The last time the Absolution's crew faced a real major threat was when the blob-like creature known as the Intruder attacked. It absorbed the Cyldes and eventually TOM 1 as well as if they were mere appetizers. If it had been given enough time, it's likely that the Absolution itself would have shared the same fate. But thanks to the quick thinking of TOM 2, the engine that the Intruder had gotten itself attached to would have been blasted off leaving the Intruder to contemplate it's failure as it drifted along aimlessly.
At some point the Intruder managed to free itself and using the remains of TOM 1 that were still within it, it achieved a balance between it's original blob like composition and being able to walk upright like a typical being. It could also speak and think not unlike TOM 1. Although where TOM 1 had been kind and willing to help others, The Intruder was evil and only saw fit to satisfy his own urges which was to find TOM 5 and make his life a living hell.
But he couldn't do that without a little bit of supplies. Murdering some poor fool and taking their ship, the Intruder blasted off and managed to secure himself a list of dimensions that TOM had taken broadcasts from. The first on the list was none other than a show that had once been a staple of early Toonami broadcasts. The dimension where the samurai 'Jack' roamed.
"Jack huh? Well let's see if his name matches up with the information he's able to offer me. He'll be needing a lot more than that dinky sword if that's the case. Computer? Plot a course for the Samurai Jack dimension. Maybe he knows something about wherever T.O.M. ended up."
As the computer obeyed and the ship re-plotted it's course, the Intruder couldn't help but feel just the slightest bit smug. If Jack knew TOM 5's whereabouts then this would all be over very soon. He could find TOM and make him suffer for what he did to him back when he was just a mindless blob. Leaving him to float along as the cold unfeeling hands of space pulled him around. Maybe he'd even go after that A.I he cares so much about..
[SIR? WE'VE ARRIVED AT OUR DESTINATION.]
"Ah, thanks for pulling me out of my thoughts for that, computer. Welp, this shouldn't take too long. If I'm not back soon? Take control of the ship and have it track onto my location. Doubt I'll need it but a quick getaway ain't something to turn up my nose at.."
With that the Intruder stomped off the ship and headed towards the nearest town. Understandably the denizens were a bit alarmed by this gigantic monstrosity of blob and machine that was walking around as if it owned the place.
"I'm gonna make this real nice and easy for you folks. Just point me in the direction of the one you call, Jack. He's got some answers I'm looking for and maybe, just maybe if I'm feeling generous I'll let all of you live!" The Intruder exclaimed only to pause as he felt a rock bounce off part of TOM 1's head. Turning to loom over the kid who had thrown said rock, his parents quickly rushed to the child's side.
"P-Please, don't hurt him! He didn't mean anything by it! We don't know anyone by that name! Please, whatever you are, just leave us alone!" The mother sobbed only for the Intruder to take another step forward as part of his blob like composition began to seep off his body and started inching ever closer to the family. But despite this the child who had thrown the rock remained defiant.
"I do know of a samurai named Jack! He taught me not to be scared of bullies like you!"
"Ugh...You little brat...That..That sounds like something he would have said!" The Intruder snapped, referring to TOM's knack for motivational speeches. One of his blob-like tendrils lashed out and wrapped itself around the child's body as he was brought up to face level with the Intruder. "If you don't tell me where Jack is, I'm going to devour you right in front of your mommy and daddy and then maybe I'll devour daddy next and save your mommy for last..How does that sound?"
Silently, the samurai followed the forest path he found himself on, the few strange orange leaves that had fallen occasionally crunching under his sandals. His ears carefully picked apart every sound that echoed from among the peach trees that the forest had been formed from, searching for any warning against a potential hunter. So far, he had encountered little more than forest creatures such as rabbits whose coats were now solidly brown in the summer months, but he could never be too careful in his journey. He had encountered Aki's henchmen one too many times to afford himself the luxury of relaxing his guard.
Knowing his foes, he was certain he would face another soon enough.
For now though, his eyes remained on the path as his other senses took in every sensation around him. He recognized the gradual thinning of trees that signalled the close end to this portion of his journey, and there, off in the distance, he could see a small village that seemed like so many to be occupied only by farmers and their livestock, a few fields clearly visible as their future harvest grew. For a few moments, one might believe it was a pleasant view, but Jack knew something was amiss.
He had been to this village once before, and the farmers were never not hard at work in the fields during the summer, ensuring their future. His hand fell to his sword, ready to be drawn.
Something was waiting for him in the village, something that had disturbed the serene tranquility that the villagers had thrived under, and he would not allow for it to stand.
Leaving the woods and approaching the houses of wood and thatch roofs, each step brought him closer to the village square, where a crowd had gathered with some sort of panic. With an apologetic look to each of the fearful citizens he had to past by, he soon found himself within the circle that had formed around a strange creature that seemed an inhuman melding of machine and oragnic and the family, his lips firmly formed into a scowl.
The creature was searching for him, threatening a family in his journey. He recognized the young boy, one he had met the last time he had passed through the village and protected it. The child's determination was commendable, but in a situation like this...
"Demon, release the child!"
It was best to leave such a battle against evil to one whose life was dedicated to righteous resistance.
"I am the one you seek, and I will not allow you to plague these people with your threats."
His blade was ready, and so were the hands that wielded it in battle. If need be, he would put an end to this debacle before it could lengthen to tragedy with innocent blood spilled.
"Jack!" The family cried out in unison. Hearing the order directed at him, the Intruder couldn't help but be the slightest bit amused. Always was funny how threatening people seemed to draw the heroes in like moths to a flame. Not that he was complaining, made hunting down Jack even easier on his part. As the Intruder's massive frame turned to face the samurai, he snickered as he held the kid close to his side.
"Demon? I think you've been walking in the sun without that hat of yours for too long, Jack. You ought to recognize me. Or at least what I've absorbed, heh heh..." The Intruder cackled darkly as TOM 1's parts began to shift around within the liquid-like body that the Intruder had composed. "He was the first incarnation of the guy that hooked you up on the Absolution all those years ago. Don't you remember, Jack?"
"Don't listen, Jack! I..I know who he means! But he's not a nice man at all! Mister TOM was a great-aaah!" The boy's defense of Toonami's host was cut short as the Intruder tightened his grip on him. "I didn't ask for any comments from the peanut gallery, kid! But he's right, I'm looking for TOM and as luck would have it, your world was the first one that I ended up checking out. So, why don't you be a sport and tell me what you know?"
"You can defeat him, Jack! I know you can!"
This boy had gotten on the Intruder's last nerve. Who was he to sing TOM's praises? The damn robot didn't deserve anything but the worst fate imaginable! His precious SARA destroyed/corrupted, his broadcasts cut off, and the Absolution pulled from his control.
"..Kid, I think I'm just about done with you." Without a second word, the tendril began absorbing the kid causing the parents to cry out in horror and for the father to try and strike out at the Intruder only to get a swift backhand for his trouble.
"It doesn't have to be like this, Jack! Tell me where T.O.M. is and I'll let the kid go! He'll come out completely unharmed! But refuse to tell me? Well, you saw what happened to TOM 1 and..heh, I won't tell you what happened to TOM 4..."
Jack cocked a brow at the strange being's shifting and changing, the robotic portions of his body stirring some sort of memories within him. The robot... The Absolution... Yes, he remembered now, though it was still rather fuzzy. While the robot within the creature's body wasn't the same as the one he had met, the samurai remembered TOM well enough to know that whatever reason such an evil creature would be hunting his friend, it couldn't be good for the robot.
However, he didn't have time to argue such a thing as the boy was being absorbed. "Stop!" The bright, gleaming shine of his blade as it was drawn did not hide the absolute disgust that was evident in Jack's expression, "I have not seen nor heard from my friend in years, but if I had, I would never tell such a fiend as you where he was!" The grave honesty that was exuded by each word could only be matched in the intensity of his anger as he darted forward, hoping to slice away the tendril and free the boy, "And I will not stand for you taking this child!"
Whatever remained of TOM 1's former self was gone, leaving only small traces of memory that would over time eventually fade away in time leaving only The Intruder's evil attitude to take full root. Had this not been the case, TOM 1 might have struggled against the Intruder in engaging Jack in a fight. But the table had already been set and the Intruder wasn't leaving until he got what he came for.
"Then I suggest you improve your memory, Jackie boy! Or else this kid's...Gonna..Gonna.."
It took The Intruder a moment or two to notice that not only was the kid free but his tendril had been severed. Leaping back from where Jack had come in close to swing at the tendril, the Intruder was absolutely seething with rage! This damn samurai had been on hiatus for years and he still has enough energy to move like that!? Why the hell wasn't he back already?
More importantly, why hadn't Jack's sword got stuck? All weaponry that was used against the Intruder failed or only achieved in briefly stunning the creature. Yet, not only did he fail to stop Jack's blade from carrying it's full momentum but it actually hurt!
"Thank you, Jack!" The parents of the boy cried in unison as they quickly grabbed their boy and left. Leaving the boy to smile at Jack before the parents and the other villagers quickly dispersed to leave the two to settle their disagreement. As the tendril began to quickly reform, the Intruder scoffed.
"Thank you, Jack! Pfft, spare me the heroism.. Every hero who's stepped aboard the Absolution..I've seen that look in their eyes. So did TOM 1 and TOM 4...Before I killed both of them, heh heh.. You guys can't go a day without saving a life. But let's see if you can save your own!"
