Planet Gaia

The Commander's ship has landed in the middle of very dense vegetation. All students, except for Hiro, emerge from the ship.

Parvul: "The ship's scan of the planet didn't detect any animal life, only vegetation. What are we even doing here?"

Acies: "I don't know why the Commander brought us here, but there must be a reason. The Commander doesn't do anything by chance."

Potesta: "I agree. Artifice, what's wrong?"

Artifice, lost in thought: "Huh? Oh, I'm not sure. It almost feels like there's someone here with us."

Parvul: "All I'm detecting around us are plants."

Artifice: "Sorry, I must be mistaken — yesterday's excitement is catching up with me." 

Terridus: "You don't need to apologize Artifice, this has been difficult for all of us."

Parvul: "Now that we're here, we may as well explore. There aren't any animals, dangerous or otherwise, so it should be safe. What do you think Sloth?"

The students turn around to find Sloth sleeping in a lounge chair.

Parvul: "Not again. Where did he even get that lounge chair from?"

Potesta: "It's alright, he can guard the ship. Besides, someone needs to bring Hiro up to speed when he decides to wake up." 

Acies: "Let's split up so we can cover more ground."

Parvul, as her suit sprouts drone rotors: "I'll take the air."

Terridus, summoning a magic carpet: "Me too."

Artifice: "Guess the rest of us don't have a choice, we'll take the ground."

Terridus: "I'll create a beacon so we can find our way back." 

Terridus casts a spell and a giant pink arrow appears in the sky pointing downward towards their location. 

Artifice: "Subtle that. No chance of getting lost now."

The students set out in different directions, leaving Sloth to stand guard. Sometime later, Hiro emerges from the ship, rubbing his head, looking groggy.

Hiro: "Looks like Sloth is asleep again. Where is everybody else?"

Hiro, looking up: "That beacon looks like Terridus' work. I'll go for a walk and find the others. Worst case I'll be able to find my way back with that beacon."

Hiro walks off through the heavy vegetation, unaware it is actively forming a path in front of him.

Hiro: "Looks like I'm on a path, maybe the others went this way too."

Hiro, sometime later: "I've been at this for a while. The others may be back already. I should turn around."

Hiro, turning around: "Huh? I just came from that way. How can it be blocked?"

Hiro visualizes the magic emblem and a machete materializes in his hand. He swings the machete at the vegetation blocking his path, surprised when it starts thrashing in response.

Hiro, pausing: "Woah, that's weird."

Hiro raises his machete to strike again, but thick, thorn covered vines sprout out of the ground, further blocking his way.

Hiro: "So, you won't let me go back. Guess, I'll just have to continue and see where you're leading me."

After some additional walking, the path has opened up into a clearing where a green-haired person, playing a flute, has his back to Hiro.

Hiro, approaching cautiously: "Hello. I seem to be lost. Can you help me?"

The figure stops playing his flute: "Took you long enough Hiro. And no, you're not lost. You're exactly where you need to be."

Hiro: "How do you know my name? Why does your voice sound familiar?"

Illudo, spinning around so Hiro can see his face: "Why wouldn't I know your name, and my voice should sound familiar. You're much too young to be senile. Did you forget me already?"

Hiro's expression becomes ebullient. He races over to Illudo, leaping on top of him, knocking him backwards.

Illudo: "Down boy. You're just a great big puppy dog, aren't you?"

Hiro, composing himself: "Sorry. I'm just so surprised and happy to see you here."

Hiro gets up, offers Illudo his hand, helping him up as well.

Illudo: "No need to apologize, it's great to see you too."

Hiro: "But what are you doing here?"

Illudo: "This is my home. Why shouldn't I be here? So why are you here?"

Hiro: "Well, umm, you see."

Illudo: "I'm just teasing you, no need to explain. I know why you're here."

Hiro: "You do, but how?"

Illudo: "Gaia told me, of course."

Hiro, looking around: "Who is Gaia? Where is she?"

Illudo: "Gaia is my mother. She is all around us."

