*Vanhoover, Equestria; June 6, 2021; 3:30 AM*

Alex snuck towards the base, trying to keep his power low and avoid detection.

"Forward 20 meters. Watch your right." Andromeda warned.

Nodding, Alex ducked down and crawled across as quickly as he could.

Surely enough, the Ocelot Base was right there before him.

"Move up 10 meters and sneak in through the side entrance."

"Gotcha.." Alex replied quietly as he could.

Sneaking up a few more feet, he looked both ways, sneaking through the darkened walkway.

Alex decided to sense around and make sure nobody else was here..

"Let's see here... We got about 20 people inside.. One of them is Liss... About.. yikes.. 15 people nearby. Some of them are higher than most, so I'll keep an eye out.. Last but not least, there's... SHIT!"

Several powerful energies..! At least three of which he knew by name..!

"Neo.. Ruby.. and..! " Alex gasped in shock.

'WHAT THE HELL IS YANG DOING HERE?!' He thought in terror.

Checking how many more he felt were familiar, he was met with more and more dread.

'Ultimus... Cade and Auburn.. Oreonna.. Wait... I kinda remember some of these..!!'

Sneaking inside, by this point he was hyperventilating.

"That's Pyrrha!! B-But she died years ago.. and again at Magnolia... No way..! That's Burning Ember and Russell Leone! Both of them have been dead since the Inquisitor Wars!'

"Hands where I can see them!!"

Alex immediately turned around to find all 25 Ocelots, armed to the teeth.

"Shit."

"Hold on..!" Liss moved the soldiers aside, looking at Alex with curiosity.

"Liss... I figured I'd find you here.." Alex greeted.

"I wasn't expecting visitors... What were you doing sneaking in the side entrance at this hour?" Liss demanded.

"Vanhoover as a whole isn't exactly hospitable anymore. I had to find someplace standing." Alex replied evenly.

'Hope she sees through this.. This kinda reminds me of when I had to sneak past Cinder to free Mako.' Alex privately thought.

"You.. do know something about what's going on here, right?" Liss inquired suspiciously.

"What, besides this random-ass war?"

Liss sighed.

"Look.. Maybe you can help us out here... You've traveled and seen a lot of things, right?" Liss asked.

"Yeah. Something you need?" Alex nodded in reply.

"Yeah.. But it's kinda confidential. But I know you haven't really taken sides so far in all of this, and you are for hire." Liss explained.

"What, is this a gig?"

"Yeah.. Come upstairs.. I'll get some tea ready."

Alex complied, following Liss upstairs.

"I hope you know what you're doing here.." Andromeda confessed.

Yang had long since snuck out of camp, carefully following Alex's energy signature, taking notice in the fact that he'd been inside the Ocelot compound for a while now.

"As soon as I find you and that Dragon Ball, we'll be going home, and I can get to work on fixing things.." Yang decided.

"Xiao Long, I didn't expect to find you here."

Yang turned around immediately to find Vegeta and Ultimus floating down to meet her.

"Vegeta? Nice to see you again! How's Cade been coming along? Ultimus, lookin' sharp as always."

"Don't play dumb with me. You're after these new Dragon Balls as well." Vegeta figured.

Yang sighed.

"A few months back, I, along with the Maidens, found a Four-Star Dragon Ball. Silver-y stars, and weirdly enough, they were blue. I sensed Alex's energy, and boom! We were knocked out. Once we came to, The Dragon Ball was gone." Yang explained.

"So, Wherever you've found these Dragon Balls, you've also sensed Saigo's energy." Ultimus deduced.

"Yep. I sensed Alex inside that building. The Ocelots are in there too. You both remember Liss, right?" Yang figured.

"What you're suggesting is a full-front assault on the Ocelots, knowing full well the dangers?" Ultimus wondered.

"That's pretty much it." Yang nodded.

Vegeta grinned.

"We shouldn't waste our time. Our 'friend' might be gone soon." Vegeta decided, narrowing his eyes.

