Amongst the many things that were happening in the world such as preparations, meetings, constructions, eating, etc. In Laboratoria, Bradley was charging at Ethan who didn’t move from his spot as he clutched his energy sword on his hip. Bradley threw a straight punch at Ethan, but to Bradley’s shock, his punch was caught, and was unable to move as he was frozen in motion. He continued to struggle but he still couldn't move and was unable to speak. 

“You’re probably wondering, what have I done to you? Why can’t I move? Well, to put it simply, you can’t move because I’ve robbed you of your kinetic energy. Until I give it back, you won’t be able to move,” Ethan said smugly.

“Seriously, what’s his problem with you?” Tony asked while chilling on a couch.

“I really don’t know, maybe he sees me as competition in his territory like a lion.”

“Ha, if that’s the case then he doesn’t stand a chance,” Tony chuckled on the couch.

Ethan chuckled, “Yeah true.”

“Oh wow, he really can’t move. How’d you do that?” Kunoichi said as she chuckled while she poked Bradley in the face, Bradley was fuming but couldn’t move. 

“My natural ability, channeling, allows me to channel energy of any type and form. I robbed Bradley of his kinetic energy by absorbing the energy he put in his punch which then stopped his motion then I channelled kinetic energy around him causing him to be motionless.”

Kunoichi marveled, “Cooool, so can you create your own energy and shoot energy blasts from your hands?”

“Eh no, unfortunately, channeling energy outside my body is very hard, it requires a lot of training. It’s only with kinetic energy can I really control outside my body, I’m still training with other energies.”

“Oh, so you can’t blast energy out your hands, that’s too bad,”

“And I can’t create my own energy, which is why I need this energy sword so that I can channel the energies stored in the sword.”

Kunoichi stares in awe at the sword, “That’s cooool, did you make this?”

“Yeah, I made it when I was 13.”

“Wow, 13??? That’s insa-”

“GGRRRRRRRRRRR” 

The muffled screams of Bradley interrupted Kunoichi, “Oh, I forgot about you for a sec,” Ethan said as he released Bradley. 

“I really hate you,” Bradley said as he glared at Ethan.

“Ha, so what…”

“Why does the Colonel have so much confidence in you, when she only met you a few days ago? She’s willing to go on a suicide mission all because you said so, like what are you trying to accomplish by getting us all killed?” Bradley asked angrily.”

“I get where you’re coming from, but so far I’ve produced results for you guys. Results that have saved this HQ from total destruction and because of that, the Colonel knows that I am humanity's only chance to win this war.”

“A war is not won by one person who sits in his lab and creates fancy gadgets, it is won by the soldiers who fight the battles while you cower in your lab.”

Ethan smirked while Tony stood up from the couch and swiftly rushed at Bradley, grabbing him by the neck and lifting him off the ground. “I don’t know what your problem is with Ethan but you don’t know a single thing about him and yet you dare call him a coward. He is more of a soldier than you’ll ever be, he has suffered as much as you have if not more. So stop looking down on him like he’s inferior to you when you’re the inferior one.”

Ethan put his hand on Tony’s shoulder, “OK Tony, that’s enough, unhand him.”

“Tsk, fine,” Tony said as he dropped Bradley who began coughing and gasping for air.

“Listen Bradley, yes I am the scientist who builds fancy gadgets for the soldier, but I am also the soldier who will fight alongside his comrades. So don’t assume the worst about me, I will end this war for all of us. Even if it kills me.” 

“I honestly hope it does,” Bradley said.

“Bradley!” Kunoichi shouted as she was shocked he would say such.

Bradley walked away and was about to leave the lab but

SHWOOP SHWOOP SHWOOP SHWOOP

“Oh, Bradley. Good, it seems we’re all here,” Colonel said after entering with Flash, Ninja & Chemic. Flash & Ninja were wobbly after warping into the lab but were in awe of the lab, “Ok, where is this Ethan guy cuz I need to know who is behind all this futuristic stuff.”

“There’s no way you created this place as well,” Ninja said to Ethan.

Ethan smirked, “Well who else would create this then Ninja?”

