The Absconders: Issue 20

Welcome!!

This is the TWENTIETH issue of our new Marvel Fanon-Made storyline called The Absconders. To read the previous issue, click here. This storyline is Role-played and made by a certain number of experienced RPers. These are our RPers, and their OCs:

• TheSuperiorOne - Trey Soniak (Earth-2025)
• Thecryingwolf3553 - Eliana Rosenheim (Earth-2025)
• PyroHunter16 - Haruto Higashikata (Earth-2025)
• Infamoussnake - Dominic Bernedicci (Earth-2025)
• Guilthegreat - Raa-4 (Earth-2025)

If you want to join this RP, please ask in the comments and you will need most of our approvals to RP in here. Also, you need to have a Marvel OC (Original Character) submitted to deviantART OR this wiki and must share it with us so we know who we are RPing with. Disclaimer: Any real-life or fictional brands are used in as a parody. None of us are actually sponsored, nor do we care to be sponsored. Now let us begin the RP and enjoy :)

Key:

• Normal writing is the dialogue between the characters.
• Italic writing is a special writing type for characters with second personalities or long distance dialogue (telepathy or calls).
• Bold and italic writing are the actions that characters do.
• Writing in between the *asterisk* means that the character is talking in their heads.

---

After Trey left

Everyone at the VP could feel rumbling, it wasn't an attack, but it was Dominic, hollowing out the caves underground using Bunker Buster, it was almost worrisome, as they can feel more shaking. The tremors were interrupting Haruto, who was currently trying to modify something with his Driver. The trembling was getting increasingly annoying, so he had to save whatever he had changed and come back to it later, tucking his Batteries into his pockets and holding the driver himself as he walked to the source of the rumbling.

Haruto: Dom, what the hell is going on? I'm trying to tinker here, and the rumblings are getting annoying.

Dominic: I Smash am Smash Expanding!

Haruto: Expanding? Let me know when you're ready to start building whatever you're making room for. I'll be glad to help out. He left and went to the kitchen to grab some sodas while Dom continued expanding. After an hour Dominic called him in, when he arrived it was an insane amount of space he filled out.

Dominic: Even goes beyond the training field a bit, not under any roads at least, all in the forest. He sounded a bit tired.

Haruto: Gotcha. Haruto tossed Dom a sports drink as he walked into the room with his belt on, finishing off a soda. Let's get started.

Binary Driver: Shin Arcana! Assault! Best Match!

Haruto: Henshin. He twisted the lever and tossed the can of soda to the side.

BD: Mix!! Genjitsu no Attacker! Shin Assault! The armor formed from the pneumatic tubes and enclosed around him, venting gas as the transformation completed.

Haruto: What do you have in mind for this entire area? Hangar? Training rooms?

Dominic: Hangar first, I got plans for a jet...

Haruto: Splendid. He clapped his hands together before holding his hands to the ground. Overwrite, don't fail me now... He closed his eyes and concentrated on the ground below him. The rocks began to shimmer before turning into a clean, metallic floor. Slowly, the shimmer spread as more metallic flooring appeared underneath. It took a few minutes before a quarter of the area that Dom had dug out was replaced with clean metallic surfaces. Damn... I'm tired as s-it... Gimme a sec, I need a breather. Think you can do anything with the current area I've overwritten?

He nodded, as he made nanites a bit, creating more fortifications, and then a door, he made an obvious landing pad, and marked the ceiling of the room as "Exit." As Dom worked, Haruto got up and returned to overwriting the floor. After a couple more minutes, half of the excavated area was now cleaned and ready for further modifications from Dom.

Haruto: Halfway there... He took some deep breaths and went to grab another soda. When he returned he had his helmet removed and was drinking a 2-liter bottle of root beer while the rest of his suit remained on him. Time to fill another quarter up. He set his soda down, put the cap back on, and returned to overwriting the grounds. An hour passed before the entire area had been fully overwritten into a metallic-surfaced hangar area for them to work with. Haruto sat down and chugged his root beer, tired from exerting all his concentration and stamina on changing the area into the room. Alright, I'm gonna take a break. You work on wiring this place up with tech.

Dominic: He started wiring up the place Hey Haruto, you in a relationship yet?

Haruto: If having two friends with benefits counts, then yes. If they don't, then no. Haruto continued to relax, still exhausted from the Overwrites.

Dominic: Wow, how did you get, two? I mean I don't doubt you, but two?

Haruto: There's Katie, then her roommate. I just happened to luck out.

Dominic: You need to be careful, imagine if both are pregnant and both get triplets? He was almost done with wiring

Haruto: And that, buddy, is why I always use protection. Double-wrapped. He finished the last of his soda and looked at the empty bottle.

Dominic: You know, crazy idea, since you have time powers, what if they get time powers somehow, and are here right now?

Haruto: It's possible. Maybe they're hiding in chronal stasis somewhere nearby. Maybe it'll be a future mission of mine to send them on a trip down memory lane... That's a joke, I don't actually mean it. *Or maybe I should do that...* He looked towards the corner of the room, then shook his head and turned his attention back to Dom. Well, now that everything's pretty much set up, how will we proceed?

Dominic: Can you turn that ceiling into a door for the jet?

Haruto: Might need some extra material to make the mechanisms. He looked around for any rubble he could use before switching to Aero Reaper and floating upwards. Once he had enough space between him and the roof, he started to apply the rubble and began overwriting the mechanisms into place for the door. As he did so, he took out the Air Force bottle, loaded it into his phone, and let it transform into his Ride Dueler's Flight Formation. We can use this as reference for the jet. *I totally forgot I had this... Then again, it's gonna be crazy flying a hyper-sonic jet to and fro...*

Dominic: It can work...By the way we leave the jet for last.

Haruto: Got it. He finished getting the mechanisms set before floating down onto his jet and getting it to land. What's next?

Dominic: What do you think of...a Pool, and a Sauna? He grinned.

Haruto: Sauna? Why not get a full-on Onsen? Sweet little Japanese Hot Springs, just for us. I think we can add the pool later. He removed the helmet and changed his jet back to phone form.