Another fight with both of his apprentices... Vegeta could practically feel his Saiyan blood start to boil!

Alex took a sip of his tea, trying to settle his nerves.

"Everything ok?" Liss wondered.

"Eh.. I'll be fine. Word to the wise, get someone to call for backup. Shit's about to hit the fan. What're we talking about?"

Liss shook her head, and called over one of her guards and whispering in his ear.

"You were saying?" Liss asked as the guard ran off.

"Anyways. What sort of Artifact did you find?"

"Our sources say it's something called a 'Dragon Ball'. I think you might know about it."

"What does this Dragon Ball look like..?" Alex politely asked.

"It's blue, with about 5 little silver stars. Here, I have it.." Liss reached for it in her sachel.

Producing a little blue ceramic ball, roughly the size of a bowling ball, in her hand. Alex took a long look at it

Alex smiled.

"Yeah.. That's a Dragon Ball, all right.. You're saying you only have the one?" Alex asked.

"There are more?" Liss asked.

"Yes. Seven actually."

"Where are the other six?" Liss wondered.

"Somewhere safe, I bet..." Alex grinned, launching a small lightning bolt at Liss's forehead.

Liss immediately went stiff and fell to the ground.

Alex walked up next to Liss, stroking her head.

"Don't worry, Liss. The shock should only keep you paralyzed for another couple of minutes. This'll be in good hands.."

"Y-You dirty liar..." Liss twitched, still spasming.

"Look, kid. Don't take it personally... What I do.. I do to secure a better tomorrow... for everyone.."

Alex reached down and took the Dragon Ball, promptly launching a lightning bolt out of the window and flying off.

'Alright... Liss probably doesn't trust me now... Maybe, if I can lay low for the next few hours, the flight to Ponyville will be a cinch... Then..' Alex thought to himself.

Alex was promptly bowled into, and bashed into the ground.

Coughing weakly, Alex found himself face-to-face with Yang, Cade, Auburn, Vegeta, and Ultimus.

"Huh... Figured you might've known something about those.." Yang figured.

Alex jerked backwards, shaking.

"Why are you here?!"

"What, are you new? We're trying to get to the bottom of these new Dragon Balls, and you've been the one collecting them. Why is that?" Ultimus explained.

Alex stood up all the way, casting an angry glare at Yang specifically.

"This has nothing to do with any of you. Out of my way." Alex ordered.

"Answer me this, 'Apprentice', Why should I stand aside? What are you planning once you have all seven?" Vegeta demanded.

"Please.. answer the question.." Cade pleaded.

Alex took a moment and looked inward, before looking Yang dead in the eye.

"I'll be 100% honest. I fucked up. I panicked the second that bounty was called, and I fucked up badly.

I'm not that great at introspection anymore, but I pieced together what I could... Everything after Agent Winchester's death was entirely my fault. I thought that instinct alone would keep me alive... It has, but at what cost?

So, what am I going to do with these Dragon Balls? I'm going to fix my mistake.. I'm going to make things right, and I'm gonna disappear like I should have in the first place." Alex explained, in a low, sorrowful voice.

Everyone took a collective step backwards. Even Vegeta seemed at least somewhat shocked.

"So... Stay out of my way for your own good." Alex demanded, beginning to fly off.

"RAAAAAGH!!"

An unearthly roar filled the air as dozens and dozens of Dragons dove from the skies, belching flame and scorching the landscape.

"Advance!!!"

Russell charged, carrying a laser machine gun as Vanoss's crew, Burning Ember, and Pyrrha opened suppressing fire on the dragons.

"Everyone, go! We'll keep you covered!" Russell shouted.

"Stop Father from escaping! There's no knowing what he has planned!" Auburn yelled.

Alex, by this point, made a mad dash towards Ponyville, only to be knocked down from the skies with a magic attack.

"Twilight?!" Ember gasped.

