In the immediate aftermath of their intense and narrow showdown with the Executioners, the mesmerizing canvas of a rising sun momentarily captivates the group. However, Mother Nature has other plans. A towering wave crashes violently against the hull, jolting their aquatic vessel. A succession of waves follow, each one quickly nudging the vehicle closer to capsizing. Diana, sensing the impending effect mid-swim, pauses her push of the vehicle.

Diana "Oh shit! Hold on to something!"

With a herculean burst of energy, Diana's legs furiously kick against the ocean, catapulting her like a missile back onto the deck. Her landing resonates with such force that it counterbalances the rocking boat, restoring balance. Her friends, faces etched with relief, gather around the brute.

Sarah "Whew! Can't you be any more careful?! That was cutting it too fucking close!"

Diana "Good thing I noticed that in time otherwise, we'll need to those space suits again. Ah! Am I right?"

Claire "Yeah, maybe we should have stayed in them longer until we are completely sure we are safe. Oh well, at least we can move around easier so cheer up! Oh just to double check this... You guys have your soap. Right?"

Mina "Aye Aye! Yep! No need to worry, Claire! We aren't that clumsy!"

Azan "Hold this convo.. Does anyone smell that scent? Is it... ash?"

Almost as if cued, their collective nostrils twitch at the pungent scent of ash. A hot wind gusts ominously in their direction. They turn just in time to witness the crumbled remains of their vanquished enemy erupt into a secondary explosion, forming even more clouds of ash, and a deafening sound fires in their direction.

The force of the explosion sends a shower of pebble-sized concrete onto their ride.

Diana "Oh come on! What kind of bullshit! We got just this fixed!"

Azan "Calm down, Diana. We won't be staying here for long. Okay... I'll make this statement really clear. We are not out of the deadline yet."

Mina "Azzy! What do you mean?! Did you see how awesome you were?! We did it! We won! And that is that!"

Azan "I would like to revise your claims, Mina. I was actually thankful for your navigation skills and Diana's strength that we managed to escape that meteor."

Claire "What do you mean by that? Didn't your change power go off? Or was it a false alarm? Either way, our teamwork paid off!"

Azan "Yes, it paid our wages. As for my contribution... a bit disappointing. Imagining something large to move was incredibly harder than it looked. I kept thinking and thinking of that blasted rock to go left but it barely moved that far. Luckily for us, Mina picked this up and decided to turn right. Combined with the fact that Diana noticed the shift and followed through. I say we managed to escape it by a small margin."

Diana "Oh yeah! The way the RV turned honestly freaked me out but I kept pushing to flow."

Mina "Azzy, You know I was just trying to give you credit. You don't look happy at all."

Azan "Yes, but don't undermine your own efforts. Father always says that any good team requires the acknowledgment of all members. Anyway, let's get this operation underway. Diana, here."

Diana "Wait wait wait! You're giving the tablet! What if I accidentally break it?! The Boss would kill me!"

Azan "Once again, calm down. I asked plenty of questions pre-prep. Oh, you gonna need this too."

Diana "A rope? What for?"

Azan "I want you to absorb all of us and The RV into Kanji's subspace. Next, swim to the bottom of the ocean and tie the device to a large boulder or coral. Finally, open the portal and join us. Can I count on you?"

Diana "Sure... Boss Three. I don't why we are doing this but sure! I can do this!"

Met with the encouraging smiles of her comrades, Diana somersaults gracefully off the deck and plunges back into the ocean's embrace. Tablet in hand, she activates the "Input" function, casting a beam of light that encapsulates her friends before disappearing into the digital screen. Securing the device to her chest with a tethered rope, she dives further into the abyss— oblivious to the shadowy figures that appear above the waterline mere moments after her descent.

Diana "I'm almost fucking there. I really hope we get some downtime after all this shit. I wonder if Adrian is awake. That big reckless bookworm."

She encrouches the sea bed and unties the device.

Making contact with the ocean floor, a kaleidoscopic panorama of vibrant coral and teeming sea life welcomes her. Diana zeroes in on a large boulder, the perfect anchor for their mission. Just as she extends her arm, a moray eel darts out from its concealed crevice, aiming for her limb. But alas, the eel bites into her wooden tentacle arm. A smug chuckle reverberates within her mind as she flings the misguided creature into the very boulder it called home.

