Verge

Verge is the fifth and final episode of Bonds.

Plot
''The camera pans down from the peach-colored sky to a small hut in a rather deep canyon. Nearby, a human Caucasian male in a blue robe stands in front of a rock, poking it with a long spear-like object to obtain Amber Ogia. The greying hair on his head and face is long and unkempt and his left eye is covered by a dirty black eyepatch. His entire right arm seems to be considerably darker than the rest of his body, which indicates that it is prosthetic. On top of a mountain overlooking the canyon, a light green reptilian alien lies on the ground on his stomach and observes the man. He wears black briefs with a yellow belt, as well as spiked cuffs on his wrists and bracers on his legs. The alien stands up and jumps off the cliff, landing a few feet away in front of the man. Some dirt from the ground flies all over the place due to the impact, from which the man shields himself with his arms. When the dust settles, he shows no sign of being disturbed by the sight of the alien before him. The alien speaks in a low and guttural voice.''

[Reptilian Alien]: You are difficult to find.

''The man drops the spear-like object on the ground and puts his arms in the air. The alien crosses his arms, unamused.''

[Reptilian Alien]: Not the reaction I was hoping for. Why aren't you trembling in fear or trying to put up a fight?

[Caucasian Male]: Why fight fate? I always knew this day would come. Now that it's here, well... (exhales) I'm relieved. I won't have to wake up every day wondering if it's my last.

[Reptilian Alien]: But I like it when they fight back. Gives me a thrill.

[Caucasian Male]: Sorry, but you're not getting that from me. Just do what you came here to do. Look, I'll even make it easier for you.

''Joining his hands at the back of his neck, he kneels on the ground. The alien sighs in disappointment.''

[Reptilian Alien]: Unfortunately for both of us, whoever wants you needs you alive if I'm to be paid handsomely. Seriously, do you have any idea how much you're worth?

The human stays silent.

[Reptilian Alien]: How 'bout a compromise? I need you alive, but there's nothing saying I can't rough you up a little. (smirks) Yeah, sounds like a fine idea to me.

He cracks his knuckles and walks towards him.

Alan, Helen and Pierce stand around on the highest level of the hub, dressed in black armor as usual.

[Helen]: They're late. They're never late.

[Alan]: (yawns) Can I go back to bed now?

[Pierce]: Not a chance.

[Alan]: What's so important about this mission that we had to wake up so early?

[Pierce]: That's why we're here.

[Helen]: We've been here. Something's not right. Maybe I should go look for them.

''Just as she's about to head off, footsteps are heard. The kids walk to the stairs to see Servantis making his way up.''

[Helen]: Finally!

They eagerly await further instructions as he reaches the top floor.

[Servantis]: I have good or bad news, depending on your perspective. Today's mission has been postponed. Something came up that requires our undivided attention.

Visibly curious, the kids look at each other.

[Helen]: What happened?

[Servantis]: I'm not at liberty to say, nor are you entitled to that information.

[Pierce]: I think we're owed some kind of explanation, don't you think? Yesterday, you said the mission was important, and now you're postponing it?

[Servantis]: Attempting to pry answers out of me will prove fruitless.

[Pierce, annoyed]: Come on-

[Servantis]: Given how rarely something like this happens, I would suggest returning to your rooms to rest. Things will be back to normal tomorrow.

''He turns on his heel and walks down the stairs. Pierce waits until he's out of earshot, then speaks to his teammates.''

[Pierce]: You guys aren't seriously buying that, are you?

[Helen]: Normally, I'd tell you not to look into things too much, but this is making me suspicious. It's never happened before. Whatever Mom and the others have their hands full with must really be something.

''The scene changes to the meeting room in the headquarters. Unlike most other rooms, it has bluish black walls and a light grey floor. A large circular table with six chairs is the only thing in the room. The three seats on the left side of the table are occupied by Magisters Coronach and Chang, as well as an elderly human Caucasian male, while Magisters Gorvan, Leander and Wheels take up the three on the right.''

[Magister Coronach]: What should we do with Trystan?

[Magister Gorvan]: Why are we even having this discussion? We kill him, like we would anyone else.

[Magister Chang]: That much is obvious, but who's going to do it?

[Magister Coronach]: Should we put it to a vote?

[Magister Wheels]: My problem, my responsibility.

[Magister Gorvan]: How poetic.

[Magister Chang]: I admit, I'm surprised he managed to survive this long. I don't know whether to be impressed or annoyed.

[Elderly Caucasian Male]: That's rich comin' from you, Chang. (chuckles) Most people would either be a vegetable or dead at your age.

[Magister Chang]: Don't test me, Phil.

Phil opens his mouth to retaliate, but is interrupted.

[Magister Coronach]: (clears throat) Does anyone object to Jacelyn's decision?

No one says a word.

[Magister Coronach]: Good. Meeting adjourned. We'll reconvene when the deed is done.

Magister Wheels gets up to leave before everyone else, the door opening and closing as she exits the room.

''Minutes later, she walks down a hallway in Rooter Headquarters with determination and heads for a room at the end. She enters to see the mysterious man from Revonnah, Trystan, sitting at a table. Half of his prosthetic arm seems to have been ripped out and his feet are bound by energy cuffs. The right side of his face is bruised, including his remaining good eye. Unfazed, Magister Wheels takes a seat opposite him. For a few seconds, neither person says anything, keeping their cool. The room is the smallest in the headquarters, just big enough to fit the table.''

[Magister Wheels]: Do you regret any of it?

Trystan speaks in a low tone, as if it physically hurts.

[Trystan]: The only thing I regret is not giving myself up. (coughs) I was so paranoid, running from planet to planet to hide. Look where it got me.

He wistfully looks at what's left of his prosthetic arm.

[Magister Wheels]: It would've saved us both a lot of trouble.

[Trystan]: Yeah, I heard you put quite the bounty on me.

[Magister Wheels]: And yet, by some... miracle, you managed to escape our clutches for about a decade.

[Trystan]: Now that you've got me, what are you waiting for? Gone soft?

Magister Wheels scoffs as a sinister smile forms on her face.

[Magister Wheels]: After all you made us go through, I think I deserve to have my fun.

Trystan's frowns, avoiding eye contact with her for the first time since she entered.

[Trystan]: So, dating me, marrying me- Was it all just to get me to join your club?

[Magister Wheels]: You would've made a valuable member of the team.

[Trystan]: Don't pull that card. I admit I'm no angel, but I would never stoop to your level. You got our friends killed! You orphaned two children! Do you even feel sorry?!

[Magister Wheels]: Not one bit.

[Trystan]: You're sick.

