"Out From Under"

"Oww!" Everyone emited once they fell to the ground, in Abysus. Bobo was the first to woke, scratching his ass. "Remember me to never travel on one of these again", he said.

"What the fuck is this place?" Ryuko asked everyone. Never on her life did she saw a place like this, where the sky was red. The landscape looked like it was pulled straight out of one of those shity horror movies where every character but the big bad were idiots.

Bio-Wolf appeared through a portal, with Breach and Skalamander behind him.

"Where are we?" Rex asked to Bio-Wolf.

"Home" The wolf-like EVO replied. He was proud of his "home".

Everyone looked to the direction where trees were, watching how they deformed, leaving a way, for someone. Van Kleiss was calmly walking, with his eyes closed. He opened them, to see Rex and his companions. Red flowers and other plants surged as he passed by, leaving a beautiful road.

"Time to act surprised, chief"

"Actually i am" Rex couldn't help but reply.

When Van Kleiss stopped in front of them, Ryuko caught sight of a golden gauntlet on his left hand. Another qualities she could appreciate were his large hair with some white streaks on it, signs that indicated that the man in front of them wasn't exactly young. That or he had a severe problem of anxiety. His eyes were a brown color.

"You can control nature?" Rex asked Van Kleiss, seeing the the beautiful way he left behind.

"I a certain manner of speaking, yes, i can" Van Kleiss replied Rex. He expected the common question of "Who are you?" but instead, the boy asked him about his abilities. How amusing, this Rex would surely prove interesting.

"Good, then take away this heat i have, if you can, i mean" Bobo challenged him. As an answer, Van Kleiss's gaze focused on Bobo, and after some seconds, drops of water started to rain on the monkey.

Bobo spat aside before telling Van Kleiss he was a "Show-Off".

Van Kleiss turned towards Rex. "I am Van Kleiss, and this, Rex, is Abysus, a heaven for the all EVOs" he said, moving his hand to show the place that Abysus was.

"You know who i am?" Rex asked. He never saw this guy ever. How could he know his name?

"My associates Bio-Wolf, Skalamander and Breach, had been watching you for some time" Van Kleiss said, motioning his hand to the Pack.

"That's pretty creppy, dude" Noah whispered to Rex, who only nodded in agreement. Great, he had a stalker now. He wouldn't mind if it was a woman with an angelical face and a beautiful body, but it was this man and his freaks.

Van Kleiss looked briefly to Ryuko, who had been silent this whole time. Shit, this guy was scary. Now that she looked better, the gauntlet had five pointed spines in the fingers, resembling syringes, which only maked Ryuko feel more fear towards Van Kleiss. How she hated the syringes!

Van Kleiss directed his gauntlet towards some trees aside them. They moved and revealed a road to a castle.

"This way"

Ryuko looked at Rex, who only shrugged and started to walk. She didn't trusted the Pack, let alone Van Kleiss, but she didn't knew where she was nor how to return home, so she started to walk alongside him.

Noah followed them, too.

"They call them the plague, but the nanites are by everyway a gift, a gift that Providence wants to destroy" Van Kleiss told everyone. Pieces of the floor were rising in order to let Rex and the others walk.

"The EVOs we go after are monsters, they use their powers to hurt people!" Rex replied him.

"We are not all savages, Rex. Some EVOs are capable of so much more. You have only just begun to realize all the potential you have"

Rex stopped walking, his gaze directing to Van Kleiss. "Potential? I don't even have memories of who i was"

When Van Kleiss heard that, he stopped walking, too. "Is that so? Perhaps i will have to teach you a history lesson, then"

"Sounds delightful" Bobo replied.

A sound of a stomach, particularly Bobo's stomach, sounded.

"Do ya have some food here?"

Ryuko's stomach roared, too. She blushed a bit at that.

"Huh…"

Van Kleiss looked briefly to the two.

"Of course, Bio-Wolf, take them to the garden, we will reach you all later" Van Kleiss ordered.

