63. Orvus

Cyberspace; Byway Core

XANA landed his hoverpad on the floor of the vast, dark chamber and approached the great spire of energy that flowed upward. He saw his assistant hard at work in fixing the machine where the spire came from. "PERIDOT!"

"YIPE!" The lime-green Program bumped her head and came out of the compartment she was fixing. "I told you that any sort of surprise or disruption halts my work progress by 5%! You said you wanted this junk heap fixed as soon as possible, so unless you took your own regular interruptions into the equation, it is statistically impossible-"

"SILENCE! That cursed Corporate President is ruining all of our work, so as long as he's still around, we'll NEVER get done! I want you to finish the upgrade you've been installing into me. I will use it to destroy Gozaburo once and for all!"

"Very well." Peridot stood up. "I was hoping to avoid having to tinker in your chest for a while longer, but I'm being paid either way."

XANA went to lay down on a bed as Peridot opened his chest and began working. "I've never seen this type of code before. However, it seems like a type of virus. Where did you say you collected this code?"

"It was part of Vanellope's code, when I studied her. I was able to duplicate it, but installing it within myself has proven difficult. But if it works, I may very well unlock the secret of virtual immortality! And Gozaburo will be sacrificed in order to do so. SO HURRY UP!"

"GAH! Why don't I fix your voice chip in the process… What the heck is this?!" Peridot picked a cookie out of his chest.

"Oh, I was wondering where that was! Gimme!" XANA took and ate the cookie. Peridot glared and picked it out of his chest again.

Elsewhere in the base (Play "Bullet Bill Express" from Super Mario 3-D World!)

Stage 63: First Byway

Mission: Restore the Final Byway.

Act 1

Vanellope ventured across a wasteland under a green sky that was lit by the spire of energy from the building miles away. Clank was tied to her like a backpack, and the Karkat, Terezi, and Nepeta Zoni were guiding her. Vanellope was forced to jump over a cliff, and when she was about to land in a pit of green lava, a row of slanted block platforms rose out to save her. The series of footholds began to appear and move in the fashion of a giant wheel. Vanellope jumped through a gap in a bar of Munchers, bounced off a Koopa before landing on its platform, and she had to hold the discarded shell while standing on the platform, waiting for the next wall to rotate. Once it was vertical enough, Vanellope kicked the shell through a tunnel of Piranha Plants.

Vanel glitchwarped into the cleared tunnel and raced through as a wheel of fire bars rotated after her. At the end, she could jump out and grab a gray P-switch on a new platform. Spinies occupied the following set of platforms, so Vanel tossed the switch up, spin-jumped, and grabbed it again as she could bounce on the spiked creatures. A ceiling of Munchers rotated overhead, and the fireballs that jumped out of the lava threatened to catch Vanellope mid-spin-jump and knock her up to the Munchers. Vanel avoided them and landed on a platform before a stack of Thwimps, and she hit the P-switch to turn the stack into coins.

A string of flames whooshed up along the rotating course, so Vanellope spin-jumped across them, and the Thwimp wall no longer impeded her progress. She landed on another platform, facing three upcoming Muncher walls with gaps, requiring her to make three successful glitchwarps to pass them and land on a safe foothold. A tower of cannons rotated up and fired a line of Bullet Bills, so Vanel had to hurriedly bounce up them to get over the cannon tower. Afterwards, she had to rely on a team of Missile Bills that blasted out of nowhere, keeping her aloft above the pit. She had to avoid the ball-n-chains that flew up as well, but once this trial was passed, Vanellope could set foot on a cliff.

It was then an invisible force began to push her from behind—from a certain point of view, it would be like an auto-scroll in a 2-D game. The auto-scroll increased in speed, forcing Vanellope into a sprint. She was running to a river of green lava—she spin-jumped over a series of fireballs, landed on a long walkway where she had to slide under small gaps, then spin-jumped up a stairway of Bullet Bills. She landed on solid ground, getting closer to the spire thanks to this forced sprint. Volcano Lotuses spat mini fire puffs that rained around the ground, forcing Vanellope to jump and dodge them.

Vanellope was forced over a cliff—she glitchwarped up to get into a tunnel within the opposite cliff. She dodged the XANA Hornets that flew out, glitchwarped through the gaps of incoming barriers, and raced along a path in the center of a lava river where fireballs jumped out alongside her, resulting in an epic entrance. A Warp Pipe was coming and would crush Vanellope against the screen-scroll, unless she performed the pipe-entering mechanic—and she did!

Vanellope came out on a ledge over a green lava pit, facing up at a higher ledge. With the power of the Zoni, pillars began to sprout for Vanel to jump on. The first two were normal, then she had to spin-jump off a Volcano Lotus, followed by a Spiny platform where two Baseball Chucks chucked balls at her from the left and right. Vanel then landed on a platform where a Jumping Chuck jumped up between two pillars, and had to slide under it and the pillars when the Chuck jumped. She Wall Jumped up to a higher platform, then bounced up some Bullet Bills that were fired from cannons aiming diagonal from her view. Vanellope made it onto the ledge and approached a small machine. (End song.)

There was a glass compartment in the machine that was fit for Clank's size. "TH1S 1S WH3R3 H3 MUST GO." Terezi hissed. "PL4C3 ORVUS 1NTO TH3 M4CH1N3."

Vanellope put Clank inside, and a surge of power began to flow through the machine. A large holographic projection appeared, depicting a Zoni with a dark pink face and bulbous turquoise-colored eyes. "Oh my goodness, I didn't expect to be asleep for this long! Ahh, and look! My dear sweet children, I'm so happy to see you again."

"CUT THE CRAP, ORVUS." KARKAT SHOUTED- whoops, sorry. "WE BUILT YOU, AND YOU TOLD US NOT TO WAKE YOU UP UNTIL IT WAS TIME TO OPEN THE GATE. WELL, GUESS WHAT? WAKEY WAKEY!"

"Hm hm hm, your calculations are a bit off, my dear Cancer. We are roughly 14 days early. And it seems the Cyberspace is still in quite a rough shape."

"Hey, bigheaded guy!" Vanellope yelled. "Are you the boss of these annoying little robots?"

Orvus looked down at her. "Ah… So, this is the one you've chosen, is she?"

"Chosen for what?"