[Magister Wheels]: (shrugs) If it helps you rest in peace...

The Amalgam Kids sit on the ground in Pierce's room, which is identical to Alan's as shown in the last episode.

[Pierce]: Okay, let me go over the plan. We get into the elevator, destroy the security camera. Alan and I will go to sub-level 2.

[Helen]: I'll go to sub-level 3 and snoop around for clues. (pauses) You do realize that as soon as we destroy the security camera, whoever's in the security room will know something's up, right?

[Pierce]: That's the point. I want to lure them out.

[Helen]: Can't we do this more stealthily?

[Pierce]: We won't be able to access the lower floors without destroying the camera.

[Helen]: You're practically begging to get caught.

[Pierce]: I'm tired of being kept in the dark. They're hiding something and it's time for us to go on the offensive. If we have to fight them, we will.

[Helen]: I'm as curious as you are, but what if we find something we don't like? There's a reason the sub-levels are off-limits to us.

[Alan]: 'Cause there's something they don't want us to see. Maybe they don't think we're ready.

[Pierce]: We've been training for a year. If they don't think we're ready now, we'll never be.

He looks off to the side, sighs, then turns to his teammates.

[Pierce]: I know there's no coming back from this, so if you guys have cold feet, I'll find a way to do this alone.

[Helen]: I'm 50-50 on the plan, but I can't sit this out and let something happen to you.

[Alan]: Yeah! If we're going down, we're going down together!

He pumps his fist in the air.

[Helen]: That's depressing and uplifting at the same time. Let's do this!

''The kids rise from the ground and walk out the door all the way to the elevator at the end of the hallway. Pierce presses the 'v' button. The doors open and they enter. When the doors close, the quills on Pierce's arms extend and he fires them at the security camera positioned above them.''

''Servantis sits in the security room, with dozens of screens before him showing real-time footage of almost every room in the facility, in addition to the elevator. He watches intently as the kids walk out of Pierce's room and into the elevator, his eyes shifting focus from one screen to the next. He sees Pierce shoot his quills at the camera, which causes the screen to turn black. His hand hovers over a large red button on the control panel as he contemplates pressing it. Ultimately, he decides against it and runs out of the room instead to see Alan and Pierce exiting the elevator. There is a gap of several feet between the kids and Servantis.''

[Servantis]: Children, you shouldn't be here.

[Alan]: That's exactly why we're here.

[Pierce]: What are you hiding?

[Servantis]: Like I said, I cannot divulge that information. Go back to your rooms and we can pretend this never happened.

[Pierce]: We came for answers and we're not leaving until we get them. We don't want to fight you.

[Servantis]: I think we all know you came here expecting a fight.

[Pierce]: Then prove us wrong! Just tell us why you called off the mission!

[Servantis]: I don't want to hurt you.

[Pierce]: Can you hurt us? You've trained us for over a year, but we never actually got to practice our skills on you.

[Servantis]: If you're attempting to get a rise out of me, it won't work.

''Pierce opens his mouth to speak, but is interrupted by the elevator dinging. Magisters Gorvan and Leander step out. While Magister Leander's helmet hides his expression, Magister Gorvan is furious.''

[Magister Gorvan]: I'm going to give you 10 seconds to explain yourselves.

''Alan and Pierce freeze, paralyzed with fear. Servantis shakes his head in sympathy.''

[Servantis]: This could have been avoided.

[Magister Gorvan]: That goes for you, too. Why didn't you activate the alarm?

[Servantis]: There was no need for that. They were just about to leave.

[Magister Gorvan]: They shouldn't have been here in the first place!

''Magister Leander holds up his hand, then points at Alan, Pierce, and the empty space next to Pierce. Magister Gorvan's eyes widen then quickly narrow.''

[Magister Gorvan]: Where's Helen?

[Trystan]: What exactly are you keeping me here for?

[Magister Wheels]: It's eating at you, isn't it? Not knowing how you long you have? Wondering what your last thought will be? Wishing to just get this over with?

''Trystan does not dignify her statement with a response. Annoyed, Magister Wheels furrows her brow. The camera moves outside the room to show Helen leaning against the wall, attempting to eavesdrop on the conversation. She is only barely able to make out what they're saying due to the wall muffling their voices.''

[Magister Wheels]: If you have any last words-

[Trystan]: I've already said everything I wanted to say. If you're expecting me to lash out at you for ruining my life or beg you to spare me, you can stay disappointed. I'm not going to let you have the last laugh.

''An alarm blares through the speakers of the headquarters, startling Helen. Magister Gorvan's voice comes through.''

[Magister Gorvan]: Attention. Helen is on one of the sub-levels. Capturing her is priority number one, or we run the risk of ruining our operation.

Thinking instinctively, Helen runs into the interrogation room, sweeps Trystan off his feet and runs away all before Magister Wheels has the time to react.

[Magister Gorvan]: She has Trystan! I repeat, she has Trystan!

Magister Gorvan walks out of the security room to address Alan and Pierce.

[Pierce]: Don't you lay a finger on her!

[Magister Gorvan]: You children forget your place. You decided to break the rules, you need to deal with the consequences of your actions.

[Pierce]: At least we got what we came for.

[Alan]: Uh, Pierce, what do you mean? We got caught.

Pierce turns to him.

[Pierce]: He's not acting like nothing's wrong! "Ruining our operation"? That Trystan guy? The others are doing something right now that they don't want us to see, that Helen might've already stopped!

''The Magisters exchange a look, with Magister Leander shrugging. Snarling, Magister Gorvan walks towards Pierce and bends to look him in the eye.''

[Magister Gorvan]: Listen very carefully. You're going to go back to your rooms and you're going to sit there until we catch Helen, at which point we will dole out appropriate punishments for your insubordination.

[Pierce]: We don't have to listen to you.

[Magister Gorvan]: You seem to think you have a choice.

''He takes Pierce by the neck. He flails his legs, struggling to escape. Magister Leander intervenes by putting his hand on Magister Gorvan's shoulder. Against his better judgement, Magister Gorvan drops Pierce on the ground.''

[Magister Gorvan]: I couldn't see her on any of the cameras. She's either too fast or she's hiding. Servantis, take the boys to their rooms and make sure they stay there.

[Pierce]: We're not going anywh-

''Servantis' head plates open, and he fires a small jolt of electricity at Pierce, then Alan, causing them to fall to the floor unconscious. He gives the Magisters a nod. They head for the elevator, entering it. Servantis watches as the elevator doors close.''

''Helen runs into her room with Trystan in her arms, setting him down on the bed. Even though the lights in the room are switched off, we can see that the room looks identical to Alan and Pierce's rooms. Helen stands a few feet away from the bed, looking at him from top to bottom. She keeps her voice low.''

