Elatra smiles fondly.

"Or we could find another entire problem needing solved."

"It could be worthwhile for Glint and I to look, at least. We can divide our attention with little penalty."

"Yeah! I've got my own transit, too. And don't mind triaging problems to solve."

"Reasonable enough, I suppose."

"What's our plan once we find Zetsu?"

"Kill him."

"Kill, banish, imprison, or otherwise neutralize."

"And then move on to Kabuto! Got a whole hit list. Very efficient."

"One hopes."

"I don't think there's likely to be gaps, at least, but Naraka obviously couldn't tell me about differences she didn't know about."

"How much of a risk would additional reconnaissance be?"

"I'm unsure. It depends on if he notices we're dimensionally foreign - he'll probably find that alarming but I'm not sure if that'll trigger him to hide or to escalate."

"Neither is a particularly desirable outcome."

"Not at all. It'd be a pain, either way."

"We'll have to rely on your memory and Naraka's report, then."

She nods. "With any luck it'll be enough."

Elsewhere, two gods prepare for an adventure.

Once they're ready, Glint hums, reaching out past Aurbis - and selecting a world at complete random, of course. Best way to do things.

She moves them elsewhere.

The new world is dusty. Not a desert, but dry. A thin layer of dirt is kicked up by a wind that blows through the low alley they find themselves in.

"An alley again."

"Apparently a bit of a theme! Usually you guys land pretty close to the other us's though, right?"

"When there is an us to be had, yes."

"I haven't been on many of these, and haven't found someone before - I'm excited! C'mon, let's go look around."

"All right."

Outside the dusty alley is a dusty street, in a dusty small town. A weak orange sun burns faintly in the sky.

And a disc-shaped ship rises into the air in the distance and burns up towards it.

" - What's that thing?" she asks. "The - disk thing. Looks kinda like someone squished a dwemeri airship..."

"I," she says, "have no idea."

"Let's go find out."

Nod.

As they head towards the place the ship left from, they encounter more strange sights. Metal vehicles that float above the ground without any visible means of support. People in strange colors and shapes, with odd numbers of eyes or tentacles or too much or too little hair.

"Interesting little world."

"Fun! Doesn't look all that Daedric or anything - it's really, delightfully, weird."

"I believe that sign indicates some sort of bar or gathering place. Perhaps a good place to observe more of the local color."

"They usually are," says Glint, in the tone of someone who is usually 'the local color.' "Sounds fun."

And she heads into the bar.

It's darker than outside, enough so that an ordinary person would need a moment for their eyes to adjust.

The room is large, and there's an oval bar in the center. It is tended by a multi-armed machine, pouring drinks into glasses and sweeping small coins into its recesses with equal finesse. There are dimly lit tables scattered around, and booths along the walls.

Glint is fascinated by this. She observes briefly, then orders the same thing as someone a bit before her, surreptitiously turning some threads into duplicates of his coins.

The machine accepts the coins and serves her a drink, beeping quietly to itself.

Fun.

She sips her weird alien drink as she observes the bar patrons.

After an initial period of cautious reverse observation, the bar patrons go back to their business. Drinking like there's a drought coming, low murmurs of serious conversation, games played on the tabletop with little figurines made out of colored light...

In the far corner, the band gets back on their little stage, break over. The music is uptempo and bright, but forgettable enough to blend into the background if you'd rather not pay attention.

She can totally split her attention between figuring out this weird tabletop game and eavesdropping.

Anything particularly neat? Especially involving anyone with the Lightning name pattern, or recent murders...

The game is a cross between chess and backgammon, lining up your monsters to take out your opponent's.

Most of the local gossip revolves around which trade routes have been closed most recently by the fighting, the Cartel's projections for spice out of Ryloth this quarter, the last game in the Horini Sector Huttball Championships...

Well, there's always fighting somewhere, though this sounds potentially big...

And then two women enter, both probably in their early twenties. Their clothes don't fit in with fashions here, though they're not much less scruffy than the locals. One's laughing loudly at something the other said, projecting an air of gleeful 'fuck with me and die' as she heads up to the bar.

The other woman's shorter, probably a bit older, and quieter, idly glancing around, gaze lingering a bit on Glint and Ellayania before skipping onward.

Ellayania leans next to Glint.

"That one's a Crow," she says quietly. "Our luck holds."

"Fun. Should we introduce ourselves?"

