Insert Red Skies Twilight Here (part 2 of 6)

"I loved you, you made me. 
You gave me hate, see. It saved me. 
And these tears are deadly. 
You feel that? I rip that. 
Every time you try to steal that, 
you feel that, you feel sad.
 
"I'm sorry. It was my heart, my life. 
It was my start, it was your knife.
This strife, it dies and this life and these lies.
And these lungs have sung this song for too long. 
It's true, I hurt too.
Remember, I loved you!"
-'Black Dahlia' by Hollywood Undead.

Marcus ducked another knife swing from the false-Tash, this one slicing off a few strands of hair. "Watch it! You about took my head off!"

"That's the idea!" The insane Sue cackled and lunged at him again, missing by a few inches. "Now hold still and I promise I'll make this as painful as possible!"

"No thanks!" Marcus rolled out of the way and leapt to his feet, snatching his umbrella from where it was leaning against the wall. Whirling, he swung it at her head, intending to knock her out with the blow…

Only for her to grab it with a hand a few inches from her face. "Not bad, boy, but there's no way a measly umbrella can…" Then she was floored as Marcus tapped the released button and the umbrella sprang open. "Hey!"

With a grin, Marcus snagged the umbrella behind her head and yanked her close, slamming his fist right into her face. "You know, everyone laughed at me when I got this thing…"

The Pseudo-Tash staggered a bit, her eyes rolling around in their sockets, blood pouring from her nose. " It's snot fair… I's always… gets the short ends of the stick…" Then she toppled backwards and collapsed on the floor, out cold.

Marcus looked at her for a minute as he folded up his umbrella, then shrugged and dashed out of the room, heading for the sounds he hoped weren't explosions. (If she got out, then I'm betting that some of the others did, too. If that's the case, the other Agents will need my help…)

TTTTTTTTTT

Tash screamed as Harold's punch to her gut rocketed her backwards and embedded her into a wall amidst a cloud of dust.

"Tash!" Valerie shouted and then barely manages to leap aside as Harold casually tossed a sphere of energy at her, the attack zipping past her shoulder and slamming into a target, completely destroying it with a small explosion. The rest of the training was covered in small craters and scorch marks form near-misses, last-second dodges and Tash's fiery strikes.

"Hehehehe…" Harold chuckled as he slowly charged up another energy attack. "This is kind of fun…I've been playing with you for ten minutes and I'm still not bored…"

"Radiance..." Kyle came out of nowhere and slammed his glowing fist into the Super-Saiyan's gut and an explosion of light leapt from the impact point, Harold roaring in pain as it started to shove him backwards even as Kyle slammed his other fist into him and another punch and another and another, till his arms were nearly blurs. "Barrage!" Finally, the Agent clasped his together and wound up, slamming a two-handed haymaker across Harold's face, the blow actually lifting him off the ground and Kyle whirled, landing a powerful kick that sent Harold flying into the wall.

"Rrrrrgggg...tch...!' Harold pried himself free and wiped a bit of blood away from the corner of his mouth, his Super-Saiyan aura still burning around him. "You got guts, kid and you know how to fight, I'll give you that..."

Kyle just glared and got into a battle-stance, trying to ignore the pain in his arms. While Radiance Barrage was one of his more efficient techniques, as he only had to channel a small out of energy into his fists, it still had it's toll, as several dozen miniscule pin-prick like- cuts had opened from the move, leaving his forearms streaked with blood. "I'll going to burn you away with the power of my soul..."

"Not if I get him first! "Tash leapt out of the wall, twirling her staff and leaving a trail of flames it's wake. "Jurai-Ken- Tainrenso!" She crouched down and launched herself forwards in a split second, becoming a tornado of fire, leaving a trail of scorched floor in her wake.

Harold smirked and his hand snapped out, deftly catching the head of Tash's staff and halting her momentum instantly. "You really think such a little attack is going to work... you're too slow, I can see your moves!" Then his eyes widened as a pair of flaming wings erupted from Tash's back. "Oh..."

"Jurai-Ken- Abari!" With a battle cry, Tash's wings flared larger and she rocketed forwards , spinning like a top till she and Harold had punched through the wall and into the next room, smashing through bookshelves and colliding with a marble pillar that halted their momentum and then the head of Tash's staff erupted with flames like a small bomb.

Tash flipped away and beat her wings, putting some distance between her and the Stu, staff at the ready. "Bet you're not so smug now…"

Then an echoing boom sounded and Tash cried out as a wave of sound slammed into her while at the same time it blew the smoke surrounding Harold away and cracked the floor next to him, revealing that he had merely clapped his hands together. "That hurt..."

He glared up at Tash and opened his hands. "But not as much as this will! Destructo Disk!" A pair of serrated-energy disks burst into existence in his hands and he flung them towards the Society leader, forcing her to fly and dart and dodge in a mad game of tag in and out of bookshelves and pillars.

Harold smirked arrogantly as he directed the disks motions with his hands, watching them sheer the top of a bookshelf, a chunk out of a marble pillar and neatly cleaved a statue of Zeus in two, Tash barely able to keep ahead of them. "You aren't going to last, girl! I'll cut you into pieces!'

Tash twisted around one of the disks and yelped as she saw the second hissing right for her. In desperation, she folded her wings around her just as the disk hit. For a moment, energy and fire sparked and flared against one another, then Tash snapped her wings apart and knocked the disk away, destroying it with a swift blast of fire from her staff. "Ha!"

Then Tash heard a humming behind her and turned, knowing that she wasn't going to be fast enough to block or avoid the second disk...

Then a thin blue-arrow shot past her ear and collided with the disk, both of them exploding in a small flare of energy. "Whoa..."

Harold glared towards the hole, where Valerie was standing with Seiryu active, it's edges flicking with uncontrolled energy. "You're next, then!" He cupped his hands together and began to charge up a sphere of golden energy.

"Not likely!" Kyle dropped down from above and drove his Omni-weapon, in the shape of a broadsword into the floor right in front of Harold and discharged a burst of power through the weapon, cracking the floor beneath the Stu's feet heavily.

"Huh? What?" Harold saw a few bits of dust drop down in front of his face and lifted his head, just in time to see the last arrow strike the ceiling above him and it gave way, a huge chunk of it falling his way and accompanied by the books and shelves that rested on it. "I hate you all. So much..."

Kyle leapt away to join Valerie and Tash landed next to the pair as Harold was buried under the ton of debris from the floor above and the floor beneath him a gave way, dropping him out of sight. "Thanks, you two."

"You're welcome." Val nodded and glanced towards the hole they had just made. "I don't know how he got out, but if he has, I bet the others have as well. We need to find the others and Adrian and regroup. The Library's too large and if we don't have a plan, we'll never find them all."

"Right." Tash agreed and pulled out her communicator, pressing the 'Contact All' button and speaking. "This is Chief Agent Tash. I don't know why or how, but it looks like the Sues and Stus have escaped from the basement and their Prohibitors have been removed. Be on alert for any of them and work together. As soon as you are able, get back to the Briefing Room to regroup."

As she finished speaking, a burst of golden energy erupted form the hole and the three Agents grimaced. "I knew that wouldn't take him down..."

Kyle took a step forwards and slid into a battle stance. "You two go on ahead-I'll stall him and beat him down…"

Val shook her head. "He was beating the tar out of you one-on-one and there's no way the three of us can beat him like this. We need to beat a retreat." She whistled once and Ari appeared, latched onto Kyle and in a split second, vanished with him into between.

Tash grabbed Val and with beat of her wings, alighted into the air and flew through the hole in the wall, even as Harold tore his way through the debris burying him and flew after his prey.

TTTTTTTTTT

Mytheus Primal smiled as the couch he had been firing on finally crumbled apart "About time…" He tromped forwards and savagely kicked away the remains of the couch his prey had been hiding behind. "Alright, who wants to be filled full of holes first!"

Then he paused and glanced around. "Hey, where'd you all go…?" Then he heard a loud cry of 'Push!' and turned around just in time to see a towering bookshelves collapse, raining books on his form as it collapsed on top of him. "Awwww…"

Standing on the far end of the room, having pushed over the line of bookshelves that caused them to fall like dominoes, Claire and Miriku high-fived each other. "Yes, we rock!"

Then the bookshelf groaned and then blew apart as Mytheus Primal burst free. "You really think that can hold me!" He yanked another laser rifle off his back and braced it against his shoulder, aiming it at the two girls. "Say your prayers…"

Claire grinned and waggled a finger at him. "Didn't you notice my fiancé isn't around anymore?"

"Huh… so what…?" The Mytheus' eyes widened as he felt himself start to sink. "Hey, what's going on!" He glanced down and a swirling void of darkness where the ground should have been, slowly drawing him down into it's depth. "What the hell is this!" He struggled and even tried to transform, but the darkness' grasp was too strong and soon it drew him completely under.

For a few moments, the void of darkness sat there, swirling silently and then Mytheus' head came flying out, trailing sparks and wiring, his mouth frozen in an expression of surprise and horror. It clattered to the ground and bounced across the floor, rolling to a stop in front of Claire.

She nudged it with her foot. "Wow… that's impressive…"

The shadows next to Miriku rippled and Michael stumbled out, breathing heavily as he dropped to one knee. "I got him… but… I… don't… think… I'll… be able… to do that… again…"

"C'mon, bro…" Miriku and Claire helped Michel stand and the trio headed out the door. "We need to find the others and get out of here before anymore of them show up…

TTTTTTTTTT

Xavier blinked in amazement as the colossal Phoenix Zord in front of him, nearly brushing the giant room's ceiling. "Wow... when I broke into this room I thought there would be Agents here, not this..."

Cackling, he rubbed his hands together and began to search for a way up to the top. "I can cause a lot of damage with this new toy of mine...now how do I get it to work?"

"You won't." A voice commanded from behind him and Xavier whirled, ready to fight...and then grinned saucily at what he say.

"Wow..." He leered at her. "You've got more curves than a racetrack, baby."

Phoenixia, dressed in her normal look of bodysuit and trenchcoat, snorted and folded her arms across her breasts. "Please, don't even think it. You've got a better chance of finding water on the surface of the sun than even getting close to me."

"Oh really?" Xavier smirked and suddenly lunged for Phoenixia, as fast as he could, hands out stretched. "We'll just see about that!"

Phoenixia didn't bother to move, but merely smirked as Xavier passed right through body like it wasn't even there. "Told you so..."

The Stu crashed painfully into the floor and picked himself up, rubbing his bruised face. "What the heck are you, some sort of hologram?"

"I'm a fully capable sentient, naughty computer program. I just have a holographic body." Phoenixia turned to face him. "And that means I can control how I want to look, make any part of me any size, and can make myself intangible at will. So, considering that I can alter myself so I can bench press a semi-truck and smash it on your head, gain claws and slice you to ribbons or literally kill you with marshmallow hell, I suggest that you surrender right now."

Xavier laughed. "Ha! You may be a hologram and a computer, but you can't do real damage to me. Asimov's Three Laws and the fact you're made out of light prevent that."

"Those laws apply to robots, not something like me. And I'm a hardlight hologram- means I can interact with the physical world however I want. And lastly, I'm a computer program and that Zord behind me? Guess who controls it?" Phoenixia smiled sweetly at him as the Zord's eyes lit up and a panel slid back on one of the wings, revealing a rocket.