Dominic: I like your style, so, how big?

Haruto: We'll need at least a couple hundred square meters. Probably go with a square kilometer, then divide it into three sections. Male, female, and mixed bathing. Add in a pre-bathing shower, because that's how it works. Shower up first before entering the hot springs, so you don't dirty the waters. Maybe we'll add a pool right next to it, or something.

Dominic then presented holographic schematics of the Onsen to Haruto, for consultation. Haruto interacted with the hologram, making changes as he saw fit. They were mostly minor details that made it look and work better, so he didn't change much.

Haruto: This should do it. Ready for round 2?

Dominic: Hey, if this reduces team stress and increases bonding, let's do this!

Haruto: After you, buddy. He smiled as Dominic went to excavate the area needed to build the Onsen, he could see Dominic go Gamma, as he started smashing precise spots, making sure not to bring down the whole things. As Dom worked, Haruto began to overwrite the area as needed, creating the structure of the Onsen while working to maintain structural integrity. Now I need water... and a source of heat to keep the water hot... He began to Overwrite a heating element underneath the bathing areas while thinking of ways to bring water into the bath since his powers couldn't let him make water out of the rock. Hm...

Dominic: I could make a heat source.

Haruto: Nah, I've got that covered. I just need to get water to fill this up with.

Dominic: Hm, maybe we could get water pumped into here, I could do that.

Haruto: That'll work.

Dominic went out, and a thirty minutes later, he came back with a long hose. Haruto guided the hose to one of the bathing pools, then signaled for Dom to start pouring. They spent about half an hour filling up this pool, so they moved on to the next pool. It took an hour to fill up the other two pools afterwards.

Haruto: Alright, Onsen complete. Anything else you wanna work on, Dom?

Dominic: The simplest one, a workshop for all the tech...

Haruto: Oh, f--k yes! I've been needing that for so long now! He pumped his fists. Alright, where do we start?

Dominic: We put it near the hangar, it'll also count as a garage for any vehicle, but in purpose, a workshop.

Haruto: Perfect. They head back to the hangar area and get to work excavating the area needed for the garage. Hours passed as Haruto and Dom worked out the dimensions of the garage before the former overwrote the area into a garage while the latter wired everything up. Haruto helped Dominic with loading in equipment for the workshop. And... that's that. We're all set up here. *Now to get my bikes loaded up here...*

Meanwhile at the upper levels, Antonia had woken up from a power nap, she walked into the main room, and saw Raa-4, she was confused, not seeing him before.

Antonia: Uhm, hello there...

Raa-4: Hi. Raa was looking through the absconders files on a seat

Antonia: Okay, this might sound rude, but, who are you?

Raa-4: Raa. he didn't turn to look at Antonia

Antonia: Like the Egyptian Sun God?

Raa-4: No. The Ancient Egyptian Sun God is Ra not Raa.

Antonia: Ya' know spelling it out would help.

Raa-4: It wouldn't. Anyway...Who are you?

Antonia: Toni Masters.

Raa-4: Oh hello then..Toni...I thought that you would all know who I was by now, but I was wrong.

Antonia: Okay, I'll be more specific, what are you?

Raa-4: That's not more specific...as I said, I am Raa and I am here to help the Absconders resolve an issue.

Antonia: Enhanced, Mutate, Mutant, Titan, Inhuman, Magic, or Alien? She questioned as she knew he was keeping stuff

Raa-4: I don't know...I have powers, that's all.

She sighed shrugging it off, breaking a glass by accident, due to her right arm shaking while she tried to get it.

Raa looked at her arm

Raa-4: Why is it shaking?

Antonia: I'm not used to my right arm...

Raa-4: Oh...Try to get used to it before the enemies arrive, it would be a shame if you died because of your arm...actually...he looked at the documents a little more They do not have information about you...are you even an absconder?

Antonia: You know, I'm not sure anymore, at this point, I'm just hiding here, I have no place to go, but, to simply put, I'm new...

Raa-4: I see...interesting...he stood up what are your powers...show me.

Antonia: Well before I could use Chi, but one of the assassins, with water powers, basically took it away, locked my chi points, all I have left are Photographic reflexes.

Raa-4: Oh I see...They are all so powerful and sure of themselves here...If only they knew, about how little power they have compared to these enemies...maybe I am underestimating them, who knows...

She shrugged then walked off.

Raa looked at her go and signed, going back to this seat

Raa-4: *I wonder..that girl from the grocery store...If her job wasn't to capture me...then what was

At the same time, Somewhere in South L.A

An ominous silhouette was standing in a dark Alley way, waiting for someone, the silhouette was the girl from the grocery store, member of the Agency, she was leaning against a wall, looking at her phone when another figure jumped right in front of her out of nowhere

Girl: WA- Ah it's you.

The figure that had jumped in front of her was one of the 3 identical man that attacked Raa before, he was wearing a clean brown suit with a green tie, shades on as always, and a metallic suitcase in his left hand

Man: Good day...Lula.

Lula: urg..good day...whatever your name is...

Man: Only friends have name.

Lula: pfff...always trying to sound tough... I knew you were gon' be there...what I didn't know was that Raa-4 was going to be there.

Man: He is my assignment. I have come here for him.

Lula: My power completely cancels his...It should've been MY assignment...not yours

Man: I have a higher rank that you, it is only natural that I am entrusted with this mission, after all...I never failed an assignment.

Lula: Don't get cocky...You have only one person to manage...I have a whole team...

Man: The Absconders is it? I had files about them to deliver...were those files for you?

Lula: Probably..well not for me...but for the team that I have to manage...

Man: hm?

Lula: Yes...they will soon be here...I wonder how it will go.

Man: Putting a fool like you as a team leader...the boss is getting more insane I see...Anyway...we shouldn't discuss any further...Dissipate. As soon as this word was said, the Man disappeared, teleporting away and Lula started to walk out of the Alleyway, her phone started to ring, someone was calling, she took it out and looked to see a private number, she answered, hearing a voice on the other side

Voice: We are here.