The non-Crow seems to have found something to idly murmur to her companion about.

"No sense waiting around." She saunters over to the other two.

Glint follows with a small laugh.

"Fine day, isn't it?" the Crow girl says, grinning at them. "My friend and I were just wondering about you two lovely ladies."

"Were you, now? Isn't that a lovely coincidence."

"I know beauty when I see it."

"And danger too." She cocks her head. "Yes?"

"Adds to the beauty, doesn't it? You're quite an interesting pair, you know... But why don't we take this somewhere a bit more private?"

"I think that would be best."

She finishes her drink and leads the way out, towards the shipyard, out of sight and easy hearing of everyone else -

And then there's something quite a bit more dangerous about her.

"I do so dislike it when people know something I don't, you know?" she says, idly, "And there's certainly something odd here. I think you have an idea what."

"Yes. I do. I am a goddess, and so is she." Ellayania gestures at Glint. "She is also a version of you from another world."

She doesn't seem intimidated. "A whole other universe? With actual gods? Have to say, you know how to pick the best way points," she says over her shoulder at her companion. "Every planet gets more exciting."

"Are different versions of people across universes common?"

Intimidation was not the goal, simply proof of veracity.

"So far we have encountered six versions of you and five of myself, across a sample of perhaps twenty worlds. I'm sure there are other recurrences, but none have so far elevated themselves to our attention."

"You," nodding at Ellayania, "Look like someone I know - in passing, mostly."

"Ah, lovely. Might you introduce us?"

She glances at her companion.

"I'd want to introduce you to my dad, first. Getting an audience with her might be complicated otherwise. It's also pretty far, but if you can jump between universes I'm gonna guess travel times are a lot less of a problem."

"It's helpful to know where we're going."

"I think I'd like some more information before I drop you on his front step."

"Why you're in this universe, for one."

"Fair enough. We've come looking for more of us. One of our worlds is in danger of being destroyed, and we thought it might be a good idea to broaden the skillsets available in combating that."

"What do you need?"

"The most immediately obvious requirement is the ability to track a being through its emotions." She briefly lays out the factors involved in Naraka's world.

"Is this just one planet?"

"Yes."

"Well, you're in luck. I know how to track, and most emotions are quite obvious."

She smiles. "Wonderful."

"You'll want to see if the duplicate of you here wants to come along, too - I washed out of training, but she's powerful enough for a reputation."

"I would indeed."

"I trust them well enough, Cherish - you cool with arranging something with your dad?"

"Sure. Can they teleport with our ship?"

"Maybe! Depends on size, really."

"She's not tiny, but she's smallish - we'll need the onboard computers anyways for coordinates, so we might as well head over."

"I would like to see one of these ships in person."

"Sure."

She leads the way, this time. Her ship's one of the roughly disk-shaped ones, larger than most of the more personal craft present but smaller than the cargo ships. Cherish fiddles with something, and a ramp lowers from its belly.

The ship has some rust, some old paint, a good bit of dinginess, and an awful lot of hidden compartments. Cherish leads the way to a booth around a projector table like the ones in the bar, lounging in the seat.

"Make yourselves comfortable."

"An impressive piece of technology, this."

She pats the ship. "She's pretty solidly reliable. Good design."

Ellayania would like to know approximately everything about it's design, construction, and operation.

"I know more about operation and maintenance, but I've got manuals or textbooks for everything. Still, if we're in a rush for that world you want to save - aerospace engineering can take years to learn. Might be a good 'for later,' and we explain politics now?"

"Very well."

"Politics is approximately my least favorite subject, but it's important for survival - dad's a Sith, and so's the other you. Ebele's half trained as one. They're one of the types of people able to use the Force. I'm not Force sensitive, so I don't know as much about all that - still, politically, an angry Sith can kill pretty much whoever they can get away with doing away with. Dad killed his master pretty openly way back when I was tiny."

"Dad's Darth Animus, and the other you is Darth Occlus. They're both members of the Dark Council - very high ranked, can't afford to be seen tolerating disrespect. Dad's chill for a Sith, but mostly expresses that in private."

"That sounds like a very stable system. What are the other types of people able to use the Force?"

"Jedi. We're at war with them. They do this power through self control thingy. Sith are more about power through emotion."

"I see. And this involves... multiple planets? Multiple stars?"

"Multiple stars. Some of them have inhabitable planets circling them. It's a pretty big galaxy."