Spreading his feet apart, a slick mass of blob split off from the Intruder's back and crawled over to his side. Almost like a living weapon of sorts. Pointing one hand idly towards Jack, the blob squirmed and wriggled before launching itself at Jack with the intent on absorbing him and that sword of his! It had to be some kind of fluke. What was it that made Jack's sword so special compared to all of the other weapons/everything else the Intruder has gobbled up?
Unlike the Intruder, Jack had no doubts that his blade would do as it was interested. It had been forged to be used by the righteous, to smite the evils that plagued the world, and its ability to do the same to the foe before him was only natural.
As the beast taunted him, there was no purpose in replying back. Succumbing to taunts only led one astray and open to counter, and Jack had learned that lesson well when he had been sent to the future. Instead, his eyes narrowed as the blob shot forward, his sword swinging up to meet it. Once, the blade slew through the blob then twice as he brought the blade back down as he leaned to the side and dodged the mass.
"To save my life from one such as yourself is no difficult feat, it seems," Taking a few steps back from the attacking mass in case it still lived, the samurai shot his foe an infuriating smirk, "Perhaps even if I do fall here, my friend will have nothing to fear of you after this duel."
Suddenly, he sprung forward, ready to truly begin the clash. His movements were a blur as he easily closed the distance between them and his blade only a shimmer as it was held high and fell in a deep arc, aiming to bisect the Intruder in two as so many of Jack's foes before him.
"AH, SHUT YER YAP! JACK! DUCK!"
The Scotsman was a simple soul, though many made the first mistake of thinking it meant stupid. Far from it! There were a few things the Scotsman loved immensely. One was his drink, second was his wife. Third was a good brawl. Add in his natural belligerence to evil authority and you had the makings of a force of nature more then a warrior, with a cunning to match his temper. Case in point.
He waited till Jack got clear after his attack, firing in the direction of the blob thing with wild laughter. Honestly, he had no idea what was going on. But Jack seemed to be fighting him.
And that was good enough for him.
"BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!"
"You really think you can stop me?! I don't know what's up with that sword but I'll still devour you! You're no different from anything else I've-" The Intruder proceeded to eat his own words as Jack nimbly dodged the blob he'd split off from himself. As the blob smacked into the ground without anything to devour, the Intruder was left wide open for an attack. Not having much time to think, it came down to just strict improvisation as he swiftly lifted his arm up to block Jack's attack.
Sparks were sent flying every which way as the sword initially met some resistance before managing to cut through the outer layer of 'blob' and the running into the rusted metal that was Tom 1's left arm. Having been apart of the Intruder since 1999, TOM 1 wasn't holding up too well and as Jack's sword cleaved through his arm up to the elbow, that quickly became apparent.
"AAAAAAAAAAGHHHH!"
Why did this keep happening!? No matter what TOM 1 or TOM 4 did to him, he'd always reform! But was that the problem here? Even if Jack couldn't outright murder him then that still left the very real possibility that he could simply get hacked up and actually have a mind with which to comprehend and feel the pain!
Leaping back once more to put some distance between himself and Jack, the Intruder glanced aside at his mangled arm. His natural healing factor would see to it that it was healed/repaired. But this wasn't at what he was expecting. He had expected up some washed up bum who didn't even know how to swing a sword anymore but instead he got a warrior who made him feel like he had finally bitten off more than he could reasonably chew.
"..I'm going to find T.O.M...I'm going to make him pay for what he did to me...Neither you or anybody else will stand in my way!" The Intruder bellowed before clenching his right hand into a fist as the blob behind Jack shot out tendrils in an attempt to impale Jack from behind. All the while leaving the Intruder unaware of the attack that was soon to come.
*click*
"..Huh?"
The bullets tore into the Intruder's fleshy exterior until eventually he simply toppeled over from the force. But he most certainly wasn't out. Glancing down at the holes the bullets had left, the Intruder let out a laugh.
"You think two on one will change anything? I will consume everything.. TOM's dreams and you!"
Giving a mighty flex, the Intruder shot out all of the bullets that had gotten lodged within him. Not to kill the two of course, oh no the Intruder was far too sadistic for his own good for something as simple as that. No, he made sure to shoot the bullets at their feet! Make these fools dance for their lives before he snuffed them out! Jack first of all because that sword was quickly growing to become a nuisance..
"You again?"
Color Jack surprised as the burly, incredibly vocal Scotsman reappeared at his side and he had to leap out of his gun, but it was certainly not an unpleasant surprise. The Scotsman, while sometimes a little too rowdy for the samurai's taste, was a reliable ally and a man that could be trusted in this fight.
However, before he could say anything else, their foe struck out at them once again.
His eyes widened as the attack aimed at disabling them came, and he quickly jumped to the side and rolled out of the way. It seemed the highland man's bullets would do nothing against the enemy, at least not in the moment, and that his sword would be the weapon they would need to rely on.
"My friend, do not waste your bullets! Your sword!" He called back to the Scotsman before eyeing the main blob once again. They would need to end this fast as the beast seemed to not grow tired very easily, and thus, Jack's plan shifted.
He kept low to the ground as he darted forward once again, his target being the area that seemed to be the enemy of TOM's legs or support. They needed to disable his ability to move about first, then go in for the finishing blow, or else they may need to retreat for now. TOM will need to be told of this... thing's desire to hunt him down if so. Perhaps the warrior shall accompany me?
To say the Scotsman was surprised at his bullets returned to sender would be accurate.
To say his temper went through the roof at the sight was an understatement as he yelled at Jack.
"I DANNAE NEED MAH WEAPON FOR THE LIKES O' THIS! HERE'S A GREETING FROM CLAN-"
Whatever else was said was lost in the war whoop of the Scotsman, braving his own bullets for a flat out charge, ramming speed as he sought to give the creature what for, with the ol'scotsman greeting.
A shoulder tackle, followed by heavy applications of fist meeting face.
Having returned all of the bullets that had been lodged within him, the Intruder huffed in annoyance. This had turned out oh so wrong. He had just wanted to devour an entire village, get information out of the loser that he imagined Jack had developed into over this long break, only to be sidestepped and now he was being double-teamed?! This wouldn't do, not at all. He had set out to find T.O.M. and destroy his livelihood, not get caught up in fights with beings he didn't care about.
As Jack came in for his legs, the Intruder leaped high into the air and surprisingly got quite a bit of height than his frame would make you think. As he started falling downwards though, he left himself wide open for the Scotsman's shoulder tackle. Digging his feet into the ground, the Intruder held his hand out to try and stop the Scotsman. If he could just keep a tight enough grip on this babbling fool then maybe he could absorb him. Would be handy having that gun built into himself..
But then the punch came in and glass could have been seen flying through the air, before landing on the ground in glistening clumps. Part of TOM 1's already ruined visor had been cracked wide open by the Scotsman's punch. But the Intruder still wasn't going to go quietly.
"You made the mistake of getting too close..Now I'm never going to let you go!"
With that, the Intruder gripped the Scotsman by the collar as he started to try and absorb the man into himself. He had absorbed so many machines, it'd been quite some time since he consumed something that was almost entirely organic. He was sure it'd taste good and it'd be the perfect insult to Jack.
"HAHAHAHAHA! WHAT WILL YOU DO NOW, JACK?"
Jack narrowed his eyes as he slid under their foe, and a glint of anger could be seen as the creature began to absorb his best friend in the strange land. This was not to be the end of the Scotsman, not if Jack had any voice in the matter. He still owed the man for rescuing him and restoring his lost memories, and he would not allow his debt to be unpaid at this moment.
An idea sparked in his mind, one that would turn their disadvantage into an advantage. One that would require the Scotsman to draw his blade.
Rising back to his full height, he released a call to the redhead who was currently being devoured, one that needed to be understood, "Our swords, my friend, he cannot fight the power of our swords! Strike from within while I free you from without!" Hopefully, the message would reach the clansman and be made sense of as Jack charged once again in the hope that the creature would be caught off-guard by the Scotsman, because if not...
This may very well be the final battle that the 'brothers' would fight with their backs together.
The Scotsman....Grinned and with a mighty roar, turned the Intruder with his own great strength and Scottish spirittm so that the enemies back faced Jack.
"Gotcha now, ye blithering swagger-muncher! JACK, NOW!"
Busy hands and the Scotsman grip meant that they had the intruder right where they wanted him as the Scotsman laughed derisively in the manner of his people everywhere.
As the Scotsman's hands had vanished within the mass of blob that composed most of the Intruder's being, the villainous blob couldn't help but take a moment or two to revel in his soon to be victory.
"Hahahaha, you two actually thought you could defeat me! T.O.M. couldn't do it! What made you think you had a chance in...!?" The Intruder's taunting was interrupted as he was pulled off his feet and turned around as Jack came rushing forward with his blade drawn.
"No, you..You tricked me!?"
In the midst of currently absorbing the Scotsman, the Intruder couldn't turn to deflect Jack's attack in time. Which meant that if Jack wasn't stopped he'd be able to get another strike in on the Intruder and do who knows what kind of damage? But the Intruder refused to meet his end here! His search had only just begun!
Doing something that he'd never done before, the Intruder spit outa potential meal, sending the Scotsman flying back and allowing the Intruder to turn to face Jack. As the sword came downward, the Intruder's entire mass seemed to shift before collapsing into a thick red glop with TOM 1's body parts splayed all around within it as the blob quickly scurried towards it's ship.
Once it drew close enough, it'd reform back into it's usual form as the Intruder stumbled back into his ship.