Xavier's eyes bugged out. "Oh..." Then he turned to run, but didn't quite make it...

TTTTTTTTTT

Adrian leapt forward and caught Chrys as Silver finally managed to throw the hanyou off him. "Gotcha!"

"You little runt..!" Silver leapt to his feet, his hair mussed up and his face covered in claw marks, while bits and pieces of his robe had been torn or ripped. As always though, he somehow made it look really handsome. "You almost ruined my perfect self! I'm gonna make you burn for that!"

"No, you're not..." Adrian set Chrys down and pushed her towards Emily and Mizuho at while he raised Hoshikuzu in front of him. "You've got me to deal with first, Silver!" Then he lunged.

Silver laughed and met Adrian's lunge head-on, parrying the blow and retaliating with a decapitating swipe, which Adrian blocked and then both of them flash-stepped out of sight, reappearing all over the room for split seconds in various poses of combat as they collided again and again, shaking Adrian's office.

Mizuho kept Chrys and Emily behind her, as her partner was still a little loopy. Her eyes darted back and forth rapidly, barely able to keep with the two. "Amazing..."

"Yeah..." Emily watched in awe. She had known Adrian and a fully-powered combat-class Stu like Silver were incredible powerful, but hearing it and actually seeing it were two completely different things.

A sharp cry, pained cry sounded and suddenly Adrian crashed into the floor at her feet, blood pouring from a wound in his side. "Oh, no!"

Then she felt the air behind her shift and her eyes widened as she glanced over her shoulder to see Silver standing behind, blade drawn back to strike. "Ah...!"

The Bleach Stu sneered as his blade began to absorb light from the surrounding area, cracking ominously. "Death to the traitorous imperfection!" Then the blade swung down and there was a blinding flare of light that forced Emily, Chrys and Mizuho to shield and close their eyes and even then it shone so bright it burned.

Then the light dimmed and faded and Emily felt something warm trickle down her cheek and opened her eyes, seeing the violet blade of Hoshikuzu extending past her face, the tip having bit into the flat of Silver's sword to stop it, mere inches from her face. "A-Adrian..."

Adrian panted as he strained from his awkward position, of half-kneeling, half-sitting up and struggling to prevent Silver's sword from overpowering his own and keeping Hoshikuzu from biting into Emily's skin any further. "You... leave her out of this, Silver...!"

"No." Silver sneered again and then frowned as he strained against their strange-weapons lock. "But why are you still standing! Even if you did block my swing, the power of my attack should have incinerated you!"

"That would be me!" Aster floated in front of him and waved at him cheerily. "Sorry, but I can't let you do that and because I can nullify light, I got rid of your shiny sword's power. Otherwise, you would've hurt a lot of people and we can't have that, kyaa~?"

Silver stared at, dumbfounded that this little sprite of a girl had beaten him so utterly and so easily. Then it turned to rage. "You little brat, I'll crush you!"

Adrian took advantage of the distraction and grabbed Emily's shoulder, pulling her away and rising to his feet, yanking his weapon free and attacking Silver, raining rapid-fire sword strikes down at him from all sides.

The Stu let out a snarl of rage as he blocked and blocked, bits of blood staining on his clothes and face as Adrian's blows nicked him again and again. "Damn you...I...am...perfect! I will..not lose!" With a shout, he caught Adrian's blade in one hand and yanked the Librarian closer, stabbing him deep with Tekogozan in the shoulder and as Adrian jerked in pain, yanked the weapon free, blood spraying the air. "I AM PERFECT! PERFECT!"

Shoving Adrian away, he leapt towards Emily, charging his blade with power even as Mizuho and Chrys leapt in front of the ten-year old protectively. "And you imperfections should not exist in my world!"

Then he howled in agony as a lance of ice come down from above and pinned his foot in place as seconds a later, another lance of ice pierced his sword-wrist and pinned it to the floor as well, Tekogozan clattering uselessly to the ground. "No... you... you damn imperfection..!"

Aster landed in front of him, glaring. "You tried to kill Adrian-kun, Chrys-chan, Mizuho-chan and Emily-chan... you tried to kill my friends."

Silver moaned in pain and desperately tried to tug the ice pinning his limbs free, but it was impossible. "You think... that I'm going to let you beat me! I'm perfect! I'll crush you all!" Light gathered around his good hand and he thrust it towards Aster defiantly, but the fae merely negated it, the attack dying before it even left him. "Imperfection... Imperfection... you damn Imperfection!" He howled and his body began to crackle with power. "You...you shouldn't not exist in my world! I am perfect!"

With a howling cry, he jerked hard, the ice piercing his wrist shattering and he grabbed Tekogozan up and snapped it towards Aster's head. "DIE!"

Then he gasped and the light in his eyes faded as Hoshikuzu pierced his heart from behind. "But... I'm... perfect...!" Then his body began to dissolve away as Adrian pulled his weapon free.

Adrian turned to the other four in his office and grabbed a scrap of cloth off the ground, wiping his sword clean with it. "If Silver's gotten free, then we need to assume everyone in the basement has, too. Mizuho, Chrys, go get Emily to the briefing room and Aster..." Adrian pulled open a drawer at his desk, pulled out a small black book and tossed it to the fae, who caught it deftly. "Get that to Tash and then go round up the others, just like we planned."

"Yes, Adrian-kun." Aster nodded and with a beat of her wings, the fae zipped out of the room.

The two Peacekeepers looked at him for a long moment, Chrys looking like she was on the verge of tears. "Adrian.."

"It'll be okay, Chrys." Adrian smiled reassuringly. "Now, go. Hurry! We haven't got much time!"

"He's right, dummy." Mizuho thumped Chrys on the head with her fist and the hanyou winced in pain. ("Mizuho, that hurt!"). "Now's not the time for cry-babying. C'mon!" She turned and dashed down the hallway, practically dragging Emily with over the ten-year-old's protests that she could walk fine on her own, Chrys scrambling to keep up.

Satisfied that things were going to work out for now, Adrian closed his eyes and extended himself to his connection with the very Library Arcanium itself. Judging from the damage the Library was receiving, he could tell where the battles where and get a vague sense of who was fighting who.

Exerting more of his will, he began to shut and seal all the doors of all the empty rooms and some of the doors that the fighting was going on it, and rearranged some of the rooms to give his fellow Agents the quickest routes to the Briefing Room. Meanwhile, he need to give them some help against the onslaught. "Librarian Art 4: Fiction Press…"

All over the Library, books slid themselves out of shelves and opened, emitting rays of light from their pages as figures began to take shape…

TTTTTTTTTT

Harriet scrabbled over the nearest couch, another scything wave of golden light hissing overhead and shearing the top half of the couch's back off. "Oh bollocks…"

"Does anyone got a plan?" Jamie asked, as he and the four women huddled behind the couch.

In response, Ossa yanked a chunk debris the size of her head from the floor and stood for a brief moment, hurling it at Willowe as hard as she could.

The Sue simply batted it aside with the back of her hand, not even losing step.

"Okay, now we're out of plans..." Aimee muttered as glanced for a way out of Hati's office. Unfortunately, there was only one and the sword-wielding Sue was blocking.

"Come, Mummy…" Willowe drawled out as she tapped Excalibur against her palm while advancing on her helpless creator and her friends. "Let's just end this…hold still and I promise I'll make it a swift, painful end…"

"Not on your life!" Harriet snapped as she and the others slowly backed away from her one-time creation, gulping as she felt her back press against the wall. "I'm sorry that things had to turn out this way, Willowe, but I can't change it anymore. You're the one who let it get this far, the one who decided trying to conquer a world was the best way out!"

"I didn't have a choice! I was trapped in that damn story you never took the time to finish!" Willowe snarled, kicking the ruined couch aside. "You abandoned me and left to suffer the same sequence of events over and over again! Well, I'm done serving someone else! From now on, I make the rules…" She grinned evilly. "After I get rid of you, of course…"

Then the Sue snapped up Excalibur, the blade's edge shining with light as she flicked a glance at Ossa. "Ah, ah, ah...don't even think it, girl. You don't have a weapon and no matter how good you are at fighting, you won't survive the energy my sword can unleash."

The Native American girl growled softly and still stepped protectively in front of Aimee and Jamie as Hati and Jess did the same.

Harriet was a skilled kick-boxer, but she also knew that such skills were nothing compared to someone of Willowe's power and fighting her was probably tantamount to suicide. Desperately, she glanced around for anything she could use as a weapon, for anyone to help her.

And someone did.

Willowe paused as she heard a snap-hiss!Thrumm!- behind and she could see bits of red light dancing against the wall in front of her. Frowning, she whirled around and for one of the few times in her life, she was completely surprised.

Darth Vader stood in the door, his ignited lightsaber in his hand, breathing mechanically as he regarded. Flanking him were Solid Snake and what looked like… Superman?

"What… the… hell!" Harriet stared in amazement. She had believed things couldn't get any weirder since she founded the Society and now it looked she was wrong.

Willowe narrowed her eyes at the three newcomers. (They feel funny… I don't think they're the real deals, but they could prove quite a threat… so I'll take them out first!) She lunged and sparks flew as Vader blocked her weapon with his lightsaber. They traded blows for a few moments and then Willowe was literally blown off her feet as Superman unleashed his Arctic Breath, blowing her across the room and freezing her in a solid block of ice.

Seconds later, the ice shrieked and blew apart as the Sue exerted her power, only to be sent staggering Snake opened up with a pair of twin carbines, unleashing an endless stream of bullets. While they didn't really do much damage, the sheer volume of the attack kept her pinned to the wall as Superman and Vader both advanced on her.

"Holy crap..." Ossa said as she and the others watched Willowe and the three fictional creations fight, the Sue decapitating Superman with a backhand swing and then blasting Vader and Snake to wisps with burst of energy from her palm. "What's going on here?"

Willowe lowered her palm and turned back towards the Agents. "Now then, where were we...?" Then she disappeared under a wave of people as they tackled her. It looked to be the entire cast of the 2008 Star Trek movie dog-piling the Sue.

"Now's our chance! Let's go!" Hati lead the way as the Agents darted out of the room.

Aimee slid to a stop and doubled back, grabbing Ossa by the arm and practically dragging her out the door. "C'mon! We are fleeing for the safety of our lives here!"

"But... but... but... C-Chris Pine!" Ossa wailed in protest as the Irish girl pulled her away.

TTTTTTTTTT

Doug and Cristoph ran pell-mell down a hallway, the gun-toting Agent slamming a clip into his pistol on the run. "Just how many rockets does she have!"

"I do not know and I do not care to stay and find out!" Cristoph responded, as they turned a corner sharply and he opted to actually run up and along the wall without skipping rather than leap over the stand in front of him.

"That's it, that's it! Run, run!" Mary-Ann cackled and chased after the two Agents, moving quite fast despite her petite size and the hugeness of the rocket launcher on her shoulder, firing what seemed to be an endless barrage of rockets that screamed down the hallway, blowing holes in the walls and demolishing pictures, doors, end tables...pretty much whatever they hit. "But don't think you can doge forever! One of my rockets hits you... and boom! No more Agent!"

Then she blinked as she felt the weight of her weapon disappear from her shoulder. "Huh?" Still running, she glanced over her shoulder to see a blue-and-red costumed Spider-Man clinging to the ceiling, obviously the one responsible for yanking her weapon away. "How did he get there...?"