Diana "That will teach ya! You stupid snake wannabe!"

Meticulously securing the device around the massive underwater boulder, Diana prepares to engage its turn it on. To her relief, the machine powers up seamlessly without further issue. Her finger hovers over the icon labeled "Storage" before decisively pressing it. A radiant flash emanates from the object, conjuring a large oval portal that hungrily sucks in the surrounding seawater like a gaping maw. Without hesitation, Diana propels herself into the portal.

And suddenly, she finds herself landing with a splash— into a glass tank.

Sarah "Yoooo! What kind of sea creature is that?! A mighty walrus! Hahaha!"

Diana "Ha Ha! Very funny! What the hell is this?"

Dave "It's a fucking fish tank. You gorilla brain idiot."

With rage-fueled speed, Diana vaults out of the tank, her arms coiled and primed for a punch.

Azan "Enough you two! Honestly, never in life have I ever seen such incapability between fellow employees."

Dave "Bro, what do you mean employees? If I am one, where's my paycheck then? I need that dough. That dollar dollar you know what I mean."

Azan "Good to see your lingo remains the same, Dave. On the elephant in the room, you are probably wondering why we are doing this?"

Amelia "Honestly, some explanation would put a bit of sugar on this sorry tea of situation. Ahem." ["Pardon. Did I say that right, honey?"]

Diana "Icarus! Step feeding her weird sentences."

Dave "No."

Claire "Guys! Homies! Buds! This may sound rude but we have had enough fighting for one day. Can we just listen to Azan for a second? You'll have plenty of time to banter later. I promise!"

Dave/Amelia/Diana: "Okay, Mom."

Claire "Hey!"

Azan "Let's start with some inquiries. Shall we?"

Sarah "Okay. What is with this whole scuffed-ass escape plan? Also, what are we escaping from? A corpse... I mean being chased by a zombie is cool. But a giant stone zombie? I can see why that would be bad."

Azan "Leave the zombie talk to later schedule. Let me answer your first question with my own question. What do you think the chain of command looks like?"

Mina "You mean like who's in charge? That is so obvious!"

Claire "And what order right? Then it should-

Diana "That is super easy! Kanji is the Boss. Gwen is the second Boss. And... I think that is it."

Azan "You wound me, Diana. Didn't you just call me "Boss three"?"

Diana "Oh yeah!... Oh. I see where this is going."

Azan "Yes, that is the structure I perceive since we went on this whole escapade. Now imagine my shock when both CEOs came here unconscious. You should have taken more precautions with your surroundings. A change in the industry can happen at any time."

Mina "LOL you and your business puns. I don't understand any of it but hey! It sounds cool!"

Amelia "Sorry for pausing you, Mina but- You saw all of that! How?! And why didn't you say anything?!"

Azan "Let me remind you that your guys didn't check the tablet for the signal?"

Confronted by their oversight, faces flush with embarrassment, the group averts their gaze.

Azan "Hence why we need the portal to stay up otherwise we have to wait until either this subspace runs out of energy or when Kanji wakes up. Speaking of which, we only have about an hour left before this place ejects us."

Sarah "Then shouldn't we just input all of us in here in the first place and wait until that? This oversized tank is a bit over the top."

Azan "Again with the lack of memory. This place only ejects living creatures out meaning our RV will be on standby for 20 minutes."

Sarah "Oh shit. I definitely didn't see that coming. To be real though, that would be bad. "

Dave "Dudes. I just some enlightenment or some shit. Hold on... Nope, I just remember that one time. Didn't the gorilla and I get like pushed out last time when we were in this place?"

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

Diana "Yes we did! Icarus is right for once."

Azan "There is an emergency protocol to eject destructive materials."

Mina "How do you know all of this Azzy? Also, you haven't pointed out why we are actually doing this?!... Sorry. I'm just a bit tense."

Azan "Understandable. I couldn't have done it without Tally's which I remembered to be the one managing this place. As for why we doing this... let's take a metaphor. We are a business. Our enemy is our competitor. Conflicts like these may trigger some competitors to deploy a third party to frame the opposition. With any complex operation, there will always be a need to double-check."

Sarah "Sooooo... You're saying that John Calsion will send some of his fucking goons to see if we are actually dead. Fuckers couldn't leave us be, huh."