"Hm. What are the capabilities of this Force?"

She explains the ones she's familiar with.

Most interesting.

They should probably go see about finishing their recruitment here.

Cherish pulls up coordinates of a point in space that should be empty, an explanation of what the coordinates mean, and a three dimensional holographic map (very zoomed out, to show nearby planets).

"I'll message him from there for instructions on where to meet him - should be in flying distance."

"Glint dear, if you would."

"Let me and Ebele get into the cockpit first - there's a small seat for a third person if one of you wants to observe. There's going to be a lot of movement when we fly, and I don't know how good godhood is at canceling out G-forces, so you guys might want to be strapped in then.

"After you."

Cherish points out how to use the seatbelt when they're at the cockpit. It's full of buttons and levers their guests are to not touch at all, unless told otherwise.

Cherish and Ebele buckle themselves in.

Glint remains standing - she's pretty sure she can ignore acceleration if she feels like it.

And then the view outside changes from dusty planet to starfield.

And Cherish messes with a few things to get their position stable.

"Alright, we're good."

"What a lovely view."

"It's my favorite. This is the best job ever, if you ask me."

"I can certainly see the attraction."

"We'll have to give you a tour of the galaxy once everything calms down. Speaking of, Cherish - ?"

"Already messaged dad. He'll call us when he's free."

"Shall I speak more of other worlds while we have time, then?"

"Works for me."

Ellayania has a perfect memory, and centuries of experience of stories. They are unlikely to be bored while they wait.

Ebele's only twenty, and Cherish only a few years older, but they've gotten up to a lot in that time, and she has a talent for exposition.

Officially they're doing odd jobs, unofficially they're part-time smugglers, secretly Cherish is the wayward daughter of a Sith Lord with Ebele as her bodyguard. (Ebele has a tale about nearly getting herself killed when she was young and stupid, and Animus scooping her to play bodyguard to the more reckless of his children.)

She seems to have landed on her feet, then.

"Pretty much! Don't get to act as freely as I'd like, but I've got way more freedom than I might otherwise."

"A worthwhile trade, then."

And then they receive an incoming call.

Cherish answers.

"Hey dad. Found something interesting."

"Seems it. Who are you two?"

"I am Ellayania, and this is Glint."

"Claim to be from another universe, and that people sometimes repeat across them. Ebele believes them."

He evaluates them.

"I'll want a meeting, then."

"Of course. Simply name the location."

"They can teleport, though I might insist we leave my ship somewhere it won't drift around if you want us to teleport into a room."

"Right."

He sends them a time - soon - and place, as well as somewhere to leave the ship.

And Glint does the first teleport - into a large, apparently underground space - waits for Cherish to land and secure the ship, then moves just them to the room Animus had indicated.

He's waiting for them.

Huh.

"Greeting, Darth Animus. I am Ellayania, Goddess of Library and Fen. And this is Glint, Prince of Madness."

"Greetings, Goddess Ellayania, Prince Glint. I'm head of the biotic science sphere. Your Force signature is much like Occlus's, were she not a user of the Force - she's at the head of the ancient knowledge pyramid. Glint's is similarly reflective of Ebele's."

"Yeah, I'm an alt of her. We don't all have the same faces, for some reason."

He nods, slightly.

"Why are you in this universe?"

"Looking for more of ourselves." She gives a brief summary of the situation.

"Interesting. There's certainly advantages to allying with your group; I suspect we all would benefit from an exchange of knowledge and skills."

"Indeed. And we have met an alt of yours before to mutual profit, though I did not know this until we met."

"What happened there?"

She tells the story of Meridia's assistance with Alduin.

He hums. "I'll want to meet this Meridia. Still, all this is enough for me to contact Occlus over, and to tentatively guarantee at least indirect support."

"We appreciate it, to be sure."

"I would like a demonstration of a few of your abilities, as well."

"As you like. What can I show you?"

"Create something, or change something into something else - I would be unable to do either."

Glint grins and flips out a coin, turning it into a copper-colored snake that quickly goes to coil around her wrist.

Ellayania holds up a hand, and a couple of gemstones emerge from her palm.

He nods. "Very interesting."

"What sort of accommodations do you need while you're here?"

"I do not require much. This body is only an avatar."

"Same for me, though we'd like books and all if there's pauses long enough to read in."