Then a strand of webbing shout of from in front of her and Mary-Ann yelped as she tripped over it. "Ack!"

Groaning and rubbing her sore face, she sat upright and paled a bit when she noticed the several Spider-Men in both his traditional costume and black variant surrounding her on the walls and ceiling. "Oh... nuts..."

Doug and Cristoph watched as the Spider-Men attacked the Sue and threw a glance at one another in confusion before just shrugging and dashing away down the hall towards the Briefing Room.

TTTTTTTTTT

"Venasaur!" The giant blue/green Plant Pokemon bellowed, the flower on it's back shaking as it hurtled of whipping vines down the hall.

"Tyler! Why did you have to go and poke it?" Drake shouted as he and his partner-in-crime ran desperately trying to stay ahead of the dangerous vines.

The smaller Agent shrugged. "I was hungry..."

"It was the size of a car and had a giant flower on it! What on earth made you think it was food!"

"I eat just about anything..."

Drake ducked a vine and swore under his breath. "Tyler! If you ever poke a giant plant-thing to see if it's alive again, I will kill you! Seriously! Who does that!"

Tyler shrugged again while running. "If I had some dressing, I could make a nice salad..."

"ARRGH!"

TTTTTTTTTT

Agent Smith loaded another clip into his pistol and returned it to his jacket pocket, glancing around at the bullet-ridden corpses of the Aragons, Gimilis and Legolases that had tried to attack him a few moments ago. "So this is what Runoa was talking about…well, she certainly wasn't kidding when she told me they're be plenty of new people to work with."

Walking over to the nearest corpse, he knelt and plunged his hand into it's chest, the fictional beings legs and arms twitching sporadically as a mercury-like substance spread from Smith's hand and over the being's body.

Moments later, Smith was looking down at himself and smirked darkly. Helping his double up, he and the copy went about their work silently, turning the fictional characters into copies. Two… four… eight… sixteen… Smiths rose from the dead and began to spread out amongst the Library, grabbing whatever fictional being they could find and overriding them, turning them into copies.

Into an army.

TTTTTTTTTT

Tash and Valerie burst a doorway into a reading room, the Leader setting Val down and leaning her hands on her knees, panting for breath as her wings folded up against her back. "Do... do you think we lost him?

Val glanced back the way they had come and listened intently. "I don't know... I don't hear anything and I don't sense, anything either. So I think we're safe for the moment."

"Good.." Tash panted out and gulped down some air, straightening. "I've never flown so much in a such a short time and definitely not while carrying someone else. I'm glad we found some time to rest..."

The healer glanced around the room, but didn't recognize it. Like so many of the Library's reading rooms, it was simply a few coffee tables, chairs and sofas next to fireplace while every free inch of the walls were lined with bookshelves. "Where do you think we are? I don't recognize this section of the Library and we need to get the Briefing Room..."

Tash wiped her brow and took a quick look around. "I think I know where we are. If I'm right, we just need to cut across this room, take a right down the hallway and go up two flights of stairs..."

Valerie opened her mouth to ask what they'd do if the Library rearranged the rooms again, but the words didn't make it was with a loud 'Thud!' Kyle fell from above the two girls and landed on the floor between their feet.

Ari swooped down and alighted onto Valerie's shoulder. (My apologies, but I cannot slip into the Briefing Room from between, the magic prevents me. And I did not mean to drop him either, but he was getting heavy.)

"It's fine, Ari." Val told the muse, stroking her snout with a couple fingers as Kyle picked himself up off the floor. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, save for my wounds from fighting Harold." Kyle responded, dusting himself off. "Though... moving between is a rather... interesting."

Valerie merely smiled. "You get used to it."

"I think I'll stick to flying, Portal Guns and Adrian's doorways, thank you." Tash said, having finally got her breath back. "Anyway, we need to find the others and Adrian and come up with a plan..."

"Tash-san!" All three Agents looked up as Aster flew down from out of nowhere and flapped to a stop right in front of the British leader, hovering at eye level. "I found you!"

"You did. What is it, Aster?" Tash asked. Then her face grew worried. "Is it Adrian? Did something happen to him? Is he hurt?"

"No. He just asked me to give you this." The fae produced a thin black book and pressed it into Tash's hands. "He said if the Library were ever to be invaded, then you were to get this and keep it on you at all times."

"Uhh... Okay..." Tash took the book and glanced it over. It had no title or markings on the cover or spine and felt light in her hands. But if Adrian had said it was important, then it was good enough for her. "Thanks."

"You're welcome." Aster nodded her head and blinked when she caught sight of Kyle. "There you are!"

"Here I am...what?" Kyle blinked back and then yelped as Aster grabbed his arm and with a beat of her wings, took off, dragging the hapless Agent behind her. "Not again!"

Valerie, Ari, and Tash stared after them. "It's always an interesting experience talking to that one..."

"Uh-huh."

TTTTTTTTTT

Hati, Jess and the Ossa Power Trio burst into the Briefing Room, skidding to a halt as they saw it was already filled with their comrades. "Did everyone make it here alright?

Claire, who was busy making her fiancé drink some water, spoke up. "I think so... I did a headcount a few minutes ago and we've got thirty people in this room, including you four."

"Good." Hati glanced around at the assembled Agents. "Now can someone tell me what the hell is going on? The Sues and Stus broke out of the basement, Willowe is in the Library and we're getting out butts handed to us! How did this happen?"

"I don't know." Ben, who was seated in one of the rows of chairs, Bella tying a bandage around his arm. Bahamut was leaning against the chair on his other side and judging from the way it was smoking a bit, had seem some serious action recently. "One minute, Bella and I are together, the next, Alianna Flamewing comes bursting in with a bunch of guys in suits and sunglasses..."

"Agent Smith clones." Tash confirmed as she and Valerie applied bandages to Chrys and Mizuho while Emily ran held the first aid-kits in her arms. "They're from the Matrix movies. Adrian and I watched them once...despite that he's really close to a Stu, he's not one. So I don't know how they got him to work for them..."

"That would be Runoa's hand in this." Everyone's heads snapped up to the other door to see the Librarian already coming down the steps to where everyone was gathered. "She somehow resurrected him after his defeat at Neo's hands and Runoa's the reason Willowe and Smith got into the Library and probably how they managed to free the Sues and Stus in the basement and remove their Prohibitors."

"So what are we going to do?" Michael asked, finishing his water. "We can't just sit here and retreat all the time – even the Library isn't big enough for that. We need to form a plan and hit these guys where it hurts!" Nods of agreement and words filled the air after Michael's words.

"I'm afraid that's impossible."

For a second time that day, everyone's attention was focused on Adrian, though this time it was one of disbelief.

"Agent Smith's ability has enabled him to turn my Fiction Press creations into his copies. " Adrian continued as he descended the last steps and now everyone could see the bloody wound in his shoulder and numerous bullet holes in his trenchcoat. "And even if we could mount a counterattack against Sues like Harold and Willowe, Smith would eventually overwhelm us with sheer numbers and kill us all."

"So what do we do?" Valerie asked as she and Tash made their way over to him, ready to bandage his wounds, but Adrian waved them off.

"I have a plan, but we need to hurry. Despite locking all the doors and the Library rearranging the rooms, there's only so much time before they find us..." As if summoned by his words, the room shook violently and many of the Agents toppled over, unable to balance themselves or grab something in time.

The Librarian was one of the few who managed to remain standing, one hand catching Tash as she fell while Valerie grabbed a railing and he stretched out his good hand, which glowed softly for moment and then a large wooden doorway appeared, with a paneled door that had a crystal handle on it. "There... everyone get through there!"

Hati pried herself off of Ossa and Jess, who in turn quickly got up so that they weren't crushing poor Aimee. "What? What is that and where does it go?

A grim smile crossed the white-haired man's face. "You guys didn't really think that I hopped dimensions using Plot Holes, did you? I'm not a Stu. I'm the Librarian and I can summon these doorways to move from place to place when I need to... and this particular door leads back to the Real World."

"WHAT!" Came the simultaneous cry from many of the Agents, several of them tossing curses and swears.

Michael stormed over and grabbed the front of Adrian's shirt. "You mean we're just giving up? Just like that?"

Adrian detached Michael's hand. "We're not giving up, you're retreating to fight another day." He fixed everyone in the room with a penetrating look, and when he spoke, it was the Librarian of the Library Arcanium speaking and not Adrian. "You do not have a choice in this matter. If you do not want to die and not find a chance to beat back our enemies, you will go through the door."

"But what about Emily and Bella? They're Sues- they can't exist in the Real World!" Hati demanded. "And why do we have to go to the Real World? Surely there are other places we can retreat to, ones were we can get an army or weapons or something!"

"I will get Emily and Bella to a place until the crisis is over where they'll be safe." The Librarian replied calmly. "And you have to retreat the Real World because it's only from there that you'll be able to back into the Library of your own power, because the Portal Controls have been destroyed, meaning the Plothole Generators will not work. Now, go!"

Everyone stood there, wavering between arguing with him, staying and fighting or doing as he said.

"He's right..." Everyone glanced over to Valerie who was a bit pale in the face, but her voice was strong and level. "If we stay here, we'll all die. We're all wounded and tired and most of the Sues and Stus are fresh, not to mention we are seriously outnumbered."

A long silence reigned and the room shook violently again before Hati, frustration clearly on her face, spoke. "Everyone... get through the door!"

As the Agents became to make for the door, Tash grabbed her boyfriend's arm, worry on her face. "You kept saying 'you', not 'we'. Does that mean you aren't coming with us?" Without waiting for him to respond, she kept talking. "Because if you aren't, then I'm staying with you. Wherever you go, I'm going with you!"

Adrian gave her a small smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. "You can't. I am the Librarian and a Counter Guardian. It is my duty to protect the Library and everyone else. My path, not yours."

"I don't care!" Tash said sharply and her face was strained, as if she could not choose between crying and looking fiercely determined. "I love you! You're everything to me! I don't want to lose you! I can't lose you!" Then crying won out and tears started running down her cheeks. "I'm staying with you, Adrian and you can't stop me!" Tash gripped her staff determinedly.

Adrian's violet eyes met her blue ones and he smiled sadly. "Yes, I can." Then his arm moved faster than her eye could follow and Tash felt pressure on the side of her neck. "Sorry, my love..."

"No..." Tash gripped at his shirt with her free hand, fighting with all her strength not to lose consciousness. "I won't... won't... let... you... die..." Then she lost her battle and collapsed into Adrian's arms, out cold.

The Librarian looked down at the woman he loved in his arms and gently brushed some hair out of her face and leaned down to kiss her forehead, but seemed to think better of it and straightened back up. "Here." He handed Tash to Michael, who was looking at the Librarian strangely. "Get her to safety. And...tell her I'm sorry."

Then the room shook violently again and this time, Adrian had to grab a railing to steady himself and the door cracked and buckled. "Everyone, hurry! They're here!"

Then he was charging up the steps, Hoshikuzu appearing in his hand as the door buckled in, then gave way, dozens of Agent Smith copies pouring into the room, weapons drawn as Adrian leapt headlong into them...