[Helen]: Who did that to you?

Trystan laughs wryly.

[Trystan]: You're going to have to be more specific.

[Helen]: Let me rephrase that. Are you okay?

[Trystan]: No, but thanks for asking. Why'd you save me?

[Helen]: I wasn't really looking for you specifically. I was looking for something, but I'm not sure what. I guess it's a good thing I found you. What were you doing there, anyway? What did you do to Mom?

[Trystan]: It's a long st- Wait, did you just say "Mom"?

''Helen reluctantly nods. Trystan blinks, taking some time to process things, then massages his temples.''

[Trystan]: Oh, no.

[Helen]: Do you know her?

[Trystan]: We were married.

Trystan stops massaging his temples, looking up to face Helen.

[Helen]: You're the guy who ran away?

[Trystan]: That's a major oversimplification.

[Helen]: Then un-oversimplify it for me.

[Trystan]: Your name's Helen, right? And you have a brother named Pierce?

[Helen]: I'm creeped out that you know that.

[Trystan]: No, look, it's... (sighs) How much did Jacelyn tell you about me?

[Helen]: You left out of the blue one day and never came back.

[Trystan]: What about everything else? What about your real parents?

Helen frowns.

[Helen]: Died in a car accident.

[Trystan]: (mumbles) Of course they did. (pauses) There's no easy way to say this, but what happened to your parents wasn't an accident.

[Helen]: How do you know that?

[Trystan]: You might want to sit down first.

Noticing a distinct lack of chairs in the room, Helen sits on the ground.

[Trystan]: The six of us were Plumbers. Not just that, we were a team. I'll admit right now that I wasn't a model agent.

[Helen]: How so?

[Trystan]: I used to steal stuff on missions.

[Helen]: For money?

[Trystan]: Sometimes. Other times, I'd keep the stuff as souvenirs. As much as I would've liked to, I couldn't hide it forever. Jacelyn eventually found out, but instead of reporting me to our commanding Magister, she promised to keep it a secret. More than that, actually. She asked me out. Things were great for a while. I went on stealing, she was promoted to Magister, and we got married.

A slight smile forms on his face, but it disappears just as quickly.

[Trystan]: Not too long after that, she introduced me to a group of elite Plumbers. To my surprise at the time, Jacelyn was one of them. They were...

He trails off, massaging his temples.

[Trystan]: Where do I start? They control or have a stake in pretty much every illegal activity in the galaxy. Very few people know who they really are, or that they even exist.

[Helen]: What did they want with you?

[Trystan]: They wanted me to join them. Apparently, my skills in stealth and thievery got their attention. At least, that's what they told me.

[Helen]: You think they wanted you for something else?

[Trystan]: No, I know they wanted me for something else, or more specifically, Jacelyn. Okay, let me rewind. They've always had lackeys, proxies, whatever you wanna call them, to do their dirty work.

[Helen]: You mean... kids like me?

Trystan shakes his head.

[Trystan]: Not at first. For a long, long time, they used adults.

[Helen]: Why did they switch?

''Trystan stays silent. Helen cups a hand over her mouth, realizing what Trystan is implying.''

[Helen]: Mom? W-Why?

[Trystan]: She thought kids were easier to manipulate and control. The Rooters, as they like to call themselves, kidnapped a bunch of kids from across the galaxy and gave them alien DNA because they thought it would give each kid the best of both worlds. Didn't go completely according to plan, though. The artificially added DNA didn't blend well with some of the kids' natural DNA, so those kids didn't make it.

Helen grows more distraught.

[Helen]: How many?

Trystan looks at her sympathetically.

[Trystan]: Dozens.

[Helen]: How... What...

She takes a deep breath to steady herself.

[Trystan]: The ones that did make it were conditioned to follow the Rooters' orders. What's strange is that the survivors were mostly originally human, which I guess means humans must have something in their DNA that makes them compatible with most other species.

[Helen]: Where are those survivors now?

[Trystan]: Gone. They went on missions and didn't come back.

[Helen]: (loudly) How could you let that- (lowers her voice) How could you let it happen?! Dozens of kids, dead! You're no better than the rest of them!

[Trystan]: Hey, this happened before I came into the picture! I'm no happier about it than you are! When I was brought in, they were thinking of restarting the initiative, but they wanted to take their time raising and training the kids to make them better soldiers instead of rushing things. That's when Jacelyn told me she wanted to have a baby.

[Helen]: That baby, are they-?

Trystan holds a hand up to interrupt her.

[Trystan]: I said no. I wasn't going to let any kid of mine go through whatever she had planned, but that was exactly the problem. She wanted a kid to raise and train personally, one way or another. Fortunately for her, around that time, our teammates, the Valdeses had just had a baby of their own and were considering giving him up for adoption. They didn't think they had enough money to raise him.

[Helen]: Pierce.

[Trystan]: Yeah. Naturally, Jacelyn tried to convince them to give him to her, and they almost did, but they changed their minds. She didn't take that well. One day, she...

He shuts his eyes to prepare himself for what he's about to say, then opens them again.

[Trystan]: She took them- yours and Pierce's parents- on a mission without my knowledge and none of them made it back except her. She didn't give me any details, but it's not hard to-

''Helen gets up from the ground and paces around the room to try and process things. She puts a hand over her mouth to stifle her sobs.''

[Trystan]: That was the last straw for me. I ran, and I kept running for years, moving from planet to planet just to buy more time.

[Helen]: If... If she wanted Pierce, wh-why did my parents have to d-die?

[Trystan]: If I had to guess, she didn't want to risk having them look into things. Nothing will ever make up for what they did, but I'm sorry.

[Helen]: Pierce told me about her! He told me she wasn't telling us the truth, and I stood up for her! I trusted her!

Tears stream down her face, which she doesn't even try to hide.

[Trystan]: Which is why you have two options; stay and fight or run. No matter what you do, you can't let these people control you anymore. Make your life yours.

''The door to the room opens, revealing Magister Wheels behind it, holding a Techadon Dissipator, a dark grey remote with a button on it. Helen runs in front of Trystan and spreads her arms out to protect him.''

[Magister Wheels]: I was hoping to make this slow, but looks like I don't have much of a choice.

[Trystan]: Helen, run!

[Helen]: I'm not leaving you here to die.

[Magister Wheels]: Step out of the way, Helen.

Helen attempts to put on a brave face, but secretly fears for her life.

[Helen]: No.

Magister Wheels grits her teeth.

[Magister Wheels]: Move.

