cv-nobody-and-associates

[cv-nobody-and-associates]

EVERYTHING BELOW THIS POST IS NOW OFFICIALLY NON-CANON!

Well...sort of.

To explain, the character of Nobody is being rebooted. I've found she became a character too difficult to actually use for anything given the complexities of her lore and story, as well as her abundance of powers and skills.

So, I'm undoing things and starting from scratch. Kind of.

Here's the short version - all knowledge of Nobody has been erased from the multiverse, and Nobody herself was seemingly killed in a terrible and now unknown battle. I've been referring to it in my head as "The War That Never Was".

Nobody as she was has died, but a new version of her has reformed, lacking any of her prior self's memories and experiences. All characters previously associated with Nobody - such as Katra, Delgra, Nao, etc - lack memory of her and have had their lives reset to before they ever met her. Nao's case I'm not 100% sure on, I'll come back to that at a later date.

All of the prior threads and stories about Nobody have now essentially not occurred. Events like Nobody's past and origin are in a state of flux - it's unclear what is and isn't still true about her past.

[cv-nobody-and-associates]

Important Announcement

The most recent thread, The Unseen, is officially being declared non-canon. I'm planning on overhauling a lot of lore with Nobody and her cast of characters especially, more on that eventually.

The Unseen was meant to be a relatively brief crossover event between my various characters, it started around Halloween last year and since then I've sporadically continued the story. It simply wasn't working to my satisfaction and I'd basically dropped it unofficially until now. I may well come back to the plot itself, but I wasn't enjoying writing this version specifically and as such it's being scrapped.

Please disregard any and all events following Nobody's return to Internia for the time being.

[cv-nobody-and-associates]

@cvscrubbser

I like stories where a normal human child is being raised by a sinister supernatural being who is totally malevolent except when it comes to their kid. Those are so much better than the “kids are scary” changeling type horror movies.

[cv-nobody-and-associates]

"I DO NOT NEED TO BE CALLED OUT LIKE THIS!"

[cv-nobody-and-associates]

Nao found herself in a large grey box of a room. No visible doors on first inspection, she noted.

That was fine. She could always blast her way out. Energy hummed beneath her skin and her suit quivered with the sensation. Before she could fire, however, a voice began to play. There were speakers at the top corners of the room.

"Welcome." The voice said, with an ethereal sound that would have made it impossible to ignore even without the speakers. "I am Vortex, acting director of the Mythos organisation's D-cell." The name rung in bell to Nao. Connected to Solara, she was pretty sure.

"Well, D is about the best grade I'd give you." She joked to ease the tension in her body. She still shook a little as she watched the room carefully, waiting for a trap. "But I'm guessing it stands for something. Dimensional?" The voice hummed in what sounded like approval.

"For a shoddy copy, you think well." Vortex complimented. "We are indeed the dimensional branch of the organisation. One of the most crucial to creating a world of order and peace, beyond the failures that once called themselves gods. You're about to see one of our projects, in fact. You of all people should appreciate her."

The floor shook, and a set of tiles opened up, revealing a hatch that led deeper into the facility. It rose, and upon it was something that appeared to be a woman, or perhaps something that once was that.

The entity was a vibrant green colour. It wore no clothes, but nothing was visible. Much like Nobody, its skin appeared to be some form of suit as well.

It had the imprint of a face, like a mould to press a proper appearance into later. It also had hair, a spikey line across the middle of the head that was blue in colour.

"Meet Anybody." The entity growled as Vortex introduced them. "You of all people must appreciate the value of a copy, no? We couldn't get the process quite right, but with reverse engineering we have made our very own Fusion. This one bound to us."

Nao's eyes were wide. She hated everything Vortex had just said on a powerful, instinctive level. It made her stomach groan and her mouth taste of blood, heavy and metal.

"Fusions are sacred beings. This...this is an abomination!" She screamed, taking a fighting stance. Anybody did the same, their movements slow yet precise.

"Then what does that make you? A pale imitation of a Fusion, made as a temporary replacement for your own master. This being is closer to Nobody than you are by a mile. If you call her an abomination, what does that make you?"

Nao didn't have an answer. The question had haunted her since Nobody's return.

She couldn't respond in words.

So she tried with action.

She threw a lunging punch at Anybody, but she dodged it, twisting her body and kicking Nao in the back. Her momentum carried her into the wall.

Anybody pressed her advantage, putting Nao on the defensive by stretching out an arm to impossible lengths to grab at her head, throwing her down into the floor. Nao used her suit to make a shield, and once the impact was clear she released it and shifted the sleeves over her arms into long blades.

Not a moment too soon, as Anybody was already charging in once more. She stuck out her arms and pierced her chest. Anybody finally spoke.

"ARGHHH!" She screamed. "THAT HURTS! IT HURTS IT HURTS IT HURTS SHE HURTS!" Nao raised an eyebrow. She?

She looked down at her suit, which seemed to be almost angry. It trembled with rage, as though Nao's willpower was the only thing keeping it back.

She wondered if she needed to?

She was pressed back onto the defensive quickly, Anybody unleashing a flurry of blows with a speed impossible for her to match as a physical being. Travelling as energy for attacks was one of Nobody's best techniques, and one it seemed Anybody knew how to imitate.

Cuts sprung up all over Nao's body. Blood, a mix of black and red and purple, all began to fall forth from every wound. A rising certainly grew in her like bile rising through the throat.

She was going to die.

Would that be okay? She wanted to stay, but did she need to? Wasn't her purpose fulfilled? Would...Would this be worth it somehow?

Could she accept it?

Even if she could, another couldn't.

"Get...away..." Nao's suit began morphing and shifting. A face grew out of it, one with long and oily black hair and burning red eyes like heated coals.

"GET AWAY FROM MY SISTER!"

"W-what is this?!" Vortex cried out in confusion as the strange being, a mix of slime and oil and untold fury, burst out. It stretched our further from Nao and grabbed Anybody with two sharp arms.

"You won't hurt her, and you won't hurt mama!" It called out in a voice that matched both child and demon. Anybody howled with pain and as Nao groggily lifted her head, she saw why.

The being in her suit - perhaps the being that was her suit, was turning Anybody to dust.

"How is this possible?!" Vortex screamed. She screamed it again and again, and it became clear she was somehow on repeat. A recording?

Just another copy.

There was a sharp BOOM and Anybody was no more. In her place, there was a green dust spreading through the room and a hole in the wall. The being from Nao's suit receded back into her.

"What are you?" Nao muttered, moving out of the room. A mouth grew onto the suit briefly.

"Call me Missy. I'm Nobody's child!"

That...only raised further questions.

She shook them away. Questions later. She had to catch up to Solara and find Katra.

It had been several months since moving to Creatorverse, and Katra still had no idea what to make of it. Besides a brief appearance in a now-cancelled tournament, she hadn't seen much of the city.

When Nobody, her new...room-mate? Mentor? The woman was rather evasive on anything specific. In any case, when it became clear she lacked much in the way of food and drink for physical beings, she leapt on the chance for a grocery run.

"How much did she give us again?"

"No clue." Katra sighed as she walked on her way back home. She held about six bags comfortably filled with whatever looked good. She didn't have any favourite foods really - her diet had usually been strictly controlled. "The card went through okay, so it seems all legitimate. But no ATM gives me a clear number."

"Wonder where she gets the money. Assassination work seems like her thing."

