Ponies: Genetic Gladiators!

Nova began to stir, and quickly noticed he was in a hospital bed. "Ugh, I feel like crap. What happened?" Everyone rushed to the bed. Thomas was first to speak. "Well, you walked off the platform after your victory, and then just fell. Can your remember anything?" Nova shook his head. "No, nothing at all. Wait, how long have I been out?" He asked. This time, it was a doctor.

"You've been out for a few days. You were rushed here once you fell, and didn't respond to anything. We did some tests, and found that your mental activity was at some very low levels." He looked at a clip board, then walked over to Thomas. whispered something, and then turned to leave. Thomas looked back at Nova. "Well, he said you are well enough to leave, but do try and delay from participating in the Alpha Division to prevent any serious damage."

Nova sighed. "Alright, but when I can go back in, i'm gonna have to really kick it into high gear!" He was beaming with energy, but remembered he was quite sore, and slumped back down. "Oooooh, that wasn't the best idea." Nova was helped onto a wheel chair, and was brought back to the facility. Darwin had left early to check on some things, but upon arrival, he was madly running about, carrying parts to some crazy looking machine.

"Wha..........?" Darwin skidded to a stop, looked at the group, and ran of again, but this time he had a TV with him. "Did you not see the news yet?" He was running around again once the news came up. It viewed a battle going on by someone in the Beta Division. The strange part was, both psy-captain's mutants looked odd. Nova turned up the volume.

"It is said that multiple Mutologists around the world have made a brake through with genetic coding on mutants. They have broken down a barrier, which now allows them to modify mutants in one very special way. It is now possible to reform some mutants into what appears to be............ human like creatures! We all know something about humans, those mythical creatures of the unknown. With this break through, mutants that are reformed, wether during incubation or those put through a certain machine, have shown a great increase in combat effectivity......"

The camera cut off to the fight. A Blade Banshee was having a duel with a Bushi, both blocking each others attacks, but they were holding their swords with hands. It was strange to see them being held in that way, but they were attacking much more quickly, both taking steps on two legs. But that was off to the side, for a Enforcer just threw a  Zombie at the nearby wall. They looked much more fierce in their new human forms, and the reporter didn't lie, for the Zombie just shook off the impact, and lunged at the Enforcer, biting and clawing at exposed wires and flesh. But out of that display, the weirdest part was when the Zombie opened its mouth, and stuck out its tongue, which was now a incredibly long tentacle, wrapped it around its arm, and ripped it right off. Sparks and blood went every where, and the crowds pleasure was far more then apparent. The Enforcer recoiled, hovering backwards a bit, but this seemed to only enrage him. He charged forward, far to fast for the Zombie to dodge, and impaled him with its arm blades. He twisted his arm, then began to pull it upwards. The Zombie struggled, but to no avail. With a quick and forceful upward thrust, the Enforcer got to the Zombies head, and ripped it off. The headless body fell to the ground, and turned into a pile of goop, but the head was still on the Enforcer's arm blades. The crowd went ballistic, applauding and cheering.

The reporter came back into view. "And with that amazing display of strength and fury, my earlier statement has been proven. All you psy-captains out there, its time for an update." It cut back to the battle, but Thomas turned off the TV. He cleared his throat, stopped Darwin as he was rushing by, and said "I take it your building a converter?" Darwin just nodded, and began to go back to work. Eva sighed. "Looks like your time off just bought us some time to improve your mutants, Nova. Darwin, how long....." He cut her off. "Few hours, one day tops." He went back to fiddling with some parts, but sighed as he had to run off again to get another part. This time, it was Nova who stopped him. "Let my mutants help. Things will go a lot faster." Darwin nodded, and returned to working. Nova went off to get some mutants to help with the movment of equipment.

He returned with his Dire Despot, Reptoid, Beetle Bot, and Nordic Nightmare. Nova said to help Darwin with what ever he needed, and off they went, ether lifting large pieces of equipment, or quickly bringing various tools to Darwin. Nova jst watched them work, having nothing better to do, but soon dozed off.

Darwin was working furiously at his converter, and with the help of Nova's mutants, things were coming along quickly, but he still needed to break the Mutogenic code himself. He wasn't worried though, for he was excellent at what he did, and was sure with some digging he would be able to complete his task. Only problem was: gene splicing. He would have to trial and error his way through many gene combinations. But he pushed the thought aside, and took a step back at what he created. "Whew, finally. Thanks you guys." He ran off, going to get a book on Mutogenic genes, for he remembered something else he found interesting while studying. "If I remember correctly......" He muttered to him self once he opened the book, flipping through the pages. Then he came across it. "Haha! Yes, here it is! Lets see: When Mutogenic experimentation began, genes were closely observed as they mixed with other genes. A very curious Mutogenisist, Dr. Michel, noticed something strange with the Mythic gene. Upon close examination, it appeared to relate all of the other genes. But something even more intriguing was the structure of the gene its self, for it was almost identical to a ponies gene. Yes, I remember now, and the first  normal mutant that looked like a human was.......the Demon! And since all other mutations originate from the Demon mutant, any strand of the Mythic gene would work!"

He read further. "Some test were conducted, and through careful splicing, they manage to merge the two genes, giving the product of the very first mutant, the Demon. Ah yes, now I just need a Mythic gene strain."