"You think this is over..? This hasn't even started! The end will come for the both of you! But first I'll make T.O.M. PAY!" With that the ship's door closed and it wasted no time in blasting off towards the sky. Leaving Jack and the Scotsman to ponder their next move and T.O.M's safety. But this wouldn't be the only stop on the Intruder's journey to find TOM..
After a prolonged battle with Samurai Jack didn't turn out well for the Intruder, what with that sword somehow being immune to being devoured like anything else the Intruder could get it's blobby form around and Jack's persistence at fending him off. The Intruder had eventually decided that enough was enough. The people of this pathetic universe would get to see another day. When he found TOM 5 and murdered him? Then he'd come back to that and make Jack pay for standing against him.
But he still had a schedule to keep. So, what universe was next-
"..Are you serious? You expect me to find any kind of information on TOM there?! It's basically just like Earth! Ugh, fine fine. Just..Take us there already before I choose to ignore the damn thing." The Intruder grumbled, clearly not pleased with the next dimension he had to search on his list. As his ship glided in, The Intruder wasted no time in stepping out and looking about.
Their was no doubt in his mind that the panicked looks on people's faces were a result of seeing him. Wasn't often after all that you saw eight feet tall blob monsters that were fused with the corpse of a robot that you consumed years back.
"Yeah, yeah I'm scary. Get the hell out of my way!"
Anybody who failed to heed the warning was quickly and unceremoniously devoured by pieces of blob that oozed off the Intruder's body if he so willed it. This whole world was nothing more than a bunch of pests, two loud mouthed brats, their grandpa, and some other characters that even the Intruder really didn't want to touch.
"I'm in no mood for nonsense! Tell me where T.O.M. is or I'm devouring this whole city! Buildings, cars, people and all!"
Bushido Brown was minding his business, abusing a cop, repeatedly
He looked up to see some commotion down the street, people running left and right, people generally panicking for some reason, before he spotted the large blob creature that said something about someone called Tom
"I don't know what you want with mister lighstkin, but I'm not telling you anything"
This city meant little to Bushido, but there were a lot of potential employers here, letting them all die meant he'd have no-one to pay him!
"Now, you either turn around, or I'll show you why I'm the greatest black karate man who ever lived!"
With that, Bushido would draw his katana from his back, ready to lash out at the blob who threatened not only the town and it's people, but Bushido's livelihood!
For what was originally a non-sentient blob that existed simply to consume and grow larger, even he had standards and Bushido Brown fell way below them. Couldn't he have fought Bobobobo or something..? At least there he wouldn't feel as..Awkward. Shifting around uncomfortably, the Intruder sighed.
"Fine, fine. We'll fight.."
The Intruder wasn't too keen on this but maybe he could knock this guy around for a bit. He doubted the sword he had was anything like Jack's. Even when he tried absorbing Jack, that damn blade just wouldn't go and it allowed Jack to get the upperhand/force the Intruder to flee to his ship. As massive droplets of the blob-like mass that made up most of the Intruder's being began to seep off his back, they formed into tendrils which lashed out towards Brown. Maybe if he just absorbed this guy, he could get the information that way...
"Come on, pal. I don't got all day! Tell me about where the Absolution is or else it's gonna be lights out for you!"
"Listen here, goopy, I don't have time to sit here and question whatever you're talking about" the afro'd warrior would sneer as he'd do a backflip over the attacking tentacles, ducking and dodging them deftly as he kicks a telephone pole firmly, causing it to bow forward toward his blobby foe
"Maybe ask Satan for some answers, while you're busy in hell" He'd swing his katana into the pole, slicing through it and aiming to drop it onto the blob "Oh, and don't forget to tell em, Bushido sent ya"
Satan? Hell? Well, the Intruder supposed it made sense. The show this guy was from did air on the Adult Swim block after all. Just something about the content this world had made the Intruder feel...Uncomfortable which said a lot given how monstrous he was otherwise. But he still had a job to be doing. Find and make T.O.M. 5's life a living hell! He couldn't do that if he was busy being held up-
*BONK*
The telephone pole crashed onto the Intruder's head and everything seemed to go dead silent after that. Had Bushido beaten him? Would the Intruder topple over if he was so much as flicked?
No, not really.
Reaching up to grip the telephone pole, the Intruder began to absorb it into his being. Bushido would bare witness as what remained of the pole was first crushed/snapped in twain before being consumed by the Intruder's blob like mass before vanishing completely.
"That's what's gonna happen to you if you don't get the hell out of my way or start talking. What's it gonna be, Bushido?"
What the hell was this guy?! Bushido just dropped a 200 pound telephone pole on him and it did nothing!
"So, you're a tough guy, huh?" the karate man murmurs quietly, nodding slowly "I can respect that, but believe me when I say, I ain't telling you where Tom is" Heck, even if he did, it'd be the wrong Tom, but neither of them knew that "So, how about you can the chit chat, and stop eating folks. Before I have to go all Jackie Chan on your ass"
With that, he'd brandish his katana, his eyes narrowed as he sized his opponent up and down, it'd take some real planning to get this guy, dropping heavy shit on him didn't seem to work, so he doubted cutting him would work
Perhaps...
The warrior's katana would touch the now exposed power lines on the ground, it's blade sparking for a moment, before beginning to glow hot from the electrical current flowing through it's length "Let's see how you like this" he mutters as he charges his foe, aiming to lodge the sword through the robotic core's torso
Hopefully heat hurt this thing, or he'd just lost an expensive sword and done nothing
"Would you just shut up and die already!?" The Intruder didn't want anything more to do with this godforsaken universe and just wanted out of here! But in all of his rage, he had underestimated Bushido greatly and the lengths he'd go to win. Holding one arm up, the Intruder swung it downwards, leaving a sizable crater in it's wake. Just a small demonstration of what he'd do to Bushido. This fool wasn't even worth consuming..
"Just hold still for a second and it'll be over right quick-GBZZZZZZZT!"
The Intruder was baffled and temporarily stunned as the sword was rammed through his chest. Sparks flew from TOM 1's dusty/worn out visor and the Intruder's limbs flailed all about. No, no, no! He could feel his mind slipping! He didn't want to go back to just being a mindless blob! Not when he had come so far! More importantly, TOM 1 at least ran on a mini nuclear reactor. After being killed/absorbed by the Intruder, the blob had kept it running but kept it contained so it didn't possibly meltdown and kill the Intruder and anyone else within the immediate vicinity.
If this fool's blade ended up nicking it and the Intruder couldn't contain it in time...
No, he refused to possibly meet his end at the hands of Bushido Brown! Gripping the sword, he'd seek to rip it out and fling it aside.
"You...You..IDIOT! You could have killed all of us!" The Intruder snapped as he quickly went about trying to cover up the hole Bushido had made. "..More importantly you would have seriously hurt me!"
..Maybe it was best he leave this place behind now. He'd gotten all he needed to here. Stomping the ground, the Intruder sought to send a shockwave Bushido's way to knock him onto his rear and allow the Intruder to straggle back on to his ship. This was embarrassing.
What was it with these people?! Didn't they understand the huge risk they were taking by stick their neck out for a robot that wasn't even worth the trouble? That Bushido Brown guy, the chick from the online game, and to top it all off that samurai with the really annoying sword that the Intruder's blob like form couldn't devour. They all stood up for T.O.M. and the Absolution, refusing to hand out any kind of information if they could help it.
Well, then that was just fine with him. He'd eventually come back to their dimensions and devour every living thing. That'd show them the error of their ways. For now however their was a schedule he was keeping to and maybe one of these idiots would realize that it probably wasn't the greatest of ideas to refuse spilling the beans to the blob monster that could think up numerous ways to harm you and not feel bad about it in the slightest.
"Computer! What's the next destination you have set up?"
[ フェアリーテイル]
"Ugh, computer we've been over this! I can't read Japanese! Give me the answer in English or I'm going to dismantle you and put you back together again!"
[FAIRY TAIL.]
"..Fairy Tail, huh? You'd think with shows like DBZ and YYH, a show with as much needless fanservice and lots of fighting would fit right in. But, no matter let's pay them a visit. I'm sure T.O.M must have dropped off here at some point to try and make a broadcast deal. Or even to get to 'know the stars' behind his shows..Hate the guy." The Intruder murmured to himself as his ship blasted off as quickly as it could towards the universe in question. The sooner The Intruder cleared this place off his list the better.
Like a great omen drifting in on bad vibes, the Intruder's ship descended from the skies above. Landing on the ground with enough force to give the impression that a minor tremor had come and gone, The Intruder wasted no time in letting his intentions be known.
"Greetings! I'll just let it be made clear that who I am doesn't matter! But I am a very busy man and I can't be kept waiting around for long. So if any of you are willing to step forth and give me the answers I'm looking for, I'd be very pleased!"
"Dimaria."
"...Wahl." The War Maiden of Alvarez resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Some of the citizens of Alvarez had given the Machias the title of Adjudicator. She still wasn't sure if she should laugh or cry. Wahl is a cackling lunatic, judging someone should be the last thing he does. But it was their Emperor's will, so if he approved, she would abide. She turned to face him. "And in the flesh, too! How generous of you to not send your proxy instead."
"This isn't flesh."
"I know that, dolt." She sighed. And unlike Randi, it isn't as fun teasing Wahl. "Do you require something?"
"Haven't you heard? Emperor Spriggan is returning, and soon. The call was put out for the Spriggan Twelve."