Claire "Oh yeah! Especially since we did sacrifice all four of his Executioners. Good thinking, Azan!"

Dave "He wants to make sure that every dollar counts. How was that business bun? Rate it out of 10, bro."

Azan "One. It barely scratched the surface."

Dave "Cold, bro. Stone cold."

Amelia "Pardon my question but where did you obtain the fish tank and the rope?"

Azan "Took me a while but with Tally's help, I managed to locate Kanji's stash."

Dave "Aw shit! What loot does he have, bro?"

Azan "A lot of miscellaneous items. Most of which are raw minerals like copper and iron."

Mina "Guys. I'm a bit tired and stressed. Can we rest now?"

Azan "Mina. We still have one more issue at hand. The RV."

Sarah "Oh yeah especially when we literally broke off the front door! Why didn't we just open the window to climb out?"

Mina "Sorry! I wasn't thinking straight!"

Diana "Yeah that was my bad too."

Dave "Don't worry, dudes. My aspect can handle this shit."

Mina "Oh yeah. Whew! That solves that!"

Azan "Diana. I hope you can help push the RV up when it's time."

Diana "Leave it to me!"

Thus, 50 minutes have passed and the group reconvenes inside the RV.

Dave sprints from one level to another, his arms weaving intricate patterns that seamlessly mend the structure of the vehicle and seal any potential gaps to the outside. Catching a thumbs-up from Azan, Diana hefts the RV skyward, lobbing it over the looming fish tank. The RV crosses the threshold of the portal and starts ascending to the ocean's surface. With her legs churning like twin turbines, Diana accelerates the RV's rise.

Once on the surface, Dave promptly reverts the changes of his powers.

Azan "We made it. Hopefully and with any luck, they don't decide to double-check. Time to get the hell out of here!"

________________________________________________________________________________________

In the moments prior, a terrifying assembly of robed beings levitated over the shattered remnants of a once-majestic colossus. Their eyes brimmed with unshed tears, yet their mouths remained sealed in a haunting silence. Resembling dragonflies, each of these entities bore dual sets of gossamer wings that beat in a captivating, synchronized rhythm as they circled the dismal tableau. Amidst this ghostly congregation, one figure towered in prominence, his weeping synchronized with the haunting timbre of his voice.

Zeta "Oh, the tragedy of squandered potential! Had we but a sliver more of time to sift the dross from your near-divine forms, my beloved executioners. Yet fret not, your sacrifice shan't be fruitless. ALL WITH ME NOW! PLUNGE INTO THE ABYSS IN SEARCH OF THE HERETICS!"

With a display that defies description, the cultist swarm performs a simultaneous dive, plummeting into the murky water below like an army of bees swarming into their sanctuary.

However, Zeta spots them resurfacing almost instantaneously and silently chides their failure of the search. Swelling with an ineffable sense of relief, the cult member stretches his arms towards the heavens in an exultant aria. His airborne minions comply, ascending once more to envelop the disfigured effigy that lay before them.

Zeta "Let the rites for their funerary send-off commence! Oh, great goddess. Our souls have been blessed. We have challenged foes in this valiant test."

From the flowing sleeves of each cult member emerge scythe-like appendages, glistening in the sunlight. With calculated strokes, they begin to dismantle the towering structure, piece by fragmented piece.

Zeta "Four great heroes, whom powers know best. Stuck our foes, whose ignorance knows no rest. They seize us our brothers and sisters, fueling our ire to fester. One day passed, and the battle ended at long last. A sacrifice worth fourfold for Her Majesty, both young and old."

The final remnants of stone are snatched from the sea, and the congregation adjusts their journey eastward.

Zeta "Oh what a metaphor! My master's world, people, stars, and dreams were just beyond the door! Now the debris is no more! We'll conquer this planet until its very core!"

A monstrous grin contorts Zeta's face.

Releasing a chuckle imbued with malevolence, his teeth morph into silvery steel that transmutes into rows of dagger-like fangs. The metallic transformation doesn't halt— it slithers over his entire form. His face undergoes a grotesque metamorphosis, taking on the visage of a monstrous tarantula, four prodigious mandibles jutting menacingly. His eight eyes, now forged of cold metal, dart around one final sweep of the scene. Finding no traces of life, his wings beat more fervently, and his scythe-like appendages ascend in a victorious salute.