"If she were an assassin, we'd be dead." Katra reminded her spectral companion. Gold was more docile since the tournament., perhaps taking Nobody's advice on working together to heart. Or perhaps just biding her time before something big. Katra tried not to question it. "She's not after our bounty."

"He wouldn't be the first assassin to not kill you. Remember thar catboy you like?"

"Yukimi's an exception." She took a few more moments to register what her companion had said. "A-and I don't like him, okay?! Stop s-saying that." Gold barked out a laugh that Katra chose to ignore.

Which became rather simple to do when it was abruptly cut off.

"Oh hey, it works!" Katra spun, turning to an alley where she saw...herself? A grinning mirror image of her holding what looked like some kind of remote. "Soul interference sure is handy, huh? Betcha your friend's all quiet now! You're welcome!"

Katra dropped her shopping bags immediately, tensing and readying herself for movement. "Who are you?!" She demanded, sounding perhaps more desperate for an answer than she would've liked.

"I'm you, silly!" The doppelganger insisted. "And him, and her, and them. I'm whoever I need to be! But since that's unhelpful, let's go with Avi for now." It bowed theatrically. If this were an assassin, she suspected it was of the deranged actor variety. Surprisingly common in her experience.

"Deranged? How rude!" The doppelganger pouted. "I come out all this way only for you to criticise me in your head? Not cool." It shook its head. Katra's body shook in turn.

"You read minds?"

"Somebody does, and I'm everybody!" Avi extended its arms out as it spoke gleefully. "People have all sorts of powers in this city, and I have a taste of a lot of 'em. I only have your looks on the outside though. Can't get more until later."

"What happens later?" Katra took a fighting stance, expecting the answer. She wasn't ready for Avi to move faster than any eye of hers could blink, however.

"It'll be more fun to show you...!" Katra barely had time to turn before her vision was eclipsed with black. There was a piercing pain in her head, presumably from an attack. She couldn't tell.

Everything went dark.

.

..

...

...

"Katra? Pick up, please. I can't seem to reach you any other way and this infernal contraption is annoying at best."

"You're not there, are you? Dammit. Now I have to make some more calls."

.

..

...

Katra's phone sat in the street, it's power draining and cracked screen flickering.

She couldn't hear it.

She was busy listening to them.

"The subject has been obtained successfully, director." A muffled man's voice. It sounded low and strange, as though it was speaking without a mouth. She couldn't see anything.

"Excellent work, Doctor McGee. Your pet project has outdone itself." A woman's voice, strong and firm. Yet there was somehow also a weightless quality to it. It floated to your ears yet demanded your attention. "The data acquired from the primary target was helpful, then?"

"Yup!" Her own voice. Familiar yet alien. "The whole Z and P incident worked wonders! Now we know exactly how to deal with soul interference. I'd thank them, but I don't think they like me." It sounded almost sad about that for a moment.

"Their favour is not required, Avi." The woman said calmly, comforting the doppelganger. "Only the results matter in an experiment. Opinions are irrelevant."

"You're just sayin' that!" Katra heard her own mouth stick it's tongue out playfully. "Probably jut 'Cause she'd hate this, right Vo-" Katra tried not to flinch and thus give away her consciousness as she heard a sharp gasp escape the doppelganger, followed by a metallic impact.

"Call me director, pest." She could feel there were eyes on her as the voice spoke again.

"After all, you never know who's listening."

Katra struggled against it, but a hint of a whimper escaped her mouth unwillingly.

Screams came next.

[cv-nobody-and-associates]

Nobody was not the kind of person to act on emotion, least of all paranoia.

The seventeen different messages she had left at various people's inboxes were thus entirely logical choices.

Katra had been missing for weeks, and she couldn't track her. Initial attempts proved useless. Her mind was absent, no doubt meaning she was being contained somewhere that had the capacity to block telepathic communication. Of various kinds, as well.

Her body was similarly impossible to find. But the soul, that was present in some form. She felt traces around the city, and a stronger portion was much further away.

She was alive, at least.

"Does anyone have any idea who could have taken her?" Nobody asked the monitor, upon which several faces were displayed. The Realm Defence Squad - or RDS for short - as well as a few other allies of hers. Most had nothing, but one voice spoke up.

"I think I do." A disturbingly familiar voice said, and Nobody fought the urge to shiver. Maintaining composure was usually easy for her, but around duplicates it became a smidge more tense.

There had been incidents in the past, after all.

"Don't keep me in suspense, Nao. What is it?" Her voice remained calm, firm and with only thr barest hint of frustration in it. Said frustration wasn't even her own. Oira had been restless since the situation became clear.

"I think it might be Mythos, ma'am."

Nobody stilled.

She was a being of logic. Collected focus. Not blind emotion. Never impulse, especially one that would be unhelpful to the mission.

The shriek she let out, one pounding and bursting with untold years of rage and fear and God knows what else was therefore a critical act for the mission.

As was the accompanying shattered glass, table smashed by a purely logical fist and sense of anxiety that pooled off of her and spread throughout the mansion. Possibly even into the island.

"WHERE DID YOU HEAR THAT NAME?!" A voice emerged from her face against her will. Not her own, she was fighting to bring that back. "THEY'RE DEAD, THEY HAVE TO BE! AFTER WHAT THEY DID I KILLED THEM, I MADE THEM SUFFER, WE WERE SAFE, WE-!"

Her face finally managed to go back to the usual question mark visage, though her body sagged at the effort. Holding Oira back right now seemed to be...exhausting.

"Apologies." She managed. "But, are you certain? This is a sensitive subject." The image of Nao on the screen nodded, clearly shaken but doing her best not to show it.

"Y-yes, ma'am." She said, the smallest stutter betraying her otherwise calm face. "Delgra-"

"Stick to codenames on business calls, Nao."

"Sorry." Her grey skin flushed red for a moment. "DragonGal and I found records of the organisation in the library terminal. Something seemed off about them, so we began investigating."

"I can confirm." DragonGal nodded, her arms crossed and expression harsh yet steady. It was no secret that she had something against Nobody, though recently things had been worse than usual. When it became clear her return didn't mean Nao would be leaving any time soon, she started to relax, but whenever the two interacted there was something weighing on her.

Nobody didn't mind. Distrusting her was practically encouraged as far as she cared.

"What did you find?" Nobody asked, gently massaging her head in a fruitless attempt to calm the migraine Oira was inducing. Veldra was silent as usual, but Nobody could feel a sense of concern radiating off of it. Something that had been otherwise unheard of.

"An entity we refer to as 'Echo'." DragonGal continued. Images were displayed - some kind of skeletal creature with a burning green flame instead of a head, with bits of code engraved on otherwise black bones. "I've been tracking it, and in the process we ran into some active facilities."

"I trust you had good reason for not informing us-" Nobody sighed and rephrased. "Not informing me?"

"The entity mentioned you." Nao said. "They seemed strangely aware of you, leading us to suspect it had some ability to interfere with our data and communications. The fact that we found it whilst analysing our computer files supported this, so we didn't risk communication."

Damn her, that was a good reason. Nobody bit back her anger - it wouldn't help the mission, she reminded herself. Yelling and hitting things wouldn't help Katra.

"Given how urgent this situation is, we figured it was best to consider all options." DragonGal said, with the slightest hint of smugness, like she could see Nobody's discomfort and enjoyed it. "Based on what we know of Mythos's MO, they seem like plausible culprits. The girl's alive, but out of reach to any means besides direct soul tracking. Smells like a trap."

"Katra." Another voice, one that had been otherwise silent throughout the call, chimed in. "Her name is Katra."