[Helen]: If you want him, you'll have to go through me.

[Magister Wheels]: It's not too late to do the right thing.

Helen doesn't budge.

[Magister Wheels]: Don't say I didn't warn you.

''Her thumb hovers over the button on the remote. Before she can press it, she is engulfed in yellow electricity. She lets out a long scream and falls over, letting go of the Dissipator. Helen and Trystan stare ahead, wide-eyed and in shock. Servantis stands in the doorway behind her, the plates on his head closing.''

[Helen]: (loudly) MOM!

As Servantis steps into the room, Helen cautiously walks over to Magister Wheels, crouching on the ground.

[Helen]: Mom?

Trystan looks Servantis in the eye, who shakes his head.

[Servantis]: Helen, she's gone.

[Helen]: No, no, no, no, no.

Helen clutches her head and breathes heavily, panicking.

[Helen]: You... You killed her!

[Servantis]: To save you.

[Trystan]: You didn't have to do that.

[Servantis]: Had I waited for even a split second-

''Helen slumps on the ground, writhing and loudly groaning in pain. Servantis rushes to her side.''

[Trystan]: What's going on?!

''Alan jolts awake to see Pierce crying and squirming on the ground much in the same way as Helen. He crawls over to him in a panicked state.''

[Alan]: Pierce, what's wrong?!

''The elevator dings and its doors slide open. Magister Coronach runs out of it.''

[Magister Coronach]: Why and how are you here? Where's Helen? Where's Servantis?

He takes notice of Pierce, a concerned look forming on his face.

[Magister Coronach]: Is he alright?

He moves closer to him, but Alan rises from the ground and transforms into his Pyronite form, blocking his path.

[Alan]: You're not touching him!

Magister Coronach gasps, shocked at his disobedience.

[Magister Coronach]: Let me pass. That's an order.

[Alan]: How do I know I can trust you?

[Magister Coronach]: Have I ever given you a reason not to?

[Alan]: That's why we came down here.

[Magister Coronach, raising his voice]: You came to a restricted area of the base just to snoop around?!

[Alan, realizing he revealed too much]: No?

[Magister Coronach]: We can talk about that later. For now, you need to let me get to Pierce. He's in intense pain. If I don't take a look at him, he might die.

''Grasping the gravity of the situation, Alan hesitates, then reverts to his human form and steps out of the way. Magister Coronach kneels on the ground, holding Pierce in his arms.''

[Magister Coronach]: Pierce, can you hear me?

Pierce does not directly reply, instead wincing in pain.

[Magister Coronach, to Alan]: Where's Servantis?

[Alan]: I don't know! He knocked us out and left us here.

[Magister Coronach]: (scowls) That man... We need to get Pierce checked immediately.

He lifts Pierce, carrying him over his shoulder.

[Alan]: You're not mad at us for disobeying orders?

[Magister Coronach]: Oh, I am, but you can begin to make up for it by doing what I say now. Follow me.

We return to Helen's room, where she is still in pain.

[Trystan]: What's wrong with her?

[Servantis]: I have a theory, but I need to perform a full-body scan on her to be sure.

He gently holds her in his arms, standing up from the ground.

[Servantis]: We need to hurry.

[Trystan]: I can't. My leg's broken.

[Servantis]: Then I'll hide you somewhere safe.

[Trystan]: No. Every second you waste puts Helen at risk. Leave me here. Just make sure she's alright.

[Servantis]: If I leave you here with... (eyes Magister Wheels' body) If somebody sees you-

[Trystan]: This was a one-way trip for me. There's only one way I'm getting out of here, and it's not in a cast.

[Servantis]: I refuse to let you die. I'll come back for you when I'm finished.

[Trystan]: Why are you defecting now? After all these years, after all you've helped them do, why the change of heart?

[Servantis]: Timing is everything, I suppose.

With that, he runs out the door.

''The operating room is a small room primarily colored black, with four beds separated by medical equipment. An unconscious Pierce lies on one of the beds, his head strapped down by a metal headband with a cable coming out of it, connecting to a computer at one end of the room. Alan watches over him, unsure and afraid. Magister Coronach stands in front of the computer, poring over a live scan of Pierce's nervous system. Hundreds of small pulsating grey dots move across his nerves. The doors to the room slide open and Servantis comes in.''

[Magister Coronach]: Where have you- Helen's hurt too?!

[Alan]: What happened to her?!

''Servantis lays a still-crying Helen down on the bed next to Pierce and straps an identical headband on her head by grabbing it from the heart monitor next to the bed. He walks towards the computer and types out a few commands. A scan of Helen's nervous system appears on the screen, with grey dots moving around her nerves as well.''

[Magister Coronach]: What are those dots?

[Servantis]: Probes.

[Magister Coronach]: How did they get in their bodies in the first place?

[Servantis]: It wasn't my doing. Jacelyn must have hired somebody to inject them.

[Magister Coronach]: To what end?

[Servantis]: Most likely a last resort if she were to-

''Servantis stops himself short and turns to look at Alan watching over his teammates with worry. Magister Coronach narrows his eyes in suspicion.''

[Magister Coronach]: If she were to what?

[Servantis]: Alan, could you please return to your room?

[Alan]: I wanna help. I wanna make sure they're okay.

[Magister Coronach]: We'll handle it.

[Alan]: But-

[Magister Coronach]: If you stay here, we'll have one extra thing to worry about. Leave the room and we can focus on saving Helen and Pierce.

Alan looks at Servantis for additional confirmation.

[Servantis]: Go. We'll do everything in our power to make sure they'll be alright.

''Defeated, Alan walks out of the room. Magister Coronach waits a few seconds then speaks up.''

[Magister Coronach]: You need to start making some sense. Where have you been? Why'd you leave Alan and Pierce lying on the cold, hard floor? Where's Trystan and what's going on with those probes?

''Servantis walks towards Helen's bed. The scene cuts to the hallway outside the room, where Alan is seen putting his ear to the wall to overhear their conversation. The wall muffles their voices, making it somewhat difficult to make out what they're saying.''

[Servantis]: I take it you sedated Pierce before I arrived? I must say, you should have left that to me.

[Magister Coronach]: That doesn't answer any of my questions.

[Servantis]: Give me a few minutes to sedate Helen and you'll get your answers.

[Alan]: (softly) What's going on?

''Trystan sits on Helen's bed, just as we left him. His good eye is closed and he takes slow, deep breaths to distract himself from the pain caused by his broken leg. A voice from outside the room startles him.''

[Magister Gorvan, off-screen]: They have to be here somewhere.