"WAIT, EMBER?!" Twilight yelled out in shock as Alex made a run for it.

"Dimensional Portals! Brace yourselves!!" Pyrrha yelled as several portals instantly materialized.

Hundreds of people instantly appeared on the battlefield; Ryders, Guards, Federation Enforcers..! It seemed like the entirety of the Equestrian Defense Front had dropped at the city!

More portals! Atlas and Mistral's forces against Vale's and Vacuo's!

"All of you, go! I'll keep the others busy!" Ultimus shouted.

Cade seemed rather confused, even conflicted.

"Who're we fighting here?!" He gasped.

"None. We're after your father." Vegeta repied, flying off.

"Shit... Alright, coming!" Cade yelled.

Alex himself, now barrelling towards Ponyville by this point, had quickly made peace with the fact that he flat-out abandoned Twilight, Richtofen, and Mako.

"The mission's more important..! That backstabbing princess and the fucking Illuminati have been nothing but trouble!" Alex cursed.

Alex found himself getting kicked into the ground, leaving him gasping for breath.

Barely finding the strength to stand, Alex coughed, glaring up at Vegeta.

"It's been a while since we've fought. I hope you've prepared yourself, boy!" Vegeta shouted.

"We shouldn't kill him, but I'm sure as hell not letting him get away! FINAL FLASH!!!" Cade shouted, quickly transforming to a new Enlightened form.

Alex leaped out of the way, dodging the energy attack by mere milliseconds before he found himself being bombarded by ki-blasts.

'Crap! Another moment and I would've been toast..! Cade went Enlightened Demigod already?!' Alex thought, transforming immediately to his Mythic Warrior form.

"Watch and learn, boy!" Vegeta leaped at Alex, throwing a barrage of punches at the the younger man.

Super Saiyan and Mythic Adenienite traded blows on an almost equal playing field, but Alex found he was quickly being overtaken.

"BIG BANG ATTACK!!"

Alex kicked the blast away from him, only to be battered away by Auburn.

"Cade, now!"

"GALICK GOD SHOCKER!!"

The blue-violet energy wave blew Alex further into the skies, leaving him open to Auburn's further attacks.

"KNOCK KNOCK!" Yang greeted, punching Alex directly in the face, blowing him directly into the ground.

Bouncing back up from the crater, Vegeta and Cade flew up beside Alex, corresponding their punches to pound Alex in the same spot, but opposite side.

Auburn sped underneath, golf-swinging Abadeer's Flame, rendering Alex skybound once more.

"

"OVERCHARGE: BURNING EVOLUTION!"

Yang charged up directly above Alex, throwing a thundering barrage of punches at him, with Alex barely able to defend himself.

'What's going on?! When the hell did they all get so strong?! WHEN DID I GET SO WEAK?!"

Alex skidded into the ground, struggling to even stand up.

Panting and gasping for breath, Alex produced the Dragon Ball with one weakly trembling hand, scarcely able to hold it up as he powered down.

"D-Damn it... I can't let them kill me... B-But at the same time, I can't lose this Dragon Ball.." Alex coughed weakly.

Vegeta, Cade, Auburn, and Yang landed near Alex.

"His power is fading, he won't be getting away without much help now." Vegeta explained.

Alex began to quickly back up, raising a hand towards his opponents, readying a torrent of lightning.

"S-Stay back..!" Alex warned.

Yang flash-stepped at Alex's side, punching him in the stomach and making him drop the Dragon Ball.

"I'll be taking that! If you want it back, we can talk." Yang explained as Alex collapsed on the ground.

Struggling to stand, Alex glared at Yang.

"How did you even get to such a level..?" Alex coughed.

"Well, it's real simple, I-."

A sniper shot knocked the Dragon Ball out of Yang's hand, a lavender-colored Aura surrounded the others, and a few shots from Richtofen's newest weapon prototype; the Blitzwaffe DG-5, energized Alex back to his normal limit.