Later that Day, at Night

Haruto had begun moving his motorcycles into the hangar's garage-workshop. All his bikes were loaded in, and he had begun to test the hologram projectors and the interactive virtual surfaces. To test them out, he had the supercomputers installed in the room replicate his CBR650F via the holograms before moving it over and having the system show the bike in an exploded view. Each part was replicated in color-coded holograms that highlighted the exact part with all the specifications when tapped on. Haruto began to manipulate the pieces of the bike as he took out his phone. A text from Katie showed up suddenly, to which he opened. There was a very risque of her in a nightgown, to which he quickly swiped away and then looked around.

Haruto: *She's really gonna send me that now of all times...? Jeez...* He sighed and then brought up a hologram of an Acura NSX, swiping away the hologram of his bike as he put the car into an exploded view. Can I even afford this car...? The supercomputers heard him and brought up the specs of the car, including its price. 156,000 dollars?! Goddamn...That's quite the investment... Urgh, I'll go with the Subaru BRZ instead...

The hologram faded and was replaced by the aforementioned car, but something was strange. His field of vision began to darken. The car appeared to be real, colored in dark red. There was a person already sitting in the seat, seemingly dead as the body was leaned forward on the steering wheel and dashboard. He walked up to the car, opening the door and surprised to find it was physically there, not just a hologram. When he touched the body, it suddenly sat up, eyes as black as the void of space. Its veins were an unnatural purple, with silver circuitry-like detailing running all across its skin. Immediately, it reached over to the glove box and pulled out a strange, purple and gold gun that Haruto had seen before. A black cylinder with purple cracks and gold casing was held in the corpse's hand as it loaded the cylinder into the slot on the gun.

Exiled's appearance. The mask has a glowing red eye on the right, as well as silver armor in place of the uncolored areas on the body. The undersuit is indeed black, and there's red and green detailing running down the chestplate to the holsters.

Gun: Exiled Arcana! Ominous rock music played as a standby sound before the corpse pushed Haruto back and stepped out of the car. The area around them distorted into the blackness of space, even the ground beneath them. Aimed the gun at its head, the corpse pulled the trigger. Mist-match! A cloud of smoke was emitted from the barrel, as well as a bullet of black and purple energy as the cloud enveloped the corpse. A short death metal riff played before the gun announced something. Exiled's Vengeance! The smoke faded away to reveal... Exiled himself.

Exiled: Hello there, Override. He chuckled maniacally.

Haruto: N-no... How are you here?!

Exiled: Didn't they tell you about the Echoes? It's past Act 1, kiddo. Welcome to Echoes Act 2!! He aimed his gun at Haruto and pulled the trigger.

Gun: Exiled! Monomer Shot! A blast of void energy struck Haruto, causing him to hit the ground hard and snapping him out of his vision.

Haruto: W-what...? He was panting heavily, even sweating, as he looked around. The hologram of the car he requested was there, as well as all its data. O-oh god... *H-he's in my head...?*

Meanwhile at the VP

Antonia was showering, contemplating on everything: the essential dispersal of the Kurokage clan, her father still looking for her, the loss of her arm, and the less contact she's had with Alyna, she could feel a bit angry about it, but she could hear slime like sound, she looked up, and a black liquid fell on her face, it was hot as she screamed, as she ran out of the bath room in her personal room, as it spread around her.

Antonia: *I-Is this a symbiote!? No, no! Off, off now!*

Symbiote: *Where is parent!?* It hissed at her.

Antonia: *I don't know!* Soon it fully engulfed her, as it got memories of Spoil, as she realized as she limped out, and fell on her knees outside of her room, the thoughts, and memories, they were all overwhelming her.

Antonia/Symbiote: WE ARE GLORY! They roared, as they went off to find the host of Spoil. As of now she has gained powers, but can her mind snap right back into place?

Meanwhile at Dom's house

Dominic had replaced the sheets of his bed, as he explored around his house, almost reminded of what felt like years trapped in his own mind, but he remembered when he was on the roof, Eli stopped him, as he contemplated on that. As he decided to watch some tv, as the dilemmas he had felt stacked, three women in his heart, the realization he pretty much is alone and has no friends outside of the Absconders except Viviane, Chloe, and his own mother, the fact that the public can see him as a terrorist, and if he was really a hero or not. He then heard the front door open to see his mother. As he approached her, hesitant to talk, they sat down at the couch, with him bringing out some tea for the both of them.

Francesca: Dominic, I know what's going on...

Dominic: He sighs Yeah, I guess you heard the news, "Dominic Bernedicci: Domestic Terrorist", "Absconders: Worse than HYDRA", "Vanquish: Us". I must be a pain in your ass now, huh mom?

Francesca: Admittedly job's gotten harder, "Bernedicci" will always be spoken in whispers, and everyone will pretty much one up me that my own child is a walking WMD, but entirely, no, you're not... She admitted, sipping some tea, sighing.

Dominic: Huh?

Francesca: You're not a pain in my ass...

Dominic: I- How am I not?

Francesca: She chuckles When I was still a secretary, I always heard of the Avengers, the X-men, The Fantastic Four, The Heroes for hire, all of them are a good kind of pain, like removing a band aid.

Dominic: It's amazing a lot of the "Golden age" retired.

Francesca: If you're expecting they have to stop some time, this has nothing to do with them having enough, no, they left it to a new generation of heroes, and you guys, the Absconders, it will be a sign that their values, their points, their work, it was taken up by others, more flexible, more new, all different. Heck I could arrange a dinner with said Golden Age.

Dominic: Mom, I mean, come on, what are the chances we get to see the classics anymore out there, even vigilantes like Frank Castle look like they dropped out...

Francesca: Met him once actually, well, saw him, trust me, he still could be out there.

Dominic: You know, it's always nice to have you around... He smiled, actually cheering up a lot.

Francesca: What can I say? A parent will always be there if their kid is down.

Dominic: Thanks mom.

Francesca: Now, get out there, hang out with your super friends, and prove Gardener and many others wrong.

