Fusion and Iron

9. The Man Out of Time

Gray clouds slowly crawled on by, puffy and nearly stormy. The sunlight which was prevalent early in the morning had now been blocked out, a massive set of storm clouds coming from Bravo Beach. Even though it still rained last night, there was a soft sprinkling coming down on the street-tight buildings in Marquee Row.

Nestled within the enclave of Tech Square lied an incredible piece of architecture hidden away behind more holographic fortifications and automated turrets. While they stood as sentinels of this innovation, they scanned left and right in search of smaller fusion creatures that might have slipped into the modern streets of the downtown area. They're sleek, efficient, and built with the ever-iconic Dexlabs logo on the sides. Amidst the constant technological war between Mandark's work and Dexter's, it seems in Tech Square that Dexter has his superiority. Even in the most life-threatening event, the young scientist never failed to always remain on the top of the heap against thousands of other tinkerers and inventors on planet earth.

The shimmering holographic borders delineated the boundaries of this particular building, a constant pulse of electricity like water ripples.
The building itself was a masterpiece of architecture, its structure a harmonious blend of functionality and aesthetic appeal. The observatory atop the lab stood tall, housing a large telescope that peers into the depths of space, a symbol of curiosity in uncertain times.

Upon entering the lab, one was greeted by a pristine interior adorned in white marble, illuminated by the glow of strategically placed floodlights that accentuated the laboratory's sophisticated atmosphere. The spacious interior was a hive of activity, with dozens of dexbots tirelessly at work, their mechanical precision evident in the production of cutting-edge technology and inventions. The fresh smell of hot metals and synthetic oil is prevalent, creating a slight must within the conveyor belt rooms intended for creating parts.

The walls were lined with monitors displaying complex equations, schematics of inventions in progress, and real-time data from ongoing experiments. Shelves were filled with books, reference materials, and prototypes of gadgets waiting to be tested and perfected. Despite the messy look of the nearly hundreds of wires thrown about, every single square inch of the building seemed to have a use for it.

The advanced technology of the lab brought a sense of innovation within the room, a complete polar opposite to the world falling apart around it. The dexbots worked as if there was no major threat, pushed beyond their mechanical limits to complete dozens of personal machinations and projects. Even though they were just programmed machines, they enjoyed their work. Day in and day out they supported the cause, the tireless engineers behind closed doors.

In one of the side rooms, a large rectangular holographic table was laid out in the center. Outside of the ceiling lights, the room had a blue glow coming from the interactable table. Various different notches and buttons were lined up on one end of the table, revealing its many different uses and interactive user interface.

Standing around together on opposite ends of the table were Niles, Dexter, Blossom, Buttercup, Nano X, and a tall but curvy automaton. She was a hue of blue, the label 'dexlabs' imprinted on her body while her face was almost like a computer monitor on her own. She resembled a feminine shape, holding a clipboard in her hand with a smile. This was Computress, Dexter's number-one assistant in this whole journey.

Niles looked determined, hunching over on the table next to X with his hands holding the ledge armored in his battered suit.

Dexter seemed curious, smacking his large wrench in his grasped hand. His white lab coat had been tightened around him, indicating a sense of anticipation.

Blossom stood upright, having her hands on her thin hips. She appeared to be wearing her usual red, white, and black outfit although she had a light gray jumpsuit zipped up over her.

Buttercup had her arms crossed, slightly sitting on the table with a thigh. She also wore her usual green, white, and black outfit, although had a jacket and some baggy sweatpants to handle the cool temperature.

Nano Alien X was laid out across the table on his stomach with his arms crossed, blinking once or twice while looking around at everyone. His tiny stub feet did a little kick, swaying back and forth completely relaxed.