"Right. You can stay in this set of rooms, then. I'll have something to read sent over. Ebele can explain the technology. Cherish, you'll be with me."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. I look forward to working together."

And he leaves, Cherish following.

"He seems nice."

"Yeah! A lot like Meridia, if Meridia thought everyone interacting with her might be secretly planning to stab her."

"Not a bad description of the Sith."

"I must say I'm quite curious as to what my alt here is like."

"I'd like to meet the full set! I'm sad I haven't gotten to interact with Darth Occlus much, if she's at all like you."

"We would be happy to bring you back for a visit."

"Awesome! Probably won't move entirely if you guys don't have spaceships - but being involved in all this drama sounds fun just in general."

"It is certainly never boring with all of us around."

"The worst bit about my job's all the hurry up and wait, so, that'd be appreciated."

"Of course."

"So... I'm picking up a bit of a vibe between you two. Dating, something else...?

"Hmm..." Ellayania looks at Glint. "Which would you say?"

"Connotations of dating vary so much! I like her a lot and intend to continue liking her, though, and I've got a piece of her Realm cozied up in mine."

"'Something else' then, I think."

She nods. "Me and Cherish are pretty good friends, but not that close. I'm glad for you guys. I know I'm an excellent catch with great taste, so..."

"You're not the only one."

In another place, she says to Glint. "I find myself somewhat tempted to play matchmaker."

Elsewhere, as Ebele laughs, Glint says back, "Oh, definitely. Ebele certainly could use a Lightning. Probably a scary one."

"Perhaps this Occlus, once we've met her."

"Their culture does seem to encourage terrifying sorts."

"Certainly a way to be. But if they access power through emotion, I can see why certain tendencies would be encouraged."

"Yeah. I can both really see a me doing well here and totally not surprised Ebele washed out of school."

"I'm sure surviving the washing out was a feat of its own."

She laughs. "We'll have to get the full story sometime."

Back with Ebele, she says "How long have you been working for Darth Animus?"

"About five years, give or take a bit."

"With Cherish the whole time?"

"He kind of flailed a bit with where to put me for a year - it was super adorable, don't tell anyone I said that - and then Cherish graduated from her fancy university like way early and decided her life's ambition was actually getting in trouble. So now I follow her around and make trouble for her troubles."

Ellayania chuckles.

"Something I have no doubt you are very good at."

"You definitely know a me! I am excellent at making trouble."

"I hope Cherish appreciates your unique talents in this regard."

"She's good at that! I am a causer of distractions, conveniently timed explosions, and situationally appropriate threats - really essential for anyone whose life ambition is 'scoundrel.'"

"An odd ambition to have, but it takes all sorts."

"I like odd folk. Best kind."

That seems like it calls for a high five. "Ditto!"

She high fives Glint, laughing.

Definitely two of a kind.

And Animus gets his daughter settled, checks her for mental tampering, gets the full story from her, then calls Occlus, over higher security channels.

"Darth Animus. This is unexpected. What can I do for you?"

"I discovered something unusual, that I think will interest you. Two people claiming to be from another universe, who demonstrated different powers than the Force provides - and one of them looked like you, with an almost identical Force signature, minus any indications of being someone who actually uses the Force."

"That is indeed quite interesting. How came you by them?"

"One of my daughters was traveling and spotted your double. They apparently noticed her bodyguard, who is a signature duplicate for the other visitor; they claim to have a teleport they were targeting for alternate universe versions of themselves, and it landed them nearby her."

"Where are you keeping them?"

"Near my main lab. The one meant for visitors."

"I will be over soon."

Occlus does not often visit Animus; their professional duties don't intersect much outside of the Dark Council. Still, she knows the way well enough, and how to get there while attracting a minimum of attention.

He supplies the visitors with an assortment of books and warns them she's coming.

They're looking forward to it.

And soon enough, she arrives.

Animus gives her as full a summary of their abilities and apparent culture as he has, before any introductions.

Ebele hangs around, since it apparently hasn't occurred to anyone to kick her out. Yet, at least.

Glint - or Lord Sheogorath, Daedric Prince of Madness if you want to be formal and all - is very excited by the new Lightning alt and is rather bouncy during introductions, though she successfully keeps to the formalities she's observed.

Darth Occlus wears a quite dark robe and resembles Ellayania to a startling degree, though her face is perhaps just slightly more symmetric. She brings a weighty feel of presence with her, as though there is more than one of her here.