Dominic smirked, as he armored up, and did so, this time as he got caught on the news, more responsible, more considerate, taking up role as CEO, Absconder, and Head Lord of a Hivemind. As after a while, he went back to the VP to finish the jet. When he got back to the hangar, Dom saw Haruto panicking and in complete disarray. He was shaking greatly and panting heavily, eyes darting around the place until they found Dom.

Haruto: A-are you real...? He held out his hand and summoned his pistol, aiming at Dom. ARE YOU REAL?!

Dominic: Haruto...Gun down, if you're questioning if I'm real, then yes, if you're questioning how I made half the jet quickly...nanomachines son.

Haruto: Hm... He listened carefully to Dom's voice. His hallucinations normally spoke with an echo to their voice, which was absent with Dom's sentence. Okay... okay... He dropped the gun and let it disappear as he turned around and noticed the jet was already a work in progress. Right... let's get to work... He was still shaking, just not as much as he was earlier.

Dominic: Okay...spill what's wrong? He asked as he was creating more nanites to provide a stable form.

Haruto: Hallucinations... He look at the plans for the jet and began checking for the internal and external components of the jet. So, after my training with the space gods, they said I'd have active hallucinations. They're hyper-realistic, but there's a way for me to tell them apart from the real deals... The hallucinations... I call them Echoes because they speak with an echo... It's... He set the data-pad down and held his head It spares nothing... Loved ones, enemies, I bet the next one will be f--king pets! God... Sometimes... I wish I didn't find this power... Sometimes, these hardships are too much at times.

Dominic: Believe me I know where you're coming from...

Haruto: Right... He took a moment to breathe, then took the data-pad back up Alright, let's get this jet built.

Dominic: It was during the time I left LA for a month, when Wicked was still in my head, when I trained, he always showed me, he always ruined me, ever felt like your mind trapped itself on you, almost feeling like the only true safe place is your room, knowing a monster is out there with full intent to f-ck you up, and on the tv in your room, you watch your life fold by and realize how much of a selfish d-ck you are? He was sharing a lot as he was attaching weapons to the jet.

Haruto: Well, unlike you, I lived the humble life. For me, I've seen the girls I love twisted against me, and my greatest enemy right in front of me. And then, on the side, I've seen all of you die. One way or another. Individually or as a team. The Absconders, dead. Right in front of me. It's scary... especially knowing that we've all got such powerful individuals on this team. He stepped inside the jet and began wiring the internal computers. God... so many powerful things in existence, and they're all centered around us...

Dominic: In all honesty, I slightly envy your powers really...

Haruto: I don't think it's worth it... I just happened to luck out on Overwrite. You... you've got an army, multiple armies behind you. You've got tons of other allies besides us. Me? I'm all alone. I've got the support of space gods, but they support me from afar. They haven't told me all they know because... what, I'm not prepared? You've got up-close support, I'm helped from far away. Quite a difference, wouldn't you agree?

Dominic: Realistically outside of the Absconders, on Earth, only three people are supporting me, board is annoyed with me, SHIELD is just an asset, no real support, the Hivemind, a responsibility. Hell, I mostly live alone at the house... He got the wiring done

Haruto: I don't spend much time with my parents because they're busy with work and I've got my life as Override. Katie and Belle... they're really all I've got outside of the team. Trey just left, and Giorno's gone off to go through a training regimen similar to the one I went through. He started to load up the computer AI. You've got a company, and a space army to run. That's a hell of a lot of responsibility. But you're working towards that, and it's good to see you taking responsibility up. I'm proud of you, to be honest. I'm glad to see you becoming more responsible.

Dominic: Hey, if you've got a girlfriend that can literally show you what you dread, and the fact that you owe her a lot, I had to step up sooner.... He was setting the protocols and the rules of the computer AI, as he put some names on its wings, "Abscondjet"

The team's new jet

Haruto: Fair enough. He looked at the Jet Now we gotta think of a name for the thing.

Dominic: Skyshredder...

The Next Day, August 2nd, In South L.A

The weather this day was rather beautiful, there was not even one cloud in the sky and the sun was making every color brighter, people were walking outside in masses, having fun during this sunny day, the atmosphere was a very appeasing one for them, However the atmosphere was not the same everywhere, in an empty underground parking, Lula, the agent of the agency was standing, wearing casual clothes, she was looking in all directions, seemingly waiting for something or someone to show up.

Lula: *Where are they...* She took out her phone from her front pocket and started to type in a number, but out of nowhere a black van rushed into the parking, stopping right next to her, eyeing the van, she smirked and put her phone back into her pocket

Lula: So...not ashamed of making a girl wait?

The front door of the van opened to reveal a figure dressed in a black jacket, as the figure stepped out of the shadow, it's face appeared; It was..Haruto, no... rather it was someone that looked the exact same as him.

Fake Haruto: Good grief...this matchstick is the one who will be leading us? he said, pointing at Lula, as another figure stepped out of the van, the other person looked like one of the absconders as well, more precisely, Trey.

Fake Trey: ...Ah...Well...Isn't she a rank B or something? he said, while smiling.

Lula: Yes I am Rank- Before she could end her sentence the backdoor of the van busted and another person wearing fingerless gloves and a long coat jumped out, looking exactly like Dominic, without looking at the others, he throw his hand towards the van, a hand grabbed his, and a fourth person stepped outside, this time, being similar to Eliana, she pushed the fake Dominic aside and turned in the direction of Lula

Fake Eliana: Glad to meet you! Agent...hm...Lula she said cheerfully, Lula's eyes opened wide in shock

Lula: How do you...know my name?

The fake Eliana pointed her right finger towards her head silently

Lula: Oh yes...this.

Fake Dominic: he was looking at his reflection in the van's window I hate this body...It feels so... urg.

Fake Trey: I know...it hurts everywhere...it's uncomfortable...But a contract is a contract buddy.

Fake Eliana: contract!? We didn't have the choice...

The fake Haruto lifted his right hand up and they all suddenly kept quiet

Fake Haruto: So...Lula is that's it?...Why should we follow you...We only follow the boss...not some underlings...