Nobody had never been quite so appreciative of Solara's voice, and her willingness to cooperate when lived were in danger.

"Right." DragonGal rolled her eyes. "So, Katra's being held in such a way as to almost lead us to her. Given what you told us about her, her divine-ish nature makes her Mythos's ideal target. And based on your reactions..."

"They're trying to make you angry and get you to storm off for her." Solara realised. DragonGal made a dinging sound with her mouth. "Nobody, listen-"

"You go."

"Eh?"

"You go, Solara." Nobody said patiently. "Take Nao with you, you'll need someone who can trace souls. If you're right, and this is meant as a trap for me, I can't go."

"LIKE HELL YOU CAN'T! WE HAVE TO!"

They all ignored Oira, something Nobody was sure she would regret later.

"You two are the most powerful people I can count on for this." She continued. "Plus, you're far better with people than I am. If Katra is in a dire state, you're better to aid her."

"I..." Solara trailed off for a moment. Nao was quick to pick up on her apparent nerves.

"Don't worry, I'm willing and able to cooperate." She said with a patient smile. "Together, we shouldn't have any problems."

"I-I guess..." Solara said, uncharacteristically quietly. She almost seemed scared. She shook her head for a moment, seeming to dismiss the emotion. "No, you're right. A young woman is in danger, we need to act fast. I'll do it."

"Excellent." Nobody said, breathing a quiet sigh of relief. "DragonGal, I want you and BugBoy on the Echo investigation. Find that thing and figure out everything you can about it."

"What about Lord Terronus?" BugBoy asked. The boy was remarkably patient for his age, a mere 15 years. He knew better than to interrupt before he was addressed and seemed to harbour no dislike of her that she could see.

"He'll be on perimeter duty." She said. "There was a disturbance near Zen's home recently anyway, not uncommon but worth checking regardless. The rest of you, dismissed." She waved a hand, closing the holographic screen and ending the call.

"I don't like this."

"Really! I thought you were thrilled." Nobody groaned sarcastically. She collapsed herself into one of the many lavish chairs strewn around the house. "Care to explain what all that was about?"

"You...you don't remember?"

"Bits and pieces." Nobody said. "Something about a lab, the button, tests, protecting someone - you and Veldra, I'd assume - but the details are frustratingly fuzzy."

"I only see the past feelings." Veldra finally spoke up. "Rage. Fear. Confusion. Desire, then hatred."

"I-I'll try to explain..." Oira stammered. Nobody nodded patiently, accepting that for the moment there was little else thar she could do but listen to her companion's story.

Every word made her more and more concerned for Katra.

But she was not of emotion. She was of reason.

So she clutched the armrests with perfectly logical tension.

It had been several months since moving to Creatorverse, and Katra still had no idea what to make of it. Besides a brief appearance in a now-cancelled tournament, she hadn't seen much of the city.

When Nobody, her new...room-mate? Mentor? The woman was rather evasive on anything specific. In any case, when it became clear she lacked much in the way of food and drink for physical beings, she leapt on the chance for a grocery run.

"How much did she give us again?"

"No clue." Katra sighed as she walked on her way back home. She held about six bags comfortably filled with whatever looked good. She didn't have any favourite foods really - her diet had usually been strictly controlled. "The card went through okay, so it seems all legitimate. But no ATM gives me a clear number."

"Wonder where she gets the money. Assassination work seems like her thing."

"If she were an assassin, we'd be dead." Katra reminded her spectral companion. Gold was more docile since the tournament., perhaps taking Nobody's advice on working together to heart. Or perhaps just biding her time before something big. Katra tried not to question it. "She's not after our bounty."

"He wouldn't be the first assassin to not kill you. Remember thar catboy you like?"

"Yukimi's an exception." She took a few more moments to register what her companion had said. "A-and I don't like him, okay?! Stop s-saying that." Gold barked out a laugh that Katra chose to ignore.

Which became rather simple to do when it was abruptly cut off.

"Oh hey, it works!" Katra spun, turning to an alley where she saw...herself? A grinning mirror image of her holding what looked like some kind of remote. "Soul interference sure is handy, huh? Betcha your friend's all quiet now! You're welcome!"

Katra dropped her shopping bags immediately, tensing and readying herself for movement. "Who are you?!" She demanded, sounding perhaps more desperate for an answer than she would've liked.

"I'm you, silly!" The doppelganger insisted. "And him, and her, and them. I'm whoever I need to be! But since that's unhelpful, let's go with Avi for now." It bowed theatrically. If this were an assassin, she suspected it was of the deranged actor variety. Surprisingly common in her experience.

"Deranged? How rude!" The doppelganger pouted. "I come out all this way only for you to criticise me in your head? Not cool." It shook its head. Katra's body shook in turn.

"You read minds?"

"Somebody does, and I'm everybody!" Avi extended its arms out as it spoke gleefully. "People have all sorts of powers in this city, and I have a taste of a lot of 'em. I only have your looks on the outside though. Can't get more until later."

"What happens later?" Katra took a fighting stance, expecting the answer. She wasn't ready for Avi to move faster than any eye of hers could blink, however.

"It'll be more fun to show you...!" Katra barely had time to turn before her vision was eclipsed with black. There was a piercing pain in her head, presumably from an attack. She couldn't tell.

Everything went dark.

.

..

...

...

"Katra? Pick up, please. I can't seem to reach you any other way and this infernal contraption is annoying at best."

"You're not there, are you? Dammit. Now I have to make some more calls."

.

..

...

Katra's phone sat in the street, it's power draining and cracked screen flickering.

She couldn't hear it.

She was busy listening to them.

"The subject has been obtained successfully, director." A muffled man's voice. It sounded low and strange, as though it was speaking without a mouth. She couldn't see anything.

"Excellent work, Doctor McGee. Your pet project has outdone itself." A woman's voice, strong and firm. Yet there was somehow also a weightless quality to it. It floated to your ears yet demanded your attention. "The data acquired from the primary target was helpful, then?"

"Yup!" Her own voice. Familiar yet alien. "The whole Z and P incident worked wonders! Now we know exactly how to deal with soul interference. I'd thank them, but I don't think they like me." It sounded almost sad about that for a moment.

"Their favour is not required, Avi." The woman said calmly, comforting the doppelganger. "Only the results matter in an experiment. Opinions are irrelevant."

"You're just sayin' that!" Katra heard her own mouth stick it's tongue out playfully. "Probably jut 'Cause she'd hate this, right Vo-" Katra tried not to flinch and thus give away her consciousness as she heard a sharp gasp escape the doppelganger, followed by a metallic impact.

"Call me director, pest." She could feel there were eyes on her as the voice spoke again.

"After all, you never know who's listening."

Katra struggled against it, but a hint of a whimper escaped her mouth unwillingly.

Screams came next.

[cv-nobody-and-associates]

Whispers

[Katra Aracnai Caenis is now open for asks!]

[cv-nobody-and-associates]

"I-I-don't-" Nobody slammed the girl's head into the tree once more. It was hardly in her nature to react calmly to magically induced visions after the whole fog situation and subsequent journey, and what she had seen here was...a lot.

"I'm in no mood for games. Do you want to tell me what you did or do I need to rip the answer out of your soul?" She threatened. On some level she knew this was unhelpful, and some nagging part of her protested, but she wasn't inclined to listen.