"Well met indeed," she says after introductions. "I was not expecting such a... fortuitous occurrence."

"We have really weird luck as a group! Still, it's really awesome we found you guys so fast, usually it takes a ton of jumping around before we find anyone interesting."

"Fate or outside influence. The difference matters little, I suspect."

"Pretty much main difference is if there's someone intelligent to interact with, really."

"If they are open to the possibility of interaction, or if their intelligence is on a level that is at all comprehensible."

"Unfortunately something very hard to test!"

"Quite. I have so many questions."

Ellayania holds out a hand.

"What's this?"

"An opportunity for answers. Come, it will not hurt."

After a brief moment, she takes the goddess's hand.

And the world changes around her. She is in a cavern, stacked with shelf upon shelf of books, extending far into the gloom.

"Welcome to my home."

"What is this?"

"A memory, that I am sharing with you. Time outside is immaterial, and we can talk privately. And rather than speak, I can show." A book falls to the ground at Occlus's feet.

She looks down at it.

Instead of words, what is written on the page is a living scene, a real-time view of the battle against Alduin from Ellayania's perspective. All of her perspectives. The main avatar and the clones and the vial around Mora's neck and the city and the temple and the miles of uninhabited wilderness and the temple in the Shivering Isles...

Occlus fights back a moment of vertigo.

"Very impressive."

"So it is to be a god."

"Show me more."

Ellayania starts a roughly chronological slideshow of events so far, beginning with the arrival of Tentou (still called Hisame), the Keres, Mora, and Eliana in her domain. Their stories, their relationships; Hisame's world and the Keres', Eliana's, Mora's. Then Elatra and Acererak. The Keres and Hisame healing. Elatra and the others exploring. The Shivering Isles and Glint, her ascension. Ellayania and Glint's expedition against Miraak.

The aftermath of that one raises Occlus's eyebrows.

Ellayania laughs. "Lightnings and Crows tend to go well together."

"Uh huh."

She laughs again.

"Something to keep in mind, perhaps. But I am curious about your story, now, if you would feel comfortable sharing."

"Hm. In this place, I suppose."

"I was taken to the Sith Academy on Korriban at a very young age." A book appears in her hands, illustrations forming as she speaks. "-Is this necessary?"

"Strictly speaking, no. But I shall not share it without your consent."

"...Acceptable."

"As I was saying. The Academy is a harsh place, and the instructors did not approve of me. I learned quickly to take what I needed, and to break those in my way. The foundation of Sith philosophy." The books shows young Occlus with a bloody nose fighting several older trainees. "When I was seventeen, I was apprenticed to a master, Lord Zash. Under her, I further refined my gifts, for power and hatred." A scene of Zash and Occlus at a dig site. Zash pats Occlus on the head and smiles. It doesn't reach her eyes. "Eventually I determined that I was meant to be the victim of a certain ritual that would transfer Zash's consciousness into my body, killing me. I did not allow that to happen." Occlus, lightsaber drawn, stands over Zash's body, revealed for the withered husk it is.

"This drew the anger of a man named Darth Thanaton. He did not like Zash and he did not like me, regarding us as arrogant upstarts. He invented an imaginary breach of protocol to justify his murder of me. I was not about to stand still for this than the last attempt, but to combat him, I needed power." Occlus stands before an altar in a dark tomb, a ghostly apparation faintly visible. "I sought it in... unwise places, and paid the price." Occlus strides across a battlefield, blasting ranks of droids and soldiers with negligent waves of her hands, swatting aside artillery strikes. Her face is wan and haggard, her fingers ragged claws. "I could not face Thanaton as I was, so I turned aside for a time, to seek a cure. The path was treacherous, but in the end, worthwhile." She emerges from the depths of an enormous machine, body remade. She fights a dark presence, meditates with iridescent aliens. "Afterwards, I was prepared to face Thanaton. I acquired Imperial allies, and lured him into a Kaggath, a ritual duel. I broke his power base, and then the man himself, and claimed his place on the Dark Council."

"An impressive story. I thank you."

"Yes, well. It got me where I am now."

"Would you like to be somewhere else?" She describes their current problem.

"I am willing to help. For the rest... I will consider the possibility."

"That is all we can ask." The memory collapses.

Ellayania withdraws her hand.

It's been perhaps three seconds.

Glint grins at Ellayania.