Hiro: "But I don't see anyone."

Gaia, telepathically: "That's because you haven't learned to see."

Hiro: "Oh, well, that makes sense."

Hiro falls backward in shock, then scrambles back up: "Who are you? How are you speaking in my mind?"

Gaia: "I am Gaia. Perhaps it will help if I utilize an avatar."

Green shoots sprout from the ground, taking shape in the form of a dryad.

Gaia: "There, is that better?"

Hiro: "How did you do that? What are you?"

Gaia: "I am the consciousness of this planet."

Hiro looks back at her sceptically.

Illudo: "It's true Hiro. This will be easier if you try to suspend your disbelief for a while." 

Hiro: "This is a lot to take in. How could Gaia be your mom? How did Gaia know I would be coming here?"

Gaia: "My friend, the great AI, predicted you would be visiting."

Hiro: "Oh, of course. Wait, what is the great AI?"

Illudo: "Let's take a step back. Earlier, you asked what I was doing here. A more relevant question is why was I living on your planet."

Hiro: "You told me your uncle wanted you to grow up in a small-town environment."

Illudo: "Sorry, that was just a cover story. The real reason I was there is because mother asked me to."

Hiro, looking at Gaia: "As much as I love my home, it's still just an ordinary rural community. Why did you want Illudo to live there?"

Gaia: "Because of you, Hiro. I needed to know if you are a good person."

Hiro: "I think I'm a good person. But there are lots of bad people. Even if I was a bad person, why would it matter to you?"

Gaia: "There's a great dormant potential inside of you."

Hiro: "I'm really not that special, just ask Illudo."

Illudo smiles.

Gaia: "Tell me, do you always hide your hair?"

Hiro becomes guarded and stares back at her defiantly.

Hiro: "What would you have done if I didn't pass your goodness test?"

Gaia: "Is Hiro special? What would I have done if Hiro's character was found lacking? Perhaps we can answer two questions with one action."

The fingers of Gaia's hands meld together transforming her arms into sharp pointed spears. Gaia lunges at Hiro with both her arm spears directed at Hiro's chest. Hiro reacts quickly, grabbing her arms, but Gaia is overpowering him, driving the spear points relentlessly forward.

Hiro, visualizing the militant faith emblem: "Strength."  

He manages to halt the spears' progress.

Hiro, still straining: "Illudo, don't just stand there. Help me."

Illudo walks over with a dispassionate expression, places his hands behind Gaia's elbows, pushing her spear arms towards Hiro's chest. Hiro begins to lose ground again.

Hiro, just as Gaia's spear arms make contact with his chest: "Nooooo!"

Reflected in Hiro's eyes, a DNA strand repeatedly unwinds and then recombines. Gaia's arms begin to mutate, flowing like liquid. Illudo rapidly jumps back before the wave of mutation reaches him. Gaia-dryad's entire body is engulfed in the mutation wave, which suddenly ceases.  Gaia then goes rigid, before crumbling to the ground. Hiro shakes his head as if waking from a dream.

Hiro, disoriented, to Illudo: "What just happened? Did you just help Gaia try to kill me? Did I just kill her?"

Illudo: "I'm truly sorry Hiro, but Mother said she needed my help to awaken you."

Hiro: "And now she's dead because of me."

Illudo: "Don't worry, Mother's not dead. What you killed was only her avatar, which will be absorbed back into her being."

On cue, Gaia-dryad reforms from the earth.

Hiro: "How are you still alive? Why did you try to kill me?

Gaia: "It may be difficult to believe, but that was for your benefit. I am a living planet, so I cannot be killed so easily. For that matter, neither can you. As I hoped, your latent Chaos abilities have become nascent."

Hiro: "But I don't have any Chaos abilities."

Gaia: "How do you explain what you just did to my avatar? You unleashed the unrestrained power of Chaos on its DNA, causing unrestrained growth. A word to describe its effect is cancer."

Illudo: "Hiro, think of all the strange things that happened to you back home. It wasn't just bad luck." 