“I don’t know, anyone but you,” Ninja said in denial of Ethan’s creation.

Ethan chuckled, “Well like I said before, whether you believe me or not doesn’t change the fact that I created this.”

“Yeah right, where are those weapons you promised us huh?”

“They’re still in the making, just be patient. Although I could show you the canon I created and used against the Colossals, if you want that is?” Ethan asked smugly. 

“Yeah show them that, then that should shut them up,” Kunoichi said vigorously.

“No no, you guys like getting side-tracked so let’s save that for after our little meeting here,” Colonel said.

My whole mission has become side-tracked honestly, but it can’t be helped at this point. “Luckily I have time, while I wait for Zac to come back with the materials I need,” Ethan said as he sat on a table.

“Excellent. Now the reason why I brought the rebels together is to announce our next mission and most likely our most important mission yet.”

“Is it related to the plan you stated in the meeting with the Crusaders?” Chemic asked.

Colonel nodded, “Yes it is. Since the Crusaders won’t do the mission with us, we the rebels will carry out the mission.”

Hearing this from the Colonel surprised the rebels as they were all speechless for a moment until Bradley had something to say about it, “You know, I knew that you would do something like this Colonel. That you would put our lives on the line all because you trust this, guy more than your own common sense.”

“I trust him because he has given us hope, something that slowly died a long time ago for us. We were just going through the motions of having hope and preparing to fight Mavis’s forces, we never believed we could win. But now, now we actually have a chance because of Ethan. With the weapons he creates, we fight against Mavis and win this war.”

“Even so, we don’t need to actually go to their territory. We can use these weapons to defend the shelter and the HQ.”

“Bradley, we can’t win a war by defending and staying here. We need to take the fight to their home base and destroy them at the source, that’s the only way we can win this war. Maybe it is better this way, no more lives have to be sacrificed other than ours.”

“But why us? We’ve done so much for humanity, we risked our lives so many times, and now you want us to go on a mission where we will face certain death.”

“Well, I wouldn’t say it’s certain dea-,”

“Just shut up man! I don’t know why you’re taking this so lightly, we will be facing a whole army, thousands against the seven of us and you think it wouldn't be certain death for us? Then you’re naïve.”

“I won’t force you to join the mission Bradley or anyone else here. But whether y’all come with us or not; Ethan, Tony & I will carry out the mission.”

“The question remains tho, will you guys join us on this mission?” Ethan asked as he and Colonel put out their hands.

Silence filled the lab and pressure hung in the air as they thought deeply about their decision until, “I knew what I signed myself up for when I joined the rebels so I will not run from my duty as a rebel which is to protect humanity from the robots. If this is the best chance we have of defeating Mavis then count me in,” Kunoichi said as he grabbed their hands solidifying her enrolment in the mission.

Ninja was surprised but chuckled at the feeling, “Well if Kunoichi is going then I fight alongside you even if it is one last time.” As he low-fived their hands and stood by their side, “What better way than going out in a blaze of glory, this will be the best chance to do that so count me in,” Flash said as he low-fived them as well.

“Yeah! The boys are back,” Ninja said as he dapped up Flash and then ruffled his hair.

All eyes were on Bradley and Chemic who weren’t looking so confident, Chemic stepped forward but Bradley clutched her shoulder. She looked at him and he shook his head, “If you wish to risk your lives like this then go ahead…but I will not be influenced to throw away my life for a mission like this where chances of success are below 10%.”

Bradley walked away, “I wish you all the best,” as he left the lab.

SHWOOP

Chemic sighed, “Please don’t mind him, he’s just… tired of all the fighting and the consequences of battle, so he’s trying to avoid it as much as he can nowadays.”

“He has gotten too comfortable with his current situation. If he wants change or a better future then he must get out of his comfort zone and fight for it.”

“Maybe he is not as suicidal as we are,” Ninja said.

“Well that begs the question of whether we’re courageous or stupid,” Ethan said.

“I’d say Flash and Ninja are stupid and the rest of us are courageous,” Colonel said.