"I-I-I swear I don't k-know!" The girl - Katra, right? - started crying, her words struggling to push through a layer of terrified sobs. Nobody sighed, taking a deep breath to calm herself. She was shaking in every part of her body besides her right arm, which had a habit of going still in times of stress. She finally dropped Katra to the ground and took a step back.

"Gods, what am I doing?" She said to herself, wiping her face with her hands. "I've only been back home properly for a few hours and I'm attacking a child-"

"I'm not a child!" Katra protested. Nobody rolled her eyes beneath her face.

"Teenager then? Young adult?" Nobody said dismissively. "No offence, but all mortals are children compared to me. It becomes hard to keep track." She waited a moment before deciding to approach Katra once more, this time as non-threateningly as possible. Understandably, the girl still flinched as she approached. She didn't do more than raise an eyebrow when Nobody sat down, however.

"Sorry." She apologised. "I shouldn't have lashed out at you, it's just...visions like that have been known to lead to...problems, for me." She crossed her arms, oddly insecure about the whole experience. Katra raised her head just a little to get a better look at her.

I think I saw." Katra nodded. "S-something about fog? A-and the others? It was all a little messy and Gold probably g-got more than me."

"Oira and Veldra. Those are their names." Nobody explained. "I saw them in a vision first. Turns out, they're dormant parts of me that reawakened. I can hear them now actually." She chuckled a little.

"Oira likes you. She's actually apologising profusely on my behalf. Vee is a lot more quiet. Probably because I call it Vee." She joked. Katra let out a nervous chuckle in response, starting to calm down.

"You know, I saw a little bit of you when the other one," She jerked a thumb towards Gold, whose eyes were as wide as they could be. "and I must say I feel even worse about this whole fiasco. It's not every day I attack a Messiah." Katra flinched, clearly bothered by the term.

"I-that's not-" Gold interrupted her.

"She's still pretty shy about it. Weird, right? Practically unlimited power and an army of loyal followers and she's not happy? Or at least, she doesn't want to admit she is-" Nobody groaned as she spoke, remaining focused on Katra.

"She seems annoying." Katra let out an honest laugh at that, the most pleasant sound she had heard from the girl. She smiled beneath her face. "If she doesn't have an off button of her own, I think I can help."

"W-wait really?!" Katra's attention snapped fully to Nobody, her eyes desperate. "Y-you can make her go away?"

"Unfortunately, I don't think even I could go that far." Katra's head lowered with disappointment, but Nobody wasn't done. "But I do know some ways to keep her quiet. Some tricks I picked up from friends. May I?" She extended a hand towards Katra, who nodded after a moment's hesitation.

She placed her hand on Katra's chest gently, and a small glowing light emerged as she worked her magic.

"You have friends?" Katra asked. Nobody must have somehow communicated a raised eyebrow, because two of Katra's spider arms flew up in a defensive position. "S-sorry, that may have come out wrong..."

"It's alright. I know I don't exactly come off as approachable." She finished her magic and removed her hand. Katra took a deep breath. The wolf ears on her head twitched, which Nobody took as a good sign. "But back home there a few people I like to think of as friends. Zen, Scrub, sometimes even Bloss on a good day." She said.

"Where is your home?" Katra asked. Nobody took a moment, thinking how best to explain it. She eventiually pointed up into the air.

"Look up there. And really focus, use all your eyes." She said. Katra opened her mouth to speak but Nobody continued. "I've been through your soul like Gold there was through mine, so I understand what you can do."

Katra squinted, three eyes on her forehead opening. They were in a triangular pattern, each with yellow irises and black sclera. They glowed faintly. A fourth opened in the centre of the triangle. Katra then raised her hands, where the two final eyes emerged from her palms.

"You see that island over there?" Nobody pointed, guiding Katra's gaze. "The one sitting in the sky? That's my home. It's called Creatorverse."

"Creatorverse..." Katra murmured. "I've heard rumours, but I didn't think it was real."

"It seems unreal to me too sometimes." Nobody admitted. "It's full of all kinds of people, gods and monsters and commoners all living peacefully amongst one another. Well, mostly."

"Mostly?"

"Occasionally we get hit by morons and assholes." Nobody shrugged. "Sometimes people with an arguably legitimate point to make, but frequently dumb nonsense. I wouldn't be surprised if whilst I was gone the city became raccoons for a week or something." Katra laughed again at the thought, which admittedly made Nobody chuckle as well.

"There can be problems, but the people there have heart." Nobody smiled as she looked up to the island. "In all my travels throughout the multiverse, there are few finer places to call home."

"Do you..." Katra hesitated, though Nobody could guess what she was going to ask. "Do you think you could take me there? I-I don't have anywhere to go..." Nobody sighed.

"I can only transport myself, I'm afraid." She explained. "The dragons still won't forgive me for that one surfing incident and only I can use my portals. But..." She offered before Katra could get too disheartened. She placed a hand on her arm and from it a key emerged, which she pulled out with a strange sticky sound. She waved it around a few times before passing it to Katra.

"What's this?"

"A very special key." Nobody said. "If you get on to the island, say for example, by shooting a web from..." She stood and moved a little, looking around until she found the right angle. "...that tree there, you can use it to find my home. It'll be open to you as long as you wish it to be."

"R-really? Thanks, but..." Katra hesitated. "Why? Whay are you helping me?"

"I'd be lying if I said it was entirely out of the goodness of my heart." Nobody admitted. "Whilst I do feel I owe you for all this, your power is also something that fascinates me. I believe I can help you master it, and that doing so will prove beneficial for me as well. But I won't force anything on you." She promised.

She stretched before drawing her sword and making a portal, slashing into the air and cutting into space itself. Somewhere on the edge of Creatorverse, the barrier of reality similarly fell, joining it to the wound she had made. She'd heal it once she was through, as always. She turned back to Katra once more.

"About Gold, I think you're looking at it all the wrong way." She said. "You're thinking she's the one in control and you're the one struggling against her. Try the other way around. I'm sure it'll help."

With her final piece of advice delivered, Nobody decided not to delay any longer. She stepped through the portal and returned to Creatorverse.

@katra-aracnai-caenis-cv

Re[Turn Back]

Katra Aracnai Caenis was completely and utterly lost.

She didn't care. If she was lost, she wouldn't hurt anyone. No one was around. The forest was completely empty as far as she could tell, and she wouldn't have it any other way.

"Really? You can't seriously think I'm gonna buy that."

Katra shook her head, ignoring the voice that dwelt within. It claimed to be trying to help her, but whenever she listened to it things only grew worse. And given that she was currently on the run from a cult ran by her own parents, things getting worse was quite an unsettling experience.

"Oh come on, we only killed a few people! And you know they deserved it. They wanted to use you, to hurt you. You don't want that, do you?"

"Shut up..." She hissed quietly, continuing to trudge through the dense forest. She didn't know where she was going. Away, she supposed. Away would do.

"...waste of time..." Katra stopped, hearing the sound of a nearby voice. A woman, as far as she could guess. Peering through the forest, she found what looked to be some kind of old shrine. Most of it was full of overgrown plants, but nearby she spotted a figure. As far as she could tell they were dressed all in black, bearing a small top hat on their head.

"You know, I actually can't tell if that's a suit or some weird skin thing. Wanna ask?"

"Maybe..." She admitted reluctantly before shaking her head. She couldn't let curiosity push her where she didn't belong again. "No, no. I'd better just leave. I'll just make things worse."

"Oh don't worry." Katra froze, her body forced into the open. The figure seemed to be holding her...but not? She was being suspended in the air.She struggled and strained to no avail.