"Go, now! I don't know how long I'll be able to hold onto them!" Twilight shouted.

Alex dove down, snatched the Dragon Ball, and nodded his thanks as he raced off towards Ponyville.

Alex stormed into his hotel room, angry beyond belief.

"They've got some nerve, closing the fucking Gate!" Alex cursed under his breath, throwing his stuff near his bed.

Due to the war effort, Ponyville closed off access to the portals during night hours. Even during the day, hundreds of Royal Guards swarmed the Gate, and he wouldn't be able to pass without a special ID for the particular Dimension he was headed. Thankfully, The Illuminati was reasonable enough to send him one after evading the Maidens.

Regardless, he probably needed sleep, and he couldpossibly be able to sneak over to Vinyl's for repairs in the morning, anyways.

Alex then heard a light knocking on his door.

"Dammit."

Alex walked to the door, with a slight grumble, before opening it.

"I didn't order room service and I just got here, so no need to worry about housekeeping yet- SHIT!" Alex practically leaped backwards, raising his sword.

Yang stood in the doorway, still a bit scuffed from their recent battle.

"Still jumpy, huh..?" Yang weakly smiled.

Alex glared at her up and down, quickly discovering that she was disarmed.

"What do you want?" Alex demanded.

"I just wanna talk... Is that alright..?" She asked.

Alex sighed, sitting down on the bed and motioning her to join.

"Close the door on the way." Alex told her.

Yang complied, and made her way next to Alex.

"So... I see you've grown out the face cozy... How's that working for ya..?" Yang asked, referring to his beard.

"I'm gonna hack it off soon, anyways."

"Not all of it, I hope.. Maybe just trim it." Yang shrugged.

Alex shook his head.

"Look, we both know what needs to be said. We should just skip the small talk." Alex suggested.

Yang smiled a little.

"Same old Alex.. Look, that whole thing in the Crystal Empire... and Fiore.. and Helios..." Yang began.

"You were being manipulated by Corvus, I know." Alex sighed.

"How did you-?"

"Chūkan told me a bit before I ran off." Alex explained.

"Well... Why did you run if you knew Corvus was dead."

"I didn't know Corvus died at that time... I thought it was a miracle I even woke up." Alex trembled a little.

"I... I get it." Yang sighed.

"I want to apologize.." Alex began.

"For what? You panicked and went overboard."

"For everything. If I had just died back at Winchester's hands, none of this would've happened." Alex stated.

"We both know that isn't right. The Inquisitors would've awoken Salem,The Shadow Man, Arabus, and Morning Star would've gotten the Eye instead of Kat. The Inquisitors wouldn't be able to fend them all off and everyone would've died. You probably gave us a few more years of life." Yang explained.

"Not for everyone." Alex sighed.

"Alex, we've had this talk. People are gonna die, that's just what happens with our kind of job... Speaking of, do you wanna know what happened in Vanhoover after you turned tail?"

"What?"

"The Equestrian Defense Front managed to retake Vanhoover, but they lost a lot of infantry. The Dragon Collective took some heavy losses. I mean really heavy losses. Every Dragon who took part died, Vale and Vacuo both lost a lot of men, and most of the Guilds at the battle were slaughtered.

Those Enforcer guys have a lot of high-tech gear, no thanks to your buddy Richtofen. Twilight being there boosted the morale of the Royal Guards, and Mako actually managed to pick off a bunch of snipers.

I hear the SCP's gonna get involved on the Dragon Ball Case, considering they found the Ocelots' intel stash."

"Did everyone make it? All of our... Y-Your friends?" Alex asked.

"Yeah. Liss was captured, though." Yang nodded.

"Thank god.." Alex sighed in relief.

"Speaking of that Dragon Ball stuff, what's going on? I know You, Richtofen, Twilight, and Mako were in on it. What's up?" Yang asked.

Alex sighed.

"Well, promise you won't tell another soul. And good thing you closed this door, it's kinda secret." Alex explained.

