Chapter XI: So Long and Thanks For All The Fish, Part One
Story by Aeon Shadowflux on SoFurry
And now back to our regularly scheduled program, its finale time and get ready because it all comes together today, and it will have consequences because tonight somebody dies.
Chapter Eleven: So Long and Thanks For All The Fish, Part One
For Two months, peace had been kept. Carson City stayed up at night and carefully looked to both its east and west in order to make sure that they might not be in the middle of a surprise attack. The Kagens to their west had taken up shelter by making their camp outside of a town on the California border, right next to Lake Tahoe, King's Beach and the Riftwalkers to their east had formed a massive hidden camp, location only known to the Outsiders.
But for two months all was well in Carson City, news that neither the Riftwalkers nor the Kagens arrival had escaped the town, all citizens afraid that news of such creatures might attract attention that might only increase their already dwindling time. And thus one day at a tiny off branch of Sea World in Carson City, while kids and adults were playing in the still hot winter sun, mountains of snow overlooking them they were quite surprised to see something from the dolphins…
For instance, on the planet Earth, man had always assumed that he was the most intelligent species occupying the planet, instead of the third most intelligent which was, in fact, entirely accurate. The second most intelligent creatures were, of course, dolphins. They had made many attempts to alert mankind to the danger, but most of their communications were misinterpreted as amusing attempts to punch footballs or whistle for tidbits, so they eventually decided they would leave Earth by their own means.
A message, misinterpreted as a surprisingly sophisticated attempt to do a double backward somersault through a hoop while whistling the "Star-Spangled Banner" but in fact the message was this... "So long and thanks for all the fish."
…
“SeaWorld Orlando and Disney Waterworld are reporting the same dolphins have mysteriously vanished from their cages without warning from anything, seemingly they have managed to escape somewhere."
Over the radio the attendant to the dolphins at SeaWorld Carson City was too busy with feeding the dolphins their daily allocation of scrimp pellets to notice the message being relayed. But then the trick started. One of the dolphins started to whistle to its fellow brethren, and with that the attendant watched as the dolphin started to paddle its tail.
Floating on the surface of the water, the attendant looked on with curiosity as the dolphin jumped up and while starting the opening notes of the American Anthem started to twist its body in the air, it did one turn in the air and then another while flying through the set up hoop. The attendant and the onlookers looked on with amazement in their eyes, but that would not be the last amazing sight they saw on that day. To their amazement and this is true, the other dolphins in the pool swam as deep as they could and all quickly shot up into the air.
As water splashed out on them they were all temporally blinded for a second as the dolphins flew into the sky. The attention quickly rubbed his eyes dry but he was already too late, the Dolphins had set sail for green pastures. He looked on with amazement as everyone in the crowd tried to figure out what happened to the aquatic animals, except for one tiny five year old girl who sat in the back and was clapping seemingly the only one to oversee this miracle. The attendant looked around and realized one thing; he was going to lose his job.
…
News of dolphins mysteriously disappearing was quite the buzz and while the media was looking for the reasons that such an event could happen, Finn and Isaac were already standing at the table of who they believed could do it. Finn crossed his hands and wondered if he looked too forceful as he waited for the Kagen's representative.
“God I just wish we could talk to someone on the phone at least then we'd get out of here quicker." Isaac said laughing as he looked behind him and still waiting for the Kagens just plated with his thumbs. Finn groaned and then suddenly the front flaps of the tent opened, two sharks walked in. The one they captured, Bright, and the one he summoned, Twilight.
“Ah look Bright, our Outsider friends have arrived, I remember all the versions of me that had Outsider friends, except for the main one, he was stupid to stay behind, nevermind about that Bright please do make sure that a perception filter is raised." Twilight said confusing Finn as he watched Bright stick a seemingly stick device to metallic poles of the tent and for a second it was quiet in the tent and then he couldn't hear anything outside the tent.
“Now then, you have summoned us for some reason, is there something you would like to accuse us of because, we have not left this camp since we have settled it and can prove it." Twilight said walking in as he and Bright sat down, both of them looked at Finn, knowing who he was and trying to figure out what he might do. Finn briefly became nervous as the words on his tongue dried up and he was caught with nothing to say. “Ah did a Riftwalker get you tongue."
“No, sorry, dolphins, we have them here on earth, they are like aquatic mammals with tails and they can whistle with their long mouths." Finn said as he used his hands and formed many shapes while trying to describe the creature for the Kagens, the Kagen brothers looked at each other while trying to figure what Finn was saying.
“We know what you're saying you twat, we're not stupid. We've been on Earth before, or have you forgotten that already, I don't think he's going to be representative for us brother. Robotic leg shark you explain what he is trying to say." Twilight said as he looked over to Isaac, who shivered as the stares of two Kagens were turned on to him. He stayed still a second as he prepared his words carefully not wanting to upset the Kagens.
“Well you see in the past days, there have been many reports by multiple facilities that Dolphins have just flew up and away, the few that aren't blinded by water say that the Dolphins just fly into the sky like gravity was nothing." Isaac said as he tried to explain to the Kagens what the multiple reports had alleged.
