa before deciding to see what was on the TV himself. As he flipped through the many options, he mulled over all the things he'd been told earlier.

On the one hand, there was stuff in there that wasn't exactly good, strictly speaking. On the other, that meant he had to have been honest with him, right? Why else would someone paint themselves in such a light when trying to endear themselves? He did seem remorseful over some of his past actions, even from so long ago, and was clearly trying to make good.

Nytetrayn thought further. In those kinds of circumstances, would he have acted any different? He wasn't so sure.

It was a lot to take in, and as he pondered these questions and more, he eventually fell asleep.

***

Outside of Saint Alphonso's Pancake Breakfast, Celeste noted that it was starting to get late.

"Yeah, let's skedaddle," Fenix said. "We don't want to have to find our way back in the dark." Celeste nodded in agreement.

"Or," Magnus offered, "I can just fly us all there."

"You can?" Celeste asked.

"Yes, you could do that," Fenix said, "but if it's all the same, I'd rather you didn't have your hand on my ass."

Celeste raised an eyebrow at the pair.

"It was one time!" Magnus protested. "And besides, I was drunk!" He turned to Celeste. "Cel, you could sit on my shoulders."

"Er, okay," Celeste said, as this idea was starting to sound worse by the minute.

"I'm not riding on your ass, either," Fenix said.

"Oh, for crying –!" Magnus exclaimed, as he kneeled down and moved his hair so Celeste could hop on. "Just grab my tail or something."

"I dunno..." Fenix said, chin in hand as he contemplated his options. Before he knew it, Magnus grabbed him underneath his arms and took off.

Fenix yelped as he was carried skyward. "Wait! I wasn't ready! I'm chafing, and I can't reach!"

"Don't worry! It won't last any longer than necessary!" Magnus said, as he made sure not to push his jets too hard.

Soon, albeit not soon enough for Fenix, the three landed outside the hotel entrance. The three headed up to their floor, and parted ways to their respective rooms.

Celeste quietly entered her room to find Nytetrayn, fast asleep on the sofa in front of the television, his discarded armor around him. Figuring he'd had a busy day, she decided to let him sleep, and grabbed a nearby blanket and draped it over him before turning off the TV. Pausing for a moment, she decided to lean over and give him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Thanks, Nyte," she whispered quietly, before turning in herself.

---