Gray's upward hand served as a deterrent to the onslaught they were going to combat.

While Crow assessed the situation Chester took note of a missing element. There were only five Brawlers here. Eight had gone missing. Leon was just seen escorting Jessie somewhere, which left Mandy and Poco. He wondered if that explosive recoil they heard was caused by Bo. Maybe he was in combat with the remaining Brawlers. He hoped that Mandy hadn't been converted into one of these monstrosities as well, but he knew that was a hopeless plea. The thought of having to fight her made his stomach churn but the bigger problem was the skeleton. Their medic was somewhere far away. Just like last time. Waiting for a chance to heal them.

'Please keep him busy, Bo,' the jester internally prayed.

Chester's eyes went into search mode. Crow's eyes were in disbelief. He couldn't stop staring at her. Staring through his old friend. The electromagnetic zombie girl had been like a sister to Bibi. That made her another one of his goddaughters. He couldn't accept this. Who would have expected this? Watching her atop that perch, her skin held together by duct tape and wiring. Her free will was stolen by what looked like a technological cage. She was being tortured, even if her cackles screamed otherwise.

Crow stepped forward, "Emz. Snap out of it!" A useless call he knew, "Everyone's been so worried. You disappeared." He had to try, "Bibi's been a nervous wreck. Mortis is tearing the park apart looking for you." Maybe by some cliché, "I'm worried about you."

His voice would reach her.

Emz went silent. A stiff and tense aura fell over them. The fog disappeared for a moment. An outcome that caused the leader, Enigma, to observe her next move closely. Behind her digital visor, there was a glimmer of hope. Humanity hidden beneath the wires and codes. Then a smile came up from her bowels. Followed by a heinous cackle, "Yea-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!" Her fingers reached to her belt. She flicked open a few canisters and the fog doubled its intensity. Her hands went to the sky, like a goddess calling upon a storm to smite these mortals. Enigma gave a small smile.

Chester stopped his search when he saw what Crow had beckoned. He put a hand on his shoulder, "There's no point. That's not her." He looked around at all the robotic machinations, "None of them are. They're a bunch of Carbon Copies"

Crow smacked away his uncertainty, "Right. Right. Their copies..." The bird looked deep into the LED display. If he concentrated he might be able to see her eyes behind the visor. His tone was less confident, "They're just copies."

While he was taking in the five Brawlers against them he saw Gray drop his hand. His fingers contorted into the imaginary pistols children would fire during playtime. His fingers mimed a gun's barrel and his eyes were positioned behind the sights. He couldn't see it but Chester saw Gray mouthing the word, BANG.

He jumped forward, rolling out of the way of the imaginary bullet. It left a sizable indent in the roof's concrete barrier. With the massive recoil that Enigma suffered from he must have been using an unholy caliber hand cannon. Chester got to his feet ready to send an attack back at the robotic mime. Instead, he came face to face with ColdFront's angry grimace. The flurry of slushy goodness inside his plexiglass case was spinning like an F5 tornado. The snowcone spewer placed the palm of his hand against Chester's nose. It happened so fast. A compartment opened on his palm and out of it came three condensed balls. Not only did they hit Chester's face like a rock but they somehow were burning and freezing his cheeks at the same time. A confusingly painful experience that made him roll away while hollering in pain.

Crow tried to rush to his aid but a new problem appeared at his feet. A rapidly disappearing fuse attached to thirty grams of gunpowder. His feathers stood on edge and jumped back to avoid a quick death. With his hollow bones and powerful legs, he started floating on a nonexistent breeze. He readied his blades for a return volley at the crazy carbon coot. Until his lungs filled with that purple gas once more. His heart ignited and his body fell to a tumbling knee.

Chester finally started recovering from his own attack. ColdFront moved in before he could get to his feet. The robot picked him up by his stylish bone chest pin. Chester's sharpened false teeth barely hanging on inside his mouth. ColdFront's hand slowly came up to Chester's face. Another set of chilling flames was ready to be deposited into Chester's orifices.

*chunk*

His hand cannon felt oddly heavy. A peek at his palm sent him into a tantrum. Chester had somehow slipped one of his exploding bells into the slot. ColdFront tried to pull it out, but it wouldn't budge. The sound of it jingling kept getting louder. An annoying sound only enhanced when he heard Chester chuckle from below. The jester had rolled away with a playful grin, "Oh, so much anger." The orb exploded in the confection bot's face sending him running away from his target. Chester continued to snicker, "Waa-ha-ha-ow. Ow, I'm too tired to laugh."

*strum*

That knocked Chester's smile away. That couldn't be right. Bo should have been dealing with him. Was the fight that close? Or did something already eliminate Bo? He threw away this rapidly approaching paranoia. For now, he'll just have to prepare for the worst while still praying for the best. He had to find where he was. If he waited too long that green wave would wash away their chances.

