"My name is Malvettix," the figure said. "And there's no need for us to fight. I come as an ally."

"You must be a fool if you think you can aid us, human," Polonaise said.

"What if I told you that I have a special gift that will grant a Zonder enough power to destroy the black robot once and for all?" Malvettix asked.

How do you know about the black robot? Pasder demanded.

Malvettix waved his hand, and from his shadow, a form of darkness rose. "I've been watching you for a while. So far, your attempts to eliminate humanity have failed due to the black robot and his allies." The darkness melted away, revealing a thin, rusted lantern that flickered with blue light. "But with this, you will finally have the strength you need to win."

Primada's dance slowed as she studied the lantern. "What is it?"

"Omega Essence," Malvettix said. He now took the lantern and held it out for all to see.

"The energy signatures!" Polonaise said. "They're coming from that lantern!"

"Omega Essence can increase the power of whomever holds it in their body," Malvettix said. "Natural abilities are honed and new powers are gained. What sort of new powers? You never know. But one thing's for sure...give this to a Zonder, and the black robot will be crushed under its might."

"And what of the others we have sensed?" Pinchernone demanded in his high monotone. "Strangers have appeared in the city above, also holding power similar to this lantern!"

Pizza's talons slimmed down and shrank into normal fingers once again, and he stepped forward, plucking the offered lantern from Malvettix's open hand, holding it up. Its cast an eerie glow on his crimson helm.

"There are nothing more than a group of children, powers not withstanding," he declared confidently, grinning under a beak of a nose. "Perhaps it would be wise if we saw to it that we teach these children a lesson."

If we were to take this power, Pasder said, what would you want in return?

"I have two stipulations," Malvettix replied. "The first is that you cannot keep the Essence forever. I need it back once your opposition is destroyed. Secondly, you must bring the two males to me. Do as little damage to the one in the white jacket as possible."

Polonaise blew another huff of smoke. "Ah...you have personal reasons for helping us, then."

Malvettix's smile never wavered. "Do we have a deal?"

Very well, Pasder said. We will take your offering. Pray that this Omega Essence is as powerful as you claim it to be, or you will suffer greatly.

Malvettix bowed. "You will not be disappointed, Lord Pasder." With that, his body shifted back into darkness, and melted into the floor.

"And so with this Omega Essence," Pizza said, holding up the glowing lantern, and the dimly-lit shard of glass within its confines, up above them, "We shall crush GaoGaiGar, and that impudent cyborg."

"A suitable human must be chosen for a Core," Pinchernone stated as the floor between the four Machine Kings spread open with a warbling sound, revealing a violet-pink floor, with gleaming, glowing orbs staring up at them shone in the chaotic light.

One of the spheres broke away from a vine and floated up, revealing a faceted surface and crowned by a translucent plate, a rounded, circular Z emblazoned in its center. It came to rest in Pizza's other hand, held aloft opposite of the caged Omega Essence. "I shall find the perfect host for the Zonder Metal," he said. "If you would allow me to do so, Lord Pasder."

Go forth, Pizza. I must see this power for myself...

***

"Are you scared of being on a motorcycle, Matt?"

"No."

"Then why are you holding onto me so tightly?"

"I'm scared of crashing and pain."

So far the search had revealed nothing, and they had already covered about 45% of the area Taiga had mapped out for them. Who knows how HyoRyu, EnRyu, and Volfogg were fairing.

"Anything yet, Ileyna?" R.D. said, looking out the window as the city of Tokyo sped by as Volfogg went on yet another projected route.

"No," the girl said shortly, frustration filling her voice. She took her detection abilities seriously, and it bothered her when they couldn't find anything.

"Keep trying," he said, touching the girl's arm. "It can't escape you for long, you know that."

"I know," she said while she closed her eyes in concentration. "I just want to be able to find it before a Zonder does."

Where the hell was this thing? Was it going to pop out of nowhere like their last encounters with Omega Essence? Judging by his past experiences, Hugo wagered that'd be the case. He looked up at Helena, more concerned with taking in the city skyline than actually being helpful.

Back in the Main Order Room, the staff monitored the situation as the group continued its search through Tokyo for the fragment of the Omega Core.