“And you think the Kagens have something to do with that, or do you think the Riftwalkers have something to do with that and you're only asking us for help, please do be more clear with your intention." Twilight said staring at Isaac, with a grin and a look that burned it way into Isaac's mind, something that would be brought up soon.
“No, we only believe that you might have ways to do that such as teleporting them as they reached the apex of their jumps or using mind control or something, just throw us mortals a bone or something." Isaac said as he seemingly begged the Kagens for help, Twilight smiled upon hearing the news, he looked over to Bright who looked just as confused.
“And why do you think that we the Kagens did this, why couldn't the dolphins just fly up into the air on their own and fly away from your pools?" Twilight said as he stood up and leaned down towards Isaac. Finn stood still at all his willing, trying not to reach over and touch Twilight push him away with all the electricity in the world. “Why do you think that we have to even give the Dolphin's power, why can't they fly on their own?"
“Well many years of science and research have shown that dolphins are smart but no smarter than humans any either way, it's not like they could fly on their own, they'd need wings or something to propel them through the air." Isaac argued as he tried to prove his idea to Twilight, he stood up and leaned on the table as he decided to defend his own ideas.
“Why you can fly and on paper you have the same body as any other non-powered shark. On paper I would appear to have the same outside of a shark but inside I have two hearts so you must be saying that for some reason the dolphins couldn't do this." Twilight said smiling as he set the humans up into the trap of his own device. Waiting a few seconds he waited for Isaac to process his comeback and then he waited as Isaac realized he was right. “Your response sir?"
“Well dolphins don't have superpowers; they only just swim around in the water and eat the fish we give them." Isaac said with disbelief in his eyes. Twilight smiled he loved, making people eat their own words and right now Isaac had some pretty big words to swallow. “Well I guess the same connections in our head that allow us access to our collective could be reproduced but why wouldn't they tell us?"
“They did, all those dolphins asking for tidbits or punching footballs were really just saying, “Hey listen!", but you ignored them and now they've used their superpowers to fly where they think it is safer." Twilight said as he backed off and instead pointed towards Bright who seemingly had a speech prepared.
“Now then onto the real point of why you here, you see their were once dimensional Kagens in the dimensions you have but with a device of a tiny shark we once knew, all versions Kagens have been consulted into one body, for example I am all of the dimensional Brights combined with all their power, and barring one who gave up his power, this all the Twilights." Bright said as he pulled out a paper and handed the two Outsiders the files on the universal consolidation. Finn read in as he tried to figure what they were talking about.
“Who is Koji and who are the Las Vegas Outsiders their haven been one of those since at least fifty years, Las Vegas is a ghost town now, no one goes there anymore." Finn said as he read the file to Twilight's delight. Finn looked at Isaac, who was looking into other files as well. Bright handed them a folder and looked at them waiting for questions.
“What do you just except us to accept this as fact why should we believe you on this, you say a lot of things why should we accept them all as fact?" Finn asked as he looked over the papers trying to find inconsistencies between them. Isaac did the same as he looked over the files of Benji and Zander. Finn waited a second and looked up at Bright.
“Well we have no reason to lie to you, we all putting it all on the table, everything we've done, everything we have done and everything we will have done, is out on the table for you to dissect at your liking so just know you don't have to accept it as what happens, as it is a lot but know that it kind of puts a line in the universe between the universal consolidation." Bright said as stood up and prepared to go, he looked back at them and then to Twilight.
“The dolphins know what is coming, they're smart to leave." Bright said as he stood up and left the tent, Twilight smiled and waved good-bye as he left the room and left the two alone. Finn stood up and looked at Isaac for something witty to say or some advice on their next movement.
“I don't know, what we should do Finn, I don't sense anything wrong but this all seems so expansive I don't know where to start." Isaac said as he put the files into a folder and closed it.
…
Basil walked into the large Riftwalker building and found himself standing next to Joel and Elijah the two rams of the Riftwalkers. He looked over to them and they had that look on their faces like they were excepting something from him and he was going to be forced to give it to them, as he walked forward they followed him like dum-dum sheep and he finally turned and looked at them.
“Ok, you two are doing it again, what the hell do you want?" Basil asked as he looked at them and they both knew that they had to tell him. Joel smiled as he looked at his brother, who seemed to be doing most of the talking. Elijah smiled and twitted his finger as Basil groaned, it was something stupid probably.
“We need to strike against the Kagens, we can't wait much later and I know it sounds stupid but I have a stratagem against them, and if you follow me then we can do this and then maybe we can win this war before it begins." Elijah said as he smiled and snowed Basil something. Basil backed and looked at both of them, they had a fusion stone around their neck.
“No you two can't fuse against them, they can kill you in that stage, fusion is my thing and you should not take up that mantle, either way we need to play the long game against the Kagens." Basil said as he tried to list reasons on why they couldn't do such a thing and Elijah laughed, Basil realized that the white ram had already made a counter defense.
“What about what happened on Terraona Prime, you didn't wait for that in only two months you managed to raise a massive resistance against the King and took over his planet, why shouldn't we act on that sort of time?" Elijah asked as Basil remembered the war he fought in so many years ago. Basil put his hands on his heads and shut out the thoughts of his home world.