Gaia: "A part of you is still trying to suppress your Chaos aspect. However, that's becoming increasingly difficult and dangerous. Not only are you being targeted by a nefarious organization, but left alone your Chaos ability will spiral out of control. You need to accept your Chaos nature and learn to control it."

Hiro: "How can I do that? I don't even know where to start."

Gaia: "Chaos and Order are necessary components of life. A fractal is a geometric synthesis of Chaos and Order embedded in the foundation of existence. Fractals are infinitely repeating patterns that get smaller and smaller with each iteration. Fractals are found everywhere in nature — trees, rivers, clouds, snowflakes, mountains, even broccoli."

Hiro's face sours at the mention of broccoli.

Gaia: "By bringing an element of Order to your Chaos, the unrelenting torrent of Chaos you unleash can be transformed into guided evolution."

Hiro: "My Order teacher said I can't use the Order ability. When I tried to use the Order ability at school, I unintentionally created a supernova instead."

Gaia: "I may be able to help you with that. I need to see something for myself first. Please remove your hat."

Hiro resists, staring back defensively.

Illudo: "Hiro, I have a feeling that you need mother's help to get through this. You can't keep operating in the dark the way you have."

Hiro takes a breath, and then removes his cap, his rainbow hair spilling out.

Gaia walks up close to Hiro and runs her fingers through his hair, causing Hiro's face to blush bright red.

Gaia: "How wonderful. Ahhh, I see it, here it is."

Hiro: "See what?"

Gaia: "A single strand of black hair. That proves it."

Hiro: "Proves what?"

Gaia: "There is an element of Order within you. With some guidance, you should be able to harness Order to gain mastery over your Chaos ability." 

Hiro: "How am I supposed to find someone here to help me tap into Order? ... someone here. Potesta!"

Just then, the air reverberates with multiple space ships phasing into existence in the sky above them. A massive hologram of a human machine hybrid appears in the sky. It only has one remaining human eye, silver metallic in color, matching its few remaining silver strands of hair.

Odium: "Finally, with the Nihilist's assistance I've tracked you down, you wretched creature. Give yourself up or I will destroy your friends and this disgusting planet along with you. Any rational being can see that organic life is foul. Always hungry, reproducing, expanding. For what, endless misfortune and agony? Rejection and eventual betrayal? My dream is to see the purity of inorganic life supplant you flawed organics."

Gaia: "I only sense one life form, but it appears he has brought a massive automated armada. I will hold him off as long as I can, but he has overwhelming numbers of machines on his side."

Hiro: "But you just met me, why put yourself at risk?"

Gaia: "There is more at stake here than you or I." 

Gaia, smiling: "Besides, you're Illudo's friend."

Hiro: "You're right about that, and besides, it's too soon to admit defeat. There must be something we can do."

Illudo: "There may be a way. If you're able to integrate your Chaos and Order abilities, you can team up with Mother to overwhelm Odium."

Hiro: "If we're going to have a chance of this working, then I need my friend's help."

Odium, resuming: "No response? Alright then you coward, watch your friends die."

Odium's armada begins an arial bombardment, shattering trees and rending the ground. Gaia's expression is pained as a green aura encompasses her. She peers up at the sky — wind intensifies as storm clouds form. Lightning is flung from the clouds, striking and downing several of the armada's ships. Giant stalks sprout from the earth, begin firing seed projectiles, taking out several more ships. However, as each ship is destroyed, a new ship phases in to take its place.

Illudo, to Hiro: "I can get you to your friends quickly, just don't freak out."

Hiro: "Why would I freak out?"

Unexpectedly, Illudo undergoes a rapid  metamorphosis transforming into a green striped tiger. 

Hiro, jaw dropping: "Yeah, I'm freaking out."

The nearby vegetation moves aside to create a path.

Illudo, telepathically: "Get on."

As Hiro hops onto Illudo's back, Gaia extends her open hand to Hiro: "Take and swallow this seed — it will create a bond between us."