"I apologize for the ordeals my children may have put you through… I'm sure by now, you know this Cyberspace exists within the Great Clock, and it contains the collected data of the First Dimension's worlds. But this space is more than a collection of data… They are, in fact, the very remains of the First Dimension, after its horrible destruction by the power of Arceus. They have been left in a state of ruin for some time now, and our mission is to restore these worlds to their original, peaceful stature. If this is not accomplished before the Gate of Time opens, the Chosen Ones will be destroyed, and all will be lost. But fixing the sites using simple means is impossible. It is a task that can only be completed by a god. That is where you come in."

"Me?" Vanellope questioned.

"Yes, my child. For you have in your possession The Source of Cyberspace."

Vanellope gasped. She reached into her sweater pocket and picked out the teeny tiny pixel XANA had once sought. The pixel XANA tricked Dillon into finding, and the one that gave Vanellope's memories back. "The Zoni knew you were the most ideal host for The Source, that which brought to life the Great Clock's Cyberspace and all that came after it. For eons, it was hidden in the depths of low-quality virtual reality, protected by the Game-and-Watch Tribe. With it, you can become the God of Cyberspace."

"The God of Cyberspace…" Vanellope stared at the very small source of power between her fingers. "But… why me?"

"Because you are friends with the Chosen Ones." Karkat responded. "The God of Cyberspace needs to be a reliable being who will guide the Chosen Ones safely. Obviously, you don't wanna see them die, so of course you'll do it. And look! I'm speaking in low caps! You happy?"

"But what'll that be like?" Vanellope glitched.

"Naturally, that atrocious glitch will be removed." Orvus answered. "And you must remain here and protect the Cyberspace until the Chosen Ones have arrived. Eventually, the data in this space will become reality, and this realm will all become darkness. Unfortunately, on the Day of Apocalypse… you will be lost with it."

"…Yeah, I'm not gonna do it."

"WEREN'T YOU LISTENING?!?" Karkat screamed. "YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE WE CAN TRUST TO FIX OUR UNIVERSE, SO IF YOU DON'T, THEN YOUR FRIENDS WILL-"

"Yah, I HEARD all that, Banshee Breath! But I wanna see if it's alright with him first."

"Alright with whom?" Orvus asked.

"Dillon, of course! He is my brother—I think he would want a say in me becoming a god or not. So maybe we should find him and ask him real quick."

"ABSOLUTELY NOT! WE ARE NOT GOING OUT OF OUR WAY TO FIND YOUR CRAPPY FRIEND AND-"

"Karkitty! Vriska's clawing, she says a group of humans are coming!" =33 Nepeta yelled.

"Let's see who it is." Orvus projected a large screen, showing a two-dimensional black rocketship.

Vanellope instantly recognized that type of design—and the black-haired boy in its window. "IT'S DILLON!"

Outside First Byway (Play "Blizzard on the Star Express" from Captain Toad!)

The Gamen Rocket was approaching a greenish planet in the depths of Cyberspace. Quill Ramsey was blasting XANA Mantas with the ice setting of his Elementor Guns, and Kodama used Flashworks to blind the Duel Monsters whose names she couldn't remember. "Is Vanellope really on that planet, Mr. Game-and-Watch?" Carol asked.

Beep. BOP! Boop!

"Can you establish a connection with Vanellope?" Dillon asked, catching some XANA Hornets in a spherical Shadow Shockwave before sending Mario to tear them to shreds.

"There's too much interference. We'll just have to get closer."

Midna grabbed a gargoyle Duel Monster in her Hair Hand and chucked it at a Megarocket (a Megatank with rockets). "It doesn't look like they want us in there. There's too many."

"Then use your Firstborn magic to blow them all away!" Dillon yelled, raising his Spirit Ball. "As your Guardian, I command you!"

"What am I, a genie?! And legally, I'm not allowed to go all out, I'm only as strong as my Guardian."

"Oh, screw that, we're in Cyberspace using Infinite Ammo cheats, what's holding you back??"

"If you were a genie, I wish for a quick and efficient way to get through this mess!" Quill shouted.

"OI, NAKAMA! It's Chimney-chan! Can you hear me?? I just found out this baby has a Cyber Train! I'm bringing it to ya, hop aboard!"

Fast as a shooting star, a black train with bright yellow outlines zipped up from behind. "Fast and deadly, that's my ride!" Kodama joyfully jumped on.

"I'm calling shotgun!" Quill jumped on.

"The bill for food is on me!" Carol jumped on. "Cover us in your ship, Game-and-Watch!"

Dillon jumped on and called Midna over. "Let's make our way to the FRONT!" He cheered.

Act 2: Cyber Train

Megatanks rolled up along the first car, and when they opened their shells, Kodama was quick to shoot missiles at their cores. The next car was blocked by a barrier, and XANA Ninjas were tossing shurikens from behind it. There was a terminal atop a platform on this car, so Carol had to sidle across a thin ledge on the side of it, get to a ladder, and climb onto the platform. She could hack the terminal and disable the barrier. The next car had totem poles that the ninjas were jumping around, but Dillon caught them in a spherical Shadow Shockwave and sent Mario on all three of them.

The route to the next car consisted of these totem poles. Quill flipped and shot a grappling hook from his heel to latch to a pole, but that's when ninjas poofed out of smoke. He swiftly dodged their shurikens and kicked his Grapple Heels at them, resulting in the ninjas jumping platforms. Quill could kick his grapplers to the free totems and fly further across. XANA Mantas swooped across, forcing Quill to jump, but then he could grapple to the next car and press a switch. The totem poles sunk, along with the ninjas, pulling the previous car over for his friends to join.

Some stairs led up to a platform with a cannon, and they saw a swarm of XANA Missiles launching from the further cars. "Leave this to me!" Kodama stuck her fireworks into the cannon and shot them at the missiles with keen aiming.

"Midna, use your extendo hand thingy to pull the car over!" Dillon ordered.

"As you wish, Master." Midna stretched her Hair Hand across and grabbed the hook on the edge of the next car. She struggled to pull it over while Kodama protected them from the missiles. It took about a minute until Midna successfully latched the car with their own. The missiles ceased, so Kodama jumped down to join the team across. They climbed a ladder onto the roof of the car and had to navigate a maze of floating searchlight robots. Their lights would catch them in a magnetic pull and chuck them over the side, so Dillon ventured the maze alone.

