Splat Force V: Final Frontier; Chapter 6

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W E L C O M E ! ! !

This is Nomad! I hope all is good is usual! It's that time of week again where I drop a new Chapter of Splat Force V: Final Frontier!

So, the first quarter is now done. There was a lot of action and a lot of foreshadowing for what is to come. This next quarter will be slowing us all down a bit to catch our breath.

Now that our heroes understand what the threat is, it is time for them to work out how they'll have to stop them, which leads them to recruit someone who might cause a bit of controversy.

So without further ado, let's get into this!

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(Chapter Hub)

C H A P T E R  6 :  D I V I S I V E  A L L Y

After barely escaping Kalki, both the Splat Force and The survivors of the R.A.I.C had returned back to the Splat Force base to regroup and process what had happened. Emily was lying on the medical bed as Shauna checked her belly to see if any of the stiches were damaged.

After lifting the shirt of Emily's Splat Force gear, followed by a quick glance at her stiched up belly, Shauna pulled the shirt down, giving her a positive sigh of relief.

"Nothing was damaged. Maybe it just hurt to run?"

She suggested.

"Maybe."

Emily replied as she sat up, tucking her top into her tros and securing it in place with her utility belt. She scoffed.

"I could use a break from all of this when all this is done... assumin' that we live, of course."

Shauna smiled.

"I'm sure we'll all be okay!"

Meanwhile at the front, General Bishop was sat in a chair by the stationary, looking into space as he tried recalling what he had just experienced. Stood by him were Rex, Platinum, Magnus, and Samantha.

"There were too many of them... why were there so many?"

"No clue."

Rex responded from the right of the General, arms crossed.

"But I think what we should focus on is what happens next."

"We stay away from that place, simple."

The General replied.

All of a sudden, appearing behind Samantha to the General's left was The Beholder.

"You can't."

He told him. All eyes in the room went to him. Emily and Shauna ed the rest of the group as well as the other survivors.

"That island holds great significance in all of this. It is where Malefor will make his approach, and it is where you need to make your stand."

One of the surviving soldiers raised his hand.

"D-Do we have too? I mean, with all of those shadow minions around, wouldn't we get eaten?"

"The shadow creatures you saw are apart of Malefor's army, Nathaniel Kent."

The Beholder responded, spoking the soldier by saying his full name.

"No matter where the fight would've been, his army would follow."

Looking up at the being, everyone felt that they all needed some guidance, eventually, it was Samantha who ended up asking the question.

"What can we do to prepare?"

"You need allies."

"Allies... like the R.A.I.C? Or are talkin-"

Emily asked before getting interrupted.

"More than that. Allies from both this world and throughout the multiverse."

He answered.

Everyone in the room now had a puzzled look.

"You want us to travel through the multiverse?"

Rex asked.

"How can we do that? Our technology is not nearly as advanced to even do things like space travel, time travel, let alone multiversal travel."

"That I can lend a hand in. I can help you travel the multiverse using what I can of my powers."

The Beholder said to them before giving the main point.

"That being said, you'll need to build a machine that would be able to harness that power. It's possible, you just need to find the right person to do so."

And just like that, The Beholder disappeared once again, leaving them all to think to themselves in, puzzled.

"Build a machine to harness his power..."

Rex muttered to himself.

"Know anyone who might be able to help?"

General Bishop shrugged his shoulders.

"Beats me. I'll try and find someone. Maybe someone at the Squid Research Lab could lend a hand?"

He suggested as he stood up and offered a hand shake.

"For now, I'll take my leave."

"Of course."

Rex replied as he shook the General's hand.

"Save travels."

"Thank you."

The General replied as before giving Magnus a hand shake.

"Do keep in touch, Magnus."

"I plan on it, Luke."

Magnus said as the hand shake between the two finished. The General then left with all of his remaining troops, leaving the Splat Force to themselves.

"What now?"

