A/N: Welcome back my friends! Or un-friends, you're not a friend yet until you read the first one, so if you haven't, get out of here and go read it, I don't want to see you again if you haven't. Louis and I have completed the sequel to "This is the Decision I Must Make", but well, you probably already know that from the summary. Louis and I really just were having a bunch of fun with this one and doing things in here for our own entertainment, and hopefully you will enjoy it too. Louis and I just couldn't leave it off on that last note, it was just too sad for us. And I'm going to warn you, be prepared to laugh because there are some pretty funny moments in this one, or at least, I think so. Unlike the last one, this one did end up being a little longer chapter wise, and has five more chapters than the other. There will also be some chapters you will look at and know right away it was my idea because I need to get my mind out of la la land, you'll know what I mean soon enough if you don't. I could probably keep blabbering on to you guys about "This is the Decision They Must Make," but I should probably shut up and just let you get to the reading.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy!
It was mid-day. The sky was grey with thick clouds and everything felt slow. There was a distinct feeling of boredom felt by most. It had been a slow work day at Borg Tower, especially for Cyrus Borg. Other than overseeing some beta testing of a few new prototypes and some minor paperwork, there was not much to do.
While doing his paperwork, Cyrus noticed he was missing an important form. After looking through his office without finding it, Cyrus figured it may have been misplaced. Going down to his lab to check the file cabinets, Cyrus sat in the doorway. Looking around the room, the inventor felt saddened.
The lab was full of happy and sad memories for Cyrus. Whenever he entered the lab, he could not help but remember Cryptor. It had only been a year since Cyrus had powered Cryptor down. Although Cyrus was no longer entirely depressed, he still missed the android.
Cyrus sighed, finally entering the room all the way. Heading towards the filing cabinets, something caught his eye. On the floor he saw a worn out, black ink pen sticking out from under a set of cupboards along the wall. Leaning down over his handlebars, Cyrus picked up the pen. Examining the pen, it reminded him of the one Cryptor use to click repeatedly.
Cyrus frowned, clicking the pen once. He bit back a little sob as he clicked the pen again. He remembered how Cryptor would click the pen when he was bored. It did not take long for Cyrus to remember what he had done to Cryptor and that he was gone.
"Cryptor." Cyrus choked back another sob. He tried to keep himself from crying, but failed when the image of Cryptor being shut down crossed his mind.
The inventor broke down sobbing into his hands. Unable to contain himself, Cyrus cried to himself. Remembering his time with Cryptor was painful. He missed Cryptor too much.
As the inventor cried, he began to think. Although Cryptor had been powered off for a long time, he was not truly dead. Cyrus could power him on again if he wanted. However, if he did turn Cryptor back on, they would probably have the same problems as before if not more.
Mentally debating with himself, Cyrus began having ideas and plotting out different scenarios. He thought of ways to prevent the same problems they had before. As he formed a plan, Cyrus began to feel determined to revive his android. It was not like the other times that he had thought about bringing Cryptor back. He meant it this time.
Having some preparations to do, Cyrus called a few free employees. He asked them to bring Cryptor's body to the lab and to lay him on the table. When they left to do just that, Cyrus found P.I.X.A.L. and gave her all of the money from his wallet, sending her out to get some much needed supplies.
After that, Cyrus began preparing. It took him about two weeks to get everything in order. Once everything was ready though, Cyrus readied himself for turning Cryptor on. Leaning over the same table he had built Cryptor on over a year before, Cyrus powered on his creation once again.
"Cryptor..."
Cryptor almost immediately gasped when powered back on. When he was powered off, he wasn't aware of losing power, but for a brief second, had felt his body begin to collapse and hand release from the doorknob. He was on a table now, definitely not the door. He heard an apology and now here he was, Cyrus speaking to him. He almost immediately shot up into a sitting position, hardly even possessing the change of location or anything through the rage and feeling of betrayal.
"What is wrong with you?!" He shouted as he shot up with a glare. His eyes falling on Cyrus with a glare. "Why do yo-" He then continued to rant before he immediately locked up, finally figuring out all the changes. The position change, Cyrus was much closer. Everything looked different. His look of hostility quickly transformed into a confused one as his gaze analyzed everything, scanning across Cyrus through the room, even to himself. Cyrus watched Cryptor look around in confusion. It was good to see Cryptor alive again, but Cyrus still felt guilty. Knowing full well that Cryptor would be angry with him, Cyrus moved back and gave Cryptor some space.
"I... I see that you've noticed the change." Cyrus said, clearing his throat. "You see... I... I ended up powering you off..."
"I think that's been made rather obvious." Cryptor growled, throwing a glare at Cyrus. "Stupid public and their illogical thought processes." Cryptor then looked down the inventor. "How did you power me off from such a great distance?"
"Well... when making some repairs, I made a remote to power you off from afar." Cyrus said, pulling the remote from his pocket. He had retrieved it before powering Cryptor on. "I never wanted to use it, but I made it in case I ever needed it." Cryptor frowned, glaring at the remote harshly.