“Listen that was two hundred and twenty four years ago for me, and that's a long time for me, I was only sixteen back them, I have changed and sometimes you realize the things you did in the past aren't as good as you remember them, We moved on from that side of me." Basil said as he grabbed ahold of his fusion necklace and remembered it, it had been so long since he defused he wasn't even sure if he could operate as two people anymore, fusion was his drug and he depended on it.
“I wish to paint my stolen armor back to the proper color it once was." Joel said barely speaking up and barely allowing Basil to hear his tiny voice. Joel pointed at his black armor, splashed with blood randomly. Basil looked at it and noted it was seemingly a stolen piece of Kagen armor. He looked at Elijah and wondered why he was wearing a hoodie and a pair of jogging shorts.
“Elijah, first you need armor instead of that Earth wear you have and Joel we should probably have a talk on how far it is appropriate to go when trying to intimidate an enemy." Basil said as he started to walk away, hoping just to ignore the two brothers.
“But Basil, we need to do this, we're skeleton twins, we are nothing without this war, this has been what the meat on our bones is. And plus think of your king, think of what he would want you do, he would want to exterminate the threat to you as soon as possible, wouldn't he?" Elijah said smiling like a troubled youth as he cracked his fingers and his eye glowed blued. Basil turned back and walked away.
“I forbid you from doing anything against the Kagens until we get conformation from the High Brother that we take action." Basil said walking away, he was worried, they might do something. As he walked up the stairs, passing through different levels of the castle with increasing more and more, higher security levels he continued to the second highest level.
He walked into his room and looked around, memories from Terraona Prime and Alpha were scatter over his room, a jar of sand and a crystal they found in the cavern, it was all such memories and treasures. And on his spare chair, Head General Ignatius stood up and looked at Basil. Basil paused wondering why the general was in his room, he nearly backed up out of it.
“Ah Head General what are you doing in my room?" Basil asked looking surprised to find the head general in his generally private room. The orca stood up and walked forward, his massive armor hiding much of his body. Basil twisted his head and wondered why he was in his room.
“I have a plan against the Kagens and I have heard the Elijah and Joel are planning to do something against them, I know this will send you against what you told them but they will be needed for this plan." The Head General said as he stood up, Basil realized what he was talking and shivered, knowing that would be bad but he knew that he needed to follow the High General. He realized his ideals were abandoned as he left Terraona Alpha.
…
Michelle walked into the military base, Tidus following her as they walked towards General Maverick. She looked back towards the shark and wondered why they were summoned, it could be bad if General Maverick had discovered that the Outsiders were related to both of them. Michelle stopped at the door and then looked back at Tidus who nodded. She walked forward into the door.
“Yes General Maverick why have you summoned us?" Michelle said as she walked forward and looked at the General. He was standing at the map and seemed to have multiple points around Carson City. He turned around at them and smiled, he pointed towards one dot on the map.
“What is the dot sir?" Tidus asked as he shivered wondered what he had done; he looked at it and realized it was in the desert and in the approximate location of the Riftwalker's camp. The blue dots over the map were the locations of the Kagens and the purple were the Riftwalkers; a string connected the purple to the base.
“Using footage from Basil teleporting with his sword, I have figured out where he and his Riftwalker's base are." General Maverick said as he pointed to the dot about five miles outside of Carson City. Michelle smiled at least they knew where one of the groups were, and then they could track that group. He then pointed ot the other dot, the Kagen Camp.
“Now then, Michelle from you I want you complete loyalty, I know you hang out with the Outsiders and I see what you do with them, with your friends but if I can trust you in these times, I need you hundred percent loyalty to us. I need to know you won't abandon the military in our time of need." General Maverick said as he looked at Michelle and smiled with that grin on his face. Michelle took a step back, as she realized that it was finally time, she had to pick a side.
“Ah." Michelle shook for a second and realized this was serious, she looked to Tidus who nodded and meanwhile, Maverick put out his hand and looked at Michelle and smiled, he looked at her and tried to pull her towards his side. He waited a few seconds as he let the human decide which side she would go on.
“Allow me to convince, you if you want to do anything in public office, I suggest you stay with me. My power reaches beyond Carson City and I can help you with anything you want." General Maverick said as he raised his eyebrow, adding some Nevadian insight. Michelle pondered for a second and wondered if he meant that he could truly stretch to anything.
“A quid pro quo?" Michelle asked trying to interrogate him and she wondered if Tidus was offered this.
“I do suppose." Maverick said. “Final offer, all and all this is what you get. You'll get love for it, you'll get hate for it, but you'll get nothing if you wait for it."
She looked over toward Tidus and breathed for a second as she tried to decide what to do. She waited a second and looked back at Maverick, she pulled her hand back and waited a few seconds as she put her hand forward and grabbed the hand of Maverick. She agreed to stay in the military and turn her back on the Outsiders.
Maverick smiled as he looked at Michelle's hand and closed it, he looked back at Tidus and smiled. He looked back and knew that he had done it; he got it and managed to get everyone he needed. He had Tidus and he had Michelle and with that he could defend the city. He breathed and looked at Michelle.