"After the day I've been having, you couldn't make things much worse."

@cv-nobody-and-associates

[cv-nobody-and-associates]

Nobody took a moment to examine the strange person she had stumbled into. Some youngling, black hair with white...dog ears? No, wolf, she decided. White wolf ears and a tail of the same colour. And there was something off about their eyes as well, a strange bronze colour with some unusual and unsettling quality.

"So, what have we here?" She paced around them, keeping the figure suspended in the air. "Going to go out on a limb here and assume you two weren't looking for me."

"Y-yes! I just s-s-stumbled over here and-" The figure spoke with a woman's voice, Nobody assumed. Their eyes widened as they attempted to move their head to see Nobody from behind. "W-wait, two?"

"Ah, one of you must be non-physical." She concluded witha hum. "Apologies, I don't mean to alarm you, but...well, someone or something is latched onto your soul. Tell me, do you have a name?"

"K-katra." The figure answered cautiously. Nobody could tell she was alarmed, though it seemed more from her presence than anything she had said. The name didn't ring any bells to her.

"Oira, Veldra, notice anything?" She asked her resident internal guests. She found she was able to communicate with them a decent amount in her head, though she had yet to thoroughly test other means of communication. Even after her journey of discovery, there was much she had to learn.

"About the name? No. But that other one, the immaterial person in her soul? It reminds me of something I heard a while ago. Something V and the science guys mentioned once." Nobody nodded, listening to Oira's input. Veldra wasn't particularly talkative, but made similarly affirmative noises.

"Katra, does the phrase 'Holy Grail' mean anything to you?" Immediately Katra froze, their skin growing pale. They began shaking their head, but the other, the strange copy next to them, nodded vigourously. Curious.

"Fascinating, but I suppose this will have to wait." She dropped Katra onto the ground of the forest, though she was rather surprised to see two needle-like spider arms slip free from her back, allowing her to catch herself with strands of web. "It's been quite some time and I really should get back home. And I suspect you should too, by the look of you. This forest isn't good for someone your age."

"I'm 19!" Katra protested. If Nobody's current form were to have eyes she would have rolled them.

"I'm beyond time, everyone's young to me. Nothing personal." She waved a hand, summoning a portal behind Katra. "Now, this should take you back to wherever you came from. I'm sure your family must be worried sick about you."

"NO, YOU CAN'T!" Katra protested. Their voice carried a strong urgency to it.

"Hey, don't worry. I got this."

"Alright, settle down-" was all Nobbody had time to say before the Katra copy plunged a hand into her stomach. To say it was an agonising sensation, as though every atom of her being was being boiled and cooled simultaneously, would be an understatement.

"Ooh, aren't you fascinating? I'm gonna have some fun digging around in you."

@katra-aracnai-caenis-cv

Re[Turn Back]

Katra Aracnai Caenis was completely and utterly lost.

She didn't care. If she was lost, she wouldn't hurt anyone. No one was around. The forest was completely empty as far as she could tell, and she wouldn't have it any other way.

"Really? You can't seriously think I'm gonna buy that."

Katra shook her head, ignoring the voice that dwelt within. It claimed to be trying to help her, but whenever she listened to it things only grew worse. And given that she was currently on the run from a cult ran by her own parents, things getting worse was quite an unsettling experience.

"Oh come on, we only killed a few people! And you know they deserved it. They wanted to use you, to hurt you. You don't want that, do you?"

"Shut up..." She hissed quietly, continuing to trudge through the dense forest. She didn't know where she was going. Away, she supposed. Away would do.

"...waste of time..." Katra stopped, hearing the sound of a nearby voice. A woman, as far as she could guess. Peering through the forest, she found what looked to be some kind of old shrine. Most of it was full of overgrown plants, but nearby she spotted a figure. As far as she could tell they were dressed all in black, bearing a small top hat on their head.

"You know, I actually can't tell if that's a suit or some weird skin thing. Wanna ask?"

"Maybe..." She admitted reluctantly before shaking her head. She couldn't let curiosity push her where she didn't belong again. "No, no. I'd better just leave. I'll just make things worse."

"Oh don't worry." Katra froze, her body forced into the open. The figure seemed to be holding her...but not? She was being suspended in the air.She struggled and strained to no avail.

"After the day I've been having, you couldn't make things much worse."

@cv-nobody-and-associates

[cv-nobody-and-associates]

A Brief and Unfortunate Announcement

Hello everyone! Liz here, breaking character. I have an unfortunate announcement regarding the story I've been telling with Nobody here.

In short, I've cancelled it. Nobody Needs to Know is hereby cancelled, and we'll be skipping over to the next part of the story.

I had intended this to be a three part story, but as time's went on I've only become less and less interested in the final part of the story. At this point I've all but forgotten what I was going to do and have barely any interest in getting through it. So I've decided to just scrap it completely and move on.

I do have a better idea of what happens next, so hopefully that should go smoother. Apologies for the disappointment.

[cv-nobody-and-associates]

Project Pandora - Files Recovered

Log Notes - Date ???

The lab techs finally got a good one. Natural affinity with the button, and a power ideal for our research. Younger than usual. Current theory is that genetic variance will work better on a younger body. Don't know where they took the kid from, but it seems very tame. Little resistance was noted upon acquisition. All in all, subject 37 seems like our strongest candidate yet.

Log Notes - Date ??? +6M

The subject is progressing about as well as predicted. Improvements with their natural ability don't seem to be assisting progress with our goals. Disappointing, but the director assures me that subject 37 is still in the early days of development, and that soon our experiments can proceed in force. Additional notes on Subject 37 - it remains quiet most days, aside from the usual screams as the experiments proceed. Touch seems to greatly disturb it. Consider use of fear to boost adrenaline for greater response?

Log Notes - Date ??? +1Y

We've had a breakthrough. Subject 37 finally registered a genetic change through its ability. Had to use truth serums to insure it hadn't used the button for a 'complete shift', as the techs call it. Injections with other stimulants show some promise, but as suspected stress is the real key. Reaction was prompted after doctor [REDACTED] attempted physical contact with subject 37. Additional notes - subject 37 seems disturbed, has taken to talking to itself. Disposal of doctor [REDACTED]'s body on hold, genetic analysis required. check for DNA samples.

Log Notes - Date ??? + 3Y

The director is concerned about the mental state of subject 37. The instability could potentially put the project in danger. It's been talking to itself a lot, and we believe it may be hallucinating. We've been trying every substance possible, but nothing's working. Blood samples reveal nothing beyond the expected test parameters. We're close. The genetic components are coming into place. The button WILL make life. Additional notes - subject 37's name was recently found in public news. All mentions of 'Oira' are being censored, and we've hired people to remove the press issue.

Log Notes - Date ??? +6Y

Potential security breach. The lab techs noted some peculiar energy readings around subject 37. Slowed down security footage shows some kind of odd light. Subject 37 appeared to talk to it. Audio unavailable. The director has insisted on tighter security as well as radiation sensors. No noticeable effect on Subject 37. Additional notes - Lab tech reported seeing a floating island yesterday. Sent for psychiatric evaluation.