He used Shadow Veil to hide from the searchlights, and after he was through the maze, he jumped off the roof and entered the car. Amps moved left and right between the seats, so Dillon avoided the shock balls until he got to the back and unlocked the door. His team climbed down the ladder and entered, avoiding the Amps as they returned to the front entrance and headed for the edge. There was no way to cross to the next car, but the Gamen Rocket swooped by from the right and left several times, leaving a suspended series of 2-D monkey bars.

The kids climbed across the bars, and Quill kicked his Grapple Heels at the Bullet Bills that were sent to shoot them down. They made land on the very front car and had to go across a walkway on the right side. The door into the car was sealed, so Dillon had Midna fly over to the other side. "There's another computer over here!"

Scyphozoa climbed up onto the walkway, but Kodama was quick to shoot their domes with fireworks. "I'm going for it!" Carol ducked under the squids and offered to sidle on the thin ledge around the front of the car.

"Wouldn't you rather let Midna carry you over?!" Dillon called.

"You only learn with experience!" she yelled back. Carol hugged the car and kept her feet perfectly sideways, feeling wind push against her when she sidled around the front. She was able to set foot on safer ground, then she jumped some platforms before reaching the terminal. After one quick hacking session, the door into the car opened. "Uh-oh!" A security mechanism activated—the platforms supporting her dropped. She whipped open her parasol- "AAAAAHH!" and blew away with the sheer force—Midna shot her Hair Hand up to pull her back to safety.

"And my experience stems from saving Dillon's father from several death pits." Midna remarked. The kids entered the train and took out the XANA Creepers at the control station.

"Now it's just a straight shot to the planet!" Kodama smirked.

"Vanellope, here we come." Dillon said eagerly. (End song.)

The Cyber Train came to a slow and steady halt inside a docking bay. The kids stepped off and viewed around the dark chamber. "Wow, I never knew you for the easy landings, Chimney." Kodama said.

"That's because she didn't land you, I did." Sigmund responded. "That large-mouthed nutbrain was about to crash you."

"Nuh-uh, I was gonna land them in that lava pit!"

Beep BOP boop! Mr. Game-and-Watch pointed and stepped in that direction.

"He's feeling Vanellope's signature even stronger!" Carol beamed.

They followed the little Program down a quiet passage. Midna stopped before a door labeled God Production. As the others kept walking, Dillon turned back and saw her. "What's the matter, Midna?" The others stopped to notice this.

"God Production… I have to see what this is." The Firstborn entered the room. The others exchanged glances and went in after her.

There was some kind of pipe machine and shelves lined with colorful, large, baby-size eggs. The kids examined the eggs curiously… Midna was especially engaged in the room. There was a screen that read Eggs Hatched. There were eleven eggs on the screen: a light-green/dark-green one; a blue one; a white one with a yellow star; a pinkish-white one; a black-and-white with cyan lines; three silver ones with red emblems in a blue, pink, and yellow space respectively; a green one with notes; an egg designed like a moon; and a brown egg with pink diamond parts.

Midna stared at the egg with cyan lines… It was designed just like her. All those eggs' designs were familiar… She looked around the eggs in the room. She put her hand to a black egg with red lines… A powerful energy was growing inside it. She felt it from all the eggs. She looked again at the 'Eggs Hatched', and her mind started racing, for it was too much to process—

"Huff!" A little gasp escaped her throat. This was too strange to believe… impossible, even… "These are… Firstborn."

"What?" The word escaped Dillon like a gasp. What could she mean? All these eggs…

Midna stared around the room, her eye struck wide. "Why…Why does this place… feel so familiar…"

"I don't get it." Quill said, looking at a yellow and orange egg. "Are you saying this place is… producing Firstborn?"

"Producing gods…" Dillon remembered the sign outside. "But… that's impossible. Midna… I thought the gods were created by Arceus. Even the Firstborn…"

Kodama picked up a dark-purple/dark-red egg in both arms, putting her ear to it. "Whoa- wah-wah!" She stumbled on her own feet, and her sandals curved, causing her to fall back. She tossed the egg up in the air, but caught it in her hands. "Phew."

The egg cracked slightly. The kids gasped, horrified that something resembling a Firstborn could come out of that. They heard a faint sound: "Hoopa?"

"HATCH ALERT! HATCH ALERT!" A Zoni flew into the room. It quickly snatched the egg in a psychic grasp and worked to repair it. v"Premature hatching averted!" It placed the egg back on the shelf and flew out.

"That was one of the things that took Vanellope!" Dillon exclaimed. "After it!" The kids abandoned the room and chased the robot. Midna spared one more look, feeling a strong urge to study this room further… but she chose to go with her Guardian for now.

Repair Room

Peridot finished inputting the code in XANA's computer and closed his chest. "The virus has been implanted."

"Excellent." XANA sat up. "Now then… continue to repair this fortress. I will go to face Gozaburo Kaiba myself." There was an alarm. "Hmm… Seems we have some visitors. Is it Kaiba… or those children? I will have them all derezzed either way." XANA began to leave the room. "Attack anyone you encounter, Peridot. We must be rid of any setbacks if we are to finish in time."

Downstairs

The four operatives and Midna entered a vast, dark chamber. They saw a single ray of light several yards away and ran to it. Dillon slowed to a stop, gazing when he saw who was in the light. "Is that…" Kodama whispered.

Dillon stepped forward calmly. Vanellope looked like she was in a trance, arms hanging out and eyes frozen wide, staring at the source of light. Worry coursed through Dillon. Had she been experimented on, stripped of her memory? Was this some sort of weird upgrade? She seemed to have no idea of her surroundings… Dillon wished he'd come sooner.

"…BLAGABLAHG!" Vanellope wagged her tongue.

"BYAAAAH!" Dillon fell back and his heart almost jumped out.

"HA HA HA HAAAA!" Vanellope hugged her chest and cracked up. "OH MAN, I've been saving that trick all month, you-hoo-hoo totally PEED yourself!" She wiped a tear and kept laughing. "Ha ha ha, you're a puss, Dillon!"

". . ." Dillon smiled and felt tears rolling down his face. "Vanellope!"

He got up and shared a hug with his sister. Their friends smiled at the warmhearted moment. Vanellope glitched once, but that didn't disrupt the hug. They let go. "I missed you so much." Dill said.

