Jackie was glad that her throat was dry, that she was unable to speak.

Because she would’ve shouted, screamed, and screeched. Shrieking at the sheer insanity that was before her.

A man was standing upright on the side of a building, with four robots grabbing his arms and holding his back.

Even the dumbass villain, was cursing at whatever he was looking at. Of course, Jackie still couldn’t properly hear the growing list of obscenities, but the noise collected against the slowly-turning-tangible winds. His dark oil frothing.

It was weird, finding common ground with such a scumbag of a person.

“—Ah, there’s my mike!” a very vain Davenport’s tone echoed through the squirming air. “Thank, my metallic hero!”

“ALL IN A DAY’S WORK, (sir)!” one of the Davenoids replied, in such a sickening and literally artificial sweetener.

“I really hated the idea…” Mr. Davenport began. “To unveil this, like this… Well, no—This is pretty much the best-case scenario. Thank you, Terrance.”

Jackie heard the growl from right where she wobbled.

“And that is the thing, Terrance… I’ve seen your little rants—and it did struck me. You and I—we have the same views in regard to how we get over this struggle. We seize the day, know that this is our new era…But whereas you want to have an excuse to go back—to become some fusion of Viking and triblism. That’s not me.”

His tacky, golden suit gave way to this extreme and bright light. As if it melted away due to the intensity of the rays.

And there he stood.

In a suit, but with thick, ethereal lines connecting to each other in various ways, the… fabric? Dark blue in between the cyan lines. All of them led to the flickering, cartoonish gloves made of hard light. He rose these thick hands into the air, basking in the attention he’s gained.

“I’m using this era, to give us the future we were promised decades ago. Prying it from people like you.”

He gestured. “Davenoids~?”

The two from the back jumped over Davenport in a clean leap, and then rushed forward by deforming into the mess of lines once again—Jackie’s tired brain connecting the dots on the spot.

FEAR AND LOATHING!

Mayhem caused the shadows they still possessed in motion, shooting out quicker due to their accelerated movements.

…But since these are machines that can’t feel fear, all the sludge did was manifest from their shadows.

The Davenoids reformed, planting their feet onto the building.

Mayhem threw the first punch, of course with a fist covered in his filth.

With a siVis ability and possibly enhanced punch alone, he caused the Davenoid’s head to peel back so badly, it was like the T-1000 getting hit with shotgun shells along with the force.

But it did what the T-1000 couldn’t.

As it leaned back from the force, it slammed it’s rising foot back down—not only reforming but redirecting the force back to Mayhem—causing the poor body to roll and skid upwards on a building.

“Well, a tech demo cannot beat what we saw there—” Mr. Davenport, with such a put-on nonchalant chuckle and tone he does not deserve at all right now. “But this is our Davenoid in this time period, folks! Able to be called upon with seconds! Able to withstand siVis attacks and redirect them! And able to do a special surprise feature… But! Our Enforcers are doing their jobs for me to unveil that one!”

Mayhem was struggling to get up, his dry-heaving so audible that Jackie can once again hear it. It was almost pitiable.

“But I know what I can announce!” Mr. Davenport almost giddy like a school child.

He then straightened his hands out, close to his chest, before thrusting his arms forward.

“The Davenbirds are GO!”

Booming into the scene, these things were already corkscrewing in the air, the two blurs shooting out these metallic balls at the downed teen.

He screamed out, but it was cut off.

When these beads made contact with his sludge-covered body, they began to emit these localized, visible force waves from where they hit. He twisted around, his terrible hair flopping manically around, and Jackie thinks she saw foam coming out of his mouth.

This… All of this. It could be over. It finally could be over. It can finally be over.

She heard a long sigh, turning her head towards it.

N’atural Savage was walking towards them, stopping a good few feet away. A look of annoyance etched on her face.

Dragging a trying to steel herself, but ultimately shaking Tabby Morrow.

“You people,” N’atural said with disgust stuck in her throat. “You people again and again and again.”

Jackie made a face. She was starting to become numb all over, unable to tell what things are. All well, it may suit her for what’s coming next.

N’atural arched an eyebrow. Her siVis-altered sunhat covered most of the side of her face.

“Ooooh… You all don’t look so good. As if the intensity alone can make you pass out. Here’s to hoping, at least~”

Jackie jerked her leg forward. She could barely stand after that.

She pointed towards where Tabby was, every directly at her. Huffing through her nose, as her arm gives out.

Tabby shook her head, her big eyes covered in tears. She was lifted up from the back of her dress, effortlessly by the monster girl.

“I feel like it is obvious enough…” N’atural glanced up. “Them having this little victory with their metal men. I can easily make this into yet another terrible day.”

She covered her claws in front of Tabby’s face. The poor girl closed her eyes, trying not to freak out, give this madwoman any joy in seeing her squirm. But again, it was clear that she was so afraid.

I wonder what her transformation will look like~?” N’atural cooed. “That’s the part of live broadcast, yeah? Seeing it live with so many people~?”

Jackie stepped forward again, hunching over.

Taking heaving breaths, she forced herself to look at N’atural, who was visibly annoyed again.

Jackie took her trembling right, and moved it towards her neck. Balling her fist, excluding her thumb, she made the cutting motion. Her glassy eyes bore into her opponent.

Then she heard the sound of people falling into the pavement, turning around.

