Chapter 8: Live Stream

Location: FEMSPLODER GAMING HQ -

A billion miles above Los Angeles

As he climbed down from the Dzord, Nero's legs felt weak. Forgive me, Randy. It wasn't supposed to end like that. He was nauseous. He wanted to run, he wanted to get back in the robot and fly to Destroyzoid HQ, but he knew he couldn't. I can't turn back. This needs to happen. God, why did it come to this?

"You look like shit. Give me your hand."

"Thanks, Sarketron." Nero put his hands on Sarketron's shoulders.

"This takes balls, man. I've told you that before. I mean, we're all gonna die, but, shit... To know exactly how and when it's gonna happen, and to go ahead with it anyway... Fuck, Nero. How did we get here?" Before Nero could respond, they were interrupted.

"Hey, guys," said Tara. "We're live in 25 minutes." She looked at Nero. "I can't tell you how much I respect you, sir. Your level of commitment is extremely impressive."

"Every atom in my body is screaming at me to run," said Nero. "I just hope that today can mark the beginning of the end. Something has to be done. Things can't continue on the same path."

"I completely agree," said Tara. "Apart from you and Sarketron, nobody has the courage to actually effect change. In 24 minutes, we hit the restart button."

"No, I'm sorry, Tara. I can't wait 24 more minutes. The waiting is too much. Please, let's just do this right now. You can broadcast the footage as a fake live stream later, but I can't handle this dread for another half hour. I'm begging you."

Tara looked at Sarketron, who nodded.

"Yeah, I understand. Let's get started. The set is right this way." She led them to the set shared by Femsploder Gaming and RevvedUp Games. The building was vacant except for the three of them.

"Please, Tara, stay behind the camera. Nobody needs to know that you're involved in the slightest. This is strictly between Femsploder and Destroyzoid. No one at RevvedUp needs to get hurt."

"I'm not even here," she said as she opened the door to the set. When he saw it, Nero collapsed.

"Fuck," he muttered. Sarketron helped him up. "I don't know anymore. I'm not strong enough." A blue tarp was laid out on the ground and another was pulled up as a background. The words Femsploder Gaming were spray painted in white on it. On the ground was a thick tree stump and a sword.

"Yes you are." said Sarketron. "Come on. The hardest part is over. All you gotta do is get to the set. The rest is my job." They walked forward. Every step was deliberate. Left, Nero thought. Right. Left. Right. Left. Right. B, A, Select, Start. He almost smiled. When they made it to the stump, he sat down.

He saw Tara turn on the cameras and give a thumbs up. This is it.

Narrator X - I told you to read no further. You disobeyed. Everything will burn. You caused this.

DESTROYZOID HQ – Chicago

The live stream started.

"They're up, guys," said Hamza. Everyone gathered around him. They saw Nero sitting, looking defeated.

Behind him was Sarkeshaska, wearing the same outfit as before, but now her nose and mouth were covered by a balaclava. She was holding a sword.

"What the..."

"Oh, god."

"Destroyzoid," said Sarkeshaska, "this is your devastation and your final hour. This is the end of Nero, and therefore it is your end. We are Femsploder Gaming. We declare war against you. Our reasons are many, but they do not matter. You cannot appease us; you will have war. There is no negotiating. Only once you have been eradicated will our mission end. With that in mind, you have two options. If you resist us, you will die squealing. If you submit, you will be granted an easy end; a quick escape from the pain and uncertainty of this life."

Nobody made a sound.

"Before we end this video," said Sarkeshaska," before we blow out the tiny flame that was your leader, he will have the final word." She grabbed Nero's hair. "Speak, dead one."

Nero had been staring at the floor the whole time Sarkeshaska spoke. Now he looked into the camera. "Destroyzoid is coming."

With that, Sarkeshaska yanked Nero's head back, exposing the soft flesh on his neck. Nero didn't struggle. When the sword bit into him and blood started dripping he didn't scream or cry; he stayed silent. His body began to slump as knife did its job. Before long, Sarkeshaksa was holding Nero's head by the hair. The live stream went dark.

The Chicago Post Herald Review Times Examiner Daily

The body of internet superstar M. Randy Dixman was found on North Ave. Beachearly this morning. Exact circumstances surrounding the demise of the 3,219year-old blogger and pervert are unknown. Police Chief J. Jenna Jameson offeredonly scant details, instead using most of her press conference to implore thepublic to "find that and deal him the mustard." Before ending the conference,an associate handed her a slip of paper. As she read the statement, sheinjected her own thoughts and commentary, which is entirely inappropriate andwhich this journalist finds disgusting in the extreme.

She told the assembled journalists, "I forgot to say something super important.M. Randy Dixman's corpse was found with a huge metal dildo in the rectalcavity. What a freak, huh? I mean, I'm a porn star and police chief, but even Ifind that super-duper creepy. What a weirdo! At this point in theinvestigation, and given the nature of the deceased, we will most likely rulethis death Auto-Aquatic Asphyxiation. We refuse to speculate on the exact typeof fish that M. Randy Dixman most likely found sexually attractive, but withthe invasion of Asian Carp in Chicago's watershed, it's probably Asian Carp.Golly, poor fish. What did they ever do to deserve that?"

This is the second Destroyzoid-related death in as many days. The website'sfounder and leader, Nero, was decapitated in a live video broadcast by a groupcalling themselves Femsploder Gaming.

M. Randy Dixman Sr., the deceased's father was reached for comment. "He diedhow he lived, disgracing the once-great House Dixman. He was always adisappointment, not like that Constantina Holmes fella. A really standup guy,him. The son I never had, but always deserved."

There will be no funeral service. They grand city of Chicago does not toleratepublic perversion and fish-lust.