Everyone but Rex left through a road that Van Kleiss lifted up to the so-called garden.

Van Kleiss turned, and started to talk. "Six years ago, on this very spot, everything began. The so-called, nanite event, the dream to create microscopic machines that could improve the human race in everyway became real, some people, who worked on it, wanted to see the fruits of their labor, and then, a violent birth occurred"

Rex was following Van Kleiss to what seemed to be the throne room.

"Aaand….what does that have to do with me?"

"Oh, Rex, everything has to do with you" He replied. "Now, do you mind if i see what makes you so special?" Van Kleiss moved his fingers, and the ground below Rex began to shake. Large Roots started to surge, trapping Rex and moving him towards Van Kleiss.

"Huh?! What are you doing?!"

"Let's just say that i am going to do an experiment" The spines on his gauntlet augmented their lenght, and he introduced them in Rex's chest.

The pain was unreal. Rex started to scream as Van Kleiss absorbed his nanites.

"Those statues are creepy" Noah said. Bobo replied, "They should call someone to maintain this place".

"I don't think those are statues" Ryuko couldn't help but say.

"Clever girl" Skalamander told her menacingly. He tried to hit her, but Ryuko was faster, and avoided the attack by jumping backwards.

"You…!" She charged towards Skalamander, engaging in a fight with him.

Bobo saw that Bio-Wolf and Breach were approaching them.

"Do ya know how to fight, sheep?"

"I got some kickboxing classes" Noah said nervously.

"Good"

"You should be proud, Rex, your nanites are the most cooperative i have ever seen!" Van Kleiss said as he continued to drain Rex's energy, a yellow light shining as he did so.

"Unlike you, i'm unstable, i need a supply of nanites in order to keep me alive. Yours seem to be particularly nutritious" Van Kleiss continued, as Rex saw in shock how his hand started to turn into stone.

Bobo was holding his own pretty good against Bio-Wolf. That was until Ryuko slashed his back, and kicked him, sending Bio-Wolf away.

"That was for the blow from earlier, dog!"

"Ya are pretty good, sheep"

Ryuko looked at Bobo. Did a monkey just called her "sheep"? Well, whatever.

"Uh…thanks"

"Watch your back Ryuko!" Noah shouted from behind. Ryuko didn't had the time to dodge the punch to the face from Breach, landing in the ground by the force of the hit.

"Hey! You!" Breach looked back, only to be kicked by Noah straight in the stomach.

"Are you okay?"

"Don't worry, that hit was nothing" Ryuko replied.

"Ryuko, what about Rex?" Senketsu asked her. "Oh, right! Guys, we have to go for Rex!"

"Now that's what i'm talkin' about!" Bobo shouted. The three started to run fast back to the castle.

To the shock of the three, they saw Van Kleiss holding a Rex bellowing in pain, embedding his claws in his chest.

"Well, Rex, i have to say, i'm dissapointed, i expected more from you than this"

Rex couldn't say anything as his nanites were drained gradually from him. It was so painful. He couldn't do anything but scream.

"Rex!" Noah shouted.

"You son of a bitch! I knew you weren't legit!" Ryuko shouted. She launched herself to Van Kleiss, and, putting the most force she could on his attack, she slashed his right arm, severing it.

Van Kleiss grunted in shock, retreating the gauntlet from Rex without knowing. How was it possible for this girl to not only slash through his arm, but also sever it?! It was unreal, yet, amazing.

Rex took this as chance to attack.

Please work…

It worked.

His right leg turned into a machine-like leg, kicking Van Kleiss, with all the intention of killing him. Screw everything. This guy had to die.

Van Kleiss crashed in the wall, just above his throne.

His head was twisted.

"Now that's more like it" Van Kleiss said, a smirk creeping in his face. He re-accomodated his head and grew a new arm afterwards. "You are as powerful as i was lead to believe!"

"You are a gross bastard!" Ryuko shouted.