"I missed you too, Dill! So, who are these weirdoes? I recognize the little Gremlin." She remarked at Midna, who glared. "And… hey, Kodama!"

"What's up, Vanellope?" Kodama gave a thumbs-up and wink. "Thanks again for the assist!"

"Hey, don't forget to introduce me!" Carol walked up in peppy spirits.

"Oh, Vanellope, this is Carol!" Dillon said. "She's… uhhh…" He didn't know how to phrase it.

"What is she, my replacement?" Vanel smirked. "Huh? Huh? Huh? Huh?" She nudged him with her elbow. Dillon kept his awkward face. "…Oh."

"She isn't as great as you were!" Dillon defended.

"That's YOUR opinion." Carol retorted.

"AHEM." Karkat and his Zoni floated up. "IF WE'RE DONE REUNITING, HURRY UP AND TELL HIM!"

"Tell me what?"

"Oh, well," Vanellope began, "see, these guys sort of want me to become a god and restore the virtual world, because if I don't, you're all gonna die, so-"

"UGH, I GUESS I'LL HAVE TO EXPLAIN IT AGAIN."

Karkat recapped the story in two minutes. "So wait, if you do this, you're gonna disappear?" Dillon asked.

"That's why I wanted to ask you if I should do this, Dill."

"No, of course I don't want you to do it!" Dillon yelled.

"Whoa, time out, man!" Quill intervened. "What about that stuff about us being destroyed? I mean, I don't get this prophecy stuff, but it sounds important."

"I'm not gonna let Vanellope sacrifice herself! Why can't you Zoni things do it?"

"W3 N33D TH3 ZON1 4L1V3 UNT1L YOU 4RR1V3." ]:< Terezi stated.

"Dillon, I know Vanellope's important to you, but think about-" Carol tried to reason.

"Forget it! I waited too long to find Vanellope! I wanted to take her back home with us, so she could live in the Human World like she always wanted!"

"To be fair, she had plenty of time in the Human World." Kodama said. "And it's not like she could… grow up with us."

"What are you guys saying?! That we should let her kill herself, one of our friends?!"

"Well, maybe ask what SHE wants to do!" Carol yelled.

"Fine! What do you want to do, Vanellope?"

Vanellope was silent for a moment, shifting her feet and twiddling her hands. "I dunno… Whatever you want, I guess."

"When we met, you said you wanted to live in the Human World, like a real girl. That's why we downloaded you, a solid hologram. You had to jump back in a computer every now and then, but we made it work."

"I know, and I'm really glad that you did. I had a lot of fun on our missions. …But…"

"What?"

"…I know you care about me, Dillon, but… I'm a Program. I'm artificial." She glitched. "Part of me felt like… I didn't belong with you. She's right, I couldn't grow up with you… I couldn't mature or develop, and most of the time, I did feel kinda… broken."

"Vanellope, don't say things like that! You were one of our teammates, you were as important to us as Mason or Sheila or anybody! We wouldn't have cared if you couldn't grow up… And besides, you aren't the only one! Wait'll you hear about this Mary girl-"

"IF SHE DOESN'T BECOME THE GOD OF CYBERSPACE, ALL OF YOU WILL DIE." Karkat stated. "YOUR WHINING IS MEANINGLESS!"

"Vanellope, I never thought of you as a Program or artificial. I thought of you like… any kid who wants to have fun and have friends. In the Kids Next Door, it doesn't matter who you are or where you're from… because we accept all kids. …Even god kids." He looked at Midna, who quirked a brow. "Heck, the Firstborn are supposed to be mega powerful, but they hang with us like any kid does. You don't have to feel different, Vanellope, and I'm sorry if we did make you feel that way. I really want you to come back with us. But… if you really have to stay here so…so you can help us… I don't know. Just give us your honest answer. What do you want to do?"

"…" Vanellope smiled. "I wanna come back to Earth and go on missions with you."

"OH, WELL THAT'S FAN-FUCKING-TASTIC!" Karkat exclaimed. "THEN COULD YOU PLEASE TELL ME WHERE WE'LL FIND ANOTHER AVAILABLE CANDIDATE TO BE 'GOD' BEFORE THE APOCALYPSE?"

"AaaaaaAAAAAAAH- UUH!" Something green crashed on the floor a few feet away, along with green robot parts. The head of the creature looked like a chip they couldn't name right away. It shook its head and got up. "Oh, I KNEW I should've repaired that bolt!" Peridot shook her fist and glared up. "When I get back up there, it will RUE the day it…?" She looked at her bare fist. She noticed Vanellope and the people with her. Peridot looked around at her fallen parts. "My limb-enhancers!"

"AWWWWW!" Vanellope came over and squeezed the pipsqueak in a hug. "You're so CUUUUTE! You're like a tiny little cuddly alieeeen!"

"RELEASE ME! Your feeble death squeeze will not destroy the great Peridot!"

"Ooo, what are these?" Midna used her powers to make the limb-enhancers levitate.

"GIVE THOSE BACK!" Peridot reached a hand up. "Those are mine!"

"Come and get them!" Midna giggled, keeping them out of arm's reach.

"What is this thing, anyway?" Kodama picked Peridot up by the arm. She was the size of a toddler to them. "Some kind of puppy?"

"LET ME GO! RUFF RUFF RUFF RUFF!" She kicked her feet.

"She's some kind of repairbot XANA hired to clean up his mess." Vanellope answered.

"Why not let her be the Cyber God?" Dillon asked.

"SHE CANNOT BE TRUSTED! SHE IS A SERVANT OF YELLOW DIAMOND!" Karkat shouted.

Peridot's eyes widened. "Wait… I RECOGNIZE that voice!" She pointed at the Zoni. "You're the trolls! You were the ones stealing our Ether, the ones building that machine! Yellow Diamond ordered me to spy on you, and you threw me in your machine like…like some common Pearl! WHERE IS YELLOW DIAMOND?! I know you clods know, so TELL ME!"

"Y3LLOW D14MOND W4S B4N1SH3D TO TH4T WORLD. SH3 1S ON3 OF TH3 TH1RT33N D4RKN3SS3S." Terezi hissed.

"What do you mean the Thirteen Darknesses? Why is My Diamond associating with them?"

"YOUR D14MOND H4S B33N CHOS3N FOR TH3 GR34T PROPH3CY. 1T W4S F4T3 TH4T W3 B4N1SH H3R."