Then, to Occlus: "So, any questions for me?"

"Do you trust her to have provided a complete story?"

"Yeah! She's awesome with stories. And everything. But especially stories."

"Then no."

"Alright!" She hums, smiling. "Do you guys want our help with anything?"

"Let's us see how clearing up your problems goes before committing to extradimensional trouble here."

"The others would appreciate that, I suspect."

"I shall want to collect a few trinkets from my archives before leaving."

"Of course. We can wait, or I can teleport people around given a description or image of where I'm going."

"A teleport would be most efficient. It is within my wing of the Citadel on Dromund Kaas."

And they're both there.

Automated turrets unfold from the ceiling and floor to lock onto them.

"Guest protocol," Occlus says before they can fire, and they retract.

Glint is fascinated by the technology.

"That's so cool. How smart are they?"

"This installation is guided by a human-equivalent intelligence, which is uncommon. Most droids are considered sub-sapient."

"Hello!" Glint says to the ceiling. Then, to Occlus: "Are they actually not sapient or are people just being dumb about them being sapient?"

"Mostly the former, though I'm sure the latter comes into play with the edge cases."

"I can probably figure out how to tell, minds are minds and all minds have their madnesses. Or I could just be kooky and treat them all like people."

"As you like."

Occlus enters a code on the pad by the door and presents her hand for a bioscan. The door slides open with a hiss. "I must ask that you not touch anything, Prince of Madness or no."

"I'll keep all appendages to myself."

Further in, the archives are something of a maze, with not-entirely-Euclidean geometry, or so it seems. Occlus offhandedly comments on each room as they pass, reliquaries of this Lord or that, miscellanea from Ziost or Yavin or Berest. It's clear she knows exactly where everything is, its provenance and purpose.

She picks up a few talismans and trinkets, secreting them away in her robes, then pronounces herself done and leads the way back out.

Glint's attentive and curious about everything, and keeps to her promise not to touch anything.

"Teleport back to where we were cool?"

"I should leave instructions while we are here. One moment."

She steps to the side and pulls out her datapad to make a call. She speaks with someone she calls Lord Sicaria, letting her know she will be departing on a personal project and that she should continue to manage operations. A few minor logistical issues are ironed out, and Occlus ends the call and nods at Glint.

And back to Darth Animus's reception room or whatever.

"Did you find everything you need?"

"Everything I could reasonably guess I would."

"Coming back should be pretty easy, too, if we figure out new and exciting ways for things to go wrong."

"Let's avoid that."

"Awwwwwww..."

Ebele laughs. "How about we compromise and be the new and exciting ways for things to go wrong for our opponents?"

"I'll take that."

"Reasonable."

"Being an out of context problem has its pleasures."

"I know." There's a brief hint of a purple flash behind her eyes.

Hot.

"I'd hate to be your enemy." Probably. Unless they were sexy rivals, that'd be fun. Ebele is pretty sure she can't manage being a Darth's archnemesis with benefits, though - yet (growth mindset).

"My enemies don't tend to live very long."

"I can quite imagine."

"Mm." She permits herself a small smile.

Glint grins.

"Should we let Animus know we're ready to head over?"

"I am ready."

Ebele ducks out, returning shortly with him - leaving Cherish here.

"I'm prepared," he says, nodding to Glint.

Who clasps her hands and moves them all back to the planning area for their strike teams.

"-You were successful, I see."

"Either my teleport is awesome at targeting or someone up there really likes us like Hisame - sorry, Tentou - thinks. Or both!"

"Care to make introductions?"

Full introductions, including formal titles, all around!

A pleasure to make everyone's acquaintance.

"And you think they can help?"

"Emotions are easy, and I'm used to tracking people across planets. Can probably even just point to whoever's a different species than the locals - you guys all have really similar Force signatures, but the ways they're different are meaningful, you know?"

"No, I do not."

She explains some of the many things Force signatures can indicate. Seems to have a pretty good grasp of the technicalities behind it, though she's summarizing for someone without their own sensitivity.

"It's weird with the other us's not being Force sensitive."

"That would be redundant, surely."

"Ruin our special vibe."

"If you like."

She laughs.

"So, we're planning on seriously ruining some sneaky asshole's day?"

Tentou laughs. "Pretty much." She relays the strategic summary.

"If the target is as distinctive as you say, I do not foresee any problems in tracking it, even sight unseen."