"We settle down for the night, tomorrow we'll hopefully find help, whether it be someone we know or someone that the General brings in. But for now, you're all dismissed."

Rex told them all. As the team began making their ways out, Rex focused on two of them.

"In fact, Magnus, Emily, you two stay."

"Hmm?"

Emily hummed, stopping in her tracks and turning around.

Both Magnus and Emily approched Rex as everyone else left. Now, it was only the Commanders left in the room.

"What is it?"

Magnus asked.

"I have something for the pair of you. Wait here."

Rex told them as he walked to the back of the room, going to his wife's old desk at the back, opening up the drawer, and taking out two boxes, each having Magnus and Emily's initials on them. Carrying them both, he walked back to them in the middle of the room.

"I had these prepared for the pair of you after all the hard work you've been doing. I know it's not been an easy path, especially for you, Emily, but you both have shown the bravery and the respect it takes to earn these, especially after your efforts today. I think it's now time that you earn these."

After looking at the two boxes, Magnus' being on the left with her's on the right, Emily looked up at Rex, curious.

"What are these?"

"Open and find out!"

Rex answered with a light smirk.

Taking their respective box, both Magnus and Emily got on the ground and placed the box on the floor before opening them up, Rex watched them with glee as they both pulled out what was inside.

In their respective boxes was a red scarf and a white scarf, both matching their hair colors. They both stood back up, holding the scarfs in their hands. It was soft, warm, and felt comfortable, yet it also felt strong, brave, and prideful.

"About time you get these."

Rex said to them, causing them to look up at him. He then looked down at his own brown scarf

"You can't be a Splat Force Commander without the scarf to show it."

After hearing Rex's words and procrastinating for a couple of seconds, the pair of them both started to wrap the scarfs around their necks, completing their Commander looks.

"It feels really warm..."

Emily whispered.

Rex chuckled.

"Oh yes, very warm. It's especially helpful during the winter."

After finishing putting his on, Magnus looked down at it, feeling nothing but pride before looking up at Rex.

"Thank you. This really means a lot to me. I'll do my best."

Rex continued smiling at Magnus when he said that, giving the Octoling boy a gentle nod.

"That's why it's yours."

After gently stroking her face with it like a small blanket, an idea popped into Emily's head.

"So, you know how that Beholder guys needs us build some machine and that we should find the right guy for it?"

She asked to which both of them nodded.

"I think I know someone who could help."

T H E  N E X T  D A Y . . .

At the Humboltd Institution, Vincent Fisk was once again sent down to the visitation center. There, sat opposite the glass window was Emily Rogue in her full gear. Seeing the scarf on her made Vincent smile as he picked up the phone.

"Nice scarf."

He complimented, making Emily smile.

"Back so soon?"

"I've come here because... you know what, screw it, I'm here because I need your help."

Emily said to him.

"Okay...?"

Vincent replied, unsure of how to take this sudden ask from her.

"What can I help you with? Do you need advice, or-"

Emily sighed before giving Vincent the ultimatum.

"Look, we all need your help, all of us. We need someone who can build a machine that could sustain the power of that Beholder guy so we can travel throughout the Multiverse."

Vincent stared at her, mouth dropped, eyes squinted. He didn't know how to respond.

"I-I... wh-what?"

He asked her in a complete loss for words.

"The Multiverse?"

Emily slowly nodded, realising how ridiculous she was sounding.

"Yup. The Multiverse. I wish I was makin' this up."

"The Multiverse... is real?"

"Yup..."

Vincent looked away at the corner of the glass as his mind dozed off for a second. He then chuckled and shook his head.

"Of course... why wouldn't it be?"

He muttered to himself before sighing and looking back up at Emily.

"What do you mean by "Machine"?"

"The Beholder said that we had to make a machine that could harness his power for us to... you know?"

"Travel the Multiverse?"

He asked to which Emily nodded. He sighed once again, holding his head in his free left hand as he thought of a possible answer.