Log Notes - Date ??? +14Y

The facility is on lockdown. Project Pandora is at risk. I knew we shouldn't have dismissed those energy readings. Something compromised the cell of subject 37 and altered it, and whatever it is now it isn't happy. Genetic readings are off the charts and constantly shifting. Subject 37.5 now seems capable of complete cellular manipulation. Its button however, has been damaged. Additional notes - 37.5 appears to be in a state of transformation. Face keeps flickering from a musical note to what appears to be a question mark. The latter image has been lasting longer before dissipating. Increase containment to level Omega security. It cannot be allowed to escape

-No further logs recorded. Termination of project Pandora noted 47 minutes after last entry.

"What were all these doing here?" Nao couldn't help but ask. She had been exploring the mansion that she would be calling home, and had managed to find a library full of various books and scrolls and such. In the centre of the room there was a laptop sitting on an ornate desk, one that seemed at odds with the old and rather clunky looking laptop.

"Oira..." She repeated the name mentioned in the logs, the only files she seemed able to access. For the moment, the only other files on the laptop seemed to be encrypted or damaged. Even using her suit to attempt to interface directly with the technology - something she had only just learned she could do when a tendril slithered off to a USB port - seemed to do little to allow for better access.

The name brought very little to her mind, though there were brief flashes. A lab. Hands reaching in uncomfortable places. Needles. Screams. She guessed they were memories, no doubt inherited from Nobody in some capacity, or rather what little of Nobody could be incorporated into her.

There was one more detail she was able to find, however. A name attached to this 'Project Pandora'. A single word, accompanied by the vague memory of an M-shaped logo.

"Mythos." She confirmed to herself. "Something tells me there's more to that name. It must belong to a group, but why would Nobody care?" She thought aloud. "She's definitely connected to Oira. Is that why? Maybe..." She sighed, uncertain.

"Probably warrants some further investigation. I'll ask the team."

[cv-nobody-and-associates]

Nao was starting to get used to using her limited abilities in her new raccoon form when she heard the alarm go off. She quickly turned to Delgra.

"We should go. It might be trouble." She said, already starting to move. Delgra moved quickly and stopped her by the tail. She went to glare, but was hesitant under her companion's firm stare.

"Or it might be a diversion. We still don't know our enemy's goals, but they know thr Council building is one of the most important places in the city." Delgra explained. Nao's eyes widened as she realised where this was going.

"Which means they knows everyone's going to go running off in that direction, leaving the rest of the city unobserved." Delgra nodded.

"Exactly."

"That doesn't mean we can just ignore it though. People might be in danger, even if it's a diversion. She could have hostages or could have caused an explosion. We won't know unless one of us checks." Nao remained firm in her resolve. A tendril emerged from her suit and quickly struck Delgra's hand away sharply.

"You keep searching. I'll go check the alarms."

"You're..." Delgra seemed to hesitate for a moment. Her expression seemed shocked for a moment before shifting to resemble a smile, as well as a raccoon face could.

"You're really not like her, are you?" Nao smiled back as she began to run off.

"Maybe." She replied, dashing off. Delgra meanwhile remained to continue searching the rest of the city.

"Maybe I should have given her my watch so she could talk." Delgra thought aloud before shrugging. "Ah well, she'll figure something out."

After some time, alarms started going off in the council building.

[cv-nobody-and-associates]

"Well." Nao said. "Remind me never to eat again."

"I'm not doing that." Delgra replied.

"Then remind me never to eat food from mysterious stalls again?" Nao tried. She would have crossed her arms and made a sarcastic expression if only her current form allowed for such things.

Delgra seemed to have no issue rolling her eyes. Lucky her.

"Alright, that's fair. Should've known something weird would happen up here. Crazy stuff happens in this city."

"Don't we fight interdimensional invaders?" Nao asked. Her raccoon head tilted curiously. "How is this crazy compared to what you usually deal with?"

"Well, when it's interdimensional shit, at least then we know WHY it's so crazy." Delgra grumbled. Nao nodded, accepting her reasoning.

"We should probably try to investigate this then." Nao said. "I'm fairly certain it won't be permanent. Alteration protocols aren't in effect, meaning it should pass eventually."

"Glad to hear. But what are 'Alteration protocols' anyway?" Delgra asked. Nao went silent for a long moment before letting out what, in her old mouth, would have been a sigh.

"If this form is permanently altered by any unrecognised entity or foreign object, self termination is to commence to prevent the loss of critical biological data." She explained in a dry and matter of fact tone.

"Cheery." Delgra joked, causing a small laugh to emerge from Nao.

"Well, you know Nobody and her sense of humour." She replied snarkily, prompting Delgra to make a raccoon's approximation of a laugh.

"Alright, enough jokes about our boss. What's the plan?" Delgra asked, getting more serious.

"First, let's try sniffing around where the stall was a moment ago. Maybe we can figure out how it vanished or where it went."

"Alright." Delgra nodded. "We should probably ask around too, see if anyone's got any idea what's happened."

"Good plan." Nao said, before a thought occurred. "Your watch should have a translator function! If we run into any people, try accessing it and we should be able to communicate."

"Man, this thing sure is useful." Delgra whistled. "Good thing our clothes and apparel adjusted to match these bodies."

"Good for you, maybe." Nao replied. "My suit was made for my normal form. And it does not seem happy about this new look. If we don't sort this out soon it might...react."

"React as in start attacking people?" Nao nodded at Delgra's question, confirming her suspicion. "Then we better figure out what's going on and fix it, fast."

Nao and Delgra nodded to one another, accepting the seriousness of the situation.

They then proceeded to start sniffing the floor.

It was time.

When it became six o’clock, something… strange happened to everyone who bought anything from the stand, regardless of if it was consumed or not.

They turned into raccoons.

Orca huffed, stretching and reaching under the counter- muttering things under their breath. They pulled on something, and the entire stall vanished with a ball of smoke. When it cleared, Orca was nowhere to be seen, and the stall nowhere to be found, either.

[cv-nobody-and-associates]

"No problem." Delgra pulled a dollar from her pocket and handed it over to the stall owner. Nao stood a little behind, quietly watching the people nearby.

As the sun rose in the distance and birds sang their song, all seemed right and well in the city of CREATORVERSE.

But today was a special day, because as you looked over the town square, a new shop stall had appeared.

“Come get your hot chocolate!” The owner yelled. “Hot chocolate and freshly baked cookies! Come get them while they’re hot! Want cotton candy or candy floss? We have that to! All for the simple price of a dollar, come and get it! If you get hot chocolate and a snack, it’ll be a simple fifty cents! Come one, come all! Get some hoooooot chocolate!”

[cv-nobody-and-associates]

Nao had only recently emerged from the confines of 'her' home. She supposed it would be hers until Nobody decided to return, and that the same would be true of all her possessions. Including a not insignificant amount of funds left at the mansion with which to acquire things she would need to survive. Simple things, basic food and water would likely suffice.

Delgra had accompanied her on a short shopping trip into the city on order to acquire such goods. Beet and LT had apparently begun to return to the RDS base, the location of which Nao couldn't immediately recall.

"I'll show you there once we're done here." Delgra said, no doubt noticing where Nao's thoughts were. She nodded gratefully.

She didn't have a chance to reply before she heard a strange growling sound. Looking around, the only apparent source was...herself?

"That's...new, I think." She said, looking down. "Let's see. Lower body making sounds like that is meant to indicate...hunger?" She thought for a moment out loud. Delgra couldn't help but laugh a little.

"Yep." She replied, holding in more laughter. She was grinning, a sight Delgra might have enjoyed more were it not an expression born of mockery. "You didn't know stomachs growl when you're hungry?"