Unhesitatingly, Hiro nods affirmatively, doing as she asks — several green hairs sprout from Hiro's head. Hiro places his cap back on his head, and Illudo sprints down the path carrying Hiro. Several minutes later they emerge onto the clearing where Hiro's friends are gathered around their ship.

All, simultaneously —

    Terridus: "I'm so glad you're safe."

    Parvul: "You dummy. Where did you run off to?"

    Artifice: "Why are you riding a green tiger?"

        Acies: "Talk about a dramatic entrance."

    Sloth: "See, he's alright. I don't know why you had to wake me up."

        Potesta: "Now that Hiro's back, we need to come up with a plan."

Illudo, telepathically to Hiro: "Now would be a good time to get off my back."

Hiro, as he dismounts: "Oh, right, sorry."

As Hiro lands, Illudo transforms back into his human form.

Hiro: "This is my childhood friend, Illudo." 

Illudo: "Nice to meet all of you."

Potesta, as missiles detonate above their heads: "Sorry, but we don't have time for pleasantries. Our ship has erected a force field around us, but it's unclear how long it will hold up. At the same time, we can't take off with Odium's fleet above us."

Hiro: "We may have a solution. I know what I'm about to say may not make sense, but please hear me out. This planet we're on is alive. Its name is Gaia, and she is Illudo's mother. Even now, Gaia is fighting back against Odium, but eventually she'll be overwhelmed. She says that if I can learn to use the Order ability, then I can help her against Odium."

Parvul: "Living planet, Hiro learns Order, fight back. Got it."

Artifice, peering in at Hiro: "Still, I wonder what you're leaving out."

Potesta: "How are you going to learn Order now, after failing so miserably at it all school year?"

Hiro: "Because you'll be my teacher."

Potesta: "We're under attack here with limited time. You're asking for the impossible."

Sloth, slowly: "Maybe not. I sensed a time distortion aboard the Commander's ship. When I investigated, I discovered a hyperbolic chamber. Anyone inside it will experience time passing much more quickly compared to the outside world."

Acies, rubbing Sloth's head: "That's my man. Coming through for the team when it counts most."

Illudo: "So Hiro and Potesta go into the chamber, spend several weeks together in there, and when they come back out only a few minutes will have passed."

Hiro blushes, Potesta scowls, while Parvul and Artifice glare at Hiro.

Terridus: "Ummm, I have an idea. If Hiro learning to use his Order ability will help fight Odium, won't it be beneficial if all of us help him boost his other abilities?"

Artifice: "That's a splendid idea Terridus. I agree, we should all accompany Hiro."

Parvul, sticking her tongue out at Hiro: "Yeah, what she said."

Acies: "I love a challenge, and when we're not helping Hiro out, we can focus on our own training."

Sloth: "Be aware, the space inside of a hyperbolic chamber appears as a white void. The environment will be mentally taxing."

Hiro: "That's fine, we can lean on each other for support."

Sloth: "I'll help each of you create your own microcosm within the void to mitigate negative effects."

Illudo: "Let's get started then."

Hiro: "You're coming with us?"

Illudo: "Of course. I will help nurture your connection with Mother."

Within her microcosm, Potesta is sitting on a sun-drenched field accompanied by sounds of nature in the background. Hiro walks onto the field accompanied by the sound of hard rock music, the wind picks up and clouds form overhead.

Potesta, sternly: "Sit, close your eyes, try to center yourself."

Hiro sits down, but can't stop himself from fidgeting.

Potesta: "Stop fidgeting."

Hiro, getting up and pacing: "That's easy for you to say. Sitting still kind of freaks me out."

Potesta, opening her eyes: "We keep trying different approaches, but none of them are working. Let's start at the beginning. Why does Gaia want me to nurture your Order ability?"

Hiro's eyes widen as he looks down.

Potesta: "We can't stay in this hyperbolic chamber indefinitely. If you won't trust me, then we've already failed."

Hiro, tilting his head back up to look at Potesta: "Gaia says if I can learn to use Order, even a little bit, it will help me control a power I have buried deep within me — Chaos."