Insert Cliched Halloween Clipshow Here (part 5 of 5)

"Thought Marcus!" Adrian skidded into the corridor in time to see the more nerdish version of Marcus racing out of room three, a rabid looking Potential Subplot after him.

Adrian swung Hoshikuzu at it, but the bunny leaped sideways, bouncing off the bookshelf that lined the corridor. The problem, Adrian realised immediately, was that they were so small and desperate to infect so many potential authors in the vicinity, that dodging was second nature to them. The Librarian now understood why fangirl mallets and bottles of disinfectant were often the only course of action when these showed up in fanfictions.

"H-help m-m-me!" Thought Marcus screamed, pulling books off the shelves lining the corridor, in the hope of squashing the bunny. It did not work – the Potential Subplot just leaped clean over them.

As the bunny launched itself at Marcus, teeth bared, a book came flying out of room two, and squashed the bunny comically against the opposite wall. It peeled away and splattered to the floor like a pancake of the most horrible variety.

Thought Marcus sank against the wall in exhaustion. "T-thanks M-miri!"

The red head adjusted her pharaoh collar and grinned, her staff resting in her free hand. "No problem! Where are the others?"

Adrian barged his way through the mess that Thought Marcus had made, conscious of the bangs and crashes sounding from the other rooms, along with the sound of rushing water, and loud, emotion filled cries of "DIE! DIE! DIE YOU FURRY BASTARD!"

As the Librarian stepped past Thought Marcus, Miriku suddenly screamed, and something purple and furry bounced out of her room, and burrowed its way through her frizzy red mane.

"It's in my hair!" Miri shrieked, jumping in circles and waving her arms and staff dangerously. "Get it out! Get it out!"

Thought Marcus backed away into the shelf in fright, as Adrian levelled his sword, preparing to slice the bunny in two, as soon as he got a clear shot. As he pushed through the books however, there was a sickening squelch of teeth sinking into flesh, and Miriku went completely still, her arms falling limp by her side, and her head resting on her chest. The subplot reappeared, spitting out a portion of Miriku's hair on to the floor.

Adrian swung for the bunny, but even as he moved he knew it was too late. Miriku's staff came up to block the swing, her head rising from her chest to reveal swirling purple eyes, and a blank smile.

"Time for us to play."

Her voice was a monotone, and her attacks were ferocious. Adrian parried every blow, but he was afraid to strike back in case he hurt Miri – she was brainwashed, and didn't know what she was doing.

As she pushed the Librarian back down the corridor, and towards rooms seven and eight, a blast of freezing cold air appeared from room five, and Aster marched into the corridor, still in fae form, her staff in one hand, and a block of ice frozen to the end, with the Potential Subplot frozen inside. Seeing Thought Marcus getting slowly to his feet, she smiled and pointed the ice block towards him.

"Bunny on a stick, Marcus-kun?"

Thought Marcus was saved from answering however, as down the corridor, Adrian gave a yell of "Librarian Art 9 – Pillars of Knowledge!" and six giant pillars erupted through the floor of the corridor and trapped Miriku between them.

Aster blinked at this display. "Kyaa~ Why is Adrian-kun attacking Miriku-chan?"

"M-miriku w-was b-b-bitten b-by a P-p-potential S-subplot," Thought Marcus stuttered. "I-it b-b-brainwashed h-her."

Aster's eyes went wide, and she made to charge in to help Adrian, however the door to her right exploded outwards, and Emotion Marcus stood tall, his eyes a swirling shade of purple, and the Potential Subplot still attached by the teeth to his arm.

Thought Marcus gulped, as his other half turned his gaze on him.

"O-oh n-n-no!"

And with a scream of fear, he was off, with Emotion Marcus in hot pursuit. Aster blinked again.

"…that was weird," she declared, giving a yelp as door one was blown off its hinges by a gust of fire, which warped and shrunk back into Tash's staff as she marched into the corridor.

Aster frowned as she realised that the leader's eyes were purple, and her look was malicious. "Kyaa~…this isn't my day," the fae declared, as Tash gave a battle cry and charged at her, flames erupting out behind her.

OOO

"Got it!"

It was the best thing Emily had heard all day. The ten year old slipped the last of the bottles into her bag, and slung it over her shoulder, picking up a supersoaker in her other hand, and hurried over to Phoenixia, who was sitting next to the hanger computer, with her eyes closed, mentally scanning through the Library's online archives and cataloguing system.

"Adrian will know which section it is," the hologram assured her. "So all you need to tell him is the room number, the shelf number, the section code, and the name of the book."

"Okay…" Emily had a pen out, and prepared to scrawl the numbers on the back of her hand. "Go for it."

"Room seven," Phoenixia listed. "Shelf thirty five. Section six, the books name is "Dream and flashback: spells for your memory". According to my chapter listings, he wants somewhere in chapter four."

Emily finished jotting down the book name, along with the string of numbers, and shoved her pen into the pocket of her shorts. "Thanks Phoenixia. I'm going to find them. I'll call Adrian as I go."

"Good luck!" the hologram called, as the former Sue shouldered her weapon and raced from the room. Anxiously, she flicked the computer monitor back to the main reading room, where all the other agents were sprawled out asleep, and then to the corridor where Michael, Claire and Valerie were making their way slowly towards another section of the Library.

"This looks bad," she muttered, scanning the status of the agents stumbling towards the correct rooms. She could tell that two of them were fine, but one of them was about to fall asleep – her body was slowing down.

"Come on Emily… run faster."

OOO

"Juari-Ken – Gihardi!"

Tash's staff slammed through Aster's guard, and landed powerfully into her chest. The fae felt pain spread through her ribs and her eyes watered as she skidded backwards into the wall. The books that had littered the floor earlier were now smoking, or smouldering, and several of the bookshelves were ablaze. The corridor was getting hotter, and Aster was running out of water in the air to use her powers with.

"Juari-Ken – Rinwi!" Her staff came down on the floor, and Tash pole vaulted toward Aster, raising her staff above her head ready to strike.

A pillar of ice shot up and crushed the Society leader against the ceiling. The grip on her staff was lost, and it clattered to the ground. Aster seized it quickly and surveyed her handiwork.

"Kyaa~...that should hold you for a little while."

"H-h-help!"

Thought Marcus raced past Aster, having apparently done a lap of this area of the Library, screaming his head off all the while. Emotion Marcus was right behind him. Lacking the umbrella – which Marcus had left in his room for the party at Harriet's request, for safety reasons – the louder half of the agent had a pile of books under his arm, and was apparently throwing them at the fleeing Thought Marcus, trying to knock him out. As Thought Marcus raced around a corner, another book was hurled with such force that it left a dent in the wall, and Emotion Marcus hurried after him, already raising another projectile in his right hand.

Aster blinked, and leaned against her ice pillar, which she could already feel melting from the nearby fires. She tried to draw more water out of the air to put the fires out, but there was so little to work with that she only managed a few dice sized drops. Giving up, she opted instead to draw all the oxygen away from the flames, instantly snuffing them out. The air smelt strongly of smoke, which hung like a thick cloud in the corridor.

"Aster?"

The fae turned to see Valerie, Michael and Claire appear from another corridor, all of them horrified at the damage done by the fighting.

"...Adrian's going to kill you," Claire stated, her eyes slowly following the ice sculpture up, and up, until she reached the top with a loud splutter. "Is that Tash up there?"

Aster nodded. "Hai... a purple bunny bit her and she went crazy. Marcus-kun and Miriku-chan too."

"Miri?" Michael was already barging past her toward the next corridor, where the sounds of crashing bookshelves, clangs of staff on sword, and a cry that sounded horribly like "BOOT TO THE HEAD!" were audible.

To you left, boy! the Darkness cried, a snake tentacle shooting out and seizing the attacking Potential Subplot in midair. There was the disgusting sound of fangs squeezing into the bunny's body, before it was tossed limply to the side of the corridor.

No one bites my host but me! the Darkness snarled, and then as an afterthought. And your lover too I suppose...

Michael blushed, and was infinitely thankful that no one else could hear that.

OOO

Adrian, Hoshikuzu in its staff form for less damage, surveyed Miriku, who was currently being pinned under crushed stone pillars and multiple copies of various encyclopaedias. He could smell burning from the next corridor and knew that Tash must have been fighting too – whether she had been attacking or defending he couldn't tell.

There was a thundering of footsteps, and Thought Marcus shot right past him, without stopping to say anything but a terrified "HELP!" He was followed closely by Emotion Marcus, who's purple eyes had an enraged look in them. The louder of the two had run out of books to throw, and seemed to be resorting to try and strangle Thought Marcus with his bare hands – if he could catch him that was.

Wow…that's the only time I've ever heard Thought Marcus scream as loud as his counterpart, Adrian thought to himself. To his surprise, Thought Marcus seemed to slow suddenly, and with a great yawn, he flopped bonelessly to the floor, completely asleep. Emotion Marcus screeched to a halt, but he was running too fast and tripped spectacularly over his sleeping other half, arms flailing wildly, and landed on top of him with a dull 'oof!'.

Adrian approached cautiously when neither of them moved, and prodded Emotion Marcus gently with his foot. He got a loud snore in response, and the Librarian breathed a sigh of relief.

"MIRI!"

Adrian mentally groaned as he realised what Michael must be seeing as the agents all rounded the corridor. He had Miri buried in fallen rubble and books, and both halves of Marcus comatose on the floor. Michael's whole body was trembling with rage, and Valerie was supporting Claire, who was struggling not to fall asleep on the healer's shoulder.

Aster screamed, "His eyes! He's been bitten!"

A dramatic blast of wind buffeted the Librarian, who braced himself against the hurricane that had materialised in the corridor. Above the noise he could hear Valerie screaming:

"ASTER! His eyes are always purple!"

The storm like winds abruptly ceased, and Aster looked sheepish. "Oops… sorry Adrian-kun…"

The windswept Librarian had not time to reply. Two tentacles of Darkness pinned him by his throat against the wall, a third wrenching Hoshikuzu from his grasp. Adrian choked, as he saw Michael advance, a murderous gleam in his orange tinted eyes.

"M-Michael…" Adrian tried to splutter. "I-I…"

"You. Hurt. MIRI!" Michael bellowed, more Darkness bursting from his back. A sleepy-looking Claire hugged him from behind and pulled him back.

"Michael… Miriku's eyes are purple. She was bitten."

His own eyes clearing, Michael released Adrian, who leaned heavily against the wall coughing hard, as air rushed into his grateful lungs.

"You didn't have to knock her out," Michael growled. Feeling safer with his sword in his hand, Adrian bent to pick up Hoshikuzu before he answered.

"She got bitten… she attacked me and Thought Marcus…"

"Emotion Marcus is the same," Valerie reported, fishing around in her first aid bag. "Aster said bunnies. Potential Subplots, am I right?"

Adrian nodded, "Brainwashing…"

Valerie flipped open a roll of material, which contained vials of different coloured medicine, and began selecting one. Michael still looked angry, but muttered an apology, that Adrian would have missed had he not been watching his lips move. The awkwardness was broken as Claire's eyes fluttered closed and she rested completely on Michael.

"Baby?" Michael's voice took a frantic edge. "Baby, wake up…"

"Kyaa~…Michael-kun. She's not going to." Aster said gently, as Michael cuddled his girlfriend against his chest. "We need to find that spell." It was rare to hear the fae sound so serious. Adrian nodded in agreement, and glanced around.