''Preparing himself for what's to come, Trystan stares at the door. Footsteps from the hallway gradually get louder, and within seconds, the door opens to show Magister Gorvan behind it. His eyes dart to the ground, specifically to Magister Wheels' body. He bends down and flips her over. He puts two fingers on her neck to check for a pulse, but is unsuccessful. As he gets up from the ground, his face contorts with rage. He walks towards the bed and picks Trystan up by the waist, gritting his teeth.''

[Magister Gorvan]: Where's Servantis?

''Trystan keeps a straight face. The scene skips a few seconds ahead. Magister Gorvan comes out of Helen's room, while Magister Leander exits Alan's room nearby, shaking his head. He observes Magister Gorvan's expression, signalling "What's wrong?" with his hands.''

[Magister Gorvan]: Clean that up. I'm going to find Servantis.

He runs past Magister Leander, going back the way he came.

Servantis walks back to Magister Coronach from Helen's bed.

[Magister Coronach]: Answers. Now. Why are the probes acting up?

[Servantis]: Because I killed Jacelyn.

Magister Coronach grabs him by the neck and pins him against the wall.

[Magister Coronach]: (loudly) WHY?!

[Servantis]: She was going... (chokes) to hurt Helen.

Alan enters the room, panic written all over his face.

[Magister Coronach]: We told you to go back to your room!

[Alan]: Let him go!

[Magister Coronach]: Stay out of this!

He turns back to Servantis.

[Magister Coronach]: You wanted to do it, didn't you?!

[Servantis]: She was a horrible parent... (chokes) and a worse person. She very much deserved it, and you know it.

[Magister Coronach]: That wasn't your call to make! Do you have any idea what you've done?! The others will have your head!

''Fire covers Alan's entire body as he turns into his Pyronite form. He forms fireballs in each of his hands.''

[Alan]: Let. Him. Go.

Magister Coronach loosens his grip on Servantis' neck, doubting himself.

[Servantis]: Allow me to save Helen and Pierce. You may do whatever you wish to me afterwards.

[Magister Coronach]: What would be the point? The team was Jacelyn's idea. With her gone, what use would we have for them?

[Servantis]: If you had a shred of humanity left in you, you would not let that stand in the way of saving the lives of innocent children!

''Magister Coronach takes a look at Helen and Pierce and relents, letting go of Servantis' neck. Servantis lurches, catching his breath.''

[Magister Coronach]: This isn't over.

Servantis fixes his posture and looks at the computer screen.

[Alan]: Wait! I want some answers! What happened to Magister Wheels?!

''Servantis and Magister Coronach exchange a look. The former kneels to look at Alan at eye level.''

[Servantis]: Alan, I promise to tell you about it later. For now, I need to-

Alan's fire intensifies as he grows angrier.

[Alan]: Stop promising to tell me and just tell me!

[Phil, off-screen]: This way!

[Servantis]: (grunts) For goodness' sake. (pauses) Alan, listen to me. Don't mention Magister Wheels to anyone else. If you do, I might not be able to save your friends. When this is over, I'll tell you everything, but for now, just keep quiet.

Alan's shoulders sag and he nods in agreement, reverting to his human form.

[Alan]: Fine.

''Servantis, Magister Coronach and Alan all wait with bated breath for the doors to open, which, it does after a few seconds. Phil and Magister Chang arrive, taking in the sight before them. Magister Chang grits his teeth. Alan stays by the wall, intimidated by their presence.''

[Magister Chang]: What are you up to?

[Servantis]: Microscopic probes are causing Helen and Pierce intense pain, and Coronach and I are trying to save them. Alan is here and not in his room because we want to keep an eye on him.

[Magister Chang]: Where's Trystan?

[Phil]: He's not on any of the lower floors or this one. Gorvan and Leander definitely woulda found him by now.

[Magister Chang]: Helen being here means Servantis and Coronach found both of them and neglected to tell us or Jacelyn.

[Magister Coronach]: Servantis found Helen. I found the boys.

[Servantis]: We're wasting time. If you don't intend to help me save the kids, leave. All of you.

[Magister Chang]: Fine. Hide the truth all you want. I'll get to the bottom of this myself.

''He turns around and walks out of the room, but bumps into Magister Gorvan in the doorway. Dizzy, he stumbles backwards and rubs his head.''

[Phil]: Found anything?

[Magister Chang]: Where's Leander?

[Magister Gorvan]: Cleaning up. Jacelyn and Trystan are both gone.

[Phil]: Gone? As in, dead?

[Magister Gorvan]: I hope it was worth it, Servantis. Thanks to you, Leander will have four more body bags to prepare.

[Magister Coronach]: Hold on just a second. I don't agree with what he did, but none of them deserve to die.

[Magister Gorvan, pointing at Servantis]: He's a wild card and we should've never brought him into the fold. Once he's gone, no one will be able to defend the children.

Frightened, Alan hides behind Servantis.

[Phil]: I know I'm the new guy, but we don't work that way. You want them dead, put it to a vote.

[Magister Gorvan]: You're on their side?

[Phil]: I'm on nobody's side. I just don't think it's fair for 'em to die, especially not the kids.

[Magister Chang]: That's where we differ. We don't have a use for them anymore.

[Magister Coronach]: That's two votes for them to live and two votes for them to die. Something tells me Leander's not going to get a chance to vote.

[Magister Gorvan]: Correct. I'm putting us back on track and none of you will get in my way.

''Phil closes his eyes and grows taller and more muscular. His ring and pinky fingers merge into one and his remaining four fingers become sharp tan claws. Olive hair grows around his neck and covers his forearms and lower legs, while the rest of his body turns a shining greenish silver. Six short spider legs grow on his ribs and four more grow from the back of his head. Three spikes emerge from each of his shoulders and four from his legs. Finally, he opens his eyes, which are red with black pupils, completing his transformation into his Terroranchula form.''

[Magister Gorvan]: Reconsider your stance.

Phil conjures an energy web in his hands and fires it at Magister Chang, trapping him against the wall.

[Phil]: Just you and me, Gorvan. (to Servantis and Magister Coronach) Don't make me regret this.

''Phil runs towards Magister Gorvan and charges into him. The doors open, and he pushes him outside. Servantis and Magister Coronach look at Magister Chang struggling to break out of Phil's energy web, then turn their backs to focus on the computer screen. Alan walks towards Helen and Pierce's beds, keeping an eye on them.''

[Magister Coronach]: Alright, what do you know about the probes?