Potesta, expressionless, doesn't respond.

Hiro: "You're not saying anything. Is it so hard to believe?"

Potesta, pensive: "'Creo quia absurdum est.', I believe because it is absurd. It explains the extraordinary events surrounding you. What else did Gaia say?"

Hiro: "She talked about fractals as a way to combine Chaos and Order into an evolution ability."

Potesta: "I'm familiar with fractals. It's a brilliant idea, bringing Order to Chaos. This could be the breakthrough we need."

Hiro, head down again: "This Chaos ability seems to activate on its own, and I wasn't even aware of it before coming here. It caused Gaia's avatar to become unstable and die."

Potesta, calmly: "Let's try this again. Sit down in Lotus across from me. Extend your palms out a little. Close your eyes and breathe."

Potesta extends her palms out so they are floating just above Hiro's hands, separated by a slight electric field.

Potesta: "Now let's form a psychic connection just as Master Dulcia instructed us."

Hiro envisions the psychic symbol and reaches out to Potesta.

Hiro, telepathically: "Are you there Potesta?"

Potesta: "Yes, I hear you. One of Order's abilities is to nurture life. Can you sense the tree shoot I'm encouraging to grow?"

Hiro: "Yes, that's amazing."

Potesta: "Now I'm going to have it split off into two branches."

The original tree shoot slowly splits off to form two new branches.

Potesta: "The idea is to repeatedly have each branch sprout two new branches. Think about those two branches, with each branch sprouting two new branches."

Hiro: "ok, here goes."

Potesta lets out a yelp of pain as Hiro's focus on the tree causes it to undergo rapid uncontrolled growth, culminating in a withered dead tree.

Hiro: "Sorry, are you alright?"

Potesta: "Mostly startled, that's all. What do you normally do when you use an Alliance ability?"

Hiro: "I envision the Alliance emblem I'm focusing on."

Potesta: "What if you try that, but with both the Order and Chaos emblems? Give it a try, I'll start another tree shoot."

Hiro's brow furrows as he visualizes the Order and Chaos emblems side by side.

Hiro: "I wonder if I can embed the Chaos circle within the Order circle."

Hiro maneuvers the Chaos circle within the Order circle. Immediately the Order and Chaos circles start spinning in opposite directions. Discordant music emanates from the conflicting forces.

Potesta: "You have to get control of it, or it will spiral out of control. Try to find a balance."

Hiro takes a deep breath.

Hiro: "I need to adjust the energy feeding into each one. Slower. Faster. I can feel them coming together."

Discordant music transforms into harmonious classical music. The two emblems meld into one radiant multi-colored circle.

Hiro, smiling: "It's beautiful."

Potesta: "Now, direct it to the tree shoot, and channel the energy into the fractal growth pattern I showed you."

Hiro's radiant circle materializes around Potesta's tree shoot, then shrinks until it merges with it. The grounds rumbles, as ultra-rapid binary branch growth metamorphosizes the shoot into a giant, multi-color leafed tree. Hiro and Potesta open their eyes, beholding their creation with wonder.

Potesta, with a rare smile: "So you're good for something other than rampant destruction."

As they turn towards each other they become aware that their hands are no longer separated, and hastily withdraw them. Illudo, Acies, Parvul, Terridus, and Artifice run into Potesta's microcosm.

Acies: "We felt the ground shake from outside. What ... happened?"

All of them arch their necks up, taking in the overhead rainbow canopy for the first time.

Illudo: "It's magnificent, I wish Mother could see it."

Terridus: "So pretty."

A breeze whooshes through the tree leaves.

Parvul, content: "So peaceful."

Sloth, strolling in: "Something interrupted my nap. Oh, I see. In that case we should return to the planet." 

Hiro: "What will happen to the tree?"

Sloth: "Normally when the creator exits the hyperbolic chamber, their microcosm and everything in it dissipates. But this isn't normal. I have a feeling your tree will persist."