"It's more accurate to say I didn't know I had a stomach at all!" She snapped. "There's a lot of missing information as to my component parts, so I don't really know how this body works. Nobody's body is the only basis I have from implanted memories, and they're not exactly compatible."

"Alright, calm down." Delgra said, holding her hands up defensively. "Didn't mean to offend, I just thought it was funny. How about I get us a snack or something? I could use one myself anyway."

"You sure?"

"Yeah, why not? We've still got plenty of money and there's usually some cheap stalls around. Just need to find one." Delgra began to look around the street.

"There's one!" Nao helpfully pointed to the stall selling hot chocolate. "Will that work?"

"It's your stomach, what do you think?" Delgra asked. Nao hesitated before shaling her head.

"I have no idea. I've never tasted anything before." She shrugged. "Might as well give it a shot."

"Fair enough. Come on then!" Much to her surprise, Delgra took Nao's hand and strolled towards the stall.

"Excuse me, we'd like two cookies and hot chocolates please!" She requested.

As the sun rose in the distance and birds sang their song, all seemed right and well in the city of CREATORVERSE.

But today was a special day, because as you looked over the town square, a new shop stall had appeared.

“Come get your hot chocolate!” The owner yelled. “Hot chocolate and freshly baked cookies! Come get them while they’re hot! Want cotton candy or candy floss? We have that to! All for the simple price of a dollar, come and get it! If you get hot chocolate and a snack, it’ll be a simple fifty cents! Come one, come all! Get some hoooooot chocolate!”

[cv-nobody-and-associates]

"Are we sure about this?" Delgra considered herself a very patient woman. Living for 806 years taught a person a thing or two about that. But with Beet asking the same question for the seventh time in the past few hours, she struggled not to snap. She sighed, placing one of her hands in front of her face. 

 

"Yes Beet, we're sure." She answered, doing her best to hide the irritation in her voice. She was leaning on a rather fancy computer chair that was at odds with their surroundings, a barren castle-like room that wouldn't have looked too out of place in Dracula. 

 

Beet was squirming in the seat, having finished working on the computer. His beetle-esque wings seemed to shiver nervously on occasion, and a frown formed on the boy's green-skinned face. 

 

The computer was one of the two pieces of technology in the room. Well, three if she counted LT, the cyborg third member of their team. He was sitting on the floor near the back of the room, his eyes fixed on the last piece of tech, that which was connected to the computer. 

 

Delgra wasn't sure what the proper term was. Stasis Chamber? Reanimation Receptacle? Quantum Field Stability Unit? Something equally sci-fi? 

 

Off the top of her head, "metal coffin" seemed the most fitting. It had a singular black pane of glass that served as a monitor, and was otherwise featureless grey steel of a little over six feet in height. 

 

"It's just protocol." She explained, smiling a little to put the young bug at ease. "We haven't heard from her for a pretty long time. Long enough that we got the signal from the base to come here." 

 

"Indeed." LT confirmed, not moving their gaze from the metal coffin. "Though I must say, my internal perceptions of her basement were...different." Delgra rolled her eyes whilst Beet seemed to straighten in his seat. 

 

"There's more!" Beet announced, happy for the distraction. Delgra gave a subtle wink to LT, who nodded back slightly in return. "It's an old spell on the door, it means we can only access this level. It responds to the signal on that rune! Cool, huh?" Beet said, turning and pointing at the watch Delgra wore. 

 

It's shining silver stood out against the deep maroon colour of her scaley skin. Upon it was, rather than a time display, was an image of a small symbol. A rune, as Beet called it. She was a fair bit out of touch with tech/magic combinations. All she knew was that it pulsed when it was held up to the door. 

 

"Does the rune respond to temperature?" LT asked, causing Beet to giggle in amusement. "It's odd that a draconic being like Delgra was asked to hold it then." 

 

"It's just an expression, LT!" Beet laughed. "Cool doesn't refer to temperature in all contexts. It's...it's like saying something is impressive." 

 

"Noted." LT nodded to Beet. Delgra got the sense that if their black metal helmet had a mouth, it would have been smiling. 

 

There was a sharp hissing sound that interrupted any further thoughts. The metal coffin was starting to open, screws at the ends slowly undoing themselves. 

 

Delgra backed up, taking a ready and tense stance directly in front of the metal coffin. 

 

"Okay team, form up." She said firmly. "LT, take left. Beet, you take right. We don't look if what comes out will be hostile or not, but knowing Nobody I wouldn't be surprised if it needs souls for breakfast." 

 

"Doubt it. The soul in there feels normal." Beet said. Delgra glanced over to her right to see Beet's eyes glowing green. He held his hands out, a spinning ball of energy in between them. 

 

"Vital signs match complenious humanoid." LT added. Delgra didn't respond, but she did raise an eyebrow as a metallic BANG rang out through the room. 

 

The walls seemed to shiver uncertainly, as though the entire room wasn't clear on how it was meant to react. A white mist filled the air, within which Delgra could see a figure collapsed onto their hands and knees. For a time, there was no sound aside from the figure's desperate, hungry breaths. 

 

They appeared to be female in form, Delgra noticed. A well-built form, not especially bulky but clearly with some muscle. Well developed as well, around early to mid twenties if she had to guess a human age range. They - she? - wore what appeared to be a one piece bodysuit that left their legs below the knee and their forearms exposed. 

 

The suit was black as night, save for the symbol of its creator - a pale white question mark - clearly visible upon the stomach. The figure's skin was stone-grey, and they had what appeared to be rather short, white hair. 

 

"W-what…" The figure slurred. Their voice was a little higher than Delgra expected based on their body, but it matched the form in that it was clearly feminine. The figure didn't even have a chance to look up before slender steel serpent-like appendages emerged from the coffin. 

 

The figure screamed in agony as the steel serpents seemed to connect to her neck. Her eyes went wide, and Delgra saw that they too were pitch black, though there was the exception of yellow sclera that couldn't seem to decide between a round humanoid eye shape and the narrow slits of an animal. 

 

[ERROR - SUBJECT INTERNAL STORAGE IS INSUFFICIENT. DATA TRANSFER FAILING] 

 

Delgra motioned for Beet and LT to assist in removing the silver plugs whilst she approached the figure carefully. Her nose appeared to be bleeding, and even when Delgra was right in her face she didn't seem capable of registering her presence.

 

"Can you hear me?" Delgra attempted. No response. Beet and LT struggled to pull out the plugs, managing to dislodge one from each arm. They moved to the slightly larger cable connected to the figure's neck. 

 

"My team and I are here to help you." She pushed on, hoping that her words were reaching the figure on some level. "My name is Delgra, and I'm going to make sure you come out of this okay." 

 

"Just a little more…!" Beet pulled on the neck cable with all his might, his wings carrying him off the ground and allowing him to pull it even more. LT was using a finger-mounted precision laser to carefully remove it from its matching socket on the neck. 

 

"GOT IT!" Beet staggered a little in the air as the cable tumbled back. Similar to the severed tendrils of a squid or octopus, it flailed around for a few moments before it seemed to be pulled back within the metal coffin. The figure's bleeding had stopped, and her head now faced clearly forward. Delgra took a few steps back. 

 

The figure was glaring. She didn't quite understand why, but she could easily see the hostility in her gaze. 

 

"Intruders...program interrupted…" She muttered, managing to pull herself to a standing position. Delgra noticed the figure's hands were curled into fists, so she held up her arms defensively. 

 

"Easy there, hun. You're in no shape to start a fight." She gave a small and patient smile. 