[Servantis]: They're most likely connected to a control chip in Jacelyn's body and seem to have activated moments after her death. From what I can tell, they're overloading the kids' pain receptors, or, in more direct terms, killing them slowly. Thankfully, when Jacelyn first brought them to me, I discovered the existence of the probes and managed to extract one of them from Helen's body. I've since discovered that the control chip's only purpose was to activate the probes. The probes themselves do the heavy lifting, so to speak. Since they're all connected, I should be able to rewrite the extracted probe's code to make them attack each other.

[Magister Coronach]: Will that save the kids?

[Servantis]: With all the time we've wasted thus far, we can only hope so.

Determined to help his friends, Alan runs out of the room to see Magister Gorvan, back turned, punching Phil on the ground.

[Alan, turning into his Pyronite form]: Hey! You wanna kill me? I'm right here!

''He shoots a fireball at Magister Gorvan. To Alan's surprise, it does no damage, but it does get the Magister's attention. He gets up and turns around to face Alan.''

[Magister Gorvan]: I see you've offered yourself up. How noble.

Phil stands up, staggering.

[Phil]: (grunts) Kid, get back in! Lemme handle this.

''Magister Gorvan begins to run towards Alan at high speed, arms outstretched to grab him. As he gets within reach, Alan slips under his legs and emerges behind him. Phil takes his chance to shoot an energy web to trap Magister Gorvan. He wobbles, trying to get rid of the web.''

[Phil]: What did I just say?

[Alan]: I'm helping.

[Phil]: You can help me by not helpin' me. I have it under control.

''Magister Gorvan tears the web in half with considerable effort and kicks Alan with great force. He is thrown across the hallway and lands on the ground with a thud a significant distance behind Phil. Magister Gorvan slams his fists on the ground, creating a shockwave. Phil holds his arms in front of his body in an 'X' formation and spreads his legs to reduce the impact, but is knocked back slightly. Just as he lowers his arms, he is met with a punch to the cheek. While he is dazed, Magister Gorvan shoves his back against the wall, holding him in place by pressing his upper hands on his chest.''

[Magister Gorvan]: What will it take for you to stop this futility? We're on the same side.

[Phil]: I'm thinkin' long-term. Somethin' tells me you're about to lose all your privileges, and I don't wanna risk being dragged down with ya. I got everythin' I need here.

[Magister Gorvan]: Shame.

Phil brings his claws down on Magister Gorvan's face, but the Tetramand catches his arm with both his upper arms and twists it.

[Phil]: (loudly) OW!

''Magister Gorvan grabs him by the waist with his lower arms, carries him above his head and throws him on the ground. His back hits the ground hard. A great distance behind Magister Gorvan, Alan stands up from the ground, slowly tiptoeing towards him. Phil sees him from the corner of his eye, but pretends not to notice.''

[Phil]: Shouldn't you be happy that Wheels is gone? She's... (grunts) She's the reason the kids got in the way in the first place. Servantis did you a favor.

[Magister Gorvan]: You seem to misunderstand where I'm coming from. The Amalgam Kids were useful, but they started with her and they should die with her.

[Phil]: And Servantis?

[Magister Gorvan]: Jacelyn was a valuable member of the team. Killing Servantis won't bring her back, but it will balance the scales.

''Just a foot behind him, Alan shoots a stream of fire at the ground, melting it. By the time Magister Gorvan realizes this, molten metal covers both his feet. Still in pain, Phil holds the wall for support as he stands up.''

[Magister Gorvan]: What is this?!

Alan takes his place next to Phil, placing his hands on his hips.

[Alan]: You're not hurting anyone. Not my friends, not Servantis.

[Magister Gorvan]: (laughs) Amusing. The child thinks he has power over me.

Magister Gorvan tries to break out of the molten metal, to no avail.

[Magister Gorvan]: I was holding back in hopes that you would join me, Billings. I see now that I was a fool.

[Phil]: Took you that long, huh?

Magister Gorvan yells in frustration and tries to grab Alan with his upper hands, but Alan moves out of the way.

[Alan]: Too slow!

Phil laughs at Magister Gorvan and reverts to his human form to look down at Alan.

[Phil]: Not bad, kid.

He winces in pain.

[Alan]: You need to let Servantis check on you. You look hurt.

[Phil]: No. The less distractions he has, the better chances he has of savin' your friends. Plus, we need to make sure Gorvan doesn't break out.

''We return to the operating room. Servantis breathes a sigh of relief as the grey dots on the computer screen begin to disappear.''

[Servantis]: It's working.

[Magister Coronach]: They're going to be alright?

[Servantis]: Given the polarizing reception to my actions, I don't know if they'll stay that way.

[Magister Coronach]: For a Cerebrocrustacean hybrid, what you did wasn't very smart.

[Servantis]: To my credit, my intention wasn't to kill Jacelyn.

[Magister Chang]: Then why'd you do it?!

Servantis and Magister Coronach look at Magister Chang, who is still trying to break free from Phil's web, then resume their conversation by speaking in a lower volume.

[Servantis]: Truth be told, when Helen found Trystan, I had intended to get to them before Jacelyn or anyone else could. I had a feeling Helen would try to protect Trystan, thus putting herself in danger. I arrived mere seconds later than I would have liked and had to think on my feet.

[Magister Coronach]: You've made things very difficult for us.

[Servantis]: Allow me to remedy that by offering a suggestion. Set the Amalgam Kids free.

[Magister Coronach, crossing his arms]: This is what you wanted all along, isn't it?

[Servantis]: Now would be a good a time as any. They're tired of being kept in the dark, and even if I were to erase their memories, they would eventually become suspicious again and disobey orders. Never mind the fact that they're still just children. I had minimal involvement with the first group of Amalgam Kids, but I don't want Alan, Helen and Pierce to suffer the same fate. We've had our fair share of differences, but we both agree that with Jacelyn gone, they don't need to stay.

Magister Coronach lays his hands on the control panel of the computer and looks at the fading grey dots on the screen, mulling over Servantis' words.

''We get a closeup shot of the front door of Adriel's house. Footsteps are heard as a humanoid figure approaches, casting a shadow over it. The figure rings the doorbell. Seconds pass before the door opens to reveal Adalia standing behind it, wearing the same thing she wore two episodes ago. She intends to speak, but is immediately taken aback by what she sees in the figure's arms. The camera shifts behind her to show Servantis at the doorstep, carrying an unconscious Alan.''

[Adalia]: (loudly) ALAN!

''Servantis gently hands the boy over to her, just as Adriel comes running from the kitchen to see what's going on. He is dressed in the same clothes from the last episode.''

[Adriel]: S-Servantis?

Adalia hands Alan over to him, tears filling her eyes.

[Adalia]: It's him. It's Alan!

At a loss for words, Adriel cradles Alan and puts his hand on his cheek.