The students are gathered in the clearing where Hiro originally met Gaia. Impact craters mar the landscape like pockmarked skin. Projectiles continue to rain down around them. Gaia's dryad appears wilted and sickly.

Sloth: "Although we were in the hyperbolic chamber for several weeks, only an hour has passed here on Gaia." 

Illudo, enraged: "Still, look at what that monster Odium has done to Mother. He must be punished."

Gaia: "First we must survive this battle. I'm afraid we don't have much time left. Once you exited the chamber, I became aware of your experience through my connection to Illudo."

Leaf and flower vines sprout from the ground forming two opposing bowl-shaped seats. Six other seats form, encircling the center two.

Gaia: "Hiro and I will sit in the center. The rest of you please sit in the outer circle. Be aware that you'll all be connected through me. I ask each of you to lend me your strength so we can vanquish our mutual foe."

Hiro and friends: "Yes, of course!"

Gaia: "Illudo, the students and my dryad avatar will be vulnerable to attack once we begin. I'm counting on you to keep us safe."

Illudo: "No harm will come to you. I swear it!"

Gaia: "Let's begin. Please be seated."

The students take cross legged positions on their seats and close their eyes in communion with Gaia. All participate in an out of body experience, hovering above their physical selves.

Hiro: "I'll connect with each of you just like we did in the chamber." Threads corresponding to Alliance colors emanate out from Hiro to Terridus, Parvul, Acies, Artifice, and Sloth. Alliance emblems materialize above their heads. 

Hiro: "Now for Gaia."

A green thread issues forth from Hiro, connecting with Gaia, as Hiro visualizes a green leaf above her.

Parvul: "I have a connection to Gaia through Hiro — it feels like the whole world is alive."

Acies: "The level of nature's power is so vast."

Artifice: "And yet, it's still not sufficient to withstand Odium."

Terridus: "We'll do our best to help her!"

Sloth: "Zzzzzzzzzzz"

Red, silver, blue, pink, and purple circles form around Gaia and then collapse into her.

Back in the physical world, a metal fanged robotic dog leaps into the clearing. Illudo launches himself between the robotic dog and the others.

Illudo: "Silly robot dog. I won't let you harm anyone. Let's see how you handle a great grizzly."

Illudo transforms into a green grizzly bear, towering over the robotic dog, which bares its fangs in response.

Illudo, thinking: "Guess you don't have enough sense to be frightened."

Bear and robot simultaneously lunge at each other, engaging in battle.

Gaia: "Odium has found us. Illudo is defending against the current threat, but more enemies will arrive."

Potesta: "Are you ready Hiro?"

Hiro: "Let's do this!"

Once again, Hiro visualizes the Order and Chaos emblems side by side, and then maneuvers the Chaos circle within the Order circle. 

Hiro: "Adjusting energy flows. Coming together ... now."

The two emblems meld into one radiant multi-colored circle, emitting a perfect pitch as if from a musical tuning fork.

Hiro: "Now, go help Gaia."

The circle floats over to Gaia, encasing itself around her. The circle then contracts fusing with Gaia, who emits a golden aura. 

Gaia: "Come forth vessel of life so that we may imbue you with our abilities."

A grey, amorphous object is born from the ground.

Terridus: "Magic"

The object takes the form of a dragon.

Artifice: "Psychic"

The dragon's pupils form into the image of the psychic emblem.

Acies: "Militant Faith"

Dragon's wings, fangs, talons, and spiked spine redden. 

Sloth: "Quantum"

Clock faces appear across its body.

Gaia: "Nature"

Alternating scales take on a green hue.

Parvul: "Technology"

The remaining half of the scales take on a silver metallic hue.

Terridus: "Amazing!"

Artifice: "One dragon isn't enough to win this, and I sense Odium approaching from above."

Hiro and friends are cast into shadow as a vast mother ship appears overhead.

Parvul: "That mothership is the source of Odium's power. It's a battle carrier and war factory in one. We need to be able to destroy his attack ships faster than he can produce them."