"Good. And he's unable to travel through true solids, as far as I can tell, or through force fields - he probably couldn't escape anything airtight, especially if it was made of unnatural materials."

"I think I can handle that part, if we can slow him down."

"Between all of us, we should have something for that."

"And none of the other targets are likely to be exceptionally troublesome?"

"Pein has the Rinnegan, like me, so might cause trouble with that. Kabuto might summon legions of hard to destroy undead with enough warning, including Madara, who is a pain in the ass to fight. Still, I can cut them off, and know how to summon the original creator of Kabuto's technique."

"I think we're about ready, then."

"Good. Do we want to preemptively resurrect the creator of Kabuto's technique from my world? He'd be willing to help, either way, though he'd be grouchy about our home world getting destroyed."

"Do you trust him with the whole story?"

"He's a shinobi, so he's used to working alongside murderers, but he might frown at us over the excessive terrorizing. Still, he has met me. Mostly looked tired and annoyed, but he protected my life a few times in that final battle, and I'm pretty sure he knew what I'm like."

"No reason not to go in with overwhelming force. I say do it."

There's general agreement among the other Lightnings.

"I'll be back in a few minutes, then."

She steps out.

And Darth Animus speaks up.

"Someone had mentioned an alternate universe version of me?"

"Yes. Meridia. She's not present at this gathering, though I think we can arrange a meeting."

He nods. "I would prefer that at some point, yes."

Ellayania still has a spare avatar at Meridia's library. She can forward the request.

Meridia would welcome him in her Realm at any time if he wishes to visit, though leaving is an effort for her.

Ellayania passes this along.

"Perhaps after we have addressed the problems with Naraka's world."

"I can give you - and anyone else who wants to geek out with Meridia - a lift!"

He nods. "That would be appreciated."

"I'll pass."

"I'll go along. Interdimensional godly libraries sound like my jam. After we kill this Zetsu, of course."

"Of course."

Things lapse into mostly silence until Tentou returns through one of her portals -

Bringing someone who is, to those who can sense it, apparently an alt of Darth Animus - though he's more divergent than the Ellies are from each other, closer to Meridia - and who looks an awful lot like Meridia, albeit male and not rainbow-colored.

"Another alt, it seems."

"Of Meridia? I see the resemblance."

"And Meridia is my alt as well," Animus says, regarding Tobirama.

"Your chakra signature is fairly similar to mine."

...Huh.

"Seems we've found a new... template, I suppose."

"Cool! I wonder who else repeats?"

"Who else interesting is probably a better question."

"Perhaps. Though I can't think of many other notable people - certainly individuals that have been important in one life or another, but not necessarily patterns."

"If they're really interesting, we'll find them sooner or later."

"I suppose. Events do seem to be conspiring that way, don't they?"

"Especially given the latest round of finds."

"I'm quite delighted with whoever's arranging most of this."

"I think we all feel similarly."

"Maybe we can contrive to send them presents."

"What does a being like that appreciate?"

"Our interactions, at a guess."

"I can't say that's an entirely pleasant thought."

"I suspect they also appreciate high drama and mayhem, given how much of it they've been arranging opportunities for. Stories, maybe."

"Seems a reasonable conclusion."

"I like it so far, but I can see the idea of someone with that kind of control becoming grating."

"It really depends on how much they overtly exert control."

"Exactly. I don't mind some filtering for where our random universe hops land - that's certainly been exciting - but I'd have a quibble with fate."

"Just so."

She grins.

"Speaking of fates and control, shall we go wreck Zetsu's day?"

"That sounds a lovely idea."

She bows dramatically, opening a portal.

"After you all, then."

How intriguing.

Occlus steps through.

Ebele, Darth Animus, and Tobirama all follow, ahead of the other Crows.

Tentou's dropped them off near what she identified as the Mountain's Graveyard - a frequent place for Zetsu to linger, she believes.

The place practically reeks of malice.

There's two concentrated points nearby - both something old, something angry, and something powerful, though one has multiple angers overlapping, as if several people all stood on top of each other.

"I sense two focii," Occlus says once everyone's through. "One singular, the other... multiple."

"The multiple one might be the statue that the spirits of the Tailed Beasts are being kept in. Breaking that would at least slow any plots down, but should wait until after Zetsu's secured."

The singular focus point is starting to move, slowly.

"He's moving. That way." She indicates direction and rough distance.