[Adriel, tearing up]: I... I never thought I'd see him again.

Adalia gestures at Servantis.

[Adalia]: Who's this?

[Adriel]: An old friend. Servantis, how did you- When- Where-

''Servantis bows his head, filled with guilt. He touches Adriel and Adalia's foreheads. Their initial shock is slowly replaced by anger. The moment Servantis removes his hands, Adalia punches him in the jaw. He stays steady, but feels physical discomfort.''

[Adalia]: Do you have any idea what we've been through?! Do you know what it's like to put your son to bed one minute and wake up the next minute on the floor with no sign of him?! People thought we killed him and covered it up! We were questioned by the police, had to take tests! There was a funeral for him and everything! Do you know what it's like to have a parent's worst fear come to life?! What kind of sick monster are you?!

[Servantis]: I'll tell you everything you want to know.

[Adalia]: (to Adriel) I can't... I can't deal with this.

She takes Alan away from him and walks further into the house, unable to control her sobs.

[Servantis]: I know you must have many questions.

[Adriel]: Outside.

''He steps out of the house and closes the front door behind him. Servantis gives him some space by taking a few paces back.''

[Adriel]: I had a sneaking suspicion it was you, especially when I couldn't find the Null Void Projector you gave me. I didn't want to believe it. I thought...

He wipes his tears away, speaking in a softer tone.

[Adriel]: Why'd you do it? Don't say you had no choice, because you did have a choice.

[Servantis]: I wish I did. When I first went into the Null Void, I was approached by a group of powerful people who wanted me to work for them. I can't go into detail about what I've done under their command, but I hate every second of it.

Adriel blinks, putting the pieces together in his head.

[Adriel]: That's why you didn't want to come back to Earth when I visited you in '86.

[Servantis]: To be honest, I wouldn't have come back even if I had a choice, but yes. The further away you were from me, the safer you were and the better I could sleep at night.

[Adriel]: Why didn't you ask me for help? I could've- I would've done something.

[Servantis]: It's not that simple.

[Adriel]: It seems like nothing ever is with you.

[Servantis]: If I had approached you, it would have cost you your life.

[Adriel]: That's an exaggeration.

[Servantis]: It's fact. The only reason I agreed to work for them is because they threatened to kill you if I didn't.

[Adriel]: If the things you've done are as bad as I think they are, my life isn't worth that much.

[Servantis]: It is.

[Adriel]: It's not. I'm just one person, Servantis. How many people have you killed for your new bosses?

[Servantis]: Directly or indirectly?

Shaken by Servantis' words, Adriel exhales deeply.

[Adriel]: I would've gladly died if I knew all those people would've been saved. Wh- Why would you sacrifice your humanity for me? Why?!

[Servantis]: Because to this day, you're the only person who has ever treated me as an equal. You mean far too much to me to let you die.

[Adriel]: That's the most selfish thing you've ever said!

[Servantis]: My selfishness allowed you to live long enough to get married and have a son.

Adriel points a finger at him.

[Adriel]: A son you kidnapped!

[Servantis]: With all due respect, your foolishness was the catalyst.

[Adriel, putting his finger down]: The plant.

[Servantis]: As a self-defense mechanism, it induces hypothermia through microscopic hairs if handled too carelessly. I promise you, when you came to me last year, I wanted to save Alan, nothing more, but my superiors took notice. I tried to convince them otherwise, but was unsuccessful.

[Adriel]: What did they need him for?

Servantis hesitates, reluctant to reveal the truth.

[Adriel]: What did they need my son for?!

[Servantis]: He... was one of their weapons.

[Adriel]: He's a kid!

[Servantis]: Precisely what I told them, but they didn't listen.

[Adriel]: That's not good enough of an excuse! W-Wait, one of their weapons? You're saying these people had more? More innocents? Kids?!

[Servantis]: Alan was never badly hurt, I assure you, and when he wakes up, he will not remember anything that happened over the past year.

[Adriel]: T-That doesn't make anything better! You turned my son into an alien, kidnapped him and made him a child soldier!

[Servantis]: Had I not turned him into an alien, he would have died. Had I not taken him from you, you would have died.

[Adriel]: Then you should've let me die!

[Servantis]: And Adalia? Surely you don't think they would have killed you and spared her.

Adriel tries to rebut, but fails to come up with a reply.

[Servantis]: I deeply, sincerely apologize for the pain I have caused you, but I don't regret what I did. I would do it again if it meant keeping you and your family safe.

[Adriel]: You don't get it. What you did wasn't nice. It wasn't heroic. I-It was sick and immoral! This past year has been the worst of my life. You don't understand what losing a child does to a person!

He groans in vexation.

[Adriel]: You brought Alan back to us, and I'm thankful, but I never want to see you again. Go back to the Null Void.

[Servantis]: After all I've done, you're thanking me?

[Adriel]: I don't have the strength to be mad. I'm exhausted, Servantis.

''He opens the front door to the house. He turns to look at Servantis one last time.''

[Adriel]: The next time I see you, I'll call the Plumbers.

''He walks into the house and closes the door. Servantis remains in place for a while, hanging his head in silence.''

''Inside the house, Adriel approaches Alan's room. The door is wide open, and Adalia stands over Alan's bed, putting his clothes into a medium-sized orange duffel bag. From where she stands, her back is adjacent to the door. Alan himself is nowhere to be seen.''

[Adriel]: Where's Alan?

[Adalia]: Our room. Pack your things. We're moving.

[Adriel]: Moving where?

[Adalia]: Doesn't matter.

[Adriel]: What about your job?

[Adalia]: I quit.

[Adriel]: Your parents?

[Adalia]: I don't have time to argue, Adriel. We've done enough of that to last a lifetime.

[Adriel]: Then let's not argue.

He puts his hands on her shoulders and turns her body around to look at her, cupping his hands on her cheeks.

[Adriel]: Talk to me.

Although Adalia tries to maintain a cold expression, she drops it as soon as she sees the pain in Adriel's eyes.

[Adalia]: Everyone in town gave us a hard time when we told them Alan went missing. Now that he's back, they'll point fingers at us, and who could blame them? We need to go somewhere else. We need to start fresh.

[Adriel]: I understand, but we can't just run away. We need to think this through. If we up and leave out of nowhere, it'll raise suspicion. Give me a few days. I'll find us a good place far away from here. Besides, we just got Alan back. Let's at least spend some time with him before thinking about anything else.

[Adalia]: He's really back.

''Adalia leans her head on his chest. Adriel moves his right hand to caress the back of her head.''

[Adalia]: I can't believe the nightmare is over.

[Adriel]: I wish it never happened in the first place.