"...So our Lord returns."
"Yes. The request to gather together is very short notice, I expect only a little more than half will show up. Besides you and I, I know only five of the others are close enough to make the meeting."
"So who's on the guest list?"
"Invel, of course. Ajeel's ugly face. Serena's around here somewhere, like the weirdo he is. August...and Brandish's coming back after her trip to Caracole Island."
"Ha. I'd hoped to get another chance to tease little Randi--"
"...Did you feel that?"
"A tremor, falling firmly in Class 1 designation."
"Alvarez doesn't have earthquakes." Her eyes narrowed slightly. "It's something else."
"Something warranting checking out."
"My thoughts exactly. For a cackling lunatic, you have your moments."
"Lunatic. A three syllable word used to classify creative thinking too big for little minds." He mockingly tapped Dimaria's temple. "Perhaps Brandish got to you in there."
"Are you coming or not, Wahl? Slow processing power, perhaps?" She retorted, making her way out of the Grand Hall.
"You humans. Always have to have the last word." He commented, following.
"...Well, will you look at that?"
"I guessed correctly. Someone landed. I don't recognize the ship, however. Not Alvarez. And I doubt Ishgar would darebe this brazen."
"Of course not! How laughable. This is not Alvarez or Ishgar. This is...something else. Standing ready to obliterate."
"Stand down." She issued a growled order, stepping forward with a dangerous smile. "At least for the moment."Dimaria crossed her arms over her bosom, staring at the ship.
"Answers to what questions?"
Laughable was he? Hmph, it's likely that these fools simply didn't know who they were messing with. Which worked into the Intruder's favor. Would make it all the more amusing to see their reactions when he brought the two of them to their knees and got the information he was looking for. Turning on his ship's cameras, he'd be able to get a good view of Dimaria and Wahl as he sat in the control room of his ship.
"Simple stuff, really. I've been traversing the cosmos for an old acquaintance of mine. Travels around in a ship bit bigger and more futuristic than mine. Calls it the Absolution. Blew me up with one of it's engines years back. I got better and been trying to track him down. Thought maybe he popped up on this world at some point. You ever seen him? He's a robot with a visor like head, wiseass attitude, and his name?"
The Intruder paused as his entire body seemed to shudder with rage at even thinking about his arch enemy.
"T.O.M."
"Now, I'm not looking for a fight so I think it'd be in your best interests if you just told me what you know. Would save me the trouble of getting dragged down in a fight and you'd get to keep your lives. Seems like a reasonable trade off, yeah?"
Despite his assurances against wanting violence, The Intruder's finger inched ever closer to his ship's built in EMP button. He would have desired to keep it to shut down the Absolution's defense systems when him and TOM eventually crossed paths again. But if these two got a bit out of hand then something to settle them down would be preferable. He didn't head to the DBZ verse for a reason. His ship would have been in tatters.
old acquaintance of mine. Travels around in a ship bit bigger and more futuristic than mine. Calls it the Absolution. Blew me up with one of it's engines years back. I got better and been trying to track him down. Thought maybe he popped up on this world at some point. You ever seen him? He's a robot with a visor like head, wiseass attitude, and his name?"
The Intruder paused as his entire body seemed to shudder with rage at even thinking about his arch enemy.
"T.O.M."
Click to expand...
Dimaria didn't even blink, just immediately turning and shooting a glance over her shoulder over at Wahl. Annoying as he is, when it comes to machines he's the one to go to."Sound familiar?"
"Of course not." He snorted, rising up to standing. "Sounds like this idiot is off his rocker. That said..." He thrust his hands together.
"Sounds like a threat to me. I don't like those much. Not when someone comes down here, demanding answers and condescendingly mocking us. If you want to see who lives or dies, fine. As silly as they can be, humans have one thing going for them. Emotion. And lemme just say, I'll be glad to help you find out who lives or dies! GLAD!" In the blink of an eye, one of Wahl's numerous weapons popped into existence before him.
"Anti-Materiel Magic Cannon...FIRE! AHYA-HYA-HYA-HYA-HYA-HYA-HYA!"
For her part, she just grinned as the beam of pure energy shot past her overhead. "So much for talking." Dimaria deadpanned, otherwise approving of Wahl's actions. No one talked down to them, save the Emperor.
Off his rocker?! The Intruder fancied villains like Cell, Frieza, all those guys. They didn't give a rat's ass about what others said/did their own thing. But this guy seemed like he'd been itching for a fight since the ship touched down. Well, fine if that's the way he wanted to be then the Intruder had no real qualms about getting his hands dirty. He just wished it didn't have to come to this. Wasted time while T.O.M. got further and further away on his pesky little ship.
As the machine appeared and the laser blast was sent soaring through the air at the Intruder's ship, the creature nearly tumbled out of his comically undersized captain's chair. What?! He had known Fairy Tail was up there in terms of power but that looked like some DBZ stuff right there! Fine then, he'd been planning to save this for when he faced down TOM but he had no choice..
"Sorry, but I got plans that don't involve you blowing me and my ship to pieces. Been there done that." Smashing his fist down on a nearby button, the blast seemed to smash into The Intruder's ship without so much as a hitch. As the smoke cloud it kicked up began to clear however, it was revealed that a shield was interlocked around the ship protecting it from Wahl's outburst.
But knowing that it likely wouldn't stand up to repeated assaults, the Intruder knew what he was going to have to do. Try and deal with this himself. Maybe beating the information out would work over well with these two. Still, just in case he had his ship prime it's weapons to fire in case things were looking bleak for him. Once he had done so, the exit ramp started to lower and The Intruder finally showed himself to Wahl and Dimaria.
"Blasting me with a giant cannon. Creative. But it's not going to do you any good.."
Without so much as even moving a finger, a wave of the same blob like mass that made up a good chunk of the Intruder's body poured out behind him and swarmed towards the two although it seemed eager on scarfing down that machine Wahl had used to blast the ship!
"That's a pretty big weapon you've got there..Wonder how much bigger it'll make me.."
The Machias dusted his hands off, confident that matter had been taken care of. "Keep my life, huh? I didn't even get hurt." He grinned savagely, leaning back and cackling to the skies above.
"No."
Dimaria cut through his celebration, voice almost as cold and hard as the steel of her sword. "That didn't end it." She narrowed her eyes further, staring intensely into the smoke.
"What?" He scoffed, fixing his analyzing gaze on the smoke himself...and a frown emerged. "You're right." He all but hissed out that second word. Normally he would not mind, they are on the same side after all. But this meant he looked bad. A reputation to protect. "Easily rectified." His weapon began to glow again, preparing to fire once more."Your shield may have saved you once, but stationary like that? Child's play! Prepare to be fucking annihilated!" Wahl paused only when the ramp descended.
"Oh? Come to die like a man--"
"You are no man. A gelatinous blob?" He tilted his head, shock shifting towards mild, amused surprise. "This'll be even easier than I thought." He snickered, only cutting himself off with a gasp as the creature surged forward with surprising speed.
Both he and Dimaria leapt back to get some room from the creature, his Machias eyes analyzing the blob for weaknesses. "It won't." He bluntly stated, waving a hand. The cannon dissipated split-seconds before it would have been swallowed by the blob. "Nobody touches my weapons but me."
"A disgusting blob. This won't do. Is it a single mind in there? Or many, consumed into a hive mind. Whichever the case, this transgression won't stand. Our emperor approaches. A mess like this isn't a fitting welcome for one such as he. Wahl!"
Their magical auras began to flare up, a bright gold and a shiny silver, readying to attack.
"Spoilsport." The Intruder murmured sounding like a disappointed child as the cannon vanished. The blob that had emitted from him receded after it's target had vanished. As Wahl seemed to question the Intruder's being, he shook his head from side to side. Honestly the Intruder himself couldn't quite comprehend how he got to be where he was now. Maybe T.O.M. 2 blasting him with explosives and being left to drift in the cold of space forced the blob to figure out someway to survive. That ended up being to fuse with the remains of TOM 1 and the trade off ended up being that no longer was the Intruder a mindless blob but a true force to be reckoned with.
"Kinda. More of a sentient blob these days. Dunno how it really happened but I'm not complaining. Disgusting? Well, I've been called plenty of things but that's not a new one by any means. Honestly, I had wished to avoid all of this violence." The blob pooled around at the Intruder's feet as he glanced between Wahl and Dimaria as they started to power up.
"Heh, heh..Ah, who am I kidding? I'll just devour you two and get the info I need from there. Maybe I'll even go after this emperor you keep mentioning. I'm sure they've seen T.O.M..."
As Wahl's eyes scanned the Intruder for any kind of weaknesses, he'd merely get '???' back in response. Laser pistols did nothing as TOM 1 found out and even the upgraded version did little than sting the blob. The only thing that could be done was to send the creature flying off into space and hoping it was dealt with that way. But not only did the Intruder survive but it was angry.
It wouldn't let these two stand in the way of his grudge against the Absolution's captain, no way, no how.
"Let's get to it.."
Rushing forward, the blob's tendrils lashed out in a frenzy like manner towards Dimaria and Wahl. All with the intent of grabbing/holding them down so that the Intruder could slowly devour them/add their information to his own just as he had done with TOM 1/TOM 4.
"Shut up." Dimaria spat, glancing to the side.
"Wahl?"
"This thing...has no discernable specific weaknesses."