Lula: Because the boss chose me, you don't have the choice..isn't it obvio-The fake Haruto in a less than a fraction of second appeared behind her

Fake Haruto: We are not authorized to kill you...that's what is saving you right now...got it? he stayed silent for a second and then his expression suddenly changed from a confident to a worried one w-what....*why can't I use my power???*

Lula started to laugh Lula: Okay. I was told you guys were going to be unbearable...but come on, don't be a pain in MY a-s she touched the chest of the fake Haruto and suddenly, he got propelled back, falling down on the ground meters away from Lula.

Fake Haruto: Y-You b-tch...what was that!?

Lula: The reason as why I am the one leading you. Now follow me... We have to prepare...Absconders

The fake Eliana rushed to the Haruto lookalike to help him up, as they all kept an awkward silence, looking at Lula with doubtful eyes, in the exception of "Haruto", whose eyes were full of hatred directed towards Lula who started to walk towards the van, but then she stopped on her way, taking out her phone, to once again type a number, calling it, Whoever was on the other side answered almost instantly, and they started to talk, with an old but yet immensely deep voice.

Voice: Did...They...Arrive?

Lula: she gulp, the hand with which she was holding the phone was trembling Y-yes!

Voice: Haha...I knew....I could.....Count on....You...Young woman.

Lula: Y-y-yes, Uh! W-what should our n-next step be, S-sir?

Voice: Well, Well, Well....Show them....Show them....that there.....are no heroes....in their world,..only....fiends....Show them! Ruin them!

Lula: Y-yes, Sir! Also....I wish to tell you that....R-Raa-4 is here in so-south L.A.

Voice: Our superior.....Agent.....Of Rank A....is after....him...no need....to worry....I do not....care about....him...he coughed....Draw in the...absconders...they are OUR target...and he is HIS target...I count...on you...young woman...he hung off

Lul: W-what...what? sir? *tsk...this old man...no one knows what he is planning...first with the Rise above all project...and now his obsession with the absconders...so obsessed that he transformed people into replicas of them...god knows why...* she silently got into the driver seat of the van and turned to the fake absconders

Lula: what are you waiting for you f-cks!?

The quickly rushed to the van, getting inside, talking between themselves...the van rushed out of the underground parking, the beautiful day was about to turn ugly. As the fake Absconders rampaged, the real Haruto pulled up and parked in the garage, his Binary Driver already equipped. Seeing the incredibly realistic replications of the team causing havoc, Haruto transformed into his Shin Assault form and jumped out of the parking garage, having compacted his bike into phone form before leaving.

Haruto: The hell is all this? As he walked through the citizens running away, he saw his fake put on the same Binary Driver and pulled out an Arcana Battery as well. You! Where did you get that?

Fake Haruto: Hm? He turned to face the real Haruto as he took out another device, which he slid the Arcana Battery. Oh, is that the faker?

The design of the Fake Haruto's suit. The eye pieces become symmetrical and take on whatever appearance the loaded Battery grants.

Haruto: I don't have time to find out who's real and who isn't. Where did you get that Belt?! He ran at the fake, who slid the device with the battery into the Binary Driver.

Binary Driver: Ninja! Proto Match! The fake twisted the lever upwards and held out his hands as mist surrounded him. The assembly platform and pneumatic tubes appeared around him, but the tubes created screens with black armor plating while the mist solidified into the bodysuit. From there, the tubes combined the armor to the suit before a helmet appeared with purple eye-designs that resembled shurikens. A quick funky tune played as mist vented from the armor connecting to the suit.

Haruto: What the hell...

Fake Haruto: Like it? It'll stand up to you and whatever you can throw at me! He summoned a ninja sword and ran at Haruto. Haruto dodged and summoned his Crimson Phoenix katana, using that to defend as he made a call for the others.

Haruto: Guys! Get to my location, ASAP!! We've got a fake Absconders group causing havoc, and they've got our powers! My clone has my belt and something else! He pushed his fake away so he could transmit his location to the team before ending the call and stopping time. Can't replicate stopped time, can you?!

Fake Haruto: Unfortunately, no! The fake ran at Haruto, even through the stopped time. However, his movements seemed sluggish, as if he were resisting the time stop instead of immune to its effects. But this still works, doesn't it?! He clashed with Haruto once more before kicking Haruto's belt to end the time stop. God, that's annoying...

Haruto: That's... impossible. How can you resist the time stop?! He swung his blade again, only to be blocked by the fake's sword

Fake Haruto: Simple! If you can't stop time, beat it!! He pushed his blade forward and to break the clash before sweep-kicking Haruto.

Back to the Vanishing Point

Raa-4 was in the VP when he started to hear screams and explosions, he did not know that the Agency was the one responsible, assuming that it was yet again another terrorist in South L.A which would be old news, but still he ran outside the VP, and in a quick motion propelled himself so that he could fly up, his intention however was not to intervene but to see what was causing all this hassle, as he was flying, he quickly realized that not too far away a few silhouettes were blasting the town, destroying everything on their way

Raa-4: *W-What is this madness?* he started to slow down in mid air, trying to figure out who the villains were, but before he could make up anything, he stopped floating and his body suddenly started to fall

Raa-4: W-What!? No! What is...what is happening. His powers not responding, he felt on the nearest building, face first. He quickly realized what had happened and as he raised his head to see what was in front of him he saw Lula, who was sitting on the edge of the medium sized building

Lula: Raa-4! What a coincidence that we meet again.

Raa-4: Y-you! He quickly regained his senses and stood on his feet You...You did that, didn't you!?

Lula: You know it.

Raa-4: Tsk...You little...He started to raise his right hand towards Lula and stood still for a few seconds, but nothing was happening ...As I thought...My powers...

Lula: I told you that your power was completely useless against me.

Raa-4: You...You negated it...How!? another detonation made itself heard and Raa-4 turned back to see a a smoke pillar going up, the blue sky slowly turning grey Are you...Are you behind this madness too!?

Lula: Yep. Now let's just sit it out here on this building okay?