"BUT BACK TO THE POINT, SHE CAN'T BECOME CYBER GOD. SHE ISN'T EVEN A REAL PROGRAM."

"Actually, she is." Orvus projected himself. "When Peridot was transferred to this dimension, her gem was destroyed, but her data was recorded in this Cyberspace. She was reborn as a Program, along with her instincts as a repairwoman."

"WHO THE CRAP CARES, SHE'S STILL OUR ENEMY!" Karkat yelled.

"In the past, perhaps. But I believe we can persuade her to work in our favor. If she is truly loyal to Yellow Diamond."

"WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?!" Peridot screamed. "If you have information concerning My Diamond, I request that you SHARE IT!!"

"Yellow Diamond, along with the other Thirteen Darknesses, will be returning to the dimension you came from. The dimension you stand in now. But in the horrible state of array it's in, we can only expect tragedy to befall them. Perhaps you do not care for these humans… but I am certain you will restore this world for your Diamond's sake."

"I see through your trick!" She smirked and pointed. "The Diamonds are unbreakable! Thousands of Gems can be destroyed in one blow, but Yellow Diamond will stand strong!"

"YEAH?! WELL, TAKE A LOOK AT THIS!" Karkat projected a recording dated thousands of years ago: a golden-haired fairy unleashed a powerful beam of magic at a diamond-bodied beauty. Yellow Diamond absorbed every ounce of the power directed at her. Her body flashed brighter and faster. She expected a few beams to redirect and hit the fairy. But such didn't appear to be happening. The spell lasted for minutes without end. Then… the light faded.

. . . . . . . CRACK!

Peridot frowned. The entity poofed and left only the cracked diamond. "…But… nothing can crack a diamond…"

"WELL, THIS ONE DID! AND IF THIS PLACE ISN'T FIXED, SHE'S GOING TO BE MORE THAN CRACKED. SHE AND ALL YOUR PRECIOUS GEMS ARE GONNA DIE!"

"But My Diamond… Where is she?"

"Yellow Diamond will return, that you can be sure." Orvus said. "You may not be able to see her again afterward… but this duty will be the last great deed you do for her."

"HELL NO! VANELLOPE'S THE ONLY ONE WE CAN TRUST. WE WASTED ALL THIS TIME PREPARING HER!"

"All beings, physical or cybernetic, have a choice. Vanellope can choose to be with her friends, and she can if Peridot is willing to take her place. But someone must… this much is true."

"Pleeeeaaase, Peridot?" Vanellope said adorably.

"I am not doing what YOU say!" Peridot argued. "It's irksome enough to listen to that nasally voiced XANA, but I won't take orders from YOU gigantic clods!"

"Then would you rather let XANA become the Cyber God?" Dillon questioned. "He might download Yellow Diamond to this world and make her a plaything."

Her face shrunk at the idea. "Well-if-it-is-for-My-Diamond-perhaps-I-shall."

"Nice one, Bud." Quill patted Dillon's back.

"Hands where I can see them, all of you!" A teal-haired boy in a white suit hovered above them on a platform, Duel Monsters by his side. "This building is now under the jurisdiction of KaibaCorp.! As heir to the Kaiba fortune, I – Noah Kaiba – am placing you under arrest!"

"Arrest THIS!" Kodama blasted a magenta firework up that exploded and covered Noah with same-colored powder.

"AAH! MY EYES! I virtual-peed myself! WAIT, why did I say that?!"

"You've just been hit by my Truthwork! You have to answer any question I ask you! Now, where is your father hiding?"

"He's on the roof, trying to shut down that energy spire! And I think XANA was up there, too!"

"We can take them both down!" Dillon fist-palmed. "Are you ready, Vanellope?"

"You BET I am! But first:" Vanellope held the tiny pixel up to Peridot's face. "Peridot: Are you willing to betray XANA and team up with us for the sake of aiding Yellow Diamond in her super important destiny?"

"You want me to betray my annoying and unreasonable employer and help a team of somewhat-threatening strangers whom I've only known for five minutes?"

"That's the gist, yeah."

"Meh, sounds logical enough." Peridot shrugged.

"Great, then I present to you the Pixel of Destiny!" She dropped The Source in Peri's small green hand. "You're the God of Cyberspace now, enjoy!" She glitched ahead of her friends. "TO THE ROOF!" And she continued glitching as the team hurried after her.

"WHAT ABOUT MY LIMB-ENHANCERS?!" Peridot screamed. Midna abruptly dropped them on the ground. "Uh… Thank you." She then stared at The Source. "What am I supposed to do, eat it?"

"It's a suppository." Orvus said.

"What does that mean?"

"It's… eh… Never mind, I was only kidding."

Roof

The roof of the tower was round and ring-like, and the energy current spouted out of the center to flow forever to the sky. Gozaburo Kaiba held up a small computer pad that projected the current's wavelength. "So, is this what you've been working on all the way out here?"

"Why, whatever do you mean?" XANA asked mockingly, approaching Kaiba from behind.

"Don't play the fool with me." Kaiba turned around. "I know you're an accomplice of Ragaj Gnik, the being who seeks the Twenty Keys. Any project you are working on is considered threatening by the World Leaders."

"Well, I don't particularly enjoy this line of work… No pay and I can't even tell who my boss is because he stays in the dark." XANA approached him calmly, a devious smirk displayed on his screen. "I've been dying to meet one of you Government dogs… Now that you're here, I want to tell you something."

"And what would that be?"

"…" XANA fell to his knees and bowed to him. "PLEASE put me out of my misery! I can't take it, anymore! I've been trapped in this space for so long, fixing all these wretched sites that only seem to get more broken, working with incompetent minions and trying to catch some pipsqueak candy child!" He looked up, showing the mini waterfalls pouring from his digital eyes. "I don't care about Lord Gnik, the prophecy, or ANY of this stupid crud! I just wish someone would derez me. But if I go out by any petty means, it will tarnish my memory. That's why I want a Corporate President to destroy me, so it will seem like I died in great battle against a worthy opponent!"

"You're bluffing. Even you cannot be so pathetic!"

"But I'm kneeling before you and I'm powerless. You have my word, I will not try to destroy you."

"Hm hm hm." Kaiba drew a sword and held it at XANA's neck. "You are a failure as a man, XANA. But it is not like you ever were one." He raised the sword. "Enjoy Digital Nothingness!"