"Right before you took me down all those years ago, my company was working a fast travel device to help us go from one side of the planet to another side without the need for travel. We managed to build a platform for one to stand on and be teleported away. Our first and only yest subject was a success, however, he ended up being stranded in an island in the middle of the sea with no way back. The project was shut down and any trace of it was destroyed in case it fell into the wrong hands."

"Okay...?"

She said, wondering where he was going with this.

"I still the blueprints and then basic making of it. What I can do is make the platform, but instead of making it as a telephoning device, I could instead have it so you are sucked into this Beholder's energy, and then boom, you'll be traveling throughout the multiverse."

Vincent told her.

"Although that's just a rough outline on what I can do. I'd need more time to develop it. That, and I'd have to be the one to build it. I'm the only person on the planet who knows how to build it."

Emily smirked.

"Well, it's a good thing I've done this."

She said before slamming some paper work onto the glass window.

Vincent looked closely and read through the paper, shocked by what it read.

"You're bailing me out?!"

"It's temporary. Once this is all said and done, you'll most likely be back in here, just like you'd probably want."

Emily assured him.

He looked at Emily as she spoke before glancing back at the letter, reading it to the very end before looking back at Emily, a determined look was now on his face.

"When do we start?"

L A T E R  T H A T  D A Y . . .

"Has Emily lost her mind?!"

General Bishop said on the phone to Magnus, who at this point was at the base with everyone else except Emily.

"Luke, I'm sure that Emily had her reasons. After all, she's probably the only one among us who fully trusts the guy."

Magnus said in response, coming to the defence of his friend.

"Yeah, and for a few good reasons."

General Bishop replied before quickly giving Magnus a quick list.

"He brainwashed various vulnerable individuals to do his dirty work, went off mission during the Acid Squid and Shark Kingdom conflict and killed one of the finest Sargents this army has ever had, and paved the road for more assholes like Cyrus Zagan to take the lead."

"I thought you were alright with him?"

"Yeah, when he was locked behind bars, not when he's free!"

General Bishop explained.

"Redemption is something you have to earn and show! You can't just say, or have someone say that you're redeemed and then boom you're out!"

Magnus sighed. He realised that General Bishop had a point, and hell, he never saw Vincent Fisk when he was in prison, but one thing remained true in his gut.

"Luke, I trust Emily more than I trust anyone else in the world, and that's sayin' a lot considerin' Emily's character. Sure she may be over the top at times, but if there is one thing that we should all objectively compliment about her is that it's easy to know whether or not she believes in someone or somethin', and she has looked me dead in the eye on multiple occasions and told me that he's changed. I know I'll only have to have her word on it, but knowin' her, I trust that it's the truth."

The General groaned for a few seconds, going quiet for a little bit before taking a deep breath and giving his verdict.

"Okay, I suppose we'll have to put up with this for now, despite how much the R.A.I.C dislikes it."

"Thank you, Luke."

Magnus said to him. He was smiling after the approval, and even the General knew it.

"Although if things go south with him, just know we'll just take him back to jail."

"I understand."

Magnus replied before wrapping up the call.

"I'll keep you updated, Luke."

"What was that about?"

Platinum asked whilst walking over to Magnus.

"Oh, Luke is a bit pissed about what Emily has decided to do earlier today."

He answered.

Overhearing this, Rex became interested.

"What did she do?"

Just then, Emily entered the base. She was the only one in her Splat Force gear. Following from behind her was Vincent Fisk, who still wore his prison jumper.

"Holy squit!"

Rex muttered, having to do a complete double take upon seeing Vincent Fisk.

Shauna became incredibly nervous due to her last experience with her, but masked it, giving Vincent a small smile and a wave, to which he replied. Emily cleared her throat.

"I know some of you might be a bit... iffy about why I brought him here, but do hear me out."

Samantha stepped towards Vincent, crossing her arms.