Magister Coronach, Phil and Servantis occupy three seats on one side of the table, while Magisters Chang and Gorvan, both furious, take up two of the three remaining seats.

[Magister Chang]: Remind me why Servantis is here.

[Magister Coronach]: We need a replacement for Jacelyn, don't we? Let's not kid ourselves. Servantis was basically a Rooter in all but name. His presence in this meeting makes him an official member.

[Magister Gorvan]: You have a flawed sense of justice if you think her killer deserves to take her place.

[Servantis]: I'm not very thrilled about it, either.

[Magister Coronach]: That's what this meeting is for. I admit today was a disaster, but-

[Magister Chang, pointing at Servantis]: No thanks to him.

[Magister Coronach]: What's done is done. I understand that Jacelyn's death has made things more difficult, but we need to decide how to move forward.

''The door opens, showing Magister Leander behind it. Magister Chang puts his finger down.''

[Phil]: Finally! Where have you been?

''Magister Leander steps aside to show a slim female humanoid alien with green skin and two yellow eyes. The top of her head has a black headband with a red circle and splits into four tentacles with brown spots. The most obvious thing about her appearance is her attire; a full-body Plumber suit with a skirt and a black ribbon on her chest. Everyone else in the room looks at her, stunned.''

[Magister Chang]: The Magistrata?!

[Magister Gorvan]: (squints) Leander was a double agent all this time.

''Magister Leander takes a seat next to Magister Gorvan. The Magistrata stands at one end of the table to address both sides.''

[Magistrata]: A valid assumption, but an incorrect one. Today was the first time he told me what was going on here. On that note, I find it... (chuckles) adorable that you thought I was unaware of the Rooters' existence. I assume you've all forgotten that the Rooters were founded by the Magistrata a few centuries ago. I used to be a Rooter myself, but left in hopes that everyone else would continue our true mission while I tended to the Plumbers as a whole. Unfortunately, they seem to have failed, which is why, effective today, I will be leading the Rooters singlehandedly. I intend to bring this organization back to its roots. To fix the damage you've done, I need to know exactly what has happened over the past few decades.

[Magister Coronach]: Where do you want us to start?

[Magistrata]: Ah, no, not from you. You're a valuable asset to the Plumbers, Magister Coronach, but you're unlikely to tell me the complete truth.

She turns to Servantis.

[Magistrata]: From what I know, you were forced to work for the Rooters. It stands to reason that you should have no loyalty to them.

[Magister Gorvan]: What makes you so sure?

The Magistrata glares at him.

[Magistrata]: Whatever you've threatened him with is now moot. Do not underestimate my influence in the galaxy. Dare harm Servantis or his family or friends and I will see to it that you receive the worst sentencing the Galactic Court could ever dole out. That alone would be merciful compared to the mental agony this man has endured under your command.

She faces Servantis again.

[Magistrata]: Now, I want you to tell me everything that has happened since you started working for the Rooters.

''The camera pans down from the bright sky to a vast desert. Helen and Pierce lie five feet apart in the middle of two intersecting hills, wearing the same clothes from their debut episode. Pierce opens his eyes, adjusting to his surroundings.''

[Pierce]: (groggily) Where am I?

He stands up and sees Helen to his side.

[Pierce]: Helen, you alright?

She opens her eyes as well, looking around.

[Helen]: Where are we?

Taking Pierce's hand, she stands up.

[Helen]: What happened?

Pierce puts his hand on his head.

[Pierce]: I don't know.

[Helen]: What do you mean you don't know?

[Pierce]: I... I don't remember anything.

[Helen]: That's ridiculous. I'm sure it was...

She leaves her sentence hanging as she comes to a realization.

[Helen]: I don't remember anything either.

Bewildered, the kids look around the desert for any landmarks, of which there are none.

[Pierce]: What are we gonna do?

THE END!

Major Events

 * Some of the Rooters' backstory is revealed, including what happened to the original Amalgam Kids, Trystan's history with them, as well as the circumstances of the deaths of Helen and Pierce's biological parents.
 * Magister Wheels is killed by Servantis.
 * Alan is brought home, with a year's worth of memories wiped from his mind.
 * The Magistrata takes over the Rooters.
 * Helen and Pierce are sent to Bellwood with almost all of their memories removed.''

Character Debuts

 * Trystan Wheels
 * Disease
 * Phil Billings
 * Magistrata

Minor Events

 * Adriel and Adalia regain their lost memories.

Characters

 * Braylon Servantis
 * Adriel Albright
 * Trystan Wheels
 * Amalgam Kids
 * Alan Albright
 * Helen Wheels
 * Pierce Wheels
 * Adalia Albright
 * Magistrata (first appearance)

Villains

 * Disease (first appearance)
 * Rooters
 * Magister Coronach
 * Magister Gorvan
 * Magister Jacelyn Wheels (death)
 * Magister Karter Chang
 * Magister Maverick Leander
 * Phil Billings (first appearance)

Allusions

 * The episode is named after the song of the same name by Owl City featuring Aloe Blacc.
 * The episode was originally titled All Falls Down, named after the song of the same name by Alan Walker, featuring Noah Cyrus and Digital Farm Animals. The title of the episode was changed at the last minute when it was discovered that there was already a page on the wiki with that name.

Trivia

 * The original idea for the episode was a little different. However, the climax and ending were mostly kept the same, as they were planned out before the series was even a series.
 * It featured Judge Domstol as the Rooters' target. The Amalgam Kids would have been sent to his very secure home on Encephalonus IV to capture him. After taking some time to bust the door down and entering the building, the kids would have been exposed to a gas that knocked them out and made them hallucinate a perfect world. A quarter of the episode was finished at this point, but it was reworked.
 * Despite not being written, several details from later in the episode were fleshed out, namely:
 * Although Alan's memories were altered to make him forget his parents, he would have seen them in perfect detail in his hallucination. This is because his memories were buried very deep within his subconscious, not erased even though it is colloquially referred to as such. In contrast, Helen and Pierce would have seen their real parents, but they would have appeared unclear, as Helen and Pierce truly have no memory of them.
 * The unconscious Amalgam Kids would have been taken back to Rooter Headquarters, with Phil, Swift, Magister Gorvan and Magister Leander going to Encephalonus IV to capture Domstol. It would have later been revealed that Domstol was never on Encephalonus IV to begin with. Deefus Veeblepister, unable to launch his acting career, was hired to pose as Domstol, while the real Domstol was actually living on a remote planet elsewhere.
 * Ulti replayed the fourth level of Vilgax Attacks (which featured Encephalonus IV) to get ideas on how to portray the planet in the episode.