“Well then hand in your resignation to the Outsiders, I can trust that you will be able to do that on your own?" Maverick said as he looked at Michelle and she nodded. Michelle walked out the door and walked away from the General, walking out the door she closed the door and leaned against the brick wall, knowing the Maverick couldn't hear her.
Should she do this should she throw everything away with the Outsiders that she had gained over all these years? Should she do this and pick up her phone and call Finn and presumably break his heart? She laughed a bit knowing how enthusiastic Finn was about the Outsiders. If the military didn't work out would she be throwing away her shot, or was she just selfish for just stretching both organizations?
Pulling the phone out of her pocket, she dialed Finn's number into her phone and clicked the green dial button. Looking at it, she knew she needed to at least tell Finn, she couldn't leave any of his or Isaac's crackpot plans hanging, especially if it put the city at risk so she swallowed her pride and pulled the phone up to her ears.
“Hey Michelle, where are you they're giving out free tator tots today at the school, me and Isaac have had like fifty servings already, some sort of accident with the truck and they had to give them to school." Finn said excitedly with a full mouth of food, Michelle waited a second and heard his gulp as the shark swallowed his food. Michelle giggled at bit and knew she was going to hurt him more than it would hurt herself and she was a bit of selfish bitch for that, but she knew what sides she had to take in the end.
“Finn." Michelle took a breath of air and knew this was it; this was the moment she dreaded knowing that it was all leading up to this. “You are the greatest leader of the Outsiders and you lead the team with such an enthusiasm and vigor but I can't do that anymore, I'm sorry don't say anything to me, I don't deserve such attention, just go on with the Outsiders and leave me behind, I'm going to the military, I'm sorry."
Michelle hung up the phone before Finn could say anything to convince her otherwise, she leaned back against the wall and realized she had done it, she abandoned her friends, loves and family all for the military and now she was ashamed of herself, but then she realized she was in the military and now she had access to everything, and a smile returned to her face.
…
For the past two months, talk at the school lunch tables had been dominated by the Riftwalkers and the Kagens but when Finn hung up his phone everyone in the lunchroom could tell that something was happening and talk seeming quieted down as Finn dealt with the issue he knew he was always was going to have to, Michelle was leaving the Outsiders.
“Finn, are you ok?" Isaac said as he realized his lover's pain, turning towards him Isaac rubbed a tear coming down from Finn's eye and knew he would make whoever did this to him paid dearly. Isaac looked at Finn and the shark seemingly sighed as if he knew this was going to happen one day, one day Michelle would get too big for the Outsider nest and now it was time to fly away.
“Guys, can you listen?" Finn paused for a second and looked down at his phone, seemingly in disbelief. He looked back up and them and when he was ready he sighed and decided to tell them the bad news. "Michelle just quit her job."
Quickly the news got the attention of Iren, and by extension Ross, both of them turning to look at the shark. Finn shut down the phone and put it in his pocket. He felt sad but it felt like he was dealing with the death of a grandmother or someone old, he knew it was coming and mentally he prepared himself for it.
“Why would she quit her job when it offers such nice benefits like working with us nice people and other things?" Iren asked as she tried to keep the secret and was doing a very poor job of it. Finn glanced at her and looked over to Isaac, who didn't seem that surprised over the revelation. He took a quick breath and knew that he would have had to deal with this soon or later, with the nanobots pushing at them as well as the Kagens and the Riftwalkers possibly invading them, she would be pushed towards someone.
“Well Michelle just needed more space from us, I guess we are all a little toxic in the end, maybe she will come back sooner or later." Finn said as he breathed and knew that this was everything that he deserved, he should have threated Michelle better, he should have listened to her and now he paid the price by losing his best fighter.
“Well then we've lost her, someone has to take her job what are we going to do now?" Isaac asked snapping Finn out of his memory palace. Finn looked at him and wondered for a moment, they could get another member but who would they take in. They could ask for a transfer or a new recruit from Outsider's headquarters or maybe they would send them someone to replace her once they reported her resignation.
“I don't know but I do know something, the future is bright here. We have the Outsiders to protect us and we are learning so many things, so in the future, I believe we can do this." Finn said as Isaac pulled him back down, before he stood up and gave the whole school a speech, something that would surely give his identity away to everyone. Everyone knew that the Outsiders liked giving speeches away like free hugs.
“Well we still have to deal with the nanobots, Frostbite and Flashpoint and we haven't seen Owlman die yet, he still could be out there and there must be someone controlling them, so we have to be careful." Ross said as he pointed out somethings Finn might not have taken into account, Finn glanced at him and Ross went back to eating his tator tots and he looked at Isaac.
“Do you think we can do this, this whole team? Me, you, Iren, Ross and Erick do you think our sorry assess can handle the nanobots, Kagens and Riftwalkers at the same time?" Finn asked as he grabbed onto the Isaac's hand and looked at him, Isaac smiled for a second and wondered if that was possible as well.
“Finn I believe we can do anything we want, we've gone to space, we've defeated hundreds of mutants at this point and so many people have been against us, but the five of us, just maybe, just maybe if we work together and we don't kill each other, then I believe we can do this." Isaac said as he looked at Finn and their crazy little group they had made.