Raa-4 was looking down at the devastated streets from the top of the building, he quickly saw the assailants, The Absconders's clones

Raa-4: W-What is the meaning of this!? The Abscon...a loud noise directed his attention towards the fight that was happening between Haruto and his fake ...No they are not the absconders...What...What is this!? he said turning abruptly to face Lula Answer!!!

Lula: This is what the boss wants, Here what it is.

Raa-4: It...It doesn't make any sense...You lying piece of garbage... he said while slowly walking towards Lula

Lula: Don't try to be intimidating, Without your powers, you are nothing, and you know it.

Raa-4:...Tsk....He stopped It's a lie...The Agency would not expose themselves like this...this is madness.

Lula: Yea, Yea, Yea.

Raa-4: What...are they... he was clenching his fist and turned to look at the fake absconders who were killing innocents ...Why are they...

Lula: Reckless criminals, all with murder charges, The Boss helped them out...and this is how they repay their debts, bodies modified to look like the so called absconders.

Raa-4: W-why?

Lula: Hell if I know, just sit down and wait, okay? I won't let you interrupt, Your powers won't work.

Raa-4: ...I...I cannot he looked at the street far down there, seeing people getting killed and he slowly sat down *So i truly cannot do a thing...Pathetic* Why...Why are you guys doing this...why the absconders

Lula: Already answered; I don't know, I received orders, that's it, it's all I need.

Raa-4: Aren't you...going to kill me?

Lula: It's not my mission to kill you.

Voice: It's mine.

Raa-4 turned his head back as he heard the deep voice, he saw the mysterious man in classy business clothes and shades that was carrying the briefcase with data on the absconders, he was right here, hands in his pocket. As Raa saw him he literally jumped from his sitting position

Raa-4: Y-you!!!

Lula: Urg...You.

The Man: Project Raa-4, Finally found you back.

Raa-4: No! Die! He pointed his arm in The Man's direction but nothing happened *I forgot! My powers! They are gone!* He turned to Lula who was still calmly sitting on the edge of the building and quickly turned to The Man again *sh-t*

The Man: Last time was rather unfair...he slowly took his hands out of his pockets ...Vector was...surprising I must say...but, Miss Lula is here today, to make it...well, still unfair, just in my favor. his body started to somewhat vibrate, and out of his back, 2 clones of himself emerged, both wearing the exact same attire.

Raa-4: *No, No, No!!!* Raa took a fighting stance, it was useless however, as one of the clones teleported behind him and caught him in a full nelson NO! the other clone teleported right in front of the struggling Raa, prisoner of the full nelson.

The Man Clone 1: Fair He punched Raa in the guts, making him spit blood And square! he threw his knee to the right ribs of Raa and as it hit, a cracking noise could be heard

Raa-4: AAAAAAAAAAAAGH!!!

Dominic finally arrived on scene, looking around, seeing all the Absconders, but he knew too well none of them were, he could see Raa, at the distance as he then tried to fly in, but Dominic saw his "clone" fly in front of him. The clone was throwing metal spikes at passing cars, demobilizing them but letting the civilians live. He saw a news helicopter filming him and shot spikes at it, purposely missing as the chopper flew off.

Fake Dom: Gardener wanted a monster, WELL HERE I AM! You ungrateful weaklings don't deserve saving, I've massacred you before and I'll be glad to do it again! He was saying, enunciating his words to the fleeing civilians. He caught sight of the real Dominic and swore under his breath. His legs became reinforced with metal as he dashed at Dominic with a blinding speed, firing bullets from his metallic arm cannon.

Dominic: He switches back to Rebirth Protocol and punches the ground making a domed shield Gotta work on my personality there buddy...

Fake Dominic stops in his tracks, and instead punches the ground and lifts up the chunk of concrete that Dominic is standing on, throwing it into a building. He goes into Widower protocol and shoots hard light lines at two buildings nearby, as he used the gravity soles of the Widower to stick as it slowed down, in midair as he then turned into Speed Demon, kicking it off of it sending back, but he then took the time to turn into Dove Protocol again and held onto the concrete by his hands and was increasing its speed by flying rapidly at his fake.

Dominic: *Physics motherf-cker!*

Fake Dom created a whip made of metal and struck the concrete, exploding it and smacking Dom with it hard enough to hit him into the ground. Fake Dom heard some police sirens, and so turned his whole body into bright silver metal, to distinguish himself from Dominic so the public wouldn't know he's a fake Dom. It worked, as the police arrived and started firing at both Dominic and fake Dom, believing Dominic to be a terrorist and Fake Dom to be some sort of criminal. Dominic watched as the fake ran off, and Dominic saw the police as he switched to Widower again, and decided to turn invisible to incapacitate the police, even showing a whole one on one fight recording from his armor as some evidence of something amiss, but when he tried to search for Fake Dom he was gone, he swore to himself as he decided to fight off the other fakes, before doing so setting up camera drones with Mastermind protocol to record everything for himself to study.

Eliana arrived at the scene in her Volatile armour, looking around the area and seeing the fakes.

Eliana: *What the Hell? I thought Trey... wait, is that me?! This is some sort of illusion, they must be fakes. I wear a costume now...that b-tch thinks she can copy me? Hah.* She runs at her own clone, but is suddenly tackled by Trey's clone, who punches her several times in her face, damaging her helmet with his super strength. Eliana searched his mind while her armour protected her and found out they were clones. She absorbed some psychic energy from his mind and transmogrified it into Sapphire energy, then send a burst of TK out of her body, throwing him off her. Her suit glowed blue, as she picked up several objects with her TK and tossed them at the faker, but he punched at their directions, destroying the objects with energy blasts. *This guy's powers look similar to Trey's too, at least to the public. These guys are trying to copy us, but why?*

Meanwhile, Haruto and his fake were fighting in their time stop/hyper speed world. While the fake's movements lagged slightly, he was still on par with the real deal. Their strikes countered each other, kick for kick, punch for punch. It's as if they could read each other's minds.

Haruto: Give up! His punch was once again countered by his fake.