Maddie was facedown, barely moving. Aiko was on her knees, trying to make sure that things were okay by grabbing the girl’s arm, struggling to reach the wrist. River was hoisting herself up with trembling arms of her own, as Tracy was on her side, gasping pathetically.

Jackie turned back to N’atural.

“As you were saying…?” she sounded unamused at this point.

Like this was some fucking game.

Jackie struggled, trying to reach the decent-sized rubble by her foot. Trying her damnest not to kneel or go down, slightly bending down, fumbling for it, dragging it across the street, hitting her show.

Taking breaths for all that.

Before slowly but surely sliding up her body, now hoisting it up with her shaking hand.

“…You… Are so pathetic,” N’atural began.

Jackie faltered, written all over her face.

“You think that you could beat me? To run this new order? To exist here? I had to shed my weakness away, just to get here, and yet you think you can do all of this? I can’t even laugh. This isn’t funny, it’s frustrating! To watch you struggle and fumble and this and that! I cannot fathom what it’s like to be you day by day! You don’t belong here! You never will!”

Jackie could do nothing but back up at that. Still holding the pavement rock, but stumbling. Backtracking. Retreating.

“Y’know… I’m glad that I took the time. To keep the memory of you from the mall.”

Jackie froze in place. Eyes wide.

N’atural noted that and sported a cheeky smile. Her fangs becoming more pronounced.

“Awww. Now you feel so important, huh? Vindicated? Well, keep in mind that I blocked whatever your name was, and whatever the point of that little rant you did. All I remember you as is an over-their-head whiner that needs to be put out of their own misery. Which I can do right now. Just throw the rock. I’m sure that it’ll represent every pitiful thing you’ve done in your life~”

Jackie felt someone grab the back of her shoe.

She glanced down, seeing Maddie’s hand there. Shaking as she squeezed her heel.

Note that? Remember that…?

It hit her. Use that.

Jackie looked backward, turning towards the rest. All looking at her. Sharing the same, desperate look.

Jackie sniffled and then nodded.

She looked forward toward Tabby, with her own tears in her eyes.

Jackie managed a wavering smile and a terrible wink at her.

The poor girl crumbled into a mess of tears, getting it.

N’atural sighed dramatically, with her eyes closed. “Aw well. I’m sure someone will remember you.”

Jackie reached out. For the little, generated power she had left.

And she remembered, that trying to go all the way hurt her more than it aided.

She felt her ruined arm. Once normal, then battered, then broken, and now ruined.

But she breathed.

She felt the energy softly sweep across her muscles, being channeled into her trembling, weak fingers.

Beyond the cracks. Beyond the pain.

INNATE DRIVE!

Jackie chucked the rock at blinding speeds, a black torpedo heading towards the monster girl.

And with no effort, N’atural casually swiped, hitting it dead on, causing it to crumble into tiny pieces. All with her eyes still closed.

SLIPSTREAM

Once her eyes opened, there was nothing but thick steam to look at.

“And here I thought that this could’ve got fun!” N’atural snarled.

She rushed forward, with Tabby dangling along her side, screaming out in pain and fear as she does.

PERSPECTIVE FLIP!

A small section of the street flipped forward and became a wall, causing N’atural to stop.

Smoke and mirrors, her moment being ruined, caused N’atural to growl more.

And like that, her claws began to extend from her fingers.

She was still in “Stage 1”. She’s learned to “starve” the transformation, so now she can use the perks of each “Stage” and take enough transformation to instantly switch to the next one.

To nearly turn into “Stage 2” for these bums…

She angrily clawed her way through the asphalt, craving a hole in the wall, and bounding from the said hole with her claws and fangs out.

IMMATERIAL GIRL!

Not only did Aiko tackle her out of the air, but merged with her very dress, yanking her mid-air and causing her to crash directly into the ground, causing the daring girl to roll back towards the others, as N’atural lay at where Tracy erected the wall.

“I WILL NOT—” N’atural yelled getting up, “BE STIFFLED BY NOBODIES!”

But before she pounced again, she finally realized something.

She looked at her side. No Tabby.

She looked around as the steam drifted back into the crackling night air.

And then she looked behind.

The perfect tunnel to escape, from where the street was opened up and the wall was created.

N’atural turned towards the pitiful girls that lay on the floor, covering her mouth as she chuckled. Her claws knocked her hat off her head due to the positioning.

But Jackie was still standing from where she was, just laughing herself.

So blessed to have these people by her side.

So happy, that they actually did something.

N’atural abruptly leaped, aimed for Jackie, with fury and anger in her eyes.

LIFE FIBERS

Jackie felt Maddie dig into her ankle, and forced her to fall back.

With the trajectory off, N’atural sailed across them. Landing from behind them, her claws scraping across the ruined street.

The girls effectively lost their first major siVis battle. They’ve pretty much lost their lives, too.

But they did something. Something in this cruel world, as complete and utter failures.

“We… Did it, girls…” Jackie said hoarsely. She felt her eyes close and her mind shut down as she tried to finish, “We actually…”

Jackie, along with the rest of the girls, passed out on the streets.

N’atural began to scream. Not just any scream, but letting out pure and utter insanity.

And miles high above her, Mayhem began to scream in anguish, defeat, and horror.

The combined screams, along with their mind and siVis being so linked, it was the final push for the Paradigm Shift to take hold.

The building, which was just a law office from the before times, bent forward—right into the streets below.

Crashing into the ground, burying anything and anyone, under it and the cracking street below.

That was the end to the State of Existence.