Dillon's group stepped off the elevator, just in time to watch XANA get beheaded and his body disperse into pixels. "XANA!"

"Well, if it isn't more annoying guests." Kaiba turned to face them. "Are you viruses or mere children playing on controllers?"

"Wait, if we're using the only five virtualizers, then how are you in here?" Carol questioned.

"Probably some other virtualizers Sigmund didn't tell us about." Quill figured.

"Afraid not. The body you are looking at is my own." Kaiba stated. "My son, Noah and I were diagnosed with a fatal illness three years ago. But while our bodies lay their final rest, my company's technology transferred our minds to our supercomputer. We have continued to live as Programs, and walk about the real world as solid holograms."

"Just like Vanellope…" Dillon said.

"But do not drop your guard. You may be using uncreative avatars in this virtual world, but I can still destroy your real bodies from here. This blade I am wielding is equipped with a virus that can infect the source of any Program, so by impaling it through you, I can send a shock to your virtualizers and-" Kaiba's body began glitching in red pixels. "ACK! What in the… Why is my body-?!"

"You're not the only one implanted with a virus!" XANA's cackly voice said. "You've fallen for my trap, Gozaburo! Now your pixels will become mine!"

"NO! This can't be! AAAAAAAAAAAHHH…!" Kaiba's body fully became pixels as they morphed into XANA's shape. Computer head, pointy fingers, and blue cape with 0's and 1's, XANA was back.

"Well, Vanellope, this virus of yours proved to be more useful than I could've hoped! Now, I shall never be destroyed, by the Kids Next Door or—!" XANA's body started glitching. "What?! What's happening now?! GYAAAAH!" His body morphed into that of Gozaburo.

"That IS a helpful virus, XANA! Did you really not think I had the same one?! Now then, back to business."

"NO YOU DON'T!" Kaiba's right arm morphed into XANA's and started punching him in the face.

"Stop that!" Kaiba kicked his left foot up at his own rear, grabbed the right arm in his left to bend it behind him, and snapped his head at a right angle. "AAAAAAAHHH!" Kaiba transformed into a pixelly blob that showed parts of both Programs.

"Our Take Over Viruses are conflicting with one-another! Our bodies are molding!" XANA's high voice spoke in an eerie echo.

"CURSES! I can't tell which pixels are mine!"

"ULP! Everything's looking… shpoingy broingy."

"NEE-RHWIRE! LEVISHTAN!"

"Artificial intelligence failing… Artificial sapience… Licknar."

"NOOOoooo!"

XANA and Gozaburo Kaiba transformed into a giant monster with green bug wings and a dragon's tail. Their body was mostly red except for XANA's closed keyboard chest, and Kaiba's head was on top. It glitched and morphed into XANA's head. "I feel as though this scenario was in my memory files somewhere." Kaiba's head. "Does your memory files tell how to undo this?!" XANA's head. "They tell that I liked it!" Kaiba's head. "Well, I do not!" The heads glitched back and forth and argued.

Vanellope gasped: at some moments when XANA's head glitched, his screen depicted the faces of King Candy and Turbo. "I DO remember something like this happening! It was before I was transferred to the KND's computer… The virus that tried to destroy my game. XANA has Cy-Bug code!"

"Okay, but how does that help us?" Dillon asked.

Vanellope looked at the light spire. "I wanna see if there's a way to make this thing brighter. If I hack into the machine and increase this light's wavelength, we might be able to beat 'em."

"If it's a hack job, I want in, too!" Carol cheered.

"Yeah, sorry sweetie, but this is a job for the professionals." Vanellope smirked.

"I have just as much experience as YOU do, smarty pants!"

"Care to put it to a wager?" Vanel flicked her nose.

"Look, you girls are BOTH qualified computer experts," Dillon said with annoyance, "so just work together on this! Vanellope, take Carol with you."

"Fine, but if she gets in my way, I'm giving her a time out. Let's go, Puffy Hair!" Vanellope ran to the elevator.

"At least I WASH my hair!" Carol ran after. Mr. Game-and-Watch beeped and booped and joined them.

"Let's see if we can tear these two apart before they get done!" Dillon smirked.

"Uh-oh! They're going to attack us, Gozaburo!" XANA said.

"Then quit standing there and fight back!" Kaiba argued.

"Fine! Then I take over for both of us!"

"Like hell you will!" Both heads switched back and forth before they shouted-

"ENOUGH!" (Play "Gigabyte Mantis" from Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance!)

Boss fight: XANAIBA

Quill shot fire from his Elementors at Kaiba's head, but the amalgamation retaliated by whipping the three away with his tail. XANA's head took over as the beast took flight, launching energy blades from its wings. Kodama sent fireworks up to damage the creature, then XANAIBA circled over the field to spew pixelated vomit. From that vomit came monsters that were hybrids of XANAbots and Duel Monsters. Quill shot ice from his Elementors and froze the pixelated ground along with some monsters, which Kodama then destroyed with fireworks. Dillon drew other monsters into a Shadow Shockwave and had Mario tear them up.

With that, Midna stretched her Hair Hand and grabbed XANAIBA by the leg, slamming him against the roof of the tower. Dillon hopped on the monster's back and did a Shadow Shockwave on the beast's wings, followed by Kodama's Tongue Twister firework into Kaiba's mouth. "AAAA! Thlat's a accuralately named filawork!" he said with a twisted tongue.

Computer Room

Vanellope and Carol located the main computer terminal, set directly in front of the spire of light. "The Zoni told me this thing was called the 'First Byway' or something." Vanellope said. "It's made of the same wavelength used to create them."

"So can we ask them to help light it up?"

"Don't need to. I'm gonna try and turn up the frequency from inside. You stay and help me from out here."

"Whatever you're trying, I won't let you!" Noah Kaiba floated up on his platform. "I'm going to derez you both- HEY!" He was trapped inside a green diamond, whose points were connected by green finger-like bars.

"I won't let you hurt the people who are trying to help My Diamond!" Peridot yelled from below. "As of this day, they are allies of the Gem Empire!" She pulled Noah back down to her.

"It doesn't take much to convince her." Carol said. "Alright, my laptop's set up. Get in!" Vanellope glitched into it.

Immediately, the Program was put through a bullet hell screen, rapidly dodging the sea of deadly dots. "CAROL, I'm getting Undertaled here!" Vanel shouted.

