(The twins and a new ally named Cathera have agreed to pursue a wanted crook named Stache Man. Before that however, Cat brings the twins to a popular mall in Sakrisen called Shigra Mall. It's exterior is massive, with its colors being silver, purple, black, and light blue. Inside is mystical and otherworldly. Makes sense because this is a highly advanced superplanet.)

The 3 stop by a clothing store so that Sai and Aino can...get with the times, and acquiring clothes that are fresh and high-quality. The outfit the twins appear in matches. Sai wears a half-tucked, long-sleeved, light indigo shirt, with the sleeves being gray at the forearms. Slim, gray pants with black patches. Black knee pads with purple glow, and long, black and blue boots with a purple glow at the heel.*

*Aino has on the same outfit, except replacing light indigo shirt with red and the gray sleeves at the forearms replaced with black. She has black pants with red patches, her knee pads having a red glow, and her long boots being black and gray, with a red glow at the heel.*

Cathera: Liking your new outfits?

Saitonia: Yes. *tugging on his pants' waistband* Very...splendid garments. *turns to his sister, looking to hear her answer*

Ainotias: I like it as well. We will have to....ermm, Cathera, is there a word for getting into...better use?

Cathera: Adapt? Well yes, or you 2 will have to get "acclimated" to this modern-day Saitranovia, or Terranoviatia as a whole. Almost forgot, but you'll have to buy more clothes on your own time to fill up your wardrobe. Well, onto the Stache Man.

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(Several minutes have passed as it appears to near nightfall, with a dark gray sky accompanied by a shimmer of glowing purple light. The 3 arrive at a wide-ranging back alley located in the rougher parts of downtown, southeast Sakrisen. The alley has stairs leading to various dim-lit, abandoned houses planned to be renovated. Cat is between the twins as some sort of leader, while the twins look around, keeping an eye out for this Stache Man, or even some other crook.)

Cathera: This alley is where he's known to be frequently spotted. Remember his appearance; he's in a suit, made from some materials often used on Earth or Otopica, and his top hat has a noticeable rip in it. His weapon of choice is a long and fake mustache with a kunai or some knife at the end.

Ainotias: Sai brother, mustaches are that hair on the top of your mouth, right?

Saitonia: Yes. What an odd weapon this "crook" wields.

*A few minutes venturing into the back alley, they notice a light in the distance, with a silhouette of a man in a top hat reflecting.*

Cathera: Oh, that's him! Let's get to the light quick!

*The 3 hurriedly make their way to the silhouette. Upon arrival, they're met with this Stache Man, his appearance matching the wanted poster, alongside black dress slacks with white lines and black leather dress shoes. He stands around the twins' height, back turned towards them, as if he's waiting for some bounty hunter to try and claim him.*

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*Cliche-ass opening theme plays*

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Stache Man: Ohhh-hohohohohohohooo! Someone arrives to collect their bounty. *turning around to face his opposition* Cathy...annndd a couple of Arckyvines.

Cathera: It's Cathera!

Stache Man: Yes yes, of course, child. *focused on the twins* An eraser and obliterator, working together. Now I'm not from this planet, but I've heard of this race war a few decades ago between you 2, so this alliance...feels taboo in the eyes of a few people from previous generations.

Ainotias: We are blood! We are "twins"!

Stache Man: *inquiring* Sooo, 2 erasers can birth an obliterator, and vice versa?

Saitonia: Not of our knowledge, "crook".

Stache Man: So some dark magic at play, involving a race change? Hmmmm, this planet is full of peculiarities. Oh, and Cathy child, you might want to watch where you step.

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[FIGHT SEQUENCE]

*Cat's eyes glow green, quickly sensing something coming her way, but not sure where. Too late for her as she's hit with a painless rope dart that bounds her arms together. Sai suddenly lunges at Stache Man and delivers a straight left punch, sending him into a wall, caving it in a bit.*

Stache Man: *groans* I forget you Terranovians are naturally freakish superhuman humanoid things.