"Commander," rotund Kazuo Ushiyama spoke up, turning from his terminal. "HyoRyu and EnRyu have completed their run. They've detected nothing, and are requesting further orders."

"Have you found anything, Guy?" Mikoto asked.

"Nothing yet," Guy reported.

Taiga's frown deepened, and he folded his arms. "All right. HyoRyu and EnRyu, come back to base. The rest of you, finish your runs."

"Yes, Chief!" Guy said.

"This is Hyuuma," the GGG second in command reported through the terminals. "We haven't managed to locate any sign of the fragment or any real disturbance."

Only minutes later, another report came in. "This is Volfogg," stated the GGG Intelligence robot. "R.D., Ileyna, and I are finishing up our last run. No anomalies have been detected."

"All right. Come on home."

"Damn it," Hugo said. "I was hoping we'd find it today."

"You want to search again tomorrow?" Helena asked.

The Mettaur scoffed. "Nothing else we can do right now."

"Affirmative," Volfogg stated.

"Done for today, huh?" R.D. asked.

"So it would seem," Volfogg replied to him.

"Sorry," Ileyna said, looking down at her lap.

"Don't worry about it, Ileyna," he said, patting the girl on the head through her beret, causing her to shoot him a look as she straightened it. "You're only human, after all."

===New JSSDF Base, Japan===

The sounds of work pervaded the air at the base's construction yard, and Ensign Sasaki Takeo looked about and brought a cigarette up to his lips, taking a long drag. Sweat ran down his neck, staining the collar of his flight uniform.

"God, how much more training are they gonna put us through?" he grumbled in Japanese, wiping more sweat from his brow, beneath his dark hair. "We're not at war and we can't do anything against those monsters."

"Wouldn't it be nice if you could take a break from such rigorous training?" a voice said behind him suddenly.

The man whirled around, coming face to face with a tall foreign-looking man with a baseball cap on his head and a dark coat resting on his shoulders. He grinned, like he had some secret. "Don't you wish you could fly through the skies at your own leisure?"

"Who are you?" the pilot demanded, going for his side-arm. "How'd you get on the base!?"

"I can realize those secret wishes of your heart," Pizza continued, oblivious of the soldier's threats. He lifted up the Zonder Metal in one hand, and the lantern in the other.

There was a scream that pierced the air, and blue light blazed with power.

===Tokyo, Japan===

There was a sudden chime as Ileyna's hair lit up bright blue, her eyes widening in surprise.

"I found it!" she cried through the intercom.

Edited by RisingDragon on February 20, 2009 at 16:01:03.

Taiga's hands slammed on the table. "Head towards it! Guy! Make your way toward Volfogg's position!"

"Yes, Chief!" Now with a free road to burn, GunDober kicked into high gear and shot down the long highway toward Volfogg.

"Ha HA!" Matt laughed. "Now we got us a catch!"

"You sound a bit too glad!" Guy remarked, focused on the road before him.

"Might as well laugh it off when you're dealing with something serious like this!"

Volfogg took off in high gear even as Ileyna's hair returned to its normal color. She sat in the seat, looking anxious and wringing her hands once before she pointed in the direction of the Essence. "The fragment's off in that direction!"

"Affirmative," Volfogg stated, making his way there.

"What's off in that direction, anyway?" R.D. asked, hanging his torso out the window with a hand in front of his face as he tried to get a better view.

"There are a few industrial districts under construction, along with the local JSSDF base," Volfogg explained.

R.D. frowned. A military base? That wasn't good.

Overhead, a helicopter flew, headed towards the area as Volfogg transmitted the data to it and to Guy and the GunDober.

"Man, this can't be good," Hyuuma said as he flew the GunGlue there. "If its in the JSSDF base, there's gonna be trouble."

Edited by RisingDragon on February 14, 2009 at 20:01:32.

Zonders could absorb other machines into their structure. If it was at a military base, it would not be a positive development. "Gun it, Guy!"

"I am!"

GunGlue sailed over the JSSDF base. Beneath, a large mass of lopsided metal wrapped itself over a stationary figher jet. As it drew the craft into its mass, large wings extended from each side.

"What IS that thing?!" Helena shouted.