"Is this the guy who's gonna be saving us?"

"If things work out... yeah, he is."

Emily answered. Samantha's eyes remained locked onto Vincent, watching him like a hawk.

"Despite eveyrthin' he's both done and caused to us in the past, his mind is like no other in the world. I believe that with his wits, his experience, and his... absolutely insane creations, both good and bad, he might just be the guy. He's got a plan and everythin'."

"Oh yeah?"

Samantha asked, still staring at Vincent.

"What kind of plan?"

"The type of plan that might just save our asses."

He answered before looking past Samantha, directly at Rex.

"Commander Rex Allen, right?"

Rex nodded. With that confirmation, Vincent walked past Samantha and met with the legendary Commander. He stood before him and offered his plea.

"I know I've made enemies in my past, and I understand if you may not trust me, especially considering that your wife and daughter both were and currently is gifted."

He said, making Platinum scoff and smirk.

"That mindset I had still haunts me till this day, and I live in retreat every day because of it. I need this. I want to prove that I'm not beyond redemption. I want to prove that I'm worth something, and if the world truly is about to come to an end, then of course I want to help! Even if I end up failing, I want to at least die knowing that I was doing something good for once!"

Rex looked at Vincent, looking all over his body to see if there were any hints of lying, but it all seemed true. Maybe he did want to help out after all. Although his trust wasn't quite there, Rex did end up extending his hand.

"I always did want to meet you."

Vincent chuckled lightly before accepting the hand shake.

"And so I've been told."

After the hand shake ended, The Beholder slowly started to fade into the area at the back of the room.

"Vincent Fisk."

At first, Vincent was startled and intimidated by The Beholder, much like everyone else, although he quickly managed to calm down due to knowing what Emily had told her.

"I'm assuming you're The Beholder?"

"Yes."

He replied before moving backwards slowly towards the bunker door.

"Come with me. We have a lot to discuss."

With much hesitation, Vincent followed The Beholder. He opened the bunker door and headed down, leaving the rest of the team upstairs. Samantha was first to give her thoughts.

"I'm just thinking about my mother right now, and how she could've very well been caught in the crossfire."

"If it makes you feel better, my mom was gifted too, and umm..."

Platinum assured before lifting up his left hand, making it glow with blue energy.

"I'm kinda lukewarm to the guy, he seems chill, but I understand the sentiment."

Platinum then turned to Emily.

"I spoke to him after you were put into a coma. After hearing about it, his first instinct was to get out there and help you."

She said. Emily was surprised upon learning about it. The surprised look on her face turned into a warm smile.

"If he was beyond redemption, I don't think he'd do that for anyone, let alone the one who put him in a cell in the first place."

"We'll see what happens."

Rex replied, concluding the conversation.

Downstairs in the bunker, The Beholder had just finished showing Vincent what he showed to the other of the team. Vincent was at a loss for words, not knowing how to fully describe what he had just experienced.

"Okay, that was... a LOT to digest."

He told him. It was a very understandable reaction. It was then after thinking about it for a few seconds where he managed to think of an idea.

"Say, those portals of yours come from your powers, right?"

"Yes...?"

"Okay. From what I saw of them, they looked like they came from some sort of energy, kinds similar to what Alyssa Frida had before she died."

"Yes, it's energy. I wouldn't say it's the same kind that both Alyssa and Platinum have but it is energy."

The Beholder clarified.

"Why?"

"Energy can be stored. Originally I was thinking of just having a sample of your powers for us to use to travel the multiverse, but in reality, we just need an active, open portal and then just a sample with us to travel to different worlds."

Vincent explained.

"I'm still making this up as we go along, but you get where I'm going with this, right?"

"Have a portal to the bridge between worlds and then use samples of my power from the energy in the portal to jump worlds?"

The Beholder guessed. Vincent nodded.