While he was searching, he locked eyes with Spike. Or PinCushion as he went by now. The flames were causing a billow of smoke to mix with EM2's noxious fumes. The two quickly retrieved their respective orbs and launched them. They grazed each other in midair, mildly affecting their course. PinCushion's shrapnel ball just whizzed past Chester's cheek. Chester tried to duck before the second attack could activate but a stray shard of metal nicked his torso. PinCushion was less agile and was only able to move his face to the side. The fire in his core mixed with the explosive power of Chester's bell. His fire doubled in size which caused him to panic and run around for help.

Crow's battle had only increased in pace. His feet gracefully ran across the edge of the rooftop. Any aerial advantage he should have had was being cut off by EM2's smoke. Everywhere he landed was assaulted by dynamite sticks and imaginary bullet casings. He found an opening to finally rush ahead and throw forward an attack of his own. Enigma ducked behind cover before Crow even retrieved the knives. M1K however was less than aware. Enigma had to create a portal to get the Dynamike lookalike to safety. Not before Crow landed three volleys directly into the bot's face.

While the two of them were hiding Crow aimed for EM2. He needed to get rid of those spray cans. When she noticed him aiming at her she crouched to look him in the eyes. Crow's body locked up. Despite her sinister smile and that chrome finish, he couldn't bring himself to strike her. Even if it was a robotic faker. And she knew it.

*strum*

Chester came running in from stage left. A bit of blood from his open wound got onto Crow's leather jacket. A petty offense but one that Crow was too frustrated to deal with. "HEY! Watch out!" he cawed in a shrill rage. Chester responded by pulling Crow down to a prone crawl. Above them, a hellacious concoction was formed. A cloud of purple smoke was mixed with flying shrapnel and solidified nitrogen rounds. As it sprinkled down on them they stood up with their noses covered. A haunting realization dawned on them.

M1K was freshly repaired as if he had never been attacked. He was tossing sticks of dynamite like a circus juggler with bowling pins. ColdFront was back to depositing a frigid floor of ice under their feet while Enigma blew away imaginary smoke from his fingers. The robotic forms of PinCushion and EM2 laughed away on the side, even if PinCushion couldn't actually make any auditory noises. Somewhere far away, a guitar was gently weeping.

They were surrounded. Just like the last time Chester was attacked. Flashbacks of his waking nightmare flooded his eyes. In his confusion, Crow asked, "What the hell's going on? I thought I iced RoboMike?"

Chester turned to keep an eye on PinCushion and EM2, "It's Poco. He's somewhere nearby!"

The guitar continued its raucous tune. Somewhere far in the distance yet bouncing off the stars. Crow felt like that sound was laughing at him. Taunting him and his fruitless efforts. He turned back to Chester, "I have a plan." The wall of robotic rage was getting smaller. "But you'll have to distract them for a few seconds."

Chester's heart was about to beat out of his chest. They were getting too close. His face paint was starting to run, "Seconds... I can do seconds." Enigma's fingers looked like they were finally reloaded, "It might backfire though."

Crow readied some blades, "How bad?"

"Well... either I'll distract them, blow myself up, or shoot you in the back."

Crow got distracted, "What the heck could have that many downsides?"

Chester quickly slung his strap to his front. The Jack in the Box began to vibrate at the mere mention of its power. Crow didn't ask any more questions. He just deadpanned, "Crap." Crow wanted to think of an alternative but the sound of M1K's bombs igniting took away any time for planning. "Fine. Just crank it."

Chester held onto the knob and began spinning it as fast as he could. Meanwhile, Crow tried his best to hold them back. He threw blades at PinCushion to stop him from releasing a ball. Kicked away a stick of dynamite before it could explode. Even helped Chester duck and dodge as Enigma's bullets assaulted them. All on slippery ground and without the ability to jump through the fog.

All for the moment when the box dinged. A sound effect that could mean their rescue or their demise. Chester roared, "NOW!"

The avian jumped over Chester's head. The box was used as a platform and a springboard. They locked eyes as Chester lifted him up propelling him through the cloud of smoke Emz had locked them within. At the same time, the box popped open. Crow twisted during his rise, letting out a fan of blades in all directions. His last piece of assistance before he disappeared into the sky. A moment of nervous anticipation followed as even the lifeless machine knew all too well what horrors it could create. A low hiss came up as a green cloud rolled into the sky. Skulls mixed into the formula as a heavy fog wiped away Emz's petty copy.

Salmiakki.

This powerful flavor of pain did more than assault the senses. It was said to be so bad people would rather cut off their noses than smell it. When the gas touches the skin it makes the body break out into a feverish rash. Metals would rust in its wake. A floating plague of chaos and destruction. A natural disaster.

Chester got as low as he could under the box. Salmiakki knew not of friend or foe. It would infect all in its range. All except the box and its user. The robots were not given a chance to flee. They had spent that chance blocking the blades Crow left upon departure. Plus the Salmiakki was too fast to run from. It enveloped their circuitry, shortening their systems and corroding their cores. Even EM2's undead corpse writhed around until she fell to the floor.