"Damn!" Hugo said. "That must be the Zonder!"

Volfogg quickly arrived on the scene, only moments after Guy and Matt arrived. R.D. quickly hopped out before Volfogg even stopped, with Ileyna clinging to his side and his arm wrapped around her waist.

He hit the ground on his feet and with a Phase Blade drawn and activated, and behind him, Volfogg quickly transformed, standing tall and holding two angular, bladed boomerangs in his hands.

"Captain," Volfogg stated, standing between the humans and the transforming Zonder. "We must evacuate the personnel!"

"We'll help!" Matt said.

"I don't want you going anywhere near it!" Guy said. He tossed his helmet toward Hyumma for him to catch.

"We're just gonna help evacuate everyone!" Matt replied. "I've got more experience than you think!"

Hugo chambered his pickaxe. "There's no time to argue! Just trust us!"

"...all right!" Guy said. "Go with Volfogg!"

One after another, Volfogg's golden boomerangs cut through the air at the developing Zonder's body, intending to delay its growth. R.D. nodded and set Ileyna down.

"Find the Core and get the fragment out when its safe!" he said, back pedaling and running to help evacuate the soldiers.

She nodded and shouted back. "Okay!"

Her skirt whipped about as she turned to face the Zonder, opening herself to the power of the Essence. Her body lit up with the blue aura of light, wings spreading out from her back, and she took to the air.

"Hugo, go help R.D.!" Matt shouted. "If you get anywhere near that Zonder, you'll just get absorbed!"

Hugo spat a curse. "Fine!"

As the Mettaur ran off, Matt chambered his fists. "Helena! You need to gather as much fire as possible into one point and let it all loose when I say so, okay?"

Helena threw out her hands. "Okay!" Fire sparked into life and swirled toward her claws.

The Zonder now completeled enveloped the fighter jet, and its form changed to resemble a twisted version of the craft, interlaced with aspects of alien design. Ignoring Volfogg's glancing boomerangs for the moments, its rockets began to activate.

"Look out!" Hyuuma bellowed through a transceiver up on the GunGlue. "That thing's trying to take off!"

The sergeant knew when to bail. He quickly yanked back on the control yoke, pulling the helicopter out of the Zonder's projected flight path.

Guy just lifted his flat bracer, and pointed to the sky. "GALEOOOON!"

A fine emerald beam shot from the bracer. As it hit the sky it expanded until it was like a spotlight. At the end of the light, the outline for the head of a robotic lion could be distinguished.

"You ready?" Matt shouted to Helena. They had to distract the Zonder long enough for Galeon to arrive.

"Yeah!" Helena called back, struggling to keep steady with her transformed limbs.

"Megaton CANNON!" As Matt shot out his hands, he unleashed a familiar blue beam of energy, and on that cue, Helena released her own beam of burning fire. The two beams smashed into the Zonder, and it roared in distorted pain.

R.D. craned his neck around as he heard the eerie, distorted roar of "Zonder!" echo out from where the creature was being fought, where the billowing flames of Matt and Helena's attacks spread out in a gigantic fire flower. Ileyna cried out in shock and surprise, bracing herself against the shockwave, her hands clutching her hat.

"Dammit," R.D. growled, spinning around as particles of blue light spun around and settled onto his form, solidifying into the Dragon King Armor. The visor slammed down shut over his face, the HUD activating and beginning the search for the core. As the updated Scan Visor began its work, R.D. took several running steps forward before punching the ground with Godhand, sending him flying up into the air. While the Zonder was distracted by Matt and Helena, he'd get in his shot.

"Hey!" Hugo shouted after R.D.. "Where the hell are you going now?!"

The Zonder turned toward Matt and Helena, struggling against the beams. A large missile dislodged from the bottom of its wing and fired into life. Matt let out a shout, only to get tackled by Guy, driving him and Helena away as the missile hit the ground and exploded.

As the smoke cleared, Volfogg was there, shooting out of it. His weapons had been retrieved, and now they glowed a brilliant white-silver as energized particles coated them.

"Silver Moon!" he shouted as he flung them, one after another, at the remaining missiles lodged to the Zonder's wings.