"Valerie, you get that antidote administered."

The healer was already on it, filling the first syringe with one of the bright yellow medicines.

"Aster, what happened to Tash?" the Librarian asked. Aster blinked slowly.

"She's on top of one of my ice pillars… I hope she's not cold…"

Resisting the urge to roll his eyes, Adrian pointed back to the other corridor. "Go keep an eye on her. Valerie will come round with the antidote when she's ready. Michael?"

Michael did not look up from Claire, but he nodded to show he was listening.

"I'll search," he agreed, before the Librarian could ask. He rested Claire gently against the wall, and turned to Valerie. "Take care of her."

The healer nodded, tapping the syringe, and depressing it to get the air bubbles out. "You know I will."

As she took Miriku's arm, there was a loud squeak, and Aster came running back into the corridor, as a low growling noise appeared from behind her. All the agents looked up and paled.

The Potential Subplots had been taking advantage of their distraction, and begun breeding. Ten of them now blocked the corridor exit.

"How fast do these things breed?" Michael demanded in horror. He knew instantly that there was no way they would be able to defeat them all. There were too many of them and they were all too damn fast.

"Like rabbits," Adrian muttered, raising his sword, as the mass of bunnies charged, teeth bared and ready for blood and chaos.

"TAKE THIS!"

The bunnies all seemed to pause mid leap, and turn their heads behind them just in time to get a face full of clear, strong smelling liquid. There was a hiss and the stench of burning fur, and the bunnies tumbled to the ground, rolling about the floor in agony as their flesh began to burn. The corridor was filled with deafening screeches of pain, before they all evaporated into atoms.

At the end of the corridor, stood Emily.

The former Mary-Sue was clutching her supersoaker, and had a bag across her shoulder, open and baring several bottles labelled "Fangirl Strength Disinfectant". As soon as the last bunny vanished, she pulled one out and began reloading her weapon.

"…do you want to swap?" Michael asked, offering Emily his sword.

"Thanks Emily," Adrian lowered his own sword. "But it's too dangerous here…"

Emily rolled her eyes. "I don't care if it's dangerous here. I came to help."

She marched to Adrian and raised her hand, displaying the numbers she had scrawled on the back of it. The Librarian's eyes went wide as he realised what they were.

"How?" was all he could splutter. Emily smirked.

"Phoenixia. I had her run a search."

She was swept into a suffocating hug by a relieved Adrian.

"You're a genius!" he declared, before racing off back towards the rooms.

"Kyaa~…I think the kitty costume is going to his head…" Aster declared, hurrying off to check on Tash, as Adrian had ordered. Everyone left jumped as Miriku gave a loud groan, and she opened her eyes, which had gone back to their usual colour.

"Owie…" the girl protested as she tried to move. "What fell on me?"

"Bunnies!" Emily shouted, raising her supersoaker, and drenching five Potential Subplots that had rounded the corner of the corridor. Unfortunately she also drenched Aster, who was once again beating a hasty retreat back round the corner.

"Emily-chan!" the fae yelled, wiping the liquid from her costume. Though she had quickly changed the molecules upon contact with her skin so that it did not harm her, she did not appreciate being soaked.

"You jumped in my way!" Emily screamed in her defence.

"Do I look like a bunny?"

"…do you really want an answer to that, Aster?" Michael questioned, propping Miriku up against the wall, two snake tentacles catching a Potential Subplot in mid air and ripping it into two pieces.

Emily watched the last of the bunnies evaporate on the spot, and wiped her forehead. "That's all of them…question is, where did they come from?"

Aster looked thoughtful, and hurried around the corner of the corridor before she could be stopped again. She returned not half a minute later, with the Subplot that had attacked her earlier, still frozen in a block of ice.

"Here," she said, passing him to Michael, stepping carefully over Valerie, who was administering the antidote to Emotion Marcus. "Hold this. I'm going to check on Tash-san."

Michael held it at arms length as though he expected it to jump out of the ice and bite him at any moment. "What am I supposed to do with this?"

I could rip it apart, The Darkness suggested. I've always wanted to try frozen vermin...

"I hate you sometimes..." Michael thought.

"Valerie-san!" Aster called from the next corridor. "Tell Adrian-kun that Tash-san is sleeping!"

The healer chewed her lip, as she slipped the used needle into a pot in her bag, and prepared another antidote. "Its just down to us..."

"No need to tell me," the Librarian stated, stepping back into the corridor, chewing his lip in worry. "I heard."

"Did you find the counter spell?" Valerie demanded, and her heart sank as Adrian shook his head.

"There's no spell... there's only one way to stop it..."

He approached Emily, and the ten year old could tell from the look on his face that she was not going to like what he was about to ask of her.

"You guys all get to my office. You'll be safe there –" He raised his voice. "You too Aster! Take Tash!"

"Kyaa~"

"Emily," Adrian continued. "I need your lab key."

The former Sue fixed the Librarian with a cautious look, her forehead creasing into a frown, as she dangled the key on the end of her finger. "What do you need it for? You've got the master key..."

"Not to the room I need," Adrian explained, snatching the keys from her hand, and turning back to the closed door. A click of his own keyring later, and the door opened to the dark tech lab staircase.

"I know how to wake everyone. Just get yourselves to my office and keep those Subplots back."

"Adrian!" Emily shrieked after the Librarian's shrinking form. "Why do you need my key? What room can't you get into?"

A squeak sounded from behind her and she blasted an approaching bunny in the face, as realisation crashed over her like a splash of icy cold water. The bunny disintegrated as she raced toward the staircase.

"Adrian! Don't you dare touch the dues ex machina!"

OOO

"Okay, Tash-san, down you come," Aster grinned widely, gripping her staff and shifting the water molecules so that they unfroze. Like a geyser that had been reversed, the water collapsed to the floor, drenching Aster further, and sending Tash crashing painfully to the floor with a loud jingle of her outfit.

"ASTER!"

Aster turned to see she had accidently soaked Michael and Valerie, who were struggling to carry everyone. Claire was resting on Michael, while Valerie carried Miri. Marcus had been merged back to one person, and was being carried by two tentacles of Darkness.

Aster sweatdropped. "Gomennasai..." She bent to pick up Tash, and winced. "Ouch... she fell on her coins again!"

OOO

"You should go back and help the others."

"Adrian I'm telling you! Don't use that thing! You know what happened last time!"

"I take orders from no one Emily! This is the only way!"

"But it's dangerous! – DON'T!"

And for the briefest fraction of a second, the Library went white.

OOO

The only sound in the main reading room, was the gentle snoring of the sleeping agents, and the occasional splatter of slowly solidifying chocolate running down the side of the abandoned chocolate fountain. Occasionally one of the sleeping bodies would twitch.

Then Rhia twitched so much that she fell off the sofa, and landed heavily on the floor.

Or at least, it should have been the floor...

"Ow!"

Rhia's eyes snapped open and she found herself face to face with Cristoph – she had landed directly on top of him. The ninja was blinking slowly at her, and as she watched, colour seemed to seep into his cheeks.

"Is he blushing?" Rhia wondered, internally giving a small giggle that was often reserved for Merlin characters. "Aww...he's actually kinda cute when he's embarrassed."

"Not that I mind, Lady Rhia," Cristoph began. "But would you care to remove yourself from me?"

And with a flood of embarrassment, Rhia felt her own cheeks flame as she realised just how they were positioned. She scrambled off hastily, shyness overcoming her.

"I'm so sorry!" she squeaked, scurrying back onto the sofa, and cuddling a pillow tightly as though it would cover her embarrassment. Cristoph looked around the room with a smile.

"It appears the spell is broken..." he commented, as other agents began to stir. Some were yawning widely, and others were just looking confused.

Then an alarm began to sound, and Tash's voice appeared through the Library.

"All agents, arm yourselves and assemble at Adrian's office. Quickly as possible."

OOO

"...so what exactly did you do?" Michael asked, folding his arms and giving the Librarian a stern look. Adrian sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"The book said no spell existed and to use some other deus ex machina to stop it..."

"...so you thought that quite literally using the Deus Ex Machina to fix it would be a good idea?" Emily demanded furiously.

"Well it worked, didn't it?" Adrian spluttered. "Everyone woke up, and we aren't sealed in anymore..."

The Librarian was not used to having to explain his intentions – it was so much easier when he saved the people, they were just grateful, and didn't care how he did it...

"What repercussion was there?" Valerie asked, knowing full well that something must have happened.

Tash, who had been given an antidote in record time by the healer before she could wake up, was sitting next to the computer, poking the screen. She had suggested holding this meeting in the monitor room, but it was too small to hold all the agents present. Indeed. Adrian's office seemed to have magically doubled in capacity in order to fit everyone comfortably.

"Well... thankful as I am that someone saved our a-rears," Tash amended her language for Emily's sake. "I'm afraid that Adrian and the Deus Ex Machina just gave 4Kids the right to dub the new YuGiOh movie..."

Every YuGiOh fan present groaned loudly. Adrian rolled his eyes.

"Oh come on! They probably would have got the rights anyway..."

Aster, who was not a YuGiOh fan at all, and was examining the ends of her hair for fire damage, asked. "So... who cast the spell?"

"And how did they infiltrate my Library?" Adrian grumbled. Michael, who was still carrying the slowly melting block of ice, waved it at everyone.

"Easy way to find out," he declared, and everyone turned to look at him curiously. "Someone sent their little pets in here... let's send them back to master."

He poked Jess in the side, and the now sober agent nodded, and pressed her fingers to the tattoo on her back. A small blast of fire later, and the Potential Subplot was released, shivering and shaking water off its fur. It was immediately seized by a snake tentacle, and began to scream and shriek at the top of its lungs. Michael clapped its mouth shut with another tentacle.

That went straight through my ears... the Darkness winced.

"You don't HAVE any ears," Michael reminded it.

...oh shut up boy...

"Heh, Michael three hundred and fifteen, Darkness two hundred and three..."

I said shut up!

"Alright bunny," Michael started, waving another tentacle threateningly above the Subplot's head. "You're going to show us how you got into this Library. And if you mess around...well, the Darkness is hungry..."

The bunny looked petrified, as Michael released it, and it immediately scampered as fast as it could between the legs of the agents, who backed away just in case it decided to turn around and bite one of them. Michael followed closely, snake poised a mere ten inches behind the Subplot at all times.

With a squeak, the bunny leaped straight for the handleless door that Emily had gone through earlier, and vanished from sight. Michael was right behind it, touching the door and disappearing from sight.

"I'll bet its heading for the Fourth Wall!" Emily gasped, and the Library gave a hideous shudder as soon as the words were out of her mouth.

"That's the Fourth Wall?" Drake asked in disbelief, causing another miniature quake.

"Stop talking about it!" Adrian demanded, tersely.

"Follow that bunny!" Harriet yelled, jabbing her cricket bat in the direction of the door and sending the agents surging for the door like a fast sweeping tide. There were a few cries of pain as people trod on each other's feet, and several agents' costumes were poked places they really shouldn't go.

"Don't touch anything else in there!" Tash advised.

"And don't go down any of the side bits!" Emily added with a shudder.

"Hey!" Adrian yelled, as everyone began vanishing from the room. "You can't go in there!"

No one paid any attention to him, and the Librarian growled.