For Two months, peace had been kept. Carson City stayed up at night and carefully looked to both its east and west in order to make sure that they might not be in the middle of a surprise attack. The Kagens to their west had taken up shelter by making their camp outside of a town on the California border, on Lake Tahoe, King's Beach and the Riftwalkers to their east had formed a massive hidden camp, location only known to the Outsiders and now the military.
And maybe just, just maybe if everything worked out and if everything went their way, then they could defy the odds and defy what everyone said about them and rise up and take their shot at the nanobots and bring peace to world and save it from the Kagens and the Riftwalkers because they are the Outsiders and they will always be together.
…
“Eh, and look at this it is crazy when it comes to the climate here, there's a mountain with snow, and a lake and a desert all nearly by, now you wouldn't see that up north." A man said dressed in flannel gear said as he walked through the wood on a trail, he looked at the forest in front of him, he was nearly at the lake they were camping at for the night, which was good as the sun was setting down on their bodies.
“I wonder if the trees here can make maple syrup like ours? Wouldn't that be an interesting thing; it'd be like printing money from trees." His buddy said as he walked forward on the path, stepping up over the trees and looking forward on the path, making sure that they both stayed safe in this new foreign land. Looking around and grabbing his jacket, he felt the synthetic syrup leaf on his chest and thought back about home.
“I haven't seen anyone out here, don't the people out here go out an exercise much?" The man said as he walked forward on the path looking around and wondering why they weren't surrounded by anyone in the glorious wide on wilderness, probably they were all in their cities ready stories on the internet.
“Well, they must not have much time to do anything, it's not like it is up north, they don't give out free money here. Eh, I think its aboot time that we set up camp for the night." The hiker said as he stepped out from the forest line and arrived at the edge of Lake Tahoe and placed his bag on the ground. Looking around at the setting sun on the high lake, he looked around and wondered why no one else was on the lake.
“Wow, it is really nice here and I do say, it's nice to see the ground not covered in complete white for once, I forgot that there was green on the ground for a while up north." The second hiker said as he stood up and looked around at the nice ground, wondering why no one else was around, it was strange that they didn't have any one around; maybe it was too good to be true.
And then suddenly the ground started to frost up under the hand of the hiker, he pulled his hand away as he looked at the ground. He pulled his hand back and looked around as the ground started to freeze around him. A massive snowflake formed around them as he looked for something to happen. The trees started to freeze and he realized the paradise was a bit ticker than he imagined.
“Well then, looks like you just wandered into the Kagen's territory and trust me we as a race are very territorial."
Suddenly a voice ran through out the forest, birds flying into the air as suddenly a massive gale of forest swirled around them and then like that, the lake started to freeze. The hikers backed up as they both looked at the frozen lake, they both started to shake when they realized that something bad was going to happen to them.
And like that rising up from the last stop not frozen in the lake, Twilight appeared before the hikers showing them his glorious Kagen body. And walking on to the lake, he looked as the gust blew his cape around and made his shadowed body on appear larger to the hikers. He smiled but doubted they could see him that much, so he simply threw the gale to the ground.
“Now then you need to know what is happening here, because it won't be much easy for you after this point because you are now hostages so to say, because you are just worth so much to me and you are probably worth so much to your home land and your people and the Outsiders as well, so time to freeze!" Twilight said as suddenly the snowflake expanded, and like that it encased both of the hikers in ice before they could even say anything, they just stood there and they stood still in ice.
Twilight smiled before suddenly a bullet travelled right by his head, looking into the forest suddenly a solider was taking aim at him, just like the soldiers to interrupt him and he knew that he was being fired at, raising a wall of ice as he looked at the solider, bullets hit into the wall of ice, as he backed up and prepared to defend himself.
“Well then, you know what is happens but we need to disappear, so then you should continue on." Twilight said as he stood in place and then suddenly his body started to crystalize, a new power he learnt from all of himselves knowledge. The hikers in ice, disappeared as well and he teleported himself and them away from the soldiers.
…
“This is a breach of our security, the Canadians had passports and were here legally and if we can get Kagens to attack the illegal one then I'd be fine with them but they're attacking our legal citizens as well and we need to bomb the fricking hell out of them and make sure they know who is the fricking boss in this relationship!"
Livewire this time looked on his internet feed with a bit of shame, people had been taken by the Kagens and a solider had come back his body nearly frozen, they set up weather triggers in order to see when they should send a fully armed battalion to Lake Tahoe, but quickly they were turned off just by Twilight freezing the area to negative sixty-four.
Livewire personally wondered why the crowd was clapping for the tan idiot on the stage, but figured some people were just that stupid to do so. Livewire swiped to a different stream but relatively the same politically aligned candidate talking to a similar crowd of similar intelligence.
…
“All of these Kagens, they know who we are, they see us and maybe we should help them destroy the Riftwalkers if they are going to take people from my homeland and then they might do something worse to us, imagine if they freeze Carson City, I am personally giving the military their fifty-thousand of my own dollars in order to defend themselves." Zed Crux said to less applause from the crowd. He looked at them and fanned himself as he tried to generate more clapping for himself, “Come on guys please clap!"
