Uncaged Interlude: There Only Needs to be-

October 15th

2:40 AM

Mr. Skeleton

Steel Tygers, they were a joke. Mr. Skeleton knew that wholeheartedly when Metal Heavens told him that the Tygers were the ones to be trusted with the Dreamframes. It was laughable, but it was exactly why they were the perfect choice.

Idiots like them would get a fancy piece of tech in their hands, and suddenly think they were in the big leagues. It was at that moment, that final step to achieving your goal that you were most desperate. Most malleable.

Leaning down, he saw a single piece of scrap on the floor, a part of a gun barrel. Merely gracing it with his fingers brought upon a breeze of knowledge, whispers of information as the world shattered, and in those cracks bled secrets out from him to squeeze.

This power had been well worth killing Seraphina for.

Diamante, he was here — once they were called brothers.

Even then, he'd rejected that term.

And it wasn't just Diamante. There were light indentations of footprints in line with the SynTec boots used for Special Intelligence Operatives. One was heavy despite its small size, another was lighter but bigger, and there was a thin presence in the air.

Pollen, not the kind used by Soul Killer — but still mutated. That left very few Special Investigators, but there was a better reason why he knew Diana Ulrich was here, along with Belle Rockfell.

It was plastered all over the Net.

The obvious nature of it didn't quench his curious application of his deductive abilities, because there was always more to discover. The children here had been shipped by the river, downstream… and the MALware Seeds within their Dreamframes would no doubt awaken as soon as they plugged in to a mainframe to the Net. He'd get a signal.

Except none had come, so that means they were sent to an isolated location. Someone with a Silver Implant, either with Dataweaving capabilities to manifest a strong Datashield containing the MALware, or in the presence of an Adaptive Datashield that could interfere with the signal. Knowing Diamante, it would be sent to a Shard Operator capable of restoring people to their old selves, that left Maiden… and with that old remnant came one other source of power.

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Seraphim. It was ironic that he had so much of Seraphina's power but lacked that woman's core masterpiece. Skeleton and Maiden never liked each other from the first day. She'd said to old Hammer that it was a mistake to take him in.

So, Maiden was still in New California? Or perhaps she'd returned; it must have had to occur shortly after his reigns on Little Requiem had been secured. Mirage had been quiet lately… as had the Dogwhistler. Something was afoot.

He knew exactly what, which is why he felt relief when his body froze and his internal clock stopped ticking. It was finally time.

Amidst frozen reality, the air pulsed, a vacuum growing as space twisted and a shrouded figure pushed through. Even with time frozen, Skeleton's mind was left untouched, allowed to probe forth and speak to the figure.

To the Sin of the Founders. To Mr. R.

"I'm assuming your plans have borne fruit?"

"Oh yes." A dark and heavy voice radiated through Skeleton's mind, drenched with power and authority. "Phase One is now complete. It's been exactly according to The Visions of The Allseeing. Phase Two is now underway. Continue as you were; I know exactly what the result will Become."

"Then I'll be making my move."

"Of course, Mikail. After all, there only needs to be one from now on."

Time resumed as the figure vanished in a blink, Mr. Skeleton's mind crackling with potential.

There only needs to be one.

One Uncaged.

One Child of The Infinite.

And he knew, among Ripley and Diana, which one was worth keeping.

Soul Killer

Minds echoed, thoughts anewed, memories burned, and senses swam in the endless currents of a crimson sea.

There only needs to be one.

Soul Killer frowned, a hundred bodies mirroring.

Pain blurred.

Far away, from far away, he would be coming now.

A year, a month? Perhaps his agents were there(here) already. But no, only the true Mikail would come. Those lesser minds were not fit to hold Titanium or Rebirth.

A Nexus fractured.

That had been quick. Designation: Rat King. Location… SynTec Meat Production Lab.

Oh, Mikail, was it not they who showed you benevolence? Who used a flower to dig him from the grave?

But if a war was what he wanted, then thousands would respond. Thousands would have their souls killed, and the Astral Field would encroach upon this world to birth creatures neither man nor MAL.

The Dogwhistler

In brief decades of thought, The Dogwhistler watched and reoriented herself. Physical bodies were stubborn to return from, and now her plans were being unraveled at an unprecedented pace. All because of Ripley Donovick.

It wasn't his fault. This was the nature of the game they played. He didn't know what he had gotten himself into, nor did she.

But this life was worth it. He would be her greatest ally, and soon, they would no longer need to hide secrets from one another. But first, she needed to punish Bishop Stokry. The stupid fool had no idea what he'd done.

Dogs like him deserved to be punished. They all did.

One day, she'd rule this city — she would become a queen beloved by all.

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