"No one takes me seriously in this costume!"

OOO

"That wasn't there before!" Emily declared, pointing at the anomaly, though there was really no need – it was so big that you would have to be blind to miss it. "At least...I don't think it was that big before..."

In the centre of the Fourth Wall was a massive, gaping crack, big enough for most people to fit through. It looked as though someone had taken a chainsaw and gouged the material out of the wall, leaving a gaping wound behind.

The Potential Subplot took advantage of everyone's awe and wonder to leap back through the crack and to safety.

"I'm thinking bad guys on the other side of the wall?" Michael suggested, and there were several nods of agreement.

"Wait just a minute!" Adrian pushed his way to the front of the crowd, determined to regain some of his presence. "We can't all go barging in there. Someone needs to stay here in case anything happens."

It was clear from the expressions on the agent's faces that no one wanted to miss out on the opportunity to harm whoever it was who had ruined their party.

"I'll stay," Emily stated finally. "I've had enough excitement and running for one day."

"I meant someone over five feet," Adrian replied, and Emily stuck her tongue out at him.

"Oh, that rules me out then," Tyler said gleefully.

"I can stay behind," Miriku volunteered, and no one wanted to argue with her. Emily handed Harriet her supersoaker and bag of disinfectant, before running over to Miriku and hugging her tightly around the waist. Adrian just looked relieved that someone had listened to him in this outfit.

"When we get back," he muttered to his girlfriend. "I'm burning this costume and punishing you."

Tash gave a wide grin. "You shouldn't tempt me at a time like this, love."

"Ladies first," Cristoph invited, waving a hand toward the crack. Claire, armblades and pinecones at the ready, rolled her eyes.

"Men only say that because they're scaredy cats," she declared, before linking arms with Tash and Jess and stepping through the wall.

OOO

The other side of the Fourth Wall was the interior of a tower.

The walls were cold metal, lined by humming lights all the way to the top. The ceiling was so far above their heads that none of the Society agents could see that high. Stationed at four corners, were four small chariot-like platforms, which seemed designed to rise to the top of the tower.

In the corner of the room was a cage, filled with Potential Subplots, leaping around, mating, and some trying to gnaw their way out of the cage. Most of them were brainwashing Subplots, like the one from the Library that was currently trying to wriggle back into the cage, but there were a handful that were red with various patterns, and a couple that were pink.

"Hang on..." Michael said, craning his head and trying to see the top of the tower. "This is Alcatraz Tower... we're in the YuGiOh fandom!"

"No we're not..." Tash shook her head, tapping away at her Plot Summary. "This is the YuGiOh Abridged Series fandom...there's a large streak of crack running through this world."

"That explains the Subplots!" Harriet nodded, aiming her borrowed supersoaker at the cage. "The Abridged Series is right in the middle of season two, and Marik is running around brainwashing people."

"Making it the perfect breeding place for brainwashing Subplots to sic on you idiots!"

The Society rounded on the door to the tower, and everyone's jaws dropped simultaneously in an almost comical manner. Several people gasped in disbelief, and Harriet dropped the supersoaker.

It was Marcus who spoke first.

"Chi? Xavier?"

"Surprise!" Chi snickered, giving a wave. Xavier tossed a strand of white hair over his shoulder and folded his arms smugly.

"Well it seems you all survived our spell," the Stu observed. "What a waste of time..."

"How did you even cast that spell over the Library?" Adrian pushed forward, his arms folded, his kitten ears twitching. Chi and Xavier's eyes moved from top to bottom and then back up again, before they both burst into harsh laughter.

"Kitty costume Librarian?" Xavier snickered. "Very badass."

Chi appeared too overcome with giggles to add any kind of intelligent comment, and Adrian blushed brightly. By his side, Tash couldn't help but grin widely.

"In answer to your question," Xavier explained, completely unfazed by the fact that every agent was levelling their weapons at them and they were outnumbered two to forty. "The same way you just came in – through the fourth wall...this fandom breaks it so much that it was easy to cast a spell through it."

"And the Library couldn't alert you or throw us out," Chi added grinning. "Because we were never inside it in the first place!"

Adrian's whole body was twitching by this point, as he realised that the Library would never register
recreational spells such as flashback spells or sleeping spells as deadly, because usually they were never used that way. He would have to step up security once they got back.

"Well your spells failed," Harriet declared boldly, stepping forward, levelling the supersoaker in one hand and her cricket bat in the other. "And we're all awake and kicking...so are you both going to come quietly and save yourself a beating?"

Both Sue and Stu snorted with laughter again.

"Oh please! We Sues always have more than one plan!" Chi stated, pulling out a small (very cliché looking) black box with a giant red button on the top. "And YuGiOh Abridged may only be reaching the end of season two, but you all remember what happens to this tower at the end of season three... right?"

The gaze of every YuGiOh fan in the vicinity seemed to travel to the top of the tower and back down to the bottom again, where they all gulped audibly.

"Bollocks," Tash summarised.

"Kyaa~...what happens in season three?" Aster inquired, hovering above everyone's heads curiously.

"This tower blows sky high," Harriet summed up simply.

"How did you hack into Kaiba's self destruct system?" Adrian demanded.

"In the words of this fandom," Chi smirked. "I used my elite haxzor skills to bring down one of Kaiba's satellites so that we could gain access to his computer system!"

"Hooray for cyber-terrorism," Xavier added dryly.

"But you'll kill yourselves!" Harriet spluttered, at the apparent stupidity of this plan.

"Oh really?" Chi asked. "Or did you forget that the Fourth Wall is impervious to normal forms of breaking? And you've just left a nice empty transdimensional space for us to go back to."

"Of course!" Adrian mentally smacked himself. "They knew all the Society agents would come here to get even with them, and so they planned to destroy us inside the tower while they hop through the Fourth Wall to the Libra-"

"Librarian! Stop having an internal monologue!" Xavier snapped. "It's very impolite!"

"Yeah! We're trying to reveal the full brilliance of our plan!" Chi's pout wiped instantly from her face as she raised the button high above her head. "The death of the Society!"

Xavier joined her in an obligatory round of evil laughter.

"Say goodbye, agents!"

Chi's thumb came down on the button, as the Society charged en masse toward their two enemies. Red lights flashed all over the building, and a klaxon blared into the ears of everyone present. A pleasant female voice rang out over the chaos.

"Auto destruction engaged. Two minutes until detonation. Evacuate immediately."

"You just don't know when to back off, do you?" Harriet cried over the hubbub. "One night! We get one night where we can just enjoy ourselves and you screw it up for us! You put us to sleep. You make us relive some of the worst moments of our lives. You try to blow us up! And you RUINED a brilliant party!"

There appeared to be some massive crush going on in the centre of the crowd, with Chi and Xavier right in the middle. Most agents had abandoned the use of their weapons and magic in such a confined space, and were opting instead to punch, kick, prod or beat the Sue and Stu however they could.

"There's only one thing you two deserve!" Harriet bellowed, and all the agents seemed to hold their breaths as the leader bellowed the one command they had all longed to hear.

"SOCIETY DOG PILE!"

And in that instant, Chi and Xavier realised that they had made a huge mistake enraging the Society in this way.

Xavier's eyes went wide as several agents slammed into him with such force that he wound up flat on the floor, his beautiful face being squished uncomfortably into the concrete. Chi was suffering a similar fate, however she managed a smile as she realised just who was pinning her to the floor.

"Double the Marcus?" she sounded surprised, and then pleased, her voice taking on a suggestive tone. "Double the fun."

"FOR THE LAST TIME, I'M NOT STRAIGHT!" Emotion Marcus bellowed over the din.

Over on Xavier, things were no less chaotic.

"Sorry Tashy!" Harriet blushed. "I think I just kicked you in the chest!"

"Oh relax," Tash muttered. "Its not like there's much there to kick..."

There was a squeak and an awkward cough from on top of them.

"We really need to stop meeting like this Lady Rhia..."

"I can't breathe!" Xavier rasped, but there was so much noise in the air that no one heard him.

Adrian stood to one side, sweatdropping. He had tried to join the dog pile, but backed off when he saw how tall and ridiculous looking the piles of agents were getting, and figuring he should try and retain what little remained of his dignity.

"Ow!" came Ben's voice. "Who just punched me?"

"Sorry!" Doug yelled. "I thought you were Chi!"

"Sixty seconds, and counting." the pleasant female voice interrupted. Adrian paled and raced for the nearest computer console.

"Someone shut down the system!" came Michael's voice from somewhere under the pile of bodies.

"Way ahead of you!" the Librarian called over his shoulder, ripping out of the front panel of the computer and groaning as he saw a complex system of computer circuit boards, wires and other technical gismos that kept the whole system running. He swiftly pulled out his communicator and dialled.

"Phoenixia? I need help!"

"Hey!" came Ben's voice from somewhere on the Chi pile. "Who am I kicking?"

"That's me!" Tyler protested. "And that really hurts!"

"So if that's you?" Drake asked, feeling beneath him. "Who's that beneath me?"

"That's me!" squeaked Karissa, and from the slapping noise which followed, Drake had clearly just accidently grabbed somewhere he shouldn't have.

"Where's Chi?" Ben demanded. "You landed on top of her first!"

"I thought Drake was on top of her!" Karissa replied.

"YOU GUYS LANDED ON CHI?" Emotion Marcus cried. "THEN WHO AM I ON TOP OF?"

"M-me!" Thought Marcus squealed. "Y-you're a-all o-on t-t-top of m-m-me!"

Slowly, the agents disentangled themselves from one another, and sure enough, on the bottom of the pile, were the two halves of Marcus, one on top of the other.

"Thirty seconds, and counting."

"Where's Chi?" Drake paled as he saw a rapidly shrinking plothole behind them. Chi had apparently taken advantage of the chaos to slip out from beneath the pile of agents and summon a plothole. All twenty agents dived for it, and slammed simultaneously into the tower wall as it vanished completely, leaving the mound of bruised and groaning agents on the floor.

"Damn it!" Tash snapped from the second pile. A finger poked into her ribs. "Ow!"

"Tash you yelled that right down my ear!" Harriet winced, and slowly the second dog pile of agents began to untangle themselves. Jess, who was sitting on the bottom, had somehow miraculously managed to extract a prohibitor from her bag, and clasp it around Xavier's wrist.

"Xavier Nathaniel Zenith Peacemaker, you are under arrest for multiple counts of fandom manipulation!" Jess declared as everyone got to their feet.

"A-and s-s-sending m-me on a w-wild g-g-goose c-chase t-through m-multiple f-f-fandoms!" Thought Marcus spluttered.

"AND RUINING A PERFECTLY GOOD PARTY!" Emotion Marcus added promptly.

"And trying to kill us!" Tash finished.

The euphoria lasted only a second, as an identical expression of "oh fuck" spread across everyone's faces as they remembered a little too late, that they were in a building that was set for explosion.

"Twenty seconds, and counting."

Adrian yanked harder and harder, and eventually toppled away from the console, sitting up and regrasping his communicator, growling in annoyance as he had to move the device in order to hear properly.

"What next?"

"Okay, you did pull out the blue wire, right?" Phoenixia's voice had the air of one trying to be calm under severe stress that was enough to turn ones hair grey. Adrian paled.