…
“Now then this time we have a different crowd for you, we have Benny Flanders and Cara Sailn, debating about the Riftwalkers and the Kagens and the legality of their situation." George Stepocrapous said as he turned the camera to the two politicians standing at their podium as they waited from the camera man, waiting a second Benny started to tap against the wooden podium, his face brightened as the signal started.
“Ah well then this could be a yuge situation and we have to deal with it in a way that won't be comfortable in one way or another, and we simply cannot throw money at this like normal." Benny said as he lowered his microphone and turned the attention to Cara. She wobbled for a second and as he waited for the two of them to do something.
“Well we have to do something, and we have to show we have power on this situation and maybe we should hit them with a dive bomb or something, because then they will believe we have force and then with that we can show them that we have the power to do something, because the maverick and I can see them from my house." Cara said stumbling around the sentence, like an alcoholic.
“Ah you live in South Carolina miss, care to explain." Stepocrapous said as he turned the camera towards the obviously drunk candidate and seeing if he could whip up some attention for the network. Maybe it would go viral, maybe it would become a meme or maybe they could get an apology from her, he could go big with this and earn a Christmas bonus.
“Well you see Jorge, when I think really hard about Pakistan attacking us, I can just jut out wings from my back and fly up so high into the air, like with that stuff Benny talks about and the Kagens are such an issue that I can see them from up in the sky." Cara said as she seemingly acted out flying with her hands and both candidates could only laugh. She smiled at them and wobbled around the podium before her head collapsed in and she landed on the podium and then flipped over onto the ground.
Livewire let out a chuckle on the video as he closed it and looked up at Maverick, this was important now.
…
Finn put down his newspaper and looked at all the news , everyone was talking about this, this was the entire front page news. Carson's City kept secret about having both Riftwalkers and Kagens was spoiled to the whole nation and now everything was on them, every camera, every microphone, every satellite was pointing at them. Finn looked around at the Outsiders base and looked at Isaac as he modified a bit of his father's weaponry.
“What is that?' Finn asked as he walked over to Isaac and looked at what the cyborg shark was working on. Hoping up onto the table next to him, he looked down on the seemingly pair off cuffs with their casing removed and bare wires exposed. Finn looked with curiosity as he watched as Isaac rearranged the wires and spun them around, replacing them and makings sure they had the right connections.
“Well your father made these devices that are supposed to gather static electricity, the problem is they work to good and sometimes if you're charged they might latch onto main wire electricity and suck all of it out." Isaac said as he carefully moved a wire to the mainboard and clicked it in as he never took focus off the wire. “So I am lowering the voltage on some of it in order to make sure you don't fry your brains or drain the city of electricity."
“Well good job, so it will make entering my charged move easier?" Finn wondered out loud, remembering with excitement then form his overcharged body took on. Isaac smiled for a bit and adjusted one wire before putting the casing back on the bundles of wire and seemingly batteries. The shielding was sheik chrome with red and blue paint over it something that Isaac seemingly added; Finn knew it was to match his outfit.
“Well then try it on." Isaac said as he picked up the pair and detached them, they let a singular spark between them. Isaac opened them up properly and clamped them onto Finn's wrists. Instantly the one on his left hand disappeared into thin air and the other one turned into an accurate watch, perception filters working on him as well.
Finn clicked on his shoulder and activated his perception filter, which inversely took the one of his wrist cuffs off. They felt light as a feather and both had a charging indicator on them as he looked both were filled up to green. Finn moved his hand around and they seemingly adjusted to his wrist as his hand moved.
“Your father built them just for your hands, thank goodness he doesn't test them on you because then if the cuff fits then you might just have to wear it." Isaac said as he looked at the cuff on Finn's hand and with a screw driver in his hand looked around both and tightened and loosened some screws adjusting the fit to perfectly match Finn's wrist shape.
“Well then, maybe we should celebrate, I get something new maybe you should give me another present." Finn said as he leaned into Isaac and put his hand on his chest, fully intending to feel down to the shark's waist. Isaac smiled and grabbed Finn and pulled him in the both of them kissing with vigor as Isaac adjusted his legs and Finn leaned into Isaac.
Isaac shivered as he felt the metaphorical and literal spark between them and shivered wondering how long without air he could go on. The liplock between them finally ended as Finn backed up and took a gulp of air, blushed and embarrassed that he managed to go that long. Finn turned his perception filter off and looked around the base.
“No one is around us, we could lock the door and you could take me right here and now if you wanted to." The shark said gasped for air as he looked to Isaac for a response the cyborg shark smiled but shook his head in disagreement and instead grabbed Finn, holding him in his arms. Finn looked at Isaac as he managed to hold him bridal style and instead walked him towards his side door.
“Oh well look at that." Finn said as Isaac started to walk him over towards the door, both of them kissing as they made their way towards Isaac's house. And then suddenly the ground shook. Isaac's grip was lost and Finn suddenly slipped out and onto the floor hitting his head as he looked around.
“Oh god that's too powerful to be an Earthquake here!" Finn said as he stood up and quickly looked at Isaac for advice. As things started to fall, Isaac ran over to the door and walked out of the garage. Unaffected due his legs, he looked around and tried to calculate the epicenter of this seemingly unnatural Earthquake, meanwhile their neighbor struggled to hold onto his lawnmower.