"Hmph. Guess that means we have only one option. Teach this trash what the meaning of pain really is until we find a weakness. If it doesn't die first."
"If you can manage to keep it off of me."
"Please. I didn't earn the title of War Maiden for nothing."She shot back, summoning her warblade.
"It's a shame you have no face. I would have liked to see your pained expression when it finally sinks in how screwed you are."
In a blur of motion so fast that it proved difficult to tell she had even moved, she cut through every tendril sent their way, burning it with magical energy with each slice. Behind her, Wahl took the time to crack his knuckles. A decidedly human action...but one of their more fitting creations.
"Devour this."
"Hehehehe, what's wrong? Getting under your-AAAAAAH!" The Intruder cried out, not in pain but more surprise at actually being able to feel something as Dimaria cut his tendrils. One of the downsides with gaining sentience he supposed. But everything else made it worth it and this chick wouldn't be getting off so easy. As the stumped tendrils began to recede within the main mass, the Intruder glanced over to Wahl. The guy was capable of using machines to his advantage. Seemed like a reasonable approach to take. Most machines The Intruder just gobbled down and Wahl would be no different.
As the missiles came in, their shadows could have been seen casting an even bigger one on The Intruder's visor. As they coursed downwards, the tendrils lashed out once more, knocking some off course. But this was all part of the Intruder's plan. For when the knocked aside missiles hit the ground, they'd kick up a dust cloud which would hide away the Intruder as the other missiles seemed to actually hit their mark.
If the Intruder's screams were anything to go off anyway.
"AHHHHHH! YOU'VE KILLED ME! D-DAMN YOU!! GAAAAAAAH I CAN'T KEEP MYSELF COMPOSED!!"
As the dust began to fade away however, The Intruder's cries of agony slowly turned into bitter laughter as electricity seemed to be coursing throughout his body.
"Nice try. Now it's my turn again."
Clenching his hands into fists, the Intruder spread his feet apart as holes of varying size began to open up on his body. As they did, both Wahl and Dimaria would see the same missiles that Wahl had just launched. Only they seemed to be absolutely coated in the same material that TOM 1 was-rendering them apart of the Intruder in the process. Only he felt it was right to return them to their proper owner.
One launched at a time. The corrupted missiles were sent flying out in a barrage towards Wahl and Dimaria as the Intruder cackled. Did they honestly think they'd stand a chance against him?!
"Huh. The blob thinks itself funny. Cracking wise and acting, putting on a show for us. How annoying."
"He's not wrong, if you think about it. This whole fight and himself? It really is one big joke. One that has long since overstayed his welcome."
"Amen to that." One hand gripped her sword, resting it against her shoulder. The other hand rested under her chin, Dimaria staring casually at the missiles launched back at them. Almost bored, even.
"Ugh, cackling only sounds right when I do it. This blob screeching is an insult to ears."
"Debatable." The pair's light banter reflected just how seriously they were taking this creature. Wahl's eyes shifted from missile to missile, targeting them. "Lock-on achieved."
Blasts of energy shot out, intercepting each missile on it's trajectory path and harmlessly detonating them. "Deluded beast. Do you really think you could best me with my own weapons? I know them like I know the back of my hand. You're not even worth killing. I will give you that option. You may turn your mass around, slither back into your ship and run home with your tail firmly between your legs(metaphorically speaking) and I may deign to let you live. Choose."
As the missiles were destroyed, wind seemed to rush back over the Intruder's mass causing the blob portion of his body to jiggle slightly. But otherwise he didn't seem too perturbed by this turn of events. In fact he almost seemed amused.
"You're the real idiot here, not me. You think after seeing what you did with your cannon, I didn't know that you could handle your own weaponry? But you'll see what I mean soon enough.." Without giving any explanation as to what he was referring to, the ground behind Wahl started to split open. Giving the impression thatsomething was crawling out of there! As the crack in the ground became far more widespread, the split off blob burst out of the ground spread out as far as it could go to try and engorge itself on Wahl/prevent him from moving out of the way.
"Soon you'll be a part of me..You'll have plenty of company, heh heh..."
If anyone bothered to pay close enough attention, they'd see marks in the ground behind the Intruder, showing off where the blob had dug into/under while the smoke screen from the knocked away missiles helped to obscure it's movements/wait for the right time to pounce. Taking care of the woman would be child's play once he managed to absorb Wahl and get all those neat goodies! T.O.M. would have quite the visit..
"Like hell I will."
Wahl's entire physiology shifted in a split second, adopting a more highly armored form. His magic aura supercharged, blasting out externally as hurricane force winds to push against the liquid blob goo trying to swallow him up. A delaying factor, to be sure. But a delay is all I need. Wahl smirked.
"Ethernano particle degradation commencing. Magical fusion critical point achieved. Kill system...online." The Machias raised his palm, a single circular point within it now pulsing and crackling with energy. "You should feel honored. To be the first blob of goo I've eradicated with this weapon. Etherion. Magic of pure destruction, the type that obliterates nations, the type that transcends space and time."
"Bye-bye." He mocked, firing it off at the enveloping blob.
At the same time, Dimaria blitzed forward in a swift rush, sword glinting bright in the daylight...and forcefully embedding it up to its hilt right into the Intruder's visor. She wasted no time, eyes sliding closed as she focused her magical power, projecting it through the sword...and violently expelling it all at once, intent on making the blob explode from the inside out.
"BURN!"
The blob that had been split off from the Intruder squirmed in what might as well have been fear. Back when T.O.M. 2 had defeated the Intruder, it had no concept of anything beyond simply consuming whatever was in it's path to grow larger. Now after some time with TOM 1's mind helping to give some semblance of a will, their were still some vestigial traces of emotions though more on the level of an animal than an actual sentient being. It could tell that Wahl meant to do it harm and that wasn't good. Not in the slightest.
The Intruder himself wasn't exactly pleased with this development either. That had been his ace in the hole, his one shot to consume Wahl and get all of those weapons. Just thinking about blasting the Absolution straight down the middle with that cannon was too good to be true and now? It seemed like that was definitely going to be the case. He had to escape back to his ship. These two required a much more different approach.
Wait.
Where had the woman gone-
"AAAAAAH!"
The Intruder wasn't really hurt by Dimaria's attack. But 'aaaah' seemed like the appropriate response. As he could see beams of light/magic bursting out from different sections of his body, he shuddered. He couldn't risk TOM 1 being destroyed. Fusing with this machine was how he gained sentience. He couldn't afford to go back to the way things were before, he refused!
As his limbs began spazzing out, he eventually managed to steady them and one hand reached out to punch Dimaria away before she could put enough magic in to make him explode. He would have reformed, no doubt about it. But the damage to TOM 1/possibly triggering TOM 1's nuclear core to explode was something he could have gone without. If he had succeeded in knocking her away, the Intruder stomped his foot down, sending a massive shockwave towards Wahl and Dimaria. Hopefully allowing enough time for him to rush back into the safety of his ship.
"If you think...This is the last time we'll meet...You're wrong...DEAD WRONG!"
The piece of blob could tell that it was being left behind and jumped up and down to express it's displeasure with this course of action. But there was nothing that could be done for it. As the door closed up, the Intruder wasted no time in hurrying up to try and get out of here.
"Computer! GET US OUT OF HERE! NOW!"
Following the orders it was given without question, the ship's computer activated the ship's engine as it started to take off the planet's surface and the Intruder was left to lick his wounds. But he wouldn't be stopped. After he destroyed TOM 5, he'd come back to every one of these places and make their people SUFFER!
The War Maiden ate the punch in full force, slamming her off and away, her sword sliding out with a *shhhhhhhhlk* and likewise tumbling along the ground besides Dimaria herself. Slowing to a halt, she pushed herself up, rubbing her bruised jaw. That had been a hell of a hit. "Ptui." She spat blood out onto the ground, rising firmly to her feet. Just in time to catch sight of his stomp...her eyes widened and she covered her face with crossed arms, feet braced to stand firm in the shockwave. The sheer force still slid her back a few feet, winds gusting through her hair. A quick glance told her Wahl stood unmoving throughout it all, a smirk on his face.
"You chose well! Pity it's a little late. I'm not just going to let you go without a parting gift." He eyed the lifting ship, factoring in for the likely ascent trajectory.
"Ahya-hya-hya-hya-hya-hya!!!"
---
With severe damage to his ship from Wahl's railgun assault, the Intruder managed to barely escape. After a brief encounter with Ulrich in Lyoko in a half-baked attempt to absorb Xana, the Intruder continued to drift from world to world, finding little information. Things just didn't seem like they were getting any easier for the devouring revenge seeking entity known simply as The Intruder to many. He'd been slashed by Jack's enchanted katana gifted to him by the gods themselves, he'd been kicked around by Bushido Brown, roasted by Hiei's flame. Yet he came no closer to finding the answers he was looking for. Which is where the hell was T.O.M?!
Having stolen a ship that he'd claim as his own(likely after murdering it's previous owner), the Intruder continued to travel along the galaxy searching for universes that had played/would be broadcast on Toonami at some point. From there it just meant doing whatever he had to do to find any information T.O.M. and that hadn't proved fruitful. But this was going to be his last stop and if he didn't get the answers he was looking for? Then he'd just have to murder everybody in this universe. No show for TOM if everyone's dead, right?
"Computer! Give me the coordinates to the next universe!"
[THE NEXT UNIVERSE LISTED ON OUR STAR MAP IS KNOWN SPECIFICALLY AS ディメンションW-]
"In English, Computer.."