"You told me red!" he grabbed the wire that he had evidently just yanked out, which sure enough, was cased in red.

"No, I said blue!" the hologram screamed back.

"RED!"

"BLUE!"

"RED!"

"BLUE!"

"WILL YOU TWO SHUT UP AND DO SOMETHING ALREADY?" Tash screamed what everyone was thinking. She was interjected by a helpful computerised voice.

"Ten seconds, and counting."

And still the argument continued.

"RED!"

"Five."

"BLUE!"

"Four."

"RED!"

"Three."

"BLUE!"

And as if by magic, the lights stopped flashing, the alarms died down, and the computerised voice announced in a slightly snarky tone.

"System shut down."

Every agent in the building had a suitably confused WTF moment affixed to their faces. Just when they had thought things could not get any weirder...

"What happened?" Adrian finally asked. "Why did the system shut down?" He turned hastily to Phoenixia on his communicator. "It did shut down, right?"

The hologram nodded, looking equally perplexed. The computer however, had the reply everyone was looking for.

"After hearing such a pointless argument, I concurred that waiting for a deactivation order would take too long. So I wiped the command from my memory."

The Librarian, and several other agents blinked.

"That was... unexpected," Adrian finally commented.

"Well this is YuGiOh the Abridged Series..." Phoenixia shrugged. "Not too unexpected."

"True..." Adrian agreed, yelping as a spark shot out from the computer panel and zapped him. His hair stood on end, smoke floating up in wisps, and the fur on his tail was standing on end like a stiff wire brush.

"What was that for?" he cried, as the assembled agents burst out laughing behind him.

"You ripped off my panels and tore at my wiring," the computer replied. "I never go third base on a first date!"

OOO

An hour later, after Xavier had been thrown into the basement, the Library's computer systems set up to track Chi, and Adrian had repaired the crack in the Fourth Wall and changed his outfit ("Finally!" he had cheered upon finding his wardrobe hidden on top of the Phoenix Zord's head), the Society sat back in the main reading room, all looking beyond exhausted, but primarily upset.

It was with a very subdue air that Rhia quietly gave the order to clear away the tables and take all the uneaten food to her kitchen. Most agents were sprawled around on sofas, cushions, and beanbags, all still in costume (except for Adrian) and some curled up in the blankets that had been moved there earlier that evening.

"Now that the excitement is over..." Harriet began, trailing off, as her mind was forced back to the memories she had been forced to flashback through all evening.

"...we've got nothing to distract us from what we saw," Valerie sighed, from where she sat surrounded by her teammates on a pile of cushions.

"The worst moments of our lives..." Emily muttered, her eyes filling with tears. She hopped up and sat next to Harriet, her arms held out for a cuddle. The Leader obliged, if only to hide her own face.

Tash was cuddling Adrian, but for once, was not petting his ears. The Librarian looked a little less sombre than everyone else, but that was hardly surprising – he was used to encountering his past every time he closed his eyes to rest.

"The one night we try and enjoy ourselves," Tash was chewing her lip. "And it gets ruined by our pasts..."
She sighed heavily. "I guess there's only one cure for this melancholy."

Everyone looked at her in curiosity, as she pulled out her phone, checked her watch briefly, before pressing a number on speed dial.

"...hello, Dominos Pizza? Can I place an order for collection, please?"

OOO

FLASHBACK

Something was touching him...

"Shh love... its only me... go back to sleep..."

He wouldn't be fooled. He wouldn't let that happen again. He couldn't...

"Nothing can hurt you while I'm here..."

A moan broke free, and he tried to struggle away from the persistent touch. "No..."

Arms were all around him, touching, intruding, branding him with a mark he didn't want...

"Wake up love..."

"Don't... TOUCH ME!"

The Librarian exploded out of sleep, pulling himself and his perceived threat off the bed and slamming the offender into the wall. When the voice spoke it was tinged with pain, but this time Adrian recognised it.

"Calm down love... its just me..."

Blinking slowly to clear the terror that his mind had left him in, he backed slowly away from his girlfriend, who rubbed her arms where he had grabbed her. "I..."

"Its me... no need to panic," Tash was whispering. She was still fully dressed, and had apparently only just returned from whatever it was she had been doing, but Adrian comprehended none of this. He was still trying to sort out the reality of his waking moments from the incredibly realistic nightmare.

He clutched his head. Nothing made sense at the moment. "I... I was there again... she chained me... couldn't move... can't make it stop..."

He sank back to the bed, and Tash knelt, cuddling him gently and trying to soothe her frightened lover.

"Its okay... you're here now, and she can't hurt you again..."

She knew... of course she knew. Adrian remembered telling her about this particular memory of his past, and the scars (both physical and mental) he still had to show for it. Right now though none of this seemed relevant in his confused state.

"It doesn't stop... helpless... I can't go back... don't make me go back..."

Between his desperate pleas he began to cry softly into Tash's shoulder.

"I can't..."

No...

Wait... not again!

This isn't supposed to be happening!

OOO

Adrian awoke with a start, and immediately reached over, fearing that he was alone. To his relief he found the familiar sleeping body next to him, stirring slightly at his unease.

"Mmm... what's wrong, love?" Tash's voice was thick with sleep and confusion. The Librarian cuddled close to her.

"I had a flashback... I thought the spell was over though. We shouldn't be having them!"

Sensing that he was getting worked up, the kitty ears were rubbed, tweaked and petted, instantly wiping all concerns from the Librarian's stressed mind.

"It's a clipshow love," came the sleepy reply, before a pair of thin arms wrapped around him and snuggled close. "Just go with it... go back to sleep..."

For the first time in his life, Adrian was relieved to hear the Fourth Wall rumble, as if to reassure him that all was well, and he settled quickly back to sleep.

OOO

When the Librarian awoke, his girlfriend was nowhere to be found. Frowning at this strangeness, he pulled on his clothes and headed for the kitchen, expecting to find her there.

To his surprise, the kitchen was deserted. No one was around, grabbing a snack, or munching through breakfast, or cramming some form of caffeine down their throat in order to properly wake them up.

Feeling a little anxious after the events of last night, Adrian hurried through the corridors in search of another living soul. He could still sense people in the Library, so he was not panicking that he had been left alone once more (he still shuddered every time he remembered his all too silent life before the Society had moved in), but he was worried. Where had everyone gone?

Fortunately, he eventually ran into Michael and Claire, who were walking arm in arm toward the monitor room, presumably to share the duty that morning.

"Where is everyone?" Adrian asked. The couple blinked at him in surprise, before adopting suitably grave expressions.

"They've all come down with an infectious disease," Michael said solemnly. Next to him, Claire was nodding her head in a sad manner.

"...what kind of disease?" Adrian frowned.

Claire blinked in surprise. "You don't know? It's November the first."

"Which means they all have the NaNoWriMo disease," Michael stated. "They've all gone and huddled in one of the smaller reading rooms to write and make up for the time they lost last night while we were running around like loons."

Adrian felt horror dawn on him. "So let me get this straight? We're supposed to run the Society for an entire month with half of our staff huddled in a room over their laptops, running off nothing but caffeinated beverages and large amounts of sugar?"

"...pretty much," Michael beamed. "Aren't you excited?"

"Oh yes. Totally thrilled..." the Librarian groaned.

Insert Horrendeous Chinese Scriptures Here

"Jackie," Uncle said. "This is your other niece. She will be living with us for a year."

"What?" Jackie said, wearing his usual "baffled face". "Another niece I've never heard of is coming to live with us? Why do you never tell me these things?"

"You were napping when her parents called," Uncle replied, waving a hand casually. "Did not want to disturb you. This is Jade's sister. Her parents decided that since Jade is improving so much in America, they'd send her over, too."

"Jade," Jackie said, turning to the niece he knew existed. "Why did you never tell me you had a sister?"

For once, Jade said nothing. She just stared at the other girl and shrugged.

"Well," said Tohru, Uncle's 780-pound apprentice, turning to the new girl. "What's your name?"

The girl told him.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Meanwhile, in the Speed Racer fandom, Agent Marcus of the Anti-Cliché and Mary-Sue Elimination Society was having some trouble with an old adversary: Xavier Nathaniel Zenith Peacemaker. The two of them were in the middle of a big race, and Xavier was winning easily.

"Ha!" Xavier laughed, speaking quickly with his mouth movements not in sync with the words he was saying. "My Mach 100 racecar is the fastest thing you have ever seen! I will win easily, then escape and leave you to say 'Curses, he has escaped in his Mach 100 racecar, the fastest thing I have ever seen!'! Ha, haha, haha!"

With that, Xavier Nathaniel Zenith Peacemaker shot past the finish line and out of sight.

"Curses!" Marcus said, in this fandom's manner of talking. "He has escaped in his Mach 100 racecar, the fastest thing I have ever seen!"

With that, he sighed and opened a portal back to the Library Arcanium.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Soon after returning to the Library, Marcus took out his frustration in a socially unacceptable way.

"I know what you want!" he shouted. "I always know what you want! It's always the same! You give me a short minute of pleasure followed by a long period of misery! You think you're so beautiful with your perfect form and your great additions in all the right places, but you're not! Once a man makes you a permanent part of his life, he can say good-bye to so much more! No, never again shall I give in to you, you dirty little succubus!"

"Marcus," Tash said. "Either eat your chocolate cake or don't, but please stop talking to it!"

"I don't know why you thought this would make me feel better," he muttered, pushing the plate away.

"I find that chocolate helps after a botched assignment," she told him, before grabbing the plate and digging in.

"It wasn't just 'botched'," Marcus groaned. "It was the worst I've ever done! I've chased Xavier across five fandoms, and each time I do worse!"

"Maybe you're trying too hard," Adrian suggested. "From what you told me, the plan was a little complicated."

Marcus said nothing. He just slumped his head on the table.

At that moment, Harriet burst in.

"Guys," she said. "We've got a Mary-Sue in the Jackie Chan Adventures fandom!"

"Anyone we know?" Tash inquired.

"I didn't recognize her," Harriet responded.

"Well," Tash said, standing up from the table. "Marcus, I hereby assign you this mission."

"What?" Marcus exclaimed. "Why me?"

"You and Michael are the only ones I've ever heard talking about this fandom, and Michael's still recovering," his boss replied. "Now, as your superior, I order you to go down and deal with this!"

Marcus frowned, but nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

Then Tash smiled.

"Hey," she said. "While you're there, I'll take Harriet and Lauren and see what we can do for the Speed Racer fandom, okay?"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Marcus' portal dumped him in the middle of Section 13, the secret government installation in the heart of San Francisco, just as his target was getting the tour from Captain Black (Section 13's bald leader), Jackie, and Jade. He took a good look at her—she was an attractive Chinese girl, about 16, with big eyes and short purple hair.

"And this is the Research and Development area," explained Captain Black. "Got that?"

Captain Black had clearly already fallen under her spell.

"All right, girl, put 'em up!" Marcus warned.

"Harrison, stop kidding around!" Captain Black ordered, before realizing he'd never met the boy to whom he was speaking.

"Who are you?" Captain Black, Jade, Jackie, and the Sue asked.

Marcus pulled out his badge and introduced himself.

"I'm Agent Marcus of the Anti-Cliché and Mary-Sue Elimination Society," he said. "And I'm here to arrest this girl for joining a story through blood relation to a main character without prior notice or a permit!"