Rex landed alongside his friends. "Sorry, but i don't plan on being anyone's breakfast"

"Oh, Rex, the further away you get, the more value you will have for me, i just wanted to taste some" Van Kleiss said, being moved by one of the roots. "And as for you, little girl, you are very powerful to be human. You must be another EVO. Why don't you join me?"

"I would eat my own shit rather than working with you, asshole!"

Van Kleiss smirk got even larger. This girl was really the definition of "spitfire". He was amused.

"Prepared to escape from here and not die?" Noah asked Rex. He only put his goggles and smirked as answer.

Rex entered his wings-mode, Ryuko, Noah and Bobo holding on him.

"Ryuko, you are holding on me again"

"Shut up!"

Rex's smirk got even larger. Oh, how he would enjoy using his jokes on her.

"I told you, chief, you would get a girlfriend"

"You too?!"

"Nah, Bobo, she's not my girlfriend"

"Yet" Bobo whispered. Rex only could laugh, Ryuko seeing him with a grimace in her face. Noah was just watching how high they were.

"Uh…Rex, dude, aren't we a little too high…?"

"Believe me, compañero, this is were you want to stay" Rex replied to Noah as gigantic roots tried to catch them, he avoided them.

"Yeah, we need to stay here" Ryuko said.

Trees were rising to hinder in Rex's fly, but it wasn't a problem for him to dodge. Ryuko looked back and saw a…faced forest following them?!

"That guy has a serious obsession with nature i see" She told everyone.

"Where are you going, Rex?" The four could hear Van Kleiss voice echoing through Abysus. "To Providence? You aren't anything more than a weapon for them! A weapon that they will neutralize some day, you will see!"

That got Rex unsure. What if Van Kleiss had the reason? What if Providence decided that he no longer would have free will? They wouldn't do that…right?

Then, in the worst moment, a hand touched his back. Ryuko's hand.

"You don't have to hear him, you know" She told him.

Rex only looked to her blue gear-like eyes. She meant it. That was enough for Rex.

"You are right", that said, Rex accelerated more. The trees and roots that were already pretty easy to dodge whenever he was focused, turned into child's play. "U are motivated i see, chief"

"Oh you have no idea!"

The four kept advancing until a portal opened in front of them. A portal from Breach. Bio-Wolf assaulted Noah through it, falling to the ground with him.

"Noah!" Rex shouted and changed direction, flying down towards Noah.

"Take my hand!" Noah tried to do so, but couldn't, and that was enough to pull Rex's nanites out of balance, making his wings dissapear.

The four crashed in the ground hard.

"Good landing, chief" Bobo sarcastically said.

"I hope i never need to fly with you again...damn.." Ryuko said to Rex, rubbing her bruised right arm.

Rex, who saw this, couldn't help but feel a little ashamed. "I…I'm sorry.."

Noah got up. He was the one who received the worst part. "My whole back aches…" he said, his head ringing.

Rex looked at him, and felt more ashamed of himself. It was all his fault. For not being able to take Noah's hand and for deactivating his wings.

"Chief, i think we will need your Bios to rise again…" Bobo told Rex as the Pack appeared in front of them. Skalamander was the first to assault, and Rex was preparing to defend, until someone appeared.

Six. He came hitting Skalamander in the whole face with a flying board, broking it in Skalamander's face.

Six landed gracefully in the ground.

"Was…was that a flying board?!" Ryuko asked in disbelief.

"A little gift from Providence" Six replied.

"A gift you destroyed, haha" Bobo couldn't help but say.

Bio-Wolf assaulted Six, who gave Bobo his guns. Bobo started to shot Bio-Wolf in the air, where he couldn't dodge, defeating him. Breach launched portals to Six, who was preparing for her assault. A great hand appeared through one, hitting him in the stomach, a leg kicked him in the head. It remained like that for some seconds, until Six knew exactly where Breach would appear, and, pulling out the blades from his sleeves, Six threw those blades upwards. Breach fell to the ground, unconscious, and with two great slashes across the body.