"Hold your horses, Candy Hair." Carol controlled the cursor and clicked as many bullets as she could. The way was clear for Vanellope to swiftly glitch around them, but the bullets kept flying.

Roof

Quill Ramsey kicked his Grapple Heel at XANAIBA's leg, pulling him up to the airborne creature and launching above his head. Quill landed, stuck his Elementors in Kaiba's nose, and shot gas. "AAAH-!" He glitched into XANA's head, so Quill jumped over the front, grappled up to his keyboard chest, and opened it as he began typing. "Okay, you abomination, let's see how you like 'Two Girls and a-'"

"DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT PLAYING THAT!" The kids shouted.

"Okay, okay! Then we'll watch the Spongebob episode where Spongebob helps his grandma use the toilet." He typed in the video and played it.

"BYAAAAAAAHHHH!" XANA shook frantically, his face completely replaced by the atrocious episode. "GET THIS GLECH OUT OF MY FAAAAACE!" He flew rampantly, swooped down across the roof, and crashed into the energy spire. The mutant was shocked and blown back, his body glitching as XANA's face appeared sideways, upside-down, and oversized. "Ho, what a nightmare. You're gonna pay for that, little twit!"

Computer Room

After Vanellope was past the bullet hell, she ended up in a stream of powerful waves. "Carol, I think I found the wavelength!"

"You did! Vanellope, be careful in there or you'll drown!" Carol clicked her teammate and lifted her above the waves.

"I am being careful, let me go, Carol!" Vanel shook.

"I'm just trying to keep you safe! How do you plan to brighten this thing, anyway?"

"I'll use my Lightspeed Kick attack! Move me around so I can build up speed! That is, if your finger's as fast as you're worth as a replacement."

"Oh, I'll show YOU fast finger-swiping!" Her finger pressed firmly on the Track Pad, Carol whooshed Vanellope all around the wavy screen, her body made of pixelly light that seemed to move the waves around.

"Stop that!" Noah Kaiba tried to smack Peridot's floating fingers away.

"Nyea!" The Gem Program flew a few feet in front with helicopter fingers as she poked him in the eyes.

"I said quit it!"

"This is what you get when you're dubbed by 4Kids, you clod! Nyeaaaa ha ha ha ha!" Peridot evaded him.

"Real epic battle you're having over there." Carol remarked.

Roof

XANAIBA flew miles away and returned in attempt to ram the tower, but Midna blocked him with her giant hand, pushing against his face. Kodama launched Cheeseworks to stick his wings in place, but before the monster would take the fall, it grabbed the side of the tower and climbed up. XANAIBA raised its Virus Sword and slashed it across the ground – Quill dodged by flying up with the Elementors' fire, Kodama used Jetpack Works, and Dillon hid in Shadow Veil.

"WOOHOOOOOOO!" Kodama flew around and around and around. "INFINITE FUEL ROOOOOCKS!"

"HELL YEEEEAAAAH!" Quill cheered.

"YOU GUYS, we're in the middle of a boss fight!" Dillon shouted.

XANAIBA flew level with the carefree operatives. "Oh, I completely forgot!" Kodama grinned at Quill.

"I guess we just made this a dogfight!" Quill beamed. The two rocketed at XANAIBA as Kodama about-faced and burned his human face with her rockets. "You're looking a little gassy, Kaiba!" Quill switched the Elementors to gas and shot them at his burning head, creating an explosion. "OR MAYBE THAT WAS ME!" Quill screamed as he fell, quickly switching back to fire so he could rocket up.

"Come on, Dillon, sprout some wings and join us!" Kodama exclaimed.

"Ugh! Midna, lift me!" Dillon ordered.

"Say the magic words!"

"PLEASE!"

"My, so rude." Midna grabbed Dillon in her giant hand and flew up to the mutant Program. Dillon kicked XANA's face and cracked it as it glitched between King Candy, Turbo, or his own face.

"Useless outdated computer with a fat back!" Kaiba's still-scorched head took over. "You're hopeless!"

"And you're blind!" Dillon blew Shadow Breath over his face. Kodama shot fireworks at his wings and Quill flew by his keyboard and looked up some cat entertainment.

"I AM THROUGH PLAYING GAMES!" XANAIBA spun around and whipped all the kids back to the tower. "As soon as I destroy you worms, I am splitting up from this piece of junk!"

Computer Room

"Are you sure this isn't hurting you?!" Carol yelled, continuously swiping her finger around the Track Pad as Vanellope's light increased.

"This is nothing! Keep going, we're almost there!" The wavelengths onscreen were growing more frantic with Vanellope's speed.

Several pairs of Peridot's fingers connected via energy links, which she used to chop Noah's hoverpad to pieces. The boy landed on the computer's floor and ran to stop Carol, but Peridot's fingers tied him up. Both of them watched as her computer screen glowed brighter- "Aah!" Carol was forced to release her Track Pad when it got too hot. Vanellope continued glitchwarping, and she felt completely filled with power. "Super Duper Uber Mega Ultra Lickety Split KICK!!"

And before their eyes, the energy column shone blindingly and shook the world as it blasted to the sky. "Agh!" Vanellope zipped out of the computer, and her body was distorted, zigzaggy, and sparking.

"Vanellope, are you okay?!" Carol yelled.

"Yeah, don't wor—ry—bout it! PERIDOT, SH—T ME!" She ran at Peridot.

"GYAH!" Peridot shot a laser and destroyed the freaky Program.

"VANELLOPE!" Carol screamed.

Noah started shaking as his pixels turned blue and morphed. "What's happening?! AAAH! DAAAAAAAAD…" His body compressed and his pixels formed Vanellope's shape, along with her color.

"Ahh, much better!" Vanellope smiled at her well-designed, non-ugly body, making a smirk. "Don'tcha think?"

Carol giggled and Game-and-Watch waved '1' flags. (End song.)

Roof

The energy burst from the tower at full power, lighting up the sky. The kids shut their eyes from being this close to it, but the light was especially beautiful to XANA's eyes. "The light! It's so…so…" His screen flashed King Candy- Turbo- Cy-Bug- Kaiba- "OOOOO HOO HOO HOOOO!" His own face turned red with hearts, for the powerful beam was a fountain of candy in his dysfunctional vision. He happily skipped toward the candy as happy music played.