"That's ridiculous!" Captain Black argued. "I know every secret organization in the U.S., and I've never heard of this society!"

"Tch," Jade said. "You guys don't even know my favorite breakfast cereal!"

"Don't tell me you're actually agreeing with this lunatic!" the Sue demanded.

"I don't know," Jade said. "But something doesn't add up here…"

"Please," the Sue said. "This guy's supposed to be pursuing me, but I'll bet he doesn't even know my name!"
Marcus rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment.

"That's… true," he admitted. "Tash threw me out without giving me a proper briefing…"

"Why, Marcus, I'm insulted!" the Sue sneered. "I can't believe you don't recognize me! I mean, sure, I've undergone a pretty drastic makeover since we last met, but you should at least remember my voice!"

That made it pretty clear to Marcus.

"Chi," he snarled.

The Sue just winked.

"People, this girl is highly dangerous!" Marcus warned. "Within a few days' time she'll disrupt the entire fandom!"

"I have no idea what you're talking about, but I won't let you arrest my niece that I just met!" Jackie said, polite but firm. "Get out."

"Please, Uncle Jackie," Chi said. "Let me use dangerous magical artifacts to destroy him."

"Well, normally I'd say 'no, it's too dangerous'," Jackie replied. "But for some reason I guess it's okay."

Jade just scowled at him.

Chi smiled and pulled something out from under her shirt: a necklace with twelve stone pendants, each depicting an animal of the Chinese zodiac.

"The talismans!" Marcus gasped.

"That's right!" Chi laughed. "All twelve of 'em! I've got all their powers—strength, speed, levitation, immortality… oh, and here's my favorite!"

Chi lifted her hand as the dragon talisman began to glow and fire appeared in her hand. Marcus braced himself for the explosion, but instead he heard a much more surprising noise.

"Oh, no you don't!" Jade shouted, grabbing the necklace by two talismans and pointing Chi upward to redirect the blast.

"Jade!" Jackie exclaimed. "Stop interfering with Chi destroying her enemy!"

"No way!" Jade shouted. "I don't know what's going on here, but my Uncle Jackie would never let his niece use the talismans! You're going down, sis!"

"Get off me, brat!" Chi said, throwing Jade off. Jade went flying across the room, her fists still clenched.

Marcus ran over to make sure she was okay. She had a big bruise, but was fine otherwise.

"Oh, good," Chi commented. "Now I can destroy you both with one shot!"

"You'd destroy your own 'sister'?" Marcus gasped.

"Uncle Jackie will forgive me," Chi smirked. "Nobody can stay mad at me."

Chi charged up another blast from the dragon talisman, but before she could fire, Marcus grabbed Jade, pulled out his Scene Transition, and activated it.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"You're up?" Jade exclaimed as Marcus awoke in a back alley.

Marcus flashed back and remembered the escape he and Jade had made, and that soon after, Chi had cast a powerful spell (with Uncle's full permission, of course) to put the whole fandom into an eternal sleep. Jade had evaded it by, uh, borrowing some of Uncle's ingredients to make a shield spell for herself. Chi clearly wanted to face Marcus alone.

"Yep," Marcus replied. "General spells can't affect non-canon characters."

Jade blinked.

"Okay, I have no idea what that means," she said. "But I do know that we can help each other here. Chi's got almost all the talismans—."

"Almost?" Marcus repeated.

Jade smirked and pulled two talismans out of her pockets.

"The sheep and the tiger," Marcus groaned. "Astral projection and yin-yang."

"I know they're not much," Jade sighed. "But at least she doesn't have the full set."

"She might as well," Marcus told her. "Nobody ever uses those!"

"Man, where's the optimism?" Jade pouted. "Do you think you could at least try to think of something?"
"Sorry," Marcus apologized. "After five consecutive failures, my confident side has gone into hiding."

Jade paused, then smirked.

"Here," she said, tossing him the tiger talisman. "Catch!"

Marcus caught the talisman and it split in his hand. It wasn't alone, though—Marcus split, too! On one side was a clean-shaven Marcus dressed all in blue with no clip-on shades on his glasses, while on the other side was one with a full goatee dressed in red whose sunglasses were real, not just clipped-on lenses (his eyesight wasn't perfect, though—he was wearing contacts underneath).

"WHAT DID YOU DO?" the red one shouted, his voice overflowing with emotion.

"Normally that talisman splits good and evil," Jade told him. "But I figured it could bring out your confident side, too."

"N-n-not qu-quite," the blue one stammered. "I th-think it sp-sp-split b-b-brawn and b-b-brains, r-reckl-l-lessn-ness and f-fear, a-and a f-few other th-things."

He sounded like a nervous wreck.

"I'D SAY IT WORKED FINE!" the red Marcus shouted. "WE'RE STILL BASICALLY GOOD, AND NOW YOU'LL FINALLY LISTEN TO ONE OF MY PLANS! NOW," he said, turning to Jade. "WHAT MAGICAL ARTIFACTS CAN WE GET OTHER THAN THE TALISMANS?"

"We could use the demon chi!" Jade suggested excitedly. "We have all eight!"

"T-too r-risky," the blue Marcus said. "Th-they allow the d-d-demon to use your b-body if your w-w-willp-power isn't st-st-strong enough, a-and if w-we c-can th-throw it off, w-we're b-basically a G-Gary-Stu. F-face it, w-we haven't had m-much l-l-luck w-with u-using m-magical d-devices t-to f-f-fight Ch-Chi."

"WE TRIED ONCE AND ONLY LOST BECAUSE SHE TOOK A CHEAP SHOT!" the red one argued. "AND WE DIDN'T CAPTURE HER USING OUR BRAINS, EITHER! WHAT DO WE HAVE TO LOSE?"

"Our l-lives," the blue one stuttered. "Our f-f-freedom. Our s-s-society m-membersh-ship."

"THAT'S OUR PROBLEM!" the red one boomed. "WE THINK TOO MUCH! I'M SO SURPRESSED THAT I NEVER GET A SAY! JUST ONCE, TRY USING BOTH OF US!"

For that, the blue one had nothing to say.

"GOOD!" the red one screamed. "NOW, LET'S COME UP WITH A PLAN TOGETHER!"

"J-just d-d-don't exp-pect m-me to f-f-fight," the blue one warned.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Sneaking back into Section 13 wasn't hard with everyone asleep. Jade and the Marcuses made it in easily.

"Hey, Chi," Jade shouted. "I'm back! Come and get me!"

This was Jade's part. She was a distraction so that the Marcuses could get what they needed.

"Already here," said a voice beside Jade. Suddenly, Chi appeared out of nowhere! She had used the snake talisman to become invisible!

Still, she didn't notice the Marcuses sneaking off to the vault…

In the vault the Marcuses found what they needed, just before hearing a loud explosion. Jade might very well be dead, but it wouldn't matter if this worked.

"OH, CHI," the red Marcus shouted. "I'M IN THE VAULT! COME AND GET ME!"

Chi appeared in less than two seconds thanks to the rabbit talisman and the fact that Marcus had left the vault door open.

"Oh, the tiger talisman," she observed sarcastically as she looked the two over. "Yeah, that'll help you."

"M-maybe n-not," the blue Marcus replied. "B-but th-th-this m-might!"

The red Marcus pulled something from behind his back: a red and white Japanese oni mask.

"Tarakudo's mask?" Chi exclaimed. "Are you nuts? Ten demons are contained in that! They'll consume you in an instant!" Then she paused. "Although… if you do throw them off, I'd love to have you as a partner. You're kinda cute."

"FORGET IT!" the red Marcus shouted as the blue one gave a disgusted look. "I'LL NEVER BECOME A STU!"

The red Marcus stuck the mask over his face where it held firm, now impossible to pull off.
"LET'S RUMBLE!" he shouted. His voice wasn't just emotional anymore—it was demonic.

The two fighters clashed, but though the mask granted the red Marcus great strength and slight invulnerability, the power of ten combined talismans was far too much for one fighter.

"ENOUGH HOLDING BACK!" the red Marcus yelled. "IT'S TIME TO CALL FOR REENFORCEMENTS! COME, MY SHADOWKHAN!"

All around the room, shadows began to appear, and from them emerged warriors dressed in ninja garb—small winged ones, skinny ones with sharp clawed hands, giant sumo ones, and many more.

"GRAB HER!" the masked Marcus ordered.

The shadowkhan obeyed and attacked Chi all at once. Even with the talismans she couldn't fight them off, especially after one lucky ninja snatched the necklace clean off. Soon enough, Chi was incapacitated, which made it easy for the blue Marcus to run over and cram a Prohibitor on her wrist.

With a bright flash of light the shadowkhan disappeared, the ten talismans returned to their container, and everyone woke up. Still, the mask stayed on.

"Congratulations," Chi snarled. "You've got me. But good luck overpowering those demons' collective willpowers!" She paused, then changed her tone. "No, really, good luck! I want you on my side!"

"N-n-not a ch-chance!" the blue Marcus said. From his pocket, he withdrew a potion vial full of green liquid, which he poured on his hands. Then he grabbed his other half's mask and yanked it clean off and threw it across the room!

"Impossible!" Chi exclaimed. "How'd you get the formula for the mask removal potion?"

"Astral f-forms c-can e-enter d-d-dreams," the blue Marcus explained. "W-we used th-the sh-sh-sheep t-talisman t-to e-enter Uncle's a-and a-ask h-h-him."

"And the samurai hair needed for it?" Chi queried.

"TOHRU'S HAIRBRUSH." The red Marcus replied.

"Very clever," Chi smirked. "But there's one little flaw."

Smiling, Chi ran over to the mask and put it over her own face! Laughing, she summoned numerous shadowkhan to aid her.

"Destroy the Prohibitor!" she ordered.

A mutant shadowkhan (like a cross between a pro wrestler and a lobster) used his claw to snip the band right off, then crushed it in his giant hand.

"Now, destroy them!" the Sue ordered, pointing to her adversaries.

The shadowkhan marched in rows, blindly obeying their master.

"QUICK!" the red Marcus told his other half. "GIVE ME A BOOST!"

"W-why?" the blue half asked.

"TRUST ME!" the red one shouted. "I CAN SAVE US BOTH!"

The blue Marcus looked as nervous as ever, but he cupped his hands down low. The red Marcus jumped off of them and over to Chi, then pulled a Copyright out of his pocket and jammed it on the mask. The shadowkhan disappeared and the mask fell to the floor, useless.

Chi glared, but said nothing. Instead, she just conjured a plothole and disappeared through it.

Their target gone, the two Marcuses sighed and put the halves of the tiger talisman they'd been holding back together, uniting the talisman and themselves. Sighing, he put the sheep talisman back, then lingered on the tiger.

Then he got an idea.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Sorry to hear about that," Tash said after Marcus gave her his report. "Xavier escaped, too, but we managed to clean up the fandom."

"It's not that bad," Marcus said with a smile. "I'll get the next one, probably, and now I've got a new way of thinking."

"What do you mean?" Tash inquired.

Marcus smirked and showed her his new necklace, with two strings holding opposite sides of a very familiar pendant.

"You kept a canon object?" Tash shouted.

"No, no," Marcus reassured. "The real one is back there. This is an exact duplicate with the same powers. This way, I won't lose balance like before. And… I'll never be lonely."