 

"Indeed. Scans indicate a lack of exterior damage, but you may still have some internal-" LT didn't get a chance to finish their diagnosis as the figure suddenly leapt towards them. They tried to move back, but the figure seemed prepared for that. 

 

The sleeve of her pitch black suit shifted, growing and forming a blade over her arm. She thrusted it forth, managing to tear through LT's armour. They made a sparking hiss sound in response, about the closest the cyborg ever got to grunting in pain. 

 

"Hey, stay away from him!" Beet charged, but again the figure's suit seemed to react. The figure had barely looked back before a series of tendrils spring from the blackness to stab at Beet, who managed to evade them with surprising grace. 

 

The figure's blade expanded out and changed shape, forming a rough grip around LT. With a yell, she flung him savagely at Beet, who was pushed onto the wall as he tried his best to steady his ally. 

 

"Guys, stay back!" Delgra called out. Beet looked ready to protest, but she was insistent. "I can handle this. Besides, orders were clear on not damaging her." 

 

"Looks like she didn't get the damn message!" Beet called. 

 

 Delgra managed to easily dodge an incoming blow, this one a simple punch from the figure's non morphed arm. She seemed surprised and nearly stumbled before pushing back and switching to a slightly more wary stance. 

 

"You're strong. LT'S armour was meant to be practically unbreakable." Delgra commented, taking a fighting stance. She and the figure began to circle one another slowly, each waiting for the inevitable end to their stalemate. "But you're not thinking, you're just reacting. That suit's faster than your thoughts right now. Your head's still fuzzy, isn't it?" 

 

The figure growled, but she made no gesture of denial. Her eyes narrowed, and Delgra brought her arms together for a block. The figure began to charge forth, until suddenly she stopped. 

 

Delgra's watch glowed a bright blue, the symbol upon it expanding and forming a pentagonal pattern with a single curved line within. 

 

The figure shifted immediately, falling out of any kind of fighting stance and instead standing upright with arms held at the sides. Delgra raised an eyebrow, but Beet seemed to catch on to something, pulling himself up. 

 

"Oh, I get it now!" He rushed over to more closely examine the symbol. Delgra shot him a worried look, but he ignored it. "That symbol doesn't just act as a signal to the house. It's a control seal!" 

 

"So it's controlling her?" Delgra asked. Beet shook his head. 

 

"No, this isn't complex enough for that. See how it only had a single line? All it does is calm and steady the target when activated. It would seem the watch has it keyed so it only responds to her." Beet explained. LT pulled themself up and stood by the other two. 

 

"A genetic lock, perhaps?" They speculated. "It seemed to activate upon eye contact with the target. A retinal scan may be involved." 

 

"I'm just glad it stopped the fighting." Delgra sighed. She noticed the figure in front of them all was now looking more confused than hostile. She seemed almost completely different, looking around the room uncertainly. 

 

"How are you feeling?" The figure's head quickly snapped back to Delgra, her expression nervous. 

 

"I...know that." She pointed at the symbol displayed upon Delgra's watch that had projected itself outward into a shield-like fashion. "Wait, no, sorry." Delgra raised an eyebrow as the figure apologised.

 

"The sigil is recognised." The figure said. "I am designated as the Nobody of project Alternate, Omega protocol variation. Identify yourselves with your given designations." 

 

"BugBoy." Beet declared first. 

 

"Lord Terronus" LT continued. 

 

"DragonGal." Delgra finished, holding her hand out. The new Nobody looked at it uncertainly. "There's nothing in the protocol that says we can't shake hands, right?"  

 

"I...I don't think so." She replied, before wincing. "Sorry, your statement is acknowledged and confirmed." She stated, swiftly taking Delgra's hand and shaking it in the gentlest way possible before releasing it. 

 

"You can relax, you know. She's not here to yell at us about etiquette or anything." Delgra chuckled, managing to draw a laugh out of the new Nobody in turn. 

 

"If you say so." She shrugged, seeming to relax somewhat. There was still a sense of stiffness to her movements, though Delgra guessed that might have been linked to the metal coffin and its confined space. "The instructions I was given suggested individuality wasn't permitted." 

 

"Pretty hypocritical, given she left to do some work on herself and not for a mission." Beet commented. The new Nobody- 

 

"You should probably her your own name actually, this is getting confusing in my head." Delgra sighed. The new Nobody paused for a moment. 

 

"I was given permission to do that much, I think." She said quietly. "I'll keep it simple - call me Nao." 

 

"Nao?" Delgra asked. 

 

"An abbreviation. For Nobody Alternate Omega, correct?" LT deduced, to which the newly dubbed Nao nodded. 

 

"That's right. It's simple and efficient." She hesitated before quietly adding, "Plus I like the sound of it." 

 

"As good a reason as any." Delgra nodded. "Welcome to the Realm Defence Squad, Nao. And whilst we're on the subject, welcome to Internia. Creatorverse, specifically." 

 

"I'm honoured, ma'am." Nao bowed briefly. Delgra wasn't keen on the formality, but she didn't want to start anything over it and so she endured with only a slightly uncomfortable expression. "I trust that given I'm awake, the original is absent?" 

 

"Correct." LT confirmed. "Nobody had not been seen in this Internia dimension for some time, and with her absence there has been an increase in interdimensional activity." 

 

"Really? How bad is it?" Nao asked. Delgra sighed for a moment before replying. 

 

"Nothing too difficult to handle, but we figured the extra hands would be useful." 

 

"And the powers!" Beet chimed in, prompting Delgra to nod. 

 

"And the powers." She agreed. "Plus, without Nobody there isn't anyone keeping watch over this city. A lot of crazy stuff happens here, even without extradimensional threats to worry about." She couldn't help but notice that Nao's expression had shifted, their mouth set into a frown that seemed to radiate a sense of shame. 

 

"I-I see." Nao stammered. "I'm sorry, but my powers are...incomplete." She looked down at her hands, refusing to meet anyone's eyes. Delgra raised an eyebrow. 

 

"What exactly do you mean by 'incomplete?'"? She asked. "You seem capable enough in battle." 

 

"I…" She seemed hesitant to explain, as though the state of her powers was embarrassing. "The original Nobody wasn't compatible with any kind of recreation tools, neither science nor magic. So my form is made from a series of beings meant to match her as close as possible." The suit Nao wore seemed to shift as she spoke. Whether it was Nao's unconscious reaction or the suit itself possessed some form of autonomy, Delgra couldn't say. 

 

"That explains the insufficient data thing." Delgra said. Nao flinched at her words, no doubt recalling the painful neck wires. "Don t worry about it. We don't need you to be on her level any time soon. For now, I suspect your current power should prove sufficient." 

 

"Thank you." Nao seemed to relax, prompting Delgra to smile. It was nice to see her at ease, she couldn't help but think. It was a good look for her. 

 

"So, wanna head out of this basement and get out into the city?" She extended a hand forth. Nao took it, a small smile on her face. 

 

"Gladly." 

 

---[E N D]---

[cv-nobody-and-associates]

[EXTENDED PERIOD OF ABSENCE DETECTED. LAST CONTACT - UNKNOWN]

[PROJECT DATA SUGGESTS INCOMPLETE STATUS. PRIME SUBJECT REPLICABILITY - 000%]

[OMEGA PROTOCOL ENGAGED. ACCESS TO ADDITIONAL RESOURCES GRANTED]

[REBOOT PROCESS ACTIVATED.]

[OPERATION ALTERNATE HAS BEGUN.]