"It could work, but it can only stay open for so long, and when it closes, as will the energy. I could try and bring you back, but it'll cost more of my power, and with each ing minute, Malefor grows stronger, and I grow weaker."

"Right."

Vincent said before questions came to his mind about the future."

"If in the event we do it right and beat Malefor, what would happen?"

"After you destroy both the structure and body of Malefor, I'll portal him and any other piece of him out of the world and towards the Anti-Matter Pit."

"I'm sorry...? What do you mean by that?"

"The Anti-Matter Pit is an abyss where destroyed worlds, beings, and stars go when their light has dimmed. They are consumed by Anti-Matter, destroyed every trace of their body or structure."

The Beholder explained.

"If I send Malefor there after his defeat, he'll never return."

"Right..."

Vincent replied before very quickly poking a hole in The Beholder's plan.

"And you couldn't have done that when you first fought him because?"

"I was young. The title of Beholder hadn't been bestowed upon me at that time. I didn't even know that the place existed yet."

"Ah right, yeah, that makes sense."

Vincent said whilst nodding before quickly poking another hole.

"Could you not have done it AFTER you discovered it? He was already in a big stoney prison."

"It was a sensitive prison. One wrong touch or sudden movement and it would come falling apart."

He answered.

"Right, yeah, better leave it for later then mess with it, I understand that."

Vincent replied, still nodding. He then stopped nodding and tapped his fingers against his palms.

"How long do I have?"

"Malefor will arrive on this Earth in approximately four days."

The Beholder answered.

"Heh..."

Vincent replied, not liking how close it all was, though he immediately threw his worries away.

"With me on board, you'll only need two to get the thing working, three at most."

"You best get a move on then. Time is of the essence."

The Beholder told him before fading away, leaving Vincent behind. He tapped his palms twice quickly before heading up.

Returning from the bunker, all eyes went onto Vincent as he approched the team with a plan already in his mind.

"Okay, before I begin, I need supplies."

"What are you needin'?"

Magnus asked.

"First of all, I need pencils, pens, rulers, the basic stationary."

He listed before saying the main part of his requirements.

"And I need blueprints. Lots and lots of blueprints."

It only took a few store visits for the team to fully stock up on Vincent Fisk's needs. As requested, they got them the essential stationary tools, making him able to actual draw an annotate. And of course, they managed to supply him with what seemed like an endless amount of blueprint paper. Now, he was all set.

L A T E R  T H A T  E V E N I N G . . .

The team all stood around the desk at the back as Vincent showed them the blueprints of the circular platform that he had made during the day.

"This platform is our first priorty. Without it, we won't able to jump universe without needing The Beholder to drain his powers for each of us."

He told them before going over the plan.

"This platform will be holding The Beholder's power in the form of one of those portals that he can apparently make. The plan is for us to be sucked into that portal and into other universes whilst still having the ability to come back, which is where these come in."

Vincent then showed off another blueprint, this time showcasing a full bodysuit.

"Alnost a decade ago, me and Sargent Jacob Gunn were put on a mission to lead formerly gifted individuals into a battle against The Shark army to-"

Shauna interrupted.

"To prevent them from taking out the Acid Squids."

Vincent looked up at Shauna, giving her a small smirk.

"Glad to see that you that."

He said, making Shauna smirk back at him. He then continued his showcase.

"During the mission, there were parts where we had to go underwater and swim in the sea. Of course, our Inkling and Octoling biology have it so that can't really happen without extra protection, which was where these nano technology suits came in. I made these suits to protect us, and I'm thinking I could make something just like that, only with a key difference."

He said before pointing towards the bracelet on the drawing's right arm.

"These bracelets will channel The Beholder's enegery and allow us to travel to different worlds. The energy will activate a device that selects a random universe by it's designated number. Once selected, we should be sucked into another portal and then boom, new universe."

He informed before listing a potential con.