“Heeyyy!” Both Flash and Ninja objected as the others chuckled.

“On a serious note, I don’t hold it against Bradley for his choice. So we’ll have to carry out the mission without him,” Colonel said.

“I’ll try talk to him and see what I can do,” Chemic said.

“Yeah, work your charms on him girl,” Kunoichi said with a sneaky grin.

“Wha, my charms? What charms?” Chemic said all flustered. 

“Oh don’t play dumb now,” Kunoichi giggled as she teased her.

“In any case, you do what you can Chemic and we’ll get ready for the mission. Have you started on the weapons Cyber?” Colonel asked.

“Not yet, I’m waiting for Zac to come back with the materials I sent him to look for.”

SHWOOP

“Well speak and he shall appear.”

Zac entered the lab with someone pushing trollies filled with materials, “Oh? Are we interrupting something?” 

“No, we just finished our meeting anyway. Cyber, we’ll be leaving in about a day from now and we’ll arrive at our destination in about 5 days after. I hope your creations will be done by then.”

“Don’t you worry Colonel, just get yourself mentally ready for battle.”

“I always am Cyber, be seeing you,”

“See ya, Colonel.”

“Come on Rebels, we got a mission to prepare for,” Colonel said as she left the lab.

SHWOOP

“Great to finally meet the guy behind all this madness, the name’s Flash,” Flash said as he put out his hand.

Ethan grabbed his hand and shook it, “Nice to meet the infamous Flash, I’m Ethan but you can call me Cyber.”

“Dope codename, Cyber. We’ll talk later about why I’m infamous, see ya,” Flash said as he made his way to the exit.

“I’ll be back later to see if you’re legit Cyber, see ya,” Ninja said as he left with Flash.

SH-SHWOOP

“Gotta go as well Ethan, but I’ll bring food later when I’m free,” Kunoichi said.

“Oh please do… by chance, do you know the shoe size of all the Rebels?” 

“Shoe size? Why do you need our shoe sizes?”

“You’ll find out tomorrow, it’s a surprise.”

“A surprise huh, well then I wear a size 6 while Chemic here wears a size 7 but she says it 6.5.”

“I wear the same shoe size as you Chi, stop upsizing me,”

“Hehe, my bad. So Chemic is a size 6 then Bradley is uuuuh,”

“Size 10,”

“Hehe, of course, you would know since you’re in bed with each other,” Kunoichi said with a smug grin.”

“No we’re not,” Chemic said all flustered as blood rushed to her face.

“Even now you still deny it, I’m sure Bradley would be devastated,” Kunoichi chuckled.

“Can we go back to the topic at hand?” Chemic retorted.

“Ok ok… so Bradley’s a 10, Flash is a 9, Ninja is an 8 and the Colonel is an 8,” Kunoichi said.

“Chi & Chemic is 6, Ninja & Colonel are an 8, Flash is a 9 and Bradley is a 10. That accounts for everyone, thank you ladies. The surprise should be ready by tomorrow,” Ethan stated.

“Ok, we’ll see you later then Ethan,” Kunoichi said as she and Chemic made their way to the exit.

“Bye,” Chemic waved.

“Bye-bye Ladies.”

SH-SHWOOP

Ethan sighed, “Finally, now we can begin. Zac, what you got for me?”

“I’ve brought what I could find in the engineering department and inventory ward. So I have the ta-ma-ha-ga-ne, copper wires, rubber, wood, strings, all kinds of metal, batteries, and plastic. The rest I’ll get tomorrow, they’re being delivered as we speak from the shelter,” Zac answered. 

“Excellent, I can at least start the forging of the katana… Who's your friend.”

“Oh, this is Jack, my engineer friend. He will be helping you with your work.”

“Alright perfect, nice to meet you Jack, you can call me Cyber now let’s get to work. You know how to read a schematic right Jack?”

“Uh Yes sir.”

“Good then read it and make the electromagnetic shoes. Don’t change anything, just follow the schematic.”

“Ok, no problem sir.”

“Tony! Get the forge ready?”

“Sure.”

“Zac, let's check out the rest of my schematics shall we?”