Finn stood up and sent himself to the center of the room, knowing that the garage was built to survive earthquakes; he just wanted to avoid the multiple falling books around him. Finn looked as the massive supercomputer's screen started to shake and quickly, Finn pushed himself over and held it in place as the Earth around them slowly halted into a stop.
Finn breathed a breath of relief and wondered how much damage was done to other buildings, probably none for some but for other older ones they might start to collapse. Finn ran outside and met Isaac, he looked at the shark and Isaac nodded.
“This happened at the Kagens." Isaac said and Finn knew that was the worse.
…
Looking over the Kagen camp they found it encircled by large bones, they did not try to break through but instead tracking the source of the bones, through seemingly found a trace of thinner bones all leading to a metal works factory. They nodded and entered. Inside looking at the stacks of wood and metal pipes they quickly found two people, they were noticed.
“What the hell are you doing don't you want peace between the Kagens and the Riftwalkers, or at least make an attempt to give us a little peace this early in the morning." Isaac said to the two Riftwalkers as they walked into the construction yard and quickly realized there would be a battle between the four of them. Isaac looked around and took in all the conditions, Finn and the site and the quickly approaching storm cloud all taking into consideration.
“You don't get it, we want war. We want this Earth to burn, we want to see all of it go to the ground and we want to win against the Kagens, Outsider." The ram said as he walked forward, Isaac nor Finn had seen this Riftwalker before, in fact the only the Riftwalker they met personally was Basil. It was a white ram standing before them.
“Ah yes, we've heard this before. But can't you just try to hold it in for a little while, while we read the newspaper, so if you can do that we can then be leaving." Isaac said as he turned around and then tricked them, quickly he turned around and put his hand forward. A massive wave of gravity shot forward and knocked the two Riftwalkers back.
Falling into a pile of metal pipes, Elijah stood up as they were freed and rolled over the yard behind him. He stood up and raised his hand, if the Outsider wanted to play the game then he would be able to do that as well. Raising his hand, his eye glowed blue and that quickly spread to his hand. Isaac looked at him as the shark wondered what the ram's power was, he would find that out quickly.
Isaac was suddenly slammed into a pile of nicely stacked plywood and was promptly slammed through it as Elijah raised his hand and moved Isaac through it like it was nothing. Finn looked at Elijah's brother, according to files Joel. Finn ran forward at Joel, and jumped quickly over a wall of bones that the quiet black ram summoned.
Finn threw his fist forward, but quickly he found himself punching bone. Breaking through the bone, he jumped over what was left and continued towards the ram who started to slide back. Finn smiled at the ram and knew he might have found a challenge in the younger Riftwalker.
Finn pushed himself through a series of bones and towards the small Riftwalker, with a little absorption from his electricity bracelets he started a thunderpunch at the Rift. Yet the ram jumped out of way and Finn found himself unable to touch the Riftwalker even as he tried to punch him. Joel only smiled and formed more bones as they made their way through the junk yard.
And yet they were being spied on, on a building next to the yard, in the newly built deck, someone was watching them with a sniper. It was the best sniper rifle available on market but yet the person didn't buy it or receive it instead it was formed by herself; Michelle looked at the four battle and aimed her sight on the Riftwalker.
“So then Joel you're pretty good with battling maybe we can do this sometime later, or maybe we could work together and train each other, or would that be to pashe for you?' Finn asked as he stood back and Joel seemingly raising his arms into the air surrounded himself with bones. Finn looked as Joel disappeared in his view and then suddenly a wham!
Finn was knocked into the sky as a massive bone came out of the ground and knocked him into the stomach. Landing on the ground Finn only believed that such power was achievable by nanobots but now it seemed that these Riftwalkers might have been quite powerful as well.
“How long can you fight? How much will do you have left until you can no longer summon any bone from the ground?" Finn asked as he wobbled around, barely held in his lunch. Walking forward, he regained his fighting posture and with a burst of electricity sparked forward right into Joel. Bones were knocked away as Finn seemingly appeared in their space and he attempted to punch Joel. That was when the ram surprised him by grabbing onto his fist.
Finn looked down and looked surprised. Waiting a second he grabbed Joel's other fist and pushed him, letting his body start to shock, he felt a cold wind over his back and then rain started to fall. Pushing Joel, the ram fell back into a pile of sand. Finn cracked his hand and looked to Isaac as he and Elijah got stuck in a battle of trying to keep Isaac still. And then like that Elijah was knocked over the wall and Isaac followed.
“Now then you and me, come on show your full power, I can feel it inside of you and I want to see how quickly I can jump around." Finn said as he looked at Joel who looked read to oblige his command. Joel jumped up into the air and quickly summoned a group of bones on the ground and stood on them. Staying silent Finn watched as Joel started to kick through the bones.
Finn quickly dodged the bones but as the second wave arrived he was pelted with them and landed on the ground. He ran up to Joel, and jumped knocking him off his bone stand and sending both of them to the ground. Finn trapped Joel on the ground and held him down as he gathered electricity.