"Good to know you trusted me enough to make that." He hissed with irritation. Grumbling as he swung his legs over the edge of the table, Cryptor began to notice some differences in himself as he moved. "What did you do to me? I feel different."
"I... downgraded you a bit." Cyrus admitted, dreading the next thing he was going to stay. "Being shut off as long as you have, your body has aged too." Cryptor jerked and tensed at the inventors words.
"How long, have I been off?" Cyrus frowned at Cryptor's question and looked down at his lap. Cryptor would hate him, but that's what he deserved.
"A little over a year." He answered nervously. "I'm sorr-"
"A YEAR?!" Cryptor almost immediately started yelling, cutting off the inventor. "You left me off for a year? You leave me off you're a year and then you decide to downgrade me on top of that?! Why did you even bother turning me back on?! A year?!"
"I... couldn't stand to have you off... I wanted to turn you back on many times, but I was afraid that I would only suffer the same heart break if I did." Cyrus said, not looking up from his lap. "I turned you back on so you could have another chance at life, but you will never be the hero I had originally planned for you to be." Cryptor growled, hopping off of the table and storming across the lab.
"You think you can just leave me off for a year and just power me back on?! Were you just expecting me to except the fact and have a happily ever after?! Just to drop everything I have ever trained for in my life?!"
"No... I don't expect you to just be happy with all of this. I understand why you are angry and hurt. I know that this is a lot to take in and it's all so sudden for you, but I have reasons for what I did." Cyrus urged, watching Cryptor as he walked away. "I don't expect you to understand or forgive me right away or at all. I don't expect you to trust me ever again. All that matters to me is that you are alive and not just lying there like a corpse." Cryptor made his way over to the window to look out at the city, furrowing his brow as he analyzed it all.
"Perhaps it would have been better for you to leave me off forever." He growled with frustration. "What do you even expect me to do if I can't do what I was specifically built to do?"
"I... I don't know." Cyrus admitted. He knew that only one thing interested Cryptor. The android only enjoyed running free and fighting. "We have to keep you a secret... but perhaps we could find you a new directive."
"I don't want a new directive, I want my directive!" Cryptor shouted, swiftly spinning around to glare at Cyrus. "And I am not going to remain a secret! I am not going to hide from everyone for the rest of eternity!" Cyrus looked down at his lap, brows furrowed. He should have known that Cryptor would not want to change. Asking him to give up his old life was too much. It was unfair. If Cyrus had taken better care of him and taught him better, perhaps he would never have been shut off. It was all Cyrus' fault.
"Then... then I promise to find a way to let you become the hero I built you to be." Cyrus said, looking up at Cryptor. "I'll find a way... but until then, you will have to be a secret." Cryptor growled, clenching his fists.
"I am not going to stay a secret! You are not going to trap me in this stupid room again! You expect me to just sit around in here after a year?" He spat slashing a hand back to point out the window. "What even happened out there?!" Cyrus glanced out the window to see what Cryptor was talking about, remembering that Cryptor had never seen the hover roads.
"The City has been advancing rapidly." Cyrus stated, steering his chair closer to the window. "I promise that you'll get to explore the city again. You'll get to see all of the new technologies and new buildings, just bear with me." Cyrus paused and looked up at Cryptor. "You don't have to stay locked in this room, you know... Come with me. I have something to show you." He added, turning his chair around and heading towards the door. When Cyrus asked Cryptor to follow, Cryptor grumbled, continuing to glare at the inventor, but refusing to move from the position he stood. Noticing that Cryptor did not follow, Cyrus stopped and turned around. "Cryptor... I know that you are upset with me, but I really do need you to follow." Cryptor growled, glaring at Cyrus with crossed arms, before eventually turning his gaze to the ground and finally walking across the room to follow Cyrus.
When Cryptor followed, Cyrus turned his chair right around and steered it out into the hall. He knew that Cryptor was not happy with him and that he may never be able to make things right, but he wanted to try. Without a word, Cyrus led Cryptor to the nearest elevator. The two waited in silence as the elevator took them up to the floor just below Cyrus' office. Leading Cryptor through the halls, they stopped at a room. Cyrus put in a pin and the door opened.
The room had a comfortable looking chair by a large window at the opposite end. There was a sturdy desk set neatly against a wall and a dart board hung on another. The whole room looked a bit plain.
"This room is yours. You can charge in here at night or stay in here when you don't want to be wandering the tower." Cyrus stated. "No one is permitted to enter unless you allow them. The outside is passcode protected and the inside opens with that pad by the door. I'll show you how to change the passcode tomorrow..." Entering the room, Cryptor stared flatly at the room, hardly even looking at its contents. Even as Cyrus spoke, Cryptor hardly listened to what he said; something about a passcode and a door. Cryptor didn't care about much anymore. He really disliked the new situation he was forced into. He hated the time leap, the fact that in a blink of an eye a year had passed.
"I... I hope the room will suffice." Cyrus said, not knowing what else to say. "I suppose that I'll leave you alone now... I have work to do. You're free to roam the tower, but stay off the first floor." With that, Cyrus turned to leave, stopping at the door. He entered a code that would leave the door unlocked until he could teach Cryptor how to use it. Once that was done, he left to do his work.