[DIMENSION W]
"...Interesting. That's a show that's about to be put on the block. Heh..Heh, I wonder how T.O.M. would feel if he gets the broadcast and sees nothing but the destruction I've left in my wake. I'd kill for the look on his face!" Realizing the irony of his statement, the Intruder threw his head back and laughed. "Plot a course there! I'm getting my answers...One way or another."
With that the ship blasted off into the distance. If only the poor inhabitants of Dimension W knew what they were in for..
Mira and her companions might have been content to simply go about their lives in whatever manner they saw fit. It was unfortunate that a certain entity was coming in to disrupt that and possibly do even more. A gigantic ship descended downwards onto the planet before finally touching down. It's shape was almost similar to that of a gigantic black monolith. Perhaps representative of the fate that The Intruder usually left the dimensions he attacked in.
The ship touched down with an earth rattling quake. But from there no more hostile movements were made. The situation was unknown. Was this being an enemy or a friend? Smoke began to hiss outwards from the ship as the exit ramp finally began to lower and a being started to step down it, revealing itself to the denizens of Dimension W.
"I'd say greetings one and all...But I'm not here for pleasantries..I'm here to find someone and you're all going to help me.."
The Intruder growled as his body was quite the gruesome sight to behold. Before it had devoured TOM 1, the Intruder was simply nothing more than a red blob from outer space that liked to eat whatever it could wrap itself around. Whether this included the Absolution's robotic staff, the engine, or even TOM 1. TOM 2 had to blow off the right engine of his ship leaving him in dire straits for quite some time even after the Intruder had been sent drifting off into the outer reaches of space.
But over that time TOM 1's intelligence began to sync up with the Intruder's blob like form. Eventually it reached the point where the Intruder began to form a semi-stable shape around the rusting husk that made up TOM 1's original body, gaining intelligence in the process and making an already deadly foe even more dangerous.
"I think I was pretty clear the first time. So I'm not going to ask again. Where. Is. T.O.M?!"
"Hmmm..."
Mira stared down her trailer pensively, her metallic tail swaying from side to side. The trailer had finally been cleaned, her room was in order, and she could just use Kyoma's plumbing utilities. What else was there to add? Was she forgetting anything? Regardless of how long she spent thinking about it and looking around, the android couldn't think of anything in particular that she needed. That settled that, then. With a smile, Mira moved to enter her room.
Or at least, she was going to until a huge shadow suddenly hung overhead. She turned around and looked up, covering her mouth as she gasped in surprise.
"Wh-What's that?"
Mira scanned the large object, picking up on some sort of blob or robot inside of it. Strangely, the two seemed intertwined or something. "What's up with that...?" she wondered aloud. Kyoma was out, probably at Mary's place, so since she was the only one here it was her responsibility to...uh...talk it out, or whatever she was supposed to do with this ridiculously large object that had no business being at a small gas station like this.
Finally, the thing she'd seen inside the ship decided to come out. Her optic sensors proved it was even more disgusting to see it as a human would. Gross. "U-um, it's n-n-n-nice to meet...you?" Despite its declaration in refusing pleasantries, it was only polite to give them anyway. Just because this thing was rude didn't mean she had to be.
"T.O.M?" Her ears perked up as she heard the unfamiliar name. "Um, let me see..." Mira looked up any data on a T.O.M, but there didn't seem to be any record of such a being. Tom was apparently a relatively common name for Westerners, though that was hardly specific enough to give this thing information. "Sorry, I don't know. But um, if you don't mind, could you put that thing somewhere else? I think you're going to destroy the highway above if you moved it any more, hahaha..." she laughed nervously."Anyway, wha- ahem, who are you? I'm Mira!"
..Was that a metallic tail? Trying to recall the gist of this show since it hadn't been around for that long and his mind was too busy focusing on his unflinching hate for T.O.M. It hit the Intruder like a ton of bricks. This thing standing in front of him wasn't just a girl but some kind of machine..Or at least partly. Which meant that just like anything else his blob-like composition came into contact with he could absorb her. Maybe he'd spare though. After all this was to be the last stop so surely she'd have some information on TOM 5's whereabouts-
"...You don't know?"
The Intruder glanced back and forth as if someone had told a joke he couldn't get and he was trying to find an explanation. Was this girl serious?! Did she not know what he had gone through to get here!? Fighting so many idiots and learning absolutely nothing?! A blue pulse began to emit from the Intruder's body as he glanced down at Mira.
"Do you have any idea on how long I've been searching for him!? He lives up in space broadcasting your daily life like some kind of TV show and me?! I was just a lowly mindless blob that tried to devour him and his ship whole! But he blasted me into the cold depths of space after I ate his first body. Now, don't you think that'd drive anyone a little mad? Especially if during that time floating around freestyle in space they gained sentience? It wasn't a fun experience let me tell you!"
The Intruder inched closer as it became apparent he had reached his limit with these universes. None of them had been helpful at all!
"Mira? You said your name was Mira..I don't really have a name. I'm just an Intruder. Not just in your world but in so many other worlds. You could have made my intrusion a short one though if you simply told me what I wanted to know. But I've been dealing with people in different universe who didn't know a damn thing and you're the last one on that list and all this anger has gotten me a little hungry."
Stopping but still managing to loom over the poor girl, the Intruder's body pulsated once more as a sizable mass of raw blob slid down off his back and onto the ground, almost seeming dormant.
"I don't know exactly what you are or what you may know. But I came here looking for answers and have gotten nothing! So the next best thing is to just gobble you up and add your parts to my collection..You see I've already made one, their's room for more.."
He'd say as he gave the half of TOM 1's head that was stuck floating around in his mass a flick on the cranial unit. At the same time the split off mass of blob moved forward with the intention of pinning Mira down so the Intruder could absorb her and take her knowledge, whatever it may have been. Was it a waste of time? Most likely. But he had to vent this pent up aggression somehow!
With the way the intruder looked back and forth, it looked to Mira as if he was confused, or lost. However, the way he said that he didn't know gave off more of an aggressive vibe. But she wouldn't make too many friends assuming the worst of everyone, right? At least, that was what she thought until he began speaking again.
"Huh? Something like that exists? Hmm, but I really don't know anything..." Her eyes began shifting about as she analyzed what was before her.
Both the ship and the intruder were completely coil-less. How strange. Were the two straight from the W Dimension itself? She couldn't find any evidence to support it, but such powerful seeming technology that didn't use coils just seemed...impossible. Though aside from apparently the fact someone was broadcasting her life, perhaps New Tesla had some more secrets, this guy ate people? Mira wasn't going to be any part of that!
"E-eh? You're planning to e-e-eat me???" How disgusting, but also very threatening for obvious reasons! As the blob moved forth, Mira instinctively jumped back. "Eww! How could you just throw something like that at a girl? It'd be very hard to get rid of, you know. I'd probably have to shower for a really, really long time, and everything!" She had to fight this thing away somehow, but did punching blobs actually do anything to them? She could wait for Kyoma to come back and kill it with his skills, but who knew when he'd get back.
Only one thing to do then. She scanned the Intruder for weaknesses as she dashed forward at the blob. But rather than just making a beeline for the target and striking, she'd attempt to jump off the center line and to the side to deliver a kick to the thing whilst retreating, as a way of testing the waters.
Due to messing around with TOM 1's body parts since they spent years getting intermingled with the Intruder's blobby body, when Mira tried to analyze him, this is what she would have seen. 2014 being the date that the Intruder resurfaced and all of the other statistics serving as more of a warning/sign to her what this 'TOM' might have had to put up with while dealing with this..thing. But other than that, no discernible weaknesses seemed to be apparent in or around the Intruder. The closest thing TOM could find to a weakness was the Intruder suffering from a bad case of explosions.
Those usually worked in sending the Intruder off but as it showed by standing right here in front of Mira, it didn't work so well in actually finishing the creature off. As Mira continued to insist that she simply didn't know anything about what the Intruder was referring to, it only seemed to enrage the creature even more.
"It doesn't really matter in the end if you're lying or telling the truth or whatever! Once you become a part of me, you'll lose any idea of being alone, free-will, or independent thought. I'll be taking care of that for you and whatever information you might have stored in that noggin of yours.."
The blob wriggled around as Mira leaped away from it, almost as if it was affronted that it's meal tried to escape! The Intruder couldn't help but let out a small mocking laugh in response. Did this girl really think she'd get away when he set his sights on devouring her? He didn't think so.
"So, yes I'm going to eat you! Their won't be a single part of you left...But you'll continue to exist in me and in the end wouldn't you feel better being among others?" The Intruder taunted as somewhere within the confines of the Intruder were the remains of TOM 4 and his friends who the Intruder brutally murdered not too long ago. As she actually came into attack, the blob and the Intruder prepped itself to counter attack. Once she came in close then he'd grab her and..
*wham*
The Intruder was taken by surprise at the kick and it actually hit a solid enough part of him that it caused him to slide across the ground. He supposed he should have expected strength of that magnitude from this girl given that she wasn't entirely human. But he wasn't human at all. Rising back to his feet, the Intruder glanced down the way at Mira.
"You've got a clear will to survive. Friends to return to, family to look after I presume? All things to keep a hero like you going. TOM 1 and TOM 4 had similar things going for them. But I ate them up and look at TOM 1 now.." The Intruder gestured to himself. "That'll be you soon enough.." With a snap of his fingers, the split off blob formed spear like tendrils which lashed out at Mira in quick succession to try and shiskebab her. Make it easier for the Intruder to hold her in place while he absorbed her after all.