"Could be he's noticed us. What do you say we cut him off?"

"A fine plan."

Glint laughs and teleports them just ahead of Zetsu's path.

He comes to a stop; he's close, though, underground.

Occlus indicates.

The Keres sets a trio of ghosts excavating a wide circle around Zetsu, enormous chunks of rock flying out of the trench.

He tries to flee straight down, fast.

Glint, once alerted by Animus, hums, points her staff at the ground, and turns a fairly large section of earth to glass, deep below, cutting him off.

The Keres continues until she's isolated a cylinder, which she then plucks out and begins whittling down further.

Zetsu appears to be a pure black person shaped blob, and does not seem to be able to do much about this.

Though there's a horde of plants (as far as they can sense) approaching them. Increasingly malicious plants. Kind of like Zetsu's rage is leaking.

Once Zetsu shows himself, Elatra traps him in a solid forcecage.

Just like the jungles of Gratek.

Occlus's lightsaber snaps into her hand as she turns to face their direction, igniting crimson with a hiss.

Zetsu stares at them, enraged, and Animus falls in with Occlus -

Their opponent seems to be a twisted white version of Zetsu, also remaining hidden, capable of turning the landscape against them, immensely cautious. Not, however, immune to lightsabers.

Few things are, in her experience.

Occlus hunts down the white Zetsu unerringly, displaying a preternatural ability to predict and exploit the way they shift the earth.

Ebele lacks a lightsaber, but seems to be having fun shooting plants with her blaster, her aim perfect, her sense for where things are about to be overcoming the white Zetsu's speed. She's mobile, too, jumping around rather lightly, and falling into a natural rhythm with her more martially inclined alts.

Tentou just sets everything on fire.

Black Zetsu, though, seems reluctant to burn.

Perhaps he just needs some encouragement. She can affect the area inside the cage without requiring it be opened with a variety of powers.

This does not seem to affect him like it should.

Tsk.

"We're going to need something more exotic."

"Nature chakra was able to get through some of his creator's defenses, and I can probably rip his soul out if he holds still..." Tentou says.

"The Force sounds nature chakra-y to me," Ebele says. "Want us to try?"

"Allow me," Occlus says.

She takes out a ring and places it on the first finger of her right hand. She twists it once, then makes a fist, and begins to suck out Zetsu's life essence.

This seems to work!

He actually shrinks as she does it, flailing around in his cage, the attacks from the white Zetsu growing bolder - but not past the team's ability to easily handle.

There are minuscule writings on the ring, and they seem to grow darker and larger as Zetsu disappears. By the time he's gone, they seem to nearly cover Occlus's hand, though a more careful look will reveal this is not the case, and the writings are still confined to the ring's surface.

And then Tentou finishes rooting out and burning up the last remnants of White Zetsu.

"Hah! Well, that's one problem cut off."

"Let us find the next. I would prefer to burn this power off sooner than later."

"Next in terms of likely to become harder to deal with over time is Kabuto."

"I've already located him," says Tobirama. "His chakra signature is not as corrupted as our world's had been. Still, it is similar. He has several of the Edo Tensei with him, several people I believe are intended as sacrifices unconscious near him, and seems to be preparing more impure resurrections."

He indicates Kabuto's location.

"Then let's not delay."

Teleport!

Kabuto: has about two dozen people, their skin ashen and cracked, their eyes black, surrounding him.

"Well, this is quite the surprise," he says, amicably, then flashes through several hand signs.

The ring Occlus is wearing is the work of one particularly vicious Sith who lived about six and a half centuries ago. Unlike his peers who sought immortality, he was of the opinion that there can in fact be too much of a good thing. The ring takes the lifeforce of one victim and then unleashes it upon another, dramatically accelerating the aging process in proportion to the power stored.

She directs the ring to empty its stores into Kabuto. Skin sags, eyes cloud, teeth rot, hair stiffens and drifts gently away. And in the middle of his next handsign, his fingers snap in half, bones too brittle for such force.

And then he regenerates, shedding his skin.

The Edo Tensei are attacking, regenerating as fast as they're damaged -

"You think this world lacks those who search for eternal youth?" Kabuto asks, and performs another summons as he's protected by his forces -

Two men appear.

Both look rather a lot like Tentou and Naraka.

"Hisame?" the younger asks, seeming off balance. "What is the meaning of this, Kabuto?"