"Ok."

Alex took a deep breath.

"You know how the Inheritors and Chronicai were pretty much secret societies of warriors from other Dimensions? What I'm dealing with here is the same thing, but instead of fighters, they're world leaders, scientists, and people of really high importance. They're called the Illuminati.

Now, The Illuminati have been pretty much working together for millenia, but now that universes are open, it's a whole lot easier to communicate with other universes, so they're way more prevalent. After a while, they caught wind of the Dragon Balls, and they wanted in on that action.

Considering their need to control basically everything, and wanting to stay secret, they made their own Dragon Balls. If I'm not wrong about this, they're called Stardust Dragon Balls." Alex explained.

"So, the Inheritors are all dead, and they're a bunch of bureaucrats from other worlds, so where do you fit in all of this?" Yang wondered.

"So, after what happened in Lithia, I needed work and a place to hide. So, I went up to my old training spot with Canis, and I had Andromeda make a few calls."

"Andromeda? Wasn't she the A.I that helped us during the Blood Red Night?" Yang asked.

"Yes. Hello again, Yang." Andromeda greeted.

"Hey.. How's Alex been?" Yang inqired.

"His nightmares have been getting worse, his PTSD has badly worsened, and Alex is showing signs of-"

"Okay, okay, I get it!" Alex shouted.

"Fair enough. Shall I schedule you a therapy session?" Andromeda asked.

"Anyways, I met with one of my old clients, who stated he had a job in mind. Three guesses who his client was." Alex scoffed.

"Right. Are they paying you?" Yang wondered.

"Not yet. They hired me to collect all seven of these Stardust Dragon Balls. I just got the seventh. I was about to go and give it to them, but the Dimensional Gates are all closed." Alex explained.

"So, what was your price? Hopefully enough to get a nice mansion or something." Yang smiled.

"Even better. They're offering me the one wish. The Stardust Dragon Balls are capable of reviving people across dimensions, among a multitude of other things. Imagine what I could fix with that kind of power!" Alex grinned.

"So, The Illuminati, which is famous for fixing shit in a way that suits their agenda is offering you the one and only wish on their homemade Dragon Balls. Either you're both in on something, or they're gonna screw you over." Yang concluded.

"I was aware of that possibility since the start. Keeping in mind these are entirely Bureaucrats, Agartha's Thunder here will slice through 'em like butter if they try shit." Alex grinned.

Yang looked at him, deeply concerned.

"What did you think you would accomplish with that wish?" Yang asked.

Alex looked at her, deeply uncertain.

"I... I don't know exactly, but I'm going to use it to atone for everything I've done... Then... Then I'll disappear, never to disrupt anything again." Alex decided.

"Alex..." Yang quickly hugged him.

Alex, having felt a burden ease on him, returned the hug.

"You know I'm still scared shitless of you, right?" Alex asked.

"I know.. But, hey, I would never have almost killed you. I wasn't myself.. I know, it'll take some more getting used to, but If you want to try this again, Little Auburn still needs us, and Cade too.." Yang nodded.

"Speaking of, where is Auburn?" Alex asked, deeply concerned.

"I left her with Vinyl while we were in Equestria still. She's in good hands." Yang stated.

"You know... The Gates don't open 'till about 9 o'clock, and I haven't slept, so..." Alex shrugged.

"Okay..." Yang smiled, removing all of her battle gear.

Alex tossed off his armor, and pulled on a t-shirt.

The two got into bed together, and in reconciliation, slept peacefully for the first time in at least a year.

Author's Notes:

Hey, everyone, Destoyer here!

The final chapter of the Wake of Corvus is almost here, and then I can get to work on Tales of Shadows I: Shadepoint! (And, yes, that is the title).

So, after more than an arc of being on separate sides of conflict, Alex and Yang are semi-officially back! What's left but to return the Five-Star Stardust Dragon Ball to the Illuminati?

Find out next time on Blood Red Shadows 2!