"The downside is that we won't have forever. Once we get sucked into the initial portal via the platform, the energy from that will be stored into the bracelet, and if the energy from the portal runs out, as will the energy in the bracelet, meaning-"

"Meaning if you're in another universe when it goes off, you're stuck?"

Platinum asked to which Vincent nodded.

"Yes. The Beholder should be able to put you back, but if for whatever reason he can't, then... you know."

Samantha was busy looking at the platform's blueprint, not understanding much on how the energy will be stored.

"How would the energy be stored?"

"The same way energy is stored in a light bulb, or a flashlight. It needs charging up."

He said before going on to elaborate.

"The Beholder will use his energy to open a portal inside, but in order to keep it open, the platform would need to stabilise and contain it, which is why a Particle Accelerator is needed."

Platinum looked a little lost.

"I'm sorry, a what?"

"A Particle Accelerator."

Vincent answered before explaining it.

"It's a machine that uses electromagnetic fields to propel particles at high speeds and energies to-"

"To contain them in well-defined beams."

Magnus interrupted, finishing Vincent's sentence.

"I used to be good at science back in the day."

"I can tell."

Vincent said with an impressed look on his face before going back to the blueprint.

"Whay would happen is that The Beholder would put his energy in there in the form of a portal, and the Particle Accelerator would contain it and keep it in place for however long it can last, allowing us to be able to be sucked into it safely."

Rex had a question about the sucking in part.

"How can we control the sucking us into the portal thing?"

"Someone will be standing by at a device that operates it. A button on there could switch the platform on and off. There will be a handle on there that once pulled would give us a few seconds to suit up and prepare before the portal sucks us in."

He explained.

Suddenly, Emily's phone ringtone started going off. She quickly took it out and saw that it was Aunt Selina calling.

"Sorry, it's my Aunt."

"It's fine, don't worry."

Vincent assured Emily before she moved away to take the call.

"Hello...?"

Emily answered. Her facial expressions went from one of curiosity to one of shock within only a couple of seconds after hearing what her Aunt had told her over the phone.

"Wh-What?! I-Is he still-"

Overhearing the conversation, Shauna looked away from the table and gave Emily a concerned look. Seemingly shaken up by what she had been told, Emily quickly wrapped up the phone call.

"I-I-I'll be there r-right now!"

She told her as she hung up the phone.

"Is everything okay?"

Vincent asked from the table. Everyone was looking at her now.

"I-I'm sorry, I-I have to go!"

Emily exclaimed before running out of the base, leaving them all confused.

After multiple super jumps, each making her more and more exhausted, Emily managed to get out of the Inkopolis City area and made her way to the hillside close to Calamari County.

Emily landed on the road leading to a farmhouse that stood peacefully up a mini hill. She felt the pain around her stiches grow, making her temporary stop and hold her stomach for a moment before running forward, going as fast as she could

The house was two floors. The bottom floor holding a living room, kitchen, and bathroom, with the top floor holding two bedrooms and another bathroom. Outside, next to the house and where the car was parked, was a fence leading into a small, square farm growing vegetables.

Emily rushed to the front door, quickly looking through the door window to see inside but wasn't able to see anything of interest. She opened the door and entered the house.

"Aunt Selina?!"

She called out, but to no response.

"Aunt Selina?!"

After once again getting no result, Emily took it upon herself to look around. The first place in the house that she thought about was the guest bedroom. She immediately headed there.

Upon opening the door, she was met with quite the shock. Her mouth dropped to the floor and her eyes started to water. She was barely able to contain herself when she called out the name of whom she saw.

"Za-Zane?!"

T O  B E  C O N T I N U E D . . .

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T H X  F O R  R E A D I N G ! ! !

Thx for reading the sixth Chapter of Splat Force V: Final Frontier! A fair bit going on right now, huh? The next Chapter will be a bit of a filler one as we catch up with our formerly brainwashing assassin and see what he's been up to for the past few weeks, so stay tuned for that! Until next time, stay safe out there! ^^

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