Odium's voice booms out: "Oh vile creatures, you disgust me so. Just like that, the rats are cornered in a cage."

Hiro: "We'll see about that."

Hiro looks over at Potesta who nods at him.

Hiro and Potesta, with determined looks: "Fusion Dragon multiply!"

Acies: "Why is the ground shaking?"

Fusion Dragon cranes it's neck up at Odium's mothership and lets out a roar. A moment later a windstorm erupts.

Acies: "And why is it so windy all of a sudden?"

Parvul, eyes wide open: "Look up."

Countless dragons are sweeping across the sky, heading toward the mothership.

Acies: "That explains it. That's a lot of dragons."

Multiple battles ensue:

A dragon's clock handle spins teleporting it from its current to a nearby location. A moment later, a laser fired from an enemy ship passes through the dragon's prior location.

Incoming missiles detonate prior to reaching their target, as another dragon intercepts them by emitting a plasma beam from its open maw.

A dragon intercepts an enemy ship, latching onto it with its talons. The dragon's red surfaces start to glow as the dragon chews down on, and breaks off a hunk of the enemy ship, destroying it.

Silver/green scale pairs jointly sprout buds across one dragon's body. As the dragon flies by an enemy ship, seeds are projected from these buds onto the surface of the ship. Roots rapidly take hold and start devouring the metal of the ship, sending it into a death spiral.

Meanwhile, Illudo has defeated the mech dog and is standing atop its wreckage.

Illudo, smugly, looking down on the robot remains: "Mangy mutt, serves you right for trying to defeat the invincible Illudo."

As Illudo looks up, there are several new mech dogs baring their fangs at him.

Illudo: "Uhhh, a little help here."

From behind him, a plasma ray moves left to right, melting the mech pack in one sweep. Illudo looks back over his shoulder to see Fusion Dragon staring back at him.

Illudo: "Yeah, that'll do, thanks."

Fusion Dragon bows its head.

Multiple dragons converge on Odium's mothership, firing plasma beams at it, but the ship's shields repel their attacks. At the same time, the dragons aren't able to evade all of the mothership's attacks.

Odium, from above: "It's hopeless, you fools. You can't get through my ship's defenses."

Artifice: "Up until now, the dragons haven't been able to use their psychic abilities, since their opponents have been machines. However, I can sense that Odium still retains some of his humanity."

Hiro: "But with that shield in place they can't get close enough for a psychic attack."

Artifice: "I've been thinking about that. Even though there's considerable distance between the dragons and Odium, the dragons can boost their power by linking up to form a telepathic network."

Hiro: "Will the network allow me to reach out and communicate with Odium?"

Artifice: "It should. But why would you want to? We should just hit him with everything we've got, and fry his brain."

Hiro: "He's got so much hatred. I just want to see if there's a way ... to change his mind."

Artifice, wry smile, rolling her eyes: "Always have to save everyone, huh Hiro? I guess you can try — we can always fry his brain later if the nice guy approach doesn't work."

Gaia: "Artifice, you can reach out to the dragons through me."

Artifice nods her head, directing the dragons to spread out in a sphere around Odium's mothership. Blue threads extend out from each dragon creating a linked psychic network. A large psychic eye emblem forms opposite Odium's ship, projecting a blue beam that pierces the ship's defenses, striking Odium's forehead. A blue monochrome Hiro appears beside a blue monochrome Odium, who appears fully human.

Odium, startled: "Aaahhh, who are you? Wait, where are we?"

Hiro: "Sorry about that, I'm Hiro, and we're inside your mind."

Odium: "How can this be? There wasn't any organic life close enough to use psychic abilities against me."

Hiro: "Yeah, well, we kinda boosted the signal."

Odium: "Filthy human organism, I will blast you out of my mind."

Odium holds up his arm, trying to fire at Hiro. When nothing happens, he looks down and is surprised to see his cyborg arm replaced with a human one.

Odium: "What is this? No, it's not real. It's just a mental trick."

Hiro: "What happened to you Odium? Why do you have so much hate in you?"