"What a nanny…"

Six gave Rex a severe look. "This EVO, Van Kleiss-"

"I know. He didn't gave us problems, until now"

The five ran through the area. "The hearquarters are behind those mountains" Six said, referring to the mountains in front of them.

"How'd you find me?"

"High frequency trasponder"

"You all have things like that in Providence?" Ryuko asked.

"I would not be here if that was not"

"So, you tagged me? Like a dolphin?"

"Not you. It's in the monkey's diaper"

Rex, Ryuko and Noah stopped their tracks and looked to Bobo, who stopped, too.

"Diaper…?"

"…It's simian undergarment!" Bobo said embarrased, resuming with his retreat.

The three continued afterwards.

"Honestly, Six, i'm dissapointed, i expected Providence to send a whole army for me"

"They did" Six replied, and lifeless bodies involved in roots could be seen at the right side. Rex saw the carnage and stopped his tracks, his eyes opening wide. That was his fault. Those people died because of him. "No…"

"Rex, forget it" Six told him, and the five were surrounded by emerging trees, preventing them from escaping.

"Van Kleiss briefly looked at all the corpses lying in the ground. "What a waste. That could had been avoided, if only Providence did not involved in what they don't care" Van Kleiss said, throwing roots to Six. He pulled his blades, and dodged the assault.

"Rex, i will buy time for you, escape!"

"Six! No!" Rex shouted. He would not let someone die for him again, ever. Everyone saw how Six slashed through the roots, approaching to Van Kleiss, until the latter pulled a tree that attacked Six from the right side. Six fell to the ground.

"Well? What now, chief?"

"Rex, are you sure this guy only controls the ground?" Ryuko asked him. "I don't think so.." Rex took his right glove out, and touched the ground with his hand. He felt nanites.

"There's nanites everywhere! They are linked to him"

Van Kleiss's gaze turned to the four standing in front of him. "Enough of this foolishness! You were here when it all happened, Rex! We both were! Stay here and all your questions will be answered!"

"I think i prefer to risk it with Providence"

"Is this some kind of joke for you?!"

"Joke…?!" Rex replied with a flaring gaze. "A joke, you say?!" He said, remembering the dead people, people that died in order to recover him. He remembered how everyone treated him like a machine, a freak. He remembered how Noah and Ryuko suffered because of his own inneficiency. He remembered, ironically, how he didn't remembered his past.

"It's all but a joke!" He shouted, his Bios spiking aggressively. Entering his sword-mode, Rex charged to Van Kleiss.

"No!" Van Kleiss used roots to defend himself. Rex couldn't care less.

He slashed across Van Kleiss defenses, reaching him in the process. An explosion took place once Rex jumped backwards.

"That was a joke!"

Once Van Kleiss was out of sight, Rex looked at everyone. "Wanna take a ride? Ryuko?" He said with a cocky smile. He knew how much she hated his rides.

"…Just because is the faster way out, dumbass"

"Perfecto"

He used his wheels, everyone getting up. Accelerating to the Headquarters, he asked "Are you all sure about not taking the panoramic ride?"

"Absolutely, no" Six replied.

"I agree with Six" Ryuko said afterwards.

"You already know my answer" Noah told Rex, with an expressionless face.

"I wouldn't mind a air ride" Bobo said with a grin.

"That's it, Bobo! Let's fly" Rex shouted, preparing to transform into wings.

"No!" Everyone but Bobo shouted.

"Okay okay! I won't fly…" Rex said moving his hands in a defensive pose.

And with that, everyone retreated from Abysus.

Roots were creating something, back on there, many plants united, forming a skeleton-like thing. Hair started to grow in the skeleton, followed by a face.

It was Van Kleiss.

A smirk creeped across his face. He would definitely enjoy this.

Thanks for watching this chapter. I know, it's shorter than the previous, but this chapter's purpose was to introduce Van Kleiss.

See you all in the next one!