…
“Take the shot now, you can get a Riftwalker!" Maverick yelled screaming in Michelle's ear. Holding her rifle carefully, she slowed down her breathing and placed the crosshairs over Joel's head. She didn't move her finger to the trigger yet, adjusting for the wind and the gravity she quickly found herself dealing with a massive margin of error.
The wind was changing too quickly, she couldn't adjust quickly enough. With the crosshairs adjusted right over Finn she wondered if she could hit him. She took a breath she needed to calm down. She looked through the scope and at Joel and Finn both of them stuck in a seemingly infinite struggle, neither side able to hold the other down.
Was this right, she asked herself, what if she didn't calculate everything right and bullet hit Finn. What if Isaac's power pulled the bullet off path, what if something went wrong and thus as the wind blew and the rain flew, she took careful aim and aimed right where she had to, putting her finger on the trigger, she aimed and then she held back.
Finn pushed Joel off him and quickly pointing towards the metallic pipes, he focused as he formed a magnetic field, pushing them past him with a burst of electricity, Joel smiled and raised bones trapping Finn's pipes, the two of them stayed still as the wind blew and both of them stood still in the drenching rain.
“Well then you are quite the good battler, I might just have finally found my match!" Fin yelled over the rain and Joel smiled at him. Finn pushed forward and pushed back against the ram. Michelle reaimed her gun and made sure to point right at Joel, if the wind changed or flipped she could rise hitting Finn and she didn't want to do that.
“What are you waiting for shoot him, if you are a military member you will know that getting rid of both of them will be better for us!" Maverick shouted and Michelle snapped she clicked the trigger. As thunder struck in the distance and the bullet flew out as combustion sent it flying at the two of them.
The bullet strayed off its path as it was caught by the wind and in the half second moved far enough away and struck Joel. The ram cried out in pain and suddenly a layer of bones surrounded him. As rain fell and thunder struck, Michelle put away her rifle, turning it back into energy and she stood up, this was her life now and she had to deal with it.
Finn surprised let the metal pipes forward and started to run, fearful of the same happening to him.
…
“So both of you are going to work for Maverick?" Finn asked Tidus as he sat down in the younger shark's house, two months ago he wouldn't have imagined Tidus being Livewire but now it just seemed like fact. Tidus walked over and served him a cup of tea, Finn looked at the steam and blew it away, the shark sat down next to him and Michelle tapped her fingers against the wooden table as she sat silent but nervously. Finn knew he had to talk to Michelle, at the least get the story from her.
“Yes, I'm sorry Finn but what Maverick has is what I need, and I need to serve my country in my own way, I like the Outsiders but I no longer can work with the sons of Carson City." Michelle said as she looked at Finn hoping he would accept her answer, looking up barely matching their eyes, she knew he wasn't buying the crap she was selling. “Ok, the Outsiders they don't work with peace treaties they don't have that power, the military can do that, the military has less government overhead and having that with me will get me to the room where everything happens."
“Well then you must be out of your mind, think about how many people we know have been in the Outsiders. All three secretaries of the armed forces have been Outsiders isn't that where you want to be heading the army?" Finn asked knowing that Michelle surely had thought of that before, he looked at her and she just nodded.
“You can't admit to being an Outsider in order to be in a publicly elected position." Michelle said and Finn knew she was right, the government wouldn't admit to anyone being Outsiders and surely just admitting to be one wouldn't get someone much attention but being in the military and having such an expansive service record would get her places. “I'm sorry Finn but I have to go."
Michelle stood p and walked out the room, Michelle didn't wave goodbye and Finn knew that she was lost. He looked at Tidus who attempted to smile but even he couldn't in this situation. Finn groaned a bit and looked at Tidus hoping for some advice from the shark.
“Finn I'm going to tell you something, in the future, their might be time travel and say you go back in time and travel back, say someone like that might have information on the future." Tidus spoke as he looked at Finn, the electrical shark looked at the generator shark like he was crazy.
“Are you saying you are from the future?" Finn said as he looked at Tidus who nodded. Finn looked at Tidus as he tried to figure out what Tidus meant.
“In the future, let me tell you Michelle won't come back to the Outsiders, she joins the military and stays with them until the end of her life." Tidus said, Finn trying to wrap his head around Tidus's admission. He just dropped it and looked at the shark. “Everything works out here, so just let what happens happen, and no need to tell anyone about this."
…
Elijah stood up, his clothes soaked as he walked forward in the rain. Isaac and Finn just ran away with some sort of blast exploded in the area. Elijah walked forward and looked at the wooden poles; he figured Joel was still trying to catch them or keep them battling. With his eye glowing he lifted himself over the wall of the production yard and looked around for Joel as he landed.
“Joel where are you?" Elijah yelled as thunder struck behind him, as his attention was caught, he suddenly looked behind and saw his brother, laying their will metallic poles through his body, blood running out into the ground and his body lifeless. Elijah fell to the ground as he saw it and thunder screamed around him.
Elijah started to smile as a Greek symbol appeared on his forehead, his pupils disappearing and his muscles starting to bulge in his shirt. He reached down and grabbed his brother's fusion stone fully intending to now use it to unlock his full power.