As no weakness was discernible, it seemed Mira had made the right choice for now. She was pleasantly surprised when her foot met a solid object and sent him skidding a little bit. Scanning him down again, she tried to find out where his solid, and thus attack-able, parts were. Though with his blob suddenly turning into spears and stabbing at her, she had to start moving again, deftly evading them for now.
Mira couldn't exactly claim to enjoy the idea of being eaten, or losing her independence. She worked hard to be seen as human, and she wasn't going to let some blob mess that up for her! "I-I think I'll have to pass on this one..." she murmured as she weaved back and forth around the attempts to stab her. "Hmm, based on what happened to those robots, I don't think I can let these blobs touch me. I'm one too after all. Then..."
And for a moment she stopped moving. "...What do I do?" Yelping as she narrowly dodged another strike, Mira quickly began moving once more. She really didn't have any ideas left to her. One touch might be lethal, she wasn't sure yet and didn't exactly want to test it, but this obviously wasn't something that should be left alone. "Kyoma...hurry back, please!"
However, until someone else came to stop this thing, she was the only one here. Suddenly skidding to a halt, the android turned to rush down the Intruder once more. Somewhere solid, somewhere solid. Her eyes buzzed with activity as she analyzed the Intruder's anatomy to figure out where to hit him. Aiming for something solid, Mira tried to slam her fist into the invader!
The Intruder was evil, their was no doubt about that. Giving intelligence to what was basically a version of The Blob that floated through space until it found something to consume only to be blasted off deep into space's boundaries probably wasn't the best idea. But even still he couldn't quite understand why Mira was so against being devoured. Sure, Wahl had been super reluctant to join up. If the Intruder had managed to absorb him?
Well needless to say their likely wouldn't be an Absolution worth liberating after the Intruder had Wahl's weapons at his disposal. But this girl was a robot as well and yet she continued to resist him at every turn! Why? Did she fail to see the obvious benefits to this procedure? She wouldn't have to worry about pesky thoughts clouding her mind. All of her thoughts would be The Intruder's thoughts and all she'd have to do is simply let her consciousness and the thought of once being an individual fade away into the void.
The Intruder supposed on some level he was also fed up with the fact that the only thing he managed to absorb was some kind of pesky spider-like creature while encountering Yurick. Ulrich had stopped his virtual self from downloading/absorbing XANA and Wahl shot missiles/cannons/railguns and more at the Intruder forcing him to make a strategic retreat. Then this girl continued against all odds to defy him! Well, he'd make an example out of her. An example of why the Intruder always got what he wanted in the end!
"Pass it up? Why?! You'd be so much better off this way! Existing as one being with one mind but not having to do any of that pesky thinking yourself! So, stop fighting and submit!" The Intruder screeched as the blob's spear like tendrils eventually came to a stop and the Intruder paused as Mira seemed to be gathering her thoughts.
"What? Thinking up of some final words? I don't have much time to play with you so I suggest you make them quick! Or I'll make that choice for you!"
Before the Intruder could go back on the attack however, Mira was already back in his face throwing punches. One of the blows managed to connect and sent the Intruder skidding back across the ground as he had braced himself now for Mira's strength. Placing one hand on his knee while he was slightly hunched over from the blow, the Intruder couldn't help but chuckle.
"You've got some strength...I think I'd be more impressed if you knew how to really hurt me. I know how to hurt you after all.."With a wave of his hand, the blob that had been watching the two go back and forth suddenly went back on the attack again as it quickly started to surge towards Mira before leaping towards her once it got close enough.
For all her physical strength, it didn't seem to be doing, well, anything. She either needed to find a weapon, or find a weakness. However, she'd already been trying and failing to find any sort of weakness and there weren't any weapons around the area.
"You wouldn't happen to be kind enough to tell me how, would you?" she asked before hopping up to the roof of the gas station. That'd probably buy her a couple seconds, but it wasn't like she could use them for anything. Smacking the thing around didn't work, so maybe she needed a gun, or something sharp, or fire or something.
An idea struck her suddenly. Kyoma probably wouldn't be very happy with it when he came back, but there weren't any other options left, were there? Mira quickly turned her head from side to side as she looked around, making sure nobody else was in the area. Sighing with relief that the two were alone, she jumped down from the roof to the ground by the gas pump once again.
"Over here!" she waved, taunting the large blob thing.
"You won't need to know anything soon enough.." The Intruder taunted as the blob loomed over Mira like a wave before splashing downwards. As the android leaped back, the blob squirmed and wriggled around almost as if it were annoyed by how persistent Mira was in staying alive/un-eaten.
"QUIT RUNNING! YOU'LL ONLY DRAG THIS OUT! It'll be much worse on you, heh, heh.." The Intruder chuckled darkly as he began racing to the side of the roof before jumping into the air, his massive shadow looming over Mira before he smashed into the ground.
The ground under his feet was smashed almost as if an earthquake had struck it. Glancing upwards at Mira, the blob which was still situated on the roof rose up.
"Any last words...?"
Somehow, Mira doubted it could get any worse than being eaten alive, if that word worked for a robot, by a massive blob creature. But that didn't stop it from being really, really creepy. Suddenly, she was almost launched into the air from the force of the Intruder's jump!
"Eek!"
She herself jumped as well so as to avoid being crushed. Whatever this blob was, it was probably stronger than her, and she wasn't exactly built for combat in the first place. Why did Kyoma hate coils so much? If there was only a weapon of some sort, it wouldn't come down to a gamble like this.
But now wasn't the time for complaints. She gave a glance at the roof-borne blob before looking back at the Intruder. Slowly taking steps back, she stopped once her back was against the gas pump. Hopefully this'd work.
"Um, is it too late to ask please don't eat me?"
"It was too late when you didn't have the answers I wanted..Now stay still, it'll all be over soon.."
The Intruder growled as he continued to stomp towards Mira with a hand outstretched. All he had to do was grab her and absorb her into his being and that'd be the end of that. No fuss, no nothing and he'd have another being to add to his collection. The fact that Mira had some kind of plan didn't even seem to dawn on the blob monster.
He had just assumed Mira had finally given up hope and was willing to submit. Leaping off the roof was just a small last ditch effort to try and escape. But there would be no escaping here. No more running!
Alright, time for action. Using her speed to dart behind the gas pump, she hoped the blob monster would simply continue trudging forward. If it smashed into the gas pump, it'd likely blow up. But it wouldn't be enough to just hope he'd mindlessly crash. Pouring all her strength into her leg, she kicked the gas pump, causing it to leak a little bit of gasoline.
But that wasn't the leg she'd put her strength into.
With her other leg, Mira kicked down the pillar supporting the roof, causing to begin falling down. The android then used her speed to quickly dart over to the next lot over, hoping to avoid the collateral damage. Would it work?
Hopefully.
"Pity. I was hoping you'd have some choice words before I absorbed you..TOO LATE!"
With that the Intruder plunged his hand forward, if his palm had made contact with Mira's chest? The result would have been Mira being enveloped by the blob like matter that made up most of the Intruder's body until she was dragged within him and her metallic components would become a part of his own being. Nestled in right between TOM 1 and TOM 4. That was of course if Mira hadn't moved.
Unable to keep up with the android's speed or calculate the fact that she'd been toying with him, the Intruder cried out in frustration as his fist smashed into the front of the gas pump and began ripping it off it's foundation as he started absorbing it. Now that he had seen what Mira's plan was, he wasn't going to let her see it through to the end! He'd just absorb this and..
"W-What are you doing?! Do you seriously think this-pfff-will kill me!?" The Intruder shrieked as gasoline sprayed out, splashing across his face. At the rate he was absorbing the pump, he'd go around and wring this damn machine's neck. Or he would have had she not worked on knocking the pillars down.
"NO!"
As the roof collapsed downwards, the last thing Mira would see is the Intruder letting out a pained grunt as he was buried under the debris before an explosion overtook the gas station. Pieces of blob were seen flying through the air having been set ablaze. It seemed like it was finally over and Mira had done the impossible.
She had defeated the Intruder.
But what about the blob from earlier? It hadn't stayed dormant while the Intruder went on the attack. Having seen how distressed the Intruder was getting, the split off blob quickly made it's way off and as the explosion occurred, it began to seep under some of the debris and soon it began to shift.
Eventually a mettalic hand ripped itself free from the rubble. Grabbing the largest piece of debris that it could get it's finger around, the hand flung it to the side. Bursting through whatever remained, the Intruder could have been seen with quite a bit less blob than usual and he didn't seem too happy about it.
"You know...T.O.M. tried pulling something like this on me...Only he blew off the right engine of his ship to get rid of me! But see the thing was...I didn't know the sensation of pain. I was just a blob with no personality, no mind. Just an innate need to consume and consume. But after what you did? I realize the drawbacks of having a mind. It hurts...IT HURTS!"
As bits and pieces of his blob-like matter began forming over TOM 1's corpse which was now fully exposed without the thick layer of blob masking it, the Intruder staggered forward. Although it was clear that even if Mira's attack hadn't killed the monster it certainly stumbled him.
"I'm..going to crush you...And throw you into the wind..."
As the Intruder's body was getting ready to work against continuing this course of action, he could hear a distant beeping coming from his ship.