Fake Haruto: You first! He disengages the counter and spins around, executing a roundhouse kick that the real Haruto counters with his own kick.

Haruto: Dammit! Summoning his Crimson Phoenix Katana, Haruto swung forward and charged his finisher.

BD: Ready?! Shin Assault... Binary Finish!! As Haruto charged his finisher, his fake did the same. Ready?! Ninja... Lost Finish!! The faker's lag was his weakness in the end, since he was a split second too late. As a result, Haruto's attack struck first and eviscerated the faker. However, instead of the fake Haruto dying, the Ninja battery released more of its energy and turned the fake into a ninja-themed monster.

Haruto: Aw, what the hell? Time resumed as the monster lost its ability to achieve speeds fast enough to compensate for a time stop. Guess it's round two...

BD: Terra Arcana! Artillery! Best Match! Mix!! Chikyu no Ordnance! Terra-Artillery!!

Haruto: Dual up. Haruto let the new armor replace his previous one, summoning a rifle into the area and firing at the Ninja monster several times. The monster disappeared in a cloud of smoke and reappeared on top of the rifle, tearing it apart slowly. Alright then... He prepared another finisher on the Binary Driver before pressing a button on his Artillery Control before holstering it, then clicking his thumb down on his fist. Bite the dust. The rifle exploded from Haruto's gesture before Haruto jumped up and punched the monster straight through the face with his supercharged fist, and jabbing an empty Arcana Battery into it. The monster's essence was absorbed into the empty battery, resulting in the Ninja Battery being restored to a corrupted state. And that's that... *I was wondering when I was going to get another Arcana Battery.* He looked at his surroundings, then began looking through the rubble to see if he could find the Binary Driver that his fake used. No good... dammit...

Back to Eliana, she was throwing Ruby bombs at the fake Trey, who was punching them away, redirecting them at nearby shops and cars. Anyone he saw recording the event he let live, making it out to be a personal struggle between two Absconders.

Fake Trey: Come on, Volatile! Let's settle this like adults!

Eliana: Shut up, I know you're a fake!

Fake Trey: I'm not fake, I promise! He lifts up a bus and throws it at her, as it rolls and catches her, crushing her beneath it. Eliana turns the bus into Emerald energy, then gets up from the ground. She creates two rifles in each hand and fires them at Trey, but isn't accustomed to dual wielding guns, so the recoil overcomes her. She manages to strike fake Trey a couple times but mainly misses, so drops the guns. What the Hell was that?! Haha!

Eliana: Oh shut up. She conjures two flying swords that fire out at fake Trey and impale his stomach and pin him to the ground on his knees. He yells in pain as he bleeds heavily, and Eliana heads over to him. She then charges the swords with Amethyst energy to keep them from breaking, locking him in place. He flails his arms at her, trying to reach and punch her but she stands out of his distance, then grabs one of his arms and effortlessly snaps it. He holds his arm and screams.

Fake Trey: Stupid b*tch! Ugh... I never signed on for this sh*t. Just kill me already.

Eliana: No. It's not your time. Yet. You can die later in hospital, no one will save you from these wounds in time. Until then your inevitable death will be dragged on. She chokes him with her hand as it glows green, then suddenly his body is overcome by a mass of concrete, encasing him up to his throat. He starts screaming as he can't even move his head, but Eliana conjures a cloth and stuffs his mouth to shut him up. She then runs off to see the fake Eliana stealing some TVs, as civilians run out of the store away from her. When they've left and she spots the real Eliana, she drops the TVs and charges at her. Fake Eli shoots ice shards at real Eli, who conjures a shield and blocks them, dropping the shield as the fake Eliana jumps up, tossing blades at her. The real Eliana rolls forward to dodge then uses TK to lift the fake Eliana up and her towards herself. You need to update your costume, b*tch.

Fake Eli: You're not supposed to be here, let me go!

Eliana: Why are you impersonating me?

Fake Eli: Shut up! She creates two sai's in her hands but the real Eliana reads her mind and creates black sparks around her hands. Suddenly the fake Eliana's stomach starts bloating as if she's pregnant, but then her unborn baby rips out of her womb and crawls up the outside of her body. Instead of a baby it is a small monster, which jumps onto her face and starts ripping it off and tearing at her, devouring her entire head as her muffled screams are heard. She drops to the floor as the monster baby then explodes in a burst of pink blood, leaked over the headless corpse of the fake Eliana.

Eliana: Gross. *Save the comments for your nightmares, for now we gotta find out who the Hell these people are.*

Dominic was fixing the city's damaged sections, soon he got a call it was his mother, when he picked up, he could hear her breathing weakly.

Francesca: D-Dominic...

Dominic: Mom? What's wrong?

Francesca: I-I- He's- She slightly sobbed.

Fake Dominic: You hear that? That's her, your mother, come at me Bernedicci, I left enough life in her to say your goodbyes... The phone hung up, Dominic, felt his heart race, as he flew back to his house so fast he created a sonic boom. He landed and saw that the front doors were opened, he ran in, and saw her mother on the floor, a metallic spike in her abdomen, as she was whimpering, and he kneeled to her.

Dominic: Mom! Mom, I'm here, I'm here... He was sobbing as he frantically tried to heal her, but there was too much damage to repair for her sake, as unlike him, nanites were never in her body, she wouldn't heal properly if applied this late.

Francesca: Dom, Dom, shush, shush, please, I can see him, the real him, Dino, Dino... She breathed her last breath, her eyes still open, as Dominic cried, as now he's officially an orphan, as he could hear his fake approaching, as Dom closed Francesca's eyes, but fake Dom shot two metallic spikes behind Dominic's head, as he saw Dominic's slump, he smiled and was about to leave, but suddenly Dominic moved, and turned to see his clone, as the two metal spikes looked like horns after.

Dominic: You dare!? His fake tried to run, but he caught up, as he made him face him, he tried to cover his skin with metal, but Dom backhanded him at his face, making him lose most of his teeth, as he yelled at the pain, soon Dom grabbed him by the neck and flew back to the city with him, as he was seen by Eli and Haruto Do you think you know me!? He went into Gamma Protocol and stomped on the fake's leg, pretty much separating it, as he screamed.