Above this destruction was a clear night sky. No stars could be seen but the moon illuminated what the lights couldn't touch. Crow's lungs finally felt free and his feathers lucid. He didn't realize how much he missed this feeling. Being in the air. Being free.

He couldn't bask in this for long. There were targets to hit. He opened his wings to ride the currents. His eyes scanned for Poco's location. He couldn't have been on the rooftop they were clashing on so it must be a neighboring building. He found his answer on the westward complex. A little black sombrero resting behind the roof's guarding wall. It was bobbing up and down as a golden brown hand played a subtle tune.

Crow thought to himself, 'Another chrome-dipped imposter.' He was getting sick of this. He twirled midair to hurl blades downward. The sound of steel slashing through a metal exoskeleton confirmed his hit. This, with the robot's groans of discourse, assured him of a successful attack. Now he needed to finish him. His body contorted like a corkscrew into a diving strike. His fists curled into condensed death balls ready to put a hole through the steel skeleton's skull. But just before he could land the kill shot something caught his eye. A bit of green liquid rolled out from the mariachi's wounds. Almost like blood, the creepy musician would spray on the battlefield during brawls. His body relaxed and his rage faltered. A new emotion rolled over him.

Concern.

He thought to himself, 'Poco?'

*BANG*

Chester heard the recoil of a high-caliber firearm. It was the same sound as before. That sound he caught when Bo went after Leon. He looked around at the group of robots writing in pain. It hadn't come from any of them. He checked his own body but there was no bullet wound. Which could only mean something horrible has happened.

He ran forward through the toxic gas. The Jack in the Box's presence split the fumes apart. Just in time to watch Crow's body fall between the buildings. Chester ran forth in hopes of catching him but he only got a front-row seat to Crow's skull bouncing against the roof edge and plummeting below. He wanted to chase after Crow but there was something more pressing. He had to find the shooter. Assuming Crow was pursuing Poco, there's only one other Brawler that hadn't been accounted for.

Chester perched himself on top of the stairway access point. He had to ignore the urge to drop to the ground below. The sound of Crow landing like a wet sac of potatoes had to be put aside. For now, he was locking eyes with his assailant.

A glistening body with a syrupy liquid staining the outer body. Candy cane spirals rolled down her arms and legs with cotton candy hair. Her scepter was replaced with a licorice stick lance and leaked flavor rounds. Chocolate oozed from the crevices and dripped from her mouth. Candy and sweets became more than just her favorite flavor, but her only source of life.

The extra sweet vixen stared through Chester's soul. Then disappeared into the darkness between the buildings. Blocks away from the action and the most dangerous combatant in this clash. Chester wanted to chase her. Hunt down this robotic copy to find out the truth about who kidnapped the original. His heart stopped him, he needed to save Crow first.

Chord had made his way down the fire escape and began dragging Crow in his maroon jeans. Chester yelled after him but was yanked back into the center of the arena. He started to fight back till two invisible bullets pierced his feet. He hollered to the sky and fell over while throwing bells in all directions.

The robots rushed past this desperate attempt. They began to kick and bash him while he curled into a ball beneath them. Their heavy blows showed no signs of halting after minutes of beating on him. Through barely slit lids his eyes caught the tail end of an odd activity. Enigma wasn't joining in the beatdown. Instead he had placed the Jack in the Box in front of him. There was something in his gloved hands. A tablet. A drone. He didn't get the chance to analyze it.

A stiff blow bashed his exposed nose fuzzing his vision. He soon lost consciousness. Giving in to the abuse and accepting his fate. Unbeknownst to him, Emz's clone also excluded herself from the slaughter. She instead ran after Poco's copy for a check-up, inspecting the wound that Crow had given him. Plus punish the bird for hurting her precious friend.

There was a sharp whistle from behind that finally ended the nightmare. Something threw the box against Chester's limp corpse. Then like wind they vanished.

Chester woke up hours later. He was still on that same rooftop. His face ached, his arms felt busted, and there was definitely some internal bruising. A look at the sky led him to believe that he'd been out the whole night. There was too much light above. The moon was still visible on the horizon as the sun began to make its march up the ladder in the sky.

In a desperate attempt to push forward, he rolled over to a crawl. He remembered that Crow had fallen off the building. He should have landed in this alleyway. If he was fast he might still be there. Maybe he can save him. His body struggled to get over the roof's edge. His mind was a fuzzy blank and unaware of the danger he was still in. He fell over the edge. His body limp as gravity gave him an express elevator to the ground. A filled garbage can caught his fall, the smell almost unregistrable from the immense pain he was in.

He knew he needed to keep going. He had to find Crow. Help Bo. Save Jessie. All of his friends. He had to protect them. Who else would?

He pulled out the Jack in the Box hoping to summon some assistance. A way to heal himself perhaps. It was in the box's capabilities. Instead of a helpful pill to swallow he got a deep breath of Salmiakki for his troubles. He couldn't even properly suffer the effects. He just rolled back asleep, suffering silently in the spray's toxic fumes.