[SIR! THE ABSOLUTION'S SIGNAL HAS BEEN SPOTTED! IT'S CLOSE BY!}
"..T.O.M. I've finally found you.." Turning towards Mira, the Intruder scoffed and slowly turned away. "Once I've settled up with T.O.M. you're next girlie..."
From there the Intruder would leave the android amid the scene of destruction and take off. He had finally found what he searched all over the galaxy for and while he reformed from Mira's clever attack, he could think about how sweet revenge would finally taste..
That's to say the battle with the Intruder hadn't gone unnoticed by the Absolution as it was in the area and one of the drones T.O.M. had sent down to 'record the show' so he could broadcast it on Toonami had picked up some kind of battle and with Dimension W airing soon on the block/T.O.M. 5 genuinely not wanting anything bad to happen to it's stars, a Cylde 53 flew towards the battle scene and landed near Mira with a curious tilt of the head.
"Phew..." Mira sighed, wiping her brow as she watched the gas station collapse and explode on the blob monster. It was finally over. Though suddenly a slightly scared look crossed her face. "Kyoma's not going to be very happy with me...he's probably going to call me a pile of junk again, haha..." she laughed nervously as she scratched the back of her head.
She stopped laughing as she heard some shifting around. Looking down at the rubble from her place on the wall, she saw the Intruder rising once again! "N-n-no way!" It even survived that? Was this thing immortal? Fortunately its screaming pointed to the opposite as it had at least been injured by that, but she couldn't create something on that scale again!
Yet before she even had time to panic, the Intruder took off on his own accord. Mira didn't quite understand why, but that meant he was gone for now. Sighing once more, she sat down on the wall, completely confused by what had just taken place. She looked down and smiled at the Cylde 53 as it landed near her.
"...How cute! Hey there, what's your name? I'm Mira," she introduced herself, reaching down to pet the little robot.
The beetle like robot rolled on it's back and squirmed around cutely for the android. Something she probably deserved after nearly being eaten alive by a sentient blob monster who had a knack for swallowing up robots. Bounding back to it's feet however, the Clyde glanced up at the sky before the light on the top of it's head began to shine and soon a hologram would have shot out of it.
The hologram took some time to form fully until it finally settled and the end result was some type of humanoid looking robot with his arms folded across his chest.
"Yo. I'm not sure exactly what happened but this little guy here is a Clyde 53. They're spread all over different universes and such to record 'footage' for my shows. This one in particular heard some pretty bad stuff going down over here. So he decided to address me and I wanted to see what was up. But I guess I'm getting a bit ahead of myself here."
The robot glanced around and sheepishly rubbed the back of his head before continuing.
"Name's T.O.M. T.O.M. 5 to be exact. Toonami Operation Module. Bringing all kinds of badass anime/cartoons to the children of Earth and beyond. It's an honor to meet you."
Mira just enjoyed petting the little robot until a hologram came out of it. A message? Hopefully it was more friendly than the last unknown variable. Though as the hologram began to speak, it became clear that he didn't really mean any harm.
But in any case, a robot from a different universe? That was strange. The android just gave T.O.M. a friendly smile as she listened to him talk.
"Oh, really? That sounds pretty cool! Where did you come from? So you're a TV show host? That must be nice... Oh! And I'm Mira. Nice to meet you."
"Come from? Hm, interesting question...I guess you could say I came from Earth. Or at least I was built to service the people there. Not that I really mind. Most of the people who catch my broadcasts are pretty awesome, even people who I'm just meeting for the first time. Like you for example. As for being a host? ...Yeah, that's a good way to look at it. I'm the captain of the ship I use to broadcast Toonami throughout the galaxy, called the Absolution. Old girl's gone through a number of changes but then so have I. Which usually means it's left up to me to keep people interested and wanting to tune in."
T.O.M. explained as the Clyde continued to cuddle up against Mira in an affectionate manner.
"But thanks for thinking it's cool! For as much popularity as we get, their's always haters lurking in the midst. But it means a lot to see that you're not like that. But really, are you okay? Whatever happened here must have been one badass showdown given the explosion the Cylde picked up.."
The Clyde ceased it's affectionate gestures and lowered it's head, almost as if it was worried about Mira's wellbeing. Given that neither it or T.O.M. were aware of the Intruder still being alive after the last bout in '99, it was likely to be expected.
" Ehehe...You think I'm awesome?"
That was a first. Kyoma always just called her a pile of junk, and she hadn't really been complimented directly before. But as she was asked about what happened and her well-being, she quickly waved her hands in front of her.
"Ah, I'm fine! Totally fine! See? Not a scratch on me! I'm fine, fine!" Once she'd finished assuring the two she was unharmed, she took a small pause before speaking again, resting her hands by her side. "There was just some blob thing, I believe it called itself 'The Intruder,' and it was looking for...
...
You?"
Until just then, Mira hadn't quite made the connection. Thinking about a blob monster that tried to eat her gave her chills after all. But now that she'd made that connection she was curious about it.
"Do you know about that thing?"
"Do I? It's not really a question of whether I do or not. It's more of a statement. You earthlings are pretty great. Just wish I got more time to see what y'all were up to beyond what my Cyldes pick up/me playing the latest video games. In fact it's nice to see another person with some nuts and bolts...You really make the look work."
T.O.M complimented before he nodded in approval as she showed off that she hadn't earned any wounds.
But what she said next brought down the mood right quick as the Clyde quickly covered it's eyes and shivered and T.O.M stared down in quiet contemplation. He thought after being murdered by the Intruder back when it was a mindless blob was all that would need to be done. Done being that he blew the engine of his ship off and let the damn thing drift off into space. But somehow, it was back.
"..Looking for me? It told you this? ..This is very important. Was it just a big mindless blob or was their something more to it? I fought it years ago, destroyed my first body but blew off the engine it was attached to. Didn't think I'd ever have to see it again..."
Mira raised a finger to her chin as she thought about it. It certainly asked her for the information, so it wasn't mindless. Besides, hadn't it said something about "becoming sentient" during the scuffle? "...Yes, I believe it did," she responded after pondering the question for a little while. "It wasn't mindless, it spoke to me, and all of that,"she said as she shook her head.
"It destroyed you? That's terrible...do you know how to get rid of it?"
While the android wasn't exactly a proponent of violence, she knew that some things just shouldn't stick around. A robot-eating blob was pretty high up among those things.
Well, this wasn't good. Not good at all. Pacing around, the hologram of T.O.M. 5 slammed his closed fist into the palm of his hand.
"So it did speak, huh? Great. I don't know where the thing came from but when TOM 1 fought back in 1999, it was just a red blob that got attached to my ship's engine and was eating it like it was a five star buffet. I took my laster pistol and tried to stop it. Ended up getting snacked on for my trouble." T.O.M. muttered bitterly before recoiling at the thought.
"Still, my mind was recovered and I moved onto a new body. T.O.M. 2 if you will. Didn't have much time to think about what to do next. If I took too long then the Intruder would have enveloped the whole ship and their'd be no coming back in that case. So I did the only thing I could think of. Blew the right engine off my ship with the thing still attached to it. Figured space would have dealt with it. Guess I was too optimistic."
T.O.M. groaned in an attempt to make the joke though with the look the Cylde gave him, it wasn't very funny.
"Sorry, little guy. But no, I guess I don't really know how to stop him-it. Didn't think I'd have to know. But somehow it's backed and it's gotten smarter and it still wants revenge on me...Great."
"Oh...is that so..." Mira mumbled, a downcast look on her face. The thought of one's mind being so easily moved didn't sit well with her. Was that the case for her too? She knew the answer, but she didn't like it. It was hard to pass as a human when you could have your head fall off and not be much worse for wear, obviously robotic parts like her tail aside.
But now wasn't the time for thinking about stuff like that. The blob hadn't stopped, and needed to be stopped.
"It can't be invincible, can it? It was hurt when the gas station dropped on it and exploded, you know? There must be some sort of weakness, or some limit to the damage it can take. But if it survived a whole ship exploding..." she wondered, looking up at the sky as she thought about it.
She'd seen some powerful things. From the Beasts of Grendel to the boy who had beaten the tar out of Four in one strike, there was no shortage of monsters in this city. But something that could survive a spaceship's explosion and the vacuum of space, that was something else. She was lucky it decided to wander off if it was really that powerful.
Noticing the dramatic shift of expression on Mira's face, T.O.M. held out a hand to reassure her. He should have expected that hearing about a fellow robot being devoured and then having their consciousness shifted over to another body waiting and ready might not have been the most pleasant thing to hear. Especially when they barely survived an encounter with the same blob that did in TOM 1.
"..I'm sorry. Didn't mean to scare you. You seem plenty capable enough if you managed to drive it off from here. You didn't even need a spaceship." T.O.M. joked before clenching his outstretched hand into a fist again. "Joking aside, don't worry. I won't let the Intruder harm you or anyone else."
"..Invincible? No, I don't think anything's invincible even something like the Intruder. What concerns me more is how it became intelligent enough to start tracking me down, going from universe to universe. It's been years since we last fought but how does a blob that only knows how to eat things get enough intelligence to hunt something down?"
Whatever the case may have been, T.O.M. likely wouldn't have an easy time of it. He just hoped he didn't end up getting eaten again. The last time wasn't fun.
"...I'll find a way to defeat him, don't you worry. He won't hurt anyone ever again. I may not have seen it with my own optic sensors but you held your own and you're still here to prove it, right? With enough determination and some kind of plan, smarts or no smarts, that blob's going down."