Fake Dominic: Please! Stop, I'm sorry... He sobbed due to the pain.

Dominic: You're sorry, sorry doesn't changed what you did! Sorry doesn't bring her back! He then puts his hands on the side of his head and made nanites go into his brain, making his skull and spine metal, as the nanites ate away at his face at a rapid pace, as he screamed, and soon, the metal skull was revealed, shining, as Dom removed it from his body, spine included, a trophy, and a reminder.

Haruto: Hm... Today's a bad day for the Absconders... He looked at the Ninja battery in his hand, looking at the black wire-like designs on it. One way or another, our reputation's been stained. Dammit all... He continued to look through the rubble for any traces of his double's belt, eventually uncovering the tattered remains of the doppelganger's Binary Driver. Inside was the adapter device and the original Ninja battery, which was now empty and broken. Removing it from the rubble, he loaded his new battery on his belt's holster while removing the adapter from the damaged belt. This... this is new. I've never seen this before. He inspected the adapter, then looked around at the damage down to the city. We gotta fix this. And I gotta talk with my space gods....

Unlike the others, Raa was still in a battle on the top of the building, if you could even call that a battle, he was down to the ground, trying to get up with blood coming out of his mouth, The Man was putting a feet on the top of his head, a stern look on his face and the 2 clones of him were crossing their arms next to him, One of the clones turned to Lula who was playing with her hair

The Man 2: You see...I never fail a mission. The clone took out his shades, revealing glowing white eyes Let's end this he took out a gun and pointed it at Raa

Raa-4: Come...Come on...A Rank....A?....Really....All the clones started to look at him intensely

The Man: What was that? he took his feet off Raa's head, and suddenly kicked him in the guts making completely fall down, coughing more blood

Raa-4: You...Are....Not...F-cking....Strong...Rank A....

The Man: Says the man who is down to the ground. Ironic.

Lula: He is right tho. I did all the job there, makes me wonder what's the point of having ranks.

The Man: hm...he kicked Raa in the head, seemingly knocking him out, and turned to Lula with a cocky smile ...This man single-handedly nearly destroyed The Agency and I am about to stop him...I doubt that you could put such an accomplishment on your document.

Lula: Meh...She stood up and noticed that the destruction in town had stopped and made a worried face but then looked at how much corpses were on the ground and how much destruction was caused, and she smiled ...I lead a team of criminals here, to destroy the town in the name of the absconders...I doubt you could put THAT on YOUR document.

The clones of the man all came back to his original body and he started to laugh

The Man: All you accomplished was aimless destruction, I tracked a target and eliminated it.

Lula: She started to play with her hair cheerfully For the boss, what matters the most...Raa-4? Or the Absconder? hahaha.

The Man's expression turned bitter

The Man: Tell me who helped gather information on the absconders using the telepaths network, uh?

Lula: Tell me who helped infiltrate The Red Mask's hideout before it got destroyed? Open your eyes little A rank f-ck.

The Man: What was that? you better watch your words wh-re.

Lula: Whatever, she looked at the destroyed part of the town once again My mission here is done anyway...so Bye!

The Man: Go wherever you want little girl, I don't need your help

Lula: Uh...good luck with that...she pointed her finger at whatever was behind The Man, and jumped from the building, as the man turned he saw Raa-4 standing up, with his bloody injured face full of anger.

The Man: Uh!? Agent Lula!!! Come here!!! That's an order!!! Sh-t!!! 10 clones immediately came out of his body that was shaking in panic and started to rush at Raa-4

Raa-4: So...he waved his hand to the right, creating an immense current of hair that sent the clones flying back ...Now I guess I can say....

The Man's clones started to run once again towards him, As they approached, Raa-4, moved at an incredible speed past all of them, except one that he grabbed by the throat at the last moment

Raa-4: Vector! Die! the clone's body started to float up and slowly imploded, turning into many bits of bones and guts, floating in the air, the other clones were all staring in fear, Raa lifted his finger up and slowly pointed at the clones, The dismembered parts that were in the air suddenly propelled themselves at an incredible speed, killing every single one of the clones, he turned to face The Man, who this time had created nearly 30 clones that were rushing at Raa, Raa closed his eyes and as the clones approached and started to punch him, they realized that he was standing still, no punch was touching him, they were all bouncing off an invisible wall that seemed to be around him

Raa-4: Stop that... he pointed his hand to the sky and suddenly a shockwave of wind sent all the clones flying back some falling off the building...I am sick of this already. he started to levitate. and in a fraction of second moved at an incredible speed through all of the clones, every clone he touched started to levitate, none of them could see him even move, they were just feeling a touch and started to float up, The Original Man, was looking scared, he suddenly felt a touch as well and started to float up

The Man: N-no...N-NO!!! All the clones of The Man with himself were floating up in the air, with the original Man in the center, Raa-4 was on the building looking at them in disdain, he slowly lifted his hand up

Raa-4: Vector...

The Man: F-ck! I am a rank A!!! how dare y-

How the mass of clones looks

Raa-4: Legion.

the original man's body slowly started to crumble upon himself as he was screaming and all the other clones started to gravitate to him, they were all slowly becoming one huge ball made of the clones's bodies, they eventually became one, a huge ball made of all the clones, stuck to one another floating in the air, Raa-4 was breathing heavily

Raa-4: That's a technique.... I created...Just for you...The clones were screaming in pain, unable to move away from the huge levitating mass ....as you said yourself...he lifted his hand up, and suddenly pointed it towards an empty street ...FAIR! the huge mass of clones in a second, with an astonishing speed and force, was sent like a missile towards the empty street. When it hit, the impact made a huge detonation and the street crumbled on the weight of the multiple bodies, the bodies shattered on the ground, some grunts of pains could still be heard but they slowly started to dissipate into statics until no trace of clones remained. Raa-4 smiled in joy, and as soon as he did, he fainted, but he was still far from defeated. ...and square.

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Next Issue: The Absconders: Issue 21