With an athletic burst of his legs, Zeta rockets across the open ocean.

________________________________________________________________________________________

Meanwhile, elsewhere, a ragtag gang of reformer cultists converge on a run-down apartment complex. Bedecked in uniforms of conspicuous red and yellow, they bear an uncanny resemblance to pizza delivery employees— a camouflage to ease their way in past the guard.

Selina "Did we really need to wear these tacky clothes?"

Jeff "Yeah, old man! This stuff is really itchy!"

Goral "Darn kids know nothing about being uncomfortable! I remember in the year 1990 when I was working at the farm and-

Jeff "Okay, we get it, Grandpa!"

Selina sighs.

Selina "The quicker we get this over with. The faster we get rid of these clothes."

Arriving at a door cryptically marked "667," Selina takes the lead.

Selina "Pizza delivery! Congratulations on winning a free pizza valued customer!"

?? "... Huh? Which brand are you?"

Selina "Err..." ["Guys. What's the brand again?"]

Jeff "It's Jimmy's pizza! Come get it while it's hot and fresh!"

?? "Holy shit! No way! I just heard they just got the promotion this week! Hold on! I'm coming!"

Muffled sounds of shuffling cardboard and miscellaneous clutter resonate from beyond the door. The cacophony crescendos as the mystery resident nears, as if navigating a tangled mound of untold hoarding. The door screeches ajar... a horrid smell radiates, assaulting the trio. Selina and Goral immediately shield their noses, while Jeff struggles to contain his urge to gag. Revealed before them stands a feminine youth, roughly eighteen of age, bedecked in a blue-striped sailor ensemble, and dark grey eyes.

His baggy eyes scan the motley crew, perplexed.

?? "W-Whhy are there three of you here? Oh and... Err, sorry about the smell."

Selina "No problems. Are you ready for your pizza, young man?"

?? "Y-Yes! W-What flavor is it?"

Jeff "Punch flavor!"

In one swift move, Jeff lands a haymaker, clocking him out cold.

Selina "Jeff! I didn't have to hit him that hard! You messed up his cute nose!"

Jeff "Cute?!- I mean. Sorry about that. Hey! At least, this will make things easier!"

Crossing the threshold, the trio finds themselves immersed in a dizzying scene. Teetering stacks of comics and manga loom perilously in cardboard boxes, nearly grazing the ceiling. A litter-strewn floor guides their eyes to an impressively advanced computer setup, adorned with a bevy of female anime figurines neatly arranged in a full set.

As Jeff's gaze drifts, he discovers the walls plastered with an assortment of erotic anime posters.

Jeff "Wow. Never thought that I would see this as a real weeb in person. This room is disgusting as fuck."

Selina "Don't judge. At least he has a home unlike us. Now. How do we get that parasite out of him?"

Goral "Scooch over. Let the great Father Goral handle this! Obey me my seed, the command is time to bleed!"

The unconscious young man convulses, and a sinister bulge travels upward from his chest region.

A loathsome worm-like creature emerges from his mouth, filling the room with immense anger. United in their revulsion, the trio pulverizes the worm, leaving a bloody splatter on the once-stained carpet. To pass the time and perhaps serve penance, they clean the accumulated clutter in the room and cover the splattered mess. Hours later, the young man wakes up, his expression a mix of fear, confusion, and a small glimmer of relief.

?? "W-Wh-Whhat? What d-did you do to me? This feels... awful."

Selina "Easy there. We just released you from the cult's control. Are your memories coming back?"

?? "Y-Yes... very slowly. There is some part of it st-still missing. It has been so long since I was Er home."

Jeff "Home? Is this your home?"

?? "NO! I mean th-the home when I was young about three years old. My name is Picis... and I Er don't remember my last name."

Goral "What kind of trauma did you go through, young man?"

Picis "I was... in the park. I lost track of my mom and my... sister? Or brother? I can't remember. I was wandering the streets looking for them, afraid and alone. For oh god... Twelve years."

Jeff "Jesus. How did you survive? Did anyone help?"

Picis "It was strange. I k-kept asking for help in finding my family but no one helped. They only gave food as pity."