Up above, R.D. acquired a lock on the creature's head, where the fuselage and cockpit of the assimilated fighter jet had transformed into an obscene-looking head. There was the core, according to the Scan Visor. His back-mounted thrusters roared to life, propelling him downwards at the Zonder. His armored fist swung out with blue fire, Godhand intending to smash into the transparent plating guarding the core.

Volfogg's boomerangs detonated the missiles, rocking the Zonder as it rose. The violent rumble caused it to swerve just out of reach of R.D.'s incomcing Godhand, and that was good enough-the boosters drove to full strength, and the Zonder burst into the sky.

"Are you okay?" Guy asked. His eyes fell on Helena's curled tail.

"Yeah," Matt said, noticing where Guy was looking. "We'll explain that later. Right now, we gotta stop that thing!"

R.D. swore as the Zonder unintentionally evaded his attack, and his hand smashed into the ground, shattering a small portion of it. Turning towards the Zonder, he saw it take off just in time to get blasted by the flames of its thrusters.

"Agghhhh!" he cried, bringing his shield up as the flames washed over him, preventing him from trailing him.

"That Zonder's getting away!" Hyuuma shouted over the transceiver, growling. His hand squeezed shut in anger--the handheld never stood a chance, and quickly shattered.

As the Zonder soared off, a roar cut through the air. From the horizon, sunlight glistening off of its body, a massive metallic beast burst into view. Matt looked up at the familiar lines of the gold and white lion called Galeon.

"Okay!" Guy said, standing back up. "Stay here-I'll be back!"

"Go for it, man!" Matt said.

The cyborg leapt up, farther than any normal man could go, and curled himself into a ball, flipping toward Galeon. "FUSION!"

The inside of Galeon's maw glowed white-hot, and the great lion snapped its jaws around Guy, completely engulfing him. Immediately its body rearranged-limbs straightened, hands flipped out as the front claws folded back, and its face and mane swivelled onto its back. The robot turned in midair, taking a humanoid form, and a robotic head emerged above the newly positioned mane.



"GAIGAR!"

Edited by The Helldragon on February 25, 2009 at 22:59:10.

As the flames cleared, revealing a partially melted shield attached to R.D.'s arm, he looked up and spun about as he heard the roar carry through the air. His eyes widened in shock and surprise as he saw the creature cutting through the air, and for a moment, almost thought it was Tamaran, before realizing that the mecha dragon was safely hidden back on his own world.

It was strange, he thought, seeing Guy initiate Fusion with the mecha lion, seeing the cyborg swallowed up by Galeon and the mechanoid transform into a human-looking metal figure--just like he had when he and Tamaran became one as Doragon.

The similarity was startling and disturbing.

"I'll try and drive the Zonder toward the ocean!" Guy said over his communicator. With a burst of jetfire, GaiGar launched after the monster.

Matt shielded his eyes as he helped up Helena. "Whew, boy! That's a beaut, ain't it?"

"How many of these giant robots do they have?" Helena asked.

"Good question." More than he was willing to let on, but so far, he hadn't seen FuRyu or RaiRyu or the sister robots...this was definitely the past. "Hey!" he shouted at R.D.. "You okay?"

"That's twice now a big dragon's tried to barbecue me in the last six hours!" R.D. growled, standing up and flinging his damaged shield away before he dismissed the armor completely. "Does it freakin' look like I'm okay!?"

Ileyna floated up to R.D. as the blue particles of light began to fade as they fluttered away from his form. "How am I supposed to get the Omega Essence now?" she questioned, looking extremely worried.

"It's up to GGG now," he said, holding a hand up to shield his eyes as he watched the Zonder fly off, with GaiGar in hot pursuit. Man, what was up with that? Was Galeon this world's version of Tamaran? Or was Tamaran his world's version of Galeon? This was insane.

The GunGlue was landing now, and Hyuuma was getting out of it. "We've got HyoRyu and EnRyu en route on the Zonder's projected path," he said, running up to them. "Volfogg, you better take the GunMachines and get there too."

"Understood," Volfogg said, standing up. Suddenly, both the GunDober and GunGlue began to transform, becoming black and white humanoid robots with visored helmets in the shape of animals. The three robots took off at high speeds, heading in the direction of the Zonder.