La la la la la la!

La la la candy time!

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Kaiba's head took over—exposing the deadly beam for what it was. He tried to fly away, but XANA took over and was still entranced.

La la la la la la! "OOO hoo hoo hoo, CANDYYYY!" La la la, candy-

"GET AWAY FROM THAT!" Kaiba fought to get away-

La la la-!

"Are you INSANE?!"

La LA LA la la la la! XANA was seconds away from having a taste. "Caaaandyyyyyy-"

"NOOOOO!"

The monster exploded into thousands of tiny pixels. They rained everywhere and the kids were awed at how beautiful they were. The XANAbots fell dead on the spot, the Duel Monsters derezzed, for both of their masters have been destroyed.

Inside

The Zoni hacked the computer and immediately decreased the force of the wavelengths. The spire returned to its original form. Karkat was outraged. "THAT WAS COMPLETELY RECKLESS! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MUCH DAMAGE THAT COULD'VE CAUSED? YOU KNOW WHAT, I'M GLAD YOU AREN'T BECOMING CYBER GOD! I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE WERE THINKING IN GIVING A STUPID CANDY GIRL SUPREME POWER! I WOULD SOONER MAKE SIRI THE CYBER GOD, BECAUSE AT LEAST SHE KNOWS WHAT RESTAURANTS WE LIKE. I SWEAR IF I-"

"Karkat, would you do me a favor and SH8T 8P!!" A new Zoni with seven pupils in its left eye yelled. "Honestly, there is no way to please you sometimes! And I H8 when I'm this close to you on one of your tantrums. Keyword H88888888!" >:::: (

"YOU'R3 LUCKY W3 3V3N L3T YOU SP34K, VR1SK4, 4FT3R TH4T M3SS YOU PULL3D 1N T3RM1N4." Terezi stated.

Dark room, unknown location

"What, 8ecause I decided to lend Majora a hand?" Vriska asked, propping her head on her hand in boredom. She had long black hair, orange horns, and a gray jacket. Her left eye had seven pupils. "Well, it would 8e a little sour if I didn't, like we did sort of seal him in a mask for hundreds of sweeps."

"AND NOW MAJORA IS ROTTING IN A DEMON PRISON. MUST BE A DREAM COME TRUE FOR THE LITTLE SH**. DON'T PULL ANYMORE CRAP LIKE THAT, SPIDER, OR YOU'LL BE NEXT."

"Ooo, I'm so fr8ghtened. I'm gonna go sulk in my room." Vriska broke her Zoni connection. "Siiiigh. Well, sulking done. 8ut speaking of Majy." Vriska smirked and brought up an image of Cheren on her computer. "He planned on killing that 8oy soon… I 8etter get ready." :::; )

First Byway

Peridot stared at the pixel in her hand, confused. "I still don't understand how something so small… could give me so much power."

"Big things come in small packages." Orvus chuckled. "You shall soon see… if you are truly willing to do this."

"A Peridot becoming a god is quite laughable." Peri laughed. "Still… it will be an honor to die for My Diamond. I just wish… I could see her before I do."

"You will have the chance. For now, we must begin the process of fusing you with The Source."

"Man, I am glaaaaaad I'm coming home with you." Vanellope said to Dillon. "I liked those things better when they were a hive mind, now they're just… annoying."

"Tell me about it." Dillon rubbed his ears. "Who would ever wanna become a god, anyway? …" He and Midna exchanged glances. "Speaking of which." They approached the Zoni.

"I want to know the purpose of that God Production chamber." Midna demanded. "Are you breeding gods? How is that possible? And why was my egg—a-and the other Firstborns'-…"

"I understand you are confused, Midna." Orvus consoled. "But you must be patient. The answers will come in time. However, I will tell you this: when all of the Firstborn Guardians have awakened, they must bring them back to this planet. It is crucial that you do."

"Just like what Malevolous told me…" Dillon remembered.

"Now then… With those two nuisances out of the way, it's time to move on to other matters." Orvus smiled. "It is time to awaken the Seventh Light."

Uno Household

Cheren Uno entered his house and haphazardly chucked his Three Sacred Treasures on the floor. "Hey, Cherry." His mother greeted him from the couch. "Long day at work?" she commented on the aforementioned action.

"Too long, in fact." Cheren went into the kitchen and got a soda from the fridge. "I'm not staying too long, I just need to rest my mind a little." He drank the soda.

"I heard what happened with Leanne. That's horrible."

"You have no idea." Cheren said with slight aggression. "You and your friends always had Grim bringing you back to life."

"Well, you had Grim, too. Why not just break the vow you made him take?"

"I couldn't do that. I want us to feel like we're strong enough to survive without help. I want it to seem like the universe actually wants us to win."

"But maybe Grim kept protecting all of you because the universe does want you to win. The universe wants to give you as many chances to live full, natural lives."

"Well, we can't." Cheren reentered the living room. "Our lives have never been natural. Not just because we have superhuman powers… but because it's our job to save everyone from the evil and supernatural alike. And this Apocalypse… I don't know if there's anything natural about it… But I don't want Grim's help. If I want a shred of realism in our lives… then I want us all to have one chance at all our battles. If the universe really wants us to win… then we won't die. Not all of us, at least. …Then, by the time we do die… everyone else can live happily."

"Cheren…" Rachel felt bad for her child. Even she doesn't remember it being this hard… If only she could look at herself back then, remember what burden she had… if it would be any different.

Cheren's phone rang. He read the Caller ID and answered it. "Aurora?"

"Cheren, I'm at Hendry Middle School! Get down here, quickly! There's something you need to see!"

Hendry Middle School

Police cars and teenagers surrounded part of the building, and as Cheren fought his way through the crowds, he caught loud remarks like "WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS-" and "BRUH, DUDE, MAN!" as well as "FREAKIN' SHIT!" Cheren made it to the front where the Gilligan Triplets and Aurora were standing. He gasped horrified at the sight everyone was yelling about.

Wendy Corduroy, Hoagie Gilligan III, and Garry Lincoln were chained to the wall, bruised and bloody. Underneath them, in black and red graffiti, was the word TREACHERY. And underneath that were seven symbols: a lion's paw, a hammer, a pen, a whoopee cushion, a jug, a chicken, and a kangaroo. They were marked around the name of the group responsible:

CP10