Selina "Looks like you got set up as well. But it is hard to believe that it went on for 12 years."

Picis "What do you mean? Did they... No, it c-can't be. NO!"

Jeff "It is the truth. Accept it, little dude."

Picis begins to break down crying.

Selina "Woah! Way to go you jerk!"

Jeff "Hey. Sorry. I'm sorry, Picis."

Picis "W-Wh-What should I do now? Are t-they gonna kill if they find out? Am I gonna die?!"

Selina "Ssh... There. There. That's why we are here to help. We are free just like you. We also need your help to get off this planet."

Picis "Umm.. W-Why?"

Goral "No human will accept us as we are freaks of nature, sonny. Better boot off and find a home somewhere in the stars. Either on Granolith or Wal'Tera."

Jeff "I vouch for Wal'Tera. I heard a lot of good things."

Selina "And a lot of bad things. At least, it will keep us entertained. Well, what do you think, Picis?"

Picis "I... I'll join you! Err. How can I help?"

Selina "Good. We just need to teleport to one of the ports that host a Castastrian ship."

Picis "Oh. Err. The only ones available right now are at the m-main base. A r-regular and an asteroid class."

Selina "We'll aim for the regular. This mission is going to be about timing."

Jeff "What do you mean?"

Selina "Let's just say there are lots of benefits to being a third party."

________________________________________________________________________________________

In an underground chamber buried deep within an alien planet, a secret gathering of five distinguished Castrastrians unfolds. They're key players in a rebellion, wielding an unparalleled amount of "control". Suddenly, an earsplitting crash reverberates through the space, signaling the sliding entrance door giving way. Every head in the room swivels toward the interruption and greets the newcomer with a smile.

AN "Pardon my late intrusion. Has the meeting already begun? Sorry for all the complications I have caused over the past few days."

?? "You better be. And yes, you are late, clumsy idiot."

The speaker is a man seated at the farthest left end of the table, a scientist in rugged, technologically augmented defiance. Arms sheathed in advanced machinery, eyes hidden behind inky black shades, he sports a condescending smirk. Draped in an oversized lab coat, his cranium is adorned with kerahairs configured into a menacing yet funny spiky bush.

?? "What the hell did you say?! Big boy! You're nothing but a scrawny jerk! You talk big because of those pieces of junk on your arms, Voltum Battera! Hurry and apologize!"

VOLTUM "Canned! Josai Logasa! What do you know?!"

Anata takes a seat, nervously observing the ensuing altercation between Josai and Voltum as they push against each other's faces. Josai is the epitome of elegance, sporting a crisply tailored white shirt paired with a flowing blue skirt. Unlike Voltum, her delicate oval glasses frame her radiant green eyes. Her scalp is a sculpture of smooth, chitinous segments, artistically arrayed like an inverted blooming flower.

??/ ?? "You two. Behave. Now."

JOSAI "Alright. I was being a bit harsh-

VOLTUM "Shut up! Ico and Ica Viseer!"

ICO/ ICA "Perhaps. You have forgotten where your tongue led you last time. Think twice."

VOLTUM "That's... fuck. Fine. I'll behave."

ICO and ICA exchange a thumbs-up with AN, eliciting a smile. Time has not dulled the intrigue of the twins, always seen cloaked in garments that hide their forms, save for their pixelated emoji faces— red for Ico, and blue for Ica— which are in sync with their respective cloaks. They like to consider themselves a single entity.

?? "Ahem. I request silence, everyone. You're giving my poor AN here quite a scare. It's been a long time so it is going to take a while before old habits become the norm for you again. "

AN "Yeah, that is true. I miss you, Susana."

SUSANA "It's Susana Crox. You seriously didn't remember my last name."

AN "No, I do remember. I'm just trying to tease you a little."

SUSANA "... Ha. HAHAHAHA! There's my AN! The squad is back! Though, this is a little... a bit sad. I must say."

A heavy, mournful silence descends upon the room.

JOSAI "We are the only ones remaining. The enemy is only getting stronger."

VOLTUM "Yeah. To think that there were at least a hundred of us. Idiots. We were idiots."

ICO/ICA "We feel the future will be bright! Powerful allies are coming soon!"

SUSANA "All thanks to AN! Now, we need to pave the pathway! Let's begin! Operation "Clone Tactics"!"