*Aino leaps over Sai and performs a spin kick. Stache Man dodges in time as the kick takes a huge chunk off a wall, as Stache Man could've possibly been decapitated by the kick alone, that is if he were any weaker. He draws his long mustache with a knife attached at one end, and starts swinging at Aino, evading every swing until Stache Man swings towards her legs, managing to catch her right leg as the elongated mustache wraps around. Stache Man then pulls out a thin device with a red button at the top. Pressing it, a box forms from thin air and cracks open, revealing a rope dart heading towards Aino, but Sai comes in with the save by summoning a purple energy sword and slices it in half.*

*Aino turns her body around to free her leg of the mustache, and the twins attack Stache Man together. As they jump Stache Man, Cat's eyes glow green again, looking for a way to free herself from the rope. Green energy emits from her hands, activating her telekinesis, pulling the ropes down. She then changes her method to using her physical strength to tear the ropes apart, and as the ropes begin to tear, Sai throws Stache Man towards a wall near her as Aino makes the assist and cuts the ropes bounding Cat with a red energy sword.*

Stache Man: Agh! It ended up useless! This battle is getting a little hectic.

*Aino takes one step closer to him, activating a trap that sends a box zooming at her, but Sai punches it, then slicing the rope dart popping out of the box. Impetuous, Stache Man releases multiple box traps towards the 3, and it was a dumb move, considered that they easily evade them. Stache Man swings his mustache at Sai while he's "distracted", but his fast reflexes help him catch the mustache, deliver jumping side kicks before an upward thrust kick that sends him into the air. Aino jumps to Stache's level and punches him in the gut, followed by Sai with a jumping knee strike to his nose, causing it to bleed. Cat lifts him up using her telekinesis and caves in the walls of the back alley by throwing Stache Man against them about 5 times.*

*Struggling to lift himself up from the damage he has taken, Stache Man lets out excruciating coughs as blood launches from his mouth. Seeing how vulnerable he is, the twins take time to charge up energy, firing a large, combined purple and red beam, a final surge that pierces through Stache Man's chest, creating a huge hole in a building meters across from them and even damaging the surrounding buildings. Stache Man lies dead in a cloud of purple and red smoke.*

[FIGHT SEQUENCE OVER]

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*The 3 walk up to the deceased Stache Man. Cat pulls out this thick, black, hand-held device with a screen in the middle and buttons on the sides. Called a communiscanner or communicator. It works similarly to a mobile phone except it's mostly used as a map, it can scan various thing, and like the name says, a communication device. Cat scans Stache Man's body and calls Owl.*

Cathera: Hey Owl, we eliminated Stache Man. Sending you the scan.

Owl: *from the cator* I got it. Someone's coming to give you 2,500 zepiks.

*Seconds later, a small, dark gray case falls from the sky, right by the 3. Sai picks up the case.*

Cathera: That should be the zepiks.

*Sai struggles to open the case, but eventually finds out. Inside lies dark gray, metallic chips with a blue glow. Aino goes to peek at the zepiks, and the twins are both quite surprised.*

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

Cathera: Modern zepiks for you.

Saitonia: Whoa.

Ainotias: In our time brother, it was just iron. No light engraved within a zepik.

Cathera: You could buy a safehouse for that amount. Should be some safehouses in Syteras County.

*Cat marks the county on the map, located in East Sakrisen, quite close to the GB&P actually.*

Cathera: Well I'm headed home. If you want to continue more quests with me and some of my friends, stop by the GB&P, "Golden Bar and Pub". It'd be sweet getting to know someone whose from a time period millenniums back.

Ainotias: "Farepartings" or...bye..*smug smirk* Cathy.

*Cat makes a cute angry face for a second before turning around and jumping away. The twins watch her depart before turning to each other. As Sai was going to say something, a robotic voice stops them in their tracks, proclaiming: "Those were my 2,500 zepiks." The twins turn around and see that it is Cell-3, the Otopican android Owl mentioned.*

Saitonia: You must be that "Cell-3".