Odium, agonized: "No, stay out of my head you interloper."

A vision unfolds of a younger, fully human Odium. He's walking hand in hand with a woman of similar age.

Odium Fiancé: "Darling, I can't wait till we're married."

Odium: "We've discussed this before dear. We should wait till after we graduate from the Science Academy University."

Odium Fiancé: "I know. I know. I'll try to be patient dear."

The scene shifts to a school laboratory. Odium's fiancé is in front of a class room, explaining her science project.

Odium Fiancé: "When I flick this switch, a self-perpetuating energy sphere will manifest."

Odium's fiancé flicks the switch, watching her electrical sphere manifest in the air. As Odium's fiancé turns back toward the classroom, the sphere begins to distort.

Odium, springing towards her: "No, watch out. Something's wrong!"

Odium shields his fiancé with his body as the energy sphere explodes.

The scene shifts to a hospital bed with what remains of Odium's body on life support. Odium's rival is the only one in the room with him.

Odium rival: "Sorry old chap, but your fiancé won't be visiting you. The whole experience has been too emotionally draining on her. Actually, it's more accurate to refer to her as your ex-fiancé now, since you can't expect her to go through with the wedding plans anymore. Don't worry, I'll be looking after her for you. Funny how delicate those science projects are, a slight miscalibration can have devastating results."

Except for the tears streaming down Odium's one remaining eye, he is unable to respond.

Hiro: "I'm sorry you experienced such a terrible tragedy, but there can still be so much joy in life."

Odium: "Hate. Hate. Hate."

Artifice: "Hiro, we can't lose this opportunity to defeat him, we need to act."

Hiro: "But he's already suffered so much, I have to do something to help him. Gaia, Potesta, I need to draw on your strength."

Gaia and Potesta respond with a green and black energy flow into Hiro. Hiro envisions a DNA double helix within what remains of Odium's body. The double helix branches out, spreading across his cells. Odium's rage subsides, superseded by a tranquil state. His mechanical components fall off, replaced by human flesh growing at a phenomenal rate. After a few moments, the process is complete.

Odium, regaining awareness back in the physical world: "I feel different somehow."

Odium looks down to see his cyborg body replaced with a fully restored human one.

Odium: "How is this possible?"

Hiro: "I wanted you to have a second chance. Please don't waste it."

Odium's mothership: "Odium's presence no longer detected. Activating emergency protocol, fleet returning to home base."

Odium, softly: "But ... I'm right here. That's alright, perhaps it's for the best."

A momentary visual blur of Odium's fleet lingers as it warps away. The shared psychic connection of Hiro's friends is released, returning them to their bodies in the physical world.

Artifice: "Odium reminds me of a quote from Ernest Hemingway, 'But man is not made for defeat,' he said. 'A man can be destroyed but not defeated.'  You gave Odium a second chance Hiro. Fighting back was the obvious solution, but by choosing to help your foe you saved us all."

Sloth: "In the swirl of possible outcomes, I never imagined this one. And yet, it occurred."

Terridus: "You were wonderful Hiro."

Acies: "Way to push past your limits Hiro, my man."

Parvul, looking down and to the side: "Well, he couldn't have done it without all our help."

Potesta, aloof: "That's certainly true Parvul."

Gaia: "You were all magnificent. To think that Hiro was able to unite all of our disparate abilities is truly remarkable."

Illudo, walking over to the group: "Mother, I'm so relieved you're alright."

Gaia: "You protected us, while we engaged the enemy."

Parvul: "I hate to kill the mood, but Odium sent me a message before he warped away, which I just managed to decode. He said that another Nihilist faction member is attacking the birthplace of the Militant Faith Alliance, New Mars."

Acies, shaken: "My older sister, Pieta, lives on New Mars."

Hiro: "Gaia, Illudo, sorry for all the trouble I've caused, but we're leaving immediately for New Mars."

Gaia: "By helping you, we serve life."

Illudo: "We understand. Go save Acies' sister."

Hiro and friends turn and dash back toward their ship.