Nova found himself being shaken by Darwin, who had a huge smile on his face. "Uh, what? What, are you done?" Nova said, still groggy. Three hours had passed since he fell asleep. Darwin nodded. "Yes, yes I have finished, but I still need one more component." Nova stared at him. "Yes, and that would be?" He looked happy that Nova asked. "I need a Mythic gene strain." Nova raised a brow. "Ok, well I don't  have a Mythic mutant, but maybe my dad does, ether a strain or a mutant." And with that, they were off to find Thomas, though it was really Darwin dragging along Nova, who was still trying to full wake up.

They found Thomas in the study, reading through some old books. Once they entered, he set the book he was currently reading. Darwin put Nova in front of him. Nova turned to him. "Yea, Darwin needs a Mythic gene strain for his converter. Since I don't have any......." Nova fell asleep mid sentence. Thomas walked to Darwin. "Yes, I'm aware that in order to complete the conversion process, you need both a ponies gene strain, and a Mythic strain. I'm sure you have this book." He went back and brought it to Darwin, who nodded. "Yes I do. You happen to have a Mythic strain anywhere?"

Thomas nodded, then turned toward one of the bookshelves, and motioned Darwin to follow. "I'm sure you recall Nova asking me what reward mutant I asked for when I became champion, yes?" Darwin nodded. "Well......" Thomas pulled on one of the books, and the bookshelf split in half, revealing a mutant larva. "Is that a....." Thomas picked up the larva container, and handed it to Darwin. "Yes, this is a Boss strain Dracus Nobilis. This is what I asked for. I knew it was going to have some importance in the future, so I kept it in is larva form. Use this to get your Mythic gene strain." Before Darwin could drag Nova, who was still asleep, Thomas asked him a question. "Who are you going to use for the pony gene?" Darwin smiled. "Why, Nova of course! It will bring him even closer to his mutants, so it would only be fitting to use a gene strain from him." And he was off yet again, rushing off to get things under way.

This time when Nova awoke, he was hooked up to what he assumed to be Darwin's machine. "Uh, would you like to tell me what it is i'm doing connected to this thing?" Darwin walked over to Nova. "Yes, your dad did have a Mythic gene strain, but to complete the gene needed to convert most of your mutants, I need to splice a pony gene with the Mythic gene. So, I chose you, since these are your mutants. Now, you may feel a slight pinch...." Before Nova could question him further, he felt a sharp pain in the base of his neck. "ACK! What WAS that!" He felt blood being drawn. "Can't talk, busy, sorry." Darwin had to make sure everything was correctly spliced together, otherwise.......

He pushed the thought aside, and focused at the task ahead. He had no problem breaking down the Mythic gene, but he was slowly and carefully doing the same with Nova's gene that he extracted. "Easy does it now......." He was finally beginning to breakdown the strain of pony gene. It felt like forever, but soon enough he had successfully broke it down, and began the splicing process. "This goes there, and that over there......" Sweat was dripping off his face as he carefully rearranged the two gene's genetic structure. After an hour of continuous work, Darwin had done it. "There, finished. Now to embed the gene into the system, and we can start the conversion process. Now, just hold still....."

Nova was going to say something, but the feeling of the needle being removed caused him to clench his teeth. It slowly slid out of his neck. Once free, Nova got up and stretched. "Next time, warn me when your gonna do experiments that involve me. Ugh, feels like I tried to sleep on a bed made of spikes." He turned to look at the Converter. "Well, I didn't just sit in one place, and have my gene spliced with one of a Mythic gene to stand around and do nothing. Let's go bring in my mutants!" They raced off to the mutant compounds, and gathered what mutants that could be converted to a human/humanoid. They ended up returning with Nova's Dire Despot, Goliath, Robot, and Nordic Nightmare.

Darwin instructed Nova where to place the mutants, and to watch the magic happen. First one in was the Dire Despot. He stood at one end of the Converter, waiting for the process to begin. Small ring-like segments closed him off from the outside, and the Converter started up. Darwin was muttering to himself. "Just put this here, and then put that over that, and........ BINGO!" Nova walked over to the other side, chuckling at Darwin's over enthusiasm, but he was as well. What stepped out made his jaw almost hit the ground. He thought his Dire Despot looked scary before, but now......

"Wow......" Even the Dire Despot was stunned, looking at his hands, then at his new stature. He was tall, menacing, and above all, dark. "Darwin, I think you should be getting some awards for this. This is just......... mind blowing." Darwin was a mind blown as everyone else, for both Thomas and Eva had stepped into the room, and saw the humanized Dire Despot. "Darwin, did you....." Eva couldn't finish her sentence. Thomas shook it off. "Yes, I knew that you would be able to get this to work."

Hours went by completing all the conversions, but each transformation was well worth the wait. With Nova still not in the best of health, he was still not allowed to enter the Alpha Division. It was days later before he was mentally fit enough to start. With the new humanized mutant transformations, things would get a LOT more interesting in the up coming fights. "I can't wait to show them what I'm made of!" Everyone agreed, but for the moment, it was time to rest. "Wow, this sport has come quite a long way. Now were using creatures of myth and legend! I wonder whats next........" With that ending note from Thomas, they all went to sleep, for the next few days were going to be filled with new combat styles, new mutants, and new psy-captains.