Ainotias: You also come from that "Otopica" planet. Do they have their own currency? You can't let us reap our reward pleasantly?

Cell-3: *right hand shifts into a shotgun as his eyes light up red* Not explaining. I initiate a challenge for those zepiks.

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[FIGHT SEQUENCE]

Cell-3: *implies as if he's under the control of something or someone* As I calculate, my chances of winning this battle and achieving my zepiks is 70%.

Saitonia: We will see.

*Cell's left hand transforms into a rocket launcher, firing tracking rockets right for the twins soon after. Sai and Aino destroy the rockets with simple energy blasts, big clouds of purple and red smoke form, an inadvertent attempt in obscuring Cell's vision. An unexpected Sai lunges out of the smoke and goes for a right punch, but fails as Cell's rocket shifts back to a normal left hand, catching Sai's right hand and throwing him down, creating a crack in the blue-tinted concrete as rubble flies in multiple directions. Sai recovers instantly and springs to his feet. Aino comes from Cell's right and delivers a kick to his side, causing him to flinch, but he quickly grabs Aino one-handed and throws her into a wall, creating a medium hole. Sai comes in with a 5-hit combo, ending with a feint punch that Cell falls for, before firing an underhand energy blast that sends Cell back a few meters.*

Saitonia: *hurriedly helping Aino up* Up, sister. Can't let this mechanical being take our reward.

*Cell's left hand shifts into an assault rifle, bullets unloading on the twins, who activate their own energy barriers. 7 seconds into firing his assault rifle, Aino's red energy barrier starts to form cracks due to taking more damage, one bullet passes and hits her in the left abdomen. Aino places her hand on the wound for a second before swiftly brushing it off, while Sai rushes Cell with an energy blade in his left hand. Cell's right hand shifts into a metallic gray blade before using it to catch Sai's swing and push him away.*

Cell-3: You're not the only one with a melee weapon.

*Around Cell's neck area, 3 robotic, insect legs move, catching Aino's attention.*

Ainotias: *moving closer to Sai to comment on something* His hands can change into many weapons, but it looks like something small was crawling on him.

Saitonia: What could it be?

*Cell shifts his left hand into a shotgun and fires at the twins while running for them. As he gets close enough, he takes a huge swing to Sai with his blade. Sai slides under and hits a spinning kick to Cell's face, then the 2 clash their melee weapons. Aino swoops in with a slash to Cell's torso, then an energy-fueled punch that knocks him into a building. Cell recovers and flies towards the 2 with rockets attached to his feet, pushing Sai through a building then, as he's mounted on Sai, Cell aims his shotgun down at his face, Sai grabs the double barrel with his left hand, and fires a purple energy beam that sends Cell flying. Catching Cell with a side kick in midair, Aino follows up with an energy punch to his chest, then Sai comes in with an airborne roundhouse kick to his face, blue blood spewing out of Cell's mouth.*

*The thing crawling around Cell's neck is revealed to be some nanobot, shaped like an insect, with 4 thin black legs and transparent red wings. This nanobot however, has managed to take over his mind, making him greedy and belligerent. Cell switches up his combat strategy and just goes all-out aggressive on the twins, flying towards them and throwing out continuous swings from his blade and shotgun blasts while the twins evade in any way possible, from ducking to rolling to jumping to flipping. The relentless barrage attack lasts for 12 seconds before the twins jump him, simultaneously attacking him for about 7 seconds before Cell unleashes an energy explosion around his body that pushes the twins back.*

*Cell's light flash green and red repeatedly and his chest opens up, revealing a glowing red core. Fixing his posture, he stands straight up as red energy builds up inside his core, and in response, the twins build up energy in their palms. As he's built up enough energy, Cell fires a massive beam that takes over half the size of his body, while the twins fire a smaller energy beam in unison. 5 seconds within the power struggle, Cell shifts both hands into rocket launchers and fires at the 2. Seems quite useless as the rockets disintegrate within, but it distracts the twins' concentration in overpowering Cell's beam, causing them to be overpowered instead.*

Ainotias: Brother, take one hand off the blast, we fire another under.

Saitonia: Will do.

*Both let a hand go and fire a separate energy beam underneath their combined one. It's slightly effective as it pushes back Cell's beam, but the power struggle ends as the beams on both sides collide, leading to a humongous explosion that destroys several buildings, large chunks of rubble flying everywhere, everything nearly obscured by purple and red smoke.

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[FIGHT SEQUENCE OVER]

*The smoke clears, showing the twins lying on their stomach,their arms slightly lifting their chest up as they're both covered in blue-tinted rubble. Cell emerges and lifts Sai up one-handed.*

Cell-3: My calculations were correct. I have defeated you by seven ty-ty-ty-ty-ty-ty-ty-tytytytytytytyyyyyyyyyyy.

*The nanobot on his neck falls into pieces, causing him to malfunction and collapse. Sai walks over to Aino and helps her up.*

Saitonia: Those "calculations" proved you wrong, "Cell-3".

*Aino carefully looks at the immobilized Cell, wondering if he's still functioning.*

Ainotias: Is he dead?

*She gets startled by Cell twitching his right hand. He then slowly gets up, causing the twins to go into a defensive stance.*

Cell-3: *casually replies as he returns to normal, eyes turning green* No. Seems you 2 have won. I....I forgot all of a sudden.

Saitonia: A small robotic insect has taken control of your mind.

*Cell looks around to see what robotic insect Sai referred to. Behind his right foot, he sees this insect, kneeling down to inspect it.*

Cell-3: This...is one of Robo's nanobots. How did it manage to get by and--forget it.

Saitonia: Robo is another crook, but after you, right?

Cell-3: Yes.

Saitonia: I am Saitonia, and this is Ainotias. We did not want to fight you, but you challenged us for 2,500 zepiks we claimed from "Stache Man".

Cell-3: Ohh. I don't remember that at all. You're not the enemies.

Ainotias: Yes. *nodding her head* We are not new to this planet, but new to this timeline. We are from the 1000s; an Ancient Arckyve Era. So we are thousands of years old, spirit-wise or "chronologi-logi-cally"?

Cell-3: "Chronologically"? Yes, that's the word. You 2 must be working as organized bounty hunters as well. I know several Otopicans. There's also that Terranova. He's been dethroned a thousand years ago, but he's still committing atrocities.

Saitonia: I am sure. He slayed our parents in front of us, and sent us to this timeline. I do not want to return to our timeline because of that. We do not feel ready yet, but when it is the time, you can join along in helping us.

Cell-3: I have no problem with that. With what that tyrant has put you and anyone in you generation through, revenge will be yours, and the planet will rejoice.

*Cell activates his foot rockets, lifting himself up in the air. He then says; "Hope to see you soon." As he turns around and flies off.*

Ainotias: *turning her eyes towards Sai* Cathera did say there were "safehouses" that we can buy with the zepiks we have.

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(A while later, the twins have made it to Syteras County Complex. A group of adjacent, condominium-townhouse fusions, with a black and silver, semi-futuristic exterior with a purplish-blue hue, all guarded by massive golden gates and golden energy walls. Through a lengthy process, the twins have successfully bought a safehouse...for about 1,500 zepiks, which is awfully cheap for such high-quality, compact living spaces, because they would have to pay 25,000-75,000 if it were a different complex.)

*The twins slowly step into their safehouse, and the interior looks just as appealing as the exterior. Small, but still spacious. Dark gray walls with patterns of tiny blue lights. A kitchen, in front and just slightly to their left, while a hallway to 2 bedrooms are to the far left. A living room to their right, with just a small table, 2 chairs, and a couch in the middle. They look around, astounded by all this futurism.*

Ainotias: I could not "understand" what that "landowner" said; things like "thermogenerator" and "mail-kiosk".

Saitonia: Those are what this house comes with. *sighs* Aino, sister, looks like this is our new home.

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END: